Category: English

After dating Julian Vance for six years, the woman he truly loved finally came to find me. “So, you’re the kept woman Julian’s been hiding?” Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face. Julian wiped the corner of her eye with his thumb, whispering softly to comfort her. “Don’t cry. She and I were just having some fun. How could she ever compare to you?” “Alright, alright. I’ll make her leave right now.” He finally spared me a glance. “You’ve been with me for so many years. I won’t mistreat you. Is there anything else you want?” I actually stopped to think about it. When I first started following him, I wanted him to pull me out of the swamp I was drowning in. When I thought he loved me, I wanted a future with him. But now, having realized my place, I only wanted to leave. So, I shook my head. “Nothing.” I didn’t want anything from him. As long as we never crossed paths again. “Nothing?” Julian asked me back. His eyes were narrow and long. When he didn’t smile, he always looked cold and heartless. I had only packed a tiny suitcase. I didn’t take any of the designer jewelry or expensive gifts he had given me over the years. Julian let out a mocking scoff, a half-smile playing on his lips. “Sera, be smart. Don’t try to play the high-and-mighty card now.” “Or are you playing hard to get? Trying to make me beg you to stay?” I remained quiet from beginning to end. His eyes darkened with impatience. “I don’t play these testing games.” “And don’t look at me like someone bullied you.” “I told you a long time ago not to dump your useless feelings and expectations on me…” “I’m not,” I interrupted him. I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the door, speaking as sincerely as I could. “I really don’t want anything. And I really don’t want you to keep me.” Two “reallys.” Julian froze for a split second. Then, he suddenly laughed, scanning me up and down. “Oh? You don’t want anything?” His tone was casual, almost playful, like a cat teasing a mouse. “Did you forget? Even the clothes you’ve been wearing these past few years were custom-made by private tailors.” “Take them off, then.” I only hesitated for a second before setting my suitcase aside, intending to go to the bedroom to change. Julian grabbed my wrist, looking down at me. “Strip right here.” There were several other people who had come with him. Their eyes fell on me, waiting for the show. The air froze. I lowered my eyes and calmly began to undo the buttons of my shirt. One. Two. Three. By the third button, Julian suddenly flung my hand away, his eyes completely icy. “I’m not so cheap that I’d beg for a piece of clothing back.” “Sera, take your things.” “Get out.” “Don’t ever come crawling back to beg me. You won’t even get through the front door.” Luxury cars roared to life one by one and sped away. The villa fell back into dead silence. I still took off the expensive clothes. I changed into the plain white T-shirt and jeans I had worn when I first moved here. I had never thrown them away. I was only twenty-one back then. I had a bare, makeup-free face, looking a lot like Chloe, the girl Julian loved now. At that time, Julian had pinched my cheek. “What are you wearing? People will think I’m starving you.” Since then, everything I wore and used was the absolute best. And I had once foolishly believed that this was Julian’s version of love. I stopped thinking about the past. I folded the priceless outfit and left it on the side. I left exactly the way I came. The walk out of the private gated community was long, and it took forever to get an Uber. Without Julian’s orders, no one would cater to my convenience anymore. But no matter how pathetic I looked, I never once thought about turning back to beg.

In the back of the cab, I opened Instagram and saw Julian’s new post. In the photo, Chloe was leaning against him. He was holding her hand, his head bowed to kiss the back of her palm. He looked so cherishing. His friends commented below. “I thought she was just a placeholder like Sera. Are you for real this time?” “Looks like that psychic was wrong. You don’t look like you have a rocky love life at all.” “Where’s Sera? Did you dump her? Does that mean I can slide into her DMs now?” Julian replied to that one. “Go ahead.” “No need to ‘slide in.’ Just throw a little money her way, and she’ll probably follow you. She’s easy.” In his words, I was defined by just two concepts: easy and cheap. As I blocked and deleted their contacts, the driver in front sighed. “Whoa, what rich kid is pulling off a stunt like that?” We were passing by the marina. Over a thousand drones were lighting up the night sky. They spelled out: Chloe, be mine. I leaned my head against the car window, watching the lights blur, and thought: So, this is how Julian acts when he actually loves someone. He proposes. He makes grand public gestures. He can’t wait to tell the whole world. Unlike when I had asked him to post a single photo of us on Snapchat. He had only chuckled, patted my neck like a pet, and never brought it up again. When I first met Julian… I had a gambling addict for a father and a terminally ill mother. I was being cornered by loan sharks and didn’t even dare to go to college. Julian saved me. He was like a knight in shining armor from some fairytale. He paid for my tuition so I could study without worries, and he stayed by my side when I finally had to bury my mother. After my mother passed away, I fell terribly ill. Whenever I woke up crying from nightmares, Julian would be by my bedside, patting my back. “It’s okay. Go back to sleep.” For at least three years, we lived like a deeply in love couple. When I was twenty-four, Julian had his assistant deliver a diamond ring to me—one I had just admired in a magazine. My heart hammered in my chest. The ring slid onto my ring finger. It was a perfect fit. I hugged him from behind, but Julian frowned and pulled my hands off him. “Why do you have that ring?” I didn’t understand. He called his assistant and gestured for me to take it off. He said the assistant had made a mistake. The ring was meant for his family’s corporate-merger fiancée. My hand hung frozen in the air. My voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper. “Are you marrying someone else?” “Then… what about me?” Julian suddenly let out a soft laugh, his eyes filled with casual amusement as he asked me back: “You didn’t actually think this ring was for you, did you?” “Sera, we don’t have that kind of relationship.” I stood there, trying to grab his hand. My words came out clumsy and broken. “What do you mean we don’t have that kind of relationship?” “Am I not your girlfriend?” “Don’t you love me, Julian?” The room became suffocatingly quiet. Julian sighed, looking annoyed by the drama. “Sera, you’re crossing the line.” “I thought you understood. When I said we were together, I meant it literally.” “I take care of you, and you satisfy my needs.” “If you have any delusions about a relationship or marriage, drop them now.” I never got to hold his hand that day. That was the day I finally saw my true reflection in his eyes. I told Julian I was leaving. “I won’t be a mistress.” But within a week… The new job I had just found vanished. The business of a close friend of mine suddenly ran into massive trouble. Even my landlord texted me to move out immediately. I walked downstairs. Julian was leaning against his sports car, his eyes as dark as the night. He said, “Sera, I helped you, gave you so much. Did you really think I was running a charity?” “I’m not done playing with you yet. You don’t get to decide when this ends.” But perhaps fearing I would misunderstand again, Julian stopped staying with me every day. People would constantly send me photos of him cozying up to other women. But I had learned my lesson. I did what I was supposed to do. I no longer sent him photos of beautiful clouds or cute dogs on the street like I used to when I thought I was his girlfriend. I stopped texting him to ask where he was during his business dinners or begging him to come home early. I stopped taking his past promise of “if you get pregnant, we’ll keep it” seriously, and numbly swallowed birth control pills instead. Once, when he caught me throwing up from the side effects of the pills, he saw the package in my hand. He paused, then said with an unreadable tone, “Well, you’re certainly being obedient now.” During that time, I was constantly dizzy and lost weight rapidly. One day, looking in the mirror, I felt like I was nothing but a bag of bones. Julian leaned against the doorframe, watching me. I didn’t know how long he had been standing there. “The merger fell through. The engagement is off,” he said, then turned and left. I didn’t know when or why he had canceled the engagement. But ultimately, it had nothing to do with me.

We lived like this for another three years. By then, I was twenty-seven. Two months ago, Julian said he had met a girl. He suddenly asked me how to pursue someone. My fingers curled slightly. I thought about it, then opened my mouth. “I guess… you should first find out what kind of person she is, and what she likes.” “Then take it slow. Care for her, make her happy.” He took my advice. He had me help him choose flowers that girls would like. When I picked them out, he would also buy a massive bouquet for me, calling it a “thank-you gift.” He took me to several high-end restaurants, asking for my opinion on which one she would prefer. When a new blockbuster movie came out, he took me to watch it first, saying he was afraid he wouldn’t know what to talk about in front of his crush. The light from the cinema screen flickered across his face. I watched him with utter boredom, thinking: Love is truly great. Even someone as arrogant as Julian Vance can become clumsy and hesitant because of love. On the drive back, I looked at the city lights outside the window and suddenly spoke up. “You must be done playing by now, right?” “Once you guys are officially together, can I finally leave?” The light turned red. Julian rolled down the window, resting his arm on the frame as he lit a cigarette. The glass reflected the glowing red cherry. A gust of wind blew past, looking as if the night had been burned through. He smiled. “Of course.” Coming back to the present, I let out a breath of relief. Between Julian and me, there wasn’t even a breakup. It was just an expiration date. Still, I couldn’t completely escape news of him and Chloe. After all, the tabloids loved billionaire gossip. And they were very high-profile—firework shows one day, yacht parties the next. Meanwhile, I was crouching on the curb, eating cheap tacos from a food truck. I checked my phone during a break and realized I had five missed calls from the same unknown number. The next second, the phone rang again. “Hello?” Julian’s mocking voice came through. “Sera, blocking me and changing your number? You’re pretty good at burning bridges.” He sounded completely unbothered. “Someone sent me a photo of you eating on the street.” “What, it’s only been a week since you left me, and you’re already living like a beggar?” My legs were getting numb from crouching. I only asked, “Is there something you need?” There was a silence on the other end for a few seconds. “Chloe accidentally broke your hand-painted ceramic figurines.” “She didn’t do it on purpose.” I froze for a moment before retrieving the memory of those two little clay dolls representing him and me from the dusty corners of my mind. I had dragged him to a pottery class to make them. He had complained about how childish it was, yet he had carefully painted a pair of angel wings on my doll’s back. I used to love them so much. I had placed them right where I could see them every day. “Oh, it’s fine.” After all, so many things had broken long before those dolls did. “Please just throw them away.” “I already did.” In the silence, I heard the sound of his lighter flipping open and closed. Open and closed. “By the way, about the private island I gave you for your birthday… you need to sign the transfer papers.” “Chloe wants it.” The island was a gift for my twenty-third birthday. We had stood on the beach, and I watched the wind mess up his hair, making his handsome features look even sharper. Julian had held me from behind as we watched the sunset. He had whispered in my ear, “Happy birthday, Sera.” Time had flown by. Julian was still the same Julian. But I was no longer the girl who had stood on that beach, crying tears of pure happiness. “Tell me what compensation you want. You can ask for anything.” I shook my head before realizing he couldn’t see me. “No need.” “I’ll sign the papers as soon as possible.” “Goodbye.” I hung up.

I didn’t waste any energy thinking about that phone call. There were plenty of other things in life to worry about. Through a friend’s recommendation, I landed a job as a sales associate at a luxury boutique. Having spent nearly six years around Julian, I actually knew quite a lot about high fashion. But as fate would have it, bad luck always found me. I looked up to see Chloe entering the store, her arm looped through Julian’s. The wealthy crowd trailing behind them noticed me immediately, their faces twisting into amused grins. “Oh, look who it is! Sera Miller? Talk about falling from grace. You’re actually working retail now?” “Julian, she was your favorite for a while. How can you bear to watch this?” In their eyes, there was a time when Julian treated me like his absolute prized possession. Once, a difficult client Julian was trying to sign had tried to force me to drink. Julian had flipped the table and poured the whiskey directly over the man’s head. “I’m here. What are you afraid of?” he had told me. “If anyone bullies you, bully them right back.” But now, Julian just stood there, hands tucked casually into his pockets. He looked entirely indifferent as his thin lips parted. “What does her life have to do with me?” Seeing that Julian had no intention of standing up for me, one of the guys mockingly stuck his foot out. “I got some dust on my loafers on the way in. Wipe it off.” “And do a good job, or I’m filing a complaint.” The laughter grew louder. “Hey, do mine next!” My fingernails dug into my palms before I slowly let go. I bowed my head. “I’m sorry, but my job description does not include shoe-shining.” Chloe looked at me with a sweet, pitying smile. “Sera, these shoes aren’t my size. Run to the back and find my size. That is your job, right?” Ignoring their stares, I bowed slightly. “Of course, ma’am.” I brought the shoes out and placed them in front of Chloe. She leaned her head against Julian’s shoulder, sighing that she was too tired, and demanded that I put them on her. I knelt on one knee on the floor and began to slip the shoe onto her foot. She didn’t like them. I had to go back to the stockroom to grab another pair, repeating the process of standing up, walking, and kneeling back down. By the twelfth pair, she looked up at Julian. “Are you even paying attention? You haven’t said if they look good.” “What’s wrong? Are you hurting because I’m making your ex-lover put shoes on me?” Julian looked at her like she was a spoiled child he couldn’t help but indulge. “Why would I care? It’s just her job.” He explained to Chloe, using the exact same words I had heard him say a hundred times before. He told her that our past was nothing, that he had only kept me around to kill time and cure his loneliness. I carefully zipped up Chloe’s new boot, acting as if they weren’t talking about me at all. “How do these feel, Miss Bennett?” Chloe hummed, then suddenly waved her hand in front of my face. The diamond ring on her ring finger was breathtaking. It was from the exact same luxury brand as the one I had mistakenly put on years ago. “Actually, Julian already proposed to me.” “You can call me Mrs. Vance soon.” Chloe rested her chin on her hand, her eyes drilling into me, trying to catch any sign of heartbreak. She asked out of nowhere: “Did Julian ever give you a ring?” I only froze for a split second, amused by how threatened Chloe seemed by me. She really overestimated my place in his life. “No, he never did.” “Rings aren’t something to be given away lightly. Mr. Vance would naturally only give one to you.” “It’s beautiful. It suits you perfectly.” I paused, then added, “Actually, this ring goes perfectly with the boots you’re trying on. Would you like to take a look in the mirror?” It was like punching a cloud of cotton. The mocking glints in the surrounding eyes faded into disappointment. Julian gave me an unreadable look, a cold sneer escaping his throat. “Wrap everything up,” he told another sales associate standing nearby. “The commission goes to you.” “Some people are so desperate to please, it’s making me sick.” I didn’t say a word. I just kept my head down, packing the shoes back into their boxes. But I had been kneeling for too long. When I stood up, my vision went completely black. As I fell forward, a strong arm shot out, catching me firmly by the waist. Julian looked at me, a smug smile forming on his lips. “Sera, if you want to throw yourself into my arms, you don’t have to be this obvious.” I stumbled back two steps. Julian wanted to say something else, but his voice was fading. The last thing I saw before blacking out completely was his cold, arrogant face cracking with panic. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Julian was leaning against the wall, his expression unreadable. The doctor walked in, frowning as he flipped through my chart. His tone was accusatory. “She’s three months pregnant. Didn’t you two know?” Julian snapped his head toward me.

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Julian, my forty-year-old Councilman husband, fell madly in love with a twenty-seven-year-old masseuse. He was so obsessed that he was willing to throw away his political career just to divorce me. At the time, my family begged me to endure it for the sake of our young son. Looking at my little boy, I gritted my teeth and refused to sign the divorce papers. Seeing no hope of marrying into the family, the mistress quickly dumped Julian for a wealthy businessman. Devastated, Julian blamed me for his heartbreak and refused to contribute a single penny to our household expenses for the next ten years. To give my son a better life, I worked myself to the bone, pulling endless overtime. The exhaustion eventually triggered ovarian cancer, and I died before I even turned fifty. Yet, barely after my funeral service ended, Julian brought that same masseuse back into our home. My son even sweet-talked her, calling her “Mom.” Julian handed her his debit card and said, “Ten years of my salary is in here. I didn’t spend a single dime on that old hag!” “From now on, our family of three can finally live happily ever after!” My son grinned widely. “That ugly monster is finally dead! Only someone as beautiful as you, Serena, is worthy of being my mom!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the very day Julian demanded a divorce.

“I’m sorry, Valerie. If you agree to the divorce, I’ll walk away with nothing. Is that okay with you?” I froze, looking at Julian’s slightly younger face in front of me. I realized I had been reborn. On the TV, the rerun of the Christmas Parade was playing. The cheerful holiday music felt incredibly mocking. My hands were still covered in flour. Our son, Leo, had begged for homemade pizza, so I had been kneading the dough since early morning. I was about to speak when Julian’s phone rang. He answered it, his voice dripping with a tenderness I hadn’t heard in years. “Okay, babe. Wait for me. I’ll be right over.” He hung up, looked at me, and said coldly, “I’m going with Serena to meet her parents today. Think about it. Give me your answer later.” With that, he hurriedly turned and left. The front door slammed shut. I walked to the bathroom and washed my hands. In the mirror, I saw the tired, sagging face of a middle-aged woman. I opened the cabinet. The shelves were filled with expensive toiletries for Julian and Leo. I only had a single, cheap jar of drugstore moisturizer. I unscrewed the lid. The cream inside was already dry and cracking. I scooped some out, rubbed it onto my hands, and walked back to the living room. I picked up my phone, opened Amazon, and ordered a premium skincare set. Then, I dialed a number. “Hi, Mr. Davis? I’d like to consult with you about getting a divorce…”

In my past life, when Julian asked for a divorce, I slapped him across the face and made a massive scene, exposing his affair to everyone. Because of the scandal, Julian was disciplined by the city council and faced countless warnings from his superiors. Yet, he still insisted on marrying her, even if it meant losing his career. Julian didn’t get elected until he was thirty-two. For the past eight years, I was the one carrying the financial burden of our home. My parents were retired, and they occasionally helped us out. But how could I keep taking their money? I took on freelance consulting gigs on the side. Overworked and exhausted, my body fell apart before I even reached forty. Julian’s political seat was hard-won. Yet, he was willing to throw it all away for a masseuse who barely finished middle school. How ridiculous. Back then, my relatives urged me to stay for the sake of our child. I listened to them and refused to sign. Eventually, Serena saw she couldn’t climb the social ladder through Julian, so she ran off with a guy in the construction business. Julian was completely broken. He hated me for driving her away. For the next ten years, he subjected me to giving me the cold shoulder. He never contributed to our expenses again. To give Leo a good life, I worked myself to death. My health deteriorated rapidly, and at forty-eight, I was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. I survived for only three months. But before my ashes were even cold, Julian brought Serena back. He proved his undying love by giving her all his savings. “Ten years of my salary is in here. I didn’t spend a single cent of it.” “All these years, I lived off that old hag’s money.” “Serena, you’re the only one I’ve ever loved.” With tears in her eyes, Serena embraced him tightly. As a ghost floating in the air, I stared at them, shocked. Then, I burst into hysterical laughter, blood-red tears streaming down my face. I laughed at my own stupidity. I laughed at how I had wasted my youth and love on a stray dog. Since he wanted his “true love” so badly… In this life, I would gladly hand him over.

I went to my parents’ house alone. As soon as I walked in, the rich aroma of roasted turkey filled the air. My parents were usually very thrifty and only made feast meals when we visited. Seeing me alone, my mother asked, “Where’s Julian? Didn’t he come with you?” “He had some urgent work. Let’s talk inside.” I put down my coat and changed into my slippers. My son, Leo, was playing on his Nintendo Switch in the living room. Hearing my voice, he didn’t even look up. “Grandma, is my pomegranate ready yet?” Leo yelled. “Hold on, sweetie. It’s a bit hard to peel…” My mother was struggling with the fruit, her hands shaking slightly. Her arthritis had been flaring up lately, making her fingers stiff. I heard Leo mutter under his breath, “Useless old woman.” “What did you just say?!” I snapped. I marched over, snatched the Switch from his hands, and threw it onto the couch. Leo froze, then burst into loud tears. My mother rushed over from the kitchen and pushed me back, complaining, “Valerie, what are you doing? It’s the holidays! Just talk to him nicely!” Realizing he had a shield, Leo wiped his tears, glared at me with pure hatred, and ran into his room. My father walked in carrying a cardboard box. “Valerie, Julian brought this gift basket over a few days ago. It looks expensive. He has a lot of people to please at work, so why don’t you take it back for him?” Looking at the familiar packaging, I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. That was a luxury gift basket a client had given Julian last year. None of us liked it, so it had been sitting in our pantry, completely expired. And he gave this to my parents? I remembered how, every Christmas, I would spend nearly three thousand dollars buying premium gifts for Julian’s mother. Yet, for my parents, all he offered was a box of expired trash. The signs were always there. Julian had never respected me or my family. My phone buzzed. It was a Snapchat message from my best friend, Chloe. “Valerie, I just saw Julian at a Tiffany & Co. store with another woman. After they left, I asked the sales associate. She said Julian bought two gold bracelets. He put one directly on the girl, and said the other was a gift for his mother-in-law. What’s going on?” Just last month, I asked him for five thousand dollars to treat my herniated disc, and he claimed he was completely broke. Yet, he could easily spend over ten thousand dollars on jewelry for another woman. I took a deep breath. “Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you…”

My mother seemed to sense something, and her eyes welled with tears. My father put down the expired gift basket, his face full of worry. “Did you and Julian have a fight?” “He’s cheating on me. I want a divorce,” I said directly. My mother broke down sobbing. “Oh, dear lord… Why is this happening? You had such a good life…” My father gritted his teeth and ripped off his kitchen apron. “I’m going to go find him and beat some sense into him!” “Dad, stop.” I grabbed my father’s arm. “It’s useless. His heart is already gone.” My mother choked out, “But what about Leo? He’s so young. What will happen to him if you divorce?” I looked at the tightly closed bedroom door. “He’s eight years old. He’s old enough to make a choice. I’ll let him decide who he wants to live with.” … “Serena, when are you going to pick me up? You have no idea how annoying that old woman is…” I pushed Leo’s door open, and he immediately hid his phone behind his back. His face flushed red. “Why didn’t you knock? And you’re the one who always lectures me about manners…” Looking at this child—the boy I almost died giving birth to—my heart felt incredibly hollow. “I’m divorcing your father. Who do you want to live with?” Leo didn’t even hesitate. “With Dad, obviously! Do you even have to ask?” My mother rushed in, raising her voice at Leo for the first time. “You ungrateful little brat! Do you have any idea what your mother went through to give birth to you? She—” “Mom, don’t,” I interrupted her quietly. There was no point in arguing. In his heart, he had already accepted that young, beautiful masseuse as his real mother. That was fine. Without him holding me back, I wouldn’t have to work myself to death anymore. I could finally live for myself. I called Julian and told him my decision. There was a long silence on the other end of the line before he finally spoke. “Valerie, I’m so sorry. If you…” “When are you coming home? We need to discuss the division of assets. The sooner we settle this, the better.” I cut him off, unwilling to listen to his fake remorse. Julian hesitated. “Okay… I’ll be back as soon as I’m done here.”

“Serena said she wants the house we’re currently living in. What do you think?” Julian spoke with difficulty, his expression extremely tense. I had already guessed that his promise of “walking away with nothing” was just a dramatic gesture to show his devotion to his mistress. So, I had no intention of fighting him over it. “Sure. But the savings account goes to me,” I replied calmly. Fearing I would blow up, Julian quickly agreed. “Of course, of course!” I nodded, keeping my face blank. “Fine. What about the commercial retail property in the North District?” “You can have it if you want.” He agreed so easily because that retail space was currently worthless and sat in a run-down area. But he didn’t know that in six months, a major tech developer would buy out that entire block. The compensation buyout would be worth five million dollars. In my past life, Julian’s mother fell severely ill right after they got that money, and every penny of it went into her medical bills, leaving them with almost nothing in the end. Once the assets were divided, Julian let out a massive sigh of relief. He looked at me with a complicated expression. “Valerie, thank you for letting me go.” “Don’t mention it,” I said flatly. My calm demeanor made Julian uneasy. He probably thought this was just the calm before the storm. He couldn’t help but add, “This is all my fault. Please don’t go looking for Serena to cause trouble…” “Don’t worry, I won’t.” I didn’t even look up as I calculated the total value of the assets on my phone. Julian choked on his words. Seeing me completely absorbed in my own business, he opened his mouth several times but said nothing. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. A woman with heavy makeup pushed open the door, dragging a suitcase. “Serena!” Hearing her voice, Leo dashed out of his room and threw his arms around her waist. “What took you so long? I missed you so much!” “Serena, you have to pick me up from school from now on! If my classmates see I have such a beautiful mom, they’ll be so jealous!” “Leo!” Julian’s face tightened. He turned to me, attempting to explain. But seeing my cold, indifferent expression, he shut his mouth in embarrassment. Serena patted Leo’s hair, smiling sweetly. “Of course, sweetie.” Julian walked over, took her suitcase, and asked softly, “I told you I’d pick you up. Why did you come by yourself? Are you tired?” Watching Julian’s tender care, I felt a sudden pang of irony. In all our years of marriage, Julian had never spoken to me with such warmth. Even when I had a difficult labor and almost died on the operating table, he never gave me a single word of comfort. It turned out he wasn’t incapable of showing love; he just didn’t love me. I smiled bitterly at myself. “Thank you, Valerie, for giving me such a wonderful husband and son,” Serena said, her eyes flashing with a smug, mocking glint. “You’re welcome,” I smiled back. “To be honest, I never wanted to ruin your marriage,” Serena chuckled, resting her white hand on Julian’s shoulder. “But Julian insisted he didn’t want me to feel hidden.” “And well, men are visual creatures after all…” She looked me up and down with blatant disgust. “Looking at how bloated and wrinkled you are, I don’t blame Julian for losing his appetite. No wonder he couldn’t wait to divorce you.” The air went still for a second. Julian pulled her sleeve gently, but he couldn’t bring himself to scold her. I smiled, took a slow step forward, and looked her over. Youth was indeed a beautiful thing. Her skin was tight and glowing, barely needing any makeup. But she was dripping in designer clothes and carrying a luxury bag. Her entire outfit easily cost over fifteen thousand dollars. A simple masseuse making barely two thousand dollars a month? Who paid for all of this? I thought of my cheap drugstore moisturizer. I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. Smack! Serena’s head snapped to the side, her left cheek immediately swelling up. I shook out my wrist. Even if I had given up on this pathetic excuse of a family, it didn’t mean I would let a cheap homewrecker insult me in my own home. Julian quickly rushed to cup her face. Serena’s eyes filled with tears, looking utterly victimized. “Did I say anything wrong? Is she really that sensitive to the truth?” Julian marched up to me, raising his hand. His palm trembled in the air, but he didn’t dare bring it down. I raised my chin, staring him down. Ultimately, Julian dropped his hand, but his eyes were filled with disgust. “Get out of here! Serena is right. Looking at you makes me want to throw up!” Even though I had prepared myself for this, hearing those words so plainly still felt like a dagger to my chest. Before I could speak, I caught a sudden movement in my peripheral vision. I dodged instinctively, but scalding hot liquid still splashed across my forearm. A searing, blinding pain shot through my arm. Leo stood behind me, holding a hot water kettle with a ferocious glare. “You ugly old monster! Don’t you dare touch Serena!”

I was thirty-four when I had Leo, making me a high-risk geriatric mother. During labor, I had a severe hemorrhage. When the doctor asked whether to save the mother or the child, I insisted on saving the child. When Leo was a baby, he cried constantly. Julian couldn’t sleep, got annoyed, and even suggested giving the baby sleeping pills to quiet him down. So, I slept in a separate room with Leo, holding him through the night. That was when my health first started to fail. By the time Leo was two, he still couldn’t speak, and Julian’s mother suspected he was autistic. Under his mother’s pressure, Julian actually suggested abandoning him. It was me who fought the entire family. I dragged Leo to every hospital in the state until he was finally diagnosed with conductive hearing loss. Before his final surgery, I walked up the steep stone steps of a mountaintop chapel on my knees, praying for his safety. When I came down, my knees were soaked in blood. And now, this same boy was throwing boiling water at me to protect his father’s mistress. My skin was already red, angry, and bubbling with blisters. My heart died completely. Clutching my arm, I walked out without looking back. Julian stared at my retreating figure, a sudden tightness in his chest. He instinctively took a step to follow me, but Serena grabbed his hand. “Julian, my head hurts so much…” He immediately turned back to comfort her, completely forgetting about me. When my best friend Chloe heard about the divorce, she practically threw a party. “Good riddance! I’ve hated those two for years! So, what’s your plan now?” I looked at her perfectly maintained skin. “I want to get a membership at your medical spa. Can I get a discount?” I touched my dull, sagging skin and smiled bitterly. “I don’t know if this old face can still be saved.” “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones,” Chloe said warmly. “Honestly, your features are beautiful. If you lose some weight and pamper yourself, you’ll be a total knockout.” I accepted her compliments and started planning my new life. After the divorce, I only had to pay Julian two thousand dollars a month in child support. The rest of my income was entirely mine to spend. Shopping, yoga, luxury spa treatments… For the first time, I realized life could be so vibrant outside of cooking and cleaning. I started eating healthy and used my free time to work out. Three months later, I lost twenty pounds.

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I miscarried in a pool of blood right after my latest agonizing IVF embryo transfer. I called my husband, Ethan Vance, dozens of times. Every single call was instantly declined. On my last attempt, he finally picked up. “Ethan, please, help me. The baby… I’m bleeding—” Before I could even finish, Ethan interrupted me, his voice dripping with impatience. “Maya, are you seriously doing this right now? I told you, Hailey has a massive plumbing emergency at her house. I’m over here trying to fix it so her basement doesn’t flood. Stop calling me over nothing.” With a harsh click, he hung up. My heart shattered. Beneath the hospital sheets, the warm blood kept pooling, cold and relentless. It turned out our seven-year marriage was nothing but a one-woman show, and I was the only fool on stage. Ethan didn’t show up at the hospital until noon the next day. Right behind him was his childhood best friend, Hailey. “Maya! What happened? How could you just start bleeding out like this?” “Is… is our baby okay?” Ethan had a low sperm count. The doctors had told him it would be nearly impossible for him to ever have a child of his own. When we first got the diagnosis years ago, he had collapsed to his knees, sobbing into my lap. He said a man who couldn’t have kids would be whispered about forever. He said he was sorry to his parents, and sorry to me. My heart had ached for him. To save his pride, I spent years visiting countless fertility clinics, subjecting my body to endless, painful hormone shots and IVF procedures. This time, the embryo had finally taken. But I never imagined this tiny spark of life wouldn’t even survive a month inside me. I lay in the sterile hospital bed, pale and hollow, watching Ethan play the part of the devastated father. It was almost comical. The nurse on duty heard the commotion and walked in. Seeing Ethan’s theatrical grief, she sighed softly, her voice filled with pity. “It’s a tragedy. The doctor said if you had arrived just ten minutes earlier, we might have been able to save the pregnancy.” Hearing this, Hailey took a step forward, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. “Maya… I know you’ve always hated me. But you shouldn’t have neglected your own body and lost the baby just to punish Ethan for helping me with my pipes! You know how much this child meant to him! Ethan, I’m so sorry… It’s all my fault. I’ll stay away from you guys. I won’t ever show my face again!” With a melodramatic sob, Hailey turned and ran out of the room. Without a second thought, Ethan spun on his heel to chase after her. He only paused at the door, giving me a brief, dismissive glance. “Hailey is too unstable to be out there alone in the city. Rest up here, Maya. I’ll be back to keep you company in a bit.” I lay in that freezing hospital bed for six long hours. As the anesthesia wore off, the raw, cramping physical pain was so intense that cold sweat drenched my hospital gown. Around dusk, my phone rang. It was the security desk downstairs. They said my car was blocking the emergency ambulance lane and I needed to move it immediately. I tried to call Ethan. Out of service. Again. Knowing a life could be at stake, I forced my weak, trembling body out of bed. Clutching my lower abdomen, I dragged myself down to the parking lot. But when I reached my car, I froze. Under the dim streetlights, Ethan was holding Hailey tightly in his arms. Hailey, who claimed to suffer from severe clinical depression, was clinging to his chest. She looked up, seeing me stand there in the cold, and let out a soft, fragile gasp. “Maya, I’m so sorry… My divorce papers were finalized today. Ethan was just terrified I’d do something reckless. That’s the only reason he stayed.” Ethan’s face hardened. He glared at me, his eyes full of sharp accusation. “What are you doing running around right after surgery? Hailey is incredibly fragile right now. Can’t you be a little considerate for once?” I stared at his wrist. Specifically, at the blessed silver St. Christopher medal hanging there. “Do you even remember what I was going through in the operating room today?” I whispered, my voice cracking. His posture stiffened for a fraction of a second. But Hailey gripped his jacket even tighter, her voice trembling. “Maya, you can always get pregnant again in the future. But if Ethan hadn’t been with me today, I wouldn’t even be alive.” Ethan didn’t hesitate. Right in front of my face, he unclasped the silver medal—the one I had stood in a freezing rainstorm for five hours to get blessed by the bishop—and fastened it gently around Hailey’s neck. It turned out his devotion was never meant for me alone.

Ethan drove us home in dead silence. In the confined space of the SUV, the air was suffocatingly thick with the sweet, cloying scent of Hailey’s expensive perfume. I leaned my head against the cold passenger window, unable to utter a single word. When we finally got home, the automatic lights in the hallway flickered on. On the dining table sat the healing herbal broth I had carefully prepared for him before leaving for the hospital yesterday morning. It was now cold and stagnant. Right next to it was a handwritten list of notes from my doctor detailing my post-surgery care instructions. “Go get some rest,” Ethan said, sliding his coat off. His voice was flat, completely devoid of emotion. “How is Hailey?” I asked, gripping the wall for support. My throat felt like sandpaper. He immediately jumped to her defense. “She just finalized her divorce. Her emotions are all over the place. I couldn’t just leave a sick, vulnerable woman alone.” He said it so casually, as if it were the most logical thing in the world. Then, he walked into the kitchen and noticed a thick manila folder on the table. It was an urgent set of financial and legal documents regarding my father’s logistics company. My father’s business was on the brink of collapse due to a fraudulent lawsuit. Since Ethan was the senior partner at Vance & Associates, I had placed the documents in the most prominent spot, hoping he would review them tonight. He picked up the file, flipped through a few pages, and scowled. “This is a mess. Tell your dad’s assistant to organize this properly and send it to my office tomorrow.” “If you had spared just thirty minutes last night, you would have finished reading it,” I said, staring at him. “Instead, you spent hours editing Hailey’s divorce agreement, writing notes on every single clause.” Ethan paused, his face darkening instantly. “That was just a quick favor.” He groaned defensively. “Hailey is a single woman who doesn’t understand legal jargon. Maya, can you stop overcomplicating things?” “Overcomplicating?” I almost laughed, though it felt like a sob. “I was on an operating table losing our child. I sent you over twenty messages. You didn’t reply to a single one. Why couldn’t you do me a ‘quick favor’ and text me back?” He stood there, speechless, before falling back on the same excuse he had used for seven years. “Hailey’s parents died when we were young. On their deathbeds, they trusted me to watch over her. I promised them I would take care of her.” “So your ‘promise’ means my father’s multi-million dollar bankruptcy case gets pushed to the back burner?” My hand gripped the edge of the dining table so hard my knuckles turned white. A flicker of exhaustion crossed Ethan’s eyes. “I’ve told you a hundred times, Maya. This lawsuit isn’t that easy to lose.” “Then tell me, what is easy to lose?” He slammed the file onto the wooden table with a loud, echoing thud. “Hailey’s case is about helping a clinically depressed woman escape a toxic, abusive ex-husband and start a new life! Your father’s case is just a standard corporate dispute!” A sharp, violent cramp suddenly ripped through my lower abdomen. Cold sweat broke out across my back instantly. I doubled over, clutching the table edge to keep from collapsing. Ethan’s eyes flashed with a momentary panic. His lips parted as if he wanted to reach out. Right then, his phone blared with a unique, high-pitched ringtone. The ringtone reserved solely for Hailey. He answered it on the very first ring. “Hey, Hailey? Don’t worry, I’m here…” The harsh, defensive voice he had just used to yell at me instantly dissolved into a gentle, soothing whisper I had never heard before. Without throwing another glance my way, he walked straight into his home office, whispering sweet reassurances to the woman on the other end of the line. “Shh, baby, I’m here. I’ll stay on the phone with you until you fall asleep…” Click. The office door closed, shutting me out of his life completely. Listening to the faint, tender murmurs filtering through the wooden door, the physical pain in my body suddenly felt numb. Slowly, I forced myself to stand straight. I grabbed the bowl of cold broth and swept it, along with the expensive porcelain bowl, straight into the trash can.

The next morning, I packed the heavy folders of evidence and drove to Ethan’s law firm. When the receptionist saw me, a look of pure awkwardness washed over her face. “Oh, Mrs. Vance… I’m so sorry, but Mr. Vance took an emergency leave of absence today.” “Where did he go?” “He… he took Miss Hailey to her therapy appointment.” My heart sank into a cold, dark abyss. Standing in the sleek, modern lobby of Vance & Associates, I felt like the biggest joke in the city. From the nearby breakroom, the hushed gossip of two junior associates floated over clearly. “Mr. Vance is seriously a saint when it comes to Hailey. He treats her like a queen.” “Right? I heard he even cancelled his afternoon settlement meeting with the opposing counsel just to drive her to therapy.” I squeezed the folders in my arms, my fingernails cutting deep into the cardboard. “Mrs. Vance, would you like to wait in the VIP conference room?” the receptionist asked, trying to break the heavy silence. I nodded numbly. As the hours dragged on, my phone buzzed. It was my father, Richard. His voice was tight with anxiety. “Maya, sweetheart, how is it going? Has Ethan reviewed the final defense strategy yet?” “I’m still waiting at his office, Dad.” On the other end, my father went quiet for a moment before forcing a warm tone. “Don’t rush him. Being a senior partner is stressful. Let him take his time.” My throat tightened. “How… how are you feeling after yesterday’s surgery?” he asked softly. My fingers trembled. I lied. “I’m doing great, Dad. Don’t worry about me.” At 4:00 PM, Ethan finally walked through the glass doors, guiding a red-eyed Hailey by the elbow. Hailey flinched when she saw me, immediately lowering her head and hiding behind Ethan like a frightened child. “Maya, I’m so sorry… I ended up taking up Ethan’s time again.” I didn’t even look at her. I slid the thick folders across the table directly in front of Ethan. “The deadline to submit our final witness list and evidence is in exactly one hour.” A flash of guilt crossed Ethan’s face. “Hailey had a panic attack at the clinic. I couldn’t just leave her.” Hailey immediately grabbed his sleeve, her voice dripping with artificial sweet poison. “It’s all my fault… Seeing all those scary legal documents just reminds me of how my ex-husband used to threaten me. It makes my heart race…” Ethan gently patted her hand, his eyes incredibly tender. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” I watched those hands—hands that were supposed to fight for justice in a courtroom—comforting another woman’s fragile ego. The irony was suffocating. “Ethan. Check the files. Now,” I demanded. He picked up a pen, but before he could write a single word, Hailey gasped, clutching her temples. “Oh… my head is spinning so fast…” She turned incredibly pale, as if she were about to faint. Ethan immediately dropped his pen and caught her. “Hailey! What’s wrong?” At that exact moment, my phone rang again. It was my father calling back, desperately seeking an update. Meanwhile, Hailey looked up at me with tears streaming down her face. “Maya, I’m so sorry… Every time I see you, I’m reminded of how badly my own marriage failed. My chest hurts… I think my panic attack is coming back…” Ethan slammed the folders shut. “Maya, check them yourself. I have to drive Hailey home immediately.” I stared at him in utter disbelief. “You promised me you would personally review every single page of this filing!” His face darkened, his eyes suddenly filled with deep disappointment and annoyance. “You’re one of the top translation directors in the country, Maya. Are you telling me you can’t even double-check a few simple documents?” With that, he wrapped his arm around the shivering Hailey and walked away. As Hailey brushed past me, she paused for a split second. In a voice so low only I could hear, she whispered, “You’re so lucky, Maya. You still have a rich dad to save. But me? I have absolutely nothing left.” I stood frozen as the elevator doors closed. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the pen and signed my own name on the final legal submission form.

The night before the trial, I received an urgent call from Ethan’s assistant, Marcus. He informed me that Ethan had abruptly withdrawn our key anonymous witness from the court filing. I couldn’t believe my ears. To protect Hailey’s reputation, Ethan was willing to throw my father’s entire defense under the bus! Clutching the witness files, I barged into Ethan’s corner office like a woman possessed. When I threw the door open, Hailey was sitting comfortably on his leather sofa. Ethan was leaning over his desk under the warm lamp, patiently explaining to her how the opposing lawyers might try to cross-examine her in her own divorce settlement. The scene was so cozy it made my blood run cold. “Ethan Vance!” I slammed the files onto his desk. “Why did you withdraw my father’s key witness?” He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, rubbed his temples, and spoke in a dismissive, matter-of-fact tone. “That witness is a liability. His financial background is messy, and his testimony would inevitably drag Hailey’s personal finances into the spotlight. It would ruin her ongoing settlement.” He said it so logically, as if my father’s life was a fair price to pay. “But that witness is my dad’s only hope of proving he was framed!” I screamed, my voice cracking with rage. Ethan looked at me with the smug confidence of an elite corporate attorney. “Maya, you need to trust my professional expertise. Even without that witness, I have plenty of ways to win this trial.” On the sofa, Hailey stood up, her eyes instantly filling with tears as she put on her classic innocent act. “Maya, please don’t be mad. I didn’t want to hurt your dad…” She sniffled, adding another dose of pure poison: “But you’re rich. You can afford to have Ethan protect you. Me? I have no one else but Ethan.” I turned my cold gaze to her. “Hailey, tell me honestly. Who is the one hurting who here?” Hailey’s face stiffened. Ethan immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from my gaze. “Maya! Watch your tone! Hailey is a vulnerable victim of domestic abuse. Any negative press could push her over the edge. Protecting her is a matter of basic human decency!” He used his grand, moralistic tone to justify his blatant favoritism. “As the lead counsel, I have to manage all risks.” “Really?” I let out a bitter, cold laugh. “So the risk of my father’s company going bankrupt and his reputation being destroyed is less important than Hailey being mildly criticized by the public?” Once again, when forced to choose between me and Hailey, he chose Hailey without a single second of hesitation. Hailey stepped out from behind him, holding out a cheap, fabric protection charm she had bought online. “Maya, please don’t pressure Ethan. He’s already so stressed. Take this. It’ll bring your dad good luck.” With a sudden wave of fury, I smacked her hand away. The cheap charm flew across the room and hit the wall. “Get out!” I snarled. Ethan’s face turned icy cold. “Hailey already apologized to you. What more do you want?” He declared with absolute authority, “The witness list is locked. I am the attorney here, and I make the decisions. Stop trying to tell me how to do my job!” I looked at him, and suddenly, the urge to fight just evaporated. I nodded slowly, turned around, and walked out. Behind me, Hailey’s quiet sniffling instantly turned into comforted whispers from Ethan. I leaned against the cold wall at the end of the long hallway. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was my father. I answered it, blinking back my tears, and kept my voice steady. “Everything is under control, Dad.” At the other end of the hall, the elevator doors opened. I watched Ethan personally escort Hailey out of the building. Under the dim parking garage lights, the silver St. Christopher medal around Hailey’s neck caught the light, gleaming like a cruel joke.

The day of the final trial arrived. Right before entering the courtroom, Ethan gave my nervous father a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Richard, relax. I’ve got this.” Then he turned to me, his hand resting on my shoulder for a brief, heavy second. “Go sit in the gallery. Don’t worry.” For a fleeting second, that touch felt warm. I felt a microscopic crack in the icy wall around my heart. Maybe he really was as good as they said. Maybe we could still save this. Just as the bailiff announced the entry of the judge, Ethan’s phone vibrated violently in his pocket. Three times in a row. He pulled it out. His face went dead pale. It was Hailey. She was calling from a highway overpass, threatening to jump. Ethan spun on his heel, preparing to bolt. I reacted instantly, grabbing his briefcase with a white-knuckled grip. “Ethan! The judge is literally walking in! This is the final trial!” My voice was shaking. “Hailey is on an overpass, Maya! A life is on the line!” He violently yanked his briefcase from my grip and turned to his assistant, Marcus. “Keep things moving. I’ll get her down and be back in thirty minutes max!” From the defense table, my weak, pale father spoke up, his voice trembling. “Ethan… go. Go save her. A life is more important. Go.” Ethan seized the excuse instantly, throwing a commanding look at me. “You heard him, Maya. Look at the bigger picture!” The bigger picture. I watched his retreating back, too exhausted to even feel disappointed. An hour and a half passed. Ethan never returned. Without their lead counsel, our defense crumbled under the prosecution’s aggressive tactics. My father’s face grew paler by the minute. Unable to take it anymore, I ran out of the courtroom and dialed Ethan’s number repeatedly. First call, ignored. Second call, he finally picked up. Through the receiver, I could hear the loud, whipping wind of the highway, mixed with Hailey’s pathetic, post-rescue whimpering. “Ethan, I was so scared…” I pressed my back against the freezing hallway wall, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Ethan Vance, get back here right now! We have one last piece of crucial evidence that only you can legally submit!” But his voice was entirely focused on comforting the woman in his arms. “Hailey is still too hysterical. I can’t leave her like this.” He even had the audacity to snap at me, “If you had this evidence, why didn’t you remind me to submit it earlier?” At that moment, a laugh escaped my lips. Tears finally spilled over. He had absolutely no idea that every single second I spent waiting in that court was like sitting on a bed of nails. I quietly hung up the phone. At 5:00 PM, the verdict was delivered. My father lost. The company was ordered into immediate liquidation, leaving him personally liable for tens of millions of dollars in debt. As the judge’s gavel slammed down, my father turned to look at me. His lips parted, but before he could say a word, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed straight onto the mahogany table. “Dad!” He had suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke right there in the courtroom. By 7:00 PM, Ethan and Hailey finally strolled into the hospital. When he saw the red “ICU” sign and realized my father was fighting for his life, his usually composed face finally cracked. “Maya, I…” Without saying a word, I reached into my bag, pulled out a signed set of divorce papers, and slammed them directly into his chest. “We are done, Ethan.” “And the moment my father wakes up, I am suing you for professional malpractice and negligence.” Hailey, standing nearby, tried to pull her usual act. “Maya, please don’t blame Ethan. It’s all my fault—” “Shut up,” I said, not even deigning to look at her as I walked toward the ICU doors. Ethan reached out to grab my arm, but his phone rang. It was Marcus, and the call was on speaker. Marcus’s voice was filled with a mixture of panic and sheer rage. “Mr. Vance, we have a massive problem! I just ran into the opposing counsel at a bar. They were celebrating… and one of them let slip that they had inside help. They said… Hailey leaked our entire defense strategy to them!”

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Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. A dark, suicidal alter was born inside my mind. To take care of me, Helen quit her six-figure job. David worked endless odd jobs after his regular shifts just to pay for my therapy. My five-year-old sister, Lily, did everything she could to help around the house, always walking on eggshells around me. Today was Lily’s sixth birthday. Helen came to my room early in the morning. “Lily has suffered so much because of you over the years,” Helen said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “Today is her birthday. Just be good, Maya. Don’t make a scene.” I nodded obediently. What Helen didn’t know was that in order to celebrate Lily’s birthday, I had been taking my medication on time for a whole week. But the moment Lily’s birthday cake was placed on the table, a blinding pain split my skull. Eve, my alter, was trying to take control of my body. Trembling, I gently tugged at Helen’s sleeve. Before I could say a word, Helen — who was usually so gentle — slapped me hard across the face and dragged me into the bathroom. “It’s Lily’s birthday! Can’t you stop faking your episodes for just one day?” “If you’re really in that much pain, then just go die already!” “You psycho! You’re ruining this family!” Helen screamed hysterically at me, slamming the bathroom door shut. Holding back my tears, I gave up. I stopped fighting Eve. I chose to set Helen, David, and Lily free. And I decided to let Eve have her wish.

Eve took over my body. I became a helpless ghost, forced to watch her try to kill us over and over again. When I was eight, she took advantage of our parents being at the care facility looking after my sick grandmother. She climbed onto the balcony, ready to jump. Luckily, David came home early and caught her just in time. But David broke his leg in the struggle. It took him three months before he could walk again. Last winter, Eve found a piece of broken glass while Helen wasn’t looking and slashed our wrist. Helen scrambled to get me to the ER. She stayed by my hospital bed for three days and three nights without closing her eyes. But Eve wouldn’t stop. Not long after we got discharged, she filled the bathtub to the brim and pushed my head underwater. In the end, it was Lily who pulled my shoulder so hard she dislocated her own joint, barely dragging me out of the tub. Eve used my body to court death again and again. Helen and David dragged me back from the edge every single time. Every time I woke up, my family would break down in tears. “Maya, I’m begging you, please stop doing this.” “Are you trying to kill us all before you’re satisfied?” “Maya, are you okay? We were so scared.” To keep them from hurting, I used to swallow handfuls of pills just to fight Eve for control. But this time… Whatever. Eve looked at the eyebrow razor on the vanity, slipping it gently into her pocket. Instinctively, my consciousness screamed and struggled inside our mind. But then, Helen’s words echoed in my head: “If you’re really in that much pain, then just go die already!” I stopped fighting. Outside the door, David’s confused voice drifted in. “Helen, where is Maya? Isn’t she coming to eat cake with Lily?” Helen’s voice cracked, filled with long-suppressed resentment. “She’s in there, faking another episode.” “I tolerate her drama every other day, but today is Lily’s birthday. She just has to ruin it.” “In all these years, Lily has never had a proper birthday party.” David sighed, his voice dripping with pure exhaustion. “Let her cool down by herself. She needs to grow up.” “Let’s just celebrate with Lily. She just wants to eat some cake. We can’t let her down again.” Eve laughed mockingly inside my head. See? David and Helen don’t love you. Why are you still holding on? They are miserable because of you. It’s all your fault. I wanted to scream back at her. I wanted to say that they did love me! They gave up everything for me! But then I thought of the scar on David’s shoulder, the dark circles under Helen’s eyes, and Lily’s desperate, people-pleasing smiles. Maybe Eve was right. I was the source of all their misery. To pay for my therapy, David worked multiple jobs. His back was so ruined he could barely stand, and on rainy days, the pain kept him bedridden. Helen had to run between the care facility for grandmother and home to watch me, sleeping barely three hours a night. Lily, at just five years old, did everything she could to please me, giving up her childhood just to keep the peace. If I died, maybe everyone would finally be happy. I stopped fighting. I watched as Eve turned on the faucet, stepping into the overflowing bathtub. Without a second of hesitation, she took the razor and sliced deep into our wrist. The water slowly bloomed into a deep, crimson red. My soul felt lighter, starting to float. This was good. It was finally over. David wouldn’t have to spend his nights applying pain patches anymore. Helen wouldn’t have to run herself into the ground trying to cure me. And Lily could finally have a normal, happy childhood. My family was finally free of their psycho daughter. Right before my consciousness fully faded, the control shifted back to me. Looking toward the bathroom door, I whispered my very last words. David, Helen, Lily… I’m so sorry. If there is a next life, I promise I won’t burden you again.

When I opened my eyes again, I was floating right next to the dining table. David was gently covering Lily’s eyes while Helen carefully brought out a fruit cake with lit candles. “Happy 6th birthday to our sweet Lily!” Lily opened her eyes, a look of pure joy on her face. “Mom, Dad, I’ve never seen such a beautiful cake!” My eyes welled with tears. When I first got sick, Lily was still a toddler. Because of me, she never had a real birthday. Every single year on her birthday, I would have a severe episode. Helen and David would have to rush me to the hospital, completely forgetting about her. This was literally the first time Lily had ever had a birthday cake. Helen turned her head to wipe away a tear, cutting a large slice for Lily. “Eat as much as you want, sweetheart.” But Lily grabbed the plate and ran straight to the bathroom. She knocked softly on the door. “Maya, come out and eat cake! I saved you the sweetest piece!” I wrapped my ghostly arms around her tiny body, wishing I could speak to her. I’m sorry, Lily. I can’t eat cake with you anymore. It’s my fault. I ruined your birthday again. But my hands passed straight through her. I couldn’t touch her. When no one answered, Lily lowered her head, walking back to the table, deflated. “Mom, is Maya mad at me? She won’t talk to me.” Helen pulled Lily into a hug, her voice hardening with anger. “Ignore her. She’s just playing victim. She threatens to kill herself every time, and we always save her. She’s doing it for attention again.” “Today is your day, my princess. Let’s not let her ruin it.” As Helen spoke, she noticed the plate of food Lily had saved on the table for me. Frustrated, Helen swept the plate directly into the trash can. “If she wants to starve, let her. We don’t owe her anything. I’m sick of her drama.” I froze, tears pouring down my face. I’m not faking it. I was in so much pain every single day. Lily looked at the trash can, panicked, and tried to defend me. “Don’t say that about Maya! She’s just sick. She’s really nice to me when she feels better.” David patted Lily’s back. “Lily, your sister is being selfish.” “She only thinks about her own pain. She never thinks about what this family goes through.” “Because of her, Helen and I are exhausted to the bone, and she still pulls these stunts.” Floating in the air, I stared at David in disbelief. This was the dad who used to cherish me more than anything. It hadn’t always been like this. Everything changed when I was seven.

When I was seven, David and Helen left me at our neighbor’s house for an afternoon. The neighbor, Mr. Henderson, locked me in his basement and abused me. That was the day Eve was born. Eve would replay that basement nightmare in our head, over and over, begging for death. Back then, David would kneel by my bed, crying, begging for my forgiveness, promising he would protect me forever. But David, did you get tired too? I’m sorry. It really was all my fault. Even as a ghost, I felt a sharp, agonizing pain in my chest. Helen nudged David, her voice a mix of anger and grief. “How can you say that? Maya might be difficult, but we owe her this.” Helen’s eyes reddened. “She was only seven when that monster… if we hadn’t left her there, she would be normal. She wouldn’t be trying to end her life.” “Today is Lily’s birthday. Let’s not fight. We’ll have a serious talk with Maya tomorrow.” Helen wiped her tears, gently stroking Lily’s hair. “Lily, you didn’t make a wish yet. Make a wish.” Lily’s face lit up. She closed her eyes tight and said with absolute sincerity: “I wish that David, Helen, Maya, and I can be together forever.” Those words stabbed Helen right in the heart. Helen gasped, covering her mouth as she rushed into the bedroom. I could hear her muffled, agonizing sobs through the door. It was a cry of pure guilt, helplessness, and exhaustion. David’s eyes turned red too. He silently placed a paper crown on Lily’s head. “Dad promises you. We will be together forever.” I wrapped my arms around David and Lily, whispering in the quiet room: I’m sorry, Lily. Your wish will never come true. But without me, you and our parents will be so much happier. No more medical bills, no more constant fear, no more sleepless nights. After tucking Lily into bed, David stood outside the bathroom door, knocking gently. “Maya, come on out. It’s cold in there. Let me make you some food.” “Don’t you love my homemade steak? I’ll make a huge plate just for you.” Only dead silence answered him. I’ll never get to taste your steak again. Seeing no response, David walked back into the bedroom and whispered to Helen. “Why did you lock Maya in the bathroom for so long?” “Her mental state is unstable. Shouldn’t we check on her?” Helen remained silent for a moment before shaking her head. “I didn’t lock the door. She can walk out whenever she wants.” “There’s only an eyebrow razor in there. She can’t do any real damage with that.” “We’ve coddled her for years because of her illness. She can’t keep acting out like this.” My tears fell silently. I was trying to be a good girl. I wasn’t trying to act out. David sighed heavily. He sat down with Helen to calculate this month’s bills. My therapy was over $1,500, and grandmother’s care facility fees were astronomical. Helen covered her face, letting out a low, broken sob. “David… when will this end?” “Maya can’t even go to school. We’re going to have to support her for the rest of our lives. I don’t know if we can survive this.” David squeezed Helen’s hand, pulling her into his chest. “She’s our daughter, Helen. Even if we go broke, we have to cure her.” “Once the construction project is done, I’ll start driving Uber at night. We’ll get through this.” Looking at the silver hairs on David’s head and Helen’s tears, my heart shattered into a million pieces. They hadn’t given up on me. They still loved me. But I realized it too late.

That night, David and Helen slept right outside the bathroom door. Watching them, my soul was crushed under the weight of guilt. As the first light of dawn broke, soft noises came from the kitchen. With bloodshot eyes, Helen stood by the stove, making creamy mushroom soup. When I was little and got sick, she would always make this for me. But ever since my diagnosis, she hadn’t made it once. She was cooking it so carefully, exactly the way I used to beg for it. It smells so good. I want to taste it so badly… but I can’t. Helen carried the bowl to the bathroom door, her voice raspy. “Maya, stop throwing a tantrum.” “I made your favorite mushroom soup. It’s warm. Eat some, and then take your meds.” “I shouldn’t have hit you yesterday. I shouldn’t have said those things.” “Lily is waiting to play with you. Come out, okay? Let’s fix this.” Nothing but absolute silence came from inside. Helen’s patience finally snapped. Her face hardened. “Maya! Don’t do this!” “Do you think faking your death is going to make us feel sorry for you? Haven’t we suffered enough for you?” Still, there was no answer. Fuming, Helen slammed the bowl down on the floor, the soup splashing everywhere, and twisted the doorknob. “Maya, did you actually die in there?!”

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My coworker invited me to an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet. It was $78 per person. I took a picture and shared it with my boyfriend, but he completely lost his mind. “A $78 buffet? Are you eating food or gold?!” “Greedy women rot in hell for gluttony! Aren’t you afraid of getting your tongue ripped out?!” To get a free meal, my boyfriend rushed to the restaurant and tried to force me to fake food poisoning with him. Watching him roll around on the floor, howling like a dog, I took a step back and shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t know this man.” To meet our project deadline, our entire team worked overtime for three days straight. We barely managed to finish the tasks assigned by the higher-ups. After logging off, my coworker invited me out to celebrate. So, we made a reservation at a Japanese buffet restaurant we had been wanting to try for a long time. They had a limited-time special for $78 per person, which included unlimited fresh salmon and scampi. It was an absolute steal. Right after we sat down and ordered, I habitually snapped a photo and sent it to my boyfriend, Zach. 【Look! Maya and I are having a buffet today. The vibe here is amazing.】 Usually, Zach replied within seconds, but this time, he went silent for over ten minutes. By the time Maya and I had already started eating, he finally replied. 【I just looked that place up online. That buffet is almost eighty bucks. You are being way too wasteful.】 I took a photo of the gorgeous sashimi platter on our table and sent it to him. 【The seafood here is super fresh. $78 is a bargain for this quality, okay?】 But starting from that message, Zach began bombarding my Snapchat. 【$78 is cheap to you?! They are selling you a bunch of cheap frozen fish and shrimp for nearly a hundred dollars. Are you eating food or gold?!】 【Women are just greedy. You only make like $3,500 a month after tax, and you’re stuffing all of it into your mouth! You don’t know the first thing about running a household. If you’re like this now, what about when we have kids? Do you expect me to pay for everything myself?】 【I’m telling you, if you want to marry into the Miller family, you have to get rid of this horrible habit!】 【Always eating, always wasting. People like you rot in hell for gluttony!】 … And the last message: 【Stay there. I’m coming right now.】 Seeing the disgusted expression on my face, Maya asked with concern, “Is everything okay?” “It’s fine.” I sighed. “But I have a really bad feeling about this.” Sure enough, before we could even finish our food, Zach stormed into the restaurant. Instead of calling me to ask where we were sitting, he started shouting at the top of his lungs in the lobby, “Chloe! Chloe, get out here right now!” And that wasn’t even the worst of it. When nobody answered him in the lobby, he started opening the private dining rooms one by one. Ignoring the curses of the other customers, he finally slammed open our door. “Chloe, are you deaf?! I called your name so many times, and you didn’t even bother to answer!” My face was already pale with embarrassment. His dramatic, embarrassing behavior, combined with his abusive texts on Snapchat, had pushed me to my absolute limit. But clearly, I still didn’t know the real Zach. He grabbed my wrist. “Are you guys almost done? Come on, let’s go while the lobby is crowded.” “What are you doing?!” I yanked my hand back. I watched in sheer disbelief as Zach stuffed a sweet shrimp into his mouth from our table. “Might as well eat some. Let’s stuff our faces first and then run.” I looked at him, completely horrified. “Zach, are you seriously trying to force me to dine and dash?” “Duh!” Zach mumbled, his mouth stuffed with salmon. “Who in their right mind pays this much for a buffet? We have to run!” My chest tightened with pure anger. Seeing the tension, Maya quickly tried to defuse the situation. “Chloe has been working so hard overtime. It’s just an occasional treat. Besides, you have to pay and leave a card on file before you even get seated at this place. Running now is pointless.” “What?!” Zach spat the food out of his mouth, spraying crumbs everywhere. “You already paid?! Chloe, how can you be so damn wasteful!” “Your monthly salary is only $3,500. $78 takes you nearly half a day of hard work to earn back! Have you even done the math?!” I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I snapped back, “I spent my own money. Since when is it any of your business?”

“We’re going to get married! Why are you drawing a line between your money and mine? What’s yours is mine!” “Chloe, my mom said you need to give us a baby boy right after we get married. Do you have any idea how much diapers and formula cost? You went to business school, and you can’t even do this simple math?!” I wanted to slap him across his face, but seeing the disgusting food residue around his mouth, I couldn’t even bring myself to touch him. “Are you insane? We’ve only been dating for a week. Did I say I was going to marry you? Did I say I was going to give you a son? You are a literal psycho.” I tried to keep my voice down, but he didn’t listen to a single word. He pushed me aside and sat right in my seat. “I’ll talk to you after I’m full.” Then, Zach began devouring the food left on our table like a starving animal. Seeing that there wasn’t much left, he screamed at the top of his lungs, “Server! Bring us another sashimi platter! And your most expensive wine!” I came out to enjoy my evening, not to be a laughingstock. The moment he started shouting, I grabbed Maya’s hand and walked out of the room. “Maya, let’s go.” “Wait, stop right there, Chloe!” Zach stuffed one last piece of eel into his mouth and chased us all the way from the private room to the lobby. He grabbed my elbow tightly. “Chloe, don’t walk away! Today, I’m going to teach you how to save money. I’m going to fix your greedy, wasteful habits once and for all!” I thought he was going to start lecturing me again, but in the next second, he clutched his stomach and began to wail. “Help! The food in this place is contaminated! My stomach hurts so bad!” I rolled my eyes, shaking with pure rage. Maya held my hand, gently comforting me. “Don’t let him get to you, Chloe. It’s not worth getting sick over a piece of trash like him.” “Where is the manager?! Get out here right now! I’m dying of stomach pain!” As Zach rolled around on the floor, the other customers stopped eating to stare. The servers rushed over in a panic. “Sir, are you okay?” “Do I look okay?! Your raw fish is crawling with bacteria! It poisoned me! Call your manager out here right now!” The manager, who had been briefed on the situation, rushed to the lobby. He politely tried to help Zach up, attempting to follow protocol to investigate. But Zach cut him off instantly. “The buffet was $78! You are going to pay me ten times that in compensation, or I’m calling the cops and suing this place! By then, you’ll be paying for my medical bills and lost wages!” “Sir, we have to follow standard procedures…” “Screw your procedures! I don’t care about that! Just pay me my money!” Zach glared at Maya and me, then reached out to grab my arm. “My girlfriend ate with me, and her stomach hurts too! You have to pay us double!” $78, ten times compensation, for two people. That was $1,560. This relatively small amount of money made Zach’s face turn bright red with greed. He pulled me close, whispering urgently, “Hurry up, hold your stomach and act like you have food poisoning! This is free money for our future home. Learn something!” I shoved Zach away with all my strength. “Sorry, everyone. We don’t know him.” I dragged Maya to the front desk, closed our tab, and then stood by the door to watch the show. Zach muttered “useless bitch” under his breath before turning back to harass the manager. But just as he was screaming himself hoarse, the manager spoke up in a calm, slow voice. “Sir, it seems you didn’t actually order or pay for anything in our restaurant today.”

The front desk staff had already pulled up the POS records and the security footage, waiting for Zach to dig himself deeper. Even facing concrete evidence, Zach insisted, “I paid the $78! Your system must be glitching!” “Then please show us your receipt or the transaction on your phone.” The manager and the servers kept their polite smiles, but Zach was losing his footing. He quickly changed his story. “I paid in cash! How am I supposed to have a digital receipt?” Then he tried to turn it back on them. “You guys didn’t even give me a receipt!” The manager nodded and pointed to the security camera right above the register. “Then around what time did you pay, sir? We can quickly pull up the footage. If it proves we made a mistake, we will gladly pay you the ten-fold compensation immediately.” “Wait…” Zach was clearly panicking now. His eyes darted around the room until he spotted me standing near the exit. He pointed a finger at me. “It wasn’t me who paid! My girlfriend paid! Her name is Chloe! Talk to her!” Everyone turned to look at me. I shook my head and waved. “I don’t know him. I’m just here for the drama.” “Maya, the circus show is over. Let’s go shopping upstairs.” As Maya and I turned to leave, Zach’s desperate screams of my name echoed behind us. Even after being forced to leave the restaurant empty-handed, Zach kept spamming my Snapchat. 【Chloe, you went way too far! How could you leave me there like that? You owe me that compensation money!】 Then, I saw his Instagram story update. He posted a picture of the restaurant’s aesthetic interior and the food plates. The caption read: *One of my favorite regular spots. Great food, amazing prices. Highly recommend treating yourself here once in a while.* After Maya saw it, she looked like she had just swallowed a fly. “Chloe, your boyfriend is a world-class clown.” “He’s my ex-boyfriend now.” I quickly typed a reply to Zach: 【Let’s break up. Blocked.】 Then I deleted him from Snapchat and blocked his number. I couldn’t afford to have such a delusional, toxic man in my life. Thankfully, Maya was the only one in our social circle who knew I was dating Zach. Otherwise, if the video of him rolling on the restaurant floor went viral, I would have died of embarrassment. But the peace didn’t last. The next morning at the office, my coworkers were whispering. “Isn’t that the ‘Stomach Pain Guy’ from the viral video? Why is he in our office?” I turned around, only to meet Zach’s pathetic, sorrowful eyes. “Chloe, I thought about what happened yesterday.” Zach walked up to my desk, holding out a sad little bunch of wildflowers he had clearly ripped from a random bush outside. “I’ve decided to forgive you.” Me: ? “It’s normal for you to be greedy for high-end food. Your family probably never fed you anything good growing up. I should have been more patient and taught you how to save. Let’s get married, Chloe. I’ve already planned out our future.” “We can rent a place near your office. I’ll bring my mom, dad, grandparents, and sister over to live with us. Since it’ll be close to your work, it’ll be super convenient for you to come home and take care of them every day.” “You need to remember all of their personal preferences. Every meal has to be a balanced three-course dinner. If you perform well, I might consider giving you a $50 weekly allowance for groceries. Oh, and if you give me a son, I’ll immediately give you a $200 bonus!”

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The moment my wife saw her “first love” brag on Snapchat about his family’s estate being bought out for redevelopment, she couldn’t wait to drag me to City Hall to get a divorce. “Ethan, Logan’s family estate is being bought out by a mega-developer! I heard they’re offering a massive family compensation package. You know Logan’s situation is tight. I want to have a baby with him so we can claim the three-person premium package!” “Can we just get remarried after we get the money?” With that, she held up three fingers in front of me. “I swear, this baby won’t change how I feel about you. You’re the only one I love.” I looked into her seemingly sincere eyes and nodded slowly. My wife had no idea. The second she proposed divorcing me to have another man’s baby, any chance of us remarrying died. I was going to completely erase the name Ethan Vance from my life. And reclaim my real identity: Ethan Sterling, the sole heir of the developer buying out that land. 0 When Chloe dragged me from the car into City Hall to get our divorce ticket, the grin on her face was practically splitting her cheeks. “Don’t worry, Ethan. As soon as I get the property and the payout, I’ll divorce him and come straight back to you!” After making her grand promise, Chloe stood on her tiptoes and pecked my cheek a few times. “Smile! We’re basically getting a free luxury apartment out of this!” I didn’t say a word. As the red stamp slammed down on the divorce papers, a cold shiver ran through my chest. I felt none of her ecstatic joy. I knew that even without this buyout, Chloe would have divorced me eventually. Logan Hunt was her childhood sweetheart. He had moved abroad years ago due to some family trouble, only returning three years ago. On the day he landed, Chloe—who had never cooked a single meal in her life—actually spent hours in the kitchen preparing a massive feast to welcome him back. She was always too attentive to him. She’d remind him to bundle up when it was cold, and she’d personally drive across town to deliver medicine if he caught a sniffle. I had fought with her over these “little things” more times than I could count. Every time, Chloe would pacify me with sweet words, only to turn around and flirt with Logan again. Eventually, it got to the point where they’d hold hands right in front of me, and I’d just look away. I kept lying to myself, calling it “childhood friendship” that transcended boundaries. I still remember six months ago when Chloe had to go on a business trip. She told me she was only going with a female colleague. But later that weekend, I saw Logan’s Instagram post. They were hugging each other tightly at an amusement park. His caption read: *No matter how much time passes, you’re still my one and only.* After digging around, I found out the truth. The business trip was a complete lie. She had used it as an excuse to go on a romantic getaway with her little lover. “Ethan…” Chloe’s voice snapped me back to reality. “You know the construction near Logan’s place is getting really loud and unlivable now. Do you think he could temporarily move in with us?” I understood exactly what she was getting at. I nodded. “Sure. I’ll pack my things and move out tonight.” Hearing this, Chloe shook her head quickly. “I’m not trying to kick you out!” “There’s plenty of room for the three of us to live together. Besides, you’ve handled all the household chores for years. I wouldn’t be used to you being gone.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. To put it plainly, Chloe just wanted a free live-in maid. Not only did I have to take care of her daily life, but I also had to serve her lover. Six years of devotion had finally hit a dead end. “It’s fine. I’ll hire a moving truck…” “Chloe! Is the divorce finalized?” Before I could finish my sentence, Logan came wheeling a suitcase toward us. Chloe’s face instantly darkened. “I told you to wait for me at home! Why did you come to City Hall?” “I was just worried Ethan would be angry. I wanted to help explain things to him!” Logan casually wrapped one arm around Chloe’s waist, while his other hand slid down to rest on her flat stomach. It was a blatant declaration of ownership. No wonder she wanted to have a baby with him so badly. They had probably been sleeping together for a while. Seeing that I remained silent, Logan continued, “Don’t worry, buddy. Once the payout and the deed are in our hands, I’ll return Chloe to you in perfect condition.” As he spoke, he gave Chloe’s waist a stealthy pinch. My chest tightened. I didn’t want to stand there for another second. I turned around and walked away. If they dared to be this shameless in broad daylight, I couldn’t begin to imagine what they did behind my back. Swallowing the bitter pain in my throat, I quickened my pace, hailed a cab, and went straight back to our apartment. The first thing I did was pack. I only took a few basic changes of clothes. Anything associated with Chloe, I left behind. Just as I was about to walk out the door, my eyes caught the ring on my finger. It was a simple silver band we bought when we first started dating. Back then, we were broke and couldn’t afford a diamond. Even after our financial situation improved, I couldn’t bear to replace it. I felt like this ring had witnessed everything we went through. But Chloe’s hands had been bare for a long time. It seemed that the moment Logan returned, her wedding ring had conveniently disappeared. Right then, Chloe walked in, clinging to Logan’s arm. Seeing me staring at the ring on my finger, a flicker of guilt crossed her face. “You’ve been wearing that cheap thing for six years. It’s long overdue for an upgrade.” “On the day we remarry, I’ll buy you a brand-new one.” As she spoke, she reached out, slid the ring off my finger, and casually tossed it into the trash can. I forced a smile and said, “Okay.” “Ethan, I’m doing all of this for our future.” “A luxury apartment and a million-dollar payout aren’t pocket change.” I nodded, pretending to understand. As I turned to go downstairs, Chloe called out my name. “Ethan!” “Remember to text me your new address on Snapchat. I’ll come pick you up in a month.” I didn’t look back, and I didn’t answer. The moment I stepped out of the residential complex, my phone rang. “Mr. Sterling, do you need us to send a private helicopter to pick you up?” “No need,” I replied coldly. “I still have some loose ends to tie up here. I’ll return to headquarters in a month!” 0

The first time I met Chloe was six years ago on a busy street. She was trying to help an elderly woman who had fallen. But the moment Chloe touched her sleeve, the woman grabbed her tightly, screaming to the onlookers that Chloe had knocked her down. Naturally, the police got involved, and Chloe was taken to the station. Fortunately, my dashcam had recorded the entire incident. I went to the station and bailed her out. When we stepped outside, she sat on the curb and cried her eyes out. I thought she was just traumatized by the scam. Only later did I find out that day was actually the day Logan had boarded his flight to go abroad. After leaving our apartment, I rented a small condo to clear my head. In the evening, I decided to grab a bite to eat. Passing by a trendy restaurant, I noticed through the glass window a large group of people gathered around Logan, raising their glasses to toast him. Sitting right next to him, draped in his arms, was Chloe—my brand-new ex-wife. Chloe and I both had mild palates and hated spicy food, but Logan loved heavy, rich flavors. The restaurant was serving exactly what he liked. Inside, the venue was decorated with festive banners. Across the main wall hung a giant sign: *Wishing Chloe and Logan a Happy Marriage!* Those words felt like a physical blow to my chest. They had gone straight from my divorce to register their own marriage. No wonder Logan had been in such a rush at City Hall, bringing his luggage along. He literally couldn’t wait a single second. I stood outside the window, pulling my coat tighter around myself. The autumn air was brisk, but for some reason, I was shivering uncontrollably. My mind drifted back to six years ago. It was a similar autumn day when Chloe and I had our wedding. It was just as lively. She had looked into my eyes, reciting her vows, promising to love and cherish me forever. Now, those words were nothing but trash to her. With stinging eyes, I lowered my head and prepared to leave. Suddenly, the double doors of the private dining room were slammed open by Chloe’s parents. They rushed in, absolutely furious. Her father tore the banner down from the wall. “Chloe! What the hell are you doing?! How could you throw Ethan away for this loser Logan?!” “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” “Did you not hear about all the sketchy things he did while he was abroad? You go find Ethan right now and beg for his forgiveness! Otherwise, don’t ever call us your parents again!” I didn’t expect her parents to show up and crash their celebration for my sake. Their respect was probably the only comforting thing I had left from those six years. “Mom, Dad, you’ve got it all wrong!” Chloe scrambled to explain. “You already signed the marriage certificate! What is there to get wrong?!” her father roared. “Get a divorce right now!” Logan stood awkwardly to the side, his face shifting from pale to red. “Dad! Can we please talk about this at home? All our friends are here!” Chloe tried to coax him, switching to her usual spoiled tone. But her father wasn’t having it. “Home? If you don’t explain this right now, you are officially cut off from this family!” Seeing her father’s stubbornness, Chloe had no choice but to dismiss their guests. Once the room cleared, she finally confessed, “Dad! Ethan and I only got a paper divorce! Logan’s estate is being bought out next month. The developer pays compensation based on the number of registered family members. By temporarily marrying Logan, we can claim an extra luxury apartment and a massive payout. Ethan knows all about this! He agreed to remarry me once the check clears!” Hearing this, her father’s face turned bright red. He pointed a shaking finger at her, gasping for air. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a glass of water from the table and hurled it straight at Logan. “You brainless girl! Do you honestly think a guy like Ethan cares about some cheap apartment payout?” “Do you think you can just play with marriage like a game? You’re going to kill me! Get a divorce right now!” Seeing that her parents wouldn’t budge, Chloe finally lost her temper. “Mom, Dad! Even Ethan didn’t make a big deal out of this! Why are you so angry?!” “My marriage to Logan doesn’t need your approval anyway.” “Since you can’t stand to see me succeed, we’ll talk after the buyout money hits our account.” “When I have the deeds and the cash, you’ll see who was right!” Chloe grabbed Logan’s hand and stormed out of the restaurant. They flagged down a cab, but just as she was about to step inside, she spotted me standing by the window. Her face instantly contorted with rage. “Ethan! Was this your doing?!” 0

“Did you call my parents here on purpose to ruin my wedding?!” Chloe didn’t even give me a chance to speak before she pronounced me guilty. “I’m just trying to help Logan! A baby can get us hundreds of thousands of dollars more! Don’t you understand that?” “We agreed on this, and you said yes! Why do you have to be so difficult now? What is wrong with you?!” When I remained silent, she shrieked, “Say something!” “Ethan, I can’t believe you’re this two-faced. We’ve been married for six years, and I never knew you were this petty!” Yes, six years. And I never knew she was this heartless. “This has nothing to do with Ethan!” Her father walked out of the restaurant, his face grim. “If Logan hadn’t bragged about your marriage certificate on Snapchat, your mother and I would have been kept in the dark forever!” Her father thrust his phone in front of Chloe’s face. She glanced at the screen, her eyes flickering with panic. Without a word of apology, she pushed Logan into the cab, got in after him, and sped away. Once the cab disappeared down the street, my phone buzzed. It was a call from Chloe. She told me to step away from her parents before speaking. “My parents are just emotional right now, so I couldn’t say much. You need to talk to them and calm them down. Tell them we’re still deeply in love and they don’t need to worry.” “Oh, and make sure to mention our plan to remarry, so they don’t think I’m lying to them.” After laying out her orders, she noticed my silence. “Ethan? Why aren’t you speaking?” “Are you mad because I had a wedding ceremony with Logan today?” “Ugh, babe, if we’re going to scam the developer, we have to make it look real. Otherwise, the auditors will flag us for fraud, and that’s illegal!” “Honey, don’t be mad. You know you’re the only one I love. Check your Snapchat, I sent you a little surprise.” After she hung up, I opened Snapchat. It was a highly suggestive boudoir photo of Chloe, wearing nothing but a skimpy outfit with a fluffy bunny tail. *Don’t be mad anymore, okay?~ When we get remarried, I’ll make sure to make it up to you in bed.* I stared at the caption for a second, then deleted the entire chat history. That night, I sat down with Chloe’s parents for a long chat. They had always treated me like a son, and I didn’t want to lie to them. I told them honestly that I had no intention of ever getting back together with Chloe. I begged them not to pressure her, saying she had made her choice, and I sincerely wished her well. “Ethan,” her father said, his voice heavy with emotion. “You’ve loved Chloe for so long. Are you really okay with letting her go?” Whether I was okay with it or not didn’t matter anymore. Relationships aren’t a one-way street. Just because I wanted her didn’t mean she would ever choose me over Logan. Seeing my silence, her father sighed deeply. “Years ago, when my investments failed and we were drowning in debt, it was your support that saved us. I’ve always considered you my true son-in-law. But I won’t force you. If you think a divorce is best, your mother and I will back you up 100%.” He squeezed my hand. “It’s Chloe’s loss. She was too foolish to cherish a good man.” His words brought a lump to my throat. I swallowed my tears, chatted with them a bit longer, reminded them to take care of their health, and left. By the time I got back to my condo, I had completely lost my appetite. Suddenly, my phone screen lit up. It was a direct message from Logan. It was a photo of him and Chloe cuddled up in bed. *Thanks for stepping in and calming her parents down, buddy. They aren’t mad at us anymore.* *Are you free tomorrow? I’d love to buy you dinner to show my appreciation.* I tossed my phone aside and ignored it. This wasn’t the first time Logan had tried to rub things in my face. When I was still Chloe’s husband, it used to make my blood boil. But now that we were divorced, I didn’t even have the right to care. Yet, I didn’t expect such a petty move to trigger Chloe to call me again. 0

Chloe called me in the middle of the night. “Ethan, why aren’t you replying to Logan’s messages? He just wants to thank you.” “We owe you one for handling my parents today. Who knows how long they would have made a scene otherwise.” “Are you free tomorrow? Logan and I really want to take you out for dinner.” I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. “No, I have to go to the office tomorrow.” “But if you don’t come, Logan will think you’re holding a grudge. Plus, I’m planning on bringing him into the company to help out. That way, you won’t have to carry such a heavy workload anymore.” “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about the company anymore.” The company was a startup I had built from the ground up and gifted to Chloe as a wedding present. She used to promise me she’d cherish it forever. She used to say that even though she was the CEO, I held the real power. She had given me absolute authority. But everything changed the moment Logan returned. Apparently, a company generating tens of millions of dollars a year couldn’t compare to a single free apartment. The location of Logan’s estate wasn’t even in a high-end district. If Chloe wanted real estate, we could have bought dozens of luxury condos. The moment she used that absurd excuse to demand a divorce, I knew our six-year marriage was a hollow shell. Holding on would only drag us both into endless misery. “Chloe, are you sure you want to hand all my active projects over to Logan?” There was a long pause on the other end of the line. The clients and resources for those projects were built entirely on my personal network. Without my connections, those deals would collapse instantly. “We’re going to be family soon anyway, so there’s no need to draw such hard lines. Besides, you’ve been handling too many projects. It’s time to delegate.” *Family?* Chloe really thought of herself as some ancient queen, expecting me to peacefully coexist with her concubine. “Do whatever you want.” I hung up. First, she divorced me. Now, she was using Logan to strip away my authority. The timeline of her actions was so tight it made my blood run cold. She was in such a rush to push me out. The next morning, I went to the office as usual to wrap things up. The moment I walked into my office, I saw Logan sitting in my chair, casually playing with my ID badge. Seeing me enter, his hand flicked, dropping the badge onto the hardwood floor. He deliberately ground his leather shoe over it before stepping toward me. “Oh, look who’s early. Ready to hand over your crown, buddy?” “Ethan, I’ve got to say, you’re the most pathetic man I’ve ever met. Imagine handing your own woman over to another guy.” I sneered. “If I’m done playing with her, what’s wrong with giving her to you?” Logan’s face instantly darkened. He lunged forward, grabbing my collar, and let out a cold laugh. “You think I buy that?” “If you really didn’t care about Chloe, why are you still lingering around after the divorce?” “Aren’t you two just ‘fake married’?” I countered. Logan laughed out loud. “Ethan, are you stupid or just incredibly naive?” “Do you seriously think Chloe is ever going to remarry you?” He leaned in, his face dripping with smug satisfaction. “Let me tell you a secret. Even after the buyout money cleared, Chloe won’t divorce me.” “In her heart, I’m the only one who matters.” I couldn’t argue with that, nor did I want to waste my breath arguing with him. I walked over to the desk, gathered a few files, and turned to leave. But Logan grabbed my arm, refusing to let me go. The second he saw Chloe walking down the hallway toward the office, his demeanor flipped instantly. His eyes filled with tears, and he adopted a fragile, victimized look. “Ethan, I know you hate me. But Chloe already handed these projects to me. You can’t just take them back.” He whimpered, putting his hand over my files. Before I could even push him away, he threw himself onto the floor. “Ethan! What are you doing?!” Chloe slammed the door open and rushed to Logan’s side, kneeling down to check on him. “I’m fine, Chloe. Don’t blame Ethan.” “He’s right. He’s been running these projects from the start. It’s not fair for me to just take over.” Chloe’s eyes went from worried to absolutely furious as she glared up at me. “Ethan! What is wrong with you?! Didn’t I already talk to you about this?” “They’re just a few projects! Is it worth getting violent over? I didn’t know you were this petty. If you want projects so badly, I can fund a few new ones for you!” “Is our company really that desperate for cash?” I looked down at Chloe, a wave of profound disappointment washing over me. Every single time Logan was involved, regardless of the truth, I was always the villain. She was right. The company didn’t lack money. It just lacked a free apartment. “I didn’t touch him. Believe what you want. As for the projects, if he wants them, he can have them.” Whether the clients would actually agree to work with an incompetent freeloader like Logan was another story entirely. Chloe stared at me, momentarily stunned by my cold indifference. She told Logan to step out so we could talk alone. Once the door closed, her angry expression softened, and she reached out to grab my hand, offering a sweet smile. “Logan’s new to the corporate world, so he doesn’t know how things work. Don’t take what I said to heart.” I looked at her and let out a sharp chuckle. “So, you knew he was putting on a show the whole time?” 0

“Logan just joined the company. I couldn’t embarrass him in front of everyone, or he’d have a hard time establishing authority.” So, to help her lover establish authority, her first move was to step on me. “Ethan, try to be understanding. It’s just a temporary marriage and a baby. Do you have to push me at every turn?” “I already promised you that once the divorce is finalized, I won’t have anything to do with him. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Can’t you just be a man and show some maturity?” “I’ll transfer some money to your account. Why don’t you take a vacation? Go travel for a bit and stay out of our way.” “Don’t worry, Logan and I won’t do anything real. I will always belong to you.” Looking at her face, which was twisted into an expression of utter disappointment in *me*, my heart completely shattered. “I get it,” I said softly. “I’ll hand over all my projects to Logan. I won’t interfere with the company anymore.” “Ethan, that’s not what I meant…” I nodded, not wanting to hear another word. I had originally planned to wrap up some loose ends before leaving, but now, there was no point. In Chloe’s world, Logan was all she needed. Nothing else mattered. I turned and walked out of the office without looking back. Over the next few days, I stopped going to the office entirely, trying my best to stay out of their lives. But Logan was relentless. Every time some trivial thing happened between him and Chloe, he’d send me updates on Snapchat. *Ethan, the mattress you picked out is really soft. You’ve got great taste. The silk pajamas fit me perfectly too.* *Ethan, I noticed you left some luxury watches in the closet. I’m going to borrow a few. You don’t mind, right?* *I’ll take your silence as a yes.* *By the way, your wife is amazing in bed. I’ll make sure to take good care of her for you.* As the messages grew more graphic and disgusting, I blocked his notifications. I knew Chloe. Since they were living under the same roof, even without Logan’s bragging, I knew exactly what was happening. I stayed holed up in my condo for days. On the night before my departure, a close friend insisted on throwing me a farewell party, so I finally went out. He booked a private room at an upscale lounge. When I arrived, a row of gorgeous female hosts was lined up in the room. My friend clapped me on the shoulder. “Take your pick.” I looked at him, confused. “What is this?” “Come on, man. I know what happened. There are plenty of fish in the sea. These girls are top-tier. Look at those faces, those bodies. None of them are worse than Chloe.” “If you ask me, Chloe is a fool. She had a golden husband and threw him away for some broke loser like Logan.” “Without you, would her company ever have reached this level? If she were still drowning in her father’s debt, Logan wouldn’t even look at her twice!” I knew my friends were just trying to stand up for me. But just because Chloe was cheap didn’t mean I was going to degrade myself to get back at her. “You know me better than that,” I said. “Send them away.” But before my friend could dismiss the hosts, the heavy doors of the private room were pushed open. Chloe stepped inside, clutching Logan’s hand. My friend’s face instantly dropped. He nudged the guy next to him and muttered, “Who the hell invited her? Didn’t I say this was a private party for Ethan?” “I swear, man, everyone here is in our circle. Nobody would have invited Chloe!” Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Chloe swept her eyes over the female hosts and marched straight toward me. “Ethan! We just got divorced, and you’re already in a place like this picking out girls?!” 0

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Someone tried to clear the air. “Hey, it’s just a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding.” “What misunderstanding? If Logan hadn’t told me you were here ‘selecting a harem,’ I’d still be in the dark!” “Ethan, we were married for six years! Did I ever treat you badly? How could you do this to me?!” Chloe screamed at the top of her lungs, completely ignoring the crowd. Eventually, my friend ushered everyone out, leaving only the four of us in the massive room. “Chloe, shouldn’t Ethan be the one asking you that question?” My friend snapped, unable to hold back. “How did he treat you all these years? You know better than anyone! He would never cheat on you. But you? Ever since Logan came back from abroad, have you given Ethan a single shred of your attention?” “And now, for a little bit of buyout money, you want to have a baby with Logan and divorce Ethan? Let’s not forget how Ethan paid off your father’s massive debts. Do you really think he cares about some cheap apartment?” Faced with a barrage of questions, Chloe’s face turned pale. She glared at me. “Ethan, is this what you think of me?” “Was my father’s debt paid off solely by you? Did I have no hand in building the company? I discussed the apartment situation with you beforehand, and now you’re throwing all the blame on me?” “I told you, the divorce is temporary! We will remarry! I just need a month!” “My relationship with Logan is strictly business. But what about you? What are you doing behind my back? Hiring escorts?!” “Chloe, watch your mouth!” my friend barked. “Who said Ethan is hiring escorts? You guys are divorced! You’re already on husband number two, and you won’t even let Ethan move on?!” “This is between me and my husband! Since when do you get a say?!” Chloe’s face flushed with anger, tears welling in her eyes. It seemed like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Seeing her emotional state, Logan stepped forward, tugging her sleeve to comfort her, but Chloe violently shook him off. She turned and glared at him with cold fury. This was probably the first time she had ever looked at Logan like that since his return. “You get out too! I need to talk to him alone.” “Chloe…” Logan whimpered, trying to look pathetic. “Get out!” Sensing her genuine rage, Logan reluctantly slunk out of the room. “Ethan, you know my personality. I don’t like to repeat myself. Do you have to make me angry?” “We could have handled this maturely.” “If you didn’t want to do this, you could have told me from the start. Why did you agree to it only to pull a stunt like this now?” I just looked at her, my voice devoid of emotion. “If I had said no, would you have listened?” Chloe got one thing right: I knew her personality perfectly. That was why I knew I never had a choice in our divorce. If I had refused. She would have made my life a living hell, using emotional abuse and the silent treatment to force my hand. Instead of dragging it out, it was better to cut the cord. “What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I forced you?” “And now you’re here with these girls just to get back at me? Ethan, when did you become so childish?” “Can you stop using these pathetic stunts just to get my attention? I am so exhausted.” “Fine, I admit I haven’t paid enough attention to you lately. I’ll make an effort to change, okay?” “No need,” I said flatly. “Since we’re divorced, let’s not talk about remarrying ever again.” “Ethan? What did you say?” Chloe’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I suggest you think carefully before you speak. If you walk out that door today, I don’t care if you beg me on your knees later, I will never take you back!” I turned around and walked out without a single backward glance, ignoring her frantic screams behind me. I checked the time, caught a cab to my condo to grab my bags, and headed straight for the airport. As soon as I got into the cab, my friend called. “Ethan, where did you go? Chloe has completely lost her mind. She’s smashing everything in the VIP room.” “I’m on my way to the airport.” My friend went quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say. Finally, he just muttered, “Safe travels, man.” “Thanks,” I replied. Suddenly, a massive semi-truck appeared ahead, its high beams blindingly bright. I yelled at the driver to steer away as I slammed the phone down. In the next second, the truck crashed directly into our side. *BOOM!* I felt my body shatter into pieces. The distant wail of sirens and chaotic voices faded in and out of my consciousness. “Hello? Is this the family of Ethan Vance? He’s been in a horrific car accident and is currently in critical condition. Please come to Mercy Hospital immediately.” Through the haze of my fading consciousness, I heard Chloe’s cold sneer through the phone line. “What is his game? He just broke up with me, and now he’s staging a car accident to trick me into coming back?” “Who does he think I am? Tell him that unless he gets his ass over here right now and kneels down to beg for my forgiveness, I will never forgive him!” With that, Chloe hung up the phone in a rage. I let out a bitter, silent laugh. Our six-year marriage had finally reached its absolute end. I just never expected the final curtain to be drawn with my life on the line…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “465609”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

My CEO girlfriend promised she’d marry me the moment I took her startup, AuraTech, public. I worked myself to the bone, pulling endless all-nighters. Finally, in our seventh year together, we hit the milestone. But instead of putting a ring on my finger, Chloe turned around and signed a marriage license with Julian—her golden boy, the one who got away. She even threw a lavish, high-profile wedding to celebrate. On the day of their wedding, my mother, unable to take the shock, collapsed and was rushed to the ICU in critical condition. I literally fell to my knees, begging Chloe to let me withdraw my own money from our joint future fund so I could pay the $50,000 hospital deductible. Instead, she clung to Julian’s arm, laughed in my face in front of all our colleagues, and called me a delusional psychopath before having security beat me and drag me out. I had to watch my mother take her very last breath in that cold hospital bed. Meanwhile, Chloe and Julian were popping champagne and blowing cash at an upscale club. After burying my mother, I went back to our apartment to pack my things. That was when I caught Chloe’s brand-new luxury SUV shaking violently in the driveway. With her clothes disheveled and fresh hickeys staining her neck, Chloe looked at me with a flicker of guilt. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Ethan,” she stammered. “We were just… testing the car’s suspension.” I just smiled. A cold, empty smile. She had no idea. From the moment my mother died, I—the sole developer who held the core algorithm to her entire company—decided to make sure she lost absolutely everything.

I had just finished packing my bags when Chloe walked through the door. Her cheeks were flushed. The moment she saw me, her smile vanished. Her eyebrows knitted together as she slammed her hand down on my suitcase. “Are you throwing a tantrum? Packing your bags just because I had security throw you out of the wedding?” “Can you be any more petty, Ethan? There were so many high-profile guests there! If they found out you were my boyfriend, do you have any idea how badly that would have ruined Julian’s big day?” Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. A few days ago, at her wedding, Chloe had called me a madman in front of everyone. She had watched with a cold smile as security guards insulted me, beat me, and threw me onto the street like trash. My colleagues had pointed fingers at me, gossiping that I was a gold-digger trying to ruin the CEO’s wedding for a payout. But that money was mine. And Chloe was supposed to be my girlfriend. I chuckled darkly and pushed her hand off my suitcase. Chloe frowned, her lips thinning into a hard line. “Fine. Stop acting like you’re the victim here. Why are you throwing such a massive fit? Did your mother say something to you again?” “Tell you what. I’ll go to the hospital with you tomorrow and explain things to her. Happy now?” See my mother? She wasn’t even fit to utter her name. My mother had been sick for a long time. Her biggest wish was to see me settled down before she passed. But Chloe kept dragging her feet, claiming she “wasn’t ready to settle down” and “wanted to enjoy her youth.” Yet, two weeks ago, when Julian posted on Snapchat about his parents pressuring him to get married, she panicked. “Ethan, Julian’s parents are forcing his hand. I’m just going to have a fake wedding with him to get them off his back. It’s just a show.” And then, she went ahead and legally registered their marriage, throwing a massive wedding for the world to see. When my mother heard the news, the shock sent her into cardiac arrest. The doctor told me she needed immediate surgery. I begged Chloe for my money, but she wouldn’t even transfer $50,000 for the surgery. My own hard-earned money. In the end, I could only watch the woman who raised me turn into a cold corpse. Thinking of this, the anger in my chest threatened to spill over. I closed my eyes, forcing a cold smile. “No need. I…” Before I could tell her my mother was dead, Chloe cut me off impatiently. “Alright, alright! Is this about the money I didn’t give you? I’ll transfer it to you right now, okay? I only kept it because I was thinking about our future.” I wanted to laugh. I really did. Over the last few years, I hadn’t even seen a penny of my paycheck. She had linked my salary card directly to what she called our “Joint Future Fund.” To take any money out, I needed her permission. And even if she approved it, I had to find a way to pay it back. She called it “saving for our future.” And back then, like a naive idiot, I actually believed her. Only later did I find out she was using that very fund to buy Julian luxury cars and pay the down payment on his penthouse. Yet, when it came to me, she was incredibly stingy. She wouldn’t even spare a dime for my mother’s life-saving surgery. I reached out and blocked her fingers on her phone. My face was completely expressionless. “Don’t bother. I don’t need it anymore.” Chloe froze. She shot me a cold, suspicious glare. “Don’t need it? Oh, I get it. You were lying to me! You didn’t need money for her. You just wanted to stop my wedding with Julian!” “Ethan, it was just a wedding ceremony. I don’t get why you and your mother are making such a big, dramatic deal out of it.” She had completely forgotten. She had forgotten her promise to give me a grand wedding, and she had forgotten my mother’s dying wish. I smiled bitterly. “Yeah. My mom and I were blind. We shouldn’t have cared about you at all.” Chloe’s face darkened instantly. I didn’t want to waste another breath on her. I grabbed my suitcase and pushed past her. Right outside the door, I ran into Julian. He was holding a condom wrapper—peach scented, the flavor I hated most. “Chloe, babe, you left this in the backseat of the car. I brought it up for you… Oh, Ethan? What are you doing here?” I stared at his smug face, then down at the wrapper. My heart was dead quiet. “Just packing my bags. Happy wedding, by the way.” With that, I walked past him. This time, Chloe didn’t try to stop me. She was too busy looking at Julian with eyes full of sweetness. “Ethan! If you want to throw a tantrum and live on the streets, go ahead! I won’t stop you!” “But remember, you are the one walking out. I didn’t kick you out!” I walked down the stairs to her cheerful voice. Looking up at the bedroom window as the lights flickered on, I let out a cold laugh. I pulled out my phone and sent my resignation letter straight to the company’s HR inbox.

The next morning, I went to the office early to pack my desk. A few colleagues were already whispering nearby. “Some people really thought they were the co-owner just because they’ve been with the CEO for a few years. Turns out, he was just her little side-toy.” “I knew Chloe and Julian had something going on. Ethan used to act like he was the official boyfriend and banned us from talking about them. Now? Chloe married Julian. Talk about a slap in the face!” If this were the old me, my face would have turned red, and I would have tried to explain myself. But now, I felt nothing. I walked straight to the HR department and submitted my physical resignation form. “We’re processing it,” the HR rep said, not even looking up. “Once the CEO signs off, you’re free to go.” I nodded and went back to my cubicle to pack my personal belongings. When I picked up the framed photo of Chloe, my mother, and me, memories flooded my mind. Years ago, my father died in a car accident, and my mother fell gravely ill from grief. I brought her to the hospital, which was where I met Chloe, who was working as a student nurse. To pay for my mother’s medical bills, I worked day and night. Chloe was the one who looked after my mother when I couldn’t, and she was the one who held me when I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Back then, even when I was covered in dirt and completely broke, she loved me with everything she had. But once our startup took off, everything changed. “Ethan, I’m so scared that once you get rich, you’ll leave me.” Using that insecurity as an excuse, she took back all my shares. Overnight, I went from the co-founder to a mere team lead. She put me on a basic salary. And eventually, she took even that basic salary away, locking it in her “Future Fund.” Six months ago, Julian returned to the country. Chloe immediately made him the Senior Vice President, offering him a seven-figure salary. She threw a massive welcome party for him, and when the team cheered, she even shared a drink with him from the same glass. She completely forgot that day was also my birthday. That was the moment I realized this relationship had reached its expiration date. I took the photo, carefully cut Chloe out of it, and tossed her half into the trash. “Oh my god, Chloe and Julian look so perfect together! Like a match made in heaven!” My colleagues’ sycophantic voices echoed through the office. I looked up and saw Chloe and Julian walking in, their fingers locked, showing off their matching wedding rings. Chloe beamed at the compliments. “Everyone has been working so hard lately,” she announced. “HR, double everyone’s end-of-year bonuses this year!” The office erupted into wild cheers. The atmosphere instantly became electric. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” someone chanted. Chloe’s cheeks flushed a deep red. She didn’t look like the cold, ruthless CEO she usually was. She leaned in and kissed Julian on the cheek, but Julian turned his head at the last second, catching her straight on the lips. The office went wild, clapping and cheering. Watching them, I felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head. My heart was cold as iron. Chloe’s eyes were filled with adoration, but as she glanced around, her eyes landed on me. Her smile instantly froze.

“Ethan? You… when did you get here?” The room went dead silent. Everyone turned their gaze toward me. I paused for a second, my face completely expressionless. “Just got here. Why?” Chloe’s face soured, clearly annoyed that I had ruined her moment. She waved her hand to dismiss the crowd. “Since you’re here, pack up the files for the Zenith Group partnership. Hand them over to Julian.” Hand them over to Julian? I had been working on this project day and night for over six months. We were right on the verge of signing the contract, and she wanted me to hand it over to Julian with a single sentence? I let out a cold laugh, my eyes narrowing. “And why should I do that?” Chloe’s eyebrows shot up. She scoffed, “I am the CEO. You do what I tell you to do. Since when do you get to ask why?” “I’ve thought this through. Giving this project to Julian is the best move for the company. If you don’t like it, you can leave!” I didn’t argue. I just nodded. “Fine. I’ll leave. But don’t regret this later.” I walked to the exit, pulled out my phone, and replied to the email from Zenith Group’s CEO, accepting their job offer. Zenith Group was a Fortune 500 company. Their short-form video platform was sweeping the globe. They were a titan in the tech and entertainment industry. What Chloe didn’t know was that the core AI recommendation algorithm I created was something Zenith Group had been begging to buy for years. The only reason they were even considering partnering with a small company like AuraTech was because of me. Without me, AuraTech’s system would collapse. Suddenly, Chloe ran out of the office like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, blocking my path. “Ethan! Have I been too nice to you lately? How dare you speak to me in that tone!” In her mind, she probably thought I was still the same obedient dog who would crawl back to her the moment she snapped her fingers. Julian stood beside her, a smug smirk on his face. He stepped forward, acting concerned. “Ethan, you shouldn’t talk to Chloe like that. What if she actually fires you? What are you going to do then?” I frowned and pushed him aside. He took a dramatic stumble backward, pretending to lose his balance, and collapsed onto the floor. Chloe’s face turned bright red with rage. She slapped me hard across the face, then rushed to help Julian up. “Ethan! I’ve clearly spoiled you too much, making you forget your place! How dare you lay a hand on Julian right in front of me!” “Apologize to him right now! Or I swear to God, I will fire you!” I touched my stinging cheek and laughed. “No need to fire me. I already resigned. Sign the papers.” Chloe, who had been expecting me to beg for forgiveness, froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You resigned? How dare you!” I shook my head slowly. “It’s not just a resignation, Chloe. I’m dumping you, too.” “I’m done playing this toxic game with you.”

Chloe’s chest heaved violently. Her face was flushed with anger. Without another word, she pulled up her phone and approved my resignation on the spot. “Ethan! Don’t forget that your mother is in the hospital! Once you leave this company, once you leave me, don’t come crying to me when she’s dying on the street!” Julian added with a sneer, pretending to be helpful: “Exactly, Ethan. You’re just an aging developer. Who else is going to hire you besides a generous boss like Chloe?” “Don’t let your petty pride ruin your mother’s life, and your own future.” I stared dead into Chloe’s eyes, my voice cold as ice. “My mother? She’s already dead.” Chloe froze. A flash of panic crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a cold shrug. “Oh, she’s dead? When? Why didn’t you tell me?” “None of your business. Keep your fake sympathy to yourself.” Chloe’s face darkened completely. Julian smirked, wrapping his arm around her waist. He looked at me condescendingly. “Chloe, babe, let’s go. I already set up a dinner with Mr. Sterling from Zenith Group tonight. Once we sign that deal, our company is going straight to the moon!” “As for Ethan, let him go bury his dead mom.” Chloe’s eyes lit up with excitement. She glared at me one last time. “Fine. If he wants to leave, let him. He’ll regret this soon enough!” With that, she took Julian’s hand and they walked away, looking like the perfect couple. Me? Regret? I’d love to see who regrets what. I pulled out my phone and shot a quick message to Mr. Sterling. That evening, I arrived at the VIP dining hall of the luxury hotel. Just as I stepped in, I heard Chloe’s voice from behind. “Ethan? What the hell are you doing here?” “Did you follow us here to ruin our deal with Mr. Sterling?!” Julian immediately chimed in, dripping with sarcasm. “Ethan, are you still mad because Chloe gave me your project?” “Even if you’re jealous, you can’t just crash a business dinner. Did you forget how you got kicked out of the wedding?” I crossed my arms and smirked. “Crash? What if I told you Mr. Sterling invited me?” Julian let out a loud laugh. “Chloe, you need to get your ex some mental help. He’s completely lost it. Do you have any idea who Mr. Sterling is?” “Inviting a low-level tech grunt like him? In his dreams!” Chloe’s face twisted in embarrassment. She stepped forward and slapped me again. “Ethan, go play crazy somewhere else! Mr. Sterling inviting you? What a joke!” “If it weren’t for Julian’s connections, even I wouldn’t be able to get a meeting with him! You think you can just summon him with a text?” I looked at her calmly. “Actually, yes. One text is all it takes. Unlike this useless fraud next to you.” “A fraud?” Chloe laughed mockingly. “If Julian is a fraud, what does that make you? You’re just a parasite who lived off my company. You actually think you’re hot shit? You’re insane!” Julian stepped up, pointing a finger at me. “Ethan, I can let your insults slide, but you do not disrespect Mr. Sterling! He could ruin our entire lives with a single word!” Chloe raised her hand again. “Did you hear him? Apologize to Julian right now, and get the hell out of here!” I caught her wrist, looking at her smug, vicious smile. “And if I don’t?” “Then I will blacklist you from the entire tech industry! I will make sure you never get a job in this country again!” I laughed out loud. “Blacklist me?” Chloe thought she had me cornered. Her smile grew wider. “That’s right! You’re nothing but a nobody, Ethan! Julian has elite connections. He got us a meeting with Mr. Sterling. He can ruin you with one phone call!” “Oh really?” I smiled. “Are you absolutely sure he’s the one who got you this meeting?” “Of course! If you get on your knees and beg Julian right now, I might ask him to be merciful. But you have to kneel!” Chloe stood tall, her chest puffed out. Julian stepped in front of me, looking down his nose. “Ethan, I really didn’t want to do this to you. But this is what Chloe wants.” He waited, expecting me to drop to my knees. Right at that moment, a booming voice echoed from behind him. “Who wants him to kneel? Who dares make him kneel?!” The room gasped. “It’s Mr. Sterling! The CEO of Zenith Group is here!”

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On the day Ethan Pierce won the company’s annual Elite Performance Award, the host asked him who he wanted to thank the most. My feet were already on the steps, ready to walk up to the stage with him. But his eyes bypassed me completely. He looked right past me, focusing on his assistant, Chloe Miller, who was standing under the bright spotlight. He touched the hidden pendant around his neck, smiled, and said into the microphone: “Without Chloe—without her staying by my side through the hardest ten years of my life—I would never have made it to this executive suite!” Under the giant screen, they held each other tight, tears streaming down their faces. They looked exactly like a couple deeply in love. I stood in the dark, gently rubbing my slightly swollen lower belly. Then, I pulled out my phone and dialed the clinic. “Yes. I’m calling to confirm the abortion.” “Vivian, are you sure? I remember how hard you and Ethan tried to conceive this baby. Are you really doing this?” I looked at the two stars of the night on the stage. The flashing lights and roaring applause drowned me out. It was as if I wasn’t the one who had spent a whole decade dragging Ethan out of the mud. It was as if Chloe was the one who had been there all along. Swallowing the bitter pain in my chest, I spoke into the phone, my voice trembling but firm: “Yes. I am sure. Book the procedure.” The doctor fell silent. He knew better than anyone how much time and money I had spent just to get pregnant. Countless prenatal checkups, endless ultrasounds. I used to ask the doctor a million anxious questions every week, pouring my entire soul into this pregnancy. After all, we had been trying to conceive. For three long years. Who would have thought that the words “abort the baby” would ever come out of my mouth? “Vivian, I respect your decision,” the doctor sighed. “But your body is naturally fragile. If you go through with this, you might never be able to get pregnant again. Plus—” I cut him off. “I’ve made up my mind, Dr. Reynolds.” On stage, a romantic French love song began to play, pushing the atmosphere to a climax. Ethan dropped to one knee. Just like the dozens of times he had passionately proposed to me in private, he looked up at Chloe and said: “Will you walk with me down the path of my future career, side by side, as my partner in everything?” The crowd went wild. Chloe covered her mouth, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes as she stood there, looking like the happiest woman in the world. It was a perfect fairytale scene. I looked down at the ring finger on my left hand, where half of the bone was slightly crooked. A cold laugh escaped my lips. I had actually believed Ethan when he promised he would publicly announce our ten-year secret marriage at this gala. It was all a lie. This public proposal was premeditated. The only problem was, the bride-to-be. Wasn’t me. So, what did my ten years of sacrifice mean? To pay for his Ivy League tuition and his startup dreams, I had played the piano at late-night gigs until I almost died of exhaustion. I had literally broken my ring finger on the keys. What did that mean now? When Ethan found out I had ruined my finger for him, he had knelt outside my door for a whole day and night, begging me to marry him. He had looked just as madly in love with me then as he did with Chloe now. The moment Chloe whispered her “Yes” to his proposal, I turned and walked away from the noise. When Ethan clipped my wings years ago, I lost the ability to sit at a grand piano and feel the keys properly. Because of him, I had abandoned my greatest passion. I had filed down my sharp edges, hidden my pride as a world-class heiress, and reduced myself to a quiet housewife. I had traded my dreams for groceries and laundry. But today, as I mentally pulled the dusty cover off my old piano, I suddenly remembered— I was once the most dazzling, proudest pianist under the spotlight. Yet, looking at my calloused hands now, I barely recognized myself. Ethan didn’t get home until very late. And he brought Chloe with him. Only this time, they were holding hands. Seeing that I was still awake, Ethan quickly let go of her fingers. He tried to act natural, frowning at me: “Why aren’t you in bed? Did you forget you have to do the weekly grocery run at the farmers’ market tomorrow morning?” For the twelve years I had been with him, I had managed every single detail of this house. Twelve years. I had never complained. I didn’t even look at him. I just replied flatly: “I have a clinic appointment tomorrow. I won’t be doing the groceries.” Hearing about the clinic, his eyes lit up, and his tone softened a bit: “Right, you need to get more checkups. We worked so hard for this baby; we can’t let anything go wrong.” Then, his gaze fell on my bare ring finger. His voice dropped. “Where’s your wedding ring?” “Oh,” I said casually. “I took it off when I took a shower. It’s on the sink.” Maybe because he felt guilty about what happened at the gala with Chloe, he didn’t push it. “I’m starving. Go make us two bowls of scallion noodles. Chloe doesn’t like eggs or cilantro, so watch the ingredients.” My fingernails dug into my palms. A wave of ice rushed through my veins. We had been together for twelve years. How did he treat me? When I had severe cramps during my period, he would order me iced boba tea. I would be curled up on the couch, unable to speak from the pain, and he would yell at me for being ungrateful and dramatic. I hated vinegar in my noodles, but he would always place a bowl dripping with vinegar in front of me. I had told him my preferences a thousand times, but Ethan never cared enough to remember. He just called me high-maintenance. And here I was, thinking he was just a man who didn’t know how to love. Turns out, he knew exactly how to care. He just didn’t care about me.

“Order takeout. I’m tired today.” Beside him, Chloe glared at Ethan in annoyance before putting on her sweet, fake act: “Ethan, she’s pregnant. Pregnant women are fragile. How could you let her cook? I’m fine being a little hungry. We can’t make Vivian work.” Hearing that Chloe was hungry, Ethan’s temper flared instantly. “What is your problem, Vivian? If you’re mad that I didn’t announce our marriage tonight, just say it! Why are you giving me attitude now?” “Can you stop acting like a spoiled child? Chloe worked from dawn till dusk for this gala. Do you think everyone is like you, just staying at home all day, doing nothing and living off my money?” He dumped all his frustration on me, just like he always did. He never cared about my feelings. Seeing that I remained silent, he added bitterly: “Don’t forget who paid for this house and who has been supporting us for the last ten years. Without me, could you even survive?” “Whatever. I don’t want to fight tonight. It’s a celebration, and you’re ruining the mood!” I looked at Ethan’s face, twisted with anger because he wanted to defend Chloe. It was so incredibly ironic. From beginning to end, what did I do wrong? I just said I didn’t want to cook. Was that a crime? “Ethan, you swore to me that you would announce our ten-year marriage at the gala tonight. Did you do it?” “I’m not even fighting with you. My silence is the greatest mercy I’m giving you. What right do you have to yell at me?” I didn’t bottle it up this time. Because this time, I genuinely felt disgusted by my own past tolerance. Seeing the tension rise, Chloe gave me a smug, subtle smirk. Then, she clung to Ethan’s arm and sighed softly: “Ethan, everyone knows how much you’ve sacrificed for this marriage. But Vivian is still throwing a tantrum over a public announcement.” “Doesn’t she know that going public with our corporate partnership is the only way to take your career to the next level?” By the end of her sentence, Chloe’s voice was barely a whisper, making her look like the victim. I almost laughed out loud. Ethan looked like a dog with its tail stepped on. He roared: “Vivian Vance, do you have a conscience? Everything I do is for you, and instead of appreciating it, you mock me?” “If it weren’t for the baby in your belly, I would have divorced you a long time ago!” Chloe clung tighter to his arm, looking like a delicate, helpless flower. Ethan’s tone softened instantly as he looked at her, then turned back to me: “Fine, Vivian.” “You’re pregnant. Stop throwing tantrums. It’s bad for the baby. Go to sleep. I’ll drive you to your checkup tomorrow.” In his eyes, any emotion I showed was just “throwing a tantrum.” Any half-hearted apology he gave was a favor I had to accept, otherwise I was just “petty.” He treated me like this only because I had spent a decade acting like his loyal, desperate puppy. I had lowered my standards to the floor, given up my music, and turned myself into his shadow. This was my own fault. The next morning, Ethan slammed my bedroom door open. He stood over me while I was still half-asleep, furious. “What is up with the suitcases on the floor? Where do you think you’re going?” Where? To leave you, and this city, forever. I rubbed my eyes and said naturally:

“I signed up for a pregnancy wellness retreat. Just to clear my head.” He didn’t suspect a thing. “Fine. Just be careful. Stop running around like a child. Remember you’re pregnant.” “Chloe has a fever. Get out of bed. We need to drop her off at the clinic first. I’ll drive both of you.” “Okay,” I replied. My appointment was this morning anyway. I didn’t want to delay it, so I didn’t argue. The door slammed shut. By the time I finished packing and went down to the garage, Chloe was already sitting comfortably in the passenger seat. Seeing me approach, she made a show of struggling to sit up, asking weakly: “I’m so sorry, Vivian. I accidentally sat in your seat.” Before she could move, Ethan pushed her back down. He gave me a cold, commanding look: “Chloe gets motion sickness. Let her sit in the front.” For the past ten years, whenever Chloe was around, the passenger seat never belonged to me. I was used to it. I didn’t have the energy to watch them act. I just opened the back door and got in. But the moment I stepped inside, the heavy scent of gardenia perfume hit my nose. It rushed straight down my throat. My face flushed instantly. I struggled to roll down the window, coughing violently. Looking down at my arms, small red hives were already starting to break out. Everyone who knew me knew I was severely allergic to gardenias. I had ended up in the ICU once and almost died. But I never expected Ethan to remember that. He only remembered me when he needed something. Looking through the rearview mirror, Ethan’s face was filled with impatience. “All I hear is you coughing, Vivian. Do you have to be so loud?” “We got up early just to take you to the clinic, and you’re making all this noise. Can’t you show some consideration for Chloe? She’s trying to sleep.” A sharp, throbbing pain pierced my chest. I couldn’t even count how many times Ethan had defended Chloe over me. But this time, I didn’t cry. I didn’t beg for his attention, and I didn’t sit in the corner wiping my tears, hoping he would love me again. I just leaned my head against the cold glass, letting the chilly wind blow over my face. Ten years of devotion couldn’t move Ethan’s heart. Only now did I realize that it was all just my own delusion. Since that was the case, there was no need to keep clinging to a man who wasn’t worth a single tear. I was actually curious— When I get rid of this baby everyone is waiting for, and when I disappear from your life completely… Will you actually regret it? Maybe he realized his words were too harsh, or maybe my silence finally made him uneasy. He looked at me in the mirror, his voice softening a bit as he tried to sound caring: “Just bear with it for a bit when we’re with Chloe, okay?” “Everything I do—including the fake proposal to Chloe—is for this family. It’s for the future of our unborn child.” “The board wants a merger through high-society dating. I don’t have a choice, so—” I looked up, meeting his eyes in the mirror, and cut him off: “I told you, I don’t care.” “I don’t need your explanation, and I don’t want to hear it.” When Ethan first confessed his love to me, he wanted the whole world to know. Back then, he had held a cheap silver ring, kneeling in the dirt with absolute devotion, swearing to me: “Vivian, I swear I will only love you in this lifetime. No matter what happens, my heart will never change!”

The cheers of our friends had drowned us out. I foolishly believed that that moment would last forever. But the vow was still fresh in my mind, while the man who made it had already rotted. Ethan’s patience ran out. He snapped: “Vivian, is this fun for you? Can you stop with the attitude? Nobody wants to look at your miserable face all day!” I ignored him, not letting his words touch me. Chloe pretended to wake up and patted Ethan’s arm to calm him down: “Don’t be mad, Ethan. Vivian might just be going through early menopause. Every woman goes through a phase. But you can’t get tired of her, okay?” Ethan’s anger melted away. The two of them started chatting and laughing, filling the car with a warm, cozy atmosphere. They looked like a happily married couple. I was just the unwanted third wheel. Too bad their happiness had nothing to do with me anymore. When we reached the hospital, Ethan jumped out of the car. He smoothly walked over to the passenger side, opened the door for Chloe, and shielded her head with his hand so she wouldn’t bump it. He did it so naturally, like he had done it a thousand times. Meanwhile, I… Because of the gardenia allergy, my limbs felt like lead. Chloe shot me a smug, challenging look before quickly playing the saint: “Vivian looks really sick. Ethan, go help her. I can walk by myself.” Ethan grunted reluctantly and walked over to help me. It was pathetic. Even now, he wanted me to play along in their little drama just to prove how “kind” they were? I felt sick to my stomach. I violently shoved his hand away from my waist. With the last bit of my strength, I screamed at him: “Get lost! Don’t touch me!” Ethan’s temper exploded completely. “Vivian, are you insane?” “I’m trying to help you! I’m showing you care, and you push me? You must have water in your brain. I was an idiot to try and help you!” “Never again. Are you happy now?” He grabbed Chloe and stormed off toward the clinic entrance. I stood there, my strength completely drained. Before I could even reach the clinic doors, my vision went black, and I collapsed onto the concrete. Is this the love I traded my piano career for? Is this what ten years of my life bought me? What a joke. Ethan, I regret it. If I could go back, I would never choose you. If I had stayed on my own path, I would be performing on the world’s greatest stages right now. But instead, with my ruined finger, I could never play the same way again. When I woke up, Dr. Reynolds was looking down at me, his eyes full of worry. “Vivian, your body is extremely weak from the allergic reaction. Combined with the surgical abortion, your recovery is going to be very difficult.” “Under these conditions, do you still want to go through with it?” I thought of the years I had wasted on Ethan. I had thought we were building a future. But in the end, he had thrown me away like garbage for someone else. My broken heart crumbled into dust. “Do it,” I whispered. “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

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My brother thought my wife was gorgeous, sweet, and that my life was perfect in every way. As the spoiled golden child of our family, his jealousy drove him insane. One night, in a fit of psychotic rage, he grabbed me and dragged me off the edge of a high-rise rooftop. But instead of dying, we woke up to find we had traveled back in time—and swapped bodies. He was now me, and I was him. Tyler used my early Ivy League admission to go to a top college. He used my identity to get close to my gorgeous wife, and he used my past successful business plans to pitch to big investors. He even swaggered in front of my face, trying to gloat. He thought I would be eating my heart out. Little did he know, I was absolutely thrilled to swap lives with him. My past life only looked glamorous on the surface. In reality, it was a total train wreck. Now that he had willingly jumped into the fire for me, I only had one thing to say to him: “Thanks for taking over my miserable life, bro!” “Justin, you know what? I’ve hated you since we were kids. I envied everything you had—your smart brain, your smooth life, and your incredibly hot wife, Chloe. I always felt that if I were in your shoes, I’d live a much better life than you.” Hearing Tyler say this made me feel a wave of mixed emotions. My brother, who I hadn’t seen in ages, had suddenly asked to have a heart-to-heart drink with me. He set up a table on the rooftop of my apartment, bought some takeout wings, and started drinking beers with me. After just a few cans, Tyler started whining like a broken record again, bringing up all the old family drama from years ago. He honestly believed that if he became me, he would have a perfect life. But he had no idea that the pain and torment I went through were ten times worse than anything he could imagine. I looked at him, wanting to tell him that life isn’t a simple trade. You don’t magically get happy just by stealing someone else’s life. But what was the point of saying anything? Faced with his near-manic, jealous glare, I just kept drinking, one cup after another. All my bitterness was drowned in the alcohol. Seeing that I remained silent, Tyler’s eyes grew bloodshot. He leaned in and whispered, “To be honest, Justin… I’m at the end of my rope.” “What do you mean?” The alcohol was hitting me hard, making my head spin. “Everyone looks down on me! I just wanted to prove myself! I borrowed money to start a business, but I ended up in massive debt. To pay it off, I started gambling, and now… I owe a bunch of dangerous loan sharks…” At this, Tyler’s face twisted into something monstrous. He slammed his beer bottle onto the ground, shattering it. “It’s not fair! Why does everything go smoothly for you, while I’m always the loser? If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!” “What are you talking about? You’re wasted…” Before I could finish, Tyler lunged forward and grabbed me. That was when I noticed several fresh needle tracks on his arm! Was this crazy bastard high on something? Taking advantage of my drunken stumble, Tyler wrapped his arms tight around me and leaped off the rooftop! “Hahaha! Die with me!” he screamed, laughing like a maniac. The wind roared in my ears. In those final seconds of free fall, my mind snapped into sharp focus. But it was too late. I felt a pang of regret, but also a strange, overwhelming sense of relief. Then, I hit the ground, and my consciousness plunged into absolute darkness. … I don’t know how much time passed before a familiar voice called out to me. “Hey, wake up! Mr. Davis is coming!” I opened my eyes and looked around. I was slumping over a wooden desk in a crowded classroom. I had traveled back to my high school days! But why was I sitting in the very back row, right next to the trash can? Just then, a guy in the front row stood up and turned around to look at me. It was my own high school face! I looked down at my desk. The name scribbled on the textbook was *Tyler Miller*. It took me a long moment to process what had happened. My brother Tyler and I had both reincarnated, and our souls had swapped bodies! He smirked at me from across the room, his eyes full of smug triumph. Clearly, Tyler had finally gotten the life he had always dreamed of. He must be throwing a party in his head right now. But he had no idea that his nightmare was only just beginning. “What are you staring at?” The familiar voice spoke up again from next to me. I turned my head. Sitting at the desk beside mine was Tyler’s future wife, Skyler Vance. She had grown up in a poor trailer park on the outskirts of town. Her family was extremely broke. Even though our prep school was miles away, she had to commute every day because she couldn’t afford the boarding fees or meal plans. She also had to work a grueling night shift at a local diner to help her family pay rent. I remembered hearing that she only got three to four hours of sleep a night, trying to survive on short naps during study hall. Even though Skyler studied like crazy, her grades were always terrible. After all, human energy is limited. When you’re running on zero sleep, how can you focus in class? She never had time to finish her homework at night, so she was constantly getting reprimanded by teachers and had been banished to the back row with the slackers. Back in high school, Skyler was actually quite pretty in a cute, natural way, but the old Tyler always mocked her for being “trailer trash.” He hated her permanent dark circles and said she was embarrassing to be seen with. He preferred those popular, heavily-makeup-wearing girls or the edgy chicks who sneaked into VIP clubs. Later on, for some reason, the two of them ended up together and got married. During that time, I was busy at college, so I didn’t know much about how Tyler and Skyler’s relationship actually played out. Right now, I rubbed my temples, keeping my emotions in check. I let out a soft laugh and said, “Nothing.” Tyler’s original life was actually much easier and happier than mine. Since he didn’t appreciate it, I was more than happy to take it! The college entrance exams were just a month away. With my Ivy League-level brain and knowledge, reviewing the high school material was going to be a breeze. But Tyler had slacked off and partied for three straight years. Even if you gave him another three years, he’d have to start from scratch—let alone now, with only a month left! The turning point of our lives was here again.

To catch up quickly, I made a strict study plan. The last month of senior year was mostly for review anyway. But since I was slightly out of touch, I had to start from the basics. I pulled out freshman and sophomore math and physics workbooks, picked the hardest problems, mastered them, and moved on. During recess, Tyler walked over to my desk with his hands in his pockets, whistling. He had a mocking smirk on his face. “Yo, little bro, studying hard?” Tyler laughed. “Why put in so much effort? Come on, let’s go ditch class and grab a burger!” I looked up at him, my voice completely flat. “The finals are around the corner. Aren’t you going to study?” I remembered the betrayal of my past life vividly. The moment he dragged me off that roof, all brotherly love and blood ties had died. I felt nothing but cold indifference toward him now. “I already got the Ivy League early admission with a full scholarship. Why would I need to study? Did you forget?” Tyler smirked, leaning over my desk. Ah, right. I remembered now. During our senior year, the school had offered me an early admission spot, but the old me had turned it down because I wanted to prove myself in the actual SATs. But on the day of the exam, I mysteriously got severe food poisoning and ended up with a terrible stomach bug, messing up my scores. In the end, I had to settle for a mediocre state college. It didn’t matter. This time around, I would do even better! Because throughout my entire life, I had always relied on my own brain and hard work. That was where my confidence came from. “Oh. Well, congratulations then,” I said, completely unbothered. Tyler’s face fell slightly when he didn’t see the jealousy or anger he expected. Finding it boring, he muttered a curse and walked away. I put my head down and went back to solving calculus problems, sharpening my mind. I had to admit, Tyler’s body was incredibly healthy. He had been athletic since he was a kid, strong and rarely getting sick. I, on the other hand, had been a sickly child who caught a cold whenever a cool breeze blew. Later in life, due to constant stress and heavy drinking at business dinners, I had developed liver cancer. To keep my family from worrying, I had kept it a secret. No one knew. In this life, I would take care of this body. Health is the ultimate wealth! While I was deep in study, Skyler nudged my elbow with her pen. “Are you sick or something? Why are you suddenly studying?” She paused, looking at me suspiciously. “And you didn’t even yell back at your brother. Usually, you two would be throwing punches by now… What’s up with you? You feel like a completely different person.” I smiled but didn’t explain. I actually felt a lot of sympathy for Skyler. She was a good girl. In our past life, she had worked tirelessly to support Tyler, never complaining about his laziness. Back then, I always thought she was way too good for him. Soon, our homeroom teacher gave us a surprise pop quiz, telling us to swap papers with our desk partners for grading. Since the test was easy, I finished it in ten minutes. Skyler was still struggling, nodding off every few seconds. When we swapped papers, I got a near-perfect score, while Skyler’s paper was a disaster of red ink. “How… did you cheat?” Skyler gasped, staring at my paper. “No, wait, I watched you the whole time. Have you been secretly studying behind my back?” “These questions aren’t that hard,” I said casually. Skyler looked at her own failing grade, her shoulders slumping. “Not hard? I couldn’t understand a single thing. I guess I really am just stupid.” Seeing her sad face, I felt bad. If things went normally, once we graduated, Skyler and I would never cross paths again. Unless… I asked, “What are your plans after graduation?” Skyler kept her head low. “My dad said if I don’t get into a decent college, I have to marry the local mechanic’s son and work at his garage.” No wonder she was trying so hard. No wonder she ended up marrying Tyler in the previous life just to escape her family. “How about I tutor you?” I offered. Skyler stared at me. “You?” “You don’t trust me?” “I do! Almost nobody in our class got the score you just did!” Skyler sighed. “But even with a tutor, I don’t have time. I barely get any sleep as it is.” “That’s easy. Move into the school dorms. I’ll pay for your housing and meal plan,” I said. “Where would you get that kind of money?” Skyler asked, her eyes wide. “Wait, why are you being so nice to me? Are you possessed by a ghost?” “Do you want to get into college or not?” I cut straight to the point. This was Skyler’s only shot at changing her destiny. There was no way she would say no. She agreed immediately, saying she would tell her parents she got a school grant for accommodation. As for the money, that was easy. In our past life, during senior year, a friend and I had walked past a local convenience store and bought lottery tickets for each other. I didn’t win, but he won fifty thousand dollars. The winning numbers happened to be my birthday plus my lucky number. The store owner had even hung a banner celebrating it for a month. I remembered those numbers vividly. Now, I just needed to buy that ticket.

I bought the ticket, and sure enough, I won. After taxes, about forty thousand dollars cleared in my bank account. I transferred a thousand dollars to Skyler to cover her school dorm and meals for the remaining month. With decent sleep, her energy levels skyrocketed. She had missed a lot of classes, so while I tutored her, I also solidified my own knowledge. Just like that, a month flew by. On the days of the finals, I performed perfectly. I chose the same university I went to in my past life—not only because I knew the professors and the curriculum, but also because I missed my old college friends. Skyler performed incredibly well, scoring high enough to get into a good state university. When choosing her college, she picked one very close to mine. In our parents’ eyes, having both sons get into college was a miracle. They immediately decided to throw a massive backyard graduation BBQ, inviting all our relatives. That day, I finally tasted the joy of being the neglected sibling. My parents had always ignored the younger son. During the party, they swarmed around Tyler—who now went by Justin—completely ignoring me. For the old Tyler, this neglect would have filled him with bitter jealousy. But now, as I watched Tyler being treated like a king in the center of the crowd, a cold smile played on my lips. Free things always come with a hidden price. The higher they put him on a pedestal now, and the more expectations my parents loaded onto him, the harder and more painful his fall would be. This was a lesson I had learned through my own blood and tears. Soon, Tyler and I moved to our respective colleges. Skyler’s campus was nearby, and she kept in touch, occasionally coming over to hang out. To pay for her expenses, Skyler worked part-time at a local cafe and was always busy. Tyler, on the other hand, was living the frat-boy dream. He skipped classes, stayed out all night, and his name was constantly on the dean’s warning list for failing grades. One day, I went to the cafe where Skyler worked to drop off some lunch for her, and I ran into Tyler, who was there to buy coffee. He had his arm wrapped around a gorgeous girl. She was wearing designer clothes and heavy makeup, clearly coming from a wealthy family. I recognized her instantly. It was my ex-wife from my past life, Chloe Sterling. “Well, look who it is! Hey, classmate,” Tyler smirked, spotting Skyler first. Then, his eyes landed on me, and his face lit up with absolute smugness. His expression clearly said: *Look, I took your hot, rich wife, and there’s nothing you can do about it.*

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When I went to return the engagement ring, the designer asked me why. Right in front of her, I tried to slide the ring onto my ring finger. But the band got stuck at my second knuckle, refusing to go any further. “See? It’s not my size.” The designer’s face turned pale. She immediately offered to resize it. I shook my head, my voice incredibly calm. “You can resize the ring, but you can’t change the shoe size. And you definitely can’t change the wedding dress.” My wedding with Ethan Carter was just around the corner. But except for the bride’s name on the invitations, nothing about it belonged to me. Every time I asked Ethan to go try on wedding dresses, he would stare at his laptop screen without even looking up. “I’m busy. I know your measurements anyway. I already sent them over to the designer. Just relax and get ready to be a beautiful bride.” But three days before the wedding, what I received was a ring that wouldn’t fit and a wedding dress I couldn’t even squeeze into. The wedding shoes, the gloves, and even the bridal lingerie… they were all my best friend Chloe’s size. The long-held anticipation in my heart completely vanished, leaving a hollow ache in my chest. Ethan frowned, still trying to negotiate with me. “It’s just a ceremony. You and Chloe are so close. Honestly, would it be so bad if Chloe stood in your place?” I didn’t argue, nor did I refuse. I just thought to myself: If she can stand in for me, then it should be perfectly fine if I change the groom, too.

When I got home, Ethan was on the phone with someone. “She’s back. Make sure you stay warm. That cashmere throw blanket I bought you should arrive today.” “Drape it over your legs when you sleep. Don’t catch a cold…” Listening to those tender, pampering whispers, my eyes burned. I had told him so many times that the AC vent at my office desk blew directly at me. It made my body ache all over. Sometimes, he would look at his computer and casually reply, “Bring a jacket then. Drink some hot water.” Other times, he would just stare at his phone and give a lazy, “Oh, okay.” Not once had he ever spoken to me in such a soft, gentle voice, telling me he bought me a blanket to stay warm. Hanging up the phone, he finally noticed me. He casually said, “Go make dinner. Chloe is coming over to eat in a bit.” Then, he began counting on his fingers. “She likes home-cooked meals. Grill some chicken breast, sear some salmon, make some pasta… oh, and add a salad. She’s always talking about losing weight, so a salad is perfect.” For a long time after he finished speaking, I didn’t move. I didn’t say a word. I just stood there, staring at him. Ethan slowly realized something was off, and a forced smile appeared on his face. “What’s wrong? Why are you so quiet?” I averted my eyes and looked at the framed wedding photo hanging on the wall. “Aren’t you going to ask me how the ring and dress alterations went?” He gave an “Oh,” and asked half-heartedly, “Right. How did they go?” A wave of overwhelming exhaustion washed over me. My lips parted, but as my gaze fell on the photo of the two of them just below the wedding portrait, I suddenly didn’t know what to say. Before I could speak, he lowered his head to his phone again. Something on the screen made his lips curl into a smile. Even from a few feet away, I could see it clearly. The person texting him was Chloe Miller. In his Snapchat chat history, her name was pinned at the very top. Mine was somewhere below. Her chat was pinned with a golden star. Mine had nothing. At this moment, my best friend looked far more like his girlfriend than I did. Ethan looked up at me, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. “What are you still standing there for? She’s about to arrive.” I had been home for thirty minutes. He hadn’t asked a single real question about the wedding or the ring. Even when I tried to remind him, he only gave me a lazy, superficial response. Yet, he was incredibly attentive to everything concerning Chloe. I tried asking one more question. “Does she have any food allergies?” Ethan looked up immediately, his answer slipping out of his mouth without a second thought. “She doesn’t eat onions. You know that, right?” I fell silent. After a few seconds, I replied. “I know her tastes.” “But I didn’t know you remembered them so well.” Leaving those words behind, I ignored his changing expression and turned toward the kitchen. This would probably be our last dinner together.

Half an hour later, Chloe arrived with some coffee. Ethan practically sprinted to the entryway. He kicked my slippers aside as if they were in his way, then took out a fresh pair of slippers from the top shelf of the shoe cabinet and handed them to her. A smile played on his lips. “Bought these for you.” They were a pair of pink, cozy slippers with cute bunny ears. This exact pair had been sitting in my Amazon cart for six months. Every time I wanted to buy them, Ethan would stop me. “How old are you? Still wearing childish things like that? Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?” But when it came to Chloe, there was no talk of being “childish,” and no fear of being laughed at. He had simply used my credit card to buy them for her. Noticing my gaze, Chloe turned to me with a sweet smile and waved. “Summer, I brought you coffee.” Unsurprisingly, there were two iced Americanos and one hot oat milk latte. As she handed me the latte, a memory flashed in my mind. When Ethan and I first started dating, his favorite drink was a hot latte. He had a sweet tooth. He used to say that the taste of a hot latte was just like me, warm and sweet, and once you had a sip, you could never forget it. Back then, my face would turn red, and I would playfully punch his chest. He would laugh out loud, running away while teasingly begging for mercy. After that summer, my usual iced Americano order changed to a latte. But somewhere along the way, the latte in his hand had quietly reverted back to an iced Americano. “Thanks,” I muttered, taking the coffee and heading toward the kitchen. Chloe sat down right next to Ethan, leaning her shoulder against his. She waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, come on, we’re best friends. No need to thank me…” She thought I was thanking her for the coffee. In reality, I was thanking her for showing me what a piece of trash my fiancé was. The sizzling of the oil in the pan couldn’t drown out the loud laughter and flirting coming from the living room. Ethan was asking her one question after another. “Is the design for the SE project finalized? You have to put your heart into it. The executives really care about this one.” “What do you want to eat tomorrow? Sandwiches or a salad?” “Have you bought the accessories for your bridesmaid dress yet? Do you want me to get them for you?” I listened quietly, and in my distraction, the knife slipped. “Ouch,” I hissed. From the living room, Chloe called out, “Summer, what happened?” I sucked on my bleeding finger and answered vaguely, “Nothing, just cut my finger.” “Oh,” Chloe replied. “Be careful then.” Ethan poked his head through the kitchen door. After confirming that I wasn’t dying, he shook his head with a mocking chuckle. “Your cooking skills are really going downhill. How do you manage to cut yourself just chopping veggies?” He didn’t offer to get a Band-Aid, nor did he offer to take over. He just leaned against the doorframe, making snide remarks. Back in college, when I bumped my knee on his bicycle, he had panicked. He practically carried me on his back all the way to the campus clinic, making the doctor reassure him a dozen times that I was fine before he finally let me go. Back then, resting my chin on his shoulder, I thought, This is the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. But I never could have guessed that years later, when I was bleeding right in front of him, he would look at me with complete indifference. He turned back to the living room to keep chatting with Chloe. My finger kept bleeding, staining the cutting board red. Realizing he couldn’t play blind anymore, Ethan sighed and stepped into the kitchen. “Go patch that up. I’ll finish this.” I looked up at him. “I thought you hated cooking.” He had sensitive sinuses and couldn’t stand the smell of grease. Ever since we moved in together, the cooking and dishwashing had always been my job. Just last week, we had a huge argument over whose turn it was to do the dishes. But now, he was putting on the apron and rolling up his sleeves with ease. “What choice do I have? Someone said she’s hungry…” A playful protest instantly came from the living room. “Ethan!” The man let out a low chuckle and gently pushed me out of the kitchen. I stood frozen in the hallway, finding his laughter incredibly grating. Chloe put down her phone, pulled me down onto the sofa, and grabbed the first-aid kit, crouching in front of me just like she used to. An alcohol swab wiped across my cut. Then, she began wrapping the gauze around my finger. Looking down at my college best friend, my feelings were incredibly complicated. When I had acute appendicitis back in school, writhing in pain on my bed, she was the one who stayed by my side in the ER all night. When we ran out of money at the end of the month, she was the one who bought cheap frozen pizzas so we could survive together. When Ethan and I first made our relationship official, she had hugged me, crying and saying, “Even if you have a man now, you can’t abandon me.” So, when she moved to New York to find a job, I submitted a special request to bring her into my design department. When she eagerly volunteered to help organize my wedding, I handed all the wedding chores to her so I could focus entirely on the SE project. I had anticipated a beautiful beginning, but I never saw this ending coming. After tying the knot on the bandage, Chloe looked up at me. “Summer, can you let me have Ethan?”

Even though I had already made up my mind, hearing her ask so bluntly still sent a sharp sting through my heart. Under the living room lights, Chloe’s eyes were glistening with tears. “You’re already the design lead. You’re talented, successful, and you have a wealthy family to back you up. But I have nothing.” So, that was her excuse for stealing my man. “What if I say no?” The pitiful look on Chloe’s face vanished instantly. She squeezed my injured finger tightly, leaning in close, whispering every word. “He gave those sizes to the designer himself.” “Don’t you want to think about why he knows my measurements so well? Don’t you want to know how far we’ve actually gone?” Without a word, I raised my hand and splashed the cold coffee right in her face. Chloe screamed. “Summer! I’m sorry… it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have messed up your ring and dress sizes…” The next second, Ethan rushed out of the kitchen. Without giving me a single glance, he grabbed a towel, wrapped it around Chloe’s head, and gently wiped her face. Then, he spun around and glared at me. “Are you insane?! The wrong sizes weren’t her fault! If you’re mad, take it out on me!” He shielded her behind his back, his eyes red with anger. It was as if I weren’t his fiancée, but his worst enemy. I bit my lip, my voice trembling. “Aren’t you going to ask what she just said to me?” Ethan looked back at Chloe, his eyes filled with pity. “She’s simple-minded and naive. I don’t need to ask to know it was your fault.” “Chloe is your best friend. Why do you have to make things so difficult for her?” He didn’t even care to ask for the truth. He just assumed everything was my fault. The room fell into a dead silence, broken only by Chloe’s quiet, dramatic sobbing. After a long pause, Ethan let out a breath, his tone softening slightly. “I’m sorry, I raised my voice. But you really went too far this time.” “Honestly, I felt a bit guilty about my next request, but seeing how you treated her, you owe Chloe an apology.” “Give her the credit and signing rights for the SE project.” I stood up, staring at him in utter disbelief. Last month, to secure the design for the SE project, I had worked eight nights straight until I passed out and was hospitalized. At the time, he had hugged me and said, “Don’t push yourself so hard. You have me.” He knew better than anyone that this project was my ticket to becoming the Design Director. And now, he wanted me to just hand it over. Chloe didn’t say she didn’t want it. She didn’t try to play peacemaker either. She just clutched Ethan’s sleeve, taking a small step closer to him. I stared at their hands, tightly gripping each other through the fabric. “And if I refuse?” I asked in a low voice. Ethan frowned. “Chloe worked tirelessly to help plan our wedding. You should give her this project as a thank-you.” “If you don’t agree, our wedding will be postponed indefinitely.” I clenched my fists. “Are you sure about that?” He didn’t answer. He just took Chloe’s hand and walked toward the door. Before closing it, he looked back at me and sighed. “We’re going out to eat. Think about it. If you come to your senses, the wedding in three days will go on as scheduled.” He didn’t say what would happen if I didn’t “come to my senses.” But his hand, tightly holding hers, said everything. “But I’ve already decided to change the groom…” I whispered to the empty room. The only response was the click of the door locking shut.

That night, Ethan didn’t come home. No texts, no calls. The next morning, I called my parents. “I’m changing the groom.” They didn’t ask a single question. Instead, my mom laughed. “Good. We knew there was something sketchy going on between Ethan and that Chloe girl. You should have dumped him sooner.” “If you hadn’t been so head-over-heels for him, we would have never accepted that fake nice-guy anyway.” She was right. My parents saw through him instantly, while it took me years to finally see the truth. No wonder Chloe had sent me a photo of their heads resting next to each other in bed this morning, adding a mocking text: Guess what we did last night? I took a deep breath and locked my phone. The moment I stepped out of the elevator at the office, a notification popped up on my phone. The HR Director had tagged me in the WhatsApp work group: “Summer Montgomery from the design department is suspected of plagiarizing the SE project and taking credit for someone else’s work. Following a board meeting, the company has decided to terminate Summer Montgomery immediately. She will be blacklisted from the industry.” The message was short, but I stared at it for a long time. Muffled laughter and whispers immediately erupted around me. “She called herself the design lead, but she’s just a thief. Her own best friend reported her, so it must be true.” “To think Ethan wanted to marry her. Who would marry a thief? Gross!” Hearing the insults and jeers, my feet felt like they were glued to the floor. Chloe suddenly appeared, pressing a cup of warm water into my hands, her eyes red. “Summer, it’s okay. I don’t blame you for the plagiarism. We can still be friends, just like before.” Her words sounded comforting, but the smirk on her face was almost splitting her cheeks. I looked straight into her eyes. “Why?” She leaned in close to my ear, whispering, “I warned you to get out of New York. Handing over your man, your project, and your wedding is exactly what a loser like you deserves.” “What makes you so sure you’ve won?” She chuckled. “Oh, just wait and see.” Right then, a colleague shouted, “Summer stole Chloe’s design by abusing her trust! Getting fired isn’t enough, she needs to apologize personally!” “Exactly! A thief like her should be banned from the industry! Let’s see who will hire her after this!” Before I could speak, Ethan walked out of the engineering department and stood in front of me, looking like he was trying to protect me. For a split second, my heart softened, and I wanted to tell him I didn’t do it. But he quickly turned around, grabbed my wrist, and whispered, “Summer, just apologize. If you admit to it and show some remorse, Chloe won’t take legal action.” “And our wedding can still happen.” The fleeting warmth in my chest vanished instantly. The morning sun hit his handsome face, making him look so familiar yet so incredibly foreign. When I first joined this company, a senior designer tried to steal my credit. Ethan had snatched his badge and marched straight into CEO Mr. Evans’ office, risking his own job to get me justice. Back then, he was just a junior programmer with no power or status. Now, he was an executive, yet he was forcing me to apologize for a crime I didn’t commit. I shook his hand off and took a step back. “I didn’t do it,” I said, my voice trembling. He paused, then leaned in closer, dropping his voice even lower. “I know. But since you refused to give her the credit, this was the only way.” It felt as if a bomb had gone off in my head. My throat felt tight, and I couldn’t breathe. Seeing me shake with anger, a flash of pity crossed Ethan’s eyes. He took a step forward, staring at me intently. “Even if you lose your job, you still have your parents and me. We can support you.” “But Chloe has nothing. If you admit to the plagiarism, she will get the Design Director position.” Those lips had kissed me countless times and whispered sweet promises, but now, every word they uttered was like a dagger to my heart. I pried his fingers off my wrist one by one. My voice was hoarse. “I will never admit to it.” “You have to!” Ethan’s patience finally wore thin. He pointed at Chloe. “Remember when you had acute appendicitis in college? If she hadn’t saved you, you would have died. You owe her this.” His words were cold and sharp. Chloe pretended to look hurt, but her eyes were dancing with joy. All around me, colleagues were shouting, demanding an apology. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Fine. I apologize. I plagiarized. I am a thief.” I gave a deep bow to the triumphant Chloe. Consider this my payment for her saving my life all those years ago. As I walked out of the building carrying my box of personal belongings, a sleek black Maybach was already waiting by the curb. I looked up at the 35th floor one last time, then slid into the backseat. Almost immediately, Ethan’s text popped up on my phone. “The day after tomorrow, I’ll be waiting for you at the wedding venue.” I typed a quick reply: “No need. My groom isn’t you.”

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