Category: English

On our first wedding anniversary, my husband said he bought me my favorite flowers. I took the flowers and thanked the delivery guy with a smile. But I never liked the white roses. These were my sister Brenda’s favorite, not mine.

On the eve of the National Day holiday, I unexpectedly received a message from my long-quiet high school class group. [Carlee, aren’t you going to say anything about Violette’s wedding? Are you pretending not to see?] Seeing the flood of messages, I realized that Violette Barton, the beauty queen of our high school, was getting married on the National Day holiday and had invited all of our classmates to the wedding. I replied: [I’m currently abroad, so I won’t be able to attend.] No sooner had I sent the message than her loyal defenders in the group started attacking me. [Carlee, are you too scared to show up?] [Back then, you stole 5,000 dollars in tutoring fees from Violette, and she didn’t even hold it against you. Now, you won’t even send a congratulations, pretending you’re overseas. Shameless!] Violette tried to defuse the tension, messaging: [Oh, that’s all in the past. I’ve long forgotten about it. Carlee, don’t take it to heart. You absolutely must come to my wedding.] As soon as she said that, everyone in the group started praising her for being so beautiful and kind, admiring her for not holding a grudge against a so-called “thief” like me. I thought to myself, “What a joke. She falsely accused me of stealing back then, and I haven’t even settled the score. Now she’s playing innocent in the group.” Scrolling to the top of the chat, I stared at the groom’s name. The more I looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. Then it hit me. “Isn’t this Anthony Patel? I’m his father’s cousin. He should be calling me ‘aunt’!” I chuckled coldly and replied: [Fine, I’ll definitely come to your wedding!] After sending that message, I immediately packed my bags and booked a flight back to the country. When my mom heard I was attending Anthony’s wedding, she urged me to be polite and buy some gifts to represent our family. After all, Anthony worked under my mother, and over the years, he had made quite a bit of money for our company. I thought to myself, “Anthony’s certainly capable, but his taste in women is terrible. How could he choose Violette?” Though that was what I thought, I still had the butler prepare some expensive gifts to load into the car. After landing, I had the driver take me straight to the wedding venue. Upon arrival, I immediately spotted Violette basking in the admiration of those around her. “Violette, you truly deserve to be our class beauty. All these years and you’re still so gorgeous, and you married such an accomplished man. He’s already a vice president at Sunray Group at such a young age!” “Exactly! If it weren’t for Violette, we wouldn’t even have the chance to attend a wedding at such a high-class hotel!” “Right! My husband works at Sunray Group too. I heard Violette’s husband will be promoted to president next month. Congratulations! You’ll soon be the president’s wife!” Everyone started praising her, and Violette couldn’t hide her delight. When they noticed I had arrived, the same people who had been flattering her instantly changed their expressions, their faces now filled with disdain. “Carlee, you actually had the nerve to show up?” “Yeah, since when do thieves have such thick skin? You dare show up at the wedding of your victim?” “Showing up is one thing, but don’t you know it’s customary to bring a gift to a wedding?” “Ugh, she’s a habitual thief. How could she have money for a gift? Look at her, wearing all that fake designer stuff. Bet she stole it, too.” They all considered me a “thief”, treating me like I was worthless. I laughed inwardly. That 5,000 dollars they accused me of stealing was actually the money my mother had given me for attending a concert. I hadn’t even had the chance to spend it before Violette accused me of theft. Later, our homeroom teacher got to the bottom of it and asked me not to make a fuss. She said Violette’s family was struggling, and 5,000 dollars meant a lot to them. Out of respect for our teacher, I let it go and gave Violette the money. But instead of being grateful, she had never revealed the truth all these years. I didn’t want to argue with them. I was just waiting for the server to bring up the gifts I had prepared so I could leave right after handing them over. After waiting for what felt like forever, no one had brought the gifts, so I decided to head downstairs to check. Suddenly, Violette rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. “Carlee, you still haven’t kicked your habit of stealing, have you? Did you really think you could steal my ring and just run?”

The slap left me reeling, and the smudge of lipstick dragged a long streak across my cheek. “What gives you the right to accuse me of stealing?” I demanded. “When we went to the back for photos, you were the only one who stayed in the front hall. Who else could it be?” Violette accused, shaking her purse, which had been left in the hall and was now empty. “I can’t believe it. After all these years, you haven’t changed one bit!” she continued her tirade. “That ring was a ten-carat diamond Anthony specially bought for me overseas, worth millions of dollars!” As soon as she said that, everyone’s eyes turned toward me. “You shameless woman! Violette was just pleading on your behalf, telling us not to blame you, and what do you do? You stole her wedding ring!” someone angrily shouted. “A thief is always a thief. Some things never change. Let’s teach her a lesson! We have to stand up for Violette!” With that rallying cry, Violette’s supporters rushed toward me, each delivering a slap to my face. My hair fell loose in an instant, and I felt two of my teeth get knocked out. But that wasn’t enough. They violently ripped off my expensive gemstone earrings and necklace, as well as my designer watch. Blood immediately trickled from my ears, and my neck bore deep scratches from their claws. “Don’t hold back! If this bitch doesn’t return Violette’s ring, we won’t stop!” someone shouted. “I didn’t steal…” I tried to explain, but they were like wild animals, too frenzied to hear me out. They didn’t just slap me; they kicked me to the ground. My dress was torn to shreds. I had never been humiliated like this in my life. I struggled to cover myself, desperate to preserve some dignity. But they didn’t even allow me that. One after another, they poured bottles of ice-cold wine and champagne, fresh from the cellar, over my body and face. The chill made me start to shiver. I tried to hug myself for warmth, but my arms wouldn’t respond. “Carlee, you better admit that you took the ring. Since we’re old classmates, I might be willing to let this slide,” Violette said coldly, her eyes devoid of any warmth. Just as I was about to speak, someone suddenly shouted, “Mr. Greville is here!” Wendell Greville had been our homeroom teacher in high school. As soon as he walked in, he greeted Violette with overflowing enthusiasm. “Violette, you haven’t changed a bit after all these years, still as beautiful as ever,” Wendell praised. Violette offered a fake smile in return, then roughly grabbed my hair, forcing my bruised face toward Wendell. “Mr. Greville, you arrived just in time. You can settle this for everyone. Back then, wasn’t it Carlee who stole my 5,000 dollars?” she asked sharply. Wendell, clearly startled by the sight of my battered face, averted his eyes. I had hoped he would finally tell the truth, but to my shock, he said, “Oh, wasn’t that matter settled long ago? “I kept quiet at the time to protect Carlee’s dignity, but yes, she did take Violette’s 5,000 dollars.” After hearing his words, everyone sneered at me, spitting in my face.

“Since Mr. Greville has said so, stop pretending to be naive, Carlee. Consider the 5,000 dollars a gift. Now hand over my ring!” Violette’s voice was sharp with command. I sneered inwardly, realizing that Wendell had also been bought by Violette. Before coming to the wedding, I had already asked my butler to investigate the supporters in our class group who rallied behind Violette. They were only doing it because she had married Anthony and became the vice president’s wife of Sunray Group, thinking that aligning with her would benefit them. They were eager to help her exact revenge on me. Even Wendell wasn’t exempt. He sided with Violette purely because he wanted Sunray Group to invest in building a new facility for his school. What they didn’t know was that they were backing the wrong person, and they had offended someone they should never have crossed! “You know very well whether I took the ring or not. As for that 5,000 dollars, it was you who…” I began to expose the truth. Before I could finish, Violette rushed over and slapped me twice, then signaled to her supporters. In no time, the group dragged me out of the hotel lobby and into the street. At that moment, a hotel staff member who had been retrieving gifts from my car saw the scene unfold, his jaw dropping in shock. “Ms. Patel, what happened to you?” he asked with concern. I was bruised all over, blood pooling in my mouth, making it impossible to respond. Violette and her followers noticed the staff talking to me, and when they saw the gifts he was holding, they quickly guessed that the nearby Mercedes was mine. “This tramp drives such a fancy car? She must become someone’s mistress. I bet some old man gave it to her,” someone jeered. “My ring is worth millions. This car is nothing compared to it. Smash it! It’s not even worth a fraction of my ring!” Violette ordered. Without hesitation, they grabbed bricks from the ground and began smashing the car. The windows, engine, and headlights were shattered in an instant. But they weren’t done. They tore open the gift boxes from the trunk. Soon, bottles of luxury perfume and a ruby necklace were tossed out. “What kind of cheap garbage are these? You really dare bring this as a gift?” they cursed as they destroyed everything. Next, they forced the car doors open, slashing the seats and tearing apart the upholstery. Finally, they found a photo frame hidden deep inside the trunk. My heart sank. It was the only photograph of me and my late father, with a handwritten message on the back. There wasn’t another copy in the world! “I knew it! This slut is just some old man’s mistress. This photo proves it!” someone yelled. “Look! There’s even a note from the old man… ‘To my dearest Carlee, wishing you everlasting happiness.’ Ugh, how disgusting!” another mocked. With a loud crack, the frame was smashed to pieces. I struggled to get up, wanting to stop them, but it was too late. Shards of glass scattered all over me. The photo was torn into pieces, the fragments raining down on my head.

With tear-filled eyes, I tried desperately to gather the broken pieces of the photo. Violette, however, planted her stiletto heel squarely on my hand. “Carlee, even now you refuse to admit you stole my ring? And here you are, still trying to piece together that ridiculous photo of you and that old man. How pathetic!” she taunted. Fury surged through me, and I spat through clenched teeth, “Violette, just wait! I won’t let this go!” After hearing my words, the crowd around us erupted in laughter. “Oh, did I hear that right? A mistress, being kept by some old man, actually threatening the future wife of a company president? You’re beyond ridiculous!” someone sneered. “Exactly! Who do you think you are? One word from Violette, and you’ll be run out of Shangaria! And you still have the nerve to threaten us?” another voice chimed in. “This little tramp hasn’t learned her lesson. Let’s keep going!” Violette commanded. At her signal, Violette and her followers brought out a large bucket of red paint from the hotel, clearly intending to pour it all over me. Just at that moment, a luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up slowly to the hotel entrance. Stepping out of the car was none other than the groom of the day, Anthony. “Mr. Patel really lives up to his title as Sunray Group’s vice president. This is what a real luxury car looks like. Carlee, that mistress, can only drive a low-end Mercedes by pleasing old men!” someone flattered. “Violette, you’re one lucky woman. Once you become the president’s wife, don’t forget the help we gave you today!” another person added, eager to win favor. Violette beamed with satisfaction. “Don’t worry, I remember everyone who’s helped me today. Once Anthony becomes president, you’ll all be rewarded.” Upon hearing this, her supporters quickly showered her with gratitude, each one desperate not to miss out on the benefits. Violette basked in the praise, clearly enjoying every moment. She ran into Anthony’s arms, pretending to cry as she complained. “Honey, you’re finally here. Our wedding ring was stolen!” Anthony’s face darkened with a frown. “Who dares to steal our wedding ring? They must have a death wish! “Don’t cry, baby. I’ll make sure justice is served for you.” “It’s okay, honey. I’ve already given the thief a good lesson. She’s so stubborn. No matter how much I tortured her, she wouldn’t admit it. “And if she doesn’t hand over the ring, what’s going to happen to our wedding?” Anthony’s expression turned to pure rage at her words, ready to take matters into his own hands. He marched toward me with purpose, his voice booming. “Is this the tramp who stole the ring?” Everyone nodded eagerly, phones at the ready to record the moment, excited to see how Anthony would punish me. By now, my hair was a tangled mess, and my face had been beaten nearly beyond recognition. Anthony grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head up. But when he finally saw my face, he recoiled in shock, stumbling back onto the ground. “Aunt Carlee? How… how could it be you?”

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My parents gave me two hundred thousand dollars for my graduation trip. My boyfriend, Rylan Blake, wanted to come along, so I agreed. On the day we boarded, he showed up empty-handed with his parents and brother. His parents didn’t chip in a dime. They were not even for her underwear; that was on my tab, too. His brother, Alvin Blake, threw a fit at the amusement park, making us miss our train to the next stop. I lost my cool and snapped at the little brat. His parents immediately hardened, and she started scolding me with her hands on her hips. “How dare you yell at Alvin? He’s your future husband’s brother. Whatever he wants, you better provide!” My boyfriend held me back as I was about to retort, saying that his parents had worked hard their entire lives and this was their rare chance to travel, so it shouldn’t be difficult. Fine, fine, if that were the case, I would indulge them. That evening, I booked two presidential suites for them at a five-star hotel and took them out for a luxurious dinner. While they were busy taking photos, I made a smooth exit. At the airport, I was reviewing my travel itinerary while waiting for my boyfriend, Rylan Blake. Suddenly, an unruly child burst onto the scene, jumping and bouncing around. He yelled at the top of his lungs, “Airplane! We’re going on a big airplane!” People he bumped into or stepped on glared at him with annoyance, but he only became more energized. Just then, Rylan appeared in the distance, waving at me. I smiled and waved back. I had been planning this graduation trip for ages, and my parents generously gave me two hundred thousand to have a blast. My boyfriend Rylan, who I’ve been dating for two years, mentioned that he’s never even left the province and wanted to see the world with me. So I agreed to bring him along. Halfway through the trip, I noticed a man and a woman trailing behind Rylan. They gave a thumbs-up to the same kid who had caused trouble earlier. “Olivia, these are my parents, and that’s my younger brother Alvin Blake.” “The three of them didn’t buy plane tickets. Is it too late to buy them now?” Rylan pointed at the three of them, who hadn’t brought any luggage, and looked at me expectantly. His father, Oscar Blake, clasped his hands behind his back and glanced at me expressionlessly. His mother, Wendy Blake, on the other hand, unabashedly sized me up from head to toe. I felt a bit offended. However, Rylan mentioned that his parents had spent their whole life in the countryside. Perhaps their customs were different, and I could understand. The original plan for a romantic getaway for two turned into a trip with my boyfriend’s entire family, and my excitement instantly plummeted. Rylan seemed to sense my displeasure and pulled me aside. “Olivia, my parents worked hard to put me through college, and I want to take them on a trip. “They wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Alvin home alone. “When I start working and earning money, I’ll take your parents on a trip too.” He spoke sincerely. Although my parents didn’t need him to spend money on them, his intentions were good. It was about understanding and compromising with each other. I nodded in agreement. Knowing Rylan’s financial situation, I took the initiative to buy their plane tickets. After boarding the plane, Alvin was so excited that he was jumping up and down and making strange noises. The other passengers were very annoyed and complained. The flight attendants tried to calm him down several times, but it didn’t work, and Wendy even accused them of meddling. I had to ask Rylan to intervene. When Alvin heard that he might be kicked off the plane, he finally quieted down. However, his parents looked at me with great displeasure. Two hours later, the plane finally landed in Kingstown. The sun was relentless, and the heat was stifling, making us all eager to get to the hotel and rest. As per the original plan, I had only booked two rooms. Now, with the hotel fully booked, we couldn’t get an extra room for Rylan’s family. “How are two rooms not enough? Rylan and Olivia can share one, and the three of us can take the other,” Oscar declared as if it were the most obvious solution. I quickly objected, “Mr. Blake, Rylan and I aren’t married. We can’t share a room.” My parents had raised me to value self-respect and to be cautious about intimacy before marriage. Wendy scoffed, her eyes lingering on my bare legs exposed by my shorts. “You’re with our Rylan now. This is bound to happen sooner or later. Don’t be so prudish.” Her words made me extremely uncomfortable. The others were also giving us strange looks. My already poor impression of them worsened, and my patience finally snapped.

To avoid delaying other guests’ check-in, I pulled them aside. “Mrs. Blake. Rylan and I aren’t married yet. You’re overstepping with such personal matters.” My sharp retort didn’t sit well with Wendy. Just as she was about to blow up, Rylan arrived with water, offering a glass to each of us. When he reached Wendy, she didn’t take the water, only wiping her tears with her sleeve. “Rylan, you’re so successful now, mom’s words don’t matter anymore.” Oscar also had a dark expression, refusing to drink the water. It was as if I had caused them immense grievance while Rylan was away. How could they still be playing these manipulative games at their age? I looked Rylan in the eyes and demanded sharply, “Your mom said in public that I should share a room with you and sleep with you. “Ask any woman here how they’d feel about that.” Rylan didn’t expect me to get so angry and kept apologizing profusely. “My mom is just like that. She has a sharp tongue but a good heart. “She thought having us share a room would save you money.” At least they knew they were spending my money. He whispered something to Wendy, and though she looked reluctant, she came over to apologize for what had happened. Rylan winked at me and put his hands together in a pleading gesture. I didn’t want to stay angry and ruin the trip, so I softened my expression and offered to find them another hotel. Alvin was enjoying the air conditioning in the hotel lobby and refused to leave. So Rylan asked his parents to stay there with Alvin while he went to find another hotel. I was tired and didn’t have the energy to deal with their issues. I took my key card and went to my room to rest. I had booked two connecting rooms, and his parents loud voice could still be heard through the wall. They seemed to be saying they were hungry and wanted to eat and that it was time to take a shower and change clothes. The sound was intermittent, and it was making it hard for me to sleep. Just then, my mom called to ask how my trip was going. I vented all my frustrations from the day, not caring if the people next door could hear me. “Rylan’s mom actually said that to you in the lobby?” My mom’s voice was shocked and displeased. She was a university professor, and she usually interacted with students and intellectuals. She had never heard such rude and disrespectful language. “Olivia, Rylan is a good kid. How can his parents be like this?” I was silent because I didn’t know the answer either. From meeting in a club activity to me accepting his advances, Rylan had always given me the impression of being gentle, courteous, and responsible. He always indulged my little whims and fancies. Besides, he excelled in his studies and was ambitious. My parents met him once at school and were very impressed. They didn’t care about Rylan’s family background; as long as he was honest, dependable, and would love and cherish me, it was enough for them. If nothing unexpected happened, we were going to get married. However, after interacting with his family today, I felt it was better to put the marriage talk on hold for now. After a while, my mom spoke again. “Olivia, if you want a long-term relationship with Rylan, you have to consider his parents and family. “He can pretend in front of you, but what is he like in front of his parents when he doesn’t need to pretend? “You need to see his true character clearly. In any case, Mom will always support your decision.” My nose tingled; it felt so good to be loved by my mom. “Oh, and your dad is busy with the branch office in Kingstown these days. If you have any trouble, just contact him directly.” Just as I hung up the phone, there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Rylan, sweating profusely, holding a bag of oranges out to me.

After taking a plane or train, I tend to feel nauseous and want to vomit. Eating oranges always helped. He had always been mindful of this little quirk of mine. “Aren’t you going to invite me in to cool off?” Rylan offered the oranges again. I didn’t take the oranges, but I opened the door to let him in. He went on about finding a cheap hotel nearby and asked if I was still planning to visit Kingstown’s famous night market tonight. The thought of the bustling market and its diverse array of goods lifted my spirits. I took the peeled oranges from him, and we shared them. As night fell, the weather cooled down considerably. The night market was a seemingly endless street filled with clothes, shoes, trinkets, and specialties from all over the country. I was having a great time browsing when a vendor grabbed my arm. “Miss, you haven’t paid yet!” He ran a clothing stall, but I didn’t buy anything from him. The owner pointed at Rylan’s parents’ backs. “They said you’d pay.” They were carrying a bag of clothes, and Alvin had a handful of grilled sausages. Seeing my hesitation, the owner grew impatient. “You’re not trying to skip out on the bill, are you?” Rylan stepped forward to explain and urged me to pay quickly. The long bill included underwear, socks, and other items. The total came to 1562 dollars. Then there was the grilled food, which cost 86 dollars. As we continued walking, several other vendors asked me to settle their bills. Rylan, beside me, was excitedly looking around, completely oblivious to the situation. I stopped and said sternly, “Rylan, your parents came to Kingstown without bringing anything. “They’re treating me like an ATM, aren’t they?” Rylan held a pair of shoes Oscar had worn, examining them as he spoke. “Olivia, why are you making such a fuss over this little bit of money? “Your mom gave you two hundred thousand dollars, so what’s the big deal if my parents buy some clothes and shoes?” His tone implied that it was my duty to foot the bill for them. “That two hundred thousand dollars is my money, and how I spend it is my decision. “Who says just because I have money, I have to buy clothes for your parents and snacks for your brother?” Rylan froze, then looked at me with a wounded expression. “Olivia, we’re going to be family soon. It hurts when you talk like that. “Shouldn’t family members support each other? What’s wrong with spending a little money now to make the elders happy? “When I have money in the future, I’ll also take care of your parents.” It finally dawned on me. Rylan was painting a rosy picture for me, like a boss promising future rewards to his employees. He was saying that when he makes it big someday, he would take my parents on trips and shower them with gifts. He was so sure of his bright future that he saw my current contributions as an early investment, something he deserved to receive without any guilt. So, I saw my current contributions as an early investment in him, something he deserved. Yet, he still hadn’t found a job. While everyone else was busy sending out resumes during spring and fall recruiting seasons, he was out wining and dining people, all on my dime. He called it “looking for entrepreneurial partners”. He looked down on ordinary jobs, only dreaming of getting rich quickly and soaring to the top. In a positive light, it was ambition. In a negative light, it was impatience. They said travel was the ultimate test of a relationship. Less than a day in, and he was already showing his true colors. I calm down, deciding to test the sincerity of his words. “Rylan, you’re right, family should support each other. “I have a bit of a headache now, and I’d like some mint lemonade.” With that, I hold my head and squat down. Rylan’s parents kept piling on purchases. Seeing that I hadn’t followed to pay, they turned around and angrily demanded to know what I was doing.

Rylan accused me of making a fuss over nothing. “It is Kingstown, not Butterwort. Where do you think you’ll find mint lemonade here? “Are you trying to ruin the mood for my parents?” Kingstown had mint lemonade; he just couldn’t be bothered to look for it. It was what he meant by supporting each other. It essentially meant I could support his family, but his family couldn’t return the favor. I went along with Rylan’s words. “Fine, I won’t ruin the fun. I’m heading back to the hotel.” I stood up, shouldered my bag, and returned to the hotel alone. The front desk handed me a long bill. It turned out Rylan’s parents had ordered room service. They’d ordered every overpriced dish on the menu. I put away the bills, returned to my room, locked the door, and prepared to take a bath. Between the flights, hotel, and various other expenses, the Blake family had already cost me over twenty-six thousand dollars. My planned trip still had fourteen days left. If things continued like this, I wouldn’t even be able to afford a return ticket. I’d deal with the breakup later. Since I was already here, I was determined to complete my planned itinerary. I hung up on Rylan’s call and went to bed early, deciding to go to the amusement park alone the next day. When I finished my makeup and set off with my selfie stick, Rylan’s parents’ room was still quiet. Finally, I could enjoy myself alone. It was cloudy today, but it was more relaxed than yesterday. In a great mood, I lined up outside the park to get my ticket checked. To my surprise, Rylan showed up with his entire family. Alvin, who had always been rude to me, rushed over as soon as he saw me, begging to ride the coin-operated kiddie ride. “Olivia, please, just let me play for a little while,” he pleaded, lying on the ground and refusing to get up, drawing the attention of both visitors and staff. Rylan knew I hated making a scene in public, which was why he had the owner make me pay the bill last night. He was trying the same trick today, but it wasn’t going to work. I didn’t even glance at him, continuing to wait in line for the ticket check. Because his tantrum was disrupting the order of the amusement park, security had to step in and remove Alvin. It triggered Wendy. She immediately went up and shoved the security guard, who accidentally bumped into her during the struggle. She instantly collapsed to the ground. The park management had no choice but to call the police. Rylan pointed me out as a related witness, so I ended up going to the police station, too. Because of the complicated situation between Rylan, Wendy, and the security guard, the mediation dragged on for two hours without any resolution. Alvin, under someone’s influence, cried incessantly, claiming the security guard had broken his arm. So, we went back to the hospital for another X-ray. The amusement park plan was ruined. We also missed the 3 pm train, and tomorrow’s trip to Oceana was off the table. The ridiculous part was that Wendy actually had the nerve to demand that I pay the hospital bill. “If it weren’t for you, Alvin wouldn’t have been hurt.” I looked at the perfectly fine Alvin and the now useless Disney tickets, my anger boiling over. “Is he hurt? Where is he hurt?” Furious, I grabbed his arm and shook it back and forth. “If he hadn’t been rolling around on the ground at the entrance, I’d be taking pictures and watching shows at Disney right now. “Every time he walked with me, I wanted to find a hole to crawl into, do you understand?” From the airport onwards, Alvin’s bratty behavior annoyed countless people. Only Wendy still thought her child’s wildness and boldness were admirable. Rylan and Wendy swatted my hand away and shielded their younger son. Oscar glared at me fiercely and said, “Alvin is your husband’s brother. You have to give him whatever he wants, or you can forget about joining the Blake family.” They thought the Blake family was some prestigious clan everyone was dying to join. I pulled out a mirror from my bag and held it up to them. “Take a good look. You guys think you’re something special, huh? Chasing after things way out of your league and still not satisfied. “And now you want your whole family to get a piece of that swan. “Well, let me tell you, swans aren’t so easy to fool. Be careful, or one of them might just peck you back to reality.” Rylan came rushing over with the inspection report in hand. He snatched the mirror out of mine, frustrated. “How can you speak to my family like that?”

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My brother brought his girlfriend home to meet our parents. However, I discovered that she underwent an abortion procedure at our hospital just last week. And my brother had been abroad for six months of study, only returning yesterday.

My father, Dylan Moore, was a mess at my graduation party, drunk out of his mind and threatening to burn my acceptance letter. “Any school that isn’t one of the top-tier in the country is trash! Victoria doesn’t have to go!” Dylan shouted, his words slurred and wild. Panic surged through me as I rushed to intervene. But my mother, Belinda Moore, held me back, her voice a mix of frustration and resignation. “You need to give him some respect at the table. Just retake the exam next year; it’s not the end of the world.” Three years of hard work, dedication, and sleepless nights were all about to go up in flames. After that night, I repeated my senior year, only to find Dylan drowning his sorrows in alcohol every evening. I barely muttered a complaint one night, and it was enough to send him into a drunken rage. I ended up on the receiving end of one of his wild punches, and just like that, everything went dark. I was dead. When I opened my eyes again, it was the day of my graduation party once more. This time, I had a plan. I swapped my acceptance letter with a promissory note that his boss had entrusted him to keep safe. I thought with a smirk, “Go ahead, burn it. Let’s see how you handle the fallout when those debts go up in flames.” ***** When Dylan got drunk, he couldn’t hold his tongue. Some things he’d never say sober came spilling out with the alcohol. At my graduation party, my uncle Logan Moore praised my hard work and dedication, saying I’d surely have a bright future ahead. But Dylan slammed his hand on the table, cutting him off. “What the hell are you talking about, Logan? Victoria is just a girl! That school she got into? It’s a joke! If it’s not one of the top two schools in the country, it’s worthless! “Honestly, I’d rather she drop out of high school and sell herself than waste money sending her to that pathetic excuse for a university! It’s just a money pit, and it’s gonna cost me how much?” I opened my eyes to see Dylan’s red face, his fists pounding the table. I realized I had been given a second chance. Only he could say something as twisted as wanting his own daughter to sell herself. Logan noticed my pale face and elbowed Dylan. “Dylan, you’ve had too much to drink. Maybe ease up a bit?” Dylan retorted, “Who’s had too much? “You’re the one who’s three sheets to the wind! I’m as clear-headed as they come! Want me to count it out for you?” In his mind, one could say he was drunk, but never that he had too much. Thank goodness Logan was the one saying it. I’d tried the same approach in my past life. Dylan’d gotten so furious that he slapped me across the face and dumped a whole platter of food on my lap. “Adults are talking here! What do you know, kid?” The scalding hot soup left me with second-degree burns on one side of my body, and I spent the entire summer nursing ugly scars. Afterward, all he said was. “You can’t blame me! You knew I was drunk and still pushed my buttons. You had it coming!” This time, I learned my lesson. I sat quietly to the side, keeping my mouth shut. Let him drink himself into a stupor; it was his life to ruin. But even that didn’t save me from the chaos. The more Dylan drank, the more he rambled. “Honestly, I know exactly what Victoria’s worth. She’s just a bookworm. Going to college? That’s gonna set me back five thousand a year, four years… that’s what, a fortune? “How many bottles of booze do I have to skip to pay for that?” He slammed his hand on the table, raising his glass as if to douse me with it. Luckily, Logan caught his arm just in time. Meanwhile, my drama-loving aunt Fiona Moore chimed in, “Oh come on, Dylan, aren’t you just trying to play the victim here?” Her teasing expression hit a nerve with Dylan. “What do you mean? You think I’m joking around?” Fiona waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not saying that. But come on, you’re making college sound worthless. When school starts, Victoria’s still going, right? “My son hasn’t even gotten in yet!” Her words pushed Dylan over the edge. “Are you looking down on me? I said she’s not going to college, then I’ll make sure she never sets foot in one!” Fiona recoiled in surprise but quickly retorted, “Oh please! Anyone can say that! If you really mean it, why don’t you just burn her acceptance letter?” Dylan downed another drink, brimming with bravado. “Burn it? Sure!” Logan looked terrified, the alcohol draining from his face as he hurried to calm Dylan down. “Alright, alright, this isn’t something to joke about, Dylan. Don’t go losing it!” Most of the relatives at the table brushed it off as drunken ramblings, thinking it was just the booze talking. But I knew better. The scene felt all too familiar. I quietly slipped away from my seat, carefully stowing my acceptance letter under my bed. Meanwhile, Logan had been making pleasantries for a while, but Dylan, egged on by his drunken spirits, was relentless. “What’s wrong with burning her acceptance letter? I’m her dad! I can burn whatever I want. Not burning her is already considerate of me!” Looking at the empty envelope, I hatched a plan. I placed the IOU from his loan shark boss, whom he had agreed to safeguard earlier, inside. The total was over 1.7 million dollars. If this were to be burned, Dylan would probably get the worst treatment from his ruthless boss, Abbott Cross, too. Perfect. When I returned to the table, Dylan was flushed with anger, pointing at me and cursing, “That worthless daughter of mine. Why waste my money on her education? Don’t stop me; I’m burning those letters today!” There was nothing Logan could do but have Belinda try to calm him down. But Belinda shrugged. “So what if he burns it? It’s just a small issue. Victoria can just retake the exam next year. “It’s rare for the family to gather like this. Dylan’s had a good time today. What’s wrong with a little excitement from burning a letter?”

Logan was utterly baffled. “Belinda, what are you talking about? That’s your own daughter! She’s worked her tail off for three years just to get to this point!” His forehead was bulging with veins. Clearly, Logan was furious. But Belinda remained unfazed. “I’m just a woman; what’s my opinion worth? “Burning it is better. That way, I can use the money to buy Dylan more booze, right?” As she spoke, she handed Dylan a lighter and turned to grab the envelope that held my acceptance letter. This was Belinda’s usual tactic—letting things spiral out of control, just to watch Dylan regret it later when he sobered up. Before, Dylan had spiraled into alcoholism, and Belinda did nothing to stop him or leave. He drank, so she bought the booze, leaving us with nothing, even for groceries. She didn’t care about Dylan’s fate or mine, for that matter. My monthly allowance was measly, leaving me so hungry I could’ve chewed on grass. It was Logan who secretly helped me out every month, keeping me afloat through high school. Seeing Belinda act even more recklessly than Dylan sent Logan into a rage. “Belinda, what the hell? Victoria is just one step away from college, and you want to throw a tantrum now? “Dylan, you too! Just drink your damn booze. Anyone who brings up burning that acceptance letter is asking for trouble!” Dylan’s expression soured, but he only dared to sulk with his drink, while Fiona stopped fanning the flames. Logan’s massive hands slapped the table until it turned red. I felt a lump in my throat, more convinced than ever that Logan was my saving grace. For a moment, everything seemed calm. But then Belinda had to throw another bombshell. “Oh, why are you shouting? Look at you, making Dylan feel embarrassed; he can’t even enjoy his drink now. “A real man keeps his word! My Dylan isn’t spouting drunken nonsense; if he says to burn it, then burn it! “Victoria, I taught you to give men their due respect at the table. Go get that acceptance letter!” She glared at me, her voice devoid of any warmth. This time, I didn’t cry or argue. I simply trembled and said, “Mom, I’m your daughter…” Without hesitation, she stormed into the room, returning with the envelope. Seizing the moment while everyone was distracted, she grabbed a bottle of liquor from the table and drenched the letter before handing it to Dylan. “Here, Dylan. This is your ticket to tens of thousands of dollars worth of booze. Don’t let me down!” I stood frozen, staring at Belinda’s resolute face, which screamed that she cared for neither Dylan nor me. “Stop this nonsense! Belinda, put the letter down!” Logan shouted, kicking over a chair as he lunged to grab it from her. I wanted to intervene, but he was too quick, and soon they were locked in a struggle. “Dylan, what’s the matter? You scared to burn it because your brother is getting involved?” Belinda taunted, her voice sharp. Dylan, already seething, was further provoked by her words. With a loud crash, he snatched a bottle from the table and smashed it over Logan’s head. “Logan! This is my family business; it’s none of your damn concern!” Glass shattered everywhere, and Logan clutched his head, moaning as blood pooled around him. Everyone rushed to check on Logan, but Dylan quietly picked up the lighter and set the envelope ablaze. The flames roared to life, fueled by the alcohol, turning the white paper to ash in an instant. Logan grimaced in pain. “No! Don’t!” Under the flickering light, Dylan’s face was flushed with triumph as he laughed. “See that? I’m the head of this household! That worthless university? I said Victoria isn’t going, and she won’t ever set foot in it!” With that, he threw his head back and passed out. Logan clutched his head and let out a frustrated roar, charging toward the fireball, desperate to extinguish it with his bare hands. I grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back. “Uncle Logan, just let it go!” His eyes were bloodshot. “Let it go? How can I let this go? How many years of high school do you have to throw it all away like this!” The flames flickered beneath his hands, but they refused to die down. “Damn it!” Logan cried out in despair before collapsing, unconscious. I called an ambulance, ready to get him to the hospital, but Belinda blocked my way. “Logan’s fine; it’s just a scratch! Your dad’s drunk. Why don’t you stay and help me take care of him?” With a steely expression, I pushed past her. She yelled after me, “You little ingrate! You’re my daughter! If you walk out that door today, don’t even think about coming back!” I retorted coldly, “Oh, so you remember I’m your daughter now?” Just then, the drunken Dylan on the floor slurred, “Good! Get out of here! I don’t want you around anyway!” Belinda pointed at the charred remains of my acceptance letter, her face twisted with rage. “Victoria, this isn’t my fault! You’re the unlucky one for having a dad like this; I’m even worse off!” I didn’t bother to engage with her. Turning my back, I discreetly pocketed my acceptance letter and boarded the ambulance. Before leaving, I glanced back at the ashes being scattered by the wind and scoffed. “This time, it’s not just us who are unlucky!” Despite her constant complaints about Dylan, Belinda was now bent over, cleaning up his vomit, completely oblivious to my words. I couldn’t help but smirk to myself, thinking, “Ridiculous. She complains about him, but isn’t she still taking care of him here? From now on, I’m done dealing with their drama.”

In the hospital, Logan was in rough shape. That liquor bottle Dylan smashed over his head had left him with a mild concussion and several stitches in the back. I sat by his bedside all night, keeping vigil until he finally woke up the next morning. The night had been a blur of stitches and IV drips, but Logan, ever the stoic, kept quiet, not wanting me to worry. I hadn’t closed my eyes at all, while the real culprit, Dylan, was at home sleeping like a baby. It wasn’t until Logan stirred that Dylan finally called. “Hey, man, sorry about last night! I was totally out of it. My bad, my bad! I’ll bring over a couple of bottles next time to make it up to you!” Dylan said, brushing it off as if it were nothing. Logan grunted, barely suppressing his anger. “What’s that supposed to mean? You know I was drunk, and you’re still gonna hold it against me? You’re being way too sensitive!” Dylan shot back, as if it was all just a joke. That was Dylan. Whenever he got plastered, he’d blame it all on the booze. Even in his past, when he drunkenly beat me to death, he told the cops, “I was wasted! She just had to provoke me. How could that be my fault?” And now Logan was just injured, not dead. “Logan, let’s get real here. You messed up last night, too. I was in a bad place, so why did you have to stick your nose in my family’s business? “Alright, how about this? We’ll split the cost of that good wine, and once you’re out of here, we’ll celebrate,” Dylan said, completely missing the point. Logan couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic laugh. He thought, “So you’re saying I’m the one who should take responsibility for the seventeen stitches in my head?” “Do you even remember what you did last night?” Logan pressed. “Me? I just heard Belinda say I accidentally hit you…” Dylan trailed off, clearly still hazy from the booze. Logan’s voice turned sharp. “You idiot! It’s not just about me getting hit! You burned your own daughter’s acceptance letter! You’ve ruined her future! What kind of father does that? “I told you drinking messes things up! Why can’t you just listen for once?” His outburst startled the nurse changing his bandages. But on the other end of the line, Dylan just sighed, “Come on, man, you really think I was that drunk last night? “Honestly, I wanted to burn that acceptance letter ages ago. “What’s a girl like her even doing going to college? Better to just get rid of it, right?” He chuckled, as if it were all a big joke. Dylan continued, “So, what do you think? Did I act the part well? Saved myself a ton on booze, and even managed to fool Belinda…” It turned out he wasn’t drunk at all. He was just using the pretense of a drunken rant to sabotage my college dreams personally. “Seriously? You think this is funny?” Logan shouted, nearly throwing his phone against the wall. My eyes, heavy from sleeplessness, began to sting with tears. But Dylan, still smug, said, “Why are you so worked up? Sure, I was out of line, but it’s not my fault you insisted on defending Victoria. “That girl’s got no value; you’re the only one who treats her like a treasure. How dumb can you be? “If I hadn’t been drunk back then, and if Belinda hadn’t thrown a fit about not getting an abortion, I wouldn’t have ended up with a kid like her! “By the way, where’s that little brat now…” Before he could finish, Logan caught sight of my red-rimmed eyes and abruptly hung up. The busy signal echoed in the hospital room. Logan said, his fist slamming down on the hospital bed, “Victoria, thanks for staying with me all night. That really means a lot… “I’m sorry. I couldn’t save your acceptance letter, and I couldn’t fix your dad… I truly am sorry!” The tough guy, who had been silent all night, suddenly choked up. I patted his shoulder gently. “Uncle Logan, this isn’t on you. My parents have been like this forever; I’ve gotten used to it. “And don’t thank me. You’ve always been there for me; it’s just what I should do.” Logan had served eight years in the military before returning home to start his own business, and now he was all alone. Among all our relatives, he had always treated me the best. If it hadn’t been for him being out of town in my past life, I wouldn’t have died at Dylan’s hands. I thought to myself that I owed him more than I could ever repay. Logan pondered for a moment before asking, “So, what’s your plan now?” “Of course, I’m going back to college,” I replied. “Great! I got your back. I’ll help you get into the best school, as far away from that drunken dad of yours as possible!” A flicker of hope ignited in his eyes. I waved my hand dismissively. “Uncle Logan, I’m not going to repeat a year.” His face fell. “Not repeat? How can that be? Victoria, don’t lose hope! I believe in you…” Seeing my smile, he panicked. “Victoria, are you out of your mind?” Then, in the midst of his shock, I pulled out my acceptance letter, which was perfectly intact. “I got into my dream school. There’s no need to repeat.” He froze, taken aback. But before he could even let out a laugh, Dylan’s call came through again. This time, he sounded frantic. “Logan, where’s that little brat? Is she with you? Get her on the phone! Damn it, does she want me dead or what?”

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My parents gave me two hundred thousand dollars for my graduation trip. My boyfriend, Rylan Blake, wanted to come along, so I agreed. On the day we boarded, he showed up empty-handed with his parents and brother. His parents didn’t chip in a dime. They were not even for her underwear; that was on my tab, too. His brother, Alvin Blake, threw a fit at the amusement park, making us miss our train to the next stop. I lost my cool and snapped at the little brat. His parents immediately hardened, and she started scolding me with her hands on her hips. “How dare you yell at Alvin? He’s your future husband’s brother. Whatever he wants, you better provide!” My boyfriend held me back as I was about to retort, saying that his parents had worked hard their entire lives and this was their rare chance to travel, so it shouldn’t be difficult. Fine, fine, if that were the case, I would indulge them. That evening, I booked two presidential suites for them at a five-star hotel and took them out for a luxurious dinner. While they were busy taking photos, I made a smooth exit. At the airport, I was reviewing my travel itinerary while waiting for my boyfriend, Rylan Blake. Suddenly, an unruly child burst onto the scene, jumping and bouncing around. He yelled at the top of his lungs, “Airplane! We’re going on a big airplane!” People he bumped into or stepped on glared at him with annoyance, but he only became more energized. Just then, Rylan appeared in the distance, waving at me. I smiled and waved back. I had been planning this graduation trip for ages, and my parents generously gave me two hundred thousand to have a blast. My boyfriend Rylan, who I’ve been dating for two years, mentioned that he’s never even left the province and wanted to see the world with me. So I agreed to bring him along. Halfway through the trip, I noticed a man and a woman trailing behind Rylan. They gave a thumbs-up to the same kid who had caused trouble earlier. “Olivia, these are my parents, and that’s my younger brother Alvin Blake.” “The three of them didn’t buy plane tickets. Is it too late to buy them now?” Rylan pointed at the three of them, who hadn’t brought any luggage, and looked at me expectantly. His father, Oscar Blake, clasped his hands behind his back and glanced at me expressionlessly. His mother, Wendy Blake, on the other hand, unabashedly sized me up from head to toe. I felt a bit offended. However, Rylan mentioned that his parents had spent their whole life in the countryside. Perhaps their customs were different, and I could understand. The original plan for a romantic getaway for two turned into a trip with my boyfriend’s entire family, and my excitement instantly plummeted. Rylan seemed to sense my displeasure and pulled me aside. “Olivia, my parents worked hard to put me through college, and I want to take them on a trip. “They wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Alvin home alone. “When I start working and earning money, I’ll take your parents on a trip too.” He spoke sincerely. Although my parents didn’t need him to spend money on them, his intentions were good. It was about understanding and compromising with each other. I nodded in agreement. Knowing Rylan’s financial situation, I took the initiative to buy their plane tickets. After boarding the plane, Alvin was so excited that he was jumping up and down and making strange noises. The other passengers were very annoyed and complained. The flight attendants tried to calm him down several times, but it didn’t work, and Wendy even accused them of meddling. I had to ask Rylan to intervene. When Alvin heard that he might be kicked off the plane, he finally quieted down. However, his parents looked at me with great displeasure. Two hours later, the plane finally landed in Kingstown. The sun was relentless, and the heat was stifling, making us all eager to get to the hotel and rest. As per the original plan, I had only booked two rooms. Now, with the hotel fully booked, we couldn’t get an extra room for Rylan’s family. “How are two rooms not enough? Rylan and Olivia can share one, and the three of us can take the other,” Oscar declared as if it were the most obvious solution. I quickly objected, “Mr. Blake, Rylan and I aren’t married. We can’t share a room.” My parents had raised me to value self-respect and to be cautious about intimacy before marriage. Wendy scoffed, her eyes lingering on my bare legs exposed by my shorts. “You’re with our Rylan now. This is bound to happen sooner or later. Don’t be so prudish.” Her words made me extremely uncomfortable. The others were also giving us strange looks. My already poor impression of them worsened, and my patience finally snapped.

To avoid delaying other guests’ check-in, I pulled them aside. “Mrs. Blake. Rylan and I aren’t married yet. You’re overstepping with such personal matters.” My sharp retort didn’t sit well with Wendy. Just as she was about to blow up, Rylan arrived with water, offering a glass to each of us. When he reached Wendy, she didn’t take the water, only wiping her tears with her sleeve. “Rylan, you’re so successful now, mom’s words don’t matter anymore.” Oscar also had a dark expression, refusing to drink the water. It was as if I had caused them immense grievance while Rylan was away. How could they still be playing these manipulative games at their age? I looked Rylan in the eyes and demanded sharply, “Your mom said in public that I should share a room with you and sleep with you. “Ask any woman here how they’d feel about that.” Rylan didn’t expect me to get so angry and kept apologizing profusely. “My mom is just like that. She has a sharp tongue but a good heart. “She thought having us share a room would save you money.” At least they knew they were spending my money. He whispered something to Wendy, and though she looked reluctant, she came over to apologize for what had happened. Rylan winked at me and put his hands together in a pleading gesture. I didn’t want to stay angry and ruin the trip, so I softened my expression and offered to find them another hotel. Alvin was enjoying the air conditioning in the hotel lobby and refused to leave. So Rylan asked his parents to stay there with Alvin while he went to find another hotel. I was tired and didn’t have the energy to deal with their issues. I took my key card and went to my room to rest. I had booked two connecting rooms, and his parents loud voice could still be heard through the wall. They seemed to be saying they were hungry and wanted to eat and that it was time to take a shower and change clothes. The sound was intermittent, and it was making it hard for me to sleep. Just then, my mom called to ask how my trip was going. I vented all my frustrations from the day, not caring if the people next door could hear me. “Rylan’s mom actually said that to you in the lobby?” My mom’s voice was shocked and displeased. She was a university professor, and she usually interacted with students and intellectuals. She had never heard such rude and disrespectful language. “Olivia, Rylan is a good kid. How can his parents be like this?” I was silent because I didn’t know the answer either. From meeting in a club activity to me accepting his advances, Rylan had always given me the impression of being gentle, courteous, and responsible. He always indulged my little whims and fancies. Besides, he excelled in his studies and was ambitious. My parents met him once at school and were very impressed. They didn’t care about Rylan’s family background; as long as he was honest, dependable, and would love and cherish me, it was enough for them. If nothing unexpected happened, we were going to get married. However, after interacting with his family today, I felt it was better to put the marriage talk on hold for now. After a while, my mom spoke again. “Olivia, if you want a long-term relationship with Rylan, you have to consider his parents and family. “He can pretend in front of you, but what is he like in front of his parents when he doesn’t need to pretend? “You need to see his true character clearly. In any case, Mom will always support your decision.” My nose tingled; it felt so good to be loved by my mom. “Oh, and your dad is busy with the branch office in Kingstown these days. If you have any trouble, just contact him directly.” Just as I hung up the phone, there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Rylan, sweating profusely, holding a bag of oranges out to me.

After taking a plane or train, I tend to feel nauseous and want to vomit. Eating oranges always helped. He had always been mindful of this little quirk of mine. “Aren’t you going to invite me in to cool off?” Rylan offered the oranges again. I didn’t take the oranges, but I opened the door to let him in. He went on about finding a cheap hotel nearby and asked if I was still planning to visit Kingstown’s famous night market tonight. The thought of the bustling market and its diverse array of goods lifted my spirits. I took the peeled oranges from him, and we shared them. As night fell, the weather cooled down considerably. The night market was a seemingly endless street filled with clothes, shoes, trinkets, and specialties from all over the country. I was having a great time browsing when a vendor grabbed my arm. “Miss, you haven’t paid yet!” He ran a clothing stall, but I didn’t buy anything from him. The owner pointed at Rylan’s parents’ backs. “They said you’d pay.” They were carrying a bag of clothes, and Alvin had a handful of grilled sausages. Seeing my hesitation, the owner grew impatient. “You’re not trying to skip out on the bill, are you?” Rylan stepped forward to explain and urged me to pay quickly. The long bill included underwear, socks, and other items. The total came to 1562 dollars. Then there was the grilled food, which cost 86 dollars. As we continued walking, several other vendors asked me to settle their bills. Rylan, beside me, was excitedly looking around, completely oblivious to the situation. I stopped and said sternly, “Rylan, your parents came to Kingstown without bringing anything. “They’re treating me like an ATM, aren’t they?” Rylan held a pair of shoes Oscar had worn, examining them as he spoke. “Olivia, why are you making such a fuss over this little bit of money? “Your mom gave you two hundred thousand dollars, so what’s the big deal if my parents buy some clothes and shoes?” His tone implied that it was my duty to foot the bill for them. “That two hundred thousand dollars is my money, and how I spend it is my decision. “Who says just because I have money, I have to buy clothes for your parents and snacks for your brother?” Rylan froze, then looked at me with a wounded expression. “Olivia, we’re going to be family soon. It hurts when you talk like that. “Shouldn’t family members support each other? What’s wrong with spending a little money now to make the elders happy? “When I have money in the future, I’ll also take care of your parents.” It finally dawned on me. Rylan was painting a rosy picture for me, like a boss promising future rewards to his employees. He was saying that when he makes it big someday, he would take my parents on trips and shower them with gifts. He was so sure of his bright future that he saw my current contributions as an early investment, something he deserved to receive without any guilt. So, I saw my current contributions as an early investment in him, something he deserved. Yet, he still hadn’t found a job. While everyone else was busy sending out resumes during spring and fall recruiting seasons, he was out wining and dining people, all on my dime. He called it “looking for entrepreneurial partners”. He looked down on ordinary jobs, only dreaming of getting rich quickly and soaring to the top. In a positive light, it was ambition. In a negative light, it was impatience. They said travel was the ultimate test of a relationship. Less than a day in, and he was already showing his true colors. I calm down, deciding to test the sincerity of his words. “Rylan, you’re right, family should support each other. “I have a bit of a headache now, and I’d like some mint lemonade.” With that, I hold my head and squat down. Rylan’s parents kept piling on purchases. Seeing that I hadn’t followed to pay, they turned around and angrily demanded to know what I was doing.

Rylan accused me of making a fuss over nothing. “It is Kingstown, not Butterwort. Where do you think you’ll find mint lemonade here? “Are you trying to ruin the mood for my parents?” Kingstown had mint lemonade; he just couldn’t be bothered to look for it. It was what he meant by supporting each other. It essentially meant I could support his family, but his family couldn’t return the favor. I went along with Rylan’s words. “Fine, I won’t ruin the fun. I’m heading back to the hotel.” I stood up, shouldered my bag, and returned to the hotel alone. The front desk handed me a long bill. It turned out Rylan’s parents had ordered room service. They’d ordered every overpriced dish on the menu. I put away the bills, returned to my room, locked the door, and prepared to take a bath. Between the flights, hotel, and various other expenses, the Blake family had already cost me over twenty-six thousand dollars. My planned trip still had fourteen days left. If things continued like this, I wouldn’t even be able to afford a return ticket. I’d deal with the breakup later. Since I was already here, I was determined to complete my planned itinerary. I hung up on Rylan’s call and went to bed early, deciding to go to the amusement park alone the next day. When I finished my makeup and set off with my selfie stick, Rylan’s parents’ room was still quiet. Finally, I could enjoy myself alone. It was cloudy today, but it was more relaxed than yesterday. In a great mood, I lined up outside the park to get my ticket checked. To my surprise, Rylan showed up with his entire family. Alvin, who had always been rude to me, rushed over as soon as he saw me, begging to ride the coin-operated kiddie ride. “Olivia, please, just let me play for a little while,” he pleaded, lying on the ground and refusing to get up, drawing the attention of both visitors and staff. Rylan knew I hated making a scene in public, which was why he had the owner make me pay the bill last night. He was trying the same trick today, but it wasn’t going to work. I didn’t even glance at him, continuing to wait in line for the ticket check. Because his tantrum was disrupting the order of the amusement park, security had to step in and remove Alvin. It triggered Wendy. She immediately went up and shoved the security guard, who accidentally bumped into her during the struggle. She instantly collapsed to the ground. The park management had no choice but to call the police. Rylan pointed me out as a related witness, so I ended up going to the police station, too. Because of the complicated situation between Rylan, Wendy, and the security guard, the mediation dragged on for two hours without any resolution. Alvin, under someone’s influence, cried incessantly, claiming the security guard had broken his arm. So, we went back to the hospital for another X-ray. The amusement park plan was ruined. We also missed the 3 pm train, and tomorrow’s trip to Oceana was off the table. The ridiculous part was that Wendy actually had the nerve to demand that I pay the hospital bill. “If it weren’t for you, Alvin wouldn’t have been hurt.” I looked at the perfectly fine Alvin and the now useless Disney tickets, my anger boiling over. “Is he hurt? Where is he hurt?” Furious, I grabbed his arm and shook it back and forth. “If he hadn’t been rolling around on the ground at the entrance, I’d be taking pictures and watching shows at Disney right now. “Every time he walked with me, I wanted to find a hole to crawl into, do you understand?” From the airport onwards, Alvin’s bratty behavior annoyed countless people. Only Wendy still thought her child’s wildness and boldness were admirable. Rylan and Wendy swatted my hand away and shielded their younger son. Oscar glared at me fiercely and said, “Alvin is your husband’s brother. You have to give him whatever he wants, or you can forget about joining the Blake family.” They thought the Blake family was some prestigious clan everyone was dying to join. I pulled out a mirror from my bag and held it up to them. “Take a good look. You guys think you’re something special, huh? Chasing after things way out of your league and still not satisfied. “And now you want your whole family to get a piece of that swan. “Well, let me tell you, swans aren’t so easy to fool. Be careful, or one of them might just peck you back to reality.” Rylan came rushing over with the inspection report in hand. He snatched the mirror out of mine, frustrated. “How can you speak to my family like that?”

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My name is Felix Hastings. I was a detective. Now I’m dead. I’ve become a ghost, lingering around my fiancée, Paisley Taylor. “Paisley, something’s happened. I need your help!” Paisley got a call from Kevin Sinclair. She dropped everything and rushed to him. He was her first love; they grew up together. Whatever he asked, she would do it. I once asked if she only cared about Kevin. She would always impatiently reply, “Kevin and I are just friends. Stop being jealous.” This time, he killed someone and asked her to handle the body. And she agreed. But she didn’t know the body was mine.

“Kevin, this is the last time I’m helping you!” Paisley expertly put on gloves and started erasing the fingerprints. When she saw a scar on the body’s right arm, she worried it might be recognized. So, she used acid to dissolve the scar. Then, she continued checking for other identifiable marks. Out of habit, she narrated while examining, “There’s a scar on his left abdomen, looks like a surgical mark.” Even though we’ve been dating for years, we’ve never had sex. She mentioned she doesn’t believe in premarital sex. I respect her views. So, she doesn’t know about the scars on my arm and abdomen. Kevin got nervous when he heard Paisley. He held his breath and stayed silent. Only after she used acid to erase the scars on the body did he finally relax. “It looks like he’s missing a kidney.” Paisley pressed on the left side of the abdomen, confirming her suspicion. Kevin, worried she might figure something out, quickly changed the subject. “Where should we dump the body after we’re done?” “Just find a random spot, as long as it won’t be discovered.” Kevin agreed and then stared at Paisley. “Have you and your fiancé made up yet?” She snorted. “I don’t want to talk about him.” Seeing her expression, Kevin knew our relationship hadn’t improved. Satisfied with the answer, he said no more. He needed to be sure she still didn’t know I had truly disappeared. A month ago, Paisley and I had a fierce argument. Since then, we’ve been giving each other the silent treatment. No matter what messages I sent, she wouldn’t reply, and she didn’t even come home. After dealing with the body, Paisley stood up and took off her gloves. She glanced at the head of the corpse. The face was completely unrecognizable, not a single part intact. Naturally, Paisley couldn’t recognize me. She asked, “How much did you hate him to destroy his face like this? He wasn’t someone you knew, was he?” Kevin’s heart skipped a beat, and he gave a guilty laugh. “There are other forensic experts in the city. This is all I can do. Be careful.” “I got it.” Kevin nodded and then eagerly pulled Paisley into his arms. “Paisley, I’ve missed you so much.” “Do you know I’ve been thinking about you every single day? I’m going crazy without you.” Paisley was moved by his words. Kevin held her hand. “Paisley, please don’t go. Stay with me a little longer, okay?” With that, Kevin kissed Paisley. She couldn’t resist him. In front of my corpse, she embraced him and they made love. I wanted to rush over and shout, “Don’t do this disgusting thing next to my body.” But my soul passed right through them. No matter how much I screamed, they couldn’t hear me. I was powerless.

Kevin and Paisley’s moans filled the air. I wanted to cover my ears, but the sound pierced my soul. No matter what I did, it was useless. I couldn’t escape. It felt like a curse, my soul was bound to her, and I couldn’t break free. I watched helplessly as my fiancée, the woman I cherished more than my own life, made love with my murderer. I felt so nauseous I wanted to vomit. After I threw up, a spiteful thought crossed my mind: Paisley would eventually realize the corpse beside her was mine. One day, when she finds out she slept with the man who killed her fiancé and even helped him destroy my body, would she break down? A twisted sense of revenge filled my heart. It made me feel a bit better. Paisley and Kevin made love next to my remains for over an hour. Afterward, she went back home. She opened the door to darkness. She turned on the light and walked into the kitchen out of habit. She opened the fridge and grabbed a chilled coconut water. She smelled the stench of rotting vegetables. She covered her nose and cleaned out the rotten vegetables from the fridge. There was still a bottle of fresh milk in the fridge, expiring in a day, produced a week ago. Seeing the date, Paisley naturally thought of the corpse she just saw. She immediately recognized that the body had been dead for a week. The body hadn’t decomposed yet, indicating Kevin had put a lot of effort into preserving it. Paisley shook her head, not wanting to think about why Kevin did it. I watched her standing at my room’s door. After hesitating for a while, she pushed it open. Freshly washed, unfolded clothes were on my bed. Paisley folded the clothes and put them in the wardrobe. While putting the clothes away, she accidentally pulled something out. I instantly recognized it as the ring I planned to propose with. Paisley opened the ring box and saw the ring. After a few seconds of shock, she threw the box into the wardrobe with disgust and left. My spirit followed her, and I heard her angrily say, “So you’re just going to ignore me forever? Fine, never come home. Just die out there!” She didn’t know, I really was dead. The next morning, Paisley was woken up by her phone ringing. My body was found by a sanitation worker. He called the police, and they arrived quickly. Paisley showed up at the scene too. She immediately recognized the body she had dealt with. “Ms. Taylor, the face has been maliciously damaged, and the fingerprints are gone. We can’t identify the body right now.” Hearing this from her assistant, Paisley sighed in relief. Luckily, nothing identifiable was left. “Take the body back first. I’ll go talk to Isaac.” Paisley approached Isaac Whitman, my mentor, to learn more about the body’s identity. “Isaac, the body is badly damaged. It’ll take time to identify it through the remains. Did you find any evidence at the scene?” Isaac was completely clueless. “This isn’t the primary crime scene. It rained last night. We can’t find any useful evidence. This case is tough! And Felix is on vacation right now!” Isaac deliberately mentioned me in front of Paisley. She got a bit angry when she heard my name. “Has Felix contacted you?” Isaac knew Paisley had been upset with me because of that incident. He wanted to help smooth things over. “Isaac, I’m busy. I need to get back to the station.” With that, Paisley turned and left. Isaac watched her walk away, shaking his head and sighing, “I really don’t understand what young people are thinking these days!” Then he took out his phone and called me. “This is strange. He still can’t be reached. Leo, can you try calling Felix?” My soul couldn’t stray too far from Paisley, so I followed her back to the station. Her assistant looked at my body on the autopsy table and sighed, “Ms. Taylor, this killer is so cruel! He was so young, and now he’s dead.” Once she was suited up, her assistant stepped back to give her space. “Ms. Taylor, we have to get justice for the victim!” Hearing this, Paisley’s hand holding the scalpel trembled slightly. I noticed her eyes were filled with tears. She must be feeling guilty for helping the killer. If she knew the body in front of her was mine, how would she feel? She’d probably be happy. After all, her mother, Carol Taylor, died because of me…

A month ago, our police department teamed up with the state government to take down organized crime. I worked overtime for a month straight. I was so busy I even forgot Carol’s birthday. She understood how hard I was working and felt sorry for me for working overtime for a month straight. That night, Carol prepared some desserts and personally brought them to the police station. After I got the call, I was about to go out and bring her in. At the same time, the on-duty officer caught a fugitive and was about to interrogate him. I followed them into the interrogation room and forgot to meet Carol at the entrance. When I finished the interrogation and came out, I saw Paisley storming towards me, furious. I remembered there weren’t any major cases recently, so she shouldn’t have been working late. Why was she here at this hour? Sensing something was off, I was about to ask her what was wrong. She walked up and slapped me. “Do you remember my mom?” It hit me then—Carol had been waiting outside the station for me. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot. I’ll go apologize to her right now!” I started to run outside, but noticed Paisley standing still. I was about to ask what was going on when I saw Isaac coming in with a grave expression. “Felix, Ms. Taylor, come in.” Once inside Isaac’s office, I learned that Carol was dead. “Carol’s dead? What happened?” Isaac told me that while Carol was waiting for me outside the station, she ran into some thugs. We had been cracking down on gangs, and I had arrested their leader. In retaliation, they knocked Carol out and dragged her to the roadside. They cut off her arms and legs and dumped them in a nearby ditch. I couldn’t believe Carol was dead. I looked into Isaac’s eyes. He sighed, head lowered. Paisley collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. “Felix, you jerk! If you had picked up my mom earlier, this wouldn’t have happened!” Paisley was furious at me when she found out Carol came to the police station to bring me desserts and got attacked by my enemies. I had planned to propose to Paisley next week. But because of this incident, I put the plan on hold. Paisley refused to forgive me and moved out of our shared apartment. She ignored my texts and calls. Even at Carol’s funeral, she had people block me from entering. “You killed my mom. You have no right to be at her funeral.” In the end, I could only say goodbye to Carol from outside the funeral home, facing where her body was laid. I had one lingering question about the whole thing. How did those thugs know Carol was connected to me? Given the nature of our jobs, Paisley and I had warned Carol not to mention us to anyone, fearing our enemies might target her. The surveillance near the police station captured those thugs. I led the team to arrest them myself. But no matter how I interrogated them, they claimed it was a spur-of-the-moment attack. Yet all the evidence pointed to a premeditated crime. After all, no one would be dumb enough to wander around a police station with knives in the middle of the night. I traced the two machetes back to a hardware store. I was surprised to find the owner was Kevin. I showed him the photos of the thugs and asked if he recognized them. He looked carefully, then shook his head and said he didn’t know them. Finding no leads, I turned to leave. As I was walking out, I spotted a gold earring in the corner. It was the one I gave Carol for her birthday last year. The day before she was attacked, she had called me, apologizing for losing the earring. “How did her gold earring end up here?” I picked up the gold earring, ready to ask Kevin what was going on. Suddenly, he pulled out a metal rod and struck my head hard. Before I passed out, I heard a man’s voice behind Kevin. “Kevin, did that old lady tell him about our smuggling?”

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“Slow down… too fast,” I gasped, my voice muffled by the pillow. My sweaty body stuck to the thin fabric. Hearing me, Tristan paused. Then, I tugged his hand, craving more. “Honey, keep going.”

“Next batch, come on in,” Ruby Morgan, our supervisor, called out. Several girls and I entered the private room. Under the sultry, dim lights, we lined up and greeted the men lounging on the sofas. “Hey there!” I undid a button on my collar, revealing my collarbones and deep cleavage, flaunting my figure to the maximum. It could significantly up my chances of getting picked. My figure was pretty good. I was a D cup before marriage and almost hit an E cup after having our kid. My husband couldn’t get enough of me every night, competing with the baby for attention. As for other men, as long as they were normal and interested, none could resist my charm. For instance, at that time, I could feel the intense stares of the men across from me, all hungry to devour me whole. Tonight, I’d be raking in some good cash. “Everyone heads up so the customers can get a good look,” Ruby commanded. I smoothed my bangs and lifted my head, flashing a sweet smile, ready for the clients’ selections. Inwardly praying, I hoped this time it would be a hunky, strong man picking me. The last customer was not only ugly but couldn’t even last a minute on his own. I had to lend a hand, and he finished even quicker than my husband. Lost in thought, I was suddenly startled by a voice of surprise. “Sofia?” I almost jumped when I heard this voice. It was my husband’s voice. I turned my gaze, and there, in the shadowy nook of the sofa, sat my husband, Ethan Reynolds. His eyes bore a mix of shock and disbelief as they met mine. I stood frozen, my mind reeling. How on earth did he end up here? My side job at the nightclub was caught by him! I panicked, feeling like a cheating spouse caught red-handed, desperate to flee. I just wanted to run out the door. But under Ethan’s piercing stare, I found myself rooted to the spot, too ashamed to even meet his eyes. “Ethan? Do you know her?” the man beside him inquired, breaking the tense silence. My heart raced. What if Ethan were to erupt right here and now, causing a scene? I held my breath, waiting for his response. To my relief, though visibly enraged, he managed to maintain his composure. He turned away, mustering a forced smile. “No, mistook her for someone else.” He didn’t want to expose my identity in front of his friends, as it would be too embarrassing. After all, if it got out that his wife worked as a hostess in a nightclub and his friends stumbled upon her, he’d probably never live it down. I felt even more guilty. “If you don’t know her, then I’ll take her!” the man named Adam Hayes declared, his eyes burning with desire. “She’s one in a million. To miss out on her would be a lifelong regret.” Ethan’s expression stiffened, his smile strained. “Today’s your treat, so naturally, you get first pick.” “Fair enough! Come on then!” Adam laughed, pulling me into his embrace.

I had initially planned to sit further away from Ethan to avoid any awkwardness, but Adam forcefully pulled me over, seating me between him and Ethan. A regular in such settings, he wasted no time in wrapping his arm around my waist and boldly groping my chest. Adam’s hand massaged first one and then my other breast, his fingers continuously rubbing my tender wet nipples. And his eyes fixated on my cleavage as he explored. I stood there, frozen, unable to bring myself to even glance back at Ethan. I could only imagine the grim expression on his face, boiling with anger. It was agonizing to think that my body, meant solely for him, was now being handled by his friend, right under his nose… Ethan and I had been college sweethearts, tying the knot shortly after graduation. Though our intimate life lacked harmony, with him needing assistance to satisfy me each time, we were otherwise deeply in love. I never wanted to resort to this line of work, knowing it would betray him. But the financial burdens at home were suffocating. Mortgage, car payments, and our child’s education… I watched as the stress-etched lines on Ethan’s once-youthful face broke my heart. After much internal struggle, I decided to work at the nightclub a few months ago, all behind Ethan’s back. He was traditional, and discovering the truth would shatter him. Yet tonight, he caught me in the act, and to make matters worse, I was chosen by his friend… Feeling utterly helpless and on the verge of tears, I couldn’t fathom how I would explain myself to him later. In no time, Ethan and his friends each picked a girl. We kicked off with drinks while Ethan shared old college anecdotes with his pals. It was then I discovered they were all his college roommates, reuniting for a catch-up after ages. And about Adam, I’d heard Ethan mention him before. He was a wealthy man with a lot of cash, and Ethan apparently owed him some money. Adam was not only wealthy but also tall and handsome. Normally, I wouldn’t mind indulging in a little flirtation with him, but with Ethan right there beside me, my mind was elsewhere. So much so that when we started playing games, I lost in the very first round. According to the rules, the loser had to get cozy with their partner. I was asked to lock lips with Adam for a solid three minutes while holding a mouthful of alcohol.

How could I do it? I wanted to protest, but Adam didn’t give me a chance to refuse. He took a swig of alcohol, then grabbed my head and went in for the kiss. His kissing skills were impressively adept, prying open my lips and passionately exploring, mixing his saliva with the alcohol in my mouth. In the heated ambiance of ambiguity and alcohol, I almost found myself succumbing. But then I caught sight of Ethan’s darkening expression out of the corner of my eye, and I snapped back to reality. I tried to push Adam away, but his grip was too firm, and I couldn’t break free. It wasn’t until three long minutes had passed, and I was struggling to catch my breath, that he finally released me. “Bravo!” The others applauded. “I’m not good at this game. Carry on without me,” Ethan muttered with a hint of anger and left the game. The others shrugged it off, assuming he wasn’t into it and continued playing. I felt utterly terrible and wanted to leave, but they wouldn’t let me. And to top it off, luck seemed to desert me as I kept losing one after another, forced into various suggestive acts with Adam, his hands even finding their way under my clothes. He practically explored every inch of my body except for the most intimate areas. The other two men also joined in, trying to take advantage of me while drinking, especially the creepy one who insisted on sitting way too close. Looking at his pockmarked face up close almost made me want to retch. I desperately hoped Ethan would come to my rescue. But there he sat, silently nursing his drink, watching as three men took advantage of me. Anger flashed in his eyes, but he held it back. Maybe he feared the embarrassment of my identity being revealed, or perhaps he was worried about the debt we owed Adam. As I drank more and more, I became increasingly dizzy and my vision became blurry. I found myself leaning heavily against Adam, feeling the overwhelming presence of his masculinity. At some point, his shirt disappeared, unveiling a set of abs that made Ethan’s look pale in comparison. I couldn’t help but wonder if his sexual prowess surpassed Ethan’s. Thinking of this, I squirmed, feeling sticky between my legs. Suddenly, a hand slipped under my skirt. The rough touch of two fingers sent shivers through me, urging me to delve deeper. Startled, I protested, “No, don’t touch there.” Beside us, Ethan, who had been silently drinking, suddenly glanced over. “Look at you, getting all worked up and still saying no. You little slut, quit the act. Let me give you what you want,” Adam sneered, pushing me down with my head on Ethan’s lap. “Ethan, she’s yours from the top. Let’s enjoy this together.” Adam grinned, lifting my legs onto his shoulders. In an instant, I felt a fiery sensation engulf me as he entered…

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Anxiety gripped my heart, squeezing it until I thought I would puke or pass out. I glanced at the mirror in the break room. A tangled web of purple and black pulsated over my head as I held the phone to my ear. He’s not going to answer, Lily muttered, but I ignored her. When I was about to give up, Robert answered the phone with a gruff “Hello?” “Hi, honey. I’m so sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to remind you that the cruise is tomorrow. We have to be at the port by 5 PM,” I said cheerily, fighting past the lump in my throat. “Yeah, yeah. Tomorrow at 5. Listen, I have to go,” and before I could say anything else, he hung up, leaving me with the sound of a woman’s husky laugh ringing in my ear. Who the hell was that? Lily demanded, but I was just as much in the dark as she was. Probably just a customer at the bar, I told her. It had to be. I trusted Robert completely. Still, I put the phone back into my apron pocket with a sigh. “What did he do this time?” a voice asked from behind me. I jumped and turned to find Cathy glaring at me. I grimaced as I saw the swirling vortex of neon orange above her head. She was extremely annoyed. “He didn’t do anything. He was just busy at work,” I said softly, hoping to placate her. But Cathy was very protective of me and didn’t like Robert. “Right. If you can take double shifts for two weeks straight to buy these cruise tickets, the least he could do is give you some of his precious time, Almara” Cathy snapped and I winced. But what else could I have done? It was for his birthday and I had just graduated college. It’s not like I came from money either. “He didn’t make me do it. I wanted to. I like doing nice things for the people I care about,” I smiled at her, trying to convince her and myself that everything was fine. She rolled her eyes and clacked her Candy Apple Red nails at me. “Well, I’ll be here for you when you get your heart broken. I love you, sugar,” and with that she walked back into the restaurant. I slumped down into one of the chairs, putting my head into my hands. I was really hoping this cruise could turn things around for us. Robert had been distant lately and I wasn’t sure why. We’d known each other since we were cubs and had grown up together. It had turned into a romance when we got to high school and we’d always been super affectionate. But things had changed once we graduated. We both had our own jobs and couldn’t be together as often as we used to. If the separation was the only issue, then being together for seven days on a cruise would surely fix it. I shook my head and straightened my shoulders. Robert and I would get married like we always planned. We would be happy just like my parents. All of our dreams would come true. At least that’s what I told myself. * * * The cruise ship was more magnificent than I could have possibly imagined. It glowed a moonbeam white in the light of the dying sun.   I’d read somewhere in my research for this trip that the owner was the youngest billionaire and the most luxurious room on the ship was permanently reserved for him. Not that I could ever afford it. People like that basically lived on a different planet. Luxury like this was probably second nature to him, while I had almost worked myself to death just to experience this. But it didn’t matter. I had done it out of love. Robert and I were going to have a perfeect trip. The cool wind from the sea brushed my cinnamon brown hair away from my shoulders, revealing the heart-shaped neckline of my emerald green dress. The long sleeves would help fight off the ocean chill, but the linen made it breathable. It was the perfect dress for a cruise and I felt pretty for the first time in a long time. “Almara! There you are, sweetheart!” I turned with a big smile on my face, waiting in anticipation as Robert pushed his way through the crowd, his rolling suitcase running over a few toes in the process. I was happy to see a bright yellow over his head. He was actually excited about this trip. When he was finally in front of me, a flash of red jolted through the yellow and my smile turned stale. What could I have possibly done to have drawn out that color?

  “What are you wearing?” Robert asked, eyes roaming over my body, making my cheeks heat with embarrassment. He didn’t approve. I ran my hands down the dress self-consciously. “I bought it for the cruise. Don’t you like it?” “It’s fine, I guess. But look around. You stand out like a sore thumb.” He waved his hand to encompass the rest of the cruise guests. Most of the women were scantily clad. My cheeks burned hotter. “I’ll keep that in mind next time,” I smiled tightly at him, wrapping my arms around my waist. The momentary joy I had felt was disappearing. Robert grunted his agreement and pulled me along, cutting in front of people to get to the front of the line, ignoring all the angry grumbles that followed us. “Hi! Welcome aboard! We’re letting all of our passengers know that we’re having a Moonlight Promenade on the second floor of the deck in the ballroom around 9 o’clock tonight. We hope to see you there!” A member of the crew greeted us at the door, handing out pamphlets as we passed by. I inwardly cringed. Robert loved to dance and I had zero rhythm, but I knew we were going to be there. “You most definitely will!” Robert told her as we followed another crewmate to our room. •* * The ballroom was beautiful, but I couldn’t appreciate it. I was too focused on not spraining an ankle in the ridiculous heels that Robert had insisted I buy at the cruise’s boutique. He’d also made me buy a new lemon yellow halter dress with a plunging neckline. I could feel the lewd stares coming from the male passengers and tried my best to ignore it. I instead focused on Robert and the way that his face was lighting up as he looked around. “Isn’t this great, Almara? When’s the last time we went dancing?” He asked excitedly, making a beeline straight for the dance floor where couples already gyrated against each other to the music. I had thought they would play waltzes or something similar, but they were playing club music instead. “It’s been too long,” I agreed, but inside I was thinking it hadn’t been long enough. He pulled me against him, arms sliding around my waist as he led me into a sensual dance. I tried my best to keep up, swaying my hips to the beat, but I knew it wasn’t a fluid motion. It felt choppy and out of sync. But Robert didn’t seem to mind. His eyes were trained on my cleavage and a healthy dose of pink started spreading through the yellow cloud above his head. Lust. I hadn’t seen that color in awhile. Robert’s hands slid lower, giving my backside a healthy squeeze. I jumped and playfully slapped his hands away. Robert gave a low chuckle in my ear and put his hands right back where they had been. I squirmed out of his embrace, murmuring that I had to go to the bathroom. I wasn’t a virgin in any sense of the word, but PDA was not my thing and he knew that. I had to escape and cool down a bit. When my nerves were under control, I left the bathroom and was immediately greeted with a sight that set my blood boiling. Robert was dancing very intimately with a strange woman bedecked in jewels. The cloud above his head was a deep pink and so was the woman’s. What the hell? Lily growled, her anger mingling with mine. I took a deep breath. Robert just likes to dance, I tell her, knowing it would do nothing to placate her. Right, if that’s what you want to call it. Lying to yourself doesn’t make it go away. He’s not our mate. Leave him. That was all fine and well for her to say, but I had never been lucky in my life and I knew the chances of meeting my mate were slim. Besides, the wedding planning was already under way. And, most importantly, I loved Robert. Wanting to avoid conflict and ruining our trip before it even began, I decided to walk outside to get some fresh air. Resting my arms on the handrails, I looked out over the ocean, enjoying the spray of sea foam on my face. “Will you marry me?” a deep voice floated on the wind and I glanced over. A man with his back to me was down on one knee in front of a gorgeous woman.

He was wearing an expensive deep blue suit, the matching sapphire cufflinks glittering in the moonlight. “Arthur, I told you I’m not ready. How many times must I repeat myself?” she asked, red-orange swirling above her head. She walked away, heels slapping angrily against the deck The man’s cloud turned a deep blue. He was heartbroken and my own heart went out to him. “As many times as it takes,” he whispered before standing. When the moonlight illuminated the man’s face, I stared at him in stunned silence. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. I couldn’t help but stare at him. His midnight-black hair framed and an olive-tone faced. His forest-green eyes peered through thich eyelashes, gazing at the woman across from him. “Don’t start with me, Arthur,” Sofia snapped, flipping her honey-blonde hair behind her shoulders. A small carry-on was beside her. Did she mean to leave the ship? “We’ve been together for eight years, Sofia. On top of that, we’re fated. I don’t understand why you keep denying me.” Arthur’s voice came out strained, the heartbreak evident in every syllable. Despite his earlier attitude, my heart went out to him. “We’ve been over this. You only want to marry me so that I can provide you and your family with heirs. And you know as well as I do that being fated doesn’t equal love. You don’t actually love me,” Sofia said matter-of-factly. I wanted to tell her that that was a lie, but nobody knew about Lily’s ability to read emotions and we had to keep it that way. Arthur’s body stiffened. “I do love you.” Sofia scoffed and put both hands on her hips. “No. If you loved me, you would have waited until after the ballet tour. You would have waited for me to fulfill my dreams. Expecting me to drop everything isn’t love. It’s a cage.” She took a deep breath before continuing in a softer voice. “I know your grandmother wants grandchildren. But I can’t sacrifice everything I’ve ever wanted for my career just to make her happy. And pregnancies are definitely career killers.” Arthur moved closer to her, taking her hands in his. I really shouldn’t have stayed to witness this, but I couldn’t seem to make my body move or tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me. “My grandmother is sick, Sofia. She might not be here for much longer,” his voice was now pleading, asking her to understand. I honestly could not grasp her unwillingness to have a family with him. A family of my own was all I ever wanted. “What does that have to do with me? All I want right now is to be the best. And having children will keep me from that. I’m sorry, but your grandmother’s wishes do not trump mine,” Sofia said with a note of finality, throwing Arthur’s hands off. She side-stepped him and walked toward the railing. Where was she going? “Fine. You’ve made your point, Sofia. Just go.” Arthur still had his back to her and his voice was deceptively calm, but the storm brewing over his head told a different story. Alarming shades of blue and black twisted together. The poor man was in agony.   I went to step forward, feeling like I had to do something, anything, to help these people work it out, but without warning, Sofia picked up her carry-on and jumped over the side of the ship. A strangled cry left my lips and I threw myself into the railing, peering into the dark as if I could actually do something to save her. But my fear was unwarranted. There had been a speedboat waiting for her and it was already taking her away from the cruise ship. I could only stand there in shock, watching as Sofia disappeared from view. Well that was dramatic, Lily interjected, snapping me out of the daze. I shook my head to get rid of the rest of the fog. That’s a bit of an understatement, I agreed, putting a hand to my head. Maybe this had all been a fever dream. My skin felt clammy, but that was due to the ocean, not a fever. How’s the eye candy doing? Lily asked and this time I did roll my eyes. But she was right. I should check up on him. Arthur hadn’t moved from where Sofia had left him. I thought I heard a sniffle, but I couldn’t be sure. A second later he brought a hand up to his eyes, wiping away moisture that I couldn’t see. I think he’s crying. What should I do? I asked. I didn’t want to leave him to his own devices. Not in his current state. But he was also a stranger. Why don’t you go over there and comfort him? I’m sure there are plenty of things you can do to get his mind off his situation, Lily offered suggestively and my face burned. I’m with Robert, I reminded her firmly. You need to get your wolfy urges under control. Says the woman who needs a change of undies, Lily snarked and with that I shut down our mental link as well as I could. There wasn’t really a way to shut out Lily completely, but I could make it clear when I’d had enough of her meddling. While Lily and I had been having our little debate, Arthur had finally moved. He was closer to the railing and I could clearly see his red-rimmed eyes and the tears that were falling freely down his cheeks. The storm above his head had developed into a tempest. A jolt of fear passed through my body. From a very young age, I could see others’ true emotions floating above my head. I’ve kept it a secret. It’s not common for wolves to have extra powers, especially a nobody like me. I wanted to believe it was a gift from the Moon Goddess. But there was a chance not everyone would think that. So I kept it to myself. The vivid colors of people’s emotions are what had initially sparked an interest in painting. I had wanted to capture everything that I saw. And for the most part, the colors were calm and happy. But this…this was the worst emotional state I had ever seen before and I had no idea what to expect. Lily, you don’t think he’ll jump, do you? I asked, opening myself up once more to my wolf. Oh, now you want my advice? Lily quipped but I could still feel her concern as we both watched Arthur take another step toward the railing. But to answer your question, no, I don’t think he’ll jump. How can you be so sure? My breath hitched as he took another step. I can’t let that happen. He’s not going to jump, Lily said again, but I wasn’t listening. Arthur had reached the railing and was climbing up onto the first rung. My body moved before my mind could catch up to what was happening. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around him from behind, using all the strength that came with being a wolf to keep him pressed against me. “No!”

“What do you think you’re doing, little wolf?” Arthur’s voice was all growl but it didn’t scare me. Given his current emotional state, I was surprised that he could speak at all. “Please don’t do this. Think about your poor grandmother. How would she feel if you were gone?” I pleaded, burying my head into his back. I tightened my arms around him, hoping that he could feel that at least one person was here for him tonight. Arthur firmly, but gently removed my hands from his body, his strength overpowering me. I felt like a child compared to him. He stepped down from the railing and turned, pushing me back with his hands on my shoulders. Arthur frowned down at me. “Did you really think I was going to jump into the sea?” I furrowed my brows. “Weren’t you? You were obviously upset…and crying…” My voice trailed off as he glared at me and I ducked my head to escape it. Arthur sighed. With his thumb and forefinger, he cupped my chin and lifted my face back to his. “I wasn’t crying. The sea breeze irritates my eyes. That’s all it was.” That’s a lie, Lily chimed in and I shushed her, even though I knew she was right. But if Arthur wanted to hide the truth, it wasn’t up to me to expose him. “Then why did you go up on the railing?” I pressed, not willing to let it go. He didn’t know that I could see his emotions swirling around over his head. I could see everything he was trying to hide. “Sofia isn’t the only one who’s dramatic,” he gave me a sad smile and dropped his hand, putting it into his pocket before opening it to show me a glittering diamond ring. “I was going to get rid of this.” My face was hot as I stared at the ring. This was so embarrassing. I told you he wasn’t going to do it. You should have listened to me, Lily said and I couldn’t even bring myself to argue with her. I one-hundred percent should have listened to her this time. “Here. I want you to have it,” Arthur said abruptly, placing the ring in my hand. He closed my hand into a fist around the ring. I just gaped at him. “I couldn’t possibly accept this,” I protested, trying and failing to give the ring back. He stepped away, clearly not wanting anything more to do with the ring. “You can and you will. Think of it as a reward for your kindness. Even if it wasn’t needed,” and with that he walked back toward the ballroom and presumably his room. I stood there, frozen. What the hell had just happened? I’d only come out here for some fresh air. I hadn’t expected to get wrapped in someone else’s drama. You have too much of a bleeding heart, Almara. You could have just stayed out of it. You know the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, Lily unhelpfully supplied and I had to admit that maybe she was right. I was too much of a bleeding heart. I opened my fist to look at the diamond ring again. It must have been worth a small fortune. Perhaps having a bleeding heart wasn’t such a bad thing after all.   I hurried into the ballroom, searching for Robert. I wanted to tell him about everything that had just happened. I wanted to tell him about the hail mary that we had been given. Neither of us had a lot of money. The jobs that we had barely paid for the bills and we didn’t have much in savings. Not to mention the wedding costs. This ring could change everything. However, I couldn’t find him. He wasn’t anywhere on the dance floor or at any of the tables. I was headed toward the bathrooms when a waiter suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Miss, are you looking for the gentleman you arrived with?” “Yes, I am. Do you know where he went?” The waiter grimaced and I knew that it wasn’t going to be good news. “He and the woman he was dancing with had a lot to drink. Too much actually. They were, um, very affectionate. We had to ask them to leave,” he informed me and I felt the blood leave my face. No. He had promised he would never do this again. Lily growled. I warned you this would happen again. He’s a gold-digging, two-faced ass. You know he wants more than the simple life you have planned. Tears filled my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. No. He wouldn’t do this to me. Not again. “Here. I think you need this,” the waiter said softly and handed me a glass of red wine. “Thank you,” I whispered and downed the entire thing in one go. The sweet wine burned on the way down and warmed my belly. The rush felt good and I greedily reached for another glass before the waiter left to continue his shift. I downed the second glass too and my body instantly felt hot. I set the wine down and brought my hands to my face. Yep. My skin was indeed on fire. Forget that you’re a lightweight? Lily asked and I giggled. I hadn’t thought that information was relevant. I deserved to have some fun, too. Get to bed before something happens. You’re burning up. We could shift by accident. There are quite a few human passengers on this cruise ship. I don’t think the humans would appreciate a drunk wolf running around, Lily griped and I pouted. I didn’t want to go to bed. Lily swiped a metaphysical paw across my middle. Not enough to hurt, but I knew she was closer to the surface than she should have been. I definitely didn’t want to shift in the middle of all these people.

  I took a few steps and knew that I wouldn’t make it too far in these heels. I kicked them off, leaving them where they landed. They weren’t my style anyway. I quickly stumbled away and tried to keep my eyes focused. But it was getting harder. The room had started to spin. Get to the room. Get to the room. Get to the room. I repeated it like a mantra. I could lay down once I got to the room. Things would be a lot better once I got to the room. When I reached the door, I leaned my head against the cool steel. I fumbled in my purse for the key card and slapped it against the pad. Nothing happened. I looked at the room number. It was definitely the right one so why wasn’t the door opening. Maybe I’d missed. I slapped the card against the pad again, turning the handle at the same time. The door opened. Thank the moon! I slipped in, closing the door behind me. Why was the room so hot? I couldn’t breathe. This dress that I hated was too tight. I allowed my hands to grow claws and ripped the dress off of me. In the process, I accidentally cut off my underwear as well, but I didn’t care. I was burning up.   I climbed into bed and moaned at how cool the sheets felt. They were like a soothing balm against my skin. The bundle of sheets on the other side moved and I realized I wasn’t alone. Robert was here and already asleep. He hadn’t abandoned me. The relief I felt was almost corporeal. I moved over and wrapped myself around him, burying my face into the nape of his neck, breathing him in. He smelled really good tonight. He does smell really good. That’s strange…but I didn’t hear the rest of what Lily was saying. Sleep pulled me under and I was dead to the world.   Sunlight streamed in from the window as I woke up. I groaned and brought my hand to my eyes to shut out the light. It was too bright and it definitely wasn’t helping the headache that was threatening to rip my head apart. What happened last night? Well, you threw back two glasses of wine like you had been stranded in the desert and they were the first water source that you found, Lily informed me and I groaned again. What had I been thinking? I slowly lowered my hand and looked beside me. Robert was gone. Maybe he had gone to get us both breakfast. Or, at the very least, some coffee. I desperately needed it. I slowly stood up and made my way to the bathroom. I’d freshen up some before he got back. I didn’t want him to see me like this. I splashed water on my face and reached for my toothbrush, but it wasn’t there. Confused, I looked around and, with growing horror, realized that none of the things in the bathroom were mine or Robert’s. The bathroom was extremely luxurious. The room had a soft and elegant fragrance, not like the generic scent in ours. The faucets were inlaid with gold, inlaid with blue gemstones, a far cry from the basic silver I had seen. Even the toilet was gold. Who had a gold toilet? Alarmed, I walked back into the room and finally noticed how nice it was. Much nicer than our room. Much nicer than we could ever afford. This far exceeded my imagination of luxury. This wasn’t the right room. I had spent the night in a stranger’s bed. And my memory was fuzzy. I remembered cuddling, but anything past that was gone. Had we done…stuff? I had to find Robert. But how was I going to explain this to him? My dress was in literal pieces on the floor. And I couldn’t exactly leave the room naked. I had no other choice but to raid the closet. There wasn’t much in the way of clothes so I settled for a long dress shirt. I buttoned it all the way to the top and it was long enough to cover all my bits. It would have to do for now. I bundled up my clothes from the floor and swiftly left the room. On my way out, I looked at the room number. It was 1100. Our room was 1200. I wasn’t even on the right floor. Not wanting to linger in case the stranger came back, I made my way down the hall and up the stairs. Thankfully, there weren’t any other guests to witness my potential walk of shame. After what seemed forever, I finally made it to the right room. I carefully touched the key card to the pad and was rewarded with a beep that let me know that this was indeed the right room. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door. I heard them before I saw them. “Harder…yes…like that…yes…yes…” Soft moans emanated from the bed and I watched in horror as Robert pumped in and out of the woman from last night.

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