Category: English

On our fifth anniversary, I found an old phone in my husband Ethan Lloyd’s safe. The password was his first love’s birthday. Inside were records of all their sweet moments together. Yet in his current photo gallery, there wasn’t a single picture of me. “Lily, is it fun snooping through other people’s privacy?” I turned to see Ethan standing in the doorway. I didn’t yell or make a scene. I simply said calmly, “Let’s get a divorce.” Right in front of me, Ethan factory reset the phone, his expression utterly indifferent. “There. Happy now?” he asked. “Still want that divorce?” I nodded seriously. “Yes.” “Enough. Stop making a scene.” Ethan frowned, clearly impatient. “Be good. Once the project wraps up at the end of the year, I’ll make time to take you skiing in Hokkaido, okay?” When I didn’t respond for a long while, Ethan’s lips curved into his usual careless smile as he tapped my forehead with his fingertip. “I’m not lying this time. I mean it.” I almost wanted to laugh. “Not lying this time.” So he knew he’d lied to me countless times before. He’d promised that Hokkaido ski trip years ago, postponing it year after year. For our usual movie dates, I was always the one waiting alone at the theater entrance until showtime. When he said he’d pick me up, I’d stand there soaked by the rain, never seeing his car. Ethan always broke his promises to me. So now, saying this like it was some kind of favor, some reward. “No need,” I said, taking a deep breath before repeating firmly, “Ethan, I want a divorce.” This time, the man’s expression turned cold, his patience completely exhausted. “Lily, you’re being completely unreasonable.” “Go to Hokkaido or don’t—I’ve already given you the chance.” “Don’t come crying to me later about how I didn’t keep my word.” With that, he grabbed his coat from the sofa and turned to leave. He didn’t even touch the dinner I’d carefully prepared to his taste. I remained silent too. For the first time, I didn’t try to make him stay, not even for one more minute. Ethan paused at the door, glancing back at me. I had already sat down and begun eating quietly by myself. He slammed the door. Like he was venting some fury. My heart had long since stopped hurting—only a barren wasteland remained. I used to think that someone as superior as Ethan would never stoop to mundane domesticity. But it turned out he would cook for the girl he loved. Just to earn one compliment from her. The cuts on his hands, the burns from hot water—they all became badges of love. He’d even said such childish things: “Cooking for someone you like really does feel so happy.” “I want to cook for Claire for the rest of my life, fatten her up so no one else will try to steal her from me.” Reading those records made me realize for the first time how much of a joke I was. The next day, I met my lawyer best friend at a café and asked her to draft a divorce agreement. “What happened with you two? Why is it this serious this time?” My friend looked shocked. She knew better than anyone how much I loved Ethan. In past arguments, we’d have a cold war at most. “I’m really tired,” I said, looking out at the traffic. “You know what? She came back.” Just that one pronoun, and my friend understood. Claire Bennett. Ethan’s unforgettable first love. That name was like a tiny needle lodged in my heart. Never drawing blood, but causing pain from time to time. I’d never even seen her in person, yet her existence had affected me for five whole years. Ethan said personal space was important, but he and Claire had shared a music account. Ethan didn’t like his life being public, but his old social media was filled with traces of that girl. The art exhibitions he took me to featured Claire’s favorite painters. He complained that shopping with me wasted time, yet he’d once browsed every antique market in the city with her. Two years of dating, three years of marriage—Ethan had never truly removed her from his heart. And I was more like companionship during his single period. A habit. A second choice. “Alright, leave the divorce agreement to me—I won’t let you get the short end of the stick!” My friend said worriedly, “But Lily, have you really made up your mind?” “I told you from the start—this man isn’t right for you. He hasn’t cleared his heart, and being with him means you’re just hurting yourself.” “But you had to go and fall for him anyway, wouldn’t listen no matter what I said.” I lowered my eyes, stirring the coffee in my cup. “Some lessons have to be learned the hard way.”

The sky was heavy and gray. Rain started pouring without warning. My friend’s husband came to pick her up. “Didn’t I tell you not to come?” “How could I let you get caught in the rain? Lily, come with us—I’ll drop you off first.” I smiled and shook my head. “You two go ahead. I’ll sit here a bit longer.” I used to envy their genuine care and consideration for each other. Why were Ethan and I also married, yet there was always an invisible wall between us? Why? The answer was simple. He just didn’t love me enough. Yet I’d deceived myself for so long, thinking he simply didn’t know how to love. When the rain lightened, I got up to leave. I happened to see a familiar Audi pull over by the curb. The woman in the passenger seat wore a cream-colored dress, with slightly curled hair and a gentle demeanor. Ethan got out from the other side, walking this way. It seemed he was passing by and wanted to grab coffee. Seeing me, he remained expressionless, only raising an eyebrow slightly. He probably expected me to greet him first, but I just looked down at the rideshare app on my phone. Maybe I was distracted—I accidentally missed a step and twisted my ankle. Ethan glanced over again, frowning but saying nothing. He went into the café and ignored me. I endured the pain in my ankle and continued waiting for my ride. Soon, Ethan came out carrying two takeaway coffees. “Let’s go.” “Isn’t this what you wanted—for me to give you a ride?” His tone carried cold impatience. “…I didn’t.” Ethan didn’t bother arguing and simply pulled me into the car. Then he handed me one of the coffees. I didn’t take it, so he just set it aside. The entire ride was silent. The atmosphere in the car was stifling. Claire suddenly pressed her hand to her forehead. “Ethan, I think my blood sugar’s dropping. Do you have any candy?” Ethan naturally reached into the glove compartment and handed her a chocolate. “I’ve reminded you so many times, but you never learn.” Claire took it with a soft laugh. “I get too busy and forget. Good thing you’re here.” They naturally started chatting about old times—mutual acquaintances, shared experiences. Their words carried an effortless understanding. And I sat in the back seat like an out-of-place audience member. The scenery outside flew backward. We passed Fairview Park, where the giant Ferris wheel slowly turned. My first date with Ethan had been here. Legend said couples who kissed at the top would be happy forever. I’d stolen a kiss from him then. He’d stared at me for a long while. I thought it was one of our few shared sweet memories. Later I learned that Ethan’s biggest regret was never bringing Claire here to ride that Ferris wheel. Fragments of the past flashed through my drowsy mind. Mostly my one-sided expectations and his dismissiveness. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. When I opened them again, the car had stopped outside our building. Claire had gotten out at some point. Ethan unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at my swollen ankle, his brow furrowed. “Lily,” his voice was low, “does it have to be like this?” I looked up, confused. “If you wanted me to pick you up, you could’ve just said so. Did you really have to use such a stupid method to get my attention?” His tone was steady but carried barely detectable irritation. I didn’t know what he was irritated about. Perhaps he was annoyed that I’d interrupted his alone time with his first love. “Ethan, you’re overthinking it.” “I didn’t ask you to drive me.” He probably thought I was being stubborn and scoffed. “Oh? So what’s your plan—crawl home like this?” “I can call a cab.” I looked at him. “Ethan, I don’t need you to survive.” “I used to cling to you because I loved you. That doesn’t mean I’m helpless without you.” “Leave? Lily, try leaving and see if I’ll come begging for you back.” The man’s eyes darkened again. I had no desire to waste more words on him. Anyway, once the divorce papers reached his hands, he’d know this time I wasn’t making a scene—I was serious.

I pushed the car door open, trying to get out myself. But he got out first and scooped me up in his arms. His movements weren’t gentle, but he didn’t let me fall either. Inside, he found the medicine kit and awkwardly sprayed medication on my ankle, his expression still cold. “Don’t do this again.” I silently watched him complete this task. Ethan was always like this—giving me a slap, then a piece of candy. Hot and cold, making me second-guess myself countless times. Did he have even a shred of genuine feeling for me? Agonizing over whether someone loves you is truly stupid, yet I’d been stupid for five years. It was time to wake up. Too tired to keep guessing his thoughts, I casually said thanks. Ethan stood in front of the sofa, motionless. “Anything else?” Ethan pressed his lips together. “Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?” I shook my head calmly. Actually, I’d already checked Claire’s social media. Yesterday she’d posted on Twitter—a photo of a plane landing. The caption read “Waiting for you.” I’d scrolled through all the comments but didn’t see any trace of Ethan liking or commenting. But I knew he would go. And indeed, that’s what happened. “I’m really tired. I want to sleep.” I stood up. “I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” Ethan grabbed my wrist. “Lily!” Unusually, he took the initiative to explain. “Claire and I aren’t what you think.” “I picked her up this time because she just got back and isn’t familiar with the area. I was just helping out.” I made a sound of acknowledgment. “As you should.” Ethan studied my face, as if trying to find some trace of insincerity. “Lily, she and I ended a long time ago. We’re just ordinary friends now.” I nodded disinterestedly. “Got it.” Ethan pulled me into his arms, for once taking the initiative to kiss me. His burning body heat transmitted through our clothes—a warmth I’d once craved most. He knew I liked physical intimacy and thought one kiss could placate me. But I turned my head away. Ethan was clearly stunned. He completely hadn’t expected me to refuse. His expression darkened. “Lily, my patience has limits too. You’d better not push it too far.” That night we slept in separate rooms. Ethan left me the master bedroom and took the guest room himself. When I woke the next morning, the house was quiet—he’d already left. My expression remained neutral as I went to the company and submitted my resignation. If I was going to leave, I’d do it completely. I’d only stayed at this company because of Ethan anyway, to work alongside him, to have more time together. But at work, he’d hidden our marriage, saying it wouldn’t look good. Not only that, he deliberately kept his distance from me. When subordinates needed to accompany him on business trips, he never chose me. In meetings, he treated me like I was invisible. Even when I completed a major project independently, I never earned his praise. This cold attitude made colleagues think Ethan must have something against me. Or that I’d offended him privately. HR was one of the few people at the company who knew about my relationship with Ethan. “You’re leaving?” “Ethan only said to demote you, he didn’t say anything about resignation…” I froze. “Demotion?” HR nodded, looking at me with sympathy. “Your position was taken by someone parachuted in from abroad. Ethan specifically arranged it.” I felt a chill spreading through my heart. I heard my own trembling voice: “Her name—is it Claire Bennett?” “Yes, that’s the name.” I could barely stand and steadied myself against the desk. Even though I was leaving anyway, hearing this news still felt like an earth-shattering defeat. At the company, Ethan had never given me any special treatment. I’d climbed to the director position through my own abilities, step by step. And he just handed it to her.

Tonight was the company anniversary with a gala event. Before officially resigning, I still attended. At least I needed to claim my year-end bonus. In front of everyone, Ethan publicly announced Claire Bennett’s hiring on stage. He even specifically told everyone to take good care of the new colleague. People whispered: “Oh my God, is this really something our stone-faced Ethan would say?” I sat in the audience listening, dutifully applauding. Ethan’s gaze drifted toward me, as if observing my reaction. The next second, Claire beside him wobbled in her heels, and he immediately turned to steady her. Halfway through the banquet, I went to the terrace for air and heard Ethan talking with his friend. “What, another cold war with Lily?” He swirled his wine glass carelessly. “Yeah.” His friend sighed. “When will you ever take the initiative to apologize and comfort her? Girls like her are rare.” “I know.” “Then why’d you bring Claire here to humiliate Lily? This will only worsen things between you two. What if Lily really can’t take it anymore and leaves?” “She won’t.” Ethan paused, then continued with certainty, “Lily will never leave me.” He was still that confident. Thinking I’d give in like every time before. I was about to turn and leave when Claire’s voice sounded behind me. “What a coincidence. Want to have a drink together?” Claire naturally walked to my side, her tone intimate as if we were old friends. “I forgot to greet you last time. You’re Lily, right?” “Sorry for taking your position as soon as I arrived.” The remark carried a double meaning. I caught the provocation in her words and asked coldly, “Claire, are we close?” She smiled even more brightly. “I don’t know much about you, but you must know quite a bit about me, right?” I knew she must have seen my visitor record in the logs. Seeing that I still wouldn’t take the bait or show the fury she’d imagined, Claire grew unhappy and simply poured the wine in her glass onto herself, letting out a cry. The aloof man nearby immediately changed expression and rushed over. “Lily, what are you doing?” I clenched my fist but didn’t explain. I just threw the wine in my glass at his face. Amid the gasps around us, I laughed coldly. “This is what I did.” A waiter quickly brought towels. Ethan wiped the wine from his face, those eyes dark as a frozen pond watching me with inscrutable meaning. In the end, he said nothing and left the banquet with Claire. I watched their retreating figures and simply pulled out my phone to send a message. “My resignation letter and divorce papers are both on your desk.” “Remember to sign.” After sending it, I blocked and deleted his number. I went home to grab the luggage I’d already packed, discovering two tickets to Hokkaido. Did Ethan actually think that while I’d been packing these days, I was looking forward to going to see snow with him? Expressionless, I tore the ticket with my name on it in half. Without looking back, I left the city.

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I am the purest-blooded elite mermaid. My tears turn into priceless pearls, and my heart’s blood can bring the dead back to life. When Ethan Hunt went bankrupt, drowned in debt, and was being hunted by his enemies, I pulled him from the edge of the cross-sea bridge where he stood drenched in blood, ready to end it all. I thought he was useless, but my heart softened anyway. I forced myself to cry an entire bag of top-grade pearls to fill the hole of his debts. When signing the master-servant agreement, I warned Ethan: “You’re not worthy of me. You’re just a dog I’m keeping, my accessory.” Ethan was the perfect loyal dog — putting on my shoes, feeding me, handling everything personally. When I said one, he never dared say two. Even though I was different from others, he spoiled me into the most envied woman in the entire city. Everyone said Ethan loved me like his own life. I believed it too. Until he drained half my heart’s blood to save a low-grade koi mate with genetic defects. She was his first love, the one he couldn’t have in his youth. That same day, I dragged my weakened body into Lyra’s hospital room and smashed everything she had related to Ethan. I thought Ethan would kneel on the ground like before, begging for my forgiveness, worried about my pale face. But that night, during my scale-shedding period when I was at my weakest and most vulnerable, he brought in a group of men to violate me repeatedly. Ethan wrapped his arm around Lyra’s waist, looking down at my disheveled state like I was garbage: “Didn’t Lyra speak the truth? You’re cold-blooded by nature. What kind of mermaid throws pearls at people to attach herself to them?” “Didn’t you mock Lyra for being a low-grade mate? Well, now that you’ve been passed around by men and lost all your scales, you’re just a defective product that can’t see the light of day either!”

When I pushed open the hospital room door, Lyra was leaning in Ethan’s arms, taking small sips of medicine brewed from my heart’s blood. They both stared at me in shock. “Vesper, what are you doing here?” Ethan frowned, but his hand gently pressed on Lyra’s back, helping her breathe easier. Lyra licked the blood-colored residue from the corner of her mouth and laughed: “Sorry, my body is too weak. I borrowed Ethan for a bit, and borrowed some of your blood too. You don’t mind, do you?” I clutched the pregnancy test report I’d just gotten from the hospital, my mind exploding with a buzzing sound. “Ethan, didn’t you promise me that if I donated blood once, you’d send her abroad?” Ethan looked up at me, his tone calm: “Vesper, Lyra has genetic defects. Sending her abroad would be like killing her. I can’t do something so heartless.” “So you were heartless enough to drain half my heart’s blood on our tenth anniversary to be with your first love?” I grabbed the fruit basket from the table and hurled it. Apples rolled everywhere. I roared my questions: “Ethan, when you were dirt poor and being stepped on by everyone, who supported you? Don’t forget that you got where you are today because of whose tears and scales!” Mentioning the past, all the grievances came flooding back like a torrent. Back then, I was the hottest elite mate in the underground black market. All the powerful families in the capital wanted to claim me. After following Ethan, I spent six full years in a narrow, damp basement. When he made his comeback, many people bullied him for his past bankruptcy, deliberately forcing drinks on him at business dinners, even making him kneel. I blocked for him time and time again, shielding him from malicious provocations, lowering myself, using my mermaid song to win him investments. The young man’s eyes reddened with emotion back then. In an era when mates had no human rights, he defied everyone’s opinions to build me the city’s most luxurious temperature-controlled pool. He solemnly promised: “From now on, this is our secret love base. Only you have the privilege to enter! My life, Ethan Hunt’s life, belongs to Vesper for all eternity!” His eyes were so sincere and passionate then. But now when I looked up, I saw only Ethan’s annoyed expression: “What’s the point of rehashing old stories over and over? Lyra’s body is weak, she can’t be without me. And it’s just a little blood. You have such strong recovery ability — when did you become so selfish?” I was selfish? Tears welled up in my eyes, but because of extreme anger, I forced them back, refusing to let them turn into pearls. Ethan froze, seeming to realize his words were too harsh. He sighed helplessly and walked over, reaching out to touch my hair. “How could I possibly not want you? But Lyra is my first love. I can’t bear to see her suffer.” “If you really don’t like her, I promise that after she recovers, she’ll never appear in front of you again, okay?” His expression was sincere. Exactly like the young man ten years ago when he begged me to save him. My dormant heart wavered slightly. Just as I was about to speak, I inadvertently glimpsed the bright red contract totem beneath his shirt collar, at his collarbone. It was a soul-binding mate contract. Identical to the one showing on Lyra’s neck. I shoved Ethan away, asking in disbelief: “You signed a soul contract with her?” Ethan froze, his brow furrowing slightly, but he still nodded. Lyra suddenly threw off the covers crying and rushed to kneel before me: “Blame me if you want! I was the one who begged Mr. Hunt to sign it! I can’t survive without a contract!”

“Silly girl, signing a contract isn’t a one-person decision. How can I blame you?” Ethan tenderly pulled Lyra up from the floor and held her tightly in his arms, then looked at me firmly: “I was the one who initiated the contract with Lyra. Her body has flaws, she’s different from you. Without a master’s protection, she’d be bullied by other mates.” My lips parted as I watched the man I loved most protect another woman like a rare treasure. Years ago, Ethan refused to sign a contract with me, using his rising career as an excuse, saying he was afraid people would use it as a weakness against him. I understood how difficult things were for him and waited year after year. I thought he just wasn’t ready. But now, to protect another woman, he could hand over his soul without hesitation, then turn and look at me with cold eyes. The contract I’d begged him for countless times, he easily gave to someone else. The tightly wound string in my heart finally snapped. I removed the diamond ring from my ring finger and hurled it at Ethan. The sharp edge of the ring cut a bloody line across his face. I ground my teeth viciously: “Ethan, you violated our vows today — cheating and giving the contract to someone else…” “Since you won’t give me an answer, I’ll show you both my attitude with actions!” Ethan touched the blood on his face, clearly thinking I was joking, and snorted dismissively: “Enough, Vesper. Stop making a scene. I still need to accompany Lyra to the Vesper gala to give her face. Be good and go home. I’ll come back tonight to explain.” I stared hard at their intimate backs, slowly tearing the pregnancy report in my pocket to pieces and throwing it in the trash. Leaving the hospital, I called Kyle, the capital’s golden boy: “I’m allowing you to pursue me now, but I have one condition — I need you to help me destroy someone!” Even after ten years, I was still the object of every man’s pursuit. The most perfect elite mermaid in the eyes of the powerful. With just one sentence, countless men scrambled to please me. That very night, I received a bloody koi scale. In the surveillance video, Lyra was surrounded by a group of men in black, pinned to the ground, as they forcibly plucked her most prized natal golden scale. “Why? Why are you doing this to me!” “Ethan will kill you all, kill every last one of you!” Her furious curses turned into blood-curdling screams as the pliers came down. “Why? Because you offended the golden boy’s sweetheart.” The video faded to black amid mocking laughter. At the same time, the villa door was kicked open. Ethan, wearing a haute couture suit and originally holding roses to appease me, approached me with murderous intent. “Still angry about what happened during the day?” He originally wanted to control his temper. He tossed the flowers on the table, his voice carrying helplessness and condescension: “You’re an elite mate — why get angry with a defective product?” “I’m only with her because I pity her. If you don’t like it, I won’t let her appear in front of you anymore, okay?” For once, he lowered his head, thinking this would appease me. I laughed too, laughing until tears nearly came: “You’re absolutely right — a defective mate really isn’t worth getting angry over!” Ethan froze, seemingly not expecting me to be so agreeable. I then threw the bloody golden scale in front of Ethan, smiling sweetly at him: “Enjoy a good look at your poor little thing’s natal scale.” Ethan’s eyes widened as he stared at the bloody scale. When it registered, he grabbed my collar, his eyes bloodshot: “Vesper, you actually dared to touch her? You’re looking for death!” I smiled provocatively, meeting his eyes without backing down: “I also have the video. Want to hear her screams? I said it before — neither of you cheating bastards will have it easy!” A crisp sound echoed through the entire living room. My face burned with pain, the force whipping my head to the side, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of my mouth. I covered my face, looking at Ethan in disbelief. Since his comeback, countless low-grade mates had tried to climb into his bed. The bold ones would provoke me directly to my face. In my volatile temper, I’d taught them lessons and ruined faces. But Ethan had always turned a blind eye, even helping me hand over the knife. This was the first time he’d raised his hand against me for another woman. “You’d better start praying Lyra’s okay, or I won’t be polite to you!” Ethan glared at me like I was an enemy, then stormed out angrily. I stood there alone, the servants’ sighing and mocking gazes hurting more than the slap on my face. In just one night, news of rising business star Ethan Hunt storming the black market in a fury to save his beloved made it to the top of trending topics nationwide. [Oh my god, isn’t this just like the domineering CEO heroically saving the beauty in novels? I’m dying from this ship!] [But isn’t this unfair to Vesper? She stayed with Ethan for ten years.] [If you can’t manage your man, who else can you blame? Besides, wasn’t she always proud of being Ethan’s only sweetheart? Getting a slap in the face now, isn’t she?] However much I’d once prided myself on Ethan’s favoritism, I was now equally humiliated. The entire city knew that the once most noble elite mermaid had lost to a genetically defective reject.

Next week was my scale-shedding period. A mermaid’s scale-shedding period is like a human woman’s childbirth — excruciatingly painful, accompanied by intense mating urges. Every time this happened, Ethan would take time off in advance to come home, staying by my side every moment, giving me the most expensive suppressants. But this time, to punish me, he confiscated all my suppressants and even bribed the servants to secretly add catalyzing drugs to my drinking water. That night, desire and skinning, bone-extracting pain came in waves like the tide. I rolled on the bed, my hands grasping unconsciously in the air, Ethan’s once-gentle face flashing frequently in my mind. “Vesper, don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Past whispers echoed in my ears, but reality was a cold, empty room. I bit my lip until it bled, desperately banging my head against the nightstand, trying to use physical pain to suppress the restlessness inside. I stumbled out of the room and desperately pleaded with the butler: “Give me a suppressant, just one!” The butler looked at me coldly, his eyes full of disdain: “Mr. Hunt said that since you hurt Miss Lyra’s natal scale, you need to properly learn your place!” “Only if you’re willing to kneel and kowtow an apology to Miss Lyra and record a video will you get a suppressant.” My heart sank. The hand clutching the butler’s trouser leg suddenly released. The pain hit again. This time I clenched my teeth, my nails digging deep into my palms, stubbornly refusing to make another sound. My phone screen lit up. Lyra had updated her social media. She wore Ethan’s oversized shirt, her neck covered in intimate kiss marks, lying contentedly in Ethan’s arms, her eyes full of satisfaction. Her hand gently wrapped around Ethan’s neck as she faced the camera smugly, with the caption: [Who understands the happiness of having your master stay by your side during a mate’s heat? Thank you for Ethan’s favoritism.] Below were unanimous blessings and people from the social circle mocking me. My heart completely died. I curled up on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling. The physical pain wasn’t half of what my heart felt. In my daze, I had a dream. I dreamed of the day Ethan had just paid off his debts. We were strolling on the street when I casually admired a wedding dress in a shop window. Unfortunately, mates had low status. The law prohibited mates from wearing wedding dresses or legally marrying humans. Yet the impoverished Ethan emptied his pockets of the few hundred dollars he had left and bought a cheap white veil, risking arrest by the patrol, and put the veil on me in the city’s most crowded square. He cupped my face, his eyes burning with love: “I don’t care about mate or human — I only know that what others have, my Vesper must have too!” “In this life, I, Ethan Hunt, will marry no one but you! When I make money, I’ll buy you the most expensive wedding dress in the world!” My dormant heart felt like it would leap from my chest in that instant. But heavy footsteps pulled me back to reality. Looking up, I saw Ethan’s cold face. Seeing me disheveled and drenched in cold sweat, his brow furrowed slightly, a trace of barely noticeable heartache flashing in his eyes. His cold fingers traced across my face. Controlled by the drugs, I instinctively sought that coolness, nuzzling his palm like a begging dog. Seeing my docile appearance, satisfaction flashed in his eyes. “Look at you — why be so stubborn? An apology is just one sentence. As long as you lower your head, I’ll still spoil you like before.” Consciousness briefly cleared in that instant. I violently pushed him away and spat bloody saliva on his face. “Want me to apologize to a homewrecker defect? Ethan, over my dead body!” Ethan’s eyes darkened instantly, the muscles in his face twitching. He couldn’t bear to hear me insult Lyra even once. I thought he’d fly into a rage like a few days ago. But unexpectedly, he suddenly smiled, forcibly pulling me into his arms and gently patting my back: “If you don’t want to apologize, then don’t. You’re not wrong anyway — she really is a defect.” “You must be starving, right? Come, I’ll take you somewhere nice.”

He carefully took my hand, draped a coat over me, gentle just like ten years ago. I felt momentarily disoriented. My body’s weakness made me unconsciously grip his sleeve. “When we first met, you were so proud, refusing to lower your head even slightly. Back then I swore I’d never let you suffer any grievance in this lifetime.” He rambled on the whole way. The car played the songs we used to love, his eyes full of nostalgia for the past. I leaned against the car window, watching the night scenery fly past outside, a ridiculous hope sprouting in my heart. Maybe he was just temporarily confused by Lyra. Maybe he still loved me. The car stopped at the underground mate black market where I used to be kept. Walking into the deepest private room, an overwhelmingly nauseating smell of aphrodisiacs rushed into my nostrils. My head instantly became dizzy, the restlessness inside ignited by this smell. I saw that in the dim lighting, many people seemed to be around, all staring at me and quietly laughing. I tried to control my staggering steps, wanting to escape, but accidentally stumbled into Ethan’s cold embrace. “Vesper, you don’t need to suppress your instincts.” “You’ve been holding back these past few days, right? Today your husband will fill you up all at once, okay?” A seductive voice whispered in my ear. The young man’s innocent face from ten years ago appeared before me. The drugs and instinct completely controlled my brain. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe. Just as I was about to touch his lips, a piercing mocking laugh rang out. My spine instantly turned ice-cold, as if plunging into a frozen abyss. There were more than just the two of us in this room! “Everyone see that? What elite noble mermaid — when she’s in heat, she’s just as cheap!” Ethan’s contemptuous voice exploded overhead. He violently pushed me away like discarding a dirty rag. The black cloth behind was suddenly pulled back, harsh lights blazing on. A group of pot-bellied, greedy-eyed men surrounded me, their gazes nakedly scanning my body. Lyra sat on the central sofa, holding a phone livestreaming, the camera locked on me as she laughed provocatively and maliciously: “Worthy of being an elite mate — her heat is really different! Perfect for giving our nationwide audience an eye-opening experience!” “Shut up!” I rushed at her like a madwoman, shoving Lyra, trying to grab the phone. But the next second, my hair was violently yanked by a tremendous force, my entire body pressed hard against the floor. Before my eyes were a pair of expensive red-soled leather shoes. Ethan’s voice came from above, ice-cold and piercing, carrying a lofty judgment: “You shouldn’t have — absolutely shouldn’t have — bullied Lyra. Today I’ll let you know that without me, you’re worth less than a low-grade mate!” I gritted my teeth unwillingly, my hands supporting myself as I tried to stand. Before I could steady myself, Ethan backhanded me with a heavy slap. I flew out like a kite with a broken string, my stomach slamming hard into the edge of a hard marble table. Pain. Tearing pain. Pain so intense that tears instantly welled up, but the moment they fell, they turned into muddy pearls, hitting the floor with crisp sounds. I curled up on the ground, my whole body trembling violently, even breathing becoming torture. The men’s gazes fell on me, naked desire crawling over my entire body like maggots. Some even started unbuckling their belts, walking toward me. Ethan slowly walked up to me, looking down from above. Those eyes once full of love were now cold as if looking at a corpse. “Vesper, didn’t you keep calling Lyra a defect?” He crouched down, forcibly gripping my chin, his lips curled in a playful yet cruel smile. “So after being passed around by all these men, what does that make you? Guess whether you can still maintain your elite nobility?” My stomach sent piercing pain. That terrifying feeling of life slipping away instantly drowned me. I desperately gripped his suit sleeve, my nails nearly breaking: “Ethan, I’m pregnant… you can’t do this to me…” He looked down at me, his eyes full of disgust and mockery: “Vesper, to gain sympathy, you’d stoop to this kind of lie? You think I’d believe you? Disgusting!” “I’m not lying… it’s true…” The pain in my stomach intensified wave after wave. Warm blood snaked down from the base of my thighs, staining my white dress red. I couldn’t hold on anymore. My hand clutching his sleeve fell limply as I collapsed to the floor. “Vesper, stop pretending.” Ethan sneered, disgustedly brushing off his sleeve as he turned to leave. “If I’d known you were this kind of scheming liar, I’d never have touched you, even if it meant death. Have your fun with her, boys. Just leave her breathing.” The blood kept flowing, more and more, pooling into an alarmingly dark red puddle on the floor. The heavy smell of blood overpowered the aphrodisiacs in the room. He seemed to sense something was wrong and looked back in annoyance. When his gaze touched the expanding crimson beneath me, his pupils suddenly contracted.

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Twenty years into our marriage. The chat thread between my husband Ethan Moore and me had been reduced to nothing but cold numbers. The screen was filled with nothing but 1s and 2s. Me: “Working late in the lab tonight?” Him: “1” — meaning yes. Me: “Coming home tonight?” Him: “2” — meaning no. I’d brainwash myself with the same mantras: he’s a genius physicist, he’s busy, his career is important. On our anniversary, I bought lingerie and asked if he’d be coming home that night. This time, he didn’t reply with a number. Instead, he sent a 60-second voice message. I clicked play. A woman’s voice came through: “Once I’m done feeding Professor Moore, I’ll send him home.” “You take care of his daily needs, I take care of his physical desires. Our division of labor is crystal clear.” My hand trembled as I exited the app and drove to the lab. Through the crack in the door, I saw Ethan working himself like a machine on top of a woman. Heavy breathing, low moans — like knives carving into my eardrums. I stood outside in silence for what felt like an eternity before finally knocking.

When Ethan emerged, his expression was calm. Not a trace of embarrassment at being caught in the act. His dark eyes settled on my face. After a moment’s pause, he spoke deliberately: “Let’s talk about this at home.” His slender hand reached toward me. I didn’t move. For the past twenty years, whether it was dates, confessions, proposals, or even the pathetically rare sex we had — I’d initiated all of it. “Fiona?” For once, he used my nickname, but his head was still tilted to the side, his gaze directed behind him. Looking at that woman whose face he was carefully blocking with his body, shielding her from view. My nose stung. I forced a dry laugh: “Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Only then did he turn his head. The look in his eyes now held guilt and pleading. “Fiona, can we just go home first? Please?” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed my collar and roughly pulled me aside. Then he turned back and gently instructed the woman: “You should go. Quickly!” The clicking of high heels drew closer and closer. Ethan’s gaze followed her retreating figure, growing more distant. He watched her so intently that he didn’t even notice the cut on my cheek from where I’d been scraped against a nail on the wall. Ethan hadn’t always been this cold to me. During those college years when his condition improved, he’d acted like a normal person, caring about my joys and sorrows. After we married, he’d cancel urgent meetings and experiments on nights when I had my period, using his burning palms to warm my stomach. He’d clumsily write me love letters by hand before my birthday, trying to make up for the regrets of our youth. But those warm, sweet memories couldn’t compete with the pain on my face right now. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced them back. Taking a deep breath, I shook off his hand: “Stop looking. She’s gone.” His body stiffened. He hesitated, not daring to turn around. This time I didn’t wait for him. I headed to the car first. We arrived home close to 11 PM. The moment I changed out of my shoes, hands lifted me from behind and placed me on the sofa. I turned to see Ethan retrieving the first aid kit, kneeling before me. The concern in his eyes didn’t seem fake. “I’m sorry…” I didn’t respond, letting him carefully treat my wound while his neck was still covered in hickeys. Just like years ago when we exchanged wedding rings, when he’d publicly vowed to love me forever. The same posture. The same eyes. But everything had changed. Blood-stained cotton balls fell into the trash. As Ethan closed the first aid kit, I held out my hand to him: “Your phone.” He didn’t move, but the concern in his eyes faded, replaced by barely suppressed impatience. “Don’t make trouble for her. I’ll end things with her.”

I bit down hard and laughed. This man’s earlier concern, his kneeling — it was all for this moment. So I wouldn’t make trouble for the woman who held his heart. How could I possibly listen? Brushing past him, I grabbed his phone from the table. The lock screen showed that woman’s shy, smiling face. The password was still my birthday. But the pinned chat on his SnapChat had been changed to this woman named Chloe. Their chat thread was incredibly active. He replied to her every message instantly. But my chat with him was a wasteland. The last message was from half a month ago. “Coming home for dinner?” He hadn’t replied. The next day after work, he’d sent a dismissive: “Too busy, forgot.” I knew he had a national-level project underway, so I’d been understanding, not making a fuss, racking my brains to make him nutritious, healthy meals. But I never imagined that all the care I gave him, he’d spent on someone else. Even his “busy” was just being busy screwing someone in the lab. [Your wife hasn’t seen you in half a month. Are you coming home tonight?] [Bored with her. Not going.] The hand gripping the phone trembled slightly. Twenty years. The best years of a woman’s youth. I’d spent it all on this man, and all I got in return was “bored with her.” Those words blurred through my tears into an indistinct mess. I bit my lip, forcing my eyes open wide, reading word by word. Reading how this rigid man who’d lecture about physics even during sex had dressed up in costumes to play elaborate roleplay games for this woman. Reading how at the science award ceremony I’d begged him multiple times to take me to — events he’d always refused — he’d brought her instead, letting her accept congratulations in my place, under my name. Reading how when Chloe asked him “Do you like your wife or me?” he’d replied without hesitation: “She’s old now, loose down there too. Can’t compare to you.” Turning the entire first half of my life — spent devotedly helping him ascend to greatness — into one massive joke. My eyes burned. I returned the phone to Ethan. The more I read, the more I felt like a complete fool. “Fiona, I’m a man. I have needs and desires. Things with her got out of hand, we couldn’t help ourselves.” “I hope you can understand and not make a scene. Let’s just end this here, okay?” His voice remained gentle. Even his lies sounded so convincing. But I stubbornly wanted answers. I pointed at the pinned profile picture, my voice hoarse: “Of all people to cheat with, why her? Why the woman who killed your parents?” I raised my voice, grabbing his collar, my words tearing through the air: “Have you forgotten how your parents could have lived, but she ran them over again and again, grinding them into pulp?” Ethan turned his face away. After a long pause, he finally spoke: “She was young then. It wasn’t intentional.” “And my parents shouldn’t have been out that late at night. They brought it on themselves…” I carefully savored those two sentences. And couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Laughing at my own blindness. When Ethan’s parents died and his relatives refused to take him in, Chloe — afraid he’d press charges — had systematically driven him insane. She’d made him crawl on the ground and drink urine, bark like a dog, spreading videos of it everywhere. His miserable state was burned into my memory for twenty years. Even after he recovered, I’d kept track of Chloe’s whereabouts. But I never anticipated this. Not only had Ethan forgiven his parents’ murderer first, he’d climbed into bed with her. During every night he’d lied about working late, he’d tried every position with her. He said they couldn’t help themselves, overcome by passion. So what were my meddling twenty years worth? Thunder rumbled as his phone rang simultaneously. Ethan didn’t even glance at me before answering. “Ethan, my thesis data got rejected. If I miss tonight’s deadline, my entire project is ruined…” Chloe’s voice was sweet and cloying. The man’s throat bobbed as he immediately rushed to the entrance to change shoes, not forgetting to coo at her: “Don’t worry, baby. I’m coming right now.” He responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if I didn’t exist. I whirled around and blocked his path: “You’re not going!” Ethan frowned, irritation rising in his eyes. “Fiona! This is about Chloe’s future. She’s not useless like you. Get out of my way!” The word “useless” nailed me in place. I forgot how to react. Ethan’s patience completely evaporated. He grabbed my collar and shoved me aside. My wound struck the corner of a cabinet. I hissed in pain. Instinctively, I called out: “Ethan, it hurts…” The only response was the earth-shattering slam of the door.

Liquid dripped down my face. I didn’t bother with it. Like a walking corpse, I pulled out tonight’s lunch box of food I’d lovingly prepared. Opened the lid, grabbed my fork, and mechanically stuffed the still-warm food into my mouth, chewing as if punishing myself. But thinking about how this lunch box had also been at the lab tonight made my mouth, my stomach, churn with revulsion — like I’d swallowed countless needles. I rushed to the bathroom and retched into the toilet. As tears streamed from my eyes, the doorbell rang. It was Ethan’s supervisor. “Fiona, Ethan’s at City General Hospital. Get here quick!” Instinctively, I asked: “What happened? Is he okay?” Before he could answer, a strange woman’s sobbing voice came through the phone: “If it weren’t for helping me get that corporate data, you wouldn’t have been forced to drink so much you got gastric bleeding!” “I’ll go heat up some milk for you right now…” Ethan’s weak voice protested: “Don’t… just stay with me. Let her do that kind of grunt work.” “Is that… appropriate?” “Why wouldn’t it be? Taking care of people is her only talent. Remember this — your hands are meant for writing papers, conducting experiments, winning awards. They shouldn’t be wasted in a kitchen…” My throat felt like it had been scraped raw, like a fire burning it over and over. I stared at my gaunt, withered reflection in the mirror. Suddenly I understood. In this genius physicist’s eyes, I — his wife — was only fit for menial labor. Only fit to serve. Elevate his mistress to the clouds. Reduce his wife to a maid. What a perfect arrangement. “Fiona, Ethan’s bleeding quite a bit. When are you coming?” I wiped away my tears and spoke slowly into the still-connected call: “Boss, I won’t be coming to the hospital. But feel free to invite me to the public denouncement when his affair with Miss Chloe gets exposed!” I hung up. My heart felt no better. I drifted ghost-like to the bedroom, gazing at the bright moon hanging high. Suddenly, I laughed softly. Ethan had probably long forgotten that back then, I’d been the top student at our university besides him. He’d already been specially recruited by the National Physics Research Institute. For my sake, he’d secretly torn up that offer letter, insisting on going to another city with me for college. I’d gotten angry at him for the first time: “Are you crazy? How can you waste your talent like this?” He’d stubbornly shaken his head, his eyes redder than blood. “Wherever you go, I go. Without you, I don’t want anything!” He’d even taken that offer letter covered in tape and knelt at my parents’ door, kowtowing repeatedly. “Uncle, Aunt, please believe me. Fiona is my entire life.” “I’d rather die than let her down.” When Ethan was serious, stars would appear in his eyes. And I’d naturally believed him completely. When he said forever, I thought he meant forever. Later, I gave up my studies, became a homemaker, lost myself in his ever-ascending career, becoming increasingly marked by domestic mundanity. I earned no praise, only insults calling me “useless.” Life really is full of reversals. Just like tonight — I’d gone to the lab to tell him he was going to be a father. What should have been a surprise turned into a nightmare.

The next day, when I returned home from the lawyer’s office, my parents suddenly called. Their tone was unusually stern. “Fiona! Tell us the truth. Did you do something to betray Ethan?” I was stunned. I didn’t know how to explain that Ethan had cheated and I wanted a divorce. After a few seconds of stunned silence, I chose to deflect. “Mom, Dad, nothing like that happened…” My mother’s heavy breathing came through the phone. “Our house got splashed with red paint by some woman named Chloe. She says you’re shameless, that you seduce her husband every night!” “What’s going on? The neighbors are all pointing fingers at us, saying you couldn’t control yourself, that while Ethan was working late, you were out there sleeping around…” My hot-tempered father snatched the phone away, shouting at the top of his lungs: “Are you really that cheap? That desperate? Because of you, people are talking behind our backs. Your mother’s fainted several times… If you don’t fix this, we’re cutting you off!” Bang! The call disconnected. Almost simultaneously, a soft laugh came from the bedroom. The door opened. Chloe stood inside. She looked younger than her profile picture, with luminously pale skin and bright eyes. In her hands were the shredded pieces of my pregnancy test results. “Like the gift I sent your parents?” She smiled sweetly. But it made my blood run cold. I pulled out my phone to call the police while demanding: “How did you get in here?” She slapped the phone out of my hand. Shaking her head with a mocking laugh: “Stupid! Your husband gave me the key, obviously.” I stood frozen, my entire body shaking with rage. She looked at me, tilting her head with a smile. “Can’t handle this already?” “What if I told you I don’t just have your house key — I also have his project authorship rights and his research institute paycard? What would you do then?” I took a breath, forcing down the fury rising in my chest. “You saw it yourself. I’m carrying his child. I’m his legitimate wife. He won’t destroy his academic career and future for you!” She froze for a second. Then burst out laughing. “Really?” She suddenly stood up, slowly walking toward me, her eyes dropping to my still-flat stomach. Lips curling, her voice drawling slowly: “You think having a baby will tie him down? Just like you thought spending twenty years with him would guarantee you his whole life?” “Stupid! So stupid!” She threw her head back, laughing wildly. Her voice was shrill and piercing. Then I watched as her hands slowly moved to her own stomach. Her clothes were thin. Thin enough that I could clearly see her swollen belly. Chloe glanced at my stunned expression, her face unable to hide her gloating. “Fourteen weeks along. Ethan said once he finishes this current project, he’ll tell you he wants a divorce. He’s even reported it to his superiors.” “If I were you, I’d spread my legs and find another man…” Fourteen weeks… Fourteen weeks ago, she’d already had a key to my home. She’d probably been in my marital bed, on the sofa, even in the shower — in every corner of our shared home. He’d mounted this woman, taking her again and again. The clinking sounds of lab equipment bottles came crashing back into my ears. Boom! My carefully maintained composure shattered under the weight of my rage. I grabbed the ashtray from the table and hurled it at her. Ahhh! She couldn’t dodge in time. It hit her squarely, blood streaming from her forehead. The suffocating pressure I’d been holding back, mixed with fury over my parents being terrorized, formed a tidal wave. I didn’t stop. Instead, I lunged at her like a madwoman. Straddling her body, I grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the table. Bang! Her piercing screams were music to my ears in that deadly silent space. The blood spurred me into deeper frenzy. I tore at her scalp while cursing at the top of my lungs: “Bitch! Whore! Husband-stealing slut! Why don’t you just die! I’ll kill you!” I’d lost all reason. Completely consumed by rage. Chloe’s face was covered in blood. Her forehead crimson, her nose crimson, her mouth crimson. She screamed until her voice went hoarse. But I showed no mercy, clawing at her face, biting her ear, kicking her stomach with my feet. She shrieked as blood seeped from between her legs in a spreading stain. I stared at the bright red beneath her, pausing for a few seconds. Just those few seconds — and my lower abdomen took a brutal kick. Pain exploded across my belly. My entire body flew backward. Splurch! Flesh pierced through. The tip of an umbrella protruding from the entryway plunged deep into my body. No! I heard Ethan’s terrified scream.

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At the wedding ceremony, the officiant asked my wife Oliver to give her marriage vows. I never expected her to slap herself in front of everyone. “This slap is for blaming myself for choosing wrong. Three years ago, I listened to my parents and stayed in the country, missing out on my true love!” I looked at my parents’ slightly angry faces and shook my head to stop them. Unexpectedly, she slapped herself again. “The second slap is for blaming myself for personally killing my own unborn child!” My whole body stiffened. I’d been with Oliver for three years, and we’d never had a child. So she’d been pregnant with another man’s baby? “The third slap is to apologize to my parents. Dad, Mom, Marcus, I’m sorry. The wedding will be postponed. Today, I’m going to the airport to pick up Hernandez.” That day, I became the laughingstock of Seattle’s entire elite circle. The next day, I called a press conference and announced two things: First, I was publicly auctioning off my marriage to the highest bidder. Second, I would launch a full-scale commercial assault on the Oliver Group until it went bankrupt.

As soon as I finished the announcement, the reporters below erupted in chaos! “Mr. Marcus, yesterday Miss Oliver said your wedding would be postponed. Now you’re auctioning off your marriage and openly targeting the Oliver Group’s assets. Does this mean you’re completely breaking ties with Miss Oliver?” “Mr. Marcus, I heard Miss Oliver pursued you for three whole years, and you observed her for three years as well. Can you really bear to let her go now?” I suddenly gripped the microphone tighter in my hand. After a long pause, I adjusted my breathing and responded: “From now on, Oliver and I can only be enemies. There’s no affection left between us!” I looked down at my phone. An unknown number had sent me a video. In the video, Oliver’s hand was removing Hernandez’s last piece of clothing. And on her wrist, she was still wearing the latest Patek Philippe watch—the birthday gift I’d given her. I looked up, a cold smile tugging at the corner of my mouth, and pointed my phone toward the reporters. “You’ve all worked hard today. I want to give you a big gift.” Oliver’s cheating video was recorded by dozens of media outlets. Three hours later, it exploded across all of Seattle. [Oliver Family Elite Scandal! Abandons Newlywed Husband for Secret Lover, Explicit Video Leaked!] [Shocking! Oliver Abandons Wealthy Husband, Late-Night Hotel Rendezvous with Lover, Private Photos All Exposed!] I was reading gossip while peeling fruit when Oliver showed up at my door with Hernandez. She swept everything off the table with one swipe, then grabbed my throat and demanded I apologize to Hernandez! “Marcus, I only delayed the wedding a few days, and you exposed my video with Hernandez.” “He’s just a recent college graduate. How can he handle all this abuse?” I took a deep breath. “You publicly abandoned me on our wedding day. Did you ever think about how I could handle that?” Her hand tightened around my throat. I was suffocating, my face turning red. “You’re just an illegitimate son the Williams family doesn’t even want. What do you need dignity for!” My heart suddenly plummeted into an abyss. When we first got together, she’d said my status wasn’t respected, but she would help me become a big player in Seattle. Now, she was using what I cared about most to stab me in the heart! If that’s how it is, then prepare to face the revenge of this unwanted bastard! Before I lost consciousness, I closed my eyes and plunged the fruit knife in my hand deep into Hernandez’s right palm. “Oliver, I’ve never been your plaything to summon and dismiss at will.” “Oliver, blood!” Hernandez screamed and lunged forward. “You, you dare hurt Hernandez, you maniac!” I grabbed Hernandez’s hand, brandishing the bloody blade, tracing it across his face. “If you want to fight me, you should weigh whether you’re up to it.” “Slap…” A heavy blow struck my cheek, burning with pain. “Hernandez is the person I treasure most. You can hurt me, but if you dare touch him, I’ll make your whole family pay!” I froze. The strength I’d been faking since yesterday shattered like spider silk. On rainy days, when my stepmother Tillman and my brother Theo locked me outside in the rain, she’d held me and said the same thing. She’d said, Marcus is the person I love most. If any of you bully him again, I’ll make the Williams family disappear from Seattle. How ridiculous! I took out my phone and called my secretary. “Spread the word—whoever can bankrupt the Oliver Group, I’ll marry them!”

I’d adjusted my emotions. My voice was calm, but my face was filled with determination. I turned to look at Oliver and sneered: “The humiliation I suffered—your entire family will pay for it!” Her face turned pale, then red, then pale again. “Don’t be afraid, Oliver. He’s just a bastard. How could he possibly have that kind of power!” Hernandez said, holding Oliver’s arm. I gave a cold laugh and walked step by step toward Hernandez: “The revenge that belongs to you is coming soon too.” “I want to see how long your true love can last in the face of profit and money!” I had the butler escort them both out. I walked to the desk by the floor-to-ceiling window and issued an order—short-sell all Oliver Group stock. I stared at the constantly changing numbers and stock trend charts on the screen, the corner of my mouth turning up. The humiliation I suffered at the wedding was finally being avenged, sweet and complete, in this moment. In just three hours, Oliver Group’s stock had dropped three points. But it wasn’t enough! My phone vibrated at that moment. “Marcus, stop this right now. If you want to die, don’t drag the entire Williams family down with you.” It was my father, Johnson. “Being abandoned by Oliver just means you’re incompetent. Come home right now and apologize to Mr. Keane with me.” Faced with my father’s fury, I remained calm and said flatly: “It should be Mr. Keane apologizing to me!” “Are you insane? From tomorrow on, you’re no longer the company’s general manager. Your brother Javier will take over.” As soon as I hung up, my phone vibrated again. It was a familiar string of numbers. I didn’t answer, just let it ring. After calling dozens of times, it finally went quiet. Then several long voice messages popped up on my screen. [What happened at the wedding was my fault, but Father has already punished me. You shouldn’t auction off your marriage out of spite. You’re publicly embarrassing our family. My parents are very angry now. Come to our villa immediately and apologize to them!] [We can let the stock shorting slide for now. At worst, we’ll just harvest another round of retail investors. But tomorrow you must clarify the video of me and Hernandez in front of reporters and play the part of a loving husband with me.] I blocked Oliver’s Twitter directly. I didn’t want to hear her speak anymore. Early the next morning, Oliver blocked me at my door. “Why didn’t you answer the phone yesterday? My parents are very angry. If you don’t apologize, they have plenty of ways to punish you.” “I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have abandoned you at the wedding. But, but you can’t be this unreasonable either.” “Oliver, what about the child?” “The child?” She was instantly speechless. On the wedding day, she’d personally admitted she had an unborn child, but she’d never mentioned it to me. “That was all in the past. You shouldn’t keep bringing it up!” I threw the abortion report in her face. “The abortion date was during our passionate romance!” She froze in place. Who was it that three years ago firmly chose to stay in the country, saying her heart was one hundred percent mine? And who was it that promised in front of both sets of parents that our wedding would be the grandest and most luxurious in Seattle, then turned around and abandoned the wedding, making me a laughingstock? She’d been flip-flopping between two relationships, and now she was accusing me of being unreasonable, accusing me of not letting go of the past. Looking at her face, embarrassed because her lies had been exposed, I called my assistant again. “Continue shorting Oliver Group stock.” “Continue spreading Hernandez’s dirt all over the internet!” “Miss Oliver, please come to the office immediately. Something’s happened!” The assistant stammered. On the way to the office, my assistant sent me a message: Big trouble, be careful! When I reached the company entrance, a large group of reporters was blocking the main gate, surrounding someone in the middle. I couldn’t see clearly! I’d barely moved forward two steps when someone grabbed my legs.

I looked down to see Hernandez had already fallen to his knees before me. “Mr. Marcus, I know you have great power and influence, but if you must kill someone, kill me. I beg you to spare Oliver and her parents. They’re old and can’t withstand this torment.” As he spoke, he picked up a bottle of poison and tried to pour it into his mouth, his eyes filled with the stubbornness of someone ready to die. “Mr. Marcus, if my life can calm your anger, then I… I’ll have died for a worthy cause.” His words were vicious and calculated. I was using my power to kill a male homewrecker because a woman had rejected me. And he was being noble, willing to die to protect the Oliver family and the Oliver Group’s assets. As soon as he finished speaking, I was surrounded by reporters. “Mr. Marcus, are you really planning to force Miss Oliver and Hernandez to death?” “Mr. Marcus, murder is a crime. After you poison Hernandez, will you turn yourself in, or will you use your connections to get yourself off the hook?” I frowned, gathered my thoughts, and said word by word: “I never intended to kill him. And I didn’t give him that poison!” Hernandez suddenly leaned close to me and said in a voice only we could hear: “Marcus, you’ll never win against me.” Then he forcibly shoved the entire bottle of poison into my hand, gripped my hand, and poured it down his own throat. “Ahh…” The surrounding reporters quickly recorded me murdering someone in the street. Suddenly, the medicine bottle was snatched from my hand. A hard slap struck my face, and then I was pushed to the ground. Oliver’s eyes were filled with surging hatred. “How can you be so vicious? Hernandez already got me pregnant. Can’t you tolerate them at all?” I stood there stunned. Pregnant? So they’d already conceived a child together this early. Hernandez’s suicide was reported by media outlets everywhere. Countless netizens thought I was being ruthless and unforgiving, saying I deserved to be abandoned. My social media was also overrun by haters. Some people even started a petition to remove me from my position as general manager of Williams Group. This had not only Hernandez’s handiwork behind it, but also Theo’s and Tillman’s. “Secretary Brown, suppress all the negative news about me and buy some positive PR pieces.” “Mr. Marcus… sir…” “The board just issued a notice removing you from your position as general manager and prohibiting you from using any company resources.” “I see.” Oliver Group’s stock price rose again. I threw my phone. Just as I was at my wit’s end, Oliver came looking for me. “I’ve already had people delete the negative news about you online.” “Marcus, as long as you beg me, I can also get Johnson to restore your position as general manager. I know that all along, you’ve worked toward becoming the person in power at Williams Group.” I raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at her fake expression, and slowly spoke: “Oh? You’re that kind?” “What price do I need to pay?” I stood up, staring at her with amusement. “Do I need to give up my position as husband and acknowledge your affair with Hernandez?” “Or broadcast an apology online, admitting I shouldn’t have relentlessly pursued your family?” She shook her head and smiled. “Neither!” “Next week is Mr. James’s 80th birthday. I want you to introduce Hernandez to him.” I laughed. “Pfft.” “Mr. James’s birthday only invites Seattle’s top elite power holders. He doesn’t qualify.” Oliver leaned down and patted my shoulder. “Everyone knows you’re best at winning his favor. I believe you can do it.” “If can get Mr. James’s favor, Hernandez will have a place in Seattle.” “And if I refuse?” She smiled, took out her phone, and made a call. “Secretary Brown, keep releasing Marcus’s dirt. Some of the risqué photos from when we were dating can also be posted online.” Oliver made the call while watching my reaction. “Until he has no chance of recovery.” I said nothing, just stood there quietly, maintaining a faint smile at the corner of my mouth. After a long while, I finally said: “Fine, I agree.” “You should have agreed earlier. Don’t worry, once this is done, I’ll remove your dirt. The wedding date I promised you will also proceed as scheduled.”

On the day of Mr. James’s 80th birthday, I brought Hernandez with me. He just glanced at Hernandez indifferently, then pulled me aside to chat. “Marcus, come sit with me.” Hernandez glared at me resentfully, then consciously walked away. The host’s voice rang out: “Let’s give a warm round of applause to celebrate Mr. James’s 80th birthday.” Suddenly, countless old photos appeared on the big screen. They showed a woman and a man in intimate poses. Everyone recognized the man—it was my father, Johnson. And the woman in the photos was my mother, Lavinia. The caption read: Homewrecker schemes to seduce married man, attempting to steal his place. I was dazed by these old photos, still unable to react when my true identity was exposed next. [Shocking Secret: Williams Group Leader Is Actually the Son of a Homewrecker.] [Williams Group Heir’s Background Exposed: Child Left Behind by Mistress Who Climbed the Social Ladder.] Everyone’s eyes turned toward me simultaneously. “So Marcus is the son of a mistress!” A voice from the crowd struck like thunder, exploding in the banquet hall. All the world’s malice surged toward me in that moment. “No wonder the Oliver family rejected him. Who would dare marry the son of a homewrecker!” “He looks like a male escort. Whoever marries him will be unlucky.” I felt a buzzing in my ears. I’d only told one person about my mother—Oliver. This was my weakness, my untouchable pain. I clenched my fists, forced myself to walk toward Oliver, and slapped her across the face. “You… are shameless!” “Marcus, this is a misunderstanding. Let me explain…” “I will never forgive you. Oliver, even if it costs me my life, I’ll drag you down with me!” I slowly raised my eyes, my gaze sweeping across Hernandez’s smug face. Then I addressed the guests, my voice ice-cold: “Today, at Mr. James’s birthday celebration, I publicly auction off my marriage to the highest bidder!” I glanced at Oliver and continued, “The requirement is: bankrupt the Oliver family.” Another wave of mockery washed over me like a flood. [He’s lost it! Who would marry an illegitimate son? We wouldn’t take him for free!] [Can’t be the elite heir anymore, so now he’s become an auction item?] I gripped my hands, my fingertips turning white, enduring wave after wave of ridicule. Time passed minute by minute, and my hope gradually faded. [Isn’t this just humiliating himself? Get lost…] [Don’t dirty our place. Get out!] “Who says no one wants him!” A cold voice drifted out. “Mr. Marcus, I’ll marry you.”

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My husband Wesley said in an interview that he had already distributed all his assets. The host joked that he must have left a fortune for his son and wife. He smiled gently and softly denied it: “I only left them enough money to live on.” “As for the rest of my assets, I’ve given everything to my adopted daughter Michelle.” “This is the promise I made with her mother. I vowed at her grave that I would let her live a carefree life.” I froze while cooking for the two children, my eyes suddenly lifting to the TV screen. The host spoke again: “Does your wife know about this?” He paused slightly, but his smile didn’t change. “She won’t object. She’s been good to Michelle all these years—better than a qualified nanny.” I took off my apron and walked out of the kitchen, carrying my son Willett, who had been picking up toys for Michelle, back to his room. Six years. I’d had enough too. Since he didn’t plan to leave anything for Willett and me, whoever wanted to be this nanny could have the job.

The interview had two parts. The other was at home. When Wesley brought the reporters home, I had just gotten Willett to sleep. He paid no attention to me. After taking off his coat and shaking off the cold, he picked up Michelle, who was watching TV. He affectionately pinched her chubby cheeks. “Did Mommy bully you today?” This was his daily routine question. I used to think he was joking, but today I heard a different meaning in it. He was afraid that when he wasn’t around, I would bully his beloved first love Lester’s daughter. “Mr. Wesley is so good to his adopted daughter. Miss Lester must be very happy in heaven,” the host said. Wesley’s lips curved slightly. I stood to the side and coughed twice. The atmosphere froze for a few seconds. The host belatedly realized those words were inappropriate. “Mrs. Wesley…” “Lena, did you wash Michelle’s school uniform clean?” He interrupted the host, habitually ordering me around. “I don’t trust the nanny’s washing. You must hand-wash it yourself.” Michelle was used to it. She walked on her short legs and stuffed all the dirty clothes she’d changed out of today into my arms. Wesley urged, “Hurry up.” Everyone’s eyes looked me over with contempt, scorn, and disdain. In that instant, I even felt kinship with a stray dog on the street. In Wesley’s eyes, perhaps I had always been just a servant more useful than an ordinary nanny. I hung my head in embarrassment, unable to suppress the sourness rising in my throat. I took a deep breath and loosened my fingers. Several dirty children’s clothes dropped to the floor. “Wesley, I won’t wash them. I’m your wife, not a nanny.” He slowly furrowed his brow and glanced at me indifferently. “Lena, what do you mean?” “I saw your interview today.” I gathered my courage and met his eyes. “You gave all our shared assets to someone else’s child. Why?” Wesley’s gaze suddenly sharpened, his voice turning cold. “What do you mean ‘someone else’s child’?” He covered Michelle’s ears as he spoke. “Michelle is my child.” “Lena, when I brought her home to raise, I gave you a choice. You chose to take care of her yourself!” I looked at the man in front of me, feeling my heart turn cold. Five years ago, I was near my due date. But he disappeared for seven days and nights. Because I couldn’t find him, I went into early labor, causing our son to be born half a month premature. Wesley only showed up after I’d given birth. At that moment, I’d just breathed a sigh of relief, wanting to show him our son. But he beat me to it, holding out a bundle to me first. “Lester died in childbirth. She entrusted her child to me. From now on, this child will be our adopted daughter.” My face grew paler and paler. Wesley only paused when I struggled to sit up. “If you can’t accept this, we can also divorce.” “I’ll give you and the child monthly support payments. Nothing more than that.” That was the choice he gave me back then. Swallow my disgust and raise his first love’s child, or leave with my premature son with nothing. I wasn’t willing to accept it. I’d married him five years ago, risked half my life to give birth to a child—why should I get nothing? So I endured it. But five years had passed, and he hadn’t shown me or our son a trace of compassion. His deep affection and love seemed to have died with Lester. The only remaining warmth was reserved for Lester’s child. I suddenly felt that all my years of persistence had been like performing a ridiculous comedy for him. Ten years of love and hate seemed to vanish in his accusations that never held any trust. I calmly met his gaze. “Now I want to choose again. This time, I choose to leave with my son.”

Wesley looked at me, a contemptuous sneer escaping his lips. “Leave? Lena, if you leave me, can you even support yourself and the child? Go back to your room. Stop embarrassing me in front of all these people.” With that, he gave the servants a look. Several people rushed over, grabbed my arms without a word, and pushed me toward the bedroom. The door was locked from the outside. The room’s soundproofing wasn’t great. I could still hear their discussion. “I really don’t know what Mrs. Wesley is making a fuss about. She has such a good life, but she has to make Mr. Wesley lose face in front of reporters.” “Isn’t it just raising a dead woman’s child? She’s a parasite living off her husband’s money. Can’t she just endure it?” Parasite? When I got together with Wesley, he was still a poor guy. I gave him all my savings to start his business. I stayed up all night drinking and socializing for his company to close the first big deal. And I chose to step back and become his support when he was too busy to manage his life. But now, in everyone’s eyes, I’d become a parasite dependent on him. I slid down against the door and sat on the floor. The noise outside gradually stopped. Wesley opened the door, and his step inside kicked me in the waist. It didn’t hurt, but it was like giving me an outlet. Tears welled up in my eyes. Just as I was about to cry my heart out, a piece of clothing covered my head. “Don’t cry. Lena, I remember you’re good at mending. Help me fix this garment.” I pulled the clothes off my head. It was a white women’s blouse with slight wear at the cuffs. My tears froze in my eyes. Now I couldn’t cry anymore. A huge sense of humiliation hit me head-on. I was so angry I wanted to laugh. I recognized this garment. There were two walk-in closets in this house. One held clothes for me and the two children. The other held clothes for Wesley and Lester. Lester was dead, yet Wesley insisted on letting someone who didn’t exist in this world leave traces in his life. I took a deep breath and threw the clothes heavily to the ground. “Wesley, I’m not joking with you. I’ve had enough of this life. Let’s divorce.” I said it with certainty, but Wesley acted like he hadn’t heard. He unbuttoned his shirt and spread his arms. “Come help me change. Hurry up. I just promised Michelle I’d tell her a bedtime story.” I walked up to him but didn’t move. I just repeated very softly. “I’m leaving with the child.” This time, he finally looked at me properly. The undisguised contempt in his eyes hurt me all over. “Just tell me what you want to buy this time. Lena, I’ve told you countless times—if you want something in the future, just tell me directly. Don’t play these ridiculous roundabout games.” As he spoke, he pulled out a card and stuffed it into my collar. “This should be enough for you to spend for a while.” With that, he changed his clothes himself, pushed past me, and went to Michelle’s bedroom. The bank card hit the floor with a clack. I stared at it for a long time before laughing at myself. So in his eyes, I really was no different from a nanny who needed to be paid off with money. I wiped away the tears about to fall, turned around, and went to Willett’s room. He was awake, staring blankly at nothing. Hearing me open the door, he turned his head, his mouth pouting pitifully. “Mom, did you fight with Dad again?” I shook my head. “Not really, but Mom wants to separate from Dad. Will you come with me?” My son’s eyes lit up. “Really?” “Mom, I’m just like you. I’m not happy here at all.” “Every time Michelle gets upset, Dad scowls and scolds me. If Michelle and I want the same thing, Dad will only buy it for Michelle. The toys I play with now, the books I read—they’re all things Michelle didn’t want and threw to me.” He counted on his fingers, his lowered voice somewhat excited. “If we leave here, will my things be only mine from now on?” My eyes grew intensely sore. My son should have been cherished by everyone, but he’d been forced to live in Wesley’s favoritism all along. He wasn’t happy. The last reason I had for maintaining this marriage was gone. This divorce—Wesley and I were definitely going through with it.

After discussing the terms of the divorce agreement with my lawyer, I slept in Willett’s room. I’d barely closed my eyes when the door was violently pushed open. Wesley, his face pale, forcefully pulled me from the bed. “Michelle has a high fever. What do I do?” This was one of his rare moments of panic. I instinctively glanced at Willett, who was sleeping soundly, and tiptoed out. After making sure Willett’s door was firmly closed, I turned to Wesley. “Physical cooling, call the nanny, go to the hospital.” “Why are you calling me? I’m not a doctor.” Impatience surfaced in his eyes, but for Michelle’s sake, he had to endure it. “Lena, you raised Michelle. No one understands her condition better than you.” “She’s burning up really badly right now.” “Can you not be so cold-blooded?” The description “cold-blooded” rolled through my mind. I laughed coldly. If I were truly cold-blooded, his beloved Michelle would have died three years ago. Perhaps taking after her mother, Michelle had an allergic constitution. Children are greedy. She ate a few lemon candies when the adults weren’t paying attention. The red rash almost instantly crawled across her skin. Soon her fair face turned blue and purple. I checked the home surveillance from time to time. When I saw Michelle collapsed on the floor, gasping in pain, I nearly went crazy with fear. I ran more than a dozen red lights and even crashed into a guardrail on the way. Dragging my bloody body home, I gave her allergy medicine and called an ambulance before passing out from the pain. The hospital ambulance took both of us away. I had a severe concussion and three broken ribs. It took a month before I could get out of bed. And during that month, Wesley never came to see me once. Later I broke down and demanded to know why. Wesley glanced at me indifferently. “You didn’t die, did you?” “You’re a grown woman who can’t even drive properly. Whose fault is it when something happens?” “Michelle’s condition was more serious. She hasn’t been able to eat properly for days.” “By the way, hurry up and get discharged. Michelle says she wants to eat your cooking.” He was always like this. When he needed me, I could be a doctor, a cook, a nanny for his household. Just never his respected and beloved wife. I said nothing and walked into Michelle’s room. Her face was flushed red with fever. I took off her clothes and wiped her palms and neck with alcohol, then found fever medicine and fed it to her. The fever subsided quickly. The moment she opened her eyes, Wesley pushed me aside and picked up Michelle. “You scared Daddy to death.” “Do you still feel bad?” Michelle’s gaze was still somewhat dazed, but she instinctively hugged Wesley’s neck. In her sweet voice: “Daddy, thank you for taking care of me. You worked hard.” “Not hard at all. As long as you’re healthy, I’ll do anything.” I stood to the side, smiling until tears fell. Hearing my voice, the father and daughter turned to look at me. I stared at Michelle. “Michelle, I’m the one who took care of you. What did he work hard at?” “These five years, I’ve cared for and loved you like a daughter. What did he work hard at?” “Working hard at missing the mother who died giving birth to you?” Wesley’s expression cracked inch by inch. The anger on his face could almost burn down the entire world. “Lena, have you lost your mind?” He covered Michelle’s ears and glared at me furiously. I calmed down and tugged at the corner of my mouth. “I’ve just thought things through.” “Wesley, someone will deliver the divorce papers to your office.”

Leaving that room that made me sick, my heart suddenly felt lighter. Actually, I’d had enough years ago. I started packing overnight. Wesley was truly angry. After coaxing Michelle to sleep, he went straight back to his room. He habitually ignored me, just as he had throughout these years of marriage. I’d also gotten used to his indifference. After packing my and my son’s belongings, I went to the study. When the company was first established, I held quite a few initial shares. Even though Wesley had deliberately diluted them later, the shares I held were enough to overturn the balance of power in the company. After taking out what belonged to me, I found a drawer full of letters. I randomly opened one. They were all letters he’d written to Lester. In every letter, he mentioned my son and me. Seeing the content inside, I finally understood the reason for his favoritism. “I’m raising our daughter very well. Don’t worry, I won’t let Lena and her son bully our daughter.” “Michelle can say ‘mama’ now. Every night I hold up your photo and tell her you’re her real mother.” “Lena is just a live-in nanny taking care of her.” Every sentence, every word was like a blade stabbing into my heart. The fact that Michelle was his biological daughter made my stomach churn. I felt so sick I bent over and dry-heaved. Through thick and thin together until now, I’d given everything. Ten years of marriage, but it was full of lies. Suppressing intense nausea, I photographed all the letters that could serve as evidence. Then I tore them up one by one. As shredded paper scattered across the floor, Wesley pushed the door open. His expression changed, but it all turned into the annoyance and disgust that settled between his brows. “Lena, where are your manners?” “Who told you to touch my things?” I looked at him calmly. His frown deepened. “What are you looking at? Why aren’t you going to take care of Michelle?” In my hand, I still clutched the last letter he’d written yesterday. In that letter, he’d even arranged to be buried with Lester after death. Smiling, I slowly and firmly tore the last letter into pieces before his eyes. “Wesley, I wish you and Lester happiness and harmony in your future days. May your family of three be blissful forever.” “I’ll fulfill your perfect love story. I wish you an early reunion.”

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I had a top-tier bodyguard, Liam Stone, for ten years. He turned against me with a blade, all for the housekeeper’s daughter. Without a second thought for our history, I ordered his tendons severed, crippling him and exiling him from New York. The comments section nearly exploded: 【Seraphina Shaw is too cruel! Liam protected her for ten years, and the one time he didn’t choose her, she destroys him?】 【Her love is terrifying. If she can’t have it, she’ll ruin it. What’s wrong with Liam saving his beloved?】 【Liam, run! This wicked woman doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Go to Chloe Davis; she’s your salvation!】 Me, cruel? A traitor who backstabbed his master for an outsider, I thought the punishment was too light. I scoffed, publicly tearing up his lifelong employment contract, and had all his belongings burned. Then, I headed to the underground fight club and picked out the craziest, most ruthless psycho I could find. A month later, Liam heard the news and rushed over, fighting his way past all the bodyguards at the entrance. He knelt on the ground, bloodshot eyes fixed on me, clutching the hem of my dress: “Seraphina, what does that tattooed freak have that I don’t?”

A knife pressed against my throat, the blade resting on my carotid artery. One millimeter closer, and I’d be bleeding out on the spot. “Seraphina, Chloe didn’t mean it. She just accidentally entered your study. She had no idea those were top-secret Shaw family files!” Liam’s eyes were bloodshot as he fiercely shielded the trembling woman behind him, looking at me with utter heartbreak. “Why do you have to be so aggressive? Are you only satisfied if you chop off one of her hands?” Chloe Davis, hiding behind him, was sobbing uncontrollably, clutching his clothes tightly: “Liam, don’t talk back to Seraphina for me. It’s all my fault. I’ll give Seraphina my hand…” “Chloe, don’t be afraid. I’m here. No one can touch you today.” Liam’s voice was laced with an almost sickening sweetness. But when he turned to me, his gaze instantly turned cold. “Seraphina, you’re too cold-blooded. Even if she made a mistake, just kick her out. Why resort to such cruel methods?” I lowered my gaze, looking at the blade against my neck, and suddenly found it amusing. Ten years of investment, only to raise an ungrateful dog that bites its owner. “Liam.” I didn’t even lift an eyelid, my voice calm: “Did I ever teach you, as the head bodyguard of the Shaw family, what happens when you point a knife at me?” Liam froze for a moment, a flicker of struggle in his eyes. But feeling Chloe’s trembling behind him, he tightened his grip on the hilt again. “Seraphina, you gave me this life. I’ll give it back to you if I must. But today, I have to take Chloe with me.” He lifted his chin, an air of righteous defiance about him. He thought I’d compromise, as I had in the past, out of consideration for our ten years together. Unfortunately, he miscalculated. I was silent for a long time, then let out a sneer. “Fine.” I took a step back, avoiding the blade, then raised my hand and casually snapped my fingers. Almost instantly, sixteen dark figures emerged like shadows from the corners of the grand hall, surrounding Liam and Chloe. This was the Shaw family’s elite bodyguard unit, every single one of them Liam’s former subordinate. Liam’s face changed drastically; he finally realized something was wrong: “Seraphina, you…” “Since you want to be her knight in shining armor, then return everything the Shaw family gave you.” I stared at him coldly, as if looking at an inanimate object. “Do it. Sever his hand and foot tendons. Cripple him.” The comments section was frantically scrolling, nearly exploding: 【Seraphina Shaw is too cruel! Liam protected her for ten years, and the one time he didn’t choose her, she destroys him?】 【Her love is terrifying. If she can’t have it, she’ll ruin it. What’s wrong with Liam saving his beloved?】 【Liam, run! This wicked woman doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Go to Chloe Davis; she’s your salvation!】 “Seraphina! You’re crazy!” Liam roared in disbelief. But he had no room to resist. To protect Chloe Davis, he was restrained, and in less than three rounds, two bodyguards had him pinned to the ground. “Ah—!” Accompanied by Chloe’s shrill scream, the muffled sound of a blade tearing through flesh rang out. Liam let out an extremely suppressed cry of agony, curling up on the ground in pain, his limbs twitching weakly.

The comments section went absolutely wild: 【How is this any different from treating the male lead like a dog?! This is literally abuse!】 【Liam is so tragic. He sacrificed everything for love, Seraphina Shaw, you’ll regret this!】 Regret? I coldly watched Liam’s face, pale as paper and slick with cold sweat. The butler, quick on the uptake, handed me a document. It was Liam’s lifelong employment contract, representing the highest position within the Shaw family, second only to me. I tore the contract to shreds in front of him, along with his expensive clothes and custom weapons from his room, ordering them all thrown into the outdoor fire pit. Flames shot into the sky, illuminating Liam’s desperate and humiliated face. “Throw him, and the woman behind him, out of the Shaw estate like trash.” I picked up a damp towel nearby and slowly wiped the side of my neck where his knife had rested. “Get out of New York. Don’t defile my territory again.” After Liam was thrown out, all the servants and bodyguards dared not speak, even breathing cautiously. No one had expected that Liam, whom Seraphina had favored for ten years, almost universally assumed to become half the master of the Shaw family, would be crippled and discarded like this. The butler, bracing himself, came forward to ask for instructions: “Seraphina, the head of the bodyguard unit is vacant. Would you like to promote someone from the deputies, or…” “Prepare the car.” I cut him off, tossing the used towel into the tray. “To the city’s underbelly.” The butler was startled: “You want to pick someone yourself?” There could be no vacancy by my side. What’s more, I didn’t like using secondhand goods. The head bodyguard had to be someone I personally selected, an absolutely loyal dog. New York’s underground fight club reeked of blood, cheap tobacco, and sickening sweat. This was the city’s most chaotic, darkest, lawless zone. The club owner, terrified by my presence, scrambled out to greet me, fawningly presenting a roster, recommending a large number of so-called top fighters and retired mercenaries. I coldly watched the people in the iron cages, fighting to a bloody pulp for a few thousand dollars, flipping through more than a dozen pages of the roster without finding anyone suitable. Too weak. None of them were what I wanted. Feeling annoyed, I stood up to leave. Just as I was about to step out of the private box, a bone-cracking sound, so grating it made my teeth ache, suddenly echoed from the octagonal iron cage below. This was followed by a deafening collective gasp from the entire crowd. I turned my head, my gaze falling. Inside the iron cage, a blood-soaked man was like a wild beast, fiercely biting his opponent’s throat. His opponent was a behemoth weighing over two hundred pounds more than him, yet he was locked onto the ground in an incredibly twisted, utterly reckless posture, eyes rolling back, on the verge of asphyxiation. The man’s upper body was bare, his pale skin covered in dense, writhing black thorn tattoos. They extended all the way up his neck, exuding an extreme wickedness and savagery. “Seraphina, don’t look at him,” the owner quickly explained, wiping sweat from his forehead. “That’s just an untamed madman. He doesn’t even have a name, just the codename ‘Wild Dog.’ He bites everyone, doesn’t obey orders at all. He bit a handler to death just last week…” The owner was still rambling, but I raised my wrist, cutting him off. I walked to the edge of the iron cage, observing him. Just then, the bloodthirsty madman seemed to sense something. Under the blinding spotlight, I met a pair of dark, ruthless eyes, filled with an intense, almost obsessive focus. He saw me. In just one second of eye contact, the wild rage in his eyes miraculously subsided. To the incredible astonishment of the entire audience, he crawled to the edge of the wire mesh, kneeling humbly on the ground before my high heels.

His chest heaved violently, guttural gasps escaping his throat. The comments immediately streamed across the screen: 【What the hell? This guy is so disgusting and scary, covered in tattoos like a freak!】 【Seraphina Shaw isn’t going to fall for this monster, is she? Liam might have betrayed her, but at least he’s a cold, handsome guy!】 I ignored the taunting comments, slowly crouching down on the other side of the wire mesh. “Take me with you.” His voice was hoarse. “My name is Ryder Blackwood. Take me with you, and my life is yours.” I raised an eyebrow, looking at those wild, untamed eyes brimming with fervent devotion. “Willing to be my dog?” He nodded frantically, his pupils burning, his breath trembling. I stood up, looking at the stunned owner, and said calmly: “Deal. He’s the one.” After Ryder was brought back to the Shaw estate, he exhibited a terrifying vitality and absolute obedience. I gave him the best medical resources. On the day of his bone-setting surgery, the doctors had prepared general anesthesia, but he gripped the edge of the operating table, stubbornly refusing any anesthetic injections. “Why aren’t you using it?” I asked coldly through the intercom from outside the sterile room. He was drenched in cold sweat, the veins on his neck bulging from the intense pain, but his dark eyes stubbornly gazed at me through the glass: “With the medicine, my mind would be dull. I can’t… I can’t lose consciousness in front of Seraphina.” He was afraid I’d abandon him while he was unconscious. I said nothing, just quietly watched him endure three grueling hours of bone-setting and suturing. Throughout, he bit through his lip, but didn’t utter a single cry of pain, his gaze never leaving me for a second. Less than a week after his injuries healed, I threw him into the Shaw family’s bodyguard training camp. Liam had grown up in the Shaw family, trained systematically, and it took him three full years to pass the ultimate bodyguard leader assessment. Ryder, however, took only half a month. He was like a tireless, pain-immune killing machine, madly absorbing every skill for killing and self-preservation. Combat, firearms, counter-surveillance, extreme off-roading… He grappled in mud and blood. Every time he fell, just hearing my name would inject him with a fervent adrenaline, making him shakily stand up again and pin his opponent fiercely to the ground. The comments section was full of mockery and disdain: 【This isn’t a person at all, it’s a soulless monster, isn’t it?】 【He’s covered in disgusting tattoos and scars. How can he compare to our aloof and noble Liam? Seraphina Shaw is truly blind.】 【A wild dog is just a wild dog, never fit for polite society. Just wait until Liam recovers; he’ll teach him a lesson!】 【Watch out, this mad dog will eventually turn on its master. Seraphina Shaw is playing with fire.】 I looked at these idiotic comments and took a sip of the black coffee on my desk. Aloof and noble? In an arena of death, nobility is the most useless thing. What I needed was an absolutely sharp, unwavering blade, not a bleeding-heart do-gooder. A month later, at New York’s annual elite charity gala. I turned down invitations from other escorts and made a high-profile appearance with a transformed Ryder Blackwood. As soon as we entered the ballroom, the previously bustling venue fell silent for a moment. “Is that the Shaw family’s new bodyguard? His presence is terrifying…” “I heard that the previous one, Liam, was crippled and kicked out. I thought Seraphina would be heartbroken for a while, but I didn’t expect her to replace him so quickly.” “This new guy looks much more ruthless than Liam. Truly Seraphina Shaw’s style…” I picked up a glass of champagne, effortlessly handling the guests who came to make polite conversation. Just then, my peripheral vision caught a commotion in the corner of the hall. I turned my head and met a pair of shocked and humiliated eyes.

Liam Stone was wearing a cheap, ill-fitting suit, like a dutiful security guard, shielding Chloe Davis from the pushing crowd beside him. The moment our eyes met, Liam’s face went white. His gaze was fixed on Ryder Blackwood beside me, watching Ryder stand openly in the spot that had once belonged exclusively to him. The immense sense of loss and humiliation made Liam’s body tremble uncontrollably. Chloe Davis also saw me. Her eyes darted around, and she deliberately pulled Liam, limping over to us. “Seraphina…” Chloe began timidly. “I know you hate me. You threw Liam out of New York; we’ve been struggling so much.” “We only came here today to beg for a job opportunity. Please, have mercy, don’t let anyone blacklist us anymore…” She was feigning helplessness and lying, trying to portray me to the crowd as a bully who ruthlessly persecuted them, while they were star-crossed lovers. Indeed, some strange looks came from the crowd. Liam, seeing Chloe cry, instinctively shielded her behind him: “Seraphina, if you have a problem, come at me. Don’t make it difficult for…” Before he could finish, things took a sudden turn. Ryder Blackwood, who had been silently standing by my side, suddenly took a menacing step forward. He moved with lightning speed; people barely registered his actions, only hearing a loud *bang*! Ryder’s single hand was clamped tightly around Liam’s neck, slamming his entire body violently against the marble wall. The immense impact made Liam groan in pain. He desperately tried to pry Ryder’s fingers off, but found the other man’s arm as hard as steel, unmoving. “Ah! Murder! Let go of Liam!” Chloe shrieked. The entire hall fell silent, everyone stunned by the sudden violence. Ryder tilted his head slightly, his voice chilling: “Who are you to dare address Seraphina by her first name?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “383303”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I spent four years helping Ethan rebuild after bankruptcy, only to watch him propose to my half-sister Vivian at his victory celebration. He said marriage could only be for Vivian. I was nothing more than his most obedient pawn. Vivian deliberately framed me for causing her miscarriage, then had someone inject me with poison. He witnessed it all with his own eyes, yet he chose to believe her over me. At the engagement party, surveillance footage revealed the truth, exposing her cruelty for all to see. Ethan collapsed in regret, kneeling before me and begging for reconciliation. But I simply took the arm of my new lover, Adrian Luton, and smiled faintly. “Ethan, it’s too late.” Lily’s POV When Ethan Sterling’s family went bankrupt and everyone said the former genius would never rise again, I was the only one who stood by him without hesitation. I believed he could start over. I believed he could make a comeback and reclaim his place at the top, restoring the Sterling name. Four years later, he proved me right. Not only did Ethan pay off all his debts, but he took Sterling Tech to new heights. After four years, he stood at the pinnacle of power once more, his glory unmatched. Everyone marveled at how Ethan truly was a genius, different from ordinary people. “Lily, your suffering has finally paid off,” my friend Sophie called excitedly. “Ethan’s been working himself to death these past years just so he could marry you in style, right? I heard he’s planning to propose tonight at the victory party. Did he give you any hint about this huge event?” Ethan was planning to propose tonight at the victory party? My heart skipped a beat. I knew about the party. It was to celebrate Sterling Tech successfully securing that crucial project. But a proposal… he’d been secretly planning this? “He didn’t tell me. Maybe he wants to surprise me,” I said, unable to hide the smile on my lips. “I have to go. I’m picking up the gift I prepared for him.” After hanging up, I accepted the deep blue velvet box from the clerk. Inside was a pair of cufflinks, platinum settings inlaid with two perfectly cut black diamonds. I’d had these custom-made specifically to celebrate Ethan’s success with this project. But I never expected he would propose at this very party. At the thought, warmth flooded my chest like honey. I tucked away the jewelry box and was about to leave when a familiar voice drifted from behind a marble column nearby. “Is everything ready?” It was Ethan. “All set, Mr. Sterling. This is the ring custom-made according to your design and specifications. Please take a look.” His design? So for tonight’s proposal, he’d even personally designed the ring. He was just like me. We both wanted to surprise each other tonight. My heart grew even sweeter, and I looked forward to the party even more. I was debating whether to go over and greet him when I heard the voice of Ethan’s friend Marcus, tinged with amusement. “Wonder if Vivian will be more happy or surprised when she sees this ring you designed for her?” I felt like I’d been nailed to the spot, my mind suddenly blank. Vivian… my half-sister? Marcus asked curiously, “You specifically invited Vivian to tonight’s party, but I’ll be there too. Aren’t you afraid Lily will see you propose to another woman and make a scene?” The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Then I heard Ethan reply in a tone so calm it was almost indifferent, “She won’t know. I’ll find an excuse to keep her away.” Marcus sighed. “Four years ago when the Sterling family went bankrupt and everyone thought you were finished, only Lily believed in you. She stayed by your side through four years of hardship, even sold the sapphire necklace her grandmother left her to cover project expenses… Does all that still not compare to the girl who saved your life when you were young?” “During the hardest times, Lily was willing to stay with me. She’s been very good to me,” Ethan said after several seconds of silence. “I can give her anything. But marriage… I just can’t.” Marcus sighed heavily. “Fine. Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say more.” Soon the sound of footsteps faded from behind the column. I leaned against the cold jewelry counter, my fingers trembling, my blood freezing instantly. I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. My phone buzzed at that moment. A message from Ethan. “Lily, there’ll be a lot of drinking at tonight’s party, and you’ve been having stomach trouble. You’ve never liked these social events anyway. Stay home and wait for me, okay? I’ll come straight back after the party.” I stared at those words, cold spreading from deep within, a sharp pain stabbing through me. Slowly, I lifted my stiff fingers and typed: “Okay.”

Lily’s POV Perhaps because I still held onto a thread of hope, I couldn’t bring myself to believe Ethan would really propose to another woman. Even less could I believe that woman would be my half-sister. In the end, I still went to the hotel hosting the victory party. I found a server, paid them, and changed into their uniform with a mask. I slipped into the banquet hall without trouble. The hall was crowded. Everyone wore flattering smiles as they raised their glasses to the outstanding man at the center of the crowd. Ethan wore the suit I’d personally ironed that morning. He stood tall, conversing easily, his expression full of confidence and success. The emcee took the stage and made some opening remarks. Then Ethan took the microphone, his magnetic voice carrying clearly through the speakers to every corner. “Thank you all for being here. My company’s success today wouldn’t be possible without your support. But for me personally, there’s something even more important I want to share tonight, and I hope to receive your blessings.” His gaze shifted to the crowd below, landing on Vivian. She wore a silver sequined mermaid gown, her makeup flawless and elegant. Ethan walked toward her, took her hand under everyone’s gaze, and led her to the center of the room. “These past four years, I’ve faced many setbacks, but one person has always supported me and given me strength. Her name is Vivian.” He looked at the woman beside him, her cheeks flushing. “Without her, I might not be standing here today.” In the corner of the hall, my heart sank. Then I watched as Ethan reached into his jacket and pulled out a deep blue box. He opened it. A diamond ring sparkled brilliantly under the lights. The ring’s design was intricate and gorgeous, clearly made with tremendous care. As everyone held their breath, Ethan knelt on one knee before Vivian. “Vivian,” he said with deep emotion, “will you marry me?” Vivian covered her mouth with her hands, tears spilling from her eyes as she nodded emphatically. “Yes!” The room erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers. I stood in the shadows, watching the embracing couple, my nails digging deep into my palms. I felt no pain. So these four years, Vivian had been his most important pillar of support? It was Vivian who constantly encouraged him, supporting him until today? Then what about me? What did my years of companionship and sacrifice mean? Was it all just a stupid joke? I tried to smile, but the curve of my lips was bitter. I didn’t rush over screaming to ruin this carefully prepared proposal. Instead, I turned silently and left this ceremony that was never meant for me. The April night wind felt cold. I wandered the streets like a ghost, with no destination. I don’t know how long I walked before a bridal shop window caught my eye. A pristine wedding gown on a mannequin looked beautiful in the warm yellow light, like an unreal dream. Memory’s floodgates suddenly opened. I remembered during our most desperate days, Ethan and I passed by an upscale bridal boutique, and I couldn’t help stealing a few glances. Noticing my longing for the wedding dress, Ethan squeezed my hand tightly and said, “Lily, I’m sorry I can’t give you much right now. But in the future, I’ll personally design you a one-of-a-kind wedding gown and make you the most beautiful, happiest bride in the world.” Back then, the light in his eyes had been so bright and genuine. So I believed him and willingly gave everything for that promise. But now, he’d slipped his personally designed ring onto another woman’s finger. Well, he did say he’d design me a unique wedding gown to make me the happiest bride. He just never said I’d be his bride. My chest ached unbearably again, tears blurring my vision. My trust in him had become one enormous joke. Just then, my phone rang. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, but I recognized it. I was about to decline when my finger hovering over the screen suddenly hesitated. I took a deep breath, composed myself, and answered. “Hello.” “Lily, I apologize for calling so late, but I truly admire your talent. Our company sincerely invites you to join us. Whatever conditions you name, I can agree to them. Won’t you reconsider?” They’d called multiple times offering me this opportunity. This time, I suddenly didn’t want to refuse for Ethan’s sake anymore. After a pause, I said, “Alright. I accept your offer.” They were clearly surprised by my decisive answer. “Really?” “Give me some time to handle things on my end.”

Lily’s POV I returned to the penthouse I currently shared with Ethan and left the cufflink box on the shoe cabinet before heading to the bedroom. I barely slept until dawn. The next day, as I was preparing to leave, I noticed the gift box on the cabinet hadn’t moved. Clearly, Ethan hadn’t come home all night. I stared at it quietly for a few seconds, then left it there and headed out. News of Ethan’s proposal had spread throughout the company. “Lily!” The moment I stepped through the company entrance, Sophie rushed over angrily and pulled me into the break room without a word. “What’s going on? How could Ethan propose to Vivian? Has he lost his mind? Who is this Vivian anyway? Where did she come from?” Sophie was a friend from college who’d joined Sterling Tech two years ago. Now we were both friends and colleagues. In the entire company, besides Ethan’s assistant, only Sophie knew about my relationship with Ethan. Just as I opened my mouth to answer, someone knocked on the break room door. Ethan’s assistant stood outside. “Lily, Mr. Sterling would like to see you in his office.” I patted Sophie’s shoulder reassuringly. “I’ll explain later.” Outside the CEO’s office, the assistant announced, “Mr. Sterling, Lily is here.” “Lily.” Ethan immediately rose from behind his desk, walked over in a few strides, took my hand, and led me into the office. His tone was apologetic. “I had too much to drink at the party last night and ended up sleeping at the hotel. I couldn’t come back to be with you. Did you eat breakfast on time? Your stomach’s been bothering you. You’re not mad at me, are you?” I didn’t know if he’d really gotten drunk and slept at the hotel. I didn’t want to ask. I gently withdrew my hand and held out what I’d brought. “If you’re worried I’m angry, just sign this.” “What is it?” Ethan took it curiously. When he saw what I’d handed him, he looked up at me in surprise. “A resignation letter? You’re resigning?” “Yes.” I offered no further explanation. Ethan seemed puzzled by my sudden resignation, but seeing my calm expression, not looking like I was throwing a tantrum, his face relaxed. Something seemed to occur to him. “You’re right. These four years you’ve been with me, you haven’t had a proper day off. Now that the company’s on solid footing with plenty of talented people, it makes sense for you to resign and rest.” He smiled. “After all, I can give you everything now.” He picked up his pen and signed the approval line. “There. Submit this to HR, finish your handover, and you won’t need to come to the office anymore.” He handed back the resignation letter, his tone light. “I’ll take you to lunch. What do you feel like eating?” “Mr. Sterling!” Before I could respond, the assistant rushed in. He approached Ethan and said quietly, “Miss Lynn is here. She says she needs to see you. She’s downstairs.” Ethan’s expression changed. He turned to me. “Lily, something urgent came up. I need to step out.” He didn’t even wait for my response before grabbing his jacket from the chair and hurrying out of the office. Watching his retreating figure, I clutched the resignation letter tighter. Come to think of it, my current career success was all because of him. Because I’d fallen for him at first sight and learned he was a leading figure in artificial intelligence, I’d applied to the same engineering university without hesitation, diving headfirst into boring algorithms and code. Through four years of college, I achieved excellent results, which gave me opportunities to discuss topics with him and get closer to him. Later, when the Sterling family collapsed, I brought all my love and courage to live with him in a shabby little apartment. We crammed into that tiny room, pulling countless all-nighters together, discussing programming algorithms, celebrating every breakthrough with hugs. Those days and nights fighting side by side, built on our combined efforts, ultimately formed the solid foundation of today’s Sterling Tech, allowing the company to transform and return to everyone’s view. I thought after four years together, I’d entered his heart. But in the end, he passionately proposed to another woman. The pain in my chest spread. I took a deep breath and put away the resignation letter. Walking out of the building, the sunlight was a bit harsh. I squinted, and suddenly saw Ethan by the roadside carefully helping Vivian into a car, then quickly moving to the driver’s seat. “Ethan?” Sophie beside me was furious and about to march over. “What does he think he’s doing? What does he take you for? I’m going to ask him.”

Lily’s POV I hurriedly grabbed Sophie before she could rush over. “Don’t. There’s no need to ask him.” “What do you mean, don’t?” Sophie was angry and anxious, her chest heaving. “Lily, after everything you’ve done for him, how can he treat you like this?” I couldn’t answer her. I just smiled faintly. “Come have a drink with me.” Sophie looked at me, knowing that beneath my calm exterior, my heart was shattered. Her anger turned to heartache. “Let’s go! I’ll drink as much as you want today!” In the noisy bar, I drank one glass after another. The harsh liquid burned down my throat, scorching my stomach, but it couldn’t warm my gradually freezing heart. After drinking for who knows how long, I got up to use the restroom. Leaning against the sink, I looked at my disheveled reflection with reddened eyes in the mirror. I tried to smile but couldn’t. As I walked out of the restroom, a figure stumbled toward me, nearly knocking me over. I frowned and stepped back, looking up at the person. It was Kevin, also a friend of Ethan’s. He’d clearly had quite a bit to drink too, his face flushed from alcohol. “Isn’t this Lily?” Kevin squinted, recognizing me, and slapped my shoulder hard. “Looking for Ethan? Come on, he’s inside. I’ll take you to him!” Before I could refuse, Kevin pulled me around the corridor to a private room door. “Ethan, look who I brought!” Kevin pushed open the door with a flourish. The laughter inside stopped abruptly. Everyone’s eyes turned toward us. Seven or eight people sat inside, all Ethan’s close friends. Marcus was there too. Ethan sat in the middle of the sofa, and right beside him, pressed close, was Vivian in an elegant dress. At that moment, Ethan’s hand was still holding Vivian’s. They looked very intimate. Time seemed to freeze. Ethan’s smile stiffened. The others exchanged glances. The atmosphere instantly turned cold. Kevin belatedly realized what he’d done. He slapped his forehead, the alcohol shock sobering him up. “Oh no, wait, that’s not… Lily, I…” Before he could finish, I turned and walked away without a word. “Lily!” Ethan’s expression changed. He quickly stood and chased after me. In the corridor, Ethan grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, forcing me to face him. “Lily, why are you here? And why did you leave as soon as you saw me?” I looked up at him. “If I’d stayed, wouldn’t it have been awkward for everyone?” Ethan was silent for a moment before saying, “Did someone… tell you something?” “Does someone need to tell me?” I smiled. “You proposed to Vivian. All your friends know. It’s all over the company. You never planned to hide it. You’re just waiting for me to leave on my own so you two can get married smoothly, right?” “It’s not what you think!” Ethan interrupted, urgently trying to explain. “Vivian is the heiress to the Lynn family empire. She saved my life before. These four years, she’s used the Lynn family connections to help me secure many resources. She’s made enemies because of it. I owe her too much.” “So what does that have to do with me?” “Her only wish is to marry me. I’m marrying her to repay that debt.” He gripped my shoulders with both hands. “Lily, don’t you know who I’ve had in my heart all these years? As long as you don’t mind her existence, nothing between us will change. We’ll be just like before.” I froze, finding it unbelievable. “So you’re saying you want me to be the mistress in your marriage to someone else?” Ethan’s expression stalled. He wanted to argue, but his words were interrupted by a sudden voice. “Ethan, what are you doing here?” Vivian walked gracefully toward us.

Lily’s POV Hearing her voice, Ethan quickly composed himself and dropped his hands from my shoulders. Noticing this, I couldn’t help but curl my lips mockingly. Reaching us, Vivian’s gaze swept between us before she asked curiously, “Ethan, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Ethan frowned, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He said somewhat unnaturally, “This is… Lily. My work colleague.” Hearing his introduction, I found it absurd and laughable. Four years of shared hardship, four years of unreserved devotion. In his mouth, it all became just “work colleague.” Ethan avoided my gaze and turned to ask Vivian, “Why did you come out?” Vivian said coquettishly, “I saw you run out and thought something happened. I wanted to check on you.” As she spoke, she naturally linked her arm through Ethan’s. Ethan’s body stiffened. He glanced at me hesitantly, his lips moving slightly as if wanting to say something. But I didn’t give him the chance. Without looking back, I turned and left. After leaving the bar, I didn’t return to the penthouse. Instead, I went to the shabby apartment where Ethan and I had lived together for four years. Using my key to open the door, the scent of old times washed over me. This small apartment wasn’t large. Only about 500 square feet, one bedroom and a living room. But it was filled with our difficult yet sweet memories. I remembered once when Ethan hugged me from behind, resting his chin on my head, and said softly, “Lily, I’m sorry you have to live here with me. In the future, I’ll give you the best of everything in the world.” Later, when the AI system we developed together launched and achieved great success in the industry, helping Ethan make his comeback, he asked what reward I wanted. I only asked for this apartment. Because this apartment held special meaning for me. So Ethan bought it, and I kept the key. Now it seemed that meaning was just a mocking joke. I curled up on the small, old sofa in the living room all night. This was my last time reminiscing about our past. The next day, I contacted a real estate agent and listed the apartment. “The price is negotiable. My only requirement is completing the transfer as quickly as possible.” “Understood, Lily.” The agent was efficient and came quickly to photograph and appraise the property. After finishing, I locked the apartment door and came downstairs to see an unexpected figure. Vivian leaned against a white sports car, apparently waiting for some time. I had no desire to see her and was about to leave when Vivian suddenly called out to me. “I heard you and Ethan lived here for four years, so this apartment must mean a lot to you, right?” I stopped and slowly turned to face her. “What do you want?” Vivian lowered her head, gently stroking the ring on her finger. Her expression was triumphant. “Even though you and Ethan went through a lot together, unfortunately, I’m the one he’s marrying. We’ll be starting wedding preparations soon.” “Congratulations then,” I answered coldly. “I wish you both happiness. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.” “Lily, you never expected this, did you? You stayed with him through four years of hardship, but you still lost to me.” My chest ached in waves, but I suddenly laughed. My laughter sounded so cold. “You’ve loved stealing from me since we were children. Stealing my man as an adult. What’s so surprising? After all, you and your mother Jade are alike. You both love stealing other people’s men.” Seeing Vivian’s sudden rage, I found it deeply ironic. Ethan never knew that the Lynn family’s true heir wasn’t Vivian-it was me. After my mother died, my father Victor Lynn brought Vivian and her mother into our home to live with us. Vivian had always loved competing with me for everything, and Victor constantly favored Vivian, forcing me to yield again and again. So when I came of age, I changed my surname, severed ties with the Lynn family, and moved out. “Vivian, picking up my leftovers and being so proud of it-doesn’t that disgust you?” After my sarcastic remark, I turned to leave. “Stop right there! What do you mean, your leftovers?” Vivian, enraged, rushed over and grabbed me. “You couldn’t compete with me-you lost to me!” I looked at her disdainfully. “I lost to you?” Vivian gritted her teeth and suddenly sneered coldly. “This time, I’ll make you lose even more thoroughly!” Suddenly, before I could react, Vivian grabbed my hand and pushed herself backward. Then Vivian stumbled back, her back hitting the stairway steps hard, and she let out a painful scream. To any onlooker, it would clearly appear that I’d violently pushed her to the ground. “Vivian!!!”

Lily’s POV Pain shot through my shoulder as I was shoved back two steps by a man rushing toward us. When I steadied myself, I saw Ethan cradling Vivian in his arms. “Vivian, are you okay? Where does it hurt?” I’d never heard such panic in Ethan’s voice before. “My stomach… my stomach hurts so much…” Vivian looked like she was in terrible pain, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Following her gesture, Ethan looked down and saw dark red blood flowing down from the top of her thighs. I saw it too. That glaring red was like lightning striking my mind, leaving it completely blank. “Ethan, save our baby…” Vivian clutched Ethan’s arm tightly, looking at him through tears. “Please… save our baby…” “Okay, okay, don’t talk. I’m taking you to the hospital!” Ethan scooped Vivian up and rushed toward his car like a madman, not even glancing at me once. I stood there dazed. A baby? They actually… had a child? After hesitating, I still followed them to the hospital. At the hospital, the emergency room doors opened and the doctor walked out, expression grave. Ethan immediately approached. “Doctor, how is she?” “I’m sorry, she’s miscarried. We’ve performed a D&C procedure. She’s not in life-threatening danger and will be transferred to a regular room shortly.” “Miscarried…” Ethan’s tall frame swayed. Then he slowly turned his head, his gaze landing on me in the corner. That look was cold as a knife. As if asking me, why did you do that? I opened my mouth to say something, but just then, rapid footsteps approached from far away. I’d just turned to look when a loud slap landed hard across my face. My cheek exploded in pain, my ears ringing. The force knocked my head to the side, and I tasted blood in my mouth. Seeing this, Ethan rushed over. “Mr. Lynn, what are you doing?” “Stay out of this, Ethan. This is a family matter!” “What?” Facing Ethan’s confusion, Victor didn’t explain. Instead, he turned to me in fury. “Lily, how could you be so vicious? That’s your sister! She was pregnant, and you still went after her!” I covered my swollen face and looked at this man who shared my blood, my biological father.  “I didn’t push her,” I said coldly. “She deliberately fell and framed me.” “How dare you!” Victor trembled with rage. “Vivian has always been kind and considerate. But you! You’ve been selfish since childhood, always competing with Vivian for everything. You’ve hurt her more than once or twice. I think you just can’t stand to see your sister happy!” “I’m selfish? I compete with her? I don’t want her to be happy?” Yes, Victor Lynn was always like this. In his eyes, Vivian was forever kind and considerate. While I, Lily, was forever the unreasonable, petty one. Clearly it was Vivian who loved stealing my things. Clearly it was Vivian who provoked me with her words. But in the end, it was always my fault. He never listened to my explanations, never gave me justice. Jade wailed to Victor, heartbroken. “Vivian lost her baby because of her, and she still wants to make excuses. As their father, shouldn’t you do something for Vivian?” “Since you’re still so vicious, then get back to the Lynn house and face your punishment!” Victor was cold and merciless as he ordered the servants behind him, “Take her back and lock her in the back courtyard. Watch her carefully!” The servants moved to restrain me. I said coldly, “Back off. I’ll walk on my own.” I knew nothing I said would help. No one would believe me. But before the servants took me away, I couldn’t help looking at Ethan. I heard my own hoarse voice ask, “What about you? Do you also not believe I didn’t push her?” Ethan frowned. He said, “I saw you push her with my own eyes. How can I believe you?” I looked at him and suddenly laughed. There was no warmth in my eyes, only the indifference that comes after complete disappointment. Ethan, I really don’t love you anymore.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “383304”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I was reborn at age twenty, on the night of Ethan’s birthday party. In my previous life, to prove I hadn’t driven Mia away, I stood in the rain until I collapsed. I begged Ethan for one glance. Ethan’s reply? Cold mockery. “Victoria, you make me sick.” This life, I’m done revolving around Ethan. Right in front of him, I left the Hayes family without looking back. He watched helplessly as I stood under the spotlight as the Sinclair family heir. When he knelt before me at the top-tier charity gala, begging me to show mercy and withdraw the investigation into Hayes Corporation, I stood arm-in-arm with my fiancé and sneered: “Ethan, now you’re not even worthy of being my servant.” Victoria POV “Miss Victoria Sinclair, you’re not on the guest list.” The security guard stopped me, his voice dripping with disdain. “Ethan gave specific instructions. Tonight’s a private party. The main entrance doesn’t welcome people who aren’t on the list.” I shuddered, the cold jolting me fully awake. I had been reborn! Back to when I was twenty, on the night of Ethan’s birthday party. In my previous life, to explain that I hadn’t driven Mia abroad, I stood humbly in the pouring rain until I collapsed with a high fever and pneumonia, just begging him to look at me once. What I got in return was Ethan’s cold mockery. “Victoria looks just like a beggar who won’t go away.” I looked up toward the floor-to-ceiling windows on the villa’s second floor. The rain blurred my vision. But I knew that inside sat Ethan and his friends, waiting to watch me kneel and beg for mercy. They were making bets on how long I could last this time. After all, I used to be Ethan’s follower. At age ten, I was brought to the Hayes family as a sponsored child. Ethan took my hand and announced in front of everyone, “Victoria is the most important person to me. From now on, this is her home.” At twelve, when I was sick and mentioned wanting red velvet cake from downtown, he braved a typhoon and searched half the city for it. When he brought it back, the cake box was perfectly protected in his arms, not a drop of rain on it, though he was soaked through. At seventeen, at his birthday party, he made a public wish, saying he hoped that year after year, Victoria would be safe and happy. Back then, his eyes were only for me. But all that warmth ended abruptly one night five years ago. Mia was forcibly sent abroad by Ethan’s grandfather because of my testimony. At the airport, Ethan grabbed my throat, his eyes bloodshot as he roared, “Victoria, you drove away the person I love most. You’ll spend the rest of your life paying for it!” From that day on, the boy who promised to protect me forever disappeared. In his place was the demon before me now, finding every way to humiliate me. “Victoria, Ethan says if you stand in the rain for two hours, you can enter through the side door.” The security guard notified me impatiently. The side door was for garbage workers. In my previous life, I had gratefully waited at the side door. But now, I was completely clear-headed. “No need.” I pulled out a special access card from my bag. To demonstrate their benevolence, the Hayes family had issued identity cards to sponsored girls. In my previous life, I treasured it like gold. The guard froze. “What do you mean?” I walked over to the storm drain by the roadside and loosened my grip. The access card dropped into it. “Standing in the rain and all that. No need. I’m an outsider anyway. It’s time I left.” I looked up toward the floor-to-ceiling window. I could imagine their shocked expressions. My lips curved upward involuntarily. The Hayes family’s threshold was too high. I wasn’t worthy, and I no longer cared to be. I turned and walked into the rain. In this second life, I didn’t need to cross that threshold. When I returned to the Hayes house, I was dripping wet all over. In my previous life, I had lived in the servants’ quarters next to the main villa. My room was at the shadowy end of the second floor. When I opened the window, I faced the passage where garbage trucks went by. I used to think this was character-building, the humble station I had to accept as someone being sponsored. But I remembered when I was little, Ethan had pointed to the large suite across from the master bedroom and said, “When Victoria grows up, she’ll live there. I’ll hang all the stars in the window for you.” Later, that room was occupied by Mia when she returned from abroad. And I spent twenty years having nightmares in that cold room next to the housekeeper’s quarters. I had long since repaid everything I owed for being his assistant all these years.

Victoria POV Mia had a large south-facing suite in the main villa. Even the Hayes family dog had a dedicated climate-controlled room. But I lived in a place where sunlight never reached. I had to leave. Not one more minute. I pulled out my suitcase and packed only important documents and a few old clothes. I left all those designer bags and jewelry in the closet. If I was going to make a clean break, it had to be complete. I was still packing when the door burst open. Ethan’s mother, Rachel, walked in with obvious displeasure on her face. “Victoria, what’s gotten into you? Ethan’s had too much to drink. Instead of helping him handle the work crisis at the party, you run off, and now you won’t even prepare his honey lemon water?” In the past, even if I had a high fever, I would rush anxiously to the kitchen. Because Rachel would say, “The Hayes family sponsors you to help share our burdens, not to play princess.” But now, I didn’t even look up, yanking the zipper of my suitcase closed with force. “The housekeeper’s downstairs. Have her get it.” Rachel froze, as if she hadn’t heard correctly. “What did you say? You ungrateful-” “Since you already say I’m ungrateful,” I looked directly at her, “then perfect. I’ll leave right now and stop dirtying the Hayes house.” Rachel was speechless, unable to get words out for a long moment. Just then, the roar of a car engine came from downstairs. Ethan was back. Rachel seemed to find her confidence, immediately switching to a wronged expression and rushing downstairs. “Ethan, that ungrateful girl is getting out of control!” Hearing those footsteps drawing closer, in the past when I heard that sound, I would immediately check my appearance, afraid of displeasing him in any way. Now I just felt annoyed. I picked up my suitcase and headed for the door. Just as I reached it, Mia’s pitiful face appeared in the doorway. She was supporting a reeking-drunk Ethan. Seeing the suitcase in my hand, she covered her mouth in mock surprise. “Victoria, where are you going?” Her eyes darted around as she said, “Ethan has a terrible headache. Won’t you stay to take care of him? Running away from home this late at night?” I said nothing, simply placing the suitcase horizontally between us. Forcing Mia back half a step. Mia retreated behind Ethan looking wronged. I didn’t even glance at her, looking directly at Ethan behind her instead. The man I had loved for a lifetime in my previous life was now staring at me with sinister eyes. The narrow hallway reeked of alcohol. My phone buzzed with a calendar reminder. [Tomorrow: couples’ island getaway.] This was a surprise I had spent three months preparing. Ethan had casually mentioned wanting to go to the beach, and I had taken it to heart. Ironically, in my previous life, tomorrow he took Mia deep-sea fishing. Leaving me alone at home. I closed the reminder and pulled my suitcase past Ethan toward the stairs. A hand pressed down on my suitcase. “Victoria, are you finished yet?” Ethan’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice impatient. “Do you think I’ve been spoiling you too much lately?” I could tell he thought I was scheming, using this method to drive Mia away. “Let go.” I looked at him calmly. “I’m just moving out. Letting you two be together.” “Letting us be together?” Ethan laughed coldly, as if he’d heard the world’s greatest joke. “Where could you go without the Hayes family? Sleep on the streets? Don’t be shameless.” “Victoria, don’t go!” Mia suddenly rushed forward, pretending to mediate but actually grabbing my arm. Her long nails dug cruelly into my flesh, the pain piercing. But her voice was full of tears. “It’s all my fault. Victoria, please don’t be angry with Ethan…” I instinctively jerked my hand away, not using much force at all. But Mia cried out dramatically and fell toward the railing.

Victoria POV “Mia!” Ethan’s expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he shoved me hard. I lost my balance, falling backward with the suitcase. The back of my head slammed hard against the pillar at the stair landing. Searing pain hit me, warm liquid flowing down. The suitcase tumbled down the stairs, its contents scattering everywhere. A sharp cracking sound was particularly jarring. Clutching my bleeding head, I saw the custom gemstone necklace on the floor, broken in two. That was the only token I had when I was brought to the Hayes family, my only clue to my origins. I stared at the broken gemstone pendant on the floor. When I was fifteen, this necklace fell into the lake. Despite his whole family’s objections, Ethan risked diving in himself to retrieve it for me. Soaking wet, he had pressed the necklace into my hand, smiling as he said, “Victoria, even if I lost my own life, I’d protect this for you.” But now, the man who said he’d protect me forever was carefully cradling Mia in his arms. Even seeing the blood on my forehead, his eyes held only disgust. “Victoria, the blood you’re bleeding isn’t worth a fraction of the grievance Mia’s suffered.” Now, he had shattered it with his own hands. The Ethan who would protect me had died in my memories. The one before me was just a thoroughly rotten man. “Stop playing dead. Get up and apologize to Mia!” Ethan roared, not even glancing at me. I endured the intense pain, slowly standing up with the wall’s support. Looking at the broken necklace on the floor, the last bit of affection in my heart shattered along with it. Let it be broken, just like this disgusting relationship. I wiped the blood from my face, didn’t bother with the suitcase. I picked up the gemstone pendant broken in two pieces and walked down the stairs step by step, walking out of the Hayes family’s front door. Behind me came Ethan’s furious roar. “Victoria! If you walk out that door today, don’t ever think about coming back!” I didn’t look back. The late-night streets were empty. I hailed a taxi straight to the hospital. Mild concussion, three stitches. After treating the wound, I used what little money I had left to find a cheap hotel near the hospital. Lying in bed, my head still throbbing, but I felt incredibly light. Even bleeding, I had crawled out of that hell. That night, I slept incredibly well. It was the deepest sleep I’d had in twenty years. When I woke up, I checked my phone and looked at my balance. I had to solve my survival problem immediately. Even if I had to sleep on the streets, I would never go back. After a simple wash, I went to the hospital to change my bandage. The payment window had a long line. When it was my turn, I handed over the supplementary credit card I’d used for five years. The machine beeped an alert. The cashier frowned and swiped it again. “Insufficient balance, or it’s been frozen. Use a different card.” People behind me started getting restless. “Hurry up, what’s the holdup?” I looked at that black card, instantly understanding. This was Ethan’s move. He had frozen my supplementary card, waiting for me to crawl back to him like a dog and beg. The cashier urged impatiently, “Miss, do you have money or not?” I didn’t argue, calmly took back the card. My fingers pressed hard. “Snap.” The card broke in two. I casually tossed it into the nearby trash can. Think freezing my card means I have to go back and kneel? Dream on. “One moment.” I pulled out the few hundred dollars cash I had left, counted out the medical fee, and handed it over. You think stopping my card means I have to go back and grovel? Keep dreaming.

Ethan POV Hayes Corporation headquarters, CEO’s office. I was signing documents, the pen scratching across paper with subtle sounds. My personal assistant Emily carefully reported, “Sir, the bank just sent notification that Victoria’s credit card was declined when paying medical fees.” My pen paused, my lips curving into a smile with no warmth. “Freeze all accounts and supplementary cards under her name.” I didn’t look up, my voice devoid of emotion. “Including the car I gave her access to. Remotely lock everything.” “Understood.” “Penniless,” I closed the folder and tossed it aside on the desk, “I want to see what she can live on in New York. Once she’s suffered enough, she’ll naturally come back and submit.” The next morning at seven, Upper East Side penthouse. I habitually reached for the cufflinks on the nightstand. Came up empty. I frowned, instinctively blurting out, “Victoria.” No response. The bedroom held only the low hum of the central air conditioning. Only then did I remember that woman had left yesterday. A nameless irritation surged up. I grabbed a tie from the walk-in closet at random and went downstairs. On the long dining table sat an elaborate breakfast spread. I picked up the coffee cup beside me and took a sip. Sickeningly sweet, nothing like what I wanted. “Who prepared this coffee?” I set the cup back on the saucer heavily, producing a sharp clink. The housekeeper hurried over from the kitchen direction. “Sir, this is takeout Mia ordered…” Before, all of this was handled personally by Victoria. From the origin and roast of the coffee beans to the water temperature and brown sugar ratio-only she knew my preferences. “Make it again.” I ordered coldly. Did she deliberately mess everything up before leaving? Thinking she could force me to compromise with this childish method? Ridiculous. “Ethan, what’s wrong?” Mia descended the spiral staircase in a light pink silk loungewear set, floating down like a butterfly. Seeing the tie I hadn’t finished knotting, her eyes lit up and she approached attentively. “Let me help? I’ve seen Victoria do it before. Can’t be that hard.” I suppressed my discomfort, not immediately pushing her away. Mia’s fingers fumbled clumsily with the silk fabric. I drew in a sharp breath. Her carefully manicured nail grazed the skin on my neck, leaving an obvious red mark. The Hermès tie also had a pulled thread from her nail. I instinctively stepped back half a step, my expression darkening. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Mia’s eyes immediately reddened, tears appearing on cue. “I just wanted to help… it’s all my fault for being so clumsy…” If it were Victoria, she would never make such a mistake. Looking at that ruined tie, the anger in my chest was barely containable. But I still patiently raised my thumb to wipe the tears from her face, though my tone had completely cooled. “It’s fine. Not your fault.” Getting into the black Maybach waiting at the door, I immediately pulled off the tie Mia had touched and handed it to the driver in the front seat. “Throw it away.” Indeed, some habits and details could only be handled perfectly by that personal assistant who had been with me for three years.

Victoria POV A neighborhood with cheap rent in an old, run-down area. I stood in front of an apartment building with peeling exterior walls. The hallway reeked of damp mildew, large patches of paint flaking off. “Deposit plus first month’s rent, twelve hundred total. Cash only, no transfers.” The landlady was a stocky middle-aged woman, cigarette dangling from her lips, sizing me up and down. Though I wore the most ordinary old T-shirt and jeans, the quality of the fabric seemed to arouse her suspicion. She narrowed her eyes, her tone warning. “You don’t look like you’re from around here. Don’t cause me any trouble, understand?” I had my eye on a single room on the top floor. The room was tiny, less than a hundred square feet, but it had an independent window. “I don’t have enough cash right now.” I was honest, removing a simple pearl earring from my earlobe. This wasn’t from Ethan. I had bought this inexpensive accessory with money from my own part-time jobs. “Hold this as collateral. Give me one day.” The landlady glanced at it disdainfully. “What’s this worth? Flea market junk?” I didn’t back down, looking directly into her eyes. “I’m getting a job right away. This time tomorrow, I’ll have the money.” The landlady seemed taken aback by my gaze. “Fine, one day!” She grumbled impatiently and tossed me a rusty key. “If I don’t see the money this time tomorrow, get out immediately!” Standing in the narrow, dim hallway, I gripped that cold key tightly. As long as I had a place to stay, I could survive. I opened the job search app on my phone. Ethan had definitely spread the word in his circles. I didn’t need to bother with legitimate major companies for now. My finger scrolled across the screen, finally stopping on an inconspicuous job posting: A top-tier private auction house with mysterious backing, hiring part-time authenticators, no background required, only professional ability. I pulled up a photo from my phone’s cloud storage. It was my advanced authentication certification. I had secretly earned it in my previous life to assist Ethan. Once, these eyes were used to verify authenticity for him, to avoid risks. Now, they would be my foundation for survival. Auction house back warehouse. I wore white cotton gloves, carefully holding a porcelain vase, examining it closely under the light for a moment. “The imitation work is very sophisticated,” I set down the vase, my tone calm and certain, “but the details are wrong. It’s a fake.” The shop owner was a thin middle-aged man. He had been leaning back in his chair, but now leaned forward slightly, surprise flashing in his eyes. “Good eye.” He opened a drawer and pushed a kraft paper envelope across the desk. “This is today’s payment.” I accepted the envelope, feeling its thickness with my fingertips. Not much, a few hundred dollars, but this money was clean and solid. This was money that belonged entirely to me, Victoria. On my way home from work, I passed a convenience store and used the money I’d just earned to buy two discounted, near-expiry breads. Just as I walked out of the store, a bright red Ferrari screeched to a stop in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing a face with elaborate makeup written all over with mockery. She was from Ethan’s circle, had often joined in ridiculing me before. “Well, if it isn’t our Mr. Hayes’s ‘all-purpose assistant’?” She raised her voice deliberately, drawing the attention of passersby. “How have you fallen to eating this kind of near-expiry bread? Did Ethan kick you out?” She raised her phone, pointing it at me. “Come on, smile for the camera! I’ll post it in the group chat so everyone can crowdfund to buy you a decent dinner, so you don’t starve to death on the street and embarrass Ethan.” I stepped forward, calmly facing her camera. “Get a clear shot.” I took a bite of the bread in my hand, speaking deliberately. “Perfect timing for your friends to see just how peaceful and free my life is without Ethan.” The woman froze, clearly not expecting this reaction. “Also,” I raised my hand and pointed to the traffic surveillance camera above her car, “this is a no-parking zone. The fine and penalty points should arrive at your address very soon. Drive safe. No need to see you off.” “You-!” She was speechless with anger. Behind her, the blocked traffic started honking impatiently. The woman glared at me viciously, rolled up her window, and floored the accelerator to leave. I walked down the street with my bread, eating it carefully, bite by bite. Their mockery and humiliation meant far less to me than this food I had earned myself.

Victoria POV The entire upper-class social circle was buzzing about the upcoming “Metropolitan Charity Night” gala. Only those who received exclusive invitations were qualified to step through those doors. Rumor had it that the notoriously private top billionaire would also attend, making everyone scramble for entry tickets. While organizing materials at the auction house, my boss handed me a special work pass. “The gala organizers urgently need an on-site special consultant appraiser.” The boss looked at me. “I’ve seen your professional performance in the shop. They specifically requested someone sharp-eyed who can command the room. I recommended you.” I accepted the work pass stamped with “Special Expert,” my fingers pausing slightly. I knew Ethan would definitely be there. That was his familiar battlefield, his arena for displaying status. “Not going?” the boss asked. “The compensation is quite generous. Enough to cover half a year of your apartment rent.” “I’ll go.” I hung the work pass around my neck. Why wouldn’t I go? Before, I attended as Ethan’s female companion, needing to read his moods, needing to network for him, needing to worry whether my dress and behavior were “worthy” of him. This time, I was going as a professional to work and earn compensation. Nothing shameful about that. Looking at the clear text on the work pass, I found it far more pleasing than any companion invitation as someone’s accessory. The night of the gala, Midtown Manhattan, the hotel’s red carpet stretched out, camera flashes illuminating the night sky like daylight. I arrived early, heading toward the inconspicuous employee entrance on the side. In my hand was a black briefcase containing professional tools and materials. Card swipe, identity verification, the passage door’s green light illuminated. I pushed through the door expressionlessly. Just as I entered the side door, my peripheral vision caught the end of the red carpet where a black Bentley Mulsanne slowly came to a stop. Ethan emerged in a perfectly tailored suit, followed by Mia in full formal attire taking his arm. She wore a complete set of diamond jewelry, smiling brilliantly for the cameras, as if she’d already won the whole world. Inside the gala hall. I wore a proper black professional suit and white cotton gloves, focused on examining several important lots about to be featured in the designated display area. A slight commotion and deliberately lowered laughter came from nearby. I looked up to see Mia holding Ethan’s arm, standing with several socialites. In front of them was a classical oil painting. Mia seemed eager to show off, her voice carrying clearly. “…The colors are so vibrant, clearly a masterpiece from the peak of Impressionism.” The socialites exchanged meaningful glances. No one responded. The atmosphere grew awkward. Impressionism and Renaissance classicism were worlds apart. This was entry-level knowledge. Ethan’s expression seemed to darken. He discreetly withdrew his arm and said something to Mia before turning to walk away. Mia stood alone, her smile somewhat stiff. After a while, Mia wandered over to my area with a glass of red wine. She spotted me immediately, her eyes first flashing with astonishment, then replaced by a mixture of contempt and excitement. She walked straight over, stopping in front of me, her wrist suddenly tilting. Splash. Half a glass of red wine spilled onto the polished marble floor, a few drops of deep red liquid splashing onto my pant leg. “Waitress,” she raised her voice, finger pointing at me, tone full of mockery, “come clean this up. What, didn’t Ethan give you living expenses? You’ve actually fallen so low as to work as waitstaff here. How utterly humiliating.”

Victoria POV I didn’t even furrow my brow, speaking calmly into the miniature earpiece clipped to my collar. “Guest in Zone C near the display platform accidentally spilled beverages. Cleaning staff needed immediately.” My disregard completely enraged her. She suddenly reached out, trying to grab the work pass on my chest. “I’m talking to you! Are you deaf? A bottom-tier worker pretending to be something here!” I sidestepped smoothly, avoiding her. Her hand grasped empty air, her body swaying from momentum. I raised my eyes, my gaze cold and sharp, then pointed with my white-gloved hand to a crown inside the glass display case behind me. “This diamond crown has a starting bid marked at two million eight hundred thousand dollars.” My voice wasn’t loud, but clear enough. “If it’s damaged, I imagine even Mr. Hayes wouldn’t be happy to shoulder that compensation responsibility for you.” Mia’s hand froze mid-air, her face instantly pale. That figure was like ice water, extinguishing all her arrogance. She looked into my calm, unwavering eyes, seeming to clearly realize for the first time that my gaze had long since moved past her to places she could never reach. Just then, Ethan apparently noticed the commotion here and strode over with a dark expression. His gaze passed over Mia and landed directly on me. I was conversing quietly with two collectors who had arrived early and were interested in the lots, answering some professional questions. Ethan approached, obvious anger on his face. He eventually cornered me in the lounge off the side hall. “Is this your tactic?” Ethan looked down at me, his eyes full of disgust. “Running to my territory to play independent woman?” I straightened my cuffs, my expression indifferent. “Ethan, I’m a consultant hired by the organizers. Your female companion, on the other hand, nearly destroyed an exhibit.” “Shut up.” Ethan didn’t listen to explanations at all. “Are you this desperate for money? So desperate you’d come to this kind of complicated place to show yourself off?” He pulled out a card from inside his jacket and tossed it carelessly onto the table. “Take it. Leave immediately. Stop embarrassing yourself here.” I didn’t even glance at the card. “I don’t need money.” I raised my head, looking directly into Ethan’s eyes. “I thought I had already severed ties with the Hayes family.” Ethan laughed coldly, his eyes sinister. “Severed ties? What do you have that wasn’t given by the Hayes family? Without the Hayes family, you couldn’t even get through this door.” My hand reached into my collar, pulling out the gemstone necklace that had been broken in two and barely repaired. This was something I had before coming to the Hayes family, the only token my biological parents left me. It was also my only spiritual anchor when I suffered grievances in the Hayes family. “This is mine.” My voice was resolute. “Other than this, I didn’t take a single thing from the Hayes family.” Just then, the lounge door was suddenly pushed open. Mia rushed in. Seeing that necklace, her eyes shifted and she shrieked, “Isn’t that the necklace Rachel said was lost? So you stole it!” I gripped the necklace tightly. “What nonsense are you talking! This was left to me by my parents!” “You’re lying!” Mia rushed over, grabbing Ethan’s sleeve, crying like her heart was breaking. “Ethan, last time Rachel was so upset about losing this necklace she ended up hospitalized. Victoria, how could you do this? Stealing is one thing, but using your dead parents as a shield.” Ethan was annoyed by the crying, but he was even more disgusted by my attitude of wanting to settle accounts with him just now. “Hand it over.” Ethan extended his hand. “Ethan, you know perfectly well. ” I looked at him in disbelief. “A broken pendant, and you’d use it as an excuse to lie?” Ethan snatched the gemstone pendant from my hand. That was my last line. I tried to grab it back, but Ethan shoved me away. Ethan strode to the balcony edge. He held up the pendant, his eyes ice cold. “Since it’s stolen goods, no one gets it. This should wake you up and make you recognize your place.” His hand opened.The gemstone pendant traced an arc through the air, disappearing into the pitch-black rainy night. I didn’t scream, didn’t chase after it. I stood there, my blood seeming to freeze. The last glimmer of light in my eyes extinguished. “Let’s go.” Ethan put his arm around the smug Mia, not even glancing at me, turning to leave. As if he’d merely thrown away a piece of garbage. Cold wind rushed into the terrace. I stood there. The downpour soaked half my shoulder. Very cold, but not as cold as my heart at this moment. That necklace was my only clue to finding my biological parents. Now it was gone. Maybe it was for the best. This time we were truly even. Ethan, from now on, we’re enemies.

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I loved ’em and left ’em with a rugged construction worker, only to wake up and realize I was living in a romance novel. In the future, he becomes a ruthless, all-powerful business magnate, while my family goes bankrupt and I become the target of his revenge. Terrified of that miserable ending, I gritted my teeth and knocked on his apartment door in the dead of night. Right now, he’s just a struggling construction worker. Aside from a body full of lean, chiseled muscle, he has absolutely nothing. “I have amnesia!” I lunged forward, throwing my arms around his waist, sobbing and acting spoiled. “Hubby, the only thing I remember about you is how capable you are.” I paused, then added, “Capable in every way.” 1 Late at night, the door to the cheap rental apartment clicked open. I poked my head out from under the blankets, still half-asleep, and murmured in a soft, sweet voice: “Hubby, you’re home.” The man paused halfway through taking off his shirt but didn’t say a word. I let out a soft hum and continued to act spoiled: “You worked so hard today, hubby.” The man still ignored me. Soon, the sound of splashing water came from the bathroom. I woke up a bit more and checked the time. It was already past midnight. Right now, Liam is working from dawn till dusk, doing grueling manual labor day in and day out. But in the future, he will seize an opportunity, risk his meager life savings on a massive gamble, and successfully build a business empire from scratch. And the very first thing he will do… is destroy me. “Move over.” He came out vigorously towel-drying his hair, lifted the blanket, and slid into bed. There was no way I was letting this opportunity slip by. “No,” I said, immediately clinging to him. “I want to sleep holding my hubby.” The man didn’t speak. But his breathing grew noticeably heavier, and the hand gripping my waist tightened its hold. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, my head resting comfortably on his broad chest, I heard him mutter through gritted teeth: “Chloe Davis, if you dare lie to me again this time, I will kill you.” 2 I have amnesia. Or rather, I was faking it. After living a smooth, privileged life as a wealthy heiress for over two decades, the most wicked thing I ever did was pretend to be poor and sleep with my dad’s designated driver. Well, not his regular driver. Just Liam, who happened to be working a side gig driving my dad home that night. At that time, he was practically radiating testosterone. A simple white wife-beater clung to his dark, sun-kissed skin, making his tight, muscular physique look incredibly sexy. Maybe it was the alcohol, but my heart skipped a beat. In the middle of the night, I squatted by his door, sobbing pitifully: “I didn’t want to embrace the evils of capitalism either! But my dad gambles, my mom is sick, and my little brother is still in school. I have no other choice.” Liam looked like a tough guy, but even tough guys have a soft spot. It only took a few sentences for me to completely win him over. “It’s okay. I make three thousand a month. That’s enough for one person, I’ll give you fifteen hundred. “If you ever need help, or need someone to do heavy lifting, just call me. It’s not easy being out here on your own.” It’s true what they say: if you’re going to coax a man, do it in the middle of the night. Liam took me into his heart, and I tricked Liam into his bed. “Hey,” I said, taking his hand. “I just realized your hands are so big. It makes me feel so safe.” Liam froze. “I sleep alone. I never feel safe.” 3 A woman with a slight buzz and a good act can make any man weep. After we hooked up and I woke up the next morning, I saw a debit card and a piece of paper with his phone number left on the nightstand. Suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over me. This man handed over his bank card after sleeping together just once. If he ever gets married, he’s going to be completely whipped by his wife. But… at least he didn’t recognize my Valentino heels. “Hello? Chloe Davis, where the hell are you? Are you out fooling around with some random guy again? “The usual spot tonight. Get here now. We need to interrogate you.” The call ended. I was left alone in the massive hotel bed. As I got dressed, I stared at the debit card and the piece of paper, sighing heavily. A guy who makes three thousand a month actually spent a thousand bucks on a hotel room just for one night. Before leaving, I searched his phone number on social media. I found a profile. The name was simply “Liam.” I quickly typed out a friend request and sent it off. 4 “What happened last night?” My friends started interrogating me the second I arrived. I answered casually, “I was out fooling around with a guy.” “Who’s gonna believe that?” One of them started teasing me: “Everyone knows that the first thing Ethan did when he got back to the States was go see his little childhood sweetheart, instead of you, his actual fiancée. Chloe, shouldn’t we go over there tonight and slap him across the face?” “Who he sees is none of my business.” I impatiently poured myself a drink, too lazy to engage with their teasing. After all, no one would believe that I used to be madly in love with Ethan, and now I simply don’t care about him anymore. A few drinks later, my phone screen kept lighting up. Ethan sent me a message saying our parents had arranged a dinner tomorrow, and I had to be there. I didn’t reply. Instead, I checked my friend requests. Liam still hadn’t accepted it. Tsk. A wave of heat rushed through me. My mind was filled with the explicit memories from the night before. “I’m leaving.” I vaguely remembered him mentioning where he lived. So, I decided to just show up. 5 Before going over, I changed my outfit. I swapped out all my obviously expensive designer clothes for low-key, basic pieces. I took off my heavy makeup and tried to look like an innocent college girl. Liam lived in a notorious low-income housing complex in the city. I wandered around for a while, getting a bit dizzy in the maze of buildings. But thankfully, I finally found it: Apartment 13-1. Bang— The soundproofing here was terrible. The door next to his opened and closed, and I could hear a woman’s overly sweet voice. Fighting down my discomfort, I knocked on his door again. “Well, well, look at this pretty little thing. Who are you looking for?” A drunk man stumbled out of the elevator. “Looking for the guy named Liam? Damn, he gets all the luck… why don’t you let me have some fun too?” Saying that, he reached out to grab me. I immediately started regretting my drunken decision tonight. But the next second, the man was kicked hard away. “Don’t act crazy around here. Get lost.” Then, Liam suddenly appeared and shielded me behind him. The drunk man scrambled away in fear. I looked at Liam’s broad, muscular back and instinctively wanted to reach out and touch it. “Don’t touch,” Liam said, grabbing my wrist and looking down at me. “I just got back from the construction site. I’m covered in dirt.” 6 His rental apartment was tiny and rundown, but it was kept incredibly clean. The bed wasn’t big, but the blanket he slept under seemed to be saturated with his scent. “Have you eaten?” Liam came out of the shower, his hair still dripping wet. I nodded: “I ate already.” He just said, “Hmm.” It seemed like we had run out of things to say. Only then did I belatedly realize that I had acted impulsively. After all, after last night, he and I were nothing more than a one-night stand. “So… why did you come looking for me?” When Liam asked this, even he seemed to feel the awkwardness. With our kind of “relationship,” what else could a meetup possibly mean? I subconsciously swallowed hard. The man was still wearing just a simple tank top and shorts. The AC in the rental apartment was barely working, and the heat was making my mouth feel dry. I didn’t know what to say. My brain seemed to have completely shut down. After a long pause, Liam tossed a card to me again. “If you’re short on tuition or living expenses, just use it. “Next time you come looking for me, tell me in advance. I’ll come down and get you. It’s not safe around here, especially for someone as pretty as you.” 7 This guy really had something about him. I slowly swallowed again, looking down at the card he had tossed over. I asked: “Why are you giving me money again?” Liam tilted his head slightly: “Aren’t you short on cash?” A faint blush seemed to appear on his ears. Then, he added: “I was afraid you’d think I was taking advantage of you, that you’d think I was cheap.” That statement was very interesting. “Think you’re cheap?” I looked up, staring straight into his eyes, and asked word by word: “I haven’t even had the chance to ‘take advantage’ of you yet, how could I think you’re cheap?” The atmosphere instantly shifted. Liam took a deep breath and started to walk away: “I’ll sleep outside.” I wasn’t about to let him go. “Liam,” I said, hugging his muscular arm, pressing my body against his. I looked at him with an innocent expression and asked, “Did I say I wanted you to leave?” “Were you just thinking about…” I leaned in close to his ear and whispered those two explicit words. The next second, I was lifted entirely off the ground. Liam tossed me onto the bed, pulled off his tank top, his voice thick with desire: “Well, you can’t leave now either.” 8 I was woken up by a phone call the next afternoon. I answered groggily: “Hello?” No one spoke on the other end. I said ‘hello’ again: “Speak, or I’m hanging up.” “Chloe Davis.” A familiar yet distant voice. Oh, it’s him. Ethan’s tone was icy: “I don’t care where you are. Right now, immediately, get your ass home for dinner.” Oh right. Today was the day I had to have dinner with his family. “Whatever stupid engagement this is, I’m breaking it off sooner or later.” After hanging up, I got out of bed. Liam was already gone. After all, we had been at it until the early hours of the morning, and he still had to wake up bright and early to haul cement. But there was breakfast waiting for me in the microwave. And a message from him on my phone: [You’re too skinny. Eat breakfast before you leave.] My face flushed red, and I decided to just ignore his message. 9 I didn’t expect Ethan to be sitting right in my living room. As soon as I walked in, I bumped right into him. “Dressing so innocently, who are you trying to fool?” He held a cup of coffee, his tone freezing cold: “Staying out all night.” I was long past the point of being provoked by his toxic words. I just shamelessly replied: “He likes it when I look innocent.” But somehow, that sentence set him off. Ethan slammed his coffee cup down: “Do you have any sense of shame at all?” Smash. Coffee splattered all over my legs. It should have been scalding hot, but I only felt a chilling coldness. I remembered when I was a kid, I liked Ethan so much that even when he read my love letters out loud to other people, I didn’t feel embarrassed. But now, looking at him being so fierce and full of possessiveness, I felt incredibly embarrassed. “I know you never liked me from the start. There’s no need to keep picking fights.” I lowered my eyes, losing all desire to even get angry: “Don’t worry, I’ll break off the engagement sooner or later. I’ll let you be with your little green tea.” 10 I still had to go to the dinner. At least until the engagement was officially broken, I had to keep up appearances. After getting dressed up, I looked at my perfectly applied makeup and expensive outfit in the mirror, and suddenly missed Liam very much. I missed Liam gently stroking my white dress last night. I missed Liam tossing me his debit card. And I missed Liam being both wild and careful in bed. “You need to study hard, otherwise you’ll end up doing manual labor like me, and no one will want you.” After we were done, he would also share some of his deeper thoughts with me. “Take the money and use it. I don’t have much of an education. When I have time, I can teach you a few words of English.” That night, I lied to him and said I was a student at the prestigious A University. I inexplicably started to panic that I had lied to him. What would he do? If he knew that several months of his salary wouldn’t even be enough to buy that one white dress I wore. “Stop spacing out. Put a smile on your face. We’re almost there.” Ethan suddenly spoke up coldly. I was used to it. I looked down and noticed a few strands of hair on the passenger seat, and asked casually: “Is your little childhood sweetheart that wild? She likes doing it in the car?” The car slammed to a sudden halt. Ethan pulled over to the side of the road, unable to contain his anger: “Get the hell out.” I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I opened the door and started to walk away. But this guy started acting crazy again. “Chloe Davis!” There were a few construction sites nearby. It was very desolate. I didn’t notice, and just kept walking in my high heels. Then Ethan grabbed me and slammed me against the car. “What exactly do you want?!” He roared at me. I was just about to roar back. But right at that moment, I saw Liam standing a few feet away behind Ethan. He was looking right at me, past Ethan. I’m dead. 11 “Are you done acting crazy? We’re almost there, so stop it.” The car slowly started moving again, and Ethan warned me once more. “I know.” I rolled up the car window, as if that would make me forget Liam standing ten meters away staring at me just moments ago. The moment I saw him, all my fiery anger extinguished. My mind was filled with only one thought: Escape. I didn’t even know where to escape to, I just kept my head down and walked back to the car: “I’m not fighting anymore. Let’s go. Hurry up and let’s go.” Ethan obviously noticed my strange behavior. In the rearview mirror, he met the gaze of Liam standing over there. He was working at the construction site right next to us. His white tank top was filthy. He was covered in muscle, his cargo pants tucked into his boots. “You like that kind of vulgar man? Your college education was a complete waste.” Ethan’s sarcasm was blatant. But I was in no mood to argue with him. I just kept staring at the chat with “Liam” on my phone. But I couldn’t bring myself to type a single word. 12 At the dinner table, I was unusually silent. But in the eyes of the elders, I was being very “well-behaved.” “Ethan just got back, he needs time to adjust. He should take Chloe out more often. You kids are so playful, it’ll be good for you to relax together.” Ethan’s father had always liked me. When I used to be madly in love with Ethan, he often helped me out, doing a lot of things to try and push us together. It’s just a pity that none of it worked, and instead made Ethan hate me even more. After all, his father completely despised Ethan’s little childhood sweetheart. “Chloe? Did you hear me? Are you free?” My father also nodded at me. But today, I felt exceptionally frustrated. Even though everyone in our circle knew that Ethan had spent the night at his childhood sweetheart’s house as soon as he returned, the elders all pretended to be blind. They called it “maintaining appearances.” Ethan’s father liked me and hated the childhood sweetheart because he thought she was petty, unlike me, who could handle the big stage. It was simply because I was “suitable” for Ethan. “I don’t have time.” Everyone looked over at me. I deliberately avoided Ethan’s gaze, just stared at my dad, and said word by word: “Dad, since everyone is here today, and Ethan is back, we’re all grown up now. I have some things I want to say from the bottom of my heart. “I, Chloe Davis, have grown up well. My family spent a lot of resources on me. My academic and professional performance is top-notch. I haven’t disappointed the expectations of my elders. “So today, I want to use my own identity to say something. I and Ethan are both adults. Marriage is not a game. That childhood engagement of ours, shouldn’t we reconsider it?” 13 My phone was blowing up. Aside from a few calls from my mom at the beginning, the rest, without exception, were all from Ethan. I couldn’t understand why he was reacting so strongly. “Where are you?” When I finally answered, his tone was aggressive. I didn’t speak. I just pulled out the white dress I wore yesterday, and while taking off my makeup, I listened to him roar: “Chloe Davis, first you pick a fight, then you want to break off the engagement. Are you done throwing a tantrum?! “Think about it. If Mia and I were going to happen, it would have happened a long time ago. She and I have no possibility now. Why are you listening to rumors? “Our families joining forces is a power move. Are you really going to run off with that construction worker? Are you doing charity work?!” I finished taking off my makeup. I washed my face. Looking at my clean, pretty face in the mirror, I felt a lot more free. “Are you done talking?” I slowly dried my hands with a tissue, speaking unhurriedly: “Ethan, you’ve said so much, but you completely missed the point.” “It has nothing to do with your little childhood sweetheart, it has nothing to do with money, and it definitely has nothing to do with other people’s rumors. I just don’t like you anymore. Not even a little bit.” I hung up the phone.

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While recording a reality show, I was forced by the producers to call my ex-boyfriend for “entertainment value.” I assumed he had blocked me ages ago, but the voice that came through the line was groggy with sleep: “Want to get back together?” The fans exploded. I exploded. I just had to bite the bullet and ask: “Can you lend me a hundred grand?” Later, he pinned me against a wall. He said, “Let’s get back together, okay? I have a lot of hundred grand, I’ll give them all to you.” 1 After being a D-list actress for three years, my new, aggressive manager finally snagged me a spot on a popular reality show. Because everything was scripted, the recording process was going smoothly. But to create a viral moment, the host suddenly introduced a new game. Every guest had to call the very first contact in their personal phone and ask to borrow a hundred thousand dollars, without mentioning we were on a show. This wasn’t in the script. I didn’t think much of it at first, but when I saw my phone handed to me, my eyes went wide. Oh no!! I suddenly remembered, the first contact in my phone was Carter Hayes!!! When we broke up years ago, I never deleted his number!! I frantically signaled my manager with my eyes, but she didn’t seem to get it. She just gave me a cheerful, silent cheer. I lost all hope. After the previous guest made their call and successfully borrowed the money, it was my turn. My phone screen was mirrored onto the giant stage monitor. The phone number was blurred out, but the contact name wasn’t. With my screen mirrored, I couldn’t try any tricks. I had to bite the bullet, unlock my phone, and dial that first contact in front of everyone. Thank goodness I hadn’t saved him as “Carter Hayes,” but rather with an affectionate nickname: “My Little Cheese Mouse.” As long as Carter didn’t pick up, my cover wouldn’t be blown! My hands trembled slightly. I prayed to every god listening, hoping Carter had blocked me or changed his number! But maybe I didn’t give the gods enough notice, because they clearly didn’t hear me. The call not only went through, but it was answered. My heart stopped for a second. “Hello?” Carter’s slightly hoarse voice echoed through the entire studio. My mind went completely blank. The host, loving the drama, mouthed to the camera: “It’s a guy!” “Mia?” On the other end, Carter sounded like he had just woken up. His voice was raspy, sending shivers down my spine. I held my breath, not daring to answer. “Speak.” Carter’s voice held a hint of impatience, but then it softened. “Why are you calling me?” I still didn’t dare to speak, casting a desperate glance at my manager off-stage. Her face looked just as panicked as mine. She threw her hands up, giving me an exasperated look that clearly said: “You broke up and didn’t block or delete his number???” “Want to get back together?” When I remained silent, Carter suddenly asked. A small gasp swept through the live audience. The audience leaned in, hungry for gossip. Terrified that Carter would say something else revealing, I forced myself to speak: “Um, can you lend me a hundred thousand dollars?” There was a pause of about three seconds on the other end. “You called me… just to borrow money?” Carter’s tone was full of disbelief. I looked at the people in the studio, wanting to cry. “I’ll pay you back right away. Actually, I’m…” “Beep, beep, beep—” Carter didn’t give me any face. He just hung up. The atmosphere in the studio turned a bit awkward. No one spoke; they just looked at each other in uneasy silence. My eyes involuntarily teared up. It was so humiliating. But I understood. When we broke up, I chose the most hurtful way to end things with Carter. The fact that he even answered my call today was more than generous. Seeing the awkward silence, the host quickly changed the subject to liven things up and moved on to mirror the third guest’s phone. As I kept my head down, quietly trying to disconnect my phone from the screen, a bank notification suddenly popped up. “Carter Hayes has initiated a transfer of $100,000.00 to your account ending in 0215 on 08-07-2022. Please verify…” I was stunned. My brain short-circuited, and I accidentally tapped the notification. And then, everyone in the studio saw the transfer record through the giant screen. The studio erupted. A hundred thousand!!! He actually just sent me a hundred grand!! I was so shocked my mind went completely blank. Even the host forgot his professional composure, murmuring, “This Carter Hayes… is it the Carter Hayes we all know?” My scalp prickled. I immediately denied it three times! Over the past few years, Carter’s career in the entertainment industry had skyrocketed. He had a massive fanbase. If it came out that we used to date, my career would be buried so deep it would hit the Earth’s core. My manager must have communicated with the head director, so the host quickly recovered via his earpiece, changed the subject, and moved on to the next segment. After recording the show, my legs felt like jelly. My manager immediately threw a jacket over my head and rushed me out through a VIP exit. Once in the car, I was still dazed. My manager told the driver to go, then furiously scolded me: “Mia, what were you thinking?? You broke up and didn’t delete his contact info??” After a five-minute bombardment, I looked at her with a face more tragic than if I were crying: “Valerie, am I really going to be canceled to the Earth’s core this time?” Seeing me like this, Valerie was exasperated. She poked my forehead, angry but helpless: “Mia, I swear I owed you something in a past life!” Valerie started making calls to clean up my mess. She ordered the company’s PR team to get ready, monitor the online narrative constantly, and handle any rumors regarding me and Carter immediately, keeping the fallout to an absolute minimum. But despite her full preparation, the news leaked anyway. Before I even got home, I was trending on Twitter. [Trending] Washed-up D-lister Mia & A-lister Carter Hayes [Hot] Carter Hayes Mia Getting Back Together [Viral] Did Carter Hayes really date Mia? … In an instant, my Instagram was flooded with a massive influx of Carter’s fans. It crashed. Many comments were vile, cursing me for clout-chasing. I watched the screen, slowly falling silent. Valerie sighed, took away my phone, and offered a few words of comfort. I smiled calmly: “Valerie, I’m fine. Give me the phone, I need to wire the money back to Carter.” Compared to what happened years ago, these comments were nothing. My emotional state was actually quite stable. After Valerie handed me the phone, I transferred the money back to Carter. After returning it, I blocked and deleted his contact info. Valerie was right. When you break up, you should completely die in the other person’s world. I should have deleted his info a long time ago. 2 After turning off my phone, I slept at home for two days straight. Two days later, my manager dragged me out of bed. “Get up, I got you a new role.” Valerie shoved several thick scripts into my arms. I was still half-asleep, my brain lagging. “What role?” I asked blankly. Valerie paused for a moment, then said: “A period drama. You’re the third female lead, but you have scenes with the male lead. Prepare well, Mia, this might be your last chance to make a comeback…” I stared at the scripts in my arms, my eyes out of focus, Valerie’s words echoing in my mind. “Your last chance to make a comeback…” “I’ll take it!” I suddenly raised my voice, fully awake, scaring Valerie. “I’ll take it!” I repeated, filled with determination. I remembered the promise I made to Carter years ago. We promised to work hard and meet at the top. Even though we broke up and he’s already standing at the top, I need to work hard too! At the very least, I can’t disappoint the manager who never gave up on me! 3 Valerie was very pleased with my sudden surge of motivation. I spent the entire night reading through the scripts. Then, I proactively told Valerie I needed to learn horseback riding. The third female lead had quite a few riding scenes. Nowadays, many actors use stunt doubles for riding scenes, or just sit on a mechanical horse. I asked around, and the director did indeed plan to use a stunt double for my riding scenes. Since I decided to take my career seriously, I wanted to do it perfectly. Step one: learn to ride a horse. Valerie signed me up at an equestrian club, saying she was going all out this time, even paying out of pocket for a top-tier coach. I was moved to tears, swearing that she would be my manager for life! 4 When it was time for my scheduled lesson, I arrived at the club, changed into my gear, and followed my coach to the arena proudly. Then, I deflated. I covered my face with one hand and peered through my fingers at Carter, who was galloping freely around the arena. I wanted to smash my head against a wall. What the hell?! I can run into him at a horseback riding lesson?! Since when is the world this small?! I was acting sketchy, afraid Carter would recognize me, so I spaced out during the coach’s pre-ride instructions. The consequence of spacing out was… when I got on the horse, I panicked and spooked the animal. Thankfully, the coach immediately calmed the horse down, but my legs were shaking like leaves. I couldn’t continue. Seeing this, the coach told me to dismount and rest. With my legs trembling, I leaned against the wall and slowly walked towards the lounge. I heard footsteps behind me. I instinctively looked back. It was Carter. Carter stopped right beside me. He was wearing his equestrian gear, holding a riding crop. His back was straight, and he looked at me with cold eyes. This was the first time we were face-to-face in three years. My mind instantly went blank. Carter just stared at me. After a long while, he let out a scoff. “Mia, flirting with me and then blocking me? You really are getting bolder.” His face had a half-smile, but I knew that was his reaction when he was extremely angry. My legs gave out, and I almost fell. I wanted to explain, but Carter was already walking away, leaving only one sentence behind— “Then you better mentally prepare yourself. I’m going to settle all our old and new scores together.” 5 Since that day, I specifically scheduled my lessons to avoid Carter’s time slot. So, until I finished my lessons, we never bumped into each other again. I only found out Carter was the male lead of this drama an hour before the opening ceremony, after I had my makeup done. “Valerie, I’m dropping this drama!” After snapping back to reality, I refused on the spot. But my manager just gave me a flat look: “You’ve already signed the contract. There’s no backing out now.” My scalp tingled. I suppressed my anxiety and tried to reason with her: “Valerie, you know why I desperately want to avoid Carter, I…” “I took it exactly because I know.” Valerie interrupted me. “Mia, the entertainment industry is only so big. Carter is at the peak of his career right now. Do you really think it’s possible to completely avoid him? Instead of hiding, why not face it openly? You guys are already broken up. What exactly are you afraid of?” I looked at Valerie, speechless. There are some things I couldn’t tell her. After a long silence, I let out a long sigh: “I understand.” Valerie was right. Deep down, I understood too. I just couldn’t get past my own mental block. With a heart full of anxiety, I arrived on set and immediately spotted Carter in the crowd. He already had his makeup and costume on. Dressed in a white period robe, he looked a bit aloof as he stood there talking with the director. Carter’s looks were handsome and rugged. Plus, he kept himself in great shape—tall, broad shoulders, narrow waist. He was perfectly suited for period costumes. He had a very “flawless, unparalleled gentleman” vibe. As if sensing me looking at him, Carter turned my way. Our eyes locked for several seconds before I realized what was happening and quickly looked away. It wasn’t until the opening ceremony ended and shooting officially began that we finally interacted. Because one of us was in Unit A and the other in Unit B. Perhaps it had been too long since I last acted. Even though I had my lines memorized perfectly, my condition was terrible. I couldn’t get into character. The director gradually lost patience, and I got scolded several times. Fortunately, I didn’t have many scenes on the first day. After wrapping up, I went back to the hotel to review the script. Seeing me suddenly become so dedicated, Valerie was very pleased. She offered some encouragement and left to handle other things, leaving me alone in the hotel booked by the production crew. My career had been completely stalled for the past few years, so I didn’t have the face to keep an assistant. Two years ago, Valerie reassigned my assistant to another artist. Now that my career was recovering, I hadn’t found a suitable assistant yet, so I was currently managing everything myself. Being alone for a long time, I felt it was okay. I was used to doing everything myself. After dinner, I stayed in my room alone, trying to find the right feeling for the script. Around 11 PM, someone knocked on the door. I still had a sheet mask on my face and my script in my hand. When I looked through the peephole and saw who was outside, I almost dropped the mask in shock. It was actually Carter!! I ripped off the mask, feeling a sudden surge of panic. After a moment of panic, I tried hard to calm down. It’s fine. As long as I don’t open the door or make a sound, he can’t do anything to me!! I took a few deep breaths and steadied myself. After knocking a few more times and getting no response, Carter gradually lost patience. I became increasingly relaxed. Good, lose patience. Then you’ll leave. Through the peephole, I saw Carter pull out his phone. The next moment, my ringtone echoed through the room. Me: “…” I sprinted over in terror, grabbed my phone, and hung up. It was an unsaved, unknown number. The other party called again. I hung up again and frantically switched my phone to silent. The next moment, a text came through— [Stop playing dead. Open the door.] Me: “???” Is this Carter’s phone number? Did he change his number? Before I had time to think, Carter started knocking again, and louder this time. There were a lot of crew members staying at this hotel. I really didn’t want any more rumors spreading about my relationship with Carter. I reluctantly opened the door but didn’t let him in. I cautiously peeked my head out and looked around. My room was right at a corner, so other people couldn’t see us. I breathed a slight sigh of relief. “What do you want?” I asked in a hushed voice. Carter looked like he had just taken a shower. His dark hair was still slightly damp. He leaned down slightly to meet my eyes: “Are you sure you want to talk to me out here?” I pursed my lips and reluctantly let him in. The first thing Carter said when he walked in was: “I heard you had dozens of takes today and got scolded by the director multiple times?” Me: “…” So, three years after our breakup, Carter had become so petty that he specifically came to my door to mock me?! I suppressed my anger: “Yes, are you satisfied? If you’re satisfied, hurry up and leave!” But Carter acted as if he didn’t hear me. He looked around the room, picked up the script I had carelessly tossed on the bed, and started flipping through it. “Which part are you struggling with emotionally?” he asked, scanning the script page by page. “What are you trying to do?” I asked grumpily. “Help you run lines, what else?” Carter looked up at me, his face showing no signs of holding a grudge. But I didn’t dare trust him. I know my place. Three years ago, if I were in his shoes after what I did, let alone never speaking to me again, seeking revenge would be entirely possible. Coupled with his remark at the equestrian club that he wanted to settle our “old and new scores together”… It’s hard for anyone to believe he genuinely came to help me run lines out of the goodness of his heart. I stepped forward, snatched the script from his hands, threw it aside, and pointed to the door: “Get out. I don’t need your help with my lines. I can do it myself.” Compared to my emotional fluctuations, Carter seemed very calm. “Mia, your career has been dead for three years. This is your only chance to make a comeback. Do you really want to let your pride get in the way? Do you think the director won’t replace you if you can’t get into character tomorrow?” Carter’s tone was neither light nor heavy, but it instantly brought tears to my eyes. He was right, and I knew it. That’s why I was so hard on myself. “Alright, stop crying. Your tears are useless against me now.” Carter picked the script back up, not looking at me. “Wipe your tears, and don’t think I have some hidden agenda. If I really wanted to kick you while you’re down, you wouldn’t even have been able to attend the opening ceremony this afternoon.” Carter looked up at me, a cold smirk on his lips: “Mia, you’re too weak right now. Taking revenge on you wouldn’t give me any satisfaction at all.” I pursed my lips, fiercely wiped away my tears, took the script, flipped a few pages, and handed it back to Carter: “Here. I’m stuck on this part.” Forget it. I have nothing left to lose now, and nothing to fear. Why not use free labor? Not to mention, Carter’s acting skills were actually quite good. He had won several awards over the past two years and gradually secured his place in the film industry. With Carter helping me analyze the emotions in the script, my shooting the next day went very smoothly. Almost every scene was done in one take, and the director even praised me. In the evening, Carter came again, still to help me run lines. “Although this character is the third female lead, her persona is very likable. She’s single-mindedly focused on her career. Audiences have really liked this type in recent years. As long as you act well, you’ll definitely gain a wave of attention. Your manager has a good eye,” Carter evaluated objectively. “I understand.” I nodded. When I hit rock bottom, my manager never gave up on me. So even just for her sake, I had to climb back up. After that, Carter basically came to help me run lines every day, except when he had night shoots. Actually, I had fully immersed myself in the character by then and didn’t need to run lines anymore. Carter probably knew that too. But he didn’t mention it, and I didn’t either. I greedily clung to this tiny bit of warmth. The filming went smoothly, and soon it was time for my scenes with Carter. This drama tells the story of the male lead, a young master from a prominent family, traveling abroad. His entire family is wiped out overnight. To uncover the truth behind his family’s destruction, he carefully schemes, not hesitating to use the second female lead and ally with the third female lead, ultimately finding love and staying together with the female lead. In the show, he seeks the truth, seeks justice for his family, and seeks to wipe out his enemy’s entire family, making them pay in blood. And I play the younger sister of the second female lead. My mother (a concubine) was falsely accused of adultery by the second female lead’s mother and humiliated to death. I also seek justice. In the drama, we hit it off immediately and plan a major undertaking together. Probably because we ran lines almost every day, my scenes with Carter went exceptionally smoothly. Every take satisfied the director. Especially during our horseback riding scenes, we didn’t use stunt doubles at all. This meant there were fewer restrictions on camera angles, allowing every expression to be perfectly captured. Carter even managed to mount the horse single-handedly, doing it cleanly and stylishly, drawing cheers from the director. The filming went so well that the director was in a great mood. In the evening, he wrapped up early and treated the crew to dinner so we could relax. During the dinner, the director got a bit drunk. He held his glass, found me in a corner, and said to me: “To be honest, I really didn’t want you at first. Even though I only care about acting skills and not internet traffic, you haven’t acted in three years. It was your manager who came to me time and time again, asking me to give you an audition.” The director clinked his glass against mine and continued: “You didn’t disappoint me. I’m very satisfied. Mia, I’ll cast you in my next drama too.” Hearing the director’s words, my eyes welled up with tears, and my nose stung. I sniffled, filled my glass to the brim, and toasted the director: “Director Lee, thank you. To you!” When the dinner ended, the director had to be carried out; he was blackout drunk. I was pretty drunk myself. Everyone drank quite a bit. The other main actors were taken away by their managers or assistants first. In the end, only Carter and I were left. “Let’s go,” Carter said to me, picking up my bag. “I can… I can carry it myself.” I don’t act crazy when I’m drunk; conversely, I’m very quiet and well-behaved. I took my bag from Carter’s hand and stumbled out of the restaurant. It was already late at night. I stood outside the restaurant, my head spinning. My manager didn’t come today, and my new assistant wasn’t starting until tomorrow. So there was no one waiting for me outside. I felt incredibly dizzy. I squatted down, holding onto a pillar by the door, and pulled out my phone to call an Uber back to the hotel. But our shooting location was in a rather remote area. There were simply no cars available at this hour. “Stop looking. Let’s go together.” I don’t know when, but Carter was standing right beside me, one hand in his pocket, looking down at me. My reaction time was slow. I thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. Carter’s RV was very comfortable. I sat in my seat, drowsy. But I tried hard to stay awake. “If you want to sleep, just sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there.” Carter leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and said to me. “Carter, when are you… going to take revenge on me?” As the alcohol hit harder, I sat up slightly and leaned forward to ask. Carter was like a sword dangling over my neck right now. The higher I climbed, the more terrified I was of falling back to the bottom. Especially after hearing what the director said tonight, I felt incredibly sad. Sad for my own uselessness, which forced my manager to beg so humbly. I was terrified of falling back down and disappointing my manager again. Hearing this, Carter opened his eyes. He sat up and looked at me. “You want me to take revenge on you that badly?” His expression was freezing as he asked me. I nodded, then shook my head. If he took revenge on me, I would consider it paying him back. Except, I’d feel sorry for my manager. Carter leaned towards me and pinched my cheek, not too hard, not too soft: “You want me to take revenge however I want?” He gradually increased his grip, pinching my cheek until it hurt. I wanted to break free, but he pinned my hands down. “Carter, it hurts.” My tears fell on command. Carter’s jaw tightened. He pursed his lips and let me go. “Don’t cry in front of me, Mia. I don’t fall for that anymore.” Carter leaned back into his seat. I sniffled a few times, trying to negotiate with Carter. “When you decide to take revenge on me, can you just target me? I don’t want to drag my manager down anymore…” “You sure know how to think of others!” Carter seemed enraged. He scoffed, pinched my chin again, and sneered, “Then why didn’t you think of me more back then? I begged you so much. Mia, were you just relying on the fact that I loved you to do whatever you wanted?” I was speechless, tears streaming down my face. Back then, to force Carter to break up with me, I said the most hurtful things and did the most hurtful things. So I don’t complain about anything that’s happening today. What’s more, he hasn’t even done the things that hurt me yet. “I told you, I don’t fall for this anymore. Don’t cry!” Carter wiped away the tears at the corners of my eyes with his somewhat rough fingertips, looking a bit frustrated. I wanted to stop crying too, but I just couldn’t control it. The alcohol was wreaking havoc in my brain, making me cry even harder. I didn’t want to break up either. It felt like scraping bone and cutting out my heart. But I had to. If I didn’t, I would only drag him down. Carter’s eyes grew a bit misty. He lowered his voice, his tone almost breaking: “Mia, shouldn’t I be the one crying?”

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