Category: English

I have been raising my nephew, James Taylor, on my own for five years since his mother, my brother’s ex-girlfriend, left. Little did I know that his mother was the heiress to a billionaire. When the billionaire found out I was taking care of the child, he wired a hundred million dollars directly to me. At the same time, my dad texted me, saying my sister-in-law had a miscarriage. I immediately replied that I would quit my job and come back to help, but before I could send another message, I found myself blocked. I tried messaging my mom, brother, and sister-in-law, but they all blocked me too. Thinking something serious had happened, I rushed home. To my surprise, as I reached the door, I overheard my sister-in-law complaining: “In this heat, they’re making me run around after a miscarriage to transfer property. Are they trying to make my life hell?” My mom replied, “Isn’t it all for your own good? She quit her job and brought a child back, what good can come from that?” My sister-in-law sneered, “She’s bringing a kid home to take over the house? It’s not the thief stealing that’s scary, but the thief thinking about stealing! I don’t want to live with such a burden.”

Standing outside the door, listening to their conversation, my heart sank. I treated them like family, yet they treated me as an outsider. The midday sun was blazing, but I felt chilled to the bone. I stood frozen at the door, unable to find the courage to step inside, even though it was right in front of me. After a long while, drenched in sweat, little Charlie squeezed my hand and asked, “Mom, why aren’t we going in?” I snapped back to reality and knocked on my family’s door. My mom opened the door, looking surprised to see me and Charlie: “Emily, you’re back! Why didn’t you let us know earlier? It’s such a hot day; don’t get heatstroke.” She stood blocking the entrance, showing no intention of inviting me in. I suppressed my hurt feelings and asked, “Mom, what does this mean? You’re not letting me in?” Caught off guard, my mom gave an awkward laugh and hesitated before stepping aside: “Of course not! You’re more than welcome, come in.” I held Charlie’s hand as we entered the house I hadn’t seen in five years and headed straight for my room. As soon as I opened the door, I found a stranger in the room. Everything that once belonged to me was gone, replaced by new furnishings. I turned to my mom and asked, “Mom, what’s going on?” She apologized to the person inside and closed the door. Pulling me aside, she whispered, “You’ve been away for so long, I thought why leave the room empty when we can rent it out and earn some extra income.” I asked, “Then where are my things? Where did you put them?” Without a hint of guilt, my mom replied: “As you can see, there’s no space at home. We threw away what couldn’t be used and gave away what could, found them a good home.” I felt deeply wronged: “Mom, you knew I stayed away for five years to take care of…” Before I could finish, my mom rushed to cover my mouth. My dad, hearing this, looked at me and said, “Little Emily doesn’t know about this yet. She’s just had a miscarriage; don’t stress her out!” Seeing my parents’ reaction was like a knife to my heart. It felt as if they and my sister-in-law were the family, and I was just an outsider. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at the floor, trying not to let them fall. “So, where will the child and I stay?” I asked, unwilling to give up. Avoiding my gaze, my mom stammered: “You see, there’s really no room at home. How about you find a place outside to stay?” Seeing I didn’t respond, she continued: “I have three hundred dollars here; it should be enough for you to stay somewhere cheap with the child for a few days. “Oh, and the new pavilion in the park is nice and cool at night. You and Charlie could each take a side, enjoy the view and sleep—it’s a natural scenic room and saves money!” Her words made me laugh, fueled by anger: “So, the house I paid for has a room rented to strangers, and I can’t even have a place to stay. Is that what you’re saying?”

Hearing the commotion, my sister-in-law came over: “Oh, I thought it was some stray dog barking outside, annoying me. Turns out it’s my sister-in-law. “The real owner of the house is back with her kid, making a fuss for a room. Looks like she’s bent on kicking me out!” I let it go, considering her mood after the miscarriage. Just then, my brother came home, paused when he saw me with the child: “Emily, why did you come back suddenly? Why didn’t you tell me so I could pick you up?” I asked him, “While I was away, my room was rented to strangers. Where will the child and I stay now?” Without hesitation, my brother said, “You’re my sister. Now that you’re back, even if I have to pay a penalty to the tenant, I’ll make room for you. “If he refuses, my wife and I can stay with friends for a few days. This is your home; you won’t be without a place to stay.” His words warmed my heart, reminding me that my brother was still as good to me as five years ago. I nodded and said, “Alright, let’s do that.” My brother, surprised by my quick response, stood there unsure of what to do. My sister-in-law couldn’t hold back and shouted: “Emily, are you really that clueless? Can’t you see no one wants you here? Do I have to spell it out for you? “I just had a miscarriage, and you bring your kid home. What’s the deal? Mocking me for not being able to have kids, showing off, and taking over my nest?” I bit my lip and trembled as I replied: “Sister-in-law, my family is here. Why can’t I stay at home?” She looked at me with disdain, as if looking at garbage: “The problem is you don’t even see you have a problem. You claim to be a non-marital advocate, yet you had a child out of wedlock. “And now you have the nerve to bring him home and live under the same roof as your married brother. Aren’t you afraid of ruining our family’s reputation?” I looked at my brother; his eyes darted everywhere, avoiding mine. I looked at my mom; she scratched her head and picked her nails, not standing up for me at all. My dad turned up the TV volume, acting completely detached. My sister-in-law’s outburst made me realize something. Did my parents and brother not tell my sister-in-law that James is my brother’s child with his ex-girlfriend? Are they teaming up to kick me out? My heart felt like it was being torn apart, bleeding slowly. Painful, itchy, and numb. I looked at them in disbelief: “Why are you treating me like this? Aren’t we family? Aren’t we blood-related?” Tears choked my voice, but they remained unmoved. My sister-in-law quickly responded: “You’re raising a child and just quit your job. Have you thought about whether any company will hire you again? “You can’t earn a penny, yet you come home to fight your brother for a house. At least the tenant pays rent—can you? “Have you thought about how you and the child living here will only become a burden to us?”

Her words made me sway, and I leaned against the cabinet to steady myself: “So, to you, I’m not part of this family, but just an extra? You see me as a burden, so you want to throw me away like trash?” My mom finally spoke: “You finally get it. You bring a child back, and we suddenly have two more mouths to feed. We really can’t afford it. “We could rely on the tenant for some income, but if we drive them away for you, we’d have nothing to live on.” I looked at my mom with a bitter smile: “You call me a burden? Wasn’t it you and Andrew Taylor who begged me to help him raise the child? “I lent you the second-hand apartment I bought for my retirement, while I rented a place to raise my brother’s child for five years. “And now, just because I quit my job to bring the child home, to live in my own room, you want to kick me out. Do you think that’s fair to me?” My sister-in-law’s eyes widened in anger: “What did you say? This child is Andrew’s?! “No way, that’s impossible; you must be lying!” She grabbed my mom’s arm: “Mom, what’s really going on?!” “I lent you the villa I bought for my retirement, and I went out to rent a place for my brother’s son, whom I’ve been looking after for five years. “Now, just because I resigned and returned home with the child to stay in my own room, you want to throw me out. Do you really think that’s fair?” My sister-in-law’s eyes were wide with anger: “What did you say? This child belongs to Andrew Taylor?! “No, that can’t be true, you must be lying!” She grabbed my mom’s arm: “Mom, what’s happening here?” My mom shot me a fierce glare and tried to calm her: “Emily is just upset about being thrown out and is talking nonsense. How could this child be Andrew’s?” I watched them with a cold smile and said: “He is Andrew’s son with his ex-girlfriend. If you don’t believe me, you can do a paternity test.” My dad stormed over with a grim face and slapped me: “You just can’t keep quiet, can you? Always causing trouble! Do you think you have a say in this family? Get out!” I was stunned, frozen in place. He had never hit me before. He had always stood up for me. But this time, he took the opposite side. My brother couldn’t hold back anymore and revealed his true feelings: “Can you stop harping on about this? You’ve helped me with the child for five years, do you plan to keep bringing it up forever? You’re really making me feel ashamed. “I’ve started a new family, what am I supposed to do? Why are you so selfish? Can’t you consider me a bit? You’re into non-marital philosophy, so what’s wrong with helping me out with the kid? “Besides, if I raised the child with Olivia, who knows what people would say about her. Since everyone thinks Charlie is your illegitimate son, just keep raising him. Your reputation is already bad, why drag someone else down?” I poured my heart into raising my brother’s child, giving both money and effort, and this is how it ends! He’s worried about what people might say about Olivia, but not about tarnishing his unmarried sister’s reputation. He just doesn’t care about me. I looked at my brother coldly and said: “If you’re so considerate, why haven’t you paid a dime in child support for five years? “When you asked me to help raise the child, did you think about the problems I’d face as an unmarried woman raising a kid? “You’re the irresponsible one, yet I’m the one cleaning up after you, and you have the nerve to blame me for not considering you?” Five years ago, my brother knelt before me: “Sis, my ex-girlfriend threatened that if I don’t raise this child, she’ll accuse me of a crime. “Since you’re not interested in marriage, raising my son means you won’t have to worry about your own retirement.” My parents begged too: “He’s your only brother. Can you bear to see him tied down so early? Anyway, you’re not interested in marriage and won’t have kids, so just help him out!” I didn’t want to get married, let alone raise a kid. But seeing my brother kneel and his forehead bruised, I softened: “I can help raise him for now, but once you can, I’ll return him to you.” My brother agreed immediately and even hugged me, saying I was the best sister in the world. Who would’ve thought he’d get married without taking the kid? I watched him and his wife live happily, unwilling to cause trouble, and ended up raising the kid for five years. I gave my all to raise Charlie, never asking my brother for a cent. I ignored all the gossip and bore all the malice in silence. I gave money and effort, and in the end, this is what I got. What does family mean? Is it about holding you close when useful and tossing you away like trash when not? Can that still be called family? I suddenly couldn’t understand anymore. After I spoke, my brother complained: “You helped me raise Charlie for five years, and I’ve thanked you countless times. What more do you want? Should I light incense and worship you every day? “Olivia just had a miscarriage and needs rest. This house isn’t yours anymore. You barging in scared her, and we’re being polite by not kicking you out immediately. “Also, you quit and have a kid, but we don’t have extra money for unrelated people. Pack your things and find a place to stay, or you’ll be sleeping on the streets soon.” To my brother, whatever I did for him was my duty, and a simple thank you was enough for my five years of hardship. Now that I’ve quit and am dependent, I’m a shameless burden. My mom chimed in: “You claim to be into non-marital philosophy, which is already unfilial. Honestly, by not marrying or having kids, what’s your purpose? Did we raise you just so you could bring a kid home to freeload? “Given you helped your brother with his son, your dad and I didn’t say anything, treating you as family. But now you’re overstepping by wanting to move in, so don’t blame us for being ruthless in kicking you out.” My sister-in-law, pale, leaned against Andrew and said: “Whether Charlie is Andrew’s son doesn’t matter to me. Since you’ve raised him all these years, he’s your son. “I hope you have the sense to take him and leave by cab tonight, so you don’t upset me anymore.” My dad turned off the TV, looked at me coldly, and said: “You’re over thirty, yet still so troublesome. Since you dared to quit, you should bear the consequences, not us. There’s no free lunch in the world.” Their words numbed my once-pained heart. I looked at them, disappointed, and said: “Are you all determined to force me out of this house today?” They answered in unison: “Yes!” They were resolute and determined to sever ties with me. It seemed there was no room for reconciliation. I gave up completely: “Fine, since you’re so determined, I have no attachments. “From today on, we part ways. If we meet again, we’re strangers!” I finally saw clearly. A mere “resignation” revealed this cold-blooded family. They didn’t deserve my years of sacrifice, nor did they deserve the hundred million I initially intended to share with them. With that, I took Charlie’s hand and left without looking back. Chapter 5 After leaving home, Charlie and I wandered aimlessly on the street. Charlie seemed to sense my emotions, shook my hand, and looked up at me: “Mom, don’t be sad. You still have me.” Seeing Charlie so considerate warmed my heart a bit. Yes, I still have Charlie. I’m not entirely alone. Since they refuse to acknowledge Charlie, he will have nothing to do with them. Thinking back on these five years, Charlie endured so much with me, yet gained nothing in return. I picked up my phone and booked a presidential suite at the most luxurious hotel in the city. After putting Charlie to sleep, I lay on the bed, pondering where things went wrong.

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In my previous life, my stepmother secretly changed my college application, sending me to a low-ranking community college. In my previous life, I sold the copyright of my novel for five million dollars, but my stepsister falsely accused me of plagiarism. In my previous life, my stepsister killed me and inherited my property without consequences. But now, I’ve been reborn, and I’m going to make my stepmother and stepsister pay… I was pushed off the roof by my sister Sophia. It was the 28th floor, and I died instantly. After my death, I became a wandering spirit, unsure where to go. I stood among the crowd, watching my lifeless body within the police cordon, listening to the murmurs around me. “I heard it was the daughter from the sixth floor. She just started college, so young and yet she decided to end it all.” “Which one from the sixth floor? Don’t they have two daughters?” “It’s the older one. I just saw the younger one a moment ago.” Soon after, my mom came down, with Sophia close behind. As soon as my mom arrived, she collapsed on the ground, wailing loudly. Sophia covered her face, sobbing quietly. I walked over, wanting to comfort my mom, to tell her I didn’t commit suicide. But I couldn’t. I was just a spirit now. My mom, Olivia, started crying out, “Emma, why did you do this? What could have been so bad that you couldn’t talk to me about it? Why did you jump? How am I going to explain this to your father?” People around her tried to help her up, consoling her. But as I stood in front of her, I could clearly see that there wasn’t a single tear on her face. I couldn’t bear to watch anymore. I turned and went back upstairs. Looking at the familiar surroundings of our home, I desperately tried to recall my memories of living here, but I couldn’t find a single happy memory. I returned to my room, curled up in the corner. I was dead now, and I didn’t know what would happen to me next. Would the grim reaper come for me? Or would I be reincarnated directly? Or would I just remain like this, a wandering spirit in the human world? The despair of death and the fear of the unknown, coupled with a sense of loneliness, all crashed over me at once. I don’t know how much time passed, but I heard the sound of the front door opening. I went out to see my mom and sister returning. As soon as they entered, Sophia collapsed on the floor. “Mom, I’m scared.” My mom rushed to help her up. “What happened? Don’t be afraid, Sophia. Tell mom, and I’ll help you solve it.” “Mom, I killed someone. I pushed Emma off the roof.” Olivia’s eyes widened in horror. She quickly covered Sophia’s mouth and pulled her into the bedroom. “What happened? Sophia, how could you do such a thing?” Sophia briefly explained what had happened. “I didn’t mean to, Mom. I didn’t mean to kill her. I just wanted to scare her.” “What are we going to do? Will the police come for me?” “Don’t worry, Sophia. Don’t be afraid. As long as I’m here, I won’t let anything happen to you.” “What about Dad? He only has one daughter.” My mind went blank. What did Sophia just say? Dad only has one daughter? How could that be? Then I heard Olivia continue, “When your dad married me, he promised that as long as I treated Emma well, he would treat you like his own daughter.” “All these years, I’ve been pretending in front of your dad, and he’s always been good to you. He won’t suspect you.” “It’s good that little bitch is dead, just like her mother who died early. Now there won’t be anyone in our way anymore, and all her property will be ours.” These words hit me like a thunderbolt. Hearing this, what else was there not to understand? Olivia was not my real mother, and Sophia was not my real sister. No wonder they had always treated me poorly. No wonder Olivia always favored Sophia. No wonder Sophia didn’t share my dad’s surname. Just as I was thinking this, my dad came home. My dad was a long-haul truck driver, usually very busy with work and often not at home. As soon as my dad entered, Olivia went to greet him, putting on an act and starting to cry. “Jack, you’re finally back. What are we going to do? How could Emma think of ending her life like this?” After I had the accident, they had called my dad, and he had rushed back from out of town. He pulled his hand away and walked into my room without a word. I followed him in, watching as my dad locked the door, picked up the doll by my pillow, and sat on the edge of my bed. He just sat there, and soon tears were streaming down his face. He took a photo out of his wallet. I leaned in closer and saw that the woman in the photo looked a lot like me. I knew that must be my birth mother. My dad looked at the photo, repeating over and over, “Xiao Yun, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”

My dad sat in my room all night, and I sat beside him, listening all night. He said so much to the photo. This was the first time I had heard my dad talk so much. He talked about how he met my birth mother, how they fell in love. He talked about how she insisted on giving birth to me despite the doctors’ and everyone else’s objections. He talked about how when I was little, I always pestered him for a mother, which was why he married Olivia. He said I looked a lot like her, talked about how much he missed her, and about how much he had failed me all these years. It was as if all these words were meant for me to hear, answering all my questions. By daybreak, I saw that my dad’s hair had turned noticeably grayer overnight. Suddenly, I lost consciousness, and when I woke up, I was in the afterlife. I heard someone say, “Number 7628, it’s time for your reincarnation.” But I didn’t want to be reincarnated. I didn’t speak, just lowered my head and cried, from silent tears to loud sobs. My crying angered the judge of the afterlife, who punished me by sending me to copy scriptures. Looking at the pen and ink on the table, I chose to compromise. I copied the scriptures day and night, channeling my hatred, sorrow, and resentment, along with my curses for Olivia and Sophia, into the energy I poured into the scriptures. I don’t know how long I copied for, until my strength was exhausted and my spirit began to dissipate… I heard someone calling my name. I fought against the drowsiness and struggled to open my eyes. Suddenly, I was startled. Where was I? Wasn’t I copying scriptures? How did I end up in my room? I sat up abruptly, looking around. I gradually realized that I had been reborn. I picked up my phone and turned on the screen. I had actually gone back to a year ago. I quickly got out of bed, wanting to open the door, but found it locked. I remembered now. Today was the day I was supposed to submit my college applications. In my previous life, the door suddenly wouldn’t open, so Olivia and Sophia went to school to submit my applications for me. They had deliberately locked me in the house, then took the application forms I had filled out in advance and went to school to submit them for me. What I didn’t expect was that they had actually changed my applications. In the end, with scores that could have gotten me into a top university, I ended up at the same third-rate college as my sister. I still remember in my previous life, when I got my acceptance letter, I asked Olivia why this college had admitted me. “Oh, how did this happen? I must have mixed up the application forms and used your sister’s by mistake. Mom didn’t mean to, you won’t blame mom, right?” In my previous life, I was so naive that I comforted myself, making excuses for her in my mind. Now I realize how stupid I was back then. In my previous life, it wasn’t until just before I died that I learned from Sophia’s own mouth that Olivia and Sophia had deliberately changed my applications. This time, knowing everything, I absolutely won’t fall into the same trap again. Outside the door, Olivia was calling my name. “Emma, why won’t this door open? We need to go to school soon to submit your applications.” I played along, pretending to be very anxious. “I don’t know either, the door just suddenly won’t open. What should we do?” “How about this, Emma, give me your application forms, and I’ll go submit them for you.” “Okay, I guess that’s the only way. Please make sure you don’t fill them out wrong.” “Don’t worry, your sister will be there to help too.”

After they left, I went back to bed to catch up on sleep. There were three days for submitting applications, and it wasn’t necessary to go to school to do it. But obviously, Olivia and Sophia didn’t know this, otherwise they wouldn’t have let me out the next day in my previous life to go work at my uncle’s supermarket. I have an uncle who owns a supermarket. He and his family have always been good to me. His name is Mike, and I guess he must be my real uncle. Since I was little, Olivia often sent me to stay with Uncle Mike. Later, when I started middle school, I would help out at Uncle Mike’s supermarket every weekend. But Uncle Mike never really made me do any work. Usually, I just did my homework there and tutored his daughter, Chloe. It wasn’t until one time when I discovered that Olivia had been asking Uncle Mike for my wages that I had an argument with her about it. That was also the first time I had ever argued with Olivia. I confronted her, asking why she was asking Uncle Mike for money. When it came to money, she didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. “You’re working at your uncle’s place, what’s wrong with me asking for some money?” “But Uncle Mike never made me do any work. They even give me pocket money.” Olivia acted like it was perfectly normal. “I sent you there to work. If he doesn’t make you work, that’s his business, but your wages should come to me, every cent of it.” I was heartbroken by her words. “What about Sophia? Why do you never send her to work at Uncle Mike’s?” Seeing that I was getting emotional, she started to explain in a conciliatory tone. “Your sister isn’t in good health, she can’t do heavy work. Besides, Sophia isn’t as good at studying as you are, she needs to take extra classes, so she doesn’t have time to go.” In my previous life, I always thought it was because Sophia was more likable, which was why mom favored her. I tried hard to make mom approve of me. Now I realize how ridiculous I was back then. … The door to my room wasn’t opened until the next day. During this time, I hadn’t eaten a single meal. Early the next morning, I went to Uncle Mike’s without even eating breakfast. As a result, I fainted at Uncle Mike’s doorstep due to low blood sugar. When I woke up, the first thing I saw was the worried expressions on Uncle Mike and Aunt Linda’s faces. Suddenly, a wave of emotion washed over me, and tears started streaming down my face. Seeing me cry, they both panicked, not knowing what to do. “What’s wrong, Emma? Where does it hurt? Tell Aunt Linda.” She reached out to feel my forehead. “Does your head hurt?” I held onto Aunt Linda’s hand. “Uncle Mike, Aunt Linda, don’t worry. I’m not feeling unwell. I just missed you both.” I told them that I knew Olivia was my stepmother, and also told them about how badly my stepmother had treated me all these years. When I was very young, Olivia started making me wash clothes and cook. Whenever my dad wasn’t home, I was basically responsible for all the housework. Even in the cold winter, she wouldn’t let me use hot water to wash clothes or dishes. I had asked before why I had to do all these things while Sophia didn’t have to do anything. Olivia always brushed me off with excuses like “the older sister should look after the younger sister.” After hearing this, Uncle Mike was so angry he wanted to confront Olivia and Sophia right away, but Aunt Linda and I stopped him. Then they revealed the truth to me. “Your mother’s name was Lily. She and your dad were very much in love.” “When your mom was pregnant with you, she was diagnosed with a tumor. The doctors advised her to terminate the pregnancy, but your mom insisted on giving birth to you. Shortly after you were born, she passed away.” “Later, it was your dad who asked us to keep this from you. He said he hoped you could grow up healthy and happy like other children. Who would have thought Olivia would turn out to be such a cruel person.” After learning all this, I told them about the college application issue. “Uncle Mike, I need your help with something urgent now. I’ll deal with Olivia’s matters myself later.” I asked Uncle Mike to bring his computer, and I started filling out my college applications. When Uncle Mike saw the schools Olivia had applied to for me, he was both furious and filled with self-blame. After changing my applications, I also bought a few hidden cameras online, planning to place them around the house. So, under the guise of a part-time job, I stayed at Uncle Mike’s house. During this time, I went home twice to get clothes. This summer vacation was the happiest I had experienced in many years. At Uncle Mike’s house, I didn’t have to do any chores. I only needed to tutor Chloe a bit. Chloe was in her junior year of high school, and her studies were quite good, so tutoring her was particularly easy. Uncle Mike even bought me a computer so I could continue writing my novel.

I have a hobby of writing novels, which also earns me some pocket money. In my previous life, my novel caught the attention of a film production company during my freshman year of college. They bought the copyright to my novel. It suddenly gave me a windfall of five million dollars, and it was precisely this money that ultimately led to my demise. When I received this money, I excitedly told Olivia about it. However, when Sophia found out, she started accusing me of plagiarism, spreading rumors around the school that she had written the novel. At that time, I didn’t know how to explain. Although I could provide evidence, I kept quiet out of consideration for Sophia being my sister. Until that day at home, I asked Sophia to meet me on the rooftop to clear up the misunderstanding, but Sophia’s attitude was very poor. As we talked, an argument broke out, and in the end, she accidentally pushed me off. Although Sophia didn’t intentionally push me in my previous life, I won’t let her off easily this time. … That day, when the admission results were posted on various school websites, Olivia surprisingly called me, asking which school I had been admitted to. To avoid raising suspicion, I pretended to be sad and told her that I had been admitted to the same school as Sophia. I even thoughtfully provided an excuse for Olivia, “Did you perhaps mix up the application forms when you were filling them out?” After I said this, there was a two-second pause on the other end. Then, pretending as if she had just realized, Olivia said regretfully, “Oh no, I must have filled it out wrong by mistake.” “Well, there’s no way to change it now. We’ll just have to accept it. Don’t blame yourself, I don’t hold it against you.” After hanging up the phone, I checked the surveillance cameras at home and saw this conversation: Sophia asked eagerly, “Mom, how did it go? Which school did that little bitch get into?” “Little bitch” – that’s what Olivia and Sophia called me in private. Olivia burst out laughing, “That idiot actually thinks I made a mistake filling out her application. She even said she doesn’t blame me. It’s hilarious how stupid she is.” “She got into the same school as you. If I had known she’d be this easy to fool, I would have just put down a community college for that little bitch.” The mother and daughter laughed happily, using every vile word they could think of to curse me. I closed the video, saved the recording, and continued writing my novel. The acceptance letters were sent to the school. My letter arrived a few days before Sophia’s, so they didn’t find out. The day I got my acceptance letter, Uncle Mike’s family took me out to celebrate. Uncle Mike even allowed me to have some alcohol. Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but I became emotional and felt like crying again. I felt that this time, I had finally gotten into the university I wanted. I asked Uncle Mike to take me to my mom’s grave. Looking at the smiling woman in the photo on the tombstone, she seemed as gentle as a spring breeze and as warm as the sun. I imagined my mom must have been a very gentle person. She must have loved me very much. If she were still alive, I would surely be the happiest child in the world. I placed flowers in front of the grave. “Mom, it’s been a long time. I’ve come to see you. I’m sorry I forgot about you all these years and called someone else ‘mom’ for over a decade.” “Uncle Mike says you were a wonderful person. You were so good, you surely won’t be angry with me, right?” I wiped the tears from my face and took out my acceptance letter. “Mom, I got into a really good university. I wish you were still here. I heard my school is very big and beautiful. I really wish I could take you and dad to see it.” “Dad and I both misjudged people before, but we won’t anymore. I promise I’ll live a good life from now on. I won’t let your sacrifice in giving birth to me be in vain.”

Summer vacation ended quickly. My university was in Beijing, while Sophia’s low-ranking college was in our hometown. Our school started earlier, so I packed up and went to register at the university early. When Sophia sent me a message asking when I was leaving, I was already lying on my bed in the dorm at A University. I ignored her message and continued chatting with my roommates. All four people in the dorm were easy to get along with. I thought about my roommates from my previous life – they smoked, drank, fought, cheated on exams, loved to gossip behind others’ backs, and created eight group chats for six people, never inviting me to any of them. Back then, I thought I couldn’t fit into that dorm because of me. Now I understand that circle wasn’t suitable for me. We were just different types of people. Sophia sent me many messages, but I didn’t reply to any of them. Half an hour later, Olivia called. I went to the balcony to answer the call. Her tone had barely contained irritation. “Emma, where are you? Why aren’t you replying to your sister’s messages?” “I was just chatting with my roommates and didn’t notice.” “Roommates? Which building is your dorm in? Your dad is here too. Come out, let’s have a family dinner together.” “You know, your dad was originally planning to send you two together. Your sister wanted to come to school with you. Why did you leave without a word and have your uncle send you instead?” As she spoke more and more enthusiastically, I interrupted her, “I’m in Beijing. I can’t have dinner with you.” There was a pause on the other end, then disbelief, “Beijing? Why are you in Beijing? Are you not going to school?” “No, I’m not. Uncle Mike found me a job in Beijing. Room and board provided, 3,500 a month.” That evening, I received a call from my dad. He sounded upset. “Emma, is it true what your mom said about you not going to university?” I knew my dad would definitely call to ask about this, so I had prepared what to say in advance. “Dad, it’s not that I’m not going to school. But what I’m about to tell you, I hope you can keep it a secret and not tell anyone.” “Then what’s the real reason? Tell me, I promise I’ll keep it secret.” “On the day of submitting applications, mom went to help me fill them out. The next day when I logged into the system to check, I found out mom had accidentally filled in Sophia’s choices for me.” “Luckily I changed it back in time. Mom feels very guilty about this, so I want to give her a surprise. Please don’t tell her or Sophia for now.” I sent my dad my acceptance letter and photos of me with Uncle Mike’s family at the school gate. This finally convinced him. “Alright, I’ve neglected you kids a lot these past few years because of work. It’s thanks to your mom that she’s been taking care of the family all this time.” “I’ll do as you say and keep it a secret. Beijing is expensive, so I’ll give you more money each month from now on.” I felt that my dad still had some suspicions about Olivia. All these years, he had kept control of the family finances. My dad transferred our living expenses and tuition directly to Sophia and me, so Olivia never had a chance to interfere with that. But she took all the money I earned working at Uncle Mike’s to buy things for Sophia. For this summer’s wages, I still had Uncle Mike give it all to Olivia, and when transferring the money, he noted “Emma’s wages.” Olivia used this money to buy Sophia a new phone. I saw all of this in the surveillance videos. The reason I didn’t tell my dad the truth was that I wanted to gather more evidence. I wanted to make sure Olivia and Sophia had no chance of turning things around. And right now, the most important thing for me was to live my own life well. After military training ended, I began my busy college life. My roommates and I joined the student union together. We actively participated in various competitions at school, studied hard, and I still kept up with writing my novel every day. Because I had written the novel in my previous life, it was going very smoothly this time. I even improved the plot. So my monthly income was more than before. Everything seemed to be telling me that my life was heading in a good direction… I followed the confession wall of Sophia’s school. Sophia was very pretty, with an innocent look. So there were often people confessing to her on the wall. She was also very good at presenting herself as peaceful and aloof in front of others, so she was popular with the opposite sex. In my previous life, she was already famous at school, and it was the same in this life. But I knew some of her little secrets, which I had discovered by chance in my previous life.

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I was diagnosed with cancer, and my son’s gold-digging girlfriend immediately took all our family’s money. She even declared that it was all her money, and I couldn’t spend a penny of it even if I died on the street. This ultimately caused me to miss the best treatment opportunity, and my condition worsened, leaving me with little time left. Filled with grief and anger, I pulled her down with me as I jumped off a building to our deaths. When I opened my eyes again, I had traveled back in time to when I first met the gold-digging girlfriend. Surprisingly, I could even hear her thoughts. It was then that I discovered the gold-digger wasn’t her at all. “Jack said his mom wouldn’t even look at a bracelet under 5.000, but the one I bought was only 800.Still, it took me an entire semester of part-time work to save up for it. I gave it to her a few days ago, but I haven’t seen his mom wearing it. I guess she really doesn’t like what I got her.” Emma’s voice drifted into my ears, broken and intermittent. I opened my eyes to see the familiar scene of my home, realizing I had traveled back in time. I had returned to the moment when my son Jack first introduced his girlfriend Emma to me. In my previous life, this gold-digging princess had taken control of Jack’s salary before they even got married. She also used the excuse that it was customary in her hometown to give a $200,000 wedding gift, forcing us to sell our house to raise the money for her. As a result, when I was diagnosed with cancer, there was no money left for treatment. I wanted to negotiate with her to return some of the money for my treatment, promising to repay her later. But she flatly refused and even had Jack tell me, “All the money in your family is my money. Your mother’s life isn’t worth saving. Even if she dies on the street, she can’t spend a penny of my money.” Because of her insistence on not giving me any money, I missed the best treatment opportunity, and my early-stage cancer progressed to late-stage. Looking at my limited time left, I was overcome with grief and anger. When she came to visit me, I pulled her down with me as I jumped off the building. But I never expected to travel back in time. In a daze, I heard her speaking. What bracelet? What did she mean? I looked up, staring at the slightly nervous Emma in front of me, and that voice sounded again: “Auntie is looking at me so seriously, is she dissatisfied with me? I shouldn’t have listened to Jack when he said it would be embarrassing to give it to her in person and insisted on giving it in advance. If I had known, I would have asked my parents for some money to buy a bigger one. Now Auntie must think I don’t take her seriously.” Emma didn’t open her mouth, but that voice kept coming. Could it be her thoughts? But when did she ever give me a bracelet? In my previous life, she had been putting me down since a month before we met. She said she wouldn’t eat fruit that cost less than $5 a pound, wouldn’t eat at restaurants below five-star level, and even the slippers for entering the house had to be celebrity-endorsed limited editions. And when she left, I had to give her gifts. As for her? She never spent a penny, and even the gifts she gave me were supermarket freebies. Just as I was puzzled, Emma looked at Jack and suddenly stood up, saying she needed to use the bathroom. After she entered the bathroom, Jack anxiously pulled me aside: “Mom, why are you just sitting there when we first meet? Why haven’t you given her the welcome gift? Emma is already unhappy.” “And these fruits and dishes, they’re not what Emma asked for, right? Aren’t you obviously putting her down?” I was stunned. Jack had said the same thing to me in my previous life, and I immediately felt that Emma was too materialistic and not a good girl. This led to my strong prejudice against her later. But according to Emma’s thoughts just now, she doesn’t seem to have this intention at all?

I looked at Jack suspiciously, also doubting him. In my previous life, it was this soft-hearted boy who only cared about his girlfriend. When I wanted to sue them for the money and was repeatedly stopped by him, he said not to make things too tense, that they still had to live together in the future, and he would solve it if I left it to him. But when I was waiting on my sickbed for my condition to worsen, I never saw his solution. In this life, I can’t trust this white-eyed wolf 100% either. I frowned and said irritably, “What do you mean by putting her down? Am I putting her down by not treating her like a princess? I prepared gifts and money, and she gave me a toothbrush from the supermarket. It looks like she doesn’t think much of our family either.” “Even if you marry her in the future, I won’t acknowledge her.” Jack was startled by my sudden outburst. He quickly pulled me aside and lowered his voice: “Mom, I’ve told you before, Emma’s family isn’t well off, and she’s had a tough life. Now we should let her enjoy life more, so please be more accommodating to her. Don’t say these things again, what if she hears them?” As soon as he finished speaking, Emma came back. She looked at the slightly heavy atmosphere between me and Jack, startled, and that voice sounded again: “Didn’t I give Jack a hint to comfort his mom? How come it seems like the more he comforted, the angrier she got?” Seeing her sit down nervously, my suspicion grew stronger. I cleared my throat and said, “Emma, you’re still a student, and I don’t need you to buy any gifts. I’m just happy if you can come visit often.” Emma looked confused, and her thoughts sounded again: “What does she mean by not buying gifts? Didn’t I give that bracelet to Jack to give to her? Even if she doesn’t like it, she shouldn’t say I didn’t buy anything, right?” I discreetly glanced at Jack, then pulled out a few toothbrushes from under the coffee table and threw them on the table: “Jack said you were always thinking of me and specially got these freebies from the supermarket for me.” Emma was startled and quickly turned to look at Jack: “When did I give Auntie toothbrushes? What about the bracelet? Didn’t you give it to her?”

Jack’s face stiffened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He casually took out a bracelet from his bag and smiled: “I forgot to give it. It’s good that you’re giving it to my mom in person now, it’s more formal.” Emma sighed in relief and busied herself putting the bracelet on me, while her thoughts sounded again: “Jack is really careless, how could he forget something like this? Thankfully, Auntie asked, otherwise what kind of person would I have become?” I frowned, Emma doesn’t match up with my previous life either? Could it be that in my previous life, she had also prepared a bracelet, but because Jack forgot and I didn’t feel comfortable asking for a gift when meeting someone for the first time, it led to a misunderstanding? Then why didn’t Jack give me the bracelet later? There must be something else going on here. And later she still held onto our family’s money and wouldn’t let go, leading to my tragic death. I definitely need to investigate this thoroughly. After putting on the bracelet, Emma held my hand and smiled brightly: “Auntie, this really suits you, it goes well with your temperament.” I looked down at the bracelet, feeling a strange emotion well up in my heart. In my previous life, because Emma and I had such a bad impression of each other from our first meeting, we had very little contact afterwards. I didn’t know she could say such nice things. Emma turned and reproached Jack a bit: “When will you ever take my matters seriously? Last time when I bought skincare products, I got a set for Auntie and asked you to deliver it to her. You forgot right away and even used it yourself. Now you can even forget something this important?” I remember the skincare product incident very clearly. A month ago, when Emma was video chatting with Jack, I accidentally appeared on screen while I was applying face cream. Emma saw the brand of face cream in my hand and chatted with me about it for a while. As soon as Jack hung up the phone, he said Emma was angry. Because the brand of face cream I was using was actually more expensive than hers. Jack said: “Emma thinks that at your age, there’s no need to use such a good brand. You should save the money for your future grandson. You should just use some cheap creams.” At that time, I was so angry I felt like my lungs were going to explode, and I immediately told Jack this girlfriend wouldn’t do. Now it seems that many things were not as I understood them back then. Jack looked at me guiltily, then hugged Emma and continued to smile cheekily: “I know I was wrong, baby. Next time I’ll definitely put you and mom’s matters at the top of my heart.” My heart sank deeper and deeper. Those things I thought Emma had done to wrong me, it turns out she knew nothing about them. What about taking all the money from our family? Could it have nothing to do with her either? With a head full of questions, I finished this meal. Jack went to send Emma back to school, and I immediately made an appointment for a full body check-up at the hospital. The doctor pointed at the examination report and told me that a small lesion was found in my stomach. After a pathological examination, it was determined to be gastric cancer. However, fortunately, I had the examination in time. It was still in a very early stage, and the cure rate was very high. All I needed to do was to remove the diseased gastric tissue, and he scheduled a surgery time for me. I breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily I caught it in time this life. On the way home, I couldn’t help but feel lighter in my steps. When I got home, I found Jack had returned and was sitting on the sofa with his head down, looking dejected. As soon as he saw me, he cried out: “Mom, Emma said she wants $200,000, what should we do?”

Jack wiped away a tear: “Emma said that in their hometown, families must give hundreds of thousands as a wedding gift. 200, 000 is already the minimum. If I can’t come up with 200,000, she’ll break up with me directly.” He grabbed my hand and pleaded earnestly: “Mom, I just love her and want to marry her. Please help me think of a way. In the future, when I earn big money, I’ll be filial to you. Forget $200,000, I’ll give you however much money you want!” I silently looked at him: “First explain to me what’s going on with the skincare products Emma mentioned.” Jack’s eyes darted around for a few seconds: “I saw that you hadn’t finished your own skincare products yet, so you probably wouldn’t be able to use Emma’s for a while. And in the past, didn’t you always give me the extras? So this time I took the liberty of using them myself.” “I just forgot to tell you about it.” Jack looked at me displeased: “Why are you so particular with your own son?” “Then why did you tell me she thought I only deserved to use cheap creams?” Jack started to throw a tantrum: “That was just me misunderstanding her meaning. I’ll be more careful in the future. Please let me off this time.” “What’s important now is that Emma wants $200,000. Mom, you only have one son. You have to help me think of a way.” I wasn’t satisfied with Jack’s explanation. He had always been clever since he was young. How could he misunderstand something so simple? Could he be up to something behind my back? Does Emma know? So I went along with what he said: “Invite Emma over for dinner another day. I want to assess her character. If she passes, I’ll raise 300, 000 for you, let alone 200,000.” Jack’s eyes lit up, but he also worriedly reminded me over and over: “When Emma comes, you absolutely must not mention the $200,000. She’s already dissatisfied. I’m afraid she’ll get even angrier and the marriage will fall through.” I gave him a cold look. I’m afraid it’s not that he doesn’t want Emma to worry, but that he’s afraid I’ll question Emma. Jack moved quickly, bringing Emma back the very next day. But her expression didn’t look very good, and she seemed somewhat indifferent to my hospitality. Just as I was puzzled, Emma’s thoughts sounded: “Jack had said before that his mom was snobbish, but I didn’t expect her to open her mouth asking for 200,000 from my family, and even saying that anything less than 200,000 couldn’t enter their door.” “Where am I supposed to get so much money? Is this a marriage or a transaction?” “Every time I met Auntie, I felt she was quite nice. I didn’t expect her to do such despicable things behind my back.” My heart suddenly sank. I had never mentioned anything about $200,000. Obviously, this was Jack’s own idea. Taking 200,000 from me, and another 200,000 from Emma. What exactly is Jack trying to do? Thinking of those mismatched words between Jack and Emma. There was a boom in my mind. Could it be that in my previous life, the one holding onto the $200,000 and not letting go wasn’t Emma at all, but my own son? No wonder he was so afraid of me questioning Emma. But I raised him from childhood to adulthood, what exactly made him do this? Not even willing to save me? I struggled to contain my discomfort, invited Emma to sit down, and then sent Jack away, asking him to go to the kitchen to serve the meal. Seeing him enter the kitchen, I took out my phone and transferred $10,000 to Jack in front of Emma. I also sent him a voice message: “Son, take this money to buy clothes for Emma. Young girls nowadays all love to dress up, especially a beautiful girl like Emma. Tell her not to be stingy.” Emma watched my actions, her eyes flashing with mockery, as if she thought I was just putting on an act. Without time to explain, I quickly left, pretending to go to the bathroom. When I came back, I saw that Emma’s expression had changed. She stared intently at Jack, her thoughts sounding again: “Why did Jack say that Auntie complained about my clothes being shabby and told me to change into better clothes next time we meet? Auntie clearly didn’t mean that at all.” “And Auntie even gave $10,000. Why doesn’t he mention it at all? What exactly does he mean?” I interrupted her thoughts: “Emma, the reason I invited you here today is to talk about money.” Emma suddenly raised her head and looked me in the eye.

I saw shock, doubt, and disbelief in Emma’s eyes. She must have just doubted Jack. But the foundation of a two-year relationship made her unsure if her judgment was correct. We both looked at Jack at the same time, and he immediately became nervous. He hurriedly came over to stop me: “Mom, this is only Emma’s second visit. How inappropriate to talk about this now? Let’s have dinner first. Whatever it is, we can discuss it after eating.” As he spoke, he pulled me towards the kitchen, while gritting his teeth and questioning me in a low voice: “Mom, didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t mention this? How can you go back on your word? Emma is already unhappy. What if you drive her away?” I pretended not to understand, looking confused: “Son, I promised you I wouldn’t mention the 200,000, but now I’ masking about how much her family is giving as agift, which isn’t 200,000, right? Her family is asking for $200,000, so I want to know how much they can give?” Jack was so scared his face turned purple, desperately pushing me into the kitchen: “Oh my god, Mom, please say less. We haven’t discussed that yet. I have my own plans, so please don’t interfere.” I laughed coldly in my heart. Did he think he could shut me up with any random excuse? I may be old, but my mouth hasn’t been sewn shut. I broke free from Jack’s hands, walked out of the kitchen, smiled at Emma and said: “Emma, Jack said you haven’t reached the stage of discussing marriage yet. But Auntie has a few things to say in advance.” “Auntie knows we’re all ordinary families. You said there’s a custom in your hometown of giving a wedding gift before marriage, so let’s follow your hometown’s custom. It doesn’t matter how much, Auntie doesn’t care. After all, it will all be brought to your new home anyway.” Emma frowned, her strange gaze constantly scanning between me and Jack, as if judging who was telling the truth. Jack’s face at this time was uglier than if he had eaten shit. He squeezed out a smile with difficulty: “That’s right, I actually meant the same thing. We’re all family, why bother calculating so much? Oh, let’s not just talk here, let’s eat first.” “Emma, come downstairs with me to buy a drink. Mom, you set the table and serve the dishes first.” Seeing that he couldn’t shut me up, Jack wanted to take Emma away. Emma coldly stepped back, pushing Jack’s hand away: “Why not say it now? Who can eat if we don’t talk about it now?”

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I secretly did a paternity test, but I couldn’t bring myself to open it. I couldn’t accept it… The daughter I’ve raised for seven years isn’t mine? It was a devastating blow to me. I smoked cigarette after cigarette, filling the entire office with a thick, suffocating cloud. It wasn’t until my assistant, Megan Carter, came in that I realized I needed to put it out. She asked, “Mr. Miller, are you okay today?” I forced a grim smile and shook my head, asking her what was on her mind. She placed a stack of files on my desk. “The project you’ve been working on has come through. It just needs your signature.” “Alright, leave it there.” I nodded. She hesitated, seeing how distracted I was, but then she turned and left without saying anything. I lit another cigarette, watching the smoke swirl around as it blurred my vision. It eventually settled on the paternity test that had been lying on my desk for days. I stared at it, lost in thought, for what felt like forever. I only snapped out of it when the cigarette burned down and singed my hand. With a deep breath, I slowly opened the envelope. It was something I had to face sooner or later. What was there to be afraid of? The result was clear: the daughter I had adored for seven years had no biological connection to me. “…” Strangely, when I saw the result, it felt like a huge weight had finally been lifted off my chest. I wasn’t upset or anxious anymore, but… oddly calm. In hindsight, I should’ve suspected something was off long ago. Seven years ago, I was still pursuing Samantha Bennett, but she didn’t show much interest in me. In fact, she seemed to dislike me. Then, out of the blue, she asked me out for dinner one night, got me drunk, and things naturally progressed from there. I didn’t use protection that night. She said it was fine, that she was in her safe period. The next few times we met, she didn’t ask me to use protection either. After that, her attitude toward me became softer. At least, she acknowledged I was her boyfriend. Not long after, she dropped a bombshell: she was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby. When she gave birth, it was a rough delivery. She nearly bled out. If it weren’t for the doctors’ quick thinking, both she and the baby might not have survived. I didn’t want her to ever go through that kind of pain again, so I got a vasectomy. Having one daughter was enough for me. Looking back now, I can’t believe how naive I was. I never questioned her for a second! Samantha knew who the baby’s father was from the start, which is why she had no problem with me not using protection. I had been played for a fool—just a convenient option to raise someone else’s kid. The child I’ve loved for seven years wasn’t mine at all. She was Jonathan Reed’s. What a joke! If I hadn’t come home early from that business trip, I might have never found out that I was raising another man’s child. Thank God for my daughter’s innocent honesty. If she hadn’t blurted it out, Samantha would’ve kept it hidden forever. Honestly, I wish I hadn’t found out. I wish she had kept this from me for life because now… everything has changed. Our marriage, which had seemed like a free-spirited romance, wasn’t simple at all. There were deeper, more complicated motives behind it.

Samantha’s and my family backgrounds weren’t all that different. Both of our families ran businesses. When I first pursued her, it wasn’t for her family’s money; my family wasn’t any worse off than hers. But over time, our families became business rivals. My father thought that marrying Samantha could help form an alliance between our companies. It was convenient because I’d already been pursuing her for quite a while. At the time, I didn’t know that our relationship would become so transactional. It wasn’t until she was pregnant, and I visited her family, that I realized there was more going on behind the scenes. Both of our parents laughed it off, saying, “What a coincidence! Business rivals on the surface, but in private, we’re becoming family!” Looking back, it’s ridiculous. Samantha and her family were using me. In fact, I’m certain this wasn’t a coincidence at all. It was a calculated move from the start. I had known for a long time that Samantha didn’t really like me. After we got married, she was cold and distant. But I convinced myself that the child was mine. I thought I had to take responsibility and make sure I didn’t let her down. I believed that if I was sincere enough, eventually, I would win her heart. I thought that over time, she’d feel the same love she had shown me in the beginning, when she seduced me so easily. But now, all my sincerity and good intentions feel like a joke. I’m the clown in this story. Lily, my daughter, seemed to know the truth all along. She knew she had another father… Could it be that whenever I left on business trips, the father she thought about wasn’t me? Samantha has been watching from the sidelines all these years, letting me run in circles, fooled by their lies. I must look ridiculous in her eyes—a perfect, unsuspecting fool. Haha. I don’t even know how to describe my feelings right now. I just know I’m strangely calm. Ding. A text message came through. It was from Samantha, which was rare. She hardly ever reached out to me first. “I heard you’ve been back from your trip for a few days? Why haven’t you come home? Lily’s been crying for you, saying she misses her daddy!” I let out a bitter chuckle, shaking my head. Crying for me? Or is she crying for the other dad? How can you, as her mother, not know which one she means? I’ve been home for a week now, but they didn’t seem to notice. The first message I get is today. I had planned to surprise them with my return, but instead, they’re the ones who surprised me—no, shocked me. I needed some time alone to cool off. Otherwise, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep quiet about all of this. No man could stay calm after discovering something like this, pretending nothing had happened. I didn’t want to blow up in front of Lily. No matter what… she’s still an innocent child. So, I didn’t go home. I didn’t tell anyone. I stayed at the office, with Megan bringing me meals. I scrolled back through my messages, seeing the one I sent her that night after I found out the truth. I’d told her I’d landed a big project and would be busy for a while… and she hadn’t responded. Maybe she hadn’t even noticed it. Or maybe, like always, she just didn’t care what I had to say. I put down my phone and lit another cigarette. The ashtray on my desk was already filled to the brim with stubs. “Whoosh—” I exhaled a cloud of smoke, leaning back in my chair as I stared at the fading swirls. Exhaustion washed over me. What did I do wrong? Why would she do this to me? Was I trying to warm up a heart that couldn’t be warmed? Or… was I the one who was wrong from the start? Maybe it would’ve been better to remain in the dark.

I didn’t reply to Samantha’s text. She never had much patience with me, so it didn’t take long for her to call. Her voice was sharp and demanding right from the start. “Micah! What are you doing? Why aren’t you answering my texts?” “Oh, sorry. I’ve been busy at work…” I didn’t even finish before she cut me off, her voice dripping with impatience. “Work, work, work! Is that all you care about? Don’t you know you have a family? Don’t you realize your daughter needs you?” “…” I stayed silent, my mind buzzing. I wanted to ask her so badly: And you, Samantha? Don’t you know you have a husband? Does he know that his daughter isn’t even his? Does he know you’ve been lying to him all these years? The words stuck in my throat, and my eyes fell on the family photo on my desk—Lily’s bright, innocent smile staring back at me. I swallowed my anger. “She’s sick. Pick up some of her favorite snacks and bring them to the hospital,” she said coldly before hanging up. I stood there, listening to the dial tone with a bitter smile. Funny. Why didn’t she call the other dad for this? I could easily guess what had happened. Lily probably wore herself out playing too much, and now it was up to me to clean up the mess. I saw the location Samantha sent me, and as much as it filled me with humiliation and anger, I couldn’t bear to think of Lily looking so small and sick. Seven years. Seven years of loving this child. How could I not care about her? So I sighed, put on my coat, and went to buy her favorite snacks before heading to the hospital. When I got to the hospital room, I heard Lily’s voice through the door, clear as day: “Daddy Jonathan, look! I was so brave! I didn’t even cry when they gave me the shot. Wasn’t I the best?” Through the small glass window on the door, I saw him—Jonathan Reed, wearing a doctor’s coat, smiling at Lily. “Yes, you were so brave! Just like my little girl should be,” he said, ruffling her hair as she giggled. Beside them, Samantha’s face was soft, warm, and full of affection. In the seven years we’ve been married, I’ve never seen her look at me like that. My heart clenched. That man in the doctor’s coat—Jonathan Reed—was her first love. And now, as if life was mocking me, he was Lily’s real father. Watching their happy little family from the hallway, I felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of isolation. It was as if they were a family of three, and I… was just the outsider. No, scratch that. They are a family. Lily is their daughter. And I? I’m just the outsider. The joke. It felt like a weight was crushing my chest. I could barely breathe. Why did this hurt so much? I rushed here, bought her favorite snacks, thinking she needed me, only to find out the real reason they wanted me here was because Jonathan was the doctor on call. Lily got to see her biological dad, and Samantha got to be with the man she truly loved. And me? I’m nothing more than a joke. The biggest fool in the world.

It felt like a green light was flashing over me, head to toe, branding me as the fool. I stood frozen in place. I couldn’t move. It wasn’t until Jonathan noticed me standing outside that he adjusted his glasses and said, “Micah?” The moment my name left his lips, Samantha’s warm smile disappeared, replaced by her usual coldness. She didn’t even try to hide her contempt for me. “You’re finally here! Took you long enough! Lily hasn’t eaten a thing since she got sick. Are you trying to starve her?” Of course. The familiar tone. That suffocating pressure she always brings. It made me feel like I couldn’t breathe. “I’m sorry, Lily. Daddy’s late, but I brought you your favorite…” I forced a smile as I spoke to my daughter. Before I could even finish, Samantha cut me off again, her voice sharp. “What’s the point of showing up now? Dr. Reed already brought her food. You’re always too busy to be there for your own daughter, and it’s always left to someone else to take care of her!” Lily, always so “understanding,” added, “Thanks, Daddy! But Dr. Reed says I can’t have dessert after meals, haha.” I stared at her, the same little girl I’d loved for seven years, and felt a strange, bitter taste in my mouth. She probably thought she was being so considerate. But I couldn’t help it… For the first time, I felt a sense of unfamiliarity and… disgust toward the child I’d raised. It was as if she wasn’t mine anymore. And that “Dr. Reed”—just minutes ago, wasn’t she calling him “Daddy Jonathan”? She had grown up. She knew not to call him “Daddy” in front of me anymore, playing along with the lies Samantha had spun all these years. What a good daughter, huh? “So, Daddy waited in line for a long time to buy your favorite snacks. You don’t want them?” I held out the bag, but my expression was slipping. Lily hesitated. After all, they were her favorite treats. “Leave them. Lily didn’t eat much. She can have them as a snack later,” Jonathan said, always the rational doctor. Lily’s eyes lit up as she clapped her hands. “Yay! I get to have them later!” “No!” Samantha scolded from the side, her voice sharp. “You’ve already had dinner! No more snacks, especially after you’ve brushed your teeth. You don’t want to get cavities, do you? Be good and listen to Mommy.” She called me to buy the snacks, but now she’s the one making the rules. I was holding back my frustration, not wanting to lose my temper in front of Lily. “It’s fine. She’s still sick. She needs the sugar for energy. Besides, she’s growing. She could use the extra calories,” Jonathan chimed in, making it all seem so reasonable. Lily looked up at Samantha with those puppy eyes, silently pleading. “See, Mommy? Dr. Reed said it’s okay!” “Alright, just this once,” Samantha finally relented, and Lily cheered happily. “You spoil her too much,” she said to Jonathan, her tone warm and affectionate. “…” I stood there, feeling out of place, as if they had forgotten I existed. The room wasn’t that big. Four people could fit in it, but in their eyes, there were only three of them. I was nothing more than a ghost.

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“Tell me! How can I break the bond with this pen??” My arch-enemy, the teacher, now pushed me over the table and forced me to tell him the answer. Bro, I don’t know either!! “If you don’t tell me, I will be really rude.” He roughly unbuckled my belt, slid his hand down, and then pushed hard. He swears to repay me in the way I have been treated, and let me taste the pain I have inflicted on him. The recent math classes have been quite challenging, and I’m struggling to keep up. As a poor math student, I often roll my pen to relieve the pressure. I didn’t expect my strict math teacher to get so flustered, his face turning red as he glared at me. “Jimmy, put down the pen in your hand! Stop turning it! Listen carefully!” This teacher must be sick today. I wasn’t distracted. Two days later, it was the same teacher who was my archenemy. Still this unruly me, Two 1.80-meter-tall boys were staring at each other in the hotel, and the atmosphere was very ambiguous.

Bran is our new math teacher in the postgraduate entrance examination class. He was so tall and handsome, an absolute male god. As soon as he stepped onto the podium, even the female students who usually loathed math began to pay close attention. While listening, he continued, “Teacher, please say more.” “Teacher, what else?” That’s not all. After class, they would surround him and ask him questions. Even my goddess, who looks like a fairy, is an absolute academic master They would come to our class just to seek Bran’s help, all for a chance to talk to him. I felt a surge of jealousy!! Very jealous! Very jealous! Bran is simply the public enemy of all boys! But I can’t deny my envy. Those long legs, that handsome face, and his clear, humorous teaching style—it’s no wonder even I find myself wanting to listen to his lectures, let alone my goddess. Though I may not excel in my studies, I know my own limitations. There is no way I can compare to this kind of male god teacher. It’s better to get along well with him and take the opportunity to get close to the goddess. Who knew that when I took the test paper to ask questions, he actually called me stupid in front of the goddess, which made me very angry. I vowed to get my revenge on him if I ever got the chance. And now, that opportunity has arrived…

“If you say you don’t want to transfer, then don’t transfer. You are meddling too much.” I grumbled unhappily, slipping the pen under the table and continuing to spin it secretly. “I’ll just spin, and I’ll keep spinning.” A hundred pounds of rebelliousness made me keep repeating the movements on the tip. I imagined that the pen in my hand was Bran’s ** “Hmph, I’ll get back at you for embarrassing me in front of the goddess.” Unexpectedly, Bran suddenly turned his back to us on the podium and held onto the blackboard. An unusual blush crept across his face. Bang! The pen in my hand slipped and fell to the ground. Sorry, my pen-spinning skills aren’t very good. “Hey, let me pick it up,” I said. Unexpectedly, my deskmate accidentally stepped on the pen. “Ah!~~” Bran suddenly screamed, leaned on the desk in pain, and beads of sweat appeared on his face. “Teacher, are you okay?” the female student in the front row asked with concern. “No…it’s okay, this is the question, everyone can study on your own from now on.” I stood up and saw Bran sitting down with a strange expression on his face, hunched over. Tsk, it’s not like you’re a girl and you don’t have your period, why are you being so sissy? I started to do the questions unhappily, holding the pen tightly in my hand. I didn’t know the answer to this question, and I didn’t know the answer to this one either. I started staring blankly forward, biting the pen cap. Little did I know, Bran was up at the podium, growing increasingly impatient and practically hating me. “Strange, why is the ink leaking when I just changed the refill?” I quickly found a napkin to wipe it, and the teacher’s expression on the podium seemed to slowly relax.

After class, The female classmates were gossiping about what happened to the teacher today and whether he was feeling unwell. I was the only one who shivered when Bran yelled at me. “Jimmy, get out here.” Damn, did this teacher take medicine today? The boys all looked at me with sympathy, and the girls all stared at me strangely as if I had really done something outrageous. “Jimmy, you don’t pay attention in class, why are you spinning your pen? Are you still studying?” I was just about to retort, but when I looked up and met Bran’s eyes, I was stunned. The teacher’s face was obviously flushed, and her angry look revealed a hint of shyness. What’s going on? I thought to myself, why is this expression exactly the same as the heroines in some movies I watched during my adolescence? If the girls in our class saw this, they would be so fascinated. “I’m talking to you! What are you daydreaming about? Where’s your pen? Take it out now! I’m confiscating it!” “It’s… in the drawer.” At this time, the teacher of the next class came to my rescue, “Mr. Zhong’s class is over.” “Ah, it’s over. The next class is yours, right?” Bran smiled and said, but then his expression changed immediately. He held my shoulder and said to me sinisterly, “You are not allowed to play with pens in this class. Bring your pens to me after class, or we will never be together again.” It’s funny, you really think I’m still a primary school student, Just spinning a pen is enough to get it confiscated? No one would care about that. Once class was over, I headed straight for the basketball court, giving it my all. And I brought this pen with me.

no sooner said than done. On the court, I took a step to the left and turned to the right. Let the pen fully rub against the fabric of the pants. If friction generates heat, then as it gets hot, Teacher Bran on the other side must be feeling very uncomfortable. If you shoot one more basketball and jump a little more, you can increase the momentum on the y-axis. It’s hard to say whether you can bear it or not. “Nice shot!” My long-range three-point shot earned me the admiration of many. Just when I was feeling proud of myself, someone suddenly pointed at my pants and said there was something black. When I looked down, I saw that the damn pen had leaked ink again. This time, it had completely stained my pants. “You guys go ahead and fight, I’m going to the bathroom.” After nodding goodbye to the guys, I headed to the single restroom behind the stadium with my ink-stained pants It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s a private restroom, and usually, no one goes in or out, making it easy for me to take off my pants and try to clean them up. But as soon as I stepped inside, I saw a familiar figure. I was wiping up the mess with some paper, not really paying attention, when I realized—Bran?! He didn’t look like the suave teacher he usually was. It was hilarious and a bit embarrassing to see him like this. Turns out, even though Bran’s the heartthrob teacher, he’s no different from us regular guys in moments like these. But before I could even laugh, he spotted me, grabbed my arm, and pulled me in, pinning me against the wall. “Having fun, aren’t you?” “Uh, what do you mean, Teacher?” “Don’t play dumb with me. You’re the reason I’ve been so uncomfortable.” I looked at him—handsome, sophisticated, way out of my league—and swallowed hard. He really was something. “What…?” “Still not admitting it, huh?” Bran grabbed my chin and pressed a rough kiss onto my mouth. Instantly, my mind went blank and my hands and feet went weak. That was…that was my first kiss! I’d been waiting four years in college for this, saving my first kiss until I got into grad school so I could finally give it to my dream girl! “Jimmy, if you keep doing this, I will use you to relieve my sexual desire tomorrow instead of my mouth.”

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When my daughter and I were abducted, the kidnappers demanded that I call Sean for assistance. At that time, he was with Luna, who had just entered the profession, learning anatomical analysis. When he received the call, he merely said one sentence. “How long are you going to play such pranks? I’m occupied with important matters. I’m hanging up now.” I wept while laughing. Perhaps he had never cared about my daughter and me. But why did he go berserk and shout when he later saw my daughter’s body on the dissection table? “She’s going to die, Sean, she’s going to die. Please…” “Is it amusing to joke about death? Then go ahead and die.” When the call was ended, I was plunged into the depths of despair. My mobile phone was snatched away forcefully, and I was kicked and spat upon. “Pah, can’t come up with five million? Then don’t blame me!” Jenny, huddled behind me, was trembling all over. Finally unable to hold back her tears, she sobbed softly and asked me – “Mommy, why doesn’t Daddy want to come and save us?” I didn’t know how to respond. I shook my head, crying and attempting to embrace her, but suddenly she was yanked away by the kidnappers. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. This little girl is rather lovely.” Realizing what might transpire next, I fought like a madwoman to hold onto Jenny. I couldn’t hold her. I couldn’t hold her. I couldn’t protect her. I was trampled on the ground and kicked numerous times. I watched Jenny crying her heart out, my teeth clenched so tightly that they seemed on the verge of breaking, and my fingertips pierced through my palms, leaving them bloody and mangled. But all of this was insignificant compared to the pain Jenny was enduring. I knelt on the ground and kowtowed to each of them, banging my head until it bled, pleading with them to release Jenny. I could… Later, they grew impatient. Just as the ashtray was about to smash against the back of my head, for some unknown reason, everything came to an abrupt halt. The robbers gathered their belongings and fled in all directions. When the door was kicked open with a “bang”, I was crawling on all fours towards Jenny. I was trembling violently. I didn’t dare to touch her or look at her. Jenny slowly reached out her blood – smeared hand to touch my face. “Mommy, Mommy, don’t cry. Jenny doesn’t hurt…” “Winnie,Winnie, it’s okay, it’s okay…” A man in a police uniform appeared before me. I cried and begged him. “Brother Henry, save Jenny, save her…” I don’t recall how I left that place. All I know is that I was delirious and incoherent until I received the assurance that Jenny would be fine. Then I finally passed out completely. I struggled out of the endless nightmare with such hope. But when I awoke, Henry informed me that Jenny was on the verge of death. “Sorry,Winnie…” When I rushed into the intensive care unit, Jenny’s breathing was already extremely weak. She still managed to smile obediently at me, a smile that was both difficult and painful. She seemed to be aware that she was going to die. She said, “Mommy, I want to see Daddy one more time.” “I want to remember you both…” I nodded frantically, tears streaming down my face. I hurriedly took my mobile phone from Henry and dialed the number that had been silent all this time. “Beep -” It was promptly hung up. My heart was pounding faster and faster. Answer the phone, answer the phone, Sean. On the third call, he still didn’t answer. Each one was hung up without hesitation. I ceased calling. I held Jenny’s hand and begged her to wait for me to return. I promised to come back with Daddy. I rushed out of the ward and was stopped by Henry. I was in such a hurry that I thought he was going to prevent me. I shook off his hand and told him to leave me alone and not stop me. Finally, he drove at high speed and took me to the research institute where Sean and Luna were. I wasn’t an authorized person in the research institute, so I couldn’t enter. Actually, Luna wasn’t either, but she was granted access by Sean’s special permission. I stood at the entrance and called Sean’s name loudly. “Sean -” I called again and again until my voice became hoarse. Finally, Sean frowned and pulled open the curtain on the second floor. His expression was extremely cold, and his brows still bore the lingering traces of annoyance and displeasure. “Winnie, what on earth do you want?” “Do you have to come to the research institute to embarrass me?”

I intended to explain the situation briefly, but before I could utter a word, Sean turned his head. He was drawn by a soft and joyous voice. “Master, I understand! I know why it’s like this here! Master, come quickly, I’ll tell you!” When looking at Luna, Sean’s eyes were always so tender. It had been many years since I had been gazed at so gently. Sean and I were experiencing the seven – year itch. He wouldn’t mention divorce, nor would he think that he no longer loved me. He just wasn’t as interested as before, not as excited. He regarded me as a stagnant pool. When Luna entered his world, she was like a ray of light, illuminating him. So he was enchanted and couldn’t help but be kind to her. I didn’t care. I truly didn’t care. As long as he was willing to come back with me, everything would be fine. “Okay, I’m coming.” “Yeah, it’s nothing. Don’t worry.” How I wished I could tell him that there was something, really something. But he had already lifted his foot and left, never looking back at me. But I wasn’t willing to give up. I didn’t want Jenny to depart with eternal regret. So I asked Henry to leave first, to keep an eye on Jenny’s condition and contact me at any time. I wanted to stay here and take Sean away. But why was it so arduous? The security guards no longer permitted me to call Sean, believing that it would disrupt many people. They warned me that if I made any more noise, they would eject me directly. Later, I could only keep sending him messages and calling him. I told him that Jenny was dying and wanted to see him one last time. Then, I was blocked on WeChat, and my phone number was also added to the blacklist. He still didn’t believe me. I had never been more desolate than at this moment. I waited and waited outside the door until I saw Luna coming downstairs to get milk tea. “Master, I’m here to get the milk tea you ordered for me. Haha, Master, you have such a great memory. I only mentioned my preference once, and you remembered it!” “Okay, okay, I got it. The road is slippery on rainy days. Be careful when you walk! Master, you’re so nagging -” When passing by me, she let out an “ah”. “Madam, you’re still here? Haven’t given up yet?” “Alas, Madam, such tricks are so passé. You should read fewer of those old – fashioned romance novels. They’re so silly.” Luna’s seemingly innocent remarks were actually like countless needles piercing my heart, without any mercy. But I had no alternative. She was the only person who could get in touch with Sean. So I bowed to her and swore a solemn oath with my life to prove the truth of my words. I implored her to believe me and to go and inform Sean. What did Luna say at that time? She said, “Oh my god, how pitiful. Madam, don’t worry. I’ll go and tell Master!” Then, Sean didn’t come. During my interminable waiting, I received the news that Jenny’s condition had taken a sudden turn for the worse. I didn’t dare to linger. I rushed back to the hospital at top speed. That was the last time I saw Jenny. She couldn’t even lift her hand. I didn’t dare to hold her hand too tightly. I was trembling all over. I was afraid that she would ask me – Mommy, where’s Daddy? How should I reply? She didn’t ask. She said to me in a hoarse and feeble voice: “Mommy, Jenny loves you, so much, so much…” At the last moment of her life, she silently uttered that word – Daddy. My Jenny was calling for Daddy. But her Daddy didn’t come and wouldn’t come. My Jenny didn’t get to see Daddy one last time and left this world with regret. It was pouring rain that day. And I had lost my daughter forever.

“Jenny’s homeroom teacher said that Jenny hasn’t been to school for two days. She couldn’t find you, so she called me.” “Winnie, what on earth are you doing?” “I told you that Luna is a promising talent. I, I admire her a great deal. The relationship between me and her is a normal teacher – student relationship. Do you have to go crazy just because I like her?” “Don’t have time to talk about this. Hurry up and send Jenny back to school.” The first call that Sean had made in such a long time was a rebuke. I listened expressionlessly and then hung up. At that time, I hadn’t slept for three days. I watched with my own eyes as Jenny’s body was placed into the freezer, and since then, I could scarcely close my eyes. I didn’t have Jenny anymore. I had lost her forever. Henry said that to extract the DNA evidence left by the criminals in Jenny’s body and to conduct a series of identifications, an autopsy had to be performed. He said that the expert invited for the identification was quite busy and had to wait until he was free, so Jenny had to be put into the freezer to be preserved for a while. During these days, Henry was concerned about my mental state and had taken almost all the leave he could. “Winnie, eat something. How can you catch those scoundrels if you continue like this?” I wanted to eat too. But whenever I ate something, I would always vomit it out. I had no option. I really had no option. When I vomited until there was only acid in my stomach again, I finally couldn’t hold on and collapsed. And was caught by Henry, who was quick – witted and deft – handed. He carried me away from this place close to Jenny and walked towards the hospital. And we encountered the last person I wanted to see. “Henry, Winnie, why are you two together?” Before he could finish frowning and asking, Luna, who was behind him, tugged at his sleeve and whined pitifully. “Master, my hand hurts…” Only then did I notice the small wound on Luna’s wrist. It wasn’t deep, nor was it that severe. But it was sufficient to make Sean feel sympathetic towards her. He didn’t even concern himself with us and simply left with Luna. When leaving, he only said one sentence – “Have some decency.” “I’m not dead yet.” Just as he was about to turn around and leave, I suddenly spoke. My voice was hoarse and unpleasant due to vomiting for many days, rough like stones grating, as if I was muttering to myself. “Sean, you might as well be dead.” When I lay in bed, sleepless all night, the next morning, the door of the ward was pushed open violently. “Winnie, finally found you.” “What are you crazy about?” “Where’s the child? Where’s Jenny? Where did you hide her?” I stared at him numbly and suddenly laughed. Tears slid down from the corners of my eyes, wetting my clothes. I had cried so many times these days that when the tears slid past the corners of my eyes, a sharp pain like countless needles pricking my heart emerged. I opened my hoarse voice: “Sean, Jenny is gone.” Sean frowned fiercely and strode towards me, grasping my wrist. “Winnie, are you ill?” “Is this something to joke about?” His grip was surprisingly strong, and soon my wrist turned red. Looking at him like this, suddenly I felt a wave of nausea rising again. I vomited. There was nothing in my stomach to vomit except acid and some blood. Sean was a bit of a germophobe. Seeing me like this, he took several steps back. I vomited until my throat burned as if on fire, and then I stopped. I reached for the bag on the cabinet and with some difficulty pulled out a document from it. With all my strength, I threw it in front of Sean. Sean didn’t pick it up. “Sean, let’s get a divorce.” Just then, the door of the ward was opened by someone. “Winnie, I bought fresh millet porridge. The doctor said that your stomach has been in a bad state because you haven’t eaten for too long. You can only drink some porridge first…” Sean glanced at the divorce agreement on the floor and then at Henry who pushed the door and entered. He suddenly sneered sarcastically. “Winnie, so eager to get a divorce. Is it because of him?” “When you married me, you swore that you would only love me for a lifetime. Has your lifetime become so short so quickly?” Sean was a cold person and didn’t like to argue. But once he was serious, his words were like thorny cacti, stabbing painfully. “Winnie, I never thought you were this kind of person.” “To run away with another man for the sake of divorce and hide your own daughter. You can do such things.” “You want a divorce, okay. Jenny will be raised by me. As for you, this irresponsible mother, I won’t let her see you again.” My breathing suddenly became rapid. I grabbed the water glass on the bedside and threw it at Sean with all my might. I really had no strength left. I missed. I was crying, every word like blood. “With you? How? “Jenny is gone. She left. She’s dead!” This word “dead” was the one I had been reluctant to mention all along. Now, in front of Sean, I made myself a broken mess again. Pillows, books, mobile phones, I lost control of my emotions and threw everything I could at him. Finally, exhausted, I collapsed on the ground and was caught by Henry. I knew Henry was clenching his fists tightly. He wanted to hit Sean. But his identity didn’t allow him to make mistakes. I shook my head at him. Sean stood there for a long, long time. Finally, he just threw one sentence at me – “Winnie, you’re simply irrational.” He turned to leave, and Henry said in a calm voice. “On the third floor of the freezer room in District B, Jenny is there.” Sean sneered. “You two, quite good at acting.” “My daughter is gone. How could I not know?” Haha, right. How could he not know?

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When I got engaged to my boyfriend, his first love returned from abroad with twins. His ex cried to me, “If you hate me, take it out on me. But Asher and I are truly in love. We already have children together. You wouldn’t want to be the other woman, would you?” I just laughed. Looking down at her with my height advantage, I said, “First, I’m only taking back what’s mine. Second, Asher and I got together after you two broke up. If anyone’s the other woman here, it’s you coming to ruin my engagement party.” When I saw Asher hugging his ex and their twins, I smiled. The way his ex looked at me seemed to say, “What are you so proud of? You’re just a supporting character.” She must think she’s the heroine of some cheesy romance drama. With her plain looks and apparent lack of brains, she wouldn’t be giving me that challenging look otherwise. After all, this was my engagement party with Asher. But I knew this engagement was over, and Asher and I would never make it to the altar. Asher solemnly told me, “Rachel, I’m sorry. The one I truly love is Zora.” The banquet hall suddenly erupted in chatter. After all, I was young, beautiful, highly educated, capable, and from a good family – far superior to Asher’s poor ex in every way. Only Asher’s friends looked at him approvingly, seemingly moved by his devotion. They even gave me pitying looks, as if mocking a jilted woman. Birds of a feather really do flock together. I had loved Asher for so many years, willingly giving him everything. But it only takes a moment to lose all respect for someone. I took off the diamond ring and tossed it at Asher, saying nonchalantly, “Fine. Then let’s settle our accounts.” Asher was stunned. “What accounts?” What a stupid question. “All those years I helped manage your company and invested in you – you think that was all for free? Do I look like some fool who works for love?” Asher seemed shocked by my decisiveness. He was speechless. His ex Zora stepped forward crying to speak for him. “Miss Song, you’re so wealthy. The money you invested in Asher is just pocket change to you. Why are you being so petty?” Asher’s friends chimed in too. “Yeah Rachel, you don’t look like you’re hurting for money.” “Are you just lashing out because you’re humiliated?” “Getting dumped at your own engagement party is pretty embarrassing.” Asher at least had some conscience and tried to stop them. “That’s enough, guys.” “Miss Song…” Zora said tearfully, “If you hate me, take it out on me. But Asher and I are truly in love. We already have children together. You wouldn’t want to be the other woman, would you?” I just laughed. This poor thing thought she had the moral high ground and was trying to paint me as the villain. What a hypocrite. Looking down at her with my height advantage, I said, “First, I’m only taking back what’s mine. Second, Asher and I got together after you two broke up. If anyone’s the other woman here, it’s you coming to ruin my engagement party.” Zora immediately put on an extremely wronged expression, tears streaming down her face. Asher looked pained, as if wanting to defend his precious ex. I spoke up before he could: “Asher, you should know my patience is limited.”

Sure enough, Asher backed down. We went to a private club where I was a member. Oh, and Zora came along with her twins too. Asher and I sat facing each other, while Zora tended to the kids nearby, occasionally glancing our way. Asher said, “Rachel, I’ll pay back everything I owe you, but I don’t have that much capital right now. Could you…” “If you don’t have the money, give me the projects you’re working on.” Since we were breaking up, might as well make a clean break. My decisiveness seemed to keep surprising Asher. He stared at me in shock. Zora was the typical stay-at-home mom type, clearly clueless about business matters. But when she heard I wanted to take Asher’s projects, she immediately spoke up. “That’s not right! Rachel, those projects are all Asher’s…” I was nauseated just hearing Zora’s voice now. She thought she was helping Asher? Wrong! I may be cool-headed, but I’m not magnanimous. Her voice was a constant reminder that my relationship ended because of this homewrecker. “Do you have any right to speak here?” Zora was immediately silenced, looking wronged and pitiful as if I was bullying her. Naturally, Asher was unhappy with how I spoke to his beloved ex. “Rachel, Zora doesn’t know anything about this. Why are you being so harsh?” He turned to Zora and said, “Those projects were all negotiated by Rachel herself. It’s only fair for her to take them.” I laughed, amused by Asher’s naivety. “Of course I’m taking the projects I negotiated myself. I’m talking about the ones you’re working on.” Asher was shocked. “What do you mean?” I sneered, “You said you don’t have capital. So use your projects to pay me back. Is that so hard to understand?” Asher’s expression darkened, as if holding back anger. “Rachel, do you have to be so ruthless? Can’t we even remain friends?” Friends? A man who abandoned me at our engagement party wants to be friends? What a joke. I’d like to demand fairness from Asher, but him dumping me at the engagement was an irrefutable fact – and a lesson learned. I told Vincent very seriously, “I have no obligation to do that.”

In the end, I forcefully took not only the projects I had negotiated myself, but also picked two of Asher’s most profitable ones. These two projects would make a huge profit, far exceeding all the money I had invested in Asher over the years. Having gotten what I wanted, I left. As I walked out, I could still hear Zora’s tearful complaints and the kids’ noisy cries. I couldn’t be bothered with them anymore. My focus now was on cashing in. … For years, I had been busy revolving around Asher, rarely returning to my own company. The project handovers went very smoothly. Besides the ones I had personally handled, one of the projects I took from Asher immediately agreed to work with me. Only one was still hesitant, saying they needed to evaluate further. Since my company’s business scope didn’t overlap much with Asher’s, they were concerned I might lack expertise. The next morning, I had an appointment to meet their person in charge, still at that same club. I didn’t expect the person who came would be Vincent. He was Asher’s uncle. In all my years dating Asher, I had only met him twice, including this time. Vincent had a very strong presence. From the first time I met him, I was a bit intimidated by him. Well, just a tiny bit. Vincent smiled at me, very gentlemanly and elegant, but also giving off an oppressive aura. “Why don’t you come in?” Vincent was like someone who believed in Buddha but acted like a demon. My instincts told me this man was dangerous. Asher was his nephew – why would he agree to work with me on this project? Could he be seeking revenge for his nephew? I walked in and sat across from Vincent, forcing myself to smile. “Hello, Mr. Shen.” Vincent seemed to be in a good mood. “You remember me?” How could I forget such an important figure? I said, “Of course. I met you last year when Asher took me home for dinner.” Vincent kept smiling. “I’m honored to have left such a deep first impression on you.” This was typical Vincent – smiling and speaking pleasantly, but I still had to be on guard. I was afraid he might stab me while smiling.

I decided not to pursue this project anymore. It wasn’t that I was scared, but I knew when to cut my losses. Before Vincent could make his move, I decisively cut off his line of attack. “Mr. Shen, I’m sure you know about my situation with Asher. I think we should call off our cooperation.” Vincent just calmly asked, “Why?” Did he really need to ask? Didn’t he know the reason? “Then why did you agree to work with me?” I countered. Wasn’t it to get revenge for his nephew? Vincent stared into my eyes. “For you.” I was suddenly dumbfounded, not just by Vincent’s words, but by the way he looked at me. That blatant possessiveness made it hard for me to breathe. I also didn’t understand what he meant by those three words. “What do you mean?” Vincent sat up straight, smiling at me. “Can’t you tell? I’m pursuing you.” His tone was light and ambiguous at the end. It gave me goosebumps. I had just broken up with his nephew, and now he was pursuing me? Who would believe that? I was even more furious now. I felt like Vincent was treating me like a fool. “Vincent, do you think I’m that easy to fool?” The way Vincent looked at me seemed appreciative, as if my anger was something very interesting to him. He said, “I’m not fooling you.” I tried to stay calm despite my anger. “We’ve only met twice.” “Who says I can’t fall for you at first sight?” Vincent asked as if it was the most natural thing, his expression unreadable. I wasn’t intimidated by him at all now. Anger made me feel invincible. I challenged him, “I was still Asher’s girlfriend then. You fell for your future niece-in-law at first sight?” “Is there a problem with that? I only started pursuing you after you broke up. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.” He spoke casually, making perfect sense. But I just couldn’t believe it. This came too suddenly, and at such a time. I had to be cautious. “I don’t like you…” “That’s why I’m pursuing you,” Vincent interrupted me. “This project is just my way of getting close to you. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can cancel the cooperation anytime. But I’ll continue pursuing you.” He seemed very persistent, as if he really was interested in me. The project matter was temporarily set aside. I stood up. “Let’s end the discussion here. I have other matters to attend to.” I nodded at him and started walking away. Just as I reached the door, I heard Vincent call out to me. He called my name. “Rachel.” I turned to look at him. He had also stood up and was walking towards me. Vincent was even taller than Asher, definitely over 6’1″. With his strong presence, I felt a sense of pressure as soon as he approached me. I hated feeling at a disadvantage like this. I raised my chin. “What?” Vincent stopped in front of me. I caught a whiff of his faint cologne – light and ethereal, hard to pinpoint the exact scent, but very pleasant. He asked me, “Am I inferior to Asher in any way?” I can’t believe Vincent would ask such a question. So he was human after all. “To be honest, you’re better than Asher in every way.” Asher wasn’t my boyfriend anymore. I had no reason to idealize him. Vincent asked again, “Then why don’t you like me?” Vincent’s questions always made me feel like we were talking past each other. I was analyzing objective factors, while he kept subjectively challenging me. I decided to be straightforward. “Vincent, I think you’re trying to get revenge on me for Asher.” Vincent was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “I see. It’s my mistake. I shouldn’t have mixed business with personal matters. I understand why you’re so guarded.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Once things were out in the open, the rest would follow naturally. “Then let’s call off our cooperation.” “Alright,” Vincent readily agreed.

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My dad is Graham Merritt, CEO of Merritt Media, the largest media company in the country. My mom, Audrey Taylor-Merritt, is a retired Oscar-winning actress. And my brother, Lucas Merritt, is one of the hottest idols out there. The second I started at Blackwood School of Drama, gossip headlines started popping up about “Merritt Media’s youngest daughter entering her first year.” Naturally, my fame-hungry roommate wasted no time jumping on that: “Thank you all for the attention! I really want to focus on my studies, so I hope I can keep a low profile and avoid affecting others.” But within days, the truth was out: Merritt Media’s true princess was someone else. Content “Thank you, everyone, for the attention! As I’m just starting college, I’d really like to keep things low-key and just focus on my studies. I’d appreciate it if my wonderful fans could respect this and not disturb others,” Talia Owens posted on Twitter. Seeing Talia’s post, I couldn’t help but laugh. Just her luck, she was using her stage training from Horizon Pictures to play this one out right in front of me. This all started on the day we moved in. Somehow, a tabloid that must’ve missed the memo from my dad’s company put out the headline “Merritt Media CEO’s Daughter Begins at Blackwood School of Drama.” Let me tell you, any company that’s been around a minute knows Graham Merritt’s “other daughter” is off-limits—an untouchable topic. So, who dared to grab the tiger by the whiskers? More shocking was seeing someone so desperate for fame cling to my family’s name. The culprit? None other than my brand-new roommate, Talia Owens. To be fair, Talia had some convenient qualifications: we share a last name. She’s “Owens,” my dad’s “Merritt.” She was in a popular web series once, blew up for her “innocent girl-next-door” vibe, and picked up five million fans overnight. By the time she enrolled, she was already Blackwood’s newest “campus beauty” and had shot to the top of Trending News. As soon as people found out she was in my Drama Program, our group chat lit up like a bonfire: “OMG! She’s like a real-life princess!” “Ahhh! Are we gonna get to act with the campus queen?!” Right now, seeing her headline, our roommates turned their starry eyes on Talia, piling on the praise: “Talia, who knew you were the daughter of Merritt Media’s CEO? Oh my god, we’re practically royalty by association!” “Oh wow, Talia, does that mean Lucas Merritt is your real brother?! Can you get me his autograph?!” “Talia, your family must have incredible resources lined up for you! Mind if you bring me along? I’d be thrilled with any role—even a maid!” I couldn’t help but smirk at their comments. What a pipe dream. Lucas Merritt? He’s my brother. The real one. They may get that autograph, but a part in one of our productions? Good luck with that. All these people dreaming of shortcuts—first-year students who haven’t even acted in a real show yet, putting fame ahead of developing any skills. Could they even handle a speaking role? I opened my own account and posted a tweet under the trending hashtag: “Some people… Not exactly famous, but sure do love to jump on it.” Of course, some of Talia’s fans stormed over to my page, yelling: “Why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself?” “Yeah, she’s talking about you! Stop clinging to Talia’s fame!” I ignored them. The truth would come out eventually. The only one who took issue with my attitude was Erika Banks, another classmate hoping for any part she could get. She smirked: “What’s so funny? Not everyone gets a family background like that, let alone has the looks to match. What’s with the snobby attitude?” “Exactly!” someone else chimed in. “What’s with the acting high and mighty?” Oh, please. They’d lose it if they knew. All their so-called idols practically bow down to me. I’ve got exclusive signed merch stacked in our basement. They shower me with well-wishes every holiday, terrified I might just forget them. Talia gave a soft, humble smile. “Look, we’re all here for the same reason. Some classmates may come from humble backgrounds, but we’re all here because of our acting dreams. We can’t let status divide us.” Erika sighed. “Oh, Talia, you’re too kind. But some people… They should at least know their place. I mean, Chloe, I don’t see any designer on you. Maybe your family isn’t all that. You could never compare to Talia. Remember, some people just rank higher.” Talia quickly interrupted, “Let’s not get into comparisons, everyone. It’s really not necessary.” Right then, my dad called. I ignored them all and stepped out to take it on the balcony. “Hey, is my little girl alright? I just saw the trending topics, and I’ve already got someone taking them down. You don’t need to deal with this.” Hearing “little girl” from my dad—a serious, professional guy—was enough to make me shiver. “No, don’t worry about it. Just let it be.” “Really? You sure you’re okay, kiddo?” “Absolutely.” Let’s see what game she tries to play next. “When are you coming home? I miss you so much.” Rolling my eyes, I nearly got a headache. “Dad, it’s only the third day of college.” Seriously. Someone, rein in this “daughter-obsessed” dad, please.

My name’s Chloe Merritt. My dad is Graham Merritt, CEO of the biggest media company in the US. My mom, Audrey Taylor-Merritt, is an Oscar-winning actress who retired from the spotlight, and my brother Lucas is a top-tier idol. Why “Merritt” and not “Taylor?” Well, my mom had this thing when she was pregnant with me; she decided that if I took her last name, it would prove Dad’s love for her. And Dad, being head-over-heels in love and slightly henpecked, of course, said yes. Plus, when I was a kid, I got separated from Mom once at a fan event. One of her more obsessed fans cornered me in a women’s restroom, taking photos non-stop for three hours until my family found me. It left me with a hefty case of crowd anxiety and claustrophobia. For years, I couldn’t be left alone and had to sleep with a nightlight. I spent years in therapy, but finally got through it. That’s why my parents have always gone the extra mile to protect my privacy, letting every major media outlet know they’re to delete any shot of me. Keeping “Taylor” kept me out of the spotlight and let me enjoy a “normal” ten years. The downside? Missing out on the “privilege” of being seen as Graham Merritt’s daughter. I also prefer not to flaunt designer labels—feels tacky. Most of my wardrobe comes from my aunt, who designs clothes in Europe. She makes me unique pieces, and no one else in the world—royalty included—has them. I’ve always kept my family away from school. But the night before college, Dad paced around my room, Mom teared up on my bed, and my brother patiently packed my bags. “Sweetheart, what if Dad drops you off at school tomorrow?” “Absolutely not. If you show up, the school president will practically roll out a red carpet.” “Well, how about Mom? I’m out of the public eye anyway.” “Right. Tell that to Director John Carson, who stopped by last week trying to pull you back for a new movie.” “What if your brother…” “Nope. The whole dorm would get mobbed by his fans.” The thought made me shudder. The hypnotherapy helped block most memories, but I still can’t face crowds comfortably. Best to avoid it when I can. Seeing how adamant I was, they finally backed down. So, on move-in day, our butler, Mr. Benson, drove me to school in the oldest, beat-up SUV we own. He dressed like your average grandpa doing groceries. Totally low-key. Mr. Benson has worked for our family for over twenty years, and I see him as a relative. His style might be plain, but he’s been nothing but dedicated to our family. And trust me, we pay him well. Of course, that’s not what my roommates thought. To them, my “status” looked pretty low. At first, I had no issues with Talia Owens. But when I just barely made the “campus beauty” list, she felt her thunder stolen. Ever since then, she’s been subtly digging at me, throwing shade about my family’s background and mocking my “lack of style.”

Since that vague Twitter post, Talia’s popularity skyrocketed, and our dorm became a VIP shrine for her. Returning from class one day, I found her surrounded by gift bags and fan letters. Erika eagerly grabbed the things and set them on Talia’s bed, picking up some high-end gifts along the way. “Oh wow, a Cartier bracelet! So luxe.” “And this LV bag? I’ve been wanting it for ages!” “Look, Chanel’s collector’s perfume!” “Uh, and what are these… slippers?” “Get a grip,” Talia scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Those are Fendi. Worth over $1,000. I’d expect you to recognize them.” Erika gasped. “Seriously?!” Talia tossed her a Dior perfume, smirking. “Here, it’s yours.” Erika hugged the bottle, asking, “Who sent you all this?” “Who else?” Talia replied, “My fans, of course.” Watching her show off, I hit record on my phone, capturing everything. “Every time, I say I don’t need anything, but the second I hint at it on Twitter, they’re practically throwing gifts at me,” she said, laughing. “Honestly, it’s a waste. One fan even ‘bought’ me a star for my birthday—like, what am I supposed to do with that? I’d rather they send things I can actually enjoy.” “Every letter they send goes right into the trash. As if I have time to read them.” I felt a pang for her fans, for every person who spent hard-earned money, showing her support. Not that she cares. She only sees the dollar signs. Talia held out a lipstick toward me. “Chloe, you look like you could use some decent makeup. Here, this shade would suit you.” I rejected it coolly. “No thanks. Keep the gifts—you seem to value them so much.” Erika scowled, “Ungrateful much? Talia was trying to be generous.” “I don’t think you even deserve it. Stick to your drugstore brands.” “What’s wrong with affordable brands?” I shot back. “Just because something’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s better. Plenty of homegrown brands are fantastic quality.” Our family might be wealthy, but we don’t chase designer labels for everything. My favorite tees are made from American-grown cotton, and our silk pajamas come from a top-notch family-owned workshop that crafts exclusively for us. Erika rolled her eyes, dismissing me, “Country bumpkin mentality. No point talking to you.” While they continued with their gift haul, I watched my phone’s recording, knowing that someday, I’d make sure everyone saw Talia’s true colors.

The next day, in our Acting Workshop, the professor handed out scripts for us to perform. I drew the role of the female lead, partnered with the most popular guy in our class, Ryan Hastings. Ryan’s a campus heartthrob and a former boy-band member turned actor, with over ten million Twitter followers. I never expected Talia to react by biting her lip and looking like she was about to cry. Immediately, everyone gathered around, concerned. “Talia, what’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?” “If you’re not up to it, take a break.” Even Ryan and the professor approached her to check on her. Talia looked at me, then carefully unfolded her script. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just… didn’t get the role I wanted. Don’t worry, everyone. I’ll still do my best. I won’t let anyone down.” Wow, a masterclass in manipulation. The Queen of Green Tea herself couldn’t have done it better. Some of my roommates took Talia’s script and walked over to me. “Chloe, why don’t you trade roles with Talia? She’s the campus queen, after all, and has actual acting experience. She’d definitely bring more to the lead role than you.” “Right, Talia’s got the looks for it, too. She’s naturally meant for the lead. Are you sure you could pull it off?” Ever since they thought Talia might be Merritt Media’s “secret princess,” they all started sucking up like crazy. Unmoved, I replied, “Why should I? We all drew randomly. And besides, what makes you think I can’t handle the lead?” Ryan scoffed, “Lack of experience. And last I checked, you don’t share her last name either, right?” With that, he snatched the script from my hand and gently placed it in Talia’s. “Don’t worry,” he said softly to her. “Now we’re partners.” I looked at the professor, hoping she’d set things straight. “Professor, are you really going to let them steal the roles like this?” She sighed impatiently. “A role’s a role. You think you’ll get to pick your parts as a professional actor?” I wasn’t letting this slide. This was clear favoritism. I’d never been treated like this before. “Why don’t you tell her that?” I shot back. “She’s the one asking for a change.” “Teachers are supposed to be fair. If we allow people to swap roles whenever they want, who’ll take on the smaller roles?” “In every production, each part matters. Without supporting roles, the lead wouldn’t shine.” The professor looked irritated. “I say one thing, and you argue ten. You think you should be the teacher? Either take the role or leave.” I smirked. “You’re all letting her switch because she’s ‘Owens,’ right? What if she’s not even Graham Merritt’s daughter?” Talia froze, her face turning pale as she tried to keep her cool. “If she’s not,” she sneered, “then what are you saying? That you are?” “Obviously,” I answered confidently. The room erupted in laughter. “Oh my god, she thinks she’s Graham Merritt’s daughter. Hilarious!” “If she’s a Merritt, then I must be Jeff Bezos’ kid.” Graham Merritt—that’s my dad’s name. Sure, laugh it up while you still can. Soon enough, you won’t be laughing anymore. I don’t just want them to know the truth. I want everyone to know who the real imposter is. A week after school started, my brother Lucas Merritt was set to perform his concert. Ever since he’d won his season’s top spot on The Next Superstar, he’d gone viral nationwide, practically overnight, bringing me millions of sister-in-law “candidates” along the way. From day one, Erika bragged to everyone that she was Lucas’s biggest fan and held a spot on the Lucas Merritt Fan Society’s board. Tickets for his concert went on pre-sale three days ago. As expected, they sold out within seconds.

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After I died, my parents signed the organ donation form, giving my retina to their beloved adopted daughter, Liana Tate. Without me, they were finally a real family. Liana and I fought all our lives, and in the end, I was left with nothing but a broken heart. This time around, I decided to live for myself—and ended up with an unexpectedly happy ending. Content I was reborn, all the way back to the day Liana came into our home. If I’d returned a little earlier, maybe I could have prevented her parents’ tragic deaths, or even convinced my parents not to adopt her. But now, she was here, and no tantrum could change that. Liana was the daughter of my father’s mentor, a renowned artist who doted on her like a treasure. She had a natural gift for painting, but a mysterious eye disease made her vision unpredictable, and she faced the constant risk of blindness. After her parents passed away in an accident, leaving her alone, my parents took one look at her and decided she’d be like their own—even more so than their real daughter. “Marissa, haven’t you always wanted an older sister? From now on, Liana is your big sister! Aren’t you happy?” My mom and dad looked at me with that expectant, loving gaze, hoping I’d accept my new sister wholeheartedly. At seven, I was thrilled. I believed I’d gained a warm, loving family member and couldn’t wait to share my world with her. But Liana wasn’t here to share anything; she was here to take everything. “Marissa, I know you’re very mature,” Dad said, “but Liana isn’t well. Even though you’re younger, we need you to help us look after her. Can you do that?” I didn’t even get a chance to reply before Liana’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I know it’s hard for Marissa to accept me. Who would want to share their family’s love? I… I can just go back to the orphanage.” Sometimes I wondered if she, too, had come back with a second chance at life. How could an eight-year-old be so calculating? I hadn’t even objected, and yet she’d already cast me as the jealous, spoiled sister. Mom gently wiped Liana’s tears. “Oh, Liana, please don’t cry. It’s not good for your eyes.” “And you don’t need to call us ‘Mr. and Mrs. Locke.’ Starting today, we’re Mom and Dad to you.” Liana looked up, her young face streaked with tears and glistening lashes. She looked so innocently astonished, so pitiful, anyone would feel sorry for her. “I… I have a mom and dad now.” And just like that, they cried together, the three of them in a tight embrace. No one remembered to ask how I felt. Liana just had that effect on people.

That night, my parents made me share a room with Liana. I lay quietly in bed, wide awake, my mind racing with plans to become independent as soon as possible so I could leave. From my last life, I knew how it would go. From the moment she entered our family, Liana would make my parents—and even my brother—hers. In the dead of night, Liana crept out of bed, and I feigned sleep, watching her sneak into my parents’ room. “Mom! Dad! It’s so dark… my eyes hurt so much… I’m scared…” Overwhelmed by sympathy, my parents never stopped to wonder how Liana, in this strange house, had managed to find their room in the dark while supposedly suffering from an eye attack. All they did was wrap her in their arms, their eyes brimming with tears as they held her. “Liana, don’t be scared. We’re right here.” She shivered, pressing herself deeper into Mom’s embrace, the picture of a frightened little girl. “Mom… Dad… can I really stay in this family? Earlier, Marissa, she…” Hearing this, a chill settled over me. Moments later, Dad burst into my room, yanked me from bed, and demanded, “What did you say to Liana? How could you be so unkind? Liana’s been through so much already!” “Let’s not be too harsh,” Mom said softly, though she still held Liana tightly, never even glancing my way. In the end, they brought Liana into their room, leaving me alone, standing in the cold, dark hallway. They’d forgotten I was seven too, that I was scared of the dark and the cold, and that I still needed my parents’ love. Over time, I understood the game Liana played. She would pretend to suffer a relapse, stirring up sympathy, and then accuse me of things I hadn’t done. As I grew older, I saw the crisis: ever since she arrived, I’d been cast as the “bad child,” while she took over my place. And so began our rivalry. If Liana got something, I’d make sure to have it too. Liana was skilled at putting on a gentle, sweet front, while I, the real daughter, became the petty, jealous one. In the end, I lost at everything, even my brother Trevor, who’d once doted on me, fell under her spell. In the art world, everyone knew the Lockes had an angelic, talented adopted daughter, Liana Tate—and a bratty, jealous daughter named Marissa Locke. This time around, I’d had enough. I was done fighting Liana; I’d live the life I truly wanted.

The next morning, I walked downstairs to the sounds of laughter. Liana was sitting in my seat, eating with my favorite dishes and silverware. When she saw me, the warmth drained from the room as though I were the intruder. Mom’s face looked awkward. “Marissa, you’re up early today. Liana doesn’t have her own set yet, so we let her use yours. Why don’t you use Trevor’s?” “No, thank you. I don’t take what doesn’t belong to me.” Everyone caught my sarcasm. Dad, still upset with me for “bullying” Liana last night, glowered at me. I glanced at the table. Milk, sandwiches, eggs, and bacon—all of Liana’s favorites. I was lactose-intolerant, and I usually had oatmeal. “Oh, I forgot! Let me make you some soy milk instead,” Mom said quickly, eager to cover up her favoritism. Dad slammed his cup on the table. “Why do we need so many special treatments? She’s already spoiled enough!” If I were the same girl from before, I’d be heartbroken, ready to throw a fit. Now, though, I just felt numb. I sat silently at the edge of the table and caught Liana’s satisfied smirk as she ate. When she glanced up again, her face was all sadness. “Dad, don’t be so harsh on Marissa. She grew up pampered; it’s only natural for her to act spoiled. It shows how much you love her.” And just like that, my parents were moved to tears by her “grace.” How angelic she seemed in contrast to me, the ungrateful daughter. But I didn’t care. In my last life, I’d practically disowned them already. I could’ve pretended to adore Liana, played the obedient little sister. But I wanted her to know: all the love and admiration she fought so hard for meant nothing to me.

By the time the three of them came back from enrolling her in a new school, I’d already moved my things to the guest room. It wasn’t about giving her my space—I just wanted some privacy. Dad patted my head. “Marissa, you’re such a good girl. Just like Daddy’s little angel.” A younger me would have basked in those words, but now I knew what he really meant: if I could sacrifice my happiness for Liana’s sake, only then was I worthy of his love. Liana didn’t hesitate to barge into my room, looking over the art supplies Mom and Dad had once bought just for me. Her face turned pale as she threw herself, sobbing, into Mom’s arms. “I just wish I could paint freely like Marissa.” Mom looked at me apologetically, hesitating before finally speaking. “Marissa, I know this is unfair, but for Liana’s sake, could you put your art supplies away?” This was how it started: my space, my hobbies, even my dreams were slowly pushed aside for Liana’s sake. In my last life, Liana’s failing eyesight meant she couldn’t paint for long. So, I was forced to cut back on my own painting time, even though I was the artist’s daughter. Liana’s work was framed and displayed while mine sat at the bottom of a forgotten art box. When the time for our college art exams came, Liana’s eye issues flared up halfway through her exam. She wasn’t able to finish, so she switched her name onto my piece. When the results came in, I recognized my own work with Liana’s name on it. I begged Mom and Dad to help me. Instead, they held a sobbing Liana and gently told me to be the bigger person. “Marissa, you’ll have another chance next year. Liana’s running out of time—any day now, she could go blind.” It was so easy for them to say, but only I knew how many nights I’d spent practicing, nearly going blind myself from exhaustion. I screamed, “Isn’t it enough that she took you from me? Now she has to take my life too? Give me my spot back, or I’ll leave for good.” Instead of remorse, all I got was a stinging slap. “Without Liana’s eye problems, do you really think you’d have won? You have no talent! Even in art school, you’d be at the bottom of the class.” I clutched my burning cheek, stunned that my own father would say such words to me. In the end, Liana took my spot at the academy, and I became the joke of the art world—a failed artist overshadowed by the girl who could barely see. This time around, I was done. In front of my parents, I threw my art supplies in the trash. Dad’s face darkened, but they knew they were in the wrong, so they left, with Liana right beside them.

When summer break arrived, my brother Trevor came back from studying abroad, mainly to meet the “legendary” new sister, Liana Tate. Just like in my past life, the moment Trevor laid eyes on Liana, he was utterly enchanted. Liana wore a blindfold, stumbling around the living room like she was lost in darkness until she “accidentally” fell right into Trevor’s arms. Blushing, she murmured in that delicate voice of hers, “Since I don’t know when I’ll go blind, I thought I should get used to darkness now. That way, I won’t be a burden to Mom, Dad, or you.” She had such a way with words. In just one sentence, she managed to make me seem unnecessary, even subtly hinting that Trevor and I didn’t get along. Trevor, full of youthful idealism, was so shaken he couldn’t even speak, gazing at her like she was a damsel from some tragic romance movie. He made up his mind right then and there to protect her for life. My parents suggested we all go out to celebrate Trevor’s return. I wanted no part of it; the four of them looked like a perfect, happy family, and there was no place for me, the bratty, unloved youngest daughter. But Liana wouldn’t let it go. She hid in a corner, tearing up like a sad little pearl. “Mom, Dad, why don’t you just go with Trevor and Marissa? You all deserve a family day without me ruining it.” Trevor got flustered and gently wiped her tears. “Why would you say that? We’re a family now.” Liana acted shy, pulling back from his touch and glancing at me with a helpless look, silently accusing me of something. Trevor turned to me with a scowl. “Marissa! Why are you bullying Liana? This isn’t like you; you used to be so sweet!” Who had changed? They were the ones who’d become strangers: Mom, who had always thought of me first; Dad, who’d been strict but fair; even Trevor, my once-protective big brother. I looked him in the eye, laughing coldly. “Why don’t you ask Liana? How did I ‘bully’ her? I gave up my room for her. What else does she need?” My question caught Liana off guard. She avoided my gaze, but this only strengthened Trevor’s resolve to defend her. “It’s that high-and-mighty attitude that hurts her! She just got here, so naturally you should make her feel welcome!” Suddenly, I was the enemy, while Trevor played the knight defending his “princess.” Mom and Dad chimed in, “Marissa, Trevor doesn’t visit often. Don’t upset him. Apologize to him and Liana.” I looked over this family, who seemed determined to put Liana’s feelings above everything else, and said, “Liana can have anything she wants because I don’t care—but I’m not apologizing.” With that, I walked to my room and locked the door, letting Trevor’s frustrated shouts fade into the background. They spent the entire day out without calling to check on me or even bringing me dinner. In my last life, I would’ve been heartbroken, maybe even starved myself to make them feel guilty. Now, I knew it was pointless; it only hurt me. I made myself a big bowl of ramen, spread out the study guides I’d secretly bought, and settled in. Since my rebirth, I’d been focused on improving myself, pushing forward every day. This time around, I planned to create a life for myself. After careful thought, I decided to study medicine.

At seven years old, I still had the mind of my twenty-something self from my past life, and academically, I was miles ahead of Liana. Her “delicate angel” act might work on my saintly parents, but it didn’t fool the teachers. Failing grades were failing grades. When finals came, I scored first in my grade, while Liana barely passed. Every time a teacher called our parents about her poor performance, she’d tear up, blaming her eye condition. Yet she stubbornly refused to transfer to a specialized school. Each exam season, the house was in chaos as she “struggled” to study, while I took it in stride. To spare her feelings, my saintly parents decided they’d both attend Liana’s parent-teacher conference—even though it was on the same day as mine. They had to know that their favoritism was already causing my classmates to bully me, calling me a “loveless nobody.” Any time they wanted to brush aside my needs for Liana’s sake, they used that tired line I’d heard a thousand times: “Liana’s health isn’t good, and she’s had a hard life. Just give her a little grace.” But I didn’t care. Knowledge was my greatest weapon. I used every spare moment to study, and by twelve, I skipped a grade, becoming the youngest high schooler in our city’s history. Suddenly, my name was everywhere. Everyone knew the Locke family had a prodigy daughter. Dad’s phone rang off the hook with calls from well-connected families hoping to arrange friendships or even engagements. But because he wanted to protect Liana’s feelings, he turned down every invitation, never considering how these connections could benefit my future. Of course, how could I possibly compare to his beloved Liana? When the acceptance letter arrived, my principal, Caroline Quincy, and a reporter personally came to deliver it. But my parents were already rushing out the door, taking Liana to the hospital because she’d complained of a “headache.” They didn’t even stop to greet the principal. Even though I’d long since given up hope for my parents’ support, there was a pang of disappointment. Principal Quincy looked at me intently and said, “Our school doesn’t usually allow boarding, but if you want to live on campus, I’ll arrange it.” She patted my head, and I felt a long-forgotten warmth. Tears welled up as I realized how much I missed the care and kindness of someone who truly looked out for me. That single moment brought two of the most important people into my life.

As the school year approached, I couldn’t wait to move out of the chilly, loveless Locke house and into the school dorms. That day, predictably, Mom and Dad had been called away by Liana’s latest “health crisis.” Trevor was home on break but made no move to help me pack. He simply watched me bustle around, and when I was about to leave, he muttered, “Guess things’ll be peaceful around here for once.” I hoisted my last bag into the taxi, not sparing him a glance. Principal Quincy had arranged a lovely room for me—actually a converted faculty apartment, cozy and well-equipped. I spent a full day cleaning and organizing, then headed to the bookstore to stock up on study materials. High school would be intense, and I was determined to excel. When classes started, I wasn’t surprised to find myself ostracized. Rumor had it that Principal Quincy had “made an exception” for me, and whispers quickly followed. “Oh, look, the 12-year-old prodigy is here.” “Think she’ll cry and want her mom at night?” “Maybe we should put her next to the water cooler so she can make her baby formula during breaks.”

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On our wedding night, my husband didn’t touch me. He claimed he was too exhausted and told me to give it some time. But every night, like clockwork, he slips quietly down to the basement. He returns needing a shower, with this strange smell lingering on him. When I asked what he was doing, he said he was working out. Working out in the middle of the night? Finally, one night, I couldn’t hold back and went down to the basement to see for myself. He caught me and, grabbing my nightgown, yelled furiously: “Get upstairs! You are NOT allowed in the basement! Otherwise, we’re getting divorced!” Content I gripped the railing, shaking with anger. My parents spent their life savings on this cottage to be our wedding home. This is my house! So why shouldn’t I be allowed in the basement? And as my husband, why does he have to speak to me so cruelly? Taking a deep breath to control my anger, I asked, “Evan Marshall, is this how you talk to me?” Evan still had a firm hold on my nightgown. “Let’s go upstairs, and I’ll explain in the bedroom.” “Can’t you just tell me here?” I pointed down at the pitch-black basement stairs. “Why can’t I go down? Don’t I have that right?” “I told you—I work out down there, and I’ve got some things that you can’t see yet.” Evan stepped down a few stairs, blocking my way. “Why?” I demanded. “Because it’s not the right time yet,” he replied. “When it’s time, I promise you’ll see.” My stomach churned with frustration. I took another deep breath to control my emotions. “And did you really have to say it in such an ugly way when you caught me?” “I was just worked up, okay? You know me—sharp tongue, soft heart.” I laughed bitterly and turned to go back upstairs. Sharp tongue, soft heart? Right. Fine then. Tomorrow, when he’s at work, I’ll have a look for myself. … Back in bed, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Something suspicious is definitely in that basement, and it’s got to be big. Was Evan hiding some kind of dark secret? I glanced over at him. He wasn’t asleep either, staring at the ceiling like he was lost in some secret worry. In the moonlight, his features looked sharp and handsome, his build even more rugged and alluring. Back when he was chasing me, I’d been flattered and didn’t dare believe it. He was so attractive, while I’m just… ordinary. Why did he like me? He said he liked my gentleness, my calm nature, something unique about me. And I’d believed him. But if that’s true, why hasn’t he wanted me at night? I’m his young bride, after all; we haven’t even finished our honeymoon yet. Is this normal? Unable to resist, I reached out and touched his face gently. “What are you doing?” he hissed, jerking away as if he’d been shocked, glaring at me with disgust. The look was the same one people give to stray dogs or beggars on the street. Anger filled me as I turned away. Why did he pursue me if he had no interest in me? Why stay with me? Suddenly, I turned back and glared at him. “You told me you’re sick, and that’s why we can’t be together for now. I accepted that. But why such a strong reaction when I touch you?” “I’ve told you a hundred times, it’s a psychological issue. I’m seeing a therapist for it. You just need to be patient.” Evan tapped my shoulder lightly with his phone instead of his hand. “Just give it six months, okay? After that, I promise I’ll love you right.” Too “dirty” to touch, but clean enough for marriage? Could I really believe him? For now, I had no choice but to wait. I sighed, frustrated, and turned away. Honestly, I’d given him everything since we started dating. He said he liked watches, so I got him one worth a fortune. He wanted to travel, so I went around the world with him. He wanted to invest, so I loaned him the money. Anything I had, he could ask for, and I’d give it freely. And now, just after our wedding, this is what I get in return. It’s that basement causing all this! I hate that basement. I’ll tear it apart if I have to, just to get to the bottom of it.

Morning came. Like usual, I made breakfast—the kind Evan likes. He ate in silence, keeping his usual indifferent expression. It felt as though I were his maid, not his wife. After breakfast, I drove him to work. We both worked in sales at Eden Fragrances. I parked, watched him disappear inside, and then told a coworker a few things before quickly leaving. Without my car, I caught a taxi straight back home. Once there, I rushed inside, heading straight for the basement. But when I got there, I was stunned. The door had been replaced! I had no idea when he’d done it, but now there was a steel security door with a keypad lock. Without the code, I couldn’t even get close. I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the door, thinking of finding out if these doors had any universal keys. “What do you think you’re doing?” Evan’s voice boomed from the top of the stairs. He’d actually followed me home! In three quick steps, he was at the bottom, his face dark with rage. He slapped me hard across the face. “How many times have I told you?!” “You hit me?” I put my phone away, glaring. He kept shouting, “How many times have I told you?!” I shouted back, “This is my house! Don’t I have the right to go down there? And if you changed the door, shouldn’t you have told me?” “You need to wait until I have time to tell you!” he barked, raising his hand as if to strike again. I leaned back, dodging his hand, and pulled out my phone. “I’m calling the police.” My cheek stung from the slap, my anger burning through me. Barely married and already he was hitting me? Where would this lead? Panic crossed Evan’s face as he grabbed my hand. “Why are you calling the cops?” “This is my house. Why can’t I go down to my own basement? Why did you hit me? Can’t I call the cops?” I stood firm, ready to dial. “Lily, calm down,” he said, his tone softening. “I… I just lost my temper.” “Oh, so that means you can hit your wife?” I pulled my hand free, saying, “Let go! I am calling the police!” Once again, he grabbed my hand. “Lily, it’s really not a big deal. If you feel we can’t get along, then maybe we should get a divorce.” Divorce? I took a step back, silent. Things were bad, but I didn’t think they were that bad. My parents had high hopes for our marriage; they’d want grandkids soon. And if we divorced, this cottage would be split in half, and my parents would lose out. I couldn’t let that happen. “If you want a divorce, then the house stays with me,” Evan said. “Otherwise, we keep things as they are. Now, go back to work.” After a long look, I turned and left. I couldn’t let him take away my parents’ hard-earned money. “Hey! Get back here!” I stopped and turned. “Don’t you think you owe me an apology after everything?” Tears welled up in my eyes, and I slammed my fist onto the railing, feeling the sting as my knuckles split. Blood ran down my hand. After a glare at him, I walked away. … “Lily, what’s wrong? You look awful,” my coworker Megan Blake asked when I got back to the office. “I’m fine,” I replied, sitting down and opening my laptop. I’d bandaged my hand but kept it hidden under the desk so she wouldn’t see. “Hey!” Megan slid into the chair next to me, giving my shoulder a nudge. “Your honeymoon must be wild. You look like you’re about to pass out!” I forced a smile. If only she knew what a mess things were. “Tomorrow’s Saturday,” she reminded me. “Company’s doing that family team-building event, so partners are supposed to come. If you don’t go, they’ll fine you.” I didn’t care about the outing, but I didn’t want the fine. Evan always loved these company outings and had never missed one before. “If Evan goes, then I’ll go,” I said. “I already asked him. He said he’s not going. Without him, you two lose the monthly bonus,” she added. “I’ll go talk to him.” I went over to his department. He was sitting with two male coworkers, laughing and gossiping about something. I overheard them talking about a hit-and-run accident outside Eden’s office a couple of months ago. Some woman had hit three employees and fled, and they still hadn’t found her. I walked up and asked quietly, “You’re not going to the company outing?” “No,” he replied, as cold as ever. “If you don’t go, we’ll be fined.” “Then let them fine us,” he shot back. “I just think we don’t need to—” “Could you stop nagging?” he suddenly shouted, loud enough for the entire office to hear. The room fell into an awkward silence, my face burning. Here he was, my new husband, yelling at me in front of everyone. What was there left to say? I just lowered my head and walked away. Any illusions I’d held about Evan vanished in that moment. “Lily, I’m sorry for pushing you earlier,” Megan said quietly when I got back to my desk, giving my shoulder a supportive squeeze. “It’s fine.” I suddenly remembered something, took out my phone, and sent her a photo. “Megan, you’re my go-to. Can you find out if there’s a universal key for this kind of keypad lock?” Megan checked the picture, nodded thoughtfully. “Sure thing. I know someone who sells these doors. I’ll ask around for you.”

It was evening again, and as I prepared dinner, I checked the home monitoring system on my phone. Still broken, just like that morning. Was Evan messing with it on purpose? I finished cooking and set the table. A few minutes later, Evan came home carrying a cake. He hid it quickly in the storage room, but I caught a glimpse—it was a fancy French mousse cake, artfully made. I froze for a moment. It wasn’t his birthday, and it wasn’t mine either. What was he up to? He didn’t say anything, and I didn’t ask. At dinner, we barely spoke. He ate as though he were a customer at a restaurant, and I was his waitress. Later, as I replaced the bandage on my hand, Evan broke the silence. “So, Lily, have you thought it over?” I looked up. “Thought what over?” “About the divorce. Have you made up your mind?” he asked, his tone casual, as if we were discussing dinner plans. I let out a cold laugh. Was his only goal with this marriage to get the cottage? “What do you want?” I challenged. “Do you actually want a divorce?” He didn’t answer. “If you’re not happy with me, feel free to ask for a divorce,” I said calmly. “I won’t stand in the way of your happiness.” He shot me a hard look and turned away. “Just go to sleep.” I pressed him again, “You told me to give you time. You said once you got better, things would be different. Isn’t that right?” “Can we just drop it?” he snapped, annoyed. “I’m exhausted. Go to sleep!” After changing my bandage, I turned off the light and lay down. There we were, side by side, but worlds apart. Living like this was torturous, but I had no choice but to endure it for now. Eventually, I fell asleep. It might have been instinct or some inner sense, but in the middle of the night, I woke up. Moonlight spilled into the room, faint but enough to see clearly. Evan wasn’t there. He must have gone to the basement to “work out” again. This time, I was determined to see what he was really doing. But as I shifted to get up, my wrist suddenly felt weighed down. I pulled, and a cold shock ran through me. I was handcuffed to the bedpost with a thick silver chain. I tugged hard, but it wouldn’t budge, and the strain made my wrist burn. Furious, I whispered, “This is too much!”

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