Category: English

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My husband Ethan and I both cheated. The difference was, his was by choice. Mine was not. After the intimate photos of him and his mistress Zoe went public, he got me drunk, stripped me bare, and had me placed in a stranger’s bed in all kinds of degrading positions — all just to photograph me in a “compromising” situation. Afterward, I scrubbed my body over and over until my skin bled. Ethan offered his helpless explanation: “I didn’t have a choice. Zoe comes from a strict family. She can’t handle being called a homewrecker — she’ll do something drastic.” I laughed coldly. “So you had someone violate me, spread my photos everywhere, just to protect her reputation?” The online hate came at me like a tidal wave. My only living family, my grandfather, suffered a heart attack from the shock and was rushed into emergency care. Ethan kept pushing. “All you have to do is tell the media we’ve been living separately, that you’ve already moved on with someone new. Then I’ll make sure your grandfather gets the best care.”

For Grandpa’s sake, I had no choice but to hold the press conference he demanded. “Mr. Hayes was not unfaithful. He and I have been separated for quite some time.” Seeing how cooperative I was, Ethan softened. He stood in the shadows, Zoe already safely tucked away somewhere. He made me a promise. “Just this once. I swear. This whole thing happened so fast, I just —” I looked at him, my voice catching in my throat. “How could you do this to me?” Ethan froze for a moment, then rushed to explain. “Don’t be scared. That man didn’t actually touch you. It was just photos.” I dug my nails hard into my palm. “If I were your mistress, would you let Zoe be photographed like that to protect me? Would you agree to that?” Ethan looked away. “I don’t know. She’s different from you.” Right. Whether I was his wife or his side piece, I was never the priority. A single tear slid down my face. I pushed him out the door. Disgusting. Ethan and I had been childhood sweethearts, two families perfectly matched. Everyone called us the ideal couple. After the wedding, we really were happy for a while. Until he started cheating. He always kept it quiet. He only ever vented to me in private. “We all keep things discreet. It won’t affect your standing. No one outside will think less of you.” In our world, people understood that romance wasn’t the most important thing. I had loved him. I had been angry. I had made scenes. I even thought about doing something drastic — the kind of thing desperate girls do when they’re falling apart. But the way I was raised stopped me every time. I chose to look the other way. What I never expected was that my tolerance only gave them room to hurt me more. Grandpa must have been devastated to end up in the hospital. Ethan remembered how Zoe couldn’t handle being provoked, but he forgot that the old man who’d loved him like a grandson had a bad heart — and couldn’t handle the shock either. I pressed my nails into my palm. I let myself feel the pain for a few seconds. Then I pulled myself together. It’s just a divorce. Nothing I can’t handle.

I went to find Ethan at his office. The place was buzzing. Half the staff were falling over themselves trying to get close to Zoe. Ethan pulled me into his office. When he saw the divorce papers in my hand, he looked mildly annoyed. “There’s no need to go that far. The online drama will blow over.” He and Zoe were already openly flaunting their relationship in public now. They walked hand in hand — a real couple, a devoted pair. Word was that Ethan had even taken Zoe home to meet his family. After everything they’d been through, they were finally living their happy ending. I bit down hard on my lip. Grandpa had been in the hospital, and Ethan hadn’t shown up once. I wasn’t angry for my own sake. I was angry for Grandpa. He’d always treated Ethan like his own grandson. Whenever Ethan and I fought, Grandpa would look for ways it was my fault and put in a good word for him. “Sophie,” he used to tell me, “Grandpa knows you’re strong and sharp — but sometimes in love, men don’t like that. You have to bend a little.” Grandpa was old-fashioned. He believed that as long as a woman was gentle and willing to compromise, a marriage would hold together. But Grandpa didn’t know that not every man was as loyal as he was. And not every woman’s sacrifices got repaid. Ethan had given up on this marriage a long time ago. My tolerance had only earned me more humiliation. I handed him the pen anyway. “Do you think people online are that naive? A real divorce on paper actually shuts up the skeptics. I don’t want Grandpa to wake up and deal with more drama.” Zoe chimed in. “Sophie has a point.” Ethan’s expression eased. “Once things settle down, we can remarry. I’ve told you — your position won’t change. You’ll always be the lady of this house.” I gave him a small smile and said nothing. I didn’t want the position anyway. I’d never raised divorce before because our two families’ companies had been deeply intertwined. But over the years, I’d quietly been untangling those ties. The connection had grown thinner and thinner. All thanks to Ethan. Once, to get back at me on Zoe’s behalf, he’d torpedoed a startup subsidiary I’d just launched. All because I’d cancelled one of my own credit cards — which had accidentally left Zoe unable to pay at a department store and embarrassed in front of everyone. Without asking a single question, Ethan leaked confidential information about my company. He lounged back in his chair without a care. “Sophie, you were the one who pulled that dirty move and humiliated Zoe. Besides, it’s all jointly owned — everything tied to my company is mine to deal with however I want.” My company folded. A full year of work. Gone. A whole office full of deflated employees who’d poured everything into something that ended like this. I was furious. I slapped him across the face. “I didn’t do anything. What kind of person are you? What am I supposed to tell my employees? Do you have any idea how much time and effort goes into R&D?” Ethan didn’t listen. His eyes were fixed on Zoe, standing there teary-eyed. He even used financial leverage to squeeze Grandpa’s company, trying to force me into apologizing to Zoe. I was terrified of it affecting Grandpa, so I swallowed my pride and went to Zoe with an apology I didn’t mean. Afterward, Ethan found out it had all been a misunderstanding — he was the one who’d taken my card and given it to Zoe. I had only cancelled my own card. He came to apologize. He even wanted to celebrate our anniversary. “I didn’t realize I’d grabbed the wrong card. As for the company — I’ll make it up to you. But you never explained yourself clearly either.” I almost laughed. He hadn’t listened when I tried. But sure, it was my fault for not explaining. The anniversary didn’t happen, of course. Because Zoe had a headache. From that point on, I separated every single one of my assets from Ethan.

After we filed the divorce application, Zoe tugged at Ethan’s arm. “Let’s register ours too. You promised me.” Ethan kept glancing at my face. When he saw I stayed completely calm, something in his expression soured — though maybe I imagined it. He pulled Zoe along and left. That evening, I went back to the hospital, and Grandpa woke up. He was urgent to get answers. “Did you actually cheat?” I wiped his face with a damp cloth and set the record straight. “No. We’d been separated for a long time. Neither of us cheated in the traditional sense.” Grandpa couldn’t wrap his head around it. “How is that possible? You two were so perfect together. Just a while ago you were talking about giving me a grandchild.” He picked up his cup and set it down hard on the table. “Tell me the truth. How did two good people end up like this?” My eyes stung. I admitted everything. When Grandpa saw how hard I was holding myself together, something in his face shifted. He sighed again and again. “All right. I rarely see you like this. You’ve grown up. This isn’t something an old man can sort out for you anymore.” I finally let out a breath. As long as Grandpa was at peace with it, I could move forward. He had always placed so much hope in Ethan. Of everyone in the world, Grandpa had wanted most for us to stay together. Ethan arrived too — he’d been standing in the doorway and heard those words. He stopped walking. I didn’t want him upsetting Grandpa, so I quickly steered him into the room next door. He lowered his head. “You know, you could have told your grandfather the truth. You didn’t need to protect my reputation. Sophie, we were great partners — but that kind of love just wasn’t there anymore. Your grandfather was right about you. You always led with your head.” I nodded at the second part. He wasn’t wrong. As for the first — I smiled, and said nothing. I hadn’t told the truth to protect him. I’d done it because I didn’t want Grandpa hurting himself with guilt. Because Grandpa had always believed so strongly in Ethan. He’d been the one who pushed us together. Just as we were talking, a sharp scream rang out from Grandpa’s room. “Don’t hit me! I just came to see how you’re doing!” It was Zoe’s voice — followed by the sound of Grandpa coughing violently. “Who said you could come here —” My heart leaped into my throat. I ran back to the room. Grandpa had dropped something on the floor. He was coughing hard, one hand pointing at Zoe. “Get out! You lying girl!” Zoe pressed a hand to her face and collapsed into Ethan’s arms. Grandpa was already coughing up blood. He pointed at them both, then slowly lost consciousness. I was terrified. I called for the nurses and they rushed Grandpa back into emergency care. Outside the room, Ethan turned on me. “Grandpa had no right to put his hands on her. Look at what he did to Zoe. No matter how angry he was, he can’t just hit people — and she came here with good intentions —” He kept going, and my patience snapped. “Enough. I’m going to get to the bottom of this, and whatever she did, she’s going to answer for it.” I stared at Zoe with a hatred I could barely contain. Ethan stepped between us. “Sophie, this is on Grandpa —” He kept listing Grandpa’s faults, not caring about the truth, until a doctor stepped out and cut him off. “Is the family here?” I stepped forward. The doctor handed me a critical condition notice. I felt something inside me give way completely. I shoved past Ethan and went straight for Zoe. “What did you say to him? What did you say to my grandfather?” Ethan grabbed me and slammed me hard against the wall. My back hit the plaster with a crack. “Sophie, stop trying to pin this on Zoe. She came here with good intentions. She didn’t do anything.” Tears streamed down my face. Ethan’s expression flickered. Something inside me had gone cold and still. I glared at them both. “You’ll regret this.”

I was going to find out the truth. Grandpa deserved justice. There were security cameras in the hospital room, but Zoe had deliberately positioned herself to block every angle. Only her back was visible on the footage — close to him, whispering something. Then Grandpa erupted. He coughed up blood. Zoe’s explanation came quickly. “I only told him to take care of himself. I have no idea why he suddenly struck me. I’m the one who should be upset here.” What a flimsy story. Full of holes. I didn’t believe it for a second. Grandpa would never do something like that without reason. Zoe had said something. I was certain. I grabbed her. “What did you say to him? Who gave you permission to visit my grandfather? Who do you think you are?” She pressed her lips together in a practiced pout, but her eyes were full of open defiance. Grandpa was my only family. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I grabbed her and slapped her hard across the face. Zoe hadn’t expected me to actually hit her. She shrieked. The two of us ended up brawling in a corner of the hospital hallway. She was no match for me — I’d already left scratches across her face. The noise drew a crowd. Ethan finally yanked my arm and pulled us apart. In the heat of the moment, he raised his hand and slapped me. “What is wrong with you? You’re acting like a maniac.” The tears came despite everything. I had spent my whole life holding myself to a certain standard. I didn’t want to fall apart in public. But that was my grandfather in there. I couldn’t be rational about this. It was the first time Ethan had ever seen me like this. He tried to play the peacemaker. “Let’s all calm down. No more fighting.” I stared at him in disbelief, my voice going sharp. “Ethan, don’t you forget — my grandfather saved your life once.” Zoe was still seething. “She attacked me. How is this okay?” Ethan slipped Zoe a black credit card as some kind of compensation. Then he turned to me, and for once, there was something like guilt in his eyes. “Zoe showing up unannounced was wrong. But she didn’t mean any harm, and you left her in this state. As for your grandfather — I’ll make it up to you later.” “But I will not allow you to interrogate Zoe like this. You have no proof she did anything wrong.” I stumbled back a few steps, my cheek burning. “Ethan, the biggest regret of my life is ever meeting you.” I would find the proof. I had just let my guard down today. I never imagined Zoe would be shameless enough to go after Grandpa. Ethan’s expression darkened. The next second, he got a slap of his own. My face was not something anyone got to hit for free. At that exact moment, a nurse came running down the hall. “Family of the patient? He’s asking for you. Please, come quickly.”

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My daughter Charlotte was five years old. She was born with a congenital heart and lung condition, and she had a deadly allergy to strawberries. One bite of anything made with strawberries would trigger full-body anaphylactic shock. She would suffocate and die. On her fifth birthday, I stood gripping a critical condition notice, my fingernails digging into the paper until the edges crumbled. A doctor pulled me into the ICU hallway, his voice cold as a winter frost. “Mrs. Jones, Charlotte has gone into anaphylactic shock. Her heart and lung failure has worsened. She won’t survive the day. The allergen was strawberry. Someone deliberately gave her food containing strawberries.” My mind went blank. A roar of white noise filled my head. For Charlotte’s sake, there had never been a single strawberry in our home. Not one berry, not one spoonful of jam, not one slice of strawberry cake. I checked every meal she ate every single day. There was no room for error. No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t figure out how she had come into contact with that deadly fruit. The only way to save her was to find her father, Alexander. If he would just sign the consent form to donate his hematopoietic stem cells, Charlotte could live. I had loved Alexander for eight years. I had been married to him for five. I had stood by his side through bankruptcy and built everything with him until he became CEO of the Alexander Group. But the moment his first love, Sophie, came back into his life, he threw Charlotte and me away without looking back.

I ran out of the hospital like a woman possessed and took a cab straight to the Alexander Group headquarters. The security guards blocked me hard at the entrance, refusing to let me into the lobby. I didn’t hesitate. I dropped to my knees on the cold marble floor. I pressed my forehead against the stone and cried out, my voice already broken and hoarse. “Please , tell Alexander that my daughter is dying. He’s the only one who can save her!” Employees gathered around, pointing and murmuring. The whispers pricked like needles. I didn’t care. When your daughter’s life is on the line, dignity means nothing. The elevator chimed. Alexander walked out , tailored designer suit, sharp cold eyes, the kind of presence that warns people to stay back. Sophie was on his arm. She was holding a little boy named Leandro and smiling like she’d already won. She was the first love he had never stopped loving. Leandro was another man’s son that Alexander treated as his own. When he saw me kneeling on the floor, Alexander’s face tightened with something between irritation and disgust. “Jones, are you here to make a scene again? Don’t embarrass me in front of everyone.” I scrambled to my feet and lunged toward him. I grabbed his wrist and dug my nails into his skin. “Alexander, Charlotte has gone into shock. She’s dying. You’re the only one who can save her. Come to the hospital with me , please!” Sophie tugged softly at his arm, her eyes welling up, the picture of fragile innocence. “Alexander, Leandro turns five today. You promised you’d take him to the amusement park. Don’t break your promise.” “Charlotte just has an allergic reaction. Kids aren’t that delicate. Let the doctors handle it.” The triumph hidden in her eyes wasn’t hard to see at all. Alexander wrenched his arm free and shoved me. I hit the ground hard, scraping my knees until they bled. “Leandro’s birthday only comes once a year. Charlotte’s little issue is not my problem.” “Don’t bother me about Charlotte again.” Little issue? This was a lethal allergy that could kill her in minutes. That was his own daughter. I lay on the floor and watched him walk away with his arm around someone else. His back was a wall of finality. Eight years of love. Five years of marriage. And none of it could compete with one pout from his first love. My Charlotte was lying in the ICU, dying. And her father was celebrating another child’s birthday. I went back to the hospital and stayed planted outside the ICU, refusing to move an inch. At one in the morning, the resuscitation room doors swung open. The doctor’s face was drained of color. “We brought her back , for now. But she could go into shock again at any moment. If Alexander doesn’t come, there will be nothing more we can do!” I crouched in the corner and called him over and over. Instant hang-up. Switched off. No response on Instagram. His housekeeper told me he had taken Sophie to his private island and left strict instructions not to be disturbed. I waited outside the estate from the middle of the night until morning. My knees went numb. My head swam. All I got was Sophie’s Instagram update. Alexander was holding Leandro in his arms, cutting into a strawberry cake, his face soft with a warmth I hadn’t seen in years. The caption read: With you two, life is everything. His comment: I’ll be here for you both, always. My Sophie. My Leandro. A strawberry cake. Every drop of blood in my body turned to ice. He knew. He knew that one bite of strawberry could kill Charlotte. He wasn’t too busy. He simply had no desire to save her. He had never, in his heart, considered that little girl his daughter.

The doctor issued the third critical condition warning. “Twelve hours left. After that, there is nothing more we can do.” I pressed my face to the glass and looked at Charlotte. Her small face was pale as paper, her lips turning purple, her body curled up in the hospital bed like a wounded kitten. She was only five years old. She loved drawing. She loved hugging her stuffed bunny. Every single day she asked me when Daddy was going to come hold her. She had done nothing wrong. And yet she had to suffer all of this. I wiped my tears. When I lifted my eyes, they were cold. Alexander , if you won’t save her, I will crawl to your feet and die in front of you before I give up on my daughter. I hailed a cab and rushed toward the private island. At the dock, bodyguards cut me off. “Mr. Alexander’s orders. No one is allowed near.” I fell to my knees. “Please , I’m begging you. Let me see Alexander. My daughter is dying. He’s the only one who can save her!” I slammed my forehead against the ground until blood ran down my face. My voice was gone. The bodyguards exchanged uneasy looks. A yacht pulled up to the dock. Alexander stepped off. When he saw me, his expression darkened like a storm. “Jones. Are you done yet?” He strode over and grabbed me by the collar, the force of it crushing against my throat. “I’ll say this one more time. I am not donating stem cells.” “Sophie is pregnant with my child. I can’t risk anything happening to me. Who’s going to take care of her and the baby?” Pregnant. So he had his first love back. And now a new child on the way. Then what was Charlotte? What was the little girl who had spent five years longing for him, calling him Daddy for five years? “Alexander, she is your biological daughter! You knew she was allergic to strawberries, and you sent a strawberry cake anyway. You did this on purpose!” I screamed. Tears poured down my face. His eyes flickered. Then they went hard. “So what if I did? Charlotte was born weak. She’s been nothing but a burden. The world would be better off without her.” “All I want is Leandro. Sophie and my new child. Charlotte never deserved a place in my life.” Never deserved. That shattered the very last illusion I had ever held. Sophie walked out from behind him, leaning into his side, looking down at me with a smile that cut like glass. “Jones, you never had a chance against me. If I hadn’t gone abroad back then, you would have never had a place in his life at all.” “Charlotte was always a burden. Better that she dies and makes room for my child.” I was shaking with rage. I lunged toward her. Alexander threw me off and I crashed hard into the rocky ground. The back of my head smashed against the stone and everything went dark for a moment. “Jones, if you touch Sophie, I will make sure you die right alongside Charlotte!” He wrapped his arms around Sophie and boarded the yacht. They left. And I was sealed inside my despair. Rain came down in sheets, mixing with blood and tears on my face. Bitter. Salty. Cold. I dragged myself up and made my way back to the hospital one step at a time, each step like treading on broken glass. I knew it now. The last hope was gone.

When I got back to the hospital, Charlotte’s heart rate plummeted. Alarms screamed. Doctors and nurses flooded the room, faces white, voices trembling. “She’s crashing! Full anaphylactic shock , cardiac and pulmonary failure , heart rate dropping to zero!” “Ten minutes, Mrs. Jones! Contact the donor , right now! There is no other option!” Everyone fought. Every machine was thrown into the battle. I watched Charlotte’s tiny body convulse. I watched the color drain from her face. I watched the heart rate line go flat and cold, and my soul left my body. I ripped my phone out with shaking hands and called Alexander. This time, he picked up. I grabbed the last thread holding me together and screamed with everything I had left. “Alexander! Charlotte’s heart rate is zero! She has ten minutes! Please come to the hospital , please save her , she is your daughter! Your own daughter!” A few seconds of silence from the other end. Then his voice came through, colder than anything I had ever heard, buried beneath the sound of Sophie’s laughter and a knife cutting through cake. “Jones, would you stop? I’m here with Sophie and Leandro eating strawberry cake. I’m not getting involved in whatever is happening with Charlotte.” “If she dies, she dies. One less thing to worry about. Don’t call me again.” Sophie’s voice rang out deliberately, sharp and cruel. “Alex, ignore her. This strawberry cake is to die for. That sick little girl can finally rest in peace~” The line went dead. A flat dial tone. In the same moment that tone filled my ear, the ICU doors opened and the doctor’s voice reached me like a verdict from the end of the world. “We were unable to resuscitate her… Charlotte passed away at 11:40 this morning. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Jones. We did everything we could.” The line on the monitor went flat and stayed there. Charlotte’s small hand slipped out of mine. Her tiny body lost the last of its warmth. I stood there, frozen. My tears dried in an instant. No pain. No crying. Only a hatred that had burned its way into my bones. So he truly had been capable of watching his own daughter die in his indifference. So eight years of love and five years of devotion meant less than a strawberry cake. Less than one word of flattery from his first love. So my Charlotte had gone to her grave without ever once being held by her father. This time, everything inside me went quiet. Alexander. Sophie. You killed my daughter. I will destroy everything you have. I will burn your lives to the ground. I will make you feel every shred of pain this world has to offer. You owe Charlotte her life. I will collect it back from you a thousand times over, with interest. That strawberry cake is your death sentence. That five-year-old girl’s life is the anniversary of your destruction. From this day forward, I am not the woman who loved you. I am the fury that will never stop coming for you. And you will spend your entire lives repaying this debt in blood. I held Charlotte’s cold little body and sat in the hallway outside the emergency room for a full day and night. Still. Silent. Tearless. Like a statue with no soul left inside it, reduced entirely to ash.

I went back to the house and packed up Charlotte’s things. Little dresses. Little shoes. Colored pencils. Picture books. All of it arranged so neatly. I folded each one and packed it away, and my tears fell on them and soaked in. Every single item still carried her warmth. Every single one went through my heart like a blade. I went through the bag the nurse had handed me , Charlotte’s personal belongings. A pink bunny-shaped box. I opened it. Everything inside made it harder to breathe. A small diary with shaky, uneven handwriting. Every entry was about her dad. Today I drew Daddy. Daddy didn’t come. I’m allergic to strawberries. Daddy knows. He won’t let me eat them. I just want Daddy to hug me one time. Just once. Birthday wish: I want Daddy to like me. The last page was written yesterday. Daddy sent me a cake. Strawberry flavor. Daddy finally loves me. I’m so happy. I held that diary and broke completely apart. My Charlotte. She died believing that the cake that killed her was her father’s love. She was still forgiving him right up until the very end. In the box there was also a drawing of the three of us as a family , crumpled from how tightly she had held it. Her worn old stuffed bunny was there too. She always said the rabbit was a gift from Daddy. An unfinished drawing. Candy she had been saving and hadn’t eaten yet. The hospital nurse gave me the full file of evidence. Records of the tampered strawberry cake. A recording of him refusing to donate. A medical report showing her prenatal vitamins had been contaminated. The proof was airtight. He was a murderer. A man who had conspired to end his own daughter’s life. I took out my phone and called my attorney. My voice was calm in a way that should have frightened anyone who heard it. “I want to file charges against Alexander. Intentional homicide. Abandonment. Aggravated assault.” “I want him sentenced to life. I want him stripped of every asset he has. I want him to lose everything.” “And I want the divorce. I want him to live the rest of his life drowning in regret.” From this moment on, the woman who had loved Alexander no longer existed. In her place stood something else entirely , something that would not stop until justice was done. Alexander came home reeking of alcohol, his expression dark. “Sign the divorce papers. And don’t bring up that dead kid.” That dead kid. I turned around slowly. My eyes were cold. “Alexander. Charlotte is dead. And you are the one who killed her.” I threw the evidence in his face. Text message records. Audio recordings. The diary. The medical reports. The papers scattered across the floor. And among them, Charlotte’s handwriting stared up at him. Daddy finally loves me. The color drained from his face. He began to shake. Sophie burst in crying. “Alexander, she’s lying! That child was always going to die!” I looked at her without flinching. “You’re an accomplice. You’ll pay for it alongside him.” Alexander roared. “I have money. I have connections. You don’t stand a chance against me!” “Sign the agreement. I’ll give you two million. We’ll call it even.” I laughed. It was a hollow, glacial sound. “You owe Charlotte her life. No amount of money will ever make that even.” “I will take everything from you. And you will never, ever come back from it.”

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Born again, I swore I would love Ethan with all my heart and make up for what I owed him in my past life. But he had changed. He brought his mistress home and even slept with her right in front of me, in our bed. He stole my art exhibition and gave it to his mistress, caressing her slightly swollen pregnant belly as he publicly declared she was his true love. It wasn’t until I signed the divorce papers and left for good that he remembered he was also reborn. He called me. “Stella, I remember everything now! You’re the one I love!” But it was too late. I sat on the falling plane, my heart calm. “If there’s a next life, let’s never meet again.” Stella’s POV To pave the way for Vivian Sullivan, Ethan Blackwood forcibly took the solo art exhibition I’d prepared for three years and put Vivian’s name on it. Two burly bodyguards pinned me to a chair in the lounge. Through the gaps in the blinds, I watched the big screen with heartbreak. On screen, Vivian wore the haute couture dress that was supposed to be mine, gracefully accepting the media’s flashbulbs and praise. And every painting hanging in that exhibition hall was the result of countless sleepless nights I had spent creating them. “Ethan, you can’t do this!” I struggled, my voice breaking with sobs. “That’s my achievement! You know how important it is to me! I painted those to commemorate my grandmother who passed away!” Ethan stood before me, looking down at me with arrogance. The eyes that once overflowed with tenderness now looked at me with the coldness of a stranger. “Vivian just returned to the country. She needs a prominent name to establish herself in the art world. You’re my wife. You get the power and status that come with being a Blackwood. What’s wrong with doing her a small favor?” “Sacrifice?” I looked at this man who had once sacrificed everything for me with despair, my heart crushed by an invisible hand. I shed all my tears, and finally couldn’t help asking him before he turned away. “Ethan, you loved me so much. Why did you suddenly stop loving me?” He paused, not looking back, and said, “Ours is just a marriage in name only, a mutual arrangement. When did I ever love you?” The moment the door closed, I slid down the wall to the floor, tears streaming down my face. Never loved me? How could he have never loved me? In my past life, he loved me so much. That’s right. I was reborn. In my previous life, I was forced to marry Ethan because of family circumstances. Back then, he indulged my every whim. If I wanted the stars, he would never give me the moon. If I mentioned liking a multi-million dollar piece of jewelry, it would appear on my desk the next day. When I was sick, he would cancel billion-dollar international meetings to stay by my bedside. But I despised him. Because the one I loved was Adrian Foster. After my parents forced me to marry Ethan, I fiercely resisted the marriage. I refused to sleep in the same bed as him, wouldn’t accompany him to any events, and even frequently went out drinking at bars, deliberately embarrassing him. In the end, I believed Adrian Foster’s words, naively thinking it was love, and eloped with him. But I never imagined Adrian Foster didn’t love me at all. The reason he went to such lengths to win my heart was because the Foster family and the Blackwood family were business competitors. Adrian had long ago figured out that Ethan loved me, so he came up with a plan to use me to defeat Ethan. Adrian kidnapped me and used my life to threaten Ethan. “Ethan, send me one of your fingers every day, or I’ll throw her off this building.” Ethan said nothing. He simply cut off one finger each day and sent it in a box. On the tenth day, when the last finger, still wearing his wedding ring, was delivered, I completely lost my mind. Unwilling to let Ethan continue such foolishness for my sake, I killed myself. After death, my soul floated in midair. I watched as Ethan, who had always been so proud, went mad at the sight of my corpse. He went alone to avenge me, personally breaking every bone in Adrian Foster’s body, listening to his screams. He abandoned his billion-dollar fortune, abandoned the entire Blackwood Group, and perished in flames while holding my corpse. In the fire, he kissed my lips tenderly and whispered, “Stella, if there’s a next life… could you love me just once?” As the flames consumed him, I floated in midair, sobbing uncontrollably. In that moment, I finally saw his love. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. I was back to the first year of my marriage to Ethan. I was overjoyed. This time, I was determined to love Ethan properly and make up for everything I owed him in my past life. So I deleted all of Adrian Foster’s contact information, woke up early every day to make him breakfast, waited for him to come home late into the night. My whole world revolved around him. But he had changed. He was no longer gentle with me, no longer came home every day, and kept a mistress on the side. Vivian Sullivan. Now, he had even stolen my art exhibition to help Vivian. After Ethan left, I sat on the cold floor, my tears dried up. Fine! Since he didn’t love me in this life, I would let go and completely fulfill his wishes. I stood up and dragged my exhausted body to the hospital. When I pushed open the door to the ward, Dad was still unconscious, his face pale, his breathing weak beneath the oxygen mask. “Stella.” Mom stood sadly by the bed, looking as if she’d aged ten years overnight. “Your father’s company was maliciously sabotaged by Ethan. The capital chain broke, which triggered your father’s heart attack…” I fell to my knees. “Mom, I’m sorry… it’s all because of me…” Mom pulled me up and sighed. “Back then, Ethan was the one who actively pursued you, saying he’d loved you for years. How did things suddenly become like this?” “Mom,” I took a deep breath, my nails digging deep into my palms. “I’ve made up my mind. I want to divorce Ethan. Once Dad gets a little better, our family will leave the country. We’ll leave this place forever.” Mom thought for a moment, looked at Dad on the hospital bed, and nodded. “Alright. We’ll leave.”

Stella’s POV The immigration office paperwork went smoothly. When I walked out the door, the sunlight outside was brilliant. This marriage full of misunderstandings and torment was finally coming to an end. Just then, I heard a loud screech of brakes. “Watch out!” Before I could turn around, a massive impact knocked me to the ground. My entire body exploded in pain, and then I blacked out. I woke to the smell of disinfectant. The instant I opened my eyes, Ethan’s cold face was right in front of me. He looked down at me with arrogance and disgust. “Stella, did you do this on purpose? Seeing that Vivian got hurt a few days ago, you deliberately got into a car accident to gain sympathy?” He sneered. “Let me tell you, ours is just a marriage in name only with no love. No matter how much you imitate Vivian, it won’t work. I don’t have time to play along with your act here.” I opened my mouth, about to say I really had been in a car accident, when the hospital room door suddenly burst open. “Mr. Blackwood, the fruit you requested.” The assistant handed over a box. Ethan took it, lifted the lid to glance inside, and his brow immediately furrowed. “Why is there mango?” His voice was displeased. “My wife is allergic to mangoes. Go buy another batch.” That sentence struck me like lightning, freezing all the blood in my body. Allergic to mangoes. In my past life, in our second year of marriage, I ate mango and had an acute asthma attack that nearly caused me to pass out. That’s when he learned about it. But now, we’d only been married one year, and I’d never mentioned my mango allergy to anyone! Thinking back to his behavior recently. His sudden distance from me, his inexplicable favoritism toward Vivian Sullivan, and that statement “when did I ever love you”… An absurd thought appeared in my mind, and my whole body began to tremble. “Ethan…” I looked into his eyes. “Are you… also reborn?” A flicker of emotion flashed through Ethan’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He frowned, his tone impatient. “What rebirth? Did you damage your brain in the crash?” I continued to press. “Then how did you know I’m allergic to mangoes?” “A while ago your parents came to see me,” he said calmly, not even a flutter of his eyelashes, his tone cold and flawless. “They asked me to treat you better. They gave me a notebook with your preferences and dietary restrictions written in it. I glanced through it before throwing it in the trash.” His explanation was perfect, but it caused me great pain. Was I overthinking? Yes, if he really carried memories from his past life, how could he bear to hurt me like this? A nurse suddenly pushed the door open. “Mr. Blackwood, Miss Sullivan is awake. She says her heart hurts and she’s looking for you.” At those words, Ethan turned without hesitation and walked away without looking back, not even sparing me a glance as I lay in the hospital bed. During my three-day hospital stay, Ethan didn’t visit me once. Every time the nurse came to change my dressing, her hesitant glances felt like mockery of my miserable state. On the fourth morning, I discharged myself. The immigration paperwork was complete. To leave now, only one final step remained. Divorce. I returned to that cold house and sat at the desk, neatly writing out a divorce agreement. The terms in the agreement were simple: I would leave with nothing, wanting only my freedom. My phone vibrated. Vivian Sullivan had updated her Twitter. In the photo, Ethan sat at his office desk with Vivian leaning on his shoulder. The caption read: “Someone said he never allows non-work personnel in his office, but today he made an exception for me~” My finger hovered over the screen for a long time without pressing down. In my past life, Ethan had similarly broken countless principles for me. Though he never ate spicy food, he accompanied me eating chili peppers until he needed his stomach pumped. Despite his severe germaphobia, he carried my drunk self home… I took a deep breath, banishing those images from my mind, picked up the divorce agreement, and walked out the door.

Stella’s POV The Blackwood Group building was still imposing. As the elevator ascended, I was still thinking about how to bring up the divorce. Passing the secretarial area, Ethan’s assistant happened to walk by with documents. “Mrs. Blackwood?” The assistant was obviously stunned. “Are you here to see Mr. Blackwood?” “Yes.” I clutched the document folder in my hand. “I need him to sign something.” The assistant’s gaze lingered on my pale face for a moment. “I happen to be going in. I can take it in for you.” I hesitated, then handed him the divorce agreement. “Thank you.” The moment the door opened, my blood froze. Ethan was kneeling on one knee, tenderly massaging the ankle of Vivian who sat on the sofa. Vivian wore a short skirt, her pale legs resting on his knee, a sweet smile on her face. “Mr. Blackwood, these documents need your signature.” The assistant’s voice made Ethan look up. Busy massaging Vivian, he didn’t even look at the documents, simply flipping to the last page and signing. I stood outside the door, my nails digging deep into my skin. In my past life when I sprained my ankle playing tennis, Ethan had knelt just like this, carefully applying medicine, his brow furrowed with worry. Soon, the assistant came out and returned the divorce agreement to me. “Mrs. Blackwood, it’s signed.” I looked at Ethan’s name on the divorce agreement, tears streaming down my face involuntarily. I hummed in acknowledgment, thanked him, and turned to leave. While waiting for the elevator, Vivian’s voice suddenly came from behind me. “Stella? What are you doing here?” I whipped around to see Ethan release Vivian’s hand, his face dark as he walked toward me. “Who told you to come to the company?” He grabbed my wrist. “We have no feelings for each other. I won’t bother you, so don’t come bothering me!” I forcefully pulled my hand free. “Got it. There won’t be a next time.” Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, Vivian immediately stepped forward and took Ethan’s arm, coaxing gently, “Ethan, don’t be like this. Stella, Ethan and I are going to the auction house. Why don’t you come with us? Consider it relaxing.” “That’s not necessary.” I cut her off directly. “Stella,” Ethan said coldly, “When someone tells you to go, you go. Don’t waste others’ good intentions.” In the end, I was still forced to go with them to the auction house. I sat in the auction hall, the enthusiastic bidding voices ringing in my ears. “Fifty million! Mr. Blackwood bids fifty million!” the auctioneer shouted excitedly. “This pink diamond necklace goes to Mr. Blackwood!” Vivian leaned on Ethan’s shoulder, a victorious smile on her face. “Ethan, this necklace is so beautiful.” “As long as you like it.” Ethan gently brushed the hair by her ear. I gripped my bidding paddle tightly, my knuckles white. In my past life, Ethan had doted on me the same way. But now the same tenderness was given to another woman. Just then, the big screen suddenly changed, playing an audio recording. In the recording, Vivian’s voice sounded. “What charity auction? It’s just a bunch of poor people gathering. If it weren’t for Ethan, I wouldn’t come. And that Stella, so what if she’s married to Ethan? Didn’t Ethan still give me her art exhibition?” The entire hall erupted. Vivian’s face turned from red to white to finally gray. “Turn it off! Turn it off now!” She stood up screaming, trembling all over. She whirled toward me, tears streaming down. “Stella! Do you hate me this much? You had to use AI to synthesize this recording to humiliate me? Are you trying to drive me to death?” With that, she covered her face and rushed out. Ethan’s face was very dark, his sharp gaze sweeping across the hall. “Anyone who dares leak what happened today will bear the consequences themselves.” Finally, he looked at me, his voice ice-cold. “You just wait.”

Stella’s POV I returned home in a daze, my mind completely blank. I hadn’t done any such thing. I had no idea about that recording. But Ethan wouldn’t believe me. He would only think I was making excuses. I sat anxiously on the sofa waiting all night. It wasn’t until dawn that the front door was violently flung open. Ethan stormed in radiating fury. “Stella!” He grabbed my chin, applying so much force he nearly crushed my bones. “Do you know Vivian tried to kill herself?! If I hadn’t arrived in time, she’d be a corpse by now!” “It wasn’t me…” I said with difficulty. “I didn’t play that recording…” “It wasn’t you? Are you telling me she synthesized a recording herself to ruin her own reputation?!” He sneered and abruptly released his grip. “You keep hurting her. You must pay the price!” Those words stabbed into my heart like a knife. “Stella, hold a press conference immediately. Publicly apologize to Vivian and admit you forged the recording!” I felt heartbroken but still looked at him defiantly. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t apologize!” Ethan sneered. “Fine. Quite stubborn. In that case, the Sinclair Group’s overseas project will shut down completely today. Also, the special medication your father’s using at the hospital will be immediately discontinued.” “Ethan!” I looked at him in disbelief, trembling all over. “Are you insane? That’s my father’s life!” “You forced my hand.” He looked at me coldly, like an emotionless machine. “Apologize, and the medication resumes.” For my father’s life, I gave in. Under the spotlights, countless cameras pointed at me. My face pale, like a soulless robot, I stood before the microphone. “I’m sorry. I was jealous of Miss Sullivan and forged the recording. I apologize to her.” I mechanically recited the script the PR department had prepared, each sentence crushing my self-respect. The flashbulbs were blinding. The reporters below attacked me with the most vicious language. “Miss Sinclair, how could you do something so malicious?” “Are you psychologically twisted?” And Ethan stood not far away, watching me coldly, even thoughtfully draping a coat over Vivian Sullivan, who had just been discharged from the hospital. In that moment, my heart died completely. The man who once said “whoever hurts Stella, I’ll make their whole family die” had now personally pushed me into hell and destroyed my reputation. That evening, Ethan actually brought Vivian Sullivan back to our house. “Vivian was traumatized and her mental state isn’t good. She’ll be staying at home for a while.” His tone was flat, as if discussing the weather. I had no energy left to argue. “Whatever.” Anyway, we were already going through divorce proceedings. Soon, this wouldn’t be my home anymore. Vivian looked at me, a smile curling her lips. “Stella, I’m hungry. Can you make me some pasta?” Ethan looked at me. “Didn’t you hear?” How ironic that I’d fallen to the point of cooking for my husband’s mistress. I pulled at the corners of my mouth and mechanically walked toward the kitchen. In the kitchen, the water had just started boiling. Vivian suddenly walked in and closed the door behind her. The vulnerability on her face instantly vanished, replaced by undisguised arrogance. “Stella, Ethan loves me now. You have to serve me like a servant.” I chopped vegetables expressionlessly, not even giving her a glance. “Are you done? If so, get out.” Vivian’s gaze shifted and suddenly landed on the table. There lay the bracelet I’d casually removed when washing my hands. The only thing my mother had left me, and my most treasured possession. Vivian sneered and suddenly reached out to grab the bracelet, deliberately smashing it hard on the floor. The crisp sound of shattering echoed in the kitchen. The fine bracelet instantly broke into several pieces. “What are you doing!” I shouted angrily, my brain buzzing as I shoved her hard. Vivian deliberately fell backward, hitting the cabinet heavily, then let out a shrill scream. “Ah! It hurts!” Ethan rushed in at the sound. Seeing this scene, his expression changed drastically. He rushed forward and shoved me hard. Caught off guard, my waist slammed heavily into the corner of the table. The pain made me gasp, cold sweat instantly breaking out. “Stella, what are you going crazy about now!” Ethan roared. “She broke the bracelet my mother left me!” I pointed at the broken bracelet on the floor, my voice choked with tears, my eyes full of despair. Vivian hid in Ethan’s arms, crying softly and gently. “Ethan, I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to help get a bowl and accidentally knocked it off… Stella pushed me, my waist hurts so much…” “Over a broken bracelet, you assault someone?” Ethan looked at me coldly, his eyes full of disgust. “Stella, you’re becoming more and more vicious.” A broken bracelet? That was the last keepsake my mother left me! I looked at him and found myself unable to breathe. I suddenly felt that explanations were meaningless, because for someone unloved, even breathing was wrong. “Since you like pushing people so much, go stand outside tonight. You can come in when you’re ready to admit your mistake.” Ethan issued his cruel order.

Stella’s POV On a late autumn night, heavy rain began to fall. The bodyguards forcibly dragged me into the courtyard. The icy rain mercilessly pounded down on me, stealing away all my body heat. Through the bright floor-to-ceiling windows, I watched the warm lamplight inside where Ethan held a towel, tenderly drying Vivian’s hair. Rain mixed with tears streamed down my face. I stood in the rain all night. In my past life, even in light drizzle, he would nervously shelter me in his arms, afraid I’d get even slightly wet. But now, he personally pushed me into the rain. By dawn, my legs had completely lost feeling. My vision went black and I collapsed heavily into the rainwater. I developed a high fever, my consciousness blurry. But in the huge house, no one cared about me. The servants looked at me with pity, but none dared help because Ethan had issued a supreme order: no one was allowed to call a doctor for me. I forced myself to get up and took two pills myself. Because Ethan sent word: Vivian’s birthday party must be personally organized by me, as punishment for pushing her. Dragging my sick body, I mechanically confirmed every detail of the party. Selecting flowers, confirming dishes, checking the guest list. I was like a soulless machine. On the day of the birthday party, the Blackwood estate was brilliantly lit. Guests wore haute couture, holding champagne and greeting each other. “The legitimate wife throwing a birthday party for the mistress. I’ve never heard of such a thing…” “Mr. Blackwood is truly in love this time. Look at those gifts. Any one of them is worth a fortune…” I stood in the shadows of a corner, deaf to these comments. My gaze fell on Ethan at center stage. He wore an impeccable suit, constantly checking his watch, obviously waiting for Vivian to appear. Time passed minute by minute, but Vivian never showed up. Ethan’s expression grew worse and worse. Finally, he sent his assistant to find her. “Mr. Blackwood!” The assistant ran back in a panic, holding a letter. “Miss Sullivan left. She only left this…” Ethan snatched the letter and scanned it quickly, his face changing drastically. Finally, he threw the letter in my face. “Stella!” His voice seemed to squeeze through his teeth. “You’d better explain this clearly!” The letter drifted to my feet. Trembling, I picked it up. It was in Vivian’s handwriting. “Ethan, by the time you read this letter, I’ll be gone. I love you very much, but Stella threatened me using my brother. I had no choice but to leave. From now on, we’ll never see each other again.” “It wasn’t me.” I numbly returned the letter to him. “I didn’t do such a thing.” “You say that every time!” Ethan grabbed my throat. “But you’ve done everything! Tell me! Where is Vivian?” I could barely breathe but stubbornly met his gaze. “I… really… don’t know…” Ethan sneered and pulled out his phone to make a call. “Immediately turn off the respirator for Stella’s father at the hospital.” “No!” I completely broke down. I knelt on the ground and said, “Ethan, please, spare my father! I really don’t know where she is! If you turn off the respirator, my father will die!” I desperately begged. Was this cold, ruthless man really the same man who died for me in my past life? Just then, a bodyguard rushed in. “Mr. Blackwood, we found Miss Sullivan! She’s on her way to the airport!” Ethan immediately released me and rushed out without looking back. I lay on the floor, my face covered in blood, and closed my eyes in despair.

Stella’s POV The ambulance siren pierced the night sky. I sat on a bench in the hospital corridor, my hands clenched into fists. On his way to chase after Vivian, Ethan had gotten into a car accident because he was driving too fast. From the end of the corridor came Vivian’s anguished crying. Medical staff rushed past pushing a gurney. Ethan lay on it, his white shirt soaked with blood, his handsome face completely pale. Vivian clutched his hand tightly, crying heartbrokenly. “I’m sorry… it’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have thrown a tantrum and left…” Ethan weakly raised his hand and wiped away her tears with his fingertips. “As long as you don’t leave, I’m willing to do anything…” My heart clenched violently. I turned and quickly left. I didn’t want to watch anymore, didn’t dare to watch. My heart had died completely. In the following days, I stayed at the hospital caring for Dad. Dad’s condition finally stabilized. I knew it was time to leave. Before leaving, I went to a church in the suburbs. The church was very quiet in the early morning. I sat there peacefully, silently crying. Slowly, all the moments I’d shared with Ethan began replaying in my mind. The wishes Ethan had made when shooting stars passed also appeared before me one by one. “May Stella be happy and safe. From Ethan” “Praying for Stella’s health. From Ethan” “I hope Stella can come to like me. From Ethan” Everything from the past slowly turned black and white before me, and finally, along with my feelings for him, disappeared completely. After returning, I went to the Blackwood family’s old house to say goodbye to Ethan’s grandfather. Ethan’s grandfather had always been very fond of me. He was the only person in the Blackwood family who gave me warmth. “Ethan and I… got divorced.” After his initial shock, Ethan’s grandfather sighed deeply and gripped my hand. “He failed to seize the opportunity. Remember this. As long as I’m alive, that Vivian Sullivan will never marry into my Blackwood family!” My nose stung. “Please rest. I’ll go pour you some water.” I went out to get water. When I returned, I heard Vivian’s malicious voice from inside the room. “You still dare obstruct me from marrying Ethan? Go die!” I froze in shock, then burst through the door to see Vivian replacing Ethan’s grandfather’s emergency medication with different pills. “What are you doing!” I rushed forward and shoved Vivian aside. Startled, Vivian dropped the pill bottle. Ethan’s grandfather suffered extreme shock, his eyes wide, unable to catch his breath, and he passed out directly. The hospital corridor lights were a harsh, pallid white. The operating room light stayed on all night. At dawn, the doctor finally emerged, his expression grave. “Mr. Blackwood, your grandfather’s condition is too severe. Combined with the extreme shock, there’s a high probability… he’ll become a vegetative patient.” Ethan punched the wall, his knuckles immediately bloody. He turned around, his face dark, looking at me and Vivian standing to the side. “What exactly happened?” “It was her!” Vivian immediately pointed at me and screamed. “She tried to kill Grandfather! When I came in, she was switching Grandfather’s medication! Ethan, I’m so scared…” “It wasn’t me!” My voice trembled as I looked at Vivian lying in disbelief. “It was Vivian Sullivan. I saw with my own eyes that she switched the medication!” “Enough!” Ethan angrily interrupted, his gaze like a sharp knife stabbing my heart. “Stella, my grandfather treated you so well. How could you bear to hurt him?” “Ethan, believe me.” I looked at him in despair. “Take her away.” Ethan coldly ordered, feeling that even one more glance at me was excessive. He didn’t torture me. Instead, he threw three plane tickets in my face. “Stella, you’ve disappointed me too much. Take your parents and get on a plane immediately. Leave and never appear before me again. Otherwise, I guarantee the Sinclair family will completely disappear from this world.” I stared at those plane tickets, suddenly finding it laughably absurd. In my past life he killed himself for me. In this life he wanted to drive me overseas, never to see me again. I said nothing and silently picked up the tickets. On the way to the airport, I quietly sent a text to Mom and Dad. “Mom, Dad, bring my divorce certificate. Let’s meet at the airport. We’re leaving right away.” The departure hall was bustling with people. Ethan had originally planned to watch me go through security, but Vivian’s call suddenly came. “Vivian? Don’t be afraid, I’ll come back to be with you right away.” He hung up and didn’t even glance at me again, turning and striding away. I stood there, watching his figure disappear into the crowd, finally allowing a smile to appear on my face. I walked toward Mom and Dad and took the divorce certificate. Then I tore the three tickets to Paris that Ethan had given me into pieces, threw them in the trash, and bought three new tickets to Switzerland. “Dad, Mom, let’s go.”In the evening light, our family walked into the boarding gate without a single person looking back.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “387743”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster