Category: English

My ex-girlfriend, the award-winning actress Pamela Cahill, was filming a live reality show about revisiting her hometown when she stumbled upon a grave with my name on it. Etched onto the headstone was a QR code, with the words “Brad’s Last Tapes” carved above it in a playful, almost whimsical font. She frowned at the camera, her disgust palpable. “Brad, you’re the one who insisted on breaking up. What is this? What new game are you playing to get my attention?” “I’m with someone else now.” The someone else she was referring to was a rising star, Julian Cole. The livestream chat exploded with comments, calling me a toxic ex who couldn’t let go, a ghost from her past that refused to stay buried. The vitriol flowed until a single comment cut through the noise: [Did none of you scan the code? I think… I think he’s actually dead.] 1 Pamela’s annoyance deepened at the sight of the comment, her usually calm and composed expression cracking. “He’ll do anything to get my attention, won’t he? It’s pathetic.” The viewers chimed in with teasing remarks: [The only person who can rattle the unshakable Pamela Cahill is her clingy ex.] [Seriously. He’s the one who dumped her. Now that she’s famous, he crawls out of the woodwork every other day to get a headline.] [Yeah, I heard he sent her letters and gifts just last week. No way he’s dead.] Fueled by the audience’s skepticism, the show’s production crew scanned the code and broadcast the video that loaded. The first frame was me, holding a cancer diagnosis report, letting out a long, forced sigh of relief. “Hey. It’s day one. Day one of my diagnosis, and day one of our breakup. Happy breakup, Pamela.” “Sorry for ending things so suddenly. The last thing I wanted was to drag you down with me.” I was dressed in a sharp suit, trying to look bright and handsome, but it couldn’t hide the deathly pallor of my skin. “Let me guess, you’re crying, right? A career slump and a breakup hitting all at once… that’s got to hurt.” “But hey, you’ll bounce back. I know you will.” As it turned out, my predictions in the video had all come true. Someone dug through Pamela’s old Instagram posts and found a series of bleak, melancholic captions from the days right after our breakup. The reigning ice queen of Hollywood, revealed to be so heartbroken and vulnerable, became a trending topic for days. Back then, Pamela had quickly archived all those old posts, leaving only one public statement: [I have someone better by my side now.] It was right when her historical drama had become a massive hit. Her co-star, the male lead, was the popular young actor Julian Cole. And he had liked that post. Pamela really had moved on quickly. Her fans were thrilled for her. “Don’t worry, though,” I said in the video. “I don’t plan on bothering you. I just wanted to leave something behind.” “I’ve never asked for anything, Pamela. Just this once… let me be selfish.” As I said that, my voice choked, the sound catching in my throat. The confident, handsome man from the start of the video seemed to shrink, replaced by a small, fragile boy. Perhaps not wanting anyone to see me in such a state, the first video cut off abruptly. 2 [Date: April 9, 2019. Weather: Overcast. Hate lasts longer than love.] “Day two of the breakup. It’s an overcast day. Perfect for feeling miserable, right?” I was in my pajamas at home, brushing my teeth with one hand while holding up my phone with the other, showing Pamela’s sad posts on the screen. “Looks like you’re taking it pretty hard. But I’m sure you’ll get over it soon!” I said, my voice light, a gentle smile fixed on my face. The livestream chat erupted in defense of Pamela: [She was heartbroken over him for so long, and he just drops a casual ‘get over it’? You’d have more feelings for a dog you had for seven years! He’s a monster!] [Exactly. He doesn’t even look sick. He’s probably faking it for clout. I hope something bad really does happen to him!] [Just die already and stop torturing our Pamela!] In the video, after I spoke, I fell silent. The camera shifted to focus on my phone screen, showing a comment I’d left on her post from a burner account: [Even when you’re sad, remember to eat and rest well. A fan who will always support you!] Pamela had replied almost immediately: [Only one person used to care about things like that. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you just because you’re using a different account?] [So, Brad, what’s the point of this fake sympathy? Are you here to laugh at me?] I stared at her words, frozen. After a long moment, I slowly typed back: [Yeah. It’s exactly what you think.] There was no reply. When I refreshed her profile, I found that she had blocked me. The chat filled with cheers: [YES! Get him! Our queen knows her worth. She deserves so much better!] [This must be when she started building that tough, ice-queen persona. We should thank this asshole for that.] [Still, I’m so curious about what she was like before all this.] [Don’t be. That must have been the darkest time of her life.] The flood of hateful comments obscured the screen. No one noticed the boy in the corner of the frame, clutching his phone, his eyes turning red. 3 [Date: May 2, 2019. Weather: Sunny. I want you to be happy more than anyone.] “Today… cough… came to see you in secret.” The moment the boy in the video appeared on screen, the barrage of angry comments suddenly stopped. “Surprised to see me like this? To be honest, I’m not used to it either. It took a lot of courage to even get in front of the camera.” The boy was wearing an ill-fitting wig, his cheeks hollowed out to a frightening degree. Yet, his face still held that familiar, gentle smile. The camera panned to show the set of Pamela’s first breakout role. She was playing the second female lead, acting opposite Julian Cole, who was then also a supporting actor. Amid a sea of fans cheering for the main actress, I stood in a quiet corner, holding a small sign with Pamela’s name on it, silently watching her perform. She had matured so much. Her features were sharper, her presence more commanding. The cheers for the lead actress grew louder. In the chaotic noise, on some strange impulse, I called out her name. The next second, as if she’d heard me through the din, she looked up. Our eyes met. I immediately dropped my head, my heart hammering against my ribs. It was only for a second, but it was enough to make me flee the set before the scene was even over. “Phew… You didn’t see me, right?” I was hiding in an alleyway, congratulating myself on my quick escape, when a firm hand gripped my wrist. “You break my heart and then you come back to spy on me? Is this fun for you, Brad?” Pamela was breathing heavily, her brow furrowed in anger. But the moment she got a clear look at my face, she froze. “You… haven’t you been sleeping?” I quickly composed myself, turning my head away. “Yeah,” I said, my voice cold. “My new girlfriend keeps me up all night. She’s a lot better than you.” Her face instantly flushed with fury. “Brad! You son of a bitch…!” Her words were cut short by Julian’s voice from behind her. “Pamela, why’d you run off mid-scene? The director is pissed. Are you okay?” Hearing him, Pamela let out a heavy breath and released my wrist. “You once told me people who betray love deserve to swallow a thousand needles. That was you.” “Forget it. Just… don’t come back here again.” I kept my head down, saying nothing. She turned and walked away. I could hear Julian asking, “Who was that? A friend of yours?” and Pamela’s reply, clear and cold: “No one important.” A bitter wave washed over me. By the time I looked up, tears had already blurred my vision. “See,” I whispered to the camera. “I told you you’d grow stronger.” “You’re right. I’m the one who betrayed our love. So let all the bad karma come to me. All I want… is for you to be happy.” 4 [Date: June 3, 2019. Weather: Sunny. Not a difficult decision.] Across the coffee table sat a sophisticated man. He took an elegant sip of his drink and looked up at me. “You want to hire me as Pamela Cahill’s manager? You know my rates are among the highest in the industry.” Someone in the livestream chat recognized him. It was David Carter, the legendary agent. With him on her side, Pamela’s path to stardom had become infinitely smoother. Pamela had thanked him publicly more than once, but his response was always a quiet, detached: “It was just a business transaction.” Now, watching the video from the studio, David Carter slowly lifted his head, his eyes beginning to redden. In the video, I nodded firmly and pushed a bank card across the table. “Mr. Carter, this has ninety-seven thousand, six hundred and forty-three dollars. It’s my entire life savings.” David’s eyes glanced at the card, his voice unchanged. “I’m a businessman, son. You understand that this isn’t nearly enough for me to tie my career to some unknown actress.” I bit my lip. The next second, I took off the wig, revealing my gaunt, ravaged face. It was the first time I had shown myself on camera without any disguise since getting sick. The livestream chat fell into a stunned silence. “Sir, to be honest with you, I have stomach cancer. I don’t have much time left.” “She’s the only thing I can’t let go of. I believe in her. I know she can make it big.” “I know this money isn’t enough to sway you, but I’ll sign over the rights to this video series I’m recording before I die. Whatever revenue they generate can be my payment. Please?” My voice was tinged with desperation. David stared at me for a long time before speaking. “And what about you? You’ve planned all this for her, but you’re just going to die quietly in a corner?” “If you used this money for treatment, you might live longer…” He trailed off as I shook my head with a faint smile. “I can’t drag her down. We’ve already been through enough hardship together.” “It’s okay. I’m not afraid of dying. I’m just afraid of her crying if she saw me like this.” My expression was calm, but the tremor in my voice betrayed me. The silence stretched. David looked up at the ceiling, blinking hard, before taking a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll do it.” 5 [Date: July 1, 2019. Weather: Rainy. It’s time to let go.] The moment I got through the door, the camera slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. A violent, searing pain in my stomach hit so fast I didn’t even have time to turn it off. It was a thousand needles stabbing me from the inside. I curled up on the floor beside my bed, cold sweat pouring down my face. In a haze of agony, I subconsciously dialed Pamela’s number. After a few short rings, the line connected, but there was only silence on the other end. Of course. She must hate my guts. Why would she answer my call? Tears mixed with sweat as I dug my nails into my own arm, but the words still tumbled out in a trembling, delirious whisper. “It hurts so much… Pamela… It hurts.” “I don’t want to die… I’m so scared…” My voice was almost a sob, punctuated by ragged, painful breaths. In that moment, death became terrifyingly real, a tidal wave of fear threatening to swallow me whole. Then, through the static, a hoarse voice came from the phone. “Where are you? I’m coming to find you right now.” Her words jolted me back to reality. She had answered. On pure instinct, I hung up. But it was too late. Pamela came. She stood outside my apartment, knocking on the door over and over. The pain had subsided into a dull ache. I leaned against the other side of the door, my eyes squeezed shut. “Go away, Pamela,” I managed to say, my voice raw. “I don’t want to see you.” Her voice exploded with rage. “Is this a game to you, Brad? Do you get some sick pleasure out of messing with me?” “You call, and I drop everything—a multi-million dollar ad campaign—and come running to you like a pathetic dog. And for what? What is the point of this?” “Brad, what did I ever do to deserve this from you?” Her fist slammed against the old, metal security door. Silence descended. I bit down hard on my lip to keep from crying out. The old doors in this building had terrible soundproofing. I could hear her on the other side, her voice breaking into quiet, choked sobs, like an abandoned puppy. I don’t know how long she stood there before her voice came again, soft and pleading. “One last time, Brad. Treat me like a dog, use me for fun, break my heart all over again—I don’t care. I’ll take it.” “Just let me see you one last time. Please.” She was met with only silence. I don’t know if she waited for three hours or the entire night. But I knew one thing with absolute certainty: I could not open that door. It was time to let go. For me, and for her.

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I’d recently set a small goal for myself: to become an accident in the eternal partnership of the vampire prince, Alexis. The first step of my plan was a letter, penned with a quill, which I quietly left outside the iron gate of the grim castle that overlooked the entire domain. I didn’t dare write anything too explicit, opting instead to copy down a sentimental little love poem, hinting at my willingness to offer my warm blood and pure soul. I imagined his pale, slender hand, adorned with a signet ring, breaking the seal. What would his expression be? Would he be amused? Or would he scoff at the audacity of an ant? Unfortunately, the letter vanished without a trace. I suspect one of the castle’s silent servants swept it into an incinerator along with the fallen leaves. I wasn’t discouraged. After all, attracting a creature that has lived for thousands of years requires patience. He was a prince of the bloodline, the monarch of this land of eternal night. But I had my own advantages—a young life, fresh blood, and a decent face. Soon, my chance arrived. It was the annual Day of the Holy Feast, when the castle distributed provisions to the nearby townspeople. Under the pretext of collecting alms, I finally managed to get close to the fabled fortress. As my fingertips intentionally-but-not-intentionally brushed against the edge of his carriage—the cold metal carved with his family crest—my heart hammered as if it would burst from my chest. Finally, he impatiently drew back the velvet curtain. In that instant, our eyes met. A flicker of surprise crossed his inhuman, crimson irises—the color of aged blood—shocked that a boy would have the nerve to cross him in a place like this. I quickly fluttered my round eyes and offered him a smile I had practiced countless times, a carefully crafted blend of shyness and innocence. I did my best to look like a harmless fawn that had wandered into a forest of eternal night. To be fair, I knew I was likely his type. I was lean, with slightly downturned eyes, like some kind of puppy. My chin was pointed, and my cheeks still held a touch of baby fat, making anyone who saw me assume I was just a student fresh from the cloisters. But he only furrowed his brow. An invisible force shoved me back, sending me sprawling to the ground. I understood immediately: this attempt was another failure. I bit my lip and lowered my head as his indifferent guards hauled me beyond the castle grounds, my heart filled with humiliation and resentment. I thought it was all over. To my surprise, a dark figure appeared silently in my shabby lodgings that night, stating in a monotone voice that the prince wanted to see me. I was brought into the grand, somber hall of the castle I had only heard of in legends. Alexis sat upon a massive throne carved from obsidian, his tone as cold as if he were judging a heretic. “”State your purpose. Who sent you?”” Panic flared in my chest, but I quickly steeled myself. I had to seize this chance. Forcing my voice into a softer register, I began, on the verge of tears, “”I—I wasn’t… Master, I truly… I admire you, I long for you… Please, give me a chance. Taste my blood!”” “”I already have a consort,”” he cut me off, his voice devoid of warmth. “”I know! I—I’m willing to be your most humble blood thrall!”” I blurted out, throwing all caution to the wind. I lowered my voice, continuing my plea. “”Master, I also know you have a taste for young life. I’ll never disturb your consort, I only beg you…”” His brow twitched violently, and he looked at me as if I were a buzzing fly. He let out a long breath and waved a hand. “”From this day forward, you are permanently banished. If you take one step into my domain again, you will be executed on the spot.”” “”No!”” The words sent a jolt of panic through me. This was my only hope; I couldn’t be driven away like this! I scrambled forward and knelt at his feet, clinging tightly to his cold, gleaming leather boots. “”Master, let me stay, please let me stay! My blood flows truly for you! Don’t send me away, I’m begging you!”” He seemed startled by my actions. I knelt before him, looking up with tear-filled eyes, and surreptitiously wiped a few of those tears onto the immaculate surface of his boot. My cheeks were flushed from the emotion of it all, the warmth of my life a stark contrast in his frigid domain. I saw him falter for a fraction of a second, his Adam’s apple bobbing unconsciously. But his coldness returned in an instant. He kicked me away and summoned the guards. Like a heap of rags, I was dragged from the castle and thrown onto the cold cobblestone road. Chapter 2 It was ruined. Everything was ruined. I sat at the edge of the town farthest from the castle, hugging my pathetically small collection of belongings, my head hanging in defeat. This wasn’t how the story was supposed to go! Wasn’t I supposed to use my youthful body and sweet blood to seduce him? Wasn’t Alexis supposed to be tempted by primal desire and pull me into his arms? Weren’t we supposed to spend our nights in passion beneath gothic spires, until I finally achieved eternal life and became his most cherished night-pet? Where did I go wrong? I pulled out the communicator I had hidden away and dialed the number of my “”mentor,”” Samuel. When I’d graduated, orphaned and alone, I was drowning in the massive debt my family had left behind. I had always been vain and lazy, constantly scheming for a shortcut to the top. Honest work? It would take an eternity to escape my impoverished fate that way. “”You could just do what I did and find a powerful blood-drinker to protect you!”” Samuel had said when he heard my troubles, generously sharing his experience. My interest was immediately piqued. “”How do I find one?”” I asked, shameless in my pursuit of knowledge. “”You have to be proactive,”” Samuel told me. “”Those ancient creatures are always curious about new life. Look at me—I’m about to sign a formal contract with the Baron of the Jinghe family.”” “”But I heard the Baron already has retainers.”” “”What’s there to be afraid of?”” Samuel waved his hand dismissively. “”Eternal life is boring. They always need new toys. As long as you can get him addicted to you, he’ll do anything for you.”” It was a revelation. With his guidance, I pored over the roster of nobles in the domain, finally settling on the one at the very top: Prince Alexis. Before I left, Samuel had clapped me firmly on the shoulder and said, “”Don’t forget me when you’re rich and famous!”” But now, before my grand ambitions could even take flight, I’d been mercilessly banished. On the other end of the communicator, Samuel listened to my tearful account and offered a new idea. “”Why don’t you go directly to his consort? Tell him Alexis has already tasted your blood. Harass him, force him to acknowledge your existence. At the very least, you might get some money out of him to keep you quiet. It wouldn’t be a total loss.”” That was certainly one way to handle it. I tossed and turned all night on the cot in my dingy inn room, finally deciding to confront the consort, a man named Leander. Before setting out, I carefully researched Leander’s life. He was just some ancient vampire who liked to read books. As for his face… I touched my chin, studying a blurry portrait of him that had circulated from who-knows-where. He was about on par with me, I figured. The number of men and women who had confessed their love to me over the years numbered in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, but I hadn’t been interested in any of them. After all, entering the world of the bloodline, becoming an immortal being—that was my ultimate goal. My plan was perfect: Leander was a noble of high standing. If I threw my shame to the wind and caused a scene at the antiquarian library he frequented, he would surely compromise to protect his dignity and reputation. Once a crack formed in their relationship, I could slip in. The position of prince’s consort would be mine for the taking. The only flaw in my brilliant plan was that I had misjudged myself—I wasn’t very good at throwing my shame to the wind. I managed to track Leander’s movements, but after entering the library several times, I just couldn’t bring myself to deliver the declaration of war I had prepared. Dejected, I sat in the darkest corner of the reading room, watching Leander explain ancient texts to a few young vampires in a voice as smooth as flowing water. He would occasionally drop a witty remark, drawing pleasant laughter from his audience. “”Lord Leander is so charming!”” a girl next to me whispered. “”How can there be such a perfect vampire in this world!”” “”I know, right? But Lord Leander has been with the prince forever. I hear their bond is unbreakable.”” The more I listened, the angrier I got. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I shot to my feet, ready to leave. The sound of my chair scraping against the floor startled the girl beside me and caught the attention of Leander at the lectern. “”This… human?”” he asked gently, his violet eyes holding a hint of curiosity. “”Is there a problem?”” I shook my head violently and fled the library like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Chapter 3 This latest failure struck a deep blow to my fragile little heart. I lay in bed, tossing and turning. At this rate, when would I ever become the prince’s companion? A thought suddenly flashed through my mind: I should just kidnap Leander. I was shocked by my own depravity, but the more I thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. No, not kidnap, just… scare him a little. If I couldn’t make him break up with Alexis, then at the very least, he had to give me some hush money! No sooner said than done. After scouting for several days, I finally found the perfect opportunity and cornered him on the quiet path leading from the library back to the castle. “”Who are you?”” Leander wasn’t panicked by my ambush. He simply raised an eyebrow, looking at me. “”You don’t need to know who I am. I came to say something to you.”” It was my first time doing something like this, and my heart was pounding. I tried to make my voice sound tougher. The beat of it was so loud in the silent night that I could feel his gaze piercing my skin, “”listening”” to the blood rushing through my veins. Leander must have been laughing internally as he watched me pretend to be calm. He probably saw me as a hissing kitten on the side of the road, utterly harmless. “”I… I want you to leave Alexis!”” I shouted, mustering all my courage. “”Oh?”” He looked at me with disbelief, and then his figure vanished before my eyes. In the next second, an immense force slammed me against the cold brick wall of the alley. A frigid hand clamped around my neck, choking off my breath. “”And why should I?”” The sudden reversal of power terrified me. Leander’s strength was immense; the pressure on my throat made it almost impossible to breathe. The fear of death made my brain work sluggishly. I couldn’t tell him it was because I wanted to take his place—he might actually snap my neck on the spot. I wanted money, not death! “”Still not talking?”” He saw my hesitation and his grip tightened. “”Should I help you by pulling out your tongue?”” “”Don’t! Don’t kill me!”” I began to struggle. “”I’ll talk, I’ll talk! It’s because… because I’ve fallen in love with you! Lord Leander!”” He froze for a moment, and the pressure on my neck eased. I seized the chance to slip from his grasp, gasping for air while backing away. “”That’s right. It’s because I’ve fallen in love with you. It was love at first sight, my lord.”” I started spouting nonsense, putting on my most sincere face to convince him. He quickly recovered, his brow furrowing for a moment before relaxing into a playful smile. “”A human from which town? What’s your name?”” “”I’m… I’m Samuel, from the east side of town.”” Sorry, my friend. I had to borrow your name. “”Alright, Samuel,”” he said, and to my astonishment, he believed me. “”As it happens, my lover is out hunting tonight. Why don’t you come to the castle for a visit? We can have a nice long talk about your… admiration.”” My mind raced. Alexis wasn’t there, so my cover wouldn’t be blown, and I could finally get inside the castle of my dreams. “”Of course, my lord!”” I eagerly approached him, taking his cold hand and feigning an overwhelmed, honored expression. He actually returned a gentle smile, his long fingers stroking my tousled hair as he led me home. Chapter 4 Leander brought me to his castle in the heart of the eternal night. The moment I stepped inside, I was struck by the enormous portrait of him and Alexis that dominated the grand hall. The aura of absolute power radiating from the two figures in the painting made me involuntarily take a step back. A pair of cold hands steadied me from behind. “”What’s wrong?”” Leander asked, a hint of a smile in his voice. “”N-nothing!”” I forced myself to take another step into the room. What’s there to be nervous about? I told myself. Don’t forget why you’re here! With that thought, my confidence returned. “”Lord Leander, your lover looks so… imposing,”” I said, adding a silent, Unlike you, who is both gentle and beautiful. He didn’t respond to my comment. “”Samuel, please have a seat on the sofa in the drawing room. I’ll get you a… warm drink. I’ll be right back.”” I sank into the velvet sofa, dazed. The exquisite fabric instantly soothed me, and I melted into it like an eel. Damn, the life of a vampire noble was good. I looked up to see Leander pouring me a glass of warm milk, playing the part of the gracious host. Another thought sparked in my mind: if I couldn’t win over Alexis, becoming Leander’s servant wouldn’t be so bad. He was handsome and gentle, and he could support me with Alexis’s wealth. The more I considered it, the more I liked the idea. I decided to offer some pleasantries to my new target. “”Lord Leander, do you need any help?”” “”Why, yes,”” his pleasant voice floated across the vast hall. “”Could you please stoke the fire in the fireplace for me?”” “”Right away!”” I shot up from the sofa and hurried to the fireplace, earning an appreciative smile from him. Just as I was basking in this false warmth, the heavy castle door creaked open, followed by a familiar, cold voice. “”I’m home.”” It was Alexis. What? A mouthful of warm milk caught in my throat. I wanted to shove my head into the fireplace. How could he be back? Didn’t Leander say he was out hunting and wouldn’t return until tomorrow? This was a trap! The two vampires had conspired against me! I was done for. My heart pounded so hard it rang in my ears. I wished desperately for a magic portal to appear and swallow me whole. “”We have a guest?”” The deep, commanding voice I had only heard in legends spoke. Alexis hadn’t seen my face yet; he was undoing the clasp of his blood-stained cloak, and the thick scent of iron made my stomach turn. “”A young man who… admires me,”” Leander replied calmly from his seat across from me, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. “”Excellent. My hunt was less than satisfying. He can be dessert.”” With that, Alexis turned and walked toward me. I buried my head in the sofa cushions. Don’t look at me, don’t look at me… The footsteps stopped. I felt a gaze as sharp as a knife land on me. More importantly, he had caught my scent. It was over. “”Lift your head,”” he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. What should I do? My mind went blank. I buried my head even deeper. “”Samuel, lift your head,”” Leander’s voice was still gentle and pleasant, but to me, it now sounded like the devil’s summons. “”Allow me to introduce you. This is my lover, Alexis. Alexis, this is my admirer, Samuel.”” A hand like an iron clamp seized my shoulder and yanked me from the sofa. When I saw the mixture of shock and fury on Alexis’s handsome face, I knew everything was ruined. “”You?”” His voice rose sharply. My legs gave out, and I nearly crumpled to the floor, but the hand on my shoulder held me fast, the grip painfully tight. Terrified and in pain, I could only stammer out a plea. “”P-Prince, my lord, I didn’t mean to… Lord Leander and I met by chance, yes, by chance!”” “”By chance he brought you back to the castle?”” Alexis’s glare looked like it could flay me alive. He turned to the other vampire. “”Rio, what in the hell are you playing at!”” Leander, who had remained calmly seated the entire time, watched as if he were a mere spectator. He glanced at me lazily. “”You two know each other?”” “”He’s the human from a few days ago, the one who tried to climb into my bed. His name is Rio,”” Alexis explained, dragging me forward like a piece of evidence. “”He was banished after his failed attempt to seduce me. He must hold a grudge and is trying to get back at me through you!”” “”Oh. So your name isn’t Samuel,”” Leander said, his gaze settling on me. His eyes were calm, but they sent a chill deep into my bones. He gestured for Alexis to let me go. The moment Alexis released me, I collapsed before them like a boneless snake. All my dignity, all my plans, vanished into thin air. All I wanted was to live. “”I’m not! I wasn’t trying to get revenge! Prince Alexis, Lord Leander, please spare my life!”” “”Spare you?”” A hint of amusement entered Leander’s voice, as if he’d heard a funny joke. He tapped my inner thigh with the polished tip of his leather boot. “”We’re not barbaric demons. Why would we take your life?”” Alexis’s brow furrowed even deeper. “”He’s tried to sabotage our relationship multiple times. Could he be a spy from a rival clan?”” “”No! No!”” I was scared out of my wits. I lunged forward and hugged Alexis’s leg, sobbing uncontrollably as I confessed my entire stupid “”seduction”” plan. Talk about trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it. My gut twisted with regret. I blamed everything on my friend, Samuel. It was all his fault! He was the one who tempted me to seduce a vampire! Otherwise, how could a fine young human like me end up in such a mess? When I finished, a dead silence fell over the room, broken only by my muffled sobs. Finally, Leander spoke. He looked up at his lover. “”Alexis, what do you want to do with this little rat?”” Alexis looked back at him. I saw a complex emotion flash in his eyes—a mixture of desire and fury. Then, I heard the sentence that would decide my fate. “”Drag him to the dungeon,”” Leander said. Chapter 5 “”No! No! Not the dungeon!”” The words pierced me like icicles. My mind instantly flooded with all the horrific tales of vampire dungeons. A face like mine wouldn’t last long in a place like that. I just wanted to be rich; I didn’t want to be drained of blood and turned into a mummy! My face went pale with terror. I scrambled toward Leander and clung to his leg, smearing tears and snot all over him. “”Lord Leander, Professor Leander! I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong! I’ll get out of here right now, I’ll disappear! I promise, I swear, I will never appear before you again!”” I cried a river of tears, and through my blurry vision, I could see that both of them wore complicated expressions. Alexis had already summoned the guards, who were preparing to drag me away. In that moment, I felt true despair. “”Don’t! Please, don’t kill me!”” I shrieked, nearly lunging to bite him. A foot pressed down on my thigh, the gentle pressure sending a sharp pain through me that made me gasp. It was Leander. He had stopped me with effortless ease. “”We don’t have to kill you,”” he said, crouching down. His cold fingers gripped my jaw, forcing me to look into his eyes. “”But what will you offer as compensation?”” Alexis waved the guards away. I stared at Leander in horror. I had been completely wrong. This seemingly gentle, elegant vampire noble was far more terrifying than the decisive, battle-hardened Prince Alexis. “”C-compensation? I don’t have any money…”” My voice trembled. “”We don’t want your money.”” A smile I couldn’t comprehend played on his lips. “”We want you. Your body, your blood, your everything.”””

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On my wedding day, my bride, Tessa, hid the rings for “fun,” refusing to come out until I found them. My groomsmen and I searched frantically, sweating and nearly dismantling furniture—but nothing. As panic set in, her best friend Ryan stepped forward, smugly revealing the ring on his finger. “Here it is! Don’t worry, I’ll take it off for you.” I laughed bitterly. “You expect me to wear your ring at my own wedding?” Tessa defended him: “It’s just a ring, Leo. Stop making a scene.” Her impatience was the final blow. “The wedding’s off,” I said firmly. She stared in disbelief. “You’re canceling over this?” I nodded. “I am.” 1 “Come on, ladies, don’t make this hard on us! Just tell us where the rings are! I’ll get on my knees and beg if I have to!” one of my groomsmen pleaded with the bridesmaids. “Yeah! We’ll pay! Name your price!” My heart warmed seeing my friends go to such lengths, practically begging to get the ceremony back on track. Tessa finally relented from inside the room. “Alright, alright, we’re running out of time. Give them the rings.” Every eye in the hallway turned to the three bridesmaids. But they just stood there, unmoving. A beat later, they all spoke at once. “I didn’t hide it.” “I don’t know where it is.” The atmosphere shifted. A strange tension filled the air. Tessa’s voice sharpened from behind the door. “Check again. Don’t tell me you lost it.” But even after scouring every inch of the room, the rings were nowhere to be found. Someone whispered, “Maybe someone’s playing a prank and hid them somewhere else?” That was all it took. Without another word, everyone fanned out, searching the entire house. We turned the place upside down, but there was no sign of the rings. We were officially going to be late. One of Tessa’s friends suggested, “Tessa, the guests are waiting. Why don’t we just head to the venue? I can have a new set of rings delivered. We can just get through the ceremony for now.” Tessa didn’t answer. Her gaze, through the crack in the door, was on me, waiting for my decision. I frowned, a knot of irritation tightening in my stomach. But this was an accident. No one could have predicted it. After a moment’s hesitation, I gave a curt nod. “I guess that’s our only option.” But just as I said it, Ryan stepped out from the corner he’d been lurking in. He theatrically pulled up his sleeve, a mocking, playful glint in his eye. “The ring’s right here! Told you you wouldn’t find it.” He was oblivious to the fact that his words had just sucked all the air out of the room. Everyone stared at his hand, their faces a mask of shock. One of the bridesmaids finally pieced it together. “Oh, I remember now! I was about to hide it in the wardrobe, but Ryan said he had a better spot. Then someone knocked on the door, and I got distracted. I didn’t see where he put it.” “I’m so sorry, Tessa,” she added, glaring at him. “I never thought he would mess around with something this important.” She then turned on him, her voice sharp. “Ryan! Why would you wear the groom’s wedding ring?” Ryan gave her an innocent look, as if he couldn’t detect the accusation in her tone. He turned to me. “Bro, I was just trying to help Tessa test you. I’ll take it off for you right now. I promise you won’t be late.” Looking at his face, I didn’t need to guess. I knew this was deliberate. It all made sense now. Ryan was usually an attention-seeking pest, but today he had been unnervingly quiet, practically invisible. He had been waiting for this moment. A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “So, you’re suggesting that at my own wedding, I should wear a ring that you’ve been wearing?” My words left him speechless. He looked at Tessa, his expression twisting into one of a wounded puppy. “Tessa, I was just trying to help. I wanted to see if Leo was really worthy of you. I thought you’d be happy that I found such a good hiding spot.” He added, with a shrug, “Besides, I’ve never been married. How was I supposed to know you can’t wear someone else’s wedding ring?” Even if it wasn’t a wedding ring, you don’t just wear someone else’s jewelry, I thought, a feeling of disgust washing over me. “You may not have experience with marriage,” I said cuttingly, “but do you have any sense of boundaries?” Then again, if he had any boundaries, he wouldn’t be constantly inserting himself into my life. But what truly shocked me was that Tessa, in that moment, took his side. “It’s just a ring,” she said, her tone defensive. “Do you have to be so harsh?” I looked at her, at the frown on her face, at the complicated, unreadable emotion in her eyes. And just like that, the fire in my chest was extinguished. It wasn’t that I wasn’t angry anymore. It was that, suddenly, it didn’t seem worth it. Tessa, oblivious to the shift inside me, said impatiently, “I’ll have a new ring sent over right now. Are you happy?” The way she said it made it sound like I was the one being unreasonable. I pulled at the corner of my mouth. “Forget it,” I said quietly. “The wedding’s off.” 2 The room fell silent. Everyone stared at me, stunned by my sudden declaration. Tessa let out a sharp laugh. “Are you kidding me, Leo?” “It’s just a ring. It’s not dirty, it’s not broken. Someone else just wore it for a few minutes. And you’re going to cancel our wedding over that? Are you seriously making such a big deal out of nothing?” The person who had sabotaged our wedding was Ryan. But in her eyes, I was the one being petty and irrational. Tessa and I had been together for a year. But before that, she had spent three years chasing me. She had been clumsy but determined, always showing up exactly when I needed her, doing everything she could to win me over. Even a man with a heart of stone would have been moved. The day we finally got together, she was as happy as a child with a new toy. She had held me, crying and laughing, and sworn, “I, Tessa, will only ever love Leo!” And she had meant it. For a while, her world had revolved around me. My feelings were her priority. So, even though we hadn’t been together long, when she proposed, I said yes. But then, during the wedding planning, this “male best friend” had appeared. And Tessa had changed. Dates, dinners—it didn’t matter. One phone call from Ryan, and she would drop everything and run to him. When I got angry, she would brush it off. “Ryan doesn’t know anyone else here. I’m just looking out for him. It’ll get better.” The change was so drastic it threw me off balance. We started fighting constantly. More than once, I wondered if we should even get married. I couldn’t make up my mind, right up until the night before the wedding. But in that moment, standing there, the answer was suddenly crystal clear. I was not going to marry Tessa. Seeing my silence, she must have thought I was having second thoughts. “Alright, stop this nonsense,” she said, her tone condescending. “If you keep this up, we’ll really miss the ceremony. It’s just a ring, once…” I cut her off, my patience gone. I answered her earlier question. “I am.” Tessa froze, finally realizing I wasn’t joking. It was Ryan who broke the silence, his voice thick with fake tears. “Leo, if you’re angry, blame me. Don’t take it out on Tessa. She didn’t do anything wrong.” Then, he actually dropped to his knees in front of me. “Bro, you can do whatever you want to me, but you can’t just cancel the wedding. Tessa has put so much into this. Have you even thought about her feelings? And what about the guests? It’s not right…” He was pretending to plead with me, but every word was an accusation. But I’m stubborn. Once I’ve made a decision, I don’t back down. I was about to speak when Tessa pulled Ryan to his feet. Her face was a cold mask. “Leo, I’m giving you one last chance. If you don’t want to be utterly humiliated, you will walk down that aisle with me right now. Otherwise, you can figure out how to explain this to our parents and all our guests.” A threat. But I’m not the kind of person who responds to threats. I smiled. “Fine by me.” Tessa’s face contorted in anger. “Fine,” she hissed. “Fine. Fine.” She turned to her friends. “Let’s go.” Seeing that we were serious, they tried to intervene, but Tessa cut them off. “He’s the one who wanted to cancel. If he comes crawling back, I might not even take him!” Her words were for them, but they were aimed at me. I just smirked and said nothing. After they had gone, my best man asked, “Bro, what now? She’s right. The guests are all waiting. She just left you to clean up this mess.” I laughed. If Tessa thought this would make me regret my decision, she was sorely mistaken. “So what if I don’t have a bride? I’ll just get a new one.” I pulled out my phone and made a call. 3 She picked up right away, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well, well. You have time to call me on your wedding day? Don’t tell me the bride ran off.” I swear, my friend Chloe has a sixth sense for disaster. She’s always right. I cleared my throat. “So… you want to come to my wedding?” A dry laugh. “Leo, have you forgotten what I said?” Of course, I hadn’t. Chloe had sworn that if I married Tessa, she wouldn’t show up even if I begged her. And true to her word, she was nowhere to be seen today. “Okay, I’m begging,” I said. “I’m short one bride. Can you help me out?” The line went silent. For a second, I thought she had hung up. Then, she said one word: “Wait.” After she hung up, I called the jeweler to have a new set of rings delivered, then turned to my groomsmen. “Let’s go.” But when we got downstairs, one of them said, “Bro, they’re gone! They took all the wedding cars. What do we do now?” Just then, my phone buzzed. A text from Tessa. “If you want to cancel the wedding, then don’t bother showing up at all!” I had to laugh. So that was her game. Well, I was definitely going to that wedding now. Cars? I had a garage full of them. But I hadn’t anticipated just how low Tessa would go. The moment I got into my car, my phone exploded with messages from both our parents. “Son, Tessa said you want to cancel the wedding. What’s going on?” “Leo, I don’t normally get involved in your arguments with Tessa, but on a day like this, you can’t be serious.” “Listen to me. Go get Tessa, patch things up, and get married. You can deal with the rest later.” Then there were the texts from friends, gossiping and asking for details. I glanced at them briefly, then replied to my mom. “The wedding is still on. If Tessa won’t come, I’ll marry someone else.”

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It was my company’s IPO celebration. My wife Isabella left the party early and didn’t return. At dawn, she stumbled in drunk, reeking of alcohol, with a vivid red mark on her neck. She hugged me, muttering her first love Paul’s name. Just then, Paul—Hollywood’s biggest star—posted cryptically online: 【We all need to take care of ourselves, so well that regret can no longer disturb us.】 The internet exploded. My wife publicly replied: 【Pretending, so well, that I’ve already forgotten you.】 Chaos followed. Furious fans flooded our company’s accounts, calling me a homewrecker. Rumors spread at work; partners pulled deals. My anxious assistant paced around. I sipped my coffee calmly. “Why panic?” “Send the security footage from last night’s garage to a hundred gossip blogs. Say the ‘wronged husband’ filmed it himself.” “And don’t blur the license plate. Let the whole city see that Lamborghini.” 1 The moment the video dropped, it seized every entertainment headline. 【Hollywood Star Paul Hale Exposed in Cheating Scandal】 【Tech Mogul’s Wife’s Affair with A-List Actor】 【Ethan Hawke Films The Whole Thing】 The three hashtags shot to the top of the trending charts, the heat around them refusing to die down. The street below my office was a swarming mass of reporters. My assistant, Mr. Evans, rushed in, his voice trembling. “Mr. Hawke, your wife… and Mrs. Hale, your mother-in-law, have both called.” I scrolled through the trending topics, my face a mask of indifference. Evans swallowed hard. “They want you to make a public statement clarifying that the man in the car… was you.” A cold laugh escaped my lips. “And why would I do that?” “She abandons me to spend the night with another man, and I’m supposed to cover for her? To drag my own name through the mud?” “Maybe you should book them an appointment with a neurologist. Only a brain-dead fool would think of using their husband as a shield for their affair!” The words had barely left my mouth when the office door was kicked open with a thunderous crack. Isabella stormed in, her eyes bloodshot with rage. She pointed a trembling finger at my face, her voice a raw scream. “Ethan, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you insane? Spreading these lies about your own wife online!” She slammed her phone down on my desk. The security footage was still playing on the screen. “Paul wasn’t feeling well, and I was just giving him a ride home! It was nothing like the sordid fantasy you’ve cooked up in your head!” “So we stayed in the car for an extra hour, what’s the big deal? Why are you making a mountain out of a molehill?” “Now Paul’s new movie is being shelved, and his endorsement deals are being canceled!” “You are going to delete that video and issue an apology right now. Then you’re going to sue every single person who reported on it!” My gaze turned to ice. “If nothing happened, then where did that kiss mark on your neck come from?” “If nothing happened, why did you spend the entire night clinging to me, crying out Paul’s name?” She froze for a second, her fury shifting to disbelief. “I was drunk! I wasn’t in my right mind!” “And who doesn’t have a passionate, unforgettable love from their past? Everyone does!” “Was it really necessary to plaster this all over the internet? To ruin us both just to make a point?” “I’m with you now! What more do you want from me?” I flipped my tablet face down on the table, my eyes like shards of ice when I looked up. “Isabella, you’re the one who destroyed your own future. And you’re the one who destroyed our marriage.” “And another thing. Do you really think a pathetic excuse like ‘I wasn’t in my right mind’ erases the disgusting thing you did?” “A woman like you, with no self-control, deserves to be publicly shamed, again and again.” “Don’t you dare wrap your infidelity in the pretty packaging of ‘unforgettable love.’ You make me sick.” Isabella’s chest heaved with rage. She kicked the coffee table over with a crash, the veins on her forehead bulging. “Ethan!” She snatched a heavy glass ashtray from the floor, her hand stopping just inches from my face. I didn’t flinch. I smiled. “Go on. Smash it. Tomorrow’s headline will be ‘Heiress of the Hale Corporation Attacks Husband in Violent Rage.’” “I guarantee you, it will be even more popular than your little tryst with Paul.” Her body went rigid, and her hand fell, trembling, to her side. A short while later, Isabella’s mother—the executive CEO of the Hale Corporation—called me herself. Her voice dripped with condescension. “Ethan, I’m giving you one last chance.” “You have five minutes to delete that video. Then, you will use the official Nexus Corp account to release a statement, telling everyone that you were the man in the car.” “The Hale family will not tolerate a scandal of this magnitude.” I leaned back on the sofa, swirling the wine in my glass. “Mrs. Hale, I’m not the one who caused a scandal. Your precious daughter is.” “After what she did, the fact that I didn’t halt my own company’s IPO is a kindness I’m already regretting.” The line went dead silent. Then, through gritted teeth, she asked, “What is it you want?” “Money? Resources? Shares in the Hale Corporation?” “Name your price. Just make this right with the media.” I took a sip of red wine. “I don’t want anything.” “I just want Isabella to pay for what she’s done.” Mrs. Hale laughed, a sound devoid of humor. “Pay? Ethan, are you sure you want to openly challenge the Hale family?” “Let me make one thing clear. Without us, you are nothing.” “You have ten minutes. If you haven’t done as I said by then, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” 2 The line went dead. Mr. Evans looked at me, his face etched with worry. “Sir, Mrs. Hale… she has a certain amount of influence.” “The projects we’ve been negotiating recently all rely on technology from the Hale Corporation. We can’t afford to—” “It’s fine.” I cut him off, my voice cold as I swiped through my phone. “I’m actually curious to see what they’ll try next.” Time ticked by. I didn’t call a single press conference. Instead, a photo surfaced online, posted by Paul’s agent. It showed him lying in a hospital bed, tears streaming down his face. The caption read: 【Thank you all for your concern. Please don’t attack anyone. This is all my fault.】 In the picture, Paul was dressed in a hospital gown, an oxygen mask over his face, his eyes red and swollen with tears. Simultaneously, the news that Paul had attempted to take his own life by overdosing shot to the top of the trending charts. Public opinion turned on a dime. My company’s social media was bombarded by his fans, a torrent of vicious curses aimed directly at me. 【He’s a monster! He’s trying to bully Paul to death!】 【Ethan Hawke needs to die! Give Isabella back to Paul!】 【We support Paul! The one who isn’t loved is the real victim!】 My phone rang again. It was Isabella, her voice seething with a hatred she couldn’t hide. “Paul tried to kill himself. Are you happy now, Ethan?” “If anything happens to him, I swear to God, I will drag you down to hell with me!” The sheer absurdity of it was staggering. “Isabella, stop blaming me for everything.” “Did I force him to swallow those pills? Did I force him to become your mistress?” “If you love him so much, why don’t you just go die with him?” “Oh, and by the way, tell Paul that next time he tries a stunt like this, he should use something stronger than a handful of vitamins.” “It’s one thing for you to be an idiot, but don’t assume the rest of the world is too.” I slammed the phone down. But my actions had thoroughly enraged Mrs. Hale. That afternoon, our company’s overseas expansion plans hit a wall. One after another, our partners sent termination letters. Not only that, but investors began pulling out of our new projects, citing “high risk due to the misconduct of Nexus Corp’s executive management.” Mr. Evans put down the phone with a heavy sigh. “Sir, another contract terminated.” “They’re trying to burn us to the ground.” In the span of a single day, I went from the celebrated CEO of a newly public company to a man drowning in astronomical debt. A message from Isabella popped up. 【This is what you get for crossing the Hale family, Ethan.】 【Apologize now if you know what’s good for you. Don’t make us get nasty.】 【The divorce papers are in the mail. Don’t even think about fighting it.】 I let out a soft laugh. And replied with a single word: 【Pathetic.】 Isabella, apparently shocked that I still refused to bow, stormed into my office with her entourage in tow. “Ethan, get the hell out!” “This is my company now. You have no right to be here!” I remained seated on the sofa, watching her with detached amusement. “Have you lost your mind, Isabella?” “I made you a general manager at my company, and suddenly you think you own the place?” “Why don’t you go check who the majority shareholder is?” “This place has absolutely nothing to do with you, or the Hale family.” She stood frozen, dumbfounded. She had assumed that the shares I’d given her when we married, combined with her own clandestine acquisitions, would have secured her the top spot. But I had been prepared for this. Standing behind her, Paul’s lower lip trembled, his eyes welling up with tears. “Isabella, maybe we should just go.” “If we make him angrier, who knows what other lies he’ll spread about me online…” He blinked, and a fat tear rolled down his cheek. The sight of it sent a pang of protectiveness through Isabella. She spun back to me, her eyes blazing. “Don’t get too comfortable, Ethan!” she roared. “Every ounce of pain Paul has suffered, I will repay to you, tenfold!” “You just wait! One day, I will run you out of this city! I’ll have you blacklisted from the entire industry!” I smirked, giving her a lazy nod. “Alright. I’ll be waiting.” 3 My gaze shifted to Paul. “By the way, Mr. Hale, next time you fake an overdose, you might want to bring a toxicology report from the hospital.” “Falsifying medical records is a serious crime, you know.” Paul’s face went white, the blood draining from his lips. Isabella shoved him behind her, her embarrassment turning to fury. “That’s enough, Ethan! You will not threaten him again!” Seeing her stand there, a righteous defender of her lover, was so laughable I could barely contain it. “Isabella, you’re the one who turned him into a homewrecker.” “You love him, but you couldn’t stand that he had no power, no status. You couldn’t give him a legitimate title, but you were more than happy to use my family’s resources to claw your way up…” “You’re the one who dragged him into this scandal! It was your insatiable greed, your need to have everything, that did this!” Isabella’s fists clenched, her chest heaving. She grabbed Paul by the arm and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. In the days that followed, the Hale family launched an all-out assault. My personal information was leaked online. Photoshopped images of me in a coffin circulated widely. My company’s internal network was repeatedly hacked by anonymous attackers. Mr. Evans reported it to the police, but each report only triggered a fresh wave of retaliation. Meanwhile, Isabella brought Paul as her date to the Hale Corporation’s annual gala, declaring her love for him in front of the entire media. “Paul,” she said, her voice ringing with emotion, “let’s get married.” The world cheered for their “epic love story.” And I was cast as the villain, a sick, twisted man. When Mrs. Hale called again, her voice was dripping with smug triumph. “Ethan, I warned you. The Hale family is not to be trifled with.” “However, if you publicly admit that you maliciously fabricated this entire story, and then get on your knees and beg me…” “I might consider letting you off the hook.” I toyed with a teacup, then lowered my voice. “Mrs. Hale, your memory must be failing in your old age. You seem to have forgotten my last name.” My father, though long retired, was a man whose word was still law in this city. My mother had founded a world-leading research institute, with connections spanning the globe. I hadn’t used my family’s power because I still held some small sentiment for the marriage we once had. I didn’t want to be utterly ruthless. But now, I could see they weren’t worthy of such sentiment. Isabella’s voice came through the line. “You’ve seen what my mother can do. If you don’t clear this up, we will crush you completely.” “I’m going to teach you the true meaning of regret.” A small, cold smile touched my lips. “We’ll see about that.” I was dying to see how a pathetic, second-rate dynasty like the Hales planned to go up against the Hawke family of New York.

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The girl at the front desk had a thing for my boyfriend. So she decided to ruin my reputation in front of him. “You know,” she said, her voice dripping with fake concern, “this young lady was here with a different man last night.” “She made a real mess of the sheets when she checked out, too. Refused to pay the cleaning fee.” She put a hand to her mouth, feigning shock. “Oh, my goodness. Did I say something I shouldn’t have?” Her eyes, wide and innocent, darted to my boyfriend, Neo. “I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t stand to see a good man like you being deceived.” I told her to pull the security footage. She claimed the cameras were broken. What she didn’t know was that this five-star hotel… belongs to my family. 1 “Ma’am, how can I help you?” The receptionist was speaking to me, but her eyes were glued to Neo. I glanced at her name tag. Jenna. I actually remembered her, this delicate-looking girl from the front desk. She was the one who checked us in last night when Neo brought me to the hotel. She’d been so flustered by him that she’d knocked over her glass of water. After a clumsy cleanup, she’d dragged out the check-in process for another fifteen minutes, finding any excuse to keep him there. I knew Neo was a head-turner. He was tall and lean, with fair skin and handsome, chiseled features. His eyes were his best feature—warm and expressive, the kind of eyes that could make a lamppost feel cherished. It wasn’t unusual for girls to stare; I’d gotten used to it. A handsome man is a handsome man, after all. But this receptionist? Wasn’t she taking it a little too far? “Hi, I checked out this morning, but I think I left a necklace on the bathroom sink,” I said. Silence. She was still staring at Neo. “Hello? Did you hear me?” 2 Neo and I met in our senior year of college. We were the classic campus couple. Everyone says graduation is breakup season, but not for us. We ended up in different cities for work, joining the ranks of the long-distance crowd, but our bond felt as strong as ever. I was in his city for a business trip, and he’d suggested I stay at his place. But with his parents and grandparents living there, I wasn’t comfortable with it. I didn’t want to face the scrutiny of his entire family before we were even engaged. So, Neo had booked me a room at the only five-star hotel in town, The Celestial. I’d checked out early that morning. It was only after lunch with Neo, as I was getting ready to head home, that I realized my necklace was gone. I waved a hand in front of the receptionist’s face, finally snapping her out of her daze. She blushed and looked away. After a cursory glance at her computer screen, she answered without a hint of hesitation. “Ma’am, housekeeping cleaned your room this morning and reported no forgotten items. Are you sure you didn’t misplace it?” I was taken aback. I remembered it clearly. While I was brushing my hair in front of the mirror this morning, it had gotten tangled. I’d unclasped the necklace and set it on the counter. Just as I was about to put it back on, my phone rang. My client had arrived early for our meeting. I’d grabbed my bag in a rush and hurried out, completely forgetting about the necklace until after the contract was signed. “I’m positive it was on the sink,” I insisted. “Could you please double-check with the cleaning staff?” She didn’t pick up the phone. Instead, her tone became firm, almost accusatory. “We have no record of any lost items. You must be mistaken.” Neo noticed my frown and stepped forward, taking my hand. “Don’t worry, babe. Think carefully. Maybe you dropped it somewhere on the way here?” 3 A prickle of annoyance went through me. What was that supposed to mean? Did he think I was making it up? I was absolutely certain my necklace was on that bathroom sink. It was a diamond necklace my mother had given me for my birthday last month. It was incredibly valuable. “Your hotel lobby and elevators must have security cameras, right?” I said, my voice hardening. “Pull the footage. We can see if I was wearing it when I left this morning.” Neo let out a breath of relief. “Yeah, that’s a great idea,” he said, turning back to Jenna. “Could you please pull up the security footage for us?” The receptionist froze. Her eyes darted around for a second before she bit her lip, her expression turning strangely complicated as she looked at me. “Ma’am,” she began, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “is it possible… your companion took it?” Neo and I both stared at her, confused. His face immediately darkened. “Companion? What companion?” he demanded. Jenna blurted it out. “The man who stayed with this lady last night.” She didn’t stop there. “The lady left first this morning. The gentleman didn’t check out until an hour later. When our housekeeper went to inspect the room, she found… well, stains… all over the bedsheets. It’s against policy, so we had to charge a cleaning fee. The gentleman refused to pay and made quite a scene about it.” Neo looked like he was about to explode. His face flushed a deep crimson, and his voice shot up an octave. “What man? What the hell are you talking about?” 4 I was even angrier than he was. What was wrong with this woman? I’d been up until three in the morning finalizing a contract. What man? What was this crazy story she was spinning? And dirty sheets? Stains? The insinuation was disgusting. My face went cold, and I fixed her with an icy stare. “You realize slander is a crime, right? Now, I want you to repeat that. What man was in my room yesterday?” She recoiled as if I’d struck her, taking two steps back. “Maybe… maybe I remembered wrong,” she stammered. Neo shoved me aside, his teeth clenched as he glared at me. “Sandy, don’t you dare threaten her.” He then turned back to the receptionist, forcing a strained smile. “It’s okay. Take your time. Don’t be afraid.” Jenna lowered her head, deliberately dropping her voice to a near whisper. “I… we’re not allowed to disclose guest privacy. I’m sorry, just… please forget I said anything.” My head was spinning. A hot rush of blood pounded in my temples. Neo was no better. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving with rage. “Sandy, is this why you wouldn’t stay at my place? No wonder you didn’t answer my video call last night. It was because… because…” His voice cracked. “Who was he, Sandy? Who was the man?” He didn’t believe me. Some complete stranger appears out of nowhere, spews a few nonsensical sentences, and just like that, he’s questioning our entire relationship. He’s questioning me. I stared at him, feeling as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise, a dull, aching pain mixed with a bitter sting. In his eyes, was I really that kind of person? The kind who would come to her boyfriend’s city on a business trip only to secretly hook up with another man? And then, the next day, act as if nothing happened, sharing a meal with him without a hint of guilt? 5 My silence seemed to confirm his suspicions. Jenna, seeing her chance, put on a show of consoling Neo. “Sir, please don’t get too upset. Maybe that man was a relative? I did notice he was much older, maybe in his fifties? He was losing a lot of his hair… Perhaps it was her father?” If she kept talking, my blood vessels were going to burst. “Shut your mouth!” I roared, unable to take it anymore. “Spreading rumors is illegal! I’m calling the police right now. Get your manager over here. I want to see that security footage!” The color drained from Neo’s face, shifting from red to a sickly white. He gave me a long, hard look, a bitter, mocking smile twisting his lips. “Sandy, you’re really something else.” He paused. “You know I won’t let you call the cops.” “What? What do you mean, you won’t let me?” His eyes were filled with disappointment, completely devoid of warmth. “My uncle is a cop. He’s in charge of this district. If you call them, there’s a good chance he’ll be the one to show up. Is that what you want? You want everyone to know about this? You might not have any shame, but I do.” I almost laughed out loud from sheer rage. “Neo, you’ve already found me guilty based on a few words from a stranger? You think you can stop me from calling the police? This receptionist slandered me, and I’m missing a valuable necklace. Of course I’m calling them.” 6 Jenna looked deeply wounded, her eyes welling up with tears. “Ma’am, how can you say that? I… I really didn’t slander you. You’re a guest at our hotel, why would I do that? You weren’t even wearing a necklace when you checked in yesterday.” She gasped, covering her mouth as if a shocking thought had just occurred to her. “Oh! That necklace… don’t tell me it was a gift from the gentleman last night?” Neo’s face grew darker and darker. Finally snapping, he grabbed my wrist. “Sandy, stop making a scene! The necklace, the necklace, that’s all you care about! What about me? What am I to you? You’re coming with me, right now!” His grip was like iron, crushing my wrist, and I was sure he was going to break the bone. I cried out in pain as a tidal wave of fury washed over me, threatening to swallow me whole. We’d been together for two years. I thought I knew Neo. He was cheerful, kind, and hardworking. His family background was modest, but he carried himself with a quiet dignity. “Sandy, I’ll work my tail off for you,” he’d promised. “We might not be able to afford a mansion and a sports car right now, but I’ll do everything I can to give you a good life.” “I got my bonus today! Let’s go out for a fancy dinner!” He was a dedicated worker, already a department manager just two years out of college. My plan had been to take him to meet my parents by the end of the year, to finally tell him the truth about my family. 7 Because of a kidnapping incident in my childhood, I’ve always been extremely private about my family’s wealth. Throughout college, I lived modestly—my clothes, my habits, everything was designed to make me seem like an ordinary person. In the two years Neo and I had been dating, I deliberately avoided talking about my family. I’d just vaguely said my parents were small business owners and our situation was average. Seeing my reluctance, Neo, ever the considerate boyfriend, never pushed the topic. The truth is, my father owns a chain of luxury hotels. The very hotel we were standing in was just one of hundreds my family owned. My mother is in real estate. Theirs was an arranged marriage, a union of two powerful families. When they found out about Neo, they hadn’t objected. My father only had one condition: the boy couldn’t know about our wealth. Not until they had a chance to meet him and thoroughly vet his character. I’d beaten my chest and promised them. “Mom, Dad, don’t you worry! Your daughter has impeccable taste. Neo is the best person I’ve ever met. You’re going to love him.” But now? My cheeks burned as if I’d been slapped. “Let go of me!” I wrenched my arm free, meeting his murderous gaze with my own furious glare. “Neo, you believe a complete stranger over me? Is that it? Then we’re done. We’re breaking up.” My voice was cold and steady. “From this moment on, we have nothing to do with each other. If you touch me again, I’ll press charges for assault. Now get out of my way. I’m calling the police.”

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The world shattered the moment I found out about my husband and my sister. “It was never you, Clara. It was always her.” Liam’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice a blade. “You were the one who got in the way.” Each word was a hammer blow to my heart. The blood drained from my face. A tremor wracked my body—a toxic cocktail of pain, fury, and humiliation. “I was in the way?” My voice was a sharp, desperate whisper. “You knelt on the floor and begged me to marry you, Liam. And now you’re telling me it was always Ava?” A raw, hysterical laugh tore from my throat. It dissolved into a flood of tears that streamed down my face, hot and relentless. Seeing me so utterly broken seemed to jolt him from his cold rage. Panic flickered in his eyes. He reached for me, then snatched his hand back as if burned. His lips trembled, unable to form a coherent sentence. “Clara, that’s not what I meant… You… let me explain…” But I was already gone. I walked out the door like a ghost, an empty shell propelled by a pain so vast it had hollowed me out completely. I stumbled onto the street, oblivious, a zombie navigating a world that had lost all color. A blinding light sliced through the fog. The moment the truck hit me, my last coherent thought was, This still doesn’t hurt as much as my heart. 1 The sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nose. I forced my eyes open, squinting against the harsh sunlight piercing through the blinds. “Miss Hayes? You’re awake.” A young nurse came in, her voice soft. “You’ll be fine. You’re just a bit weak. We need to get your strength back up.” I stared at her, uncomprehending. The phantom agony of betrayal still echoed in my nerves, my mind a disoriented haze. This scene… I knew this scene. This was the hospital room from when I was twenty, after I collapsed by the pool. It was all coming back. Three days ago, I had won the National Dance Championship. My parents, ecstatic, had insisted on throwing a celebration at the Grandview Hotel. My younger sister, Ava, had recently failed her audition for the summer intensive. Though she pretended it didn’t bother her and my parents told her it was nothing, I knew how sensitive she was. I’d spent the whole party keeping an eye on her. When she disappeared, I went looking. I found her outside by the pool. A moment of distraction, a child running past, and I was knocked into the icy water, the shock pulling me into darkness. Before I could fully process the impossible reality of my return, the door to my hospital room opened again. Liam stood there, holding a bouquet of flowers. Behind him, her face a carefully constructed mask of concern, was Ava. “How are you feeling?” Liam walked to my bedside, his hand reaching for my forehead. “The fever’s broken. You just need to rest.” Instinctively, I recoiled from his touch. My expression was a complicated storm of emotions I couldn’t yet name. “I’m fine. Thank you.” Ava rushed forward. “Clara, it’s all my fault. If it wasn’t for me, you never would have ended up in here.” Her face was stained with tears, her voice trembling, her eyes brimming with guilt. Liam immediately wrapped an arm around her, his touch gentle as he guided her to a chair. “It’s not your fault, Ava. It was an accident.” His voice held a tenderness he had never used with me. Ava leaned into him, a subtle shift of weight, a silent claim. She looked up at him, her eyes a mix of gratitude, sorrow, and something else—a flicker of dependence I’d never seen before. I watched them, a cold, bitter clarity dawning in my heart. The intimacy, the unspoken language between them… it was so obvious. How had I been so blind my entire life? Sensing my glacial stare, Liam’s face flushed. He cleared his throat. “Ava and I are here to take you home.” Back at the house, my mother led me to the dining table. “Ava had Maria make all your favorites,” she said, placing a piece of short rib on my plate. “She cried all night, saying she wished it had been her who fell in the water…” I listened to my mother’s chatter, my stomach churning as I looked at the greasy piece of meat. I had lost my appetite. “Mom, I think I’m just going to go to my room.” She paused. “Alright, honey.” She helped me from my chair. “We’ll keep it warm for you, in case you get hungry later.” Lying in my bed, I replayed my previous life with Liam. Countless details, once dismissed as insignificant, now surfaced, each one a small, sharp piece of the devastating truth. He said I was the one in the way. Fine. This time, I would give them exactly what they wanted. I would step aside and let them have each other. This time, I would not be an obstacle. The next day, I began packing a suitcase for the dorms. “Clara, why are you moving out?” my mother asked, bewildered. “The campus isn’t far. Michael can drive you every day.” I placed my hairdryer into the suitcase. “Finals are coming up. I need to focus.” “Don’t go, Clara, please.” Ava grabbed my sleeve, her voice a soft, childish whine. “I’ll miss you if I can’t see you.” It was her signature move—the pouting, the wide eyes, the saccharine tone that always made me give in. I gently pulled my sleeve from her grasp. “I’ll be back after my exams are over.” That evening, Liam came to see me. “You’re moving into the dorm?” He held out a small box of strawberry tarts. “Can’t you stay? Ava’s really upset.” I didn’t take the box. My favorite was blueberry. He always got it wrong. I used to think he just couldn’t tell the difference. Now I knew the truth: he just didn’t care enough to remember. He never once mixed up Ava’s favorite, peach. “If you need a tutor, I can help you study. You don’t have to move out,” he said earnestly, placing the box on my desk. “No, thank you,” I replied, my voice cool and distant. “I just want to focus on my studies without any distractions.” “Alright then. But if you need anything, I’m always here for you.” He gazed at me, his expression full of the same deep concern that had fooled me for a decade. The same look that had made me believe I was the center of his world. If I hadn’t lived and died by his lies already, I might have fallen for it all over again. “I was never in love with you. You misunderstood. Our parents misunderstood.” His words from the end of my last life echoed in my head—the self-righteous justification that had shattered my reality, turning a decade of devotion into a pathetic, one-sided joke. 2 Living in the dorm was a breath of fresh air. The quiet solitude was a balm on my wounded soul, allowing me to pour all my energy into my studies and, more importantly, my dance. In my past life, I had been offered a scholarship to study abroad with a world-renowned company in London. I turned it down for Liam. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. It was ten o’clock when I left the dance studio, muscles aching with a satisfying burn. “Clara, there’s someone downstairs for you,” my roommate, Jess, said, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. “Is that your boyfriend? He’s gorgeous.” I glanced out the window. A tall, familiar figure stood under the sprawling oak tree, a small box in his hand, his eyes fixed on the dormitory entrance. “No,” I said flatly, ignoring her teasing. I didn’t go down. Instead, I pulled out my phone and sent Liam a text. “Did you need something?” If I was going to cut ties, I had to be decisive. No more face-to-face meetings. My phone buzzed with an incoming call. I hesitated for a second before answering. “Clara, I brought you something to eat,” Liam’s smooth voice said through the phone. “Why don’t you come down and get it?” “Thank you, but I don’t need it.” I hung up without another word, my heart a calm, steady rhythm in my chest. Liam stood frozen, staring at his phone. He hadn’t expected such a cold dismissal. Something was different. Something had changed. When he got back to his car, Ava was waiting in the passenger seat. “Liam, did you see Clara?” she asked, her big, watery eyes full of faux concern. “No,” he said, his tone clipped. He was still reeling from my rejection. “She wouldn’t come down.” “Oh, it’s all my fault. My ankle is twisted, otherwise I could have brought it up to her dorm myself,” Ava lamented, her lower lip trembling. “She hasn’t been home in so long. I hope she’s okay.” Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Liam’s focus snapped back to her. A wave of protectiveness washed over him. “Hey, hey, don’t cry. I know you’re worried about her, but she’ll be fine.” He gently brushed a tear from her cheek, his finger lightly tapping the tip of her nose. “You’re the one we need to worry about. You’re too thin. You need to eat more.” Later that night, Liam found himself staring at my name in his contacts. Before my curt text earlier, the last message from me was from the day of the banquet. I had asked if he could arrive a little early; I wanted to wear the necklace he was getting me. It was a new design by Mr. Chloe, a piece I had been dreaming of for months. He had planned to surprise me with it. But Ava, in her infinite helpfulness, had told me the moment he’d secured the purchase. I had been so happy, my eyes sparkling like crushed starlight. A faint smile touched Liam’s lips at the memory. He typed out a message: “Are you asleep? Want to get lunch tomorrow?” He waited. A long time passed, but the screen remained blank. A flicker of disappointment crossed his face. She’s probably just asleep, he told himself. She didn’t see it. Lying in my dorm bed, I saw his message and scoffed. Was this a date, or was he just following Ava’s instructions? Every time we’d planned to be alone in the past, Ava would miraculously appear. “Ava’s by herself, let’s just have her join us,” he would always say. And I never questioned it. Liam and I had known each other since we were kids. We grew up together. He’d sit for hours while I practiced, we’d study together, share our secrets. Our friends, our parents—everyone assumed we were destined to be together. An inseparable pair. I had believed it, too. How naive I’d been. Ava was five years younger, a little shadow who was always trailing behind us. While I excelled, she was… average. Quiet, timid, a fragile little thing wrapped in a cocoon of insecurity. My parents never pushed her, their only wish for her was to be happy. I, in turn, felt a natural, sisterly duty to protect her. It never occurred to me that she and Liam were tangled together. My husband, the love of my life, and my sister, my own flesh and blood. The two people I trusted most, conspiring to push me into an abyss. Looking back now, I was a fool. Utterly, completely blind. I remember one Valentine’s Day. Liam and I were going to walk across Lovers’ Bridge. And then, suddenly, there was Ava, turning our twosome into a clumsy threesome. I had gently tried to hint, “Doesn’t Mom need you at home?” Tears immediately welled in her eyes. “Clara… am I bothering you and Liam?” she whimpered, stumbling back a step. “I’ll… I’ll go home right now.” Her trembling shoulders and the sight of her retreating back, racked with sobs, was enough for Liam to turn on me. “Clara, she’s your sister! How could you say that to her?” I felt a hot flush of shame, instantly regretting my words. “Liam, don’t yell at Clara,” Ava cried, running back to grab my hand. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have intruded…” Liam rushed to her side, pulling her into a protective embrace. “It’s not your fault. Your sister was out of line.” And I, the fool, saw nothing wrong with that picture. I just stood there, drowning in guilt. 3 The next morning, I finally replied to Liam. “No, thank you. I have to study.” Then I put him out of my mind and dove headfirst into my work. That evening, I got a call from my dad. “Clara, Liam’s grandfather is back from his trip. We’re all having dinner at their estate tomorrow night.” In my past life, Mr. Sterling had always been incredibly kind to me. As much as I wanted to avoid Liam, I couldn’t be disrespectful. I had to go. I ignored the designer dress my parents had laid out for me and opted for simple jeans and a white shirt. When we arrived, I could see Liam and Ava in the garden, laughing together. I handed my gift to the old man. “Mr. Sterling, it’s so good to see you. I hope you’re well.” “Clara, my dear girl, come sit by me,” he said with a warm smile. He then called over to Liam. “Liam, get Clara a glass of iced tea. It’s a warm evening.” A nearby housekeeper chuckled. “The moment Miss Hayes arrives, our young Mr. Sterling steals our jobs.” “It’s what the boy should be doing,” his grandfather laughed along. I took the glass from Liam, my thanks cool and distant. Sensing the chill between us, Mr. Sterling deliberately seated us next to each other at dinner. “Clara, can I sit next to you?” Ava appeared, her eyes wide and pleading. “I’ve missed you so much. We haven’t eaten together in ages.” Before I could answer, Liam had already moved, pulling Ava into the seat between us. He then proceeded to fill her plate with all of her favorite dishes. “Liam, Clara loves this dish. You should give her some,” Ava said, pointing to a platter. “I don’t like it anymore,” I said calmly, before he could move. “Oh, Clara, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know…” Her eyes reddened, a tear trembling on her lashes. I looked up at her, my gaze knowing and direct. My stare must have struck a nerve. She flinched, her hand knocking over a wine glass in a clatter of panicked movement. “Clara, you’re scaring her,” Liam chided, his tone sharp with accusation. “She’s just trying to be nice.” I simply glanced at him before returning to my meal. His grandfather, sensing the strange tension, asked Liam to drive me home after dinner. “Clara, I wasn’t trying to blame you earlier,” he said, taking my hand as we walked to the car. “It’s just… Ava is fragile. You have to be more patient with her.” I pulled my hand free. “Okay.” “I got this for you,” he said, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. “I saw it and immediately thought of you.” He opened it to reveal a delicate jade bracelet. “It’s warming jade. Your circulation is poor, this should help.” He moved to put it on my wrist. In my past life, he claimed he never loved me. Yet every gesture, every touch, every thoughtful gift was a lie that made me believe we were meant to be. As I got out of the car, I discreetly slipped the bracelet off and tucked it into the small compartment by the rearview mirror. If I was truly done, I couldn’t accept his gifts. Mid-week, I went home to gather a few things and took the opportunity to box up every gift Liam had ever given me. There was the pinwheel from our childhood, sand art from a beach trip, and countless pieces of jewelry. The box was surprisingly large and heavy. I taped it shut and shoved it into the deepest corner of my closet. There was no need to return it, but I would never open it again. My talent in dance had caught the attention of Professor Finch, the head of the department. He called me into his office. “Clara, there’s an opportunity to study under the legendary Alistair Finch in London. He was very impressed with your competition tape. They have resources there that could change your life. You need to take this seriously.” In my past life, Professor Finch had said the same thing. The first person I had told was Liam. “Clara, that’s wonderful,” he had said, though his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “But a young woman like you, all alone, thousands of miles from home… what if something happens? What if you get hurt?” He looked at me, his voice soft and laced with concern. “I would be worried sick.” Back then, I thought he truly couldn’t bear to be without me. I had held his arm and told my professor, “I have everything I need right here.” The memory was so absurd it was almost funny. “Professor,” I said, my voice firm with conviction. “I will take this opportunity.” “Good. Talk to your family. If there are no objections, you leave in a week.”

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My phone died. That’s how it started. My fiancée, Isabelle, was outside the car, her own phone now automatically connected to the Mercedes’ Bluetooth. She had no idea I could hear every word. “Did you pull it off?” It was her best friend, Chloe. Isabelle’s voice, crisp and clear through the car’s speakers, replied, “Barely. I made it to the airport just in time. He thinks I just got back from my business trip. He has no clue.” “You two have a wedding date set, Izzy. Are you seriously going to marry him?” “I don’t know,” Isabelle sighed, and I felt the air leave my lungs. “There’s a sense of… safety with Caleb. It’s solid. But it’s so damn boring. There’s no fire, no passion.” Chloe cackled. “Let me guess, the new boy toy is all fire? Lots of passion? Did you have a good time playing house?” “Oh, shut up,” Isabelle said, but there was no heat in it. “The wedding is in two weeks. I’m freaking out. I can’t live a life this predictable. But if I call it off, the damage to the company’s reputation… to my family’s… Chloe, what do I do?” “So, what you’re really asking is how to get Caleb out of the picture without taking the blame?” “I don’t know.” “Right,” Chloe said, her voice dripping with understanding. “You want your cake and you want to eat it, too. Got it. Give me a couple of days. I’ll come up with a plan.” “Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” The call ended. I watched her walk back toward the car, a vision of effortless elegance against the chaotic backdrop of the airport arrivals lane. 1 I had been waiting here, my heart thrumming with anticipation, only to have it shattered by a conversation I was never meant to hear. You don’t know how to choose? Fine. I’ll choose for you. Three years ago, Isabelle was negotiating a deal in Sonora when she was taken by a local cartel. Her father, a titan of industry, put out the word with a staggering reward: whoever could get his daughter back would have his blessing to marry her. I’d just gotten out of the service, my discharge papers still fresh. When I heard the news, I didn’t think about the money or the marriage. All I thought was: An American is in trouble. We don’t leave our own behind. I called in favors, assembled a small team of guys I’d trusted my life with overseas, and we went in. It was a hellish, razor’s-edge operation, but we brought her home. Maybe it was the way I kicked down the door to her cell, but something about me left an indelible mark on Isabelle. I never asked for the reward, but she started pursuing me. She was stunning, polished, and sharp as a tack. I didn’t stand a chance against her carefully orchestrated charm. I fell, and I fell hard. We started dating, but she never pushed for marriage, always saying her career came first. I didn’t push either, because my own family was a different kind of obstacle. They disapproved of the match, saw her as a socialite, and to this day, had refused to meet her. For three years, I worked on them, sending photos, telling stories of our life together, trying to bridge the gap. They finally relented, agreeing to meet her at a charity gala in three days. Today was supposed to be the triumphant first step. Instead, she’d just doused my world in ice water. Just as she reached for the passenger door handle, my phone, plugged into the console, flickered back to life. I had to end this, but I wanted to do it with some dignity, to give us both a clean break. The moment she sat down, my phone rang. A number without a name. But my memory, honed by years of training, is photographic. I’d seen this number on her phone before. It was her assistant, Leo. Her “boy toy.” What the hell was he calling me for? I answered. “Hey, Cal, I’m not feeling so hot. Can you swing by my place and give me a lift to the hospital?” Cal? At the office, I was officially Isabelle’s bodyguard and driver, but everyone knew the real story. Every employee, from the mailroom to the boardroom, called me Mr. Henderson, or Caleb if they were feeling bold. No one called me Cal. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” I said, my voice low and tight. “I’m Ms. Ross’s assistant. You’re her driver. It’s your job. If my condition gets worse because you wouldn’t help, that’s on you.” “Leo? What’s wrong?” Isabelle’s voice was laced with genuine panic. “Oh, Ms. Ross, you’re there! Perfect. Can you tell Cal to come get me? I feel awful. Just… sick all over.” “Of course,” she said immediately. “Stay put, we’re on our way.” “Thanks,” he rasped, then hung up. “We need to go to Leo’s place, now,” she ordered. “‘Leo.’ Sounds cozy,” I said, the words tasting like acid. “He went to my alma mater. He feels like a little brother,” she explained, not meeting my eyes. “Don’t be jealous, Caleb. He’s sick. Let’s just go.” “Address.” She rattled it off without a moment’s hesitation. “I meant,” I said, turning to face her fully, “how do you know his address by heart?” “What is that supposed to mean?” Her brow furrowed. “I hired him myself. Of course I have his personal information on file.” “And did you hear him call me ‘Cal’?” “He doesn’t know who you are to me, officially.” “And that gives him the right to be a disrespectful little punk? To order your driver around?” “Caleb, are you going to do this right now?” she snapped. “He’s not feeling well, he obviously wasn’t thinking straight. Just drive the car.” I stared at her. The anxiety etched on her face, the deep well of worry in her eyes—it was a look I’d never once seen directed at me, not even when I was sick with a fever that could boil water. “Caleb, Leo’s an orphan,” she said, her tone softening, manipulative. “I just feel like he needs a little extra looking after. Don’t read into it.” She started digging through her purse. “Oh, look! I got you something on my trip. I know you were upset I missed your birthday, but this… Leo actually helped me pick it out. I know you’ll love it.” She handed me a small, elegantly wrapped box. I took it, my fingers numb, and without a word, I rolled down the window and tossed it onto the pavement. The lie about the trip, the casual mention of his involvement—it was all a suffocating poison. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she shrieked. “Get out of this car and pick that up. Right now. Immediately.” I didn’t move. “Fine! Don’t! Just drive to Leo’s.” I remained still, the engine humming softly beneath us. “Get out,” she seethed, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “This is my car. Get out.” “You’re right,” I said, pushing the door open. “You told me to get out.” I stepped onto the asphalt, saw the little gift box lying there, and brought my heel down on it. Twice. Isabelle slid into the driver’s seat, the window gliding up to seal me out. The tires squealed as she peeled away, leaving me in a cloud of exhaust and shattered expectations. I knew, in that moment, that we were over. Truly over. I pulled out my phone and made a different call. “Terminate all partnerships and joint ventures with the Ross family. Effective immediately. Halt any projects currently in progress.” When I first got with Isabelle, my family cut me off financially to show their disapproval. But my time in the service hadn’t just left me with scars; it had forged a network, a brotherhood. Those connections became the foundation of a business empire I built from the ground up, quietly, in the shadows. It was the discovery of this empire—and their inability to control me through it—that had finally convinced my parents to meet Isabelle. For three years, I had secretly funneled resources and opportunities to her family’s company, propping them up, making them stronger. Not anymore. The pain, though, was real. A raw, hollow ache in my chest. I found a dimly lit bar, ordered a bottle of whiskey, and sat there in silence, the past three years playing out like a film reel in my head. After the service, I’d come back with wounds you couldn’t see. Being with Isabelle had been a balm, a way to quiet the ghosts. I had given her everything I had, every ounce of love and trust I could muster. “Love is giving without expecting anything in return,” a voice from my past once told me. “If you think of it that way, you can’t be angry when it’s not returned.” Thinking of her words now, the anger began to subside, replaced by a cold, clear resignation. I was setting Isabelle free. And I was starting my new life. Later that evening, my phone buzzed. It was her. The storm inside me had passed, so I answered, my voice calm. “Leo’s at the hospital. I’m staying with him tonight. I won’t be home.” “Fine.” I said only that and hung up. From now on, she could stay with him every night. In the hospital room, Isabelle felt a pang of unease. She had agonized over making that call. She knew she needed an excuse not to come home, but telling me she was staying with Leo was a risk. Her friend Chloe had called it “desensitization training,” a way to slowly make me accept his presence. So she’d steeled herself and made the call. My flat, unemotional “Fine” was not the reaction she’d expected. It left her feeling strangely empty. But she didn’t have time to dwell on it. Her phone began to ring, and it didn’t stop. One call after another. Suppliers, distributors, partners—all pulling out. The bank was calling in their loans. Her company was hemorrhaging. Leo was still whining about his phantom illness, but she barely heard him. She grabbed her coat and rushed back to the office, a sense of dread coiling in her stomach. The next morning, I went to the office. As Isabelle’s bodyguard, I had my own small office, a courtesy she’d insisted on. I was there to clear out my desk and type up my resignation. As I was writing, there was a knock on the door. “Come in.” Leo pushed the door open. “Caleb, man, I am so sorry. I didn’t know who you were. My behavior yesterday was way out of line.” His posture was deferential, but I saw the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. My eyes scanned him, and then I froze. He wasn’t dressed for an office. He was wearing a military dress uniform. My uniform. He stood unnaturally straight, and pinned to his chest was a medal. My medal. The one I earned with blood and grit. I looked closer. The uniform itself… it was mine. The one I brought back when I was discharged. The leather belt, with the faint scar where it once deflected a blade, a belt I treasured. The entire ensemble—the uniform, the medal, the belt—they were my history, my pride. Sacred. “Nice outfit,” I said, my voice dangerously soft. “Where’d you get it?” “Ms. Ross gave it to me,” he said, a flicker of triumph in his eyes. “She said I needed to project a more… commanding presence.” Leo was a pretty boy, the kind of guy who looked like he’d never seen a day of hardship in his life. The uniform hung on him like a costume, doing nothing to hide the soft, entitled core of the man wearing it. The anger I thought I’d buried came roaring back, hot and blinding. I looked at his smug face. “Take it off. And get out.” “Caleb, I don’t know what I did to offend you, but tell me. I can fix it.” “I said, take off my uniform, and get the hell out of my office.” He put on a wounded expression, slowly unbuttoning the jacket, but as he turned to leave, I saw his lips curl into a definitive, victorious smile. BAM. The door to my office flew open, crashing against the wall. Isabelle stood there, her face a mask of fury. “Caleb, you have gone too far.” “I’ve gone too far?” I shot back, my voice shaking with rage. “This uniform, this belt, this medal… do you have any idea what they mean to me? Did you forget?” “Honestly, who knows if they’re even real?” she retorted, her words like daggers. “I ran a background check on you. There’s no public record of you receiving any major commendations. For all I know, you made the whole hero thing up to impress me.” “And even if I did,” I roared, “even if it was all a lie, you knew how much I cherished them! Why would you give them to him?” “I gave them to him, so what? I can buy you new ones. I had no idea you were this petty and small-minded.” “Ms. Ross, please, don’t fight with him. It’s all my fault,” Leo simpered, stepping back into the room. He’d thrown on one of Isabelle’s blazers over his t-shirt. It looked ridiculous, but his eyes shone with the unmistakable glee of a winner. He looked at me. “Caleb, a psychic told me I have too much negative energy around me. I needed something with powerful, positive energy to ward it off. Ms. Ross was just trying to help. If I had known they were yours, I never would have accepted.” He continued, his voice dripping with false sincerity. “Look, I’ll resign right now. I don’t want to come between you and Ms. Ross.” “No one is resigning,” Isabelle snapped, her voice cold as ice. “Your value to this company is proven. It was a gift from me, your boss, and no one has the right to question it. I’ll buy you something even better.” She glared at me. “You humiliated him. You made him take off the clothes in front of everyone. I want you to go out there, into the main office, and apologize to Leo in front of the entire staff.” “Ms. Ross, really, it’s not necessary,” Leo demurred. “I should be the one to apologize.” “Stop acting,” I snarled. “Just get out of my sight.” If this had been a battlefield, Leo would have been the first casualty. Suddenly, Leo dropped to his knees in a theatrical display. “Caleb, I’m so, so sorry. Please, don’t call your old army buddies to come after me. I’ll leave the city. I’ll never come back, I swear.” “Caleb Henderson!” Isabelle’s voice was a whip crack. “I was so wrong about you. I can’t believe you’re this kind of man.” She rushed forward and helped Leo to his feet. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. No one is going to hurt you.” As he stood behind her, shielded by her body, he shot me a triumphant, mocking look and discreetly flipped me the middle finger. The sight of them together, this pathetic tableau, filled me with a profound disgust. I stood up to leave. “Where do you think you’re going?” Isabelle demanded as I walked past them. “Apologize to Leo right now, or you’re fired.” “Fired?” I laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. I plucked the resignation letter from my desk and threw it in her face. “I quit.” She stared, stunned, as the single sheet of paper fluttered to the floor. “Wait,” she called out as I reached the door. “You’re just going to walk away like this?” “What else is there to do? Stay and watch you two make me sick?” “Nothing is going on between Leo and me! Watch your mouth!” she hissed, the anger returning, but her voice was low. She didn’t want a scene. “You’re only doing this because you know the company is in trouble, aren’t you? You think I can’t provide you with the lifestyle you want anymore, so you’re bailing.” I just laughed again. I didn’t bother to reply as I walked out into the main office. “What are you all looking at? Get back to work!” Isabelle shouted at the gawking employees. Downstairs, on the street, I stretched my arms wide, breathing in the city air. It tasted like freedom. “Hey, Cal. You lose.” Leo had followed me out. He stood there, puffed up with his victory. “You know, Izzy is incredible in bed. I never would have guessed the ice queen could be so wild. And now, that side of her belongs only to me.” He made a downward-pointing gesture with his little finger. “You’re this small.” He dangled a key fob in front of my face and pressed a button. The Mercedes I used to drive chirped in response. “The car, and the woman, are both mine now. As for you… why don’t you get on your knees and apologize? Oh, and take off that suit. That’s a company uniform. You’re not worthy of wearing it out of here.”

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My brother was the story’s villain—a frail, brooding soul plagued by an eating disorder. In the original novel, the heroine used gourmet food to wrap him around her little finger. Once she grew bored, she tossed him aside like trash. He ended up starving to death, all alone in our mansion. But now, he has me. His bratty, food-loving, grudge-holding little sister. I won’t touch food that’s a touch too bland or a pinch too salty. I won’t swallow rice that’s a grain too hard or a second too soft. No takeout. No frozen meals. And if he didn’t make it with his own two hands? Forget it. I was his personal, one-man wrecking crew. So when the story’s heroine arrived at our door, a gourmet basket in hand, ready to tame her gloomy little puppy… She shrieked, her composure shattering at the sight of the mountain of a man expertly flipping a skillet in our kitchen. The chat comments that had been scrolling beside me for the last five years trembled with laughter. 【LMAO, the mermaid in the pond turned out to be a megalodon. Who wouldn’t have a meltdown?】 1. When I opened my eyes on the hospital bed, a chaotic stream of text messages floating in the air gave me a splitting headache. 【WTF, wasn’t the villain’s sister supposed to die young? Why is she still alive?】 【Who knows. Even alive, she’s just a burden. The villain is a senior in high school, and their parents died in a car crash last year. How is he supposed to take care of a sick two-year-old?】 【Don’t be so harsh. Everyone knows Fred Blackwood treats his sister like she’s his whole world. He’s been running to the hospital every day since she was born.】 【Totally. In the book, he dropped out of school after his sister died. No parents, no friends, no college. He just spent his days street racing and skydiving until he wrecked his legs and went back to the mansion to die. That is, until the heroine showed up with her food to win him over…】 【Pfft, please. He only survived because he latched onto our Stella. The cripple was lucky to get a decent meal. And he still had the nerve to ask her why she left him before he died? Pathetic.】 My eyes snagged on the words “decent meal.” I glanced down at the delicate platinum bracelet on my wrist, easily worth a few million, and smacked my lips in confusion. Why wouldn’t my brother get a decent meal? Are we poor? 【Quit fighting! He’s here!】 【Damn, no cap, Fred Blackwood’s face is a masterpiece. The whole room just got brighter.】 【Broad shoulders, narrow waist, legs for days. That girl Stella is eating good!】 “Willow?” A pair of gloomy, intense eyes met my own wide, curious ones, and suddenly, the boy’s entire being seemed to spark with life. He dropped his backpack and rushed toward my bed, his long legs covering the distance in three quick strides. He carefully scooped my tiny, soft body into his arms and gently nuzzled his cheek against mine. Pure joy radiated from him, his lips threatening to split his face with a grin. “Willow! You’re awake!” “Thank God, you’re awake.” A warm drop landed on my cheek, and his choked whisper hung in the air. “I thought… I thought you were going to leave me all alone, too…” The noisy chatter of the floating comments fell eerily silent. I grinned, patting my brother’s face with my clumsy baby hands. Starving? Legs broken? Hmph! Not on my watch. 2. After no less than a dozen check-ups, my brother, Fred, was finally allowed to take me home. The doctor instructed him to start me on some soft, pureed foods. “Open up, Willa. Here comes the airplane…” Fred held a tiny spoon, patiently trying to feed me some creamed chicken porridge. I obediently opened my mouth and took a small taste. A smile touched his lips. My sister is so good. The next second, I spat it all out. A mess of saliva and porridge dribbled down my chin and onto my clothes, leaving a nasty stain. Fred fumbled for a napkin, frantically trying to clean me up. The comments exploded. 【Dude, get the kid a bib! Toddlers are messy!】 【Why’d she spit it out? Was it too salty?】 【No way, the cook didn’t add any salt.】 【See? I told you she was a burden. Can’t even eat properly.】 【If you don’t like it, get lost. Don’t ruin the mood.】 【Maybe it was too hot? My puppy spits out his food when it’s too hot.】 【Nah, I saw Fred check it with a thermometer before he fed her.】 Fred frowned, staring at the bowl in his hands. He’d had an eating disorder since he was a kid. More than once, he’d survived only thanks to an IV drip. Getting him to willingly eat something was harder than pulling teeth. But his sister had just rejected the food. After a long hesitation, he still couldn’t bring himself to try it. He waved over the butler, Mr. Evans, who tasted a spoonful. “Not too hot, not too salty, perfectly smooth. There’s nothing wrong with it, Master Fred.” Fred cautiously offered me another spoonful. I took it into my mouth, and then promptly spat it all out again. His expression slowly darkened. He stared at the bowl of porridge with the intensity of a man facing his executioner, a storm of emotions churning in his eyes. The floating comments were already placing bets on whether he’d actually taste it. My flailing hand slapped him across the cheek. He let out a long, defeated sigh. With a look of pure resignation, he opened his mouth and swallowed a large spoonful of the porridge. Before I could even celebrate, his face turned pale. He shot up from his chair and bolted for the bathroom. I could hear the violent sounds of him retching from the living room. When Fred returned, his eyes were ringed with red. Seeing my curious gaze, he forced a smile and brought the spoon to my lips again. “It’s okay, Willa. Big brother tried it, it’s really yummy. How about one more bite?” I stared at him, obediently took a mouthful, and spat it all out. The living room plunged into a dead silence. 3. The comments flickered nonstop. 【Oh god, don’t tell me his sister has an eating disorder too. She’s so frail, she’d never survive it. Is the villain doomed to be alone forever?】 【Please, Willow, just one bite! Your brother has no one else left! He’s so scared right now his lips are turning white!】 【Ahhh what do we do?! Can the heroine show up early and save her?】 【Maybe she just doesn’t like chicken porridge? What about a different flavor?】 Fred suddenly leaned in and kissed my cheek, his own face a ghostly white. He managed a strained smile. “I get it now. Willa doesn’t like the chicken porridge, does she?” “It’s okay, I don’t like it either. How about I go make you something else?” I calmly played with my fingers, ignoring him. Under the guidance of our cook, Mrs. Gable, my clumsy brother managed to prepare a small bowl of butternut squash puree. His nerves were stretched so taut that he instinctively bypassed his own aversion, scooping a bit into his mouth to test it first. Sweet, smooth, and perfectly soft. Fred’s hand trembled as he extended the small spoon toward me. Please, Willa. Please don’t be like me. Don’t… don’t leave me all alone. Mr. Evans and Mrs. Gable watched with bated breath. The comments bounced around, praying to every deity they could think of. Meeting my brother’s anxious gaze, I opened my mouth, let the puree slide in, paused for two seconds, and slowly swallowed. A collective sigh of relief filled the room. Mrs. Gable chuckled. “Well, what do you know. It seems our little miss will only eat what her brother makes for her.” Fred’s tense shoulders relaxed, and a brilliant smile bloomed on his face as he offered me another spoonful. I tilted my head, my big eyes blinking up at him. The next second, the butternut squash puree came right back out. The smile on my brother’s face froze. The comments, which had just been cheering, went completely silent. “Willa, what’s wrong…? Is… is something not right?” His smile was more painful than a grimace. I stared at his spoon, saying nothing. He wrung his hands, thinking hard for a long moment. Then, he picked up his own spoon, took a large bite while fighting the urge to gag, and hesitantly offered the small spoon to me again. With everyone watching, I slowly swallowed the puree. He repeated the process three more times. And each time, I obediently swallowed my bite. Mr. Evans slapped his forehead in a moment of revelation, his voice shaking with excitement. “Master Fred! She’s copying you! She’s learning how to eat from you!” “From now on, just take a few bites yourself before you feed her, and she’ll eat without a problem!” The comments whispered amongst themselves. 【Is it just me, or does it feel like the little sister is doing this on purpose?】 【You know, you might be onto something. When has the villain ever eaten this much? This is probably more than he eats in a month.】 【Don’t be ridiculous, she’s only two years old.】 【I think it’s possible. Don’t forget, this is the kid who was supposed to die.】 【True… so all this back and forth was intentional? That little rascal! She’s playing us!】 【Hahaha, this is great! Finally, someone can handle the villain. He never thought that after all his stubborn fasting, he’d one day be on his knees begging his little princess to eat.】 【Wait, no! If he keeps taste-testing everything, his anorexia will be cured! Then how is our Stella supposed to win him over?】 【That’s disgusting! Why should Fred have to starve to death just to satisfy your heroine’s power trip?】 【Exactly! His eating disorder, his parents’ death—it was all just a setup for her special ability. Hasn’t the villain suffered enough?!】 … 4. The comments argued endlessly while I grew up, bite by bite, on the delicious food my brother personally fed me. On my first day of preschool, I was four years old. Fred, now a sophomore in college, held me at the school gate and wailed like a fire hydrant had burst. “Waaaah… my precious Willa, what will you ever do without me?” “Sob… I know you’re picky and greedy and have a bad temper, and you hold grudges and are vain and petty, but I still love you so, so much! Waaaaah…” I saw the barely suppressed laughter from the people around us and his two best friends. Beside me, the comments were practically distorted with hysterics. I deadpanned and gave him a solid thump on the arm. He wasn’t wrong, though. In the past two years, I’d grown teeth and learned to talk, and my palate had become even more demanding. A touch too bland, a pinch too salty—nope. A grain too hard, a second too soft—forget it. No takeout, no frozen meals. I ate only what Fred made himself. The portions were small, but the variety had to be extensive. My cravings were endless; if I saw it, I wanted it. Every dish that landed on my table was something he’d learned, step by step, from Mrs. Gable. If I wasn’t satisfied, he had to remake it. If he was too slow, I’d bite him. And if he dared to get angry, I’d give him the silent treatment for three days. Over time, he learned to just take the pain. But with Mr. Evans, Mrs. Gable, and his friends Mason and Silas, I was always perfectly polite. He was the only one I tormented. What can I say? The day I first learned to call him “brother,” he dropped to his knees, hugged me with tears streaming down his face, and swore he’d cook for me for the rest of his life. I patted his arm, which was no longer so frail. All that forced taste-testing and pan-flipping over the years had built some serious muscle. “Brother, just leave the lunchbox and go. Study hard, and no street racing or skydiving with your friends, you hear me?” “Okay,” Fred sniffled, rubbing his cheek against mine one last time. “But Willa, you haven’t told me you love me most today.” In front of everyone? No way. I leaned forward, my face impassive, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Alright, you can go now.” Fred, finally satisfied, slung his arms around his friends and left. 5. When I started elementary school at seven, Fred was in his first year of grad school. Mason was still his roommate, while Silas had already adopted a serious haircut and taken over his family’s corporation. My brother had also made two new friends through a programming competition. The number of people picking me up from school grew from one to three, then back to two, and finally to four. “Willa, sweetie!” Fred waved a brawny arm, running over to scoop me up and plant a big kiss on my cheek. “Haven’t seen you in a week! Did you miss your big brother?” I hung limply in his rock-solid embrace, not saying a word. “Whoa, what’s this?” Mason peered at me curiously. “Who dared to make our little princess unhappy?” Two unfamiliar handsome faces leaned in, their eyes filled with curiosity. “Fred, is this the precious sister you never shut up about?” Fred grunted in confirmation, lifting me out of his hug to hold me up high. He frowned at my red-rimmed eyes. “Willa, who bullied you? Tell me, and I’ll go sort them out!” The tears finally spilled over. “Brother,” I asked miserably, “am I a bad kid with no parents and no manners?” The words hung in the air, and the smiles on all four young men’s faces instantly vanished. The comments had already gone ballistic. 【Willa, don’t listen to that little bully! He’s just jealous your family is rich! Tell your brother to teach him a lesson!】 【Yeah! Tell your brother he started it! He snatched your notebook and deliberately smashed your favorite ceramic bear!】 【Trash kids come from trash parents. Those two foul-mouthed parents of his are no better! Willa, don’t go easy on them. Have your brother get a lawyer and make them pay and apologize!】 【Don’t be sad, Willa. You’re the sweetest, kindest little girl we’ve ever seen! It’s all that biased teacher’s fault, and that awful family’s!】 【Exactly! She was so scared of distracting her brother during his competition that she didn’t even call him after being bullied. She let those monsters get away with it!】 … 6. His face a dark storm cloud, Fred hugged me tighter. The five of us stormed the principal’s office like an avenging army. After reviewing all the security footage, Fred said nothing. He simply grabbed the trembling teacher, Ms. Albright, and dragged her out the door. Mason and the others sat me down on a chair, a united front making it clear they were here to back me up. When Principal Wallace opened his door, he saw the heirs to four of the city’s five great families—the ones every financial journalist dreamed of interviewing—sitting right there. The only one missing was Silas. His heart sank. He trembled, about to fall to his knees and beg for mercy, but Fred grabbed him by the collar with one hand and hauled him away. Mason followed them out. The little bully who had tormented me was now bawling his eyes out, while his mother, the woman who had pointed a finger at me and called me mannerless, was slumped on the floor in a stupor. I nervously peeked out from behind the two new brothers, but they just smiled and gently covered my eyes and ears. The air grew thick with a strange, metallic scent. When I opened my eyes again, the lead attorney who was always with Silas was smiling down at me. “Hey there, Princess Willa! Long time no see!” I never saw the bully, his family, or the condescending Ms. Albright ever again.

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Chapter 1 The day after Julian Vance’s engagement party, his assistant handed me a plane ticket. “It’s time for you to go,” he said, his gaze fixed on a point just over my shoulder. “And don’t come back to New York. Ever.” He let the threat hang in the air. “Mr. Vance has a great many ways to ruin a person.” All those years with Julian, I had been the envy of everyone, bathed in a light that wasn’t my own. Now, my exit was so pathetic it was almost comical. “Alright,” I said, my voice perfectly even. That night, the flight plummeted from thirty-thousand feet. I never planned on dying. In my version of the future, I take Julian’s five million dollars and disappear to some sun-drenched corner of Europe, far away from the wreckage of my life. The rest of my days would be a quiet succession of small joys, mine and mine alone. But in the screaming chaos of the fall, all of that was ripped away. There was nothing left but a searing, helpless rage. That ticket wasn’t a fresh start. It was a death sentence. My last meeting with Julian flashed in my mind. We hadn’t spoken in over two months. He’d been consumed—arranging Ava Monroe’s divorce, settling her and her daughter, a whirlwind of activity that finally, belatedly, reminded him he still had a girlfriend. So he carved out an hour and came to my apartment. His apartment, really. A sprawling penthouse in a part of Manhattan so exclusive I couldn’t have afforded to breathe the air without him. Not long ago, we were tangled in the sheets of the master bed, his arm heavy around my waist as I playfully dragged my nails down his back, leaving faint red trails on his skin. But now, after just weeks of silence, we were strangers. We sat at opposite ends of the long dining table, the polished wood a continent between us. “What do you want?” he asked. Direct. Cold. I didn’t bother with pleasantries. Three years of my youth. I told him they were worth five million dollars. Yes, I had loved him. I admit that. But that love had withered and died the day I realized I wasn’t the masterpiece, just the preliminary sketch. A placeholder until the real thing came back. He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Fine.” Then, the final turn of the screw. “But you can’t stay in New York. She doesn’t want you in the same city.” She. What could I do? I could only nod. If I refused, Julian, with his infinite resources and nonexistent patience, would find a way to force me out. And it would be far messier. He named a city on the West Coast. “I have properties there. Pick one. It’s yours.” So generous. I managed a smile. “Okay.” He gave a slight nod. “And we won’t see each other again. You can do that, can’t you?” My very existence was an inconvenience, an unsightly smudge on their perfect reunion. “Of course,” I replied. I was an orphan who had clawed her way through college. I came to New York chasing rumors of opportunity, fell into some modeling work, and started to enjoy it. The flash of the camera, the fleeting sense of being seen. Then I met Julian. He pursued me with the kind of grand, sweeping gestures you only see in movies, and within two weeks, I was his. He didn’t like me working, so my world, once expanding, had shrunk to the size of him. For years, the only people I knew were his friends. I had no roots here, no one to miss. I should have been thrilled to fly away and never look back. But fate, it seems, has a twisted sense of humor. I was dead. And I was staring right at Julian Vance. He couldn’t see me, of course. I was just a ghost. Chapter 2 I’d always cared about my appearance. Before boarding the plane, I’d had my hair professionally styled and wore a touch of light, natural makeup. I hadn’t worn my makeup like that in years. Julian never liked it. How naive I’d been, molding my entire existence to his preferences. I only learned later that his “preference” was a lie. He liked me in heavy, dramatic makeup because only then, with my eyes winged and my lips a slash of red, did I truly resemble her. Ava Monroe. The Oscar-winning actress, famous for her cascading waves and smoldering glamour. Now, in some small mercy from the universe, I looked just as I had before the crash. My hair was perfect. My makeup, immaculate. No trace of the violence of my death. Standing in Julian’s office, I studied my reflection in the polished glass of a framed photograph and breathed a sigh of spectral relief. My eyes drifted around the room. The leather of that couch… the view from that window at midnight… Memories, sharp and unwanted, pricked at me from every corner. Finally, I let my gaze settle on him. He was twenty-seven, a titan of industry with the kind of power most men only dream of. The greatest failure of his life had been watching the woman he loved marry someone else. But now, the one that got away had come back. A storybook ending. Even his assistant, Arthur, wore a smile when he entered the office. “Mr. Vance, the nursery is all set up,” he reported. “And the pieces Ms. Monroe selected yesterday have been delivered.” Julian murmured a soft, “Mm.” He set down a contract, massaged the bridge of his nose, and then picked up his phone. He stared at the screen for a long time. I drifted closer, curious. But before I could see, the screen went dark. Then I heard him speak. His voice was quiet. “How is she?” Arthur paused for a fraction of a second. “Ms. Monroe is on set, sir. Not far from here. Would you like to visit her later?” I’d seen one of Ava’s films. She played the princess of a fallen kingdom—beautiful, brilliant, a woman who loved and hated with equal ferocity. She clawed her way back to power through sheer force of will. If I were just another moviegoer, I would have adored her. But I wasn’t. Our first meeting had been a masterclass in humiliation. She’d looked me up and down, a small, knowing smile on her face. “Do you know how much you look like me?” I’d nodded. “People say that. I take it as a compliment.” Her laugh was a dry, rustling sound. “You’ve been with him almost three years, haven’t you?” “Yes.” She arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Let me save you some time. He was in love with me three years ago.” Three years. And not a single person had ever told me. I’d been a fool, a stand-in for a ghost. I later found out that every script she’d ever accepted had been hand-picked by Julian, quietly steered onto her path to ensure she never faced a single setback. Her career was a monument to his unseen devotion. And me? I had nothing. To the world, I wasn’t Chloe. I was just “that woman you always see with Julian Vance.” Chapter 3 Arthur finished his update, but Julian remained silent, tapping a sleek fountain pen against his desk. After a long moment, he asked, “She should have landed by now, right?” The question seemed to come from nowhere, but Arthur, ever the consummate professional, didn’t miss a beat. He glanced at his watch. “Yes, she should have.” It took me a second to realize. He was asking about me. A flicker of something—conscience, maybe? Too bad. I hadn’t made it to the other side of the country. My journey ended last night, in a fiery wreck. Julian’s face showed nothing at the confirmation. He just woke his phone again, staring at the blank screen. This time, I was right beside him. I saw it clearly. It was our text thread. Thirty minutes ago, he’d sent a message. [If you ever need anything, contact Arthur.] In the past, I would have replied in seconds. Hearing Arthur’s response, a cold, humorless smile touched Julian’s lips. He leaned back in his chair. “Good.” Then, another question. “Has she tried to contact you?” Arthur shook his head. “No, sir. Not since I gave her the ticket.” Silence descended again. The air in the room grew heavy, thick with unspoken things. Arthur hesitated. “Sir, would you like me to place a call to Ms. Devereaux?” Julian finally looked up, his eyes veiled. It was impossible to know what he was thinking. “No,” he said, his voice flat. “From now on, I don’t need to be updated on her affairs.” He glanced one last time at our message history. The silence on my end was absolute. His thumb paused over my name for a fraction of a second before he pressed ‘Delete Contact.’ Chapter 4 And there it was. It wasn’t concern. It was housekeeping. A final, formal severing of ties. A wave of impotent fury washed over me. Damn it, I died! My plan had been to land, settle into my new mansion, and then have the supreme satisfaction of blocking his number myself. He’d stolen even that from me. I swung my leg back and kicked him hard in the thigh. Or, I tried to. Back when things were good, when he wasn’t a remote, untouchable figure, I had a habit of giving him little kicks when he annoyed me. It was an instinctive, fluid motion. But this time, my foot passed right through him. No impact. No feeling. Nothing. Which, of course, only made me angrier. After Arthur left, Julian worked for hours. I tried to leave the office, to explore my new, incorporeal existence. But every time I neared the door, I was snapped back to his side, like a dog on an invisible leash. It didn’t take long to figure it out. I was tethered to him. Maybe because his money had put me on that plane. My killer, my anchor. A pity I hadn’t come back as a vengeful spirit. I could have at least haunted him properly. Just then, a voice echoed in my mind, calm and bureaucratic. [There you are.] I jolted. “Who are you?” [Post-Mortal Affairs. We had a system glitch. Everyone from your flight is temporarily bound to the person they were closest to in life. Sorry for the inconvenience.] Relief washed over me. “Can you take me now? And listen, I had a lot of money I didn’t get to spend. Can that roll over to my next life?” A trust-fund baby. That was my dream. The voice sounded apologetic. [Not my department. But given the traumatic nature of your demise, I can probably get you a more peaceful exit next time around.] Great. “Fine. Just get me out of here. I’m ready to reincarnate.” [Not yet. We have to wait until your funeral is concluded.] “Why?” [Your soul has established a new tether to the mortal plane. The funeral rites sever that tie. From what I can see, the services for the other victims are already being arranged. You’re… well, you’re a bit of a special case. Doesn’t look like anyone’s noticed you’re gone.] The words were a blade to the heart. With that cheerful update, the voice vanished. I sighed, running through a mental list of everyone I knew. The list was pathetically short. It looked like I was going to be a lonely ghost for a very long time. Hours later, Julian finally packed up. Ava had called, asking him to pick her up from the studio. I followed him down to the garage and into his car. I didn’t look at him. I watched the city lights blur past the window. Skyscrapers like glittering spines, streets flowing with rivers of light. It was all so beautiful, a dream I had woken up from too soon. A profound sense of unfairness settled over me. All those years, all that potential, erased by one failed love affair. And that five million dollars… I hadn’t spent a single cent. It was outrageous. Tears I couldn’t shed burned behind my eyes. When we arrived, Ava emerged from the studio and melted into his arms. Julian’s body went rigid for a second, then relaxed as he returned the embrace with a faint smile. “How was it? Are you tired?” he asked. She nodded, launching into a story about her day. Her voice was captivating; she could make the most mundane event sound like a scene from a movie. They walked to the car, fingers interlaced, matching engagement rings catching the light. I had to admit it, as much as it galled me. They looked perfect together. Just then, two women walked out of the studio behind them, deep in conversation. “Did you see the news?” one said. “That flight that went down last night? Over a hundred people, no survivors.” “I saw,” the other replied, her voice shaky. “I was supposed to be on that flight. I had a ticket and everything for a vacation. This last-minute role saved my life. I have the luck of the gods.”

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We were about to graduate from college when my girlfriend, Serena, suddenly broke up with me. She gave me a villa, a Bentley, and eighteen million dollars, saying it was for my four years of companionship. I was completely lost. I wanted to know why. But her voice was cold. “Liam, for people from my kind of family, love and marriage are two separate things. I have to go back for an arranged marriage now. Do you understand?” My girlfriend was engaged, but her fiancé wasn’t me. When I rushed to the engagement party, I saw Serena on the stage. She was wearing a haute couture gown and dazzling jewelry, looking impossibly beautiful and elegant. The man standing opposite her, however, was maybe five-foot-three, overweight, and his face was covered in oily, glistening pimples that looked ready to burst. My girlfriend was going to marry a man like that? Thinking back to last night, it felt like a lifetime ago. I had just gotten back to the villa from my internship when Serena pushed me onto the bed. She leaned down, her lips on mine, and whispered in a husky voice, “Tonight, treat me like I’m not human.” And then, she devoured me. But when I woke up, she was gone. Her phone number was disconnected. Her social media accounts—all of them—were deleted. It was as if she had vanished from my world without a trace, leaving me completely blindsided. Then, her lawyer showed up. He arrived at noon. He said Serena had specifically instructed him to come at noon, so as not to disturb my rest. Then he handed me a document. I read it, completely bewildered. It was a gift deed. It stated that Serena was voluntarily giving me the villa, the Bentley, and eighteen million dollars in cash as a thank-you gift for our four years together in college. So, she had dumped me out of the blue and was now treating me like some boy toy, throwing money at me to make me go away? But I didn’t need her money. I’d told her that when we first got together. She had just smiled confidently and said, “No matter how rich you are, you’re not as rich as me.” I didn’t argue. I was in love with her. But why break up, just like that? Last night, she had been so passionate, so fierce. She had spent the whole night telling me she loved me. How could this be happening? I forced myself to calm down and used my family’s resources to find out what was going on. And that’s how I ended up at her engagement party. I could tell Serena wasn’t happy. Was she being forced into this? “Kiss her! Kiss her!” someone in the crowd yelled. I saw the man reach for Serena’s hand. She recoiled instinctively, pulling away. The man’s face darkened. His thick lips moved, spraying saliva as he spoke. “Have you already forgotten what you promised me?” Serena’s face went pale, but she took a step forward. She was being threatened. I pushed through the crowd and shouted, “Serena, if you’re in trouble, tell me! Don’t do this to yourself!” Every head in the room turned to look at me. When Serena saw me, a flash of joy crossed her cold eyes, but it was instantly replaced by a glacial frost. “Who the hell is this guy?” the man demanded, glaring at me. “You’re calling my fiancée’s name like you know her.” I was about to declare who I was when Serena cut me off. Her beautiful brows furrowed. “He’s just some pathetic dog who follows me around. Have security throw him out. Ignore him.” A pathetic dog? I could feel the contempt in every stare directed at me. Who ever respects a desperate follower? But that wasn’t me. Serena and I met at a club fair. I had just finished playing basketball and was starving, so I swiped some snacks from my roommate. He gave me some grief and jokingly told me to call him “daddy.” It was just dorm-room banter, so I did it. Serena, who happened to overhear, stepped in to defend me. She said you shouldn’t bully people just because they’re poor, but then she also told me off for stealing. She had that take-charge, justice-warrior personality. So, I played the part of the poor, pitiful guy. I followed her around everywhere, and before long, we were together. The whole campus knew she was “keeping” me. People would whisper about her and her boy toy. Worried it would embarrass her, I told her my family was actually loaded. She just shrugged it off. Our four years together weren’t some epic romance, but our love was deep and sweet. We almost never fought. That’s why I couldn’t accept her sudden departure. I had to know why. I stared at her on the stage and started walking toward her. Before I could say a word, the short man stepped in front of me. He was so short he had to crane his neck to look up at me. “You’ve got some nerve coming up here.” He jumped, trying to slap me. I stepped back, dodging the blow, and looked at Serena. “You broke up with me to marry this… thing?” “What are you talking about?” Serena strode forward and slapped me across the face. I had dodged the man’s attack. But I didn’t dodge hers. She was wearing high heels, and I was afraid she would fall. She was about to marry someone else, and I was still worried about her. How pathetic was I? I touched my stinging cheek, my eyes filled with pain. “So, you’re Serena’s college boyfriend?” the man sneered, stepping closer. “A kept man, trying to act tough in front of me? Do you know who I am? I’m Cole Miller. The Millers are the richest family in this city.” I ignored him, my eyes still on Serena. “Leaving without a word. That’s not fair to me.” “Fair?” she retorted. “The villa, the car, the money… I gave you everything. What more do you want? Stop making a scene, Liam. We’re over.” Her brows were knitted together. “You know how it is for people from my kind of family. Love and marriage are separate. Thank you for the last four years, but my husband can only be Cole Miller. Do you understand?” “I’m only asking you one thing,” I said, my gaze unwavering. “Do you love me?” I knew all about arranged marriages between wealthy families. My own parents were a product of one. But they were lucky; they had grown up together, childhood sweethearts whose love story was a natural progression. As for me… I was supposed to have an arranged marriage too, but I didn’t have to. My family’s standing in New York was so secure, we didn’t need alliances to maintain it. “Love?” she scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, Liam. I’ve known since I was a child that I would have an arranged marriage. I don’t believe in love. I was with you because you were good-looking and poor enough to be easily controlled.” A sarcastic smile played on her lips. “There. You have your answer. Now go.” So, what I thought was a deep, sweet love was just an illusion. In her eyes, I was just a handsome, obedient boy toy. How laughable. I nodded. If that’s how it was, then so be it. My heart ached, but I could let go. I came here to win her back. If I couldn’t, I would walk away. I looked at her, a bitter smile on my face. “Alright then. I wish you happiness.” With that, I turned to leave the stage. Serena’s hand clenched, but she looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. But Cole Miller blocked my path, a sneer on his face. “Since you’re here, you might as well stay for the ceremony. If you leave, you’re disrespecting me, the Miller family, and the entire city!” “That’s a bold claim,” I said with a laugh. I’d heard lines like that before. New York is a big city; not everyone knows who I am. It’s inevitable that some people will try to act tough in front of me. But after I put a few of them in their place, the talk died down. Cole didn’t catch the disdain in my voice. He clapped his hands. Suddenly, a group of men in black suits emerged, surrounding the stage. “Kid, if I’m not happy today, you’re not walking out of here,” Cole said. Serena rushed over, glaring at me. “Get out of here! I don’t want to see you again!” “Did I say you could speak?” Cole’s face turned cold. “You think I’m a fool? You think I can’t see you’re protecting him?” Protecting me? I looked deeply at Serena and saw the worry in her eyes. Maybe what she said earlier was a lie. But she shook her head. “I just don’t want anything to do with my past. And besides, it’s our engagement party. What does it look like if my ex-boyfriend is here? It’s embarrassing for you.” Her tone softened. “Cole, I’m thinking of you.” Cole’s expression eased slightly, but he still said, “I’m not afraid of being embarrassed. In this city, I am God!” He pointed at me. “Go sit down and watch the ceremony.” I nodded, a half-smile playing on my lips as I glanced at Serena, and walked off the stage. The moment I stepped down, four men in black suits surrounded me. They led me to a corner table and sat me down. They were making sure I couldn’t escape. From the stage, Cole called out to me, “You just sit there and watch, kid. You’re not leaving until I say so.” “If you don’t let me leave now,” I said with a faint smile, “when you want me to leave, I might not want to.” “Shut up!” Serena snapped. I just smiled and said nothing. They wanted to play this game. They shouldn’t blame me for what happened next. Cole added, “I hear you’re from New York. That’s great. Some important people from the city are coming later, all from the upper crust. I’ll introduce you. It’ll be a real eye-opener for you.” “Well, thank you in advance,” I said, unable to suppress another laugh. Just then, a group of young, arrogant-looking people walked over. Cole’s friends, no doubt. “Kid, you must have a death wish.” “You really think Serena can protect you?” “Let me tell you, even if you hadn’t shown up today, Cole wasn’t going to let you off the hook. You think he’d let the man who slept with his fiancée for four years live?” “I’ve got my phone here. Should I call the cops for you?” They laughed openly. I kept my head down, fiddling with my phone, not bothering to engage with them. But one thing was clear: Serena was trying to protect me. The engagement ceremony soon ended. Next was the reception, a time for guests to eat, drink, and network. Cole led Serena from table to table, accepting fawning compliments from everyone. I had taken a moment to look up the Miller family. They were indeed the richest in the city, but they were new money, with no real heritage. They had risen to prominence because of connections in New York, which allowed them to secure major projects in the city. But they had never managed to break into the city’s old-money society. So, the guests here today were either dependent on the Millers or were Serena’s family and friends. Serena’s family, on the other hand, was old money, but they had fallen on hard times. The marriage was a mutually beneficial arrangement. The Millers wanted a ticket into high society. Marrying a woman from an established family was their way in. Serena’s family wanted money to restore their former glory. I had seen countless marriages like this growing up. It was nothing new. It was a tale as old as time. Marriage, after all, has always been a strategic move. Just then, a young girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen, sat down next to me. She had a sweet, pretty face with a hint of baby fat, and she looked a lot like Serena. “I’m Sophie, your ex-girlfriend’s sister.” “Don’t say a word. Just come with me.” She looked adorable, but her voice was ice-cold. She grabbed my hand. But I didn’t move. “Did your sister send you?” “What do you think?” she said, frowning. “Let’s go, now, or you won’t be able to leave!” At that moment, several men in black suits closed in on us.

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