Category: English

After I was severely injured by a Rogue and fell into a coma, my Alpha mate Liam took the opportunity to dissolve our mate bond, which led to me developing intermittent amnesia. On the surface, after I lost my memory, he stayed by my side the whole time. Until the third year, I overheard Alpha Liam chatting with his friends. “Liam, Evelyn loses her memory every few months. You keep having us pretend to be you and date Evelyn. Aren’t you afraid one day we’ll actually fall for her?” “Afraid of what?” Liam laughed cheerfully. “Evelyn isn’t interested in sex. As long as you don’t actively provoke her, she won’t have any needs.” “But I’m warning you, you can’t actually sleep with her, and definitely can’t Mark her. When I’m done having my fun, I still need to go back to her.” For the past three years, every time I lost my memory, the men holding my hand and embracing me weren’t the real Liam. Three years. I lost my memory nine times. Nine different men played the role of my husband. But what they didn’t know was that my amnesia actually got better two years ago.

When my ninth “husband” came home, I was sitting on the couch, lost in thought. A clear voice interrupted my thoughts. “Eve, I’m home.” I turned my head and looked at the man in the doorway. “Who are you?” I furrowed my brow, pretending to be confused. “Are you my partner? I remember my partner’s name is Liam.” The man froze for a moment, then immediately objected. “No! Um… I’m your partner’s friend! Evelyn, don’t panic. I’ll call your partner to come back right now!” After speaking, the man pulled out his phone and hurried toward the balcony. “Liam, Evelyn’s lost her memory again! Whose turn is it? Get over here and switch with me!” I hid by the window and heard the voices of Liam’s friends making excuses through the speakerphone. “Liam, Evelyn is too clingy. We have to watch her 24 hours a day. We can’t handle it!” “Yeah, Evelyn is great and all, but she’s too controlling. We’re Alphas. Can’t we have a few lovers?” “How about you come back yourself, Liam?” “No way.” Liam’s lazy voice came through the speaker. “I’m not done having fun yet. I don’t want to go home. Which one of you will take my place? Come on, we’re friends. If you won’t even help with this, that’s pretty cold.” Amid the excuses, a cool voice spoke up. “I’ll go.” I recognized it. This was Liam’s best friend, Alpha Sean. The Alpha of Shadow Fang Pack. They said he still hadn’t found his mate and had been single for thirty years. When Liam first proposed having someone impersonate him as my partner, Sean was the first to object. But now he was interested in playing this absurd impersonation game too? Half an hour later, the front door clicked open. Sean walked in against the light. “Eve, I’m home.” His cool voice had a magnetic quality to it. I stood up and stared at the tall, handsome man before me. “Are you my partner, Liam?” “Mm.” Sean coughed lightly, covering his lips. “Sorry, I had some work to handle. I came back late.” As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang. Sean made an apologetic gesture and went to the balcony with his phone. Through the receiver came Liam’s casual voice. “Oh right, Sean, I forgot to remind you. At most, hold her hand and hug her. Don’t sleep with her, and definitely don’t Mark her. No matter how far you play this game, she’s still my partner.” “Got it.” Sean’s voice was low. For the past three years, no matter how those men pretended to be Liam, they only held my hand and hugged me at most. They never crossed the line. For three years, there were never any photos in the house, nor any identification documents belonging to any man. And Liam had dissolved our mate bond. Until my second chance mate appeared, all these men were the same to me. Plus, I was an orphan. Because of my memory loss, I had no friends to speak of. They naturally assumed I wouldn’t find out. And I pretended not to know anything. After all, I was just an Omega. I had no way to refuse their game. But this time, I wanted to do something different. I walked over and actively hugged Sean’s waist. “Honey, even though I lost my memory, the moment I saw you, I felt you were so familiar. You must be my mate. I’m sure of it.” I tightly held Sean’s waist, and my hand couldn’t help but feel his firm abs. Sean’s body stiffened. He pushed me away in panic. “What’s wrong?” I asked innocently. “Honey, I lost my memory. Don’t you like me anymore?” “No,” Sean’s eyes flickered with evasion, his voice hoarse. “…I like you.” I reached out to unbutton his shirt and touched his chest muscles. “Honey, it’s so cold today. Let’s go to bed and warm up together, okay?” Sean’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “…Okay.” That night, Sean and I shared a bed. But by tacit agreement, we didn’t say much to each other.

The next day, Sean took me to a bar, saying he wanted to reintroduce me to his friends. As soon as we entered the private area, I saw Liam holding a woman and kissing her passionately. Sean coughed lightly, interrupting them. Liam saw the two of us and froze for a moment, then slowly stood up. “Hello, I’m Liam’s childhood friend, Sean.” Liam extended his hand to me unhurriedly and introduced, “This is my girlfriend, Hannah.” “Oh.” I nodded but didn’t shake his hand. Hannah. Of course I recognized her. Liam’s first love. When Liam first found me and learned we were destined mates, he broke up with her. Later, he got back together with her when I had amnesia. The reason Liam didn’t want to shoulder his responsibilities as a partner for three years was all because of her. There were many of Liam’s friends in the private area. Several of them had pretended to be my partner. Now they all acted nonchalant and teased me: “Evelyn, you lost your memory again? Our Liam is such a dedicated partner. No matter how many times you lose your memory, he’s always by your side!” “Yeah, Evelyn, such a good man. You should cherish him!” I sarcastically curved my lips and said nothing. Sean put his arm around me and sat down on the couch. As soon as we sat down, I picked up a piece of fruit and fed it to him. “Honey, eat more.” In the dim light, I caught Liam glancing our way. I leaned close to Sean’s ear and deliberately bit his earlobe. “Honey, you were so rough last night. You made me uncomfortable all night. It hurt so much~” Sean’s face stiffened. He pinched my hand awkwardly. “Stop fooling around.” Liam gripped his glass tightly, his expression unpleasant. Hannah sat beside him and said with fake sweetness and veiled barbs, “Evelyn, you’re amazing. The coldest person in our friend circle has been charmed by you like a young man experiencing his first love.” As soon as she said this, Liam’s friends, afraid I’d discover the truth, all laughed awkwardly to smooth things over: “Haha, that just proves Evelyn and Liam have a good relationship!” “Yeah, even if she loses her memory, it doesn’t affect their relationship at all!” From the corner of my eye, I saw Liam pick up his glass and take a sip, but his expression became extremely unpleasant. A wave of vengeful satisfaction surged in my heart. I got up and went to the restroom. When I came out of the restroom, Hannah walked toward me. The moment we passed each other, she suddenly reached out and pushed me hard. “Sorry, it was an accident.” I reacted quickly and wasn’t pushed down. “Slap!” I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to either.” As soon as I finished speaking, a stern rebuke came from behind me. “Evelyn, what are you doing!” Liam strode over. Hannah immediately threw herself into his arms, crying pitifully. “Honey, I just accidentally bumped into Evelyn, and she got angry and hit me. My head is so dizzy now.” Liam’s expression darkened, clearly displeased. “Apologize to Hannah!” I sneered coldly. “Who are you to boss me around?” “Evelyn!” Liam’s eyes were dark and vicious, his face frighteningly grim. “Why did you become so arrogant and domineering after losing your memory?” “What I’ve become has nothing to do with you.” I was too lazy to deal with him anymore. Just as I was about to turn around, Liam kicked me down. “Evelyn, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you lost your memory. Apologize to Hannah right now!” Looking at the furious man before me, even though we were no longer mates, the lingering emotions still made me feel intense pain. I was originally an orphan. In this huge, unfamiliar pack, Liam was my only support. We’d known each other since we were eighteen. We’d been together for ten years. When he proposed to me, he swore he would always protect and love me, that he could never betray me in this lifetime. But now, not only did he betray our mate bond, he was hitting me for another woman. All those sweet words and vows from back then had become a joke. Amid my grief and anger, Sean’s cold voice came from behind. “Don’t touch her!” I endured the pain and stood up, quickly slapped Liam across the face, then hid in Sean’s arms to complain. “Honey, your friend is so rude. He bullied me!” Sean’s expression was displeased, his eyes full of shadows, looking at Liam with warning. “Don’t bully Eve.” Liam clenched his jaw, his solemn face radiating violent energy. As the two confronted each other tensely, Hannah suddenly shrank into Liam’s arms and sneered disdainfully. “A bitch and an idiot who likes bitches. What’s there to be proud of?” “Shut up!” Liam and Sean’s voices rang out simultaneously.

“Hannah, Evelyn was wrong, but you can’t insult her like that.” Liam’s tone was cold and hard. Sean frowned, looking at Hannah with cold eyes. “From now on, don’t let me hear you say anything to slander Evelyn.” After speaking, he held me and strode away. We went straight home. As soon as we entered, I hugged Sean’s waist, my hand rubbing his firm abs a few times. “Honey, you looked so handsome protecting me just now. I love it!” Sean’s ears turned slightly red. He coughed. “I’m glad you like it.” I reached out to unbuckle his belt. “Honey, it’s too cold. Let’s go to bed and exercise to warm up, okay?” “…It’s still early.” “Who says we can only go to bed at a certain time?” I kissed his Adam’s apple and coaxed in a low voice, “Honey, I lost my memory. I can’t remember what intimacy feels like… Can you help me remember?” Sean’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His voice was extremely hoarse. “Eve… stop fooling around.” I simply pushed him down onto the couch. Sean struggled for two seconds, then finally flipped over and pressed me beneath him. From afternoon to late night, after Sean got a taste, he became insatiable. I was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep. In my daze, I heard Sean bite my neck and ask hoarsely, “Eve, have you really lost your memory?” I opened my mouth but said nothing. Did it matter whether I had or not? Actually, I wanted to ask Sean too. You clearly rejected this absurd game of pretending to be someone’s partner. Why did you join in at the end? … The next day, Sean took me to the hospital for a follow-up on my amnesia. Unexpectedly, we ran into Liam and Hannah. Hannah called out to us first. “Evelyn, Alpha Se… Liam, what a coincidence.” She touched her belly and said boastfully, “I’m pregnant. I came for a prenatal checkup. What about you two?” Sean glanced at her lightly, his tone cold. “Bringing Eve for a follow-up.” Liam didn’t speak, but his gaze fell on my and Sean’s tightly clasped hands. Suddenly, his eyes moved up and saw the dense love bites on my neck. “What happened to your neck?” His voice rose. I looked at Sean shyly. “You’d have to ask my partner about that.” Liam turned to look at Sean, his solemn eyes filled with gloom. I took the opportunity to leave. “I still need to get a CT scan. You guys talk first.” After I left, Hannah also entered the ultrasound examination room. After things quieted down, Liam stared coldly at Sean, his voice as cold as frost. “Sean, did you sleep with her?”

Sean lit a cigarette. Through the curling smoke, he spoke vaguely. “No.” “Then what are those red marks on her neck?” Sean paused for two seconds. “Mosquito bites, I guess.” Liam frowned, half-believing. Sean blew out a smoke ring and scoffed. “Besides, what if I did touch her? You already rejected her. Although you’re not legally divorced yet… you might as well divorce.” Liam’s reaction was agitated. “No divorce! Eve and I have known each other for so many years. We still have feelings. It’s just… Hannah is pregnant now. I can’t leave her at this critical moment.” “Heh.” Sean sneered disdainfully. “You just want to have both. Liam, you’re such a scumbag.” Liam was silent for a moment, then spoke as if he’d made a decision. “Sean, next time Eve loses her memory, let’s switch back.” “We’ll talk about it when she loses her memory next time.” Not getting a definitive answer, Liam felt increasingly uneasy. He stared at Sean intently, his face solemn. “I feel like something’s off between you and Eve. Sean, promise me you absolutely won’t touch her!” Sean stubbed out his cigarette. Just as he was about to speak, I walked over with my CT scan report, interrupting their conversation. “Honey, I have good news. The doctor just said my brain nerves have healed. I won’t lose my memory anymore!” Liam froze immediately, as shocked as if struck by lightning. “How is that possible?” But Sean was very happy, his eyes full of joy. “Really? That’s wonderful! Let’s go home and celebrate!” I took Sean’s arm to leave. But Liam grabbed my hand. “Eve, don’t go! Actually, I…” I impatiently interrupted him. “Alpha Sean, even though you’re my partner’s friend, touching me without permission is really rude.” I shook off his hand in disgust and left without looking back. After arriving home, before even turning on the lights, Sean couldn’t wait to carry me into the bedroom. His kisses came fierce and urgent, falling densely on my neck. A blurred voice sounded beside my ear. “Eve… let’s never be apart again, okay?” In the darkness, I murmured, “Okay.” Hearing this, Sean was like a wild beast, taking from me. I went limp in his arms like seaweed, yet clung tightly to him. He was like a fierce wild beast, ferociously and tirelessly taking. Just as we were about to reach climax, the bedroom light suddenly turned on. Liam stood in the doorway with a dark, vicious expression, fists clenched tight, his eyes red as if bloodthirsty.

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Six years after divorcing Hugh Shaw, I ran into him again at the corporation’s charity gala. The moment our eyes met, shock flashed across Hugh Shaw’s face: “Claire Winston, what are you doing here? You’re not Mrs. Shaw anymore. This isn’t where you belong.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with him and turned to leave, but unexpectedly, he reached out to grab me. “Fine, considering you gave me a son, just stand quietly behind me and no one will give you trouble.” I stepped aside to avoid him and refused flatly: “No, thank you.” But he stared in shock at the child beside me, his voice trembling: “This filthy child—is she my daughter?” I nearly laughed in disbelief. Had he lost his mind? Nora was only three and a half years old. I’d been divorced from him for six years. There was no way she could be his. I pulled Nora behind me, my tone icy: “Hugh Shaw, this is my daughter. She has nothing to do with you!” With that, I grabbed Nora’s hand and turned to leave, but Hugh Shaw blocked my way, his brows furrowed as he looked me over. “Claire Winston, you snuck in here with a child to mooch food and drink. You must have had it rough all these years, haven’t you?” He let out a cold laugh, his gaze falling on Nora with undisguised disgust: “Little beggar, how old are you?” Nora put her hands on her hips, glaring at him indignantly: “I’m three and a half, and I’m not a little beggar!” Beggar? I looked down at my and Nora’s clothes. We’d just been helping disaster victims outside the city. Covered in dust with no time to change, we did look rather disheveled. Hugh Shaw’s expression instantly turned cold. “Nonsense! You lie just like your mother! With your height, how could you possibly be three years old?” I glanced down at Nora. She was indeed much taller and sturdier than children her age. It was all her father’s fault, spoiling her endlessly. I pulled Nora protectively behind me, a frosty look crossing my face: “Hugh Shaw, I’ll say this one more time—Nora is not your child!” But Hugh Shaw acted like he’d heard the world’s funniest joke, scoffing: “Claire Winston, you’re lying again. If she’s not mine, whose could she be? Besides me, who would want a divorced woman?” “Come on, stop pretending. You deliberately snuck into this gala just to see me, didn’t you?” I rolled my eyes. Six years later, and he was still this arrogant. “Get out of my way!” But Hugh Shaw didn’t budge. Instead, he adopted a condescending tone: “Seeing you in such a pitiful state, I can’t help but feel sorry for you. Tell you what—come back home with me and work as a household assistant. Rowena is kind-hearted. She definitely won’t make things difficult for you.” With that, he waved to someone behind him. “Ethan, take your sister away. Find a lounge for her to wait in. Don’t let her embarrass us here and offend the important guests!” Only then did I notice Ethan Shaw standing behind him. The son I’d carried for ten months and nearly died giving birth to. Six years had passed. He’d grown into a handsome young man, but his eyes held a coldness that didn’t match his age. Ethan had a stony expression, his brows furrowed: “I don’t want some little beggar as my sister! My only sister is Chloe!” My grip on Nora’s hand tightened. The Chloe he mentioned must be Rowena’s daughter. Years ago, I’d caught Hugh Shaw and Rowena having an affair. Before I could confront them, Rowena struck first, accusing me of drugging her to ruin her reputation. Hugh Shaw had also blamed me, and even my own biological son Ethan had taken Rowena’s side. Heartbroken and disillusioned, I’d signed the divorce papers on the spot. When I left the Shaw household, Rowena had stroked her belly and told me she was already pregnant with Hugh Shaw’s child. And that day—she’d let me see them together on purpose. Past humiliations and betrayals churned in my heart, my fingers unconsciously digging into my palms. Nora tugged at my clothes, her voice indignant: “Mom, I don’t want this ugly guy as my brother either! He’s nowhere near as good as Asher!” Hearing this, Ethan’s expression darkened further. He sneered: “An ordinary person like that dares to compare himself to me?” Looking at the father and son’s identical faces, my heart gradually turned cold. Fine. I’d just pretend I never had this son. I took Nora’s hand and moved to walk around them when a sweet voice suddenly called from behind: “Claire?”

I turned to see Rowena walking over, holding a little girl dressed in designer children’s clothing. Her gaze swept over me before she covered her face and shrieked: “Claire, it really is you! Why are you dressed like this?” Her deliberately shocked exclamation drew countless stares. Among the crowd, several wealthy women who’d never liked me recognized me first and immediately mocked: “Oh my, isn’t this Mrs. Shaw? Haven’t seen you in years—why do you look so shabby? Oh wait, my mistake—Mr. Shaw divorced you ages ago. No wonder you’ve fallen so far.” Rowena sighed, feigning sympathy: “Claire, let me have the maid bring you some clothes. They’re servant’s clothes, but they’re a hundred times better than what you’re wearing.” Hugh Shaw pulled her into his embrace, his tone gentle: “Rowena, you’re always so kind.” Watching their coordinated performance, I couldn’t help but scoff. Six years later, Rowena was still this fake. I looked up, my tone cold and hard: “No need. I can’t accept anything from you.” The wealthy woman who’d mocked me earlier actually called security: “How can just anyone get in here? Guards, throw these two beggars out! They’re an eyesore!” Several security guards strode forward, their expressions serious as they moved to escort Nora and me away. My eyes flashed coldly as I pulled the invitation from my purse. “I was invited to attend this gala.” The guard took the invitation and verified it, momentarily unsure how to proceed. Rowena stepped forward, feigning surprise: “Claire, you didn’t steal that invitation, did you? After all, six years ago you were kicked out of the Shaw family for stealing. I didn’t expect you to still be at it—even daring to steal an invitation to a charity gala.” My whole body trembled as towering rage surged in my heart. So after I left, they’d actually accused me of being a thief. I stared hard at Rowena, my voice cold: “I steal things? Why don’t you talk about how you steal men?” Rowena’s face instantly darkened, her eyes full of venom. Whispers began circulating around us, and the looks people gave Rowena changed. Just then, a reprimanding voice suddenly rang out: “You wretch! What are you doing back here?” The crowd parted as two people pushed through—my adoptive parents. My adoptive father’s face was livid. He raised his hand to slap me across the face, shouting: “You worthless thing! Stop spouting nonsense and ruining Rowena’s reputation!” Caught off guard, I was struck and turned my head, my ears ringing. “Mom!” Nora rushed to my side, her voice tearful. I forced a weak smile and gently comforted her: “I’m fine.” My adoptive mother immediately stepped forward, pointing at my nose and cursing: “Claire Winston, you ungrateful wretch! Mrs. Shaw’s position was always meant for Rowena. You, a fake who stole what wasn’t yours—what right do you have to slander her here? If we hadn’t adopted you, you would have died on the streets long ago, and yet you dare frame our precious daughter!” Adopted? I laughed bitterly inside. Years ago, when I went out with my birth parents, I accidentally got separated from my family and happened to be found by my adoptive mother, who had just lost her own child. Seeing no one around, she’d hurriedly carried me away and used me as a replacement for her biological daughter. If not for them, I wouldn’t have been separated from my birth parents for so many years. Fortunately, after the divorce, through a series of coincidences, I found my birth parents and finally learned the truth about my origins. I held Nora tightly and snatched the invitation back from the guard, my voice cold: “Get out of my way!” Rowena glanced at the name on the invitation and immediately laughed mockingly: “Claire is really bold—stealing from Pierce Ashford himself.” A busybody leaned in, and after seeing the signature, exclaimed dramatically: “Everyone knows Mr. Ashford is the most valued successor of the board’s senior members, and he heads the corporation’s technology division with countless teams under him. You actually dared to steal from him—you’re done for!” Mocking voices surrounded me, but I remained unusually calm. Meeting everyone’s gaze, I said each word deliberately: “He is my husband.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, the entire hall fell silent for a moment before erupting in roaring laughter. “That’s hilarious! Everyone knows Mr. Ashford married a daughter from a prestigious medical family—beautiful, brilliant, and accomplished. You, an ordinary woman, dare impersonate Mrs. Ashford? You’ve got some nerve!” “Exactly! Look in a mirror—you even have a kid in tow. How dare you mention Mr. Ashford?” Nora’s little face flushed red with anger at the crowd’s mockery. She put her hands on her hips and shouted back: “Don’t talk about my mom like that! My mom is a medical doctor!” Seeing this, the crowd laughed even more brazenly: “Like mother, like daughter—look what she’s taught the child!” “Just like her mother—both pathological liars! Shameless!” Rowena grabbed Hugh Shaw’s sleeve, her face full of alarm: “Huai’an, is Claire trying to destroy the Shaw family? Impersonating Mrs. Ashford—if word gets out, our entire Shaw family will be ruined!” Provoked by her words, Hugh Shaw angrily ordered those behind him: “Someone, teach this arrogant woman a lesson!” Several ill-intentioned attendants immediately rushed forward and began groping me without hesitation. To avoid hurting Nora, I held her tightly in my arms. Slaps landed hard, and a metallic taste rose in my throat. “Mom!” Nora broke down crying, her small hands clutching my clothes tightly. Chloe Shaw, who’d been standing beside Rowena, suddenly pointed at Nora and screamed: “My brooch is missing! It was her! That little beggar! She stole my brooch!” My gaze turned cold as I clearly saw a flash of jealousy in Chloe’s eyes. Ethan immediately stepped forward, grabbed the necklace around Nora’s neck, and yanked it hard. The necklace was torn off, and he shoved Nora to the ground in the process. “Little beggar, how dare you steal my sister’s necklace? Shameless!” Nora fell to the ground, her eyes red as she shouted back: “I didn’t steal it! Dad gave it to me! You big meanie! Give it back!” My heart clenched. I stumbled forward to help Nora up and saw a vivid red mark on her delicate neck from being strangled. I trembled with rage and glared at Ethan: “Give the necklace back to her!” But Ethan completely ignored me and handed the necklace directly to Chloe. Chloe happily put the necklace around her own neck and smugly lifted her chin at Nora. Hugh Shaw looked at me with a dark expression, his tone disgusted: “Unrepentant! Teaching a child to be a thief like you! No—I won’t let Shaw family blood be ruined by you! She must come back with me!” A flash of malice crossed Rowena’s eyes before she stepped forward gently: “Huai’an, perhaps we should investigate first. What if she’s someone else’s illegitimate child with another man? We can’t let an outsider taint the Shaw family bloodline.” Hugh Shaw nodded and immediately barked: “Someone get me a paternity test kit!” Several assistant-like figures rushed forward like wolves, reaching out to snatch Nora away. One of them was holding a sampling swab. I held Nora tightly and backed away, screaming: “Don’t come near us! I’ll say it one more time—she has nothing to do with the Shaw family! She is Pierce Ashford’s daughter!” But those people only followed Hugh Shaw’s orders. They ignored my cries and kept pressing forward. In the chaos, the sampling swab jabbed viciously toward Nora. I instinctively raised my arm to block it. The sharp plastic rod pierced straight into my arm. Blood immediately gushed out, staining my sleeve red. “Mom!” Nora cried out in terror, her small body trembling. I endured the piercing pain and still held Nora tightly in my arms. Hugh Shaw impatiently barked: “Pull her away!” Several attendants immediately stepped forward, roughly twisting my arms behind my back with such force it felt like they’d break my bones. Just as the sampling swab was about to jab Nora, a figure suddenly broke through the crowd and grabbed the man’s wrist, twisting it sharply. A scream instantly echoed through the hall. The next second, a cold voice laced with fury shook the entire venue into silence: “You dare touch my daughter? Who gave you that nerve?”

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After I posted my retirement announcement, everyone applauded. Only Simons, my girlfriend Julia’s rumored boyfriend and rising creative genius, objected. In front of numerous reporters, he put on a show. “It’s all a misunderstanding. Anthony is an indispensable talent. I sincerely hope he can return to the entertainment industry.” I turned off my phone, ignoring his proclamation. In my past life, my work was identical to his original single. Online users accused me of plagiarism and wished death upon my entire family. Unwilling to accept this, I posted all my creative process, but it couldn’t overcome the final publication time of the work. His new song was published ten minutes earlier than mine. Because of those ten minutes, netizens created death photo edits of me, and some even came to my house to throw paint. Over several years, constant cyberbullying gave me depression. My parents spent their entire fortune trying to clear my name, but were burned to death by crazed fans. Finally, on the day his original song won an award, I leaped from a high-rise building. Unexpectedly, when I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn on the day the new song was published.

“Your new song will be released on time at noon today.” “Don’t be nervous. With the quality of this song, you’ll definitely win Best Creator at this year’s Music Awards!” My agent Johnston patted my shoulder, and I gasped for air as if waking from a nightmare. Looking at the familiar living room and the bewildered Johnston in front of me, I finally realized I had been reborn on the day of the new song’s release. “You’ve worked hard staying up late to write songs these past few days. I won’t schedule any announcements for you. Get some good rest.” “Wait!” I called out to Johnston, who had reached the door, my eyes fixed on the wall clock. The second hand ticked forward. When the minute hand pointed to 10, I opened my phone and found Simons’ Twitter. Just like in my previous life, he posted a music website link with the caption: “Original solo single ‘Sunshine in the Ruins’ awaiting your listening.” Opening the link, a male voice flowed from my phone. “What’s going on? Isn’t this your new song!” Johnston stepped forward and grabbed my phone. “The melody, the lyrics—they’re all the same. This is your original work. How could Simons publish it early!” “Could it be someone from the recording studio who stole the song? Wait, I’ll have someone investigate right now!” I stopped Johnston. “Cancel the new song release with the company!” In my past life, because I released the exact same single as Simons, I was branded a plagiarist. To clear my name, I posted my creative process, but no one cared. “Plagiarism is plagiarism—doing it but not daring to admit it!” “Now you’re even faking the process to prove yourself. That must have been exhausting to write, huh?” “Plagiarists deserve to have their whole families die! Support Simons in defending his rights. Sue him until he’s bankrupt!” My agent Johnston and the recording studio teachers spoke up for me, but they were also cursed out by netizens. At that time, my girlfriend Julia, who had won Best Actress, went live. During the livestream, my girlfriend who had always refused to make our relationship public openly declared her love for Simons and strongly condemned my plagiarism. In an instant, I was utterly devastated! I had clearly played my new song for her in advance. To protect Simons, she actually backstabbed me, her legitimate boyfriend! Following her lead, the fans’ anger surged. They flooded my social media, cursing me endlessly. Singers and actors I had worked with avoided me like the plague, eager to distance themselves from me. If anyone didn’t publicly condemn me, they would be attacked by masses of fans. As they wished, I was blacklisted from the industry, expelled from the professional association, and even my previous awards were revoked. Under public pressure, my management company terminated my contract. From that point on, whenever Simons released a song, I would be dragged out and viciously cursed. Netizens sent me funeral wreaths and created death photo edits. Some even came to my house to throw paint. Years of cyberbullying gave me depression. My parents spent their entire fortune trying to clear my name, but were burned to death by crazed fans. On the day Simons’ original song won the Music Award, I leaped from a high-rise building. What I never expected was that when I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn. Heaven gave me a chance to start over. This time, I had to figure out what was really going on.

“The company spent a fortune on this single. You can’t just cancel it like that. I won’t be able to explain this to the higher-ups!” “How about this—I’ll investigate the song theft, and you quickly write another song to turn in.” After Johnston left, I sat alone on the sofa thinking for a long time. Simons was my girlfriend’s childhood friend. They grew up together and had always been very close. After graduating from a music academy abroad, Simons entered the entertainment industry through Julia’s connections. With the seasoned Julia as his backer, he signed directly with SKY Entertainment, the largest entertainment company in the country. Right from his debut, he sang the theme song for an international director’s film. These were all privileges I, the legitimate boyfriend, had never enjoyed. Because Julia treated him so well, I was always jealous and resentful. But Julia said her family and Simons’ family were old friends, and it would look bad if she didn’t help him. Not wanting to make things difficult for her, I turned a blind eye. Little did I know that Simons had always been the one she desired but couldn’t have in her youth. My hands kept moving as I continued searching through Simons’ Twitter for clues. Finally, I discovered something suspicious in a post from a month ago. On August 26th, Simons posted a photo with the caption: Creative inspiration flowing. I enlarged the photo and examined it carefully. Suddenly, my head buzzed! The draft paper on his desk showed the same creative thought process as mine. Even the lyrics I had deleted were identical, word for word! I wrote the lyrics based on my personal experiences. There was absolutely no possibility of plagiarism or borrowing. Could it be that Simons, like me, had experienced that earthquake? No, impossible! Simons and Julia were both from the north. How could they have been living on that southern island? But how else could I explain our identical manuscripts? While I was racking my brain unable to figure this out, Johnston called again. Unsurprisingly, there were no leads on the song theft. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Johnston was right. The company had spent big money promoting this new song. Besides Twitter trending topics, there were LED screen advertisements in major shopping districts. The upfront investment was at least several million. To minimize the company’s losses, I could only work harder to create another new song. Rushing into my studio and picking up my long-absent guitar, my hands trembled involuntarily. This time, let me become Nemesis and write about the injustice I suffered in my past life. I didn’t believe Simons could have the same rebirth experience as me! In two days, I finally finished writing the lyrics and melody for the new song after staying up all night. Using another spare phone, I recorded a simple demo and immediately sent it to Johnston. After listening, Johnston excitedly sent five emojis. “Rock? Anthony, you’re a musical genius! How many more surprises do you have that I don’t know about?” Before I could reply, Johnston sent a voice message: “I’ve booked the recording studio. I’ll pick you up in an hour.” When we left the recording studio, the sky was gradually brightening. Johnston loosened his shoulders. “Christmas break is coming up soon. Your song will probably be released around January 3rd. What do you think?” I didn’t rush to reply to Johnston. Instead, I asked about Simons’ recent situation. “I have a friend at SKY Entertainment. He said Simons hasn’t been to the company lately. No one knows what he’s up to.” After releasing a new song, he should have been touring the country for promotions, but there wasn’t any activity from him. It was too strange. To avoid any more accidents, it was good to observe ahead of time. I took a deep breath and agreed to the company’s proposal to delay the release. After returning home, I finally got the most restful sleep since my rebirth. I was awakened again by Johnston’s knocking. “Anthony, this is bad!” “Simons released another song, and it’s… identical to the new song you recorded early this morning!”

Johnston’s words were like a heavy blow, crushing all the courage I had built up since my rebirth. Why couldn’t I change any of this even with a second chance! Did this mean I could never make music again? Would I have to live forever in Simons’ shadow? To avoid unnecessary trouble, this time I had left my regular phone on the balcony and hadn’t used the computer to arrange the music. How did Simons know about my original song! On Twitter, Simons, who had released two original singles in succession, trended for three consecutive days. The top two spots on all major music charts were Simons’ singles. His popularity even overshadowed a superstar whose secret marriage had been exposed. Some fans asked him in the comments under the new song link why he had changed his style. “My previous new song was plagiarized by someone. Fortunately, I changed the timing and released it early, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to clear my name even if I was right. This new song is a warning to those who steal other people’s work. Talent is a creative artist’s foundation, and I’m someone you’ll never be able to catch up to!” His domineering declaration caused an uproar on social media. Following the company’s previous new song announcement, some people found my Twitter and kept posting comments. “Simons’ plagiarist must be you, right? Didn’t you say you were releasing a song? It’s been so long—where’s your new song?” “And you call yourself an excellent creative artist. Your previous albums must have been ghostwritten too, right?” In this life, I hadn’t released a song, yet I was still branded a plagiarist by Simons. But without solid evidence, my fans weren’t pushovers. How could they let me be slandered? They argued fiercely with those clamoring netizens in the comments section. Simons was a newly debuted artist with mostly casual fans and very few loyal followers. During this controversy, Simons’ reputation fell instead of rising. At this point, Julia couldn’t sit still. “You must come to Simons’ celebration party tomorrow!” Julia’s tone was harsh. I laughed bitterly. “Why should I!” “You have the nerve to ask why! Your fans are cyberbullying Simons. He’s been drowning himself in alcohol these past two days!” “If you still want to be my boyfriend, you must come to the celebration party tomorrow to dispel the rumors!” Simons plagiarized my songs and still wanted me to celebrate with him. Even with ten thousand grievances, I could only grit my teeth and endure. Because I still needed to uncover the secret about Simons. On the day of the celebration party, Julia held Simons’ arm, surrounded by people. “Simons’ two originals broke records directly. They’ve been at number one for a week already!” “Our Simons’ ballads bring people to tears. Who would have thought his rock could be so soul-stirring? He’s truly a creative genius!” The staff around him glanced at me. “Unlike some people who carry the title of genius but engage in theft.” I looked down and smiled. “Simons really is a rare talent. Since that’s the case, can you tell us why you used a minor key for your first original?” Simons didn’t rush to answer. Instead, he exchanged a glance with Julia. “Anthony, that’s enough! Simons graciously invited you to his celebration party, not for you to cause trouble!” Julia’s face flushed red as she defended Simons. In that instant, I had an epiphany—she must know the truth too. “Aren’t you supposed to be a creative genius? Why can’t you even explain the reason!” Simons pushed Julia aside: “There’s nothing I can’t say. Major keys are cheerful, minor keys are sad and gentle. If you play ‘Sunshine in the Ruins’ at 0.75 speed, you’ll discover this isn’t actually a cheerful song at all. Of course a minor key better fits the song’s true meaning.” My heart pounded wildly. Simons’ songwriting thoughts were identical to mine. Especially the 0.75 speed playback—this was a hidden easter egg I had placed in the song. How could he even know about this? I felt darkness before my eyes. “Thank you for the explanation. I have something to attend to. I’m leaving.” As soon as I walked out of the private room, Julia chased after me. “What was the point of that! In front of all those people, did you have to embarrass Simons?” I was thoroughly disappointed in Julia and didn’t want to get entangled with her anymore. “Let’s break up!” “I’m retiring from the industry and going back home. I wish you and Simons all the best!” “What are you doing now! If you go home, what can you do? Move bricks with your incompetent father?” Julia sneered. “Can your father afford your contract termination fee?” I smiled indifferently and left decisively. Julia didn’t know I was a genuine second-generation rich kid. My dad was indeed a contractor over a decade ago, but he caught the right timing and was now a nationally renowned real estate developer. The astronomical termination fee was nothing more than selling a few fewer properties to my dad. Without making music, I could still go home and inherit the family business. I wanted to see how Simons could continue being a rising creative genius without me creating anything!

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I’m an actress, and my boyfriend—who’s also my agent—told me to gain twenty pounds to land a role. But when I arrived on set, the director looked at me with regret and sighed. “Your acting is solid, but you’re too heavy. Didn’t your agent tell you this role requires someone slimmer?” I was about to ask my boyfriend what was going on. But then I saw him smiling as he congratulated my rival, Natasha. Turns out Natasha got the role. When our eyes met, his expression was weary. “She needs this role more than you do. Your acting is too good—to keep you from getting cast, I had to trick you into gaining weight.” “You’ve been pestering me about marriage, right? Perfect timing—now that you’ve gained weight and can’t get any roles, let’s hurry up and get married.” In that moment, I realized that in five years, he’d never forgotten Natasha. I let out a bitter laugh and removed the simple ring engraved with his initials from my finger. “No. We’re breaking up.” The ring rolled under the sofa. Cameron’s expression darkened. “You want me to beg you to stay in front of her, to prove how important you are to me, is that it?” I opened my mouth. “No…” Before I could finish, he raised his hand, impatience in his eyes. “Don’t explain. Whatever. Just don’t come crying to me drunk later, begging to get back together.” I clutched the hem of my clothes, my cheeks burning. It was more humiliating than being slapped in public. Natasha tugged at his sleeve. “I told you not to talk to girls like that… He’s just blunt, he doesn’t mean any harm, don’t take it personally…” Cameron pulled her away. “Don’t waste your breath on her. Don’t you still need to pick out your costume?” The two of them left without hesitation. Their interaction was almost identical to the romantic clips that circulated online years ago—so in sync, as if they’d never broken up at all. Someone caught this moment on camera and posted it online from a burner account. And once again, my figure became negative news. [Oh my God, her body is seriously ugly. Does she even know she’s an actress? Is she planning to play a pig with that weight?] [I can’t believe this. She just gains weight whenever she wants—does she have any professional standards? Can’t she control her eating? Look at Natasha!] I’ve had the kind of body that gains weight from drinking water since I was a kid. The first time I was mass-ridiculed online for looking heavy on camera, I developed depression and had to take hormones to control it. My weight skyrocketed again. Directors rejected me. I was on the verge of giving up my acting dreams. That’s when Cameron pushed through the crowd of people mocking me and took me away. Looking at my tear-streaked makeup, he said, “Everyone already looks down on you—are you going to bully yourself too?” From that moment on, I saw him as my guiding light. I followed him silently, and I fell for him. He knew how hard my journey had been. He knew how much I trusted him. And now, he’d shattered that trust with his own hands. My phone chimed. It wasn’t a message from him—it was several loyal fans privately messaging me on social media, telling me to fire my agent. From the first time I worked with Cameron and got cyberbullied over styling and unflattering roles, they’d been telling me to drop him. But I always believed that as long as my acting was solid, I could play any role well, no matter how thankless. But now, the labels of “most vicious” and “most foolish supporting character” had been nailed to me, even seeping into my real life.

Only now did I realize how laughable my confidence was in the face of the contrast he deliberately created. My assistant sighed. “Stop reading that. I signed you up for a weight loss program.” I took a deep breath, staring out at the rainy weather. “Don’t bother. Doesn’t the company want me to go international? Director Andrew’s project—let’s take it.” My assistant looked at me in shock. “If you take that project, you’ll be working in Europe for two years. What about you and Cameron?” I cut her off calmly. “It doesn’t matter. From now on, my business has nothing to do with him.” When my manager found out I’d agreed to change my development path, he was thrilled. To build momentum for me, he didn’t pull down the online rumors. At least I wasn’t as psychologically fragile as I used to be. But as I was filling out the overseas assignment form, Cameron stormed into the office in a rage. “I told you when I got here not to create rumors about Natasha. Now the internet is full of people calling her manipulative…” He hadn’t expected me to be there. His anger stopped abruptly, replaced by a trace of embarrassment. Rumor had it that after he and Natasha broke up, the company spent a fortune to poach him and agreed to many unfair terms. I just hadn’t expected one of those terms to be about Natasha. Looking back, when he was supposedly trying to make me famous, he ignored positive PR about my professionalism and kindness. Instead, he churned out rumors about me for free—about my looks, my body, my personality, one after another, sometimes trending all day. When crazed fans stalked me, he never showed an ounce of concern or anger. Just like now—both situations involved rumors, but his eyes only held Natasha. I let out an inexplicable laugh. His expression turned ugly. “I knew it. The manager promised me he wouldn’t go after her, so it was you, wasn’t it?” “You’re upset that I lied to you and gave her the role, so you got your fans to call her manipulative, to say she’s using me to suppress and smear you and your roles?” I frowned slightly, about to explain, when Cameron’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID labeled “Natasha,” he answered in seconds. It was treatment I’d never received in five years—not even when stalker fans chased my car and I called him for help. “Cameron, someone leaked photos of you and Priscilla on a date. Now everyone’s saying Natasha is a homewrecker who came between you two.” “She’s crying uncontrollably, threatening to jump off a building to prove her innocence!” In that moment, he panicked so badly his legs went weak. The look he gave me was full of resentment. “You’re ruthless. To destroy her, you’ll even flip over your own meal ticket!” He didn’t give me a chance to speak. He stumbled away. The manager looked at me helplessly. “We didn’t buy those photos. Should I…” I forced a smile. “Don’t bother. Let him think whatever he wants. I’m leaving anyway.” The manager sighed and took the form from my hands. Not even three minutes after I left the office, my phone buzzed with a special notification from social media. I opened it to see Cameron had reposted the most-viewed dating photo. [Not in a relationship. Just colleagues. Natasha and I never broke up. All marketing involving Priscilla was work-related. There is no homewrecking situation.] My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. When he was first poached by the company to manage me, Natasha’s fans said I’d stolen him away, that I was the catalyst for their breakup. After paparazzi photos of us together surfaced, it confirmed everything. I endured a full year of cyberbullying. At its worst, the company suggested we officially announce our relationship to clear things up.

But he always used the excuse that I needed to focus on my career, refusing again and again, watching me get cursed at in public. And now he’d given the official announcement that should’ve been mine to his ex. He still let the “homewrecker” label follow me. Only now did I understand—true love has no obstacles. The only obstacle was that he never loved me. The company couldn’t do anything about him, so they assigned me a new agent and rushed to officially clear up the relationship. But when it came time to transfer responsibilities, he refused. “I’ve managed her for so many years—no one knows better than me how she should develop!” His sudden change in attitude was laughable, and it only confirmed my role as a stepping stone, a foil. I looked at him quietly, my eyes filled with unfathomable numbness and sorrow. “No. I know what’s best for myself.” He stiffened, as if he’d never expected me to talk to him this way. In the past, the company had also suggested changing agents. But he never even had to object—I’d refuse on my own, wanting any excuse to spend more time with him. But now that I was standing firm, he was completely powerless. As the tension peaked, the manager pulled out my overseas assignment form. “Actually, it’s because Priscilla is leaving…” Cameron frowned, reaching for the document. I moved in front of him immediately. “I decide my own career path. If not me, then the company will. If you won’t transfer your duties, I’ll do it myself.” With that, I folded the form and handed it to the manager, shaking my head gently. As I turned to leave, Cameron reached out to grab my wrist, but I dodged him. After the unpleasant confrontation, I went home and started packing. As I was organizing, my phone buzzed with a rare message from him. [She’s psychologically fragile. I was just comforting her. Don’t overthink it.] This was the first time in a month he’d voluntarily talked to me about something unrelated to work—and it was still about Natasha. But when I’d acted cute, asked for support, complained, or sought comfort, his most common response was [Be strong.] I didn’t call him immediately like I used to, acting cute and vulnerable, expressing my relationship needs and asking him to care more about me. After all, what was the point? Soon, the password lock at my door beeped with several failed attempts. My heart jumped. I opened the security camera to see him at the door. My heart settled, and along with it, my expectations of him. A simple anniversary password—in five years, he’d never successfully opened this door. But the social media login password he hadn’t used in two years, the one based on Natasha’s birthday, took him less than a minute to remember this afternoon. I put down what I was holding and let him in. His eyes held a trace of concern. “Why didn’t you open the door? I thought something happened to you.” I found it ridiculous. “What could happen? I have a very strong mental state.” He frowned slightly. The guilt in his eyes disappeared. “The rumors and gossip were released by her own company. I didn’t get the full story before I verbally attacked you—that’s my fault.” “But you don’t need to be so passive-aggressive about her. She and I only broke up because of the company. There’s nothing between us.” “That statement was also posted from my account by her. By the time I noticed, there was no way to clarify. I already told you we can get married right now. You don’t need to keep harping on this.” Seeing the barely concealed impatience in his eyes,

I suddenly spoke up. “So if you two hadn’t broken up, would you talk to her like this too? Demanding she marry you without even proposing?” He looked irritated. “That’s not important. Right now you’re in the rising phase of your career, you can’t…” My heart clenched suddenly. Before he could finish, I slapped him across the face, my voice terrifyingly calm. “You know I’m in my rising phase, but you still tricked me into gaining weight!” “Yes, none of it matters. Whether your excuses were for my good or because you can’t forget her—none of it matters. What matters is we’ve already broken up.” “Now get out of my house immediately! I don’t want to see you!” His eyes reddened with anger and a trace of shock at being kicked out for the first time. He slammed the door on his way out, leaving behind a vicious parting shot. “You’ll regret this!” In five years, I’d always accommodated him. We’d never had this kind of hostile atmosphere. So when he realized I was no longer easy to control, no longer compliant, he pulled out all the dirty tricks he’d kept hidden. My new agent, Livingston, said there was a charity gala to attend that evening. But when I arrived, I discovered it was a low-end commercial drinking party. Cameron and Natasha sat on either side of the boss. Livingston gently pushed me inside. “Your resources have been downgraded and you’re not making money. Cameron said if you can help Natasha handle this event, he’ll get the director to give you a good role.” When I was a newcomer working with Cameron, I couldn’t land good roles or get paid, which dragged down his performance bonuses and evaluations. To avoid being a burden to him, I secretly accepted a commercial dinner reception. At first it was just drinking. Then several people started forcing drinks on me. I tried to run, but the door was locked. They groped me lewdly all over. Just as I was losing hope, Cameron kicked the door open, holding an axe, and split the round table in half. His eyes bloodshot, he pulled me into his arms protectively. He took me back and scolded me the whole way, saying I had no brains. He said these drinking parties almost always ended in sleeping with clients. By the end of his lecture, I’d gone silent, blood flowing from my mouth like water. That time, his face showed a panic I’d never seen before. After that, I almost never attended events that required drinking. Seeing me frozen in place, Natasha walked over with a smile. “It’s my fault. I said I couldn’t drink much but didn’t want to refuse the investor’s goodwill, so he said you could drink and called you over.” “You don’t mind, right? After all, we’re just trying to get you roles.” Seeing the triumph mixed with provocation in her eyes, I was surprisingly calm. Fine. I’d drink tonight. After tomorrow, all grudges would end. I raised my glass, meeting his surprised and slightly nervous gaze. “Thank you all for this opportunity.” The cheap alcohol burned down my esophagus into my stomach. I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and poured another glass. “But this time…” Before I could finish, Cameron frowned and snatched the glass from my hand. His voice was low. “If you can’t drink, don’t! Do you have to be so stubborn? Is it that hard to give in?” I smiled. Just as I was about to speak, a clattering sound came from overhead. Before we could look up, the room began shaking violently.

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Evelyn lay in the hospital, struggling through a life-threatening childbirth, while Adrian Caldwell set off a spectacular fireworks display worth 7.45 million for his first love, Claire Sullivan. That very night, a video of the billionaire heir passionately kissing his first love beneath the fireworks flooded the internet. The next day, Claire sent Evelyn a photo. In it, Adrian held her close, her body covered in marks of his kisses. She said, “Now that the real one is back, when will you, the stand-in, fuck off?” Evelyn let out a bitter smile. Claire was right. After three years as a substitute, risking her life to give birth to his child, she had finally completed her role. She could leave now. “Evelyn, here’s the five million dollar check I promised you, and a plane ticket to Paris for two weeks from today.” Evelyn Sterling took the envelope and bowed slightly to Adrian Caldwell’s father, Charles. “Thank you for taking care of me these past three years, Mr. Caldwell.” Charles sighed. “Evelyn, you just gave birth. Do you really have to leave so soon?” A bitter smile crossed Evelyn’s face. “Adrian doesn’t have feelings for me. Now that his first love, Miss Sullivan, has returned, I’ve been put back in my place.” Charles let out a long sigh. “Evelyn, I have a heart. That’s your own flesh and blood. I know we signed a contract, but I’ve seen who you really are. You can come back and see the child anytime.” Evelyn waved her hand dismissively. “Mr. Caldwell, holding onto ties that are already broken only leads to endless pain.” It wasn’t that Evelyn didn’t love her child. She knew she was never meant to be the real lady of the Caldwell household. That place belonged to Claire Sullivan, Adrian’s first love. Claire and Adrian both came from wealthy families. They had known each other since childhood, so it was natural for them to be together. Unexpectedly, Claire suddenly went abroad and disappeared without a trace. When Adrian finally heard from her again, there was already another tall, handsome man by her side. The abrupt breakup combined with her immediate new relationship sent Adrian into severe depression. Seeing his son in such a state, Charles found Evelyn, who resembled Claire. Charles covered all of Evelyn’s mother’s medical expenses and promised to take care of all her future educational needs. But the condition was that Evelyn had to help Adrian get over his heartbreak and give him a grandson. From that day on, a persistent shadow appeared behind Adrian Caldwell. When he worked until he fainted from stomach pain, Evelyn always appeared in time to drive him home, even washing his clothes and placing warm porridge on his nightstand before he woke up. When he had business difficulties, Evelyn stepped in to help smooth over relationships. Everyone at the company greeted Evelyn warmly the moment they saw her. No one disliked Evelyn, except Adrian Caldwell. It wasn’t until Adrian got drunk at a celebration party and slept with Evelyn that he reluctantly gave her a title. Later, Evelyn learned that the reason he got drunk was because Claire was getting engaged. Even knowing she was Claire’s replacement, Evelyn never showed any dissatisfaction. She followed the contract and took care of the Caldwell household inside and out with dedication. After marriage, her relationship with Adrian slowly improved. She even got pregnant quickly. For a while, Evelyn mistakenly thought Adrian had truly fallen in love with her and that life would go on like this forever. Then Claire divorced her foreign husband and returned to the country to see Adrian. The day Claire came back, Evelyn was thirty-two weeks pregnant, in her third trimester. That evening, to celebrate Claire’s return, Adrian threw a lavish banquet in the city center, booking an entire hotel to make her happy. He even set off seven million four hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of brilliant fireworks on the golden beach of the East Coast waterfront for Claire. That night, when Evelyn heard the news, she suddenly went into contractions and had to be admitted to the hospital. Following Charles’s orders, Evelyn couldn’t have a C-section. She had to give birth naturally without anesthesia. When her contractions made it feel like someone was tearing at her internal organs, she finally heard a familiar voice. Outside the door, Charles asked Adrian, “Your wife is giving birth, why are you only arriving now!” Adrian explained somewhat sheepishly, “Dad, I got held up with some work matters. I’m doing this for our family, aren’t I?” Even though Evelyn’s love for Adrian began with a contract, after three years together, her heart had long been filled with him. She even began to fantasize about whether her existence had gained some significance to Adrian. Suddenly, the nurse turned up the volume on the fetal heart monitor, and Evelyn heard Claire’s voice from outside the door. “Adrian, I had no choice but to go abroad back then. I just needed treatment…” The heart rate instantly spiked to one hundred and eighty. Evelyn bit her lip so hard she nearly drew blood, just to keep herself from crying out loud. So even when she was giving birth to Adrian’s child, she still couldn’t catch his eye as a mere replacement. Adrian’s love had been fully invested in Claire from the very beginning. He came to the hospital not for her. Only for his biological son. Evelyn covered her mouth to keep from crying out. But she let tears flow freely down her cheeks. As the baby let out its first cry, Evelyn shed tears for Adrian for the last time. Fourteen more days, and we’ll have nothing to do with each other.

When Evelyn returned to the company, Claire was already sitting at her desk. “Miss Sterling, hasn’t Adrian told you that he’s given me the Executive Director position?” Evelyn frowned. “I haven’t even done a handover. What gives you the right to say that so confidently?” Claire smiled and twirled her hair, her tone full of mockery. “If your abilities can’t keep you in this position, don’t blame others for taking it. If you’re just taking up space, you deserve it.” Claire’s words clearly had a double meaning. As everyone around watched the drama unfold, Adrian heard the commotion and came out, frowning as he beckoned to Evelyn. “Come in for a moment.” Without complaint, Evelyn obediently entered the CEO’s office. “Adrian, I’m not objecting to what you did. I’m just curious why my position was taken by someone else the moment I came back from maternity leave after giving birth?” Even though Evelyn was about to leave, seeing Adrian let this woman take her place so quickly still sent a dense, needle-like pain through her heart. Hearing this, Adrian was the one who got upset first. His expression darkened. “Evelyn, you talk too much. Don’t forget who you are and who gave you all this!” Evelyn froze for a moment. She opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word. What could she say? She was Adrian’s woman now. Even though everyone knew how hard she worked, Adrian’s gaze had never lingered on her for a moment. “This isn’t my fault either.” Seeing Evelyn’s silence, Adrian spoke indifferently, like giving a slap followed by a sweet treat. “Evelyn, you were gone for so long having the baby. What would happen to your position if no one filled it?” “You can’t expect the whole company to wait for you, can you?” “Besides, it wasn’t just the months you spent having the baby. You stayed in the hospital for so long after giving birth. For the company, that’s all money!” Evelyn felt like her heart was bleeding. She had given Adrian a child, but all Adrian cared about was the company. He was even counting every moment of her maternity leave. “I know you’re resentful. How about this? Tell me what you want, and I’ll get it for you.” Hearing this, Evelyn found it all so ironic. She pulled out a document from her bag. It was her divorce agreement with Adrian. “Then sign this. Let’s get divorced. The child stays with you. I won’t take a penny from you.” But Adrian at this moment seemed not to hear Evelyn’s words at all. His eyes held a smile as his gaze remained fixed on Claire outside the door. Claire was waving at him, apparently wanting to meet with him later. Without even looking, Adrian quickly signed his name on the divorce papers. “I’ll give you whatever you want. Happy now? Okay, Evelyn, don’t bother me anymore. I have a lunch meeting with a client.” Smiling, he grabbed his jacket and left with Claire without looking back. Evelyn watched his retreating figure and waved as well. Goodbye. Let’s never see each other again.

Ten days countdown. Evelyn got up early. Adrian never came home last night. But none of that had anything to do with her anymore. Her ex-husband’s affairs were none of her business. After packing her things, Evelyn arrived at the university campus. As soon as she reached the entrance, the department chair walked over with a smile. “Oh, Evelyn! Long time no see. How have you been lately?” The department chair pointed to a building still under construction in the distance and said with a smile. “The million dollars you donated last time has already been put into our educational programs! From now on, our school will have more support and resources for art students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is all thanks to you. If it weren’t for you, we definitely couldn’t have done this!” Evelyn had been a fortunate art student from a disadvantaged background. Being able to study at this school was her luck, and now she wanted to pass that luck on to others. Hearing the department chair’s words, she waved her hand with a smile. “This is what I should do.” The department chair sighed. “What a shame. Your artistic talent is so high. If you had continued, you might have become nationally renowned. But why did you choose to become some director for the Caldwell family… to go into finance!” Evelyn didn’t want to hear Adrian’s name anymore. She explained. “Please don’t say that, department chair. I’m free now and ready to pursue my own dreams. I’m going to Paris soon.” The department chair immediately became alert. “At this particular time? But if you really go to Paris now, aren’t you afraid that everything you have will be taken by someone else?” The Caldwell family situation was an open secret. Evelyn and Claire were constantly compared by everyone. Hearing the department chair’s words, Evelyn just smiled faintly. The department chair saw this and fell silent for a long while. “Alright. If that’s your decision, then I wish you a safe journey.” Just after leaving the school, someone from the company suddenly called Evelyn. Without any preamble, they started berating her. “When are you going to give us the latest proposal? You still haven’t submitted it?” Evelyn saw it was one of her subordinates calling. She had been mentoring her subordinates for years, but now that she’d been demoted, her subordinates were ordering her around. Ordering her to do work that was the Executive Director’s responsibility. Evelyn didn’t want to be taken advantage of anymore. Hearing the colleague ask this, she replied coldly. “Claire is in that position now. Ask her for whatever proposals you need. What does it have to do with me?” Evelyn had always been well-liked at the company. On one hand, she had a good temper and never got angry. On the other hand, her professional abilities were outstanding. But now that Evelyn was being so assertive, her colleagues were stunned. Evelyn had no intention of continuing to listen. Just as she was about to hang up, she heard Adrian say, “Is that Evelyn? Wait, don’t hang up.” His voice grew from soft to loud as he apparently took the phone. “Evelyn, when you get home, can you let Claire in? She just came back to the country and doesn’t have a place to stay. Claire will be staying at our house for now.”

A bitter smile tugged at Evelyn’s lips. She hadn’t even left yet, and Adrian couldn’t wait to bring Claire home?! Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound. Seeing that Evelyn didn’t immediately agree, Adrian frowned. “Evelyn, what does your silence mean?” “How many times do I have to tell you? Claire and I are just friends, and now we have a work relationship.” “She doesn’t have a place to stay. What’s wrong with her resting at our house tonight? Can you stop being so petty?” Evelyn remained quiet, not saying a single unnecessary word. Adrian’s frown deepened, then he changed his tone. “Claire never cares about what I do outside or how late I work. In my eyes, that’s what a virtuous wife and good mother should be like.” A virtuous wife and good mother? Then I wish you both a hundred years of happiness and many children. Evelyn grumbled internally, then said flatly, “Then open the door for her yourself. If you like her so much, you do it. I have to go to the hospital later. I don’t have time.” Besides, she wasn’t Adrian’s servant. Though in Adrian’s mind right now, that’s probably exactly what he thought of her. Adrian froze. This was the first time in all these years that Evelyn had refused him. Normally, how would Evelyn dare speak to him like this? Even when her period made her feel terrible, she would immediately fulfill whatever he wanted. Adrian’s voice was tinged with anger. “Evelyn, do you think having a child gives you a voice now? Let me tell you, I’m still the one in charge of this house! You’ll do what I tell you to do!” After hearing this, Evelyn replied coolly, “Oh, my stomach hurts, honey. I need to go to the hospital for a checkup. If you think it’s better for a woman who just gave birth with stomach pain to skip the hospital and go home to open the door for someone, then I can do what you say.” Evelyn’s words were particularly cutting. Adrian was a bit stunned. When did she get such a sharp tongue? Though Adrian suspected Evelyn was faking illness, his mind remained rational and courteous. “Fine, then go to the hospital. I’ll come see you there later too.” Evelyn didn’t plan to hear what he’d say next. She hung up and went to the hospital to see the baby. After all, this was her own flesh and blood. Who knew if she’d ever see him again? Looking at her child in the hospital room, gazing at that tender, adorable face, Evelyn felt a wave of grief. Her child had just been born, yet she would never see him again. Suddenly, she heard a nurse’s voice from outside. “Oh my, Mr. Caldwell, is this your wife? Are you both here to see the baby together?”

Though Claire’s every movement embodied the bearing of a wealthy heiress, and the brand-name clothes she wore formed a stark contrast with Evelyn’s understated style. Standing beside Adrian now, the two of them looked like a perfect match made in heaven. They looked so much like a real couple that even seasoned onlookers couldn’t tell they weren’t actually married. Evelyn turned to look outside. She saw Claire just lower her head and smile shyly. Adrian wasn’t in a hurry to respond either. Instead, he asked, “How’s my son’s health lately?” The nurse nodded quickly. “Good! Of course he’s good. He has a great appetite. Oh my, it must be because you two clearly have such good physiques, so he is naturally very healthy too.” She smiled at Claire and continued praising. “Ma’am, you’re so beautiful, and Mr. Caldwell, you’re so handsome. When he grows up, he’ll definitely be incredibly handsome! I even think he could start being a child model right now!” Evelyn’s expression remained blank as she simply looked away. She had no intention of getting angry. Or rather, she was angry for just a moment before putting it all behind her. For what? What was the point of being angry now? Adrian was legally her ex-husband now. Whoever her ex-husband was with was his freedom. Seemingly noticing Evelyn, Claire suddenly called out to Adrian. “Hey, your collar is a bit messy. Let me straighten it out. We don’t want the baby to see us looking disheveled.” Claire gave Adrian her brightest smile, her eyes completely drawn to him. She gently placed her hand on Adrian’s collar and carefully folded it properly. “Adrian, thank you for helping me with the work situation. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how many years I’d have to struggle.” She just had to let Evelyn know in front of her that Adrian had orchestrated this whole thing. She wanted Evelyn to know that even if she had a son, so what? After Claire came back, wasn’t she still the first to benefit from everything Adrian had? After straightening his clothes, Claire smiled and stepped back. Suddenly she lost her balance and fell backward. Adrian instinctively caught her waist. People around them looked at the couple’s intimate display with envious glances. This was the newborn area. For a couple who just had a baby to still have this kind of romance. Everyone was quite envious. Looking at Adrian so close to her, Claire lifted her head and kissed him forcefully on the lips. Wolf whistles came from the crowd, but Evelyn found the scene too glaring to watch. Back when Adrian was faithful, no matter how many times she begged, he never accepted her. Evelyn once thought he had some problem in that area. Now it seemed it wasn’t that area that was the problem, but the person. With Claire, he was always ready to go. Evelyn turned her lips down and headed straight for the fire escape exit. Seeing Evelyn’s retreating figure, Adrian quickly steadied Claire. “Was that Evelyn who just walked by?” Claire of course knew it was Evelyn, but she still played dumb. “I don’t know. So what if it was? We were just kissing, we didn’t do anything else. Just friends with benefits.” But Adrian pushed her away and chased after Evelyn’s departing direction. “Evelyn!”

Adrian grabbed Evelyn’s arm, a flash of panic in his eyes. But he didn’t speak, his deep eyes quietly watching Evelyn. Their relationship was always like this. If Evelyn didn’t speak first, he could go a whole day at home without saying a word. “Can I go now?” Evelyn pulled away the arm that was being gripped a bit too tightly. Adrian quickly spoke up. “Evelyn, are you angry? What you just saw, I can explain it all.” Explain? What was there to explain? Everything he’d done these days was real. Him scolding her was real. Even the kiss just now was real. Besides, they would soon have nothing to do with each other. “Okay, I’m not angry. So can I go now? You came to see the baby too, right? You two go see him.” Adrian’s pupils contracted. He had never seen Evelyn look so cold. For a moment, he felt his heart skip a beat. Watching Evelyn’s back, Adrian didn’t quite understand. Why could Evelyn be so magnanimous seeing him with another woman? Had he always thought of her as too petty? After returning home from the hospital, Adrian noticed Evelyn had already gone to her room. “Are you asleep?” Evelyn came out of the room in her pajamas. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Claire clinging to Adrian. “What is it?” Evelyn said coldly. Adrian was about to say something when Claire interrupted directly. “I just wanted to ask if you have any extra pajamas. I didn’t bring many clothes back from abroad.” “If you don’t have your pajamas, you can give me Adrian’s. My frame is just right to fit in his, it’ll cover everything.” She spoke as if she were the lady of the house. Evelyn didn’t want to deal with it and simply returned to her room. But even if she didn’t want to deal with it, she couldn’t sleep peacefully. The knocking continued. “Evelyn, Claire can’t find a towel in the bathroom. Can you get one for her?” “Evelyn, Claire says she wants to change the comforter. Can you find one for her?” “Evelyn…” And so, during the countdown to her departure, Evelyn lived in this twisted arrangement with Claire and Adrian. Even going to the hospital to see the baby, all three went together. Over time, people at the hospital started spreading gossip, saying Evelyn might be a surrogate mother hired by the Caldwell family. Though the baby was healthy, doctors detected he was allergic to pollen. Evelyn called in the gardeners and had them cut down all the rose bushes Adrian had planted in the backyard. When Claire heard the news, she rushed back anxiously. “Evelyn, what are you doing?!”

Looking at the mess in the garden, Claire pointed at Evelyn angrily. “Do you know that Adrian carefully planted all these flowers for me?!” “Even if you resent Adrian for falling in love with me, you can’t take it out on these flowers!” Hearing Claire’s words, Evelyn smiled faintly. “Miss Sullivan, you really are narcissistic.” “I don’t know who Adrian planted these flowers for, and whoever he loves has nothing to do with me.” “My son is allergic to pollen. I can’t keep these roses!” Claire pouted, looking indifferent. “So what if the baby is allergic to pollen?!” “He’ll stay in his room anyway. He won’t be brought out!” “You’re getting rid of these flowers now and still saying you don’t hate me. You’re already so vicious, you know that?!” Then, without caring about anything else, looking at the remaining roses, she started fighting with the gardeners for the pruning shears. “Everyone put down what you’re holding!” Evelyn grabbed Claire. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming. You know Adrian cares a lot about my son, so you want to use this method to make something happen to him, don’t you?!” Claire seemed like her little scheme had been exposed and froze in place. “No… I didn’t!” If Claire was treating her like this when she was still here, what would happen when she wasn’t? Adrian rushed back anxiously. Seeing the messy backyard and the two women standing together, his anger flared up. “Evelyn, what are you freaking out about! The backyard was fine, why did you have to do this? If you have a problem, tell me directly. Take it out on me. There’s no need to vent on these innocent flowers and Claire!” Innocent? Evelyn blurted out. “Innocent? Don’t you know the baby is allergic to pollen! Would you keep such a huge safety hazard at home?!” After hearing this, Adrian said dismissively, “You’ll be taking care of the child anyway. Why worry about it so much?” Why worry about it so much? Evelyn looked at Adrian in disbelief, tears falling unconsciously. “Adrian, no matter what, you can’t treat our child like this. That’s your own flesh and blood.” Adrian had never seen Evelyn cry. A struggle flashed in his eyes. “You…” The vicious words had already risen to Adrian’s throat, but when he met Evelyn’s red, cold eyes, he couldn’t speak them. This Evelyn was too unfamiliar. He was silent for a long time, finally only managing to say, “Evelyn, don’t be impulsive.” Evelyn threw the scissors to the ground and looked at Adrian coldly. “Flowers can be replanted. Buy her whatever she likes. But when it comes to the child, I absolutely cannot back down even half a step, because…” Because that was the child she carried for ten months and gave birth to! That was the only thing she had left from all these years with Adrian! “The child cannot be harmed.”

Though Claire made things difficult in every way, in the end Adrian and the gardeners silently cleared all the roses from the garden. Claire was furious, her tone becoming sharp and bitter. “This is ridiculous. They’re just flowers. The kid won’t always be at home when he comes back. Why did you have to get rid of all these flowers?” Evelyn looked at Claire coolly. “They’re just a few flowers. What, are the dead flowers going to kill you?” Evelyn speaking so harshly left Claire stunned for quite a while. Was this still the Claire who used to be so accommodating to her? Why had she become so assertive? After Evelyn dealt with the biggest threat to the baby, she returned to her room alone. There were 8 hours left until she left this heartbreaking place. Just then, Charles sent a message asking her to come to his evening banquet. “Your new identity documents are ready. Do you have time to come get them?” After Evelyn replied “yes,” she drove straight to the banquet hall entrance. Unexpectedly, she saw a familiar car there. It was Adrian’s car. She didn’t need to think to know that Adrian must have brought Claire to this banquet. At the Caldwell family banquet, Evelyn, as the CEO’s wife, couldn’t attend, yet Claire, who had no official status, appeared on the guest list. Evelyn took a deep breath. She didn’t plan to get angry, but calmly went through the staff entrance toward where Charles was. After just a few steps, she heard people discussing the Caldwell family. “Did you hear? Adrian might be proposing to Claire at this banquet!” “I heard the two of them have been promised to each other since childhood. Later, this perfect couple was torn apart by Evelyn!” “That Evelyn is really awful. What she did to Adrian and Claire is disgusting. People like her don’t deserve to exist!” “I agree. How is Evelyn still showing up at the Caldwell family? She should have the sense to leave this family!” Evelyn acted as if she couldn’t hear them and pushed past. “Excuse me.” As soon as she reached the center of the banquet, Evelyn indeed saw the grand proposal setup in the hall. A joyous atmosphere pervaded every corner. Back then, her own wedding had been quite shabby. Adrian said he didn’t want to waste time on such things. He said his time was precious, worth millions per minute. Actually, Evelyn didn’t occupy much space in Adrian’s heart. Didn’t people always say that a man’s love is where his time is, where his money is? Adrian didn’t lack money, so whoever he gave his time to was who he loved. He didn’t love Evelyn.Thinking back on this, Evelyn looked away. She was about to leave anyway. Why linger on these feelings? When she was just a few steps away from Charles’s room, Claire suddenly appeared with a group of socialites. “Evelyn, I don’t remember you being invited to tonight’s banquet. Why did you have the nerve to come? Don’t you feel ashamed?” “Not like me. I didn’t want to come, but Adrian insisted on bringing me to introduce me to everyone. He insisted I come.” Evelyn simply stepped aside. “Let me through.” Claire noticed Charles’s room behind her and immediately understood. “You’re going to complain to Charles, aren’t you? Evelyn, you’re shameless!” Evelyn could no longer hold back. She didn’t think she deserved to endure baseless criticism, so she pushed Claire aside. “You’ve provoked me again and again. Do you really think I’m a pushover?” Claire didn’t expect Evelyn to finally bite back, and immediately called over the women behind her. “Teach her a good lesson!” Evelyn looked at the people surrounding her and directly smashed the wine glass in her hand. She pointed the broken shard at them. “I’d like to see who dares come closer!” Hearing the commotion, Charles came out. Claire quickly left with the others, but before leaving, she warned Evelyn. “You know who’s in charge of the Caldwell family now, right?” “Adrian only has eyes for me. So if you want to live peacefully in the Caldwell family, you’d better keep your mouth shut!” When Charles walked over, he only saw Evelyn looking disheveled, his eyes full of heartache. “What happened? Evelyn? Were you bullied?” Evelyn glanced at the time and waved her hand. “It’s nothing, Mr. Caldwell. My flight leaves in two hours. After I get my identity documents, I’ll be leaving. In the future, please take care of yourself.”

In his heart, Charles genuinely liked Evelyn. He never imagined he could find such a wonderful daughter-in-law. At this moment, Charles opened his mouth, the words of reluctant goodbye already on his lips. But Evelyn interrupted him. “Mr. Caldwell, I know what you’re thinking. But I’ve completely given up on Adrian. Or rather, it’s not giving up. Our relationship should never have been like this from the start.” Evelyn smiled self-deprecatingly. “I just wanted him to love me.” “But no matter how hard I tried, his eyes never had room for me.” “Mr. Caldwell, I’ve completely let go.” Evelyn bowed deeply to Charles. “I know you’ve truly taken care of me all these years. My flight is about to leave, but I know this place doesn’t belong to me. Staying here would only add to my troubles.” Evelyn was too rational. So rational that even though Charles wanted to make her stay, he didn’t know what to say. After a long silence, Charles took out the documents Evelyn needed, along with a bank card containing an extra ten million dollars. “Take the money in the card. This is my gift to you. Evelyn, take good care of yourself out there. Now we must truly part ways.” Evelyn knew that even if she refused, Charles had the ability to get this money to her, so she didn’t decline again. “Thank you, Mr. Caldwell. Then, I’m leaving.” After seeing Evelyn off, Charles walked back and happened to see Claire and Adrian standing not far away. As soon as Claire saw Charles, she fell directly into Adrian’s arms. “Adrian, do you know how mean Evelyn was to me just now! Why did she treat me like that? I didn’t do anything wrong!” Adrian smiled at her, though his eyes swept over Charles. “Dad.” He knew Charles cared deeply about inappropriate relationships between men and women. Unexpectedly, Charles just looked away, gave a slight nod, and left. Seeing this, Claire thought she had gained Charles’s approval and clung even more eagerly to Adrian. “Adrian, it looks like Dad has accepted me too.” Hearing this, Adrian just nodded slightly. Though he should have been happy, somehow he couldn’t feel any joy. When he returned home, he found Evelyn wasn’t there. For some reason, panic surged in his heart. Claire smiled and hooked her arm around Adrian’s neck, walking toward their bedroom upstairs. “Adrian, can I sleep in your room tonight?” Hearing this, Adrian frowned, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart, and pushed her away. “Claire, you’re crossing the line.” As the words fell, Claire opened the bedroom door. Adrian was horrified to discover that his and Evelyn’s bedroom was completely empty. All of Evelyn’s things were gone!

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Tristan Cole’s first love, Vanessa Sullivan, returned to the country. I used a sketchbook to record every single instance he hurt me because of her. A hundred points total, and I’d leave when they ran out. He abandoned me on the award ceremony red carpet to pick up Vanessa. Deduct 10 points. He fed me birth control pills disguised as vitamins, just because his first love couldn’t have children. Deduct 20 points. He made excuses about working overtime, but had intense sex with Vanessa in his office. Deduct 20 points. … Until that day, when I was trapped under the collapsed construction site, pregnant and bleeding heavily, and he said on the phone: “Even if you die out there, I wouldn’t spare you a second glance.” The child was gone. All hundred points were deducted. My heart died too. The day I signed the divorce papers, I called my father. “I agree to the arranged marriage you set up.” Leah Sterling POV Camera flashes flooded the red carpet. I wore a custom-made starlit gown, my arm linked with Tristan’s. As the youngest nominee for the country’s highest architecture and design award, tonight should have been the most brilliant moment of my life. Tristan wore a perfectly tailored black custom suit, devastatingly handsome. We were the perfect couple in the media’s eyes. Three years married. The union of the Cole Group CEO and a genius architect made countless people envious. Just as the host smiled and announced, “Next, please welcome Mr. Tristan Cole and Miss Leah Sterling,” Tristan’s phone in his suit pocket began vibrating insistently. His initially indifferent expression shattered the instant he saw the name on the screen. My fingers, linked through his arm, stiffened slightly. I knew this expression too well. Only when it concerned that woman would this eternal iceberg crack with anxious fissures. “Tristan,” I spoke softly, with a trace of pleading, “we’re about to go on stage.” Tristan yanked his arm away in one sharp motion, the force making me stumble. He gripped his phone tightly, speaking rapidly in a cold, unquestionable tone. “Vanessa is back in the country. She’s having a panic attack at the airport. I have to go now.” The name, Vanessa Sullivan, was like a blade dipped in ice, stabbing into my heart. “But tonight is very important to me.” I bit my lower lip hard, my voice trembling in the night wind. “You promised you’d walk this entire path with me.” “Leah, this is just some meaningless award ceremony!” Tristan’s gaze was so cold, like he was looking at an unreasonable stranger. “Vanessa could be in life-threatening danger right now. Can you put away that petty vanity of yours?” He turned coldly without another word and strode toward the Maybach parked in the distance. The wind lifted the hem of his coat. He didn’t even glance back at me once. The surrounding media instantly swarmed forward, countless cameras aimed at me standing alone at the end of the red carpet. “Why did Mr. Cole suddenly leave?” “Is there something more important than your award?” “Rumor has it Mr. Cole has never forgotten a certain woman. Is that true?” Those malicious speculations intertwined with the camera flashes like an impenetrable net, trapping me completely. I don’t know how I walked that red carpet, or how I stood on stage holding that heavy trophy. All I knew was that when I stood on the award platform, looking at the empty seat below that should have belonged to Tristan, my heart turned completely cold. Late night, the villa. This thousand-square-foot mansion felt as empty as a luxurious mausoleum. I removed my painful high heels, walking barefoot across the cold marble floor, step by step up to the second floor. I pushed open the study door and retrieved a black sketchbook from the bottom of the safe. Opening to the last page, it wasn’t an architectural drawing but a countdown scoreboard drawn in red pen. One hundred points total. I picked up the pen, my fingers trembling slightly, and wrote a line on the paper: “At the most important award ceremony of my life, he abandoned me alone on the red carpet to face public ridicule online, all to pick up Vanessa Sullivan. Deduct 10 points.” After writing, I crossed out the number “100” at the bottom and changed it to “90.” I bought this sketchbook on the first day of our marriage. Back then, I naively believed that as long as I was obedient enough, loved him enough, one day I could win Tristan’s heart. But later, I accidentally overheard a conversation between Tristan and his friends. I learned he only married me because Vanessa had left the country in anger to marry someone else. His grandfather had threatened him with his own life. So he randomly picked me, a woman with a docile personality, to be his placeholder. He gave all his deep feelings to Vanessa Sullivan. All he left me was endless coldness and neglect. I touched the glaring “90” on the paper and pulled my lips into a bitter smile. I had set myself a deadline. When all hundred points were deducted, I would finally let go. I would give his wife’s place back to the woman he truly wanted to marry.

Leah Sterling POV The next morning, the sound of fingerprint unlocking came from the villa’s front door. I sat in the dining room watching Tristan Cole walk in, bringing the morning chill and the distinctive smell of hospital disinfectant. His eyes had faint shadows beneath them. Clearly he’d been up all night. He didn’t even glance at me, walking straight to the dining table and slapping a thick stack of documents in front of me with a sharp sound. “Sign it.” Tristan’s voice held no warmth whatsoever. I lowered my eyes, my gaze falling on the document cover. “Moonlight Bay Property Transfer Agreement.” Transferee: Vanessa Sullivan. My breathing hitched sharply, my stomach cramping with acute pain. I looked up at Tristan in disbelief. “You’re giving Moonlight Bay to Vanessa Sullivan?” Moonlight Bay was the most beautiful oceanfront property in New York. On our wedding day, Tristan had given me this land as a wedding gift. For three years, I’d worked countless nights, drawn hundreds of blueprints, wanting to build a home that belonged to us there. “Vanessa’s marriage abroad was very unhappy. She has severe depression.” Tristan pulled out a chair and sat down, his tone matter-of-fact. “The doctor said she needs a quiet place with an ocean view to recuperate. You have so many properties under your name. You don’t lack this one piece of land.” “I won’t sign.” I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms. “That was the wedding gift you gave me! It’s the home I’ve designed stroke by stroke for three years!” Hearing this, Tristan not only showed no guilt but actually let out an extremely cold laugh. “Home? Leah Sterling, are you getting too deep into this role?” He leaned forward with overwhelming pressure, looking at me. “Do you really think a marriage certificate makes you the master here? Anything I’ve given you, I can take back anytime.” My eyes reddened, but I bit my teeth hard to keep the tears from falling. Seeing my resistance, Tristan warned me. “That architectural studio your teacher left behind. Its funding chain broke recently, didn’t it? It’s only surviving on the Cole Group’s capital injection. If you don’t sign today, tomorrow Cole Group will withdraw funding.” My whole body shook. I looked at this cold-blooded man before me in disbelief. To force me to give Vanessa Sullivan this land, he was actually using my most respected teacher’s life work to threaten me! “Tristan Cole, you’re truly despicable.” My voice trembled, and tears finally fell. “Think whatever you want.” Tristan handed me the pen, coldly issuing his second command. “Also, Vanessa really likes your design style. You’ll personally design this oceanfront villa. It must be completely according to her preferences. Understand?” Not only would he take my dream property, but he wanted me, his wife, to personally design a house for his mistress. He knew how to make me suffer. My hand holding the pen shook so badly I could barely grip it. Under Tristan’s cold gaze, I closed my eyes and signed my name on the signature line. Every stroke felt like cutting my own heart. Tristan pulled the documents away with satisfaction, turned and left without even one extra word. Listening to the sports car’s engine roar fade into the distance, I finally couldn’t hold on. I covered my stomach and rushed to the bathroom to vomit violently. My stomach ulcer flared up again from the extreme emotional turmoil. I vomited acidic water mixed with blood. I leaned weakly against the cold tiles, face deathly pale, and pulled out the electronic memo on my phone to sync last night’s scoreboard. “Used my teacher to threaten me, gave my property to Vanessa Sullivan, and made me personally design a house for her. Deduct 10 points.” Seventy points left. I swallowed the bloody taste in my throat, looking at my haggard reflection in the mirror, my eyes gradually becoming lifeless.

Leah Sterling POV The early autumn sea breeze already carried bone-chilling cold. I brought surveying equipment and came alone to the cliff edge at Moonlight Bay. Although I’d signed the transfer agreement, my professional integrity as an architect meant I still had to conduct on-site surveys. Waves crashed heavily against the sharp rocks below, churning up white foam. “Miss Sterling, working on such a cold day. It must be hard on you.” A soft, delicate voice came from behind me. I turned to see Vanessa Sullivan wearing a pure white cashmere coat, approaching with Tristan’s assistant. Vanessa had a beautiful face. She looked so fragile. “I heard this land was originally a wedding gift Tristan gave you?” Vanessa walked to the cliff edge, looking down at the magnificent sea from her superior position, covering her mouth with a light laugh. “I desperately tried to talk Tristan out of giving me this land, but he just wouldn’t listen. He insisted only this place was worthy of me. Miss Sterling, please don’t be angry with me.” I adjusted my equipment expressionlessly, not sparing her even a glance. “Miss Sullivan, if you came to gloat, don’t bother. I have no interest in recycling garbage.” Just then, the harsh sound of car tires scraping pavement came from the distance. Tristan’s Maybach stopped by the roadside. The man pushed open the door and got out, walking this way. Vanessa caught sight of Tristan from the corner of her eye and suddenly gave me a strange smile. The next second, she suddenly stepped backward, her whole body falling toward the cliff edge. “Miss Sterling, why did you push me!” Vanessa let out a shrill scream, tumbling down onto a relatively flat sandy area near the cliff edge. Though she didn’t fall off, it looked extremely dangerous. “Vanessa!” Tristan rushed over like a gust of wind. He didn’t even assess the situation clearly before raising his hand and shoving hard at my shoulder. “Are you insane! How dare you hurt her!” His force was tremendous. Caught off guard, I lost my balance and fell straight toward a pile of rocks nearby. My knees and palms crashed heavily onto the sharp reef rocks. The jagged stones instantly tore through my skin. Blood gushed out, quickly staining my pants. The piercing pain made my vision go black. But Tristan didn’t even glance at me. He knelt on one knee, carefully gathering Vanessa into his arms, his voice so tender it could drip water. “Vanessa, it’s okay now, don’t be scared. I’m here.” Vanessa curled up in his embrace, trembling and crying. “Tristan, don’t blame Miss Sterling. She must be angry because you gave the land to me, so she pushed me…” “She’s asking for death!” Tristan whipped his head around, his deep eyes churning with fury. I trembled all over in pain, supporting myself on my blood-covered palms, struggling to raise my head. “Tristan Cole, I didn’t push her. My leg is bleeding. I can’t stand up…” “Drop that pitiful act!” Tristan cut me off mercilessly, his eyes as cold as if looking at garbage. “If Vanessa loses even one hair, I absolutely won’t let you off! You stay here and reflect. When you’re ready to admit your mistake, then you can crawl back!” With that, he scooped up Vanessa and walked toward the car without looking back. The car door slammed shut. The engine roared. He left with his mistress. The cold seawater gradually rose with the tide, submerging my bleeding knee. The salt water covering my wound hurt so much I nearly passed out. I tilted my head back, looking at the overcast sky, letting tears mix with the icy seawater. I silently recorded in my mind: “He falsely accused me, pushed me for Vanessa Sullivan’s sake, and left me injured on the tidal reef. Deduct 10 points.” Seventy points left.

Leah Sterling POV I don’t know how I dragged my bleeding leg up to the road, or how I got a cab to the hospital. In the emergency room, the doctor cleaned the gravel embedded in my wounds while looking at my blood test results, frowning deeply. “Miss Sterling, you have severe soft tissue damage to your knee and lacerations on your palms. But the most critical issue right now is that you’re pregnant.” My nerves, numb from pain, instantly tensed at the word “pregnant.” “What did you say?” I stared in disbelief, eyes wide. “You’re six weeks pregnant.” The doctor sighed, his tone serious. “But your physical condition is terrible. Severe malnutrition, combined with long-term mental stress, and now physical trauma. Your progesterone is extremely low. You’re showing serious signs of threatened miscarriage. You must rest in bed immediately for fetal protection, or you absolutely cannot keep this child.” I touched my still-flat lower abdomen in a daze. Here, a small life was actually growing? For three years, I’d dreamed of giving Tristan Cole a child. I thought that if we had a child, the layer of ice between us would melt, and he would slowly fall in love with me and return to our family. This unexpected news was like a crack of light torn through my pitch-black, desperate world. Despite the doctor’s advice, after simply bandaging my wounds, I took the ultrasound report and limped to hail a cab straight to Cole Group headquarters. I couldn’t wait to tell Tristan this news. I even fantasized about whether he might show even a trace of a smile when he heard it. The executive floor where the CEO’s office was located was eerily quiet. The secretary wasn’t at her desk. I walked to Tristan’s office door and was about to knock when I realized the door wasn’t closed. Inside, I could hear several men talking. Tristan’s friends. “Tristan, now that Vanessa Sullivan is back, what are you going to do? You and Leah Sterling have been married three years. What if she gets pregnant someday and has a Cole family child? You can’t just divorce her then, can you?” Hearing this, my raised hand froze in mid-air, my heart leaping to my throat. The office fell silent for a few seconds, then came Tristan’s voice, cold to the extreme. “She can’t get pregnant.” That voice held no warmth whatsoever, as if discussing some lifeless object. His friend sounded somewhat surprised. “How are you so sure? Did you…” “I replaced her daily multivitamin with long-acting birth control pills.” I saw Tristan light a cigarette, his tone flat. “Vanessa was in a car accident abroad years ago. Her uterus was damaged. She can never be a mother. I would never let Leah Sterling bear my child and stimulate Vanessa’s fragile nerves.” Boom. My mind went completely blank, as if a heavy hammer had struck my head. Birth control pills. The “imported vitamins” he personally poured water for and insisted I take every day were actually birth control pills! To protect Vanessa Sullivan’s fragile nerves, he had unhesitatingly stripped me of my right as a woman to become a mother. He personally severed all possibilities between us. No wonder I couldn’t conceive despite three years of trying to improve my health. No wonder every time I mentioned children, he looked at me with that mocking expression. Turns out in his eyes, I was just a toy not even worthy of reproductive rights! The ultrasound report in my hand silently slipped away, falling onto the thick carpet without making a sound. I covered my mouth, desperately suppressing the sob about to break from my throat. I didn’t push the door open to confront him, because I knew that before that man’s absolute cruelty, my breakdown would only be a joke. I dragged my broken body away from Cole Group, step by step.

Leah Sterling POV Back at the villa, I locked myself in the dark bedroom. I didn’t turn on the lights, just sat on the floor and took out that black sketchbook. The pen tip scratched across the paper with such force it nearly tore through the page: “To avoid upsetting Vanessa Sullivan, he gave me long-term birth control pills, stripping me of my right to be a mother. Deduct 20 points.” Twenty points deducted at once. Fifty points left. At eleven that night, a heavy door slam echoed from downstairs. Tristan Cole, reeking of alcohol, kicked open the bedroom door. He strode toward me, grabbed my wrist, and roughly yanked me up from the floor. “Leah Sterling, how dare you do that! You pushed Vanessa at the beach this afternoon and had the nerve to run away?” Tristan’s eyes were like poisoned knives. “Vanessa was frightened and caught in the sea breeze. Now she has a fever of 102 degrees, crying in her dreams, begging you not to push her!” My wrist felt like the bones were being crushed. I looked at this hateful man before me, feeling only endless desolation. “I didn’t push her. She fell down herself.” “You still dare to argue!” Tristan laughed in extreme anger. “Vanessa wouldn’t even step on an ant. Would she risk her own life to frame you? Leah Sterling, you’re too malicious.” He violently released my hand and pointed at the door. “Now, immediately go to Vanessa’s apartment and kneel by her bed to apologize. Don’t come back until her fever breaks and she forgives you!” I stepped back twice, my spine against the cold wall. I looked at Tristan, my heart strangely calm. “What if I don’t go?” “Won’t go?” Tristan sneered, then dragged me by my hair like dragging a lifeless object all the way down the stairs, throwing me directly into the villa’s cold, damp basement. With a “bang,” the heavy iron door closed mercilessly and was locked. “Stay here and reflect properly! Without my permission, no one is allowed to bring her food or water!” Tristan’s voice came through the iron door like a judgment from hell. There was no heating in the basement. On a late autumn night, the temperature approached freezing. I was already injured, and having gone a whole day without eating, the cramping in my stomach and the dragging pain in my lower abdomen struck simultaneously. I curled up on the cold cement floor in agony, drenched in cold sweat. I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood, both hands tightly protecting my lower abdomen. “Baby… I’m sorry… you’re all Mommy has left… you must be strong…” I murmured desperately in the deathly silent darkness. The physical pain wasn’t even one ten-thousandth of what was in my heart. I had loved him so much. Yet he was torturing me nearly to death while I was pregnant with his child. All for another woman’s few tears. The next morning, the iron door was finally opened. I was already in so much pain I’d nearly lost consciousness, my lips cracked and dry. A servant helped me back to my room. I forced myself to hold onto my last thread of consciousness and wrote in the sketchbook: “Forced me to kneel to Vanessa Sullivan and locked sick me in the basement overnight. Deduct 10 points.” Forty points left. Almost done. Almost over.

Leah Sterling POV I lay in bed for three full days. Only by secretly buying medication did I barely stabilize the condition of the fetus in my womb. On the fourth day, I received a call from Tristan’s secretary telling me to come to the CEO’s office at Cole Group immediately. When I pushed open the office door, I saw Vanessa Sullivan sitting on Tristan’s lap, their posture intimate. Seeing me enter, not only did Vanessa not get off his lap, but she provocatively tightened her arms around Tristan’s neck. Tristan patted Vanessa’s waist, signaling her to get up, then tossed a document onto the wide office desk. “Sign it.” This seemed to have become the sentence he said to me most often. I walked forward, my eyes scanning the document header. “New York Public Library Project Lead Designer Change Consent Form.” My pupils constricted sharply. The Public Library project was the last national-level key project my teacher had accepted before his death. On his deathbed, my teacher entrusted this project to me. It was the most important milestone in my architectural career and the achievement I’d worked so hard for. And now, the document clearly stated changing the lead designer’s name to “Vanessa Sullivan.” “What do you mean?” My voice couldn’t help trembling. “Vanessa Sullivan didn’t even graduate from college. Does she know what a load-bearing wall is? What spatial mechanics is? You want to put the Public Library in her hands?!” “She doesn’t need to know.” Tristan’s tone was indifferent, as if discussing some insignificant toy. “Vanessa wants to establish herself in New York’s socialite circle. She needs a presentable identity and title. The genius architect title suits her well.” “So you want me to give up my achievement?” I found it absurdly ridiculous. “I draw the plans, I supervise the construction, and her name goes on it in the end?” “This isn’t difficult for you.” Tristan’s eyes were cruel. “You’re already my wife. These things are meaningless to you. Give this title to Vanessa as compensation for pushing her off the cliff the other day.” “I absolutely won’t agree!” I grabbed the document and tore it in half. “This is my teacher’s work. I absolutely won’t allow anyone to defile it!” Tristan’s expression instantly darkened. “Leah Sterling, I’m not discussing this with you.” He stood up, advancing step by step. “If you don’t sign, Cole Group will not only immediately withdraw funding from your teacher’s studio, I’ll also use all media outlets to expose fake news about your teacher taking bribes before his death. Your teacher is already dead anyway. Who do you think the public will believe?” I froze in place, the blood in my body seeming to flow backward in an instant. He knew too well where my weaknesses were. He was using the reputation of the person I most respected to pave the way for his mistress. Looking at Tristan’s cold, merciless face, I suddenly laughed until tears streamed down my face. I bent down, picked up the torn document from the floor with trembling hands, pieced it together, and signed my name on the last page. “Are you satisfied now?” I slammed the pen heavily on the desk and turned to leave. Back home, I opened the sketchbook. “For Vanessa Sullivan’s vanity, you stole my teacher’s work and took my achievement. Deduct 15 points.” Twenty-five points left. Tristan Cole, there’s really nothing left between us.

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The new intern, Vivian, reported me for slacking off for the third time: “Mr. Hayes said no one is allowed to eat snacks, drink water, or use their phones at their desks. You did all three, so you’re getting fined three thousand dollars—a whole month’s salary.” Looking at her young, refined face, I smiled. With CEO Sebastian Hayes backing her, she ran rampant throughout the company. But she didn’t know that I was the largest shareholder. What right did she have to report me? My name is Laura, and I’m thirty-eight years old. Ten years ago, I founded this interior design company. Now I’ve stepped back from the frontlines, handing daily management over to CEO Sebastian Hayes, whom I personally promoted. Sebastian was the successor I had the most faith in. Now, I just kept a desk for myself in a corner of the office, with flexible work hours. My colleagues only thought I was some powerless old-timer. Until half a month ago, when Vivian appeared. She was personally escorted into the design department by Sebastian. “This is Vivian, an honors graduate from an Ivy League school. She’ll be joining our design department from now on. Everyone, please help her get up to speed.” Sebastian’s tone was full of admiration. Vivian smiled as she greeted everyone, her gaze sweeping across the entire office. When it finally landed on me, her eyes held scrutiny and contempt. But from her very first day, she didn’t act like an intern at all. She complained the company-issued computer was outdated and demanded the latest model. She complained the coffee beans in the break room weren’t good enough, and the next day had a colleague go buy freshly ground Blue Mountain coffee. When people whispered about it, she heard them and just smiled faintly: “Mr. Hayes says good ideas need a good environment. We can’t cut costs on these small things.” She really was quite clever. She quickly gathered a group of young designers as arrogant as herself. Toward us “old employees,” she showed nothing but disdain. In front of everyone, she said my design philosophy was “too outdated, can’t keep up with the times.” She would also, during the director’s project review meetings, bluntly point out “the color scheme is too old-fashioned, doesn’t fit mainstream aesthetics.” At first, I didn’t pay much attention. I even helped her once. One time, there was an urgent project. Vivian volunteered, saying she could handle it. But with only an hour left before the deadline, she’d only finished half. She was nearly in tears. It was me who sent the design proposal to the client at the last moment. She looked at me then, her eyes filled with gratitude and shock. I thought that after this incident, she would at least change her attitude somewhat. I was wrong. The next day, I overheard her conversation with someone else. “That Laura is nothing special. Just has a bit more experience, that’s all.” The other person chimed in: “Exactly. I heard she’s just an old employee coasting by. Relies on her seniority and slacks off at work all day.” Vivian laughed lightly, her tone full of superiority. “Don’t worry. The company won’t keep supporting deadweight like that forever. Mr. Hayes said the future belongs to us young people. Those who can’t keep up with the company’s development will be eliminated sooner or later.”

The “cleanup” targeting me began soon after. First, the administrative department approached me with a tactful tone: “Ms. Laura, Mr. Hayes has recently been implementing a new attendance system requiring everyone to clock in strictly. Could you please…?” In my ten years at the company, I’d never clocked in once. This was one of my privileges as founder. I looked at the conflicted administrative manager and nodded. “Alright, I understand.” The next day, HR called me in for a talk. “Ms. Laura, a colleague reported that you browse websites unrelated to work during work hours. This… doesn’t look very good.” I looked at the screenshot HR handed me. It showed me browsing a home design forum. That was a habit I’d maintained for ten years to find inspiration. “Who told you that?” I asked. HR hedged: “Well… we’re obligated to protect the reporter’s identity.” “Fine. I’ll be more careful in the future.” I didn’t take it seriously. But I underestimated Sebastian’s indulgence of her. A week later, the company issued a new “Employee Conduct Guidelines,” hundreds of rules covering everything from how to arrange files on your desk, what cups to use for drinking water, to not being allowed to sleep at your desk during lunch breaks. At the bottom was Sebastian’s personal signature. And the drafter of these guidelines was none other than Vivian. Sebastian had promoted her ahead of schedule to CEO Assistant. Her desk also moved from the design department’s open floor to an independent partition next to the CEO’s office. From then on, she patrolled the company daily, notebook in hand, constantly recording what she deemed “violations.” Sarah was written up for taking a call when her child was sick. Mark was publicly criticized for eating a sandwich at his desk while rushing a project. The entire company was full of complaints. The work atmosphere became extremely oppressive. And I became her primary target. The first time was because I had a cactus on my desk. “Ms. Laura, company policy states no personal items may be displayed in work areas. It affects the company’s overall image.” The second time was because I used my personal laptop to handle private emails. “Ms. Laura, company computers are for work only. If you need to handle personal matters, please do so after work hours.” The third time was today. Because of a glass of water, a plate of crackers, and me using my phone to check feedback from the homeowner of a project we’d just completed. She stood before me, looking down like a judge. “Three thousand dollar fine, deducted from this month’s salary. Do you have any objections?” I looked at her and slowly turned my phone screen toward her. It showed a thank-you letter from the homeowner, specifically praising the entire project team, including her as an intern. “I was working,” I said. She glanced at it and sneered. “Don’t make excuses. Everyone knows you slack off during work hours all day and talk back to your superiors. What do you think the company should do with you?” “Talk back to my superiors?” My gaze moved past her to scan the entire design department. “I’d like to ask everyone here—who exactly is my superior?”

Dead silence. Vivian’s expression turned ugly. She hadn’t expected that not a single person would stand up to support her. She bit her lip and stubbornly said: “My position is Executive Assistant to the CEO, responsible for supervising all employees. Of course I’m your superior! If you don’t accept it, you can go find Mr. Hayes!” “Good idea.” I nodded and picked up my phone. “I’ll call him over right now.” A chorus of sharp intakes of breath rippled through the room. Everyone thought I’d lost my mind. An old employee “coasting by” actually daring to challenge the CEO’s authority. Vivian’s face lit up with a victorious smile. Ignoring her expression, I found Sebastian in my contacts and dialed. The phone rang twice before connecting. “Hello?” Sebastian’s voice was steady as always. “Sebastian, come to the design department.” My tone was calm, without honorifics or unnecessary explanation, as if giving instructions to a subordinate. There was a second of silence on the other end, then: “Alright, I’ll be right there.” I hung up and gently placed my phone on the desk. Vivian crossed her arms and sneered. “Playing games. Let’s see how you handle this when Mr. Hayes gets here.” I said nothing, just pulled out my chair, sat back down, and looked at her leisurely. In less than three minutes, Sebastian’s tall figure appeared at the design department entrance. As the manager I’d personally promoted, he now carried a sufficiently powerful presence. The air in the entire office became even thinner. Vivian immediately rushed up to him, her tone filled with grievance and complaint. “Mr. Hayes, you’re finally here! Laura openly violated company regulations, eating and playing on her phone at her desk. I fined her three thousand dollars according to the new system, but not only did she refuse, she talked back to me, and even dared to call you directly! She has absolutely no respect for you or company rules!” As she spoke, she shot me challenging glances from the corner of her eye. Sebastian’s gaze fell on me, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. His expression was complex—impatience, scrutiny, and an emotion I couldn’t quite read. Over these three years, he’d become more and more like a competent businessman—calm and decisive. “Laura, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice cold and emotionless. I raised my eyes and met his gaze calmly. “Just like Vivian said. I drank half a glass of water, ate one soda cracker, and looked at my phone for three minutes.” I paused, picked up the plate of crackers from my desk, and pushed it toward him. “Mr. Hayes probably doesn’t know that I have hypoglycemia. I had administration specially stock these at the office for me.” “As for the phone,” I waved the screen, “Mr. Williams from Willow Creek Properties just posted a thank-you letter in the group chat and said he wants to refer us a new client. I wonder if that counts as playing on my phone?” Sebastian’s expression darkened. Seeing this, Vivian immediately added fuel to the fire. “Mr. Hayes, don’t listen to her excuses! Company rules are company rules. We can’t make exceptions for one person! She’s relying on seniority to challenge your authority! If you don’t punish her severely today, how can we enforce company policies in the future?”

I knew that in the three years since Sebastian had taken over the company, what he most wanted to do was prove himself, escape my shadow, and establish his own absolute authority. Vivian’s appearance was just a knife he was using to reorganize the company and eliminate “dissenters.” Sure enough, Sebastian’s gaze turned completely cold. He looked at me and said word by word: “Rules are rules. Since they’ve been set, everyone must follow them. Laura, as a senior employee of the company, you should set an example. Vivian was following protocol. She did nothing wrong.” “So?” I asked. “So, the three thousand dollar fine stands. Additionally, you publicly defied a superior and refused to comply with management. This month’s bonus is completely canceled. Write a thousand-word self-criticism and submit it to my office tomorrow morning.” Sebastian delivered his final judgment, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. The office was completely silent. Everyone was shocked by this outcome. This wasn’t just punishment—it was humiliation. Vivian’s face showed undisguised triumph and satisfaction. I looked at this man I had once trusted completely. The last bit of sentiment in my heart dissipated in this cold verdict. I sneered: “Sebastian, what if I don’t write it?” “Then submit your resignation yourself.” He said without courtesy. “Fire me? Sebastian, are you certain you have that authority?” “As the company’s CEO, don’t I have the authority to fire an employee?” My attitude had angered him, and his voice rose several notches. “It seems after three years as CEO, you’ve forgotten whose company this really is.” I said mockingly. Sebastian’s pupils contracted sharply. The smile on Vivian’s face froze as well. I turned to face all the employees: “I’m now notifying you in my capacity as founder and chairman of DreamBuild—Sebastian Hayes, and Vivian, you’re both fired.”

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To surprise my husband for Valentine’s Day, I lied about going on a business trip, but secretly came home. The moment I pushed open the front door, I saw a strange woman lying on the bed, and a furious rage ignited within me. I rushed over, grabbed her hair, ready to unleash my anger on this shameless homewrecker, but as I turned her over, a chilling dread froze me to the core. Her eyes were vacant and lifeless, staring fixedly at me. A grotesque knife wound on her neck was gushing blood, staining the entire bedsheet crimson. Just as my heart seized with terror, I heard my husband’s key fumbling in the lock at the front door. Panicked beyond belief, I scrambled, desperately hiding in the bedroom closet. The closet door had barely swung shut when my fingertips brushed against cold, stiff flesh. I looked down, and another woman’s corpse was curled up inside! 1. My heart hammered against my ribs, threatening to shatter them. I clamped my hand over my mouth, terrified that even the slightest sound would bring about my demise. The scent of mothballs, combined with the chilling odor of the stiff corpse beside me, was suffocating. Through the narrow slats of the closet door, I watched as Chris walked in, casually closing the bedroom door behind him. My husband, the man who usually spoke in gentle tones, who was always agreeable to me, who worried if I even frowned. But now, there was no surprise or panic on his face, not even a hint of emotion. He simply cast a calm glance at the woman lying on the bed, freshly deceased, blood still gushing from the horrific wound on her neck, staining the pristine white sheets a sickening red. His gaze was as indifferent as if he were looking at an ant on the floor. Then, he walked to the bed, bent down, and with a disturbingly unhurried motion, picked up the paring knife that had fallen nearby. The tip of the knife still glistened with crimson droplets, which splattered onto the light-colored rug with a soft plink, spreading into a small, dark red stain. He held the knife, plunging it into the woman’s corpse, again and again, fiercely and precisely. The dull, wet thwack of the blade sinking into flesh echoed clearly in my ears. He stabbed her seven or eight times before finally stopping, tossing the knife aside. He turned the body over, gently cradling it in his arms, his gaze tenderly sweeping over her face. Then he pulled out a few wet wipes, meticulously and patiently, little by little, wiping away the blood spatters on her face and hair. He even tenderly smoothed her tangled auburn hair with his fingertips and gently straightened the wrinkles in her shirt. “You’re really not being good.” He spoke, his voice low, with an eerie, almost doting intimacy, just like when he’d coax me after one of my little tantrums. “Why do you insist on knowing my secrets? Hmm?” A chill shot from my feet straight to the top of my head. Secrets? What secrets did he have? Had this woman discovered something that led to her murder? What about me? Chris and I had been together for almost seven years, would I be next? After speaking, he gazed at the corpse for a moment longer, then placed an incredibly gentle kiss on her forehead before leaving the room. I didn’t know where he was going. I just tried to put as much distance as possible between myself and the corpse, then scanned the room for an escape route. But I found nothing before Chris returned. My hands and feet were icy cold, and I was curled up in the farthest corner from the body, watching the situation outside. Chris sat on the bed, resting the corpse on his lap as he sipped his tea, stroking her ashen cheek. After finishing his tea, he retrieved an oversized, thick black duffel bag from a storage cabinet. With practiced ease, he dragged the corpse over, stuffed it inside, and zipped it up. The entire process was seamless, without a hint of hesitation or wasted movement, so practiced it sent shivers down my spine. This was definitely not spontaneous; this level of expertise… I dared not think further. My whole body trembled uncontrollably, like a leaf in the wind. My teeth chattered involuntarily, making faint clicking sounds. Even worse, from extreme fear and prolonged crouching, my legs and feet were completely numb, feeling like a thousand needles were pricking them. Instinctively, I tried to shift my numb ankle, but my knee accidentally bumped the inner wall of the closet. “Click.” A faint scrape of wood, in the deadly silent room, broken only by the sound of the zipper, was like a clap of thunder. Chris, who was tightening the duffel bag, froze! He suddenly lifted his head, his gaze, sharp as a hawk’s, cutting like a physical blade directly towards the closet where I was hiding! Those eyes, usually filled with gentle smiles, were now cold, alert, and full of scrutiny and murder. I instantly froze completely, my blood seeming to stop flowing, my mind a blank. I was doomed! He found me! I’ll be the next one in the bag! 2. Yet, Chris merely narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the closet for a full ten seconds, a slight frown on his brow. Then he slowly lowered his head, muttering to himself. “Heh, just getting ahead of myself.” He resumed his task, but the speed at which he dragged the duffel bag and cleaned the blood from the floor noticeably increased. The duffel bag was temporarily tucked into the bedroom corner, partially obscured by the curtain’s tassels. Chris didn’t immediately move it. Instead, as if nothing had happened, he meticulously checked his shirt and hands, ensuring no bloodstains, then opened the bedroom door and walked out. Soon, the sound of a news broadcast drifted from the living room, a female anchor’s clear voice reporting on irrelevant international affairs. Then came the sound of running water, the squeak of a wet mop on the floor, and his occasional off-key humming. He was cleaning up, as normal and natural as any meticulous husband doing chores after work. I bit my lip hard, letting the metallic taste of blood spread in my mouth. I had to do something! I couldn’t just cower here like a lamb to the slaughter, waiting to die! I forced myself to calm down, beginning to cautiously grope around the narrow, dark closet, filled with the smell of unnatural things. My fingertips once again touched the cold, stiff body beside me, and the icy sensation sent my stomach churning. I suppressed the urge to vomit and the extreme fear, carefully searching her body. Maybe I could find something to identify her? Or, find a weapon for self-defense? Suddenly, my fingers brushed against something hard. It was on her hand, which hung limply at her side. It was a ring, on the woman’s ring finger. The design was highly unusual, like a snake biting its own tail, its body coiling, scales intricate, and its eyes set with two dark emeralds, glowing eerily in the faint light within the closet. I knew this ring, a very clear memory of it! Just a few months ago, I had seen its design sketch in a corner of a locked drawer in Chris’s study! At the time, I’d curiously asked about it, but he had just casually dismissed it as an old practice drawing he’d long forgotten. My heart pounded in my chest, threatening to burst from my throat! This was evidence, irrefutable proof directly linking Chris to this unknown woman! This unique ring was very likely the reason she was killed! Trembling, I tried to slip the ring off her stiff finger, but the corpse was completely rigid, the joints unyielding. The ring was stuck at the knuckle, unmoving. I dared not use force, fearing I’d make too much noise, so I had to give up for now. Perhaps… perhaps leaving it, for the police to discover later, would actually be crucial evidence to incriminate him? A faint flicker of hope ignited in my chest. Just as I tried to shift my position to relieve my almost numb legs and feet, and continue searching for other clues, my ankle accidentally hooked an object deep within the closet. It was a dusty, old wooden box, which slid further in when I nudged it, making a faint shhh sound as it scraped against the rough wooden floor of the closet. The sound wasn’t really loud, especially inside this fairly soundproof closet. But at that very moment, the TV volume in the living room was precisely lowered, and the mopping sound stopped. Heavy footsteps resonated, light but purposeful. He stopped just outside the bedroom door, utterly still. Through the thin door, I could almost feel his gaze, palpable and predatory, scanning the entire room. My palms were drenched in cold sweat, clutching tightly the small, decorative button I had instinctively torn off my jacket earlier. 3. Just then, the doorbell rang without warning. Chris, outside the door, seemed to freeze for a moment too. Immediately, his footsteps changed direction, heading towards the front door, a little more hurried than before. “Chris, open the door! It’s me, Archie!” Archie’s distinctively loud voice, my best friend, carried clearly from outside, laced with an obvious impatience and urgency. An overwhelming surge of joy instantly washed over me! It was Archie! My best friend! But the euphoria lasted only a second, receding as quickly as the tide, replaced by an even deeper fear and dread. Chris was a merciless devil now. How would he deal with Archie? What if he… what if he hurt Archie too? “Coming.” Chris responded, his voice instantly reverting to its usual gentle tone, even with a hint of annoyed resignation at being disturbed. I heard him walk quickly to the entryway, then the click-clack of the door opening. “Archie? What brings you here at this hour? Is something wrong?” His tone was perfectly pitched with surprise and a familiar, slight complaint. “Aurora’s suitcase!” Archie’s voice came through clearly, tinged with anger, “She left it with me earlier, to trick you into thinking she was on a business trip! She said she’d pick it up around five or six this evening, and we were supposed to have dinner! It’s almost eight now, and there’s no sign of her. Her phone has been unreachable since this afternoon—first no answer, then it went straight to voicemail! What’s going on? Where is she?” I held my breath, my heart pounding in my throat, every nerve in my body stretched taut. I desperately hoped Archie would notice something amiss, that she would be assertive, that she would barge in! Chris was silent for a second or two, then his lighthearted laugh came, tinged with doting helplessness. “That scatterbrain! She hasn’t arrived yet, I’m waiting for her too. Just leave the suitcase with you for now, Archie, thank you so much for coming all this way! I’ll make sure she treats you to a big dinner later!” He was lying! “Hasn’t arrived? No way!” Archie’s voice instantly rose an octave, laced with obvious, undisguised suspicion. “I clearly dropped her off at the apartment complex entrance around four this afternoon! I saw her walk in with a small suitcase myself!” “Chris, what’s your game? Make her answer the phone! Now! Immediately! Or let me in to wait for her! I need to know what’s going on!” My heart felt like it would leap out of my throat. I wanted Archie to come in, but I also wanted her to leave quickly. Chris’s voice took on a decisive firmness, even subtly hinting at an imperceptible coldness and threat. “Archie, look, I’m preparing a surprise for her. The apartment’s a mess with balloons and streamers, I haven’t cleaned up, it’s really not fit for guests.” “The moment she gets home, I’ll have her call you back right away, I promise you’ll be the first call, alright? Don’t worry so much.” Silence fell for a few seconds outside. This brief stillness was filled with Archie’s hesitation, suspicion, and calculation. I could almost picture her frowning, scrutinizing Chris from head to toe, trying to find a crack in his facade. “…Fine.” Archie’s voice finally broke the silence again, laced with clear reluctance and lingering doubt. “Chris, I’m telling you, if even one hair on Aurora’s head is harmed, you and I are through! The moment she arrives, you tell her to call me! Immediately! You hear me?” “Don’t worry! Absolutely! I promise!” Chris’s tone was filled with relieved sincerity. Then, the sound of the door closing forcefully. Immediately followed by the distinct, chilling, and final— “Click.” The sound of the deadbolt locking. It wasn’t loud, but it was like a heavy gate crashing down before me, severing all my connections to the outside world, to life itself. Outside, a deadly silence. Then, I heard Chris’s voice. No longer the feigned gentleness or resignation, but stripped of all masks, raw, metallic, and utterly cold. His voice wasn’t loud, but every word, piercingly clear, penetrated the door and drilled into my ears: “Aurora…” He paused, as if savoring the name, or perhaps confirming that his prey finally had no escape. “So your surprise for me was to watch me perform?”

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1 My suitcase stood packed by the bedroom door. Tonight, I was leaving the place I had called home for three years for good. Living with Frederick, the hardest part wasn’t the love fading away. It was the Ragdoll cat named Cotton, who belonged to his ex-girlfriend Sophie. It had become the unbearable, constant burden of my life. I followed every fussy instruction about imported cat food, tofu litter, and special baths, despite my severe cat allergy. Every morning, I woke with swollen eyes. Frederick would just hand me an allergy pill and say, “Hang in there a little longer. Sophie will take the cat back as soon as she finds a pet-friendly apartment.” That “little longer” stretched into fourteen months. Sophie moved three times, each with the same excuse: no pets allowed. So, Cotton stayed. My allergies turned from seasonal to a year-round nightmare. Yesterday, the doctor warned me clearly: if I didn’t get away from the cat, I could develop asthma. I sent the diagnosis to Frederick. He saw it but never replied. That night, I saw Sophie’s new post: a screenshot of her video-calling the cat. The caption read, “Long-distance parenting! Big thanks to Frederick for being the best cat-sitter an ex could ask for.” In that moment, everything became clear. I packed the empty allergy medication boxes into my suitcase, alongside a relationship that had long since spoiled. … The suitcase was waiting by the bedroom door. Zipped tight, it was filled with clothes and art supplies I’d bought for myself. Not a single thing in it was a gift from him. It wasn’t out of spite. It’s just that in three years, I could count the gifts he’d given me on one hand. Two boxes of macarons, a cheap silk scarf for my birthday, and an endless supply of allergy pills. Cotton, at some point, had leaped onto my suitcase. With a flick of her tail, a cloud of fine white fur drifted into the air and straight into my nose. I sneezed three times, hard. My eyes immediately began to swell, my vision shrinking to a slit. I lifted the cat off and placed her on the imported cat tree in the living room. The cat tree cost five hundred dollars. The allergy pills, twenty dollars a box. I’d been doing that math for fourteen months. The lock clicked. Frederick was home. The first thing he did after slipping on his house shoes was check the cat’s food bowl. It was empty. He frowned, tore open a bag of the expensive cat food, and poured it into the bowl. The kibble rattled, and Cotton came running. Only then did he notice the suitcase by the bedroom door. “Going on a trip?” “Moving out.” His hand froze. Kibble spilled from the bag, scattering across the floor. He ignored the mess and walked over, his hand closing around my wrist. My eyes were swollen, tears of allergic reaction clinging to my lashes. For the first time, a flicker of panic crossed his face. “Ava, I know this has been hard on you.” He pulled out his phone, showing me his chat history with Sophie. His last message to her: “Sophie, you have to pick up Cotton this weekend. No more excuses.” She’d replied with a string of crying emojis. “Frederick, the new landlord really won’t allow it. Can you just give me one more month? Please? I’m already looking for a new place.” Frederick put his phone away and looked at me, his expression earnest. “Just one more month, Ava. I promise, this is the last time.” I almost laughed. I opened the notes app on my phone and pulled up a file titled “The Last Time.” Entry 1: Last March. “She’ll be moved in by next month.” Entry 2: Last April. “Just a bit longer, she’s waiting on her security deposit.” Entry 3… Entry 4… There were fourteen entries in total, spanning fourteen months. Each one was dated. I didn’t show him. He pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on the top of my head. His sweater was covered in cat hair. Where my bare arm touched the wool, a red, itchy rash began to form. I didn’t push him away. “I’ll take you to the doctor tomorrow,” he murmured. “We’ll get the best imported medicine.” I pushed the suitcase back into the bedroom. It wasn’t because I’d softened. It was because I couldn’t let my anger derail my life. My drafting table was still here, and I had three original pieces for a brand collaboration due next week. A one-point-two-million-dollar contract. I wasn’t about to jeopardize that over a move. It was 2:43 AM. I woke up unable to breathe. My chest was tight, each inhale a struggle, a thin wire pulling taut in my throat. Cotton was curled up next to my pillow, her fur tickling my lips. I scrambled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face. A drop of blood, then another, hit the white porcelain of the sink. A nosebleed. I stuffed some tissue up my nose and went back to the bedroom. Frederick was fast asleep. His phone screen lit up. A new message. From Sophie. “Thank you for sticking up for me today, Frederick. Sometimes, knowing Cotton is still with you makes me feel like we’re still connected, you know?” It was followed by a heart emoji. I placed the phone back where it was. The tissue was soaked through. I replaced it with a fresh one. The streetlight outside cast a glow into the room, making Cotton’s eyes shine in the dark. She tilted her head, looking at me, so innocent. She didn’t know she was the string. One end tied to Frederick, the other to Sophie. And I was just the inconvenient knot tied in the middle. 2 The doorbell rang early Saturday morning. I wasn’t even out of bed yet. By the time I stumbled into the living room, wrapped in a robe, Sophie was already sitting on our sofa. Cotton was curled in her lap, her tail swaying gently. She was wearing a linen housecoat. My linen housecoat, the one that had been hanging on the hook in my bathroom. “Cotton scratched Sophie’s clothes, so I let her borrow yours,” Frederick explained, poking his head out from the kitchen. Three breakfast plates were set on the coffee table. Eggs Benedict, avocado toast, and pour-over coffee. All of Sophie’s favorites. My oat milk latte was made with whole milk. I’m lactose intolerant. After three years of living together, he remembered every detail of Sophie’s palate but couldn’t remember that whole milk would make me sick. Sophie saw my swollen eyes and immediately set the cat down, standing up. “Ava, I’m so sorry! Did Cotton bother you again? I can put her in her carrier if you want.” Her voice was soft, her eyes brimming with apology. Frederick quickly stepped in. “Cotton’s never been in a carrier. It’ll stress her out, and the vet bills for that are even worse.” He turned to me. “Why don’t you take one of your pills, Ava?” The cat’s stress was more important than my allergic reaction. I sat down and reached for the latte. But Sophie was faster. She picked up the mug from the coffee table and took a long drink of water. It was my mug. The one with the stardust pattern I’d hand-painted myself. A one-of-a-kind piece. She smiled after her drink. “This mug is so pretty.” Frederick chimed in, “Ava painted it. I’ll have her make one for you, too.” No one asked me if I wanted to. I went to my workspace to get my draft illustrations. Sophie followed me. She stood behind me, watching for a moment, her eyes lighting up. “Ava, you’re so talented! Frederick sent me your new ‘Moonlight Jellyfish’ series, and I tried copying it for practice, but I just can’t get the same feeling.” My hand, holding the drafts, froze. The Moonlight Jellyfish series. The core visual for next month’s brand collaboration launch. The contract explicitly stated, “Under no circumstances shall the work be disclosed in any form prior to the official launch.” I turned and looked at Frederick. He was on the sofa, scratching his nose. “Sophie’s learning illustration, so I thought she could use your work as a reference. It’s not like she’s using it commercially. It’s no big deal.” The confidentiality clause of a $1.2 million contract was “no big deal”? The doorbell rang again. Frederick’s mother had arrived. The first person she hugged was Sophie. “Sophie, you’ve gotten so thin! It must be hard living all by yourself.” Then, she glanced at me. “Oh, Ava’s here too.” I didn’t answer, heading to the kitchen to pour her a cup of tea. In the living room, Frederick’s mother held Sophie’s hands, chatting warmly. “You two were such a perfect match. If only Frederick hadn’t been so focused on his career back then…” She glanced my way and trailed off. She didn’t have to finish. I knew the rest. The rest was: he wouldn’t have settled for someone else. Before she left, Frederick’s mother pulled him aside. “The company’s brand launch is next week. Bring Sophie with you. It’s not easy for her out there on her own. You should help her network with people in the industry.” Frederick nodded. “Okay.” I stood in the kitchen doorway. I had drawn every single visual for that launch. Seven months, twelve original pieces. No one had asked if I was going. Sophie stayed for dinner. She and Frederick stood side-by-side in the kitchen, laughing about old stories of raising Cotton. The cat weaved around her legs, purring. She bent down, scooped Cotton into her arms, and kissed her. The scene was perfect. Standing there in the kitchen, she looked like the lady of the house. I retreated to my bedroom and shut the door. My phone buzzed. It was my best friend, Zoe, with a screenshot. It was an Instagram post from Sophie, dated three days ago. The photo showed the floor-to-ceiling window of her new apartment, bathed in sunlight. A cat tree stood by the window. Cat toys were scattered nearby. The caption: “Finally got the new place all set up. The sunlight is perfect for all-day napping.” Her apartment was pet-friendly. Fourteen months. Every single “the landlord won’t allow it” was a lie. I heard the jingle of the cat’s bell from the living room. And Sophie’s voice as she left. “Frederick, today was so wonderful. It felt just like old times.” She was right. This home had always been their “old times.” I was just a temporary guest. 3 Monday. Three days until the brand launch. I put the final stroke on the last piece at my drafting table. Twelve original collaboration pieces. Seven months of work. Each one was hand-drawn with a 0.03mm pen, each with a collector’s value in the six figures. The entire contract was worth $1.2 million. I stretched, rubbing my aching fingers. The door opened. Frederick walked in, with Sophie trailing behind him. “Ava, the company decided to add a last-minute showcase for an emerging artist at the launch. We want to give Sophie a chance to display some of her practice pieces.” He walked up to my table, his tone casual. “We’ll just use the last twenty minutes of your exhibition slot. It’s a great opportunity for her to get some exposure.” “No,” I said, flatly. Seven months of my heart and soul. Not even for twenty seconds. Frederick frowned. “Ava, can you see the bigger picture for once? Sophie is just starting out. What’s the harm in helping her out?” Sophie lowered her head. “It’s okay, Frederick. If it’s inconvenient for Ava, we shouldn’t bother her. I’ll find another opportunity…” Her voice trailed off as she turned to leave. Frederick sighed, watching her go, then turned back to me. “See? Now look how you’ve made her feel.” I ignored him and began carefully gathering my originals. Just then, Cotton slipped into the studio from somewhere. She leaped onto my drafting table. I reached out to lift her down. The cat, startled, kicked out with her back legs, her claws digging into the table’s surface. Her claws raked across three of the twelve originals I had laid out to dry. Deep gashes tore through the paper, severing the delicate ink lines. They were ruined, beyond repair. I stood there, frozen. Seven months. Every single line drawn by hand, one by one. Sophie rushed in from the doorway and scooped up the cat. “I’m so, so sorry! Cotton didn’t mean to do it!” she sobbed. Frederick’s first move was to check the cat’s paws, turning them over and over to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Only then did he look at the shredded artwork on my table. “Can you fix them?” “No.” “Then just print out digital copies to replace them. The client will never know the difference.” He said it so calmly. The originals had a six-figure collector’s value. The prints were worthless. But to him, there was no difference. I said nothing. That evening, the head of the brand called me. Her voice was ice. Three of my line-art illustrations, she said, were “highly similar” to a submission in a competition for new artists. She asked me if I had plagiarized the work. I told her it was impossible. She sent me the side-by-side comparison. The name of the “new artist” was Sophie. The submission date was two weeks before I had delivered my final drafts. She had used the files Frederick had secretly sent her to enter a competition in advance. The brand representative’s words were sharp. “Ms. Reed, this raises a serious dispute about originality. We have to suspend the collaboration and launch an investigation.” The $1.2 million contract was frozen. I called Frederick. In the background, I could hear Sophie’s voice. “Thanks for taking me to get Cotton’s paw checked today.” He was dropping her home. The cat’s paw was more important than my $1.2 million contract. I didn’t waste words. I sent him the recording of my call with the brand. He was silent for a full five seconds. “I’ll handle this,” he said finally. “Sophie wouldn’t do this on purpose. She just doesn’t know the industry rules. I’ll talk to her. Don’t worry.” He hung up. I stared at the three ruined originals and the “contract suspended” notification on my phone. Seven months of work. Three years of a relationship. And he wanted to brush it all away with a simple, “She didn’t mean to do it.”

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I gently wiped the wine from my face, my expression perfectly calm. “Since you keep talking about spending the rest of your life with that stuffed bear, I am simply granting your wish.” “Gunther!” “Our daughter just turned one, and you are using this ridiculous excuse to divorce me. You are a complete and utter bastard.” Judy was shaking, her eyes rimmed with furious, red tears. “Sign the papers,” I said, entirely unfazed. “I will see you at the divorce attorney’s office tomorrow at nine in the morning.” I did not want to waste another breath. I threw the divorce agreement onto the table and turned to leave. The entire banquet hall fell dead silent. None of the guests could comprehend why the city’s most envied, picture-perfect couple was suddenly imploding. A flash of panic crossed Judy’s eyes. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, frowned deeply, their expressions turning dark. No one expected me to be this ruthless. Simon, her executive assistant, lunged forward and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back. “Girls love stuffed animals. Stop acting crazy and apologize to Judy right now.” “Do you not remember what she went through for you? She almost died giving birth to your child. She labored for two agonizing days without an epidural.” “She sleeps in a separate room and takes care of the baby alone just so you can get a good night’s rest. How can you be so blind to her sacrifices?” The surrounding guests immediately joined in, burying me in criticism. “Simon is absolutely right. You have a perfect life. What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how many men would kill to have a wife like her?” “If something is bothering you, sit down and talk like adults. You do not just take your anger out on your wife and throw the word divorce around.” Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Judy rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. “Honey.” “We have known each other, loved each other, and stayed by each other’s side for twelve whole years. I know you. You are gentle. You never lose your temper.” “Is something wrong at the company? Are you asking for a divorce because you are in trouble and do not want to drag me down? Tell us. We can figure it out together.” Seeing her defend me so fiercely, the crowd praised her grace, which only made me look like an ungrateful monster. “Gunther, I may be retired, and I step back from the business these days, but people in this city still respect my name.” “We are family. If you are in trouble, speak up. Do not bottle it up inside.” Mr. and Mrs. Kensington finally broke their silence. They still chose to trust my character. After all, I was the son-in-law they had carefully handpicked. Ignoring the piercing stares of everyone in the room, I shoved Judy away. My voice was ice. “It is very simple. I do not love you anymore.” A pin drop could be heard in the hall. “What? Say that again.” Judy froze, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “I said I do not love you anymore!” “Did you hear me clearly this time?” With that, I stepped around her and headed for the door. “Stop right there!” Simon violently grabbed my collar, screaming in my face. “Drop this act right now! Even as an assistant, I cannot stand to watch this.” “Did you forget how obsessed you were with her? You chased her for three entire years! You dated for six years before you finally got married!” “Did you forget your own wedding vows? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health. She never abandoned you.” “Your daughter is only a year old! Do you want her to grow up in a broken home?” Watching him play the furious protector, a mocking smirk touched my lips. “Why are you so desperate? Unless…” Simon completely cut me off, his arrogance flaring. “Anyone with a conscience would be disgusted by an ungrateful parasite like you.” “You came from nothing. Judy never looked down on you. She gave you a high-level position in her family’s empire.” “If it was not for the Kensington family, would you have this luxury life? Would you be sitting in a CEO chair?” Smack! I backhanded him across the face with everything I had. “You are just an assistant. Know your place.” Judy immediately panicked. “Are you insane, Gunther? What gives you the right to hit Simon?” She shoved me hard in the chest and rushed to help Simon off the floor. Her eyes were overflowing with frantic, undeniable concern. “He deserved worse,” I said, clenching my fists. I felt absolutely zero remorse. My coldness instantly triggered the crowd’s disgust. They all whispered that my usual gentle demeanor was nothing but a fake mask, hiding a violent, hypocritical nature. Simon looked at Judy, playing the wounded victim perfectly. “I am so sorry, Judy. This is all my fault.” “I should have kept my mouth shut. I made Mr. Kensington angry. Please do not blame him.” He kept his head down, looking terribly guilty. “It is not your fault.” “I dragged you into this.” Judy comforted him softly before turning back to me, her tone shifting into a pathetic plea. “Honey, we do not need to take our issues out on other people.” “Today is our daughter’s first birthday. Please stop causing a scene. I am begging you.” As she spoke, her tears began to fall again. Her heartbreaking compromise contrasted perfectly with my brutal arrogance. The guests entirely sided with her. Mr. Kensington took a deep breath, trying to be the voice of reason one last time. “Gunther, you have worked hard all these years. You have been a good husband and a respectful son.” “There is no need to make this so ugly.” “If you can show me actual proof that you have been wronged, I swear I will stand by you and seek justice.” He was handing me an olive branch. I did not take it. My expression remained locked in stone. “This marriage is over.” Mr. Kensington’s face turned completely purple. Judy stared at me through her tears. “Are you seeing another woman?” “Think whatever you want,” I replied flatly. “Enough!” Mr. Kensington finally lost his temper, his voice booming across the room. “I am giving you exactly three days to think about this, Gunther.” “You either come home and fix your marriage.” “Or I will see you in court, and you will walk away penniless.” “Do not ever forget that everything you own today was given to you by me.” His threat was heavy. Everyone expected me to instantly fold. Instead, I turned on my heel and walked out the door. Outside in the cool night air, my junior from law school, Audrey, had been waiting for me by her car. “I already sent my private investigators to Europe,” she said with a sharp, confident smile. “You will have the answers you are looking for very soon.” “Thank you.” “We are going to trial against Judy in three days. I need you there as my lead attorney.” I collapsed into the leather backseat, utterly exhausted. I pulled out my phone and opened a saved security video. On the screen, Judy’s beloved giant stuffed bear was casually walking out of the guest bedroom. It stood in the middle of the living room and did a bizarre, rhythmic dance directly in front of the hidden camera. Three days was more than enough time to set the trap and burn everything to the ground. I originally planned to stay at a luxury hotel, but every single one of my bank cards declined. That was when I remembered that over the past year, Judy had slowly manipulated the finances back under her family’s control. Even the names on the joint accounts had been quietly changed to hers. On the surface, I was the head of a happy, wealthy family. In reality, I was completely isolated. I crashed on Audrey’s couch for the night. The next morning, I went to the corporate headquarters to pack my personal belongings. The moment I stepped into the lobby, the whispering began. “A pathetic gold digger who does not know how good he has it. Asking for a divorce? What an idiot.” “So what if the boss likes sleeping with a giant teddy bear? I love stuffed animals too. It is harmless.” “He is probably just tired of her post-pregnancy body and wants a younger model. I bet he is hiding a dozen mistresses in the city.” They looked at me like I was a convicted serial killer. The judgment in their eyes was suffocating. Before I could even respond, Judy’s voice echoed behind me. “Shut your mouths. Who gave you permission to gossip? Get back to work.” The employees scattered like frightened mice. “Honey.” “I bought you a new watch. Try it on.” Judy pulled a pristine, velvet-lined box from her designer bag. Gasps immediately filled the lobby. “A limited edition Patek Philippe! Only three of those exist in the world, and they were supposedly bought by anonymous billionaires.” “She must have moved mountains to get that watch. She cares about him so much.” Jealousy radiated from everyone in the room. My face remained completely blank. I pushed the box away. “I am just here to pick up my family heirloom. Give the watch to your teddy bear.” The room froze. Judy stood there, completely stunned. The employees were furious, whispering that I was a heartless piece of trash. I tuned them all out and walked straight to the executive floor. When my parents passed away, the only thing they left me was a simple jade pendant. They said it would ward off evil. I had worn it around my neck my entire life. A few months ago, Judy kept complaining that her office felt freezing and creepy, claiming she heard weird noises. I took the pendant off and hung it in her office. The strange occurrences supposedly stopped. She did not deserve to have it anymore. I pushed open the heavy glass doors to her office and saw Simon playing with my daughter on the carpet. “Mr. Kensington.” “You finally came back. Living a good life is better than throwing it all away. Look at your daughter.” “She is so precious. How could you ever abandon her?” Simon said, picking the baby up and stepping directly into my path. “Get out of my way,” I said, a deep frown carving into my face. “Sir.” “This is your own flesh and blood. Are you really refusing to even look at her?” Simon demanded loudly. “Move!” Annoyed, I shoved Simon’s shoulder aside and walked straight to the back wall to retrieve my jade pendant. A second later, a loud, piercing cry echoed through the room. I turned around. Simon and my daughter were both sprawled on the hard floor. Right at that exact moment, Judy and several senior executives walked into the office. Judy dropped her files, rushed over, and snatched the crying baby into her arms. She frantically checked her for injuries and let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw no blood. “What exactly happened here?” Her furious gaze darted between me and Simon. Simon lowered his head, his voice trembling. “I just wanted him to look at his daughter. But he refused. He shoved me away.” “It is my fault. I am useless. If I had better balance, we would not have fallen.” What? Hearing his pathetic lie, Judy stood up, marched over, and slapped me across the cheek. “How could you be this cold-blooded?! That is your biological daughter!” “She is only a year old! What if you broke her neck?!” My reaction was chillingly calm. “Say whatever you want. I do not care if she drops dead.” Judy completely broke down, sobbing hysterically. Simon pointed a shaking finger at my face. “Are you even human?! Cursing your own baby to die? You are absolute scum!” “Enough. Do not waste another breath on him.” Judy looked at me, her entire body trembling as she wiped her tears. “I am completely done with you.” “Get out!” “Get the hell out of my building! I can live perfectly fine without you, and my daughter does not need a monster for a father.” “I will see you in court!” She screamed the last sentence until her voice cracked. I did not say a single word. I turned around and walked out. The news of our explosive divorce leaked to the press almost immediately. The internet was flooded with wild rumors. Anonymous sources claimed I was funding dozens of mistresses. Tabloids published blurry photos claiming I frequented underground escort clubs. Bloggers swore I had secret illegitimate children hidden across the country. I was nailed to the cross of public opinion. To the entire internet, I was a cheating, ungrateful parasite who abandoned his perfect wife and innocent child. I chose total silence. I did not offer a single explanation. Three days later, I finally appeared at the city courthouse. Because the trial was open to the public, the gallery was packed with mutual friends, business partners, and a swarm of hungry journalists. “Gunther.” “I am giving you one last chance. Swallow your pride, apologize, and we can go back to our normal lives.” Judy stared at me, her fists clenched tight in her lap. Simon sat right behind her, chiming in. “You have absolutely zero legal ground. You are going to lose, and you are going to walk away with nothing. How will you even survive? You will be a pariah.” “Give up before you end up sleeping on the streets.” Mr. and Mrs. Kensington sat in the front row, their faces grim. “Gunther, I strongly suggest you think about the consequences.” “Trying to take half her assets just because she likes sleeping with a stuffed bear is a joke. You cannot win.” I ignored every single one of them. I walked straight to the plaintiff’s table and sat down next to Audrey. The Kensington family let out a collective, disgusted scoff. The judge slammed his gavel. The trial began. The judge reviewed the massive stack of documents Judy had submitted. He looked down at me from the bench. “Sleeping with a stuffed animal does not constitute marital fault.” “However, the respondent has submitted fifty photographs of you being intimately close with other women.” “If you cannot provide compelling new evidence, this court will rule you as the party at fault based on the established facts.” I stood up, adjusting my suit jacket. “I have evidence, Your Honor.” The real show was about to begin. Every camera lens in the room focused on me. The crowd leaned in, desperate to see what desperate trick I was going to pull. “The plaintiff requests permission to play a video file,” Audrey said, handing a secure USB drive to the bailiff. The judge nodded. The court clerk plugged the drive into the system, projecting the contents onto the massive screen above the witness stand. There were three locked folders. At my instruction, the clerk opened the first folder and clicked play. The courtroom gasped. On the screen, Judy was wearing a sheer, electric-blue silk nightgown. She was straddling her massive stuffed teddy bear on their bed. She was moving her hips in a slow, provocative rhythm, pressing her body intimately against the plush fabric. Her eyes were half-closed, her face flushed with pure, intoxicating ecstasy as she whispered breathlessly into the bear’s ear. “Oh my god… Judy was secretly doing that with a teddy bear?” “That is absolutely insane. She is a married woman!” “Who dry-humps a toy while their husband is in the next room?!” The gallery erupted into shocked, scandalized whispers. Judy’s face flushed a violent, humiliating crimson. She never expected me to have this footage. She knew for a fact there were no security cameras inside the master bedroom. “She has a medical condition!” Simon suddenly shouted, jumping up to run damage control. “Judy nearly died on the operating table giving birth. The trauma caused severe postpartum depression!” “We have certified medical records from her psychiatrist. This was just a coping mechanism. A harmless way for her to relieve extreme stress!” Hearing this medical excuse, the crowd’s tone shifted. “Oh, if it is postpartum depression, that actually makes sense.” “Yeah, trauma patients do really weird things when they are breaking down.” “When I had PPD, I used to sit in the closet and cry while holding a potted plant.” “What kind of monster husband films his sick wife having a mental breakdown just to humiliate her?! He is disgusting!” Seeing the crowd side with them again, Simon went on the offensive. He pointed a self-righteous finger at me. “You have crossed the line, Gunther.” “You neglected your sick wife, and now you are weaponizing her darkest moments to publicly destroy her.” “You are doing all of this just to steal her money. Are you even a man?!” He was masterfully manipulating the narrative, trying to trap me in a moral cage. Judy buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. “Do not cry, sweetie. Mom and Dad are right here. We will protect you!” Mrs. Kensington wrapped her arms around Judy, glaring at me with pure hatred. “They say marriage is sacred. How could you abuse my daughter like this?” “Do you know how important a woman’s reputation is?!” “How is she supposed to show her face in public after this? You are a psychopath!” Mr. Kensington’s eyes were bloodshot. He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with rage. “I was blind to let you into my family. I fed a rabid wolf.” “I swear on my life, I will destroy you for humiliating my daughter!” The entire courtroom was practically calling for my blood. The reporters were furiously typing, live-streaming the drama to millions of angry netizens who were demanding I be locked up. “Order in the court!” The judge slammed his gavel violently, silencing the chaos. “Please open the second folder,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence like a scalpel. Since I had dared to walk into this courtroom, I was prepared to burn it all down. The judge nodded. The clerk opened the second folder. It was filled with dozens of video files. They played the first video. It was the exact footage I had watched in the car.

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