Category: English

I am the only girl in my generation on both my mom’s and dad’s sides of the family, so I’ve been completely spoiled my whole life. During the holiday break, I was whining to my grandmother on the phone because I couldn’t book a flight home in time. After comforting me, Grandma remembered my uncle was actually driving back from my college town that very weekend. She told me to catch a ride with him, and I happily texted him to arrange it. So, the next day, I hopped into my uncle’s SUV. But my aunt—who used to be a notoriously trashy party girl back in the day—demanded I pay for the ride the second she saw me… 01 “Mia Sterling, right?” “Your uncle and I drove all the way out here to pick you up, and you’re not even going to show a little gratitude?” “You’re a college student now. How can you be so clueless?” The moment I got in the car and cheerfully greeted them, my aunt’s words completely blindsided me. Yesterday, when I was complaining to Grandma about the sold-out flights, my roommate overheard. She offered me a ride, since her parents were driving her to my hometown of Boston for the holidays anyway. I had initially planned to go with my roommate, not wanting to inconvenience my uncle. But when I texted him last night, he insisted that my campus was right on his way. Since he was family, I figured it would be better than intruding on my roommate’s family road trip. So why was my aunt now acting like they went out of their way just for me? Her snarky remarks made me flush with embarrassment. I instinctively looked at my uncle. He looked a bit torn, like he wanted to say something, but my aunt shot him a dark glare. In the end, he kept his mouth shut and turned his head to look out the window. My heart sank. Instantly, I realized that taking this ride was a huge mistake. But I was stuck. She was his wife, after all, and I didn’t want to make things awkward for my uncle, who had always doted on me when I was little. Reluctantly, I pulled out a velvet box from my bag. It was a solid gold necklace. I had worked a part-time job for months to save up for it, intending to give it to my mom for her upcoming birthday. But I had no cash on me, and no other options. Mom’s gift would just have to wait. “Aunt Brittney, here. Take this gold necklace.” “Consider it a late wedding gift for you and Uncle David.” I forced a polite smile, swallowing the heartache as I handed over the box. Aunt Brittney’s eyes instantly lit up. A flash of pure greed crossed her face. She snatched the box right out of my hands. “Well, that’s more like it. At least you know how things work…” She practically squealed with joy as she fastened the necklace around her neck, admiring herself in the rearview visor mirror. Through it all, my uncle just stared blankly out the window, not saying a word. Once she secured her “gift,” Brittney finally let David start the car. I breathed a sigh of relief, hugging my backpack and shrinking into the corner of the backseat to make myself as invisible as possible. Her behavior left a bad taste in my mouth, but I figured if I could just get home safely, it would be fine. I’d just make sure to never ride with them again. But less than an hour onto the highway, the SUV pulled into a gas station. Aunt Brittney reached back and slapped my arm, jolting me awake from a nap. I jumped, looking at her nervously. “What is it, Aunt Brittney?” Her face, caked in a thick layer of foundation, twisted into an impatient scowl. “Your uncle and I both have dead phones.” “We need gas. You’re going to pay for it.” 02 “Huh?” I was stunned. “What do you mean, ‘huh’? Hand over your phone, the pump is waiting!” “You’re in college and you don’t even know basic etiquette? You’re going to end up as a minimum-wage loser when you graduate!” She rolled her eyes at me. Then, without waiting for an answer, she lunged back and snatched my phone right out of my hand. “Passcode,” she demanded coldly. At this point, she was crossing a massive line. Fuming, I shouted toward the driver’s seat. “Uncle David!” But he pretended he didn’t hear a thing. Muttering, “I need to use the restroom,” he opened the door and walked away. … I was trapped. Since we were family, I didn’t want to cause a massive scene over some gas money. I unlocked the phone and opened my Apple Pay for her. But paying the $80 for a full tank wasn’t enough. Aunt Brittney took my phone right into the convenience store and came out carrying three massive plastic bags. My chest heaved with anger. I finally couldn’t hold it in and yelled: “Are you done yet?! Give me my phone back!” A flash of jealous rage crossed Brittney’s eyes. She threw the phone back at me, hitting me hard in the chest. I rubbed my aching collarbone and immediately checked my bank app. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. On top of the gas, she had spent over $200 on expensive road trip snacks, energy drinks, and even lottery tickets! My heart bled. That was literally all the money I had left from my part-time job! “What the hell did you buy?! How did you spend that much?!” “And what gave you the right to use my money?!” I was so angry that all my respect for my elders vanished. I screamed right in her face. “Stop yelling! Who do you think you’re yelling at?!” “So what if I spent a few of your precious dollars?” “Your uncle treated you so well growing up. As your aunt, I spend a little of your money and you throw a fit?” “You ungrateful little brat!” “Besides, who knows how ‘clean’ this money even is? I should be disgusted to use it!” I was suffocating with rage. “My uncle treated me well, and my parents treated HIM well! My dad literally paid the down payment on this SUV for him! And what is that supposed to mean?! Who are you calling dirty?!” Just then, Uncle David got back into the car. My fury boiled over. I turned my wrath on him. “Uncle David, what is your problem?!” “You offer your own niece a ride home and you charge her for it? If anyone in the family knew about this…” “You’d be the laughingstock of the whole family!” “And you let your wife steal my money and call me dirty?!” “Are you not afraid I’ll tell Grandma and Grandpa?!” Uncle David’s face instantly turned incredibly pale. But before he could say a word, Aunt Brittney reached back and slapped me across the face. I dodged the worst of it, but her fingernails still scraped my cheek. She wasn’t done. Her heavily powdered face couldn’t hide the cruel, bitter lines around her mouth. Looking at me with pure venom, she sneered: “You’re just a spoiled little freeloader. How does a college girl have this much money anyway?” “You think your money is clean?!” “Look at you! You’re a little tramp!” “I bet you don’t even study at that fancy Ivy League school. You probably just spend your days seducing rich men to pay your way!” I was seeing red. I opened my mouth to scream back— “Enough! Stop arguing!” Uncle David roared, finally intervening. “Are you trying to embarrass me?! Get back in your seat!” He pulled Brittney back to the front, slammed the car into drive, and sped out of the gas station. Only then did he look at me through the rearview mirror, his face full of disappointment. “Mia, I treated you so well when you were little.” “Why can’t you show me a little respect now?” 03 The moment he said that, the raging fire in my chest was instantly extinguished by cold, hard reality. I realized it was utterly impossible to communicate with these people. Uncle David used to be a genuinely good guy. I didn’t understand how marriage had turned him into this. Realizing that reasoning with them was pointless, I went completely silent. I didn’t defend myself. I just wanted to get home. I swore to myself I would never, ever get in a car with him again. Seeing that I wasn’t fighting back, Brittney’s words grew even more vicious and bitter. “I really don’t get your family. Why treat a useless girl like she’s royalty?” “David told me you’ve never had to lift a finger at your parents’ or your grandparents’ houses.” “No wonder you grew up to be such a brat!” “A woman needs to learn how to serve a man and manage a household. That’s the real world.” “Who cares about some top-tier degree or high-paying major? It’s all fake anyway!” She didn’t direct this at me directly; she was complaining to David, mocking me loudly. I sat in complete silence, enduring it. I didn’t even plan to tattle to my grandparents. It was family, and making a huge ugly scene would only hurt the older folks. They were getting up there in age. I would just treat this as an early lesson in how awful human nature could be. After she finished her tirade, Brittney stayed quiet for a long time. I checked my phone. We were about an hour away from Boston. The gloom in my chest started to dissipate. But right then, Brittney suddenly spoke up again: “Mia, what’s in that bag by your feet?” Her sudden friendly tone confused me, but it also sent alarm bells ringing in my head. “Those are the health supplements I bought for Grandma and Grandpa. Why?” I emphasized “Grandma and Grandpa.” Even though it was the truth, something felt deeply wrong. Brittney’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s perfect!” I was baffled. But a second later, the SUV suddenly swerved. We weren’t on the highway heading to Boston anymore. We merged onto a strange, rural county road. My anxiety skyrocketed. I immediately asked: “Uncle David, did you take a wrong turn? This isn’t the way home!” Without even looking back, he replied: “We’re stopping at your aunt’s parents’ house first to drop some things off.” I was stunned. “Really?” “Then I need to text my parents so they don’t worry—” Thump! Before I could open my messages, the SUV hit a massive pothole, violently jerking the vehicle. My phone slipped from my hands and flew forward. It landed perfectly between the front seats. I reached forward to grab it, but Uncle David blocked my arm. “I already told your mom and dad.” “You don’t need to text them.” “But my phone—” I started. Brittney grabbed it. With a fake look of clumsiness, she “accidentally” fumbled it right out her open window. “What phone?” She looked back at me, feigning total innocence. Watching this happen, a chill crawled up my spine. What are they trying to do? The thought exploded in my mind. Images from true crime documentaries flashed before my eyes. I pretended to put my head down in silent defeat. But under my sleeve, I was hiding my left wrist. The wrist with my Apple Watch. … 04 By the time we arrived at a desolate, rundown trailer park out in the woods, I had already slipped my Apple Watch off and hidden it deep inside a secret compartment of my backpack. At the exact same time, I had sent a desperate SOS message, sharing my live location to a group chat containing every single adult in my family—except Uncle David. When I stepped out of the car, I watched Brittney take all the expensive supplements I had bought for my grandparents and carry them into the rundown house. I looked at my uncle, who was watching her with a look of silent approval. I put on a terrified, sorrowful face: “Uncle David, what are you doing?” He sighed, shaking his head. “Mia, this is all for your own good.” “Your aunt is right. A girl needs to learn how to serve a man and manage a home to be truly happy.” “All those books you read are useless.” “It just so happens I brought you here today for a blind date.” “The boy is your aunt’s younger brother. It’s a perfect match. We can keep it all in the family!” The chill in my heart turned into absolute ice. My voice dropped all emotion. “Aren’t you afraid my mom will find out? Aren’t you afraid Grandma will find out?” A flash of deep resentment crossed his eyes. But after a moment of silence, he actually smiled. He patted my shoulder. “Mia, once you’re pregnant with his kid, everything will blow over.” “Your parents and your grandparents will understand.” The second the words left his mouth, my fists clenched so hard my nails dug into my palms. I stared at him, my eyes trying to bore a hole straight through his skull. “Oh, is this the little spoiled brat from the Sterling family?” “Look at her, acting all high and mighty.” “It doesn’t matter. Once she’s Travis’s woman, we’ll see how high and mighty she is!” “When the time comes, we can demand a massive dowry from her family. Perfect!” “Brittney, you finally did something useful for once!” A haggard, bitter-looking woman in her fifties walked out of the dilapidated house. She patted Brittney, who was smiling at her obsequiously, and looked me up and down with absolute disgust. Brittney laughed. “Mom, you have no idea how annoying this little bitch is, but luckily I’m smarter than her.” “This little slut is some Ivy League hotshot. She’s the golden child of both the Sterling and Hayes families.” “She’s got a massive trust fund and shares in both family companies. I guess that makes her barely worthy of our Travis.” As they spoke, the front door swung open again. Out walked a morbidly obese, greasy man. He had a sickening, lecherous grin on his face, and he reeked of cheap beer and body odor. The smell was so bad I nearly threw up my breakfast. “Travis, go on and give her a kiss! This is the little wife Mom found for you!” The older woman pushed the man forward, urging him toward me. “Hehehe, wifey. My wifey!” Drooling, the man lunged right at me. But right at that exact second… The deafening roar of engines shattered the silence. Seven massive black SUVs tore into the dirt driveway, kicking up a storm of dust. The doors flew open, and a sea of people poured out— My grandparents from both sides, my parents, my cousins… the entire family was here! 05 Seeing my family finally appear, my tears burst forth like a broken dam. Grandpa Sterling, leaning heavily on his cane, rushed forward faster than I’d ever seen him move. His cloudy eyes were wide with terror and relief as he pulled me behind him. My Apple Watch had a cellular connection. I had initiated a live audio call the second we pulled up. They had heard everything. I didn’t need to explain a thing. Grandpa Hayes was right behind him. Usually a gentle, smiling man, his face was now an absolute mask of frost. He pointed a shaking finger right at Uncle David’s nose, his voice trembling with unbridled rage: “David Hayes! You absolute animal! How did I raise such a monster?!” Both of my grandmothers had red, tear-streaked eyes. They flanked me on the left and right, grabbing my hands. Grandma Hayes’s hands were shaking violently. “Mia, my sweet girl, did they hurt you?” My mom sprinted over and practically tackled me into a hug, burying my face in her shoulder. She was sobbing so hard she couldn’t speak. My dad didn’t say a word. He walked straight up to Uncle David and landed a brutal right hook directly to his jaw. CRACK. “You sick bastard! Are you even human?!” “This is your own niece!” my dad roared. Uncle David stumbled backward, blood instantly leaking from the corner of his mouth. Faced with my dad’s fury, his face drained of all color. My mom held me in a death grip. The smell of her perfume mixed with her salty tears, enveloping me in absolute safety. “Mia! Oh, my Mia! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?!” Her hands frantically patted me down, checking for injuries. When she saw the dirt on my backpack, she cried even harder. Grandma Hayes, who had the most fiery temper of us all, didn’t hold back. She marched right past Uncle David, grabbed Brittney by her cheap hair extensions, and unleashed a flurry of slaps across her face. Smack! Smack! Smack! At first, Brittney screamed and tried to fight back, but soon she was beaten until her lip was split and bleeding. She collapsed onto the dirt, whimpering. “You shameless, wretched woman! How has the Hayes family ever mistreated you?!” “You dare plot against my granddaughter?! I’ll tear your mouth right off your face!” Grandpa Sterling didn’t lift a finger. He just stood there, staring coldly at the redneck family on the porch. Behind him stood five massive men in black suits—the security detail for my dad’s company. On his silent cue, the bodyguards surged forward. They grabbed the gross brother, Travis, and slammed him into the dirt. He was still giggling stupidly until a bodyguard planted a heavy boot into his stomach. He instantly curled up like a shrimp, gasping for air. Brenda, the bitter mother, shrieked and tried to dive onto her son to protect him. My dad kicked her right in the kneecap, sending her crashing onto the wooden porch steps. My dad, usually the most refined, well-mannered man in the world, had a face as dark as thunder. He stepped forward, the heel of his leather shoe pinning her hand to the wood. “What did you think my daughter was? A piece of meat? Your entire family is going to burn for this.” The yard was complete chaos—screams, curses, and the dull thuds of bone connecting with muscle. I huddled in my mom’s arms, watching my grandfather actually beat Uncle David across the back with his walking cane. Suddenly, I felt a morbid sense of irony. When I was little, David used to carry me on his shoulders. He used to tell me he’d make lots of money and buy me all the candy in the world. How did he become this monster? Brittney shrieked and lunged forward to shield him, but Grandma Hayes shoved her hard to the ground. “You toxic parasite! What did we ever do to you?!” Brenda tried to spit and curse at us. My cousin Tyler, who had ridden with my grandpa, kicked her right in the back of the knee. She dropped to the dirt, forced to her knees. Her son, Travis, shrank against the siding of the house, terrified. Two bodyguards hauled him up by his armpits while he babbled incoherently: “My wifey… my…” Grandpa Hayes turned around, slamming his cane hard into the dirt. “David. Explain yourself. Right now.” Uncle David covered his bleeding face, his eyes darting around, too cowardly to look at us. Brittney, however, suddenly started wailing: “Dad! Mom! You can’t be this biased!” “So what if Mia is a college student?!” “Why isn’t our Travis good enough for her? Keeping the bloodlines close is a good thing!” “Besides, she’s sitting on the Hayes family shares! Why should a little brat get all that money?!” “Shut your mouth!” Grandma Hayes roared. “Since when do you get a say in Hayes family business?!” “If David hadn’t begged me on his hands and knees, telling me you were pregnant, do you think I ever would have allowed him to marry you?!” “And those shares? We decided to leave them to Mia! It has absolutely nothing to do with you!” Only then did I realize that Brittney had been pregnant when they got married. But for some reason, she lost the baby. No wonder my grandparents had reluctantly agreed to the marriage back then. 06 Grandpa Hayes gently touched his wife’s arm to calm her down. He walked up to David, his voice eerily calm but radiating absolute authority: “David. I’m going to ask you one more time. Did you agree to this?” Uncle David’s lips trembled. It took him an eternity to squeeze out: “I… I was doing it for Mia’s own good…” The truth was, Brittney had been poisoning his mind for years. He had grown deeply resentful that the family shares were skipping him and going to me. He felt the money was rightfully his. So, he had greenlit Brittney’s psychotic plan. “For her own good?!” Grandma Hayes shook with absolute fury. “For her own good, so you throw her into a living hell?!” “You believe whatever poison Brittney feeds you? Did you forget who raised you?!” “Did you forget who carried you on her back to the hospital when your parents were working late?!” “You treat your own sister’s child like this?! Do you have a soul?!” Brought face-to-face with his past, Uncle David’s face flushed bright red, but he remained stubbornly unrepentant. “Mom, times are different now… Mia is a girl. What’s the point of all those degrees?” “Isn’t it better to just marry her off so she can live a quiet life?” “No, it isn’t!” I finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. My voice shook, but it was fiercely resolute. “I am in charge of my own life. I don’t need anyone dictating my future!” “Uncle David, I never thought you could turn into something so evil.” “When I was little, you used to buy me treats and say you couldn’t wait to see me go to college.” “You said you wanted to watch me succeed… did you forget all of that?” A flicker of genuine guilt crossed his eyes, but it was extinguished the second Brittney glared at him. She jutted her chin out defiantly. “What’s the point of crying about the past? What’s done is done!” “Either Mia stays here and marries Travis, or you pay us five million dollars in damages! Otherwise, this isn’t over!” “Damages?” Cousin Tyler let out a dark, mocking laugh. “You kidnap my sister, and you want us to pay you? You guys are going to rot in prison!” He pulled out his phone and hit play on an audio file. It was the exact conversation Brittney and her mother had just had on the porch, scheming about my dowry and forcing me to get pregnant. When I had sent the SOS, I hadn’t just shared my location. I triggered the emergency recording feature on my Apple Watch. The live audio had been streaming directly to the family group chat. Every single word they had said was recorded in crystal clear HD audio. Brittney’s face turned the color of chalk. She lunged forward to grab the phone, but Tyler effortlessly sidestepped her. Brenda started screaming and thrashing on the ground, but Grandpa ordered the bodyguards to drag her to the side. 07 Dad pulled out his phone and dialed 911. Brittney completely panicked. She threw herself at Uncle David, sobbing hysterically. “David! Say something! Don’t let them call the cops! I gave up everything for you! Did you forget the baby I was carrying?!” “The baby?” My mom let out a razor-sharp sneer. “You actually have the nerve to mention that baby? If you hadn’t insisted on going out clubbing and doing drugs while you were pregnant, would you have miscarried?!” “And now you project your misery onto my daughter?!” Everything clicked. Brittney’s hatred stemmed from losing her own child. The whole family knew the real reason, but out of pity, no one had ever said it out loud. She had a miserable upbringing, ruined her own life, and became insanely jealous of the overwhelming love and support I received. Her mind had warped into extreme resentment, leading her to methodically plot my destruction. Furthermore, because she was raised in a deeply sexist, abusive household, she had internalized it. She had absolutely no ill will toward her disgusting brother, but harbored immense malice toward successful women her own age. Watching me thrive in college, so utterly loved by my family, had completely consumed her fragile sanity. The state troopers arrived quickly. Taking one look at the scene and reviewing the undeniable audio evidence we provided, they slapped handcuffs on Brittney, Brenda, Travis, and Uncle David. Grandpa Hayes’s voice was heavy with ultimate disappointment. “From this day forward, you are no longer a part of the Hayes family. I will pretend the son I raised died years ago.” Uncle David slumped against the side of the police cruiser, finally breaking down into pathetic, ugly sobs. Looking at him, I didn’t feel the thrill of revenge. I just felt an endless, exhausting sadness. The drive back was completely silent. Grandma Hayes held my hand the entire time, sighing softly. Mom kept turning around from the passenger seat, her eyes full of lingering terror and heartache. Dad drove with one hand, using the other to call his legal team, instructing them to immediately seize the house he had bought for Uncle David. “Mia.” Grandpa Sterling suddenly broke the silence. “Don’t carry this in your heart. None of this is your fault.” I shook my head. “I know, Grandpa. It just makes me so sad. How could he become someone like that?” “People… sometimes their hearts get clouded by greed,” Grandpa Hayes murmured from the back. “Especially when envy takes root. They forget family, morality, everything.” “But don’t you worry. Nobody will ever dare touch you again.” 08 When we finally got back to my grandparents’ house, Grandma Sterling rushed to the kitchen and made me a steaming bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. Eating it, a warm, comforting feeling finally settled back into my chest. Mom sat beside me, gently stroking my hair. “Mia, I’m so sorry. We didn’t protect you.” “Mom, it’s not your fault.” I put down my spoon and looked at her seriously. “This whole nightmare taught me a lot. I’ll know how to protect myself from now on.” Dad walked into the dining room holding a sleek rectangular box. “Mia, I bought you a new iPhone. As for your old one…” “I sent a team to retrace the highway route, but even if they find it, it’s probably destroyed.” I took the phone, my eyes welling up. “Thanks, Dad.” “Silly girl, no need to thank me,” Dad smiled gently. “By the way, that necklace you bought for your mom…” Mentioning the necklace made my stomach twist with guilt. Mom reached out and grabbed both my hands. “It’s completely fine. It’s just a necklace. I don’t care if we ever get it back. The only thing that matters is that my daughter is safe.” Grandma Hayes walked out of the hallway holding a small velvet jewelry box. “Mia, this is from me. Think of it as a little something to calm your nerves.” I opened it to find a stunning, delicate platinum and diamond necklace—one far more beautiful and expensive than the one I had bought. “Grandma, this is way too expensive…” “Take it,” Grandpa Hayes insisted gently. “It’s just a token of our love. Remember, no matter what happens, this family is your impenetrable shield.” Right before I went to sleep, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Cousin Tyler. He said his guys had found my old phone on the shoulder of the county road. The screen was shattered, but the motherboard survived. He had already popped the SIM card out and promised to bring it over in the morning. Lying in my own bed, looking at the moonlight filtering through the window, a million emotions swirled in my chest. Today was a literal nightmare. But thank God, I had a family who loved me fiercely.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409195”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

“My customized succubus has been with me for a month, and he won’t let me touch him. What’s going on?” I frowned as I typed the message to customer service. The representative was perfectly polite. “Oh, sweetie, the succubi in our shop are usually practically begging to glue themselves to their owners. This sounds like a defect! We can absolutely process an exchange for you. A new model will arrive in about a week.” I looked over at Silas. He was designed exactly to my specifications, a perfect ten in my eyes. I decided to observe him a little longer before committing to the exchange. He was too perfectly tailored to my tastes to give up easily. But at a family dinner, I caught my customized succubus having an undeniable biological reaction to my step-sister sitting across from us. It was only then that a dazed memory surfaced—the day the package arrived, it was my step-sister who had opened the crate for me. That night, I contacted customer service again. “Is the new one still arriving in a week? Go ahead and process that creation order for me.” 01 Silas’s eyes were rimmed with red, his brow furrowed as if fighting against his absolute limit. Over the past few days, he had grown increasingly weak. He sat on the edge of my bed, panting heavily, while I flipped through the Succubus Handbook. “It says right here that the only way to satisfy the hunger is…” I cleared my throat awkwardly. “It’s not like it wouldn’t make you feel better.” I reached my hand out toward his collar. Right below his neck, on his collarbone, was a small, vivid red mole that rose and fell with his ragged breathing. It was incredibly alluring. Just as I was about to touch it, he shoved me away violently. I looked at my pale wrist, now blooming with a red mark from his grip, and frowned slightly. He still wouldn’t let me touch him. “I’m sorry. Instinctive reaction,” he said, his gaze deep and unreadable as he stared at me. “I’m going to take a cold shower.” Watching his retreating figure, I pulled out my phone and contacted customer service. I had bought Silas a month ago. I had spent a fortune to have him specially customized to my exact preferences. I had waited a full year for him to finally arrive. But the ironic part was, even though succubi were supposed to derive sustenance from their masters to feel full, he refused to let me touch him, no matter what. “Why is my succubus so different from the others? He’s clearly miserable, but he refuses to let me touch him.” Listening to the roar of the shower from the bathroom, I waited for customer service to reply. “Hi there, sweetie! Did you bind the contract with him?” I looked at the handbook. How could I make such a stupid mistake? “The very first night I brought him home, I pulled him into the contract.” The other end was silent for a long time before replying. “That shouldn’t be happening, sweetie. The succubi from our shop are all professionally trained to be top-tier clinger types. They usually hate being separated from their masters for even a second.” I was getting anxious. “Do you think I’m lying to you?” The rep answered patiently. “Please don’t worry, sweetie. Tell you what, ship him back to us. I’ll have the creation department start a new build for you. The new succubus will arrive in about 7 days.” Almost exactly as that message popped up, the bathroom door opened. Silas was wrapped in a single white towel. Water dripped from his wet hair, sliding down his angular cheeks, over his chest, down his abs, and disappearing beneath the towel. I swallowed hard. He was absolutely my type. He was literally tailor-made for me. And it turned out, he was broken. “I’ll observe him for a little longer. If it doesn’t get better, I’ll consider sending him in for repairs.” Customer service meant ‘scrapping’ him, which felt like such a waste. “Alright, sweetie. Just message me if you have any other issues! XOXO!” I locked my phone. Looking at the man’s pale face and crimson-rimmed eyes, I felt a twinge of pity. “I just asked customer service, and they said this situation has never happened before…” I looked at him sympathetically. How did such a perfect specimen end up sick? He looked healthy enough on the outside. His hand paused as he dried his hair. His dark eyes held no emotion when he looked at me. He was completely unlike the advertisements I had seen, where a succubus’s eyes would light up like stars when looking at their master. “If you still can’t accept it in a few days, I’m taking you in for exchanges.” He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as he nodded. I felt a bit aggrieved. Having delicious food right in front of me that I couldn’t eat was miserable. I got up and left the room. The only reason I bought a succubus was that I enjoyed that sort of dynamic. My phone rang—it was my dad. I answered irritably. “Your grandmother misses you again. When are you coming home?” I knew it was an excuse. The one who missed me was clearly him. My dad was a total helicopter parent. If he didn’t see me for two days, he acted like the world was ending. I rubbed my temples. “Fine, I know. I’ll head over in a bit…” I turned around and froze. Silas was already packing his bags. “You… really like going to the family estate?” I hadn’t even hung up the phone, and he was already packed. His hand paused, but he didn’t say anything. I didn’t think much of it at the time. 02 I really didn’t want to go back to that house, but I couldn’t resist my dad’s emotional blackmail. “Your grandmother only has so many years left. Is it wrong for her to want to see you?” And so, having been away for barely three days, I went back. But the moment I walked through the door, a girl threw herself at me. I frowned and stepped aside, looking at her coldly. Summer’s expression was aggrieved, her voice saccharine sweet. “Summer, you’re finally back! I missed you so much these past three days.” She was my dad’s step-daughter. It was ironic. Even though my dad loved me fiercely and had transferred all the company stock to my name. Even though he acted like his heart was breaking if he didn’t see me for a day, that didn’t stop him from marrying another woman and raising another woman’s child. I didn’t dislike Summer because of my dad; I disliked her because she was too fake. I had caught her being malicious toward me several times, before she could shift her expression back to “innocent.” Seeing that I wasn’t responding, she didn’t get embarrassed. Instead, she turned to greet Silas standing behind me. “Silas, isn’t carrying all that stuff exhausting?” 她埋怨要看有上眼。 “Summer, you really shouldn’t. Silas is a succubus you bought, not a house servant. Why are you making him do this kind of dirty, heavy work?” I let out a soft sneer. “Then you do it?” The girl’s expression froze for an instant. Silas looked at me, his eyes dark, but said nothing. I was annoyed. I zipped straight back to my room, not wanting to look at Summer’s hypocritical face for another second. So I didn’t notice that behind my back, Silas gave Summer a faint smile and a nod. At dinner, looking at Silas sitting next to me, my dad’s expression was very ugly. “Just a fancy toy, and you carry him around like he’s priceless.” The man beside me stiffened. I looked at my dad, feeling helpless. Before I could open my mouth to defend Silas, Summer spoke up first. “Dad, you can’t say that about Silas. Even though he’s a succubus, he still has his dignity.” The man beside me moved, and I turned to look at him. Silas was staring at Summer without blinking, his eyes full of gratitude. I frowned, scrutinizing him. Was it my imagination? Why did it feel like my succubus had little stars in his eyes when he looked at Summer? I found it almost amusing. I had spent a huge amount of money to buy him, I provided his food and clothes, I smashed tons of cash on him, and I was practically at his beck and call. He said he couldn’t accept me, so I didn’t touch him. Yet, in the end, it couldn’t compare to Summer tossing out a random line of defense. Summer, that little fake, was still chattering away without stopping. It was giving me a headache. “Can you just shut up?” When my words fell, the entire dining table sank into a weird silence. My dad frowned at me, seemingly wanting me not to be so wilful. Summer’s mom continued eating as if nothing happened. Summer looked at me aggrievedly, then looked at Silas, tears on the verge of falling. Beside me came the sound of cutlery clattering against a plate. Then, Silas’s uniquely cold tone echoed across the table. “Do you have to be so aggressive when you speak?” Everyone present was stunned. After all, no one in this house dared to speak to me like that. My dad slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his face red with anger. “You’ve really spoiled him into being lawless! I’ve never seen a succubus talk back to his master like that!” I wasn’t angry. I just looked at Silas thoughtfully. This man had been indifferent ever since I bought him. It was like he was an emotionless robot. I used to think that was just his personality, but suddenly I realized that wasn’t it. When I reprimanded my step-sister, his emotional swings were a bit too large, weren’t they? And the look he gave me was as cold as stagnant water, while the look he gave Summer held an indescribable ambiguity. The meal ended unpleasantly. That night, no matter what, my dad wouldn’t let me sleep in the same room as Silas. “You need to let him go hungry for a bit, let him know who the master is!” I was too embarrassed to tell my dad that Silas hadn’t had a full meal since he arrived, and that he was the one actively refusing to eat. That would be too humiliating. In the middle of the night, I got thirsty and went downstairs for water, but I heard noises coming from the room next door. I froze slightly. Why did I hear a woman’s voice in Silas’s room? 03 I got a little closer, and my eyes slowly went cold. I wasn’t mishearing. It really was Summer. Her delicate, soft voice was particularly clear in the silent night. “Silas, I really can’t thank you enough for speaking up for me at dinner. You don’t know that Summer doesn’t have anyone on her side in this house. I came over specifically to thank you.” Silas’s voice held a gentleness I had never heard before. “Summer’s personality is a bit harsh, but she’s not bad fundamentally. If she says something like that to you next time, just argue back. She won’t do anything to you.” A touch of mockery slid across my eyes. We had only been together for a month, yet he seemed to understand me quite well. But until this moment, it suddenly occurred to me that on the day the shipment arrived a month ago, it was Summer who helped me open the crate. I had a feeling of clarity, like the clouds parting. It wasn’t that my succubus was broken; my succubus had fallen in love at first sight with someone else before he ever bound his contract with me. No wonder he wouldn’t let me touch him. Thinking back to customer service, I turned around, went back to my room, and found the chat again. “My succubus is still broken. I don’t plan on fixing him. Exchange him for a new one.” The reply on that end was still quick. “Alright, sweetie. I’ll send the creation order out tomorrow. It should arrive in about a week.” After thinking about it, I asked again. “What do I do with this one?” This time, customer service took a long time to reply. “No need to worry, sweetie. For succubi like this with issues, returns, and bad reviews, we usually aggregate them for recall. We handle them at a low price for second-hand resale.” Second-hand resale? I thought about Silas’s expression of unyielding loyalty every time I approached. That was actually quite funny. I’m afraid if he didn’t end up in Summer’s hands, he would receive countless bad reviews and would never be “fixed.” Early the next morning, I was yawning as I walked out of my room, colliding head-on with Silas. He was wearing casual sportswear, looking like he had just come back from exercising outside. Summer’s voice was sickeningly sweet. “Silas, you have such a great body, and you’re so disciplined. If I had the money, I would definitely buy a succubus exactly like you.” Those words sounded weird—it was an open challenge to blatantly seduce him. Silas carefully observed my expression. After realizing there wasn’t a hint of anything unusual, he relaxed his brow and gave Summer a shallow smile. Watching the interaction between the two, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Trashy man and a cheap woman, flirting right under my nose. However, Silas had already been returned by me; he literally had nothing to do with me anymore. Summer didn’t have much money. My dad had transferred all the company shares to my name. Her and her mom just lived a wealthy, carefree life on his dime. Her allowance definitely wasn’t enough to customize an exclusive succubus. And she turned her nose up at those cheap succubi on the market. That night, without waiting for my dad to speak, I still chose to sleep in a separate room from Silas. Watching my retreating figure, Silas looked dazed for a moment, his pale fingertips gripping the doorknob slightly tighter. He had originally wanted to do what he usually did, push back a few times and not let me close the room door, forcing me to close it. He said he was uncomfortable, so I had helplessly given up on even just holding him to sleep like a warm log. But looking at the tightly closed door, Silas’s heart sank. I was in my room carefully reading the Succubus Handbook sent by customer service when a knock sounded on the door. I was determined to raise an exclusive succubus properly this time. I was scrolling through the handbook while walking to open the door. I assumed it was my dad bringing me milk. But I didn’t expect the person standing at the door to be Silas. Regarding my delay in opening the door, he seemed a bit impatient, but after seeing the content on my tablet clearly, his expression softened considerably. “All of that is book knowledge. If you have any questions, isn’t the real thing right here?” I looked up, a bit stunned. I looked at the tablet, then looked at him. It took me a moment to react. He seemed to have misunderstood something. 04 I found it a bit funny. My dad was right; I really had spoiled him too much. Did he think I was doing homework and memorizing notes overnight just to make him happy? But I didn’t argue. After all, what was the point of talking to a product that was about to be returned? “What do you want?” I leaned against the doorframe, my expression blank.max Silas froze. He hadn’t expected my reaction to be so cold. He didn’t know what he was doing here either. He had just lain back down on his bed, and the emptiness in his body was getting worse and worse. Thinking of the way I had just left, he had somehow come over and knocked on the door. I looked at the man standing blankly in front of the door, a wave of impatience coloring my eyes. “It’s the middle of the night. Is something wrong?” “I think…” His voice was a bit dry, staring intently at my lips. “Maybe we could try. Tonight, maybe I can accept you…” My eyes widened in shock. He was enjoying my expression with satisfaction, as if this were a magnanimous gift to me. I almost laughed out of sheer anger. My boundless coddling these past few days seemed to have made him forget that his entire existence was supposed to be for serving me. Not like now, acting as if he were granting mercy out of the goodness of his heart. I slammed the door with a loud bang, not even bothering to waste words on him. The person outside the door seemed to stand there for a long time. It wasn’t until past midnight that I heard him leave in my groggy, sleep-deprived state. Over the next few days, Silas acted like a completely different succubus. He started trying to seduce me in subtle ways, wanting to cling to me more and more. Looking at his increasingly pale face, I figured he must be absolutely starving. But I had already lost interest in him, so I simply pretended not to understand his hints. The day the new succubus arrived was a Monday. Dad left for work early, grandma went to her senior citizens’ center, and my stepmother went shopping. Scarcely anyone was home. The moment I opened the new package, the man smiled, his eyes wrinkling into crescents, looking moist and inviting. He struck right at the center of my heart. When he saw me, his eyes held tiny hidden hearts. “Good morning, Master. My name is Luca. It is a pleasure to serve you.” I swallowed. This was the kind of succubus I wanted. Customer service really delivered! I decided I would definitely give them a five-star review later. I circled around him, reaching out now and then to feel his muscles. He just stood there obediently, letting me take liberties. Noise came from upstairs. I froze slightly, temporarily reining in my lust to get up and see what the commotion was. Luca followed obediently behind me. Summer’s voice was coming from Silas’s room. “Silas, are you and Summer having a fight? I see you getting thinner and thinner lately. I specifically looked up the Succubus Handbook. It seems like you can’t get full if you sleep in separate rooms, right?” My sister was finally revealing her true colors. I leaned against the nearby doorframe to watch the show. I don’t know what happened inside the room, I only heard Silas’s voice, which sounded a bit panicked. “Summer, don’t be like this… Summer will mind if she finds out.” Summer’s voice was panting a little. “But you can’t even get full. I just want Silas to be full…” Before she could finish, the man shoved her out the door. The two who were pushing and pulling at each other froze when they saw me standing at the door. The scene instantly became silent. Summer’s clothes were a bit dishevelled. Her eyes widened as she looked at me in disbelief. “Summer, why are you at the door?” Silas’s face was pale, and there was a lipstick mark from Summer on his cheek. “Summer, it’s not what you think. I didn’t…” I shook my head. “I won’t mind. You’re mistaken, because you’ve already been returned.” Luca stepped forward from behind me. He still smiled brightly, but his words were utterly vicious. “Serial number 0201, Silas, right? Hello. I am serial number 0204, Luca. As a succubus, you seem to lack succubus self-awareness. The shop manager asked me to inform you that your contract has been completely transferred to me. You may leave now.” His smile widened as he looked at Silas’s instantly pale face. “Defective merchandise that gave the master a poor experience.” 04 That last sentence was an absolute finishing blow. I appreciated how sharp his tongue was, which was a bit different from my initial impression of him. Silas’s face was already completely white. But Summer’s eyes lit up when she heard this. She quickly pulled out her phone and searched for shop information. “Oh!” She squealed in surprise. “I managed to snag you for less than a tenth of the price! You’re my succubus now, Silas!” Her tone was full of the joy of finding a bargain. Silas looked at her, then looked at me. For a moment, he found it difficult to accept that he had been so unceremoniously swapped out. “Master…” I knew that Summer’s main motivation for seducing him in the beginning, and for binding him now, was mostly to annoy me. But you only get upset if you care. I had such a great new succubus in my arms; I didn’t have the leisure to get angry at them. At dinner, my dad looked at Luca sitting beside me and Silas sitting beside Summer, and rubbed his aching temples. “What are you two squabbling over now?” Summer was the first to tear up. “Dad, Summer didn’t want him, so I picked him up. I didn’t have that much money to buy a new one. Is it not okay to pick up what Summer discarded?” Before my dad could speak, Luca moved beside me. He picked up a sparerib that I had eaten half of and casually threw it onto Summer’s plate. “Since you love picking up trash, here. Consider yourself rewarded.” Summer’s face went pale with anger. I looked at him in surprise. I have to say, this succubus was really hitting all the right buttons for me. Watching Summer being rendered speechless, I was in a great mood and even ate two extra bowls of rice. After dinner, I was stuffed, so Luca sat beside me gently rubbing my stomach. I finally understood why so many people bought succubi. In the beginning, I was just driven by lust. Seeing so many good reviews, I thought it was only about that kind of thing. But it turned out everyone was eating this good. I cast a blaming glance at Silas sitting in the back. He really had almost ruined my entire vision of what having a succubus would be like. When I looked at him, his whole body shuddered, and he gave me a happy, broad smile. I found it incomprehensible. When I was his owner, I never saw him give me a single nice expression. Now that the bond was broken and he was with Summer, he was putting on this fawning act. Did he have some weird fetish? Did he like playing the cheating game? Thinking of that, my disgust grew, and even that face didn’t seem as handsome anymore. That night, Luca came into my room. His service was absolutely wonderful. As I was drifting off to sleep, I thought: tomorrow I must give him a huge five-star review. But in the middle of the night, I was woken by the sound of a phone ringing. I slid the bar to answer. It was Silas’s cold voice on the other end. I found it a bit baffling. Didn’t he live right next door to me? Why was he calling me for whatever it was? Besides, there shouldn’t be anything between us anymore. I wasn’t like Summer; I didn’t have a hobby of stealing other people’s succubi. “Master, it’s so hot. It hurts. I’m so hungry…” He was letting out weak groans on the other end, seemingly suffering intensely. The phone was pulled from my hand. Luca was leaning against the headboard. The bright moonlight shone on his snow-white skin, and his muscle definitions were exceptionally clear. He stared at my slightly swollen lips, reaching out to trace my face. “Defective product, go find your own master. Got it?” “I’m full right now, so I have energy. If you call again, I’m definitely going over there and kicking your door off its hinges.” Watching him threaten Silas, I giggled in the covers. The call was hung up. He leaned over a bit helplessly and acted cute. “This kind of succubus with a bad record should just be wiped out. You guys already broke the bond, and he’s still calling you ‘Master’.” I helplessly claimed my innocence. “I didn’t make him. He called me that himself.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409211”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My twin sister and I spent five years acting as Julian’s perfect little kept secrets. It was a simple arrangement with a clear division of labor: she handled the bedroom, I handled the bank account. Right after graduation, we were at a high-end club. My sister, eyeing a male model with a flawless eight-pack, suddenly turned to me. “Hey, on the wedding day… are you going, or am I?” I lazily picked up a die from the table, tossing it in my palm. “Low stakes. Loser has to wear the white dress.” Before the die could settle, a chillingly familiar voice echoed from behind us. “Hey man, how does my little birdie taste?” “Mediocre, at best.” Looking up, we saw two identical faces staring back at us. My sister and I froze, speaking in perfect, horrified unison: “Which one of you is the actual Sugar Daddy???” 01 We hovered behind a pillar, whispering furiously while staring back at the VIP booth. “The one on the right?” I hissed. “No, the left?” my sister whispered back. I turned on her. “Didn’t you sleep with him last night? How can you not tell?” “I was busy looking at the ceiling, not his face,” she shot back, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Besides, they are identical!” This was a major logistical problem. Before we could solve it, we watched “Julian A” curl his lip into a smug smirk. “So, bro,” he said, his tone mocking. “You taking the fall at the wedding, or am I?” His identical twin, “Julian B,” barely flickered an eyelash. He slowly reached for a die on the table. “Low roll wins. Loser gets hitched.” “You’re on,” Julian A replied, popping the top off the dice cup and beginning to shake it. The sycophants in the booth started egging them on. “Watch it, J-Two,” one laughed. “Roll a one and you’re doomed to be a groom.” “Why don’t you both just show up? Run a real-life Parent Trap on the girl.” “Man, can you imagine the bride’s face if she found out she’s been getting passed between two brothers for the last two years?” A woman swathed in designer gear, sitting in Julian A’s lap, giggled inanely. “Oh my god, she is so lucky. Two gorgeous billionaires fighting over who gets to marry her? I’m totally jealous.” That bitch. Julian A took a drag of his drink, used his thumb to tilt her chin up, and blew the smoke into her face with a harsh laugh. “Why? You want both of us to service you instead?” The woman practically melted into his chest, simpering. “Stop it. You know I only like you.” My sister and I made eye contact. Pure disgust. But behind the disgust in her eyes, I saw a flash of utter devastation. 02 “You lose, bro.” The dice cup was lifted. Julian A had rolled a perfect six. He didn’t seem upset. He glanced at the woman in his lap and grinned. “This little thing wants to see the Northern Lights. I’m going to take her on a trip. “The wedding is in five days. You’ll have to keep playing the part. I’ll be back before we have to sign the license.” His twin merely nodded, cold and expressionless. A few minutes later, the rest of the group started making noise about going to the track to race cars. Julian A immediately chimed in. “Losers owe me a massive wedding gift. The bride loves counting cash.” No one found the statement odd. They all laughed it off. “Don’t worry, man. We’ve got you covered.” “Alright, let’s roll. You coming, C?” Julian A asked his brother suddenly. As they rose to leave, the twin sat there for a beat, staring into space. Hearing his brother call him, he snapped back to reality and shook his head. “Nah. I’ll pass. Have to go back and keep up the act.” We all knew what “the act” meant. Only after they had both left did my sister and I poke our heads out. We both exhaled a breath we didn’t know we were holding. We looked at the dice cup on the table. Originally, we were agonizing over which one of us had to endure the wedding. Looking at it now, it seemed entirely unnecessary. By putting the pieces together, we quickly figured out who was who. The loud, obnoxious party animal was the younger brother. The cold, quiet, seemingly timid one was the older brother. “Given the current economic climate,” I said gloomily after a long silence, “I think this freelance gig just got terminated.” I thought about it for a beat, then made a proposal. “Runaway bride?” My sister nodded firmly. “If you run, I run.” 03 That night, we split up. She went to the clinic for a full medical checkup, and I went back to the penthouse to pack up the plunder. On the way back, I contacted a realtor in a quiet, coastal town three states away and secured a rental on a secluded house. I booked train tickets for five days out. The escape and the wedding would happen on the same day. When I got back to the penthouse, I ran right into the older brother. He had just stepped out of the shower. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping from his wet hair. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, fiddling with a small jewelers box. Seeing me, he beckoned me over. I walked over to him. Without warning, he reached out, pulled me into a tight embrace, and rested his head against my chest. A cold metallic band slipped onto the ring finger of my left hand. He took my right hand, gently kissed the ring finger on that hand too, and smiled. “Baby, only five more days until we’re married. “On that day, I’m going to place the most beautiful pink diamond right here. Okay?” I suppressed the nausea rising in my gut and nodded vaguely, staying silent. He reached up to pull me down to him. Suddenly, his phone, sitting on the nightstand, buzzed. When he saw the name on the screen, his expression changed instantly. He answered, offering a crisp “Okay” to whoever was on the other end. I asked, “Are you going out?” He stood up, kissed my forehead, his voice tender. “Just some trouble at the office. I need to go handle it. Be a good girl and go to sleep. Don’t wait up.” Then he went back into the bathroom to dry his hair. His phone buzzed twice more on the nightstand. I picked it up and entered the passcode. To keep up the charade, both brothers used my birthday as their phone passcode. They both knew I never checked their phones. This was the first time. And it would be the last. He had two new text messages from a contact named “Valerie.” “Charming, heard you’re marrying that girl. I can’t possibly miss a show like that.” “I’m back. Come pick me up. Miss you.” Valerie. I repeated the name to myself. Suddenly, a memory surfaced. Valerie. The heiress, the younger brother’s childhood sweetheart. He used to worship the ground she walked on, did whatever she wanted. She moved to Europe right after graduation. Well. Isn’t that interesting. Fully dressed, the older brother came out of the bathroom. Seeing me already lying in bed, he pressed his body down against mine. “Bye, baby.” I forced the muscles in my face into a smile. “Bye.” “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He stared at my lips, smirking. I leaned up and gave him a fleeting kiss on the cheek. He smiled, satisfied, kissed me again and again—as if he couldn’t bear to leave—before finally hauling himself up. “Go to sleep. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.” The roar of his sports car echoed from the garage below. I wiped my cheek hard, as if I had touched something filthy. Then I rolled out of bed. Sleep was the furthest thing from my mind. I hadn’t packed the designer bags and jewelry in the walk-in closet yet. This was a limited-time opportunity; I couldn’t afford to waste it. I have to hand it to them; both brothers were incredibly generous. The luxury bags were all limited editions; the necklaces and rings were either emeralds or massive diamonds. Looking at a raw, massive green diamond ring, I nearly drooled. Pack it. Pack it all. 04 While packing, I stumbled across a wedding certificate. I opened it. The handwriting inside was shaky and uneven. I laid the certificate on the floor and, face devoid of emotion, used a thick black marker to completely cross out my name. I needed to remind myself. Emotions are transactional. Once a fracture appears, no matter how much you try to repair it, it can never go back to what it was. After I packed everything, I put the defaced certificate back into his safe. That safe contained everything the older brother held most precious. Suddenly, another small box caught my eye. Driven by a morbid curiosity, I pulled it out. Inside were letters. No return addresses. Only four words on the envelopes: For Valerie’s eyes only. “Val, how is New York? Are you okay?” “I heard you cried over your thesis. My Val, don’t cry. Your beautiful eyes should only shed tears of happiness.” “I found that pink diamond you wanted.” “You said you wanted a wedding dress made of stars. I’ve already designed it.” “When you wear that dress, I hope I’m the first one to take your hand.” “Val, I miss you so much. I lied. I am trying to force you to come back.” Reading these, I realized that wedding certificate was a sickening joke. Just as I was about to put the letters back. My sister texted me three screenshots. Photos of a girl holding roses. In front of her, a man was down on one knee, holding a ring box. I stared at that kneeling silhouette for a long time. When the older brother left tonight. He was wearing that exact suit. The other two photos were of diamond rings, each one breath-takingly beautiful. The caption on Valerie’s post read: “Girls, do you like pink diamonds or white diamonds? I think white diamonds are ugly.” “No accidents, just destiny. My childhood best friend proposed with a pink diamond. Congratulations to me!” Looking at the band on my ring finger, I laughed until tears came to my eyes. I ripped it off and tossed it on top of the wedding certificate in the safe. I pulled up that Instagram post, stared at it for a moment, and manually liked it. I commented: [Congratulations!] A text from the older brother popped up immediately: [Baby, there’s too much work. I won’t be back tonight. Love you.] The man who had just proposed to another woman was currently texting me “Baby” and “Love you,” acting like nothing had happened. I suddenly wanted to text back. Do you get tired of playing this role of the devoted fiancé? In the end, I resisted. I deleted the words and sent back a simple: [Okay.] 05 Three days before the escape. My sister and I were at a pawn shop, haggling with the broker over designer goods. Outside, fireworks illuminated the downtown skyline. Drones swarmed together to spell out a romantic message that had the whole city talking. “Happy Birthday, Princess Valerie.” On my birthday last year, I was stuck at a college defense. The younger brother went out to celebrate the “birthday” with my sister. That night, the city had been just as spectacularly illuminated. My sister stared out the window. “That night, I only watched the fireworks for thirty minutes, but he kept me awake in bed for half the night. When I woke up, I could only remember him proposing.” That night, when my sister came back, she told me she might actually be falling for him. I guess time breeds attachment. Tonight’s fireworks would probably last all night, but the woman meant to be in that penthouse was standing right next to me. I ran my hand over the bags on the counter and asked the pawnbroker, “Can you go any higher?” The broker smiled and held up two fingers. “It’s just garbage trash-man tactics. Don’t look at it,” I mumbled, nudging my sister with my elbow, trying to drag her out of her memories. “The owner said he’ll add another twenty thousand. Deal?” My sister, hearing the money, nodded like a bobblehead. “Yes, yes, deal!” The owner shook his head, looking a little embarrassed. “I meant two hundred. Still interested?” All three of us froze. Especially my sister and me. Our expressions went purely contorted. I grit my teeth, pushing the bags toward him. “Deal!” “Sir, add a little more, please?” My sister gripped the strap of a bag, reluctant, trying to play pitiful to squeeze out a better price. I patted her shoulder, advising her, “If we don’t sell now, we might never get cash for them.” Stepping out of the pawn shop, I received a text from the older brother, telling me to come pick him up at a private club. I looked at my sister. “Who’s going?” “I don’t feel good. You go, Sis.” I nodded. “Go back and rest. If you feel bad, buy some Ibuprofen. You know where it hurts, don’t be a martyr. We have cash now.” My sister readily agreed, clutching the bag of cash, and skipped away. She didn’t look sick at all. 06 I carried a small bag containing Advil I had just bought downstairs. The hallway of the club was long, and the lights cast a patterned reflection on the oil paintings lining the walls. At the end of the hall, roars of laughter erupted from a private room. The entire floor had been rented out by the younger brother and his entourage; ordinary people couldn’t get near it. The manager recognized me and assumed I was my sister, coming to party with Julian A. A server was just exiting the room with a tray of empty bottles. As we crossed paths, one of the bottles on the tray tipped. I reached out to steady it, and the Buddhist prayer beads around my wrist snapped. Sandalwood beads scattered across the floor. My heart gave an involuntary throb of pain. The server crouched down to help, but I stopped him. “It’s fine. Go ahead, I can get them.” As I knelt there, Valerie’s voice floated out clearly from the open door. “You guys have no idea. J-bird bet me he could lock Mu Qing down in one month. It took him two.” “He dragged her around ruining her life for six months. Finally, when she showed up with an Ivy League acceptance letter to show him, he lost his mind. He packed up and left for Europe with me that same night.” I pressed my lips together, the beads in my palm feeling icy cold. Someone laughed. “Then what?” “Then we got the older brother to help out.” Valerie let out a sigh, her voice thick with resentment. “J-bird couldn’t get over it even when we were abroad. So I gave him this idea. This time, we are definitely going to humiliate Mu Qing publicly. How dare she try to steal my spotlight? I hate her!” The older brother’s voice rang out suddenly. He sounded drunk. His slurred words were full of indulgence. “Okay, okay. Don’t be mad. You’re too pretty to frown.” “Hmph. Did you sleep with her too, just like J-bird? Those poor trailer-park women are rotten to the core.” Valerie pushed. “How is that possible? I’m not J. I don’t just sleep with anyone.” His voice dropped, sounding annoyed. “Seriously? Don’t lie to me. When she gets here later, you have to help me get revenge.” Valerie giggled, simpering. “Mhm,” he mumbled, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t be mad, Val. You are everything to me. Those fireworks across the city were for you.” Standing outside the door, I actually started to laugh. I squeezed the beads I had gathered from the floor, pressing them into my palm until they turned red, but I couldn’t feel the pain. The Advil was tossed into a trash can by the elevator. Leaving the club, the manager chased after me. “Did you not find Mr. Vance? Let me take you up.” I offered a fake smile. “I found them. They’re still partying. I’ll just head out.” The fireworks across the city were still relentlessly going off. God, they were ugly.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409196”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When I snatched Riley’s spot as the school valedictorian, her golden-boy childhood best friend asked me out the very next day. With that devastatingly handsome face of his, he asked me: “In my world, will you slack off and be a failure with me?” Of course. I agreed in a heartbeat and kissed those lips I had coveted for so long. After that, my grades steadily plummeted to the bottom of the class, and I devoured Lucas Thorne body and soul. It wasn’t until graduation day that he kissed me on his own initiative for the first time, telling me to go to community college with him. I knew that was his ultimate goal for approaching me all along. But this time, I just waved my MIT acceptance letter in his face: “It was fun playing with you this year.” “But the stakes are too high now. I’m out.” 01 The day I overheard Lucas and Riley talking was the day the final national standardized test scores were released. A perfect 1600. That was the highest score in the state. I had just breathed a sigh of relief when I heard Riley’s familiar voice from behind the door: “Lucas, don’t forget, you haven’t won our bet yet.” “You only win when you get Chloe to follow you to community college.” Lucas clearly scoffed at her words. “Have you seen her grades lately? She’s barely scraping by with a 1.5 GPA. What good university could she possibly get into?” Riley argued, “But she had such a solid foundation. What if—” “Even if she miraculously aced her finals, getting her blacklisted from any decent college is just one phone call away for my family, isn’t it?” Hearing that, the rest of their friends, who had been standing quietly on the side, erupted into laughter. The same people who usually called me “sister-in-law” to my face were now using the most vicious words to mock me: “With how desperately Chloe clings to Lucas, forget community college, she’d happily pick up trash on the streets if it meant being with him!” “Right?! Everyone knows she purposely dropped from rank number one to the absolute bottom just to be with him! What wouldn’t an extreme, love-struck idiot like her do?!” Another round of synchronized laughter followed. I heard every single word clearly, but I couldn’t care less. For a beautiful guy like Lucas, what did it matter if I put on an act and scored dead last a few times to make him happy? In places they couldn’t see, Lucas was “putting his back into” rewarding me quite generously. Thinking of how entirely different Lucas looked in bed compared to his usual arrogant, cool-guy persona—those slightly damp eyes, those swollen, red lips… I was just getting lost in my thoughts when another guy’s joke snapped me back. He winked at Riley: “Riley, if Chloe knew this was all your revenge plan, she’d probably hate you to death!” Riley rolled her eyes in disgust. “Idiot. That’s obvious. Do you even have to ask?” But they were wrong this time. I didn’t hate Riley at all. In fact, I was incredibly grateful to her. After all, for someone like me—with a face so plain you could lose it in a crowd of three—getting a chance with a Greek god like Lucas Thorne was a gift handed directly to me by Riley Mercer herself. 02 Since I was a kid, I knew all my skill points were allocated solely to academics. While others spent hours memorizing a textbook chapter, I could recite it backward after one read. Complex concepts clicked instantly; difficult AP physics equations were a breeze. But I also knew that in this mediocre, dead-end town, standing out too much wasn’t a good thing. So, even though I had to rank first every year to secure the merit scholarships, I always made sure my score was only exactly five points higher than the runner-up, Riley. There was only one exception. It was the day before midterms. I saw Lucas and Riley kissing outside the testing center. The stunningly handsome boy and the beautiful, preppy girl looked like a scene straight out of a teen movie, but I was consumed by jealousy. During the AP Calculus exam, I couldn’t resist answering the extra credit essay question. During the AP Physics exam, out of pure spite, I answered every single multiple-choice question correctly. That midterm, I beat Riley by a full 35 points. Afterward, I regretted losing my composure for days. Until the third day, when Lucas Thorne appeared in front of me. Wearing his bright yellow varsity basketball jersey, he jogged up to me, his beautiful face full of apology: “Sorry about that. My pass went wide and hit you.” “Are you okay? Should I walk you to the nurse’s office?” I could have guessed with my toes that the basketball flying straight at my head was no accident. Just as I knew perfectly well that Lucas was deliberately approaching me, definitely because of Riley. Maybe it was to vent her anger, or maybe it was a bet with her. But no matter the reason. That was my one and only chance to get close to Lucas. 03 That’s right. I wanted to possess Lucas Thorne. From the very first moment I laid eyes on him. 04 I have to admit, Lucas’s timing was impeccable. In the seventeen years before he appeared, I only had one dream. When my dad got blackout drunk and his fists rained down on me like a storm. When my mom, trying to save money to pay off my brother’s gambling debts, dragged my 13-year-old self to try and marry me off to a 50-year-old widower. “Get into the best university. Escape this place.” I never forgot that for a single second. I never dared to slack off. Later, when I could effortlessly score a perfect 1600 on any practice SAT I picked up, I knew the best universities in the country were already firmly within my sights. I was just waiting for the college admissions cycle next year for the final, fatal strike. Looking back at my gray, dust-covered seventeen years of life, there was only a depressing childhood and the numbness of burying my head in books. One day, I was watching a rerun of a classic 90s movie on cable TV. Looking at Leonardo DiCaprio’s beautiful, reckless face on the screen, I spaced out for a long time: “If only I could have a romance with a beautiful boy like that at seventeen. How nice would that be.” And then Lucas Thorne appeared. He was even younger and prettier than the movie star on my screen. As he jumped on the court, his jersey faintly outlining his lean muscles, he stirred my deepest, most hidden desires. I wanted him, but I couldn’t have him. As I said, all my skill points were in academics. Other than that, I was painfully average. Utterly forgettable. I was the type of girl Lucas, who was always the center of attention, would never look at twice. But now, he was being served to me on a silver platter by Riley. 05 I acted completely oblivious, happily accepting every calculated approach Lucas made afterward. In the noisy cafeteria, in the empty gymnasium, Lucas always managed an “unexpected” encounter with me. He lingered around me longer and longer, his gaze growing hotter, until one day, he pushed through the crowd and walked up to me. “Chloe, I like you. Will you go out with me?” When I fell into his arms, I pretended not to see the disgust he tried to hide beneath his long eyelashes. I just closed my eyes and deeply inhaled the scent of him—a mix of licorice and clean laundry detergent. It smelled so good. Books say that within their pages, you can find a house of gold and a Prince Charming. The ancients didn’t lie to me. But I also knew this Prince Charming would only be mine temporarily. Maybe he would soon end this revenge game, publicly dumping me to avenge his childhood sweetheart. Or maybe, he wanted to play a little longer, making me fall deeper and deeper before calling it quits. But what I didn’t expect was that the purpose of my Prince Charming being by my side was to smash my house of gold. The first time I realized this was at an internet cafe. I was sitting next to his gaming station, quietly working on an AP test prep book. The guy, who had been focused on his game, suddenly ripped off his headset in frustration. Hearing the commotion, I looked up and asked what was wrong. He stared at me for a long moment before suddenly speaking, his eyes dark: “I don’t like it when you do test papers while you’re next to me.” I was very willing to accommodate a pretty boy, so I packed up my papers and tossed them aside: “Then I won’t do them.” He kept staring at me, his expression growing colder: “I feel like the gap between us is too big.” “I don’t like it.” I realized what was happening, my heart beating fast. “Then… what do you think would be better?” He suddenly leaned in close, so close his forehead almost touched mine, his tone almost like a spoiled child’s: “Why don’t you just slack off and be a failure with me?” The blue light from the monitor silently glowed in those glass-bead-like eyes as he issued a siren’s invitation: “Chloe, come into my world. Be with me forever.” In that moment, I felt sheer ecstasy. So, this is what he wanted. So, this is what Riley wanted. 06 I hooked my arms around the back of his neck, rubbing against the red lips I had coveted for so long: “Kiss me.” I knew Lucas didn’t like me, and he didn’t like my touch. Usually, I didn’t dare to cross any lines, afraid he would get rebellious and call off the game immediately. But now, he wanted to get something out of me. Making an exchange was human nature, and absolutely necessary, wasn’t it? When those soft, slightly cool lips finally hesitated before pressing against mine, I silently, profusely thanked my past twelve years of burying my head in books. Chloe, heaven really hasn’t let you down. I stopped looking at books. I stopped studying. I recklessly accompanied Lucas in his downward spiral of slacking off. Consequently, my class ranking began to drop, test after test. The first time, of course, I dropped the number one spot right into Riley’s lap. Hearing the teacher call her name after the words “Rank Number One” for the first time, Riley went absolutely crazy with joy. She took the report card, looked at it again and again, and finally buried her face in her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. I didn’t miss the triumphant look she shot me, pretending it was accidental, but I acted as if I felt nothing. I just silently thought, it’s time to collect my reward. Sure enough, Lucas was thrilled that day too. He ran toward me from afar, the hem of his varsity jacket catching the breeze and the sunlight. That was probably why, when he pulled me into a hug, I still felt a warmth. I asked him why he was so happy. He smiled and said he had won a beautiful basketball game today. I smiled too. Pretending not to know that this “beautiful game” was entirely fabricated, I smilingly placed a hotel key card in his palm. “Today is my 18th birthday.” “Celebrate with me, okay?” 07 I originally thought I would be the submissive one that night, inexperienced in the battle of life. Surprisingly, someone as wildly popular as Lucas had absolutely zero experience either. The superficial tips he had picked up from online videos were, of course, no match for my ability to draw inferences from textbooks, my superior structural 3D thinking, and my spatial imagination skills. Looking at him beneath me, the corners of his eyes flushed red, stubbornly biting back his whimpers, I finally understood the true meaning of the quote: “Book smarts are no match for hands-on experience.” I just didn’t calculate the physical toll perfectly. The next day, at the varsity basketball game, the “Slam Dunk King” Lucas Thorne lost his footing the moment he jumped for the first time. Men always love to fantasize that women will never forget their first time. But I practically proved that for men, sex and love are truly inseparable. He was young and hot-blooded, and he acquired a taste for it in bed. And out of bed, Lucas gradually developed an attachment to me that even he hadn’t noticed.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409212”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My best friend and I were on a road trip through the remote Cascade Mountains. Along the way, she suddenly pointed out a figure in the distance waving at us from the hillside. We thought it was a stranded hiker asking for help, so we immediately got out of the car and ran toward them. But halfway there, my best friend suddenly stopped in her tracks. Just as I turned to ask her what was wrong, I saw a look of absolute terror wash over her face. Before I could even speak, she grabbed my hand tightly and sprinted back the way we came. Her voice was a frantic, breathless snarl: “Run! That’s not human!” 01 Chloe and I had been best friends for years. I knew immediately when she was joking and when she was dead serious. Without asking a single question, I followed her, sprinting wildly toward our SUV without looking back. “Hurry! Start the car!” Chloe screamed frantically the second we piled in. I hopped into the driver’s seat, my hands shaking but quick, jamming the keys into the ignition and firing up the engine. Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the massive black silhouette charging toward us. I flinched hard, my heart skipping a beat. In the few seconds it took to start the car, the shadow had closed the distance by a terrifying margin. “Hurry! That thing is catching up! Go, go, go!” Chloe yelled, her panic spiking. My heart was racing, but I forced my hands to stay steady. I snapped on my seatbelt, threw it into drive— And slammed my foot on the gas. The SUV roared to life and shot forward like an arrow leaving a bow. I glanced in the rearview mirror at that massive dark shape. At its closest, it was no more than sixty or seventy feet away from us. I could practically feel the suffocating, malicious intent radiating off of it. After the car shot forward, the giant shadow chased us for a few dozen seconds before finally stopping. But Chloe and I didn’t dare relax for a second. Our nerves were wound tight, our eyes glued to the side mirrors. The creature was covered entirely in thick black fur, but it had a face that looked sickeningly human. Its expression was eerie and twisted, its eyes locking onto the back of our receding car as if memorizing exactly who we were… We sped down the highway for another hour and a half. Only when we started seeing massive 18-wheelers passing by did we finally let out a heavy sigh of relief. Neither of us spoke at first. Our faces were pale, haunted by the lingering terror of what we’d just survived. I drove steadily for another thirty minutes or so. Finally, we spotted a gas station. I pulled in to fill the tank. Chloe and I went to the restroom to splash cold water on our faces. “That… that scared me to death!” Chloe stared at herself in the mirror, looking like she had just crawled out of a grave. My legs and arms were still feeling like jelly. The aftermath of the adrenaline crash was starting to set in. I bought two bottles of blue Gatorade, pulled the SUV over to the side of the lot, and we slumped onto the curb to drink. “Halfway there, I realized its proportions were all wrong. And the way it waved… its movements were so stiff,” Chloe said, taking small sips of her drink, a flicker of residual fear in her eyes. I thought back to the creature’s silhouette and nodded slowly. Chloe was an artist. She was naturally hyper-sensitive to perspective, shapes, and proportions. If it weren’t for her, I probably wouldn’t have noticed how grotesque the thing was until we were twenty feet away. And by then, there would have been no escape. We had turned around when we were still hundreds of feet away. Yet, by the time we peeled out, it had closed the gap to just sixty feet. Its speed was incomprehensible. Just then, an older truck driver, maybe in his fifties, seemed to overhear us. He frowned and looked over. “You girls run into the Human-Faced Grizzly?” Chloe and I froze. We spoke in unison: “Human-Faced Grizzly?” 02 The trucker took a swig of his water, then pulled out his phone, scrolling until he found a video to show us. “Look. That’s the Human-Faced Grizzly.” “Lately, there have been a lot of videos floating around the local feeds about this thing eating people.” “Word is, this bear stands over ten feet tall, weighs eight or nine hundred pounds, and can tear a grown man in half with a single bite.” “And the creepiest part? It’s smart. Way smarter than a normal bear. It even mimics human movements to lure people in.” “A while back, a couple of college kids on a road trip got tricked by it pretending to ask for help.” “By the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late. They couldn’t outrun it. Ended up as bear food.” As the trucker spoke, our hearts pounded in our chests, mixed with the overwhelming relief of having barely escaped with our lives. Thank God we noticed it early. Otherwise… the consequences would have been unimaginable. “Maya, let’s go. Staying here is giving me the creeps,” Chloe said, and I nodded vigorously. It was 2:25 PM. We said goodbye to the trucker, quickly started the car, and headed toward the nearest town. A few hours passed. It was now early evening. The weather was nice, a cool, overcast chill in the air. With the cold breeze blowing in, Chloe and I rested our arms on the windows. The dark cloud that had been hanging over us slowly began to lift. “Seriously, what are the odds?” “We go on a nice road trip and run into something that freaky.” Chloe looked a bit annoyed, but her tone was much more relaxed. I sighed, shaking my head. “I know, right? Good thing you were there, or we’d be knocking on heaven’s door right now.” Chloe glared at me. “Don’t jinx it—” BANG! Before Chloe could finish, a heavy, violent pop cut her off. The entire SUV violently swerved and began to shake. “What happened?! What’s wrong?!” Chloe instantly spiraled back into a panic. I gripped the steering wheel for dear life, wrestling the car to the shoulder until we finally rolled to a stop. “I don’t know what we hit, but I think the tire blew out!” I looked at the dashboard warning lights in dismay. Sure enough, the front right tire was completely flat. “Hey, look! There’s an auto repair shop right up ahead!” Chloe’s momentary panic faded. She scanned our surroundings—no sign of the grizzly—then pointed to a small, rundown garage just down the road, breathing a sigh of relief. “Let’s get over there, we can’t afford to waste time.” “It’s getting dark, and the roads here are dangerous at night.” I made a split-second decision and limped the SUV right up to the garage door. A scrawny guy was sitting out front. Seeing us pull up, he smiled greasily. “Car trouble, ladies?” Seeing the guy’s demeanor, Chloe and I exchanged a long look. A dozen thoughts flashed through my mind. While doing research for this road trip, we had read warnings about sketchy mechanics. They would sprinkle nails on the highway to blow out tourists’ tires. Then, they’d extort them for a massive payday. In the split second we locked eyes, Chloe and I both knew we had fallen right into a trap. But we had no choice. We were in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilization, and there were no cameras around. We just had to take the hit. “How much to patch the tire?” I asked, suppressing the rising anger in my chest. Even though I was mentally prepared, the price still shocked me— “Eight hundred bucks. Cash or Venmo?” The man kept that greasy smile plastered on his face. “Are you out of your mind—” Chloe instantly rolled up her sleeves, ready to march up and give him a piece of her mind. I quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her back. If things got physical, two young women wouldn’t stand a chance against this guy in the middle of nowhere. Left with no choice, we had to transfer the money. “Patch it well,” I said coldly. Seeing the money hit his account, the man smiled even wider. “Of course! You’re paying customers. I’ll patch it up real nice for you!” … Fuming, Chloe crossed her arms, walked off to the side, and started scrolling through TikTok. I stood there, watching the man work on the tire. I checked the sky. I figured if we hurried, we could reach the nearest town before it got completely dark. But right then, Chloe suddenly ran toward me, her face pale with absolute terror. 03 My heart dropped. Before I could even speak, she shoved her phone in my face. Chloe had been scrolling her local feed, looking for nearby food spots, but the first video on her timeline was a breaking news alert from the state police— [TRUCK DRIVER DEVOURED BY UNKNOWN CREATURE!] My pupils shrank. Unless I was mistaken, the driver in the blurred news footage looked exactly like the trucker we had just spoken to. That red flannel jacket—I could never mistake it! As panic and horror gripped me, Chloe swiped down to the comments. A top comment from a passing driver read: [I drove past that rest stop around 2:30 PM! The guy must have just been attacked!] Chloe and I looked at each other, our expressions morphing into pure horror. 2:30 PM?! That was barely five minutes after we left the gas station! “Is it another one… or is it the one we ran into?” Chloe asked, her voice trembling, dropping to a terrified whisper. A violent chill shot down my spine. Because I understood exactly what Chloe was implying. If it was another bear, that was bad enough. But if it was the same one we ran into… “It’s tracking us?!” I grabbed my chest, feeling like my heart was about to explode out of my ribs. My eyes went wide. “But… but why?! Does that thing hold a grudge?” “We didn’t even do anything to it!” I tried to keep my voice down, but the terror was bleeding through, making me stammer. “Who knows how a monster like that thinks?!” Chloe hissed, near tears. I checked my phone. It was 5:30 PM. We had driven three hours since we left the gas station. Logically, there was no way that thing could catch up to us in a short amount of time. “Once the car is fixed, we go straight to the town’s police precinct. This is insane,” I said, my voice grim. Since the mechanic had already swindled us, he worked fast. The tire was patched in under thirty minutes. We immediately jumped in and sped toward the town. About an hour later, we arrived. We drove straight to the local sheriff’s station and filed a report. Hearing our story, the deputies’ expressions grew deadly serious. They promised to dispatch units immediately and put the town on high alert. Afterward, we finally found a small local motel to crash at. We booked a room with two beds. After dropping our bags, I looked at Chloe. “Do you want to grab food? We haven’t eaten all day.” Chloe waved her hand weakly. “Never mind. Today has been way too much.” “I just want to sleep.” I couldn’t argue with that. I was exhausted to the bone, too. “Alright. You shower first. We’ll get a big breakfast in the morning.” After washing up, we both collapsed into our beds. We tried to chat for a bit, but we were so drained that we both drifted off within minutes. I don’t know how much time passed. Through the hazy veil of sleep, I thought I heard a heavy thudding sound. It sounded like something unbelievably heavy was stepping on the wooden floorboards in the hallway— Thud… Thud… The footsteps grew closer, and then suddenly stopped! KNOCK! KNOCK! Someone was at our door. Immediately, an overpowering, rancid stench seeped into the room. My eyes snapped open, staring at the door in absolute horror!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409197”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Five years old. The landslide. My twin sister and I were pinned beneath a massive concrete slab. To lift it off one of us meant crushing the other beneath the leverage. The rescue foreman put the choice on our mother: a life for a life. She could only save one. In that life, she chose me. And she hated me for it every single day that followed. Because I was the one who lived, I wasn’t allowed to eat well. I wasn’t allowed to wear nice clothes. If I was in school, I had to be number one. I wasn’t allowed to cry, and I wasn’t allowed to smile. I couldn’t speak loudly, and I certainly couldn’t go out to play with friends. Whenever my mother looked at me, she would point at my sister’s funeral photo and scream, “Your sister died because of you! How dare you not be satisfied with what you have?” I understood her agony. I bore it silently. Until I was thirty, when I was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer. My mother didn’t offer comfort; she shrieked in despair, “If I knew you were just going to die early anyway, I should have let you die back then.” What she didn’t know was that her younger daughter hadn’t actually died. Suddenly, I’m back. Beneath the stone slab. And I hear my mother voice her choice to the rescuers. “Save the younger one,” she says. In that moment, under the crushing weight, I close my eyes. All I feel is relief. 01 I’m dead. But my spirit hasn’t moved on. I find myself floating, following my mom and my sister to the hospital. Inside the ambulance, my mom looks so young. With trembling fingertips, she gently brushes the mud-caked, matted hair away from my sister’s forehead. Tears spill from her eyes, hot and fast, landing on my sister’s face. Her expression is a mix of agonizing heartbreak and a terrifying, desperate joy. Outside, the sirens are screaming. But inside the rushing vehicle, it’s a quiet sanctuary. My mom whispers over and over, softly, “Maya. Maya, sweetie. Wake up for Mommy. Open your eyes. Look at Mommy.” I have never heard that tone in her voice before. Not once in my entire memory. Not even in the life where I was the one lying in that ambulance. 02 In that life—the old life—the landslide happened just like this. We were pinned under the same slab. To save one meant crushing the other. A life for a life. My mom couldn’t make the choice. The rescue crew finally suggested a brutal tie-breaker: they would pull out whoever reacted first. My mom scrambled onto the pile of debris. She screamed our names, her voice raw, tearing at her throat. “Sarah!” “Maya!” “Sarah!” “Maya!” Over and over again. I remember lying there in the suffocating pitch black. Suddenly, I heard her voice, exactly the way she used to call us on school mornings. Just like I always did, snuggled in my blankets, I called back automatically. “Coming, Mom!” Instant shouts of jubilation erupted outside. Then came the roar of machinery, the shifting of heavy rock, and amidst it all, a woman’s piercing sob. Blinding light cut through the dark. Dozens of rough, strong hands lifted me up. As I was carried away, jostled on a backboard, I heard the snippets of conversation. “The older girl is a miracle.” “Kid’s got a guardian angel.” “Shame about the other one.” “Couldn’t be helped. Any longer, we would’ve lost both.” I was only five years old. I didn’t understand what those words meant. I just wanted to know where my mom was. Where was she? I started crying for her. Immediately, voices from the crowd surrounding me rushed to soothe me. “Your mom is right here, honey. She’s right next to you. It’s okay.” “Pinned for sixteen hours, and she’s remarkably stable. A miracle child.” Through the cacophony, I strained to find her voice. Then, I saw her. I saw her face, an unreadable mask of paralyzing grief and absolute bewilderment. Later, I often wondered why I had to be the miracle. 03 Sarah and Maya. We were identical twins. Our dad was a city bus driver. He died in the line of duty, a horrific crash, when we were only three. He left us with a life insurance payout and a cramped unit in an old, city-owned apartment building. The pillar of our family was gone. My mom took my dad’s portrait to the department headquarters. Holding it against her chest, holding Sarah in one hand and Maya in the other, she sobbed in the administrator’s office. My sister and I were zombies. We saw her cry, so we cried too. We wailed. This was in the middle of a massive wave of layoffs. Somehow, through the pity, my mom secured a job working in the transit authority’s claims department. After that, my dad’s picture was hung on the wall. He watched over the three of us as we figured out how to survive. I used to sneak glances at that photo. I always thought he looked like he was smiling. Right up until the right side of the frame was filled with my sister’s photograph. After that, I never dared to look at that wall again. Deep down, I knew Maya was only on that wall because she saved me. I was supposed to be in that frame. 04 A family of four became three, then finally two. Our tiny apartment was always silent. The front door was always kept shut. Tight. Not even the wind could blow inside. Which meant the whispers of the neighbors saying my mother was cursed couldn’t get in, either. Only the door to my room was required to be open at all times. So that my mother’s gaze could dart inside at any second. “What are you doing sitting around? Is your homework done?” “It’s done? Then review it again. You’re not just studying for yourself. You have to study for your sister, too.” “Exhausted this early? You’re doing it on purpose, aren’t you? Trying to stress me to death so you can finally be free.” “Cry, cry, cry. I’m not even crying, and you have the nerve to cry.” I became terrified of going home. But I had nowhere else to go. Everyone knew. Everyone knew my dad was dead, and that my sister died saving me. “Sarah, your mother has had a hard life. Be a good girl for her.” “Sarah, why are you still outside? Your mom is going crazy looking for you.” “Sarah, you cannot afford to be selfish.” Whenever neighbors saw me, they felt entitled to educate me on gratitude. Without realizing it, I stopped lifting my head. I started walking pressed against the walls. Waiting for me at the end of every walk was my mother’s grim, tight-lipped face. I hated going home, and I hated being in a crowd. But I couldn’t escape my home, and I couldn’t escape people. Because I was only eight years old. 05 I soon learned that eight was actually a beautiful age. I started first grade. On registration day, old Mrs. Albright, our neighbor, popped a peppermint into my mouth. She said, “Sarah, you’re in real school now. Study hard. Be something someday. Your mother’s entire future relies on you. As long as you get good grades, your mother will be happy.” I engraved that sentence onto my heart. I wanted my mother to be happy. Happy like she used to be. And sure enough, when I brought home my first perfect report card, the corners of my mother’s mouth actually lifted. It turned out it was true. Good grades made my mother happy. I began to study with a desperate vengeance. I fought to be top of the class, every single time. My mother’s smiles became more frequent. The day I was accepted into the city’s top magnet middle school with the highest entrance score, my mother took me to dad and Maya’s shrine to burn incense. She had a brilliant, genuine smile on her face. I looked up at the photos on the wall. I felt like my dad was smiling. And Maya was smiling. I smiled, too. But very quickly, I forgot how to smile. Magnet school was harder. My mom was holding the trimester ranking sheet. Her face was dark as she interrogated me. “Only ten points higher than second place? You used to beat everyone by twenty points minimum. Are you distracted? Are you doing this on purpose? Purposely trying to kill me with stress? You just want me dead so you can have an easy life, don’t you? “If it weren’t for you, I would have gone with Maya and your father. I drag myself through this miserable life solely for you.” I shook my head violently. Terror gripped me. No, that wasn’t it. I wanted to tell her. I wanted to explain. “I don’t know why. I’m just always so hungry. I’m too hungry to sleep at night. Halfway through the school day, I lose all my energy.” “Hungry?” My mom exploded. She started to weep bitterly. “I slave away every single day waiting on you hand and foot, and you have the nerve to tell me you’re hungry? Do I not feed you enough? Look at your sister! Did she ever get to eat a single hot meal that I cooked? You ungrateful, entitled brat.” I didn’t dare mention being hungry again. But hunger is a biological imperative of a growing body. Finally, during class, when my stomach let out another monstrous growl, my seatmate offered me a homemade oatmeal bar. Flush with embarrassment, I ate half. I wrapped the other half meticulously and hid it in my backpack. When I got home that night, my mother beat me savagely with a wooden spoon. “Tell me! Did you steal this? So young and already a thief. You want to end up in juvenile detention?” “Don’t call me Mom! I don’t have a criminal for a daughter.” “Given to you? Why would anyone give you anything? Why you?” “You took it, why didn’t you offer it to your sister first? You ate it all yourself! You have no conscience.” “Why is my life so miserable? I should have died back then. I should have died.” I explained over and over. I begged for mercy over and over. But the wooden spoon continued to fall, crack after crack, against my body. In the middle of that winter night, dressed in nothing but thin cotton pajamas, I was made to kneel before the photos of my father and sister. I kneeled there until dawn. I was burning up with a fever, curled on the floor. Before I lost consciousness, I saw my mother run over in a panic. She scooped me into her arms, sobbing, “Mommy’s sorry. Mommy’s sorry.” I lifted my head slightly, my gaze drifting to the wall. For the very first time, I thought: Why wasn’t it me in the frame on the right? I was thirteen years old. I had entered puberty. 06 The old folks used to say that every time a child survives a massive fever, they grow up a little bit more. I think they were right. The next time my stomach growled, I was grown-up enough to refuse my classmate’s snack. When I passed by neighbors’ homes, I was grown-up enough to refuse their kindness. “I’m not hungry.” “I’m going home to eat.” “My mom is cooking dinner.” My backpack became heavier. It wasn’t just books anymore; it held a massive thermos of water. When I was hungry, I just took a big gulp of water. The neighbors all praised me for how sensible and responsible I was. Only my seatmate in class completely ignored me. “Hmph. Snob. Too good for my oatmeal bars,” my seatmate muttered to others, not bothering to lower their voice. “Ate half my bar and the very next day she’s out with a fever for a week. Her mom actually came to the school to yell at the teacher. My God! “My mom told me that girl is her mother’s entire world, her ‘root of life.’ Told me to stay clear. If something happens to her, we can’t afford the fallout.” The group of kids around them burst into laughter. I wanted to sink through the floor. I apologized profusely, explaining I had just caught a cold from being underdressed, but more and more classmates stopped talking to me. Until one day, that seatmate hissed quietly, “You are so basic.” In the mirror of the school restroom, I finally forced myself to look at my own reflection. I was swallowed up in a deep purple, high-gloss puffy coat. I remembered then. A woman in our apartment complex had put that coat in the charity bin. My mom took it out. Looking in the mirror, watching other students walk past… most wore black puffer coats. Boys wore grey or blue. The girls had a rainbow of styles—white, pink, a sky-blue like the heavens. Just me. In my purple garbage bag of a coat. Totally out of place. Below it were clunky, old-fashioned winter boots. I had become a purple-shelled snail with concrete blocks for feet. Deep shame settled over me. When I got home, I mustered the courage to ask for something else. A black puffer coat. I thought… black is normal, right? That should be okay. But my mother’s face went black instead. This led to my second savage beating. “Are you in love? Is that it? You want new clothes to show off? Who are you trying to impress? A boy? Tell me which boy! I’ll go to the school tomorrow and talk to the principal. “Are you cold? Do you not have clothes? Did I let you walk outside naked? Am I abusing you?” Finally, she pointed at the wall. Her body was shaking. “Why don’t you ask your sister? Ask her if it’s cold six feet under. Ask her if she wants a new coat.” I looked up. My eyes locked with Maya’s in the photo. Hot tears spilled from my eyes, one after another. Why… why did it have to be me that lived? I was fourteen years old. High adolescence. From that point on, I completely gave up on trying to be my own person. I still studied desperately, but high school was brutal. I couldn’t keep myself at the top of the rankings. Sometimes, I even dropped out of the top thirty in the grade. Every single time, my mother would beat me with a hatred that only stopped when she was physically exhausted. I just took it silently. Inside, I was hoping… Yes. Just like this. Hit harder. Kill me. Kill me. Please, just kill me. 07 When it came time to apply for college, my mother sat down and filled out the applications for the local state university herself. She smiled and said, “You don’t need to go out of state. The teacher’s college program here is the best. People fight to get into this program.” I just muttered, “Okay.” The day the acceptance letter arrived, the neighbors all came over to congratulate her. They praised me for being such a devoted daughter, knowing to stay close to take care of her. Only my high school guidance counselor was disappointed. “With your test scores, applying to a local teacher’s college is a tragic waste.” But then, thinking of my home situation, he just let out a deep, defeated sigh. “You’ve had it tough. But your mother has had a hard life, too.” I knew that’s how it would be. If the outcome was preordained, why struggle through the process? Struggle only leaves you with more heartache. After graduation, I smoothly secured a stable job as a teacher at a local middle school. Mrs. Albright next door, whose hair was now entirely gray, said to my mom, “Mei, you finally made it through. You made it.” My mom cried and laughed at the same time. I floated past the crowd of neighbors and looked at my mother. I looked at her exactly the way I had when they pulled me out from under that concrete slab. Mom, back then… were you happy that one daughter lived? Or were you only sad that the other one died? Mom, are you happy now? Mom, am I a good girl yet? 08 Everyone said my mother had a bitter life. Losing her husband, losing a daughter, raising a child alone. And just when things were finally supposed to get easier, I got sick. Stomach cancer. Stage three. When I saw the diagnosis, I was remarkably calm. Hunger had been the defining theme of my growth, and the stomach is an emotional organ. I had felt the discomfort in my upper abdomen for years. But I was so used to enduring, I couldn’t tell the difference between pain and hunger anymore. I was very used to enduring. I had no intention of seeking treatment. I decided to leave all my savings to my mother for her retirement. I planned to keep it a secret, but my mom found the diagnosis report hidden under my mattress. She read the report over and over. Then she let out a piercing, desolate scream and started tearing at her own hair. I stepped forward to stop her, and she shoved me away with brutal force. She pointed at me, then pointed at the wall. Her eyes were wide with terror, her face twisted in an ugly mask. “If I knew you were just going to die early anyway, I should have let you die back then. “You debt collector. “You should have been the one to die.” My hands dropped loosely to my sides. After a long silence, I whispered back, “Okay.” That night, I left the apartment. I stood in the cold wind and jumped into the city river. I left no note. I had no regrets. I was a good, obedient girl. Wasn’t I? My photograph was finally hung on the wall. I was placed to the left of my father. Maya was to his right. Only my mother was left alive. Old Mrs. Albright stood clutching the doorway, her heart breaking. “Mei… your life… why does it have to be so hard?” Did my mother truly have a hard life? Right now, as I watch her smiling in this hospital ambulance, looking at Maya, I have to wonder.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409213”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On the day my terminal illness took a turn for the worse, I went online and bought the cheapest succubus available. Because she didn’t cost much, the little succubus I received, despite her stunning beauty, had an exceptionally bratty temper. “I will not serve you, I will not kiss you, I won’t do that with you, and I certainly won’t love you.” “If you dare lay a finger on me, I’ll slap you to death, you filthy man—” Her voice abruptly cut off the moment she saw my face. She demanded, “You’re a woman? What does a woman want with me?” I curled my lips into a gentle smile. “That doesn’t matter.” As the real daughter of a wealthy family who had been despised and rejected for twenty-four years, I no longer expected anyone to love me. She snorted, full of disdain. “Do you know how many times I’ve been returned and complained about? I excel at abandoning humans.” But later, she didn’t abandon me. She even worked three jobs a day, desperately trying to save me. Right up until the day I died. 01 The little succubus was still thrashing around inside the crate, throwing out vicious threats: “I’m vicious! I’ll bite your junk right off, chew it up, and swallow it—” I pressed my lips together. I opened the velvet box on top and took out the key. The moment the lock clicked open, the metal lid of the crate was shoved up by a pair of pale, pristine hands. A girl with exquisite features glared at me menacingly. I could tell she was trying her hardest to look intimidating, but she had these beautiful, watery, almond-shaped eyes with slightly upturned corners. Even her fury looked like a cute pout, making you want to reach out and ruffle the soft hair on top of her head. When she got a clear look at my face, the curses dying on her lips. She stammered, questioning me: “Y-You’re a woman? Why did you buy me?” I gave her an apologetic smile, speaking gently: “I’m sorry. I don’t have the required anatomy for you to bite off.” She immediately retorted, flushed with shame and anger, “Even if you are a woman, don’t even think about making me serve you…” I didn’t interrupt. I listened patiently as she listed all her rules, and when she finished, I said softly: “None of that matters.” She blinked, a momentary look of confusion crossing her face. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve been returned and complained about? I excel at abandoning humans.” “Then abandon me.” I reached out my hand to her, offering to help her stand up from the crate. “Tabby cats are also very good at abandoning humans. I heard succubi usually get new names from their owners. Can I call you Tabby?” It was such a coincidence. Eight years ago, I also wanted to adopt a little tabby cat. Unfortunately, I had to fight for the cat, and I couldn’t fight my parents for it. Now, here was a living, breathing, talking Tabby standing right in front of me. The girl stared at me, unmoving, complex emotions swirling in her eyes. She suddenly turned her head away and muttered, “If I stand up, you might not want me anymore.” I didn’t pull my hand back. I shook my head and said, “I won’t.” The girl stayed silent for a long time before she finally dragged herself up, leaning against the edge of the crate. She was wearing very revealing clothes, her skirt extremely short. Other than that, there was nothing unusual about her. Her skin was flawless, her face as beautiful as a blooming flower, her figure impeccable. I looked at her, puzzled. She lowered her eyes coldly and turned her back to me. My pupils constricted. I understood. This little succubus… was a succubus with a severed tail. 02 I messaged customer service: [Is this succubus the cheapest because of her cold and stubborn personality?] The rep replied with a laugh: [Haha, of course not! That personality is actually exactly what a lot of clients want. They love buying the stubborn ones; breaking them gives them a thrill of conquest and domination.] [Dear client, this succubus was discounted because she has a physical defect.] [We implant tracking chips into their little heart-shaped tails. Once a succubus is reported lost and passes through public transit scanners, her tail sets off an alarm, and everyone pitches in to catch the runaway~] [This particular succubus ran away many times. The last time, after realizing the chip was in her tail, she actually chopped her own tail off just to escape.] My hands unconsciously balled into fists: [Didn’t you guys give her any medical treatment?] They had dressed her in a pretty new skirt, completely spotless. Yet her tail was a bloody, mangled mess, with absolutely no signs of being treated. [Dear client, a succubus is basically just a high-end sex doll, isn’t it? As a tool bought for a premium price to vent desires, what right does she have to freedom? The loss of her tail is a lesson that needs to be carved into her bones so she remembers never to run away again.] … I collapsed backward onto my bed. Outside the window, the distant mountains were a hazy blue, birds were chirping, but the air in my room was dead silent. I raised my arm to cover my eyes, feeling a sting of tears. Maybe because this succubus was a girl, it was easier for me to empathize with her resistance and feel pity for her stubbornness. I sat up, walked out of my bedroom, and knocked on the bathroom door. “You’ve been showering for an hour. Soaking too long isn’t good for you.” The sound of running water continued from inside, but there was no response. I kept talking: “Your tail can’t get wet, or the wound will get infected. After you change, take my phone and go to the hospital to see a doctor.” “I won’t go with you.” It was as if I had triggered a switch. The door whipped open right in front of me. The girl looked guarded. “You’re trusting me to go out alone? You aren’t coming?” “No, I’m not coming.” My eyes fell on the object the girl was clutching tightly in her hand. It was probably the sharpest weapon she could find after scouring my bathroom. An eyebrow razor. The girl pressed her lips together: “Why aren’t you coming?” I answered casually, “I don’t like the smell of hospitals.” But that wasn’t the real reason. It was because I suffered from a severe immunodeficiency disease. This disease made my body like a fortress without walls; any pathogen could march right in. If I went to the hospital, I’d probably catch another infection. In the final moments of my life, I just wanted the physical pain to be as light as possible. As I watched the girl leave, She took my phone and cast a complex, indescribable look back at me. I curled my lips into a smile and told her to “come back soon.” Her slender silhouette slowly disappeared from my view. I stood there in a daze for a while before walking toward my art studio. With a paintbrush in hand, the pristine white canvas remained untouched by any pigment. Suddenly, a sour feeling hit my nasal cavity, and that familiar tickle washed over me like a tide. I sneezed three times in a row. I hunched over, covering my mouth, broken coughs slipping through my fingers, every breath wrapped in pain. Tears involuntarily welled up in my eyes. What was it this time? A cold? Bronchitis? Pneumonia? A gastrointestinal infection? I thought I could hold out a little longer this time. I hadn’t even gone outside, yet I was infected again. It was miserable. My head was spinning, yet strangely, the thought of calling the hospital never crossed my mind. Just dying and getting it over with… seemed like a pretty good option. Buying that little succubus cost me a hundred grand. I didn’t have any money left for treatments anyway. Truthfully, I could tell that the little succubus wanted to run away, which is why I gave her my phone. When I died from my illness, there would be no one to report her lost. She could be free. She wouldn’t have to cut off her own tail as the price for her freedom ever again. Just then, the spare phone beside me erupted with a piercing ringtone. I forced myself to look over. The screen flashed with the word: “Mom.” 03 In my hazy state, I wondered, Is this the last phone call I’ll ever answer? My trembling fingertips swiped to answer. Before the other side could speak, I said calmly, “Mom, because I saved Mia, I got hurt. My condition is worsening, and I’m going to die soon.” Mia… was the nanny’s granddaughter, the girl who had been swapped with me at birth. When I was fifteen, I was brought back to the Vance family from a poor rural town. I didn’t face the rejection I anticipated; my parents and Mia were all very nice. To welcome me home, the four of us even shared a harmonious dinner. However, that very night, Mia left a note and ran away from home. My parents were frantic and called the police, but security footage showed Mia being roughly dragged into a van by a man. Mia had been kidnapped. From then on, no matter how clumsily I tried to please my parents, that incident stood like an invisible wall of ice between us. A year later, Mia was found in a pigpen in a remote mountain village. My parents cried their hearts out. “Don’t be afraid, Mia, Mom and Dad are bringing you home.” But Mia, crying silently in their arms, suddenly looked up at me, her voice filled with sorrow: “She’s back… I don’t have a home anymore… Where am I supposed to go?” I froze instantly. Without meaning to, I had become the villain who ruined their perfect family. Desperate for my parents to just look at me with an ounce of affection, half a year ago, during an accident, I chose to save Mia. But after I was resuscitated, the doctor looked at me and sighed heavily: “You have massive burn wounds on your back. The immune barrier that was already fragile has completely collapsed. Chronic inflammation and recurrent infections will easily destroy your body.” I asked, “Can it be cured?” The doctor looked away, visibly uncomfortable. And I understood. It couldn’t be cured, and I was going to die a very painful death. I no longer demanded my parents’ love, but surely Mia, the girl I saved, owed me at least a “thank you,” right? “…” A heavy, awkward silence stretched over the phone line. Then, a cold female voice came through: “Chloe, haven’t you played the victim long enough over these past ten years?” …? My breath hitched. “If you really had Bipolar Disorder, why wouldn’t the psychiatrist officially diagnose you?” “Even when making up excuses, you can’t make them sound believable… Saying the Vance family wouldn’t take care of you, saying Bipolar Disorder would ruin your future career—it just makes you sound stupid and malicious.” “Mom genuinely hopes you can be as understanding as Mia. When she heard you were coming back, she silently ran away from home just to make room for you, unlike you… always fighting and grabbing for things… and now, threatening Mom and Dad with suicide.” I let out a bitter laugh. So, she thought my mention of “dying” was just me faking a manic episode to threaten suicide. 04 Back in high school, out of kindness, the psychiatrist refused to officially diagnose me with Bipolar Disorder. She had said, “Sweetheart, Bipolar Disorder isn’t like regular depression. It’s classified as a severe psychiatric condition. Once you get an official diagnosis, it goes on your permanent medical record. After that, a lot of doors will close for you.” “You won’t pass the background checks for government jobs or military service. HR departments will heavily scrutinize you during background checks. You might not even be able to get a driver’s license, or if you have one, it could be revoked.” The Vance family was wealthy; they had more than enough to support me. But none of my family members liked me, and I couldn’t convince myself to hand over the rest of my life to them. I wiped the uncontrollable tears from the corners of my eyes and whispered: “Thank you. Then please don’t diagnose me.” But later, this became ammunition for Mia to attack me relentlessly. She would press her lips together and speak softly: “Mom, Dad, Chloe is fed and pampered at home. What kind of mental illness could she possibly have?” “Did she… pay the doctor to tell you she has Bipolar Disorder? Otherwise, why wouldn’t the doctor give her an official diagnosis?” I asked the doctor to explain it to my parents, but they just frowned and said coldly: “We get it.” They didn’t get it. They never believed me for a second. 05 After a moment of silence, I softly explained: “Mom, you misunderstood. I’m not talking about Bipolar Disorder, I’m talking about…” “Chloe.” My mom suddenly called my name gently. I stopped instinctively: “Yes?” The next sentence followed immediately. She said flatly: “I don’t want to hear it.” That one sentence brought tears straight to my eyes. It felt like a knife had been plunged into my chest, twisting the blade. I said, “Then don’t hear it.” The line went dead immediately. Why was the sunlight streaming through the window so blinding? The air in the art studio felt like ice again. Tears blurred my vision. I curled up on the floor in exhaustion, then quietly closed my eyes. Every breath tugged at the sharp pain deep in my chest. But everything was becoming blurrier and more distant. Until an anxious, clear voice broke into my ears: “Human, why are you on the floor!” 06 After hanging up, Mrs. Vance kept frowning in silence. Until Mr. Vance looked up and asked, “What did Chloe say? Isn’t she coming to Mia’s birthday party?” “I was so mad I forgot to bring it up! That girl has been faking Bipolar Disorder for nine years! I couldn’t bear to expose her, and she actually plans to keep up the act! Oh, and that excuse about the Vance family not taking care of her—it’s absolutely ridiculous.” Mia, standing nearby, pursed her lips and chimed in timidly: “Dad, Mom, I transfer money to Chloe via Venmo every month. I showed you the transaction history, right?” “Yes!” Mrs. Vance huffed in frustration. “Tens of thousands of dollars, isn’t that enough for Chloe to spend?” Mr. Vance rubbed his temples and sighed. “She just thinks we favor you, Mia, and insists on provoking us like this. But she’s so immature. Half a year ago, she actually dared to push you into the fire, leaving you with a burn scar on your arm. A girl’s appearance is everything.” Mia obediently massaged her father’s shoulders. “Dad, let’s not talk about that. I never wanted to fight Chloe for anything…” The pity in Mr. and Mrs. Vance’s eyes deepened. After a long silence, Mr. Vance suddenly said: “In a blink of an eye, Chloe is almost 25, and she still refuses to get close to us. As parents, constantly battling with our child isn’t a solution.” Mr. and Mrs. Vance exchanged glances, their expressions softening. “In July, on the day of Chloe and Mia’s shared birthday… let’s go find her, give her a surprise, and coax her a little.” “And we should make her apologize to you, Mia. Mia, what do you think?” Mia’s fingernails dug into her palms as she forced a smile: “Sure.” 07 When I opened my eyes again, the smell of disinfectant filled the air. I turned my head slightly and saw the little succubus curled up in a chair beside my hospital bed. My throat was parched, and I asked her hoarsely: “You… you didn’t abandon me.” The girl awkwardly turned her head away, the tips of her ears turning pink, but she blustered a defense for herself: “If I kept running, I’d just get caught again. Cutting off a tail hurts a lot, and there’d be no one left to pay for my medical bills.” I really should have just died. Now look, I didn’t have enough money to treat both of us. “Cough.” I covered my mouth and coughed lightly, pulling back the covers to get out of bed. “Let’s go back. I can’t afford to stay here.” Before the words fully left my mouth, the girl pushed me back onto the bed in disbelief: “Are you crazy? You can afford me but you don’t have money for medical bills? If you don’t want treatment, just say so.” “I don’t like hospitals. I’ve been here too many times.” I wearily lowered my eyelids, staring blankly at the snow-white sheets. After a moment of silence, the girl’s muffled voice suddenly sounded: “Fine, let’s go back and I’ll serve you, but let’s get one thing straight.” “I hate people bossing me around. If you want me to help you, you have to say a lot of nice things. If someone is rude, I’ll literally dump a bowl of food on their face.” I was slightly taken aback and said softly, “Actually… you don’t have to go out of your way to take care of me.” Over all these years, I had long gotten used to taking care of myself. I often came down with random respiratory infections; I was a regular at the hospital. Registering, paying, waiting… all by myself. I knew the routine by heart. Except for that one time. Right after I registered and turned around, I saw my biological parents and my adoptive parents clustering around Mia—who just had a common cold—like she was the center of the universe. They didn’t even have to wait in line; they went straight in to see the doctor. I clutched my thin registration slip tightly, barely able to breathe. Because I even had to earn my own money for medical bills. Living was so exhausting. I often thought about just giving up and dying out of spite. But… an unloved child dying doesn’t hurt their family in the slightest. Now I was truly dying. This was probably what they had been hoping for all along. 08 The scenery outside the car window rolled past at a steady pace. Our small suburban town wasn’t big; a ten-minute drive brought us from the hospital to my doorstep. After that fire, I moved back to the small town, to the house my grandmother used to own. This modest little suburban house made it seem like the $100,000 I spent on the succubus was fake money. “Human, you… why do you live in such a poor place?” The people who could afford succubi were usually insanely rich or powerful. By comparison, my house looked extra pathetic. However. I squinted slightly at the girl helping me out of the car: “This is the second time. Why do you call me ‘human’? It’s weird.” The girl looked around guiltily and mumbled, “…I don’t want to call you ‘Master.’” I sighed: “Tabby, I don’t need you to call me that. You can just use my name, Chloe.” “…” Tabby froze. The hand supporting my arm tightened silently. Because the fight had gone out of me, I had become completely indifferent. Along with that, I lost the desire to take my medication. I hate bitter things. I’m actually terrified of pain and absolutely loathe taking pills. I’d rather swallow ten flavorless capsules than let a single bitter pill touch my tongue. Seeing me like this, Tabby panicked. She dashed into the kitchen like a gust of wind, returning shortly with a bowl that she shoved in front of me. “If you mix it with sugar water, the pills won’t be as bitter, right?” I lowered my eyes. In the bowl, the white sugar sediment was slowly dissolving in the water. It felt like something gently nudged my heart—sour and soft. In the past, my grandmother used to force me to take medicine by pinching my jaw and pouring it down my throat. But after she died, no one in the world cared whether I took my medicine or not. Trying to shake off those thoughts, I shook my head. “Don’t bother, Tabby. It might… mess with the medication’s effectiveness.” I paused. “Besides, I’m a weirdo. I hate bitterness, but I don’t really like things too sweet, either.” The girl standing in front of me remained silent for a moment before suddenly leaning in close. Her breath brushed against my face. Instinctively, I tried to pull back, but she firmly grasped my shoulders. “Don’t move.” Those beautiful eyes stared straight into mine, carrying a strange, captivating allure. “This is a special succubus ability, called ‘Infatuation’… If I stare at you long enough, you’ll be charmed.” Under my astonished gaze, Tabby raised her index finger and gently tapped my forehead. A subtle, pale pink aura instantly gathered around her fingertip. Tabby ordered with a cold expression, “Chloe, be a good girl and take your medicine.” The next second, as if under a spell, I actually reached out and took the pill and the glass of water she offered. I put the bitter pill in my mouth, and magically, it tasted faintly sweet. As Tabby pulled her finger back. That little bit of pink aura vanished as if it had never existed. Just then, the girl’s voice suddenly broke the silence, carrying a hint of imperceptible awkwardness. “Chloe, I… I just formed a contract with you for exactly one minute. Since you took your medicine, I cancelled it.” She glared at me, aggressively emphasizing, “No human can form a contract with me! I will never be bound to anyone! Don’t even dream about it…” The sunlight streamed through the window, falling on her cheeks, which were flushed red from embarrassment. I suddenly couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Thank you…” Tabby glanced at me, stunned, then quickly lowered her head and started fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Trying to look incredibly busy. But I clearly saw the corners of her mouth quietly, swiftly curve upward. Suddenly, she looked up again, her dark, beautiful eyes staring unblinking at me: “Right, what disease do you have that requires so much medicine? It’s not cancer, is it?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409198”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was secretly married to a Hollywood A-lister for five years. He was constantly surrounded by rumors and scandals, yet he was never willing to acknowledge me publicly. On a reality TV show, everyone was prying into my love life. Even he smiled and chimed in: “Josephine, I know a lot of reliable guys. Should I set you up with someone?” In both my past life and today, I was so furious I almost pulled out our wedding ring. Then, his current rumored flame, the rising pop star Chloe White, ran out crying. Liam didn’t say anything on camera, but afterward, he grew increasingly cold towards me. In my past life, when I was rushed into the operating room due to a severe hemorrhage during my pregnancy, he didn’t even ask about me. Instead, he was celebrating Chloe’s birthday at a Michelin-starred restaurant. When the thugs Chloe hired ruined me and I begged him for help, he just watched with an indifferent expression. It was only then that I realized I was nothing more than a dirty secret, a hidden ornament in his life. Reborn into this life, I just smiled: “I’m already seeing someone. He’s not in the industry. We’re getting married at the end of the month.” 01 Gasps echoed around the room. No one expected me to announce my relationship on a live broadcast. Liam’s face instantly darkened. The paper cup in his hand was crushed out of shape. He opened his mouth to say something, but Chloe, sitting next to him with a bright smile, blinked her big eyes and beat him to it: “Wow! Josephine, you hid that so well! If you hadn’t lost this round of Truth or Dare, were you planning to keep it a secret forever?” This was a live-streamed reality show, and Chloe’s words instantly set the chat on fire. [Josephine’s fans must be devastated! Your idol ditched you to go date someone!] [Hehe, our Chloe is the best. Focused on her career and moving up! Men, step aside!] [??? Why would we be devastated? Josephine is an actress. She conquers us with her acting skills and has won every major award. So what if she’s dating? Unlike a certain Chloe who still hasn’t achieved anything of substance!] [Besides, our Jo has said before that when the time is right, she would find someone.] I smiled faintly: “Even if I hide it well, I’m still the main chick.” In my past life, I always thought Chloe didn’t know about my relationship with Liam, that she was also being deceived. But it wasn’t until right before I died, when Chloe flaunted Liam’s devotion to her face, that I realized she knew from the very beginning. Chloe’s expression faltered, but the other guests didn’t notice. Instead, they curiously pressed for more: “Jo, who is it! Do you have a picture we can see?” “Someone outside the industry who’s worthy of our Josephine? I’m so curious!” I smiled: “He prefers to keep a low profile. Maybe I’ll introduce you guys when there’s a chance.” Just as I finished speaking, a scoff rang out. Chloe raised an eyebrow, looking at me provocatively: “Josephine, maybe this guy doesn’t even exist. Are you just making this up? After all, you’re not getting any younger. It would be pretty embarrassing to admit you don’t even have a close friend by your side. Right, Liam?” Chloe blinked at Liam and playfully stuck out her tongue. I clenched my fists. The next second, I heard Liam perfectly play along with an “Mhm.” Chloe’s smile grew even wider. I laughed at myself inwardly. Just a moment ago, I had still been hoping for something. The other guests quickly tried to smooth things over: “Don’t be mad, Jo. Chloe loves to joke around!” “This is Josephine’s private life. We shouldn’t pry too much.” I was about to speak when a male voice came from the doorway: “Excuse me, is Jo here? I’m here to pick her up from work.” 02 Everyone turned toward the voice. A young man was standing outside the door, one hand casually in his pocket. His neat, dark hair curled slightly over his temples. His brow bone was sharp, and his face was pale and strikingly handsome. When our eyes met, I froze for a second. He smiled at me: “Jo, time to clock out.” The live chat exploded. [Holy shit! Holy shit! This guy is so hot! Is this Josephine’s non-industry boyfriend?!] [Damn, I thought Josephine was lying! I can’t believe her boyfriend actually came to pick her up from work!] I stood up from my chair and waved to the people around me: “I’ll be going now.” From the moment I stood up, I felt a piercing gaze fixed tightly on me, but I didn’t look back. Just as I was about to walk out the door, Liam called out to me coldly: “Josephine!” I paused, turning to look at him: “Yes, Liam?” His face was dark, his eyes swirling with dissatisfaction. Chloe curled her lips into a smile: “Today is my birthday party, and Liam is throwing it for me. Are you not coming, Josephine?” I glanced at Liam, who remained silent. “No.” I looked away and walked out: “Happy birthday. I have other plans.” 03 That piercing gaze followed me until I got into the backseat of the car before it finally disappeared. I looked at the man beside me and thanked him: “Thank you, Arthur.” Arthur replied: “Don’t mention it, senior. I was just watching the live stream and happened to be passing by.” I smiled faintly and didn’t press further. He didn’t ask many questions either, simply saying: “Where are you heading now? I’ll drop you off.” I gave him my home address. We arrived quickly. Before I got out of the car, Arthur took out his phone and waved it at me: “Senior, let’s exchange numbers.” I hesitated for a moment, and he let out a light laugh: “You never know, I might need your help with something in the future.” Hearing this, I nodded and took out my phone: “Sure.” After adding each other’s contacts, Arthur drove off. I turned and walked into my house. This house was bought by Liam and me before we got married. It wasn’t very big, but it held all our memories. Before, when we didn’t have a packed schedule, we used to always cuddle in this house, playing video games and binge-watching TV shows. After we got married, I didn’t want to move to a new place. But now, Liam rarely came back here. As soon as I walked through the door, my manager’s call came in. “Jo, look at Twitter!” 04 [Liam x Chloe White, Official Relationship Announcement!] [What a perfect match!] I originally thought that having lived a second life, my heart would be as still as a stagnant pool of water. But the few short lines on the screen still stung my eyes. [Liam V: Let me introduce everyone to my girlfriend, my one and only. @ChloeWhite] [Chloe White: The days ahead are long. I want to walk them all with Liam~] Liam and I dated for five years and were married for five years. I waited ten years for a public announcement. Now, Liam effortlessly gave it to someone else. My manager’s voice continued on the phone: “There are rumors online saying Chloe is the other woman! Liam is doing this to protect her! “It’s so infuriating! Isn’t Chloe the actual homewrecker here? You’ve been married to Liam for so many years, and he never…” “Erica.” I interrupted her, asking softly: “When will my visa be ready?” Erica fell silent for a moment. “Have you really decided to leave the industry and go abroad?” I nodded. Ten years ago, I gave up my dreams for Liam. Now, I won’t let him delay my life any longer. 05 Liam and I were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together. When I was little, my parents passed away. I was introverted, living with relatives, and constantly bullied by the neighborhood kids. Liam always stood in front of me, protecting me, and fighting back for me. Until the year he turned fifteen. His parents’ company went bankrupt, and they jumped off a building, leaving him all alone with a massive mountain of debt. He suffered a tremendous blow and tried to end his life several times. I was the one who held him, comforting him. We were each other’s light in the darkness, relying on each other to survive. Until the year I turned eighteen. I received an acceptance letter from Stanford University, the school I had dreamed of going to. That day, Liam didn’t say anything. He just held my hand, his eyes red, and stood there all night. After that night, I rejected the acceptance letter, turned around, and accepted a talent scout’s offer to enter the entertainment industry. I wanted to pay off Liam’s debts. He was still young. He had a long road ahead of him. He couldn’t be dragged down by debt. But the entertainment industry was tough. I went to auditions, acted in minor roles, and took every gig I could get, day and night. I drank so much at networking dinners that I ended up in the hospital with stomach bleeding. Finally, in my fifth year since debuting, thanks to a hit TV show, I successfully paid off the Sterling family’s debts. People close to me asked if it was worth it. Back then, watching Liam cook for me every day and stay by my side, I felt it was all worth it. But now… The notification sound on my phone interrupted my thoughts. I looked down. It was a call from Liam. I thought for a moment and pressed the answer button. His voice was cold: “You’re pretty capable, aren’t you? Found another man to put on a show just to make me angry? “But you miscalculated. I know better than anyone how much you love me. I wasn’t angered by you at all.” I gripped my phone and said nothing. A familiar female voice came through the phone: “Liam, hurry up and cut the cake for me!” Liam responded: “Coming.” Then he said to me: “You know that Chloe and I have a new show coming out soon. Once the show finishes airing, I’ll break up with her. Don’t overthink things. “Wait for me at home tonight. I’ll bring you your favorite food.” 06 My memories drifted away. Liam was discovered by a director while visiting me on set, which led to him entering the entertainment industry. At the time, I immediately objected. Because Liam’s dream was to do scientific research. If he started acting, he would be completely disconnected from the scientific community. But to my surprise, Liam secretly went to find the director himself. Afterward, he hugged me, his eyes red as he looked at me: “Jo, I don’t want you to live a hard life with me. I want to make a lot of money so your life can get better and better.” From then on, Liam gave up his dreams for me and focused entirely on the entertainment industry. Our communication also became less and less frequent due to our busy schedules. When his first scandal broke, he took a five-hour flight overnight to come to my side. He hugged me, apologized, and said it was a misunderstanding. He said he would handle it well and told me not to overthink. I suggested we announce our marriage. He said he was afraid it would affect his career and break his fans’ hearts. The timing just wasn’t right yet. But he promised me that his wife would always only be me, and the only person by his side would be me. Ultimately, thinking of his career, I didn’t push it further. Until later… Chloe White appeared. She was almost subjected to the casting couch at a banquet. In her attempt to escape, she fell into a pool, and Liam appeared and saved her. She seemed like a pure, innocent little flower. Soaking wet, she lay in Liam’s arms. That night, the two of them trended on Twitter. Gossip blogs hyped it up wildly. That time, Liam didn’t say a single word. 07 When I snapped back to reality, Liam had already hung up. I didn’t dwell on anything else. Instead, I contacted my lawyer and drafted a divorce agreement. Before I went abroad, I definitely needed to resolve everything with Liam. But what I didn’t expect was that when Liam came home that night, he brought Chloe with him. Chloe peeked her head out from behind Liam, her face flushed. She ran towards me, giggling: “Ta-da! Josephine, hehe, we packed the leftovers from my birthday party for you. Eat up!” Liam stood there, saying somewhat helplessly: “Slow down, you’re drunk. Be careful not to trip.” After he finished, he paused and looked at me: “Chloe had too much to drink today. It’s not safe for a girl to go back alone, so she’s staying here for the night.” “Oh right, you’re pretty good at making hangover soup, aren’t you? Make a bowl for Chloe.” I stood frozen, feeling a buzzing in my ears. My hands trembled uncontrollably. It was bad enough that Liam cheated, but now he was brazenly bringing her to our home?! And asking me to make her hangover soup?! “A young female celebrity, where is her assistant?!” Whenever Chloe went out, she was always followed by three or four assistants. How could she possibly be alone! And even if she was, she could stay at a hotel! Liam frowned: “Jo, when did you become so petty?” My voice trembled uncontrollably: “This is my house! Get the hell out!” Seeing my eyes red with anger, Liam softened his tone: “Okay, Jo. I’ll contact someone right now to come pick her up.” Liam took out his phone to make a call. But the next second, a scream pierced the air. Chloe tumbled straight down the stairs! Liam’s face paled dramatically! He dropped his phone and sprinted towards Chloe! He was frantic, completely losing his usual calm demeanor. “Chloe!” Chloe lay in Liam’s arms, her eyes tightly shut. Liam’s face was dark, his eyes brewing with a turbulent storm as he glared at me. My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively spoke: “It wasn’t me…” But the next second, Liam’s slap had already landed across my face. “Josephine, are you saying Chloe threw herself down the stairs just to frame you? She’s a celebrity! You know better than anyone how much she cares about her face!” That slap left me reeling. It also completely extinguished the flickering, fragile light at the bottom of my heart. As Liam picked up Chloe and was about to rush out, I called out to him. “Wait a minute.” I handed the divorce agreement to him: “Sign this, or don’t leave.” Liam glared at me furiously. In the past, whenever we fought, I would always cling to him, asking him to buy me things, making him sign the credit card bills just to coax myself. Now, without even looking at what it was, he just signed his name. Then he strode out, carrying Chloe. In a spot where Liam couldn’t see, Chloe curled the corners of her lips into a smirk at me. 08 The news of Chloe’s hospitalization shot to the top of the trending topics. In the photos, her forehead was wrapped in gauze. She lay weakly in a hospital bed, while Liam attentively took care of her. The internet was flooded with posts praising their deep bond. Erica had been my manager since my debut. As for the situation between me and Liam, others might not know, but she was fully aware. She cursed Liam out in front of me. “Is the visa ready, Erica?” Erica nodded: “We should have it in three days.” During these three days, I just needed to tie up some loose ends. But what I didn’t expect was that on the third day, another post would top the trending list. [BREAKING! Best Actress Josephine interferes in Liam and Chloe’s relationship!] [BREAKING! Josephine’s attempted murder of Chloe White!] I clicked on the trending topic and saw numerous gossip accounts frantically resharing two photos. One was a photo of me coming home the night before last. The other was a photo of Liam and Chloe, hand in hand, returning shortly after me. The comments underneath exploded. [Holy shit, what’s going on? Why did all three of them go into the same house?] [Fuck! That bitch Josephine! I work in the industry, and I found out that Josephine sneaked into the actor’s house last night. Chloe’s injury was caused by Josephine!] [??? Why would Josephine go into his house? This phrasing is so weird! I don’t understand!] [What kind of nonsense is this! Why would our Jo sneak into someone else’s house!] The internet was fiercely debating. Just then, a top comment surged to number one. [Josephine never had a non-industry boyfriend, she made it all up! She’s always been a delusional fangirl of Liam’s, harboring a crush on him for years! When Liam and Chloe announced their relationship, Josephine got jealous, secretly broke into his house beforehand, and pushed Chloe down the stairs! I have proof, look at the pictures I posted! Josephine used to be Liam’s biggest superfan!] When Liam first entered the entertainment industry, he didn’t have many fans. I visited him on set, created burner accounts to boost his metrics, and defended him against trolls. I did these things with extreme secrecy. Besides Liam and me, no one else knew. But now, the “evidence” photos posted by this user hit me right in the eyes! Trembling, I called Liam. He only answered on the fifth ring. “Liam, was this you…” Besides Liam, I couldn’t think of anyone else who could have released those pictures! The other end of the line was silent for a moment. After a long while, I finally heard Liam speak: “Jo, this is what you deserve. “Your words on the reality show misled netizens into thinking Chloe was the other woman, damaging her reputation and subjecting her to cyberbullying. Me going public with her wasn’t just because of our new show, it was more about salvaging her reputation and making up for your mistakes. I originally thought you would show remorse, but you pushed her down the stairs.” Liam’s words almost made me laugh until I cried. All for my sake? “So what if she’s the other woman? She’s playing the innocent, pure victim now?” “Josephine, you are being incredibly unreasonable!” Liam shouted, interrupting me. “Things have reached this point, and I don’t want the conflict between you two to deepen. You apologize to Chloe, and I’ll have her publicly state she forgives you. We’ll put this whole thing behind us.” Just put it behind us? He made it sound so easy. So easy it was as if Liam had never spent a day in the entertainment industry. I tilted my head up, refusing to let the tears fall. I wanted to say something to Liam, but then I heard another person’s voice on the line. “Mr. Cross, Chloe is awake. She wants to see you.” “I’ll be right there.” Liam replied hurriedly. When I looked at my phone again, the call had been disconnected. 09 Liam rushed towards Chloe’s hospital room. Halfway there, as if remembering something, he stopped and instructed his assistant beside him: “Did you buy the necklace I told you to get a while ago? The one Jo mentioned in passing, the one she liked.” The assistant nodded. “Have it sent to Jo.” Liam knew that Josephine had her pride. Making her bow her head to Chloe would definitely make her feel wronged. But there was nothing to be done about that. When you do something wrong, you have to accept the punishment. Good thing Jo was easy to coax. In the past, whenever she was angry, buying her a little something would fix it. “Oh right, wasn’t there a matching bracelet? Give that to Chloe.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409214”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When she showed me the clothes she bought for $3.99, I couldn’t help but look at her in disgust: “Can’t you learn a thing or two from Vivian downstairs? Stop buying cheap junk!” She froze. After a long moment, her lips trembling, she said to me: “Let’s get a divorce.” Fine, let’s get a divorce! With a $4,000 a month living allowance, I wasn’t worried about finding someone willing to be with me. A month later, she didn’t come crawling back to me. But as I calculated the mortgage, car insurance, and utility bills, I was the one who started to panic. 01 Hazel and I had been married for three years. I had provided for her for three years. Out of my $6,000 monthly salary, I transferred $4,000 to her on time every single month. The remaining $2,000 was my pocket money. So I honestly couldn’t understand why she was so obsessed with buying cheap junk on Temu. A couple of days ago, she asked me to bring her packages up on my way home. There were a whopping eight packages, and I was juggling them clumsily. When I finally got into the apartment, she actually complained that I wasn’t paying attention—she had texted me nine pickup codes. She stayed at home every day, just doing chores and watching the kid. How could she possibly need to buy so many things?! When I saw what she bought, my vision practically went dark. A 5-pack of underwear for $2.99, house slippers for $1.99, a 10-pack of tissues for $1.50, and two bottles of shampoo for $5.99. I specifically remembered telling her that cheap shampoo gives me dandruff and to buy me a name-brand one. But she stubbornly refused to listen. And now, she was furiously tapping away on her phone, arguing with a seller over a $1.99 box of 200 trash bags. Our son was sitting on the toilet, relentlessly yelling, “Mommy, come here! Mommy, come here!” But she kept her head down, counting the trash bags and waging a war of words with customer service. Was it really worth arguing over something that cost less than two bucks? “Hazel, the kid is calling you.” I reminded her, forcing myself to be patient. In reality, my anger was about to blow the roof off. What was the difference between 150 bags and 200 bags?! It was making her neglect our own child! Hazel didn’t even look up. “I’m a little busy right now. Can you go wipe his butt?” I was extremely reluctant. I was exhausted from working all day, just hoping to come home and relax for a bit. But my son’s screaming was so piercing that I had no choice but to put my phone down and walk into the bathroom. I hadn’t even started complaining about the smell yet. The little brat wiggled around on the toilet, complaining that the toilet paper I grabbed was too rough, demanding wet wipes instead. When I finally managed to dig out the wet wipes, he complained they were too cold and wanted them warmed up with hot water. I was furious. This kid was absolutely spoiled rotten by his mother. It was just wiping his butt, and he was being pickier than my corporate clients. I threw the wipes onto the counter and yelled at Hazel, who was still warring with the trash bag merchant— “Your son doesn’t want me! Hurry up and come here!” The chaotic mess of the apartment was driving me insane. I said, “I’m out of cigarettes. I’m going downstairs to buy a pack.” Hazel, who was rushing toward the bathroom, stopped in her tracks and looked at me. Her baggy, oversized T-shirt was covered in stains. Tsk, how did she get so ugly? She opened her mouth, seeming like she wanted to say something. It was undoubtedly going to be, “Smoking is bad for your health,” “Smoke less,” or “We should save that money to buy things for the kid.” My ears were getting calluses from hearing it. I quickly dropped one last sentence: “I’ll take the trash out by the door on my way down.” 02 While I was smoking downstairs, I happened to run into my 8th-floor neighbor, Vivian Wright. She was rushing out in a panic and almost crashed right into me by the door. Seeing she was about to fall, I quickly reached out and caught her. She felt really soft. I couldn’t help but think back to the first time I held Hazel’s hand. It’s a pity that holding Hazel’s hand now felt exactly like my left hand holding my right hand. No spark whatsoever. “Oh, Arthur! I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” Vivian blushed and apologized to me. I smiled, told her it was no problem, and asked her why she was in such a rush. Vivian said her floor drain was clogged, so she was going to find the property manager to take a look. I pocketed my cigarettes. “The management office is probably closed by now. If you’re in a hurry, do you mind if I come up and take a look for you?” Vivian’s apartment had the exact same layout as mine, but looking around, everything felt refreshingly clean and comfortable. There was no cheap, cluttered junk on the table; instead, there was a blooming bouquet of roses. Vibrant and fresh. You could tell at a glance she took meticulous care of her home. The bathroom had a diffuser that smelled elegant and inviting. The skincare products lined up on the vanity were all high-end brands I recognized. The entire apartment subtly revealed the sophisticated taste of its owner. The lighting outside had been dim, so it wasn’t until now that I had a moment to properly look at Vivian. She was wearing a silk slip dress with a trench coat draped over it. Even though she hadn’t heavily styled herself, it still showed off her excellent taste, and… her figure. I used my phone flashlight to look down the drain and found it was clogged with long hair. My mind flashed back to how Hazel dealt with drains. She usually asked me to hand her a disposable chopstick to fish the hair out. “Do you have any disposable chopsticks?” After using a chopstick to clear out the hair stuck in the pipe, the water flowed down much smoother. “Arthur, if it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t have known what to do.” I dusted off my hands, ignoring the ache in my lower back, and feigned a relaxed tone. “It might not be completely clear. I’ll bring some drain cleaner over tomorrow to dissolve the rest, and it’ll be good as new.” “I couldn’t trouble you like that! Just tell me the name of the brand, and I’ll go buy it myself.” Hazel handled all that stuff at home, how the hell was I supposed to know the brand name? But I obviously couldn’t say that to Vivian. “It’s no trouble, I have some at home. How can I let a lady deal with this? By the way, where is your husband?” Vivian frowned. “Him? He travels for work constantly. Whenever he leaves, he’s gone for half a month.” I felt a surge of smug pride. I was definitely a much better husband than hers. Having a husband around to help out should make Hazel secretly thrilled, yet she actually blamed me for missing a package code. “You’ve worked hard, Arthur. Come have some fruit.” Vivian invited me to sit in the living room. The matching tea set held a clear, aromatic tea, and the cherries and strawberries in the fruit bowl looked plump and tempting. Taking a sip of tea and a bite of a cherry, I leaned back into the soft sofa and sighed in satisfaction. This was living. What kind of miserable life was I living with Hazel? I complimented Vivian on how clean and comfortable her place was. She blushed and said that since she was a stay-at-home wife, keeping the place spotless made it more comfortable to live in. I pretended to ask casually, “So, how much allowance does your husband give you?” Vivian froze, frowned in thought for a moment, and said, “About four thousand, maybe? I don’t really keep track of the finances…” She sounded vague. I understood perfectly. Her husband probably gave her less than $4,000, and she was too embarrassed to admit it, so she kept it vague. 03 On my way home from work today, I saw a young girl selling roses on the street. Three stems for $5. I remembered the bouquet of roses I saw in Vivian’s apartment. Bright and pleasing to the eye. I figured I’d bring a bouquet back for Hazel. Three stems looked incredibly pathetic, so I gritted my teeth and bought six for $10. I didn’t even ask the girl for change. It hurt my wallet a little. This little trinket that women liked cost me half a pack of cigarettes. When I got home, Hazel was cooking in the kitchen. I walked over, wanting to surprise her: “Hazel, look what I bought you!” I expected to see stars in her eyes. Just like the way Vivian looked at me the other day. Hazel only glanced at it once before turning her head back to violently clanging her spatula in the pan. “Why did you buy these? You can’t eat them, you can’t wear them… what a waste of money.” Before she could finish, I had already lost the patience to listen. I threw the flowers on the dining table and went straight to the bathroom. When I came out, Hazel was humming a little tune, arranging the roses. Unfortunately, she was clumsy and lacked any sense of romance. No matter how she arranged them, they didn’t look nearly as good as Vivian’s. But I wasn’t planning on saying that out loud. Hearing my footsteps, she turned around and happily said to me, “Honey, look at my new shirt, $3.99! It’s so soft and comfortable!” The pink T-shirt wasn’t fitted at all, making Hazel look washed-out and bulky. Cheap Temu junk again! I felt insulted. I gave her $4,000 a month for living expenses, and she buys a $3.99 piece of trash to wear in front of me. It was the same $4,000. How come other men’s wives dressed themselves up to look sophisticated and gorgeous, while my wife walked around every day looking like a starving peasant? My face instantly darkened. “Can you stop buying this cheap garbage? Look at what you’re wearing! Is that a rag?” Hazel froze, instinctively taking two steps forward. “I thought it was pretty nice… Let’s just eat first. Your mom picked up Leo today, so I made your favorite fried catfish.” The overwhelming fishy smell radiating off her clothes made me want to gag. I took a step back. “What is nice about it?!” “You buy this trash every single day! Do I not give you enough money?!” I pointed at the garbage bags in the corner. “150 bags, 200 bags, who cares! You ignored your own kid over a few cents worth of trash bags! Hazel, I’m not trying to lecture you, but as a person, you shouldn’t be so petty. Think bigger!” “And how many times have I told you to buy decent shampoo for the house? You buy the cheap stuff every time. How am I supposed to go meet clients looking like this?” “And $2.99 underwear! You actually dare to wear that? Aren’t you afraid of getting an infection?” “Hazel, stop looking for ways to suffer when you don’t have to! People who don’t know any better would think I married a homeless beggar!” The more I spoke, the angrier I got. I wanted to smash all the low-quality junk in the house to pieces. Hazel stared at me blankly, her face full of disbelief. Her large eyes brimmed with tears. After venting all my frustrations in one breath, I felt much better. Even the ugly shirt on her looked slightly less offensive. I sighed internally, preparing to soothe her a bit. After all, Hazel still had plenty of good qualities. She never made me worry about any of the household chores. I cleared my throat and softened my tone. “Hazel, can’t you learn a thing or two from Vivian downstairs? Stop buying cheap junk.” Hazel trembled all over. Afraid she was going to start a fight with me again, I quickly added, “What I mean is, life should have a little romance, right? You should put some effort into dressing up instead of looking like an old, worn-out housewife all day.” As soon as the words left my mouth. Hazel suddenly burst into loud laughter. I honestly worried she had gone crazy. “Hahahaha, Arthur Bennett, do you really think it’s because I don’t want to dress up? Stop flattering yourself!” She looked me dead in the eye, her lips quivering: “Let’s get a divorce.” 04 “What?” I asked in sheer disbelief. “I said, we are getting a divorce.” This was the biggest joke of the century. Married for three years, she relied entirely on me to survive. And she actually had the guts to bring up divorce. She had no house, no car, no job. If she left me, she probably wouldn’t even be able to afford a meal. I found it hilarious. “You want a divorce?” “Yes, a divorce!” She said it with absolute certainty. I laughed out of sheer anger. “Fine. We’ll go tomorrow.” I thought she would chicken out. I thought she would apologize and say she was just confused for a moment. But she didn’t. She looked at me calmly and spat out one sentence— “Whoever doesn’t go is a cowardly bastard.” Whoever is a bastard, it certainly wouldn’t be me! If it wasn’t for the fact that she gave birth to my son, I wouldn’t even be willing to support her anymore. Worn-out housewife. I was completely different. I was young, I owned a house, a car, and had a stable job. Willing to dish out a $4,000 monthly allowance, why would I ever worry about finding a beautiful woman who knew how to live nicely, just like Vivian? I sneered at Hazel, who had sat down in silence to eat. “Don’t forget, we are going first thing tomorrow morning.” “Whoever backs out is a bastard!” Hazel didn’t answer. She picked up a piece of catfish with her fork and shoveled a huge bite of rice into her mouth. Even the way she ate looked like a starving ghost reincarnated. Utterly low-class. I scoffed, turned around, and walked out the door. I planned to call some friends out for drinks, but unexpectedly ran into Vivian in the elevator. “Arthur, what a coincidence! Have you eaten yet?” “N-no, not yet. Sorry about the drain cleaner, I forgot to bring it down to you.” Vivian smiled sweetly. “Oh, it’s no big deal. I haven’t eaten either.” I quickly said, “I heard a new buffet opened nearby. Do you want to go try it out together?” Inside the restaurant, Vivian, wearing a flowing maxi dress, walked over with a plate, looking stunningly beautiful. But her plate only held a tiny bit of meat, a salad, and two pieces of pudding. I couldn’t help but advise her: “Vivian, this is a $50 buffet! Don’t be shy, what’s so good about pudding? Go get some seafood!” She pressed her lips together slightly. “This is already quite a lot. I heard their pudding is really good.” Watching her elegantly take small bites of her salad, I couldn’t help but mentally complain about Hazel. When she first got pregnant, we went to a buffet together. Her plates were piled sky-high, and food was shoveled into her stomach like a conveyer belt. Hazel even secretly unbuttoned her pants just so she could eat more. I had originally planned to bring Hazel to this exact $50 buffet for our fourth anniversary. Too bad she didn’t have the blessing to enjoy it, insisting on divorcing me. Now someone else was getting the treat. But for someone like Hazel, it was pearls before swine anyway. 05 At exactly eight o’clock the next morning, I stood at the bedroom door and yelled for Hazel. “Are you ready yet? Or are you planning on being a cowardly bastard…” I was already eagerly anticipating my beautiful future bachelor life. Before I could finish, Hazel opened the door. She was wearing a black tailored skirt suit, with powder on her face and lipstick. It made my eyes light up. I hadn’t seen her dressed up in a very long time. See, I was right. Women need to put effort into dressing up so men find them pleasing to look at. The elevator stopped on the 8th floor, and Vivian walked in wearing a tight yoga outfit. “Morning. This must be your wife, I don’t think we’ve met.” Vivian smiled and greeted us. Hazel kept her head down, looking at her phone, and didn’t say a word. I felt a surge of irritation. Someone was actively greeting her, and she was throwing a petty tantrum! “What wife? We’re getting divorced in a few minutes.” I glared at Hazel. Vivian gave an awkward smile and stopped talking. Standing next to Vivian, Hazel’s black suit squeezed tight against her belly bulge. The leather on her purse was peeling, her black heels were a style from years ago, and her lipstick color was way too bright. The baby pink was totally washing her out, making her look tacky. It gave off a feeling of someone trying way too hard and looking cheap. That fleeting moment of brightness I felt earlier vanished instantly. At the County Clerk’s office, the clerk didn’t even look up as she asked: “Are you both filing for this divorce voluntarily?” I nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes.” She looked at the silent Hazel: “And you? Are you doing this voluntarily?” “Yes.” “Alright, let me see the divorce settlement agreement.” I panicked. “We’re voluntarily getting divorced, why do we need an agreement?” Hazel pulled a document out of her peeling purse and handed it over. “Here it is. It’s already signed.” The clerk read it: “Both parties are divorcing due to irreconcilable differences. The child goes to the wife, the house and car go to the husband, and current savings are split evenly, correct?” I immediately shouted, “I don’t agree to giving her our son!” The clerk frowned. “What are you yelling for? You signed and dated this right here.” Last night, after eating at the buffet, I passed by a hardware store and bought the most expensive drain cleaner, intending to fulfill my promise to Vivian. Then we started drinking and chatting, and before I knew it, I had drank too much. When I got home, Hazel handed me a document. I saw the words “Divorce Agreement” at the top and signed it without even thinking. I never expected this woman to be so calculating… But in a flash of lightning, my thoughts shifted. If Hazel wants the kid, let her take him! Without having to raise a kid, wouldn’t my life be even more luxurious? I could use that $4,000 to find a beautiful, elegant girlfriend. I’ll just buy my son some toys and snacks every now and then. He’s my flesh and blood, it’s not like he won’t acknowledge me as his dad. Thinking of this, I quickly told the clerk, “I was just confused for a second. I agree to the settlement.” Who knew that even with a mutual agreement, we still had to go back and wait out a 30-day cooling-off period. I felt anxious. What if Hazel came to her senses and didn’t want to divorce me anymore? After all, she got to sit around doing nothing all month and take a free $4,000 allowance. But I refused to be dragged down by extra baggage! 06 Coming out of the courthouse, Hazel followed me toward the parking lot. I blocked her path. “We are divorced now. Even though there’s still a final step, it’s basically done. The car belongs to me. If you want a ride, you have to pay gas money.” There was no way I was letting this worn-out housewife ride in my car for free. I thought Hazel would be angry, that she would yell at me, that she would be heartbroken and sad. She just gave me a calm look, turned around, and walked toward the bus stop. Pierced by that look, an inexplicable fire flared up in my chest. What was she acting so high and mighty for? Just wait until she comes crawling back begging to remarry! I went to the supermarket and bought the most expensive electric razor, high-end shampoo, liquor I usually couldn’t bear to buy, and premium fruits like cherries and strawberries, filling several large bags to the brim. When I get back, I’m going to make Hazel die of jealousy! Let’s see her insist on divorcing me then! Wait, the house belongs to me now. I can’t let her stay here anymore. It’s best to make her take all the cheap junk she bought and leave. I don’t want her ruining my high-quality lifestyle. When I got home, Hazel was packing. She didn’t have much luggage. Even after she finished packing, the apartment didn’t look noticeably emptier. I sat on the sofa with my legs crossed, eating sweet cherries. “By the way, don’t forget to take all that cheap trash you bought with you. Filling a $450,000 house with dollar-store garbage… you’re really something!” Hazel was left speechless by my words and packed her things in silence. I chewed on a strawberry. “Where are you going to live? Need me to drive you?” “No need.” “Leo can stay with my mom for now. You can pick him up after you find a place. Otherwise, it’s going to be really hard for a single woman like you. “It really is a pity. I originally planned to add your name to the deed once our son got a little older. We could have been a happy family. “Hey, I’m telling you, premium fruit is expensive for a reason. It really tastes amazing. Want to try some? In case you can never afford it again…” “Arthur Bennett!” Hazel loudly cut me off. “Don’t forget that I used to be able to afford my own cherries!” With that, the front door slammed shut. I froze for a moment. Hazel and I met on a blind date. Back then, she had a stable, respectable job with a great income, but her family was pressuring her hard to get married. When she got pregnant, the doctor said she showed signs of a threatened miscarriage and needed bed rest. She was forced to quit her job to stay home and protect the baby. Back then, she truly was radiant. But so what? The modern era moves so fast. She’s a stay-at-home mom who hasn’t been in the workforce for three years, and her figure is completely out of shape. I refused to believe she had any skills left. Plus, she was already 33 years old. Besides me, no one else would want her. After Hazel left, I ordered the greasy, spicy takeout she usually never let me eat. I sat on the sofa in my street clothes, eating and watching TV. I drank bottle after bottle of beer and flicked my cigarette ashes right into my empty food containers. These were all things Hazel never let me do before. I have to say, the bachelor life was absolute paradise.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “409199”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

For our one-year contract marriage anniversary, my actor husband surprisingly gifted me an exclusive, haute couture necklace. A month later, his “first love” and ex-girlfriend wore the exact same one. He had told me tenderly, “You deserve the best.” Like a fool, I actually posted a picture of it online to show off. Ten minutes later, his younger sister blew up my comments section. “A knockoff daring to show off? Do you really think you’re the main chick now?” “My brother only has Mia in his heart! You’re just a shield. If you know what’s good for you, give that necklace back to the rightful owner.” “And be a good girl and hand over your endorsement deals, or my brother will have you walking out of this marriage with absolutely nothing!” Clicking on her profile, it was flooded with shippers swooning over “My brother and Mia are true love” and “Get lost, fake substitute.” I let out a scoff. “A single necklace? I own the entire brand. You’re telling me I’m wearing a knockoff?” “He looks for a substitute, you play the accomplice. Since you two love acting so much, how about I pull my investments and let you both go unemployed, so you can go play the tragic, star-crossed lovers for real!” 01 Holding the necklace, an indescribable emotion swelled in my chest. This piece, Tear of the Stars, was something I personally designed a month ago. As soon as it was released, my husband, Liam Cross, bought it. Now it was my anniversary gift. I picked up my phone and snapped a photo of it. The caption was simple: “Received a gift from hubby. Feeling good.” Ten minutes later, my phone pinged. I clicked it open; my comments section had already exploded. Chloe Cross’s avatar was at the very top, followed by a long string of text. “A knockoff daring to show off? Do you really think you’re the main chick now? My brother only has Mia in his heart!” “You’re just a shield. If you know what’s good for you, give that necklace back to the rightful owner. And be a good girl and hand over your endorsement deals, or my brother will have you walking out of this marriage with absolutely nothing!” I froze for a second. A knockoff? I’m wearing a necklace I designed myself, and someone is calling it a fake? Now this was getting interesting. I clicked on Chloe’s profile, wanting to see what other brilliant insights she had. As soon as it opened, the screen was filled with photos of her, Liam, and Mia. Around Mia’s neck was the exact same necklace I had in front of me. “My brother and Mia are true love.” “Get lost, fake substitute.” “Once Mia makes her comeback, a certain someone should just roll away.” I scrolled through a few more, finding it increasingly absurd. Who did this little brat think she was? Cupid? Or did she think she was Liam’s manager? I went back to my own post and replied directly to Chloe. “He looks for a substitute, you play the accomplice. Since you two love acting so much, how about I pull my investments and let you both go unemployed, so you can go play the tragic, star-crossed lovers for real!” As soon as I posted that, my phone rang immediately. It was a call from Liam. I answered it. Before I could even speak, I heard Mia’s voice on the other end. “Liam, don’t blame Nora. She probably didn’t know…” Liam hurriedly hung up the phone, followed immediately by a text message. “Chloe is young and immature. Don’t stoop to her level. Delete the post first, it’s a bad look.” I looked at that message and suddenly wanted to laugh. Young and immature? Chloe is in her twenties; how is that young? Furthermore, she was pointing her finger at my nose in my own comments section, calling my necklace a fake and demanding I give it back to Mia. What was his reaction? Telling me to delete the post. Telling me not to stoop to her level. Telling me to smooth things over. And what about Mia? That sentence she said over the phone sounded like she was trying to explain something for me. But thinking about it carefully, she said, “She probably didn’t know.” Didn’t know what? Didn’t know that this necklace was “generously” yielded to me by Mia? Or didn’t know that I, Nora Vance, didn’t even have the right to wear a necklace I designed myself in this house? I called Liam right back. This time, it was a FaceTime call. When Liam answered, he was visibly panicked. He quickly angled the camera away, so I could only see the ceiling. “Nora, listen to my explanation…” “No need to explain.” I cut him off. “Have Chloe delete her comment and apologize to me. Otherwise, she can forget about ever touching any L&W jewelry for the rest of her life.” The other end of the line was quiet for a few seconds. Then Liam’s voice came through, carrying a hint of probing. “Nora, don’t joke around…” “When have I ever joked with you?” I stared at the ceiling on the screen, my tone terrifyingly calm. “Liam, I’m giving you one hour. Make your sister publicly apologize and admit she was wrong.” “Otherwise, do you think losing endorsement deals is the only thing I can make you lose?” With that, I hung up the phone directly. My phone was quiet for a few minutes, then started vibrating wildly. Liam’s calls came in one after another. I declined all of them. 02 I set my phone aside and continued with my work. An hour passed. No news. Two hours passed. Still nothing. As the third hour was about to end, the door lock clicked. Liam was back, carrying takeout from my favorite dim sum place. As he took off his shoes in the entryway, his movements were careful, as if afraid of waking me. “Nora, are you asleep?” I looked up from the sofa. “No, I’m working.” He walked over and placed the takeout on the coffee table. “I brought you a late-night snack. Your favorite shrimp dumplings and sticky rice.” I didn’t move. Liam looked slightly annoyed, as if recalling something. “Are you jealous? That necklace… I only asked Mia to try it on for sizing. It didn’t mean anything else. How was I supposed to know Chloe would take a picture of it, and that you would see it?” I impatiently cut him off. “Where is Chloe’s apology?” Liam sat down across from me, looking exhausted. “Nora, Chloe was indeed wrong, and I’ve already scolded her.” “You scolded her?” I looked at him. “I wanted a public apology.” “She’s still young. Making her apologize publicly would have a huge impact on her reputation.” Liam reached out to touch my hand, but I dodged him. “Besides, blowing this out of proportion isn’t good for anyone. The people online don’t know the truth. If someone with bad intentions uses this, your reputation will suffer too.” I finally understood. He never intended to make Chloe apologize. He came back just to persuade me to let it go. “Liam, do you know why I gave you an ultimatum?” He froze for a moment. “Because I wanted to see who was more important in your heart, me or your sister.” “Now I know.” I stood up, ready to head to the bedroom. Liam hurriedly followed me. “Nora, Mia is facing some difficulties lately. Her agency wants her to take on some endorsements to tide her over.” I stopped in my tracks. “And?” “I was thinking, since you are already Mrs. Cross, with status and position, the L&W endorsement might not be that important to you.” Liam’s voice was very soft, probing. “But for Mia, it could be a turning point in her career.” L&W is a company I founded privately. Following the principle of saving money, I didn’t want to hire other celebrities for endorsements. No one knew I was a shareholder in this company; they only knew me as a little-known, small-time model who somehow snagged a major jewelry brand endorsement. I turned around and looked at Liam. “So what you’re saying is, you want me to give the L&W endorsement to Mia?” “It’s not ‘give,’ it’s…” he searched for the right words, “it’s doing me a favor, and considering it a kind of compensation to her.” “Compensation?” I laughed. “What do I need to compensate her for?” “Nora, you know about my past with Mia. When we broke up, I really owed her a lot.” Liam reached out to hold my hand. “Now that I have the ability, if I can help her out, I can finally put this matter to rest.” I pulled my hand back. “Put this matter to rest? Liam, when we got married, was that in our vows?” A look of awkwardness flashed across his face. “Nora, don’t be like this. We are husband and wife; we should understand each other.” “Understand each other?” “Understand what? Understand that you want to give your wife’s things to your ex-girlfriend, is that it?” 03 I turned around, walked into the bedroom, and locked the door. Through the door, I heard Liam sighing outside. Over the next two days, all sorts of PR articles started appearing online. “Mia Set to Become Global Ambassador for L&W, Career Sees a Second Spring” “Where is the Love Triangle Heading? Insiders Reveal Liam and Mia Never Truly Broke Up” “Liam and Mia’s Unresolved Love Story: Netizens Say ‘We’re Shipping It’” I scrolled through these articles. Every single one was written as if it were absolute fact. As if the L&W endorsement was already set in stone for Mia. There were even gossip accounts analyzing how Mia’s value would multiply after taking the L&W endorsement. On the evening of the third day, Liam called me again. “Nora, I’ve made reservations at a restaurant for tomorrow night.” I was in the middle of a video conference and signaled my assistant to pause. “Which restaurant?” “The one we usually go to. I invited Mia and Chloe. I hope you can come too.” Liam’s voice sounded very tired. “Let’s sit down and have a good talk to resolve this peacefully.” “Resolve this peacefully?” I leaned back in my chair. “Liam, given the current situation, what do you think I need to discuss with them?” “Nora, do me this one favor, please?” His voice held a pleading tone. “Chloe is indeed young and arrogant, speaking without thinking. But she also cares about me and doesn’t want to see me caught in the middle.” “As for Mia, she has never actively sought to cause you any trouble. This whole incident has been harder on her than anyone else.” Listening to his words, I suddenly found it highly amusing. “So, the dinner tomorrow is meant for me to hand the endorsement contract to Mia in person?” “It’s not like that…” “Or is it for me to apologize to Chloe in person? Because I hurt her brother and sister-in-law?” The other end of the line was quiet for a few seconds. “Nora, you know I don’t mean that.” “Then what do you mean?” “I just hope we can go back to how things were. You know, during this first year of marriage, we’ve gotten along very well.” Gotten along very well. I thought back over the past year. Every time he went on a business trip, he brought me a gift. I remembered how he would remember my favorite restaurants and order me late-night snacks when I worked overtime. I remembered how he would occasionally sit in the living room with me to watch a movie, even though he spent most of the time looking at his phone. This was what he called getting along very well. Holding onto my last shred of hope for him. I said okay. “What time tomorrow?” I heard Liam let out a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. “Seven o’clock, the usual place. Nora, thank you.” 04 The next afternoon, just as I walked out of my company building, my phone pinged. It was a push notification. I tapped it casually, and a live stream notification popped up on the screen: “Chloe Cross Tearfully Reveals the Heartbreak of High Society; Innocent Goddess Mia Brutally Suppressed by Capital.” I stopped walking. A live stream? I clicked into it. There were already over a hundred thousand people in the stream. Chloe sat in front of the camera, her eyes red and swollen, tear stains still on her face. She was wearing a plain dress, looking delicate and pitiful. “Does everyone know? Some people rely on their wealth and power to bully others whenever they want.” Chloe choked back sobs facing the camera. “My brother is a good man. He is gentle to everyone, including that woman. But what about that woman? She actually stole the necklace meant for Mia, and she’s trying to steal Mia’s endorsement too!” The live chat started scrolling rapidly. “What’s going on?” “Liam’s sister?” “Who bullied you?” I gripped my phone, feeling the blood rush to my head. Chloe continued her tearful complaint: “That necklace was specially designed by my brother for Mia. But that woman not only snatched it and wore it, she also claimed the brand was hers! Is there anyone more shameless in this world?” “She even threatened my brother, saying she’d make him leave with nothing! Our Liam is such a good person, why should he suffer like this?” The chat exploded. “Holy shit, what kind of evil stepmother vibe is this?” “Liam’s wife?” “Stealing a necklace and acting so arrogant?” My hands began to tremble. Not from anger, but from being utterly infuriated. A necklace specially designed for Mia? That was the design sketch I personally drew a month ago! Right then, a co-host notification appeared in the live stream. “Mia is joining the stream!” Chloe immediately wiped her tears. “Please don’t attack Mia, she hasn’t done anything wrong!” The screen split, and Mia appeared on the other half. Her makeup was very light, her eyes red, her hair slightly messy, looking utterly haggard. “Chloe, don’t say anymore…” Mia’s voice carried a sob. “Nora didn’t mean it. It’s all my fault.” “I shouldn’t have reappeared in Liam’s life. I shouldn’t have caused you two to fight because of me.” The chat was instantly flooded with “Heartbroken for Mia.” Mia faced the camera, tears streaming down her cheeks: “Please everyone, don’t attack Nora. She just loves Liam too much. Love makes people lose their minds, I understand that.” “That necklace… if Nora likes it, let her have it. And the endorsement, I never deserved it in the first place.” “I’m willing to step down. I don’t want anything. I just ask her to treat Liam better.” “Liam is a good man; he shouldn’t be caught in the middle suffering because of us.” I almost smashed my phone. With acting skills like that, the Academy owes her an Oscar. The chat went completely insane. “Mia is too kind!” “What kind of evil bitch bullies such a sweet girl!” “Who is Liam’s wife? Dox her!” “#CancelNoraVance” “#EvilCapitalistBitchGetOut” I looked at those comments, each one stabbing at my heart like a knife. How were they painting me? A homewrecker stealing someone else’s feelings? An evil bitch abusing her power? A greedy woman stealing someone else’s necklace? My phone started vibrating wildly. Calls from unknown numbers came pouring in one after another. I answered one. “Are you Nora Vance? You shameless bitch!” I hung up immediately. Another call came in. “Get out of the entertainment industry! Stop bullying Mia!” I turned my phone off completely. But the text messages kept flooding in. “Evil bitch go die!” “Give back the necklace!” “Disgusting homewrecker!” I sat in my car, feeling like the whole world was turning against me with malice. I was the one who had done nothing wrong. I was the one who had been deceived. I was the one who had been schemed against. Why was the entire internet cursing me now? My phone buzzed again. This time it was a WeChat message. Liam. “Nora, are you satisfied now? Did you really have to make this so ugly?” “The internet is blowing up. Do you know how much this will impact my career?” “Get to the restaurant immediately and apologize to Mia and Chloe, or face the consequences!” I stared at the message and suddenly laughed. Apologize? He wants me to apologize to them? I’m the one they teamed up to frame, and now he wants me to apologize? I turned my phone back on and dialed a number. “Mr. Liu, it’s me.” “Help me prepare the highest-level press conference for L&W Group. Tomorrow morning at 10 AM.” “A press conference? Ms. Vance, what happened?” “Also, notify Starlight Studios, which we just acquired, to terminate all collaborations with Liam Cross. We will bear the breach of contract fees.” The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. “Ms. Vance, isn’t Liam Cross your…” “Not starting from right now.” “And contact the PR Director. Tell her I want the entire internet to know what true capitalist power looks like.”