Category: English

I was pregnant with twins, and my sugar daddy of six years told me he was finally going to give me a title. When he proposed, asking if I would marry him, I was just about to say yes when two tiny, childish voices echoed out of nowhere: 【Mommy, don’t say yes! My daddy isn’t Liam Hayes!】 【The baby in your sister’s belly is Liam’s!】 Those two short sentences completely fried my brain… The entire venue was waiting for my answer, but I stood frozen on the spot. If the babies in my belly weren’t Liam’s, then whose were they? The next second, the little milky voices piped up again. 【Silly Mommy, that scumbag has been hooking up with your sister for a long time. If you marry him, he’s going to sell you to human traffickers in international waters!】 【Hurry, ask my dad for help! He’s the one off stage wearing the black suit and the Buddhist amulet!】 I was shocked, my gaze involuntarily drifting toward the man sitting at the main table, radiating a lethal, chilling aura—the underground arms king of New York, Arthur Vance. … Even though today was my wedding to Liam, everyone’s attention couldn’t help but gravitate toward him. This man exuded an intimidating “keep away” aura, casually playing with a blood-red Buddhist amulet in his hand. His eyes were sharp as a hawk’s. I glanced at him and accidentally met his icy stare. I immediately looked away, my heart pounding in terror: My sweet babies, do you know who he is? The Arthur Vance, who controls half the arms trade in North America, has never had a woman by his side. How could you possibly be his kids? Even if Liam is just a mid-level boss, you can’t just maliciously frame someone else and refuse to acknowledge your own father! Be good, accept reality. It’s too late to pick a new dad on the spot. Try again in your next life. I tried to comfort the little dumplings, thinking they were just rejecting Liam because his gang was too small-time. But I didn’t expect the tiny voices to scream in protest: 【Did you forget about the time you woke up in the VIP suite of that casino?!】 【Your fiancé and your sister tricked you into going to the casino, planning to use you to pay off a gambling debt. But you went into the wrong room…】 【The man lying next to you that night was Arthur Vance!】 I gasped in shock: That was Arthur? I thought it was Liam… Memories flooded back like a tidal wave. The late night, my back covered in hickeys, limbs intertwined. The air thick with the smell of gunpowder and cigars. Liam was still looking at me tenderly, but all I could see was the sweat and suppressed panting of Arthur from that night. He had handcuffed my wrists to the headboard as he took what he wanted. The legendary, terrifying arms dealer was shockingly ferocious in private. Seeing my lack of response, the officiant repeated, “Ms. Chloe Jenkins, do you take Mr. Liam Hayes to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Liam squeezed my hand, looking concerned. “What’s wrong, Chloe? Are you not mentally prepared yet?” He gently scratched my palm to soothe me: “Don’t be afraid. Once you marry into the Hayes family, I’ll make sure you enjoy endless wealth and luxury.” 【Don’t believe him! He has a hidden dungeon in a warehouse by the docks specifically for locking up disobedient women!】 I shuddered in terror and immediately shouted at the top of my lungs, “I do not!” The moment I spoke, the entire hall erupted in an uproar. The Hayes family was a decently powerful syndicate in the city. No one expected me to publicly reject Liam. Especially since I had been Liam’s submissive mistress for six years. Everyone called the eldest daughter of the Jenkins family a notorious gold digger. Now that I was finally getting “promoted” to wife, I was actually turning down this golden opportunity. Liam’s face instantly darkened. He clearly hadn’t anticipated I would reject him at our own wedding. “Chloe, stop fooling around. This is our wedding! If you have a problem with me, we can talk about it after…” 【If you wait until after the wedding, it’ll be too late! My real dad is about to take his private jet to Mexico for a business deal!】 【Mom! Time waits for no one! Hurry up and kick this scumbag to the curb! Go grab onto the thigh of my ruthless, billionaire dad!】 “I’m not marrying you!” I answered firmly. My own flesh and blood wouldn’t lie to me. If they said Liam was a scumbag, then I absolutely could not marry him! Right then, my younger sister walked onto the stage, her belly slightly protruding, and stood next to Liam. “Sister, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now? Hasn’t Liam already agreed to marry you?” It wasn’t until she got close that I noticed the diamond necklace she was wearing was from the exact same collection as my wedding ring. Comparing the quality, my ring looked like a cheap knockoff from a street vendor. In a flash, I understood everything. The baby in my belly was nothing but a pawn in a scheme she and Liam had planned long ago. As an adopted daughter, she didn’t have the status to be Mrs. Hayes. And I was merely the stepping stone for her to climb the ranks. My parents stood up and furiously berated me: “Chloe! Haven’t you embarrassed the Jenkins family enough? Do you think you can just ruin a wedding on a whim?!” “You were the one crying and begging to be with Liam back then, and now you’re backing out at the altar! Do you think marriage is a game?! Why can’t you be sensible like your sister, Mia?!” “You are marrying him today whether you want to or not!” 2 No one expected the wedding to turn into a farce. The guests were whispering amongst themselves, eager to watch me make a fool of myself. “This Jenkins girl really has no sense. She threw herself at the Hayes heir for six years, and now that she’s finally becoming the wife, she backs out? The whole underworld is waiting to see her thrown into the ocean!” “The adopted daughter is so much more sensible. She knows her place, found herself a rich backer, and is living a comfortable, secure life.” “The Jenkins family is so unlucky, giving birth to such an ungrateful biological daughter.” Hearing the malicious gossip, I realized my reputation in the city was already completely ruined. Yet, I used to be the elegant, well-educated heiress of the Jenkins family. It seemed that ever since my adopted sister, Mia, entered our home, my status began to plummet, and the attitudes of my parents and Liam slowly changed. Liam grabbed my hand directly, ignoring my words, and announced to the crowd, “Chloe is just throwing a little tantrum. Please forgive her. She has agreed to marry me, and I am willing to take her as my wife.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mia clenching her fists. I took a deep breath and violently shook off Liam’s hand: “I said I’m not marrying you, and I mean it! I already know about the dirty secrets between you and my sister! The baby in her belly is yours, isn’t it, Liam?” Those words hit the banquet hall like a bombshell. 【Great job! Mom! Tear off the hypocritical masks of this cheating couple!】 【Your adopted sister has been spreading rumors about you non-stop. Your reputation is ruined entirely because of her!】 The little dumpling, thriving on the chaos, cheered excitedly in my belly. “What nonsense are you talking about?!” Mia covered her mouth, looking pitiful and wronged. “Sister, it’s bad enough you bully me normally, but why would you falsely accuse me of something so huge in public?!” “How could you use my baby as an excuse to run away from your wedding?” Hearing her words, Liam’s expression shifted from guilty to composed. He said righteously, “Chloe, you’re crossing the line! Even if you don’t want to get married, you shouldn’t slander me and your sister!” My parents looked at me with immense disappointment, their faces twisted in anger: “Are you out of your mind?! Humiliating your sister and fiancé in public? How did the Jenkins family raise such a daughter?!” “Do you realize your words have turned us into the laughingstock of the city?!” The guests below were almost laughing out loud: “This is too good. This Jenkins heiress is truly trashy, spreading rumors about her own sugar daddy and sister in public!” I ripped off my veil, threw it on the ground, and turned to leave, but several heavily tattooed thugs immediately blocked the exit. Taking advantage of my momentary shock, Liam grabbed my wrist, intending to force me through the rest of the ceremony. His voice was squeezed through his teeth, his usually gentle demeanor now incredibly ferocious: “Once you become Mrs. Hayes, you’ll never have the right to be this willful again!” The eyes of the people around me were filled with mockery and ridicule. Not a single person respected my wishes. For the first time, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head, waking me up. My situation was this dire. I had been used as a pawn by my adopted sister and my supposed backer for their own interests. The little dumpling yelled anxiously: 【As soon as this wedding ceremony is over, your husband will find an excuse to lock you up in the dock warehouse!】 【The black SUVs are already lined up at the door. The second you walk out, you’ll be tied up!】 【Mom, hurry up and ask my real dad for help!】 Arthur? I looked toward where he had been sitting, only to find him standing up, leading two bodyguards in black suits toward the exit. 【Oh no, my dad is taking a helicopter to Mexico!】 This might be my last lifeline! In a moment of desperation, I bit down hard on the webbing between Liam’s thumb and index finger. He yelled in pain and let go. I turned, bolted, and threw myself toward Arthur. The bodyguards ran to intercept me, but I directly flipped over a display table, sending a towering pyramid of red wine glasses crashing to the floor. The long train of my wedding dress wove through the chaotic crowd. People screamed, and the venue dissolved into total mayhem. Ignoring everything, I dragged my wedding dress and sprinted straight for Arthur. His bodyguards didn’t react in time. Hearing the commotion, Arthur turned around, and I crashed directly into his chest. “Take me away, please!” Arthur’s face was obscured by the backlight. The next second, I was shoved away violently. He brushed off his suit as if he had touched something filthy, looking at me with sheer disgust: “Get lost. Didn’t you know I absolutely loathe women getting close to me?” 【So fake! Don’t believe him, he’s just acting tough right now. Once my dad falls in love with you, he’ll turn into a totally devoted puppy!】 Arthur turned to leave again. I desperately grabbed the cuff of his trousers, refusing to let him go. Footsteps rushed up from behind. Liam and his bodyguards caught up and pinned me down. My parents looked at Arthur’s barely suppressed anger with terror in their eyes: “We’re so sorry, Mr. Vance! My daughter is mentally unstable and offended you. We will personally visit your estate to offer a formal apology!” Liam also chimed in, his expression subservient: “Mr. Vance, it’s my fault for not keeping my woman in check. I will discipline her properly when we get back. Please, be magnanimous and forgive us!” Mia, however, looked at Arthur with absolute infatuation. This was the man almost every woman in the city both feared and desired. Arthur didn’t reply. He looked down at my hand gripping his trouser leg. Mia also noticed and raised her high heel, stomping down hard on the back of my hand. “Sister, how could you offend Mr. Vance? Let go, now!” I screamed in pain. Arthur took the opportunity to pull his leg free and strode away coldly. Seeing his back about to disappear, I yelled at him in panic: “Arthur! The babies in my belly are yours!” 3 Arthur stopped abruptly. The atmosphere descended into an eerie silence. The guests in the banquet hall stared at me. Their eyes were no longer mocking, but looking at me like I was already a corpse. Mia, not expecting me to drag Arthur into this, looked at me with unconcealed schadenfreude. She whispered in my ear, “Sister, trying to climb the social ladder? You picked the wrong target.” “Arthur Vance isn’t a man you can just attach yourself to.” She was right. Everyone knew Arthur avoided women and despised physical contact. The blood-red Buddhist amulet in his hand was the symbol of his ruthless, lethal decisiveness. The last woman who approached him with ulterior motives was thrown into international waters to feed the fish. “Is this woman asking for a death wish? I thought she was just cheap, but she’s actually insane. No one who crossed Mr. Vance has ever lived to tell the tale in one piece…” The crowd held its breath, waiting for Arthur to erupt. As expected, Arthur turned around. His lips were pressed in a tight, freezing line. His cold eyes stared at me like I was dead. He rubbed the amulet in his hand and said coldly, “My children? Heh, Ms. Jenkins, you really are bold.” “There isn’t a single person in this city bold enough to stand in front of me with a pregnant belly and fake a claim. I’ve heard of your reputation, but have you really sunk so low that you’d try to pawn your kid off on another man at your own wedding?” The amulet flipped through his fingers, striking a rhythmic beat against the silence. It was a sign that Arthur was about to unleash his wrath. Liam quickly grabbed my head and forced it to the floor, apologizing to Arthur while forcing me to kowtow: “I’m so sorry, Mr. Vance! She’s truly out of her mind. Please, just spare her this once!” “Apologize to Mr. Vance right now, hurry!” Seeing Liam completely unbothered by my claim that the child wasn’t his, I knew he was well aware that I wasn’t carrying his baby. He just wanted to control me, so he could openly carry on his affair with Mia later. 【Mom, don’t be afraid! As long as there’s evidence that we’re his kids, he won’t abandon you!】 【Once you have the Vance family backing you up, everyone who bullied you will get their karma!】 Evidence? I smiled bitterly. Where was I going to get evidence? I didn’t even know Arthur as a person. My parents rushed forward and slapped me hard across the face twice, screaming, “Apologize to Mr. Vance immediately! Are you trying to get the entire Jenkins family killed?!” Arthur looked down at me from his towering height. I looked as pathetic as a maggot in the dirt. The intoxicating memories of that night felt as unreal as an illusion. Suddenly, remembering something, I looked up at Arthur and said calmly, “Mr. Vance, I saw the gunshot wound on the side of your waist.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Arthur froze. Though his expression didn’t change, his eyes were filled with shock. The gunshot wound on his waist was from a violent gang war in his early years. It was in a hidden location; no one knew about it unless they were incredibly intimate with him. The rest of the hall exchanged confused glances, not understanding what I was talking about. But Mia was smart and quickly interrupted: “Sister, everyone in the underworld has a gunshot wound. How can you use such a boring piece of evidence to prove you have a relationship with Mr. Vance? Do you know how many women have tried similar tricks over the years?” “If you really want to prove the seeds in your belly belong to Mr. Vance, why don’t we just do a paternity test?” Mia looked immensely smug. She didn’t believe for a second that I actually had any involvement with Arthur. After all, how could an unremarkable Jenkins daughter possibly get involved with the city’s arms king? Even his presence at this wedding today was only secured after Liam pulled massive strings, offering up a significant amount of weapons and territory. The people around me agreed: “Yeah! Do a paternity test! Slap this woman right in the face!” “Who does she think she is, trying to claim ties with Mr. Vance? And claiming the baby is his at her own wedding? What a shameless slut!” “She was yelling so confidently, let’s do the test and expose her ugly face personally! Let’s make sure she can never show her face in this city again!” Arthur’s eyes were dark and unreadable. Then, he nodded, giving me a chance. “Fine, let’s do a paternity test. I’ll make sure you die knowing exactly why.” 【Mom, you’re a badass! I finally get to see my dad’s face get slapped, hahaha!】 【Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to handle him. By the time he falls in love with you, you’ll have a perfectly obedient, loyal puppy!】 The farce at the wedding quickly became the talk of the town. Old Mr. Vance, Arthur’s father, heard the news and rushed to the scene. Seeing my blood being drawn by a private doctor, he stood to the side, unable to hide his joyous expression. “Wonderful. To think I’d get to hold my grandchildren while I’m still alive.” Arthur sneered. “When she’s exposed in a few minutes, I hope she can still walk out of here in one piece.” I closed my eyes, letting the blood drain from my body. My parents stood by in terror, deeply afraid I would implicate the Jenkins family. Liam’s face was as dark as ink. At his wedding, his woman was getting a paternity test for another man’s children. Even if that man was Arthur Vance, he felt a crushing sense of humiliation. 【Thank god Mom didn’t marry this Hayes guy! He’s plotting how to deal with you as soon as the wedding is over!】 【Wuuuwuuu, drawing blood hurts so much, but for Mom’s happiness, I’ll endure it!】 At this moment, my body was covered in bruises. Drawing blood made me so weak I could barely stand. I leaned on the comfort of the little dumpling’s voice to keep waiting for the results. The guests sized me up with mocking eyes. They were all waiting to see Arthur punish me ruthlessly. No one believed that Arthur, who abstained from women, could possibly have a child. I also realized that if the babies weren’t Arthur’s, I would face absolute annihilation. Finally, hurried footsteps echoed outside the door. Arthur’s personal subordinate rushed in nervously, holding a report, and whispered into Arthur’s ear. Arthur’s cold expression was instantly replaced with absolute shock. Old Mr. Vance impatiently tapped his cane on the floor: “What are you whispering about? Are they my biological grandchildren or not? Spit it out!” Mia covered her mouth and giggled nearby. “Is there even a need to say it? How could it be the Vance family’s flesh and blood? It’s all my sister’s lies…” The subordinate wiped the sweat from his forehead and announced loudly: “The genetic similarity between Ms. Jenkins’s children and Mr. Vance is 99.99%!” 4 The room was silent for a moment before exploding into a frenzy of discussion. Everyone stared at me in sheer disbelief: “How is that possible?! A girl from such a small family, how could she get pregnant with Mr. Vance’s child?” The Buddhist amulet in Arthur’s hand was suddenly squeezed tight. He frowned: “I don’t even know this woman, how could…” But the paternity report, and the gunshot wound on his waist, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the bride standing in front of him was indeed his woman. He suddenly remembered a night three months ago. After finishing an arms deal at a casino, he was ambushed, drugged, and ultimately passed out in a VIP suite. That night was a haze. He was consumed by lust and unable to pull himself out. When he woke up, he thought it was just a dream. He never expected it to be reality. “Sister, you are truly shameless!” Mia jumped out again. When she first heard that the babies in my belly were Arthur’s, the mask had slipped for a second, revealing intense jealousy. But seeing Arthur completely refuse to acknowledge me, she regained her smugness. “You cheated on Liam behind his back, and then shamelessly climbed into Mr. Vance’s bed! You’re too manipulative! You’ve played us all for fools!” “The virtuous and elegant image of the Jenkins family has been completely destroyed by you! I can’t believe we produced such a promiscuous woman like you!” Hearing her words, the crowd finally processed the situation. I was pregnant with Arthur’s child while marrying Liam. This was simply a gross violation of public decency. The guests immediately started attacking me: “Exactly! This woman clung to the Hayes heir, and then secretly plotted against Mr. Vance behind his back! How does someone like her deserve to enter the Vance family?!” “A cheating woman actually has the nerve to claim paternity at her own wedding! Why hasn’t the Jenkins family thrown her out yet? Still dreaming of climbing the ranks through her children? The Vance family won’t let her off easily!” “Kick her out of the city! Immoral, low character, cheating in public… it’s absolutely disgusting!” The insults directed at me grew louder and louder. Unable to bear the humiliation, my parents yelled: “The Jenkins family does not have a disgraceful daughter like you! Get out of here!” “Mia is the only daughter of our family!” Liam stood silently to the side, taking a vindictive pleasure in watching me being berated by the crowd. Suddenly, a cane struck the floor heavily. Old Mr. Vance’s voice carried an unquestionable authority: “Enough! What kind of place do you think this is? A whole crowd of people bullying a little girl!” “As long as the flesh and blood in Ms. Jenkins’s belly belongs to the Vance family, she is the daughter-in-law of the Vance family!” “Marcus, escort Ms. Jenkins to the car. We’re going home!” The bodyguard nodded and reached out to help me. By this point, I was utterly exhausted from the stress and pregnancy. After two steps, my body went weak, and I pitched forward. Just as I was about to hit the floor, a pair of hands caught me, sweeping me up into a firm embrace. Arthur looked entirely aloof. “Although I won’t acknowledge you, you are carrying my seed and you have been my woman. I will not allow others to bully you.” He carried me, his sharp gaze sweeping over the people who had just been mocking me. “From now on, Ms. Jenkins is part of the Vance family. If I hear any more malicious gossip, don’t blame me for turning hostile.” With that, he took long strides out of the banquet hall. Over his shoulder, I saw the faces of Mia and Liam. They glared at me with vicious eyes, clearly unwilling to let this go. I was quietly placed inside a black, bulletproof SUV by Arthur. When he got in and sat beside me, I instantly felt the immense pressure of his presence. The man sitting next to me had carved a path through blood and violence, building his own arms empire in the city. He was the eldest son of the Vance family, with a status that was completely out of reach. Logically, someone of my class shouldn’t even have the right to interact with such a massive figure. He closed his eyes and rested beside me. A moment later, he answered a satellite phone: “Cancel the helicopter. Just bring Elena back to the country later.” 【Mom, your biggest rival, Elena, is about to appear! She’s my dad’s one and only ‘white lotus’ first love! This woman is much more formidable than your sister!】 【But don’t worry! No matter if it’s your sister or Elena, Dad and I will absolutely back you up!】 I rubbed my belly and smiled bitterly. Even though the little dumpling said that, I didn’t hold out any hope. I was a woman who almost married another man, a woman he only had a one-night stand with. How could I possibly catch the eye of an arms warlord? I escaped Liam’s control and ended up with the Vance family. Who could say if I hadn’t just jumped from the frying pan into an even bigger fire? Arthur squinted, sizing me up. His suspicion of me had never vanished: “Ms. Jenkins, even though you’re carrying my seed, I will never marry you.” He sneered. “I don’t care what methods you used to get pregnant, or how long you planned out this little show today, but getting into the Vance family won’t be that easy.” Hearing his words, the little dumpling started screaming again: 【Fake! So fake! You have no idea how much he reminisced about that night after it happened!】 【He’s the ultimate hopeless romantic! Mom, you don’t even need to use any tricks. He’ll convince himself to fall in love with you!】 I closed my eyes, took three seconds to digest Arthur and the little dumpling’s words, and answered obediently: “I never thought about entering the Vance family. I just want to give birth to the children safely and watch them grow up healthy.” Arthur didn’t say another word, but the little dumpling issued a notification: 【Dad’s heart rate is rising! He’s very satisfied with your answer! Falling in love with you is just a matter of time!】

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The day before my hospital promotion interview, my boyfriend secretly submitted an application for me to join the Tibet medical aid team. I was furious and demanded to know why. He just nonchalantly said, “Chloe was using my computer to look up some info the other day and accidentally clicked the wrong thing. It was just a joke.” “There’s a secondary confirmation, right? Just reject it.” Chloe was the new resident in Liam’s department this year. She was bright and beautiful, always buzzing around Liam. He knew perfectly well that if I didn’t reply within 12 hours, the application would automatically be confirmed. I would have to stay in the Tibetan region for three years. It turned out my career development and life plans were nothing more than a joke to him. I didn’t say a word; I simply confirmed the transfer order to Tibet. Later, when Liam saw my transfer document, he suddenly panicked. “Wasn’t there a secondary confirmation? You didn’t reject it?!” 1 When I received the transfer order for the Tibet medical aid team, my blood ran cold. Yesterday, I asked Liam to submit my application for the Deputy Chief Physician promotion. Now, I only received a notice stating: “Dispatched to Tibet for medical aid, duration: three years.” HR sent me a message: “Evelyn, did you submit the wrong form? You have 12 hours to reject it.” Liam and I had been dating for seven years and were planning to get married at the end of this year. Everyone in the hospital knew there was no way I would voluntarily go to Tibet at this point in my life. My hands were shaking. When I dialed Liam’s number, my nails dug into my palms. “What happened? I received a notice for the Tibet medical aid team.” A careless laugh came from Liam on the other end of the line. “Oh, forgot to tell you. Chloe came to my office the other day and saw me working on your application. She said the sky in Tibet is so blue and the snow-capped mountains are beautiful, so she submitted an application for you as a joke.” “She’s new and doesn’t know any better. It was just a joke.” “There’s a secondary confirmation, right? Just reject it.” His tone was incredibly casual, like he had just ordered the wrong takeout. “You think this is no big deal?” He sounded impatient, “You’re overthinking things again.” “Do we need to be so serious? Just change it back.” “If HR hadn’t reminded me, this transfer would have gone into effect.” “Chloe illegally accessed computer data and invaded my privacy. I can report her.” Liam’s voice instantly turned cold. “Evelyn, you’re becoming increasingly unreasonable.” “It was a joke, and you want to report Chloe? When are you going to drop this hostility towards her?” He paused, his tone hardening, “How many times do I have to tell you? She just graduated and doesn’t know anyone in the hospital. What’s wrong with me taking care of her a bit more as her mentor?” “What’s the big deal about her making a joke? If you’re going to report her, report me too!” He hung up on me. I sat in the on-call room, feeling a bit dazed. Seven years. Everyone said we were a match made in heaven. But now, he’s in cardiology, and I’m heading to Tibet. Between us lay over two thousand miles, and a Chloe. Canceling the application only required a single click. But I stared at the screen and didn’t move. A nurse knocked on the door: “Dr. Thorne, someone’s here for you.” Chloe was holding two cups of coffee. She saw me and strode over. “Evelyn.” She handed me a cup. “I just got off the phone with Dr. Hayes. He’s in a bad mood and wants to take a few colleagues camping. Do you think it’s appropriate for me to go?” Her voice carried a hint of provocation, her eyes full of smugness. It had been three months. Ever since she was assigned to our department as a resident, it had been like this. Pretending to be innocent while constantly provoking me. I took the coffee, didn’t drink it, and asked her back, “What do you think?” Chloe scratched her head: “I don’t know, I’m afraid you might misunderstand. Dr. Hayes said you’ve had an issue with him lately. I was thinking, maybe I should keep my distance…” “Then don’t go.” She froze for a moment. “Weren’t you asking for my opinion?” I placed the coffee on the desk. “My opinion is, don’t go.” Chloe’s expression shifted. Before she could speak, the elevator doors opened. Liam walked out, saw us, and frowned. “Chloe, I told you to wait downstairs. Why did you come up?” “I came to ask Evelyn’s opinion on whether I could go camping with you guys…” Chloe lowered her head, her voice sounding wronged, “I was afraid she’d be upset.” Liam patted Chloe on the shoulder. “Don’t be silly, why ask her? I told you to go, so you’re going.” Chloe looked up at him, her eyes lighting up, then looked at me hesitantly. Liam turned to me, his tone very impatient. “Look at how much Chloe cares about your feelings, and look at you. You can’t even take a joke.” I pointed at Chloe: “She cares about my feelings? Do you have any idea how much drama she’s caused these past three months?” “Bringing you breakfast and leaving sticky notes right in front of me, posting ambiguous things on social media—who is she putting on a show for?” “I’m your girlfriend! She’s trying to steal you right in front of my face!” “Always ‘Dr. Hayes’ this, ‘Dr. Hayes’ that. It’s disgusting.” “Calling me ‘sister’ to my face, but secretly wishing I’d disappear so she can cling to you!” Chloe’s face turned pale. Liam stared at me, his face dark. “Are you done? When did you become so bitter?” “Why is your mind so filthy? Are you really making a huge deal out of a normal mentor-student relationship?” “Chloe is the bigger person and won’t hold this against you. Apologize to her, and we’ll drop this.” I laughed out of sheer anger, “Are you crazy? You want me to apologize to this little girl? Impossible!” Liam’s face fell instantly. “Evelyn, I advise you not to push my limits!” I smiled. Limits? I’ve basically been cheated on, and he’s talking about limits? Oh, I used to be his limit. Now it’s changed. “Then let’s break up.” Liam scoffed coldly, “Fine, let’s break up. Don’t come crawling back begging to get back together later.” With that, Liam grabbed Chloe and left. I heard him say to her, “Ignore her. Let’s go camping.” Back in the on-call room, the system page was still open. The countdown to cancel the application had one hour left. I started searching for information on the Tibet medical aid team, precautions for working at high altitudes, and reports on the current medical situation in the region. Time ticked by. Twelve o’clock sharp. The countdown hit zero. The deadline to withdraw had passed. “Transfer order confirmed: Tibet Medical Aid Team, 3-year term. Please report to the medical team within one month.” Although working there would be hard, experience in Tibet added points for professional title evaluations, and I’d be given priority for promotion upon my return. It didn’t seem like a bad thing. I regretted ever holding back my career just to align with Liam’s more conservative plans. Closing the computer, a message from my best friend, Mia, popped up. “Evelyn! I saw Liam and Chloe at the Blue Note Bar! Holy crap, they’re practically making out.” She also sent a video. The footage was blurry, but I could clearly see Liam being surrounded and egged on, with Chloe sitting next to him, looking at him with absolute adoration. “Liam, truth or dare? A dare could be hugging the nearest girl for one minute!” Amidst the laughter, Liam directly hugged Chloe. Cheers and whistles erupted. My heart ached for a second, then quickly calmed down. I replied to Mia: “It’s fine.” Then I started packing my personal belongings in the on-call room. Two weeks later, Liam’s assistant delivered an invitation. “Dr. Hayes is hosting a celebration banquet for his research project at the Cloud Top tonight. Please be sure to attend.” “I’m not going.” The assistant looked surprised: “Why? You’re a core member of this project…” “I have plans.” The assistant smiled, “You can bring a friend. Dr. Hayes specifically requested your presence.” A few colleagues looked over. I accepted the invitation. That evening at the Cloud Top, Chloe stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, wearing a well-fitted gown, greeting the guests. Seeing me, she immediately patted my shoulder. “Evelyn, you’re here. Today is the day I passed my first-stage assessment. I was afraid it wouldn’t be lively enough, so I begged Dr. Hayes to move his celebration banquet to today so we could celebrate together.” I nodded: “Congratulations.” “Thanks.” Her smile grew even brighter, “Hurry and sit down, we saved a spot for you at the main table.” I found a seat near the edge and sat down. Liam found me. “Evelyn, go to the main table. What does it look like hiding here?” “It’s fine here.” Liam took a deep breath: “I let you block me for two weeks. Are you still mad?” “When have we not sat together at a celebration banquet? Is it really worth making a fuss over that little transfer application thing?” People at nearby tables looked over. A familiar colleague tried to smooth things over: “Evelyn, come sit. We saved your spot.” I was ushered to the main table. There was an empty seat next to Liam. Chloe naturally walked over and sat down right next to him. “Evelyn is here too.” She smiled casually, “Dr. Hayes and I were just discussing going to the International Medical Symposium. I passed my first-stage assessment, and Dr. Hayes said he wants to take me to see the world.” She raised an eyebrow: “Shall the three of us go together?” I picked up my water glass and took a sip. At the end of last year, Liam said he would take me to the biggest International Medical Symposium this year. He said he would introduce me to several important figures. “Make sure you take lots of photos and post them,” he had said while fixing my collar. “Let those who say you rely on me see that this is your own ability.” I brushed it off verbally, but felt warm inside. For seven years, my heart would always skip a beat whenever I was with Liam. But now, there was nothing. I just found it absurd. “You two go.” “I have a lot of handover work lately, I don’t have time.” After the banquet, I went out to the terrace for some fresh air. Liam followed me and grabbed my wrist. “Evelyn, what is the meaning of this?” “Exactly what it sounds like.” I pulled my hand back. Liam laughed bitterly: “How long are you going to keep acting awkward? Just cancel the transfer application!” “I asked Chloe, she was planning to tell you anyway, but you found out first. Even if you hadn’t, she would have reminded you by the next day at the latest!” I nodded: “Then I really should thank her.” “Don’t talk to me in that tone.” He let go, his tone forceful, “You must come with me to the International Medical Symposium next Monday. It’s something I promised you a long time ago!” He turned and left. Monday morning at nine, I stood by my office window and looked down. Liam and Chloe were standing by a car near the hospital entrance, occasionally looking up at my floor. I closed the blinds. My phone vibrated. Liam sent a message: “Come down. Or do you want me to come up and beg you?” I replied: “Busy, not going.” “What could you possibly be busy with? Isn’t the promotion interview over?” “If you don’t come this time, you better not regret it!” He drove off with Chloe. That day, he posted three times on social media. Chloe was in every single one. 【Taking the newbie to experience a top-tier academic event. The light in a young person’s eyes reminds me of when I first graduated.】 【The kid got praised by several seniors and was so shy.】 【Group photo at the symposium. Newbies need more exposure.】 … A bunch of comments followed. “Is Dr. Hayes bringing a student or a little girlfriend? So dedicated.” “Did Dr. Thorne not go? Did the golden duo break up?” “Chloe really knows how to handle things. Dr. Hayes has a good eye.” Mia sent me screenshots, furious. “Is Chloe doing this on purpose? Purely disgusting. Even though you guys haven’t publicly announced your relationship at the hospital, anyone with eyes knows you’re a couple! This is insulting you right to your face.” “She’s literally begging to be the other woman.” “Aren’t you going to do something?” Disgusted? No. I just felt it was pathetic, but also felt a sense of relief. A single resident made me see his true colors. The deadline to withdraw the transfer application had passed. I started packing for Tibet. Adapting to the high altitude wouldn’t be easy. I had to prepare altitude sickness medication, various vaccines, and undergo professional training. But once my mindset shifted, I felt it was a new beginning. Before leaving, I asked Mia out for Tibetan food to get used to the flavors. Mia was surprised: “After how Liam acted last night, you still have the mood to take me to a new restaurant? This isn’t like you.” “Why wouldn’t I?” I smiled. Work is work, life is life. Tibetan food focuses on the original flavor of the meat. After trying it, I found it surprisingly suited my taste. On the way back to the apartment, I was even humming a song. Mia looked at me: “Have you really moved on? Looking at Liam and Chloe’s posts, they seem even closer after last night…” I didn’t answer. Passing by a rooftop near the hospital, I told Mia to head back first while I went up for some fresh air. I loved coming here my first year on the job. When the pressure was high, this was my breathing space. Liam was my superior back then. Once, an academic paper I had spent three months preparing was rejected. I was crying in the stairwell. He found me and brought me up here. “Look down.” He pointed at the city lights. “It’s just a paper. It doesn’t even take up a single pixel in all these lights.” The terrified newbie became his most capable partner. Later, we would come up here to discuss cases, vent about difficult families, share gossip… When we became equals, we still often came here late at night after working overtime. Liam liked leaning against the railing, looking at the lights of distant buildings. “Evelyn, the speed at which you’re improving is giving me a sense of crisis.” I’d look at him smugly and smile: “Then Dr. Hayes better work hard, so you don’t get overtaken by me.” I didn’t realize that those conversations were already mixed with admiration and reliance that went beyond professional boundaries. During my third year, I led a team research project, and there was an issue with the key data. The academic committee pointed their fingers at my nose in front of a whole conference room, calling me unprofessional and threatening to pull the funding. Liam stood up to defend me: “Director Wang, I’m the head of this project, I’ll take responsibility for all the issues. I gave the final approval for Evelyn’s data. If you want to yell at someone, yell at me.” He took all the blame and voluntarily offered to reduce the project funding as compensation after the meeting. After the committee members left, I stood in the empty conference room, watching Liam’s back as he organized the documents, my throat tightening. I wanted to fight alongside this man forever. That was when we officially got together. I stood on the rooftop, letting the wind blow, quietly watching the city. My phone vibrated. My mother was calling. “Evelyn, your dad is in the hospital. The doctor says it might be cancer, he needs surgery immediately. The deposit is a hundred thousand…” She sobbed, “Can you lend Mom some money first? Your brother is still in school, I really have no other way…” My throat tightened. I’ve always had a bad relationship with my father. He drank and gambled, and they divorced when I was in middle school. But blood ties are hard to sever. “How much do you need?” “Prepare a hundred and fifty thousand for now. We might need more later…” I hung up, leaning against the railing, all my strength drained. I had savings from working all these years, but I bought a house the year before last and had a monthly mortgage. If I scraped my liquid assets together, I had about a hundred thousand. I was still fifty thousand short. I scrolled through my contacts and called Liam three times, but he didn’t answer. I had to call a few friends and managed to scrape together thirty thousand. Still twenty thousand short. I returned to the apartment late at night and received a message from Chloe. It wasn’t a direct message, but a social media post visible only to me. The photo showed Liam’s desk, and on the desk was an exquisite velvet box containing a necklace. Caption: 【Oh my god! I really met an angel mentor! Liam said my performance these past three months was super good, this is my reward and the best birthday present! So happy, I need to work even harder!】 The location tag was Liam’s apartment. The time was an hour ago. I stared at the post, my stomach churning. That necklace cost over ten thousand, almost my entire month’s salary. Finally, I asked Mia. She transferred me twenty thousand without a second thought: “No rush, pay me back when you’re comfortable. We’re sisters, don’t mention it.” The next afternoon, Liam finally called back: “What happened last night? I was helping Chloe with her first-stage assessment summary, my phone was on silent.” I stared at the scanned copy of my father’s medical records on the computer screen, pushing down the lump in my throat. “Was the necklace you gave Chloe expensive?” Liam was silent for a few seconds, “Are you being paranoid again? I know you’re under a lot of pressure lately, but honestly, you’re this obsessed over an encouragement award for a resident?” “Chloe and I have a normal mentor-student relationship. She completed her first independent case, and as her mentor, I gave her some encouragement. What’s the problem?” Encouragement is fine. Giving a gift is also fine. But giving a necklace late at night in an apartment is not fine. I hung up on him. A message from Liam popped up on WeChat. “Did you cancel the transfer application?” “None of your business.” I didn’t want to tell him I had already confirmed the trip to Tibet. Liam sent a speechless emoji: “I know you’ll definitely cancel it. You’ve partnered with me for seven years, can you really leave me?” “Before your promotion notice is officially issued, you must apologize to Chloe. Otherwise, you can go navigate the rest of the process yourself. I will not put in a good word for you with any of the review experts!” We had agreed on this a long time ago. He was going to introduce me to several senior experts he knew well during the review stage as a gesture of goodwill. Although I could do it on my own, it would be much smoother with him paving the way. Unfortunately, I’m heading to Tibet soon. I blocked both his work and personal WeChat accounts. I officially handed over my work to the department and started preparing for Tibet. Liam didn’t contact me again, but from the whispers of my colleagues, I knew his relationship with Chloe was practically public. Someone saw Chloe getting out of Liam’s car. Chloe scored an S+ on her phase assessment. Almost no resident had ever received an S+ before. Historically, almost no resident had ever achieved it. I moved out of the apartment I shared with Liam and temporarily stayed at my friend’s house. “Have you really thought this through?” Mia asked as she helped me pack. “Tibet isn’t like here. The conditions are harsh, altitude sickness is severe, and you’ll be there for three years.” “I’ve thought it through.” “If I stay here, I’ll have to face Liam and Chloe every day. I don’t want to waste the next three years of my life on him.” “Do you know what saddens me the most?” I zipped up my suitcase and looked at her. “It’s not Liam’s betrayal, or Chloe’s scheming. It’s that when this happened, my first reaction was actually a fear of losing him, a fear of changing the status quo, a fear of facing the unknown alone.” “You know me, I wasn’t timid before. I’ve given up too much for him over these years.” I smiled. “If I can even accept being transferred to Tibet, then there shouldn’t be anything in this world that can scare me.” A week before departure, I went to the hospital for a full physical and vaccinations. High-altitude adaptation training, cardiopulmonary function tests… The long list of preparations made my scalp tingle. The hospital’s foreign aid department held a simple farewell party for me. Liam didn’t attend; I heard he took the day off. Chloe, however, showed up. “Evelyn, I hope your work in Tibet goes smoothly.” I raised my glass, “Thank you, and I wish you all the best too. Learn well under Dr. Hayes.” Chloe’s expression stiffened for a second. After the farewell party, I ran into Liam at the elevator. He seemed to be waiting specifically for me. There were visible dark circles under his eyes. “We need to talk.” “Everything that needed to be said has been said.” I pressed the elevator button. “Evelyn, don’t go.” Liam suddenly grabbed my wrist. “I was wrong. I admit I was wrong. I shouldn’t have indulged Chloe, I shouldn’t have disrespected your career plans. Let’s start over, okay?” I looked at him, this man I had loved for seven years. Right now, his eyes were bloodshot and filled with pleading. For a moment, I almost softened. But I remembered the panic I felt when the transfer notification email popped up. I remembered his nonchalance when he said it was just a joke. “It’s too late, Liam.” I gently pulled my hand away, “The elevator is here.” “If you really go to Tibet, we’re completely over!” Liam shouted behind me. I stepped into the elevator, turned to face him, and said, “We were over the moment you let someone else make jokes about us like that.” The flight to Tibet took off in the early hours of the morning. I leaned against the window, watching the city’s brilliant lights gradually shrink into a blurry patch, eventually completely covered by the clouds. My phone was full of unread messages. My parents’ worries, my friends’ concern, my colleagues’ farewells. I replied to them one by one. Finally, I opened a text from Liam. “You’d rather go to Tibet than stay by my side. Did you ever even love me?” I stared at the sentence for a long time, then replied word by word: “I used to love you more than I loved myself. But now, I’m going to start loving myself.” Send. Power off. The plane broke through the clouds. Outside the window, the heavy darkness and the city below gradually thinned out, eventually vanishing beneath the sea of clouds. The days of medical aid in Tibet passed quickly. Three years. I got used to the rhythm of the plateau. Case after case, the team grew from strangers to a cohesive unit. The starry sky on the plateau was indeed beautiful, vast enough to hold all my worries. When my term ended, I booked my ticket back early. The first night after landing, I couldn’t sleep due to the change in environment. Looking at the city lights at 3 AM, there was a strange sense of unreality. But it was fine. I went to eat at the noodle shop near the hospital that I used to frequent. The taste was the same. At dawn, Mia called. “Evelyn, Liam asked me if you were really back. I told him you arrived yesterday, but he didn’t believe me. He insisted you were avoiding him on purpose.” I heard Liam’s voice on the other end; Mia had put it on speaker. “Mia, let me talk to Evelyn. I know she’s mad at me, but it’s been so many years. Let’s meet up and talk. We can collaborate on work.” His tone was forceful, carrying the pressure of someone used to being in charge. Mia was exasperated: “Evelyn really is back. I had dinner with her yesterday, she brought a bunch of souvenirs from Tibet.” “She came back yesterday?” Liam sounded doubtful and displeased. “Whatever, I’ll just go to her apartment.” “Don’t. Evelyn has things to deal with these next couple of days, she might not be home…” “Where is she?” Mia paused. “Evelyn got an offer from Renhe Hospital. She’s not coming back to our hospital.” Silence on the other end. Rapid breathing, like someone being strangled. I hung up. A new job began. I needed to re-adapt to the rhythm. But soon, the decisiveness and resilience I honed on the plateau proved their worth. Alone in a new, top-tier medical institution, I built my professional domain step by step. Liam still found me. He stopped me at the cafe downstairs at the hospital, dark circles under his eyes. “Why did you go to another hospital?” His voice was hoarse. I looked at my watch: “Sorry, I have a meeting in ten minutes.” He blocked my path. “Just because of Chloe’s prank, you’re completely cutting off all possibilities between us?” I stopped and looked at him, just like I did when we discussed cases over the past seven years. Only this time, there was no warmth in my eyes. “Yes, I’m petty. I can’t handle jokes like that.” Liam’s jaw tightened: “Evelyn, you can’t do this. You know perfectly well that all these years, my heart…” “I only saw Chloe as a student. The bar incident was a mistake fueled by alcohol and the atmosphere.” “Taking her to the symposium and posting those pictures was just to provoke you, to make you care.” His voice dropped even lower, tinged with a sob. “You’re ruthless, giving up on me without a word. Why didn’t you cancel the transfer application?” “Was that joke really worth you holding a grudge for so many years?” I looked at him quietly and shook my head: “Fine, the transfer wasn’t really worth holding a grudge over.” Liam froze, staring at me intently. “My father was hospitalized and needed surgery. The night I called you, do you know where I was?” “On the rooftop. You were definitely there. You were waiting for me, right?” Liam was sharp. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have turned my phone off that night. I should have answered your call!” I remained silent for a moment, then slowly pushed his blocking arm away. “Liam, that night, my father was diagnosed with cancer.” Liam’s entire body went rigid, his pupils shrinking. “I needed a hundred and fifty thousand. I scraped together a hundred and thirty thousand. I was short twenty thousand.” My tone was flat. “I called you three times. Your phone was on silent. Chloe posted a picture. The photo showed the watch you gave her, and the location was your apartment.” Liam breathed heavily, clenching and unclenching his fists, as if drained of all strength. “That night, I was truly desperate. I couldn’t accept that when I was at my lowest, you didn’t care about me at all.” “I endured everything you and Chloe did before without complaint, but that day, I truly regretted it. Because you loved me far less than I loved you.” I looked at him. “You were in our apartment giving an encouragement award to a resident, sleeping soundly, and missed the call when I desperately needed help.” Liam painfully closed his eyes. He slammed his hand against the wall, his palm turning red. I took a soft breath: “But, it’s all in the past. I’m doing great now. Better than ever.” “Let’s just stay former colleagues. Please thank Chloe for me. I received her joke, and I cherish my experience in Tibet.” I don’t know when Liam left. Anyway, he didn’t stop me again. A week later, Mia told me Chloe had been blacklisted by the medical industry. She was caught stealing patient data from her previous hospital, violating medical ethics, with solid evidence against her. I knew this was Liam’s doing. I didn’t ask further. At the end of the quarter, the first clinical research project I led concluded successfully, with astounding results. The hospital threw a small celebration party. As I was leaving, I ran into Chloe by the elevators. She came specifically to find me. Our eyes met. The sunny smugness in her eyes was gone, replaced by venom and resentment. “Evelyn, you won.” Her voice was sharp. “Liam used his connections to block every path for me in this industry.” “I just don’t get it. What makes you so special?” “Are you prettier than me? Younger than me? Better at pleasing people than me?” She took a step closer: “You just had the advantage of knowing him a few years earlier than I did.” I was tired of listening. “Are you done? Excuse me, I’m in a hurry.” Chloe sneered: “Don’t be so smug. You’re back, but I heard Liam rejected Renhe Hospital’s poaching offer last month and stayed at his old job.” “So what if he’s nostalgic? Your two hospitals are competing for the same national key clinical specialty designation next year. You’re the discipline leader, and he’s their main player. You’ll be rivals.” She was trying to provoke me. I found it boring. I pressed the elevator button: “I’ve left him for you. Go ahead, reconcile with him. I wish you success.” Chloe’s expression shifted. From the shadows of the emergency exit, a familiar figure emerged. Liam, in a sharp suit, but with unconcealable exhaustion between his brows. I paused, gave a calm nod. Chloe was terrified, hastily fixing her collar and forcing a smile: “Liam, what are you doing here? I was just meeting a friend…” “Get lost.” Liam’s voice was cold and hard. Chloe tried to grab his arm: “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come to see Evelyn, but I have no choice. I can’t stay in this industry anymore, please help me…” “I said, get lost.” Chloe left, looking utterly defeated. Liam looked at me, taking a long time to speak: “Evelyn, I’m preparing to resign from my old job and start a high-end medical device company.” I remained silent. Liam forced a smile: “I know the mistakes I made can’t be easily fixed, so I want to start over with a brand new identity. You’re doing great at Renhe Hospital, and I hope we can collaborate in the future.” His tone was sincere. But I didn’t need it. I remained silent. Liam grew anxious: “Evelyn, give me a chance to make amends. I really miss when we were partners. Can we start from zero?” No. I had absolutely no interest. I sighed softly: “Liam, do you really think this has any meaning?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394541”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was the last to know our company was being sold for $20 million. I went to work as usual that day, but when I pushed open the conference room door, it was full of people. Liam, my boss, sat at the head of the table, flanked by three strangers in sharp suits. He saw me, and his eyes flickered. “Chloe, go back to your work, we don’t need you here.” I froze in the doorway. A document lay spread out on the conference table, and I could only make out a few words— “Equity Acquisition Letter of Intent.” My name is Chloe Vance, and I’m 29 years old. Three years ago, I was an accountant at a small firm, making $4,000 a month, renting an apartment, and commuting an hour by subway. Liam was a senior from my university, four years ahead of me, and a prominent figure on campus. We weren’t particularly close, occasionally exchanging a few words in the alumni group chat after graduation. Until one night three years ago, he suddenly asked me out to dinner. “Chloe, I want to start a business in cross-border e-commerce,” he said casually, picking up a piece of food. “You’re an accounting major, want to join?” I was taken aback. “Senior, I… I don’t really know much about e-commerce.” “You don’t need to.” He smiled. “You handle the money, I’ll handle the business, and we’ll split it fifty-fifty.” Fifty-fifty. Those words were like a pebble dropped into the stagnant pool of my life. I had just gone through a breakup, my job was unsatisfying, and I felt like I was just going through the motions every day, finding life meaningless. Liam’s words were like a ray of light. “Senior, I don’t have much money,” I said honestly. “How much do you have?” “Savings… about twenty or thirty thousand dollars.” He nodded: “Not enough. The startup capital needs to be at least two million dollars.” My heart sank. “But—” he continued, “I’ll put in one million, you put in one million. You can borrow the rest from your family.” Borrow from my family. My parents were blue-collar workers; they hadn’t saved much their entire lives. But I was still tempted. Fifty-fifty. Being my own boss. Changing my life. These phrases kept spinning in my head all night. The next day, I called my mom. “Mom, I want to start a business.” Silence hung on the other end of the line for a long time. “How much do you need?” “…One million.” My mom didn’t scold me, nor did she ask too many questions. A week later, she wired the money to my account. I later found out that money was their life savings for retirement, plus money borrowed from relatives, plus a loan against their old house back home. One million dollars. My parents had never seen that much money in their lives. They entrusted it to me. And I entrusted it to Liam. On the day we signed the contract, Liam treated me to a lavish dinner. “Come on, Chloe, have a drink to celebrate our partnership!” I couldn’t drink much, but I was so happy that day. Whenever he toasted me, I drank. Glass after glass. What happened later is a bit of a blur. I only remember him pushing a stack of documents in front of me. “Sign here, just a formality.” I squinted at the text, densely packed and a bit dizzying. “What is this…” “The partnership agreement.” He picked up a pen for me. “See, 1,000,000 for 50%, it’s written clearly.” I took the pen and signed my name. He smiled, gathered the documents, and patted my shoulder. “Junior, from today on, we’re partners.” Partners. I believed those words for three years. The beginning of the company was tough. We rented a 600-square-foot office with no AC in the summer and no heating in the winter. Liam ran the business, I handled the finances, and with two part-time customer service reps, that was our entire team. I arrived at the office at 8 AM every day and didn’t leave until 11 PM or midnight. Salary? None. Liam said, “We’re just starting out, let’s hold off on salaries until we make some money.” I thought that made sense. It was our own company, so working hard was worth it. The first year, the company lost $300,000. Liam was anxious, spending sleepless nights. “Chloe, how much money is left in the account?” “Less than $400,000.” He smoked a cigarette and looked at me. “Do you have any more money?” I paused. “I… have a little.” It was the $300,000 I had saved for a down payment on a house. “Can you lend it to the company for now?” He crushed his cigarette. “When the company is doing well, I’ll pay you back double.” I didn’t say anything. “Chloe, I know this is a lot to ask.” He sighed. “But we’re partners. If the company goes under, we’re both finished.” Partners. That word again. The next day, I transferred $300,000 to the company account. Liam sent me a text: “Thank you, Junior. I won’t forget this.” I won’t forget this. I believed him. The second year, the company started making a profit. The third year, our revenue tripled. Early this year, Liam told me someone wanted to buy our company. “For how much?” “Still negotiating.” He smiled mysteriously. “But it definitely won’t be low.” I thought the good days were finally here. I thought these three years of hard work were finally paying off. I thought— Until today. I stood at the conference room door, looking at the Equity Acquisition Letter of Intent. 20 million. The company was worth 20 million. I put in 1 million for 50%, so I should get 10 million. Plus the 300,000 I lent later, that makes 10.3 million. I could finally pay off my parents’ debts and buy myself a house. But the way Liam looked at me made me feel something was wrong. “Chloe, please wait outside.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm. I stood there, unmoving. “Get out.” I looked at him, then at the strangers, then at the document. “Senior, I’m a shareholder, why can’t I be here?” The conference room fell silent for a second. Liam laughed. It was a strange laugh, like he was looking at an idiot. “Shareholder?” He stood up and walked over to me. “Chloe, since when are you a shareholder?” I thought I had misheard. “Senior, what did you say?” Liam sighed, like he was dealing with an unreasonable child. “The conference room isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go to my office.” He turned and excused himself to the others, then pushed me out of the conference room. My mind was a complete mess on the way. What did he mean “since when are you a shareholder”? Three years ago, he said it himself: fifty-fifty. I put in 1 million. I signed the contract. I— “Sit.” Liam’s office was ten times bigger than three years ago. Leather sofas, a solid wood desk, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. Half of this was mine. Wasn’t it? I sat down and looked at him. “Senior, the company is being acquired. Why didn’t you tell me?” “It’s a trade secret.” “I’m a shareholder.” Liam pulled a folder from a drawer and placed it in front of me. “See for yourself.” I opened the folder. Inside was a contract. My name. My signature. But— “A loan agreement?” My voice trembled slightly. It stated in black and white: Chloe Vance borrows 1,000,000 from Liam Sterling, at an annual interest rate of 6%, for a term of three years. What loan agreement? I clearly signed a partnership agreement! “Senior, this isn’t right. I signed a partnership agreement, 1 million for 50%—” “Look closer.” His voice was very calm. I stared at the document, reading it word by word. Borrower: Chloe Vance. Lender: Liam Sterling. Loan Amount: 1,000,000. Term: Three years. Annual Interest Rate: 6%. Repayment Method: Lump-sum repayment of principal and interest at maturity. At the end was my signature. It was my handwriting. No mistake. But I clearly… The memories of that day suddenly flooded back. The lavish dinner. The toasts. Glass after glass. He pushed a stack of documents in front of me. “Sign here, just a formality.” I squinted at the text, densely packed and a bit dizzying… “Remember now?” Liam’s voice sounded in my ear. I looked up at him. “You tricked me.” “What do you mean, tricked?” He sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. “It’s in black and white, you signed it yourself. How can you call that a trick?” “You got me drunk that day—” “I treated you to dinner, you drank of your own free will. Are you blaming me?” “You said it was a partnership agreement—” “What I said doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s written in the contract.” He smiled, like he was lecturing an ignorant student. “Chloe, you’re an accounting major. You should read carefully before signing a contract. That’s common sense, isn’t it?” I felt cold all over. Three years. Three whole years. I thought I was a boss, but I was just a creditor. I thought I was a partner, but I was just an employee. I thought… “You—” I wanted to say something, but my throat felt blocked. Liam picked up a pen from his desk and twirled it. “Alright, we’ve cleared this up. The 1 million loan, plus three years’ interest, totals 1.18 million. I’ll return it to you in full.” 1.18 million. I put in 1 million, wasted three years of my youth, and only get back 1.18 million. And he, walking away with 20 million, doesn’t have to share a penny with me. “What about the 300,000?” My voice was dry. “What 300,000?” “The first year, when the company almost went under, I lent the company 300,000.” “Oh, that 300,000.” He nodded. “I remember. I wrote an IOU.” He pulled another piece of paper from a drawer. Borrower: XX Company. Lender: Chloe Vance. Loan Amount: 300,000. Term: One year. Annual Interest Rate: 5%. One year? It’s been way past a year. “The company has already repaid this money.” “What? I never received—” “It was transferred to your account. Check it yourself.” I pulled out my phone and trembling, opened my banking app. I scrolled back to transactions from two years ago. XX Company, incoming transfer, $315,000. Note: Loan repayment. I had absolutely no memory of this money. Back then, there were so many company transactions going in and out, I didn’t even notice… “See.” Liam stood up and walked to the window, his back to me. “Chloe, considering our history as alumni, I calculated the interest clearly for you, not a penny less. Anyone else would have turned hostile long ago.” He turned to face me. “What more do you want?” I sat there, trembling all over. Not from the cold. From anger. Three years. I hadn’t taken a single day off. I hadn’t gotten a single raise. I bet my parents’ retirement savings, money borrowed from relatives, and the mortgaged house back home, all on this company. And him? He walks away with 20 million and doesn’t have to share a penny with me. He says I’m just a creditor. He says it’s in black and white. He says— “Senior.” My voice was very soft. “Where is my salary for these three years?” “What salary?” “I worked here for three years and didn’t get a single penny.” “You agreed to that. You said we were just starting, so we wouldn’t pay salaries yet.” “Did you pay yourself?” Liam paused. “I’m the boss—” “How much did you pay yourself?” “That’s a company secret—” “I’ve seen the books. You paid yourself $50,000 a month.” I stared at him. “Three years, that’s 1.8 million. Not counting reimbursements, consulting fees, and travel expenses.” “You—” “I’m also a ‘boss’. Why did you pay yourself and not me?” Liam’s expression changed. “Chloe, don’t push your luck.” “Me, pushing my luck?” I stood up. “You tricked me into signing a loan agreement, you stole my shares, you made me work for free for three years, and I’m the one pushing my luck?” “I tricked you? Where’s the evidence?” He walked over and looked down at me. “Chloe, let me teach you something. If there’s no evidence, it never happened.” “You said fifty-fifty—” “Empty words.” “You said I was a partner—” “It’s not in the contract.” “You told me to sign a partnership agreement—” “You didn’t read it carefully, whose fault is that?” With every sentence he spoke, my heart sank further. He was right. No evidence. No audio recordings. No chat logs. No witnesses. All I had was a loan agreement. And a betrayed heart. “Get out.” Liam opened the door. “I’ll wire the 1.18 million to you next week. Take the money and don’t come back.” I stood there, unmoving. “Or what—” he chuckled, “are you going to sue me?” Sue him. Could I win? He has the contract, the bank statements, all the “evidence.” What do I have? “Chloe, for old times’ sake, I’ll teach you one more lesson.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You’re just a community college grad. You think you’d be where you are today without me? Face reality, take the money and leave. It’s better for everyone.” Community college grad. Without me. Where you are today. These words stabbed into my heart like knives. I turned and walked out of his office. Without looking back. I didn’t know what to do next. I only knew one thing. This isn’t over. It was 9 PM when I got home. I didn’t turn on the lights, just sat on the sofa staring at the ceiling. One image kept replaying in my mind— Liam pushing that loan agreement towards me, smiling and saying, “Black and white.” I closed my eyes, trying hard to remember the night I signed three years ago. The restaurant. The private room. The dim lighting. He kept pouring me drinks. “Come on, Chloe, let’s toast to our partnership.” “Senior, I can’t really drink…” “It’s fine, we’re celebrating today, just a little.” One glass. Two glasses. Three glasses. My memory gets fuzzy here. He pushed a stack of documents towards me. “Sign here, just a formality.” “What’s this…” “The partnership agreement. Look, 1 million for 50%.” I took the pen. But did I really see it clearly? The text was dense, I only saw the numbers “1 million” and “50%”… I snapped my eyes open. No. He definitely said “partnership agreement” and “50%”. But the contract… what was actually written in the contract? I rushed into the bedroom and found that document from three years ago. Loan agreement. Black and white. But if this is a loan agreement, what about the “partnership agreement” he mentioned? I stared at the document, a possibility suddenly dawning on me. Could it be that there never was a partnership agreement from the start? Could it be that he planned to scam me from the very beginning? My phone rang. It was my mom. “Chloe, have you eaten?” I opened my mouth but didn’t know how to start. “Mom, I… I ate.” “How’s the company doing? Your senior mentioned it’s being acquired, are you getting a big payout?” I froze. “Mom, how do you know?” “Your senior told me. He called a couple of days ago to thank me for supporting your startup.” Liam called my mom? “What… what else did he say?” “He said the company is doing great, you’ve contributed a lot, and told me not to worry. He also said that when the company sells, you’ll get a lot of money, and we can buy our old house back.” My hand holding the phone trembled. He called my mom to tell her I’d get a payout. He told me to my face that I was just a creditor. What is he trying to do? “Chloe? Chloe, are you still there?” “Yes… Mom, I have something to take care of, I’ll hang up now.” I hung up the phone and slumped onto the bed. Why did he call my mom? And “a couple of days ago”— That means he knew about the acquisition long ago. He planned all this. He kept me in the dark about the acquisition while calling my mom to reassure her. Making my mom think I’d get a payout. Making my mom tell me the “good news.” Making me walk blindly into his trap. And then— The loan agreement. 1.18 million. Get out. I felt cold all over. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing; it was premeditated. Since when? Since the day we signed the contract three years ago? Or even earlier? I took out my phone and opened my WeChat chat history with Liam. I scrolled back to three years ago. The earliest message: “Chloe, are you free tomorrow? Let’s get dinner, I want to talk about something.” Then there were details about our collaboration. But— It was strange. There wasn’t a single word about the partnership agreement. Only one message: “We’ll sign the contract tomorrow, I’ll book a restaurant, my treat.” Just that one message. I scrolled further. For the three years after the company was founded, the chat was entirely about work. “How much was collected this month?” “Are the financial statements ready?” “Follow up with that client.” Nothing about equity, dividends, or partnerships. It was as if… As if he was deliberately avoiding these topics. I put down my phone, an image suddenly flashing in my mind. Three years ago, the night we signed the contract, I posted a Moment. “New beginnings! Partnering with my senior, we each hold 50%, let’s do this!” I deleted it later because Liam said, “The company is just starting, it’s better to keep a low profile.” I thought it made sense then. Thinking about it now— Was he destroying evidence? But did I really delete that Moment? I opened WeChat and clicked on “Album.” I scrolled down. Three years ago, three years ago… It wasn’t there. I had indeed deleted it. But— I remembered that night, I didn’t just post a Moment. I also sent a WeChat message to my mom. I quickly opened my chat history with my mom and scrolled up. One page, two pages, three pages… Found it! Three years ago, the night we signed the contract, I sent my mom a voice message: “Mom! I signed it! Senior said I put in 1 million for 50%, and when the company makes money, half of it is mine!” A voice message. I had sent a voice message. My hands were shaking. I tapped it. My own voice came out of the phone, sounding a bit tipsy, but every word was clear— “Mom! I signed it! Senior said I put in 1 million for 50%, and when the company makes money, half of it is mine!” 1 million. 50%. He said it. My mom never deleted this voice message. Because she never clears her chat history. I stared at the phone screen, my eyes burning. The evidence was there all along. I didn’t rush to confront Liam. I knew one voice message wasn’t enough. In court, he could argue that it was my “one-sided understanding,” or that he never promised any equity. I needed more.

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On New Year’s Eve, my husband was stranded on the highway due to a blizzard. “Honey, you’ve worked hard. As soon as the snow stops, I’ll head back immediately.” Hearing his exhausted voice, my heart softened: “Don’t worry, I’ve got everything handled at home.” I worked myself to the bone that night, until my best friend called: “Where is he stuck?” “Interstate 90.” “Impossible! That road opened up six hours ago. Are you sure he’s on the highway?” 1 I held the phone, suddenly unable to speak. My best friend scoffed lightly: “Chloe, you’re too naive. A man not coming home on New Year’s Eve only has two explanations.” “…What?” “First, he really is stuck. But in that case, your phone would be blowing up with his messages. He’d initiate video calls to show you the road conditions, and complain endlessly, because he’d be more anxious than you are.” She paused: “Has he?” My heart sank. No. Not only had he not contacted me, but he hadn’t even replied to the messages I’d sent. “Then… what’s the second explanation?” “The second,” Her voice grew cold: “Is that he doesn’t want to come home at all. He has a free nanny at home to serve his parents and entertain relatives, while he has a cozy little setup waiting for him outside. He’s making out like a bandit.” My vision went dark, and I instinctively grabbed the edge of the stove. No… that couldn’t be true. Ten years of marriage. Liam wasn’t that kind of person. “Chloe, when are we eating? Don’t make the new brother-in-law wait too long!” My mother-in-law’s voice drifted in from the living room. New brother-in-law. Right. Tonight, Liam’s sister brought her new boyfriend home. So I had to prepare a New Year’s Eve feast for the whole extended family. But… My best friend’s words echoed in my ears. Was Liam really stuck on the highway? I unlocked my screen and video-called Liam. It rang twice before being declined. Immediately after, a message popped up: “Chloe, my battery is dying. I still need to call Mom for New Year’s greetings, so let’s skip the video call.” I dried my hands and sent a probing reply: “I put a new power bank in the glove compartment on the passenger side. Our daughter misses you and wants to wish Daddy a Happy New Year.” After the message was sent, the ‘typing’ indicator appeared repeatedly, but there was no reply for a long time. If I had only one percent of doubt before, now I had a hundred. Because there was no power bank in the glove compartment. Which meant, he wasn’t in the car. “Sister-in-law! Mom’s talking to you, are you deaf?” My sister-in-law shuffled into the kitchen in her slippers: “Look at the time! We’re all waiting to eat so we can go set off fireworks!” I looked up at her: “Liam just messaged me saying he ordered our New Year’s Eve dinner from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Could you call and ask him where he is? My phone is dying.” She looked at me suspiciously: “He ordered from a Michelin-starred restaurant? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” She casually pulled out her phone and dialed. The call was answered after just two rings. “Brother? When is that Michelin dinner you ordered getting here? It’s past nine, and the whole family is starving!” The person on the other end was clearly taken aback: “What Michelin dinner? Stop making trouble, don’t you know I’m busy here?” Before she could finish, the call was hung up. My sister-in-law flared up instantly: “Are you fucking with me? My brother never ordered any Michelin dinner! I’m getting Mom to deal with you!” Right now, I had no time for her accusations. One fact floated incredibly clearly before my eyes. Liam could answer her call in seconds, but declined my video call. He wasn’t on any blizzard-swept highway at all. “Are you sure?” My best friend’s voice came through the receiver. I took a deep breath, trembling with panic. “Then… where exactly is he?” “Don’t panic.” “Even if you’re sure he’s curled up in some tramp’s bed, you have to stay calm. Don’t tip him off.” “And then what?” “And then, clean up and keep cooking.” “What?” I could barely keep my voice down: “He’s out there screwing around, and I have to stay home and serve his entire family?” “Don’t be rash,” My best friend’s voice lowered: “Do as I say. Let’s see if Liam can rush back immediately!” 2 Before she finished, the door was kicked open with a bang. “What a sin! The whole family is waiting to eat, and you have the leisure to hide here and talk on the phone? My son is out there working his fingers to the bone to make money, how did he end up marrying such a clueless woman?” My mother-in-law stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, her face full of harshness. I quickly hung up the phone and squeezed out a submissive smile: “Mom, don’t be angry. Just wait half an hour, dinner will definitely be ready.” Back in the kitchen, I dumped all the ingredients, thawed and frozen alike, into a pot, added water, and made a hodgepodge stew. Then, I brought out the strongest liquor in the house. To be honest, I also wanted to know exactly where Liam was right now. “What… what is this?” My sister-in-law stared dumbfounded at the pot of mishmash on the table. “This is a specialty from my hometown, a rustic stew.” I lied without blinking: “It looks rough, but all the flavors are stewed together. It’s delicious.” Everyone took a skeptical bite and immediately spat it all over the floor. “Holy shit, is this meant for human consumption?” Without changing my expression, I filled everyone’s glass with liquor and brought out a platter of cut fruit. “Everyone has different tastes. If you can’t stomach the stew, try the seafood. It’s all steamed. The mangoes are imported too.” Thus, the only edible things left on the entire table were a few plates of seafood and mangoes. My daughter had already filled up on snacks and ran off to watch TV. My father-in-law downed a few glasses of liquor and quickly passed out drunk. My sister-in-law and her boyfriend were young and had strong constitutions. Only my mother-in-law urgently knocked on my door in the middle of the night. “I… my chest is tight, and I’m itching all over… Quick, take me to the hospital!” She scratched her arms incessantly, her voice full of agitation. I feigned surprise: “Mom, why is your face swollen? I’ll go get Mia up to help!” Mrs. Vance glared at me with displeasure: “You have no tact at all. The young ones just went to sleep, don’t wake them. You just take me.” I nodded and grabbed my car keys. Before leaving, I glanced at my phone. 2:00 AM. Liam hadn’t replied to a single message. The hospital emergency room was packed, mostly around the gastroenterology department. It seemed we weren’t the only ones suffering from food poisoning after New Year’s Eve dinner. Soon, the doctor informed us she needed her stomach pumped. My mother-in-law was already dizzy by then and could only shove her handbag into my hands. My best friend’s warning rang in my ears: “If a man really wants to hide something from you, he will erase all traces. But there’s one person he’ll never guard against. So, you have to find a way to get that phone.” Right now, that phone was lying in my palm. But I didn’t know the passcode. The next second, I grabbed a nurse’s sleeve: “Miss, I left in such a hurry I didn’t bring my wallet or a power bank, and my phone is dead. Could I trouble you to take the old lady’s phone in and ask her to unlock it? I need to go pay the bill.” The nurse frowned and took the phone. A moment later, she handed it back to me: “The passcode is 980602. Go pay the bill quickly.” I thanked her and turned toward the payment counter. I swiped the screen and directly opened the chat with Liam. What I saw struck my brain like a bolt of lightning. 3 “Mom, thanks for your hard work. Vivian is pregnant, and I can’t get away. You’ll have to deal with that mother and daughter a bit longer.” “A useless woman who can’t even give me a son thinks she’s so capable. Mom knows what to do, I definitely won’t let her ruin our family’s big plans.” “Okay, once the baby is born safely, I’ll lay my cards on the table. I’ve already had a friend check; it’s a boy. Put your mind at ease, and remember to delete this after reading.” Above that, it was completely blank. I leaned against the wall to steady myself. The mother and son had clearly planned this, erasing all traces clean. It’s just that my mother-in-law’s sudden accident didn’t leave her time to deal with this final piece of evidence. I quickly used her phone to search for any clues related to Vivian. Soon, a contact named Vivian popped up. Fortunately, all the chat history between them was there. I immediately opened the recording function on my own phone and pointed it at the screen. Vivian sent a series of messages: “Mom, I specifically went to the temple today.” Attached were several photos of her kneeling devoutly before a Buddha statue. “I’m willing to trade ten years of my life for Mom’s good health and longevity.” My mother-in-law’s reply followed closely: “Silly girl, don’t say that. Your body is the most precious thing right now. How could Mom bear to use your lifespan? If someone really needs to make that trade… use Chloe’s. Her life is cheap anyway.” Tears rolled down without warning, smashing onto the floor tiles. Chloe. That was me. I gave up everything, serving his whole family day and night, just so my husband wouldn’t have to worry while he was out working. But in the end, my life became just another part of their twisted game. I sent the recorded video to my best friend. She had clearly been awake all night: “This recording is evidence from a third party’s device. Its probative value and legality will be significantly diminished in court. What are you planning to do next?” “Divorce.” My answer came without a hint of hesitation. The other end was silent for a moment: “Of course you need a divorce. But before that, we have to figure out your joint marital assets. For Liam to be so blatant, it means he’s already isolated his assets. In other words, he’s not afraid of you finding out now.” My heart sank. She hit the nail on the head. For the past two years, Liam always talked about the bad economy and tight cash flow at his company. The fixed monthly household allowance plummeted from $20,000 to $5,000. The once substantial company dividends turned into a perfunctory few thousand in pocket money. Trapped in his carefully woven web of lies, I believed him completely, even feeling sorry for his stress. It was only today that I suddenly woke up. This wasn’t a business slump; it was a premeditated transfer of assets. “A businessman’s betrayal is a high-dimensional strike against his wife. You can’t play chess on his board; you have to step outside his rules.” My best friend’s words brushed away the dust on my long-forgotten memories. Before I got married, I was also a top-tier player. Although I had devoted all my energy to my family and child over the past ten years, it didn’t mean I had lost all my skills. When a man transfers assets, there are only two paths: First, funneling them to the third party. This is the most direct malicious transfer. As long as I can find concrete proof of any transaction, I can recover it in full. So he wouldn’t be that stupid. That leaves the second path: funneling them to his parents. This is the trickiest path. In the name of filial piety, he buys real estate for his parents and pays huge medical and retirement expenses. Every transaction is perfectly justified. And this is exactly the opening I must tear apart now. 4 “So, does it still matter if he comes back now?” My best friend’s words pulled me back to reality. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” “Right now, all his attention is on that woman. This is the perfect time for me to set my trap.” “Good.” My best friend finally sighed in relief: “You’ve finally woken up.” Just as she finished speaking, the door to the treatment room opened. My mother-in-law was wheeled out. She immediately saw her bag in my hand and snatched it back. “Do you have any common sense? Can you eat seafood and mangoes together? Are you trying to kill me?!” Her roar made everyone in the emergency room turn to look. The doctor came over to explain the precautions. The gist was that the New Year’s Eve dinner ingredients were mixed, and the elderly woman’s digestive system was fragile, making it extremely easy for foods to clash. She needed to be hospitalized for observation for three days. During this time, her diet had to be very bland, preferably just plain congee. I nodded submissively as I listened. Congee? What an unexpected delight. By the time everything was settled, the sky was already growing light. I had been up all night and was exhausted, but the old lady clearly didn’t intend to let me off easily. Her eyelids drooped: “Go home and make me some millet congee, and bring a few changes of clothes. Keep it quiet, don’t wake the others.” I nodded: “Okay. Should I call Liam? If he’s back, he can take over for me.” Her eyes widened instantly: “Do you have any conscience? He drove all night, can’t you let him rest? He’s out there working himself to death to support you and your daughter!” The next second, the door to the hospital room opened. A handsome young man walked in: “Hello, did someone here need a caregiver?” I raised an eyebrow. Finally. This was the second actual thing I had accomplished just now. “What caregiver? No, no!” My mother-in-law immediately waved him away. But I had already stood up, casually tucking in the corner of her blanket that had slipped down: “Mom, it’s already paid for, and it’s hard to get a refund during the holidays. It’s just three days. You’ve worked hard your whole life; you deserve to enjoy yourself a bit.” Without waiting for her to finish her long tirade, I turned and left. The schedule was tight; I didn’t have time to listen to these clichés anymore. Since I knew her payment passcode, of course, I was going to maximize its value. My father-in-law was a complete alcoholic, and the dictionary of men from that generation certainly didn’t include the word “consideration.” Emotional value? A luxury. Since that was the case, what was wrong with me hiring a professional and attentive caregiver for my mother-in-law, letting her experience a second spring? I rushed home as fast as I could. Pushing open the door, a strong stench of vomit hit my face. The living room was a mess. My father-in-law was passed out drunk on the sofa. His chest covered in filth. My sister-in-law? Long gone. I turned sideways and waved to the young woman who had followed me: “From now on, you stay here. You’re responsible for cleaning and cooking, $10,000 a month. My old man isn’t short on money, he just wants things clean and comfortable.” The young woman surveyed the mess, forcing down her disgust: “Sis… this… this will cost extra.” I patted her shoulder and readily agreed: “Reasonable. An extra $2,000 a month, and if you take good care of him, there are bonuses.” A smile immediately bloomed on her face, and she briskly rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning. Seeing that everything was arranged on both sides, I finally felt at ease. What was the point of Liam working so hard to make money? Wasn’t it so the whole family could live a good life? What was the point of just him and his mistress being comfortable? Last night, I had already taken the opportunity to leave the household register on my sister-in-law and her boyfriend’s nightstand. I wanted them to know that everyone is free. They could merge their lives as they pleased. Broaden their horizons. Instead of letting someone else have an illegitimate child, why not have one yourself? Honestly, I was really looking forward to it. My best friend was absolutely right: “A businessman’s betrayal is a high-dimensional strike against the original wife.” But he forgot that creating internal family conflicts was my main battlefield. Liam had done everything he could do. And what I could do had just begun. 5 I took my daughter and drove straight to my parents’ house without looking back. Before leaving, I sent Liam a message: “Hubby, our daughter might have eaten something bad last night, she keeps saying her stomach hurts. My parents are closer to the children’s hospital, so I’m taking her there for a checkup and we’ll stay for a couple of days. You’ll have to take care of things with Mom and Dad.” Message sent, I turned off my phone. After settling my daughter, I turned around and rented a single room right across from Liam’s parents’ place. I carefully observed their every move. I had accurately predicted everyone’s actions: My mother-in-law, for the sake of her unborn eldest grandson, would never admit she was seriously ill. She would definitely grit her teeth and power through, to avoid disrupting her son’s good time. Expecting her to ask Liam to come back and replace me? Wishful thinking. And the nanny at my father-in-law’s side was no ordinary worker. She had received strict training. She knew how to massage and play chess. And she provided extremely high emotional value. This was something my mother-in-law could never match. Since I knew Liam was a piece of trash, his father would only be worse. My sister-in-law? She wouldn’t bring up the mess at home either. After all, when her father collapsed in a pile of vomit, she was the first to pack her bags and leave. So, the only person responsible for this family right now was me. And now, I was gone too. Liam could finally wait in peace for his little brother to be born in that cozy love nest. No matter whose child it was, it was fine. I loved it all. Sure enough, for three whole days, Liam didn’t send me a single message. He didn’t even want to pretend anymore. The fourth day, the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. I went to handle my mother-in-law’s discharge paperwork. As soon as I reached the door of the hospital room, I saw a picture of family bliss: A young woman with a noticeably swollen belly was sitting by the bed, massaging the old lady’s calf. And that man stood behind the woman, expertly massaging her shoulders. Sunlight poured through the window onto them, drawing envious glances from countless other patients. It was an incredibly heartwarming scene. If that man wasn’t my husband. Clearly, the male caregiver hadn’t caught the old lady’s eye. I slowly backed away. No. It wasn’t time yet. I constantly remembered my best friend’s warning: “Once the illegitimate child is born, your and your daughter’s destiny will be completely rewritten. Especially in this kind of family that favors boys over girls, to pave the way for the grandson, they will use every trick in the book to force you out with nothing, even colluding to manufacture debt and make you pay them.” I turned back to the rented room and picked up my binoculars. I saw the two inside acting distant, with absolutely no progress. My temples throbbed with anxiety. It was too late. Soon, the three of them returned. My phone vibrated. It was Liam. “I’m heading to my parents’ place, I have something to tell you.” My fingertips trembled slightly. I quickly put the phone on silent. It seemed they were going to lay their cards on the table. Upon entering, my mother-in-law was dumbfounded: “Who is this? So while I was lying in the hospital for three days, you were living like an emperor at home?” After a moment of dead silence, my father-in-law began to complain: “You had someone serving you in the hospital. I woke up covered in vomit, the house was freezing cold, not even a sip of hot water! If Chloe hadn’t called someone to help, I could have died at home and no one would have known!” The air froze for a few seconds. My mother-in-law looked at the nanny in annoyance: “Since I’m back, we don’t need outsiders in the house. Tell her to leave.” In the living room, the young woman spoke up timidly: “Auntie, we signed a formal contract, a six-month term… if you terminate it now, according to the rules, you have to pay a penalty equal to two months’ salary.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394543”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After being chosen through a lottery for a full scholarship at an elite prep school, my parents gave me thirty dollars a month for living expenses. The following year, my younger sister tested into the same school. My parents gritted their teeth, sold our house, and bought her a whole new wardrobe. Just so she could have the confidence to make friends there. After she enrolled, my sister saw me neglecting my studies, spending every day running errands for the rich kids. Furious, she accused me: “Mom and Dad work so hard to pay for your schooling, and you’re letting them down!” “I will never embarrass them like you do!” I silently glanced at the bank card in my wallet. It held the hundreds of thousands of dollars I had earned at this school. “It’s a deal. You must focus on your studies, and whatever you do, don’t try to steal my business.” 1 Chloe transferred here today. Her school uniform was brand new and pristine. The material was completely different from mine, which I had bought second-hand from a previous scholarship student. Before she transferred, my parents specifically warned me. They said my sister was highly sensitive, unlike me, who had thick skin. So I should try my best not to reveal our relationship. To prevent the other students from viewing her through tinted glasses. So, as I listened to Chloe’s impassioned self-introduction, I just glanced up briefly before putting my head back down on my desk to catch up on sleep. The rest of the class ignored her as well. Everyone was doing their own thing. Chloe froze for a few seconds. Realizing the awkwardness, she let out a few dry laughs. Then she walked straight toward the empty seat in the front row. The classroom suddenly fell eerily quiet. As Chloe wished, everyone’s gaze was now focused on her. But she seemed completely oblivious. She simply started arranging her things on the desk. It wasn’t until the silence became too much even for her that Chloe curiously asked, “What’s wrong?” A girl sitting behind her, busy touching up her makeup, gently warned her: “The person who sits there is a lunatic you can’t afford to mess with. You’d better find another seat.” Hearing this, Chloe’s eyes visibly brightened. She turned her head. “I’m here to study hard. I don’t care who my desk mate is.” “But I care.” Liam’s figure suddenly appeared in the doorway. He glanced disdainfully at the slightly cute and childish stationery that had suddenly appeared on his desk. He frowned and clicked his tongue. Chloe stiffened her neck and met his gaze. Putting on a fearless front. “But this seat is empty. Isn’t it a waste for you to have a double desk all to yourself?” “You don’t need to pay attention to my existence. I’ll just quietly study and won’t say a single word to you. So, don’t look at me with that condescending look.” Liam let out a cold laugh. “You’re talking quite a bit right now.” “Three…” He didn’t give Chloe any more chances. “Two…” Before Liam’s countdown finished, I sighed and resignedly stood up. I walked over to their desk, swiftly packed all of Chloe’s things, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her to my seat. My desk was near the back row, and Chloe was clearly unhappy about it. She shook off my hand. And questioned me in a low voice: “I was having a perfectly good conversation with my new classmate, what are you doing?” Saying that, she tried to grab her backpack and return to the front. I slammed my hand down on her bag. “Considering you’re my sister, I’m going to stick my nose in your business just this once.” “Listen to me. Don’t provoke people you shouldn’t provoke.” I had experienced Liam’s foul temper firsthand. He hated anyone getting close to him. He didn’t give face to anyone. Everyone kept their distance from this untouchable god. Even I wouldn’t take any commissions related to Liam. Hearing this, an inexplicable confidence appeared in Chloe’s eyes. “That’s just because you guys don’t have what it takes to provoke him.” My eyelid immediately twitched. It seems you really should mind your own business if you want to protect your sanity. So I let go. I wasn’t going to stop her from hitting a brick wall. Chloe, having gotten her way, grabbed her bag and was about to head back to Liam when she heard him dial a number, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. “Bring me a new set of desk and chairs immediately.” “Some idiot dirtied mine.” Chloe’s expression froze, her footsteps halting dead in their tracks. Under the watchful eyes of everyone else, she struggled to turn her head. Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly sat back down next to me. 2 During the first academic class, I almost fell asleep with my eyes open. When I finally made it to the end of the period, Chloe couldn’t help but mock me: “It’s only the first class and you’re already this sleepy. Are you even here to learn?” I slapped my cheeks a few times to wake myself up. “I was busy doing business last night and didn’t sleep well, that’s all.” There was a pair of childhood sweethearts in the upper grades who were destined to be arranged in marriage. They had recently gotten into a huge fight. Neither was willing to be the first to apologize. So I was busy setting up a surprise party for them last night, constantly acting as a mediator and saying good things to both sides. I finally managed to coax the young master and miss into making up. I was so exhausted I felt like I was falling apart. But thankfully, the payout for this job was generous. I was one step closer to my savings goal. But as soon as I finished speaking, Chloe looked at me with an indescribable expression. “You…” “Have you always had so little self-respect?” I was still half-asleep. For a moment, I didn’t even understand what she meant. Until she moved her chair slightly further away with a look of disgust. “Don’t give me any diseases.” I suddenly realized what she meant. I was so speechless I wanted to laugh. I just slapped her on the shoulder. “Well, now you’re infected. Guess we’ll die together.” Seeing her actually panic, I rolled my eyes, packed my things, and got ready to leave. Chloe stopped me, looking surprised. “You’re skipping class?” I pulled out my phone. And shoved the class schedule in her face. “There’s only one academic class today.” “The rest are equestrian and golf.” Chloe was confused. “So go to them.” I put my phone away. “For equestrian class, you need your own horse and riding gear. For golf, you have to bring your own clubs.” “Mom and Dad only give me thirty dollars a month, so I can’t afford any of it.” Hearing this, Chloe’s gaze unnaturally dropped to her brand-new school uniform. 3 This school offers a few spots to the general public every year. They randomly draw from students with outstanding grades, offering them full-tuition scholarships. They’re called “scholarship students.” During my sophomore year, I was lucky enough to be drawn. When I excitedly shared the good news with my parents, they just looked at me with extreme seriousness. “You’re this happy just because of pure luck?” “This lottery system is so flawed. Your sister is smarter and sharper than you. She even skipped a grade in elementary school, and now she’s the youngest student in your grade. Based on IQ, they should have picked your sister, not you.” “So don’t get too arrogant, or you’ll fall even harder later.” They heard that the cafeteria at this school was also free. So they proposed giving me only thirty dollars a month for living expenses. Under the guise of “enduring hardship to become a better person.” But when I enrolled, I realized. Tuition was just the cheapest admission ticket. The curriculum at this school was very unique. Academic classes geared toward standard standardized testing made up a very small percentage. Because very few students here take the traditional college entrance exam route. Even if they did, paying top dollar for one-on-one private tutors was the smarter choice. The rest of the classes were mostly electives. From equestrian, baseball, and golf to SAT and TOEFL prep, they had it all. But if you wanted to take the equestrian class, you had to have at least your own horse. The hidden costs behind these classes were something I couldn’t bear. I once tried bringing this up with my parents. I had no intention of touching those expensive sports. But the SAT prep was very practical. But they just gave me a cold look. “What kind of background do those people have, and what kind do we have?” “Just stick to your academic classes and behave yourself. Don’t think about things you shouldn’t think about.” “So young, yet already worshipping foreign things.” That was the only time. After that, I never mentioned anything about the school to them again. But a few days ago, my sister was drawn as a scholarship student for this year. My parents threw a massive celebratory banquet at a five-star hotel. It was only when the banquet ended and we were heading home that my parents told me. In order to give my sister the confidence to make friends. The moment they got the news, they sold our house. All the money was used to buy my sister a new wardrobe and provide her with living expenses. Now, the three of us had to live in a cramped, rented apartment. Despite this, my parents’ tone was still incredibly sweet. “Things are a bit tough now, but once your sister makes something of herself, our whole family will have a good life.” Listening to their words, I felt surprisingly calm. I just asked: “What about my room?” They probably didn’t expect me to ask that. They froze for a moment. And stammered an explanation. “Since you went to that school, you rarely come home. Plus, you’ll be going to college out of town when you graduate, and then you’ll find a job and rent your own place. So we didn’t factor in a room for you.” “You also know that a three-bedroom apartment is much more expensive than a two-bedroom. Given our family’s special circumstances right now, you can understand Mom and Dad, right?” I couldn’t even cry. My smile was incredibly ugly. “Yeah, I understand.” “It’s not like I’ll ever be coming home again anyway.” 4 “…Even if you can’t afford it, you can still audit the classes, right? That’s no excuse to skip.” I didn’t expect this sister of mine to understand my situation. But I also didn’t expect her to be this stupid. So I let out a cold laugh. “Because I’m someone with no self-respect.” “So I’m skipping class to trade my time for money.” “What are you going to do about it?” Chloe didn’t expect me to admit it so openly. She laughed out of sheer anger. “Whatever. I definitely won’t be short-sighted like you, only caring about what’s right in front of me.” “I will study hard, turn all the students here into my network, and change my life in the future.” I silently glanced at the bank card in my wallet. It held the two hundred thousand dollars I had earned at this school. Retaking a year of school or studying abroad—both require a lot of money. I had no one to rely on. I could only rely on myself. But I had no intention of telling her any of this. So I earnestly shook her hand. “It’s a deal. You must study hard, and whatever you do, don’t try to steal my business.” … I did a beautiful job last night. Mrs. Wang invited me to a café and handed me a check for forty thousand dollars. “My Evie came home and told me she made up with the Zhou family boy.” “This is the final payment. Take it.” I silently accepted the money. But my gaze landed on the unfamiliar woman sitting next to Mrs. Wang. “I forgot to introduce you. This is Mrs. Sterling. She has a commission for you.” Hearing this, I immediately sat up straight. My business covered a wide range. Running errands and doing odd jobs was just for pocket money. The real money-maker was my “Friendship Bonding” business. These rich kids were used to being accommodated and indulged since childhood. But here, everyone was a rich kid. A small conflict could lead to a severed friendship, or worse, affect the relationship between two powerful families. I keenly spotted this blue-ocean market. From best friends to soon-to-be-engaged childhood sweethearts. I could smooth over any relationship. Once successful, I would receive a “thank you fee” from both sets of parents. The amount ranged from six to seven figures. To date, I had a zero-failure rate. There was also an unspoken rule in this circle— When discussing unresolved matters, no third party could be present. After Mrs. Wang grabbed her bag and left, Mrs. Sterling handed me her business card. Black background with gold lettering, a low-key, luxurious “Sterling.” Inside and out, it conveyed one message: wealth. She looked very young. And spoke softly. “I have a matter here that’s a bit more difficult than smoothing over classmate relations. I wonder if you can take it?” “Please, tell me.” “It’s my son, Liam…” Hearing that name, I almost choked on my own saliva. “Liam? Which Liam?” Mrs. Sterling smiled but didn’t say anything. I realized it was a stupid question. In our school, if you threw a brick, you’d hit a dozen kids named Smith. But Liam Sterling. There really was only one. I gave a dry laugh, just wanting to run away. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Sterling. I really can’t take a job related to Liam.” I was just about to leave when Mrs. Sterling took a slow sip of her coffee and said, “Name your price.” If there are three words in this world that no one can refuse… It’s definitely not “I love you.” It’s “Name your price.” I sat back down, completely lacking any backbone. “What are your instructions, Ma’am?” Mrs. Sterling said she used to do business abroad with her husband. She basically let Liam run wild. Now that the business was stable, she wanted to return to family life. Only to find that Liam had turned into a complete demon child. He was moody every day and had absolutely no friends around him. If he didn’t always have bodyguards following him, he probably would have been beaten to death by now. So she wanted to hire me to help him improve his relationships with his classmates at school. By any means necessary, just make his life a little smoother. At that moment, I felt that not everything in the world could be solved with money. At least, getting Liam good popularity couldn’t. Seeing my hesitation, Mrs. Sterling added: “I can also offer you an additional condition. Whatever you want, you just name it.” But then again… Even the worst person has the right to make friends, right? I immediately nodded. And held up two fingers. “Sure. Two hundred thousand.” That was the sum total of everything I had earned so far. Mrs. Sterling blinked at me. And suddenly sighed in relief. “You scared me to death. I thought you meant two hundred million. I would have actually had to discuss that with my husband.” As if afraid I would go back on my word, she quickly pulled out a check and paid me in full. Before leaving, she smiled brightly and genuinely. “Ms. Sarah, thank you so much.” I looked at the check in my hand and fell silent. … Did I ask for too little?

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Carter has always been a quiet, aloof man. He rarely speaks. In our five years of marriage, the total number of words he’s spoken to me every day wouldn’t even add up to five sentences. Until today, when I saw a video. In the video, Carter was holding a new intern, gently wiping away her tears. “Stop crying. Since you’re pregnant, we’ll keep the baby. How could I ever bear to make you get an abortion?” “Still crying? How about I tell you a joke? Be a good girl.” His familiar voice continuously played from my phone. I closed the app. I called my lawyer: “Draft a divorce agreement for me. The sooner, the better.” 1 I didn’t say much. I just forwarded the video to Carter with a simple message: Divorce. Carter didn’t respond for a long time, so I had to go to his company in person. In the CEO’s office on the top floor of the Sterling Group building, the moment I pushed the door open, I saw Carter sitting on the sofa, holding that intern, Mia, in his arms. They were so focused on each other that neither of them saw me standing at the door. His fingertips gently stroked her back, his voice softer than I had ever heard it: “Stop crying. As long as I’m here, no one will dare wrong you.” As he spoke, he meticulously wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, his movements so gentle it looked like he was cherishing a rare treasure. In our five years of marriage, he had always been distant and cold toward me. He had never shown me such tenderness. It felt like I had been violently stabbed in the heart. I walked straight over, without any hesitation, grabbed Carter by his collar, and slapped him hard across the face. Carter was stunned by the sudden slap, unable to react for a moment. Beside him, Mia immediately let out a piercing scream. “How dare you hit Mr. Sterling!” The next second, my other hand landed squarely on Mia’s face. Ah, much quieter. “Let’s get a divorce.” I looked at Carter flatly. “You cheated.” Carter’s eyes darkened. He gave Mia a dismissive glance, his voice devoid of emotion: “Wait outside.” Mia looked at me with resentment, but she obeyed Carter and left the room. Carter raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth. As he lowered his hand, his eyes were bone-chillingly cold: “If you’re asking for a divorce just because of an affair, you’re being too impulsive.” He paused, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority: “Do I need to remind you, Chloe, that the Jenkins family is only surviving right now because of me?” I clenched my fists. I was able to marry Carter because of my mother. She was a powerful businesswoman. Unfortunately, I wasn’t; I hadn’t inherited her business acumen. I was just an ordinary girl who only knew how to rely on her parents. So my mom set her sights on Carter, who was just a small business owner at the time. She promised to back his career, but on the condition that he had to marry me. Carter agreed, and we got married smoothly. But half a year after our wedding, my mom passed away. My dad took over the company. He was a bit clever, but ultimately, he was just a man who had married into a wealthy family; he couldn’t handle such a massive enterprise. So over these past few years, it had been Carter holding the Jenkins family together. Carter looked at my tense profile, a very faint smirk appearing at the corner of his lips: “Chloe, your mother did me a huge favor. So as long as you behave, no one can shake your position.” “As for Mia, I like her a lot right now. You don’t need to stress over these trivial matters.” “I know my limits.” “So, if you’re done throwing a tantrum today, go home.” Looking at Carter’s emotionless face, I thought back to many years ago. It was at a business gala hosted by my mom. Carter was invited as an up-and-coming entrepreneur. He wore a well-tailored black suit, standing tall with a natural aura of detachment. But he was so incredibly handsome that when the light fell on his eyelashes, it was impossible to look away. I admit, in that moment, my heart skipped a beat. Later, when my mom proposed he marry me in exchange for full support of his business, he agreed almost without hesitation. I held onto a sliver of hope. Maybe marriage could cultivate feelings. Maybe this handsome man would eventually show me some tenderness. But five years proved how incredibly wrong I was. I let out a cold laugh: “Carter, I didn’t expect the first time you’d say this much to me would be over something like this.” “Let me tell you right now, listen closely. I am not like you. I cannot maintain a marriage with a cheating husband.” “So, for the sake of my mom helping you back then, let’s just go our separate ways.” “I won’t agree to a divorce.” Carter looked up at me, impatience in his eyes: “It will damage the corporate image.” Hearing this, I laughed out loud, finding it both absurd and ironic: “When you were holding another woman and promising to keep her baby, did you think about the corporate image then? You can commit adultery, but suddenly you care about your reputation?” His face stiffened. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but I couldn’t be bothered to listen. “That’s all I have to say.” I turned and started walking. “Divorce. It’s non-negotiable.” With that, I walked out of Carter’s office without looking back. 2 Mia was still waiting for me at the end of the hallway. Seeing me come out, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. Her fingertips were ice-cold and forceful: “Ms. Jenkins, give me a few minutes. We need to talk.” I originally wanted to just shake off her hand and leave. But the moment my fingers touched her sleeve, Carter’s ridiculous excuse about “corporate image” flashed through my mind. Oh, so he cares about his reputation? He cares about corporate prestige? Then I’ll rip off his fig leaf and make sure his mistress can’t show her face in public. Let’s see if he can still stubbornly refuse a divorce after that. A cold smile spread across my eyes. I twisted my wrist to break her grip and brushed off imaginary dust from my sleeve: “Sure, let’s talk. But let’s change locations.” Without waiting for Mia’s reaction, I walked straight to the lounge area by the elevators. Employees of Sterling Group were constantly passing by. The door to the breakroom was half-open, and I could faintly see people moving inside. Mia’s face changed slightly, seemingly surprised I picked such a public place. But she gritted her teeth and followed me. She tried to put on a weak, wronged act: “Ms. Jenkins, I know you’re very upset right now, but Carter and I truly love each other. He treats me…” “Truly?” I cut her off directly. My voice wasn’t loud, but just loud enough for people to hear: “True love means using your position as an intern to leech off someone else’s husband and cry in his arms?” Mia’s face instantly went deathly pale. Her eyes darted around in panic, and she reached out, trying to cover my mouth: “Stop talking nonsense!” “Nonsense?” I sidestepped her hand and pulled my phone from my bag. “Do you need me to post the video of you and Mr. Sterling being all lovey-dovey in his top-floor office into the company group chat, and let everyone judge for themselves?” Employees nearby had already slowed their pace. Mia’s face flushed a deep red: “You… you’re going too far!” “Too far?” I took a step closer, lowering my voice: “When you were stealing someone else’s husband and acting like the lady of the house as a mistress, why didn’t you say you were going too far?” I reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look at me. “From today on, for every extra day you stay at Sterling Group, I will humiliate you for a day. Your ‘true love,’ your ‘grievances’—I’ll make sure the whole company, and even the entire business circle, gets a good look at them.” “Tell Carter: either he signs the divorce agreement obediently, or I’ll leak the dirty secrets of you two to the partners he values most. We’ll see if he can still protect his precious corporate image then.” With that, I released her chin. Mia stumbled back two steps, her face as white as a sheet. I didn’t spare her another glance, turning and stepping into the elevator. 3 Just as I stepped out of the elevator, my best friend Olivia called, her voice cheerful: “Chloe! We’re having a college reunion tonight, a lot of old classmates are coming. You should come too!” I initially wanted to decline, but thinking about the mess lately, I really needed a change of scenery. After hesitating for a few seconds, I agreed. The dinner was held at a private restaurant. When I pushed the door open, Olivia spotted me immediately. She rushed over and grabbed my hand: “You finally made it! Sit down, everyone’s been asking about you!” She dragged me to the table. As soon as I sat down, I met a familiar gaze. It was Julian. He looked much more mature than he did in college. He wore a simple white button-down, sleeves rolled up, revealing the smooth lines of his forearms. His eyes were as gentle as ever. The moment our eyes met, the air seemed to freeze for a few seconds. He reacted first, standing up and smiling at me: “Long time no see, Chloe.” “Long time no see.” I managed a small smile. This is the downside of dating a classmate. Running into them at reunions is awkward. After a few rounds of drinks, Olivia was busy chatting with others. As the conversation flowed, the topic somehow shifted to Julian and me. Someone joked: “I remember you two were a thing back in the day. Why did you break up?” I felt instantly embarrassed. We were young back then. Julian was a bookworm, not very talkative. I was very outgoing and loved to have fun. Julian was always forcing me to study and take all sorts of certification exams. I felt like I was dating a teacher, so I suggested we break up. Later, Julian went abroad to study. “Alright, back off, you dogs. That was ancient history,” Olivia chimed in, defending me. Everyone laughed it off, and the topic moved on. The atmosphere remained lively, but my phone suddenly pinged with a WeChat notification. I frowned. It was my dad, telling me to come home. Probably because of my impending divorce from Carter. “Sorry everyone, I have to go.” Julian stayed silent for a few seconds, then stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair: “I haven’t had any alcohol. I’ll drive you.” I frowned. It wasn’t a good time to call a driver, so I nodded: “Sorry to trouble you.” “No trouble at all.” 4 The living room was brightly lit. My dad, Richard Jenkins, was sitting on the sofa. Seeing me walk in, he stood up, his tone carrying a rare gentleness: “Chloe, sit.” I didn’t move. I stood by the entryway and cut straight to the chase: “Spit it out. Let’s not waste time.” Richard sighed and sat back down: “Chloe, Dad knows you’ve been wronged. What Carter did was unacceptable.” “But think about the Jenkins family’s current situation. We’re only surviving because of the partnership with Sterling Group. If you divorce him, the deal falls through, the company collapses, and all your mother’s and grandfather’s life’s work will be gone.” He looked up at me, his eyes faking a pleading look: “Dad is begging you. For the sake of this family, just endure it a little longer.” “Carter cares about his reputation. He won’t actually let Mia replace you. You’ll still be Mrs. Sterling, and the Jenkins family will survive. Isn’t this the best outcome?” “The best outcome?” I laughed out loud: “Richard, you have the nerve to tell me ‘for the sake of this family’?” “Back when my mom was lying in the ICU, terminally ill, without even the strength to open her eyes, what were you doing? You were out fooling around with other women!” My voice spiked: “Your so-called ‘family’ shattered the moment you betrayed my mother. What you want to protect is never the Jenkins family, nor my mother’s and grandfather’s life’s work,” “It’s your own status! It’s your capital to continue living like a tyrant!” Richard’s face instantly went deathly pale. His eyes darted around in panic, his lips trembling, unable to form a word. “Carter cheated, and I won’t tolerate it.” My eyes were resolute, leaving no room for negotiation: “The divorce is final. Don’t even think about using the Jenkins family to blackmail me!” “You! You ungrateful daughter!” Richard was shaking with rage. I gave him a flat glance, turned, and left. 5 The movers were carrying the last box of my belongings to the truck. Just as I stood up straight, I heard a loud bang from the entryway. Carter was back. He looked at the movers in the living room, frowned, and finally his gaze landed on me: “Chloe, you’re moving out?” I looked up at him, my tone as casual as if I were discussing the weather: “Yes, moving out.” Carter’s breathing grew heavier; he was clearly angered by me: “We aren’t even divorced yet, and you’re moving out now?” “It’s only a matter of time.” I urged the movers to hurry up, wanting absolutely nothing to do with him. Seeing this, Carter took a long stride forward, closing the distance between us. “Is this because of Mia?” “It’s for myself.” I looked at Carter, then pulled out my phone and opened the trending topics page. After leaving the Jenkins house, I sent the video of Carter to the media. Now, Twitter was exploding with trending topics about him. The screen was filled with high-definition photos and video clips of him holding Mia. The headlines were increasingly sensational. “Sterling Group CEO Cheats on Wife with Intern, Promises to Raise Illegitimate Child” “Aloof CEO Reserves Affection Only for the Other Woman; Wife of 5 Years Ignored” I shoved the phone in his face, my tone dripping with mockery: “The whole internet is digging into your sex scandal right now. Your business partners are sending letters demanding an explanation. And you have the time to worry about whether I’m moving out?” He lowered his eyes and glanced at it. His pupils contracted slightly, but he didn’t lose his composure. He slowly looked up: “So you were the one who leaked it.” “So what if I was?” “You’ve got more guts than I thought.” His thin lips pressed together, his Adam’s apple bobbing: “Chloe, you’ve really lost your mind.” “I haven’t lost my mind.” I looked him dead in the eye, enunciating every word: “You betrayed our marriage first. You thought I would silently swallow this and just act as your trophy wife.” “You care about your reputation, your career. But what I care about is a clean marriage. Since you can’t give me that,” “Then I’ll personally tear off your hypocritical mask and let everyone see the real CEO Sterling.” “Do you know how much this will cost Sterling Group?” Carter’s eyes were filled with blame, as if scolding me for being unreasonable. “You should know that the Jenkins family still relies on Sterling Group!” “Don’t try to threaten me with the Jenkins family! Ever since my mom died, the Jenkins family stopped being the Jenkins family!” I turned toward the door, calling out to the movers: “Guys, let’s go.” I didn’t give him another glance, walking out of the villa that had imprisoned me for five years without looking back. 6 Just as the car drove out of the Sterling villa complex, my phone suddenly vibrated. The name “Carter” dancing on the screen was like a tiny thorn, making me inexplicably irritated. I stared at the name for three seconds before sliding my finger across the answer button. Carter’s voice came through the line. “I agree to the divorce.” He didn’t wait for me to speak, dropping the sentence immediately. “The asset division will be exactly as you proposed. I’ll add another twenty million to your cash settlement. But… I need a favor.” My grip on the steering wheel tightened, a mocking smile curving my lips. Of course. He never compromised for nothing. Even when agreeing to a divorce, he had conditions. “Speak.” I spat out a single word, too lazy to beat around the bush. “Tomorrow morning at 10 AM, Sterling Group is holding a press conference.” His voice lowered. “You need to show up and testify for me. Just say… say we finalized our divorce agreement half a year ago, we just never announced it publicly.” “As for Mia and me, we only met after that. There was no cheating.” “Absurd.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Carter, do you really think anyone will believe that now? Do you think everyone is stupid?” “Whether they believe it or not, Sterling Group must offer an explanation for this.” Carter’s voice carried a faint exhaustion. “The new Sterling product line just launched.” “I have to minimize the PR damage.” I leaned back in my seat, stepped on the brake, and the car slowly pulled over to the side of the road. I wanted to cut ties with this man as soon as possible and end this suffocating marriage. Testifying was just standing in front of reporters, telling a few lies, and acting in a play that was already over. But this play would buy me a clean, absolute release. It would let me completely break free from Carter. This “trade” was too good a deal. However, the thought of sugarcoating his infidelity and lying to the cameras still made me slightly uncomfortable. But then again, this was my final “collaboration” with Carter. Once this performance was over, we would have absolutely nothing to do with each other. “Fine.” I cut off his rambling. “I agree. But I have two conditions.” Carter sounded relieved on the other end: “Tell me. As long as I can do it, I’ll agree to everything.” “First, after the press conference, before 2 PM, we must be at the courthouse to complete all the divorce paperwork. No delays, no excuses.” “Second,” I paused, “after this act, we are completely done.” “You are not allowed to contact me for any reason, nor are you allowed to let Mia or anyone from the Sterling family disrupt my life.” The line was silent for a few seconds before Carter’s hoarse response came through: “Alright. I agree to everything. Tomorrow morning at 9, I’ll send my assistant to pick you up.” “Good.” 7 After the press conference, Carter and I arrived at the law firm one after the other. I had just sat down when the door opened. Carter walked in first, with Mia closely behind him. She walked straight to Carter and sat down next to him, looking at me with a hint of provocation in her eyes. She probably thought she could finally stand by Carter’s side legitimately. The exhaustion deep in Carter’s eyes lingered. Compared to his composure at the press conference, he looked much more defeated now. He didn’t look at Mia, nor did he look at me. He just picked up the pen, his fingertips trembling slightly, and signed his name on the agreement. The sound of the pen scratching against the paper was exceptionally clear. Mia suddenly spoke, her voice laced with deliberate showing off: “Ms. Jenkins, thank you for stepping aside. Carter and I will be getting engaged soon, I’ll make sure to send you an invitation.” I looked up at her, my eyes completely devoid of emotion. In the past, I might have been angered by her provocation. But now, this woman, just like Carter, was nothing but a past I was desperate to shed. But I wasn’t a pushover either. “What’s wrong? Do you want to get slapped again?” My tone was flat. Mia’s face stiffened. She clearly didn’t expect this reaction from me. She wanted to say more, but Carter coldly cut her off: “Enough.” He pushed the signed agreement to the lawyer, his voice raspy: “Implement the asset division as quickly as agreed.” The lawyer nodded and reminded us: “There is a one-month cooling-off period. Once it expires, both parties must be present to finalize the divorce certificate. Neither can be absent.” “I know.” I stood up, grabbed my bag, and without glancing at Carter or Mia again, turned and left. Julian was waiting outside. Ever since that day, Julian and I had reconnected completely. Since neither of us had anything pressing to do, we just strolled aimlessly down the street.

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I received a $5,000 transfer from my husband’s company’s accounting department and happily assumed it was my year-end bonus. Unexpectedly, the accountant called and ordered me: “That money is for the legal wife, not you. Hurry up and return it the same way it came.” I was confused and stunned. She thought I didn’t want to return it, and her tone toughened: “If you don’t return it and the legal wife finds out, you’ll be in big trouble!” My husband is known to everyone as a family-oriented good man. Even his salary card at work is registered in my name. His monthly salary of $500 is deposited into my account without a penny missing. I feigned calmness and asked: “Does he give the legal wife $5,000 every month?” The accountant replied contemptuously: “Yes. I think as a mistress, Mr. Vance giving you $500 a month is already generous enough. You shouldn’t compare yourself to the legal wife.” I asked again: “How many years has he been giving it?” The accountant grew somewhat impatient: “Seven years. Hurry up and return the money.” My heart twisted in pain as I realized my good husband had been lavishly keeping a mistress on the outside. And my label was… the mistress. The accountant urged me again. I replied: “I will handle it, thank you.” … The accountant, thinking I had agreed to return the money, breathed a sigh of relief and hung up the phone. I braved the cold wind all the way to the company where Arthur had worked for 7 years. Throughout the journey, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cellar. Reviewing every detail of our 15-year marriage, I still couldn’t find a single moment when he could have cheated. Over the years, no matter how late it was, he never spent the night away from home. Even if it was 2 AM, he would rush back. He would even save the cardboard boxes from every package we opened to sell. He wore his underwear until there were holes, patching them up for another three years, never willing to throw them away. How could he be willing to spend a fortune to keep a mistress? It wasn’t just him living frugally; all these years, the whole family lived in poverty. Out of his $500 monthly salary, $100 went to my mother-in-law’s medical bills. $50 for rent, $20 for his pocket money, and $50 for gas. Leaving only $280 every month. This $280 covered the living expenses for a family of four, utilities, and our daughter’s school fees. We even had to save some for occasional social obligations. So, for our family’s meals, I always went to the market just before it closed to buy the cheapest leftover scraps. We lived in the cheapest house in the urban village. Day after day, we lived on meager meals, stretching every penny. To save money, he even quit smoking and drove for Uber after work. My husband and I were known among our neighbors as a thrifty, hardworking couple. I never expected all this to be an illusion. I never expected he would brazenly register both mine and the mistress’s bank cards with his company’s accounting department. I still couldn’t figure it out. Such a frugal person, even when his mother had mobility issues due to a stroke. When I suggested buying a $20 used wheelchair for her to use temporarily, he agonized over it and couldn’t bear to spend the money. Yet he was so generous as to keep a lover! Entering the lobby of his company, a pretty 20-year-old receptionist asked politely: “Who are you looking for?” “Arthur Vance.” “Do you have an appointment?” My heart skipped a beat, remembering the accountant calling Arthur “Mr. Vance.” I thought perhaps he had been promoted. “Please tell him I am Chloe Hastings.” The young receptionist remained polite: “I’m sorry, ma’am, our boss is out right now and not in the company. Why don’t you give the boss a call?” I was shocked as if struck by lightning. Boss? This company was started by Arthur? And I was completely in the dark. [Chapter 2] I pretended to be calm and peeked inside. The company wasn’t big, with about 30 employees. It was a typical small business. There was a cheap bubble tea shop downstairs from his company. I spent 40 cents on a lemonade and sat by the window. Before all this, spending 40 cents on a lemonade would have made my heart ache for a long time. Because that 40 cents was enough for a light dinner for our family of four. Enough for my daughter to buy two pairs of socks, or even a pretty hair clip from the dollar store. I took a sip of the sweet and sour lemonade, enduring my breaking heart, and downloaded a corporate registry app. I entered Arthur’s company name, and the information popped up. He was the legal representative, the executive director, and a board member. Registered 7 years ago, with a registered capital of $20,000, an e-commerce company. That was the very day he hugged me in ecstasy, kissing my face repeatedly and saying: “Honey, I found a job paying $500 a month! Our life is going to get better and better!” I believed it then too. Before Arthur got this job, lacking a degree, he worked as a warehouse keeper at his previous company. His salary was around $300 to $400. Back then, we worked at the same company. I was a stocker, and he was a warehouse keeper. Two people from the bottom rung, sparked a romance, and became husband and wife. After our daughter was born, because my mother-in-law was in poor health and couldn’t help with the baby, I had to quit my job to take care of her. Later, my mother-in-law’s stroke worsened, to the point where she was bedridden long-term. I managed everything inside and outside the house. Many times, when I was so tired I couldn’t stand straight, lying in bed pounding my aching shoulders, Arthur would guiltily massage me and say: “Honey, you’ve worked so hard.” Thinking back now, it’s incredibly ironic! When my lemonade was half finished, I finally saw Arthur get out of a car from the window. He was wearing a decent suit, completely different from the cheap casual clothes he left the house in this morning. He walked around to the other side of the car and opened the rear door. A woman stepped out—high heels, a body-hugging dress, long straight black hair, and exquisite makeup. Her skin was tender and white, looking to be in her 20s. Arthur held her hand, their fingers intertwined, as they walked into the company. Seeing this with my own eyes, my heart felt like it was split in two, my chest suffocating. Before this moment, I had imagined a scene of catching them in the act, making a furious scene, causing them both complete humiliation. But at this moment, I felt it was utterly pointless. My phone vibrated right then, a message from my daughter: “Mom, why aren’t you here yet? My stomach is so empty.” My reason was pulled back. Thinking of my daughter, my tears fell like a broken dam onto the cracked screen of my phone. My middle school daughter didn’t board at school, nor did she eat there. I cooked and delivered her meals at noon and in the afternoon, and picked her up to go home at 9:30 PM. Braving wind and rain, just to save $50 a month on food and boarding. Yet her father couldn’t even bear to spend $50 on his own biological daughter. But spent $5,000 to keep a lover. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I immediately went online and ordered braised ribs, shredded potatoes, and dry-pot cabbage for my daughter, having a courier deliver it to her school. That saying online is true: the money you can’t bear to spend, someone else will gladly spend for you! From now on, I will not wrong myself or my daughter. I waited downstairs. Waiting for Arthur and that woman to come out, I followed their car. I followed them all the way to a high-end residential complex. Less than half an hour later, a boy of about 6 years old appeared between them. I watched him call Arthur: Dad. So, he not only had a home outside, but also a son. This boy, whose features were 70% similar to his, was like a sharp sword gouging my heart. [Chapter 3] When I gave birth to my daughter, I suffered an amniotic fluid embolism. By a stroke of incredible luck, the doctors managed to save me. That day, Arthur was scared out of his wits, signing numerous high-risk resuscitation consent forms. The nurses and doctors all said I had a good husband. Because that day, Arthur knelt and begged them: “Please save my wife, I don’t want the child, please save her.” “I’ll call to sell the house right now, no matter how much it costs.” He, who never believed in deities, knelt outside the resuscitation room that day, devoutly praying to every god. After I was saved, he held me and cried for a long time, still in shock. He kept telling me: “No more kids, no more. We just want this one daughter, that’s enough.” Even when our daughter was 7, and my father-in-law threatened suicide, demanding I must give the Vance family a boy, He fell out with his father over me, flipping the table, even if it meant cutting ties. He resolutely defended me, absolutely refusing to have a second child. He told relatives who pressured us countlessly: “Nothing is more important than my wife’s life. I will never let my wife suffer the pain of childbirth again.” Relatives all said he spoiled me too much and was so good to his wife. Looking back now, it’s a complete joke. He didn’t not want a son; he just secretly had one with someone else. I sat in a taxi, following their car all the way to a high-end restaurant. From a distance, I watched him order several delicate and expensive meat and vegetable dishes. Watched him considerately and carefully serve food to his son and lover, even feeding them. And this scene… even during the New Year, our family didn’t eat this well. A month ago, my daughter had a craving and said to Arthur: “Dad, I want to go eat a skewer hotpot with my classmates.” He told her: “If you rank first in your grade on the final exam, I’ll reward you by letting you eat hotpot with your classmates.” My daughter’s grades were above average, so ranking first was difficult for her. A wave of bitterness washed over me. Suppressing my emotions, I contacted my nephew, a lawyer on my side of the family. While they were laughing and chatting through their meal, I told my nephew the specific situation. He replied: “Auntie, staying calm is the right move. Don’t confront him yet, wait until we gather solid evidence.” My nephew felt for me and said he would handle this. He would investigate. When my daughter finished her evening study hall, I rushed to the school to pick her up. In the dark, I rode the electric bike I’d had for 7 years, its chain rusting, carrying my daughter home. Along the way, she chattered non-stop, like a happy little bird. Because today she finally got to eat the delicious takeout she had dreamed of. She asked me: “Mom, did you win the lottery today, ordering all this good food for me?” I feigned happiness, not wanting her to know about the family’s mess during her happiest moment. “Yeah, I bought a 20-cent lottery ticket and won $20. Ordered you takeout, and saved a little bit for you to go eat skewer hotpot with your classmates.” My daughter was even happier, hugging my waist tightly and saying: “I won’t go with my classmates. I’ll go with you, so you can experience eating out too.” [Chapter 4] When we got home, Arthur wasn’t back yet. My bedridden mother-in-law complained endlessly, grumbling that I was out for so long and didn’t make dinner, leaving her hungry. My daughter also casually mentioned she was hungry. I hurried to the kitchen to cook noodles. Just as I finished making a simple tomato and egg noodle soup, Arthur returned. He had changed back into the faded casual clothes he left with in the morning. He walked over to me as usual and said: “Eating noodles, huh.” He rubbed his stomach and said: “I drove for Uber for a while and ate a steamed bun to fill my stomach. Really getting older, it still hasn’t digested.” His underlying meaning was that he wasn’t eating. Basically, whenever he came back late, he would use the excuse of an undigested steamed bun to skip dinner. Every time, my heart would ache for him eating plain steamed buns with no nutrition. I never imagined he had actually eaten delicacies outside before coming home. I feigned calmness and asked him to carry a bowl of noodles: “Take this to Mom.” He smiled and took it, and as usual, smiled and said to me: “My wife is so virtuous.” That sentence stabbed my heart like a vicious knife. He went into my mother-in-law’s room. My mother-in-law complained to him about dinner being late and me not giving her a good attitude. He mediated and spoke up for me. As I passed my mother-in-law’s room, I suddenly heard her lower her voice: “You’re capable, you’re a big boss now, why don’t you just hire a nanny for me.” “What use is she to you? She won’t even give you a son. Well, you don’t need her to anymore, I already have a big grandson.” “I can’t just let my big grandson stay off the family register forever, how will I face your father in the future!” So she had known about Arthur having an illegitimate child outside all along. My blood ran cold, and the anger of being played for a fool surged through my body. When Arthur went back to the room to sleep, I said to him: “I plan to start working.” His hand pulling the blanket paused, looking at me: “What about our daughter?” “She’ll board at school.” He asked again: “What about Mom?” I pinched my palms, pretending to be calm: “You figure it out. Anyway, I plan to start working.” He looked incredulous, tried to persuade me for a good while, and seeing I was determined, settled for the next best thing: “How about this, I’ll find you a part-time job. That way you have a job, but it won’t interfere with taking care of Mom and our daughter.” A cold sneer rose in my heart. He actually still delusionally thought I would serve his mom like a nanny! After he fell asleep, I secretly unlocked his phone. As I scrolled, my hands shook with fear. This shocking secret completely shattered my understanding of Arthur. The next day, he said he found me a part-time job. He took me to a new residential complex. He told me: “Taking care of people is your specialty. A friend introduced this; their family needs a live-out nanny.” “You just cook lunch and dinner, and clean up. The salary is $200.” While talking, I unexpectedly saw a family photo of this household. Only then did I realize this was the mistress’s parents’ home. He actually wanted me to serve the mistress’s parents. I asked Arthur: “In your heart, am I only fit to serve people? Am I a servant, is that it?” While he was stunned and hadn’t had time to answer, I gave him a cold look and left. He chased after me, offering a few perfunctory coaxing words, thinking I would brush off these “small things” like before. That night, after he fell asleep, I secretly saw on his phone that his company was hosting an annual gala tomorrow. Looking at the various pieces of evidence my nephew sent me, after a night of careful consideration, I decided to deliver a fatal blow to them tomorrow. In the morning, Arthur left the house as usual. I followed him all the way to the five-star hotel he had booked for the annual gala. Timing it perfectly, I silently called the police. Just as Arthur held that woman’s hand and went on stage to speak, while the crowd cheered that they were the best boss and boss’s wife, The police walked up to Arthur with gleaming silver handcuffs: “Are you Arthur Vance?” Looking at the uniformed police, Arthur was confused: “Yes.” “Your wife reported you for suspected involvement in several illegal fraud operations. We are lawfully arresting you for investigation.” Arthur was struck dumb as if by a thunderbolt. When he saw me walking forward unhurriedly, his face turned deathly pale. [Chapter 5] The employees below the stage whispered in shock: “Isn’t the boss’s wife right there on stage?” “What’s going on here?” “Yeah, the boss and his wife have such a good relationship, how could she call the police on him?” The woman on stage, Maya Sullivan, was shocked and angry, and said to the police: “Nonsense! How could I report my own husband?” “Besides, my husband is a good, law-abiding citizen. He’s never done anything bad.” “You guys must have made a mistake!” “Did you arrest someone with the same name by mistake?” She kept rambling on, completely missing Arthur’s gaze turning deathly pale when he looked at me. The police looked at her suspiciously: “You are Arthur Vance’s wife?” “Yes! I am his wife!” A very firm and resonant answer. The police turned their gaze to me as I walked over, lifting their chins slightly: “Then who is she?” Maya looked toward me. The color drained from her face, and her pupils dilated. I walked right up to her. The murmurs from the audience boiled up again like hot water. “Oh my god, so the real boss’s wife is someone else.” “But she doesn’t look like a match for the boss at all, she looks much older than him.” “Is what she reported true? Did our boss really break the law?” Yes, compared to Maya, she looked more like the boss’s wife. Her skin was soft and delicate, even her hands were manicured, as tender as a peeled egg. She wore a designer gown, and her face was covered in high-end cosmetics. While I was bare-faced, wearing cheap, washed-out clothes from discount sites. My hands were rough and dry. These marks of years of dedication to my family had become the standard by which outsiders judged who looked more like the boss’s wife. I slowly spoke: “Say it again. Are you Arthur’s wife?” Maya’s embarrassed flush reached her neck; her red lips moved, but she hesitated. Arthur shot me a look, signaling me to give him some face and stop making a scene. “Whatever it is, we can talk about it calmly. Don’t make such a big joke.” A bitter smile played on my lips, the hatred in my heart rising to my throat. I glared furiously at Arthur: “What makes you think we still have a chance to talk calmly?” “For our daughter’s sake, stop messing around, okay? This is a serious matter, I could go to jail!” He used our daughter to pressure me. I had always taught my daughter to study hard, get into a good college, and preferably become a civil servant. Not to struggle at the bottom like me. So I had warned Arthur many times that he must be law-abiding, not even a DUI. To ensure that if our daughter wanted to take the civil service exam later, our family wouldn’t have a stain on its record. He always knew what my weakness was. I laughed through gritted teeth and roared at him: “You have the least right to mention our daughter to me!” “Did you think of our daughter when you were cheating?” “When you were enjoying wealth and luxury, why didn’t you think of your daughter who couldn’t even afford skewer hotpot?” “When you did those unconscionable, illegal things, why didn’t you think of your wife and child at home?” “Arthur! Put your hand on your heart and tell me, did you ever care about your daughter, your family!” As I roared, the tears from the corners of my eyes fell non-stop like broken pearls. Not for him. Just for the unworthiness of my years of dedication. He froze. Knowing he was in the wrong, he avoided my burning gaze and didn’t utter another word. He was taken away by the police.

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After my husband’s uncle passed away, my aunt-in-law was abandoned by both of her sons. My mother-in-law, taking pity on her, suggested they live together for companionship. This living arrangement lasted for eight years. During those eight years, whenever I bought things, gave living expenses, or arranged medical checkups, I always paid double. Later, my aunt-in-law won the lottery—$4.5 million after taxes—and immediately transferred the money to her two sons: “This time, I’m giving $2.25 million to my older son and $2.25 million to my younger son. Now that I’m treating them equally, they can’t accuse me of playing favorites anymore.” Then, she turned to me. “You don’t have a real job right now anyway, so go be a nanny for my older son. You’ll get $3,000 a month, consider it my way of repaying you and your husband.” That very day, I packed her bags and sent them straight to her son’s house. Along with her luggage, I sent her cancer diagnosis report. 1 It was my mother-in-law who called me. She sounded frantic, urging me to come home immediately. I thought my aunt-in-law had a sudden medical emergency and rushed back from the company in a panic. I bumped into my husband downstairs. When we ran upstairs and opened the door, we saw my mother-in-law sitting on the sofa, fuming. My aunt-in-law didn’t look too good either, sitting on the other side of the sofa, her head turned toward the window. “Mom, Auntie, what’s going on with you two?” As soon as I spoke, my mother-in-law shot up, pointing at her sister-in-law. “Send her to her son’s house immediately!” “Why should I?” My aunt-in-law whipped her head around, ready to fight. My mother-in-law gritted her teeth, visibly unstable, and said: “You have sons of your own, yet you insist on freeloading here. Do you think my son and daughter-in-law are suckers? Get out right now, before I kick you out!” My husband and I were completely bewildered. We quickly tried to calm my mother-in-law down and asked what had happened. Panting heavily, she complained: “She won the lottery! Four and a half million dollars, and she split it all between her two sons!” “Those two kids she raised, neither of them is worth a damn. In eight years, they haven’t even shown their faces!” As we gasped in shock, my mother-in-law pointed at her again. “Search your conscience and tell me, haven’t my son and daughter-in-law treated you well enough these past eight years? Do you have any decency left?” No sooner had my mother-in-law finished speaking than my aunt-in-law stood up, eyes wide. She yelled back at her. “Are you obsessed with money? That’s the money I won from the lottery, what does it have to do with you! I’ll give it to whoever I want, and I’m deliberately not giving it to your son, so what!” 2 The air was thick with tension. My husband and I looked at each other, our brows furrowed. He walked over and spoke calmly to his aunt. “Auntie, you know what kind of people my older and younger cousins are. They haven’t checked on you in all these years; it’s like they don’t even have a mother.” “Shut your mouth!” She clawed the air and yelled at him, “Are you like your mother, wanting to hoard my four and a half million all to yourselves?” I was utterly speechless at this and tried to explain. “No one wants to hoard your four and a half million. My point is, since your two sons are unfilial, why didn’t you save some retirement money for yourself?” I thought I had phrased it as tactfully as possible. But to my surprise, she rolled her eyes at me and argued unreasonably: “I’m so old, I don’t need money on hand. Besides, what use do I have for so much money? Wait for people to scheme against me for it?” “You are incurable!” My mother-in-law stomped her foot in anger. “You just treat my son as a sucker! Not saving your own retirement money, waiting for my son and daughter-in-law to provide for you! If you get sick or have an accident later, who’s going to pay for the hospital?!” My aunt-in-law’s expression paused. It seemed my mother-in-law’s words had slightly awakened her. But immediately, she put on a relieved expression and actually said: “Chloe and her husband earn quite a bit. I’m already this age, I won’t get those chronic diseases, and going to the hospital won’t cost much.” “Anyway, you’ve already taken care of me for eight years, another ten or eight won’t make a difference.” Hearing this, my mother-in-law was so angry she almost fainted. I hurriedly comforted her while asking my aunt-in-law in extreme bafflement: “What do you take us for?” She shrugged and said with a very self-righteous tone: “Chloe, you can’t say things like that. It was your mother-in-law who begged me to come and keep her company. I was afraid your mother-in-law would be lonely, so I had no choice but to refuse my two sons’ offers to provide for me.” I laughed outright out of sheer anger. “You’ve favored your younger son since childhood, breaking your older son’s heart until he cut ties with you.” “Yet your younger son, spoiled rotten by you, doesn’t even take you seriously. Back when my husband’s uncle died, it was because neither of them cared about you that my mother-in-law, out of the goodness of her heart, asked you to move in together.” “For these eight years, you’ve enjoyed the same treatment as my mother-in-law. My husband and I gave you everything we could. And now you win the lottery, don’t leave a dime for your own retirement, and still expect us to continue providing for you?” Hearing this, she snorted coldly, plopped back down on the sofa, and said contemptuously: “No matter what, you invited me back then, and a good deed should be done to the end. My two sons are busy to death all day, they don’t have easy jobs like you do. And I’m used to living here now, so whatever you say is useless.” “Our jobs are easy?” My husband stepped forward. “For this family, Chloe and I work from morning till night every day. Can you be reasonable?” “What reason should I listen to?” She glared. “Being reasonable just means you want money. I’m telling you clearly, there’s not a single cent left.” “And you should know how much your uncle did for your family in the past!” “He helped you with the heavy lifting a lot, didn’t he? Frankly, what you’re doing now is just repaying our family’s favor!” 3 Hearing her words, my blood boiled. Back then, when my father-in-law was seriously ill, we had several acres of fields waiting to be harvested. My husband and I were so tired we couldn’t even straighten our backs, but we were still too slow. Seeing that the crops were about to rot in the fields, my aunt and uncle came, and she arranged for him to help us work. That feeling of receiving help in our darkest hour moved us deeply. But after the harvest, my uncle used the busy farming season as an excuse to take away one-third of the total yield. This left our family at a total loss. Because at that time, my father-in-law’s medical bills were also very high. But we couldn’t find a suitable reason to refuse. Later, my aunt and uncle had a huge fight, even reaching the point of threatening divorce, but my uncle wouldn’t yield an inch. My mother-in-law really had no choice. She couldn’t let a family break apart over some grain, so she agreed to it. Although we were a bit dissatisfied with my uncle, we were full of gratitude toward my aunt. But looking back now… Could that have been a sob story they put on together? I pulled my thoughts back. I didn’t want to bring up the past anymore, wanting to leave a good impression of our familial bond. Then I said to her: “Forget it, Auntie, let’s not talk about who owes who. No matter how much I owed you, these eight years should have paid it back.” “I’ll say it again, we didn’t want to take your lottery money. Since you’ve already given it to your two sons, they now have the ability to support you. I hope you enjoy your twilight years. I’ll take you back.” My husband pulled out his car keys upon hearing my words. But my aunt showed no sign of getting up. Sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed, she shamelessly refused. “I said I’m not leaving, I’m used to living here, and I don’t want to trouble my two sons.” His good temper was almost depleted. He frowned and asked her, “Then you have the nerve to trouble us?” “Liam, what kind of talk is that? I am your aunt!” “Those two are your sons! By reason and logic, they should be the ones supporting you! Before, they had no money and no heart, but now that they have money, shouldn’t they immediately take you back? I said if they don’t have time, I’ll take you.” She glared at us, scanning the room with utter bafflement. Full of resentment, she said: “And here I thought of you as family! I must have been blind!” “Since you all know I was abandoned by my two sons because of my favoritism, why don’t you think about my situation?” “This time, I’m giving $2.25 million to my older son and $2.25 million to my younger son. Now that I’m treating them equally, they can’t accuse me of playing favorites anymore.” “Solving a lifetime’s worth of resentment with this one thing, you should be happy for me!” Then she sneered disdainfully again. And said to me: “You don’t have a real job right now anyway, so go be a nanny for my older son. You’ll get $3,000 a month, consider it my way of repaying you and your husband.” “You should be satisfied now, right?” Seeing her dismissive attitude, the anger I had suppressed for so long finally erupted. 4 I pointed at her nose and asked: “Why should others pay for the sins you committed yourself? What obligation do we have to be happy for you!” “Also, I may not have a stable job, but I can still generously take out two months’ salary to give you living expenses and take you for medical checkups!” “And what about your two sons? They’re both afraid of getting involved, not even daring to give you a call. We’ve done everything humanly possible for you. Don’t think you can overstay your welcome. You must leave today!” Saying that, I went to pull her arm. She resisted fiercely, and after breaking free, immediately pulled out her phone to make a call. “Son!” But as soon as she yelled one word, the call was hung up. Besides looking dumbfounded, her face was filled with helplessness. She actually said to me: “Look at this, my son won’t even answer my calls. Are you kicking me out to die in the streets? How can you be so cruel? I’m your husband’s aunt, your elder!” “I don’t care if you die in the streets! If you want to call someone cruel, you should curse your two sons!” I went over to pull her again. Like a stubborn dog, she clung to the sofa, dodging while sending a voice message: “Sons, come quick, Mom is being kicked out of here. If I’m kicked out, you’ll have to support me. Come quickly!” I was thoroughly infuriated by her shamelessness. My husband and mother-in-law were also livid. “How can you be so shameless? Do you have any dignity as an elder left! They are your sons. Instead of looking for them, why are you leeching off us!” She stiffened her neck and retorted, “My two sons aren’t even married yet. After giving them that money to buy cars and houses, how much will be left? If I get sick and need to spend money later, it’ll put pressure on them. Anyway, I’m not leaving. You called me here, and I’m not leaving.” 5 She acted completely like a shrew; her shameless behavior was nauseating. And the three of us were already enraged. No longer wasting words on her, the three of us worked together to force her out the door. However, she shrieked, “Murder! Help!” Just as we were about to push her out the door. Her two sons, my older cousin Mark and my younger cousin Jason, arrived at the door at the same time. They stopped us with fierce glares. “What are you doing!” Jason roared. She took this opportunity to break free from us. Like a loach, she found a gap, slipped back into the house, and lay straight down on the sofa. I was so exasperated I was speechless. I told her two sons directly: “Take your mother away immediately, she is not welcome here!” 6 These two sons received different treatment growing up, so their personalities were also different. Faced with this situation, Mark pulled my husband aside to understand what was going on. But before my husband could speak, Jason started chirping. “What is this? Back then you begged to bring my mom here, and now you want to kick her out. Are you even human!” Indeed, a family doesn’t produce two different breeds. I pushed Mark aside and went straight up to Jason’s face. “An inhuman thing talking to me about human topics? Your mom lived here for eight years, did you ever show half an ounce of concern!” After speaking, I looked back and said to Mark. “Since you are both here today, let’s get things straight. We took your mom in back then purely because no one was taking care of her, and we did it out of kindness.” “Now that you both have money, there’s no reason not to take her back. What I have to say is that simple.” Mark fell silent, shot his mother a complex look, and said. “Let’s put her in a nursing home. We two will cover the expenses there.” A very reasonable statement, but unexpectedly, it was unanimously opposed by her and Jason. She immediately jumped up and yelled, “You bastard, is that human language? Sending your own mother to a nursing home with your own hands? I’m not old yet!” “As a mother, I was worried about the pressure of your lives. Not only did I give you over two million, but I also brazenly stayed here to be yelled at. And now, not only do you not speak up for me, but you turn against me! It seems I was right not to favor you back then!” Jason’s words were even more direct, “If you want to spend money, spend it yourself. I already bought a car with my money!” Mark was choked speechless and turned his head away in anger. My patience was completely worn out, and I asked again. “Are you leaving or not? I don’t have time to waste words with you anymore!” “Not leaving at all!” She sprawled on the sofa, limp as a puddle of mud. “No matter what you say, I won’t leave. You have to support me until I die.” I nodded through gritted teeth and pulled out my phone to call the police. “No problem. Since you want to stay and refuse to leave, let’s see if the police will handle this.” However, at this moment, Jason snatched my phone away and said to me with glaring eyes. “If you call the police, where will my face as a son be? You are not allowed to call the police!” “You still care about your face?” I asked, word by word. Jason sighed deeply, swaying his body in extreme dissatisfaction. “I get it now. You’re just upset that my mom won the lottery and didn’t give you any money, right?” “How about this, does your husband know how to drive? Let him be my driver, and I’ll give him fifteen hundred a month.” I delivered a vicious kick. Jason was kicked into the doorframe. He struggled up to hit me, and my aunt-in-law, who had been playing dead, charged over screaming. The scene instantly turned chaotic. “I dare any of you to move!” I pointed at their noses. “Have I given you too much face? Try moving and see what happens!” Jason and she were intimidated by me. They threatened me indignantly: “You’re truly crazy. Daring to hit people in peaceful times, I’ll make you lose everything!” “Then call the police. Blaming me for hitting you while publicly robbing me? Call them!” Hearing my words, Jason fearfully threw my phone onto the shoe cabinet. She also instantly lost her temper. Panting heavily, I glared at them coldly and said: “Based on the fact that we’re relatives, I didn’t want things to get too ugly. But I’ve tried talking nicely. If you still refuse to realize your mistakes, don’t blame me for posting this online and making you unable to lift your heads for the rest of your lives!” “Examine your own consciences. Haven’t I done enough these past eight years? Taking advantage and then acting innocent, let’s see you try not leaving my house today!”

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The year the Vance Clinic was on the brink of bankruptcy, I married the Vance family’s young master and became the heir to the Vance medical empire. Everyone said I was taking advantage of their vulnerability, but I didn’t care. Because I knew Liam Vance and I truly understood and loved each other. I carried him and the entire Vance Clinic on my shoulders. Working day and night, I led the clinic from a struggling private practice to a top-tier national medical conglomerate. Until the day I successfully retired, at my farewell ceremony, he stood in front of everyone and proposed hanging Chloe Jenkins’ picture in the Vance Clinic’s Hall of Honor, replacing my position. I was shaking with anger. Questioning, arguing, pleading—none of it worked. To force me to accept reality, he pulled out a yellowed notebook, claiming that all the medical technology I used to bring the hospital back to life came from Chloe’s research. He even accused me of stealing Chloe’s life. The son I had raised for thirty years even cursed me, calling me a despicable, shameless fraud. Looking at the disdainful eyes of the guests filling the hall, a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I collapsed in the middle of the celebration. When I woke up again, I had returned to the day the Vance family was choosing their heir. Old Mr. Vance sat in the center of the conference room, his expression grave. “Liam, you are an adult now. It’s time to make a choice.” “Tell Grandpa, who do you lean towards more, Evelyn or Chloe?” Mrs. Vance held her coffee, her face full of expectation: “Is there even a need to ask? Our Liam has always protected Evelyn since they were little.” 1 Whether in medical skill or moral character, I was a level above Chloe. Everyone in the Vance family knew that my position as the clinic’s heir and the young Mrs. Vance was practically set in stone. But in this life, Liam looked at me with cold detachment. In an instant, I understood everything. He had been reborn too. Since you are so obsessed with Chloe. Then I will grant your wish. I stood up from my chair and spoke to the room full of people: “Grandpa Vance, Grandma Vance.” “I, Evelyn Thorne, have shallow knowledge and flawed morals. I am truly unworthy of Liam, and even less capable of bearing the heavy responsibility of being the heir to the Vance Clinic.” “Chloe has excellent medical skills and a sharp mind. She is more suited for this position than I am.” Liam’s expression visibly stiffened. He didn’t say a word, turned around, and rushed out of the conference room. I knew exactly what he was going to do. At this very moment, Chloe was performing an unauthorized procedure in the lab. That accident would cost her her left hand. There was still time to stop it. I stayed where I was, unable to hold back a bitter smile. Nearly fifty years of marriage in our past life couldn’t compete with Chloe’s place in his heart. “Evelyn, are you crazy! What nonsense are you talking about!” Old Mr. Vance’s voice was filled with anger. I looked up, meeting his gaze. This elder, who had personally guided me in studying medicine, was now full of disappointment. My tone was calm: “Grandpa Vance, Liam has someone else in his heart. I can’t force things.” Old Mr. Vance and Mrs. Vance looked at each other in dismay. But thinking of how resolutely their grandson had just left, any further words of reproach got stuck in their throats. I silently walked back to the guest room, packed a few changes of clothes, and a briefcase containing my medical research data. Early the next morning, the Vance family’s butler announced a piece of news. The decision regarding Liam and Chloe’s engagement. The announcement was plastered all over the clinic’s bulletin boards. In the photo, Liam held Chloe tightly, smiling brightly. I shoved the briefcase into my suitcase, my face expressionless. Near noon, a commotion erupted downstairs. Standing by the window, I saw Liam intimately holding Chloe’s hand, walking proudly into the office building. Not long after, a fierce argument broke out in the chairman’s office. “Grandpa! You promised! Whoever becomes the young Mrs. Vance gets to take over the German medical technology import project!” “Why is Evelyn still holding onto that position now?” Old Mr. Vance suppressed his anger and explained: “Liam, Evelyn is in charge of all the technical interfacing for that project. Changing the person in charge at the last minute will cause major problems!” “I don’t care!” Liam interrupted him. “I’ve thought it through. Chloe is the future of the Vance Clinic! Grandpa, would you rather believe an outsider than trust your grandson’s judgment?” The collaboration with the Germans was the Vance Clinic’s only chance to break out of its predicament and introduce advanced medical equipment. In our past life, I led this collaboration, working day and night with my team to successfully design a crucial surgical instrument required for the German technology. From then on, the Vance Clinic gained immense fame and became a national medical benchmark. It also solidified my position as the true heir and power holder. Liam knew all of this like the back of his hand. A few minutes later, I was called into the office. Old Mr. Vance sat in his swivel chair, looking embarrassed. “Evelyn, there’s something… Grandpa has let you down.” “Grandpa Vance, say no more.” My voice was calm. “I understand.” Old Mr. Vance looked up, his eyes full of guilt. He had raised me like his own granddaughter for many years. But facing this situation today, caught between his stubborn grandson and his favored successor, he was truly in a dilemma. I took out the research report from my briefcase—the one I had spent countless sleepless nights completing—and placed it on the desk. “The report contains all the technical data and interface plans. Liam also knows the critical data on the last page.” This report had been with me since my first day at the Vance family. It recorded all my hard work. In my past life, it was locked in my safe until the day I died. Looking at my calm expression, Old Mr. Vance opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word. I stood up and bowed deeply to him: “Grandpa Vance, I will never forget your guidance all these years.” Just then, Liam and Chloe walked in. “Grandpa, she agreed?” He walked straight to Old Mr. Vance without even looking at me. Old Mr. Vance nodded weakly and pushed the report toward him: “Evelyn… she handed it all over.” Before Liam could reach for it, Chloe, standing next to him, snatched the report, unable to hide the smugness on her face. “Wait a minute.” I spoke up suddenly, and Liam immediately frowned: “Evelyn, what trick are you trying to play now?” I shook my head and pulled out a single, folded blueprint from my pocket. “These are the final process parameters for the new surgical instrument. I just calculated them last night and haven’t had time to write them into the report.” Liam took the blueprint, staring at the numbers and formulas on it, his brow furrowed tightly. “If these parameters are off by even a fraction, the entire batch of instruments will be ruined. The direct loss will be at least several million, and the German experts will terminate the collaboration immediately.” My tone was indifferent. “With Chloe’s skill level, solving this problem shouldn’t be an issue, right?” Chloe’s face instantly flushed red, but she quickly puffed out her chest and regained her arrogance. She snorted coldly: “Stop being an alarmist. This is a minor problem. I’ll figure it out when I get back.” I didn’t say anything else. Chloe was nothing but a mediocre talent who hadn’t even mastered basic medical theory, let alone knowing anything about precision instruments. 2 “You can leave.” Liam said coldly. “From now on, the Vance Clinic has absolutely nothing to do with you, Evelyn.” Just as I was about to turn around, Chloe suddenly stopped me: “Hold on!” “Since Evelyn is no longer the heir, she isn’t considered part of the Vance family anymore, right?” “According to the rules, everything she uses belongs to the Vance family. Now that she’s leaving, shouldn’t she leave behind everything that isn’t hers?” “Liam, isn’t that right?” I turned around, ignoring Chloe’s smug face, and looked at Liam. “Is this what you want?” He stood there, looking a bit awkward. Ultimately, he avoided my gaze. Hearing this, Old Mr. Vance violently smashed the ashtray from his desk onto the floor: “Bastard! Evelyn has been in the Vance family for fifteen years. Even if she isn’t your wife, she’s still half a granddaughter to this family!” “Grandpa!” Liam finally spoke, but not to defend me. “Chloe is right. Since she’s leaving, we should settle things clearly, to avoid any messy entanglements later.” I looked at him and suddenly smiled. “Grandpa Vance, since this is Liam’s decision, I accept it.” “But to settle the score, I have a few things to say too.” “I entered the Vance family at eighteen, studying medicine under you. Today, it’s been exactly fifteen years.” Chloe let out a disdainful scoff. “In my third year here, I improved the testing program for the cardiac monitoring equipment, saving the clinic over eighty thousand dollars in maintenance fees every year.” “In my fifth year, I led the team to tackle the sterile control issue in the operating rooms, securing performance bonuses for the entire medical staff for three consecutive years.” “In my tenth year, to secure the military hospital contract…” I listed them one by one. With each accomplishment I mentioned, Old Mr. Vance’s face grew uglier. “All of this added up, over these fifteen years, the value I created for the Vance Clinic is enough to build a brand new hospital.” Liam bit his lip tightly. He certainly knew the significance of these numbers. In our past life, the Vance Clinic went from a small practice to a medical giant relying on these very tangible achievements. “The Vance family raised me for fifteen years, and I risked my life for the Vance Clinic for fifteen years.” “The sweat I’ve shed is enough to repay Grandpa and Grandma Vance for raising me.” “From now on, we are even.” “I’m leaving with nothing, and we have no further connection.” Chloe suddenly let out a sarcastic laugh: “You make it sound so noble. Look at what you’re wearing, what’s on your wrist. Which of these things is actually yours?” She took a few steps forward and roughly tugged at my work suit. “This custom-made suit, the clinic provided it, right?” She grabbed my wrist, revealing the jade bracelet. “Tsk tsk, this bracelet must be worth twenty thousand dollars. Could an apprentice afford this?” She pointed at the Mercedes car keys on the desk. “And that S-class sedan, that was a reward from the clinic too, wasn’t it?” “All of these things, which one isn’t from the Vance family?” I let her pull at me, keeping my eyes fixed on Liam the entire time. But he still didn’t say a word. “Liam.” I couldn’t help but ask: “The year the cherry blossoms were blooming, the words you said to me under the tree, have you forgotten them all?” Finally, he spat out two words. “I forgot.” I thought that by living a second life, this heart would no longer feel pain. I didn’t expect to still be deeply pierced by those two words at this moment. I forcefully suppressed my churning emotions and took off the bracelet. “Evelyn!” Old Mr. Vance stood up abruptly. “Don’t do this!” “Grandpa Vance.” I interrupted him, placing the bracelet on the desk. “Rules are rules.” The custom suit, the car keys from my pocket, the high heels on my feet. I took them off one by one, folding them neatly on the floor. Finally, I even took off my socks, stepping barefoot on the floor. The broken glass pierced my soles with a sharp pain. Chloe wore a victorious smile. When I started unbuttoning my last shirt, Liam finally couldn’t help but stop me. “Enough!” “Evelyn, stop it right now!” I calmly folded the shirt and placed it on the floor. “From now on, I am just me.” “My name is Evelyn Thorne. I am no longer an apprentice of the Vance family.” I changed into my own clothes, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out of the office building. A dense crowd of people stood outside. The hospital’s PA system was broadcasting the announcement of my dismissal. The gazes of the medical staff cut into me like knives. “Look, that’s her, the ungrateful wretch!” “I heard she still wanted to hog the position of heir. How shameless!” “Old Mr. Vance raised her for fifteen years. He really raised a snake in his bosom!” I walked through the crowd step by step. Just as I walked out of the clinic’s main gate, a Rolls-Royce sedan stopped right in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing a handsome face. “Are you Ms. Evelyn Thorne?” “My boss would like to have a word with you.” 3 “My name is Ethan Sterling. I’m from Hong Kong.” I looked at the sharply contoured face in the car without responding. Ethan opened the car door, took off his jacket, and draped it over my shoulders. “Ms. Thorne, our boss has had his eye on you for a long time.” “Our conglomerate highly appreciates your research in cardiac monitoring equipment and operating room sterile control.” His voice was gentle and calm, carrying professional respect. This was a stark contrast to the condescending charity of the Vance family. “The Sterling Group in Hong Kong specializes in high-end medical device research and development. We lack a technical leader like you.” “We are willing to provide an independent laboratory, fifty million dollars in startup capital, and ten percent of the technical shares.” “We only hope you will join us to jointly develop a new generation of surgical instruments for cardiac bypass surgery.” The terms he offered were too generous to refuse. More importantly, I saw in his eyes a thirst for technology and a respect for talent. After a pause, I nodded. “Looking forward to working with you.” “Looking forward to working with you, Ms. Thorne.” Ethan smiled and shook my hand. After that, I got into the Rolls-Royce. In the rearview mirror, the Vance Clinic building grew smaller and smaller. But everything there had absolutely nothing to do with me anymore. A week later, I was already in the top-floor laboratory of the Sterling Group in Hong Kong. Ethan walked in holding a report, his expression slightly strange. “Ms. Thorne, something happened at the Vance Clinic.” I was adjusting the focus of my microscope and didn’t look up. “Speak.” “They took the technical data you left behind and initiated production interfacing with the Germans.” “The first batch of prototypes was completely ruined due to errors in the critical process parameters.” “The German experts announced the termination of the collaboration on the spot and reserved the right to pursue legal action for technical fraud.” My hand paused. Millions. That was the figure I had warned Liam about. Now it seemed the losses were far more than that. Ethan continued: “I heard from a friend over there that Liam was so angry he smashed everything in his office, acting like a madman.” “But Chloe pushed all the blame onto you.” “She told everyone in the Vance family that you intentionally left incorrect blueprints as a trap to destroy the Vance Clinic.” I let out a cold laugh. Classic Chloe. Her ability to twist the truth is as good as ever. And Liam? In our past life, didn’t he listen to Chloe’s slander and believe I stole her life? In this life, he still believed her just as easily. “What about Old Mr. Vance?” I asked casually. “He was so angry he had a cerebral hemorrhage on the spot. He was sent to the ICU and is still in critical condition.” I fell silent. Old Mr. Vance treated me well, but I had already repaid that debt during my fifteen years with the Vance family. It was his own choice to believe his grandson and abandon me. Ethan looked at me and added: “I heard Liam is desperately sending people to look for you now.” “He says as long as you’re willing to go back, he’ll agree to any condition.” “He’s even willing to break off his engagement with Chloe immediately and give you back the position of heir.” I turned off the light source of the microscope and stood up straight. “Ethan, prepare the contract documents for me.” “We’ll proceed with the terms we discussed before.” Ethan’s eyes were full of approval. “Right away, Ms. Thorne.” When I signed “Evelyn Thorne” on the official employment contract with the Sterling Group, my phone rang. It was Liam. I looked at the familiar name on the screen, rejected the call immediately, and blocked all contact numbers from the Vance family. Liam, it’s too late. You were the one who pushed me away. Now, it’s your turn to taste what despair feels like. 4 The Sterling Group’s efficiency was incredibly high. Within a week, the top medical equipment in Asia was continuously transported into my independent laboratory. I threw myself entirely into my new research. What I wanted to develop was a new type of surgical instrument far surpassing the German technology—a revolutionary product capable of changing the entire landscape of cardiac surgery. I practically lived in the lab day and night, eating and sleeping there. Ethan became my exclusive assistant. He always managed to hand me detailed market data reports right when I needed them most. There was an unspoken understanding between us. One day, while I was conducting crucial mechanical tests, Ethan suddenly opened the door. “There’s someone downstairs looking for you.” His expression was strange; he looked like he wanted to laugh but felt it was inappropriate. He turned on the office security monitor. On the screen, two people were kneeling at the entrance of the Sterling Group headquarters. It was Liam and Chloe. Liam’s hair was messy, completely stripped of his usual pride. He knelt on the ground, crying his heart out, constantly calling my name. “Evelyn! Come out and see me!” “Evie, I was wrong! I was really wrong!” “Please, save the Vance family, save Grandpa!” Chloe knelt beside him, but her face was full of reluctance. The security guards approached several times to drive them away, but Liam clung to the main gate, refusing to let go. He was screaming hysterically. I watched the screen expressionlessly. There was not a single ripple in my heart. “Tell the security guards, if they don’t leave, call the police and say they are disturbing public order.” Ethan nodded and turned to make the arrangements. Not long after, Liam on the screen was dragged away by two security guards and thrown into a police car. Even then, he was still unwilling to give up. “Evelyn, you ungrateful wretch!” I turned off the monitor. Ungrateful? Exactly who is ungrateful? And who discarded my fifteen years of hard work like trash? A few days later, the Germans formally filed a transnational lawsuit, demanding 30 million euros in damages from the Vance Clinic for technical fraud and breach of contract. As soon as the news broke, the Vance Clinic’s stock price plummeted. Within a single day, sixty percent of its market value evaporated. The once-bustling hospital was now deserted. Creditors blocked the entrance, holding banners demanding repayment. The sky had fallen on the Vance family. Ethan told me that Liam, desperate to raise funds for the compensation, had to frantically sell off properties and jewelry in his name. He even pawned his mother’s belongings. But compared to the astronomical compensation, it was just a drop in the bucket. And Chloe, the woman who constantly claimed to love him, the woman who was supposedly the only hope of his life, stabbed him in the back at this critical moment. While Liam was overwhelmed, she secretly transferred the remaining few million dollars in the hospital’s account to her overseas account, planning to run away alone. When Liam found out, they had a complete falling out. Rumor has it they fought viciously in the Vance mansion, smashing everything to pieces. The once loving and sweet engaged couple were now sworn enemies. While they were tearing each other apart, I received incredible news. The new cardiac bypass stapler I developed had overcome the biggest technical hurdle in minimally invasive surgery. The clinical trial data was absolutely perfect. The Sterling Group immediately applied for a global patent for this technology. The day after the news was announced, the International Medical Innovation Conference in Geneva broke precedent and awarded me the highest gold medal of the year. The eyes of the whole world focused on Hong Kong, focused on the Sterling Group. Orders from top hospitals all over the globe poured into the company. The Sterling Group’s stock price tripled in a week, setting a historic high on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

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“Put the house in Oliver’s name.” “The car too, in Oliver’s name.” “As for the remaining cash, Oliver takes 12 million, and you take…” My mom paused, glancing at me. “You’re a girl. What do you need so much money for?” I stood in the center of the living room, looking at the A4 paper covered in numbers on the table. Twenty million dollars, and not a single cent for me. My phone buzzed. It was a message from my company’s finance department: 【Ms. Hayes, the net profit for this quarter is 17 million. Your dividend has been deposited.】 I flipped my phone face down. “Okay.” 01 “Okay?” Mom looked stunned, as if she hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. My sister-in-law, Mia, stood up from the sofa, unable to hide the smirk on her face. “Don’t worry, Maya. When Oliver makes it big, he definitely won’t forget about you.” I didn’t look at her. I was looking at the family portrait on the wall. Taken three years ago. I was standing on the far edge, my smile incredibly forced. “Maya, don’t blame your mom and me.” Dad sat on the sofa, lighting a cigarette. “Your brother needs to get married, buy a house, raise a family… You’re a girl, eventually you’ll marry out and belong to someone else’s family.” I had heard those words for twenty-eight years. When we were kids, my brother’s tuition was paid for, while mine was “borrowed.” Only later did I find out that the “borrowed” money was what I had earned myself working summer jobs. “Dad, I get it.” I bent down and grabbed my suitcase handle. “I’ll be heading back then. I have some things to handle at the company.” “Heading back?” Mom stood up. “It’s the New Year! Where are you going? Leaving without even eating?” “Not hungry.” “You child—” “Mom.” I cut her off, my voice flat. “The twenty million is completely divided. What’s the point of me staying? Waiting for you to throw me a two-hundred-dollar pity envelope for the holidays?” The living room fell silent for two seconds. Mia let out a snort of laughter. “Maya, the way you talk, it’s as if Mom and Dad mistreated you. Growing up, everything you ate, wore, and used—didn’t Mom and Dad provide it?” I turned to look at her. Today, she was wearing a pastel yellow puffer jacket. The fur trim on the cuffs was real fox fur, and a delicate gold necklace peeked out from her collar. Last year, when she first married into the family, she was wearing a thirty-dollar coat from a street vendor. I didn’t say a word, just pulled my suitcase toward the door. “Stop right there!” Mom rushed over and blocked the doorway. “Maya Hayes, you explain yourself right now! How did I mistreat you? You got 200 dollars a month for living expenses! Did other families’ daughters get that? When you went to college, we sold everything we had to pay for your education…” “Mom.” I looked at her. “During my four years of college, you gave me a total of $4,800.” “The rest of my living expenses, tuition, and housing—I earned it all myself.” Mom froze. “You… what nonsense are you talking about?” “September 2014, when I started my freshman year, you gave me $2,000.” “February 2015, for the New Year, you gave me $500.” “August 2015, at the end of summer break, you gave me $800.” “February 2016, for the New Year, you gave me $500.” “Summer of 2016, you didn’t give me a single cent.” “In 2017, you gave me $1,000. You said it was my New Year’s red envelope, but that was my own red envelope money to begin with.” My voice was calm, like I was reading a receipt. “A total of $4,800. Divided by four years, that’s $1,200 a year. Divided by twelve months, that’s $100 a month.” No one in the living room spoke. My brother, Oliver, looked up from his phone, frowning at me: “Sis, why are you keeping track of this?” “I have a good memory.” I pulled the door open. “Those four years, your living allowance was $2,000 a month. Tuition and housing were paid separately.” “Same parents, same house.” “You got $2,000 a month. I got $100.” The door slammed shut. 02 I dragged my suitcase to the neighborhood entrance and hailed a cab. My phone buzzed again. It was my company’s Operations Director: 【Ms. Hayes, the annual contract with TikTok is finalized. The $3 million advance has been wired. We just need your signature.】 I replied: 【I’ll be back at the office tomorrow to handle it.】 Outside the car window, the streets of my hometown rolled backward. I knew this city too well. To the east was my elementary school. The playground used to be dirt; it turned into a mud pit whenever it rained. To the west was the first boba shop I ever worked at. Eight dollars an hour. I worked there for three summers. To the north was the private middle school my brother attended. Tuition was thirty thousand a year. I never went to that school. I went to a regular public school on the outskirts of town. It was a forty-minute bike ride away. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Miss, not staying home for the holidays?” “Yeah.” “Young people should really spend more time with their parents.” I didn’t respond. “My daughter works out of town too. Only comes back for two or three days a year. Her mom cries every time she leaves…” “Sir, we’re at the station.” I paid the fare and got out. The high-speed rail station was packed with people rushing home for the New Year. A mother and daughter brushed past me. The daughter, probably in her early twenties, was holding her mom’s arm. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ve already booked everything. We’re going to Miami on the third day of the New Year.” “Isn’t that too expensive?” “It’s not. I have money.” I stood there, watching them walk away. Inside the waiting hall, I found a quiet corner and sat down. I opened my phone and pulled up a specific note. It held a ledger of expenses, recorded line by line, from the time I was 18 until now. 【September 2014 — Tuition $6,800. Mom gave $2,000. Shortfall $4,800, paid by me.】 【October 2014 — Living expenses. Mom gave $0. I earned $1,200 from a part-time job.】 【December 2014 — Winter. Needed a winter coat. Mom said wait until the New Year. Bought a clearance one for $89 with my own money.】 … Line after line, dense and detailed. Ten years. I had kept this ledger for ten years. Not because I hold a grudge. But because I was terrified of forgetting. Terrified that one day, I would actually believe the things they said. —”We never mistreated you.” —”You’re a girl. What do you need so much money for?” —”Your brother has to carry this family in the future.” Terrified that one day, I would start believing this was all normal. Terrified that one day, I would turn into someone like them. My train started boarding. I stood up, grabbed my bag, and joined the long line. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a WeChat message from Mom: 【Maya, come back. Mom will make your favorite braised pork.】 I stared at the screen for two seconds. Didn’t reply. And shoved my phone back into my pocket. 03 On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, I returned to the city where I worked. The company was on holiday, but the finance department still had staff on duty. I went to the office, signed the paperwork, and then went back to my own apartment. 1,900 square feet, floor-to-ceiling windows, with a view of the entire city skyline at night. This was the third property I had bought. The first was a small place in the suburbs right after I graduated college; I saved the down payment by working odd jobs. The second was downtown, bought after the company turned its first profit, as a reward to myself. This one, I bought last year. I stood by the window, looking at the millions of lights outside. My phone rang. A video call from my mom. I hit reject. A few seconds later, voice messages started pouring in. 【Maya, why aren’t you answering your phone?】 【Mom knows I was a bit harsh this afternoon, but I’m doing it for your own good.】 【You’re a girl. Having too much money isn’t a good thing; it just attracts thieves.】 【Your brother is different. He has to provide for his family…】 I tossed the phone onto the sofa, went into the kitchen, and cooked myself a bowl of noodles. After eating, I took a shower and lay in bed. The ceiling was very white, very clean. No damp mildew spots like in my old home. No sounds of video games blasting from my brother’s room next door. No sounds of Mom nagging in the living room while watching TV: “You’re a girl…” It was perfectly quiet. Staring at the ceiling, I suddenly remembered something. Last New Year, I transferred $10,000 to Mom, telling her to buy a nice winter coat. She took the money and turned around to buy a Max Mara coat. Price tag: $16,800. The difference was covered by my brother. No, it was covered by my sister-in-law. Mia had just married into the family and was desperately trying to show how filial she was. That coat is still hanging in Mom’s closet. She can’t bear to wear it. But during the coldest part of last winter, she came to the train station to pick me up wearing a ratty old jacket. “Don’t waste money on me. I’m saving the coat to wear at your wedding.” I didn’t say a word. I didn’t know what to say. My phone buzzed again. This time, it was from Oliver. 【Sis, calm down. You know how Mom and Dad are.】 【But we’re family. Whatever it is, we can talk it out.】 【It’s not too late to come back now. I’ll have Mia cook you something good.】 I stared at those lines of text for a long time. Then I replied with one word: 【No.】 04 New Year’s Eve. I spent it alone in my apartment. I had prepped some ingredients in the kitchen and made a few simple dishes. Eating alone, watching the New Year’s Gala alone, waiting for the midnight fireworks alone. No one put food in my bowl and told me to “eat more.” No one nagged me, asking “When are you bringing a boyfriend home?” No one said, “You’re a girl…” It was peaceful. Just a little cold. My phone was ringing non-stop. Colleagues sending digital red envelopes in the work chat, clients sending holiday greetings, celebrities we collaborated with sending New Year’s videos. The family group chat was going off too. 【Oliver’s wife is so virtuous! Look at this feast, it looks delicious!】 【Why didn’t Maya come back? That girl, not even coming home for the New Year.】 【Young people, you know. Busy with work.】 【Busy doing what? Making four or five thousand a month, what’s there to be busy about?】 【Exactly. Oliver doesn’t even need to work anymore, but she, a girl, is out running around every day.】 I read the messages in the chat. Didn’t reply. Then, I left the family group. Midnight. Fireworks exploded in the sky. Outside the window, it was bright and lively. I stood by the window and watched for a long time. My phone rang. It was my assistant: 【Happy New Year, Ms. Hayes! The company account just received a final payment. It’s the annual collaboration fee from that brand, $3.87 million. Confirmed received.】 I replied: 【Great, thanks for your hard work. Happy New Year.】 I looked out the window again. The fireworks this year seemed a little more beautiful than last year. On New Year’s Day, I didn’t leave the house. On the second day, Mom called. I didn’t answer. On the third day, Dad called. I didn’t answer either. On the morning of the fourth day, while I was at the office sorting out some post-holiday work, my phone rang. It was Oliver. I hesitated for a moment, then answered. “Sis, what exactly is your problem?” His tone was aggressive. “What do you mean?” “Mom and Dad called you a dozen times and you didn’t answer. You even left the family group chat. What are you trying to pull?” I put down my files. “I’m not trying to pull anything.” “Then why aren’t you answering the phone?” “I’m busy.” “Busy doing what?” His voice grew louder. “You make four or five thousand a month. What do you have to be so busy about? Let me tell you, Maya, stop acting. You’re just throwing a tantrum!” I didn’t say anything. “Mom and Dad gave the house and the car to me because I have to support a family! I have a wife and kids to take care of! You’re single. What do you need so much money for? You’re just being selfish!” “Are you done?” “I—” “If you’re done, I’m hanging up. I have a contract to sign.” I hung up the phone. My fingers were trembling slightly. Deep breath. Another deep breath. It’s fine. I’ve been used to this for a long time. 05 On the fifth day, things changed. Mom sent me a WeChat message: 【Maya, your dad is in the hospital.】 I stared at those words for five seconds. Then replied with one word: 【Oh.】 Mom replied instantly: 【Just an ‘Oh’???】 【Your dad’s blood pressure spiked to 180 because he was so mad about you, and all you say is ‘Oh’???】 【Do you have any conscience at all, Maya Hayes!!!】 I put my phone down and went back to reading my files. Ten minutes later, Oliver called. “Sis, are you really not coming back?” “No.” “Dad is in the hospital!” “I know.” “You know and you’re still not coming back?” “Why would I? I’m not a doctor.” The other end was silent for two seconds. Then Oliver’s voice changed, carrying a hint of a choke. “Sis, I know Mom and Dad haven’t been entirely fair to you over the years, but he’s still your dad… Can’t you just come back and see him?” I didn’t say anything. “Sis, I’m begging you.” I took a deep breath. “Fine.” Six hours later, I stood outside a hospital room door. I pushed the door open. The room was bustling. Mom was sitting by the bed peeling an apple. Mia was playing on her phone. Oliver was standing by the window taking a call. Dad was lying in bed, his face ruddy, watching TV. He didn’t look like someone whose blood pressure had spiked to 180. I walked in. “Dad, how are you feeling?” Dad shot me a look, scoffed, and turned his head away. “So you finally remembered to come back?” Mom put down the paring knife. The expression on her face was complex. A bit of relief, but mostly reproach. “Maya, what took you so long? Your dad has been talking about you non-stop for two days…” “I was busy with work.” “Busy, busy, busy. That’s all you know. Your brother isn’t even as busy as you.” Mia looked up from her phone, gave me a glance, and a faint smirk played on her lips. Oliver hung up and walked over. “Sis, it’s good you’re here. You chat with Mom and Dad for a bit, I have to step out and take a call.” He walked out. Only the four of us were left in the room. Mom went back to peeling the apple. Dad still refused to look at me. Mia went back to her phone. The atmosphere was heavy. I stood there for a moment, then found a chair and sat down. Mom handed me the peeled apple. “Eat.” I took it and took a bite. Very sweet. It was the same taste I remembered from when I was a kid. 06 Dad was “hospitalized” for three days. By the third day, I realized something was wrong. His blood pressure had returned to normal long ago, but he refused to be discharged. He just lay in bed every day, eating and drinking well, even having Mom go out to buy expensive bird’s nest soup. “Get some ginseng too while you’re at it.” I sat in the corner watching all this, saying nothing. That night, Oliver pulled me to the hospital cafeteria for dinner. “Sis, there’s something I need to discuss with you.” “What is it?” He picked up some food with his chopsticks, didn’t eat it, and put it back down. “It’s like this… Dad’s hospital stay this time has cost quite a bit…” I looked at him. His eyes were darting around. “You also know, I don’t have a job right now, and Mia is pregnant…” I put down my chopsticks. “What are you trying to say?” “Sis, could you… cover the bill for now?” “How much?” “Medical fees, nursing fees, nutritional supplements… altogether… about thirty thousand.” Thirty thousand. I let out a small laugh. “It hasn’t even been a few days since the twenty million was divided up, and you’re already out of money?” Oliver’s face instantly flushed red. “Sis, what do you mean by that?” “Nothing.” I stood up. “I’m not paying that thirty thousand.” “You—” “Go back and tell Mom and Dad that with my $200 a month living allowance, saving until now, I couldn’t possibly come up with thirty thousand.” I grabbed my coat and started walking out. “Maya Hayes!” Oliver grabbed my arm tightly. “Don’t go too far! Who do you think you are? You’re just a woman earning a fixed, dead-end salary. What right do you have to act so high and mighty with me?” I looked down at his hand gripping my arm. Then I looked up into his eyes. “Let go.” He froze. My voice was perfectly calm, but he must have seen something in my eyes. He let go. I smoothed my sleeve, turned, and walked away. Behind me, his voice chased after me, full of anger and disbelief. “Maya Hayes, don’t you regret this!” 07 I didn’t go back to the hospital room. I took a cab straight to the high-speed rail station. In the waiting hall, I bought a ticket for the next available train. My phone rang. It was Mom. I answered. “Maya, where did you go? Oliver says you left?” “Yeah.” “Why did you leave without saying anything? Your dad isn’t even discharged yet!” “He’s not sick.” The other end was silent for two seconds. “What do you mean?” “Mom, Dad’s blood pressure went back to normal ages ago. Who are you guys putting on this show for?” “Maya Hayes! Watch your mouth!” “I’m telling the truth.” “You—” “Mom, if you want money, just say it directly. You don’t need to put on this act.” Total silence on the other end of the line. After a long time, Mom’s voice came back, choked with tears. “Maya, how did you become like this? You used to never be like this…” “Yeah, I used to never be like this.” I looked out the window. “I used to take my two hundred dollars a month, scrimp and save, and send the rest back to you.” “I used to buy a ton of things every time I came home, never willing to spend a dime on myself.” “I used to actually believe it when you said, ‘You’re just a girl.’” “But Mom, that was before.” My voice was very calm. “The person I am now doesn’t want to endure it anymore.” I hung up. The ticket gate opened. I dragged my suitcase and joined the line. My phone rang again behind me, again and again. I didn’t answer. Once on the train, I put my phone on silent. The scenery outside blurred as we sped away. I closed my eyes. Countless memories flooded my mind. When we were kids, for Oliver’s birthday, the cake was two tiers, colorful candles stuck in the frosting. For my birthday, Mom cooked a bowl of noodles, saying “noodles mean a long life.” In middle school, Oliver needed tutoring. Dad spent eight thousand dollars for one-on-one sessions. My grades were the best in my grade. Dad said, “What’s the point of a girl reading so many books? You’re just going to marry someone anyway.” The year of the college entrance exams, I got accepted into a top provincial university. Oliver got into a third-tier college in the province. Dad said, “Maya, you’re the older sister. Yield to your brother. Give him your acceptance letter.” That was the most absurd thing I have ever heard in my entire life. I didn’t yield. I went to my university. But from then on, my family never gave me another cent. “Aren’t you so capable? If you’re so capable, support yourself.” I opened my eyes. Outside the window, it was already dark.

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