Category: English

When I was two, I was abducted. My parents searched for me for eight years. When they came to pick me up, I was working in the fields, wearing tattered clothes, my body covered in bruises. I knew they were ashamed of me, that I wasn’t “presentable,” so I desperately worked to earn money. This year, at twenty, I found a decent boyfriend, and we were talking about marriage. Then I discovered they had secretly arranged an engagement party for my sister and my boyfriend. I stood at the doorway, carrying a tray of dishes, and heard my father tell my boyfriend: “Lily has a low education and won’t amount to much. Sarah is different; she’s young, pretty, elegant, and graduated from a prestigious university. She’s a better fit for you.” My mother beamed at this prospective son-in-law. “A perfect match, they look like they were made for each other!” My boyfriend looked uneasy. “Wouldn’t it be bad if Lily found out?” My mother immediately retorted with disdain: “Lily was away for eight years. Who knows what she went through? I heard girls who are abducted often end up with…” “You understand. Your auntie doesn’t want you to regret it later. You should listen to her.” “What, don’t you think our Sarah is good enough?” My boyfriend knelt on one knee in front of everyone, pulling out the engagement ring meant for me and putting it on Sarah’s hand. In that moment, I no longer wanted this family. 1 I stood at the doorway, as if plunged into an ice cave, the dense, pricking pain in my chest almost suffocating me. After the successful proposal, my parents inside clapped and celebrated joyfully. Immediately after, I received a breakup message from my boyfriend. Fearing that staying one second longer would make me crumble, I handed the tray to a colleague and fled the hotel as if escaping. My parents didn’t come home until ten o’clock that night. As they unlocked the door, they were still happily chattering outside. I took out my bank card, placed it on the table, and spoke directly: “For the past two years since I started working, I’ve sent you ten thousand a month for your retirement. Now that Sarah is here and you don’t need me anymore, please return my money.” My parents’ faces instantly darkened. “What kind of talk is that? Sarah is your sister. Besides, she hasn’t even finished her internship yet. How can she support us in our old age?” “What’s gotten into you, making a fuss in the middle of the night? We raised you for ten years; do you think that came free? We finally got a little back, and now you’re asking for it? How can you be so shameless? Did you learn that from your monstrous foster parents?” I took a deep breath. “Alright, in those ten years, I didn’t attend school for a single day. You only took me back to provide food and lodging. Subtract those expenses, and please return the rest to me.” My father was furious, rushing up to me and pointing, cursing. “Lily Reed, you think you’re so tough now, don’t you? Daring to ask me for money? I’m your father!” I suddenly laughed, and as I laughed, tears streamed down my face. I looked at the empty space behind them. “Where’s Sarah? Didn’t she come back with you?” “Let me guess where she went. Is she perhaps at the hotel, bonding with my boyfriend?” My words hit home, and my mother’s face instantly panicked. “How did you know? You’ve been following us!” “Mom, you forgot. I work three part-time jobs, and one of them is at the hotel you went to tonight.” My voice was utterly calm, but my swollen eyes betrayed all my fragility. Seeing that I knew, my mother no longer bothered to act, sitting casually on the sofa. “Since you know, we won’t hide it anymore. Jayden’s family is very well-off; his parents are retired executives. You’re not good enough for him.” “Even if you married him, you wouldn’t have the ability to keep a man. Rather than letting outsiders benefit, it’s better to give him to your sister.” “Sarah is smarter and prettier than you. In the future, we’ll all be family, and you can still benefit from the Harrison family. No need to give me attitude.” Sarah, Sarah, everything was about Sarah. Since returning home after being found, I had constantly lived under the nightmare of this twin sister. Even though we came from the same womb, just because she had never left home and received a good education, in my parents’ eyes, she was better than me in every way. At first, I thought it was because I grew up in the countryside and hadn’t studied. I wanted to go to school too, but as soon as I brought it up, they immediately vetoed it. They said because of what I had been through, they were afraid I would be ostracized by classmates if I went to school. They also said I was introverted and not suitable for interacting with outsiders. As long as Sarah studied well, and she tutored me, it would have the same effect. I believed their words and studied desperately. But later, I realized that wasn’t it at all. They felt having Sarah as a daughter was enough. And I was an extra presence in this family. Spending a single penny on me was a waste of resources. The neighbor, Mrs. Smith, said my parents gave up looking for me a year after reporting me missing. If the police hadn’t insisted on visiting, perhaps they would never have remembered they had another daughter. Years of grievances accumulated in my heart, completely erupting at this moment. I stood up abruptly. “Mom, you know Sarah and I are sisters. Is there a sister who steals her older sister’s fiancé? Are there parents who encourage their daughter to get into her sister’s fiancé’s bed?” “Since you think Sarah is better than me in everything, can’t I just leave?!” My tearful accusation was met with a heavy slap from my mother. “Who taught you to speak to your mother like that?” “You’ve learned from those monstrous foster parents, it’s utterly disgraceful! With your attitude right now, you’ll never be as good as your sister!” Sarah was interning at a big company, and her internship salary was as high as ten thousand. She never gave money to the family; instead, she occasionally needed help from my parents. My monthly fixed transfer of ten thousand was worthless in their eyes. Thinking of this, my tears completely broke free. I snatched the shopping bag from my mother’s hand and threw it to the ground. My mother’s eyes widened, clutching her chest and gasping for breath. “You… you… you’re absolutely rebellious!” My father picked up an ashtray, ready to smash it on my head. The next second, Sarah opened the door and walked in. Both their faces instantly changed. My mother’s heart no longer hurt, and my father was no longer eager to burst into anger. Doting smiles spilled from their lips, and they quickly stepped forward to take the bags from Sarah’s hands. “How was your time with Jayden? Everything alright?” “Mom always said you were a good match for him. I heard his salary is fifty thousand a month. You’ll definitely have a good life if you marry him!” Sarah blushed and lowered her head. “Mom, nothing’s set in stone yet, what are you talking about?” “Oh, by the way, these are things Jayden insisted on giving you. He said he was in a hurry to meet today and didn’t prepare any gifts, so he’s making up for it.” “You were right, Mom, Jayden even wants to give me two hundred eighty thousand dollars for the betrothal gift!” My parents were overjoyed. Sarah then noticed me in the room. Her expression was conflicted. “Sis… you know everything?” Tears welled in her eyes, still the same familiar fragile look from before. “I didn’t mean to. Actually, Jayden just said he didn’t really want to marry you, that’s why Mom and Dad thought of me…” “Please don’t be mad at me, okay?” I was momentarily stunned. “He said that himself?” “Yes, last time I accidentally went to his company to deliver a contract. He thought I was you, and when he found out I wasn’t, he said he wanted to treat me to dinner.” “He knows about your eight years away from home, and he also said…” “He said his parents didn’t want a daughter-in-law who hadn’t been to school, but he didn’t know how to break up with you.” I felt my heart being torn apart bit by bit, then rebuilt in shattered pieces. I smiled, a look uglier than crying. My mother rolled her eyes, her disdain undisguised. “What did I say? The man isn’t blind. He was just interested in you for a while for dating, but how could he choose you for marriage?” “If I hadn’t introduced Sarah to him, the duck in our mouth would have flown away!” “And you still have the nerve to be angry with me? You don’t even know who’s looking out for your best interests!” Sarah, her eyes red, came over and pulled at me. “Sis, if you really like Jayden, how about after we get married, you secretly pretend to be me and meet him? I don’t mind. We’re sisters.” From childhood to adulthood, I don’t know how many times I’d seen her like this. No matter what she coveted, as long as she said she wanted to buy it for me, as compensation for those eight years. The next day, my parents would buy it and give it to her. She got the benefits, and she got the reputation for being sweet. But I, crying and making a scene, became the malicious one in my parents’ eyes. I smiled, and said softly: “No need. Anyway, after tonight, this family will only have one daughter.” “You won’t have to act pitiful anymore.” I turned back to pack my bags. Sarah’s face instantly changed. “Mom, what’s going on? Is she leaving?” “What about my ten thousand allowance?” “Quick, think of something!” My father snorted coldly. “Not only is that ten thousand gone, but she also wants back what she gave us before!” “What kind of debtor did I give birth to! If I had known this day would come, I’d rather have left her in the countryside her whole life!” The three talked outside the door for a long time. When I finished packing, my parents seemed like different people. My mother carried a plate of sweet and sour ribs to me, coaxing, “Lily, you must be tired from work today, huh? Did something upset you at work that made you angry with us?” “Just now, Mom and Dad spoke too harshly. Don’t take it to heart.” “But you know, Mom, Dad, and your sister are the closest people to you in this world. We would never harm you!” I stared coldly at the plate of food. “Mom, actually, I really hate eating meat.” “Every time I eat it, I have to throw up in the bathroom for three hours.” “Do you know why?” My mother’s smile froze. “Why? You never told Mom about this.” “Because ten years ago, they didn’t give me food. I was starving to death, so I had to catch bugs in the dirt, and mice in the house.” My voice was calm, as if telling someone else’s story. My father’s face immediately darkened. “Eat it or don’t eat it, leave her alone!” Sarah glared at him fiercely, then turned and smiled at me. “Sis, if you don’t like it, we won’t make it at home anymore. Mom means well, you can’t make her sad, can you?” “What happened before is in the past. Bringing it up now, aren’t you just deliberately twisting the knife in Mom and Dad’s hearts?” I looked back at her. “Sarah, do you know how disgusting your acting is?” “Are you done? If so, please move aside. I’ll be working overtime tonight to sort out the bills. Then the money will be transferred to my card.” With that, I turned to leave. My mother suddenly squatted on the ground, crying inconsolably. “You’ve finally come home, and now that you’ve grown up, you’re leaving? What am I supposed to do!” “You’re my own flesh and blood. How could I not love you? It’s impossible to treat everyone perfectly equally, but I’ve tried my best, and you’re still not satisfied. If it comes to it, just take my life!” I paused, feeling an overwhelming weariness. “What would I do with your life? You don’t owe me, and I don’t owe you anymore.” “It’s fine this way, just our family.” My mother’s eyes darted, and she actually knelt down before me. “After all that, aren’t you just blaming me for introducing Jayden to Sarah?” “Alright, I was wrong, your mom was wrong! I’ll kowtow to you, beg you to forgive me this once. If you want to get married, tomorrow I’ll pay ten thousand to a matchmaking agency, put all my retirement savings into it. As long as a rich man is willing to take you, you two can get married immediately, I won’t say another word!” My mother kowtowed very forcefully, and blood immediately seeped from her forehead. My father stood up abruptly, pointing and accusing me. “Do you see? Are you trying to force your own mother to die?” “If that’s not enough, your mom and I will kowtow to you together. Giving birth to you was all our fault!” Saying this, he also knelt down. Sarah, sobbing pitifully from the side, choked out: “Sis, I know you don’t like me. After I get married, I’ll move out and never compete with you for Mom and Dad’s affection again, just please don’t leave.” “They really miss you. You don’t know how they lived during those eight years…” I numbly pulled out a photo album from the drawer. Before they came home, I had wanted to take my own photos. But opening it, I found only warm family photos of the three of them. Not a single picture of me. I pointed to their photo at the beach. “Are you talking about these eight years?” I then pointed to their photo of catching dolls. “Or this one?” “It was indeed very sad. I can see, extreme sorrow giving way to extreme joy.” Their faces were grim, they exchanged glances, but for a long moment couldn’t find an excuse to make me stay. Seeing through their expressions, I suddenly laughed, my face cold. Truly a family, even their malicious calculations were identical. My father’s phone suddenly rang. After he answered, a voice immediately congratulated him.

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After a smooth-talking grifter wiped out her savings, my tearful younger sister came to me. I took her in, fought her battles, hired a lawyer, and even gave her my year-end bonus—anything to help her recover. But my boyfriend, Arthur, grew increasingly annoyed. “You handle everything for her, and she doesn’t even thank you. Leighton, are you her mother? If she’s so clueless, she deserved to be scammed!” That’s when I threw a glass at him. I stared him down and said, “She’s my flesh and blood. Our mom died when she was eight—I raised her. So treat her with grace, if not for her, then for me.” Later, I was sent out of state for work. I called daily, watching her rebuild her life through the screen. Everything seemed to be returning to normal. Until two months later, when I came home a day early. I pushed open my bedroom door to find my sister in my favorite silk nightgown, leaning against Arthur’s chest. He was feeding her the sweetest part of a watermelon, his face full of sickening tenderness. 1 The silence in the bedroom was instantly suffocating. Amanda was the first to react. She bolted upright, springing away from Arthur’s chest like she had been burned. Her lips were visibly trembling. “Leighton? What… what are you doing home? Your flight wasn’t supposed to land until Friday…” The spoon in Arthur’s hand froze in mid-air. A drop of red watermelon juice fell, staining my pristine silk bedsheets. The color drained from his face. He didn’t say a single word. I stood frozen in the doorway. My fingers were wrapped so tightly around the handle of my suitcase that my nails were biting into my palms. The air conditioning was humming quietly, yet a cold sweat had broken out across my spine. Amanda forced a smile that looked infinitely worse than a crying fit. “You must be exhausted, Leighton. Here, let me take your bags.” She stumbled toward me barefoot in a frantic rush. Her knee clipped the sharp edge of the bedframe. She hissed in pain, and her eyes instantly welled up with fresh, pathetic tears. Arthur’s brow furrowed immediately. He reached out and caught her by the waist to steady her. “Careful. You’re always rushing into things.” His tone carried a hint of reprimand, but the way his hands lingered on her was so incredibly, disgustingly tender. I stared at his hand resting on her arm. My stomach completely dropped out. “How long has this been going on?” My voice came out much calmer than I expected. Amanda went rigid. She instinctively looked up at Arthur, seeking permission or protection. He gently pulled her behind him, finally locking eyes with me. “Leave her out of this. This is on me.” Arthur was a man of very few words. He was always stoic, never one to wear his heart on his sleeve. When I agreed to date him three years ago, it was exactly because of that steady, grounded nature. He wasn’t like the slick-talking players who left you constantly second-guessing your worth. When our mom passed away, I was twelve, and Amanda was eight. Our dad couldn’t handle the grief. He drowned himself in cheap liquor, skipped shifts, and eventually got fired. Two years later, his liver gave out, and he left us too. From that moment on, I never leaned on another living soul. Arthur was the first person who ever made me feel like being taken care of didn’t have to be a debt. He made me feel like it was okay to take off my armor and just be soft. Yet here he was, standing right in front of me, shielding my little sister with his body and looking at me with eyes colder than winter ice. He was looking at me like I was the enemy. Amanda peeked out from behind his broad shoulders. Her eyes were red and swollen. “Leighton, it’s really not what you think. We just…” “Got your story straight yet?” I cut her off, my voice dripping with ice. “Go ahead. If you’re going to explain, then spell it out. What exactly is your relationship? When did it start? And just how far have you gone?” Amanda flinched. The tears spilled over immediately. She rubbed her eyes like a toddler, letting out these soft, pitiful sobs. I let out a dry, hollow laugh. I didn’t even know if I was laughing at her audacity or my own utter stupidity. Arthur tightened his grip on her hand. His voice was incredibly soft when he spoke to her. “It’s okay. Let me handle this. Put some slippers on, the hardwood is cold.” Then he looked up at me. “Leighton, let’s take this outside.” “Arthur, this is my house.” My voice finally started to shake. “You’re telling me to leave?” He fell silent for a few heavy seconds. He glanced back at Amanda. She was shrinking into herself, her toes curling against the floorboards like a frightened rabbit. When Arthur spoke again, his tone was placating, laced with a pleading edge. “She had a panic attack last night and didn’t fall asleep until four in the morning. Just let her get some rest. Please?” A dull, agonizing ache bloomed in my chest. It felt like someone had shoved a fistful of cotton down my throat. I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t breathe. In the three years we had been together, I had never seen Arthur beg anyone for anything. He was a proud man. He never backed down in corporate negotiations, and he never apologized when he knew he was right. But right now, he was throwing away all his pride to beg me on behalf of the sister who stole him. Arthur picked up his jacket from the back of the chair. He turned to Amanda and gave her one last gentle instruction. “Go to sleep. Don’t wait up for me. There’s milk in the fridge, make sure you heat it up before you drink it.” I turned on my heel and walked out the front door. If I stayed in that room for one more second, I was going to throw up, or worse, I was going to let them see me cry. 2 Arthur followed me out, keeping exactly half a step behind me the entire way down. His face was buried in the shadows, his expression unreadable. When we reached the underground parking garage, he opened the passenger door of his car for me. I didn’t move an inch. “Right here is fine.” His hand paused on the door handle. He closed it quietly, fished a pack of Marlboros from his pocket, and lit one. The fluorescent lights overhead were flickering, casting a sickly yellow glow over the concrete. The cherry of his cigarette flared bright red in the dimness. “I made the first move.” He took a long drag. His voice was incredibly raspy. “Don’t blame her for this.” “Amanda is your little sister. You practically raised her, so you know exactly how she is. She’s terrified of her own shadow. She doesn’t know how to survive without someone holding her hand. After she got completely wiped out by that last loser, I watched her fall apart… I just couldn’t turn a blind eye.” He flicked his ashes onto the concrete. He still wouldn’t look at me. “But you’re different. Leighton, you are the most capable, fiercely independent woman I have ever met. Even without me, you are going to be completely fine.” I stared at him. I pressed my fingernails so hard into my palms that the skin nearly broke. “So that’s it? Because I’m independent, I deserve to be stabbed in the back by the two people I trusted most?” It was the most absurd, twisted logic I had ever heard in my life. When Amanda first moved into my guest room, Arthur couldn’t even stand hearing her name. If he caught her wandering into the kitchen in her pajamas, his face would twist in disgust. He used to drag me into our bedroom and whisper-shout about how she had zero boundaries and how my apartment wasn’t a halfway house for helpless adults. Two months ago, right before my business trip, I literally begged him to keep an eye on her while I was gone. He stood at the airport drop-off, hands stuffed in his pockets, looking absolutely miserable. She’s your sister, Leighton. She is not my responsibility. That’s exactly what he told me. It had only been eight weeks. And now, this man wearing the face of the person I loved was standing in front of me, speaking words that made him sound like a total stranger. Arthur shoved the cigarette box back into his pocket. His voice was heavy with complicated guilt. “I know I screwed you over. All that money you wired to Amanda to bail her out? I’ll pay you back every last cent. And the condo is yours. I won’t ever set foot in it again.” He paused, taking a shallow breath. “I just have one request. Amanda really, truly looks up to you. Don’t let my mistake destroy your relationship with your sister.” I felt entirely hollow. I was so exhausted by the sheer audacity of it all that I didn’t even have the energy to scream. “If you know that sleeping with my sister is a mistake, then why the hell did you do it?” His jaw ticked. A long time passed before he finally answered. “Leighton, there are some things you just can’t control. It happened. I will do everything in my power to make it up to you.” “But if you blow this up and make a scene, the person who gets hurt the most is Amanda. You don’t want to see your little sister dragged through the mud by the rumor mill. Right?” “I’ll pack her things and take her to my place tomorrow morning. I booked you a suite at the Marriott for tonight. Just give them your name at the front desk.” He turned and walked toward the elevators, leaving me completely alone in the freezing garage. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from him with the hotel address. At the very end of the message, he had typed, I’m sorry. I stared at those two words until my vision blurred. Upstairs, a single warm light was glowing from the window of my condo. I had changed that exact lightbulb with Arthur the day before I left for my trip. Now, that light was shining on someone else. There were millions of lights in this sprawling city. But not a single one was burning for me anymore. I finally crouched down right there on the concrete, burying my face in my knees as my shoulders shook violently. I never went to the hotel he booked. Instead, I drove my car onto the interstate and just kept driving in circles until the sun came up. 3 The next morning, I drove out to the historic district. Tucked away on a quiet street corner was a quaint floral boutique. It was owned by Harper, my old college roommate. When Amanda’s ex-husband threw her out on the street, I was the one who paid the retainer for her divorce lawyer. While the legal battle dragged on, I begged Harper to give Amanda a low-stress job at the shop just to get her out of the house. I paid Amanda’s salary out of my own pocket, strictly forbidding Harper from ever telling her the truth. I still remember Harper laughing at me over the phone. Leighton, why do you treat this girl better than you treat yourself? Amanda was standing on the porch of the boutique. She was wearing a canvas apron, crouching on the ground as she repotted a fern. When she saw me walking up the steps, the metal trowel slipped from her grip and clattered loudly against the pavement. “Leighton? How did you know I was working today?” I didn’t answer. I just pushed past her and walked inside. Amanda scrambled to her feet and scurried in after me. She frantically grabbed a wooden chair, wiping the seat down with the sleeve of her shirt in a desperate, fawning gesture. “Have a seat, please. Let me get you some water.” She spun around too fast and crashed into a display stand. A watering can tipped over, spilling a puddle across the floorboards and soaking her sneakers. She stared down at her wet shoes, then looked back up at me, wringing her hands like a grade-schooler caught stealing candy. Looking at her, my mind drifted back to when we were kids. She was only eight when we lost mom. She was so terrified of the dark that she had to wrap her arms around my neck just to fall asleep. Even as she grew older, she was always attached to my hip. She was like a little shadow I could never shake off. “Leighton.” Her shaky voice pulled me back to the present. “I know you hate me right now.” “But I swear I didn’t plan this. I don’t even know how things spiraled like this.” She tilted her head to look at me. Her eyes were already completely bloodshot. “You’ve been good to me my whole life. I know that. But you were always so busy. You were always fixing my problems, throwing money at the issue, but you never actually had the time to just sit and listen to me. Arthur is different.” “He actually asks me what I had for lunch. He remembers the tiny, stupid details of stories I tell him. He picks up the phone at 3 AM when I have a nightmare.” “You always told me you wanted someone to treat me right. Now I finally have that someone. Why can’t you just be happy for me?” Listening to her play the victim while demanding my blessing made me want to laugh until I threw up. I had poured sixteen years of my life into raising this girl, and she turned out to be an utterly ungrateful snake. “Amanda, since the day you were born, name one thing you asked for that I didn’t give you.” “Your college tuition, your rent, your groceries, your divorce lawyer, the credit cards you maxed out, the thousands of dollars that grifter stole from you. Have you ever actually sat down and calculated how much money and blood I have bled out for you over the years?” “And after all of that, my reward is the sister I raised stealing the man I was going to marry.” She dropped her gaze. Her lips quivered as heavy tears slipped down her cheeks, splashing against the wooden floor. “I was twelve years old doing homework for rich kids just to buy our groceries. At fifteen, I was bussing tables at a greasy diner. A vat of frying oil splashed on my arm and left scars I still have today. When I was twenty, I worked so many overtime shifts that my stomach started bleeding. When the ambulance took me away, there wasn’t a single person sitting next to me in the back of that truck!” I shoved my sleeve up past my elbow, exposing the faded, jagged white scars running up my forearm. “You don’t know any of this. Because I intentionally hid the ugly parts of survival from you so you could have a normal childhood.” She stared at the scarred tissue. The last bit of color drained out of her face. “For sixteen years, I carved out half my life and fed it to you! And how do you repay me?” “You parade around in my clothes, you sleep in my bed, and you climb into my boyfriend’s lap!” She collapsed onto the floorboards in a pathetic heap, her apron smudging against the dirt as she sobbed uncontrollably. I crouched down so I was eye-level with her. The ice in my chest had completely frozen over. Every warm memory I ever had of her was now rotting in my mind. “Amanda, everything you ever wanted, if it was in my power to give, I gave it to you.” “But the things I do not offer, you do not get to steal. You never had the right.” Arthur came sprinting through the door at that exact moment. He took one look at Amanda crumpled on the floor, shivering and sobbing, and his face morphed into pure rage. He crossed the room in three massive strides, yanked her off the ground, and shoved her firmly behind his back. “I told you, if you have a problem, you come to me!” He glanced back at the trembling girl behind him, then turned his furious gaze back on me. The anger in his eyes was visceral. “You know she has a bad heart! Could you not have just talked this out like an adult? Did you really have to push her to the edge of an attack?!” I looked at him and couldn’t help but let out a cold, sharp laugh. “You are getting awfully good at playing the knight in shining armor, Arthur. I recall a time when she first moved in, and you couldn’t even stand the sound of her breathing! Now you’re her patron saint?” Arthur puffed out his chest, looking completely self-righteous. “You want to keep score? Fine! You practically raised her. Calculate every dime you spent on her, every favor you pulled. Give me a number!” “I will pay you back every single cent, plus interest! Will that satisfy you?!” I stared at the stranger standing in front of me. Unbidden, a memory flashed through my mind from three years ago, back when he was trying to win me over. It was the dead of winter. A blizzard had rolled in. He stood outside my office building for three hours waiting for me to finish a late shift, keeping a bag of roasted chestnuts warm inside his coat so I would have something hot to eat. He hadn’t texted me because he didn’t want to stress me out while I was working. He just waited in the freezing wind until his face was raw. Back then, I remember thinking, This man is so undeniably good. Every horrible thing I have ever endured was just the universe testing me so I could save up enough luck to find him. And now, this same man was standing across from me, trying to boil down our entire history. Three years of devotion. Countless late-night conversations. The safety of his arms. Every promise we made about the future. Everything I thought was permanently etched into my soul. He was trying to reduce all of it into a cold, hard number on a bank transfer. A clean break. Paid in full. “Stop it!” Amanda suddenly shrieked, stepping out from behind his back. Her face was drenched in tears, her chest heaving violently as she struggled to catch her breath. Arthur immediately reached out to support her waist, but she slapped his hand away. She lifted her chin and glared at me. Her eyes were burning with an ugly, defiant resentment. “Leighton, I know I did you dirty. I know I owe you a debt I can never repay. But stop acting like you are some holy martyr!” “You raised me for sixteen years. Every meal, every coat, every dollar—I remember all of it. But do you want to know a secret? Growing up, the person I hated most in this entire world was you!” “You handled everything perfectly. You were so flawlessly capable that every time I looked at you, I felt like a piece of trash. You made me feel like I couldn’t survive twenty-four hours without you holding my hand!” “I could never stand tall in your shadow. That’s why I was so desperate to escape you! The only reason I married that absolute loser was because he promised to take me away to a different city!” “Yeah, he turned out to be a scammer too. But this time is different. I am never listening to you again.” She grabbed Arthur’s hand, weaving her fingers tightly through his. “I have finally found my true love. Even if you curse my name for the rest of your life, I am never letting go!” “You already have everything else in the world. So what if you let me have this one man?!”

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My best friend said a woman of my wealth only lacked one thing: security. So my husband synced all my dashcam footage to his phone—the best protection his lawyer skills could offer. That worked until the neighbor girl Penny scratched my car with a shared bike for the tenth time. In her faded uniform, tear-streaked, she pleaded, “Sister, I’m sorry… I’ll pay.” I’d let her go the first nine times. But this time, she just glanced at me, no remorse. “It’s just a scratch. You’re rich—you wouldn’t hassle a poor student, right?” I laughed coldly. “We’ll handle it legally. The dashcam has it all. Full compensation, plus the past nine incidents—three million dollars total.” She froze, then cried, “Three million? You hag, this car’s worth around five hundred thousand! My boyfriend’s a top lawyer—I’m not scared of you!” She didn’t know it was a limited Maybach—one body line alone cost half a million. I shrugged off her threat until the court date. There, a man in a sharp suit held her, whispering, “My crybaby, ready to call me your boyfriend now? I’ll help you send her and her lawyer to jail.” The man was my husband, Danny Davenport—supposedly on a London business trip—the undefeated top-tier lawyer. 1 “Really? She’s so rich, and I’m just a poor student. How could I possibly win against her?” Penny sobbed. Danny wiped the tears from her face. “You don’t trust your boyfriend, hmm?” “Your boyfriend is a famous, top-tier lawyer. I’ll make her kneel and beg for your forgiveness, how about it?” Penny finally broke into a smile through her tears. “Okay.” “Beat that old hag. Humph.” “Alright, my little princess, whatever you say goes.” I stared at the two of them for a long moment, then picked up my phone. Danny answered my call, unconsciously frowning. After a moment, he moved away from Penny and pressed the answer button. Danny’s smiling voice quickly came through: “Honey, you just left and you already miss me?” “Where are you?” I asked directly. Danny paused for only a second. “On a business trip in London, I report to you every day, don’t I?” “Gotta go. Otherwise, the client will get moody.” I watched him lose his smile, his face changing instantly as he hung up. Penny leaned in: “Who were you talking to?” Danny quickly kissed her on the cheek. “Just some insignificant woman. What, are you jealous?” I stood not far away, watching the backs of the two, like a couple deeply in love, and my heart involuntarily twitched. I didn’t attend the hearing that day; I sent my assistant in my stead. That evening, I returned home. I sat on the sofa, flipping through photo albums, looking at every little moment with Danny, my heart numb. Danny graduated from a prestigious university, and at a young age, he had already become a top-tier professional in his field. Everyone said we were a perfect match. Until then, I believed it too. I laughed, a self-mocking sound. Then, a text message arrived on my phone. Penny flaunted a message to me. “What’s the use of having so much money? Does anyone love you, old hag?” “But my boyfriend loves me very much.” Then came a series of intimate photos of them, hand in hand, cheek to cheek. The last one was her victory statement. I stared at that victory statement, every word on it mocking me. Before I could even reply, Danny’s call came in. “Blair Kingsley, what’s wrong with you? A woman almost thirty, making things difficult for a nineteen-year-old girl.” “How could you be so vicious, making a poor student pay three million dollars?” I smiled. So he knew it was me on the other side. And he knew the whole story, yet still chose to help her win the lawsuit. Truly a top-tier lawyer. I didn’t say anything, just hung up the phone and called my company lawyer. “I’m sorry, Ms. Kingsley, we’re simply no match for your husband.” “All of your dashcam videos were deleted by your husband. We have no substantial evidence to prove the car was scratched by the other party.” “It’s alright. I have another lawsuit, and I might need to trouble you further.” The person on the other end paused. “What lawsuit? Why not ask Mr. Davenport?” I spoke slowly. “A divorce lawsuit.” “He’s the defendant.” 2 Danny returned three days later. I merely gave him a cold glance and turned to walk away. “Blair, honey, why are you still angry?” “My attitude was bad the other day, I apologize, okay? I was too short-tempered.” “When I saw Penny, I remembered when I was in college, I was just as poor as her. I couldn’t even afford to eat. That’s why I felt sympathy.” He didn’t mention his relationship with Penny at all. “We don’t lack this money in our family. Just consider it good karma, helping the poor.” I stared at him, unmoving. Danny took my hand and led me out, saying it was compensation to buy me a handbag. Initially, I didn’t want to go, but I had been cooped up at home for too long these past few days. As we entered, a shop assistant walked over. “Ms. Kingsley, you’re here? And your husband too?” She enthusiastically showed me the new arrivals. Danny said beside me, “My dear wife, pick any bag you like today.” “Consider it my apology for upsetting you.” The shop assistants whispered to each other. “Mr. Davenport is so good to you, Ms. Kingsley.” “You two are even at the top of our city’s exemplary couple list.” Exemplary couple? I laughed mockingly. No longer interested in choosing a bag, I just picked one at random. Just then, Penny ran over, her face alight with surprise, and grabbed Danny’s arm. “Danny, darling, what are you doing here?” “Wow, the bag in Ms. Kingsley’s hand is so beautiful.” The shop assistant froze, looking at us in confusion. I watched Penny’s expression. It seemed she already knew I was Danny’s wife, yet she showed no intention of avoiding him. No, perhaps she had known all along. My eyes lowered, and I handed the bag toward her. “Pretty, isn’t it? Two million dollars. You wouldn’t earn that even if you worked your fingers to the bone for ten years.” Penny’s expression stiffened, then tears started to fall. She didn’t speak, just stared at Danny with tearful, wronged eyes, and after a long moment, she cried out. “I really can’t afford it.” “But Mrs. Davenport, you don’t have to look down on people so much. I’m poor, so what? Does being poor mean I don’t deserve to live?” “I’ll leave, alright? I’ll never appear before you rich, noble people again.” Danny frowned at me, his earlier patience for coaxing completely gone. “Who says she can’t afford it? I’ll pay for this bag for her.” With that, he pulled out a ten-dollar canvas bag from somewhere, throwing it at me. “You wear this today.” “Go reflect on yourself, on when you became so snobbish, looking down on the poor.” “You’re nothing but a parasite who only got by on family connections since childhood. In another ten years, Penny might not be any worse than you.” He finished speaking and ran after Penny, leaving me alone in the store. The shop assistants exchanged glances, then looked at me with pity. I watched his retreating back, my heart involuntarily contracting. A fine, prickling pain, like needles, intense and pervasive. I lowered my eyes, masking my emotions, pulled out my phone, took a photo of the bag’s payment record, and the backs of the two embracing downstairs. “Mr. Stark, evidence of infidelity.” 3 “Received.” I looked at Mr. Stark’ text, lowered my eyes, then put my phone away. The shop assistant behind me looked at me timidly. “Ms. Kingsley, that bag was the last one — are you still displaying your photo with Mr. Davenport?” My gaze shifted to the photo on the store’s shelf. It displayed a picture of Danny and me taken right after we graduated from college. Danny had just joined the law firm then, still an unknown legal assistant. He saved up his first three months’ salary, earned from eating instant noodles, to buy me the cheapest bag in this store. When he gave it to me, he held me and said, “Though I don’t have much money now, Blair, I promise you. We will definitely have a happy and bright future, definitely.” That bag is still in my closet, my favorite one. Because every time I saw it, I remembered Danny’s words, immersed in the future he had planned. Now he had money, successful and famous. That photo, however, felt like a slap, a harsh blow to my face. “Ms. Kingsley?” The shop assistant’s voice pulled me back from my memories. My gaze fell upon that photo. My smile in the picture was radiant, I had never imagined a day like this. “Throw it away.” “It’s not important anymore.” What use was a useless photo? Just like a useless person, I no longer wanted him. I averted my eyes, fiddling with my phone, then walked out of the store without looking back. I spent three hours by the sea, letting the wind blow over me. From dating in college to being married for seven years, every little moment replayed in my mind. That dull pain in my heart, which had surged like the waves, now completely subsided. I sent him a message. “Tomorrow is our seventh anniversary. I think we should talk.” Danny didn’t reply to me. Penny, however, posted something on her social media. She showed off the designer bag Danny had given her, with the caption: “The one who loves you will cross a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers to be with you.” “In love, only the unloved are the home wreckers.” Then I saw Danny had liked her post. I laughed mockingly. He had time to look at social media, but no time to reply to my message. Fortunately, I didn’t care anymore. Just then, my phone suddenly received a video call invitation. It was from Penny. “Sister. Guess where I am now?” “Sister is indeed rich. Even the dogs in her house eat better than me. A mere animal, what right does it have?” I looked at Penny in the video. At some point, she had gone to my villa, and Snowball, the dog I had raised since it was a puppy, was tightly held in her arms. “What do you want? Let go of it.” Snowball had always been aggressive towards people it disliked. It struggled wildly in her arms, perhaps having heard my voice. It struggled even harder, and Penny gripped its head tightly. Snowball turned its head and bit Penny’s hand hard. I watched Penny’s face, which had been flaunting, begin to contort. “You dead animal.” “That old hag bullying me is one thing, but you’re bullying me too.” Penny, wearing high heels, brutally kicked Snowball. I ran like a madwoman. “Don’t you dare touch it.” The ten-minute walk from the beach to my house, I covered in just five minutes. But it was still too late. I pushed open the door of my house and saw Snowball lying on the ground, tears in its eyes, whimpering softly. That was the expression it only showed when it was in pain. My heart was fiercely pierced. “Penny, let go of it. You let go of it.” Penny smiled at me. “Sister, you’re back. Your house is really big, it’s just that your dog is a little naughty.” “Oh, by the way, are you so out of breath because you rushed back for this dog?” She looked down at Snowball, her eyes suddenly turning sinister, and she laughed at me. “You wait. I’ll bring it down for you right away.” I saw her expression, and a bad premonition instantly enveloped me. “No—”

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1 I never, in a million years, thought the three titans of my lab would get so bored they’d make a bet about me. The prize was a batch of top-tier, imported lab reagents. The wager? To see which of them this dirt-poor grad student, who barely scraped her way in, would try to seduce within a month to scrounge for equipment access and funding. So that’s how we’re playing it? Hard mode? Fine. I’ll see their bet and raise them a full-blown psychological drama, turning their little competition into an all-out war. Now, they’re practically tripping over each other to give me access, approve my funding, and invite me to their projects, the original bet long forgotten. And me? The former “target” of their wager? I’m just sipping the coffee they brought me, watching them fight for my affection. Honestly, fellas. If you’d just been this helpful from the start, we could have avoided all this drama. … My name is Aria, and I’m the lab’s resident stray. My advisor, Professor Freeman, is a legend who exists only in the signature of his emails. The most valuable things he ever gave me were my “last-chance admission” status and the sage advice to “be self-reliant.” To graduate, I’ve honed the art of resource-scrounging to a razor’s edge. My skin has thickened accordingly. The lab’s three big shots are my primary targets. Caden, the cold, brilliant academic, is the gatekeeper of all lab equipment. Want to use a machine? You have to get through an approval process stricter than airport security. Blake, the walking ATM, controls the lab’s finances. A single vial of reagent from his private fridge is worth more than everything I own. And Noah, the tech wizard, is a professional award-winner. I can’t even find the power button on the advanced equipment he builds. Today, my graduation data hit yet another wall. I mustered the courage to ask Caden to borrow an instrument, only to be shut down with a curt “I’m using it” and “It needs maintenance.” Then I tried asking Blake for some reagents. He pushed up his glasses, a sly, fox-like grin on his face. “Ah, this one is for core team members only.” The final blow came during the group meeting. Noah, with his typical bluntness, tore my data to shreds in front of everyone, even criticizing the color scheme of my charts. Once is a coincidence. Twice is an accident. Three times… this was a coordinated attack. It wasn’t until I saw an open chat window on a public computer that it all clicked. [Betting she’ll come after one of us for resources within a month.] [I’ll put up that batch of imported reagents as the prize.] [Deal.] The timestamp was from a week ago. Well, damn. And here I thought I was just trying to graduate. Turns out I’m the star of a reality show: Love & Lab Coats. Before discovering this earth-shattering wager, my life in the lab was simple, tedious, and soul-crushing. My days were more tangled than a kitten’s ball of yarn. In the morning, I’d get up before dawn to help pack meals in the cafeteria for a free breakfast. Then I’d rush to the lab’s common area to fight for a computer older than I am, constantly oscillating between “It’s almost done!” and “It crashed again.” At noon, I’d choke down a stale, discounted bread roll while sprinting to another campus to work as a teaching assistant, grading an endless mountain of papers. In the afternoon, I’d squeeze in experiments back at the lab, my most fervent prayer being, “Please, dear God of machinery, don’t break down. I can’t afford to fix you.” Evenings were spent either bussing tables at a local diner or tutoring kids who would ask, “Teacher, why are you always so sleepy?” I’d usually stumble back to my dorm late at night, forcing my eyes open to read papers and write reports, often waking up with a jolt after falling asleep at my desk, a page of my draft soaked through. I was a perpetual motion machine, the broke edition, fueled by sheer desperation to graduate and eat. Chasing a guy? Romance? That was a luxury for people with time, money, and a full head of hair. We were from different worlds. They floated on clouds, discussing top-tier journals, competitions, and their bright academic futures. I was down in the mud, clawing my way toward a diploma and a job that could ease the burden on my family. My daily worries were whether my data would run, if I’d be late for my part-time job, and if the cafeteria lady would be generous with her serving spoon. I never imagined that a low-level lab rat like me would become the subject of a bet between the three top dogs. Does this count as my big break? After discovering the bet, I spent a solid half-hour doing angry sit-ups on my dorm bed. But anger wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I had to get smart. They wanted to see me chase one of them? Fine. I’ll show them a “targeted strike” of affection so precise and devastating it’ll make their experimental data look sloppy. 2 Three o’clock in the afternoon. The lab’s common area was at its busiest. The three big shots were huddled around Noah’s computer, staring at a screen of what looked like pure chaos—some advanced algorithm, apparently. I chose my moment and made my grand entrance, carrying a tray of coffees I’d spent a small fortune on. “Hey guys, you’re all working so hard! I brought coffee for everyone!” My smile was radiant, projecting the warmth of a loving, supportive colleague. The background noise of the lab screeched to a halt. You could feel the unspoken question hanging in the air: Aria is treating? Aria, the girl who could split a penny eight ways and had mastered eighteen different methods of mooching Wi-Fi, was actually buying coffee? I could read the shock in their eyes. My reputation as the lab’s number-one cheapskate was legendary. The last time the senior students went out for a group dinner, I’d successfully escaped paying my share by claiming I had to rush back to “take in my laundry.” The time before that, when everyone chipped in for the professor’s birthday, my contribution was a handmade card on paper I’d salvaged from the recycling bin. But I ignored their stunned faces, my gaze locking onto Caden. In front of everyone, I presented him with the “special order”—a hot, black Americano, no sugar, no milk. “Caden, this one’s for you. I remembered you’re lactose intolerant, so this should be perfect.” My tone was the epitome of casual thoughtfulness. The air grew thick. Caden’s expression was a complex mix of suspicion and confusion. “You… you bought this?” I almost broke character. My inner self was screaming. No, I used the power of my sincere gaze to convince the coffee machine to give it to me for free! This cost me two lunches, you fool! The pain was real. But on the outside, I lowered my head slightly, my voice soft but with a hint of defiance. “Yeah, I did. You guys are always helping me out. It’s the least I could do.” Helping me out by blocking all my resources, you mean! I seethed internally. Blake pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose, a faint, knowing smile playing on his lips. “Well, isn’t our Aria being unusually… generous. And so thoughtful, too. I guess you’re desperate to get your data from that HPLC Caden is guarding?” Caden’s hand, which had been reaching for the coffee, froze. His eyes narrowed, studying my face. Here we go. The show was on. In the next second, my eyes welled up. I looked at Blake with wide, “innocent” eyes, my expression a perfect picture of disbelief and hurt. “You’ve got it all wrong, Blake.” My voice was soft, my gaze pure as the driven snow. “I’ll figure out my own data. I can’t just expect everyone to take care of me all the time.” I bit my lower lip, then turned to Caden. My eyes now held a perfect blend of sympathy, admiration, and a shy “I understand you” look. “I saw Caden in the instrument room late last night, calibrating the equipment. He works so hard… I just thought he deserved a little extra care. That’s all.” My voice grew quieter, and a faint blush crept up my cheeks for added effect. I had perfectly embodied the image of a secret admirer, too shy to express her feelings but deeply concerned for her senior. I was so convincing, I almost believed it myself. Caden was clearly thrown by my direct approach. He looked at the coffee in my hand like it was a hot potato, unsure whether to take it. Was that… a blush creeping up his neck? He cleared his throat and, under the complicated stares of his two friends, took the coffee. His voice was a little strained. “Thanks for the thought.” Exactly the reaction I wanted. “You’re welcome!” I beamed at him. Then, as if just remembering the other two, I let out a little “Oh!” and offered them the remaining cups. “Blake, Noah, these are for you.” Blake’s smile was a bit forced. “How very kind of you, Aria.” Noah just grunted, took a cup, and said nothing. I pretended not to notice their expressions, but inside, I was cackling. Men! They all need the validation of female attention to feel secure in their own charm. They might not be interested in me personally, but with a bet on the line, whoever I “chased” would be the implicit winner. Oh, the beautifully childish male ego. 3 Just as I predicted, Blake and Noah exchanged a look that clearly said, So she’s going for Caden. I was screaming internally: You sweet summer children. You have no idea. Just when they thought I was about to launch a full-scale offensive on Caden, I calmly sat down. From my worn canvas tote bag, I dug around, and dug around, and dug some more, finally pulling out a wrinkled, 30-cent Snickers bar. “Here.” I shyly offered the candy bar to Noah. “Noah, you looked a little pale at the last meeting. Maybe low blood sugar. You should keep this handy.” Noah stared at the pathetic-looking Snickers bar as if it had personally offended him. His face was a perfect picture of bewilderment. Blake and Caden stared at each other, their expressions screaming, “WTF???” I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at their collective confusion. But as amusing as the drama was, I had bills to pay. To scrape together next semester’s housing fees, I had opened up a new front on the battlefield of part-time jobs. “Mr. Rossi’s Diner,” a greasy spoon on the street behind campus. Today was my first day on the job. Dressed in an oversized uniform left by the previous employee, I was wiping down a table when the bell over the door jingled. I reflexively pasted on my professional smile. “Welcome t—” The “o” got stuck in my throat. Oh, crap. Why in the world were Caden and Blake in a place where the average meal cost less than ten dollars? Weren’t they supposed to be at some fancy restaurant discussing molecular gastronomy? My brain went into red alert. My body reacted faster than my thoughts, and I made a move to dive into the kitchen. But Blake’s radar-like eyes had already locked onto me. He blinked, and then a smug, “Gotcha!” grin spread across his face. He nudged Caden. Caden turned. The “mere mortals, do not approach” expression on his face cracked when he saw me, clad in a grease-stained apron, precariously balancing a tray. What are you looking at? Never seen a beautiful woman bussing tables before? I managed a smile that was uglier than a grimace. “Right this way, gentlemen.” As I led them to a booth, Blake drawled, his voice dripping with mock surprise. “Well, well, Aria? Small world, isn’t it? You’ve certainly got a wide range of talents.” I was mentally rolling my eyes so hard I was afraid they’d get stuck. It’s my first day, you jerk! But I kept the smile plastered on my face. “You’re too kind. Life’s tough, got to be versatile.” I continued my performance, sneaking a shy, embarrassed glance at Caden. He, in turn, had sunk into a strange silence. After taking their order, I waited for Caden to head to the restroom, then scurried over to the cash register. “Mr. Rossi,” I whispered to the owner, “that table over there… when they’re done, if there are any untouched dishes, could you maybe… pack them up for me?” The owner looked at me, confused. “You haven’t eaten dinner?” I lowered my head, my voice even quieter, laced with embarrassment. “I spent my meal money on coffee today…” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Caden stop dead in his tracks on his way back from the restroom. Just as I’d planned. When he returned to his seat, his gaze was even more complicated. Later, as I was serving their food, my hand “trembled,” and a dish of chili oil nearly spilled all over me. Just as I was about to star in a tragic B-movie titled Waitress Down, a long, clean hand shot out and steadied the teetering plate. It was Caden. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes darted from my face to the counter where I’d been begging for leftovers. His voice was low. “You haven’t eaten dinner?” Hook, line, and sinker. I set the dish down, my head bowed as I twisted the corner of my apron. My voice was barely a whisper, filled with the panic of being caught. “Oh! N-no, it’s fine. I’m used to it. I… I went a little over budget with the coffee this afternoon.” 4 It was true, I hadn’t eaten. Those coffees were a major expense. My heart was still bleeding over it. He watched me in silence, the cool indifference in his eyes slowly replaced by sheer disbelief. He probably couldn’t comprehend how someone could be so broke that buying a few coffees meant skipping a meal. Caden barely touched his food. He poked at his rice for ages, his gaze constantly drifting in my direction. When Blake tried to talk to him, he just mumbled noncommittal responses. As I weaved between tables, my mind was racing with calculations: the “pity + coffee” combo was working beautifully. Finally, they finished their meal. Blake took a call and left, and I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when I realized Caden hadn’t moved. He had shifted to a less conspicuous table near the door. I snuck a glance during a lull. The guy had his phone out and was pretending to read emails. Seriously? His acting was worse than mine. Who reads academic emails in a noisy, greasy diner? I pretended not to notice and went about my work—clearing tables, wiping them down, greeting new customers. But even while busy, I kept the performance going. I made sure to “accidentally” pass by his table several times, “casually” wiping sweat from my brow, and letting out a soft, pitiable grunt while lifting a heavy stack of bowls. From the corner of my eye, I could see “Mr. CEO” wasn’t reading a single word. His frown deepened, and his fingers swiped aimlessly at the screen. At 9:30, the diner closed. I rubbed my aching back, said goodbye to Mr. Rossi, and dragged my exhausted body out the door. A figure immediately blocked my path. It was Caden. He had actually waited all this time. Under the dim streetlight, he looked a little flustered. He was clutching a takeout bag, and the tips of his ears were distinctly red. “Here,” he said, holding out the bag. His tone was clipped, but his eyes avoided mine. “I was… waiting for you. It was on my way.” I almost burst out laughing. On your way? Dude, you live in the fancy apartments on the east side of campus, and I live in the crumbling dorms on the west. Your “way” is a bit of a detour. But I instantly switched into “surprised and flattered” mode, my eyes lighting up. “Caden, you waited for me?” He cleared his throat and shoved the bag into my hands, his gaze fixed on a distant lamppost. “Just eat it.” I took the warm, fragrant bag, and a genuine flicker of gratitude went through me—I was starving. But the show must go on. I looked up at him with wide, watery eyes, my voice soft. “Caden, you’re such a good person. You’re so smart and so considerate.” I blushed on cue, lowered my head, and mumbled, “I wish… I wish I could always meet people as nice as you.” Then, I “panicked,” looking up as if I’d said something scandalous, and quickly tried to backtrack. “Oh! I mean, thank you! I-I should go.” Clutching the food like a lifeline, I turned and practically ran toward my dorm. After a safe distance, I snuck a peek back. Caden was still standing there, a long, lonely figure under the streetlight. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, touched his ear again, and then, almost comically out of sync, turned and walked in the opposite direction. Seeing him looking like a flustered, love-struck teenager, a smirk played on my lips. I hugged the warm takeout container and hummed a little tune all the way back to my dorm.

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When we went to rescue my fiancé’s childhood friend, my mother became their hostage. My fiancé, the squad leader, shot and killed her. Afterward, he held me, his eyes red-rimmed, explaining, “Your mother was trying to push Willow out to cause a riot. I had no other choice.” “I’ll convince Willow not to expose your mother, to try and preserve her good name.” I couldn’t believe it, yet with each piece of damning evidence, I was forced to accept it. The immense pain extinguished my will to live. One time, as I slit my wrist again, I heard Sebastian Stone scoff in his study. “She knew Willow grew up without a mother, yet she flaunted their mother-daughter bond in front of her. She deserved to be punished.” “All I did was switch out the evidence, to let Willow vent her anger.” As my consciousness faded, I finally understood—my mother had been framed. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we rescued his childhood friend. I directly took my mother and smashed three jewelry stores, personally handing her over to the police. I thought this time, there would be no accidents. But to my surprise, Sebastian still shot and killed a middle-aged woman. … Crossing the caution tape, the hostage’s body lay before me. My teammates looked at me, their faces pale. “Captain Reed, your mother tried to incite a riot just now, pushing Willow out to take the bullets.” “She was in the wrong first, that’s why she was shot…” My brows furrowed instantly. Impossible. I had personally sent my mother to the police station. She couldn’t be out. So, who was it, then, who died by Sebastian’s gun in this timeline? I rushed toward the body, bending down to untie her hood, wanting to see her face. But my arm was suddenly grabbed. Sebastian held me tight, his eyes full of reproach. “Blair Reed, Willow was almost killed by your mother just now.” “As a law enforcement officer, instead of checking on the victim first, you’re looking at this murderer?” At his words, everyone around me looked at me with disdain. “That’s monstrous. Even if the killer is your own mother, you can’t cover for her like this, can you?” “I think this kidnapping might even have been orchestrated by her, just out of jealousy over Willow and Sebastian’s good relationship.” I glanced over. Sebastian was comforting Willow Finch, oblivious to everything else, his fingertips gently wiping away her tears. Hearing the torrent of accusations against me, he didn’t even shift his gaze. Even after living through it once, it still hurt immensely. I took a deep breath, scanning the scene. “Does anyone here have proof that my mother pushed Willow?” “Are you going to convict someone based on just two people’s words?” The scene fell silent instantly. Those who had been gossiping lowered their heads guiltily. Willow broke free from Sebastian’s embrace, knelt before me, tears streaming down her face. “Blair, I know you’re the Chief Captain, powerful and influential. No one dares to contradict you.” “But there are no cameras at the kidnapping site, and the kidnapper has been shot. Where would we find evidence?” “Do you truly believe I would falsely accuse your mother in a life-or-death situation?” She cried pathetically, like a fragile white flower. Pity reappeared in the eyes of those around her. Sebastian hurried forward, picked her up, and looked at me with nothing but impatience. “Blair, what more evidence do we need for this?” “I’m your fiancé, your mother’s future son-in-law! How could I possibly frame her?” “Just stop making a fuss, okay?” Hearing Sebastian’s words, the crowd, already biased towards Willow, believed him even more. They pointed fingers at me with disdain, and a fresh wave of vile insults assailed me. In my previous life, they had done the same, their words one after another nailing my mother and me to the pillar of shame. This time, I absolutely would not allow it to happen! I shoved them away fiercely and strode to the hostage’s side. I ripped off the hostage’s hood. “Whether it’s a false accusation or not, won’t we know once we see?” The next second, my eyes widened in shock! Not just me; after seeing the hostage’s face, everyone who had been arrogantly accusing me bent over, dry-heaving. The body’s face had been smashed beyond recognition. The kidnapping location was on a rooftop. After the hostage was shot, she had fallen directly from the building. Now, her face was gruesome, utterly unidentifiable. Willow covered her nose, kicking the body with a look of utter disgust. “That old hag, she stopped Sebastian and me when she was alive, and now she’s still disgusting me even in death.” “Someone just drag her away and dump her.” Hearing her utterly depraved words, my pupils constricted, and I clenched my fists tightly. Sebastian blocked my path. “Blair, what do you have to say now?” “Don’t tell me you’re going to disown your own mother’s body just to clear your name?” I simply laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. What did he mean, I was clearing my name? They were the ones who killed an innocent hostage and framed my mother! Too tired to argue further, I pulled out my phone and called my squad. “Arrest Sebastian and lock him up. And immediately notify the coroner to perform an autopsy on the hostage.” Hearing my words, Sebastian’s face went pale. Based on the bullet trajectory and wound morphology on the head, the coroner could determine the hostage’s state at the moment she was shot—whether she was motionless or struggling. Then, Sebastian’s lies would fall apart. I waved my hand, motioning for the squad to take Sebastian away. But they didn’t move. Just as I wondered why, several of them silently surrounded me. Their eyes darted away, and after a long moment, a few voices, faint as whispers, tried to persuade me. “Captain Reed, please don’t make things difficult for Captain Stone. Your mother, in the heavens, would have wanted to sacrifice herself.” “We’re all family. Let’s just let this go.” I looked at them in shock, meeting Sebastian’s mocking smile. “Blair, still think you’re the all-powerful Chief Captain?” “Don’t forget you’re on leave right now. You can’t control me.” “Furthermore, as a family member, you should recuse yourself. It’s not appropriate for you to interfere with our proper case procedures.” I froze instantly, my limbs turning to ice. Half a month ago, Sebastian and I were on a mission together. I took a knife for him, directly to the heart. The doctor said two centimeters more, and I wouldn’t have survived. At that time, Sebastian, his face tear-streaked, knelt and swore he would protect me my entire life. How long had it been? All those vows were cast aside. And the injury I took for him had become an even sharper blade in his hands, stabbing back at me with ferocity. Willow delicately clung to Sebastian’s arm. “Sebastian, I told you she’d try to get your squad to come after you, all so she could steal the credit for this hostage rescue, didn’t I?” “So what if she saved you before? When it comes to real benefits, she’s still selfish.” “Good thing you had the foresight to get her squad members under control first.” Listening to her, Sebastian’s gaze toward me grew increasingly disappointed. “Blair, I thought you were just being a little temperamental, but I didn’t realize you actually wanted to harm me!” He roughly shoved me toward the body. “You stay right here. Don’t go anywhere without my permission, and don’t you dare call the coroner!” I fell sprawling to the ground, my arm cut by the pebbles, leaving a long gash. Pain seeped from my skin into my heart. I clenched my fists tightly. Now, my only comfort was that I had saved my mother’s life. As for who this hostage was, I would definitely find a way to find out. After an unknown amount of time, I struggled to my feet. My fingertips accidentally brushed against a wristwatch on the hostage’s wrist. I froze instantly. That was the watch I had custom-made for my mother. How could it be on the body’s hand? My mother’s previous watches were easily damaged, so I had specially ordered a reinforced one for her. My hands trembling, I picked up the watch to examine it closely. Indeed, her name was engraved on the strap. It was definitely the one I had given her. My gaze slowly fell upon the body, and I panicked. I hadn’t looked closely at the body before, but now, the more I looked, the more it resembled my mother’s build. But shouldn’t she be in custody right now? How could she be here? Cold sweat broke out, and I couldn’t bear to think further. I immediately turned to leave. I had to go to the police station and see with my own eyes if my mother was still there. Suddenly, a cold, stinging sensation shot through my wrist. Sebastian had handcuffed me to the spot! Meeting my shocked expression, he looked impatient. “Blair, don’t even think about going back to report to the superiors.” “This matter concerns Willow’s reputation. Be sensible. There’s no way I’m letting you go.” The handcuffs on my wrist tightened, biting into my flesh, even drawing a trickle of blood. Even with hardened criminals, Sebastian had never tormented anyone like this. Rage mixed with helplessness, scorching my chest. Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the distance. The Chief of Police was here! He was the elder I respected most; he would surely help me. Sure enough, after learning of the situation, the Chief’s gaze darkened, and he stepped forward to carefully examine the body. I had just breathed a sigh of relief. The next second, Willow’s high heel savagely slammed into the picture! The sharp heel mercilessly dug into the corpse’s head. One stomp, two stomps, each with full force. The already mangled head was now completely disfigured by her stomping. My mind went blank. By the time Willow strutted away, I was on my knees, tears streaming down my face. The Chief sighed, a flicker of pity in his eyes. “Blair, it’s not that I won’t help you.” “Right now, our department is up for evaluation, and without Captain Stone’s case, it will be very difficult.” “The evidence has already been destroyed. Please accept my condolences.” I stared blankly at the unrecognizable body on the ground, all sounds around me seemingly fading away. Faintly, I heard my teammates’ sneering. “So arrogant usually, she totally deserved this!” “Blair has just lost her mother and is too emotional, Chief. Why not give the Chief Captain’s position to Sebastian Stone?” “Our department still needs a cleaner. Blair can take over when her leave is up.” My heart turned to ice. I wiped away my tears and stood up calmly. “Now that the evidence is gone, and I no longer want the Chief Captain’s position, may I leave?” My teammates exchanged glances, then finally made way for me. Just as I lifted my foot to leave, Sebastian grabbed my arm again. “Blair, don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning.” “You want to trick us, then go to the provincial authorities to complain?” “If you continue to be so headstrong, don’t blame me for not being able to preserve your mother’s good name.” My mother was a retired police officer. In my previous life, after the incident, Sebastian immediately applied to the higher-ups to strip her of all her honors. Those were things she had earned with her life, incredibly precious. I unconsciously stopped. Sebastian ordered a few squad members to lock me in a room, then threw the hostage’s body in as well. The body hit the ground like a broken rag, kicking up a cloud of dust. A sharp pain pierced my heart. Kneeling beside the body, I wanted to tidy her appearance. My gaze fell upon the corpse’s hand. The watch was unchanged, but this time I noticed something different. My heart jolted. This person wasn’t my mother!

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1 After my heart surgery, my brother confessed to me, “We gave the heart that matched you to Luna.” “Your surgery wasn’t done; they just opened you up and stitched you back.” I trembled, utterly incredulous. “You gave my heart to her? What about me?” Mom and Dad’s smiles vanished. “Luna has always been frail since she was little, what’s wrong with letting her have it this one time?” “With how full of life you are, you’ll find another heart eventually!” “If we’d known you’d be so calculating, we never should have brought you back.” Luna’s crisp, tinkling laughter drifted in from outside, her voice sweet and cloyingly flirtatious. “Brother, where are you? Weren’t we supposed to take the baby to the Ferris wheel?” I stood frozen, my heart suddenly aching. But the doctor said my body was on the verge of collapse. That heart was my only hope to live. It felt like forever, but I was woken by laughter, having passed out from the pain. I looked up to see them returning, doting on Luna, the fake daughter. She walked in the center, a amusement park bow in her hair. Mom held her hand, Dad and my brother followed, laden with shopping bags. “Baby’s tired of walking, wants milk tea!” Luna stomped her foot, pouting sweetly, her voice cloyingly cute. “The Ferris wheel was so fun just now, Daddy, will you take baby again next time?” “Of course, of course,” Dad readily agreed. “As long as our little Luna is happy.” Mom reached out to adjust her scarf, chiding her softly, “You just had major surgery not long ago, don’t bounce around, be careful of your incision.” Luna stuck out her tongue. “I know, Mommy, but baby’s happy!” She turned her head and kissed Mom. “Thank you, Mommy, for baby’s new heart.” “Brother always said baby was too weak to go diving, but now Brother has no excuse!” She looked back at my brother, grinning. “Next month, Brother promised to take baby diving in the Maldives!” I suddenly remembered that spring when I was first brought home. They used to smile at me then too. Mom took my hand and led me into that house, pointing to a south-facing bedroom and saying it was mine. She said she heard I liked the ocean, so she specially chose curtains as blue as the sea for me. I stood at the doorway, looking at the sun-drenched window, and tears streamed down my face. The voices outside faded, and the phone rang. When I answered, the doctor’s anxious voice came through. “Seraphina, how could you give the heart that finally matched you to your sister?” “If we can’t find another suitable heart, you’ll die!” I gripped the phone, my heart heavy with bitterness. The doctor, sensing my silence, sighed heavily. “Alright, never mind. I won’t ask. You need to come to the hospital immediately. I’ll do another assessment, report your critical status, and put you back on the most urgent waiting list.” “Seraphina, do you hear me? We can’t give up!” My nose stung. After thanking him, I hung up and took a taxi to the hospital. Blood tests, forms, examinations—I’d been through the routine countless times, it was etched into my memory. I sat alone on a cold chair, waiting for the results, while others were surrounded by their families. I looked down at the dense needle marks on my hand, unmoving. I had long grown accustomed to this kind of loneliness. By the time I left the hospital, it was already dark. I hailed a cab home, but when I pushed open my room door, I froze. My bed was piled high with Luna’s suitcases and shopping bags, and her cosmetics and jewelry boxes cluttered my desk. My bedroom had become her storage room. 2 I stood at the doorway for a long time, then knelt to pick up a crumpled paper from the floor. It was covered in my clumsy handwriting from that time, with a heart drawn beside it. “Thank you, Mom, Dad, and Brother, for finding me. I promise to be a good daughter, a good sister.” “Seraphina, you’re back?” Mom’s voice came from behind me. “You can lend this room to Luna for her things for now; after all, the doctor said you’ll mostly be at the hospital for the next six months…” I suppressed the bitterness in my heart. “But this is my room.” Dad and my brother heard her voice and walked over, standing behind Mom. “So what if it’s your room? Luna just had major surgery, can’t you be a little more accommodating? We’re not saying you can’t live here.” I slowly exhaled, my chest tightening again. “She already took my chance at life.” I looked at them, speaking each word distinctly. “Now, do you want to take my room too?” After a brief silence, my brother was about to speak. “Maybe we can put her things in my…” But Luna suddenly peeked out from the stairwell. She wore pink loungewear, looking delicate and well-behaved. “Is Sister unhappy… Then I’ll move my things back.” She teared up, then bent down to pick up the largest suitcase. But as soon as she moved, she suddenly clutched her chest, swaying slightly. “Baby!” Mom was the first to rush over and support her. Dad quickly knelt down. “What’s wrong? Is your chest hurting? Don’t move, Daddy will carry you.” He picked Luna up in his arms, frantically rushing out. My brother followed, pulling out his phone to call for an ambulance. Before Mom left the room, she looked back at me. I’d seen that look before. Disgust and cold fury. “Seraphina! If anything happens to your sister, you’ll be in big trouble!” Watching the three of them leave, my chest suddenly contracted violently. The pain was different from usual; it felt like something deep inside my heart had ruptured. I leaned against the wall, slowly sliding to the floor, raising my hand to clutch my chest. The doctor’s voice echoed in my ears, “In your current condition, if you don’t get a matching heart soon, I’m afraid it will quickly…” I didn’t let him finish, but I understood what he meant. My remaining time was even shorter than I imagined. But I, I probably didn’t need it anymore. 3 That very night, I was admitted to the hospital. I lay in bed, and the door to my room opened. My brother stood in the doorway. He walked to my bedside, carrying a paper bag. “I brought you some osmanthus cakes.” This was my favorite dessert. Back when I was first brought home, I once stared at osmanthus cakes in front of a supermarket for a long time, but didn’t dare to ask for them. My brother noticed, and the next day, he bought a large box and put it in my room. That was the first time I felt that maybe there really was a place for me in this family. “Thank you, Brother.” My brother smiled and ruffled my hair, softening his tone. “Seraphina, I know you’re upset.” As soon as he said that, tears almost welled up in my eyes. But his next sentence made my tears recede. “I know you’re upset, but you have to understand, Luna’s bond with us is different from yours.” “During all those years you were growing up outside, Luna was always with us. Even though she’s not our biological child, eighteen years of affection aren’t fake.” My brother turned to look at me, his eyes carrying a pleading quality. “She’s always been in poor health since childhood, constantly running to the hospital, but she never complained. She’s so innocent and kind.” Seeing my silence, his voice dropped. “Seraphina, I’m not saying you’re bad.” “I just hope you understand that our bond with her was built day by day over eighteen years. You’ve only been back for less than two years; some things truly can’t be treated the same.” Eighteen years. Built day by day. I sat on the hospital bed, my heart aching as if it were being squeezed. When he said these words, he seemed to have completely forgotten how I spent those eighteen years. After being swapped at birth, I was abandoned at a rescue station, then sent to an orphanage. It wasn’t until I was almost an adult that I met a kind foster mother. But these things, they didn’t know, and didn’t want to know. In their eyes, those years I was “lost” outside were merely an insignificant interlude that could be lightly dismissed. “I know you’re angry,” my brother sighed, “But Seraphina, for the sake of this family, can you just try to get along with her?” I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, my brother’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and a smile unconsciously curved his lips. “Brother, do you think the swimsuit I picked out is pretty?!” Luna’s voice came through the receiver, sweet and cloying. “Baby searched for so long, my eyes are tired, come quickly and help me choose!” My brother smiled, that gentle smile he only reserved for Luna. “Alright, Brother will be right there.” He stood up, pushed the chair back into place, and glanced at me. “Seraphina, I’ll come see you another day; you rest for now.” He turned and walked towards the door. Just then, a sudden, excruciating pain erupted in my chest. I grabbed the bed railing, arching my body from the agony. “Brother…” The monitoring equipment began to alarm wildly. My brother’s footsteps paused; as he started to turn, Luna called again. “Brother, do you like this one?! Baby thinks this one makes me look whitest!” He hesitated for only two seconds before making his choice. “Seraphina, I’ll have the nurse come right away, just bear with it…” By the time the nurse rushed into the room, his figure was no longer visible at the end of the corridor. I lay there, tears finally falling. That night, I took out a medical record sheet from the drawer and began to write my will. Before I could even put pen to paper, the door to my room was suddenly pushed open. The nurse ran in, panting, her eyes shining brightly. “Seraphina! You have it! A new match has been found!” 4 I shot up, pulled on my jacket, and ran to the doctor’s office. The on-duty doctor saw me, a rare smile on his face, and turned the computer screen towards me. “Seraphina, look, a new match has been successful.” “This heart donor is very young, all indicators are excellent. It’s arguably the best opportunity.” My eyes welled up instantly. The feeling of being pulled back from hell almost suffocated me. “However,” the doctor paused, “the surgery fees need to be settled as soon as possible, including the heart transplant and subsequent anti-rejection treatment, initially estimated at four hundred thousand dollars.” I froze for a moment. Four hundred thousand. I instinctively reached for my phone; ‘Dad’ glowed on the screen in my contact list. Even though they had done those things to me, at the brink of death, they were still my only hope. The phone rang for a long time before it was answered. “Dad…” “What? More about Luna?” Dad’s voice carried an impatient edge. “Seraphina, can you not be so sensible? The heart matter is settled; there’s no point in making a fuss.” “No, Dad, I have a new match.” I gripped the phone. “The doctor said this heart is especially good, but the surgery fee is four hundred thousand dollars, I…” The other end of the phone fell silent for a few seconds. I heard Mom’s voice in the background: “Who is it? Seraphina? What’s she making a fuss about again so late?” Then Luna’s sweet, syrupy voice: “Is it Sister? Is Sister still mad at baby…” Dad’s voice resumed. “Alright, I know about this. We’ll talk later.” The call was disconnected. I stared at the call-ended screen for a long time, stunned. My chest began to ache faintly again. I squeezed the phone tightly, comforting myself. Maybe they were just busy; maybe they would come tomorrow. Early the next morning, I called my mom. “Mom, did Dad tell you yesterday? The new match…” “He told me, he told me,” Mom’s voice was a little unnatural. “Seraphina, honey, we’ll figure out a way for that surgery fee.” “But the doctor said we can’t delay…” “I know we can’t delay, but you have to be considerate of the family’s situation, don’t you?” Her voice rose a few decibels. “Your sister just had major surgery; the medical bills alone were hundreds of thousands. Now she needs to recuperate at home, and everything costs money. The family’s money doesn’t grow on trees.” I opened my mouth, hearing footsteps and Luna’s voice on the other end. “Mommy, look at this handbag, isn’t it pretty?!” My brother’s voice followed immediately: “If you like it, buy it. Brother will get it for you.” The call was disconnected. I sat on the hospital bed, my eyes burning. Taking a deep breath, I turned and went home. When I pushed open the living room door, I froze. The sofa was piled high with shopping bags. Luna was nestled on the sofa, holding her phone and taking pictures. Mom sat beside her, helping her find angles. Dad leaned on the sofa, reading a newspaper. My brother was bending over, unpacking a box of macarons from a bag. Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, making the scene impossibly warm. “What… are you doing?” My voice made all four turn their heads simultaneously. Luna was the first to react, holding up the bag in her hand. “Sister, look! Mommy bought me a new bag! Is it pretty? It cost over thirty thousand, it’s a new, limited edition!” Thirty thousand. That was one-tenth of my surgery fee. Mom’s face changed. She put down her phone and stood up. “Seraphina, why are you back? Didn’t the doctor tell you to stay in the hospital?” “I came back to talk to you about the surgery fees.” I tried to keep myself calm. “The doctor said the new match was successful, but we can’t delay. The sooner the surgery…” “Alright, alright,” Dad’s face was displeased. “You come back and immediately talk about money. You’re always calling from the hospital talking about money. Four hundred thousand isn’t a small sum; how do you expect us to suddenly get that much?” I stared at the shopping bags on the sofa. “Then this bag…” “This is a post-surgery recovery gift for Luna,” Mom quickly interjected. “Luna just had such a big surgery; we have to make her happy. A good mood is beneficial for recovery. Don’t you understand that?” I understood. They spent thirty thousand to buy a bag for Luna after her surgery, to make her happy. But I hadn’t even had my surgery. I was almost out of time. 5 “Mom, my surgery only costs four hundred thousand.” “This match… it’s my last hope.” Silence fell over the living room for half a second after I said that. Then Luna gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes wide. “But Sister, you can still live for half a year, aren’t you just trying to trick Mom and Dad out of money?” All the blood rushed to my head. “What did you say?” “Did I say something wrong?” Luna shrank back towards Mom, her voice timid. “Sister, don’t be angry… I didn’t mean it like that, I just think Sister is lucky to have another matching heart so quickly.” “Luna!” I stepped forward, but my brother immediately blocked me. His tall body stood between Luna and me, looking down at me. “Why are you yelling at Luna? She didn’t mean any harm.” “She didn’t mean any harm?” My voice distorted. “She said I was trying to trick money out of you!” “Enough!” Dad stood up, his face clouded. “Seraphina, are you done with your tantrum? Luna was just joking; do you have to get so angry?!” “I’m not throwing a tantrum! I just want my surgery money! That’s my life savings!” “Life savings, life savings, isn’t it just money you want?” My brother looked at me coldly, pulling his car keys from his pocket and throwing them on the coffee table. “I can keep the car, but that’s only two hundred thousand, still half of your four hundred thousand. Are you going to sell the house we live in to pay for your medical treatment too?” “Seraphina,” Mom’s voice suddenly dropped very low. “Your sister just had surgery, her body is still weak. If you come back and make such a fuss and make her sick, can you take responsibility for that?” “The doctor said you can live for at least another six months, what’s the hurry? You’re not going to die tomorrow.” I stood there, my chest feeling like it had been violently struck by something. An intense pain began to spread from my heart to my limbs, making me almost unable to stand. “I really can’t wait any longer…” My voice began to tremble. “The doctor said I can’t wait, that match really can’t be delayed… Please believe me…” Luna peeked out from behind Mom, tilting her head and looking at me. “Sister, there you go again. Last time you were like this too; you pretended to be in pain when Brother went to see you. Now you’re pretending again.” “I’m not pretending!” In a rush of anger and frustration, I couldn’t help but charge towards Luna. “Seraphina, what do you want?! Stay away from Luna!” My brother slapped me across the face. I was knocked sideways, a metallic taste flooding my mouth. Just then, an unprecedented, excruciating pain erupted from my chest. Finally, my vision blurred, and I collapsed.

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1 On my deathbed, I begged my son: “Donate my heart to your father, Alistair Walker. He’s had cardiomyopathy for thirty years—it’s the last thing I can do for him.” But my son brushed me off impatiently. “Enough with the false kindness. Dad isn’t even sick.” I thought I’d misheard. “What?” He sneered. “If you hadn’t refused to divorce him, why would he have faked an illness to be with Aunt Olivia all these years?” I trembled, demanding proof. He handed me a marriage certificate—Alistair Walker and Olivia Thorne, smiling intimately. A furious pain shot through my heart. The home I’d built for half my life was a complete sham. My son’s face was cold. “Aunt Olivia is my real mother. Your own baby was drowned long ago. Back then, Dad and Olivia lost control, leading to her premature labor and heavy bleeding—she gave birth to me the same day as you. Dad was so shaken he developed heart palpitations. Fearing you’d never stop, he faked the illness for thirty years.” I collapsed, spitting blood. “Why tell me now?” His eyes burned with hatred. “You stole her place for thirty years. Now, on your deathbed, you want Dad to owe you gratitude? Why should he?” My mouth filled with bitterness as I gasped my last breath in regret. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the delivery room, next to his sister-in-law’s. An intense pain surged from below—I was in labor. … My body felt like it had been torn apart, lying utterly spent on the bed. The nurse brought the baby over for me to see. It was a boy, with a wrinkled little face and a loud cry. I made an excuse to go to the bathroom, enduring the intense pain, and slowly walked towards the restroom at the end of the corridor. The restroom was very close to Olivia Thorne’s room. The muffled sounds of conversation drifted from next door. It was Alistair Walker’s joyous voice. “Olivia, look, he has a birthmark on his shoulder, just like mine.” Olivia’s voice was weak but smiling. “It’s all your fault. I was almost due, but you just couldn’t help yourself yesterday… causing my premature labor.” Alistair chuckled softly. “My bad. But a premature birth is good, too; saves us from having to find an excuse to stall after Audrey gives birth.” He paused, “Don’t worry, after she got pregnant, just looking at her belly made me sick. I never touched her once. Later, I’ll have the doctor write a certificate saying my heart condition has worsened, so we can’t share a bed anymore.” Listening, my nails dug into my palms. When I was pregnant, I was dizzy with morning sickness, and he only said his heart was bothering him, afraid of noise. I felt sorry for him, enduring it alone. Later, he wasn’t as affectionate, and I thought it was due to his poor health and irritability. Turns out, he just found me in the way. I took a deep breath and sent a message to the male nurse I had immediately bribed after my rebirth: [You can switch the baby’s name tags now.] Then I deleted the message, returned to my room, and feigned sleep. Not long after, I heard someone come in. I didn’t open my eyes, listening as the person picked up a baby and quietly left. The next day, Alistair Walker came to the hospital, his face still pale. Following him were several doctors and Olivia Thorne’s hospital bed. She was propped up on the bed, looking weak. Alistair walked to my bedside. “Darling, you’ve worked hard.” I looked at him, a cold sneer in my heart. He spoke as if casually, “My sister-in-law’s baby didn’t make it; it was a premature birth and died. She’s upset, so I had her moved to this VIP room for a few days to rest quietly and recuperate.” I said nothing. “She is your sister-in-law, after all, and my brother passed away young. Since we’re all family, I thought she could be the baby’s godmother, what do you think?” I looked into his eyes; there wasn’t a trace of guilt. He packaged his affair with his sister-in-law and the child they had as a husband’s compassion for his sister-in-law. “Alright,” I nodded indifferently. Alistair nodded, satisfied, then turned to take his thermos out to get water. My gaze swept over the postpartum pads by my bedside. They were Olivia Thorne’s size. Even the postpartum pads he prepared for me were bought to fit her figure. I suddenly felt utterly ridiculous. Alistair left with the cup, and the doctors also left after settling in. Olivia Thorne, however, slowly rose, her steps instinctively moving towards the crib. “Olivia, you just gave birth, don’t move around too much.” My voice turned cold. She glanced at me, smiling gently. “I just want to see the baby.” “No need, he just fell asleep.” I instinctively shielded the crib, pushing her away. Olivia suddenly shrieked, collapsing to the floor. “Olivia!” Alistair cried out, rushing over. A dark red patch seeped through the hem of her hospital gown; it was blood from a burst wound. “Audrey, I just wanted to see your child, why did you push me… Are you afraid I’d bring bad luck to the baby? Boo-hoo-hoo…” Alistair abruptly looked up, his gaze at me like knives. “Audrey Hayes! My sister-in-law just had surgery, why would you push her?!” “You’re absolutely insane! I’ll have my sister-in-law transferred to a platinum suite, you need to calm down!” For several days, Alistair didn’t visit me. My wound throbbed faintly, but I endured it, never once pressing the call bell. On the fifth day, my mother arrived. When she pushed open the door, I was leaning against the headboard, looking out the window. The first glance at me brought tears to her eyes. “How did you get so thin?” I smiled and said I was fine, that all mothers looked like this after childbirth. She didn’t believe it, insisting on pulling back the blanket to look at my wound. The gauze was soaked in blood. My mother’s tears immediately fell, and she frantically called the nurse. I was helped to the examination room for new stitches. The disinfectant touching the torn flesh made me gasp, but I didn’t utter a sound. My mother stood beside me, her hands trembling. “Is Alistair treating you badly?” I didn’t want her to worry. “No, Mom, he’s not well, he can’t manage.” My mother opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back. “Your uncle will be here today. Whatever grievances you have, tell him. He’ll make things right for you.” I paused. Uncle Julian Thorne, CEO of Thorne Industries. In Ashton, his word could shake half the city. In these years since I married into the Walker family, my uncle and I hadn’t had much interaction. I always thought not to burden him, never bothered him. This time, I might not be able to hold on alone. After my mother left to pick up my uncle, I went to the restroom at the end of the corridor to wash my face. When I returned, the crib was empty. “Where’s the baby?” I asked the nurse anxiously. The nurse didn’t even look up. “Mr. Walker said he took him to his room, to have his sister-in-law help look after him.” My mind buzzed. I turned and ran to Olivia Thorne’s room. The male nurse followed behind me. He was the one I had arranged beforehand, and he’d been staying nearby these past few days. As I pushed open the door, I saw Olivia half-propped on the bed, her hospital gown half-open, breastfeeding. Alistair sat in a chair by the bed, a smile on his lips. I rushed over and snatched the baby from Olivia’s arms. The baby was startled awake and cried loudly. Olivia hastily covered her chest, her eyes instantly red. “Audrey, what are you doing?!” Alistair stood up, his face darkening. “Uncle Julian is here to bring the baby a welcoming gift. I’m taking him now.” I hugged the baby tightly, my voice as cold as ice. Alistair frowned. “Why are you in such a hurry? Olivia’s breasts are engorged and uncomfortable. What’s wrong with letting the baby help her?” I ignored him and turned to leave. The next second, Olivia grabbed the baby’s tiny arm. The baby cried as if his heart would break. I pushed her away. “You’re pinching him?” Olivia recoiled her hand, tears instantly flowing. “I didn’t… I just wanted to help him steady himself…” The male nurse couldn’t stand it anymore and rushed forward to shield me. “Miss, the baby is still so young, you can’t do this—” Before he could finish, two bodyguards burst through the door, pinning the male nurse to the ground, one on each side. Alistair Walker looked down at him, a cold sneer on his face. “You’re just a nurse, daring to interfere with the master?” With that, several slaps rained down, one, two, three. The male nurse’s face quickly swelled, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. “Let him go!” I tried to pull the bodyguard away, but another held my shoulder, unable to move. “Send him to the police station,” Alistair said lightly. “Bold to harm my child.” He took the baby from my arms. The baby was still crying, the red marks on his arm alarming. Alistair looked down, then suddenly froze. He turned the baby over, pushed aside his tiny clothes, exposing his shoulder. No birthmark. “Where’s the birthmark? Where’s the birthmark on the child’s shoulder?” The baby’s ear-splitting cries felt like daggers in my heart. I lunged to snatch him back, but Alistair kicked me in the lower abdomen. My freshly stitched wound immediately burst open, excruciating pain shooting through my entire body. I curled up on the ground, unable to even cry out. Alistair held the baby, looking down at me, his face ashen. “Audrey Hayes, have you been seeing someone else? Whose bastard child is this?” Sweat poured from my forehead from the pain. I gritted my teeth, refusing to speak. My silence infuriated him. He sneered, his gaze turning to the male nurse, who had fainted on the floor. “Not talking, huh? Then it must be an affair between you and this nurse.” He handed the baby to Olivia Thorne, motioning to a bodyguard. “Disable his lower half for the rest of his life.” “You wouldn’t dare!” I struggled to get up, but another bodyguard pinned me down. Fists and feet rained down on the male nurse, specifically targeting his groin. He was already unconscious, but his body still convulsed reflexively, blood pooling from his mouth. “Stop! You’re breaking the law!” I shrieked, my voice completely distorted. Alistair smoothed his sleeves, his tone sarcastic. “You cheated in our marriage, gave birth to a bastard with a strange man, and dare to talk to me about breaking the law? Do you believe I’ll make you leave with nothing, not a single penny?” Olivia held the baby, crying as if her heart would break. “Sister, please give the baby back to me, okay? We won’t pursue this, as long as the baby is safe…” I clenched my jaw, refusing to give in. Soon, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. My mother arrived first. Seeing the mess on the floor, her face instantly went white. “Audrey! What’s going on?!” She rushed over and hugged me, her voice trembling. Alistair gestured to a bodyguard, who kicked my mother’s knee, making her buckle. My mother, caught off guard, fell to her knees. “Alistair Walker! What are you doing?!” my mother shrieked. Alistair’s eyes were icy. “Audrey, I’ll ask you only one thing: where is the child? If you don’t tell me, your mother is next.” My mother’s eyes widened, her whole body trembling. “Are you insane? Try laying a finger on me! My brother, Julian Thorne…” Before she could finish, a bodyguard slapped her across the face. Several bodyguards began to hit my mother from both sides. Blood streamed down my mother’s chin, her hair disheveled, half her face swollen beyond recognition. But she gritted her teeth, not uttering a sound. She was a martyr’s widow. When my father died, she raised me alone, never bowing her head to anyone. But now, she was on her knees, being slapped like an animal. I charged forward like a madwoman, but two bodyguards held my arms, immobilizing me. “Alistair Walker! You’re crazy! She’s my mother! A martyr’s widow! I’ll see you rot in jail!” Alistair sneered. “A widow whose husband died, what trouble can she cause? If reporters come, I’ll just say your mother couldn’t stand the loneliness and found lovers for herself and for you. What’s wrong with me, Alistair Walker, cleaning up my household?” He walked to me, gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Where is the child? Where have you hidden him?” I looked at his hypocritical face, and suddenly, I laughed. “You yourselves killed that child, and now you ask me where he is?” Alistair’s hand froze. Olivia’s crying stopped too. “What did you say?” Alistair’s voice changed. Olivia’s face drained of all color in an instant. She looked down at the baby in her arms, her lips trembling violently. She shrieked, her voice sharp enough to pierce eardrums, “You’re lying! That’s impossible!” “No… impossible…” Alistair’s voice began to tremble. His legs weakened, and he took a step back, bumping into the bedside table. Olivia had completely broken down, cradling the baby and sobbing hysterically. “My child! Give me back my child!” Looking at the two of them, I felt not a shred of satisfaction. Only a coldness seeping from my very bones. Alistair suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, like a cornered beast. “Where did you hide my son?! Tell me!” He rushed forward and grabbed my neck, his fingers tightening. I couldn’t breathe, and my vision blurred. “Not talking? Fine.” He suddenly let go, turning to the bodyguards. “Drag her to the operating room. Take out her uterus. Let her never be a mother again.” My mother shrieked, “You wouldn’t dare! Julian Thorne won’t let you get away with this!” Alistair acted as if he hadn’t heard, waving his hand. The bodyguards dragged me out. I struggled, my hospital gown ripped, exposing my shoulder. People in the corridor glanced over, but no one dared to step forward. The operating room door was pushed open, and cold air rushed out. I was pressed onto the operating table, my hands and feet bound, my clothes stripped away. The smell of disinfectant made me want to vomit. “Begin,” Alistair commanded the doctor, his face cold. Just as the surgical knife was about to descend, the door was kicked open from the outside. “I’d like to see who dares lay a hand on her!!”

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1 My husband and I were in an arranged marriage. In a union built on mutual benefit, he still treated me like a princess. Until the company charity run, when his female assistant twisted her ankle. She didn’t want to drop out, crying that she absolutely had to get a finisher’s medal. My husband, without a second thought, carried her on his back for the final mile. When he crossed the finish line, he was gasping for air, but still smiling, saying, “I’m not tired.” I said nothing. That night, I had the driver take the car to the winding mountain road. I threw the spare tire from the trunk at him. “Carry this.” “You said you weren’t tired, keep going.” A man who overstepped. If he could be managed, I’d keep him. Otherwise, he could go back to where he came from. “Ah~” A scream echoed as Olivia Thorne fell on the track. Her knees were scraped raw, her ankle twisted. The medical team was just about to enter the field when Adam Lagerfelt, who was about to cross the finish line, immediately turned back and rushed to Olivia’s side. I frowned and cleared my throat. Adam, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard anything. “Olivia, are you alright?” He rubbed Olivia’s ankle, his eyes overflowing with concern. The distance between them was as close as a painful thorn. My vice president cautiously asked, “Ms. Hayes, should I have someone take Olivia off the field first?” I waved my hand. For three years of marriage, Adam had always been well-behaved, maintaining a strict boundary with other women. This was the first time he had shown such tenderness towards another woman in front of me. I wanted to see if he dared to cross the line. “I’m sorry, Mr. Lagerfelt.” “I can push through, I really want to finish and get a medal.” “I… I can’t let you down.” Olivia’s eyes welled up. She shakily stood up, took one step, and fell again. “Darling, if Olivia withdraws, can she still get a medal? She’s young and has a strong sense of pride.” Adam asked me in a pleading tone. I looked at him with disappointment and shook my head. “Mr. Lagerfelt, don’t make Ms. Hayes uncomfortable.” “I’m your subordinate, I won’t let you down!” Olivia struggled to get up, limping into the track. Then, losing her balance, she fell into Adam’s arms. “Olivia, I’ll help you achieve your wish!” In front of everyone, Adam knelt down, letting Olivia climb onto his back. He carried Olivia, straining, as he sprinted towards the finish line. The previously lively track instantly fell silent. Only Olivia’s delicate cheering could be heard. All the executives exchanged bewildered glances. I said nothing. The moment Adam carried Olivia across the finish line, Olivia cried with excitement. They hugged each other, thrilled. Adam’s face was pale, breathing heavily. Still smiling, saying, “Not tired.” Olivia got her medal. Adam looked like a hero. I led the applause, a cold sneer playing on my lips. Adam stopped all movement, nervously looking at me. “Darling, let me explain.” I wasn’t interested in listening. I turned and walked away. That night, Adam squeezed into my Rolls-Royce. “Darling, let me explain.” Still the same words. I ignored him, letting the driver take the car to the foot of Serpent’s Peak. Adam looked surprised. “Darling, what are we doing here so late? Taking a stroll?” The driver took a spare tire from the trunk and threw it in front of him. I pointed at the spare tire, then at the mountain peak. “Carry it to the top of the mountain, then run back down.” “A hundred pounds, the same weight as her.” “You said you weren’t tired, keep going.” Adam’s face went white. He tried to force a smile. “Darling, don’t be jealous.” “Olivia and I truly have nothing going on.” “If you don’t like it, I’ll throw away her medal when I get back.” He tried to hug me, but I pushed him away. “Adam Lagerfelt, know your place.” “Maintaining boundaries with other women, that’s my bottom line.” “Now, do exactly as I say, immediately.” “This is a lesson for you. If you can’t complete it, then it’s time for a replacement.” I got into the car and closed the door. Outside the window, Adam’s body was trembling. A drone followed behind him. The countdown began. Twelve miles of mountain road, two hours. Adam brought this upon himself. He quickly hoisted the tire onto his back and began running up the winding mountain road. The drone chased him, filming his every move. I sat in the car, monitoring his pathetic struggle. When Adam’s legs cramped and his knees were scraped raw, I reminded him he’d only gone one mile. When he ran and vomited, scrambling and tumbling after the tire, I didn’t even glance at him. It wasn’t until Adam collapsed halfway up the mountain, incontinent and convulsing, that I coldly uttered, “Send him to the emergency room.” When Adam woke up, he immediately deleted Olivia’s contact information in front of me. He proactively had her transferred to a different department and deliberately kept his distance from her. Compared to before, he was even more gentle and considerate towards me. I thought he had truly reformed, truly understood. Until I received a smoke alarm alert from the Southwood Manor. The moment I opened the security footage, a chill ran through me. 2 My newly purchased manor was packed with dozens of people. They were throwing a wild party, trampling on my custom-made Italian sofa with their shoes, dancing. Bottles of rare Lafite from my cellar were opened and guzzled! The ornamental fish, worth thousands each, were fished out of the tank and grilled! The barbecue smoke had triggered the alarm! A suffocating feeling tightened in my chest. Among the crowd, I spotted a familiar face—Olivia Thorne! She was wearing my brand-new Hermès haute couture. It had arrived last week; she’d found it in the closet, and I hadn’t even worn it once. I dialed Adam, attaching a screenshot of the security footage. “Explain this to me. What exactly is going on?” “Don’t tell me you don’t know.” Adam was silent on the other end of the line. After a long pause, he quietly said, “Olivia’s graduation party, they had nowhere else to go.” “I thought since you leave the house empty, you don’t live there, so I lent it to Olivia.” “Please don’t make things difficult for her.” I laughed, a bitter, exasperated sound. I retorted, “Adam Lagerfelt, that’s my house. What right do you have to lend it out?” “Get them out of there immediately.” “Furthermore, all damages will be compensated at full value.” Adam immediately became anxious. “Darling, Olivia is still a child, you don’t need to be so hard on her.” “Besides, this small amount of money is nothing to you.” “They’ll go home once they’re tired of playing…” I didn’t have the patience to hear him out. I hung up directly. No need to be so hard on her? Nothing to me? Oh, great, very generous of him. But Adam forgot, though outwardly we were in an arranged marriage. His family, the Lagerfelts, were merely a minor clan in the capital. Our so-called marriage was, in fact, him marrying into my family, a social climb. Without the support of my family, the Hayes, his family would have been swallowed whole long ago! He, Adam Lagerfelt, was merely a househusband, nothing more. And he wanted to act like the master? I immediately called my assistant, gathered my bodyguards, and headed straight to the Southwood Manor. As they were partying hardest, my Rolls-Royce pulled up to the entrance. I immediately cornered Olivia, who was trying to hide in the crowd. I ripped off the Chanel dress she was wearing. Shredding it in front of everyone, I flung the pieces at her face. Anything she touched, I considered defiled. “Olivia Thorne, is this your home?” “Ms. Hayes, I… I…” She lowered her head, squeezing out a few tears. Looking utterly pitiful. As if she had done nothing wrong, and I was bullying her. The crowd of students behind her exchanged glances. “Olivia, didn’t you say the manor was yours?” “So you were lying.” “How vain and shameless.” They tried to leave, but my bodyguards blocked the doorway. Half an hour later, my secretary tallied the damages. A total of fifteen million, three hundred twenty thousand dollars! I flung the bill in front of Olivia. “Pay up.” The students quickly backed away. “Olivia, this has nothing to do with us!” “Exactly, if I’d known it wasn’t your place, I wouldn’t have come!” “You better pay the lady, don’t drag us down.” Everyone was desperately trying to distance themselves from Olivia. Olivia’s tears splattered on the floor. She cried, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry, Ms. Hayes, I didn’t mean to.” “I don’t have money, I can’t pay.” Tears were her best weapon. Especially against Adam. But with me, they were useless. “No money? No money, then go to jail.” I was about to call the police. Olivia dropped to her knees. “Olivia!” Adam burst into the manor. 3 “Olivia is still a child, she really didn’t mean to.” “This is all my fault.” “Darling, let’s just drop it.” “Besides, this amount of money is nothing.” Adam tenderly wiped Olivia’s tears. He then tried to touch me with those hands that had touched Olivia, but I evaded him. “Drop it? You’re remarkably broad-minded.” “Then you can pay for her.” I took the POS machine from my secretary and handed it to Adam. He immediately fell silent. I pointed at Olivia. “Bank card.” She didn’t move. “Bank card. Don’t make me repeat myself a third time.” Adam tried to intervene again, but meeting my gaze, he dared not speak. Olivia took out her bank card. She entered the PIN on the POS machine. Exactly twenty thousand dollars, no more, no less. I had my secretary write an IOU and threw it to Olivia. “Your outstanding debt is fifteen million, three hundred thousand dollars.” “Pay it back within five years. Don’t forget.” At this, I glanced at Adam. His face was grim. “You are an adult, not some child.” “When you make a mistake, you pay the price.” “No one is exempt.” I emphasized the last sentence. Adam lowered his head. That evening, Adam proactively prepared dinner. There was my favorite boiled shrimp. He personally peeled the shrimp and placed it in front of me. Yet, he remained silent throughout. It was almost as if he was sulking. I looked into his eyes, neither touching nor eating the food. I knew what he wanted. There were certain boundaries I needed to make clear to him. “Adam Lagerfelt, I despise men who lack boundaries.” “If there’s a next time, you know what I’m capable of.” Adam bit his lip. He seemed somewhat troubled. After a long silence, he forced out a stiff smile. He gave a stiff nod. It didn’t matter. I no longer held any expectations for him anyway. As long as he could honestly remain a househusband. Stop crossing the line, stop disgusting me. I wouldn’t touch him. But if… A sharp ringtone interrupted my thoughts. Adam picked up his phone, cautiously glancing at me. He hung up the call. After that, his phone rang incessantly. “Olivia Thorne?” “Yes.” “Answer it. Don’t forget what I said.” I took a sip of red wine, looking at him. Adam put the call on speaker. Olivia’s sobs came through the speaker. “Mr. Lagerfelt, I’ve been expelled from school.” “My parents are ashamed of me, they don’t want me either.” Adam’s face changed dramatically. He quickly grabbed his phone, cradling it in his palm. His face was filled with tension, full of anxiety. “Olivia, where are you? Don’t you dare do anything rash!” I sighed. Looked at him with disappointment. Shook my head with disappointment. “Mr. Lagerfelt, please tell Ms. Hayes I can’t pay her back. I’m sorry.” “Mr. Lagerfelt, I want to call you Mr. Lagerfelt one last time.” “It was my honor to meet you. Goodbye, my Mr. Lagerfelt.” 4 Olivia hung up the phone. Adam tried calling back repeatedly, but couldn’t get through. “Olivia? Olivia! Don’t you dare do anything foolish!” “Wait for me! Wait for me!” He grabbed his jacket, about to rush out. I asked him, “Are you sure you want to go?” Adam glared fiercely at me. He grabbed the plate of peeled shrimp and smashed it to smithereens. “Kelly Hayes, are you even human?!” “If you hadn’t pushed Olivia, would she be feeling so desperate?!” He overturned the table, destroying the entire dinner. He rushed out, without a second thought. I watched it all, coldly. Didn’t say another word. He wasted his last chance. Exhausted all my patience. And strangled the last possibility of this marriage. My lawyer immediately drafted divorce papers. I sent them to Adam at once. What I received in return was a barrage of angry voice messages. “What the hell is going on, and you’re still getting jealous?!” “If anything happens to Olivia, I’m not done with you!” Because of Olivia’s one desperate message. Adam’s thorns were completely exposed. Not long after, my secretary sent me a screenshot from a social media post. Olivia’s. The accompanying picture was a hotel room, with Adam’s back in a bathrobe. [“Thank you, Mr. President, for filling my desperate life with starlight.”] Then came my secretary’s call. Her voice was trembling. “Ms. Hayes, Mr. Lagerfelt is planning to collude with other shareholders to remove you…” I took a deep breath. Good, very good. Adam Lagerfelt, you’re quite something. Soon you’ll find out the consequences. The next day’s shareholder meeting was chaired by Adam. Olivia attended. All shareholders were present, except for me. No one had informed me. Adam raised the microphone. “Alright, I announce that all resolutions of this shareholder meeting are passed.” “Ms. Olivia Thorne is appointed Vice President of the Group, with an annual salary of fifteen million, three hundred thousand dollars.” “Kelly Hayes is hereby removed from all positions within the Group, effective immediately!” The applause in the conference room almost blew the roof off. Just as Adam was handing Olivia her appointment letter. I kicked open the conference room door.

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1 It was my first month standing in for my sister at university when a strange man burst into the classroom, cradling a baby. Under the gaze of the entire class, he thrust the wailing infant into my arms. “This is your child, and you will take responsibility!” I was utterly bewildered. When had my sister even gotten a boyfriend? He spoke with an air of absolute entitlement, giving me his demands. “Seraphina Amick, if you don’t want me to make a huge scene, you’ll agree to three conditions.” “One, pay twenty thousand a month in child support until the child turns eighteen. Two, immediately transfer two villas to the child, fulfilling your duty as a mother. Three, if you don’t want to marry me, you’ll provide the dowry for my next wife, to give the child a complete family.” The whole class erupted in gasps, and I, looking down at the tiny infant in my arms, grew even more confused. My sister’s child? But she had a congenital heart condition and was currently hospitalized, unable to conceive. So, did he mean I was the mother of the child he spoke of? But I was a man, for crying out loud! The man continued to rant, accusing me as if I truly were an irresponsible mother. Faced with such baseless accusations, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh, raising my voice to challenge him. “You say this is my child, but where’s the proof?” “Are you just going to slander someone’s reputation with empty words? Who knows where you picked up this child!” The man, instead of flinching at my challenge, smirked, as if he’d anticipated this very response. He slowly pulled out a neatly folded paper from his pocket, unfolding it before me for everyone to see. “I knew you’d try to deny it, so open your eyes and see! This paternity test report, in black and white, clearly states that you, Seraphina Amick, are the biological mother of this child!” “The date? Just yesterday afternoon, fresh off the press!” He waved the report, his voice rising a few decibels. “I prepared for this. I specifically asked your roommate to get some of your hair and personally took it for the test.” “Now, with witnesses and evidence, you must take responsibility for this child!” My roommate? A flash of memory crossed my mind: a few days ago, Tinsley Evans had been unusually eager to get close to me. She’d either claimed I had leaves in my hair or offered to braid it. At the time, I’d tried to keep my distance due to the gender difference. Now it seemed she was after my hair for evidence. But the crucial point was, I was wearing a wig to impersonate my sister! How could a paternity test done with a wig show a blood relation? Did they think I was an idiot? I looked at the supposed ironclad evidence in his hand, a cold sneer twisting my lips, my eyes filled with scorn. “Paternity test? I have a blood relation with this child?” “Let me tell you, your so-called paternity test is completely fake!” The man’s face changed. “Fake? How can you say it’s fake? It has the hospital’s official stamp! You just don’t want to acknowledge this child!” I met his gaze head-on, unyielding, and challenged him. “You’re trying to frame me with some hair from who-knows-where and a flimsy piece of paper?” “If you truly believe this child is mine, then come with me to a reputable hospital right now and get another paternity test. Do you dare?” The man’s eyes flickered, clearly losing some of his confidence, but he still stubbornly retorted, “Your family, the Amicks, are powerful and wealthy. Who knows if you’ve bribed the hospital? Getting a fake test report is just a word for you!” Then, he changed tack, attempting to play on the emotions of the onlookers, his voice choked with feigned emotion. “I know, when you dated me, you just wanted to have some fun. You always looked down on me, thinking I was just a poor kid, not worthy of you, the Amick heiress.” “But you shouldn’t have secretly given birth to a child and then abandoned him in a rented apartment! This is our flesh and blood, after all!” “I didn’t ask for any title, I just want a good life for the child. These conditions I’m asking for, aren’t they just a flick of your wrist? Why are you so cruel to your own child!” This tearful accusation indeed made some uninformed students begin to whisper, their gazes at me now laced with suspicion. However, I wasn’t falling for any of it. I hadn’t done it, and I wouldn’t let my sister carry this burden. “What’s the point of all this nonsense?” “I will never admit to something I haven’t done. If you’re afraid of me tampering with things, then let’s just call the police. Let them designate an institution for the paternity test, with continuous video surveillance. Surely, that’s acceptable?” “Th-this…” The man was immediately speechless, his face flushing crimson, stammering, unable to form words. Just then, the baby in my arms started crying louder, its little face turning red from straining. Tinsley, watching from the side, suddenly rushed forward, snatched the baby, hugging it tightly, and shrieked at me. “Enough, Seraphina Amick, stop making excuses!” “Do you think we can’t see through you? You just want to kill this child!” 2 Tinsley pointed at me, her voice sharp and piercing. “Seraphina Amick, you’re still putting on an act! You were pregnant and still going out drinking and clubbing every day; I told you so many times, but you wouldn’t listen.” “Now look, the child is born prematurely, sickly, and weak, but you don’t care at all. You’re denying everything, trying to drag him all over the place.” “Isn’t it because you see the child is in poor health and you want to literally drag him to his death, just to completely get rid of this burden? How can your heart be so cruel!” The man, seeing Tinsley step up as a witness, instantly found his backbone, straightening his posture, and immediately chimed in. “Tinsley’s right, Seraphina Amick, if you have nothing to hide, do you dare tell everyone why you suddenly took a month off from school? Wasn’t it to secretly give birth to my child?” “After you returned to school, you immediately applied to live off-campus, wasn’t it because you were recovering from childbirth?” Perhaps genuinely believing I had been up to something unsavory during that period, something I couldn’t disclose, the man became more self-assured, his expression triumphant. “When you were recovering, wasn’t I bringing you chicken soup every day and looking after you? But what did you do? As soon as you felt a little better, you turned on me, kicking us, father and son, out of the house! You venomous woman!” His elaborate accusations, coupled with Tinsley’s backing, instantly made the situation even more chaotic. Hearing them, my other two roommates also looked enlightened. “Yeah, Seraphina, why did you suddenly take a month off before? When we asked, you just said you weren’t feeling well. What kind of illness requires such a long hospital stay?” “And as soon as you came back, you were eager to move out of the dorm, saying you couldn’t get used to sleeping there. But we’ve all lived together for over a year, why suddenly so uncomfortable? Is it… really something you don’t want us to know?” another roommate hesitantly added. “You rarely wore makeup before, but after your leave of absence, you’ve been wearing it almost every day. Is it to cover up your complexion?” Hearing these doubts, prompted and amplified by my roommates, the man felt even more confident, as if victory was already in his grasp. And I, listening to their deductions, was almost laughing from sheer frustration! Seraphina Amick’s month off was because her condition had suddenly worsened, requiring heart surgery. But she didn’t want to make a fuss, only hoping that I, her twin brother, could complete her studies for her. And the reason I immediately moved out of the dorm and became a day student after returning to school was because I was a man, for crying out loud! No matter how much I wanted to help my sister, there was no way I could actually live with a bunch of girls! Could I state that reason openly? As for wearing makeup every day, it was simply because there were still differences in our facial features that needed to be concealed. But all these coincidences, by some bizarre twist of fate, had now become evidence that I had taken time off to have a baby. I looked at the farce unfolding before me and the suspicious glances of my classmates, a wave of absurdity washing over me. What in the world was going on! I rubbed my temples, interrupting them. “I took time off to have a baby, and lived off-campus to recover from childbirth? Are all those people who take time off from school just going off to have babies?” “Tinsley, didn’t you also take time off for a while? And now you’re so concerned about this child, I might as well think you’re the biological mother!” “You want to accuse me with such flimsy evidence? If you can’t explain yourselves, then let’s call the police. Let them see if I’m truly innocent!” Tinsley’s face turned ashen at my words, and she shrieked, stopping me from reaching for my phone. “I was trying to be kind, Seraphina Amick, do you really think there’s no other evidence?” 3 Tinsley said, giving the man a meaningful look. The man instantly understood, a cruel smile spreading across his face as he pulled a stack of photos from his pocket and slapped them onto the lecture desk with a loud thwack. “Seraphina Amick, Tinsley, in her kindness, advised me to save you some face and not bring out these photos. But you’ve pushed it too far, you don’t appreciate consideration!” “Today, I will let everyone see your true face, let everyone know what a promiscuous woman you, the Amick family heiress, are in private!” The photos scattered across the desk were utterly indecent, all intimate pictures of me and this man in various settings, with some even being extremely explicit bedroom photos! The entire class instantly erupted into chaos. Many students’ eyes now held undisguised contempt for me. Even a few boys in the back row let out malicious snickers, openly commenting on my body in the photos. “Didn’t realize the Amick heiress had such a good figure.” “If I’d known it was this easy, I would’ve tried my luck too. Maybe if I satisfied her, I could’ve become a son-in-law of the Amicks.” I stared fixedly at those photos, my anger surging, almost breaking through my composure. They were using such vile tactics to tarnish my sister’s reputation. But at the same time, a wave of relief washed over me. Thankfully, it was me standing here enduring all this, not the real Seraphina Amick. Otherwise, just seeing these fabricated, obscene photos would likely have been enough to trigger a heart attack! I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm. “With today’s advanced photo editing, anyone can just find a few pictures, composite them, and pretend they’re evidence of me dating you. You don’t seriously think such a trick can fool everyone, do you?” The man let out a lewd laugh, as if he’d heard the funniest joke, his eyes maliciously tracing over my body. “You can say the photos are doctored, but you can’t fake the birthmark on your lower back, can you? And there’s a small mole hidden behind your ear. If I hadn’t slept with you, how would I know your body so intimately?” Hearing his words, I actually felt a wave of relief. The birthmark and mole he mentioned did exist, but they were features I, Sterling Amick, possessed. Seraphina Amick had none of those! It seemed this clumsy plot was cooked up after I started impersonating my sister at school. A cold laugh formed in my mind. Someone who knew my body so intimately could only be someone I shared a dorm with, someone who had the opportunity for close observation. My gaze swept across my three roommates. Only Tinsley’s lips held an ill-concealed, triumphant smile. It seemed she and this man had conspired together. With that thought, I looked at them, a smile that wasn’t a smile on my face, and asked directly, “After all this circling, what do you want?” The man was about to speak, but Tinsley interjected, putting on an act of concern for me. “Seraphina, it’s good you can admit it. Who doesn’t make mistakes when they’re young?” “But I see you really don’t want to acknowledge this child. Why don’t you let his father take him back? You just need to pay for the child’s living expenses for these eighteen years upfront, a total of one million dollars. Think of it as buying peace of mind, and fulfilling your bond with your child. How does that sound?” One million dollars? I almost applauded her. What a brazen demand. A thought flashed through my mind, and a smile spread across my face as I readily nodded. “Alright, I’ll pay.” 4 Seeing the money transferred, the man and Tinsley’s eyes immediately lit up with uncontrollable delight. Their goal achieved, they had no desire to talk to me further, and the two of them, holding the baby, made to leave. But I stepped forward, blocking the classroom door. “What, you’ve got the money and now you want to leave? Not going to let me spend a little more time with the child? He is my flesh and blood, after all.” As I spoke, I made a move to touch the baby in Tinsley’s arms. Tinsley’s face instantly changed, like a hen protecting its chick. She fiercely shielded the baby, avoiding my hand, her eyes wary. “What do you want? The child support has been paid, he has nothing to do with you anymore! Don’t you dare touch him!” Just as we were pulling and pushing, the classroom door was abruptly thrown open. The academic advisor stood in the doorway, his face filled with anger. “What’s going on here! How long has class been? The teacher has been waiting for you all for half the period, and not a single one of you is in there! What are you all blocking the doorway for?” Seeing the advisor, several students who loved drama immediately swarmed him, loudly tattling. “It’s Seraphina Amick, she took a month off from school to secretly have a baby, and now the child’s father has come to claim child support!” “Sir, Seraphina Amick’s private life is so messy, with such character, how can she be eligible for awards and honors, or to be a student leader? I suggest revoking her qualifications and giving her a disciplinary warning!” “Exactly! Must be disciplined! It’s bringing shame to our school!” Everyone was indignant, as if I had committed some heinous crime. However, listening to their words, the advisor’s face grew increasingly grim. Instead of lecturing me as the students expected, he abruptly pushed away the students crowding him and sternly barked, “What nonsense are you all spewing? What ‘having a baby’? What do you know to be making such a fuss?” The advisor strode over to the man and questioned him. “Who are you, and how did you get into our school?” “Harassing and slandering our student here, and extorting money—do you know that’s illegal behavior?!” Seeing the advisor so protective of me, Tinsley immediately panicked, her face etched with unwillingness. “Advisor, she herself admitted it, you can’t just favor her because the Amick family is rich and powerful!” The advisor immediately glared at her, his tone severe. “Tinsley Evans! This has nothing to do with you! Did you personally witness Seraphina having a child?!” Tinsley choked for a moment, but then defiantly stuck out her neck and shouted, “Of course I can testify! She used to stay out all night, and I even saw her and Vance getting cozy!” The advisor seemed to understand something, ignoring Tinsley, and stared directly at Vance Miller. “Mr. Miller, isn’t it? Now, immediately clarify the facts and apologize to Ms. Amick, otherwise, I will call the police!” Vance was so startled by the advisor’s threat that cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He instinctively looked at Tinsley. Tinsley, seeing his hesitation, yelled at the advisor without thinking. “Why are you so biased towards her, just because her family is rich? I won’t let the truth be covered up by power! She is…” “Enough! Truth, my foot!” The advisor finally lost his temper, cutting Tinsley off with a furious roar. “Are you all brain-dead? Do you believe whatever he says?” “The Seraphina Amick standing in front of you is a man! Tell me, how can he, a man, give birth to a child?!”

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After getting roasted by my advisor at our group meeting, I sent my online boyfriend a photo of my legs. 【Show it to your master right now!】 I looked up. My usually cold and aloof sharp-tongued advisor suddenly had his Adam’s apple bobbing, his ears flushed red. Curious, I sneaked a peek at his phone screen. There was the message I had just sent. Ah!!! I was instantly dumbfounded. But my hand had already initiated a video call with him… 0 The buzzing of Ethan Ford’s phone vibrating was particularly jarring in the oppressively tense atmosphere of the group meeting. I never would have dreamed in my wildest imagination. That my cold-blooded, ruthless advisor was the online boyfriend who would cry while calling me master! Ethan Ford’s fingertip moved toward his phone screen. My heart leapt into my throat. Was he about to answer the video call? Yes, answer it! Hurry up and answer! Ten minutes ago, he had just publicly berated me, calling my fifth-draft thesis a pile of garbage. Once he realizes I’m his master, he definitely won’t hold up my thesis anymore! Oh heavens! How exciting! Brother, I finally have hope of graduating! I immediately sat up straight and proper. The next moment. The video call was rejected. 185 Dumb Rich Guy With Abs (the nickname I’d given him) sent messages in quick succession: 【Baby, I’m in a group meeting right now, it’s not convenient to show you.】 【I’ll contact you later, okay~】 【Transfer $52,000】 【Puppy loves you·jpg】 I paused. The smile hadn’t even left my face yet. When my advisor Ethan Ford’s stern reprimand suddenly rang in my ears. “Vincent Scott! What are you grinning about?” I jumped in fright. Hastily looked up. Right into Ethan Ford’s cold, sharp gaze. Ethan Ford seemed furious to the extreme, staring at me without giving me any face: “During your undergraduate years, you neither participated in any major research projects nor had any relevant academic background. I didn’t even want to recruit you into the group back then. It was your academic counselor who strongly recommended you to me, saying you were a promising candidate worth cultivating.” “And the result?” “Your experiments are a complete mess, your thesis writing is utter nonsense, you don’t say a word during group meetings, and now you dare to play with your phone!” “Do you even want to graduate?” This is bad, this is bad. I think I’ve really messed up big time. My heart trembled with fear. The other students were also too scared to breathe, but they all unanimously looked at me. Their gazes were sympathetic, confused, relieved it wasn’t them getting chewed out… Since childhood, I’d excelled academically, making it all the way through university graduation on a steady diet of teacher praise and classmate admiration. But after starting graduate school, from my proposal defense to my thesis, I’d lost count of how many times Ethan Ford had berated me. My face burned with embarrassment. Hot tears welled up in my eyes. But Ethan Ford is so gentle with me online. He even acts coquettish with me, saying things like “baby give me kisses” and “love master the most”… I tried to explain to him. But my voice shook like a sieve from grievance and nervousness. “I was just… messaging my boyfriend. My boyfriend is actually…” “Zero people present care, zero people want to know about your relationship drama!” Ethan Ford coldly interrupted me: “Next time you can’t distinguish time and place like this, go apply for a new advisor. I won’t supervise you anymore.” Ethan Ford wasn’t just the youngest master’s degree advisor at the school—his father was also the CEO of a publicly listed company and even had shares in the university. If he refused to supervise me, the other advisors would be afraid of offending him and definitely wouldn’t take me on either. Then I’d be completely finished. My blood ran cold. After a long while, I stiffly squeezed eight words from my throat. “Understood. It won’t happen again.” 0

As soon as we left the academic building, my senior Ryan Jenkins asked me with a worried expression. “Vincent, how did you dare to make a video call during the group meeting today?” Because I discovered Ethan Ford is my online boyfriend. I was so happy I nearly lost my mind in that moment. But thinking about it now, it’s very strange. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered my voice and asked, “Do you think Professor Ford could possibly be dating a guy online?” Ryan froze for a moment, then laughed: “Professor Ford is famously an aloof ice prince. He doesn’t even get close to women, let alone date guys online.” His expression changed, and he asked me seriously: “You’re not believing those online posts about confessing to your advisor about online dating when your thesis won’t pass, are you?” “Those are all clickbait. Don’t believe them.” “Professor Ford is already dissatisfied with you. If you go and offend him with pranks, you really won’t be able to graduate.” My heart sank with a thud. I thought I’d hit the jackpot being in an online relationship with Ethan Ford. But from Ethan Ford’s perspective, it really does look like I’m deliberately retaliating against him. After all, I made him call me master and wear a chest chain while showing off his abs. Just now, I even asked him to show it to me! Oh god, how humiliating, how terrifying. I absolutely cannot let Ethan Ford know it was me he’s been dating online! I feigned composure: “I’m just curious. I wouldn’t do something like that.” Only then did Ryan relax. Shortly after I returned to my apartment, Ethan Ford sent me a message. 【Baby, I’m free now. Should I show you now?】 Ah! Just thinking about how Ethan Ford is cold and cutting in person, with his shirt buttons always fastened to the very top. But privately he’s gay and shameless enough to want to pull down his pants for me to see. The contrast is just too huge. And he’s my advisor! How could I still dare to mess around? Me: 【No need.】 Ethan Ford panicked: 【Why not?】 【Am I not attractive to you anymore?】 【Or are you angry I didn’t agree immediately?】 【No wonder you haven’t accepted the money.】 【Baby, I was wrong, I was really wrong. I’m begging you, give me a chance to show you.】 Then a video call came through. My heart trembled along with the ringtone. Perhaps because Ethan Ford had been so harsh with me, seeing him so humble now stirred a huge sense of satisfaction in me. I even wanted to make him more miserable. I wanted to humiliate him, then dump him. But looking at the $52,000 he’d transferred… …forget it. I’ll keep being the dominant one and continue this relationship for now. However, the humiliation cannot be skipped. I answered the video call. We tacitly didn’t show our faces as usual. “Baby, are you angry?” His clear, deep voice drilled into my ears. Before, I hadn’t thought about connecting it to Ethan Ford. Now hearing this voice, it really was the same as Ethan Ford’s. I was afraid he’d recognize my voice. I typed back to him: 【Not angry. You do your thing, I’ll watch.】 Ethan Ford breathed a sigh of relief. His tone became cheerful. “Okay, then I’ll start.” 0

I stared intently at the screen. Ethan Ford unbuckled his belt… “Ah!” I couldn’t control my outcry and even dropped my phone on the bed in fright. Though I talk dirty all the time, am attracted to men, and love reading erotic fiction to decompress. This was the first time in my 24 years of life seeing another man’s… and it was Ethan Ford’s, no less. It was simply too shocking. Ethan Ford’s voice carried a trace of anxiety. “Baby, what’s wrong?” “Did I… scare you?” I patted my burning cheeks. Ended the video call. Deliberately asked: 【Did you not develop properly?】 Ethan Ford: 【?】 Me: 【In novels, the male leads are all 30.】 Ethan Ford didn’t understand: 【30 what?】 Me: 【Centimeters.】 Ethan Ford: 【…】 Ethan Ford: 【Novels are all made up. My 21 is already very impressive.】 【In fact, I’m even worried you won’t be able to handle it (awkward.jpg)】 This horny dog… My cheeks burned even hotter. 【Indeed can’t handle it.】 【You’re too old.】 【I like pink.】 【Maybe I should find a younger boyfriend.】 Ethan Ford was already 30 years old—this was enough to devastate him. Sure enough. Ethan Ford immediately called via video. Seeing that I rejected it, he sent a voice message, saying anxiously: “Baby, you can’t find another man.” “Whatever color and shape you want, I can get surgery to achieve it.” “Please.” “You can’t abandon me.” “Master.” By the end, his voice was trembling. Hahaha. I was extremely satisfied. Thinking I still needed to revise my thesis later, I deliberately tormented him, saying: 【Depends on your performance.】 【I need to get busy now.】 Ethan Ford was very nervous: 【What are you busy with? Can I help you with anything?】 Of course he could help. But I didn’t dare tell him. 【Something I wrote got called shit. Now I have to rewrite it.】 Ethan Ford felt so sorry for me: 【Then that person really has no taste. Sounds like trash.】 Huh? Cursing himself. I burst out laughing. 【Baby, send me your address. I’ll come back you up and make sure he apologizes to you.】 As if. He clearly just wants to trick me into meeting in person. 0

Ethan Ford and I met in a livestream room. I’m a faceless sleep-aid streamer. He’s my fan. My parents both know I’m only interested in men. They wanted me to start working early and earn more money while I’m young. In case no one takes care of me when I’m old, at least I’ll have money to support myself. But high-paying jobs also have high educational requirements. So I lied to my parents about having a job when I’m actually secretly pursuing my master’s degree. Besides needing to earn my own tuition and living expenses, worried that living in the dorms would expose me, I even rented an apartment off-campus. I really desperately needed money. After discovering that Ethan Ford was very dependent on me and very wealthy, I started reeling him in. For example: deliberately not replying to his private messages, or not streaming for several days in a row. When asked, I’d say I took on private clients. That’s when Ethan Ford would transfer money to buy my time. I smiled and played hard to get: 【There are people bidding higher than you. Why should I agree to you?】 Ethan Ford’s tone was pitiful: 【Then what do you want?】 Me: 【I want an obedient puppy that belongs only to me, the kind that calls me master.】 Ethan Ford coldly replied with 【Oh】. I thought I’d overplayed my hand. Then he asked: 【Do you need me to sell my body?】 【Would you want to see my eight-pack abs?】 Eight-pack? I thought he’d fool me with stock photos from the internet. I didn’t mind stock photos either. 【Yes.】 Ethan Ford sent a voice message. His voice was low and seductive. “I only show my boyfriend.” “Be my boyfriend, and I’ll agree to anything you want.” And so, we established our romantic relationship. But I only held the mindset of working to earn money. To protect my privacy, we agreed not to send face photos or reveal our names. But who could have imagined he was Ethan Ford? 0

I pretended to complain: 【Afraid you’ll show me something ugly.】 【Don’t come.】 【Don’t bother me today, or I’ll block you.】 Ethan Ford indeed quieted down. I took the money and put down my phone. But as soon as it passed midnight. Ethan Ford, as if he’d been watching the clock, sent me crying voice messages. “Baby, it’s a new day now.” “Are you asleep?” “I can change whatever you don’t like about me.” “I need only you. I want you to be my wife.” “Please don’t abandon me.” “Masters can’t abandon their puppies.” “Master, please, just reply to one message.” … I was still up late revising my thesis since I had to submit it to him tomorrow. Originally full of resentment. But hearing Ethan Ford crying that he needed only me and wanted me to be his wife. It was like being hit by a sugar-coated bullet. My heart sweetened. My resentment immediately dissipated by more than half. I asked him: 【Am I really that important to you?】 Ethan Ford’s voice was hoarse yet exceptionally firm: “Extremely important.” “You’re like the ray of light that illuminates my life.” “These two years with you, every single day I’ve been so happy.” “You’re more important to me than my own life.” “Let’s meet. I want to see you every day, take care of you, and spend my whole life with you.” My ears burned hot hearing this. My heart melted completely. Although Ethan Ford was usually cold, cutting, and harsh—making one regret that such a handsome guy had to open his mouth. But thinking about his face, money, abilities… and his current obedient clinginess. I really hit the jackpot. I happily replied: 【I understand. Let’s talk about meeting in June.】 I need to get my diploma first before meeting. Ethan Ford was very happy. The next morning, I went to the academic building to find Ethan Ford on time. Ethan Ford frowned at his computer screen. “Are you sure you revised this according to my comments?” My heart panicked. I leaned toward the computer screen. “Yes. Is it wrong again?” Ethan Ford’s face was cold, the pressure around him frighteningly low. I anxiously wrung the hem of my clothes. “…Then should I revise and send it again?” “But I think… I can’t revise it anymore.” Ethan Ford glanced at me. “Believe in yourself. Consider it fate’s way of testing you with obstacles.” Ah, I was stunned for a moment, not expecting Ethan Ford to change from his venomous style and comfort me. Could it be that thinking about meeting me, he’s being nice to the whole world? The little bit of joy in my heart hadn’t even had time to spread. When Ethan Ford poured cold water right over my head. “But fate seems to think you’re a donkey that needs constant grinding.” Me: “…” Ethan Ford pointed at a section of the document with his mouse. “What is this paragraph? Did AI write it?” “No, I wrote it myself.” “You wrote it yourself?” Ethan Ford scoffed lightly, his tone bone-chillingly cold: “Next time you show me this, I won’t let you enter the review and defense stage. Just apply for delayed graduation then.” A long ringing filled my head. I was already under tremendous pressure, secretly pursuing my master’s degree behind my parents’ backs. If I can’t get my diploma, haven’t these three years been completely wasted? How would I explain this to myself and my parents? And Ethan Ford said last night he’d back me up, but now he’s the one driving me crazy! I felt like Ethan Ford had stabbed me right in the armpit. It really hurt so much, yet was so absurd. In truth. I had completely broken down. I slammed his desk hard, saying: “Ethan Ford! Are you really going to prevent your wife from graduating?” Ethan Ford paused and looked up at me sharply.

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