Category: English

Adrian Wickham came to pick me up. The man who was always so cool and ascetic, so self-contained. He had let his new secretary sit in the passenger seat. And in that moment, I knew. This marriage wasn’t going to survive. 1 The day Adrian Wickham came to pick me up, I pulled open the passenger door and froze. A young, beautiful girl was sitting there, flashing me a sweet smile. “Hi, Mrs. Wickham!” She was polite, but she made no move to get up and offer me the seat. My eyes narrowed, my gaze shifting to Adrian. He was on the phone, his head down, completely oblivious to the silent, crackling tension. We were supposed to be going to an auction together tonight. I had been looking forward to our date, had spent hours getting ready, only to find someone else occupying his passenger seat—my seat. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Wickham. I’m Bella Locke, Mr. Wickham’s new assistant.” The girl’s lips curved into an enthusiastic smile, revealing two dimples that made her look exceptionally sweet. “I heard you were going to a private auction tonight, and I begged Mr. Wickham to let me tag along and see what it’s all about. Don’t worry, I won’t be in your way at all.” My heart plummeted into a cold, dark abyss. I knew this man, this coolly perfect man, better than anyone. He maintained a careful distance from everyone. He didn’t let people into his space easily. We had come together through an arranged marriage, a strategic alliance between our families. We had both considered our options carefully and chosen each other. Outsiders joked that I was signing up for a life of lonely nights with a man made of ice. But after we made it official, Adrian would hold me with a surprising warmth in his eyes. In moments of passion, the corners of his eyes would flush red. “You are my wife,” he’d once told me. “We are a unit. You are different from everyone else.” Today, it seemed, something had changed. 2 But I am not a shrinking violet who swallows her pride. I am Clara Shaw, and I’ve never had to second-guess myself when I’m angry. “Get out.” My voice was ice, leaving no room for argument. The girl stared at me, stunned. She clearly hadn’t expected me to humiliate her so directly on our first meeting. My tone must have been harsher than she’d anticipated, because for a moment, Bella looked completely lost. “I… I’m sorry, Mrs. Wickham.” Her voice trembled on the verge of tears as she scrambled awkwardly into the back seat. Just then, Adrian finished his call and looked over at us. He instantly realized I was furious. A look of weary indulgence flickered across his face. He leaned over and fastened my seatbelt for me. I noticed the seat had been adjusted. A wave of irritation washed over me, and I jabbed at the controls, moving it back to my precise settings. The whole ordeal left me simmering with rage. “This is infuriating! Who dares to adjust my seat?” The air in the car turned frigid. The girl in the back was so intimidated she didn’t dare make a sound. Adrian’s brow furrowed slightly. His voice was calm as he suggested, “If you’re not in the mood today, we can just go home.” In the rearview mirror, I could see the girl silently weeping. I felt a surge of profound annoyance. “Bella Locke, is it? I’m not in the mood anymore. You can get a taxi home. Mr. Wickham and I are leaving.” The girl’s face went pale. She glanced weakly at Adrian, but he made no move to rescue her. Utterly dejected, she got out of the car. 3 Adrian would never humiliate me in front of outsiders. He had always been a master of self-control. Which is why he suggested we go home. If there’s a problem, we solve it at home. That had been our unspoken rule for years. “She’s just a college kid, fresh out of school. Why are you making such a big deal out of this with her?” Adrian said, pulling me into his arms. “It was the first time.” He looked confused. “What was?” “In all these years, that was the first time you let another woman sit in your passenger seat.” He hadn’t realized that was what I was so upset about. Everyone in our circle knew how exceptional Adrian Wickham was. Countless women were infatuated with him, yet he remained aloof and untouchable, navigating a world of temptation without ever being swayed. A faint smile touched his lips as he ruffled my hair. “I can’t believe I finally made you jealous.” He leaned in to kiss me, his nose brushing against my cheek. “She’s my subordinate, Bella. That’s all. There is nothing, and there will never be anything, between us.” He cupped my face in his hands, his gaze locking with mine as he made his solemn promise. 4 A woman’s intuition is a powerful thing. Even though I had only met Bella once, my gut told me she had other ideas about Adrian. I thought my initial power play would be enough to put her in her place. I was wrong. The necklace from the auction—the one that was supposed to be mine—was around her neck the very next day. Kate, Adrian’s chief of staff, sent me a photo and a screenshot of a social media post. In the picture, the crescent-shaped diamond necklace rested against Bella’s pale throat, making her look even more delicate and lovely. Her eyes were swollen, but she had a triumphant little smile on her lips. She must have cried her eyes out last night and received a very generous consolation prize. The screenshot was of Bella’s post: [Mr. Wickham says that a girl has to be strong even when she’s been wronged! Wiping away the tears and getting back to work, sir! ] The post was accompanied by a picture of the necklace nestled in its box. For a moment, the blood in my veins felt like it was turning to ice. It’s embarrassing to admit, but her little stunt almost made me lose my composure. It was a disgusting feeling, like finding a smear of grime on a pristine white silk cloth. The impulse was so strong I almost jumped into my yellow Ferrari, floored it to 120 mph, and slapped her across the face. But then I looked at my own hands and thought, Am I really letting some cheap little schemer get under my skin? That’s beneath me. I made a call to my personal shopper at Hermès. Wendy’s voice was practically buzzing with excitement. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Mrs. Wickham,” she promised. “Even if I have to buy out half of New York, I’ll get everything you need and have it delivered today!” And so, that afternoon, before the workday was even over, every single female assistant to the executives at Wickham Industries headquarters, plus every woman in the general administrative office—a total of forty-six people, excluding Bella—received a generous gift from the CEO’s wife: A twelve-thousand-dollar Hermès necklace. Individually, they were nothing compared to the two-hundred-thousand-dollar auction piece, but the sheer volume of them sent a very clear message. Kate handled the distribution flawlessly. Each recipient was required to post a photo on their social media with a specific caption: [A gift from the boss’s wife! Mrs. Wickham says every girl deserves the best! Time to get to work! #BestBossWifeEver] The women were more than happy to comply. As assistants and admin staff, they were the nerve center of the company’s gossip mill. Who wouldn’t be thrilled to post about a gift like that? Some of the savvier ones even added their own commentary: [Mrs. Wickham really knows how to play the game!]. Individually, these assistants might not have had much power, but their collective ability to spread information was terrifying. Within half an hour, the entire company knew that the CEO’s wife had gifted them all Hermès necklaces. As for why, the corporate rumor machine was already in overdrive. Bella’s face was ashen. She looked deeply humiliated. With tears in her eyes, she fled to the restroom and took off the diamond necklace. Two colleagues who came in to touch up their makeup saw her and let out a knowing, derisive snort. Mortified, Bella kept her head down and hurried out, the sound of their unrestrained laughter chasing her down the hall. Her cheeks burning, she placed the necklace back in its box and returned it to Adrian, untouched. 5 Adrian had just finished a video call with a partner when he saw the girl, who had clearly been crying again, clutching the necklace box and staring forlornly at her feet. “What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled. Bella’s tears started to fall before she could even speak. She sobbed softly, the picture of pitiable innocence. “Mr. Wickham, please take this back. I can’t accept it.” A flicker of annoyance crossed Adrian’s stern face. His instincts told him something had happened, but he didn’t press her. He simply watched her, waiting. Bella bit her lip, hesitating, before finally telling him everything that had happened in the office that day. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Wickham. I keep causing trouble for you. I just posted that to encourage myself. I don’t know how Mrs. Wickham found out about it.” She sniffled pathetically. “I didn’t think she would get so angry.” She looked as helpless as a little white rabbit. “Mr. Wickham, I want to apologize to her. I can explain everything to her in person.” Adrian never looked at social media. His time was consumed by work. But as the CEO of a major corporation, he was all too familiar with the vicious rumor mill within its walls. His already stern expression grew even colder. “I understand,” he said, his voice low and heavy.

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I woke up as a lioness, pregnant with cubs I didn’t remember conceiving. To raise them, to keep them alive, I had to lie. I hid my status as a mother and joined a new pride. The pride was in the middle of the great migration, and I spent my nights with a cub in my mouth, stumbling through the dark to keep up, my body screaming with exhaustion. I clung to the tail end of the pride like it was a lifeline, terrified of falling behind. The Lion King, who had been watching me with an unreadable expression, finally spoke. “You travel with such desperation,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “What is it you’re so afraid of losing?” 1 I prayed the cubs in my belly wouldn’t come too soon. At least not during the dry season. But fate, it seemed, had other plans for this lioness. I gave birth on the sun-scorched sand. Three fluffy little cubs tumbled and crawled around me. As far as the eye could see, the great plains were a sea of withered yellow. This land hadn’t seen a drop of rain in five months. “Mom, my brother scratched me!” “Nuh-uh, I just nudged her! The rock was hot, I was just moving my feet.” The siblings bickered constantly. I rested my head on my paws, my body a cushion on the hot ground. “Mama, look, there’s another mama over there.” What was he talking about? I followed his gaze and saw a mother musk ox leading her calf past us. “Oh my god, that thing is huge! Kids, run!” A jolt of pure human instinct shot through me. I scrambled up, snatched the smallest cub in my mouth, and bolted. I sprinted headlong, huffing and puffing, my cubs struggling to keep pace behind me. But the farther I ran, the more something felt wrong. I slowly eased my pace. I mentally slapped myself. I was a lion now. I should have been the one hunting the musk ox! By the time I turned around, filled with regret, the mother and her calf were long gone. 2 I was so hungry I could feel the world starting to spin. My cubs, weak from the lack of milk, wobbled and stumbled with every step. The endless, sun-baked savanna stretched out before us, a terrifying, empty expanse. A wave of panic washed over me. If we stayed hungry, it would only take a day and a night for this land to claim us. I had no choice but to mimic the lions I’d seen on nature documentaries. Gritting my teeth against the gnawing hunger, I trekked for miles until I finally managed to catch two small pikas. It was barely enough to fill a gap in my teeth, but at least it meant I could produce milk again. I raced back, desperate to feed my cubs, only to see three furry little heads poking over a sand dune. “Mama, look! So many lions.” My second-born stared with envy. “If we were with them, we’d never be hungry.” “Don’t say that!” the oldest swatted him with a small paw. “We won’t starve with Mama either.” Gurgle… His own little stomach betrayed him with a loud rumble. I climbed the dune and looked out. In the distance, a massive pride of lions was moving slowly across the vast plain. Behind them, the land stretched to the horizon, where an orange sun was sinking low in the sky. I knew, with a certainty that chilled me to the bone, that my cubs had no future with me alone. I slammed a paw into the dirt. I was staking everything on this. I had to. 3 The grasslands at night were even more vast and desolate. After finding a safe spot and lulling my cubs to sleep, I returned to the dune where I’d seen the pride. I followed their scent, running without pause. Just as the sun began to push its way over the horizon, I finally caught up to them. My approach immediately put the entire pride on high alert. “You’re not one of us. I’ve never seen you before.” “Leave now, or we won’t be so polite!” The lionesses bared their teeth, their bodies arching into combat stances. “Wait, don’t misunderstand!” I explained hurriedly. “I’m not here to challenge you. I’m here to join you.” One of the lionesses relaxed her posture slightly. “Can you hunt?” “Yes,” I said. A little bit is still ‘yes’, I muttered to myself, though my only victories so far were pikas. “Have you had cubs?” “Huh?” Was I being interviewed? Had the corporate rat race followed me even into the animal kingdom, complete with questions about my family status? Then, a flash of insight, cold and sharp. In a pride, the king would never tolerate cubs that weren’t his own. He would kill them without a second thought. The realization made me stammer. “N-no. None.” “What’s all the noise?” A deep, powerful voice cut through the tension. I turned to see a male lion approaching at a slow, deliberate pace. This must be the king. He was larger than any lion I’d ever seen. His gaze was piercing, his mane long and magnificent, and the muscles under his coat moved with a formidable, powerful grace. I instinctively took two steps back, a wave of regret washing over me. I shouldn’t have come. This lion could kill me with a single swipe of his paw. And I had cubs to raise. My courage evaporated. My knees felt weak. “I’m so sorry, sir. I’ll get out of your way right now.” I flattened my ears and turned to flee, but before I’d taken two steps, he was in front of me, blocking my path. His words were simple. “If you have nowhere else to go, you may walk with us.” I froze, and when his words finally registered, I was so overcome with relief I nearly fell to my knees. “I don’t mind! I don’t mind at all! I would be honored!” 4 The pride continued its migration. The sun of this dry season was harsher than any in recent memory. The scattered, skeletal remains of trees were a grim testament to the land’s fading life. I followed the pride absently, my mind consumed with worry. How were my children? Were they hungry? “Kael, there’s a herd of buffalo over there.” The long drought forced all animals to migrate, and this herd was no exception. Buffalo were enormous and not an ideal target, but the pride had been starving for days. It was a risk they had to take. “Yes. We hunt,” Kael said without hesitation, giving the command. The lionesses surged forward, charging the herd. The buffalo scattered in a panic. But they were formidable prey. The lionesses engaged in one long, draining battle after another, but came away with nothing. The pride’s division of labor was clear: the females hunted and raised the young, while the king patrolled the territory and fought off intruders. Kael watched the scene, his eyes narrowed. Then, with a sudden burst of movement, he charged. Dust exploded into the air. Before I could even see what had happened, a full-grown buffalo was down, Kael’s jaws locked on its throat, the great beast gasping its last breaths. There was a strict hierarchy when it came to eating. The king ate his fill first, and only then could the lionesses approach the kill. But Kael was no tyrant with his food. He gave a silent nod, permitting the others to eat alongside him. I hung back, ashamed. I hadn’t dared to join the hunt. Kael glanced at me. My tail went rigid with fear. He gestured with his head. “Come. There is room here.” My eyes lit up. I approached with the most fawning posture I could manage. “Thank you, my king! All hail the king!” I settled down next to Kael and devoured a large piece of meat, my stomach, which had been painfully empty for half a month, finally feeling full. After the meal, the pride rested. Seizing my chance while no one was watching, I sprinted back the way we came. I hoped my cubs weren’t scared. I returned to the dune and called out for them. “One! Two! Three!” I quickly heard the voice of my second-born. “Huh? It’s Mama!” My oldest was the first to appear, his face ecstatic. “Wow, it really is Mama!” My second cub ran over, circling my legs and rubbing his head against me. “Quick, call your sister. It’s time to drink,” I said, feeling the familiar pressure in my chest. Finally, my cubs could have a full meal. At the mention of their sister, both boys burst into tears. “Mama, we’re sorry! We lost her!” My world shattered. Forgetting all about nursing, I grabbed my boys and began a frantic search. “Three! Three, come to Mama!” “Little sister, where are you?” “SISTERRR—” We screamed until our throats were raw. The sun began to set, and there was still no sign of her. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I fought back tears, about to give up. Suddenly, a faint voice drifted on the wind. “Mama…” Three! It was her! I followed the sound and found her trapped in a crevice between two large rocks. “Don’t be scared, Mama’s here,” I soothed her, pushing against the rock with all my might. My two boys joined in, using all their strength, their little paws scraped raw. Ignoring the pain, I finally dislodged the massive stone with my head. “Waaah! Mama!” My little girl threw herself into my arms, sobbing. I held my child, who I’d thought was lost forever, and my body shook with the cold sweat of relief. 5 I couldn’t bear the thought of something like that happening again. I would have gone insane. So I made a bold decision. I was going to hide my children within the pride. My second-born was thrilled, his tail held high. “Mama, can we really stay with you?” “It’s getting dark. I’m a little scared, Mama.” My youngest, having just survived her ordeal, was much more timid now. I knelt down. “Three, climb onto Mama’s back.” And so, with my daughter on my back and my two sons trotting behind me, we walked across the silent, vast plains under the high, bright moon. We caught up with the pride before dawn. The lionesses were sleeping, but Kael was gone, likely on patrol. “Mama! It’s that super big…” my second-born cried out in excitement. My oldest son’s fur stood on end. He quickly clamped a paw over his brother’s mouth. “Be quiet! Mama said we’re here to sneak food, we have to be discreet.” I raised a paw to my lips. “Shhh—quietly now. Don’t get caught.” The three little ones mimicked me in perfect unison. “Ssshh—we’re being sneaky.” I knew that to survive the dry season, we had to stick with this pride. If the cubs were discovered, it would be a death sentence for all of us. I warned them over and over. “You must stay hidden. I’ll be watching you. Don’t be scared, and don’t make a sound…” “You’re back?” Kael’s voice came from right behind me. The cubs scattered like frightened birds, diving under my belly. I immediately dropped to the ground to cover them, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst. “Ah, yes. I’m back,” I said, trying to sound calm. He didn’t seem to notice the little ones. “Where did you go? I was just looking for you.” So he wasn’t patrolling. He was looking for me? My mind raced. “I was thirsty. Went to find some water.” The cubs, cramped under my belly, began to squirm. My heart nearly flew out of my chest. I pressed down on them firmly and faked a cough. They finally settled down. Kael showed no signs of leaving. “This year’s dry season is too long. Water is hard to find. We just have to hold out until the rains come.” I was barely listening, just nodding and mumbling “Oh,” while silently praying for him to leave. “You know,” he continued, “I haven’t mated with any of these lionesses.” Oh, brother, I thought in agony. Why are you telling me this? Why won’t you just leave? “I only defeated the previous king half a month ago.” I don’t need to hear your life story, please, just go… “We leave at dawn. Get some rest.” He finally turned and walked away. I watched him go, only daring to let my cubs out when he was a safe distance away. My youngest gasped for air, her ordeal having left her breathless. My oldest watched Kael’s retreating figure with admiration. “Is that the Lion King? He’s so cool!” I was in no mood to discuss Kael’s accomplishments. I quickly ushered them away from the pride and hid them behind a large rock. 6 The pride trekked across the endless plains, the parched earth littered with the skeletons of animals. For me, the laws of the animal kingdom were a foreign language. In this land, devoid of civilization, I knew I would be quickly weeded out by nature. But I had to survive. At least until my children were grown. “Kael, signs of a wildebeest herd passing through here,” said a lioness named Kyra. She had been one ofthe former king’s mates. Kael made a quick assessment. “We’re picking up the pace. We might be close to the oasis.” The pride broke into a trot, but my heart sank. My children were still crawling through the tall grass far behind us. They would never be able to keep up. “Look, a river ahead!” one of the lionesses exclaimed in delight. They hadn’t had a proper drink in days and rushed to the water’s edge. While they were preoccupied, I seized the opportunity and ran back. My little ones were already exhausted. “Brother, I’m so tired, I can’t run anymore,” my daughter whimpered, though she kept her little paws moving, trying to keep up. “We can’t rest,” my oldest urged. “Don’t stop, or we’ll never see Mama again.” “We’re hiding so well, Mama must be so happy with us.” “Huh? It’s Mama!” My oldest son’s eyes lit up as he saw me running towards them. Without a word, I scooped up my daughter, let my sons clamber onto my back, and hurried to catch up with the pride. But I immediately faced a new problem. The river had bought me time, but now it blocked our path. I hid behind a dead tree, peering out at the pride. They had finished drinking and were now crossing the river. My cubs were too small to make it across. “Mama, what do we do? You’re going to leave us, aren’t you…” my second-born asked, his gaze uncertain. My other two cubs drooped their ears and hung their heads in sorrow. “Nonsense! I would abandon anything before I abandoned you.” I understood his fear. In the animal kingdom, abandoning the weak in a crisis was a common, brutal choice. The pride was already on the other side. If I didn’t follow now, I might never catch up. “We’ll wait for them to get further ahead, then Mama will take you across.” No matter what happened, I would never abandon my children. I watched the pride move across the vast landscape until they disappeared over the horizon. Then, I let my three little ones drink their fill from the river and play for a while before I carried them across. The plains on the other side were just as vast and empty. Once again, we were alone in this immense land.

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It was New Year’s Eve. Maxwell Kane came downstairs, dressed impeccably. I was putting up festive decorations on the windows. He walked over to me. “I won’t be home for the New Year. Will you be alright on your own?” Before I could ask why, he delivered the blow. “She’s pregnant. The baby’s mine. I have to be with her.” My hand trembled. What I was holding slipped from my fingers and hit the floor. “Why tell me now, of all times?” His silence was the only answer I needed. Our marriage was over. My voice was a raw, broken thing. “Maxwell, let’s get a divorce.” “Ava, haven’t I been good to you? Why would you want a divorce?” 1 Even the calmest, most rational person would shatter hearing those words. I snatched the heavy crystal ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it at him. “Why!” “Why?!” “Maxwell, you’re with another woman, and you have the audacity to ask me why?” “Don’t you hear how ridiculous you sound?” Maxwell didn’t flinch. Glass sprayed across the floor. A dark bruise instantly blossomed on his forehead. It wasn’t enough. I threw books, magazines, anything I could get my hands on, pelting him with the debris of our life together. Maxwell stood there, still as a statue, not even a flicker of pain in his eyes. Finally, I smashed my favorite vase—the one holding the flowers I’d picked from the garden just this morning. Maxwell had always been a cold man. Before we married, this house was a sterile monument to minimalist design, all cool tones and sharp edges. It had no soul. Every week, I’d buy flowers to breathe some warmth into the space. After we married, I hired a designer, hand-picked every piece of furniture, every small object, to turn this house into a home. Our home. And now, I had destroyed it with my own hands. The wreckage mirrored the ruin inside me. Maxwell just watched me, his eyes strange, as if he were observing a madwoman. When I had nothing left to throw, I sank to the floor, covering my face, and sobbed. He walked over and stood above me. After a long moment, he lifted me from the floor, cleared a space on the sofa, and gently set me down. He knelt before me, a flicker of what looked like pain in his own eyes. He brushed a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Ava, don’t do this… It hurts me to see you like this.” 2 I saw my reflection in his eyes—a tear-stained, pathetic mess. I froze. How had it come to this? I wiped my cheeks, trying to gather the scattered pieces of my composure. “Do you remember what you promised me?” I whispered. “You said we’d be together forever. Through thick and thin. Grow old together.” But Maxwell, we’ve only been married three years. And you’ve already betrayed me. You’ve betrayed our marriage. “How long have you been with her?” His gaze darted away, unable to meet mine. “Almost a year.” A whole year? They’d known each other that long? I dug my nails into my palm, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “Why choose now to tell me? Why not just keep lying?” Maxwell sat down beside me in silence, pulling out a lighter and a cigarette. The smoke hazed the sharp lines of his face. “I didn’t want to lie to you.” I didn’t want to lie to you. What a noble, hollow sentiment. If he didn’t love me anymore, he could have just told me. We could have divorced. I’m not the kind of woman who clings. But he chose to cheat. “She’s young,” he said, his voice distant. “In her early twenties. So full of life. She’s not like you, Ava. She accepts the gifts I buy her, the money I give her. She’s clingy, affectionate.” As he spoke, a light I hadn’t seen in years ignited in his eyes, only to dim when he looked back at me. “But you… you’re none of those things, Ava. With you, everything feels… muted.” “I’m your husband. I’m supposed to be the closest person to you.” But Maxwell, this is who I am. Quiet. Reserved. My childhood, my family—it made me this way. I don’t know how to be overly affectionate. I don’t like to be a burden. I keep a careful ledger, even with the people I love most. I was trying to change. I was learning to lean on him. But where was he when I needed him? When I was lying in a hospital bed after the car crash, calling his phone over and over? “Every Monday, you make lasagna. Every Wednesday, it’s roast chicken. I’m tired of it, Ava. I’m so tired of this bland, predictable life.” I didn’t understand. The table was always full of dishes. Only one or two were my favorites; the rest were his. Why was he fixating on those two? “You’re like… plain porridge, Ava,” he said, the words twisting like a knife. “Nourishing, but tasteless. A shame to throw away. But she… she’s like candy. Sweet, addictive. I can’t get enough of her.” A small, fond smile touched his lips. “She’s so bold. She dragged me to an amusement park and insisted we go into the haunted house first. She stood there with her hands on her hips, claiming she wasn’t scared. The second we were inside, she was so terrified she leaped into my arms and wouldn’t let go.” “Her heart was pounding so fast against my chest. Thump, thump, thump. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her face flushed, and she kissed me. I should have pushed her away. But I didn’t…” “Stop it!” The pain was a numb, crushing weight. I couldn’t breathe. “Ava…” “Maxwell, I’m begging you. Please, just stop.” 3 The living room fell into a dead silence. Maxwell’s phone rang. He pulled it out, glanced at me, and answered it without a hint of shame. A young, sweet voice chirped from the speaker. “I’m hungry. When are you coming back?” “Hungry?” As Maxwell looked at me, I shot to my feet, my mind racing, frantically searching for something. “Mmm-hmm. Me and the baby are both hungry.” “I’ll be right there to feed you both.” A chill went through my entire body. I pressed my hands to my head, trying to think. What was I looking for? My phone. Yes, my phone. What if there was an important work message I’d missed? What if I’d missed an important call? “Be good now, baby. I’ll be there soon.” “I love you, hubby! Mwah!” I tried desperately to block out the sound, wishing I were deaf. But I wasn’t. Maxwell’s light, cheerful voice washed over me like a toxic wave. Only the sting of blood in my palm, where my nails had broken the skin, brought me back to myself. Maxwell had ended the call at some point and was now standing behind me. “She’s getting impatient. I should go.” “I’ll explain everything to my parents. If you don’t want to go to the family dinner tomorrow, you can stay here.” He paused. “Do you want me to call the housekeeper to stay with you over the holiday?” “No, that’s probably not a good idea. It’s New Year’s Eve. She should be with her family.” He spoke as if he were thinking aloud. So he did know it was New Year’s Eve. A time for family. What did that make me? A stranger? Someone completely irrelevant? I picked up the electric kettle and poured myself a glass of hot water. The warmth spreading down my throat did little to dispel the icy cold that had taken root in my soul. “Maxwell. Let’s get a divorce.” At the entryway, Maxwell paused, his hand on the doorknob. “I promised I would take care of you for the rest of your life, Ava. If you want, you can always be Mrs. Kane. We can go on just like before.” “And her?” “I’ll buy her a house. Settle her somewhere else. I won’t let her bother you.” 4 Maxwell left. I was alone in the wreckage of our living room. Before he walked out the door, he had come back to wipe away my tears. And with the same lips that had kissed me a thousand times, he’d said the words that broke me. “Ava, just be good. She won’t try to take anything from you.” I walked numbly up the stairs and into our bedroom. I stared at our wedding photo. The girl in the picture was smiling, her face a portrait of pure happiness. I turned and went into the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face. The woman in the mirror was a disaster. Red-rimmed eyes, tear-streaked cheeks. I slowly raised my hand. Ava, this isn’t you. The cold water was a shock. I told myself not to be sad. But how could I not be sad after so many years? I collapsed onto the bed, wishing it had all been a nightmare. But when I woke up, the memories were still there, sharp and vivid, a cruel reminder that it was all real. My phone vibrated. It was Maxwell’s mother. I ignored it, staring blankly at my laptop screen. A few moments later, it rang again. I hesitated, then answered. “Ava, darling, it’s New Year’s Eve. You and Maxwell, remember to come home early.” I held the phone, unsure how to respond. “Ava?” “Maxwell… did he not tell you anything?” “What’s wrong? Did you two have a fight? That boy isn’t even answering his phone.” “It’s nothing.” “Well, as long as everything’s alright. Just remember to come home early with Maxwell.” 5 Some things couldn’t be said over the phone. It was better to talk in person. But before I went to the Kane estate, I had to stop at a print shop. The usually bustling streets were eerily quiet for the holiday. I tried several shops, but they were all closed. The bitter wind whipped around me, and I pulled my coat tighter. Just as I was about to give up, I saw a small copy shop with its lights still on. Maybe, I thought, my luck wasn’t so bad after all. The owner asked what I needed to print, if I needed help. I managed a polite smile. “No, thank you.” He paused, probably wondering who on earth would be printing a divorce agreement on New Year’s Eve. He quickly bound the documents and handed them to me. “Happy New Year,” he said. My hand froze as I was about to pay. He was the first person to wish me a Happy New Year today. Not my family. Not even Maxwell. A sudden sting filled my eyes. “Happy New Year to you, too.” Outside the shop, I took a deep breath, tucked the documents into my bag, and called Maxwell. “Are you going to your parents’?” “He’s in the shower right now and can’t take your call,” a woman’s voice answered. “Is there a message I can pass along, Ms. Cole?” It wasn’t Maxwell. It was his little mistress. Her words were dripping with provocation. “Please inform Maxwell that his mother wants him to come home.” 6 When I arrived at the Kane estate, Maxwell’s mother was in the kitchen, preparing for dinner. I walked in with the gifts I’d brought. “Ava, dear, why are you alone? Where is that boy?” Faced with their questions, I was at a loss for words. “Maxwell is busy. He’ll be here later.” “So busy on New Year’s Eve? I told him to come home early.” His father grumbled. “I’m going to call him and see what’s so important.” I didn’t try to stop him. I didn’t care. I went into the kitchen to help. Maxwell’s parents had always been kind to me. It was a holiday. I didn’t want to ruin it for everyone. I decided I would talk about my situation with Maxwell another day. We worked all afternoon, but there was still no sign of Maxwell. As dusk fell, we had just sat down to eat when he finally arrived. But he wasn’t alone. “Mom, Dad, I’m home.” Maxwell held a gift in one hand. With the other, he was holding a young woman’s hand. He probably thought I had already told his parents everything. Just then, fireworks exploded outside the window, their colorful bursts lighting up the night sky. It felt like they were celebrating Maxwell and his new love. When the sound of the fireworks died down, Maxwell’s parents exchanged a look. They could see something was wrong. “What time is it? Do you know you’re supposed to be here?” his mother said, her eyes sweeping over the girl by his side. “And on such an important day, why would you bring a stranger home?” The girl seemed frightened and instinctively leaned closer to Maxwell. Maxwell frowned at me, as if he wished I weren’t there. A few seconds later, he smiled and held up their intertwined hands. “Mom, Dad, she’s not a stranger.” “Her name is Chloe. We’re together.”

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At my father’s birthday party, as he was making a wish over his cake, my mother leaned in and whispered something in his ear. My father, a man who cherished his life above all else, jumped from the balcony a moment later. After his death, countless people asked my mother what she had said. Someone even offered a million dollars for her secret. But she remained silent. Until my wedding day. My mother showed up at the ceremony. And whispered that same secret into my fiancé’s ear… 1 My mother became famous after my father died. My dad was known for his fierce love of life. His sudden suicide could only be explained by the words my mother had whispered to him. Everyone wanted to know what they were. Rich women in unhappy marriages offered her a million dollars, hoping to buy the words that could kill. But my mother never spoke. Not even when the police interrogated her. She just lowered her head and remained silent. In the end, she was sentenced to three years in prison for inciting suicide. After handling my father’s funeral, I visited her in prison. “Mom,” I pleaded, “what did you say to Dad? Why did he kill himself?” Through the thick glass partition, her expression was serene. “He didn’t want to live anymore. What does that have to do with me?” Her calm indifference was a knife to my heart. “Dad would rush to the hospital for a paper cut, terrified of an infection,” I said, my voice choked with bitterness. “His birthday wish was always to live to be a hundred, to see me get married and hold his grandchildren. Tell me, why would a man like that suddenly kill himself?” I was heartbroken, but more than that, I was confused. My father was a kind man, and he and my mother had always seemed happy together. Why would she say something to drive him to suicide? What could she possibly have said? In response to my questions, she only gave me a long, deep look. “Stop asking,” she said, her voice flat. “Knowing too much won’t do you any good.” 2 With that, she ended the visit. I went home. The house that was once filled with laughter now held only a black-and-white portrait of my father. A sharp pain pierced my heart, and my confusion deepened. I went into my parents’ room, searching for any clue, any hint of an answer. In the closet, their clothes were neatly folded. My mother had once said that my father looked handsome in white, so he only ever bought white clothes. My mother loved gold, so my father had filled a drawer with gold jewelry for her. My mother’s health was frail, so my father’s nightstand was stocked with all the medications she might need. The more I looked, the less I understood. Every corner of this room screamed of love and happiness. My father had been so good to us. Why would my mother destroy it all? I wanted answers, but after our last conversation, she refused to see me again. Her cold, resolute silence left me heartbroken. I moved out of that house of sorrow and into an apartment with my long-time boyfriend, Alex. In those lonely, helpless days, Alex was my rock. He was gentle and considerate, accepting and caring, wrapping me in his unconditional love. Three years later, we set a date for our wedding. The night before the ceremony, Alex asked me tentatively, “Emma, your mom is out of prison now. This is such an important day for us. Aren’t you going to invite her? Are you still angry with her?” I paused. “I just can’t understand it,” I said honestly. “My dad was such a good person. Why would she want him dead?” Alex didn’t hesitate. “What if it was all a misunderstanding? How could a single sentence really make someone kill themselves? Maybe your dad’s death hit her so hard that she couldn’t bear to talk about it.” He squeezed my hand, his voice gentle. “No matter what, she’s still your mother. A wedding is a huge milestone. You should let her know. She’s the only family you have left in this world. Imagine how hurt she’d be if she found out her only daughter got married without inviting her.” Alex was always like that—kind, thoughtful, always putting others first. In the years of my confusion and despair, he had been my sun, warming me, teaching me how to walk out of the darkness and into the light. His words filled me with a bittersweet warmth. After a moment’s thought, I sent my mother an invitation. 3 The next day was the wedding. To show how much he valued me, Alex had planned a grand, lavish ceremony. The venue was packed with guests, buzzing with excitement. My mother came. I hadn’t seen her in years, and she had gotten thinner. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and the streaks of grey in her hair made her look weary, ancient. Her face was expressionless, her gaze shifting only between me and Alex. It had been so long. I felt like there was a depth to her eyes that I couldn’t penetrate. At the officiant’s invitation, my mother walked onto the stage. Alex, beaming with excitement and happiness, made a promise to her. “Ma’am, thank you so much for coming to our wedding. Please don’t worry. I will take good care of Emma. I’ll spend the rest of my life loving her and making sure she never has to suffer.” As the mood lightened, the officiant held the microphone to my mother. “As the mother of the bride, is there anything you’d like to say to your daughter?” My mother, who should have been offering me her blessings, simply said, “No.” Her voice was calm. “I only have one thing to say to my son-in-law.” With that, she stepped forward, leaned close to Alex’s ear, and whispered. The smile on Alex’s face vanished, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated terror. His eyes darted to me. Then, as if possessed, he bolted towards the hotel balcony. “Alex, stop!” I screamed. He didn’t hear me. He was running as if from a monster, and with a desperate, decisive leap, he threw himself over the railing. THUD! The sound of a heavy impact was followed by a symphony of screams from below. It all happened so fast. By the time anyone reacted, Alex was already lying in a twisted heap in a pool of blood. Silent. Still. 4 Alex was dead. He died at our wedding. Killed by my mother’s words. The guests rushed downstairs, staring in shock and horror at the scene. Alex’s mother collapsed to the ground, cradling his body and weeping hysterically. I felt my heart shatter, my body go limp. The man who had just promised to love me for the rest of his life was now a bloody corpse. I couldn’t accept it. Just then, my mother descended the stairs, her movements slow and deliberate. She calmly tucked a stray hair behind her ear, as if the chaos around her was of no concern. Seeing her, Alex’s father pointed a trembling finger, his voice shaking with rage. “What did you say to my son? Why did he kill himself the moment he heard your words?” Alex’s other relatives and friends joined in, their voices thick with grief and fury. “You venomous witch! Today was supposed to be the happiest day of Alex’s life! Why did you have to come here and ruin it?” “We heard you killed your own husband with a single sentence. We knew you were no good! But Alex insisted we had misunderstood you. He even told us not to judge you, not to talk about what happened to your husband. He was always thinking of you, and this is how you repay him? Are you even human?!” “People like you should rot in prison for the rest of your lives!” Through it all, my mother remained calm, indifferent. “He chose to kill himself. What does that have to do with me?” Her voice was light, as if she were a mere bystander. Alex’s mother, heartbroken, suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my mother by the collar. “You murderer!” she screamed through her tears. “Give me back my son! My son was a kind man his whole life! He never did a single bad thing! He loved your daughter with all his heart, gave her everything! Before the wedding, he begged us to be good to her. He said he wanted to live a happy life with her, have children, grow old together! He was so optimistic, so full of hope for the future! How could he possibly kill himself? Tell me! What did you say to him? Why did you kill him?!” Alex’s mother, always so gentle and loving, had completely broken down. I didn’t stop her. I looked at my mother with utter disappointment, my voice aching with pain. “Why? Wasn’t killing Dad enough? Why did you have to kill Alex too?” My father had been so good to me. Our family had been so happy. But my mother’s words destroyed it all. Then Alex came into my life, his love healing me, making me feel the warmth of a family again. Now, just as we were about to build a new life together, my mother had torn it all down again, killing the man I loved, destroying everything I had ever hoped for. Alex’s death ignited a fire of hatred for my mother that consumed me. She looked at me, a flicker of something—uncertainty?—in her eyes. “You think that of me too?” “I just want to know,” I sobbed. “What did you say to them?” I remembered it clearly now. The day my father died, he had looked at me with that same expression of terror, just like Alex, before he jumped. I had to know. What words could make two kind, optimistic men make such an extreme choice? The guests and onlookers erupted, screaming at my mother. “First your husband, now your son-in-law! You murderer! You don’t deserve to live!” “If you don’t give us an explanation today, we won’t let you leave here alive!” “Tell us! What did you say to them?” Facing the crowd’s accusations, my mother coolly shook off Alex’s mother’s hand. She straightened her collar and surveyed the crowd. “I can say it,” she said, her voice cold. “But do you dare to listen?” The noisy scene fell silent. Everyone was frozen, their faces etched with fear. These were words that killed. Anyone who heard them chose suicide without hesitation. They were curious, but they were also terrified. As everyone stood silent, I stepped forward. “I dare.” Because of a single sentence, the father who adored me and the man who loved me were both dead. I had to know why. Even if it meant my own death, I wasn’t afraid. My mother looked at me, her gaze deep. “Are you sure you won’t regret it?” I nodded. “I’m sure.” Her expression softened slightly. Finally, she leaned in close to my ear and whispered the words. 5 After my mother spoke, all eyes were on me. Just moments before, they had all witnessed Alex jump to his death, his face a mask of terror, right after my mother had whispered in his ear. They were waiting to see my reaction. Waiting to see if I, too, would kill myself. But under their curious and tense gazes, I did nothing strange. I just frowned at my mother. “You’re lying,” I said, my voice firm. “You couldn’t have said that to them.” Faced with my disbelief, my mother’s expression remained placid. “I’ve told you. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.” “If that’s all you said, why would Dad and Alex kill themselves?” I retorted without hesitation. They were both such optimistic, kind men. How could a simple sentence like that drive them to suicide? At that moment, I was certain she was lying to me. But her face was a mask of sincerity. “As I said, they chose to kill themselves. It has nothing to do with me.” My passionate accusations and her calm explanations left the crowd bewildered. They stared at us, their eyes full of suspicion and doubt. Before I could speak again, police cars arrived, sirens wailing. Several officers got out and walked straight to my mother. “We received a call that you are suspected of deliberately inciting someone to commit suicide. This is the second death you’ve been involved in. Please come with us for questioning.” Facing the police again, my mother said nothing. She silently allowed them to handcuff her and lead her to the car. Through the car window, she looked at me, her gaze deep and meaningful, as if there were a thousand things she wanted to say. I had the strangest feeling that there was something she was desperate to tell me, but for some reason, she couldn’t. As I watched, the police car drove away, taking my mother with it. Even after she was gone, the crowd continued to stare at me. When it became clear that I was fine, Alex’s mother approached me, her voice hesitant. “Emma, what did your mother say to you?” 6 In the years after my father’s death and my mother’s imprisonment, Alex had cared for me devotedly, and his mother had treated me like her own daughter. I respected her, and I felt a deep sense of guilt towards her. Looking into her sad, curious eyes, I felt helpless. “My mom just said, ‘Happy wedding day.’ Nothing else.” Alex’s mother frowned, her face a picture of disbelief. “How is that possible? Just now, after she spoke to Alex, his face was full of terror. If that’s all she said, why would he react like that? Why would he kill himself in front of everyone?” Others chimed in. “Yes, we all saw his reaction. Those words wouldn’t have caused such a reaction.” “Besides, who whispers well wishes in someone’s ear? She’s obviously lying.” “That’s right, Emma. Alex was always so good to you. You can’t protect your mother just because she’s a murderer.” “Yes, just tell us what she really said. Don’t cover for her.” Even Alex’s father spoke, his voice grave. “Emma, my son was devoted to you. He never let you suffer. If you have even a shred of genuine feeling for him, you won’t let him die like this, without any answers.” Faced with their accusations, I tried to explain again. “My dad and Alex both died the same way, because of my mother’s words. So, more than anyone, I want to know what she said. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have stood up in front of everyone and asked her to tell me. I don’t think it was those words either, but she really only said, ‘Happy wedding day.’ I was just confronting her about it, you all heard me!” Because of a single sentence, I had lost the two most important people in my life. I wanted to know why more than anyone. Seeing my firm words and serious expression, the crowd, though still skeptical, said no more. They turned their attention to handling Alex’s funeral arrangements. A celebration had turned into a funeral. My heart had plummeted from heaven to hell. After attending Alex’s funeral, my body exhausted and my heart in pieces, I returned to my childhood home. As I arrived, I found a crowd of people waiting at my door.

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1 My brother Leo and I went to his fiancée’s house to pick her up for the wedding, but she refused to come downstairs, deciding to play games instead. “Camille,” she said, her voice dripping with challenge, “I won’t feel safe marrying into your family until you pass my obedience test.” I glanced at my lovestruck brother, Leo, whose eyes were pleading with me. I had no choice but to nod. First, the bride-to-be, Jessica, demanded I transfer $1,000 to each of her bridesmaids and all the gathered relatives as a “token of goodwill.” For my brother’s happiness, I gritted my teeth and sent the money. Second, she ordered me to kneel on the floor, wash her feet, and put on her wedding shoes. Seeing Leo on the verge of tears, I swallowed my pride and did it. “And for the third thing,” Jessica announced with a smirk, “we’ll have an exchange. I want you to marry my brother!” I refused on the spot. But Jessica was smugly confident. “Don’t follow the rules, and you can get the hell out of the Vaughn family. You’re just the adopted one. Don’t get ahead of yourself.” My own brother chimed in, twisting the knife. “She’s right, Camille. Mom and Dad adopted you. It’s about time you paid them back by helping me.” I almost laughed from the sheer audacity of it. The truth was, Mom and Dad had adopted him because they thought I was too lonely as a child! … The eyes of everyone in the room darted toward me. “I had no idea the Vaughns’ daughter was adopted. And here I was, so jealous of her, thinking she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.” “Her adoptive parents must be saints. Look at her, decked out in designer brands from head to toe.” Jessica’s eyes glinted with envy, her words laced with acid. “What can I say? My future in-laws are just so generous, even to an adopted stray. They’re only putting my name on one of their properties, while she has several in her name already.” She shot me a look of pure contempt. “Some people have no shame, happily taking things that aren’t rightfully theirs.” I took a series of deep breaths, forcing down the fire in my chest. Today was Leo’s wedding day. I couldn’t be the one to ruin it. I told myself I’d try one last time. Forcing a smile, I said, “Jessica, please come downstairs. We’ll be late.” She slapped my hand away and spun to face Leo, her voice a shrill whine. “Leo, what is your sister trying to say? Is she looking down on my brother, or is she looking down on me? Didn’t you tell me you’re the one who calls the shots in your family? How can she refuse something so simple for our wedding?” Sparks flew from my eyes. Something so simple? And her brother? Did she have any self-awareness at all? The man was a total creep who looked to be in his forties, complete with a beer belly, a balding head, and a smile that revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth. Jessica wouldn’t let it go. “My parents worked so hard to put me through college, and now I’m supposed to slave away for your family for the rest of my life,” she sobbed. “Is it really too much to ask for you to give them a daughter in return?” She started crying hysterically. “It’s our wedding day, and your sister is already disrespecting me! I can’t imagine how she’ll treat me once I’m actually married into your family! Leo, if your sister doesn’t marry my brother, then this wedding is off!” The threat of cancellation sent my love-drunk brother into a panic. He rushed over to her, half-kneeling. “My darling, please don’t do this to me. I chased you for so long to win your heart. If we don’t get married today, I don’t think I can go on living!” Jessica shoved him away, and he stumbled to the ground. “Your sister refuses to complete my obedience test! I know she’ll make my life hell!” she shrieked. “I’m my parents’ precious treasure! Why should I have to put up with her abuse?” The inferno in my chest roared hotter. I dug my nails into my palms, trying to stay grounded. Leo clutched his back as he scrambled to his feet. He turned to me, his brow furrowed in annoyance. “Camille, what is your problem? What’s so wrong with you marrying Jessica’s brother?” “So what if he’s a little older? He’ll know how to take care of you! Are you looking down on their family’s financial situation? Mom and Dad gave you several houses, didn’t they? That’s more than enough for you to live on for the rest of your life!” “What?” he sneered. “Are you still dreaming of marrying some rich, handsome prince? Wake up, Camille! Your birth parents were nobodies from the countryside. What wealthy guy would ever seriously look at you?” He leaned in, his voice a low threat. “If you don’t agree to this, I’ll tell Mom and Dad you ruined my wedding. Believe me, they’ll kick you out on the street in a second.” In that moment, the last thread of my composure snapped. 2 I dropped the purse Jessica had made me hold and stormed toward the door. “I don’t care if this wedding happens or not. I’m going home!” But before I could leave, Jessica grabbed my arm in a vice-like grip. “You’re not going anywhere!” She unzipped the purse. “First, I’m going to check if you stole anything from me!” She opened the bag. Inside, there was nothing but a few empty red envelopes from the earlier cash gifts. Jessica shrieked, “Leo! The diamond necklace, the ring, the gold you gave me… it’s all gone!” Her expression twisted into one of vicious accusation as she pointed a finger at my face. “Well, well, Camille. I thought I could trust you, my future sister-in-law, to hold my bag for me. I never thought you’d have such sticky fingers!” I was completely stunned. She immediately started a live stream, shoving the camera right in my face. “Everyone, look! This is my future sister-in-law, the famous Miss Vaughn of the Vaughn Corporation. But guess what? She’s the adopted daughter. I guess she inherited some bad genes from her real parents!” “I asked her to hold my bag, and in just a few minutes, tens of thousands of dollars worth of my jewelry vanished! The bag never left her hands. I wonder who could have taken it? It’s such a mystery!” A flood of malicious comments poured in. “This is why you should be careful about adopting. Who knows what kind of trash their parents were?” “Look at her, dressed in all those designer brands. You’d never guess she was a common thief.” “What a snake in the grass. Her adoptive parents gave her everything, and she repays them by stealing from her brother’s fiancée and trying to ruin his wedding.” Jessica’s bridesmaids swarmed me, snatching my own purse. They dumped its contents onto the floor. When they found nothing, Jessica grabbed a handful of my hair and slapped me hard across the face. “Bitch, tell me where you hid it!” My cheek burned, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. But what chilled me to the bone was my brother’s reaction. He just stood there, watching with cold indifference. He even added, his voice light, “Come on, Camille. Just give Jessica her things back. Don’t ruin our wedding, okay?” I wiped a smear of blood from my lip. “Since you’re so sure I stole something,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “then let’s call the police and have them figure it out.” Jessica snatched my phone and smashed it on the ground. The screen shattered. She crossed her arms, glaring at me. “This is a small town. What will the neighbors think if they see the police show up at my parents’ house?” “Since you’re so determined to deny it, we’ll just have to search you ourselves.” A wicked glint appeared in Jessica’s eyes. “Girls, strip her down. Who knows, maybe she hid it in her underwear.” Panic seized my heart. “Jessica, that’s illegal!” I shouted. “Leo, call the police!” But Leo just rubbed his ear and went back to scrolling on his phone. My eyes widened in horror as I stared at the boy I had loved and protected for over twenty years, blood or not. My heart turned to ice, piece by piece. “Leo!” I screamed. “I’m your sister!” When we were kids, I was always the one who stood in front of him, taking the blame for his mistakes. Leo just scoffed. “Give me a break. Your deadbeat parents were so poor they had to sell you to our family. You think you’re worthy of being my sister?” Jessica’s friends yanked up my t-shirt, exposing my skin to the leering eyes in the room. Whistles echoed around me. I struggled, but Jessica just slapped me again and again, until my ears were ringing. She leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll sign over all your properties to Leo. Then I’ll let you go.” “Otherwise,” she smirked, “your parents will believe you’re a thief. You’ll lose everything and get thrown out with nothing.” So that was it. A thief crying wolf, all to steal my houses. Rage burned so fiercely it felt like it would tear through my chest. My voice trembled as I spoke. “Jessica, if you ever manage to marry into the Vaughn family, my name isn’t Camille Vaughn!” Jessica burst out laughing as if I’d told the funniest joke in the world. “Have you forgotten your place? You’re the adopted one. Who do you think you are to make threats like that?!” Her eyes darkened. She waved a hand. “Girls, teach her a lesson. Don’t worry, she’s not their real daughter!” 3 A sharp fist slammed into my forehead. A warm trickle of blood ran from my nose. Kicks landed on my stomach, sending waves of agony through me until my vision blurred. Through the haze, I saw Jessica grab a vase from the coffee table and bring it crashing down on my head. A bolt of sharp pain, and then I felt my forehead. My hand came away wet with blood. My appearance must have been terrifying, because Jessica and her friends finally stopped. I staggered to my feet, my eyes locked on her. A flicker of fear crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with bravado. “It’s your own fault for being a thief!” she spat. “Fine. I’ll be generous since you’re Leo’s sister. Give me back my things right now and kneel and apologize, and I’ll let this go for today.” She waved a dismissive hand and sat back down on the bed. Leo, ever the sycophant, put down his phone and began massaging her wrist. “Camille, hurry up and give her back the jewelry! See how forgiving Jessica is being?” “I didn’t steal anything!” I roared. “How can I give back something I don’t have? This whole thing was a setup by Jessica!” Leo’s eyes darted away. My heart sank. That look on his face… he knew. He was in on it. But he still pressed on. “Then just pay her back! The jewelry was worth tens of thousands. Paying her a hundred thousand in compensation is more than fair!” “Do it now,” he threatened, “or I’m calling Mom and Dad and having them throw you out!” He was so brazen, constantly holding the threat of being disowned over my head. I closed my eyes. I remembered a conversation I’d had with my parents just a few weeks ago. “Camille,” my mom had said, her voice gentle, “we adopted Leo because we felt guilty that you were so lonely as an only child, especially since we were always so busy with work.” “You two got along well enough over the years, so we let it be. But now he’s demanding to take over the company and wants us to transfer all the properties we gave you into his name.” “The boy has gotten greedy. We were thinking, since we’re already paying for his wedding, maybe it’s time to tell him the truth and have him move out.” At the time, my heart had gone soft. I’d argued against it, thinking about how Leo had lived his whole life as the Vaughn family’s young master. The shock of the truth would be too much for him. My parents had reluctantly agreed, and we dropped the matter. But today, Leo’s actions had frozen my heart solid. I made a decision. The moment I got home, I would tell my parents to kick him out. Not ruining his wedding day would be my last act of kindness as his sister. I turned and walked toward the door. Leo’s shout echoed behind me. “Camille, you dare leave without paying?” Then came the gasps of the guests. “Oh my god, I can’t believe the Vaughn’s daughter is like that behind closed doors.” I spun around in shock. Leo was holding his phone up for everyone to see, a triumphant smirk on his face. On the screen was a video… My pupils constricted.

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As the holidays approached, a group of “wildlife enthusiasts” sued me. They claimed that keeping animals in captivity was a form of abuse and, in the middle of the night, they “liberated” every animal in my zoo. A scream tore from my throat. That pack of morons will die out there! Later, a video popped up on my feed: a full-grown snow leopard, wailing miserably at a little calf. “Do you know where Mama Keeper is?” The calf trembled, backing away, which only made the snow leopard cry harder. “Mama Keeper, where are you? I’m starving to death.” 1 After graduation, I took over a small zoo. I’d just finished shooting a few promotional videos, hoping to drum up some business for the holiday season, when a court summons arrived. A group of self-proclaimed wildlife enthusiasts was taking me to court, arguing that by keeping wild animals in enclosures, I was suppressing their natural instincts. I was baffled. I run a zoo. If I’m not keeping animals, am I supposed to start keeping people? Thankfully, the judge was a reasonable person. My zoo’s paperwork was all in order, and the plaintiffs quickly lost their case. When I got back, I threw a small celebration. Leo, my snow leopard, circled my legs excitedly. “Mama, Mama, you’re the best! You didn’t let them take me away!” I buried my face in his thick fur. “Don’t you worry, I’ll always protect you. But seriously, I’m not your mom. I’m a single human woman. I couldn’t possibly give birth to a snow leopard your size.” “I don’t care. You were the first person I saw when I opened my eyes. You have to be my mom.” It was impossible to reason with a leopard cub who’d never known his own mother. And since I’ve been able to understand animals since I was a child, Leo was thoroughly convinced. Fine. He was a pathetic, fluffy orphan, so I let it slide. That night, after my rounds—tucking in the black bear who hated the cold, cuddling the clingy snow leopard, and consoling a Pallas’s cat nursing a broken heart—I finally collapsed into my own cozy bed. I woke up to armageddon. Where was my giant black bear? Gone! Kevin, who was supposed to be on night watch, was crying so hard his nose was running. “Some monsters… I only dozed off for a minute… They climbed the wall and opened all the cages!” The zoo was now a chaotic free-for-all, with animals wandering everywhere. The moment I stepped outside my door, Grandpa Sheldon, the seventy-year-old, six-hundred-pound Aldabra tortoise, lumbered past with a red panda clinging to his shell. “Little Keeper, this one’s a real handful. My ears are ringing.” I quickly scooped the red panda off his back and handed him to a keeper. “I’m so sorry, Grandpa Sheldon. I’ll get you right back to your enclosure.” The tortoise took a slow, deliberate step. “No need. It’s been ages since I had a good stroll. I think I’ll go see if that alligator who bit me is dead yet.” My eye twitched. “That was almost twenty years ago. You’re still holding a grudge?” I stepped aside just in time to lunge, grabbing a pelican that was trying to swallow a capybara whole. “How many times have I told you? You can’t eat your coworkers!” He refused to let go. “You only live once. A little taste of a coworker can’t hurt.” After rescuing the placid capybara, two white-faced sakis swung past overhead. “Good morning, Keeper! Another day, another joy!” Two freshly-made turds dropped from above, landing squarely on the head of a charging lion. “Catch us if you can, silly kitty!” The enraged lion roared, charging blindly. “You stinking monkeys! I’m going to eat you!” Grandpa Sheldon couldn’t dodge in time and was knocked onto his back, his legs flailing. He let out a weary sigh. “Oh, my old back. These young’uns have no respect these days.” It took the entire day to wrangle the frolicking animals back into their homes. Just as we thought it was over, Kevin screamed again. “The black bear, the snow leopard, and the Pallas’s cat are gone!” We pulled up last night’s security footage and saw her: Diane, the lead “wildlife enthusiast” from the lawsuit. She and a few others were sneaking up to Leo’s enclosure. Leo’s eyes shot open. He covered his head with his paws in terror. “Someone’s here to eat the leopard! Mama, help me!” 2 Diane cooed softly, “Don’t be afraid. Soon, you’ll be free.” A tranquilizer dart hissed through the air, embedding itself in Leo’s fluffy backside. They loaded him onto a waiting truck. Leo let out a pained cry. “Mama, tonight, I sail on my final voyage.” A mournful wail escaped my lips. “Leo! My sweet baby Leo, whom I raised from a bottle!” Kevin sent me the other videos. The black bear was sleeping so soundly that the tranquilizer dart didn’t even wake her. She just rolled over and kept snoring. The group had also tried to nab a giant panda, but our pandas have a habit of digging their own sleeping burrows, so the thieves came up empty-handed. The Pallas’s cat, Pip, had boarded the truck willingly. He’d been suffering from insomnia ever since his latest breakup and probably tagged along out of concern for his friends. I called the police immediately. The security cameras had caught the license plate. The police found Diane quickly. She showed no remorse. “It’s a bear’s nature to hunt. By caging them, you’re suppressing their instincts. And officer, look at what she feeds that snow leopard every day. There’s no nutritional balance. If that’s not abuse, what is?” She held up a video of a keeper feeding Leo, her voice ringing with conviction. I glanced at the video, confused. It was all fresh, high-quality meat. What was the problem? Diane’s voice rose with indignation. “You feed yourself fruits and vegetables, so why don’t you give any to the snow leopard? It’s obvious you’re just fattening him up to make a profit!” If Leo had heard that, he would have clawed her face off. He was a carnivore. “Besides,” she added smugly, “releasing animals is a good deed. I’m helping you atone for your sins.” I resisted the urge to slap her and turned to the reporters who had arrived. “The animals she stole have all been evaluated for release in the past,” I explained. “We only kept them in the zoo after determining they couldn’t survive in the wild.” Diane sneered. “They’re predators. Of course they can survive. They need to be free. Keeping them in a zoo will give them depression.” I shoved my phone in her face, playing the video that was now trending number one. In it, a grown snow leopard was wailing miserably at a little calf. He tried to pounce, but the calf kicked him twice, sending him tumbling. “Do you know where my Mama is? I’m so hungry. I miss my Mama.” Hearing his voice, tears of heartache streamed down my face. My poor Leo had never suffered a day in his life. He was so spoiled, his keepers had to cut his meat into tiny, bite-sized pieces. Chloe, a young reporter, handed me a tissue. “Don’t worry, Zoo Director. We just got a tip. The video was shot on nearby Mount Sterling.” I dried my tears, notified the Animal Protection Bureau, and rushed to the mountain. Following a tip from a local herdsman, we spent three grueling hours climbing to a midway point on the slope. Chloe had started a live stream of the rescue operation. Thanks to the viral video, her stream was flooded with viewers. 【That snow leopard really isn’t cut out for the wild. It’s being bullied by a calf!】 【What on earth does the keeper feed it? It’s so chubby.】 【So cute! Where is this zoo? I want to visit.】 An idea sparked. I jumped into the frame. “Our Crestview Zoo has been open for over forty years! We have all sorts of predators and cute critters you can see up close. And if you follow my account, tickets are only $9.99!” 【Is the director running a charity?】 【That’s so cheap! I have to go!】 In an instant, we sold over two thousand advance tickets. Chloe gave an awkward laugh and whispered, “Director, we haven’t even run our own ads yet.” I flushed, rubbing my nose. “Sorry, you go ahead.” Ever since I’d taken over the zoo, it had been a money pit. This was my first real chance to turn things around, and I got a little carried up. We soon reached the location from the video. The grass was trampled, covered in the hoofprints of cattle and the paw prints of a snow leopard. I raised a megaphone. “Leo! Leo, where are you? Mama’s here!” I shouted until my voice was hoarse, but there was no response. Then, one of the officers from the bureau called out. They had found snow leopard fur near a steep, rocky cliff. Their initial assessment was that he had fallen. 3 My heart plummeted into an abyss. I collapsed at the edge of the cliff, sobbing. “My poor Leo! An orphan since birth, never even had a girlfriend! Please come back! Mama won’t stop you from visiting Penelope next door anymore! You can have all the ice cream you want!” As I was crying my eyes out, a small calf peeked out from behind a tree. “Are you really Leo’s mom? Can you give me the secret password?” Without thinking, I replied, “Open Sesame.” The next moment, an agile snow leopard leaped out and pounced on me. “Mama, Mama, Mama! I knew it was you! I knew you’d come save me!” He tried to shove his entire head into my arms, his big, rough tongue licking away my tears. “Mama, Mama, Mama! Can I really go play with Penelope? And I want ten ice creams!” I grabbed his tongue. “Why didn’t you answer when I called?” Leo puffed out his chest proudly. “You always taught me, Mama. Never answer when a stranger calls your name, and never go with a stranger. You have to get the password right.” I was so exasperated I could have throttled him. I pounded on his back a few times. The little calf trotted over and kicked Leo with its hoof. “You said your mom was super tall and strong, and could take out my mom with one punch.” I silently handed the calf two beef jerky sticks and shooed it down the mountain to find its mother. The calf’s eyes lit up. “What is this? It’s delicious!” Leo started meowing with envy. “Mama, I want some too! A big piece!” The live stream chat was going wild. 【What an adorable snow leopard! He’s so cuddly.】 【Feeding beef jerky to a calf? The director is one of a kind.】 【Finally found one! That was tough. Now just the black bear left, that’s the dangerous one.】 Chloe stared at Leo’s sleek, glossy coat, her eyes full of envy. With my permission, she started petting him with both hands. Leo looked utterly resigned. “Mama, can I suddenly turn and scare her?” Just then, a breathless officer from the Animal Protection Bureau ran up, asking about the size of the missing black bear. When he learned that the bear, Honey, was seven feet tall, weighed eight hundred pounds, and was currently in heat, his face grew grave. “We found scraps of clothing and bear tracks nearby.” “We suspect,” he said grimly, “that this bear has killed someone.” I quickly waved my hands. Honey had been raised by a young female keeper since she was a cub. She was so gentle, you could hit her three times and she wouldn’t even make a peep. Even in heat, she wouldn’t attack a person without provocation. The officer held up a plaster cast of a paw print. “Are you sure the bear from your zoo weighs eight hundred pounds?” “Of course,” I said. “Honey just had a check-up a few days ago.” “Well,” he said, “the tracks we’re measuring suggest a bear weighing at least twelve hundred pounds.” 4 Leo’s fur instantly stood on end. He pressed himself against my leg, trembling. “Mama, I told you Honey would eat people! It has to be her! She’s always so mean! She’s not going to eat me, is she? Mama, save me!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I gave Leo a firm slap on the snout. “She was ‘mean’ to you because you were constipated and your poop smelled so bad you nearly made her pass out. And for your information, Honey couldn’t eat four hundred pounds of anything in one sitting.” But Leo’s simple brain wasn’t processing. He tugged at my clothes, wailing. “Honey must have eaten several people! It’s over! We’re all going to die today! And I haven’t even had a date with Penelope!” I clamped my hand over his mouth and looked at the officer. “We can’t be sure if there are any casualties yet,” the officer said. “We haven’t received any reports of missing people from the nearby villages. But one thing is certain: Honey isn’t the only black bear on this mountain.” Facing one zoo-raised black bear was one thing. Adding a much larger wild one to the mix escalated the danger exponentially. Especially since Honey had grown up in captivity, the bureau’s team had only brought tranquilizer guns. The atmosphere grew tense. The number of viewers on the live stream skyrocketed. 【Black bears really eat people!】 【I’m an expert: if you see a black bear, don’t run. Lie on the ground and play dead. That way you can die with some dignity.】 【This is no time for jokes. I saw a post saying two kids from the village went missing. I think they came up this mountain.】 My heart sank when I saw that comment. An adult would know to stay away from a bear, but a child? A curious kid might not recognize the danger. Seeing a gentle bear like Honey, they might even try to play with her. And out of instinct, Honey might attack to defend herself. Just then, an officer’s phone rang. It was confirmed: two children had wandered into the mountains. On the other end of the line, their parents were crying hysterically. The bureau team, which had been hesitating, made a decision. They were going up. “We’ve requested firearms from headquarters, but lives are at stake. Two children on this mountain is too dangerous. We’re continuing the search.” He then turned to me. “Director, for safety, we’ll need you to come with us.” I nodded. At the very least, I could try to control Honey if we found her. With a plan in place, our group assembled and followed the bear tracks deeper into the mountain.

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My stepdaughter, usually so sweet and sensible, suddenly did a complete 180. Fighting, skipping class, drinking… At first, I just brushed it off as a delayed teenage rebellion. But then, one night, I came home late and opened the door to find: In the middle of the living room, my daughter, dressed provocatively, was fooling around with a couple of rough-looking guys! 1. “Mike, can you make that pot roast tonight? I’ve been craving it like crazy.” Abby, my stepdaughter, dropped her backpack by the door and immediately started buttering me up. I grinned and nodded right away. She was a senior in high school, neck-deep in college applications; anything she wanted, within reason, she got. Seven years ago, the first time I met Abby’s mom, Laura, I was hooked by her unique charm. I pursued her relentlessly, and eventually, we managed to build a new family together. Since I never had kids of my own, I poured all that pent-up “fatherly love” onto Abby. I treated her like she was my own flesh and blood. Abby was a great kid – really sweet, cute, and always listened. After all this time, she’d definitely accepted me as her stepdad. She just called me “Mike” instead of “Dad,” you know, to keep that line clear. Later that night, I brought Abby a glass of warm milk, told her to focus on her homework, and then beat a hasty retreat to find some “comfort” from my wife, Laura. “Honey, it’s been driving me crazy these past few days… Can we try tonight?” I murmured, burying my face in her neck. Ever since Abby hit senior year, Laura and I had both been wound tighter than drums. Our sex life had pretty much evaporated. “Ugh, I’m not in the mood. Abby’s still awake. How awkward would that be if she heard?” Laura pushed me away, annoyance written all over her face, then rolled over, turning her back to me. Her attitude killed the mood instantly. Whatever hopeful stirring I’d managed vanished completely. A strange frustration started bubbling up inside me. I turned my back to her too, my mind racing. Laura used to be so passionate, practically jumping me whenever she got the chance. Why the cold shoulder lately? Could she… could she be seeing someone else? No, impossible! I cut that thought off immediately. It had to be the stress, I told myself. Abby’s college stuff was intense. Things would get back to normal later. Finally, June arrived. The day Abby finished her last exam, you could feel the tension lift in the house. Laura was so relieved, so excited, that we went at it like rabbits – seven times in one night. Okay, maybe my earlier suspicion was just paranoia. I let it go. But then Abby started acting… weird. Her grades were top-notch; she could get into almost any good university. It should have been great news, but after a few days of excitement, her mood plummeted. She started locking herself in her room all day. At the dinner table, “Here, have a piece of chicken,” Laura said, trying to put some on Abby’s plate. Abby slammed her hand on the table, knocking her bowl aside. “Leave it! I can get it myself!” she yelled. I quickly tried to smooth things over with Laura, grabbing Abby a clean bowl and chopsticks, quietly urging her to calm down and eat. “Mike,” Abby suddenly asked, looking straight at me. “What is it you even see in my mom?” The question stunned me. Before I could even process it, Abby stormed off, slamming her bedroom door behind her. All that was left was the sound of Laura muttering curses under her breath. Laura claimed Abby was mad because she didn’t want her applying to out-of-state colleges. Ah, okay. That made sense. No wonder Abby had seemed so down lately. I figured I’d find a chance to talk to her about it soon. In the end, though, Abby chose a university right here in the city. On orientation day, Laura had a work thing she couldn’t get out of, so I was the one who drove Abby to campus. “Your mom’s busy, she said not to be mad at her. She promised she’d make you something special when you come home after orientation week.” “I don’t care!” Looks like she still hadn’t forgiven Laura. I just shook my head, figuring it would blow over eventually. But just as I turned to leave, Abby grabbed my arm. “Mike,” she said, her voice low. “Have you ever thought that maybe… maybe Mom isn’t worth you loving her so much?” Her words baffled me, but I just patted her head gently and gave her a small smile. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling… it was like Abby was trying to tell me something… 2 Back home, I headed straight for the fridge to grab a bottle of water. As I was drinking, I suddenly heard noises coming from the master bedroom. It sounded like… like a woman, maybe in pleasure… My brow furrowed. I tiptoed towards the door, trying to figure out what was going on. I was about to throw the door open, catch whatever was happening red-handed, but just as I reached for the knob, the door swung open from the inside. It was Laura. Her breathing was heavy, her hair was a mess, and her face was slightly flushed. “Thought you were busy at the office?” Seeing her like that, a knot of panic tightened in my gut. I pushed past her into the room, scanning for any sign of someone else. Nothing. Not a single clue. “Oh! I just dropped a file somewhere in here. I’ve been tearing the room apart looking for it. Totally exhausting,” she said, panting slightly. After a few hesitant seconds, the tightness in my chest finally eased. “Okay, okay, let me help you look. I’ll drive you back to the office afterward.” But as I walked past her, I noticed her let out a quiet sigh of relief. Half a month flew by, and it was the day Abby was supposed to come home from orientation. Laura was busy in the kitchen first thing in the morning, telling me to go pick Abby up from campus. I got to her dorm building and gave her a call. No answer. It went straight to voicemail. Suddenly, a girl with bright red hair and revealing clothes walked past. From the back, she looked a bit like Abby. She was with two or three rough-looking guys with bleached blonde hair, trying way too hard to look tough. I rushed over, got a closer look, and sure enough, it was Abby! “What are you doing dressed like this? Weren’t you supposed to be at orientation?” I tried to keep my anger in check, but I could feel my forehead creasing into a knot. “What’s it to you? Who do you think you are?” she snapped back, then muttered under her breath, “You’re not my real dad, anyway.” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I was speechless, a lump forming in my throat. In all these years, she’d never spoken to me like that. Calling me out like this, in front of everyone, this middle-aged guy who was just her stepdad. “Let’s go. You’re coming home with me!” Without another word, I grabbed her arm, pulled her into the car, and drove off. On the way home, I clenched my jaw and didn’t say anything. I really thought I’d finally broken through her defenses, earned her trust. But what she said back there… it was clear she still saw me as some interfering outsider. My heart ached. “There’s a bar at the next corner. Just drop me off there,” she said, casually chewing gum, lounging in her seat. The exaggerated makeup, the heavy perfume, the lazy tone… she was obviously trying to play the “bad girl.” I just didn’t understand why. “What are you doing? I told you to let me out!” “Are you crazy? I don’t want to go home!” “Let me out! Now! I don’t need you telling me what to do!” The more hysterical she got, the calmer I forced myself to be. I ignored her screaming and crying, drove straight home, and practically dragged her upstairs. 3 The second the door closed behind us, I finally lost it. “Abby, I put up with your crap the entire ride home! What the hell is wrong with you?!” The force of my voice seemed to stun her. She stood there, silent for a long moment. Then her lip started to tremble, and tears welled up in her eyes. “Fine! You’ve had enough of me, haven’t you? You think I’m just baggage that came with Mom! All these years, you’ve probably been wishing I’d just disappear, so you two could have your perfect little life, maybe even have your own kid!” Before I could even begin to deny it, Laura burst into the room and slapped Abby hard across the face. “What is your problem now?” “You hit me? What right do you have to hit me?! Yeah, you’re my real mom, but honestly, he’s been more of a parent to me than you ever were! How much have you actually cared about me, growing up?!” Listening to the two of them tear into each other, endlessly, I just slumped onto the sofa, rubbing my forehead, exhausted. The fight ended with Abby storming out of the house. That evening, Laura and I sat in silence at the dinner table, a huge spread of food untouched between us. Laura looked terrible, her usual energy completely gone, replaced by a dull sadness. “Mike,” she said quietly. “Do you think… do you think Abby hates me?” I paused, thinking it over. When Laura divorced her ex-husband, she fought tooth and nail for custody of Abby. Abby once told me she hadn’t initially wanted to live with her mom, but she never explained why. Laura definitely had a short fuse. Her work and her own life always seemed to come before family. That’s why I’d been the one holding things together at home all these years, for her sake. Compared to me, Abby’s relationship with Laura was… functional, maybe? Certainly not close. But hate? I didn’t think it went that far. I put a piece of chicken in Laura’s bowl, trying my best to comfort her. “Come on, you’re her mother. How could she hate you? It’s probably just teenage rebellion kicking in. Remember how sweet Abby always was? Starting college, everything’s new and exciting. As long as she doesn’t get into any real trouble, we should cut her some slack, right?” My reassurances seemed to work. Laura started to relax a bit, deciding not to dwell on it. But later, after I got Laura settled into bed, I went out onto the balcony for a smoke. My phone buzzed. It was a message from a coworker, Dave. “Hey Mike, check this out. Isn’t this your daughter?” Attached was a short video clip. I opened it. Under the flashing lights of some club, there was Abby, drinking with a few guys – the same type of guys I’d seen her with earlier. One of them even had his hand on her, casually sliding it around her waist, his eyes glued to her chest.

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This time around. Ethan Vance decided to stay in the countryside to be with his childhood sweetheart. Without a moment’s hesitation, I packed my bags and headed back to the city. He said he wanted to establish his career before settling down. I turned around and agreed to my parents’ arrangements, marrying the man they set me up with. Later, He proposed that if I helped his childhood sweetheart find a job, he would marry me. And I, pregnant with my child, happened to run into him while accompanying my fiancé on an inspection trip to that same countryside. In that moment, His eyes reddened again, and he repeatedly demanded, “Didn’t you say you’d wait for me?” Wait? How absurd. A legacy kid like me, why on earth should I wait for a man who was a nobody? 1. “Mom, Dad, I plan to return to the city in a week, and I’m willing to marry David Sherman.” There was a distinct pause on the other end of the line. Then came a cheer filled with surprised joy. “Chloe, honey, is it true? Did you really change your mind, no longer having anything to do with that broke kid Ethan Vance? Are you really willing to come back to the city, back to your parents, and build a relationship with David?” I nodded affirmatively. And emphasized, “David is an outstanding man. There’s no need to consider anyone else. I’ve decided to marry him.” In my past life. When I was framed and left for dead by Ethan Vance and his childhood sweetheart. It was David Sherman who comforted my parents. It was he who handled my affairs and cleared my name. And it was he who took care of my parents for the rest of their lives. Such kindness, even bearing his children, could hardly repay it fully. Besides, we shared a deep bond cultivated since childhood. Choosing to marry him, I was completely willing. “Wonderful, just wonderful! I’ll book your bus ticket right away, inform the Shermans immediately, and start preparing for your wedding…” Mom’s voice was filled with unconcealable excitement and emotion. Dad’s heartfelt sighs also reached my ears. I understood. They had always been worried about me. Worried I’d suffer from unrequited love, worried I’d be mistreated by Ethan, worried I couldn’t endure the hardships of country life. I was the one who had been wrong. In my past life, I had neglected my loving parents for a man. “Mom, Dad, from now on, I’ll listen to your guidance, stay by your side, and be a good daughter! This life, I will definitely be happy!” I definitely will! 2. “I’ve already made it clear to Chloe Miller. If she can’t get you a transfer to the city, I won’t go back with her either. She should be trying to pull some strings for you right now.” I had just returned to the teacher’s housing from the payphone. And I overheard Ethan Vance speaking softly to Jenny Carter in their quarters. “Ethan, you’ve really gone through a lot. Chloe might argue with you again over this, and you two just made up…” Jenny’s eyes were slightly red, looking pitifully delicate. Ethan shook his head, comforting her, “Your parents passed away early. We grew up together. I’ve long considered you my own sister. It’s only natural for a brother to do these things for his sister. Chloe should be more understanding.” Hearing the word “sister,” a flicker of disappointment inevitably crossed Jenny’s eyes. But she quickly regained her usual cheerfulness. “If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to return to the city with the other young teachers in about a week. These next few days, we should say goodbye to my students and colleagues.” “Yeah, Chloe’s parents are influential. If Chloe speaks up, getting back to the city shouldn’t be too difficult. We’ve received a lot of support from everyone here these three years; we really should bid them farewell, or it’ll seem like we’re ungrateful.” Jenny Carter proposed an idea. She planned to host a small dinner on her birthday to treat the teachers from the office, as a farewell. Ethan Vance was very supportive of this idea. “It’s just that I’m a bit tight on cash right now. Ethan, could you lend me some money first?” Before Ethan could answer. Jenny tapped her forehead lightly. “Oh dear, I almost forgot, Ethan, you used all of last month’s paycheck to help those students from low-income families. This is really embarrassing…” Ethan thought for a moment, then said, “It’s okay, Chloe should still have some. I’ll ask her for a bit to give to you.” Jenny smiled gratefully, “Okay, thank you so much, Ethan. Sorry to trouble you and Chloe again.” Ethan gently patted Jenny’s head, his eyes full of affection. And it was at this inopportune moment that I walked into the women’s staff dormitory. “Chloe, you’re back.” Jenny Carter greeted me, but I didn’t respond. Ethan frowned. Unlike usual, he didn’t scold me for my rudeness but extended his hand and said, “Chloe, it’s Jenny’s birthday in a few days. We want to throw a birthday dinner and also say goodbye to the school administrators and teachers. We’re a little short on cash. Do you have any extra money?” As I packed my luggage, I replied coldly, “No.” Ethan’s mouth twitched. “How can you not have any? Didn’t you just get paid?” I looked up at him. “Already spent it. Just like you two, spent it however I wanted.” Ethan pressed his lips together tightly. Jenny’s eyes darted. She walked over to me, took my arm, and wheedled, “Chloe, aren’t the three of us about to go back to the city? So we wanted to use my birthday as an excuse for a farewell dinner, a way to show appreciation to colleagues we’ve worked with for three years. Ethan and I used our paychecks to help those needy students, so we had to come to you…” How ridiculous. Why use Jenny Carter’s birthday as an excuse for a farewell dinner? A farewell dinner is just a farewell dinner; why tie it to her birthday? If you don’t have the funds, don’t sponsor needy students. No funds, yet you want to throw a lavish banquet to show off. I responded calmly, “Actually, it’s not a bother.” Seeing me relent, Jenny’s face lit up with obvious joy. “Since you say so, Chloe, then our return to the city should be settled.” Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll go to Rosie’s Diner later to book a private room. This afternoon, I’ll go to the office and let the principal and colleagues know. Including the three of us, about twenty people in total, thirty bucks should be enough.” Ethan specifically looked at me when he said this, as if asking if I could produce thirty dollars. Seeing no particular reaction from me, Jenny added, “Most of the twenty people are male colleagues, so there will inevitably be drinking. Thirty bucks might not be enough. Chloe, with sixty, everyone could eat much better…” I nodded along with her words. The smile on her face grew even brighter. Ethan felt something was off but didn’t comment. I added, “Since it’s a birthday celebration, it’s best to have a cake, don’t you think…” Ethan immediately objected, “A cake is too expensive, forget it. Besides, they don’t sell cakes in this backwater town.” Jenny’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Don’t be like that, Ethan. I’ve never tasted cake in my life. Since Chloe said she can get me a cake, she must have a way. I want to try it…” Ethan looked at me, troubled again. I said calmly, “Of course, there’s a way. I have the contact information for a cake baker in the city. One call, and he should be able to deliver it.” Jenny was so excited she almost jumped. Seeing her so happy, Ethan no longer considered the price of a cake or the cost of delivering it from the city to the countryside. Finally. When Ethan left the women’s staff dormitory, he even said to me gently, “Chloe, it feels like you’ve matured a lot overnight. I’m very happy you can treat Jenny this way. I’ll talk to my mom later and arrange for our parents to meet as soon as possible.” I shook my head. “No need.” He said earnestly, “Although my mom doesn’t think highly of you, I hope you can change her opinion. I’ll work hard with you.” I chuckled, truly not understanding how Ethan’s chronically ill, illiterate mother had any right to look down on me! “You go back and talk to your parents too. Try to be as humble as possible in front of my mom, so our two families can sit down and discuss our marriage properly.” My parents were principled people who had stood tall their whole lives; why should they bow down to Ethan Vance’s mother! 3. When I arrived at the office in the afternoon, Ethan had already announced the party to be held in two days to everyone. Everyone’s faces were beaming with joy. Jenny also eagerly urged me to use the school’s communal phone to call the cake baker in the city. I did not disappoint her. During a class break, I contacted the baker. “The biggest size you have, enough for twenty people. The decorations should be as elaborate as possible. We need candles and plates. Write ‘Happy 23rd Birthday Jenny Carter’ on it. And also get one of those little music boxes that plays ‘Happy Birthday.’ Deliver it to Rosie’s Diner on Main Street in Redwater Creek, at 6:30 PM. Tell the hostess, someone will come to pick up the cake.” Jenny listened beside me to the requests I made to the baker, her eyes filled with excitement. After the call. Jenny held my hand, her eyes a little moist. “Chloe, you’re so wonderful! This birthday dinner will surely be perfect!” I said nothing. I let her be moved by her own emotions there. “Chloe, after you and Ethan get married, can you also introduce me to a good match? Does that Mr. Sherman who visited your house last time have a girlfriend? I heard his family is also a military family. If there’s a chance… I’d love to see you every day, Chloe.” I smiled faintly. I truly didn’t know where she got such confidence. Just then, the school bell rang. Jenny and I went to our respective classrooms. Two days later, it was Jenny Carter’s birthday. Disregarding the critical time when her students were about to face mid-term exams, she took leave from the school administration. She made a special trip to the county town to buy a new dress, got her hair done, and put on exquisite makeup. At six-thirty, our group set off from the school and saw her standing at the restaurant entrance to greet us. Seeing the school principal, she greeted him enthusiastically. “You look so beautiful today, happy birthday.” Some thoughtful female colleagues had even prepared small gifts for Jenny. Jenny accepted the gifts, smiling very happily. Everyone entered the restaurant in a lively mood. Ethan acted like the host of the banquet, calling the waiter to start serving the dishes. Platters of chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Bowls of steaming hot soup. Everyone ate with great relish. Jenny and Ethan controlled the rhythm of the entire gathering, and others chimed in, creating a warm atmosphere. While celebrating Jenny’s birthday, they also announced their decision to leave the school soon. In the small private room, voices clamored. I sat among them, silently eating my food, quietly waiting for things to unfold. Ms. Peterson, sitting next to me, felt indignant on my behalf. “You and Ethan have argued so many times, yet he’s still so close to Jenny. Have you given up now? Are you planning to just live with the two of them like this?” I shook my head. Ms. Peterson expressed her doubt. “This meal must cost at least over a hundred dollars. Jenny dresses so flashily every day; her meager salary is all spent on clothes. She definitely can’t afford this. Ethan also has a sick old mother at home. Even if he helps Jenny out, over a hundred dollars is no small sum for him. So, I’ve been thinking, it can only be you paying. Can you really tolerate this?” Ms. Peterson was a bit older than me. She had divorced early in life due to her husband’s infidelity. She always had a keen insight into the entanglements between men and women. Perhaps she didn’t want me to follow in her footsteps, to fall into an emotional predicament, which is why she said these things to me. I smiled and replied, “Don’t worry, it’s not like I don’t understand things.” Ms. Peterson raised her eyebrows. “You still don’t understand? Bringing one Ethan Vance back to the city is already very difficult, and now there’s Jenny Carter too. Who knows if your parents have had to go groveling to the relevant departments for your sake!” I said softly, “They won’t have to. I won’t be that thoughtless. Jenny can’t go to the city, and of course, Ethan can’t either!” Ms. Peterson was stunned for a moment. Just then, the waiter pushed open the door and came in. “Excuse me, who ordered the cake from the city? The delivery guy is waiting outside.” Hearing this, Jenny jumped up excitedly. “I ordered it! I’ll go get the cake and share it with everyone!” Cake was a rarity here. Among those present, few had ever tasted it. Now, hearing there was cake, everyone’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “What a treat, I actually get to taste cake today.” “I’ve never seen a real cake in my life, I’m so lucky!” “I’ll eat a little less later and bring a piece back for my kid, he’s been clamoring for it…” The waiter hadn’t seen a cake in person either. Hearing these comments, he chimed in, “The cake is huge! Not only will you not be able to finish it, even if you do, there’ll be enough for everyone to take a piece home.” “Such a big cake!” “It must be very expensive, right?” “Jenny’s birthday is really something special!” Jenny Carter walked out of the private room, elated. Ethan followed closely behind. “The cake is too big, I’m afraid Jenny can’t carry it alone, I’ll go lend a hand.” The two main characters left. The atmosphere in the private room relaxed. Ms. Peterson looked at me, seemingly with more to say. After a short while, Ethan returned and walked over to me, whispering, “Chloe, come out for a second. The cake delivery guy says the person who ordered the cake needs to sign for it.” I sat in my seat, motionless. “Didn’t Jenny order the cake? Let her sign for it.” Ethan’s face turned a little ugly. “Didn’t you order that cake over the phone? The delivery guy is still waiting outside. Don’t waste time, hurry up and go out.” I snorted contemptuously. “Although I made the call, Jenny was the one who wanted the cake. Isn’t it inappropriate for me to sign?” Ethan pressed his lips together tightly, saying nothing. Jenny also returned to the private room, her face a bit pale. “Chloe, hurry up and go out, sign for the cake and bring it in for everyone to share. It’s rare for us to gather like this.” I sat firmly in my chair and replied, “That’s right, you hurry up and bring the cake in for everyone. Nobody here has tasted cake before, they can’t wait.” Ms. Peterson was a sharp woman. She immediately understood what was happening. She said bluntly, “Jenny, you’re not thinking of making Chloe go out and pay for you, are you? Usually, you pay when the cake is delivered. But today is your birthday, why should Chloe pay?” Jenny’s face instantly became very awkward. “No, I just wanted to…” Ethan defended Jenny, “Chloe Miller, didn’t you promise Jenny a birthday cake? Now the cake is here, how can you go back on your word?” I feigned surprise. “Oh, did I promise to buy Jenny a cake? A cake costs at least two hundred dollars, and my monthly salary is less than thirty… How can I afford such an expensive cake!” Ms. Peterson sneered, “How amusing! Inviting people for cake, only to have someone else foot the bill in the end.” The faces of the others also turned sour. The cake delivery guy waiting outside grew impatient and walked in. He looked annoyed. “Who ordered the cake? Is anyone going to pay? The total is two hundred and thirty-one dollars. I drove two hours from the city. Don’t make me run this errand for nothing!” 4. Jenny was on the verge of tears, pulling my hand, pleading, “Chloe, didn’t we agree? Why are you only now saying you don’t have money…” I also put on a troubled expression. “I always thought you had the money to buy it yourself. I didn’t expect you wanted me to buy it for you…” I quickly checked my wallet. I emptied out all my change and then counted it carefully. “I only have three dollars and sixty-five cents here…” I turned to the others, “Why don’t we all chip in, pay for the cake first, and not embarrass Jenny? After all, it’s her birthday, she definitely wants to be happy…” Before I could finish my sentence.

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The day of my daughter’s engagement, a city-wide procession of luxury vehicles cleared the way, proclaiming her the happiest bride of 2025. But the trending topic wasn’t about her. Confused, I tapped on the video. It showed a complete stranger, in a painfully familiar wedding gown, sitting in a flower car. The diamond ring on her hand seemed to be the custom-made one I’d given my daughter. My face contorted with disbelief as I rushed to the venue. There, the stranger was graciously greeting the elders with my daughter’s fiancé at her side, formally introducing him to the family. “This is my mother, Eleanor Vance,” she announced proudly. “The billionaire, an international asset magnate with countless resources at her fingertips.” Meanwhile, my own daughter was tossed aside like roadkill, left for dead. Rage boiled within me, my knuckles white as I clenched my phone. “She’s Eleanor Vance, the asset magnate? Then who the hell am I?!” “Well, well, never seen a stray as pretty as you. Looking for a good time, sweetheart, or just want to snuggle up to a real man?” A man whistled, his gaze raking over the girl. Following his leering stare, I instantly roared, cutting him off. In the corner, filthy and disheveled, was my daughter. My bodyguard stepped forward, kicking the man away. “You dare mess with Ms. Vance’s daughter? Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” The man’s eyes widened, his voice trembling instantly. “I… I didn’t know she was Ms. Vance’s daughter. I’m blind, I’m getting out of here.” I stared, aghast, at my daughter, huddled and trembling on the ground. She’d only been abroad for half a year. How could she have ended up like this? I moved to embrace her, but then the huge LED screen behind me suddenly lit up. My daughter’s head snapped up, letting out a deafening scream, and she bolted. “Chloe!” I tried to chase her but tripped on my heels. “What are you standing around for? Go after her!” I looked up at the screen. It was my daughter’s engagement announcement. But my daughter’s fiancé was arm-in-arm with another woman. My assistant opened her phone, and that’s when I saw the top trending headline. Today was supposed to be the engagement party for my daughter, Chloe Vance, and her fiancé, Tyler Reed. Instead, Tyler was walking hand-in-hand with another woman, declaring her to be the true Vance heiress. In the video, no one listened to Chloe’s desperate explanations. Shameless tabloids focused their cameras on her, their lenses lingering with predatory intent, violating her privacy and dignity, even suggesting she was mentally unstable. My heart shattered watching my daughter being driven out of her own engagement party like a lunatic. The camera panned, showing the engagement party continuing happily, utterly oblivious to my daughter’s pleas. The stranger, Brittany, still clinging to Tyler Reed, introduced another woman to the guests. “This is my mother, Eleanor Vance, the international asset magnate.” The unfamiliar mother and daughter reveled in the spotlight, triumphant. My brows furrowed. “How interesting. She’s Eleanor Vance? Then who the hell am I?” I scrolled through the various trending videos. On one side, lavish celebrations for the fake Vance heiress’s engagement; on the other, vicious slander and abuse aimed at the real heiress. They even spread death rumors and fabricated vulgar lies about my daughter. My knuckles were white as I squeezed my phone. “Take them down!” “Pull all these videos! Are these media outlets trying to go out of business?!” I sent the message, but those media outlets actually blocked me. “Are you crazy? Another one pretending to be the CEO of Vance Corp. If you’re Eleanor Vance, I’m Eleanor Vance’s mother.” My pupils dilated at the media’s reply. A sudden fire surged within me. Oh, they were good. If they wouldn’t take down the videos, then I’d just shut them down entirely. I coldly instructed my assistant. But it didn’t end there. To ensure my daughter’s engagement party went off without a hitch, I had specifically hired the country’s most renowned emcee. For him to get the bride-to-be wrong was a professional failure. I called him, ready to demand an explanation, but he spoke first. “You’re the cleaning lady from Vance Corp, right? Seriously, what’s the point of pretending to be the CEO?” I asked, bewildered. “What do you mean?” He scoffed, clearly exasperated. “That dog you let loose at the engagement party bit me! You haven’t paid my medical bills yet. If I don’t see that money in my account within half an hour, I’m suing you!” The call disconnected with a beep. I stood there, dumbfounded. Then my assistant handed me a video. After being thrown out like a mental patient, my daughter was in utter despair. And the emcee, desperate not to disrupt the party, had brutally kicked my daughter twice in the stomach. That’s when my daughter, maddened, suddenly bit his hand. My voice tightened, my face turning grim at the sight. I sent the video evidence to the emcee, but he had already blocked me. My body trembled uncontrollably as I stared at the red exclamation mark on the screen, consumed by fury. My hands balled into fists. Fine. Unbelievable. In just half a year, my daughter, the heir of international asset magnate Eleanor Vance, had become a public pariah, branded as mentally ill. How utterly wonderful. If I hadn’t made such an effort to return for her engagement party, I might never have seen this whole charade. I intended to find out exactly what had happened to the Vance family during these past six months!

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My name is Ethan. A few years ago, by sheer chance, I connected with a major player in the high-stakes world, someone who specialized in offshore ventures. My boats, however, weren’t ordinary fishing vessels. They were exclusive party yachts, designed solely for the pleasure of the ultra-rich and powerful. These big shots loved their games, but they were also incredibly cautious. They demanded not just beautiful women, but also absolute security in their venues. The open sea was the perfect stage, and that’s how these pleasure boats came into being. 1 Each charter cost a hundred grand. My only job was to verify the “merchandise,” keep watch, and ensure safety. Everything else, I stayed out of. Over the years, I’d seen A-list actresses tied up like crabs with red ropes. I’d seen others frothing at the mouth and rushed to the hospital. Some even died on the boat during one of these sessions. In short, their methods of torture were endless, and no woman who came off one of those party yachts left intact. But I never expected Jade to show up on my boat. Jade was my college classmate, my goddess whom I’d secretly admired for years. I never even got the chance to confess before a talent scout discovered her, launching her into the entertainment industry. She burst onto the scene, instantly becoming a sensation, nicknamed the “Pure Temptress” for her mature body, doll-like face, and sweet, syrupy voice. It wasn’t long before she was caught on camera, disheveled and rushed to the emergency room late at night. They’d actually removed a golf ball from inside her. After that, her career was dead in the water. In the private inspection cubicle, a woman with a stunning figure and alluring face smiled at me, her eyes seemingly capable of stealing a soul. Before each cruise, we had to double-check that none of these women were carrying recording devices – it was a non-negotiable rule from the big shot. One, for security. Two, their physical requirements for the women were incredibly strict; any noticeable scars could ruin their mood. “Ethan, long time no see.” Her voice was soft and sweet, like a gentle feather stroking my heart. I instantly went weak, staring at her in surprise. “Jade, it’s really you! Weren’t you blacklisted? How…?” “Yeah, this is my chance to make a comeback. I specifically chose your boat,” she purred, twisting her lithe body and deliberately pushing herself into my embrace for the inspection. “Rather than letting those bastards have their way with me, I’d rather it be you.” Her upper body pressed against mine, rubbing gently, her hot breath fanning my neck. My mind reeled. I wrapped an arm around her waist and looked down. After a few years, her figure had become even better. Beneath her thin robe, a peachy-pink, tight yoga outfit hugged her luscious curves, hinting at a cleavage that made you want to explore further. Her whole aura exuded a newfound mature allure; she could beckon with a finger and leave a man utterly lost. At that moment, she raised her leg, her robe falling open. I looked down, and her yoga pants were actually open at the crotch, with nothing worn underneath! And then she took my hand, pulling at her robe… My mind raced, my body immediately responding. I wanted nothing more than to devour her right then and there! But just as I was about to go deeper, she suddenly slapped my hand away, giggling. “Just kidding. In my current situation, what else can I do but try my best to please the big shot?” Her expression turned somber, making my heart ache. “I’ll take care of you,” nearly slipped out. “This is my last chance to restart my career, and I have to seize it,” she said, looking at me with those mesmerizing, soulful eyes. “Ethan, if something really happens to me, you’ll help me, right?” I turned my head to look at her, understanding dawned on me. “Of course!” My gaze was heated as I watched her slowly expose her shoulder, nearly drooling. “Heh,” Jade giggled, her cherry-red lips curving. “Do I look good?” Like a man possessed, I nodded. Once, she had been the fantasy of countless men, and I was no exception. But as far as I knew, her family wasn’t poor. Even if she was blacklisted, it shouldn’t have affected her livelihood. What’s more, those big shots in the industry really did play some twisted games. Especially this one today; I’d never seen anyone walk off his boat under their own power. I couldn’t help but worry about her. “Jade, have you really thought this through? Their methods of torment are not something you can endure.” “I know. He’s the one I crossed before,” Jade said with a bitter smile, her memories seemingly still haunting her. “Three years ago, also on a boat, he tried to shove a golf ball inside me. It hurt so much, I couldn’t help but cry out, ruining his mood. He beat me half to death and then blacklisted me.” “Then why are you still…?” “I have my reasons,” her eyes were shadowed, but then filled with hope as she looked at me. “I know this time I can’t escape, which is why I came to you. If anything truly happens, I hope you’ll help me.” 2 I didn’t know what her unspoken hardship was, but I truly didn’t want her getting tangled up in this mess again. “Even if you approach that magnate, he might not help you.” “I understand, but I have no other path left. Ethan, you’re the only person I can trust now.” Her eyes pleaded as she grasped my wrist eagerly. Since her mind was made up, there was nothing more I could say. Seeing my nod, Jade instantly bloomed into a smile and signaled for me to begin the inspection. She slowly untied her robe and shed her yoga attire. Beneath, she wore nothing but a nearly transparent lace string bikini, the thin straps looking as though they might snap under the weight of her breasts at any moment. My gaze drifted lower. Her long, pale legs were especially striking. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be entangled by them… The cubicle was already small and stifling, and she had now shed all her clothes. A pale expanse of skin shimmered before me, rising and falling with her breath, an almost criminal temptation! I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry, my whole body growing hot. As if possessed, I found myself wanting to use the inspection as an excuse to satisfy my urge to touch her. She chuckled softly, then took my hand and guided it onto her. It felt like holding the softest silk, sending a wave of pleasure through me that nearly took my breath away. “Ethan, I know you care for me. After tonight, I’ll give myself to you.” Jade looked at me with eyes full of promise. Before I could react, she pressed herself into my embrace and kissed my lips. Her faint scent burrowed into my nostrils, and my mind buzzed. Blood rushed to my head, and I yearned to take her fiercely, right then. But at this moment, she was someone else’s property. I couldn’t! A jumble of emotions surged, a fire burning within me with nowhere to go, leaving my eyes red and suffocated. She seemed to sense my shift, giggling and twisting her slender body in my arms. “Not tonight. But I have other ways. Consider it… a down payment for your help.” With a roll of my throat, my mind went blank as Jade slowly knelt down… Thankfully, there was water in the cubicle, and I didn’t dare delay too long, ensuring she was clean before sending her and the others down to the lower deck. By dawn, I’d bring the boat back to shore, and my job would be done. Whatever happened in the cabin was none of my business. But I spent that night sleepless. Occasional wails from the cabin pierced my eardrums, striking directly at my heart. I sat on the deck, chain-smoking, my eyes bloodshot, until dawn finally broke. As I watched the women emerge, bruised and limping one after another, Jade was nowhere to be seen. I panicked, extinguished my cigarette, and stormed into the cabin. The big shot had already left on another boat at sea. The cabin was empty, but torn clothing, blood-stained props, and various enhancers were strewn everywhere. The bedroom door was ajar, and agonizing groans pierced my ears. My heart felt squeezed, I could barely breathe, and I stumbled closer to the bedroom. Jade’s weak, pained gasps grew clearer. I rushed over and shoved the door open. A mixture of putrid odors assaulted me, sickeningly rotten. Even though I’d witnessed the big shots’ tormenting methods countless times and thought I was prepared, the horrifying scene before me still made my stomach churn. I wished I could rip my eyes out! I had guessed that if that magnate recognized Jade, he wouldn’t let her off easy. But this… this was beyond cruel! Naked, she lay on the round bed, her legs spread wide and hoisted high, rough ropes chafing her skin and wrapped around her ample curves. 3 Her formerly fair skin was covered in red welts from the ropes, along with bite marks and even dried wax. The bed itself was a messy canvas of red and black. She wore a spiked collar like an animal, a gag stuffed in her mouth, her body convulsing, eyes rolled back. My heart ached beyond measure. I quickly removed the gag from her mouth and carefully began untying her. Immediately after, she started dry heaving, spitting out a vile, reddish-white mess that, upon closer inspection, even contained tiny black particles. “Jade, what is this…?” My chest tightened. She shook her head, her voice a mere whisper. “It’s nothing, just some strawberry sauce.” “Strawberry sauce?” I was bewildered. There was no strawberry sauce in the cabin, just some fresh fruit. Wait, could it be…? A terrible possibility dawned on me, and I looked at her lower half. Sure enough, red liquid flowed from between her legs, and I could vaguely make out a small clear straw. The fruit platter on the table was empty, and there were several empty cola bottles scattered around. Jade looked at me, a bitter smile on her face. “It’s exactly what you’re thinking. They used my body as a… container to mash up strawberries and poured cola inside, making them drink from it, one after another. Ethan, there’s still something inside, but I don’t have the strength.” “Don’t move. I’ll do it.” I helped her lie down and spread her legs. Inside, amidst the messy chaos, was a golf ball! The moment I touched her, she trembled violently from the pain. I tried several times, my clothes soaked with sweat, but it was no use. She was growing paler and paler, on the verge of passing out. I couldn’t bear it. “No, you can’t stay like this. You have to go to the hospital.” “No, not the hospital,” she grabbed my wrist with surprising force, her nails digging into my flesh. “Ethan…” Her eyes held a desperate plea. I knew what she was worried about. She was once the industry’s renowned pure ingenue. Even if she’d been blacklisted for years, if someone saw her like this, all her sacrifices tonight would have been for nothing. I clasped her hand, wiping away her tears, and forced a light tone. “Since I took the down payment, I’ll see this through. Don’t worry, I have a buddy who runs a private hospital. He’s trustworthy.” Jade lowered her gaze, biting her lip. The physical pain ultimately made her compromise. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.” I let out a long breath of relief. Without a moment’s delay, I found some clothes to wrap her up completely and rushed her to the hospital. The hospital was outside the city, catering exclusively to wealthy clients, ensuring complete privacy. Since I’d called ahead, Jade was swiftly admitted to surgery. But the situation was far more severe than I’d imagined. In his office, my good friend Marcus stared at me like I was a freak for a long time, then inexplicably said, “Hey, Ethan, haven’t seen you in a few days. You’ve been getting into some wild stuff behind the scenes, huh?” “Get out of here, what nonsense are you talking about? It wasn’t me… Just look at her injuries, don’t ask questions.” I rolled my eyes at him, feeling oddly uncomfortable. He and I were childhood friends, grew up together, and he knew all my business better than anyone. As soon as I said that, his gaze indeed turned to one of pity.

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