Category: English

I found a limping girl in the remote mountains. As I was bandaging her wound, a flurry of bullet comments flashed across my vision: 「Stop immediately! This is your fiancé’s lifesaver!」 「Save her, and your engagement party will be ruined.」 「Don’t believe it? Just look at the bangle on her wrist!」 I instinctively tightened the tourniquet in my hand. On the last night of our project’s resource survey, a landslide trapped us in a secluded village. My engagement party with Julian Sterling was two days away. We were from matching prominent families, childhood sweethearts, and our union meant our two families’ cooperation would deepen. More importantly, Julian was incredibly good to me, almost to the point of being completely compliant. He seemed particularly fond of tracing the bangle on my wrist. No matter how severe our arguments, as soon as he saw my wrist, he would calm down and apologize. I had been looking forward to this engagement for a long time. The thought of potentially not making it back left me feeling agitated. “Ah!” A girl’s sharp gasp came from the doorway, followed by the scolding voice of an older woman. It was Mrs. Finch, the woman we were staying with, and her daughter, Lyra. The young girl timidly held a large bowl of soup. She had accidentally spilled some, and Mrs. Finch was now berating her: “You worthless, clumsy good-for-nothing!” A few colleagues from the project team exchanged glances, sighing softly. Mrs. Finch was a typical rural woman who heavily favored sons, treating her own with extreme preciousness. She had repeatedly hinted that she hoped we could take her son, Jed, to the city to find work. Jed Finch was an idle loafer who had long dropped out of school, holed up in a dilapidated internet cafe at the village entrance, playing games. But the Finch family’s daughter was different. The young girl was thoughtful. On the first day she sheltered us, she mended Mr. Thompson’s aged trousers and even ran to the village head to buy me feminine hygiene products. Listening to Mrs. Finch’s increasingly vulgar and loud curses, Mr. Thompson couldn’t bear it— “Ma’am, is the soup ready?” Mrs. Finch finally stopped. “Oh, coming right away—” We had paid a hefty fee to stay at the Finch’s, so her attitude was surprisingly pleasant. “You worthless brat, hurry up and get the bowls!” The girl rushed out, stumbled, and a stack of bowls crashed to the ground with a clatter— It was then I noticed her right foot was a little lame; she struggled to run. She had also fallen to the ground, scraping her skin. “You good-for-nothing—!” I grabbed Mrs. Finch’s arm, handing her a hundred-dollar bill. “She’s still young, accidents happen. Let’s just buy some new bowls.” Mrs. Finch snatched the money, a forced smile on her face: “Young? She’s twenty! Useless, and a cripple too!” I subtly shifted my right foot, hiding it. Years ago, an accident had left my right foot somewhat deformed. Seeing this girl, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of empathy. But I was surprised the young girl was already twenty; she looked so thin and sallow. I took out a tourniquet and antiseptic from my backpack, carefully cleaning her wound. Mrs. Finch was still muttering, asking us to take her son away: “Isn’t Van Industries running a Community Uplift Initiative? Take my son! Train him well; he’ll definitely make something of himself…” The Community Uplift Initiative was for sponsoring disadvantaged students, not for housing grown-up freeloaders. If we were to take anyone from the Finch family, it would be better to take this girl. I heard she dropped out after freshman year of high school, called home by Mrs. Finch to cook and await marriage. But because of her limp, the bride price talks always fell through, so she remained unmarried. I asked her softly: “Do you want to continue your studies? I can—” Suddenly, my vision blurred, and a vast stream of bullet comments appeared before my eyes: 【You cannot!!】 【Don’t be foolish. This is your fiancé’s lifesaver. Take her back, and your engagement party will be ruined!】 【If you don’t believe it, look at her wrist! Is there an antique carved bangle on it?!】 I instinctively tightened the tourniquet in my hand, looking towards her sleeve. Everyone in my circle envied me for having a fiancé like Julian Sterling—devoted, deeply loving, and gentle. We had grown up together, experiencing both success and crises. He always kissed my wrist again and again. I had even joked: “If you like it so much, you can have this bangle.” But he always refused, only saying he loved me immensely. Before the bullet comments scrolled wildly, I had never once thought that he didn’t love me, but rather the bangle on my wrist. … “Ms. Van?” I snapped back to reality, realizing I had been staring at the young girl’s sleeve for too long. She smiled bashfully, touching her wrist— “This was my grandmother’s.” An antique carved bangle, with a flat wooden band. It happened to look very similar to the one on my own wrist. The only difference was the color. Mine was a deep brown, while Lyra’s was a light peach-wood color. For some reason, I vaguely felt her bangle also looked familiar. 【We told you so! Julian Sterling only treats you so well because he mistakenly believes you’re his lifesaver.】 【If you bring this girl back and Julian finds out the truth, he’ll think you deliberately schemed to replace his idealized first love, and he’ll seek crazy revenge on you!】 The bullet comments said I lived in a “white moonlight” angst novel. If I, out of kindness, rescued Lyra from the Finch family’s hellhole, my fiancé, Julian Sterling, would see Lyra’s bangle at the engagement ceremony and call off the wedding on the spot. Later, Julian and Lyra would go through a series of dramatic, angsty “you chase, I run” scenarios. Whenever the plot stagnated, Julian would blame my existence for hindering their relationship. If I hadn’t impersonated her, he wouldn’t have missed his idealized first love for so many years. So he would use my feelings for him, seize the opportunity to retaliate, crushing Van Industries and humiliating my genuine affection. But I remained innocent throughout. Julian had never explained why he cherished that bangle, nor had he ever spoken to me about the past. He would push me relentlessly until I had nowhere left to retreat, eventually turning completely dark and becoming the novel’s main villain… Ten years after the novel’s publication, a new batch of readers arrived. This new generation of readers deemed the plot utterly nonsensical, rallying to my defense. Under their collective petition, the story rewound to its starting point. I became the protagonist, and the story began anew. 【As long as you pretend to know nothing, leave the mountain village, and completely cut off the Finch family from external contact, Julian Sterling will never discover the truth!】 【Actually, before the “little white flower” Lyra appeared, Julian Sterling was still very good to the female lead.】 【Men are always susceptible to temptation. If you can mitigate the risk beforehand, there’s no need to cause yourself trouble. The female lead must not be a bleeding heart!】 The bullet comments argued incessantly. I finished applying the last bandage and helped Lyra up. “You still haven’t answered me. Do you want to continue your studies?” Mrs. Finch was very reluctant. But Mr. Thompson casually mentioned that he had a relative whose daughter, after graduating from a prestigious university, received a bride price of half a million dollars. Mrs. Finch’s face immediately lit up. “Can she still study at her age?” Lyra also looked anxious. “Ms. Van, I dropped out four years ago…” The less-than-fairytale truth was that Lyra’s grades weren’t particularly good back then either. But I always felt that reading more books and seeing more of the world might lead to more choices for a person. This was also why I insisted on promoting the Community Uplift Initiative alongside the engineering project. Because I also had someone I wanted to repay. Lyra resembled her greatly. “It’s almost June. If you still haven’t decided, I invite you to my graduation ceremony.” It wouldn’t be too late to decide after seeing a university for yourself. After the plane landed, I momentarily zoned out. “Ms. Van?” I touched my wrist. It was still Lyra who arranged for Lyra and me to exit through two different channels. Julian Sterling was coming to pick me up. Although the bullet comments seemed sincere, after so many years of shared history, I wanted to give Julian one more chance. Perhaps the bangle was just a catalyst, not the sole reason for his affection. Upon disembarking, Julian Sterling, holding a bouquet of tulips, stood out with his distinguished aura. He stepped forward to take my hand. Then he froze. He looked down at my bare wrist. “Serena, where’s your bangle?” I feigned complaint: “It got scratched during the survey, so I sent it for repairs. I can’t even remember how many years I’ve worn it. It feels strange not having it on.” “Ten years.” He said softly. My heart skipped a beat. The bangle was won at an auction, and I remember clearly, that auction was six years ago. —The girl in Julian Sterling’s memory wasn’t me. I smiled, shaking my head. “How could that be? Ten years ago, I was still wearing Grandma’s jade. It broke in an accident later.” Julian Sterling’s steps faltered. He seemed nonchalant, but I could hear a slight tremor in his voice. “Grandma’s jade? Wasn’t your grandmother’s gift the antique one?” I firmly denied it. “No, the antique one was an auction purchase.” Since the bullet comments claimed Julian would later believe I intentionally impersonated her, I might as well clarify now that I was never his lifesaver. Save myself the trouble of being blamed later. If I’m not your lifesaver, will I still be your lover? I watched Julian Sterling’s pupils contract in surprise, disbelief, anxiety, then calm. Then he didn’t release my hand. “Perhaps I misremembered,” he said. The engagement ceremony was being meticulously prepared. The people I sent returned with information. After taking me home, Julian Sterling immediately contacted a private investigator to look into what happened ten years ago. The materials were delivered to me first. I finally learned the “truth” the bullet comments spoke of— Ten years ago, a large-scale cross-state human trafficking case occurred. Julian Sterling and Lyra were both caught up in it. While held captive, Julian’s eyes were temporarily blinded. It was young Lyra who meticulously cared for him. But after the rescue, Julian and Lyra lost contact. He only remembered the young girl who cared for him had an antique carved bangle on her wrist. Julian and I were childhood sweethearts, originally just friends, until I wore the bangle I bought at auction, and Julian accidentally saw it. He began to pursue me fiercely. Too much time had passed. Perhaps Julian couldn’t quickly find Lyra, but he could definitely confirm that my bangle was indeed auctioned six years ago. “Serena, coming to try on your dress?” My bridesmaids called out. I shook my head. “There might not be an engagement party.” But until the night before the engagement, I received no “engagement cancellation” message from the Sterling family. Julian Sterling clearly knew the truth, yet still chose to continue with me. I still held a sliver of hope. Julian Sterling wasn’t the absurd “bangle-sexual” type mentioned in the bullet comments, loving whoever wore the bangle. Among a room full of esteemed guests, we raised our glasses together. I spoke playfully: “You always cared so much about that bangle, I thought you were looking for someone through it.” This was my last chance for him to confess. But Julian Sterling kissed my cheek. “There’s no one. I love you.” Adults have the right to make their own choices. Julian Sterling chose me, whether out of love or practicality. And I, out of practicality, gladly accepted his choice. After the engagement, relying on our marital ties, I quickly took leadership of all integrated product lines within Van Industries and Sterling Corp. partnerships. Compared to outsiders, Julian’s family clearly trusted me more. After all, a daughter-in-law was “family” sooner or later. I made time to visit Lyra. She hesitated for a long time, finally calling me the moment she saw students at a graduation ceremony waving their caps. “Ms. Van, I want to go to college.” When she was most desperate, trapped in that mountain village, she handed me a pack of feminine products. I repaid her with three years of student aid. Up to this point, everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion. I seemed to have, as the bullet comments wished, avoided Julian and Lyra meeting, confessed the bangle’s origin to Julian, proceeded with the Sterling marriage, and gained a capable partner and business resources. Until I discovered Julian Sterling secretly volunteered as a teacher in a remote area. Before final exams, I went to visit Lyra. I called beforehand. She was older than her classmates, but shy, speaking softly and sweetly. “We have a new volunteer teacher, Mr. Sterling. He’s also from Rosewood, like you, Ms. Van.” I froze. Rosewood was quite far from the mountain village; it was unusual to volunteer there specifically. “Mr. Sterling is a little strange.” “Did he bother you?” My voice was serious. “No, no, he seems nice to me, but I just feel uncomfortable…” I happened to have something to do in the village soon. I’d go check out what this volunteer teacher was all about. … When I arrived, I overheard a few girls gossiping. “What’s the deal with Lyra and the new Mr. Sterling? Is she trying to seduce him, hoping he’ll take her to the city when he leaves?” “No way, Lyra seems so well-behaved.” “Well-behaved? Then why does Mr. Sterling only answer her questions, and even bring her snacks and books? He glares at others who ask for help; I don’t even dare to ask questions anymore!” “Oh my god, a teacher-student romance? No wonder Lyra dropped out before. Could it be a repeat offense…?” I listened, my brow furrowed. It clearly sounded like the teacher’s problem, yet the ambiguous speculation and rumors fell onto the student. A teacher who allowed a teacher-student relationship to develop was already ethically compromised. I had to tell Lyra to keep her distance from that volunteer teacher. When I found Lyra, she was studying, working on a test. I happened to spot a missing condition in her solution steps. So I feigned a stern expression and tapped the desk— “Careless, little sister…” Lyra looked back in surprise, but before she could speak, a hurried voice suddenly interrupted— “Serena Van, what are you doing!” I was suddenly pushed aside, my elbow slamming into the back desk. The newcomer firmly shielded Lyra, his expression tense, a lesson plan in his hand. It turned out. The new volunteer teacher was Julian Sterling. The classroom desks were old and broken, with protruding nails. My arm was cut open, bleeding profusely. But my fiancé seemed not to notice, spreading his arms like a mother hen, terrified I would devour Lyra whole. “Serena, are you stalking me? What couldn’t you resolve in Rosewood that you had to come all this way to harass Lyra!” He thought I had followed him. My heart chilled inch by inch. I thought that after knowing the truth, for Julian, our years of shared feelings outweighed the childhood debt of gratitude, which was why he honored our engagement. I hadn’t realized he was having his cake and eating it too. Engaged to me, while flying to a mountain village to be a protective knight. “And you, Julian Sterling, why are you here?” Julian Sterling’s expression was pained. “Serena, I’ve been looking for someone. Before, I mistakenly thought it was you, but I only recently discovered the truth.” “I couldn’t wrong you, so I still got engaged to you.” “But I also can’t wrong Lyra.” “I gave you the engagement, and the partnership with Sterling Corp. Can’t you be a little understanding and let me repay a life-saving debt? Lyra’s family treats her badly, I really can’t bear it…” I suddenly felt that the “good guy” Julian Sterling, who had resided in my heart for the past few years, shattered, revealing a real, selfish, hypocritical man. Ever since I first saw the bullet comments, a sword had been hanging over my head. At this moment, it suddenly fell. It severed the last bit of false hope in my heart. “Julian Sterling.” I cut him off. “Did you only learn the truth after our engagement?” He was speechless, silent for a long moment. So, he had actually confirmed the truth before the engagement, but weighed the pros and cons and chose to proceed with me. “Second question.” “Did you really only realize something was wrong, that I might not be your lifesaver, when I sent my bangle for repairs?” After seeing the bullet comments, I had thought about it carefully. It seemed strange. In that accident, though Julian’s eyes were temporarily blinded and he was terrified, His family and mine were old acquaintances. Even if a child’s memory isn’t deep, he should have been able to tell if it was me. Even if, in a state of extreme panic, he didn’t recognize me, once rescued and grown, he should have regained his senses. Lyra’s bangle, though similar to mine, had distinct scuff marks, and the carving patterns were different. For six long years, why did Julian never seek confirmation, stubbornly believing that the person with the bangle was his destined love? Unless he already intended to pursue me. Six years ago, Van Industries’ stock soared, and multiple product lines expanded into new markets. It was a thriving period. And Julian, as one of many Sterling descendants, wasn’t particularly prominent. To gain attention and secure resources for himself, he needed to win my favor. So for six years, he never sought confirmation. It satisfied his need for gain and alleviated his guilt over the “debt of gratitude.” Until he graduated, we got engaged, leaving other Sterling descendants far behind. His rare flicker of “pure love” rekindled, and he couldn’t help but seek out his true beloved. “Third question, does Lyra know the truth?” Why did a volunteer teacher suddenly appear? Why did Mr. Sterling care for her so much, only to bring baseless rumors? I always thought the plotline of “repaying kindness with marriage” was absurd. If the other party is uninterested, isn’t that just repaying kindness with malice? Julian Sterling took a deep breath. “I originally planned to keep it from you. I didn’t want Lyra to affect our marriage. Once we were married, I would settle her in Hong Kong. I promise she wouldn’t bother you.” I showed an incredulous expression. Then he turned and gently stroked Lyra’s head. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. Ten years ago, you saved my life. I was that blinded little boy, Jules. Do you remember?” Two pairs of eyes simultaneously looked at Lyra. From the moment Julian first burst into the classroom, Lyra had been pushed behind him, struggling to interject. The young girl fiercely pushed Julian’s hand away, her voice clear— “I don’t remember. Mr. Sterling, are you mistaken?” The bullet comments scrolled wildly, filled with “OMG”s and “WTF”s. 【Can someone check the original plot? Was Julian Sterling’s lifesaver really not Lyra?】 【Upstairs, I’m checking… Lyra, it seems, really didn’t admit to saving anyone!】 【Julian didn’t even ask…?】 【Isn’t that his usual move? The self-deluded silent type.】 【Is the male lead a ‘bangle-sexual’? He loves whoever has the bangle. Was he a bangle spirit in his past life?】 Julian Sterling refused to believe it. He insisted I had threatened Lyra, making her afraid to tell the truth. Eventually, Lyra grew exasperated. “If you don’t believe me, ask my mom and my brother! I’ve never left the village!” “Fine! Then we’ll go to your house! I don’t believe your whole family has been bought off by Serena Van!” We marched in a large group to the Finch family home, expecting it would only take a word from Mrs. Finch. But to our surprise, when Julian, with his authoritative demeanor, asked Mrs. Finch if Lyra had ever been to Rosewood, or if she had been abducted, Mrs. Finch’s expression grew frantic, and she dropped the cup in her hand. “There’s no such thing! No, no…” She fiercely pulled Lyra towards her. “Did this brat cause trouble at school? I told you girls don’t need to read too many books; once they do, their minds go wild! Did she say something crazy?” “This girl is a habitual liar! Don’t let her trick you!” Mrs. Finch’s voice was sharp and cruel, her squinting eyes filled with wariness and calculation. Lyra’s brother, Jed Finch, was lounging in the house, basking in the sun, and he had the same squinting eyes as Mrs. Finch. But Lyra had round eyes. Mrs. Finch was stout and thick-limbed, but Lyra’s figure was delicate, like a kitten… A bizarre suspicion suddenly formed in my mind. That bangle… Six years ago, I had bid for it at an auction because I felt an inexplicable familiarity, a strange fondness for it. Where had I seen it before, even earlier than meeting Lyra, even earlier than the auction? I interrupted Julian’s endless chatter. “Mrs. Finch, do you have any photos of Lyra as a child?” “Why would I have such a thing…” I continued to search the house as I asked. Mrs. Finch doted on her son. Though they weren’t wealthy, the house displayed several photos of her son and family portraits. Not this one, not this one, this one… I found it! Mrs. Finch also realized something was wrong and lunged forward, trying to snatch the photo from my hand— It was only a second, a fleeting glimpse of the little girl pushed to the side, but it was enough for me to clearly see young Lyra’s face in the photo. Familiar. Like someone from my past. I was determined to take Lyra with me. Mrs. Finch wailed, pointing her finger at me, cursing: “She’s stealing people in broad daylight!” Her eyes darted around. “If you want to take this girl, fine. Leave the bride price! That Mr. Thompson of yours said that girls who’ve studied should get half a million!” Ironically, Julian Sterling, who had just fiercely protected his “wife” in front of me, who had promised to protect Lyra thoroughly, Now tried to persuade me. “Lyra is still a Finch family member. You can’t just take her away.” He knew perfectly well that Mrs. Finch and her son treated Lyra horribly, often beating and scolding her, seeing their daughter as merely a tool for making money. Yet he wasn’t willing to rescue her from her misery. —I bluntly called out his thoughts.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392615”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my previous life, my wife and I shared forty years, a harmonious, devoted marriage. Our son was dutiful and intelligent, becoming a renowned medical expert both domestically and abroad. Surrounded by grandchildren, my wife and I treated each other with respect, and I lived out my sixty years in blissful contentment. After my death, my soul lingered in the world. To my shock, my seemingly loving wife hadn’t shed a single tear for me. After my cremation, she delayed my burial, instead tossing my urn into a cluttered storage room. My son, renowned for his filial piety, was actually eagerly urging his mother: “Mom, hurry and book the burial plot. Dad’s almost out of time.” Turns out, he wasn’t my biological son. His biannual “overseas assignments” were actually trips to spend time with his real father. And my wife’s annual “sister trips” were, in fact, rendezvous with her lover. They used my money to support another man, and after my death, they begrudged me even a burial plot. The pain was unbearable. When I opened my eyes again, I heard shouts: “Someone fell into the water! Quick, save them!” In my previous life, Jane Evans had, in a fit of pique with David Carter, jumped into the river. At the brink of death, David hesitated. As the son of the Evans family’s housekeeper, I risked my own safety to save Jane and ended up permanently disabled. In gratitude, she became my wife. Reborn, I pushed David Carter forward. This life, I’ll make sure you two get your happy ending. … David Carter, shoved forward by me, his eyes flashed with momentary anger, but he suppressed it, aware of the onlookers. “Mr. Carter, where are you going? Ms. Evans is in the water! Aren’t you going to save her?” Seeing everyone’s gaze fixed on him, I unhesitatingly turned to leave. But he blocked my path again. David stared at me coldly: “Arthur Hayes, you’re her family’s servant. You owe the Evans family a great debt. Now is the time to repay it! Get down there and save her! If anything happens to Jane, the Evans family will never let you go!” In my previous life, David was also present, but my eagerness to save Jane, and his cowardice, gave me the opportunity. I suppressed a cold sneer, feigning difficulty: “Mr. Carter, I was actually looking for you. I can’t swim. You, on the other hand, are the swim team captain. This chance for a heroic rescue should naturally go to you.” Only then did the crowd react. “Oh, it’s Mr. Carter! I heard the Carter and Evans families had an arranged marriage since childhood. Hurry and save her!” “I heard Ms. Evans and Mr. Carter were even a campus celebrity couple in college! Perfect for a heroic rescue!” Whispers rose and fell, and David was caught between a rock and a hard place. I tried to slip away amidst the confusion, but then Jane Evans’s cry for help came from behind me: “Arthur, save me! I know you like me! If you save me, I’ll marry you, okay?!” The crowd’s gaze shifted to me again. David’s eyes were shadowed with malice: “Ha, you’re not actually taking her seriously, are you? Jane’s just arguing with me. But since your young mistress has spoken, aren’t you going to save her?” I turned to look at the woman in the river. That face I had loved for decades, now smooth and youthful, free of wrinkles. But my heart, at the sight of her, was brutally torn. She knew I couldn’t swim, yet she wouldn’t let her lover risk himself. I suppressed the bitterness and feigned difficulty: “Ms. Evans, I can’t swim.” She almost eagerly replied: “Arthur, trust me, emergency services will be here soon. You’ll be fine.” I froze. Her eyes darted away: “I… I’m just guessing.” I instantly understood—she had been reborn too. After two lifetimes, she still wouldn’t let me go! Fury almost consumed my reason. I clenched my fists, feigning reluctance: “Ms. Evans, Mr. Carter is your childhood sweetheart. It wouldn’t be right for me to steal his thunder. Besides, how could I dare like you? You’ve misunderstood.” As the words fell, the scene went silent. Jane Evans almost forgot to struggle, standing stunned in the water. Was it my imagination, or was there a hint of panic in her eyes, besides shock? I turned sharply and left the scene. In my previous life, when Jane fell into the water, I plunged in to save her. A piece of wire scraped my leg. By the time I was rescued, the wound was bone-deep. Even with the doctors’ best efforts, they couldn’t save my right leg. I became a cripple. Jane, in gratitude, became my girlfriend. Two years later, we married. A year into our marriage, our son was born, intelligent and adorable. As our son grew, my responsibilities weighed heavier. Due to my disability, I endured countless stares and cold shoulders. For my wife and son, I worked three jobs a day, starting as a concrete worker, gradually becoming a contractor, and eventually founding a construction company. I never wanted Jane to suffer. I bought her the biggest house, the latest designer bags, and transferred all my company’s earnings to her immediately. Just because she said “pink diamonds are so beautiful,” I traveled across Africa, selected the largest pink diamond, and personally crafted a unique ring for her. On my return journey, I encountered armed robbers. To protect the ring, I nearly lost my life. When my son grew up, I sent him to the most expensive schools, to tutoring classes that cost two thousand an hour. Rain or shine, I personally drove him everywhere. I nurtured him into a celebrated medical expert overseas. When he married, I gave him a hundred million dollars as starting capital for their new home, and two villas valued at two hundred million. A few years later, he had a child, and I began taking care of my grandchild. I did all the chores, big and small, at home. I never let Jane touch housework; I wanted her to always be beautiful and radiant. And out of trust, I entrusted all our savings, bonds, stock funds, and jewelry to her keeping. I dedicated myself to this family, but due to overwork, I collapsed in my office at sixty years old. At my bedside, I was barely clinging to life. My grandson sweetly called “Grandpa” by my hand. My son held my hand, eyes red-rimmed, while Jane turned away, unable to look at me. Surrounded by my children and grandchildren, my marriage harmonious, I lived out my sixty years in happiness. Perhaps my soul lingered too long in the human world. After my death, my soul stayed, unable to pass on. And because of this, I saw that the moment I drew my last breath, my wife turned away, her face utterly expressionless. My son casually wiped away a tear, then nonchalantly told the nurse: “Pull the tubes. Free up the room for others.” My grandson clung to my son: “Daddy, was my acting good? Daddy promised me a reward, don’t go back on your word.” I was stunned. My body was quickly bagged and sent to the funeral home. My wife didn’t notify any of my friends or relatives. She simply posted a brief message on social media: “Old Arthur passed away this morning. He wanted everything kept simple. I hope everyone won’t be too sad.” My son even went back to work on the very day I died. Under the firelight, I watched my body slowly turn to dust, scattering into the air. And the woman waiting in the lobby was buried in her phone, texting, as if the burning inferno behind her had nothing to do with her. “David, he’s dead. I only have you now.” My soul floated before her, watching her flirt and confide in another man. Later, my urn was taken home by her. My son urged: “Mom, hurry and book the burial plot. Dad’s almost out of time. Do you really want to be buried with this man?” Turns out, the son I cherished wasn’t my biological child at all. His annual “official assignments” were just excuses to see his real father. And the travel photos Jane posted on social media all those years were just quick snapshots she took to show me after being intimate with another man. I saw them standing by David Carter’s hospital bed, Jane weeping inconsolably: “David, you’ll get better.” My ashes were still tossed in the storage room, and they were already preparing for another man’s funeral. The day David died, Jane Evans stood before his newly purchased grave, her face mournful: “I owe David so much in this life. After I die, I want to be buried with him.” My son nodded, choking back tears: “Mom, don’t worry. You’ll definitely be with Dad.” Sixty years of my life felt like a cruel joke. The pain was unbearable. Full of resentment, I lunged at the mother and son, but my body became lighter and lighter. When I opened my eyes again, I was here. Heaven had given me another chance. This life, I decided to live for myself! After returning home, I immediately found Mom and told her I wanted to leave the Evans family. Mom looked troubled: “The Evans family has been very good to us. We can’t forget our roots.” I pleaded patiently: “Mom, do you really want to see your son serve as a servant his whole life? Besides, after all these years, we’ve repaid their kindness.” Mom still hesitated: “But, don’t you like Ms. Evans?” All these years, she had witnessed my devotion to Jane, so she naturally knew my feelings. I shook my head bitterly: “Mom, you misunderstood. I don’t like her.” Before my words finished, a soaking wet Jane Evans rushed over, slapping me hard across the face. When she moved to strike again, I caught her wrist and fiercely flung it away. She gritted her teeth: “You dare resist?! Arthur Hayes! Why didn’t you save me?” I took a step back, my face calm: “I can’t swim.” Jane Evans frowned: “Didn’t you say you’d die for me?!” She remembered the vows I’d made in front of her all those years ago, yet she had completely forgotten how she betrayed me. I laughed: “Ms. Evans, how could you take a servant’s teasing words seriously?” Jane Evans froze, her eyes flashing with shock and disbelief. Indeed, the old me wouldn’t have dared to utter a harsh word in front of her. I started to pull Mom away. She suddenly called out to me. “Stop! It’s all your fault David got hurt! If he ends up a cripple, I won’t let you go! Go to the hospital and apologize to the Carter family right now!” Looking at her furious eyes, my heart was desolate. Ten years of unrequited love, forty years of marriage. I loved her to my very bones, never wanting her to suffer. My conscience was clear, yet in her heart, I was merely David’s scapegoat. Not to mention, in my previous life. David, relying on his connections and influence, made me act like a dog and eat dog food, pushed me down a mountain, made me lick their shoes… The Carter family always doted on their only son. Now, asking me to apologize to them was nothing short of sending me to my death. I wanted to drag Mom and escape. But Jane Evans called for people to pin me to the ground. Mom frantically kowtowed: “Ms. Evans, for Arthur’s sake, as he once saved you, please spare his life! I’m begging you!” Jane Evans merely turned her head: “Arthur Hayes, if you don’t want anything to happen to your mother, come with me quietly.” I almost ground my teeth: “Alright, I’ll go with you.” She caught the suppressed hatred in my eyes, and she froze for a moment. Then, she suddenly ripped the good luck charm from my neck. As if in a fit of pique: “It’s useless for someone like you! A worthless life. It’s better for David to use it!” My eyes burned with rage: “Jane Evans, that’s something my father left for me! Give it back!” How could she not know? In my previous life, on the day she gave birth, I carefully tied this amulet around her neck. I told her: “Jane, the year I was born, a Daoist priest said I would face a tribulation. My father crawled three thousand steps to get this amulet for me, telling me it must never leave my side. Now I give it to you, hoping for safe delivery for you and the baby.” But after my death, she burned it along with all my belongings. Hearing this, Jane Evans paused, then, the next second, walked away quickly. … I was thrown onto the hospital corridor floor. Jane Evans whispered in my ear: “Just apologize properly, get the Carter family to forgive you. I can still let you work for the Evans family.” With that, the hospital room door opened, and David’s parents walked out, their faces grim. “You’re that servant?” Mrs. Carter rushed over, kicking me to the ground. “It’s all because of you! My son will be a cripple for the rest of his life! You, a worthless life, what right did you have to make my son save someone?” Several men rushed over, kicking and punching me. I felt as if all my limbs were splitting open with pain. “Enough.” Jane Evans walked over, seemingly unable to bear the sight of my wounds. “Go apologize to David Carter.” Blood streamed from my forehead, my vision a crimson blur. Her icy gaze softened slightly, and she instinctively reached out to wipe away the blood. I dodged, staggering to my feet. “If I apologize, will you let my mother go?” Jane Evans clenched her fist: “As long as David forgives you, I promise your mother will be fine.” I nodded and walked into the hospital room. The people outside immediately locked the door from the outside. An hour later, I walked out again. The moment Jane Evans saw me, her eyes widened: “Arthur! You!” “Mr. Carter has vented his anger. You can let my mom go now.” With that, I collapsed to the ground. My body had multiple bone-deep wounds. My forehead, limbs, torso—almost no undamaged skin. The nurse who came to bandage me couldn’t bear to look. Jane Evans placed a thermos in front of me: “I heard you had a fever before you came. Eat something. I made this chicken soup myself.” How ridiculous. In my previous life, I doted on her so much that I would even remove the seeds from watermelon before feeding it to her. This life, because of David, she actually cooked for me. I turned my head away: “Ms. Evans, you’ve vented your anger. Can I leave now?” Her face instantly changed. She slammed the thermos to the ground. “Arthur Hayes, what kind of tone is that? If you hadn’t abandoned me, David wouldn’t have had to go into the water to save me, and he wouldn’t have been hurt! Don’t you like me? Why did you stand by and watch me die?!” My tone was nonchalant: “How could a lowly servant like me be worthy of liking you? Ms. Evans must have misunderstood.” Seeing my calm expression, Jane Evans felt an inexplicable panic in her heart, as if something was slipping away. She feigned composure, a mocking smile on her face. “Everyone in River City knows you’re my lapdog, Arthur Hayes. Let me tell you straight, I love David. If I hadn’t been angry with him, you wouldn’t even have had the chance to save me!” I wasn’t angry. I just nodded: “Then I wish Ms. Evans and Mr. Carter happiness and many children! Besides, my amulet has already been broken by Mr. Carter. I probably won’t live much longer. You won’t have to worry about me bothering you anymore.” Jane Evans sprang to her feet, her face pale. “How could that be? I just… I just lent it to him to wear. I didn’t think he’d break it.” “It doesn’t matter,” I said calmly, looking at her. “Consider this life repaid to the Evans family.” She stood up frantically. The fear of losing something made her unable to look me in the eye. She could only suppress the anxiety in her heart, sneering: “So what? You’re just a dog of our Evans family. We feed and clothe you and your mother. What part of you doesn’t belong to the Evans family? Even your life belongs to me!” Just then, a nurse’s voice came from outside the door: “Ms. Evans, Mr. Carter says his wound hurts. He wants you to come check on him.” Jane Evans glanced at me nervously. But she saw I was only looking down. My eyes, once full of love, were now cold. That panicked feeling surged again. But then, she remembered how, in her previous life, no matter how she treated me, I loved her without complaint. It was well known that I, Arthur Hayes, was her devoted follower. If she gave me even a little affection, I would willingly give her my leg, even my life. She relaxed: “I’ll go see David. You rest well. I’ll come visit you. Don’t be difficult.” I was kept under watch, only occasionally hearing the nurses gossip. Jane Evans washed David Carter’s feet. Jane Evans went to pray for an amulet for David, kneeling until her knees were raw. Jane Evans personally made breakfast for David every day… All the things I had done for her in the past, she was now doing for David, one by one. I climbed out of bed, vaguely hearing them mention patellar graft surgery. Turns out, Jane Evans was keeping me captive because she wanted to use my patella to save David. Sure enough, that night, Jane Evans came to my room. She was unusually attentive and enthusiastic, even offering to examine my wounds and apply medicine. I coldly pushed her away: “Ms. Evans, is there something you need?” My coldness made her slightly flustered. But she still shook her head. After all, in my previous life, I loved her so much. Besides, it was just one leg. “Arthur, I promise you, the Evans family will take care of you for life. Don’t you like me? I can be your girlfriend, as long as you graft your patella to David Carter.” I laughed through tears. “Jane Evans, have you ever considered how difficult life would be if I became crippled?” She was indifferent: “David is so outstanding; he can’t be disabled. Besides… it’s just one leg, isn’t it? You love me so much, are you unwilling to make even this small sacrifice?” I looked at her, feeling as if decades had passed in an instant, leaving only disgust. All the cold stares I endured in my previous life due to my limp—she had never felt a hint of heartache over them. After a long pause, I nodded: “Alright, but first, I need to see my mother.” Jane Evans happily lunged into my arms: “Arthur, I know you love me most.” … The surgery was scheduled for a week later. Jane Evans called me every day, urging me to prepare. During this time, I visited the hospital once to get medicine for Mom, and inadvertently ran into Jane Evans, who was there with David for his surgery rehab. David took a grape from Jane’s hand, asking, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll run?” Jane Evans chuckled, “Don’t worry. His heart is mine; how could he run? It’s just one leg. Even if I asked him to give his life for you, he wouldn’t refuse.” David scoffed, “You wouldn’t actually agree to be his girlfriend, would you? That kind of lowlife, don’t you find him disgusting?” Jane Evans paused, as if making up her mind. “David, you’re the only one I love. I never want to be apart from you again. He and I are just putting on a show.” “Don’t worry, he’s so obedient, he’ll give you his patella willingly.” I lowered my eyes and chuckled. My heart no longer stirred. My phone suddenly received a message: “Boss Hayes, your flight is booked. Take a look.” … In a flash, the week was over. Early that morning, Jane Evans called me in a rush. “Arthur, why aren’t you here yet? The surgery’s about to start! If you’re late and delay the surgery, I won’t forgive you.” Even now, she was confident I would undergo this surgery. I looked at the plane about to take off and chuckled, “Sorry, Jane Evans. This life, you’ll probably still have to marry a cripple.” The line went suddenly silent. The next second, Jane Evans’s hysterical scream came through. “Arthur, did you… did you get reborn too…?” Before she could finish, I hung up. The plane lifted its nose, soaring into the clouds. She didn’t know that in this past week, I had used my memories from my previous life to pave my escape route. This thing called love, I’d tasted it before. It wasn’t good. I didn’t want it anymore. I covered Mom with a blanket beside me, my gaze fixed on the blue sky. This life, I would live for myself.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392633”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Driving to the airport, a Porsche attempted to cut me off. I didn’t yield. To my disbelief, after it sped past, it continued to aggressively tailgate and cut in front of my car. Pressed for time, I decided against engaging with such a road-raged driver and opted for restraint. Yet, my forbearance only emboldened her—in less than a hundred yards, she braked hard, blocking me, five times. My patience snapped. I decided to call the police. But as I was about to report her license plate, a surge of adrenaline hit me. I floored the accelerator, slamming into her—because in that split second, I recognized the plate. This Porsche was the very birthday gift my husband had asked me for last week! … “CRASH!” My Volkswagen Phaeton collided heavily with the Porsche’s rear. A young woman with dyed blonde hair, a cigarette dangling from her lips, climbed out. She swaggered to my car and kicked the door with insolent fury. “You pathetic pauper, did you even see the badge? Por—sche!” “Driving a beat-up Volkswagen and daring to hit a Porsche? Are you blind or just got a death wish?” Seeing that the driver was a young woman, my heart sank. Things were indeed as bad as I suspected. I rolled down my window, coldly scrutinizing her, trying to find a clue in her words and actions. “Five million! Not a cent less, or I’ll make you wish you’d never been born!” She held up five fingers, shouting at me through the window. I suppressed the urge to get out and slap her, choosing to wait and see—I needed to understand her relationship with my husband. A luxury car collision in a busy district quickly drew a crowd of curious onlookers. “Now this is going to be good. That Porsche looks like it’s worth millions. The Volkswagen driver is probably going to lose everything.” “That’s the price of stubbornness. A moment of patience keeps the peace. Why bother fighting over something like this?” Hearing the crowd’s chatter, the blonde-haired young woman became even more arrogant. She kicked my car door again, her eyes blazing with aggression. “Driving a clapped-out Volkswagen, and you don’t yield to a Porsche? Do you really think you’re hot stuff?” “Now you’re scared, hiding in your car like a coward? Too late!” “This is my new car, bought for me by my husband—a full five million! Pay up now, or I’ll have you thrown in jail!” My husband? There it was! Marcus Thorne, you goddamn scoundrel, I’d like to see how you get out of this one! After a moment’s thought, I slowly pushed open my car door, my gaze fixed on her arrogant, yet childish face. “If anyone’s paying, it’s you paying me—I was driving straight, you changed lanes and cut me off. It’s entirely your fault!” “And speaking of jail, those two kicks you just gave my car door? That’s intentional property damage. Those two kicks alone are enough to land you behind bars.” “I don’t know the law, so don’t talk to me about it! All I know is, if I’m driving a Porsche, you yield!” She yelled back, “Jail? The jail that can hold Skye Dalton hasn’t even been built yet!” Seeing her reckless defiance, I couldn’t help but sneer—Marcus’s taste truly was unique, to even want such an idiot. Among the onlookers, some saw Skye driving a luxury car and speaking with such authority, assuming she was some kind of spoiled princess. Hoping to curry favor, they chimed in: “That Volkswagen driver’s got a big mouth. Hit a car and then demands compensation? Someone gets angry and kicks a car door, and she talks about sending them to jail? Probably thinks the young lady’s an easy target.” “Don’t be afraid, sweetie. Add my number; Uncle can be your witness if needed!” “Exactly! I know a bit about the law. Property damage only becomes a felony if it exceeds five thousand. Her beat-up Volkswagen just has some paint chips; it’s hardly worth five thousand!” Already arrogant, Skye was further emboldened by their encouragement. She slapped the hood of my car hard, shouting, “Today, you’re not just paying for my car; you’re kneeling and apologizing to me, or you’re not leaving!” I smirked, pointing to the approaching traffic officer. “You ask the officer who should pay! As for kneeling, you might want to find yourself a comfortable spot for that first!” Enraged, Skye lunged at me, intending to strike, but I kicked her, sending her sprawling onto the ground. She scrambled up, still wanting to fight, but was stopped by the arriving traffic officer. “Stop! Or you’re all coming back to the station with me!” “Officer! This old hag hit my car and then hit me! Arrest her, quick!” Skye clutched her hip, wailing to the officer. The officer ignored her dramatics and asked us to provide dashcam footage. I pulled up the recording on my phone. After watching it, the officer looked coldly at Skye. “It’s clearly your fault, and you’re still demanding compensation?” “You’d better negotiate compensation with the other driver quickly, or we’ll take you in for reckless driving.” “Do you traffic officers even know how to judge? Look closely, I’m driving a Porsche! My husband is a very important man; you can’t afford to offend him…” “I don’t care what car you’re driving, or whose wife you are. Our job is to enforce the law fairly. I’m warning you, if you continue to refuse to comply with the ruling, we will take you to the station.” Skye initially complained indignantly, but seeing the officer’s stern expression, she dared not cause further trouble and chose to call for help. I glanced at the number; it was indeed my husband, Marcus Thorne. Though I couldn’t hear their conversation, from the way Skye’s face softened and her eyes twinkled, I knew they were flirting while discussing how to resolve the issue. After the call, Skye’s arrogant demeanor returned. She pointed at her car, announcing haughtily, “Pay up, then! Big deal!” “My Porsche is insured for five million, more than enough to cover your crappy Volkswagen. The extra cash is just my tip for a beggar like you. Take the money and get lost!” I smirked inwardly. Your paltry insurance policy won’t even cover my limited-edition Phaeton, let alone the fact that your reckless actions aren’t even covered by insurance. Today, I would expose this adulterous pair for what they truly were. Soon, the insurance company’s representative arrived. The adjuster looked like he knew cars. One glance at my car, and his face instantly paled. He only exhaled in relief after reading the accident report in Skye’s hand. “Ma’am, this accident was caused by your aggressive lane changes, which falls outside our insurance company’s coverage. Please resolve the compensation directly with the other party. Thank you!” Skye’s face instantly twisted in fury when she heard she had to pay herself. She pointed at the adjuster and unleashed a torrent of curses. “What kind of garbage insurance company are you?! You don’t pay out for accidents? Isn’t this just stealing money from us policyholders?” The adjuster, unwilling to argue further, waved his hand and walked away. “So, what’s it going to be? Pay up, or go to jail?” I looked at her coldly, stating calmly. Many righteous bystanders, having learned the truth, also began to scold her. “Just because you drive a Porsche, you’re hot stuff? You cut people off aggressively if they don’t yield? Do you think this road is your living room?” “You create your own trouble and then expect the insurance company to pay? Do you think the insurance company is a fool?” Her attempt to assert dominance had backfired, leaving her looking utterly mortified. The mocking whispers from the crowd only fueled her rage. She retrieved a baseball bat from her car and began to wildly smash my car, cursing all the while. “You want me to pay, do you? I’ll smash your pathetic car to pieces right here in front of you! What’s the worst that can happen? I’ll buy you a new one!” “You dare demand money from me? I’ll smash your face in!” Seeing her descend into madness, it was exactly what I wanted. I quietly stepped aside, waiting to watch her spectacle. After a furious outburst, she flung five hundred thousand dollars onto my car. “Beggar, this five hundred thousand is more than enough for your crappy car. The extra is my tip for a street rat. Take the money and vanish!” I smirked. “Your little bit of money won’t even buy one of my headlights, let alone being ‘more than enough’? You’d better find a way to get more cash, or you’ll be rotting in jail!” Hearing this, she looked disdainful. “You pauper, are you so desperate for money you’ve gone mad? See me with cash and think you can extort me?” “Who doesn’t know your beat-up Volkswagen is worth at most twenty-five thousand? I give you five hundred thousand and you’re still blabbering?” “I’m telling you, this is extortion, and you’ll go to jail for it. Don’t think I don’t know the law.” The onlookers also started to advise me, “Sister, take the money and run. Your twenty-five-thousand-dollar Volkswagen, they’re paying you five hundred thousand. Don’t be too greedy.” “Exactly. Don’t be too ambitious and end up losing more than you gain by getting accused of fraud.” Just then, the Volkswagen dealership appraiser arrived. “Who said this Volkswagen is only worth twenty-five thousand? This is a premium luxury car worth ten million, and even one headlight costs hundreds of thousands.” Skye’s face turned pale when she heard my car was worth ten million, but her expression remained defiant. The onlookers’ faces also changed dramatically when they heard my car was worth ten million. “Oh, so this lady is the real wealthy one! She’s truly low-key!” “Real rich people are always low-key, unlike some shallow young women who think they’re hot stuff just because they drive a Porsche.” “Exactly. Maybe her car is even rented. Now she’s smashed someone’s ten-million-dollar luxury car. She’s going to have to pay up!” At this point, the appraiser finished his assessment and reported to me, “Ms. Evelyn, your car is severely damaged. The repair cost would be close to the price of a new car. It’s no longer worth repairing.” I nodded after hearing this, then looked coldly at Skye. “Pay up. Ten million. Not a single cent less.” At my words, her defiant expression faltered, but she still stood her ground. “You say it’s worth ten million, and it’s ten million? You hired a fraudster to cooperate with you, just to extort money from me?” “This is fraud! I’m going to sue you!” To make her give up, I pulled out the purchase invoice and flung it at her. “Take a good look. Am I extorting you?” After seeing the invoice, her face showed a flicker of emotion, but she quickly reverted to her arrogant demeanor. She pulled out a black credit card, a prestige card, from her pocket and waved it in front of me. “Ten million? Big deal? I have fifty million in this card. I’ll just pay you.” Someone in the crowd gasped. “Wow, that’s a Centurion Black Card. Only those with billions in assets are eligible to hold it. This young lady is truly a high roller.” “So young and already worth billions, truly impressive!” Praised by everyone, she became even more smug, flaunting the black card with a flourish. But she didn’t know that the card in her hand was a supplementary card I had given to my husband. If I notified the bank to stop its use, it would instantly become a useless piece of plastic. After notifying the bank to deactivate the supplementary card, I looked at her coldly. “Don’t just flash a card and brag. Fifty million? I bet you can’t even withdraw ten thousand from that card!” Hearing this, she immediately bristled. “Give me your account number! I’ll transfer the money to you right now. If I successfully transfer the money, I’ll smash your face in!” I promptly gave her my account number, instructing her to transfer the funds. However, after several attempts, the transaction repeatedly failed, showing the card was disabled. The onlookers began to jeer. “Another fake rich lady, with a black card, who probably can’t even get ten thousand out of it.” “Why pretend to be something you’re not? If you can’t afford it, just say so. Don’t pull these ridiculous stunts.” Skye, sweating profusely in frustration, quickly hid behind her car to make a call. Soon, my husband, Marcus Thorne, called. “Evelyn Sterling, what’s wrong with my card? Why is it suspended? Quickly tell the bank to reactivate it, and raise the limit to a hundred million. I need it urgently.” I replied calmly, “Why do you suddenly need so much money? What are you trying to do?” “I have my reasons for needing it! Why are you asking so many questions? Just go do it!” I bit my lip tightly and hung up the phone. It was all my fault for indulging this scoundrel so much that he became this arrogant. He was a live-in husband who had climbed up through my connections, yet he dared to boss me around. For the past ten years, due to special circumstances, I had rarely appeared publicly, allowing him to manage Sterling Industries on my behalf. I never imagined he would secretly keep a mistress behind my back. He was truly asking for trouble! He thought that just because I let him be a figurehead, Sterling Industries belonged to him. After I hung up, Marcus sent several messages, but I ignored them all. Soon, Skye held up her phone, displaying a ten-million-dollar transfer record she had just received from someone else, and looked at me with an arrogant smirk. “I’m telling you, my husband is worth billions. How could he possibly be short on a mere ten million for you?!” With that, she transferred the ten million to me. “The money’s transferred! Now get lost!” She pointed at the successful transfer record, her head held high as she yelled at me. I scoffed. “You’ve only paid for one car. What about the other one?” At my words, everyone present was stunned. Skye’s face turned furious. “Are you crazy, or just addicted to scamming people? When did I hit two of your cars?” I pointed to the Porsche. “This car is also mine. It’s worth five million. Pay up, quickly.” At this declaration, everyone was shocked. “Is this person crazy from the crash?” “Quite possibly. Otherwise, how could she not even know her own car?” Skye’s face was contorted with rage. She pointed at me and cursed, “You crazy woman, are you never going to stop?!” I ignored her rabid frenzy and instead pulled out the Porsche’s registration document, flinging it in front of her. “See for yourself. Is this car mine or not?” Skye picked up the registration. After confirming my photo was on it, she froze in shock, then erupted in fury. “This car was clearly a birthday gift from my husband! How did it become yours? You must have pulled a trick to extort me!” “Do you think I’m easy to bully? My husband is Marcus Thorne, the head of Sterling Industries! He’s coming right now. Just wait and see how he deals with you!” Hearing that Skye’s husband was the renowned head of Sterling Industries, the crowd’s expressions changed. “Marcus Thorne, the head of Sterling Industries, is this young woman’s husband? That’s huge! In Gold Coast, who dares to offend Sterling Industries?” “Sister, take the money and run. I know you have some cash, but Sterling Industries is not someone ordinary people can afford to offend. Get out of here, fast.” Skye, seeing my silence, assumed I was intimidated by her mention of Sterling Industries, and sneered, “What, scared now? Too late!” “Once my husband gets here, I’ll have him completely ruin your company. Let’s see if you can still be so arrogant then!” I smiled faintly. “We’ll see about that.” Just then, a convoy of cars arrived. From a Land Rover stepped a man in a perfectly tailored suit, his hair meticulously combed. Several bodyguards trailed behind him.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392650”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 To save on rent, I took on two roommates. By the third month of our shared apartment, Amber had ballooned, as if someone had inflated her with an air pump. At first, I just chalked it up to stress eating and kindly urged her to see a doctor. Instead, she tore into me, a blistering torrent of insults. Two weeks later, she vanished without a trace. Valerie, however, dismissed it with a shrug: “Oh, she just moved out!” But then, Valerie started insisting on cooking for me. It was strange. When I refused, she’d follow me to work, shoving a thermos of food into my hands, her eyes holding an unsettling, almost feverish intensity. Later, chatting with a colleague, she remarked, “Olivia, you’ve put on a lot of weight lately. Are you, like, totally in love?” “Yeah,” another chimed in, “you’ve been bringing lunch from home constantly. I bet your boyfriend’s cooking for you.” Suddenly, a chill snaked down my spine. The pieces clicked. I watched Valerie in the kitchen, a ghost of a smile on my lips as she hummed, absorbed in her cooking. Who, I wondered, would be next to disappear? I slammed the thermos onto the dining table with a sharp CRACK. My voice trembled, a thin wire of anger. “Explain this, Valerie. Why have I gained fifteen pounds in a month from eating your food?” Valerie was stirring a rich broth in a clay pot, not even lifting her head. “You were dieting too strictly before,” she murmured, her tone maddeningly calm. “It’s perfectly normal for your weight to rebound once you start eating normally.” In a furious gesture, I unbuttoned my jeans, revealing my distended stomach. “Normal? This isn’t normal at all! My colleagues at the agency told me I’m huge today! I’m a model, Valerie. How am I supposed to work like this?” Finally, Valerie turned to scrutinize me. She reached out, her fingers pinching my cheek. “You look so much better now. Before, you were like a skeleton.” I rolled my eyes, swatting her hand away. “From today on, don’t prepare any more food for me.” Valerie’s composure shattered. She let out a sudden, ear-splitting shriek, slamming the ladle against the wall. “No! You have to eat! You have to eat my food!” She was completely unhinged, I thought, a wild spark in her eyes. What right did she have to dictate my life? Valerie’s chest heaved with agitated breaths. The doorbell chimed just then, breaking the tension. We stared at each other for a few tense seconds before I walked over to open the door. A man’s unfamiliar voice asked, “Does an Amber Peterson live here?” I quickly stepped forward, seeing two police officers standing outside. One of them held up his badge. “Her family reported her missing two weeks ago.” I frowned. “How can that be? She just moved out.” I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my messages. “See? On May 5th, she texted me saying she found a new place and wouldn’t be renewing her lease with us.” The officer meticulously examined the message. “Could we take a look at her room?” Valerie suddenly interjected, her voice sharp and grating. “She already moved out and returned the key to the landlord. You can’t open the door.” But I noticed her left hand clamped tight around her right wrist, where a familiar silver bracelet glinted, catching the light. I remembered seeing Amber wearing it in her selfies on social media. The police asked a few more questions, then left. After seeing them off, I stopped Valerie as she turned back to the kitchen. “That bracelet,” I said, my voice low. “It belongs to Amber, doesn’t it?” Valerie’s pupils constricted, black pools shrinking to pinpricks. “No! It’s mine! I just let her borrow it sometimes.” “You two were best friends. You wouldn’t know where she is?” Valerie fell silent for a moment. “We haven’t been for a long time. The police already asked me. Why are you still asking?” She then ignored me and returned to the kitchen. I stood there, and my gaze caught on a small sliver of blue fabric caught in the crack of the refrigerator door. Amber had a shirt, exactly that shade of blue. 2 At five in the morning, before dawn truly broke, I quietly slipped out of the apartment. Valerie’s door was tightly shut, her breathing even and deep from within. I tiptoed, not even daring to put on my shoes until I was out the front door, where I finally allowed myself to breathe. I hadn’t been at the office long before my phone began to vibrate wildly. “Olivia, where are you? I left breakfast on the table for you.” “Why aren’t you answering? You forgot your lunch box. Should I bring it to you at noon?” “Pick up the phone!” I powered it off, my heart pounding against my ribs like a trapped bird. She was completely unhinged, I thought. We’d just talked yesterday about her not making me food anymore. I figured if I just ignored her, she’d eventually give up. But at lunchtime, the front desk called. “Olivia, a Ms. Valerie Huang is here for you. She says she’s delivering your lunch.” My fingers dug into the edge of my desk. “I don’t know her,” I said, my voice tight. “Please tell her to leave.” But moments later, my phone lit up again. It was a photo from Valerie. She was standing outside my office building, holding a thermos. I sighed, skipping lunch to continue my work. Finally, quitting time arrived. I deliberately lingered, waiting to be the last one out, dreading that she might still be waiting by the entrance. But as soon as I stepped out of the office building, I froze. Valerie stood under a streetlamp, still holding that thermos, her eyes locked onto mine. A smile stretched across her face as she walked towards me. “Olivia, why are you hiding from me?” I took two steps back, my heart fluttering. “I’m really busy today. And I told you, I’m on a diet. You don’t need to make me breakfast or lunch.” She tilted her head, her voice eerily soft. “But you’ll get sick if you don’t eat.” I instinctively reached for my phone, trying to think of an excuse to escape, but she suddenly closed the distance, her eyes turning cold and dark. Her voice, squeezed from between clenched teeth, was barely a whisper. “Are you afraid of me? Why? Haven’t I been good to you?” My back hit the cold brick wall. There was nowhere to go. Just then, a colleague’s voice broke through the tension. “Olivia? You’re still here?” I practically lunged, grabbing her arm. “Didn’t we say we’d grab dinner together?” My colleague blinked, startled, but quickly sensed my distress and nodded. “Oh, right! Yeah, let’s go! I already made reservations.” Valerie stood motionless, the smile slowly draining from her face. Even as we walked far away, I could feel her gaze fixed on my back, like a cold blade. My colleague listened to my story, her chopsticks clattering to the table in terror. “You need to move out, immediately,” she urged. “She sounds terrifying.” I nodded, my fingers unconsciously tapping the table. “Tomorrow, while she’s out, I’ll go back and pack my things.” The next day, around noon, I received a text from my colleague. “She came to deliver your lunch! Hurry, go pack your bags!” I immediately hailed a cab and rushed back to the apartment. I burst into my room, frantically stuffing clothes into my suitcase, and quickly moved to a new place. I spent the entire day off from work holed up in my new apartment. I even ordered takeout for dinner. The doorbell rang. I assumed it was my delivery and opened the door without a thought. But the person holding my takeout wasn’t the delivery driver. Valerie stood there, a chilling smile playing on her lips, taking a step closer. “So, you’re hungry? Then why won’t you eat my food?” As I tried to slam the door shut, her foot jammed firmly against it. She forced her way inside, pushing me back step by step. “Valerie, calm down…” 3 Valerie’s fingers clamped onto my hair, pulling fiercely. Tears stung my eyes from the pain, but I forced myself to speak with a strained calmness. “I moved out because your cooking makes me gain weight. I’m a model; I have to maintain my figure.” My voice trembled, but I tried to keep it steady. “And you’re… your intensity is a little overwhelming. I can’t handle it.” Her grip loosened slightly, but her eyes remained shadowed with anger. “You’re lying,” she hissed. “You’re afraid of me.” I shoved her away, stumbling back to the wall, my hands shaking as I pulled out my phone. “If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police.” Her expression froze, her lips twitching, a strange mixture of a smile and a snarl. Just then, my phone rang. An unfamiliar landline number flashed on the screen. I hesitated for a second, then pressed answer. A low, grave voice came through the line. “Hello, is this Olivia Hayes? This is Detective Davis from the city’s Criminal Investigations Unit. We met a few days ago, regarding Amber Peterson’s disappearance. We’ve reviewed the surveillance footage and found that Amber never actually left your apartment building. We need your further cooperation in this investigation.” My blood ran cold. “How is that possible? She moved out!” I instinctively looked at Valerie, whose face had also gone stark white. Detective Davis stated gravely, “The footage shows her last seen entering your apartment. She was never seen leaving it. Are you available to come down to the station now?” My throat tightened. “Yes, I’ll be right there.” After hanging up, the room was terrifyingly silent. Valerie’s phone rang then too. She glanced down at it, her eyes flickering. “Is that the police?” I asked. She didn’t answer, just stared at me, a cold, mocking smirk finally twisting her lips. “Let’s go,” she said. “Together.” In the police station’s interrogation room, the air conditioning was cranked high, yet I was drenched in a cold sweat. Detective Davis’s gaze was sharp, like it could pierce through any lie. He asked me a few simple questions. “When did you last see Amber? Did she seem unusual? What was your relationship with her?” I answered truthfully. “We weren’t close. I was busy with work, so we rarely talked.” Detective Davis nodded, making a few notes. Then, he suddenly asked, “What’s your relationship like with Valerie?” My hand twitched. “Just regular roommates.” “Did she ever display any unusual behavior towards Amber?” I hesitated, then lowered my voice. “Officer, are you suspicious of her? Have you investigated her?” His pen paused, and he looked up at me for two seconds before stating calmly, “The case is still under investigation. We cannot disclose any details at this time.” Just then, another officer knocked and entered, whispering something to him. His expression instantly turned grim. He stood up. “Ladies, we need you both to accompany us back to the apartment.” When we returned, a police cordon had already been set up around the entrance. Several officers were sifting through Amber’s room, while Valerie and I were instructed to wait in the living room. I secretly glanced at Valerie. Her fingernails were digging deep into her palms, yet her face remained impassive. An officer emerged from Amber’s room, holding a notebook. “All her IDs, wallet, and phone are still here. Even her suitcase hasn’t been touched.” Detective Davis frowned. “This doesn’t look like she moved out voluntarily.” My heart pounded faster and faster. I couldn’t help but look at Valerie. She was staring back at me, a chilling, uncanny smile playing on her lips. Suddenly, Detective Davis’s phone rang. He answered it, and his face instantly paled. “Are you sure it’s Amber Peterson?” My breath hitched. After hanging up, Detective Davis took a deep breath, looking at us. “A female body has been found in a reservoir in the suburbs. Preliminary identification confirms it’s Amber Peterson.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392666”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The scene of my older brother, James, bleeding profusely after being hit by a stray bullet in the library, stung my eyes. Yet, I, who was passing by, chose to ignore it, even quickening my pace to flee the scene. This was because, in my previous life, I had frantically rushed him to the hospital. James had suffered a severe head injury and cranial bleeding, urgently needing surgery. At that critical moment, I called our mother, Dr. Elena Hayes, the city’s top neurosurgeon, pleading with her to come to the hospital immediately. But she, believing I was merely jealous of her taking my adopted sister, Chloe, to the beach, accused me of fabricating the story of James’s injury. No matter how much I begged, she refused to return. By the time my father and other family members arrived at the hospital, James had already passed away, having missed the crucial window for rescue. Our entire family blamed me for James’s death, convinced that I had deliberately misled Mom and delayed his treatment. Mom, rushing back from out of town, completely broke down, pushing me down a flight of stairs, leaving me to bleed out and die. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day James was shot in the library. 1 The few seconds I lingered at the library entrance, the shocking crimson exploded in my vision, terrifyingly similar to the bloodstain that spread after my head hit the ground when Mom pushed me down the stairs in my previous life. Countless images flashed through my mind: the clamor of voices in the hospital corridor, Mom’s icy glare, Dad’s furious shouts, and the desperate sensation of freefall as I plunged. I spun around, sprinting in the opposite direction with all my might, hailing a taxi and diving inside. Even in the back seat, my body trembled uncontrollably. Chloe’s parents had died in an earthquake, saving my brother. Orphaned, she was taken in by Mom and Dad. From that day on, she became the family’s little princess, while I became an extra, a burden. Even James, who once doted on me, only showed tenderness to Chloe. No matter what I did or said, in their eyes, it was wildly wrong. In my previous life, I desperately tried to explain my true intention of saving James, explaining that Mom had misunderstood everything. But they not only refused to believe me; they even thought James being shot was a sinister plot I had orchestrated – such an absurd accusation, yet they swallowed it whole. In this life, I would never meddle again. After all, James knew Chloe was bullying me at school, yet he always stood by and did nothing. When I pushed open the front door, I heard Dad’s cheerful self-congratulation. “These shrimps are really big, Chloe will definitely love them.” He hummed happily. “I’ll stew some black chicken soup for her when she gets back. She’s looked a bit thin lately, needs some extra nourishment.” It wasn’t until I reached the dining room entrance that Dad looked up and saw me. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a stern expression. “Sophia Hayes, I told you to buy some crabs. What took you so long? What time is it?! Where were you wandering off to? What if the seafood isn’t fresh and she gets sick? Can’t you be more responsible?” I stood at the doorway, still clutching the bag of crabs, which felt impossibly heavy. I lowered my head and mumbled, “Traffic was a bit bad…” “Traffic? Are you the only person in this entire city who got stuck in traffic?” Dad’s voice grew increasingly impatient. “You’re so sensitive. Say two words to you and you get upset, like a clam. You’re nothing like Chloe, who’s so sensible and considerate.” Ever since Chloe came into this family, such comparisons had been constant. My every move, every expression, was always measured against hers, always concluding that I was inferior. Looking at the undisguised disappointment on my father’s face, I tightened my grip on the bag, my nails digging deep into my palms. Suddenly, the phone on the cutting board rang urgently. Dad picked it up, his voice easy and cheerful. “Hello? Oh, it’s Mr. Davis from the library. Hello, hello…” The next second, his voice abruptly changed pitch. “What? Shot? Library? James?!” He hung up, his face ashen. “Your brother got into trouble at the library. The teacher told us to go quickly.” I feigned ignorance, following him as he rushed out of the house. We sped towards City Central Hospital. 2 This hospital was horribly familiar to me—Mom was a celebrity doctor here, a leading authority in neurosurgery. The operating room doors were already surrounded by family: grandparents on both sides were present. Grandma Grace wiped tears from her eyes, pointing at me, her voice choked. “You have the nerve to show your face! James is in such a bad state, where were you?!” Grandpa Frank, though silent, looked at me with immense disappointment and condemnation. Grandpa Robert, supporting Grandma Rose, also cast a blaming glance. “Exactly! Why weren’t you with your brother at the library? How dangerous for him to be out alone!” Dad stood beside them, his eyes full of accusation. I felt like a target, pierced by countless gazes. In this life, I chose to stand by, to avoid involvement, yet I still became the scapegoat—it seemed no matter what I did, in their eyes, it was always wrong. I lowered my head, murmuring defensively, “I didn’t know James would get into trouble. I’ll go call Mom, she’s working overtime at the hospital anyway…” Hearing the words “call Mom,” Dad’s eyes instantly panicked. He grabbed me. “Your mom’s busy. Don’t disturb her.” Busy doing what? Probably with Chloe, pearl diving and making necklaces in Seaside City. In my previous life, it was at this point that I found out Mom had taken time off to vacation with Chloe. The entire family knew she wasn’t in town, but they’d hidden it from me. Grandma Rose looked at Dad disapprovingly. “No matter how busy she is, can it be more important than James’s surgery? Call Dr. Elena Hayes immediately! Tell her to come here at once!” “That’s right, that’s right,” Grandpa Frank chimed in. “Such a big thing. What could be more important than this? Call her now!” I pretended to frantically pull out my phone and dial. I called over a dozen times, but no one picked up. “What’s wrong with Elena?! James is like this, and she won’t even answer her phone!” Grandma Rose grew more frantic, her voice laced with dissatisfaction towards Mom. Dad quickly tried to smooth things over. “Mom, she might be in surgery. You know, once she’s in the operating room, she can’t pay attention to anything else.” However, just as he finished speaking, the call connected. “Didn’t I tell you? Don’t disturb me unless it’s important! Sophia Hayes, are you insane?! Don’t you know I’m busy here?!” I gripped my phone, my voice small and shaky. “Mom, James was shot. He’s at your hospital, outside the operating room. Please come quickly…” I hadn’t finished speaking when she cut me off with a scoff. “Ha, shot? Don’t curse James like that!” Her voice was sharp. “James is perfectly fine, studying for his exams at the library. How could he be shot?! If he doesn’t do well, it’s all because of your jinx!” She didn’t believe me. It was exactly the same as in my previous life. “Mom, it’s true! James really was shot! Right outside the operating room here! So much blood…” My voice cracked. “It’s true, Elena, please come!” My anxious grandmother, standing beside me, also shouted into the phone. Mom’s voice instantly turned cold, tinged with obvious displeasure. “Mom, Sophia Hayes is being childish and talking nonsense, and you’re joining in the commotion?” Her voice was dismissive. “Forget it, I don’t have time for this with you all. I’m busy with work. I’m hanging up.” The call was abruptly ended. “What could be more important than James’s life?! She’s completely insane!” Grandma Rose clutched her chest, her voice trembling. Dad tried to explain, “Mom, Elena really might have something extremely important…” Just then, a nurse rushed out of the operating room, her face anxious. “Are you Dr. Hayes’s family?” She cried urgently. “Quickly, call her back! The patient has severe cranial bleeding; the situation is critical! Only she can perform the surgery!” She wrung her hands. “But she’s off duty today and not at the hospital.” Dad instantly panicked, looking helplessly at Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank. Grandpa Frank stomped his foot, yelling, “What are you standing there for?! Call your wife back at once!” His voice was filled with righteous indignation. “She even dared to lie about working!” This time, the call connected quickly. Noisy background sounds filtered through the phone. Chloe’s happy shouts were heard. “Mom, we only need 10 more pearls for a necklace! Keep diving!” Mom’s voice was filled with doting affection. “Okay, Mom will keep diving for you.” Dad frantically spoke into the phone. “Elena, please come back! James was shot! He has cranial bleeding and needs your surgery!” There were a few seconds of silence on the other end, then Mom’s displeased voice came through. “Are you messing around too? Is that ungrateful Sophia Hayes talking nonsense again? She can’t go a day without causing trouble!” She scoffed. “How many times have I told you, don’t believe a word she says!” I stood by, listening to their conversation, feeling a chilling coldness spread through me. It was Chloe who was habitually lying, always framing me, and I was always speechless. Dad’s voice was pleading. “Elena, I’m begging you, this time it’s real! James is really dying, please come back and see him!” Mom’s voice showed hesitation. “Robert, then I…” Just then, Chloe’s voice came through the phone again, tinged with a hint of a whine. “Oh, I just wanted a pearl necklace! Sis is bringing the whole family to mess things up.” Her voice turned dramatic. “Never mind, Mom, I don’t want it anymore. After all, I’m just an adopted daughter, not as important as my sister.” Mom’s attitude instantly hardened. “Alright, stop it. I’ll be back tonight. Stop trying to trick me using James!” She snapped. “He’s tough as nails, what could possibly happen to him!” Grandma Rose couldn’t take it anymore and roared into the phone. “Elena, do you have any conscience?! James is fighting for his life, and you’re still thinking about that adopted daughter!” She shrieked. “Are you saying all of us are lying to you?! Is James’s life less important than a string of pearls?!” Mom’s voice was now full of impatience. “Alright, Mom, Chloe is my darling, no less important than James. I’ll be back soon, don’t push me!” She added, viciously. “Sophia Hayes is selfish and a liar, don’t believe her!” She hung up again, leaving behind a group of anxiously waiting family members outside the operating room. This time, Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank were clearly furious. They couldn’t believe Mom was so reckless. For an adopted daughter, she disregarded her own son’s life. And I stood by, watching their anxious and angry expressions, feeling surprisingly calm. In my previous life, I had done everything I could to save James’s life, only to be met with my family’s blame and Mom’s coldness. In this life, I chose to watch, wondering what they would do about Mom’s choice for Chloe. The nurse rushed out of the operating room again, her voice frantic. “Have you found Dr. Hayes?! The patient’s vital signs are dropping!” She cried. “If we don’t operate now, it will be too late!” Dad frantically tried to call Mom again, only to find he’d been blocked. Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank also fumbled for their phones, shakily dialing. A moment later, both their faces turned ashen. “Can’t get through! She blocked me too!” Grandma Rose’s voice was filled with unbelievable pain. “Me too… that heartless woman! How could she do this?!” Grandpa Frank clutched his phone, tears and snot blurring his face. Despair instantly spread. Everyone knew that this time, James was truly gone. We could only stand helplessly outside the operating room, listening to the hurried sounds of resuscitation inside, watching James’s life slowly ebb away. The operating room door opened again. The doctor emerged, looking exhausted, and gently shook his head. “I’m sorry… we did our best.” Grandma Rose let out a desperate wail, collapsing onto James’s body, sobbing heartbrokenly. “My James! My grandson!” Grandpa Frank stumbled in, clutching James’s cold body, howling, “James! My grandson! How could this happen?!” Dad stood frozen, his body swaying, his face etched with extreme pain and regret. He looked at his lifeless son on the operating table and let out a raw, unrestrained roar. 3 Although Mom said she’d be back that night, she was still delayed by two days. James’s funeral had already taken place by the time she finally arrived, trailing Chloe behind her. Chloe’s neck was adorned with a shimmering pearl necklace, which gleamed ostentatiously in the dim light of the living room. Mom’s eyes immediately landed on me. Before I could even react, a loud slap landed on my face. A searing pain instantly spread, making my head ring. “You home-wrecker!” Mom screamed, her voice raw. “I only went to play with Chloe for a bit, and you started lying and stirring up trouble! How dare you joke about something as serious as James’s accident!” My face felt numb from the blow, my mind a blank slate. It took a while to find my voice again. “I didn’t…” Chloe caressed the necklace on her neck, looking at me with an innocent expression, her eyes glinting with hidden triumph. “Mom, don’t be angry, don’t be angry because of me. Sophia is your biological daughter, after all. Maybe she just missed you too much, that’s why…” Her words were supposedly conciliatory, yet each one poured gasoline on the fire. “I wish I never had a daughter like you!” Mom hissed through clenched teeth, as if I were a plague she couldn’t escape. Dad, who had been silent, stepped forward and shielded me. “If you don’t want this daughter, I do. You and Chloe can live your own lives.” Mom and I both froze. Dad usually doted on Chloe as much as Mom did, but now he was completely out of character. “Robert, what’s wrong with you?” Seeing this, Chloe quickly stepped forward, weakly tugging at Dad’s sleeve, her voice even more aggrieved. “Did Chloe make Dad angry? Chloe doesn’t want the pearl necklace anymore, Dad, please don’t be angry.” Her eyes flickered between me and Dad, a clear performance. She wanted to use her feigned hurt and sensibility to win back Dad’s favor. Dad shook off her hand, his face expressionless. “Don’t call me Dad.” He looked at her coldly. “We’re not related by blood.” Chloe’s face instantly went ashen, her body stiffened, and the tears in her eyes seemed to freeze. Grandma Rose finally couldn’t hold back. “I don’t know how you can call yourself a mother! Neglecting your own flesh and blood, but so attentive to an outsider!” I stood behind Dad, covering my burning cheek, watching Mom being reprimanded by the whole family. But this time, it wasn’t me who was being scolded. Mom was completely bewildered. She could only vent her anger on me. “Sophia Hayes! What did you tell them?! What lies have you been spreading again?!” She refused to believe James was truly dead, refused to believe her own actions had led to all this. She only believed I was up to my old tricks, slandering her behind her back, stirring up trouble. Just as Mom was about to lose her mind, Grandpa Frank delivered a sharp slap across Mom’s face. Before Mom could recover from the blow, Grandpa Frank slammed a piece of paper he had been clutching tightly onto Mom’s face. “You still have the nerve to blame others! Look! See for yourself!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392682”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 My mother, Eleanor Stone, stood accused of sexual assault, a charge so heinous it had driven her accuser to a mental breakdown. In the packed courtroom, I watched in stunned horror as my own wife, Cici Bennett, sat on the plaintiff’s side. “My mother-in-law’s conduct was utterly reprehensible,” Cici declared, her voice ringing with conviction, her gaze piercing. “She repeatedly harassed the underprivileged student I sponsored, and then, while I was away, she committed this assault.” “As an attorney, even if my mother-in-law raised me, I am bound by justice. The law must deliver a fair verdict!” In a single night, Cici soared to notoriety, hailed as the city’s most uncompromising lawyer. Meanwhile, my mother became a public pariah, her once-thriving company—the very empire she had built—teetering on the brink of collapse. I confronted Cici, demanding the truth. Her response was chillingly detached: “Once Caleb inherits the company, I’ll naturally work to reduce her sentence. As long as she behaves herself in prison, I’ll continue to support her upon her release.” As I desperately searched for a defense attorney for my mother, hitting dead ends at every turn, a reputable legal firm unexpectedly contacted me. It was then I learned that our subsidiary branch was facing imminent bankruptcy due to mismanagement, but my mother had long ago secretly transferred the true parent company into my name. Leaving the courthouse, I cut Cici off, blocking her path. “Cici Bennett,” I seethed, my voice barely controlled. “You would frame my mother for an outsider? Do you understand? You’ve utterly destroyed her life!” The crowd gathered around, drawn by my outburst, their eyes brimming with scorn. The memory of her ruthless accusations in court ignited a fresh surge of fury within me. “That’s not what happened at all! You manipulated everything behind the scenes!” Cici’s lips curved into a triumphant, self-satisfied smile. “Alex Stone, I am an attorney upholding justice. Your mother committed a shameless act. Instead of disciplining her, you’re yelling at me?” My heart felt a vicious twist, a cold, crushing grip tightened around my chest. I stared into her eyes, my usually mild voice raw and hoarse. “From childhood, my mother treated you like her own daughter. When you were sick, she burned the midnight oil tending to you. When you wanted to become a lawyer, she took you across the country for specialized studies.” Cici raised a hand, cutting me off. “Your mother raised me for twenty years, wasn’t it just to force me to marry you? Your ‘generosity,’ Alex, it always had a price tag.” After her own family fell on hard times, Cici had been taken in by my mother. When Cici expressed her desire to become an attorney, my mother leveraged her connections, paving the way for her at a prestigious law firm. But now, it seemed, Cici viewed that path to success not as a gift, but as a burden, a sinister plot against her. A bitter wave washed over me. Cici, her face darkening, hurled a stack of documents at me. “Stop acting insane! I owe your family nothing! All you need to do is ensure your mother reflects properly in prison! Caleb, though from a poor background, is nothing like you, a spoiled, good-for-nothing rich kid. He’s ambitious, diligent, and resilient. The company will only truly thrive if he takes over. I’m doing this for your mother’s good!” I stared at her face, so familiar yet so alien. The initial shock faded, replaced by a hollow numbness. We had once been childhood sweethearts. When I was wronged, she would bravely stand before me, shielding me. When I fell ill, she would watch over me relentlessly, day and night. So when she proposed marriage, I had agreed without a moment’s hesitation. But now, she was a stranger. The innocent, kind Cici I had known was utterly gone. My hands clenched, my heart aching with an unbearable pain. My voice, though trembling, was firm. “My mother did nothing wrong. I will never let her admit to something she didn’t do. I will find the evidence.” Caleb, standing nearby, tugged at Cici’s sleeve, his voice a pathetic whimper. “Cici, just let it go. I’ll accept what Auntie did to me. Don’t fight with Alex because of me.” Seeing tears glistening in Caleb’s eyes, Cici’s expression softened with concern. She stroked his arm. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll make sure the culprit is brought to justice.” Then, her gaze turned cold, aimed squarely at me. “Alex Stone, don’t think about finding evidence to overturn the case. That will only make your mother’s time in prison worse.” I didn’t acknowledge them further. I turned and walked away. The immediate priority was to gather evidence, to pull my mother from this nightmare. I sought help from Mark, a friend and fellow attorney, but found his office door barred. I called him, my hands trembling, only to find my number blocked. A long while later, a text message from him arrived, a plea: “Your wife is a prominent lawyer, Alex, with powerful backing. Don’t make things difficult for us. Just apologize to her. Why make marital issues public?” My heart felt as if it were being repeatedly pierced by a sharp blade. I doubled over, gasping for breath, tears silently tracking paths down my face, landing on my phone screen. Just then, a call came through from my mother’s legal team. “Mr. Stone, the subsidiary branch is facing severe financial difficulties. It’s on the brink of bankruptcy. But Mrs. Stone had already transferred the main company into your name.” 2 The lawyer explained that my mother had secretly transferred the main company, Stone Industries, into my name. It was my pre-marital property, untouchable even by Cici, my wife. Stone Industries was my parents’ life’s work. If it fell into the wrong hands, I would never be able to face my mother again. The most urgent task now was to find evidence to clear her name. After leaving the law firm, I immediately went to visit my mother in prison. Her face, haggard and pale, her eyes vacant behind the cold bars, made my fists clench in helpless rage. “Alex, I didn’t do it… I truly didn’t do it!” My mother wept, tears streaming down her face. And I knew it. This was a naked frame-up—a meticulously orchestrated deception by my wife, designed to transfer the company to Caleb. I turned away, fighting back my own tears. “Mom, I believe you. I’ve found a lawyer. Don’t worry, you’ll be out in a few days.” My mother sat there, dazed, merely whispering. “I never imagined Cici would do this to me. From childhood, I treated her like my own daughter.” “That day, I drank the tea she offered without a second thought. I was even picking out a birthday gift for her.” … My mother choked back sobs, her eyes brimming with profound disappointment, a deep, weary defeat. I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth, my gaze unwavering as I looked at her. “Mom, my lawyer friend says there’s still a chance. Once you’re out, I’ll take you abroad for a change of scenery.” As visiting hours ended, I bade my mother farewell and walked out, my heart heavy with a profound sense of loss. Despite my reassurances to her, I knew the situation was dire. No one wanted to take on this case, to go up against Cici and her powerful connections. “Caleb, make sure all the documents are ready. The company will be transferred to you shortly.” Not far away, Cici was carefully instructing Caleb on the transfer process. By the time I fully processed their conversation, I was already standing before them, my gaze sharp and unwavering, piercing through her. “Cici Bennett, are you truly going to transfer the company to him?” She frowned, her voice icy. “Why are you still fixated on this small matter? The company belongs to Caleb.” I hadn’t held out much hope, but hearing her words, my heart was viciously impaled all over again. I took a deep breath, asking, my voice raw with indignation, “For him, you would frame the woman who raised you since childhood?” Cici shielded Caleb, her voice laced with impatience. “Caleb is an underprivileged student I sponsored. This is a graduation gift for him. Stop being as unreasonable as your mother!” I stared at this woman, so familiar yet so alien. For a moment, I thought I had misheard. But her cold, mocking gaze rested squarely on me. “Your mother was too stingy. Caleb’s family is poor. What’s wrong with giving him the company? If she hadn’t refused, I wouldn’t have treated her this way.” So, my mother’s years of selfless devotion were worth less than a few empty words from an underprivileged student she sponsored. And for her own selfish desires, she had allowed my mother to be burdened with a false accusation. Caleb, hiding behind Cici, whimpered, his eyes brimming with false vulnerability. “If Alex doesn’t want me to take over the company, then I don’t want it.” He pulled his hand away and turned to leave. “I was foolish to dream. Cici, I won’t bother you two again.” Cici grabbed his arm, her breathing quick and shallow. “Caleb, what are you saying? The company is compensation for my mother-in-law assaulting you. No one can stop this.” My gaze was locked onto her arm, wrapped intimately around Caleb’s. It was only then that I fully grasped the brutal truth: years of nurturing, of selfless care, meant nothing compared to a poor student’s fabricated story. My heart churned with bitterness, tears, unbidden, welled and spilled. 3 Done with their charade, I turned away and headed straight to the company headquarters. As per my lawyer’s instructions, I signed the stock transfer agreement. Sitting in the boardroom, my voice was firm, resolute. “Effective immediately, cease all funding to the subsidiary branch.” The lawyer, holding the agreement, paused, a cold understanding settling over him. “Understood, Mr. Stone. I’ll arrange it at once!” Unexpectedly, after the lawyer left, I encountered Cici and Caleb. Seeing me, Cici’s smile vanished instantly. She strode purposefully towards me, her voice dripping with contempt. “Alex Stone, why are you like a persistent shadow? Still trying to complain to Aether Global? If you ruin Caleb’s good fortune, I won’t let you get away with it.” I looked at her, my expression cold, saying nothing. Caleb’s gaze fell upon me. He feigned distress, lowering his head. “Cici, is Alex refusing to give me the company? Why else would he be here? What if he spreads rumors, making Director Davies unwilling to invest in the company…” His words choked off mid-sentence, causing Cici’s face to harden. She glared at me, her eyes blazing with fury. “Alex Stone, why must you constantly oppose me? The company can only belong to Caleb. Don’t challenge my bottom line any further, or your mother’s life in prison will become even more miserable!” Caleb, standing beside her, looked smug, a flicker of triumph in his eyes. He assumed I was intimidated, a sneer playing on his lips. “Cici said the company is mine. As her husband, you should naturally support her decision wholeheartedly.” The commotion in the boardroom attracted many onlookers.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392701”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 On my first day back in the States, I walked straight into a scene I’d dreaded for years: my estranged sister, Lily, being publicly humiliated. Smack! A sharp, stinging slap landed squarely on Lily’s face, the sound echoing, drawing every eye in the crowded college quad. “Lily, I considered you a sister, how could you be so cruel? You take everything from me, even my boyfriend?!” The girl shrieked, her voice morphing into a simpering whine after delivering the blow. “Huh, I always thought Lily seemed hard to get along with, but a home-wrecker? Didn’t see that coming.” Whispers rippled through the onlookers. … My first day back in the country, my immediate thought was to visit my sister at her university. I also planned to scout the campus, considering a potential investment. I never imagined I’d arrive to such a spectacle. Lily was trapped, encircled by a hostile crowd, her face a mask of weary helplessness. I recognized the ringleader: Chad Worthington, her boyfriend. Next to him, a girl clung to his arm, looking utterly helpless and demure. “Lily Ellis, you’ve gone too far! We tolerate you bullying Lily, but now you’re accusing her of ruining your watch? What kind of cheap watch is worth five million dollars, anyway?!” Chad lectured my sister, his voice dripping with self-righteous indignation. “Oh, Chad, she copied my senior thesis! It almost kept me from graduating, but thankfully, Principal Evans saw through her plagiarism.” The girl, Lily, simpered, batting her eyelashes. “Lily, that’s a lie! You copied my senior thesis!” Lily’s voice was barely a whisper, weak and trembling. Lily. Her name jolted my memory. That was Lily, the daughter my stepmom brought into our lives. Lily was my full sister, born of the same parents. Not long after our mother passed, Dad brought home my stepmom, along with a little girl Lily’s age. Looking back, Dad must have already been having an affair while Mom was still pregnant with Lily. Later, under my stepmom’s relentless manipulation, Dad sent me away. She’d claimed our horoscopes clashed, that I’d jinx the family business, even curse Dad’s luck. He’d believed her, banished me abroad, leaving me to fend for myself. In truth, I never brought him bad luck; our family business had only boomed after I was born. My stepmom’s real fear was that Dad, always favoring sons, would leave her own daughter with nothing. “Lily Ellis, if I copied your work, why was it your graduation status that was revoked? If you get on your knees and apologize to me, I’ll let it go.” Lily’s arrogant tone snapped me from my thoughts. “Ben,” I said to my assistant, “get Principal Evans here. Now.” “Right away, sir,” Ben replied, nodding. “Lily Ellis, that broken watch of yours was already garbage, and now you’re trying to frame me, demanding five million dollars? Are you out of your mind? I’d say you’re worth more than that watch. If you want money, why don’t you just sell yourself?” Lily giggled, a cruel gleam in her eyes. “Lily, do you think this is worth five million dollars? Oh, wait, no. I’d say it’s worth ten million.” Chad pulled out his phone, a few taps, and then, a series of revealing photos flashed before everyone’s eyes. “Wow, Lily Ellis, who would’ve thought she’d take pictures like that? She always seemed so innocent, but look at her, playing dirty.” “Man, if I could spend just one night with her, I’d die a happy man!” The students surrounding them jabbered, their voices growing louder. “Ben, find out the truth about those photos.” I couldn’t believe my sister would do something like that. I had to know. “Now,” I added, my voice tight. “Yes, sir, immediately.” More and more people gathered, their faces alight with morbid curiosity. “Lily, how about a little game? For every minute you delay paying Lily, I’ll post one of your photos in the campus group chat.” Chad’s grin was sickeningly lecherous. “Yeah! Post ’em! Post ’em fast!” “Go, Chad!” “Wait, isn’t Chad Lily’s boyfriend? Why would he share his own girlfriend’s private pictures?” Finally, someone asked the obvious question. “Boyfriend? Please. Chad and Lily are the real couple. Lily was just a plaything.” 2 “You’re right, why else would he treat Lily like this?” The students babbled, a cacophony of judgment, and then, in the very next minute, a photo was indeed posted to the campus group chat. The group chat exploded, the comments even more vile and disgusting than the whispers. “Chad Worthington, you are absolutely despicable!” “Lily Ellis, all you have to do is kneel and apologize to Lily, plus pay ten million in compensation, and I’ll delete all these photos.” “Apologize? You wish! I have proof that Lily plagiarized my work. Who apologizes to whom is far from decided!” Lily seemed to remember something, a flicker of defiance returning to her eyes. “Proof? Haha! If you had proof, you wouldn’t have been expelled, would you? Stop putting on a show!” Lily laughed, her head tilted condescendingly. “Exactly! If you have proof, show it!” A student, eager for more drama, chimed in. “Forget the plagiarism for a second, Lily. Let’s talk about you damaging my watch.” Only then did Lily pull out a watch. I recognized it; it was a gift I’d given her years ago. “Lily Ellis, you’re just trying to extort me, aren’t you? A broken watch, you say it’s worth five million? Who knows what garbage dump you found it in?” Lily rolled her eyes, her tone dismissive. “Lily, why are you being so aggressive? Lily is your sister, after all. Are you trying to destroy her?” Chad said, feigning concern. “Chad Worthington, I can’t believe I ever fell for a wretch like you!” Lily’s voice trembled with fury. “Lily, I always side with justice, not people. If you’re in the right, I’ll definitely help you,” Chad said, posting more photos to the group chat. “Chad Worthington! Stop! Please, for the sake of our childhood, don’t post anymore!” Lily’s composure crumbled as she saw the new photos. “Besides the photos, I have videos too. Does anyone want to see them?” Chad asked the crowd, his voice laced with menace. “YES!” The crowd answered in unison, a hungry roar. “Sir, the photos are real. No Photoshop traces,” Ben reported, having finished his quick investigation. “How could Lily have taken photos like that?” I asked, my gut churning. “It’s Chad Worthington. He’s manipulated more than just Lily. There are so many other girls he’s tricked. He’s a total scumbag.” Ben’s voice was laced with disgust. “Principal Evans? How long until he gets here?” I pressed Ben. “He’s on his way.” “Tell him if he’s not here in ten minutes, I’ll tear this school down.” “I’ll hurry him up.” At that moment, the onlookers buzzed with anticipation for Chad’s promised videos, and Lily looked even more helpless. “Lily, I told you, I can let the senior thesis issue go. But you damaged my watch, and you’ll pay for it. My brother gave me that watch.” As soon as Lily’s words left her lips, Lily burst out laughing. “Haha! Your brother gave it to you? You’re such a liar, you can’t even blink when you say it! Dad forbade you from contacting your brother, so how could he give you a gift? Have you secretly been in touch with that unlucky brother of yours?” Chad sneered. “Even if your brother did give it to you, how would he have the money to buy you a watch like that?” Lily challenged. “That’s none of your business! Either fix my watch or pay up!” “That broken antique of yours? How am I supposed to fix it? You’re clearly just trying to extort me!” Lily whined, affecting a pitiful expression. “Move it, everyone! What’s all this commotion about?” A greasy, portly man pushed through the crowd, squeezing his way to the front. 3 “Dean Miller, you’re just in time! Quickly, while everyone’s here, tell them about the senior thesis plagiarism! Let everyone know how Lily Ellis copied my work!” Lily said to the man. “Ahem… well, about that!” Dean Miller hemmed and hawed, clearly reluctant to speak. “Oh, Dean! Just say it! After all…” Lily leaned in, whispering something into his ear that no one else could hear. “Yes, Lily is correct. Lily Ellis did plagiarize Lily’s senior thesis. The school has investigated thoroughly, and a formal announcement will be made on Monday,” Dean Miller declared, his voice suddenly authoritative. “Wow! So it’s true!” A murmur of shock rippled through the students. “No, I didn’t! Dean Miller, you’re mistaken!” “Lily Ellis, didn’t you say you had proof? Just show it!” A student reminded her. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. If she had proof, would the school have ruled against her like this?” “Lily Ellis, I told you, if you get on your knees and apologize to me, I’ll forgive you! If you don’t, you can forget about ever making it in this industry!” Lily tossed her head back at a forty-five-degree angle, her voice dripping with malice. “Forget it, Lily. I think these photos are worth more than any apology. Now, I wouldn’t trade them for ten million dollars. I’m raising the price! Let’s get her to sign an agreement to transfer all her assets to you. What do you say?” Chad said, looking at Lily. “Good idea. Get the lawyer here. We’ll sign it now.” “No matter how good the photos and videos are, nothing beats a live show. Let’s strip her clothes off, piece by piece, and give the students a little treat.” Chad leered, his large hands gripping Lily’s collar, tearing savagely. Lily didn’t have time to react; her shirt ripped in two. Lily burst into tears, frantic and exposed. “Why are you crying? Lily Ellis, you always bullied Lily in the dorms, we all know that. You deserve this!” A girl in the crowd, eager for more drama, sneered. “Jenny, what are you talking about?! When did I ever bully her? You guys ganged up on me, pouring water on my bed when I was out, putting something in my face wash that made my face break out for a month! I’m the one who’s always been bullied!” “Lily Ellis, do you have proof? If you do, show it. If not, stop slandering us.” Jenny clearly belonged to Lily’s clique. Lily’s eyes darted around, as if a new thought had struck her. “Lily Ellis, how about this: I’ll make you a bet. If you can provide proof, we’ll call it even. If you can’t, you sign the asset transfer agreement we just discussed.” “Lily, you dream big, don’t you? You want to pull a fast one? I’ll put all my assets on the line, but what about you? Nothing? I’ll only bet if the stakes are equal!” Lily countered. “Lily, bet her! She can’t possibly prove herself, what’s there to be afraid of? Surely your assets are more than hers? Just the outfit you’re wearing is worth infinitely more than anything she owns! We’ll just swallow up all her assets, won’t that be better?” Chad urged. “Fine, Lily Ellis, you asked for this. I’ll bet you! All my assets, plus five percent of Ellis Industries!” Lily declared. “Haha, forget it. You’re not worthy of betting against me!” Lily chuckled, then continued, “I have more shares than you. I have ten percent. All your assets combined probably don’t even make up for that extra five percent, do they?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392718”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The instant I decided to jump, clarity shattered through me. I was the tragically short-lived “first love” in a redemption story. My suicide would seal the male lead’s heart, transforming him from a bright, hopeful young man into a dark, ruthless mogul. He would only find solace and healing years later, in the warm glow of a new, sun-like heroine. But I knew the truth: I was on this ledge because he had driven me to the brink. 1 “Jump already! What kind of coward just stands there?” “I’m starving, heading to the dining hall. When are you actually going to jump?” “Isn’t this just a fake suicide attempt to get a scholarship for grad school?” Sharp, mocking jeers pierced the air, growing even louder after the police tried to quiet them. I bit back the desperate urge to leap, slowly turning on the rooftop’s edge. The female officer, who had been trying to subtly approach me, immediately froze, her voice soft and soothing as she begged me not to be impulsive. My academic advisor and my roommate pushed Ellias closer. His eyes were a harsh mix of annoyance and blame, a flicker of irritation deep within them. Not a trace of worry. Even his voice was flat, devoid of emotion: “Lila Evans, stop being ridiculous.” The female officer gently patted his back, a hint of prompting in her tone: “Ellias, weren’t you so worried you almost fainted just now?” She smiled tightly. “Go on, talk to your girlfriend. There’s no problem that can’t be solved.” I knew she was improvising, inventing an excuse for his belated arrival, terrified his coldness would push me over the edge. In reality, Ellias had been convinced I wouldn’t actually jump. He’d simply turned off his phone when he got the news. It was Sarah, my roommate – who often called me “love-drunk” – who had rallied all our friends, scrambling across campus to find him casually playing tennis. It had taken all their convincing power to drag him here. Ellias, seeing no reaction from me, impatiently sharpened his tone. “Lila Evans, come here. Everyone’s busy. We don’t have time for your childish games.” His callous demeanor made me doubt the strange flashes of memory in my mind were anything more than a desperate hallucination. How could Ellias ever be heartbroken by my death? He’d likely be relieved to finally shed a burden. Just like my own biological parents. Long-term medication had dulled my thoughts, but as I mused, someone suddenly tackled me. “Good girl. There’s endless possibility in life.” The female officer held me tight, her voice thick with relief. “Look at you, out in the wind for so long, you must be frozen solid. My treat, hot chocolate to warm you up.” From afar, I heard cheers from the onlookers. So many people, I realized, were actually happy I was alive. Seeing that I was no longer resisting, the officer carefully helped me to my feet, guiding me swiftly away from the edge of the rooftop. “See, Ellias? I told you she was just faking it!” 2 I looked up at the girl who spoke. Brooke Thompson. Two years younger than Ellias, his next-door neighbor, who had followed her “Ellias” to our university. She’d always been tactless, but her words now were particularly sharp. Her smile stiffened abruptly under the disapproving stares of the crowd, quickly replaced by indignant fury. “What are you looking at? This isn’t Lila Evans’s first time threatening suicide!” she spat. “She just loves attention. You’re all being fooled!” The female officer’s face darkened. “Young lady, please show some basic respect for life.” Brooke huffed, pouting. “I didn’t say anything wrong.” She wasn’t wrong. This attempt was my thirteenth time trying to end my life. Starvation, overdose, cutting, carbon monoxide poisoning – each time I was rescued, Ellias’s attitude toward me grew a little colder. Yet, he always saved me. I hated inconveniencing anyone; even in my despair, I chose methods I thought wouldn’t bother others too much. If I hadn’t yearned so desperately for Ellias’s attention, I would never have dared to jump in front of a crowd. My body hitting the ground would undoubtedly mean a grueling cleanup for the janitorial staff, and that thought, almost more than the pain, gave me pause. In the original plot, I wouldn’t have waited for Ellias. Amidst the jeers, I would have thrown myself off. Ellias would arrive a moment too late, witnessing my horrific death. This would shatter him, driving him to mental breakdown, consumed by endless regret for not saving me in time. He would unleash his fury on Brooke, the girl who’d held him back playing tennis. He would manipulate her into developing anorexia, until she withered away, barely fifty pounds, before she finally succumbed. Those who’d egged me on to jump would either be expelled or suffer mysterious accidents. No one who’d ever wronged me would be spared. No one would question Ellias’s ruthless revenge. Instead, they would sigh over his deep love for his tragic first love, hailing him as the epitome of devotion. Later, the heroine would patiently counsel him, telling him everyone deserved forgiveness. I merely lost my life, yet Ellias, even after achieving great success, would remain utterly tormented. They’d say he loved me to the core, a love so profound it became legendary. But now, I hadn’t died. All I could do was watch Ellias step in front of Brooke, defending her. “Officer, ‘respect for life’ is a conversation more suited for Lila Evans.” Brooke smirked at me, raising an eyebrow. “Lila, Aunt Carol really doesn’t want to see you waste your precious life, either.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, but it carried. “After all, you were so desperate to live back then that you even pushed your own mother—” “Brooke!” Ellias cut her off, his voice sharp. “We need to go.” “Oops, almost spilled the beans again!” Brooke clapped a hand over her mouth, her smile oozing malice. “My bad. I shouldn’t provoke Lila.” “Miss Evans, don’t get upset!” “Lila Evans!” “Lila!” The words “own mother” echoed like the gaping maw of a beast, swallowing all other sound. I stared at Ellias, my gaze fixed, muttering, “You promised me. You promised me. Why did you break your word?” Ellias’s indifferent expression finally shifted, but not because of my questions. It was for Brooke, who had clutched her chest and collapsed, seemingly in pain. A deafening roar filled my head, like a thousand steel needles stirring within. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was him scooping Brooke into his arms, turning his back, and walking away without a moment’s hesitation. 3 When I opened my eyes again, Sarah was sitting by the bed, grimacing as she played on her phone. “Damn it!” She tossed the phone down, met my surprised gaze, and irritably scratched her head. “What, not happy it’s me sitting here?” She rolled her eyes. “Too bad your precious Ellias is busy playing nursemaid to his ‘sick’ little sister.” Her words were sharp, but beneath them, a familiar closeness, and if I listened carefully, a hint of anxiety. “No… no, not at all. Thank you.” I hadn’t spoken normally with anyone in so long; the more eager I was, the harder it was to express myself. Even my thanks came out haltingly. “Thank you, really, Sarah.” Sarah waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t thank me, thank Officer Miller. If she hadn’t asked me to look after you, I wouldn’t bother with your dramatic, love-struck nonsense.” Her face was grim, her short hair damp with sweat and sticking up in disarray. She was still wearing the same dust-stained clothes from earlier, and there were large, treated scrapes on her knees and arms. Probably from a fall. Guilt surged from deep within me. “I’m so sorry.” Sarah had been the first to reach the rooftop to stop me. She’d called the police, then alerted professors and my advisor. When I’d desperately threatened my life to see Ellias, she’d rallied friends to search for him. She’d poured all her energy into saving a roommate who had once betrayed her. If I hadn’t awakened, all her efforts would have culminated in witnessing my brains splattered on the pavement – a lifelong trauma. Meanwhile, Ellias, who had been too busy playing a sappy game of tennis with Brooke to arrive in time, was somehow seen as the greatest victim. All because after my death, he’d found countless ways to torture himself. Even my biological father, who had abandoned his wife and daughter, was moved by Ellias’s apparent devotion, actively seeking him out to drink and offer solace, commiserating with him like a kindred spirit, urging him to let go and start anew. Only Sarah had pointed a furious finger at Ellias, tearing into him as a “performer,” asking why he didn’t just join me if he was so bent on revenge against Brooke and everyone else. Ellias, unable to stand the mockery, had run off to jump into the river, only to accidentally save an influential figure, gaining a boost in his career. Sarah, however, was accused of inciting suicide, subjected to relentless cyberbullying, and lost her chance to study abroad. Years later, the heroine would even dig her up, draining her of her last bit of worth to aid in the male lead’s healing. No one remembered she was once my only friend. Until Ellias claimed Sarah was trying to seduce him. He presented chat screenshots, photos, and even “witnesses.” I hadn’t dared to ask Sarah, trying to pretend I didn’t know, hoping to remain her friend. When Sarah heard the rumors, she confronted me, asking who I believed. Like many times before, I chose Ellias. She’d been furious, immediately calling the police, forcing Ellias into a confrontation at the station. It turned out the chat logs were faked by someone impersonating her, the photos were ill-timed shots, and the “witnesses” were known for casually spreading baseless sexual rumors. Ellias had promptly apologized to her. But I, overwhelmed by guilt, had been unable to open my mouth. From that day on, Sarah drew a clear line, emphasizing that we were just ordinary roommates, and she would never be friends with a love-struck girl who put a man above all else. I was already awkward and unlikable. After that, beyond necessary communication, only Ellias would talk to me. But he was always busy: student government work, art department events, and countless parties where I wasn’t welcome. Our chat history was filled with my one-sided messages. Even after my suicide attempt and subsequent collapse due to Brooke’s provocation, Ellias only sent a cold, terse command in the brief gaps between attending to her: [Once you’ve calmed down, we need to talk.] 4 A familiar dull ache spread through my chest, yet my thoughts were clearer than they’d ever been. I took a deep breath, my fingers trembling as I typed a reply: [No need. I agree to break up.] Whether those melodramatic plot points were the reality of my future or just hallucinations brought on by too much medication, one thing was certain: Ellias didn’t love me. And I was tired of being a crazy person. “You’re actually blocking your most beloved boyfriend?” Sarah blinked her clear eyes, not even trying to hide her peeking. She looked almost… happy. Gathering my courage, I asked her to come home with me. In the second semester of sophomore year, Ellias had filled out an application for me to live off-campus, citing my unstable mental health. The house was one of the inheritances my mom left me. She had once wanted to drag me with her, to die there together, to make my cheating father regret. After my mom’s death, I used the rent money to pay for high school, letting tenants completely transform the house until no trace of my childhood trauma remained. Now, the house was filled with Ellias’s belongings. His gaming room, his art studio, his bar. The living room displayed his annual birthday gifts for me, only three of them. Last year, I had lost my “reward” for not being obedient. Sarah stood in the doorway. “Alright, pack your stuff and move back to the dorm. I’ll have Chloe and Emily clear out a bed for you.” She added, “Make sure to calculate the rent, don’t let him take advantage.” “This house is mine,” I said, unable to meet Sarah’s “are you crazy?” look. “Sarah, I want Ellias to move his stuff out.” “Wanting it won’t do anything. Make him get his butt over here and move it!” Ellias wasn’t answering calls or texts. Sarah scoffed, then called a moving company to come pack everything up. She even took photos and posted them to her social media: [Helping a friend clear out her ex-boyfriend’s relics.] I stared unblinking at the word “friend” until my eyes stung, then splashed cold water on my face. That’s when I noticed Ellias’s new directive: [Tell Sarah to leave immediately.] [Lila Evans, you’re testing my limits.] [You have one hour to restore everything, or face the consequences!] Sarah snorted. “He really thinks he’s king of the world.” The complex emotions swirling in my heart were dispelled by her words. I calmly typed four words in reply: [This is my home.] 5 Ellias never showed up. He was sure I wouldn’t dare. So I had the moving company deliver a dozen large cardboard boxes to the school gates. I heard Ellias’s face was a sight when he arrived. The campus gossip pages were buzzing, debating if I’d finally come to my senses or completely lost it. My advisor, fearing another breakdown, proactively granted me a month’s medical leave, urging me to rest thoroughly before returning to classes. I needed the time to sift through the ruins of my life anyway. An entire month passed. Ellias never contacted me, and I never sought him out. Brooke, though, posted daily nine-panel grids of her lavish meals and adventures, showcasing how much fun she was having with her “Ellias.” As the furor over my suicide attempt gradually subsided, I invited Sarah to lunch. “Thank you for being there for me for so long. Can I treat you to burgers?” Sarah hesitated for only a second. “Burgers, yes!” After two long years, I was finally sitting down to a meal with a friend again. The cool carbonation of the cola warmed me from the inside out. Ellias only liked Chinese food. Whenever I suggested trying foreign cuisines, he would reprimand me, saying I was brainwashed by consumerism. Yet, the restaurants he took his friends to often cost hundreds of dollars per person. I felt that socializing among students shouldn’t exceed a college student’s budget, but he would impatiently insist it was a “reasonable investment,” unlike my wasteful spending on mere cravings. To “correct” my bad habits, he demanded I hand over my monthly allowance of two thousand dollars for him to manage. Ellias never asked what I liked to eat. He simply arranged my meals according to his idea of a balanced diet. He’d watch me finish the broccoli I hated, demand I drink every drop of the intensely gamey lamb soup from the cafeteria, and, citing my “family history of illness,” would beg others to stop me from drinking bubble tea or sodas. Back when I still had friends, they would jokingly say they envied my “dad-like boyfriend.” The more they said it, the more I believed it, grateful to Ellias for filling the void left by my father. I didn’t even realize the allowance was from my own father. Even if it was a love only expressed through money, it was still cold, hard cash. And Ellias’s “love” for me was merely arranging custom meals from a mild Cantonese restaurant. Sarah stared at me, wide-eyed. “Lila Evans, do you know how many meals you could get at ‘Chen’s Bistro’ with two thousand dollars?” I hadn’t calculated it. Thanks to Ellias’s superficiality, Mr. Chen, the owner, remembered me well as a loyal customer of over two years. He quickly sent me the menu prices and mentioned that the anniversary special could be stacked with a renewal discount. Three hundred dollars a month for a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, plus after-meal fruit – less than a sixth of my allowance. And even though I hadn’t been attending classes, the meals were still being delivered to the school. No wonder one of Brooke’s recent meal photos had looked so familiar. Ellias truly knew how to infuriate me. 6 “He needs to pay up!” Sarah declared, her voice firm. “Ellias has to give you your money back!” With that, she frantically rushed out to call her aunt, who was a lawyer. I thought it wouldn’t be that complicated. I just sent Ellias the itemized breakdown: [Ellias Reed, please return my remaining allowance, totaling $32,510.00.]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392739”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 The day I entered the palace, my dowry—a hundred chests—was displayed at the gates. Strange words flashed before my eyes: [Run! That’s Consort Clara—skinned alive by Emperor Cyrus and fed to his python!] [The emperor hates curvy women! Her parents sent her to die for their adopted daughter!] [Switch places with the adopted girl now!] In my past life, I believed those words and refused to enter the palace. My parents sent their adopted daughter in my place, with my dowry. I married the poor scholar she rejected—his cruel mother, sharp-tongued sister, and five stepchildren broke me. When I fled home, my adopted sister whipped me out: “A wife’s duty is to serve her husband! Running back shames all women!” My parents, who once adored me, coldly sent me back: “You belong to his family now. Live or die there.” I starved, froze, and died in my third winter. Only then did I learn the floating words were her trickery. Now, my adopted sister Theodora clutched my sleeve, greed dripping from her eyes. The words swirled madly. I picked up my wedding gown, staring her down: “You want to be Consort?” “You’re not worthy.” The imperial sedan, sent to escort me into the palace, waited outside the gate. Theodora, my cousin-sister, stared at the red wedding gown in my hands, her eyes practically overflowing with jealousy and malice. “Cousin Clara, I hear His Majesty has fangs and a green face, and kills people as casually as chopping vegetables. Your figure, naturally plump as it is, which man would ever favor it? How will you possibly fare in the palace?” Ever since the imperial decree naming me Consort Clara arrived, she had been whispering malicious rumors about the Emperor, off and on. I had always thought she was concerned for me, worried about my well-being, and thus sought out information. Only later did I realize she was clearly coveting my dowry and my position as Consort. I slammed my teacup to the ground, the porcelain shattering. “Insolence! Speaking ill of His Majesty, Cousin, do you wish for our entire family to be punished by imperial decree?” Theodora, startled by my sudden severity, shrank back. Countless floating words instantly erupted before my eyes. [Heroine, don’t be a fool! Only your cousin tells you the truth!] [Exactly! Only your cousin wants to save you, heroine! Quick, tell her to swap places with you! As long as you don’t enter the palace, you’ll be saved!] Theodora’s tears flowed instantly, just as easily as they had in my past life. “I am merely concerned for you, Cousin, fearing you will not fare well.” She cried with such genuine emotion, as if she truly worried for me. If not for the bitter lessons of my past life, I might truly have believed I misunderstood her. I ignored her completely, turning my back and, in front of her, began to put on my wedding gown. “My apologies, Cousin, but with a hundred chests of dowry and the position of Consort, how could I not fare well?” “If I recall correctly, Cousin, you are also marrying today, aren’t you? Why haven’t you changed into your dress yet?” “Unless… you wish to enter the palace with me? As a concubine?” Seeing the maids and matchmakers all looking at her, Theodora’s face turned from green to purple. “Cousin, how could you think such a thing of me?” “If not, then Cousin, please return to your room to get ready. It would be improper to miss the auspicious hour.” Theodora froze, stubbornly unwilling to leave. She wouldn’t give up today without achieving her goal! I waved my hand, and several maids immediately surrounded her. “Young Miss Theodora, allow us to escort you to get ready.” “Young Miss, the groom is waiting impatiently.” The floating words suddenly reappeared, overwhelming me! [No way?! Is the heroine actually going to feed the python?! Oh my god, she’s actually refusing this perfect chance to swap places!] [Though the scholar is poor, he truly dotes on his wife! The heroine will surely not suffer if she marries him.] [Good advice is wasted on the doomed!] I scoffed. Since this was the perfect husband Theodora herself had chosen, let her experience him firsthand. I put on my phoenix crown, and Mother placed the red veil over my face, escorting me out the door. The wedding sedan swayed, and a wave of overwhelming drowsiness suddenly washed over me. Something was wrong! The floating words appeared again. [Just sleep. Everything will be fine when you wake up.] [Don’t struggle! Even a strong man couldn’t withstand this knockout drug! You won’t be able to stay awake.] Theodora had actually drugged me with a knockout potion! I desperately pinched my palms and thighs, but my vision grew increasingly blurry. In a split second, I pulled out the golden hairpin from my hair and stabbed it hard into my thigh! Blood gushed! The pain instantly cleared my head. Peeking through the sedan curtain, I saw it—this was definitely not the way to the palace! I immediately ordered the sedan bearers to stop. “Stop! I am His Majesty’s Consort Clara! Where are you taking me?” A cold scoff came from outside the sedan. “What daydream are you having? This is clearly Scholar Wyatt’s sedan for his new bride.” Theodora swapped my sedan? But how was that possible? Mother herself had helped me into this sedan. No time to think. I immediately slipped off a golden bangle from my wrist and handed it to the sedan bearers. “Turn around, head for the Imperial Palace. These are all yours.” The sedan absolutely could not reach the Wyatt family’s home, or everything would be too late. They took the golden bangle, bit it to test its authenticity, exchanged glances, and then pocketed it. Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the next second, he spat at me directly. “Old Man Cloud and Old Lady Cloud already told us their daughter had hysterics. Send you to the palace? Dream on.” Floating words danced before my eyes. [You’ll be at the Wyatt home soon, why are you still resisting? Just be a good wife to Scholar Wyatt.] [Though Scholar Wyatt has five children, all five will become powerful officials in the future, very promising! How can you bear to see them without a mother?] [Accept your fate, accept your fate.] The sedan bearers directly blocked the sedan door. The suffering of my past life flashed before my eyes like a galloping horse. No, I absolutely would not yield. I grabbed the hairpin and stabbed it fiercely into their backs. The sedan bearers screamed and released the sedan poles. I seized the opportunity and bolted out. This place was not far from the capital. If I ran fast enough, perhaps I could still make it. However, the moment I stepped out of the sedan, Scholar Wyatt emerged from nowhere. His teeth yellowed, he grabbed a handful of my hair. “You stinking hag, the Cloud family has already sold you to me. Where do you think you’re going?” [Don’t let his looks deceive you, he’s truly a good man who dotes on his wife.] [Little Sister, you’ve really hit the jackpot by marrying him.] [Quick, go and perform the marriage rites with him.] I kicked him hard in the stomach. “The one marrying you is Theodora White, not me! You’ve been tricked! I am Consort Clara, personally bestowed by the Emperor! Can you bear the consequences of offending a Consort?” He cried out in pain from my kick, and slapped me directly across the face. “You stinking woman! I don’t care what Consort or not Consort you are! The Cloud family sent you here, so you’re my wife now!” “Now hurry up and come home with me for the marriage rites! My clothes are waiting for you to wash!” I was dizzy from his slap, my eyes seeing stars, and I spat out a mouthful of blood. The floating words gloated: [You should have just gone along with the marriage rites, why did you dare to hit your husband? You deserve to be beaten to death, you deserve it.] [Men are heaven, he is your heaven, how can you resist him?] [Once you enter the Wyatt family’s door, be a good wife and mother.] The entrance to the Wyatt family home was just ahead. I stopped, giving up the struggle entirely. Scholar Wyatt, noticing my sudden cessation of resistance, paused in surprise. In that very instant, I pulled out the sachet of scented powder from my bosom and flung it into his eyes. “You wretched woman!” Scholar Wyatt cursed angrily, rubbing his eyes. But his eyes were completely coated in powder. He chased for two steps, then stumbled and fell to the ground. I summoned every ounce of strength, running frantically. I finally caught up to Theodora’s phoenix sedan just before it entered the palace. I threw myself onto the sedan. “I am the real Clara Frost! I am the Consort appointed by the Emperor! The person inside is an impostor!” “An impostor?” The guards looked at me, uncertain. Young Miss Cloud rarely left the residence; they had never seen me before. I frantically searched my body for a token to prove my identity. My cousin-sister, Theodora, tearfully peeked out from the phoenix sedan. “Cousin, you eat my family’s food, live in my family’s house. Your usual jealousy is bad enough, but now you even want to snatch my chance at becoming a Consort?” “It’s not that I’m unwilling to yield, but Cousin, your figure is so plump. If His Majesty sees you, it might even implicate our entire Cloud family.” Passersby gathered, two by two. “Stealing your own cousin’s marriage? That’s utterly shameless.” “With her appearance, she doesn’t even look like a noble lady. And she wants to impersonate Young Miss Cloud to marry into the palace and become a concubine? She must have eaten a leopard’s heart!” “Precisely! Precisely!” I had run so hard, my wedding gown was torn and stained with blood, my hair a complete mess. Meanwhile, Theodora in the sedan wore a phoenix crown and robes, her clothes spotless. To anyone looking, she would appear to be the true Young Miss Cloud. The floating words reappeared to sow discord. [Don’t bother explaining, no one will believe you. If Emperor Cyrus sees you like this, he might even execute your entire clan.] [Your parents were so good to you, do you want to implicate them too?!] [Quick, say you’re jealous of your cousin, say it!] I gritted my teeth, gripping the phoenix sedan with all my might. A guard kicked me in the lower back, pointing his saber at me. Just then, I saw my parents rushing over, and a wave of overwhelming joy washed over me. “Father, Mother, Theodora swapped my sedan! Quick, tell them I’m the real Clara Frost!” No one could prove my identity better than my parents. Father rushed over, but before I could speak, he slapped me. “My own daughter, how could I not recognize her? You dare to come here and cause trouble!” “Our Cloud family fed you, clothed you, and yet you still want to steal my daughter’s marriage?” “The one in the phoenix sedan is my daughter, Clara Frost! Our Cloud family only recognizes this one daughter!” Mother hid behind Father, wiping away tears. “Theodora, please, stop causing trouble. Your husband’s family is waiting for you.” “Just go back and be a good wife and mother.” It turned out my parents had already sided with Theodora. The surrounding commoners began to spit at me. “How can there be such a shameless person in this world?” “She must have gone mad with hysterics.” Outside the crowd, Scholar Wyatt caught up. He grabbed my arm, twisting it, and pulled me up. “Excuse me, everyone, I accidentally let my crazy wife escape.” “Now hurry up and come home with me for the marriage rites!” With that, he dragged me by the arm, pulling me out of the crowd. The crowd automatically parted for him. Was I destined to be unable to change my fate, even in this new life? The floating words flashed by rapidly, one by one, filled with mockery. [I told you already, accept your fate, struggling is useless.] [Even your own parents don’t recognize you. You’ll never be able to turn your life around.] [Being a stepmother to five children, a housemaid for the Wyatt family, that is your final destiny, ha ha ha.] I was powerless to resist, completely trapped by Scholar Wyatt. Tears of helplessness streamed down my face. However, at that moment, a shrill voice suddenly boomed through the air. “Everyone, stop! His Majesty has arrived!” A yellow imperial carriage halted before me. The Emperor, his lips slightly curved, rested his pale, slender hand on the carriage. His dark gold dragon robes billowed in the wind, his knuckles lightly tapping. “How dare you insult My Consort?” Everyone by the roadside knelt in terror.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392756”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 I’m dying. A lonely soul in life, a wandering ghost in death. I’m a fairly considerate person, so I worry my body might stay in the house too long after I’m gone. Rotting, decomposing, festering, swarming with maggots. It wouldn’t just mess up my own place, which is bad enough, but if it affected the feng shui and property value of the entire apartment complex, or ruined my neighbors’ moods and appetites, that would be truly awful. So, I called my ex-boyfriend, the one I broke up with seven years ago. “When I die, could you do me a favor and take care of my body?” A few minutes of silence stretched between us. “Sure,” he finally said, his voice flat. “Perfect for feeding the dogs.” I hung up the phone, a wave of disappointment washing over me. Online, you can find food delivery, errand runners, even designated drivers, but not a single service for posthumous body disposal. I’m dying. The kind of dying where there’s no cure. After the initial shock, fear, rage, and utter breakdown, I’ve quietly accepted this reality. After all, I have no family, no one to rely on. Dying will just mean being alone in a different place. But my biggest worry is that if I die at home, with no one ever visiting, my body might linger for a long time. Decomposing, putrefying, festering, oozing, crawling with maggots, emitting a truly horrifying stench… Maybe it wouldn’t be discovered until the entire building suffered from a full-blown biohazard attack? By then, it would be too late. I’m quite vain, and I certainly don’t want my body to be an eyesore when it’s finally discovered. And I do have a sense of civic duty. I don’t want my apartment to become a ‘death house,’ affecting my neighbors’ peace of mind and appetites. And I definitely don’t want to drag down the property values in the neighborhood. With the real estate market in a slump, homeowners are already living miserable lives, and I don’t want to pile more misery on them. Of course, I could choose to die in a hospital, smiling my last in a sterile bed. But I despise the smell of disinfectant. So, I absolutely need someone to take care of my body. To turn me into ash as quickly as possible—clean, eco-friendly, and hygienic. After much thought, my ex-boyfriend was the only one I could possibly ask. I unblocked his number and tried calling, silently praying he hadn’t changed it. It connected. I could hear his low breathing on the other end, but neither of us spoke. “Liam… Liam Hayes?” “I… it’s Elara Vance…” I wasn’t sure if he’d deleted my contact information, so I identified myself. Beep! Beep! The call disconnected. It had to be Liam. If it were anyone else, they’d at least say, “Wrong number.” Shamelessly, I redialed. This time, the busy signal rang for a dozen beats before he finally picked up. Fearing he’d hang up again, I rushed out my request, rattling it off as quickly as rattling off a grocery list. “Don’t hang up! I know you hate me! But I’m dying! Can you take care of my body after? Watching me die in front of you would be pretty satisfying, wouldn’t it?” I finished in one breath. This time, he didn’t hang up. After seven long years, his familiar yet estranged voice finally broke the silence. “So, now you’re dying?” he scoffed. “As far as I’m concerned, you died in my heart ages ago!” He was mocking me, twisting the knife. But I’m a woman who isn’t even afraid of death anymore, so what did a little sarcasm matter? “Your wish for me to die is a lovely sentiment, but it’s just wishful thinking. This time, though, I really won’t make it past three months. You should cherish this chance to personally send me off. Miss this, and you’ll never buy an experience like it again, no matter how much money you throw at it.” I pleaded, like a seasoned salesperson pitching her wares. “Hahahahaha!” Liam suddenly burst into boisterous laughter. “Elara, you really will go to any lengths to get close to me, won’t you?” His voice dripped with schadenfreude. “Even though you haven’t contacted me in years, I’ve been keeping tabs on you.” “I know your life has gone to hell. Your family went bankrupt, your dad killed himself, your mom ran off, and you even got divorced, abandoned by Julian Thorne. Now you’re all alone, abandoned by everyone, probably looking pretty pathetic, aren’t you?” “I genuinely suspect you’re a jinx! Because everyone who gets close to you ends up miserable! But those who leave you? They thrive!” “Just like me now—successful, accomplished, a true self-made man!” Even over the phone, I could vividly imagine the grimacing, vengeful expression on Liam’s face. “So, are you at your wit’s end, coming to beg me now?” he continued, his voice dripping with disdain. “Trying to play dead and pathetic to gain my sympathy? Do you really think I still have any lingering feelings for a fickle gold-digger like you?” “No! Playing the victim won’t work on me! Because if you really died in front of me, I’d take your corpse and feed it to the dogs!” I thought about it seriously. My corpse being fed to dogs might be a bit gruesome, but it would definitely be better than rotting and stinking, covered in maggots, wouldn’t it? Besides, I quite like dogs. “Could you feed me to a Border Collie? I really don’t like Huskies.” I offered the suggestion earnestly. “You…” Liam was choked by my bluntness. He must have thought I was deliberately provoking him, and he hung up again. I didn’t call a third time. I didn’t want to invite further humiliation. I started searching for funeral homes and crematoriums in the city on my phone, wondering if I could reserve a spot in advance. But Liam was already at my doorstep. He knew my current address. 2 “Thirty years the river flows east, thirty years it flows west. Never underestimate the underdog!” Liam had told me that saying back in college. He loved reading fantasy novels and said that line came from some cheesy fantasy book. He even praised my beauty, saying I was “a ten-out-of-ten bombshell.” Reality is even more fantastical than fiction. It didn’t take thirty years; just seven years were enough for Liam’s life and mine to completely invert. Seven years ago, he was a struggling college student, dependent on student loans to finish his degree. I was a privileged heiress with a hefty fortune. He loved me to death, humble and devoted. But I dumped him, played him, and cast him aside. “Liam, we’re not a good match. We don’t belong in the same world.” “I was just toying with you, but I’m done playing now.” “You didn’t actually think I’d marry you, did you?” “Hahahaha! I couldn’t bring myself to be seen with someone like you!” “Get lost! A pauper like you doesn’t deserve to talk about love!” I watched Liam weep bitterly before me. The fire in his eyes slowly extinguished. I was certain that I had, with my own hands, crushed his innocence and his capacity for love. Seven years later. He was now a successful young entrepreneur. While others his age were still relying on trust funds, he had built his own empire, becoming a self-made millionaire, even making it onto the Forbes list. He exuded maturity, confidence, and sheer dominance. And I was utterly ruined. The halo of my privileged heiress status had shattered, and now I was living in a cramped, old apartment less than 500 square feet. Unemployed, without family, without friends. And, most importantly, I was dying. I was asking him to take care of my body after I was gone. My story with him felt like a cruel, twisted joke from hell. “You don’t look so good, and you seem exhausted,” Liam said, one hand in his pocket, the other leaning casually against the wall. He’d always been handsome, but with money, his aura was even more striking. His Armani suit and Vacheron Constantin watch screamed success. Not like when we first dated, when his faded high school uniform stretched well into his sophomore year. I used to force him to buy new clothes, but he always complained they were too expensive. “Did you get thin because your family went bankrupt and you can’t handle a hard life?” He was laughing at my misfortune again, taking in my cramped home with an amused glance. “The apartment is small, but it’s clean. Though, honestly, I’d rather see someone like you living on the streets.” I looked around the small apartment with a touch of wistfulness. It was just a studio. This was the third home I’d lived in during my twenty-five years. The smallest, the most humble, the shabbiest. It couldn’t compare to the mansion I grew up in, much less Julian’s family estate. Yet, it was where I felt safest, warmest. I’d bought it with every penny of my own savings, earned through hard work. Dying here felt like a quiet contentment. That’s why I particularly didn’t want to leave it dirty or cursed after I was gone. “Thank you for coming.” I opened a drawer and took out the title deeds and a handwritten agreement. “I don’t have much savings left; this apartment is my only asset. After I die, please sell the apartment for me. The money should be enough to buy a burial plot and handle my funeral arrangements. There should be a hundred thousand or so left over after that. Please donate it. I don’t have any family or friends to leave it to, and you wouldn’t care for such a small sum anyway.” I calmly laid out my last wishes, but Liam suddenly erupted in fury! He lunged forward, grabbing my shoulders and shoving me hard against the wall! He leaned in, our faces inches apart, his eyes blazing, his breath hot against my skin. “I don’t know whether to commend your acting or condemn your shamelessness!” he growled, his teeth clenched. “A wicked woman like you won’t die that easily. And even if you did, you would donate money? Haven’t you always taken pleasure in toying with the dignity of the poor?” His facial muscles twitched with a grim, vengeful pleasure. “So, now you’re truly poor! That’s karma!” “I’m almost afraid you will die! Death would be an escape, wouldn’t it? No! You should live and suffer a lifetime of punishment and torment!” His grip hurt me. I tried to explain that I wasn’t acting, that I truly was dying, and I even pulled out my medical records. But he dismissed them as props I’d bought online. Finally, I grew impatient. My life is my own; why should I have to prove to you that I’m dying? I suddenly thought of Old Man Peterson, the kind-hearted recycling collector who often came to our complex. Maybe I should entrust him with this? After I die, he could have all the furniture and items in my apartment, and I’d ask him to take care of me too. “You’re hurting me!” I struggled to break free. “If you don’t want to, then fine. Pretend I never asked. You can go.” But Liam wouldn’t leave. He was like a hunter toying with his prey, a cold glint in his eyes. “Since you love playing games so much, I’ll play along!” he sneered. “I’m taking care of your corpse, no matter what! You said you’d die in three months, didn’t you?” He stared at me, his voice sharp with accusation. “What if you don’t die by then?” “I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing your pathetic, shameless face then!” “If you had any shame at all, you’d just kill yourself and apologize!” Liam laughed after delivering his taunts, seemingly certain he had me cornered. I smiled too. You are just one person. The Grim Reaper and I are on the same team. Trying to spite me? You’re bound to lose! 3 In my plan, Liam would simply come collect my body after I died. I’d made an agreement with him: we’d contact each other every three days to confirm I was still alive. If more than three days passed without me reaching out, it meant something had happened. He already had my house key, so he would have to come and handle the arrangements. It was getting hot; there was no time to waste. But Liam found this arrangement too dull. The very next day, he appeared at my apartment again. “Get dressed and come with me.” “Where are we going?” “To buy you a burial plot!” He grinned, a strange, twisted smile. “Saying I’d feed you to the dogs was just talk, you know. Dogs are man’s best friends; they can’t eat garbage.” “So, where we bury you, I’ll at least respect your opinion.” I could guess Liam’s intention. He was convinced I was putting on an act, that my talk of dying was just a pathetic ploy to evoke his sympathy. So, he was using the act of buying a burial plot to try and disgust me. Of course, I wasn’t disgusted. I believed that once a person dies, they’re just gone; it doesn’t really matter where you’re buried. But I didn’t want to spoil Liam’s fun, so I got into his Porsche, and we toured several large cemeteries on the outskirts of the city. At each location, Liam would deliberately announce loudly to the cemetery salesperson, “We’re buying this to bury her!” I would always respond politely, smiling at the salesperson, “Sorry for the trouble.” It made the salespeople visibly uncomfortable. They’d be mid-pitch, waxing poetic about the wonderful conditions and auspicious feng shui of the plot, only to stammer awkwardly because of my premature appearance as the future occupant. “It’s fine, please continue,” I’d reassure them. “I think the conditions here are quite good.” The burial plot was chosen. On the drive down the mountain, Liam, seeing my composure, couldn’t help but ask, “You really don’t mind?” “You’ve made very thorough arrangements,” I said, looking at the lush, green surroundings of the cemetery. “I definitely won’t have trouble sleeping once I’m lying here.” Liam had intended to upset me, but instead, I had thoroughly rattled him. He stomped his foot. “Fine! You don’t care, huh? We’ll keep looking! You’ve got a plot, but no funeral attire yet, right? No urn? No memorial portrait?” “I’ll arrange it all for you!” he declared. “And we need to book the professional mourners in advance too!” Liam was a man of his word. He actually took me to handle all these things. We bought seven sets of funeral attire—long and short, for all four seasons. The urn was sculpted from jade, intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes. There was a minor mix-up when we took the memorial portrait; the photographer initially thought we were a couple taking engagement photos. When he learned it was for a memorial, he was clearly displeased. “I’m sorry, I don’t take these kinds of jobs. You two need to leave—” He tried to usher us out. Liam simply held up three fingers. “Three thousand dollars to take the pictures?” “Right away, sir! Just tell me what kind of effect you’re looking for!” the photographer immediately chirped, now beaming. “Whether it’s defiant acceptance or longing for life, anything goes!” “I want her to look like she deserved it,” Liam said dryly. The professional mourners were a local performing troupe, each member a master of theatrical grief. Their schedule was packed, and their performance fee was steep—a cool two hundred thousand dollars. I hadn’t objected to any of Liam’s previous arrangements, but now I finally couldn’t hold back. He was spending too much! He had completely lost his previous frugal habits. The cemetery plot, urn, and memorial portrait already totaled over four hundred thousand. Adding the mourners, six hundred thousand wouldn’t even be enough. My apartment might sell for five hundred thousand if I was lucky, and that would be a high price. I didn’t want to die saddled with debt. “Let’s skip the troupe,” I said. “I don’t have the budget for that. Don’t you play the harmonica? Just play ‘So Long, Farewell’ for me.” “It’s fine,” Liam said, a spooky smile on his face. “I’ll cover the extra. I’ll sponsor it. Elara, as long as you’re willing to die, I’m willing to bury you!” With everything arranged, the burden in my heart lifted, and I just wanted to go home and wait to die. But Liam wouldn’t let me be. He insisted on taking me to a party. If I refused, he’d tear up our agreement. So, I had no choice but to attend, becoming the unfortunate spectacle of the evening. “Is that the former Miss Vance?” “Tsk, tsk! She looks so much more haggard than before.” “Why wouldn’t she be haggard? Arthur Vance married his daughter to Julian Thorne, intending to swallow up the Thorne family’s assets, but the Thornes turned the tables on him. The Vance family went bankrupt, Arthur killed himself, and Mrs. Vance ran off with her secret stash of cash and some young gigolo. And Miss Vance herself was kicked out by the Thornes. She was too clever by half, losing her daughter and everything else.” “Serves her right! That’s karma for her twisted heart!” “But why is Elara with Mr. Hayes?” “Didn’t you hear? Elara and Liam Hayes used to be an item! But Elara was a gold-digger and dumped Liam because he was poor.” “Now Liam is richer than Julian Thorne. She must be regretting it bitterly, right?” “Definitely regretting it! Otherwise, why would she be clinging to Mr. Hayes so shamelessly?” These people weren’t just gossiping; women who clearly had designs on Liam frequently approached me, spewing veiled insults. I had ALS. These past few days, I’d noticed not only my limbs stiffening but my tongue becoming less nimble. I could only remain silent, letting those women barrage me with their chatter. Liam, glass of red wine in hand, watched the spectacle with relish. Emboldened, the women became even more cruel. I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t move. Until a large hand grabbed me. “Come with me!” It was my ex-husband, Julian Thorne. His grip was strong, and I stumbled along, nearly falling. “Let her go!” Liam blocked our path. “Get out of the way!” “You get out of the way!” Julian retorted. “She’s my ex-wife!” “She’s with me!” The two men were at daggers drawn, and soon their words escalated into blows. The scene descended into chaos. So much so that many people didn’t notice me collapse to the ground. I was even stepped over without a reaction. Finally, someone realized something was terribly wrong with me. “Stop fighting!” “Elara… Elara might actually be dead!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “392772”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel