Category: English

Olivia and her cousin were kidnapped. The kidnappers said they could only save one. I laughed on the spot. In my previous life, my brother and I were kidnapped, and Olivia chose to save my brother. History was repeating itself in this life. As for who I would choose, wasn’t it obvious? In the European-style banquet hall. Glasses clinked and perfume wafted through the air. My father and I stood on the stage, smiling as we greeted the guests. The butler quietly informed me: “Young Master, all the guests have arrived. Please start the opening dance.” Today was my 18th birthday. My father had thrown a grand birthday party for me, with all the prominent figures in our social circle gathered. I looked out at the crowd, but my designated “dance partner” was nowhere to be seen. My father leaned in and asked: “Where’s Olivia? Wasn’t she supposed to dance the opening number with you?” Olivia Gu, the eldest daughter of the Gu family, was my childhood friend. She was also supposed to be my “dance partner” tonight. I looked up. As expected, my half-brother Ethan was also absent. If my memory served me right, today was the first time they met in my previous life. Olivia had gone to the garden for some fresh air and encountered Ethan, who wasn’t used to high society parties. The two hit it off immediately, marking the beginning of their romantic entanglement. In my previous life, upon discovering Olivia had left, I immediately rushed out to look for her. I ended up seeing her chatting happily with Ethan. Consumed by jealousy, I punched Ethan. The consequences were that Olivia despised me, my father reprimanded me, and the guests looked down on me. Living this life again, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. Was a dance partner really that important? Could my birthday party not go on without Olivia? My gaze swept coldly over the crowd. A young woman in an unfashionable dress caught my eye. She was standing forlornly by a pillar, lost in thought. The girl had delicate features, a petite figure, skin as white as snow, and an elegant demeanor. She stood out like a sore thumb in this lavish and extravagant banquet hall. I walked towards her, much to everyone’s surprise. When the girl saw me approach, her rosy lips parted slightly, her face full of bewilderment. “Sophia, would you like to dance with me?” I extended my hand to her. Sophia Gu’s eyes flickered, pointing at herself in disbelief: “…You’re asking me?” “Who else would I be asking?” I smiled and asked: “Do you know how to waltz?” “Yes…” Sophia nodded, looking honored yet nervous. She shyly placed her hand in mine, allowing me to lead her to the center of the dance floor. The guests automatically made way for us. The band began playing the lively “Tales from the Vienna Woods.” Sophia carefully placed her hands on my shoulders as we began to dance. As we glided across the floor, I admired her bashful expression. A blush crept up her fair cheeks, like a ripe peach. “Relax, I’m not going to eat you,” I teased. Sophia’s palms were sweaty, and her steps were a bit unsteady. “S-sorry…” she apologized, flustered. In my previous life, I had only cared about Olivia, following her lead in everything. Influenced by Olivia, I had a very poor impression of Sophia. But I would never forget that in my previous life, when I fell from a tall building and was broken and battered, it was Sophia who knelt in the blood, desperately performing CPR on me as I was dying. Only after dying once did I see clearly who was human and who was a demon. I pulled my wandering thoughts back and continued to tease Sophia: “Is this your first time dancing with a boy?” “Yes…” “Well, I feel quite honored then.” As I was bantering, my eyes met a pair of shocked ones over Sophia’s shoulder—

Olivia stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the banquet hall, glaring at me. Ethan stood behind her, also looking surprised. It seemed they had just returned. I guess Olivia hadn’t expected that I wouldn’t wait for her and would directly ask Sophia, whom she looked down on the most, to dance the opening number. I had been reborn just yesterday. The moment I regained my new life, I vowed that in this life, I must live for myself. I was no longer anyone’s second choice, nor would I be anyone’s accessory. Ignoring Olivia’s murderous gaze, I continued to “gaze lovingly” at Sophia. “Sophia, if you ever need help in the future, you can come to me. I’ve got your back,” I said sincerely. Sophia was not favored in the family due to her mother’s humble background. Just for what she did for me as I was dying in my previous life, I would repay her well in this life. “Thank you, Lucas…” Sophia’s eyes misted over, her voice seemingly tinged with bitterness. As the song ended, Sophia retreated to a corner. The guests paired up and gradually moved onto the dance floor. While I politely exchanged pleasantries with the guests, I walked towards the buffet table and got myself a glass of juice. “What do you mean by this?” An angry voice laced with hidden fury sounded from behind me. I turned around to face the frost-faced Olivia. I took a sip of the sweet and sour orange juice, and asked in return: “What do you mean?” “Didn’t you ask me to be your dance partner?” Olivia accused, playing the victim: “Are you toying with me?” I couldn’t help but chuckle. How novel. In my previous life, Olivia would never take the initiative to talk to me. Let alone use this complaining tone to question me. I said: “If I remember correctly, I only asked you one-sidedly if you wanted to be my dance partner. Miss Gu didn’t agree, and when it came time for the opening dance, Miss Gu was nowhere to be seen. Did I have to send someone to find you before I could continue with the party?” She stared at me as if she didn’t recognize me. I had never spoken to her in this tone before, and I had always called her “Olivia” since we were young. This “Miss Gu” sounded distant and cold, as if we were just casual acquaintances. Taking advantage of her stunned silence, I added: “How old are you? Don’t you understand basic etiquette? Today is my birthday, don’t ruin my mood.” I left her with these words, walking away without looking back. The moment I turned around, a playful system notification sounded in my mind: “Congratulations, host! You have successfully slapped the female lead’s face. The system rewards you with 100 humiliation points. Accumulate 100,000 points to obtain a resurrection armor.” Right, not only had I been reborn, but I was also bound to a face-slapping system. The system said I had already passed away, but due to my strong obsession, it gave me a chance to be revived. But this didn’t mean I was truly alive. I needed to slap the faces of those who had hurt me in my previous life, gain 100,000 humiliation points to truly come back to life. And the time given to me wasn’t much. I needed to complete the task before the time of my death in my previous life. In my previous life, I was killed by kidnappers at the age of 24. I had 7 years. I must change my fate! After my rebirth, my goals were clear. Besides ensuring my own survival, I also had to take over the family business, absolutely not letting my mother and father’s business fall into others’ hands. My father and mother’s marriage was a business alliance, joining forces to multiply the scale of the Lu family’s business several times over. Unfortunately, my father was a fickle man. Shortly after my mother became pregnant with me, he rekindled his relationship with his first love, even having a child with her. This first love was Ethan’s mother. A year ago, my mother passed away due to illness, and she brought Ethan in, becoming the new mistress of the Lu family overnight. My father, considering my mother’s family background, didn’t dare mistreat me, but his heart had long since been biased. After returning to school, I began to study hard. To improve my grades quickly, I hired a top university graduate as a private tutor at a high price. Every day, apart from eating and sleeping, all I did was study. During lunch break, I was in the classroom eating the lunch prepared at home while silently reciting chemical formulas. Two boys who were usually quite friendly with me came over. One of them, named Henry, showed me his phone. I glanced at it disinterestedly. The video was shot on the rooftop of the teaching building. From the angle, it seemed to be secretly filmed. A boy and a girl were sitting in the shaded area of the rooftop, eating burgers together—

Who else could it be but Olivia and Ethan? Ethan shared his burger with her, and Olivia, who claimed to have germaphobia, accepted it without hesitation. I looked away indifferently. Henry, sharing my indignation, said: “This Ethan is so shameless. He knows Olivia is your childhood sweetheart, yet he’s still trying to curry favor with her.” Another classmate named Samuel also gritted his teeth and said: “Like mother, like son. No wonder he’s the son of a homewrecker.” Henry immediately suggested: “Lucas, let’s teach him a lesson. Let’s lock him up and beat him!” The whole school knew that Ethan’s mother was a homewrecker. In my previous life, although I hated him, at first I only took measures to isolate him, without causing any actual harm. Until I discovered he was getting closer to Olivia. I became consumed with jealousy, and with the instigation of some people with ulterior motives, I joined several classmates in bullying Ethan. Come to think of it, my untimely death in my previous life was also due to my own actions. I finished my lunch, closed the lunch box lid, and said leisurely: “Let them be. The final exams are coming up soon, there’s no need to waste energy on irrelevant people.” My response took them by surprise. Especially Henry, who pressed on: “Lucas, are you really going to let him off like this? Isn’t that too easy on him?” Samuel chimed in: “Yeah, Ethan is so audacious, daring to steal your girlfriend. You can’t just let him get away with it.” I sighed, emphasizing again: “Olivia and I are just neighbors, we were never a couple. She can be with whoever she wants, it has nothing to do with me. I just want to focus on studying now, I don’t have time for anything else.” Henry and Samuel looked at each other, unable to accept my change in attitude for a moment. I advised them: “Put more effort into studying. Nothing is more important than improving yourself.” Henry said unhappily: “We’re just looking out for you. Not only are you ungrateful, but you’re also lecturing us.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. I put away my lunch box and took out my chemistry notes to review. Seeing my cold attitude, Henry angrily pulled Samuel away. I glanced at him thoughtfully, recalling some things… The first class in the afternoon was a chemistry test. After the chemistry teacher came in, he looked around the classroom and asked: “Where’s Ethan?” Only then did I realize Ethan hadn’t come back. The classmates all said they didn’t know. The chemistry teacher turned his gaze to me. “Lucas, do you know where he went?” I stated frankly: “Teacher, I didn’t leave the classroom after class. I don’t know.” After hearing my explanation, the chemistry teacher didn’t pursue the matter further and hurried to hand out the test papers. Chemistry was my strong suit, and with my recent tutoring showing results, I finished all the questions in just half an hour. I double-checked my answers twice to make sure there were no mistakes. I looked up towards Ethan’s seat, but he still hadn’t returned. Could something have happened? I frowned. The chemistry teacher was also very worried, pacing back and forth on the podium, occasionally looking towards the door. I decided to be a good person for once. I raised my hand and said: “Teacher, I’ve finished my test. Shall I go look for Ethan?” The chemistry teacher was more than happy to agree. After leaving the classroom, I didn’t go directly to look for Ethan, but turned to the classroom next door— “Excuse me, teacher, I need to find Olivia,” I said to the history teacher on the podium, standing at the door. The history teacher was slightly taken aback, and the students in the classroom immediately started buzzing. Olivia looked at me with a long face, and various teasing sounds arose. The history teacher called for them to quiet down, then asked me: “What do you need her for?” I said: “Ethan from our class hasn’t returned to class. Someone saw him eating lunch with Olivia during the break, so I came to ask.” As soon as I finished speaking, the classroom erupted again. Olivia’s expression became even more colorful, full of anger and humiliation. She stood up abruptly without waiting for the teacher’s signal. “I don’t know where Ethan went!” she said loudly. I raised my chin and said: “Anyway, he’s missing. Why don’t you come with me to look for him?” The other students joined in the commotion. The history teacher couldn’t take it anymore and impatiently shooed us away: “Olivia, go look with him! Come back to class when you find him!” I turned and left without waiting for Olivia. She complained behind me: “Lucas, what’s wrong with you? Can you stop causing trouble for me every day?”

I ignored her. Actually, I knew where Ethan was. In my previous life, after I found out he was eating lunch with Olivia, I had ganged up with Henry and others to teach him a lesson. I awakened in this life, and I let him off, but that doesn’t mean others would. I headed straight for a certain men’s bathroom on the top floor. This floor was high up, and hardly anyone ever came here. Just as I reached the door, I heard repeated banging sounds from inside. I rushed in first, and sure enough, the door handle of the cubicle near the back was tied shut with a rope. The rope was tied in a dead knot, and I had no tools to untie it. Olivia peered in from outside the bathroom: “Is he in there?” Before I could answer, Ethan, who was locked inside, called out: “Olivia! Is that you? I’m here!” As Olivia hesitated, I folded my arms and said: “What are you standing there for? Go find some scissors!” Olivia stamped her foot and ran off to find a pair of scissors. I cut the rope, and Ethan was finally able to get out. He was in such a hurry that he was sweating profusely, repeatedly thanking us. “Who locked you in here?” Olivia asked while glaring at me suspiciously. Ethan stammered: “I… I don’t know… There was a boy I didn’t recognize who said he left something here and asked me to help look… As soon as I went in, the door was locked…” Olivia turned on me fiercely: “Lucas, you did this, didn’t you?” I gave her a cold look: “Evidence.” “What?” I pointed at the security camera outside the hallway: “You say I did it, do you have any evidence? Why don’t we check the security footage?” In my previous life, Ethan was locked up until almost the end of school before Olivia rescued him. Olivia used her status as the daughter of a school board member to demand that the school check the security footage. In the end, it was proven that I was behind it, and from then on, Olivia despised me even more. Now, Olivia was left speechless by my question. I sneered: “Don’t accuse me without evidence.” “If you didn’t do it, how did you know he was here?” Olivia’s suspicion wasn’t unfounded. I remained composed and said coolly: “In the entire school building, this is the most suitable place to lock someone up. Next time someone locks you up here, I guarantee you’ll be calling for help with no response.” Not waiting for Olivia to react, I turned to tell Ethan: “There’s still 40 minutes left for the chemistry test. If you don’t want to turn in a blank paper, you’d better hurry back.” Ethan followed me back to the classroom with a dejected look. I led him back to the classroom. The chemistry teacher was relieved, asked him a few questions, and then let him return to his seat to take the test. As I walked past Henry, I clearly saw his eyes flicker, his face full of dissatisfaction. Olivia did end up checking the security footage later and found out who was behind it. It was Henry. He had always had a crush on Olivia but didn’t dare pursue her because of my presence. That day, after learning that Olivia and I had “broken up,” he thought of eliminating Ethan as an obstacle. Little did he expect to fail so miserably. After the incident came to light, Henry became a pariah that everyone avoided. And Olivia was once again slapped in the face by me, this time even more severely than at my birthday party. The system rewarded me with 200 humiliation points, bringing my current total to 300 points. In this life, I focused all my energy on studying and no longer targeted Ethan. Olivia and I also gradually grew apart, with classmates all rumoring that we had broken up—though in reality, we had never dated. Without me interfering, and with his closeness to Olivia, Ethan gained quite a few friends. Time flew by, and another half semester passed. On this day, there was a cultural activity, with a dance competition for the whole grade. When Olivia took the stage, the entire audience erupted in applause. Ethan and his friends sat below the stage, cheering for her. Their disloyal behavior displeased the girls in our class. I sat in a corner, silently memorizing knowledge points from flashcards. Cheers constantly erupted from the stage, with Olivia’s graceful dance moves eliciting numerous screams. I dug at my ears, annoyed by the noise. Just as I picked up a flashcard to check, I suddenly saw a familiar figure.

I squinted at the doorway. It was Sophia, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. She was two grades below me, not on the same floor, so I rarely encountered her. She walked towards the small woods by the sports field, where there was an old sports equipment room. I watched curiously for a few more moments and saw several girls standing in front of the equipment room door. One of them roughly grabbed Sophia’s collar, and the others immediately surrounded her. Sensing trouble, I put the flashcards back in my pocket and quickly ran over. I had only taken a few steps when I heard exclamations from behind. “Olivia!” Olivia’s classmates were calling for her. I ignored them and continued running towards Sophia. Before I could reach her, she was already knocked to the ground by those girls. I shouted while running: “Teacher! Over here! There’s a fight here!” Hearing this, the girls scattered in fright. I helped up the dust-covered Sophia. Her face was bruised, and her blue sportswear was stained with footprints. “Lucas…” she called out awkwardly. “Are you okay? Who were those people?” I asked with a frown. Sophia shook her head and explained: “A boy in class gave me a love letter a few days ago. His admirers were unhappy and came to cause trouble for me.” I thought to myself, can’t these young people care more about their future? All they do is fight over love. “We should report this to the teacher.” Sophia shook her head again. “It’s fine… It’s not a big deal, it’s happened before.” Despite both being from the Gu family, Olivia was the school belle and a celebrity, while Sophia was treated completely differently. Whether at home or at school, she was targeted maliciously because of her background. I encouraged her: “Study hard, and when you grow up and become successful, you can slap their faces hard!” “Mm, thank you Lucas…” “If they go too far, you still need to tell the teacher, or you can tell me too.” “Okay…” Sophia agreed verbally, but with her personality of being used to bullying, she had long lost the courage to resist. “I’ll take you to the infirmary,” I said, supporting Sophia as we walked towards the teaching building. Sophia hurriedly declined politely: “You don’t have to trouble yourself, Lucas. Aren’t you still in the middle of an event…” I said frankly: “Watching girls dance is extremely boring. I was just idle anyway.” Only then did Sophia obediently follow me to the infirmary. As I was supporting her in, I unexpectedly saw Olivia sitting inside. She was accompanied by two girls, and the school nurse was crouched beside her, spraying her knee with an analgesic spray. Her knee was scraped and slightly swollen. When I left earlier, I heard her classmates calling her. I guess that’s when she fell. Seeing Sophia and me, Olivia’s expression changed drastically. Ignoring her, I said to the school nurse: “This junior was beaten up by some classmates. Could you please check her over?” The nurse said: “Wait a moment, I haven’t finished here yet…” Olivia glared at us viciously. Sophia sensed the other party’s hostile gaze. She looked pitiful, her eyes reddening as she said: “Lucas, I can manage on my own… Why don’t you go back first…” “No need, I’m not in a hurry. I’ll see this through,” I insisted. My conversation with Sophia finally provoked Olivia’s displeasure. She said sarcastically: “You really are compassionate, willing to skip class to help others.” I thought to myself, I didn’t provoke you, why are you being so passive-aggressive? I retorted: “Aren’t you supposed to be a dance prodigy? How did you get injured in a small cultural activity? Have you been lacking exercise lately?” Olivia’s face immediately darkened. Her friend came to her defense: “Lucas, how can you talk like that? Olivia was distracted when she saw you leave and that’s why she fell.” Olivia said angrily: “Shut up!” I snorted coldly, not taking it seriously: “She carelessly fell on her own, why blame others?” “You…” Olivia’s friend wanted to say more. Sophia beside me suddenly inhaled sharply. “Ouch…” 6. My attention returned to her, and I quickly asked: “What’s wrong?” She covered her cheek and said: “It’s nothing…” “Does it hurt a lot?” I moved her hand away. Half of her face was swollen. With the nurse’s permission, I got an ice pack to apply to Sophia’s face. Olivia’s friend couldn’t help but interject again: “Why don’t you show some concern for Olivia? Aren’t you childhood sweethearts?” Olivia remained silent, seemingly agreeing with her friend’s words. I said nothing, casting a cold glance at them, continuing to apply the ice pack. Sophia whispered: “Lucas… you don’t have to take care of me, I’ve dealt with injuries on my own before… Go check on Olivia… She needs you more…” This sounded a bit manipulative. But I wasn’t falling for it. No wonder men like green tea bitches, who could resist this? I patted Sophia and said: “Silly girl, you’re clearly the one who’s been wronged but you’re keeping it to yourself. She has so many people around her, does she really need me too?” Ignoring Olivia and her friends’ angry faces, I said solemnly: “Olivia, you always claim to be the embodiment of justice, so why do you turn a blind eye when your own cousin is bullied at school? If either of these two friends of yours were beaten up, you wouldn’t stand idly by, right? How come when it’s your own flesh and blood cousin, you have this indifferent attitude?” This was exactly how Olivia had berated me in my previous life when Ethan was bullied and I didn’t help him. Aside from that one time I locked Ethan in the bathroom, I never bothered him again. It was always those who admired Olivia who did things in my name. In my previous life, I knew Olivia didn’t like cruel men, so I had already restrained myself from targeting Ethan. But whenever anything happened to Ethan, Olivia would blame it all on me. “When your own flesh and blood brother is bullied, you have this indifferent attitude?” These were her exact words to me back then. Now I was throwing them right back at her, tit for tat. Olivia was so angry and flustered by my scolding that she couldn’t utter a word in response. Her two sidekicks were also left speechless. The school nurse felt awkward and said to them: “Alright, this student’s injury isn’t serious. Go back and rest well, don’t do any strenuous exercise, it’ll be fine in a couple of days.” Olivia was supported away by her friends on either side. As soon as they left, the system came online: “Congratulations, host! You have successfully slapped the female lead’s face. The system rewards you with 200 humiliation points! Current score: 500 points.” The school nurse came over to treat Sophia’s wounds. Sophia continued to play coy, saying: “Lucas, is Olivia angry? Why don’t… you go comfort her? I’m fine now…” I scoffed, “Comfort her for what? She’s clearly making a fuss over nothing. Why should I indulge her?” I realized that with Sophia around, slapping Olivia’s face was a piece of cake. Sophia said guiltily, “I don’t want to affect your relationship because of me…” “I don’t have any relationship with her. We’re just childhood neighbors and classmates, and our families are close. That’s all,” I lied blatantly. Time flew by, and it was time to apply for universities. During this period, I was busy applying to schools and didn’t have time to slap Olivia’s face. My score remained at 500 points, but I wasn’t in a hurry. I still had seven years to slowly slap her face. My hard work during this time paid off, and I finally got accepted into my dream school, Oxford University. Olivia also got accepted to this school, but her GPA was much lower than mine. As a result, she suffered a harsh slap to the face. System: “Congratulations, host! You have successfully slapped the female lead’s face. The system rewards you with 500 humiliation points! Current score: 1000 points.” My score suddenly jumped to 1000 points, and I felt triumphant. In my previous life, I had spent a fortune to squeeze into Oxford University just to be with Olivia at all times. Back then, she had mocked me: “With your level, even if you barely get in, you’re just wasting a spot.” Now, I had finally vindicated myself. After receiving the acceptance emails, the Gu and Lu families gathered for a celebratory dinner. During the meal, Olivia’s mother brought up: “The kids are all preparing for university now. Why don’t we hold an engagement ceremony for Lucas and Olivia before the start of the semester?” 7. Engagement… This brought back unpleasant memories. In my previous life, it was also at this time that I had pestered and pleaded to get engaged to Olivia. At that time, my father wanted to curry favor with the Gu family, and the Gu family was also eyeing the wealth of the Lu family and my mother’s family. So the two families quickly agreed. At the engagement party, Olivia had given me the cold shoulder the entire time. When it came time for the group photo, she even pulled a disappearing act. I later found out that she had snuck out to meet secretly with Ethan. By the way, Ethan had been accepted into an art school in France. He had a talent for design and went to study in France for four years. During those four years, I thought I could win Olivia’s heart. However, as soon as Ethan returned, he effortlessly stole Olivia away. Now history was repeating itself, but this time it was the Gu family who first brought up the engagement. I saw Olivia frowning, neither agreeing nor refusing. It seemed I would have to play the villain again. I spoke leisurely: “You must be joking. Once we’re in university, Olivia and I will meet many new friends. We might even meet our future partners. Getting engaged now would limit both our futures. I don’t think it’s appropriate.” The expressions of those at the table varied. After hearing this, Olivia glared at me angrily for some reason. I took the opportunity to drag her into it: “Don’t you agree, Olivia? Besides, we’re just friends after all.” But Olivia didn’t play along. She said sarcastically: “Just friends? Do you even believe that yourself?” I chuckled and asked: “Olivia, did I say something wrong? Don’t you want to be friends with me? I’ve always treated you like a little sister.” “You…” Olivia’s chest heaved violently, as if suppressing her anger. My father couldn’t help but interject: “Enough! If you’re not getting engaged, then you’re not. Stop talking nonsense.” Olivia’s aunt, who had suggested the engagement, looked embarrassed and tried to smooth things over: “Right, right… I was just joking. The kids are grown up now, they have their own thoughts. As parents, we should respect their decisions.” Olivia’s uncle also chimed in: “We’re all family here, no need for such formalities.” Olivia turned her face away from me in anger. I glanced at Ethan, who was quietly eating. Intentionally not letting him off the hook, I said: “But now that the college entrance exams are over, we should celebrate properly. Ethan is preparing to study abroad in France. Why don’t we throw him a farewell party?” Ethan’s mother, Jane, was a bit simple-minded. Hearing my suggestion, she immediately beamed with joy. “That’s right, Ethan is leaving for abroad soon. We should invite relatives and friends to celebrate for him…” My father interrupted her sternly: “What do you know? If we’re having a party, it should be for all the graduating kids together! Hosting one just for Ethan, what kind of rule is that?” Jane suddenly realized she had misspoken and repeatedly apologized. Thus, the engagement party from my previous life was forcibly turned into a graduation party. I achieved my goal of slapping faces. System: “Congratulations, host! You have successfully slapped the female lead’s face and your stepmother’s face. The system rewards you with 300 humiliation points! Current score: 1300 points.” The graduation party was held in the banquet hall of my house. On this day, I encountered Sophia, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. In just half a year, she had grown into an even more graceful young woman. Sophia took the initiative to raise a glass of champagne to congratulate me: “Congratulations, Lucas, on getting into your dream university.” I took a glass of juice from nearby and replaced her champagne. “You’re underage, don’t drink alcohol,” I said, caring like an older brother: “How have you been lately? Is anyone still bullying you?” She shook her head and said: “Almost never now. Even if there is, it’s just verbal taunts. I just ignore them.” “Good, focus on your studies. Use your good grades to hit back at those who look down on you.” “Thank you, Lucas. I’ll work hard,” her eyes seemed to sparkle. I smiled brightly and said: “If you ever need anything, just let me know. I’ll help if I can.” “Okay…” As we were chatting pleasantly, an unwelcome voice came from the side: “Lucas, I didn’t know you liked playing the big brother so much.” 8 This voice, I knew without looking that it was Olivia, who had been giving me trouble lately. I changed my warm attitude towards Sophia to a cold glance at Olivia. “Miss Gu, don’t you have anything better to do? Don’t you need to entertain guests?” I was implicitly criticizing her for meddling. Olivia’s tone sank: “Uncle Lu asked me to call you. He wants you to greet the professor from the Business School.” Only then did I put down my champagne and walk towards my father. Olivia left with me. As she was leaving, she shot a warning and hateful glance at Sophia, which happened to catch my eye. I stood beside my father, graciously exchanging pleasantries with the professor. The professor praised me for my promising future, saying I would be a big shot in the business world one day. My father was proud yet humble, saying: “Oh no, you’re too kind. You’re overpraising this boy.” I walked around with my father for a while, but didn’t see Olivia again. I assumed she had gone off to meet secretly with Ethan — however, I spotted Ethan sitting on a sofa in the rest area. Why was he still here? I wondered. Although there were three main characters at the party, Ethan was clearly being neglected. He sat quietly with Jane in a corner, eating a piece of cake. Ethan was timid and didn’t actively greet people, and other guests treated him as if he didn’t exist. High society was just that realistic. The illegitimate son of a mistress who had climbed the social ladder, without much ability himself — no wonder others in the circle treated him with disdain. As I was thinking this, the butler came running towards me in a panic. He didn’t dare to speak loudly, and whispered to me: “Young Master, Miss Gu… she’s arguing with her cousin!” Olivia was arguing with Sophia? I quickly asked: “Where are they?” “By the swimming pool…” I immediately ran off. Just as I reached the pool, I saw Olivia and Sophia grappling with each other. “Stop!” I shouted. Their movements paused for a moment. However, in the next instant, Sophia was “pushed” by Olivia, and she slipped. Splash!! Sophia fell into the cold pool water. I hurriedly called for help: “Someone come quickly—!” Several male servants rushed over and helped me pull Sophia out of the water. Several elders also arrived, having heard the commotion. Until Sophia was rescued, Olivia stood rooted to the spot like a clay statue. Sophia was like a drowned rat, lying on the ground coughing. Her face was pale, covered in water, looking pitiful. Uncle Gu asked: “What happened here?” Nobody at the scene dared to speak. I glared fiercely at Olivia, who was pretending to be deaf and dumb. I asked coldly: “Olivia! You pushed her in yourself, and now you don’t dare admit it?”

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My adopted daughter knelt before me, refusing to get up after causing a hit-and-run accident. “Mom, I just got accepted into MIT. I have a bright future ahead of me. If I go to prison, my life will be over. Please, I’m begging you, save me…” I agreed. During my two years in prison, neither father nor daughter visited me once. After my release, I discovered it had all been a scheme by my husband and daughter. They had already transferred all my assets to themselves. The daughter who had once cried and begged me to take the blame now cursed me as a criminal, an ugly old fool, and kicked me in the chest. I died from cardiac arrest. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day we received the MIT offer. “Mom, Dad, I got accepted into MIT!” Keira Thompson exclaimed excitedly. “That’s my girl! MIT is one of the top universities in the country. Well done, sweetheart,” Jack Thompson beamed. “Honey, didn’t you just get a $500,000 year-end bonus last month? Let’s use all of it to buy our daughter a BMW. She deserves it.” This conversation felt eerily familiar. I suddenly realized I had been given a second chance at life. “Dad, I’m still young. Buying a car would be too flashy. Besides, Mom worked hard for that money. I can’t bear to spend it,” Keira said sweetly. In my previous life, I always thought she was a considerate, filial, and kind girl. It wasn’t until I went to prison that I discovered how evil she truly was. “But sweetie, I promised you a BMW if you got into MIT, remember?” Jack said, glancing at me expectantly. He was a stay-at-home husband, and all our household expenses came from my income. In my previous life, I felt guilty for not giving him a child. How foolish I was. “Why are you looking at me? You made that promise, not me,” I said coldly. Father and daughter exchanged shocked glances, their eyes wide with surprise. In my previous life, they always acted in concert – one playing the innocent flower, the other the doting father – constantly squeezing money out of me. And in my previous life, I always thought my adopted daughter was considerate and my husband was open-minded, treating her like his own flesh and blood. Watching them act now made me feel sick to my stomach. “Have you lost your mind? Our daughter got into MIT, and you won’t even buy her a car? What kind of mother are you? Or do you not see Keira as your real daughter?” Jack shouted at me. “Dad, don’t say that. $500,000 isn’t a small amount, and Mom’s company needs cash flow. It’s okay if we don’t buy the car,” Keira said, still playing the “understanding” card. “Fine, how about a $300,000 car then? Surely that’s not too much to ask?” Jack yelled at me. “Have you lost touch with reality? Since when is a $300,000 car considered cheap? If you’re so capable, why don’t you buy it for Keira yourself?” I scoffed. Jack was dumbfounded that I would say such a thing. Keira also wore an expression of disbelief. In my previous life, this tactic worked on me every time. I always fell for it, thinking they were good people. “Mom, Dad, I don’t want a car anymore. Please stop fighting. It’s all my fault,” Keira said pitifully, tears welling up in her eyes on cue. In my previous life, I would have hugged her and fulfilled all her demands. But this time, I knew she was a vicious demon. Watching her cry made my blood boil. SLAP! I struck her hard across the face. Father and daughter stood frozen in shock. Keira stared at me, terrified and confused. “Oh, there was a mosquito on your face. I was too hasty and hit too hard,” I said, feigning concern as I reached out to caress her reddening cheek.

The next day at the office, I immediately changed all my bank card PINs, mobile payment passwords, and began planning to transfer my assets. This time, I couldn’t let Jack get his hands on my money. Later, I requested Keira’s GPA from the school. I was shocked – with such low scores, there was no way she could have been accepted to MIT. In my previous life, Keira had shown me her GPA and offer letter several times. I believed her completely then, but now I realized both must have been forged. That afternoon, I went to a private detective agency and asked them to thoroughly investigate Jack and Keira. I suspected they might actually be father and daughter. Twelve years ago, Jack took me to an orphanage. Among dozens of children, he chose Keira. When Keira first met Jack, she displayed a natural affinity for him. At the time, I thought they just clicked, that it was fate. I liked her too. But now, thinking about how they could team up against me, I realized their relationship could only be that of father and daughter. If that was true, it was truly chilling to think about. They had been playing this long game for twelve years, slowly emptying my bank accounts. A week later, I received a credit card alert at the office. My supplementary card had been used to spend $300,000. I had forgotten to cancel that card. I had given Jack a supplementary card for groceries and household expenses. I didn’t need to guess to know that $300,000 was for buying a car. I quickly called the bank to cancel the supplementary card.

That evening, as I approached our building, I saw a new BMW X2 without license plates parked outside. As soon as I entered the house, Keira sweetly brought me my slippers. “Welcome home, Mom. You must be tired from work.” Seeing her fake smile, I wanted to slap her again, but I couldn’t reveal my hand before the investigation was complete. “Hmm, your dad bought you a car?” I asked casually. “Mom, I kept refusing, but Dad wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t do anything about it,” she said, feigning innocence and helplessness. “I’ve cancelled your supplementary card. From now on, I’ll give you $10,000 a month for household expenses. If you need to buy anything big, let me know and I’ll handle it.” “What do you mean? Shouldn’t we reward our daughter for getting into MIT?” Jack angrily demanded. I almost exposed them. With a 1.2 GPA, that trash wouldn’t get into MIT in her next life. Fortunately, I held my tongue. “I’m thinking of our daughter’s best interests. She’s still young and just got her driver’s license. What if she gets into an accident and meets her maker?” I said seriously, cursing her. Jack jumped up, slamming the table. “How dare you curse my daughter?” At that moment, I was certain Keira was Jack’s biological daughter. “I’m just worried about her safety. I care about her,” I said. “Hmph, you’re just stingy,” Jack shouted. “Mom, are you upset that Dad spent your money to buy me a car?” Keira asked, tears in her eyes. I stroked her head and said gently, “How could Mom ever be reluctant to spend money on you? I’m just worried about your driving skills. If something happened to you, how could Mom go on living?” You want to act? I can act too! “Mom, I got into MIT! One of the top universities in the country. If it were someone else’s mother, they’d throw a celebration dinner and buy expensive gifts. But you haven’t done anything. Don’t you love me anymore?” she said, tears flowing. Her acting was truly impressive! I continued stroking her head and said, “The government is promoting frugality now. Throwing a dinner party would be too wasteful. Besides, we should be low-key. Being too showy will make people jealous. As for gifts, isn’t that BMW a gift?” “Mom, you don’t love me anymore. You know what? I didn’t want the car to show off or for my own convenience. I had a dream. Mom, you’ve sacrificed so much for me over the years. I wanted to drive you on a road trip across the country.” “I’m touched that you have such intentions, but don’t you think something’s odd?” I asked. “What’s odd?” she asked, confused. “You should earn money yourself to buy a car, then take me on a road trip. It’s like saying you’ll treat me to dinner, but I end up paying. Isn’t that strange?” I said seriously. She was stunned, wanting to argue but unable to. “Chloe Johnson, are you even a mother? How can you crush our daughter’s good intentions like that?” Jack said, winking at Keira. “Mom, you’re too much. You don’t love me anymore…” she cried as she ran out. “Keira…” Jack chased after her. I suddenly remembered the notice at the entrance of our complex: Last night, the security cameras were damaged. The property management has contacted repair technicians. Residents, please secure your belongings and lock your doors and windows. Were they setting a trap for me? I was alone now, and with the cameras down, there would be no witnesses if they framed me. Realizing this, I immediately called my assistant, Chen. She lived only a mile from my house. Then I called five other employees, saying there was an urgent meeting at my home. I told them to come as quickly as possible and that I would reimburse their travel expenses. At 9 PM, I heard the front door open. I walked out of the study. “Have you been home the whole time?” Jack asked. “Yes.” “I don’t believe you. Didn’t you go look for Keira?” “She’s not a child anymore. She can take care of herself.” “Are you even Keira’s mother? How can you say such heartless things?” “We can’t protect her forever. She has to walk her own path in life,” I said calmly. After arguing with him for about fifteen minutes, Keira returned, panic-stricken. As soon as she entered, she knelt before me: “Mom, I hit someone and ran away. Can you take the blame for me? Please save me. I don’t want to go to jail. I just got my acceptance letter from MIT. My life is just beginning…” Hearing these familiar words, my anger flared. I wanted to strangle her right there. In my previous life, I was so foolish to take the blame for her. “Keira, don’t be afraid,” I said, hugging her and pretending to comfort her. “Mom, will you help me?” she asked pitifully. “Of course I’ll help you. You’re my precious daughter.” “Mom, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me. You still love me. I swear, when you get out of prison, I’ll repay you double.” “What do you mean, ‘get out of prison’?” I pushed her away, feigning surprise. “Mom, didn’t you say you’d help me? Aren’t you going to take the blame for me?” she asked, confused. “When I said I’d help you, I meant I’d hire a good lawyer for you to seek leniency,” I said. Keira was dumbfounded. “Chloe, if you hadn’t upset our daughter, she wouldn’t have run out, and this wouldn’t have happened. You should take responsibility and take the blame for her,” Jack argued forcefully. “Why don’t you take the blame for her? Keira, listen to Mom. Your dad is just a stay-at-home dad, a few years in prison won’t matter much. But Mom is different. I run a company, I earn the money. If I go to prison, who will pay for your college?” I said. Jack was speechless, his face turning red with anger. “Mom, Dad can’t take the blame for me. After I hit that woman, I got out to check on her. She suddenly grabbed my ankle. I screamed, and the woman didn’t see me, but she must have heard my voice,” Keira said. I sighed and put my hands on Keira’s shoulders. “Keira, don’t try to run away from your problems. You need to be brave and take responsibility. Turn yourself in. You’re young, a few years in prison won’t matter much. Besides, you’ll still have Mom. When you get out, you can come work at my company.” Keira’s mouth formed an O shape, unable to believe that her once doting adoptive mother had changed so much.

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After Grandma Betty secretly sold me to Ray, the trafficker, Mom lost her mind. Dad, until the day he died, never forgave my brother Michael for not taking better care of me. Michael spent ten years searching for me, traveling across the country. When he finally lost hope, he slit his wrists and ended his life… Meanwhile, Grandma Betty and Uncle Matt took over our home and all our family’s possessions. I once thought about setting the house on fire and burning them alive, but then, something unexpected happened—I was reborn. I vividly remember that after she pocketed the money, Grandma told Ray, “Take the girl, but leave my grandson out of it.” … If I hadn’t been kidnapped, I would have been the beloved princess of the family. Dad, Mom, and Michael would have doted on me like I was the center of their world. But instead, I was sold off to the Appalachian Mountains, where I became dull and mentally impaired after suffering from a high fever for too long. The family that bought me realized I was no longer of any use to them, just an extra mouth to feed. So, they sold me off again. I was passed from one family to another until no one wanted to buy me anymore. In the end, they said I might be brainless, but my kidneys were still good, and so was my heart. So, I was trafficked for my organs and died. Only in death was I able to return home. That’s when I learned that Dad and Mom couldn’t bear the grief of losing me. They both passed away, leaving Michael all alone. But Michael never gave up on me. For years, he carried my photo from place to place, asking everyone he met if they had seen the girl in the picture. “She’s my little sister,” he would say, “She’s beautiful and sweet.” He wore his shoes down to the soles and wouldn’t even spend money on instant noodles, surviving on just a cup of water and a bread roll every day. At night, he clutched my picture and cried. When he finally heard the news of my death, his emaciated body could take no more. “Dad! Mom! Sis, wait for me—I’m coming to find you!!” As the blade sliced across his wrist… “Michael!” I tried to reach out and save him, but my hand passed through his body. My heart filled with agony. What was I supposed to do? Was I really going to have to watch my family die one by one because of me? Just then, a bright light flooded through the window. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in the back of a smelly truck, the stench of cigarettes burning my nose. I locked my gaze on the man in the black leather jacket. It was him! That damned trafficker—Ray. He pulled a few crumpled bills from his pocket, handing them to the woman across from him. “Here you go, count it, 500 bucks. Heard you’ve got two boys too. How about I pay you triple for them?” So it was for a mere $500 that my family was destroyed. Through the cigarette smoke, I saw Grandma Betty’s familiar, kind face. She smiled as she stuffed the money into her pocket. “Don’t even think about it. I’m not selling my grandson.” A chill ran through me. Tears welled up in my eyes. Why? Why would Grandma do this? Why would she sell me? Ray voiced the question gnawing at my heart. “Aren’t you afraid your son’s going to find out you sold his daughter?” “Who’s going to tell him? You? Me? No one will ever know,” Grandma muttered in her thick country accent. “And what’s wrong with selling a granddaughter? Girls are raised for someone else anyway. If I don’t sell her now, I’ll have to eventually.” She continued, “Michael’s already in jail, and I asked him for $1,000 for bail. He refused. If he won’t help his own brother, why should I coddle some useless little girl? Selling her was his fault for being so stubborn.” Ray laughed heartily. “Well, next time you’ve got more, you know where to find me.” Grandma added, “With this money, I can finally get my oldest son out of jail!” Then, as if it wasn’t enough, she urged, “Make sure you sell my granddaughter far away, somewhere she can’t run back. Fewer mouths to feed, and maybe my youngest son will send me more support money.” Because of that one sentence, in my previous life, I was sold off to the deep, hidden corners of the Midwest, never to see the light of day again—until I died. But this time, I’m going to make them all pay. The sedatives hadn’t completely worn off, but I mentally marked every stop along the way, waiting for the perfect moment to escape. Besides me, there was another boy in the truck, a delicate little kid who was sound asleep—another one of Ray’s victims, no doubt. The truck stopped on a small road near Central Train Station. A woman in a hat leaned against the window and whispered, “Vince, did you bring any boys this time?” Vince looked around cautiously before nodding. “Yeah, one boy. $1,200.” “Deal.” The woman handed him the cash, excitement in her eyes as she turned and revealed a basket on her back. “Put the boy in here.” “Mama, don’t leave me behind! Take me and my brother with you!” I cried, grabbing the woman’s sleeve. I knew this was my chance. “What do I need a girl for?” She turned her head, but I caught a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. The boy woke up just then and, without missing a beat, joined in, crying out for his sister. Vince took the opportunity to pitch me to the woman. “Buy her too! She’ll be company for the boy. Girls are cheap, and she can do housework. I’m giving you a deal here, Martha—$700, take her.” The woman hesitated, but in the end, I was sold again, this time for a $200 difference. Martha covered the basket with a cloth, leaving us unseen and unwatched. She was too distracted and left us on the roadside while she went to the restroom. “You stay here and don’t move. There are traffickers everywhere around here,” she warned. Once her footsteps faded, I gently woke the boy. “Do you want to go home?” I whispered. The little guy nodded, wide-eyed but silent. “Then follow me, and don’t cry. I’ll get us out of here. But if you make a sound, I’ll leave you behind.” I put on my toughest face, and we crawled out of the basket, sprinting into the crowd. I didn’t go to the police. I couldn’t trust anyone in this town—they could be working with the traffickers. I couldn’t take that risk. At the bus station, I scraped together the last dollar in my pocket and bought two tickets. Back then, you didn’t need an ID to ride a bus. The ticket clerk looked at us suspiciously, wondering why we didn’t have any adults with us. I squeezed Tommy’s hand tight and gave her my sweetest smile. “Ma’am, we’re going to the county to meet our mom. She’s waiting for us at the station.” Once we got to town, we didn’t have enough money to buy train tickets to the city. But we had to get to the city. So, I smudged dirt on my face and started begging. Tommy’s stomach growled loudly. He was hungry, but he never asked for food, just stared longingly. I was starving too, but I forced myself to endure it. “We’re almost home.” When we couldn’t take it anymore, we dug through trash cans for scraps. After gathering enough for the tickets, I slipped behind a woman and pretended to be her child to get on the train. But just as we stepped onto the platform, the train doors still open, I heard a commotion behind us. Martha, that vile woman, pointed right at us, screaming, “That’s my boy! He’s gone! My boy’s missing!” She rushed toward us, trying to drag us off the train. Others jumped in, trying to push us toward her. “Kids shouldn’t be wandering around. Go home with your mom.” My heart pounded. Were we really not going to make it? Images of Michael slashing his wrists with our family portrait in his arms flashed through my mind. I fought back with everything I had, biting the woman’s hand and clinging to the seat. “You’re lying! You’re not my mom! Help! She’s a trafficker!” Martha let out a scream and slapped me hard across the face, the sound echoing through the train car. Her accomplice kicked me in the side. “How dare you bite your own mother?” I curled up in pain, but no one around us seemed to care. They just watched indifferently. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a girl stand up to help, but her mother yanked her back, whispering, “Stay out of it. It’s their family business.” My head spun, and Martha yanked my hair. “What do we do with her?” her accomplice asked. Suddenly, a small body threw itself over me. Tommy, barely able to speak, cried out, “No! You can’t take my sister!” Martha’s face softened instantly as she scooped him up. “Come on, my precious boy. Let’s go home.” The taste of blood filled my mouth, jolting my senses awake. I gathered all my strength and shouted, “You don’t even know our names! My mom loves me—she’d never hit me like that! You’re lying!” All eyes turned toward us. A few passengers stood up and blocked the exit. “Could she really be a trafficker?” one of them muttered. Martha’s eyes darted around nervously, and she backed up a few steps, stammering, “The girl’s from my husband’s first marriage. She’s always been slow in the head and runs away a lot.” In those days, it wasn’t uncommon for stepmothers to mistreat their stepchildren. Her explanation seemed to satisfy most of the onlookers. Just when I thought no one else would help, a voice rang out. “Ma’am, if that’s your son, why didn’t you notice he’s having an asthma attack?” “I’m a doctor.” A man in a suit stepped forward, his voice steady and firm. “You’re suffocating him. I doubt you’re really their mother.” 　Sure enough, when Tommy was pulled out of the woman’s arms, his face was flushed red, his chest heaving, and his mouth slightly open, clearly struggling to breathe. Martha and her accomplice tried to make a scene, but the conductor quickly had them thrown off the train. We were saved. Once the train finally started moving again, I let out a shaky breath. “Don’t worry,” the man said as he opened his medical kit and began treating Tommy. “He’ll be fine.” A kind conductor moved me to an empty seat and asked if I was hurt. I shook my head. The bruises and bite marks on me weren’t just from defending myself—they were a symbol of my fight for survival, my fight to take control of my fate. “Do you know where your home is, sweetheart?” he asked gently. “I do,” I nodded. How could I not know? It’s the place I thought about every single day. Even in my last life, when my mind was no longer clear, even in death, I remembered home. But back then, it was too late. By the time I returned, Mom and Dad were gone, and I had to watch Michael die, powerless to stop it. Thank God, this time, I could finally return home. I turned my head to gaze out the window, and the tears I had held back finally fell. Mom, Dad… please, please be there when I get back. The man, Dr. Andrew, was a medical student who had just returned from studying abroad. He had stumbled into this crazy situation on his way home. When I asked why he had believed me, he simply smiled. “If I was wrong, I would’ve apologized.” “But if I was right,” he continued, “I would have saved not just you, but your whole future and your family’s as well. I became a doctor to help people, and this is just another way to do that.” “Thank you…” I murmured. When the train pulled into the station, Dr. Andrew stepped off with us. He was surprised to learn that we were both from Atlanta. I shook my head. “My home isn’t here, and I don’t know where this little boy’s home is either.” “Well, where are you headed? I can take you,” he offered. I hesitated, my feet slowing. I knew better than to trust anyone at this point. But Dr. Andrew seemed to sense my reluctance. He gently patted my head and pulled out his student ID from his bag. “Look, don’t worry. I’m just trying to help. I’d hate to see you two get lost again, because next time, I might not be around to help.” Dr. Andrew was in a rush, but he made sure we got to our destination safely. Before he left, he handed me a few chocolate bars with a warm smile. “Take care, little one. Stay safe.” As I looked up at his kind face, a mix of emotions swirled inside me. The world was broken in so many ways, but there were still people like him, stitching it back together. We made it to the police station in one piece. Since I could clearly provide my family’s address, they were able to register me right away. But Tommy was different. It seemed like he hadn’t even learned to speak properly yet. The only word he had managed to say was “sister.” Other than that, he was silent, his little head bowed as he gnawed on his fingers. Officer Kate, the kind policewoman handling our case, sighed deeply. “We’ve already figured out the details on the older one, but this little guy… what are we supposed to do with him?” Tommy’s big, watery eyes looked up at me as his small hand gripped the hem of my shirt tightly. “Sister?” Logic told me that I should focus on getting home, but the sight of Tommy’s worried little face tugged at my heart. I sighed and turned to Officer Kate. “Ma’am, could you please just take both of us home? If anyone finds out who he is, they can come to my house.” What was a little more time, anyway? We had come this far together. To help prevent more children from suffering at the hands of traffickers, I gave Officer Kate a detailed description of Ray and Martha. She looked at me in amazement. “You remember all of that so clearly?” “Because if I hadn’t,” I said quietly, clenching my fists, “I might never have seen my parents again.” Tommy and I headed back to my house together. Standing in front of the front door, still decorated with the worn-out family blessing sign, I suddenly felt a wave of hesitation. If I counted my past life, it had been twenty years since I had seen Mom and Dad. Summoning all my courage, I reached for the doorknob, but it didn’t budge. The door was locked, dust gathered on the frame. A neighbor soon explained that Mom, Dad, and Michael were likely out searching for me. According to Michael, Mom would stand on the street, holding my photo, asking every passerby she saw. Even when she lost her mind, she would still grab strangers and plead, “Have you seen my daughter? She has a round face, big eyes, she’s about this tall, and she’s really cute.” Dad had neglected his business, which had finally started to do well. His hair was turning white, falling out in clumps. He slept at the train station, terrified that I might come back one day and he wouldn’t be there. In the fourth year after I went missing, Mom couldn’t bear the pain any longer and passed away. By the following March, Dad lay on his deathbed, turning away from Michael, unable to look at him. His final words were, “You have to find your sister. Bring her home…” The night had fallen, but I couldn’t wait until morning. I didn’t stop for a second, making my way back to our old home in Greenridge Village. Years later, I often thanked my lucky stars that I made it back in time. The village roads were muddy, and by three or four in the morning, all the lights were out—except for one house. As I stepped off the bus, I heard the voice that still filled me with rage. “Matt, your brother says he found a lead that can bring Kaley home. It’ll cost $20,000, but in three days, we can have her back!” Dad sounded desperate. “Mom, I swear I’m not lying. If I had $20,000, I’d give it to you right now!” In those days, having that kind of money was a rarity. Where could he possibly get it? “Just sell the factory if you have to. Ask the neighbors for loans. You can gather the money somehow, can’t you?” Uncle Matt chimed in, pretending to be worried. “The longer Kaley stays missing, the more I worry. I’ve heard that some traffickers even break children’s legs…”

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I worked my butt off for this project proposal, and my boyfriend just handed it over to the new girl. Oppressed, suppressed—and I’ve become nothing but the stepping stone for their romance. If a tiger doesn’t roar, you really think I’m some cuddly little kitten? Anger level: 1000%. Fury level: 10,000%. Crazy level: Off the charts. Time to bring the pain. If we’re playing this game, I’m blowing everyone up. After a full month of overtime, my dark circles were worse than a raccoon’s, but I finally finished the project. I was ready to get promoted and maybe even a nice bonus. Ryan Mitchell, my boss-slash-boyfriend, called me into his office. “Claire, you’ve been doing great. Keep up the good work.” I nodded eagerly, waiting for the good part. …Nothing. I waited a little longer. Still nothing. “Is that it?” He blinked, as if remembering something. “Oh, right! I almost forgot the main thing.” I knew it. Verbal praise alone wasn’t enough. “These are the new project files. I want you to take charge and try to wrap it up in a month.” I looked at the stack of papers—at least six inches high—and felt sick to my stomach. “Weren’t you going to promote me after this project?” Ryan walked over, patted my shoulder, and gave me that condescending smile. “Claire, you’re still young, there will be lots of opportunities. This is just a small supervisor role. Knock out a few more projects, and I’ll personally push for your promotion to manager.” I wasn’t buying it. “So… who’s getting the promotion this time?” “Emma Johnson.” Emma? The new girl who’d only been here for six months? “Ryan, are you serious? You’re promoting her over me? Have you lost your mind?” He knew better than anyone how hard I’d worked for this promotion. Forget weekends—I practically split my day into eight parts to get everything done. “Ryan, you’d better give me an explanation, or this won’t end well for anyone.” Ryan’s face darkened. “Claire, this is work. I’m your boss. Just do as I say.” Then he softened his tone, trying to pacify me. “Claire, I’m your boyfriend. Would I ever harm you? I fought hard to get this project for you, and there’s plenty of credit to go around. Trust me, it’ll pay off. Be good.” I’d heard this spiel too many times. “Stop feeding me lies. I’m cutting carbs.” When I returned to my desk with the files, Emma was already soaking up the congratulations from the team. The moment she saw me, she rushed over to give me a hug. “Oh, Claire, I’m so sorry! I don’t know why the boss chose me. We all thought it would be you. You’re not mad, right?” “I’ll ask Ryan. Maybe there’s been a mistake.” I pushed her off with a fake smile. “Oh, please, don’t wait. Go ask him now.” Emma’s face changed, and she lowered her head, saying nothing. Not long after, she posted in our Slack channel, inviting everyone to dinner. And, just like that, the group chat lit up with congratulations. It was sickening. “Claire, you’re coming, right? Your support would mean the world to me. After all, if it weren’t for your help, I wouldn’t have gotten this opportunity.” “They say you’re clueless, can’t get anything right. But clearly, you’ve gotten pretty smart. At least you know you don’t deserve it.” “Emma, weren’t you going to ask the boss? What’s the hold-up? Turns out thanking me was just lip service.” I added a fake pout to my voice for good measure. Emma stood there, speechless, her face stiff with embarrassment. She’s been playing the sweet girl act for so long, she probably thought it worked on everyone. Predictable.

That night, Emma took the whole department out to dinner at The Capital Grille, where it’s $500 per head. She really went all out. Everyone was happy with the free food—except me, of course. “Claire, it’s over. Stop acting like the world owes you something.” I shot Ryan a glare. “There’s something wrong with my paycheck. I didn’t get my project bonus.” Ryan avoided eye contact, which sent a wave of unease through me. I grabbed his arm. “Where’s my $30k project bonus?” Ryan finally muttered, “The project’s Emma’s now, so the bonus goes to her.” No wonder she was feeling generous tonight. Fine, I could live without the promotion. No bonus? Okay, I’d even swallow that. But no promotion and no bonus? Hell no! Ryan, sensing my growing fury, leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Keep your cool. We’ll talk about this later.” I picked up my glass of red wine and tossed it in his face. “Keep your cool? Screw that. And screw you.” The room fell dead silent. All eyes were on us. Ryan gritted his teeth but forced a laugh. “Haha, no big deal, everyone. Claire just slipped. Enjoy your dinner.” Emma was quick to grab some napkins, rushing to dab the wine off Ryan’s face. “Claire, come on! You’re a grown woman. How are you still this clumsy?” I used to feel sorry for her—fresh out of school, baby-faced, always speaking so softly. I’d go out of my way to look after her. Turns out, I looked after her too well. She even took my boyfriend. With how cozy they were, no one would believe there wasn’t something going on between them. After Emma finished cleaning up Ryan, she turned to say something to me, but I beat her to it. “Don’t yell at me. I’ve been scared of dogs since I was little.” Ryan slammed his hand on the table and stood up, pointing at me. “Claire, enough! We’re here to celebrate Emma’s promotion. Don’t ruin this for everyone because of your attitude.” Amazing. Helping the other woman yell at his girlfriend. What a guy. They took my promotion, my bonus, and I was expected to sit there, swallowing my pride and toasting the people who robbed me. I’ve got feelings, too. And tonight, no one’s getting off easy. Especially Ryan and Emma. I swatted Ryan’s hand away. “Your happiness is none of my business.” Then I turned to Emma. “Don’t act like you earned this with skill. Whatever shady tricks you used to get it, just stay quiet and keep your head down. It’s disgusting.” Emma’s face turned red as she stammered. “Claire, I understand you’re upset about not getting the promotion, but you’ve misunderstood. I don’t blame you.” Then, as expected, the tears started falling. The classic “poor me” look. The men at the table immediately started defending her. “Claire, you’re out of line. Emma’s been nothing but great. The company must have had a good reason for promoting her.” Emma knew exactly how to play them. The guys ate up her “sweet girl” act, calling her “little sis” and everything. “Oh yeah, you’re so generous. Maybe next time you’ll give her credit for the projects you complete. Last month, you got a $20k bonus, right? Transfer it. Let me learn a thing or two about generosity.” I stood up on my chair, towering over him, holding his phone out. He stood there, frozen, not saying a word. “What did you drink tonight? Windshield fluid? Stop with the cold takes. Use your brain before opening your mouth.” I turned to another male coworker who had been running his mouth. “I get that you’re straightforward, but that doesn’t mean you should talk out of your ass.” Ryan tried to step in, using his “boss” voice. “Claire, I’m ordering you to apologize to Emma. Now.” I’d been too busy with deadlines to put Ryan in his place lately. “I’m not a customer service rep, Ryan. I don’t apologize for things that aren’t my fault.” At that, Emma’s tears came down harder. She sobbed out, “I’m sorry, Claire… I didn’t mean to upset anyone… It’s all my fault.” I couldn’t help but poke at her more. “Exactly. It’s all your fault.” “If you don’t want to eat, Claire, you can leave,” Ryan said. Who said I wasn’t eating? The food’s free, so why not? I called over the waiter and ordered more dishes. The way he glanced at us told me he knew something was up. After all, at this table, we had people with clenched jaws, others hiding tears, and me with a grin I couldn’t suppress. I’d pissed off so many people at this dinner. Sorry, not sorry. I’ll do it again next time. You know, I might not make everyone happy, but I can definitely make sure everyone is equally pissed off.

After blowing up at the dinner, I felt amazing. That night, I slept like a baby. The next morning, I even took the time to put on some makeup before heading into work. I’d barely sat down when Ryan called me into his office. “Why didn’t you pick up my calls last night?” I flopped onto his couch lazily. “I don’t like hearing dogs bark.” “Claire, you’re really going to make such a big deal out of this?” A big deal?! This man was still calling it a “small thing”? And to think, this guy was my boyfriend. My mistake, clearly. I stood up, walked right up to Ryan, and slapped him across the face. His shock barely registered before I yanked his hair down, forcing him to bend over in pain. I took the opportunity to kick him in the stomach. “A small thing? I’ve been busting my ass working overtime every day, not for money, but what, to earn some good karma? You handed my bonus to some other woman, and you have the nerve to call it a small thing?” I let go of him, but not before giving him one last kick to the gut. Ryan winced, fury in his eyes. “Claire, we’re done.” “Oh, don’t get it twisted,” I sneered. “I’m dumping you. You and Emma have been screwing each other behind my back, haven’t you? You two deserve each other—garbage belongs with garbage. Moonlighting as a cupid now, huh?” Ryan straightened himself, dusting off his shirt, trying to keep his cool. “I’ve been done with you for a long time. You’re all work, no femininity. All you care about is the job.” “Please, Ryan. You’re a bottom-feeder who thinks he’s a king just because he’s splashing around in some shallow water. Do you think you’re worthy of calling me out?” I rolled up my sleeves. Today, I wasn’t just talking. “Ryan, you’ve always been a punching bag. I’m just here to finish the job.” We started brawling right there in the office. Sure, he had the upper hand physically, but I had claws—long nails and a sharp bite—and I wasn’t afraid to use them. I clawed at his face, pulled his hair, even bit him when I had the chance. It was a full-on spectacle, and soon enough, the noise had attracted our coworkers. Emma was the first to burst in. She gasped when she saw the scratches and blood on Ryan’s face and neck. She rushed to stand between us, arms spread wide like a human shield. “Claire, if you’re angry, take it out on me. Don’t hurt Ryan, he’s just following the rules!” She was so noble, wasn’t she? Well, if she wanted the heat, fine. I was ready to take it out on her. But before I could lay into Emma, a close coworker of mine pulled me aside. “Claire, you’ve already hit him and said what you needed to say. If you keep going, you’re the one who’s going to get hurt in the end. You can see Ryan’s just setting everything up for his new girl.” I glared at her, confused. I had thought Ryan and I had kept our relationship on the down-low. How could she know about this? “Oh, everyone knows,” she said with a knowing sigh. “But the way he’s setting things up for Emma? It’s so obvious he’s paving the way for her.” “When did you find out about the two of them?” I asked, my confusion turning to curiosity. She looked at me like I was an idiot. “They’ve been flaunting it all over Instagram Stories for the past month! Don’t tell me you didn’t know.” Well. That was nice to hear. I, the official girlfriend, had found out just yesterday. Right now, I felt like I could morph into King Kong and slap the hell out of both of them.

A coworker and I opened Instagram on our phones, pulling up Emma’s profile. On my screen, I only saw two posts. One from last month with a caption about working late, and one from yesterday—an announcement of her promotion, with a thank you to the company and her colleagues. But on my coworker’s screen, there were at least a dozen posts. Caption: Someone told me we should eat somewhere romantic. Photo: A dimly lit French restaurant, looking all too fancy. The date? I had been stuck in the office finishing a proposal that night. I’d even suggested that place to Ryan once, but he said it was overpriced and not worth it. Instead, we’d ended up eating cheap hotpot from a place down the street. Caption: Collecting every little spark of happiness. Photo: Emma and Ryan at an art gallery, doing a heart gesture with their hands. It was just his hand in the photo, but that watch on his wrist? I’d bought it for him. And the date? I’d been at the office revising that very same proposal, the one Ryan said wasn’t good enough yet. Caption: I saw it and he bought it for me immediately. Photo: The newest iPhone, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 1TB, in Sierra Blue. And the date? The day after I’d given that exact phone to Ryan. He had hinted that his old phone was broken but said he couldn’t afford a new one. Being the good girlfriend I was, I used my hard-earned paycheck to buy him the best. I’d noticed later that he wasn’t using it. When I asked, he said it had been stolen, and he felt terrible about it. I’d even planned to buy him a replacement with my next bonus. Twenty-five years of life, and only now am I realizing how low my IQ must be. Ladies, listen up: spending money on a man is a surefire way to curse yourself for eight generations. As I scrolled through the posts, my fists clenched so hard I thought they might break. At that moment, I wished I could sprout eight arms like an octopus and slap both Ryan and Emma in one go. Just as I was imagining it, Emma returned to her desk. Our eyes met, and she gave me a look as if she were the one wronged. I used to think she was cute, but now, she looked like a rotten grape—full of toxic juice. And that shiny iPhone sitting on her desk? The one I bought with my own money? My. Damn. Money. That’s it. I’m done.

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I’m a psychic, but I was arrested by the police because I looked exactly like a wanted fugitive on a poster. To prove my identity, I did a fortune telling for the police officer. “Officer, your first love was at 18, you dated for two years, but in the end your girlfriend got together with your best friend at the time. Am I right?” Lucas James flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Shut up!” I pointed at the wanted poster on the telephone pole. “Wanted for telecom fraud… Oh my god, why does this person look so much like me?!” As soon as I said that, the gazes of several onlookers around me fell squarely on my face. The next second, a passerby dialed a number: “Hello, 911? I have a tip for you…” Only then did I realize the seriousness of the situation and tried to explain. “You’ve got it all wrong. This person on the poster is definitely not me. I’m a psychic. I’ve been studying the mystical arts in the mountains and today is my first time out!” The passersby gave me looks of disdain. “Can’t make it as a scammer anymore, so now you’re pretending to be a psychic to con people?” “Young lady, couldn’t you find something better to do than this?” “Everyone keep an eye on her, don’t let her run away. Wait for the police to come deal with her!” I was at a loss for words. To prove my identity, I could only point to the few people in the crowd who had been yelling at me the loudest. “Your father is 75 this year and is insisting on getting you a young stepmother. Your family has been arguing non-stop about this for the past few days…” “Your luck has been terrible lately. Think carefully about what bad deeds you’ve done recently. Once you resolve that, your luck will naturally return!” “And you, have you been feeling low on energy lately, with back and waist pain? Your mother-in-law passed away not long ago. She suffered abuse from you before she died, and now she’s perched on your back watching you!” “Do you believe my identity now?” There was dead silence all around. The first two men who had been pointed out looked at each other, their expressions sheepish. The middle-aged woman who was pointed out last held back for a long time, then suddenly burst into tears. “Psychic, I know I was wrong. Please save me!”

This was the scene the police saw when they arrived. “Psychic, can you tell me when my son will be able to get married?” “Psychic, will I be able to get into grad school this year?” “Psychic, can I get your contact info?” A tall, handsome police officer made his way to the front of the crowd and showed his badge. I saw the name clearly – Lucas James. “Hello, you’re suspected of involvement in a telecom fraud case and… promoting superstition. Please come with us.” Despite my efforts to explain that this was just a coincidence and I had no idea why I looked identical to the person on the wanted poster, I was still taken to the police station.

“Name?” “Willow Winters, a psychic.” Lucas James looked up at me, his expression somewhat impatient. “Age?” “266 years old.” Lucas James could no longer contain himself. He frowned and glared at me. “This is a police station. Please be serious and cooperate with our work!” I suddenly remembered that before I left, my master had stuffed an ID card into my small bag. I quickly took it out and handed it to him… After a round of questioning and information gathering, a young police officer handed several reports to Lucas James. “Captain, the fingerprints, blood type, and height don’t match at all. We seem to have arrested the wrong person…” Thank goodness, I was finally cleared of suspicion. “Captain James, can I go now?” Lucas James quickly denied my request. “No, although you’ve been cleared of the telecom fraud suspicion, I personally witnessed you promoting superstition, so I’ve decided you need to undergo some education and training.” I couldn’t stand this injustice. I took out a small booklet from my bag and slapped it down in front of him. “Look here, this is my certified psychic credential. How is that promoting superstition? Do you want me to do a reading for you too?” “Your first love was at 18, you dated for two years, but in the end your girlfriend…” Before I could finish, Lucas James angrily cut me off, his face red with embarrassment. “Enough! If you really have ability, why don’t you tell me where that fugitive who looks like you is right now?” I drew a tarot card. “She’s already left the city. You won’t find her on the roads. You might want to check the waterways…” Lucas James frowned and whispered to the police officer next to him: “Go check it out…”

Leaving the police station, I wore my mask properly this time to avoid being mistaken for the fugitive again. I took a taxi, planning to find a place to stay first. “To a hotel.” I sat in the back of the taxi and looked up, making eye contact with the driver in the rearview mirror. I immediately noticed something was off. The driver’s eyes were lifeless, his forehead dark, and he spoke with a weak, listless voice. All these signs indicated he was plagued by bad luck and likely to encounter misfortune soon. After arriving at the destination, I took out a protective charm and placed it by his hand. “Sir, you may encounter bad luck in the coming days. If you face danger, just hold this charm and it will keep you safe.” “Get lost, you scammer! Say one more word and I’ll beat you up!” The driver thought I was cursing him. His face turned black as if he was about to hit me. After chasing me out of the car, he drove away.

At my destination, I first called my master to report that I was safe, then walked around the area near the hotel. After learning about the prices in the city, I let out a deep sigh. With the little money I had, I’d be sleeping on the streets in less than 10 days. I needed to start making money fast! Said and done, I found a random street corner to sit down on. I took out my crystal ball, tarot cards, and wand from my bag, and placed a torn cardboard sign in front of me. It had a few large words written on it – Fortune Telling, $100 per reading. The sky was getting a bit dark, and most passersby hurried by without stopping. Occasionally someone would pause, but they just pointed and stared. So I simply closed my eyes to rest and wait for a destined customer to arrive. I don’t know how much time passed before I sensed two people stop in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes. “Greetings, destined ones. Would you like…” Before I could finish, the person in front impatiently cut me off. “Don’t you know begging isn’t allowed here? That’s a $200 fine, and we’re confiscating all this stuff…” This wouldn’t do! The $200 fine was bad enough for my already tight finances, but the items in my bag were magical tools passed down by my master. I couldn’t just let anyone take them! In desperation, I blurted out: “Do you know who I am?! I know Lucas James. My phone’s dead, but call him and tell him to come pick me up!” “Oh, and tell him I’m the psychic!” I took a chance, and it seemed Lucas James was quite well-known. The officer who had just been so aggressive hesitated for a moment, then actually went aside to make a phone call. After hanging up, the officer’s attitude towards me softened considerably. I sensed an opportunity! Not long after, Lucas James appeared in my line of sight, wearing plain clothes. The two officers immediately put on fawning expressions. The speed of their change in attitude left me dumbfounded. Lucas James said something to the two officers, and they left without confiscating my things. I was so moved that I decided to use what little money I had left to treat him to a meal as thanks. Lucas James declined. “No need, I have something to do later. Begging is strictly prohibited on this street now. Don’t set up shop here again.” He then took out a business card from his jacket, handed it to me, and left. “My number’s on here. You can contact me if anything comes up.” I nodded vigorously while clutching the card. Look at that, Lucas James really does help when there’s trouble, as expected of a police officer!

I lay on the hotel bed and video called my master for advice. “Master, times have changed. They don’t allow fortune telling on the streets anymore. Maybe I should just go back. In a few days I won’t even have money for the return trip!” My master, ever the internet savvy one, quickly came up with an idea. “Why don’t you do live streaming fortune telling? I see those pretty female streamers on TikTok get tons of viewers every time they go live. Their top fans shower them with gifts too. It’s super lucrative!” I pondered for a moment and realized this wasn’t a bad idea. Given that I currently look like a wanted fugitive, it’s not suitable for me to appear in public often. If I stream fortune telling online, I can use a filter to cover my face, which would avoid a lot of unnecessary misunderstandings. The next day, I downloaded a live streaming app and registered an account. Username: Psychic Willow. I set up my phone, chose a dog face filter to cover my face, and officially started streaming. After several minutes, a few people finally trickled into the live room. [Is this a new streamer? Why aren’t you showing your face?] [Streamer, show your face and I’ll send you gifts!] [Oh, the streamer is actually doing fortune telling. If you want to get popular, I suggest changing to a different category. The dance section has higher viewership, you could try that…] I looked at the comments floating across the phone screen and replied one by one. “The streamer can’t show her face for some special reasons. Please don’t mind.” “Thank you for your suggestion, but I’m a real psychic.” “If you want a fortune telling, you can ask me. One ‘Cupid’s Heart’ gift for one reading.” [You’re lying, right? Scammers these days are really keeping up with the times…] [I haven’t seen this type of live stream before, it’s kind of interesting…] [One Cupid’s Heart costs $100, that’s way too expensive for a fortune telling. Whether it’s a scam or not, I’m out.] After a few minutes, more people gradually joined the live room. But obviously they were all just here to watch the show. Not a single person was willing to spend $100 to try it out. I wasn’t in a hurry. I casually chatted with the viewers in the comments. Suddenly, one comment caught the attention of all the viewers in the live room. [Everyone quick, look at the news from New York just now. Could the psychic the taxi driver is talking about be this streamer?!] [Wow! The streamer’s IP address is in New York too!] [The news wouldn’t lie! Is the streamer really that amazing?] [I just saw it too! The streamer is actually legit!] Curiously, I found the news article the viewers were talking about and clicked on it. “A car accident occurred at the intersection of New East Street in New York City tonight. It was caused by a taxi driver falling asleep at the wheel. The vehicle was severely damaged, but miraculously, the driver emerged completely unharmed. Here’s the detailed report…” In the video, a reporter holding a microphone was conducting an interview. “How do you feel after this brush with death?” A middle-aged man, holding a half-burned protective charm, spoke excitedly and incoherently. “The psychic saved me! Thank you, psychic! I met a real miracle worker!” The accident scene in the video looked extremely gruesome. It seemed impossible that anyone could have survived. Yet the person involved was giving an interview completely unharmed. This middle-aged man was the taxi driver I had ridden with that afternoon. It seems the protective charm I left him really did save his life in a critical moment. Everything was within my expectations, but the viewers in the live room went wild. Suddenly, a fancy special effect appeared on the screen – someone had sent a Cupid’s Heart gift! A user named “Heartbroken Cilantro” posted a comment. [Streamer, I just sent the Cupid’s Heart. Can you do a reading for me?] I directly invited Heartbroken Cilantro to join a video call. Soon, a young woman in her early 20s appeared on the screen. “Hello Heartbroken Cilantro, thank you for trusting me. What would you like me to read for you?” Heartbroken Cilantro looked like she was outdoors. Her eyes were red, as if she had just been crying. “Hi streamer, I sent you my birth time in a private message. Can you take a look at my fortune for the year?” I found her private message and began the reading. “You must have grown up pampered by your parents…” Hearing this, Heartbroken Cilantro’s expression turned disappointed. “Forget it, you really are a fraud…” She was about to end the call. I quickly stopped her. “Wait, I haven’t finished… Although this seems to be your fate, from what I can tell this destiny was only valid until you were 8 years old. After that…” Heartbroken Cilantro paused, stopping her action. I hurriedly continued. “After you turned 8, your relationship with your parents suddenly broke down. They either beat or scolded you. After graduating, you chose to work far away from home to escape the trauma from your original family. But reality hasn’t been as you wished, am I right?” Having her innermost thoughts exposed, Heartbroken Cilantro silently began to cry. “Streamer, you’re right.” She had once felt the warmth of family, but her mother’s parents were very superstitious. When she was 8, they found an unreliable psychic to do a reading for her. The psychic said she would harm her parents and declared that she would definitely cause her parents’ death when she turned 25. From then on, her relationship with her parents became more and more distant. Even worse, whenever anything unpleasant happened in the family, they would blame it on her, feeling that what the psychic said back then was starting to come true. Starting from age 12, countless beatings and scoldings made her increasingly want to escape this family. When she became an adult, she gave up her studies and went to work in another city. Although her parents often asked her for money, she still felt life had become a little better. A few years ago, after her parents had another child, a little brother, they simply treated her as if she had never existed as their daughter, apart from regularly asking her for money every month. Now, she was 24 years old. In less than a week, it would be her 25th birthday. To avoid being killed by her, her parents decided to completely sever ties with her and never contact her again. She had thoroughly become an orphan that no one wanted. At this point, Heartbroken Cilantro completely broke down. “Streamer, do you know how I’ve endured all these years just because of a casual remark from psychics like you!” “Is it only if I die that they can finally feel at ease!” She cried hysterically, her phone shaking along with her emotions. I wiped my crystal ball and divined her current location, getting a shock. She was standing on the edge of a rooftop at that moment. If her emotions remained this agitated, she could easily fall off with one misstep! With a life at stake, I quickly sent a message to Lucas James on my backup phone, then hurried to comfort her while buying time for Lucas to come to the rescue. “Don’t be sad, your life isn’t just about them. I’ve divined that in the near future, you’ll have a happy and fulfilling family. You’ll have a husband who loves you wholeheartedly, give birth to adorable twins, and have in-laws who treat you like their own daughter. Your good days are yet to come!”

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Ethan Parker and I have been together for ten years, but he still hasn’t decided to marry me. I couldn’t help but ask him if he ever planned to. He responded calmly, as if it were a routine conversation, dodging the question. I looked down at my phone, at the photos. His new secretary was wearing the Tiffany & Co. engagement ring, the one everyone calls the “True Love” ring, and the custom Vera Wang wedding dress—one of a kind in the world. She was smiling, snuggled up in his arms, while he gazed at her with a tenderness I hadn’t seen in years. Suddenly, I no longer wanted a future with him. The new secretary was an outgoing, bubbly girl. After work, she smiled at me and said, “Is Ethan coming to pick you up today, Emily? You two are such relationship goals—ten years together and still as sweet as ever.” Ashley Taylor, always snarky, let out a dry laugh and mocked me, “Ten years together and still no marriage? It’s pretty obvious he doesn’t plan on marrying you. Calling that love is just pathetic.” My friend, Sarah Mitchell, fired back, annoyed, “Clearly, you don’t know that Ethan just bought her that ‘True Love’ ring from Tiffany last month. And word at Parker Holdings is that he had a custom Vera Wang wedding dress made for her a year ago.” Ashley’s face turned sour, and just before she left, she spat out, “Well, let’s see if that really happens.” Sarah wanted to argue more, but I stopped her with a quiet, “Let it go.” But Ashley wasn’t wrong. It felt like Ethan really didn’t plan on marrying me. When I walked out of the office, I realized it had started snowing. The cold wind cut through my scarf and chilled me to the bone. I looked around, but I didn’t see his familiar black Porsche. I checked my phone. His messages, once flooding my screen with notifications, had dwindled to just a few formal ones. “Working late. Take a cab home.” I took a deep breath and called him back. It took several seconds before he finally picked up. “Hello? What’s up?” His voice sounded hoarse, strange. In the background, I heard a faint giggle—quickly hushed, as if someone was being warned. I pretended not to notice. “What are you doing?” I could hear the sound of clothes rustling before Ethan replied, irritation creeping into his tone. “I’m at work. If there’s nothing else, I’m gonna hang up.” “Wait,” I interrupted him. “Do you remember what today is? It’s our 10-Year Anniversary.” Silence followed on the other end. Before he could make excuses, I pressed on. “Come pick me up. I’m waiting for you at the office.” I hung up before he could refuse.

While waiting for Ethan, I watched as the new secretary waved goodbye, turning to rush into the arms of the boyfriend she always complained about. His cheeks were red from the cold, but he still smiled as he handed her a roasted sweet potato. She told me once that they didn’t have much money, but love—love doesn’t care about wealth. I remembered the lean years when Ethan and I were at our happiest. Back then, when he came to pick me up, he’d always bring me little treats—sometimes candy apples, sometimes hot dogs. I used to tease him for wasting money, but he’d just grin and say, “I saw these and thought of you. I just want you to enjoy your favorite things every day.” I rode on the back of his bike then, and even when we were broke and I had a rough day at work, I still felt so happy. Now, as Ethan’s cars got more expensive, he’d stopped bringing me anything at all. Maybe he’d forgotten. Or maybe he just didn’t care anymore. From Parker Holdings to my office, it should’ve only been a 10-minute drive. But I waited for two hours in the freezing wind. When he finally arrived and saw me waiting by the door, his first words were annoyed, his brow furrowed with frustration. “It’s freezing. Why didn’t you wait inside? What are you doing out here?” Was he worried about me? Or just upset that I’d interrupted whatever he was doing? I couldn’t tell anymore. “I just thought you’d be here sooner,” I said calmly. He froze for a second, eyes darting away with a hint of guilt before muttering, “Sorry, there was traffic. It won’t happen again.” He reached out, opening his coat, trying to pull me close. I stopped him with a raised hand. The moment he approached, I caught the scent—strange body wash mixed with sweet, cloying perfume. “Let’s just get in the car,” I said quietly. “It’s too cold out here.” I didn’t react to his hesitation, turning and slipping into the passenger seat.

When Ethan got into the car, he handed me a small box. Inside was a ruby necklace, the one he’d won at last month’s auction, along with that infamous engagement ring. “Here. Don’t be mad. I’ve had this gift ready for a while. I’ve just been so busy lately, I forgot to give it to you.” He spoke like he was pacifying a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. “Let’s eat out for our anniversary this year,” I said flatly. In the past, he’d always prepared a home-cooked meal, especially during those early years when we had very little. No matter what, he’d make sure we had a proper anniversary dinner. Staring straight ahead, he started the car, casually responding, “Sure. Where do you want to go?” He agreed too quickly—probably eager to free up more time to spend with her. “How about Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria?” The car skidded slightly. I pretended not to notice his fingers tense on the steering wheel. “It’s snowing. The roads are slippery. Drive slow,” I said. “Yeah,” he replied, trying to sound calm. Then, almost too casually, he asked, “Why there?” “The new secretary recommended it. She says it’s her favorite. Why? Is there a problem?” I asked with feigned innocence. Ethan let out a barely audible sigh of relief. “No, no problem.” The rest of the drive was quiet. I knew what was making him nervous. She was young, and she loved pizza and iced coffee. Lou Malnati’s was one of her go-to places. I’d seen it on her Facebook posts more times than I could count. In those photos, I could always make out a faint reflection in the restaurant’s window—a silhouette of a man I knew too well, someone who had been by my side through so many years. When we arrived, the place was packed, but the owner greeted Ethan warmly. When he saw me, his smile faltered for just a moment before becoming overly cheerful again. “Do you come here often?” I asked. He explained smoothly, “Some clients prefer a more casual setting for meetings.” I couldn’t help but be impressed. Business had clearly taught him how to keep his composure. If I didn’t know him so well, I might’ve missed the subtle guilt behind his calm demeanor. The waiter led us to a private booth, each room in the restaurant uniquely themed. This booth was where Jessica liked to take her photos. Ethan ordered the half BBQ chicken and half smoked ribs combo. But a mix-up happened, and they brought us the wrong dish—a spicy BBQ platter. Ethan’s face darkened, and he quickly had them change it to the one we ordered, glancing at me nervously. When he saw that I wasn’t reacting, he seemed to relax. Ethan had never been able to handle spicy food, and I always remembered to order something mild for him. In Jessica’s photos, though, every plate was drenched in spicy sauce. I remembered one of her captions: “He can’t handle spicy food, but he still came with me anyway. #TrueLove.” “I heard you recently bought a ‘True Love’ engagement ring and had a wedding dress custom-made a year ago. Are those for me?” I asked abruptly. Ethan flinched, dropping shrimp into my half of the platter by accident. “No, a client requested those,” he said, calling the waiter for another order of shrimp. I forced a weak smile, and though I could barely hold it together, I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Ethan, are you ever going to marry me?” He didn’t even look up, answering like it was a formality, “Of course. I promised you, didn’t I?” He poured me a drink, clearly trying to soothe me, sensing my mood. “Emily, don’t overthink it. Weddings take a lot of planning. I want it to be perfect—it’s something you only get to do once in a lifetime.” I stayed quiet, looking down at my phone, where Jessica had sent me photos just a few hours earlier. She was wearing the Tiffany engagement ring, the custom Vera Wang wedding dress, smiling up at him, while he gazed lovingly back at her. Ethan had said those exact same words to me years ago, back when he had nothing. His friends told him to marry me quickly so I wouldn’t leave him for someone better. He’d refused, saying I deserved more. He promised me a wedding that would make every woman in the world jealous. But now, I knew—he wasn’t going to marry me. I pulled up the photos and placed my phone in front of him. “Was your ‘client’ your secretary?” I thought the evidence would make him panic, that he’d finally admit to everything. But instead, he lit a cigarette, took several long drags, and finally muttered, “Jessica’s boyfriend died in a car accident. She said I remind her of him, so she asked me to take a photo with her. To give her closure.” “There’s nothing going on between us.” His words hit me like a punch to the gut. My eyes stung as the pain pierced through me. “Ethan, if you really loved someone, you’d notice the smallest changes in them.” “I’ve known for a while now that the person going to Lou Malnati’s with Jessica was you. Every time you came home, I could smell the barbecue sauce on you.” “And you always smell like her perfume.” Ethan sniffed his sleeve, his face growing pale. “You used to never smoke around me.” He stared at me, stunned, before quickly putting out his cigarette. Panic crept into his voice as he reached for me. “Emily, let me explain—” “Let me finish.” I cut him off, my voice steady. “I’ve been to this restaurant before. I tracked down the booth from her Facebook posts, and I asked the owner if I could reserve it.” He had laughed and told me that the booth was always kept for a special guest. The man’s girlfriend loved this spot because of the view of the river. He didn’t want her to be disappointed if she couldn’t sit here on their next visit. “Oh, and by the way, I’m allergic to shrimp.” I picked up a piece of shrimp from the spicy platter, lifting my drink. “Mango juice too.” “You’ve been mistaking me for her, haven’t you?” Ethan’s face went ghostly white. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. Tears finally spilled from my eyes as I let my voice break. “Do you really think I didn’t know what you were doing during those two hours I waited for you?” Ethan’s eyes widened, a flash of guilt crossing his face as he pulled me into his arms, begging. “I’m sorry, Emily. I’m so sorry. I’ll fire her. I’ll never let her come near us again. Just please forgive me this time.” “No.” I shoved him away, screaming, “Ethan, I’ve already forgiven you once!”

Ethan had forgotten, or maybe he chose to forget. Five years ago, during one of our usual conversations, he kept bringing up his female investor. He told me how much she had helped him, how much she believed in him. I ended up confronting him about it, and we had a huge fight. I even suggested breaking up. He panicked that night. I remember him running to her house, begging her to come over and explain everything to me. “She’s married, Emily. She has a kid. Her husband is way more successful than me. You have nothing to worry about,” he said. “Please, don’t break up with me. I’m terrified of losing you.” Back then, Ethan held me so tightly, scared that I’d walk away. What I hadn’t understood at the time was the strange, knowing smile that woman gave me before she left. Now I realize that Ethan was testing me—seeing how far he could push, seeing if I would tolerate it. If I didn’t care or chose to overlook it because I loved him, then it would have given him a green light to cheat, to go on with his life, playing around with other women. After that incident, he never mentioned another woman. So, I decided to give him another chance. Until Jessica came along. He let her post pictures of them together, wearing wedding rings and even wedding dresses. He allowed her to provoke me, to flaunt their affair. Taking a deep breath, I let out a bitter laugh. “Ethan, do you think that I can’t live without you? Is that why you treat me like this—because you think I’ll just put up with anything?” “I won’t lie, the sunk cost is huge. Ten years is a long time. I’m deeply invested in this. But no one is truly irreplaceable. I told you when we almost broke up before—if you can’t clean up your mess, I’ll take care of it for you.” Ethan broke down, tears streaming down his face. He dropped to his knees, clutching my hands tightly. “Emily, I made a mistake. I was stupid. I know I messed up, but I swear, this is the last time. You know how hard it’s been for us. We’ve been through so much together. I was distracted by something new, but I promise it won’t happen again.”

The last ten years had been a struggle for both of us. Neither Ethan nor I came from wealth. Ethan was an orphan, and my parents had remarried, leaving me with no one to rely on but my grandfather. We had been competitors since high school, always battling for the top spot in our class. People thought we were rivals, but no one knew that Ethan would leave a carton of milk on my desk every morning, or that he’d quietly follow me home after night classes, making sure I was safe. I still remember that one year when a guy from the nearby community college tried to harass me. Ethan didn’t hesitate for a second before jumping in, fighting him off like his life depended on it, leaving both of them bloody. After that, no one ever bothered me again. People knew Ethan was not someone to mess with. After we graduated high school, we naturally became a couple. And after college, we refused to settle. We were determined to make it in Chicago, this expensive, cutthroat city. We lived in a damp, cramped basement apartment and survived on ramen noodles. Ethan’s first year of business was brutal. He lost a huge chunk of money. To pay off debts, he worked three different jobs. We lived frugally, cutting back on everything. I remember a rich guy hit on me, tried to pull me away from Ethan. Ethan was so upset he told me we should break up. “What’s the point of staying with me? All I’ve done is make you suffer. You should be with someone who can give you more.” But I was stubborn. I loved him, and I refused to leave. He broke down in my arms, shaking, apologizing over and over, promising that one day he’d make sure I had a good life. Eventually, his company started to take off. When he earned his first real money, the first thing he did was take me out to buy a one-carat diamond ring. He held my hand and laughed, telling me that one day, he’d buy me an even bigger one. Now, thinking back on it, it all seems so painfully ironic. I shoved him away, tears streaming down my face. “We’ve been together for ten years, Ethan. Ten years. And this is how you repay me?” My fists pounded against his chest, my emotions overwhelming me. He took the hits without a word, just standing there, absorbing my pain. Then Jessica’s call broke the moment. I watched as Ethan’s expression darkened when he saw her name on the screen. He ignored the first call, but she called again—this time more persistent. His face grew stormy as he reached to turn off his phone. I coldly said, “Go ahead. Answer it. It could be important.” Reluctantly, Ethan put the phone on speaker. Jessica’s trembling voice filled the air. “Ethan, I’m at the bar bathroom. Some guy’s been harassing me. Can you come get me?” Ethan swore under his breath, his words sharp and cold. “What does that have to do with me? Don’t forget your place, Jessica. Starting tomorrow, you’re fired. And don’t show up in front of me ever again, or I’ll make sure you regret it.” I heard Jessica gasp, her voice choking up. “What? What are you saying? You love me, don’t you? You said you’d marry me…” “Shut up!” Ethan growled. “I’m only marrying Emily. I lied to you, Jessica. I never loved you. You were just a distraction.” There was a sharp, bitter laugh on the other end. Jessica’s voice turned venomous. “Ethan, I’m pregnant. You have thirty minutes. If you don’t show up, I’ll make sure you never see this child.” Before Ethan could respond, the call ended. Ethan stood frozen, staring at his phone, his knuckles white as he gripped it tightly. It took him several seconds to speak, and when he did, his voice was soft and pleading. “Emily…” I looked at him, my voice cold. “Are you really going to leave me to go to her?” Ethan hesitated, torn. Finally, he muttered, “It’s a life, Emily. I can’t just…” He was waiting for my permission, for me to tell him it was okay to go so he wouldn’t have to feel guilty. I didn’t say anything, just watched him as the seconds ticked by. Eventually, he stood up. “I’ll just go check on her, and then I’ll come back. You understand, right? I’ll be right back.” He didn’t wait for my answer. He rushed to the door, grabbing his phone and dialing Jessica as he walked out. As his footsteps faded down the hall, I let out a soft laugh. “Ethan, I had a secret to tell you today, too. But now, it doesn’t matter.” He was already gone, too busy to hear me. I wiped away my tears, methodically, pulling out a handkerchief from my purse. From a young age, I learned that tears were a powerful weapon—especially when they were perfectly timed. Growing up with my grandfather, kids from the neighborhood always called me an orphan, a throwaway. I’d smile through it and fight them back with my fists. But when the teachers arrived, I cried like an innocent little girl, the kind that no one could scold. Even Ethan didn’t know that I’ve always had my own way of getting even. I didn’t need anyone to fight my battles for me. I’m not one to forgive. And I never forget. So, Ethan Parker and Jessica Williams, if you think I’m going to let this go, you’re sorely mistaken.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294698”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance #玄幻Fantsy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #校园School #擦边Steamy

It was me who made sure my brother-in-law’s divorce happened. I didn’t really do much—just sent him some Instagram message screenshots of my sister-in-law and my husband pouring their hearts out to each other. After all, he had stayed faithful to her for three years and hadn’t even touched me. I figured it was only right to let them be together. I’m done being trapped in a sham marriage. On the day all hell broke loose at their house, I was there too. The four of us sat in the same room. Graham, my brother-in-law, was determined to get a divorce. Lily, my sister-in-law, was crying like a damsel in distress, looking so pitiful that if I were a man, I’d have comforted her myself. So naturally, my husband, Dylan, was there playing the hero, kneeling at her feet, practically begging her to smile again. True love, am I right? Graham didn’t care at all for Lily’s tears, but her lover, my husband, couldn’t take it anymore. He lashed out at Graham, shouting, “How can you be so heartless? Lily’s an amazing woman, and now she’s crying like this, and you still have the nerve to blame her?” Graham, being the rational man he is, was furious. “Dylan Foster, do you even remember she’s your sister-in-law?” But, oh no, my cheating husband didn’t back down. Bold as ever, he responded, “She’s your wife! Have you done your duty as a husband? Do you even know how long you’ve been gone on business trips? Two or three months at a time, never around. Lily’s been home alone, exhausted and crying. Where were you?” A brilliant speech. If you forgot who was talking, it’d almost sound reasonable. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I slapped him across the face and said, “So, you decided to ‘take care of her’ in your brother’s bed? Why didn’t Graham help me out when I’ve been living like a nun for all these years?” Dylan lost it. He turned his anger towards me, saying, “You’ve always been trouble. I married you because I thought you were a decent woman, but now look at you.” He had the nerve to say, “I regret marrying you. You’ve been nothing but a disappointment.” Classic double standards. He’s been caught in bed with his sister-in-law, but I’m the problem because I dared to expose it. Dylan, in his usual self-righteous tone, said, “Avery, be reasonable. I just made a mistake all good-hearted men are bound to make. Can’t you forgive me? You’re a woman too. Can’t you empathize with Lily’s pain?” Honestly, the first time I walked in on them, besides the anger and hatred, there was a sense of relief. Three years into our marriage, and he had used his “ED” as an excuse not to touch me. I thought I was being an “understanding” wife. When I saw him cheating, I was furious, but I also felt free. I wouldn’t have to keep pretending to be the dutiful wife who felt guilty for wanting a real man. “Go to hell with your ‘understanding.’ If you cared so much for Lily, why didn’t you marry her in the first place? It wasn’t me who begged you to marry me, was it? No, you chased me down, saying you couldn’t live without me.” Before he could respond, I added, “You want to sleep with your sister-in-law, but then you went and married me. What a joke.” Oh, he wanted to marry Lily, alright. But Lily didn’t want to leave Graham—he was still the better catch. Dylan only married me because he was getting too much pressure to settle down. After the wedding, he even told me he had ED to keep up his “purity.” There isn’t a more pathetic man on this planet. Furious, Dylan raised his hand to hit me. Smack! But the blow never landed. Graham stepped in, blocking him with his arm. Graham growled at him, “Dylan, you’re lucky you’re my brother. If anyone else dared to humiliate me like this, they’d be dead.” Dylan froze, then stammered, “Graham…” I seized the moment, slapping him again. “You disgusting piece of garbage. Just being near you makes me sick.” “And don’t worry. Not only is Graham divorcing Lily, but I’m divorcing you too. I’ll make sure you and your precious Lily are together forever in your twisted love story.” With that, I left, locking the door behind me. Whatever happened between Graham and Lily or how Dylan tried to fix things was no longer my concern. That night, Dylan banged on the door for ten minutes straight, but I didn’t open it. He only left after the neighbors came out and started yelling at him. The next day, though, I didn’t expect Lily’s mom to come storming into my office.

She stormed into my office, screaming at the top of her lungs, “Avery Harper, get out here! You homewrecker! You’re disgusting! You’re gonna pay for this!” Her voice echoed through the entire office. I calmly pulled out my phone, dialed Graham, and put it on speaker in my pocket. This mess was his family’s problem to deal with, after all. Lily’s mom, ever the drama queen, started her performance the moment she saw me. “Oh, Avery, you’re just jealous that my Lily is prettier than you. She’s got a better husband, a better life, and you can’t stand it. You just want to ruin her marriage! Where’s your boss? You should be fired, you filthy homewrecker.” Her whole speech about how I was jealous of her daughter’s perfect husband would’ve been funny if it weren’t for the fact that her “perfect” daughter was the one sleeping with mine. Seeing her slap her thigh and roll on the floor in hysterics was honestly nauseating. I didn’t realize Lily’s mom was this kind of woman. What a learning experience. I checked my phone. Graham had hung up, but I wasn’t worried. I turned on the camera function, recording her tantrum for future reference. Then, I turned to my coworkers, saying, “Sorry about this, everyone. I’ve run into some trouble, but could you all be witnesses? In case this lady claims I hurt her later.” Lily’s mom, clearly not expecting this, looked shocked. But she wasn’t someone who backed down easily. “Yes, everyone come and look! This is the woman who’s trying to ruin my daughter’s marriage.” Well, alright, Mrs. Carmichael. You asked for it. “If we’re going to do this, let’s talk about how I ruined your daughter’s marriage, shall we? Was it because I told your son-in-law that your daughter was cheating?” Lily’s mom shrieked, “No! That’s a lie! You’re just slandering her. How dare you break up a family? Why don’t you just die?” She came at me, trying to hit me. I quietly rolled up my sleeves, ready to teach her a lesson. But suddenly, a tall figure stepped between us, blocking her from me. Graham had arrived. He nodded at me before turning his fury on Lily’s mom. “Enough.” Lily’s mom slapped her thighs dramatically, screaming, “This is it! You’re all trying to kill me! Where’s the boss? I need someone to handle this!” Peeking around Graham’s shoulder, I said, “You really wanna keep this going? I’ve got some lovely bedroom photos of Lily and Dylan right here. I could show everyone, even your daughter’s coworkers. How about we take a look together?” Hearing this, Lily’s mom bolted out of the office faster than a rabbit. Guess her daughter told her about the divorce but left out the part about being caught cheating. Graham, watching his mother-in-law flee, muttered an apology. “I’ll handle my family from now on.” But clearly, his family had other plans.

After Lily’s mom’s outburst, Dylan decided to take things up a notch by calling my mom, saying he wanted to bring me back to my hometown. My mom, of course, got excited and called me right away, asking when I was coming home. I knew Dylan was trying to manipulate me, using my mom against me. So, I decided to ask Graham for help. He had promised to handle his family’s mess, and Dylan was part of that too. I met Graham at a small café to talk things over. He apologized again, saying he would keep his mother-in-law and the rest of his family in check from now on. He even promised to warn Dylan to stop causing trouble. I wasn’t having it. I had Lily’s scandalous video right there in my phone, and I couldn’t believe she still had the nerve to cause a scene. How shameless could they be? I was the victim here. Honestly, I was doing them a favor by not going to Lily’s neighborhood and making a spectacle out of it. These people had no shame, causing all this trouble and still turning the blame on me. “Your brother tricked me into this marriage, made me live like a widow. Your wife had an affair with him. And then her mother comes to my office to harass me. Graham, I’m done with all of you. Your entire family owes me.” I knew Graham wasn’t really to blame, but I had to let it all out. And he just sat there, calm as ever, taking my angry rant in stride. He didn’t say a word while I pointed my finger at him and shouted. He even ordered me my favorite drink—a half-sweet iced tea—and slid it across the table. I took a sip. It was perfect. Even after three years of marriage, Dylan never bothered to remember the little things I liked. Looking at Graham, a thought popped into my head. “If you really feel sorry for me, then make it up to me.” Graham didn’t flinch. “Alright.” “I want Dylan to leave this marriage with nothing,” I blurted out. Then, I quickly added, “And I want you to be with me.” I couldn’t understand why Lily would ever cheat on a man like Graham. He never complained about her extravagant spending or her increasingly absurd demands. He bought her designer bags, sent her on trips abroad, and even indulged her mother’s ridiculous requests. Graham was either at work or on his way to work. I remember once when he had a high fever, and I went over to bring him some soup. He had fainted at home, and if I hadn’t been there, he could’ve been in real trouble. As I cleaned him up and wiped him down with rubbing alcohol, I noticed holes in his socks. He laughed and said it was because he walked too much, and Lily hadn’t noticed. In that moment, I felt a pang of jealousy. If Dylan had even half of Graham’s decency, I’d have been happy to live like a saint my whole life. How could Lily not appreciate a man like that? Meanwhile, Dylan wasn’t even in the same league. I wanted that kind of marriage. Graham’s expression softened a bit, his usual unreadable face showing a hint of thought. He looked at me, his guilt and concern replaced with something more calculating. “You want to use me to get revenge on them?” he asked. “Yeah,” I answered without hesitation. Then I added, “But that’s not the only reason. Dylan’s betrayal has left me with scars, and I see a perfect man right in front of me who his wife doesn’t appreciate. If Lily can’t see what she has, I can. And let’s be real—I’d be a great wife. My parents adore their sons-in-law, you know that.” Graham nodded. “Alright. After the divorce, if you still want, I can take responsibility.” That was… shockingly easy. Wasn’t he going to think about it more? He must’ve sensed my doubt because he continued, “I’m a calm person, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get angry. And you’re right. If they don’t know how to value what they have, then why shouldn’t we choose someone who does?”

I wasn’t about to let Dylan’s late-night door-knocking become a regular occurrence. After I got back to my house, I packed all my things, locked the door, and took the car keys with me. No way was Dylan going to keep driving around in my car while seeing Lily. I checked into The Lexington Hotel near my office and sent Graham a message: I’ve moved out. He replied almost instantly: Where to? I told him about the hotel. His next message was short: Stay safe. I was about to roll my eyes when another message came through: I’m on my way. Honestly, I was just updating him out of courtesy, but the fact that he was this concerned caught me a little off guard. Well, I figured it couldn’t hurt to have him over. We could plan our next moves together. While waiting for him, I called my lawyer friend, Megan, to get some advice. I needed to figure out how to ensure Dylan and Lily ended up walking away with nothing. Megan told me that since we co-owned the house, and the car was in my name, I should immediately file for an asset freeze with the court. She also suggested I dig into Dylan’s finances and demand he reimburse me for every penny he spent on Lily. Meanwhile, Lily’s mom kept babbling on about how I was jealous of her daughter. But deep down, she knew her son-in-law couldn’t hold a candle to Graham. Handsome, successful, and in great shape—Lily must’ve wanted both men in her life. I bet stealing my husband and watching him ignore me gave her some sick sense of power. Well, Graham was mine now. Step one of my revenge. After messaging Graham, I showered and wrapped myself up in a fluffy bathrobe, waiting for him. When he finally arrived, this man—so predictable—handed me his jacket and said, “It’s chilly. Don’t catch a cold.” I tossed the jacket aside and leaned against him, pressing my hand to his chest. Oh, hello—nice muscles. But Graham, ever the gentleman, just lifted me off him like I weighed nothing and set me aside. I felt a sting of embarrassment and snapped, “What’s the matter, Graham? Are you going to stay loyal to Lily now, too, like your brother?” Graham sighed and patted my head, like I was some misbehaving child. “Isn’t cheating wrong?” “Yes.” “And we’re still married, right?” “Yes. But I’m doing this for revenge! Why should I play by the rules when they haven’t?” Graham wrapped me up in a blanket like a burrito and said gently, “That’s the difference. They’re the bad guys, and you’re the good one. Avery Harper is the sweetest, most deserving woman in the world. So, if we’re going to be together, we’ll do it the right way.” I couldn’t help but laugh inside the blanket cocoon. Alright, fine. Maybe he did get to me.

Graham booked a room next to mine for the night. Over the next few days, he was busy pushing forward the divorce with Lily. Lily had run back to her parents’ house and wasn’t taking his calls. Graham went over to see her family once and handed over the divorce agreement. The deal? She wouldn’t get any of his assets. Lily’s mother lost it, screaming about how her daughter had given Graham the best years of her life, and now he wanted to throw her away with nothing. They refused to sign the papers and kicked him out. It didn’t matter, though. Graham filed for divorce through the courts, and it was in the hands of the lawyers now. I still couldn’t wrap my head around why Lily would let go of a man like Graham. At first, I had only been thinking about getting revenge on Dylan by cozying up to Graham. But the more time I spent with him, the more I realized—this was the kind of man I wanted to marry for real. Tall, handsome, responsible… Graham wasn’t the uptight guy I thought he was either. He had this low-key, CEO vibe going on, and I was here for it. But, of course, some people just have to ruin a good thing. Lily sent me a taunting message on Instagram. “What kind of woman are you? Can’t even keep your own husband.” “Let me tell you something—Dylan and I were together before you even came along. You’re the side piece. He hates touching you. You’ll never compare to me.” “He says I’ll always be his only woman. You’re just a fool, destined to live as a widow.” “Why don’t you just die? You think you deserve any of the money? You don’t. No one will ever love you. You’ll never win.” She actually thought I was her competition. Seriously? She liked feeding on garbage, and she expected me to think it was gourmet? I rolled my eyes and sent her a thumbs up. Thanks for the additional evidence of Dylan’s affair. Lily didn’t stop there, though. Her next message read: “Dylan is in his prime. He’s a beast in bed. You’ll never know what that’s like.” I raised an eyebrow and nudged Graham, who was sitting next to me peeling an apple. “Well, looks like your wife thinks your brother’s better in bed than you.” Graham handed me the apple, staring at me for a moment before saying in a low voice, “She’s my ex-wife.” That dark, intense gaze made me pause. I just shrugged and said, “Ex-wife, then. No need to get all worked up.” Before I could fire off another reply to Lily, Graham took my phone away and, dead serious, said, “If you want to find out, you’ll have to marry me first.” I chomped down on the apple, pretending not to notice how my heart skipped a beat. Well, then. Looks like I’d need to hurry up and finalize that divorce.

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Valentine’s Day came, and my husband said he wanted to try something exciting. He decided to take me to an immersive role-playing studio. In one of the intimate scenes, the NPC I was acting with was a pale-skinned beauty. She was crying so pitifully that I thought it was part of the act. But it turned out, she was actually asking for my help. Not long after the New Year, Valentine’s Day arrived. It also marked the fifth anniversary of my marriage to Randall Burns. Unlike other couples whose married life had settled into routine, Randall and I still kept the excitement and passion we had when we were dating. The secret to maintaining this passion was, first, money and second, the sense of “novelty” we brought into our intimate life. We were both people who craved excitement and adventure, which is why we hadn’t had kids yet. But as I hit thirty, I started feeling the fatigue, while he was still full of energy. That day, after work, I was cooking dinner in the kitchen when Randall loosened his tie and slid his arms around my waist from behind, teasing me. After so many years together, he still knew all my weak spots, and I quickly gave in to his advances. “Babe, tonight I’m taking you somewhere I know you’ll love,” he whispered playfully in my ear, grinning wickedly. Blushing, I nodded, but then remembered something and tilted my head, asking him, “By the way, your mom called earlier today. She said she was envious of people with grandkids. We’re both thirty now, and I wouldn’t mind having a baby if you want…” “I don’t want kids,” he cut me off abruptly, his tone a bit tense. “Weren’t you going to get that birth control implant in a few days like we talked about?” he asked, steering the conversation back. Randall was referring to the hormonal birth control implant, which is placed in a woman’s arm to prevent pregnancy for an extended period. I had once suggested he get a vasectomy, but he’d insisted it would ruin his fun as a man. I hadn’t made up my mind about being child-free for life, so I’d been putting it off. “Fine, I’ll schedule the appointment in a few days,” I said, nodding reluctantly. He was thrilled, kissing me and urging me to get ready so we could head out for our Valentine’s Day plans. The place he took me was about an hour and a half away, in an entertainment district far from downtown Los Angeles. It was 9 PM, and the streets were buzzing with neon lights and music. As soon as we walked in, a hostess handed Randall a ticket with a smile. “Good to see you, Mr. Burns,” she said warmly. Her familiarity with him made me pause—had Randall been here before? Sensing my doubt, he quickly explained that he’d scouted the place beforehand to surprise me for Valentine’s Day. “This is only my second time here. I really wanted to bring you to experience it,” he said excitedly, squeezing my hand. At the desk, the staff explained that this was an immersive role-playing studio, offering live-action script experiences with both players and NPCs. Due to its “extremely realistic” nature, the prices were steep, and it operated on an exclusive VIP membership basis. Randall had booked a script called Rose Island. It was about a domineering man who kidnapped a girl named Eva and held her captive on a deserted island for 365 days. It was a tale of twisted, forced love—a very intense and dramatic storyline. The description alone sounded thrilling. I followed my husband into the large space, where over a dozen NPCs and other players were already gathered. From the room next door, I could hear a woman screaming. I suddenly felt a bit anxious. Was this experience really that immersive? Seeing my hesitation, one of the staff members suggested, “Why don’t we have an NPC play with Mr. Burns first, and you can watch from the side?” Randall looked at me, seeking my approval. I nodded. “Okay, honey, you go first. I’ll watch and see how it’s done.” As soon as I said that, the actress playing Eva stepped out. She had pale skin, striking beauty, and wore a light blue slip dress that barely covered her body. Her figure was full and captivating, her expression timid. She looked just like the shy girl from the script. “Mr. Burns, shall we start?” she said softly. “Alright, babe, I’ll show you how it’s done,” Randall replied, unable to keep his eyes from drifting to her exposed chest.

Suddenly, I felt uneasy. The girl couldn’t have been older than eighteen or nineteen, and something about her made me wary. Yet I stood there, watching as my husband stepped into the scene. Through the glass door, I could see the progress of the script. The NPCs were all incredibly dedicated to their roles. Randall, too, was fully immersed, as if he really were the powerful mafia boss from the script. In the middle of a heated scene, Randall and Eva had a confrontation. Suddenly, Randall pinned her down on the ground. It was a scene with just the two of them—none of the other NPCs were around. The dim lighting made it hard to tell what was real and what was acting. I stared at the two of them, watching as her pale legs trembled in the air. Terrifying screams filled the room. “You want to run? You think you can run? If you try again, I’ll break your legs, understand?” Randall’s violent growl sounded way too real! “Please… help me…” The girl glanced my way, her disheveled hair clinging to her damp skin. Her tearful expression looked as if she was begging for help. The performance felt so authentic that I panicked and ran to the staff, shouting for them to stop. But the staff told me once a scene started, it couldn’t be interrupted. In a frenzy, I found the main power switch and pulled it, cutting off all the electricity in the studio! For about ten minutes, we were all plunged into darkness. I had no idea what had happened in the room during that time, but I heard faint, sorrowful sobbing. When Randall finally emerged, he looked disappointed, scolding me, “Babe, why did you shut off the power? What’s the rush?” “I thought it was too real. I was scared watching you two. I tried to get them to stop, but they wouldn’t.” A few minutes later, the girl came out as well, her eyes red with tears, her clothes disheveled, and her legs shaking. It made me wonder if they had really gone too far. I hurried over to her, asking, “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” That’s when I noticed her name tag. It read Jasmine. Jasmine looked at me, startled. “No, it’s just part of the script. Randall was really into it,” she said, her voice calm, completely different from the terrified girl I’d seen through the glass. I watched as she walked backstage, catching a brief, uncomfortable glance between her and Randall. Because I had shut off the power, several players had their sessions interrupted, and the studio demanded compensation. I ended up paying quite a bit to cover the damages. While I was sorting out the payment and apologizing, Randall sat in the corner, smoking a cigarette—something he never did. But I knew this behavior all too well. It was his after-satisfaction smoke. That Valentine’s Day left a bitter taste in my mouth. We didn’t even bother with the candlelit dinner, ending the night in an awkward rush. Together, Randall and I made over two million a year. We lived in a large, detached house. Financially, we were well off, and I was living the life many women dream of. By all accounts, I should’ve turned a blind eye to his behavior. But I’ve always been a stickler when it comes to fidelity. That night, every time I closed my eyes, I heard those horrifying screams. I couldn’t sleep. Randall blamed me for “not knowing how to have fun,” and started staying out, crashing at other places for days on end. Frustrated, I turned to my best friend, Tina Simmons, and told her everything. Tina tried to comfort me. “Men are always looking for new thrills. Besides, you said it’s a legit business. There’s no way anything shady was going on.” I sighed and told her I was thinking about getting the birth control implant to help smooth things over with Randall. “Randall insists on it. The doctor suggested I think it over first, though. I’m still young, after all. Do I really want to give up on having kids forever?” Tina was surprised. “It’s rare for a man who can have kids to feel that way.” She suggested I talk to Randall again. But my heart sank even more. Was he just avoiding responsibility, or did he truly never want to have a child with me? Recently, Randall had been staying out more and more. I got suspicious and linked my Uber account to his as an emergency contact, allowing me to see his rides and transactions. To my surprise, I noticed that during his workdays, there were several trips longer than usual. I also found some large transactions in the records, payments for various purchases at big shopping malls. The moment I saw this, I knew something was off. That night, I planned to confront Randall about it. When he came home, he gave me a huge hug and surprised me with a diamond necklace—a three-carat beauty. “Happy birthday, babe! You completely forgot, didn’t you? Good thing I went all over town to pick this out for you,” he said with a cheeky grin. I frowned a little, feeling a mix of guilt and gratitude. So that’s why he’d been out so much—he was shopping for me. That night, everything between us was smooth, even intimate. It was almost as if he had learned a few new tricks, maybe from all the online “research” he’d been doing. Before I went to sleep, I casually checked my phone. To my shock, I noticed that Randall had quietly disabled the location sharing and payment notifications I’d set up. He’d switched everything to private.

My stomach dropped. Something was definitely wrong. To clear my doubts, I suggested that we return to the immersive role-playing studio over the weekend, and I invited a few friends along as well. This time, I picked a standard murder mystery script instead of something provocative. It was much cheaper than the dramatic, steamy script we’d done before. My friends were all having a great time, but Randall kept yawning and looking bored. I leaned over and whispered, “Honey, you love role-playing games. Why aren’t you participating? Our friends are here, playing along with you.” Randall looked a bit guilty and gave a half-hearted smile. “Sorry, babe. I’ve been exhausted from work and stayed up late last night finishing a presentation.” I knew right away he was lying. I had watched him fall asleep the minute we finished dinner the night before, snoring like a log. And he hadn’t woken up until late that Saturday morning. The only reason he wasn’t interested was because this game wasn’t stimulating enough for him. Clearly, his thrill threshold had gotten much higher. Annoyed, I excused myself to the restroom, letting a staff member take my place in the game for a while. Leaving the dim game room, I wandered down the hall, finding myself in the same area where Randall had played the intense script the last time. They had set up a translucent curtain here, adding a layer of shame to the public performances, making it even more exhilarating for players. That’s when I saw Jasmine again. This time, she was playing a character from a historical setting, her shoulders exposed and her skin painted with fake bruises. She was wearing a rabbit mask, giving her an air of mystery and fragility. I glanced at the script one of the staff was holding. The title was Midnight Elegance, and the dialogue, full of vulgar innuendos, confirmed that it was another sexually explicit storyline. A group of men dressed as soldiers approached Jasmine, leering at her. One of them sneered, “Your Majesty, even if we die, we’ll die in your bed.” The lead actor reached up and pulled a sharp hairpin from her head, using it to slice through the ties of her dress. Jasmine was left wearing nothing but a scarlet undergarment, her eyes filled with tears as she whimpered, “Please, brothers, don’t…” At one point, she turned to look directly at me. The rabbit mask was ripped away, revealing her terrified, helpless eyes. The curtain suddenly dropped, and I couldn’t see what happened next. All I heard were her agonized cries, mingling with the sound of simulated thunder and lightning. My curiosity grew. Something was very wrong here, and I couldn’t shake the feeling. I started searching online and found that this role-playing studio was indeed a legitimate, registered business. By all appearances, nothing seemed shady. But the unusual nature of this studio and Jasmine’s reactions left me suspicious. One evening, when Randall said he was working late, I pretended to go to the hospital for pre-implantation blood work. In reality, I swiped his VIP Membership Card and went back to the immersive role-playing studio on my own. I disguised myself with a mask, not wanting the staff to report back to Randall. When they asked me what type of script I wanted, I hesitated. Then, on a whim, I picked one that involved a Black male NPC in a dominant role, something along the lines of a twisted love story. The staff smiled knowingly and asked, “Would you prefer the explicit version?” “What do you mean?” I raised an eyebrow. “A lot of working women come here to relieve stress. They usually go for the hidden version of this script—it’s more expensive, though,” she explained with a conspiratorial wink. “Trust me, you’ll love it.” I threw caution to the wind and paid nearly three times the regular price, eager to see what was really going on. Still in my mask, I entered the set. Before long, the NPC I was paired with appeared. His name was Jack—a tall, muscular Black man, built like a bodybuilder. He looked like the kind of guy you’d see on the cover of a fitness magazine. He was only wearing a pair of shorts, his muscles rippling under his dark skin, veins bulging in his arms. I couldn’t help but let my gaze drift downward. When I noticed the bulge in his shorts, my face flushed with heat. Black men certainly came in larger sizes than I was used to. After getting familiar with the script, we all entered the room. I had specifically requested a fully enclosed space, no glass windows to the outside. We ran through the basic parts of the script, but my heart pounded in anticipation of the scene I was most curious about—the explicit scene. My heart raced as I watched the other NPCs leave the room, leaving me and Jack alone. “Baby, you’re so sexy. I’m coming!” he growled, his breathing growing heavier. Before I could react, he had lifted me up, pinning me against the wall. “Help! Somebody, please—!” I screamed, but his strength was overpowering. My dress was ripped from my shoulder, the cold air biting at my exposed skin. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized how truly helpless I was. I couldn’t help but shiver as my skin was exposed to the cool air. An unnameable feeling ran from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. I tried to escape, but he held me firmly, and his rough palms touched my waist and probed upward.

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On Valentine’s Day, my boyfriend gave me a box of decorative straw and tried to coax me into booking a room at the Sunset Lodge with him. Instead, I got into a G-Wagon, and he called me a gold digger. Then my childhood friend, who comes from old money, smirked and said, “Your family’s thousands of acres of ranch land aren’t big enough for you? Why settle for this one little weed?” “Happy Valentine’s Day, babe!” Tanner stood in front of me, beaming as he handed me a small gift box in our room at Sunset Lodge, just outside of Lakeshore University. Cigarette smoke drifted through the door cracks, irritating my eyes, but I still felt touched. I knew he had been working a summer job for two months, and all his effort was in that tiny box. Eagerly, I reached out to open it, but he gently stopped my hand. “Wait, Riley, open it later, okay?” “Okay,” I smiled sweetly at him. As Tanner went to shower, I nervously scrolled through my phone, reading advice for girls on their “first time,” growing more anxious with every word. I needed something to distract me, so my eyes fell on the unopened gift box. Just a peek wouldn’t hurt, right? Carefully untying the ribbon, I opened the layers of packaging. But what I saw inside made me freeze. After two months of hard work, Tanner had given me… shredded paper confetti? I dug through the confetti, refusing to believe it, until my fingers brushed something hard. I pulled it out—a cheap plastic keychain, complete with a $5 price tag still attached. In that moment, all my joy and anticipation drained away. It wasn’t just a cheap keychain. It felt like it had put a price tag on me, too. “See, Riley,” it seemed to mock, “you’re worth $5 to him.” Suddenly, Tanner’s phone buzzed on the bed, snapping me back to reality. Absentmindedly, I picked it up and saw a string of messages from his mom: “Son, how’s school going? I sent you $500. Let me know if you need more.” “Make sure you’re eating well! Don’t spend all your money on that girlfriend!” “By the way, our neighbor’s son just got married—no fancy ceremony, no new house, just brought the bride home.” “You better hurry and get her pregnant, then we won’t need to worry about paying for the wedding!” “And if it doesn’t work, poke some holes in those things. No one will notice.” I stared at the screen, horrified. My body went cold even though it was the height of summer, a shiver running down my spine. Anger, disgust, shame—all of it swirled in my head. I couldn’t take it anymore. Pushing open the door, I ran out of the room, gasping for air.  

I almost sprinted all the way back to Crestview Hall, where my roommates, Brooke and Savannah, jumped at the sight of me. “Riley, what happened? Weren’t you spending Valentine’s Day with Tanner?” Savannah asked, wide-eyed. Before I could answer, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Tanner was calling. I took a deep breath and picked up. “Riley, where are you? You promised we’d spend the night together! I already paid over a hundred bucks for this room, and the front desk won’t refund it!” he yelled. His tone turned threatening. “If you don’t come back now, we’re done.” He’d said that to me before, and each time I would cave, apologizing like a scolded child. But not this time. I swallowed my frustration and opened Instagram, transferring him $1,000. “Take this, Tanner. Consider it a refund. We’re over. Don’t contact me again.” Brooke and Savannah stared at me in shock. Brooke gave me a thumbs up, silently celebrating that I’d finally come to my senses. “Are you out of your mind, Riley? What the hell are you saying?” Tanner’s voice sounded panicked, realizing his usual threat wasn’t working this time. I hung up and ignored his repeated calls. Eventually, he gave up, accepting the money I’d sent. “Fine, break up then. Just don’t come crying to me later. No one’s gonna want you with that face.” “You’ll regret this someday.” I glanced at the mirror across the room, looking at my reflection. My skin was smooth and fair—except for the dark bluish birthmark that marred one side of my face. It was hideous, a constant reminder of my insecurity. But this time, no matter what, I wasn’t crawling back to him. Even though… he used to love me once.  

Tanner and I met during freshman year. Back then, my face was flawless. Tanner had earned quite a reputation for himself, the “self-made” guy who’d lost his father young. His good looks and quiet strength made him a star in our department. I grew up with everything handed to me, and I was quickly drawn to his unassuming charm. He had dignity, even though he was poor. I chased him relentlessly, showering him with expensive gifts he refused to accept. Even after we got together, he always told me not to waste money. I wanted to please him, so I stopped buying thousand-dollar dresses and started eating at food trucks instead of fancy restaurants. My friends, especially Brooke, worried about me. She said Tanner was emotionally manipulating me, but I brushed her off. I thought Tanner really loved me. He would get jealous when other guys looked at me, bring me hot cocoa with marshmallows during my period, and remember everything I liked and disliked. He was the most attentive boyfriend I’d ever had. Most importantly, when my face began to change, he didn’t leave me. It was during the second half of sophomore year that the dark patches appeared on the left side of my face. At first, I wasn’t concerned. I bought all kinds of expensive creams, but nothing worked. The patches grew worse, eventually covering a large part of my face. I became reclusive, avoiding people, and slipping into depression. Tanner stood by me, even accompanying me to the doctor. The next day, he showed up with my test results and told me it was likely a genetic condition with no cure. I was devastated, but Tanner was my light. “Don’t worry, Riley. No matter what happens, I’ll always be by your side. No one will ever love you more than I do.” He comforted me until I came out of my dark place. He didn’t reject me because of my face; in fact, he became even kinder. He even promised we’d get married after graduation. Tanner took me to social events with his friends, though I always felt out of place, especially around their flawless, beautiful girlfriends. “Tanner, what if I try cosmetic surgery?” I asked nervously one day. He flatly refused, frowning. “Riley, do you think I only loved you because of your looks? How could you even suggest that? I said I’ll love you no matter what.” “Surgery is fake and gross. I hate those influencer faces.” So, I gave up on the idea of cosmetic surgery and comforted myself with the thought that as long as Tanner didn’t mind my face, I didn’t need to care either.  

But now, Tanner is no longer a part of my life. I stared at my reflection again, making up my mind. I was going to try cosmetic surgery, no matter how slim the chances were that it would work. Tanner kept sending messages, his tone changing from threats to apologies, softening with every text. Before I could reply, Savannah’s phone buzzed. I recognized the voice instantly—it was Tanner. “Savannah, can you believe Riley? She doesn’t appreciate me. If only she was as understanding as you,” he said. I looked up, meeting Savannah’s guilty, nervous gaze. “Riley, don’t get the wrong idea. Tanner’s just upset about the breakup. I was trying to calm him down.” Hearing Tanner’s sweet words in his messages, I felt sick to my stomach. Understanding? Of what? Of his attempt to trap me into getting pregnant so he wouldn’t have to pay for a wedding? Or maybe Savannah was comforting him because she knew I wouldn’t anymore. “Don’t bother pretending, Savannah. I’ve known about your little games for a while. Just because I haven’t said anything doesn’t mean I’m stupid.” Savannah had hated me since day one. She came from a small town, starting as a nobody. Other students made fun of her background, but I had been kind. I lent her clothes, gave her advice. But as she shed her small-town image and started getting compliments, things changed. People began to notice how much we resembled each other, though more often than not, they pointed out that Savannah was just my sidekick. And now, she wanted Tanner. Who knew how long they had been sneaking around behind my back?  

“Riley, how could you accuse me of that? I was just trying to help!” Savannah’s voice quivered as tears welled up in her eyes. Even Brooke seemed to think I was overreacting. Brooke nudged me, “Riley, forget Tanner. Don’t let him ruin our roommate bond.” I sighed, pulling up a folder of pictures on my phone. I placed it on the table, scrolling through them one by one. The first showed Savannah adding something to my face cream. The second showed her sneaking into my drawer to take my wallet. The third was a love note she had written—to Tanner. As I swiped through each photo, Savannah’s face paled, and Brooke’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You knew all along!” Savannah shrieked. “You’ve just been watching me, waiting to laugh at me, haven’t you?” I stayed silent as Brooke, clearly shocked, stood frozen. Savannah’s expression turned vicious as she thrust her phone toward me. “Money means nothing now, Riley. You’ve lost your perfect face and your loyal boyfriend. What do you have left? You can’t keep stepping on me to make yourself feel superior!” She shoved her phone in my face, revealing messages between her and Tanner dating back to last August. It turned out she had been after him for a long time. “Tanner, that $600 dress Riley wore—was that a gift from you? It’s gorgeous, but I could never afford something like that. I’m happy with my $10 tee, though.” Tanner replied: “Riley’s so materialistic. I think being frugal is better.” “Which of these pictures do you like more, Tanner?” she had asked, sending him two half-dressed selfies. He replied: “Both are great, but a little less clothing wouldn’t hurt ;)” I knew the difference in our upbringings was always a sore spot for Tanner. I had tried to meet him halfway, tried to protect his fragile pride. But in the end, I was still the one who didn’t “get it.” And Savannah, who was even more materialistic than I was, somehow became his down-to-earth, misunderstood soulmate. “Riley, you and Tanner don’t belong in the same world. Only I really understand him.” Yeah, maybe you’re right. You two are a perfect match, sharing the same self-pity and resentment for your upbringing. I looked at Savannah’s smug face and couldn’t help but laugh. “If you enjoy playing with trash, you can have him. Unlike me, you have nothing else going for you besides Tanner.” Savannah’s face went white with rage. She grabbed her phone and stormed out, no doubt running to Tanner for comfort. I hope they enjoy that $100 motel room. Best of luck to them.  

The next day, I searched for the address of a well-known cosmetic clinic—Westside Aesthetic Center—and booked an appointment with a dermatologist. When I arrived, a nurse led me inside, and I was surprised to see a young doctor waiting for me. I’d heard he had just returned from studying abroad. “Riley?” He looked at me with wide eyes, clearly shocked. I glanced up and saw a familiar face—Hunter Sinclair. “When did you get back? Why didn’t you tell me?” Hunter had been my childhood friend. Our families were business partners and close friends, so I practically grew up with him. He was always surrounded by girls, a total playboy, while I had been the quiet, well-behaved one. He left for school overseas, and I stayed behind to attend Lakeshore University. With time differences and busy schedules, we lost touch. “I figured you didn’t want to talk to me after you blocked me on Instagram,” he said, looking genuinely hurt. Confused, I pulled out my phone and checked my contacts—he wasn’t there. “That’s weird. I never blocked you!” I muttered. But then it hit me—this was probably Tanner’s doing. He had a habit of deleting my male contacts out of jealousy. What I once thought was a sweet, possessive trait now seemed obsessive and unhealthy. I apologized and added him back on Instagram. Hunter’s gaze softened when he saw the dark patches on my face. “What happened to you?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. “I went to the hospital and they said it’s probably a genetic disorder. They told me there’s no treatment, so I’m hoping cosmetic surgery can fix it,” I explained, trying not to sound too desperate. Hunter frowned. “No way. Whoever told you that has no idea what they’re talking about. If it was genetic, you would have had these spots as a kid. Something external triggered this—either something you applied to your skin or hormone-related medications.” His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I’d never even considered that possibility. I’d gone to one of the top hospitals—Chicago General Hospital—and been seen by a renowned dermatologist. There was no way the hospital got it wrong. So that left only one explanation: Tanner. Tanner had faked my test results. I felt nauseous. All this time, Tanner had watched me crumble under the weight of my insecurity, and he still lied to me. Why? What was his end game? Hunter noticed the change in my expression, probably thinking I was upset about my skin. “Don’t worry, Riley. I studied this exact kind of condition abroad. It’s expensive, but it’s treatable. It’s not as bad as they made it sound.” His words brought a small sense of relief. In my world, money wasn’t the issue. If a solution could be bought, it was no longer a problem. But as my relief settled in, so did a deep, simmering anger. Tanner had been manipulating me all along, and I needed to find out why.  

Hunter went above and beyond. He had Westside Aesthetic Center import a special laser machine from the U.S., specifically for treating my skin condition. I was shocked that a new doctor had that kind of pull, but he grinned, reading my mind. “Come on, you think the ‘Prince of Sinclair Industries’ doesn’t have that kind of power?” he teased. It turned out Westside Aesthetic Center was owned by his family, which explained a lot. For the next two weeks, I underwent treatment. I even took a short leave from school, and every day, Hunter drove me home after the sessions, often staying for dinner. My mom was practically obsessed with him—she loved cooking for him, ever since we were kids. Whenever he showed up, my family set another plate at the table without a second thought. “Check yourself out,” Hunter said, handing me a mirror after the final treatment. “No more junk food or weird diet pills. That’s how you ended up with this in the first place.” He smirked, lecturing me like he always did. I ignored his scolding and stared at my reflection. My skin was flawless again—smooth, bright, and completely free of the dark patches that had tormented me for months. “Get in, princess. I’ll drop you off at school,” Hunter said, holding open the door to his Mercedes G-Wagon. “Don’t you have work?” I asked, climbing into the passenger seat. “Do you see me rushing anywhere? I’m the boss’s son. I leave when I want.” He put on his flashy gold sunglasses and revved the engine, heading toward Lakeshore University. Hunter babbled on about his time in the U.S., but my mind was elsewhere. As we pulled up near the main campus building, I spotted Tanner and Savannah walking together, holding hands. Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that your ex? I remember seeing a picture of you two together on Instagram. What’s he doing with someone else?” “We broke up a while ago,” I said coldly. Hunter picked up on my mood, but instead of being somber, he grinned. “Who dumps a diamond for a pebble? Guess this means I have another shot, huh? Think I could be your backup plan, princess?” I laughed and swatted the back of his head. He’d been the same shameless flirt since we were kids. As we drove past Tanner and Savannah, Hunter slowed down the car, making sure they saw me. Tanner’s face turned pale when he spotted me in the passenger seat of Hunter’s luxury car. He ran into the street, waving his arms to stop us. Hunter rolled down the window, and I locked eyes with Tanner’s infuriatingly familiar face. “Riley?! What the hell are you doing with this guy? He’s just a spoiled rich kid. You think he’s any good for you? He’s probably slept with dozens of girls. God knows what kind of diseases he has!” Tanner spat, his words getting more desperate. “And your… your face?”

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In my past life, my stepmother secretly changed my college application, sending me to a bottom-tier school. In my past life, my novel’s rights sold for five million dollars, only for my stepsister to accuse me of plagiarism. In my past life, after my stepsister killed me, she inherited all my wealth and lived her life unscathed. But now, I’ve been given a second chance. I’m back, and this time, I’ll make sure my stepsister and stepmother pay for everything they did… Amber Collins pushed me off the rooftop from the 28th floor, and I died instantly. After I died, I became a wandering spirit, not knowing where to go. I stood among the crowd, looking at my own body within the police cordon and listening to the hushed whispers around me. “Did you hear? She’s the daughter from the sixth floor. Just started college, so young, and already gave up on life.” “Which daughter from the sixth floor? That family has two daughters.” “It’s the older one. I saw the younger one a little while ago.” Soon, my stepmother, Gloria Collins, arrived with Amber following closely behind. Gloria collapsed onto the ground, wailing hysterically, while Amber covered her face, quietly sobbing. I walked over, wanting to comfort my mom, to tell her that I didn’t commit suicide, but I couldn’t. I was only a ghost now. Gloria cried out, “Lauren, why would you do this? Why couldn’t you talk to me? Why did you jump? How am I supposed to explain this to your father?” People around tried to console her, helping her to stand, but I was standing right in front of her and saw it clearly—there wasn’t a single tear on her face. I turned away, heading back upstairs. The home was just as I remembered, but I searched desperately for any good memories from when I was alive, and there were none. I returned to my room, curled up in the corner, hugging my knees. I was dead now, and I had no idea what would happen to me. Would the Grim Reaper come for me? Or would I just drift as a ghost, wandering aimlessly forever? The despair of death, combined with the fear of the unknown and a crushing sense of loneliness, overwhelmed me. I don’t know how much time passed before I heard the door open. Gloria and Amber had returned. Amber collapsed on the floor, shaking. “Mom, I’m scared.” Gloria rushed to her side. “What happened? Don’t be scared, Amber. Tell me, and I’ll fix it.” “Mom, I killed Lauren. I pushed her off the roof.” Gloria’s eyes widened in terror. She clamped a hand over Amber’s mouth and dragged her into the bedroom. “What happened, Amber? How could you do something like this?” Amber explained everything. “I didn’t mean to kill her, Mom. I just wanted to scare her.” “What are we going to do? The police won’t come after me, will they?” “Don’t worry, Amber. You have me. I won’t let anything happen to you.” “What about Dad? He only has one daughter.” My mind was reeling. What did Amber just say? My dad only has one daughter? Then Gloria continued, “When your dad married me, he promised that if I treated Lauren well, he’d treat you like his own daughter.” “I’ve been putting on quite the show for him all these years, and he’s always been good to you. He’ll never suspect you.” “It’s actually a good thing that brat is gone. She was just like her dead mother. Now there’s no one to get in our way. And all her money? It’s ours.” Those words hit me like a lightning bolt. Everything suddenly made sense. Gloria was never my real mom. Amber wasn’t my sister. No wonder they were so horrible to me. No wonder Gloria always favored Amber. No wonder Amber never took my dad’s last name. As I stood there, my dad, George Adams, came home. He’s a long-haul trucker and is often away for work. The moment he walked in, Gloria rushed to him, putting on her usual act and crying as she clung to him. “George, you’re finally back! What are we going to do? Lauren, she… she couldn’t take it anymore.” After my death, they’d called him, and he had rushed home from out of town. He pulled his hand away from her and walked silently into my room. I followed him inside. He locked the door behind him, picked up the stuffed animal from my pillow, and sat on my bed. He sat there for a long time before tears started streaming down his face. He took out an old photograph from his wallet, and as I looked closer, I saw the woman in the picture looked just like me. It had to be my biological mother. He gazed at the photo, whispering over and over, “I’m sorry, Sarah. This is all my fault.”

My dad sat in my room the entire night, and I sat beside him, listening. It was the first time I’d ever heard him talk this much. He told the story of how he and my mom met, fell in love, and how she insisted on giving birth to me, even when the doctors advised against it. He spoke of how, when I was little, I’d always ask for my mom, which led him to marry Gloria. He talked about how much I looked like my mom and how much he missed her. He talked about how he regretted not being there for me all these years. Everything he said answered so many of the questions I had carried for years. When the sun came up, I noticed that my dad’s hair had turned much grayer overnight. Suddenly, I lost consciousness, and when I woke up again, I was in a strange place—the courthouse of the Afterlife. I heard a voice call out, “Number 7628, it’s time for you to be reborn.” But I didn’t want to be reborn. I said nothing and just cried, from silent tears to loud, gut-wrenching sobs. The judge grew angry with me and sentenced me to the Hall of Eternal Scribes, where I had to copy endless scriptures. I sat at the desk, looking at the pen and ink, and decided to comply. I wrote endlessly, pouring all my hatred, sorrow, and desire for revenge against Gloria and Amber into the pages. I don’t know how long I wrote. I kept going until all my energy was drained and my soul began to fade… Suddenly, I heard someone calling my name. Forcing my eyes open, I gasped. Where am I? Wasn’t I just copying scriptures? How am I back in my room? I shot up, looking around in shock as realization hit me—I had been reborn. I grabbed my phone and lit up the screen. I had gone back a year in time. Jumping out of bed, I rushed to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Then it hit me. Today is the day I fill out my college application. In my past life, the door had suddenly jammed, so Gloria and Amber had gone to the school to submit my application on my behalf. They had locked me in and taken my pre-written form. But instead of submitting it, they had changed it, sending me to the same low-tier school as Amber, even though my grades were good enough to attend a top university. I remembered confronting Gloria in my past life, holding the acceptance letter, confused as to why I had been accepted into that school. “Oh no, how did this happen? I must’ve accidentally mixed up the forms with Amber’s. I didn’t mean to, Lauren. You won’t hold it against me, will you?” she had said. Back then, I had naively comforted myself, believing her excuses. Now, I knew how foolish I had been. It wasn’t until I was on my deathbed that I learned from Amber that they had intentionally changed my application. This time, I knew the truth. There was no way I would let them get away with it again. Outside my door, Gloria called for me. “Lauren, the door’s stuck! We need to go to the school to submit your college application.” I played along, pretending to panic. “I don’t know what happened! I can’t get it open. What should I do?” “Just give me your application form, and I’ll submit it for you.” “Okay. I don’t have much choice, do I? Please don’t make a mistake.” “Don’t worry. Your sister will help me keep an eye on everything.”

After they left, I went back to bed for some more sleep. There were three days to submit the application, and I didn’t have to go to the school to do it in person. Gloria and Amber didn’t know that, though. In my past life, they had released me from the room the next day, making me work at my uncle’s store. My uncle, Jason Miller, ran a small convenience store, and his family had always been good to me. I had always suspected Jason was my biological uncle. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at Jason’s house, often sent there by Gloria to be looked after. Throughout high school, I spent most of my weekends helping out at his store. Jason never made me work hard, though. I’d usually just do my homework and help tutor his daughter, Rachel. It wasn’t until one day, I found out Gloria had been taking money from my uncle, asking him for my wages. That’s when I finally confronted her. It was the first argument I ever had with Gloria. I asked her why she was taking my money. She didn’t even bother pretending. “You’re working at your uncle’s store, so what’s wrong with me getting some of the money?” she said casually. “But Uncle Jason never made me do any real work, and he even gave me an allowance!” Gloria acted like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I sent you there to work. If your uncle didn’t make you work, that’s his choice. But your wages belong to me.” Her words made my heart ache. “What about Amber? Why don’t you send her to work at Uncle Jason’s?” Seeing me upset, she tried to soothe me. “Your sister isn’t as healthy as you are. She can’t handle heavy work, and she’s not as good at school as you are. She has to take extra lessons. She doesn’t have time.” In my past life, I had always thought Amber was just more lovable, which was why Gloria favored her. I had spent my whole life trying to earn Gloria’s approval. Now, I could finally see how laughable my efforts had been. The door to my room wasn’t unlocked until the next day. During that time, I hadn’t eaten a single bite. The next morning, I skipped breakfast and went straight to my uncle’s house. I ended up fainting from low blood sugar at their doorstep. When I woke up, the first thing I saw was my uncle and aunt’s worried faces. Suddenly, a wave of emotion hit me, and tears filled my eyes. Seeing me cry, they both panicked. “What’s wrong, Lauren? Where does it hurt? Tell us!” My aunt gently touched my forehead. “Is it a headache?” I held her hand tightly. “Uncle Jason, Aunt Jennifer, don’t worry. I’m not sick. I just missed you both.” I told them everything I had discovered—that Gloria was my stepmother and about all the ways she had mistreated me over the years. When I was little, Gloria had made me do all the household chores. If my dad wasn’t home, I did everything, even in the freezing winter, without hot water. When I asked why I had to do it all while Amber did nothing, Gloria would say, “You’re the big sister. You should be taking care of her.” After hearing all of this, Jason was furious and wanted to confront Gloria and Amber, but my aunt and I stopped him. They then revealed the truth to me. “Your mother’s name was Sarah Adams, and she and your dad loved each other very much.” “While pregnant with you, my sister was diagnosed with a tumor. The doctors advised her to terminate the pregnancy, but she refused. She insisted on having you, even though she knew it would cost her life.” “Your dad begged us to keep it a secret from you, hoping you’d grow up happy and healthy like other kids. But none of us could have known Gloria would turn out to be so cruel.” Now that I knew the truth, I asked my uncle for help with my college application. “Uncle Jason, I have something important I need your help with. As for Gloria, I’ll deal with her later.” He brought me his laptop, and I completed my application. When my uncle saw the school Gloria had signed me up for, he was both furious and guilt-ridden. Once I had changed my application, I ordered several hidden cameras online, preparing to set them up at home. I stayed at my uncle’s house under the pretense of working at his store, only going home twice to get my things. That summer was the happiest one I’d had in years. At my uncle’s house, I didn’t have to work. My only responsibility was to tutor Rachel, who was now a junior in high school. She was doing well, so tutoring her was easy. Uncle Jason even bought me a laptop so I could continue writing my novel.

One of my passions is writing novels, and it’s how I make a little extra spending money. In my past life, during my first year of college, a production company bought the rights to one of my novels. Suddenly, I had five million dollars. But that money ended up being the reason I lost my life. When I got the money, I excitedly told Gloria. But once Amber found out, she started spreading rumors at school, accusing me of plagiarism and telling everyone that she was the real author. Back then, I didn’t know how to defend myself. Even though I had proof, I kept quiet because Amber was my sister. I didn’t want to make things worse. Until the day I confronted Amber on the rooftop. I had asked her to meet me there to clear up the misunderstanding, but instead of listening, she became angry. We started arguing, and before I knew it, she pushed me. Amber might not have meant to kill me in my past life, but I certainly won’t let her get away with it this time. When the college acceptance results were posted online, Gloria did something she had never done before—she called me to ask where I’d been accepted. I played along, pretending to be upset. I told her I had been accepted to the same school as Amber. Then, I sweetly gave her an excuse. “Did you mix up our application forms when you were submitting them?” There was a pause on the other end, followed by a faux realization. “Oh no! I must’ve accidentally filled out the wrong form.” “It’s okay. It’s too late to change it now. Don’t feel bad—I don’t blame you.” After the call, I checked the hidden cameras I had installed. The footage showed Amber gleefully asking, “Mom, did that little brat get into the wrong school?” Little brat. That’s what they called me behind my back. Gloria burst into laughter. “That idiot still thinks I made an innocent mistake! She even said she doesn’t blame me. How stupid can she be?” “She got into your school, Amber. If I had known she’d be this easy to fool, I would’ve signed her up for a community college instead.” They laughed and cursed me, using the nastiest words they could think of. I saved the video evidence and returned to my novel. The acceptance letter was mailed to my high school, and mine arrived a few days before Amber’s, so they didn’t notice. The day I got my letter, Uncle Jason and his family took me out to celebrate. He even let me have a drink. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I felt emotional. I wanted to cry. This time, I had finally made it into my dream college. Later, I asked my uncle to take me to my mother’s grave. Looking at her picture on the headstone, her smile was as warm as the sun, as comforting as a spring breeze. I was certain my mom had been a kind and loving person. She must have loved me very much. If she had lived, I would have been the happiest child in the world. I placed flowers on her grave and whispered, “Mom, it’s been so long. I’m here to visit you. I’m sorry I forgot you for so many years. I’ve been calling someone else ‘Mom’ all this time.” “Uncle Jason says you were a wonderful person. You wouldn’t be angry at me for forgetting you, right?” I wiped the tears from my face and took out my acceptance letter. “Mom, I got into a great university. I wish you were here. They say the campus is beautiful. I’d love to take you and Dad to see it.” “In the past, Dad and I couldn’t tell who the good people were, but we won’t make that mistake again. I’ll live a good life from now on. I won’t let your sacrifice be in vain.” 5 The summer flew by, and before I knew it, the school year had started. My university was in New York City, while Amber’s low-tier school was in the same city where we lived. My school started earlier, so I packed up and moved to the dorms at Brentwood University. When Amber texted me, asking when I’d be moving, I was already lying on my dorm bed at Brentwood. I ignored her messages and kept chatting with my new roommates. The four of us got along really well. I thought about my past life and the terrible roommates I had then—girls who smoked, drank, cheated on exams, and gossiped behind everyone’s back. They even created multiple group chats and didn’t invite me to a single one. Back then, I thought I didn’t fit in because of something wrong with me. Now I understand that I didn’t belong in that circle because I was never like them. Amber sent me several more texts, but I didn’t respond. Half an hour later, Gloria called. I stepped out onto the balcony to take the call. Her voice was full of barely concealed frustration. “Lauren, where are you? Why aren’t you answering your sister’s texts?” “I was just chatting with my roommates. Didn’t notice the messages.” “Roommates? Which dorm building are you in? Your dad’s here too. Come out, and we’ll all go have dinner together.” “You know, your dad wanted to drop you both off together. Amber really wanted to come with you. Why did you have your uncle bring you instead?” She was getting worked up, so I interrupted her. “I’m in New York. I can’t meet up with you.” There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end. Then she blurted out, “New York? What are you doing in New York? Are you not going to school?” “I’m not going to college anymore. Uncle Jason found me a job here in New York. It comes with free meals and lodging, and I make $3,500 a month.” That night, I got a call from my dad. His tone was serious. “Lauren, your mom says you’re not going to college anymore. Is that true?” I had anticipated this call and prepared my response in advance. “Dad, I’m still going to school, but I need you to keep something a secret from everyone, especially Gloria and Amber.” “Of course. You can count on me. What’s going on?” “On the day of the application, Mom went to submit it for me, but when I checked the system the next day, I saw that she had accidentally submitted Amber’s form instead of mine.” “Luckily, I caught it in time and fixed it. Mom felt really guilty, so I want to surprise her by not telling her or Amber yet.” I sent him a photo of my acceptance letter, along with a picture of me and my uncle’s family in front of Brentwood University’s gates. Finally, my dad believed me. “Alright, Lauren. I know I’ve been too focused on work these past few years, and your mom has done so much for the family.” “But I’ll keep your secret. And don’t worry—I’ll send you more money each month for your expenses in New York.” I knew my dad had some reservations about Gloria. Over the years, he had kept control of the family’s finances. Gloria had no access to my tuition or living expenses, so she had never had a chance to interfere. But any money I earned from working for Uncle Jason had gone straight into Gloria’s pocket and spent on Amber. I had Uncle Jason send this summer’s earnings directly to Gloria, just like in my past life, making sure to note “Lauren’s Wages” in the transfer details. Gloria used that money to buy Amber a new phone. I saw it all in the hidden camera footage. I hadn’t told my dad the truth yet because I wanted to gather more evidence. I needed to make sure that when I finally exposed Gloria and Amber, there would be no way for them to escape. For now, my priority was to focus on living my life well. 6 After the grueling boot camp ended, I threw myself into university life. I joined the student council with my roommates, participated in every competition the school offered, and studied hard while continuing to update my novel every day. Writing was easier now that I had written this story in my past life. I even made improvements to the plot. My monthly earnings increased, and everything seemed to be moving in the right direction for me. I kept an eye on the “Crush Corner” page of Amber’s college. Amber was very pretty, with that innocent, delicate look that made her seem so harmless.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294763”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn