Category: English

On his deathbed, Grandpa George left behind a billion-dollar fortune and three matches. “You two sister may each choose only one thing. Anya, as the elder, you choose first.” I didn’t hesitate. I chose the billion dollars. My adopted sister, Scarlett, was left with three ordinary-looking matches. What I never imagined was that those matches held a prophetic power. Light one, make a wish, and it would come true. Scarlett, who had always resented our parents for favoring me, struck the first match. Her wish was for them to die horrible deaths. Then, Dad collapsed from a sudden heart attack. Mom, rushing to the hospital, was hit by a truck. Both were gone. I grabbed a knife and went to confront her. “I promised I’d share the inheritance with you when you came of age! Our parents took you in! How could you repay them like this?” Greed twisted Scarlett’s face. “I don’t want your scraps. With all of you dead, every penny will be mine.” Then she struck the second match. “I wish for Anya to be kidnapped, sold into the mountains, and die in childbirth…after bearing eight sons.” Horrified, I liquidated everything I owned and hired a small army of bodyguards. For months, I was untouchable. Then, one night, every last guard was found unconscious. I was taken, dragged into a remote village, and reduced to a breeding machine. I lost count of the time before I finally drew my last, agonizing breath. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the inheritance distribution. 1 When Grandpa George, trembling, produced the three matches, the room fell into bewildered silence. “Has he lost his mind? Leaving three matches as an inheritance? Is this a cruel joke aimed at the adopted girl? This is too much!” Grandpa’s voice was a frail rasp. “You may each choose only one thing: the fortune, or the matches. Anya, as the eldest, you choose first.” A chill shot through me. I remembered. I had been reborn. The memory of my family’s fate in my last life hit me like a physical blow. My eyes flew to my parents, standing beside me. Alive. Well. Smiling at me with encouragement. My vision blurred with tears. In my previous life, I chose the billions. I never imagined Scarlett would use those matches to wish us all into our graves-my parents dead, and me ending my days as a broken breeding machine in a mountain village. The phantom pain of that death still ached in my bones. Not this time. This time, I chose the three matches without hesitation. The room went utterly still. “Is Anya out of her mind? These are just three ordinary matches, not made of gold or anything!” “That’s billions! Are you really going to leave it all to an adopted girl? Anya wants to be a saint, but look at the situation!” My parents grabbed my sleeves, their faces etched with panic. “Anya, did you choose by mistake?” “The IPO drained us, and your mother’s treatments…that money is a lifeline.” “Come on, sweetheart. I know you’ve got a good heart and you’re always thinking of your sister. But if you’d just take the money, you could give her half! There’s no need to go this far.” My parents pleaded with me earnestly, but I didn’t waver. “I want these three matches. Scarlett lost her parents young. She’s had it harder than I ever did. I don’t want a single cent of that billions. She can have it all.” Scarlett looked ready to leap out of her skin with joy. She signed the inheritance papers with a smug grin, all while offering me the most hypocritical thanks. “Thank you for your generosity, Anya! Don’t worry, when you’re poor and begging on the streets someday, I’ll make sure to buy you a couple loaves of bread!” My parents were left speechless with fury. When Grandpa George was bedridden, I diligently cared for him for three years. But Scarlett complained about him “smelling like an old man” and only visited when she needed money. That’s why, in the previous life, he gave me the first choice of inheritance. I didn’t respond to their ridicule. They didn’t know the secret these matches held-the power to fulfill wishes. 2 That night, I heard Mom and Dad tossing and turning in their bedroom. “What on earth was Anya thinking?” “We raised her for over twenty years, and we’ve raised a fool!” “The creditors will be here tomorrow. If we can’t pay them back, we’ll lose the house!” Grandpa George had been very strict with my father, always insisting his descendants be self-reliant. Dad’s startup company wasn’t doing well, and he owed a lot to loan sharks. He had hoped I would use Grandpa’s inheritance to help him through the tough times, but I chose the three matches. After getting the inheritance, Scarlett immediately went out to party and squander her money. Asking her to pay off Mom and Dad’s debt was a pipe dream. Seeing Mom and Dad sleepless all night, I felt a pang of guilt. I quietly struck the first match. “I wish Mom and Dad become incredibly rich overnight!” After making the wish, I lay in bed, feeling content. But the next morning, I was jolted awake by Mom’s piercing scream. “It’s over! Everything’s gone!” “The company suddenly caught fire! Everything’s burned to ashes!” “The fire spread to the neighboring shops, and now we owe them tens of millions in compensation!” Dad was squatting on the floor, clutching his head, trembling uncontrollably. I clutched the burnt matchstick tightly, my body turning cold. How could this happen?! Mom was frantic, and seeing me just standing there dumbfounded, her pent-up emotions exploded. “It’s all your fault for choosing those worthless matches!” “Matches…fire… it’s all fate!” “If you had chosen the billions, none of this would have happened!” Mom sobbed uncontrollably. Dad silently pulled Mom into his embrace, closing his eyes wearily, saying nothing. My head spun. How could this be? I clearly wished for Mom and Dad to get rich, so why did they suddenly go bankrupt? Could it be the changes brought about by my rebirth? Were the wishes in this life coming true in reverse? Thinking this, I rushed back to my bedroom and pulled out the second match. But before I could make a wish, the front door was kicked open with a bang. “Well, look at you! While we’re busting our asses chasing debts, you’re just chilling at home!” “This is your final warning! If you don’t pay us back by tomorrow, we’ll chop off your hands!” “Heard your older daughter’s pretty. Maybe we can take her as collateral, let us have some fun!” Then, they grabbed their bats and smashed our house to bits. The high-interest loans were still unpaid, and the sudden fire had burdened Mom and Dad with tens of millions in compensation. Helpless, Mom and Dad had no choice but to call Scarlett. After ten calls, Scarlett finally picked up, leisurely. “Honey, your mom and dad are in trouble now. Grandpa left you billions. We’re not asking for much, just thirty million, okay?” “If we can’t pay back the debt, the creditors are going to chop off your mom and dad’s hands…” On Scarlett’s Ins, her new emerald necklace was worth five million. But faced with Mom and Dad’s plea, Scarlett feigned a helpless sigh. “Mom, Dad, it’s not that I don’t want to help. But this inheritance was Grandpa’s specific gift to me. I wouldn’t dare use it carelessly. Blame Anya for choosing nothing but three matches!” 3 My parents tried to say more, but Scarlett abruptly hung up. Not long after, Scarlett posted another update on Ins. The photo showed her holding a small dog, its head adorned with a tiny crown of pure gold. The caption read: “Money should be spent on those who are worthy.” Mom and Dad trembled with rage. To gather enough for tomorrow’s payment, I sold all my trading cards and signed celebrity memorabilia I had collected since childhood. I even sold my phone and bought a cheap second-hand one. Mom sold her jewelry, and Dad sold his car. After much effort, we finally scraped together a few million dollars, and the tension in Dad’s brow eased slightly. “This should be enough to get through tomorrow’s payment to loan shark.” Mom had finally calmed down and spoke to me with sincere remorse. “Anya, I lost my temper this morning and shouted at you. I know none of this was your fault. I’m sorry, honey. I truly am.” My nose stung, and I fought back tears. “Maybe…maybe I really did make the wrong choice…” Dad gently patted my shoulder. “It’s alright, what’s done is done. At least this whole inheritance mess showed us Scarlett’s true colors, and that’s something! Who would’ve thought? We took pity on an orphan, brought her into our home, and ended up raising such a thankless viper.” Dinner was just bread, but a sense of warmth spread among the three of us. Dad started talking about his plans for the future, the light returning to his eyes. “As long as we don’t give up, I’ll make a comeback. I promise!” That night, I gritted my teeth and lit the second match. “II wish for Mom and Dad to become crippled and live in poverty forever!” Since the first wish had backfired, I would reverse my wish this time! My true hope was for them to be safe and prosperous. I clutched the charred matchstick tightly, not daring to close my eyes. I was terrified that, just like the night before, I would wake to another piece of devastating news. I didn’t ask for immense wealth; I just wanted Mom and Dad to be healthy and happy for the rest of their lives. Just before five in the morning, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion slammed into me. My body swayed, and my consciousness blurred. When I woke up again, everything was silent. My heart pounded. I secretly crept to Mom and Dad’s bedroom door and peeked inside. They were sleeping peacefully. I breathed a sigh of relief. But just as I was about to go back to my bedroom, two piercing screams simultaneously erupted from Mom and Dad’s room! I yanked open the door, nearly fainting from shock. Mom and Dad, who had been perfectly fine moments ago, now had all their toes turned black. Mom and Dad clutched their toes, wailing incessantly. My scalp prickled. I quickly dialed 91

When the paramedics arrived, the black area on Mom and Dad’s bodies had already spread from their toes to their entire lower bodies! The doctor’s face was grim. “The condition is worsening too fast. Prepare for immediate amputation!” I was utterly distraught. Remembering the second wish I made, I wanted to slap myself senseless. The money we had just painstakingly gathered was now all going towards surgery fees. “Why are my Mom and Dad like this?” Looking at me, crying uncontrollably, the doctor shook his head and sighed. “We don’t know the exact cause… I’ve never seen a case like this, not even my mentor has!” I almost cried myself into a coma. 3 The next day, the loan sharks came knocking. “Damn it! We’ve been looking for you all over! Don’t think you’re safe just because you’re hiding in the hospital!” “Today, no matter what, I’m chopping off your hands!” I fell to my knees in front of the loan shark. He impatiently kicked me away. But when they walked into the hospital room and saw Mom and Dad’s horrific state, they immediately froze. Their previous arrogance was completely replaced by pity. “This…” “Fine, just pay us back whenever you have the money…” Before leaving, they even threw me two hundred dollars, telling me to buy something to eat. As I put the money in my pocket, I suddenly touched the third match. The first time, I wished for something good, but it turned bad. The second time, I made an opposite wish, hoping a bad outcome would turn good, but the bad outcome actually came true! This wasn’t a match that fulfilled wishes; it was a key to Pandora’s Box. But not making a wish was already a dead end. The third match was the only chance for Mom, Dad, and me to turn things around. But what kind of wish should I make with the third match? My mind was a chaotic mess. Mom and Dad still needed my care, so I had to temporarily put the match incident aside. Mom and Dad, after their sudden amputations, were depressed and morose, tormented by phantom limb pain. But even though they were in so much pain they couldn’t sleep all night, they still tried their best to comfort me. “Anya, Mom and Dad aren’t hurting. Don’t be too sad. Maybe these are just tests from above. As long as we can endure, everything will clear up!” I held back my tears, forcing myself to be strong. To provide my parents with nutrition, I went to work as a laborer on a construction site. After finally saving a few dozen dollars, I bought a good cut of beef for Mom and Dad. All the way, I imagined the smiles that would bloom on their faces. But as soon as I reached the hospital room door, Mom picked up a water cup and violently threw it at my head. “Get out! Get out of my sight!” I froze. I turned my head and saw Scarlett, who had been missing for days, standing beside my parents. She smugly shook her phone at me before hugging Mom and Dad tightly. “Mom, Dad, you all thought I was out partying, but I was actually keeping a secret watch on Anya. I noticed she was acting strange a while ago, so I used a drone to record this. The footage is one hundred percent real! Anya may seem sweet, but her heart is pure poison.” In the video, I was clutching a match, my expression devout as I made my wish. “I wish for Mom and Dad to become crippled and live in poverty forever!” 4 The rage in my parents’ eyes was explosive. “No wonder your father and I have been so unlucky lately! You’ve been cursing us all along!” I panicked and rushed to explain the entire truth. “Mom and Dad, listen to me! The matches Grandpa left me have wish-granting powers. Because the first time I wished for you to get rich, you went bankrupt, that’s why the second time I made the opposite wish…” A flicker of hesitation crossed Mom and Dad’s eyes. But Scarlett walked over and slapped me hard. “According to you, then the matches Grandpa left you will bring disaster no matter what wish you make?” “Nonsense! That was your own grandpa; how could he leave you something like that?” Mom and Dad thought her words made sense, and their eyes turned cold again. “From now on, Scarlett is our only daughter! You jinx, get out and stay out!” I completely broke down. Why did it turn out like this? Scarlett threw all my belongings out. I seized the opportunity to confront her. “This is all your doing, isn’t it? Don’t you already have billions? Why do you still want to steal Mom and Dad from me?” Scarlett rolled her eyes. “No reason. Just because I can’t stand you!” With a bang, the door slammed shut. Inside, three people were laughing joyfully. People came and went in the hospital corridor, and I stood at the door like a clown. In the previous life, Scarlett had hated Mom and Dad. This time, she actively approached Mom and Dad; she definitely had ulterior motives. I had to find out the truth quickly, or the tragedy of my previous life would repeat itself! My first suspicion was that Scarlett had swapped the matches in my hand. The original wish-granting matches had been replaced by her with evil objects that brought misfortune. I sold all my belongings and borrowed a lot of money to hire Detective Miller. But Detective Miller’s investigation results left me incredibly disappointed- These three matches were indeed left to me by Grandpa George. Scarlett hadn’t even touched them, let alone swapped them. I wanted to ask Detective Miller to investigate further, but he flat out refused. “You borrowed money to hire me just to investigate three matches?” “Are you crazy? I’m not taking this job. I’m afraid you’ll try to scam me!” Because of my strange behavior, I was blacklisted by the entire detective community. Since science couldn’t explain it, I could only turn to the supernatural. I posted a few times online, causing a stir. A revered priest, Father Michael, voluntarily offered to help me for free. I was overjoyed and rushed to him that very night. After listening to my story, Father Michael’s eyes welled up with tears, and he promised he would help me. But Father Michael examined the matches over and over for a long time, unable to find anything wrong with them. In the end, he just comforted me with words like, “Evil people will get their comeuppance.” The matches weren’t the problem, so was I the problem? But I had just had a full physical examination a few weeks ago, and I was perfectly healthy, both physically and mentally. Just when I was at my wits’ end, I suddenly received a picture from Scarlett. “Anya, Mom and Dad gave your room to me, you know!” “And this looks like your favorite teddy bear from when we were kids. Oops, I accidentally cut it up. You’re not mad, are you?” I gripped my phone tightly. That teddy bear was the only keepsake my beloved grandma had left me! A wave of rage crashed over me. I wanted to tear Scarlett apart. Then, suddenly, a detail in the photo caught my eye. Connecting it with what Father Michael had just told me, a realization struck. I finally understood why, in this life, none of my wishes had come true. And at last, I knew what to wish for with the final match!

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After our driver’s daughter moved in, Blake-my already resentful adoptive brother-grew to hate me even more. She looked like him. That, in his mind, was proof enough: I was the impostor, and she was the real heiress. Frankly, I couldn’t be bothered to argue. Then came my eighteenth birthday. Blake showed up with the driver’s daughter to stake her claim. He turned to our parents, expecting a standing ovation. “Mom, Dad, this is your real daughter, my real sister! Avery’s the fake.” Then he threw a DNA report in my face. “You’ve stolen my sister’s life for eighteen years. Get out of this house!” Behind him, Sierra’s eyes welled up with practiced tears. “I only want…my real family.” A collective gasp tore through the room. Mom and Dad stood frozen. But as I stared at the report that confirmed they were siblings, a cold, sudden laugh rose in my chest. “What if… you’re the fake son?” I’m Avery Maxwell, the heiress to the powerful Maxwell family. Tonight was my eighteenth birthday. My parents had booked the grandest ballroom in the city and filled it with every important person they knew. I stood at the center of it all, radiant in a custom gown, the undisputed star of the evening. What I never expected was for my brother, Blake, to try to burn the whole party down. “Avery is a fraud! She has no right to be here!” Blake marched into the center of the room, dragging our driver’s daughter, Sierra, behind him. He looked at me with pure contempt, as if I were something he’d scraped off his shoe. Sierra shrank behind him, her eyes already glistening with unshed tears. My parents stared, completely bewildered. My mother gestured subtly for him to stop. My father’s voice was low and stern. “Blake, you’re late to your sister’s birthday, and now you make a spectacle? Explain yourself.” “Blake, sweetheart,” my mother tried, her voice pleading. “You and Avery quarrel, but tonight is her night. Please, have some respect.” Blake ignored them. He raised a finger and pointed straight at me, his voice hard. “Avery is not a Maxwell. She was switched at birth. A fake. The real Maxwell daughter is Sierra!” He pushed Sierra forward, presenting her to our parents like a winning trophy. “Mom, Dad, this is your real daughter. My real sister. Look at her. She even looks like me. That’s all the proof you need.” Blake’s words detonated in the room, shredding the polite chatter to pieces. Eyes darted between the three of us. Whispers spread like a current. “You know…the Maxwell siblings never did look alike.” “But Blake and that girl… they look like twins.” “Do you think it’s true?” “Well, this party just got interesting.” Mom and Dad exchanged a shocked glance, muttering, “Blake and Sierra do look alike…” Blake soaked in the whispers and pointed fingers directed at me, his eyes gleaming with hatred and triumph. I just watched him, my expression unreadable. “Blake, have you been binging too many ‘swapped at birth’ stories? You say I’m fake, and that makes it true?” I knew Blake had hated me since we were kids. Maybe it was because I was the older sister, and I’d stolen half of Mom and Dad’s affection. Or maybe because I outshone him in everything, always stealing his thunder… Whatever the reason, he always looked for ways to put me down, wishing I wasn’t his sister. After he got hooked on those ‘fake heiress’ web novels, he became absolutely convinced that I was swapped at birth and that Jim’s daughter, who looked like him, was the true Maxwell heiress. So, Blake pulling this stunt today? Honestly, it wasn’t much of a surprise.

Blake, seeing I wasn’t at all scared of being thrown out, became agitated. He sneered, “Avery, you’ve got some nerve! Let me tell you, you’re not leeching off my family any longer. If you know what’s good for you, just pack your bags and leave!” Before I could even respond, my parents, who had finally recovered from their shock, spoke up. Dad sternly reprimanded Blake, his voice harsher than I’d ever heard it. “Blake! Where are your manners? Avery is your sister! How can you say something so incredibly disrespectful?!” Mom quickly agreed. “That’s right, Blake. You and Avery can bicker all you want on a normal day, but this is Avery’s big moment. Show some decency!” But Blake seemed not to hear them. Instead, he yelled back at Mom and Dad. “Avery isn’t my sister! Sierra is my sister! You should be worried about all the suffering Sierra endured these eighteen years, not fussing over Avery, the imposter!” As Blake finished, Sierra nervously twisted her dress hem, her shoulders trembling with quiet sobs, her voice barely a choked whisper. “I just want to come home… If you don’t like me, I can leave…” She said, timidly glancing up at Mom and Dad, then quickly dropping her gaze as tears streamed down her face, looking utterly heartbroken and wronged. Mom couldn’t stand it. She tried to comfort her. “Sweetie, we haven’t figured things out yet-” But before Mom could finish, Sierra’s tears intensified, and her sobs grew louder. Seeing Sierra’s pitiful, wounded display, Blake’s heart twisted with sympathy. He pulled Sierra behind him, declaring with a fierce protectiveness, “Don’t worry, Sierra. I, Blake Maxwell, only recognize you as my sister. You belong to the Maxwell family!” The crowd erupted again, even more agitated. They started pitying Sierra, and their gazes, once admiring, now held a flicker of disdain for me. “That poor girl, her real parents are right there, yet she has to endure this.” “The Maxwells are so biased, how can they favor the swapped child over their own flesh and blood for eighteen years?” “Avery is truly wicked, enjoying someone else’s wealth for eighteen years and now refusing to give it up!” Mom and Dad’s faces flushed from white to red under the weight of these whispered judgments. And me? Listening to them champion Sierra’s supposed injustice, I just found it laughable. I coolly scanned the room, then let out a sarcastic laugh. “Nothing’s been confirmed yet. Don’t be so quick to show your true colors!” Before this ‘fake heiress’ drama began, they’d all fawned over me, the Maxwell heiress. Now, without a single piece of hard proof, they were already scrambling to cozy up to the ‘real’ one. They were sharp. They heard the ice in my voice. Their smiles tightened, but out of respect for the Maxwell name, they held their tongues. Then I turned to Blake, my voice sharp. “Blake, you’re making a spectacle of the Maxwell name and our parents over nothing but a passing resemblance. Show me the proof. Or you and your friend can leave!” Blake had been chastised by me countless times growing up, and he already harbored resentment. Now, being lectured in front of so many people, his face turned beet red with fury. Blake glared at me, then yanked a document from his pocket and slapped it against my cheek with a sharp crack. “Avery, open your goddamn eyes, you leech! You’re the one who needs to get out!” It was a DNA paternity report. “I was going to let you keep some dignity. Clearly, you don’t deserve it.” At the same moment, the report flashed onto the giant LCD screen behind us. Test result: Sample 1 (Blake Maxwell) and Sample 2 (Sierra Jim) confirmed sibling relationship.

“See for yourselves!” Blake waved the report overhead. “My DNA test with Sierra proves we’re siblings!” He paused, his gaze deliberately finding me before he drove the point home. “The evidence is right here. Sierra is the real Maxwell heiress. Avery…she has no blood tie to this family at all” He was shouting now, as if I were standing across a field. My parents stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Dad’s brow furrowed. “This report… Blake and Sierra are truly siblings?!” Mom’s voice trembled. “How can this be…?” The room erupted. The whispers now were louder than before. “The results are in! Avery really is the fake!” “The Maxwells must be sick. Their own daughter suffered for eighteen years while they spoiled a stranger.” “Did you see how high and mighty Avery was acting? Talk about karma.” “Exactly. Prancing around in a stolen life. Let’s see her talk her way out of this.” … I went from being the pampered heiress of a wealthy family to a fake heiress everyone could scorn. Blake lifted his chin smugly and gave me my marching orders. “Avery, nothing to say now, huh? Get out, quickly!” Sierra tugged on Blake’s sleeve, timidly saying, “Blake, maybe… maybe we should just let it go. After all, Mom and Dad did raise Avery for eighteen years.” Her ‘kind and magnanimous’ act only made me seem like a monstrous villain. I watched their little performance quietly, with no intention of leaving. “Blake, the Maxwell family isn’t yours to command!” Blake scowled, then directly signaled the bodyguards to drag me out. “You’re out of line, Avery Maxwell! Today, I’m going to make you realize who the true owner of this family is! A common nobody doesn’t deserve designer clothes-strip her of that dress and throw her out!” Several bodyguards moved to grab me, but before their hands could even touch me, Dad’s cold voice stopped them. “Stop! Who dares lay a hand on my daughter?!” Dad’s voice carried an unquestionable authority, and Mom quickly stepped forward, shielding me. The bodyguards froze instantly, exchanging nervous glances, not daring to advance. Seeing this, Blake’s eyes turned red. He couldn’t believe that even with the DNA report right in front of them, Mom and Dad were still protecting me, an outsider. He lost control, roaring at Mom and Dad. “Dad! Mom! Have you gone senile?!” “Sierra and I are the real Maxwells! How can you ignore your own flesh and blood and pour your hearts out to Avery, this imposter?!” Mom and Dad’s expressions were complex. After a long moment, they simply said, “Avery is a Maxwell.” Their voices weren’t loud, but they carried an unshakeable resolve. In that moment, a warmth spread through my chest. No matter what happened, Mom and Dad would always be my shield.

Blake, however, was like a lit firecracker, his face contorted with resentment and fury. Sierra, too, began to sob dramatically, her cries heartbreaking, as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice. “It’s all my fault… If I hadn’t shown up, I wouldn’t have made Mom and Dad so difficult, wouldn’t have made Blake so miserable… I really shouldn’t have come back…” She spoke, then stumbled, as if about to run out, embodying a martyr. Blake immediately grabbed her, comforting her. “Sierra, don’t run! This is your home, Avery is the one who should leave!” Sierra looked at Blake through tear-filled eyes, then timidly gazed at Mom and Dad. “I truly don’t want to cause you trouble. I just want to return to my real mom and dad. Why is it so hard?!” Just then, Jim, the driver, pushed through the outer edges of the crowd. As soon as he entered, he knelt down with a thud before Mom and Dad. “Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, both children… we truly wronged you! That year at the hospital, my wife, in a moment of confusion, swapped the two babies!” Jim wept, his old eyes flooding with tears, his remorse complete. “Now I have only one wish: for Sierra to come back to her real family. Avery has taken eighteen years of her life. Our conscience can’t bear it any longer. Sierra is a good girl. Please, I beg you, give her the chance to come home. As for Avery…she will come home with me.” Hearing this, Mom and Dad looked at each other. Their faces grew even more solemn. “Jim, is what you’re telling us about that year the complete truth?” Jim nodded vigorously. “Every word of it, Mrs. Maxwell! My wife…she’s lived with the guilt every single day. We never would have had the courage to come forward if Sierra hadn’t started looking so much like Blake. It’s all on us-please, blame me. Just don’t take it out on Sierra.” Jim’s words corroborated Sierra’s claim, making Blake even more arrogant. He stepped forward, pointing at my nose, his spit almost flying onto my face. “Did you hear that, Avery?! Even Jim admitted it himself! You were maliciously swapped at birth!” “With witnesses and evidence right here, you imposter, get out of the Maxwell mansion, now!” Jim stood up, reaching for me, but I swiftly dodged his hand. Sierra, fearing I wouldn’t leave, frantically urged me. “Avery, I know this is sudden for you, but our intertwined lives are a fact. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Mom and Dad in the Maxwell house. You can come back anytime you want. The Maxwell mansion will always be your second home.” Her voice was still choked with tears, but a hint of barely perceptible triumph laced it. I shot her a cold glance, my malice undisguised. “Who do you think you are, to talk about taking care of my parents for me? My parents have me, they don’t need you telling them what to do!” My obstinate attitude once again drew a fresh wave of condemnation from the guests. “How ill-mannered! Her biological father comes to pick her up, and she refuses to go.” “Eighteen years of someone else’s wealth isn’t enough for her? Her skin is thicker than a fortress wall!” “The Maxwells wasted eighteen years raising such an ungrateful wretch!” Then Blake slapped me hard across the face. “Avery, you shameless bitch! Who gave you the right to talk to my sister Sierra like that? A fake heiress should know her place! Don’t push your luck.” My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning. Mom and Dad moved to step forward, but I gently pressed their arms and stopped them. I bent down, picked up the scattered DNA report from the floor, and found the line confirming their sibling relationship. I smiled. “What if, Blake, you’re the fake son? What if you are the one who needs to get out?”

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To clear my girlfriend’s debts, Mom and I worked ourselves to the bone. It cost Mom her life – she got lung cancer. When I rushed to the hospital with the money to pay for her treatment, I found her gone. She’d taken her own life, leaving only a single letter: “Kolt, don’t waste money treating me. Use it to pay off Scarlett’s debts. She loves you. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” Clutching Mom’s ashes, I handed Scarlett the sixty thousand dollars Mom had left. Back at the office, I walked in on her talking to a few creditors. It wasn’t what I expected. “Scarlett, Kolt has passed all your tests. What’s next on your agenda?” Scarlett’s assistant, Brandon, suddenly spoke up: “Scarlett, he might be able to tough it out with you, but we still need to see if he can handle prosperity.” Scarlett pursed her lips: “Next, I need to know if he’s truly sincere. If he doesn’t covet my money once he knows who I really am, I’ll marry him.” I looked at Mom’s ashes, dissolving into a weeping mess. My girlfriend’s pre-wedding ‘test’ cost my mother her life. And I? I swear, you’ll all pay for this!

Leaving Su Corp. I sat on the curb, clutching Mom’s urn. Mom had asked for her ashes to be placed in the simplest, most unadorned container, just to save every last penny for Scarlett’s debts. Suddenly, Scarlett’s face appeared on the giant screen in the plaza. The news anchor reported: “Just moments ago, Scarlett, the CEO of Su Corp, who had mysteriously disappeared for three years, attended a gala with her fiancé, Brandon.” I stared at the screen, at Scarlett, radiant with confidence. Tears streamed down my face. So all those years Mom and I poured our hearts and souls into working, just to pay off her debts… It was all just a lie. I sat there for what felt like ages, until Scarlett called that evening. Her voice was just as soft and gentle as always: “It’s so late. Why aren’t you home yet? Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” I instinctively opened my mouth, but no words came out. Just silence. Before, I would’ve probably been a little annoyed, complaining that she was interrupting my work again. But now, that intimate tone… I couldn’t bear it. Scarlett’s voice held a hint of urgency: “Kolt, where are you right now?” “Working.” Scarlett froze, as if just remembering that I’d been working tirelessly until late every night, all to pay off her debts. She’d promised to marry me once the debts were cleared. And to settle down, build a real life with me. Just as Mom had hoped. Today, she was supposed to reveal her true identity to me. “I… I have something to tell you. I’m actually the heir to Su Corp.” “I… I’m coming to pick you up right now…” I hung up, hailed a cab, and left. I had no expectations left for Scarlett. When I finally snapped back to reality, my own tears were reflected in the car window. On my phone, Scarlett’s messages popped up, one after another. I didn’t look. I didn’t want to. Today was supposed to be the start of our new life together. But her lies had turned my mother’s suicide into a cruel joke. Five years of struggle, all for a ridiculous truth. Scarlett, I’m not marrying you.

That night, I didn’t go home. I checked into a hotel. Scarlett messaged me all night, called countless times. I didn’t check. I didn’t answer. The next morning, I arrived at the company early. To prepare my resignation letter. The company was a subsidiary of Su Corp. And I was just an ordinary accountant. Five years ago, I first met Scarlett when she joined the company too. After we started dating, I introduced her to Mom. Mom approved of our marriage. As we were planning the reception, Scarlett told me she was deep in debt and had been fired from her job. To help her pay it off, I took on every side gig I could find. Mom also worked herself to the bone. Her already worn face grew even older, etched with more lines. I never imagined this company… it was *hers*. I let out a bitter laugh, mocking myself. Just then, Scarlett walked in. I calmly pulled out the resignation agreement I’d already printed. Scarlett came to stand beside me. Under her watchful gaze, I calmly signed the resignation agreement. She looked at me, her voice gentle: “Are you done?” “I’m done.” Scarlett bit her lip slightly, seemingly unaware of the change in me. She cleared her throat. “Kolt, could you come with me for a moment?” The moment Scarlett called me away, my colleagues immediately started whispering. “Oh my God, have you guys seen the news? Scarlett is the CEO of Su Corp!” “Kolt’s practically the CEO’s husband now, but his expression…” “You don’t get it. It’s just a lovers’ quarrel, they’ll patch things up.” Everyone thought I was about to become the CEO’s husband. But they didn’t know I just wanted to leave, forever. In the office, Scarlett reached out as if to grab me. I took a step back. “Ms. Scarlett.” Scarlett frowned. “Why didn’t you come home last night? Are you still mad at me?” I shook my head. “I went to see Mom.” I didn’t go back because I didn’t want Mom to ever see her again. She could have lived if she’d just gotten treatment. But she chose to end her own life, just so she wouldn’t be a burden. Scarlett seemed to sense a strange shift in me. After a moment of silence, she spoke: “Tonight, let’s go see your mom together.” As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, and her gaze became hesitant. She slowly handed me a card. “There’s a hundred thousand dollars on it. Get your mom some new clothes, consider it…” I stared at the bank card, but I didn’t take it. What she owed us couldn’t be repaid with money. Seeing my silence, a flicker of panic crossed Scarlett’s eyes. She was about to speak when a ringtone interrupted her thoughts. Scarlett pulled out her phone, glanced at me, hesitated for a moment, then left. I knew this was probably another one of her ‘tests’ for me. Testing my sincerity, testing if I was after her money. But I no longer cared. After that, I submitted my resignation. Mr. Davies didn’t seem surprised by my sudden resignation request. “Kolt, you’re leaving? Did Ms. Scarlett make other arrangements for you?” I bit my lip, feeling a surge of bitter irony. Everyone thought I was about to become the CEO’s husband, stepping into high society. They all envied my ‘luck’. They had no idea I’d lost my mother forever because of it. If I had a choice, I’d rather have never met Scarlett. As I was leaving the company, I saw Scarlett with her assistant, Brandon. Catching my eye, Scarlett instinctively began to explain; “This is Brandon, he’s my…” Before she could finish, Brandon wrapped an arm around her. “Fiancé.” I stayed silent. Then, Brandon spoke again: “Excuse me. Could you move aside?” A glint of challenge flashed in Brandon’s eyes. I silently took a step back, clearing the way. Scarlett looked at me, hesitation in her eyes, as if she wanted to say something. But Brandon pulled her away before she could. That evening, I went to church to pray for Mom. I stayed until my prayers were done. Scarlett never showed up. She never even asked. I didn’t care. Whether she knew about Mom’s death or not, it didn’t matter anymore. I figured Mom, in heaven, if she knew the truth, wouldn’t want to see her either. Five years of misplaced trust. It all ended right here, right now.

In the early hours, I returned home. Scarlett wasn’t back. I didn’t care. As I was packing my bags, the news was reporting on the Su Corp CEO, Scarlett, attending a gala with her fiancé, Brandon. I watched the ‘perfect’ couple, feeling nothing. Bags packed, I was about to leave. The door opened, and Scarlett appeared. The moment she saw me, Scarlett rushed over, grabbing my hand. “Where were you last night? Why didn’t you answer my calls?” I stiffened, then pulled my hand free from Scarlett’s grip. “Last night, I was with Mom. I didn’t want to disturb her rest, so I turned off my phone.” At the mention of Mom, Scarlett remembered what she’d said that day, and a look of guilt crossed her face. “I’ll arrange for the best doctors to take care of your mom.” Then, she pulled out a box and pressed it into my hand. “This is what I promised to give your mom.” I opened it instinctively. Inside was a bracelet. It was the genuine version of the bracelet Mom had cherished so carefully. I froze. Once, Scarlett had held Mom’s hand, and promised with utmost sincerity that one day, she’d give her the priceless original. Mom’s eyes had been full of laughter then. She didn’t care if the bracelet was real or fake. As long as it came from Scarlett, from the daughter-in-law she approved of. She would be happy. But I thought, *that was before*. I closed the box and handed it back. “If you get the chance, give it to her yourself.” Scarlett frowned slightly. Every time, I used to make the choice she expected, the one she hoped for. But my politeness now felt alien to her. A flicker of unease crossed her face. She grabbed my hand, squeezing it slightly. “Your mom’s health…” Just then, Brandon appeared, wrapping an arm around Scarlett’s shoulder. “Scarlett, I want to stay in this room!” She was pointing at *my* room. “This room is taken.” Scarlett said, then quickly explained to me: “He’s a friend. He’s just staying for a bit because of work.” As she spoke, Scarlett stared intently at me, as if expecting me to refuse. But I just nodded, agreeing without a second thought. “Let him have the room. I need to go stay with Mom.” Scarlett froze for a moment. Brandon, not giving me a chance to reconsider, immediately rushed into the room. Only then did she notice the luggage in my hand. She bit her lip, holding my hand tightly, refusing to let go. The guilt in her eyes deepened. Finally, urged on by Brandon, she spoke: “Tomorrow, I’ll go see your mom.”

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When Ronnie Miller’s mistress showed up pregnant for the third time, I remained strangely calm. I even had the leisure to admire the wedding photos they’d taken behind my back. Ronnie frowned, his expression cold, subtly shielding Briar Stone. “I know I promised you I wouldn’t have children with anyone else.” “But Briar has been with me for so many years. Her body is already fragile after two abortions. This child *has* to stay. If anything happens to her, I won’t hold back.” After speaking, he stepped back a few paces. He probably expected me to lash out like a madwoman, just like before. But not this time. Three days ago, I’d already accepted his proposal. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Briar’s hands, clutching the wedding photos so tightly her knuckles were white. “Nice wedding photos, but that dress doesn’t really suit you.” If she hadn’t deliberately sent me the ultrasound, I wouldn’t have even known she was pregnant again. Over the years, I’d grown used to her provocations. The first time she confronted me, I felt like I’d been thrown into sub-zero water. My entire being felt torn in half, my heart spasming with pain. My eyes bloodshot, I’d shattered an ashtray over Ronnie’s head. He merely licked the blood from his lip, looking at me with an exasperated yet protective gaze directed at her. “Honey, you’re a real firecracker, aren’t you? So quick to ignite.” “But I truly care for her. Don’t lay a hand on her, and everything will be fine. Was one hit not enough? Want to hit me twice to blow off some steam?” Back then, my world crumbled. I lost handfuls of hair, suffered sleepless nights, tormenting myself until I looked like a ghost. But now, I felt nothing at all. Ronnie paused, then stared at me with a half-smile. “Honey, new tactic?” “But you know, even if you try to stop me, it won’t end well for you.” He was right. I agreed wholeheartedly, nodding. “I won’t stop you. Do whatever you want.” Seeing my lack of tears or drama, Ronnie finally let out a sigh of relief. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. “Whatever you want to buy, just use my card.” With that, he walked off, cradling Briar in his arms, as if worried she might tire. Watching their retreating figures, I felt a strange sense of unreality. After I first discovered his cheating, I exposed him, laying it all bare for our friends and family to see. I wanted him to back down, to come back to me. But to my shock, the very next day, he doubled down, openly introducing Briar to everyone. Someone spoke ill of Briar, and he knocked out their teeth. Someone else mocked Briar, calling her a homewrecker, and he broke their leg. Everyone instantly stopped disrespecting Briar. I screamed, utterly devastated. “Ronnie, what am I to you?! You swore you’d love me forever!” “Let’s get a divorce!” Ronnie chuckled, then kissed my lips. “Honey, can you really bear to leave me?” “I didn’t say I don’t love you anymore. It’s just been a while, and things get a little… stale. Just be a good girl, okay?” “Divorce? Where would you even go?” All my words caught in my throat. It wasn’t until I learned Briar was pregnant that I completely lost it. Before Ronnie was officially recognized by the Miller family, he was just a street kid, running with gangs. When he was sixteen, he got into a fight, and I stepped in front of him, taking a knife wound that damaged my uterus. I was told I’d likely never have children. After we married, his mother used to verbally abuse me, calling me a barren chicken. To protect me, and spare me further pain, Ronnie got a vasectomy. So, when I found out Briar was pregnant, I tracked her down, slapped her twice, dragged her to the hospital, and forced an abortion. When Ronnie found out, he had people desecrate my grandmother’s grave. In that moment, I felt like I died. My heart felt pierced by countless needles, each beat bleeding. My face was ashen, like a ghost, as I asked him if he was insane. When he was at his lowest, hadn’t my grandmother given him food? Would he even be alive today without her? Before she passed, my grandmother treated him like her own grandson. She split her life savings, half for me, and half to help him start his business. She believed he would make sure I had a good life. But she never imagined that ten years later, Ronnie would bring people to dig up her grave. I laughed, a sharp, bitter sound, coughing up blood. Ronnie remained unmoved, casually smoking on the sofa. “Honey, you’re the one who laid hands on her first.” “I warned you, but you just wouldn’t listen.” After that day, Ronnie never came home again. He spent weeks by Briar’s side, doting on her. I withered away at home, like a dying flower. Watching the news report that Ronnie had rented out an entire auction house for Briar, I slit my wrists. Life drained from me, little by little, the sounds around me slowly fading. A bone-chilling cold consumed me. I felt only relief, and slowly closed my eyes.

But I didn’t die. When I opened my eyes again, Ronnie was beside my bed, his eyes bloodshot. He clutched me tightly, swearing to me. “Honey, you scared me to death.” “I won’t get anyone pregnant again, I promise you.” But people, once they break a promise the first time, will break countless promises for the rest of their lives. The second time Briar got pregnant, Ronnie smoked all night. I knew he was torn. He felt for Briar, but he was also bound by his promise to me. Briar came knocking on our door. Before I could say anything, she collapsed. The baby was gone. That was the first time I saw Ronnie in a fit of uncontrolled rage. He grabbed my throat, demanding I pay with my life. “I already promised you! I was going to make her get rid of it! Why couldn’t you just leave her alone?!” That was the second time I faced death. My lungs burned as if they would explode, air slowly stripped away. Just as I thought I was going to die, I was flung aside like a broken doll. Seeing the undisguised disgust in his eyes, all my explanations caught in my throat, stuck there, making me sick and wretched. Ronnie moved out of the home we’d lovingly decorated together. After that, whenever I needed to reach him, I had to get Briar’s permission before he would answer my calls. Two months later, I found out I was pregnant. The doctor called it a miracle, likely my only chance to ever have a child. I texted Ronnie, but Briar showed up instead. Briar came to our house to corner me. “Do you really think this baby will make Ronnie come back to you?” “Don’t be naive. Do you know what Ronnie said on my bed last night? He said just seeing your old hag face made him sick. If you hadn’t saved him back then, he would have kicked you to the curb ages ago.” Before she left, when I wasn’t looking, she poured hand soap onto the bathroom floor. I slipped when I went to the bathroom, and the gush of blood on the floor stained my vision red. I called Ronnie, but his line was constantly busy. On the tenth call, he only replied with four words: *Briar won’t let me.* The ambulance was slow to arrive. The blood was already cold. The baby was gone. I lay in the hospital bed, staring numbly at the ceiling, unable to understand how Ronnie and I had come to this. I thought, *this is it*. Maybe the baby knew it shouldn’t come into this world. It would only face constantly fighting parents. This is better. Let it be. From that day on, I think I stopped loving Ronnie. Even now, seeing their backs together, there wasn’t a ripple in my heart. The ringtone of *his* special song broke my reverie. I answered the call. “Yes, the divorce papers are ready. I’ll give them to him tomorrow.” “You can pick me up the day after tomorrow.”

I cleared out the old belongings in the house, throwing all the unimportant items into the trash. That night, Ronnie finally came home. In the end, the divorce papers I’d drafted weren’t needed. Ronnie beat me to it, handing me his own divorce papers first. “Honey, Briar feels insecure. She doesn’t want our child to be born a bastard.” “Let’s get divorced first, then after she gives birth, we’ll remarry.” No wonder. An hour ago, Briar had texted me, telling me to expect a surprise. She was trying to provoke me, to make me fight with Ronnie again. Unfortunately, I no longer loved him. Even arguing felt like a waste of energy. I calmly scanned the terms of the agreement. It was generous, and fair. Almost all of Ronnie’s assets were split equally with me. Without hesitation, I signed my name. After signing, I drank the lukewarm water on the table and prepared to go back to my room. Ronnie hadn’t expected me to be so decisive. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He stood up, instinctively grabbing my wrist. “What’s wrong?” I turned, my gaze distant and cold. “What’s wrong? Is there anything else?” Ronnie glanced uneasily at my bedroom, pondered for a moment, then walked in. He collected all the sharp knives and objects from my room. He then prepared to call the nanny from his family estate. He was afraid I would try to kill myself. I chuckled. “No need to go to all that trouble. I won’t kill myself.” His phone rang. It was Briar, urging him to come home. He nodded dismissively at me, then rushed out the door. Early the next morning, Ronnie urged me downstairs to go to the civil affairs office for our divorce certificate. His car was covered in stickers he used to deem childish. It was Briar’s aesthetic. I sensibly went to the back seat. He paused, then instinctively asked. “Why aren’t you sitting in front?” I gazed out at the rapidly receding scenery, answering distractedly. “Isn’t that Briar’s designated seat?” Ronnie fell silent. Several times, he tried to catch my eye in the rearview mirror, opening his mouth repeatedly without speaking. After registering our information, the staff told us we could come back to finalize the divorce after the cooling-off period. I breathed a sigh of relief. Ronnie stood rooted to the spot, his expression complex, emotions I couldn’t decipher swirling in his eyes. “I’ll drive you home.” I was about to refuse. Briar appeared out of nowhere, jumping to kiss Ronnie’s cheek. Ronnie hastily steadied her. “Careful with the baby!” The moment Briar appeared, all his attention was on her. He didn’t even notice when I left.

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My husband, Brandon, wanted us to be child-free for life. Ten years later, he brought home a pair of children he’d adopted, expecting me to raise them into successful adults. I agreed. When the kids turned eighteen, they both got into Ivy League universities. At their coming-of-age celebration, Brandon handed me a property transfer deed, demanding I sign over all my assets to the children. I agreed again. Just as I reached for the pen to sign, my mother pulled me aside, her face etched with worry. “Eleanor, these children’s background is shady. You absolutely cannot give them all your fortune.” I replied calmly, “Mom, I trust my instincts.” After I signed, Brandon burst into a satisfied laugh. Then, he embraced a woman and shoved a divorce agreement into my hands. “Eleanor, thank you for looking after *our* children all this time. It’s time to give them back to Veronica.” I smiled. “Alright!” Eighteen years ago, Brandon, who swore he wanted a child-free life with me forever, suddenly brought home a pair of children. The boy and girl were tiny and thin, but undeniably cute. Brandon said they were adopted from an orphanage and asked me to raise them. From that day on, I became a mom, changing their diapers, feeding them, and watching them grow. Eighteen years later, they had both gotten into Ivy League schools. At their coming-of-age celebration, when I was about to transfer my assets to the children, it became the talk of the town. My parents and all our friends and relatives tried to dissuade me. But I ignored all their pleas and transferred the property to the two kids. The moment he got the transfer documents, Brandon couldn’t hold back his excitement, laughing out loud. Then, he pulled a woman from the crowd and walked towards me. They handed me a divorce agreement, demanding I leave empty-handed. My mind reeled. I stared at him in disbelief. Back then, to be child-free with him, I had even undergone a hysterectomy. For years, I was known as the perfect wife in this city. Now, looking at that divorce agreement, I shouted at them. “Brandon, so you and Veronica have been secretly involved all this time!” Veronica was an employee at my company, manipulative and utterly despicable. She had risen to director. Veronica smiled calmly. “Eleanor, there’s no need to be angry. If you truly love Brandon, you should be willing to sacrifice for his happiness.” Brandon snapped impatiently. “Just sign it already, what are you waiting for?” Brandon and I were college sweethearts. He came from a dirt-poor rural family, barely had money for food, often hiding in his dorm room just munching on stale bread. Due to a lack of nutrition, he was pale, gaunt, with lifeless hair, and a perpetually hunched posture back then. The day he fainted on the track, I rushed him to the campus clinic and learned about his predicament. I generously paid for all his living expenses, and soon after, we fell for each other and started dating. Veronica was Brandon’s high school classmate. They grew up together as childhood sweethearts but had long drifted apart. I never expected them to secretly get together again. “Poor Ms. Davis, isn’t she? The moment she transfers her assets to the kids, he drops the act and demands a divorce.” “I heard they agreed to be child-free for life, but then Mr. Davis adopted two kids. They got into Ivy League, which is what this celebration is for.” “I bet those kids are his illegitimate children with that woman.” “Do you even need to doubt it? It’s obvious! Otherwise, why would he make Ms. Davis transfer her property to them?” “Ms. Davis is so unlucky, she was completely played.” The guests at the celebration murmured amongst themselves, stunned by the sudden turn of events. My mom cried, tears streaming down her face. “Eleanor, see? You fell right into their trap. Your father and I warned you long ago that this man had dark intentions, a real schemer. He only befriended you and treated you well for your money. We even mentioned that those two children’s background was shady and advised you to be careful, but you just wouldn’t listen!” My dad said angrily. “How could a Davis be so foolish? For a man, you just hand over your entire fortune!” Amidst the commotion, I looked down at the divorce agreement. No one noticed the faint, knowing smile playing on my lips. “Eleanor, you don’t need to blame me. I’m a normal man. You don’t have a uterus, you can’t have children, so I had to find someone else to have them with.” Brandon tried to explain, seeking some justification for his infidelity. I smiled. “It was *your* idea for me to have a hysterectomy and be child-free with you forever, saying we’d never regret it! I made such a huge sacrifice for you.”

“That was then. The reality is you can’t have children, and I want my own kids, so I had no choice but to find Veronica…” Veronica nodded. “That’s right. If a woman can’t have children, and she earns such a huge fortune, who will she leave it to in the future?” In the banquet hall, everyone silently nodded. My mom remembered the past and sobbed to Brandon. “You came from a poor rural village, dirt poor, couldn’t even pay tuition, and constantly hid in your dorm eating bread. Your mother was critically ill and couldn’t afford medical care. If we hadn’t supported you, you and your mom would have died long ago!” “When you two got married, you had no money. Your brother-in-law was unemployed for years, and Eleanor’s dad gave him a manager position with an annual salary of over a million.” At that moment, the three of us were lost in our memories. Mom murmured. “Our family has been good to you. I can’t believe you’d repay our kindness with betrayal and try to take the Davis family’s fortune.” After a moment of silence, Brandon chuckled. “What’s the point of bringing that up now?” He looked at me. “Alright, Eleanor, how much longer are you going to stare at this agreement?” “Even if you don’t sign, it’s useless. After all, you’ve already transferred the property to the children’s names. Our joint assets only amount to a few tens of thousands left. I’ll leave that for your retirement.” Hearing this, a smug grin stretched across Brandon’s face, almost reaching his ears. *Slap!* Suddenly, my dad rushed forward and slapped him across the face! “You monster!” “Someone, grab that old man! Beat him up!” Brandon couldn’t afford to lose face. With a wave of his hand, several security guards rushed forward, menacingly surrounding my dad. The security guards were intimidated by my dad’s presence and hesitated to advance. But Veronica charged forward and slapped my dad across the face. My dad froze on the spot. He was a man of great prestige, a former president of the Business Guild, socializing only with influential figures. Now, to be treated with such contempt by Veronica was a grave insult! My dad was about to explode in anger, but I pulled him back. The surrounding crowd immediately erupted. “This is going too far, isn’t it? Hitting even old Mr. Davis!” “Mr. Davis is a renowned philanthropist, often donating to underprivileged students, struggling families, and building schools for the elderly. Now he’s being bullied like this!” “You can only blame his daughter for being a total letdown!” “If I had a daughter like Eleanor, I’d disown her on the spot!” “Shut up!” Brandon yelled at the crowd. Then he looked at me. “Eleanor, are you going to sign or not?” “I’ll sign.” I picked up the pen and swiftly signed my name. Brandon took it, glanced at it, and with his heart finally at ease, sneered. “Good, Eleanor, thank you for delivering billions in assets to our family!” Veronica triumphantly raised a glass. “Cheers!” I smiled, thinking, *Is that so? I hope you can keep smiling until the end!* My dad looked at them, then suddenly collapsed to the floor. “Dad!” “Mr. Davis!” My mom and I, along with many relatives, rushed over. Brandon looked at a man busily helping out and exclaimed in surprise. “Marcus, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re interested in this failure, Eleanor?” The two of them were childhood friends, both from rural backgrounds. Brandon often mocked Marcus for being a fool. Marcus smiled faintly, but didn’t reply. Just then, my dad woke up. He asked. “Where are those two kids of theirs?” “They went to pick up their university acceptance letters.” Marcus replied. Soon, two high school students in school uniforms appeared at the entrance.

Both were a little chubby, walking in with cheerful faces. When they saw me, they turned away in disgust and went straight to Brandon. Chloe, the daughter, whined. “Dad, Aunt Veronica, we got our acceptance letters!” Brandon pulled the two children to sit beside him, smiling. “From now on, you should call Aunt Veronica, ‘Mom’.” My heart ached, hearing the children I had raised call someone else “Mom.” Veronica smiled. “Good children. Now I won’t have to secretly go to your school to see you anymore.” My mom was furious. She pointed at them and yelled. “Chloe, Daniel, your mother meticulously cared for you for eighteen years, and this is how you treat her?” “Daniel, you were always frail and often caught colds and fevers. Once, in the middle of the night, you had a 104-degree fever, and your mom braved the pouring rain to take you to the doctor.” “Chloe, when you were in high school, you fell in with the wrong crowd. That day, you went out with them and were drugged by some hoodlums. If your mother hadn’t arrived with people in time, you would have been ruined. But she protected you and even got stabbed herself!” The two children fell silent. Indeed, I had taken excellent care of them. After a moment, Chloe pouted. “Alright, don’t bring that up. No matter how well she did, she’s not my biological mom.” Daniel chimed in. “Exactly. And she should take a look in the mirror. Eleanor, you’re just not fit to be my mother.” Then, he shoved a paternity test report at me. Everyone expected me to make a scene, but instead, I pulled out a sever-ties agreement. “Chloe, Daniel, then let’s cut all ties.” Chloe giggled. “Ms. Davis, I couldn’t be more thrilled.” They signed without hesitation, then sat next to Brandon and Veronica. The four of them exchanged knowing smiles. “Excellent.” I smiled. I gave them a chance. If they had even a shred of conscience, I might have considered leaving them a way out. Unfortunately, some people’s true colors are truly ugly. Everyone probably couldn’t fathom why I, a shrewd and capable businesswoman managing billions, would willingly step into this trap, raising someone else’s kids. “Ms. Davis, this coming-of-age celebration has nothing to do with you. You can leave. Also, please make sure you and your parents move out today, because the villa is already in my children’s names.” Brandon started to kick me out. “No rush.” I gave a knowing smile and addressed everyone. “Today is my children’s coming-of-age celebration. The party hasn’t even started yet, how can the guest of honor leave? Children, come in.” To everyone’s stunned gazes, two figures walked in from outside.

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At Daniel’s and my engagement party, a banner hung right in the middle of the room, screaming, “Homewrecker Takes Over!” My name on it was crossed out, replaced with a scrawled, ugly “Bitch.” Before I could even get angry, Daniel calmly spoke, trying to soothe me. “He’s just a kid who likes to play pranks. Don’t let it get to you.” Yes, Daniel had a son who loved to play pranks, so much so that we hadn’t been able to finalize our wedding for three years. I shoved Daniel aside, grabbed Fitzgerald by the collar. “Wipe it off! And I mean *lick it clean* if you have to!” Fitzgerald immediately burst into tears. Daniel’s face hardened as he strode over, pulling the child into his arms. “Alice, he’s just a child! Is this really worth getting so worked up over?” Before I could reply, a woman’s voice drifted in from the doorway. “Being a stepmom is tough, isn’t it, Alice? Didn’t you know that before?” The crowd automatically parted for her. My face darkened as I turned to Daniel. “She’s back?” A flicker of embarrassment crossed Daniel’s face. He nodded. “She’s been back for two months.” Two months. Daniel hadn’t said a single word to me about it. No wonder he’d been working late so often these past two months. And each time he came home, he carried a faint, sweet scent. I clenched my fists tightly, forcing myself to stand steady. Scarlett, with a familiar ease, took Fitzgerald from Daniel’s arms and greeted me with a smile. “Hello, I’m Scarlett Reed.” “Daniel’s ex-girlfriend, and Fitzgerald’s biological mother.” The entire ballroom fell silent. The story of Daniel and Scarlett, falling in love and having a child at eighteen, was always the dirty little secret no one in our circles dared to mention. No one dared cross the Miller family. After all, they had spun a story that Fitzgerald was Daniel’s younger brother to hide the scandal. Everyone just gossiped behind closed doors. Now, Scarlett, who’d vanished for six years, was back. And the drama was finally out in the open for everyone to feast their eyes on. “Mommy! I hate this woman!” “I don’t want her to marry Daddy! I don’t want to call her Mom!” Fitzgerald, in Scarlett’s arms, pointed at me, his mouth going non-stop. Seeing the “family” of three standing opposite me, I couldn’t keep my composure any longer. Daniel’s face instantly darkened too. He pulled Fitzgerald from Scarlett’s arms and brought him over to me. “Who taught you to talk like that?” “Apologize to Aunt Alice, now!” Daniel frowned, feigning anger as he barked at Fitzgerald. But everyone present could hear that his words were just meant to scare the child. Fitzgerald knew it too. So he cried, shaking his head. “I won’t apologize.” “Daddy, everyone says this woman is only marrying you for the Miller family’s money!” “Daddy, Mommy’s back, why can’t you marry Mommy?!” Daniel frowned, gently scolding him. “Stop it, apologize to Aunt Alice.” “I won’t!” “I hate you!” Suddenly, Fitzgerald pulled out a small pair of scissors from somewhere and slashed my wrist. Blood dripped steadily, and the entire room erupted into chaos. I pressed on the wound, looking up at Daniel. “Daniel, you can only keep one of us: me or him.” A collective gasp went through the room. “Alice, you’re putting me in an impossible position.” Daniel stood there, composed and aloof amidst the crowd, but his feet didn’t move an inch towards me. I continued. “Daniel, you have seven days. If I don’t get an answer within seven days, the engagement is off. And for this injury, I’ll make sure they pay back double!” My gaze landed on Scarlett and Fitzgerald. Scarlett instinctively recoiled behind Daniel, a victor’s challenge in her eyes. Daniel remained indifferent, his gaze cold. “Alice, you know I hate being threatened.” Mrs. Davis, the housekeeper, pulled me upstairs to bandage my wound, her face full of concern. “Just some childish antics, nothing to worry about.” Behind me, Daniel, as always, cleaned up the mess. That word, “antics,” seared itself into my heart. Scarlett held Fitzgerald, gently cooing. “Don’t be scared, Fitzgerald, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Those words, clearly meant for me, pierced my ears. A chill crept up from my feet to the top of my head, freezing my heart and veins. Six years. All I got in return was being called “childish antics.” “Alice, don’t listen to them.” Mrs. Davis pulled me, quickening her pace. “I watched Daniel grow up; he likes you. That Scarlett, she’s not even fit to tie your shoelaces!” But Mrs. Davis’s words simply wouldn’t reach my heart. Daniel, in that moment, seemed utterly dead to me. I didn’t want him anymore. 2 “Alice, listen to me. Daniel is just confused by Scarlett right now. When he comes to his senses, he’ll come back to you.” Downstairs, Fitzgerald’s laughter and calls of “Daddy, Mommy” were grating. “Mrs. Davis, I’m tired.” Mrs. Davis hesitated, then sighed, told me to rest, and left. In the dark room, I sat on the edge of the bed, tears silently falling. I lost my parents young and grew up in Europe with my grandfather. Six years ago, I returned to the States for the first time. Grandpa always had my uncle take me out to see the world. The first party I ever attended was a celebration for baby Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was held by his nanny, a fair-skinned, adorable little boy, charming everyone. I didn’t particularly like children, but even I found myself looking at him a few times. But to my surprise, he tugged on my sleeve and wouldn’t let go. “It seems the young master really likes Miss Alice.” That one sentence drew agreement from countless guests. Back then, everyone just thought I was a distant relative of the Thompson family, so they naturally tried to butter me up a bit. Later, I often visited the Millers for Fitzgerald’s sake and learned about Daniel and Scarlett. They fell in love young and grew up together. Even when Scarlett’s family, the Reeds, fell on hard times, the Miller family never officially called off the expected engagement. But after the young lovers’ forbidden tryst resulted in an unplanned pregnancy and a child, eighteen-year-old Scarlett took one look at the newborn and simply ran. That hit Daniel like a ton of bricks. From then on, Daniel’s personality completely changed. Arrogance and coldness became his defining traits. It was then that I became interested in Daniel. Even though Grandpa objected multiple times, I insisted on hiding my true identity and getting involved with the Miller family. I watched Fitzgerald grow up. Until he was three, he was attached to no one but me. But then, two years ago, everything changed. After Scarlett’s first brief return and interaction with Fitzgerald, he was like a different child. The endless pranks started then and never stopped. Yet, I always remembered the cute, clingy Fitzgerald from his early childhood, and I kept hoping he would change. Now I knew, no matter how good I was to him, it wouldn’t change the fact that I was an outsider. If two years ago it was Fitzgerald who changed, then now, it was Daniel. The party downstairs finally broke up at eleven. “Daniel, I want to stay here tonight.” Scarlett’s voice, sticky with a hint of alcohol, came from outside the door. Daniel didn’t respond, but he glanced up at my tightly shut door, an inexplicable irritation rising within him. “Daniel, are you really going to marry Alice?” “Back then, I was rebellious and disobedient, a real pain in your mother’s neck. So after I left, she picked you a docile, well-behaved girl like Alice, didn’t she?” “Daniel, do you truly love her?” Listening to their conversation outside, my chest involuntarily tightened. I didn’t hear Daniel’s answer. I closed my eyes. Darkness surged towards me from all sides, the sorrow almost suffocating me. I don’t know how long passed before silence returned outside the door. I stared at the number on my phone, and after a night of painful reflection, I called my uncle, Robert. “I want to go back to Europe.” He asked a few anxious questions, but seeing my lack of enthusiasm, he didn’t press further. “But before I leave, there’s a mess I need to clean up myself.” I stared at the ultrasound scan in the drawer, lost in thought. 3 This was Daniel’s and my first child, my most precious gift. But now, she was coming at the wrong time. The next morning, as I went downstairs, I saw a picture of a happy family of three. Scarlett had stayed the night. My steps felt leaden, heavy with dread. It seemed seven days wouldn’t even be necessary. “Alice, come join us for breakfast!” “Fitzgerald hurt you yesterday, and I feel terrible about it, so I woke up early to stew some tonics for you. We’re big on health drinks here. Not sure if you’re used to them.” Scarlett enthusiastically waved me over, serving a bowl of soup. I glanced at it, then pushed it away. “I’m not eating.” Daniel’s hand, turning the newspaper, paused. He looked up at me. “I asked Mrs. Davis to make you your favorite dishes.” “What happened yesterday was Fitzgerald’s fault, and I’ve already punished him severely.” Punished? Daniel, who doted on his son so much, when had he ever punished Fitzgerald? I remembered the first time we planned to get married: Fitzgerald stuffed timed firecrackers into my car tires. That time, I flipped the car, ending up in the hospital for a month. Daniel merely brought Fitzgerald to apologize and peeled an apple. Then Fitzgerald ended up eating the apple himself. Back then, I easily forgave Fitzgerald. But later, his pranks escalated, and I was practically worn out, my patience gone. Each time, Daniel would just say, “Fitzgerald is still young, he needs guidance. As parents, we need to be patient and encouraging.” “Alice, I’ll punish him for you.” But I never saw it happen. “Tomorrow, we’ll get married.” Daniel was trying to soothe me with just a few words again. But this time, it was useless. Beside him, Scarlett’s spoon clattered to the floor, the sharp sound echoing. Scarlett’s resentful gaze shifted back and forth between Daniel and me. Fitzgerald had already left for school, otherwise, he’d be the one causing a scene right now. “No.” “Daniel, I’m not going to marry you.” Daniel lowered his newspaper, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Alice, don’t be dramatic.” “It’s meaningless to make such a fuss over something so trivial.” Daniel remained calm, as if all this trouble was simply because I was being too dramatic. But for two years, Fitzgerald’s hurtful pranks—he treated them all as jokes. My endless patience, he didn’t see. My heartbreak, he didn’t care about. “When you cool down, we can talk.” Daniel abruptly stood up, the draft from his clothes brushing my hand, cold and distant. In the afternoon, Fitzgerald came back from school. I don’t know what Scarlett told him, but he started a rampage. First, he ripped out all my potted plants. Then he strangled my kitten. And finally, he lined up my pet goldfish, one by one, on the table. Fitzgerald looked at me defiantly. “Aunt Alice, I heard Daddy’s going to marry you again.” “These are my presents for you. Do you like them?” I stifled my rage, letting my nails dig into my palms. But when I saw my wedding dress, shredded by scissors, I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Fitzgerald! Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson!” I kicked away my chair, grabbed Fitzgerald, and marched straight for the fish pond. Behind me, Scarlett cried out Daniel’s name, but Fitzgerald was already in the pond. “Mommy! Help me!” Watching Fitzgerald thrash in the water, I grabbed Scarlett’s neck and pulled her closer. “Want to save your son?” “Then join him.” With that, I kicked her into the fish pond and turned the water hose on full blast into the pond. “What are you doing!” “Alice.” “Are you trying to kill them?”

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After my wife, Eleanor Vance, was kidnapped, the captors demanded *me* in exchange. For my daughter and the company, I didn’t hesitate to take Eleanor’s place, enduring brutal torture from the kidnappers. “I’ll take good care of our daughter, and don’t worry about the ransom. I’ll find a way to get it.” But a whole year passed. It was like she’d vanished, never showing her face. I fought for my life and finally escaped, only to discover her marrying her childhood sweetheart, Spencer Gray. My parents and hers were there, celebrating joyfully. Lost in the crowd, I spotted Jolene, the head kidnapper who’d tortured me for a year, raising a toast. And my precious daughter? She was being treated like a servant, her expression blank as she served drinks to guests, constantly kneeling and begging for mercy at the slightest provocation. I choked back my agony, turning to call the person who rescued me. “Just get my daughter out of there, and I promise I’ll help you take down her company!”

As I pushed open the door, the cheerful music inside instantly died. All eyes snapped to me. The moment she saw me, Eleanor’s hand, holding a wedding ring, froze. But she quickly composed herself. “It’s a beautiful day, darling. Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow. Look at you, all dirty. Don’t ruin our guests’ mood!” I couldn’t believe my ears. Shouldn’t she be explaining what the hell was going on? Why was she standing there in a wedding gown, happily exchanging rings with her childhood sweetheart? And why was Jolene, the head kidnapper who’d abused me, attending *their* wedding? Eleanor’s mom’s shrill voice jolted me back to reality: “Where in the world have you been, you good-for-nothing?! Eleanor was so good to you, and you go and cheat with a kidnapper, gone for a whole year before you bothered to come back! You might be shameless, but our Vance family still has a reputation to uphold!” Cheating? It was laughable. So this was how Eleanor was covering up her betrayal. Just then, Jolene, holding a champagne glass, draped an arm around me, squeezing my arm with a vicious, chilling fake smile. “Still keeping our little secret, are we? You’re a naughty one.” Her voice was laced with blatant threat and warning. My body froze, my eyes wide and vacant. Seeing the scene unfold, the guests started buzzing: “No wonder Ms. Vance is marrying Mr. Gray. It turns out this scumbag cheated first. Poor things.” “Cheated for a whole year and didn’t even go home once? I’ve never seen such blatant nerve. The King family might be struggling and a disappointment, but *he’s* even worse!” “Hmph, Ms. Vance’s mom was bending over backward for Ms. Vance and Mr. Gray’s wedding. And here her daughter is, playing a little servant at the wedding. What a family, right?” Hearing the room erupt into chaos, Eleanor finally hurried over to me, her voice low and impatient. “Couldn’t you have waited until tomorrow to come back? It’s just a wedding for Spencer! I’ve been working so hard planning this for a year, and it’s the last step. Are you deliberately trying to embarrass us?” Just a wedding… But what about me? This past year, I’d been beaten relentlessly, old wounds layering new ones. When I was hungry, I had to lick stale food off the ground like a dog. So all my suffering, all the torture, even the shame of being branded a cheater, was just to pave the way for their lavish wedding. I despairingly closed my eyes, then reached out to grab my daughter, Lily. “Come on, Lily, let’s go.” But Lily recoiled as if shocked, then suddenly fell to her knees in panic, bowing her head and muttering: “No, no, no, Lily can’t leave! I have to stay and serve Ms. Vance and Mr. Gray well! I want to be their most obedient little dog!”

Seeing my daughter so terrified, so willing to humiliate herself, I was stunned. She was only seven… As she kept bowing her head, I noticed the dark bruises hidden beneath her clothes. Alarmed, I rushed forward to help Lily up, but she started slapping herself, seemingly oblivious to the pain. “Lily was bad, Lily deserves to be hit! I’ll go to the cold room for three hours right now!” I slowly turned my gaze to Eleanor, desperate for an explanation. But before she could speak, Spencer Gray hugged Lily, acting like a doting older brother. “You’re misunderstanding! Lily and I just play house like this sometimes. Sometimes I’m the servant, sometimes she is. Today’s just her turn.” My hand shaking, I pointed at the dark bruises on Lily’s neck. My eyes burning, I demanded: “Are *these* marks part of your game too?! Is this how you treat my daughter?!” Seeing Spencer’s face darken, Eleanor shoved me away, her eyes full of reproach. “What are you making such a fuss about?! Do you have to cause a scene like a madman? Do you really think Spencer is as calculating and manipulative as *you* are?” “Those are just paint marks Spencer got on Lily when they were drawing. They’re proving impossible to wash off! You, her own father, didn’t do your duty, and Spencer kindly looks after her, and *this* is how you repay him? Are you trying to make trouble?!” Seeing Lily’s obvious fear of Spencer, my heart ached to the point of suffocation. Tears blurring my vision, I looked at Eleanor. “Can’t you see how scared she is? And you still think it’s just a game?!” Eleanor fixed her gaze on Lily, observing her for a long moment, a flicker of doubt in her beautiful eyes. At that moment, Spencer’s eyes reddened, his voice choking up. “I thought if I treated Lily well, I could smoothly integrate into this family. But it turns out I’m just an outsider, destined to never be truly a part of it, to always be pointed at and judged. Maybe we shouldn’t get married after all. I’m just a complete joke, aren’t I?” With those words, Spencer took off the boutonnière from his lapel, thrust it into Eleanor’s hands, covered his face, and ran towards the bedroom. The groom running off sent the entire room into an uproar. But the guests’ murmurs were all directed at me, calling me disgusting. Watching Spencer’s retreating back, Eleanor’s brow furrowed with unconcealable annoyance. “Is this the example you set for our daughter? It’s just a ceremonial wedding! Do you have to turn everything upside down?!” “And your own daughter, who you raised yourself, pretending to be abused by Spencer in front of everyone? Such deep manipulation at such a young age, what will she be like when she grows up?! She should really thank you for being such a father!” Leaving that thought hanging, Eleanor quickly followed to comfort Spencer. Seeing her publicly scold me, Eleanor’s parents only joined in, blaming me for “cheating,” hating me for not being able to keep my wife content. I didn’t argue another word. Wrapping my bruised and battered arms tightly around my daughter, tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes. “Don’t be scared, Lily… Daddy will get you out of here right away. You won’t suffer any more injustice.” I immediately messaged my lawyer to draft divorce papers and called the person who rescued me. “Help me this once. I’ll help you take down the company…”

Back in Lily’s room, I quietly packed up all our documents and some essential items. Just as I lay down, ready to hug Lily to sleep, I heard footsteps stop by the bed. “Still mad at me, hmm?” Eleanor’s cool voice drifted into my ears. She sat on the edge of the bed, speaking softly. “Leo, I only arranged that kidnapping to fool you because I was worried you’d get jealous and cause trouble for Spencer. Besides, Jolene’s my friend. They wouldn’t *think* of hurting you.” The woman sounded utterly convinced, as if she were showing off how well she’d protected me. But if she’d bothered to truly look at me, she’d have seen that there wasn’t a single uninjured spot on my entire body. I reluctantly looked away, deliberately keeping my distance, and asked calmly, “So, from now on, I’m supposed to be their punching bag, and let Spencer be Lily’s stepdad, right?” Sensing my attitude, Eleanor clearly lost the last shred of her patience, though she didn’t overtly erupt. “Don’t say such unpleasant things. If Lily calls Spencer her stepdad, people will talk even *more*. I’m just having a wedding with him so people won’t spread rumors about him seducing me.” She thought my words were unpleasant because I called Spencer a stepdad, not because I called myself a punching bag… I’d heard enough of her pointless excuses and couldn’t be bothered to respond. Eleanor, finding herself ignored, scanned the room with a puzzled expression. “Why are you packing? Where are you going?” I was just trying to come up with an excuse when Spencer’s phone call suddenly came through. His piteous, crying voice was audible. “Eleanor, Leo came back and immediately posted about me online, saying I stole his wife, saying I’m shameless, ruining the peace of the family, and even forcing me to leave…” “Please, beg him for me. Spencer really knows he was wrong. I’ll never mention having a wedding again. If I offended him today, I’ll go out and kneel to apologize right now. Please don’t make me leave…” Eleanor opened the link Spencer had sent, her eyebrows knitting together. The post was from an account with my profile picture, every word a threat against Spencer. I was about to explain, but a sharp slap landed on my cheek out of nowhere. “Spencer grew up in an orphanage, with no parents. And you tell him to get out?! How is he supposed to live alone?! You think too highly of yourself!” With that, Eleanor walked out, trying hard to control her anger, while using the gentlest tone to comfort Spencer. The immense contrast left me stunned. I wondered, when she threw me to the kidnappers all those years ago, did she ever think about how *I* was supposed to live alone? Did she ever worry if I’d run into any danger? I forced a bitter laugh, the metallic taste of blood spreading in my mouth, but my heart had long since grown numb. I spent the night sitting there, patting my restless daughter with one hand. The next morning, Eleanor knocked a few times on the bedroom door, then spoke in a commanding tone. “Spencer specially prepared a yacht party for you. First, to apologize, and second, to welcome you back. Hurry and bring Lily downstairs.” The time had come. Finally… this was about to end.

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My brother, Trevor, and I transmigrated together to a primitive beast-shifter tribe. In this primitive world, males were rare and highly valued, leading to a system where men could have multiple female partners. The tribe’s Chief told us to choose our mates first. Trevor, his face flushed with excitement, eagerly picked the exceptionally gifted Snake-shifter. I chose the fiercely loyal Wolf-shifter. In my past life, while the Snake-shifter was hibernating, Trevor opened his “harem,” taking several other partners, dreaming of a life surrounded by beautiful women. But the Snake-shifter was possessive and obsessive. When she found out, she locked Trevor in a cold, damp underground cave, forcing him to provide sperm, making her conceive clutch after clutch of eggs. Meanwhile, the Wolf-shifter pampered me, eventually inheriting the position of tribe Chief. On the day of the inheritance ceremony, Trevor, consumed by jealousy, suddenly rushed forward and pushed me off a cliff. When I opened my eyes again, we were back on the day we chose our mates. This time, Trevor snatched the Wolf-shifter first. “Alex, this time, I’m going to be the Chief’s consort.” I smiled, pointing at the White Tiger Priestess. “I choose her.” What was so great about being the Chief’s consort? Since this primitive tribe revered males, wouldn’t it be perfectly reasonable for me to become a beast-shifter emperor?

After my brother pushed me off the cliff, I was reborn. Reborn to the exact day in my previous life when we had first transmigrated to the primitive beast-shifter tribe. The moment I opened my eyes, the White Tiger tribe’s Chief’s ancient voice echoed in my ears. “All the unmated females of our White Tiger tribe are here. You two precious males, choose whoever you like.” In my past life, when we first arrived, we were pretty confused. But somehow, miraculously, we could understand what these shifters were saying. Back in our world, Trevor was a total playboy, always chasing thrills. As soon as he understood the Chief’s words, he practically leaped to choose the beautiful, elegant Snake-shifter as his mate. “Heh, this is gonna be interesting,” he whispered excitedly to me after making his choice. For him, this shifter tribe was practically paradise. He then scanned the line of shifters and suggested to me, “Alex, you’re too quiet. If you pick someone too pretty and she gets snatched by another guy, you’d be screwed. I think those few who look ‘steady’ would be good.” The ones he pointed to were all powerful and imposing shifters in their human forms. But I still took his advice. Not because I was genuinely afraid of my mate being poached, but because among the shifters he pointed out, there was a Wolf-shifter. It was said that Wolf-shifters were fiercely loyal to their mates, taking only one for life. If I chose her, I wouldn’t have to worry about Trevor trying to steal her away. And sure enough, in my last life, that Wolf-shifter proved utterly devoted to me. No matter how Trevor tried to poach her, she remained unmoved. Trevor was incredibly frustrated by this. He’d sneer sarcastically, “Alex, your Wolf-shifter mate is too stubbornly devoted, isn’t she? So foolish, she can’t even tell good from bad.” I just offered a faint smile, noncommittal. I agreed that the Wolf-shifter was single-minded when it came to her mate. But to call her foolish? That was a massive misconception. If she were truly foolish, she wouldn’t have cleverly leveraged my presence to secure her own standing, making one achievement after another, ultimately maneuvering her way into the Chief’s position. However, the Wolf-shifter kept me under strict watch, so Trevor remained completely ignorant of all this. This time, the Chief’s words had barely finished when Trevor, without hesitation, pointed at the Wolf-shifter and declared, “I want her as my mate.” Hearing his words, the Wolf-shifter’s eyes instantly gleamed with surprise and joy. In the White Tiger tribe, Wolf-shifters were, at best, of middle-to-lower strength. Typically, males wouldn’t even consider a Wolf-shifter. The other shifters, seeing Trevor choose the Wolf-shifter, looked on with visible resentment. “Noble male, how could she, a low-ranking Wolf-shifter, be worthy of you?” A large Bear-shifter thumped his muscular chest, indignantly. The Wolf-shifter’s expression immediately became tense, tinged with a hint of insecurity. But Trevor just smiled faintly, walking straight towards the Wolf-shifter. “I want her. I believe the female I choose will be the best.” Before leaving, he quickly leaned in and whispered to me, “Alex, this time, I’m going to be the Chief’s consort.” I just said nothing, watching him actively take the Wolf-shifter’s hand. The Wolf-shifter gazed at him, deeply moved, then let out an excited howl directed at the sky. Seeing this, the other shifters glared enviously and jealously at the lucky Wolf-shifter, then turned their eager gazes towards me. I slowly scanned over them, finally letting my eyes settle on the Snake-shifter. Trevor, noticing my gaze, shifted his eyes and said, “Alex, the Snake-shifter is incredibly skilled in… that area. You’re inexperienced, so why not choose her? It might spare you some discomfort in bed.” Hearing Trevor’s suggestion, I politely declined with a faint smile. “No, thanks. You know I don’t like spineless creatures.” Then, I pointed to the tall, agile White Tiger Priestess standing beside the Snake-shifter. “I choose her.” At my words, a hint of joy appeared on the faces of both the White Tiger Priestess and Chief Kaelen. Trevor, however, couldn’t help but show a look of schadenfreude. I knew exactly what he was thinking. The White Tiger Priestess I chose was not only the tribe’s Priestess but also Chief Kaelen’s daughter. Under normal circumstances, she was destined to inherit leadership of the White Tiger tribe. But in my past life, the Lion-shifter tribe had ambushed her with all their able-bodied females while she was hunting. The fierce and formidable White Tiger Priestess was severely wounded, developed an infection, and died. It was only because of this that I had the opportunity to strategize and secure the Chief’s position for the Wolf-shifter. This time, however, I wouldn’t let the White Tiger Priestess meet such a tragic end. I wanted her to be the sharpest blade in my hand. What was so great about the Chief’s consort position Trevor cared so much about? Since this primitive tribe revered males, wouldn’t it be perfectly reasonable for me to become a beast-shifter emperor in this world? This life, I only wanted to control my own destiny.

After Trevor and I had each chosen our mates, we began to forge our bonds in front of all the White Tiger tribe’s shifters. In the primitive tribe, a male could have multiple secondary partners, but only the female who had truly bonded with him had the right to live in his dwelling. As for secondary partners, they were no different from mistresses in modern society. Of course, unlike human society, these secondary partners in the primitive shifter tribe were openly accepted and legitimate, not like secret lovers hidden away. But if a secondary partner lost the male’s favor and was cast aside, it was considered a completely normal occurrence. In my past life, Trevor had leveraged this fact, daring to openly flirt with other shifters while the possessive and obsessive Snake-shifter was in hibernation. He had always intended to just have his fun and then find an excuse to dump his secondary partners. Unfortunately, he totally screwed up. Males were already incredibly scarce in this world, so how could those shifters, who had finally gotten a chance to be his secondary partners, give up so easily? So, when the Snake-shifter emerged from her cave after hibernation, she was immediately surrounded by the shifters Trevor had flirted with, all demanding answers. Trevor’s excuse for rejecting them was that the Snake-shifter wouldn’t allow him to have secondary partners. When the Snake-shifter learned that Trevor had been flirting with so many shifters while she was hibernating, she exploded. After a brutal fight with these secondary partners, she dragged Trevor back to her snake cave, her face grim. Then, she completely cut off his contact with other shifters. When she entered her breeding cycle, she forced Trevor to cooperate, successfully conceiving and laying clutch after clutch of snake eggs. Trevor had tried to escape and call for help, but the Snake-shifter never gave him a chance to leave. It wasn’t until the day of the ceremony for the Wolf-shifter to inherit the White Tiger tribe leadership, which required every old, weak, woman, and child in the tribe to attend, that Trevor finally had a chance to leave the cave. Because the Chief’s inheritance ceremony involved a ritualistic offering to the Sky Spirits, the location chosen was the cliff behind the tribe. He saw me, who had always been second best to him, become the Chief’s consort, and he was consumed by jealousy. Then, while all the shifters were kneeling to worship the Sky Spirits, he rushed at me and violently pushed me off the cliff. “Alex, you’ve always been second best to me since we were kids! Why do you get to live a better life than me? Go to hell!”

My family and Trevor’s used to be neighbors. In the past, my family’s financial situation was even better than theirs. But after my parents died in a car accident, my biased grandmother took everything and gave it to my uncle’s family. Trevor’s uncle, seeing my pitiful state, sponsored me. Later, I regretted countless times accepting their sponsorship. Because Trevor would tell anyone who’d listen that his family funded my education, that I’d be in an orphanage without them. Because of that, I always felt like I owed him, always a step beneath Trevor. He didn’t like it when I excelled in exams, so I’d deliberately do poorly, becoming his convenient contrast. And my friends gradually drifted away after Trevor arrived. Even my college girlfriend was deliberately poached by Trevor, who came all the way to visit during our extended holiday break. “Alex, don’t be mad. I just wanted to test if she truly loved you. You’re my best friend, and I was worried you’d get hurt by a manipulative woman.” “See? I proved it, didn’t I? You really should thank me.” I just gave him a grateful smile. “Yeah, thanks, Trevor.” Trevor grinned triumphantly. “No problem, what are best friends for?” I just sneered internally. The word “friend” was defiled by people like him! But the fact remained that the Fu family had shown me kindness. I couldn’t afford to have a complete fallout with Trevor and upset his uncle. However, that was all in the past now. From the moment Trevor pushed me off that cliff, I no longer owed his family anything.

The bonding was completed quickly. Chief Kaelen then smiled at us. “Alright, now that the bonds are formed, you may each return to your dwellings.” “The other females shouldn’t be discouraged. If you can win the favor of these two males, there’s always a chance you could become their secondary partners.” Hearing Chief Kaelen’s words, the other shifters’ expressions relaxed, and their eyes blazed with desire, fixing on Trevor and me. Anya, the White Tiger Priestess, narrowed her eyes, instantly shielding me with her body. Then she snarled at the other shifters, “He’s mine! I’m not sharing him with any of you!” “Anyone who dares to covet my male, I’ll tear her to shreds.” Seeing the White Tiger Priestess’s declaration, the other shifters’ faces showed regret. They knew the Priestess’s power all too well. To contend with the Priestess for a male, they probably had no hope at all. But dealing with that Wolf-shifter would be much simpler. In an instant, all the remaining shifters in the clearing fixed their gazes on Trevor. Their looks towards the Wolf-shifter, however, were filled with murderous intent. A shifter’s strength was paramount, and the Wolf-shifter’s power didn’t even rank in the top hundred of their entire White Tiger tribe. How could she possibly be worthy of bonding with such a precious male? They could understand the Priestess monopolizing a male, after all, she was the strongest female in their White Tiger tribe. But the Wolf-shifter? She was completely unworthy of monopolizing a precious male! Trevor, watching the shifters vie for his attention, a faint smile played on his lips. As if this was the treatment he deserved. But he had no idea that once he entered the wolf’s den, getting out wouldn’t be so easy. I gave him a fleeting glance and then said to Anya, “I’m tired, I want to go back and rest.” Hearing my words, Anya’s face instantly showed a look of concern. The next moment, her arm, thicker than my thigh, easily scooped me up. “I’ll take you back to sleep right away,” Anya said, her voice deep. Then she swiftly carried me securely in her arms and sprinted towards her stone dwelling.

The Priestess’s status in the tribe was actually higher than the Chief’s. Because the Priestess was not only responsible for rituals and divination, and the tribe’s secret knowledge, but also for healing injured shifters. After all, medical systems in primitive societies were extremely scarce; whether a shifter survived an injury depended entirely on the Priestess, the sole inheritor of medicinal knowledge in the tribe. Anya carried me back to her stone dwelling, then carefully placed my body on the stone bed covered with animal hides. Her brilliant golden eyes watched me intently. “You sit for a bit, I’ll get you a blanket.” I nodded at her. Soon, she returned from a wooden chest with a large animal hide blanket. But to my surprise, she wasn’t getting the blanket to cover me; instead, she spread it over the stone bed again. After neatly laying out the blanket, she gazed directly at my exposed skin. “Your skin looks very delicate. I’ll put an extra layer of blanket for you, so the stone bed won’t be rough.” It wasn’t that no males in the tribe had shown her affection or made advances. But she had always shown little interest in the tribe’s males. Today, meeting me, she realized that she actually liked strong and resolute males like me. Moreover, my scent was truly wonderful, intoxicating her to the point where she couldn’t bear to be far from me.

I hadn’t expected Anya, who looked so fierce and strong, to be so thoughtful. “Yeah, thank you. By the way, what’s your name? I’m Alex.” “I’m Anya. If there’s anything you need, just tell me,” Anya said. I nodded again. “Okay, I got it. I’m going to sleep now.” Trevor and I had mysteriously stumbled into this unrecorded primitive tribe while hiking. Before being discovered by the White Tiger shifters and brought back to the tribe, we had already hiked for almost two hours. So, I was truly exhausted now. Seeing me lie down, Anya lowered her voice. “Then I won’t disturb your rest. I’ll go find you something to eat. What do you want for dinner?” Thinking of the primitive tribe’s eating habits, I shivered, quickly saying, “Some berries, and boil some meat soup. The meat needs to be cut very finely, otherwise, I can’t chew it.” Shifters in this primitive tribe could transform between their animal and human forms. When they were in their animal forms, eating raw prey was perfectly normal. However, most of the time, they maintained human form, only shifting to animal form during combat. And shifters in human form rarely ate raw meat; they usually cooked meat into soup or roasted it. But because shifters were so massive, they would cut food into large chunks when cooking for easy gnawing. Each bone was longer than my forearm. Gnawing on massive bones might be easy for them, but for human teeth, it was an immense challenge. Because the animal meat in primitive society was generally tough and hard to chew, even cooked meat was incredibly difficult to bite. In my past life, because I couldn’t get used to the food here, I could only fill my stomach with berries every day. Because of this, I fell severely ill after a summer rain and almost didn’t make it. Fortunately, Anya, as the Priestess, had some real skill. After she gave me some black, gooey paste dissolved in water, I recovered. Anya listened to my words, stared at my face for a moment, then nodded seriously. “I understand. Go to sleep now.” “Mhm.” Then, I closed my eyes. Because I was so utterly exhausted, I soon genuinely fell asleep. When I woke up again, the sky had already darkened. I abruptly sat up from the stone bed. “Alex, you’re awake? You must be hungry, get up and eat something.” Anya’s low voice sounded in my ear. I rubbed my empty stomach and got out of bed. On the wooden table in the dwelling, two stone bowls were already set. One held meat soup, and the other, unknown berries. “Did you eat?” I asked, sitting at the wooden table. Anya grunted in affirmation, her golden eyes fixed on my face, her shining desire direct and scorching. “I’ve already eaten. You hurry and eat.” “Okay.” I tightened my grip on the spoon, knowing she wouldn’t let me off the hook tonight. Then I slowly sipped the meat soup. Anya was indeed much more capable than the Wolf-shifter. I only mentioned it once, and she cut the meat into thin strips and stewed it until it was tender. Although it only had salt, it tasted truly delicious. Before I knew it, I had eaten more than half a bowl. But because this bowl of meat soup was simply too much, I couldn’t eat the rest. “I’m full,” I said, putting down my spoon. Anya glanced at my stomach, as if confirming I was truly full. Then her eyes gazed intensely at me, her voice hoarse. “I’ll clear the bowls. We have mountain hot spring water channeled into the dwelling; you can go to the bath pool to wash.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but feel a little surprised. Anya’s stone dwelling actually had a hot spring? Then I wouldn’t have to worry about bathing in the future. Most shifters lived rough, bathing directly in the river, but I wouldn’t dare. After Anya took the stone bowls out, I walked towards the place Anya mentioned, guided by the dim light. Looking at the swirling steam, I took off my clothes and stepped in. Before I could even finish washing, Anya walked in, holding a torch. After sticking the torch into the wall, Anya approached me step by step. Her scorching gaze seemed to want to melt my body. My body trembled involuntarily. The Wolf-shifter’s physique was nowhere near as powerful as Anya’s. Last life, I suffered so much, almost losing half my life. With Anya, I was afraid I might die in bed. Just as I was worrying, Anya’s dominant and powerful arms embraced me. Her body temperature, hotter than the hot spring water, made me go limp all over.

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After I finally woke up, my wife and son, who always favored my childhood friend, came to regret it. It was my birthday, but my wife, Ava, and our son, Leo, had made a brand-new robot model for her childhood friend, Ryan. He even posted it on Ins. I casually liked the post, and a moment later, I got a text from Ava, filled with accusation: “We gave you one too, didn’t we? Leo even baked you a cake himself! What more could you possibly be upset about?” But Ryan’s robot was clearly the latest model, and even the cake Leo made for him was a little bigger than mine. They loved me, sure, but they loved Ryan more. Maybe it was time I tried to let go, to love them a little less. Ava and Leo came home just as the clock struck midnight, ticking over to the next day. The birthday cake on the table was untouched. The little sign on it read: “Happy Birthday, Dad.” “Why aren’t you eating the cake? Were you waiting for us to eat it together?” Ava forced a smile, and she and Leo lit the candles and sang “Happy Birthday” to me. But all I felt was a surge of irritation. I waved my hand. “I don’t have an appetite. You two eat it.” Ava’s face immediately fell. “I know you’re still mad about Ryan, but can’t you try to understand him? He has no family here. He had a rough day at work today, so Leo and I just went to comfort him. It was nothing more than that, don’t overthink it.” Leo chimed in, “Yeah, Dad, Uncle Ryan has it tough. Can’t you be a little more understanding?” Watching the two of them tag-team me, my heart felt colder than a frozen wasteland. It was my birthday, and they had abandoned me for an outsider. Every time I got upset or lashed out because they ignored me for Ryan, they would use the same excuse. It always made me feel like the unreasonable villain. Every time, they’d leave me silently crying in the dead of night, only to smooth things over the next morning with a kind word or a small gift. They’d sweet-talk me, and I’d eagerly go back to being their loyal housekeeper. This time, they clearly thought they could manipulate me the same way. But I was tired of these obedience tests. “Right, right, you’re absolutely right. You go spend time with him. I’ll just celebrate my birthday with my buddies.” With that, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. They clearly hadn’t expected this attitude from me; they were frozen, unable to speak for a long moment. Seeing that I was actually going to leave, Ava rushed over and grabbed my arm. “You’re forty years old. Can you stop throwing tantrums? My company is so busy, and Leo is swamped with school. We have to make time to appease you, and it’s exhausting, okay?” Exhausting? I looked at them, my gaze cold. They didn’t feel exhausted making Ryan the latest robot. They didn’t feel exhausted baking him a cake the size of a mixing bowl. Yet for me, it was just an outdated home assistant robot and a small cake made from scraps, and suddenly they were “exhausted”? “You’re overthinking it. I’m not angry. I just want to celebrate my birthday with my friends. It’s been years since I’ve celebrated with them.” “Dad! Haven’t you had enough?!” Leo suddenly exploded, knocking the cake off the table. The candles nearly set the tablecloth on fire. He’d been under a lot of pressure from school lately and was always emotionally volatile. Usually, when he acted out, I’d patiently try to calm him down. But this time, I didn’t move. Seeing that I wasn’t coming to comfort him, Leo’s anger intensified. He started hitting and smashing the furniture. “What do you want to finally leave Mom and me alone? Haven’t you been emotionally controlling us enough all these years? Are you going to keep pushing until we both go crazy?!” Watching Leo’s hysterical outburst, a wave of sadness washed over me. All these years, I’d worked tirelessly, pouring my heart out for Ava and Leo. Yet, on my fortieth birthday, all I wanted was a little favoritism from them, and I was branded a control freak. How pathetic had my life become? I gave a self-deprecating laugh, then saw Ava comforting Leo, her face stern as she chastised me. “Look what you’ve done to Leo! Do you even deserve to be a father? If you really can’t stand it anymore, then let’s get a divorce.” Every time I lost my temper, Ava would coldly say those words. And every time, fear would make me back down. Only this time, I didn’t care anymore. They might love me, but they loved Ryan more. And I, too, should try to love them less. “Fine.” With that, I ignored their stunned faces and walked straight out the door.

It was late, but when I called my buddies, they still eagerly came out. We grabbed some beers and late-night street food, and they grumbled that ever since I got married, I’d been so wrapped up in my wife and kid that I’d practically forgotten them. The alcohol dulled my brain, and the days of chatting with my friends in the college dorm felt like yesterday. Thinking back, I’d given up so much for Ava and Leo. It really wasn’t worth it. After saying goodbye to my friends, I checked my phone. There were countless missed calls and messages. I was about to dismiss them, but among Ava’s many messages, I saw one from Ryan. “I’m so sorry, Liam. Ava and I really don’t have that kind of relationship. I was just feeling down yesterday and wanted Ava and Leo to cheer me up. I completely forgot it was your birthday. I’m truly sorry!” I’d had too much to drink. Maybe it was that text that disgusted me, because I stumbled to the roadside and started violently throwing up. After a while, I replied, “It’s fine. I don’t care.” It showed ‘typing,’ but no new message appeared for a long time, so I headed home. The house was a mess, even worse than when I’d left. I pretended not to notice and was about to go into the bathroom to wash up when Ava walked out. Seeing me reeking of alcohol, she frowned. “Finally decided to come back? Why did you drink so much? Clean this up, then go shower and sleep.” “Whoever made the mess should clean it up.” I collapsed onto the sofa, feeling drowsy. Suddenly, something poked my butt. It was Ava’s phone, unlocked, displaying her chat history with Ryan. “Ava, you and Leo spending time with me upset Liam. It’s all my fault for being so thoughtless. Maybe we should see each other less from now on.” “Don’t say that. He’s just narrow-minded and can’t stand it. Birthdays come every year; we can always celebrate it again later, right? Who knew he’d throw such a fit? He’s just getting worse with age.” “Ava, don’t talk like that. Liam has every right to be angry. Don’t let it bother you too much; you’ll make yourself sick.” “Hmm, thanks for your concern. If only Liam were half as understanding as you.” Ava rushed over and snatched the phone back, yelling furiously, “Why do you always snoop through other people’s privacy? I told you, there’s nothing going on between us!” “Whatever. I’m going to rest.” My demeanor left her speechless. She opened her mouth as if to say something but held back. Suddenly, she remembered the robot she’d given me and exclaimed, “Perfect! This guy can come in handy. Let me show you how to use it.” Hearing that, I opened my eyes and stared at Ava coldly. She prattled on, introducing how to turn the robot on and off, completely oblivious to the shift in my gaze. “Ava, have you forgotten? This model of robot? I was part of its development team.” That sentence froze Ava in her tracks. Then, she glanced at the model number on the robot’s back and gave me an awkward smile. “Oh, right. Well, then I don’t need to teach you. That’s good.” Ava and I had both been R&D staff at the same tech company. But no one could help us with childcare, so I quit my job to stay home and raise Leo. Now, I regretted every single thing I’d given up for my family. We sat in silence, the only sound in the room the whirring of the robot vacuum. “You should go to bed. I’ll just sleep on the couch.” With that, I closed my eyes. “Oh, I’m working late tomorrow night, so I won’t be back…” “Got it,” I replied, a hint of impatience in my voice.

Ava hesitated for a moment, then returned to the bedroom. I didn’t sleep long before I was awakened by a shove. Opening my eyes, I saw Leo already dressed in his school uniform, standing in front of me with an unhappy expression. “Why didn’t you wake me up? I’m going to be late! And breakfast? You didn’t make that either?” Every day, I’d wake Leo up on time, prepare a hearty, warm breakfast for him, sacrificing my own sleep. Because of the lack of sleep, I had heavy dark circles under my eyes, and my skin was sallow and dull. At forty, I looked fifty. “From now on, you’ll set your own alarm. And you can grab breakfast outside. Do you have money? I can transfer some.” Leo’s eyes widened. He clearly hadn’t expected his formerly devoted father to become this “irresponsible.” “I don’t need your money. Uncle Ryan wouldn’t be as lazy as you…” He mumbled the last part, but I heard it. Yet, my heart didn’t stir an inch. Leo stormed out, slamming the door. A small toy fell from the shoe cabinet in the entryway. I walked over and picked it up. It was a toy car, one I’d customized. It could transform into a robot and play various cartoon theme songs. Leo had been sickly after he was born, always gloomy when he was ill. But when he saw this little car, he’d giggle with delight. Seeing his happy face, I’d submitted a proposal to my company: to produce more toy robots that could provide emotional value. However, Ava had opposed the idea. She believed robots should serve humans with practical functions, not be mere “vases” that just transformed or played songs. Later, the proposal was shelved. My Leo also grew older, and he’d long since disdained this childish toy. I picked up the robot and pressed the button. It still worked perfectly. A thought suddenly struck me, and I took it over to the neighbor’s child. The child’s nickname was Finn. His parents were divorced and had left him with his grandmother. He had no friends and always played silently by himself in the sandbox downstairs. When he received the little toy, he examined it from all angles, his small face beaming with joy, playing with it enthusiastically. Seeing him like this, I couldn’t help but think of Leo when he was small, and that proposal from years ago. Almost instinctively, I picked up my phone and called my old boss. Realizing what I was doing, I tried to hang up, but he’d already answered. “Liam? Why the sudden call?” “Ah? Nothing… just wondering, are you still hiring?” I nervously rubbed my nose. A stay-at-home dad who had been out of the workforce for nearly a decade trying to return to a high-tech industry was surely a pipe dream. But to my surprise, Mr. Harrison was delighted. “Really? It’s wonderful that you’ve changed your mind. My new company needs exactly your kind of talent. However, you’ve been out of the industry for a long time, so you’d have to start from the ground up.” “I can do it! I’ll prove my worth!” Hanging up the phone, I was so happy I almost jumped. I played with Finn until evening. “Uncle Liam, you’re so nice. I wish you were my dad.” Finn blinked at me, his eyes full of longing. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stroked his head. Just then, the front door was kicked open, and a drunken man stumbled in. “Who are you? Where’s my mom?” The man had barely finished speaking when Finn’s grandmother rushed out, shouting warily at him: “What are you doing back? I’m not giving you another dime!” “Damn it! You’re my mother! Whose money do you think it is if not mine? If you don’t hand it over, I swear I’ll make this little brat regret ever being born!” With that, the man pulled out a knife and lunged at Finn. In that split second, I could only throw myself in front of Finn, taking the blade for him. Instantly, blood streamed onto the floor.

The man was restrained by neighbors, and I was rushed into an ambulance. The knife had carved a huge gash in my shoulder, and the pain made me break out in a cold sweat. It all happened so suddenly that I was still trembling, submerged in fear. At that moment, I desperately needed some comfort, even just a little. So, I called Ava. “Ava, I’m at the hospital. Please come quickly.” “What happened? I’m working late right now.” Ava’s tone was clearly impatient, and her background noise was too loud, sounding more like a restaurant than an office. “I was stabbed. I’m covered in blood, and it hurts so much. Please come.” Hearing Ava’s voice, tears suddenly streamed down my face, pouring out all the grievances I’d suffered. But in the next second, Ava’s words plunged me into an abyss. “Liam, can you stop joking around? You’re perfectly fine at home, how could someone suddenly stab you? You’re forty years old; can you stop being so childish?” “I’m not joking! I really was stabbed, and I’m at the hospital right now!” My voice became rushed and agitated, my volume significantly higher. But to Ava, I sounded just like my old “unreasonable” self. “I know you’re still mad about us not spending your birthday with you, but you don’t have to make up such a lie, do you? I’ve been really tired lately. If you keep this up, we might really have to get a divorce.” “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything. I still have to work. You get some rest.” With that, Ava hung up. I stood there frozen for a moment, then called Leo. “Leo, Dad’s at the hospital. Can you…” Before I could finish, Leo’s impatient voice cut me off. “Oh, great. Mom said you lied about being stabbed, and I didn’t believe it, but I guess you really can pull off such a crazy lie. Dad, please just leave us alone, okay?” “What do you mean? You’re with your mom? Isn’t she supposed to be working late?” Before I could ask more, Leo hung up. At that moment, I felt as helpless as a leaf adrift in a vast ocean. Suddenly, something clicked. I frantically opened Ryan’s Ins profile. Sure enough, he’d posted a video. He was smiling at the camera, with a luxuriously decorated upscale restaurant in the background. The caption read: “Striving alone in a strange city, glad to have you all by my side.” I knew that upscale restaurant well; it was where Ava and I had our first date. But after we got married, whenever I wanted to revisit it, Ava would always refuse, citing the high prices. In the video, although only Ryan was visible, I still heard Leo’s voice. It was a fleeting sound, but I heard it clearly. I couldn’t possibly mishear it, because it was a word I knew all too well: “Dad.” My phone slipped from my grasp. Ava, with whom I had shared thick and thin, and Leo, whom I had painstakingly raised, had now given their devotion to someone else. Though I tried not to care, the pain in my heart was uncontrollable. My breath hitched. “Uncle, aren’t Auntie and Leo coming?” Finn, who had been quietly watching over me, asked cautiously. “No, but it doesn’t matter anymore. Will you stay by my side?” I gently stroked his head and asked. He nodded like a woodpecker, eagerly promising: “I will! I’m just afraid you’ll blame me since it was my dad who did it.” His little head slowly drooped, and I felt a pang of sympathy. “No, it’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong, and neither did I.” I hugged him, both of us seeking comfort in each other. Years of love couldn’t be completely severed in this moment. But from now on, they would no longer be my top priority. There were more people and more things in the world worth loving.

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On Christmas Eve, my wife Sarah, our five-year-old Lily, and I drove back to my hometown in Ohio. Lily, blonde and blue-eyed, chattered in her sweet voice all the way. She looked like a little angel come to life. My relatives crowded around her, cooing and playing, the firelight from the fireplace dancing on their smiling faces. It should have been a warm, joyful night. But as the red wine dwindled, my Aunt Carol suddenly gestured for me to follow her outside. In the storage room, crammed with Christmas gifts, she closed the door and made a request that instantly froze my blood. “Hand over Lily’s guardianship to my son.” I stared, certain I’d misheard. “What did you say? Is this a joke?” The request was impossible. It made no sense. “I had a psychic reading,”Carol said, her tone turning lofty. “Your next child will be a boy. Look, Jack needs a child, and Lily is perfect. Why not let her make him happy? You’ll have others.” “She is my daughter,” I said, my voice shaking with fury. “Not a gift to pass around. One more word, and we’re leaving. Now.” I turned to go. She dropped to her knees, hands clasped, tears suddenly falling. It was then I learned that her son, Jack, had been having episodes for half a year-refusing to eat, breaking things, posting violent things online. He’d screamed it again and again. “I’m going to adopt Lily! If I can’t have her as my daughter, I’d rather not live!” I almost laughed. It was a bitter, hollow sound. Adopt? Was I supposed to be dead? Then, as the rage cooled, a cold, clear thought took shape: This wasn’t about adoption. It was about possession. Jack was only twenty-two, single, with no job or income. How could Child Protective Services ever approve him? Unless…he wasn’t planning an adoption at all” A memory surfaced, sharp and cold. Six months ago, when fixing his phone, I’d d stumbled on a folder of indecent images of children, and dark-web “literary” links. . I looked down at Carol, who was still sobbing. “Even if you bleed from your knees, I will never agree.” She collapsed onto the floor, wailing, calling me selfish, disrespectful, and claiming I’d ruined her family. “My son will die! It’s all your daughter’s fault!” she shrieked. The relatives in the living room rushed in, drawn by the commotion. My parents snapped at me, “How could you upset your aunt like this?!” I didn’t explain. My eyes were fixed on Jack, who was emerging from behind the crowd. Overweight, with a face full of acne scars. He’d dropped out of community college and worked at an auto repair shop near home. “Give me your phone.” I pointed at him. He staggered back two steps, his eyes flickering. I’d felt uneasy since dinner-he’d been holding his phone, pretending to photograph the Christmas tree, but the lens always seemed to be aimed at Lily. I lunged, snatched the phone, and forced his face against it to unlock it. Inside the gallery, there was a folder named “Angel.” The moment I opened it, my scalp prickled. It was filled with pictures of my daughter. Dozens of them.

I grabbed Jack by the collar, unleashing a furious barrage of punches, nearly beating him to death right there. It took the older relatives to finally pull me off. With Sarah and Lily present, I couldn’t explain everything publicly, so I just smashed his phone into the fireplace. My parents were furious, raging at me for a long time, not bothering to hear my side of the story. I was beyond arguing. I grabbed Sarah and Lily, and we drove away from the old house late that night, heading for a motel thirty miles away. All the way, Lily slept soundly in the back seat, worn out. The pent-up fury and a bone-deep chill spread through me. I told Sarah everything. Her face went stark white as she listened. “We have to go now!” Her voice was sharp and furious. “Leave this state, and never come back!” I sighed. I wanted to be as far away from this family as possible. But the reality was, transportation in this small Midwestern town was nowhere near as convenient as in New York. The nearest Greyhound bus station wouldn’t open until tomorrow morning, and the airport for flights back to New York was in Columbus, a hundred and twenty miles away. It was snowing heavily, the roads were icy, and visibility was terrible-driving that far in this weather would be suicidal. “Tomorrow,” I said, squeezing her cold hand. “Tonight, we’ll rest at the motel. We’ll leave at first light.” Sarah looked out at the pitch-black, snowy night, then back at our sleeping daughter, and finally nodded, defeated. Snowflakes hammered densely against the windshield. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, keeping the speed low. But in my mind, Jack’s glare as we left flashed repeatedly. He stared at us, his eyes cold and vicious.

When my parents returned from town, they demanded to know why I’d ruined the family gathering. I told them about Jack’s malicious obsession with Lily. They began to tremble with rage. How could their beloved granddaughter become a mere “item” to be demanded and claimed? My parents ignored my pleas and insisted on going to Aunt Carol’s house to demand an explanation. I couldn’t stop them, and I really didn’t feel safe leaving Sarah and Lily alone at the motel, so I could only let them go, my heart in my throat. However, the sheer shamelessness and deceit of Jack’s family once again exceeded my imagination. About an hour later, my parents returned. My father had a bruise on his cheekbone, and my mother’s eyes were red-rimmed. Instead of receiving an apology, my parents had been slandered. Aunt Carol’s family turned the tables on them, accusing us of having a daughter just to “bewitch” Jack. They even cursed our entire family, wishing us “divine retribution and a terrible end.” My father, unable to stomach their lies, argued back, only to be beaten by Carol’s family. “Honey… look at my phone.” Sarah held her screen out to me. I tapped open our family Facebook group. What I saw instantly made my blood boil: furious insults from Aunt Carol’s family. “It’s our kindness to even consider taking your daughter! Filthy vermin, how dare you slander Jack!” “Look at how you’ve raised your daughter!” “Only useless people have daughters!!” A surge of brutal fury shot through me. I turned, grabbed a kitchen knife from the motel kitchenette, and lunged for the door. In that moment, I just wanted to shut them up for good. My parents, horrified, quickly held me back, tightly. “If you go to jail, what will happen to Lily?!” Dad pressed down on my shoulders. Lily’s cries came from the bedroom. Gradually, I loosened my grip, humiliation burning in my chest, making me feel as though I would vomit blood. If reason wouldn’t work, and I couldn’t fight these villains, couldn’t we at least escape them? “Dad, Mom,” I took a deep breath, “come back to New York with us. I can’t leave you here and be at peace. Think of it as… spending the rest of Christmas break at our place.” “But in this weather, flights are probably canceled…” Mom said worriedly. “We’ll drive back,” I said, feeling guilty. “The road conditions might be bad, and it’ll be tough on you.” My parents nodded, weary and heavy-hearted. “That’s the only option for now.”

I forced myself to sleep. A few more hours, and come morning, we’d leave all this behind for good. But I underestimated the malice of Jack’s family-they had no intention of letting us leave. The next day was Christmas. The small town was adorned with festive lights, brimming with holiday spirit. Yet our family was like refugees, silently packing our belongings. The car wheels crunched over the snow, slowly driving away from the town. As familiar landmarks shrunk in the rearview mirror, my taut nerves finally relaxed a little. Lily was securely fastened in her car seat, and Sarah was softly reading a picture book to her. My parents sat in the back, quietly discussing plans for when we returned to New York. I turned on the car stereo, hoping to dispel the gloom with soothing Christmas songs. Just as the piano intro to “Silent Night” began, my face went deathly pale. The steering wheel suddenly felt incredibly heavy and pulled uncontrollably to the right! My heart stopped. I slammed the brake pedal all the way down- The brakes had failed! “Stop! Stop now!” I wrestled desperately with the steering wheel. In my panic, a chilling thought struck me like lightning: this rental car had just passed a full inspection and was in perfect condition. And Jack, he worked at an auto repair shop. Someone who knew how to fix cars certainly knew how to make them fail at a critical moment. On the icy road, the tires screamed. The car wrenched sideways, slid, and punched through the guardrail. On one side of this road was a steep, snow-covered slope. God- Then came the shriek of my family, the deafening grind of tearing metal, and the world turning over and over as we fell. I woke up in a medical center. The nurse said our car had been stopped by several thick oak trees during its tumble, which was how we miraculously survived. My left tibia and fibula had an open fracture, now fixed with steel pins and a cast; three ribs on my right side were broken, one nearly puncturing my lung. The paramedics said if I had been brought in half an hour later, the internal bleeding would have been irreversible. A blessing in disguise, my parents and Sarah only suffered multiple contusions and mild concussions, no life-threatening severe injuries. After the crash, my father, still conscious, immediately dialed 911 on his phone, buying me precious time for rescue. Lily, miraculously, was unharmed thanks to her car seat, but she was terrified. For two whole days, she didn’t make a sound, just stared with empty, vacant eyes.

I leaned on my walker and shuffled to the pediatric ward, where I saw Lily curled in Sarah’s arms. Her small face was pale, her eyes unfocused, unresponsive to anything around her. I bore the sharp pain in my ribs, knelt by the bed, and took her into my arms, gently patting her back. After a long time, her stiff body finally softened a fraction. Two small, icy hands slowly rose, wrapping around my neck, burying her face in my shoulder. “Daddy,” her voice was a faint whisper, choked with broken sobs, “Did… did we do something wrong, for bad things to happen?” It was the first sentence she’d spoken in two days. My heart felt squeezed by a cold hand. I continued to pat her back, feeling warm tears soak my hospital gown. “No, sweetie, we didn’t do anything wrong,” I whispered, my face against her soft hair, saying each word clearly, unsure if I was telling her or myself. “It’s the people who did bad things…they haven’t received the punishment they deserve.” Later, I received the preliminary accident investigation report from the Ohio Highway Patrol. The conclusion: the vehicle lost control on an icy road, resulting in a single-vehicle accident. Due to extensive damage to the vehicle, and key components being further damaged during the roll and rescue efforts, it was impossible to determine if there was any human-induced mechanical failure before the incident. The patrol eventually classified it as a “traffic accident caused by adverse weather conditions and potentially improper driver handling.” Rage left me trembling. I knew the truth was buried in that tangle of metal and wire. I knew what Jack had done. But without proof, suspicion was just a story I told myself. Even the question of his involvement became a ghost-visible to me, impossible to hold up to the light. A deep, cold helplessness washed through me. Helpless. To be crushed so completely, to cheat death, and still be unable to point a finger at the man who caused it-it was the ultimate powerlessness. A few days later, I was outside the hospital smoking when Jack actually showed up. I tried to swing at him, but my injured leg gave way and I collapsed into the snow. He kicked my crutch aside, squatted down, and sneered, “Can’t even stand up straight. What kind of father does that make you?” “What do you want?” I managed. “Just visiting my future daughter.” He grinned. “Tough little girl. Congratulations.” That’s when it hit me: The police hadn’t notified relatives yet. So how did he know we were here? How did he find this hospital in the next county over? It meant one thing. He had caused the crash. I remembered the line from the police report: Child unharmed-secured in safety seat. And suddenly, it made a terrible kind of sense. He had engineered the crash to kill us all, counting on the car seat to save Lily. That way, she’d become an orphan, and he could step in to “adopt” her. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll retaliate?” I asked. “Afraid of what?” He spread his hands. “You have a job and a house in New York. You lay a hand on me, you go to prison. I have nothing, so I dare to do anything.” He patted my shoulder. “I know where you live, where you work. I can come to New York to ‘visit’ you anytime.” I tried to hit him again, but only stumbled. “Give me Lily, and you can all be safe.” He said, then left. A passerby helped me retrieve my crutch. I was trembling, with only one thought: Kill him.

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