Category: English

In the third year of our long-distance relationship, I secretly transferred to a hospital in Silva’s city without telling him. But on my first day at work, he became the first patient’s family member I received. “Doctor, my wife has been having severe morning sickness lately. Can you take a look at what’s wrong?” Silva’s hand rested on the slightly protruding belly of the pregnant woman beside him, his eyes full of heartache. Noticing my hesitation, he looked up at me with some confusion. I lowered my head and pulled my mask up as high as it would go, biting my lip hard as I suppressed my voice to ask. “How far along is the fetus?” “Three months.” Three months. But just one month ago, Silva had been beaming with joy as we registered our marriage at city hall. I let out a cold laugh and turned away from him to make a phone call. “Dad, take the marriage certificate I left in the safe and have it checked for authenticity.” “If it’s fake, freeze Silva’s bank cards, fire him from his job, and take back the penthouse we gave him.” “And if that marriage certificate is real, do the same thing anyway!”

After hanging up, I returned to the examination room. I adjusted my mask again, making sure Silva wouldn’t recognize me. I glanced at the name on the registration form again: Antonella. Very unfamiliar. I’d never heard Silva mention her to me before. I suppressed the shock in my heart and asked routine questions again under their puzzled gazes. “Have you been keeping up with your prenatal checkups?” Antonella nodded and turned to glance at Silva. “Yes, we’ve been on time with all of them.” “For the first prenatal checkup, my husband even left work and flew back overnight to be with me.” My chest swelled with an odd, bloating sensation, and my nose suddenly stung. Based on her pregnancy timeline, the first prenatal checkup would have been exactly the day after my wedding. No wonder Silva had changed his clothes before the wedding even ended that day, hastily packing his luggage. “Alice, something urgent came up at work. I need to catch the last flight back.” He’d held my hand apologetically, his eyes reddening for the first time in front of me. “Once I’ve handled everything, I’ll definitely take time off for a proper honeymoon with you.” I’d grabbed my wedding dress, wanting to call him back, but even after running until I lost a shoe, I still couldn’t catch up to his hurried figure. With the groom leaving mid-ceremony, the guests didn’t say anything outright, but the mockery in their eyes was impossible to hide. That absurd scene from that night—I never wanted to experience it again in my lifetime. I smiled stiffly, my tone sarcastic. “Your husband is so good to you.” I looked through the previous examination report again. “Last time you were slightly anemic. To be safe, we should draw blood for another test.” Hearing this, Antonella’s expression became nervous, her voice tinged with unease. “Is it necessary? My husband has been personally cooking for me every day recently. I’ve gained quite a bit of weight, so I shouldn’t be anemic anymore, right?” As she spoke, she shrank into Silva’s embrace, her eyes reddening, looking rather pitiful. Silva immediately gripped her hand gently to comfort her, then looked up to explain to me. “Sorry, Antonella is a bit afraid of needles, so she gets scared every time we need to draw blood.” Then he gently patted Antonella’s back to persuade her. “But for your health, let’s still listen to the doctor and get checked. It’s safer that way.” “After the checkup, I’ll go home and make soup for you myself.” I gripped my fingers, my eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of me. Silva was a male chauvinist at his core. Since we’d known each other, he’d always believed housework was women’s work.

The kitchen had always been his forbidden zone. Once when I had a high fever and was too weak to move, I asked him to make me a cup of fever-reducing medicine, but he coldly refused. “I’m a grown man. How can I step into a kitchen?” That night my temperature spiked to 104°F, and I remained in a daze until the cleaning lady found me the next day. Turns out he could set aside his prejudices and go to such lengths for the woman he loved. As they were talking, Antonella’s face suddenly turned pale, and she abruptly covered her mouth and stood up. It looked like she was experiencing morning sickness again. The next second, Silva helped her stand, skillfully pulling a bag from his pocket. Clearly he’d become very practiced at handling this situation. He steadied Antonella’s shoulders, letting her weight rest almost entirely on him. “Sorry, we need to use the restroom.” After the two left, I finally let out a sharp breath and opened Silva’s chat window. Our last conversation was from two days ago when I told him I had a surprise for him. As things stood now, this surprise would probably turn into a shock. Just as I was about to exit, a new message popped up in the pinned conversation. [The certificate is real, but I found out he purchased a fake marriage certificate online a few months ago.] I closed my eyes. I already knew the answer in my heart. Right after I replied to the message, someone knocked on the door from outside. “Doctor, we’re back.” The two sat down in front of me again, leaning on each other. Silva helped Antonella tuck the strands of hair by her face behind her ear, then adjusted her clothes. As he moved her collar, it revealed a bright red hickey on her neck. I frowned, trying to keep my voice calm. “Didn’t anyone tell you? The fetus isn’t stable during the first three months. You can’t have sex.” Antonella’s cheeks flushed red. She lightly punched Silva twice, her tone coquettish with reproach. “It’s all your fault.” “As soon as three months passed, you couldn’t wait. Now you’ve embarrassed me in front of the doctor.” My stomach suddenly churned, intense nausea rising to my throat. Silva smiled and good-naturedly accepted all her complaints. He asked me a few questions about pregnancy precautions, then pulled out his phone and recorded everything in his notes. I caught a glimpse of his note title: Darling’s Pregnancy Precautions. When the interface exited, I could see other notes inside: Antonella Baby’s Food Restrictions, Antonella Baby’s Health Cycle Records… I looked away, my heart cold. Such detailed life records—we’d known each other for four years, and he’d never done this for me. Last month, to fly over to see him, I’d swapped shifts with several colleagues. After working 36 hours straight, I rushed to catch the flight to see him. But when I got off the plane, I couldn’t even get through to him on the phone. After calling for a long time, the line finally stopped being coldly unanswered. But when I said I was already on my way from the airport to find him, Silva immediately raised his voice. “Don’t come over right now!” I sat in the taxi, somewhat bewildered. I’d told him my plans a week earlier, and we’d agreed on today. He’d readily agreed and promised to pick me up at the airport himself. But the Silva on the phone hemmed and hawed. “I… I forgot about this…” “I’m on a business trip out of town right now. Sorry, Alice, I didn’t get a chance to tell you.” “Just go back home today.”

My brain was foggy from staying up all night, and I hadn’t caught the panic and confusion in his tone. He must have had a beauty in his arms at that moment, having completely forgotten about our plans. After arranging their examination items, Silva took the forms to pay. Once Silva’s figure completely disappeared down the hallway, Antonella reluctantly withdrew her gaze. She touched her belly. “After talking so much, I still don’t know the doctor’s name?” I raised my eyes to look at her. “You can just call me Dr. Alice.” A flicker of emotion crossed her eyes, and she smiled as she spoke. “What a coincidence.” My heart stirred, and I pretended to ask calmly. “Do you also know someone named Alice?” Antonella smiled slightly and nodded, then her expression changed, disgust appearing in her eyes. “My husband’s ex-girlfriend is also named Alice, but that’s all in the past now.” “I heard his ex was really ugly, had a terrible temper, treated Silva badly, and was extremely controlling.” “Thank goodness he was brave enough to break up with her. Now he’s met me instead.” I gripped the pen in my hand tighter, laughing coldly inside. “Did your husband tell you all this himself?” “Of course.” She clenched her fist, her expression indignant, as if feeling wronged on Silva’s behalf. “She even threatened Silva with his future career, forcing him to marry her.” “Of course Silva refused and even gave her a good humiliation.” Hearing this, I raised an eyebrow, having already sentenced Silva to death countless times in my mind. When I met Silva, he was still a young man with nothing but his studies, penniless and naive. He said after graduation he wanted to work in Texas—it was the place he’d dreamed of since childhood. So I convinced my father to pull strings and build a highway for him to the top companies in Texas. I even bought him a house there. I held his hand and told him, “Do what you want to do. People in love won’t let distance change their feelings.” When he proposed, he admitted in front of all our friends that without me, there would be no him today. He knelt on one knee and solemnly placed the ring on my finger, saying he would be with me for the rest of his life. But in the blink of an eye, he’d betrayed me so completely. I looked at the girl in front of me, exhaled gently, and suddenly felt utterly tired of it all. Twisting the wedding ring on my finger, I suddenly changed the subject. “I really envy you for having a husband who loves you so much. I’m different.” Antonella quickly looked up at me, her eyes shining with gossip. I continued. “Actually, I’m already married. In the first month after marriage, I discovered my husband was cheating.” “He was hiding another family from me.” “Bang!” As soon as I finished speaking, Antonella slammed the table hard. “He’s such scum! Dr. Alice is so wonderful, and he doesn’t know how to cherish you at all.” I smiled helplessly and continued slowly. “And recently, I found out he got someone else pregnant behind my back.” This time Antonella stood up directly in anger, her chest heaving violently. “Scumbag!” “That kind of person deserves to be struck by lightning and die a terrible death!” Just then, Silva pushed the door open and asked with a smile. “What are you talking about? Who deserves to die a terrible death?” Antonella looked at Silva angrily. “We’re talking about Dr. Alice’s scumbag husband. You don’t know what vile things he’s done.”

Then she turned to look at me. “Are you two still together?” I smiled in acknowledgment, my gaze falling on Silva as he organized things. Hearing this, Antonella frowned, her tone somewhat earnest. “You should divorce him decisively. That kind of man is nothing but trouble.” “If Silva ever messed around behind my back, I’d definitely kick him to the curb the next second.” Behind her, Silva’s movements stiffened. He put away his smile, his expression turning somewhat unpleasant. Unfortunately, Antonella was facing me and didn’t notice at all. I nodded thoughtfully, then pulled out my phone and dialed a number in front of them both. “You’re right. I’ll bring up divorce with him right now.” The examination room fell quiet. Even Silva put down what he was holding and looked at me. Almost the instant the call went through, Silva’s phone rang from his pocket. Silva jerked his head up to look at me, then avoided my gaze and fumbled to pull his phone from his pocket with shaking hands. Then he decisively pressed the disconnect button. Antonella looked confused. “Who’s calling you right now?” A flash of guilt crossed Silva’s face. He lowered his eyes and quickly darkened the screen. “Unknown number. Probably a spam call.” I held up my phone and waited a while longer before an automated voice reported that no one had answered. I smiled bitterly and shook my head. “No answer. Probably busy with things I don’t know about.” Seeing my low spirits, Antonella grabbed my hand and tried to comfort me. “A week from now, Silva and I are having our wedding.” She pulled out an invitation from her bag and handed it over. “I happen to have an invitation in my bag. Come to the ceremony and soak up some good fortune.” “May Dr. Alice only meet good people from now on.” Hearing this, I was somewhat surprised and instinctively glanced at Silva. But I still nodded and readily accepted her invitation. After the two left with all their materials, I finally removed my mask. After rubbing my aching eye sockets, I looked at the recent call record on my phone. When I dialed, I’d deliberately deleted the last digit of the number, so it hadn’t actually gone through to Silva’s phone at all. Opening the invitation, I saw simple cartoon drawings of Silva and Antonella—clearly a thoughtfully designed piece. I noted the wedding venue address. My newlywed husband’s wedding—I definitely needed to carefully prepare a big gift. On the wedding day, I stood outside the hotel and saw Silva and Antonella greeting guests at the entrance. Seeing me, Antonella stood on tiptoe and waved at me. “Dr. Alice, over here.” I pointed to the mask on my face, my tone somewhat apologetic. “I’ve caught a cold recently. To prevent spreading it to others, you don’t mind if I wear a mask, do you?” “Of course not.” She arranged my seat at the front of the banquet hall, right next to the emcee’s stage. The ceremony began quickly, with all the steps proceeding smoothly according to plan. Until the final speech segment, when Antonella suddenly invited me up on stage. Her hand gripped my arm tightly, as if afraid I would escape the next second. I frowned, an odd feeling crossing my mind. The next second, Antonella suddenly turned and yanked off my mask in front of everyone. A beam of flashlight shone directly on my face. The intense light made my eyes sting painfully, and I couldn’t help but tear up.

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I was reborn on the day Alpha Ethan lost control to an aphrodisiac. In this life, I didn’t sleep with him. Instead, I called his destined mate. In my previous life, I fell in love with Ethan, my guardian who shared no blood relation with me. When I learned he’d been drugged and was losing control, I ignored his request to call Chloe and slept with him instead. Out of responsibility, Ethan was forced to marry me. However, on our wedding day, Chloe was kidnapped and killed by a group of Rogues. Before she died, she called Ethan ninety-nine times for help. But Ethan was too busy with the wedding ceremony to answer a single call. Afterward, Ethan stared at those ninety-nine missed calls without saying a word. Then, a month later, when he learned I was pregnant, he abandoned me in the forest and left me to be torn apart by his enemies. Before I died, I heard him say: “If you hadn’t deliberately climbed into my bed, I wouldn’t have been forced to marry you, and I wouldn’t have missed Chloe’s calls for help. You deserve to die…” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Ethan lost control.

“Lydia, don’t touch me! Call Chloe now!” Hearing those familiar words again, I jolted awake. I had been reborn. At that moment, I was clinging to Ethan’s waist. I’d already torn off his shirt, and his burning chest pressed against my face. Without a moment’s hesitation, I quickly pulled away from Ethan, ending this mistake. I grabbed my phone and dialed Chloe’s number. Ethan’s face was flushed red, his gaze burning and unfocused as he looked at me. Unable to control his impulses, he moved toward me when I pulled away. He tried to kiss my lips. In my previous life, I’d mistaken his aggressive behavior for love, thinking he felt the same way about me. So I made a terrible decision that led to my tragic death. This time, I backed away toward the door, avoiding his gaze as I said: “Ethan, just hold on a little longer. Chloe will be here in ten minutes!” Then, ignoring his reaction, I opened the door and escaped. The moment I closed the door, I heard Ethan force out a few words through gritted teeth, seemingly calling my name. But I pretended not to hear, firmly closing the door behind me and standing guard outside. Ten minutes later, Chloe arrived in a hurry. She looked at me with a complex expression, then relaxed when she saw my clothes were still intact. Before pushing open the door, she glanced at me: “You can leave now. You’re not needed here.” I turned and went straight upstairs to my room. It wasn’t until late that night that the room downstairs finally fell silent. I let out a long breath. In my previous life, I loved Ethan so much that I willingly became his lover. Later, he married me under pressure, but on our wedding day, Chloe died unexpectedly, and he lost the one he truly loved. Then he said nothing, waiting in silence until the day I discovered I was pregnant. He said he wanted to take me out to relax, but instead left me alone in the forest. I was surrounded by a group of rogues. I tried to intimidate them by dropping Ethan’s name, but they just laughed. That’s when I realized—those men had all been punished by Ethan and harbored deep hatred toward him. When I was barely alive from their torture, Ethan finally arrived and dealt with the rogues. Then he looked at me coldly: “If it weren’t for you, Chloe wouldn’t have been killed by them. Now you and your child have served as bait to lure them out. Consider it your atonement.” Ethan had known all along. He’d deliberately brought me there, wanting to watch me die. In this life, I followed his request and called Chloe. And soon I would leave this place, getting away from him completely. The next morning, when I came downstairs, I found Chloe already sitting in the dining room having breakfast. When she saw me, she immediately put on a flawless smile. “Lydia, good morning. Did you sleep well?” She deliberately lifted her head so I could clearly see the bite marks on her neck. “I hope I didn’t disturb your rest. Ethan has such stamina…” Growing up in the pack, I knew this meant Ethan had already Marked Chloe. They’d formed a mate bond and become true mates. I paused briefly but kept my expression neutral: “Morning. I slept very well.” Chloe cut a small piece of bacon and spoke as if casually: “Speaking of which, I really need to thank you for contacting me last night.” I looked up at her: “Don’t mention it. It’s what I should have done.” Chloe’s smile deepened. “I’m so glad you think that way. I was worried you might feel uncomfortable about it, especially since…” She raised an eyebrow. “The way you looked at him last night didn’t seem like you were looking at your guardian. But obviously, even though you were in his room last night, he wanted me, not you.” Blood seemed to rush to my head with a roar, but I forced it back down. I took a deep breath, about to speak— “Ah!” Chloe suddenly cried out softly, knocking over the glass beside her. At the same time, Ethan’s deep voice sounded from the dining room doorway: “What’s going on?” Chloe had already quickly switched to a panicked and aggrieved expression. “No—nothing… Ethan, I was just clumsy…” As she spoke, she glanced at me timidly. “Lydia?” Ethan walked to Chloe’s side, checked on her, then looked at me with displeasure. “What did you do now?” “I didn’t do anything.” “Ethan, it’s really not Lydia’s fault.” Chloe grabbed Ethan’s arm, her voice breaking. “I said something wrong… I shouldn’t have mentioned last night. I might have upset Lydia. Please don’t blame her.” Ethan’s eyes instantly became sharp. “Lydia, Chloe is my future partner and your mother. You need to learn to respect her.” “I told you, I didn’t do anything.” I repeated. “Are you saying Chloe is framing you?” Ethan’s anger seemed ignited. “Lydia, you make a mistake and won’t admit it, and now you’re turning it around on her? Is this what I taught you?” “I haven’t done anything wrong, and I don’t need to admit to anything.” I turned to leave. “Stop!” Ethan barked. “Did I say you could leave? Apologize to Chloe!” “Sorry for interrupting your breakfast.” I nodded slightly, then without looking at his instantly livid face, I turned and left the dining room. Behind me, I could hear Chloe’s fake attempts to mediate and Ethan’s suppressed angry murmurs. I shut them all out behind my bedroom door. Half an hour later, someone knocked on my door. I opened it, completely unsurprised to meet Ethan’s eyes.

I instinctively tried to close the door, not wanting to get entangled with him. Ethan blocked the door first, frowning as he looked at me: “You’re avoiding me? Why?” He leaned in closer, scrutinizing me: “Are you angry? Because of Chloe?” I quickly shook my head and explained: “I’m not angry. I’m happy for you, Dad.” His eyes held an unreadable emotion, as if he was dissatisfied with my answer. “Is that the truth? Are you sure you’re not just saying that out of spite?” Then he sneered: “Lydia, you haven’t gotten over me, have you? On your eighteenth birthday, you snuck a kiss while I was sleeping. You think I didn’t know? “I’ve read all those private diaries you’ve been secretly keeping over the years. You think you hide it well, but the love in your eyes is so obvious. Who in Shadowfang pack can’t see that you’re in love with me? “Not confessing your feelings to me was the smartest decision of your life, because I would have laughed at you! Laughed at you—a human—for being so delusional.” He laughed to himself, then walked around me to my desk and yanked open the bottom drawer. Ethan grabbed a box from inside. It was full of photos I’d secretly taken of him. Ethan scattered the contents all over the floor, then stepped on them: “Lydia, I’ve raised you since you were eight years old. I’ve taken care of you all this time, but you, at such a young age, developed inappropriate feelings for your guardian! You even secretly collected these things. Do you know how disgusting that makes me feel?” Then he leaned close to my ear and said softly: “I came here to tell you—I know you wanted to use yourself to calm me yesterday! But fortunately you didn’t go through with it, or I would have been disgusted for the rest of my life!” My heart suddenly clenched, aching sharply. Even though I’d decided not to love him anymore in this life, hearing these hurtful words still caused pain. After speaking, Ethan warned me several more times to keep my distance so Chloe wouldn’t misunderstand, then stormed out, slamming the door. I didn’t want to be an eyesore around them, and I needed to handle my paperwork for going abroad anyway, so I packed up and left the house. That evening, I deliberately waited until almost ten o’clock before returning. As soon as I entered my room, I noticed something was wrong—someone had gone through my closet. Then I saw Chloe had posted on her social media, showing off a full-length photo of herself in a luxurious gown. The caption read: “I only mentioned needing a dress, and he immediately gave me this one.” She’d taken the custom dress Ethan had made for me. That dress had been specially designed by a master for my coming-of-age ceremony. It was worth seventy million dollars. He’d told me the dress was one of a kind in the world. Just like I was one of a kind to him. He knew exactly what treating a young woman he’d raised himself that way would mean. He’d encouraged my feelings, letting me fall in love with him. Yet he stood on moral high ground, saying I shouldn’t have violated ethics by falling in love with my guardian. Now, with just one casual comment from Chloe, Ethan had the dress sent to her without even telling me first. Ethan heard me return and stood at my door, saying lightly: “Chloe needs a nice dress for the upcoming gala, so I gave her yours. You don’t have any occasions that require it lately anyway.” I didn’t even look up, just hummed in acknowledgment. Ethan frowned, staring at me intently: “Lydia, you’re suddenly so agreeable that I’m not used to it. What’s gotten into you these past two days? You’re not planning something, are you? I’m warning you, if you dare provoke Chloe, I won’t indulge you like I used to!” Only then did I look up and reply softly: “I don’t want to provoke anyone. In fact, I hope no one provokes me either. Besides, Dad, haven’t you always wanted me to be more sensible? You should be happy with how I am now.” Ethan pressed his lips together and said almost petulantly: “Fine, fine, fine! Lydia, you’re doing great!” He slammed the door and went downstairs. Whenever he said that, it meant he was angry. And I would always try every means to placate him. I’d prepare all his favorite foods or carefully make handmade gifts for him. But I didn’t want to placate him anymore. For me, I’d decided to stop loving him. Whether he was angry or not no longer mattered. Besides, I would be leaving soon.

The following days passed simply. Chloe made a point of flaunting her affection with Ethan in front of me every day. She even deliberately showed me the marks on her body, saying on purpose: “Lydia, that’s just how Alpha Ethan is. He always wants everyone to know I’m his.” But I didn’t care. Even when I saw them, I acted as if I hadn’t. Ethan was still holding a grudge against me, and this time I was determined not to placate him. A month later, Chloe announced she was pregnant. Ethan was so excited he wanted to announce the news to the entire world. He moved up his wedding with Chloe, and the entire Shadowfang pack was busy preparing for their ceremony. In this life, it was Chloe—the woman he deeply loved—who was pregnant. I decided to help them have their happy ending. As soon as my paperwork for going abroad was ready, I immediately booked a flight to Switzerland for the day of their wedding. Ethan finally couldn’t hold back and came to find me. He waited until Chloe wasn’t home, then came upstairs and pushed open my door. He pulled out his phone, opened an email, and held it in front of me: “You bought a plane ticket abroad? Why? Are you so devastated by my marriage that you need to go abroad to recover?” My heart skipped a beat. I’d forgotten that any purchases on that card would send notifications to Ethan. But his follow-up comment eased my tension somewhat. Seeing me looking down without speaking, Ethan’s tone grew cold: “Lydia, haven’t you thrown enough tantrums? You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder for an entire month. If I hadn’t come to you, were you planning to ignore me for the rest of your life?” “Ever since Chloe moved into this house, you’ve been cold to me. But she’s the woman I love. If you love me, you should love everything about me, not avoid me and Chloe all day long.” “Are you going to avoid me forever? Even after Chloe and I are married, you plan to keep this up?” I shook my head in denial: “Ethan, I think you’ve misunderstood. I only see you as the elder who raised me. I only feel gratitude toward you.” He laughed as if he’d heard the funniest joke, unable to stop. “Lydia, the whole world knows you love me beyond reason. You only feel gratitude toward me? Would you have wanted to sleep with me if that were true? Ask yourself—do you believe that?” Then he glanced at the display cabinet in my room and smirked: “All these gifts I’ve given you over the years—you’ve kept them in such perfect condition. And you’re saying you don’t love me?” He walked over, picked up the gifts from the cabinet one by one to admire them, then said seriously: “But you should probably put these things away. I’m about to marry Chloe, so you shouldn’t keep harboring inappropriate fantasies about me. You’re grown now. You should interact more with humans instead of revolving around me. After Chloe and I are married, I’ll have her make arrangements for you.” I hummed in agreement, not telling him I’d already decided to leave. I casually packed the items from the cabinet into a storage box. I was planning to get rid of these things before going abroad anyway, so I might as well pack them up now. Seeing my calm reaction, Ethan frowned deeply and stopped me: “Lydia, can’t you be more careful? Look, you’ve scratched the band of this watch!” I glanced at the luxury watch in his hand. After my parents died in an accident, Ethan, as their close friend, decided to adopt me. And this watch was the first gift he’d given me. The watch face was inlaid with priceless gemstones, and my name and adoption date were engraved on the back. Over the years, I’d treasured it, carefully maintaining and polishing it every day. I wouldn’t let anyone else even touch it. But now, I’d just casually tossed it into the storage box. I didn’t answer. Looking at my calm expression, Ethan actually couldn’t take it anymore. “Lydia, stop pretending! You’re obviously so upset about my marriage to Chloe that you need to go abroad to recover, but now you’re acting like you don’t love me anymore! This behavior is really laughable. But it’s good for you to go abroad and clear your head. Maybe you’ll actually get over me!” After speaking, Ethan handed me a supplementary card. “Use this. Visit several countries. Stay for a month before coming back. By then, Chloe’s baby will be stable too.” He looked at me meaningfully and handed me a key: “I’ll be a married man from now on. Living together would make Chloe unhappy, so when you come back, go live in this apartment.” I took the key, neither accepting nor refusing. Ethan gave me a few more instructions about precautions. But he didn’t know that this time, I was truly leaving for good. On Ethan’s wedding day, everyone in Shadowfang pack got up early to help with preparations. I left the key and card on the table, and while everyone was busy, I quietly slipped out the back door with my suitcase and headed straight to the airport.

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I’ve been dating Derek, the Alpha heir of Frosthowl pack, for three years. He’s never marked me, never mentioned marriage. I know he still can’t forget his deceased former mate Vivian, which is why he takes such good care of Vivian’s sister Moira. But I always believed that with time and companionship, he would eventually fall completely in love with me. Until one day, on my way home, I was attacked by a group of Rogues. I barely escaped, beaten and severely injured. I called Derek for help, but he accused me of lying and yelled at me: “You’re my girlfriend. How could any Rogue dare attack you? Are you making up lies just to get my attention?” “I told you, I won’t mark you until Moira finds her mate!” Then I heard Moira’s voice on the other end of the line: “Derek, I’m done with my shower. Your turn.” Derek snapped “Stop putting on a show, I need to take care of Moira” and hung up. The pain nearly made me pass out. I used every ounce of strength I had left to dial emergency services. Later, the doctor said I needed to be hospitalized for serious injuries. I called him over a dozen times, but no one answered. Then I saw Moira post something on social media. [These condoms are pretty good quality.] The picture showed several used condoms. After I recovered and was discharged, since I still hadn’t met my destined mate, I agreed to the arranged marriage my parents had set up. “Yes, the sooner the wedding date, the better.”

Mom was shocked and delighted to hear my words. She’d never approved of Derek, but she knew how deeply I loved him. If I wasn’t completely broken, I would never give up so easily. Dad was the Alpha of Shadowclaw pack and had never been optimistic about our relationship either. He spoke up. “Since you’ve decided to break up, make it clear to Derek.” “Part ways on good terms.” I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and shook my head. Just last week, while I was hospitalized. Moira posted on social media. [A spontaneous trip. This entire journey sponsored by Derek.] In the photos. Two suitcases, one black and one pink, side by side. I recognized it immediately. That black suitcase was the limited edition celebrity model I’d given Derek for his birthday this year. I called to confront him. Derek was dismissive. “Moira’s been feeling down lately. I’m just taking her out to clear her head.” “She’s Vivian’s sister. I have an obligation to take care of her.” From the other end of the phone. Moira’s voice came through at just the right moment. “Derek, can you grab me a towel?” Derek responded smoothly. Finally, as if to comfort me or justify his actions: “Clara, if it weren’t for you, Vivian wouldn’t have died. What I’m doing now is just helping you atone for your sins.” My heart felt like it had been stabbed, the pain suffocating. Even now, he still stubbornly insists that I was responsible for Vivian’s death. Then why did he even agree to date me? He’s been torturing me for three years! But all my questions died in my throat before I could voice them. I stared at the red notification on the screen. My vision blurred. Derek was afraid I’d disturb their trip, so he blocked me! His beta warrior relayed his message to me. “Tell Clara to stop making a scene. This trip is important for Moira’s mental health. She’s been emotionally unstable.” “When I get back, I’ll propose to her as promised.” But he was wrong. No one waits in the same place forever.

I thought the family I was arranged to marry into would be suspicious and doubtful about my request. I never expected. They seemed more worried I’d back out. They said if possible, next week would be best. My parents anxiously asked for my opinion. Without hesitation, I agreed. It was just short notice, and there were many things to handle. After dinner with my parents, I returned to the house where Derek and I had lived for three years. As soon as I turned the key. A figure jumped out in front of me. Blocking me at the door. “Master, if you have any requests, just tell me, I’ll definitely…” Before she could finish. Moira, dressed in a bunny girl maid outfit, recognized me. Or rather. She realized I wasn’t the person she was waiting for. I looked at the black stockings on her legs, her ultra-short skirt barely covering her private areas. She was only three years younger than me. Yet her whole body radiated a youthful vitality that seemed to endlessly mock my dullness and boring nature. “I’m sorry… Derek insisted I come over.” “If you don’t like it, I’ll leave right now.” Moira looked innocently guilty as she backed away. Turning around, she tripped over a suitcase. Almost simultaneously, a figure rushed out from behind me. Catching her protectively beneath him. After confirming Moira wasn’t hurt. Derek immediately turned on me with harsh accusations. “Clara! Can’t you be more tolerant?!” “Moira is still just a child. How could you lay a hand on her?” I watched this performance with cold eyes. “A child? A twenty-year-old child?” “Derek, what kind of child wears an outfit like that in someone else’s home?” “She clearly lacks discipline! No manners!” “Slap!” Derek raised his hand and struck me across the face. “Have you made enough of a scene? Clara, not everyone is like you, born into wealth with no worries about food or shelter!” Moira seized the opportunity to start crying. “Yes… I’m sorry, I really have no manners…” “But when I was born, my parents were already dead… no one taught me these things…” “The only person who was willing to teach me, my sister… she’s dead now too…” She buried herself in Derek’s arms, her whole body trembling with sobs. The look she gave me carried barely concealed hatred. “Moira, none of this is your fault. This has nothing to do with you…” Derek looked down at her with pity, instinctively reaching to wipe her tears. His hand froze in mid-air. As if he’d just noticed what Moira was wearing. “Why are you dressed like this…” Before he could finish, Derek’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The desire in his eyes was completely unconcealed. Moira was clearly pleased with his reaction. She lowered her head shyly. “I have to attend a party tomorrow night. This is just a performance costume.” “If you don’t like it, I’ll take it off right now!” As she spoke, Moira actually started to undress. Derek quickly stopped her. Their hands clasped together, palm to palm. I had clearly become an outsider. “Since it’s for a performance, there’s nothing wrong with it.” Derek shot me a pointed look. “Only people with dirty minds see everything as dirty!” I laughed mockingly. Watching Moira’s little schemes. I only felt that my three years of effort had been worthless. Since Vivian died, although I became his official girlfriend, for these three years, he never marked me. I thought time would fade everything. That one day, I would find my way into his heart. But reality kept slapping me in the face. One Vivian left. Another Moira arrived. Yet in his world, I was still just an accessory girlfriend. I tried to take our relationship further. I even bought the clothes my best friend recommended to please him. But he pushed me away every time. Looking at me with growing disgust. I thought I wasn’t charming enough. So I specifically took ballet lessons. But in the end, even this flexibility didn’t win Derek’s special attention. On the contrary, all these attempts to please him became “scheming” and “cheap tricks” in my boyfriend’s vocabulary. Now. Moira only needed to have a face fifty percent similar to her sister’s to easily move this supposedly ascetic man. All my efforts seemed like a joke in this moment. It turned out it wasn’t that I wasn’t good enough. I just wasn’t the person he held dear in his heart.

“I think I should go back to my rental apartment.” Moira pushed Derek away. She turned and started packing her suitcase. Several photos slipped out at just the right moment. Beach photos. From the background, they appeared to be taken on a Hawaiian beach. The poses were intimate, the gazes affectionate. And in Derek’s locked cabinet in his study, there was an identical photo album. Same location, same outfits, similar person. Derek used this method to repeatedly relive his past with Vivian. But I’d begged Derek for so long. Wanting him to take me to the beach just fifty kilometers away each summer, but he always made excuses. Derek snatched up the photos, treasuring them as he put them away. “It’s so late, you can’t get into your apartment anyway. Just sleep here tonight!” Moira looked at me anxiously. “Why are you looking at her! This is my home. I can let whoever I want stay here!” I looked at Derek calmly. “Yes. This is your home.” I should be the one to leave. Besides, I never planned to come back anyway. Walking past them both, I went straight to the bedroom to get my things. Derek grabbed me. “You sleep in the guest room. Moira likes watching the sunrise in the morning.” Just for some sunlight. “Fine.” Derek seemed surprised I’d be so generous. His cold expression finally softened slightly. His tone carried a rare hint of regret. “I shouldn’t have hit you.” I ignored him, pulled out my suitcase and simply packed a few clothes and important items. Moved directly to the guest room. As for everything else, I could replace it all. Out with the old, in with the new. Derek tried to follow me into the room. Only to find I’d locked the door. After knocking a few times. His voice carried some hesitation, a probing quality. “Clara, you’re not really angry, are you?” In the past, every time anything involved Moira, we’d fall into cold wars and arguments. Now seeing me so calm, not crying or making a scene, he seemed uncomfortable. My tone was mocking. “No. How could I be? She’s just Vivian’s sister, not your lover.” The air went silent for two seconds. Derek sighed with relief. “Clara, just get through this period. I promise, I will marry you.” Marriage? I couldn’t help but laugh. Derek, too bad I don’t need it anymore. “Derek!” Moira’s voice suddenly came from the bathroom. Derek rushed over anxiously. “What’s wrong? Moira? What happened?” “Moira?” No matter how Derek called, no more sounds came from inside. I looked at the semi-transparent bathroom door. Derek’s concern clouded his judgment. He hadn’t noticed the additional shadow by the door at all. After calling several times with no response. He hesitated for two seconds. Then reached out and opened the unlocked door. Almost the instant the door opened. That pale white figure threw herself directly onto Derek. Moira let out a muffled moan, her voice coquettish. “Derek, that time we had sex, didn’t you enjoy it too? Let’s do it again. Just pretend I’m Vivian.” “Stop it, you know last time I was drunk…” Derek tried to push her away, but his hand touched something soft. His whole body went rigid, at her mercy. Moira became even more brazen. Pressing herself entirely against him. “Why? Am I not as good as Vivian? Not even as good as Clara?” Derek sighed helplessly, softly comforting her. “Be good, we’ll talk about this tomorrow, okay?” I looked at the two intertwined shadows on the wall, gave a self-mocking smile, and closed the door again.

The next morning. When I got up, the house was already empty. On the dining table, Derek had specifically left macarons. Next to them was a note he’d left. [I’m taking Moira back to her apartment first.] [Wait for me to come back.] I picked up my suitcase. Threw the macarons directly into the trash. Along with the bracelet I’d worn for two years. This was the only gift Derek had ever given me. Even though it was just something someone else had casually given to Derek. I once treasured it like a precious gem. But now, these things. Had no value worth cherishing for me. When I got home, Mom joyfully took the suitcase from my hands. “We were just discussing booking the wedding venue with Leo.” I looked at the familiar home. My nose felt sour. “Is it booked?” “All set. This afternoon I’ll go with you to order your wedding dress. It’s so wonderful, you’re finally getting married.” As she spoke, Mom’s eyes reddened too. I was the only child in the family. I’d been showered with love and affection since childhood. Before meeting Derek, my entire life hadn’t encountered a single setback. Now, for a man like this, I’d let myself become wounded all over. My parents must hurt even more than I did. I raised my hand to wipe away her tears. “Why are you crying? I’m not getting married today.” The bridal shop wasn’t far from our house. Just a ten-minute walk. As we approached, Mom remembered we hadn’t bought invitations yet. I told her to go buy them first and meet me at the bridal shop. But before I even entered, I saw a familiar figure. Moira, wearing a pure white wedding dress, was blissfully leaning against Derek. The shop assistants were gushing about what a perfect match they made. Through the mirror, Derek immediately spotted me standing at the entrance. “Clara, why did you follow us here?” “Don’t misunderstand. I’m taking wedding photos with Moira just to make up for a regret.” I felt nothing inside. I walked straight into the shop. Moira saw me and looked livid. “That’s right, Derek just wants to make up for his regret with Vivian.” “It’s just wedding photos. I don’t even mind being a substitute. Surely you don’t mind either?” Several shop assistants gathered around, clearly enjoying the drama. I said expressionlessly. “Of course. Please continue.” I didn’t look at them anymore, seriously selecting styles I liked. But Derek froze. Looking at my back, he suddenly felt panicked. “Clara, why would you suddenly come here?”

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After breaking up with my werewolf boyfriend, my period was a whole month late. My best friend was convinced I was either accidentally pregnant or had completely wrecked my body from pulling all-nighters. She practically dragged me to the campus medical clinic—the one with the impossible-to-get appointments. The doctor sitting behind the desk turned out to be my ex-boyfriend, the one I’d broken up with just a month ago with some pretty harsh words. His silver-framed glasses couldn’t hide the crimson gleam in his eyes. “Lie down on the examination bed. Pull your pants down and expose your lower abdomen.” When I froze and refused to move, he got up and walked over, trying to forcibly pull down my pants. “We didn’t even finish that last night before we broke up. Whose kid are you carrying?” I never dreamed the harsh words I’d thrown at him would come back to bite me this fast, in such a humiliating way. When my best friend Lynn half-dragged me into the campus medical clinic, I was still putting up a dying struggle. My mind kept replaying that final sentence I’d shouted at Kane a month ago as I stormed out the door: “Even if an ambulance carries me into the campus hospital, I will never come looking for you, and I won’t let you see me ever again!” Well, now look at me. Not only had I ended up at the clinic, but I’d specifically made an appointment and delivered myself right to his doorstep. Lynn wouldn’t shut up in my ear: “You should be grateful! I stalked the campus message board for a whole week and traded a concert ticket for this appointment! Dr. Cullen is the youngest associate professor in the medical school—cold, reserved, and ridiculously handsome. He’s been seeing patients for two weeks, and every girl on campus has been crashing the booking system just to get a glimpse of him!” My head was completely occupied with my missing period. I didn’t take her words seriously—I just figured he was some skilled, good-looking doctor. Until I stood in front of the appointment screen and saw my assigned physician’s name printed clearly: “Kane.” My brain crashed. My blood ran cold. No. It couldn’t be this coincidental. I frantically tried to reassure myself: There are tons of guys named Kane. It’s probably just someone with the same name. It can’t actually be him. But when I pushed open the examination room door and our eyes met, my last shred of hope shattered into dust. Neat dark brown hair, a crisp white coat that emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. If this wasn’t Kane, my ex-boyfriend of one month, who else could it be? He glanced up at me, his tone completely professional, devoid of any emotion. “Willow? What seems to be the problem?” Fine. Real fine. One month after our breakup, he could already pretend we were strangers. This level of composure was wasted on anything but acting. Even though I was the one who’d said those brutal words—words that cut to the bone— seeing him like this now still made my heart ache and feel blocked up. After all, what I’d originally said was that unless he was lying in the ER on the brink of death begging for me, he shouldn’t expect to see me again in this lifetime. Now the tables had turned. He sat steady and composed in his examination room, while I, the one who’d thrown out those harsh words, had obediently delivered myself as his patient. I’d practically slapped my own face swollen. Lynn, completely oblivious to the frozen atmosphere between Kane and me, grabbed my hand and started talking a mile a minute: “Dr. Cullen, please help her! She’s been so wrong this past month—iced coffee and iced lattes every single day, her emotions exploding at the drop of a hat, breaking out like crazy, and most importantly, her period hasn’t come for a whole month!” She leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a volume that could still be heard throughout the entire room: “We’re all worried she might be accidentally pregnant! This girl’s too stubborn—she absolutely refuses to buy a pregnancy test herself, so I had to drag her here to see you!” I watched Kane’s eyes turn ice-cold, dying of embarrassment on the spot, my toes curling inside my shoes. I wanted to vanish into thin air. Kane nodded at Lynn. He lowered his head, gripping his pen as he wrote in the medical chart. The pen tip pressed so hard it tore through a layer of paper. Beyond the routine symptom notes, he wrote an extra line: “Broke up one month ago, delayed period, suspected early pregnancy—moved on without missing a beat?” My eyes went wide. This is a medical chart, not your personal complaint journal! “Do you have a regular partner? Any intimate activity?” This was standard procedure for diagnosing menstrual irregularities. I was about to say “No, I’ve been single for a month,” but before I could even open my mouth, Lynn jumped in, patting her chest confidently: “Yes, yes! They have a great relationship! They’ve just had a little spat these past couple months, but that’s normal for couples—it definitely won’t affect anything!”

“Have you taken a pregnancy test yourself?” “No, no! We came straight to you first! Your appointments are so hard to get—we absolutely trust your medical skills!” Lynn beamed, selling me out completely. “I see.” Kane responded coolly. His face looked calm, but I could see it clear as day— his knuckles gripping the pen had gone white from the pressure. Alarm bells rang in my head. I knew this look too well. This was his tell when jealousy was taking over and he was about to lose control. “Doctor, doctor, based on her condition, is there a high probability she’s pregnant?” Lynn pressed on with eager, gossipy anticipation. That sentence scared the soul out of me. I shot up from my chair: “I’m fine! I suddenly feel perfectly healthy! My period will come tomorrow! I’m leaving!” If I stayed any longer, who knew what Kane would do. But the moment I took a step, Lynn yanked me back and pressed me firmly into the chair. “Are you crazy? Do you know how hard I worked to get this appointment? Sit down and stay put!” I sat there feeling miserable, every cell in my body screaming at me to run. Just then, Kane finally looked up, his gaze landing on me before he addressed Lynn: “Your friend might feel a bit embarrassed with you here. Could you wait in the waiting area outside?” Lynn had an epiphany. As she headed for the door, she kept muttering: “Geez, what’s there to be embarrassed about? We’re all girls—what haven’t I seen?” Before leaving, she even gave me an encouraging thumbs-up. I watched her close the door, one thought in my mind: Lynn, my dear best friend, you have no idea that this upstanding doctor in his white coat has a possessiveness that runs terrifyingly deep in private. He once spent an entire day jealous just because I’d partnered with a male classmate for a class presentation. Let alone now, when he thought I was pregnant with another man’s child. The moment the examination room door fully closed, I felt like I couldn’t even breathe. Lynn was gone. Kane finally dropped the act. He casually tossed the pen that had run out of ink onto the desk and removed his silver-framed glasses. Those eyes that used to look at me with warmth were now cold as ice. He leaned back in his chair, pulling his lips into a cold smirk, his voice dripping with frost: “Well, well, Willow. Only one month since the breakup, and you’ve really leveled up.” “Who’s the father?” That one sentence left me stunned. I stood there frozen, taking forever to react. “What are you talking about? What child?” “Still playing dumb?” He leaned forward slightly, his gaze cutting into me like a knife. “Your period’s a month late. Your best friend says you and your boyfriend have a wonderful relationship. What’s wrong—you can do it but can’t own up to it?” “The forum posts weren’t lying after all. Just days after our breakup, you’re already out and about with other guys. Now you’ve even gotten yourself pregnant. Are you that desperate for company?” His voice grew colder with each word, until by the end, it was filled with barely suppressed hostility. I was completely baffled. What posts? What other guys? Heaven as my witness, this past month since the breakup, aside from going shopping once with Lynn, I’d spent all my time either cramming papers in the library or lying in my dorm. I hadn’t so much as touched another guy’s hand, let alone found a new boyfriend or gotten pregnant! My feelings for Kane had never changed since the day we got together. Even though I was the one who initiated the breakup, the one who said those harsh words, I’d never truly let him go. Looking at Kane’s expression, I suddenly remembered how Kane and I first met.

Last fall, I was helping a friend from NYU film her short movie project. One scene required borrowing the school’s medical clinic. For better filming quality, we specifically picked the quietest time slot—a Wednesday afternoon. In the empty examination room, I lay on the exam bed, frowning as I delivered my lines. Getting into character, I even reached my hand up into the air, trying to convey a sense of weak helplessness. Then my hand was suddenly caught by a warm, dry palm. Thinking my roommate was improvising, I kept my eyes closed and leaned toward that hand, continuing my performance: “Doctor, am I… am I dying…” Then I heard a low laugh above me, magnetic and tinged with helplessness: “Miss, you seem perfectly healthy right now, but if you keep this up, I might need to refer you to psychiatry.” My eyes flew open. I was completely dumbfounded. Standing before me was a man in a white coat—broad shoulders, narrow waist, refined features, eyes full of barely concealed amusement. He was still holding my hand firmly, and I was practically pressed against him. My roommate behind me had nearly dropped the camera in fright, shrinking into the corner, not daring to move. My mind went blank. My first thought was: I’m screwed. We got caught using the exam room without permission, and by a ridiculously handsome doctor no less. I scrambled off the exam bed in a panic, my face hot enough to fry eggs, stammering out apologies. I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. Later I learned his name was Kane Cullen, NYU’s youngest medical professor. To make amends, I brought him food every day, making constant trips to the medical clinic. Though I claimed it was to apologize, my eyes couldn’t help but wander all over him. Kane was gentle and handsome. The more I looked, the more my heart raced. The more I visited, the more frequent my trips became. That Friday, I was taking my usual route with coffee and pastries, cutting through the quiet alley behind the medical school. The setting sun painted the brick walls on either side a warm orange. I hummed a tune, my mind full of the way Kane’s lips curved when he accepted my coffee. Then three men turned the corner and blocked my path. The one in front had a cigarette dangling from his lips. He looked me up and down with a gaze so slimy it made me sick: “All alone? Why don’t you have a drink with us?” I instinctively took a step back, my mind racing. “Don’t be scared. We won’t eat you.” Another one grinned and stepped forward, reaching for my wrist. I turned to run, but the third one blocked my escape route. Just as that dirty hand was about to touch me— The three men went flying. Their bodies slammed into the brick walls on either side with dull thuds and screams. And Kane stood right in front of me. He turned around, those amber eyes looking straight at me. “Are you hurt?” His voice was lower than usual, like he was struggling to suppress something. I shook my head blankly, staring at the three men’s pitiful state, my brain completely blank. He’d sent three grown men flying with his bare hands? “You… how did you…” My voice trembled. Kane took a deep breath. “Willow,” he said, his voice soft. “There’s something I was planning to wait a bit longer to tell you.” He took a step closer to me. “But now, I don’t want to hide it anymore.” The next second, a massive black wolf tail emerged from beneath his white coat. His eyes turned completely golden.

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My husband is the top gynecologist in the city, but he vanished for three days and three nights to care for his secretary who claimed to have depression while I was hemorrhaging during childbirth. Later, intimate photos of the two of them spread throughout the entire city. Liam knelt by my hospital bed, his face swollen red from slapping himself. “Jenna, I was drunk that night and mistook her for you. I deserve to die.” To prove his innocence, he grabbed a scalpel and stabbed it into his own chest. Blood gushed out. I watched him confess with this insane performance and gave him one last chance. Until Sophie, his secretary, and I were both held hostage in a remote warehouse. “Jenna, you grew up in elite European schools. You’re strong—just hold on a little longer! Sophie can’t take it. She’ll lose her mind!” Liam roared as he begged the kidnappers on his knees. The high-altitude wind chilled me to the bone. But Liam didn’t know that these five years were just a gamble I made with my family. If I won, I’d spend my life with him. If I lost, I’d return to the Rivers family and inherit the fortune.

After escaping from the kidnappers, I dragged my battered body to make a call. “Dad, I lost the bet. I need to leave the country. Can you help me make arrangements?” My father paused but didn’t ask questions. “Alright. Get ready. I’ll send someone to pick you up in seven days.” After hanging up, I found a clinic by the roadside. After having my wounds simply bandaged, I returned to the villa under the servants’ mocking gazes. I never expected Liam to be waiting at home. When he saw me, he acted as if nothing had happened, pulling me into his arms. His mouth opened and closed, but all that came out was a pale: “I’m sorry.” “Sophie has depression and can’t handle stress. You know that, Jenna.” I stood still, my heart already frozen solid. Yes, between Sophie and me, he would always choose that homewrecker without hesitation. When Sophie was in a bad mood, he could stay out all night on our wedding anniversary. When Sophie had menstrual cramps and needed care, he could abandon me when I was burning with fever late at night. When Sophie’s parents got food poisoning, he could still skip my mother’s funeral to see her. But I remembered that in the beginning, when I was trapped abroad fighting against my family, he fought his way through the medical world to become a top figure in the field. He gave everything he had just to be with me. But now, that man who would firmly choose me had disappeared. I wiped the tears from my face. “Liam, but do I deserve to wait for death on the ninety-ninth floor?” Our eyes met. Liam seemed to notice my weakness. A flash of emotion crossed his face. The next second, Sophie suddenly screamed: “Liam, don’t leave me! I’m so scared!” Liam quickly pulled her into his arms, his eyes gentle. “Don’t be afraid, Sophie. I’m right here.” This scene was so familiar. Years ago, when I was injured after being kidnapped by my father’s enemies, he held me in his arms the same way, his eyes full of tenderness. “Don’t be afraid, Jenna. I’m right here.” The same person, the same words. Only the person in his arms had changed from me to Sophie. I looked at the intimate pair, my heart filled with desolation. When Liam looked up again, his face was full of irritation. “Jenna, is it really necessary to be so aggressive just because I chose to save Sophie?” “Besides, you didn’t die, did you?” He strode quickly to the third-floor balcony. “If you want an explanation, I’ll give you one!” But just as Liam took a step, Sophie threw her arms around the man’s waist. “No!” She cried with tears streaming down her face. “Miss Rivers, this is all my fault. I won’t bother you two anymore!” “Please don’t let Liam hurt himself, okay?” I somehow laughed out loud. “Fine. As long as you get out of this city, I’ll give Liam one more chance.” But after Sophie left, Liam, who usually never showed his emotions, began roaring and crying hysterically in the villa. “Jenna Rivers, you always satisfy your own needs without caring about anyone else’s wishes!” “You’re so selfish!” His eyes held a trace of coldness as he turned and left the villa. I clutched my aching abdomen and picked up my phone to schedule surgery and draft divorce papers.

The divorce procedures were complicated. As I browsed divorce information on the computer in the study, I accidentally discovered a private folder. I tried Sophie’s birthday as the password. Photos flooded out of the folder like a deluge. I knew the answer in my heart, but when I saw the proof with my own eyes, my heart ached so much I could barely breathe. Every record in the folder featured Sophie. When I was doubled over with menstrual cramps, they were chasing the sunset by the sea. When I couldn’t get a cab in the pouring rain, they were kissing under the stars. When I was being bullied by a doctor at my first prenatal checkup, they were entangled intimately in a romantic hotel. Liam expressed his love, saying he regretted not meeting her sooner. I let out a bitter laugh, my heart aching all over. The screensaver on the computer related to me seemed so pathetic compared to these thousands of photos featuring Sophie. It turned out the happiness I thought I had was built on ruins of lies. The sounds of a man and woman making love in the living room jolted me from my thoughts. Their movements continued until midnight. Torn clothes, lingerie, and mysterious stains on the carpet. Liam and Sophie lay naked on our marriage bed, their bodies tightly joined. I trembled with rage and disbelief. In five years of marriage, Liam had used his supposed germophobia as an excuse. We’d been intimate only a handful of times. Even when going through the motions of sex, he always frowned with disgust, and afterward would scrub himself raw in the bathroom, as if trying to remove a layer of skin. I never imagined he would be so shameless with another woman. I hugged the toilet and vomited until only acid remained in my stomach. After some time passed, Sophie appeared wearing my silk nightgown, deliberately showing off the red marks on her chest. “Sorry, Jenna, we made a mess of your room.” “But you can see it too, right? Liam can’t bear to let me go. I’m the one he loves.” Seeing my silence, Sophie even provocatively held up the sachet in her hand. “Your sachet is really useful. Liam got even more intense in bed when he smelled it!” I recognized the familiar scent and trembled with rage. The scars on my knees from kneeling to pray for blessings still remained, throbbing on rainy days. Back then, I had reverently hung the sachet I obtained on Liam’s body. But it became a toy for him and Sophie’s flirtation. When I knelt in the scorching sun until darkness fell, my knees rubbed raw, my entire body peeling from sunburn, what was he doing? Rolling around in bed with his little secretary, enjoying paradise. But the next second, Sophie dropped to her knees in front of me with a thud and slapped herself hard.

“I know I’ve wronged you, but Liam and I truly love each other!” “I don’t want status or to compete with you for anything. I just want to stay by Liam’s side.” Her cheeks were red and swollen, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. Liam seemed to hear the commotion and rushed out from the bedroom. His expression changed several times before he ultimately chose to believe Sophie. “Jenna, I never thought you’d stoop to physical violence out of jealousy!” I found it absurd and grabbed Sophie’s collar. “Sophie, when did I touch you? Stop acting!” She secretly dug her nails into my arm. I instinctively dodged, and Sophie took the opportunity to fall to the ground. Her knee was bleeding, and she cried heartbreakingly. “It hurts so much, Liam. I’m bleeding. Will I be okay…?” In his panic, Liam knocked me to the ground. Sharp pain shot through my abdomen. Blood flowed down my legs, but I barely registered it. Liam quickly opened the car door to take Sophie to the hospital. “Sophie has poor blood clotting. If anything happens to her, I won’t forgive you!” As we got in the car, Liam suddenly grabbed my arm. “I remember you and Sophie have the same blood type. Come to the hospital with us!” Without waiting for my answer, Liam roughly shoved me into the car. Halfway through the drive, there was a loud crash. We’d had an accident. My forehead slammed hard into the front seat. Excruciating pain swept through my lower abdomen. I tried to lift my head to call for help and saw Liam protecting Sophie firmly beneath him. He carried Sophie away and calmly made calls to have people handle the situation. Not until I struggled to crawl out from the back seat did he remember my existence and look at me with some surprise. “My stomach hurts so much…” Hearing this, Sophie asked weakly: “Liam, my knee is bleeding so much. Will I die?” Before, even if I just scraped my skin a little, Liam would be extremely anxious. He’d apply medicine, feed me candy, and cheer me up. This time, he looked at me with disgust as I broke out in cold sweat. “Jenna Rivers, how long are you going to keep up this act?” “I’m not…” My voice grew weaker and weaker. Until the ambulance arrived, Liam never looked at me again. My forehead was badly swollen, my arms torn and bloody from glass. Finally, I was sent to the hospital in a daze. When I woke up, my hospital room was already surrounded by Liam’s bodyguards. Seeing me open my eyes, Liam dragged me all the way to the blood draw room and threw me on the floor in front of the nurse. “Draw as much blood from her as you can. I just need Sophie to be safe!” Blood drained from my body at an alarming rate. By the time there was no more blood to draw and my vision went black, the nurse gasped in shock. “Miss Rivers has been taking special medication recently. This blood can’t be used!” Liam’s fury exploded instantly, his eyes dark. “Let’s see you try to weasel out of this!” “Sophie was right—you’re trying to kill her!” Before he finished speaking, he ordered his men to force me to kneel on broken glass without hesitation. I cried out in pain, my whole body nearly collapsing to the ground. Liam covered Sophie’s eyes with his hand, not wanting her to see this bloody scene. He looked down at me from above. “Jenna Rivers, you think too highly of yourself. Did you really think I’d soften and let you off?”

Intense pain swept through my entire body. I gasped for air. Sweat slid into my eyes. The last trace of warmth I felt for Liam in my heart vanished completely. The bodyguards dragged me and threw me outside the hospital. It was more than ten degrees below zero outside, with heavy snow falling. I wore only thin clothes but was pressed into the snow. The bone-chilling cold made me gasp. The freezing wind blew right through me. Sophie stood under the eaves wrapped in a fluffy blanket, watching my suffering. Liam raised his hand to tighten the blanket around Sophie. “Sophie, be careful not to catch cold.” Half my body was buried in the snow. I was shivering so hard my teeth chattered. My heart felt suffocated. I slowly bent over, covering my face to swallow my grief. I went from wailing at first to finally losing all strength, left with only faint breathing. Until the kidnappers sent a message. In the video, Sophie’s kitten was tied up in a cage. Covered in blood, it seemed to have lost all signs of life. Seeing this scene, Sophie nearly fainted. Her face turned deathly pale as she shouted at the kidnappers through gritted teeth. “However much money you want, we can give it. Don’t hurt my cat—” The kidnapper on the other end laughed. “Want to save your cat? Of course. A life for a life.” “Break Miss Rivers’s legs and send her to us as a hostage.” Liam froze in place, his chest heaving violently. But I could no longer speak, only begging brokenly. “Liam, don’t…” A flash of hesitation crossed Liam’s eyes. But the next second came Sophie’s crying plea for help. “Please, I’m begging you. The kitten has been with me since I was little. It’s my life.” “If the kitten doesn’t survive, I won’t live either!” The man who had been hesitating grew determined after hearing Sophie’s cries. Liam picked up a nearby stick and approached me step by step. My heart sank to the bottom. I begged. “Liam, you can’t do this to me.” He gritted his teeth and used all his strength to smash the stick into my knees. My legs were broken alive. Heart-piercing pain drilled through my flesh and into my heart. Liam held me tightly, his voice trembling. “Jenna, forgive me.” “I can’t live without Sophie. When you come back safely, I’ll atone to you.” Sophie smiled smugly at me and turned to the kidnapper in the video. “We’ll send you the hostage right away. You must keep my kitten safe!” I was dragged and hauled by Liam to the kidnappers’ location. Liam’s eyes were filled with crimson. “Don’t blame us, Jenna. I can’t let any danger come to Sophie’s cat.” “You were born with everything, but Sophie is all alone with only her cat to keep her company.” I was covered in injuries, without even the strength to resist. “Now that we’ve brought the person, release Sophie’s cat!” Liam pushed me into the kidnappers’ hands. The kidnapper looked at me mockingly. “Miss Rivers is truly pitiful—worth less than a mistress.” The atmosphere grew cold. Half-opening my eyes, I watched them hurriedly leave with Sophie. Only the kidnappers and I remained. They immediately grabbed my hair and violently smashed my head against the ground. Once, twice, more than ten times. Dark red blood flowed continuously from the torn flesh, tasting fishy and bitter when it reached my mouth. The kidnapper laughed sarcastically. Seeing that I didn’t struggle or beg for mercy, he immediately lost interest. “Miss Sophie said to leave no survivors. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for provoking the wrong person.” When the cold barrel pressed against my temple, I closed my eyes, my tone extremely calm. “You really think you can kill me?” The moment the trigger was pulled, there was no expected gunshot—only the dull thud of heavy objects hitting the ground. Both kidnappers had been subdued by the men in black my father sent. Walter, the leader, rushed forward and knelt on one knee. “Mr. Rivers sent us to bring you home!” Three minutes later, more than a dozen helicopters circled on the rooftop. I picked up my phone and sent a text to my lawyer. “Withdraw all of Liam’s medical symposium funding and take back the mansion he’s currently living in.”

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After marrying Ethan Pierce, I got pregnant nine times. But I miscarried all nine times. I thought there was something wrong with my body, until I heard him talking in his study. “She betrayed me. Her dirty womb doesn’t deserve to carry my child.” “Only the pure and innocent Lily deserves to bear my child.” It turned out every miscarriage was his doing. He pampered his pregnant mistress, caused my grandmother’s death, and pushed me to the edge. But when I left him to study abroad and became a renowned doctor, he showed up in a wheelchair, begging for my forgiveness. I just smiled faintly and introduced the man beside me. “This is my husband. What are you to me?” Sophia’s POV After my ninth miscarriage, I dragged myself home exhausted, clutching the medical certificate. The moment I walked in, I heard voices from the study on the second floor. My footsteps froze. A bad feeling stirred in my gut. The next second, I heard that familiar voice, cold and detached. “Clean up the mess. Don’t let Sophia find out.” “The oil stain on the floor has been wiped clean.” Through the speakerphone, I heard his secretary Robert’s hesitant voice. “Mrs. Pierce has been hoping to have a child with you. This is her ninth miscarriage. Shouldn’t we tell her the truth?” I forced my stiff legs to carry me up the stairs. Through the crack in the study door, I saw Ethan lean back in his chair and let out a cold laugh. “She should have known the future heir of the corporation could never come from someone like her.” “This is just a taste of what she deserves.” My face went pale. My weak body trembled violently. I clutched the miscarriage notice in my hand, but tears still fell beyond my control. The man who had dined with me so gently just yesterday, who promised to go with me to my checkup, now seemed terrifyingly unfamiliar. Thinking back to every pregnancy after our marriage: being bumped into while walking, mysteriously falling down stairs, midnight fevers, food poisoning… I thought it was my body’s tendency to miscarry. I never suspected anything. Every time, I blamed myself for not being more careful. Now, looking back, every seemingly coincidental incident had something sinister behind it. But Ethan loved me so much! I forced my eyes wide open. Even though breathing was difficult, I struggled to see the person clearly. After each miscarriage, Ethan would pray in the church for a month for our unborn child. To fulfill the child’s wish, he endured rumors throughout our social circle that he was impotent, and took medication for a whole year without batting an eye. To let me rest at home and prepare for pregnancy, he hired ten nannies to take care of my every need, arranging everything down to the smallest detail. Everyone in our circle praised how madly Ethan loved me. But now the truth hit me like a slap in the face. Love and not love, which was real? I trembled as I touched my abdomen, fresh from surgery. Dull pain radiated from below, making it almost impossible to stand. “If Mrs. Pierce ever finds out, will she leave?” Robert sounded worried. Ethan looked at the photo on his desk of the two of us smiling brightly in college, his tone firm. “We swore to be together forever. Even if she betrayed me, I won’t let go. This is just a small lesson.” “It’s only a child. It won’t affect our relationship.” He paused, then continued. “That college girl Lily got pregnant with my child after that accident at the gala. Let her have it. But I promised Sophia that the position of Mrs. Pierce will always be hers.” Every word cut into me like a blade. I stood frozen, my blood running cold. I covered my mouth tightly, trying to suppress the sob rising in my throat. I suddenly didn’t know whether I should confront him about cheating with a college student, or continue explaining that the child was a misunderstanding. The first time I got pregnant, Ethan and I had been broken up for three months. Because of my special constitution, I was hit by someone on an electric bike. It wasn’t until sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen that I realized I was three months pregnant. My parents died when I was young, my grandmother was in poor health, I called him twenty times, but Ethan eventually blocked me. With no choice, I contacted a classmate who worked at the hospital. After the surgery, when my classmate helped my weak body out of the hospital, we ran into Ethan, who had just finished a meeting and rushed over. His eyes fell on my classmate’s hand supporting my arm. His face darkened like a storm. “Sophia, are you that desperate for a man? We broke up less than three months ago and you’re already pregnant with someone else’s child?” Without waiting for my pale face to respond, he turned and strode away. I wanted to explain, but he simply didn’t believe it was his child. Not until my classmate went abroad did Ethan come to marry me. “If you want me to forgive you, marry me.” I agreed. I thought I could spend the rest of my life explaining. I thought Ethan had let go of this matter. Out of carelessness for losing our first child, I gave up my career to stay home and prepare for pregnancy, just wanting to make up for that regret. Even at the cost of my own body, I never regretted it. But Ethan never believed me! My vision blurred the scene before me. I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a sound. The doorbell suddenly rang downstairs. The sharp sound made the person in the room look up toward the door. My emotions were complicated. I didn’t know how to face him. Instinctively, I turned and ran downstairs in a panic.

Sophia’s POV I opened the door to a delicate, innocent face. Her features were refined and pretty, her skin smooth and fair. Youth practically radiated from her. I looked at the woman before me in disbelief. Tears filled my eyes. I even forgot to run away. Footsteps approached from behind. A pair of large hands gripped my shoulders. Ethan’s voice came from above my head. “Why are you crying?” He frowned slightly, looking down at me in his arms, his fingers tightening. “Did someone bully you?” I didn’t answer. The paper in my hand was crumpled. I stared hard at the woman in front of me. Ethan followed my gaze. As if only now noticing the person at the door, displeasure flashed in his eyes. “Why are you here?” Lily nervously twisted the corner of her clothes, then pulled out a certificate from her bag. “The doctor said the fetus is unstable and I should drop out to rest. I’ve already processed my leave of absence.” She glanced at the man’s dark expression, then at me, stammering. “You… you said… if I ever had any trouble, I could come to you…” “You’re the baby’s father. You can’t abandon your responsibility.” Lily seemed to gather courage, looking at the man before her. Ethan irritably rubbed his temples and let go of me. “Come in first. I’ll go upstairs and call someone to take care of you.” Then he squeezed my hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry. She’ll leave soon.” Ethan didn’t explain Lily’s identity or the pregnancy. He turned and went upstairs to the study to get his phone. After he left, Lily’s previously timid expression vanished. She walked straight to the sofa and sat down, looking at me from across the room as if she were the mistress of this house. “So you’re that promiscuous wife Mr. Pierce talks about?” Promiscuous wife? Is that how Ethan referred to me behind my back? I struggled to breathe. Having just had surgery and lost a lot of blood, combined with my emotional turmoil, I staggered, bracing my hands against the doorframe, nearly collapsing to the ground. Seeing me like this, contempt flashed in Lily’s eyes. She crossed her arms and walked up to me step by step, warning in a low voice. “You’re a slut who slept with other men. How are you worthy of bearing Mr. Pierce’s child?” She proudly touched her still-flat belly. “Mr. Pierce said I’m the purest one. Only I’m qualified to bear his child.” “Everyone says Mr. Pierce loves you, but…” Lily looked at my dazed expression. “If it came down to the child or you, who do you think he’d choose?” What does that mean? A bad feeling suddenly hit me. I jerked my head up to look at her. The sound of a door closing came from upstairs. Before I could react, Lily suddenly grabbed my hand and violently pushed herself to the ground. Tears instantly streamed down her face. Lying on the floor, Lily clutched her belly, breaking out in cold sweat from the pain. “The baby, my baby…” Hearing the commotion, Ethan rushed downstairs and scooped Lily into his arms. “How did you fall? I’ll take you to the hospital right now.” But Lily grabbed his arm tightly, her eyes on me, her voice weak. “Mrs. Pierce, I never wanted to compete with you, but why can’t you tolerate even a child? Why did you push me?” “I didn’t!” Meeting Ethan’s gaze, I shook my head in denial. “I didn’t push her! You know I just had a miscarriage. How could I harm someone else’s child?” I kept shaking my head. I’d had nine miscarriages. No one knew better than me the pain of losing a child. How could I possibly want to harm anyone? Ethan clearly didn’t believe me. His eyes were frighteningly cold as he spoke word by word. “I saw it with my own eyes! Sophia, are you trying to deceive me again like last time?” “She fell on her own! She’s trying to frame me!” I didn’t understand why Ethan would never truly believe me. “There’s a camera at the door. Why won’t you just check it?!” I explained desperately, a sense of helplessness welling up inside. Ethan’s expression shifted, but Lily in his arms went stiff, then clutched her stomach in painful cries. “Mr. Pierce, my stomach hurts so much. Did we lose our baby?” Ethan’s thoughts were interrupted. He immediately lifted Lily in his arms. “Lily has always been pure and kind. This is your first time meeting today. She has no reason to frame you. I saw you push her with my own eyes. There’s no need to check the footage.” “Sophia, you’ve disappointed me again.” Ethan held the pale-faced Lily tightly in his arms, pushed past me standing in the doorway, and hurried out. Unprepared, my already unsteady body was knocked aside. I fell heavily to the ground with a thud and cried out in pain. Ethan’s steps paused. He didn’t look back. I finally understood. Ethan had never believed me. Those lost children were his punishment for me.

Sophia’s POV I sat slumped on the floor, looking at the miscarriage notice soaked with tears. They were both Ethan’s children. Why could he be so cruel as to personally send away nine of my babies? Before I could figure it out, my phone rang urgently. “Sophia, your grandmother’s condition has suddenly deteriorated. She urgently needs surgery…” My head exploded with a roar. I couldn’t hear the rest. By the time I reached the hospital, Grandma had lost consciousness. Seeing her lying on the bed with a breathing tube, my heart ached terribly. “The patient is very weak. The surgery can’t be delayed. We’re still short ten thousand dollars.” The doctor dutifully informed me. “We can’t reach Mr. Pierce. Your grandmother’s condition is critical. We recommend immediate surgery.” I desperately gripped the doctor’s hand, begging. “Please do the surgery first. I’ll pay the fee right now.” “I’m sorry, Sophia. The hospital has procedures.” I frantically dialed Ethan’s number. Once, twice, three times… Time passed. On the tenth call, the phone finally connected. A cold male voice came through. “What is it?” “Ethan, grandma -” I started to speak, but before I could get the words out, a young female voice cut in. “Mr. Pierce, I feel so terrible. My stomach hurts so much.” Ethan’s voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Don’t move around. The doctor will come check on you soon.” Then he hastily threw out a sentence and hung up directly. “Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it when I get back.” All the blood in my body rushed backward. My fingertips trembled slightly. When I called again, his phone was off. I had no choice but to steel myself and call Robert. “I’m sorry, I can’t give you that money. Mr. Pierce has instructed that because you did something wrong, you need to be punished.” I trembled with rage. Under my insistent questioning, Robert told me Mr. Pierce was with Lily in the VIP ward on the top floor of this very hospital. The elevator to the top floor was private access. I didn’t have a card, so I could only climb eighteen flights of stairs step by step. Along the way, my legs went weak and I fell to the ground. My knee hit the sharp edge of a step, and blood instantly flowed from the wound. Thinking of grandma hanging on by a thread, I had no other choice. I gritted my teeth and limped upward. By the time I stood at the VIP ward door, my body was soaked with sweat. My legs were sore and trembling. Blood had stained my white dress red. I raised my hand. Through the glass window, I saw Lily nestled in Ethan’s arms, acting cute. “Our baby was frightened today. The doctor said parents should spend more time with him. I heard babies can sense their mom and dad. Can you feel him?” Amused by her innocent words, Ethan rarely smiled. “It’s only been two months. It’s still just an embryo.” “But he wants his daddy to feel him.” Lily hugged Ethan’s arm coquettishly, completely different from her timid daytime performance. Ethan ultimately couldn’t resist. He obediently placed his large hand on Lily’s belly, his movements gentle. My nose stung. This was a scene I had imagined too. Once upon a time, I also dreamed of having a cute, well-behaved child with Ethan. But Ethan personally strangled my last hope. Thinking of Grandma in the hospital bed urgently needing medical fees, I finally raised my hand and pushed open the door. Hearing the sound, Ethan turned around. Seeing me, he froze, his gaze fixed on the wound on my leg. He frowned slightly and immediately wanted to get up to check on me. Lily timely gripped his hand, gently reminding him. “Mr. Pierce.” His advancing steps stopped. He suppressed his emotions. “Sophia, Lily has already forgiven you. As long as you come apologize, we can let this matter go.”

Sophia’s POV I clenched my fists, my heart filled only with bitterness. Their intertwined hands stung my eyes. I looked away, my gaze falling on Ethan’s face. “Ethan, Grandma is critically ill and needs surgery. We’re still short ten thousand dollars…” Before I could finish, Lily frowned in displeasure. “Sophia, even if you don’t want to apologize, you don’t need to use such an excuse, do you?” “I’m not.” I cut her off sharply. Lily’s eyes immediately reddened. She hugged Ethan’s arm, trembling. “Mr. Pierce, did I say something wrong? I’m so scared. Will Sophia try to harm our child again?” At this, Ethan’s expression darkened. “Sophia, it’s just an apology. If you did something wrong, you should be punished. No excuse will work.” Punishment? I tugged at my stiff lips. He’d already punished me with nine miscarriages. What more did he want? I suddenly remembered that before, when I fell and scraped my skin, Ethan’s eyes were full of heartache. He would cancel all his meetings and carefully stay by my side, summoning his private doctor to gently apply medicine to my wounds himself. But now I was a complete mess, soaked in sweat, blood still flowing from my wounds, yet he could still turn a blind eye. It was Ethan who comforted me after my miscarriages, who accompanied me through those days of lost hope. But he was also the father of those children, and their executioner. I was exhausted in body and spirit. My head felt dizzy. I dug my nails into my palms. The pain was the only thing keeping me conscious. Grandma was still waiting for the medical fees. I couldn’t be willful at a time like this. “Sophia.” Ethan’s cold tone carried veiled coercion and threat. I gave in. I bent down. “I’m sorry.” Ethan turned his head away, no longer paying attention. “Fine. This matter ends here.” He carefully helped Lily down from the bed and walked out. “Lily still needs to be examined. You should go back and treat your wound.” “Grandma needs surgery immediately!” I tried to reach out and stop Ethan. “We’re still short ten thousand.” Lily displeasedly blocked my arm. “Sophia, I heard from Mr. Pierce that your grandmother raised you since childhood. Even if you really don’t want this child, you don’t need to curse your grandmother who has cancer to death, do you?” “I didn’t!” Seeing the dissatisfaction in Ethan’s eyes, I desperately tried to explain. “Grandma’s condition has really deteriorated. She needs surgery now!” “Enough!” Ethan roughly shook off my hand. “I’ve already instructed the attending physician. If there’s any problem, they’ll contact me directly! Sophia, the position of Mrs. Pierce will always be yours. You don’t need to lie about this kind of thing.” The disappointment in his eyes was like a tangible force, transforming into countless swords that stabbed deep into my heart. In his eyes, was I really the kind of person who would use such things to compete for favor? I stood there, watching the two of them leave intimately, my vision blurring. Nurses nearby were gossiping. “Look at her. Can’t even have kids. How does someone like that get to be Mrs. Pierce?” “I heard she was jealous of that young girl’s pregnancy and tried to hurt the baby herself!” “Can you believe it?! She graduated from a top university, used to do pharmaceutical research. Who would’ve thought she could be so cruel? And she even lied about her grandmother being sick.” A sense of helplessness rose from the depths of my heart. I took out my phone and begged the doctor to operate immediately. I promised I would raise the money. “I’m sorry, Sophia.” The doctor’s words cruelly revealed the truth. “Your grandmother just passed away.” I hadn’t even seen her one last time. I turned and ran downstairs. When I gasped my way to the ward, I just saw Grandma being wheeled toward the morgue. That tightly wound string in my head finally snapped. I forgot even how to cry and collapsed straight down.

Sophia’s POV When I woke up, I stared at the white ceiling of the hospital room, feeling somewhat dazed. As if I’d had a dream. I forced myself up. Pain from my lower abdomen and wounds all over my body cruelly reminded me. The person closest to me in this world was also gone. My eyes were dry. I’d cried all my tears. “You’re awake. Drink some water first.” Ethan pushed open the door holding a glass of water. There were faint dark circles under his eyes. “You’ve been asleep for three days. Drink some water first.” I ignored his outstretched hand. “Where’s grandma?” Ethan frowned and set the glass aside. “It’s too hot. Grandma has already been cremated. Her ashes are at home, waiting for you to go back and bury them.” My nose stung. I remembered before I got married, Grandma held my hand. “You must be happy for a lifetime.” When I was born, my parents despised me and abandoned me on the street. It was grandma passing by who couldn’t bear it. She brought me home, raised me personally, and found every way possible to let me attend school. Some people didn’t understand. They mocked her, saying what good was it for a girl to study well? Better to marry someone rich. But Grandma always told me from childhood. “People can’t rely on others for a lifetime. Knowledge belongs to you. No one can take it away.” I failed Grandma’s expectations. I lost myself in this relationship. I didn’t even see the old woman one last time. Ethan stepped forward and pulled me into his arms. “Sophia, you still have me. I told you, I’ll give you a family.” Give me a family? It was my poor judgment that made me trust the wrong person, letting Ethan destroy my family! Ethan moved his lips to say something, but was interrupted by his phone ringing in his pocket. “Get someone over… yes, it’s been too long… not good for the baby…” The voice came in fragments, but I could still tell it was Lily acting cute with him. Before, I would have been mad with jealousy, would have questioned him, gotten angry. But now my heart felt no ripple. Ethan glanced at me beside him, then finally nodded in agreement. “I know. Do it your way for now. I’ll come back now.” After hanging up, Ethan stood, gently adjusting the blanket corner. “Rest well. I’ll come check on you later.” I closed my eyes, ignoring him. Ethan stood in silence for a while, then finally turned and left. My fingers curled. My hand gripping the clothes trembled slightly. Ethan, I have nothing left. I gritted my teeth and forced my body up. I took a cab home. I had to let grandma rest in peace. Then I would find Ethan and divorce him. When I reached the villa entrance, strange sounds came from inside. The air was filled with an odd smell. My heart sank. A bad feeling washed over me. When I opened the door, the scene before my eyes broke my heart! The living room had been temporarily converted into a cold white memorial space. White lilies surrounded the space. In the center stood a dark urn, with an enlarged photo beside it It was grandma. Then, a strange man grabbed the photo and tossed it into a metal tray. Flames shot up, swallowing the familiar face in an instant. “No!” I screamed and ran over, trying to reach into the fire to grab the photo. “Stop Mrs. Pierce.” Ethan’s calm voice came from nearby. Bodyguards immediately stepped forward, holding me firmly outside, not letting me near the fire. “Ethan!” I lost it. “Grandma is already dead! What more do you want?!” Lily shrank back and clung to Ethan’s arm. Her lips, painted with bright gloss, pouted slightly. “Sophia, I just got pregnant with Mr. Pierce’s child and now this happens. People say your grandmother’s ghost will haunt me. We need to get rid of the bad energy.” “Absurd!” I was so angry my lips trembled. I looked at Ethan. In my memory, Ethan hated this kind of thing most. The only exception was praying for their child. I still remembered that day. Ethan was soaked through with rain, but the cross he took out from his coat was perfectly clean and dry. “Sophia, the only exception is you.” But now, looking at Ethan less than five meters away, I blinked my dry eyes. I was no longer that only exception. Ethan stared at me steadily, his tone calm and cruel. “Lily has been having nightmares and can’t sleep. She just needs a ceremony.” He paused, then continued. “Don’t worry. Grandma’s ashes have already been burned once. They won’t burn away completely.” What does “won’t burn away completely” mean? I suddenly felt the man before me was terrifyingly unfamiliar. That was my only relative, and the grandmother he promised to take care of for a lifetime. “Mr. Pierce, time is almost up.” A man in ritual robes stepped forward from behind. “The lingering anger won’t go away. An evil spirit is clinging to her. Miss Lily is pregnant and weak. She’s already been possessed.” Hearing this, Ethan withdrew his gaze and turned to look at them. “Continue.” The man was heavily equipped. He took out a bag of white phosphorus from his pack and threw it expressionlessly into the urn. “No! No! Grandma!” My eyes turned completely red. I pushed through the crowd blocking me and rushed forward. “Watch out!” Before I could get close, the white phosphorus contacted the high temperature and suddenly ignited in the air. The urn exploded. A small piece of porcelain flew past my cheek. White ashes were blown everywhere by the intense heat. Through the hazy white dust, I saw Ethan holding Lily tightly in his arms. He used his back to shield her. I suddenly remembered when the lab had a chemical explosion before, he also held me in his arms like this. Even if his back was burned, his first concern would be whether I was hurt. Blood rushed to my head. Something sweet and metallic surged in my throat. I spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground. Ethan, the price of loving you is too high. I don’t want to love you anymore. I’ll give you a gift you’ll never forget.

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On the day of my mother’s heart transplant surgery, my husband Ethan snatched away the heart meant to save her. He gave it to his childhood sweetheart, Autumn. She wasn’t even sick. My mother died on the operating table, while he held Autumn in his arms, watching the sunset by the sea. Autumn framed me for hurting her child, so Ethan threw me to the wolves. I was torn apart, and I lost the baby because of it. Later I learned he’d been hypnotized, with all his memories of loving me sealed away. But so what? Who will pay for my child’s life? For my mother’s life? Until he knelt before me, begging pathetically for mercy. I only smiled faintly. “Ethan, I’m already married to someone else.” Maya’s POV I waited anxiously outside the operating room. My mother was inside receiving a heart transplant. An hour ago, the doctor had already sent someone to retrieve the transplant organ. But that precious heart still hadn’t arrived. Suddenly, Ethan walked toward me, his presence ice cold. “That heart was a successful match for Autumn. Her body is weak and can’t wait any longer. Your mother’s surgery will have to be postponed.” I froze instantly. My mother’s chest cavity was already open, all the medical staff were waiting for the heart to arrive. How could Ethan suddenly change his mind and give the only heart to his childhood sweetheart?! My face turned deathly pale as I gripped Ethan’s sleeve tightly. “My mom is lying on the operating table right now. If you take that heart away, you’re condemning her to death! Ethan, that’s my mother. You can’t do this!” Ethan’s face showed no emotion, his tone indifferent. “Autumn is from a wealthy family, a rising star in academia. She’s made many contributions to society. The heart will create more value in her body.” I stood there stunned, as if I hadn’t understood, then let out bitter laughter as tears streamed down my face. “You think Autumn’s life is worth more than my mother’s? Does that mean my mother deserves to die? You promised that as long as I didn’t press charges against Autumn, you’d help me find a heart donor. How can you go back on your word!” Half a month ago, Autumn had injured me. I wanted to report it to the police, but Ethan stopped me. I knew he was biased toward Autumn, but to save my mother, I had no choice but to agree to Ethan’s conditions. Now, with my mother on the brink of life and death inside the operating room, Ethan was going back on his word. My whole body trembled with anxiety. I dropped to my knees at Ethan’s feet. “Ethan, I’m begging you. My dad died early, and my mom worked four jobs to raise me alone. I haven’t even given her a good life yet. She can’t die… Please…” Ethan looked down at me kneeling and begging, frowning slightly. “I did promise you, but now Autumn needs that heart too. I had to make a choice.” “Autumn and I have known each other for over twenty years. She’s more important to me. I hope you’ll be reasonable about this.” Those two short sentences left me both confused and heartbroken. The Ethan of the past loved me more than anything, wanting to give me the whole world. We first met by the roadside when some thugs were harassing me and Ethan came to my rescue. After that, Ethan would occasionally appear at my food cart, patronizing my business. Later, Ethan confessed his feelings for me, saying he didn’t mind my poor background and would take care of me forever. But all of that changed after Ethan returned from his business trip abroad. He seemed like a completely different person, extremely cold toward me. I glared at Ethan with grief and anger. “When we got married, you clearly said you would cherish me and love me. Now you want to sacrifice my mother for someone else. Have you lost your memory and forgotten what you said?!” Ethan frowned. “That’s nonsense. How could I have lost my memory?” With that, he stopped looking at me, turned coldly, and walked toward the exit. I froze for a moment, then chased after him. Outside the hospital, medical personnel were placing the cooler containing the heart into a vehicle. “Mr. Foster, the heart has been arranged. We’ll head to Sacred Heart Hospital immediately,” the driver said respectfully. Ethan nodded slightly. Seeing this, I frantically rushed over to try to grab it. I no longer cared about any dignity. I only knew that without this heart, my mother would die! But how could I possibly overcome the group of medical staff and drivers around? Before I could even touch the cooler, I was forcefully pushed to the ground, my arms and thighs badly scraped and bleeding. Ethan glanced at me and stepped into the vehicle. The car started and slowly drove onto the road. My eyes turned bloodshot as I struggled up from the ground and chased the car. I grabbed onto the rear of the vehicle with both arms and was dragged for a distance before falling hard to the ground. On the asphalt, a gruesome trail of blood was left behind. But the pain in my body couldn’t compare to even half the despair in my heart. I cried out helplessly, painful tears soaking my collar. My mother was still on the operating table, and I had no idea what to do. Just then, a nurse came running over anxiously. “Ms. Carter, we sutured your mother’s chest cavity as Mr. Foster requested, but something went wrong… You should go see her one last time.” I felt my entire world come crashing down.

Maya’s POV My background was rough. My father died in an accident when I was one year old. For the next dozen years, my mother worked four jobs day and night to support me. I matured early and always felt sorry for my mother’s exhaustion, saying that when I grew up I would definitely give her a good life. But my mother just smiled and hugged me, saying that as long as I was healthy and safe, that was enough. And now, standing in the morgue, the pale lights made me sway unsteadily. My mother, who just yesterday was talking about going on a trip together after the surgery, now lay silently on the mortuary bed, covered with a white sheet. I could no longer hold myself up and fell to my knees beside the bed. “Mom… please open your eyes and look at me…” I pressed myself tightly against the cold body, tears bursting forth. “You promised we’d go on a trip together. How can you leave me…” I cried my heart out, as if trying to expel my entire heart. Suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was a text from Ethan. “Autumn’s surgery was very successful. I’ll find another suitable heart for your mother. Just stay out of trouble.” As I read it, my vision suddenly blurred. I knew Ethan was afraid I would hold a grudge and cause trouble for Autumn, so he was trying to placate me. But Ethan didn’t know yet that my mother was no longer in this world… I looked at my mother’s body, then at the message on my phone. The grief and fury in my chest suddenly blazed up. If it weren’t for Ethan and Autumn, my mother would never have died on that operating table! I had to get an explanation! I shakily stood up and, in complete disarray, took a cab to Sacred Heart Hospital. I didn’t even need to ask to know which private room Autumn was in. Whatever Ethan had prepared for her would certainly be the best room on the top floor. When I rushed to the top floor, Autumn had just finished surgery and was still unconscious in the ICU. Ethan stood outside the ward, his gaze toward the room focused and affectionate. That kind of look once belonged only to me, but now it completely belonged to another woman. I felt a sharp pain in my chest. My mother’s death and my husband’s betrayal made me feel torn in half. Ethan heard footsteps and looked at me. Seeing me like a madwoman with disheveled hair and messy clothes, disgust flashed in his eyes. He said coldly, “Why aren’t you at the hospital with your mother? What are you doing here?” I didn’t answer. I tried to rush forward and force my way into the ward, but Ethan violently pushed me to the ground. His strength was too great. I had no chance to react before I crashed heavily to the floor, the intense pain making my vision go black. But no physical pain could compare to my torn and shredded heart at this moment. Ethan looked down at me from above, without a trace of pity in his eyes. “I warned you, as long as you behave, I’ll help you find another heart. If you insist on making trouble, don’t blame me for being heartless.” That cold look in his eyes was like looking at trash. I suddenly laughed, tears seeping from the corners of my eyes. “Ethan, you’re treating me like this for a woman who’s a homewrecker… You’re breaking your word. You’ll definitely get what’s coming to you!” Ethan’s expression darkened. He said coldly, “The worst thing that ever happened to me was marrying you.” That single sentence made my already agonizing heart spasm with pain again. After speaking, he called security to drag me to the stairwell like garbage, then stationed people outside the ward as if afraid I’d come back to cause trouble. In the dim stairwell, my suppressed sobs echoed. Suddenly, someone came down the stairs. It was Autumn’s female assistant, just as unreasonable and arrogant as Autumn herself. The assistant twirled her hair and mocked coldly, “You’re really shameless, actually following them here. Ethan doesn’t even care if you live or die to save Autumn. Can’t you see who he really loves?” I clenched my teeth and snapped back, “Autumn wrecked someone else’s marriage, and you as her assistant not only enable her, you help her cover it up. If I post what she’s done online, let’s see how you survive in academia.” The assistant’s expression changed, but she quickly shifted the topic. She pulled out her phone and shoved a photo in my face. Under romantic, dim lighting, the floor was covered with rose petals. Ethan knelt on one knee before Autumn, reverently holding her hand. “A month ago when Ethan went abroad on business, he actually took Autumn with him. He even proposed to her there.” “He said he’d get rid of you soon and be with Autumn.” “Autumn has better education and background than you. A woman like you who wants to climb the social ladder through marriage should stop dreaming.” I laughed. So Ethan had already planned to divorce me. No wonder he was so heartless. I had foolishly thought Ethan would help me, but in the end I’d sacrificed my mother’s life. I finally understood everything. I knew I wouldn’t get any justice, and no one would care about my deceased mother. I’d seen enough of the world’s cruelty since childhood. I should have known that’s just how things are. But I wasn’t willing to let my mother die in vain. I decided to do two things. The first was divorce.

Maya’s POV I hired a lawyer to handle the divorce proceedings. Then I went home and started packing. My bedroom was full of gifts Ethan had given me, each one expensive and rare. Once I jokingly asked Ethan to give me the stars from the sky. The next day, Ethan bought me a diamond necklace worth tens of millions of dollars. He said that although he couldn’t pluck stars from the sky, he could give me the world’s most expensive jewelry. Now looking at that diamond necklace, my eyes stung. I opened my phone and pulled up a photo. It was a picture I’d taken with Ethan at our front door when he left for his trip abroad a month ago. In that photo, Ethan still looked at me with tender eyes. I couldn’t understand why going abroad once had turned him into a completely different person. But at this point, I didn’t care anymore. The harm Ethan had caused me was real. No reason could whitewash it. I stayed home alone for three days. During those three days, Ethan never came home once. I knew he’d been at the hospital watching over Autumn the whole time. After Autumn woke up, she’d been active on social media. From her account, I could clearly see how carefully Ethan had been caring for Autumn these past days. Every day he personally made nutritious meals for Autumn, told her bedtime stories, even childishly wrote prayer cards for her. I saw all of this, but my riddled heart no longer felt pain. Besides divorce, I had a second thing to do: revenge. I saved all the photos Autumn had posted as evidence for future retaliation. On the day of my mother’s burial, I wore all black. I had no family or friends left, so I handled her funeral arrangements alone. After returning from the cemetery, I found the handmade doll my mother had sewn for me. When I was little, our family was poor. I always envied other children who had toys. My mother felt bad for me but couldn’t spare the money, so she made me a little doll herself. Over a dozen years had passed, and this doll had always been with me. “Mom, treat this as me, keeping you company down there.” With tears streaming down, I walked to the fireplace, lit the flames, and gently placed the handmade doll into the roaring fire. But I didn’t expect Ethan to suddenly come home. As soon as Ethan entered, he saw me dressed in black with the doll burning in the fireplace. Ethan’s expression changed immediately. “What the hell are you doing? Autumn’s health suddenly worsened. Are you making evil dolls to curse her?!” I hadn’t expected Ethan to think this way. Before I could explain, Ethan had already strode over and knocked the doll out of the fire, stomping hard on it. “No!” Seeing my mother’s keepsake being trampled, I frantically threw myself forward, using my hands to shield it. But my desperation only seemed to confirm Ethan’s suspicion in his eyes. Ethan’s face darkened, apparently convinced I was doing something malicious. He pressed his shoe down on my fingers and ground them hard. I cried out in pain but didn’t dare move my hand, afraid my mother’s memento would be destroyed. Seeing me trembling all over from pain, Ethan finally slowly withdrew his foot. He went upstairs, grabbed a few changes of clothes, and was about to leave again. But just as he reached the door, I called out to him. “Ethan, I’m not like you people. I never do such despicable things. Don’t throw dirty water on me.” My eyes were empty but revealed a stubborn strength. Ethan stared at me for a few seconds without speaking, then turned and left. I laughed self-deprecatingly. No matter how much I explained, it was useless because Ethan simply didn’t believe me. I clutched the burned and trampled doll tightly to my chest, tears slowly falling. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit me. I covered my mouth tightly, forcing down the urge to retch. I suddenly remembered that my period hadn’t come this month.

Maya’s POV I stood outside the gynecology office with the test results, completely stunned. I was pregnant. One month along. Counting back, it must have been the night before Ethan left for abroad. Ethan used to be very clingy with me, especially when it came to sex. That night he said he’d be away on business for at least half a month, so he kept taking me again and again. Several condoms broke and I didn’t even notice. I leaned against the wall to steady myself. I didn’t know why fate kept playing such cruel jokes on me. I had already decided to divorce Ethan. What was I supposed to do about this child? I walked out of the hospital in a daze. Later I learned that Autumn’s assistant had come to visit Autumn and happened to overhear the doctor talking to me. That assistant rushed to tip off Autumn. The next day, Ethan brought Autumn home to move in. Ethan supported Autumn with one hand and carried her luggage with the other. As soon as they entered, he spoke coldly to me. “The master bedroom is bigger. Move out and give it to Autumn.” I felt nothing inside hearing this. I didn’t respond, just went upstairs, simply packed my things, and moved into the guest room. I’d already given up on Ethan. I wanted to stay as far from him as possible, so moving to the guest room suited me fine. Seeing me so cooperative, not making a fuss, he seemed to expect me to cry and argue like before. Watching my silence, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. I didn’t come down for dinner that night either. Being pregnant had actually made my appetite smaller, so I only came down late at night planning to grab something light. But as soon as I reached the stairs, I ran into Autumn who was just heading up. Autumn glanced at my stomach, jealousy and hatred flashing in her eyes. She slowly approached me, saying in a low voice, “Ethan letting you stay in the house is his mercy, but you’d better know your place and get lost. Otherwise I’ll make sure Ethan doesn’t help you find a heart, and let her die in the hospital!” The mention of my mother made me grit my teeth, nausea rising in my stomach. Looking at that arrogant face before me reminded me of my mother lying helpless on the operating table. I couldn’t take it anymore and slapped Autumn across the face. The crisp slap stunned Autumn. “You dare hit me!” “I hit you alright. If you dare disrespect my mother again, next time it won’t just be a slap.” I threw out those words and stepped down the stairs. Autumn couldn’t take it and suddenly rushed forward to push me. Fortunately I grabbed the railing and didn’t fall. Autumn tried to attack again but lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs herself. Her wails echoed through the living room. I frowned. Just then Ethan came out of his room and immediately changed expression at the scene. He rushed downstairs to help Autumn up. Her ankle was twisted, and she curled up against him crying pitifully. ” Maya pushed me… It hurts so much!” Ethan’s face darkened. He strode upstairs and gripped my arm tightly, demanding, “How can you be so vicious? First you curse Autumn with a doll, now you dare push her!” “I’ve lived my life with integrity. I don’t do such things. But what goes around comes around.” The hatred in my words flowed out without reservation. Ethan narrowed his eyes and looked at me coldly, seeming very displeased with my hateful attitude. Ethan gripped my arm forcefully and said coldly, “Autumn has no quarrel with you. She wouldn’t falsely accuse you. Since you hurt her, you should experience the same.” With that, Ethan pushed me down the stairs. The world spun as excruciating pain crushed every inch of my body. Finally my head slammed hard into the floor, blood streaming down my face. Ethan looked down at me collapsed like garbage on the ground, without a trace of pity in his eyes. He went downstairs, picked up Autumn, and returned to the room, completely ignoring me. After a while, I managed to drag myself up through sheer willpower. But as soon as I stood up, I discovered with horror that blood was flowing down the inside of my leg.

Maya’s POV I froze, panic rising inside me. I had just lost my mother. I couldn’t bear to lose my child too. I staggered toward the door, wanting to hail a cab to the hospital, but it had started raining outside without me noticing. Torrential rain. Taxis were few and far between. I endured the severe pain in my lower abdomen and walked forward in the rain, hoping to find a taxi on the road. The rain was heavy, the wind was cold. I could feel blood continuously flowing between my legs, but I didn’t dare stop. I don’t know how long I walked before my vision kept going black and I collapsed on the ground, losing consciousness. … I dreamed of my wedding day with Ethan. Ethan wore a suit and tie, carefully placing the wedding ring on my finger. At that moment his eyes held tears as he said deeply that I was the love of his life. The next second, the scene changed to Ethan returning from his business trip abroad. That was the first time I’d seen Ethan so cold, looking at me as if I were a complete stranger. I jolted awake to find myself in a hospital room. “You’re awake? I’ll go get the doctor for you.” The nurse was about to leave when I quickly stopped her. “Why am I in the hospital? My… my child…” I instinctively touched my abdomen. The nurse sighed and said, “You collapsed on the roadside last night. Someone brought you to the hospital. The doctor performed emergency treatment, but the child couldn’t be saved.” A part of my heart collapsed completely. I sat there dazed, unable to react. Only after several seconds did I break down into hysterical crying. Why did all my loved ones leave me one by one? Why was fate treating me this way?! My heart-wrenching wails filled the hospital room. Even passersby who didn’t know what was happening inside couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. I stayed in the hospital for three days. During those three days, no one came looking for me. Following Autumn’s social media account, I discovered Ethan had taken Autumn to a private island resort. I looked at the photos Autumn posted, each one showing their extravagant, loving state. Ethan feeding Autumn fruit, kneeling by the bed to apply body lotion for her, climbing trees to pick flowers for her… Every single image declared how much Ethan cherished Autumn. My eyes burned red with hatred. Thinking that my mother and child had both died because of these two, yet they were living so happily, the fury in my heart blazed even hotter. I had originally planned to carefully plot my revenge, but now, I really couldn’t hold back anymore. All the anger I’d been holding in finally exploded. I was discharged from the hospital and went home, standing before the mansion. Cold wind blew across my face, stinging sharply, but my expression remained blank. My eyes were ice cold. “Ethan, this is what you owe me.” I took out the gasoline I’d prepared and poured bucket after bucket into the house. Then I struck a lighter and threw it in without a moment’s hesitation. BOOM. Roaring flames instantly surged up, consuming the mansion. Expressionless, I dragged my luggage and turned to leave.

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My husband had weak sperm. After our eighteenth round of IVF, I finally got pregnant. I came home with my eight-week ultrasound report, overjoyed, only to find Margaret with a dark expression. “This baby can’t stay. Your sister-in-law Madison is fighting her husband for custody of their son in the divorce. If she gets custody, it’ll be hard for her to find someone new with a kid in tow. We’ll raise little Tyler here instead.” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Margaret, what did you say? You want me to abort my baby? Are you out of your mind?” “If she can’t raise him, then let his father have custody. I’m not raising him, and I’m definitely not getting rid of my baby!” Madison’s expression immediately turned sour. “Jason already agreed. Who the hell do you think you are? This family isn’t yours to run!” I looked at my husband in disbelief. “Jason, you agreed to this?” Jason grabbed my arm, trying to persuade me. “Madison’s looking out for you. You’ve never raised a child before. Having Tyler here would give you practice for being a mom. Just listen to her.”

I was shaking with rage. “Jason, three years! I’ve done countless IVF cycles. My stomach is covered in needle marks. Now that I’ve finally succeeded, you want me to abort?” Margaret chimed in with her snide remarks. “Who’s fault is it that you’re useless? Jason’s been kind enough to keep going through this with you. Anyone else would’ve divorced you ages ago!” “I’m making the decision. Abort the baby. When Tyler’s older, you two can try again.” I looked at my husband, my face pale. “Is this what you think too?” He pulled me aside and lowered his voice. “It’s just weak sperm. If it worked once, it can work again. Just listen to Madison.” I stared at him in despair. He still didn’t know that he now had azoospermia—no sperm at all. “Jason, do you have any humanity left? That’s your own flesh and blood in my belly, and you want me to abort it to raise your sister’s kid?” Jason grabbed my hands, looking aggrieved. “Emma, please understand. Tyler is Madison’s son, born after ten months of pregnancy. I can’t bear to see them separated.” “But you can bear to let our baby die before it’s even born?” My eyes were red. “Jason, we’ve been waiting for this baby for three years. I’ve done eighteen IVF cycles. How can you not want our baby?” For this child, I’d taken ovulation shots for three years. My stomach was covered with tiny needle marks. The egg retrieval was so painful I wanted to die. Back then, Jason had held my stomach and cried tears of heartbreak. “Emma, you’ve suffered so much. From now on, you and the baby are my life. I swear, as long as I’m here, no one will hurt you.” But now, the man who’d sworn to protect us with his life wanted to be the executioner who killed his own child first. Jason looked torn as he glanced at Madison. “Madison, maybe we should think of another solution…” “Another solution, my ass! Who else could we trust to raise Tyler? We’re going today. From now on, Emma will be Tyler’s mom!” Margaret shoved Jason aside and dragged me toward the door. I clutched the table desperately, screaming at the top of my lungs. “Mom, this baby is your grandchild too!” Margaret sneered. “My daughter is my blood. Her child is the true heir of the Smith family. You’re an outsider. How can your child compare to my daughter’s?” “Besides, I’m not saying you can never have kids. Once you’ve put Tyler through college, you can have as many as you want. But this one has to go!” I was trembling with rage. “Margaret, I’m twenty-eight years old. Tyler is four. He won’t graduate college for another twenty years. I’ll be almost fifty by then. How am I supposed to have children?”

Before Margaret could respond, Madison added her mocking commentary. “If you can’t have them, someone else can. Jason can have children with another woman. You’re a barren woman anyway. IVF babies aren’t even healthy. Let Jason have kids, and you can just pay to raise them.” “You just focus on raising my Tyler. If I’m satisfied, I might consider letting Tyler take care of you when you’re old.” I was about to explode with fury. She wanted me to raise her son, while Jason had children with other women, and I’d have to pay for them? What did that make me? A complete fool? The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I was about to reveal the secret I’d kept buried for three years. “The one who can’t have children isn’t me, it’s…” “Emma!” Jason dropped to his knees in front of me, frantically giving me meaningful looks. “Emma, I know you’re suffering. But Madison saved my life when we were kids. I owe her this. I have to repay her. I’m begging you, please just agree.” I was furious. “You owe your sister, so you repay her yourself. Why should my baby’s life be the price? I’m telling you, absolutely not!” Madison pulled him up, glaring at me coldly. “Why are you negotiating with her? You’re the father. You have the right to terminate the pregnancy!” Madison dragged me toward the door without another word. I screamed in panic. “This is illegal! I’m calling the police!” I grabbed my phone to call for help, but Margaret snatched it away. Then Madison slapped me hard across the face. “You dare call the police? This is a family matter. I’ll tell the cops you’re pregnant with another man’s baby and we were just trying to stop you from leaving. Who’s going to interfere?” My face burned with pain. I was shaking all over. I stared at Jason. “Jason, you’re just going to watch your sister hit me?” Jason cowered like a turtle, glancing timidly at his sister before pleading softly with me. “Emma, that’s just how Madison is. Please bear with it.” “Bear with it? How am I supposed to bear with this? Jason, your mother and sister want to kill our baby. Do you have a heart or not?” Before I could finish, Madison kicked me in the chest. “So what if I hit you? Let me tell you something, Emma. If you come with us quietly to get the abortion, it’ll be easier on you. Otherwise, I’ll kick that baby out of you myself. You’ll hemorrhage so badly you won’t even be able to save your uterus. Believe me?” I stumbled backward and fell to the ground, gasping for air. Jason took a half-step forward as if to help me, but didn’t dare. He looked at me pathetically. “Emma, just agree. I promise we’ll get you painless anesthesia at the hospital…” “What painless anesthesia?” Margaret shot him a displeased look. “She can’t have children. Spending money on her is wasteful. Save it all for Tyler!” She turned to look at me with a smile that held poison-tipped needles. “Emma, don’t blame me for being cruel. You can only blame your timing for being wrong. If you’d gotten pregnant three years ago when you got married, the baby would be running around by now. This is your fate. Just accept it.” I looked up sharply at Jason. “Jason, say something! Tell your mother the truth—I’m not the one who can’t have children. This baby can’t be aborted. You have azoosper—” “Emma!” Jason pulled me up from the floor and said earnestly. “Margaret’s just blunt. But I never looked down on you for not being able to conceive, did I?” “Tyler and Madison are my mom’s whole life. She can’t stand to see them suffer even a little. She’s just upset.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t make you wait twenty years to have another baby. Just terminate this pregnancy first. I’ll talk to Margaret and my sister later about letting you have one sooner.” He leaned close to my ear, his voice very low. “Come on, Emma. I have weak sperm, not no sperm. You’ll just have to work hard for a few more years. I’m sure you’ll get pregnant again.” My heart turned to ice. Three years ago, our premarital checkup revealed his weak sperm. He’d cried so helplessly, so pitifully. I knew he was afraid I’d leave him. I chose to marry him anyway because I couldn’t bear to give up our three-year relationship. For the sake of his pride, I’d accepted the narrative that I was the infertile one. Three years. Eighteen IVF cycles. Each one stripped away a layer of my being. And all I got in return was his “I never looked down on you” and “you’ll just have to work hard for a few more years.” I suddenly laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Tyler and your sister are your mom’s life. Isn’t my baby my life too?” I tried to grab his collar, but my fingers were shaking too hard to muster any strength. “Jason, do you realize this might be your only child? Are you really this heartless?” Reluctance flashed in Jason’s eyes. He turned to look at Margaret. “Margaret, maybe we should keep this baby. Emma’s pregnancy wasn’t easy. We can still raise Tyler. Whatever Madison wants, we’ll agree to it.” Margaret and Madison exchanged glances. Margaret’s tone softened. “I can’t bear to lose my grandchild either. Your sister’s just worried that once Emma has her own child, she’ll treat Tyler badly. How about this—to put your sister’s mind at ease, have Emma sign a property transfer agreement. Everything goes to Tyler. Then we can keep the baby.” Madison immediately pulled out an agreement and shoved it in my face. “Sign it!” “Emma, take a look. Make sure there’s nothing I don’t know about. Hand over everything so Margaret and my sister can feel secure.” I stared blankly at the agreement, which listed every single asset I owned in detail. A 2,000-square-foot apartment in a premium school district, worth $300,000. Two 1,000-square-foot commercial properties in the downtown business district, worth $2 million. A beauty salon business, worth $500,000. $400,000 in fixed deposits across three major banks. A Mercedes, 200 grams of gold, household appliances… From major assets like properties and savings down to every needle and thread, everything was documented clearly. I hadn’t even realized I owned this much. The last item on the agreement was particularly striking. [Assets to be managed by legal guardian. Manager: Madison Smith] A voice in my head suddenly made everything clear. I finally understood the real reason behind all this. Aborting the baby was just an excuse. Seizing my assets was the real goal. I looked up at Jason and asked through gritted teeth. “Jason, you’d kill our baby for this?” His eyes darted away. “Emma, you said the baby was your life, right? Trading all your assets for the baby’s life is worth it.” My face turned iron gray with rage. I threw the agreement on the floor. “I won’t sign! These are my premarital assets. They have nothing to do with you. This is extortion and blackmail. I’m going to report you!” Madison immediately flew into a rage. She grabbed my hair and slapped me repeatedly until my head was ringing. “Bullshit! You little bitch! You belong to the Smith family, so your money belongs to the Smith family!” She grabbed my hand and pressed it hard onto red ink pad. “We were being nice by discussing it with you. Just stamp your fingerprint and sign. Don’t make me get nasty!” Her strength was terrifying. My wrist bone felt like it was about to shatter.

I screamed in pain. “Jason, are you dead?” Jason stood there unmoved. Not only did he not intervene, but he spread his hands with a helpless expression. “Emma, giving the assets to Tyler is just giving him security. We’re all family. Why make such a fuss?” “Just sign it and you’ll suffer less.” My heart felt like it had a gaping hole in it, cold through and through. Margaret picked up a stick and struck my waist hard, saying viciously, “Are you going to sign or not? If not, the next hit is your stomach!” I screamed in pain. My waist throbbed, and my stomach felt an ominous heavy ache. My heart lurched with fear. I closed my eyes in despair. “I’ll sign…” My hands trembled as I pressed my fingerprint, tears falling. Seeing my clear fingerprint on the property transfer agreement, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief at once. “Should’ve cooperated earlier. Would’ve saved me the trouble!” Madison blew on the still-wet marks, then collected the agreement with satisfaction. Jason finally came over and reached out to help me up. “Emma, good girl. What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.” My stomach cramped in waves. My face contorted. “My stomach hurts. Take me to the hospital.” Jason looked at me nervously. “It’s okay, Emma. I’ll take you to the hospital right now. We’ll definitely save our baby.” He’d just gotten me to the door when Margaret stopped him. “Wait. You gave all your money to Tyler. Where’s the money for the hospital?” “Did you hide money from us? Unlock your phone. Let’s check how much she still has.” Margaret clutched my phone and walked over to slap me hard across the face. “What’s your phone password?” My already swollen cheek took another brutal hit. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth. “That’s all the money I have left. I need it for childbirth…” “Childbirth? You’re Tyler’s mother now. Everything has to be about Tyler first. You’re already thinking about your own baby before it’s even born? That money belongs to Tyler. You have to hand it all over.” I looked pleadingly at Jason. Jason said helplessly, “Emma, just give it to them. Don’t make Margaret angry.” I shook my head stubbornly. “No. That’s my and my baby’s emergency money. You can’t have it…” “Thud!” A kick to my stomach. My back slammed against the door with a dull sound. Searing pain shot through my lower abdomen. A hot stream gushed between my legs. “Won’t talk?” Margaret grabbed my hair and bashed my head against the door. “Then you can forget about keeping this baby!” I screamed in agony as my vision went black. “Jason…” Jason grabbed Margaret’s hand. “Margaret, that’s enough. Emma’s pregnant with my child.” I slumped weakly against the door, blood streaming down my forehead and covering my face. Jason grabbed my chin. I thought he was checking my injuries. But instead, he held my phone up to my face for facial recognition. I struggled frantically, but couldn’t break free. The phone unlocked effortlessly. He opened my mobile banking app. His eyes grew wider and wider. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…” Margaret and Madison crowded over. Seeing the string of zeros in the balance, their voices trembled. “Two hundred thousand dollars!” Margaret grabbed my hair. “You little bitch! You hid this much money from Jason. Tell me, how much more do you have that we don’t know about?”

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When the reality show Tracking Down My Teenage Crush went viral, I found myself getting dogpiled by fans during my live stream. Curious, I clicked on the link to the show. My live stream was suddenly flooded with thousands of viewers, their fingers flying across their keyboards. “Do you regret ruining his life?!” I couldn’t help but laugh. I turned and yelled toward the hallway: “Hey hubby, my followers want to know if you regret marrying me.” 1 It was just a normal day. I was doing my usual makeup live stream, showcasing the brand I was sponsored by. One of my long-time followers asked: “Hey Chloe, have you been watching that reality show that blew up recently?” I paused mid-blending. “I’ve been pretty busy lately, so I haven’t really been keeping up. You guys will have to fill me in!” The chat kept rolling: “Yeah right, she’s just a lifestyle influencer who streams for four hours a day. How busy could she possibly be? There’s no way she hasn’t seen it online.” “Hey, chill out in the chat. If you’re not here to buy, just leave.” “Chloe, it’s a show called Tracking Down My Teenage Crush. It’s all about finding normal people’s high school crushes and revealing what happened to them and their romantic rivals.” I read the chat while finishing my makeup. “Sounds interesting. I’ll definitely check it out when I have some free time.” My phone buzzed on the table beside me. It was a link sent by one of my top moderators in my VIP fan group. “Chloe, you need to watch this. The ‘romantic rival’ in the latest episode sounds exactly like you. It’s causing a massive controversy.” “Yeah, it’s blowing up. It’s trending number one on Twitter right now, and a lot of people are saying the person they’re talking about is you.” Curiosity got the better of me. I told my stream I was taking a quick break and clicked the link. The guest on this episode did look faintly familiar. In the video, she was introducing herself: “Hi everyone, my name is Sarah. I’m from Seattle, and right now I’m just a corporate drone.” The host laughed and complimented her: “You’re too modest! The producers looked at your resume. You were the valedictorian of the entire Seattle school district, and you currently hold a senior position at a major tech firm.” Sarah winked playfully. “Just a high-level corporate drone.” The live chat on the screen exploded with likes and praise. “Omg, the valedictorian is so humble! I love her!” “Turns out valedictorians are corporate drones just like us. The only difference is she’s a senior drone.” The host continued: “So, what is the crush story you brought for us today?” Sarah’s face fell, her expression turning somber. “If he had taken his SATs that year, I wouldn’t have been the valedictorian of Seattle.” That single sentence instantly captivated the entire audience. 2 According to Sarah’s story, she had a childhood friend who lived next door. “I won’t say his name, so let’s just call him Mr. L. He was an incredibly brilliant guy. Straight A’s in everything, but he was always very cold and distant with people.” Sarah smiled shyly at this point. “Of course… present company excluded.” “He once asked me what my dream was, and what college I wanted to go to. Back then… we were at our absolute best.” The host offered a knowing smile. “That doesn’t sound like a crush! That sounds like two childhood sweethearts who had mutual feelings. Looks like our show might have a happy ending today!” But Sarah shook her head. “No, I wasn’t the female lead in his story. He fell in love with a girl who went to the vocational cosmetology school next door. Her last name was Ev…” “Oh, I’m so sorry, I accidentally slipped her last name. Could the editors please bleep that out?” The host comforted her: “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. There are a million people with the last name Evans.” The live chat was going crazy. “This is the classic trope of the aloof genius falling for the absolute lowest-tier trash, abandoning his equally brilliant childhood friend.” “He threw away a diamond for a piece of gravel~” “Sigh, he was young and stupid. I bet he regrets it so much now.” “Oh, definitely. A vocational cosmetology school? Everyone knows the academics there are a joke. Parents only send their daughters there to keep them off the streets.” “God, what did the genius even see in her? Just her face?” “Where are the internet sleuths at? We already have the school and the last name. Go find this trashy rival who can’t even compare to our valedictorian!” I was watching the screen intently, completely unaware that at that exact moment, a massive wave of viewers was flooding into my own live stream. 3 On the show, Sarah continued her story. “Later on, on the day of the SATs, Mr. L abandoned the exam. He chose to go find Miss Evans, simply because she was throwing a tantrum and refused to reply to his texts.” The host looked absolutely stunned, and the chat was speechless. “Oh my god, this isn’t just a regular test, it’s the SATs! Was he insane?! Going to find his girlfriend during the biggest exam of his life???” “Seriously! Just because she didn’t text him back, this idiot threw away the most important test of a student’s life.” “After watching this show, I’m going to watch my son like a hawk. Finding the right girlfriend is crucial.” “Exactly! I’m keeping a close eye on my kid too. If Mr. L had ended up with Sarah, they would have been a power couple. But he got involved with some vocational school dropout and ruined his entire future.” I watched this with a blank expression until the episode abruptly ended. The next episode hadn’t aired yet; the screen showed it would premiere live tonight at 7 PM. My phone rang. It was my assistant, Tara. I put in my wireless earpiece and answered, keeping my voice low: “What’s up? I’m streaming right now, can’t really talk.” Tara was frantic on the other end. “Chloe! Chloe, look at your stream! You’ve broken 100,000 viewers! You’re going viral!” I paused for a second. “That’s great.” Tara was exasperated. “Great?! It’s a hate-raid! Everyone is here to attack you!” Only then did I snap back to reality and look at my stream. She was right. The chat was flooded with thousands of viewers, their fingers flying across their keyboards. “Are you kidding me? This is the girl? She’s just an influencer?” “Oh my god, she can’t even compare to Sarah. Sarah is so elegant and classy. Look at this girl’s face, she looks like a homewrecker. She was destined to be a high school dropout and a parasite.” “Is it you? Did you intentionally give him the silent treatment on the day of his SATs? Did you not know he had an exam, or did you do it on purpose because you’re too stupid to take it yourself?!” “Lol, this is what happens when you don’t go to college. You end up streaming online trying to snag a sugar daddy.” Many of my casual followers turned into haters because of the reality show. Only a few of my hardcore fans were trying to defend me. “That’s not true! Our Chloe only appeals to female fans.” But they were immediately drowned out by the haters. “Everyone knows women’s money is the easiest to make. And how do you know she only makes money from women?” “She only streams for four hours a day. Who knows what she’s doing for the other twenty hours.” As the hate escalated, a verified account with millions of followers popped into my stream and left a comment. It was a highly influential college admissions counselor. The Endless Sea of Knowledge: “Do you regret ruining someone else’s life?” I couldn’t help but laugh. I turned and yelled toward the hallway: “Hey hubby, my followers want to know if you regret marrying me.” 4 Liam walked into the room wearing an apron, carrying a bowl of soup. “Wifey, what are you talking about? We’re just waiting on one more dish and then we can eat.” Liam probably guessed that people in the chat were asking about him. This happened occasionally. But I preferred to keep him off-camera, so he had never actually shown his face on stream. Setting the soup down, Liam added: “Wifey, I am incredibly grateful that you agreed to marry me. I made your favorite chicken soup today.” I felt my face heat up. This guy… why is he saying all this while I’m live? Once Liam left the room, I made sure the door was shut tight. “Did you guys hear that?” The chat was still flooded with hateful comments. “I feel so bad for Sarah. She’s sitting there feeling regretful, while the person who caused the trauma is living happily ever after.” “This is what happens when you don’t study. You end up being a house husband cooking for a woman.” “A real man stays out of the kitchen. He was destined to be a high-level executive at a major tech firm!” “What is Sarah going to do? My poor Sarah baby. Sob” “Hmph, even if this guy regrets it now, we don’t want our Sarah to take him back. She needs to thrive on her own.” I was about to explain when I received a text from my boss, who was also my best friend. “Save the engagement for tomorrow afternoon. It’s the weekend. Don’t respond to anything right now, just end the stream.” The boss’s word is law, especially since she’s my absolute best friend. “Copy that, boss! (≧▽≦)” Amidst a sea of insults, I gave a quick “See you tomorrow” and abruptly ended the stream. 5 Someone knocked on the door. I ran over to open it. Liam, having just brought out the final dish, let out a soft huff. “The freeloader is here again.” I opened the door, and my best friend, Mia, immediately tackled me in a hug, kissing me all over my face. “You poor thing! You poor thing! Mwah mwah mwah!” I shoved her away in disgust. “You got your spit all over me.” Mia held up my favorite boba tea as a peace offering. “Tomorrow, we’re launching the new company lip gloss! I want you to do a full face of gorgeous makeup, put on the new gloss, and then explain everything.” Liam walked over and snatched the boba tea away. “No drinking that. We’re having soup today. Boba isn’t healthy.” Mia rolled her eyes. “If I had known, I never would have approved of you two getting married.” “You monopolize my Chloe every single day.” I dragged Mia to the bathroom to wash her hands. “Hurry up and wash so we can eat.” Once we were in the bathroom, Mia whispered to me: “I watched that reality show too. It’s huge right now. Did your Liam actually have a thing for Sarah back then?” Liam, seemingly with supersonic hearing, immediately appeared and pulled me into his arms. “You want to know? Tune into the live stream tomorrow.” Mia rolled her eyes again. “I’ve lost my appetite. I’m leaving so I don’t interrupt your PDA.” I laughed and walked Mia to the door. I knew she had a lot of work to do tonight. If we utilized the hate and vitriol directed at me effectively, it could drive a massive wave of traffic to our new product launch. Mia wasn’t actually mad; she was just rushing back to buy bot farms to control the comment section. But Liam was genuinely angry. “Just for a spike in traffic, you’re letting them say those horrible things about you? I never had any relationship with Sarah.” I ruffled his hair. “The internet isn’t entirely wrong, you know.” “You really did abandon your SATs for me.” 6 Liam held me tight and let out a long sigh. “You know perfectly well that I didn’t want to take that exam in the first place…” I buried my face in his chest. We didn’t say anything more, but the corners of my eyes felt slightly damp. After dinner, I received the info packet Mia sent over. It contained all the details for the product I’d be selling tomorrow. Mia: “Tomorrow is probably going to be your last stream, huh?” “Even though it breaks my heart to see you go, after all these years of being ride-or-die besties, I want you to finally achieve your dream.” I smiled warmly. “I promise I’ll crush it on this last stream.” “Oh, by the way, that reality show is airing again tonight. You should watch it with your handsome hubby.” “He is your childhood neighbor, after all.” I nudged Liam, who was sitting next to me. “Turn on the TV. Your childhood friend is about to make an appearance.” Liam looked completely lost. He only knew that someone was maliciously doxing me and leading an online mob against me. He had no idea that the catalyst was his former neighbor, Sarah. “Sarah? I barely even remember her.” Liam queued up the show and lazily rested his head on my shoulder. “I don’t remember anything from back then. My heart only has room for you.” I playfully punched him, and we cuddled up with a bag of chips to watch the show. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since we watched reality TV together. The narratives on these shows flip so fast nowadays, it’s impossible to tell what’s real and what’s scripted. Sarah appeared on screen almost immediately. Because the last episode was such a massive hit, the network had clearly given her professional styling this time. The chat was scrolling wildly: “She’s so gorgeous! Sarah, baby, who are you trying to kill with those looks?” “If her ex sees this, he’s going to regret it so much.” “Uh, I don’t think he counts as an ex.” “He’s definitely going to regret it! I already checked out that influencer’s stream. She’s so trashy. She can’t even hold a candle to our Sarah.” I gently pinched Liam’s arm. “Your ex?” Even though I knew Liam had absolutely nothing to do with Sarah, jealousy rarely listens to logic. Liam rubbed my hand, his expression darkening. “Are we really just going to let them slander you like this?” 7 I knew Liam was hurting for me, but I also wanted to use this opportunity to give Mia’s launch a massive boost. Back in the day, Mia had helped Liam and me out tremendously. “This is all free traffic for tomorrow’s stream! We can’t let it go to waste.” I playfully kicked Liam off me. “If you can’t handle it, go wait in the bedroom.” The tips of Liam’s ears turned bright red. “No. I’m staying right here with you.” I focused back on the show. But Liam was entirely focused on me, gently pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I’m sorry. Because of me, you’re dealing with all this hate.” “I’m going to make a quick phone call downstairs.” I was too engrossed in the show to look away. “Grab me a bag of spicy duck claws while you’re at it.” Right then, the recap of the previous episode ended, and the new segment began. The host asked: “Do you know what happened to Mr. L after he walked out of the SATs?” Sarah bit her lower lip, tears shimmering in her eyes, before letting out a bitter laugh. “I have no idea. He… he deleted my contact info a long time ago.” The host looked shocked. The live chat exploded. “I bet a hundred bucks Mr. L didn’t delete her himself.” “It was definitely Chloe, that stupid, jealous, pathetic woman.” “Who is Chloe?” “Bro, are you living under a rock? Mr. L fell for the ‘beauty queen’ of the vocational school. She’s a streamer now named Chloe. Go search her up, she’s verified.” The host sighed and handed Sarah a tissue. “Perhaps… deleting you wasn’t what he truly wanted.” Obviously, the host also assumed that I was the one who deleted Sarah from his phone. Sarah shook her head, but a tear managed to escape and roll down her cheek. “He probably hates me.” “That day, I tried to stop him from leaving the testing center, but he wouldn’t listen. He told me to stay out of his business.” At this point, Sarah offered a brave, resilient smile. “That was when I realized you have to respect other people’s destinies.” 8 This season of the reality show utilized an innovative live-streaming format. The viewers, furious after watching the segment, stormed straight to my social media accounts. Even though I wasn’t currently streaming, the comment sections on my regular videos were open to the public. My phone was vibrating non-stop with notifications, all of them insults and hate directed at me. The host was about to ask another question when a producer suddenly stepped into the frame and whispered in the host’s ear. The host’s eyes lit up instantly. Once the producer stepped off-camera, the host turned to Sarah: “Sarah, we are going to add a special live segment to your episode.” Sarah looked momentarily confused. “But I’ve already finished sharing my story.” The host smiled. “Yes, and normally, the next phase of the show involves us tracking down your crush and your rival to interview them.” “But coincidentally, the person you want to see was watching the show and actually called us! He requested to speak with you face-to-face. Would you be willing to do that?” Sarah immediately looked panicked, but quickly composed herself. “Ah… oh, of course! I have a lot I want to say to Mr. L too.” The chat erupted again. “Yes, Sarah! We’re rooting for you!” “My hands are shaking I’m so excited! This is going to be epic! I love a good confrontation. What is he going to say?!” “But Chloe is his actual wife.” “Whoever said that is delusional. That influencer is no ‘wife.’ Not everyone deserves that title.” Liam walked back through the door at that exact moment. “I got your favorite spicy duck claws.” I immediately jumped up, hugged Liam, and snatched the duck claws from him. “Love you!” Liam smiled as he opened the packaging for me. “Don’t eat too many, or you’ll complain about breaking out again.” I shoved a duck claw into my mouth without a second thought. “Did you call the producers?” Liam froze instantly. “I’m sorry…”

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On April Fools’ Day, I received a promotion email. I thought my five years of hard work had finally paid off—I was finally being promoted to Sales Director. Full of joy, I moved my belongings to the door of my new private office. But when I pushed open the door, there wasn’t even an office chair inside—just a pile of stinking garbage. That’s when I heard loud mocking laughter from my colleagues behind me. “Sasha, you actually fell for it? How pathetically shameless!” My boss also chimed in, “It’s just an April Fools’ prank. You can take a joke, right?” I became the laughingstock of the entire company, a complete fool. But they forgot—this afternoon, I was scheduled to sign a one-billion-dollar contract that would determine the company’s fate. Since my boss loved April Fools’ jokes so much, I’d give him a special April Fools’ gift of my own. …… “What’s wrong, Sasha? It’s just an April Fools’ prank. You can take a joke, can’t you?” My boss, Mr. Richards, looked down at me with unconcealed smugness. Faced with his mockery, the entire office area erupted in piercing laughter. “Exactly, Ms. Turner! Did you really think you could become Sales Director?” Lily from reception covered her mouth, laughing so hard she was shaking. “She should look at her own credentials—a community college graduate thinking she can become a phoenix? As if.” I didn’t lose my temper. I just stiffly crouched down and began picking up the personal belongings I’d just joyfully packed into the large cardboard box, one by one. I was like a clown being paraded through the streets. Under everyone’s unrestrained pointing and whispering, I walked step by step back to my cramped old desk in the main hall. “She usually acts so high and mighty just because she’s the top salesperson, bossing us around. Now she’s been put back in her place.” Behind me, I could hear my colleagues’ shameless gossip. Mr. Richards followed me over, tapping my desk with the bottom of his coffee mug. “Sasha, don’t take it to heart. Young people need to face some setbacks—it’s good for you. I’m just trying to build your stress tolerance.” He adopted the tone of a caring elder. “You’ve been with this company for five years. Even if you haven’t achieved great things, you’ve worked hard. But the director position isn’t something you can get just by working yourself to the bone. You need big-picture thinking, you need to understand office politics. Understand?” I looked at him coldly. “Mr. Richards, last week you personally told me that if I secured Mr. Wilson’s one-billion-dollar contract, the director position would be mine.” Mr. Richards scoffed. “That was motivational rhetoric. You couldn’t even tell? Besides, we could land Mr. Wilson’s deal even without you, just based on our company’s reputation. Don’t think too highly of yourself.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. Five years of my youth, countless days and nights of struggle. In his eyes, it was all just a cheap game he could trample on at will. I felt utterly humiliated and degraded. But I forced myself to swallow this bitter pill. Because this afternoon, I still had to represent the company to sign that one-billion-dollar contract. It was the most important credential in my professional career. I couldn’t flip the table at this critical moment. “You’re absolutely right, Mr. Richards.” I forced out a smile completely devoid of warmth. Mr. Richards nodded with satisfaction. “That’s more like it. Girls shouldn’t always be fighting for power.” He turned to the other employees who were watching the spectacle. “What are you all standing around for? Don’t you have work to do? Even though it’s April Fools’ Day, performance reviews are no joke!” Everyone immediately scattered, but the looks they gave me were still full of undisguised contempt. Derek Shaw from the next desk leaned over. “Well, well, Ms. Turner, giving up so easily?” Derek usually got chewed out by me for his bottom-of-the-barrel sales numbers. Now seeing my misfortune, he was happier than on Christmas. “I’ve always said women in sales are just trading on their youth. You’re getting older now, you’ve lost your looks—how can you compete with those young girls?” He picked his teeth while giving me an extremely sleazy up-and-down look. “You should just find yourself an honest man to marry and be a housewife.” I whipped my head around, staring at him with icy eyes. “Derek Shaw, your sales this month are zero, and you still have time to worry about my marriage prospects?” His face stiffened, then flushed with embarrassed anger. “Who are you to act so superior! You’re not even a manager anymore—what right do you have to boss me around?” I didn’t bother with him. I needed to go over the final contract details one more time. No matter what, this contract was my personal achievement, and I wouldn’t allow any mistakes. Just then, someone gently tapped my shoulder. I turned around.

“Ms. Turner, are you okay?” Marcus, a subordinate who’d only been with us for two months, stood behind me. I shook my head. “I’m fine. Go back to your work.” I stood up, heading toward the break room to get some water. The corridor was narrow. Derek saw me coming and deliberately stretched his leg into the aisle. I tripped over it and fell hard to the floor. My knee hit the hard surface, sending a sharp, drilling pain through me instantly. “Oh my! Why is our great Director Turner bowing so low?” Not only did Derek not apologize, he mocked me loudly with heavy sarcasm. The surrounding colleagues burst into laughter again. “Sasha, are you blind or something?” I endured the searing pain in my hand and knee, struggling to get up from the floor awkwardly. I looked coldly at Derek. “Get your dog leg out of the way.” Derek slammed his hand on the desk and stood up. “You walk without watching where you’re going and blame others? You think you’re still that high-and-mighty top salesperson? You’re nothing but a joke now!” Marcus walked over, his eyes red. “Ms. Turner, ignore them.” He helped me to my chair, his voice choked with tears. “Ms. Turner, what am I going to do?” I frowned, looking at the paper in his hand. It was a demotion notice. It stated that due to Marcus’s failure to meet performance standards during his probation period, he would be demoted to reception assistant with his salary cut in half. “What’s this about?” I asked. Marcus wiped away tears. “Mr. Richards said I’m too stupid and can’t do anything right. Ms. Turner, I really need this job. I have a sick grandmother back home to support.” Seeing him like this, the anger in my heart subsided slightly. In this cold company, perhaps only this fresh graduate still retained some human warmth. Remembering how I’d trained him hands-on these past two months, I softened. I patted his shoulder consolingly. “Sales is tough for everyone. You just started—not having resources is normal.” I thought for a moment and pulled out a client list from my desk. “Tell you what—I have some repeat orders from old clients here. The profit margins aren’t high, but they’re enough to get you through probation. Take these and follow up on them. They’ll count as your sales numbers, give you a cushion.” Marcus’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Really? Ms. Turner, you’re really willing to share clients with me?” I nodded. “Everyone’s struggling. We should help each other out.” Marcus clutched the list tightly, breaking into a smile through his tears. “Thank you, Ms. Turner! You’re like a second parent to me!” Watching his joyful retreating figure, I sighed helplessly. The wounds on my hand were still bleeding. I went to the restroom to clean them up. Otherwise, meeting Mr. Wilson this afternoon looking like this would be far too unprofessional. I limped toward the restroom. I firmly believed that as long as I held that one-billion-dollar contract in my hands, I’d have the capital to turn things around. But I never imagined that what I thought was kindness was just another carefully crafted joke. A party popper went off in the office area. Immediately followed by everyone’s cheering and celebration. “Come on, everyone! Let’s congratulate Mr. Richards on his promotion to Sales Director!”

I froze in place. What should have been a quiet workspace now looked like a wild party. I stood at the office entrance. I saw Marcus, who’d just been crying to me moments ago, now sitting brazenly on my desk. He held a glass of freshly opened champagne, laughing his head off. “Did you all see how stupid Sasha looked just now? She actually believed I was getting demoted and condescendingly offered me some trashy clients! Those moldy resources of hers—I wouldn’t even use them as coasters!” Lily from reception approached with a wine glass, looking obsequious. “Exactly, Marcus! She doesn’t know her place. Just because she landed a few big clients, her tail’s pointing to the sky. She doesn’t even know whose name is on this company.” Derek circled around Marcus like a lapdog. “Marcus is Mr. Richards’s own nephew, an elite returnee from a prestigious university! The Sales Director position was always meant for Marcus. That nobody Sasha isn’t even worthy of carrying Mr. Richards’s shoes!” I stood in the corridor’s shadows, feeling all the blood in my body freeze instantly. His own nephew? I stared at Marcus sitting on my desk. So all of this was fake. The promotion email was fake. The demotion notice was fake. Only I was the fool, manipulated and mocked by the entire company in a conspiracy. Mr. Richards emerged from the private office, holding a wine glass. He looked at Marcus with a smile. “Marcus, how was my April Fools’ production? Pretty good, right? Did it help you vent?” Marcus jumped off the desk and threw his arm around Mr. Richards’s shoulder. “It was awesome, Uncle! You don’t know—these past two months she’s been making me memorize product materials every day and forcing me to run sales calls in the blazing sun. I’ve never been treated like this in my entire life—not even by my own mother! Seeing her today like a stray dog moving her stuff—I can’t tell you how satisfying that was!” Mr. Richards laughed heartily. “She’s just meant for grunt work. This afternoon, after she signs Mr. Wilson’s one-billion-dollar contract, I’ll just find some excuse to fire her. Then that massive achievement will be yours! I’m good to you, aren’t I?” I stood there watching their ugly faces, suddenly feeling my stomach churn. Five years. For this company, I’d given up all my vacation days. I’d pulled a nearly bankrupt workshop up by its bootstraps into a well-known industry player. I thought if I just worked hard enough, I’d earn the respect and rewards I deserved. But reality had slapped me hard across the face. I pushed open the door and walked in expressionlessly. The cheering stopped abruptly. Everyone looked at me like I was some kind of monster. The smile on Marcus’s face froze for a moment, then returned to that same arrogant expression. “Oh, Ms. Turner’s back? That demotion notice earlier was a misunderstanding. My uncle said for April Fools’ fun, all decisions and responses today had to be reversed!” He boasted, “So I actually got promoted!” I laughed coldly inside. Reversed. So that’s how I got that ridiculous promotion notice. Just then, Mr. Richards walked over with a cold expression. He slammed a thick stack of documents against my chest. “Sasha, you still have the nerve to chat here? Get your ass to the conference room right now!”

Mr. Richards pointed at my nose and cursed. “Mr. Wilson’s already here with his legal team—go sign that contract immediately!” I looked down at the contract that had fallen to the floor. Just flipping to the first page, my brow furrowed tightly. This contract was full of holes. Not only were the profit margins completely wrong, even the breach of contract clauses were reversed. “Mr. Richards, this contract is unusable.” “Shut up!” Mr. Richards rudely cut me off. “This is the proposal Marcus personally revised. He’s an elite returnee who understands advanced management concepts far better than you!” Marcus chimed in smugly from the side. “Exactly. Your outdated negotiation tactics are ancient history.” I looked at this ridiculous uncle-nephew pair, hardly believing my ears. Signing this hole-riddled contract would destroy my industry reputation and lose all client trust. Mr. Richards and Marcus could easily deflect all blame, but I’d be finished in the industry. Mr. Richards glared at me viciously. “Sasha, stop being alarmist! I’m ordering you to go to the conference room and handle this right now, or you’ll bear all the losses and get out immediately!” He shoved me, pushing me straight through the conference room door. Inside the conference room, the atmosphere was oppressively tense. Mr. Wilson sat across the long table with his elite legal team, their expressions dark. I looked at the wound on my knee from Derek’s trip, then at the disgusting faces of this uncle-nephew duo. Then at Mr. Wilson’s extremely displeased expression across from me. Five years of grievances, humiliation, and resentment reached their peak in this moment. Mr. Wilson pushed the contract toward me. I took a deep breath and picked up that contract. Then I announced loudly to Mr. Wilson: “On behalf of the company, I reject this partnership!” As soon as the words left my mouth, I gripped the contract with both hands. With a loud rip— In front of everyone, I tore that billion-dollar contract to shreds. Paper fragments floated down like snowflakes in the conference room. The smile on Mr. Richards’s face instantly froze. “Sasha, have you lost your mind!”

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