Category: English

## The day I received my college acceptance letter, I made my best friend promise not to tell my family. She agreed, smiling sweetly as though she understood. But the moment I turned my back, she ran straight to my mom. My mom tore up the letter and locked me in the house. She planned to sell me off—to marry me to a middle-aged bachelor in our rural town for a $30,000 dowry, all to help my brother buy an apartment in the city. I fought back with everything I had. But when I tried to escape, my mom beat me so badly she broke both of my legs. Years later, after giving birth to my fifth child, I died in childbirth, bleeding out while no one cared enough to help. When I opened my eyes again, it was as if time had rewound itself. I was back on the road to pick up my acceptance letter. My so-called best friend, Karen, was smiling at me. “So, Sophie, did you get in?” Karen was holding my acceptance letter, grinning as she walked toward me. Her smile couldn’t hide the glint of malice in her eyes, and I narrowed mine in response. In my previous life, we’d both taken the college entrance exams. I had been accepted to a prestigious university out of state, while Karen had only managed to get into a low-tier community college. We both came from the same rural town, where life was tough and opportunities were rare. My family, dirt poor and deeply traditional, couldn’t afford to send me to college. To make matters worse, my mom had set her mind on marrying me off for a $30,000 dowry, all to fund my younger brother’s dream of buying a house in the city. But I had a dream too. I wanted to leave this town. I wanted to escape the suffocating mountains and build a future for myself. I begged Karen to keep my acceptance a secret from my family. I poured my heart out to her, sharing all my hopes and plans for the future. She nodded, promising to keep my secret, swearing she supported me. But the night I was ready to leave, my battered suitcase in hand, Karen showed up—with my mom trailing behind her. “Mrs. Miller, Sophie got into college, but she’s not really going, right? She wouldn’t abandon you or the family, would she? Isn’t that right, Sophie?” Her fake concern was infuriating. My suitcase said everything I couldn’t—I was leaving, no matter what. My mom’s face turned red with rage. She lunged at me, grabbing my hair and yanking me back. “You’re going to college? Over my dead body!” she screamed. I begged her, sobbing, trying to explain that I’d make good money after graduation, that I’d help the family then. “I let you finish high school, didn’t I? And now you think you’re too good for us? College? Are you out of your mind?” Her grip tightened, the pain of my scalp nearly blinding me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Karen standing there, smirking. She waved my acceptance letter in the air, the one my mom had ripped to shreds. I was dragged back home, locked in my room, and left without food or water for two days. The only thought keeping me going was the dream of escaping. One dark night, I finally managed to break free. I was so close—the edge of the village was right there. Just a few more steps, and I’d be free. Then pain. Blinding, searing pain. My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed. My mom stood over me, holding a thick wooden stick. She’d broken my legs. “You little brat. You think you can run? You’re staying right here until you’re married off, you hear me?” And just like that, I was sold off—for $30,000—to a middle-aged man in the village. No marriage certificate, no ceremony. Just a transaction. I was nothing more than a childbearing machine for him, enduring endless abuse for five years. When I gave birth to my fifth child, I bled out on the bed, the life draining from me as I realized no one would care. Meanwhile, Karen had stolen my acceptance letter and taken my place at college. She graduated, married a wealthy man in the city, and lived a picture-perfect life. No one would ever know that I had died, forgotten and alone, in a remote, nameless village. But now, I have a second chance. This time, I’ll make sure they all pay. Every single one of them will face justice for what they did to me. This time, I will take back everything that was stolen from me. 2 I stared at the acceptance letter in Karen’s hand, letting a glimmer of envy show in my eyes. “It’s been days, and my college letter still hasn’t arrived. Guess it’s just not happening for me.” My words seemed to hit the exact note Karen wanted to hear. She was the kind of person who couldn’t stand seeing me do better than her. The idea of me not getting into college clearly delighted her. Karen sighed dramatically and walked over, grabbing my hand in mock sympathy. “Sophie, you always aim too high. Honestly, you should’ve just applied to a community college like I did. Why waste your time on some out-of-state fancy university?” she said, her voice dripping with fake concern. “Well, look where it got you,” she continued, shaking her head as if she were truly disappointed. “But what’s done is done. Let’s head home, okay?” Karen’s words might have sounded caring to someone else, but I could hear the smugness beneath her tone. In my past life, it had been just like this. She’d flaunted her acceptance letter in front of me, over and over, just to savor the sight of my disappointment. What she didn’t know then, though, was that my acceptance letter had simply arrived a day later than hers. When it finally arrived, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I ran straight to Karen’s house, holding the letter tightly in my hands. “Karen! I got in!” I shouted, beaming with joy. “What?!” Karen snatched the letter out of my hands, flipping it over and over as if she couldn’t believe it was real. At the time, I thought she was just happy for me. I didn’t notice the way her hands clenched around the paper, or the fleeting look of malice in her eyes. Looking back, that moment was probably when she started plotting against me. How could she accept that someone she considered beneath her had gotten into a prestigious university? In her mind, it should’ve been her. Always her. But Karen had forgotten one thing: in high school, I’d been at the top of our class every single year. 3 The next day, I went alone to pick up my acceptance letter. When I finally had it in my hands, the weight of it made everything feel real. This time, I told no one. I went straight home and hid the letter in the dusty beams of the attic. “What are you doing up there?” The lazy, drawling voice from behind me made my heart skip a beat. It was my younger brother, Jason. I turned around slowly, trying to gauge how much he might have seen. “Oh, I was just putting some rat poison up here,” I said casually. “We’ve had mice scurrying around at night, and they’ve been freaking me out.” Jason looked annoyed, waving me off. “Alright, whatever. Mom said to get ready. She wants you to go out with her later.” I froze for a moment but managed to keep my tone steady. “Got it. I’ll change and head out.” After he left, I locked the door behind him and moved the letter to a new hiding spot. I wasn’t taking any chances this time. Sure enough, when my mom called me to leave the house, it was exactly as I had expected. She was dragging me to meet one of the middle-aged bachelors in town. A “nice man,” she’d called him. Someone who’d pay $30,000 for the privilege of marrying me. In my last life, I’d been naive enough to wear my best dress, hoping to make a good impression. That man had chosen me on the spot, sealing the deal with a handshake and a “gift” of a delicate wristwatch. I’d been too foolish to realize the watch was part of the dowry—the first payment in the transaction that would sell me off like livestock. This time, I clenched my fists and took a deep breath, forcing my anger to settle before it boiled over. “Mom, most of my clothes have been chewed up by mice. I’m going to borrow something from Karen to wear,” I said nonchalantly, walking past her as she sat peeling cotton in the yard. She looked up briefly, narrowing her eyes. “Fine, but hurry back. And I’ll put some rat poison in your room later.” I froze for a split second but forced myself to keep walking, smiling faintly. “No need, Mom. I already set some traps earlier.” She waved me off, turning back to her work. Karen was in her yard washing clothes when I arrived. Her family’s situation wasn’t much better than mine. She had an older sister who’d been married off at 18 for a hefty dowry, and a younger brother who was the golden child of the family. In our deeply patriarchal village, having a son was everything. Women were just a means to an end. “Sophie? What brings you here?” Karen asked, her voice laced with curiosity. I walked toward her, pretending to hesitate. “I… didn’t get into college,” I said softly. “My mom’s introducing me to someone. There’s a $30,000 dowry involved.” Karen’s eyes immediately lit up. “My good dresses have all been ruined by mice, though,” I continued, feigning embarrassment. “I was hoping to borrow something nice from you.” Karen’s hands froze mid-wash, and she swallowed hard. “Thirty thousand dollars? And he’s okay with you retaking the entrance exams next year?” I nodded shyly, lowering my voice. “Yeah, he’s older, but he seems like a good guy. My mom says I should dress up to make a good impression.” Karen’s curiosity turned into outright greed. “What’s he like? Have you met him yet?” I propped my chin in my hands, pretending to daydream. “Not yet. I’m meeting him soon.” Karen stared at me, her excitement barely contained. “You know,” she said after a moment, “I’ve got some free time today. Why don’t I come with you? Just to make sure everything’s… you know, okay.” Bingo. I smiled inwardly. “Really? That’d be great.” In my last life, Karen’s mother had been just as dismissive of her education as mine. But Karen had been resourceful. She’d found herself an older, married man from a neighboring village who sent her money every month, enough to pay her college tuition. The moment she graduated, she dumped him and set her sights on a rich guy from the city. This time, though, I wasn’t going to make it so easy for her. 5 I was smaller than Karen, so her clothes didn’t fit me well at all. She had “carefully chosen” a bright orange dress for me, one that clashed horribly with my sun-tanned skin and made me look even darker. Meanwhile, Karen had dressed herself to impress. She wore a fitted black V-neck top that hinted at her cleavage, paired with a cream-colored pleated skirt that showed off her slim, pale legs. The more polished and elegant she looked, the happier I felt. Because only I knew the truth—the man we were meeting was a lecherous creep. Standing side by side, it was obvious who he’d pick. And it wouldn’t be me. When we returned to my house, my mom gave me a quick once-over. She hesitated for a second, probably annoyed by how plain I looked, but with Karen standing there, she didn’t say anything. “Karen, you look so grown-up now! Definitely like a college student,” my mom said with a smile, her eyes lighting up as she admired Karen. Karen blushed modestly and grabbed my hand. “Oh no, Auntie, Sophie’s way smarter than me. It’s such a shame she didn’t get in.” “If she got in, I wouldn’t have let her go anyway,” my mom said matter-of-factly. “Her brother’s about to get married. Where would we get the money for her tuition?” I’d heard it all before. I should’ve been numb to it by now, but it still hurt. As we walked to the meeting spot, my mind raced, plotting my next move. Karen suddenly raised her voice, “My dad said someone from the village got into a really good college.” She turned to my mom. “Auntie, could it be Sophie? I mean, her grades were always so good.” Then she glanced back at me, a sly smile on her face. “Sophie, who do you think it is?” My heart skipped a beat. Did her dad see me when I picked up my acceptance letter? I stayed quiet for a moment before replying, “How would I know? There are so many people in the village.” Karen raised her finger and wagged it playfully in front of me. “My dad saw who it was,” she said. A chill ran down my spine. Damn it. She knew.

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I spent ten years devoted to Nolan, choosing to stay in this world for him. But in the third year of our marriage, he started an affair with a young, beautiful actress. He pampered her excessively, almost cradling her in his arms all day. His parents knew, his brothers knew, and they all conspired to keep it from me. Everyone believed Nolan loved me as if his life depended on it, and would go mad if I disappeared for even a moment. Now, as the man beside me happily discusses the plans for our seventh wedding anniversary celebration, I realize it’s time for me to go. Quietly, I activated a long-unused system and initiated a countdown to my staged death. The date was set for our seventh anniversary. I looked at the anniversary gift box sent by the actress—inside was a USB drive with over 100GB of their intimate videos and photos of her with his family. I felt a bitter taste in my mouth, yet no tears came. Everyone knew Nolan was having an affair, yet they all helped him hide it from me. They knew I was his Achilles’ heel, and if I vanished for an hour, he’d lose his mind. So, on the day I discovered his infidelity, I did three things to break him. First, I gave away the 9 pounds of gold jewelry and the $30 million diamond necklace he had gifted me to a beggar. Second, I saved the provocative messages and 100GB of intimate videos Celeste had sent me onto the USB drive. Third, I activated the system again and arranged a fake death, with the date set for our seventh anniversary. On that day, I plan to leave this world entirely, leaving only a body behind. Never to meet again for all eternity. Three days before the anniversary, Nolan was still oblivious to my plans to leave and continued discussing the details of the anniversary banquet. He even drove me to a luxury boutique in Capital City, photographing all the latest necklaces. Then, I saw a woman in a purple dress walk in—it was Celeste. She ran over to Nolan, clinging to his arm and coyly thanked Mr. Nolan for boosting her jewelry endorsement. The staff exchanged awkward glances between the two. “This actress is really bold, sticking so close to Mr. Nolan.” “Well, I heard her sugar daddy is very powerful, and this jewelry brand is just a stepping stone for her fame.” My face turned pale, and I bit my lip hard to maintain my composure. I tried to act as though I hadn’t noticed, but Celeste’s flirtatious gaze and the scent of her hair brushed past Nolan’s nose. She shamelessly draped her arms over his shoulder under the guise of showing the jewelry. My heart ached, and I could only turn my head away to mask my distress. I was completely unfocused during the rest of the showcase until a piece of jewelry with 99 diamonds set in amethyst appeared. My eyes trembled slightly; it was a relic my mother left me before she passed, auctioned off years ago to pay Nolan’s debts, and I never expected it to be here. Nolan, seeing my interest, was ready to buy it without hesitation. Before he could speak, a soft voice chimed in from beside me. “Mr. Nolan, this necklace is so ugly. Why not let me reluctantly buy it for my pup?” I looked over abruptly, breathing heavily. The woman just gave me a provocative glance. Nolan’s face was displeased, his gaze warning her. The woman didn’t seem to care and grabbed him to stand up, going off to choose jewelry to show him. Celeste pretended to need help, raising her hands for Nolan to put jewelry on her. They were very close, practically no gap between their bodies. I saw Nolan’s expression was impatient, but his breathing quickened. Nolan knew there was something ambiguous between them and noticed my silence on the sofa, panicking as he shook off the woman’s hand to run over to me. Celeste almost stumbled when released, looking over with teary eyes after being steadied. I saw the man’s anxious face, then a hint of annoyance, followed by a deep breath as he pretended to be relaxed, pulling me into his arms. He asked, “Wife, how about I buy this set of jewelry for you? It would look great on you.” Exhausted, I nodded and agreed. At that moment, the woman’s eyes filled with tears, pouting and stomping her foot before glaring at me and running out of the room. Once she left, Nolan’s expression turned gloomy, his long legs constantly shifting, showing impatience. Soon he found an excuse to go out for a smoke. I gestured for everyone to leave, tears flowing like a fountain. Half an hour later, Nolan hadn’t returned. I got up and went to the restroom, and as soon as I entered, I heard familiar voices. It was Nolan! I covered my mouth tightly, masochistically listening to the sound of the woman crying and Nolan’s comforting voice inside. After a while, the sound of kissing and intimate noises echoed through the restroom. Unable to bear it any longer, I quickly fled the scene. I sat in the empty room, clutching my heart, crying out loud. When the two returned, it was two hours later. Nolan had a satisfied smile on his face. “Wife, diamonds are tacky. How about I get you a unique gift next time?” Celeste walked over, and I saw the relic my mother left now tied around the woman’s ankle. My mind went blank for a moment as she fiddled with it, her eyes filled with mockery and ridicule. “Mrs. Nolan, Mr. Nolan gave me this necklace. Does it look good?” Nolan’s face turned pale, glaring at her in warning, holding my hand to explain. “It’s just to thank her for the endorsement.” I acted like I believed him and turned to leave. He watched my figure disappear from sight, then suddenly grabbed Celeste’s wrist, his expression dangerous. “You’re crazy! I told you if you dared to appear in front of Sophie, we’d be done!” The woman pouted, acting coquettishly, “Alright, I know I was wrong.”

That night, as expected, he didn’t return until late. Leaving only a message: “Wife, I have to handle some company business. Go to sleep without waiting for me.” Expressionless, I stood there, watching the man who claimed to be going to work overtime at the company appear on the trending topic with Celeste. On the trending topic, #Celeste with Mystery Boyfriend at Hotel!, the words felt like a slap in the face. Then Celeste sent a photo of the man coming out of the bathroom. “Men like young bodies. Who would stay with an old wife?” I was exhausted, numbly packing everything. Since I decided to fake my death and disappear, I wanted everything about me in this world to vanish too. The next day, the man finally appeared, burying himself in my arms, talking about how much he missed me. “Wife, I missed you so much after not seeing you for a night.” A cold smile appeared on my lips; if I hadn’t seen Celeste’s provocative photos not long ago, I might have been swayed by his acting. Juggling new and old loves, Nolan, you’re quite the actor. He looked around, his tone curious. “Wife, why is all your stuff in the villa gone?” I pushed him away and went upstairs. “Nothing, just didn’t want it anymore.” His heart tightened, his gaze flickering, a bad feeling rising in his mind. He instinctively wanted to say something but finally stayed silent. I stood upstairs, listening to the man’s questioning voice over the phone. “Who orchestrated the trending topic? Don’t you know Sophie is my weakness?” The woman on the other end pretended to cry twice. “Sorry, I just love you too much!” The man’s expression softened suddenly. “Don’t let it happen again!” “Okay, I’ll finish shooting tomorrow night, Orange Hotel 3603, are you coming?” The man’s eyes darkened, breathing heavily, and he said fiercely, “Little thing, you wait for me!” After hanging up the phone, he turned to see my figure on the stairs, forcing a stiff smile. Perhaps feeling guilty, he had people refill the villa with my things. I didn’t question or expose him; my heart no longer stirred.

The next day, I told Nolan, “Come with me to visit my parents’ grave today.” His expression flashed with discomfort. “Isn’t it not the anniversary of your parents’ death? Why go now?” Thinking of my parents, my heart ached. I was about to leave this world and wanted to see them one last time before I left. I looked up. “No reason, I just miss them.” “Okay.” It was sunny before we left, but the temperature dropped and it started raining when we reached the cemetery. Looking at the photos on the gravestones, I couldn’t help but cry, my heart filled with desolation. Suddenly, Nolan’s phone beeped with a message. His face changed after reading it. I looked at his troubled face, puzzled, and opened my phone. As soon as I did, a provocative message from Celeste came through. “Sophie, aren’t you just relying on Nolan’s love? I’ll show you who he really cares about. I advise you to leave on your own before you’re kicked out.” I chuckled, replying to her for the first time, “Dirty things aren’t wanted by everyone. You can have him.” I saw the man suddenly run off, leaving only a curt message: “Something came up at the company, I’ll come get you as soon as I’m done.” He never came even as night fell, leaving me alone in the eerie darkness of the cemetery. I glanced at his unappealing face, confused, as I unlocked my phone. Just then, Celeste’s taunting message lit up the screen again. “Sophie, you’re just leaning on Brother Nolan’s affection, aren’t you? Watch as I show you who’s truly in his heart. My advice? Leave on your own so you won’t be disgracefully sent packing later.” I chuckled softly and replied to her for the first time, “Who wants something dirty? You’re welcome to him.” I watched as he suddenly dashed off, leaving behind a terse message: “Something came up at work. I’ll pick you up as soon as I’m done.” But he never showed up, leaving me alone in the eerie darkness of the cemetery. The rain poured harder as I huddled in front of my parents’ graves, eventually falling asleep. As dawn broke, Celeste sent a few photos. One was a trending topic about Celeste’s safety harness breaking and her falling from a great height! Another showed her with minor bruises, being held tightly by Nolan, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Then Celeste sent a video. In it, she revealed bruises on her body, while a man slept soundly with his arm around her waist. On the floor were several used pills and scattered clothes. “You’ve lost. His heart belongs to me now.” I calmly accessed the system, applying to leave this world behind. The system sighed. “Host, everything is prepared. The information records and USB drive will be delivered at the seventh wedding anniversary banquet.” “You’ve worked hard over the years. Once you depart from this world, you’ll assume a brand-new identity, fulfilling all your wishes. A loving family, parents from this world, close friends, and a partner who will never betray you, courtesy of the system.” “From this moment on, you will no longer exist in this world.” I nodded. Nolan, I said if you ever betrayed me, I would vanish forever. I’ll ensure you understand the price of your deceit and betrayal over the years. I felt my soul leave my body, ready to embrace a new beginning. Nolan, From now on, you’ll never see me again.

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When the company’s funding came through, I wanted to surprise my wife. Instead, I walked in on her and her assistant whispering to each other. The assistant, half giddy and half nervous, said, “Boss, when you make the big announcement later, how about I joke that I’m your partner instead? Jackson won’t get mad, right?” My wife smiled indulgently, ruffling his hair like he was a spoiled child. “He wouldn’t dare. And don’t worry—I’ll make sure you’re added to his project. Once you’ve gotten enough credit, I’ll promote you to department head.” Hearing this, I didn’t hesitate. I kicked open the office door, startling everyone. My colleagues gathered around, eager to see the drama unfold. Calmly, I walked up and hung the project manager’s badge around the assistant’s neck. Smiling faintly, I said: “No need to wait for tonight. The project is yours. Good luck.” Bang! I kicked the office door open. Heads turned. Employees stopped working, peeking over their desks. Their eyes gleamed with curiosity, hungry for gossip. Inside the office, Veronica froze mid-motion, still ruffling Ethan’s hair. A second later, she stepped in front of him protectively and glared at me. “Jackson, are you out of your mind?” she snapped. “Breaking company property like that? Forget about getting paid this month!” Ethan put on his best “helpless puppy” act, clutching her arm for support. “Jackson,” he said pitifully, “did you overhear Veronica joking about announcing us at the dinner tonight? She was just teasing me! And she didn’t mean it when she said she’d add me to your project…” The office buzzed with whispers. “So Veronica and Ethan are… like that?” “No wonder Jackson looks so pissed. He’s totally in love with her and couldn’t take it anymore.” I’d heard these rumors for years. I was used to it by now. They didn’t bother me anymore. If Veronica wanted Ethan to climb the ladder so badly, why shouldn’t I help them along? I stepped forward, unhooked the project manager’s badge from my neck, and hung it around Ethan’s. Patting him on the shoulder, I said evenly, “No need to wait for tonight. The project is yours now. Work hard and make us proud. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be VP someday.” The room fell silent. Everyone stared at me in shock. After all, they knew how much I’d poured into this project: sleepless nights, endless experiments, even hospital visits from overworking myself. I wasn’t the type to hand over something so important, especially not to someone who hadn’t earned it. But the moment hung awkwardly in the air, and the employees quickly scrambled to cover for their boss. “Wow, Jackson’s so generous!” someone called. “No wonder Veronica’s kept him around for so long!” Veronica’s face darkened, her eyes narrowing like I’d just committed some terrible crime. I didn’t care. Calmly, I packed up my things and said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out. The partners want to meet with me.” Without waiting for a response, I walked out of the office. I carried the project’s core patent in my bag as I left. It had taken months of grueling work, but the results were promising. The partners were thrilled and had just approved additional funding. The company was finally gearing up to go public. Originally, I’d planned to share this good news with Veronica. Now, there was no reason to. As I walked down the same dimly lit path I’d taken to work for the past seven years, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Veronica and I had been secretly married for seven years. To avoid suspicion, she’d always refused to carpool or walk to work with me, insisting that we take separate routes. She even made me park my car far from the office and take the long way home. But now? I didn’t have to pretend anymore. I could drive wherever I wanted. As I reached the parking lot, my phone buzzed. A message popped up from the florist. “The bouquet has been delivered to the front desk. Here’s a photo!” I stared at the picture for a moment, remembering why I’d ordered the flowers. Veronica had once said that once the company stabilized, we could finally make our marriage public. I’d believed her. I’d wanted to make the announcement special—complete with her favorite roses and a private movie night. But instead of gratitude, all I got was her blatant favoritism toward Ethan. It didn’t matter anymore. I’d just have to chalk it up as a loss. As I turned to leave, someone stepped in my way. It was Ethan. Ethan fiddled with the badge around his neck, smirking. “Jackson,” he said mockingly, “you know Veronica was going to announce your relationship tonight, right? But you just had to ruin it by throwing a tantrum.” He adjusted the badge and added smugly, “Oh well. She told me once this project is done, I’ll be promoted to supervisor. She’s even giving me company shares. You’re not jealous, are you?” His expression screamed petty villain. In the past, his taunts would’ve gotten under my skin. I’d have snapped back, and Veronica would’ve blamed me for “picking on him.” But now? I couldn’t even muster the energy to care. Sure enough, I heard the sound of high heels clicking against the pavement behind me. Ethan’s smirk widened as he suddenly staggered backward, falling onto the ground with a dramatic thud. “Jackson!” he gasped, clutching his chest theatrically. “I know you’re upset, but don’t take it out on me. If you’re mad, blame me, not Veronica!” He even pulled off the badge and held it out to me with trembling hands. “You’re right,” he said, his voice quivering. “Someone like me doesn’t deserve to handle such an important project. Only you can do it.” Veronica rushed forward, her face twisted with anger. She raised her hand to slap me, but I was ready this time. I caught her wrist before it could connect, though the impact still left my arm numb. “Jackson,” she snarled, grabbing my collar. “I’ve ignored your bullying before, but this? Hitting Ethan? Do you even know what workplace harassment is?” I smirked. Ethan’s fake collapse was painfully obvious, but Veronica was too blinded by her concern for him to see it. I stepped around her and reached for the badge, intending to shove it back into Ethan’s hands. But when he saw me reaching, his expression shifted to panic. He clutched the badge tightly, pulling it away. Suddenly, he let out a low groan, clutching his chest again. “My heart,” he whispered. “It hurts…” His acting was laughable, but Veronica ate it up. She immediately fumbled through her bag, pulling out heart medication and forcing it into Ethan’s hand. “Jackson!” she shouted, her voice shaking. “Help me get him to the hospital!” I rolled my eyes. What a waste of time. I turned toward the curb, raising my hand to hail a cab. But Veronica stepped in front of me, her expression cold and determined. “You scared him into this,” she said firmly. “You’re not going anywhere.”

I let out a cold laugh. I thought back to the time when I drank so much at a business dinner that I ended up vomiting blood into the toilet. Veronica had barely glanced at me, casually suggesting I take some antacids and get over it. Now, Ethan was clearly faking an illness, but the ever-composed Veronica—the same woman who could negotiate multi-million-dollar deals without breaking a sweat—was panicking like a street brawler ready to defend her precious assistant. I sighed and reluctantly called for an ambulance. When the doctor finally confirmed that Ethan was fine, Veronica practically sagged with relief, her eyes filled with gratitude. I couldn’t stand to watch their little performance, so I turned and headed for the exit. But just as I reached the hallway, Veronica rushed after me and grabbed my arm. I frowned, fully expecting her to yell at me, to blame me for “stressing Ethan out” and causing his so-called episode. Instinctively, I tried to pull away. To my surprise, she didn’t lash out. Instead, she slipped the project manager’s badge back around my neck and lightly touched the arm she’d slapped earlier. Her voice softened, almost coaxing: “Jackson, you know how Ethan is—he loves to joke around. You shouldn’t take him so seriously. There’ll be plenty of chances to make an announcement later. Just wait a little longer, okay?” She paused, her tone turning slightly stern. “This project is too important for you to mess around with. Let’s not be impulsive. I’m willing to let this slide for now.” I gave a noncommittal hum, not bothering to argue. Veronica studied me for a moment, as if trying to gauge my reaction. Then, almost as if she were offering an olive branch, she held out a crumpled gift box. “By the way, I saw the roses you sent me earlier. They’re beautiful—I appreciate it. When you get home, why don’t you put them in a vase? Oh, and I have something for you too.” I couldn’t help but smirk internally. This was classic Veronica—her usual “carrot and stick” routine. The gift box looked oddly familiar, though. Then I remembered: about two weeks ago, Ethan had posted on social media about accidentally staining a tie Veronica had given him. He’d thrown the whole thing—box and all—into the trash, lamenting the loss in a way that was more brag than complaint. Veronica had commented under the post, promising to buy him ten more. I opened the box. Inside was a cheap knockoff tie. Just running my finger along the edge made the dye rub off. The receipt was still tucked inside, confirming its bargain-bin status. She hadn’t blinked when buying Ethan a luxury-brand tie, but for me? A counterfeit piece of junk. I didn’t say anything, though. I simply nodded and replied, “Got it. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out.” As I rounded the corner and passed by a trash can, I didn’t hesitate. I tossed the box inside without a second thought. Pulling out my phone, I dialed the number of a tech company that had been trying to recruit me for years. “About your offer,” I said. “I’ve decided to accept.” This was no ordinary company—it was a Fortune 500 giant, one of the best in the industry. They’d been relentless in courting me, but I’d turned them down every time. Why? Because I’d wanted to stay by Veronica’s side, to help her build the company we’d dreamed of together. On the other end of the line, the HR representative enthusiastically listed off the company’s benefits and competitive salary package. As they spoke, I realized I’d driven all the way home without noticing. I tightened my grip on the phone as I stared out the windshield. Years ago, I’d given up a promising executive role to support Veronica. Together, we’d built her company from the ground up. I’d sacrificed my health, working myself to exhaustion. Every ounce of my energy had gone into helping us succeed. Now that we’d finally “made it,” Veronica’s heart was no longer with me. Maybe it never had been. From now on, I’d live for myself. I sent a message to our project partners, informing them that I was stepping down as project manager. Since they’d invested based on my reputation and work, they deserved to know. Afterward, I booked a flight for the next day and started packing my things. As I pulled a coat from the back of the closet, an old photo album slipped out and fell open on the floor. The picture staring back at me was from eight years ago, back when Veronica and I had first started dating. We were both so young, leaning into each other shyly. I picked up the album and flipped through the pages. Veronica had insisted on taking these photos, saying they were a way to document our struggles so we could look back and appreciate how far we’d come. We’d gone through so much together—sharing a tiny apartment, watching pirated movies on an old laptop, splitting a single piece of meat on New Year’s Eve. Those moments had been hard, but they’d also been filled with happiness. They were what had driven me to work harder, to build a better life for us. But as I flipped further, I noticed a pattern. The people in the photos grew more polished, the backgrounds more luxurious. But the photos themselves became fewer and farther between. From one every few days to one a month. Then one a year. And after Ethan showed up? Nothing. Veronica and I no longer had a relationship outside of work. She didn’t care if I skipped meals, if I worked myself sick, or if I injured myself in the lab. But she doted on Ethan. She canceled business dinners to take him out to eat, claiming his mild stomach issues needed attention. She indulged him, excused his behavior, and protected him like he was some precious treasure. Once, I’d asked her why. Her response had been cold and dismissive: “We’ve been through tough times. I didn’t expect you to be so whiny at your age. Ethan’s different—he’s pure and kind. I don’t want him to suffer like we did.” I closed the album, suddenly disgusted by the memories it held. Without hesitation, I dropped it into the trash. As I continued packing, my phone rang. It was the movie theater. “Ethan, your private screening is about to begin. If you don’t arrive within ten minutes, we’ll have to release the tickets to other customers.” Back when Veronica and I were struggling, she’d always dreamed of watching a movie in an actual theater. She said it was her idea of luxury. I’d proposed to her in a theater, promising to give her the life she deserved. Tonight, I’d planned to recreate that moment—to finally announce our relationship publicly. I’d rented out the largest theater in the city, thinking it would be a romantic gesture. But she hadn’t shown up. I hung up and told the manager, “Give it to someone else.” A moment later, Veronica sent me a text: “I have a business dinner tonight. Can’t make it to the movie.” For once, I wasn’t angry. Just tired. Then Ethan posted on social media. The photo showed Veronica feeding him popcorn and holding a soda for him to drink. His caption read: “I like quiet nights. The boss rented out a whole theater just for us. The soda she fed me tasted so sweet.” So this was her “business dinner.” I didn’t confront her. I didn’t care anymore. That night, I slept better than I had in years. In the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by the sudden glare of the bedroom light. Blinking against the brightness, I saw Veronica standing by the bed, her face pale and filled with disbelief. “Jackson,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You’re… actually sleeping?”

I squinted at my phone screen, still groggy. It was 3 a.m. Veronica was home this late? That was a surprise. In the past, whenever Ethan had one of his so-called “stomach episodes,” Veronica would drop everything to stay by his side all night, fussing over him like he couldn’t survive without her. Now, standing at the foot of my bed, Veronica didn’t look pleased. Her face was dark with frustration as she complained: “Jackson, I come home this late, and you don’t even text to check on me? You don’t wait up? Don’t you think you’re being a little too cold?” I’m the one being cold? I rolled my eyes internally. I used to call her late at night to check on her, worried about her safety. She’d accuse me of being controlling, of not trusting her. I used to wait up for her, preparing midnight snacks, giving her foot massages, doing everything to make her feel cared for. Her response? “You must have too much time on your hands. Maybe I should give you more work to do.” Now that I’d stopped catering to her every whim, she was still unhappy. Women’s hearts—truly impossible to understand. I grunted a half-hearted acknowledgment and reached for the lamp, ready to go back to sleep. But Veronica wasn’t done. She nudged me, then leaned against me like a rag doll, her voice turning soft and whiny. “Jackson, I’m so tired today. Aren’t you going to get up and run me a foot bath?” The faint scent of Ethan’s cologne clung to her clothes. It was nauseating. Once, I would’ve jumped at the chance to pamper her without being asked. I’d have stayed up all night if it meant she’d sleep soundly. Now, I couldn’t be bothered. I pushed her off me, my tone sharper than usual, thanks to my interrupted sleep. “I’m tired. Handle it yourself.” Veronica froze, clearly shocked that I’d actually pushed her away. For a few moments, she just stared at me, her fingers gripping the strap of her purse so tightly they turned white. Then, her face twisted with anger. “Jackson, all this because I missed one dinner with you? You’re seriously treating me like this? Unbelievable!” She scoffed, her voice dripping with venom. “You think I wanted to come home?!” With that, she stormed out, slamming the door so hard the walls shook. I heard the jingle of keys as she left the house. In the past, I’d have chased after her, begging her to stay, apologizing for upsetting her. But now? I calmly turned off the light and went back to sleep. When I woke up, sunlight filled the room, and I felt more refreshed than I had in years. I’d planned to make myself breakfast, but as I walked into the kitchen, I was surprised to find Veronica still at home. Usually, if I didn’t grovel to make up after a fight, she’d give me the silent treatment and leave for work early. But today, she was sitting on the living room couch, carefully tying a ribbon around a sleek, expensive-looking gift box resting on her lap. Hearing me approach, she glanced up and stood, walking toward me with the box in hand. Before I could say anything, she grabbed my wrist and snapped the clasp of a watch around it. The cold metal against my skin made me flinch. Veronica held my wrist up, inspecting it from different angles like she was admiring a piece of fine art. “Perfect fit,” she murmured, smiling in satisfaction. “Subtle, classy—suits you perfectly.” I recognized the watch immediately. It was a new release from a luxury brand, worth well over a million dollars. But before I could even process what was happening, Veronica unfastened the watch and wiped it meticulously with a handkerchief, as if my touch had tainted it. Placing it back in the gift box, she muttered to herself, “Good thing your wrist size is the same as Ethan’s. If it fits you this well, it’ll look amazing on him.” I looked at her, my lips curling into a bitter smile. Of course. Ethan was the one who loved flashy watches. This wasn’t for me—it never was. Veronica threw on her coat and grabbed the box, her steps light and cheerful as she headed for the door. Before she could leave, I stepped in front of her, blocking her path. I pulled a folder from my bag and handed it to her. “Veronica,” I said calmly, “I need you to sign this.” She frowned, not even glancing at the document. “Can’t it wait until I get to the office? I’m in a hurry.” I held the folder out to her again. “It’s not work-related. It’s important. It’ll only take a minute.” Veronica let out an exasperated sigh, snatching the file from my hands. “You’re always making things difficult,” she grumbled, flipping it open. The moment her eyes landed on the first page, her fingers froze. Her expression shifted, disbelief flashing across her face. Because staring back at her was a divorce agreement.

Veronica froze for a moment before slamming the divorce papers onto the shoe cabinet. She let out a mocking laugh. “Jackson, I thought you had something new to say, but it turns out you’re just pulling the divorce card.” “Fine. What is it? You got a taste of success with one big project, and now you think you’re untouchable?” “I’m busy. I don’t have time for your tantrums.” I calmly picked up the crumpled divorce papers and held them out to her again. “I’m not throwing a tantrum, Veronica. I’m setting you free. Now you can give Ethan the title you seem so eager to.” Her face darkened as her brows furrowed. She snatched the papers from my hand, crumpling them further and tearing them into pieces. The shredded paper fluttered to the floor like snow. She jabbed a finger toward me, her eyes cold and sharp. “Don’t even try to deny it, Jackson. You’re just jealous! Let me warn you—don’t bring up divorce again.” “My care for Ethan isn’t what you think it is. He reminds me of us back in the day. It’s admiration, not whatever filthy nonsense is in your head.” “I was even planning to announce our relationship soon, but you’ve completely disappointed me!” With that, she stormed out, her heels clicking furiously against the floor as the door slammed shut behind her. I wasn’t surprised. I had anticipated this reaction and didn’t let it bother me. If she refused to end things amicably, so be it. I called my lawyer to draft a formal divorce lawsuit. After that, I submitted my resignation to HR. The HR manager called shortly after, asking me to bring my credentials to finalize the paperwork in person. When I arrived, I was greeted by the sound of enthusiastic coworkers flattering someone. “Ethan, is that the latest Patek Philippe on your wrist? Veronica must really care about you!” “Honestly, Veronica and Ethan are such a perfect match. With the two of you leading us, this company is only going to get bigger and better!” I looked over to see Ethan smugly showing off his new watch, his hand casually brushing his hair as though he were embarrassed by the attention. When he noticed me, his face lit up, and he hurried over, grabbing my hand as if we were old friends. “Jackson! Finally, you’re here!” he said warmly. “Veronica told me the project is going to be tough, so she wants me to treat everyone to milk tea to keep morale up. What do you want? Just say the word!” I yanked my hand out of his grip. Before I could respond, Veronica stepped forward, positioning herself between us like a shield. “Jackson,” she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain, “you’re late. Do you really think you deserve milk tea?” She crossed her arms and continued, her tone sharp: “I’ll make sure HR deducts your attendance bonus. And someone as unpunctual as you clearly isn’t fit to handle an important project. From now on, stay out of it.” “Maybe you should go back to the basics and start over as an intern. Learn the company policies properly this time.” Ethan, playing the role of the humble underdog, tugged at Veronica’s sleeve and whispered, “Veronica, don’t you think that’s a bit harsh? The project’s almost done, and Jackson’s put in so much effort. Even if there’s no credit, there’s at least hard work…” Veronica shot me a condescending look, her chin tilted high like a proud peacock. “Effort?” she scoffed. “Effort isn’t enough. If everyone worked like him, this company would’ve folded years ago.” Turning to Ethan, she added with a smile, “You’ll take over Jackson’s project from now on. You’re the real project manager.” Ethan’s eyes gleamed with greed, though he feigned modesty. “Veronica, I don’t know… I’m still young, and my experience is limited…” The older employees, sensing Veronica’s disdain for me, quickly chimed in to curry favor. “Veronica’s absolutely right! Jackson’s been getting a little full of himself lately. Didn’t work overtime yesterday, and now he’s late today. He needs stricter management!” “Exactly. Ethan is such a natural talent. Jackson might have seniority, but he just can’t compare.” Veronica raised her brows, pretending to hesitate before finally nodding. “Well, if you can shape up, Jackson, maybe I’ll consider keeping you around. But you’ll have to prove yourself.” I couldn’t stand their synchronized performance any longer and cut her off mid-sentence. “I’m sorry, Veronica,” I said coolly. “I think you’ve misunderstood. I’m not here to work. I’m here to finalize my resignation.” The room fell silent. Veronica blinked, visibly stunned. “What?” she asked, her voice rising. The HR manager stepped forward and whispered something into her ear. Her expression darkened. The lines on her forehead deepened as her fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms. “Jackson, are you serious? Throwing tantrums about divorce one day and resigning the next? Have you forgotten the company’s about to go public?” She scoffed, her tone dripping with disbelief. “You’re walking away from a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When we go public, every employee will get bonuses and stock options. People would kill to work here!” I met her gaze with calm indifference. “I know. That’s why I’d appreciate it if you could approve my resignation quickly. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to file a complaint with the labor board.” The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, uncertain how to react. Veronica’s knuckles turned white as she tightened her fists, but she refused to back down. “Fine. Go ahead and leave,” she snapped, grabbing the resignation forms from HR. “I’ll sign it myself! And once you’re gone, I’ll promote Ethan to project manager immediately!” She scribbled her name onto the form with exaggerated force, her eyes locked onto mine as if daring me to react. Seeing that I remained unfazed, she added with a sneer: “When the company goes public, I’ll give Ethan a raise, a new car, and a house. That’s the kind of reward true talent deserves!” I couldn’t help but chuckle. She thought she could provoke me into backing down with her petty theatrics. What she didn’t know was that the project partners had already contacted me. They were downstairs, preparing to file a lawsuit against the company for breach of contract. Veronica’s eyes narrowed as she noticed my smirk. “What’s so funny?” she demanded. I stepped aside, gesturing toward the door. “Why don’t you ask him?” I said, my voice laced with irony. As I spoke, the door opened, and the lead representative from the project partners walked in, his expression grim. “Veronica,” he said coldly, “we’re here to terminate all cooperation with your company and file a lawsuit for breach of contract.”

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After Breaking Up, I Resigned and Was Ready to Go Abroad. Then My Ex-Girlfriend, the CEO, Suddenly Tried to Win Me Back at the Airport. She said she had fired her little assistant and that from now on, I would be the company’s second-in-command. But when I gave up going abroad and was ready to go back with her, she shook off my hand and made a flirtatious call to her assistant: “Leo, you won the bet. This loser really thought I would take him back.” Then she turned to me with a cold smile: “It was just a joke. Did you actually believe it? If you want to leave, go ahead. No one’s stopping you this time.” The colleagues present laughed at me, saying I was like a dog that would come running back at her slightest gesture. But what they didn’t know was that I gave up going abroad only because my new company had just completed the acquisition. I was about to become their new CEO. When Mia, my ex-girlfriend and former CEO, gleefully told me that her earlier attempt to win me back was just a joke, I didn’t get angry. I just took out my phone to call a cab back to my place. The colleagues around us looked at me with mocking eyes, jeering: “Jack, the CEO said she doesn’t want to keep you. What are you still doing here? Go on, book another flight!” “Didn’t you say you got an offer from abroad? What happened? Did they change their mind about you?” Mia indulgently watched them cold-shoulder me, making no attempt to stop them. This kind of oppressive and embarrassing workplace bullying had often surrounded me in recent years. In the past, I would have definitely argued back, feeling hurt that my girlfriend, who was the CEO, wouldn’t speak up for me. But now I felt nothing, even thinking it was like watching clowns perform. “My business is none of your concern, is it?” I said calmly. Mia snorted, her eyes scanning me up and down with disgust: “You’re still being stubborn at a time like this?” “With your meager abilities, if I hadn’t been supporting you all these years, you might not even have food to eat!” “Going abroad? What a joke.” Yes, I was a graduate from a prestigious university who had given up a high-paying job that others could only dream of. I had helped her build a company from the ground up, but in Mia’s eyes, I was worthless, only getting by with her help. It made me want to laugh. In the past, I loved Mia with all my heart. Even if I had remained in a managerial position after decades of hard work, I wouldn’t have complained. But it wasn’t until she repeatedly took away my projects and gave them to her new assistant Leo without my consent. She even pushed Leo’s mistakes onto me, making me take the blame. Then she used this as an excuse to cut my salary and suspend me, while giving Leo a promotion and a raise. I finally woke up and realized that this relationship, maintained solely by my efforts, needed to end. So I resigned on the spot, broke up with her, and decided to develop my career abroad. I never expected that just as I was about to board the plane, she would come and play this kind of “joke” on me. For a moment, I didn’t feel sorrow, just bewilderment. How blind must I have been in the past to fall in love with such a woman? I shook my head, not bothering to waste words with her: “You’re right about everything. Can I go now?” I tried to walk around Mia, ready to leave. But Mia suddenly grabbed my hand, staring at me intently, and said disdainfully: “How can you act so well! Your excuse about going abroad has been exposed, and you’re still pretending?” “For the sake of our past relationship, I’ll give you a way out.” “Come back with me, and I’ll let you be Leo’s assistant.” Seeing her benevolent attitude, I finally understood the true purpose of Mia’s joke this time. On the surface, it was a bet with Leo to see if I would take the bait. In reality, she just wanted me to stay at the company and continue being a workhorse for her and Leo. I have to say, Mia had indeed thought very carefully about Leo’s future development, giving him a promotion and raise, and even assigning someone to assist him. As for me, I had helped her realize her dream of becoming a boss step by step. Yet she unhesitatingly took everything away from me to pave the way for Leo. I laughed coldly: “Leo’s skills aren’t good enough to deserve my help.” Mia’s face immediately darkened. “Jack, it seems I’ve been too lenient with you all these years, that’s why you think so highly of yourself…” Before she could finish, a figure suddenly walked over from the distance. “Sister Mia!” Mia instantly became gentle, going to meet him: “Leo!” Leo was the only person in the entire company who didn’t call Mia “CEO,” but intimately called her “sister.” Even I, as Mia’s legitimate boyfriend, didn’t have the privilege of calling her by name. Leo glanced at me and smiled at Mia: “See, I knew Brother Jack’s talk about going abroad for development was just an excuse. He really didn’t leave.” Mia glanced at me sideways, her eyes full of disgust: “Some people think too highly of themselves, believing the company can’t run without them!” “Not like you, Leo. You’re capable and humble. Since he won’t take the opportunity given to him, let’s forget it.” “Let’s go.” But Leo held Mia’s hand, looking pitiful: “Sister Mia, we can’t leave yet. Ever since Brother Jack resigned last time, I can’t find my watch.” “That watch was a relic from my grandmother.” Then he suddenly turned to me, pleading: “Brother Jack, please give it back to me.” Before I could understand what was happening, Mia suddenly glared at me angrily: “Jack, you actually stole something?” I was about to deny it, but Mia coldly interrupted: “Don’t try to deny it. Why would Leo falsely accuse you?” “You don’t even have a job now, who knows if you’ve resorted to petty theft?” Then she ordered the others: “Open his suitcase and check!” I looked at Mia in disbelief. After ten years of being together day and night, she knew my character better than anyone. Just because of Leo’s baseless accusation, she wanted to open my suitcase in public? Earlier, when she played that nasty joke on me, I didn’t want to argue with her. But now, this behavior bordering on bullying completely ignited my anger. Not disappointment, not heartache. Only anger and disgust. “Stop!” I shouted angrily, but Leo pretended to be sincere: “Brother Jack, why are you angry? Don’t tell me you really took it!” This made Mia look at me even more disgustedly, signaling two people to block me as she said coldly: “Don’t mind him, keep searching!” Watching my suitcase being overturned, my private clothes and belongings scattered on the ground. My anger reached its peak, and I shouted for airport security. Only then did they sheepishly stop. “Didn’t find it,” Leo said disappointedly. “Forget it, don’t trouble Brother Jack, he’s not having an easy time either.” But Mia shot me a fierce glare: “I think someone stole it and sold it!” Then she said gently: “It’s okay, Leo. I’ll go with you to buy a new one.” As she left, she gave me a cold look. “Jack, when you end up on the streets in the future, don’t come begging me.” With that, she left with the group, Leo giving me a challenging look. I said nothing, just laughed coldly in my heart. They didn’t know yet that the company’s projects had imploded, and it was about to go bankrupt and be acquired. And I gave up going abroad only because the new company had appointed me as the new CEO of this company.

My new company’s headquarters was abroad, a well-known large enterprise. When I was about to graduate, because of my excellent grades, I had received an invitation from them. But Mia persuaded me to stay and start a business with her, so I turned down this opportunity. A while ago, after I broke up with Mia, they immediately called me, inviting me to join. But just before boarding the plane, I suddenly received a call. Their domestic subsidiary in China had decided to acquire companies here to integrate resources, including Mia’s company. They decided to make me the new CEO of the company. After putting my luggage away at home, I arranged to meet with Mr. Quinn, the person in charge domestically. I arrived at the restaurant early to wait for him. But unexpectedly, I saw Mia and Leo there, laughing and chatting. When they saw me, however, Mia was stunned for a moment. She walked up to me with an impatient look and said: “Jack, why are you following me around like a leech?” “Weren’t you acting tough earlier? What, you regret it now?” Before I could speak, Leo smiled and said: “Sister Mia, there were so many people earlier, Brother Jack must have refused because he couldn’t save face.” “How about this? Brother Jack, if you sincerely apologize to Sister Mia, I’m sure she’d still be willing to give you a job opportunity.” “What do you think, Sister Mia?” Mia looked at me disapprovingly, pretending to be reluctant: “Since Leo is pleading for you, I suppose it’s not impossible. Finish this bottle of wine, and I’ll let you be an assistant.” She pointed to the wine on the table. I laughed coldly in my heart. Mia knew very well that I had stomach problems and couldn’t drink, yet she proposed such a condition. It was nothing more than giving me a hard time, waiting for me to beg her humbly. But she had miscalculated. “You’re overthinking it. I’m waiting for someone.” “Waiting for someone? Huh, you’re really stubborn.” Mia sneered: “I’ve known you for so many years, don’t think I don’t know your little tricks.” “You just feel it’s beneath you to be Leo’s assistant, don’t you?” “But these days, how much is face worth?” As she was speaking, Mr. Quinn, the client I had arranged to meet, walked over. He took the initiative to shake hands with me. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Lee.” I directly ignored Mia and smiled as I shook hands with Mr. Quinn. “Mr. Quinn, let’s talk inside. There are a couple of flies here, making quite a racket.” “Of course, of course.” Mia looked at me in disbelief. I was about to enter the private room with Mr. Quinn when I heard Leo say to Mia in a voice loud enough for me to hear: “Looks like Brother Jack has made an appointment with some headhunter to find a job, huh?” The next moment, Mia suddenly came over to block me. She sneered: “Jack, you’ve really gotten some backbone, haven’t you? You’d rather find a job on your own than ask me for help?” “But let me remind you, given your previous work performance, I’ve already spoken to all the peers in Linzhou. No one is willing to hire you.” “Now, do you regret it?” She looked at me with a half-smile, seemingly waiting for me to turn back. But she was wrong. Mia’s little influence wasn’t enough to threaten me. And because of my resignation, she had let Leo take over all the major projects, causing the company to face many risks and be on the brink of bankruptcy. She was completely unaware of this. I said calmly: “Mia, confidence is a good thing, but I hope you’ll maintain this attitude when your company goes bankrupt and gets acquired.” “You…!” Mia was about to curse at me angrily, but she changed her tone and turned to Mr. Quinn. She took out a business card and shoved it into Mr. Quinn’s hand. Arrogantly, she said: “Mia, CEO of McAsh Group. Jack is my former employee, who was just fired for misconduct.” “I suggest your company be cautious in your choice.” After saying this, she glanced at me, hooked her arm with Leo’s, and left haughtily. Mr. Quinn frowned, holding the business card, and looked at me: “This…” “Just clowns, let’s go inside and talk.” I smiled slightly. Mr. Quinn casually tossed the business card into the trash. Once in the private room, we discussed the acquisition of Mia’s company. We planned to capitalize on the project failures of McAsh Group and acquire it at a low price. Mr. Quinn then took out the original company’s personnel list, asking me to help optimize it. I knew the business capabilities and personal conduct of everyone on the list intimately, and promised to provide a plan as soon as possible. After talking with Mr. Quinn, I went home. But as soon as I entered, I saw Mia sitting on my couch. Crossing her slender legs, she looked at me coldly. I frowned: “Why are you here?”

I glanced at the door of my house. That’s when I remembered I had forgotten to delete her fingerprint after we broke up. Mia didn’t answer, just said coldly: “Who told you about my company going bankrupt and being acquired?” I was busy changing my shoes and didn’t bother to respond to her. Mia’s face grew even darker: “As you wished, the company did go bankrupt.” I raised an eyebrow, surprised that Mr. Quinn had acted so quickly. He said it at noon, and it was done by the afternoon. Mia continued: “Jack, although I don’t know how you got this information in advance.” “Don’t be too happy too soon.” “The company that acquired us this time is a big enterprise, they will help me deal with the previous project issues.” “I will still be in management.” I went to make myself a cup of tea, not surprised. Of course I knew this. It was because my optimization list hadn’t come out yet, so the original company personnel were temporarily retained. “So?” I asked calmly. Mia stared at me intently: “I want you to hand over the previous client resources to Leo, and I’ll arrange a manager position for you in the new company.” “You should know that with the support of the parent company, McAsh Group will only be stronger than before.” “Offering you back a manager position, this bargaining chip is already very generous.” I suddenly smiled. She spoke so righteously, as if she was giving me a great deal. But I knew very clearly that after the company was acquired, Mr. Quinn had released the development document I had written. One of the points was that after I took over the new company, positions would be based on ability. The reason Mia was making this demand was nothing more than wanting to use my previous client resources to let Leo showcase his abilities and secure the position of vice president. I have to say, her love for Leo runs deep. Unfortunately, she bet on the wrong person. “Mia, you’re quite naive.” My words made Mia’s face immediately darken. She suddenly stood up and walked towards me step by step. She stared at me with a look that seemed to see through me: “Jack, I know you’re still jealous of Leo.” “You’re upset, wondering why I changed towards you and am so good to Leo?” “But I hope you understand, our status is different now. I’m the boss, the capitalist.” “And you, you’re just working for me. A boyfriend like you hasn’t been a match for me for a long time.” “But Leo, he brings me freshness and the joy of being a woman. You can’t compare to him.” Mia looked at me deeply, her voice unusually gentle: “I’ll give you just one night to think it over.” With that, she turned and left. I shook my head helplessly. I immediately deleted her fingerprint, then opened my computer and sent over tomorrow’s layoff list. The next morning, I officially started my job at the company. As I entered the company, colleagues were all buzzing about the company being acquired. Mia was painting rosy pictures for everyone as usual. Saying she was still in management, and as long as everyone worked hard, things would be the same as before. Until someone noticed me, her eyes suddenly lit up. She walked up to me and said in a tone that suggested she had expected me to come: “Thought it over? Willing to give the client information to Leo?”

I laughed and shook my head. Mia’s face darkened, and she was about to speak when Leo smiled and said: “Brother Jack, why are you being like this?” “If you didn’t plan to hand over the client information, why did you come?” “Don’t tell me you’re here to work?” His words drew laughter from other colleagues. I raised an eyebrow and nodded: “I am here to work.” At this, the onlooking colleagues burst into laughter, pointing at me: “Work? He’s probably here looking for a job, thinking he can sneak in now that our company’s been acquired!” “Isn’t this just dreaming?” “Jack, weren’t you going abroad? How come you’re applying to our company now? Haha!” I was about to speak when Mia interrupted with a gloomy face: “Jack, when will you ever stop!” “I told you to give the client information to Leo, I was already giving you a chance. You’re still being stubborn?” “Didn’t you understand what I said yesterday? Do you really want to be unemployed?” I shook my head helplessly: “Mia, you’re the one who’s about to be unemployed. You’d better make plans early.” Mia looked at me and suddenly laughed mockingly: “Look at this Jack, has he gone crazy? Telling me to make plans?” “What, I’m the former boss of this company, you think you can fire me?” “Jack, I bet that with me here today, you won’t even be able to get a job as a janitor…” Just as she was speaking, two people walked in through the company’s main entrance. It was the people Mr. Quinn from headquarters had sent to help me reorganize the company. Mia recognized them, her expression changed, and she quickly put on a smile to greet them: “Mr. Higgins, you’re here. Has our new CEO arrived? I should go welcome him.” Mr. Higgins glanced at her without a word, walked straight to me, and respectfully nodded. Then he introduced to everyone: “This is our company’s new CEO, Mr. Lee!” For a moment, the smile froze on Mia’s face, and she asked unnaturally: “Mr. Higgins, you’re not joking, are you?” “This Jack is just a useless coward, how could you…” Suddenly, Mr. Higgins took out the layoff list I had personally made yesterday and slammed it in her face. Pointing at her and Leo, he said coldly: “You two are fired. Pack your things and get out now!”

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Imogen got her first period, and I was the one who went out to buy her sanitary pads. When she filled in her college choices for the SAT, I helped her research and select schools. When she graduated and started job hunting, I helped her polish her resume and accompanied her to interviews. Later, I confessed my feelings to her, but she showed up with a guy from the construction site and told me she had found true love. I stepped back into the role of just a friend. When that boyfriend of hers beat her up and she ended up in the hospital, I confronted him on her behalf. Yet, she stood by him, blaming me instead. “Jasper, who asked you to interfere? Stop trying to drive a wedge between me and Jude.” That’s when I realized you should let go of a childhood sweetheart that has gone rotten. While I was working late, Imogen sent me a picture. She was lying in a hospital bed with her face bruised and swollen. She asked if I could visit her at the hospital tonight. Seeing her once beautiful face now covered in bruises made my heart ache. I simply replied, “Wait for me,” then grabbed my car keys and rushed to the hospital. Up close, her injuries were worse than in the photo. Not just her face; the doctor said her abdomen had been violently kicked, causing a rupture. Rage quickly filled my chest. “I’m going to deal with that jerk!” I stormed out in fury. “Don’t go!” Imogen clutched my arm tightly, stopping me. “It’s my fault. He came home late, and I nagged him a bit. I annoyed him, and that’s why he hit me.” I looked at Imogen in disbelief. She was beaten so badly over something so minor, yet she didn’t blame him but instead reflected on herself and defended him. I was so angry that my chest hurt, and I sarcastically remarked, “Didn’t you say he loves you? Loves you so much he’ll beat you up, right?” Imogen lowered her eyes, then looked at me with stubbornness. “He was just drunk today, lost control. He’s usually good to me.” “He cooks for me, knits bags for me, and texts me countless times a day saying he’s tired but doesn’t mind because I’m worth it.” “I’m the light in his life. He needs me.” I really wanted to knock on Imogen’s head to see if it was filled with water. His so-called cooking was just heating pre-packaged food in boiling water, and the handmade knitted bag was a cheap online purchase. I was genuinely puzzled. She wasn’t lacking love, so how could such cheap affection deceive her so thoroughly? Imogen’s family and mine are neighbors. She’s an only child, and her parents, both in government jobs, have doted on her like their treasure, never letting her lack anything materially. And as her childhood sweetheart growing up together, I always fulfilled her every need, always listening to her. Friends always said that Imogen had a loyal knight always following her. I also thought I would naturally end up with Imogen. But later, when I confessed to her, she was arm in arm with a man from the construction site and told me she had found true love. That man’s name was Jude. Just like his name, he always looked world-weary. He seemed to lack the spine to stand straight, always with a cigarette in his mouth, puffing smoke. When he looked at people, he tilted his head, chin up, his eyes half-lidded with arrogance. A typical rascal. But Imogen loved him obsessively. I asked her, frustrated, “Have you ever thought about how much your parents would hurt if they knew? You’ve never been scolded, let alone hit. If your parents knew you were beaten into the hospital, it would be like stabbing their hearts. Even if you don’t care about yourself, you should think about your family’s feelings.” Imogen was silent for a moment and then replied, “Then don’t tell them.” I took a deep breath and called the police. Imogen could endure it, but I couldn’t watch the woman I loved for so long be trampled by scum.

“Who called the police?” A male and female officer stood in the hospital room, asking in an official tone. “Officer, I did. The victim is my friend.” I pointed at Imogen on the hospital bed. “My friend was violently assaulted. You can see from her face how brutal the attacker was. He also violently kicked her stomach, causing a rupture. Please punish that inhumane attacker severely.” I handed the officer the doctor’s medical diagnosis. The officer glanced at Imogen, took the report, and frowned. “No… It’s not like that. My boyfriend didn’t mean to hit me. He was just drunk and accidentally pushed me. I got these injuries from bumping into things myself.” Imogen anxiously defended Jude to the police. “You said the person who hit you is your boyfriend?” the officer asked in confusion. “He didn’t hit me.” Imogen denied again. I was about to explain further to the officer, but he stopped me. He asked Imogen for Jude’s phone number and called him to the hospital. Jude arrived at the hospital smelling of alcohol. Seeing the police, his arrogance quickly diminished. He rushed to Imogen’s bedside, kneeling with a worried tone. “Baby, are you okay? How did you get so hurt? Does it hurt? Baby, you’re really breaking my heart.” I rolled my eyes and mocked, “Jude, what are you pretending for? Imogen’s injuries are clearly from you, and now you’re here playing the cat crying for the mouse. Do you have no shame?” Jude ignored me, continuing to softly and gently care for Imogen. Imogen was moved to tears. The police briefly asked about the incident. Since Imogen insisted Jude didn’t harm her intentionally, and Jude sincerely apologized, the police just gave Jude a verbal warning and left. After the police left, Jude glanced at me smugly and said sarcastically, “Baby, I told you to stay away from bootlickers, but you didn’t listen. Now he even called the police to try and drive a wedge between us.” “Some bootlickers just wish to break up true love, hoping to take advantage of it. Baby, you really need to keep your eyes open and stay away from those with ill intentions.” He finished with a meaningful look at me. “Jude, who are you implying? I…” “Enough!” Imogen sternly interrupted me, apologizing to Jude. “I’m sorry, Jude. I shouldn’t have called him. I didn’t expect him to meddle so much.” Then her blaming gaze fell on me. “Jasper, you should go. I don’t need you now.” Seeing Imogen forgetting the pain before her scars even healed, I sneered. “Fine, I must be a damn fool!”

After leaving the hospital, I was burning with anger with no outlet. I called Milo and dragged him out for a drink. We sat at an outdoor street stall, a table full of beer and barbecue. Without a word, I downed a bottle. Milo sat across from me, frowning, shaking his head. “Look at you. It’s just a woman. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged women are everywhere. The best way to heal a broken heart is to start a new relationship. Stop fixating on a crooked tree.” “My sister graduated from an Ivy League school, beautiful and elegant. Let me introduce you.” I kept drinking in silence, feeling like my heart was soaking in bitter melon juice. I asked Milo, unwilling to let go, “Tell me, how did I lose to that scum? In looks, education, job, family background, I beat him in every way. Why would Imogen choose him over me? And the worst part is he hit her.” Milo sighed and spoke softly. “Love is inexplicable, illogical. I advise you to respect others’ fates and let go of your hero complex.” Hearing that, I deflated. Yeah, if love were rational, why would I be so obsessed with Imogen? From the table not far behind us, I heard laughter. Someone asked, “Hey Jude, did the police give you any trouble for hitting your girl?” Jude snorted, “As long as Imogen doesn’t admit I hit her, the police can’t do anything to me.” “Damn, Jude, you’re amazing. How do you make her so devoted to you? Teach us.” “Yeah, Jude, don’t keep your secrets on how to handle women to yourself.” Jude curled his lips into a wicked smile, his voice laced with disdain, “It’s simple: just satisfy her in bed.” When men start talking about private matters, they become especially sleazy. As soon as Jude finished speaking, the men at the table burst into suggestive laughter. Hearing this, my anger surged. Milo tried to calm me down, “Relax, relax. Be careful, or you’ll be blamed for meddling again.” The conversation continued over there. Jude pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and tossed it on the table. “Don’t believe me? See for yourselves.” Everyone immediately gathered around. “Damn, Jude, you really have a video.” “Hurry up and play it. I want to see.” Jude’s phone played a woman’s voice intermittently. I recognized it as Imogen’s. After watching, the group seemed unsatisfied. Jude said, “The more intense content requires payment to unlock. Anyone interested, send me 500 bucks.” I couldn’t hold back my anger any longer. I got up and walked toward Jude. His back was to me, and I raised a beer bottle to smash it over his head. Just as I was about to hit him, one of his sharp-eyed friends pushed him aside. The bottle shattered on the chair, glass scattering everywhere. Jude stumbled a few steps and turned back, his face full of rage. “Quick… open it, I want to see.” Jude’s phone sporadically played a woman’s voice. I recognized it as Imogen’s voice. Everyone looked dissatisfied after watching. Jude announced, “The next part is even more thrilling and requires a payment of 500 yuan to unlock.” I couldn’t contain my anger any longer and stood up, heading towards Jude. Jude’s back was to me. I raised a beer bottle, aiming for his head. Just before it hit, one of his sharp-eyed friends pushed him aside. The bottle smashed against the chair, shattering into pieces. Jude stumbled a couple of steps and turned around, his face full of anger. When he saw it was me, he smirked arrogantly. “I was wondering who hated me this much. Turns out it’s the loser I beat.”

“Jude, how can you treat Imogen like this? You have no shame.” Jude shrugged indifferently at my outrage, spreading his hands like a scoundrel. “You treat Imogen like a goddess, but to me, she’s just someone to warm the bed. Too bad for you, bootlicker, you’ve got nothing.” “I’ll make you regret it, you heartless bastard.” Fueled by alcohol, I lost control and charged at him. Jude’s friends quickly intervened to stop me. Even with Milo’s help, I was outnumbered and got the worst of it. Suddenly, they let us go. I heard Imogen’s voice from afar. “Jude, are you okay? Why are you fighting?” Imogen gently touched the corner of Jude’s mouth, which was bleeding slightly, her eyes filled with worry. Jude grumbled, “Ask your loyal bootlicker. He suddenly went crazy and attacked.” Imogen frowned, looking down at me on the ground with disapproval. “Jasper, why are you causing trouble with Jude again? I’ve told you I only love him. Stop trying to come between us like a fool. I have no romantic feelings for you. Wake up and face reality.” “You’re still defending him!” I shouted angrily. “Do you know this jerk is showing your private stuff to others, letting them talk about you with disgusting words?” Imogen looked alarmed and hesitantly glanced at Jude. “Jude, he…” Before she could finish, Jude cut her off angrily. “You’ll believe anything a bootlicker says. Why don’t you date him instead?” Jude tried to shake off Imogen’s hand, but she held on tightly. “I’m sorry, Jude. I shouldn’t have doubted you. Please forgive me.” She turned on me. “Jasper, you’ve gone too far. To break me and Jude up, you make up such ridiculous lies. I’m completely disappointed in you.” “Jude, let’s go home and ignore him.” Suddenly, Jude’s phone chimed with several notifications of 500 yuan deposits. He raised an eyebrow at me, smugly waving his phone in silent provocation. The tension in my mind snapped. I charged at him like a madman. But Imogen threw herself at me with all her strength, knocking me away. I fell to the ground, and a car suddenly drove over, crushing my leg. The sound not only broke my leg bone but also completely severed any past I had with Imogen in that instant.

My injury alarmed my parents. They learned from Milo that the incident was because of Imogen. They immediately called Imogen’s parents to the hospital. Imogen and Jude’s relationship couldn’t be hidden anymore. As soon as I came out of surgery, I saw my parents standing there with displeased expressions. Imogen’s parents looked thoroughly ashamed. Imogen stood in a corner, fiddling with her phone. The doctor told us my bone was set, but I needed to rest. Only then did my parents feel relieved. My mom, still upset, spoke with a pointed tone. “Son, you give your all to others, but they treat you like dirt. Next time you act foolishly, I won’t wait for others to break your leg; I’ll do it myself. It’s my fault for not teaching you not to meddle.” Our family and Imogen’s had always been on friendly terms. I’d always followed Imogen, and both families used to joke about being in-laws someday. Now, my mom’s words were merciless. My dad nudged her, signaling her to stop. Imogen’s father, feeling ashamed, dragged her to my bedside and ordered her. “Apologize!” Imogen was defiant. “Jasper’s leg wasn’t run over by me, and if he hadn’t attacked Jude, I wouldn’t have pushed him. The broken leg is his own fault, and it’s not…” A loud slap interrupted her. Imogen’s father slapped her hard. He looked at her, trembling with disappointment. “Where’s your upbringing? How dare you defend that scoundrel!” Imogen’s eyes reddened, and she looked at her father with resentment. “Dad, you’ve never even scolded me before, and now you’re hitting me for an outsider. You’ve really lost your mind.” Her father nearly lost his balance from anger. Her mother quickly supported him, frowning at her stubborn daughter. “Imogen, how can you talk to your dad like this? You’re being so unreasonable.” Facing everyone’s criticism, Imogen shifted the blame to me, glaring at me with red eyes. “Jasper, are you happy now? Everyone’s scolding me. Are you satisfied? I hate you. I’ll never speak to you again!” She shouted and ran off crying. From start to finish, I watched coldly like a bystander. With no joy or sorrow, I felt no pity for Imogen being scolded or hit. Her insults didn’t hurt me either. She seemed to turn into a wisp of smoke, drifting away from my life. After Imogen’s parents apologized profusely to mine, they left. My mom began to gently persuade me to move on. “Mom,” I interrupted her nagging, “don’t worry. I won’t think about Imogen anymore, and I won’t get involved in her life.” My parents exchanged glances, seemingly unconvinced. No matter. Time will prove everything. Imogen’s parents found out Jude was a penniless scoundrel who even hit Imogen. They were furious and hired someone to beat up Jude while demanding Imogen break up with him. But Imogen was rebellious. The more they opposed, the more she believed in her true love with Jude. In the end, her parents threatened to cut ties if she didn’t choose. Imogen stubbornly chose Jude. My mom sighed, wondering if Imogen was under some spell. I just smiled without saying anything, as it was all irrelevant to me. I started pouring all my energy into work. If I completed the new project excellently, I’d get promoted. While I was busy working day and night, Imogen called asking to borrow money. Her voice was tearful. “Jasper, I need 200,000 yuan. Please lend it to me, it’s urgent.”

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I accidentally killed my classmate who tried to rape me. In the interrogation room, I covered my face and wept. Later, after the court’s decision, I was released without charges. I left under police escort. In a corner where no one noticed, I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes, and a satisfied smile spread across my lips. “My name is Aria West, and I’m a student in Class 6 at Lincoln University,” I said. “The deceased… was my classmate.” I sat on the hospital bed, an IV drip in my arm, looking sickly as I accepted the water handed to me by the policewoman in uniform. I gave her a kind smile. The police officer sitting next to me nodded reassuringly. “There’s no need to be nervous. Now, please try to recall all the details of what happened that day as best you can.”

My only redeeming quality was my appearance. Whether it’s older men or teenage boys in the throes of puberty, they’re all visual creatures at their core. Gaining the favor of a teenage boy is actually quite easy. Just one look, an accidental touch, coupled with a pitiful face, and you can easily have them wrapped around your finger. This came naturally to me; I was born with the ability to make people adore me. But I never imagined that these things I prided myself on would bring me such fatal harm. That day, I found a torn piece of paper in my desk drawer. ‘After class, can I invite you to the equipment room by the gym? I have something I want to tell you.’ Seeing the signature, I scoffed dismissively and tore up the note, tossing it in the trash. I’d seen this confession trick eight times already. And now, here comes the ninth. The note was signed by Jack Young, known in our class as a sister complex case. Good grades, and kept everyone at arm’s length except for his sister. I just never thought that such a model student would have a heart for puppy love. But no matter how outstanding a student is, he’s still just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy at the end of the day. I smiled playfully, curious about what he might say. “So, he invited you to the equipment room?” the police officer taking notes paused and looked up at me. I returned a gentle smile. “Yes, officer.” “Alright, please continue.”

After class, I went to the equipment room at the appointed time. It was Friday, and it was already getting dark when university let out. Most people had left campus. I pushed open the door of the equipment room with a creak, and there was no one inside. I wasn’t in a hurry; after all, I knew that for a shy boy, confessing was still quite embarrassing. I wandered around the equipment room and noticed the discarded vases on the shelves were all askew. While waiting for him, I had nothing better to do, so I neatly arranged the messy vases. Suddenly, the main door creaked open and then slammed shut with a bang. I thought the wind had blown the door closed and turned to open it again. In the darkness, a pair of hands embraced me from behind. I stiffened, feeling his hot breath on my neck. He was panting heavily, repeating my name while his hands eagerly slipped under my shirt, fondling my bra. Feeling violated, I cursed at him and struggled, both angry and embarrassed. But he held me tighter, his lips lightly kissing my neck as he whispered words of love in my ear. I felt my scalp tingle and began to regret coming here. I should have refused him. I shouldn’t have believed a teenage boy would have any self-control. He disgusted me. I rejected him firmly, but my rejection seemed to act as an aphrodisiac in his eyes. He became excited. I felt something hard pressing against me, constantly rubbing. I was scared and angry. You know, when people are angry, they can unleash incredible potential. Anger filled me, and I don’t know where I got the strength, but I suddenly turned around and shoved him hard. The vases on the shelf fell down, hitting him squarely on the head. The vase shattered, and a shard cut my shoulder. He let go, his hands slipping from my waist as his whole body fell to the floor. When I finally managed to open the door, ignoring the sharp pain in my shoulder, I discovered in the light from outside that he was dead. “That’s everything that happened,” I concluded, my fingers lightly brushing over the wound on my shoulder where the vase had hit me. I blinked, letting two tears fall. “If I had known he was that kind of person, I would never have agreed to his request that day.” The atmosphere in the hospital room was very tense. Several police officers stood beside me, exchanging silent glances as if communicating some kind of signal. The lead officer stood up and gave me a slight bow. “We’re sorry to disturb your rest. That concludes our questioning for today.” I returned a smile. “Take care, officers.” I watched as they left my hospital room one by one until it was quiet with just me alone. My eyes darkened, and the smile faded from my face.

I don’t know when I fell asleep, but when I woke up, the nurse was already standing beside me, changing my IV drip. “This is your last IV for today. Once it’s finished, you can leave the hospital,” she said. The nurse smiled brightly and ruffled my messy hair. “You’re a very brave girl. Take care of yourself from now on.” I deliberately lowered my gaze and blinked softly. “Thank you, nurse. You take care too.” I was born knowing how to make people pity me, no matter who they were. Sure enough, the nurse squeezed my cheek sympathetically and stuffed all the candy from her pockets into my arms. After she left, a mischievous smile spread across my face. I’m an orphan, born without parents. I had some a few years ago, but now they’re gone too. There’s only me left in the family, so I don’t expect anyone to come help me check out of the hospital. I followed the nurse through the discharge process alone. Fortunately, the nurses were all very perceptive and helped me with most of the work. As I was leaving, one even said tearfully that I must live well from now on. I put on my best performance, hugging this nurse and crying with her. The moment I turned away, I wiped away my tears. It was all just going through the motions.

Although the university suggested I rest for a couple of days, I went back the very same day. I have good relationships with people, surrounded by a bunch of fair-weather friends. When they saw me return, they all crowded around, bombarding me with a flurry of questions. Although annoyed, I still put on my standard social smile, dealing with their false concern and gossip-hungry curiosity. “Did you really kill that guy?” “Huh? You actually killed him? How could you bear to do it?” I lowered my eyes and pursed my lips. A girl next to me clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Watch what you’re saying.” Seeing this, the boy who had just spoken quickly shut his mouth and immediately put on a fawning smile. “I misspoke. Aria, please don’t be angry.” I pretended to be strong and shook my head. “It’s fine.” They immediately started comforting me again, all talking at once. “That guy deserved to die. I never liked him anyway. How dare he do something like that to you…” The girl next to me clicked her tongue again, and the boy fell completely silent. In contrast to the bustle around us, Nina’s corner was quiet. Through gaps in the crowd, I saw her in the corner, staring wistfully at the commotion around us, her fingers trembling slightly as she gripped her pencil. When our eyes met, she first froze, then hurriedly lowered her head, clumsily gripping her pen to write in her notebook. Nina Young, the typical loner girl. Never interacting with anyone, without a single friend, always stuck to her brother like glue, doing everything together. I found her pathetic and pitiful because I had already foreseen how things would develop from here.

Our class was notoriously bad. Everyone seemed to have been eaten away by some kind of darkness, rotten to the core, beyond saving. Here, students had their own system for ranking each other. In our class, there were three factions. One faction was represented by the now-deceased Jack Young – the good students. Troublemakers would deliberately avoid this group of good students to prevent the university from getting involved. Another faction was represented by me – the clique-forming troublemakers. The remaining faction, those with average grades and poor social skills, would become fodder for the bullies. Sure enough, not two days had passed before their sights turned to Nina Young. Previously, out of respect for Jack Young, they had some reservations about Nina as well. But now that Jack was dead, Nina was like a lamb that had lost its way, inevitably becoming a toy for that group. They would take advantage of the time Nina went to the bathroom during class breaks to steal her chair, forcing her to stand when she returned, unable to find a seat. Or they would deliberately place empty drink bottles on her desk and throw used tissues into her drawer, then snicker as they watched her. “Oh my, is this your seat? I thought it was a trash can.” The people around would burst into exaggerated laughter as if they had heard some hilarious joke. The teacher was certainly aware of what was happening. She had eyes; of course she could see Nina standing there, could see the pile of trash on her desk. But she only glanced over and said nothing. I’ve said it before – everyone in our class is rotten to the core, not just the students. I knew that their reason for being so brazen wasn’t just because Nina had lost her brother. Nina’s family situation was similar to mine; in the end, she was left with only a brother to keep her company. Now that her brother was gone too, the only person who could protect her in public was gone. With no one to back her up, they became fearless. I rested my chin on my hand, watching with interest as Nina stood awkwardly in class. Unfortunately, she was nothing like me. She didn’t know how to pretend at all.

I’ve said before that I was born with the ability to make people love me. Anyone. I would disguise myself as pitiful and vulnerable, making others feel sympathy for me. At the same time, I would use expensive luxury items to create an image of coming from a wealthy family. Who would dare to mess with a naive girl from a rich family? But Nina couldn’t do this. Her dislike, her fear, her terror were all written plainly on her face. The slightest disturbance would startle her, only exciting the bullies more. Just like now. A paper ball hit Nina squarely on the head, then bounced to the floor. I heard quiet snickers around me, while Nina just lowered her head, her ears turning red, too weak to say anything. Then came a second paper ball, and a third. It wasn’t until the teacher finally couldn’t stand it anymore that she stopped it, but not for Nina’s sake – only for the sake of classroom discipline. Nina’s eyes were red, on the verge of tears. Tsk, poor child. University let out soon after. A group surrounded me as we left, clamoring about protecting me while bombarding me with endless questions. I found it annoying, but just as we stepped out of the university gates, a man blocked my path. I looked up at the familiar face and nodded slightly. “Hello, officer.” He seemed somewhat taken aback by my calmness, then nodded lightly in return. “We have a few more questions to ask. Would you mind coming with us now?” I glanced at my companions – those who had just been boasting about protecting me were now cowering timidly. I then looked at the policewoman behind the officer; she was watching me too. Finally, I nodded gently. “Let’s go.” I followed them to the police station and was seated in a chair. I accepted the water handed to me by a young police officer, felt its temperature through the cup, then handed it back. “I prefer it warm, thank you.”

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My mother opened a high-end boutique specializing in silk sleepwear. The prices were astronomical-2,000 for a short set and 4,000 for a long one. Yet, female customers flocked to the store in droves. They claimed that my mother’s sleepwear was made of the finest silk, promising to make their skin silky smooth and give them a youthful glow. However, when my sister wanted to try one on, Mother wouldn’t allow it. My sister, feeling defiant, decided to sneak into the warehouse and steal one for herself. In the middle of the night, I heard my sister’s voice coming from the warehouse. My mother opened a small boutique next to a beauty salon, selling only women’s sleepwear. The catch? It was only available for a limited time each night, with just ten pieces sold per day. One evening, a group of pretty young women arrived, nervously pushing and shoving each other at the store entrance, their faces flushed with embarrassment. “Hello, beautiful ladies! Won’t you come in?” I peeked out from behind my mother, greeting the girls. The most attractive and mature-looking woman among them spotted me. With a toss of her flowing hair, she giggled and pushed her shy, blushing friend towards my mother. “Mrs. Liu, do you still have any stock left? Could you pick out a sleepwear set for my friend here?” She leaned in close to my mother’s ear, whispering conspiratorially. “We want the longest, most form-fitting one you’ve got!” “Oh, and one more thing,” she added, a pretty blush creeping across her cheeks. “I accidentally damaged the one I bought before. Could you pick out another one for me, Mrs. Liu?” Upon hearing this, my mother’s previously warm smile faded. “How many times have I told you? The silk for our sleepwear is incredibly precious and rare. Once you buy a piece, you must treat it with the utmost care! How could you have damaged it?” “It’s just that the fabric felt so good against my skin, I couldn’t help myself and… Oh, please, just pick out another one for me. I promise I’ll be more careful this time! I’ll pay whatever you ask, I’m begging you, Mrs. Liu.” “Alright, fine,” my mother finally relented after the young woman clung to her arm, pleading for quite some time. “Short sets are 2, 000, long sets are 4,000.” She gave the young woman a once-over, frowning at her excited, almost manic expression. “For you, this time, it’ll be double – $8,000! And you can only try it on in the store, you can’t take it home.” “Deal!” The young woman exclaimed happily, stamping her high heels in excitement, her face blooming like a flower. “$8,000?!” Her friend gasped in shock. She looked at my mother with a worried expression, then whispered to the excited woman, “Sis, is the sleepwear here really that good? Is it really worth several thousand dollars? That’s $8,000! Do you know how many hours we’d have to work at the salon to earn that much?” “Don’t worry, Mrs. Liu’s silk sleepwear is the best I’ve ever worn. After wearing it…” Her smile suddenly turned shy. “Let’s just say, Mrs. Liu’s sleepwear is magical! Once you wear her sleepwear, you won’t have to worry about attracting men anymore. Just trust your big sister on this one.” The younger girl nodded hesitantly. “Mrs. Liu, remember what I said, pick out the longest, most form-fitting one for her!” The woman emphasized again. My mother ran her hand along the girl’s waist, measuring her up, then flashed a strange smile. “Don’t worry, we have a full range today. Long ones, short ones, whatever style you want, we’ve got it.” Mother led the two girls to the warehouse in the backyard and slowly opened a hidden door. “Why… why do we need to go to the basement just to choose sleepwear?” The younger girl asked nervously, eyeing the dark staircase leading down. Mother gave her a meaningful look. “This isn’t just any sleepwear. It needs to fit perfectly – the right size, the right length – for you to sleep comfortably at night.” Before the girl could say anything more, her friend eagerly pulled her inside. The hidden door slowly closed in front of me. I sat on the ground, bored, waiting for them to return. Mother never let me enter that door, saying children shouldn’t see what’s inside – it wasn’t good for them. But I was grown up now. Pouting in dissatisfaction, I pressed my ear against the door, trying to hear what was happening inside. The sounds coming from behind the door were strange – rustling noises mixed with occasional startled cries. Had the sisters started fighting over the same piece of sleepwear? I wondered to myself. After more than two hours, several loud shouts suddenly came from inside. I knew this meant they had finished choosing, so I stood up, brushing the dirt off my legs. Sure enough, moments later, the basement door opened from the inside, and Mother emerged with the two sisters. The girls’ faces were flushed red, the younger one’s legs even trembling slightly. The older sister wore a short one-piece dress, while the younger had on a form-fitting nightgown. But they don’t look that long to me, I thought, confused. They did look more beautiful, though. When the other girls waiting outside the store saw the transformation, their eyes went wide. “Oh my god, your complexions look so much rosier!” “It’s not just that, even Silkworm’s skin looks better!” The girl called Silkworm touched her blushing face shyly, hiding behind her sister. Mother smiled proudly as she helped the two girls out the door. “This is just the immediate effect of putting it on. It’s quite noticeable at first. The longer you wear it, the better the results. We only accept customers recommended by our regulars. When you’ve saved up enough money, you can all come buy sleepwear from me.” “But remember one thing,” Mother’s expression turned strange. “The fabric for these sleepwear sets is extremely precious. You must remember to wear them carefully.” “Whatever you do, don’t damage them again.” One day, my sister came home crying hysterically. It turned out her boyfriend of four years had dumped her, and the reason was unbearable for her. He said she was ugly. “Mom! I can’t go on living! My sister and I are both your daughters, so why are you so beautiful while we’re so ugly? Are we really your biological children?” Mother’s gaze shifted uncomfortably as she avoided the question: “Well, that’s because your father had bad genes and passed them on to you.” But we’ve never even seen our father! “I don’t care! Mom, everyone says wearing the sleepwear you make can make you beautiful! I want to wear your silk sleepwear too. I want to become beautiful like those girls at the salon! I’ll make Chad regret dumping me!” My sister clamored to wear the silk sleepwear to become beautiful, but Mother wouldn’t allow it. She didn’t give a reason, just kept saying it was for her own good. Of course, my sister wasn’t having it. That night, she yanked me out of bed, insisting I help her steal some sleepwear. “I know where Mom hides the silk sleepwear – in the basement of the warehouse. Once I steal some and put it on, I’ll become as beautiful as Mom, with a gorgeous face and figure. Then Chad will definitely come crawling back to me!” My sister cupped her flushed cheeks, daydreaming about her future with her boyfriend. I was afraid Mother would catch us, so I kept trying to push her away. The warehouse at night looked even scarier than during the day. When we opened the hidden door, the narrow corridor was pitch black. We stared into the darkness of the basement, looking at each other hesitantly, neither of us daring to go down. After a long while, my sister finally couldn’t resist the temptation of becoming beautiful. She felt her way along the wall, taking small steps down into the darkness. She kept looking back at me, her face pale with fear, as if there was an invisible monster lurking in the depths, waiting to devour her. I also felt something wasn’t quite right. I had seen how other people made clothes before. They usually hung the fabric out in the open to air it out and let it catch some sunlight, to prevent any musty smells. So why did Mother keep her silk sleepwear hidden away in such a dark and creepy basement? Suddenly, I heard a loud “bang” from the basement that made me jump. Worried something had happened to my sister, I was about to go down when she called out to stop me. “Mei, don’t come in yet! This place… Ah!” “What’s wrong? Jia! Did you fall?” I heard my sister cry out in surprise and was about to rush in. But then she suddenly exclaimed excitedly that she was about to become beautiful and told me not to come in. “Mei, don’t- don’t come in! I’ve found Mom’s sleepwear! Wait for me, I’ll- I’ll put it on and come right out!” She asked me to keep watch outside the basement and make sure Mom didn’t catch us. Then she quickly ran to the door and locked it from the inside. She stayed locked in there for over an hour. I was getting anxious. Does it really take this long to steal a piece of sleepwear? It was almost dawn, and Mom always woke up early. If she caught us, she’d have my head! “Jia! Hurry up!” I whispered urgently, knocking on the door. My sister didn’t answer, but the strange noises from inside were getting louder. I could faintly hear what sounded like a girl crying. What was going on? Had she gotten hurt in the basement? “Jia? Are you okay? Why does your voice sound so strange?” Scared and worried, I knocked on the door again, calling out softly. My sister’s voice suddenly stopped. After a long moment, she finally let out a sound that seemed like she couldn’t hold it in anymore, but still didn’t answer my question. A long time passed before my sister’s voice came through again, broken and halting. “I’m fine, it’s just… the sleepwear I chose is too long… it’s hard to put on. Don’t come in, no matter what!” My sister kept insisting I shouldn’t come in, but her voice sounded weak and strained, not at all like someone who was “fine.” I couldn’t help but grow curious. What exactly was my sister doing in there? I found a crack in the wooden door and peeked through. But the basement was so dark I couldn’t see a thing. I watched for a long time, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, before I could finally make out a vague outline.

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Cassian Hawthorne and I are a couple bound by pure hatred. Outside of the obligatory physical intimacy, we were practically strangers beyond the bedroom. He despised my domineering ways, and I was fed up with his endless rules and restrictions. So, when my body was taken over by a so-called “strategy girl,” I expected nothing from him. Why would I? The docile, obedient wife she pretended to be was exactly the kind of woman he wanted. Anyway, this “strategy girl” wasn’t an ordinary person. She was crossed into this novel world, my world, from her reality, guided by a system with one goal—to seduce the male lead, my husband. Her success? It was not about love. It was about sleeping with him. In her pursuit of this twisted mission, my soul was forced out of my own body. Now, I was nothing but a wandering spirit, stuck near my stolen form, powerless to take it back. However, while I was cast out, I could hear her thoughts loud and clear. While she played the perfect wife, embodying everything Cassian supposedly desired, I could only watch. Yet, to my surprise, the man who loathed me seemed to notice the cracks in her act. With a darkened expression, Cassian grabbed “me” by the throat, his voice trembling as he demanded, “Who the hell are you? And where is my Aurelia?”

I got into a car accident on the highway while rushing to meet a client. The deafening crash sent my vision spinning wildly. Just before I lost consciousness, a single thought lingered in my mind. “Looks like I’ve lost this client, and once again. I’ve failed to beat Cassian this month.” What a bitter defeat. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself floating midair—just a soul, weightless and detached. Below me, my body lay on a hospital bed, and sitting beside it was Cassian. His sharp features carried a cold, austere look, but beneath it, there was a hint of weariness etched across his face. I was stunned. Wasn’t he supposed to be abroad, closing a deal? Before I could process the situation, a foreign voice echoed in my ears—strangely, it was coming from my own body. “So, this is my new vessel? Not bad. The original female lead must have been an idiot, competing with the male lead for clients. Well, no matter. Once I finish my mission, her wonderful life will be mine. Men are just slaves to their desires. The system really underestimated me with this assignment.” The voice prattled on incessantly, yet the person on the bed hadn’t moved an inch. Was this… the new soul inhabiting my body? Frowning, I listened closely and quickly pieced together my predicament. The accident had jarred my soul loose from my body. When I tried to approach the bed and reclaim what was mine, an invisible force repelled me. It didn’t take long to understand—I couldn’t regain control, at least not for now. My body was being occupied by this so-called “strategy girl.” As I was still digesting this cruel twist, the person on the bed stirred. Her eyelashes fluttered, signaling her awakening. Cassian immediately noticed and pressed the call button, summoning the doctors. When the strategy girl opened her eyes and saw Cassian, a flash of awe glimmered in her gaze, though she quickly masked it. Then, her screeching inner monologue hit me like a hammer. “Oh my God! Is that the male lead, Cassian Hawthorne? He’s so handsome! Rich, powerful, and charming—how could the original female lead not fall for him? Well, he’s mine now. Tee-hee.” I couldn’t deny it. Cassian was indeed the kind of man who turned heads—a lethal combination of refined elegance and unapologetic dominance. While the strategy girl squealed inwardly, she remembered she needed to mimic my personality. Turning her head, she spoke in a tone of feigned indifference, “Why are you here?” Almost immediately, her inner voice returned, smug and triumphant. “Good thing the system gave me a full briefing on the original female lead’s character. She’s cold and distant toward the male lead. Hmm, this whole ‘loveless marriage’ dynamic is kind of fun. I bet I can complete my mission in a month—tops!” Cassian didn’t seem to suspect anything unusual. Lowering his gaze, he replied with biting sarcasm, “I came to make sure you weren’t dead. I can’t deal with the family fallout if you are. Rest up—I’ve got work to do.” Straightening his posture, he turned and left, his black coat sweeping behind him. I felt a twinge of disappointment, though it was more of a resigned acknowledgment. After all, Cassian and I had always been adversaries.

From the strategy girl’s incessant inner chatter, I pieced together her mission. She had three months to seduce Cassian, with her success measured by completing a series of sexual tasks with him. I couldn’t help but feel baffled. What kind of twisted system assigns such a ridiculous task? But in a cruel twist of irony, the setup wasn’t entirely mismatched. Cassian and I clashed on almost everything. Almost. When it came to the bedroom, though, we were surprisingly… compatible. I was headstrong by nature, but in bed, I never seemed to hold the upper hand. In the end, I could only endure, pinned beneath him, hurling curses in between shaky breaths. “Bastard…” Cassian would always lean in, chuckling softly in my ear, his movements unintentionally gentler as he drew out my pleasure. Our relationship was anything but normal, yet the thought of the strategy girl using my body to do those things with Cassian made my stomach churn. Meanwhile, her thoughts grew more gleeful. She sifted through the system’s files, her mind buzzing with plans. “He actually just walked out? Hah, once I win him over, he’ll be begging for my love. This is all the original female lead’s fault. But no matter—once I finish the mission, I can stay in this world forever as a rich man’s wife!” Her words hit me like a splash of icy water. She hadn’t spelled it out, but the implications were clear. Once her mission succeeded, I would lose any chance of regaining my body. And as a disembodied soul, how long could I linger in this world? Eventually, I’d fade into nothingness, my existence snuffed out entirely.

The strategy girl had started making her move. She got out of bed, still in her hospital gown, and went to the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she ran her fingers over her face before heading to the door. But just as she tried to step out, Cassian’s assistant blocked her path. His tone was professional, almost robotic. “Mrs. Hawthorne, you’ve only just woken up. If you need anything, please let me know. For now, I must insist you return to bed and rest.” The strategy girl frowned, clearly displeased. “I’m fine. Discharge me. I need to get back to work.” The assistant didn’t so much as blink, as if her response had been entirely predictable. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Hawthorne. Mr. Hawthorne has instructed me to prioritize your recovery.” They stared each other down for what felt like ages, but eventually, she gave in. “Fine. If I can’t work, I can at least rest at home. The doctor already said I’m fine. Tell Cassian I want to go home. I can’t stand being in the hospital any longer.” The assistant hesitated for a moment. After receiving Cassian’s approval through his earpiece, he stepped aside. “Understood, Mrs. Hawthorne. I’ll arrange for your discharge immediately.” She had been staying in a VIP suite, so all her belongings were already packed. A sleek Maybach waited downstairs to take her home. Her expression remained calm, but her inner thoughts betrayed her excitement. “A Maybach? And all this just to take me home? Incredible. This life is all mine now—the system didn’t lie. The sooner I get home, the sooner I can sleep with him and complete my mission. Cassian’s body looks good. I definitely won’t regret this part.” I looked up sharply. Even though I knew Cassian wasn’t desperate enough to touch someone recovering from an accident, I couldn’t shake my unease. Cassian was my last hope. Would he notice anything strange about her tonight?

Dinner was already prepared when we arrived home. The maids had outdone themselves, but the meal passed in near silence, aside from the occasional glance the strategy girl threw in Cassian’s direction. Cassian was the first to stand. He poured himself a glass of milk, clearly intending to retreat to his study. The strategy girl instinctively reached for a cup and moved toward the milk jug. Cassian froze mid-step. Her hand faltered. “Crap! I forgot—didn’t the original female lead have a milk allergy? Seriously, she can’t even drink milk? What a disaster!” She scrambled for an excuse, her frustration spilling over in her thoughts. She wasn’t wrong. I did avoid milk, but not because of any physical allergy. It was psychological. When I grew up, my parents had been incredibly strict. Every part of my life was controlled—what I ate, how much, when. Junk food was forbidden, and by the time I hit puberty, every meal was logged and approved to maintain my figure. Dinner was balanced but joyless. Even my nights ended with a forced glass of milk under my mother’s watchful eye. I’d drink it obediently, only to gag myself over the sink the moment she left the room. The smell of milk suffocated me. After I married Cassian, I finally gained a little weight. No one told me what to eat or drink anymore. Milk never touched my lips, and Cassian knew that. He stopped in his tracks, his gaze turning back to the dining table. The strategy girl didn’t miss a beat. She poured the milk into the cup, set it on the far end of the table, and said casually, “Selene, there’s a little milk left here. Drink it when you’re done cleaning up.” Yawning theatrically, she brushed past Cassian and headed upstairs. “That scared me to death! I almost blew my cover. Good thing I thought fast. The original female lead was always kind to the staff so that little act shouldn’t seem suspicious.” Cassian didn’t say a word. His hand lingered on the banister as he watched her disappear into the bedroom. Then, slowly, he resumed climbing the stairs.

He turned away, his expression hidden, but I already knew the truth. She had passed his first test. Cassian went to his study. He was always busy, and after flying back from overseas, his workload had only piled up. By the time he finished, it was well past midnight. When he returned to the bedroom, the strategy girl was already asleep. In the darkness, Cassian’s brows furrowed as he gently touched the bandage on her forehead. The injuries from the accident weren’t severe, just minor bruises and swelling, yet his fingers brushed over the gauze with surprising care. His hand lingered and then moved downward, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. There it was—a tiny red birthmark just behind her ear. His gaze darkened as he examined her inch by inch, searching for… something. But everything seemed normal. Eventually, he sighed softly, pulled the blanket over her, and lay down beside her. Cassian’s breathing soon evened out, but the strategy girl, with her back turned to him, suddenly opened her eyes. She revealed a triumphant smile, her eyes gleaming with confidence. I felt a pang of disappointment, though it was exactly what I had expected. When it came to appearances, there was nothing to find fault with—after all, it was still my body. “So, he’s suspicious after all.” She mused, her thoughts filled with amusement. “Good thing I’m in the original female lead’s body. There’s no way he’ll figure it out. And wow, wasn’t he kind of gentle just now? Guess the original female lead was too boring for him. Finishing this mission is going to be a breeze.”

Cassian had always been a staunch materialist, scoffing at the notion of souls or spirits. Tonight’s suspicions, I imagined, were born out of fear that someone might be impersonating me. Once he ruled that out, he wouldn’t care anymore. If anything, the more obedient and agreeable the strategy girl appeared, the less he’d bother to question her. After all, in Cassian’s mind, a compliant, understanding wife was far more preferable. Whether it was truly me didn’t matter to him. Our marriage had been an accident from the start. Both of our families had been close for generations, and Cassian and I had grown up as classmates. We never got along. Back in school, we competed over grades. Once we started working, it became a battle over projects. Neither of us ever backed down. And yet, despite this contentious relationship, our families were delighted. We were well-matched in background and upbringing, having grown up under their watchful eyes. Most importantly, our families were equals in status. There was no grand romance, no dramatic love or hate. Cassian and I were simply bound together for a lifetime. After we married, I gained some freedom from my family’s suffocating control. Cassian gave me shares in his company, making me the second-largest shareholder, right after him. With fewer restrictions, I poured myself into work. At times, even Cassian couldn’t stand it. He would close my laptop with an air of authority and say, “Take a break. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this.” But I always insisted on finishing what I had started. People often wondered why I worked so relentlessly when my husband was the CEO. The answer was simple—for myself. I knew our marriage wasn’t built on love. It was more of a transaction. Cassian offering me shares was his show of sincerity, and I was determined to make the most of it. This world has no permanent safety net. If I were to leave him, I wanted to ensure I could live extraordinarily well on my own. That had always been my goal. But now, it seemed all my efforts were for someone else’s benefit. The strategy girl had taken over my body, easily claiming everything I’d worked for. It was something no amount of effort could undo. A wave of helplessness washed over me. The faint rustle of movement in the room snapped me out of my thoughts. Time seemed to move differently when you didn’t need sleep. Before I realized it, dawn had already arrived. Cassian, ever disciplined, rose early for his morning run. The strategy girl was still sound asleep. He tucked the blanket around her with care, gazing at her sleeping face for a long moment before leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek. His eyes held a rare softness. I instinctively reached up to touch my own face. Had he ever looked at me like that? We rarely kissed, not even during sex. I always felt that intimacy like that required genuine affection, and we… we were little more than business partners. For so many mornings, I had woken up to an empty bed. It had never occurred to me that he might have done such things while I was still asleep. For the first time, I questioned my feelings toward him. A flicker of hope sparked within me. What if… what if Cassian discovered the truth? What if he realized that the person inside that body wasn’t me, that my soul had been replaced? But over the following days, that hope began to dwindle.

Cassian went about his routine as usual, busy with work and rarely spending time with the strategy girl except at night. Meanwhile, the strategy girl was growing increasingly comfortable in my role. Everyone close to us knew about the car accident, so no one bothered her with work matters. She seamlessly slipped into the life of a wealthy wife. Luxury items were delivered to the house in a steady stream, and the spa became her new favorite haunt. I had owned plenty of designer goods before, but I’d never had much interest in them. Cassian, however, was stubborn. Every time a new collection was launched, he made sure it was delivered to our home. Out of courtesy, I would pick one or two items, just to humor him. The strategy girl wasn’t so reserved. She used my cards to pay for everything, careful not to raise Cassian’s suspicions. Standing in front of the walk-in closet filled with bags, she smiled smugly, satisfaction written all over her face. “Being rich feels amazing. I could never afford these bags before, but now they’re all mine. Cassian will be home soon. I need to clean up and make my move tonight. Once the mission is complete, I’ll plan a trip abroad. I heard he has a private jet—I’ve never been on one!” She was lost in her fantasy when the phone rang, interrupting her daydream. She was getting her nails done at home, and the manicurist was in the middle of attaching nail tips when the sound startled her. Annoyed, she yanked her hand away and glanced at the nails with a frown. “What is this mess? Your technique is awful!” The manicurist stammered an apology, bowing her head. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. I’ll fix it right away. Please let me try again.” The call was from my assistant, Grayson. As the phone rang a second time, the strategy girl impatiently put it on speaker. “Hello?” she snapped. “Ms. Swift, I apologize for disturbing you, but there’s an issue with our collaboration with Luminaris Industries. Their team is already here at the office. Would you be able to…” Grayson’s voice was tense, clearly indicating the urgency of the matter. Panic surged within me. The Luminaris Industries deal was something I had painstakingly secured after countless meetings. It wasn’t just crucial for me—it was vital for Cassian and the entire company. But the strategy girl had no idea. She didn’t understand the complexities of managing a business or handling partnerships, let alone navigating a situation like this.

She hesitated for a moment and then lowered her voice, adopting a weak tone. “You know I just got discharged. My head’s still killing me. You handle it for now, and I’ll review the files you sent.” I’d always been a workaholic, someone who kept pushing through illness to get the job done. People were usually the ones urging me to take a break. I was fiercely competitive, refusing to show weakness. This was the first time “I” had ever admitted to feeling unwell. Grayson wouldn’t dare neglect me after hearing that. His tone even carried a hint of guilt. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Swift. This came out of nowhere—no one expected it. Please don’t overexert yourself. I’ll talk to Luminaris Industries in the meantime. You just rest.” When the call ended, she let out a long sigh of relief but made no move to act. Hours passed as her manicure session dragged on. When it was finally done, she admired the tiny gemstones on her nails for a while before casually opening her laptop. The files Grayson had sent were packed with dense tables and technical terms, pages of professional jargon. “What the hell is this? Just looking at it gives me a headache. How would I understand any of this? Ugh, the original female lead isn’t here, and I’m stuck cleaning up her mess. What kind of idiot chooses work over living the life of a rich wife?” She scrolled through the documents, her frown deepening with every line. Even someone as skilled as Cassian would need time to get through this, let alone her. These files were directly tied to the project I had been leading—a project I knew inside and out. She stubbornly kept scrolling but gave up when it became clear she couldn’t make sense of any of it. Her long nails tapped irritably on the keyboard before she glanced at the clock. It was already nine at night, and Cassian still wasn’t back. I hovered beside her, fully absorbed in the data on the screen, quickly pinpointing the problem areas. I was desperate to reclaim my body, reorganize the files, and meet with Luminaris Industries myself. This project was the culmination of my hard work, and I knew she’d never appreciate its value. But every time I tried to approach her, an invisible force repelled me. After multiple failed attempts, I could only watch helplessly as the minutes ticked by. She eventually pulled out her phone and began scrolling through entertainment news. By midnight, she grew tired and simply went to bed. I stayed by her side, unable to rest, as the hours crawled on. Cassian didn’t return that night. The next morning, as the strategy girl yawned her way downstairs, she ran into him just as he walked through the door. His suit was slightly wrinkled, his features showing signs of fatigue, but he was still effortlessly handsome. “Luminaris Industries is taken care of,” he said. “Grayson mentioned your headache. I’ll have the doctor schedule a full check-up. I can’t have my parents worrying.” His gaze shifted downward, landing on her newly manicured nails. The rounded tips and shimmering gemstones caught the morning light, casting tiny reflections. “You got your nails done?” She froze, caught off guard.

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Bethany Wilcox, the girl who constantly boasted about her wealth, came to my company for an interview. Despite giving a disastrous performance, she somehow triumphed over all the candidates from prestigious universities and secured the position. “Oops, sorry, I wasn’t prepared well. Let’s do it again.” The interviewers exchanged awkward smiles, frozen on their faces. And so, her exclusive interview dragged on from morning till night. When the lights dimmed, the interviewers, finally relieved, each wore a long face and announced that everyone in the company had to stay for overtime. That evening, the wealthy girl posted a video. In the video, she said, “The first day of inheriting the family business started with an interview where I hid my identity.” I quickly called my mom. “Spill it. Do you have an illegitimate daughter, or am I not your child?” Today, the company had an interview session. Although all the candidates had finished and left, the interview wasn’t over yet. “The interviews are done, so why haven’t our superiors come out yet?” An employee, desperate to get a signature from the superiors, was pacing anxiously. “Shh, be quiet. The future female heir of our company is still in there,” someone whispered. “What?” another person asked. “She came for the interview. She posted a video yesterday.” Everyone perked up, exchanging whispers. The gossip group chat was buzzing with excitement. I opened the video through a link shared in the group chat. [What should I wear to the interview tomorrow?] In her video, the spacious walk-in closet looked strangely familiar, and in the corner, there was a sexy nightgown given to me by my best friend! I quickly called my butler, Kevin O’Conner. “Kevin, is everything alright at home?” “Uh, Ms. Stoddard, everything, everything is fine,” Kevin said, his usual calm tone faltering. I could tell he was holding something back. A chill ran down my spine. I had a bad feeling something was wrong at home. “Ms. Stoddard, how is your mother’s health? When will you be back?” “She’s still undergoing treatment. I’m not sure when I’ll return.” After high school, I received an elite education abroad. Half a year ago, my mother fell seriously ill, so I brought her overseas for treatment. Now that her health was under control and I had finished my studies, I had returned as per her wishes to take over the family business. To understand the situation of my company, I secretly returned to my home country and, relying on my own abilities, applied for a job at my company. I never expected to find myself in a “true or false daughter” drama. Looking at the clothes and accessories strewn across the floor, I felt my anger rise. I was eager to find out who was behind this mess. That evening, the imposter updated her video. [The first day of inheriting the company, starting with an interview where I hid my identity.]

The next day, someone in the gossip group posted a photo of her commuting to work. Bethany, donning oversized sunglasses and toting a Hermes bag, strode out of the car with an air of arrogance after the driver opened the door for her. The car was mine, and so was the bag. Bethany was shorter than me, and from the slightly loose suit she was wearing, it was clear that the suit belonged to me as well. Before she even reached the elevator, the fashionable employees in the gossip group had already stripped her down, analyzing her from head to toe. “Daughters from wealthy families really are different. The clothes she wears could buy a whole house.” “I envy her so much, and I’d love to be friends with a rich woman like her.” “Who wouldn’t want to latch onto someone like that?” But soon, their opinions changed. On her first day at work, Bethany took the team leader, Brad Williamson’s seat. She claimed that the background of Brad’s seat looked better for shooting videos. Brad’s smile went from flattering to fake. On her second day, Bethany took credit for a colleague’s report. On her third day, she inexplicably scolded a colleague. In the videos she posted every day, her superiors were eager to give her the best spot; she wrote amazing reports in minutes and criticized her colleagues for being useless… She portrayed herself as a workplace elite. Her colleagues became her comparison group, and her fans started calling us “Waste No. 1”, “Waste No. 2″… Watching her superiors fawn over her while her colleagues dared not speak out, I was thoroughly disappointed with the company’s management. I had filled pages in my little notebook with notes.

Soon, the time for the department product presentation arrived. I worked overtime for several days to prepare the PowerPoint for the product introduction. Just as I was about to present, Bethany came toward me, holding her phone and live-streaming. “Aaliyah Stoddard, what are you doing standing here? Don’t you see the superiors don’t have water? Go get some!” she said. Bethany casually flicked her hair, her gaze drifting. A hint of guilt flashed in her eyes. “Such a lack of awareness.” “Fans, I have to be strict. These employees are so lazy.” I squinted, pretending to be dismissed by her. I glanced at her livestream, where a group of fans were praising her as an excellent, independent woman. I couldn’t help but sneer, standing outside the door but not leaving. Bethany had deliberately tried to get rid of me, and I knew she was up to something. She stepped onto the stage, opened the PowerPoint, and began presenting with a serious expression. “Hello, everyone. I’m Bethany, the presenter for this product. “I’m new, so the PowerPoint isn’t perfect. Please guide me.” Hearing this, my teammates exchanged glances and looked at me with a gloating expression. I folded my arms and glared at them. The intimidation in my eyes made them shrink back. I had to admit, Bethany’s voice was sweet, and she read through the slides word for word. The entire room applauded her. She stood there proudly, like a rooster, with a smirk on her face as she winked at the phone in her hand. “Excuse me, what’s the design concept behind this product?” A sudden voice interrupted, and the applause ceased instantly. No one expected someone to ask a question. Bethany froze on the spot. All eyes turned to me. “Uh, the concept… well, it’s… it’s all about increasing profits, yes, profits,” she stammered, her face turning red. The room fell silent for three seconds, and then the department manager stepped in to smooth things over. “It all comes down to one thing. It’s all for the company!” he said, and everyone clapped in agreement. I felt like I had swallowed a fly. I did not expect the marketing manager could be so lacking in principles. It seemed clear the company had a long way to go. I sighed in frustration. It was after this incident that Bethany became my enemy. “I ordered coffee and desserts for everyone,” Bethany said. Sensing her colleagues’ dissatisfaction, she began buying food for everyone more frequently. “Thanks, young lady!” one colleague said. “Shh, don’t say that. I don’t want to expose my identity,” Bethany whispered. Slowly, she won over my colleagues with her sugary tactics. “Oops, Aaliyah, I forgot you were still here. I didn’t get anything for you,” she said, with clumsy acting. However, her poor acting had the most obvious effect. As a result, I was isolated by everyone.

The second half of the year’s product sales conference was about to begin. Brad assigned me to handle the service work. “Isn’t service work just being a waiter? “Hah, I was just joking. Aaliyah, you need to prepare well. You must handle the service properly.” Bethany covered her mouth and exchanged glances with her colleagues. Upon watching the chaotic team atmosphere, my patience was running thin. Brad, powerless against the undisciplined culprit, had no choice but to wait until Bethany finished her performance before continuing, his face expressionless. “This time, the president of Virex Global Group, Damian Caldwell, will be attending in person. Everyone needs to be on their best behavior.” “Mr. Caldwell, really?” “Mr. Caldwell is a golden bachelor, the heartthrob of the finance world!” Brad’s words were like a drop of water in a hot pan. All the female colleagues began chattering, their faces filled with admiration and anticipation. Bethany looked as though she was deep in thought. I couldn’t help but feel helpless, thinking to myself, “Why did this troublemaker have to show up?” The company placed great importance on the product sales conference. In order to secure Damian’s investment, the department had been working overtime for a week to ensure everything would be flawless. On the day of the event, Bethany, who wasn’t originally involved in the reception, showed up at the venue early. “Brad, Aaliyah comes from an ordinary family. She’s never seen such a big event. “I’ll handle the reception for her,” she suggested. “No, this reception is too important. It’s going to decide next year’s orders. You have no experience!” Brad immediately shook his head, refusing. “It’s fine if something goes wrong. I’ll take responsibility. Brad, don’t forget, and I’m going to be the company’s heir,” she said with an air of certainty and subtle threat. Under Bethany’s determined, almost menacing gaze, Brad finally relented. It worked out perfectly for me. I wasn’t in any rush to face Damian. As the largest investor, Damian made his grand entrance last. Damian had a tall, lean figure and sharp features. It seemed as though he carried the wind with him, walking into the venue amidst compliments from others. Bethany’s face flushed crimson, her eyes dreamy, as she stepped forward to greet him. Damian, however, walked straight past her, his eyes scanning the room. “Dear Damian, I’m Bethany. I’ll be your host today,” she introduced herself. “Are all your company’s employees this familiar with everyone?” Damian replied with a sharp tone. “Well then, tell me about the design concept of this product, its application scenarios, market predictions…” “Uh… I…” Bethany couldn’t help but scratch her head, her gaze darting around, silently pleading for help. After all these years, Damian’s tongue was still as sharp as ever. Unable to contain myself, I let out a laugh. Hearing my laugh, Damian turned his gaze toward me and flashed a rare smile. Bethany, on the other hand, turned beet red, and her heart raced, thinking Damian was joking with her. “Damian, you’re so naughty! My father is the boss of Stod Group, and I’ve heard from him that our families are old friends.” Damian suddenly turned his head toward her, his cold, appraising gaze freezing her in place. Bethany took a step back, visibly startled by his scrutiny. “Sorry, but my Caldwell family is not acquainted with the Wilcox family.” The Caldwell family had ties to the Stoddard family, not the Wilcox family. Without the Stoddard family, no one would even know who my father was. The employees around us were all awkwardly blushing, and Brad looked like he was about to lose his mind. “Mr. Caldwell, my apologies for not welcoming you properly. I’m Steve McLean, the company’s vice president,” he hurriedly stepped forward. “Bethany, don’t just stand there! Apologize to Mr. Caldwell; he’s just messing with you,” he said, exasperated. “Uncle Steve,” Bethany muttered, twisting her hands and sneaking glances at Damian. The other company executives around us exchanged amused glances. I thought to myself, “With such an unrefined leader at Stod Group, it’s no wonder the company is on the decline.” I clenched my fists. Stod Group was founded by my grandfather and has been the pride and hard work of the Stoddard family for three generations. Now, only my mother and I remain of the Stoddard family, and I will not allow anyone to ruin Stod Group.

The product sales conference turned out to be passable but far from perfect. Damian raised an eyebrow at me, and I nodded in response. We agreed to meet later at the café downstairs. “Why did you come over today?” “You’ve been gone for so long, and now that you’re back, you don’t even say a word. I had no choice but to come see you myself.” “Don’t you miss me?” he teased, a playful grin on his face as he threw flirtatious glances at me. “What’s going on with Bethany?” “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her soon!” We hadn’t had a good conversation in a long time, and neither of us noticed the pair of angry eyes watching us from outside the café. When I returned to the office, I noticed that my colleagues were looking at me strangely. “Hmph, some people really don’t know their place. How dare she set her sights on Mr. Caldwell?” “Right! She’s trying to hook up with Mr. Caldwell during a company event and ruining the company’s reputation!” Two of my colleagues, with whom I had been on good terms, began gossiping. “Aaliyah, how dare you come back here after trying to seduce Mr. Caldwell? You’ve completely neglected your work. Do you even want to keep your job?” Bethany pointed at my nose, her face twisted with anger. “That’s nonsense. Damian and I are friends,” I retorted. Bethany and the other women laughed as though they’d heard the funniest joke. “You bumpkin, dreaming of marrying a rich man? It’ll never happen!” “Yeah, you’ll never marry into money in your life!” I glanced around at the mocking faces, then gave a slight smirk. “I just wanted to let you all know that due to Bethany’s poor reception, everyone in the marketing department has had their year-end bonuses canceled. “Since you’re all so happy about this, I assume you have no objections?”

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My husband takes me on a seaside getaway, coaxing me to lean over the ship’s railing to enjoy the view. With half my body stretched out over the edge, he waits for the perfect moment—then shoves me into the water without hesitation. My terrified scream is swallowed by the deafening roar of the waves, which crash over me and drag me mercilessly into the depths. Victor casts me a fleeting glance, no more than a flicker of acknowledgment, before his lips curl into a triumphant grin. Pulling out his phone, he eagerly calls his mistress, who conveniently works for an insurance company. “She’s overboard,” he says, his voice brimming with excitement. “Now we can finally cash in on that massive payout!” Water rushed into my throat, choking me violently. A suffocating sensation gripped me as I coughed and sputtered, my vision blurring in the chaos. Overwhelmed by terror, I begged desperately. “Victor, please! Save me! I don’t want to die! Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. Just help me!” But my husband, Victor Bennett, simply ended his call and stared at me with cold indifference. Fueled by sheer survival instinct, I found a surge of strength, flailing my arms and legs until I managed to grab onto the ship’s rope ladder. For a moment, hope flickered—I could save myself. But Victor’s expression darkened the instant he noticed. His mistress, Ruby Monroe, appeared on deck just then. Victor turned to her and pointed at a metal rod leaning in the corner. “Hand me that,” he commanded. Without hesitation, Victor swung the sharp rod at my fingers. Blow after blow landed, turning my hands into mangled, bleeding messes. My grip faltered, and with every swing, he yelled furiously. “Just die already! I’m doing this for a better life—for us! Weren’t you always willing to do anything for my happiness?” Pain radiated through me as I tried to hold on, but his strikes grew harder, and the agony unbearable. At last, I lost my grip and plunged back into the sea. The water consumed me. I thrashed, desperate for air, but the waves dragged me under. Soon, the surface of the sea stilled, silent and ominous. From the depths, I could faintly hear Victor’s voice above. “Relax. Lillian’s a terrible swimmer—there’s no way she’ll survive. Besides, I destroyed her hands. She couldn’t even save herself if she tried.” Ruby’s doubtful voice followed. “If she can’t swim, why would she agree to come out here?” Victor laughed, his tone dripping with contempt. “I told her it was a romantic anniversary cruise. That idiot jumped at the chance.” He wrapped an arm around Ruby’s waist, pulling her close. They kissed passionately on the deck, their intimacy a knife twisting in my heart. Five years of marriage, and Victor had betrayed me without hesitation. When the kiss ended, Ruby playfully patted his shoulder and left. Victor adjusted his expression, his face contorting into a mask of panic as he began screaming. “Help! Someone help! My wife fell overboard! Please, save her!” Hearing his anguished cries, the ship’s crew rushed to alert the coast guard and search for me. But out here, in the vastness of the ocean, the sea swallows fragile lives quickly. Hours later, the rescue team returned empty-handed. Spectators patted Victor on the shoulder, consoling him as he slumped to the ground, seemingly devastated. But I noticed the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. I returned to shore on a small boat, drenched and trembling as the cold wind bit through my soaked clothes. Despite knowing this betrayal was coming, my heart felt like it had plunged into an endless abyss of despair and pain. A month earlier, I had stumbled across an insurance policy hidden in our closet. The payout was enormous, and Victor was the sole beneficiary. The agent handling the policy? None other than Ruby, his first love and long-time secret mistress. My thoughts were interrupted by the ring of my phone. Shaking, I opened my social media app with my battered hands, only to see Victor’s latest post. “Please help me find my wife! She fell overboard!” In the video, Victor knelt on the ground, sobbing hysterically, pleading for the sea to return his beloved wife. It went viral almost immediately. Witnesses from the cruise commented in his defense, painting him as a grieving, devoted husband. But I knew better. This was all part of Victor’s elaborate plan to stage my death as an accident. When I returned to the hotel I had secretly booked in advance, I dried my hair and prepared to call my lawyer. But muffled sounds from the hallway caught my attention. Pressing my ear to the door, I recognized the voices instantly. Victor and Ruby. I crouched by the peephole, my stomach churning with disgust. They were entangled, completely lost in each other, oblivious to everything else. Although I had booked the room next to theirs to gather evidence of their affair, watching it unfold in real time made my stomach turn. Fighting the nausea, I steadied myself, only to hear Ruby’s coy voice drift through the door. “When I checked in, the receptionist mentioned that the guest in the room next door had the same name as Lillian. I told them I was her best friend and got a spare key. Should we take a look—just in case?” Ruby pulled out the keycard, inching closer to my door.

I gripped my phone tightly, my palms clammy with nervous sweat. Just as Ruby pressed her keycard against the lock’s sensor, Victor reached out and stopped her. “Forget it,” he said, his voice low but firm. “We saw Lillian fall into the ocean with our own eyes. There’s no way she survived. My post is going viral right now. If we do anything suspicious and it gets traced back to us, we’ll lose the payout. The insurance company won’t pay a cent.” Ruby hesitated but eventually nodded, letting him lead her back into their room. Moments later, muffled, intimate noises resumed through the wall. I quickly called my lawyer, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. Afterward, I went to the hospital to treat my injuries and then handed all the evidence I had collected over the past month to him. I had first discovered the insurance policy by accident. From the moment I saw it, something felt wrong. The payout was enormous, and Victor was the sole beneficiary. Even worse, the agent handling the policy was Ruby, his first love and long-time mistress. At the time, I thought I could confront Ruby directly, but Victor caught on quickly. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he murmured sweetly into my ear. “This is just a safety net for our marriage,” he explained smoothly. “Look, I even got a policy for myself. If either of us ever has an accident, the other will have the strength to go on. Isn’t that what love is? Taking care of each other?” Foolishly, I believed him. But soon after, I noticed his search history—articles about staging accidents and foolproof methods to make them look natural. The unease in my chest grew heavier with each passing day. Then came the moment that shattered every lie. One afternoon, I went to Victor’s office to drop off some papers and found him in the breakroom, passionately kissing Ruby. The truth hit me like a freight train. Everything he’d ever said about love was a sham. I took out the insurance policy that night and began my investigation. When I found that Ruby had altered several key clauses in the policy, making it more beneficial to Victor, I realized this wasn’t just an insurance document—it was my death warrant. From then on, Victor’s behavior changed. He began suggesting we try extreme sports or risky activities. One night, I was startled awake by a faint noise coming from the bathroom. Quietly, I got up and tiptoed toward the light. Inside, I saw Victor fiddling with the wiring, tossing loose cables into the bathtub. My blood turned cold. Every morning, I took a bath as part of my routine. There was no need to explain what he intended. Tears streamed down my face as I leaned weakly against the doorframe, my entire body trembling. Victor noticed me, his expression flickering for just a moment before he smoothed it over. “The wiring must’ve short-circuited,” he said calmly. “I’ll fix it tomorrow.” I couldn’t say a word. After that night, Victor became more cautious, his actions more calculated. Yet Ruby’s occasional visits to our home revealed her impatience. Her glances, sharp as knives, betrayed their shared intent. The day I overheard Ruby talking about booking a cruise, I knew they were planning to exploit my inability to swim. So, I decided to play along, baiting them into making their move. At the hospital, I overheard the nurses chatting in hushed tones. “Did you see that news about the wife who fell overboard? That poor husband, crying on his knees. He looked so heartbroken.” “He must’ve really loved her. It’s so tragic.” I bit my lip, forcing back a bitter laugh as I shook my head. Leaving the hospital, I instinctively opened Victor’s social media. As expected, he had posted another video. This time, he had hired a professional salvage team and vowed to spare no expense in finding his beloved wife. The comments were flooded with sympathy and praise. But my sharp eyes caught something—the profiles of the people commenting. Their faces were eerily familiar. They were the security staff from Ruby’s company. Victor had planned every detail meticulously. If I hadn’t known better, even surviving this ordeal wouldn’t have saved me. He would’ve lured me back, playing the concerned husband, only to finish what he started. The thought made me shiver, my stomach twisting into knots. I had come so close to being ensnared in his web.

“Mr. Blake, you once mentioned a job opportunity for me. Is the offer still on the table?” Standing by the window, I watched Victor dramatically perform his role as the grieving husband on the pier while making the call. “Lillian Carter? A sudden change of heart, I see. Weren’t you all about staying home to care for your husband before? Now you’re ready to get back into the grind?” Samuel Blake’s teasing tone made me smile wryly. When Victor and I got married, he insisted I quit my job and focus on being a full-time wife. At the time, I had just been offered a promising promotion, and Samuel had presented me with an incredibly tempting deal. But Victor’s words—”I don’t want you to tire yourself out. I just want you to be the happiest woman alive”—had swayed me completely. I resigned without hesitation. Looking back, that may have been the moment he started severing my ties to the outside world. If I ended up dead, there would be no one left to question his narrative or demand justice. “I guess I was too naive back then to realize that, for a woman, a career is her greatest shield,” I said. Samuel chuckled, clearly pleased. “Glad to see you’ve come around. The company’s main operations are now based in Harbor City. Would you be willing to relocate?” “Of course,” I replied without hesitation. “I’ll have my assistant book your flight.” The call ended, and I let out a relieved breath. Until everything was resolved, staying close to a familiar face seemed like the safest option. Victor and Ruby, no matter how resourceful, wouldn’t dare make a move on me in the company of my colleagues. The next day, as soon as I landed, a notification from the family photo-sharing album popped up on my phone. I opened it and froze. Victor had uploaded over a dozen explicit photos of himself with Ruby. They were everywhere—against the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows, in the bathtub, on the dining table… As I scrolled through, I noticed something else. With each picture, Ruby seemed to be flaunting more jewelry. The final photo revealed her wearing an unmistakably new, extravagant diamond ring. Victor could never afford something like that—not on his own. Then it clicked. The insurance policy. One of its clauses had been troubling me since I first uncovered it. According to the terms, my disappearance for fifteen days would qualify as an accident. A full month would legally declare me dead. Clearly, Ruby had exploited her position to draft such irregular clauses, likely releasing funds prematurely. It was blatant insurance fraud—grounds for severe legal repercussions. Victor and Ruby had kept this a tightly guarded secret. But now, convinced I was gone, they didn’t even bother removing me from the shared album. I saved every incriminating photo as evidence. Over the next month, Victor played the role of a grieving widower for the public while secretly indulging in a life of luxury with Ruby. They burned through our savings at an alarming rate, dining at expensive restaurants, shopping for designer goods, and taking lavish trips. Finally, the day came. One month since my “disappearance.” The time to legally confirm my death had arrived. Victor and Ruby returned to the country, eager to cash in on their charade. I watched them enter the police station, application forms in hand, ready to finalize my “death.” Exchanging a determined glance with my lawyer, I took a deep breath. It was time for this deceitful duo to face justice. Victor handed the paperwork to the officer, his face carefully crafted into an expression of sorrow. “Officer,” he began, his voice tinged with grief, “my wife fell overboard in a tragic accident. We’ve searched tirelessly, but there’s no sign of her. I believe it’s time to officially confirm her death.” Ruby stood beside him, her eyes brimming with anticipation. The officer reviewed the documents carefully and then nodded solemnly. “If there’s no contrary evidence, we’ll proceed with the standard procedure. Sir, my condolences for your loss…” Just as he was about to stamp the papers, I burst into the room, my voice sharp and clear. “Not yet!” Every head turned toward me in stunned silence. “I’m the victim of that so-called accident,” I declared, stepping forward. “I am not dead!”

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