Category: English

I was shopping at the mall when my period suddenly started, the blood staining my entire white pants. I had no choice but to hide in the mall bathroom and ask my boyfriend Ethan to buy me tampons and clean pants. But I waited for three hours. By the time the mall closed, he still hadn’t come back. I called him frantically. He didn’t answer. But then I saw his female assistant post an update on Instagram. “Wanted macarons, and the boss immediately brought me a whole 80 of them! I’m going to be his assistant forever!” Completely disheartened, I sent my mom a message. “Mom, that blind date you mentioned—go ahead and arrange for us to meet.” The mall closed. The lights went out, just like my relationship with Ethan. When I walked out of the mall bathroom covered in blood, I startled the security guard on patrol. “Miss, what happened to you? Did someone attack you? Should I call the police?” I smiled bitterly and declined the kind man’s offer. Ethan had driven off with the car, so I could only stand on the roadside trying to hail a ride. Several drivers saw the blood on my pants and either got scared or disgusted, refusing to pick me up. Half an hour later, I finally met a kind-hearted female driver, and I was finally able to go home. My phone kept ringing while I was washing up. When I came out, I saw missed calls from my mom and a long string of messages. “You finally came to your senses? I told you that Ethan was a heartless bastard!” “Seven years! If he wanted to marry you, he would have done it ages ago! Why would he string you along for so long? At least you’re waking up before it’s too late. The blind date I found for you is eight streets ahead of that scumbag!” It turned out my parents’ words really were wise. When you’re young, you always think they don’t understand love. After a few more years, you realize it’s you who doesn’t understand life. “I was just in the shower. Mom, I’ll listen to you.” Right after I replied to my mom, Ethan finally came home. And he brought along his precious Chloe. “Aria… you… you’re already back? When I got to the mall it was already closed…” He looked somewhat embarrassed, but quickly held up a large plastic bag as if presenting a prize. Inside were various brands of sanitary pads. “I don’t know anything about pads, and I was afraid of buying the wrong kind, so I asked Chloe to help me choose. That’s why I came back a bit late.” What a pathetic lie. But I felt no anger or grievance anymore. This must be what they mean by the greatest sorrow being a dead heart. “It’s fine. I’ve already taken care of it myself. No need to trouble you.” I said flatly, not looking at Ethan’s evasive eyes. Knowing he was in the wrong, he pretended to go to the bathroom, but before leaving, he didn’t forget to earn brownie points for Chloe. “Chloe knew you weren’t feeling well, so she specifically came up to check on you.” “Yeah, Aria, are you okay? We women really suffer when our periods come. Should I make you some ginger tea to warm you up?” Chloe was as good as ever at playing sweet in front of Ethan. But once Ethan went into the bathroom, Chloe’s face immediately changed to a sharp, mocking, vicious expression. She sneered in a voice only the two of us could hear. “Aria, these pads should be enough for an old woman like you to use until menopause, right?” “Haha, it’s embarrassing just thinking about it!” “A woman covered in blood, dirty and smelly, abandoned at the mall with no one caring—if I were you, I’d rather just die!” “Ethan clearly doesn’t love you anymore. Why are you still clinging on shamelessly? Can’t you leave yourself some dignity? Do you have to wait to be kicked out? Do you really enjoy being a beggar for love?” The closer Chloe got, the more she said. She deliberately brought her face close to mine. I knew what Chloe was planning. Nothing more than provoking me to slap her so she could play the victim in front of Ethan. To continue driving a wedge between us. In the past, I definitely would have slapped her. But now? Would you fight someone over a piece of shit? I just looked coldly at Chloe’s performance. Like watching a green fly dancing over a cesspool. Under my gaze, her expression changed from smug provocation to puzzled bewilderment. Then to panic and unease. Finally to shame and anger. She gritted her teeth, suddenly raised her hand, and gave herself a hard slap. With the crisp sound of the slap, Chloe burst into tears. “Aria, don’t do this!”

Chloe’s cry was like a hunter’s starting gun. Ethan burst out of the bathroom like a hunting dog. “What happened to Chloe?” Chloe’s self-inflicted slap had been forceful, leaving a clear handprint on her delicate face. “Aria… she’s in a bad mood… I can understand her taking it out on me… I don’t blame her…” Her acting wasn’t sophisticated, but it was enough for a foolish man. Ethan immediately became the most loyal protector, glaring at me angrily. “Aria! What’s wrong with you? If you’re angry, take it out on me! What kind of skill is it to bully a young woman?” “Chloe just graduated from college. She doesn’t know anything. She’s so pure and kind. Why are you bullying her? Apologize right now!” He demanded I apologize. I was too lazy to speak and turned to go into the guest bedroom, locking the door from the inside. Chloe was crying, and Ethan was comforting her. Finding it too noisy, I put on my headphones. My phone buzzed with a friend request. The note said “Blind Date.” I accepted the request from this man named Marcus. It got quiet outside. Ethan had taken Chloe home. He didn’t come back that night. In the early morning hours, a photo of Ethan in bed suddenly appeared in the company group chat. He was sleeping shirtless, his face showing satisfaction and exhaustion. There were still plenty of night owls. Company employees immediately left comments underneath. But some old colleagues also messaged me privately, feeling indignant on my behalf. “Aria, that bitch is getting more and more outrageous!” “Isn’t this a public declaration of war?” “You need to hold onto Mr. Hayes. Don’t let that homewrecker steal him!” When Ethan was starting his business, I was always his right hand. Many of the company veterans were personally recruited by me. Later, when the business was on track, Ethan said he didn’t want me to work so hard, that he could completely support me. He also said couples weren’t suitable as coworkers, that it easily created conflicts. So I left the company and became a full-time supportive partner. In the blink of an eye, several years had passed. Aside from the company veterans, many new employees no longer knew I existed. “Just a rotten peach. I don’t want it anymore.” After saying that, I left the company group chat. That night I thought I’d have insomnia, but I slept surprisingly well. That blind date named Marcus hadn’t said anything since adding me as a friend. I wasn’t too concerned about it either. I only agreed to the blind date to put my mom’s mind at ease. I didn’t want her worrying about my love life anymore. As for love? I had long stopped expecting it.

The next morning I packed my things to return to my hometown. I organized several large suitcases and had a logistics company send them ahead. Ethan came home around noon. He obviously knew about the bed photo incident in the company group chat last night, and that I’d left the group. After all, he was the group admin. So he was clearly feeling guilty. “Last night was too late and Chloe was worried it wasn’t safe for me to drive at night… Nothing happened between us… I slept on the couch…” “The photo was just a joke. She’s just a young girl—what bad intentions could she have?” Ethan kept talking while carefully watching my expression. “When it comes down to it, you shouldn’t have taken it out on her last night… It was clearly my fault…” Seeing me looking at my phone instead of him, he pulled a box of macarons from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. “Isn’t it trending online to test your boyfriend or husband with macarons? You don’t need to test me—I already bought them for you! All 8 are yours!” I glanced at the macarons. The production date was yesterday. Chloe couldn’t eat all 80, so he brought the rest back for me to deal with? I reached out and threw the macarons in the trash. “What are you doing? Stop being childish! Men have it hard out there!” Ethan’s face darkened. The truth was so ugly. He didn’t love me anymore. “I don’t like sweets.” I continued looking at my phone. My mom had sent me hotel options, wedding dresses, and banquet menus to choose from. She was being a bit too hasty. I’d only just said I agreed to go home for a blind date, and she was already eagerly preparing wedding arrangements. “You really don’t understand romance!” “When Chloe got the macarons, she was so happy—” Halfway through, Ethan realized his slip and quickly shut up. His eyes unconsciously swept across my phone screen and saw my mom had sent another wedding dress picture. “I think this one suits you better. You’re tall, so you’d look good in this floor-length style. I’ve even found the flower children to carry your train—a pair of twins, hehe…” Ethan’s face immediately looked like he’d eaten shit. “What wedding?” “Who gave you permission to choose wedding dresses on your own? Did you discuss this with me?” “Is your mom pressuring you to get married again? She’s really getting senile! Why is she causing trouble!” Ethan’s tone was full of dissatisfaction with my mom. He’d completely forgotten that when we were in college and my mom came to visit me, she brought him more food and clothes than she brought me. After Ethan’s parents divorced and remarried, he became the extra one. Besides sending him money, his parents basically ignored him. So my mom doted on him especially, letting him feel long-lost maternal love. Back then he always said, “Aria, I love you, and I love your family too!” But we didn’t have much money then, and we didn’t have our own place. We couldn’t afford to get married. Yet every day in our rental apartment, we’d fantasize about our future happy married life with children. That was the greatest motivation for starting the business. Later we had money, we had a house, the business was successful, but marriage became a taboo topic. “Career comes first!” “Too busy!” “I heard marriage is the grave of love!” “We’re still young!” “Let’s wait a bit longer…” Ethan had countless reasons to dodge and deflect. Though I felt wronged, I kept enduring. I always felt that having already invested seven years of my youth, I couldn’t bear to give up halfway. But I’d now come to my senses. If I gave up now, seven years of youth fed to a dog. If I continued being pathetic, I’d just keep feeding a thankless dog. The past couldn’t be undone. Cutting losses was the wisest choice. Ethan was still venting his emotions. The angrier he got, as if my mom had committed some unforgivable crime. Seeing I wasn’t responding, he simply grabbed my phone and started a furious voice message rant. “Ma’am! Stop making trouble, okay?” “We young people have our own plans and rhythm for life. You interfering like this will only cause conflicts between us!” “We have no plans to get married right now! So stop scheming!” After finishing, he angrily threw down the phone. “Aria, your mom is getting more annoying as she gets older!” I slapped Ethan hard across the face. His words stopped abruptly. “You can disrespect me, but you cannot disrespect my mother!” I said word by word. “The man my mom wants me to marry isn’t you. Don’t flatter yourself!” “Let’s break up.” At the same time, his assistant rushed through the door in a panic. She was crying. “Ethan, you didn’t use protection last night, and I didn’t take the pill either!” “I’m too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy to buy the morning-after pill myself. What should I do?” “I’m still young. I don’t want to get pregnant!” 3 Chloe’s crying threw Ethan into complete disarray. “Ah? Now really isn’t the right time to have a baby!” “But the morning-after pill is effective for 72 hours!” Forgetting that I’d just said “let’s break up,” he grabbed Chloe’s arm and hurried downstairs. I looked at the empty apartment. There really was nothing left to miss. I opened my phone’s booking app to check flight information back to my hometown. My hometown was over 800 kilometers away. The nearest flight wasn’t until tomorrow evening. My mom called. She was furious. “Where’s that bastard Ethan? Does he know how to talk to people? All that good food I gave him was wasted on a dog!” “Come home right now! I don’t want you near that animal for one more second!” I calmed my mom down while saying I planned to buy a ticket for tomorrow evening. “Don’t buy a ticket yet. Just wait for word!” My mom hung up in a hurry. Just ten minutes later. The blind date named Marcus on my phone sent me a message. “Come downstairs in 5 minutes. I’m here to take you home.” I was surprised. How did he get here so fast? And how did he know my address? I grabbed my suitcase and went downstairs. It didn’t even take 5 minutes before a black Mercedes van slowly stopped beside me. An elegant, refined man got out of the car. “I’m Marcus. Your mother sent me.” At the same time, across the street at the pharmacy, Ethan, having already bought the morning-after pill, came out with a smug-looking Chloe. He happened to see me and Marcus standing face to face. Marcus even took my suitcase and put it in the back seat. His face immediately turned dark as he strode over. “Aria, where are you going? Stop being childish, okay? I can explain what happened last night. It was just an accident!” I was so sick of his noise. So I pointed at Marcus and introduced him. “My blind date. He’s taking me back to my hometown. We have nothing to do with each other from now on.” After speaking, I got in the passenger seat and closed the door. Ethan’s anger flared even more as he frantically banged on the car door. “What blind date? Aria, get out here!” Marcus didn’t say anything, just got in the car too. He hit the gas, and the van suddenly took off, throwing the unprepared Ethan face-first onto the ground. I saw in the rearview mirror Chloe going over to help him up, but Ethan shoved her away. He staggered to his feet and chased our car, but lost his footing and fell again. I closed my eyes. Ethan, my life will definitely be better without you.

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I work as an online late-night sleep therapist, specializing in treating male sexual dysfunction anxiety. I have succubus bloodline and can directly enter clients’ minds, customizing the wildest erotic dreams for them. They regain their vigor in dreams, while I secretly feed on the overflow of dopamine to stay eternally young. If I encounter a drop-dead gorgeous guy, I don’t mind personally joining him in the dream for some mind-blowing sex. “Thanks for your business. Remember to leave a five-star review when you wake up!” I rubbed my aching lower back, having just kicked an extremely handsome client out of the dreamscape. Before I could catch my breath, my phone suddenly vibrated. “Do you take urgent orders? I seem to have lost interest in all women.” Hearing the voice on the other end, I jumped in shock. It was actually my uncle, the one I’ve loved but could never have. I disguised my voice and immediately accepted this big job. “Don’t worry, I guarantee your satisfaction~” Rodriguez was an orphan adopted by my grandfather, the current head of the Bruno family. And I, a granddaughter of the Bruno family, had fallen in love with this uncle. Since he delivered himself to my doorstep tonight, I wasn’t going to hold back. I rolled out of bed, lit the dream-inducing incense, and locked my psychic power onto Rodriguez’s brainwaves. Once I entered the dreamscape, I would transform into the woman his subconscious most desired. No way he wouldn’t get it up. After the sensation of weightlessness passed, I landed steadily. Opening my eyes, I found myself in an underground parking garage. Who would’ve thought Rodriguez’s subconscious space would be this wild. I followed the sound of heavy breathing. Rodriguez was leaning against a car door, his eyes flushed red. Wearing a slip dress, I walked over and trapped him between me and the car door. “Mr. Rodriguez, were you waiting for me?” I hooked his tie and wound it around my finger, forcing him to lower his head. My other hand tore open his shirt, fingertips tracing circles on his chest muscles. Rodriguez’s whole body tensed. He didn’t push me away. He just stared at me, Adam’s apple bobbing, body rigid. “Why so quiet?” I pressed closer, my thigh brushing against his pants. “You’re pretty intimidating at the office normally, aren’t you?” “But now… you don’t even dare touch me?” “Don’t play with fire.” His voice was hoarse. He raised his hand and gripped my wrist, not forcefully, as if suppressing himself. “What if I do? What can you do about it?” I stood on tiptoe and bit his earlobe with my teeth, tongue trailing down his neck. My palm roamed across his back, leaving several red marks with my nails. This feeling of taking advantage of him with full justification excited me tremendously. Rodriguez gasped, fists clenched, back pressed against the car door. He closed his eyes, letting me cling to him and ignite the fire, tilting his head back, muffled groans escaping his throat as he endured this torturous pleasure. I was waiting, waiting for his body’s response. But five seconds passed, ten seconds passed. Sweat dripped down from his temples as I teased him. But where our bodies pressed together, there was dead silence, no reaction whatsoever. No way, right? He was this aroused, but down there was truly out of commission? Not believing it, my hand continued downward along his V-line. The instant my fingertips touched the bottom line, Rodriguez’s eyes snapped open. “Get lost!” He shoved me away and I fell onto the concrete floor, scraping my palm. The dreamscape began to shake as his emotions collapsed. He was forcibly waking himself up. I cursed and cut the connection, retreating. Bouncing up from bed, I gasped for air, clutching my bruised arm. Rodriguez was psychologically enjoying the teasing, but physiologically showed no response at all. How severe was this psychological barrier? My phone lit up with a Twitter message from Rodriguez: “Didn’t feel anything.” I stared at those three words, anger surging. I worked so hard in the dream, he enjoyed it with his eyes closed, and now he says he didn’t feel anything? Clearly, it’s you who can’t perform! I replied through gritted teeth. “Don’t worry, Mr. Rodriguez. Tonight I’ll give you stronger medicine. I guarantee it’ll cure your condition.”

After the first treatment failed, I spent all day reviewing what went wrong. Physiological dysfunction stems from subconscious defensiveness. An oppressive space like an underground parking garage would make him vigilant. What if I switched to somewhere he’s most familiar with? The next day, I timed my entry into the dream perfectly. The scene was set in his actual bedroom, at the Bruno estate. I opened his closet, picked out a white shirt and put it on, then sat leaning on his bed. The door opened and Rodriguez walked in carrying a glass of water. When he saw me sitting on the bed, his footsteps froze. He stared at my exposed legs, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Come here.” His voice was hoarse. I walked in front of him. Smirking, I took the glass from his hand. Then I tilted my head back and poured the water down my own neck! The water soaked through the white shirt, exposing my body’s spring scenery completely. Rodriguez’s pupils contracted sharply. I pushed him down onto the bed! “Tonight, I’ll take good care of you.” I straddled him on the bed, dripping wet, hands braced on either side of his waist, looking at him. The excitement of freely touching my beloved made my fingertips tremble. I leaned down and pressed against his lips. Then I moved downward, kissing past his Adam’s apple and collarbone. I used my teeth to grip the buttons of his shirt and pulled them open one by one. His chest muscles were exposed. I pressed my lips against them, tongue tracing the lines of his abs. Throughout it all, Rodriguez lay face up, hands tightly gripping the sheets beneath him, veins bulging on the backs of his hands. He remained passively receiving, with only increasingly heavy breathing. I was so excited I was nearly going crazy. When my lips stopped at his belt buckle, I felt his abdomen instantly stiffen. I opened my mouth to bite open his final line of defense. Then a hand grabbed me. Rodriguez suddenly turned the tables, flipping me over and pinning me beneath him on the bed! “Had enough fun yet?!” He roared, yanking off his tie and binding my hands to the headboard. “Rod… Mr. Rodriguez…” I was even more excited by this turn of events. Rodriguez’s hands, through the soaked shirt, caressed my body. Everywhere his palms touched, my skin burned. Being touched by my beloved, excitement and desire made me arch my back in response. Soon, as long as he breaks through his psychological barrier… I closed my eyes, waiting for that final penetration. But he stopped right at the edge of losing control. Rodriguez buried his face in my neck. His body pressed tightly against mine as he deeply inhaled my scent. Then the bedroom around us began to melt away. He was forcing himself awake, dispelling this intimate moment. I snapped my eyes open and punched the pillow. So close! Why would he rather bury his face in my neck sniffing than just go for it?! The next morning, I woke up with dark circles under my eyes and decided to go to his house to investigate. As soon as I entered the living room, I saw Rodriguez sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. And beside him, pressed close to him, was his fiancée, Vivian. “Well, if it isn’t Natalie.” Vivian glanced at me and rolled her eyes. “Coming over to mooch breakfast first thing in the morning. Really treating this place like your own home.” I glanced at her, too lazy to engage. But Rodriguez suddenly put down his newspaper. “Pour me a glass of water.” No choice. I walked to the coffee table to pour water. As I bent down, I felt a gaze land on me, full of aggression. I followed my intuition and looked over. Rodriguez’s eyes were fixed on my exposed collarbone and legs. That look was exactly the same as last night! My heart jumped. I steeled myself and handed him the water. The instant we exchanged the glass, his fingertip brushed across the back of my hand. My whole body trembled. Vivian sensed something was wrong, her expression darkening. Just as she was about to explode. “Your hand is so cold.” Rodriguez dropped this comment and went upstairs with the glass. Vivian remained in place, trembling with anger. I lowered my head, staring at the back of my hand. Something was off. Had he recognized me?!

After returning home from his place, my mom called. “Hurry up, change your clothes and come downstairs! Today’s blind date is the heir to the Edgar Group. “Stop pining after Rodriguez. You two are absolutely impossible!” My head throbbed. Ever since graduating college, my mom had been forcing me on blind dates. She’d seen through my feelings for Rodriguez and feared I would ruin the Bruno family’s reputation. I threw on a t-shirt and went out, meeting the man at a restaurant. “Miss Natalie, even though your uncle is running your family now, you’re still one of the heirs. After we get married and have a son, won’t the Bruno family assets return to your hands?” The man said this while reaching out to touch me. Disgusted, I grabbed the water glass on the table, ready to smash it in his face. A hand suddenly reached over and clamped down on his wrist. He screamed and slid from his chair to the floor on his knees. I looked up in shock. Rodriguez was already standing beside me, his face dark. “Mr. Rodriguez…” The man’s face went pale with fear. “Get lost.” Rodriguez growled, and the blind date scrambled away. Rodriguez turned his head and stared at me. “Miss Natalie has such low standards she’d even consider this kind of trash?” He dropped this line and turned to leave. I stood there, eyes stinging, fists clenched. Fine. You think I’m desperate, is that it? Tonight, I’ll make you taste what it’s like to want something you can’t have! Third dream entry. I set the scene in his CEO office. I wore a fitted pencil skirt, white blouse, black stockings and heels. This mature woman outfit would drive him crazy. Rodriguez pushed the door open. When he saw me, his breathing clearly deepened. I didn’t pounce on him directly like the previous two times. I stood up and walked in front of him. Extending my fingertip, I lifted his tie, traced circles along his chest, then slid inside his jacket, caressing his waist. Rodriguez’s eyes darkened. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he raised his hand, wanting to pull me into his arms. I stepped back half a step, slapped his hand away, expression turning cold. “Mr. Rodriguez, please restrain yourself. This is an office.” Rodriguez’s hand froze in midair, eyes rimmed red. “You…” He gritted his teeth. Ignoring him, I turned and walked to the filing cabinet, pretending to organize. When he approached, I suddenly turned and lightly licked his Adam’s apple with my tongue. “Hiss~” He sucked in a sharp breath, whole body tense, eyes locked on me as he again reached out to press me against the desk. “Smack.” I slapped his hand away again, pulling back distance, adjusting my glasses. “Mr. Rodriguez, there are still two contracts that need your signature. Please focus on your work.” I turned and walked to the office desk, facing away from him, hands braced on the edge. I bent my upper body down. The pencil skirt hugged my waist and hip curves with the movement, black-stockinged legs gleaming under the lights. I heard gasping behind me. Rodriguez pressed up against me, his hand reaching for the top of my thigh! I quickly dodged sideways, slipping away from in front of him, retreating to the other side of the desk. I raised my chin, speaking coolly: “Mr. Rodriguez, your self-control seems rather poor.” “If you can’t even maintain professional conduct, I don’t think our meeting tonight needs to continue.” Finally, Rodriguez’s veins bulged and his rationality completely snapped. “Fuck the work!” He grabbed my collar and pinned me against the floor-to-ceiling window! Ignoring my resistance, his large hand yanked and the shirt buttons instantly flew off. His palm slid down along my waistline and ripped open the black stockings. I was pressed hard against the glass, our bodies tightly joined. In that instant, I clearly felt it! That place that had been dead silent finally showed signs of rising! That massive presence was pressing against my body. I clutched his shoulders and in the heat of passion blurted out: “Uncle…” Rodriguez’s whole body jerked to a halt. “What did you call me?!” He released me and stepped back two paces. The rising trend instantly softened after that word “uncle.” He gasped heavily, bit down on his own lip, and blood welled up. He stared at me intently. “Why… why does it have to be you…” He murmured these words. Then the dreamscape collapsed and I was ejected back to reality. Damn it! Just one final step away, and my stupid mouth, why did I have to call him uncle at the most critical moment?!

I didn’t sleep well all night. I’d planned to rest and battle Rodriguez again tonight. But tonight was the Bruno Group’s tenth anniversary gala, which I had to attend. My mom dragged me along, probing about my progress with Edgar. I answered evasively, but my peripheral vision stayed locked on Rodriguez. Rodriguez had been forced to drink quite a bit tonight. Looking slightly fatigued, he was helped into the private lounge by his assistant. I excused myself to the restroom and secretly slipped inside. Rodriguez was lying back on the sofa, eyes closed, already drunk and sound asleep. I walked to the coffee table and picked up his fallen phone. My fingertips trembling, I entered my own birthday. The screen unlocked! I opened the photo album. Inside was only one photo of me sleeping at home. So he’d had feelings for me in reality all along! Trembling with excitement, I looked at Rodriguez lying on the sofa. Since we always fell short in dreams, and now he was completely defenseless, why not strike while the iron’s hot? I put down the phone and walked to the sofa, half-kneeling on the floor. I extended my finger, trailing down from his Adam’s apple. My fingertip unbuttoned his shirt, palm pressed against his lower abdomen, following the lines of his abs, going directly downward, slipping my hand inside to play freely. I felt the muscles beneath my hand tighten. Rodriguez’s breathing grew heavier, and that place was rapidly awakening. I licked my lips, about to lower my head and go further when— My mom’s voice suddenly came from outside the door. “Where did Natalie run off to? She was just here.” “Don’t worry, Rodriguez is resting here. She probably went to find Rodriguez.” Vivian was there too. Footsteps grew closer, stopping right at the lounge door! I startled and quickly withdrew my hand. Before I could stand up to find somewhere to hide, Rodriguez, who had been on the sofa, opened his eyes! He grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the adjacent storage closet. Rodriguez locked the closet door behind him. From outside came the sound of the door opening and conversation. “Strange, Rodriguez isn’t here. Where’s Natalie?” On this side of the wall, I was pinned against the door by Rodriguez. It was very narrow here. Our bodies pressed tightly together. My phone vibrated violently in my pocket—my mom calling. But Rodriguez’s hand explored over, lifting my skirt inch by inch. Right here, I clearly felt— It was rapidly growing larger, pressing hard against me! I stared wide-eyed in shock, pressing down on his hand, frantically shaking my head at him. Rodriguez lowered his head, whispering in my ear. “You played so wild in the dreams—soaking wet, black stockings, office… trying every trick on me.” “In reality, how come you’re scared?” My brain completely crashed, my consciousness becoming hazy. Rodriguez suddenly tightened his arms around my waist and thrust his hips! “Mmph!” My whole body went soft, pupils contracting sharply. I could only desperately cover my mouth, forcing the moan back down my throat. Outside the door, my mom was knocking on the storage closet. “Why is this door locked? Is anyone in there?”

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After my fiancé Bridges was stolen by my sister Gina, I forced myself on him and got pregnant. Although Bridges had a terrible temper, he was handsome, so I decided to give birth to this superior offspring. Bridges was furious, saying he’d make me wish I was dead when he found me. I lived in fear and hid for five years. Until one day I went to pick up my son from school, and there was a crowd of people at the gate saying someone was fighting. I eagerly pushed through the crowd, ready to watch the show. In the open space at the school entrance, two figures were grappling with each other. The tall one wore a black trench coat, his back straight as a pine tree. The short one wore an elementary school uniform, his little legs kicking rapidly, fists small but every punch landing on vital points. I rubbed my eyes, staring at these two people who looked remarkably similar. This was a disaster. What was wrong with this father and son? They’d never even met before—how could they be fighting?

Bridges turned his head. He dodged my son Isaac’s punch, the corners of his eyes slightly upturned with careless roguishness. That face—it haunted my nightmares. I took a deep breath, then another deep breath, then one more deep breath. Isaac had told me he was very well-behaved at school. Looking at his practiced fighting stance, he seemed more like someone who frequently caused trouble and got into brawls. That left hook was fierce, the angle tricky, and he even knew to feint before throwing the real punch. A circle of parents had already gathered around. Some were holding up their phones filming, others were cheering them on. “Whose kid is this? Pretty impressive!” “Go for it, little guy!” I covered my face, wishing I could find a hole to crawl into. Isaac stood with his hands on his hips, head tilted back. “You’re blocking my way.” Bridges glanced down at him and snorted. “Did your family build this road?” “It’s not my family’s, but you’re blocking the school gate and affecting my classmates getting out of school.” Bridges actually laughed at his audacity. “Who’s your mother? How’d she raise such a little tyrant?” I rubbed my forehead. This child had completely inherited both my and Bridges’ bad tempers. Everyone knew that whenever Bridges and I met, we’d fight, and our fights always drew blood. The day I found out I was the child the Gibbs family had mistakenly raised, Bridges was the first to come watch the drama unfold. “Lewis, so you’re a fake. No wonder you have no manners.” I lunged at him directly and bit down hard on his neck. He used all his strength but couldn’t push me off. Blood seeped through my teeth. He groaned in pain and looked at me in shock, his eyes full of disbelief. “Are you a dog?!” Only then did I release my mouth and licked the blood from the corner of my lips. I just hadn’t expected he wouldn’t get along with Isaac either. Bridges reached out and grabbed Isaac by the back of his neck. “Come on, let’s find your parent. I want to see what kind of parent could raise a little demon like you.” My throat tightened, and I prepared to make my escape. Just then, an angry shout came from the school gate. The homeroom teacher, clicking along in high heels, charged over with fury on her face. “Which class are you from? Bullying our students?” Bridges looked unusually embarrassed. Just as he was about to speak, a woman in a beige trench coat emerged gracefully from the crowd. She naturally hooked her arm through Bridges’ and smiled slightly at Ms. Anderson. “Hello, teacher. I’m sorry, we were presumptuous.” “We’re investors in this school. We happened to be passing by today and wanted to see the school environment. My husband doesn’t really know how to interact with children. If he’s offended your student, I apologize on his behalf.” As she spoke, she bowed slightly, her manner elegant and proper. Ms. Anderson’s anger dissipated by more than half. “Oh, investors… well, you still can’t get physical with students…” Gina turned to look at Bridges, her tone carrying a hint of reproach. “Bridges, really, why are you being so serious with a child?” I looked at their linked arms and clicked my tongue in wonder. After Gina was taken back to her real family, she targeted me at every turn. “Bridges is mine too, Lewis. You’re not going to try to take him as well, are you?” I was shaking with rage. Since she said I was a cuckoo in the nest, I’d show her just how much I could take. That very night, I drugged Bridges and slept with him, then fled overnight. I pressed down the brim of my hat. As long as I wasn’t recognized, everything would be fine. Just then, the homeroom teacher suddenly called out to me. “Hey, Ms. Lewis, you’re here? I was just about to call you.” My steps halted.

Bridges’ gaze was sweeping in this direction. Ms. Anderson walked up to me, holding Isaac’s hand. “Isaac and that gentleman just had a little misunderstanding. I wanted to explain the situation to you…” I turned my back to Bridges, keeping my voice very low. “I have an emergency right now, a really urgent one. Can I contact you later?” Ms. Anderson paused, looking at my expression, then glancing behind me. “But…” I made up an excuse on the spot, bent down and scooped up Isaac. Isaac obediently put his arms around my neck, looking confused. I turned and darted into a nearby alley, quickly taking him home. Isaac slid down from my arms and looked up at me. “That uncle kept staring at you just now. When you left, he watched your back for a long time.” I didn’t say anything. Just as I was about to close the door, a hand pressed against it from outside. Gina stood in the doorway, smiling triumphantly and falsely. “Lewis, it really is you. It’s been so long.” “No wonder Bridges didn’t recognize you. You don’t look anything like that arrogant person you used to be.” Isaac poked half his face out from behind my legs, his little face tense, glaring at her. Gina noticed his gaze, looked down, and smiled. “Which man did you have this one with?” I rolled my eyes dramatically and cut her off. “Are you done?” The smile on her face froze for a moment. She pulled a gold-embossed invitation from her bag and held it out. “Lewis, tomorrow is my and Bridges’ wedding. Mom and Dad said that even though you’re not their biological daughter, they raised you for twenty years and still hope you can come.” Gina shoved the invitation into my hand and leaned close to my ear. “Oh, and I still have those paintings of yours.” I raised an eyebrow. Gina stepped back half a step, a dignified and proper smile on her face, but her eyes were vicious. “You left in such a hurry back then. That kraft paper bag had about twenty-something paintings in it, all from when you were in high school.” Gina tilted her head, smiling sweetly. “I heard you were originally going to apply to art school? What a shame. I was the one who had Mom and Dad cut off all your financial support, which kept you from going to college.” “I’ve looked through those paintings a few times. They’re all large-scale photos of Bridges, aren’t they?” I narrowed my eyes at her. “What do you want? I’ve already left the Gibbs family. After all these years, you still won’t let me go?” She let out a triumphant laugh. “Lewis, you stole so many years of my life. This is nothing.” “The wedding is next Saturday. If you come, I’ll return those paintings to you in front of everyone. If you don’t come, I’ll make them public at the wedding and let everyone see how disgusting you are.” I snorted with laughter. “Fine, then make them public. Let everyone see his nude photos.” Gina froze for a moment, then her face turned bright red. “You’re shameless!” I smiled and pulled out my phone, waving it. “Oh, and if you don’t think that’s sensational enough, I have more here. From when he and I… you know. Want to see those too?” I didn’t actually have anything, but I was used to playing dirty. Gina’s face turned ashen. “Lewis, you’re despicable!” I tilted my head, smiling brightly. “If you don’t show everyone my paintings, you’re a dog.” She was shaking with rage, pointing her finger at me, unable to get a word out for a long time. “You were spoiled rotten by the Gibbs family. You’ve been kicked out for so many years and you still haven’t learned to control your temper. Just you wait.” She glared at me furiously through gritted teeth, then turned and left. I called after her, “I’ll definitely be there tomorrow. If you don’t release them, you’re not human!” Isaac poked his head out from behind the door. “Mom, what did you paint?” I pinched his little face. “Tomorrow Mom’s taking you to a party.”

The next day, I went to the Gibbs house as promised. When Gina walked over in her trailing wedding dress, I was squatting in a corner fixing Isaac’s little suit. “Lewis, you came. Perfect, there’s something I’d like your help with.” I raised an eyebrow, wondering what trick she was pulling. She clapped her hands, and two bodyguards in black emerged from behind her, grabbing my arms on either side. “The kitchen is short-handed today. The dishwashing lady ran off at the last minute. Lewis, you’re not doing anything anyway, so go help out.” I frowned. “Gina, you invited me to your wedding just to have me wash dishes?” She looked me up and down, her gaze full of condescension. “Kitchen work isn’t hard. Washing plates, wiping floors—you can’t tell me you can’t even do that? You’re not the pampered daughter living in luxury at the Gibbs house anymore.” The two bodyguards dragged me toward the kitchen. Isaac rushed over and hugged my leg. “Don’t touch my mom!” She gestured to the bodyguards, and another one came forward, grabbed Isaac by the back of his collar, and lifted him away from me. “Gina!” I struggled and shouted. “Let go of my son!” “Relax, I’m not going to do anything to him.” She adjusted her veil, her tone light and airy. “When you finish your work in the kitchen, I promise your son will be returned to you safe and sound.” She paused, then leaned close to my ear and lowered her voice. “Of course, that’s assuming you do the job well. If you break even one plate, you and your son will have to go home naked today.” The bodyguards dragged me into the kitchen and threw me in front of a pile of greasy plates. “Finish washing before you can leave.” The door locked from the outside. I took a deep breath, rolled up my sleeves, and started washing. I washed for almost an hour, my hands turning pale and wrinkled. Just then, a commotion suddenly came from the distance. Then came Gina’s scream: “How is that possible? I was wearing it on my hand! That diamond ring cost fifty million!” “How could it disappear!” My heart sank with an inexplicable sense of foreboding. I looked out through the crack in the door. The next second, I heard Gina continue speculating: “Just now… just now a child got pretty close to me. He even bumped into me, and then my ring disappeared.” Before Gina finished speaking, bodyguards walked out with Isaac in tow. Isaac was still holding half a macaron, his cheeks puffed out, looking a bit confused by the sudden attention. “I didn’t!” “What are you doing? Let me go!” Isaac began struggling violently. Gina stepped forward quickly, apologizing with false concern: “Isaac, I’m sorry.” “This ring is really too valuable. I can’t afford to lose it. I just want to make sure—just to check if you have it on you. If you don’t, I’ll have them let you go immediately!” Under the gaze of everyone present, the ring was pulled out of Isaac’s pocket. The entire banquet hall instantly erupted in an uproar. Contemptuous and scornful looks came from all directions.

Several people friendly with the Gibbs family were already frowning, pointing at Isaac. “Clearly has no upbringing, charging around recklessly at this kind of occasion.” “Where’s the parent? The child caused trouble—the parent should at least come out and explain.” Isaac’s little face slowly turned red as he loudly protested: “I didn’t! I didn’t bump into her! I didn’t take her ring either!” But his childish voice seemed pale and helpless amid the noisy discussions. I pounded on the door, my palms aching, but the door didn’t budge. Just then, police and on-site security arrived. The evidence was ironclad, witnessed by all. The police crouched down and asked: “Little friend, where are your mom and dad? Who told you to steal?” That question was like a needle, puncturing Isaac’s forced composure. He blinked, moisture gathering on his lashes, but he quickly held it back forcefully. “I don’t know.” Gina nestled against Cameron, who had rushed over after hearing the news, crying piteously. “Mom, that ring… was Bridges’ token to me.” “This is Lewis’s son from outside. We kindly let them come to the wedding, and we didn’t expect him to have such sticky fingers.” The murmurs around grew louder. “Oh, it’s her, that fake…” “No wonder he steals!” Isaac bit his lip hard, not letting his tears fall. Just then, a low commotion came from the banquet hall entrance. The crowd automatically parted to make way. Bridges, wearing a perfectly tailored black suit, walked in expressionlessly. Gina wiped her tears, her tone becoming businesslike. “Officer, there’s one more thing.” She pulled out her phone from her handbag, brought up several photos, and handed it to the police. “These are paintings Lewis made. The content… it’s all photos she secretly took of my husband, then painted as nude portraits.” She paused, her face slightly flushed, as if too embarrassed to continue. “My husband is Bridges, heir to Bridges Group. These paintings seriously violate his right to his image, and the content of the paintings is very… indecent.” The police took the phone, frowning. “Where are these paintings now?” “They were with me originally. Lewis came to the wedding today wanting to get the paintings back. But I think this kind of behavior shouldn’t be tolerated. So I want to pursue her legal responsibility.” She turned to look at Bridges, her voice softening. “Bridges, don’t you think so?” Bridges looked up, walked to the police, and scooped up Isaac. “I’m the child’s father.” “Those photos were also taken when I was scantily dressed, trying to seduce her, begging her to paint them.”

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Ten days before the SAT, my grades that should have gotten me into an Ivy League school suddenly plummeted. My mind felt foggy. I couldn’t solve even the simplest formulas. I thought it was just too much pressure, until I accidentally opened my dad’s phone search history. “How to make your daughter fail an exam?” “Where to buy a colorless, odorless drug that makes people stupid?” In that moment, I felt like I’d fallen into a freezing abyss. It turned out that to keep me tethered to them forever, my control-freak parents were working together to poison me. My grades had always been stable in the top three of my class. My teacher said that as long as I maintained this performance, I should be able to get into Stanford. But just two weeks before the SAT, something strange happened at home. That weekend, both my parents were out. A delivery person knocked on the door and handed me a small black package with no sender information. Only my dad’s name written on it. The package felt soft when I squeezed it, like some kind of powder. I didn’t think much of it and casually placed it on the living room table. My dad’s old phone happened to be on the couch charging, its screen lit up with a browser notification. For some reason, I glanced at it. Just one glance, and my blood instantly froze. It was a webpage from a secret forum. My dad’s account was still logged in. In the search box were several alarming entries in the history: “What if my daughter does too well on her exam and leaves us? Who will take care of us when we’re old?” “How to make my daughter fail her exam without it being obvious?” “Where can I buy a real colorless, odorless drug that makes people stupid?” I stared at the screen, breathing rapidly. Below was a highly upvoted response from a user with the ID “Strange Doctor.” “Making her lose her ID is too obvious. It’ll make her hate you forever. The best method is to drug her and make her brain sluggish so she underperforms.” “After she fails, you can brainwash her. Tell her she can’t handle the pressure. Tell her she’s disappointed her parents who worked so hard for her.” “Make her feel guilty for life, willingly stay local working minimum wage, and take care of you.” “I have a special drug here, colorless and odorless. If you’re interested, DM me.” And my dad’s reply under this post was: “Already DM’d you. Looking to buy. Money is not an issue.” I whipped my head around to look at the black unmarked package on the table. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. How could this be possible? They were my parents! I desperately tried to reassure myself that this might just be junk advertising pushed by algorithms, or maybe my dad accidentally clicked on the wrong webpage. What parents in the world would scheme against their own flesh and blood like this? I forced myself to calm down, put the phone back where it was, and pretended nothing had happened. But once the seed of suspicion was planted, it began to grow wildly.

A few days later, a test at school completely shattered all my wishful thinking. Sitting in the exam room, as soon as I got the math paper, I felt dizzy and disoriented. My head was foggy, my vision blurred. The solid geometry problems that I could usually solve at a glance now looked like gibberish to me. My brain felt like it had been filled with lead. Every thought was incredibly difficult. My hand holding the pen trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat soaked through my uniform. That exam, I essentially turned in a blank paper. When the results came out, the whole class was in an uproar. My scores were not even enough for a decent state school! My homeroom teacher, Mr. Lee, called me to his office, his brow furrowed into a knot. “Summer, what’s been going on with you lately? Is something wrong at home? Too much pressure?” I looked at the glaring numbers on the grade report, my lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time. That feeling of my brain being forcibly locked up, that sluggishness. It was too real. This wasn’t just pre-exam anxiety. I’d really been drugged. When I brought the grade report home, I was met with a storm. My dad slammed the table so hard the water glasses rattled. “This is your score? How can you face us!” My mom sneered from the side, her eyes full of contempt. “She just can’t handle pressure! Looks like she studies hard normally, but fails at critical moments!” “I’ve said it before. Just because you want to climb higher doesn’t mean you have the brains for it!” “Tell the truth. Did you cheat on all those tests before?” Listening to their coordinated accusations, I stood there, chilled to the bone. The content from that secret forum post surfaced clearly in my mind again. “Take the opportunity to brainwash her…” “Tell her she can’t handle pressure…” “Make her feel guilty for life…” Every word perfectly matched the faces of my parents before me!

If this had been before, hearing these words would have made me ashamed beyond belief. I would have desperately reflected on myself, feeling like I’d let down my parents’ efforts in raising me. Because from childhood on, they’d been manipulating me with emotional abuse. When they made roast chicken at home, my mom would deliberately put the drumsticks on my plate. Then she’d eat only salad herself, sighing and saying, “Summer, I can’t bear to eat it. I save all the good stuff for you. You’d better repay us well in the future.” Back then I was so moved I cried, swearing I’d make something of myself. But the reality? Last month, when our house in the small town was demolished for a resort development, they got three hundred thousand dollars in compensation. They turned around and bought my cousin Luke a new apartment downtown! Didn’t leave me a single cent! When I asked about it, my dad said matter-of-factly, “Luke is the heir to the family. You’re a girl. Your job is to find a good man and get married.” My high school tuition came from scholarships I earned myself. The money for my study materials came from working summer jobs at fast food restaurants. Besides giving me food to eat and a place to sleep, what exactly had they sacrificed? Thinking of this, I felt nothing but absurdity and disgust. I looked coldly at my ranting parents, my voice so calm it even scared me. “I didn’t cheat. I did poorly on this test because I wasn’t feeling well. I was dizzy.” “If there’s nothing else, I’m going to my room to study.” With that, I ignored their stunned expressions, turned, and walked into my bedroom, locking the door behind me. Outside the door came my dad’s furious cursing. “Unbelievable! How dare you give us attitude!” I leaned against the door, gasping for breath. I pulled out my phone again and secretly logged into that secret forum. Found that post. Just half an hour ago, my dad’s account had posted a new reply: “Thanks, Strange Doctor. This drug is amazing!” “I tested it out during this exam. Just used a tiny bit and she dropped almost three hundred points!” “She originally wanted to go to an Ivy League school. Now with a brain like that, even community college would be a stretch!” People below were chiming in. “Congratulations! That’s the way to do it. Girls don’t need college.” “Girls who read too much get crazy ideas. Then they’re hard to find a husband!” “Keep her around working for money, taking care of you in old age. So much better!” Reading these comments, my stomach churned and I rushed to the bathroom to dry heave.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Summer, open up. I’m coming in.” I quickly splashed cold water on my face, took a deep breath, and opened the door. My mom walked in carrying a steaming cup of milk. The anger had completely vanished from her face, replaced by a chillingly fake kindness. “Your dad was just upset earlier and spoke harshly. Don’t take it to heart.” She walked to my desk and handed me the milk. “Mom knows you’re under a lot of pressure. Here, drink this hot milk. It’s good for calming nerves and nourishing the brain. Drink it and get some sleep early.” The pungent smell of milk hit my nostrils. I stared at the yellowish milk, my scalp tingling. “Mom, it’s too hot. I’ll let it cool down first.” My mom’s smile froze for a moment, her eyes instantly turning sharp. “Hot? What hot? It’s only effective when you drink it warm. Hurry up. Mom’s watching you drink it.” She moved closer, clearly not leaving until I drank it. My heart pounded like a drum, my brain racing. “Mom, my stomach suddenly hurts really bad. I need to use the bathroom…” I clutched my stomach, pretending to be in pain, and bolted out. “Hey! You stubborn girl…” When I dawdled in the bathroom for ten minutes and came back, my mom was no longer in the room. That cup of milk was still on the desk. Without hesitation, I picked up the cup, walked to the window, and poured all the milk into the flower bed below. Then I put the empty cup back where it was. In the middle of the night, I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I quietly got up, wanting to get some water from the kitchen. Passing by the master bedroom, the door wasn’t fully closed, showing a crack. Inside came my parents’ hushed whispers. “Did she drink it?” It was my dad’s voice. “She did. The cup’s empty.” My mom laughed smugly. “This drug is amazing. Seeing her looking so dazed and confused today, I almost couldn’t help laughing.” “Good. The SAT is in a few days. Tomorrow I’ll contact that seller again and increase the dosage! We have to make absolutely sure there are no slip-ups. We absolutely cannot let her test out of here!” “Don’t worry. Once she fails, I’ll have someone find her a job at an electronics factory. Her salary goes straight to my card every month. In a few years, we’ll have her buy a car for Luke.” Hearing this, I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. I trembled all over, backing up step by step to my room. Tears silently hit the floor. So in their eyes, I wasn’t even a person. I was just an object whose intelligence could be stripped away and whose value could be drained at will!

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My sister Hazel was scammed out of all her money by a scumbag, and she came crying to stay at my place. I helped her collect the debt and even gave her my year-end bonus for emergencies. My boyfriend Ethan grew more and more impatient: “Hazel isn’t grateful at all! She maxed out your credit card, called you to pick her up drunk at 3 AM. Natalie, are you her mother? She deserves to be scammed by jerks like that.” For the first time, I threw a cup at him: “Our mom died when she was only eight. I’m the one who raised her. So please, be nice to her.” Later, the company sent me on a business trip, and I still called her every day to help her get through the trauma. Until two months later, I changed my flight and came home early. I pushed open the bedroom door and saw her wearing my silk pajamas, leaning in Ethan’s arms. He picked up a strawberry and fed it to her, looking completely content. The bedroom fell deathly silent in an instant. Hazel was the first to react. She sprang out of Ethan’s arms, her lips trembling. “Natalie? You—how are you back? Wasn’t your flight the day after tomorrow…” Ethan’s hand froze in midair, strawberry juice dripping onto my silk sheets. His face looked terrible, but he said nothing. I stood in the doorway, still gripping my suitcase handle, my fingertips digging deep into my palm. The air conditioning was clearly on, yet my back was covered in cold sweat. Hazel forced out a smile that looked worse than crying. “Natalie, you must be tired. Put down your luggage—” She rushed toward me barefoot in a panic, accidentally hitting her knee on the bed frame. She gasped in pain, her eyes instantly reddening. Ethan frowned and reached out to steady her. “Slow down. You’re so clumsy.” His tone carried reproach, but his hands were impossibly gentle. I stared at the hand supporting her arm, my heart sinking to rock bottom. “When did this start?” My voice was calmer than I expected. Hazel’s whole body stiffened, and she instinctively looked up at Ethan. He pulled her slightly behind him and finally looked at me directly. “It has nothing to do with her. It’s my fault.” Ethan was usually a man of few words, never showing his emotions. I’d agreed to be with him because I valued his stability and reliability—he wouldn’t make me feel insecure like those playboys. The year my mom died, I was twelve and Hazel was only eight. My dad couldn’t handle the blow. He turned to alcohol, skipped work, was eventually fired, and died two years later. From then on, I never relied on anyone again. Ethan was the first person who made me feel that being taken care of wasn’t a debt. That I could be vulnerable too. But now he stood across from me, protecting Hazel behind him, looking at me with the coldest eyes. Like I was a stranger! Hazel peeked out from behind him, her eyes red. “Natalie, it’s not what you think… We…” “Got your excuse ready?” I asked coldly. “Go ahead then. If you’re going to explain, make it clear. What’s your relationship now? When did it start? How far have you gone?” Hazel froze, tears immediately spilling over. She rubbed her eyes, sobbing pitifully. I let out a dry laugh, not sure if I was laughing at her or at myself. Ethan squeezed her hand and said gently: “It’s okay. Let me handle this. You put your shoes on first—the floor is cold.” Then he looked up at me. “Natalie, let’s talk outside.” “Ethan, this is my home.” My voice began to shake. “You’re telling me to leave?” He fell silent for a few seconds, glancing back at Hazel. She stood there with hunched shoulders, toes curled, like a frightened rabbit. Ethan’s voice immediately softened, carrying a note of pleading. “She couldn’t sleep until 4 AM last night. Let her rest first, okay?” In three years together, I’d never seen Ethan beg anyone. He was such a proud person—he never backed down in negotiations, never softened even when he offended people. Now he was begging me for my sister! Ethan picked up his jacket from the chair and turned to Hazel with gentle instructions. “You rest. Don’t wait up for me. There’s milk in the fridge—remember to heat up a glass.” I turned and rushed out. If I stayed any longer, I was afraid I’d cry in front of them. Ethan stayed half a step behind me, eyes downcast, his expression unreadable. When we reached the underground parking garage, he opened the car door for me. I didn’t move. “Let’s just talk here.” His hand paused, then he closed the door and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one. The parking garage lights were dim, the cigarette’s red glow flickering on and off. “I made the first move.” He took a drag, his voice low and hoarse. “Don’t blame her. Hazel is your sister. You raised her—you know her best. She’s timid, can’t survive without someone. That guy she was with before scammed her completely clean. I just… worried about her.” He flicked ash onto the ground without looking at me. “But you’re different. Natalie, you’re the most capable woman I’ve ever met. Even without me, you’ll do just fine.” I stared at him, my nails digging into my palms. “So what? Because I’m capable, I deserve to be treated like this by you two?” I found it utterly absurd. When Hazel first moved into my place, Ethan wouldn’t even mention her name. If he ran into her wandering the living room in pajamas, his brow would knot up, and he’d argue with me in hushed tones back in the bedroom. Saying she had no sense of boundaries as an adult, saying our home wasn’t a shelter. Two months ago when I left on this business trip, I’d asked him to look after Hazel. He stood at the airport departure level, hands in his pockets, his face cold the entire time. “She’s your sister, not my responsibility.” That was only two months ago. Now he stood before me, using that face I knew so well to say the most foreign words.

Ethan shoved the cigarette pack back in his pocket, his tone complicated. “I’ve wronged you. The money you transferred to Hazel for emergencies—I’ll pay back every cent. The apartment is yours. I won’t set foot in it again.” He paused. “I only have one request. Hazel really cares about you. Don’t let my mistake ruin your sisterhood.” I found it laughable—so laughable I didn’t even have the energy to be angry. “Since you know getting involved with my sister was wrong, then why the hell did you do it?!” His jaw tightened. After a long while, he finally spoke: “Natalie, some things I can’t control. What’s done is done. I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you.” “If this gets out, the person who’ll be hurt most is Hazel. You wouldn’t want to see your sister gossiped about, right?” “I’ll take her away tomorrow. Please stay at a hotel tonight—I’ve already booked one. Just give your name at the front desk.” He turned and entered the elevator, leaving me standing alone. My phone vibrated. He’d sent the hotel address, followed by “I’m sorry.” I stared at those three words for a long time. At this very moment, upstairs in what was my home, a light was on. That was a lightbulb Ethan and I had changed together before I left. Now it was shining for someone else. This city had eight million lights. But not a single one was lit for me. I finally crouched down, buried my face in my knees, my shoulders shaking violently. I didn’t end up going to the hotel he booked. Instead, I drove around the ring road all night. The next day, I went to the old district. There was a flower shop on the corner, run by my college roommate Lily. After Hazel’s ex-husband kicked her out, I hired a lawyer for her lawsuit while asking Lily to arrange an easy, low-pressure job for her at the shop. I paid the wages myself and told Lily not to mention it. Lily had laughed over the phone at the time: “Natalie, why do you care more about this sister than yourself?” Hazel stood at the flower shop entrance wearing an apron, crouched on the ground repotting a plant. When she saw me, the trowel in her hand clattered to the ground. “Natalie? How did you know I was here…” I said nothing and pushed the door open. Hazel followed behind me, frantically moving a chair and wiping it over and over with her sleeve. “Natalie, let me get you some water…” She turned too quickly and bumped into the flower stand. The watering can tipped over, water spilling everywhere and soaking her shoes. She looked down, then up at me, standing there helplessly like an elementary student called to the principal’s office. I suddenly remembered when we were little. The year Mom died, she was only eight. She couldn’t sleep alone at night—she had to hold onto my arm to fall asleep. Later when she got a bit older, she was still clingy, following me everywhere like a tail I couldn’t shake off. “Natalie,” her voice pulled me back. “I know you hate me. But I really didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t know how it turned out this way…” She looked up at me, her eyes completely red. “I know you’ve been good to me my whole life. But you were always so busy. You were always solving my problems, never had time to listen to me talk. But Ethan was different.” “He’d ask what I ate today, he’d remember every little thing I mentioned, he’d answer the phone when I had nightmares.” “You said you hoped someone would treat me well. Now there is someone—why aren’t you happy?” Listening to her aggrieved yet self-righteous words, I couldn’t help but want to laugh. The sister I’d worked so hard to raise for sixteen years turned out to be such an ungrateful wretch! “Hazel, since childhood, what have you asked for that I haven’t given you?” “Your tuition, living expenses, rent, lawyer fees for the lawsuit, the credit card you maxed out, the money that man scammed from you—have you counted how much I’ve spent on you over the years?” “But I never imagined that the sister I raised with my own hands would steal my boyfriend!” She lowered her head, lips trembling, tears falling and splashing on the flower shop’s wooden floor. “I was twelve years old writing homework for others to earn money. At fifteen I was waiting tables at restaurants, getting splattered with hot oil that left scars all over my arm—they’re still there. At twenty I worked overtime until I had a gastric hemorrhage and got taken away in an ambulance with no one by my side!” I rolled up my sleeve, revealing those pale white old scars on my forearm. “You didn’t know any of this because I never told you.” She stared at those scars, the color draining from her face bit by bit. “Hazel, for sixteen years, I’ve given you half my life! And how did you repay me?” “You wore my pajamas, lay in my bed, sat in my boyfriend’s arms!” She slid down onto the flower shop floor, sobbing in a mess, her apron covered in dirt. I crouched down and looked at her with a cold heart. The memories that once meant everything had become unrecognizable in this moment. “Hazel, whatever you wanted that I could give, I’ve already given.” “But what I don’t give, you can’t take. You have no right to take it.”

Ethan arrived just in time to see Hazel collapsed on the floor, trembling with sobs. His expression changed drastically. He strode in and yanked her up from the ground, shielding her behind him. “I told you—if you have a problem, come at me!” He glanced back at the trembling Hazel, then turned back to me with fury nearly overflowing from his eyes. “She has a heart condition—don’t you know that?! Can’t you just talk properly? Did you have to push her this far?!” I looked at him and let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, you’re quite practiced at protecting her. When she first moved into my place, you wouldn’t even say her name! Now you’ve become her guardian angel?” Ethan stood his ground righteously. “Want to rehash the past? Fine. How much money did you spend raising her all these years? How many favors did you owe? Name your price!” “I’ll pay back every cent with interest! Is that good enough?” Looking at this stranger before me, I suddenly remembered three years ago when he was pursuing me. In the dead of winter, he’d wait for me outside the company building after work, keeping my favorite roasted chestnuts warm in his jacket. Because he was afraid of disturbing my work, he never told me—just waited silently, his face turning red from the cold. Back then I thought, this person is truly wonderful. So wonderful that I felt all the suffering in the first half of my life had been to save up my luck, so I could meet him. But now he stood across from me, trying to convert everything between us— Three years of feelings, countless late-night phone calls, too many hugs and kisses to count, those things I thought would be carved into my bones for life—into a cold string of numbers. A one-time settlement. “Enough!” Hazel suddenly shouted, stepping out from behind him. Her face was covered in tears, her chest heaving violently as she gasped for air. Ethan instinctively reached out to support her, but she pushed him away. She stubbornly lifted her head to look at me, her eyes filled with almost savage determination. “Natalie, I wronged you. I owe you a debt I can never repay in this lifetime. But don’t make yourself sound so noble!” “You raised me for sixteen years—every meal, every piece of clothing, every cent—I remember it all. But do you know that the person I’ve hated most my whole life is you?!” “You arranged everything so perfectly, which just made me feel like I, Hazel, am worthless and can’t survive a single day without you!” “I could never hold my head up in front of you, so I desperately wanted to leave you! The only reason I married that bastard was because he said he’d take me to another city!” “He still scammed me in the end, but this time I won’t listen to you anymore.” She took Ethan’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “I’ve found my true love, and even if you hate me forever, I’ll never let go!” “Besides, you have so much already—what’s wrong with giving him to me?!” Hearing her speak so righteously, I felt thunderstruck. I stepped back two paces, watching Ethan firmly clasp her hand in return, then laughed softly. “Fine. Hazel, from today on, you don’t owe me anything anymore. From now on, whether you’re well or not, dead or alive, it has nothing to do with me.” I turned and pushed open the glass door of the flower shop without looking back. The year Dad died I was fifteen. To support myself and my sister, I went to class during the day and waited tables at night. That winter, I collapsed from exhaustion and came down with a high fever. Hazel piled all the blankets in the house on top of me, then went out alone to buy medicine. Afraid the medicine would get wet from the snow, she carefully kept it in her jacket while she fell several times on the icy roads. Her knee wound got frostbite, became infected, and she developed a high fever that eventually turned into myocarditis. The doctor said her heart was damaged and she could never do strenuous exercise again or handle stress. So I always felt I owed her, and was willing to devote myself to her for life. But now she was holding my boyfriend’s hand, saying the person she’d hated most her whole life was me! One was the sister I’d raised with my own hands, the other was the person I’d planned to spend my life with. The two people I cared about most had joined forces to deliver the most fatal blow! Why? I closed my eyes and pulled out my phone, scrolling to a number.

The next day, Ethan came storming to my door. “Natalie, you sent Hazel a lawyer’s letter?! Have you lost your mind?!” “She got so stressed from the letter that she couldn’t breathe until midnight!” I leaned back in my chair and looked at him. “Debts must be repaid—it’s only natural. Don’t you know how much money she’s spent of mine?” Ethan’s jaw clenched. He took a deep breath. “Natalie, I don’t have that much money right now. Withdraw the lawyer’s letter and we’ll settle this privately.” I looked like I’d heard a joke. “Don’t have it? Ethan, didn’t you say yesterday you’d settle everything in one payment?” He stared at me hard, his eyes bloodshot. “Natalie, she’s your sister!” I smiled slightly. “She’s already cut ties with me. Why should I care if she lives or dies? Eighty thousand dollars. Pay up! I’m giving you three months.” Ethan’s face turned iron-blue. He gritted his teeth threateningly: “That client your company is negotiating with—the person in charge is my friend. One word from me and he’ll tear up the contract! Natalie, you’d better not be stupid about this!” With that, he kicked the door open and left. I watched his retreating figure, but my heart felt nothing. He did exactly as he said. The next day the sales director came to me, saying the client suddenly wanted to reassess the partnership. I didn’t ask questions. I just pulled out my backup plan. I’d lost both parents at fifteen. Every step I’d taken was like walking on thin ice—how could I not leave myself a contingency? A week later, I got a call from my cousin Emma. “Natalie, Grandma’s birthday is this weekend. Come back home—she keeps asking about you.” I was about to refuse when Emma paused and added: “Hazel’s coming back too. Says she’s bringing her boyfriend to meet Grandma.” I was silent for a few seconds, then finally agreed. That weekend, I drove back to my hometown. Two tables were set up in the courtyard, with relatives arriving one after another. Before long, Hazel walked in on Ethan’s arm. The entire courtyard went quiet for a moment. Over the years, everyone had watched me hold up this family on my own. Ethan was the man I’d brought home for Christmas. They all recognized him. In just two months, the person by his side had changed to my sister. Ethan instinctively shifted his body, shielding Hazel behind him, his eyes wary. Hazel looked at me, her lips moving. “Natalie…” I looked at the two of them and smiled lightly. “Don’t be nervous. It’s Grandma’s birthday. I’m here to celebrate.” “Since everyone’s here, let’s share a video to liven things up.” The TV behind me lit up. The moment they saw what was on screen, Hazel and Ethan froze in place, the color draining completely from their faces!

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On the subway to work, I overheard an old woman bragging to another older lady. “Girls these days are so easy,” she scoffed. “I just taught my son to put in a tiny bit of effort—like making them a cup of hot tea when it’s their time of the month, or bringing them an umbrella when it rains. And boom, these shameless women throw themselves at him. Thanks to my methods, my son is juggling eight girlfriends right now.” Hiding behind the crowd, listening to her, I felt sick to my stomach. I silently took eight seconds to mourn for those eight poor “sisters.” I never expected that the very next day, I’d be going to meet the parents of my boyfriend of three years. Unless I was suddenly blind, the old lady standing in front of me was the exact same woman who had been bragging on the subway about her son’s eight girlfriends. And I had become one of those “shameless women with interchangeable parts” she had sneered about. 1 Because my car was unexpectedly in the shop for maintenance, I took the subway that day so I wouldn’t be late for work. On the train, an old lady was loudly bragging to another older woman. “Girls these days are so easy. I just taught my son to put in a tiny bit of effort—like making them a cup of hot tea when it’s their time of the month, or bringing them an umbrella when it rains. And boom, these shameless women throw themselves at him, one after another. Thanks to my methods, my son is juggling eight girlfriends right now.” “Let me tell you, raising a son is all about strategy,” she continued. “Whenever my son doesn’t listen to me, I warn him, ‘I’m the one who got you all these women. If you don’t listen, I’ll stop helping you.’ He gets so scared he does whatever I say. I always tell him, every woman has the same parts anyway, so he’ll definitely find one he likes.” I was hiding behind the crowd, listening to her, and feeling physically sick. I mentally took eight seconds of silence for those eight poor girls. I never expected that the very next day, I’d be going to meet the parents of Carter, my boyfriend of three years. The moment I stepped through the door, I was startled by the old lady standing in front of me. Unless I was suddenly blind, the old lady standing in front of me was the exact same woman who had been bragging on the subway about her son’s eight girlfriends. And I had become one of those “shameless women with interchangeable parts” she had sneered about. 2 As soon as I stepped into Carter’s house, his mother pulled out a pair of fuzzy slippers and insisted on putting them on my feet herself. “You must be Harper. You’re so beautiful.” I quickly took two steps back, dodging the old woman’s hands. Feigning calmness, I greeted her: “Hello, Mrs. Hayes.” Carter’s mother beamed instantly, looking extremely satisfied with me. The moment I sat down on the sofa, the old woman was bustling about, bringing me fruit and handing me a cup of milk tea. “I heard you young people love drinking this stuff. I thought the store-bought ones were unsanitary, so I looked up a tutorial online and made it myself. Try it quickly and see how it tastes.” I looked at the kind, amiable old lady in front of me, completely unable to reconcile her with the bitter, mean woman from the subway. I even started to doubt if I had seen the right person. Or maybe the old woman was just trying to show off in front of her friend and made it all up. After lunch, Carter’s mother pulled out a worn, dark-looking savings passbook and placed it in my hand. “Harper, there’s ten thousand dollars in here. I know your family has plenty of properties and you probably don’t care about one or two more, but the money in this passbook is my entire life savings. Now, I want you to take it and go buy a house with Carter so you two can get married.” I looked at the passbook placed in my hand, momentarily at a loss for words. First of all, the amount was too small; it wouldn’t even cover a fraction of a down payment. But if this passbook truly held her “coffin money,” as the old lady claimed, its weight far exceeded its monetary value. If it hadn’t been for that scene on the subway, I probably would have declined the money immediately, perhaps even comforting the old lady that she didn’t need to worry about a house because my family had it covered. But with that subway scene stuck in my head, something felt off. I don’t know if my silence dragged on too long, or if the old lady sensed my mood, but she suddenly grabbed my hand and tearfully pleaded: “Harper, I know it’s not a lot of money and it won’t buy a house. But you know Carter’s father passed away early. I’ve worked myself to the bone all these years just to put Carter through grad school. Even though he’s working as a software engineer at a Big Tech firm now, he’s only been there for two or three years, and his salary is still entry-level. It’s incredibly hard to buy a house in San Francisco on his own.” “How about this: you ask your parents to chip in a little first, so you guys can buy a house and get married. Don’t worry, once Carter starts making more money, I’ll have him pay your parents back.” Carter’s mother’s words sounded very considerate, but maybe I was just being sensitive. I felt like something about this whole situation stank. I looked at the old woman with feigned innocence. “Mrs. Hayes, whose names will be on the deed?” The old lady smiled and patted my hand. “Well, that goes without saying. It will obviously have both your names on it.” “Don’t worry, once you buy the house, I promise I won’t bother you two.” Those four words, “both your names,” sent a jolt through my body. First of all, the absolute worst fixer-upper in San Francisco starts at around a million dollars. Given how much my dad dotes on me, if I were getting married, he definitely wouldn’t buy a small starter home. A multi-million dollar property was the minimum. Coupled with the scene on the subway, I had my suspicions that whether it was Carter’s mother’s tears or this worn-out passbook, it was all a calculated trap set for me. 3 Although I was suspicious at Carter’s house, considering we had a three-year relationship, I still didn’t quite believe he was that kind of person. But from that day on, I started closely observing Carter’s schedule. For instance, I noticed that every time he came to my place, he smelled faintly of dampness, like he had just taken a shower. For instance, if he worked late and then came to my place, he generally had no interest in intimacy, acting exhausted. For instance, he frequently got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and would spend an hour in there scrolling on his phone. I had never scrutinized Carter’s schedule before. I believed in mutual respect and maintaining independent space in a relationship. But what if Carter was using that time to juggle other girlfriends? Finally, one night, while Carter was in the shower, I couldn’t resist checking his phone. His text messages were very clean, with my name pinned at the top. The other contacts were either coworkers or friends, some of whom I recognized or had even met. This gave me some comfort. The only anomaly was his chat history with his mother—it was completely empty. But they had seemed so close that day. What exactly were Carter and his mother talking about that required clearing the chat history? I was just about to put the phone down when I suddenly remembered an influencer sharing a story about discovering her husband’s infidelity by checking his phone’s location history. Relying on memory, I opened the location services settings on Carter’s phone, and looking at his daily movements, I grew even more confused. First, his location history only showed him at his place, my place, and his company on the days he came to see me. The rest of the time was completely blank. Did Carter not take his phone with him when he didn’t come to see me? Just then, Carter, still drying off with a towel, walked out of the bathroom. He looked at the phone in my hand, his expression completely unchanged. He walked over and hugged me, his face full of teasing. “Find anything interesting?” I tilted my chin up haughtily. “Who knows if you men are messing around out there? I’m just checking to be safe.” Carter pursed his lips and chuckled, reaching out to gently tap the bridge of my nose. “Be good, how could I ever betray you? I love you so much.” “Besides, my phone has never had a passcode. You can check it whenever you want.” That was true. Carter had never been secretive with his phone around me. Sometimes when I used his phone to make a call or track a package, he was always completely open. So much so that I had never had the urge to check his phone before. But how could those anomalies on his phone be explained? 4 Perhaps driven by a woman’s sixth sense, the next day after work, I went to Carter’s office. Right at 6:00 PM, I saw Carter walking out of his building. The moment I saw his figure, I froze. Because Carter had just texted me saying he had to work late. Given that he was at a major tech firm, I had never doubted his “working late” excuses. I dialed Carter’s number with trembling fingers. He declined it instantly. But what surprised me more wasn’t that Carter lied about working late, but that the Carter right in front of me didn’t even reach for his phone in his pocket. Right then, Carter sent me a text. “Baby, I’m in a meeting. I’ll call you back later.” I stared at the message, the fingers gripping my phone trembling. Because at this exact moment, the Carter right in front of my eyes was waving his hand to hail a cab. I swallowed hard in fear and pulled up my old chat history with Carter. First, on the days Carter came to see me, he would be very distant via text, often replying with short phrases like “mhm” or “okay.” But on the days he didn’t see me… He would be much more enthusiastic. He would tell me jokes, send me good songs, and be incredibly attentive. Although sometimes I felt his tone was a bit old-fashioned, I just chalked it up to him being a typical clueless tech bro. But wasn’t it a huge red flag that his communication style swung between two such extremes? My nerves were taut, like something was about to burst out. I quickly drove off, tailing Carter’s cab. The cab didn’t stop until it reached the entrance of a luxury apartment complex. As soon as he got out, a young woman rushed out of the complex gates. She clung to Carter like a koala bear and showered his cheeks with kisses. Carter affectionately ruffled her hair. The two looked exactly like a deeply in love couple. I watched the scene unfold before my eyes, my eyes red and wide. Just as I was sitting there, stunned and unsure of what to do, I received another text from Carter. “Baby, don’t forget to eat dinner tonight! You’re already beautiful enough, you don’t need to diet anymore.” 5 As soon as I got home, I rushed to the bathroom and threw up in disgust. If I didn’t realize by now that Carter and his mother were playing me, I’d be the biggest idiot in the world. If my guess was right, the person texting me all these years was Carter’s mother. Just thinking about the flirtatious things Carter supposedly said to me, actually being typed by his mother… I couldn’t help but throw up into the toilet again. This was even more sickening than Carter simply cheating. That night, Carter came to my place at 10:00 PM. He brought food cooked by his mother. Carter put a piece of shrimp in my bowl. “My mom knows you like shrimp, so she made this especially for you.” My fingers tightened around my chopsticks. “How did your mom know I like shrimp?” Carter stiffened for a second, but recovered his composure moments later. “Well, that goes without saying. I told her, of course. You’re a great daughter-in-law. Not only do I love you, but my mom absolutely adores you too.” I feigned a teasing tone. “Then you’d better hurry up and marry me. By the way, I talked to my dad about the house. He said there’s no problem on his end, but you know my background. All my friends get at least a hundred grand as a down payment contribution from the groom’s side. My dad said if your family can’t afford a hundred grand, you need to provide at least fifty grand, otherwise he won’t let me marry you.” Carter smiled calmly. “That’s no problem. You just take the deed to your current place, take out a home equity loan for fifty grand, and we’ll just go through the motions for your parents. Don’t worry, I’ll cover the interest.” My stomach churned, and I almost gagged in disgust. “What, you don’t trust me? My mom practically emptied her life savings for us. I know there’s a financial gap between our families, but I promise I’ll work hard and make money. I’ll never let your friends look down on you.” I pretended to be moved and buried my face in his chest. But where Carter couldn’t see, my fingernails nearly pierced my palms. I never thought Carter actually treated me like a complete idiot. 6 The next day, I went to find the girl Carter had met, Mia. After hearing my story, Mia’s face was full of disbelief, her body trembling. “But… I was going to marry him.” I closed my eyes tightly. “Me too…” Mia instantly burst into loud, sobbing tears. I don’t know how long it took, but Mia finally lifted her tear-streaked face. “Let’s… let’s compare our chat logs.” After we verified all our interactions with Carter, we both stood frozen in horror. We never expected that from the very beginning, Carter and his mother had premeditated everything. First, we both met Carter because we were bumped into by a delivery driver, and he “saved” us, which led to us exchanging numbers and chatting. Furthermore, from our daily interactions, all the chat conversations were identical. Even the day we went to meet his parents, I went in the morning, and Mia went in the afternoon. After comparing all the chat logs, Mia started crying hysterically. “I’m going to kill that piece of trash, Carter.” It wasn’t just Mia; even my worldview was shattered by what lay before us. I fought to control my trembling body and grabbed Mia. “It’s not worth getting our hands dirty for trash like him. Let’s gather evidence first. The law will make Carter and his mother pay.” 7 At the time, when Carter was hit relatively hard by the delivery driver, I was afraid the driver would deny it, so I kept his phone number. This actually made it convenient for us to find a witness. I called the delivery driver right then and there. “Hello, I have a package to send. Can you come pick it up?” When the delivery driver arrived at my place, I asked directly, “Do you know Carter?” The delivery driver turned around, wanting to leave. I threatened him: “If you dare leave, I’ll sue you for fraud. If Carter gets arrested, you’re an accomplice. You can leave if you don’t want to go to jail.” The delivery driver was spooked by me. He looked at me pitifully. “Ladies, you can’t blame me for getting scammed! How was I supposed to know you women were so gullible, believing those cliché romantic movie tropes?” My heart skipped a beat. “You women.” So Carter really did have eight girlfriends. I looked at the delivery driver coldly. “How many women have you hit for Carter in total?” The delivery driver shrank back. “I’ve hit about a dozen or so over time. That guy who ‘saved’ you paid me a hundred bucks an appearance each time.” Mia and I exchanged a glance. “Do you have the phone numbers of those girls?” The delivery driver shook his head in panic. “Why would I keep their numbers for something like this?” I lowered my head in thought for a moment. “Then do you know how many Carter actually succeeded with?” The delivery driver shook his head. “How would I know that? But I heard the guy mention a few times that once he got bored, he’d just break up with them. The success rate must be pretty high, otherwise he wouldn’t pull this stunt every few months.” Seeing that the delivery driver couldn’t offer much more, I pulled out a document and placed it in front of him. “Sign your name here. Don’t worry, I won’t sue you. I’ve recorded what you just told us. You just need to show up in court when the time comes. But if you dare tell Carter, I will sue you as an accomplice to fraud. We have plenty of money to fight a legal battle. Don’t believe me? Try it.” The delivery driver was indeed intimidated by me, pulling out a pen and quickly signing his name. He also apologized profusely, saying he shouldn’t have done something so immoral.

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When I was five years old, my dad got called back to the office and told my older brother to take me home. Instead, my brother got into a fight with some other kids, leaving me completely alone, and I was kidnapped. Three years later, egged on by my brother, my parents adopted another girl. Seven years after that, the police finally brought me home. Due to severe, long-term malnutrition, I was painfully thin and frail. The adopted girl clung to my mother’s arm and whispered, “Why is she so dirty? She doesn’t look like your daughter at all.” From that day on, my parents couldn’t stand the sight of me. Ultimately, I was bullied to death by that adopted girl, and my parents chose to settle the case out of court. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing at the front gate of our yard, watching my brother being stuffed into a burlap sack. Since natural-born monsters get kidnapped, in this lifetime, I’ll pick out the brother I actually want. 1 When I opened my eyes, I was four years old again. My parents had taken my brother and me back to our rural hometown to sweep the ancestral tombs. And my brother and I ran straight into the human traffickers. In my past life, my brother was snatched first because he was playing right by the front gate. I hid in the firewood pile, remaining perfectly calm as I used my smartwatch to take a clear picture of the trafficker’s face. The moment they left, I immediately called 911 and then ran to the neighbors for help. Because I called the police so quickly, the traffickers were caught within five hours, and my brother was brought home safely. I saved his life, but when he got back, he shoved me hard. “You were right there in the yard! Why did you hide instead of saving me?!” My forehead smashed into the corner of a table, leaving a scar that stayed with me for the rest of my life. My parents brushed it off as kids just playing rough. I was too young to understand why my brother suddenly hated me. Then, when I was five, my parents’ company finally started making real money. They were too busy to pick me up from kindergarten, so they called my brother to get me. Instead, he ditched me at the school gate, glaring at me viciously. “Walk home by yourself. And don’t you dare snitch to Mom and Dad.” I nodded obediently, watching him excitedly round up his delinquent friends to go start a street fight. The very next second, a trafficker threw a sack over my head and dragged me away. I didn’t make it back home until I was twelve. By then, I realized there was no place left for me in that house. My brother had convinced my parents to adopt a girl named Chloe. He protected her fiercely. Chloe despised me from day one. “Where did this ugly little rat come from? You think you deserve to be my sister?” From that day on, I lived a life of relentless bullying at the hands of my own brother and Chloe. When I was eighteen, on the morning of my SATs, Chloe turned off my alarm clock, and my brother slipped sleeping pills into my drink. I missed the most important exam of my life. My parents immediately slapped me across the face. “If you can’t even manage your own schedule, what use are you?!” By the time I was twenty-four, my life was finally turning around. My small business was starting to boom. My brother and Chloe teamed up and bankrupted me overnight. So you see, why on earth would I save an animal like him? I’d be better off taking a nap. At least in my dreams, someone might choose to love me. Right now, I absolutely refuse to be stupid enough to make the same choice again. I remained hidden in the firewood pile, coldly powering off my smartwatch. Through the gaps in the wood, I watched Liam’s mouth get taped shut before he was tossed into a three-foot-tall burlap sack. The traffickers threw him in their van and sped off. I slowly crawled out of the firewood pile, washed my flawless little face until it was perfectly clean, and walked back inside the house. I took off the smartwatch, stood on my tiptoes, and placed it on the table. Then, I crawled into bed and fell fast asleep. Liam was kidnapped. What does that have to do with me? 2 “Penny, wake up. Where’s your brother? “Mrs. Miller next door said she saw you two playing together this afternoon. Where is he now?” Kids really are heavy sleepers. In my past life, from the moment I returned to this “home,” I never had a single good night’s sleep. It was rare to sleep this soundly. I rubbed my sleepy eyes, my face full of confusion. “What are Mommy and Daddy talking about? Liam said he was going up the mountain to find you guys this afternoon.” My mom shot a look at my dad, and both their faces instantly went pale. Not long after, I heard police sirens wailing in the distance, echoing through the village. Several people were whispering anxiously in the courtyard. Mrs. Miller shouted her answer to the police. “I don’t know! I saw the boy this afternoon, but I haven’t seen him since!” My mom frantically rubbed my head. “Penny, be a good girl. Go eat your dinner by yourself. Mommy and Daddy have to go out for a bit, okay?” I nodded obediently. My parents rushed out to talk to the police. I followed them for a few steps and stood in the courtyard. The police asked me a few simple questions, and I just gave them vague, childish answers. My mom was just sobbing hysterically. “Where is my Liam? Where is he?” They got no useful information. The police hurried off, beginning a massive search of the entire village. Unfortunately, it was too late. It had already been five hours since he was taken. Liam, you’d better stay alive. Whatever you do, don’t die. I stared deeply into the starry sky above the fields. Then I turned around and went inside to eat dinner. 3 The police investigation yielded nothing. Exhausted and broken, my parents took me back to the city. I was quiet, obedient, and well-behaved—infinitely more likable than my brother ever was. They seemed to gradually forget Liam even existed. From going to the police station once a month for updates, it eventually became once a year just to check in. I am now seven years old. A while ago, my mom actually had some free time and took me to an amusement park. But because her company was busy, she took a phone call and just walked away, almost getting me kidnapped again. Afterward, she suggested adopting a child to keep me company. Perfect. Since my demon spawn of a brother was successfully kidnapped, in this lifetime, I get to pick the exact brother I want. My parents took me to the largest orphanage in the city. Seeing my parents dripping in designer clothes, the orphanage director happily handed them a binder filled with profiles of the children available for adoption. My parents flipped through the pages, nodding constantly in satisfaction. The director had a staff member take me to the play area, then escorted my parents to meet the children they had selected. Once I was dropped off, the staff member had to leave to handle something else. The playground slides were fine for amusing a toddler. But for someone with the mental age of a twenty-something, it was painfully boring. I stretched my short little legs and started wandering around the orphanage grounds. As I walked past an outdoor equipment shed, I heard the sound of cursing coming from behind it. I peeked around the corner and saw a group of kids surrounding a boy, kicking and hitting him. A girl with her back to me had a particularly shrill, grating voice. “Beat him to death! Ever since he got here, every family that comes to adopt specifically asks for him! We never get a chance!” “Haha, what are you scared of? He got adopted last time and was sent back in a week.” “Exactly! He cursed his own biological parents to death! He’s a jinx!” I hid in a concealed corner. I couldn’t see the boy curled up on the ground. But I got a crystal-clear look at the girl leading the pack. She was a head shorter than me, a bit chubby, with a dark complexion. The kids beating the boy didn’t notice me spying at all, continuing to crowd around the girl excitedly. “Chloe, I heard a really rich family came today! We have to block him in here, or we’ll lose our chance again!” The girl they called “Chloe” looked young, but her expression was unusually vicious. She viciously kicked the boy on the ground in the stomach. “Don’t worry! This time, it has to be me!” My heart jolted. I stared dead at “Chloe’s” profile, recognizing her face perfectly. Chloe! It was actually her! 4 The memory of her framing me in my past life was still burned vividly into my mind. Since the moment I was reborn, I swore that in this lifetime, I would make her and Liam suffer a fate worse than death. But I never expected to run into her here. Seeing Chloe rear back to kick the boy again, I frantically rushed out. I kept my head down, refusing to look at her, acting like a panicked, lost child. “C-Chloe, a family is here to adopt! The director told me to come get you!” “They must be here to adopt me!” Chloe’s eyes lit up instantly, and she immediately bolted toward the main building. As she brushed past me, she slammed into my shoulder like a bear. Then she froze, staring dead at my wrist. “Where did you get that thing on your wrist?” I looked down at the smartwatch I had deliberately exposed, my face a mask of pure terror. For the kids in this orphanage, having a basic digital watch was a luxury. Where would they have ever seen a high-end smartwatch? But just because she had never seen one didn’t mean Chloe couldn’t tell it was expensive. I instantly started trembling and shrinking back, but Chloe and the other kids quickly pinned me down. “I-I-I… the lady who was looking for the director just gave it to me.” “Gave it to you? Impossible! She definitely told you to give it to me, and you tried to keep it for yourself!” “S-sorry, sorry! It was supposed to be for Chloe! I remembered wrong!” My voice shook perfectly. Satisfied, Chloe grabbed my wrist and violently yanked the smartwatch off. Then, like a gust of wind, she sprinted away. All I could smell was the sour, unwashed stench coming off her clothes. It was disgusting. Once the other kids scattered, I quickly rushed forward to help the boy who had been curled up on the ground protecting his head. I couldn’t tell exactly how old he was. His face was sallow, his body incredibly frail and thin. From his calves to his arms, all the way up to his forehead, he was covered in bruises of all sizes. “Are you okay, big brother?” I helped him up, my eyes turning a bit red. The boy actually panicked first. He stiffly patted my back, trying awkwardly to comfort me. “I’m not hurt.” Saying that, he hesitantly pulled his hand out of his jacket. In his tightly clenched fist were pieces of a crushed, stale piece of bread. “Little sister, I’ll give you something yummy if you smile, okay?” I let out a sudden, wet laugh. How could he be so painfully earnest? The bruises on his body were turning dark purple. His hair and clothes were covered in dirt. He was so thin his cheeks were hollow, and his cheekbones stuck out sharply. But even looking like that, his eyes were incredibly bright and clear. I carefully pinched a crumb of the crushed bread and placed it on my tongue. “It’s delicious.” Seeing that I liked it, the boy tried to shove the rest of the crumbs into my hand. I carefully cupped my hands and held it up to his face. “You eat some too.” “I’m not hungry.” He swallowed hard, but stubbornly shook his head. I had to practically trick and coax him into sharing the meager crumbs with me. I tugged on his sleeve. “Big brother, what’s your name?” “Kieran. I’m Kieran. I’m a jinx.” “No, Kieran is so nice. You’re not a jinx.” I looked at him with bright, shining eyes. “Kieran, do you want to eat yummy food every day and never get bullied again?” Kieran nodded earnestly. “I want to.” I grabbed his hand and started walking toward the front courtyard. “Then come with me.” Well-behaved. Honest. And he hated Chloe just as much as I did. He was the absolute perfect candidate to be my new brother. 5 When I got back to the play area, a crowd of people had already gathered. My mom saw me and immediately rushed over to hug me: “Penny, where did you go?! You scared Mommy half to death! “What happened? Why are your clothes and hair such a mess?” Because my mom rushed over, Kieran immediately let go of my hand. I looked back, and he had already vanished into the background. I sighed internally. He really was too well-behaved for his own good. I immediately turned on the waterworks. “Mommy—someone bullied me! She stole my watch, kicked me, and pulled my hair!” My mom looked at my “bird’s nest” hair, which I had deliberately messed up, complete with streaks of mud. The red marks on my wrist where the watch was yanked off were glaringly obvious. My dad instantly exploded in rage, his voice dangerously low as he glared at the orphanage director. “What the hell is going on here?! Is this how your orphanage raises children?!” “I-I-I… I have no idea what happened!” The director was trembling. The scene was pure chaos. My mom held me, trying to soothe me, while I pointed right at Chloe and sobbed out my grievances. “It was her! I saw her bullying someone else, and then she stole my watch! “All the other kids call her Chloe!” My mom shot an icy glare at Chloe, then looked back at the director. “Originally, I thought this child seemed quite nice. But looking at her now, she’s far from nice. She’s a complete nightmare! “The fact that your orphanage breeds children who terrorize the weak like this genuinely terrifies me!” Chloe, who had been holding a gift bag my mom bought for the kids, instantly panicked. “No! Sister, look closely! It wasn’t me!” I called out her name without hesitation, and she was literally wearing my smartwatch on her wrist. This was more than enough proof that we had crossed paths, and that Chloe was the culprit. No one was listening to her pathetic excuses now. My mom rubbed my head, her voice soft and comforting. “Penny, be a good girl. It’s Mommy’s fault. Mommy made a terrible mistake. “Mommy will find Penny a brand new playmate, okay?” I shook my head, wriggled out of my mom’s arms, spun around the room, and accurately grabbed the hem of Kieran’s shirt. “Mommy, I want this big brother.” I smiled and said, “He protected me just now. I like him.” “No! Sister, I’m your sister! Mommy already decided! I’m going to be your sister!” Seeing that my mom was about to nod in agreement, Chloe suddenly lunged out of the crowd, violently grabbing my wrist. Just as she was about to drag me to the ground, Kieran stepped in front of me, wrapping his arms fiercely around me. Before I hit the floor, he pulled me on top of him, acting as a human shield. No matter how furiously Chloe pulled at me and begged, Kieran kept me tightly protected in his arms. By the time the furious director finally dragged Chloe away, my parents were looking at her with absolute disgust. “Director Lee, if you let a child this unstable and aggressive continue unchecked, it’s going to severely impact your orphanage’s reputation in the future. “Our family has made our decision. We are adopting this little boy. “Also, after causing such a massive incident and terrifying my daughter like this, I expect you to give my family a proper explanation, Director Lee.” The director glared at Chloe, who was still screaming and crying, and awkwardly nodded in agreement. I quickly pulled Kieran up and checked to make sure he hadn’t hit his head. Once I was sure he was okay, I let out a long sigh of relief. Kieran awkwardly gripped the hem of his shirt. “I-I didn’t know you were… you were…” This kid was way too sincere. I leaned in close and whispered in Kieran’s ear. “Kieran, no one blames you. “Don’t worry, big brother. From now on, I’ll protect you. No one will ever dare bully you again.” Kieran looked even more nervous for a second. “Okay, I-I’ll protect you too.” 6 Kieran was three years older than me, and my parents were incredibly satisfied with him. We started going to school together. Because Kieran had grown up in the orphanage, his academic foundation was very weak. But he was incredibly smart. After the private tutors went over a concept once, he grasped it immediately. I didn’t hide the fact that I already knew everything being taught in school. I maintained an above-average grade point average, and occasionally, when the timing was right, I’d score first in the class. Kieran, growing up alongside me, definitely noticed that my way of thinking was different from a normal child’s. But he never asked me about it. When I was eleven, we moved. Over the years, thanks to my subtle “suggestions” about emerging market trends, my parents’ company caught the wave of new media and made an absolute fortune. When people get rich, they want to climb the social ladder, and my parents were no exception. As for Liam? They wanted to find him, but at the same time, they didn’t want to find him. It was exactly like how they treated me in my past life. A child who has been wandering the streets for over a decade would have a massive gap in education, worldview, and psychological development compared to normal kids. Especially compared to Kieran and me? Kieran and I had become visibly exceptional over the years. Not only were our grades stellar, but we were also top-tier in various extracurriculars. We gave them plenty to brag about, elevating the family’s status to a whole new level in elite social circles. If Liam came back, how would they choose? This was the dilemma my parents didn’t want to face, so they deliberately avoided it. 7 Time flowed by like water. When the police finally brought Liam back to our house, I was in my second semester of freshman year in college. I had just gotten home from the university lab when I realized the entire dynamic of the house had shifted. Liam was holding my mom, sobbing so loud it could shatter glass. My mom stood there stiffly, incredibly awkward. She didn’t hug him back, nor did she speak. Because Liam looked absolutely wretched. Due to years of severe malnutrition, he was sallow and emaciated, his cheeks completely hollowed out. He was barely 5’5″. He was wearing a mud-splattered construction uniform, and a battered hard hat sat on our expensive marble coffee table. When Chloe saw me walk in, she immediately rushed over, taking my coat from the maid. “Sister, you’re home.” I glanced at her but didn’t say a word. The year my family adopted Kieran, the orphanage was shut down. It was exposed that the orphanage had been neglecting the children long-term, even subjecting them to physical abuse. When the scandal broke that year, it caused a massive public outcry. With nowhere to go, Chloe was forced into illegal child labor. I didn’t even need to arrange it; her life became an absolute nightmare all on its own. So, when she turned eighteen, I “kindly” threw a few breadcrumbs her way. Hoping to turn the page on what happened at the orphanage, Chloe didn’t suspect a thing. She just assumed I felt guilty. Her ambitions were certainly not small. She constantly tried to suck up to my family, affectionately calling me “Sister” at every opportunity. I never rejected it, but I never explicitly accepted it either. I was just waiting for today. Sure enough, hearing Chloe call me “Sister,” Liam’s eyes went wide. He looked at my mom in absolute disbelief. “Mom, who is she? “Do you not love me anymore? Is that why you stopped looking for me all these years?” Liam cried so hard his tears and snot rubbed off on my mom’s designer dress. My mom shot a look at the maid, who immediately stepped forward and gently pulled Liam back. “Young Master Liam, Madam is very tired today. Now is not the time for this. Why don’t I take you upstairs to change into some clean clothes?” My mom smiled benevolently. “Liam, we can talk about everything later. Go upstairs first.” Chloe tried to keep talking, but I gave her a pointed look, and she obediently followed them upstairs. “Auntie, Sister Penny, I’ll go up and help my brother.” My mom let out a long sigh of relief and pulled me to sit down next to her. “Penny, your brother finally made it home. Why don’t you look happy?” I let out a dry, forced chuckle in my head. I’m not the one who’s unhappy. You’re the one who’s miserable and trying to project it onto me. But I had to keep up appearances. I lowered my eyes, forcing a strained smile. “Mom, I’m very happy my brother is back. “But Mom, what are you and Dad going to do about Kieran?”

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The “innocent” starlet posted a cryptic photo of a marriage certificate: “Some people are just bottom-feeders trying to reach for the stars.” Me: ? The billionaire titan of industry laughed as he looked at me: “This pretty boy Elias is supposed to be my competition?” He flipped his phone and posted a selfie that instantly nuked the trending charts: “Stop sending random nobodies to clout-chase my wife.” 1 “Serena Vance is married!” The moment I opened my eyes, I was blinded by a viral headline and a phone vibrating with a hundred missed calls from my manager. I was stunned. I didn’t understand what was happening. When did the news of my secret marriage leak? I scrolled through Twitter. A minute later, I was staring at a photo of a stunningly handsome man on my own profile, then looked at the real version—Silas Thorne—who was currently looking at me with a pouting, “wronged” expression. “I couldn’t stand them lying about you,” he muttered. “I won’t let every random nobody try to claim my wife.” Last night, several gossip accounts had gone viral with a photo of me and the reigning movie star, Elias Sterling, meeting at night. They started a massive campaign claiming I was the “other woman” in the relationship between Elias and the popular young actress, Mia Dupont. The truth was, Elias and I were just cast in the same upcoming film. He asked to meet to discuss the script. I went. We talked for fifteen minutes and went our separate ways. But in the hands of the tabloids, I was a homewrecker. To make matters worse, Mia Dupont, the “victim” and Elias’s girlfriend, had posted a statement. Mia Dupont V: “I trust Elias completely. We are stronger than ever, but I suppose we can’t stop people with… hidden agendas.” Elias replied underneath: “Thank you for your trust, baby.” Their interaction basically confirmed the rumor: I was the one trying to seduce Elias Sterling. Good lord. They were using me as a stepping stone for clout. Silas had woken up earlier than me. He’d seen the trends and countered by posting a selfie of his own gorgeous face on my account. My manager, Valerie Grant, called again. The second I picked up, I felt a powerful, muscular arm wrap around my waist. He bit my ear. “Stop it!” I hissed. The line went silent for a second, then Valerie’s voice erupted in a scream: “Did you just tell me to stop?! Serena, have you lost your mind? Have you seen the internet?!” “Sorry, Valerie, I wasn’t talking to you.” I glared at the man next to me, but he just buried his face in my chest and rubbed against me. “Wife, don’t be mad. I just didn’t want you to feel small.” His voice was husky and deep. My anger dissolved instantly. I hung up before Valerie could scream again. I stared at Silas. He was the most powerful man in the city, but right now, he was just a clingy husband. I was a “love-to-hate” actress. I only played the high-glamour villains, which meant I had an army of haters who thought I was just playing myself. Silas and I had been married for two years. He had offered to help my career a dozen times, but I always refused. I wanted to make it on my own. But now… I looked at the comments under the post he made. “Where did Serena rent this guy? How much per night? I want one.” “She’s never been seen with a guy before. This is a total fake. Who believes this?” “Serena’s PR team is so stupid. This is hilarious.” “He’s actually hot… probably photoshopped though.” “Who would be gross enough to help Serena Vance fake a marriage for money?” They could insult me all they wanted, but I wasn’t going to let them insult my husband. I grabbed my phone and started typing replies to the haters. “How many years did you pickle your mouth to get it that bitter?” “Did you fail the ‘Basic Decency’ test or were you just born that way?” “You look like someone who barks for a living.” Unsurprisingly, “Serena Vance Claps Back” hit the trending charts again. 2 The internet exploded. Valerie stormed into my apartment, radiating murderous energy. The moment she saw Silas Thorne, her anger vanished like a puff of smoke. “Hi. I’m Silas Thorne.” He looked better in person than in the photo. Valerie stared at him, her eyes practically turning into hearts. “H-hello… I’m Valerie, Serena’s manager. Here’s my card!” She turned to him with professional greed. “You have a face made for Hollywood! Mr. Thorne, have you considered acting? I could make you an A-lister in six months! No, three!” Silas gave her a cold, distant smile. “No, thank you.” He turned toward the kitchen. “Wife, I’m making breakfast.” Valerie finally looked at me. “Explain! Now! Since when are you married?!” “Two years.” “Two years?!” Valerie’s voice hit a high C. “Do you know how hard it is for a married actress to maintain a brand? Especially when your reputation is already… complicated!” “I know.” “And you just posted him? I’ve been your manager for so long and I find out via Twitter? You’ve hidden this so well, I’m almost impressed.” “It’s okay, Valerie. If you’d found out later, the secret would’ve been even older.” “Why did you start a war with the netizens?!” “They can come for me, but they can’t come for my husband.” Valerie pinched the bridge of her nose. Once she calmed down, she dropped the bomb. “Your engagement is higher than it’s ever been. The agency wants to cash in. They’re signing you and your ‘mystery husband’ for a couple’s reality show.” “No way!” Let the CEO of the Thorne Empire do a reality show? I wasn’t insane. “If you refuse, the agency will sue for breach of contract. Can you afford that payout?” I was about to argue when Silas walked out of the kitchen. “A reality show? Sure. Why not?” “I want to see what my wife’s ‘work’ actually looks like.” Valerie beamed. Before she left, she warned me: “Elias Sterling and Mia Dupont are also on the cast. They aren’t good people, and you’re as stubborn as a mule. Watch your back.” 3 The news that Silas and I were joining Elias and Mia on a reality show took over the headlines. The netizens were ruthless. “Oh look, the ‘Photoshop Man’ is going on TV. The director must be desperate. That photo was clearly filtered to death.” “If he actually looks like that, there’s no way he’s with Serena.” “Serena is pretty, I’ll give her that. Better than Mia, honestly.” “Pretty doesn’t matter when your personality is trash. She probably hired this guy to play the part.” I was worried about Silas being on camera. He just laughed. “Not many people in the public know what I look like. What? Is your husband not presentable?” I rolled my eyes. 4 Filming started three days later. The show was a livestream. The comments scrolled in real-time on a massive screen that all the guests could see. When the camera hit Silas, the chat went dead silent for a second, then moved so fast it was a blur. “Holy sh*t! He’s actually that handsome! Where did she find him?!” “He looks better than Elias… I think I’m switching teams.” “Serena, move over! Let me have him!” We sat on the sofa. Elias Sterling stood up and offered a hand to Silas. “Hi, I’m Elias Sterling.” Silas barely glanced at him. He gripped Elias’s hand, his lips curling into a sharp, predatory smile. “Silas Thorne.” Elias turned pale. He tried to pull his hand back, but it wouldn’t budge. I knew Silas was getting revenge for me. I felt a gaze boring into the side of my head. It was Mia Dupont. She walked over and whispered in my ear: “Where did you hire the fake? He’s hot, I’ll give you that… but money is power in this town. You’re dating an extra while I’m dating a king. Are you ready to fall off the A-list?” She pulled back with a sweet, camera-ready smile. “I’m so happy to be on this show with you, Serena! Let’s be besties, okay?” The chat loved it. “Mia is such a saint. She’s so nice even to a homewrecker.” “If I were Mia, I’d have scratched Serena’s eyes out. Mia is too kind for this industry.” Silas put an arm around my shoulder and looked at me. “Serena, when did your taste get so bad? Why would you ever let a random stray dog like that bother you?” I leaned into him. “Don’t say that. Dogs are loyal. Some people aren’t.” “My bad. You’re right.” Their little routine made Elias and Mia’s faces turn various shades of purple. 5 The other guests arrived: a teen idol named Leo and a pop star named Chloe. They were an official couple. The director announced: “The first challenge takes place in this luxury estate. This mansion was generously provided by Mia Dupont.” As we walked in, looking at the marble floors and gold accents, Chloe gasped. “Oh my god! This is incredible! Mia, are you a secret billionaire?” I stood in the foyer, looking at the familiar decor. I looked at Silas. One of the crew members walked over to a vase in the corner and gasped. “Is this… a Ming Dynasty vase?” The chat went wild. “I recognize that! That vase was sold at an elite auction to the CEO of the Vance Group for two million dollars! What is it doing in Mia’s house?” “Mia Dupont is a Vance? Incredible!” “So Mia is the real deal. Serena is just a fake.” The director asked Mia: “Mia, can you explain the vase? And this mansion?” Mia acted coy. “Well, I didn’t want to brag. This house belongs to my family. My father is the head of the Vance Group. I just use my mother’s surname for work.” She winked at the camera. “Please keep it a secret, guys!” Me: … She really went there. I tilted my head, mimicking her “innocent” look. “Is this really your house, Mia?” The chat attacked me instantly. “Serena is so jealous! She can’t stand that Mia is rich.” “Wait, Serena’s last name is Vance too. Is she related?” “Don’t be stupid. ‘Vance’ is a common name. She’s just a hater.” Mia looked at me, hurt. “Serena, if you have a problem with me, just say it. You don’t have to be so passive-aggressive.” Chloe added, “Yeah, Serena. Don’t be so bitter. If this wasn’t Mia’s house, how could we be filming here?” I felt Silas’s eyes narrow. I grabbed the hem of his sleeve and shook my head. Not yet. I wanted to see how far she’d go.

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I transmigrated into the female lead of an angst-filled romance novel. On the day I slit my wrists, my husband—the male lead—was bringing his childhood sweetheart back home from abroad. He sneered at me: “Didn’t you say that as long as you could marry me, you could endure anything? You can’t even handle this little thing?” The sweetheart chimed in: “I’m the one he loves. If you hadn’t used his mother’s life to blackmail him, he never would have been with you. It’s time to return him to his rightful owner.” And my mother-in-law, whose life I had saved, said coldly: “I’ll give you your money back. Can you please let my son go? A divorce is best for everyone.” I won’t divorce him. Because he’s going to die soon anyway. 1 When I woke up, I was lying in a bathtub. The water around me was stained crimson. My phone was on speaker, and a man’s angry voice blared from it: “I’m home, where are you again? Playing this game of life and death every day, is it really that fun?” I hung up, dialed 911, and when I woke up again, I was already in a hospital room. The doctor said, “If you had been brought in five minutes later, we couldn’t have saved you. Thankfully, your will to live was strong.” “Mhm, I know.” The female lead of this novel, Chloe Evans, had loved the male lead, Ethan Wright, hopelessly but unrequitedly. Under his long-term emotional abuse, she developed severe depression and strong suicidal tendencies. Tonight, Ethan hosted a welcome-home dinner for his childhood sweetheart, Maya. Triggered by this, Chloe felt she couldn’t hold on anymore and called him to come home. But he ignored her cry for help. Her life was originally meant to end today. But of course, I was here now. “Your phone kept ringing. The caller ID was ‘Husband.’ We notified your family, and he’s on his way.” “That doesn’t matter. How is the baby?” When Chloe attempted suicide, she was pregnant. “The fetal heartbeat stopped for a moment, but thankfully, the baby’s will to live is as strong as yours. The critical danger has passed for now. I’ll bring you the detailed report in a bit.” “Thank you.” A moment later, a man in a tailored suit pushed the door open. One glance at the bandages wrapped around my wrist, and his handsome brows knitted together: “Pulling this stunt again? Chloe, you threaten suicide every day. Why haven’t you just died already?” “You haven’t died yet, so I’m in no rush.” I looked at him calmly. “I’ll send you on your way first, Ethan.” In the original story, after Chloe died with their unborn child, Ethan suddenly seemed to realize he loved her. He was filled with regret. He put on a grand display of belated devotion. A year later, Ethan died of stomach cancer. One year isn’t that long; I can wait. Ethan had never heard such vicious words from Chloe’s mouth. He froze for a moment: “I just went to catch up with an old friend from college. Was all this really necessary?” His so-called “old friend” was his childhood sweetheart, Maya. But of course, I didn’t care about that. “The desire to kill someone is hard to hide. When you wish someone were dead, who you went to see, or what you did, doesn’t matter anymore.” Ethan shook his head in disbelief: “Chloe, are you insane? If you want to die so badly, don’t drag other people down with you.” “Watch your mouth! She’s suffering from clinical depression, and you’re casually telling her to die. How is this any different from attempted murder?” The doctor reprimanded him, then turned to me and spoke softly, “Here’s the report. The baby is fine. You two are tough; mother and child are both safe.” “You’re pregnant?” Ethan looked stunned, then coldly turned his face away. “I said I didn’t want a child right now. I used protection every time. Did you tamper with the condoms?” “The best form of protection is abstinence. Don’t you know that basic fact? Or are you saying I intentionally forced myself on you? If so, go call the cops. Press charges for marital rape.” Chloe was a gentle, quiet woman. This was the first time Ethan had faced such a sharp-tongued version of her. He was so angry he was trembling: “…You’re being completely unreasonable.” “Men who are bad with words make for boring arguments. Aside from your face, you have nothing going for you. You’re just annoying.” I pulled the blanket up to sleep, wondering what Chloe ever saw in him. Just then, Ethan’s phone rang. I could faintly hear Maya’s voice: “…Ethan, I’m drunk, I don’t know how to get to the hotel…” Ethan glanced at me: “It’s not convenient tonight.” “It’s convenient. Get out,” I interjected. Originally, Ethan was supposed to be with Maya tonight. While Chloe was left to listen to her own blood slowly draining away. “Are you done throwing this tantrum?” Ethan was always impatient when he spoke to me. “You’re really hard to please. When I clung to you, you found me repulsive. Now that I don’t want to see you, you stick around like glue. What, have you fallen in love with me?” Ethan glared at me fiercely and slammed the door as he left. Not long after, he dragged a reclining chair over, set it up next to me, and lay down in silence. 2 I stayed in the hospital for a while. Ethan stayed with me, keeping a cold, silent vigil. One day, I went to my therapy session. My attending psychiatrist, Dr. Miller, talked with me for a bit, then had me redo a full panel of neurological tests and psychological evaluations. He looked at my reports as if he were witnessing a medical miracle. “Your depression… it’s cured. The psychological assessments and test results are all perfectly healthy.” “When depression patients first develop symptoms, it’s often due to an excessive fixation on a specific goal. This leads to a narrowing of focus, an accumulation of frustration, which evolves into self-directed aggression and self-loathing. I used to love Ethan. I only saw him. When he didn’t love me back, I felt worthless. Now that I’ve let it go, my vitality naturally began flowing again.” Dr. Miller smiled and shook my hand: “Congratulations. And I say that as a friend.” Dr. Miller was the only person who genuinely cared about Chloe. He had witnessed how this pitiful woman had sunk so deep into the mire of love. All her sacrifices had sunk like stones in the ocean. Her most sincere emotions had earned her nothing but pain. “So, what’s your plan now? Divorce him?” “No.” I curled the corners of my lips. “He’s a CEO, after all.” When he dies, the company is mine. Why would I divorce him? 3 The day I went home, Ethan said he was busy and didn’t come to pick me up. Instead, I received a message from an unknown number. It was a photo of Ethan. He looked slightly intoxicated, smiling gently at the camera, his shirt unbuttoned to reveal his collarbones. Chloe had never seen him like this. I, on the other hand, felt nothing. I forwarded it to my lawyer and told him to file it away. The moment I stepped through the front door, I heard the lock click behind me. The person walking in wasn’t Ethan; it was his childhood sweetheart, Maya. “After all these years, his door code is still my birthday. Chloe, what makes you think you can compete with me?” She carried the arrogance of someone who knew she was favored, looking at me with disdain. “Does guarding his door make you happy?” Maya never expected me to fight back: “Chloe, if I hadn’t gone abroad to study five years ago, you wouldn’t even be in the picture. You saw it yourself; the moment I came back, Ethan couldn’t wait to see me. If you have any self-awareness left, you should pack your bags and leave.” I dropped two slices of lemon into a glass of warm water: “If I recall correctly, Ms. Maya, you went to New York, right? That’s not that far. A five-hour flight, tops. Why are you making it sound like you were separated by life and death and had to break up?” “Five years. 1800 days. 43,800 hours. He couldn’t even spare five hours to visit you in New York once, and you dare believe he loves you? Were you conned by him?” Maya froze for a second: “How could Ethan afford a plane ticket back then? If he had the money, would you have been able to use his mother’s medical bills to force him to marry you?” “So you know. The Ethan from five years ago was just a poor guy who couldn’t even afford a $300 plane ticket.” I swirled my glass and turned around. “Now that he’s the CEO of Wright Corporation, you tell me to get out. Heh, you’re basically committing armed robbery in broad daylight.” Just as I finished speaking, police sirens wailed outside. Maya frowned: “You called the cops?” I raised my glass to her: “When you’re being robbed, any normal person would call the cops. Just so you know.” As she was being taken away by the police, she was still screaming: “Let’s see what charges you can actually pin on me!” 4 “Home invasion and attempted robbery,” I reiterated to the police officer at the station. Maya was crying beautifully: “I just had a little emotional dispute with her…” “I don’t know her. She picked the lock and broke in. That’s a felony. From what I recall, the mandatory minimum is ten years.” “Chloe! I just went back to my boyfriend’s house! And you want to send me to prison?!” Hearing “ten years,” Maya lost control. I spoke slowly and deliberately: “First of all, he is my husband. Second, the house is under my name. Ms. Maya, didn’t you just get back from New York? You should know that in America, the moment you stepped through my door, under the Castle Doctrine, I could have shot you dead, and it would be self-defense.” “Chloe!” A man’s furious, low roar came from behind. “What are you doing?” In the past, whenever he got angry, Chloe would shrink back. She was always terrified of upsetting him. She would swallow her pride and try to keep the peace. I am not that kind of person. “This woman broke into my house.” I raised an eyebrow. “What do you suggest I do?” Ethan turned to the police officer: “This is my wife. She misunderstood my relationship with Ms. Maya here. It’s just a domestic dispute.” He had brought a team of lawyers with him, effectively muddying the waters. Watching the police sign the mediation forms, Maya shot me a disdainful glance, the smile of a victor playing on her lips. Walking out of the police station, Maya immediately clung to Ethan like a fragile bird: “Ethan, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to find your wife to explain the misunderstanding from the other day. I didn’t expect it to make her even angrier.” Ethan frowned: “Chloe, even if you’re jealous of her, there’s no need to be so vicious and ruin her life…” Slap! Before he could finish, I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. Ethan was stunned: “You hit me?” “So what?” I said, casually examining my nails. “I hit you because I wanted to. Do I need to schedule an appointment?” Chloe had certainly been jealous of Maya. Jealous of this despicable woman, simply because she had his tenderness. I, on the other hand, do not possess such a saintly heart. “Do you know what you did wrong? Hm?” I pinched his jaw. “I don’t care how many flings you have. When you cheat, I’ve always turned a blind eye. But this stupid woman, who doesn’t even know her place, dared to parade herself in front of me—” “You can’t even keep your little mistress in line. Tell me, how useless are you?” Maya was shocked for a moment, her voice trembling: “What mistress?” She looked at Ethan, saw him staring fixedly at me, and snapped back to reality: “…How can you treat Ethan like this? You actually hit him! Do you have any class?” She raised her hand high, aiming for me. Ethan grabbed her wrist. Slap! Before Ethan could say anything, I slapped him hard across the face again. “Take a good look. This is the woman you’re cheating with. She’s trying to hit your wife. So you like them rough and uncultured? I respect your preferences, but please don’t let her out to embarrass you and disturb the peace.” I patted Ethan’s bruised and swollen face and slowly put my black leather gloves back on: “—Lest people say the CEO of Wright Corporation is such a useless piece of trash he can’t even cheat right, falling for a vulgar idiot.” Ignoring Maya’s crying and cursing, I gracefully picked up my purse and got into my car. On the way home, the paparazzi had already edited the photos and videos of the scene outside the police station into a juicy article. I bought them a spot on the trending list. That day, the internet exploded. #WrightCorpCEOCaughtCheatingBeatenByWife in the streets shot to number one. “Holy shit, this rich wife is a badass.” “When men cheat, most women either cry or post ‘we’ll cherish what we have.’ Very few just beat up the scumbag without a word.” “But she still lost. Look how fragile the mistress is acting.” “The person above me is disgusting. In rich families, marriages are often just business arrangements; they do whatever they want. This wife clearly doesn’t care. With her money and looks, do you think she can’t find a younger, better-looking guy?” “Fucking awesome… this guy is so pathetic.” … I went into the kitchen to cook. Not long after, Ethan walked in holding his phone. He held up the photos Maya had sent me: “Is this why?” “I don’t care about the details. You don’t need to explain to me.” I leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “I only have one rule: If she shows her face in front of me again, I’ll hit you again. My demands aren’t high. Just keep your people in check.” “When are you going to stop being so unreasonable?! I already told you, she and I are just…” “Shut up. I’m trying to eat, and you’re making me nauseous.” I took my plate and sat at the dining table. He followed and sat down across from me, but the space in front of him was empty. “Where’s mine?” Ethan glared at me angrily. He had a bad stomach. Chloe had spent a lot of time trying to nurse him back to health, changing the menu every meal to make it healthy and delicious. “I only made enough for myself.” I held my glass of milk, taking a satisfying sip. “Could you not sit in front of me? Your bruised face is ruining my appetite.” Ethan tossed his phone aside and slumped back in his chair, his face dark. Great. Throwing a temper tantrum, huh? I picked up my plate and went upstairs to watch a show. Downstairs, I heard the sound of pots and pans smashing. Ethan hated Chloe. Because Chloe had said: “As long as I can marry you, I can endure anything.” So he would often bring women home, making her listen to their all-night escapades from outside the door. She would cry and endure it, believing everything was her fault and this was her deserved punishment. On the surface, she had to maintain the dignity of Mrs. Wright, preserving a marriage riddled with holes. When he cheated, she didn’t dare interfere. If she showed the slightest hint of displeasure, it would draw his mockery: “Didn’t you say you could endure anything? If you can’t, then get out.” Now, I didn’t care at all. Instead, he was the one losing his mind. I turned the music up to the max, eating my hot meal and watching my show in my room. He couldn’t handle just this? This was only the beginning. 5 A few days later, Ethan’s secretary, Liam, called me: “Madam, Mr. Wright’s stomach is hurting. He asked you to come over.” “I’m at the spa. I don’t have time.” Rejected, Liam paused for a second: “He’s really in a lot of pain…” “If he’s sick, take him to a doctor. What do you need me for?” I could faintly hear Ethan’s voice through the receiver. Liam laughed nervously: “Mr. Wright says every time his stomach hurts, eating your porridge makes him feel better.” I hung up without hesitation. What did he think Chloe was? A chef or a miracle doctor? Before I even finished my facial, the spa manager came upstairs to tell me someone was waiting downstairs. “Who is it?” “He said his name is Liam, he’s your husband’s secretary. He looks very anxious.” “Anxious for what? Let him wait.” After my massage, I put on some light makeup and walked downstairs leisurely. Liam was standing there, looking miserable. As Ethan’s lapdog, Liam was an expert at reading the room. Since Ethan treated Chloe like dirt, he followed suit. Whenever he had to deliver something, he deliberately made things difficult. Once, while Ethan was fooling around with women in his office, Liam told Chloe outside: “Madam, a smart person knows when to back off. Mr. Wright is indeed hungry right now, but he doesn’t want your food. If you go in there and make a scene, it won’t do anyone any good. It’ll only make him hate you more.” Saying that, he threw Chloe’s carefully prepared bento box into the trash. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, Madam, please leave.” It was raining heavily that day. Chloe was distracted on her way back and got into a car accident. That was how she lost her first child. The Liam from back then was so arrogant; now he looked so pathetic. His clothes were covered in food stains, and there was even grease in his hair. “Well, Secretary Liam, what happened to you?” I asked, gracefully descending the gilded staircase. Seeing me, Liam’s eyes lit up: “I’m here to take you to the company.” “Did you take him to the doctor?” “Mr. Wright refused to go…” He glanced at me. “He’s in a very bad mood lately.” “What, he was in such a bad mood he threw food at your head? Aren’t you his most trusted confidant?” Liam pressed his lips together: “You used to take such good care of his diet, Madam. He won’t eat the takeout we order. We tried every restaurant nearby, and he said none of them tasted right. It’s already 2 PM, and Mr. Wright hasn’t eaten anything yet.” “Which place did you order from?” Looking at his confused expression, I held out my hand. “Give me your phone.” I ordered the exact same meal Liam had ordered, without changing a thing. When we arrived at the company, the food had just arrived. I carried it upstairs. As I pushed the door open, a project proposal came flying at me: “What is this garbage?!” I looked at the stormy atmosphere in the office: “Should I wait until you’re done yelling?” Seeing me, Ethan instinctively loosened his tie, turned his head away, and quieted down, staring blankly at his computer screen. The terrified subordinate shot me a grateful look: “Then I won’t disturb you, Mr. Wright, Madam.” “Get out,” Ethan said calmly. I placed the takeout on the desk, threw myself onto the sofa, and started playing on my phone. Ethan immediately noticed something was off: “Bought from outside?” “I was at the spa.” “I don’t like this stuff,” Ethan said, his face cold. “Outside food is dirty. It makes my stomach hurt.” “Then call someone else.” I looked around the room. “You have everything here—a bedroom, a private kitchen. There are plenty of people willing to cook for you.” Realizing what I was hinting at, Ethan walked over briskly and snatched my phone: “Are you still mad? Because of Maya, you’re not even going to feed me now?” I laughed. All this over just Maya? “You never seemed to like it before. Now that I don’t want to cook anymore, you’re begging for it. Are you going to eat it or not? If not, I’m taking it away.” Ethan glared at me fiercely, went back to his desk, and started eating in sullen silence. He frowned, forcing it down. Putting on a show for me. But I just watched coldly. When I took the trash out, Liam looked like he’d seen a ghost: “I’ll take that, I’ll take that…” The exact same meal. When I gave it to him, Ethan ate it. This was a situation he had never anticipated. I said lightly: “From now on, order him takeout every day at noon.” “This…” “Just tell him I ordered it.” The way Liam looked at me changed, filling with awe: “Even though Mr. Wright has had women around him all these years, I can tell you’re the only one in his heart.” I couldn’t help but laugh: “Don’t give me that flattery. It’s not funny, it’s just gross.” Even at a time like this. Ethan only cared about whether Chloe made him food. He didn’t think about whether her wrist, where she slit it, hurt when she had to lift a heavy pan. That’s not what having someone in your heart looks like. Chloe had put him on too high a pedestal. He was used to looking past her, yet expected her to be there unconditionally. 6 Half a month later, it was Ethan’s mother’s birthday. He threw her a lavish banquet. I hadn’t planned on going, but hearing that many prominent figures in the city would be there, I decided to make an appearance. Seeing that old woman was bad enough. But standing next to her was Maya. Bad luck truly comes in pairs. Dressed like a modest, sweet girl, Maya was sitting in my seat. When she saw me, she stood up: “I’m sorry, Chloe. I was just catching up with Mrs. Wright. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.” “You just sit right there; we haven’t finished chatting. Don’t you like the house I’m living in right now? I’ll transfer the deed to your name tomorrow.” The old woman didn’t even glance at me, instead pulling Maya by the hand. She was wearing a bracelet. It wasn’t expensive, but it was an heirloom of the Wright family. Chloe had always wanted it. Ethan’s mother had said she’d get it over her dead body. Wearing that bracelet, Maya sat back down with a clear conscience: “Chloe, you see, Mrs. Wright asked me to sit here.” “Does taking other people’s things feel that good?” I pulled out a chair and sat down gracefully across from them. “Or do you just enjoy the feeling of constantly winning through competition? That’s a sign of low self-esteem. It means deep down, you despise yourself and can only find a sense of existence through this sick behavior—you should go see a psychiatrist.” I pulled out Dr. Miller’s business card and slid it across the table. Maya was stunned: “Chloe, I know you have a misunderstanding about me. But I was practically raised by Mrs. Wright, and Ethan and I grew up together. I just sat in your seat, and you tell me I’m sick. Isn’t that going too far?” “The internet says much worse things. They call you a homewrecker, a shameless bitch destroying another woman’s family. But you seem fine with it; you don’t even try to avoid suspicion. Do you enjoy the feeling of being despised by everyone?—That’s also a pathology. It means deep down, you agree with and cater to those opinions. You have a strong tendency for self-destruction. You need to see a psychiatrist.” Maya didn’t understand why I kept bringing it back to psychiatrists. It was completely different from her plan to anger me. Furious and embarrassed, she quickly glanced at the business card. Ethan’s mother tore the card up: “What homewrecker? Who’s the real homewrecker here? If it weren’t for you scheming to force Ethan to marry you, Maya would be my daughter-in-law. What right do you have to tell her what to do?” Her voice was very loud. People around us started looking over. I poured a glass of red wine, smiling slightly: “What scheming did I do, hm? Was it the kind of scheming where I spent a million dollars to save your life while you were lying in the ICU?” At the time, Chloe had been chasing Ethan for two years. Ethan was indifferent; there wasn’t much love, but they got along peacefully. When his mother got into an accident, Chloe didn’t hesitate to pull out the life-saving funds. But her condition was that Ethan had to marry her. As long as Ethan married her, the company would be his, and he wouldn’t have to pay back the money. Her original intention was to show them her sincerity. She ran around the hospital, tending to the old woman hand and foot until she was discharged. But because her kindness came with a condition. Ethan and his mother treated her like an enemy. Ethan’s mother treated her even worse, like she was cheap goods delivering herself to their door. Her son deserved better. She huffed: “It was just a million dollars! What’s the big deal? Ethan has money now. We’ll pay you back your million dollars, and you divorce him.” I swirled my wine glass: “What you owe me isn’t a million dollars. That million dollars, back then, bought your life. So if you really want to pretend none of this ever happened, sure—you die right now, and I’ll divorce him right now.” Ethan’s mother’s eyes went wide: “What did you say?! Say that again!!” I lazily lifted my eyelids: “You die right now, and I’ll divorce him right now. Which word didn’t you understand, hm?” Maya slammed the table and pointed at me: “Today is Mrs. Wright’s birthday! How dare you curse an elder like this! Do you have no upbringing?!” “Whether an elder deserves respect depends on the person. Normally ungrateful, using my love for Ethan to arrogantly make demands of me, I put up with it. But today, with so many people here, so many eyes watching, she actually tries to pimp for her son. Is this how an elder should act?” I casually raised my glass to the people around us. “I apologize for letting everyone see this family drama.” Some people were recording the whole thing on their phones. Perfect. I don’t mind buying another spot on the trending list to show everyone the true colors of this family. Before I could lower my glass, my wrist was grabbed. “Chloe, when are you going to fix this habit of going crazy every time you see Maya?!” Ethan hauled me up. “Apologize to my mother!” “Mom? She’s not my mom. My mom wouldn’t forbid me from coming home for Thanksgiving, leaving me to eat food that I’m allergic to, all by myself. “My mom wouldn’t refuse to even look at me after my miscarriage, calling you in the middle of the night to keep her company, saying that if I couldn’t have kids, you should find someone else. “My mom certainly wouldn’t scheme to find out how sick I was, when I was going to die, what relatives I had left, and who my house would go to. “And my mom passed away a long time ago; she wouldn’t be here celebrating a birthday. If my mom were alive, you, Ethan, wouldn’t have even been allowed through our door, let alone have your mother rise in status because of you.” “Listen to what she’s saying! Ah?! Since you don’t know how to discipline your wife, I’ll do it for you!” The woman surnamed Wright lunged forward with red eyes to slap me. It only took a few words to force this vulgar country bumpkin to reveal her true colors. Ethan yelled for someone to stop his mother. I tried to pull my hand away from Ethan’s grasp. But he wouldn’t let go. In his increasingly wet eyes, I smiled, prying his fingers open one by one: “Ms. Wright, I used to give you some face, out of respect for your son.” “Now, I don’t even want your son anymore. You don’t need to try so hard to act all high and mighty in front of me.” I left behind the furious Ms. Wright and Ethan, who stood frozen in place, and walked out of the banquet with a light step. If you draw a circle with a wet finger around an ant, it can’t smell its own pheromones and can never find its way out. It will just wander around inside that little circle. Chloe had trapped herself exactly like this, associating with a pack of ungrateful wolves. The best way not to lose a game is to leave the table. If there’s someone you hate in your life, make them roll out of your life. The world is so big; they aren’t worth it.

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“Mom, you should really marry someone else. I want the Oscar winner to be my new dad!” The entire internet agreed. The Oscar winner agreed. But her biological father definitely did not. He stormed onto the set of the reality show in a blind rage. My daughter, stubborn as a mule, pointed right at the movie star and told her dad: “Let me introduce you. This is Mom’s new husband, and my new dad!” 1 I am Hollywood’s most hated starlet—a true “love-to-hate” celebrity. My claim to fame? I only play the “Mean Girl” or the “Vengeful Other Woman.” Every villainous role I take is so convincing that people follow me on social media just to curse me out. My reputation is a permanent shade of “infamous.” People even say I’m not acting; they say I’m just being myself. Lately, there haven’t been any good villain scripts, so I decided to join a high-profile parenting reality show with my daughter. 2 When the camera crew arrived at our house to pick us up, my daughter was standing by the bed, shaking me awake: “Miss Sleeping Beauty, the crew is here. Please tell the bed to let go of your highness!” I didn’t even open my eyes. I just mumbled: “I can’t. Mom is too elite. I need five more minutes. Go pack the bags.” “What kind of person makes their kid pack for them? Which one of us is the parent here?” She sighed heavily but started tossing things into the suitcase anyway. “What are we bringing? Cleanser? Makeup? Clothes?” “Whatever you pick… I’ll wear,” I groaned into the pillow. 3 Half an hour later, I finally crawled out of bed. I opened my eyes only to see the production crew standing right there in my bedroom. The livestream was already rolling. [Hahaha, Serena’s bedhead is too real. She looks exactly like me on a Monday morning!] [Serena’s daughter is so cute, I’m dying…] [How can Serena be a mom? She’s making her kid do all the work. Unfit!] [Oh my god, the daughter is so pretty and sweet, I almost forgot I came here to hate-watch Serena.] I blinked stupidly. “Why didn’t anyone tell me we were live?” My daughter puffed out her cheeks and shot me a look: “I told you! But you were having a love affair with your mattress and wouldn’t even lift an eyelid. Who’s to blame?” Me: “…” This kid… she’s a total savage. 4 After washing up and loading the luggage, I followed my daughter into the production van. We headed to the first filming location. During the drive, the producer interviewed us: “Serena, what’s your daughter’s name?” “Just call her Tiga.” The producer paused. “Tiga? Like… the superhero?” My daughter rolled her eyes and said, “She thinks all boys love superheroes, so she named me Tiga so I’d be popular.” I rubbed her fuzzy hair and said with a straight face, “Trust me, honey. No man worth his salt doesn’t love a hero.” My daughter: “I’m literally done.” The live chat erupted. [Tiga! Hahahaha, I’m wheezing!] [Serena: I just want the boys to like my daughter, what’s wrong with that? Hahaha!] [What kind of girl is named Tiga? Look at her face, it’s just pure ‘done’!] [Serena is definitely a few sandwiches short of a picnic.] The producer cleared his throat and asked, “And Tiga, where is your father?” My daughter’s face went cold. “Don’t mention him. Just thinking about him makes my blood boil!” 5 I announced I was married the moment I entered the industry, but I never revealed who my husband was. Over the years, everyone has been dying to know his identity. Fans, haters, even my colleagues. They were all curious how I got such top-tier roles despite being a “villainess.” My shows were always massive hits. No exceptions. They’d gossiped for years, but no one knew the truth. They didn’t know I was basically in a “ghost marriage.” I got pregnant after a drunken night with him right after we wed. He’d never helped with the kid. He’d drop by once in a while to see her, but mostly, it was just me and Tiga in our own world. No wonder she reacted like that. The crew was hoping for a scoop, but they weren’t going to get it from a four-year-old. 6 Star Babies was a new kind of show. Unlike standard family shows, it featured celebrities paired with kids. The director was creative. Aside from me and Tiga, who were actually related, the other groups were famous child stars paired with unmarried celebrities. And the biggest catch? They had signed the reigning Oscar winner, Elias Thorne. Who wouldn’t want to see a man like that playing “Daddy”? The hype was astronomical. When we arrived at the luxury villa for the shoot, one group was already there. Elias Thorne. And his partner, a five-year-old child star named Toby. The second Tiga saw Elias, she dropped her backpack and sprinted toward him. She leaned against the sofa next to him, cupping her face in her hands, her eyes sparkling. “I know you. You’re the movie star.” Elias looked at me, then back at Tiga, and smiled. “And how do you know me, little one?” “Ti—” I tried to stop her, but it was too late. “Because I want you to be my new dad!” Kill me now. I was one step too slow. This kid had been talking about “trading in” her dad for months. She’d decided Elias was the perfect candidate for a dad—and a husband for me. What I hadn’t told her was that Elias Thorne was my ex-boyfriend from college! The livestream went nuclear. [Did I hear that right? Tiga wants the Oscar winner to be her dad?] [Hahaha, this kid is a comedy goldmine!] [Tiga, honey, does your mom have a say in this?] 7 Elias was visibly stunned. Before he could respond, Tiga reached out and poked his arm. She turned to me: “Mom, he’s ripped.” My face turned a deep shade of scarlet. Then she touched his stomach and looked at me again: “Mom, he has a six-pack. He’s actually a catch. Can you please consider making him my dad?” “Tiga! Get your hands off the movie star!” I hissed. Elias looked like he hadn’t expected to be felt up by his ex’s daughter. Then, he spoke: “I can only be your dad if your mom agrees to marry me.” Me: “?” What the hell was Elias playing at? Before I could process it, Tiga screamed: “Mom! Let’s get remarried! I want Elias to be my new dad!” Honey, did you ask your actual father? She was literally trying to give her dad a “green hat” on national television. Are we going to survive the night? Technically, I wasn’t even divorced yet. 8 Tiga marched over to me on her little legs, looking incredibly serious. “Mom, I’m not kidding. Remarry him. “Look, he’s handsome, he’s talented. Sure, my ‘scumbag dad’ might be slightly better looking, but you’ve been looking at that face for years. You’re bored of it. “Just get a new husband and give me a new dad. It’s a win-win, right?” Danger! Danger! My sweet daughter… it’s one thing to call him “Scumbag Dad” at home, but on a livestream?! Do you want to get us canceled or just murdered? The chat was having a field day. [She really wants that upgrade! Hahaha!] [Honestly, Elias saying ‘I can only be your dad if your mom marries me’ is a wild thing to say. He’s into it!] [Tiga (Upgrade Edition): Mom, let’s go. We’re getting a new dad.] [Wait, did she call her dad a ‘scumbag’? Maybe he treats them badly.] [Who the hell did Serena marry?! Does anyone actually know?] I looked at Tiga, trying to be a parent: “Don’t call him that. He’s your father.” Tiga puffed out her chest. “Hmph. He’s a part-time dad. He’s fired.” 9 Ten minutes later, the third group arrived. Brianna Vance, a B-list actress known for having “connections.” And her partner, a four-year-old named Lily. Now that everyone was here, the director started the first segment. “You have to handle your own meals during the shoot. You’ll play a trivia game to win ingredients. First place gets 20 items, full spices, and snacks. Second gets 15 items and some spices. Third gets 10 items and almost no spices.” Each group was given a buzzer. The questions began. “In the cartoon Boonie Bears, what are the two monkeys named?” Buzz! “Bram and Briar!” “In Cocomelon, what is the baby’s name?” Buzz! “JJ!” It was a battlefield of cartoons. The kids were intense. “Final question: In the show Super Pig, what is the name of the pink princess pig?” Tiga’s eyes lit up. She went for the buzzer, but Toby was faster. Toby froze. He couldn’t remember. He scratched his head. “I think… Pinky?” Next second, Tiga screamed at the top of her lungs: “It’s Princess Penny, you amateur! “She’s the most beautiful pig in the world and the love of my hero’s life!” 10 She stood up, looking tiny but fierce, defending the honor of her “hero.” The room went dead silent. I was trying so hard not to laugh. Everyone was. Could we laugh? Was it rude? But she called a pig… a love of her life’s… “Hahahaha!” I was the first to break. Then the whole room exploded. The livestream was a wall of “LMAO.” [Hahaha, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh at a kid, but she’s so serious about the pig!] [Tiga: My hero loves that pig, respect her!] [I can’t breathe! ‘Princess Penny is the love of his life’—Tiga is an icon.] Tiga looked around, confused. “Why are you laughing?” The director wiped his eyes. “We’re… we’re just impressed by your knowledge, Tiga. You won! Pfft…” The scores were tallied. Tiga got 8 right. Toby and Lily both got 6. The ranking: Tiga first, Toby second, Lily third. The rooms were assigned by rank. We got the penthouse on the fourth floor. Elias was on the third. Brianna was on the second. We went to unpack before lunch. 11 I didn’t need Tiga to help unpack, so she took her snacks and went to share them with the other kids. I was busy looking at a cookbook called 100 Easy Meals for Dummies when Tiga came back. “Mom, put the book down. We’re going.” She dragged me to the third floor. She knew I couldn’t cook, so she’d convinced Elias to cook for us too. I have to admit, the man could cook. Everything smelled amazing. BUT! “Tiga, stop calling him ‘New Dad’.” Tiga blinked her big eyes. “But Mom, he said yes. He’s my New Dad now. “I found you a husband who acts and cooks. You should be thanking me!” I choked on my water. Is this real life? A daughter replacing her father with her mother’s ex-boyfriend? This is a structural collapse of the mother-daughter dynamic. Then, I heard a low, melodic chuckle. I looked at Elias. “You agreed to this?” Elias: “To being her dad? It seems I have.” Me: “?” Is everyone insane? I blurted out: “Elias, did you forget you’re my ex?” “I didn’t forget. That’s why being her dad is so interesting.”

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