Category: English

The old lady next door lives alone, and she’s been mooching off my meals every day. One night, she suddenly fell ill. Out of kindness, I took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer. Before I could even comfort her, her overly protective son accused me of poisoning her with my cooking. He went so far as to push me down a flight of stairs. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the moment when Mrs. Ruth Johnson had tagged me in the Nextdoor Community Group, asking me to bring her food. 0 “Sarah, are you there?” Early in the morning, Mrs. Ruth Johnson, my elderly neighbor, tagged me in the Nextdoor Community Group right on time. I stared at her message on my phone, a little dazed. Didn’t her son push me down the stairs? How can I still be seeing messages in the group? I quickly pinched my arm. Nope, I was still alive—and back to when Mrs. Johnson had just started living alone. “Sarah, I know you can see this. Can you open the door? I need to talk to you.” “You can just tell me in the group chat. I’m not really available right now.” I tried to make my reply sound as casual as possible. Mrs. Johnson posted again in the Nextdoor Community Group. “Sarah, you’re such a kind soul. My gas is out, and I don’t know how to refill the tank. Could you bring me a meal?” Her tone was so pitiful. In my past life, I was fooled by that frail and helpless act, which led me to take care of her—ultimately costing me my life! This time around, there’s no way I’m signing my own death sentence. “Gas? I don’t know how to refill it either. Why don’t you give your son a call to help you out?” I replied on purpose, but Mrs. Johnson responded like it was the most natural thing. “My son’s not around. Sarah, could you help me? You’ve always been there for me in the past.” “I’m just an old lady living on my own. If I starve to death, you being my neighbor—won’t your conscience hurt?” “Yeah, Sarah, we’re all neighbors here. What’s the harm in lending a hand?” Suddenly, someone else chimed in—it was Michael Adams, another neighbor on my floor. I smirked. “Lend a hand”? It’s never been easy for me. I’m swamped with work, so I make a simple packed lunch to bring to the office. Since Mrs. Johnson started mooching, she’s been picky about what she eats, demanding I get up at dawn to shop for her favorites at the farmer’s market. The time I wasted each day could have been enough to sit down for eight meals after work. My expenses went up fast, too. Last time around, I cooked for her for a whole month. In the end, she got cancer and blamed my cooking. I still don’t know what got into me last time. All it took was for her to ask, and I’d give in. Taking a deep breath, I replied to the nosy neighbor. “My gas is out too. Hey, Michael, you live closer to SoCalGas, don’t you? How about you help both Mrs. Johnson and me with the gas?” As soon as I sent the message, Michael backed out, “I’ve been working long hours at the construction site. No time to make it to the gas company.” “Sorry, gotta run—boss is calling.” Michael stopped responding after that. He’s always been the type to preach about kindness but never lifts a finger when it’s his turn to help. Mrs. Johnson, still with no dinner after all that back-and-forth, wasn’t ready to give up. She tagged me again. “Sarah, what are you busy with? Maybe I can wait until you’re done?” “I twisted my ankle. The doctor says I won’t be walking for at least a month or two.” “That long?” Mrs. Johnson sounded shocked. “Well then, I won’t trouble you. I can’t wait that long.” Mrs. Johnson stopped messaging in the Nextdoor Community Group. Finally, the tension left my body, and I started packing. It was time to cancel my lease and move out of this place. In my previous life, Mrs. Johnson’s son pushed me off a building at the hospital. I’ll never forget the terror of that fall, and I sure don’t want to experience it again. The best choice is to stay as far away from Mrs. Johnson as possible. 0

At 3 a.m., I was jolted awake by a notification from the group chat. It was a voice call initiated by none other than Steven Johnson, Mrs. Johnson’s son. When I didn’t answer, he started ranting in the group. “Sarah, are you even human? My mom’s out of gas and asked you for a meal, and you couldn’t be bothered?” “She’s an elderly woman! If she starves to death at home, can you live with that?” What a lunatic. How is it my responsibility if his mom eats or not? “She’s your mom, not mine. Besides, I’m not a restaurant. If I make her something and she gets sick, I’m not taking the blame!” “You’ve already made her food two or three times! You’re clearly trying to starve her to death on purpose!” Steven was completely unreasonable, and I lost it. “I sprained my ankle! I can barely make food for myself, let alone for your mom.” “If you care so much, why don’t you come over and cook for her yourself?” I muted the group chat immediately. This guy’s insane. Just because I didn’t cook for his mom, he comes ranting at me in the middle of the night? I’m not Mrs. Johnson’s daughter or her caretaker. Why should I be responsible for her? If I had known how this would play out, I would have refused her the first time she asked to mooch off my meals. Out of pity, I gave her a little extra when I cooked. She was a lonely, frail old lady who couldn’t even get a hot meal. I didn’t expect her to latch onto me like a leech. But my kindness wasn’t met with gratitude from either her or her son. Instead, they took it for granted, assuming it was my duty to help. The next morning, Mrs. Johnson started tagging me relentlessly in the Nextdoor Community Group again. I had the group muted and didn’t even see the messages. Besides, I’d already called the moving company and was ready to get out of there as soon as I sold my apartment. It was the smell of smoke that woke me up later. There was a crowd gathered at Mrs. Johnson’s door, and the firefighters looked annoyed. “Ma’am, even if you’re living alone, you’ve got to keep an eye on the stove.” “If the property manager hadn’t noticed the smoke, this whole building could’ve gone up.” “Seriously! We just had these walls repainted, and now they’ll need to be redone because of this mess. What a waste of money!” The property management staff complained. Mrs. Johnson didn’t dare make a peep, standing by the door, all meek and quiet. Michael had just come back from his night shift. After hearing what happened, he immediately spoke up for Mrs. Johnson. “Come on, folks. It wasn’t intentional. She’s an old lady living by herself. A little mistake is understandable. The important thing is no one got hurt.” Mrs. Johnson instantly put on a tearful face. “It’s okay, Michael. I don’t blame anyone. This is definitely my fault, but I swear I didn’t do it on purpose.” “I was starving all day yesterday and messaged Sarah this morning to help me make some porridge, but she didn’t respond. I was starting to worry something had happened to her. Now that I see her walking around, I feel so much better…” Her passive-aggressive tone made my blood boil. What annoyed me even more was that Michael, always the good guy, believed her without question and turned to scold me. “Sarah, what’s wrong with you? Why didn’t you reply to Mrs. Johnson’s messages? You’re perfectly fine, and she nearly burned the building down because of you.” I watched them play off each other, smiling coldly on the inside. But on the surface, I put on a guilty expression, ready to play along. “I’m really sorry. My ankle’s been hurting so much, and some jerk was yelling at me last night. I barely slept until this morning.” “If it weren’t for the smoke, I’d probably still be passed out right now.” Michael, always eager for gossip, leaned in, curious. “Who was yelling at you in the middle of the night? Is this person unhinged or something? Did you do something to set them off?” “Ugh!” I sighed heavily. “It was Mrs. Johnson’s son.” “He started yelling at me around 3 a.m. because I didn’t cook for his mom. He tagged me in the group chat just to curse me out.” As I said this, I glanced around at the other neighbors who had gathered to watch the drama unfold. I raised my voice a little to make sure they could hear. “Hey, neighbors, we’re all part of this community. Mrs. Johnson is an elderly woman living alone, so let’s help where we can.” “I’ve got a hurt ankle and can’t cook for her. Maybe someone else could make a meal and share it with Mrs. Johnson?” As soon as I finished speaking, the place fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Everyone had seen Steven’s outburst in the group chat the day before. Nobody wanted to deal with that kind of trouble. After what seemed like an eternity, someone muttered under their breath. “When my mom lived alone, she still cooked for herself. It’s not really fair to expect the neighbors to do it.” “Yeah, sure, elderly people need help sometimes, but she’s got a son. It’s not our job to take care of her.” With that, the crowd dispersed. 0

Michael noticed Mrs. Johnson’s face turning sour, so he tried to console her, playing the good guy again. “Mrs. Johnson, don’t let those selfish people bother you.” I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, no compassion at all.” “Michael, I know you cook at home often, and you’re right across the hall from Mrs. Johnson. How about you make her some meals over the next few days?” Michael’s expression instantly changed to one of pure panic. “My cooking’s terrible. I doubt Mrs. Johnson would even like it.” “But your dad’s a retired chef from a fancy hotel. Surely cooking for an elderly neighbor wouldn’t be too difficult?” Michael’s dad lived with him, and the two were known for their nightly meals and occasional drinks, the aromas wafting through the halls for everyone to enjoy. Michael’s face turned pale. “That’s not gonna work! We only cook stuff that goes well with a drink. Mrs. Johnson’s tastes are different. And anyway, what if something goes wrong and she gets sick? Who’s gonna be responsible?” See? He knew all along how risky it was, but it only mattered when it wasn’t his responsibility. Smiling, I played along. “Exactly, Michael. You know how dangerous it is to feed someone else. So why didn’t you warn me when I was cooking for Mrs. Johnson a few days ago?” “Luckily, nothing happened. Michael, you wouldn’t have let me take the blame on purpose, would you?” Sweat began dripping down Michael’s back as he stammered out a response. “I—I just didn’t think of it until now. Anyway, I’ve been working nights, so I should probably get some sleep.” Michael made a hasty exit. Mrs. Johnson shot me a glance from the doorway, her face a twisted mix of frustration and defeat. “Never mind. It was just a moment of carelessness on my part. I’ll make sure to be more careful in the kitchen from now on.” “As for what happened yesterday, my son definitely overreacted. Please don’t take it to heart, Sarah.” I thought for a moment that Mrs. Johnson had finally changed her ways. But it turns out, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Later that afternoon, community volunteers came by to drop off supplies—bags of flour, rice, and oil—to help Mrs. Johnson out. But she looked at the items with pure disdain. “I don’t eat this kind of oil. It’s all GMO. Not healthy at all.” “And what am I supposed to do with flour? I’m an old woman! Do you expect me to knead dough on my own?” The community workers exchanged awkward glances. Then Mrs. Johnson’s gaze shifted to the takeout bag in my hand. “Sarah, that takeout smells delicious. Why don’t you give me a bite?” “Mrs. Johnson, this takeout is all processed junk food. It’s not good for you at your age. You should really stick to cooking at home.” I quickly grabbed my takeout and closed the door, devouring it in record time. In my past life, I’d ordered takeout for Mrs. Johnson plenty of times. She was picky, only wanting the priciest meals. One time, when a heavy rainstorm delayed the delivery, she refused to eat the food and called to complain. “Sarah, what is this garbage you ordered? It’s cold and inedible!” “Take it back home with you when you get off work. I’m not touching it!” Of course, she never paid me for any of the takeout. Looking back, I can’t believe how I was such a pushover—working like a dog, too broke to order food for myself, yet still paying out of pocket to get her the best meals. After finishing my takeout, I reclined on the balcony, enjoying the breeze in my lounge chair. This relaxed life was heaven. Suddenly, the video doorbell buzzed, alerting me to someone at the door. It was Mrs. Johnson again, I assumed, back to cause more trouble. But when I checked the live feed, I saw a man standing there instead. Judging by his posture, he looked a lot like Michael’s dad. And right now, the two of them were holding hands, exchanging glances so intense you could almost see sparks flying between them. Well, well, well. Looks like there’s more to this story than I thought. 0

Mrs. Johnson was practically draped over John Adams, working her charm like she had perfected the art. “John, if it weren’t for you, I don’t know what would’ve happened. I really thought I was at the end of my rope,” she said, her voice trembling for effect. “I was so hungry that I collapsed just outside my door.” John, ever the gentleman, responded quickly. “Why didn’t you say anything? I’m a retired chef! Making a meal for you would’ve been no trouble at all.” Mrs. Johnson kept her tone soft, still pulling at his emotions. “How could I impose? Besides, your son mentioned that the meals you make at home are all too heavy, more suited for a glass of whiskey. I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it…” John bristled at the mention of his son. “Michael’s talking nonsense! We eat hearty, delicious food every day. Tell you what, why don’t I whip up a nice chicken pot pie for you?” Mrs. Johnson hesitated for effect. “Won’t Michael mind?” That set John off. “Mind? What business is it of his? I make the rules in my house!” Mrs. Johnson smiled sweetly. “You’re too kind, John. Anyone lucky enough to be a part of your family is truly blessed.” With that, she had him wrapped around her finger. John was practically glowing from her praise, and off he went to cook her a meal. I couldn’t help but laugh. Mrs. Johnson hadn’t lost her touch. In no time at all, she had found her next target—a free personal chef. I could only imagine Michael’s face when he came home to find that the pot pie meant for his dinner had been devoured by Mrs. Johnson. Satisfied with the little drama, I ordered another round of takeout and spent the rest of the afternoon lounging comfortably. As I settled down to watch a movie, my phone buzzed—there was a flurry of activity in the Nextdoor Community Group. “Mrs. Johnson, couldn’t you have discussed whatever it was in person? Did my dad really need to go over to your place in the middle of the night?” “What’s going on that you have to drag him into this mess?” Michael’s post read. Mrs. Johnson wasted no time replying. “I just wanted to thank your father for making me dinner. Michael, I think you’re overreacting.” “Overreacting? My dad has never once cooked for me in years. Then suddenly he’s making you pot pie? I’ve never even had his pot pie!” Michael fumed in the chat. Frustrated, John finally chimed in. “That’s enough! Mrs. Johnson needs help, and I’m more than happy to provide it. You’re a grown man—do you still expect me to cook your meals? Seriously, Michael, stop being selfish!” The chat had clearly caught everyone’s attention. Michael, in a fit of rage, continued. “Stop being selfish? I bust my butt working all day and come home to relax with a drink and a decent meal, but now my food is going to someone else? And let’s not forget—this woman had the nerve to cozy up to you, and now you’re at her place all the time!” He wasn’t holding back. I hadn’t expected him to air their dirty laundry so openly. The other neighbors jumped in, unable to resist. “This does seem a bit much.” “Yeah, getting free meals is one thing, but turning the chef into your personal servant is another.” “Careful, Mrs. Johnson, if you steal our building’s prized cook, Michael’s going to starve.” The comments kept rolling in, getting more and more out of hand. Mrs. Johnson remained silent, no doubt furious but unable to retaliate. I let the chaos play out in the group while I turned back to my movie. But the next morning, I woke to a different kind of chaos. Standing at my front door was Steven Johnson. And in his hand was a knife.

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On the night Ava Sinclair won the International Best Director Award, I died an untimely death. She stood center stage, nestled in her new boyfriend’s arms, answering reporters’ questions. One reporter asked her how she viewed her first love. Ava smirked, “First love? That was just a fling. Who would take it seriously?” But Ava, I did take it seriously. I was diagnosed with terminal cancer on New Year’s Eve. To prevent my condition from worsening, I still checked into the hospital. The hospital was quiet and empty, most doctors had gone home for the holiday. The sporadic sound of fireworks outside sketched out a brilliant city night scene. In this city, I, stricken with cancer, had nowhere else to go. After spacing out for a while, I turned on the TV in the ward. Instead of watching the New Year’s Gala, I flipped through a few channels and stopped at a movie channel. Today was the announcement day for the Golden Palm Director Award. Staring at the familiar figure holding the trophy on TV, I smiled resignedly. Sure enough, this year’s Best Director award went to Ava Sinclair. She had changed a lot. The Ava now no longer had the fresh-faced look of a recent college graduate. She wore bright red lipstick, dressed in a flowing champagne-colored evening gown, exuding an overwhelming presence. Just standing there casually, she could attract everyone’s attention. She had gotten what she wanted. When we broke up, Ava had screamed at me with tear-filled eyes, saying she would definitely win the Best Director award. Today marked the third anniversary of our breakup. She did it. I coughed a few times, my breath unsteady. Suddenly, my gaze froze. Just now, I had only noticed Ava holding the trophy, overlooking the man beside her. He looked somewhat familiar. I frowned, trying hard to remember where I had seen him before, but couldn’t recall at all. …Who was that man? After the group photo session, Ava suddenly linked arms with the man beside her. It was time for the reporters to ask questions. Faced with reporters wielding cameras and microphones, Ava didn’t show any stage fright. She had grown. At this moment, a reporter suddenly spoke up, asking about Ava’s relationship with the man beside her. She glanced around at the crowd below, smiling as she slowly began to speak. “Him? He’s my current assistant, and also—” As if deliberately creating suspense, Ava paused for a few seconds before continuing. “My boyfriend.”

The reporters below erupted into a frenzy of excitement. Ava’s answer had practically caused an uproar throughout the venue. I could clearly feel a dull pain in my heart. The pain wasn’t intense, more like a hangnail—just a slight touch would trigger a fine, dense ache. I watched her nestle in her new boyfriend’s arms, smiling happily and sweetly. At this moment, a reporter held out a microphone. “Miss Sinclair, may I ask how you view your first boyfriend, Liam Carter?” The world seemed to fall silent for a moment. I am Liam Carter. Back then, quite a few people in the industry knew about my relationship with Ava. She was an emerging director showing early promise, while I was the assistant to an internationally renowned director. After falling in love with Ava, I gave up my million-dollar annual salary and moved into a cramped rental apartment with her, who hadn’t produced many works yet. In the directing circle, experience and age matter. Even though Ava had undeniable talent, her lack of experience meant she couldn’t earn much, especially since she preferred art films. At that time, we had almost no money at all. One night, Ava’s stomach condition flared up. Back then, smartphones weren’t as advanced, and we couldn’t call a cab. In a panic, I rode our old bicycle, carrying Ava all the way from the suburbs to the downtown hospital. She hugged my back and told me she would definitely marry me, spend her life with me, even if we had to live on scraps for the rest of our lives, she wouldn’t regret it. “Liam, I love you,” she whispered, her falling tears feeling like they could pierce through my back. At the hospital, the doctor said we were lucky to have arrived in time—Ava had acute gastroenteritis. I don’t remember how exhausting that day was, but I do remember Ava saying she wanted to marry me. After all the twists and turns, she still broke that promise. I snapped back to reality and continued watching the TV. Ava’s expression was blank. The reporter still held out the microphone, seemingly waiting persistently for an answer. Entertainment reporters love these tricky questions. After a while, Ava seemed to come back to her senses and let out a cold laugh. Her expression was somewhat playful, as if she had heard an amusing joke. “You mean first love? It was just a fling, who would take it seriously?” Whatever questions the reporters asked afterward didn’t matter anymore. At least at this moment, I had become the butt of this joke. I realized that Ava had just been playing around with me. After our breakup, we had no further contact. I originally thought she would never mention me again. I didn’t expect her to bring up my name in such a setting. In an instant, I felt a sense of being in another world. Suddenly, a brilliant firework exploded in the sky above the city. While watching the fireworks, I felt short of breath. At first, I thought I was just upset by the live broadcast, feeling a bit down. As time passed, I found it increasingly difficult to breathe. Realizing something was wrong, I quickly pressed the nurse call button. A flurry of footsteps sounded in the corridor. I struggled to reach out towards the ceiling, but seemed to grasp nothing, touching only emptiness. Before being wheeled away on the surgery cart, my gaze fell on the TV in the ward. It was still showing Ava. This TV was quite old and seemed to be experiencing some minor lag, making the live broadcast a bit choppy. But I think I’ll never forget how Ava looks now. She’s all dressed up, accepting everyone’s adoration. This is how the 22-year-old Ava most wanted to be. She said she wanted to become the brightest sun. “Patient’s emotions unstable, quick, put on the oxygen mask…” “Anesthesia… anesthesia…” Amidst the chaos, I passed out. The last words I heard were the cold “resuscitation failed.” My hand fell to the side of the operating table. In my dying moments, I thought, congratulations, Ava. I hope you’ve gotten what you wished for. On the night she gloriously won the Best Director award, I died in the operating room of a hospital. Actually, there was still something I hadn’t told Ava. But… This is something she probably will never know now. I thought I would die. Suddenly, I opened my eyes. I found that— I was actually floating in the air above the hospital corridor. What’s going on?

I looked at my hands in bewilderment, then glanced at the mirror at the end of the hallway, finally confirming a fact. Now, I should be temporarily not dead. But I had indeed separated from my body. I looked down and saw the on-duty nurses pushing me into the morgue. Although I was alone in the world, I was still a once-famous director’s assistant, and now that Ava had become famous, I had gained even more notoriety than before. Some entertainment reporters arrived at the news, got some information from the hospital, and left after taking some photos of the scene. All the while, I floated in the air, watching everything around me. This world was still bustling with activity, only my life had stopped a few hours ago. Suddenly, I had an almost crazy idea. …I wanted to see how Ava was doing now. As soon as this thought emerged, I felt a bit self-mocking. All my life, I could never stop worrying about Ava. At the awards ceremony, Ava had drunk quite a bit. She always skipped meals, and her stomach condition wasn’t light. If she didn’t eat properly, she might end up in the hospital. Over the years, she had been to the hospital countless times. At this moment, I realized I could still move. Which means— I should be able to move around normally. Amidst my surprise, I felt a bit excited. I knew roughly where the awards ceremony was held. Thinking this, I floated towards that direction. As I was no longer human, my speed wasn’t slow. When I arrived there, Ava hadn’t left the venue yet. The post-awards banquet must have ended, she was retching violently in the restroom, no longer the glamorous image she had on stage. Her whole person looked pale and light. Her face showed heavy fatigue. Ava’s assistant stood beside her, seemingly wanting to pat her back, but Ava dodged. I remembered, this man’s name was Jack Reynolds, two years younger than Ava, considered her junior. I heard he had always admired Ava, even confessed to her in college, but Ava didn’t accept him then. Now, Ava allowed him to stay by her side, what this meant, she had already said at the ceremony. Jack was already her boyfriend. My heart ached with a sour, bitter feeling. “Ava, drink some hangover soup, you’ve had too much to drink tonight.” Jack spoke with concern. But this word seemed to touch Ava’s sore spot. She frowned and looked at Jack, seemingly annoyed by his presumption. “Who wants to drink hangover soup?” “I’m sorry… Ava… I didn’t know you don’t drink this…” Jack’s apology sounded somewhat pitiful. I frowned, feeling their interaction didn’t quite resemble that of a couple, yet unsure how to define their relationship. Finally, Ava stared at the mirror for a long time, lost in thought. When it was almost dawn, she finally left the venue. With Jack’s support, Ava walked unsteadily, looking like she might fall over with a gust of wind. She wore a pair of very high heels. I knew Ava didn’t like high heels. When we were dating, she loved wearing flats and standing on tiptoe to kiss me. But now, she seemed to have gotten used to the glamour that high heels brought. People always change. Just like how Ava, once devoted to art films, had started making commercial films. It seemed everything had changed. The only one still lingering in place was me. I always thought Ava wouldn’t know about my passing. Unexpectedly, the next day, news of my death topped the trending topics.

At breakfast, Ava habitually scrolled through the latest news. Even after staying up so late, she still got up at seven o’clock sharp to go to the film set. Ava probably wanted to see news about herself. After clicking into the news, her gaze froze. Following her gaze, I first saw myself. “Liam Carter passes away.” These simple words summarized everything from last night. I couldn’t help but feel emotional. Ava seemed to disbelieve this news, reading it over and over again before finally clicking in. I could see her fingertips trembling. Ava muttered repeatedly, saying this news must just be a name coincidence. I noticed she was gripping the hem of her clothes. This was Ava’s habitual action when nervous. After clicking into the news, she looked at the editor’s name, then snorted lightly and closed her phone. Jack noticed Ava’s reaction and asked cautiously what had happened. Ava laughed coldly: “Nothing. Just saw some gossip news. I knew those entertainment tabloid reporters love to sensationalize, publishing such unrealistic stuff.” Hearing Ava say this, I understood. She didn’t believe I was dead. She thought this kind of news was just a clickbait title made up by those reporters for traffic. I smiled bitterly. But, Ava, I really am dead. Tortured by cancer for so long, I’ve finally found release. Although, the process of release might have been painful. I closed my eyes. Today, after finishing breakfast, Ava went to the film set. But her state was off. She called cut countless times, and when explaining the script to the actors, she couldn’t adjust her emotions at all. After half an hour, Ava put down the script, saying she was going to the rooftop for some air. The whole set fell silent. They hadn’t expected that Ava, who had always been sharp and insightful, would have such an irritable side. She came to the rooftop and opened her phone. I keenly noticed that Ava’s screen saver was still me. She typed something in her notes app. After floating over, I was stunned to find that this message was written to me. After I left, Ava probably didn’t know who to talk to about certain things, so she wrote them in her notes. I watched her type a line. “Liam Carter, just try dying and see what happens.” “I haven’t seen you fall from grace yet, how dare you die?” She typed with heavy strokes. I knew that Ava was angry now. She must still believe that I was alive. She still thought that those news reports were all fake, all fabricated. I closed my eyes and smiled bitterly. Ava would probably never know my secret. Actually, the reason I got cancer was for her. At that time, her film was just starting production, but our savings had been completely swindled by fraudsters. The money we had saved for so long was gone in a flash. Without sufficient funds, Ava’s film, which she had poured two whole years of effort into, would be ruined before it could even start. I told Ava I would find a way. But what way did I have? That day, I contacted a friend I hadn’t been in touch with for a long time, flew to an overseas lab, and voluntarily participated in their experiments. As long as I participated in one experiment, I could get $18,000. $18,000, that was a whole $18,000. I stayed abroad for three days, participating in a total of ten experiments. Each experiment would bring side effects to the body, but I gritted my teeth and endured them all. There was no special reason. That was $18,000. After each experiment, I vomited violently, feeling like I might die there. Everyone said I didn’t have to push myself so hard. But I didn’t listen to them. A few days later, I returned to the country with a bank card. Ava was still worrying about the startup funds, sitting in the living room with red-rimmed eyes, calling people she knew, asking if they could lend her money. At that time, no one thought much of Ava, and no one believed she would be able to repay the money. They cursed Ava for being shameless, then hung up the phone. I came to her side with that bank card. Such a good Ava, the Ava I loved so much. How could she cry? I told her I had raised the money. Ava widened her eyes in disbelief, then cheered and threw herself into my arms. I stroked her hair, also forcing out a somewhat ugly smile. After Ava’s film started production, my stomach suddenly began to feel uncomfortable. When I went to the hospital for a check-up, I found out I had indeed been diagnosed with cancer. Before participating in the experiments, I had signed a waiver. Since I had taken the money, if anything happened, I had to take responsibility myself. I understood very clearly. It was also on that day that I bought an insurance policy. I wrote Ava’s name as the beneficiary. Without realizing it, Ava had already typed a long paragraph. She put away her phone and turned to leave the rooftop. In the following shooting, Ava obviously got into the state. She became that decisive and experienced Director Sinclair again. Everyone on set regained their composure and continued with their respective duties. I could notice that Jack’s gaze towards Ava was still unusual. Suddenly, I remembered that Jack and Ava’s rooms were separate. Compared to a boyfriend, Jack was more like an ordinary life assistant. Moreover, Ava wouldn’t let Jack touch her much. The two of them… indeed didn’t look like a couple. Ava worked until late at night before finishing work. By the time she got home, a phone call came through on her phone. Seeing the flashing “Insurance Company” on her phone screen, my eyelid twitched. ——I think I know what this call is about. Sure enough, after Ava answered the phone, I heard a somewhat familiar voice.

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Scarlett Beaumont tossed me a card and told me to get lost. She said, “Here’s half a million. It’s enough to buy out your years of dedication.” I had accompanied Scarlett from a workplace novice to a business elite, spending a full five years by her side. But the one she liked, from beginning to end, was my brother. After leaving the company, I crossed the road in a daze and was killed by an out-of-control truck. When I woke up again, I had returned to my college days. Scarlett was throwing a stack of notes in front of me. She commanded, “Jasper Callahan, copy these for me.” I threw the notes back at her. “Are your hands broken? Can’t you copy them yourself?” When I said this, Scarlett was stunned. Looking at the woman before me, my only thought was to slap her hard. It was she who had tricked me into giving up the opportunity to continue my studies, making me her stepping stone. Right after graduating from college, I accompanied Scarlett in starting a business. Five years later, she transformed into an industry upstart, while I had developed a host of health problems. I thought I could finally reap the rewards of my hard work, but what awaited me was Scarlett’s infidelity and betrayal. Perhaps it was my unwillingness to accept this fate before I died that made the heavens give me a chance to start over. I didn’t want to face Scarlett’s nauseating face again. I quickly packed up my books and stationery, intending to leave the classroom. Even at this moment, I still couldn’t believe I had really been reborn. I shouldered my backpack and was about to leave. But Scarlett sneered behind me. “Trying a new trick this time? If you don’t copy them, plenty of guys are lining up to do it for me.” I ignored her. After taking a couple of steps, I heard Scarlett’s best friend tease: “Scarlett, let’s make a bet. See how long he can hold out.” Another friend immediately chimed in: “I bet one night.” “One night? An hour would be pushing it.” As they were chattering away, I couldn’t help but turn back and mock: “Scarlett, with your family background, guys would be running away from you. Don’t think of yourself as such a catch!” Scarlett was good-looking and smart, and her family was moderately well-off. But she had a three-year-old brother, which was a fatal flaw. After all, few men could tolerate helping their wife support her brother after marriage. Back then, I was too infatuated to see these facts clearly. My words hit Scarlett’s sore spot. She immediately changed her expression. “Jasper Callahan! What do you mean? Am I not stating facts? Or are you and your little friends only allowed to criticize others behind their backs?” I turned my fire on her friends: “And you lot, got nothing better to do? Betting on others, think you’re gambling gods or something? With all this free time, why don’t you read a few more books!” Scarlett and her friends couldn’t keep face anymore, but they didn’t want to argue with me in public, so they just said sarcastically: “Did you take the wrong medicine? Such a big reaction.” “Scarlett, it’s all your fault, making the poor guy bitter from unrequited love…” I couldn’t be bothered to listen to them ramble on, so I turned and left. In my past life, my eyes and heart were full of Scarlett, and by extension, I even had a fondness for her group of friends. I carried their bags when they went shopping. I saved seats for them when they ate out. After graduation, when her friends were drunk or couldn’t drive, I always volunteered to be their driver. They called me “brother” to my face, but behind my back, they mocked me as a lapdog. Most hatefully, they even banded together to cover up Scarlett’s affair. In their eyes, I was just a free servant to be called upon at will! Bah! Even I have to despise myself for being so spineless and love-struck! I hurried back to the dorm, washed up, and changed clothes. I stared at myself in the mirror. Messy hair, skinny, sallow complexion, with dark circles under my eyes. I had always been a bookworm with no sense of style since I was young. Boys my age all knew how to exercise, keep fit, and dress well. But I only buried myself in studying, paying no attention to my appearance. I hadn’t planned on finding a girlfriend during school anyway. Liking Scarlett was just a twist of fate. One winter, I went to the communal water station to get hot water and accidentally scalded my hand. When Scarlett found out, she kindly stuffed some burn ointment in my drawer. From childhood to adulthood, apart from my parents, almost no one had cared for me so selflessly. So, I fell for her. Ignoring others’ gazes, I actively showed my affection for Scarlett. She probably accepted my devotion with the mindset of “why not, if it’s free.” And I, for one act of kindness, staked my youth, and ultimately my life, ending up losing everything. How ridiculous! Given another chance, I absolutely won’t walk down the same path as in my past life!

To change my fate, I’ll start by changing my image. I made a decisive move and ordered a batch of new clothes and shoes online. Then I signed up for a gym membership and made an exercise plan for myself. My parents both worked, and as an only child, I never lacked pocket money. However, my family always valued frugality as a virtue. My parents taught me from a young age to look at a person’s inner beauty. Now I’ve realized that using money to improve oneself is nothing to be ashamed of! The timing of my return wasn’t great, happening right after I had refused my master’s degree offer. I quickly ate and rushed to the study hall. After searching for a while, all the seats were occupied by students with water bottles and books. Disappointed, I walked towards the exit, almost bumping into a girl coming from the opposite direction. I apologized and was about to move around her. But she called out to me: “Jasper Callahan.” I recognized the voice and turned back in surprise, meeting a face as fair as jade. It was Zoe Fitzgerald, my childhood friend. Zoe was my neighbor and classmate in both elementary and middle school. Back then, we were both admitted to the same university, but Zoe was even more impressive, gaining admission to a combined master’s and doctoral program. She studied software engineering, while I studied biotechnology. Since she moved, we had fewer chances to meet. Encountering an old friend, I felt a mix of emotions. When Zoe learned that I had refused the master’s offer, she had called to try and persuade me. But I was too love-struck to listen to her advice, and even accused her of meddling. Zoe tried her best to convince me but couldn’t, and got so angry she stopped talking to me altogether. Later, she went abroad for her Ph.D., and we completely lost touch. Looking back, Zoe was really far-sighted. She had warned me back then: Giving up on improving yourself for a woman, you’ll regret it one day! Who knew it would come true. Now, Zoe frowned and said: “Jasper, the professor said you’re not continuing your studies? Why would you give up such a good opportunity?” I snapped back to reality from my memories and hurriedly explained: “Yes, I just had a moment of confusion, feeling I didn’t deserve this recommendation. Now I hope I can apply and get in with my own abilities!” I was just making this up. But it was the only reasonable explanation I could think of. Zoe was stunned for a moment, then said seriously: “You’re always so stubborn. There are only a few recommendation spots, and this is also a recognition of your abilities.” I nodded vigorously. “You’re right, so I’m a bit regretful now. But don’t worry, as long as I work hard, I’ll definitely be able to apply and get in on my own!” I spoke sincerely, and Zoe nodded: “That’s more like it. This is the Jasper I know.” She looked at the seats in the study hall and asked: “Couldn’t find a seat?” I said helplessly: “Yeah, came too late.” Zoe took out her phone and said: “My classmate saved a seat. I’ll tell her to go somewhere else, and the seat will be yours.” “How could I… Well, I’ll treat her to a meal next time.” I accepted after a polite refusal. After finding a seat, I sat down with Zoe to study. I couldn’t help but recall the scenes of us participating in math competitions together in high school. Back then, I was even thinner and darker than now. Zoe, on the other hand, had always been a beauty in the making. Since middle school, boys had been giving her love letters, but she always maintained an attitude of keeping everyone at arm’s length. It seemed that apart from studying, nothing could pique her interest. She was too upright; I never had any inappropriate thoughts about her. We studied until just before the dorm closed, then left the study hall. Zoe asked: “Are you coming tomorrow? Want me to save you a seat?” “Sure, if it’s convenient for you.” I didn’t forget to express my gratitude: “Thanks to your classmate for giving up her seat. How about I treat you guys to a meal at the Lakeside Restaurant tomorrow?” The Lakeside Restaurant was considered high-end consumption on campus, usually only frequented by couples. Zoe waved her hand: “No need, we’re not picky about food. If you get to the cafeteria early tomorrow, just save us a table. We have lab work tomorrow, so we’ll be late getting out of class.” “No problem, leave it to me!” I promised. The next day, I rushed to the cafeteria right after class and saved a table by the window for Zoe. I put my books and water bottle on the table, planning to go get food after Zoe and her classmate arrived. I was lowering my head to send Zoe a message. Scarlett and her group of friends walked towards me. One of her friends, Katie Hawthorne, teased: “See? I told you Jasper still cares about our Scarlett.”

I looked up in surprise. Scarlett let out a contemptuous snort and sat down next to me. Katie reached out to a girl named Isla Sinclair: “One night, I won. Pay up.” Isla grumbled as she took out money: “You’re still the best.” I immediately realized what was happening. Did they think I had found this seat for them? I was both embarrassed and angry. But I couldn’t blame them. For the past two years, I often did this kind of thankless task. It was understandable that they would misunderstand. I had to explain while suppressing my anger: “I’m sorry, but I saved this seat for a friend. There are many empty seats, could you please move to another table?” Katie and the others ignored my words and sat down. Isla fanned herself and said: “This spot is nice, quite cool.” Katie teased: “Jasper, stop being stubborn. We all understand your feelings for Scarlett.” Isla chimed in: “Scarlett couldn’t sleep well last night, thinking you really despised her.” Scarlett said angrily: “Shut up!” I saw them push my books and water bottle aside, and I said urgently: “The seat really isn’t for you! My friend will be here soon! Please leave!” Scarlett said nonchalantly: “If it’s not for us, who else could it be for?” She commanded: “Get me a salad, and for the other dishes, you know what I like.” She finished speaking and tossed her meal card in front of me. Seeing that card, I couldn’t help but recall the scene from my past life when she threw a bank card at me to break up. The face of the cheating ex from my past life overlapped with Scarlett’s current face. I could no longer suppress the anger in my heart. I grabbed the books and slammed them on the table, shouting: “I’ve already said it’s not for you! Can’t you understand human language?” The commotion quickly drew sidelong glances from others. Katie and Isla sat awkwardly without saying a word. Scarlett lost face because of me and got angry too. She frowned and reprimanded: “Jasper Callahan, that’s enough! A grown man holding such a grudge! I’ve already made concessions, don’t go too far!” I was about to speak when Zoe’s voice came from behind: “Jasper? What’s going on?” I turned around quickly. Zoe was walking towards us with two female classmates. Both groups curiously sized each other up. I was stuck in the middle, feeling a bit at a loss. Seeing Zoe, Scarlett’s face changed instantly. She asked me through gritted teeth: “Jasper Callahan, you’d better explain this.” Her tone sounded like I had done something to betray her. It was simply ridiculous! Before I could open my mouth, Zoe introduced herself gracefully: “Software Engineering, Class of ’18, Zoe Fitzgerald. Nice to meet you.” Katie and Isla gasped. Katie: “Zoe Fitzgerald? The academic star whose paper was published in an international journal?” Isla: “Isn’t she the one who secured a 5 million sponsorship for her research project?” Zoe’s reputation preceded her. The originally arrogant Scarlett suddenly seemed to shrink in her presence. Scarlett continued to glare at me: “You two know each other?” “She’s my neighbor,” I said concisely. Then I turned to Zoe and her classmates with an apologetic look: “I’m sorry, the seats have been taken by others. How about I treat you to the Lakeside Restaurant instead?” Zoe’s classmate said generously: “It’s fine, we can eat anywhere.” “No need to splurge, we’re good as long as we have a place to sit.” I didn’t want to continue eating here to avoid the unpleasant atmosphere with Scarlett and her friends. I started packing up the things on the table, and Zoe naturally helped me stack the books and put them in my bag. Scarlett kept glaring at us fiercely, as if trying to bore holes in me with her eyes. I couldn’t be bothered to even give her a glance. I left with Zoe and her group. At the restaurant, I politely let them order and insisted on treating them. Zoe said: “Don’t be so formal, we can split the bill.” She then introduced me to her two friends, who were her lab mates. During the meal, Zoe’s two classmates were discussing experimental data. Zoe casually asked me: “That girl just now, is she your girlfriend?”

I was taken aback. In all the years I’ve known Zoe, she had never shown interest in my love life. Perhaps I was silent for too long, as she said uncomfortably: “If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to…” I hurried to explain: “No, no, she’s not my girlfriend. She just helped me before, and I was repaying her kindness.” Scarlett’s small favor to me had been more than repaid by my running errands for her these two years. I no longer owed her anything! Zoe heard this and made a noncommittal “Oh.” That page was turned. Ever since the incident in the cafeteria, Scarlett and I were completely done. Although I was sick of her, she hadn’t done any substantial harm to me in this life yet. I had no intention of seeking revenge on her. When faced with people and things you dislike, it’s best to stay away. There’s no need to get entangled. That day, as usual, I finished working out and returned to the dorm. As soon as I entered, I was stopped by my roommate, Liam Thorne. Liam was the one who had come between Scarlett and me in my past life. Liam and I weren’t in the same class. After graduation, out of consideration that he was my roommate, I kindly introduced him to Scarlett’s company and even became good friends with him. As a result, he repaid my kindness with betrayal, backstabbing me along with Scarlett. During our school days, he rarely came back to the dorm as he lived off-campus with his girlfriend. Liam held a USB drive, smiling as he said: “Jasper, we need to make a PowerPoint for our group assignment. You’re the best at this kind of technical work, can you help me?” Liam had always liked to boss people around, relying on his bit of money. I smiled insincerely and said: “Sorry, I have my own work from last night that I haven’t finished. I can’t help you.” He didn’t expect me to refuse and was stunned for a second before reacting. He tried to persuade me: “Come on, help me out… It’s due tomorrow, and I don’t want to pull an all-nighter. You’re so skilled, you could finish it in no time. I’ll treat you to bubble tea if you do it, okay?” This kind of tactic might work on girls, but I wasn’t falling for it! Especially after seeing his true colors in my past life, I despised him even more. I wiped the smile off my face and said sternly: “Liam, forget about the bubble tea. Making a PowerPoint isn’t that hard, you’ll get the hang of it if you try. It’s better to rely on yourself than others. You can’t always depend on people to help you, can you?” Liam seemed unable to take a hint and persisted: “It’s just a small favor. You’ve helped me before, haven’t you?” I was considering whether to be more direct when our roommate Finn Donovan kindly tried to defuse the situation: “Liam, Jasper’s been arguing with Scarlett lately. He’s not in a good mood. Cut him some slack, will you?” Liam looked shocked: “What? You broke up with Scarlett? I thought you really liked her?” I coldly replied: “We were never dating. How could we break up?” With that, I headed straight to the bathroom with my change of clothes. Liam was still gossiping with Finn. Liam: “Who dumped who?” Finn: “Not sure, but I think Jasper dumped Scarlett first…” Liam: “No way? I never would have guessed…” Liam stopped pestering me, and I couldn’t be bothered to explain. I just took my clothes and went into the bathroom. The courses in senior year weren’t intense. Students started looking for internships, spending less and less time on campus. With over a month left until the master’s interview, I spent more and more time in the study hall. Of course, no matter how busy I was with studying, I didn’t neglect my workouts. I had a good foundation, and I was tall enough. After building some muscle, my whole demeanor changed. With proper grooming, my attractiveness skyrocketed. As my outward appearance improved, people’s attitudes towards me changed noticeably. Walking around campus, I’d occasionally have girls come up to ask for my contact information. Looks really are important. One day, after finishing my studies, it was already 9:30 PM. It was late autumn, and the night wind was chilly. After walking Zoe back to her dorm, I walked alone along the campus path. I pulled my jacket tighter, when suddenly someone darted out from the nearby woods. I was startled, but when I looked closely, it was none other than Scarlett, whom I hadn’t seen in days.

Scarlett was wearing a pleated skirt, exposing her long, snow-white legs. It seemed she had purposely laid in wait to ambush me here. I didn’t want to have any interaction with her and tried to walk around her. Scarlett grabbed my sleeve and said coquettishly: “Don’t go. I have something to ask you.” I put on a long face and said coldly: “Speak.” Scarlett huffed. “Why have you changed so much? Why are you so impatient with me?” I said impatiently: “Get to the point.” Scarlett continued: “But you’re quite interesting like this now, much more fun than your previous wooden self. You’ve become better looking too. How did you suddenly wise up?” As she spoke, she clung to my arm and shook it, acting coy. My feelings of disgust were reaching their boiling point. I pulled my hand away and said through gritted teeth: “If you have nothing important to say, I’m leaving.” Scarlett blocked my path again. She said haughtily: “Alright, I’ve been thinking these past few days. Actually, there’s nothing wrong with you. I was too cold to you before. I shouldn’t have led you on like that…” Scarlett opened her arms and announced loudly: “Jasper Callahan, let’s officially date! From now on, you’re Scarlett Beaumont’s boyfriend! How about that? Happy now?” “…” At this moment, my silence was deafening. Be her boyfriend? Happy now? No, who gave Scarlett this confidence? I looked at her like she was an idiot, and after great effort, I managed to squeeze out a sentence:

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I woke up in the middle of the night, thirsty. I got up to get some water from the kitchen. As I passed by the guest room, I heard some muffled noises coming from inside. I thought maybe Kelly Morgan, the nanny my mother-in-law, Mrs. Evelyn Adams, had brought in, wasn’t feeling well. I was about to knock on the door. Just as my fingers touched the doorknob, I heard my husband, Brian Adams’ voice, mixed with Kelly’s soft moaning. Her breathy sounds, almost whimpering, were unmistakable. As an adult, I knew exactly what was happening in there. The sounds were enough to make my skin crawl. My mind went blank for a moment, like a radio cutting out. I couldn’t decide if I was more furious or in complete shock. My legs gave out, and I slumped down to the floor, too weak to stand. Kelly was someone Mrs. Adams brought in from her hometown to be my nanny after I had just given birth to our son, Baby Ryan. I’d wanted to stay at the Mommy & Me Clinic for postpartum care, but when my mother-in-law saw the price tag, she insisted she could find someone better and cheaper who would let me recover comfortably at home. I wanted to refuse, but the eager look on Mrs. Adams’ face made me swallow back my protest. The day after I was discharged from the hospital, Mrs. Adams showed up with Kelly. Kelly had walked into our house wearing dark, faded slacks and a short-sleeved shirt that had clearly been washed one too many times. Her skin looked sallow, and her hair was tied back in a limp ponytail. When she saw me, she gave an awkward smile, nervously rubbing her hands on her pants and hiding behind Mrs. Adams, while her eyes darted all over the house. She was so young—was she even capable of being a nanny? I felt a wave of doubt rise in my chest. I pulled Mrs. Adams aside and whispered, “Isn’t this nanny a little too young?” Mrs. Adams laughed and patted my hand. “Oh, Amanda, don’t let her age fool you. Kelly’s great with kids.” Then she called Kelly over. Kelly quickly nodded and stepped forward. “Ma’am, I’ve got a big family—two younger brothers and a sister. I basically raised them all,” she said with a nervous laugh, puffing out her chest a bit. “I’m strong and tough. You can trust me with your baby.” I studied her face, trying to read if there was anything off. All I saw was sincerity. I hesitated for a moment, but Mrs. Adams made the decision for me. “Alright, Amanda, let’s have Kelly stay. If you’re not satisfied, we can always ask her to leave, okay?” Given the situation, I couldn’t very well tell her to go. So, Kelly stayed. I have to admit, during her first week, Kelly did a decent job. She took care of everything around the house with impressive efficiency. At first, I didn’t like her cooking. Her meals were far too greasy for my taste. But when she noticed I wasn’t eating much, Kelly quickly taught herself a few lighter dishes. And when it came to looking after Baby Ryan, she was always extra careful. I had no complaints when I saw her gently rocking my baby in her arms. I even mentioned to Brian, my husband, that maybe we should give Kelly a raise. Brian just laughed and said, “No need, not yet.” 2 But I had no idea that my trust was being traded for Kelly’s ambition. I must have been blind to keep a wolf like her in my home. Kelly’s moans grew louder in the guest room. Startled, I forced myself up, bracing against the doorframe. Then I heard Brian let out a final satisfied groan. They were both panting inside. Through the crack in the door, I could see Brian holding Kelly, the two of them lying naked together in bed. Kelly’s fingers were tracing circles on Brian’s chest. “Brian, when are you going to divorce Amanda? I can’t wait much longer,” she purred. Brian took her hand, kissed her fingers gently, and said, “Be patient, babe. The fun’s just getting started. Once I’ve got that old hag’s money, I’ll marry you, okay?” I froze. My scalp went numb. Kelly kept nagging him, clearly growing impatient. Turns out, Kelly and Brian had been engaged back in his hometown. Everyone there knew about their relationship. Everyone except for me—the fool they had tricked. I remembered the first time I went back to Brian’s hometown to meet his parents. The whole town had gathered at the entrance to greet us. When they saw me, there were these strange, sly smiles on their faces, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I clung to Brian’s hand and nervously asked, “Why are people looking at me like that?” I remembered how nonchalantly he squeezed my hand and replied, “They’re just jealous that I married someone from the city.” Brian had strutted ahead, showing me off to the entire town. I overheard people whispering behind me, “That Brian sure knows how to play the game. Can’t believe he landed a city girl.” “Yeah, but it’s all because of his looks. What else does he have going for him?” “And what about his girl back home?” “Guess he’ll have one wife and one mistress.” I was walking too fast to catch the full conversation, but the bits and pieces I heard didn’t make sense to me at the time. Later on, Brian and I got married. Even though my parents weren’t thrilled about Brian, they agreed to the marriage for my sake. After we tied the knot, my parents bought us a nearly 2,000-square-foot house in a great school district and even gave us the funds to start our own business. With my help, we started a small company. We hit the market at the perfect time, and within a few years, the business was booming. Brian became a self-made millionaire. But now, all my hard work, all my dedication, had been repaid with betrayal. I was shaking all over, ready to burst into the room and tear those two apart. But my sense of reason kicked in. Now was not the time to confront them. Inside, Kelly asked, “Brian, is it because she gave birth to a son that you don’t want to divorce her?” My heart clenched. My son was my line in the sand. Brian chuckled in that strange way that echoed in the quiet of the room. “He’s my son too, isn’t he? Won’t he be yours when you’re raising him?” Kelly’s voice chimed in, “Yeah, and when he’s older, he’ll call me ‘Mom.’” The two of them laughed together. 3 I was completely numb. They were scheming to take not just my money, but my son, too. Well, let’s see how things play out. I won’t let them get away with anything. Then Kelly started up again, purring to Brian, “Honey, I want you again.” “You little minx. You’re going to wear me out,” Brian laughed. Within moments, their moans filled the room again, even louder than before, completely ignoring my presence in the house. I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms, but I couldn’t feel the pain. After standing there for what felt like forever, I stumbled back into our bedroom. I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. I kept thinking about how Brian and I had started the business. Back then, it was just the two of us. I handled everything at the company—administration, financial reports, managing clients. And at home, I cleaned, did laundry, cooked. I was spinning like a top, working non-stop. After three years of my relentless efforts, the business finally took off. Brian had officially climbed out of that tiny town he came from. Now, every time he went back, he was greeted with fanfare. The town even put up banners when he returned, calling him their “great hope.” Mrs. Adams would walk around the town with her head held high, looking down on everyone. I remembered once when she came to visit us. She had pulled Brian aside in the kitchen and whispered, “Son, now that you’re a big-shot businessman, it’s time for you to have a son to carry on the family name, right?” I had seen Brian nod in agreement. “Yeah, I know.” Mrs. Adams had clapped her hands in delight and whispered, “Then you better hurry up. I want to be holding my grandson by next Christmas.” Brian had proudly puffed out his chest. “Don’t worry, Ma. I’m in great shape.” Hearing them talk, I had quietly retreated to our bedroom. Truthfully, I had always wanted a baby, too, but the company needed me, so I kept putting it off. When Brian finally brought it up, I was thrilled. Not long after, I found out I was pregnant. Brian insisted I stay home and focus on the pregnancy. His reasoning was that the business was running smoothly now, and I deserved to relax. When I hesitated, Brian had wrapped his arm around me and softly said, “Babe, just stay home and take care of yourself. Make sure our baby boy is nice and healthy.” I laughed and teased him, “How do you know it’s a boy? What if it’s a girl?” Brian’s face darkened. He furrowed his brows in annoyance. “The Adams family has always had sons, generation after generation. We need a boy to carry on the name.” Seeing the displeasure on my face, he quickly backtracked and added, “But of course, a girl would be fine too. As long as you’re the one giving birth to the baby.” After I got pregnant, Brian became even busier. He was often gone for entire nights, always tied up with meetings or client dinners. I was too naive. I actually believed he was working hard for the sake of our family. Little did I know, I’d been living a lie. A complete joke. Every time I thought about how Brian had been sneaking around with Kelly behind my back, I felt sick to my stomach. I couldn’t let this go. 4 Determined to get proof of their affair, I bought a few wireless cameras online. While Kelly was out grocery shopping, I installed the cameras in the guest room, living room, and kitchen. As expected, that very night, Brian and Kelly were at it again.

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On the day of my engagement, my fiancé’s first love attempted suicide. He told me it was a life-or-death situation and asked me to “be understanding.” Sure, I can be understanding. The guests were already here, and they couldn’t have come for nothing. So, I found a new groom on the spot. Forget the engagement, let’s go straight to the wedding. I was sitting in the Bridal Suite, dressed in my elegant wedding gown, waiting for the engagement ceremony to start. But instead of someone coming to escort me to the ballroom, my best friend walked in, her face pale as a ghost. “What happened?” My brow twitched slightly as a bad feeling crept over me. She stared at me for a long moment, grinding her teeth before she finally spoke. “I told you to break up with Jack Linfield, but you didn’t listen. Now, on your engagement day, his first love is about to whisk him away!” I was silent for a full five seconds. “Samantha Shaw?” “Who else?” My best friend let out a cold laugh and glanced at the doorway just as my fiancé, Jack, walked in. “Honestly, I don’t know where you found this one. Who abandons their fiancée at the engagement party because his ex cried a little on the phone?” Jack, clearly catching the dig, didn’t look happy. “Samantha…she tried to slit her wrists. It’s bad. I need to go check on her.” “Check on her? Why? You’re not her family, and you’re definitely not her boyfriend. Why is it your business?” My best friend smirked, stepping forward and taking my hand. “He’s still hung up on her. Imagine being about to get engaged but worrying more about your ex. Bravo, Jack. That’s something to admire.” Jack’s expression darkened, ignoring her, and turned to me instead. “Nina, I know today’s our engagement party. I didn’t want this to happen, but it’s a matter of life and death. I hope you can be understanding.” I raised an eyebrow, looking at the man I’d been dating for six months, and then suddenly, I laughed. “Sure, I understand. Go ahead.” “Nina Woodson!” My best friend stared at me in disbelief. “You’re letting your fiancé leave his own engagement party to go check on another woman? Nina, do you want to be the laughingstock for the rest of your life?!” I stood up, wrapped my arm around her shoulders, and gently pinched her cheek, forcing her to close her mouth. “Go on, Jack. Hurry, before her wounds start healing on their own.” I said it so sweetly. Jack hesitated, sensing something was off, but didn’t think too much about it. He turned and practically ran out of the room. My best friend broke free of my grip, eyes wide as she prepared to scream at me again, but I smiled brightly and spoke first. “The engagement party? Oh, it’s definitely still happening.” “With who? A ghost? Your groom just left.” I wagged my finger with a knowing smile. “Who said the engagement party has to be with Jack?” My friend looked baffled as I slipped on my heels and strolled toward the ballroom. Since my fiancé wasn’t cooperating, I didn’t mind swapping him out for a new groom.

I peeked out of the doorway, scanning the ballroom. The guests were almost all seated, and it was nearly time for the ceremony. I looked from left to right, front to back—ugh, not a single man worth considering. Of course, my most handsome guy friend wasn’t picking up his phone. He’s killing me here. I couldn’t embarrass myself. That was my bottom line. Just when I was starting to lose hope, I spotted my dad walking toward the front of the room, dragging someone along. “Ethan, I really appreciate you coming all the way here straight from the airport…” Dad was beaming as he introduced the man beside him, a tall, handsome guy with an air of mystery. His name was Ethan Cooper. Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked as flawless as ever, his features both striking and refined. And just like that, the answer to my dilemma appeared. He was perfect—someone I knew well, someone who would make an impression. Without a second thought, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found his number. I hesitated for a moment before calling. It had been a long time since I last used it, back when I was studying abroad. Ethan had been a chess buddy of my dad’s. They had once competed in a national amateur tournament together, with Ethan emerging victorious. At the time, Ethan was only 19, while my dad was 43. Ever since, they’d maintained a close friendship, despite the age difference. Even though Ethan is only eight years older than me, my dad insisted I call him “Uncle Ethan.” Now, at 34, Ethan Cooper was wealthy, charming, good-looking, and successful. The only thing missing in his life was a good wife. And hey, what a coincidence… The phone rang a couple of times before Ethan picked up, his voice calm and steady. “Hello?” “Uncle Ethan, could you come to the Bridal Suite? I need a favor.” “Something urgent?” He got it right away. That’s why they call him “uncle,” I guess. “Yeah, it’s pretty urgent.” “Okay, I’ll be right there.” I watched as Ethan stood up without even telling my dad where he was going. He asked a server for directions and started walking my way. Two knocks later, I opened the door and pulled him inside before anyone else could see. My best friend had already been shooed out so I could save face in case Ethan said no. “Uncle Ethan, I need your help.” “Go ahead.” I pointed to Jack’s backup suit, giving him the best pleading look I could muster. “If you’re not in a rush, could you…just marry me today?” He raised an eyebrow, immediately catching on. “Did your fiancé bail, or are you the one with regrets?” Eight years of knowing him meant he could read the situation like a book. Seeing him there reminded me of when I was a mischievous kid. I’d tried to prank him once with some friends, but it ended with him outsmarting all of us. Back then, when my friends and I had a falling out, he’d said something that stuck with me. “Trust is the foundation of any partnership. If suspicion outweighs trust, it’s no surprise things fall apart.” So, I told him everything—about Jack and Samantha. He listened intently. “So, he ran, and now you regret it too?” I nodded firmly. Absolutely no doubt about it. Jack could go be with whoever he wanted. I, Nina Woodson, wasn’t about to look back. “I’d rather stay single my entire life than marry someone like Jack.” Ethan gently covered my mouth with his hand, a mysterious smile on his face. “Alright, I’ll do it.” He glanced at Jack’s suit and shook his head. “This fabric is terrible, the colors are all wrong, and the sleeves are too short. I can’t wear this.” I looked him over again and realized Ethan was taller than Jack. Well, thank you, Samantha. Not only did I get a new groom, but he’s taller, too. “TOM!” Ethan called, his assistant immediately responding. “Grab the backup suit from my car. And tell them I’ll wait in the Groom’s Suite, not the main ballroom.” After everything was arranged, Ethan gave me a light pat on the shoulder. “See you soon, my fiancée.”

You really have to hand it to a good assistant. Not only did he adjust to the fact his boss was suddenly getting married, but he even agreed to officiate the ceremony. With our new “officiant” in place, the engagement party proceeded smoothly. Thanks to my best friend giving my parents the heads-up, they handled the switch calmly. As for Jack’s parents, they’d already left the venue by then. I later found out that Jack had started planning for their exit the moment he took Samantha’s call. Knowing he was in the wrong, he didn’t want his parents to face the embarrassment of apologizing on his behalf, so he went for the coward’s way out. People really show their true colors when they’re running away. After the ceremony wrapped up, my dad couldn’t wait to ask Ethan what was going on. “Ethan, what’s the deal with today?” He was still calling Ethan “old buddy,” but my mom was quicker on the uptake. “Sweetie, you can’t call him that anymore—it’s your son-in-law now!” She whispered, pinching my dad’s waist. “I mean…this is all so sudden…” Seeing how confused my dad looked, Ethan put his arm around my shoulder and smoothly spun a completely made-up story about how we had “always loved each other but were too afraid to admit it—until today.” Honestly, even I almost believed him. As the top-ranked “Outstanding Young Professional” in the city, handling an engagement party was a walk in the park for Ethan. Before long, he had the room eating out of his hand. A couple of puzzled guests were quickly drowned in my dad’s wine. The party was a success. Back in the dressing room, my best friend finally let out a deep breath. “Jack is such a jerk, but at least he did one decent thing in his life—today.” As she helped me out of my wedding gown, she couldn’t resist throwing in a few more snarky comments. “You dropped a tiny speck of dust and traded it for a whole truckload of gold. Honestly, you’ve won the jackpot!” I chuckled. “You should have joined a comedy show. They’re missing out on some serious talent.”

As I stepped out of the Bridal Suite, I saw Ethan waiting for me by the door. He had already changed back into his sharp suit, still looking annoyingly handsome. “Ahem, I’ll go return the wedding dress for you,” my best friend teased, putting extra emphasis on “your fiancé,” before laughing and walking away. Honestly, I didn’t plan to involve Ethan at first. If only my best guy friend had answered his phone, none of this would have happened. But here we were. Thankfully, this was just an engagement party, not the actual wedding. Give it some time, and people would forget about it. Later, I could come up with a graceful way out, maybe chalk it up to “bad timing.” But first, I had to talk to Ethan. We couldn’t just wing it like we did today. Just as I was about to start a conversation, my phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but I answered without much thought. On the other end, I heard Jack’s voice, incredulous and furious. “Nina Woodson! Do you think marriage is a game?” “I told you I was going to help someone. I asked you to be reasonable… and you just replaced me with someone else?!” “You even blocked my whole family’s numbers? Wow, you’ve really outdone yourself…” He was practically shouting, and I could imagine the spit flying as he ranted through the phone. I hadn’t even had the chance to confront him, and now he was playing the victim. Fine. If he wants to play this game, I’ll make sure he understands. “First of all, Jack, you were the one who treated marriage like a joke. You ran away from our engagement, remember?” “Secondly, you’re not a doctor. You’re just a guy still hung up on his ex. Get over yourself.” “And lastly… we’re done. Why would I need to keep your number? There’s no reason for it.” Oh, it felt so good to finally get that out. I’d been holding that in all day. “Where are you? Stay where you are. I’m coming to find you right now…” Jack’s voice was still shouting through the phone. Before I could respond, Ethan reached over and took the phone from me, his arm casually draping around my shoulders as he spoke into it. “Jack Linfield, right? If you have something to say, say it to me. Don’t raise your voice at my fiancée.” That deep, authoritative voice… it was lethal. There was stunned silence on the other end of the line, followed by some incoherent muttering before Jack hung up. I stood there, completely floored. If I had even a fraction of Ethan’s presence, I wouldn’t have let Jack walk all over me for six months. Actually, scratch that. If I had Ethan’s confidence, I wouldn’t have even given Jack the time of day!

On the way home, I couldn’t help but doze off in the car. When I woke up, I felt a soft jacket draped over me. Ethan must’ve noticed me stirring, because he glanced over and smiled. “Why didn’t you wake me?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. He reached out and gently readjusted the jacket on my shoulders. “You were exhausted. I wanted you to rest.” Wow. Thoughtful, but not in that cheesy, over-the-top way. The kind of guy who knows how to take care of you without making a big show of it. Is this what they mean by the charm of a mature man? Today, I was definitely starting to understand. I let out a small sigh. “Thank you. Really. I’m not even sure how to express my gratitude.” Scratching the back of my head, I considered how I could possibly repay Ethan for what he did today. The Woodson family had always believed in repaying favors, but I wasn’t sure how to handle this one. After all, Ethan was wealthy and didn’t need anything. He had a great life, except maybe the whole “needing a wife” part. Looked like it might be time to step up and continue my dad’s mission of finding him a match. Ethan gave me a look, his eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. Then he leaned in slightly, bringing that familiar woody scent closer. Before I realized what was happening, he unhooked my seatbelt with ease, his hand brushing mine. “We’ve got plenty of time to figure it out,” he said softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. As I got out of the car, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the elevator’s shiny wall. Good grief, I looked like I’d just rolled out of bed. What a sight for Ethan to see!

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On the day of the proposal, I finally met my boyfriend’s brother. At that moment, my entire body froze, muscles numb, and a loud ringing filled my ears. I knew it—my PTSD was acting up again. He acted like a perfect gentleman, but in my mind, all I could see was his other face—his terrifying face. He had once crouched in front of me, his cold gaze piercing as he sneered, “You’re just a cheap slut, Rose. Who are you trying to fool?” And with that, he’d pressed a lit cigarette into my hand, the sizzle of it burning into my skin. “Hey, sis. I’m Ethan, David’s brother,” Ethan Landon’s voice cut through the noisy atmosphere, hitting me with precise clarity. A violent shiver ran down my spine, my whole body convulsing. “Rose… Rose…” David noticed my distress immediately, gripping my cold, pale hand tightly. Without missing a beat, he covered for me, “She’s a bit shy around strangers. Why don’t you sit down for now? Don’t startle her.” Ethan looked at me with slight surprise. I had changed my name, changed my appearance. It seemed like he didn’t recognize me. He just smiled and said, “Alright. I haven’t been back in years. I’ll go catch up with some old friends.” As soon as Ethan walked away, David’s face fell. He gently wrapped his coat around me and pulled me into a quiet corner, holding me close, full of concern. “Rose, what happened? Why are you having an attack now? I’m sorry, was it the crowd? Did it overwhelm you?” His voice was filled with guilt. David knew about my PTSD. I had a few episodes in front of him when we first got together, and it scared him senseless. But over the past three years, he’d been incredibly good to me—kind and gentle—helping me heal my trauma, little by little. I hadn’t had an episode in a long time, and even the doctors thought I had a chance at recovery. But after seeing Ethan again, I knew. I knew I wasn’t getting better. I’d never get better. Not in this lifetime.

“David…” I finally managed to regain some sense of calm. Still trapped in his arms, too stiff to push him away, I could only press my weak fists against his chest. “Sorry, did I scare your brother?” David kissed my forehead gently, soothing me in his soft voice, “It’s fine. I know you don’t like strangers. But after we’re married, Ethan will be family, just like me. He’ll protect you too.” Protect me? Family? I almost laughed out loud at his words. If only he knew that the reason for my lifelong illness—the very source of my trauma—was his dear brother. Would he still be able to say so casually that we’d all be family? That Ethan would protect me? My eyes felt dry, but I couldn’t cry. I’d cried all my tears back in high school when Ethan Landon was tormenting me. That’s when I learned tears are the most useless thing in the world. “Rose, I just remembered—didn’t Ethan go to the same high school as you? Did you ever hear any stories about the trouble he got into?” David chuckled, his voice light, as if trying to calm me down. “He was just a dumb kid back then, causing trouble at school. But don’t worry, he’s grown a lot over the years. He’s not that reckless boy anymore.” “And, you know, he cares about family… just like I do.” Yeah, I knew what David was saying, but it wasn’t the whole truth. No one knew better than me—Ethan Landon was rotten to the core. How bad, you ask? Bad enough to see me for the first time and immediately decide, along with his rich-kid friends, that I was his new plaything.

Why? I thought about it. Probably because I didn’t look the other way when he and his gang of rich bullies were harassing everyone at Lincoln High School. Ethan was the ringleader back then. They didn’t care about right or wrong. They just enjoyed tormenting people for fun. Once, I saw him forcing my deskmate to kneel and lick his shoes while his friends laughed. I couldn’t take it anymore and stormed over to confront him. That’s when I caught his eye, standing out from the silent crowd. I still remember the gasps from the students around us, and the mocking look on Ethan’s face as he pushed my bangs back, sneering at me. “What, trying to stand up for your little boyfriend?” The way I shielded my deskmate with my body amused him. From that moment on, Ethan decided I was his next conquest. Ethan and his gang of trust fund kids started hovering around me more and more. They bullied my poor deskmate and tried to sweet-talk me at every opportunity, making my life increasingly unbearable. “Rose, what’s so great about that country boy? All he has is good grades.” “Why don’t you be with me instead?” At first, he was all talk. But one day, in the school cafeteria, he slid his hand onto my leg. That’s when I finally snapped. I screamed at him, right in front of everyone, “Jacob’s smart, good-looking, and a hundred times better than you!” “Ethan Landon, I hate you! Leave me alone and stay away from me!” Ethan, who had been adored and spoiled his whole life, was humiliated in front of the entire cafeteria. As soon as I finished shouting, I realized how dangerous it was, especially when I saw the murderous look on his face. He let out a sinister laugh, and I knew his patience was gone. Then, a bowl of scalding soup was dumped over my head. The hot liquid ran down my hair, burning my skin, and I couldn’t even open my eyes. And that was just the beginning. I had touched Ethan’s sore spot, and from that day on, he made it his mission to make my life a living hell. He had his lackeys take inappropriate pictures of me from humiliating angles and posted them on the school blog. Then, he spread vicious rumors, calling me a manipulative slut who’d sleep with anyone. Soon enough, I became the laughingstock of the school, the subject of endless gossip. The girls looked at me with mocking eyes, some full of jealousy, while the boys’ stares were downright filthy. Walking down the hall, I couldn’t escape the constant whispers: “Hey, that’s Rose Evans. Gotta admit, she’s pretty hot…” “You might have a shot with her. I heard she’s not that picky.” “Ugh, what a bitch.”

Ethan got his lackeys to take compromising photos of me and post them all over the school forum. He spread lies about me, calling me a slut, saying I’d sleep with anyone. In no time, I became a laughingstock, the subject of endless gossip. The girls gave me dirty looks, full of mockery and jealousy. The boys? They looked at me like I was a piece of meat. I couldn’t walk down the hall without hearing: “That’s Rose, right? Gotta admit, she’s hot…” “Maybe you have a shot. I heard she’s not picky.” “Ugh, what a slut.” It didn’t stop there. I was cornered in alleys by groups of girls, pushed around, cursed at, and beaten. Every time, after the crowd dispersed, Ethan and his friends would show up to watch me struggle. “How’s it going, Rose? Regretting your choices yet? If you kneel and apologize, maybe I’ll reconsider.” He stood over me, looking down with that same disgusting grin. I was scared—terrified, even—but I had never been taught to submit to evil. So I bit my lip and stayed silent. His smile faded. Then, he took his cigarette and pressed it hard into the back of my hand. “You think you’re so pure, don’t you? You’re nothing but a dirty slut, Rose.” I could hear the sizzle of my skin burning, the smell of charred flesh filling the air. That was the mark Ethan left on me—his trophy, my shame. The scar remained, a pink, jagged reminder of what he did. Years later, I tried to cover it up with a tattoo—a pink whale. But the ink couldn’t erase my past, just like it couldn’t fool David when he saw the scar beneath. When David asked about it, I brushed it off, saying it was just a burn. He knew I had stories I wasn’t telling, but he never pushed me for answers. He just held me close, whispering, “I wish I had met you sooner. Then I could’ve protected you, before you had to go through all of this…” I almost cried when he said that. David thought I was touched, and he kissed me gently. But only I knew the truth: I had met David a long time ago. And every scar on my body—he and his brother were the ones who gave them to me.

That day, after Ethan left, I lay in the alley, feeling like a dying fish washed ashore. The alley was right next to the school. Students walked by, but they all hurried away, not daring to help me. My vision blurred from the pain, and I didn’t know how long it had been until a pair of worn-out sneakers appeared in front of me. Then, someone draped a big, familiar hoodie over me, the scent of laundry detergent filling my senses. It was Jacob. He didn’t have much money, but he went to the pharmacy, bought some medicine, and brought me back to the classroom. Without a word, Jacob cleaned the burn on my hand. His eyes were red, and finally, in a hoarse voice, he said, “Rose, I’m sorry…” That was only the second time Jacob had spoken to me since he transferred to Lincoln High.

From the moment Ethan had started targeting me, I noticed Jacob distancing himself. I knew he didn’t want to drag me into his mess, but in the end, I couldn’t escape Ethan’s torment. When the disinfectant stung my wound, I couldn’t hold back my tears. I looked at Jacob and said, “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.” The ones at fault weren’t him—or me. It was those who had started this whole mess and the bystanders who did nothing to stop it. “Rose, why aren’t you saying anything? Are you feeling unwell?” David’s voice broke through my thoughts. His grip on my hand tightened, and for once, I heard a trace of uncertainty. He remembered how we used to talk about bullying cases, how deeply I despised it. He knew about Ethan’s notorious reputation at Lincoln High, how it had caused such a scandal that even the police got involved. The Landon family had covered it up, but the school had never quite forgotten. Now I understood why David had waited until today to introduce me to Ethan. He had been scared—scared that I would be disappointed in him, in the Landon family, because of the sins of the past. So I gave him no answer, no relief. I just closed my eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry, David. I’m tired. Can I go home now?” It was supposed to be the day he proposed to me. But seeing my state, David relented, nodding, “Okay, Rose. I’ll take you home.” On the way back, David tried to make small talk, but I kept my lips sealed, not offering him a single word. When we reached my apartment and he followed me to the door, assuming he’d come in like usual, I stopped him. “David, maybe you should go spend time with your brother. He just got back.” David froze, his face showing clear confusion. We had been living together for a long time now, and he hadn’t expected me to shut him out on such an important day. My sudden coldness was impossible to ignore. When I went to close the door, he slammed his hand against it, hard enough to make it shake. The warmth in his eyes was replaced by panic. “Rose, what’s going on? If it was wrong for me to invite so many people today, I’m sorry. We can talk about it. Didn’t we agree to be honest with each other, no matter what?” He said a lot, but I remained cold and distant. Finally, he lost his composure. “Is this about Ethan?” Every time I heard that name, it felt like I was suffocating. I turned pale, but I answered stiffly, “Yes, David. I knew you had a brother, but I didn’t know he was Ethan.” “Do you know why I became a lawyer? Why I hate bullying so much?” One question after another, my words hit David like punches. I could see the shock and struggle in his eyes, the emotions swirling inside him. “You know your brother got into a lot of trouble back then. But what if I told you I was one of the people he bullied?” David froze, like a machine malfunctioning. Disbelief and pain filled his expression. “Rose… how? He never—he never mentioned you…” I let out a bitter laugh. Ethan and his friends were so cruel back then, they didn’t even keep track of the people they tormented. “You think Ethan remembers every person he’s hurt?” My words left David speechless.

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Ten years after the divorce, Brock Kingston showed up at our door with his three brats, asking my mom, Veronica, to take him back. The first thing out of his mouth was a demand for our suburban mansion, a claim on Ivy’s Smokehouse, and on top of that, he wanted me to hand over my 2-million-follower Instagram account to my stepsister, Paige. Veronica, my mom, wasn’t having any of it. She scoffed and said, “An old cucumber painted green, trying to look fresh. Nice try.” Brock turned up just as Mom and I got home from the restaurant after a long night of work. “It’s past midnight, and you two are still out messing around?” His face was twisted in anger, barking orders as soon as he saw us. Mom and I exchanged an eye roll, almost in unison. Ten years ago, we agreed we’d never see him again, so why was he suddenly back, trying to act like he still had a say in our lives? Like he had the right to question us? “Sweetie,” my mom suddenly said, her voice raised so I could hear, “do you know why Mr. Thompson’s granddad lived to be a hundred?” I replied, “Because he minded his own business.” Mom gave a satisfied nod, took my hand, and we walked right past Brock without another glance. “We need to talk, Veronica,” Brock growled, his tone commanding as if he had any right to. He even reached out to grab her arm. Without thinking, I stepped between them, glaring. “Keep your hands to yourself, or I’ll make sure your head spins backward.” Ten years ago, I couldn’t stop him from hitting my mom, but now? Now I’ve got a black belt in Muay Thai. One good hook aimed near his head would make him see stars for weeks. I wasn’t bluffing. Brock flinched, shocked at how fast I moved. But then he got mad. “Adults are talking here, Ivy. Stay out of it. Where are your manners?” Coldly, I shot back, “My dad died young, so cut me some slack.” “You little—” he raised his hand, ready to slap me, but Mom caught his wrist in a tight grip. Years of boozing and partying had left him weak. We all heard the crack as she twisted his arm, making him yelp in pain. Still, her expression didn’t change. “Unless you want a beating, get lost. Don’t stand here barking like a dog and disturbing the peace.” “You’re still so crude,” Brock sneered, but we could see how much he despised us. Finally, he hissed, “Fine, I won’t argue with you.” “Tomorrow, I’ll be free. We’re going to the County Registrar’s Office to get remarried.”

Mom stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “Are you out of your damn mind?” I didn’t even hesitate. I pulled out a business card and shoved it at him. “Top mental health specialist. Mention my name for a discount. No need to thank me.” Brock’s face turned red, then blue, but finally, he scoffed and looked back at Mom. “Back then, you were begging not to get divorced, and now that I’m offering to come back, you’re still not happy? What more do you want?” See, my mom had been naive back then. She had married Brock with no dowry, no wedding. Two months after they tied the knot, he left to “manage a project.” For the next decade, he barely came home, leaving Mom to deal with everything on her own. When she was pregnant with twins, she had to borrow money from friends to pay for the hospital bills. During postpartum, she didn’t even have a bowl of hot soup. And Brock? He made every excuse not to come back, but in reality, he was living a double life with his new girlfriend. Mom looked him up and down, then burst out laughing. “And why should I remarry you? For your beer gut? Your thinning hair? Or maybe for the extra fat on your face—you could probably fry two pounds of lard from it.” “Don’t you have a mirror at home? Or even a toilet? Try looking at yourself next time you pee.” Brock, who always thought so highly of himself, turned red with fury. His gut was already bulging out, and two shirt buttons popped off under the pressure. I, ever the helpful daughter, handed him another business card. “Consider a gym membership. Mention my name for three free spin class sessions.” Then, while he was still fuming, I grabbed Mom’s hand, and we slipped into the building, slamming the door shut behind us. Brock started kicking the door in frustration. “Open this door!” I wasn’t about to indulge him. Instead, I called Westfield Gated Community Security right in front of him. “Hi, yes, there’s a flasher outside Building 7, Unit 3. Oh no, he’s still kicking the door. Can you send someone over, please?” Hanging up, I smirked at Brock, still standing there, raging. “Hey, Uncle, you think security’s not enough? Should I call the cops too?” “Ivy, I’m your father!” Brock was furious now, his face turning purple. “You must have me confused, sir. I’m Ivy Hayes—daughter of Veronica, whose real father is long gone,” I said with a wink.

Later that night, I paid triple to have someone run a thorough check on Brock’s life these past few years. Not long after, Mom came into my room, clutching a pillow to her chest. You’d never guess she was now a successful businesswoman, co-owning a multimillion-dollar restaurant group. But when things got tough, she still came to me for comfort. My heart sank. No way she was falling for Brock again, right? Was she really going to let an old loser like him back into her life? “Mom, don’t even think about it. I’d rather you and Aunt Julia get married in Vegas and make me call her mom than ever accept Brock as my father again!” I yelled, diving under my blanket. Out of sight, out of mind. “Stop with the nonsense.” Mom dragged me out from under the covers and showed me a text on her phone. Somehow, Brock had gotten her number and sent her a message. It was an ultrasound. Captioned: “This is Luke’s child. He’s five months along. It’s a boy. Can you really let your grandson grow up without a grandmother?” I stared at the message, speechless. Luke was my twin brother. Mom raised us both on her own. Our grandparents never liked Mom, and they treated us horribly. They barely gave Luke, their “precious grandson,” any better treatment than me. When Mom and Brock divorced, my grandma had shoved me toward Mom: “Luke stays. You can take Ivy. We don’t need a granddaughter.” My grandpa had the nerve to threaten her: “You brought nothing valuable into this family. Take Ivy and nothing more, or we’ll have you arrested.” Mom walked away with nothing but me, and still, she fought in court to take Luke with us. But on the day of the ruling, Luke chose Brock. Even when Brock slapped Mom in front of everyone and threw me at the feet of Tiffany Reynolds and her daughter, Luke did nothing. He just turned his face away, cold and distant. I don’t hate Brock or the rest of his disgusting crew anymore, but Luke? I still hate him. He used to protect me, promise he’d always take care of me and Mom. But he broke that promise. “So,” I said, rolling my eyes, “excited about your shiny new grandson?” Mom flicked my forehead. “Stop it!” she said, but then, in a thoughtful tone, she muttered, “I don’t know, there’s something off about this. Brock is never this persistent unless there’s something else he wants.” “Even when the whole internet roasted him over Tiffany, he stuck with her, so why now?” “Do you think it’s because Hunter brought so much attention to Ivy’s Smokehouse that he wants in on it?” Hunter Brooks, Aunt Julia’s son, had become an overnight sensation thanks to a new show, and his fame had turned our little BBQ joint into a hotspot. We were trending all over social media, and business was booming. It made sense. Brock was after more than just a reunion.

A few hours later, we had our answer. Money talks, and the private investigator I hired spilled everything. Brock’s been desperate to remarry because he’s flat broke. A few months ago, his business collapsed, leaving him drowning in debt. Tiffany divorced him and took everything—the house, the car. He signed it all over to her. It wasn’t a real breakup, though. They just faked the divorce to protect her assets. Now, Brock, Luke, and his wife Madison were renting a place, scraping by on Luke’s income alone. Even then, Brock still sent Tiffany and her daughter monthly payments. He’d even taken out tens of thousands in high-interest loans under Luke’s name. But that money wouldn’t last long for Tiffany and Paige. To crawl his way out of this hole, Brock got involved in an underground factory scheme and needed capital fast to start manufacturing cheap, shady products. By the time I finished reading, I was seething. “Mom, this isn’t just about money. He’s planning to drag us down with him when it all goes south.” Mom slammed her mouse on the table and cursed. “That conniving bastard! We’ll see if he can swindle money from me, or if I’ll be the one sending him to prison!” She promptly unblocked Brock’s number and sent out a Facebook status to bait him: “💖💋 Thanks, sweetie! This year’s birthday gift is my dream car, a Candy Pink Maserati!!! 🎉🎉 In three days, we’re throwing a party at The Crystal Palace. Come celebrate!” The photo attached was of her brand-new, bubblegum-pink Maserati—a gift from Aunt Julia for Girls’ Day this year. Not long after, Brock left a sneaky like on the post and even commented: “Can’t wait to celebrate with you, babe! I’ll bring the kids!” Mom snorted. “Oh, he’s coming. Let’s see if he leaves in one piece.”

Early the next morning, Brock called, pretending to be concerned. Mom put him on speakerphone and responded lazily to his small talk. Brock was practically giddy, “Your birthday is a big deal! I’m bringing the kids to celebrate with you. We’re not getting any younger, and family matters most. It’d be sad if your son and daughter-in-law weren’t there, right?” “Surprised you even remember my birthday,” Mom sneered. “Of course I do! After all, we were married for so long. I still care about you.” Hearing that made my blood boil. That liar never cared about Mom. Three days from now wasn’t even her birthday—it was the anniversary of their divorce. Every year, we’d have a quiet celebration with Aunt Julia and Hunter, marking the day Mom got her freedom back. But this year, we’d be throwing a huge party for one reason only: to set a trap. Still, Brock was all sweetness over the phone, asking what kind of gift Mom wanted. With a dismissive wave, she replied, “If you’re serious about a gift, make it a brand-new Hermes bag. Anything less would be embarrassing in front of my girlfriends.” “…Alright,” Brock said, but I could hear him suck in a breath through the phone. He had no choice. After all, you have to spend money to make money.

Three days later, the “birthday party” was on. Halfway there, Brock called again, this time with a ridiculous level of affection. “Ronnie,” he cooed. Mom recoiled in disgust, nearly throwing her phone out the window. I was next to her, trying not to laugh. That sugary tone was so nauseating it almost made me puke up my lunch. “Ronnie, why aren’t you answering?” Brock pressed. Mom cleared her throat. “Do you have something to say, or can I hang up?” “Of course, of course, I’ve got something!” Brock stammered. “Paige is so excited about your birthday. She’s learned a song on the piano just for you!” He really had the nerve. Was he seriously trying to guilt-trip her? Paige was his daughter with Tiffany Reynolds, the same girl who sneered down at me after Brock threw me at their feet outside the courthouse years ago. Back then, she’d rubbed her expensive shoes against my face, saying, “Keep your filthy self away from me. You’ll ruin my shoes.” She’d smirked as she added, “Dad only wants Luke. He doesn’t care about you. He’s going to leave everything to me.” After a moment, Mom broke her silence, “Don’t bring any of that filth into my life.” Brock didn’t like that, but he still played along, putting on his most charming voice. “What are you talking about? Paige said if we get back together, she’d love for you to be her one and only mother. Plus, she’s so talented at the piano…” Mom laughed coldly. “Oh, is that so? Well, bring her along. I suppose one more place at the table won’t hurt.” Brock sounded pleased as he hung up the phone.

We arrived at The Crystal Palace first, but Brock and his little entourage showed up soon after. He was decked out in a flashy suit with a bright red rose pinned to his chest, while Paige clung to his arm in a designer off-the-shoulder dress, her makeup flawless. They were clearly prepared for a show. Behind them was a woman, pale as her dress, with her hands resting on her slightly swollen belly. She walked carefully, like a delicate flower. Luke walked by her side, practically glowing with fatherly pride, but little did he know that the baby wasn’t even his. The poor fool was nothing but a pawn in their game. I glanced over at Luke’s head, studying him for a moment. He didn’t notice. He was too focused on his new wife. “Ivy!” Brock greeted me enthusiastically. “Happy Birthday, Mom!” Paige chimed in sweetly, her smile too wide to be sincere. Mom didn’t even try to hide her disdain, but Paige didn’t seem to care. She turned to me, throwing her arms around me like we were best friends. “Sis! It’s been so long!” I gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Not long enough, honestly. You haven’t changed at all.” Her skin was as thick as ever—just like her mother’s. Brock, always the showman, pulled Luke and his wife, Madison, up next. “And this is Luke’s wife, Madison.” Madison, the fragile-looking flower, pulled out a small box from her handbag and held it out to Mom. “Mom, I embroidered this keychain for you by hand. I hope you like it…” She was almost trembling, her bloodied fingers exposed to show how much effort she’d put into it. Her pitiful expression begged for approval, as if Mom refusing the gift would be a crime. It was… unsettling. I took the box from her and handed it to the staff at the reception desk. “Make a note: Brock Kingston’s family brought a keychain as a gift.” The receptionist repeated it loudly: “Thank you, Mr. Brock Kingston, for the generous keychain!”

Brock’s smile froze instantly. Luke’s face darkened too. Only Paige rushed to support Madison, who looked ready to faint, shaking her head in disapproval at me. “Sis, just because you don’t like her gift doesn’t mean you should humiliate her like this! She’s pregnant with your nephew!” “Alright, alright, let’s get inside,” Mom interrupted, clearly fed up. She grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the scene. Paige wasn’t about to let go, though. She practically skipped after us, chirping, “Mom, where’s the piano? Can I go warm up? There are going to be so many important people here, and I want to make sure I put on a good show!” I pointed toward the stage, and she floated away like a butterfly. It wasn’t long before the opening chords of “Wedding in a Dream” filled the room, drawing all eyes to the stage. As Paige played, Brock stepped onto the platform, holding a microphone and launching into a dramatic monologue. He poured his heart out, claiming he’d never stopped loving Mom and wanted to rekindle their relationship. “Veronica, I still love you.” “Twe”Twenty years ago, I didn’t give you the proposal you deserved. But today, I’m going to fix that.” With those words, Brock dropped to one knee, holding out a ring box toward Mom. “Please, marry me again!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294759”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller

When I was eighteen, Leo Parker gave me a bracelet. “You promised to be my girlfriend if I got into the Police Academy, Haley Wilson. No backing out now,” he said. Ten years later. At twenty-eight, Officer Leo Parker personally handcuffed me and sent me to prison. On the day of my execution, he was at home watching a football game. Outside, a light rain was falling, just like the day we first met. I met Leo Parker on a rainy day in early April. That evening, my grandfather had invited some principals and education officials from Southville High School for dinner. By the time it ended, night had fallen. The street lamps cast a dim light, and the air was chilly. A bus slowly approached through the thin fog. I closed my umbrella and helped my elderly grandfather board. The seats inside were all taken, and my grandfather, hunched with age, couldn’t reach the handrail. He could only hold onto me tightly. He had always valued his reputation and prided himself on his integrity. Now, for my sake, he had set aside his scholarly dignity. At his advanced age, he was still bowing and smiling at the dinner table, hoping only that his granddaughter could be admitted to school smoothly. Thinking of this, I felt a lump in my throat and couldn’t help but tear up. Suddenly, I heard a hoarse voice say, “Don’t cry. Sit here.” I looked up to see a thin young man. He wore a black baseball cap that hid his eyes, revealing only the sharp outline of his nose and chin. He stood up to offer his seat. I hurriedly helped my grandfather sit down and was about to thank him when I realized the young man had already squeezed through the crowd to stand far away. About half an hour later, the bus reached its final stop. The rain had grown heavier, changing from a light drizzle to a downpour. I held an umbrella in one hand and supported my grandfather with the other. He was old and had a leg condition, so he walked very slowly. The two of us struggled forward in the cold, whistling wind. “Do you need help?” A slender hand lifted the brim of the cap, revealing a pair of clear eyes. He continued, “The rain is too heavy. If you don’t mind, I can carry the old man back.” It was the young man from earlier. This unexpected act of kindness took me by surprise. Without thinking too much, I quickly nodded, “Thank you, I appreciate it.” The young man swiftly lifted my grandfather onto his back. His steps were steady, his expression calm. I walked beside them, holding the umbrella high, tilting it slightly towards them. Soon we reached the entrance of the apartment building. He asked, “Which floor do you live on?” I hesitated for a few seconds, feeling a bit embarrassed to say, “Fifth floor. It’s okay, thank you so much for bringing us this far. I can help him from here…” Before I could finish, he had already started climbing the stairs with my grandfather on his back. By now, the rain outside was pouring heavily. My grandfather invited the young man to come in, sit for a while, and have a cup of hot tea while waiting for the rain to stop. He politely declined, “I just moved here and also live on the fifth floor. It’s on my way, no need to be so formal.” Seeing the young man’s firm attitude, my grandfather didn’t insist further but felt he should at least know which apartment he lived in, otherwise he’d feel indebted. The young man hesitated for a moment before saying, “510.” It was the apartment at the end of the corridor. A moment later, I brought over some freshly brewed ginger tea to thank him, but a middle-aged man opened the door. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. “Hello, sir. I’m looking for your son, he just helped me…” Before I could finish, the man impatiently interrupted, “I’m single, where would I get a son from? Are you crazy?” He slammed the door shut. I was dumbfounded. That kind-hearted young man, unwilling to reveal his address, embodying the spirit of doing good deeds without leaving a name, had disappeared into the rainy night. In this vast sea of humanity, a chance encounter, and who knows if we’d ever meet again.

A month later, I successfully enrolled in Southville High School. In the classroom, I introduced myself, “Hello everyone, I’m Haley Wilson.” There was a burst of laughter from below. “Pfft! Her accent is so weird!” “Sounds really country.” Discussions and chatter erupted all around. I happened to glance up and caught sight of that familiar face amidst the crowd. My heart suddenly raced. He leaned back with his arms crossed, looking up at me. His expression was distant and indifferent, as if he didn’t recognize me at all. I turned away and sat down with my backpack. I had grown up in a small town, so my accent was strong and my basic knowledge was quite weak. Every time I answered a question, it caused whispers throughout the class. During breaks, one boy deliberately imitated the way I spoke, even creating exaggerated gestures, twisting his mouth and eyes and flailing his limbs, saying I was a country bumpkin who came to the city for medical treatment. The people around laughed uproariously, enjoying the spectacle. Suddenly, there was a loud “bang!” The boy who had been mocking me fell backwards, chair and all. At the same time, an eraser flew through the air in a graceful arc and landed with a thud on the boy’s head. “Leo” stood nearby, hands in his pockets, looking down at the fallen boy. He asked, “Having fun?” “Leo, you…!” The boy was half a head shorter than Leo and didn’t dare to retaliate. He could only swallow his anger and right his desk and chair. As he bent down, he saw the eraser that had fallen by his feet. The boy suddenly looked up, glancing around angrily, “Who threw this at me?!” “I did,” I said. I stood at the podium, looking at him, enunciating each word clearly, “From now on, every time you mock me, I’ll hit you once.” He was stunned, clearly not expecting me to fight back. After recovering, he sneered, “You? You think you can beat me?” “It doesn’t matter if I can’t. Unless you kill me, I won’t let this go.” Hearing this, Leo turned his head and looked at me in surprise, his expression thoughtful. The boy wanted to say something but held back, either feeling it was beneath him to fight with me or not daring to act up with Leo backing me. His face flushed red, and he could only admit defeat and sit down. After this incident, no one dared to mock my accent again. That night when I got home, I carefully wrote two words on a draft paper: Leo Parker. What a coincidence indeed. At that time, I didn’t know that while I was marveling at the wonders of fate, I would unwittingly take step after step towards a point of no return because of Leo Parker.

I didn’t do very well in the final exams, ranking in the lower middle of the class. In the hospital room, my grandfather gently stroked my hair and smiled, “The education level in your hometown isn’t as good as here in Southville, and you started school late. Achieving these results is already quite good.” As he spoke, his gaze became distant, as if lost in memories. He sighed deeply, “You used to be very naughty, climbing trees, crawling through dog holes, pulling my beard while I slept, always getting into trouble! Your grandmother and I were so worried, wondering how you’d manage when you grew up. Who would dare to marry you? We never expected that as you got older, you’d become shy, aware of beauty and shame, even crying when I scolded you. Oh, it broke my heart.” “These past few days, I keep thinking about how you looked when you first learned to walk. You were always smiling then, giggling for no reason, waddling around with your chubby little belly, tottering and falling down… Ah, such a tiny baby, and in the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into a young lady.” My grandfather’s rough palm gently caressed my face as he struggled to open his eyes wide, trying to see me clearly. He asked hoarsely, “Haley, do you still blame your father?” I felt a lump in my throat. My grandfather had been confused lately, often mixing up the past and present in his speech. He was mistaking his granddaughter for his daughter. “I don’t blame him, not at all,” I buried my face in his chest and said softly, “Dad, it’s so good to be back with you.” That night, my grandfather passed away. On the day of the burial, a misty rain fell, and the sky was neither light nor dark, like a heavy, oppressive canvas. The cemetery was built halfway up a mountain. Ancient trees loomed in the fog, and the mountain path was muddy. I carried the urn of ashes, walking in front, followed by my uncle’s family of three. My young cousin, not understanding the concept of death, came up and blinked, asking, “Hey, is my grandpa really in this box?” “Mm-hmm.” “He was such a big person, how did he become so small?” My throat tightened as I suddenly remembered my grandfather’s words: “Such a tiny baby, and in the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into a young lady.” It felt like a ball of cotton was stuffed in my chest. Though I could hardly breathe, I couldn’t suppress the rising waves of sorrow. Aunt Sarah quickly pulled my cousin away, saying nervously, “Don’t touch that, it’s bad luck!” Hearing this, Uncle Mike’s face darkened with anger, “What nonsense are you talking about? That’s my father!” “Oh, you were nowhere to be seen when the old man was in the hospital, but now you’re acting all filial,” Aunt Sarah sneered. “Your father insisted on being buried with your mother instead of being kept in the funeral home. Doesn’t he realize your mother passed away years ago and has probably been reincarnated by now? Hmph, and he was a university professor? Getting more muddled with age, just making his children spend money unnecessarily… Oh, by the way! How much did we receive in condolence money?” “I haven’t counted yet.” “I remember one envelope was quite thick, all hundreds. It must be at least a thousand!” “No, funeral gifts should always be odd numbers. It might be eleven hundred…” I closed my eyes, trembling, clutching the urn tightly. A chill spread from the bottom of my heart, coursing through my entire body.

Time flew, and before we knew it, summer vacation was over. The start of sophomore year coincided with the arrival of early autumn in Southville, bringing with it a tapestry of colorful leaves. For class selection, I chose liberal arts, while Leo went to the neighboring science class. Our new homeroom teacher was a burly man with a booming voice that made even the doorframes shake when he shouted. Everyone in the class was afraid of him. That is, until one day when I accidentally overheard him talking to his wife on the phone in the hallway. His voice was soft and gentle, his eyes full of affection, like a lovestruck Romeo. At that moment, his image in my mind transformed from a rough, hard stone into a gently flowing stream. Actually, it’s not uncommon for men to be gentle, but when a fierce-looking man is only gentle to one person, that feeling of being favored is quite special. Days passed leisurely, and I had almost forgotten about Leo Parker. Our paths crossed again on the day of the school sports meet. I fell while running in the relay race and sprained my ankle. I had to leave the field limping and was hobbling towards the infirmary. The sports representative hurried over, wanting to take me there, but I shook my head, “The standing long jump is about to start. You go prepare first, I can manage on my own.” The sports rep hesitated, then his eyes suddenly lit up and he called out, “Leo!” I looked in the direction he was calling and saw that tall, slender figure through the crowd. Leo had just finished the 800-meter race for boys and was sweating profusely. The post-rain sunshine fell gently on his shoulders, giving him a vibrant, youthful energy typical of teenage boys. Leo walked over, slightly out of breath, and asked, “What’s wrong?” “Haley just sprained her ankle and needs to go to the infirmary. If you’re free, could you help take her there instead of me?” “There’s no need to trouble—” I began. “It’s no trouble,” Leo interrupted. “I need to go to the infirmary to get a band-aid anyway.” Seeing that everything was arranged, the sports rep looked relieved and quickly ran back to join his team. I thanked Leo in a low voice, and he responded with a soft “Mm” as he reached out to support me. The young man’s hand was warm and soft, carefully holding my arm through the school uniform. There was a very subtle sensation. The atmosphere was too quiet, so I tried to make conversation, “Are you hurt?” “Hm?” “Didn’t you say you needed to go to the infirmary for a band-aid?” “Just a small injury, nothing serious.” “Oh.” “How’s your grandfather doing recently?” “He passed away.” “…” The conversation came to an abrupt halt. I lowered my head as he guided me to the infirmary. After a simple bandaging, Leo helped me back. We had just stepped out of the infirmary door when we suddenly heard a shrill female voice from behind, “What are you two doing?! This is highly improper in broad daylight!” We turned around to see Leo’s new homeroom teacher, Ms. Johnson. Rumor had it that she once caught a couple dating early and called them out to the corridor. She berated the girl mercilessly for being shameless, using the harshest words possible. But when it came to the boy, she merely said lightly, “Young man, you’re handsome and smart. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to date in the future. Don’t mess around anymore, okay?” Because of this, people secretly called her “Double Standard Johnson” behind her back. Leo frowned slightly and explained, “Teacher, this student sprained her ankle. I’m just helping her to the infirmary.” Ms. Johnson looked me up and down, with a fake smile, “Oh, which class’s delicate flower are you? So precious that you need to trouble our class’s boys to escort you.” “Hello, teacher. I’m Haley Wilson from Class 3, Grade 10. The boys in our class all went to compete, and I happened to run into Leo on the way, so I troubled him to help me for a bit.” “The boy is indeed kind and helpful, but the girl might not be. Haley Wilson, do you understand what I mean?” Ms. Johnson said coldly. “I don’t understand,” I replied. Ms. Johnson snorted, “We’re both women, I know exactly what you’re thinking! You’re taking advantage of your pretty face to act weak and gain sympathy from boys, then using the chance to get all touchy-feely. What, do you enjoy this process? Little girl, remember you’re a student. You shouldn’t have such scheming thoughts.” Pretty? Scheming? To be honest, no one had ever complimented me like that before. It made me want to refute but I couldn’t open my mouth, afraid of ruining an image that didn’t belong to me at all. Leo looked at her, his face expressionless, “Teacher, last week when you fainted at the school gate due to high blood pressure, it was the security guard who carried you to the infirmary. May I ask, were you really sick then or were you pretending? Were you truly unable to move, or did you enjoy the process of being carried?” Ms. Johnson was stunned. Her face turned red, then white. She sputtered angrily, unable to form coherent words, like a broken record player. Leo remained calm, “Teacher, I’m just following your logic to think about the situation. If I’ve offended you, please forgive me.” Ms. Johnson was so angry she stamped her foot, but she couldn’t refute him. She could only glare at me viciously and leave with a parting shot, “I don’t know how your mother raised you!” Leo told me not to take it to heart. After a while, seeing that I hadn’t responded, he asked, “Haley, are you okay?” I came back to my senses and smiled, “It’s nothing. I just suddenly remembered that you didn’t get a band-aid.” Leo lowered his eyes and made a soft sound of agreement, not saying anything more. My heart skipped a beat as I thought back to what he had said when we first met. It seemed I understood something. Taking my grandfather home hadn’t been on his way, and neither was taking me to the infirmary. They were just white lies told out of kindness, to avoid making others feel guilty. What an upright and strange fellow.

In November 2005, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the days grew shorter, heralding the arrival of winter. At the same time, World of Warcraft swept into the American market, capturing the hearts of a large number of teenagers. And some middle-aged people. Uncle Mike had to coax and cajole Aunt Sarah before getting her agreement to buy a desktop computer. When the workers came to install it, little Cousin Tommy was so excited he jumped up and down, running around with his toy gun, shooting at everything. Suddenly, he stopped in front of me and declared in a tone like he was warning off an invader, “This is my house, you get out!” I silently continued washing the dishes, pretending not to hear. “I’m talking to you!” he said, kicking me hard with his chubby foot. I glanced down at Cousin Tommy, suddenly smirking as I scooped a dirty bowl out of the sink and plonked it on his head, pressing down twice to secure it. It fit perfectly, I must say. He burst into loud wails. Aunt Sarah came running, aghast, “What’s going on?” The little chubster pointed at me and tattled, “She bullied me! Let’s kick her out!” “Alright, alright,” Aunt Sarah cooed, about to start scolding me when I splashed her face with dishwater. I walked to the door, grabbed my jacket, and before leaving, added, “Just a reminder, don’t forget that this apartment was left to my mom by Grandpa.” I slammed the door shut, cutting off the stream of curses from behind. I didn’t know where to go, so I just wandered aimlessly through the streets, wrapped tightly in my jacket. I ended up at an abandoned park and suddenly heard the sound of a fight. It was three young delinquent girls and two thuggish boys ganging up on one girl. In the bitter cold, they had stripped the girl down to just her tank top and underwear. She was covering her face and begging helplessly. Her cries were too heart-wrenching for me to ignore. Before I could think it through, I had already rushed over. The last time I’d been in a fight was six years ago, with my older brother. Back then, I was like a wolf cub with barely-grown teeth, fiercely biting at a tiger, not realizing that my fierce efforts were hardly felt by the opponent. With just a shake, I’d be thrown two miles away. My brother said my personality was like a prickly cactus, born with a rebellious nature. Whoever poked my sore spot, I’d stab their heart. I acted without hesitation and never considered the consequences. Just like now, five against one had become five against two. I was completely outmatched and even got slapped a few times. In the chaos, I saw a figure running towards us, the blue and white school uniform gleaming like shining armor in the moonlight. It was Leo. He kicked out, immediately knocking down the thug who had slapped me. With backup, I felt a surge of confidence. I rolled up my sleeves and joined the fray, grabbing wildly. I managed to pull out several strands of one girl’s bleached, explosion-like hairstyle, and violently yanked at another’s earrings until her earlobes bled, making them scream in pain. Leo’s side was equally impressive. He usually kept to himself, but who knew he could be so fierce in a fight. One of the thugs was already down, and Leo had a firm grip on the other’s hair, kicking him mercilessly as the guy begged for mercy. The group fled in disarray, their retreating figures like defeated dogs. Although we won, Leo and I didn’t look much better. His school uniform was covered in dust, and my hair was a mess. We both looked disheveled, like refugees fleeing a disaster. Leo picked up the clothes from the ground and handed them to the girl, then took out his phone, “Call your parents to come pick you up.” The girl thanked him softly. I tidied my hair, preparing to leave, when Leo suddenly called out, “Haley, let’s walk together.” After a pause, he added, “We’re going the same way anyway.” I didn’t know how much truth there was in that statement, but at this point, Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah probably weren’t asleep yet, and going home would only cause more trouble. So I didn’t refuse the chance to spend some time with him. About thirty minutes later, the girl’s parents hurriedly arrived to take her home. “Let’s go too,” Leo said. 9 The moonlight was cold, and the air was desolate. We walked in silence for a long time. As we were nearing the neighborhood, I couldn’t help but ask, “Where do you live?” Leo paused for a moment, then answered, “Happy Valley Apartments.” That was just on the next street, very close. Indeed, it was on the way. I asked suspiciously, “But I’ve never seen you on the bus.” “I leave early, at 6:20 AM. And I leave school late, usually catching the last bus. Ms. Johnson likes to keep our class overtime,” Leo said with a wry smile. “A while back, Ms. Johnson was sick and took three days off.” “Oh.” “Apparently it was a stomach issue.” “Mm-hmm.” “Haley, I saw you at the teachers’ parking lot the day after the sports meet ended.” I clutched my sleeve tightly. Leo’s tone was calm, “You were holding a bottle of mineral water filled with a brown, sticky liquid that looked quite disgusting. You said it was vomit, then drank it down in big gulps right in front of Ms. Johnson.” “You told her your mom taught you that when you’re out, you can’t let people walk all over you. If someone disgusts you, you disgust them right back. Of course, I believe a normal person wouldn’t actually drink vomit just to disgust someone else, so I guess the bottle probably contained something else, like a mixture of drinks or something.” He was right. It was orange juice mixed with cola and some cookie crumbs. Leo continued, “But whatever it was, it must have tasted awful. I imagine you felt pretty bad drinking it too.” The cold wind kept blowing, making me shiver. “What exactly are you trying to say?” I asked. “I’m not criticizing you. I’m just wondering if it might be worth weighing the pros and cons before acting? Sometimes, overly aggressive retaliation can be a form of self-harm. It’s not worth it.” I remained silent. Although I knew he was considering my well-being, people are emotional creatures. It’s hard to calm down just by reciting a few wise sayings when emotions are running high. Leo spoke again, “Patience smooths things over.” I looked up at him, “But some things don’t need to be smoothed over. It’s like a glass bottle – it’s smooth and round, you won’t get hurt touching it, so naturally, no one pays attention to it. Glass shards are different. They have edges and points. People stay far away just at the sight of them, let alone touching them.” Leo looked a bit helpless, “Alright, then let’s talk about something else. When you rushed in without thinking earlier, did you consider the consequences? If I hadn’t shown up, you would have been the second victim.” I was quiet for a moment, then nodded, “Yes, next time I encounter a situation like that, I’ll call the police first.” I paused, then added, “And then I’ll rush in.” Leo was momentarily taken aback, then couldn’t help but laugh, “I thought you were going to keep arguing with me.” “A calm person is a safe person. Besides, my brother once told me that wisdom isn’t learned from books, it’s learned from making mistakes.” I touched my swollen face and smiled, “This mistake was worth it.” “You have a brother?” “He was my former teacher. He had a peculiar way of doing things, never following conventions. I always called him ‘brother,’ and he would playfully agree.” Leo nodded, not asking any more questions. “You should head up now,” he said. I waved goodbye to him. When I entered the apartment, the family of three was already asleep. I fumbled my way back to my room in the dark, sat quietly for a while, then, on a whim, walked to the window. I realized Leo hadn’t left yet. He was looking up towards the upper floors. I quickly turned on the light and went back to the window. Only then did Leo turn and leave. His lonely figure disappeared into the empty street. 7 The reason that girl was beaten was laughable. It was purely because she was pretty and quiet. The delinquent girls thought she was stuck-up and couldn’t stand it, so they called up two “big brothers” to help teach her a lesson. When Leo told me this, his face was cold with anger, “It’s not that they couldn’t stand her. They were jealous. They’ve given up on themselves, dropping out of school early, only to find they’re useless in society. So they target underage girls with bright futures, trying to prove their own worth through such low and crude methods. Because they’re stuck in the mud themselves, they want to drag others down too. It’s pathetic and hateful.” His grim expression made him look just like the host of “Crime Watch.” At the end of each episode, the host would always make sharp, critical comments about the case. I couldn’t help but laugh. Leo turned to look at me, “What are you laughing at?” I shook my head, “You have a strong sense of justice. Good logical thinking and fighting skills too. You could be a police officer in the future.” Leo’s expression became slightly reserved. After a moment of silence, he made a noncommittal “Mm” sound. During this period, Leo and I basically went to and from school together every day, catching the early bus in the morning and the last bus at night. As we spent more time together, I discovered that although Leo appeared quiet and reserved, he actually had many whimsical ideas. He said that numbers all have genders: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 are male, while 2, 6, 9, 10 are female. I asked, “What about 4?” He thought for a moment and said, “4 is gender-neutral.” “…” Occasionally, we would run into Ms. Johnson on the way. When she saw me, it was as if she’d seen a ghost. She wouldn’t dare to question or even make eye contact, and would even gag when she hurried away. Soon after, a strange anonymous post appeared on the school’s online forum: “What does Haley Wilson from Class 3, Grade 10 look like? She made the teacher from next door vomit.” Clicking into it, the comments were divided. Some said the poster was bored, some said they were interesting, and some said I wasn’t bad-looking. There was also one comment: “Come on, she’s actually quite ugly.” Although it was also anonymous, it had the same IP address as the original poster. I didn’t pay much attention. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Besides, they weren’t insulting me to my face, so I let it go. I closed my phone, out of sight, out of mind. That is, until someone posted a photo of Leo and me. In the picture, we were sitting in the back row of the bus. I was too tired and had fallen asleep against the window. Leo had placed his hand under my forehead, shielding me from the cold glass. It was a candid shot. Although a bit blurry, anyone who knew us could recognize us at a glance. Back then, most students used Nokia or Motorola phones. In today’s terms, you could say it had a built-in Y2K filter. So it also cast a layer of ambiguous color over the photo. The comments gradually changed direction. It wasn’t exactly eye-catching, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant to look at. I didn’t know who the culprit behind this was, and because of that, I didn’t dare to get too close to Leo and intentionally kept my distance. After avoiding him for a few days, Leo cornered me at the stairway landing, his face expressionless, “Haley Wilson, what do you mean by this?” I played dumb, “Huh?” Leo laughed humorlessly, “I really don’t understand you. You’re usually so carefree. Whether it’s people mocking your accent or insulting your parents, you always roll up your sleeves and confront them head-on. How come when it comes to this, you suddenly become timid and evasive, hiding away? It’s as if you’re the one who did something wrong.” He had laid it all out in the open, and I couldn’t avoid it anymore. I coughed lightly and explained, “To be honest, I don’t care about people commenting on my accent or appearance, as long as they’re not maliciously slandering or spreading rumors.” “Leo, I’ve never believed in the version of myself that exists in other people’s mouths. I only believe in the person I want to become. So whether they say I’m country or ugly, I don’t care. But they can’t talk about my mom, because I care about her. Similarly, I care about you too, and I don’t want you to be judged by others. It’s just that I don’t know who posted the photo or what to do about it. After thinking it over, I figured staying away from you would be best.” Leo looked at me quietly for a while, then suddenly asked, “Do you trust me?” I was taken aback for a moment, then nodded firmly. He smiled slightly, “Good. Listen carefully, Haley. I don’t care if others judge me. I only care about you. If you don’t mind this incident, then I don’t care either. Understand?” Once again, I was stunned, and once again, I nodded firmly. The bell for class rang, and Leo patted my shoulder, “Let’s go.” I hurried to catch up with him. On the way, he asked, “What kind of person do you want to become?” I smiled, “Just an ordinary person. A nine-to-five job, a routine life, small and insignificant in the crowd, but shining brightly in my own world.” “Mm, and occasionally going a bit crazy.” “You’re talking nonsense.” That day, the sun hung low on the horizon, as if the afterglow was the end of the road. The shadows of the boy and girl walking side by side stretched long on the ground. They walked together, laughing and talking, naive and fearless, full of dreams for the future. The forum incident just fizzled out like that. For a very long time, until I died on a rainy morning, I never knew who was behind it all. But it doesn’t matter anymore, I’ve long forgotten about it. 8 During the winter break, Leo went to Europe with his family for vacation. When he came back, he brought me a big box of Godiva chocolates. In that era, this was equivalent to the Hermès of the chocolate world. Leo had taken a five-hour train ride after getting off the plane, arriving back in Southville late at night. Tired from the long journey, he didn’t even change his clothes before coming to deliver the gift to me. I hurried downstairs, took the bag from his hand, and smiled, “Thanks! You didn’t have to trouble yourself to come all this way so late at night.” “It’s no trouble. I had to give it to you today,” he insisted. I frowned, my brain not quite catching up. I looked up at Leo, and after a few seconds, my heart nearly stopped. He said, “Haley, happy birthday.” This was a distant and unfamiliar phrase. Even I had forgotten about it, never imagining that someone would remember. A few days ago, Leo had asked for my ID number on Facebook, saying he needed to send me a postcard. I didn’t think much of it at the time and just sent it to him. Now, this unexpected surprise left me at a loss for words. I could only blink and stare at him stupidly. Leo frowned, his gaze scrutinizing. Taking advantage of my daze, he suddenly reached out and tugged at the scarf I had wrapped tightly around my neck, revealing the bruise at the corner of my mouth. His face darkened, and he asked, “Did someone hit you?” I shrugged, “My little cousin was being naughty. He threw a ball and it hit me. But I didn’t let him off easy either. I gave him a good kick and sent him sprawling.” Of course, there was quite a commotion in the house after that. Leo thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Haley, do you want to spend New Year’s with me?” I was stunned. “My parents divorced a long time ago. I live alone,” he paused, then added, “I’m alone for New Year’s too.” Leo had gone to Europe with his mother, and I had assumed his father was too busy with work to go along. Since his parents were divorced, why wasn’t he living with his mother instead of by himself? But some things, if not voluntarily shared, shouldn’t be asked about. I smiled and nodded, “Okay.” 9 Two days before New Year’s, Leo and I went to the supermarket to buy groceries. The crowd was bustling, packed tightly together. The noise of chatter almost drowned out Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” playing in the background. We carried bags of New Year’s goods home. As soon as we entered the apartment, we smelled the aroma of food and heard the sound of cooking from the kitchen. Leo’s expression suddenly froze, his face turning cold. On the sofa sat a man, flipping through a comic book and giggling non-stop. He was about thirty, very tall and lean. Leo’s pajamas hung loosely on his frame, yet the sleeves and pant legs were too short, looking quite out of place. Hearing the noise, the man lazily raised his head, “You’re back.” Leo gritted his teeth and said nothing. The man’s gaze fell on me, his thick eyebrows rising in surprise, “Oh, girlfriend? Pretty cute.” Leo said coldly, “It’s none of your business.” “You didn’t deny it, so I guess she is,” he was about to say something more when a middle-aged woman wearing an apron came out of the kitchen. Her features were somewhat similar to Leo’s. “Son, you’re back! What a coincidence, I just finished cooking. Go wash your hands… Oh, who’s this?” I came to my senses, “Hello, Mrs. Parker. Happy New Year! I’m Leo’s classmate, Haley Wilson.” She was stunned for a moment, then broke into a wide smile, “Hello, Haley! Happy New Year to you too! I made spicy shrimp and duck soup today. It smells delicious. Come, have a taste.” Before I could answer, she had already brought out a new pair of slippers for me and went back to the kitchen to add another set of dishes and cutlery. It was hard to refuse such hospitality, so I had no choice but to stay. At the dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy. Mrs. Parker seemed oblivious, busying herself with serving food, sometimes giving me dishes, sometimes peeling shrimp for the man, all while asking Leo about his well-being. Seeing her son’s cold attitude, Mrs. Parker’s enthusiasm waned. She turned to ask me, “Haley, from your accent, you don’t sound like you’re from around here. Where’s your hometown?” “I used to live in a small town called Pineville. After my parents passed away, my grandfather brought me to Southville, and we transferred my household registration here.” “Pineville? That’s a nice place,” the man, Ethan, smiled with narrowed eyes. “The persimmons there are famous. Juicy and sweet.” “Ethan, don’t talk nonsense,” Mrs. Parker corrected him. “Pineville is most famous for its dates, isn’t it, son?” Leo glanced at her but said nothing. “The persimmons are good too,” Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at me intently with a playful look in his eyes. “Haley Wilson, right? Why don’t you tell us about it?” I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and didn’t want to continue this topic. I just lowered my head, poking at my food, and said vaguely, “Pineville is close to the mountains. It has a mild climate year-round with plenty of sunshine, suitable for growing all kinds of crops.” Ethan smiled and looked at Leo, teasing, “Your little girlfriend is quite clever.” Leo couldn’t bear it any longer and issued an order to leave, “Hurry up and get out once you’re done eating.” Mrs. Parker scolded, “How can you talk like that? Your mother worked hard to cook for you, and not only do you show no appreciation, but you’re also chasing people away. How rude!” She snorted coldly and urged Ethan to hurry and change his clothes. Before the two left, Mrs. Parker said, “I bought you new bed sheets and pillowcases. I washed them and brought them over, and I’ve already put them on your bed. There are also a few new outfits for you in the closet, all from Hong Kong. Try them on when you have time. Oh, and I’ve left your New Year’s money and next semester’s tuition on the table. Don’t spend it recklessly.” She paused for a moment, her tone slightly aggrieved, “Don’t complain that I don’t think about you anymore.” Before closing the door, the tall, thin man tilted his head and looked me over, a smile on his lips that gave me goosebumps. 10 January 29, 2006. New Year’s Eve. As night fell and lights began to twinkle, among the sea of illuminated windows, one stood out as slightly lonely, with only two busy figures inside. Leo placed washed coins into the dumpling filling, while I, fearing they might chip a tooth, put in sugar cubes instead. He teased me about my weak teeth, and I mocked him for his ugly dumpling-wrapping skills. In the midst of our banter, he even managed to smear flour on my nose. Soon, steaming hot dumplings came out of the pot, accompanied by Leo’s braised ribs, my stir-fried green peppers with beef, his sliced cold cuts, and my mixed cold dishes. By New Year’s Eve dinner standards, this table of dishes was too simple, but for him and me, it was more than enough. The TV was playing the New Year’s Gala, full of songs and dances, creating a festive atmosphere. I set out the bowls and chopsticks, poured vinegar and sesame oil, while Leo opened a can of Coke for me and a can of beer for himself. “I want some too,” I said. “No way, you’re not of age yet.” “Are you?” “No, but I want to drink.” With that, Leo tilted his head back and took a big gulp of beer. He drank too quickly and choked, his cheeks turning slightly red. In the swirling steam, he looked like a freshly steamed little bun. Leo looked up at me and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong?” I wanted to say he looked cute, but the words got stuck in my throat. Just as I opened my mouth, he unexpectedly fed me a dumpling. After we had eaten and drunk our fill, we curled up on the sofa to watch the New Year’s Gala skits, occasionally offering our views and insights as audience members. His phone vibrated – it was a call from Mrs. Parker. Leo lowered his eyes, lost in thought for a moment, then got up and went to the balcony to answer. It was quite a while before he came back, his body carrying a hint of the night’s chill and a faint smell of cigarettes. I bit my lip, wanting to ask but not daring to. As I hesitated, Leo suddenly turned down the volume on the TV. “Haley, I have something to tell you.” I was startled at first, then sat up straight. He pondered for a moment, then slowly began, “My father’s surname is Parker, my mother’s is Zhang. My grandmother said that a name represents the love and expectations parents have for their child. But when they decided to divorce, neither of them wanted me.” “My mom said she nearly died from blood loss when giving birth to me, that our zodiac signs were incompatible. My dad said his business suffered losses when I was a month old, that our fates clashed.” Leo gave a short laugh, somewhat self-deprecating. “You wouldn’t believe how this couple fought tooth and nail over the house and car, making quite a scene. But when it came to custody rights, they suddenly became courteous to each other, afraid it would fall on them. They had been together for ten full years, from falling in love to getting married, with countless conflicts and arguments. Yet when it came to their own child, their views were surprisingly consistent.” Leo took a deep breath, his voice slightly trembling, “They both thought I was a jinx, bad luck. They even blamed me for their unhappy marriage and the deterioration of their relationship.” I felt a lump in my throat. “After that, I lived with my grandmother. When I was fourteen, she passed away too, and I was completely on my own. Actually, life didn’t change much. My parents still regularly sent me living expenses, until two years ago when my dad remarried and had a new family. Now when he sees me, he’s very impatient, as if I’m some kind of filth.” “But this is fine too. He doesn’t hide his disgust and contempt for me at all. He’s thoroughly awful, which allows me to hate him thoroughly. I might as well pretend I don’t have a father.” “The worst is my mom,” Leo said with a bitter smile. “She would rush to defend me when I got into fights and the teacher called her to school, arguing with other parents without asking for the reason, saying no one could bully her precious son. During my growth spurt, she worried I wasn’t getting enough nutrition and would cook different dishes for me every day, then drive them to school, rain or shine.” “Despite all this, my mom still doesn’t want to live with me. She has her own social circle. That man called Ethan is her center, while I’m just a peripheral figure.” Leo pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket but didn’t light one, just holding it dry between his lips. “One day she suddenly called me, telling me to get my passport ready quickly. She said she was worried about my study pressure and wanted to take me to Europe for a vacation during the winter break, to relax.” “I didn’t know exactly what materials I needed, and I kept forgetting things, so I had to make several trips to the passport office before I got everything sorted out. But I was still overjoyed, thinking she cared about me and was concerned for me.” As he spoke, he began to show signs of agitation. I picked up the lighter from the table and handed it to him. Leo looked at me for a moment, then lit the cigarette and took a deep drag. Dense smoke swirled around him. “The whole trip, she either complained to me about Ethan flirting with other women or cried to me about how hot and cold he was, whining endlessly about wanting to die. My dad treats me like garbage, while my mom treats me like a garbage can, endlessly venting her negative emotions.” Leo extinguished the cigarette butt, his eyes cold and clear. “My mom doesn’t speak English, so she relied on me to communicate with others throughout the trip. But I was also unfamiliar with the place, so I found a local Chinese tour guide. The guide claimed it was peak season and charged an extremely high price. After we paid, the person disappeared. My mom was furious and blurted out that I was a jinx, saying if she had known this would happen, she would have been better off staying with Ethan, at least then she wouldn’t have such bad luck.” Leo’s chest heaved slightly as he gave a derisive laugh. “After we got back, I ignored her for a long time, not answering her calls or reading her messages. Then one night she suddenly came to find me, drunk and crying, saying I was her only family and I couldn’t treat her like this.” “I couldn’t bring myself to completely disown her as my mother. I just hoped she would stop associating with Ethan. That man is no good. She promised me so sincerely at the time, but the next day when she received a call from Ethan, she rushed back to him with renewed passion. I really don’t understand. My grandfather left her a large inheritance, enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life. She could have a good life, but she insists on mixing with that scum.” Leo shook his head and sighed lightly, “But I can’t deny that both my parents think I’m a jinx, a bringer of bad luck. It’s just that compared to my father who avoids me like the plague, my mother who occasionally shows concern seems much more responsible. She’s not so good, but not so bad either, and that’s the scariest part.” My nose stung, and I felt a heaviness in my heart. From the time I had known him until now, Leo had always given me the impression of being rational and calm. Now that he was pouring his heart out to me, laying everything bare, the distance between us had shortened. All the pieces came together, revealing a broken young man. After a while, I composed myself and hesitantly spoke, “Since you can’t bring yourself to cut ties with your mom completely, and you can’t change the current situation, the only thing left is to change your own mindset.” Leo looked up at me, his expression complex, “How do I change it?” “Replace the ‘mother’ label with ‘foster mother,’ ‘aunt,’ or ‘family friend’ – someone who is close to you but still one step removed. Of course, you’ll think this method is extremely absurd. After all, even the most rational person has emotions, and it’s not something you can just say and make happen. But over time, gradually, imperceptibly, you’ll no longer have any expectations of Mrs. Parker as a child would of a mother. You’ll just treat her as a relative. Leo, not everyone is suited to be a parent. When their behavior doesn’t match their role, and we can’t escape the situation, this is the best method.” “Figure out what you really want, and if you can’t have that, what’s your next best option. This way, you’ll feel much lighter.” Leo’s eyes darkened, showing a kind of weariness and calmness, as if he was thinking, as if he was zoning out. After a moment of silence, I smiled slightly, “Also, I don’t think ‘jinx’ is a derogatory term. To be honest, I even quite like this title.” Leo raised his head in surprise. “It’s a deity, after all, ranked among the immortals, just experiencing trials in the mortal world.” I paused for a moment, then my eyes curved into a smile, “To tell you the truth, I’m not a good person either. I never expected to meet a fellow immortal in the mortal realm. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Leo’s thin lips parted slightly, a flash of shock passing through his eyes, as if he had heard some outrageous soap opera dialogue. After a long silence, he chuckled softly, somewhat helplessly, and reached out to shake my hand, nodding, “Mm, pleasure to meet you too. As they say, two negatives make a positive. The two of us are bound to blaze a bright path in this world.” At this moment, fireworks began to explode outside, and the New Year’s Gala started its countdown. Leo turned up the volume on the TV. “…Five, four, three! Two! One! Happy New Year!” “Happy New Year, Leo.” “Happy New Year, Haley.” 11 In the second semester of sophomore year, as winter retreated and spring arrived, Southville entered a long rainy season. That year, Korean pop stars were all the rage on campus. The girls’ break time conversations revolved around nothing but TVXQ and Super Junior, two top idol groups. The class’s arts and literature representative was so infatuated with Kim Jaejoong that she turned the essay prompt “If I could…” into “If I could marry Kim Jaejoong.” Our homeroom teacher was so angry he almost swore, saying the arts rep was not only dating early but also being brazen about it. He demanded to know which class this Kim Jaejoong was from. Falling into this river of love along with her was my cousin Tommy, who was in third grade. He bought a bunch of Lee Hyori’s albums and danced to “10 Minutes” in the living room after school. The music was deafeningly loud, irritating me to no end. After several reminders with no response, I couldn’t stand it anymore and directly turned off the DVD player. This angered the little tyrant, who immediately threw a tantrum. Aunt Sarah jumped up from the sofa, “Haley Wilson, are you crazy?! Why did you turn off the music?” “It’s too noisy. It’s affecting my homework.” “Oh, aren’t you studious,” she said sarcastically. “Want to go to Harvard like your mom? I hope you have the life to study even if you get in.” Uncle Mike hurriedly tried to stop her, “Watch what you’re saying.” “It’s true!” Aunt Sarah glared at him, full of resentment. “A sensible girl would have gone out to work to help support the family by now. But this princess here, after paying for high school, we still have to pay for college. Do you think we’re running a bank? You’re already useless enough, and now you’re dragging us down with you.” Uncle Mike looked embarrassed and said urgently, “This apartment originally belonged to my sister. We can’t live in her house and kick her child out, can we? Besides, my father’s savings account is in your hands. What more do you want?” “That little money is hardly enough to support a family! Ever since Haley came, first the factory closed down and we both lost our jobs, then the old man was hospitalized and died. If she’s not a jinx, what is she? You insisted on taking in this hot potato! You said when Haley gets married, we’ll get the bride price, and after she moves in with her husband, the house will be ours. But what happened? Your father had already secretly transferred the house to her! He clearly saw us as outsiders!” As the argument grew more heated, Cousin Tommy suddenly grabbed the remote control from the coffee table and threw it at me hard. My nose hurt, and I felt warm, sticky liquid. I was bleeding. He put his hands on his hips and yelled, “Jinx! You made my parents fight. Get out!” I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, not moving an inch. Perhaps my blood-covered face looked too frightening. Aunt Sarah quickly shielded her son, saying nervously, “What are you trying to do? Don’t do anything rash!” “That’s right!” Cousin Tommy peeked out from behind her and shouted at me viciously, “My parents are here. If you dare bully me, they’ll beat you to death! But I can bully you because your parents are dead, and your grandpa is dead too. No one can help you!” I looked at him silently for a moment, then went to the kitchen and got a sharp boning knife. With a smirk, I said, “That’s right. I have no father, no mother, no one to rely on. Even if I die, no one will care. But you’re different. If you die, your parents will surely be heartbroken.” Aunt Sarah was stunned, Uncle Mike’s face turned pale, and he trembled as he said, “Ha-Haley, calm down. Put the knife down.” I smiled sweetly, then rushed into Cousin Tommy’s room with the knife, slashing the beautiful women on the magazines and posters beyond recognition. Then I moved on to the pillows, blankets, bed sheets, and clothes, cutting everything I saw, including the walls and furniture, leaving deep, eye-catching gashes everywhere. Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah stood at the door, trembling, wanting to stop me but not daring to come forward, watching in horror as I, with disheveled hair and covered in blood, destroyed the room like a madwoman. After what seemed like an eternity, I was exhausted and panting. I looked at the family of three, smiling grotesquely, “Mike Wilson, Sarah Wilson, if you ever try to take advantage of me, slander me, or allow your son to bully me again, I will definitely use this knife to pierce Tommy’s body, gouge out his eyes, cut off his tongue, chop off his head, and throw his internal organs to the dogs! After all, my life is worthless. I have nothing to fear.” Uncle Mike’s whole body was shaking, Aunt Sarah fainted on the spot, foaming at the mouth, and Cousin Tommy sat on the ground crying, “My Lee Hyori!” Going crazy felt good. The residual excitement was still vibrating in my chest. I returned to my room satisfied, closed my eyes, and let out a long sigh. It had been a long, long time since I had let myself go like this. It felt like it had rained in my heart, sudden and unexpected, wet and cool. And empty. Those words were just to scare Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah. They were cowards who couldn’t pose any real threat to me. But as I calmed down, a strange thought suddenly popped into my head. — If I really died, would Leo be sad? Thinking of this, my heart skipped a beat. I quickly shook my head, warning myself not to think nonsense. 12 Before I knew it, sophomore year was over, and Leo and I spent the entire summer vacation attending intensive classes for core subjects at school. Although it was supposed to be the season of long days and short nights, when I recall that summer, it’s always the dim dawn and the dark night that come to mind.

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On my wedding day, the groom ran away. So I turned around and married his dad instead. If I can’t be the bride, I’ll be your mom. When he came back, he saw me still in his house and thought I was shamelessly refusing to leave. He pulled out a pure, innocent girl from behind him, declaring she was his true love, and told me not to delude myself. I smiled slightly and held the hand of the man beside me. “Son, daughter-in-law, why don’t you call me Mom?” I’m the heiress of the Brown Group. Today was supposed to be my wedding day with the Yale family’s son, but the groom who should have appeared at the wedding was nowhere to be seen. “You’re saying Lucas ran away?” My voice was ice cold. “That seems to be the case…” The maid trembled as she reported. My parents were furious too. The Brown and YaleYale family families had been preparing for this wedding for months. All the top socialites in New York had received invitations, and the media was reporting on it extensively. If Lucas had any objections to the wedding during this time, he could have brought them up at any point. To run away on the wedding day was simply slapping the Brown family in the face publicly. After comforting me, my parents hurriedly left to discuss countermeasures. As I huddled in a corner, contemplating how to proceed with this engagement party, there was a commotion at the entrance. I instinctively looked up and saw a man in a black suit with strikingly handsome features. This man was Adrian Yu, the current head of the Yale family and Lucas’s nominal father. At 35 years old, he still looked like he was in his early twenties. Adrian rarely appeared at large events. Even I had only seen him a handful of times. The moment this man appeared, people from various families at the banquet rushed over. Watching Adrian politely decline everyone and stride towards me, a crazy idea suddenly popped into my head. “Uncle Adrian.” I put on a polite smile, but there was a hint of grievance in my voice. Next, Adrian’s voice, deep and melodious like a cello, rang out. “Miss Ming, I’m sorry for the trouble this has caused you. I’ve already sent people to catch him. You can deal with him as you see fit when he’s brought back.” “I’ll explain the situation to everyone. The wedding will be postponed, and the Yale family will bear all losses from this incident.” This was indeed a perfect solution, but I now had an even better choice. “Uncle Adrian, I’ve been engaged to the Yale family since childhood, but the groom doesn’t necessarily have to be Lucas, right?” “What?” The situation changed so quickly that Adrian was momentarily caught off guard. After he realized what I meant, his gaze became profound. “Of course. So who do you want to choose?” I flashed a sweet smile, then without hesitation reached out my hand towards Adrian. “Would you like to be my groom?” Although Adrian was Lucas’s nominal father, he wasn’t Lucas’s biological father. There were rumors that Adrian was impotent and had never married. At 25, he had adopted a child from a branch family – that child was Lucas. Impotence didn’t matter much to me. With modern medicine being so advanced, I believed it could certainly be cured. If it really couldn’t be cured, being childless seemed fine too. Adrian looked at the girl’s radiant smile and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” “Of course.” I replied without hesitation. Compared to Lucas, Adrian was at least twice as handsome. Even if he was impotent, just looking at his handsome face every day would be satisfying. It was certainly better than being cheated on by that ugly Lucas behind my back. Adrian stared at me intently. “Alright.” As his large hand with distinct knuckles clasped my small, delicate one, my heart skipped a beat. The wedding simply swapped out the main characters. We didn’t even need to change clothes. The elegant white wedding dress paired perfectly with Adrian’s tailored black suit, as if the two were always meant to be bride and groom. Everyone at the wedding banquet was shrewd. Lucas’s escape was too sudden and hadn’t been deliberately concealed, so most guests knew about it. Reporters had caught wind of the gossip and were eagerly raising their cameras towards the stage, waiting to see the drama unfold between two of New York’s most powerful families. When they saw me walking up arm-in-arm with Adrian, many people’s jaws dropped in shock. They had to admire this move of directly swapping out the groom. The officiant very professionally introduced the new bride and groom with a freshly printed script. “The bride and groom will now exchange rings…” Adrian took out a ring and put it on my finger. I also took out a ring and put it on Adrian’s finger. As I was putting the ring on Adrian, I noticed it didn’t fit well. My eyes showed an apologetic look. This ring was sized for Lucas. There wasn’t time to make a new one on such short notice. It’s good that it could still be used, even if it was a bit tight. After exchanging rings, it was time for the groom to kiss the bride. I couldn’t help feeling nervous. Adrian’s public image was one of keeping himself pure and aloof. Even on the rare occasions he attended events, he never had a female companion. Would he be willing? I was starting to regret dragging Adrian into this on a whim. Just as I was lost in thought, I suddenly felt a soft sensation on my lips. I opened my eyes in disbelief to see Adrian’s flawless face up close. Seeming to sense my shock, Adrian placed his hand on the back of my head to deepen the kiss. I slowly closed my eyes as the guests’ congratulatory applause rang out around us. My parents were unaware of my sudden choice, but they could only smile and respond to the congratulations from those around them. They couldn’t publicly embarrass their daughter, after all. Taking advantage of the toast, my mom pulled me into a room. My dad was there too. She locked the door. “Olivia, what’s going on? How did you suddenly end up with Adrian?” “Because he’s handsome…” I didn’t know how else to explain my impulsive decision. “Handsome?” My mom thought about Adrian’s face. He was indeed very handsome. “But he’s over 10 years older than you. He was almost done with elementary school when you were just born.” “So what? Don’t they say older men are more caring?” I brazenly replied. “But… I heard he’s impotent…” My mom’s brow remained furrowed. Ah, this… Just as I was wracking my brain trying to find a way to gloss over this, there was a knock at the door. Knock knock knock. My mom opened the door. Adrian was standing there. It wasn’t clear if he had just arrived or had been there for a while. My parents quickly put on gracious smiles, as if they hadn’t just been questioning him. “Mr. Yu, is there something you need?” “I have some things I’d like to discuss with you.” Adrian chatted with my parents about who knows what. In just a short while, they were no longer opposed to this marriage and actually seemed quite approving of Adrian. “Adrian is good too. Capable and skilled.” My dad acknowledged Adrian’s abilities. Though he was older, this kind of man could truly protect his precious daughter. Lucas, who ran away at the last minute, wasn’t worthy of his daughter. After the wedding, I moved into Adrian’s mansion. This place was Adrian’s personal residence. It was my first time here. The interior decor was minimalist, best described as black, white and gray. A day of busy socializing left us smelling of alcohol and sweat. Adrian went to freshen up first. I sat on the couch to rest. The sound of running water could be heard from the bathroom. Through the frosted glass, I could vaguely make out the figure inside. My face flushed red with embarrassment, and I stopped looking. After a while, the water stopped. I instinctively looked up. Adrian walked out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. The open neckline revealed his muscular chest and hints of abs. I was a bit dazed. Wow, I didn’t expect this man to have such a great body! Seeing me staring at him, Adrian’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Olivia, go take a shower.” His deep, magnetic voice rang out. Realizing I had been staring at him in a daze, I shyly retreated to the bathroom, took off my clothes, and let the water run over me. My ears were still ringing with Adrian calling me “Olivia”… How had I not noticed before how alluring he was? After showering, I suddenly realized I hadn’t brought any clothes in with me… I had no choice but to carefully open the bathroom door a crack, poking out half my face. “A-Adrian, I forgot to bring clothes. Could you please hand them to me? They’re in the bag on the couch. Just pass the whole bag to me.” There was no response from outside for a while. I was a bit confused. Had Adrian gone out? Just as I was about to ask again, a response came: “Okay.” That pleasant voice had a hint of huskiness to it. Then I heard footsteps and the rustling of a bag outside. Soon after, Adrian came to the bathroom door. “Here you go.” I carefully opened the door a crack and stuck out my arm. The clothes were placed in my hand. “Thank you.” As I closed the bathroom door, I accidentally made eye contact with Adrian. Those deep eyes seemed to be burning with flames. Looking at the intimate apparel in my hands, my face turned completely red. Ahh, I clearly told him to pass the whole bag to me. After dawdling in the bathroom for ages, I eventually had to come out. I steeled myself and pushed open the door. Adrian had already changed into pajamas and was sitting on the bed reading some documents. Seeing me come out, he closed the documents. Seeing no teasing expression on his face, I let out a sigh of relief. I actually had some serious matters I wanted to ask him about. “How do you plan to deal with Lucas?” As if he had anticipated I would ask, Adrian handed me the documents he was just reading. “Take a look.” I walked over and took the documents. Inside was the process of Lucas meeting a girl, similar to the cliche rich young master falling for a pure, innocent girl in old romance novels. There was even a photo of this innocent girl helpfully attached. She really did look pure and innocent. Without my knowledge, these two had gone through cycle after cycle of angst and reconciliation… Until last night, when the innocent girl learned Lucas was getting married. She called Lucas in tears. Lucas’s heart ached. He regretted it and abandoned his bride-to-be to elope with his pure, innocent love overnight. Wow, if I wasn’t the abandoned bride myself, I’d really want to congratulate them. But unfortunately, I was that unlucky bride. Damn it, what were these two doing before? Looking at the timeline in the documents, the two had been in an angsty relationship for two months. That was even longer than the wedding preparations. If Lucas had revealed even a hint of this information, I wouldn’t be so angry. “Lucas has already taken his little girlfriend abroad for a vacation. I’ve sent people to bring him back. If you’re willing, our wedding can be annulled.” Adrian said flatly, seeming to have noticed my anger and thinking I regretted it. After all, we hadn’t officially registered our marriage, just held a wedding ceremony. But how could I regret this? I lost some trash and gained a treasure. This was simply my good fortune. “We’re married now. I’m your wife. Let’s go register our marriage tomorrow.” I was very serious. Adrian saw that my words came from the heart. He became serious too. “Alright.” “You said before that I could deal with Lucas as I see fit. Does that still stand?” I suddenly flashed a mischievous smile. “As you wish.” Very good. “I want you to freeze his cards!” Without funds, let’s see how comfortably Lucas can vacation abroad with his pure, innocent girl. Adrian saw through my wicked intentions. Not only did he not stop me, he fanned the flames. “Starting today, I’ll take away all the funds under his name. What do you think, my dear?” The sudden “my dear” caught me off guard. After I realized, my face couldn’t help turning red again. “I think that’s great.” Naturally, I was even happier if we could make him suffer more. With the scumbag dealt with, it was time for the next step. “Let’s rest then.” Adrian seemed to truly be tired. He reached out to turn off the lights. Everything went dark. I lay stiffly on the bed, not daring to move. This was my first time getting married, so I wasn’t quite sure about the procedures. What should I do next? Consummate the marriage? Just as I was wondering if I should take the initiative… “Sleep. I won’t touch you until you’re willing.” I let out a sigh of relief, but then remembered the rumors I had heard before… Could Adrian really resist with a beautiful young woman next to him? Was he really impotent? “?” Adrian, who had just closed his eyes, opened them again. I then realized I had accidentally said my thoughts out loud. I quickly tried to save the situation by pretending to be asleep. However, before I could even close my eyes for two seconds, I felt a body on top of me. Long-fingered hands rested on my slender waist as warm breath tickled my ear. “Why don’t you test it out yourself, my dear?” As it turned out, one should not provoke a man who has been abstinent for many years. Otherwise, be prepared to face the consequences. When I woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky. The bed beside me was cold. Adrian wasn’t there. Well, a big CEO is very busy after all. I was so hungry my stomach was growling. I went downstairs to forage for food. To my surprise, Adrian was sitting at the dining table, holding a magazine. “My dear, you’re up. Did you sleep well last night?” Today Adrian wasn’t wearing a suit. He had on a simple white shirt with the collar slightly open, faintly revealing the marks underneath. Remembering yesterday, my face flushed red again. But I refused to back down verbally: “I slept very well, darling!” Hearing this pet name, Adrian’s smile grew even more unrestrained. “It seems my dear was very satisfied with last night. That puts my mind at ease.” Who’s praising him? This old man is so shameless. I can’t compete, I really can’t compete! I grumbled as I sat down at the table. “I’m hungry!” Adrian smiled indulgently and went to the kitchen to bring out the food he had been keeping warm. “You just woke up, so you can’t eat anything too greasy.” The breakfast on the table was simple – a plate of steamed buns, two small side dishes, and a bowl of porridge. I was starving and didn’t care about the details. I eagerly picked up a bun and took a bite. My eyes immediately lit up. It’s delicious! “This is so good. Who made these buns?” Adrian smiled without saying anything. A thought flashed through my mind. “Don’t tell me you made them!” Adrian casually confirmed it with a light comment: “I’m glad they suit your taste.” I wanted to say something snarky, but the flavor really was excellent! One can’t go against their conscience. Seeing me eat happily, Adrian was very satisfied. His efforts in learning to cook weren’t wasted. By the time I finished dawdling over breakfast, it was already quite late. I went upstairs to change clothes. The decision to marry Adrian was so sudden that I hadn’t prepared in advance. There were no women’s clothes in the mansion. The clothes I had were still from my parents’ home. Adrian’s brow furrowed slightly. He went out to make a phone call. When he came back, I was already done getting ready. “Let’s go, darling.” “Alright.” Adrian was wearing a white shirt paired with light jeans today, looking like a fresh-faced college student at first glance. But… I blushed as I looked at the exposed collarbone peeking out from his shirt collar, as well as the red marks below. “Are you really going out like that?” Adrian looked confused. “Is there a problem?” I could only step forward to adjust his collar, then took Adrian’s arm and walked out. Adrian chuckled softly, his large hand grasping my small one. With our wedding photos freshly printed, Adrian and I were truly husband and wife now. Saying goodbye to single life so suddenly, I still felt a bit unaccustomed. But looking at the handsome couple in our wedding photos, tsk tsk, we really were a perfect match. I have such good taste! Lucas had gone abroad to vacation with that innocent girl. With his cards frozen, he’d come crawling back in at most two days without money. I was really looking forward to seeing Lucas’s reaction when he came back and saw me become his mom. Adrian was truly thoughtful. After we got back home from registering our marriage, I saw the previously empty closet stuffed full of various clothes and jewelry, all new releases from top brands this season. “It was too rushed to have anything custom made. Please make do with these for now,” Adrian said. Although I already owned many of these clothes, I was still very pleased with Adrian’s thoughtfulness and rewarded him with a kiss. Just as I had predicted, with all his cards frozen, Lucas was having an extremely difficult time abroad. As the young master of a major corporation, he had never carried cash in his pockets. Fortunately, he had his innocent girl with him. The girl hadn’t worked since getting together with Lucas, but luckily she still had some savings from before. If it weren’t for the innocent girl, he probably wouldn’t even be able to get back. The innocent girl’s real name was Lily. She gently comforted Lucas: “Lucas, don’t worry. Maybe something happened. Let’s buy tickets back to check.” “Lily, thank you.” Seeing Lily use her own savings to buy the tickets, Lucas was deeply moved. He vaguely guessed what might have happened with his cards being frozen. His cards had unlimited credit limits. The bank wouldn’t dare freeze them without good reason. It must be that Olivia woman who said something! Anyway, the wedding was over and it was time to go back. Lily had been by his side for so long. They were truly in love, and it was time to give her proper status. After all… she had even given him her first time. Thinking this, Lucas’s face broke into a blissful smile. Once they got back, the two of them would get married. Then he would take over Yu Corporation from Adrian, and no one would be able to control him anymore. He could already envision his happy life in the future. So the two of them rushed to catch a flight back that very night. After a seven-hour flight, they arrived at the mansion early the next morning around 8am. Lucas knew Adrian usually didn’t stay at the old family home, so he headed straight for Adrian’s villa. At this time, I was lazily curled up on the couch watching TV while waiting for Adrian to make breakfast. These past few days of being around Adrian constantly, I realized his previous cold and aloof image was all an act. He was actually quite the charmer, an expert at seducing people. To enjoy our time alone together, Adrian had even given all the servants in the villa a short vacation. Only the cleaning lady came every few days. So the responsibility for three meals a day fell to Adrian. Well, what can I say? I’ve never lifted a finger to do housework. Fortunately, Adrian was happy to do it. Every time he saw me eating with my cheeks puffed out, he would mischievously poke them a couple times. Just then, a mechanical voice sounded: “Master, someone is knocking at the door.” I shuffled over in my slippers to check the outside monitor. Seeing the travel-worn Lucas and Lily, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. They were quite fast. “Your big son is back.” I walked into the kitchen and leaned against Adrian’s back, watching him fry a perfect sunny-side up egg. Tsk tsk, people really can’t be compared. “Mm, deal with him as you see fit.” Adrian didn’t even bother to look up. That’s just what I was waiting to hear! I left Lucas and the innocent girl waiting outside while I leisurely went upstairs to change clothes before opening the front door. The villa was very large, with a huge yard outside. This place could even be called a small estate. Previously, guests would drive in, but unfortunately the driver was on vacation too. I was too lazy to drive out to pick them up, so they had to walk in themselves. Lucas and Lily had rushed over to the villa right after getting off the plane, without even eating anything. Now they were starving and thirsty, but for the sake of the cards they could only wait stiffly at the door. After finally waiting for the main gate to open, they still had to walk in on their own two feet. “This place is so big!” Lily’s eyes flashed with envy and jealousy. “When we get married, I’ll buy you one just as big,” Lucas declared grandly, naturally unable to bear seeing his woman admire someone else’s home. “That must be very expensive. Lucas, there’s no need. As long as I can be with you, I’m already very happy no matter where we live.” Lily’s completely dependent demeanor fully satisfied a man’s inflated ego. “What’s the big deal? I’ll buy you several villas in the future, so you can switch between them!” Though he talked big, when they actually reached the front door, Lucas became a bit timid. As a child, Lucas hadn’t taken his nominal father Adrian seriously. But after seeing how Adrian dealt with disobedient people, he learned to behave. As he grew older and gained a deeper understanding of Adrian’s methods, he became even more fearful. However, Adrian rarely meddled in family affairs. This was also why Lucas dared to run away from the wedding. He believed Adrian absolutely wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters. Moreover, as the heir to Yu Corporation, Adrian couldn’t deal with him the same way as those other people. With these thoughts in mind, Lucas gave himself a pep talk. “Dad.” He pushed open the door, but instead of Adrian, an unexpected person appeared before his eyes. I flashed a friendly smile at Lucas standing in the doorway. “Hello~” “Y-y-you, why are you here?!” Lucas instinctively took a step back. “Ah!” Lily was standing right behind him. Unable to dodge in time, Lily’s foot was painfully stepped on. Her eyes filled with tears. Hearing Lily’s voice, Lucas came to his senses and quickly turned to check on her. “Are you okay, Lily?” “I’m fine as long as you’re alright, Lucas.” Lily gritted her teeth and said weakly. Lucas spent a good while comforting Lily in front of me, then – “Olivia! I never thought you could be so vicious!” ? What did I do? How bizarre. I’ve been standing in the same spot this whole time without moving. Don’t try to frame me! Lucas also realized this accusation was a bit nonsensical. He changed tack and redirected his anger. “I never thought you could be so shameless. Our wedding didn’t even happen – how dare you stay here! I don’t like you. We have no future together. This is my girlfriend Lily. We’re getting married soon.” “What gave you that delusion?” I was confused and speechless. Wow, this kid didn’t even look at the news reports from that day. But why would he think I would cling to him? Had I ever been clingy? I went through all my interactions with Lucas in my mind and was certain – I hadn’t! Lucas must be an idiot. “Sister, I know you and Lucas were engaged before, but you weren’t married yet… And Lucas and I are truly in love. Please, just let us be together.” Lily had already started her performance. Her eyes were like faucets, continuously dripping tears. She cried as if terribly wronged. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she had suffered greatly. Lucas’s heart ached. He shouted at me: “Olivia! You’re going too far!” ??? How is this related to me at all?! Damn, I somehow can’t keep up with these two’s mental gymnastics. They must be sick. I said sympathetically, “Is the mental hospital so full they let you out to run wild?” It took Lucas a while to react. “You’re the one who’s sick.” Seeing the completely unbothered expression on my face, Lucas doubted the possibility that I didn’t like him. But he thought about where they were – this was the Yale family home, not the Brown family home. If Olivia wasn’t here for him, why would she be here at all? It must all be an act to get his attention. Lucas softened his tone: “Olivia, I have someone I love now. We have no future together. Hurry up and apologize to Lily. We can still be friends after this.” Who wants to be friends with you? Idiocy is contagious! Just as I was about to retort, a deep, magnetic voice came from behind me: “What’s going on?” Everyone turned to look. Adrian was wearing a tailored black shirt that accentuated his perfect physique. Paired with his stunningly handsome face and aloof aura, every movement as he set the bowl on the dining table was incredibly alluring. Lily was a bit dazed looking at him. “Dad, we’re back. Why is this woman here?!” Lucas eagerly asked Adrian. Adrian ignored him and beckoned to me. “Come eat breakfast.” Because I was standing with Lucas and Lily, when Adrian gestured, the two of them thought he was talking to them. “Dad, you even made breakfast for us.” Lucas was very touched. He started to pull Lily over, and Lily followed with a red face. But before they could touch the table, Adrian stopped them. “Dad?” Lucas was confused. Adrian reached out his hand to me again. “Darling, I’m coming~” I immediately ran over and grabbed Adrian’s hand right in front of the two of them. Looking back at Lucas and Lily’s wide eyes and gaping mouths, I flashed a brilliant smile. “Son, why don’t you call me Mom?” Lucas and Lily stood frozen in place, their mouths hanging open. Adrian paid them no mind. He simply took my hand and sat down at the dining table. “Eat up, it’ll get cold and upset your stomach.” The two standing there were stunned for a full two minutes before they reacted. Lucas even forgot to lower his voice, shouting in disbelief: “What? You, when did you… How is this possible?!” “On the wedding day, of course~” Seeing the previously arrogant and narcissistic Lucas now with his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg, I was delighted. Haha, serves you right for being so full of yourself. How’s that slap in the face feel? “Dad, how could you marry her?!” Lucas couldn’t help exclaiming. Seeing my smug expression, he jumped to the worst conclusions. “She must have done this on purpose! Dad, she did it on purpose! Besides, there’s over 10 years’ age difference between you. How can you be together?!” I admit that initially choosing Adrian had a bit of a revenge motive, but only a bit. The bigger reason was that as a member of the Brown family, I couldn’t let the Brown family lose face in front of so many people. For people like us, we don’t expect love. I chose Adrian because of his status. Moreover, Adrian was truly much better than Lucas in every way – looks, physique, intelligence, everything. The key was that he was also willing to dote on me. “What’s wrong with an age gap? Love knows no age!” I raised an eyebrow, then kissed Adrian’s cheek right in front of Lucas. “Revenge by getting married? Are you worth that much?” “Hurry up and call me Mom, son! Otherwise I’ll have your dad replace you with another son.” I threatened. Lucas pointed at my smug look and angrily said: “Dad, aren’t you going to do something about her?!” Hearing this, Adrian finally deigned to look at him. Just as Lucas thought Adrian was going to scold me, Adrian affectionately ruffled my hair. “How can I control her? Besides, Olivia married me, so you should rightfully call her Mom.” Seeing that Adrian was on my side too, Lucas felt extremely stifled. He had been the young master for so many years. When had he ever suffered such grievance? He turned to leave on the spot. Just then, he felt his hand being squeezed. It was Lily. He looked down at Lily’s aggrieved little face. Fine, for the sake of his and Lily’s beautiful future, he would endure! “Mom!” Lucas gritted his teeth and squeezed out the word. “Aww, my good son is so obedient! Hahaha!” The smile I had been holding back finally burst out, and I laughed uncontrollably. “Olivia!!” Seeing me laugh so happily without giving him any face, Lucas’s expression darkened further. “You have to call me Mom. Come on, son. Mom even prepared a red envelope for you.” I didn’t care at all and cheerfully walked up to Lucas, taking out a red envelope from my pocket and placing it in his hand. Lucas didn’t even want to accept it. He didn’t need this bit of money as a young master. At this moment, Adrian said flatly: “Take it properly. Don’t throw it away.” I… I’ll endure. Lucas accepted it through gritted teeth, feeling like his teeth were about to break. “Thank you, Mom.” “You’re welcome, you’re welcome.” I flashed a big grin showing all my teeth.

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My sister-in-law, Chloe Rivers, was getting married. On the way to pick up groceries for dinner, I decided to buy a lottery ticket. Little did I know, when the numbers were drawn, I’d hit the jackpot—$20 million! I had imagined living a dream life with my family, but then my husband, Brad, decided he wanted a divorce. I raised my thumb and held back my excitement. “Well, isn’t this just perfect? A double blessing!” After thirty failed blind dates, Chloe finally found her “Prince Charming,” Ethan Montgomery. Everyone in the family was thrilled about the news. Mrs. Margaret Rivers, my mother-in-law, invited Chloe and her new fiancé over for dinner. “Sophia, here’s two hundred bucks. Go to the store and buy something you young folks like to eat,” she said, slipping the cash into my hand. On the way to the store, I casually bought a lottery ticket. When I got home, I put the groceries in the kitchen and noticed that neither Mrs. Rivers nor Brad were in the living room. I started putting away the groceries, and soon enough, I heard the front door open. It must’ve been Brad and his mom coming back. “Brad, make sure Sophia doesn’t find out about the $75,000, or she’ll make a scene!” Mrs. Rivers said as she changed her shoes. “Relax, Mom. The money is safely tucked away in my personal account. Sophia has no clue it even exists!” Brad said, carelessly tossing his shoes around. “Good! With that $75,000, Chloe can marry into her new family with confidence. No one will push her around, and I can finally stop worrying,” Mrs. Rivers said smugly while sipping her water. I stood there, frozen in the kitchen, gripping the spatula. $75,000? Where did that come from? And it’s for Chloe’s dowry? As far as I knew, Mrs. Rivers worked at a factory, making about $4,000 a month, with plenty of expenses to cover. Brad had always told me that between the house, the wedding, and other expenses, the Rivers family was financially drained. When we got married, I didn’t even keep the $20,000 dowry my parents gave me—I handed it back to Brad’s family to help them out. So how in the world did they save up $75,000 in just three years? My thoughts raced like wildfire. I had thought marrying into the Rivers family made me one of them. But now, it was clear: the real family was just Mrs. Rivers, Brad, and Chloe. I was nothing more than a foolish housekeeper. Mrs. Rivers would toss me a few hundred bucks here and there, and I thought she was being generous. Turns out, compared to Chloe, I was nothing. She was practically treating me like a beggar, throwing me scraps. By now, the food in the pan had dried up and started to burn, but I hadn’t even noticed. “When did you get back?” Brad opened the kitchen door and was startled to see me standing there. My thoughts snapped back to reality, and I glanced at him. “I… I’ve been home for about ten minutes…” Brad rushed over, taking the spatula from my hand. “What were you doing? The food’s burning!” I quickly grabbed a bowl, poured some water into it, and dumped it in the pan. “Oh… I was just thinking about whether the store owner overcharged me for the groceries.” I made up an excuse, hoping to cover my tracks. Brad gave me a suspicious look. “You didn’t hear anything after you got home, did you?” His gaze felt like it was trying to pierce through me. I played dumb, staring back at him with confusion. “Hear what?” “You came in so quietly. I didn’t even hear you.” Brad’s expression softened, and he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I went out to get your favorite—durian. Just got back.” He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. It was then I noticed the giant durian in his hand. Suddenly, I felt repulsed by the durian—and his kiss. Not because I liked durian, but because Chloe did. This family was exhausting.

That afternoon, Chloe and her fiancé Ethan showed up empty-handed, ready to eat and drink as soon as they walked through the door. At dinner, I decided to bring up the subject of Chloe’s dowry. “So, Ethan, now that you’re marrying our precious Chloe, how much are you thinking for the dowry?” I asked, half-joking, half-serious. Ethan froze for a moment. “Sophie… We agreed on $18,800.” I chuckled. “Oh, lucky numbers, huh?” Then I turned to Mrs. Rivers. “Hey, Mom, that’s not a bad amount. How much are you planning to send Chloe off with?” “Do you have enough? If not, I can chip in. That dowry money is still with Brad, isn’t it?” Mrs. Rivers gave a nervous laugh. “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ve already got everything set aside for her.” Then she turned to Ethan. “I’ve been saving my retirement money for years, and I’ll give it to Chloe as her dowry. It’s not much, but I hope you don’t mind, Ethan.” Ethan quickly waved it off. “Not at all.” They all thought they were playing me for a fool. But without solid proof, I didn’t dare confront them at the dinner table. After dinner, they sat in the living room, laughing and chatting about wedding plans. The atmosphere was warm and lively, but there was no room for me on that couch. I looked at the chaotic dining table and the kitchen, which looked like a war zone. I took off my apron, excused myself, and went to my room, claiming I wasn’t feeling well. Mrs. Rivers looked slightly irritated, but with guests in the house, she didn’t say anything. I shut the bedroom door and collapsed on the bed, letting the tears I’d been holding back fall. A week later, Chloe and Ethan got engaged. They didn’t invite many people, and of course, I wasn’t one of them. How ridiculous. Mrs. Rivers told Brad I had to work, so I couldn’t attend. She sent Brad to bring me food at the office, making sure I ate before he left. But after he left, I took the rest of the day off and followed him to the Crystal Ridge Country Club. Not many people were there, but all the important folks from back home showed up. I watched as Chloe and Ethan posed for photos in front of an elaborate display. Not only was there a hefty dowry from Ethan’s family, but there was also a stack of cash—$75,000—waiting for Chloe. The reality hit me like a slap in the face. There it was—$75,000, not a penny short. Mrs. Rivers’ face turned pale when she saw me walk in. I handed the bouquet I had brought to Chloe and smiled. “It’s your big day, Chloe. How could I, as your sister-in-law, miss it?” Chloe’s face flushed with embarrassment. Brad rushed over, clearly annoyed. “Didn’t you already eat? Why are you here?” I raised my voice. “What? Just because I ate means I’m not allowed to attend the engagement party?” “Or are you worried I’ll see the $75,000 you’re giving Chloe?” The moment I mentioned the money, Mrs. Rivers’ face darkened. Once the secret was out, there was no more pretense. Chloe strutted over to me, full of arrogance. “So what if I’m getting $75,000? Can your family give you that?” “Your parents couldn’t afford a dowry like that, so what are you trying to prove?” Her words left me fuming. “Chloe, you know exactly where that $75,000 came from!” Mrs. Rivers jumped up, panicked. “Sophia, watch your mouth! What do you mean, ‘where it came from’? I saved every penny of that myself!” Brad frowned and added, “Sophia, stop causing trouble!” Ethan’s family sat there watching like they were at the movies, probably happy to see me humiliated. After all, marrying Chloe meant they were about to pocket $75,000.

When I refused to back down, Brad slapped me. It was the first time he had ever hit me in our two years of dating and three years of marriage. That slap woke me up. What was the point of staying in this mess? I slapped him back and walked out of the country club. When I got home, I grabbed a suitcase and started packing to go back to the Grant Family Home. As I was packing, I found the lottery ticket I’d bought a week ago in the pocket of a coat. It was the day of the drawing. I pulled out my phone and started checking the numbers one by one. Two billion… I’d won $20 million! In that moment, all the hurt, anger, and frustration melted away. My hands trembled as I reached for my phone to call Brad and share the incredible news. But just as I was about to dial, I stopped. He slapped me. Unless he apologized, I wasn’t forgiving him, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to share in my good fortune. Halfway through packing, I gave up and sat on the couch, waiting for him to come home. It wasn’t until nearly dark that Brad and Mrs. Rivers stumbled through the door, drunk. Brad tripped over my suitcase and fell. When he got up, he seemed a bit more sober. “Sophia, what are you doing?” “What’s all this? Are you planning to run away?” Mrs. Rivers rolled her eyes and let out a loud burp. “A useless hen who can’t lay eggs should’ve left a long time ago! Get out of here if you’re going!” I stood up, shocked, staring at Brad. “You want me gone too?” Brad pushed me aside and collapsed on the couch. “Yeah, go! Leave! I’m so done with you!” “Three years of marriage, and still no baby. My buddies think there’s something wrong with me!” “If I had known you were this useless, I wouldn’t have wasted money marrying you. What a damn waste!” Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t believe he’d say something so shameless. When we got married, he’d insisted we couldn’t afford to have kids. Now he was blaming me for not getting pregnant. At that moment, my heart hit rock bottom. I left the rest of my packing unfinished, grabbed my suitcase, and went to my parents’ house. The next morning, Brad called. I thought he might regret everything and ask me to come home. But the first thing he said was, “Sophia, where the hell are you? The house is a mess, and you haven’t made dinner! Get back here and clean up!” Typical. I sighed deeply. “Brad, I want a divorce.” There was silence on the other end, and then he burst out laughing. “Hahaha, great! Let’s get a divorce! Come right now, and we’ll do it!” I couldn’t believe how eager he was. From the time we ended the call to when we had the divorce papers in hand, it took less than an hour. Standing outside the County Clerk’s Office with the divorce certificate in his hand, Brad looked like a new man. He sneered at me. “Sophia, three years of marriage, and you didn’t even give me a kid. Let’s see who’d want you now.” I looked down at the divorce certificate, suddenly thankful I hadn’t told him about the $20 million lottery win. For me, the jackpot and the divorce were a double blessing. Brad had just lost the best thing that ever happened to him, and he didn’t even know it. Ignoring him, I took my divorce certificate, disguised myself, and headed to the State Lottery Office to collect my $20 million. A month later, as I sat at home counting my money, I received a summons from the court. Brad was suing me… Had he found out about my $20 million? Technically, winnings before a divorce are considered joint marital assets… Was he trying to claim half?

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