Category: English

I was kidnapped at five years old. For the next eleven years, I was beaten and abused in the trafficker’s house. On the day I was rescued at sixteen, the police pushed the trafficker in front of me. “Don’t be afraid, child. He can never hurt you again!” I didn’t look at the trafficker. I slowly turned my head, staring at the kind-looking young auxiliary officer standing beside him. “Hello again… brother.” The officer froze. “Little girl, I think you’ve got the wrong person?” “That day, you were standing right next to the trafficker. You said you’d take me to find my mom.” **01** I was kidnapped at five years old. In that moldy, dark room, I was beaten and abused for eleven long years. At sixteen, I was rescued. The fluorescent lights were harsh and white, making every face in the police station look blurred. A middle-aged officer crouched in front of me, his voice gentle. “Don’t be afraid, child.” He pointed to the man curled up in the corner—the man who had raised me for eleven years and beaten me for eleven years, the human trafficker. “Identify him. He can never hurt you again!” My gaze drifted past the trafficker’s sallow face without stopping. I slowly turned my head. My eyes landed on a young officer. He wore a crisp uniform and had handsome features. He was carefully bringing me a cup of hot milk. His face radiated the kind of warmth that could melt ice and snow. “Hello again… brother,” I said, my voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping against itself. The young officer froze for a moment, then gave me a reassuring smile. “Little girl, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else. My name is Ethan Harper. We’re meeting for the first time today.” The entire police station fell deathly silent. The air solidified. Even the distant sound of the printer disappeared. I stared into his eyes, speaking each word deliberately. “I haven’t mistaken you.” “Eleven years ago, at the children’s park on the west side of town, it was you.” “You lifted me down from the slide. The trafficker was standing right next to you.” “You even patted my head and said, ‘Come with me, I’ll take you to find your mom.’” The smile on Ethan’s face froze. The milk cup in his hand crashed to the polished tile floor with a clang. The milky white liquid splashed out like a shattered flower. He suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my wrist, his grip frighteningly strong. “What are you talking about—” He didn’t finish his sentence. His next movement made every officer outside the interrogation room point their guns directly at him. His other hand—the one not gripping me—shot up like lightning. He wasn’t trying to hit me or push me away. He was trying to cover my mouth. It was a pure, instinctive movement to silence me. Just like the trafficker had done countless times over the past eleven years. The cold sound of metal echoed through the room. “Don’t move!” “Ethan! Put your hands up!” An elderly but authoritative voice rang out. It was their captain, Captain Harris. Ethan’s hand froze in midair, just inches from my lips. His pupils constricted violently. Cold sweat slid down his temple, dripping onto the insignia on his police uniform. He looked at me, his eyes no longer kind but filled with the shock and malice of prey that had bitten back. At that tense moment, the interrogation room door was violently pushed open. A middle-aged couple in expensive clothes rushed in, followed by several officers trying to stop them. The woman saw me, tears instantly flooding her eyes as she rushed over to embrace me. “Anna! My Anna! Mom has finally found you!” The man’s eyes were also red. He excitedly grabbed Captain Harris’s hand, speaking incoherently. “Thank you, thank you all! Especially Officer Harper. We heard about it—he was the first one to find the lead and save our daughter!” I was held tightly by Mom. I could smell her expensive perfume. But my gaze pierced through her shoulder, still locked firmly on Ethan. My real parents had arrived. And they were thanking the demon who had personally delivered me to hell eleven years ago. Ethan slowly lowered his hand. Under everyone’s gaze, he raised both hands slowly above his head. The shock on his face had faded, replaced by a deep sense of grievance and sorrow. He looked at my parents, his voice trembling. “Sir, ma’am, I didn’t…” “I don’t know why this child would say such things.” “I really… I was just trying to save her.” My parents froze, looking at him, then at me. Mom released me, cupping my face, her brow furrowed. “Anna, did you… remember wrong?” “Officer Harper is your savior.” I looked at her worried and confused face and shook my head. Memories can blur and get confused. But some things are carved into your bones. Like how eleven years ago that afternoon, when he handed me that candy, his right hand had a shallow, crescent-shaped scar at the base of his thumb. **02** I was taken to a separate rest room. Mom stayed with me. Dad, Captain Harris, and the station leadership were outside dealing with the chaos. The door was closed, but I could hear the muffled sounds of argument outside. Mom kept wiping my face and making me drink water. Her hands were warm, but her eyes were unfamiliar. “Anna, don’t be afraid. It’s all over now.” “You’ll be home soon. Mom and Dad will never let you suffer again.” She chattered on about our future home, my room, the dresses she’d bought for me. I didn’t say a word. After a long time, the door opened. Dad and Captain Harris walked in together. Dad’s expression was grim, his brow furrowed into a deep line. Captain Harris looked serious. He pulled up a chair and sat across from me. “Child, can we talk again?” I nodded. “You said that eleven years ago, at the children’s park, Ethan Harper took you away?” “Yes.” “Are you certain?” “I’m certain.” Captain Harris was silent for a moment, then pulled out a photo from his pocket. It was Ethan’s ID photo—sunny, upright. “He’s twenty-seven years old now. Eleven years ago, he was sixteen, still a high school student.” “According to records, he was an excellent student who even won the city’s Outstanding Student award. Why would he do something like this?” I looked at that photo and shook my head. “I don’t know why he would.” “I only know it was him.” Dad finally couldn’t hold back anymore, his voice filled with suppressed fury. “Anna! How can you be so sure!” “Officer Harper found you to save you! He’s our family’s great benefactor! How can you bite the hand that feeds you?” “Did you stay with that trafficker so long that your mind… that something went wrong?” His words were like a needle, piercing my heart. It didn’t hurt. It was just very cold. I looked at him, this biological father of mine. His eyes held no trust, only suspicion and the irritation of someone eager to distance himself from trouble. “Nothing’s wrong with me,” I said. Captain Harris raised his hand, signaling Dad to stop talking. He continued, “Besides what you’ve told us, is there any other evidence? Or more specific details?” “Yes.” I closed my eyes. That afternoon eleven years ago replayed in my mind like a movie. “He was wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt with a black and white Mickey Mouse print on the chest.” “He gave me a candy. It was a White Rabbit candy.” “After he handed me over to that man, the man gave him a roll of money wrapped in newspaper.” “He also said something.” Captain Harris’s eyes immediately sharpened. “What did he say?” “He said, ‘My sister is sick and I need money urgently. Don’t contact me again.’” After I finished speaking, the rest room fell into dead silence. Dad’s expression changed from anger to shock. Captain Harris stared at me for a full half minute, then stood up. “Rest here. We’ll verify this.” He and Dad walked out together. The moment the door closed, I heard Dad’s urgent voice. “Captain Harris, this… you can’t believe what this child says! She must be…” The voice grew more distant. Mom sighed and sat back down beside me. “Anna, Mom knows you’ve been wronged.” “But Officer Harper… he doesn’t seem like a bad person. And all these years he’s been excellent, with a spotless record.” “Could it be that you want to catch the bad guy so badly that you’re projecting your resentment onto him?” I didn’t answer. I just felt very tired. More tired than being beaten and working every day at the trafficker’s house. That night, my parents took me back to the “home” they had prepared for me. A huge, empty mansion. My room was pink, with a soft large bed and piles of beautiful dresses. Like a perfect princess room. But lying in that bed, I couldn’t sleep all night. The next day at noon, the doorbell rang. Mom excitedly ran to answer it. Ethan stood at the door carrying bags of nutritional supplements and fruit. He had changed out of his uniform and wore casual clothes, looking more like the boy next door. His face showed some exhaustion, but his smile remained warm. “Sir, ma’am, I came to see Anna.” My parents warmly welcomed him in, serving tea and fruit, their mouths full of gratitude and apologies. “Officer Harper, we’re so sorry. Our child doesn’t understand…” “Sir, please don’t say that.” Ethan interrupted Dad. “Anna has suffered so much. It’s completely normal for her to have some stress reactions. I don’t blame her at all.” The more magnanimous he appeared, the more guilty my parents felt. They called me out of my room. In the living room, Ethan sat on the sofa with my parents on either side of him. That picture looked like a family. I was the outsider. Ethan saw me and stood up, giving me a warm smile. “Anna, feeling better?” I didn’t respond. Mom pushed me, lowering her voice. “Anna, call him Ethan. Apologize to him.” I stood without moving. The atmosphere in the living room instantly became awkward. Ethan waved his hand at Mom. “Ma’am, it’s fine. Don’t force the child.” He turned to look at me, his gaze “sincere” enough to be chilling. “Anna, I know you hate the trafficker. But you’ve identified the wrong person. The real bad guy will get away with it.” “Think about it carefully again, okay?” I watched his performance and suddenly found it laughable. Dad’s expression had already darkened. “Anna Williams! I’m ordering you—right now, immediately—apologize to Officer Harper!” Anna Williams. That was my name. A name I’d heard for eleven years but found utterly foreign. Just then, Ethan suddenly walked up to me. He bent down, leaned close to my ear, and said something in a voice only the two of us could hear. “Keep making trouble and you’ll never see your real ‘mom’ again.” My body instantly went rigid. The “mom” he mentioned wasn’t referring to the woman in front of me. He meant the woman who had been trafficked to the same house, the only one who had shown me warmth, who they had beaten to death—”Crazy Mom.” This was our darkest secret. And he knew about it. **03** My blood nearly froze in that moment. “Crazy Mom” was a woman the trafficker had bought from elsewhere. Because she kept trying to escape, they beat her until she lost her mind. She was my only comfort in childhood. She would secretly save food for me and would throw herself over me when I was being beaten. Three years ago, she was beaten to death for taking a beating meant for me. No one should know about this except me, the trafficker, and a few of the trafficker’s accomplices who were present at the time. Ethan… How could he know? I jerked my head up, staring at him intently. His face still wore that harmless, warm smile, but deep in his eyes was an icy mockery that saw through everything. He silently mouthed two words to me. “Shut up.” My parents didn’t notice this brief, silent confrontation. They only saw my face turn deathly pale, my body swaying unsteadily. “Anna, what’s wrong?” Mom supported me, looking worried. Ethan straightened up, showing just the right amount of concern. “Is Anna not feeling well? Maybe I should leave so I don’t upset her.” “Officer Harper, please don’t say that!” Dad panicked. He grabbed me and pulled me in front of Ethan. “Apologize! I’m telling you to apologize!” I looked at my father’s angry, unfamiliar face, then at Ethan’s hypocritical mask. A huge wave of desolation and nausea surged through me. I didn’t apologize. I just looked at Ethan, clearly and deliberately speaking each word. “You weren’t alone.” “Eleven years ago, there was someone else with you.” Dad was so angry he raised his hand. “How dare you keep spouting nonsense!” The slap never landed. Ethan reached out and stopped Dad. “Sir, don’t.” He sighed, like a saint who had endured endless grievances yet remained infinitely tolerant. “The child’s emotions are unstable. Let her take her time.” “I believe she’ll eventually remember the truth.” When he said the word “truth,” he emphasized it, his gaze scraping across my face like a knife. He stayed for half an hour before leaving. As soon as he left, Dad’s rage erupted completely. He pointed at my nose and cursed me for being ungrateful, for biting the hand that fed me, for being a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Mom cried and tried to mediate, saying I had just come home and they couldn’t pressure me like this. The entire mansion was filled with arguments, crying, and cursing. I felt like I’d fallen into a more luxurious but colder cage. That night, I locked myself in my room. I took out paper and pen and began to write. I wrote down every detail I could remember about eleven years ago. Ethan’s appearance and his knowledge of “Crazy Mom” confirmed something for me. What happened back then was far more complex than I’d imagined. He wasn’t just a teenager who impulsively committed a crime for money. There were others behind him. Or rather, there was a network. The next day, I found an excuse to go out, shaking off the nanny who tried to follow me. I went to the police station. Captain Harris wasn’t there. I waited at the entrance. He returned in the evening, looking exhausted. Seeing me, he seemed a bit surprised. “Why are you here?” “I came to find you.” We went to a small noodle shop nearby. I handed him what I’d written all night. “This is everything I can remember.” Captain Harris took it and read each page very carefully. The noodle shop was noisy and steaming hot, but I felt cold all over. This was my only bargaining chip. If he didn’t believe me either… Captain Harris finished reading the last page and remained silent for a long time. He looked up at me. “What you said about Ethan Harper’s appearance when he was sixteen—we checked. His high school photos do match your description.” My heart lifted. “But,” his tone shifted, “he has an alibi.” “Eleven years ago, the day you were kidnapped was a Saturday. His school was holding an anniversary celebration that day. He was the host. Hundreds of teachers and students can vouch for him.” My brain buzzed. An alibi? How was that possible? I remembered so clearly! “That’s impossible!” I cried out. “I couldn’t have remembered wrong!” “Child, don’t get worked up.” Captain Harris’s voice was steady. “Memory can deceive you. Especially after experiencing such great trauma, you might mix up different people and events.” “I didn’t mix them up!” I gripped the edge of the table. Captain Harris sighed. “We’ve investigated Ethan Harper’s family background and social connections. Everything’s clean. His father is a university professor, his mother is a doctor. He’s been the model child since childhood. There’s no reason for him to do something like this.” “All the evidence is in his favor.” “And what works against you is that everyone thinks you’ve lost your mind.” His words were cruel but honest. I looked at him and suddenly asked a question. “What about you?” “Captain Harris, do you think I’ve lost my mind too?” Captain Harris looked into my eyes but didn’t answer immediately. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, but didn’t light it. He just held it, slowly rotating it in his fingers. After a long while, he finally spoke. “Your details are too specific.” “So specific… they don’t seem made up.” “Especially what you mentioned about the crescent-shaped scar at the base of his right thumb.” My heart leaped. “We managed to obtain his medical exam report from this year.” Captain Harris looked at me, his gaze profound. “There is indeed a scar at the base of his right thumb.” “Very faint. You wouldn’t notice it without looking carefully.” “The shape is exactly as you described.” A huge surge of wild joy and bitterness instantly overwhelmed me. I bit my lip hard to keep myself from crying. Finally. Finally, someone was willing to believe me, even just a little. “So,” I asked in a trembling voice, “you’ll continue investigating him, right?” Captain Harris put the cigarette back in the pack and shook his head. “No.” My heart instantly sank. “Officially, the investigation into him is closed. From now on, he’ll resume all his duties and his reputation will be restored.” He looked at my shocked and despairing expression, adding deliberately. “But unofficially, I’m forming a special task force.” “Just me and you.” “Without alerting anyone, we’re going to dig out the truth from eleven years ago.” His eyes were like a knife hidden in its sheath—calm and sharp. “Child, do you dare use yourself as bait?”

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When I started my business, my girlfriend Audrey deliberately leaked trade secrets to my competitor, leaving me bankrupt. The next moment, Audrey became Maurice’s woman—my rival’s woman. Drowning in debt, I stood on a rooftop preparing to end it all when Polka, who had secretly loved me for years, found me and handed over all her family’s savings. “Benjamin, in my eyes, you’ll always be the most outstanding person.” Seven years later, my company made a comeback, and I was about to complete the acquisition of Maurice’s company. But the night before the signing, my warehouse caught fire unexpectedly, reducing all the inventory to ashes. In my hospital room, I overheard a conversation between Polka and my ex-girlfriend Audrey outside the door. “You’re ruthless. You dared to set fire to the warehouse. Weren’t you afraid he’d burn to death inside?” “If he died, he died. I’ve always loved Maurice. If I hadn’t lost that draw to you back then, I wouldn’t have had to stomach that face for seven years.” I looked at my burned hands. What I thought was sharing hardship together turned out to be nothing but wishful thinking on my part. Since you all care so much about Maurice, don’t blame me for what comes next.

I closed my eyes, my heart seized by an invisible hand. Arson. A draw. Those seven years of mutual devotion were nothing but her reluctant choice after losing a bet. “If I hadn’t married him and constantly monitored his movements, you think Maurice could have had it so smooth? I’ve been clearing obstacles for him!” A metallic sweetness surged in my throat. I laughed silently, my burned hands wrapped in gauze, without even the strength to clench a fist. Polka hadn’t noticed I was awake and continued pouring out her disgust and suffering from all these years. “This fire—don’t you understand? I couldn’t let him acquire SUN. That’s Maurice’s everything!” After she finished speaking, there was a long silence from Audrey’s side, only the sound of breathing. “Alright, you should go. And remember, even though I married Benjamin, I’ll never give up Maurice!” After Audrey left, Polka pushed open the door, her face wearing perfectly calculated concern. “Benjamin? Are you awake? How do you feel?” I looked away, avoiding her hand reaching to check my forehead, my voice hoarse. “Strange. Every time Maurice and I reach the final step, something always goes wrong.” “Maybe… it’s just fate. In business, who can say for certain?” Polka’s hand paused mid-air before withdrawing. I pulled my lips into a humorless arc, my gaze turning to the window. “Maybe Maurice has too many devoted followers who can’t stand to see him lose? The fire department is already investigating the warehouse fire.” Polka chose her words carefully, trying to soothe my emotions. I closed my eyes, my heart ice-cold. “Polka, what about you? Don’t you think it’s quite a coincidence?” “I…” Polka choked, her lips moving several times before finally giving up on defending herself, her brow furrowing tightly. “Benjamin, what are you trying to say? Are you suspecting me? I’m your wife!” “I’m just asking casually. Why are you getting so worked up?”

I looked at her calmly, watching how she instantly bristled with hostility. Polka’s expression turned ugly. After a long moment, she forced out a cold snort through clenched teeth. “If you’re incompetent, don’t go around being paranoid!” She grew more agitated as she spoke, her face contorting. That face I’d known for seven years now looked frighteningly unfamiliar. I finally became certain—Polka had never loved me. These seven years were a complete and utter fraud. I remained silent, but Polka was clearly dissatisfied with my silence. She stood up, walked to the bedside, and looked down at me. “Benjamin, I need you to promise me that from now on, you’ll behave yourself and stop chasing unrealistic dreams! As for our marriage, some things are better left unsaid. It’s not good for anyone.” “I should stop dreaming? Why should I?! Once I sign that contract, SUN will be mine! As for our marriage… Polka, do you really think there’s anything left between us?” I clenched my fist, the burned skin sending searing pain through me. “I’m telling you! Destroying Maurice is my entire purpose! If not this time, then next time. If not this seven years, then the next seven years!” “You—” Polka froze, then crossed her arms and let out a low, cold laugh. “Very well. I was going to keep up the act a bit longer. Benjamin, since you still want to win, you never will.” My heart tightened. Her laugh sent chills down my spine. Only then did I notice that this hospital room’s facilities far exceeded those of ordinary hospitals. There were even unidentified oil paintings hanging on the walls. This was an expensive private sanatorium. “What are you planning?!” Before I could finish speaking, Polka knocked on the door three times. A man in a white coat with a sinister demeanor walked in. “Miss Polka, what are your orders?” She took a document the man handed her, glanced at it twice, her gaze falling on my gauze-wrapped hands, her tone calm. “Benjamin, a renowned entrepreneur, suffered nerve damage from the fire, resulting in permanent tremors in both hands. He can no longer perform precision work. The facility has done all it can. Understood?” My blood froze instantly. I stared at her in disbelief. “This… this might present procedural risks.” The man called “Dr. Polo” hesitated, but after Polka mentioned “original shares in Maurice’s biotech company,” the doubt in his eyes vanished. I understood their transaction. A chill rose from the soles of my feet. I used all my strength to grab the glass water pitcher from the table and hurl it toward the window. The next second, Polka had already lunged at me, pinning down my arm. After seven years together, she understood the intent behind my every move. So she also knew exactly how to cripple me from the root. “Benjamin, stop struggling. You can’t escape.” Polka looked at me, a moment of hesitation flashing in her eyes. I roared: “You lunatic! I’m your husband!” I struggled violently, but my weakened post-fire body had no strength. The wounds tore open again in my struggle. Several nurses rushed in, expertly producing restraint straps. “Let me go! This is a crime!” My curses and struggles only resulted in tighter restraints, until cold leather straps bound my wrists and ankles. I gave up resisting, my voice hoarse. “Polka! I was wrong! I surrender! I’ll never appear before you again, okay? Let me go! I promise I’ll disappear completely!” Polka crossed her arms, watching my breakdown for a long time before shaking her head. “Benjamin, I don’t believe you. I know you too well. If you can persist in something for seven years, you won’t let it go now.” At her signal, the man approached me with a syringe. Before consciousness was pulled away, I abandoned all questioning and pleading, staring at her intently. “Polka, I’ve always given you… everything.” In my daze, the resolve on Polka’s face showed a crack, but it quickly returned to cold indifference. “Sorry, Benjamin. This is the last time.”

Before darkness swallowed me, my final thought was that I would never love her again. Seven years of marriage. When I was at my lowest, she had extended her hand to me. But that hand, from the very beginning, was meant to push me into a deeper abyss. When I woke again, the uncontrollable subtle tremor in my right hand became my only sensation. Despair, like icy seawater, instantly submerged me. Polka had actually done it. She had once been my most capable assistant, but now she’d destroyed my hands. Tears fell silently, yet the hatred in my heart burned hot. The aftereffects of the neurotoxin began several hours later—an aching numbness and stabbing pain that seemed to drill out from within my bones, more tormenting than the burns. I was drenched in sweat from the pain, biting my lip hard, staring blankly at the ceiling. At one point, I even considered ending it all. “Well, well, you’re awake?” A familiar voice shattered the deathly silence of the hospital room. I slowly turned my head. Maurice walked in, looking me up and down before shaking his head, his face wearing fake sympathy while his eyes held nothing but a victor’s arrogance. “Benjamin, look at yourself now.” “Seven years, and you couldn’t even keep one woman. Now you’re just a cripple.” “In love, you lost to me. In business, same thing! For the rest of your life, you’ll never beat me.” “What did you say?” I spoke hoarsely. It took a while for my numb brain to process his words. The next moment, fury destroyed my reason. “Get out! Get out! Don’t let me see you again! You bastards! I won’t let you get away with this! Get out! All of you!” My hysteria clearly pleased Maurice. He even laughed out loud. “See, Benjamin? Your wife would do anything for me. Though in your current state, you probably can’t comprehend my happiness anymore.” “Get out!” I used my left hand to pull out the IV needle from the back of my hand, grabbing everything I could reach from the bedside table and hurling it at him. Water cups, fruit plates, books, one after another. But I’d overestimated my broken body. After just a few throws, I’d exhausted all my strength and collapsed on the bed, the excruciating pain in my right hand rendering me speechless. Maurice continued his taunts, but as he spoke, the fury in my heart gradually extinguished, leaving only dead numbness. Yes, I’d already lost completely. What chance did I have to turn things around? “Why aren’t you talking?! Benjamin! Say something! Weren’t you always so arrogant? Didn’t they call you a business genius? Why so quiet now?!” Maurice froze. My sudden calm denied him the sense of superiority he’d expected. Frustrated, he tried to provoke me again. “Why aren’t you talking, you trembling cripple?! Weren’t you just throwing things at me? Now you’re playing dead?” I weakly threw a pillow at him with my left hand, barely managing to force out “Get out!” That feather-light pillow landed at his feet, but Maurice acted as if he’d found the perfect excuse. He suddenly stepped back exaggeratedly, as if struck by tremendous force, looking at me in shock. “Benjamin?! How could you do this! I just came to check on you out of kindness!” Just then, the sound of high heels came from outside. Hearing his shout, the footsteps immediately quickened. Audrey pushed open the door. Seeing the mess on the floor, she immediately glared at me viciously. Polka, who entered a step behind, also froze. “Maurice?! He dared to lay hands on you?!” Watching the two of them fuss over Maurice, I twisted my lips into a hoarse, miserable laugh. “Benjamin! Have you lost your mind?! Get on your knees and apologize to Maurice right now!” Infuriated by my laughter, Polka rushed forward, grabbed my shoulder, and dragged me from the bed, disregarding my injuries. “Kneel down and apologize to Maurice right now!” Audrey helped Maurice up at this point. She walked over and stepped on my still-bleeding left hand, saying simply: “Kneel!” I fell onto the cold floor, the pain in my hand and the nerve pain in my right hand intertwining, the agony turning my vision black. Seeing my silence, Audrey bent down, grabbed my hair, and forced me to look up at them. “Can’t you understand human speech?! Kneel before my man right now!” They humiliated me in the cruelest way possible, until I was covered in cold sweat, lying weakly on the floor, my breathing becoming faint. Only then did this farce end. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but for a brief moment, I seemed to see reluctance and wavering in Polka’s eyes. But it no longer mattered. At this point, whatever I’d done in the past, I’d received my punishment. Right now, I just wanted to leave them, to leave this hell! When I woke again, the hospital room had been cleaned up and my hands had been re-treated. Sunlight through the window warmed my face, but I only felt a sense of disorientation, as if everything before had been nothing but an absurd dream. I thought this was my chance to escape, but Polka soon returned. She carried a bag containing several brand-new devices. “Awake? Try these.”

She placed a set of weighted metal utensils and a grip-assist writing tool on the bedside table. Her expression had softened considerably, her tone carrying a hint of regret. “Look at you. Why suffer like this just to be stubborn?” As she spoke, she picked up the grip tool, trying to fit it on my hand. “If you just behave, I’ll take good care of you from now on.” I jerked my hand back, my stomach churning. Just seeing her filled me with physical disgust. “Get that away!” Polka’s patience seemed exhausted by my rejection. She angrily slammed the items on the table. “Benjamin, I’m kindly finding rehabilitation tools for you. Can you stop being so ungrateful?!” I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down. When I spoke again, my voice was emotionless. “Polka, let’s make a deal. I’m willing to sign a lifetime non-compete agreement and transfer all remaining assets of my company to you or Maurice. I have only one requirement. Let me go.” I was negotiating my freedom as if it were my final business transaction. Polka seemed stunned by this, apparently not expecting me to propose such a “deal.” After a long moment, she shook her head. “Benjamin, this isn’t just to reassure him. It’s because you owe Maurice.” “I owe him? What do I owe him?!” I asked in confusion. The corner of Polka’s mouth curled into mockery. She said I must have forgotten such important matters. She told me that years ago, my first bucket of gold, the business model that changed my fate, was a proposal Maurice had stayed up countless nights creating. It was I who used improper means to steal it, which led to my later meteoric rise. “So your current state is just things returning to their rightful owner! Stop acting innocent. You almost fooled me again!” I paused slightly, then recalled those events, a trace of desolate smile appearing on my face. I finally understood where their bone-deep hatred came from. In their eyes, I’d been a thief from the very beginning. That business opportunity back then was indeed public information. I was just faster and more daring than him. But explaining now was meaningless. For a crippled man, all merit and fault lost the value of defense. Seeing I no longer argued, Polka let out a cold laugh. “So Benjamin, you have no right to complain! All of this is your karma!” I fell completely silent. Polka also lost interest in conversing with me and turned to leave the room. I stared blankly at her retreating figure. After a long time, I buried my face in my palms without making a sound. My life afterward became daily “rehabilitation” training. Different therapists came every day to guide me on using those assistive tools. To maintain her image as a “devoted wife,” Polka provided me with the very best of everything. I also appeared numb and compliant, just speaking less and less. Over half a month later, they finally relaxed their guard over me. I bribed a young worker from the laundry room with a stock tip guaranteed to rise. At four in the morning, I endured the aching pain in both hands and hid in a huge linen cart, leaving that prison in the bumpy ride. Finally, at the bus stop across the street, I looked back at the lit building, my eyes calm as still water. Since you all want me to disappear, I’ll grant your wish. At that moment, Maurice was at a grand celebration banquet, raising his glass high, announcing to all the guests that he’d completely defeated me. Polka stood beside him, her smile radiant. “For you, I’d do anything.” She gazed at Maurice’s profile, her eyes full of infatuation. “I know. Now we can finally be together.” Maurice responded gently, about to clink glasses with her when a shrill phone ringtone broke the intimate atmosphere. Polka impatiently pulled out her phone. Seeing the caller ID, her brow immediately furrowed. The sanatorium? What could it be? Benjamin? Thinking of him, Polka still pressed the answer button: “Hello?” “Miss Polka, this is terrible! Mr. Benjamin is gone!”

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After I was assaulted, I reported it to the police immediately. But on the day of the trial, the one defending the accused was my lawyer husband, Ethan Price. As soon as court was in session, he directly played the video of my assault. Then he spoke, calm and measured: “Ms. Hart, on the night of the incident, did you deliberately wear no underwear and put on a deep V-neck red dress with a thigh-high slit to seduce my client?” “Did you knowingly drink ten glasses of hard liquor despite being aware of your low alcohol tolerance?” “Is it true that your inability to conceive due to your chaotic private life has caused you psychological distortion, leading you to try to destroy an innocent 18-year-old college student through false accusations?” Every eye in the courtroom stabbed at me like needles. In the gallery, Ethan’s first love, Lily Smith, cried pitifully, as if she were the victim. “Clara, Jason is my brother! I know you’re jealous of me, but you can’t strip naked to seduce him just to get revenge on me, then accuse him of rape!” Ethan gently pressed her trembling shoulder. I sat in the witness stand, hands and feet ice cold. Seven years ago, when I was sexually harassed, Ethan defended me in court: “Should a woman be assaulted just because she drinks, wears a dress, or is alone?” Back then, he was righteously indignant. But now, every word he spoke was a knife stabbing into me.

The moment the big screen lit up, all the blood in my body went cold. On the screen was a surveillance screenshot from the hotel corridor. In the image, I wore a red dress, exposing large areas of skin. My steps were unsteady, half my body leaning against Jason Smith. Most glaring of all, from this angle, my hand appeared to be actively draped over his shoulder. The gallery erupted in an uproar. Ethan raised his hand, pointing at the screen. “Please observe, ladies and gentlemen. Ms. Hart not only failed to scream for help, her body was even cooperating with my client’s movements.” “This is clearly playing hard to get.” My throat tightened, filled with the taste of blood. “I didn’t! I was drugged. I didn’t even have the strength to speak.” “I said no.” Ethan looked up at me, then quickly averted his gaze. His voice turned cold, as if forcefully suppressing his emotions. “Drugged?” “Ms. Hart, a woman dressed like a prostitute in the middle of the night, drunk out of her mind, voluntarily entering a hotel with a young man.” “What gives you the right to claim you were forced?” A roar exploded in my ears. I felt like I was being stripped naked in public. Ethan’s body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment. His gaze fell on my ashen face. In that instant, I saw his Adam’s apple bob. As if he finally realized what he had just said. But soon, he looked away. He remained the calm, ruthlessly effective defense attorney. I bit my lip hard, my mouth filling with the taste of blood. That red dress was a gift from Lily. She had said, “Clara, you always dress too plainly. Tonight is Ethan’s celebration dinner. You should dazzle him.” I hadn’t wanted to wear it. It was Ethan who personally helped me zip it up. He had laughed softly then. “My wife looks most beautiful in a red dress. Clara, don’t always worry about people looking at you. You’re gorgeous.” But now, he said I dressed like a streetwalker. I looked at him, suddenly finding him utterly foreign. Like someone was forcing the nightmare from seven years ago back onto me. Back then, I was a newcomer in the workplace, nearly sexually assaulted by my boss. When everyone was saying I must have been “seducing my boss to climb the ladder.” It was Ethan who personally told me it wasn’t my fault. The opposing lawyer had pointed at my nose. “Ms. Hart, why didn’t you scream immediately?” “Why didn’t you flee the office at once?” “Were you actually just being coy?” It was him who stood up to shield me. “Objection!” “You cannot deny the harm my client suffered just because she didn’t resist in the way you imagine.” That day, I cried uncontrollably in court. Because finally, someone was telling everyone. I wasn’t at fault. I was just afraid. But today, the perpetrator had become his first love’s younger brother. So Ethan personally forced the words “you deserved it” down on me.

I looked at him, my voice soft. “Ethan, you didn’t used to say things like this.” His fingers holding the documents paused. Just for an instant. The next second, he pulled out a file. *Psychiatric Intervention Records.* My heart plummeted. Those were my psychological treatment records from seven years ago. The wound I least wanted anyone to see. Those nights when I trembled, screamed, bathed repeatedly, scrubbing my skin until it bled. I couldn’t let men near me, couldn’t enter any enclosed space. It was Ethan who took me to see a psychologist. Every time we left the therapy room, he would hold me in his arms, kissing my forehead again and again. “Don’t be afraid, Clara.” “I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” Back then, I had entrusted him with my most raw, most broken self. But now, he was tearing open my scars and displaying them before everyone. Ethan opened the file, his voice devastatingly calm. “Your Honor, Ms. Hart underwent long-term psychiatric intervention seven years ago.” “This included stress reactions to male contact and severe victim tendencies.” My blood instantly ran cold. “You’re lying…” My voice trembled. “Those are my private records. How could you…” Ethan didn’t look at me. “She repeatedly described in her sessions how she would mistake normal male contact for assault even when there was no actual danger.” “Therefore, we have reason to suspect that on the night of the incident, influenced by alcohol, past trauma, and marital stress, she experienced cognitive distortion.” The gallery exploded. “Cognitive distortion? So she has mental problems?” “Oh my god, she’s had this kind of case before.” “Isn’t this just victim delusion?” My body began to shake. Ethan finally looked up at me. His fingers gripped the case file so tightly his knuckles turned white. But the next second, Lily sobbed softly. He turned back to the judge. “Furthermore, we have evidence that Ms. Hart has had long-standing conflicts with Ms. Lily.” He pulled out another set of materials. “Ms. Lily was repeatedly verbally attacked by Ms. Hart. Ms. Hart believed that Ms. Smith was destroying her marriage.” “Especially after learning of Ms. Smith’s pregnancy, Ms. Hart’s emotional instability became even more severe.” The big screen displayed several screenshots of conversations between Lily and me. Context removed, only my seemingly harsh words remained. [Stay away from Ethan.] [You know he’s married.] [Lily, what exactly do you want?] Ethan read them out coldly. “This is sufficient proof that Ms. Hart harbors intense hostility toward Ms. Lily.” I looked at those screenshots, my whole body going cold. “It wasn’t like that…” “She was the one who sent me photos of her and Ethan watching fireworks together in the middle of the night.” “She told me children can’t grow up without fathers.” “She said Ethan would eventually come back to her.” Lily immediately shook her head, crying. “I never said that! Clara, why are you slandering me like this?” She covered her belly with one hand, tears streaming down her face. “I only told you that children are innocent. I never thought about taking Ethan away!” “Jason and I lost our parents when we were young. He’s my only family.” “Now I’m pregnant and have no other relatives to depend on. I’m just so scared.” Ethan continued his questioning: “Did you publicly insult the child in Ms. Lily’s womb at the hospital prenatal examination area?” I clenched my hands. That time, Lily had told me Ethan was in trouble. When I arrived at the hospital, I discovered Ethan was accompanying her for a prenatal checkup. She leaned on Ethan’s shoulder, gently touching her belly. “Ethan, do you think the baby will look more like you or more like me?” I stood there like a joke. I only asked her, “Lily, is this really necessary?” But now, all of this had become evidence of my jealousy. I looked toward the gallery. My mother sat there. Her face was frighteningly pale, her eyes terribly red. She, such a strong woman, had held me and cried until she couldn’t stand after that case seven years ago. Later, when Ethan appeared, he knelt before my mother and promised. “Ma’am, I will protect Clara. I won’t let anyone hurt her again.” But today, she watched as the man who had promised to protect me personally stripped me bare for everyone to see. My mother suddenly stood up. “Ethan, are you even human?” “Seven years ago, how did you promise me?” “Now you’re using her medical records, using her wounds, using her inability to have children, to exonerate someone else?” “Ethan, how can you do this?” Ethan’s face instantly went white. He stood there, unable to say a word. I looked at my mother’s back, my heart aching in waves.

After the first trial session ended, my mother held me tightly, helping me out of the courthouse. Reporters blocked the entrance, flashbulbs blinding me. Microphones shoved into my face one after another. “Ms. Hart, did you deliberately strip naked to seduce Lily’s brother because you were jealous she’s pregnant with Attorney Price’s child?” “I heard you weren’t even wearing underwear that night. Are you a sex addict? Sexually frustrated?” “Seven years ago you used this kind of thing to create hype. Now you’re trying to blackmail a 20-year-old male college student. Isn’t this false accusation?” “Is this your mother? Does she know how promiscuous you are?” I was jostled and stumbled. Someone took advantage of the chaos to grab my sleeve. The fabric tore, exposing my shoulder and a large portion of my chest. Countless flashbulbs went crazy, accompanied by men’s suggestive laughter and whistles. “Wow, so slutty, no wonder the guy couldn’t help himself!” Nausea churned in my stomach. My mother frantically shielded me, covering my body. “Get away! You bastards! Are you even human?” In the chaos, someone shoved her hard. My mother’s forehead hit the sharp corner of a pillar at the courthouse entrance. Blood pooled on the ground. In the end, only the intervention of court security allowed us to leave. That night, the doorbell rang. Outside stood Ethan and a pregnant Lily. The moment I saw them, my mother’s expression changed. “What are you doing here!” Lily looked at me, tears in her eyes. “Clara, I’m apologizing on my brother’s behalf. But Jason is only 20 years old. He’s never even been in a relationship. He really thought when you dressed like that you were… lonely…” “He said when he touched you, you responded to him. You didn’t resist at all! How can you pull up your pants and call the police, trying to ruin his whole life?” My head exploded. I stared at her. “What did you say? I was drugged, my whole body was in spasms, and you say it was consensual?” Lily, frightened, burrowed into Ethan’s arms. “Ethan, I’m scared… Is Clara’s mania acting up again…” My mother slapped Lily across the face. “Shut your mouth!” Ethan pulled Lily behind him, looking at my mother with a darkened expression. “Lily is pregnant. You shouldn’t have hit her.” Then he looked at me and sighed. “Clara, drop the charges.” Hearing those three words, my heart was still pierced. Though I had guessed it would come to this, hearing it aloud still hurt. “As long as you sign to drop the charges, we won’t pursue charges of false accusation against you.” “If you keep making trouble, it won’t benefit you. You can’t handle it.” I looked at him, suddenly finding this man before me very strange. “Ethan, are you worried I can’t handle it?” “Or are you threatening me that if I don’t drop the charges, you’ll use public opinion to destroy me?” His expression shifted slightly. “That’s not what I meant.” My mother pointed at the door, her voice trembling. “Get out! Both of you, get out of my house!” She clutched her chest, her body swaying. I screamed and caught her. Ethan also instinctively stepped forward, wanting to help. I looked up sharply and pushed him away. “Ethan, don’t touch my mother!” He froze in place. My mother leaned against me, her face deathly pale, forehead covered in cold sweat. I frantically dialed for an ambulance. Ethan stood in the doorway, showing panic for the first time. “Clara, I…” I held my mother, trembling all over. “Take Lily and get out of my house! If anything happens to my mother, I’ll never forgive you!” Ethan’s lips moved. But in the end, he couldn’t say a word. My mother’s hands grew colder and colder. I suddenly realized Ethan hadn’t come to persuade me to drop the charges. He had come to push the last person protecting me to her death too.

The next day, as I stayed with my mother at the hospital, the trending topics exploded. When I opened my phone, my name was everywhere. [Renowned Attorney’s Wife is a Sex-Addicted Lunatic!] [Infertile Woman Jealous of Husband’s Pregnant First Love Seduces and Falsely Accuses 18-Year-Old Boy!] Every word was like a nail, driven into my body one by one. Someone had dug up photos from that night. Red dress. Deep V-neck. High slit. The photos were maliciously enlarged. People circled my chest and legs. Adding filthy captions, turning them into memes. [This slut’s dress is slit up to her crotch. Bet she wasn’t wearing panties underneath.] [Attorney Price looks at this barren whore every day. No wonder he went back to his first love.] [Poor Lily, pregnant and still having to deal with revenge from this crazy bitch.] The torrent of obscene abuse online continued until the day of the second trial. That day, the sky was so overcast it seemed about to collapse. Lily still sat in the front row. Jason sat in the defendant’s seat, looking like an innocent young man awaiting judgment. Ethan stood up, even calmer than the last time, and more ruthless. On the big screen played private footage from my therapy sessions. From three months ago, me leaning in his arms, tearfully dissecting my deepest pain: “Ethan, ever since Lily came back, I feel like I’m going to lose you… I can’t give you children. Will you stop wanting me…?” This moment of complete vulnerability and dependence I had shown him became the iron-clad evidence he used to exonerate a rapist. Ethan held a laser pointer, aiming at the screen showing me in tears. “Your Honor! Ms. Hart suffers from severe jealous delusions and depression!” “Because of her own infertility, she harbors deep resentment toward the pregnant Ms. Lily. On the night of the incident, she deliberately wore a revealing deep V-neck red dress, voluntarily drank ten glasses of hard liquor, and used the effects of alcohol and psychiatric medication to seduce my client’s brother into a room!” “All of this was a carefully planned scheme to get revenge on Ms. Lily!” I sat in the witness stand, my throat full of the taste of blood. They examined my hemline, my womb, my shattered psychiatric records with a magnifying glass. But not one person asked me how much pain, how much despair I felt when I was pinned to the bed and my clothes were torn. Ethan coldly closed the case file. “The defense respectfully requests that the court fully consider the instability and potential subjective malice in Ms. Hart’s testimony, and dismiss all accusations from this woman!” Potential subjective malice. In the gallery, Lily covered her belly and let out a long sigh of relief. A victorious smile curved her lips. I closed my eyes. During the recess before the verdict was announced, I went to the restroom. Just as I reached the corridor corner, Jason came from the other direction. He stopped in front of me, his voice very low. “Clara, your husband is even more impressive than I thought. I slept with you, and not only isn’t he angry, he’s getting me acquitted.” Blood rushed to my head. I raised my hand to hit him, but he immediately stepped back. The next second, Lily appeared. “Jason!” She pulled Jason behind her, looking at me with wariness all over her face. “Clara, are you trying to assault someone at the courthouse?” I bit my lip hard to keep from vomiting. The recess ended. The court was about to announce the verdict. Everyone stood, waiting for the judge’s final decision. Just then, Ethan’s phone on the desk vibrated. It was his most trusted private investigator. He glanced down. [Attorney Price! New surveillance footage has been found! Ms. Hart was absolutely not willing! She was force-fed a strong sedative and dragged in! Ms. Lily was in the room… She personally undressed Ms. Hart!] Ethan’s head snapped up, his eyes boring into Lily.

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I came home for the holidays, and as I pushed open the door, I was still imagining the surprised expressions on Mom and Dad’s faces when they saw the gifts I brought. But the house was empty, with only the faint sound of snoring coming from my room. I thought my mother was taking an afternoon nap and tiptoed to push open the door, only to find a strange woman lying on my bed. I was so startled I stepped back and bumped into the doorframe. The woman woke up with a start and looked at me impatiently. “Who are you? Why are you barging into someone else’s room?” “This is my room,” I said angrily. She sneered. “You must be Erin, right? Your parents said this room is mine now.” Just then, the door opened and my parents walked in carrying groceries. When they saw me, they showed no surprise. Instead, they said in unison, “Why did you come back?” My mother set down the groceries, walked over to the woman’s side, took her hand, and her first words left me completely frozen in place.

“Erin, have you gotten acquainted with Rosie?” My mother spoke with a gentle expression, her gaze falling on the woman behind me. I was furious. “Acquainted with what? How could you rent out my room without my permission?” What was even more suffocating was that she was even using my sheets and blankets. The thought made me shudder. When I first fell asleep groggily and smelled the perfume scent on the blanket, I thought it was from the laundry detergent, but it turned out to be… But my mother suddenly took my hand and placed it on the woman’s hand, smiling as she spoke. “You two are going to spend your whole lives together anyway, so it’s good for Rosie to get to know you in advance.” I looked at the woman’s scrutinizing gaze and quickly pulled my hand away in alarm, staring at my mother in disbelief. “What are you talking about?! What do you mean spending our whole lives together?” My father, sitting on the side, took a sip of tea and glanced at me. “Is this how you talk to your mother?!” There was even a hint of disappointment in his tone. “If you hadn’t been fooling around out there all this time and refusing to find a partner, would your mother be this anxious?” “Rosie has promised us she’ll treat you well. Just get along with her and don’t make your mother and me worry.” I finally understood. This wasn’t a tenant at all—they had taken it upon themselves to find me a girlfriend! I spoke with some exasperation. “The company is at a critical stage right now. Where do I have time to date?” “Can you stop making decisions for me?!” Since college, I had teamed up with classmates to start a business. Over these years, it had developed rapidly and had already become a leading force in the city. The woman’s scrutinizing gaze swept over me from head to toe as she spoke with understanding. “Mr. Collins, Mrs. Collins, don’t be angry. Erin just needs some time to adjust.” Hearing her form of address made my vision go black, but my parents couldn’t stop smiling. However, when their gaze turned to me, it instantly darkened. “Look how sensible Rosie is?! You should be grateful she’s interested in you!” “And she’s a big boss at Sterling Corporation, a major company in the city! Not like you, making three thousand a month and acting all proud about it!” I suddenly laughed and began examining the woman’s face carefully. How did I not know that the company’s CEO had changed from me to her? She mistook this for a change in my attitude, and her spine straightened noticeably. “Erin, I heard from your mother that you just do odd jobs—lots of work for little money.” “After we get married, you won’t need to work anymore. I’ll transfer money to you on time every month.” I was completely baffled. How could someone shamelessly take credit like this? I didn’t have time to argue with them and spoke calmly. “I don’t care what you’ve agreed to between yourselves. I’m giving you two choices right now.” “First, have this woman get out of my room and I’ll pretend nothing happened. Second, I’ll call the police to have her removed from this room, and I’ll never come back to this house again.” Before I could finish speaking, my father suddenly stood up and slapped me across the face. My cheek instantly burned with pain. “You bastard!” “We found you someone with such good conditions and you dare chase her away?! I’m telling you right now—you’re getting married whether you like it or not!” I stared at my sister’s and brother’s rooms and suddenly spoke. “Fine, then can you explain why you’re only pressuring me to get married quickly?” “Is it because my good-for-nothing brother Brian needs money to get married and buy a house? Or is it because my sister Sophie, who has absolutely no artistic talent, needs more money for her living expenses abroad?” Just that one sentence left my parents speechless, their faces turning the color of liver. “Erin, are you asking for a beating?!” A familiar roar came from outside the door.

Brian kicked the door open wearing thousand-dollar designer shoes and kicked me in the stomach. I didn’t have time to react and fell to the floor. The pain in my abdomen made me instinctively frown. Brian sat down on the sofa with a swagger, looking down at me. “What do you mean freeloading? Don’t you know you were born to be my servant?” “What’s wrong with me spending the money you earn? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?” “Even though you won’t get to use the title ‘brother-in-law,’ Rosie is doing you a favor by being interested in you. Don’t be ungrateful!” I felt nothing inside because I had already become numb over the past dozen years or so. Everything changed completely from the moment Brian was born. At first, my parents were always afraid of neglecting Sophie because of my birth, so they put more attention on her. I understood that. But after Brian was born, the favoritism I expected never came. Instead, both Sophie and Brian received equal love. Only I became the person who shouldn’t exist in this family. They could spend tens of thousands enrolling Sophie in piano lessons she had no talent for, but wouldn’t buy me a pair of fifteen-dollar shoes. They could take Brian to the Maldives on vacation, but made me give up the top high school I got into to attend a suburban school with cheaper tuition. I fought, I made a scene. The result was not getting lunch money for a whole week during my school days. The four of them dined elegantly at five-star restaurants while I split one bun into three meals. After starting college, all the money I earned from part-time jobs was taken to buy game credits for Brian and new dresses for Sophie. So I never mentioned a word about my startup to them. Yet to outsiders, I became the most antisocial, least promising son in their mouths. Seeing how my parents didn’t refute anything Brian said, I knew that keeping it hidden back then was absolutely the right choice. “Great, since you like her so much, why don’t you marry her?” “You really today…” Brian’s veins bulged instantly as he stood up to hit me, but my mother stopped him in time with a look. Rosie looked at me on the floor with disgust that my mother easily caught. She immediately ordered me. “Erin, you’ve really gone too far today. Apologize to Rosie right now.” Rosie glanced at me on the floor and spoke indifferently. “It’s fine, Mrs. Collins. You all explain things to Erin first. I’ll come back another time.” The change in her form of address instantly made my parents’ expressions change. With that, she went straight back to the bedroom to pack her things and left. “Erin! Are you satisfied now?!” My mother was so angry she grabbed the glass beside her and threw it at me. I dodged by tilting my head. “This is a catch you couldn’t find with a lantern, and you had to drive her away to be happy?!” “You’ve gotten bold after mixing around outside for a few years? If you’re so capable, don’t come back to this house! This house was bought by your old man!” My parents sang the same tune, glaring at me furiously. I stared at their rage and realized I could no longer find even a trace of the memories from my childhood. The mother who used to tell me bedtime stories, the father who would run several miles to bring me my favorite cupcakes—they were all gone. Never to be found again. “Fine, I’ll leave right now.” With that, I turned and went back to my bedroom to pack. Looking around, even I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. In this tiny bedroom converted from a storage room, the things that belonged to me could be counted on one hand. The textbooks on the desk were Sophie’s hand-me-downs. The desk lamp was one Brian had thrown to me after buying a new one. Even the few scattered pieces of clothing in the closet were all hand-me-downs from them. My bedroom was dark. It wasn’t spacious and bright like Sophie’s room, which could fit an expensive piano. It wasn’t customized like Brian’s room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The only thing that kept me from seeing cement walls when I turned over in bed was the cheap stickers I had put up for a few dollars during my school days. Erin, oh Erin, how pitiful you are. As I simply gathered some of my few personal belongings, an expensive handbag suddenly appeared before my eyes, and a voice so gentle it could drip water spoke in my ear. “Erin, if anyone bullies you, tell Sophie. Don’t be impulsive.”

Sophie’s pretty little face appeared before me, her eyes full of concern. This was her usual tactic. She never played the villain in front of me, yet time and again left me mired in trouble. In middle school, when local thugs cornered me in an alley demanding protection money, Sophie walked past the alley without batting an eye, completely ignoring me. When I got home, I was beaten severely by my parents. The reason was that Sophie saw me bullying classmates at school instead of studying. That night, she cried and begged me to forgive her. “I’m so sorry. I just saw it wrong that day and shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.” I thought it was really a misunderstanding and didn’t take it to heart. Later in high school, the night before tuition was due, she suddenly proposed wanting to study abroad on an exchange program. My spot at the top city high school paved her way across the ocean. She always cried saying she didn’t know, she never expected it. She always smiled saying, “I’ll protect you.” Later still, my college application was secretly changed from the capital to this city. She hugged me with understanding. “It’s okay. At least this city is close to the port. Sophie will fly back to see you whenever she has time.” So under her protection, I was left battered and bruised. It wasn’t until these past few years that I belatedly realized how foolish I had been. Now, I had no interest in playing along with her act anymore and spoke coldly. “No one’s bullying me. I want to leave on my own.” “Please move aside.” In just an instant, her eyes filled with tears as she spoke pitifully. “Do you hate even Sophie now?” Hearing her crying, the whole family instantly rushed in. Brian frantically began wiping Sophie’s tears. “Erin, are you sick? My sister shows concern for you and that’s wrong?!” “As expected, people like you were never meant to be loved!” “My sister”—those two words instantly separated me from this family. Or rather, I had never been part of it to begin with. “Oh Sophie, don’t cry. My precious daughter, it breaks my heart.” My mother lovingly wiped Sophie’s tears, her movements as gentle as if handling porcelain. My father’s accusations arrived on schedule. “Nothing good happens when you come back!” My face was expressionless. No more tears would flow from my eyes. I spoke coldly. “You’re all right, so please move aside. I need to leave.” Just as I reached the door, my mother’s weary voice came from behind. “Stay one more night. We’re attending someone’s wedding tomorrow.” I didn’t look back. “You can go without me.” My mother’s lips moved slightly as she spoke that person’s name. My shoulders trembled violently. After a long moment, I made my decision. “I’ll stay at a hotel tonight.” Back at the hotel, I called my assistant. “Bring me a formal suit to the York Hotel.” Her life event—I didn’t want to treat it carelessly. Looking at the things I’d brought from home, I added another sentence. “Also, help me investigate something. As soon as possible…” Inside the Grandview Hotel, Sophie held her mother’s hand with a worried expression. “Do you think he’ll come?” “Don’t worry. For that person, there’s no way he won’t come.” Brian also chimed in. “Exactly. He’s obligated to come, Sophie. Stop worrying about him.” Indeed, I arrived at the banquet as expected, though my heart was filled with anxiety. Would she still be willing to see me? Was she doing well? When that familiar face smiled and took my hand, all my nervous emotions finally relaxed. “How have you been lately?” Claire sat in her wheelchair, her warm body temperature transmitting from her palm. “I’m really fine now. You really don’t need to blame yourself for what happened back then.” If my adolescence was dark, then my cousin Claire was undoubtedly a ray of light in my dim times. Back then, everyone said I was no good, said I was antisocial, said I was rigid. Only she would smile and stroke my hair comfortingly. “No, I think Erin is great, really great.” But later, the school equipment room caught fire for no reason. I was trapped inside, and she rushed into the flames to push me out. She herself was pinned down by falling shelves, crushing both her legs. Later, she transferred away from my hometown, and I never saw her again. All these years, I persisted in transferring money to her family every month to make up for my mistake. The day after she transferred, I received a message. “Erin, don’t blame yourself. I don’t hold it against you.” My thoughts returned to the present. She was still as gentle and virtuous as she had been through the years. I couldn’t help but wonder who was lucky enough to marry her. Unexpectedly, her first question left me dumbfounded. “Erin, is the bride treating you well?”

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The day before the company’s promotion qualification exam, Chloe closed the conference room door with a mysterious air. “I have a way to make sure everyone on our project team passes the exam!” “Personal hygiene products brought into the exam room won’t be inspected if they’re unopened.” “We just need to copy the key points onto tissues we carry in and bring them with us!” Before she finished speaking, the entire project team erupted in excitement. In my previous life, as the deputy team leader, I stopped them from this ridiculous idea in time. “The company notice said that this year they’re adding inspections of opened packages. Any packaged personal items will be opened and checked. You’d better not make trouble for yourselves. This is the promotion exam that affects next year’s job level and salary!” The whole team scoffed at me. “Oh, so righteous, aren’t you? You’re just afraid we’ll all get promoted and take your manager position!” “Chloe truly has our best interests at heart. Stop being such a buzzkill!” With no other choice, I reported this to HR. As a result, they were caught cheating. Everyone just got a verbal warning, but only Chloe was stripped of her position. Holding a grudge, she pushed me down the stairs when I was working overtime. When the police investigated, my colleagues all pleaded for her: “Chloe is such a good person. It must have been Nina who started it!” “She’s always been a snitch. This is what she deserves!” I closed my eyes with endless hatred. When I opened them again, I had returned to the day Chloe taught everyone to cheat. I raised my hand with a smile, my eyes curving into crescents: “That’s a brilliant idea! Count me in first!” —

In my previous life, after I died, Chloe still wasn’t satisfied. She contacted people from the black market to dump my body at my parents’ house. My parents had heart attacks on the spot. Chloe laughed maniacally, stepping on my father’s chest and shouting. “If your daughter hadn’t meddled and ruined me, the department director position would definitely be mine now!” “She deserved to die. The daughter’s debt, the parents pay. Making you pay the price for my future isn’t unreasonable, is it?” Before she finished speaking, two bright red knives were pulled from my parents’ chests. My soul floated in the air, frantically trying to fight them, but powerless. I could only watch helplessly as they committed evil. Suddenly, someone pushed my shoulder hard. “Nina, say something! Are you going to do it or not?” The pain in my shoulder woke me up. Only then did I realize I had been reborn. The whole team surrounded me, mocking. “She really lives up to her reputation as the team’s famous stick-in-the-mud! Just knows how to keep her head down and work! People like you will never get promoted!” “Which is better—her or this trick? She probably can’t even beat a tissue!” Everyone burst out laughing. Someone slapped a tissue covered in key points onto my desk. Chloe sat in the middle of the workstations, looking at me with contempt. “Nina, you’re the deputy team leader with the strongest professional skills. I’ll leave this task to you.” “Prepare several copies, summarize the key points, and distribute them to everyone in the restroom during the exam.” She lowered her voice and leaned close to my ear. “We’re all colleagues. You wouldn’t refuse such a small favor, would you? Besides, you’ll need it yourself, won’t you?” Seeing me hesitate, the other colleagues became impatient. “Asking for your help is showing you respect. If you’re not grateful, fine, but what’s with that attitude? Why are you acting so high and mighty?” “We all have mortgages and families to support. If we fail and get pay cuts, how can we face our families? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?” “And she’s the deputy team leader! Most unreliable when it counts!” “Stop putting on airs!” They were too stupid. The company had already sent out a notice that this year’s promotion exam inspections would be comprehensively upgraded. Any items candidates brought into the exam room, including personal hygiene products, would need to be opened and inspected. To ensure fairness, justice, and transparency in the exam. In my previous life, I felt everyone had worked hard all year and shouldn’t be ruined by this. I tried desperately to dissuade them, even bringing up the department director. I never expected it would end with my entire family’s tragic death. In this life, I picked up the tissue from the desk and looked at it. “You’re right. The promotion exam is so important that we should do well even if it means taking risks.” They didn’t expect me to be so “reasonable.” Chloe showed a suspicious expression. “You’re really going to help us? You won’t secretly snitch, will you?” I immediately turned on location sharing in the WhatsApp work group. With this, everyone could see my movement track. Whether I went to the leadership or not would be crystal clear. “I won’t interfere with you, but I’m not participating.” —

Chloe laughed. “You think that’s enough to make us trust you?” “You can still send messages without leaving.” “As long as you don’t help us, you’re trying to sabotage us.” The others caught on and surrounded me, not letting me leave. Just then, Ethan arrived. He gave me a cold look, instantly standing with Chloe and mocking me sarcastically. “What’s the use of just keeping your head down and working? Chloe does side hustles while working, and every quarterly evaluation she easily ranks above you. Aren’t you embarrassed?” “She’s kindly giving you a hand. Don’t be ungrateful. When you fail again, you’ll hide away crying endlessly. No one will care about you then.” The whole team roared with laughter. “No way, so that’s why she works overtime so desperately! Turns out she’s jealous!” “She’s not helping us because she’s afraid we’ll actually get high scores, right?” My heart ached, and even breathing became difficult. During the first promotion exam after joining the company, the company prepared a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus for first place. At that time, my father’s heart disease required surgery, and our family was scraping together money everywhere. I worked overtime desperately, studied day and night, wanting to use that fifty thousand dollars for my father’s surgery. But in the end, I came in second. First place went to Chloe. At the awards ceremony, she held up the fifty-thousand-dollar bonus sign with a brilliant smile. Only I knew she had cheated. She had gotten the test questions in advance from an insider at the third-party testing agency. When I got home, I cried until my eyes were swollen. Ethan knew about my guilt and frustration. He came to see me with gifts, tenderly handing me tissues. “Grades obtained through cheating won’t last. Nina, don’t blame yourself. I believe in you. You’ll definitely succeed next time.” We grew up together. I thought we had become indispensable to each other’s lives. Until one late night after overtime, I saw him kissing Chloe in the stairwell. I took a deep breath. Gathered my things. Ignored everyone and went home after work. “My uncle is the group’s vice president. If you don’t help us, I’ll make sure you can never stay at this company.” Chloe’s voice came from behind. All the colleagues were shocked. “Wow! Chloe is usually so low-key!” “With that connection, even if our answers are discovered, we won’t be afraid!” “Chloe is still the best! Personally helping us—what is Nina even worth!” “She deserves to be fired! When you deliver food in the future, remember to tell us. I’ll give you extra tips!” Laughter erupted behind me. Chloe’s expression was contemptuous. But I was unusually calm. In my previous life, her uncle was taken away by the company’s compliance department on exam day. Accepting bribes from suppliers, facilitating illegal benefit transfers—he was immediately dismissed and handed over to judicial authorities. Tens of millions of dollars in illegal gains were confiscated. Their entire family lost everything overnight and could only survive by driving for Uber. I wasn’t threatened. My steps didn’t stop. Chloe immediately changed her expression. Before she could speak, Ethan stepped forward first. “Since you’re so antisocial, I’ll have to use special methods.” He took out his phone and dialed a number. “I’ve already had someone pick up your parents. When you can see them depends on your performance.” My heart lurched. All my blood ran cold. “Ethan, are you crazy!” “You dare lay hands on them?” —

My family and Ethan’s family had been neighbors for decades. My parents watched him grow up. Back then, his parents were busy with business and had no time for him. Little Ethan often sat alone on the steps in front of my house. My parents felt sorry for him and opened the door to let him in. From then on, there was always a place for him at our dinner table. But I never expected he could put my parents in danger for Chloe’s sake. He shrugged. “If you just agree obediently, everything will be fine. If something happens to them, you’re the one who caused it.” I looked at him in disbelief, trembling all over. Chloe finally smiled, glancing at me with eyes full of provocation. “Ethan, you’re so good to me.” She threw several boxes of portable tissues into my bag and threatened. “There’s no one at your house. Going back won’t help.” “You have one night. Get all the key points organized. The exam is tomorrow. Don’t delay things.” “It’s all up to you, Miss Perfect.” With that, she invited everyone to go have drinks at a bar. The whole team cheered, deliberately whistling at me. They grabbed my phone and locked me in the conference room. “What are you doing! Let me out!” I desperately pounded on the conference room door. They laughed even louder. Ethan watched coldly the entire time without saying a word, walking away shoulder to shoulder with Chloe. Everyone jeered, looking at me mockingly. “So pathetic haha, she can’t even keep her childhood sweetheart!” “With a Dream Girl like Chloe, who would want someone as ordinary as her!” “After tomorrow’s exam, we’ll be free!” “Let’s go on a team building trip to an island resort!” “Let’s have a party! Let’s go karaoke!” They wildly fantasized about how to arrange their wonderful post-promotion lives after finishing this tough battle of the promotion exam. I looked at the mountains of tissue boxes piled in front of me, my eyes instantly reddening. My parents worked very hard. Everyone said daughters didn’t need to work so hard, but they still said early on that if I got promoted to a higher level, they would take out their savings to buy me an apartment. They were determined to support me in establishing a foothold in the big city. But now, I was locked in here, preparing cheat materials for everyone. The defenses in my heart were collapsing inch by inch. They were still laughing and chatting outside, very lively. But this joyful atmosphere didn’t affect me at all. I looked up at the surveillance camera in the conference room that had just been repaired. I knew that tomorrow, they wouldn’t even be able to enter the exam room. —

On exam day, I was hungry and exhausted, my nose tingling with the urge to cry. With dark circles under my eyes and my bag on my back, I waited for them to come get their things. Thanks to them, I had crammed all the key knowledge points overnight. Now all the exam points were practically carved into my brain, impossible to shake off. “Didn’t sleep well last night? You’re not going to fall asleep in the exam room, are you? How embarrassing!” Chloe deliberately bumped my shoulder with ill intent. Ethan followed right behind, directly grabbing my bag to check if the materials were prepared properly. Two minutes later, he showed a satisfied expression. “Smart of you.” After the cheat materials were distributed, all the colleagues walked into the exam room with their heads held high, certain of victory. “Did you pick out positions yesterday? There are still too few good positions. None that I like.” “Well, I’ve decided to test into Division A. I heard their year-end bonus is a hundred thousand.” “A hundred thousand? I straight up promised my mom yesterday I’d get first place. Already ordered a new car!” “Did you hear? After the exam, Ethan is going to officially announce his relationship with Chloe!” “Wow! Double happiness!” Their laughter buzzed around my ears like flies. So annoying. And my mind at this moment was completely filled with the knowledge I desperately memorized last night. It was time for the inspection. I nervously stepped up, and the proctor dumped everything out of my bag one by one. Even the small tissue packages were opened and inspected one by one. “No problems. Go in.” Hearing this, I felt like I’d received a pardon from death. Chloe and her group behind me also breathed a sigh of relief, queuing up for the proctor to inspect them. “What’s this?” The proctor opened a tissue package, casually picked up one sheet, and asked with a frown. Chloe’s back went cold. “Proctor, this is a personal hygiene product…” “That’s not right, is it?” The proctor unfolded the packaging paper. Neat handwriting densely covered the entire surface

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Five years of marriage, and Damian Bennett suffered from severe azoospermia. To give him an heir, I endured countless agonizing rounds of IVF treatment. My lower abdomen was covered in needle marks, so many they were uncountable, and I even developed severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Until that day, when I went to an elite private hospital to reserve a future delivery suite, I ran into him carefully supporting a young woman whose pregnant belly was swollen high. The girl said coyly, “Damian, the doctor said they’re twin boys. How are you going to reward me?” That man, who was always so cold and aloof, who acted like even smiling at me was a luxury, now knelt on one knee, reverently kissing her belly. “Everything I have is yours. Along with all of Seraphina Stark’s shares—everything belongs to our family of four.” I stood in the corner, touching my abdomen that was cramping from excessive ovarian stimulation, and smiled. Damian Bennett, since you want children so badly, let me send your family of four to hell together.

In the VIP reception room at Cloud Peak, a luxury private hospital, the heating was turned up high, diffusing a faint scent of chamomile. I held a black card in my hand, preparing to swipe it for that top-tier suite costing $880,000. The receptionist looked apologetic. “Ms. Stark, I’m terribly sorry, but this suite was just reserved by Mr. Bennett. His wife is pregnant with twins, and Mr. Bennett is so concerned about her that he paid in full immediately.” I froze. Mr. Bennett? There weren’t many Mr. Bennetts who could drop $880,000 without blinking. Instinctively, I turned my head, following the receptionist’s gaze toward the floor-to-ceiling windows at the end of the hallway. With just one glance, all the blood in my body seemed to drain away instantly, freezing into ice. In front of the windows stood a man. He wore the black pinstriped suit I had flown to Milan, Italy last week to have custom-tailored and perfectly pressed for him. His posture was upright, his demeanor cold and dignified. It was my husband, Damian Bennett. The same man who, ten minutes ago, had messaged me on Facebook: “Seraphina, I’m in an international video conference, very busy. Be good and give yourself your injection on time.” At this moment, he was looking down, his eyes so tender they could melt. And nestled in his arms was a young woman wearing a Chanel haute couture maternity dress. The girl’s belly was already swollen high—she looked at least five or six months along. “Damian, the mattresses at this private hospital aren’t soft enough. I’m afraid my back will hurt when I sleep,” the girl pouted, complaining sweetly. Damian immediately put his arm around her waist protectively, his voice coaxing in a way I’d never heard before. “Alright, alright, I’ll have someone change it to your favorite brand right away. Summer, you’re my top priority right now. You can’t be uncomfortable at all.” Lena Summer. Hearing that name, my mind exploded with a deafening roar. Damian Bennett’s first love—the woman he had pined for for seven whole years, who supposedly went abroad years ago. When did she come back? Whose child was in her belly? Lena Summer giggled, her pale finger poking at Damian’s chest. “You only care about the babies. What if Seraphina Stark, that frumpy old hag, finds out? She owns half your company’s shares.” Damian sneered, unconcealed disgust flashing in his eyes. “Finds out? Right now her brain is completely consumed with how to give me a child. Every day she’s being tortured like a psycho by those ovarian stimulation injections. She doesn’t have time to worry about me.” “Once she’s completely wrecked her body, I’ll find an excuse to kick her out. Then Bennett Corporation will be all mine. All my money will be yours and the babies’.” He lowered his head and pressed a deep kiss on Lena Summer’s forehead. “Summer, just wait a little longer. Soon, I’ll give you the proper status of a wife.”

I bit down hard on my lower lip until my mouth filled with the strong taste of blood, barely keeping myself from screaming. My stomach churned violently with nausea. I turned and stumbled toward the restroom. Bent over the sink, I dry-heaved until I thought I’d vomit up bile. The woman in the mirror had a deathly pale face and sunken eyes. Due to long-term hormone injections, her once-slender waist had become bloated, and her skin had lost its luster. For Damian Bennett, I’d turned myself into a monster. Five years ago, we got married. When we happily tried to conceive, Damian was diagnosed with severe azoospermia. That day, this proud man knelt before me, eyes red, slapping himself hard. “Seraphina, I’ve failed you. I can’t give you a complete family. Let’s break up. I can’t hold you back.” I cried and held him, saying it was okay, that modern medicine was so advanced, we could do IVF. Because of that promise, I embarked on a hellish road of no return. Down-regulation, ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, embryo transfer. Thick needles piercing my ovaries—that tearing pain, I endured it ten times. Over two thousand days and nights, my belly was covered in purple-blue needle marks. Before the old ones faded, new ones were already stabbed in. I took so much medication I developed hormonal imbalances and lost hair by the handful. Damian would always hold me, crying with heartache. “Seraphina, you’ve worked so hard. Once we have a child, I’ll give everything I have to you and the baby.” I thought that was devotion. Now I know it was a poisoned blade. He never had azoospermia at all! That diagnosis report—he faked it! He watched me suffer like hell on the operating table for a lie, then turned around and lived it up every night with his first love, even getting her pregnant with twins. A sharp, cramping pain suddenly shot through my abdomen. I clutched my stomach, cold sweat instantly soaking through my back. It was ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. The doctor had warned me that if I continued with ovarian stimulation, my life would be in danger at any moment. I endured the excruciating pain, pulled out my phone, and with trembling hands opened Damian Bennett’s Facebook. “Damian, my stomach hurts so much. I think it’s a complication. Can you come pick me up and take me to the hospital?” The message sank like a stone in water. Ten minutes later, I supported myself against the wall and weakly walked out of the restroom. In the hallway, Damian was carefully escorting Lena Summer into the elevator. His phone was in his hand, and the screen lit up. He glanced down at it, his brow furrowing with disgust. He pressed mute and casually shoved it into his pocket. Then he turned to Lena Summer and once again showed that infinitely tender smile. The elevator doors slowly closed. Shutting away their happy family of four, and completely burying my five years of stupidity. I leaned against the cold wall and slowly slid down to the floor. Tears fell heavily onto the floor tiles, but I didn’t make a sound. Damian Bennett, you think you can just kick me out like this? Dream on.

I didn’t call an ambulance. Instead, I took a taxi to the private hospital where my best friend Sophia Parker worked. “Seraphina Stark, are you out of your mind?!” Sophia looked at my ultrasound report, her whole body trembling with rage. “Bilateral ovarian enlargement, severe ascites! Don’t you know you were one step away from ovarian rupture and massive hemorrhage? Where the hell is that bastard Damian Bennett?” I lay on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, my voice so calm it even scared me. “He’s with Lena Summer at the hospital. Twins. Almost six months along.” Sophia froze, her medical chart dropping to the floor with a loud smack. “What did you say?” I closed my eyes and recounted everything I’d seen at the private hospital, word for word. The hospital room fell deathly silent. A few seconds later, Sophia cursed and turned to rush out. “Fuck Damian Bennett! I’m going to grab a scalpel right now and chop off his worthless dick!” “Sophia, stop.” I opened my eyes, my gaze cold as ice. “Destroying him is too good for him.” I propped myself up to sit, yanking the IV needle from the back of my hand. Blood immediately gushed out. “Seraphina, what are you doing!” Sophia cried out. “Get me some strong painkillers. I’m checking out.” My tone left no room for argument. “You don’t value your life? Your condition requires hospital observation!” “I don’t have time.” I stared at her intently. “Sophia, if I collapse now, Damian will legitimately take over my shares. My parents’ life’s work absolutely cannot fall into that animal’s hands.” “I’m going to make him pay in blood.” Sophia looked at my resolute eyes, her own reddening. She gritted her teeth and went to the pharmacy to get me the strongest painkillers and pills. “Seraphina Stark, remember—you’re not alone. Whatever you’re planning to do, count me in.” I smiled wanly and gave her a hug. “Help me investigate someone—Lena Summer. I want all her records from her years abroad, including how she really got pregnant.” When I left the hospital, the sky had already darkened. The wind cut across my face like a knife. I swallowed two painkillers, wrapped my coat tighter, and flagged down a taxi. The show was just beginning. At ten PM, I returned to the villa called “home.” The living room was pitch black. Damian hadn’t come back yet. I didn’t turn on the lights. I went straight to the study. Damian was an extremely cautious person. His computer and safe both had complex passwords. But I knew his fatal weakness—his extreme arrogance. I opened his computer and entered Lena Summer’s birthday.

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My father has severe face blindness. Forty years ago, someone drugged my father, and he spent the night with my mother. But he couldn’t tell them apart—he married the mistress who took my mother’s place. Later, my father and the mistress became high society’s model couple. Meanwhile, my mother was slut-shamed for being pregnant out of wedlock and never married. Forty years passed. Thanks to my exceptional beauty and talent, I married into the Caldwell family—the wealthiest family in New York—and gave birth to an heir. The day my son brought his girlfriend home, I froze. Looking at her face—three parts similar to my father’s—and learning her name, I knew immediately: she was my father’s granddaughter. She wants to marry my son? In her dreams. “Mom, this is Rayna. My girlfriend. I brought her home to meet you.” I shifted my gaze to Rayna Smith. She was undeniably beautiful, radiating the delicate air of someone raised in luxury. She held a gift in both hands, offering it to me with a sweet voice: “Hello, Mrs. Caldwell. This is a gift I brought for you.” I didn’t take it. The living room fell silent. Adrian looked at me, then at her, calling softly: “Mom?” I didn’t look at him, only saying: “Adrian, go upstairs. I want to talk with Miss Smith privately.” He hesitated, then nodded. “Okay.” Only Rayna Smith and I remained in the living room. The moment Adrian left, the sweet smile on Rayna’s face vanished completely. She tossed the gift onto the table and looked me up and down without courtesy. “Mrs. Caldwell.” She spoke, her voice the same but her tone dripping with superiority. “You sent your son away to lecture me?” I said nothing. “Fine, let’s lay our cards on the table.” “I’ve heard about you. You’re from out of town, no background, married into the wealthiest Caldwell family purely by luck.” “I know your type—women without background who can’t stand seeing someone like me with good breeding. You’re afraid I’ll marry in and steal your spotlight, right?” “You know perfectly well that the only thing you have going for you is that face. Unfortunately, faces age.” Rayna’s gaze held a condescending scrutiny. “But I’m different.” “My grandfather, Richard Smith, is a billionaire in New York. I attended the best private schools and moved in New York’s top socialite circles.” She paused, as if giving me time to digest this information. “Mrs. Caldwell, I’ve looked into you. You have no family. Your parents are long gone.” “Someone with your background could only marry into the wealthiest Caldwell family because Mr. Caldwell liked you. But how long does a man’s affection last?” “You’re forty now, right? In a few years when age catches up with you, what will you have to compete with those young girls?” “But I’m different. I have the Smith family behind me. Even if things don’t work out with Adrian, I’m still a Smith family granddaughter. No one dares touch me.” “And you? Without the Caldwell family, what do you have left?” She looked at me like I was pitiful. “Mrs. Caldwell, be smart. If I really want to marry into the Caldwell family, you can’t stop me.” “Rather than making things ugly, give me this favor now. After I marry in, I’ll still show you some respect.”

My expression didn’t change. I set my teacup on the table with a crisp sound. “Are you finished?” Her smile froze. I looked at her. “You say you’re the Smith family’s beloved granddaughter—do you know how your grandmother married into the Smith family?” Rayna frowned. “What do you mean?” I smiled. “You want to enter the Caldwell family?” “Dream on.” Rayna shot to her feet. “Mrs. Caldwell, you’d better think carefully. After how you treated me today, when I marry in, we won’t have a good mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship!” I laughed coldly. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, you’ll never marry into the Caldwell family.” She grabbed her bag from the table and turned to leave. “You’ll regret this!” Regret? The biggest regret of my life was not tearing these people’s masks off for my mother to see while she was still alive. Now she can’t see it. That’s okay. I’ll do it for her to see. The next day, the housekeeper came to report: “Mrs. Caldwell, someone from the Smith family is here.” I set down my book. The housekeeper led in a woman. Vivian Smith—the mistress who took my mother’s place all those years ago, now the matriarch of the Smith family. She wore a blue gown with pearl earrings, the picture of luxury. “Mrs. Caldwell, I’m Rayna’s grandmother. I’d like to discuss the children’s situation with you.” She pulled out a document from her bag and placed it on the table. “This is the development rights for the Smith family’s land in the South District. Your husband Marcus Caldwell has been eyeing it for a long time, hasn’t he?” “As long as you agree to let the children be together, this land is the Caldwell family’s.” I looked down at her hands. They were white, delicate, with a gemstone ring on her ring finger larger than my thumbnail. These hands clearly had never touched dirty water. My mother’s hands weren’t like this. Her hands did all kinds of dirty work year-round—dishwashing, cleaning—the dirt under her nails could never be washed away. They were like that until she died. “Vivian,” I looked up, “my son’s affairs don’t need interference from outsiders.” Her expression darkened. “Mrs. Caldwell, though the Smith family isn’t as wealthy as the Caldwell family, Rayna is the Smith family’s only granddaughter. We’ve cherished her since childhood.” “Your son marrying her would be his blessing. You, someone who…” She paused, emphasizing the words “someone who.” “You, someone who married into the Caldwell family halfway through, better know your place.” Halfway through. She chose those words well. “Not enough?” She glanced at the envelope on the table. “Then name your price.” I looked at her face. “Vivian,” my tone was flat, “the Caldwell family chooses daughters-in-law based on upbringing and character. In both areas, neither the Smith family nor your granddaughter seem quite adequate.” “What did you say?!”

Vivian’s eyes locked onto me. “Mrs. Caldwell, do you think marrying into the Caldwell family makes you somebody?” She stood up, looking down at me. “You, a woman of unknown origins with no family background—what got you where you are today? Don’t you know in your heart?” Her gaze swept down from my face like a knife, from chin to chest. “Old Richard and I have spent forty years building roots in New York, accumulating connections and relationships you can’t buy by serving a man for a few years. Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit.” I looked at her calmly. People who steal others’ lives can’t change their core nature. No matter how expensive the gown or how fine the jewelry, that sharp meanness seeps out the moment they open their mouths. “Finished?” I stood up, took the envelope from the table, and pushed it back into her hands. “Vivian, please leave. Your granddaughter’s matter is not up for discussion.” As the door closed, I heard from behind: “Ungrateful thing.” I smiled slightly. When my mother went to the Smith house to find my father years ago and was driven out, she heard the exact same words. Identical. That evening, Adrian knocked on my door. “Mom, can I come in?” He sat across from me, silent for a long while. “Mom, about Rayna… I want to know why.” I looked into his eyes. Very serious, but without anger or interrogation. He’d always been like this—obedient and never causing me worry. “Mom,” he said again, “you must have your reasons for not approving of Rayna. I just… want to know why.” My hand rested on my knee. I clenched it, then released. Not yet time. “Adrian,” I said, “Mom can’t tell you right now. But do you trust me?” He looked at me without hesitation. “I do.” He stood up, walked to the door, then turned back. “Mom, I’ve already told Rayna to go back. Until you approve, I won’t bring her home again.” The door closed. I sat there, my eyes warming. This child had never given me a day of worry since he was small. When he started kindergarten, while other children cried and fussed, he didn’t cry. He held my hand and said, “Mommy, go to work. I’ll be good.” I’m not trying to break up a romance, but his grandfather and Rayna Smith’s grandfather are the same person. By all rights, I could never approve this marriage. The next day. When the housekeeper came in, her expression was odd. “Mrs. Caldwell, Mr. Smith is here.” My hand clenched inside my sleeve. “Show him in.” When he walked in, I recognized him immediately—the man my mother thought about for decades, my biological father. His hair had gone completely white but was neatly combed. He wore a black Mandarin-collar suit with pure gold buttons on the cuffs that caught the light. Two burly bodyguards followed him. Quite the display. He stood at the door, his gaze sweeping over me without any reaction. He didn’t recognize me. He never knew he had a daughter like me in this world.

“Mrs. Caldwell.” He nodded, his voice unhurried—the kind of composure cultivated by decades of being respected. “Pardon the intrusion. I’m Richard Smith.” “Mr. Smith, please sit.” He sat down, looking up at me. “Mrs. Caldwell, I’m here today about the children.” He paused and smiled. “Rayna is my granddaughter. She’s been spoiled since childhood, but she’s not bad-hearted. If the young people get along, we elders should help them if we can.” He set down his thermos and interlaced his fingers over his knee. “I know Mrs. Caldwell fought her way up on her own. Not easy. No family wealth, no backing—getting where you are today alone is truly admirable.” “But precisely because it wasn’t easy, you should understand better—some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever.” He pulled out a document from his briefcase and pushed it across the table. “This is a three-year strategic cooperation framework between the Smith and Caldwell families. As long as the children’s matter is settled, we can sign this cooperation tomorrow.” He looked at me with a certain confidence in his eyes. The confidence of someone who’s been respected all their life and assumes their requests should be granted. I didn’t move. “Mrs. Caldwell.” His tone remained unhurried. “You’re still young. Though the Caldwell family is the wealthiest, their foundation isn’t deep enough. With Smith family support, your position in the Caldwell family will be more secure.” He was coaching me. He was telling me that as a woman who married into the Caldwell family halfway through, with no background or backing, I needed Smith family support to secure my position. He didn’t know. The woman sitting before him was his daughter whom he’d never met. Forty years ago, he personally drove my mother out of New York. Forty years later, he sat here, looking down at me, asking me to give his granddaughter a chance to marry into the Caldwell family. “Mr. Smith,” I looked up into his eyes, “my son’s affairs don’t need interference from outsiders.” His brow furrowed slightly. “Outsiders?” His expression darkened. “Mrs. Caldwell, aren’t you taking yourself too seriously?” “I came here personally as a courtesy. In New York, people I’d personally visit can be counted on one hand.” He looked at me, his gaze turning cold. “But since you’re being ungrateful…” “Remember this—today you rejected me. Whatever consequences follow, don’t say I didn’t warn you!” After Richard Smith left, New York’s elite circles were full of gossip about me. “Mrs. Caldwell won’t agree to her son marrying the Smith family granddaughter? Who does she think she is?” “I heard she’s from out of town, no roots or foundation, got her position years ago by her looks.” “Richard Smith personally visited and she still played hard to get? She really doesn’t know her place.” I sat at home, reading messages on my phone one by one. Someone sent me anonymous texts: “Who do you think you are? Without the Caldwell family, you’re nothing.” Someone left comments on Caldwell Corporation’s page: “Mr. Caldwell, control your wife. Don’t let her ruin the Smith-Caldwell cooperation.” Others dug up photos from my youth, saying I’d had plastic surgery, that I’d climbed up by escorting clients. Each comment had hundreds of people agreeing. I didn’t delete them. Didn’t respond either. A week later. New York’s largest charity auction gala. The Smith family was one of the hosts. In the banquet hall, Rayna Smith held Richard Smith’s arm, smiling radiantly. When Rayna saw Adrian, her smile froze momentarily. She hurried over and grabbed Adrian’s hand. “Adrian, why haven’t you answered my messages these past few days?” Adrian glanced at me and pulled his hand away. “Rayna, until my mother approves of us being together, we should keep our distance.” Rayna’s face paled. She turned to look at me, her eyes filled with tangible hatred. “Mrs. Caldwell, are you satisfied now?” I ignored her. The gala began with Richard Smith taking the stage for opening remarks. “Distinguished guests, thank you all for your years of support.” He stood on stage, smiling broadly. “Today, besides the charity auction, I have happy news to announce.” The audience quieted. “My granddaughter Rayna Smith and Mr. Adrian Caldwell of the Caldwell family are in love and will soon be married. The Smith and Caldwell families will become in-laws.” Applause erupted. He looked at me with triumphant confidence in his eyes. As if the Caldwell family was already in the Smith family’s pocket. I stood up. “Mr. Smith.” The applause stopped. Everyone looked at me. I walked onto the stage and stood before him. “Mr. Smith, who told you the two families were becoming in-laws?” His smile froze momentarily. “The young people are in love, we elders—” “I don’t agree!” The room erupted. Richard Smith’s face darkened. “Mrs. Caldwell, whatever you want to say, we can discuss privately. With so many people here today—” I turned to face the hundreds of eyes below. “Richard Smith, do you know what you’re doing?! You’re having your biological granddaughter and biological grandson get engaged—do you want the world to laugh at you?!”

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During the school fitness test, Joanna, the billionaire’s daughter, suddenly collapsed. Peyton, the cheerleading captain, held up her phone, her voice trembling with excitement. “Everyone stay calm! Nobody call 911!” She frantically tapped her screen, shoving the AI app’s Q&A page in everyone’s faces. “It’s the AI era—everyone can be a doctor now.” “Her dad’s a billionaire! If we save her, the reward will be at least a million dollars.” “Why let the hospital make this money when we can take it ourselves!” In my past life, I snatched the phone away and called 911, pointing at her nose and yelling that AI couldn’t replace doctors—who would take responsibility if something went wrong? The ambulance arrived quickly, and Joanna survived. The billionaire was overwhelmed with gratitude and immediately adopted me as his goddaughter. But Peyton was expelled because of this. Her parents both lost their jobs. Unable to handle the blow, she jumped into the river and killed herself. My boyfriend cornered me on the rooftop, cursing me for being a busybody. “If it weren’t for you, Peyton wouldn’t have died!” He wrapped his hands around my neck and pushed me off. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the fitness test. This time, I’m going to watch Peyton dig her own grave!

After hearing Peyton’s words, the whole class erupted. “Peyton, are you serious?” “If we save Joanna, will her dad Joshua really give us a million dollars?” Peyton held up her phone, her voice cracking with excitement. “Would I lie about this?!” “I did my research. The doctor who operated on Joanna a couple years ago was just a salaried employee. This year he suddenly bought a penthouse downtown worth nine million!” “What does that tell you?” “If we save Joanna, Joshua definitely won’t be stingy. We’re about to get rich!” “But… is AI really reliable?” someone hesitated. Peyton snorted coldly. “Why wouldn’t it be?” “When you have a headache or fever, who doesn’t ask AI first?” “Besides, you think doctors are so great? Videos have exposed them—when doctors face tough cases, they also ask AI software.” “It’s the AI era. Everyone can be a doctor. Why let the hospital make this money when we can take it ourselves!” Hearing this, I almost laughed from anger. AI isn’t a doctor. It doesn’t have medical qualifications, and sometimes its treatment plans are complete nonsense. If something goes wrong during the procedure, it could cause a disaster. In my past life, I repeatedly explained this to my classmates. Joanna was having a heart attack and urgently needed to be sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. But they were stubborn, and instead questioned whether I was trying to sabotage everyone’s chance to get rich. Finally, in a fit of anger, I grabbed the phone and called 911, which saved Joanna’s life. This life, I don’t want to explain anymore. If they insist on digging their own graves, then I’ll let them! I want to see if they can handle Joshua’s fury when things go wrong. While I was deep in thought, my roommate Lena came over. “Paige, that’s a million dollars! Are we about to get rich?” In my past life, when Joshua found out Joanna had nearly been denied treatment, he was furious and wanted to hold the entire class accountable. I knelt down and begged him to spare everyone. But later, when Mason led people to corner me on the rooftop to avenge Peyton, Lena was the first to rush out and kick me hard. “Paige, if it weren’t for you, I’d already be rich! You ruined my life!” The excruciating pain of falling from the rooftop seemed to resurface. I clenched my teeth and balled my fists tightly. “AI isn’t reliable. I’d advise you not to delude yourself.” At that moment, Peyton had already opened the AI app and quickly typed a line: [Sudden heart attack, how to treat?] While operating, she lowered her voice to instruct everyone. “Nobody breathe a word of this to anyone. If it works, we’ll split the money evenly.” “To prevent anyone from sneaking out to call an ambulance, we’ll watch each other. I’m going to call roll now. Answer when your name is called.” “Mason.” “Here.” “Lena.” “Here.” … As one name after another came out of her mouth, I couldn’t listen anymore and turned to leave. Behind me came Peyton’s shrill shout. “Paige! Where are you going? You’re not planning to snitch and keep all the money for yourself, are you?” I frowned, about to answer, when my boyfriend Mason’s face darkened and he shouted angrily. “Paige, how can you be so selfish? Peyton knows to share the money with everyone, unlike you—you’re such a selfish person. No wonder nobody likes you!” In my past life, it was him who pushed me off the rooftop with his own hands. He also rallied all the classmates to give false testimony to the police, saying I committed suicide because I couldn’t handle academic pressure. Looking at that face before me, I suppressed my hatred and spoke coldly. “Fine, then let’s break up. I find you disgusting too!” After saying that, I turned around, preparing to leave. But someone grabbed my wrist.

I turned around. Peyton looked at me with red eyes, her face full of grievance. “Paige, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t hurt everyone.” I frowned, not understanding what she meant. Peyton pointed at the classmates behind her and said, “Daniel—his dad has cancer. To raise the 20,000 dollars for surgery, his mom runs a breakfast stand, working from dawn to dusk every day.” “Fiona—her family is on welfare. Her dad said there’s no money for tuition and plans to make her drop out next semester to work.” “And Lena—her family favors sons over daughters. She earns her own tuition. If she had this money, she’d be set for all four years of college.” … Getting emotional, Peyton shed tears. “Paige, if you don’t like me, that’s fine.” “But they’re different. Their families are really struggling and need this money to get through hard times.” “Can’t you just be kind and share this life-saving opportunity to get rich with everyone? Please?” Before I could say anything, the surrounding classmates angrily surrounded me, pointing and criticizing. “Paige, how can you be so selfish?” “No wonder Mason is disgusted by you. I’d dump you too.” “Exactly! A selfish, heartless woman like you doesn’t deserve to be our classmate!” I almost laughed from anger. For money, they delayed Joanna’s emergency treatment, and they still had the nerve to call me selfish? At this moment, Joanna’s face had lost all color. She clutched her chest, her lips purple, her voice hoarse as she called out, “Help… help me…” My heart sank. Because of heavy rain, this fitness test had been temporarily moved indoors to the badminton hall. The teacher had just left for something. And before entering, I’d put my bag in the storage locker outside—I’d have to go out to make a call. This meant that in the vast badminton hall, I couldn’t find anyone to help. But Joanna was having a heart attack. She couldn’t hold on much longer. Looking at Joanna curled up in pain, I realized she was innocent. Why should she lose her life because of these people’s greed? At this thought, I gritted my teeth, rushed to Joanna’s side, quickly helped her lie flat on the ground, and anxiously shouted, “Joanna, where’s your medication?” “Your heart attack medication—where did you put it? I’ll get it right away!” Joanna’s lips trembled as she struggled to squeeze out a few words. “In… in the storage locker by the gym entrance… white bottle…” Before she could finish, her eyes closed and she passed out. I didn’t have time to think. I immediately stood up and rushed toward the door. But just as I reached the entrance, Mason blocked my way. “No way! Peyton said you can’t leave.” “Who knows if you’re going out to get medicine or to tip someone off.” I almost thought I’d heard wrong. “Mason, are you insane?” I stared at him intensely, trembling all over with urgency. “Can’t you see Joanna’s face is completely white? She’s already passed out and can’t hold on much longer!” “She needs her medication, or she’ll really die!” Mason frowned slightly. His scrutinizing gaze swept back and forth between the collapsed Joanna and me, as if assessing whether I was lying. Just as he hesitated, Peyton’s voice came from behind. “Paige, what’s the rush?” She walked over slowly, arms crossed, speaking unhurriedly. “Didn’t I tell you? With the AI app, everyone can be a doctor.” “Not just minor illnesses like Joanna’s—even if someone’s heart stops, it can provide a plan to revive them!” Hearing this, everyone exclaimed in shock. “Really? That amazing?” “Then why even go to hospitals when you’re sick? Just ask AI.” “Exactly! Let’s just use AI for medical care from now on. It saves money and avoids getting scammed by hospitals.” “She’s the cheerleading captain for a reason—she knows way more than us.” Listening to everyone’s flattery, Peyton raised her chin and looked at me smugly. I trembled with anger. She kept claiming AI could save lives. But from when Joanna collapsed until now, she hadn’t taken any action or performed CPR. Looking at Joanna lying unconscious with purple lips, I stomped my foot in frustration. Just as I was on the verge of despair, not knowing what to do, suddenly a familiar voice came from behind. “What are you all doing here?”

I whipped my head around. The PE teacher stood at the door, looking over with a confused expression. My eyes lit up, and I was about to explain when Mason spoke first. “Coach, during the fitness test, we discovered Paige falsifying her data.” “After being caught red-handed, she refused to admit it and is arguing here.” As he spoke, he pinched my lower back and leaned close to my ear, threatening in a low voice, “Paige, you’d better know what’s good for you.” “If you expose this and ruin everyone’s dream of getting rich, I’ll never forgive you!” A chill ran up my spine. I stood frozen, mouth opening and closing, unable to say a word. Sure enough, after hearing Mason’s explanation, the PE teacher looked at me with a flash of disgust in his eyes. “You’re Paige, right? Your fitness test score is canceled. You’ll have to retake it next semester.” He coldly announced the result, then turned to Mason with a gentler tone. “Class monitor, I need to step out for something. Keep an eye on everyone and put the data on my desk after class.” Mason nodded. “Don’t worry, Coach.” Watching the teacher’s departing figure, I closed my eyes in despair. But it wasn’t over yet. At that moment, Peyton looked at me coldly and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “Paige, looks like you haven’t given up.” “You were trying to snitch just now, weren’t you? You’re stuck in the mud yourself—why are you trying to stop us from getting rich?” “You’re so selfish and vicious!” “Everyone, don’t you think she deserves to be taught a lesson?” Soon, classmates surrounded me. I frowned and slowly backed away. “This is school. There are cameras everywhere.” “If you touch me, aren’t you afraid of disciplinary action?” “Disciplinary action?” Peyton couldn’t help but laugh. “Once we have money, who cares about some disciplinary action?” “Besides, we’re Joanna’s lifesavers. When the time comes, we’ll have Joshua handle it. Disciplinary action? That’ll be cancelled in a heartbeat.” As everyone gradually closed in, I was backed into a corner. Just as I looked around searching for a way out, suddenly I caught sight of something on Joanna’s wrist. If I remembered correctly, it was the latest sports watch from C brand. Last time I was shopping, the sales associate specifically explained that this watch had an emergency call function. As the billionaire’s daughter, Joanna had layers of bodyguard protection when she enrolled. Her watch couldn’t possibly lack special settings. At this thought, I took a deep breath, pushed past the people in front of me, and ran toward Joanna. “Stop her!” Peyton’s shrill shout rang in my ears. I didn’t care. I rushed to Joanna’s side and pressed the emergency button. The next second, the screen lit up. It connected. Before I could speak, a rough force came from behind. Several male classmates’ hands gripped my shoulders tightly. I struggled desperately but was pressed face-down on the ground. “Still trying to run?” Peyton’s voice came from above. “Paige, it’s one thing for you to wallow in failure, but why are you blocking us from getting rich?” “For someone as vicious as you, if we don’t teach you a lesson, you’ll never learn!” She lifted her foot and stomped hard on the back of my hand. The piercing pain made my whole body shudder. “You still want to snitch, don’t you?” She bent down, a smile on her face but coldness in her eyes. “Everyone, Paige almost ruined our path to wealth. What do you say—how should we punish her?” Lena was the first to raise her hand. “Just make it so she can’t talk, right?” Peyton’s eyes brightened, and the corners of her mouth lifted. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Lena.” Lena agreed and walked in front of me, looking down from above. “Paige, I’m sorry, but blocking someone’s path to wealth is like killing their parents. You brought this on yourself.” Just as she raised her hand, suddenly an exclamation rang out. “Look! Joanna’s heart stopped!”

Everyone turned their heads simultaneously. Peyton, who had been so smug just moments ago, instantly paled. She pulled out her phone, trying to appear calm. “Everyone don’t panic… this is normal for a heart attack!” “The AI app says if someone falls unconscious, you can do CPR and they’ll recover quickly.” Then she looked at Mason behind her, her voice urgent. “Mason, I’ll give instructions, you do the CPR.” “I’ll perfectly capture you working hard to save someone, and then we’ll go claim credit from Joshua.” Mason nodded after hearing this, then followed her prompts and began operating on the spot. But Peyton wasn’t a medical student. She’d never learned first aid or received training. She couldn’t even find the correct position for CPR before having someone press down hard. Suddenly, there was a “crack.” Everyone’s faces changed. “Peyton, are you sure it’s this spot? Why was there a cracking sound?” Peyton’s face was deathly pale, but she still gritted her teeth stubbornly. “That’s right, one-third down the sternum—the AI app says this is the standard position for CPR.” “Maybe you used too much force… be gentler.” Mason didn’t doubt her and continued pressing down. Just then, urgent footsteps came from outside the door. Before anyone could react, the door was slammed open and Joshua rushed in with bodyguards. “Who dares hurt my daughter?” Peyton’s face changed dramatically. She pointed at me lying on the ground, her voice shrill as she shouted, “It was Paige! She’s the one who killed Joanna!”

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When I checked out of my hotel, the receptionist handed me two invoices. The first was for eight hundred dollars—the cost of my own room. The second invoice was for thirty-eight thousand dollars. “Mr. Lin, this is the final balance for the fifty-two suites your wife booked for your wedding party. She said you would be settling the bill.” The receptionist offered a polite, professional smile. Her voice carried, and absolutely everyone in the hotel lobby heard her. I stared at the two pieces of paper resting side by side on the marble counter. One standard room. My room. One luxury presidential suite, quantity: 52. The problem? I was single. I did not have a wife. And I absolutely had not hosted a wedding. “I am not married. Whoever booked this, you need to find them.” I grabbed the handle of my suitcase, ready to walk away. But the receptionist raised her voice, stopping me in my tracks. “Mr. Lin, you had the money to throw a massive wedding, but you do not have the money to pay the final bill?” Every single guest waiting in the checkout line turned to look at me. People started whispering to each other. I did not waste my breath arguing. I pulled out my phone and dialed immediately. “Hello, I need police assistance at the Grand Horizon Hotel. A receptionist is attempting to extort thirty-eight thousand dollars from me.” “Also, please contact the local Consumer Protection Bureau. This hotel is engaging in aggressive, fraudulent billing practices.” 1 I frowned at the receptionist and pushed the invoice back across the counter. “I did not get married. I did not book these rooms. Why would I pay for this?” Her professional smile did not waver. “You are Mr. Nick Lin, correct?” “Yes.” She continued smoothly, “You stayed in room 1806 for the past three nights, correct?” “Yes.” My frown deepened. I despised having my personal information broadcasted in public. Still smiling, she slid the invoice back toward me. “Then there is no mistake. This is your wedding banquet bill. Look, your wife even left a handwritten note and signature for you!” I looked down at the scribbled handwriting at the bottom of the page. Hubby, I am taking our relatives back to our hometown first. Do not forget to pay the final balance! — Chloe. My face darkened. “I do not know anyone named Chloe.” “I do not have a wife.” The receptionist’s smile slipped slightly, replaced by a tone of exasperated patience. “Mr. Lin, we are only asking you to pay because of your wife’s explicit instructions.” “Your family booked dozens of rooms for your relatives to attend your wedding. Now you are suddenly claiming you do not have a wife? That is a very low blow.” The crowd around the front desk was growing by the minute. I was trapped in the center of a very public spectacle. “If Chloe left the note, then you can wait for Chloe to come back and pay it.” Her tone remained strictly professional. “Mr. Lin, it is not our place to get involved in your domestic disputes.” “But taking out your marital anger on our hotel by refusing to pay is unacceptable.” I let out a cold laugh. “You keep insisting I threw a wedding at this hotel. Where is the proof?” “Who did you communicate with? Who organized the logistics?” Her smile stiffened. “Your wife coordinated everything with us. She wanted to handle the details so you would not be stressed.” I stared at her, deadpan. “I am a tourist visiting this city alone. I have never been married.” A mocking edge crept into her voice. “Mr. Lin, you are trying very hard to deny this. Could it be that you have someone else in your life who cannot know you are married?” The moment she said that, the crowd in the lobby erupted into loud murmurs. A middle-aged man standing behind me shot me a look of pure disgust. “No wonder he is fighting it so hard. Sounds like he has a mistress he is trying to hide.” The receptionist maintained her perfect posture, though her smile was now laced with open irritation. “Mr. Lin, stalling is not going to make this go away.” She tapped her manicured fingernail against the thirty-eight-thousand-dollar invoice. A rhinestone on her nail caught the lobby lights, flashing obnoxiously. “Your wife left explicit instructions. We are simply following our client’s orders.” I looked at her. “This Chloe woman. Have you actually met her?” She paused for a second. “Of course I have. She booked the rooms in person. I handled her reservation myself.” “What does she look like?” She thought for a moment. “Pretty tall. Around five-foot-five. She was wearing a white summer dress.” “How old?” “Early thirties, maybe.” “Did you scan her ID?” “Obviously. Our hotel requires real-name registration for all bookings.” “Then pull up her ID profile and let me see it.” The receptionist’s smile vanished completely. “Mr. Lin, that would be a violation of guest privacy…” “You just spent ten minutes screaming that she is my wife. How is looking at my own wife’s ID a privacy violation?” She choked on her words, completely stumped. When she finally looked at me again, her tone had turned ice cold. “Mr. Lin, this little game is getting old.” “If you do not pay that bill today, you are not leaving this lobby.” 2 I leaned against the marble counter, staring her down. “Are you threatening me?” “I have never been married. I do not know a Chloe. I never hosted a wedding, and I never invited any relatives.” “Whoever paid you the deposit is the person you need to chase for the balance.” The receptionist, whose name tag read Sarah, finally dropped the polite act. Her mouth pulled into a tight line. “Mr. Lin, let me be completely honest with you.” “When Ms. Chloe booked these rooms, she provided your exact name and phone number.” “She told us you were the groom. She said that after the wedding, she needed to escort her elderly relatives back to her hometown, and that you would settle the final bill.” “She said you two had agreed on this arrangement.” “We approved the payment plan as a courtesy to our VIP clients.” “The wedding happened. The rooms were used. Now you are trying to dine and dash. Do you really think you can get away with this?” I kept my eyes locked on hers and took a slow, deep breath. “Fine. Tell me exactly what day this supposed wedding took place.” “The day before yesterday.” “Which banquet hall?” “The Grand Ballroom on the third floor.” “How many guests attended?” “Over two hundred.” “What color was the bride’s dress?” Sarah frowned deeply. “How am I supposed to remember that?” “You just said you coordinated everything with her. You handled a two-hundred-person wedding, and you do not remember what color the bride was wearing?” Sarah opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. The people waiting in line behind me were getting restless. “Can we speed this up?” a man yelled from the back. “I have a train to catch!” A woman whispered to her friend, “That poor guy. His wife runs off right after the wedding and leaves him drowning in debt.” “Poor? He is just trying to skip out on the bill! Thirty-eight grand is a lot of money.” “Still, you cannot just rob a hotel.” The gossip buzzed in the air like a swarm of angry bees. I glanced over my shoulder. There were about seven or eight people in my line. Some were scrolling on their phones, some were staring at me like I was a zoo animal, and others were actively debating my morals. Right behind me was a guy in a tracksuit, gripping two massive suitcases, looking furious at the delay. Next to him was an older woman with a tight perm. She was looking at me like I was a deadbeat son-in-law. “Young man, you need to be reasonable,” she scolded loudly. “Your wife planned the wedding. She booked the hotel. You cannot just refuse to pay because you two had a little lovers’ spat.” I looked her dead in the eye. “Ma’am, I do not know who that woman is.” “Oh, please! If she does not know you, how did she know your exact name?” “That is exactly what I would like to know.” The older woman shook her head in disgust, muttering about how irresponsible men were these days. Seeing that the crowd was on her side, Sarah’s tone softened, playing the victim. “Mr. Lin, look around. Everyone is watching.” “Making a massive scene is only going to embarrass you further.” “How about this? You pay half the bill now, and we will contact Ms. Chloe for the rest?” I almost laughed out loud. “Why on earth would I pay half?” “I am not married. I am not paying a single dime for a wedding I did not have.” Sarah sighed heavily, like a tired mother dealing with a spoiled toddler. “Mr. Lin, you keep claiming you are not married. Can you prove it?” The lobby went dead silent. I stared at her. “Prove that I am not married?” “Exactly.” Sarah smiled, a smug, victorious gleam in her eyes. “You see? You cannot prove a negative.” “Our hotel operates on hard evidence.” “Ms. Chloe provided your name and phone number. We verified your ID at check-in, and it was a perfect match.” “The wedding happened. The suites were occupied.” “And now you think you can just say ‘I am not married’ and walk away free?” “Mr. Lin, the real world does not work like that.” Looking at her arrogant smirk, it suddenly hit me. She was gambling. She was betting that I would be too embarrassed by the public humiliation and would just pay the thirty-eight grand to save face. It was pure profit for them. And if I refused, she would rally the entire lobby into believing I was a scumbag fraud. It was a classic trap. I pulled my suitcase closer, locked the wheels, and sat down right on top of it. “Alright. Then I will wait.” Sarah blinked, caught off guard. “Wait for what?” I pulled out my phone and held it up. “I just called the cops. I am waiting for them to arrive so I can report a thirty-eight-thousand-dollar extortion ring at the Grand Horizon Hotel.” 3 The smug confidence on Sarah’s face cracked. “Mr. Lin, what are you doing?” “Do you really think calling the cops means you can skip out on your bill?” Her voice wavered, but she was trying desperately to maintain control. I flashed her a dark smile. “I guess we will find out when they get here.” A sharp snort of laughter broke the tension. It came from a young guy wearing headphones standing a few spots back in line. He glanced at me, realized everyone was looking, and quickly pretended to be fascinated by his phone. Sarah glared at him before taking a sharp, hissing breath. “Mr. Lin, do you really think this is a game?” “Do you think sitting on your luggage like a child is going to solve your financial problems?” I looked up at her from my suitcase. “Do you think forcing a thirty-eight-thousand-dollar fake invoice on me is going to solve yours?” Sarah’s expression hardened into pure granite. She turned to the junior receptionist working next to her. “Go get me a glass of water.” The younger girl scrambled away immediately. Sarah leaned against the front desk, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared down at me. “Mr. Lin, I have been working in hospitality for eight years.” “I have seen every type of scammer walk through those doors.” “People who dine and dash. People who claim their wallets were stolen. People who pretend to have amnesia.” “But a man who denies the existence of his own wife over a hotel bill? You are a first for me.” I laughed. “And this is a first for me. A hotel that assigns me a wife just to extort thirty-eight grand.” Sarah’s face flushed dark red. “Mr. Lin, you need to watch your mouth. Do not make accusations you cannot back up with evidence.” “Show me your evidence, then.” “Ms. Chloe’s ID registration, the wedding photos, the banquet catering receipts, the liquor tab, and your check-in logs for room 1806. I can pull all of it up.” The lobby fell into a tense, agonizing silence. People in line started giving up. A few moved to the other receptionist’s desk. Others walked over to the velvet sofas to sit down and watch the drama unfold. Sarah stood behind the counter, aggressively tapping her manicured nails against the marble. I sat on my suitcase, checking my phone. It had been almost twenty minutes since she handed me the insane invoice. No new messages. I scrolled through my contacts and stopped on my mom’s number. I hesitated, then locked my screen. If my mom found out about this, she would be so furious she would probably book the next flight down here just to scream at the manager. Better to handle this myself. Sarah suddenly reached into a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper, sliding it across the counter. “Mr. Lin. Look at this. This is a photocopy of Ms. Chloe’s ID.” I took it. It was a standard black-and-white photocopy of a driver’s license. Name: Chloe Jenkins. The photo showed a woman with a bob haircut, a round face, and thick eyebrows. She looked to be in her early thirties. The address listed was from a completely different state. I stared at it for a second before sliding it back. “Never seen her in my life.” Sarah’s patience completely evaporated. “Mr. Lin!” My patience was gone, too. I cut her off, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous warning. “We will wait for the cops. When they get here, you pull out your evidence, and I will pull out mine.” “If the cops say I owe the money, I will wire it to your account on the spot.” “But if the cops say I do not owe you a single cent, you are going to stand in the middle of this lobby and publicly apologize to me.” Sarah checked her phone. Suddenly, she looked up at me and smiled. It was a cold, victorious smirk. “Mr. Lin. You are not going anywhere.” My stomach dropped slightly. “What does that mean?” Sarah picked up the desk phone and dialed an internal extension. “Chloe? Are you here yet?” She hung up and looked right at me. “Like I said, Mr. Lin. You are paying this bill today, whether you want to or not.” From the long, carpeted hallway behind me, I heard the sharp, rhythmic clicking of high heels against the marble floor. Click. Click. Click. 4 “Sarah? What is going on?” I did not turn around, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a slender silhouette step out from behind one of the lobby’s massive pillars. It was a woman. Her voice was low, carrying a slight out-of-state accent. Sarah looked at her, then pointed straight at me. “Chloe. Your husband is refusing to pay the bill.” The woman turned to look at me. Her eyes lingered on my face for exactly two seconds. Then, she smiled. It was a completely natural, exasperated smile. The exact kind of smile a wife gives a stubborn, misbehaving husband. “Nick, stop throwing a tantrum.” She walked right up to me and reached for the handle of my suitcase. “Let’s go home.” I took a sharp step back, pulling my luggage with me. “Do not touch me.” Her hand hovered in midair. She blinked in surprise, then let out a heavy, long-suffering sigh. “Nick, I know you are mad at me.” “But my parents are old. They cannot handle a long train ride. I had to drive them and the relatives back home. It was the right thing to do.” “We are married now. All of my savings are tied up in the joint account for the house down payment. Just pay the hotel, and we can go home and talk.” Her acting was flawless. It was so terrifyingly sincere that if I did not know for an absolute fact I had never met her, I might have actually believed her. “Who are you?” I asked sharply. She frowned, looking genuinely hurt. “Nick, you…” “Do not call me Nick.” “I do not know who you are.” She looked at Sarah and gave a helpless, bitter laugh. “See, Sarah? I told you he was just throwing a fit.” Sarah immediately played along, sighing loudly. “Chloe, you cannot really blame him. You left the groom all alone right after the wedding. Any man would be furious.” “I did not have a choice! My side of the family is huge, and my mom insisted I escort them personally.” “You should have communicated better with your husband.” “I tried! I left him a note, I called his cell a dozen times, but he refused to pick up.” The two of them bounced lines off each other like a perfectly rehearsed Broadway script. I looked back and forth between them. It was almost hilarious how insane this was. “Are you two done with the performance?” Sarah turned to me, plastering that fake, professional customer service smile back on her face. “Mr. Lin. Look. Your wife drove all the way back here just to sort this out. If you two have marital issues, please discuss them privately. Do not cause a scene in our lobby.” I stared at the woman claiming to be Chloe. “You are saying you are my wife?” “Yes.” “When did we get married?” “The day before yesterday.” “Where?” “Right here. The Grand Horizon Hotel. Third floor, Grand Ballroom.” “How many guests?” “Two hundred and thirty.” “Were my parents there?” Chloe paused for a fraction of a second. “Of course they were. Your mom, your dad, my parents. Everyone was there.” “What is my mother’s name?” Chloe opened her mouth, but nothing came out. “You married me, but you do not know my mother’s name?” Chloe’s expression hardened. Her eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped to a scolding whisper. “Nick, what exactly are you trying to pull here?” “I asked you a question. What is my mother’s name?” “You are legally my wife, and you do not know your own mother-in-law’s name?” She instantly reverted back to playing the exhausted, victimized wife. “Nick, if you are going to act like a child, I cannot help you.” “I drove all the way to my hometown, dropped off my family, and drove straight back here because I knew you would struggle to handle this alone.” “And you choose to humiliate me in public like this?” “How am I supposed to look these people in the eye?” She spun around, facing the crowd of guests who were still watching the drama unfold. “I am so sorry, everyone. My husband is just acting out. I am sorry we are holding up the line.” Right on cue, the peanut gallery chimed in. “Honey, do not argue with him when he is angry. Just let him cool off,” a woman yelled. “Yeah, men just need their egos stroked. He will get over it,” another chimed in. “Honestly, leaving your husband alone on your wedding night? No wonder he is throwing a tantrum.” Chloe offered the crowd a tragic, apologetic smile. “I know, I know. It is entirely my fault.” She turned back to me, making her voice soft and pleading. “Nick. Stop making a scene. Let’s just go home.” I stared at her, deadpan. “Alright.” Chloe’s eyes lit up. “You will come home with me?” “Show me the marriage certificate.” “What?” “If we got married, there is a legal marriage certificate. Pull it out. Let me see it.” Chloe’s smile completely froze. “The certificate… is back in my hometown.” “Which hometown?” “My parents’ house.” “Call your parents right now. Tell them to take a picture of it and text it to you.” “Are you telling me not a single person in your family knows how to use a smartphone?” Sarah aggressively interrupted. “Mr. Lin, the marriage certificate is a private matter you can handle later. Right now, the priority is settling the hotel balance.” “As you can see, your wife drove hours just to be here. She is being incredibly reasonable—” Before she could finish, Chloe lunged forward. Her hand clamped onto my wrist like a vice grip, and she yanked me violently toward the exit. “Your debit card is in the car, right? I will go with you to get it.” “Stop ruining everyone else’s day! Behave!” Her grip was shockingly strong. For a split second, I actually could not rip my arm away. “I do not know this woman! This is kidnapping! Someone help me!” I shouted. But Sarah and Chloe just laughed it off, playing to the crowd. “He is still throwing a tantrum! So sorry, everyone. We will send up some wedding chocolates to your rooms later as an apology!” Sarah chirped brightly. Not a single person in the lobby moved to help me. They were all completely convinced this was just a toxic newlywed fight. My arm was starting to ache, and my mind was racing. This was a highly organized, premeditated extortion ring. This was not a random scam. I braced my legs, preparing to physically shove her off me, when a voice boomed from the sliding glass doors. “Nobody move! We received a 911 call reporting an attempted kidnapping and extortion!”

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1 After I married Dr. Hayes, every morning at seven, I’d hear the progress of my ‘conquest’ of him in my mind. He was unfailingly responsive to my every whim, impeccably perfect. Yet, the progress bar stubbornly stalled at 95%. I loved him with all my heart, and naturally, I wanted him to love me just as completely. So, I shed my sharp edges, embraced his preferences, and transformed myself into the gentle, virtuous Mrs. Hayes. This morning’s progress report finally hit a hundred percent! He came home early, changed into an off-white linen pajama set, and the cold aloofness that usually surrounded him softened. We snuggled together, watching an indie romance film. He got up to wash fruit, and I leaned back on the still-warm sofa, my heart full of sweetness. Suddenly, my tablet chimed twice. Curiously, I tapped it open and froze. “Your wife is so ugly, ugh.” “At 4 minutes 13 seconds, her tummy rolls are practically popping out. You must be suffering, pretending to be in love with her watching this movie.” … I stared at the two lines of text on the screen. Shock, fury, disgust. All emotions intertwined, but I didn’t explode. How could the man I had completely ‘conquered’ be live-streaming our time together to someone else? I knew Robert’s character. He was aloof and proud; he would never do something so despicable. It must be a misunderstanding! Before he explained, I shouldn’t blindly lose my temper and accuse him. Robert walked out, drying his hair, and saw me sitting on the bed, pale, holding the tablet. “Amy, what’s wrong? Feeling unwell?” I turned the tablet and pushed it toward him. Robert’s gaze fell on the screen. I didn’t miss a single change in his expression. No panic, no guilt. He simply visibly darkened, then tiredly pinched the bridge of his nose: “She’s at it again.” “Who is ‘she’?” Robert sat beside me, his voice full of helplessness: “A new colleague who joined our department, her name’s Bethany White. She… has some issues up here.” He pointed to his head. “Probably severe delusional disorder.” He candidly pulled out his phone, unlocked it, opened his messenger, and handed it to me. “See for yourself.” The chat history was filled with Bethany’s one-sided barrages. “Dr. Hayes, you look so handsome in your lab coat today!” “Your spoiled, old-fashioned wife is no good. Only I can help you.” There were also various self-orchestrated fantasies. Robert’s replies were few and far between, and entirely about stiff work matters. I tapped into Bethany’s social media, no photos, just blurred silhouettes and travel check-ins. “She’s harassing you like this, why haven’t you blocked her?” My voice was still tight. Robert smiled bitterly, pulling me into his arms. “Amy, do you think I don’t want to? She was placed by the hospital board, and she has deep connections. The board insisted we work together on several major projects recently. If I blocked her, how would I move forward with my work? To avoid delays, I can only keep her on my contacts and pretend she’s dead, just ignore her.” His voice held deep exhaustion. “I thought if I just ignored her, she’d get bored and stop. I never expected her to send such disgusting things to you!” “I’m sorry, Amy. I didn’t handle it well; I let you down.” Just then, that voice in my head suddenly spoke. [Warning: Trust crisis detected with your target. Current approval rating 100%. Please stop baseless speculation and avoid damaging the perfect marital relationship!] The bloodshot eyes and candid look in Robert’s eyes filled me with guilt. I had misunderstood him. He worked so hard outside, dealing with harassment from a crazy person, and yet I doubted him over two messages. “I’m sorry, Robert…” I hugged him back, my voice choked, “I shouldn’t have doubted you.” He kissed my forehead: “Silly girl, we don’t need apologies between us.” The next day. I personally cooked several of his favorite dishes, carefully packed them, and took them to the hospital. Pushing open his office door, he was sitting at his desk, rubbing his temples. Seeing me, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. “Why didn’t you call ahead? Aren’t you tired?” He smiled, taking the insulated box. “Wanted to make sure you’re well fed.” Just as he picked up his chopsticks to eat, his phone screen lit up. Robert glanced at it, his face instantly changing, and he decisively stood up: “Amy, emergency in the ER. Major car accident. I have to go save them immediately!” He grabbed his lab coat and rushed out of the office. I stood there, stunned, looking at the steaming food, a hollow feeling in my heart. But there was nothing to do. Lives were on the line. I could only quietly pack up the insulated box and take a cab home. As soon as I walked through the door, I received a text message from an unknown number. “The food you cook, just the smell of it is sickening. Not as delicious as my body, though. Dr. Hayes is starving for it~” 2 If last night’s message was her one-sided fantasy, what about today? I had barely delivered the food to the hospital when Robert made an excuse about an emergency surgery and rushed off. I went straight back to the hospital. Not to find Robert, but to the HR department. “I want to file a formal complaint against Bethany White, a doctor in your cardiac surgery department!” I slammed both hands on the desk. “She has an unprofessional conduct and is severely harassing a colleague’s family!” The person across from me was startled. He frowned and opened the system: “Bethany White? Cardiac surgery? Please wait.” A minute later, he looked up, puzzled: “Are you mistaken? We have no doctor named Bethany White in our hospital system, nor any nurse.” “Impossible!” I raised my voice. “She’s new! She’s in the same department as Robert Hayes, how could you not find her!” “Truly, no one.” The clerk turned the monitor towards me. “The entire staff list is here. No one by that name.” I stared at the “No matching results” message on the screen, my mind a blank. Medical staff gradually gathered outside, curious. “Isn’t that Dr. Hayes’s wife?” “Why is she causing a scene here?” “I heard her mental state isn’t very good, always suspicious…” “Poor thing, Dr. Hayes is so brilliant, how did he end up with a crazy wife.” … The fragmented whispers pierced my ears. I looked around, experiencing panic for the first time. Just as I was on the verge of collapsing, Robert rushed in, drenched in sweat, pulling me into his arms. He didn’t get angry at me; instead, he bowed repeatedly, apologizing to everyone around us. “I’m so sorry, truly! My wife has been under a lot of stress lately, and hasn’t been sleeping well. She might have misunderstood something. I apologize for disturbing everyone, please don’t mind her!” I was half-hugged, half-dragged by him into the car. As soon as the car door closed, Robert’s eyes reddened. “Amy, I’m sorry… I lied to you.” I looked at him blankly. “Bethany White isn’t a colleague from our hospital.” He confessed, choked up, “She’s an external pharmaceutical rep. Last night, seeing how upset you were, how much you minded this person, all my energy was spent on calming you down. I didn’t want to mention irrelevant people and upset you further, so I just casually made up a lie, saying she was a colleague, hoping to gloss over the matter…” I remained silent, showing him the text message. “I really did go for an emergency surgery just now!” Robert looked up, his eyes full of sincerity and urgency. “That car accident patient is still in the ICU! I don’t know what’s going on with the text message, she must have bribed someone, or she was staking out the hospital and saw you! Amy, I really only lied because I was afraid you’d overthink things. I swear, she and I have absolutely nothing going on!” The warning in my mind sounded again. [Please trust your target! Stop self-sabotage!] I didn’t know who to believe, or even if I should trust my own judgment. I pushed open the car door, frantically hailed a cab, and returned to my parents’ home. This was my safe haven. Seeing me return distraught, my sister was terrified. After listening to my tearful account, she angrily smashed the decorative item beside her. “That bastard Robert Hayes!” She hugged me tightly, gnashing her teeth. “I knew that opportunistic guy couldn’t be trusted! The whole family disagreed when you insisted on marrying down! Have you forgotten how I used to argue with him? I feared he’d show his true colors once he found success!” I leaned in her arms, my thoughts a tangled mess. “What should I do? I feel like I’m going crazy.” My sister gently patted my back, her voice chilling. “Don’t worry. Mom and Dad and I will back you up! I’ll find out right now who that vixen really is!” 3 My sister moved quickly. “Got it.” “She’s the daughter of a high-ranking executive at Starcorp Group! A notorious party girl in the social circles.” The day I received the documents from my sister happened to be my birthday. Robert had specifically taken time off, booked out a restaurant, and even gifted me an expensive diamond necklace. Candlelight flickered, and a violin played a melodious tune. “Amy, happy birthday!” The atmosphere was warm, and he was about to clink glasses with me. His phone suddenly vibrated urgently. He glanced at the screen, his face instantly grave. After taking the call and listening for a few moments, he quickly stood up, looking apologetically at me: “Amy, I’m so sorry. There’s an emergency in the department, and I have to be the lead surgeon.” “But today…” “Come on, lives are at stake. I’ll come right back to you after I’m done!” He left the restaurant without a backward glance. I stared at the untouched glass of red wine opposite me, feeling a deep sadness. A few minutes later, my sister sent a message. [I just finished with a client and saw Robert Hayes at the Cloudhaven Club! He went into a VIP room, and Bethany White is in there too! I’ve sent you the location!] That voice in my head screamed again. [Warning: Target detected meeting with another woman. Maintain composure and defend your marriage!] The stress reaction made me lose my ability to think. I rushed towards the Cloudhaven Club following the location. “Bang!” After kicking open the private room door, Robert and Bethany were sitting very close on the sofa. I shrieked, grabbed the ice water from the table, and splashed it onto Bethany’s face. “You home-wrecker, are you that desperate for a man?!” She recoiled in surprise, shot a glance at a bodyguard, then pulled out her phone and started filming. “So, you’re Dr. Hayes’s pampered wife?” Bethany’s eyes were contemptuous, her words deeply insulting. “Truly, seeing is believing! It’s bad enough you ruin your husband at home, but you come out here pretending to be the wronged wife and hitting people! What? He can’t have a normal social life?” I continued to scream and struggle, accusing her of coveting a married man. Robert looked bewildered, simultaneously blocking the camera and shouting at me: “Amy! What are you doing! Why are you suddenly bursting in and making a scene like this?!” “You lied to me! You said you were going for emergency surgery!” I cried hysterically. But the bodyguard’s strength was too great; I couldn’t break free. Two hours later. Bethany posted the video online. #RenownedDoctorCaughtWithMistressByCrazyWife# #WifeThrowsFitLikeMadDog# … The hashtags quickly soared to the top of trending topics in our city. The entire internet was mocking me. Saying I had paranoid delusions and wasn’t good enough for Robert. He looked at me, sitting blank-eyed on the sofa, then suddenly slapped himself twice. “Amy, I’m sorry… I ruined you.” He knelt before me, sobbing uncontrollably, revealing the whole truth. It turned out he had long grown tired of the stagnant salary at the public hospital and wanted to strike out on his own, opening his private clinic. But he lacked startup capital. He disliked the nickname “Sterling family’s kept man” and didn’t want to ask me for money, so he had to find other ways. Bethany was the daughter of a Starcorp executive; she had resources and was willing to provide funding. Tonight, he was meeting her at the club to discuss the collaboration plan in detail, which was why he had no choice but to go. “If I had known you would misunderstand, thinking we were having a secret rendezvous, I would have told you the whole truth right then!” “I’m sorry, I was just too concerned about your feelings! I knew you minded her, and I was afraid you’d be upset if you knew I was meeting her, that it would ruin your birthday, so I found another excuse to leave…” “I messed up, I was too clever for my own good… Amy, hit me! Just don’t look at those comments, please!” I understood his pride, and I knew he hadn’t intentionally meant to hurt me. The pain, finding no outlet, left me only with silence. Later, Robert took extended leave from the hospital. Ignoring the public criticism, he stayed by my side at home, caring for me constantly. He cooked for me, coaxed me to sleep, and endured my occasional emotional breakdowns. I gradually improved, and we became even closer. I wondered if it was a blessing in disguise. 4 I still couldn’t help it. I threw up the noodles I’d just eaten, along with the multicolored pills, all into the toilet. The pills hadn’t had time to digest, their edges covered in murky white foam. For the past two weeks, Robert had been seeking out doctors and medicines everywhere, prescribing me a large quantity of psychiatric drugs. I took them on time every day, always feeling drowsy and muddled. My memory began to decline, and I couldn’t even walk steadily. The voice in my head came in snatches, like a fog. [Please maintain… emotional stability…] With the pills completely expelled, my mind cleared. I propped myself up by the sink: Was this still the spirited second daughter of the Sterling family from before? I splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself awake. One in the morning. The fingerprint lock clicked, and Robert returned. It wasn’t the sound of one set of footsteps, but two. Like a cat lurking in the dark, I slipped silently out of bed and pressed myself against the master bedroom door. The motion-sensor light in the hallway flickered on. I saw two intertwined figures, stumbling into the room next door. A few seconds later. Nauseating gasps and the tearing of clothes penetrated the wall, stabbing into my eardrums. “Robert… don’t be so rough!” The woman’s voice was seductively soft. Even though it differed from her usual style, I easily recognized it. It was the voice I had heard since childhood. It was my closest, most trusted sister! My own sister, and my beloved husband, were fervently entwined in the guest room less than three meters from me. “I’ve waited so long, how can I slow down?” Robert gasped, his voice already trembling with passion, completely devoid of any cold aloofness. “Gentle! Amy’s right next door, aren’t you afraid of waking her?” My sister laughed playfully. “Afraid of what?” Robert’s voice was incredibly certain. “She took double her dose tonight; she’s probably sleeping like a log. Even if we dragged her out and sold her, she wouldn’t know.” After a creaking sound, my sister chuckled softly. “I just said it casually back then, and you made it happen for me? Amy still thinks she’s the chosen one, tied to some novel’s system, right?” I pressed against the wall, my breathing stopped. “It was just a medical experiment, darling. Heaven blessed you and let it succeed,” Robert responded proudly. “She’s such a fool, doing tasks according to your demands for some illusory ‘conquest progress’!” What did that mean?! All those times I suppressed my true self, trying to conform to his every whim, were actually my sister’s demands? “Why does she always have such good luck? Why does she get all the good things? I’m going to make her go insane! Only then will Mom and Dad give up on her, and the Sterling family… oh my!” My sister’s complaints were silenced by his kiss, initiating a new round of passion. I stumbled backward in shock, unable to listen anymore. Compared to the pain of being betrayed by my closest kin, I cared more about something else. So… No conquest system. No mistress named Bethany. It was all fake?!

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