Category: English

On the first anniversary, Cora’s boyfriend Eason Patton gave her a big gift. He cheated on another woman. It was a cool autumn night and the rain was pouring. As Cora Lane walked to the doorstep with a gift in her hands, She noticed a pair of high heels on the floor. Cora was very clear that those were not her shoes. It was like her heart had stopped beating. She gently put her things on the floor and slowly walked toward the master bedroom upstairs. The closer she got, the clearer the conversation became. It was Eason, with another woman… “When will you break up with Cora? Her family went bankrupt, and her father jumped off a bridge! She is a huge liability…”  The petulant voice made Cora’s stomach shrink, and at that moment, she really felt like throwing up. Cora knew Eason maybe had found someone else… she just didn’t think it was going to be Mia from college.  Because not only was Mia very ugly and fat, she was also extremely unpleasant as a person.  Next, Cora heard an even more disgusting sound, which was Eason’s. “I don’t want to talk about her boredom. I have tasted something better on you…” Cora dared not continue listening any further…even a deaf person could hear Mia’s relationship with Eason.  The sudden realization made Cora feel nauseous, she knew that Mia’s family could help Eason greatly, but they made her want to vomit.  Cora and Eason had been engaged, but when her family went bankrupt, the Patton family broke off the engagement quikly. And now, Eason was having sex with another woman. Cora ran away from the home by taking a taxi. “Miss, where exactly are you going?” The driver curiously glanced at her through the rearview mirror. The car was passing by a high-end club. On impulse, Cora told the driver to stop the car. After paying the bill and getting out of the car, Cora walked straight into the club, where it was vibrant and filled with people flirting with each other. The manager on the side greeted, “Miss, would you like to have fun here? We have hot guys for ladies.” As Cora watched the manager earnestly introduce one strong man after another, she felt a hint of revengeful pleasure. Cora thought, Since Eason had an affair, why can’t I spend a night with another man? “I wanted the most handsome and highest-priced man here!” The manager’s eyes lit up, and he directly took her into the VIP private room and served drinks. “Enjoy the wine. I will take him here right away!” He left Cora alone on the sofa. She was drunk and dizzy, and everything she saw was in double. In a trance, she saw the door of the opposite private room open, and a tall man came out. She looked along his straight long legs, his narrow waist and broad shoulders. His chiseled face was handsome, and every inch of his body was perfect. In particular, his dark and deep eyes were his most striking feature. With a smile, Cora got up and walked over unsteadily. She grabbed the man’s arm. “Not bad…” Looking at the woman who had suddenly grabbed him, Byron Hansen frowned. “Let go of me.” “How can you talk to me like that?? Didn’t your manager tell you I’m paying for you? Here! I’ll double it!”  She giggled, standing on tiptoes to get close to him.  “Listen, make me happy, and I will give you a big tip tonight!” In an instant, Cora’s wrist was grabbed by him, and her whole body was firmly pressed against the wall. His thinly calloused fingertips began to rub ever so slightly over her wrists, and a tiny shiver stirred through her body. “Remember what you said. Don’t blame me when you wake up tomorrow!”

Byron stopped in his tracks and looked straight at Cora. Her face was round and her eyes were big and clear. Her skin was light and smooth; she didn’t even have pores. Unlike the other women in the nightclub, she didn’t wear makeup. She was as pure as a daisy, waiting for someone to pluck her. Her body was mixed with the smell of alcohol and the fragrance of youth. Byron hadn’t had any feelings for women in years. But at this moment, impulsiveness had arisen in his heart. He liked her very much. Looking at the sly smile on her face, he twisted his fingers slightly and his lips curved into a grin. “You’re drunk. You don’t know what you’re doing.” She raised her head and said firmly, “Bullsh*t! I’m not drunk at all. You’re drunk.” Cora frowned, “are you going to be a man and give me what I want?” Byron’s eyes darkened, “as you wish.” Byron pulled her closer, pressing the elevator button on the wall. The manager walked in with a group of people, and his eyes widened “President Hansen, this lady…” Byron gave him a warning look and said in a low voice, “It’s fine, leave her.” The manager didn’t dare to question him. The elevator went straight to the seventh floor of the club, the private suites. Byron opened the door to his own exclusive room. Cora pulled on him and stumbled in. He pressed her against the door without turning on the lights. Her legs felt like jello in his arms. Suddenly, Cora felt a little cold. That’s when she realized her dress had fallen. The man’s kiss was rough, and his touch was dominant. Her skin was even softer than he had imagined… She seemed to have finally realized what was going on, and became a little nervous. Although she wanted to take revenge on Eason, maybe it’s too crazy to spend the night with a stranger… “Wait! Maybe… we should have some wine first?” He looked into her panicked eyes. He was used to the darkness, so he could see clearly how fragile the woman looked now. But desire coursed through his body. He held her hands over her head and said in a hoarse voice, “It’s a little too late for that.” *** The next morning, Cora woke up sore everywhere. Her body felt as if it had been through a car wreck, and every joint of her body ached. Images from last night flashed through her mind, and her face turned bright red. I can’t believe it actually happened… Cora thought to herself. She wrapped herself in the bedsheets and was about to stand when the bathroom door opened. The man came out with only a bath towel around his waist. He was over six feet tall, with hard, defined abs and tanned, golden skin… She gave a little gasp and looked away. “Why— why aren’t you wearing clothes?!” Byron listened to her stammering voice and watched her squirming under the covers. The corners of his lips curled into a smile. “Oh, so now you’re shy? You weren’t shy last night…” Cora’s face flushed red. Then, she said in a cold voice, “So, what’s your rate? I’ll pay you for last night and you can go.” Byron raised his eyebrows and walked toward the bed. Before he even said anything, she scrambled away. Cora rolled to the other side, stood up holding the sheet to her body, and glared at him. “I have a boyfriend! Take the money and go. Don’t tell anyone about last night!” The man squinted his eyes. “You have a boyfriend?” “That’s right! We’ve been dating for a year!” He stopped and stared at me as if he had been wondering if Cora was telling the truth. Suddenly, his phone rang. The man picked up his phone, frowned upon answering, and quickly hung up the call. He untied the towel, threw it on the ground, and started getting dressed. Cora immediately covered her eyes, and when she opened them again, the man had already dressed neatly and left the room without looking back. “What’s going on? Did he spend a night with me for free?”Cora muttered to herself. She took a shower. After cleaning up, Cora went to the front desk to pay the bill. The reception blinked at her. “Miss Lane, you didn’t book any services with us last night.” “But… I know I did. Check again. Room 709.” When the receptionist heard the number “709”, she blinked even harder. “Room 709 is a VIP room. It’s not open to the public. Do you have the wrong room number?”

When Cora came out of the club, her mind was in a haze. Cora thought, “I didn’t sleep with a rent boy but with another customer?” She comforted herself, “It’s okay. At least, I enjoyed it…” But Cora never expected that her relationship with Eason would end in this way. She fumbled in her bag to take out her phone so that she could send a text message to break up with Eason. The her phone suddenly rang. Cora answered the phone, and a deep male voice came from the other end. “May I speak to Ms. Lane, please?” The voice sounded familiar and quite pleasant. “This is Cora Lane. Who are you?” He didn’t answer her question and said calmly, “Please come to the downtown hospital as soon as possible. Eason had an accident.” Cora was shocked. She wondered, “Eason was still in bed with Mia last night had an accident? Did he end up in the hospital due to sex?” Cora took a taxi to the hospital and found the ward where Eason was staying.  He had bandages wrapped around his forehead, and there were several abrasions on his handsome young face. There was a man standing by the hospital bed. With a height close to 6 feet 2 inches, he was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, with a stern expression. Hearing the sound, Eason looked up at me and said, “Aunt, you’re here.” Cora couldn’t believe it. “What did you call me?” “Aunt.” He furrowed his brows slightly, looking at me with a puzzled expression. “What’s wrong with you?” Cora became furious, wondering, “Scumbag! You not only cheated on me and ended up in the hospital, but also pretended that you don’t know me?” Just as she was about to roll up her sleeves and teach him a lesson, the man standing by the bedside finally moved. He raised his hand stopped in front of Cora with a slight nod, “Ms. Lane, let’s go outside and talk.” Cora lifted her head and stood there, completely stunned. She was so familiar with that face. He was the man from last night! They just met at the bar! Cora wondered, “Why was he here?” Obviously, the man in front of her was also taken aback. He didn’t expect to meet her here either. However, he quickly composed himself, grabbed Cora who was still standing there in a daze, and walked out of the ward. Closing the door of the ward, They stood in the hospital corridor.  This man told Cora that Eason had gone out last night and had a car accident. He had his head hit. Now he was experiencing memory confusion, mistaking her for his aunt. Cora said coolly, “Sir, who are you?” “My name is Byron Hansen.” Cora nodded numbly, “I understand. Are you Eason’s brother?” “No, I am his uncle.” Cora was shocked, and she stared at him in shock. “Is that a joke? Eason is twenty-five years old this year, and you look like you’re only in your twenties. Are you telling me now that you’re his uncle?” Byron frowned slightly, and it was only then that Cora noticed the resemblance between him and Eason in his eyebrows and eyes. “Ms. Lane, let me correct two points. Eason’s mother was not her biological sister, but we did have a good relationship, so our families have always been in contact. “And…I am not as young as you said. I’m over thirty.” Cora’s head was buzzing, and she couldn’t understand a word he was saying. The suite in the clubhouse, the wild night, the big and soft bed, the scattered clothes on the floor…  Everything pieced together into a chaotic scene from last night. She slept with Eason’s uncle last night!

They sat face to face in the cafeteria on the ground floor of the hospital. This was a private hospital, and the expenses were exorbitant.  Even the price of coffee was ridiculously high. Cora ordered an iced Americano, and it cost her a lot. She took a sip and wrinkled her face, almost spitting it out. Byron sat across from Cora and calmly repeated once again. “In short, the doctor said Eason’s injury was bad, and creating an environment that matches his memory will help his recovery. Eason’s parents are both traveling abroad now, and I am the only family he has in New York. ” “I’ve just returned here and I’m not familiar with everything about him. So I hope you can cooperate with me.” Cora chuckled and said, “Mr. Hansen, what you said is truly touching. But I broke up with Eason just yesterday.” She thought, “Ridiculous! I don’t even want to see this scumbag, let alone pretend to be his aunt.” Cora got up to leave. But Byron didn’t move at all, just casually said behind her,”I’ll give you $50,000 for every day you play.” Cora’s footsteps abruptly stopped, and she turned head to look at him, “Are you sure?” “Yes.” “I don’t believe you unless you sign a contract.” Then Byron really called his lawyer. Right in the hospital café, a contract was drafted in front of her. According to the contract, as long as Cora lived with him in the name of husband and wife by day and helped Eason recover his memory, she would receive a reward of 50,000 dollars every day. After signing the contract, Byron immediately paid her 50,000 dollars. Cora counted twice, her mom had been hospitalized for a long time and with this money the medical bills would finally not be overdue. She put away her bank card. “Mr. Hansen, just tell me whatever you need!” Byron stood up and gently reminded her, “Ms. Lane, from now on, you need to change your address.” Cora said at once, “Sure, my dear husband. No problem. Shall we go check on our nephew now, dear?” Three days later, Eason was discharged from the hospital. Cora packed up her things and moved into the villa near the city center with Byron. Actually, at first glance, Cora felt Byron looked familiar, and after thinking back a few times, she finally remembered. After all, this is the same man whose photos are plastered everywhere. Magazines, billboards and social media. One magazine once wrote “The hottest and most eligible bachelor, Byron Hansen. Who shall take home the gold?”  Cora never thought that one day she would have this kind of relationship with Byron. All the way, Eason sat in the back seat of the car, with a smile on his face, looking at her and Byron. “Cora, you and my uncle are so sweet.” “Thank you.” Cora replied to him with a complex mood. Just three days ago, she saw him with Mia in bed with her own eyes. In no time, he happily sat behind her and called her aunt. Cora couldn’t think about it anymore. She just hoped Byron could arrange everything properly. On the first night of moving into the villa, Cora rolled up her bedding and moved into Byron’s room. The room was lit with warm yellow light. He had a pair of glasses perched on his nose, and he was sitting at the desk flipping through a book. She glanced roughly at it. The book title was composed of several obscure unfamiliar terms, probably some kind of literature about economics. Seeing the blanket Cora was holding in her hands, he raised an eyebrow and set down the book he was holding. “Cora, we were just acting, and you didn’t have to do this.” Cora took a deep breath and spoke in a harsh tone. “Do you think I want to? Mr. Hansen, Eason kept asking me all night if sleeping in separate rooms with you means our relationship is not good. I couldn’t answer him.” Eason was now living in the villa because of his injury, and Cora became the only hostess of the villa. Eason told her that Byron was charming and fickle and that many women wanted to replace her position as Mrs. Hansen. In the end, Eason’s eyes were red. He stubbornly looked at me, saying, “Aunt, you must firmly hold onto my uncle’s heart.” Cora didn’t know before that Eason cared about his uncle so much. Byron rubbed his forehead and nodded. “Understood. I’ll go take a shower.” Cora stood by the bed, holding the blanket. No one mentioned that she needed to have sex with him! Just as she was lost in her thoughts, Byron came out of the bathroom.  His hair was still dripping water, and there were droplets hanging from his eyelashes. Cora’s brain was a bit slow for a moment, and her gaze kept moving downward until she noticed the abs. Byron looked down at her, his pupils filled with an inexplicable expression. He suddenly touched her lips with his thumb in a sexy way as if he wanted to use his finger to part her lips and put them into her mouth. Cora remembered that night he had never kissed her. Suddenly, Byron chuckled lightly and said, “I’ll let you stay here, and I’ll sleep in the guest room.” Cora immediately rolled up in the blanket and went to bed, falling asleep as soon as she laid her head down. The next day, when she woke up, it was already bright outside. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned as she walked towards the nearby restroom. However, as soon as Cora opened the door, she bumped right into Byron. Thinking about the ambiguous scene last night, Cora awkwardly smiled and said, “Mr. Hansen, aren’t you going to the office today?” He looked at her with a smile in his eyes and didn’t move. Cora dodged him and turned to avoid him, wanting to go wash up. Byron curled his lips and suddenly lifted her up, throwing her onto the bed. Cora struggled to get up and stared at him warily. “There is no such clause in the contract!” He stood by the bed, looking down at her with a slight smirk on his lips. “Ms. Lane, remember to accept my friend application when you have time,” he said. With these words, Byron let go of her and walked away without looking back. Cora lay in bed for a while and picked up her phone. As expected, there was a new friend application on WhatsApp. Afterwards, Byron didn’t say a word and just gave her an address without any explanation. It turned out…to be her home. To be exact, it was Eason’s house now. Byron had already cleared away all traces of her there three days ago. “Eason said he wanted to go back to his own house to take a look, but I have clients to meet and can’t leave. Could you please accompany him, Ms. Lane?” When Cora stood at Eason’s doorstep, she felt very conflicted. Three days ago, she stood here and heard Eason and Mia having sex. But now, Eason was standing innocently beside her. “Cora! Open the door.” Eason saw her standing there, urging her to quickly take the keys and help him open the door. Cora opened the door in a complicated mood and saw Mia sitting on the sofa in the living room, looking at her with a disdainful expression. “Why are you here?” Cora said to Mia with a cold face. She replied with a fake smile, “Why couldn’t I come here? By the way, didn’t you hear that day? I even picked the gift at the door up for you.” Cora held back her disgust and pulled Eason into the door, pointing at Mia and introducing her to him, “She is your new girlfriend.” Mia looked at her with a smile. “Cora, I didn’t expect you to be so sensible. You should have known long ago that Eason’s family is not a match for you.”She was speaking while preparing to hold Eason’s hand. But Eason directly shook Mia’s hand off and turned his head towards Cora, looking confused. “Aunt, I don’t know her. She looks like a Shrek！”

“What?!” Mia’s face turned red and glared at Eason. “What do you call her, Eason? Aunt?” In the midst of Mia’s exaggerated screams, it suddenly dawned on Cora that Eason didn’t remember anything about him and Mia now! “He is right. I am his aunt now, Mrs. Hansen. Yes, that’s right. Byron Hansen is now my husband.” Cora turned around, smiled, then took out her phone in Mia’s shocked and angry gaze, and dialed Byron’s number. “Honey, I took our nephew back to his house, but someone had broken into the house. Oh, you’re coming over? Then we’ll wait for you here.” Cora finished complaining in a coquettish manner, closed her phone, and looked at Mia. “Aren’t you leaving yet? Do you want me to call the police?” Mia sneered and walked up to Eason as if she were the queen of the house. She even held his hand.  “Cora, don’t lie to me.I thought you’d be crying your eyes out somewhere now. Didn’t your Dad kill himself? What are you doing here?” Eason wanted to withdraw his hand, but Mia didn’t let him do so. He could only sneak a peek at Cora. “You was never my girlfriend….” Mia was so angry that she stamped her feet. “What are you talking about? Eason, what the hell is wrong with you？！” Cora gave a cold snort, “Eason was right. why didn’t he agree to go out with you back in college? Because he told me he’d rather die than go out with you.”  “Yes！I remember my girlfriend was a beauty. she was clearly looked like my aunt…” Eason muttered to himself, and Cora listened in astonishment.  Mia was shaking with anger, “I finally figured it out. It’s all because you look like Jan…..”She said as she was about to raise her hand to slap Cora.  But just then, a man’s dignified voice came over. “Stop!” When Cora looked up in shock, she saw that Byron was standing right behind her!  He was wearing a tailored black suit, and his height and legs were stunning. “Uncle Byron, this girl is Eason’s ex-girlfriend. She was pretending to be your wife！What a terrible person!” Mia was the first to come back to her senses. The first thing she did was slander Cora. Cora was ready to face explanations from Byron, but to her surprise he said,  “She is indeed my wife, so you’re trespassing on house to question this?” This time, it wasn’t just Cora who was stunned. Even Mia looked at Byron in surprise. “This intruder, are you going to let me call the police to throw you out?” Mia stormed off in frustration, attempting to grab Eason’s hand and question him before leaving, but Eason just shrugged her off. *** Cora huddled in the passenger seat of the Maybach, feeling Byron’s smooth driving skills, her mind in a jumble. She looked at Eason thoughtfully, wondering why he thought she was his aunt. The car was silent, and Byron turned to Cora and asked, “So, who’s the woman?” “Eason’s…new girlfriend.” There was a red light ahead. He hit the brake, with one hand on the steering wheel, turning his head to look at her with a slight curve at the corner of his lips. “So, you came to me that night because Eason cheated on you?” “…” Cora closed her eyes in despair, pretending to sleep, and unknowingly fell into a deep sleep. When they got home, Byron thought Cora was still asleep and gently carried her out of the car. He carried her upstairs and turned into the corridor.  When Eason couldn’t see them, Cora couldn’t hold it anymore and opened her eyes. Byron was looking down at her. Cora awkwardly smiled and prepared to jump out of his arms. “Thank you. I’ll go back to my room by myself.” But his eyes darkened, and instead, he held her chin and prepared to lower his head to kiss her. Cora heard footsteps coming closer from a distance. That kiss ultimately didn’t land on her lips, only gently brushing past one side of her cheek. Byron pressed her head against his shoulder and turned to look at Eason, who had a surprised expression on his face. “I’m tired. I’ll take a break here for a while.” Eason nodded and continued to go upstairs. Cora stifled a laugh on Byron’s shoulder and said, “That was close. You almost kissed your nephew’s ex-girlfriend right in front of him, didn’t you?” “…” Byron held her head, his tone carrying a hidden warning. “Do you think I dare not kiss you?” Cora dared not speak anymore, silently burying her head in his arms.  She watched as he entered the room step by step and steadily placed her on the bed. Byron turned around and prepared to return to the guest room. But suddenly he turned back to look at her, saying, “Cora.” Cora smiled obsequiously and said, “What can I do for you, Mr. Hansen?” He furrowed his brows slightly and unexpectedly asked, “Are you short of money?” Cora was stunned for a moment and did not think there was anything to hide. “Yes, I am.” “How much do you need?” “More than 50K.” Byron took out his checkbook, wrote a string of numbers on a check, and handed it to Cora. Cora looked at the check for 100K and pushed it back to him after hesitating for a while. “I can’t accept this.” Other than these days, they’ve never spoken to each other. They are practically strangers.  If she took his money now… it’d make her feel like he’s only giving it to her for sex.  … Byron seemed very surprised by her refusal. He stared at the check for a few seconds before taking it back. Cora then asked, “But maybe you can give me some advice? Do you know how I can make some cash fast?”  Byron looked at her with a half smile, “all the ways to make fast cash are written in the law books.”  Cora smiled awkwardly and said, “Right.” If she went to jail, her mother’s treatment fees would be even more of a problem. Just as Cora was regretting rejecting the money, Byron suddenly asked, “What if I get you a job?” “Okay. But I have to work in the hospital Monday to Friday. Can you give me a part time gig?” “The lounge we were at that night… go to Spire 73 to work in the evening,” he said. … At nightfall, in Spire 73, the favorite leisure and entertainment place of the rich young men in the city.  “Byron, how does it feel to be harassed by your nephew’s fiancee?” Byron’s good friend, Harry, was wearing a flowery shirt, drinking and chatting with him. Byron knew that Harry was referring to Cora. He took a sip of wine and said, “Engagement is off. What fiancée?” “That’s true, and damn. That Cora Lane, she’s really something. Rarely do I see a girl with a good face, big breasts AND a fat ass. I bet a lot of people would want to tap that now that she’s single.” Words travel fast, especially in the “rich crowd”. By now, everyone knew about Cora Lane’s fall from grace and that her engagement with Eason Patton was over.  When Harry said, “I bet a lot of people would want to tap that” he was specifically looking at Byron. He had exactly three hickies on his neck.  A week ago, he had organized a party for Byron to appear in Spire 73. That was why when Byron left Spire 73 with Cora, Harry had seen the entire thing. Even though he was grabbing the ass of a russian model, he saw from the corner of his eyes how Byron took Cora’s hand and headed towards the elevators.  They were both adults. It was easy to know what would happen after they left the bar together. Harry nudged Byron, “so, how does it feel to sleep with the same girl your nephew slept with?”   Byron ignored Harry, but the more Byron ignored him the more interested he became.  “Come on!! Man, talk to me. How was it?”  Byron coldly looked at Harry and just said one word, “no”  But because of Harry’s question, his mind took him back to the night before…  Cora moaning beneath him, then her legs shaking when he took her from behind. Harry was right, she did have a perfect body. When he thrusted from behind he held on to her tiny waist and watched as her plump butt swallowed his shaft.  The air seemed to have suddenly become thinner. Byron quietly pulled open his collar a little. “Aww come on man, you’re no fun…” Harry was very open about relations between men and women. He had seen Cora at the dinner party once, it was a long time ago but he still remembered the blue satin dress she wore. It accentuated her curves, and even someone like him who’s been with countless women, wanted a taste…  But at that time, Eason was her fiance and he watched her closely, making sure no man went anywhere near her.  Now that the Lane family had been torn apart and the Patton family had drawn a clear line between them, Harry was eager to give it a try. But Byron suddenly interrupted him. “Maybe I’ll tell you next time.” “Next time? There’s going to be a next time? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, what if Jane finds out?” Harry was shocked Byron would actually think about a “next time”.  Normally, these types of things would be a one and done, especially for Byron who has a girl his family picked out for him. Jane was the “approved bride”, she came from an impeccable family and had great looks. She’s also a doctor with a kind heart, a rarity in their world. He suddenly remembered that jane and cora looked alike from many angles, did that mean… “Why should I care if Jane finds out?” “Wait what? I thought you’d marry Jane!” Before Harry could blurt it out, he saw Cora coming into the lounge.  “Oh shit, she looks good…” Harry exclaimed. Byron turned around and looked in the direction of Harry’s gaze and saw that stunning figure…

Cora started her first shift as a promoter.  “Sir, would you like to try this new cocktail? It’s delicious.” Cora smiled, and the dimples at the corners of her mouth were lively and intoxicating. This was the part-time job that Byron had gotten for her—promoting different alcohol. The clients were nearly all men, and they looked at her with lustful eyes, “You want us to order the drinks you promote?” “Then show us why we should buy it,” another chimed in with a laugh.  A bald guy with greasy looking fingers got up and poured 10 shots of patron. “Come on, if you can drink with us, we’ll order a few bottles from you.” “I can’t hold my liquor. I’m really sorry.” After drinking a few glasses of wine last night, she had sex with Byron. Alcohol tolerance was not her strong point.  Cora wanted to give up on this table so she smiled and got ready to leave.  Unexpectedly, the several male guests there refused to let her go. “Come on, this is how you treat your clients?” Spire 73 was famous for its hot bartenders and waitresses. That’s another reason why so many men come to this place.  However, just as they were about to put their hands on Cora, a cold male voice rang out. “What are you doing?” Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the man’s eyes seemed to be as cold as an iceberg. “Mr. Hansen!” Almost all the people who came here to entertain themselves were rich young men from New York. Most of them knew Byron Hansen.  When Cora saw Byron, she was a bit surprised.  One young man tried to play it off, “we were just messing with her, we meant no harm.”  Looking at those people coldly, Byron said, “You are not qualified to do such a thing. Get lost.” His tone sounded casual, but his innate arrogance and powerful aura suddenly reminded the people present that Spire 73 was also the property of the Hansen family. “Mr. Hansen, I’m sorry. We crossed the line.” “Mr. Hansen, it won’t happen again.” They hurriedly apologized. … However, Byron didn’t listen to them. He only gloomily ordered the bar manager, who had heard the news and rushed over, “Throw these people out. Sue them for sexual harassment, and never allow them into any Hansen Group establishment ever again.”  The seemingly casual order made the several men weak in the knees.  Almost all of the top-notch leisure and entertainment establishments in New York belonged to the Hansen Group. If they were barred from those places from now on, how could they have the face to stay in the social circle of the new rich young men in New York in the future? How could they maintain their contacts? They kept apologizing and begging for mercy, hoping that Mr. Hansen would take pity on them. Unfortunately, the man ignored them, and the manager immediately asked the bouncers to escort them out.  After those people were kicked out, Byron didn’t even look at Cora. He simply went back to where he was sitting before.  Cora caught up with him because she wanted to thank him.  “For what happened just now, I’d like to thank you for your help.” After thanking him, Cora nodded politely at Harry sitting at the side. Cora behaved in a gracious manner and did not lose the demeanor that a daughter of a rich and powerful family should have. Harry nodded back with a smile.  Harry suddenly understood why Byron had ignored his relationship with Eason and slept with Cora.  But at this moment, Byron ignored her. However, Cora’s eyes landed on Byron’s hand. It was bleeding.  “Are you injured? Let me help you take care of it.” Although she didn’t know how Byron had gotten injured, he had helped her just now. What’s more, Cora is a doctor, she can’t just turn a blind eye to someone with an injury.  Harry glanced at Byron, he distinctly remembers Byron shattering a wine glass with his hands when he saw those men harass Cora.  Harry’s eyes darted between Cora and Byron, how interesting.  *** Cora called the manager over and asked for a first aid kit. Then, she took Byron’s hand and began to deal with it. Harry tried saying hi to Cora but she was fully focused on Byron’s wound. This was her natural instinct as a doctor.  Although Byron ignored Cora, he didn’t stop her from treating his wound. “The wound looks a little deep. Try not to touch any water in the next two days.” Cora carefully dressed Byron’s wound and did not forget to remind him. She thought that Byron would ignore her as before. After saying that, she got up to leave. Unexpectedly, Byron suddenly asked, “Do you know how to drive?” Cora was stunned momentarily before she realized Byron was talking to her. “Yes, but…” Cora mostly took the subway to get around the city, she rarely drove.  But before she could finish, Byron handed over the car key and said, “Drive me home.” Cora wanted to refuse, but when she saw the gauze wrapped around his hand, she realized that it’s not convenient for him to drive.  He also helped her three times in one day, best to return a little favor.  In the end, Cora took the car key. Harry watched the two of them leave, muttering to himself, “I guess there really is going to be a next time…”  … Cora’s never driven a four hundred thousand dollar car before. Heck, she’s never driven anything other than a toyota.  But it’s all the same right? Just brakes and gas pedal. Cora thought. However, as soon as she drove through an intersection, Byron, who had been casually sitting in the passenger seat just now, suddenly looked serious. Cora mistook the accelerator for the brake and ran a red light. She almost bumped into a car crossing the road, causing traffic jams. “How did you pass your driver’s test?” “It’s been awhile!” Cora said after taking a deep breath.  The sound of other cars honking their horns filled the air.  Cora had to stepped on the brake, parked the car by the road. She began to feel embarrassed and turned to look at Byron. Byron looked back at her. Cora didn’t know if it was because of the light, but she felt that Byron’s gaze was much more profound than before. Suddenly he unfastened his seatbelt, leaned over, and stared straight at me. “Cora, I want to you…” Byron’s words were concise and carried an irresistible deterrence. Even Cora understood what this meant.  “Mr. Hansen…” Cora should have refused. It was not a good thing to be close to Eason’s uncle. If other people found out about their relationship, she worried that her reputation would be ruined, and her job would become a problem. But tonight, she didn’t want to refuse. Even if this crazy of mind was unrealistic, she still wanted to grasp this moment of crazy. “Didn’t you want to me?” Byron whispered in her ear. He put his hand on her breasts, pinching and rubbing her nipples. Cora felt this feeling for the first time and took a deep breath with joy. It was quiet in the car. All she could hear was her own faint moaning. But her moans only encouraged Byron. He lifted her onto his lap, bent down, and sucked on her nipple hard. His other hand found its way down there and delved deep inside, and then he swiftly thrust its fingers in and out. At the same time, his penis was gently rubbing against her vagina. Cora’s thighs trembled, and her groans were loud and clear. “Please… Please don’t do it here… Byron,” she cried. She felt a sense of nervousness deep inside her, but at the same time, she was also very excited. Byron paused for a moment upon hearing his name being called out from her lips.  He withdrew his hand and began to undo his belt. “Baby, call my name one more time.” This time, he entered in. And Cora had no strength to respond to him anymore because she was so wet and drained by desire. His thrusts even made the luxury car shake and creak. At this moment, Cora felt like part of him, with only moans coming out of her mouth. Finally, as Byron came, Cora let out a scream and her whole body trembled. His mobile phone suddenly rang. Byron caressed her back and took a glance, only to see that it was Eason’s call. He suddenly regained his composure, picked up the phone, and his expression quickly turned cold and stern. Cora panted slightly as laying on top of Byron. “What’s wrong?” she asked with a frown. He hung up the phone and looked at her deeply. “Eason’s in trouble.”

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“Daisy, I’m so sorry that I can’t celebrate your birthday with you,” my only friend Amy told me over the phone. “I would definitely be there for you if I wasn’t sick…” “Amy. It’s fine. I already got the cake you ordered for me and it looks delicious,” I said, looking at the small yet beautifully decorated birthday cake in my hand. Amy was my best and only friend at school. I wanted to tell her that school days when she couldn’t attend were long and lonely. But I don’t want her to feel worse. “I didn’t have my first shift last night, so today can’t be my actual birthday. You still have your chance to make it up to me,” I said. Orphans like me don’t know when we were born or if we are Alphas or Betas until our first shift. Werewolves never shift until midnight on their eighteenth birthday. Today was September 5th, the birthdate on my adoption papers. It was assigned to me by officials when I was only a few months old. A shy, geeky werewolf like me couldn’t be an Alpha, but I didn’t care if I was a Beta or an Omega. I believe that everyone deserves a happy, productive life. Still, I couldn’t wait to shift. It would be awesome to know my actual birthday. And after I turned eighteen, my adoptive family would no longer control my life. I was working hard and saving my money for the day when I would be on my own and not need to depend on anyone. Especially people who didn’t want me. I walked in the back door of the house that never felt like my home and placed the cake on the kitchen table. Everything was quiet. Maybe my adoptive beta parents, Cecilia and Andrew Smith, and their real daughter, Andrea, had forgotten my birthday. Again. After they were told they couldn’t have a biological child, the Smiths adopted me and named me Daisy. I remember feeling happy and safe for a brief time. But when I was six years old, Cecilia gave birth to Andrea, and my life changed. From the moment Andrea was born, I was unwanted and ignored by the people I thought were my parents. It hurt the first few times I was called the adopted one, but I grew to not want them either. I gazed at my reflection in the hall mirror and hated what I saw. My frizzy hair and big glasses made me look like a bug-eyed freak, but at least the glasses helped hide my bushy eyebrows. And the baggy jeans and sweater I bought at the second-hand store hung on my thin body and made me look like a scarecrow. But the thing I hate the most about myself is the way I stutter when I’m nervous. When people hear me stutter, they assume I’m stupid or strange. And knowing it’s going to happen when I’m nervous, makes my stutter much worse. Everyone always called me the adopted one. They joked about how I would never be pretty or popular like Andrea. I guess they were right. “Daisy, is that you,” Cecilia’s voice called from the dining room. “Hurry into the dining room. We’re about to eat dinner.” I grabbed the birthday cake from the kitchen and followed Cecilia’s voice as she urged me to hurry and join the family. Maybe they didn’t forget my birthday like they did every other year since I was six. “Look, everyone,” I said as I entered the dining room. The startled look on their faces made me wish I’d left the cake in the kitchen. “Amy o…ordered me a buh … birthday cake.” The room went silent as Andrea rolled her eyes. They had forgotten again. They didn’t care about me at all. “I’m sorry, Daisy,” Cecilia apologized, but her eyes were cold. “I’ve had such a busy day that I forgot it was your birthday. I barely had time to grab a pizza for dinner. But we can go to a restaurant to eat if you like.” “No way,” Andrea said with a shake of her head. “I don’t feel like going anywhere, Mom. And you know I love pizza.” Her eyes dared me to argue. “And why does Daisy’s birthday matter? She doesn’t know when she was born.” “P … Pizza is fine, Cecilia,” I said as I placed the birthday cake in the center of the table. “We can sh … share the c … cake afterward.” I hated it when I stuttered. Why did I allow people, especially these people, to make me nervous? I help the family whenever I can, and I’ve never forgotten their birthdays. Cecilia gave me a tight smile. “Well then, Daisy, I promise we will take you somewhere to celebrate after your first shift, okay?” I nodded and sat down to eat pizza. The cake was the best part of the meal. I cleaned up the mess and did the dishes after we ate, and joined the family in the living room to watch the evening news. The top story was about the billionaire leader of the United Association of Alphas, Alex Wilson. Alex Wilson had been searching for his missing daughter for years. Alberta was lost to him after the Wilson family was involved in a horrific car accident. But Alex never gave up on finding his beloved daughter. The search for his heir intensified after his cancer diagnosis a few months ago. It was sad to think he could die without ever seeing Alberta again. The werewolf community was assisting their leader in finding the missing Alpha Princess. They all wanted her to be found so she could claim her inheritance and marry her chosen fiancé. Alberta’s husband would be the next leader of the United Association of Alphas. The camera cut away to another reporter interviewing one of the most handsome men I had ever seen. He was Victor Klein, another Alpha billionaire. After graduating from college, he became CEO of his family’s company and made it an even more successful business empire in just a few years. Alex Wilson and the alliance had chosen Victor to be Alberta’s husband and the next leader of the United Alliance of Alphas. The werewolf population needed the best leader. And he was indeed breathtaking. Victor spoke to the reporter about his recent trip to the hometown of Alex Wilson’s deceased wife. He accidentally found a rare childhood picture of hers. The camera shifted to a photo of Alberta’s mother, the one that everyone has seen in the news before. The Alpha female was beautiful, with long straight hair and delicate eyebrows. But the following image the newscaster showed was of Alberta’s mother as a child. She actually had naturally curly hair and bushy eyebrows as a kid! “If anyone knows the whereabouts of Alberta Wilson, call this number,” the reporter said. By now, Alberta would be almost eighteen and perhaps look similar to this photo.” I gasped as Cecilia, Andrew, and Andrea turned and stared at me. I was almost eighteen, and I did have curly hair and bushy brows. “The lost Alberta Wilson could be anywhere,” the newscaster said. “And she may not know who she is.”

I turned away from the TV to keep my foster family from noticing my interest in the news. I especially didn’t want Andrea to see me staring at the handsome Alpha male who was the missing girl’s fiancé. I could still hear the reporter’s words as he delivered the story. His voice seemed to echo through my mind. “So, I have a message for all you girls who will soon be eighteen,” the reporter said. “If you have thick eyebrows and naturally curly hair, please call the number at the bottom of the screen. You could be Alberta Wilson, the heiress of dying billionaire Alex Wilson.” “You should call the number, Daisy.” Cecilia tugged on a lock of my wild, unruly hair. “Maybe this is your real family.” Andrea let out a whoop of mocking laughter that made me cringe. “Daisy … a missing heiress!” Andrea laughed again. “Alex Wilson is the leader of The United Association of Alphas.” She rolled her eyes. “No way is Daisy an Alpha.” “Sweetheart, stop it.” Cecilia winked at her daughter. “There’s no way to know if Daisy has Alpha blood before her first shift on her eighteenth birthday.” I acted as if I didn’t see Cecilia’s wink or Andrea’s smirk. I was used to this kind of treatment from them. But it didn’t make it right or make it hurt any less. I shook my head at Cecilia. Andrea was right. I was no Alpha Princess. There are many girls my age with thick eyebrows and curly hair. Checking to see if I’m a missing heiress would be even more ridiculous than throwing away my money playing the lottery. I was working and saving my money. After college, I’ll get a good job and have my own home. It was the only way to be totally independent and never rely on others again. Besides, I didn’t want to be an Alpha. I’ve heard stories about how they stuck together to exploit Betas and Omegas while trying to satisfy their greed and lust for power and wealth. “No, thank you. That life is not for me,” I whispered to myself just before the phone rang. “It’s your geeky, little friend,” Andrea said and tossed the phone into my lap. I ignored the insult and put the phone to my ear. “Hello.” “Hey, Daisy,” Amy said. “Sorry again for your birthday…Dad wants to ask you something I think you’ll like.” “Daisy? It’s Alan Gray.” Mr. Gray was Amy’s father and my boss. I genuinely liked him because he was a kind man and sometimes treated me better than my own foster parents. “Hey, Mr. Gray, what’s going on?” I said. “Tomorrow is Saturday. I know you’re working the lunch and afternoon shifts, but I need somebody to work the dinner shift too. Leah needs the day off to attend her grandmother’s funeral.” “Extra hours would be great,” I replied. “I worry about you working too hard,” Mr. Gray sighed. “I’ll be fine,” I assured him, touched that he cared. “Then we’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and hung up. More work was exactly what I wanted. It was the only way to escape this life and build a better future for myself. I tossed and turned most of the night, unable to get the Alberta Wilson story or Victor Klein out of my mind. Both made me feel a strange pull in my soul. Warm sunshine woke me the following day. It had to be late morning. Panicked, I leaped from the bed and hurried to get ready for work. Then I rushed downstairs to the kitchen. “You should be on your way to work by now,” Cecilia said with her hands on her hips. “I … I know,” I replied. “I couldn’t get to sleep until almost dawn.” “You’ll have to eat while you walk to work.” She handed me two slices of toast that sat on the table. “Thanks.” I took the toast from Cecilia before rushing out the back door. I nibbled on the toast as I walked. It was cold and tasted strange, but I was hungry enough not to care. By the time I arrived at the restaurant, both pieces were gone. With the sun warming my skin and fresh air cooling my lungs, I couldn’t help stopping outside the restaurant’s front door. A few moments to enjoy the moment before going inside to begin work was irresistible. It would be dark by the time I came outside again. The sound of a crowd across the street caught my attention as I reached for the door handle. A deep, masculine voice could be heard above all the others. Scanning the crowd to see who he was, I gasped. The missing heiress’s fiancé was speaking to the large crowd! Victor Klein was pure Alpha as he captivated his audience with his charm. Everyone hung on his every word. I was fascinated about by him too. “This entire neighborhood will be improved at no cost to any of you,” he promised the cheering crowd. “And all expenses for the renovations will be paid for by me.” Wow. Maybe not every Alpha is a greedy jerk. Victor clearly wants to help the werewolf neighborhood and make their homes and businesses better. I envied the way Victor easily spoke in front of his audience. He was so masterful, so confident. And it was a pleasure to look at his handsome face, muscular body, and broad shoulders. He was masculine perfection. Watching how his sensual mouth moved as he spoke made me tingle in a way I didn’t understand. Mr. Gray appeared at the restaurant door. “I was getting worried about you, Daisy. You’re usually early for your shift.” “S … Sorry,” I stuttered like I always do when I’m nervous. “I … um … overslept.” I looked back at Victor. “Isn’t it wonderful what he’s doing for the local werewolves?” Mr. Gray frowned. “Victor Klein does nothing for others,” he said and motioned me inside. “But I … I heard him tell everyone he’s going to pay for improvements to this neighborhood.” “He didn’t tell the crowd that he owns every building on this street,” he said. “And I’ve been warned that I need to shut down the restaurant while the improvements are being made, and afterward, everyone’s rent will be doubled.” “Victor is going to make a fortune!” I exclaimed. I felt so stupid. Victor was exactly what I expected from a wealthy Alpha. Mr. Gray gave a huge sigh and put on his chef’s hat.“Time to get to work,” he said warmly. The restaurant soon filled with the lunch crowd. I hurried from table to table, giving the best service to my customers that I could. But I began to feel sick in my stomach, and it made it hard to concentrate on my work. Can toast go bad? As I was bussing a table, I saw a couple being seated at a booth in my area. Grabbing menus, I braced myself before approaching them. It would be hard to talk to them because the attractive couple looked like rich Alphas. They always made me more nervous. “Hi, I’m Daisy, and I’ll be your server today.” I managed to keep my voice from shaking, but my queasy stomach fluttered when I looked into the man’s eyes. It was Victor Klein. “Hello, Daisy,” Victor replied with a smile that took my breath away. I stuttered again while taking their drink order and stumbled away in a daze. I needed to calm down before I returned to his table. I mustered the courage to deliver their drinks. But I blushed at the sight of the female Alpha slipping off one high-heeled pump to caress Victor’s ankle with her toes. It seemed like such an intimate gesture. “The profit margin is fantastic,” Victor told the female Alpha. “The U.A.A. will be pleased.” He didn’t acknowledge the feminine toes rubbing his ankle, yet there was a hint of a smile on his sensual lips. Poor Alberta. If she’s found, she will be shackled to a greedy player. I quickly served Victor and his companion their drinks, took their food order, and moved on to check on another table. Keeping busy, I tried not to stare at the Alpha pair as they ate. I was growing more nauseated and wanted this long day to be over. It was a relief when Victor signaled me for his check. “Was everything okay?” I asked as I handed him his bill. “Yes, thank you.” Victor stood, pulled out his wallet, and placed enough cash to pay the bill, plus a two-hundred-dollar tip on my serving tray. “I … I’ll be right back with your change,” I stammered before heading for the cash register. Victor and the female Alpha were gone when I returned to their table. It felt wrong to keep all the money, but a sudden gurgle in my stomach made me rush to the hallway where the bathrooms were located. I forgot all about my stomach when I spotted a man in the hall coming my way. It was Victor. My mind spun. Should I thank him for the tip and offer him his change? Did I have the courage to talk to him? His sensual smile widened as he drew closer. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t utter a word. Instead, the contents of my stomach gushed from my throat.

Victor stared at his stained clothes, his face filled with shock and anger. I … I’m so … so suh … sorry,” I stuttered and rushed to the ladies’ room, where I vomited, over and over, into the toilet. After my stomach settled, I leaned against the wall to catch my breath. I threw up on Victor Klein! I’d never been this embarrassed in my life. I let myself slide down the bathroom wall until I was seated on the floor. Then I pulled my knees to my face and cried. What I had done wasn’t good for the restaurant. What if Amy’s dad fired me? Where else could I get a job? I had to return to the dining room, find Victor, and apologize. Hopefully, Victor wouldn’t blame the restaurant for what I had done. After rising to my feet, I washed my face and hands before rinsing my mouth and checking my clothing and apron for vomit. They were okay. Most of my spew had hit Victor. Ugh! The situation was unbelievable. When I got up the courage to walk back into the dining room, I saw a young man I recognized from the TV as Victor’s assistant. He held a clean suit jacket as Victor buttoned a new dress shirt over his masculine torso. The beautiful woman who had been with Victor was gone. “I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose, Mr. Klein,” Mr. Gray told the wealthy Alpha. “I must be working her too hard. I do apologize for the mess.” I’m the one who should be apologizing, I told myself. Mr. Gray was helping me by giving me more hours, and I ruined the restaurant’s reputation by vomiting on an influential Alpha. As I forced myself closer to Victor, I could tell he was angry by his grim expression. He tossed his dirty clothes into a pile at his assistant’s feet and looked around the restaurant. I cringed when he spotted me walking his way. “You.” He pointed at me. “You ruined one of my best suits.” “I …I’m suh… sorry.” My face felt like it was on fire as I forced the words from my mouth. I looked at the floor and took a deep breath. “Let … let me clean it for you. I will s…send it to the d…dry-cleaning place.” Victor’s assistant snorted. “Do you expect Mr.Klein to wear this again?” the assistant snapped. He glared at Mr. Gray “Everyone should know what kind of riff-raff you employ as wait staff.” “Don’t be so harsh, Findlay,” Victor told his assistant. He turned to Mr. Gray. “We’ll forget this incident happened if you leave a…let’s see…three-thousand-dollar check at my company’s front desk within the week.” “Three … three thousand dollars?” I sputtered, hoping the assistant had been mistaken. “That’s correct,” Victor replied. “I already cut the price in half for you.” Was he trying to be nice? Should I be grateful for that? I stood open-mouthed, thinking of a way to get that much money together in a week. I couldn’t let Amy’s dad pay for my blunder. It wouldn’t be fair, and he and Amy were so good to me. I nodded at Victor, and he strode toward the door. “I’ll be checking the front desk for the money,” Findlay said as he followed Victor to the exit. Three thousand dollars seemed like nothing to werewolves like Victor. The wealthy assumed everyone had thousands of dollars lying around. Victor was the same as other rich Alphas. They’re all greedy and heartless. How could I have thought for a moment that he was any different? “You couldn’t help getting sick, Daisy,” Mr. Gray said. “I’ll pay for the suit. “No,” I insisted. Amy and her father worked hard every day in this restaurant to make a living. I couldn’t let them pay for my mistake. “I’ll find the money. And I’m sorry if I made you lose any customers.” Mr. Gray is a well-known chef. His upscale restaurant could be ruined if Victor chose to spread the story of what I had done. It would be a terrible way to repay Mr. Gray for his kindness to me by making him pay for my mistake in any way. “Victor cares about his public image too much to talk about what just happened,” Mr. Gray said, brushing aside my concerns. “Most people eating here tonight know nothing about what happened.” Victor didn’t need the money for that suit. He cared so much about his public image, but he didn’t care enough to think about if three thousand dollars already exceeded everything I had. Why do rich Alphas have to be such jerks? *** I went home early. My stomach had settled, but I felt terrible about what had happened. “Daisy, you’re home early,” Cecilia said. “I thought you’d be eating at the restaurant. We finished dinner a little while ago, but I didn’t save you anything.” “I’m not very hungry,” I said. “A little soup would be good, and then I want to go to bed.” Cecilia followed me to the kitchen. “You’re awfully down tonight,” she said. “Is something wrong?” I nodded. I was too upset to keep it inside. I had to talk about what happened with someone. Cecilia listened as I stammered every detail of my encounter with Victor. Her eyes showed anger, and her eyebrows raised almost to her hairline by the time I was finished. “There is no question that you need to pay for the suit,” she told me. “And how could you not tell the butter on the toast was bad?” “I don’t know,” I replied. “Maybe it was the toast, or maybe I have a stomach virus. Amy stayed home from school today because she wasn’t feeling well.” I slid a bowl of soup into the microwave. “If you help me pay for the suit, I promise to pay you back.” “I’ll help you,” Cecilia said and sighed. “I don’t want your mess to reflect on this family.” “Thank you, Cecilia,” I said. “But I want you to change your mind about working a job like waitressing,” she added. “I know you’ve been saving money and I don’t know why. I barely even see you spend the money we gave you…. But if you really need a lot of money, you should probably pay more attention to your appearance. There are a lot of rich men out there looking for a young wife.” I couldn’t believe what Cecilia had suggested. Didn’t she know me at all? “I won’t marry someone for money,” I replied, my voice steady and determined. “I like waitressing, And I can take care of myself.” “Then take care of this problem yourself,” Cecilia snapped and began walking away. “I swear, you must get this stubborn streak from your birth parents.” After I ate the soup, I went to my room and counted the money I had saved in my secret hiding spot. There was a little over two thousand dollars. Where could I get a thousand dollars in less than a week? I needed to look for another job. I turned on my ancient laptop and searched for a job to make money quickly. I searched for twenty minutes, getting more depressed, when I found only a few jobs for a high school student, and none paid very much. I was about to give up when a giant ad caught my eye. Alex Wilson was offering one thousand dollars to qualified girls around eighteen with naturally curly hair！ All I had to do was call the number, arrange to give them some information, and let them take my DNA. There was no way I was Alberta Wilson, but it would be an easy way to get the rest of the money I needed to pay for Victor’s suit. I immediately dialed the number.

I wanted to do the test as soon as possible, but the earliest I could schedule an appointment was the following Saturday. I guess there were more girls taking the test than I thought. I arrived at the clinic on time. The number of other girls my age with curly hair waiting for their turn with the nurses was staggering. They were seated in every available chair, but most stood in long lines as they waited their turn to speak to ten different nurses. I never saw so many girls with curly hair all in one place. As soon as one of the girls finished speaking with one of the nurses, another girl took her place. Many left abruptly after answering the nurse’s questions, while others went through a different door and into another room. I overheard chatter from two curly-haired girls around me. They claimed the girls who left had been rejected when the nurses felt they couldn’t be Alberta Wilson. The others were considered possible matches and continued on to the DNA testing—the girls who were chosen to take a DNA test left with their thousand dollars. I needed to be one of them. But it was disheartening every time a girl was rejected and left the clinic empty-handed. They all looked much more like an Alpha than me. If I was rejected before giving my DNA sample, where would I get the money to pay for Victor’s suit? Finally, it was my turn. The middle-aged receptionist immediately asked for my adoption certificate. She examined it and me closely. The way the woman stared at me made me feel like I was doing something wrong. “Is your hair naturally curly, or is it permed?” she asked as she touched my hair. “You realize this is serious business, yet many of you girls are here to get some of Mr. Wilson’s money.” “I’ve nuh … never need … needed a perm,” I stammered. “My hair is nuh … naturally curly.” The nurse was making me so nervous I could barely breathe. The room seemed airless as she studied me. Could she tell I was there for the money, too? Then I had an idea and took out my phone. “Lah … look, here’s a puh… picture of my suh … school ID from three years ago.” The photo showed me at the beginning of my freshman year. My hair was just as curly as it is now. The woman took my phone from my hand and compared it to a photo I saw on television. It was the photo of Alberta’s mother when she was young. After a minute, she handed my phone back to me. “Okay, Daisy, I’ll need some more information.” The nurse took out a form and wrote my name on the top line. Not wanting any trouble from Cecilia, I gave her Amy’s address for the second line. After asking me more questions, some that I couldn’t answer, the nurse handed me the form and told me to walk through the doorway on the left side of the large room. It was where other girls had gone for testing and their thousand dollars! I walked to the other room, not looking at anyone, and with my fingers crossed. This room was less crowded. I took a deep breath and walked up to another nurse who was sitting behind a desk. This nurse asked me more questions about my health and family. Again, I was examined and asked if my hair was naturally curly or permed. After the other nurse completed my registration, I agreed to have my cheek swabbed and a tube of blood drawn. I didn’t like having a needle stuck in my arm, but I was happy to have gotten this far in the process. There were dozens of racks of samples covering a table. Alberta had to be among the girls who came for testing today. Surely the lost Alpha Princess would be found. That thought made me feel less guilty about what I was doing to get the money to pay for Victor’s suit. After the DNA samples were taken, I was told I must have photos taken to be compared with old pictures of Alberta’s mother. There were five photographers and their equipment set up at the other end of the room. Nearby, a middle-aged man in a suit, tie, and mustache sat quietly, watching everything around him. He reminded me of one of those proper, stuffy butlers in a TV series. The man also looked very tired. This part of the search for Alberta had to be tedious when this many girls showed up to be tested. He didn’t seem to see me at all, even though he looked my way several times. Sitting before the bright lights and the camera, I squirmed and wished this would be over. All this attention directed at me was making me shake inside and out. I couldn’t wait to leave and take the money to Victor’s office. When the first photo was taken, I cringed and closed my eyes as the bright flash went off with a pop. I couldn’t keep from closing my eyes on the second try, either. I always hated getting my photo taken. Why would anyone want to preserve an image of me? The photographer tried to be patient, but I couldn’t help it. I felt as if everyone in that big room could read my thoughts and knew I wasn’t Alberta. They probably suspected I was just another greedy girl wanting the money. “Let’s try a photo without your glasses,” the photographer said. “I can’t see your eyes very well when the flash goes off. The lenses reflect the light.” I took my glasses off and felt much more at ease because I couldn’t see all the people around me as clearly. I relaxed a little and told myself they weren’t staring at me anymore. But I could see well enough to know when the butler suddenly raised his head and stood. The photographer seemed as startled as me. Was the butler staring at us? Why? The butler quickly regained his composure and apologized before sitting down again. Who was he, and what part was he playing in the search for Alberta? I kept my eyes open as the photographer took two photos of me without my glasses before handing me another paper. He then told me to go to another woman sitting at a desk near an armed guard. This woman was young and pretty. She examined the paper from the photographer and asked me to sign the bottom on the solid line. Relief flowed through me when I read the paper before I signed my name. I agreed that the thousand dollars would be delivered to the address I’d given them within forty-eight hours. I would receive the thousand-dollar payment and be able to pay Victor. With all the girls here, I was lucky to get it in writing before they found Alberta. But as I began to walk toward the door to the outside, I heard a man’s voice. I turned back and saw it was the butler. He was speaking to the photographer who had just taken my photos. “They look too similar,” the butler said. “That girl must be her.” Who was he talking about? Had they really found Alberta? I’d better leave before they wanted their money back.

Early the next morning, I woke up and wished I could stay in bed all day. I hadn’t slept well, and I looked more of a mess than usual. But it suited my mood. I was about to wash up and go downstairs to eat breakfast when someone rang the doorbell. After pulling on my old sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, I ran to the front door. It was still early, and the house was quiet. Cecilia, Andrew, and Andrea must still be sleeping. I looked through the peephole and saw Amy impatiently shifting her weight from foot to foot. What had her so excited already this morning? I opened the door and motioned her inside. “You’re up early,” I said as I led her to the kitchen. “Want some juice?” Amy shook her head. “Did you do the genetic test for Alex Wilson and give them the referral information?” “Yeah, why?” I replied while pouring myself a glass of orange juice. Amy held up an envelope addressed to me. The return address was Alex Wilson’s corporation. “Oh, yeah. I used your address. Cecilia was on my case about marrying a rich Alpha who could take care of me. I didn’t want her to get any ideas about me being a billionaire’s heiress.” “Yeah, what a horrible fate,” Amy teased. She crossed her eyes and giggled. “I don’t want to marry any man I don’t love. And I’m far from ready to get married.” I stuck out my tongue at her and changed the subject. “Wow. I can’t believe the money arrived so quickly.” I took the envelope and began to slit its end with a letter opener. “It’s weird. The envelope didn’t arrive in our mailbox,” Amy said. “A very distinguished-looking man delivered it to my house. He wasn’t a regular delivery man or anything. He was wearing a suit and tie.” “Unbelievable! You got tested to see if you are Alex Wilson’s lost Alpha Princess,” Andrea said with a laugh as she popped into the kitchen. “You’re delusional, Daisy. What makes you think a geeky nobody like you could be Alberta Wilson?” “I duh … don’t think I’m Alberta Wilson,” I told Andrea, inwardly cursing my inability to speak without stuttering when Andrea was around. Why was Andrea always sneaking around, listening to my conversations? “Wuh … why are you always so nasty to me?” “Buh … because you’re such a dweeb,” Andrea replied, mocking my stutter. “I can’t freaking believe you think you’re an Alpha. It’s too funny.” I felt my anger rising, but I tried to concentrate on staying calm and speaking clearly. “I wuh … wouldn’t want to be a spoiled, rich, Alpha girl. I’m happy being me.” Andrea couldn’t understand that I didn’t need to be rich or powerful to be happy. I have a few people who care about me, and I am willing to work for what I want. “You’re lying. You were hoping you were born a rich Alpha.” Andrea rolled her eyes. “Why else would you get tested?” “I needed the thousand dollars Alex Wilson is giving all girls who got their DNA tested to see if he’s their father,” I admitted. Hearing myself say it out loud made me feel worse than I had yesterday. “Using people isn’t something I would normally do,” I explained. “But it was either take the test and get paid a thousand dollars, even though I knew I was not the missing heiress, or I had to allow Amy’s father to pay for an expensive suit I ruined.” I handed Amy the envelope. “Give it to your dad and the other money I have in my room. He can make sure you know who gets the money.” I couldn’t bring myself to mention Victor’s name before Andrea. Amy shook her head. “I can’t take your money, and my father won’t either. You worked hard for every dime you have, and you never spend any of it. You’re going to take this check and cash it. Put it into a savings account for college.” Amy pulled the check out of the envelope and froze. “How much was Alex Wilson paying girls for a sample of their DNA?” she asked. “I thought you said a thousand dollars.” I nodded. “Yes, they were advertising that they would give a thousand dollars to any selected girl who took the test.” “But this check isn’t for a thousand dollars,” Amy said. She pulled the check away from Andrea, who was trying to grab it from her hand. “Oh, no,” I groaned. “I n … need a thousand dollars more to pay for that suit.” “You’ll be able to pay for that suit,” Amy said. I could tell she was trying not to grin. “You can buy any suit you want. Look.” Amy held the check in front of my eyes. It was made out to me for one hundred thousand dollars.” I let out a squeal. “It’s a mistake. I need to return it and get one for the right amount.” “Boy, you are dumb,” Andrea said. “You should keep your mouth shut and give that check to my parents. They’ve raised you all these years. You owe them.” “That would be stealing. It’s not my money,” I told her and examined the check closer. There was a phone number under Alex Wilson’s address. “I’m calling Mr. Wilson to tell him about the mistake.” But the doorbell rang once again before I could dial the phone number. “Maybe they dis … discovered the mistake and tracked me down to get their check back,” I said and ran to see who was at the door. I opened the door, ready to hand over the too-large check. But when I saw who was at the door, I couldn’t move or speak. It was Victor. He stepped into the house wearing a formal suit with a large bouquet of bright red roses in one of his hands. He was more handsome than ever, and he smelled like an expensive cologne. Behind him, his assistant was carrying more than a dozen expensive gift boxes with various designer brand names on them. What was going on? Victor glanced at me and my messier-than-usual morning look, and his face froze. But after a moment, he flashed a super charming smile as he walked forward into the house. He looked over the three of us. “Which one of you is Daisy?” he asked politely. I came back to my senses and replied stiffly, “I’m Daisy.” Why was he here? I bit my lip and tried to keep my face away from Victor. Maybe he wouldn’t recognize me from the restaurant. But Victor looked me over from my frizzy hair, held back from my face with an elastic band, to my baggy sweatpants with holes in the knees. His expression showed that he didn’t find me attractive, but he didn’t seem to remember me either. “So … you’re Mr. Wilson’s lost child.” He seemed earnest, but this had to be a joke. “I brought a few things, gifts that are rightfully yours.” “No … Wait … what?” I stammered. “What … what do you mean?” My mind spun. Was Victor saying what I thought he was saying? “I’m your fiancé, Alberta,” Victor said with an attractive smile.

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My husband’s mother, Hailey Reese, died in a car accident, yet on the day of her funeral, my husband refused to attend. All because he thought it was my mother who had died in the accident. He took the three hundred thousand dollars in compensation from the accident and went straight into my cousin’s live-streaming channel. He showered her with countless virtual gifts. “Thank you, I’m so glad,” my cousin said coyly, “but aren’t you worried my cousin will be upset, given that you’re spending the death compensation money?” “Her old hag of a mother, who couldn’t do anything anymore except burn through money, should’ve died a long time ago. Now that she’s finally been hit and killed, it’s one less burden, plus it leaves me some money to make you happy!” Upon watching them flaunt their affection for each other on the stream, my heart turned to ice. I slapped Hailey’s ashes and death certificate down in front of him. “Idiot, it was your own mother who died!” When I received the call and rushed to the hospital, I only managed to catch a glimpse of the small elderly woman, usually so well-groomed and tidy, covered in blood as they wheeled her into the emergency room. Her face was so mangled that it was impossible to recognize her features. The nurse, seeing the pallor on my face, shut the door with a sympathetic look. Nearby, the driver responsible for the accident was crying and begging for forgiveness. I had no energy to deal with them. Instead, I pulled out my phone to call my husband, Acacius Reese. He was a renowned genius doctor at this very hospital, dedicating himself fully to medical research just to save more lives. He was always the pride of both Hailey and me. We rarely dared to bother him with trivial family matters, and we’d always met his requests without question. But when I tried to call him several times, the line showed it was busy. Only then did I remember that he had blocked me. It was all because, a few days ago, he was trying to save a kidney patient, and the only suitable donors were my mom and Hailey. Unwilling to let his own mother suffer, he asked me for help, but I refused because of my mom’s age and poor health. That was when he decided to block me. Left with no other choice, I borrowed a phone from a nurse and finally managed to reach Acacius. “Mom was in a car accident. She’s in the emergency room on the first floor of your hospital. Come quickly!” I said urgently. But the voice on the other end wasn’t Acacius. It was a woman’s voice, slightly familiar, giggling lightly. “Natalie, have you really become so desperate that you’re making up such lies just to see Acacius? How pitiful!” I was momentarily stunned but quickly recognized who it was. Peggy Grylls was my cousin and Acacius’s first love. Suppressing the bitterness rising in my chest, I said firmly, “Peggy, I don’t have time for this. Let me speak to Acacius!” Peggy’s laugh turned mocking. “Natalie, didn’t you refuse to let your mom donate her kidney to me? Now she’s been in a car accident, and it is her karma, don’t you think? “Acacius is busy peeling grapes for me, one by one. You can keep waiting.” And with that, she hung up. When I listened to the busy tone, my heart grew colder. So, the kidney patient Acacius was so desperate to save, even at the cost of a cold war with me, was none other than Peggy! But the glaring red light of the emergency room left me no time to dwell on it. Acacius’ mother, Hailey, was an open-minded, loving lady who had single-handedly raised Acacius, turning him into Poakham City’s famous genius doctor, and she treated me like her own daughter. Since I married Acacius, she never pressured us about children or traditional expectations, always encouraging me to follow my dreams and reminding me that a woman’s first love should always be herself. I ran toward Peggy’s hospital room, knowing that if Acacius’s phone was with her, then he was likely there too. Right now, Acacius was the best hope for saving Hailey, and as her only son, he needed to be there, no matter what. But as I reached the door, I overheard their conversation. “Did Natalie call?” Acacius asked. “Yeah! She said her mom was in a car accident and wanted you to go to her,” Peggy replied with a smirk. Acacius let out a cold laugh. “A car accident? Well, that’s just the consequence of her and her mother refusing to donate their kidneys to save you. “My medical skills are not for saving such heartless people. If they die, then they die!”

Standing outside the door, I felt like I had fallen into an icy abyss, unable to believe that the words I just heard were spoken by the same man who once claimed that every life was equal, who dedicated himself to his medical research to save as many people as possible. I took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and saw the two of them practically glued to each other. I tried to steady my voice and keep it from trembling. “Acacius, mom was in a car accident…” He cut me off impatiently, “I know. Let me know when she’s dead.” I couldn’t hold back any longer, “Acacius, that’s your mother!” I practically shouted those words. Acacius paused, then looked at me with a cold sneer. “Natalie, my mom treated you so well, and you dare lie to me about something like this? You truly have a heart of stone!” Panic and frustration surged within me as I shook my head desperately. “If you don’t go now, you might never see her alive again!” Acacius remained indifferent, even pushing me out of the room. My back slammed into the door frame, sending a burst of pain that made my vision blur, and I heard Peggy’s voice. “Acacius, even though her mom didn’t want to donate a kidney to me before, she’s still family. I don’t want you to be accused of ignoring her in her time of need. Maybe you should go check on her with Natalie.” Acacius looked at Peggy with a gaze full of affection, “Peggy, you’re too kind-hearted! That’s why they always take advantage of you!” After a moment of thought, he turned to me with a conflicted look as if making a reluctant decision. “I’ll go, but only because Peggy asked me to. Peggy wants some soup, so you’d better make it for her.” “But…” “Natalie, I’ve already agreed to go see your mom. Don’t be too greedy. You can’t have everything!” Acacius’s tone was laced with impatience. Afraid he would change his mind and not make it in time to save Hailey, I bit my lip and agreed. Little did I know, for Peggy, he would do something so monstrous!

After I hurriedly prepared the soup and asked a nurse to deliver it to Peggy’s room, I rushed back to the emergency room, only to be told that the surgery was over. Hailey had suffered brain death and could not be saved. “My condolences.” The driver who caused the accident seemed to let out a sigh of relief and muttered under his breath, “Good thing she’s dead.” For drivers of such large vehicles, insurance would cover most of the costs, and if the victim died, their compensation payout was significantly reduced. The driver offered a settlement of three hundred thousand dollars, but I was still in shock, unable to accept the reality of Hailey’s death. I turned to Acacius. “She’s not really dead, right? You’re lying to me, aren’t you? You’re a genius doctor. How could you fail to save her?!” Acacius’s eyes avoided mine as he replied with irritation, “I’m a doctor, not a miracle worker. Her face was so disfigured in the crash that it wasn’t something that could just be fixed.” Then he looked at the tearful driver beside us and said indifferently, “Natalie, show some mercy. The driver didn’t have it easy either. “Your mom was old, and now that she’s gone, at least we don’t have to worry about her anymore. The three hundred thousand dollars will come in handy. We can use it to pay for Peggy’s surgery.” I stared at him in shock. “Acacius, do you even know what you’re saying?!” He still believed it was my mother who had died. I couldn’t believe that to him, a human life was merely a way to get compensation to fund Peggy’s treatment. Ignoring my protests, Acacius signed the settlement papers without a second thought, not even glancing at me. “I’m your husband. I have the right to sign this on your behalf. “This is all because you and your mom owe Peggy!” I watched him walk away without hesitation, my entire body trembling with rage. Numb and devastated, I somehow managed to pull myself together to arrange Hailey’s funeral. But even on the day of the funeral, Acacius didn’t show up. He blocked me again, and not even the hospital staff could tell me where he was. Only his colleague, Mason Godwin, called to explain, saying Acacius was tied up with a critical patient in the middle of a rejection crisis and couldn’t come. He would attend the funeral in Acacius’s place. I thought to myself, “What patient could possibly be more important than his own mother?” Seeing Mason hurriedly appear at the funeral, at that moment, my disappointment in Acacius reached its peak. “Natalie, I’m so sorry. I got stuck in traffic and arrived late.” Mason wiped the sweat from his forehead. But when he turned his head and saw Hailey’s photo on the memorial table, his eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground, stunned. “How… how could this happen…” I was confused, and at that moment, I received a call from the expensive undertaker I had hired. “Mrs. Reese, it seems Hailey is missing a kidney.” My eyes widened in shock. At that moment, it felt as if all the strange behavior that didn’t add up finally made sense. Why had Acacius suddenly agreed to perform the surgery? Why had Mason acted so strangely when he told me about Hailey’s brain death? I finally realized that from the beginning, it was all a lie. They thought the person lying on that hospital bed was my mother, and they had orchestrated the whole plan just to secretly harvest a kidney for Peggy’s treatment. I walked straight up to Mason, whose face had gone ashen, and slapped him hard across the face.

Mason’s head snapped to the side from my slap, but he lowered his gaze, not daring to meet my eyes. “Tell me, the patient you mentioned to Acacius. Was it Peggy? “And was Hailey really brain dead?” Mason broke down, nodding his head, then shaking it. “Natalie, I’m sorry. Acacius begged me to help him. Last time a patient picked on me, he helped me. I… I couldn’t refuse him.” It felt like my heart stopped beating right then. Discovering the truth on my own was already painful enough. Now that it was confirmed, I felt like even the air I was breathing carried the stench of blood. Hailey had never been brain-dead in the first place! Thank goodness there was anesthesia at the time. Otherwise, if she had known that her own son was taking her kidney to save another woman, I could not imagine how devastated she would have been. I grabbed Mason by the collar, my hands trembling uncontrollably. “Mason, tell me, do you really think you deserve to be a doctor?” My parents saw the commotion and quickly came over to intervene. “Natalie, calm down. Let’s talk this through. Let Hailey rest in peace.” They were completely unaware of the sordid truth behind it all. Looking at my parents’ graying hair and their worried expressions, I finally let go of Mason. But then Mason collapsed to his knees with a loud thud, repeatedly apologizing in front of Hailey’s portrait. He was doing it because Hailey had always treated him like a son when she was alive. He regretted it. But all I felt was disgust. They only regretted it because they had mistaken the person on the hospital bed. If they had truly respected every life, they would never have done something so monstrous in the first place. I looked at Mason’s swollen eyes with a cold gaze and finally spoke, “Call Acacius. I want a divorce.” Mason froze, seemingly shocked. I knew what he was shocked about. No one believed I would ever leave Acacius because I was too in love with him. I had met Acacius through a matchmaking arrangement, and at first sight, I was captivated by his refined demeanor and good looks. Since he was a doctor, I have always admired the profession that saves lives. It took me a whole year to win his heart. Even after we got together and eventually married, I still loved Acacius deeply. Even when he was always working late, even when he didn’t like talking to me when he was at home. I always thought that with enough love, I could melt that icy exterior. It wasn’t until Peggy came back that I realized that Acacius wasn’t cold like ice, and he just didn’t want to be warm for me. As Acacius and Peggy crossed lines repeatedly, I became more sensitive, suspicious, and even hysterical. Everyone knew I was losing my mind because of Acacius. He even complained to Mason and their other friends, saying, “Natalie would never ask for a divorce, no matter what.” But now, I was asking for it. I had come to my senses. I was in love with the idea of who I thought Acacius was, not the man he actually turned out to be.

Mason dialed a number for Acacius that I hadn’t known about. The call was answered quickly, and the voice on the other end was one I knew all too well. “What’s up, Mason? Is she causing trouble for you at the funeral? “Thanks for handling her. Once Peggy gets out of the hospital, I’ll bring her over to thank you properly.” Mason gripped the phone tightly, his voice shaking a little. “Acacius, Natalie knows everything. She wants a divorce.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a sneering laugh. “Divorce? From me? Is she kidding?” I took the phone from Mason, speaking calmly, “I’m not joking, Acacius. I want a divorce. I can’t stand being with someone as rotten as you for another second!” Acacius seemed annoyed at my insult, snapping back, “Rotten? Me? How could I be worse than your family? “If it wasn’t for your family stealing Peggy’s father’s compensation money after his work accident and sending Peggy abroad, she wouldn’t have ended up so poor and sick. “That kidney is your whole family, and they owe it to Peggy! If your mom didn’t want to donate, then she deserved to die! “I really regret marrying such a venomous woman like you!” He suddenly let out a vicious laugh. “But you know, marrying you wasn’t entirely useless. You probably didn’t know this, but the driver involved in the accident contacted me, and I signed the waiver for you. “As for the three hundred thousand dollars compensation, I already put it towards Peggy’s surgery. Now, your family’s debt to her is finally repaid.” I wished I could reach through the phone and slap him. Even Mason seemed shocked at how twisted Acacius had become. He stammered, “Acacius, you’re wrong. Everything is wrong!” “What’s wrong?” Acacius scoffed. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter. Natalie, if you want a divorce, go ahead. But my mom always liked you. You should tell her yourself. “I’m busy, gotta go.” Without waiting for Mason to say another word, he hung up. I stood there, smirking bitterly. He still didn’t know that it was his own mother who had died. He never looked at the medical records, never checked the death certificate, and didn’t even bother to read the settlement papers. I was curious if, once he learned the truth, he would still be as dismissive as he was now.

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In the seventh year with Elena, I went to the office to find her, but overheard her chatting with someone else. “It’s been seven years with Jacob; you must be very happy, right?” Elena Russell replied faintly, “I’ve never loved him. Do you believe that?” “Stop joking. If you never loved him, how could you be together for seven years? You’re not still thinking about Hector, are you? Elena, Hector has been abroad for years.” “Don’t say that. I and Hector have long since moved on—” There was an unspoken melancholy in Elena’s tone. Hector Elliott was Elena’s first boyfriend. I hadn’t heard that name in a long, long time. My friend fell silent, and I gradually let go of the doorknob I was gripping. The warm thermos I held was the soup I had made for her that morning. She had said she felt a bit tired and wasn’t in good spirits lately. The temperature of the thermos suddenly dropped; it felt so cold, chilling to the bone. I turned around and placed the thermos on her assistant’s desk, leaving calmly. Seven years had passed. We had been together for seven years. It’s a lie to say I wasn’t hurt to hear her say she never loved me. The so-called seven-year itch is real, but unfortunately, Elena probably never felt it. Outside, the rain began to pour, and the rumbling thunder was somewhat frightening. I curled up on the sofa, watching TV. It was one in the morning, and Elena still hadn’t returned. If it were before, I would have kept calling her, asking when she’d come back, worried about her drinking too much and harming her health. She would always impatiently ask me, “Jacob, don’t you have your own life?” In the past, I would jokingly reply, “My life is you.” Suddenly, I felt a bit pitiful. It seemed Elena was right; I didn’t have my own life anymore. It is indeed rather pathetic for a man to live this way for a woman. The television was playing a boring drama. Besides the thunder and the faint sound of the TV, the whole villa was terrifyingly silent. Around two o’clock, Elena came back. As she pushed the door open, the dampness from the rain rushed in, bringing a slight chill. Seeing me, she looked a bit surprised. “It’s so late; why aren’t you asleep?” I weakly replied, “I can’t sleep.” She didn’t say anything else, changed her shoes, and went back to her room. We slept in the same bed, back to back, with no extra words. Outside, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and countless times I replayed Elena’s words from earlier in my mind. “I feel like I’ve never loved him.” A dull pain shot through my heart; I bit my lip, and tears uncontrollably streamed down. How strange; I hadn’t cried all day, yet when Elena returned, I couldn’t help it. Elena wasn’t asleep; she turned over and hugged me. “Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. How do you want to celebrate?” Elena’s body was hot; her warm breath brushed against my neck, tickling me a little. I had loved her embrace for seven years, but now, I felt a bit resistant. I sniffled and replied, “Anything is fine.” “I’ll be busy tomorrow and won’t have much time to spend with you. I remember there was a watch you liked; I’ll have my assistant buy it for you tomorrow.” After saying this, she let go of me and turned back to sleep. I was used to this; for so many years, I had spent our wedding anniversaries alone. I didn’t expect this time to be any different. I couldn’t sleep all night, and only fell into a deep sleep after dawn. When I woke up, Elena was not by my side. While having breakfast, the doorbell rang. It was Elena’s assistant, Mylo Lee, young and energetic. When he saw me, he offered a standard but unfriendly smile. “Mr. Green, this is Mrs. Green’s anniversary gift for you.” I reached out to take it; it was a watch I had liked before. If I hadn’t heard those words, I thought I would be happy right now. But now, my heart felt like a still pond. I took the gift and casually asked, “Who picked it?” “Mrs. Green chose it herself. Don’t you like it, Mr. Green?” Like it? How could I not? It was the same brand of watch; she had already given me three, all the same style and color. I didn’t know when it started, but Elena had long lost her patience with me. She was just going through the motions. Besides, today isn’t even our wedding anniversary; that’s next month. But I was tired; I didn’t want to fuss over it anymore. I planned to bring up divorce with Elena today. After being together for seven years, I didn’t want to make a scene. Before cooking for Elena, I called her to confirm she would be home for dinner. After three hours of effort, I made a feast. Fish and Chips, Spicy Glazed Ribs, Salad… all her favorites. Actually, I didn’t know how to cook before being with Elena. She had a sensitive stomach and would get sick from takeout, which worried me, so I started to learn. After we married, she said she didn’t want me to suffer too much and told me to enjoy life while she took care of me. I loved her too much; I became a full-time husband for love, and my friends often teased me about it. Elena had a habit of being late for our dates. I sat at the table, watching the dishes gradually cool, feeling no ripple of emotion inside. I called her. After all, I wanted to discuss the divorce face-to-face.

The phone rang twice, but no one picked up. I wasn’t discouraged and tried a third time. This time, she answered, and I could hear her deliberately lowered voice. “I have something to do; you don’t need to wait for me to eat.” “I—” I started to say, but a familiar male voice came through. “Elena, I’m so hungry! What do you want to eat?” That voice was Hector! He was back! A sharp pain pierced my heart; I tightened my grip on the phone. “Elena, today is our wedding anniversary.” “Does one anniversary really matter that much?” she raised her voice and questioned me. “I said I’d accompany you tomorrow. Isn’t that enough?” “Hector is more important to you than I am,” I scoffed coldly. “After all these years, you still can’t forget him, can you?” “Elena, is the steak medium-rare again?” Hector urged, and Elena hastily replied, “I’ll hang up; we can talk when I get back.” “Does that mean even the divorce can wait until tomorrow?” “Jacob, can you please stop being unreasonable?” Even with the distance between us, I could feel Elena’s patience wearing thin. “How many times have we talked about divorce, and how many times have we actually gone through with it? Fine, Jacob, happy seven-year anniversary.” Happy? I wasn’t happy at all. I listened to the busy tone on the phone, sneering. Elena, oh Elena, you won’t even give me a proper chance to say goodbye. Taking out the divorce agreement, I firmly signed my name on it. I packed up all my things and left Elena’s villa. After my parents passed away, I no longer wanted to go back to that cold home; I turned to my brother’s place instead. “Are you really going to divorce Elena?” This was the eighth time Nicolas Collins asked me today, his shock evident on his face. I nodded, packing my bags as I replied, “I’ve already signed the papers.” “Jacob, you must be sick.” He felt my forehead. “That’s Elena, the one you’ve loved for fifteen years.” Yes, I loved Elena for fifteen years. I started liking her when I was ten, and now I’m twenty-five. But Elena has never loved me; she has always loved Hector. “I don’t love her anymore.” I brushed his hand away, my tone calm. Nicolas wanted to say something else, but my phone rang. It was Elena calling. It was now 10 a.m. the next day, and she had just realized I was missing, which meant she had just come home. After a night out, it was obvious who she had been with. “Aren’t you going to answer?” Elena called five times, but I didn’t pick up. Nicolas rubbed his forehead, his eyes wide. “Jacob, are you serious?” I remained silent as Elena sent me texts. [Where are you? Are you really going to divorce me? Are you serious?] [Stop messing around; you know I won’t agree to it.] [Just because I didn’t come home on our anniversary, you’re going to divorce me? Jacob, you’re not that petty.] Three texts were sent in a row, all questioning me. Nicolas chimed in. “Over an anniversary? That’s unnecessary; you know Elena is busy.” I lifted my eyelids and said weakly, “Yesterday was not our anniversary; it’s on the fifteenth of next month.” Nicolas immediately fell silent. I wanted to bring up Hector but felt it was unnecessary. Whoever Elena was with in the future wouldn’t concern me anymore. I simply turned off my phone and continued packing my bags. Halfway through, a cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my stomach churned violently. I rushed to the bathroom and started throwing up uncontrollably. Nicolas was startled. “Jacob, what’s wrong?” “My stomach hurts a bit—” At this point, the pain was so severe I could hardly stand. My stomach had always been a problem. Every time I was busy preparing a feast for Elena and waited for her to come home, the food would grow cold, and I would end up not eating. Gradually, my stomach began to hurt, and now, after not having eaten since yesterday, the pain was unbearable. “You idiot.” Nicolas’ voice was thick with emotion. “Why do you have to torture yourself like this? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

After I said good bye to the doctor, several hours had passed. I said it was just stomach pain, and the doctor casually prescribed some medication. After taking it, I felt much better. As Nicolas helped me walk out, he couldn’t help but speak up. “Jacob, open your phone and see; maybe Elena is looking for you. You’re in this state, and she has some responsibility too—” Ignoring my objections, Nicolas turned my phone back on. Nothing was there; besides the previous three texts, there was nothing else. Nicolas frowned, his expression darkening. I looked at the phone’s dimming screen and forced a smile. “Maybe to her, it’s the same whether I’m here or not.” I had gotten used to it by now; I didn’t even expect anything anymore. “No way, Elena must be busy.” To keep me from feeling worse, he kept making excuses for Elena, but just as he turned around, he spotted Elena walking from a distance with a man by her side. “Oh my God, who is that? Hector?! How could he come back?” Nicolas gasped, grabbing my hand and shaking it. “Jacob, your wife is going to be taken away by that man!” Taken away? Perhaps, Elena never belonged to me in the first place. I stood frozen, but Nicolas couldn’t hold back anymore. “No way, I’m going to ask Elena what this means. She should be worried since her husband is going to divorce her, yet she’s here with her first love at the hospital?” Perhaps Nicolas’ voice was too loud; the two quickly noticed us. The moment Elena looked up, I saw the surprise in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked me, worry etched on her face. “Hector sprained his ankle this morning, and I brought him to the hospital.” My gaze fell on her hand; she was carefully supporting Hector, treating him as if he were a fragile treasure. “Hey, Jacob, long time no see.” Hector greeted me, smiling innocently. He was still handsome as ever. In contrast, I looked pale and unkempt. “Long time no see,” I replied expressionlessly, not wanting to say much, and I turned to leave. Elena grabbed my arm. “Where are you going? Are you not feeling well? I’ll take you home.” “Do you have time right now?” I stopped and retorted, “Aren’t you going to take your first love home?” Hector spoke up apologetically. “I just got back and haven’t found a place to live. I stayed at Elena’s house last night. Jacob, you don’t mind, do you? By the way, you didn’t come home last night; where were you? Elena was worried about you all night.” Haha, so he went home last night; so she had known I was gone. Yet she could hold off calling me until now. Even before we were officially divorced, Elena was already so eager to bring her first love into her life. “I don’t mind; Mr. Elliott can stay as long as he wants. I’m getting a divorce from Elena.” After saying that, I turned to leave, but unexpectedly, Elena followed right behind me. Surprisingly, she left Hector standing there and ran after me. “You need to clarify your words.” At the end of the hospital corridor, Elena lit a cigarette. “Why do you want a divorce? Just because I didn’t spend our anniversary with you? Jacob, I already gave you a gift; what else do you want? You know I’m busy, remembering the date is already pretty good. Besides, I personally picked out the gift; what more do you want? You always have to make a fuss every year; aren’t you tired? If you’re not tired, I am.”

The smell of smoke was a bit overpowering, and my stomach began to feel uncomfortable again. I turned my head, not wanting to see her face; I really didn’t want to talk to her. “Elena, our anniversary is on August 15th, not July 15th.” Elena froze in her smoking motion and looked at me for a long time. “It was just a mistake about the wedding date.” She extinguished the cigarette and steadied me with her hand. “I promise I’ll remember next time, okay? Just give me one more chance; I guarantee it.” I promise—she had said that on our wedding day too. She had promised to treat me well and never betray me. Over the years, she indeed kept that promise. My friends all said Jacob is so lucky; Elena earns money outside while Jacob enjoys life at home. They envied that Elena always sent gifts and flowers right on time for every holiday. For these seven years, Elena treated me well; she would hold my hand proudly at any event, show off our love, and take care of me meticulously. But she was also a great actress, acting to the point where I almost believed she loved me. Until I heard her say that she had never loved me. She had always loved Hector. “Let it go, Elena; I’ve already made my decision.” “I won’t agree to that.” Elena was a bit irritated. “I’ll apply for separation; even if you don’t agree, we’ll still get divorced in two years.” Without saying anything further, I turned and walked away. Back at Nicolas’ house, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. When I woke up, it was already dark outside. My throat was dry, and as I opened the door, I saw Nicolas leaning over the balcony, looking down. “Jacob, you’re finally awake. If you hadn’t woken up, Elena would have turned into a stone waiting for her husband.” I poured myself a glass of water and drank it all in one go. “What?” I only heard his words after finishing the drink. “It’s Elena! She’s been waiting for you downstairs for a long time! She knocked on the door, but I didn’t let her in, so she’s just been waiting there.” Nicolas pointed to the sky, “It’s getting dark and looks like it might rain again. Should I call her up? I think she’s serious this time.” I glanced downstairs, and indeed, Elena was standing there. She looked beautiful, dressed in a professional suit, her figure slender and well-proportioned. I started to get confused about what Elena wanted. She had clearly said she didn’t love me; divorce should have been the best choice for her. Was she afraid that the divorce would affect her company shares? But with our marriage being in such a state, why was she trying to win me back? As Nicolas said, the sky began to rain, with large drops pounding on Elena, yet she showed no sign of wanting to get into her car. Soon, she was soaked through. Nicolas couldn’t bear to see it. “Let her come up, Jacob. Think about it; Elena hasn’t done anything wrong to you. Why don’t you two have a good talk?” After Elena came up, Nicolas left us alone. “Come home with me, Jacob,” Elena said as I was scrolling through my phone. Hector had tweeted a picture of a woman holding a hairdryer, captioned: [The ideal happy life; this moment I’ve waited for so long.] That hand—I recognized it. I was even more familiar with the wedding ring on it. It was Elena. After seven years of marriage, she had never once blown my hair dry. Love and indifference had always been so clear. “Are you blaming me for forgetting dates or for accompanying Hector instead of you?” Seeing that I didn’t reply, Elena continued. “He just returned to the country, with nowhere to go. Besides looking for me, he has no one else to turn to. Jacob, you know, Hector is an orphan. If I don’t take care of him, no one will.” Yes, Hector is an orphan. How did we meet? I suppose it was when he was bullied, and I stepped in to save him, later introducing him to Elena. The ten-year-old Elena fell for Hector at first sight. They grew closer, and even Elena’s father took Hector as his godson. Later, they got together, but their relationship wasn’t well-received, and Elena’s father spent a fortune sending Hector abroad. During those years when Elena was dejected, I was the one by her side. Everyone said we were a perfect match, and amid everyone’s blessings, we got married. I thought after seven years, Elena had forgotten about Hector and had fallen in love with me. But I never expected that all the sacrifices I made over those seven years were just a joke.

“Jacob, talk to me!” Elena finally lost her temper. “Do you think this is funny? Isn’t it enough that I’m groveling for you?” I slowly lifted my gaze. “Why did you come to find me? Elena, did you ever love me?” Perhaps she didn’t expect me to ask such a deep question; Elena was stunned and didn’t answer for a long time. “What about Hector? Do you love him?” “He’s different from you; Hector needs me—” Elena answered quickly, looking serious. I laughed self-deprecatingly; love can really take shape at certain moments. For example, when Elena called my name, there was always anger in her voice. But when she called Hector, it was so gentle. I tiredly rubbed my temples, ready to speak when her phone rang. “Hector, what’s wrong?” “Elena, where are you? When are you coming back? I’m hungry.” “I’m dealing with some things; wait for me. I’ll be back soon to cook for you.” Elena hung up the phone and looked at me expressionlessly. “You can stay as long as you want. As for the divorce, I won’t agree. You can live here at Nicolas’ place for as long as you need.” Elena left in a hurry. She had to return to cook for Hector because he was hungry. I watched Jacob’s back, my eyes inexplicably turning red. After seven years of marriage, she had never cooked for me. She said she couldn’t cook, but when Hector said he was hungry, she would rush back to make him food without hesitation. I pressed my dry lips together. “Forget it, I will no longer have any hope for you, Elena.” In the following days, I could barely eat anything. My stomach hurt more and more, and I vomited increasingly often. Nicolas was worried and insisted on taking me to the hospital for a check-up. When Nicolas was registering me, I felt weak all over and staggered back a few steps. Fortunately, someone caught me. “Jacob?” A gentle voice reached my ears. I looked up and saw a warm face. A glimmer of joy flashed in my eyes as I managed to stand upright. “Chloe, you’re back?” Chloe Shaw was a friend who grew up with Elena and me; she was a doctor who had been studying abroad for several years. I didn’t expect her to appear at the hospital. “I’ve been back for a while; what’s wrong with you?” she asked. Sitting in her office and seeing how mature Chloe had become, I couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’ve turned into a big beauty now, Chloe!” “You’ve changed a lot too.” She was looking at my medical report, and her expression didn’t look good. “Your face looks so bad; what’s wrong? Do I have a terminal illness?” “Jacob, your health isn’t good. What about Elena? Call her; I need to talk to both of you.” Chloe tightly held the report and didn’t give it to me. “Late-stage stomach cancer, Jacob. I will do my best to ensure you have a comfortable time, and there are now effective special medicines abroad. You still have a lot of time…” I was stunned, unable to hear what Chloe said afterward, staying silent for a long time. I have stomach cancer? Late stage? “Does Elena know? You need to call her immediately; she needs to know this.” Chloe picked up her phone. “I’ll call her and ask her to come.” “No!” I pressed her hand down. “Don’t tell her; we’re in the process of getting a divorce, so don’t tell her about my illness.” Chloe frowned. “Why? Don’t you love her very much?” See, in everyone’s eyes, I was the one who loved Elena the most. I would never divorce her. “Then—” Chloe hesitated to speak. “Let me think about it.” I picked up the report and stood up from the chair. “Please help me keep this a secret, don’t tell anyone, especially Elena.” The person who would be most heartbroken to know I was sick was Nicolas. “Jacob, I just looked it up online and consulted authoritative doctors at Riverstone Medical Center. With proper treatment, you still have a long life ahead—three years, five years. We can definitely wait for a cure to be found, so don’t lose heart!” Nicolas has been comforting me all the way; it seems he has forgotten that I’m planning to divorce Elena.

There hasn’t been any progress on the divorce, and soon it will be Elena’s grandfather’s 80th birthday. No one in the Russell family knows about our plans to divorce. Early in the morning, Elena appeared downstairs at Nicolas’ house. “It’s Grandpa’s birthday; he really wants to see you. Let’s go back together,” Elena said, her tone more like a command. Elena’s grandfather has always treated me well, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. After buying a gift, I went back to Russell Manor with Elena. The Russell family was happy to see me, and Elena’s grandfather held my hand, asking when Elena and I planned to have a child, saying he had been looking forward to it for a long time. I felt a mix of emotions; Elena didn’t love me at all, let alone want to have a child with me. Elena seized my hand and said, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. Jacob and I won’t use contraception anymore; we’ll try to conceive a chubby grandson by the end of this year.” Under the lights, Elena’s beautiful profile still shone brightly, just as it did when I first saw her. “You shouldn’t always prioritize your career. Over the years, you’ve shouldered the Russell Group alone and fulfilled your parents’ wishes. You should take better care of your family and treat Jacob well so that your marriage can last. All I want is for you to be happy. If you and Jacob are doing well, I’ll be content,” her grandfather said. “Grandpa, I’m good to him! I promise I’ll always treat him well.” Elena reassured him again, her demeanor making me feel somewhat sick. Overcome by nausea, I couldn’t hold back and pushed past Elena to rush to the bathroom to vomit. Afterward, I felt much better. As I was washing my hands, Elena caught up to me and handed me a tissue. “What’s wrong? I saw you were sick last time I was at the hospital!” I ignored her, taking out my own tissue to wipe my mouth. I felt a strong aversion to Elena—her acting and even her scent began to irritate me. “How long are you going to keep this up?” Sensing my rejection, Elena took a step closer, but I quickly backed away to create distance between us. “Elena, you’re a great actress,” I mocked, and she clearly heard me. “I’m not acting; I haven’t treated you poorly all these years, have I?” With that, she turned and left, her face cold. Watching her back, I felt a chill in my heart. She was right; she hadn’t treated me poorly, but it was never genuine. Standing in front of the mirror, I managed a weak smile. How pathetic I look. I used to be the heartthrob of Astoria University’s finance department; how did I end up like this? Since falling ill, I’ve been vomiting almost every day and barely eating anything. I’ve also been sleepless at night, which has worsened my health. How did I let myself get like this? I mocked myself. I’m a man, yet I’ve let myself become like this for a woman. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?” A familiar voice came from behind—it was Hector. He turned on the faucet while smiling at me, but that smile felt unsettling. I ignored him and turned to leave, but he called me back. “You’re quite self-aware, mentioning divorce, Jacob. You’ve known all along that in Elena’s heart, you’re just my substitute.” Hector smirked. “Now that I’m back, you should step aside.” “Even if I step aside, it doesn’t mean Elena will be with you.” I looked up, glaring at him coldly. “Hector, Elena’s grandpa Marcus doesn’t like you; his family won’t allow him to marry an orphan. If it weren’t for that, you would’ve been together seven years ago, right?” Hector was furious, glaring at me with rage. “Do you think you’re something special? You’re just slightly better off than me, Jacob! Let me tell you, the person I hate the most these years is you! Why should your background be better than mine? Why do Mr. Qin and Marcus like you but not me? Why was I forced to go abroad while you stayed by Elena’s side?” I scoffed. “Why? Because, except for Elena, everyone else isn’t blind! Everyone knows what kind of person you are!”

Hector isn’t a good person; throughout his life, he has done many bad things to win Elena’s affection. In front of her, he pretends to be a harmless little rabbit. I almost saved him, changing his life, yet he repeatedly destroys everything important in mine, continuing to act in front of Elena. He presents himself as an innocent girl while making me out to be a heartless villain. He has done almost everything that the vicious male antagonist in novels would do. Yet, Elena remains blind to it. After all these years, she hasn’t gotten better; in fact, she seems even more blind. “I’m betting Elena is blind, Jacob. I’ve come back this time to be Elena’s husband; I want you to know I’m no longer that Hector who could be pushed around!” As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand to slap me. I was quick to react, blocking his hand and then slapping him back. “You hit me?” Hector was stunned, covering his swollen face as tears began to flow. Those tears were worthy of a Best Actor award at the Unicorn Awards. “Jacob, believe me, I came back with no other intentions; I just wanted to see you guys. I won’t ruin your relationship with Elena, I promise!” “What are you doing?” Before I could process it, Elena rushed over. She supported Hector’s arm and glared at me fiercely. “Jacob, what did you do to Hector?” Looking at the two in front of me, I found it amusing. “Can’t you see? He tried to hit me, and I fought back.” “Hit you? How could Hector hit you? Jacob, you bullied Hector since childhood; now that he’s back, you treat him like this. How could you be so heartless?” In Elena’s eyes, I’ve always been the bully, and now it’s no different. I bit my lip and said nothing, only feeling pain in my stomach. It hurt so much that I started to bend over. Hector rushed over. “What’s wrong? You look terrible!” He feigned concern, then whispered into my ear, “See? In Elena’s heart, there’s only me! I can tell you’re not well; if we both felt unwell at the same time, who do you think Elena would take to the hospital?” My stomach was cramping painfully, and I didn’t want to respond to Hector’s words at all. At that moment, Hector fell to the ground. “Ah, it hurts! Elena, my stomach hurts!” I didn’t have time to care about his poor acting. The pain in my stomach became unbearable, and the next moment, I felt a wave of nausea; I vomited blood. The air filled with a strong metallic scent. “Elena—” I struggled to reach out to her, wanting to tell her my stomach hurt and that I might die. But Elena couldn’t hear me at all; she just panicked and held Hector in her arms. “What’s wrong, Hector? Where do you feel sick? I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” As she tried to leave with Hector, I reached out and grabbed the corner of her clothes. “Elena, my stomach hurts so much. Can you—” Elena violently shook off my arm without looking at me. “Can’t you understand? You can’t compete with Hector at a time like this! Jacob, can’t you see Hector is suffering?” The force with which she pushed me made my already agonizing pain worse, and I fell to the ground. Elena turned her back on me, taking Hector away. Throughout it all, she never acknowledged me; she didn’t even glance at me. If she had looked, she would have seen the blood on me, so shocking! But she didn’t see anything! A chill spread from deep within my heart to every corner of my body. I clenched my fists tightly, my sharp nails digging into my palms. It hurt so much, my entire body ached, yet there was no pain in my heart. “Jacob!” Chloe’s terrified voice rang in my ears as she saw me vomiting blood. “What happened? How did this happen? Where’s Elena?” “Take me—to the hospital!” I couldn’t say anything else; the pain made me black out.

I don’t know how long I slept, but when I woke up again, I heard someone talking beside me. “Is she out of her mind? Jacob is terminally ill, and she’s still with another man! No way, I need to go confront her!” “He said he didn’t want to tell Elena he was sick,” Chloe stopped Nicolas. “Since they’ve already decided to get divorced, not knowing about this might be better for them.” Nicolas’ voice was choked with tears; I could tell he was very sad. Chloe sighed. “When he wakes up, I believe Jacob will make his own judgment.” Nicolas’ voice grew quieter. “But he doesn’t have much time left.” My heart tightened, and my closed eyes trembled. Time is running out? I haven’t figured out what to do yet. I haven’t even decided whether to accept treatment, and now I’m told I don’t have much time? In a daze, I seemed to hear Elena’s voice calling me. “Jacob, we want to have a child.” Once upon a time, we were in love; why has it come to this? Since it’s like this, then so be it. Nicolas stopped talking, and Chloe fell silent too. The ward was terrifyingly quiet; I clenched my fists and slowly opened my eyes. “Jacob, you’re awake,” Nicolas rushed over, grabbing my hand, his eyes red. “I didn’t tell Elena about your situation.” I blinked and weakly nodded. “Yeah, there’s no need to tell her.” My parents had poor health and passed away a few years ago, which is good; now I don’t have to worry about them being upset. As for Elena, she probably wishes I were dead so that Hector could have his spot. “How do you feel now?” Chloe asked me, “Do you feel uncomfortable?” I shook my head. “No.” I raised my hand to my abdomen, deep in thought. Chloe opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Just then, my phone rang. Nicolas hesitated for a moment after picking it up but didn’t hand it to me. “Is it Elena?” I licked my dry lips. “Give it to me.” When the call connected, Elena’s cold voice came through. “Where are you?” “At the hospital.” “Why did you go to the hospital again?” Elena said in a deep voice, “Grandpa called us for breakfast; I’m here to pick you up.” Her tone was the same as usual, as if she had forgotten everything that happened yesterday. She never cared about why I was in the hospital. “I’m busy,” I replied flatly. I really don’t want to see her anymore. My love for Elena has gradually faded away in just a few days. I don’t have much time left, and I don’t want any relationship with her anymore. Since that’s the case, there’s no need to meet again. “If it weren’t for Grandpa wanting to see you, do you think I would want to see you right now? Jacob, I haven’t let you off the hook for hitting Hector yesterday!” I realized that Elena’s attitude toward me had already changed significantly since Hector returned. She didn’t even want to pretend anymore. “Jacob,” she added, “don’t think I don’t know; it was entirely your idea for my dad to send Hector abroad!” My grip on the phone tightened, as if I had been discovered, my heart racing. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.” I hung up the phone and threw back the covers to get out of bed. Nicolas supported me. “What are you doing? Are you really going? Are you trying to kill yourself?” I grasped Nicolas’ hand; his palm was warm, slowly warming my icy heart. “I’m going, Chloe; this time I need to make it clear to Elena that I never want to have anything to do with her again.” Maybe my gaze was too determined; Nicolas nodded slowly. Chloe took her coat and draped it over me. “I’ll go with you; if anything happens, I can help you.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

When I arrived, Elena was standing at the entrance of the antique-style restaurant. She was dressed in a chic outfit, her figure appearing extremely cold under the sunlight. Seeing me, Elena squinted her eyes. “You just throw on a coat to see me? You look terrible; are you trying to make Grandpa think I’ve wronged you?” After finishing, she noticed Chloe beside me, and her expression turned even colder. “Chloe, I’ve heard you were back for a long time; I didn’t expect it to be true.” She glanced at me and Chloe. “Still the same as when we were kids, always wanting to follow me and Jacob.” Her words dripped with sarcasm, but Chloe didn’t mind; she just leaned close to my ear and softly said, “I’ll wait for you in the car. If anything happens, call me, and I’ll come right away.” Chloe’s gentle tone was a long-lost warmth that made my heart feel a bit warmer. I nodded, tightening the coat belonging to Chloe. “What are you wearing?” Elena’s gaze finally landed on the coat; before I could answer, she took it off and threw it into Chloe’s arms. “Take your stuff away!” “Jacob is unwell and shouldn’t be in the wind,” Chloe frowned, wanting to help me put the coat back on, but Elena’s face darkened further. “I can take care of my husband myself; you don’t need to interfere!” Elena directly took off her own coat and forcefully draped it over me. Her movements were somewhat rough, causing me some pain. I was about to refuse when she tightened her grip on my arm. “Don’t move around if you don’t want me to get angry.” Not wanting to have any more arguments with Elena, I stopped struggling and followed her into the restaurant. Inside the peaceful private room, Marcus was sitting upright, his white hair particularly conspicuous under the light. Upon seeing me, the old man was very happy. “Jacob is here; come sit by Grandpa!” He even got up to help me sit in the chair beside him. Noticing my pale face, he immediately grew concerned, “Why does your face look so bad? You’ve lost a lot of weight; is it because Elena has treated you poorly? If she has, you tell me, and I’ll help you! Elena has managed the group for many years; she’s used to being strong, but she’s a good person; you should be more tolerant of her. Also, why didn’t you say goodbye to me before leaving last night?” Last night, Chloe had taken me out of the back door of Russell Manor, and there were not many people who saw us. Naturally, Marcus didn’t know, and I’m afraid that until now, no one in Russell Manor knows that the blood in the bathroom was mine. “Grandpa, let’s eat first; we arrived early.” Elena, too lazy to watch me talk to her grandfather, urged while constantly looking at her watch. After all, her white moonlight was still waiting in the hospital. If it weren’t for handling her grandpa, she wouldn’t have come at all. “Here, Jacob, your favorite Eggs Benedict; Grandpa specially ordered it for you.” Grandpa Elena placed a piece of shumai into my plate, and looking at that piece of shumai, my eyes gradually watered. Among the entire Russell family, Marcus is the one I miss the most. But today, I didn’t come here to eat. I didn’t touch my fork. I only looked up at Elena. “Elena, I have something to say to you.” Elena raised her eyes, her cold gaze sweeping over me. “What is it?” Her eyes carried a warning; I knew she didn’t want to mention anything in front of Grandpa. But if I didn’t bring it up today, the divorce would likely be postponed indefinitely. I pressed my lips together and said lightly, “Let’s talk about the time Hector went abroad to study.” “Shut up!” As expected, Elena exploded in anger. “It’s not the time for you to bring this up!” “Elena, what’s your attitude?” Marcus raised his hand and slapped Elena on the head.

I looked at the two in front of me, my expression blank, and said, “Seven years ago, I overheard Dad saying he didn’t like Hector. He said the best way to make you two break up was to send Hector away. I knew Hector had always wanted to study design, so I encouraged Dad to send him abroad for further studies.” As I saw the flames igniting in Elena’s eyes, I slowly continued. “After Hector left, I deliberately stayed by your side, helping you through that difficult time, and then got Dad to allow us to marry. Elena, our marriage was actually something I forced.” As soon as I finished speaking, Elena picked up a cup from the table and threw it straight at me. “I told you to shut up! Don’t say these things in front of Grandpa!” Her speed was too fast; I slightly turned my head, and the cup grazed my cheek before smashing against the wall behind me. The sound exploded in the air, glass shards flying everywhere, yet I remained unharmed. Marcus didn’t know what I had said today, but seeing Elena like this, he still furiously intervened. “What a terrible temper! How can you lay a hand on Jacob? No matter what he did, you know how he has treated you all these years! What is so good about that man that you’ve been so devoted for all these years? Don’t think Grandpa is blind; last night at my birthday party, you left with that man. Did you think I wouldn’t know?” “Grandpa, this is between Jacob and me.” Elena calmed down and sat back in her chair, looking coldly at me. “Don’t think that saying this in front of Grandpa will make me forgive you.” “I don’t want your forgiveness.” I smiled and pulled a divorce agreement from my bag. The last signed copy was left at Elena’s house. But she probably hadn’t signed it; knowing Elena, she likely threw it away long ago. “Elena, I want a divorce. This time it’s real, not a threat or a joke.” I handed her the pen, saying, “I’ve already signed. Once you sign, we’ll have nothing to do with each other anymore.” Looking at my serious expression, Elena’s face grew colder. “Jacob, don’t think I won’t sign!” she said, almost through gritted teeth. I nodded. “I know. Go ahead and sign. Once you do, you can be with Hector. You can marry him or let him move in with you, so he can openly be by your side. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” Throughout this, my tone remained flat, as if I were discussing something unrelated. Marcus tried to speak several times but hesitated. I knew he respected me; he had always respected me. So even though he wanted to intervene, he never spoke up. I was grateful for him and the care he had shown me over the years. In the Russell family, the only warmth I felt came from him. Elena stared at me but refused to take the pen. I stood up and forced the pen into her hand. “You should hate me, Elena. I used tricks to send your beloved man abroad, and I tried every means to marry you. A man as manipulative as me doesn’t deserve you, right? If you can endure all this, then you’re really useless.” I used my words to provoke her; this was how Elena reacted best. She gripped the pen tightly as if to crush it. “Jacob, remember, everything today is what you asked for. Don’t regret it!” “Hmm.” I nodded vigorously. “I won’t regret it, not ever.” “Don’t come crying to me to stop the divorce like before! I won’t agree again!” I continued to nod. “Hmm, don’t worry, I won’t, Elena.” In the past, I had no self-respect; my life revolved around her. But from this moment on, Jacob was a new Jacob. I wanted to live for myself; I no longer wanted to care about Elena.

“Fine! Jacob, I’ll grant your wish.” Elena picked up the pen and signed her name on the divorce agreement. Her handwriting was still beautiful, just like the day we got our marriage certificate. I thought this would probably be the last time our names appeared together. After she signed her name, the load in my heart finally got lifted. I grabbed the agreement, and as I stood up, I stumbled slightly, nearly losing my balance. My head spun, and my body felt weak; even Elena’s face began to blur. I steadied myself by holding onto the table, shoved the agreement into my bag, and called Chloe to come pick me up. After doing all this, I had no more strength left. Supporting myself on the table, I took a few steps towards the exit and glanced back at Marcus. He looked at me with concern, his face etched with sadness. “Grandpa, I’ll come visit you when I have time.” After saying that, I turned to walk away, but I stumbled and fell to the ground, dropping my bag. I had rushed too much; my bag was unzipped, and its contents scattered everywhere. Among them was my medical record. When I saw that medical record fall to the ground, my heart tightened. I reached out to grab it, but someone beat me to it. Elena asked, “What is this?” I reached out to snatch it back. “Give it back to me; it’s none of your business!” But it was too late. Elena opened the medical record. She was incredulous. “Late-stage cancer? You’re actually sick? Why didn’t you tell me?” I bit my lip, my body swaying, and weakly said, “It’s none of your concern. Give me back my things, Elena; we’re no longer related!” “Late-stage cancer? What’s going on?” Marcus approached, but Elena grabbed my wrist and whispered angrily, “Jacob, I want you to clarify, do you have late-stage cancer, or did you forge this medical record to deceive me?” She pointed toward the door, where Chloe had just appeared. Seeing me, Chloe quickly came over, pulling me away from Elena’s grip and looking down with concern. “How are you, Jacob? Are you okay? I’ll take you away.” “Haha, no wonder you want a divorce; you’ve been with her all along?” Elena threw the medical record in front of me. “Jacob, are you really that despicable?” “Yes, I am despicable.” I tilted my head, calmly looking her in the eye. “Aren’t you despicable too? You can flirt with Hector; why can’t I?” Elena was silent for a long time, then stared at me, saying each word slowly, “Tell me, do you really have late-stage stomach cancer?” “Yes.” I chose not to hide it; at this point, there was no need for secrecy. “I don’t have much time left.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” Elena shook her head, her face showing rare anger and sadness. “To be with Chloe, to completely cut ties with me, are you willing to give up your life?” “Life? Elena, don’t you know about my illness? To cook for you, to wait for you to come home, I hardly ate regularly these seven years. Can you say this illness has nothing to do with you?” I scoffed. “Last night, I told you I had a stomach ache; you didn’t care, did you? Your eyes were only for Hector; you never saw me!” Elena looked at me, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. “Last night, weren’t you arguing with Hector—” “Yes, in your eyes, I’m always causing trouble. I’m never as good as Hector; I’m the worst one. He’s always the most important one in your heart. So even if I stand before you, covered in blood, you wouldn’t notice me! Elena, remember, my illness is your doing! Last night, you ignored my plea for help; you were indifferent! My time is running out.” As I spoke, I broke down in tears, screaming. Isn’t it heartbreaking? How could it not be? I’m so young, and I should be enjoying life, yet everything is ruined. I’m going to die. I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face. My heart ached so much it felt like I was dying. “Elena, I really never want to see you again.”

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The night before the engagement, my fiancé, Max Chase, sought to prove his devotion to Lilian Smith. He hired someone to kidnap me, whisking me away to the remote Chaosiford. My face was marred by scratches. My kidney was ripped from my body. My lifeless form was cast into a fetid pond. The news of my death was splashed across newspapers and swiftly carried back to Kinstoland. Upon hearing it, my mother, Lily William, was so gripped by despair that her hair turned as white as snow in one anguished night. Her heart finally succumbed to the overwhelming weight of her grief. Clutching her bouquet like a trophy, Lilian entwined her arm with my brother, Joey William. Together, they marched towards Max with the pomp and swagger of a victory procession. But then, my eyes fluttered open, and I found myself returning to the day I adopted Lilian. She stood at the door, timid, as she whispered my name, Natalie. Clad in an ill-fitting pink dress, she looked at me with awkwardness. Her petite face, no larger than a delicate palm, was etched with an intense yearning and a tender closeness. “Can I call you Natalie?” she asked. I would carry her voice with me until my dying day. It was this very voice that echoed through Chaosiford, calling out in the aftermath of the moment my face was marred by scratches. She proudly declared that Max and Joey had done it all for her. The physical agony from my past life was now left behind. But it was the phantom ache near my kidneys that tormented me most. My nails dug into my palms as I eyed the seemingly innocent girl before me. My voice was cold, “Whatever.” I harbored a kidney laced with toxins. A specialist once predicted that I would need a kidney transplant upon reaching adulthood, lest I not see past twenty. Among all potential donors, Lilian’s kidney matched mine with uncanny precision. The William family promised her a life of luxury if she agreed to the transplant, which she did. Her presence in the Moonlit Villa was a testament to this pact. Receiving my answer, Lilian stepped forward with joy, reaching out to grasp my wrist. Her voice was as sweet as honey when she said, “Natalie, don’t worry. As soon as I give you my kidney, you’ll be well again in no time.” Her joyous approach was a scene from my past life. A pang of guilt struck me for her because I knew that her kidney was destined for my salvation through transplantation. I granted her every wish. I resolved to also set aside a share of my belongings for her. With her sights set on attending a prestigious high school, Ksyford School, I urged my mother to arrange for her to transfer into my class. She confided in me about being an orphan with low self-esteem, so I made it known to all that she was my sister, elevating her status in the eyes of others. Even as she approached Max, my fiancé, at the birthday party, I cautioned Max to cherish her well with a playful yet earnest tone. Yet, all my efforts and sacrifices for her were met with nothing but her deep-seated resentment. In the moments before my death in that past life, she questioned why I had everything while she was abandoned at birth. Her jealousy drove her to take my fiancé and brother from me. I sneered. It took death for me to learn that the tale of the farmer and the snake was no mere fiction; some were undeserving of kindness. I brushed away Lilian’s hand. My eyelashes were lowered. “The William family will ensure your wealth, but you don’t seek my friendship. I have no need for it,” I said. Lilian halted in her tracks as an embarrassed flush crept over her features. Ignoring her, I ascended the stairs. My willingness held the power to transform her fate; it would decide if she could be the adopted daughter of the William family as my beloved little sister. Yet, should my heart withhold its blessing, she would stay forever in the margins as merely the orphan. Despite my rejection, Lilian’s enthusiasm remained unquenched. By dinnertime, she had donned the new clothes provided by my family. She eagerly learned about Joey and me from Rose Short, a nanny, and placed freshly squeezed juice before us with a flattering gesture. Joey scoffed. He left the orange juice untouched until the meal’s end. I caught the disappointment on Lilian’s face. Then, I pondered when Joey’s affection for Lilian began. He was so utterly captivated by Lilian that he was prepared to forge an alliance with Max, conspiring to exile me, his own sister, to the distant, untamed wilderness of Chaosiford. It was clear as day that Joey harbored a deep-seated loathing for Lilian when it all began. He even refused the juice she offered. At the very same moment as in our past life, Lilian appeared at my door, clad only in her pajamas. I stood at the threshold, gazing into her tear-filled eyes with an air of indifference. At this precise moment, Lily had just finalized the transfer arrangements for Lilian. Tomorrow, Lilian would walk through the gates of Ksyford School alongside Joey and me. I understood the worries that clouded her mind. Ksyford School was an institution masquerading as a key high school but more akin to an aristocratic college. Aside from a select few who were admitted for their exceptional academic prowess, the majority of the student body at Ksyford School was composed of those born into wealth or nobility. Lilian possessed neither the sterling academic record nor the distinguished lineage. Her presence there was akin to a rabbit venturing into a garden of tigers. She tentatively tugged at my sleeve. Her voice broke with emotion, “Natalie, I am an orphan, marked by inferiority from the very cradle.” I cast my gaze downward, focusing on the sleeve she clutched with desperate fingers. Her soft sobbing reached my ears. “I’m terrified that no one will like me.” After enduring her heart-wrenching sobs in our past life, I had promised her a family. I had assured her that she would have a share in all that I possessed. Consequently, the entire class was under the impression that Lilian was the youngest heiress of the William family. Yet, how did she choose to repay my generosity? She wept pitifully to my friends, claiming she was nothing more than a living donor for me. She alleged that I had coerced her into undergoing the transplant. A soft laugh escaped my lips as I gently reclaimed my sleeve from her grip. My gaze met the disappointment etched across her face. I said icily, “It’s unwise to make malicious assumptions based on events that have yet to unfold.” Her sobs ceased abruptly. She gaped at me. I furrowed my brows, gripping the door handle firmly. “I’m going to sleep,” I announced. She opened her mouth, perhaps to plead or to say something more. But I had lost all willingness to engage and closed the door softly but firmly. After a brief pause, there came a knocking on the door next to mine. Until Joey spat out the words “get out” with such venom, the incessant knocking on the door finally ceased. Joey had always possessed the soul of an introvert. He perpetually cloaked himself in silence and indifference. He had never been one to openly express his likes or dislikes. Most of the time, he favored the company of his own solitude. His apparent disdain for Lilian was a deviation from his usual demeanor.

As we prepared to leave for school, Lilian trailed behind me. Her curiosity was piqued as she peered through the car window. “Isn’t Joey joining us?” she asked. Once upon a time, before high school, Joey and I shared the same ride to school. Later, my old ailment seized me once again in the classroom. The driver waited for Joey, who was engrossed in a basketball game at the eastern campus. Lily rushed to my side at the hospital. After a public scolding of Joey, she flew overseas to handle a contract. From that day forward, Joey chose to ride his bicycle to school alone. His figure grew ever more distant. Lilian frowned as if she were piecing together a complex puzzle. Just as I had foreseen, when Lilian stepped forward and introduced herself, she was met not with the warmth of affection but with the cold sting of disdain. She possessed neither stellar grades to boast of. Nor did she come from a family of notable standing. Among the congregation of wealthy heirs, she stood out starkly. After Lilian finished her unremarkable self-introduction, Selena White, my friend, leaned in and whispered, “Who is she?” From my seat, I watched Lilian, whose discomfort was palpable on the podium, and I couldn’t help but let a sneer curl my lips. “She’s a poor soul, attempting to mingle with the wealthy,” I remarked. In a past life, under my protection, Lilian had seamlessly blended into my circle of friends. Thus, she was shielded from the sting of disdain. This time, I observed her floundering with a detached indifference. After school, Lilian was repeatedly detained by Mia Brown. The rationale behind this was to provide the freshmen with an update on their homework progression. Lilian reached out, clutching my sleeve. She gazed at me with eyes full of pleas. It was then that I noticed the bruises and scars marring her face. I arched an eyebrow and calmly asked, “What happened?” With an arm draped around Lilian’s shoulders, Mia chuckled. “Just a little extra tutoring for the new students.” Girls with dyed blonde hair prodded Lilian’s cheeks. They grinned and said with mockery, “It seems our new student isn’t too keen on integrating?” Lilian’s cheeks reddened under the sharp nails. Her sobs were choked back as she shook her head. It wasn’t until dinner that Lilian returned to the Moonlit Villa. She was exhausted. Passing the dining table, she asked why I hadn’t waited for her. Tears welled in her eyes. I did not miss the brief flare of resentment that sparked in her eyes. I tapped the tabletop and felt amused. I coldly retorted, “Do I have any obligation to wait for you?” As I turned away, Lilian called out, “Natalie William! “I’m willing to donate one of my kidneys to you. “Aren’t you even a little grateful?” Confusion furrowed my brow. I gestured towards her limited edition dress and custom-made leather shoes. I gazed at her calmly. “As part of our deal, my family has already provided you with a good life.” I enumerated the benefits Lilian had reaped. The William family had plucked Lilian from the orphanage, transplanting her into the grandeur of the Moonlit Villa. She had also earned her spot at Ksyford School, mingling daily with students whose names were synonymous with prestige. She got a share of my own possessions. Each piece of her clothing was a tangible emblem of the gifts we had bestowed upon her. Her cheeks flushed. Her voice melted into a gentle whisper. “I treat you as my sister, but you seem to despise me. Did I do something wrong?” I looked into her puzzled face. My voice was gentle. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” It was I who had erred, failing to see people for who they truly were. The cruel twist of fate that orchestrated my tragic end was so devastating that it turned my mother’s hair stark white in a single night, and her heart, unable to bear the sorrow, simply ceased to beat. If given the chance to relive it all, I would cast aside all those who had once forsaken me, ensuring they met the retribution they so rightly deserved. I would begin with Lilian. Since Lilian coveted my background and yearned to be part of the wealthy elite, I would shatter her hopes. I would ensure she was reduced to nothing more than a distant speck to gaze longingly at the stars. Lilian was once again detained by Mia under the guise of tutoring. The driver calmly nodded, preparing to leave the campus. Through the car window, I caught a glimpse of Lilian trailing behind Joey. Joey remained indifferent as ever. However, Lilian bit her lip and fixed her gaze on me through the half-raised glass. The next day, Lilian began her journey to school with Joey. She sat in the backseat. Her arms were carefully wrapped around Joey’s waist. They acted as inseparable as conjoined branches and sped away from me. During morning reading, Joey escorted Lilian to the classroom door. His expression remained blank. In full view of everyone, Lilian called out to him in a sweet voice, “Joey!” Joey turned his head. A smile graced her lips. “Remember to pick me up after school!” I clenched my hands, watching Joey nodding gently and agreeing to her request. Upon receiving his answer, Lilian smiled broadly. From halfway across the classroom, she cast a smile towards me. Her face shone with an unmistakable pride. I knew the source of her pride. She took pride in the peculiar reality that Joey maintained a distant connection with me while he was nonetheless willing to chauffeur her to and from school. Selena nudged my arm and voiced her confusion, “Why does she call Joey?” I released my tightly clasped hands and calmly replied, “I don’t know.” I didn’t understand why Lilian called Joey. I was utterly perplexed as to why Joey had suddenly responded to Lilian. Regardless of his reasons, since that morning, Lilian was never detained for tutoring again. Upon returning to the Moonlit Villa, Lilian approached me with a blue doll in her hands. She feigned curiosity. “Natalie, did you make this doll for Joey? It’s so exquisite. It must have taken a lot of time!” I gazed silently at the doll she held. The poignant memory took me back to when I was just twelve years old. Night after night, I forsook sleep, pouring my heart into crafting the doll for Joey’s birthday. When I excitedly presented it to him, he merely uttered a cold “thank you” before placing it on the windowsill. Since childhood, I had been frail. Lily wrapped me in a cocoon of stringent control. Joey was my sole playmate, yet he disliked playing with me. I called him sweetly, offering him candies. His eyes narrowed with an unmistakable loathing as he commanded coldly, “Go away.” I never understood why Joey disliked me, yet I yearned for his affection. Thus, I went to great lengths to please him. Staying up to make a doll was one of those foolish endeavors. Reflecting on the phone call before my death in my previous life, I found it all so absurd. I snatched the handmade doll Lilian was flaunting. My eyes locked on Joey behind her. With an impassive expression, I tossed the doll into the trash. “It’s dirty.” The sincerity I had poured into that gift was wasted. It didn’t matter. I could throw it away just as easily as I could discard Joey without a second thought. Joey frowned, remaining silent. Lilian stood before me, preparing to condemn me. “Don’t you think you’ve gone too far? You’re using your mother’s favoritism to bully your brother!” Hearing this, I sneered. I finally figured out why Joey had always hated me. He believed our mother favored me. I turned to face Lilian, whose indignation clouded her features. A realization of why Joey, with his usual indifference, would stand up for Lilian dawned on me. What a profound family bond they shared. I pushed aside Lilian, who was blocking my path. My face was devoid of emotion. I turned and ascended the stairs in silence. Outside the window, a drizzle began to fall. Raindrops tapped against the glass with a crisp sound. It should have been the perfect environment for sleep, yet slumber eluded me. The memories of trying to win Joey’s favor as a child flickered through my mind unbidden. He always told me coldly to go away. My neatly trimmed nails dug deep into my palm. “I don’t want you this time,” I murmured to the memory of the young Joey. My voice was choked. “What kind of brother are you?” I had tried so hard to be kind to him. Yet, he took in false accusations and conspired with Max to send me to Chaosiford for Lilian, an adopted daughter of our family. My face was scarred by a razor blade. My kidneys were removed, and I was thrown into a fetid pool. Meanwhile, he held Lilian’s hand, walking her towards Max. The pain of having a kidney removed in my previous life resurfaced suddenly. I curled up, holding my waist tightly. A string of tears dampened the pillow as an uncontrollable moan escaped my throat. Once again, I was engulfed in the despair of being butchered. I was unable to extricate myself. A warm hand touched my forehead. An anxious voice abruptly pulled me from my reverie, “Natalie.” I opened my heavy eyelids to find Lily sitting beside the bed. She gently wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes. Her gaze was filled with love. “Mom is here.” This was the first time I had seen my mother since my rebirth. My nose tingled, and I couldn’t help but throw myself into her arms. She softly caressed my cheek. With a sigh, she asked, “What’s wrong, Natalie? Have you been wronged?” I shook my head gently. It wasn’t worth sacrificing myself for Joey and Lilian. “Dr. Blake said you had a high fever due to emotional distress,” Lily said. She handed me pills with a fearful sigh. “If Rose hadn’t come up to call you for breakfast and found something amiss, you would be in the ICU by now.” After a knock on the door, Rose entered with milk, placing it on the small table. She gestured towards the door. “It’s raining outside, but Mr. Joey William is still kneeling.” Anger lingered in Lily’s voice. “Let him alone. He must accept the punishment for his wrongdoings.” Joey had been kneeling in the courtyard for a long time. I approached him, holding an umbrella. He didn’t even raise his head. His voice dripped with sarcasm. “Are you satisfied?” The umbrella handle dug into my hand. I lowered my eyelashes. “If Rose hadn’t discovered my high fever, I would be in the ICU now. “But you thought I was framing you, tricking Mom into coming home because of illness.” Joey suddenly lifted his head. Tears welled in his eyes. I half-squatted, examining him closely. I asked sincerely, “So, in your heart, even an adopted daughter brought into our family halfway through is more important than me, your biological sister? “You drive her to and from school, and you can even give her the birthday present I gave you.” Joey remained silent. I blinked, speaking to him softly, “Joey, you hate me, don’t you?” His eyelashes trembled slightly, but he never denied my words. So, it was true. Joey did hate me. I nodded, suppressing my tears. “That’s right! I don’t like you either. I won’t recognize you as my brother anymore!”

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In front of people, I was a high-cool school girl who was not to be entered by others; after people, I was an extremely thirsty, exposed girl. In photography elective class, I sat in the last row, knowing that a boy with a crush on me was looking at me; I also deliberately spread my legs to show him. … My name’s Ashley Wilson. Thanks to my pretty face and calm demeanor, the campus gossip crowned me the school’s beauty queen. But only I knew the real me beneath the surface. Ever since I turned thirteen, I’ve been battling a strange condition. When I heard my mom and dad making noises next door in the middle of the night, my whole body became uncomfortable, as if there was a fire burning in my body. At that time, I didn’t know what was going on until I gradually grew up and received a sexual enlightenment education; then, I realized that I was craving for a man. I secretly found websites to watch those movies, and slowly, I have been no longer satisfied. I secretly bought some little toys to comfort myself without my parents knowing and hid them in the crack under the bed. I knew it wasn’t right, but I just couldn’t help myself. The college had only made me wilder. Not only would I hide in the bathroom every day to reward myself, but I also became obsessed with exposing my body. Those who hadn’t experienced it couldn’t understand how thrilling it felt! Of course, when I first started doing this, I was very cautious, choosing places with few people and wearing a mask to cover myself completely. But I never expected to be secretly photographed. The person who took the photos even followed me home and got my contact information. [Didn’t expect Solar University’s beauty queen to be so wild and desperate, huh?] When I received this message, I was utterly stunned. I frantically looked around, feeling helpless and fear quickly spreading inside me. [Stop looking, Ms. Wilson. If you don’t want this video to be seen, you’d better do as I say.] Soon after, he sent me a video of myself being exposed in the park. My face drained of color when I saw the video. My hands trembled as I clutched my phone to send a message. [Who are you? What do you want?] Unknown fears enveloped me, shrouding me in a nightmare. [What do I want? Well, be at your school’s sports field at 11 PM tonight. Don’t you dare not show up, or you’ll become quite famous at your school.] [What do you really want?] I asked in panic, but then he went silent and didn’t reply. I looked up the number, hesitated, and made a call. It rang once before someone hung up. When I tried again, the phone was switched off. Staring at my phone, I was stunned. I had never imagined something like this could happen! Someone would know about my exposure! Not only did someone find out, they caught it all on video! What should I do? Called the cops? No way! If I went to the police, everything I had done would be out in the open. How could I face my parents if they knew their daughter was like this? And my teachers, classmates, friends… What would they think of me? The thought made me shake my head violently. No! Absolutely not! They can’t find out! My knuckles turned white as I gripped my phone. “Ashley, what’s wrong? You look awful.” My roommate Isabelle Winthrop came out of the bathroom and noticed my ghostly complexion. “It’s nothing.” I forced an ugly smile. “Are you sure?” Isabelle wasn’t convinced. I steeled myself, my smile turning calm. “Don’t worry, really. I’m fine.” “That’s fine. Go shower now. The hot water’s almost off.” Isabelle’s words snapped me back to reality. I checked the time. It was already 10:30. Didn’t that guy say to meet at the field at 11:30? My face dropped as I grabbed my phone and bolted. “Isabelle, something’s come up. If the dorm monitor checks in, cover for me, will you?” I dashed out before she could reply. “Hey!” Isabelle called after me, but I was too wrapped up in thoughts of “If I’m not at the field by 11, that video’s going viral” to pay her any mind. Our campus is enormous. I booked it, barely making it to the field by 11. [I’m here. Where are you?] I pulled out my phone and fired off a text. No response. I waited another minute—still nothing. [Where are you?] I sent another message. But again, radio silence. I was getting antsy. Why wasn’t he responding? He hadn’t already leaked the video, had he? My mind was in chaos. “Hey, you are really punctual, huh?” Suddenly, a figure appeared behind me and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. “Ah!” I screamed, only to have my mouth quickly covered by his hand. “Don’t shout, or I’ll send out the video!” He whispered menacingly into my ear, pressing his face against mine. My heart pounded wildly, my eyes wide with terror as I whimpered and shook my head. “Delicious.” He was like a creep, and the next moment, a wet tongue licked at my neck.

I trembled all over with fright, struggling desperately. Though I had rewarded myself countless times, I had never been touched by a man before. It was my first time! Panic-stricken, tears streamed down my face as I turned to plead with him. He wore a mask, obscuring his face, but his eyes, brimming with aggression, were clear to see. “Miss Popular, don’t you enjoy showing off? Show me something now!” He taunted, gripping my face with palpable excitement. I looked at him imploringly, shaking my head vigorously. “Show me!” He roared, squeezing my face so hard that tears flowed anew. Under duress and fear, I slowly lifted my skirt. The man behind me, his eyes bulged the moment I did so. His throat bobbed rapidly, eventually erupting into a strange chuckle. “Who would’ve thought our school beauty was so bold? Did you intentionally skip wearing it because you were meeting me here at the track?” Overwhelmed with shame, I clenched my teeth and whispered, “No… that’s not it.” “So you usually go without, huh? You really are daring!” His voice carried an odd laughter. I felt utterly humiliated. All I could do was bow my head in silence. He then removed his hand from my mouth. I was startled, and then a glimmer of relief crossed my face. I thought he was ready to let me go. Clearly, I was mistaken. His call to the track at this hour had an ulterior motive. Before I could relish a few seconds of relief, my body was already pinned down from behind, pressed against the track’s surface. “What are you doing!? Let go of me!” I cried out in panic. He braced his knee against my lower back and sneered, “What am I doing? What do you think? With you acting so flirty, you must be desperate for a man, right? I’m just helping you out here!” I heard the sound of his belt unbuckling. Despair washed over me. My hands clawed at the rubber track, tearing it apart. I dared not scream for help; doing so would save me, but at the cost of exposing my secret exhibitionist tendencies. The thought of those mocking and scornful looks made me wish for death! No! Absolutely not! I could die, but I couldn’t face social suicide! I finally understood why people joke about clearing their browser history before they die. Sometimes, social suicide felt worse than the real thing. He leaned in close. I could feel the heat radiating off him, his body pulsing with energy. Just then, a beam of flashlight light shot over from a distance. The person behind me paused, then hurriedly stood up and pulled me to my feet. “Keep quiet, or I’ll send out the video I took of you!” he hissed into my ear, then grabbed me and tried to hide in the bushes next to the playground. “Who’s there?” The voice of the security guard startled the man behind me. He pushed me away and ran off. I breathed a sigh of relief, quickly straightened my clothes, took a few deep breaths, and walked out, pretending nothing had happened. As I stepped out, the blinding light of a flashlight hit my face. Instinctively, I raised my hands to shield my eyes. “Which class are you from? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” The guard scrutinized my face with his flashlight, his eyebrows furrowed. “I couldn’t sleep, just out for a walk,” I said, feigning calm. “A walk?” He glared at me. “The dorms are locked at this hour. Who was that running off, your boyfriend? I know what you youngsters are up to.” I covered my face and bowed my head in embarrassment, which only made him more confident of his suspicions. “Young and misguided, engaging in such antics! Which class are you in?” The security guard wasn’t about to let me off the hook. My heart skipped a beat. If he found out who I was and which class I was in, I’d be toast. I covered my face, my eyes darting around. Then I spun on my heel and bolted. “Hey, stop right there!” The security guard gave chase. Age was on my side. I ran like my life depended on it and soon left the old guy in the dust. I sprinted to the shore of Solar Lake on campus and bent over with my hands on my knees, gasping for air. My face was still frozen in panic. But the campus was huge. Having shaken him off, I wasn’t worried about being found again. I felt relieved, remembering I’d kept my face covered since the guard showed up. He probably didn’t get a good look at me. Just as I started to relax, my phone suddenly blared to life. I nearly jumped out of my skin and almost tumbled into the lake.

My phone lit up with Isabelle’s name on the screen. “Hey, Isabelle, what’s up?” I caught her name and answered right away. “Ashley, I covered for you during the room inspection.” “Thanks, Isabelle,” I said gratefully. Isabelle hesitated, then asked, “Ashley, is something wrong? You can tell me! We’re roommates, best friend even. Whatever it is, I’m here to help.” Isabelle’s concern touched me. But this? There was no way I could let her in on it. “It’s nothing, really… It’s just some family stuff. I’ll be back in class tomorrow.” I lied, keeping my tone light. That seemed to satisfy her. She offered to call in sick for me if I couldn’t make it back in time. I assured her I’d be there, then ended the call. Sitting in the pavilion by Solar Lake, the breeze off the water did nothing to calm my racing thoughts. Who was that guy with the video of me? Would he come after me again? Was I doomed to live under his thumb? The security guard saved my bacon this time, but what about next time? Or the time after that? Could I count on being that lucky again? If not, was I just supposed to let him have his way with me? I stared blankly at the moonlit surface of the lake. I let out a heavy sigh. Oh, Ashley! Why did you have to have this kink? Satisfied now? Caught red-handed, huh? I felt utterly frustrated, but deep down, I knew I had no control over these impulses. I sat alone in the pavilion until dawn, only leaving when the early birds showed up for their morning workout. I grabbed a bite to eat and camped out in the classroom. About two hours it was passed before other students started trickling in. The moment Isabelle walked in and spotted me, she plopped herself down right next to me. “Ashley, what’s the emergency back home? You had to rush out so late last night.” I blinked, deflecting, “It’s nothing. We’ve got photography class today, right?” “Yeah, here’s your book. I bought it for you.” Ashley eyed me for a moment before pulling a book from her bag and placing it on my desk. I shot Isabelle a grateful look, not bothering with words of thanks. We’d been like sisters for two years. There was no need for formalities between us. Up front, the teacher droned on, our previous assignments flashing across the big screen. My mind wandered. Suddenly, my phone buzzed twice. My face fell instantly. These days, that sound sets me on edge. I snuck a glance at my phone and bit my lip. It was him again! Another message from him! [Hey, sweetie. Move to the back row.] Was he in the classroom? I instinctively glanced around but didn’t spot anyone out of place. Everyone here was from my class. There were strangers in sight. [Don’t bother looking. You won’t find me. Just do as I say!] I blinked, took a deep breath, and told Isabelle I wasn’t feeling well before slipping into an empty seat in the back row. The back was pretty deserted, save for one guy with glasses. I remembered him. He was Matthew Everett. If I recall what Isabelle had said, he supposedly had a crush on me. Plenty of people had crushes on me at school, but this guy barely registered on my radar. Matthew looked surprised when I sat in the back row. Then his face flushed, and he ducked his head. He couldn’t seriously think I’d come back here just to sit with him, right? I shook my head and focused on my phone. [I’m in the back now. What do you want?] I sent the message while scanning the room. A wild thought hit me. Could this guy be one of my classmates? From last night at the field to knowing I was in class now, even my every move. I couldn’t help but suspect he was among us! I studied each face carefully, but nothing seemed off. Some were napping, others were whispering, and a few were zoning out. The ones on their phones were just watching videos or reading. [Ashley, I told you to stop looking. You won’t find me.] I stared at my phone, silent. [See the person next to you? You like to show your body, right? Now, face him, lift your skirt, and spread your legs.]

On the day I was supposed to marry Rachel Quinn, the beautiful rich girl, she abandoned my mother, Susan Sullivan, and me on a remote road to meet up with her childhood sweetheart. Susan suffered a sudden heart attack from the shock. I called Rachel, sobbing, begging her to come back and help save my mom. She coldly dismissed me. “Here we go again. Every time I leave, your mom fakes a heart problem. Your family really knows how to put on a show.” Because of her delay, we missed the crucial window for treatment, and Susan passed away. That night, one of our mutual friends posted a picture on Instagram with the caption: [Nothing beats childhood sweethearts!] The photo showed Rachel perched on her childhood sweetheart’s lap, his hand resting intimately on her waist. The sexual tension was palpable. With a blank expression, I liked the post and commented: [So this was why you have got to run?] My friend mockingly replied: [It was just a round of Truth or Dare. Why so serious?] Rachel seemed indifferent. But when I left without a word, she completely lost it. ***** [Rachel, let’s break up.] After packing up my mom Susan’s belongings, I sent Rachel this message, my face expressionless. Rachel thought I was just throwing a fit. She immediately posted screenshots of our chat on Instagram, saying: [Jeez, wonder where he learned to be such a drama queen.] Rachel’s friends, always eager for drama, chimed in with comments. [Like mother, like son. Probably learned it from that hick mom of his.] [He’s just a simp who thinks he’s hot stuff.] [Rachel, don’t forgive him so easily this time. Show him who the boss is in this relationship!] Rachel replied with a smile: [Of course.] I smashed my fist into the picture frame. Blood seeped through my fingers as the photo of Rachel and me shattered. For six long years, I’d stood by Rachel’s side, catering to her every whim, cherishing her with all my heart. She was a rich man’s daughter, and I came from an average family. The designer bags she loved took me months to save up for. But I didn’t mind. Just seeing her smile made it all worthwhile. I’d work three jobs a day without complaint, even if it meant my hands were calloused and bleeding. She was my whole world. When the flu hit and pharmacies were out of meds, I braved a raging fever just to get some to her door. She was that fragile. And how did Rachel repay me? She blew through the money I’d worked so hard to earn. Worse still, she’d been secretly investing in her childhood friend Nathan’s business ventures behind my back. Susan, taking Rachel’s words to heart, emptied our family’s savings. She said we couldn’t let Rachel down and had to give her a fancy wedding. In the end, on the day we were supposed to get our marriage license, Rachel received a call from Nathan while we were on the road. Without hesitation, she abandoned Susan and me on a deserted highway. I desperately reached for her wrist. “We’re not even married yet…” She jerked her hand away and started the car. “Nathan just got back to the country. Starting a business isn’t easy. He needs me. Don’t worry, honey. I’ll be right back.” With tears in my eyes, I shouted, “Rachel, if you leave now, this wedding is off!” Rachel fixed me with a confident stare. “You can’t live without me, Ryan Sullivan.” Her words rooted me to the spot. Susan, witnessing Rachel abandon us for another man, collapsed from the shock, clutching her chest in pain. There was no one in sight. I frantically dialed Rachel’s number, desperate for her to come back and help Susan. Rachel coldly dismissed my plea, hanging up with a scathing remark, “Here we go again. Every time I leave, your mom fakes a heart problem. Your family really knows how to put on a show.” As I watched the life slowly drain from Susan, I couldn’t hold back the tears, overwhelmed by despair. When Rachel and I first got together, Susan had offered me all her savings. “Ryan,” she’d said, “it’s been just the two of us for so long. I know my heart’s been holding you back. But I want to help you one last time.” Now she lay in my arms, her breath shallow, her face deathly pale. “Ryan,” she whispered, “I wanted to see how handsome you’d look in your wedding suit…” But she would never get that chance. In the end, all that was left of poor Susan was a small pile of ashes. Susan never liked crowds, so I kept the funeral small. Some friends came by to say goodbye, but I moved all the flowers outside. I sat in the bedroom, clutching Susan’s urn and sobbing uncontrollably. Bottle after bottle of liquor was emptied as their cruel laughter filtered through the door. Seriously, what’s the deal with him, Rachel? Is he trying to open a flower shop with all those lilies? He’s pathetic, just like his mother. What a loser. Leaving lilies is like wishing Rachel an early death. Come on, Rachel, it was just a game of Truth or Dare with Nathan. Is he really that petty? Talk about a man who can’t take a joke. I’d heard these insults countless times, and each time, Rachel remained silent, never defending me. She had promised me that this place was our secret hideout where no one else was allowed. Just the two of us. But now, she had broken our promise. She even brought her group of fair-weather friends into our home, with Nathan by her side. To her, Nathan was the one who got away, her idealized first love. Ever since he returned to the country, Rachel’s eyes had been constantly drawn to him. When I was starting my business, I asked Rachel to spot me a few thousand dollars to get things rolling. I didn’t want to always be in her shadow。 I wanted to be able to take care of the woman I loved. She refused. “You’re going to be my husband. You shouldn’t have to do things like that.” But then she turned around and threw a lavish birthday bash for Nathan. When I expressed my hurt, she simply said, “Nathan’s my childhood friend. Don’t be silly. He won’t come between us.” Was that true? Later, a single phone call from Nathan was enough to make her rush out, leaving me to stay up all night, sick with worry. Her excuse was that work at the company was too busy. But I knew the truth. It wasn’t that she was too busy. It was that her heart was no longer with me. So even if Susan had a heart attack, she’d think we were just faking it. Rachel’s eyes lowered in disgust when she saw my disheveled state. “What game are you trying to play now?” Nathan took a step back, looking me up and down. “Ryan? What’s gotten into you, man? Even if you got the wrong idea about me and Rachel, that’s no excuse to let yourself go like this.” His words drew the attention of Rachel’s group of friends, their gazes settling on me. Susan’s passing had left me sleepless for days, dark circles prominent under my eyes. Their judgmental stares cut deep. One of them sneered, “Wow, Ryan, you’re really pulling out all the stops to win Rachel back, huh?” Another chimed in, “Let me guess, Rachel mentioned she’d be here. So you showed up looking all heartbroken, hoping she’d fall for your pity party?” Keep dreaming, you pathetic loser! I bet Rachel had no clue I blocked her ages ago. Not a single one of her messages had gotten through. All those nights she was out partying with her friends, carelessly plastering her drunk selfies all over Instagram, I was at home, clutching Susan’s ashes, crying like a child.

Are you done? Rachel glanced at me indifferently, casually strolling to the couch and sitting down, just like after every argument we’d ever had. “If you’re finished, get off your ass and clean this dump. We’ve got people coming over later.” I suddenly burst out laughing. Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Ryan, have you lost your mind? You’re a just freaking sugar baby. How dare you laugh?” I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes. Rachel frowned, repeating with forced patience, “Ryan, I said I’m throwing a party here.” In Rachel’s eyes, Susan and I combined didn’t measure up to Nathan. Even when Susan had angina, Rachel thought she was faking it. The first time Susan was supposed to meet her, Rachel claimed to be busy with work. I later found out she was actually picking up Nathan from the airport. Each time, she stabbed me in the heart, leaving it a bloody mess. On our wedding day, Nathan used the excuse of being drunk on business. In reality, he was just playing truth or dare with his friends. They wanted to see if Rachel would really leave me for him. Susan grabbed Rachel’s hand, pleading, “Rachel, my son truly loves you. We consider you one of our own. Can’t you at least sign the marriage certificate first?” I couldn’t give up. “Rachel, I need you,” I said desperately. But she firmly pushed Susan’s hand away. “You’ll be fine without me, Ryan. Nathan needs me.” She then roared past in her car. As she straddled Nathan’s lap, flirting and blushing, Susan’s life slipped away in my arms, breath by breath. I looked up sharply at Rachel, my eyes rimmed with red. “What? Are you planning to throw a party in front of my mother’s urn?” The room fell silent, broken only by Nathan’s sudden, inappropriate laugh. “Sorry,” he said, looking apologetic. “Couldn’t help it.” Nathan spoke with an air of feigning sincerity and patience. “Ryan, I know you’ve got the wrong idea about Rachel and me, but isn’t it a bit much to talk about your mom like that?” He explained slowly, “That day, we were playing Truth or Dare. If I’d known you and Rachel were about to get married, I never would have let her come.” Rachel’s friends had already closed ranks around Nathan. Not one of them believed a word I said. It was just like that day when Rachel refused to believe Susan was having a heart attack. If Nathan hadn’t called Rachel away on purpose, Susan wouldn’t have gotten so upset that it triggered her heart attack. My fists were clenched, and my eyes were bloodshot with anger. Nathan took a cautious step back. Rachel moved to stand in front of him. “Are you done? Your mom was always in good health. Isn’t it a bit much to use this to provoke me?” She hadn’t shown any concern for Susan’s condition that day, not even a single word of care. Susan’s dying wish was for Rachel and me to stay together. But what about her? Ryan, my patience has its limits, I spoke coldly. Rachel thought I’d give in like before, apologize, and try to win her back. But she was wrong. I grew up in a single-parent home. My father passed away in an accident when I was three. It had been just Susan and me for over twenty years. A few years ago, I neglected Susan’s health because of Rachel. I offered her my whole heart, and now she had shattered it completely.” Are you done talking? If so, please leave. My voice was ice-cold as I pushed through the crowd to retrieve Susan’s urn. Rachel grabbed my wrist, her tone a mix of frustration and compromise. “Ryan, please don’t be like this.” Disappointment flickered in her eyes. “You weren’t like this before.” It was funny how we always wanted what we couldn’t have. Back when I was head over heels for Rachel, she couldn’t care less. Now that I was done with it all, she was suddenly interested. Now, the tables had turned. I pried her fingers off, creating some distance between us. “Tell me then, what was I like before? Your lapdog? A shameless pretty boy?” I scoffed, and my voice was low. “A sugar baby?” I paused, then delivered the final blow. “Or maybe…just useless?” Rachel’s face drained of color. “Ryan…” These were the names her so-called friends used for me. Just because I stood by her side, I became the target of their cruel labels. Rachel was the pampered daughter of a wealthy family. On our first date, she got a craving for dessert from Cassie’s Dessert. I scoured the city, but every shop had closed up for the night. Determined not to let her down, I hopped on the subway, rented a bike, and even hoofed it for miles. To get her favorite cupcake, I braved Sycamore Avenue despite my allergy to sycamore fluff. With a face flushed bright red from the allergic reaction, I carefully handed her the cupcake. She nestled against me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Her lips met mine in a sweet, happy kiss. “Ryan,” she said, “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Back then, I really thought I’d touched her heart. I gave everything I had, holding nothing back. Even when Rachel’s friends openly insulted me, I didn’t care. I naively believed that as long as I stayed by Rachel’s side, we’d find happiness someday. Later, she met Susan. My mom adored her, often sending homemade soup to her office. She worried Rachel might skip meals due to her busy schedule. Make sure Rachel’s well-fed and healthy, Susan would tell me. What Susan didn’t know was that Rachel never tasted a single drop of that soup. I once saw her, from around the corner, pouring Susan’s carefully prepared chicken soup down the drain. “Handle it like this from now on,” she coldly instructed her secretary. Meanwhile, Susan would say, “Rachel must have sophisticated tastes. I’ll stop sending the soup. I’ve saved up quite a bit over the years. Find out what Rachel likes to eat and treat her to that. It’s the least I can do.” In Rachel’s words, Susan, a kind-hearted, generous old lady, had become a villain who faked illness just to lure her back for a marriage certificate. The doctor said if we’d arrived just a few minutes earlier, Susan might have lived. Rachel had robbed Susan of her fighting chance. A tidal wave of grief and anger crashed over me, leaving me drowning in bitterness. Rachel glared at me, rolling their eyes dramatically. “Ryan, watch your mouth!” Look at yourself. We’re being generous, calling you sugar baby… Enough, Rachel snapped, her face darkening. The group exchanged uneasy glances. Well, well. So she could shut them up after all. It dawned on me that their constant disrespect had always had Rachel’s tacit approval. Maybe she’d looked down on me all along.

This time, Rachel deigned to explain herself. “Look, I’ll admit I didn’t think it through earlier. But it was an emergency. We can always get the marriage license another day, right?” She turned to me with a placating smile. “How about this, Ryan? Next Monday, you can pick me up and we’ll head to the city hall together. We’ll make it official then.” Even as she tried to make amends, she couldn’t shake off her haughty, entitled attitude. In the past, I would have caved. I would have turned back, wrapped my arms around her waist, and playfully bitten her neck, saying, “Don’t let it happen again.” But now, my eyes were cold, my tone strange. “Don’t bother,” I said. “The almighty Ms. Quinn wouldn’t lower herself to take back someone she’s already tossed aside, would she?” It was the first time I’d ever addressed her so formally, so distantly. Rachel was in shock. She took a sharp breath, steadying herself against the table’s edge, unable to believe what she’d just heard. Ryan, she said, her voice quivering. “Are you really breaking up with me over something so petty?” Petty? What the hell counts as petty to her? I let out a bitter laugh inwardly. “Is my mother’s death just a minor inconvenience?” Fury coursed through me, my arm muscles taut with anger. My voice came out low and dangerous, each word like a clap of thunder. “What about you, Rachel? You haven’t asked about my mom even once.” Rachel stiffened, her eyes darting away. “Your mom’s healthy. Even two Nathans combined couldn’t match up to her. Fine, if it’s about this, I’ll buy some health supplements for your mom later, she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tone dripped with condescension. The others chimed in eagerly, “Rachel’s doing you a favor, Ryan. Don’t you know when you’re getting a good deal? Those supplements cost thousands of dollars. Where would your country bumpkin mom ever get to eat such good stuff otherwise?” My throat tightened, leaving me speechless. It was ridiculous. Even now, Rachel believed Susan coveted her wealth and status. When I brought her home to meet Susan, she came empty-handed. I chalked it up to absent-mindedness. Later, I realized she not only looked down on me but was wary of Susan, too. Her friends had badmouthed Susan behind our backs. “What a liar! Heart disease? Please! If it was that bad, how’s she still kicking after all these years?” I bet Ryan’s just eager to be a wealthy sugar baby. He’s probably got his mom faking heart problems to guilt-trip you, Rachel. Don’t fall for it! And Rachel actually bought it. While Susan was alive, Rachel gave away all the health supplements to her so-called friends. Now that Susan was gone, she was falling over herself to bring offerings. The irony was laughable. That won’t be necessary, I said coldly. Suddenly, Nathan let out a startled cry. “Oh!” Rachel instinctively moved closer to Nathan, her eyes filled with concern. “Nathan, what’s wrong?” Nathan pointed at the memorial photo on the table, his voice shaking. “Rachel, why is Ryan’s mom’s photo here? Does that mean…” Rachel’s eyelid twitched. “No, it can’t be.” People always tended to deceive themselves. If Rachel had thought about it carefully, she would have remembered how Susan often struggled to breathe when they met and how heart medication was scattered all over their house. If she had just considered it for a moment, she would have known that Susan truly had a heart condition. One of Rachel’s friends immediately sneered, “Ryan must have made a memorial photo of his own mother just to win Rachel back. How disgusting!” Jeez, Ryan, another chimed in. “Pull stunts like this and karma’s gonna bite you in the ass.” Their gaze was like looking at disgusting lice. Even Rachel’s face twisted with disapproval. “Ryan, I can’t believe you’d do something like this. If your aunt found out…” I closed my eyes, a headache building. “She’s not going to find out.” Rachel had never seen me this serious before. Her tone softened instantly. “Ryan…” I was done with these people. All I wanted was to take Susan’s ashes and leave. “If you won’t go, I will.” As I picked up the urn, Rachel sneered. “Trying to play the victim again?” She shot a look at her cronies, who immediately surrounded me. Nathan snatched the urn from my hands. Come on, Ryan, he said. “You don’t have to do this.” Nathan leaned in close, lowering his voice. “Ryan, maybe save those flowers outside for your mom. She’s always faking heart problems. Might come in handy when she finally kicks the bucket.” I struggled wildly, trying to swing at him, but was held back firmly. “Nathan! I’ll kill you!” Oops, Nathan exclaimed as the urn slipped from his hands, scattering white powder across the floor. His face showed mock regret, but his words dripped with accusation. “Sorry, Ryan. I spilled that ‘baby formula’ you brought. But hey, waste not, want not. We can feed it to Anna. Might as well put it to good use.” My blood ran cold. Anna was Nathan’s dog. What are you planning to do? I asked, horrified. Rachel chimed in, “Good idea. Waste not, want not, after all.” I looked at Rachel, pleading, “No, Rachel, please…” But she just scoffed indifferently, “Ryan, don’t you love acting? Keep going, I’m watching!” My heart felt dead inside. A metallic taste filled my mouth, “Rachel, you’ll regret this!!” Damn, you’re really selling it,” someone nearby chuckled, instantly easing Rachel’s hesitation. I watched as Nathan added warm water to the ashes, and the Doberman tentatively licked the contents of the bowl. No! It felt like an invisible hand clenched my heart. The pain was suffocating. I broke free, landing a hard punch on Nathan’s face, screaming like a madman, “That’s my mom’s ashes! You monster! I’ll kill you!” Tears streamed down my face as I furiously pinned Nathan down, raining punches on him. Even as several people restrained my limbs, I glared at the couple before me, my eyes bloodshot with fury. Have you lost your mind, Ryan? Trying to kill Nathan over a can of formula? Rachel cried out, frantically checking Nathan for injuries without sparing me a glance. My voice came out raw, like I’d been gargling gravel. “Rachel, I wish I’d never fallen for you. If I’d known loving you would cost me my mother, I’d have wished we’d never met.” Rachel flinched, then wiped the blood from Nathan’s lip. Her voice dripped with contempt as she said, “Keep this act up, Ryan, and I might just find someone else to marry.” My sobs turned into hysterical laughter as I glared at Rachel with pure hatred. “I hate you, Rachel,” I choked out, my voice weak with emotion. “I hate you!” Rachel’s patience had run out. “Ryan, you can drop the act now…” Before she could finish, her friend Wendy approached hesitantly, holding a document. “Rachel,” she said, her voice uncertain, “I have a death certificate here. It looks like Ryan’s mom… It seems like she really did pass away.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397343”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Betrayal #Secrets

My husband had a child with organ failure with his first love, so he cruelly set his sights on my belly.

On my wedding day, Anson got a call from his old crush and just left. I chased after him and almost got hit by a car. The shock made me miscarry, and my dress was stained with blood. There he was, holding her, whispering, “Brenda, I’m here,” just like when he proposed to me. Turns out, he never loved me. I handed him divorce papers, and he tore them up, saying, “It’s just a small thing. I was comforting Brenda.” A small thing? He didn’t know he lost his child that day. He didn’t know I was dying inside.

“There will be a twenty percent reduction in staff,” my manager Craig announced to the group in our emergency staff meeting.My stomach immediately turned into nervous knots.Craig paused, waiting for the collective gasp to settle down, a small smile quivering at the corners of his mouth.Is that sympathy, or is he enjoying this? I wondered.As if to address my thoughts, Craig’s face switched to a mask of regret as he looked around the room.”I’m not happy about it either. Each of you is important to this department in my opinion. But, since the new CEO believes differently, I’ll be conducting performance reviews with everyone this week and reporting my findings.”My heart sank.I knew my work was good. But if it was going to be a popularity contest, I had no chance.After all, I am “scentless”.In a world of werewolves, scent was just as vital a sense as sight.Werewolves had a built-in system to rate every scent they encountered. Alphas were born with B grade scent minimums. Betas and Omegas, on the other hand, could be very flexible. They could easily smell like a C, D, or F grade to strangers.Whenever one met someone who had the potential to be a best friend or partner, they will immediately register as an A, while A+ is definitely a top match. There was a myth about S grade, but it was only a myth.Therefore, best friends, couples, business partners, even military units, all these social ties were established on scents.I, however, had no scent. Or at least, that’s what most people said.Another oddity was that it seemed I lacked the system to grade other people’s scent. I didn’t instinctively rate someone before I knew them, but instead judged people on other aspects like personality or behavior.Those who were being kind compared me to air. Some openly asked about my bloodline, another thing usually discernable in one’s personal smell. My answer was again disappointing. I was an orphan and had no idea who my parents were.”I’ll be sending each of you messages about when we are to meet. Thank you, and again, I’m very sorry that we are in this situation,” Craig finished this meeting.My colleagues began to murmur to each other as they walked out, but no one cared about me.I was used to it by now. They didn’t mean to be rude.I went out into the hall and began to walk toward the main room and my cubicle, but Craig came striding back down the corridor and blocked my way.”There you are, Elena,” he said, beaming. “You’re always so hard to track down, you know.” He tapped his nose and gave me a wink.I tried not to roll my eyes.Performance evaluation, I thought and smiled.”What’s up, Craig?”He handed me a stack of files. “Some new manuscripts just in.”His hand went up to my face, bringing his scent of licorice with it. He flicked a lock of my dark hair away before settling his hand on my shoulder.I wanted to brush it off but I forced myself to be still, to keep my smile. I looked around. There was no one else in the corridor.”How are you feeling after the announcement?” he asked.”Nervous,” I admitted. His scent was too close and it made me nauseous.I turned my nose away, but he didn’t move his hand.”Just do your best. Speaking of, those need to be in my inbox by the time you leave, okay?””Okay.”He rubbed my shoulder and continued down the corridor.I watched him go, trying not to gag at the thick sweetness that drifted in his wake. I used to be okay with the smell of licorice until I got to know Craig.I’d seen him squeeze, hug, and pat other females and no one seemed to give it a second thought. Jerry in marketing even patted him back.Am I being oversensitive? I thought, trying to wipe the licorice smell off my shoulder and glancing at the females around me as I went past their cubicles. No one else seemed to have a problem with his handsy behavior.I sat down at my desk and stared at the folders.I’d wanted to be a reporter. It’s what they promised when I first came to the newspaper after graduation. But here I was, years later, still on comics and proofreading, having done nothing more than occasionally write stories for other reporters under their byline.I guess it was hard for them to trust someone without a scent.And yet I tried hard to do well in every work I was given. Surely, I thought, all that good work and so little complaining will allow me to keep my job.A few hours later, the atmosphere began to change. It was Friday, and people were busy planning to meet for drinks and dinner.I went to the manager’s office with my proofed copies and was relieved to see Craig had gone for the day. I slapped the packet in his inbox, glancing at the photo of his wife on his desk before I went to pack my bag. I pushed open the doors to the front of the building just as my phone dinged with a text.It was Cathy, my only close friend and sole support since high school.Guess what? Your high school crush is in town.The line was followed by a spray of winking and heart-surrounded emoji faces.My breath caught in my throat and I instinctively turned right, heading toward a popular square. Music and voices from Friday night crowds filled the air and neon lights illuminated the space. Delicious smells of meat and fried food from the restaurants swirled around the people happily hanging out or on their way to food and entertainment.An enormous screen across the square projected the local news.And there he was.Charles.Larger than life, being interviewed by a local reporter, he was breathtakingly handsome with his dark, wavy hair and sharp blue eyes. His face light up the screen.The reporter beamed and leaned in toward him. He’d always that effect on people.Their dialog ran across the bottom.”And a hearty welcome to the young media entrepreneur, Mr. Charles Rafe!” the reporter said.”Thank you, Sandy.”He smiled at her, and I suddenly remembered him, a little more baby-faced, on the soccer field or in the school baseball uniform, in the back row of my history class, but still attracting every eye in the room when he smiled like that.Even now I could feel myself grinning at the screen like an idiot, remembering his warm, vetiver smell.”And what are your plans for our fair city?” the reporter asked.”As you know, Sandy, the merger of my family’s two companies has been a good move. We’re fortunately seeing steady profits.””We all know fortune has nothing to do with it,” the reporter said, playfully nudging his arm.”Well, thank you, but it takes a hardworking, loyal set of people to make any business successful.”His blue eyes looked directly into the camera.I caught my breath, as did a few other people who had also stopped and looked up. He seemed to be looking down through the square directly at me. I stood, riveted to the spot, gazing back.”So naturally I’m here to find those people, and while I’m at it, acquire some companies and expand the Rafe family’s business empire.”I couldn’t help but stare at the screen until Charles was gone.Wouldn’t it be weird if he were my new boss? I thought.I quickly shook my head with a bitter smile.It was a big city. Surely there was more than one large conglomerate coming to town.

It was true what Cathy had said. Charles was my high school crush. But it was also true that it was so much more than that.Years had passed since high school, but the feelings I had during that period of my life were as strong as if they’d happened yesterday. Back then, no one in my high school didn’t like Charles Rafe. He was the only student, except Cathy, that would smile to me and say hi. He even said my name correctly every time. Gradually, he became the reason I got out of bed and went to class in the morning, just so I could sit silently behind him. His casual smile was the factor that made or broke my day. There was no way he would remember me even if he was my new boss. Still, the idea of it made me smile into the night sky and wait for the screen to loop the interview so I could see his face one more time. I gazed up at the screen, watching the commercials tick by. The programs usually looped at least a half-dozen times before they moved on to the next thing, giving people time to see it as they walked through city squares. I waited and was rewarded. There he was again. His sharp blue eyes took me out of the city square and suddenly I was back in Mr. Sellers’ senior English honors class. I sat in the back left corner seat trying not to be noticed and at the same time trying to absorb every bit of knowledge I could. I loved that class because that is where I started my dream of becoming a journalist one day. Charles and his numerous Alpha friends sat in the rows in front of me, laughing, smiling, and always having a good time. Mr. Sellers enjoyed their cheerful presence in class, and they acted like a wall of sunshine between him and my hungry mind. Not that I minded. Sitting behind Charles was heaven. Every time he moved his vetiver scent wafted toward me, and I often bent forward over a paper pretending to write just to be nearer to him. There was also a moment I treasured when he would saunter in moments before the starting bell. Because he was kind, he would greet people on his way to his seat, and this included me. He’d make eye contact with his piercing blue eyes, and we’d both smile. “Hey, Elena.” “Hi.” And then he’d sit, his back turned, and that was it. But for me, it was enough to make my day. If we got to write a paper in class, the day was even better. It was high school graduation before I got the courage to say more than a few words. I watched him walk across the stage, his diploma held high in triumph for the cheers from both the audience and the seated students, and was sure I wouldn’t see him again. That knowledge gave me courage. When I saw him walk toward his car alone after telling his friends he’d see them later at a party, I went that direction, too. He paused to unlock the door. As I passed, I said, “Congratulations, Charles.” He looked up, smiling. “I thought I noticed you coming, Elena. Congratulations to you, too.” I was surprised. He noticed me coming? Those words were reserved for those with discernable scents. For a moment we looked at each other, me stunned by his intense gaze. “I…” He looked at me with a small smile, patient and waiting. I forced the words out of my mouth. “I was wondering, I know you have a ton of friends and things to do, but would you maybe like to have coffee with me or something? Next week? Or sometime.” My words seemed to hang in the air and I felt my blood began to pound. I felt my face twist in agony, knowing I’d just made a fool of myself. His smile faded a little. I wished I could look away and sink into the ground but his blue eyes held mine. “I’m sorry, Elena,” he said. He looked intensely at me, as if wanting me to understand something he wasn’t saying. I nodded, feeling my face flaming red. “I totally understand. Well, good luck, and all that.” “Wait, Elena.” But I hadn’t. I’d walked off in a blur of humiliation. What was I thinking? I’d raged at myself. Obviously, he wouldn’t have said yes. We were so far apart that we might have been different species. The memory of my humiliation made me groan even now, years later standing in a busy city square on a Friday night. At least I’d tried. Thinking back, I’d have regretted not doing it despite the embarrassment. I pulled out my phone as his interview started again and held it aloft toward his face, filming him. When the clip finished, I sent it to Cathy who texted back as I was walking away. Still in love? Of course not. Just a distant fangirl now. You never know! She followed this with a winky face emoji. How about dinner this weekend? It’s been a while. My heart warmed. Cathy was the most wonderful friend, though I never was able to shake the suspicion that she just felt bad for me. When we were younger, she used to give me hugs and bury her nose in my hair and inhale. “You smell so good. Solid A to me. Why can nobody else sense it?” ” I’d squeezed her back, feeling her refreshing lily scent surrounding me. “What do I smell like?” “I can’t place it. But it’s gorgeous.” I’d always assumed this was a joke to cheer me up. She had always been there for me, jokes or not, and I regretted having to turn her down for dinner. I’m sorry. I have to save my job. She sent a frowning face but then a gif of unicorns dancing together. Okay, babe. Don’t work too hard. Remember I love you. Love you, too, I texted back, and smiled. I was so lucky. I spent the rest of the weekend hardly moving from my desk or changing out of my pajamas while I combed through every project and noted every accolade. By the time Craig’s scheduling link came through on Sunday night I was ready. I confidently scheduled the block mid-morning and went to bed knowing I’d done everything I could. Despite knowing my looks made little difference, I took special care with my hair and outfit that morning. I wanted to look as deserving as my portfolio suggested. I even felt decent as I sat down five minutes before the scheduled time outside Craig’s office. Laughter and casual discussion came from behind his closed door. I checked my watch, my stomach clenching. This wasn’t good. My portfolio was good. I was valuable and I knew it. But if it came down to this type of banter I was in trouble. The minutes ticked by and my appointment came and went. Five minutes, ten minutes. I could feel my muscles tensing and a headache coming on. Finally, the door opened and a colleague walked by calling back, “Okay, see you, Craig.” I stood and turned, looking at Craig who was leaning on the doorframe. “Elena! Wonderful. Come on in.” He waved to a corner of the couch and I sat. He sat across from me in a chair and put his elbows on his knees. “Okay, Elena. Let’s see what you’ve got.” I sat up straight and put my portfolio on my knees where it seemed his gaze was fixed. I crossed my legs self-consciously, and began to talk. I sounded confident, competent. I handed him a reference sheet with lists of successes and awards I’d been responsible for helping come about. He took the sheet and barely glanced at it, his eyes never leaving my bare knees. When I’d finished there was a short pause. “Do you have any questions?” I asked, nervous for the first time and shifting my legs to cross the other direction. His eyes flickered up at me for the first time in the ten minutes I’d been talking. Then he stood and stretched, his paunch peeking out slightly from under his shirt. He sat down on the couch and draped an arm over the couch behind me. He leaned closer. I tried not to breathe in his licorice scent. “I do have a question for you, Elena, but it’s not really about your portfolio.” I felt my stomach drop. This couldn’t be good.

“You know, Elena,” Craig began, letting the pointer finger of his hand drop to my shoulder. It began to draw small circles there. “This is really stressful for me.” I fought the urge to shrug his finger away, and tried to lean back slowly, as if to see his face better. “I mean, I genuinely like all of my employees. You are all so good, so valuable.” His finger became the back of his fingers and he brushed them up toward my neck. “I’ve had a headache for days straight. Can you believe that?” “Yes,” I said, thankful for the opportunity to pull away and look into his face. “I have, too. It’s hard for all of us.” He smiled. “That’s one thing I like about you, Elena. You’re sympathetic.” “What’s the question you had for me?” I asked. To my dismay, he scooted closer, undoing the slow, few inches I’d managed to put between us. “You know, Sandra, my wife?” “I met her briefly at a party, yeah.” “We’ve been having problems.” “That can’t be helpful at a time like this.” “See? There you are being understanding again.” He smiled and I tried to smile back. I didn’t like where this was going. “After the last holiday party I had a few too many drinks. I love the punch the HR ladies make.” He was famous for getting plastered at holiday parties. I’d learned to steer clear of him if I didn’t want my backside grabbed. “It’s totally my fault, but Melanie from marketing smelled so good that night. Like a roasted chicken, and my mind just went. I couldn’t help it. I mean, obviously, I prefer my wife’s scent but it was just so different.” How do I get out of this? I thought. He wasn’t looking at me but was gazing at my neck, his fingers starting to move again, fiddling with a lock of my hair. “I’m sorry, I don’t see where this is going.” I leaned away but he continued, not seeming to notice. “And of course, that smell is pretty strong. Sandra smelled her right away.” “Oh.” My eyebrows raised. Why was he admitting this to me, confirming my suspicions that he was indeed the sleazeball I’d imagined? “My question to you, Elena, is this.” He leaned into me, his right arm around my shoulders closing in and pulling me close, his left circling my waist. “Since you have no scent, can I be with you and not get caught?” He pressed me back against the couch, his horrible smell overwhelming me, making me gag. “Get off!” I pushed him with all my strength, throwing myself sideways and stumbling as I broke free and dropped from the couch. I chanced a quick glance at him, sprawled on his face and half falling off the couch before I turned and ran toward the door. I yanked it open and flew out, ignoring the alarmed stare of the man who sat waiting for the next interview. It wasn’t until I was in the furthest cubicle against the wall in the women’s bathroom that I began to breathe. I sat on the toilet, my head in my hands, taking big, gasping breaths. I was angry and scared all at once, my chest contracting with emotion. Little by little, my breathing slowed and my mind began to clear. I could hear my breathing echoing off the cold tiles around me. I needed to go to HR. I should have reported it in the past. But now I needed to do it before I excused it away. I stood, straightened my clothing, and took a deep breath. I knew people underestimated me, but I also knew that if I could bypass their scent-bias then I could be powerful. I held tight to that knowledge inside me and strode confidently out into the hall. I took the stairs so not to hinder my momentum and went down the stairwell to the HR offices. I spent the rest of the day attempting to concentrate on my work, but it was impossible. I tried to interpret the expressions of the HR workers and remember the scents. Had I detected a slight increase in body heat? An uptick in the strength of the odors? Finally, one of the HR workers, Cecilia, came to my cubicle and led me to the conference room for a meeting. As soon as I walked in my heart began to pound. Craig was there, as was his boss and another HR representative. I could feel the tension in the atmosphere, sense the heat and heightened scents. I looked at Cecilia, assuming she was my representative, but she took a seat on the manager’s side of the table, leaving me alone and as if I were on trial. The other HR representative began to read a statement, during which Craig never took his eyes off the table where his finger drew the same circle it had on my shoulder. My mind buzzed as the words began to sink in. “… total fabrication… a desperate move to keep her job… continued failure of basic duties.” When they finished, the HR manager put down his paper and looked at me with cool, grey eyes. “That is all. We will be contacting you…” “Hold on,” I said, anger making my voice quaver. “This is outrageous. It is a total lie, and what’s more, it’s slander.” “Slander?” Craig scoffed. “You’re the one slandering me, Elena!” “Not if it’s true. And I can prove you’re wrong with the statements about my performance. If that’s fabricated then it absolutely calls into question the remainder of this statement.” “We didn’t see any performance appraisal materials from you,” the HR manager frowned. “That’s because I left it on his office floor as I literally ran away from assault. Thankfully I have copies and I will email one to each of you directly after this poor excuse for an HR intervention.” Dead silence filled the room. “All of that is inflated. Fabricated,” Craig said, looking a little desperately at his manager. “She has no proof I tried to touch her.” “Ask a dozen other women in the office if they’ve ever been touched.” More silence. The HR representative cleared his throat. “We will get back to you in the next 24 hours. I suspect we will have to take this to a higher level.” “What?” Craig looked incredulous. I rose, looking as confident as I could despite my legs trembling from a mix of fury and anxiety. “Expect an email from me soon,” I said to everyone, and strode out the door. I don’t know how I made it to my cubicle, but I wilted into my seat and put my head in my hands, trying not to cry. After a few deep breaths I sat up, and with shaking hands began to forward my performance reports to everyone who was in the room and the general mailboxes of HR as well, just in case. No other work was sent my direction that day. It was as if Craig and other managers had assumed I was already gone. After I left the office, I was surprised to see a late email from HR. It was simple, but ominous. “The new leadership has been informed about the situation and finds it complicated enough that they will handle it themselves. Changes in position will be announced tomorrow.” “Complicated?” I said aloud to the streetlights around me. A passing commuter looked at me warily and continued. I had no idea what that meant, but I was sure it couldn’t be good.

I hardly slept and I looked it. Despite my efforts with the concealer, the bags under my eyes were evident and the stress was manifesting in overly frizzy hair. Still, I did my best. I wanted to look good for my execution, but had to settle for being on time and not looking like a puppy caught out in the rain. My hands shook on the lobby door handle. I needed to get some tension out and decided to take the stairs up the four flights to our division. It was a popular choice. My colleagues liked to stretch their bodies before and during a day sitting at desks, and I could hear a few people a few floors above me. Getting the blood flowing and my legs pumping helped my nerves. I began to breathe deeply and felt it relax my muscles. Then I heard my name echo down through the concrete stairwell. “I don’t think Elena would do that,” came the first voice. “She’s kind of a sheep.” “That’s what she wants you to think. She plays all demure, but underneath all that mildness she’s sharp. She’d be a perfect Beta, flying under the radar but secretly getting everything done. And done her way.” “But is she sharp in the way that she’d sabotage Craig? I’ve never known her to be malicious.” “I didn’t think so, but you never know how people will respond if they feel threatened.” “It’s kind of an obvious play, isn’t it?” I leaned inward trying to see who was above me. All I could see were hands holding the railing. One of them had burgundy fingernails. “Like I said, desperation.” The rest of their conversation was cut off by a door scraping opening and booming closed. Whatever solace I’d earned from the little bit of exercise was gone. Now I was trying to hold back angry tears. I pulled open what I suspected was the same door and walked into my department. Two women stood by the entrance to the cubicles with a few others. They turned and saw me. The woman with the burgundy nails had the courtesy to look guilty, but the rest looked openly hostile, even the two I’d recently thought were starting to become my friends. I held my head high and walked by without saying good morning as a voice over the intercom said, “Attention everyone, please gather in the conference room in ten minutes.” I put down my bag, turned on my computer and found the company had stopped sending me anything directly after the time of my meeting with Craig yesterday morning. It seemed they had taken a side, just like my colleagues. I decided to get a seat at the conference table rather than stand around the perimeter, so I grabbed my notebook and went through the tense, quiet cubicles. As I neared the elevator, I heard it ding. Who’d show up late today? I wondered. Only someone especially confident. The doors opened and wafted a vetiver scent so powerful in my memory that I stopped in my tracks. Charles Rafe stepped out of the elevator, two beautiful women, one light, one dark, who smelled like pine and cedar, came after him, briefcases, folders, and coffee cups in hand. The group moved like a sleek, powerful pack, and I felt myself stepping back. Charles stopped and sniffed the air. He turned slowly and his blue eyes found mine. Even from ten feet away, I could see the pupils in his eyes widen as he came toward me. The women with him seemed momentarily unsure what to do, so stood watching. My heart began to pound. His smell brought back years of longing and unfulfilled dreams. And I thought this day couldn’t get any worse. “Elena Laurentia?” My breathing stopped and my jaw fell open. He remembered me. For a moment I simply stared. Do something you idiot! I raged. “Hi.” “Hey.” Just like in Mr. Sellers’ class. He took another deep inhale and smiled. “I knew it was you.” He smiled, and I thought my knees were going to buckle. “I’m sorry we have to meet like this after all these years. It’s not a fun day for anyone when you have to do layoffs.” I cleared my throat. He was all business now, it seemed. “I imagine it’s not.” “I’ll see you in the conference room, then.” He smiled and turned to the assistants, gesturing toward the conference room. I couldn’t go in while he was in there setting up. I was almost pinned to the ground by his beautiful, vetiver scent just from the brief encounter. I couldn’t imagine being in a smaller, enclosed space with him. Instead, I watched through the windows as his assistants put his coffee cup at the head of the table and presented him with papers while he checked his phone. They set up laptops and began to gesture and talk about the projection system while Charles frowned down at the notes on the top of the file. He glanced up and out the glass windows in my direction but I looked away, starting back down the aisle toward my cubicle. So much for getting a seat. A few minutes later, the speaker announced that everyone was expected in the conference room. I joined the crowd filing quietly into the room. Charles sat, radiating power and looking around, meeting eyes and nodding here and there. I kept my eyes down and was, as expected, unintentionally bumped and shouldered into the furthest corner, blocked from Charles’ blue eyes by taller, wider colleagues. I was okay with that. For the first time in a long time, I appreciated my ability to hide. I heard a chair creak and head Charles clear his throat. I assumed he was standing from the sound. “Good morning. Before we start, can we please get the shorter people toward the front or in chairs so everyone can see? Back there?” There was a shifting around me and the people next to me looked surprised to find me there, gesturing for me to move to the front. “Thank you. I’m sorry to be having to do this.” He continued to speak for a moment about the company’s intentions. Then he looked at the blonde assistant who nodded at him. “An email has just gone out to people I’d like to stay here in the conference room with me. It has the terms of your severance package, which I think you’ll find generous, and we will discuss other opportunities or companies in our conglomerate that could be options for you.” He looked around the room. The scent of about two dozen people had suddenly increased and I found myself getting dizzy. “If you don’t have an email, feel free to return to your desks. I’ll take a moment while you check your phones.” Everyone’s hands and faces jerked as we all grabbed our devices. I opened my mail app and held my breath. Nothing. I refreshed the page. Again nothing. I looked up in confusion, but Charles wasn’t looking at me. Very slowly, a few of us began to edge toward the door. I took a few tentative steps, refreshing again just to be sure. “Sir, I think there’s been a mistake.” Craig was looking at his phone, his face turning red. He was glaring directly at me. “How is she staying? And I’m not? This isn’t right.” “You’re right,” Charles said, leaning forward over the table. “I’m sorry Elena. I forgot to mention you aren’t going to be working here either.” Craig’s face set into a smug smirk. “You’ll be joining my team. I’ll be needing a third assistant.” There was a simultaneous gasp around the room. What???

I looked around at the stunned faces. Craig’s was beginning to turn purple. Even Charles’ assistants looked confused, giving each other quick glances, but then looking to their boss for instruction. “Do you think you’ll need help packing up your desk?” Charles asked. “I … I’ll be fine.” He nodded. “Great. Then I’ll be by to get you in a few minutes.” I went to my cubicle in a daze. People were giving me a wide berth, looking at me with open confusion as I passed. I looked around at my things. There was very little. A photo of me and Cathy. A small mint plant I used to clear my nose when things got overwhelming, (an old werewolf trick). I put an external drive into my computer and began to make sure I had back up files of any work I wanted to keep, then opened drawers and began to pull out office supplies and paperwork. There were a few awards for pieces I’d helped work on, and articles I’d written for other journalists with their names still as the byline. I wanted to keep these for my portfolio. And then I smelled it. Vetiver. I looked up and Charles was standing at my cubicle, an arm casually propped on the dividing wall, a cardboard banker box in hand. “You make quick work of things,” he said, holding out the box. I took the box and put my few belongings into it. I was confused, and his presence wasn’t helping. I shook my head and took a deep breath. “Can you clarify for me how I’m qualified for this position? I’m grateful, obviously, but…” He raised a hand to cut me off. “Let’s talk privately.” He gestured for me to follow and went quickly through the quiet cubicles to the breakroom where he shut the door. Without the free flow of air, his vetiver scent quickly filled the room, becoming stronger as he moved around, going first to the cup dispenser and then the coffee machine. I watched him move, graceful and powerful, and experienced an odd mixture of euphoria and anxiety. His familiar smell filled my brain in a way that was comforting, something cherished from my past, but also brought back the old longing. I had to shake my head to think properly again. He finished dispensing the instant coffee and inhaled over the dark liquid. He frowned. “Obviously, the quality of the coffee is going to have to change. Would you like a cup anyway?” “No, thank you. I’m shaky enough today.” He smiled at my candor and poured himself a cup. He took a sip, made a face, and poured it into the sink, refiling his paper cup with water and rinsing his mouth out. “That was unpleasant to say the least,” he said, and for a moment the carefree teenager looked at me. I couldn’t help smiling back, but I also was having trouble putting thoughts into logical words. I wanted a job, of course I did. But I didn’t know how I fit the profile of his assistants. Judging from his assistants, I would need another level of education as well as a stylist. “It’s refreshing to see you again,” he said, waving this cup at me. “I can’t believe you even remember me.” “Are you kidding? Of course I remember you.” I blushed, thinking about our last interaction. “Probably because no one else embarrassed herself so badly in front of you the entire four years.” His face looked slightly pained. “That’s not it. I loved sitting next to you in Mr. Sellers’ class. Your scent actually helped me do better in that class than the others.” I frowned. “Right,” I said with as much sarcasm as I thought was decent for an employee to boss interaction. “The smell of nothing? Or flat-out air?” “I’m serious.” He put down the cup and waved his nose toward me. “You’re slightly sweet, but all together elusive. I mentioned it to my friends once and was surprised they were certain you were scentless.” This took me by surprise. “I had no idea.” We stood, staring at each other for a moment. And then a horrible thought occurred to me.

“Oh.” I said. “You’re keeping me on because you feel bad, because we have this school connection. Seriously, it’s okay. I understand business is business.” “Is that what you think?” He dashed the remainder of his water in the sink. “Please, give me more credit than that. I saw that HR report. I knew it was you and that you wouldn’t lie.” Thank you. I didn’t, as a matter of fact. But I don’t see how you’d know that from the few classes we had together where we barely spoke more than two words.” “Four.” “What?” “We had four classes together. Mr. James freshman year, Ms. Harrington sophomore year, Ms. Tate junior year, and Mr. Sellers senior year.” He smiled as my mouth dropped open. “Obviously, I was watching you more closely than you imagined.” I felt my breathing quickened. “I can’t imagine you had time with all your activities and friends. But even so, that doesn’t mean I qualify as your assistant. Those ladies…” “Amy and Jessica.” “Amy and Jessica. They’re extraordinary.” “And you’re not?” He smiled, seeming to enjoy watching me. “You really haven’t changed since high school.” “I know my resume. I’m good at what I do. I want to expand on that and become a journalist. It fits my particular skills,” I said, waving at my scentless self. “Please believe I want a job, but I’m not convinced I’m right for your inner circle.” He looked suddenly serious and took a step toward me, crumpling the paper cup and tossing it into the trash. I took a step back without realizing it. The power radiating off him made my eyes widen. “You are questioning my judgment on how I choose to run my businesses?” I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. “Elena, I need someone with integrity, and I need someone who will speak truth to power, even at the risk of their job. You proved you can do that. Need I say more?” My mouth snapped shut. He had a point. From this distance, his scent was strong, and if his argument hadn’t been so good, his scent would have sealed the deal. He looked into my eyes, read my thoughts, and smiled wolfishly. “Good.” * I followed behind the three of them, carrying my half-full box, avoiding the stares and whispers that followed us as we went into the elevator. We got out on the next floor up, the marketing department. Charles began to walk, Jessica and Amy in step behind him. It was silent as they went, the employees of the department standing when they realized who had just walked onto their floor. I tried to follow at a discreet distance, hoping no one would notice me in the wake of this powerful threesome, but Charles suddenly stopped. He waved me to his side. I could see employees craning to look, their heads popping up from their cubicles. Word had obviously gotten out quickly. “Please walk next to me and show me around, Elena,” he said.

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