
Eight Christmases ago, my boyfriend Liam Mitchell held my hand and said, “Once I make it with my startup, I’ll give you the good life you deserve.” To support him, I gave him all my savings, sold my house, and even racked up millions in debt. We crammed into a rundown rental that cost fifteen dollars a day, surviving on three part-time jobs. Until one day, I collapsed at the factory and was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. Just as I was debating whether to tell him the news, I received a livestream link from Eleanor Baker, his childhood friend. I clicked on it and saw Liam in a custom-tailored suit, slipping a ten-million-dollar diamond ring onto Eleanor’s finger under dazzling fireworks. The screen was flooded with comments. [Mr. Mitchell spoils Ms. Baker so much. That diamond ring on her hand could feed that beggar Caroline Thompson for ten lifetimes.] [When will Caroline’s livestream shut down? I just want to see her face when she learns the truth.] [Soon. They’ve already changed the stream’s name. Then we’ll get to watch her get brutally dumped.] With trembling hands, I clicked into the stream they mentioned, only to discover the camera had been focused on our cheap rental all along. Even the stream’s name had been changed to [Breakup Countdown: 3 Days]. It turned out Liam was never poor at all—he was the heir to Mitchell Group. These eight Christmases of my desperate sacrifices were just his carefully orchestrated reality show for the entire internet’s entertainment. But now, it was my turn to direct the ending. ***** My hands wouldn’t stop shaking as I held my phone, watching the viewer count for the three-day countdown stream skyrocket. Liam had his arm around Eleanor, speaking with casual indifference: “Time’s almost up—just a few days left. When the moment comes, I’m going to dump that stupid woman without mercy. Want to make a bet? Let’s bet on whether she’ll jump off a building when she learns the truth. After all, she has nothing left now except me.” Every word pierced my heart with surgical precision, the pain so intense it triggered spasms in my stomach. Since Liam wanted to put on a show, I’d play along for these final fourteen days. Only this time, I wouldn’t let things unfold according to his plan. I didn’t return to the factory. Instead, I clutched that diagnosis and walked along the riverbank before heading back to the rental. The moment I pushed open the door, I was hit by the stench of mold mixed with dampness. Several cockroaches scurried away from the light, leaving tiny tracks across the moldy bedsheets. Liam hadn’t come back, as expected. Before, I thought he was busy with business meetings and deals. Now I realized that every time he stepped into this dump, his eyes held not exhaustion, but barely concealed disgust. Familiar stabbing pain shot through my stomach, but it couldn’t compare to the tearing agony in my heart. Eight Christmases ago, when I withdrew all my family’s savings to help Liam, my parents Matthew and Audrey Thompson were so furious they cut ties with me. Later, I even sold the downtown riverside apartment Matthew had given me when I came of age, transferring every penny to Liam’s account. That day, he held me with tears in his eyes: “Caroline, once my startup succeeds, I’ll buy you ten houses better than this one.” But through the livestream replays, I learned he’d immediately taken Eleanor to luxury boutiques and blown through all my money. He’d even said, “It’s not much, but we’ll make do.” Thinking about it now, I let out a bitter laugh. Last night’s livestream clips had gone viral. Liam became the “public’s ideal boyfriend,” and Mitchell Group’s stock price had doubled. My phone’s vibration snapped me back to reality. I realized the livestream in my room had been activated without my knowledge, with over a hundred thousand viewers. The screen was flooded with comments. [How did this woman get so filthy? She must actually be begging on the streets.] [Pay attention everyone, because there’s about to be a good show. Though I have to say, she’s got a nice body.] I clutched my clothes tighter, trembling uncontrollably. Following the camera’s angle, I looked toward the piggy bank on the broken wooden desk. It was the birthday gift Liam had given me on our first Christmas together. Just a clay piggy bank, worthless really. But I’d treasured it as a token of our love, carefully carrying it with me through every move. I never imagined it contained a livestream surveillance camera, clearly recording eight Christmases of my pathetic existence. Just then, urgent, violent pounding erupted from outside the door. The voice shouted: “Bitch! If you don’t pay rent today, get the hell out!” My heart seemed to stop, but searching my entire body, I found only a few dollars. Last week’s wages had been transferred away by Liam the moment they hit my account—he said the company needed them. When I didn’t respond, even more violent kicking and cursing came from outside. “I saw you come back with my own eyes. How dare you hide from me?” Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around myself and cowered in the corner, shaking. The pounding suddenly stopped, replaced by the sound of keys turning in the lock. The door opened. I stepped back twice, then saw Liam appear before me. He’d changed from his custom suit into a worn T-shirt, waving several crumpled bills in his hand. Liam said, “Caroline, I picked up a side job today and made three hundred dollars. I just paid the rent. You can spend whatever’s left however you want.”
Liam looked incredibly excited, as if he was genuinely thrilled about these three hundred dollars. With trembling hands, I took the three crumpled bills, tears blurring my vision. Eight years had passed. Now, his acting skills had become even more refined—I had never seen through them. Liam seemed to notice something was off with me, his tone almost deliberately enthusiastic. He said, “I earn money just to spend it on you, don’t I? Once my company takes off, forget this little amount—I’d give you three million dollars without hesitation.” I looked up at him, suddenly remembering a comment that mentioned Liam had spent thirty million dollars on Eleanor’s personal exhibition tomorrow. I stared into Liam’s eyes, my voice barely audible: “Could you stay home and spend time with me tomorrow?” Liam froze for a moment, instinctively glancing around the room. Just then, moldy wallpaper fell from behind me, crumbling into black debris at my feet. I clearly saw him frown slightly, a hint of impatience flickering in his eyes. He said, “Baby, I have to meet with investors tomorrow. This is crucial—it’s a matter of life and death for the company.” For all these years, Liam had used this same excuse, and he’d gotten increasingly smooth at it. He would disappear for a week at the shortest, sometimes for months. Yet after eight years of these “critical periods,” his company still hadn’t made any progress. If it weren’t for those livestream recordings, I would never have known that his so-called business trips were just shopping sprees, vacations, and even studying abroad with Eleanor. Now Liam couldn’t even remember my birthday, just habitually brushing me off. This familiar attitude broke my heart. I forced a smile and said, “It’s okay. Focus on your work.” “Alright, I’m going to take a shower first.” Liam nodded as if he’d been granted a reprieve, hurrying into the bathroom as if staying here another moment disgusted him. My phone buzzed—Eleanor had started a livestream. As if possessed, I clicked in and saw her sitting surrounded by luxury shopping bags. She laughed softly, “Someone’s asking what’s special about today. Actually, it’s not really a special day. “Liam just loves giving me gifts. He says every day we’re together is an anniversary.” She suddenly leaned closer to the camera, blinking sweetly: “He even mysteriously told me this morning that he’s preparing a huge surprise for me.” The screen instantly filled with comments full of envy and well-wishes. But a few harsh comments slipped by. [Just came back from that beggar woman’s stream. I’m dying laughing. She actually thinks Mr. Mitchell would spend a whole day with her in that dump.] [I’m so embarrassed for her. Mr. Mitchell is helping Ms. Baker with her exhibition tomorrow—how could he possibly have time for her?] I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to bear reading those cruel comments. I had spent eight years of my youth with him, exhausted my family’s fortune, and this was what I got in return. While I was lost in thought, the bathroom door suddenly burst open. Liam emerged, toweling his hair, carrying the scent of an unfamiliar body wash. He said, “Caroline, didn’t you complain about me not spending time with you? Tonight, I’m taking you to meet the investors.” Before I could process my surprise, a wrinkled dress was thrown into my arms. There were obvious foundation stains on the neckline—clearly Eleanor had worn it. My heart ached, but he simply helped me put on the dress. Liam took me to a luxurious banquet hall, then skillfully pushed open the door to a VIP room. Instantly, I was hit by the overwhelming smell of smoke and alcohol. I instinctively frowned and started coughing, but Liam pushed me forward. He said, “Go say hello.” Several sleazy men sat on the sofa. Their gazes roamed shamelessly over my body, making me tremble uncontrollably. Liam shoved a wine glass into my hand, saying, “Go toast them. Whether the project succeeds depends on tonight.” One of the men approached and refilled my empty glass. He leered, “How much we invest in Mr. Mitchell depends on your performance.” Amid the raucous laughter, I was forced to drink glass after glass. After two bottles, my consciousness began to blur. When rough hands reached for my thigh, I finally broke down. I pushed through the crowd and stumbled into the bathroom. I vomited until I nearly passed out, my stomach feeling like it was being stabbed with blades, the pain making me break out in cold sweat. Humiliation and despair overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t stop crying. After what felt like forever, my phone rang. I answered, and a man’s voice came through: “Is this Caroline? This is the oncology center at Central Hospital. “We’re currently recruiting stomach cancer patients for paid human trials of a new treatment. Would you be interested in participating?”
I agreed almost without hesitation. At Central Hospital, Wyatt Hughes showed me around the treatment facility and patiently explained the feasibility of the treatment plan. He said, “This treatment will take about a year. In return, after the experiment ends, we’ll pay you two million dollars in compensation.” I nodded quietly, my voice hoarse as I said, “I have only one request. Before the project begins, I need you to help me fake my death from stomach cancer.” Wyatt frowned slightly but eventually nodded. When I left the hospital, dawn was breaking. I looked around in confusion, suddenly unsure where to go. Just then, my phone, clutched tightly in my hand, began to vibrate. I answered the call, and Ellie Morris’s cautious voice came through: “Caroline, are you free today to help me with something?” These past few years, Ellie had found me many odd jobs, barely allowing me to make ends meet. “Sure, I’ll be right over.” I swallowed the words of refusal. I wiped the tears from my face and headed to the agreed location. The moment I stepped into the art gallery, an uneasy feeling washed over me. Walking into the exhibition hall, I saw Eleanor’s life-size standee. So this was where her solo exhibition was being held. She was like a ghost I couldn’t shake off. I stopped in my tracks, instinctively turning to flee. But then I saw Liam at a nearby display, struggling to move a massive painting. Sweat trickled down his jaw, soaking the custom suit I had bought him on installments over a year. Yet he didn’t seem tired at all, his face showing barely concealed joy. This was completely different from his attitude when I’d asked him to help hang laundry. Eleanor suddenly looked up and met my gaze, flashing a provocative smile. “Liam, don’t move,” she said, standing on her tiptoes to tenderly wipe the sweat from his forehead with her handkerchief, her movements gentle and lingering. Liam obediently bent down, letting her fingertips trace suggestively across his brow and lips. Watching this scene, a dull pain shot through my chest. Eleanor deliberately raised her voice while staring straight at me. She said, “Liam, if that beggar woman saw us like this, would she make a scene with you right here?” Liam hadn’t noticed my presence and only indulgently pinched Eleanor’s nose: “That would be perfect—saves me from planning how to break up with her.” My heartbeat and breathing suddenly became very light, as if something was slowly being stripped away from my body. The exhibition opening began. The crowd suddenly surged forward, pushing me back step by step. A woman said, “Look, everyone. That’s Mr. Mitchell and Ms. Baker. They’re so sweet together.” A man excitedly said, “Mr. Mitchell is going to livestream his breakup with that beggar woman tomorrow, right?” Another man said dismissively, “Yes. Over a million people have already signed up to watch. I really want to see that beggar woman who won’t leave Mr. Mitchell alone make a fool of herself.” The people around me were chatting excitedly. Every word pierced straight through my chest. I covered my face, afraid they’d recognize me. But as I turned to leave, someone deliberately tripped me, and I crashed onto the marble floor. At the same time, a bucket of dirty mop water beside me was knocked over in the chaos, and the filthy water splashed across my face. The dirty water ran down my hair into my collar, gradually soaking my entire body. When I tremblingly opened my eyes, everyone around me had stepped back, but they were all holding up their phones, frantically filming me. A woman said in shock, “Oh my God! How dare she show up here?” Another woman said, “She deserves it! She still dares to appear looking like that!” Their undisguised mockery drew a burst of laughter. I tried to struggle to my feet, but someone in the crowd shoved me again, and I fell heavily back to the ground. My palms burned with pain, and the marble floor beneath my hands was now stained with blood. A man shouted, “Look over there, everyone!” A piercing cheer suddenly erupted from the front, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. Through my vision blurred by dirty water, I saw Eleanor smiling radiantly like a flower, actively kissing Liam’s lips under the soft silver spotlight. Liam’s hands gripped her waist tightly. The two of them kissed passionately under the spotlight, like the perfect ending of a fairy tale. And I was covered in filth, like a discarded rag. Only after witnessing all this did I finally realize that we were never from the same world. My nails dug deep into my palms, but my mind was unusually clear. This absurd reality show had just one more day before it would finally end.
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