Category: English

The day I was diagnosed with cancer, I walked in on my wife cheating with a young man and transferring assets. Just as I was about to confront the despicable pair, a body-swapping system suddenly bound to me. The system stated that I could swap identities with any same-sex target at any time. Watching my wife and the young man in each other’s arms, I smiled. From then on, she wanted a car? Buy. Wanted money? Transfer. Wanted the company? Sign it over. She thought she was draining me, but she was digging her own grave. I cooperated with her to transfer every penny, signing every debt in her name. When she had squeezed the last drop of blood from me, planning to run off with her lover. I closed my eyes and activated the body-swapping system. The assets were all mine, and the cancer was his! … “Honey, Summer invited me to the riverside to take photos. She said they just built a new trendy spot there.” My wife, Amelia, was dressed exceptionally beautifully today, applying lipstick over and over in front of the mirror. I nodded, not giving it much thought. “Alright, go ahead then. After the photos, you can stroll through the pedestrian street. Do you have enough money?” Amelia immediately pouted and walked over, shaking my arm, her voice soft and sweet. “Oh, I just got a new phone, so I only have living expenses left. I don’t even dare to go shopping.” Her playful demeanor and expression were exactly the same as when we were dating. Amelia herself was charming and lovely. When she pouted, she nearly melted my heart. Normally, I’d fall for it every time. I picked up my phone, smiled, and transferred twenty thousand dollars to her. “Tell me if it’s not enough. Have fun, buy whatever you like.” “You’re the best, honey! Love you!” Amelia stood on tiptoe, left a lipstick mark on my cheek, then picked up her small purse and click-clacked out the door in her high heels. I wiped away the mark on my face, a touch of bitterness in my heart. Five years of marriage. Although work kept me busy, Amelia and I had always had a good relationship. She loved to spend and shop, and I indulged her. The company was doing well, so a little extra spending was no big deal. But she didn’t know that my last physical had confirmed I had pancreatic cancer. I… wouldn’t live another year! At two in the afternoon, I drove to the office, ready to rush through a batch of contracts. The intersection ahead was completely blocked. I leaned out to look, a traffic officer directing, seemingly due to an accident. This road had heavy traffic; a blockage would last at least half an hour. I simply turned around, taking a detour through the business district. While waiting at a red light, I casually glanced out the window. That one glance made my heart skip a beat. In front of a glass door at the mall across the street, a woman was taking photos. A white dress, black stockings, smiling with eyes curved. Wasn’t that my wife, Amelia? But the one holding the phone and taking pictures for her wasn’t her best friend, Summer, but a young man. Buzz cut, sportswear, his muscles straining against his T-shirt. After taking a photo, Amelia jogged over to look, then practically hung onto his arm. They were laughing and chatting, their poses intimate. “Beep beep beep—” The light turned green, and the cars behind honked. I snapped out of it, stomped on the gas, then pulled over. In the rearview mirror, my face was expressionless, but my eyes were frighteningly red. I took off my suit jacket, tossed it into the car, and rummaged through the trunk for a baseball cap to put on. After getting out, I quickly walked towards the mall. Tracking them was easier than I expected. To ensure I kept up without being noticed, I maintained a distance of about twenty yards. The two were too engrossed, completely unaware of the man in the cap behind them. They first went to the food court on the basement level and got two milk teas. Amelia took a sip from one, then stood on tiptoe and put the straw into the man’s mouth. He wrapped an arm around her waist and took a big gulp. Their movements were practiced and natural, like a couple deeply in love. I clenched my fists, my gaze fixed on the two despicable creatures. After a few sips of milk tea, they took the escalator to the cinema on the fifth floor. I didn’t buy a ticket, only watching them go in. Outside the ticket booth, I leaned against the wall, staring at the exit. The wait was agonizing. I checked my phone countless times, each time only two or three minutes had passed. I don’t know how long it was, but the door opened, and their figures reappeared. My first thought was that Amelia’s state wasn’t right. Her face was abnormally red, her hair was messy, and her long dress seemed disheveled. She was trying to straighten her skirt with her hand. Looking at the man again, there was a lipstick mark on his face, and a section of his T-shirt hem wasn’t tucked in, as if he’d hastily tidied himself. As someone who’d been there, I was all too familiar with that state. Watching a movie? More like a live show. A rush of blood went to my head. I clenched my fists, took a step forward, determined to tear into that despicable pair. Just then, a mechanical voice exploded in my mind. [Ding! Identity Swap System successfully bound!] [Host can swap identities with any same-sex target at any time!] What the hell? Identity swap? I stared at the man’s back, a glint of light flashing in my eyes. After returning home, I immediately took action. Having started my business years ago, I had carved a path in a fiercely competitive industry. My network and resources were not to be underestimated. I knew plenty of people on both the legitimate and less-than-legitimate sides of things. I went straight to the city’s most professional private investigator, old Mr. Jenkins. He used to be a soldier, then a police officer, but after making a mistake, he was dismissed and started working as a private detective. While tracking Amelia, I secretly took a few front-facing photos of the two of them. I handed the photos to Mr. Jenkins, instructing him: “Mr. Jenkins, I need your help. Money is no object. I need detailed investigation reports as soon as possible!” Mr. Jenkins pocketed the photos. “Don’t worry, I know what to do.” With a generous reward, Mr. Jenkins’ efficiency was astounding. In less than a week, he had everything uncovered. In the agreed-upon private room at the tea house, Mr. Jenkins handed me a manila envelope, looking at me with a touch of sympathy. “Mr. Anderson, it’s all clear. The young man is named Sam Wilton, 27, unemployed, lives at The Gilded Manor, Unit 1203. All his information and photos are inside. You can review them yourself.” I nodded, signaling him to drink his tea first. The envelope was thick and bulging with documents. I untied the string and pulled out the top stack of photos. The first one: Amelia walking into a hotel with Sam, at three in the afternoon. The second: Amelia applying sunscreen to Sam by the pool. Sam was shirtless, Amelia only wearing a bikini. The third: Amelia passionately kissing Sam in a car, parked in a deserted area, the windows half-open. I calmly flipped through each photo, a vein throbbing in my temple. “Bastard!” I couldn’t hold back, slapping the table and cursing aloud. Mr. Jenkins didn’t say a word, pouring me a cup of tea. I never expected Amelia, who always presented herself as a goddess to me, to be so utterly devoted to an unemployed loafer. Though, to be fair, Sam was young, handsome, and in good shape—definitely the type women found attractive. I wasn’t bad-looking myself once, but after years of building my business, I had to pour my life into it. This led to weight gain, darker skin, and my energy was nowhere near what it used to be. Composing myself, I set the photos aside and continued reading the documents. Sam Wilton, 27, high school dropout, worked in sales, as a fitness instructor, and in nightclubs. Currently lives at The Gilded Manor 1203, monthly rent five thousand, drives a new BMW 320 bought last year. His spending records were also attached. Under normal circumstances, this guy hadn’t worked in over a year, but his spending was not low. He went to a bar almost every night, ate at brand-name restaurants in the mall, and bought trendy clothes and shoes. An unemployed man, where did he get the money? It wasn’t until I saw Amelia’s bank statements that I understood. Amelia’s transaction records over the past two years far exceeded previous years. A series of transfers, clear and piercing, some for a few thousand, many for tens of thousands. The largest single transfer was last June, a full hundred thousand. Some of that money was for clothes and bags I bought her, some she claimed was for stocks and funds, and some I gave her to help with her company’s cash flow. No wonder she had become so lavish with her spending these past two years. I thought I had spoiled her, but it turned out all the money was going into Sam’s pocket. “Mr. Anderson, take a look at this.” Mr. Jenkins suddenly spoke, pulling a sheet of paper from the very bottom of the file. “I used quite a few connections to dig this up.” I took it curiously. It was a company registration form. “Summit Commerce LLC” Legal Representative: Sam Wilton. Registration Date: One year ago. When I saw the shareholder information section, my pupils abruptly contracted. Shareholder: Evergreen Apparel Co., Ltd., holding 80% shares. Investment Amount: One million dollars. Evergreen Apparel was the company under Amelia’s name. Seeing this, I understood everything. A year ago, Amelia had told me that due to market impact, her company had lost several major clients, and profits had significantly declined. She said she had adjusted her strategy and was confident of a comeback. At the time, I praised her for her courage. But it turned out she wasn’t facing operational difficulties; she was transferring assets. Using the money I earned to register a company, listing her lover as the legal representative. When the time was ripe, she could directly absorb all of Evergreen Apparel, then take the money and that young man and vanish. And me? I would probably foolishly continue to make money, continue to spend on her, until I was drained and finally kicked aside. I took a deep breath, neatly stacked the photos and documents, and put them back in the file. “Thank you for your hard work. The remaining payment will be transferred to you immediately.” Mr. Jenkins nodded, then hesitated. “Mr. Anderson, I’ve seen a lot of this kind of thing. If you need anything further, you can always find me.” “No need,” I interrupted him, picking up the now-cold tea and draining it. “I’ll handle the rest myself.” With the body-swapping system at hand, did I still need to fear Amelia transferring assets? I didn’t even need to fear pancreatic cancer anymore! “Honey, look at this!” Amelia shoved her phone in my face. In the short video, a female car owner was showing off an automatic parking feature, the car turning its steering wheel on its own, precisely parking into a spot. “Modern domestic new energy vehicles are so smart, they can even self-park! You know I hate parking the most, I sweat every time I reverse. Could you… buy one for me?” Amelia leaned in, looked up at me, her voice soft as cotton candy. I glanced at the screen. The latest model of a certain brand’s electric car, even the lowest trim, cost at least thirty thousand. I sneered inwardly. Quite an appetite. Was she rushing to accelerate the process, seeing that I hadn’t been completely drained yet? However, this was exactly what I wanted. I put down my phone and nodded seriously: “Okay, supporting domestic brands starts with us. If we’re buying, let’s get the top trim. I’ll have accounting transfer fifty thousand to you tomorrow. If it’s not enough, we’ll add more.” Amelia paused, probably not expecting it to be so smooth. The next second, she sprang up from the sofa, jumped onto me, and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck: “You’re the best, honey! I love you so much!” “I’ll go run a bath for you!” She put me down and ran towards the bathroom, then halfway there, she turned back and winked at me, “Tonight… I’m going to reward you properly. You can do anything you want.” Despite her allure, I felt no stir of emotion. The thought of her with that young man made me sick to my stomach. I put on a tired expression: “The company’s been busy lately, a lot of pressure. I’m too exhausted today. I just want a good night’s sleep.” “Then I’ll give you a massage later,” Amelia said, not thinking much of it, and turned to run the bath. In the days that followed, Amelia’s requests for money became more frequent, and her reasons more outlandish. “Honey, my best friend Chloe said she wants to buy a house and is a little short on cash. I promised to lend her a hundred thousand.” “Honey, my cousin, you’ve met him, he’s in debt from online loans and people are cornering him at home. He’s begging me for fifteen thousand to save him.” “Honey, my grandfather had a heart attack and needs surgery. It’s twenty thousand.” To all her requests, my answer was one word: “Yes!” Two months later, our household savings hit rock bottom. The company’s liquid funds were also almost depleted. But it wasn’t enough. This amount of money was far from what she needed to “fly away with her lover.” Moreover, my body couldn’t wait any longer. In these two months, besides playing along with her, I also had to contend with my terminal illness. Late-stage pancreatic cancer was no joke. At first, it was just a mild pain, but it gradually worsened until one night I woke up from the sheer agony. I bit into my pillow, drenched in a cold sweat, not daring to make a sound, afraid of waking Amelia next door. During a follow-up visit, the doctor frowned at the scans: “It’s not being controlled effectively. The spread is faster than expected…” If that was the case, perhaps I should help her, speed things up. That evening at dinner, I deliberately sighed. “What’s wrong, honey?” Amelia asked with concern, but a hint of wariness was hidden in her eyes. She was probably afraid I would stop her financial supply. I put down my chopsticks and frowned, “There’s a big project recently that requires expanding our production scale. I’m thinking of mortgaging the company and borrowing ten million to take a gamble, but the risk is significant. If the project fails, the company might go bankrupt.” She didn’t speak, her eyes darting around, wondering what I was thinking. I held her hand. “How about we get a fake divorce? We’ll get the divorce certificate first, and then I’ll put the mortgaged company money under your name. Even if something happens to the company, I’ll bear the debt alone. It’s just that you’ll be ‘inconvenienced’ with a divorce on your record.” Amelia froze. She probably hadn’t expected me to not only willingly allow her to drain my assets but also proactively suggest divorce and give her a huge sum of money. She barely suppressed the curve of her lips, squeezing out a few tears from the corners of her eyes. “Honey, don’t worry. Even if you truly lose everything, I will never leave you.” At that moment, I even admired her acting skills. If I hadn’t seen those photos, hadn’t found those transfers, I might have actually believed her. The paperwork was processed quickly. Legal representative change, mortgage loan, asset transfer. I actively cooperated with every step, signing and stamping. Once everything was settled, Amelia’s attitude began to change. She came home later and later, her gaze towards me growing colder. Finally, one evening, Amelia linked her arm with mine and said cheerfully, “Honey, I want to go on a trip for a few days.” “Where to?” I asked subconsciously. Amelia blinked her big eyes. “Haven’t decided yet, just wherever the road takes me.” My heart stirred. I knew Amelia was preparing to flee. “Alright, go ahead. Have a good time.” The next morning, Amelia left the house, dragging her suitcase. The door closed. Her footsteps gradually faded away. The moment she left, I immediately woke up. Then, I closed my eyes and silently recited in my mind.

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At 3 AM, I was suddenly woken up by a call from building management. Opening my phone, I saw someone had tagged me in the residents’ group chat. [Unit 1601, have you no shame? Screaming every night at this hour, afraid no one knows you’re making babies, are you?!] [My daughter just started college, and now you’ve made her precocious.] [If you dare to scream again, I’ll go live from my apartment and let everyone know how shameless you are!] The neighbor downstairs kept yelling at me, and other residents chimed in, saying my screams disturbed them. But I wasn’t even home! Considering the possibility of my husband’s infidelity, I quickly turned on the bedroom monitor. The moment I saw the woman in the bed clearly, I smiled. Isn’t that the college-aged daughter from downstairs? 1 After a week of back-to-back meetings out of town, all I wanted was to get home and catch up on sleep. At three in the morning, the driver had just gotten onto the highway. Lying in the back seat, I was jolted awake by an unexpected call from building management. Opening the residents’ group chat, I saw it was Helen Carter downstairs making a fuss again. Ever since she moved in below me, she’d either complain about our heavy footsteps disturbing her sleep, or about our frequent guests making the elevator pass her unit too often. She’d tagged me countless times over minor and major issues. Seeing her latest accusation was completely baseless, I initially didn’t plan to respond. But neighbors who usually stayed quiet in the chat also chimed in. [Everyone understands these things, but the noise is too loud. It’s really disruptive, 1601, you should be more careful.] [This is a school district. Everyone has underage kids. Yesterday, my son also asked me what that noise was. It’s really hard to explain.] Seeing everyone’s comments, I was bewildered. If only Helen had heard it, she might be deliberately causing trouble. But I didn’t have conflicts with other neighbors normally, so they had no reason to falsely accuse me. Perhaps they mistook noise from another unit for coming from mine. Thinking this, I sent a screenshot of my meeting records from out of town last night and my current location to the group. “I haven’t been home for the past two days. You must have the wrong person.” After I explained, the group fell silent. Five minutes later, Helen sent a scornful voice message. [I pressed my ear against the door, and the sound definitely came from your unit. If not you, then who?] My heart sank, and I quickly considered the possibility of my husband’s infidelity. But we’d known each other since high school, endured a difficult long-distance relationship through college, and built everything we had today together through our joint venture. After so many years of marriage, I really couldn’t believe he would cheat. Another neighbor tagged me in the chat, [1601, we know your husband has stamina, but can you please keep it down!] I gripped my trembling hand, typing a reply in the group. “I’m not home. Please wait, I’m checking the surveillance.” My best friend had convinced me to secretly install cameras in the bedroom. She said our assets were substantial now, and I traveled frequently, so divorce might be inevitable someday. If my husband cheated first, the cameras might capture evidence. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. But now, I actually saw my husband and another woman in the surveillance footage! The woman happened to turn her head. The moment I saw her, I froze. Isn’t that Helen Carter’s college-aged daughter?! 2 I stared at the screen in disbelief, my body shaking uncontrollably. At that moment, I knew for sure that the man who had struggled alongside me had cheated. And I didn’t even know when he had gotten involved with his mistress. Helen’s angry messages continued to flood the group. I was furious and resentful, but I also knew that the most urgent thing wasn’t to retaliate, but to preserve evidence and catch them in the act! Over the years, my husband Mark and I had accumulated tens of millions in shared assets. Since he was the one who cheated first, I was determined to take as much money as possible during the divorce. I quickly contacted my best friend, who was a lawyer. Upon learning of Mark’s infidelity, she cursed him a few times, then asked, “How long until you get home?” I looked up at the driver. He had already sensed that something was wrong from my conversation with my best friend, and had significantly increased the car’s speed. He turned back and told me, “Two hours.” My best friend immediately began contacting a private investigator to help me gather evidence. She also cautioned me not to tip them off before I got home. If people in the community decided to knock on my door, I should incite them to go together in the group chat, ensuring there would be witnesses. Before hanging up, she said: “Anna, be careful on the road. Don’t let yourself get sick over a man who isn’t worth it.” From the moment I discovered Mark’s infidelity, I had only felt surprise and anger. But after seeing my best friend’s message, tears still stubbornly fell onto my phone. No time to dwell on my past with Mark, Helen, seeing that I wasn’t responding, initiated a group voice call. I casually hung up. Helen continued to post in the group. [Oh, so you can see the group messages. Why are you silent then?] [Are you pretending to be a victim who just found out her husband cheated?] [I saw your car this afternoon. You’re home. Now you’re afraid to admit it?] [You were so loud when you were screaming, now you’re ashamed?] I explained again that I was indeed on the highway and wouldn’t be home for another hour and a half. Helen still didn’t believe me. [If that woman upstairs really isn’t you, I’ll not only apologize to you publicly, but I’ll personally help you catch them, and smash that mistress’s face in!] I seized the opportunity, following Helen’s words, and said: “Then I’m afraid I’ll really have to trouble you, Helen, to smash that mistress’s face in.” “I saw on the monitor that those animals are sleeping right now.” “I’ll be home in an hour and a half. Please don’t alert them yet. When I get to the complex, I’d appreciate it if any neighbors who are awake would come with me to catch them in the act and help me seek justice!” The people in the group just wanted to watch the drama; no one really wanted to get involved in this messy situation. When I invited them to catch the cheaters, the group instantly fell silent. Only Helen was still cursing me. [You bitch, for sympathy, you’re denying this, even ruining your own husband’s reputation!] [Others don’t know you, but I do!] [When my house was being renovated, you pretended to be sick and said you needed to sleep, telling the workers to be quiet, which delayed my move-in by a month!] [Later, you hit and killed my dog with your car, but stubbornly claimed you had a leg injury and weren’t driving at all.] [You sly manipulative woman, this time I’ll make you pay!] I remembered both incidents Helen mentioned. Because this complex was close to my company, I was one of the first residents to move in. At the time, many people were indeed still renovating. Everyone renovated during the day, but Helen, wanting to supervise herself, insisted on having workers only after working hours. I approached Helen to discuss this several times, but she would just sneer after sizing up my clothes. “How would a pampered wife like you know how much we’ve sacrificed for this apartment? Of course, I need to supervise the renovation carefully. If it’s too noisy, go stay in a hotel!” At the time, I was running a high fever and didn’t have the energy to argue with her, so I called the police directly. Helen then began renovating during the day, but after moving in, she felt I had delayed her renovation progress and demanded 100,000 in compensation for emotional distress. I completely ignored her. But a month later, as I was driving out, her daughter, walking her dog, ran directly towards my car. Even though I slammed on the brakes, I still hit the dog, and it died instantly. Helen and my husband both rushed to the scene. Helen hysterically claimed the dog was part of their family and demanded 200,000 in compensation. I insisted on legal procedures, and my husband immediately called the police. When the police questioned Helen’s daughter, she was so frightened she just cried, and ultimately the dashcam proved my innocence. Out of humanitarianism, I paid 50,000. Helen grumbled her dissatisfaction, cursing that I would definitely get my comeuppance. My husband silently watched the distant Clara Doyle. That, I believe, must have been their first meeting. And now, they were lying in the same bed. 3 I didn’t rush to explain the truth in the group chat, but quickly relayed my new discovery to my best friend. “Clara Doyle and Mark likely started communicating after I hit that dog.” My best friend, armed with the private investigator’s findings, helped me trace Mark’s infidelity timeline. March 10, 2025: Mark first met Clara Doyle. June 23: Clara Doyle, claiming her water heater was broken, went upstairs to Mark’s apartment for a shower while I was away. August 15: The two entered a hotel together, one after the other. As of today, nearly seven months later, they had met 53 times, and Mark had spent two million from our joint account on her. The wedding apartment my parents gave me before marriage had become their secret rendezvous spot. My hands trembled with anger. Helen’s messages continued to flood the group. [This Anna Gu is the worst. She loves to play the innocent victim. Being her neighbor is truly bad luck!] [Good thing none of you with kids live too close to her, otherwise, if a child cries at night, she might just fabricate a heart condition and claim the child’s noise caused a relapse!] [Unlike me, I painstakingly raised my daughter for twenty years. She’s sweet and sensible, and blushes even seeing people kiss, yet she has to listen to her screaming every night upstairs!] [If she corrupts my innocent daughter, I swear I won’t live!] The word ‘innocent’ was particularly jarring. I immediately screenshot my home monitor and sent it to the group. In the image, Mark was asleep, embracing a woman. But because the image was blurry, Helen couldn’t recognize it as Clara Doyle, and started yelling at me. [Anna Gu, you are truly shameless. Why are you sending photos of you and your husband sleeping to the group chat!] [Don’t you know there might be minors in this group!] I sent a video of myself on the highway to the group, explaining, “I’m on the highway, I’ll be home in forty minutes. The monitor footage is live. How many times do I have to tell you, the woman screaming in my house is not me!” Seeing my anger, people in the group started trying to calm Helen down, saying it might really be a misunderstanding. Helen, however, remained defiant. [Just look at Anna Gu’s manipulative act. If I had really wronged her, she would have cried and called the police by now!] [I didn’t mean to be aggressive. As long as she promises not to be so loud in the future and compensates my daughter with 300,000 for emotional distress, this matter will be over.] Seeing the messages in the group, I couldn’t help but sneer. No wonder she reacted so strongly in the group today! She thought she’d caught me making a mistake and wanted to extort money from me! She demanded 100,000 during the renovation, and 200,000 when I hit her dog. She called me a pampered wife supported by my husband, but in her heart, she coveted my money. I could no longer contain my fury and sent a voice message directly to the group: “Helen, let’s not even talk about the woman upstairs not being me. Even if it were, your current actions are extortion!” Helen was not to be outdone. [I’m spreading rumors about you? My voice is hoarse from screaming, and you’re still defiant!] [I’m just asking if you’re going to pay for the emotional damages!] I replied directly: “I know you’re jealous of my money, but my money was earned through hard work. Even if I donate it, I wouldn’t give a single penny to someone like you who spreads rumors about me!” “And in this matter, I am also a victim!” [Pfft, my daughter is the victim!] [Since you won’t accept my kindness, don’t blame me for seeking justice for my daughter!] 4 After Helen finished speaking, she immediately shared a live stream link in the group. Clicking on it, I realized the person streaming was Helen herself. In the live stream, she was tearfully complaining that I screamed every day, causing her daughter to become precocious. She claimed her daughter was almost tricked into going to a nightclub to accompany men because of me. And when she tried to complain about me in the group to get justice for her daughter, she was accused of extortion. Helen cried hysterically, like a desperate, loving mother trying to protect her child. Unknowing viewers in the live stream immediately became enraged, rushing to support Helen. [Why bother talking so much to a bitch like that? Just kick her out of the complex and make her compensate you all with her apartment!] [To put it nicely, this woman might be a kept woman by her husband, but in reality, she could also be a mistress. I suggest the streamer expose her identity. If she’s really a mistress, it’ll be easier to deal with!] Helen pretended to accidentally leak my information in the live stream. In just five minutes, all my information was dug up, and my company received thousands of complaints overnight! The client with whom I had been negotiating a collaboration for a week, upon seeing the news, decided to terminate the agreement. My employees’ calls kept coming in, asking what was happening and how the company should handle public relations. “Save all evidence. Have legal prepare for a lawsuit.” After replying to my employees’ messages, I rushed to call each client back to explain, with no time to deal with the online outrage. After contacting all the clients, The car finally stopped at the entrance of the complex. My best friend said the timeline evidence for Mark’s infidelity was ready. Taking a deep breath, I looked at the dimly lit morning sky outside, and sent a message to the group. “I know everyone is enjoying the show. I’m downstairs at the complex now. If you’re awake, come with me to catch them in the act.” I opened the car door and stepped out, looking up at my apartment building. Many people were peering down. Helen, clutching her phone for the live stream, rushed down first. Pointing the phone at my face, she told her viewers: “This bitch must have sneaked out of her apartment while I wasn’t looking, deliberately creating the illusion that she wasn’t home!” “Now her place is definitely empty. She’ll open the door and claim I falsely accused her, but she doesn’t know I’ve recorded her screams!” Seeing many neighbors had gathered, I gave a cold smile. “I checked the monitor. Those animals are still inside. We won’t come up empty-handed.” “Now, I’m taking everyone upstairs to catch them in the act!”

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I was the heiress to a vast fortune. Wielding my wealth like a weapon, I’d forced three impoverished college students into my service. One fed me strawberries, one massaged my feet, and another told me stories. As for who would stay with me at night, that was decided by drawing a card. This evening, I was enjoying strawberries, a foot massage, and a captivating story, lost in a haze of pure contentment. Suddenly, lines of text materialized before my eyes. [Why isn’t this villainess gone yet?!] [Don’t rush, upstairs! Our protagonist is about to reunite with the male leads.] [Though the male leads outwardly submit to the villainess, they secretly despise her. Once the protagonist arrives, they’ll team up against her.] [Spoiler alert from a lore enthusiast: The villainess ends up penniless, disowned by her wealthy family, homeless, and driven to madness, fighting dogs for scraps.] I jolted, a strawberry catching in my throat. “Cough… stop, stop…” The three stopped obediently, their eyes downcast as they presented the familiar cards. [The humiliation the villainess inflicts by drawing cards now, the male leads will repay every single bit of it, with interest, in the future.] My body trembled, and I quickly withdrew my hand. “I… I won’t draw anymore…” 1 The three of them frowned slightly. They probably thought I was just throwing one of my usual tantrums. After all, I was incredibly demanding. I often picked apart their service. Strawberries had to be seven parts sweet and three parts tart. If even one wasn’t to my liking, Paul had to rewash the entire batch. Foot massages required precisely six parts pressure. If Ashton’s touch was too heavy or too light, he’d have to tie weights to his fingers as punishment. Stories had to be exactly what I wanted to hear. If I didn’t like the ending, Noah had to invent a new one for me. Of course, I was often dissatisfied. [I can’t wait for the male leads to exact their revenge on the villainess! The poor boys she looked down on will transform into tech tycoons, artistic geniuses, and powerful CEOs. Just thinking about it gives me chills!] [Tell us more, upstairs! I’m dying for every detail of the villainess’s brutal downfall!] [Okay, so the male leads already harbored resentment from her prolonged humiliation. Then, the villainess, out of jealousy, repeatedly tried to sabotage the protagonist. Finally, the protagonist and male leads joined forces and exposed everything the villainess had done at a press conference.] [The villainess faced social ruin, was disowned by her family as a disgrace, and the male leads orchestrated it so she ended up with massive debts. Kicked out of her home, she had to live with vagrants, eventually descending into madness.] [This ending is so satisfying! I hate those ‘demure as a daisy’ types. The protagonist and male leads should absolutely get their brutal revenge!] A chill ran through me. I sprang from the sofa. Almost scrambling on all fours, I pushed past the three of them and bolted into the house. Behind me, the cards lay scattered on the floor. It was too terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. 2 Back in my room, I rushed to the bathroom to shower. Listening to the sound of the running water, I finally started to calm down. Wrapped in my bathrobe, I emerged to find Paul standing in my room. He held a plate of fresh strawberries. I froze, my hand loosening, causing my bathrobe to slip a little from my shoulder. “I’ve re-selected the strawberries, and washed them thoroughly.” His expression was always cool and detached, his voice devoid of emotion. If his Adam’s apple hadn’t subtly bobbed just now, he would have looked exactly like a statue. [Paul, despite his humble origins, is a high-IQ genius. The villainess has no idea that Paul has already used her ‘charitable’ one million dollars in startup capital to establish his own company.] [During the day, the protagonist thinks he’s attending classes, but he’s actually at his company. However, since the company isn’t stable yet, he fears leaving the villainess would lead to persecution, which is why he’s enduring this humiliation.] [The villainess couldn’t possibly believe Paul genuinely enjoys feeding her strawberries every day, could she? He just obediently listens because her voice irritates him, and it’s a convenient way to keep her quiet.] [The villainess doesn’t know that the reason she always sleeps so soundly whenever she picks Paul is because my Paul always washes the strawberries with sleeping pills.] [The villainess happily eats them, thinking it’s a sign of Paul’s affection, completely unaware that my Paul finds even touching her repulsive.] I was stunned. I did, indeed, love sleeping next to Paul the most. Even though he never held me back. But he had a comforting, crisp scent that always made me feel incredibly at ease. Turns out… what made me feel at ease was a damn sleeping pill! [As expected of my high-IQ Paul! Even his methods of placating the villainess are so clever!] [And it’s Paul who ultimately engineers the villainess’s massive debts! My Paul, a man of action, not words!] I trembled even more violently. I’d always thought Paul was just cold-faced. But he was even more ruthless than I imagined! That heartless jerk! I gave him a million dollars in startup capital and often gave him spending money! “Ophelia?” Paul frowned slightly. I instinctively took a step back, knocking over the plate. Strawberries tumbled across the floor. Sure enough, a flicker of almost imperceptible impatience crossed Paul’s face. As if he were trying to suppress something. “Still not satisfied with this plate? “Then I’ll wash them again.” “I… I suddenly don’t feel like eating strawberries today!” I clutched my bathrobe tighter, my voice trembling. “You… you don’t need to wash them again. Get some rest!” Having said that, I didn’t dare look at his expression. I bolted out the door. 3 I fled to the living room. On the way, I checked my bank balance on my phone five times. Then I silently repeated ten times that I only had savings, no debts. Only then did my heart gradually settle. But I hadn’t expected to find Ashton in the living room. Seeing me, he smiled faintly. “Ophelia, I knew you’d come down.” He took off the weights hanging from his fingers and knelt. “I didn’t control the pressure well just now, so I punished myself. Come here, I’ll massage them again for you.” Oh, his voice was so gentle. My heartwarming little puppy, I really appreciated it. So what if Paul was cold? I didn’t only have him. Feeling a little lightheaded, I started to walk towards him. [Ashton, the most cunning artistic genius. The villainess merely secured his entry into an art competition, then exploited that favor by forcing him to paint 100 portraits of her and made his hands, meant for creating timeless art, massage her feet every day.] [What a waste of talent! My heart aches for Ashton’s beautiful, nimble hands!] [Don’t worry, everyone, Ashton will soon gain recognition from a master and become a globally renowned art star. After the villainess is kicked out, it’s Ashton who will plot her mental breakdown.] My feet stopped abruptly. [Upstairs, spill the details quickly!] [After the villainess is kicked out, it’s my Ashton who hires a bunch of vagrants to relentlessly torment her. What goes around comes around: she forced Ashton to paint so many pictures, so she’ll have to massage the feet of that many vagrants, until she’s driven mad.] I quickly pulled back my feet. I’d always thought Ashton was the gentlest one… But it turns out he’s a damn black-hearted schemer! Seeing those beautiful, slender hands reaching for my feet, I practically leaped up on instinct. “I don’t want a massage!” Ashton froze. He looked up, his beautiful eyes gazing at me with a haunting intensity. Before I could even react, he stood, those handsome, long fingers gently entwining with mine. I was terrified, but found I couldn’t break free. “Why not a massage?” He breathed into my ear, “I was also thinking of showing you my new painting, Ophelia… “This one depicts you sleeping, it’s very beautiful…” [Haha, that’s not sleeping, that’s clearly dead.] [You can tell how much Ashton hates the protagonist, he even paints her deceased.] [Doing the cruelest things with the gentlest demeanor, I adore Ashton like this.] A chill went through me entirely. I had a distinct feeling I was actually dead. “Ophelia?” Ashton’s gentle voice whispered into my ear again. “No!” Survival instinct made me blurt it out, and I violently yanked my hand away from his. Ashton froze. “No?” “Uh, how many paintings have you done for me already?” I stammered, stepping back. He thought for a moment, then looked up with a smile. “Seventy-eight.” Seventy-eight!!! I nearly fainted. Why was he painting so diligently?!! Didn’t this mean that even if I stopped now, he’d still force me to massage the feet of 78 vagrants later?! 4 I claimed I needed to sleep and quickly escaped the living room. However, as I reached the turn in the staircase on the second floor of the mansion, I saw Noah looking down at me with a somber expression. Noah was actually the most hot-headed of the bunch. If he hadn’t been genuinely broke, he wouldn’t have stooped to my service. “What’s wrong with you tonight?” He crossed his arms. “Yesterday you were still insisting on hearing about the ‘chasing wife, crematorium’ trope, and now you don’t like it anymore?” [When will our Noah’s birth parents show up?] [They’ll be here soon! Noah was discovered by the Jensen family during a basketball game. He’ll turn out to be the Jensen family’s long-lost son, inheriting their massive commercial empire, becoming the Jensen family’s crown prince overnight!] [Handsome CEO, I love it!] [The villainess originally took a liking to our Noah’s looks and physique. Because she liked the sound of his voice, she made Noah tell her stories every day, completely unaware that Noah would disgustedly gargle every time he finished telling her a story.] [Poor Noah, a 6’1” sunny basketball player, forced by the villainess to become a romance writer.] [But in the end, it was also Noah who pressured the Sterling family, threatening them with bankruptcy if they didn’t kick the villainess out of the house. It’s a fitting revenge for past grievances.] Pressure… Kicked out of the house… My legs went weak, and I nearly fell. I was just a spoiled heiress with no skills. I knew nothing but how to enjoy life. If I were kicked out, I’d have nothing. Noah, seeing my lack of response, took a step forward. “Still not satisfied with the ending of this story? The protagonist and male lead didn’t die this time, it’s a happy ending. Still not good enough? “Fine, I knew you were picky and demanding. I’ve already written a new one…” “I won’t listen!” My voice was trembling. Noah was always warm, sleeping with him was like having a human hot water bottle. Especially comfortable in winter. Not to mention his strong arms and eight-pack abs… But now, I wanted to slap myself. You and your obsession with looks! You and your obsession with voices! You and your obsession with warmth! “Won’t listen?” Noah’s eyes darkened rapidly. But I couldn’t worry about that. I quickly fled back to my bedroom. Good, good. Paul was already gone. After a moment’s thought, I locked the door, pulled a large polar bear plush from the closet, and finally lay down with it. 5 I didn’t sleep well all night. I don’t know why there were so many sleepless night owls, but the comments kept flashing across the screen. From their excited discussions, I learned that today, during the day, the poor and resilient little white flower protagonist would meet the three male leads. I would then, out of jealousy, desperately try to sabotage her. And it would be her encouragement that solidified their resolve to take revenge on me. The next day, I went downstairs with dark circles under my eyes. I immediately saw the three of them sitting at the dining table, eating. The three of them looked up at me in unison. I pretended not to notice the flicker of displeasure in their eyes. The comments were right. They hated me. Before, I had been too foolish, not even noticing such obvious resentment. “Ophelia, come sit.” Ashton smiled gently at me, pulling out the seat between himself and Noah. Before, I would have happily run over. I might even have playfully asked Paul to feed me, Ashton to massage my shoulders, and Noah to say some auspicious words or sing a song. Perhaps I would have gone even further and tossed a card. To decide who would stay with me for a nap. But today, before he even finished speaking, I decisively moved to the opposite side, far from them. I didn’t have that much nerve now. “You guys are almost done eating. I’ll just sit here, so I don’t bother you, okay?” Ashton’s smile faltered. Paul’s eyes remained flat. Noah frowned. I ate my meal with my head down. Feeling a little guilty, for some reason. “Miss, your arrangements are complete.” The butler handed me a notebook. I took it, secretly glancing at the three across from me. “Uh, today, could I ask the three of you for a small favor?” The three of them looked confused. After all, I usually barked orders at them. No one responded. I quickly added: “There’ll be payment, not free labor! One hundred thousand each!” I gave Paul an insider’s ticket to a cutting-edge technology symposium. From my research, his company wasn’t yet qualified to attend such a high-level conference. Then I gave Ashton a ticket to a lecture by the renowned artist Master Lee. This ticket had sold out a month ago, and I had paid two hundred thousand to a scalper to get it. Finally, I gave Noah a meet-and-greet ticket for a famous basketball star. I knew that was his favorite player. These were temptations they couldn’t refuse. The three of them took the tickets, an unreadable emotion flickering in their eyes. “What does this mean?” Noah was the first to ask. “The family gave these to me, telling me to go to the tech symposium to learn, and to the art lecture and basketball star meet-and-greet for culture and sports. You know how lazy I am, so could you all go in my place? Make sure to stay the whole day, please.” “What about you?” Paul suddenly asked. I froze, “Huh?” “What are you doing today?” I let out two forced laughs. “I have other plans, other plans.” “What other plans?” Ashton asked. I was speechless. “It’s just…” “Tell us,” Noah said. It was something I couldn’t tell them. I summoned my usual imperiousness, deliberately sounding fierce: “What? What I do? Do I have to report to you?!” This tactic still worked. The three of them indeed stopped talking. 6 There was, of course, a reason I couldn’t tell them. I’d spent all night thinking, and I’d come up with a wicked plan. I was going to replace them and win over the protagonist. Actually, there was a Plan B. According to the comments, they hadn’t yet become formidable. I could easily find a way to crush Paul’s company, hinder Ashton from becoming a master and winning awards, get Noah removed from the basketball team, and prevent him from reconnecting with his family. But… how should I put it? I still had a shred of humanity. Until the very end, I still wanted to part ways with them peacefully, without a full-blown war. After the three of them left, I called the butler over again and whispered: “That other matter, is it also settled?” The butler chuckled. “Don’t worry, Miss. We offered a generous sum, and in just a few hours, about 10 male students signed up. As per your requirements, we’ve selected three.” I nodded in satisfaction. “Then I’ll meet them later when we go to A University Library.” Since the comments said they hated and sought revenge on me because I forced them, wouldn’t stopping that now be enough? I’m so wealthy, and I’m not bad-looking. A three-legged frog might be hard to find, but willing men? Surely, I could find them. Even though my requirements were strict this time. They couldn’t be too handsome; presentable was fine. They couldn’t be too intelligent; average was okay. They couldn’t have any special skills; ordinary was good. They couldn’t be orphans; from a regular family was acceptable. Eliminating any possibility of the chosen ones being male leads. But still, many people signed up. I happily got into the car with the butler, heading to A University. “First, I’ll interview them, then I’ll meet Evelyn Sterling.” Evelyn Sterling was the protagonist mentioned in the comments. She was currently working part-time at A University Library. The interviews went even smoother than I expected. The three boys looked very obedient. Not to mention small matters like feeding strawberries, foot massages, or storytelling… Even for the “nighttime” matter… One of the male students, blushing, stood up and said to me: “Sister, I can do anything, no matter how ‘spicy’ or ‘mild’…” I didn’t understand. “What?” He took small, quick steps around to stand in front of me, then leaned his head on my shoulder: “It means, whatever Sister wants me to do, I’ll do…” Good, good, good. I was ecstatic. But for some reason, I suddenly shivered all over. I abruptly looked back. No one was outside the window. Why did it feel so chilling behind me? As if someone were standing there with a knife. A murderous aura. And not just one. But rising and falling. Perhaps I’d been reading too many comments these past two days. I was getting a little paranoid. “Is the… is the air conditioning too cold?” One male student obediently replied, “Sister, the heater is on inside.” Another: “Sister is afraid of the cold, so I’ll be Sister’s human hot water bottle.” Oh, oh, oh. See? I looked from one to the other. Extremely satisfied. I could hardly let them go. After telling the three to wait for my call, I was happily fantasizing about my carefree future when the butler came in. His expression was somewhat troubled. “Miss, that student, Miss Sterling, has declined your meeting request.” 7 According to the butler, Evelyn Sterling refused as soon as she heard my name. “Birds of a feather, Miss Sterling and I are not the same kind of people. There’s no need to meet.” No choice, I had to go find her. I searched all three floors of the library, my feet starting to ache faintly, before finally finding her in the ground floor lobby. She looked at me with full vigilance. “I know you’re the Sterling family’s heiress. What exactly do you want?” I spoke gently, “I know you’re in great need of money right now, and I’d really like to help you…” “So you want to buy my character with money?!” I: “…No, I want to help…” “I’ve seen too many people like you. You act superior just because you have some money, insulting people randomly, treating us poor folk like your toys. What, have you grown tired of your old toys and want new ones, so you’ve come after me?” “No, I genuinely want to help you, without charge…” “How can there be a free lunch in this world? You just want to insult me, make me grovel before you. But my spine, Evelyn Sterling, is straight. I can kneel to heaven and earth, but I will not kneel to money or capital!” “You’ve misunderstood. I don’t need you to kneel. I know you’re an excellent student but didn’t receive the Sterling Corporation scholarship last year, so I can help you apply for a special one.” “Put away your hypocritical facade. Do you think that will buy my soul?” I: “…” I was getting a little tired. I cut straight to the chase, playing the emotional card: “I just want to give you money, help your seriously ill mother find a good hospital, and save you from working odd jobs so you can spend more time with your mother.” But her eyes widened: “You actually investigated my family? You want to use my mother to control me? I’m telling you, I’ll take care of my own mother, and I’ll do it with the money I earn myself, honorably.” I: “…” She pulled out her phone. “You’ve invaded my privacy by investigating me. I’m calling the police right now. I want to see if this world is truly fair and just!” No. “Let’s talk this out calmly…” What kind of protagonist calls the police at the drop of a hat?!! I quickly tried to snatch her phone, but she resisted violently. Before I even touched her, her foot slipped, and she fell heavily to the ground. As if I had pushed her. “Ophelia.” Three cold voices suddenly came from behind me. “What are you doing?”

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The topping-out ceremony for the commercial high-rise was just around the corner, when I suddenly realized the blueprint dimensions were all wrong. Demolishing and rebuilding would cost a cool ten billion. I clung to the rooftop railing, contemplating which spot on the ground would offer the least pain. But then, Manager Walter, flanked by his engineering team, kicked my door open: “At this critical juncture of the project, you, the chief designer, have been skipping out every day to fool around with escorts!” “And those blueprints? They’re just stolen copies of mine!” “You’re fired! I’m the new head of this project, and all design patents are now mine!” My eyes widened, and the despair in my heart instantly morphed into wild joy. Oh, right, I was totally busy with dates all this time. The wrong dimensions? Not my problem in the slightest! 1 The twenty-story commercial high-rise was almost topped out, and I was giving the blueprints one final check. My hand trembled, spilling coffee all over the desk. Because I’d just discovered that the dimensions for every single load-bearing wall were wrong! My heart pounded in my chest. I wiped my eyes, checked it twenty more times, and then, with a sigh, surrendered to the truth. Yep, definitely wrong! This twenty-story commercial building, from design to construction, and even the future investment and leasing, had cost a staggering ten billion dollars. If we had to tear it down and rebuild, I wouldn’t be able to pay it back if I sold myself eight hundred times over. I squatted on my chair, clutching my head, wanting to cry but no tears came. Wanting to scream but no sound escaped. As a celebrated architectural designer in the country, My work had won numerous international awards, earned investors billions, and left iconic landmarks in this city. But what did that matter now? I had failed, defeated by a load-bearing wall with an error of just a few inches. My parents were counting on me for their retirement, and my sister was about to take her college entrance exams. She always said her big brother was her pride. But this one mistake, my blunder, would bring devastating consequences down on them. I truly deserved to die! I was a sinner, having squandered everyone’s hard work, and condemned myself to eternal damnation. After much thought, I finally stood up, pushed open the door to the rooftop, and walked to the railing. Twenty stories. High enough. The people below looked like tiny ants. I pondered which side to jump from, to avoid scaring anyone while suffering as little as possible. Suddenly, the door behind me burst open with a loud bang. My arch-rival, Walter Stone, marched in with a whole team of people. “Arthur Lynn! You’ve really outdone yourself!” He stormed up to me, his voice a furious torrent. I froze, thinking he’d discovered the design flaw. Just as I was about to explain, he slapped a stack of photos right into my face. “Have you no shame? At this critical stage of the project, you, the chief designer, have been sneaking off every day to cavort with those cheap massage parlor girls!” I was confused, picking up a few photos from the floor. They showed a man and a woman, in various suggestive poses. The man was me, but I didn’t recognize the woman. Still, I instantly knew these images were all AI-generated. Because these past few months, desperate to finish the project, I hadn’t slept for days, having no time to go anywhere. I frowned and tried to reason with him. “Walter Stone, you must have the wrong person. Don’t make such baseless accusations!” But he sneered: “Don’t play innocent!” “Your design blueprints are just stolen copies of mine!” “You’re fired! And all design patents for this project are now mine!” He pulled out a draft blueprint, identical to mine, even down to the exact dimensions of the load-bearing walls. But in the designer’s section, his name was written. I looked and looked, thought and thought. Suddenly, in that hopeless abyss, I caught a faint scent of hope. 2 Walter smiled, looking at me: “Arthur Lynn, you’re a fraud! A scumbag like you doesn’t deserve to lead this project!” “I’ve already spoken to the investors. They want you out immediately!” I was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: “I poured my heart and soul into this project. What right do you have to kick me out?” Walter’s grin widened. He deliberately patted my face, his voice dripping with condescension: “The right of your plagiarism, your dereliction of duty, and the fact that I am now the overall head of this project!” As he finished, his phone buzzed. It was an internal company email, copied to all employees. It stated: Project Lead for “Skyline Pinnacle” Commercial High-Rise changed to Walter Stone. Arthur Lynn is terminated for unprofessional conduct and plagiarism of core designs. Arthur Lynn will have no further association with the “Skyline Pinnacle” project. Normally, a project nearing completion wouldn’t change its lead. It was like tending a field for a year, only for the land to change owners just before harvest. No one would be happy about that. But I was different. I desperately wanted to sever all ties with this project. I called Chairman Goodwin, but he didn’t pick up. Then I called President Foster. The moment he answered, I heard him erupt in a furious shout: “Arthur Lynn, you’re fired! You have nothing to do with this commercial high-rise project anymore!” He hung up. When I tried to call back, he had already blocked my number. Walter watched me, relishing my misfortune: “See? Does anyone still care about you?” He pulled out a document: “Arthur, be smart. Sign this and get lost.” “Otherwise, I’ll not only ruin your reputation, but I’ll also expose your dirty little secrets to your sister. Let her see what kind of a lowlife her ‘good brother’ really is.” My hands trembled as I picked up the document, my eyes instantly welling up. Not with sadness, but with exhilaration. Because that document contained a joint statement. Arthur Lynn has no connection whatsoever to the “Skyline Pinnacle” Commercial High-Rise project. All architectural design patents and construction advice are unrelated to him. My heart was bursting with joy, but I dared not show it on my face. 3 “Slander! This is pure slander! Walter, you say I’ve been fooling around with escorts every day, do you have any proof?” My eyes were bloodshot, my whole body shaking. Walter glanced at his phone, a smug smile playing on his lips: “Proof? It’s right there in your office.” A whole crew of them marched back to my office. Pushing open the door, I froze. A young woman in a revealing outfit was sitting in my chair. Seeing me, she immediately pounced and clung to my arm. “Mr. Lynn! You have to take responsibility for me!” I yanked my arm away from her: “Who are you? I don’t even know you!” The woman’s eyes reddened, and she latched back onto me: “How can you be like this? For the past six months, you’ve been coming to me every day, saying you couldn’t live without me. Now that the project is almost finished, you’re just going to turn your back on me?” Many colleagues started pointing and whispering about me. “Mr. Lynn always seemed so proper. Can’t believe he’s into that kind of thing.” “I knew that design wasn’t his style. Turns out it was Walter’s all along.” “They called him a genius designer? I say he’s nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing!” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down: “I’ve been working overtime in this office for the past six months. There are cameras everywhere. How could I possibly be going out to see you every day?” Walter laughed, slowly pulling out his phone: “Didn’t you know? The surveillance on this floor has been broken for ages.” I blurted out, “Impossible!” “I checked the surveillance footage last week to find some files. It was working perfectly.” Walter shrugged: “Don’t believe me? Call and ask right now.” I immediately dialed the security office. “Hey, Old Brown, are the surveillance videos from the last three months still available?” “Oh, Mr. Lynn, all the videos have been deleted, and the hard drives formatted.” My hand trembled slightly: “Even if they’re deleted, what about the logs? They can still be recovered within seven days, right?” The sound of furious typing came from the other end of the line. After a moment of silence, the voice returned: “No, Mr. Lynn. The system shows the logs were completely overwritten. Even the past seven days can’t be recovered.” I hung up, and Walter’s laughter grew even more unrestrained: “Hear that? You haven’t shown up for work for the past six months. There’s no record of you in the surveillance footage.” I stared at him, saying each word deliberately: “Even without surveillance, the documents I signed can’t be faked. Every design change order, every material confirmation sheet—aren’t they all signed by me?” Walter clapped his hands: “Right, you mentioned it, and I almost forgot.” He turned and walked to the file cabinet in the corner, pulling open the bottom drawer. A murky mess of black stuff floated in water, completely unrecognizable. “Tsk, tsk. What a coincidence, wouldn’t you say? The water pipe burst last week, and all the files in that cabinet got soaked.” Walter shook his head regretfully. All the drawers in my office had keys, yet Walter had opened them with ease. I glanced at Michael, my secretary, who immediately looked away, guilty. I clenched my fists, my nails almost digging into my flesh. It was too damn coincidental. So coincidental that every step was planned, so coincidental that even the water damage was precisely placed. They had plotted this all along, but alas, they were too clever for their own good. The strange woman leaned in again, reaching for me: “Mr. Lynn, you can’t just disown me now. My belly might be carrying…” “Get out!” I roared, and the entire floor fell silent. The woman recoiled two steps, startled, and Walter’s expression shifted. 4 I looked at a familiar figure in the crowd. “Michael, come here.” Michael Lee had been with me since his first day at the company. Back then, he couldn’t even read blueprints. I taught him CAD firsthand, and I stayed up late guiding him through design revisions. He was careless and once lost client files, and it was me who cleaned up his mess. He slowly walked to my side, but wouldn’t look up at me. Walter recovered, putting on his usual smirking face: “Perfect, Michael. Tell everyone, has Mr. Lynn been doing his job these past six months?” Michael kept his head down: “Mr. Lynn wasn’t often in the office.” I stared at him, incredulous: “What did you say?” He glanced at me, then continued: “There were a few times I went to find him for a signature, and he wasn’t there. Later, I saw one of Walter’s blueprints on his desk.” “I even asked him about it at the time, and he said he was just ‘referencing’ it. I never thought he was outright plagiarizing.” A murmur of shock rippled through the crowd. I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Michael Lee, I taught you for three years. Is this how you repay me?” He finally looked up, his eyes red. But his words were sharper than ever: “Arthur, I can’t lie against my conscience.” “That design was completely copied from Walter. I saw it with my own eyes.” “And for this entire period, you weren’t in the office. All the company’s work was held up by Walter alone.” Walter patted his shoulder, a show of false concern: “Alright, Michael, you’re just speaking the truth. No need to feel guilty.” I looked at the two of them, a bitter laugh escaping me: “Fine, excellent! You’re really good at throwing people under the bus!” “You, and you, all of you, remember this moment!” No one took my words seriously. Michael even seemed relieved, thinking I was just making empty threats. Walter once again slammed the agreement in front of me. “Sign it, quickly.” I picked up the agreement and publicly read out the most crucial line: “Arthur Lynn has no connection whatsoever to the ‘Skyline Pinnacle’ Commercial High-Rise project. All architectural design and construction advice are completely unrelated to him.” “Walter, think carefully about the consequences. If this project has problems in the future, you’ll be solely responsible. Are you sure you want me to sign this?” Walter’s eyes flickered, as if in thought. Michael, beside him, urged him on: “Manager Walter, he’s just trying to provoke you. Besides, the project’s almost done. What could possibly go wrong?” Walter nodded in agreement, then looked at me: “Stop talking nonsense, sign it!” With red eyes and a heavy heart, I scrawled my name. Two copies. I pocketed my copy, my face grim. Then I turned and walked away. Behind me, I heard Walter’s triumphant voice: “Arthur Lynn, you’re nothing special, are you?” I stopped, turned back, and looked at him: “Don’t celebrate too soon!” “When the good times end, the bad times begin. Don’t come crying to me then!”

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I was in the middle of negotiating a business deal when my husband Ethan’s newly hired intern, Lily, barged in and demanded I go buy her breakfast. Watching the client’s face darken, I immediately threw her out. Afterward, I apologized repeatedly before finally securing the partnership. Just as I was about to share the good news with Ethan, patent agreement in hand, he slapped me twice across the face in front of the entire company. “You vicious woman! Is money all you ever think about? Do you know you almost got Lily killed?” That’s when I learned Lily had been hospitalized for low blood sugar from skipping breakfast. But there was clearly chocolate on her desk that I’d bought for her earlier. I looked up at Ethan’s furious face. My cheeks burned, but my heart went cold. After a long silence, I finally spoke: “Ethan, let’s get a divorce.” The moment those words left my mouth, Ethan’s expression froze. Then he grabbed a janitor’s mop bucket and dumped the filthy water over my head. Ice-cold, reeking water soaked through my clothes. My white shirt clung to my skin, revealing the color of my bra underneath. The stench spread through the air. I was completely drenched, hair plastered to my face, water dripping down my cheeks. Under everyone’s stares, I’d never felt more humiliated. Ethan pointed at me, his tone violent: “Not thinking clearly? Let me help you wake up.” A deathly silence fell over the room. All the employees kept their heads down. I clutched the patent agreement, now soaked, my fingertips ice cold. A wave of bitterness surged in my chest as I shot back: “Ethan, do you know what this project bonus is for? It’s to save my mother’s life. What could be more important than keeping the company from going bankrupt, more important than keeping my mom alive? Lily had low blood sugar, but her desk was full of soda and chocolate I gave her. Why didn’t she eat any of it? There were so many idle colleagues just now. Why did she specifically barge in to find me while I was negotiating a hundred-million-dollar project? Let me be blunt—I’m the Vice President of this company. Why should I buy breakfast for an intern?” Ethan’s face turned pale. He seemed at a loss for words, then let out a cold snort: “Since you want this money so badly, fine. I’ll tell you right now—I won’t give you a single cent of this project bonus. I’m awarding it all to Lily.” My whole body shook. I couldn’t believe these words were coming from my husband of ten years: “On what grounds?” His tone was cold, looking at me with contempt: “Your mom’s already got one foot in the grave. Does this money even matter? Lily is young with a bright future ahead. This money suits her better. It’ll also knock down that arrogant attitude of yours.” Those words stabbed into my chest like a knife. I steadied my trembling body as tears finally spilled down my face. This company survived until today not because of him, but because of the patent my mother developed by exhausting her life’s work. My mother contracted cancer precisely because developing that patent meant long-term exposure to experimental metal radiation. It was because of my mother’s sacrifice that I threw everything into securing this project. For this project, I pulled every string I could, drank until I had stomach bleeding at business dinners, just to connect with this well-established partner who could provide a hundred-million-dollar collaboration deal. But now… My voice trembled, tears beyond my control: “Ethan, have you forgotten how you begged my mother when you were penniless, begging her to give you the patent? My mom felt sorry for me, pitied you, and let the company use her core patent for over a decade for free—not asking for a single cent. Now you talk about her like this. Doesn’t your own heart ache?” Complete silence fell. My accusation echoed through the office. All the employees looked at me with sympathy, then began discussing in lowered voices. “Ethan went too far. How could he say something like that?” “Right? We were all free at the time. Lily didn’t come to any of us—why did she specifically go find Jordan while she was in the middle of a project meeting?” “So this company exists today because of Jordan’s mother. Ethan’s words are just too…”

The employees’ murmurs died down when they met Ethan’s dark expression. The whispered sympathy and indignation fell on his ears. Ethan’s face alternated between pale and flushed, utterly humiliated. Cornered by the accusations, Ethan’s tone softened for a rare moment: “Jordan, I… I didn’t mean it like that…” Before he could finish, footsteps echoed from the lobby entrance. Lily was being supported by bodyguards, her face pale, stumbling as she rushed in. Her voice dripped with theatrical grievance: “Stop fighting, please! It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have troubled the Vice President to buy me breakfast.” “A poor person like me isn’t worth anything. I don’t deserve to make you angry on my account.” “It’s all my fault. Please don’t fight because of me…” Lily cried while actually starting to kneel before me. “I was so thoughtless! I shouldn’t have asked the Vice President to buy breakfast. The Vice President did nothing wrong—it’s all my fault. Someone like me is worthless anyway. I might as well just jump out a window.” She screamed and rushed toward the window, acting like she wanted to end her life. Ethan’s face changed drastically. He immediately rushed forward and grabbed her tightly, pulling her back with force: “Lily! Don’t be rash! I’m here.” After some struggle, he pulled her back into his embrace. But during the scuffle, the top button of Ethan’s shirt popped open. From his neck down to his chest—covered in fresh and faded red marks. We’d been sleeping in separate beds for nearly a month now. His late nights coming home, the perfume smell on him, the mysterious expenses, how he never let his phone out of his sight. All the signs I’d ignored suddenly connected in that moment. He was having an affair. With this intern he held so precious. My whole body went cold. Even breathing hurt. Seeing me staring at his neck, panic flashed in Ethan’s eyes, quickly replaced by rage: “Jordan, what’s the point of dredging up your mother’s old business? I run this company now, and you need to listen to me.” “Stop trying to fool me. Your mother’s illness isn’t that serious. She said herself it’s nothing major. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?” Bitterness surged in my chest again. My mom had pretended she was fine so Ethan could focus on the company without distraction. But if he’d just asked at the hospital even once, he’d know my mom would die soon without surgery. Before I could respond, he continued: “You think being Vice President gives you some kind of superiority? Starting today, you’re demoted. You’ll be Lily’s assistant and learn how to be a decent human being.” That sentence ignited all the humiliation I’d endured today and my fury over Ethan’s affair. I couldn’t control myself anymore. I raised my hand to slap Lily across the face. Ethan moved quickly, immediately shouting: “Security! Hold her down.” Two large bodyguards instantly rushed forward, twisting my arms and pinning me so I couldn’t move. Ethan’s eyes turned vicious. “Still trying to hit people? Beat her. Beat her until she comes to her senses.” Slap after slap landed on my face. At least a dozen. My lip split, my cheeks swelled and burned, my ears rang, darkness crept into my vision. Ethan glared coldly at all the employees: “What happened today—anyone who breathes a word of this gets fired immediately and blacklisted permanently.” The bodyguards shoved me hard to the ground. Covered in filthy water mixed with tears and blood, I looked as pathetic as a drowned rat. I tried to push myself up. Ethan walked over and crouched down in front of me. “Jordan, if you dare call the police, I’ll stop your mother’s medication immediately and let her fend for herself.”

My chest constricted sharply. Sourness rushed straight to my nose. My mom spent her whole life as a professor—frugal and modest. Most of her savings went to Ethan’s startup, the rest to charity. She kept nothing for herself. I bit down hard on my teeth, unable to say a word. I could only swallow the choking bitterness in my throat. I stumbled out of the company and headed straight for the hospital. But just as I reached the inpatient building, the doctor called, his voice urgent: “Ms. Rivers, your mother’s medication has been stopped.” My whole body trembled. With shaking hands, I dialed Ethan’s number. The moment he answered, his cold voice came through: “This is your lesson. Behave yourself. Come to the company tomorrow to be Lily’s assistant, or your mother won’t last another day.” Through the receiver, I heard Lily’s sweet, cloying laugh: “Ethan, let’s go to that Japanese restaurant tonight, okay?” The call ended. I stood in the hospital’s cold corridor, watching patients’ families come and go, finally unable to hold myself up. I slowly sank to the ground and cried. I clutched the salary card I’d saved for ten whole years, my hands shaking as I handed it to the payment window. The nurse swiped it, then looked up at me with a gentle shake of her head, her tone sympathetic: “Ms. Rivers, this card has been frozen. The primary cardholder needs to unfreeze it before it can be used.” In an instant, all the strength drained from my body. Ten years of marriage. I’d stood by him from nothing to the brink of going public. In his eyes, I wasn’t worth a single cent. My mom was still in her hospital room waiting for life-saving medication. I had no choice. I wiped the tears from my face, gritted my teeth, and headed back to the company. By the time I stumbled back to the office, it was long past closing time. Only the top-floor executive office still had its lights on. Just as I reached the elevator, the head of security blocked my path, looking me up and down with disdain: “Ms. Rivers? Oh wait—you’ve been demoted. What are you doing at the company now? Planning to steal something?” I had no energy to argue with him. I shoved him aside and rushed toward the office. The closer I got to the door, the clearer I could hear the indecent sounds coming from inside. A woman’s sultry moans mixed with a man’s heavy grunts, along with the desk creaking under strain. “Ethan, slower… I can’t take it anymore…” “What if that shrew finds out? She’ll beat me…” Ethan’s voice came through between ragged breaths: “Don’t worry. She can only depend on me now. Without me, she’s nothing…” My mother was dying in the hospital, and he was here sleeping with his intern. Overwhelming fury and humiliation instantly clouded my judgment. I raised my foot and kicked the office door hard. “BANG.” The door flew open. The scene inside was obscene. Ethan immediately grabbed his shirt to cover himself, pointing at me and cursing: “Jordan! Have you lost your mind?! Acting like a total psycho—wasn’t the last lesson enough for you?!” My whole body trembled. Tears finally fell uncontrollably. I stared at him hard, my voice hoarse beyond recognition: “Ethan, what will it take for you to give my mother her medication?” He straightened his clothes, pulled a document from his drawer, and threw it on the desk. “Simple. Sign this patent transfer agreement. Transfer the core patent from your mother’s name to mine personally.” “The patent is still in your mother’s hands. I’m not comfortable with that. Sign it, and I’ll renew your mother’s medication immediately.” I stared at the agreement, my whole body shaking with rage. That patent cost my mother half her life’s work. She got cancer from radiation exposure developing it. It was her life. “I’ll never sign. This is my mother’s lifelong work. Don’t even think about it.”

“Then don’t blame me for forcing you.” Ethan’s expression darkened as he advanced toward me. I was about to step back when sudden, sharp pain exploded at the back of my head. My vision went black instantly. The world spun. I struggled to turn my head. The last thing I saw was Lily holding a black iron rod. Ethan’s icy voice reached my ears: “Let you experience what Lily went through. See if you still talk back.” With that, he intimately took Lily’s arm, and they turned to leave. I completely lost consciousness and collapsed heavily to the floor. When I regained consciousness, darkness surrounded me. The air reeked of mildew and dust. I was locked in an abandoned warehouse. Doors and windows sealed tight. I called for help, but no one came. I still wore that filthy water-soaked shirt, cold and stinking against my skin. My stomach growled with hunger. My lips cracked and peeled. Not a drop of water to drink. Cold, hungry, thirsty—I was on the verge of collapse. And all I could think about was my mother in the hospital without her medication. Was she in pain? Was she suffering? Was she… I didn’t dare think further. I curled up in the corner, breaking down. I don’t know how many times I passed out, only watching the sun rise and set through the window. Two full days and nights. I had no chance to call for help. Just as my consciousness was about to fade completely, the warehouse door suddenly opened. A longtime company employee passing by discovered me barely alive and got me out. The first thing I did was take a cab to the hospital, then borrowed the driver’s charging cable to charge my phone. The moment it powered on, a text message popped up. “Is this Professor Quinn’s daughter? I’m Professor Quinn’s former student. I heard Professor Quinn’s patent license to Gray Corporation has expired. Our Sullivan Group is willing to pay ten billion for ten years of usage rights, with 51% profit sharing. Would you be interested?” Before I could reply to that message, the car had already stopped at the hospital entrance. I stumbled inside, running straight into my mother’s attending physician: “Where’s my mom? How is she?” The doctor looked troubled. “Ms. Rivers, your mother was already discharged by someone else and transferred home. All treatment was stopped.” My head buzzed. “Who did it?” “A young woman. She said she was following Mr. Gray’s orders, that home care would be fine.” “I explained Professor Quinn’s serious condition to her. She said the family didn’t have money for hospitalization…” It was Lily. I ran home like a madwoman. The moment I pushed open the door, my entire world collapsed. My mother lay quietly on the cold floor, her face pale, no longer breathing. She was gone. While I was locked in that warehouse crying for help. While Ethan and Lily were enjoying themselves. My mother—who lived her whole life in modest poverty, who gave us everything—died alone. Without medication. Without treatment. Just like that, she was gone. I knelt on the floor, holding my mother’s gradually cooling body, sobbing until my heart shattered. Until I couldn’t make a sound anymore. Only suppressed whimpers remained. I couldn’t understand how everything had turned out this way. I didn’t notify Ethan. During those days handling funeral arrangements, I moved like a walking corpse. Until an elegant, dignified man entered the mourning hall to pay his respects. Afterwards, he turned to look at me. “Ms. Rivers, my deepest condolences. I’m Sebastian Sullivan, Professor Quinn’s former student and the person who sent you that message.” After I told him everything in fragments, his expression darkened bit by bit, the pressure around him becoming frightening: “I never imagined we’d meet under these circumstances. This is my fault. I sent the Professor messages recently that she never replied to. I should have looked for her sooner.” He lowered his head in self-reproach. I shook my head, indicating he shouldn’t blame himself. My mom didn’t want to make a big deal of her illness. She always thought of others first. She knew if her students found out she was sick, they’d visit every day. Sebastian understood my mother’s nature and sighed. I looked up at Sebastian with red eyes: “Mr. Sullivan, I wonder if you’re still willing to sign that licensing agreement?” This was something my mother paid for with her life. I would never let Ethan profit from it by a single cent again. Sebastian nodded firmly. Just as the pen touched paper to sign, my phone vibrated. A message from Ethan: “Have you thought it over? Sign the patent transfer agreement, and I’ll have the hospital give Mom her medication and surgery immediately.” Reading that message, my chest felt like it was being torn open, the pain suffocating. The hatred made my whole body tremble. My mom was already dead, and he was still threatening me with her life. Sebastian pressed his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t be impulsive. For evil people to fall the hardest, you have to wait until they’re at their highest point.” He was right. I gripped my phone tightly but ultimately didn’t reply with a single word. On the other side, Ethan waited a long time without receiving my response. An inexplicable panic rose in his heart. He turned to ask Lily, who was nestled in his arms: “When you went to the hospital that day, did the doctor say how serious Mom’s condition really was?” Lily’s eyes flickered. She forced herself to stay calm: “Not serious at all. The doctor said it was just a minor issue that would get better with rest. Jordan was just making a mountain out of a molehill.” Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and sneered: “I knew it. She was just using her mother to manipulate me.” “But it doesn’t matter if she won’t budge. At the company’s IPO launch the day after tomorrow, I’ll publicly announce that the patent belongs to the company. Done deal. Anyway, my mother-in-law has always been fond of me. When the time comes, I’ll sweet-talk her a bit and she definitely won’t make a fuss.” Lily immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling: “Ethan, you’re so clever! Once we go public, we’ll be the envy of everyone.” The two embraced, fantasizing about their glorious success. Soon, Gray Corporation’s IPO launch event arrived as scheduled. The venue was brilliantly lit, packed with reporters. Ethan stood on stage, full of confidence, about to announce the company’s core patent and IPO news. Just then, his secretary rushed in, face deathly pale, voice trembling: “Mr. Gray! This is bad! Something terrible has happened.” Ethan frowned and snapped: “What are you panicking about?!” “Professor Quinn—your mother-in-law’s patent license to the company has expired! And also…” Before the secretary could finish, the venue erupted into chaos. Investors and partners’ faces instantly changed. Ethan waved his hand impatiently: “What’s there to worry about?! That’s my mother-in-law’s patent. One phone call from me and it’s settled. What’s the big deal?!” The secretary closed their eyes in despair. “Mr. Gray, Professor Quinn has passed away from illness.”

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I always felt like my husband had some kind of condition. Every time we had sex, his rough fingertips would push me to climax over and over, But just as he was about to fully possess me, he’d always pull away abruptly. All night, I listened to the water running in the bathroom and the muffled sound of a man trying to breathe quietly. I figured he must have been forced into this marriage. That was why he was so half-hearted. Then came that night. Divorce papers in hand, I stopped outside the study. The door was half-open. “Kai, you’re clearly addicted to Nora, so why won’t you touch her?” “Human girls can’t resist temptation. You better watch out or some other wolf will steal her away one of these days.” The man being teased took a leisurely sip of his drink, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the back of his neck. “What do you guys know? I dream about absorbing her into my very bones. But what if I lose control and hurt her? What if I scare her away and she doesn’t want me anymore?” His friends all laughed at that. “Then maybe stop taking those ice-cold showers for two hours every night.” That same night, while Kai was in the bathroom taking another cold shower, I unlocked his tablet with trembling hands. Ninety-nine search history entries, all variations of the same question. “I finally married my mate, but I’m a werewolf and she’s just a human. How can I have sex with her without hurting her?”

My fingers flew across the tablet screen, The further down I scrolled, the more my hands shook, until even my breathing trembled. A condition? Forced marriage? Frigid? All lies. He was actually a werewolf! The bathroom water stopped. Before I could process the truth, the bedroom door swung open. Kai’s black hair was still dripping wet. When he saw me holding his tablet, the color drained completely from his face, and he even stopped drying his hair. He froze in the doorway, panic and helplessness flashing in his eyes. We stared at each other silently for a good ten seconds before I finally broke the silence, my voice shaking uncontrollably, “Kai, is all this stuff you posted real?” His Adam’s apple bobbed hard as he walked toward me step by step. “Nora, let me explain…” “Explain what? Explain that you’re a werewolf? A monster?” I looked up at him, my eyes instantly reddening, “You’ve been lying to me this whole time!” “Yes.” He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were filled with honest humility, “I’m the Alpha of the Karen Pack of werewolves. I’m sorry, Nora. I’ve been hiding this from you for so long.” “What about the arranged marriage?” My voice tightened, “When my sister suddenly called off the engagement and ran to Europe, you had something to do with that, didn’t you? This marriage was your scheme from the very beginning?” “Yes.” He didn’t hide anything, his voice hoarse as he laid out all his secrets, “The day of our college graduation, the first time I saw you, I knew you were my fated mate-my one and only partner for life.” “To switch the arranged marriage to you, I helped your sister arrange everything for Europe so she could pursue the life she wanted without any worries.” At this point, Kai clenched his fists, “It’s not that I didn’t want to touch you-I was afraid I couldn’t control the werewolf possessiveness and would hurt you. Even more, I was afraid that if you found out I wasn’t human, you’d be scared of me. That you’d leave me.” He laid all his restraint, all these years of hidden love, bare before me. My heart felt sour and numb, but more than anything, I was shocked at being deceived and terrified by this truth about werewolves that was beyond my comprehension. For twenty-four years, I’d never imagined that the husband who’d slept beside me for half a year wasn’t human. Looking at this man I’d once thought cold and distant, I only felt he was strange and frightening. I jerked backward, avoiding his outstretched hand. “Don’t touch me!” My voice cracked with tears as my whole body trembled, “Kai, you say you love me, but you couldn’t even give me basic honesty. You lied to me for six whole months!” “Did you ever think about how scared I’d be when I found out?” “Nora, I…” His eyes filled with hurt and regret, “I was just afraid of losing you. I never wanted to hurt you, never.” “Stop talking.” I grabbed my coat and bag from the bed, desperate to escape this suffocating place. Kai’s tall figure blocked my path, his hands covering my shoulders as he looked at me with reddening eyes, “Nora, I won’t force you, just don’t run away, okay?” His voice shook hoarsely, “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. You can yell at me, punish me-I’ll take it all. Just don’t go out alone. I’m worried about you.” I wrenched free of his grip. “Kai, I think we both need to calm down.” Ignoring his anxious calls behind me, I slammed the door and drove off, heading straight to my best friend Jade’s house.

When Jade opened the door and saw my tear-stained face, she jumped in alarm and quickly pulled me inside. “Nora? What happened? Didn’t you say you were going to ask Kai for a divorce? Did he fight with you?” All the emotions I’d bottled up that night came crashing down. I buried myself in her arms and told her everything about Kai. Jade’s eyes went wide as saucers, her face full of disbelief. “This is more insane than a movie plot! There are actually werewolves in the real world?” “So he’s not impotent-he’s afraid of losing control and hurting you? And he’s had a crush on you for four or five years?” “Yes.” I sniffled and grabbed the whiskey from the table, taking a large gulp, “But my head’s a complete mess right now, Jade. I don’t know how to face him.” “So what are you going to do? Actually get divorced?” Jade handed me a tissue, asking carefully. My hand holding the glass froze. Divorce? I’d been set on divorce before because I thought this marriage had no love-only half-hearted obligation. But now that I knew about all his restraint and deep feelings, I couldn’t bring myself to say the word “divorce.” Yet I couldn’t immediately accept that he was a werewolf and interact with him without any reservations either. “I don’t know.” I took another gulp of whiskey, my eyes reddening even more, “I just feel so confused. He kept me in the dark for so long. Now when I look at him, he feels like a stranger.” Jade didn’t push me further, just kept me company as I drank glass after glass. My mind was chaotic and stifled. I drank quickly and heavily, and before long, my consciousness grew fuzzy. In my daze, I thought I heard my phone vibrating non-stop, but my eyelids felt glued shut. I simply turned off my phone, rolled over, and passed out. Meanwhile, at the villa, Kai sat in the living room all night, the ashtray piling up with cigarette butts as the bloodshot in his eyes grew heavier. Looking at the messages that remained unanswered, his mood grew increasingly heavy, but he didn’t dare push too hard, afraid I’d become even more resistant. He leaned back, muttering to himself, “Nora, what am I supposed to do with you?” When I woke up the next day, my head felt like it was about to explode, my throat was parched, and my whole body was weak. Rubbing my neck, I picked up my phone. The moment I turned it on, a flood of messages and missed calls poured in. Reading through dozens of messages made my chest ache. Jade woke up too, yawning as she asked me, “Awake? Figured things out yet?” I shook my head, but I knew that no matter how confused I felt, I couldn’t keep hiding here forever. What needed to be faced would eventually have to be faced. After saying goodbye to Jade, I drove back to the villa. As soon as I pushed open the front door, the heavy smell of cigarette smoke hit me. Kai sat on the couch, radiating unmistakable exhaustion. Hearing the door open, he whipped his head around. The moment he saw me, he immediately stood and strode quickly toward me. “Nora, you’re back.” His voice was extremely hoarse, his gaze urgently scanning me, “Are you hungry? I kept some porridge warm for you.” His cautious demeanor made me feel even worse. But thinking about how he’d hidden things from me for six months, I hardened my heart and didn’t respond. Just then, his gaze fell on my neck, and his pupils constricted sharply. In that instant, I clearly felt the surrounding air turn cold. An extremely strong sense of oppression emanated from him, and even his breathing grew several times heavier. He opened his mouth, his Adam’s apple rolling repeatedly. “You… who were you with last night?” “None of your business. I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m going upstairs.” I waved him off and walked straight upstairs without another glance. After I turned to go upstairs, Kai’s fists clenched so tight his knuckles went white, and he ground his teeth. The werewolf possessiveness over one’s fated mate was an instinct carved into their bloodline. Those overlapping red marks on my neck stabbed into his heart like needles. Jealousy and pain submerged him like a tidal wave, but he didn’t even have the right to question me. He was the one who’d hidden his identity first. He was the one who’d never dared touch her, making her suffer so much grievance. He closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the metallic taste rising in his throat, left only with overwhelming bitterness.

I collapsed into bed as soon as I got to my room. The hangover hit hard, and by the time I woke up, it was already completely dark outside. As I tried to get up, I felt burning hot all over, without even the strength to kick off the covers. In my daze, the bedroom door was gently pushed open. The moment Kai entered and saw me curled up under the blanket, my cheeks flushed red with fever, he walked quickly over and touched my forehead. His whole body panicked. “Nora?” “How did you get such a high fever?” I frowned and instinctively shrank away, my voice hoarse. “I don’t need you. Go away.” His hand froze in mid-air, his eyes instantly flooding with heartache and self-blame. “Be good, don’t fuss. Let’s take your temperature and you’ll feel better after taking medicine, okay?” He turned and quickly fetched a thermometer and fever medicine. I was too dizzy and weak to argue with him, letting him help me obediently swallow the medicine. When his cool fingertips touched my burning lips, the hand at his side clenched tightly, and his breathing grew heavy. In my foggy consciousness, I seemed to hear the sound of cold water running in the bathroom, continuing for a very long time. When I fully woke up again, it was already morning. As soon as I opened my eyes, I found myself tightly held in Kai’s arms. Seeing me awake, he immediately looked down at me, his fingertips touching my forehead before he let out a heavy sigh of relief. “The fever’s finally broken. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Do you want some water?” Looking at the dense bloodshot in his eyes, most of my anger dissipated, though my words remained stubborn. I struggled out of his embrace, saying ungraciously, “I won’t die. I don’t need your fake kindness.” Kai’s hand froze in mid-air, a flash of hurt crossing his eyes as he said quietly, “It’s my fault for not taking good care of you. I knew you’d been drinking but still let you catch a chill and get a fever.” “What does my fever have to do with you?” I looked at him as two days’ worth of grievance and anger suddenly surged up, “Kai, who are you putting on this devoted act for now? You weren’t honest from the start, and after we got married you wouldn’t even touch me. What exactly do you think I am?” The more I talked, the more wronged I felt, and I continued recklessly. “Jade already found me two male models with eight-pack abs. Being with them would be better than staying with an old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud like you!” The moment those words left my mouth, Kai’s expression changed instantly. His pupils contracted sharply, his hand gripping the bedsheet so tightly his knuckles went white. But seeing my reddened eyes, that towering rage was forcibly suppressed. “Nora, I’m sorry.” Seeing him only capable of apologizing made me even angrier. I rolled over with my back to him, not wanting to deal with him anymore. Kai sat behind me for a long time-so long I thought he’d left-before I felt him gently touch my hair, “It’s my fault. All of it is my fault.” His voice was very low, heavy with self-blame, “Don’t be angry, and don’t go to anyone else, okay? Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. I’ll change everything.” I ignored him, keeping my eyes closed and pretending to sleep. He sighed softly and got up to leave. The moment the door closed, I opened my eyes, my heart a tangled mess. Outside the door, Kai leaned against the wall and closed his eyes hard. His friends were right. If he kept being such a coward, he really would lose his fated mate. Kai pulled out his phone and messaged his childhood friends, asking them to come to the house. He needed these brothers to help him figure out how to make his little mate stop being angry, How to make her completely believe that he loved her more than his own life.

The fever completely broke the next afternoon. After sleeping through it, I woke up feeling much lighter, though my stomach growled with hunger. I wanted to go downstairs to find something to eat. Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I heard Kai’s friends’ voices. “Kai, you’re clearly addicted to Nora, so why won’t you touch her?” “Human girls can’t resist temptation. You better watch out or some other wolf will steal her away one of these days.” Kai’s voice carried deep exhaustion, “I’m afraid she hasn’t recovered yet. She’s still angry with me and won’t even talk to me.” “Being angry means she cares! If she really didn’t care, she would’ve asked for a divorce already. Would she even come back to this house?” “You didn’t dare touch her before, and now you don’t dare speak up. Wait until Nora really runs off with someone else-you won’t even have a place to cry!” Listening to their conversation, the last of my stubbornness and anger gradually faded. I took a deep breath, about to walk downstairs and talk everything through with him. Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. The crisp chime was particularly jarring in the quiet living room. Immediately after, two young men’s voices came from the entrance, loud enough to penetrate right through the door. “Is Nora here? We’re sent by Jade. She said you weren’t feeling well and asked us to come keep you company and cheer you up!” The conversation in the living room stopped abruptly. I froze on the stairs, my mind going blank with a buzzing sound. Oh no. When I’d been venting to Jade earlier, in the heat of the moment I’d agreed to her suggestion about male models, then completely forgot about it. I never thought she’d actually send people over, and at this exact moment! The living room fell deathly silent. The next second, I saw Kai walk to the door. His voice was as cold as ice. “Get lost.” The two male models outside hesitated, trying to say something more, when Kai spoke again, “Say one more word and I’ll make sure you never leave this neighborhood.” Even through a door, a top-tier Alpha’s dominant pressure was enough to make two ordinary human men break out in cold sweat. The voices outside immediately went silent, followed by panicked, fleeing footsteps. He slowly turned around. Looking up, he locked onto me standing on the stairs with pinpoint accuracy. His friends very tactfully moved toward the door. “Kai, we’ll head out now. You and Nora take care.” Kai’s gaze fixed on me as he walked toward me step by step. His eyes were thick with desire that couldn’t be dissolved, and the aura around him was frighteningly cold. He trapped me between himself and the stair railing, his tall figure completely enveloping me. “Nora,” his voice was extremely hoarse, “do you want it that badly?” My heartbeat skipped. I was about to explain that Jade had messed things up. He lowered his head, his lips brushing my neck, his hands restlessly moving downward, “Whatever they can give you, I can give you too. What they can’t give, I’ll give you even more.” His hand stopped between my legs, and my body couldn’t help trembling, “Nora, give me a chance to be your real husband, okay?”

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He pursued me for seven years and doted on me endlessly. He was the perfect husband in everyone’s eyes. On our wedding anniversary, he knelt at my doorstep and begged me. “Renée, I was drugged. Tara is carrying my child.” I smiled and forgave him, then turned around and signed the divorce papers. Before leaving, I took one last look at our marital home. He didn’t know I had long ago overheard his whispered conversations with Tara. “Renée? Just a dead fish in bed. You’re so much hotter.” He also didn’t know that at this very moment, at the London airport, someone who had waited five years for me was opening his arms wide. Damien, may you lose everything you love and have all your dreams come true. Renée’s POV Everyone said Damien Foster loved me more than life itself. When I was fifteen, he saw me for the first time under the plane trees on Old Street. He said that with just one glance, he fell deeply in love with me. For the next seven years, he pursued me, doted on me, and made me the most envied woman in the entire city. Five years of dating, and we never once fought. The way he looked at me was always burning with intensity. But this same Damien betrayed me on our first wedding anniversary. The first time Damien begged me was because someone had drugged him at a business reception, and he slept with Tara Moore. Early next morning, he came to my house and knelt at the door, pleading with me. “Renée, I was wrong. Someone drugged me. I don’t even know how it happened with Tara… You can hit me, yell at me, do whatever you want. Just please, please don’t leave me.” Before I could say anything, my father burst out with a riding crop in his hand. That day, my father whipped him a hundred times. Damien was strung up on the plane tree in the courtyard, his back torn open, blood dripping all over the ground. He didn’t beg for mercy, just kept repeating “I’m sorry” over and over. I came downstairs and knelt before my father. “Let’s set the wedding date for one month from now.” My father was too angry to speak. My mother hit me twice, crying and calling me a “foolish child.” A month later, the wedding took place as scheduled. When we exchanged rings, Damien gripped my hand tightly, his eyes red-rimmed. “Renée, thank you. I will never betray you in this lifetime. If I break this vow, may I lose everything I love!” I smiled but said nothing. After the honeymoon, I planned to start trying for a baby and went to the hospital for a checkup, but in the garden I stumbled upon Tara forcefully kissing Damien. The next second, Damien pushed her away and slapped her across the face. “Tara, I’ve already settled accounts with you for that night. If you keep making trouble, I’ll make sure your family can’t stay in this city!” He turned and left, his retreating figure resolute. I stood behind a tree and didn’t make a sound. That night, he was exceptionally passionate-burning embraces and lingering kisses, as if he couldn’t wait to fuse me into his very bones. I thought, at least he only loves me. But this illusion shattered the very next day. Tara showed up at our door, clutching a pregnancy test result. “Damien, I’m pregnant.” Damien froze as if all the strength had been drained from his body. I watched him take a step forward and pull Tara tightly into his embrace. “I’m sorry.” His voice was hoarse, “I’m sorry…” His apologies were truly worthless. I thought. After calming Tara down, Damien knelt before me. “Renée, I need to ask you for something.” His eyes were rimmed with red. “Let Tara have the child. You’ll always be my only wife. I have no future with her. Once the child is born, we’ll send it to the old estate, and she’ll have nothing more to do with us. I’m just asking you-please let this innocent child live.” I looked down at him. He knelt at my feet, his posture as humble as a dog’s. But every word he spoke was asking me to accept another woman’s child-a child she bore for him. Suppressing the sourness welling up inside me, I ignored the panic in his eyes, pulled my hand away, and returned to my room. I opened my laptop and clicked on an email that had arrived three days ago. The sender was a world-class data analysis research institute in London. They had been inviting me to take a position overseas since a month ago. Because I still held out hope for Damien, I had kept refusing. But now… I typed a few words and clicked send. “I accept.” That afternoon, while Damien was at his company, I went to a law firm. The lawyer was my college roommate. Within an hour, she helped me draft a divorce agreement. I tucked it into my bag and took it with me to the Moore residence. Tara was sunbathing in the courtyard. When she saw me arrive, she immediately put on a helpless expression. “Renée, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I-” I cut her off and placed the divorce agreement on the coffee table. “Get Damien to sign this. You should have a way.” Tara froze for a moment, then dropped the innocent look from her face and curled her lips into a malicious smile. She picked up the agreement and flipped through it, all trace of vulnerability vanishing from her eyes. “Renée Sullivan, you should’ve left a long time ago. If you hadn’t swooped in while I was studying abroad, the position of Mrs. Foster would’ve been mine from the start!” I wasn’t angry. “Then hurry up. Seven days. I’m giving you seven days. Get this sorted out, and you’ll be Mrs. Foster.” Without waiting to see Tara’s ugly expression, I turned and went home. When I got back, I started packing. We’d only been married for a month, so I didn’t have much. Important documents and certificates went into one box, everyday essentials into another. I called a courier service and had both boxes shipped to the small apartment I’d bought before the marriage. After that was done, I looked around at the luxury goods in the house. During our five years together, Damien had indeed been generous with me. Dozens of designer bags, a closet full of haute couture, and three full glass display cases of jewelry. I took photos with my phone and contacted a secondhand dealer. Within two hours, they had cataloged everything and said they’d come pick it up tomorrow. “Good,” I replied, “After you sell everything, donate all the proceeds to an orphanage.” The dealer paused but quickly agreed. Just as I was about to rest, a commotion erupted downstairs. I stepped out of my room to see Damien bringing Tara inside, his parents following behind. His mother held Tara’s arm, and when she caught sight of me, she immediately rolled her eyes. “Damien, you and Renée have been together for five years, and you’ve been living together for how long now? And still nothing in her belly.” “Thank God Tara got pregnant, or I’d start to think you were the problem.” Damien’s expression darkened. “Stop talking nonsense!” His father snorted. “What nonsense? I think your mother’s right! Tara was lucky-she only slept with you once and the baby came.” Tara blushed. “Don’t say that…” Damien pressed his lips together and said nothing. Listening to them say I couldn’t conceive, I remained silent. After watching them for a while, I turned and went back to my room, pulled out my phone, and sent Tara a message. “Seven days.” After sending it, I tossed my phone onto the bed and walked to the window. Outside was his family’s garden. When I was fifteen, he had chased me through it, saying he wanted to pick the most beautiful flower for me. I watched for a long time, until the sunset sank below the horizon. Seven days would pass quickly.

Renée’s POV Everyone said Damien loved me more than life itself. But at this moment, the commotion downstairs made me not even want to leave my room. I had the maid bring dinner upstairs. There was a knock at the door. I thought it was the maid, but when I opened it, Damien stood there holding a tray. His eyes were brimming with apology. “Renée, Tara said her emotions have been sensitive since the pregnancy and she doesn’t want to be alone, so she came to the house today… Just for today. I promise I won’t let her come again tomorrow.” I took the tray. “Why don’t you just let her move in?” Damien froze, a flash of panic crossing his face. “Renée, are you angry? I didn’t mean it. I just think the child is innocent, and she’s endured so much being pregnant out of wedlock for my sake. I can’t be completely irresponsible…” “I’m not angry.” I cut him off. “Go on.” I carried the tray back inside. Behind me came a thud. Damien had dropped to his knees, his eyes reddening. “Renée, I’m sorry. At that business reception, I had no idea someone would drug her, let alone that I’d pick up the wrong glass. It was all an accident. The only person Damien will ever love in this lifetime is you.” I looked at him and was about to speak. “Damien!” Tara’s voice came from downstairs. “My stomach feels a bit uncomfortable. Can you come down for a minute?” Damien immediately stood up and rushed outside. He ran quickly, his retreating figure showing no hesitation. I stood there, staring at the door he’d shut behind him, feeling something lightly slash across my heart. It didn’t hurt. It was just cold. After dinner, Damien had the maid inform me that he’d be working late at the office. I hadn’t planned on waiting for him anyway, so I went straight to take a bath. The bathroom was separated from the guest room next door by only a wall. Tara was staying there tonight. I’d just turned on the water when I heard strange sounds coming from next door. I walked to the window and pulled back the curtain. The night breeze rushed in, and the sounds from next door became clearer. It was the sound of a man and woman kissing-intimate, sticky, accompanied by muffled panting. “I’m better than Renée, aren’t I?” Tara’s voice was hoarse and cloying. “Yes, you’re so much better.” Damien’s voice carried laughter-a flippant tone I’d never heard from him before. “She’s just a dead fish in bed.” In the bathroom, I gripped the windowsill, motionless. “If she weren’t so boring,” Damien’s voice continued, accompanied by the soft rustle of fabric, “I wouldn’t have had to come up with this plan to be with you…” Tara laughed, her voice even more seductive. “What, you just wanted to sleep with me? But I’m pregnant now.” Damien laughed too. “Then have the baby. I’m not short on children.” That light laughter was like a dull blade, sawing at my heart one cut at a time. Then came more intimate sounds-sounds I should never have heard. I closed the window and submerged myself in the bathtub. Hot water covered my shoulders, my chest, my chin. I closed my eyes and sank completely underwater, and the world instantly went silent. Only my heartbeat remained, muffled and rhythmic. After a long while, I surfaced, gasping for air. I suddenly remembered Damien from our college days. How pure and innocent he’d been back then. Every time he stole a kiss, his ears would turn completely red-red to the tips, red down to his neck. Whenever I teased him on purpose, he’d stand there flustered, looking at me with eyes as bright as an entire galaxy. “Renée, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.” That’s what he used to say. I believed him. But thinking about it now, those words spoiled so quickly. Only five years. My purity became a “dead fish” in someone else’s mouth. His eyes learned how to lie. His embrace could hold two women at once. I’d thought he was merely calculated against, that he was at least still a decent person. But tonight I finally understood. Damien was even more disgusting than Tara Moore. At least Tara laid her ambitions out in the open, but Damien treated me like a complete fool! I stood up from the bathtub, wrapped myself in a robe, and returned to the bedroom. The sounds from next door still hadn’t stopped. The moonlight outside was cold. I lay down and closed my eyes. I hope Tara doesn’t disappoint me.

Renée’s POV Early the next morning, I got up. As I stepped out of the bedroom, I ran right into Tara coming out of the room next door. She wore a silk robe with a deeply open neckline, the kiss marks on her neck glaringly obvious. “Renée, good morning.” Tara touched her neck, looking at me smugly. “Damien told me you’re the one who let me stay?” I looked at her and said nothing. “You’re really so magnanimous,” Tara took a step forward. “But I guess that makes sense. You married into the Foster family purely on Damien’s affection. Now that he doesn’t love you anymore, you don’t even have the right to speak in this house.” I looked at her. “Six days left.” With that, I turned to go downstairs. Tara, having her face slapped down, immediately looked furious. The next second, she rushed forward and shoved me hard! I stumbled, the world spinning. My hands flailed wildly, trying to grab onto something, but caught only air. My body tumbled down section by section, finally slamming hard onto the floor. My vision went black, and I knew nothing more. When I woke again, my nose was filled with the smell of disinfectant. I opened my eyes. Damien sat at the bedside, holding my hand, his face full of concern. “Renée, you’re finally awake.” He leaned closer, his voice full of relief. “How could you be so careless? If Tara hadn’t found you at the bottom of the stairs and called an ambulance right away, who knows what might have happened!” I looked at him, my voice very soft. “That’s what Tara said?” Damien frowned. “What do you mean? Is there something else?” I looked away. “Nothing.” He kissed my fingers. “The doctor said it’s just minor bruising. You can be discharged this afternoon.” I hummed in acknowledgment and closed my eyes, no longer responding to him. That afternoon after being discharged, Damien suggested taking me out to dinner. He’d made a reservation at a high-end Western restaurant in the city center. Just as we sat down, I heard Tara’s voice. I turned around and saw her walk in, accompanied by a fat man. I recognized him. Levi Bryant, a notorious lecher. The moment he saw me, his gaze stuck to me. Tara came over with a smile, while Lee’s eyes never left me. I frowned. “Let’s go.” “What’s wrong?” Damien poured a glass of water. “These are all your favorite dishes.” “Damien!” Tara suddenly approached and placed her hand on Damien’s shoulder. “I suddenly don’t feel well.” Damien immediately stood up, putting one arm around her and placing his other hand on her lower abdomen. “What’s wrong?” “It’s nothing, just uncomfortable,” Tara bit her lip, looking troubled. “I want you to take me to the hospital, but…” She glanced at me, then at Levi at the next table. Damien paused, then turned to look at me. “Renée, I’m taking her to the hospital.” I stood up, also planning to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. His gaze was heavy. “Renée, you help Tara entertain Mr. Bryant.” My eyes widened. “What?!” Damien’s gaze flickered, but his tone remained firm. “This business deal Tara’s working on is very important-it involves a large investment for her family. If we both leave, she won’t be able to explain to them.” “Damien!” I trembled with anger. “Do you even know what you’re saying!” I couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen Levi’s disgusting gaze! If I stayed tonight, who knew what would happen? Damien gripped my wrist tighter and tighter. “But-” “Damien,” Tara’s face went paler, her voice as weak as cotton. “I don’t feel well.” Just then, Levi also walked over, his gaze lewdly scanning me. “Mr. Foster, Miss Moore, what’s going on here?” Damien’s fingers dug into my hand as he looked at Levi. “Mr. Bryant, Tara isn’t feeling well. I need to take her to see a doctor. But regarding this collaboration, the Moore family is completely sincere. Even though Tara has to leave… I’ll have my wife entertain you.” Then he turned to look at me, his gaze heavy. “Renée, you’re Mrs. Foster. You need to consider the bigger picture.” My whole body went cold, and as I looked at him, it felt like I was truly seeing this man for the first time. Damien walked out with Tara in his arms. After a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and said to me, “Come home as soon as you finish signing. It’ll be quick.” Then he left. Levi immediately laughed loudly. “Mrs. Foster, come, let’s talk business.” He pulled a chair right next to me and put his hand on my leg. “Mr. Foster left you here himself. What are you being coy about?” I stood to leave, but Levi grabbed me and pulled me into his embrace. The pungent smell of alcohol mixed with bad breath hit me full in the face. My stomach churned. His hand was already on my waist, reaching inside my clothes. I panicked, grabbed the wine bottle from the table, and smashed it hard against his head! The bottle shattered. Red wine mixed with blood streamed down his face. He clutched his head and screamed, staggering backward. I threw down the broken bottle neck, shoved the door open, and strode out. Outside the restaurant, the night wind hit my face. I stood by the roadside, my hands still shaking. I pulled out my phone and made a call. After two rings, it was answered. “Mom,” I spoke, my voice surprisingly calm. “Where’s Dad? Tell him that next week, I’m coming home.” On the other end, my mother paused for a moment, then choked up. “Good, good. Mom will be waiting for you.” Only six days left.

Renée’s POV When I returned home, it was nearly midnight. Only a dim floor lamp remained lit in the living room. Damien had just come out of the guest room, gently closing the door behind him. When he saw me, his first words were: “Did you sign the contract?” I stood in the entryway, looking at him. He didn’t ask if I was hurt, didn’t ask if Levi had done anything to me-only asked about the contract. “Renée?” He walked over. “What did Mr. Bryant say?” I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. Damien’s head snapped to the side. He froze for two seconds before reacting. “I…” He opened his mouth, seeming to realize he’d said the wrong thing. “I’m sorry, Renée. I didn’t mean it that way. I was just worried about the business…” I ignored him, went straight upstairs, and returned to the master bedroom. Damien came to the door and knocked. I didn’t respond. He was silent for a while, then said softly, “I’m sorry.” I stood by the window, letting tears stream down my face. Renée, you’re such a fool. Ten years of acquaintance, five years of dating, one year of marriage. And you couldn’t even tell who was human and who was a demon. The next morning, as soon as I came downstairs, Damien grabbed my wrist. He used considerable force, dragging me toward the living room. On the sofa, Tara was covering her face with a tissue, sobbing. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. “Kneel.” Damien pressed down on my shoulder, forcing me down in front of Tara. I looked up at him. “Look what you did last night!” His face was iron-dark. “Mr. Bryant called this morning to cancel the collaboration. Do you know how long Tara worked on that project? You ruined everything!” I tried to stand, but received a hard slap across the face. My head snapped to the side, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth. “Damien!” Tara cried out and stood up. “Don’t blame Renée. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have given her such an important responsibility…” She moved as if to leave, but Damien stopped her. “You’re not going anywhere.” He pressed her back down on the sofa, then looked at me. His expression was complex-apologetic, reluctant, but more than anything, resolute. “When your parents went abroad, they left you three villas.” He spoke, his voice flat. “Transfer the properties to Tara. Consider it compensation for her loss.” I was stunned. “What did you say?” Damien’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he looked away. “The loss you caused last night was too great. Even if those three villas were sold, they’d only be worth about two hundred million. Not even enough to cover it.” “Fine.” I cut him off. Damien froze and looked back at me. I stood up, wiped the blood from my mouth, and turned to go upstairs. I walked steadily, step by step, my spine perfectly straight. Back in my room, I closed the door, took out my phone, and made a call. It was answered quickly, the voice low. “What’s wrong?” “Hello.” I leaned against the door. “I can’t keep those three properties. Have the lawyer initiate asset protection procedures.” The other end was silent for two seconds. “Did he hit you?” I didn’t answer. “I understand.” The voice on the other end turned cold. “All procedures will be completed within three days. Renée, how many more days until you come home?” “Five days.” “Good.” There was a pause. “I’m waiting for you.” Downstairs, Tara’s crying and Damien’s soft consolations drifted up intermittently-too muffled through the door to hear clearly. I looked out the window at the plane tree. When I first came to the Foster house at fifteen, it was already there. In the year since our marriage, it wasn’t that I hadn’t noticed his changes. I just never imagined a person could turn bad so decisively, so quickly, so thoroughly. I found the transaction contracts for the three properties and placed them on the shelf outside my door, then returned to the bedroom. Soon footsteps came upstairs, pausing outside my door for a few seconds-probably to check the contracts. Then came the sound of footsteps going back down. Five more days. Then I could leave him.

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My mom’s research team created an app that, once installed on a child, could monitor and even control their every move, anytime, anywhere. As my mom’s only daughter, I was forced to beta test this app. From that moment on, my life was no longer my own. Sometimes just spacing out while studying would get me remotely shocked until I wet myself. Watching me in such a pathetic state, my mom would only remark coldly: “The methods I’ve designed are all scientific. You just don’t understand.” Today is my birthday, and also the day of this app’s official launch. She demanded I appear before the world in perfect condition to showcase her achievement. “I’m doing this for your own good. One day, you’ll thank me!” But Mom, yesterday I already starved myself to death. What you’re controlling now is nothing but a corpse. Before dawn even broke, I was jolted awake by an electric current. The next second, I got out of bed and walked mechanically to the balcony. I squeezed out exactly one-third of toothpaste, filled a cup with ice water, brushed each tooth for precisely 30 seconds, then wiped my face with a damp towel—three circles left, three circles right. Then I picked up the French textbook beside me and began reading aloud. At that moment, my mom’s satisfied voice came through my earpiece: “Well done. You really are an obedient child. As a reward, I bought you new clothes!” I looked at my closet filled with identical styles and lengths in different colors, and smiled bitterly without a sound. But the next second, my bitter smile was interrupted by my roommate. “Are you ever going to stop? Every single day you wake up at four and disturb everyone! You might not need sleep, but we do!” My roommate had been woken up countless times. She hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep all semester. I felt deeply guilty and wanted to apologize, but my vocal cords seemed hijacked by someone else, unconsciously cursing at my roommate. “It’s already four o’clock and you’re still sleeping—lazy as a pig! If you want to be a worthless person with no ambition, fine, but don’t try to drag me down with you!” My roommate’s face instantly flushed red with anger, and she furiously plugged her ears. No, those weren’t my words. My heart was bleeding, but my mouth kept reading aloud, word after word. For some reason, my voice sounded like a rusty iron gate creaking back and forth, particularly grating in the silent night. I went on like this for two solid hours before stopping. I wasn’t allowed even a sip of water, and my lips looked bloody and cracked. Then my mom’s voice came through the earpiece. “Aria Sterling, what’s going on? Why am I seeing all your vital signs at zero here? What did you tamper with?” My body didn’t respond. “Say something! Are you mute? When did I teach you to treat your elders this way? Why won’t you listen to me again!” My mom’s voice grew impatient. That’s not it! Seeing my mom angry, I instinctively wanted to explain, but I couldn’t open my mouth. “Ugh!” She sighed, her tone softening. “Aria, today is the most important day of my life. Please don’t throw a tantrum, okay? This isn’t just for me—it’s for your future too!” I tried to speak, but still couldn’t make a sound. The next second, a sharp screaming sound pierced my ears, like nails scraping a blackboard. “Are you just like your black-hearted father, waiting to watch me fail? How did I give birth to such a bastard! All this hard work—who am I doing it for?” “Since you’re determined to go against me today, fine! I’m activating the highest level right now. You asked for this!” When I heard “highest level,” my heart trembled. Because this meant I would become completely puppeteered by the app, forced to follow every planned route. If I had any thought of breaking the rules, even just turning my head during class, I’d receive severe electric shocks. There were even several times I was shocked into losing bladder and bowel control in front of everyone. But I suddenly realized—I didn’t need to fear this anymore. Because Mom, I’m already dead.

For the past while, my mom had been busy with her team preparing for today’s launch, so she’d been less vigilant in controlling me. When I realized I could occasionally break the rules, I stopped eating anything—for seven days and nights straight. Until last night, I finally starved to death in my sleep. Yet I felt this was the most relaxed period of my entire life. Because it meant from now on, I would never be controlled by my mom again. But unexpectedly, when I woke up, I had become a wisp of soul, floating above and watching my corpse move like a puppet show. Without reason, I suddenly felt a trace of the ridiculous and pathetic. Is this how others saw me too? [Activating Electric Shock Level 5 Mode] A mechanical voice sounded in my ears, and electric current instantly spread through my entire body. But now I was just a pile of rotting flesh with no reaction whatsoever. My mom went crazy, screaming hysterically in my ear as if I’d committed some heinous crime. “Why won’t you obey? Do you know how hard it was for me to raise you?” “To nurture you, I went without eating, without decent clothes! I gave you the best of everything—what more could you possibly want? How can there be such a selfish child in this world?” Seeing I still had no reaction, my mom directly controlled me to swing my palm, using all my strength to slap my own face. Then she controlled my vocal cords, making me speak while hitting myself. “Mom, I was wrong. Mom, I’m sorry.” This went on for nearly five minutes before my mom finally calmed down. Looking at my swollen, red face, a trace of heartache flashed in my mom’s eyes. Her tone softened again, like a gentle mother advising her daughter—completely different from her crazed state moments ago. “Good, now you know you were wrong. It hurts me more than it hurts you. Young trees won’t grow straight without pruning! Everything I do is for your own good!” “Alright, now go put some medicine on, then go eat breakfast!” “I specially woke up before dawn today to make the most nutritious breakfast for you and had it delivered to your school cafeteria! You must be in your best condition for the launch today!” Just as she was about to hang up, she added one more thing. “I’m the person who loves you most in this world! Without rules, nothing can be accomplished! Your future self will thank me!” But Mom, there is no future. I’m destined never to become the perfect daughter you imagine. Just like that, following the app’s planned route, I walked step by step to the cafeteria. I got a specially made nutritious breakfast that only I had access to in the entire school, sat in the most remote corner, swallowing food while memorizing vocabulary. Just then, my head was violently shoved into the steaming hot milk. “You bitch! Are you trying to kill us? Do you know my parents are planning to use that app your psycho mom developed!” That’s right—this app had already attracted widespread attention before even launching. Simply because I, as the first volunteer, had used the app and stopped sleeping in, stopped playing games, stopped talking back to my parents. Moreover, my academic performance had jumped from barely passing grades to having my pick of top universities—a bright future ahead. Such a great app—how many parents were eagerly waiting for its release just to install it on their own children? It could be said that all these future victims were harmed because of me. I desperately wanted to apologize, but I couldn’t speak, so I could only let them punch and kick me. I was already a pile of rotting flesh anyway. If they could vent their anger this way, then so be it. But just then, my body suddenly bent 90 degrees out of my control, and I abruptly bowed to them, shouting in a hoarse voice: “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault!”

This was clearly my mom controlling my vocal cords, and it startled everyone present. “So these are the people who’ve been bullying you?” “Hurry up and apologize to them! What have I taught you! You don’t hit someone who’s smiling at you. When something happens, look for the problem in yourself first! Otherwise, why would they only hit you and not others?” “I’ve told you so many times—focus on your studies and don’t cause trouble, but you just won’t listen!” My mom’s voice came through, her accusatory tone making even my soul tremble. A drop of liquid fell from the corner of my eye—I didn’t know if it was blood or tears. My mom spoke with disappointment: “And you still have the nerve to cry? If you hadn’t been going around school every day with that long face, would your classmates be so opposed to this app?” “Now you’re feeling wronged? Who am I making this app for!” My mom waited expectantly for my response, but I answered her only with silence. This completely enraged her. Then she used the app to control me to kneel on the ground, viciously slapping my own face, each strike with full force. “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! This app is innocent! After I installed it, I’ve been living happily every day! It’s launching today—you should all try it!” My sudden madness thoroughly scared the bullies, and they all fled the scene. “Kids these days are such ungrateful brats! This app of mine is their future savior! Yet they don’t know how to be grateful!” “Hmph! Once they start using it, they’ll understand their parents’ good intentions!” Having said that, my mom issued me a command: “You’ll keep kneeling and slapping yourself until your classmates approve of this app! This is your punishment for not listening to me! I’m going to your school now to prepare for the launch.” Passing students pointed and whispered, their faces full of mockery and contempt. I felt my soul burning with heat, intense discomfort and shame flooding through me. Obey, obey! I had already obeyed her every word to the letter—what more did she want from me! Clearly, all of this was her doing, so why did she get to act like she had nothing to do with it? She made me lose my friends, lose my dignity, lose myself, but in the end it seemed like everything was my own fault. What did I even do wrong… Just then, someone suddenly rushed out from the crowd and grabbed my hand to stop me from continuing to slap myself. “Aria Sterling , enough! Stop degrading yourself!” I froze and looked at the person. It was my class president, Lucas Hartwell. If high school had been three years of living under dark clouds, Lucas could be described as the occasional ray of light I glimpsed. When everyone else distanced themselves from me, he still reached out a hand, encouraging me to resist, encouraging me to escape. I saw him grab my hand with a face full of heartache, saying with great determination: “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll help you report this to the police and tell the public about the torture your mom has put you through all these years! Don’t be afraid—I’ll always stand behind you!” In that moment, I felt wrapped in warmth. So in this world, I wasn’t alone after all. Someone was actually willing to help me unconditionally. But I’m sorry—I was too weak, too cowardly. I killed myself and let down your faith in me. But just then, my mom’s uncontrolled shrill voice rang out again. “Ah! Who is this boy? I heard from the school teachers that you’ve been getting close to a male classmate. Is it him?” “You’re barely old enough and you’re already seducing men?” “I went without eating and decent clothes to raise you, and this is how you repay me? Do you want to make money by serving men when you grow up? You little slut!” My head was buzzing. I never imagined such words would come from a mother’s mouth. But the next second, I suddenly felt my hands moving involuntarily. I saw that I was now undressing in front of everyone in the cafeteria. “My daughter must remain pure and innocent! You slut, I’m going to check down there and see if your hymen is still intact.”

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I was the most valued heir in my family. My parents were extremely strict in raising me. At two years old, I had just learned to walk when they made me practice my posture on a balance beam until my feet were swollen, red, and bleeding. At three, I practiced piano from dawn to dusk. Miss a single note and they wouldn’t give me food. All year round, I had to wear black long sleeves and long pants. Every night, I had to bathe in milk heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. My meals were always boiled vegetables and chicken breast. Even the length of my hair had to be precisely calculated. Any violation of these rules would result in severe beatings and scolding. In contrast, my twin sister Jennifer didn’t have to do anything. She could enjoy life to the fullest. When I was suffocating under the pressure and vented online, one comment caught my attention. “Do you know what a groomed companion is? Your family doesn’t seem to be raising an heir—it’s more like they’re grooming a mistress for some rich man.”

My heart jumped. I quickly asked what he meant. He explained at length: “A groomed companion is a product customized to satisfy a wealthy person’s preferences. He gives your parents money or other benefits, and they raise you according to his requirements to become exactly what he wants.” “When you come of age and meet his standards, you’ll become the rich man’s mistress.” I instinctively resisted accepting this, but thinking carefully, my sister and I were twins, yet our parents educated us completely differently. For example, Mom bought Jennifer all kinds of pretty clothes, but always made me dress like a nun. She said: “Claudia, this is for your own good. Your clothes are all silk—they guarantee your skin stays delicate and smooth.” Mom glanced at my sister with disdain. “Jennifer isn’t like you. She’s vulgar, she likes these flashy rough fabrics. She deserves the bumps they leave all over her skin.” I clutched the black clothes in my hands, not daring to make a sound. Actually, I also wanted to wear pretty clothes like a normal little girl. But whenever I brought it up, my parents would look severe. “Claudia, we’ve spent so much effort raising you, and you’re learning bad habits from others, only thinking about looking pretty. How disappointing!” In middle school, after gym class, I secretly went to the school store and bought a bottle of cold soda. When I got home, Dad found the empty bottle. He stormed to school, dragged me out of the classroom, and made me stand under the scorching sun as punishment for three hours. Students passing by pointed and whispered about me. I lowered my head in embarrassment, but Dad insisted I keep my neck straight. He gripped my back and made me recite loudly with him: “I promise never to drink any beverage except water again, or may I die a horrible death.” I bit my teeth in grievance, tears welling in my eyes. But Dad showed no mercy. “Say it!” Like a wooden puppet, I stood stiffly under the sun, making that vicious oath over and over. When school finally let out, Jennifer drank a big gulp of Coke in front of me, then poured the rest over my head. The brown liquid soaked my hair and ran into my mouth. She laughed mockingly: “Claudia, now that you’ve drunk a beverage, why aren’t you dead yet?” The ridicule and mockery around me crawled into my ears like poisonous snakes. I clenched my fists hard, letting my fingernails dig into my palms. Remembering every incident over the past eighteen years, my fingers flew across the keyboard. “Please, how can I confirm whether or not I’m a groomed companion?”

The reply came quickly: “Rich men who keep mistresses don’t want them too educated, and don’t want them exposed to the public.” “If you do these two things and your parents react strangely, it means they have ulterior motives and aren’t genuinely trying to help you.” From elementary school until now, Dad always insisted teachers seat me in the very back row of the classroom. I constantly squinted to see the board, and before long I became nearsighted. When I carefully told my parents about this, they refused to get me glasses or take me for laser surgery. Instead, they said: “If you really can’t see, you don’t have to go to school. I never wanted you poisoned by school education anyway. After the SAT, we’ll send you straight to Europe—that’s where you’ll learn real skills.” In the end, I insisted on attending school, so they didn’t process my withdrawal. Thinking of this, I walked into Dad’s study. He was in an unexpectedly good mood, looking up from his documents. “Claudia, what is it?” I asked: “You mentioned sending me abroad to study before. The SAT is in a month—have you found a school yet?” Dad was clearly stunned, as if he’d completely forgotten about it. Recovering, he forced a relaxed laugh. “Claudia, there’s no rush. Your SAT scores aren’t out yet, so it’s pointless for me to look now.” “Don’t worry. Once the scores come in, Dad will definitely find you a good school.” He enthusiastically ushered me out, but my heart felt cold. I’d decided to study abroad long ago. If Dad truly had plans for my future, he wouldn’t be this flustered when asked about studying abroad, much less completely clueless. They’d deliberately held me back academically for over a decade. If I did poorly on the SAT and couldn’t study abroad… An heir turned into a useless person would become everyone’s laughingstock. Having gotten my answer, I walked to school in a daze. While running on the track, I suddenly heard screaming ahead. Getting closer, I saw a classmate from class had fallen and broken open their head and arm. The homeroom teacher looked anxious. “Bob has hemophilia. The wound won’t stop bleeding. This is very critical.” Everyone wore shorts and short sleeves in summer—only I had more coverage. I immediately took out the small knife I carried and cut off both pant legs. “Tie them tight to stop the bleeding first. Stay here and wait for the school nurse.” My long pants became shorts, exposing two legs so pale they were almost blinding. Someone said in surprise: “Claudia, your legs are so beautiful. Why don’t you ever wear skirts?” I smiled awkwardly without answering. But immediately, she understood why. As soon as Bob was carried away, Mom rushed over. Without a word, she slapped me across the face. “Claudia Morrison, how can you be so shameless, so cheap? Do you need everyone to see your body to be satisfied?” Someone tried to explain: “Ma’am, Claudia only did it to save someone…” One slap wasn’t enough for Mom. She grabbed my hair and violently threw me to the ground. “Claudia, you’ve really grown bold, even teaching others to speak up for you. Who is she? Is she your friend? Didn’t I tell you not to make friends!” “You little slut, I’ll beat you to death today!” Mom first wrapped my legs tightly with her jacket, then slaps rained down like hail. Feeling my burning cheeks and the numbness spreading across my back, I was finally certain—my parents didn’t love me. Not at all. I could never be the Morrison family heir.

After my own mother called me cheap in front of my classmates, I covered my face and fled. Back home, my mind was in chaos. What benefits had my parents received to cruelly sell their own daughter? If I really was a groomed companion, who had reserved me? Was it one of Dad’s two friends, or some corporate CEO? Lost in thought, my head gradually grew heavy. I realized something was wrong—there was something in the water Dad had given me earlier! When I woke again, I found myself on a theater stage with all the Morrison family relatives sitting below. Mom held a white dress, smiling as she walked toward me. “Claudia, I was too impulsive at school yesterday. I apologize. If you’ll forgive me, put on this white dress and dance for everyone, okay?” I clutched my sleeve, looking up at the bright spotlight overhead, extremely uncomfortable. The relatives below looked at me like I was an exquisite commodity. “Claudia, your mother worked so hard raising you all these years. Just dance for everyone so we can see the results. Don’t embarrass your mother in front of all these people.” “That’s right. Claudia is the Morrison family heir. Your sister was sacrificed to achieve what you are today. Be generous about it, don’t be difficult.” Mom moved a high-definition camera in front of me, her smile eerily strange. The camera’s red light blinked in the dim seating area, particularly glaring. I felt like I was being dissected for everyone’s viewing pleasure, every inch of skin, every movement exposed with nowhere to hide. Under dozens of watching eyes, I panicked and tried to flee. “No, I won’t dance. I want to leave.” Mom reached out. Years of malnutrition made me easy prey—she caught me effortlessly. “Claudia, this camera is for recording your competition video. Why are you so resistant to it?” “Listen to Mom. Come back and put on this white dress.” Mom’s smile grew even warmer. To outsiders, she looked like a devoted mother planning for her daughter’s future. My scalp prickled with fear. “No, you’re lying. The video is clearly being recorded for that person. I won’t let you manipulate me!” The moment I finished speaking, Mom’s smile vanished and her expression turned cold. “Claudia, I’m warning you—Take care of yourself. If you don’t dance today, you’ll never leave this place!” She clapped her hands. Immediately, two rows of bodyguards rushed out from backstage, ready to drag me away and lock me up. I had no choice. Humiliated, I put on the custom-made tight white dress. Since childhood, my pants had never shown my ankles. But now this dress was so short it nearly exposed the lace on my safety shorts. I bit my teeth and struggled to stand on tiptoe, dancing before the camera. Mom harshly stopped the music. “Smile! Why do you look like a corpse!” The video finally finished. The relatives applauded half-heartedly with occasional compliments. But most of their comments were about my lotus-white legs. I fled the scene in shame and cried hard in my bedroom. My phone vibrated. The anonymous user had sent another message. “Girl, you’re turning eighteen this year, right? Your birthday is the delivery date. To cover their tracks, something will definitely happen. Be careful.” I stumbled out of bed and grabbed the calendar from my desk. A certain date was circled in red pen. My eighteenth birthday was tomorrow!

No, I couldn’t just sit and wait. I packed my documents, planning to escape from home. Looking down from the second floor, I saw bodyguards on patrol everywhere. My sister was leisurely eating watermelon and teasing them: “Are you all here to guard that sickly thing? Makes sense—she’s the Morrison family heir, precious as gold.” After her taunts, the bodyguards wouldn’t engage with her. I couldn’t find any opening. I opened my bedroom door to check the situation when Dad suddenly appeared from outside, right in front of me. “Claudia, where are you going this late?” His voice was deep, making my heart tighten. “Nowhere, just getting some fresh air.” His lips curved slightly in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You can get fresh air on your room’s balcony just as well.” With no other options, I retreated back inside and reopened the post I’d made earlier to continue editing. “I’m Claudia of the Morrison family. My parents have imprisoned me and seem to have sinister intentions. Tomorrow I’ll livestream everything. If the situation looks wrong, please help me call the police!” I paid to boost the post. Comments immediately started refreshing. “Claudia? The Claudia who was designated heir at just 100 days old? Your parents treat you so well—what could possibly happen? Stop wasting our time.” I ignored the sarcastic comments and kept scrolling. “If you think you’re in danger, why not call the police now?” I quickly replied: “It won’t work. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Even if I report it now, they won’t admit anything.” The wealthy family secrets attracted many onlookers. Most came to watch the drama, hoping the livestream would proceed. “Girl, don’t worry. We’ve got your back.” After posting, I attached an inconspicuous camera to the skin on my wrist. I connected remote AI glasses to my phone’s livestream screen. To prevent being drugged unconscious again, I got fully dressed at midnight and started the livestream. Recording video on a phone could be destroyed, but people appearing in a livestream would be recorded for real. With so many witnesses, all criminal activity would have nowhere to hide. This time, I would find out who had reserved me as a groomed companion! Right after finishing these preparations, I grew drowsy and fell asleep again. When I woke, I was bound hand and foot in an abandoned warehouse, surrounded by three masked men in black. Among a flood of “Holy shit, something really happened, already called police” comments, I found the anonymous user’s comment. “Girl, this is a hero-saves-beauty setup. The kidnapping isn’t the goal—watch out for whoever comes to rescue you.” “He’ll use his position as your savior to make you repay him. In the eyes of the world, he’ll successfully turn you into a mistress who’s willing to throw herself at him.” My breathing quickened with the content of this comment. Listening to my drumming heartbeat, I waited quietly for that person to arrive. The kidnapper took a phone call, then raised his club to swing at my head. At the critical moment, the door burst open and a familiar face appeared. The person who had reserved me for eighteen years, who’d treated me like a commodity—it was actually him!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “371035”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn #狼人Werewolf

I was rushed to the ER with excruciating abdominal pain. The diagnosis: appendicitis. The doctor was typing up my prescription when his hand suddenly froze. He looked up at me. “Why would you have an IUD inserted when you haven’t even had a child yet?” An IUD? That was impossible. I had an infertile constitution. I’d spent hundreds of thousands trying to conceive, enduring treatment after treatment. “Doctor, are you sure you’re reading that right?” The doctor turned the monitor toward me, tapping his pen on the shadow on the screen. “Look right here. How could you forget your own procedure?” I stared at the screen, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. For seven years, my mother-in-law had blamed me for being unable to have children. I’d endured endless humiliation. But looking at that IUD that should never have been there… Turns out I wasn’t infertile. Someone just never wanted me to get pregnant! Staring at the shadow on the screen, my hand instinctively pressed against my lower abdomen. Seven years ago, when we were trying to conceive after marriage, I was diagnosed not only with an infertile constitution but also with small cysts. I’d looked at Harrison in panic then. He’d quietly comforted me. “Honey, don’t be scared. We’ll remove the cysts first. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Over the next seven years, Harrison accompanied me to that hospital countless times. Snapping back to reality, I asked the doctor to remove the IUD during my surgery. After the procedure, I was lying in the hospital bed when Harrison called. “Honey, where are you? Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” “I’m at the hospital. I just had surgery.” I said quietly. Panic filled his voice on the other end. “The hospital? Which hospital?” Seeming to realize his overreaction, he changed his tone. “Honey, what surgery? Are you not feeling well?” I couldn’t quite describe what I was feeling. I answered briefly and hung up. Soon, the hospital room door swung open. Harrison rushed in. “You had appendicitis surgery? Why didn’t you go to the hospital where my uncle works? He could have looked after you.” He was talking while carefully observing my expression. I clutched the copper IUD in my hand, careful not to show anything unusual, and smiled at him. “It hurt too much. This hospital was closer.” My mother-in-law pushed through the door just then. Hearing my words, she immediately scolded loudly. “How much could appendicitis hurt? Can’t even handle that. How will you handle childbirth later?” “Oh wait, we don’t even know if you can have children.” “Mom, say less. Anna just had surgery. She’s not feeling well.” Harrison poured me a glass of water. After confirming I hadn’t discovered the IUD placement, he hurried to leave again. “Honey, the company’s been struggling lately. I need to get back to work. Mom will stay here to take care of you.” I nodded, watching his figure disappear behind the door. “I don’t have time to serve a barren hen like you.” My mother-in-law said mockingly before leaving as well. The hospital room fell quiet again. I let out a soft sigh. Three days later, I was discharged. During those three days, Harrison and my mother-in-law visited only a handful of times. It was the nurses who occasionally helped me out of pity. I didn’t go home. Instead, I went to the hospital where Harrison’s uncle worked—the hospital where I’d had my cyst surgery. After confirming his uncle was off today, I went to the medical records department. Soon, a nurse pulled up my file. I flipped through it page by page. Seven years of spending hundreds of thousands on medical tests, medications, and IVF treatments. Yet all that showed here were a few simple routine checkup reports. Flipping to the very first page, the record showed not a cyst removal surgery but a sterilization procedure! My hands shook uncontrollably. How ironic. Seven years of torment, seven years of guilt—all because someone had deliberately robbed me of my right to be a mother. I forced a bitter smile, but tears still fell. After a long moment, I wiped my tears and took out my phone to save the evidence. Then I suddenly noticed the family consent signature page was missing. I didn’t alert the hospital staff. I closed the file, thanked them, and left. Walking out of the hospital, I immediately called my classmate, Victor. After explaining the situation, he readily agreed and told me to wait. Soon, he called back. “Anna, I sent you the missing page on SnapChat.” “Thanks so much.” He paused before continuing. “Your husband deleted the records too thoroughly. Out of curiosity, I checked using his information.” “I found something. I sent it to you too. You…” “You need to prepare yourself mentally. Anna, if you need anything, you can always reach out to me.” “Okay…”

I walked to a bench by the roadside and sat down, opening SnapChat. The first image was the missing page. The signature on it belonged to Harrison. I knew this was coming, but it still hurt so much. Harrison’s patient, comforting voice seemed to echo in my ears. What had he been thinking then? Did he feel even a shred of sympathy for me? Or was he laughing at me? I opened the second photo—a birth certificate. My heart contracted painfully. I looked at the father’s name. Harrison! I compared the handwriting on both signatures. Identical. One signature had severed my chance at motherhood. The other had made him a father. Tears streamed down uncontrollably. Hatred surged through my chest. I sat outside for a long time before going home. My mother-in-law was watching TV on the couch. Seeing me return, she immediately ordered me to cook dinner. Because I couldn’t have children, I’d always felt guilty. I once cooked dinner even with a 104-degree fever. But this time, I refused. Seeing I wouldn’t obey, my mother-in-law immediately went to my father-in-law’s portrait and began crying. She wailed that I couldn’t give them children, leaving their family without an heir. She sobbed that Harrison wouldn’t listen to her and refused to divorce me. Over seven years, I’d heard this accusation over and over. Each time, I’d felt guilty while being grateful my husband hadn’t abandoned me. Now, watching her performance, I suddenly wondered—did she know she had a grandson out there? I must have stared too long and too intently. My mother-in-law couldn’t keep crying. She turned and called my husband instead. I ignored her and walked into the bedroom. After searching carefully, I couldn’t find any of my medical records from the checkups. I’d undergone IVF three times, all failures. Each time I wanted to see my medical records, Harrison would say he didn’t want to upset me and wouldn’t show them to me. I’d been so touched then. Now I realized it was all a joke. I closed my eyes and lay on the bed, completely drained. Before long, Harrison pushed the door open. He walked naturally to my side, trying to kiss my cheek. I turned my head away. He didn’t seem to mind. “Honey, feeling better? Come eat dinner first.” He reached out to pull me up. Looking at his outstretched hand, I had an impulse to reveal everything. But no—there were still things I hadn’t investigated. I couldn’t tip him off. I obediently took his hand and let him lead me out. After dinner, Harrison crouched in front of me, looking at me with deep affection. “Honey, you just had surgery. I didn’t want to bring this up, but the company really can’t hold on anymore.” “What’s wrong?” I played along. “A rival company cut off our supply chain. The bank pulled our loan. The company’s going bankrupt.” Before I could respond, my mother-in-law erupted in fury. “Why did the bank pull the loan? Because you can’t have children!” “Mom, this isn’t Anna’s fault.” He turned back to me. “The bank assessed that I have no heir, making it too risky. When problems arose, they immediately pulled the loan. Honey, this company is our life’s work. I don’t want it to go bankrupt.” Yes, this company was started with my father’s investment. As soon as he established the company, he immediately gave me eighty percent of the shares. That’s why I never doubted him all these years. “No heir? Then adopt one. People find solutions.” My mother-in-law’s booming voice rang out again. “Right, honey. Could we adopt a child from an orphanage? With a child, the bank will continue lending to us.” His gaze held pleading and pain. But I no longer believed him. “I’m tired.” I lowered my eyes. “Okay, honey, rest first. We’ll talk about this later. I’ll think of another way.”

These past few days, Harrison had been drowning his sorrows at home. Meanwhile, I’d been investigating the company’s finances. One day, Harrison didn’t drink. He left early in the morning. I received a message from the private investigator with evidence of him transferring company assets. I held the evidence, waiting for him to come home so we could negotiate the divorce. In the afternoon, Harrison returned. “Honey, I found a way to solve the company crisis!” His excited voice interrupted my unspoken divorce request. “I have a distant cousin who died in a car accident, leaving behind a widow and orphan. His wife, Zoe, can’t afford to raise the child and is willing to let us adopt him.” “Oh my, that’s perfect! The boy, Ryan, at least shares some blood relation with our family. This continues our family line.” My mother-in-law said happily beside him. Ryan? The name triggered a memory. “What’s your cousin’s wife’s name?” “Zoe Smith.” I smiled coldly. Zoe Smith—the mother’s name on that birth certificate. “Honey, what do you think? We adopt this child, hold a ceremony, and solve the company crisis first.” “If we have our own biological child later, the company will still go to our child.” “Sure.” I nodded. A ceremony sounded perfect. Lots of people, lots of excitement. I gripped the evidence in my hand. The day before the ceremony, Harrison brought home the widow and orphan. Zoe entered and immediately pulled the child down to kneel. “Quick, kneel to the lady. She’s taking you in. From now on, she’s your new mother.” “I won’t kneel! I don’t want a new mother!” Ryan screamed and lunged at me, scratching my arms until they bled. Harrison was busy helping Zoe up. “Anna, Zoe is giving you her child. Instead of being grateful, how can you let her kneel?” Zoe leaned weakly against Harrison. “It’s fine, Harrison. As long as you treat Ryan well.” Unable to dodge in time, I was pushed hard to the ground by Ryan. A crisp crack—the bracelet on my wrist shattered. This was my mother’s keepsake. My eyes reddened as I slapped him. Harrison immediately pulled Ryan behind him. “Anna! Have you lost your mind? You’re fighting with a child!” “He broke the bracelet my mother left me!” A flash of sympathy crossed his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. “It’s just a bracelet. I’ll buy you another one in a few days!” Harrison brushed it off with one sentence, then busied himself checking Ryan’s face. But he’d forgotten—when he proposed, he’d held that very bracelet and vowed to protect me for a lifetime in my mother’s place! At dinner, Ryan put all the good dishes in his own bowl and spat in mine. Harrison and my mother-in-law turned a blind eye. The family of four enjoyed themselves, making me look like a maid. After dinner, Harrison came to me with a document. “Honey, to enroll Ryan in school, we need proof of residence from that downtown property under your name.” “Sign here so he can start school soon.” I took the document and tried to flip through it. Harrison pressed down on my hand. “Honey, don’t you trust me? Just sign.” In the past, I never questioned what he did. But now… “Are you sure this document is just proof of residence for school enrollment?” Under the surveillance camera, I asked loudly. “Don’t worry, honey. When have I ever lied to you?” Watching his triumphant expression, I lowered my head and saved this surveillance footage to the cloud. That afternoon, when I logged in to check, the video had been completely deleted as expected. That evening, Ryan cried and insisted on sleeping with Harrison. Harrison looked at me apologetically. “Honey, Ryan’s still little. Could you sleep on the couch tonight? Just one night.” Before he finished speaking, I turned and left. That bed—I found it filthy. In the middle of the night, going to the bathroom, I heard moans from the guest room—Harrison and Zoe. “Honey, when can we be together openly?” “Soon. I’ve transferred most of the company assets. After the ceremony, once I get the house, I can divorce her.” Harrison laughed quietly. “My mom can’t wait either. She’s been dying to hold her grandson.” I clenched my fists. If that’s how it is, don’t blame me for being ruthless.

At the banquet hall, we got out of the car and walked inside. Ryan shoved me aside and grabbed Harrison’s hand. “I want to go in with Daddy and Mommy.” He smirked at me provocatively. Harrison just patted his head affectionately. “Honey, kids don’t know better. Don’t take it to heart. We’ll go in first.” I stood under the scorching sun, watching the backs of their family of three. It felt utterly absurd. Walking into the hall, some clueless people came forward with compliments. “Mr. Walker, is this your wife and child? What a beautiful couple, and such a smart kid.” Zoe smiled and thanked them. Harrison just smiled without speaking. My mother-in-law beamed with a kindness I’d never seen before. But when she turned and saw me, her smile immediately faded. “Why are you just standing there? You’re in the way. If you have nothing to do, go help serve the food.” I didn’t move. “Hurry up! Can’t even have kids and just causing trouble. If you won’t help, get out.” I gripped the evidence in my hand, silently telling myself to hold on a bit longer. Not everyone was here yet. The show needed a full audience. I silently carried dishes. Walking past Zoe, I was tripped. Scalding food spilled on me, but Zoe screamed first, clutching her wrist where a few drops of soup had splashed. “Harrison, it hurts so much.” Harrison rushed over, tenderly blowing on Zoe’s arm. “Anna, how can you be so careless?” “We’ll go rinse it off first.” He glanced at me and frowned. “You should go change too. The ceremony’s about to start. Try not to be so clumsy next time.” Ignoring the various stares around me, I endured the pain and walked to the bathroom. Hold on, just hold on. This pair of cheaters will go to hell. By the time I changed and came out, the ceremony had already begun. Harrison was giving a speech on stage. “Thank you all so much for coming to this ceremony. Due to my wife’s health issues, we haven’t been able to have children since our marriage.” People around looked at me sympathetically. I kept my head down. “Ryan’s arrival is a gift from heaven, our future support.” “Everything I have will be his inheritance.” Enthusiastic applause erupted. Someone brought a bouquet of red roses to the stage. Harrison accepted them, knelt on one knee, and presented them to Zoe. “Thank you so much for giving birth to this child. You’re welcome to visit him anytime. He’ll always recognize you.” Zoe smiled shyly and accepted the roses. The applause grew even louder. Watching their interaction on stage, I had the surreal feeling I was attending a wedding. Zoe glanced at the host, who turned to look at me. “Ms. Anna, how do you feel about getting a grown son for free?” Harrison followed the host’s gaze to me and said perfunctorily, “The auspicious time is almost here. Come up on stage.” I walked forward step by step. Harrison instructed from the side. “Zoe gave you a child. You need to repay her properly.” “Now that you have a child, you need to put him first in everything. You can’t be as willful as before.” “You’ve never raised a child, so you’ll need to learn from…” Hearing this, I laughed coldly, stepped forward, and snatched his microphone. Facing everyone below the stage, I enunciated each word: “Learn from her?” “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I’ll have my own children in the future.” “But the reason I haven’t gotten pregnant in seven years—I think everyone here will be very interested in that!!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “371036”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn #狼人Werewolf