Category: English

On New Year’s Eve, five months pregnant, I was urgently called back to the hospital to perform a C-section on a patient. Halfway through the surgery, a man’s hoarse roar came from the doorway. “Luna! Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you! After you have the baby, I’ll marry you and bring you home, okay?” The familiar voice made me freeze. It wasn’t until the surgery ended successfully and the man rushed in with reddened eyes to embrace Luna that I finally saw clearly. It was my husband of five years, Ethan Walker. When I saw the man’s face clearly, I froze for a moment before speaking in a hoarse voice. “Congratulations, it’s a seven-pound baby boy.” Ethan didn’t have time to look at the child, much less notice me. “Luna, thank you, thank you for giving me a child. You’re the best wife I could ask for. Luna, I love you.” He trembled as he placed a kiss on Luna’s forehead. Sincere and beautiful. Almost exactly like the scene I’d dreamed of when I would give birth. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the protagonist. Several new nurses exclaimed in admiration, their faces full of envy. “They’re so in love! This is the first time I’ve seen someone go to their wife first instead of the baby when the child is born!” “I’m so jealous of her! She found such a wonderful man.” My whole body trembled. It was like having a bucket of cold water poured over me from head to toe, my heart flooding with cold. Just five hours ago, Ethan had been carefully peeling shrimp for me at our New Year’s dinner. When a relative saw this and teased him about it, he didn’t mind at all. He reached over to wipe the corner of my mouth. “Sophia’s become even more of a foodie since getting pregnant. I do this all the time. If I don’t peel them for her, she’ll throw a tantrum and say I don’t love her!” I was a bit confused but didn’t say anything. After all, the tantrums he mentioned—I’d never thrown any. When his father offered him a drink, for the first time he refused, despite usually being so obedient. “Sophia is pregnant and gets uncomfortable when she smells alcohol. As her husband, I need to take care of her.” My heart had been so warm then. Now it was just as cold. It wasn’t until Luna was wheeled into the hospital room and a nurse took the baby from my frozen arms that my best friend, Cassidy, pulled down my mask, her face full of concern. “Sophia, with Ethan… isn’t there some kind of misunderstanding?” I lowered my eyes, feeling heat rising in them. But my mind flashed back to Ethan’s stunned expression when he first learned I was pregnant. At the time, I thought he was just happy and dazed, so I didn’t think much of it. He also reacted belatedly, hugging me tightly and kissing my forehead. “Sophia! I’m going to be a father? I’m so happy!” When he learned I didn’t plan to quit my job, Ethan’s expression soured and his tone became heavy. “But won’t that be too exhausting? Pregnancy will affect your work. You’ll have trouble managing both! If you don’t want the child, we can get rid of it!” I refused. But now, I regretted it a little. That momentary hesitation, those words hoping I’d abort the child—they were all his true feelings. Of course. Two children would be hard for him to manage. One was best. The one he loved most was best. I changed my clothes and passed by the hospital room, seeing the two of them nestled together inside. My heart filled with bitterness. It wasn’t until I left the hospital that Cassidy drove up and stopped in front of me. Only then did I wearily rub my temples, my hand falling to my swollen belly. My voice was hoarse but serious. “Cassidy, the hospital’s New Year holiday lasts a week, and we start work next Wednesday, right?” “Right.” “Then please schedule me for the earliest abortion procedure next Wednesday.”

After saying that, I didn’t wait to see Cassidy’s shocked expression. I drove home alone. Almost as soon as I reached my door, my phone received a message from Ethan. [Sophia, a really important project suddenly came up at the company tonight. I won’t be coming home to spend New Year’s with you.] I paused. Then he called. “Sophia, don’t throw a tantrum over something so small, okay? I can put up with your pregnancy mood swings once or twice, but after a while it really annoys me. Can you just be good? I’m working overtime to earn more money to support the baby. If you’re going to throw a fit over something like this, then let’s just abort the baby while it’s still small. Besides, you got called back to the hospital to work overtime too, didn’t you?” He’d said things like this many times before. During my second month of pregnancy, I had such bad morning sickness I couldn’t eat anything. He got impatient and threw away the food. “It’s just pregnancy! I’ve seen other people… and none of them are as delicate as you! How come you can’t eat anything? Don’t tell me you’re faking morning sickness to get me to stay with you like my coworkers said? Sophia! I’m busy too!” A woman’s sixth sense told me his “coworker” wasn’t just a regular colleague. But I was feeling too sick to investigate further. I just begged him to pour me a glass of warm water. “Where am I supposed to get warm water this late at night? You want me to specifically boil a pot for you? Can’t you just put up with it and drink something cold? How come everyone else can drink it but not you?” “If you can’t handle the difficulties of pregnancy, then just abort the baby early!” Only now did I realize. Every word he said back then came straight from his heart. How ridiculous, right? But wasn’t this too cruel to me? I stayed silent for a long time, finally speaking just before Ethan’s patience ran out. “Okay, got it. I won’t wait up for you then.” With that, I hung up directly.

Ethan came home early the next morning. He packed up some things, taking the baby items I’d prepared early, and was about to leave. “A coworker just had a baby and doesn’t have anything to give them. I’ll take the stuff we prepared for our baby and give it to her first. We can buy new things when you give birth.” I was a bit dazed, unconsciously touching my belly. Right. I wouldn’t need them anymore. This child wouldn’t be born either. Ethan didn’t notice. Seeing me dazed, his expression gradually darkened. But a trace of guilt flickered in his eyes. “You’re going to be petty over some baby supplies? Really? We can just buy the exact same things again later. Your temper has been so bad since you got pregnant. Do you really think you’re royalty or something?” I forced a smile and spoke obediently. “Okay, whatever you say.” When I finished speaking, Ethan froze again. Since getting pregnant, I hadn’t been this submissive in a long time. Pregnancy hormones made me cry easily, throw tantrums, and lose my temper. On our anniversary, I had seen Luna. She sat at the table next to ours, alone and looking sad with her pregnant belly. “I really envy you two. Your relationship is so good.” I was about to comfort her when Ethan directly gave her the necklace he’d prepared for me. “This necklace suits you better. I’ll give it to you. Don’t be sad anymore.” After saying that, he naturally reached out and patted her head. I froze on the spot, my face turning ugly. Luna hurriedly stood up, her face pale, tears in her eyes. “No, you don’t have to. This is your anniversary gift. I can’t take it. I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t mean to ruin your anniversary. I’m really sorry.” By the end, her eyes were red. She almost knelt down to me. Before I could speak, Ethan scolded me furiously. “Sophia! Haven’t you caused enough trouble! It’s just a necklace! If you want one, we can buy another one! She likes it, so I gave it to her! Do you have to be so petty? She’s crying!” My words stuck in my throat. Watching Ethan intimately help Luna up, I finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears. But he just looked impatient and pointed at the door. “If you want to cry, go cry outside! You think you’re an empress just because you’re pregnant? She’s already upset, why do you have to make it worse? Is that fun for you?” Afterward, he explained to me. “She’s all alone and already so pitiful. You’re about to be a mother too. Just think of it as doing a good deed, okay?” Isn’t it laughable? Ethan and his mistress were being intimate right in front of me. And I was too stupid to see it. How pathetic, right? Her child was born. But I was only five months along. How ironic, right? Ethan, your love really is cheap enough. Coming back to my senses, Ethan held me in his arms and kissed my forehead. “Be good. I have to go on a business trip for three days. Take care of yourself and the baby at home, okay? If you’d been this obedient earlier, we wouldn’t have had to argue.” I showed no expression. I looked at him calmly. “You’re going on a business trip during the New Year holiday too?” Ethan’s face stiffened for a moment. But he quickly put on a smile and pinched my cheek. “Yes, for you and the baby.”

After Ethan left, I slept all afternoon. When I woke up, it was already dark. I casually picked up my phone and scrolled through social media, when I saw a post from an unfamiliar secondary account. It was a family photo taken at the hospital. Luna held the baby, Ethan sat beside her, and Ethan’s parents stood nearby with big smiles. The caption read: [Four years with my husband, and now we have our little baby! The whole family is spoiling me like a little princess again!] The most striking comment below was from Ethan’s mother. [Our harmonious family is the greatest happiness!] A harmonious family? Could a mistress and her child really be called a harmonious family? Married for five years, but they’d been together for four? So they all knew. They were all keeping it from me. I pressed my lips together and couldn’t help but laugh. I laughed until tears poured down in large drops that I couldn’t wipe away fast enough. Ethan. I regret this so much. Late that night, I finally calmed my emotions and returned to the bedroom. I was about to take my vitamins when I noticed the pills looked different from usual. Although I studied obstetrics and gynecology, I could still tell the difference between pills. Unless I was drowsy and not fully conscious, it would be impossible to mix them up. The pill bottle sat on the nightstand. Normally, no one except Ethan could freely enter and exit. The answer was obvious. The hand holding the pills began to tremble uncontrollably. In the end, my whole body went limp and I collapsed to the floor with a thud. “It can’t be…” I desperately tried to comfort myself, desperately wanted to believe in Ethan. After all, we had truly been in love for several years. At our most loving, he even protected me underneath him during a car accident, just to keep me safe. He said, “Sophia, you’re far more important to me than I am to myself. I can’t lose you.” That day, I cried until I nearly lost my voice, swearing I’d only love him for the rest of my life. Today, I was equally choked with tears, but I was searching for reasons to believe in him. Ethan. Please, please don’t let it be you… On the third day, I asked Cassidy. “Sophia, this is a hormone pill. A pregnant woman absolutely can’t take this randomly. It could easily cause fetal deformities.” I completely froze in place, unable to hear anything else. The guilt in Ethan’s eyes when he left that day—I finally understood it. My last shred of hope for Ethan was completely shattered. Years of feelings, unable to withstand the high pressure, finally collapsed entirely.

Ethan didn’t come back on the third day. I sat dazed on the sofa until it grew dark and then light again. My phone rang and rang. Until the battery died and it automatically shut off, and the world became completely quiet. Next Wednesday was my birthday. I sat outside the operating room and called Ethan. “Sophia? You finally called me back. Have you been sulking these past few days? I’ve been too busy to come back.” “I’m doing this for triple pay! Can’t you be a little understanding? What do you think I am, ignoring my calls and messages? If you can’t handle this marriage, then let’s just get divorced! What’s the point of losing your temper at me every day? I really don’t have time to coax you!” By the end, his tone was terrible. I pretended not to hear. I spoke calmly and indifferently. “Ethan, do you remember today is my birthday?” He paused on the other end, saying nothing. I didn’t care. I wiped away my tears and continued. “It’s okay if you forgot. You don’t need to remember anymore. Ethan, when you come back, let’s get divorced.” After I finished speaking, he was silent for a long time. So long that I thought he’d already hung up, when a voice finally came through. “Sophia, are you using divorce as an excuse to force me to come back? Why do you have to be so extreme? Why can’t you try to understand me? Do you think I’ll give in if you do this?” “I hate it most when you play these games! Sophia, I’ll come back when you learn to behave!” I pressed my lips together. I stared at my phone, at the screen full of chat records and photos, in a daze. This was Luna’s secondary account, which had been sending me messages these past few days. From the very beginning when they met, to their current chat records—I’d seen it all. In four years, nine out of ten times he “worked overtime,” he was at Luna’s place. And I’d foolishly prepared meals and waited for him until late at night. Even when I saw the hickeys on his neck, I deluded myself into thinking they were mosquito bites. I trusted him completely. But he lied to me. Ethan. This is so unfair to me. If you don’t love me anymore, why won’t you let me go? “Ethan, I’m not joking.” “When you come back, let’s get divorced.” Just then, a new nurse came out with a form, calling for patients. Her voice carried into the phone. “Sophia, which one is Sophia? Your scheduled abortion procedure is ready!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397294”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

After my tenth miscarriage, I stumbled upon a viral post. [“My husband is a medical psychopath. To cure my fear of miscarriage, he deliberately married his enemy’s daughter.”] [“For ten years of marriage, he used hypnosis, staged accidents, and ten different methods to make her miscarry.”] [“Now he’s compiled all the observation data. My fear of miscarriage has finally disappeared.”] Someone asked: [“That’s so cruel. She never noticed?”] The poster replied: [“She’s been suffering from severe depression. Every time she miscarried, my husband provided psychological counseling. She’s too grateful to even suspect anything.”] [“The most recent one was hilarious—I personally made the incense blend.”] [“After smelling it, she rolled down the stairs all by herself. Even the surveillance cameras couldn’t detect anything suspicious.”] The pen in my hand clattered to the floor. My husband is a doctor. Yesterday, I lost my twins after smelling the calming incense my husband lit at home—right before I missed a step on the stairs. The poster’s final update read: [“Happy anniversary, and thank you for everything you’ve done for me!”] The photo showed two hands with fingers tightly intertwined. On the man’s hand was a cute little bear band-aid I’d personally drawn. It was our unique symbol of love—something I made for him every time he got injured during surgery. 1 Tears fell uncontrollably. I dumped all the dirty bear band-aids my husband had prepared into the trash. A cold presence approached. Peyton stood at the door without me noticing. “What are you freaking out about now?” “You just had a miscarriage. Instead of resting in bed, when exactly do you plan to recover?” Looking at his cold, aristocratic face made my stomach churn. “Recover so I can be your lab rat for the eleventh miscarriage?” Thinking of the children I’d lost, I grabbed the incense and threw it at his face. “You never let her go!” “All ten of my miscarriages—you orchestrated them for her, didn’t you?!” Seeing my pale face, Peyton frowned slightly and stayed silent for a few seconds. “Yes.” He removed his glasses and wiped them methodically. “Noelle has severe miscarriage phobia. I need to put her at ease.” “Your pain after each miscarriage, your depression levels, your recovery cycles—they all help her desensitize.” I could barely stand. Just because Noelle feared miscarriage, I had to lose eleven children to cure her! “So what am I to you?” “A test subject?” “This is murder!” I grabbed my phone and dialed 91

Peyton snatched the phone away. “You have no evidence.” “The forum post is deleted. Screenshots can be faked.” “You have a history of severe depression and have been on psychiatric medication long-term.” “And I’m your attending physician.” Every sentence cut off my escape routes. I remembered how, starting from my third miscarriage, he told me I was depressed and signed all those treatment documents for me. How he made me undergo psychological evaluations over and over. How he said: “Olivia, it’s okay to be sick. I’ll always be with you.” It turned out all that companionship was for this day. So that when I finally woke up, he could prove I was crazy. The last trace of love in my heart completely vanished. Peyton, I’m done with you. I lunged forward trying to grab my phone back. The wound from yesterday’s dilation and curettage tore open. I collapsed to the floor in pain. He instinctively reached out to support me, but quickly let go. His voice was cold: “Olivia, don’t use your miscarriage to manipulate me. The way you look right now is truly pathetic.” “Don’t blame me for being heartless. You should understand—some debts can never be repaid.” I understood. He still believed my father deliberately killed his father on the operating table. He still saw me as the enemy’s daughter, using my children to repay my father’s debt. But he forgot. That year when I was eight, his enemies wanted to eliminate him after his family fell apart. He was covered in blood, nearly frozen to death in the snow. I couldn’t bear it and brought him home, saving his life. My father had just died unexpectedly then. People said he intentionally killed someone and committed suicide out of guilt. My mother’s appeals fell on deaf ears. She died of depression. I barely survived on what little savings remained. Unable to afford band-aids, I cut up the softest old clothes and wrapped his wounds. I drew a little bear on the cloth strips and comforted him: “Don’t be afraid. The little bear will protect you, and I’ll stay with you too.” From then on, we depended on each other. Huddled under one blanket shivering with cold, sharing a single piece of bread. When people bullied me for being an orphan, he stood in front of me, covered in blood but refusing to back down. I could only cry as I wrapped him with the bear cloth strips. That little bear became our lifelong token. That’s how we slowly grew up together in the mud. 2 After the SATs, I gave up my future to support his study abroad. Working during the day, drawing illustrations at night. He held the plane ticket I’d saved three months to buy and cried while hugging me: “Olivia, you’re my life!” “When I come back, I’ll marry you in the grandest way possible!” For those words, I waited five bitter years. He really did return as a top doctor. I thought everything had finally turned around. But he came back with another woman. I went to the airport holding the little bear. Peyton knocked it out of my hands. “Olivia, the man your father killed back then was my father!” “Noelle is my childhood friend. She’s kind-hearted and would never lie to me.” “You’re the dirty daughter of a murderer, the daughter of my father’s killer. We’re done!” I refused to accept it. I desperately chased after him to explain that my father wasn’t that kind of person. I fell on the escalator covered in blood, but he didn’t care. I showed him the childhood bear bandage begging him to come back. He was indifferent. I blocked the entrance to his apartment for three days and nights without eating or drinking. I cried until I fainted, but he remained unmoved. Not until I stood on the rooftop threatening to jump did he reluctantly compromise. He agreed to break ties with Noelle and marry me. For ten years, I wanted to give him a complete family. I got pregnant again and again, only to miscarry again and again. I always thought I wasn’t doing enough. But I never imagined this was an experiment he conducted over ten years, using my eleven children for Noelle’s sake. Peyton’s phone screen lit up. The caller ID read: Noelle. His expression softened considerably. He didn’t avoid me. Soft crying came from the other end. “Peyton, did Olivia find out?” “Will she hate me? I really didn’t mean to post it. I was just so happy to finally be desensitized…” I stood there, my whole body going cold. So happy. She killed my eleven children, destroyed my life, and she said she was so happy. “So what if she found out? They’re just lumps of flesh. Gone is gone.” “As long as it helps you overcome your fear of miscarriage, even if she miscarries ten more times, she deserves it.” Peyton glanced at me and gently consoled her: “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” “I absolutely won’t let her hurt you.” I suddenly laughed. A woman who just lost twins and could barely stand. In his eyes, I’d become the villain who would hurt Noelle. A piercing pain shot through my abdomen. Hot blood instantly stained the floor. Peyton’s fingers paused slightly. He instinctively took half a step toward me. But when his eyes met my reddened ones, his face showed disgust. He coldly withdrew his foot. “Olivia, how long are you going to keep this up?” “Deliberately reopening your wound to create a bloody scene—do you think this pathetic sympathy ploy will make me soften and care about you?” The scene before me brought me back to that winter. Peyton’s enemies found him and wanted to silence him. At the critical moment, I wore his coat to lead the killers away and took a fatal stab for him. Back then, Peyton’s eyes were bloodshot. Like a madman, he carried me running through the snow. He knelt crying and begged doctors to save me, saying he’d trade his life if necessary. But now, with all this blood I’d lost, his eyes only showed impatience. Just then, a piercing scream came through the phone: “Ah! Peyton! It’s blood! I’m so scared! I’m hallucinating again… Save me…” 3 Peyton immediately spoke soothingly into the phone: “Noelle, don’t be afraid. Close your eyes. I’ll come right away.” When he looked at me again, only coldness remained in his eyes. “You caused this yourself. Call a doctor yourself.” He threw my phone into the pool of blood and turned to leave without hesitation, not sparing me an extra glance. The moment the villa door closed, my phone received an anonymous text: “Tonight is Peyton’s 35th birthday party. If you want to know the truth about your father, meet me on the top deck.” Trembling, I fumbled for my phone with its shattered screen from the pool of blood and dialed 120 myself. When I woke up, I was already in a hospital room. The doctor informed me the remnants weren’t completely cleared. I needed an immediate second procedure. I probably would never have a baby again. The hospital room TV was broadcasting gossip news: Harbor City’s top doctor Peyton was hosting his 35th birthday party on a luxury cruise ship. The camera panned across a giant screen on the cruise ship playing intimate images of Peyton and Noelle on loop. Below was a prominent line of text: “Congratulations to Noelle for overcoming ten years of miscarriage phobia and beginning anew!” I bit my lip until it bled. With no family to accompany me, I had to sign the consent form myself. After the surgery, the pain nearly shattered my teeth. The doctor told me to stay in bed or risk my life. But to uncover the truth and end all this. I had to drag my broken body and force myself to leave. In the evening, following the text message’s directions, I brought the divorce agreement to that luxury cruise ship. The place was brilliantly lit, filled with the wealthy and powerful. At the center of the crowd, Peyton gently held Noelle’s hand as they cut into a seven-tier custom cake worth a fortune. What a ridiculous scene. On his 19th birthday, we were so poor we couldn’t even afford heating. I’d stayed up three nights drawing illustrations to buy a small strawberry cake. Back then, Peyton had tears in his eyes as he held me tight and swore: “Olivia, when I’m rich, I’ll buy you the biggest cake every day. Everything I have will be yours.” But now that he had everything, there was a different woman by his side. As I entered the banquet hall, mocking laughter arose. “Oh, isn’t that the crazy stalker who won’t let go? Begging again?” “The murderer’s daughter really has no shame!” Seeing the blood on my clothes, Noelle immediately cowered into Peyton’s arms screaming: “Peyton! She has blood on her… I’m scared!” Seeing my deathly pale face, the slight smile in Peyton’s eyes instantly froze. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, gripping so hard he nearly crushed my bones. “Who said you could come? Playing dead during the day wasn’t enough? Now you’re here at night to disgust Noelle?” I laughed coldly and shook my head. Calmly, I pulled out the signed divorce agreement from my bag. And threw it in his face. “Peyton, let’s get divorced.” Perhaps because I wasn’t hysterical as he expected, or perhaps my attitude was too cold. Peyton’s hand holding the wine glass froze abruptly, but he soon scoffed disdainfully. “Divorce? Olivia, aren’t you tired of this playing-hard-to-get routine?” “Your father owes me a life. Without my permission, even if you die, you can only die as a member of the Lawson family!” He lit a lighter and burned the divorce agreement to ash: “Remember this—when our fated relationship ends is for me to decide!” “Take her to the top deck. Without my orders, no one is allowed to let her down.” 4 My numb body suddenly stiffened. I looked at Peyton in disbelief. The top deck?! Could it be… The early winter wind mixed with ice shards from the sea surface cut into my bones like knives. But from the banquet hall below came the sounds of drunken revelry and classical symphony music. I’d just undergone a second dilation and curettage. Under the extreme cold’s assault, the pain made me curl up on the freezing deck, convulsing uncontrollably. Time stretched infinitely in the agony. Finally, near midnight, footsteps approached. The mysterious person who would tell me the truth had arrived. When I saw her face clearly, my heart contracted violently. It was her! Noelle looked at me with a cold laugh: “That’s right. I’m the one who told you to come!” “Peyton clearly hates you so much, but his hand trembled when he burned the divorce papers.” “I really can’t let you live anymore. As long as you’re alive, you’ll eventually give birth to that huge problem.” Huge problem? I stared at Noelle, my voice trembling. “Tell me… what really happened back then?” Noelle leaned close to my ear, her tone vicious: “At this point, there’s no harm in telling you.” “The one who tampered with things on the operating table and killed Peyton’s father was my father.” “Your innocent doctor father was just a scapegoat for the Lynch family!” “Even your mother who kept appealing everywhere—the Lynch family took care of her personally.” Noelle laughed maniacally. “I never had any miscarriage phobia at all.” “That old man from the Lawson family converted his entire $2 billion estate into a family trust before dying. It would only unlock when Peyton had his first child!” “Peyton was only eight then. He still doesn’t know about it to this day. That’s also why we didn’t kill you two back then.” “My family schemed so hard for that money. How could I let you two wretches get it?” My eyes filled with blood. Images of my parents’ tragic deaths and my children turning to blood intertwined in my mind. I lunged at Noelle like a madwoman, grabbing her throat. I slapped her until blood seeped from her mouth: “Give me back my children! Give me back my parents!” “I’ll kill you!” Noelle suddenly stopped laughing coldly and cried out loudly: “Olivia! Don’t! Please spare me!” But the steak knife in her hand suddenly stabbed through my abdomen. She kicked over the oil she’d prepared in advance. Hearing the commotion, Peyton burst through the door onto the deck. Flames shot skyward. The deck’s edge was about to collapse. A massive mechanical hook lost control and swung toward both of us. With a knife in my abdomen, I was violently flung over the railing. My chest screamed with pain. My entire body dangled above the turbulent deep sea. I used my last bit of strength to call out: “Peyton… save me… She’s your enemy’s daughter…” “She’ll kill you.” Noelle fell near the deck’s edge, hysterically screaming: “Peyton, save me! She’s trying to kill me! I’m so scared!” Peyton charged over with bloodshot eyes, looking at me with disgust. “Olivia, you vicious woman, you can even make up such lies?” “Just reflect here. Consider it repaying your father’s debt!” Without hesitation, he picked up the terrified-looking Noelle and rushed out of the flames without looking back. “Dong—” The cruise ship’s clock struck midnight. The instant Peyton saved Noelle, his phone in his suit pocket suddenly vibrated violently. A top-secret message from a Swiss bank flashed on the screen: [Dear Mr. Peyton Lawson:] [The $2 billion family trust established by your father has successfully triggered the second release condition: the beneficiary has turned 35 today.] [$2,000,000,000.00 has been transferred to your account ending in 0988.] [Note: The original first priority unlock condition “unlocks upon birth of first legitimate heir” has been voided.] “Trust… child…” Peyton’s brain exploded. All the clues from these years connected. He instantly understood everything. “Olivia!” He shoved Noelle aside and rushed back toward me. The next second, a massive “boom” sounded. As Peyton let out a desperate roar, the fire-scorched deck completely collapsed. I fell like a kite with a broken string, plummeting straight into the icy deep sea. Swallowed by pitch-black waves. “No—!” Peyton stood frozen at the railing, eyes bloodshot. Noelle was pushed to the ground. She scrambled to pick up Peyton’s phone that had fallen. She shrieked in shock.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397295”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I was eight months pregnant when my husband, Beta Ethan, finally made time to accompany me to the hospital for a prenatal checkup for the first time. But the moment we stepped into the hospital, his phone started vibrating urgently. The caller’s name flashed by for just an instant, but Ethan, who was usually so calm and composed, panicked immediately. “Honey, emergency alert—Rogues have invaded the pack again. I need to handle it… I’m sorry…” He was extremely anxious, his tone carrying the commanding force of someone in authority who wouldn’t take no for an answer. After a hasty apology, he left. As I stared at the back of his SUV speeding away, my nails had already crumpled the prenatal examination form in my hand. I hailed a cab with my swollen belly and quickly said: “Driver, follow that car.” Ha, Rogues invading the pack? What a ridiculous lie. My father was the Alpha and hadn’t received any notification. What urgent matter could a Beta like him possibly need to handle? I was going to see for myself which “superior” was so eager to “give him orders.”

The moment I said the word “affair,” the driver hit the gas and caught up with Ethan. I didn’t know who Ethan was going to meet, but my gut instinct made me uneasy. What I didn’t expect was that after turning corner after corner, the car finally stopped at the entrance to the pack’s newly developed villa district. I let out a long sigh of relief. At least it wasn’t some hotel. This place was a residential area the pack had allocated to high-ranking officials. Ethan had been assigned a villa here too. Before my first pregnancy, I’d lived here briefly for a few months. The neighbors were all very kind. But now, seeing luxury cars gathered at our doorway from a distance, with decorations and lights everywhere, I was puzzled. Was today some important occasion? Just as I was about to go in and see, I was stopped by the guard: “Pack high-level residential area. No entry without an invitation.” I was stunned, then smiled and explained, “I’m the wife of Beta Ethan, who just went in.” To my surprise, the guard looked at me with utter contempt. “Beta Ethan’s wife is Ms. Vivian. Who are you? You should at least do your research before impersonating someone.” In that instant, my entire body went rigid and I froze in place. Vivian—that nanny Ethan had hired for me… Coming back to my senses and ignoring the guard’s attempts to stop me, I rushed to the villa entrance with my swollen belly. I saw the hall filled with well-dressed elites and dignitaries, their laughter filling the air. Ethan’s mother Layla, who usually kept to herself and avoided social gatherings, was now unusually mingling and networking. And my husband Ethan was holding a child and bottle-feeding him for the first time ever, smiling happily at the petite woman beside him. That woman was Vivian… In an instant, it felt like a large hand was squeezing my heart, making it hard to breathe. Tears fell uncontrollably. When I was pregnant with my first child, Ethan had arranged a nanny for me. That was Vivian, who was still an Omega at the time. Later, after I gave birth, Ethan used his authority to change Vivian from an Omega into a regular wolf, saying it was to thank her for her service. After that, Vivian didn’t want to be a nanny anymore, so I found her many good job opportunities and even frequently had Ethan bring her supplements. But I never imagined that Ethan would have an affair with her and set her up in this house. This villa was the marital home he had carefully prepared for me after he was promoted to Beta. It was just far from the hospital, so when I got pregnant, Ethan was so worried about me that he bought a new house near the central hospital and we moved out. Who would have thought it would become their “proper” marital home? And they even had a child… When Ethan moved another woman and child into this villa, did he even remember that he became Beta entirely thanks to my father’s support? Ethan and I were fated mates. We got married not long after we started dating. He was just a regular wolf back then. It was I who begged my father, Alpha James, to help him rise step by step to become the Beta of Riverbend Pack. At the party, people were already flattering Ethan. “Congratulations, Beta Ethan! You have such a virtuous wife, and now your son is one year old. Your life is truly perfect!” “Oh my, Vivian is so lucky to have found someone like Ethan who dotes on his wife so much. I’m so jealous!” Someone nearby patted Layla’s hand and said. Layla’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she looked at Vivian, boasting: “It’s my Ethan who’s lucky to have married such a wonderful wife like Vivian.” After she finished speaking, Ethan didn’t avoid the crowd as he leaned in intimately to whisper something in Vivian’s ear. Vivian smiled shyly, then raised her glass to everyone: “I was afraid of affecting Ethan’s reputation in the pack, so I didn’t publicly announce our marriage. Please don’t hold it against us.” “Today is our child’s first birthday party. Thank you all for coming.” Seeing that Vivian had saved face for everyone, people smiled and complimented her. “How could we hold it against you? We still owe you a ‘congratulations on your wedding.’” “I say, since it’s such a special day, why don’t you two be bride and groom again and share a kiss!” Ethan’s subordinates joined in the cheering, and the atmosphere of the banquet reached a climax. Vivian immediately retreated shyly, but Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist. Just as he was about to kiss her, his gaze suddenly met mine at the doorway. The man abruptly pushed away the woman in his arms, startling Vivian so much that she crashed into a nearby table. “Amelia…” Wiping away the tears from my eyes with one hand, I stepped forward quickly with my swollen belly and raised my hand to deliver a slap. “Smack!” The crisp sound of the slap rang through the air, shocking the entire hall into dead silence. “Ethan!” Vivian’s eyes rolled back as she lunged at Ethan, hysterically berating me: “Amelia! How dare you—!” “Smack—!” Another slap. Half of Vivian’s face instantly swelled up red as she staggered back into Ethan’s arms, sobbing pitifully. I shook my numb palm. “Ame…” Ethan immediately reacted and shouted at me. “Ethan—!” But my voice was even louder. I turned my head and stared at him with cold eyes. “This is the ’emergency Rogue invasion’ you needed to handle?!”

Ethan was instantly speechless. He opened his mouth but couldn’t say anything. Many of Ethan’s subordinates and their families in the room were completely stunned and confused. As the atmosphere froze, a baby’s cry suddenly startled everyone back to their senses. Layla hurriedly took the child to soothe him, then immediately turned and cursed at me: “Amelia! You crazy woman, you’re divorced already—how dare you still come here and pester my son! Have some shame and get out, or when you offend some important person, you’ll regret it!” One of Ethan’s subordinate’s wives also immediately shouted: “I mean, even if you’re Beta Ethan’s ex-wife, you can’t just assault people. Seriously, this is an attack on a Beta!” Learning my identity, the hall exploded into chaos. People clamored about locking me up and teaching me a lesson. I frowned and grabbed Ethan’s collar, about to ask how I, his perfectly legal wife, had suddenly become his ex-wife. But Vivian shrank into Ethan’s arms first, looking at me with tears in her eyes: “Amelia… Ethan has already broken the mate bond with you. Why are you still clinging to us…” Tears streamed down her face: “It’s all my fault. I’ll give Ethan back to you, okay…” After she finished speaking, Ethan’s expression changed drastically. He suppressed his anger and scolded me: “Amelia! I’ve told you I won’t get back together with you! Stop harassing us!” “Get out before I lose my patience! I don’t have time to deal with you!” As he spoke, Ethan waved his hand, and several guards rushed over to forcibly remove me. As I struggled, I stumbled and bumped into Layla. But the moment I caught a clear glimpse of the baby’s face in her arms, my entire body was struck as if by lightning! Because the baby Layla was holding, supposedly Vivian’s child, was actually Joe—the child I had labored for seven hours to bring into this world during my first pregnancy! But my child had supposedly died three months ago, and Ethan had personally cremated him— Ethan… My breathing caught, and intense pain surged in my eyes. That bastard Ethan! He had actually faked our child’s death to deceive me, just so he could give the baby to Vivian to raise! “Give me my child back! He’s my Joe!” My teeth ground together audibly. I snatched the baby from the blanket, pushed Layla aside, and gently soothed the crying infant, tears streaming down my face in heartbreak. But Vivian suddenly panicked. She rushed over crying, trying to snatch the child away. Her voice choked and trembling: “Amelia, he’s not your child!” “I know Joe died and you were traumatized and went crazy. Even after the divorce, you insisted on clinging to Ethan to have another baby…” “I pitied you for losing your child and gave in to you everywhere, but you can’t steal my child!” “Please, I’m begging you, leave our family alone… I can reject Ethan, just please give me back my child!” Hearing this, Ethan’s expression contorted in pain. He gripped Vivian’s shoulders tightly and said firmly: “Vivian, I won’t allow it!” “Don’t even think about rejecting me. No one can tear our family of three apart.” “And what about me?!” I roared, interrupting them. Watching the two of them reluctantly expressing their devotion to each other, if I weren’t the one with the mate bond to Ethan, I would’ve thought they were the married couple who had established a mate bond. I pointed at my heavy pregnant belly and said to him word by word: “Ethan, I’m still carrying your child. You’re having an affair right in front of me and making me out to be your ex-wife. Aren’t you disgusting?!” His Adam’s apple bobbed and his eyes avoided mine. But Vivian’s tears suddenly fell even harder, as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice. She turned to the guests and sobbed: “I’m sorry, everyone. Amelia is Ethan’s ex-wife. She went crazy after losing her child during a difficult delivery.” “Later she kept pestering Ethan to have a child with her. When he refused, she found many homeless men and thugs… to get pregnant…” “Ethan took care of her out of consideration for their past, but she’s trying to force Ethan to acknowledge this bastard child and… and threatening us to divorce…” These words instantly ignited the fury of everyone present. The wealthy ladies immediately shouted with contempt: “That crazy bitch has it all! Someone! Get this shrew out of here now!” Gently soothing the child in my arms, I snorted coldly and suddenly laughed in anger. I grew up abroad and was only brought back to the pack by my father when I was older, so very few people in the pack knew or recognized me. Very few knew that Alpha James even had a daughter. When Ethan and I got married, he didn’t want to make a big deal of it, afraid people would say he only got promoted because of my father, so we chose to keep the marriage secret. But I never expected that all of this would result in me, the Alpha’s daughter and the Beta’s wife, being called a crazy woman and a whore. Looking at Vivian, my eyes turned cold as ice: “Who’s the whore pretending to be pure? Vivian, don’t you know? Need me to remind you how much I paid you per month when you were a nanny?” “Who took my thirty million and knelt in front of me begging for a good job? Wasn’t that you?” “What, does Ethan not pay you enough as his mistress? So now you’re trying to take my place directly?” “You’re a mistress who insists on playing the wife—doesn’t your face hurt?” Before I could finish, despite my pregnant belly, I was suddenly shoved and stumbled.

“You’re the homewrecker destroying my son’s family!” Layla’s shrill curse came through. My back slammed hard against the wall, and my entire abdomen suddenly cramped with pain. The child in my arms was also snatched away and handed to Vivian. Immediately after, Ethan’s subordinates also expressed righteous indignation: “That’s right! Everyone here knows Beta Ethan and Vivian are a couple!” “Vivian has been living here for a long time, we all know her! She’s always been a homemaker taking care of Ethan’s daily life, and she bore him a child!” “And you, a useless ex-wife, only know how to drag Beta Ethan down. You should be the one who’s ashamed!” This was clearly the villa my father had assigned to Ethan, yet he let Vivian, a mistress, move in! From what they were saying, shortly after I moved out, Vivian moved in. Ethan was truly shameless! Ethan’s subordinates continued talking. “Exactly! Even if you’re mentally ill, disturbing the pack’s order is still illegal!” “A slut like you, stop pretending to be Beta Ethan’s wife and dirtying our eyes. Beta Ethan is too kind-hearted. If it were me, I would have…” Vicious insults echoed around me. And in the midst of this nightmare, I looked pale at the man standing aside, keeping himself completely detached. “Ethan.” My voice was weak. “You tell them… how exactly did you get your position as Beta?” Ethan’s fingers suddenly clenched. He turned his head and looked at me coldly, a rare trace of hatred appearing in his usually indifferent eyes. I smiled. “You said you didn’t want to be just a wolf warrior for the rest of your life. I agreed and begged my father to arrange a higher position for you in the pack.” “After we got married, you said your rank was too low and you weren’t worthy of me, so I begged my father again.” “I begged my father step by step to promote you to the position of Beta, making you the youngest Beta in Riverbend Pack’s history. And now this is how you—” “Enough!” Ethan suddenly roared. He strode forward and grabbed my throat, his eyes savage and bloodshot as he shouted at me: “You’re lying! Everything I have today, I fought for myself! What does it have to do with a useless person like you?!” My neck hurt terribly. The intense suffocation made my vision go black instantly, and my entire face turned purple from the congested blood. But seeing my conviction, Ethan was suddenly provoked to fury. The subordinates and wealthy ladies seemed to sense something and began whispering among themselves. Seeing this, a dark gleam flashed in Vivian’s eyes. Holding the child, she suddenly dropped to her knees before me, crying mournfully: “Amelia, I’ve tolerated your crazy ramblings on ordinary days.” “But on an occasion like today, if you talk nonsense, you’ll really ruin Ethan’s future!” “I’m begging you, Amelia. I’m kneeling to you. Please stop being crazy! Okay…” She crawled forward a few steps on her knees and grabbed my pant leg. Ethan was shocked. The hand gripping my throat suddenly released, and he crouched down to help her up. But in the next second, Vivian grabbed my leg and threw herself backward. At the same time, she screamed: “Ah—! Amelia, just kick me to death!” Before I could react, in the next instant, Ethan’s hysterical slap had already landed hard: “Amelia! You don’t know when to stop!” A dull pain shot through my right cheek. I raised my hand to strike back, but Layla suddenly kicked me hard in the lower back. Caught off guard, I was sent flying into a curio cabinet. The moment I staggered and fell, my stomach cramped with bone-piercing pain, and bright red blood flowed from between my legs. In an instant, there was a pool of red beneath me. I sat paralyzed in the pool of blood, my entire body in excruciating pain as if it were falling apart. “My stomach… Ethan… my stomach hurts…” Blood tears flowed from my eyes as I reached out to Ethan for help. But Layla stomped hard on my hand, the pain making it feel like my bones were about to shatter: “Bitch! Stop faking it! My son won’t be threatened by you!” Tears blurred my vision. My lips trembled: “Ethan… I’m not faking… hurry… take me to the hospital…” But Ethan didn’t even turn back to look at me. He only carefully protected Vivian, his voice cold and heartless: “Enough! Amelia, stop pretending and apologize to Vivian!” “Always using the child as an excuse—do you think I’ll believe you?!” As he spoke, Ethan turned back angrily, but when he suddenly caught sight of the blood beneath me, the disgust on his face instantly crumbled, revealing a hint of fear. Ethan knew my identity. He absolutely couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Staring hard at Ethan’s panicked eyes, I endured the pain that felt like my intestines were being twisted and said through clenched teeth: “Ethan! If anything happens to the child in my belly! You! The biological father!” “Will be the murderer who killed him!” “My father and brother will make you pay with your life! Hurry! Take me to the hospital!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397296”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I was born with a highly sensitive personality. When someone says something harsh to me, I want to cry. When someone scolds me, I want to die. But later, a billionaire heir told me: “You are my princess. I’d give you my life!” Because we’re sensates, every emotion I feel is amplified a hundredfold for him. When his childhood friend made me cry, he tearfully terminated all business partnerships with her family. When his mother slapped me and yelled, “Here’s five million dollars—leave my son now!” I was terrified, and the next second, he had a full-blown panic attack and sent his mother to a nursing home. From that day on, everyone knew his life motto: “If she sheds a single tear, I’ll burn down a city!” But his first love, who had just returned to the country, didn’t know. She kicked down my dorm room door with her people: “How dare a beggar like you seduce Gideon!” The next second, I was dragged toward a dark room, feeling like my life was over… The grip on the back of my neck was tight. As two bodyguards in black suits dragged me toward the abandoned warehouse, students along the way craned their necks to watch. Their whispers felt like tiny needles drilling through my ear canals into my brain. My hypersensitive nerves instantly snapped taut. My fingers clutched at my shirt hem desperately. My heart pounded so hard it felt ready to explode, and my nose stung with the threat of tears. I’d been like this all my life. If someone casually said something harsh, I’d ruminate on it for three days. If someone gave me an impatient look, I’d blame myself endlessly. Not to mention being dragged through a crowd like this, with the entire building’s eyes glued to me. The shame instantly washed over my head. “Still putting on that sullen face? Who are you showing off for?” “Why are you crying? Are you trying to scam me or something?” Lindsay walked up to me in her four-inch stilettos, her fingers painted with bright red nail polish. She raised her hand and—SLAP—struck me across the face in front of everyone. She was Gideon Ashford’s recently returned first love, the spoiled heiress everyone at school knew about. Ten minutes ago, when she’d kicked down my dorm room door, I’d been working on my thesis. I hadn’t even finished typing a sentence before she dumped half a cup of iced Coke over my head. “How dare a beggar like you seduce Gideon?” Her voice wasn’t quiet. Everyone on the entire dorm floor stuck their heads out to watch. Those stares—curious, mocking, eager for drama—swept across my face. Instantly, I felt both humiliated and furious. The words of protest stuck in my throat. I couldn’t open my mouth. Just as I tried to force myself to speak, a surge of tears rushed straight to my brain. The next second, tears filled my eyes. “What are you doing! I’ve already called the police!” My roommate Willow rushed over to stop them, but a bodyguard behind Lindsay shoved her hard against the wall. Her phone crashed to the ground with a loud clatter, the screen shattering into pieces. Lindsay scoffed, stepped over my scattered belongings, and ordered the bodyguards to keep dragging me. “The police?” She laughed arrogantly. “Go ahead and call them. Even if you report this to the United Nations, it won’t matter. My family donated the new lab building to this school. What are you compared to that?” I looked at my thesis papers and materials, now covered in muddy footprints. The grievance hit its breaking point instantly. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. One drop fell onto the back of my hand with a soft plop. I bit my lip, trying not to cry out loud, but my condition made it impossible to control. When Lindsay saw me like this, she mocked me directly: “Oh, what kind of damsel-in-distress act is this?” Just as she raised her hand, her slap about to land on my face— A voice suddenly rang out from the hallway: “Stop!” The man leading them was Gideon Ashford’s executive assistant, Ethan Mitchell. Behind him stood four uniformed security guards in a neat row. Ethan looked at Lindsay with a cold laugh, his voice icy enough to freeze: “Miss Lin, I advise you not to act rashly.” “If anything happens to Miss Carter, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the consequences.” Lindsay froze for two seconds after hearing this, then burst out laughing. She even stepped forward, not the slightest bit afraid. She pointed her finger at Ethan’s nose, her sharp nail almost touching his face, her tone so arrogant it was practically smoking: “Who the hell are you? A dog raised by the Ashford family dares to block my way?” “You’re not afraid of biting off more than you can chew. I’ve known Gideon for over ten years. You’re just an employee—how dare you bluff using his name?” As she cursed, she reached out to push Ethan’s shoulder, glaring at him imperiously: “Get the hell out of my way. Don’t hold up my business. When Gideon gets here, I’ll have him fire you on the spot!”

After Lindsay finished, she turned to me and said: “Lydia Carter, don’t think having an assistant backing you up makes you something special. He’s just a working dog—I don’t even take him seriously!” When Ethan heard this, his expression turned ice-cold. Even the standard smile he’d been maintaining couldn’t stay on his face anymore. After all, no one likes being called a dog. But Lindsay, spoiled as she was, couldn’t read the room at all. She kept mocking me and even started spreading rumors: “Your mom died young, your grandma’s bedridden and paralyzed, you can’t even scrape together tuition—if you weren’t sleeping with men, how could you possibly get on Ashford Corporation’s internship list?” With every sentence she spoke, the whispers around us grew louder. My hypersensitive nerves instantly maxed out to their breaking point. The sounds around me felt like someone had turned on an amplifier. Some students who barely knew me and didn’t understand the situation straight-up believed her lies. “So her family’s that bad off?” “I heard she doesn’t even get meat dishes in the cafeteria. No wonder she’s dirt poor.” “Is what Lindsay’s saying actually true? Ashford Corporation’s internship is so hard to get—how could a poor student with no parents possibly get selected?” “Tsk tsk, she does look pretty innocent. Turns out she’s so loose in private.” My fingers dug hard into my palms until they turned pale. I couldn’t even tell what emotion I was feeling anymore. I wanted to cry because I felt wronged. I was also furious because she was spreading false rumors about me. At the same time, I felt afraid—scared that these rumors would spread. It was true my family was poor. Grandma had been paralyzed from a stroke for five years. Her monthly medical expenses were over four thousand dollars. I worked three part-time jobs during my free time and still had to win scholarships to cover tuition. But I earned that Ashford Corporation internship spot by beating out over three thousand people through five rounds of interviews. I had a clear conscience. But these words stuck in my throat. I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a sound. All the blood in my body rushed to my head. My heart pounded like it would explode. My ears buzzed. Ethan, standing beside me, saw my expression change and tears streaming down like they were free. His face instantly shifted. Only he knew what this meant. A year ago, during a board meeting, Mr. Ashford suddenly burst into tears for no apparent reason. Later, he experienced inexplicable fainting spells from terror and anxiety. Every time they checked, they couldn’t find a cause. Even the psychologist suspected Mr. Ashford might have split personality disorder. But Mr. Ashford showed no other symptoms. All his evaluations came back normal. He didn’t seem like someone with so many psychological disorders at all. Then one time, Mr. Ashford came to campus for an inspection visit. I happened to be ostracized by my classmates and was breaking down crying in the classroom. When I cried, he cried even harder. When I felt desperate and anxious, he nearly wanted to die. That’s when they confirmed we could sense each other’s emotions. Even worse, when my emotions collapsed to the extreme, he could potentially go into cardiac arrest. Within the entire Ashford Corporation, only Ethan knew about this. That’s why Gideon had warned him repeatedly to monitor my every move 24/7. If anyone dared make me suffer even the slightest grievance, he should deal with them ruthlessly. Ethan’s voice was tense. He turned and shouted at the security behind him: “What are you standing there for? Confiscate the phones of everyone who filmed videos and gossiped just now. Write down the names of everyone who spread rumors—the legal department will send lawyer’s letters to each of them later!” When Lindsay saw Ethan getting worked up, she became even more pleased: “Oh, don’t tell me you’re also sleeping with this woman? Is that why you’re protecting her so much?” “Watching a dog protect its bone is just too entertaining.” Then she picked up my cloth bag from the side and threw it on the ground. That bag contained my grandma’s imported medication. When she threw the cloth bag down, a white medicine bottle rolled out and shattered into pieces. Light yellow pills scattered all over the floor, covered in dust, completely unusable now. “Go pick them up quick. You dogs love picking things up, don’t you?” Lindsay laughed maliciously, contempt practically overflowing from her eyes.

My fingers trembled violently. I was about to bend down to grab the pills that hadn’t gotten dirty yet. But the shadow of her stiletto heel fell first, crushing the pills viciously. The light yellow powder mixed with dirt, completely ruined beyond any use. “Pick them up, why don’t you? Why’d you stop?” Lindsay laughed until she was doubled over. “Is it not dirty enough? How about you lick it, and I’ll buy you ten bottles? Deal?” I snapped my head up to look at her, my eyes so red they could bleed. Ethan’s face had turned black as ink. He raised his fist and punched one of the bodyguards blocking Lindsay. Having followed Gideon for years, Ethan had professional certification in hand-to-hand combat. Two hired street thugs were no match for him. He took them down in a few moves, leaving them groaning in pain on the ground. The security guards behind him snapped to attention and rushed forward to pin down all of Lindsay’s people. Ethan ran up to me in three quick strides, took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around me, blocking all the prying eyes around us. His voice became as gentle as possible, afraid of triggering me: “Miss Carter, it’s okay now. I’ll have someone get an expert appointment at the hospital right away to buy the exact same medication. Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” I leaned against his arm, still trembling. My tears fell on his suit jacket, spreading into small damp spots. I thought this farce was finally over. But I didn’t expect that when Lindsay saw her people being restrained, not only was she not afraid—she laughed even more crazily. The viciousness in her eyes sent chills down people’s spines. “Ethan Mitchell, you’re quite the fighter, aren’t you?” “You think you can protect her? Let me tell you, even if God himself showed up today, he’d have to kneel and beg me!” When Ethan heard her words, his expression darkened further. The killing intent in his voice practically overflowed: “Lindsay Lin, don’t court death. Mr. Ashford will never forgive you!” “Never forgive me?” Lindsay scoffed. Her fingertip swiped across her phone screen twice, then she held it directly in front of my face. The bright screen was blinding. “I’d like to see who won’t forgive whom!” I instinctively looked up at her phone screen. With just one glance, all the blood in my body froze. On the screen was an abandoned old factory building, the floor covered in dust and puddles, not even a window in sight. My grandma was lying on a hard board bed in the middle of the factory. Her withered hand still had an IV needle in it. The IV bag hung from a rusty iron stand beside her, swaying in the wind. You could even see blood backing up in the tube. Two men with full-sleeve tattoos stood nearby, smoking cigarettes and playing games. The camera shook and focused on Grandma’s face. Grandma seemed to hear something. She opened her cloudy eyes and turned her head with difficulty. She opened her mouth, her voice hoarse like sandpaper: “Lydia… Lydia, where are you? Grandma’s so cold…” My mind went “BOOM”—all sounds instantly disappeared. She was my only family in this world. I grew up without parents. Grandma raised me by collecting scraps. After her stroke last year, I worked myself to the bone so I could send her to the best nursing home in the city. I spent most of my salary every month hiring a one-on-one caregiver for her. I just wanted her to be comfortable and stay with me a few more years. Lindsay actually took her from that warm nursing home and threw her in that kind of place. “Look at that. So pitiful.” Lindsay’s voice coiled around me like a venomous snake. “I already bought off the nursing home caregiver. No one knows where your grandma is. Only I know where she is now.” “Get on your knees right now and cut up your face with a box cutter yourself, and I’ll consider letting your grandma go.” “Otherwise, I’ll call my people right now and have them disconnect her IV. When she dies, don’t blame me.” My whole body shook like a leaf. My heart hurt like someone had ripped it out and crushed it in their hand. Tears fell endlessly. Lindsay’s triumphant laughter filled my ears.

When Ethan saw Grandma’s condition on the screen, he reached out to grab Lindsay’s phone. “Lindsay Lin, you’re fucking insane! Illegal detention is a serious crime! If you let her go now, I can still plead for leniency on your behalf. Otherwise, you’ll never get out of prison in this lifetime!” Lindsay dodged sideways and directly hit the call button, putting it on speakerphone. The tattooed man’s careless voice immediately came through: “Boss Lindsay, what’s the call? Should we pull the tube now?” Lindsay lifted her chin and glanced at me, her eyes full of viciousness: “Lydia Carter, you heard him. I’m counting to three. If you don’t kneel, I’ll have them pull the tube right now.” “Three.” “Two.” All the strength drained from my body instantly. Grandma’s coughing came through the speaker, hoarse like a broken bellows. I couldn’t lose her. My knees went soft. I dropped straight to the ground. Lindsay’s voice stopped mid-count. Then she burst into triumphant laughter. “Well, well, how obedient. Now slap yourself. Ten times. One less doesn’t count.” Ethan frantically tried to pull me up: “Miss Carter, don’t kneel! Mr. Ashford will be here any minute! I’ve already sent people to rescue your grandmother!” His phone in his pocket vibrated like crazy. Gideon Ashford’s name flashed urgently on the screen. Just as he was about to answer, Lindsay kicked his wrist. The phone smashed to the ground with a crack. The screen went black. “Mr. Ashford this, Mr. Ashford that. All you talk about is Mr. Ashford. When Gideon gets here, I’ll have him kill you first.” Lindsay sneered and tilted her chin at me: “Hurry up and slap yourself. Don’t waste time. My patience is limited.” I bit my lip and raised my hand to slap myself. “SLAP.” The first strike. I heard the surrounding discussions explode. “SLAP.” The second strike. Lindsay laughed even harder: “Harder! Did you not eat?” People around pulled out their phones to secretly record. Some shook their heads. Some said I deserved it. The third strike. The fourth strike. … By the tenth strike, blood flowed from the corner of my mouth. It ran down my jawline and dripped onto my white hoodie, spreading into a large, glaring red stain. I braced myself against the ground, gasping for breath. My vision was already blurring. My heart hurt with every beat, like someone was stabbing it with a knife. “Not bad. Very obedient.” Lindsay nodded with satisfaction and pulled a box cutter from her bag. She flicked it open with a “click” and threw it on the ground in front of me. “Now, cut up your face. The worse you cut it, the better. If I’m satisfied, I’ll let your grandma go.” I stared at the box cutter. My fingers trembled violently. If I just cut myself, Grandma could live. Seeing me hesitate, Lindsay frowned and kicked my arm: “Hurry up! What are you dragging your feet for? If you don’t do it now, I really will pull the tube!” “What, can’t bear to ruin that face? Still want to use it to seduce men, huh?” I gritted my teeth and reached for the box cutter. The moment the cold blade touched my fingertips, all the grievance, despair, and fear surged up at once. My vision went black. My emotions crashed to the breaking point. Tears mixed with blood fell. I could barely breathe. Just as I gripped the box cutter and was about to cut my face, a thunderous roar suddenly came from the hallway entrance. “STOP!” Everyone turned to look. I also lifted my head. Through my blurred vision, I saw Gideon Ashford standing in the sunlight. His usually meticulously combed hair was a mess. His usually ice-cold face was now covered in tear stains. His eyes were red as if they’d bleed. Tears fell one by one. His lips were white without a trace of color. The area instantly fell silent as death. When Lindsay saw Gideon’s tear-stained face, she thought he’d heard she was being bullied and was crying out of heartache. “Gideon!” She rushed over in her stilettos, her voice sickeningly sweet. “You’re finally here! This woman conspired with Ethan to bully me. Quick, teach her a lesson for me!” Her outstretched hand didn’t even touch the hem of Gideon’s clothes before he dodged sideways. Gideon didn’t spare her a single glance. He walked straight to me and crouched down. His fingertips carefully tucked a blood-stained strand of hair behind my ear. I stared at his reddened eyes, looking at the tear tracks on his face—those were the result of my desperate emotions transmitted to him and amplified a hundredfold. “Gideon Ashford, tell your first love…” “If I collapse… what will happen to you?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397287”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

My grandfather is America’s richest man, and I’m his only grandson. Yet my two sisters let the lover they secretly keep together pretend to be me. Before the group’s centennial celebration began, Wood rushed ahead and sat in the seat reserved for the group’s heir, saying to me with false sympathy: “Sigh~ If it weren’t for Kelly and Chloe insisting I bring you to see the world, a poor student like you would never get through the doors of SUN Group in your lifetime.” “Remember to know your place later and don’t cause me any trouble, or your sisters will definitely beat you into a cripple.” In my previous life, I was threatened by my sisters. Timid and weak, I gave in to Wood at every turn. But now I’ve been reborn. Looking at Wood still spouting nonsense, I directly lifted my foot and kicked him a meter away. “What are you supposed to be? A kept man who dares to lecture me!” My audacious action immediately drew everyone’s attention. Kelly was the first to rush over and pick up Wood with concern, while Chloe raised her hand and slapped me twice across the face. Seeing the lover they’d pampered for years kicked away by me, both sisters were heartbroken. They looked at me with anger burning in their eyes. “Sebastian, you must be tired of living to dare lay hands on our brother!” Looking at my two aggressive sisters, I felt how stupid I’d been before, actually fantasizing they had any sisterly affection for me. I raised my hand and pointed at Wood, who they were protecting in their arms, mocking loudly: “He’s just a kept lover you two support. Does the young master of this group, the grandson of the richest man himself, not have the right to hit him?” Hearing my words, Kelly instantly became furious and pushed me to the ground. Chloe glared at him with displeasure written all over her face. “Smith, Kelly is the group’s future heir. By defying her orders now, are you trying to pack your things and get lost?” Smith’s face instantly turned pale with fear. He looked at me anxiously. “Mr. Sebastian, I have elderly parents and young children who depend on this job to survive. Please don’t make things difficult for me. Come with me outside.” After speaking, Smith signaled the security guards to drag me away quickly. Seeing several people surrounding me, I grabbed a vase from the table and threw it hard. “I’m the only heir to SUN Group. Try touching me and see what happens!”

The sound of the shattering vase and my roar echoed throughout the banquet hall. Hearing this, everyone around burst into mocking laughter. “Looks like he’s seriously ill. First pretending to be the richest man’s grandson, now claiming to be the group’s heir. How ridiculous.” “Right, even if he really were the richest man’s grandson, it wouldn’t be his turn to inherit the group. After all, he has two older sisters ahead of him.” Looking at my two sisters still acting arrogant, I questioned them directly: “Kelly, are you sure you and Chloe have inheritance rights?” Chloe’s eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly recovered and tugged at Kelly’s sleeve. “Kelly, today’s a joyous occasion and the family elders will be coming later. Maybe we should just let it go.” Seeing Chloe like this, I knew she’d remembered her background and was getting scared. After all, my grandfather, America’s richest man, only had my father as his son. After my father passed away, I became his only grandson. My two sisters were just the orphaned children of my father’s sister. After Kelly and Chloe’s parents died, my father couldn’t bear to see his nieces suffer outside, so he brought them back to the Victoria family. He just wanted to see with his own eyes what structural differences existed between living and dead human bodies. And when my two sisters found out, they helped Wood dissect me alive. Even though I’d grown up with my sisters and lived together in the Victoria household for 18 years. But for Wood’s happiness, they not only let him pretend to be me, but also thought up ways every day to help Wood torture me. Now I understand. In Kelly and Chloe’s eyes, family bonds meant nothing. Only love was the most important thing in their hearts. But I’m curious now—when love and power are placed together, what will they choose? Thinking of this, I smiled coldly. “I’ll ask you one last time. Who is the heir to SUN Group?” Before Kelly and Chloe could speak, Malik, the son of one of the group’s business partners, rushed out and punched me. “How outrageous! A sponsored poor student dares to make trouble on SUN Group’s premises. Look at yourself—do you deserve to?” I knew Malik. Not only had he been secretly in love with Kelly, he also fantasized about marrying her every day, becoming the future chairman’s husband. Ever since he heard that Wood was the richest man’s grandson and SUN Group’s heir, he’d spent the past two months following Wood around, flattering him and running errands. He just wanted to build a good relationship with Wood early and leave a good impression on Kelly. Too bad he was flattering the wrong person. Not only was Wood not SUN Group’s heir, he was actually his rival—Kelly’s kept lover of many years. I wasn’t about to take Malik’s slap for nothing, so I lifted my foot and kicked hard at his abdomen. I looked at Wood with disdain and sneered: “I think you’re the one with brain problems. A perfectly good kept man, but you had to show up at this important occasion pretending to be the group’s heir.” I turned to look at Kelly and Chloe, pointing at the door, saying coldly: “Sigh~ Since you insist on playing role-playing games with your lover, then take your lover and get out of my group!”

Kelly and Chloe’s faces turned iron-blue as they looked at me. “Sebastian, let me tell you, we have real power in the group, while you’re still in school. You’re the one who should get lost!” “What’s going on? Why are you all standing here instead of taking your seats?” A dignified, extraordinary-looking middle-aged woman pushed her way in. She was Pablo, the CEO of SUN Group, and also my biological mother. But she rushed to Wood’s side, raising her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes. “Wood, don’t cry~ Who bullied you?” “Tell me quickly, I’ll get justice for you right now!” Kelly pointed at me angrily: “Who else but Sebastian, this bastard who doesn’t know his place, would dare to bully Wood right under my nose?” After hearing this, my mother displeased gave me a slap. “Sebastian, you’ve got some nerve, using your position to bully Wood.” “Kneel down and apologize to Wood right now, or you won’t see a penny of living expenses for the next year.” Looking at my mother who blamed me without distinguishing right from wrong, my eyes filled with disappointment. Sure enough, Mother was still the same as in my previous life, blindly favoring Wood along with my two sisters. Although I’d anticipated this, my heart still couldn’t help but ache. I never understood before—I was clearly Mother’s son, while Wood was just my sisters’ plaything. But I was mistakenly whipped twice by Mother, and those two scars are still on my arm today. Afterward, Mother not only stopped letting my two sisters keep Wood, but also used connections to send Wood to America’s best university. Most importantly, Mother issued an ultimatum to my two sisters: If they really liked Wood, they should compete fairly and work hard to marry him into the family. And whoever succeeded in getting Wood would be Mother’s heir. In my previous life, Mother’s abnormal behavior made me very curious, so I secretly investigated Wood’s background. Later I learned that Wood was actually my mother’s first love’s son. Wood looked a lot like his father, and Mother recognized him the first time she saw him. The lethal power of a dead first love was indeed formidable—a similar face was enough to firmly capture my mother’s heart. It was just pitiful for my deceased father, who died without knowing that Mother harbored another man in her heart. Thinking of this, I looked at Mother mockingly. “I won’t apologize!” “But since my two sisters say Wood is their brother, the heir to SUN Group, shouldn’t Mother have something to explain to everyone?” Hearing this, Wood immediately looked at my mother with an aggrieved expression, because he knew Mother feared his tears most. Sure enough, seeing Wood cry until his face turned white, Mother immediately gave me two more slaps. “Explain what? They’re right. Wood is my good son, the heir to SUN Group.” Looking at my mother lying through her teeth, I roared at her directly: “Pablo, how can you face my dead father? Do you dare touch your conscience and say those words again?” “Throw this trash who bullied your brother out.” Looking at my cold, merciless mother, my feelings were mixed. Heh, this was the woman my father loved his whole life? This was the biological mother I’d looked up to for 18 years? I don’t think Father anticipated before he died that after his death, the two daughters he kindly adopted would harm his precious son for a lover. And his wife would not only fail to protect their son, but would drive him out of the house for her first love’s child. At this moment, I truly felt sorrow for myself and my deceased father. I raised my head, meeting Mother’s gaze directly, and said coldly: “This is my family’s SUN Group. It’s not the place for you outsiders to swagger around!” I deliberately said “my family’s” very loudly. As soon as the words left my mouth, Mother flew into a complete rage. She had my two sisters rush up and pin me down, making me unable to move. “Your family’s? How ridiculous!” Then Mother walked behind me, grabbed my neck, and slammed my forehead hard against the glass wall of the hall. “I’ve been managing SUN Group all these years. Why can’t it be Pablo’s? Why can’t I decide the heir?” I held back the tears in my eyes and shouted firmly: “SUN Group is my grandfather’s. I’m the group’s only heir!” “Bang bang bang!” As soon as I finished speaking, my forehead was pushed against the glass wall again. Mother continued roaring: “Sebastian, stop daydreaming! I gave SUN Group to Wood as a betrothal gift last year. Whoever marries Wood gets to inherit SUN Group!” Mother’s words shocked everyone present. People looked at Wood with even more intense gazes. At that moment, an aged but sharp male voice came from behind me. “Pablo, have the guts to say that again! Who is the heir to SUN Group?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397288”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

After my ninety-ninth fight with Peyton, I changed. I got rid of all the bad habits Peyton didn’t like. I stopped checking his phone constantly, stopped asking about his whereabouts, And when I saw the lipstick marks on his shirt, I just calmly put it in the washing machine. But he wasn’t satisfied anymore. He held me with grievance in his eyes: “Why aren’t you keeping tabs on me anymore? You’re still the one I love most.” Love me most? His so-called love meant constantly sleeping with his mistress, letting her bully me until I lost the baby. My five-month pregnancy. Gone. Just like that. Peyton’s love was the most useless thing in the world. I turned around and joined the secret space program at the aviation base. From then on, whether Peyton lived or died had nothing to do with me anymore. Giana’s POV After my ninety-ninth fight with Peyton, I changed. I got rid of all the bad habits Peyton didn’t like. I stopped checking his phone constantly, stopped asking about his whereabouts. When I saw the lipstick marks on his shirt, I just calmly put it in the washing machine. Even when I got into a car accident and the traffic cop wanted to help me contact my family, I stopped him. “I don’t have any family. I can just take a taxi to the hospital myself.” Then, fighting through dizziness and severe shoulder pain, I took a taxi to the hospital alone. But unexpectedly, I ran into Peyton in the hospital corridor. He frowned. “How did you end up like this?” I lowered my eyes. “Just a car accident. You’re busy, don’t worry about me.” “What kind of thing is that to say?” Peyton’s voice turned cold, suddenly angry. “You’re my wife. You got hurt this badly in a car accident. Of course I’m worried about you.” I lifted my gaze to look at him. “Isn’t that what you said? That adults need to solve their own problems, and I shouldn’t bother you with trivial matters.” Peyton froze in place like someone had dumped cold water over his head. He had indeed said those words. When I had a high fever and called him, he’d said it. On my birthday when I waited alone at the restaurant until closing and texted asking if he remembered, he’d said it. During a typhoon when I was trapped at the research institute and asked if he could pick me up, he’d said it too. Now I’d finally learned my lesson. Even though I was injured in a car accident, I no longer turned to him. But he was unhappy about it. “You were in a car accident. How can you act like that’s no big deal?” Peyton irritably loosened his tie. “Come on, I’ll take you to-” Before he could finish, a slender figure came running over. Summer threw her arms around his. Her eyes rimmed red. “Mr. Lancaster, why did you come here? I sprained my wrist and you didn’t even care. You made me look for you forever…” Peyton’s body stiffened slightly. He glanced at me somewhat awkwardly and gently pulled his hand back. “Stand up properly and talk.” Summer seemed to notice me only then. She shrank behind Peyton, her eyes gradually filling with pitiful, vulnerable tears. “Are you still mad at me? I’m sorry. Last time I really didn’t mean to cause your miscarriage…” She was always like this. Apologizing with her mouth while every word precisely stabbed at the most painful spot in my heart. Always looking innocent and pitiful. Never doing anything on purpose. If this were before, I definitely would have lost control. I would have hysterically demanded answers, would have told Summer to get out of my life. But now, I just turned my face away. “I’m going for my examination. Do whatever you want.” Then, leaning against the wall, I walked past them step by step without hesitation. Peyton instinctively wanted to follow. “Giana.” “Mr. Lancaster, this hand hurts so much.” But the moment he stepped forward, Summer suddenly held her injured wrist in front of him. Fragile, anxious tears floated in her eyes. “Do you think this hand is broken…” Peyton’s steps halted. He frowned and said to Summer, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to see the doctor first.” I registered myself and got X-rays taken. Since I had no family, I signed the surgery consent form myself. After the wounds on my forehead and left arm were treated, I was wheeled out of the operating room and transferred to a ward. As the anesthesia wore off, I slowly woke in pain. Faintly, I could hear the nurses talking in hushed voices, all thinking I was pitiful. “So tragic. She was in a car accident, her head was injured and bleeding so much, her left arm is fractured, and there’s no one by her side. Meanwhile that patient named Summer in the VIP room just has a simple sprained wrist, but Mr. Lancaster won’t leave her side for a second. He gives her whatever she wants and coaxes her with a gentle voice.” “Who told her not to know how to cry, make a fuss, and act cute to win sympathy? I heard she’s a scholarship student sponsored by the Lancaster family. Her test scores rank in the top three in the state. Now she’s a key talent the Lancaster family is cultivating. They treasure her like a gem. Of course Mr. Lancaster has to coax her well.” “The way they act, if you didn’t know better, you’d think that Summer patient is Mr. Lancaster’s wife.” Lying in the hospital bed, I gently tugged at the corner of my lips. Perhaps Summer really would soon replace me and become Peyton’s wife. Just then, my phone on the pillow rang. I reached out with my right hand to grab my phone. Seeing it was a call from the Aviation Bureau, I answered. “Miss Morgan, we’ve reviewed your application. Are you certain you want to participate in the Zenith Ladder program? This is a classified national project. Once you join, you’ll need to stay at the aviation base for decades, completely cut off from the outside world. You won’t be able to contact anyone, including your family.” I pressed my lips together and said calmly, “I’m certain.” “Have you discussed this with your family and your husband, Mr. Peyton Lancaster? Does he agree to your participation?” “My parents are no longer alive, and I don’t need Peyton’s consent.” I said flatly, “Because I’ve already filed for divorce. I’ll have my divorce certificate by then. I have no attachments left. This program is perfect for me.”

Giana’s POV “Divorce? Miss Morgan, are you serious?” The person on the other end was shocked. “I remember you and Mr. Lancaster were the most compatible couple in our program back then. Later he left the aerospace field for his family business, and you gave up countless opportunities to stay by his side. Otherwise, with your abilities, you should have become chief aerospace engineer long ago. So many people envied your relationship. How could you…” How could we be divorcing? I gripped the phone, my fingers tightening slightly. Yes, once upon a time, Peyton and I really were the envy of everyone. We’d known each other since school, starting from heated arguments over a data model, then becoming lovers who were a perfect match. From college to marriage, for all these years after our wedding, our relationship had been fulfilling and happy. So when exactly did all of this start to change? Probably from the moment I let her in. Three years ago, I saw a news report about a girl named Summer from a remote area who ranked in the top three in the state but faced dropping out due to poverty. In the photo, the girl’s eyes were clear yet determined, just like my former self who would grasp at every opportunity to climb upward regardless of everything. So I felt compassion and pulled Peyton into discussing sponsoring this girl. Peyton initially thought it was troublesome, but couldn’t resist my insistence and finally agreed. We provided sponsorship in both our names, and when Summer started her freshman year, we brought her from the remote mountains to the bustling city and settled her in our home’s guest room. At first, Summer was timid and quiet, well-behaved and diligent in her studies with excellent grades, very grateful to us. But somehow, after just a year, Summer became more and more dependent on Peyton. Fixing computers, choosing courses, even forgetting an umbrella on rainy days, she would call Peyton for everything. At first, Peyton found it annoying. He complained to me privately a few times, saying the girl didn’t understand boundaries, and suggested renting her a place near campus so she could move out. Back then, I didn’t think it was a big deal. I even advised him to be more tolerant and patient. Still, sponsoring Summer was my act of kindness, and I didn’t want Summer’s presence to affect his mood, so I went to look at apartments. After I made all the arrangements and was preparing to find the right time to tell Summer, Peyton changed his mind and said, “Forget it, don’t make her move. After all, we brought her out here. Making her move out now would make it seem like we don’t want her around.” It was from that day that I vaguely felt something was wrong, yet couldn’t pinpoint what. By the time I finally understood what was wrong, it was too late. When Summer didn’t understand a problem, she went to Peyton. When classmates bullied her, she went to Peyton. When she had a fever or had nightmares, she still went to Peyton. And Peyton went from initial impatience to gradually making caring for her a habit. He would put down his work to pick her up from school, would answer her calls late at night, would stay by her bedside when she was sick. He even remembered Summer’s menstrual cycle clearly. Once, I went to school to visit Summer, only to learn that Summer’s classmates all thought Peyton was Summer’s boyfriend. And Summer had never explained it once, tacitly accepting this relationship. That day I went home and made a huge scene, forcing Summer to move out of their house. I thought that by making Summer move out and cutting off contact, my marriage with Peyton still had a chance to be saved. But I was wrong. Not only did Peyton continue secretly sponsoring Summer behind my back, but he also had more opportunities to spend time alone with her outside. After I found out, Peyton always said impatiently, “Since we brought her out here, we can’t abandon her before she graduates.” “I just feel sorry for her, so I want to take care of her more. Wasn’t it you who told me to be more patient and tolerant with her? How come now you’re the one being so unreasonable and can’t tolerate her?” Only then did I belatedly realize what my moment of compassion had brought upon myself. I tried every method to salvage my marriage with Peyton, but nothing could bring back his increasingly distant heart. Whenever I confronted Summer, became hysterical, acted like a madwoman telling Summer to stay away from their lives, it always drew Peyton’s disgust and displeasure. In just two years, Peyton and I had countless arguments and countless fights because of Summer. Even last month, because of Summer, I lost my five-month-old baby. And Peyton dismissively said about it, “Summer didn’t do it on purpose. Giana, don’t be mad at her. We can have another baby in the future.” My heart, riddled with holes, finally died completely and thoroughly in that moment. He was no longer the Peyton I once knew. “Miss Morgan, are you still listening?” The person from the Aviation Bureau pulled my thoughts back. “If you’re having second thoughts, we can understand. After all, you and Mr. Lancaster loved each other so much…” “I’m not having second thoughts.” I didn’t wait for them to finish speaking before interrupting. “Because I don’t love him anymore.” Suddenly, Peyton pushed the door open. “What did you just say? You don’t love me anymore?” He walked closer step by step, his eyes dark. “Giana, say that again and see what happens!”

Giana’s POV I had my back to the ward door, lying on my side while taking the call. When I heard the door open, I quickly hung up, put down my phone, closed my eyes, and pretended to be asleep. Peyton walked in full of anger, but when he reached the bedside, I had my eyes closed with steady breathing. He frowned and reached out to shake me awake. “Giana, wake up. Were you having a nightmare? I heard you saying something about… not loving anymore?” I slowly opened my eyes. I lowered my gaze and said flatly, “It’s nothing. I just dreamed about our child who was five months along but never got to see this world. In the dream, he asked me why mommy didn’t want him, asked if it was because we didn’t love him.” Peyton’s chest tightened, his breathing becoming somewhat stifled. He sat down on the hospital bed and reached out to pull me into his arms, his voice somewhat strained. “I know losing this child made you very sad, but we can have another one.” After a pause, he added, “In the future, however many you want, we’ll have that many, okay?” I didn’t speak, only feeling that the warmth of that embrace could no longer melt the coldness in my heart. We could have more children, but so what? Having more could never bring back this child I had been so looking forward to. Besides. What Peyton didn’t know was that after losing the baby last month, I had him unknowingly sign a divorce agreement and filed for divorce. Soon, our divorce would be finalized. I pushed him away and asked softly, “Weren’t you keeping Summer company? Why are you here? Is something wrong?” “What are you saying?” Peyton frowned in displeasure, scanning the bandages on my head and the cast on my left arm. “You’re my wife. You were in a car accident and hospitalized with injuries. How could I keep someone else company and leave you alone?” I found his words quite laughable, because I’d already done the examinations myself, gone into the operating room alone to get stitches and have a cast put on. Too lazy to argue with him, my tone remained flat. “I’m not going to die. If you have things to do, go ahead. You don’t need to worry about me. The nurses here are enough.” But Peyton didn’t move. We’d shared a bed for so many years. I could read him with one glance. “Is there something else you want to say?” Peyton’s expression froze, his tone unnatural. “Summer isn’t feeling well. She wants to have the soup you used to make.” I stiffened. I was in a car accident and hospitalized with injuries, yet he came to ask for soup for another woman? That soup was something I’d asked doctors about and tried making again and again, specifically to treat the stomach problems he’d developed when he was young. Trying hard to suppress the emotions rising in my heart, I laughed sarcastically. “Do you want me to go home right now and make soup for her?” “…No, that’s not what I mean.” Peyton also seemed to realize how absurd this request was. He quickly said, “Giana, you don’t have to do it yourself. Just tell me the recipe and I’ll make it when I get back.” Five years of marriage, and he’d never cooked for me once. But now he was willing to make soup for Summer himself. I tugged at the corner of my lips. “Fine. I’ll tell you the recipe. Write it down.” Slowly and deliberately, I told him the recipe. Peyton looked at me. “Giana, you…” “Mr. Lancaster, Miss Summer says her wrist hurts terribly. Do you want to go check on her?” Just then, his assistant’s voice came from outside the door. Peyton’s words were interrupted. He frowned, his tone impatient. “I’m not a doctor. If she’s in pain, can’t you find a doctor to see her?” Though he said this, he still turned and quickly left. Watching the man’s hurried departing figure, I couldn’t describe what I was feeling. Perhaps I was already so used to seeing him anxious about Summer that my numb heart couldn’t stir up any waves. After the soup was made, Peyton had someone bring me a serving too. But I didn’t have it. I lay in bed with my eyes closed, sleeping. However, not long after, Peyton suddenly burst into the ward and yanked me up from the hospital bed. “Giana!” He was dark and menacing, his grip strong enough to crush my bones. “What the hell did you put in that recipe? Summer had the soup and now her stomach hurts terribly! You’d better explain yourself!”

Giana’s POV The yanking made my arm hurt intensely, my vision went black, but I only raised my head to look calmly at the furious man. “There’s nothing wrong with my recipe.” “Nothing wrong?” Peyton’s eyes were dark, the force gripping my wrist intensified. “I followed your recipe exactly when making the soup! If you hadn’t tampered with it, why would Summer be in such severe abdominal pain after drinking it?” His chest heaved as he stared at me, feeling a surge of rage rush to his head. “Giana, what’s happened to you? Summer is someone you chose to sponsor. You were the one who told me to be more patient with her! But now you can’t even tolerate her. You constantly cause trouble for her. And you tried to poison her? When did your heart become so vicious?!” These words were like fine needles stabbing into my already numb heart. Looking at this familiar yet strange face, I suddenly found it somewhat laughable. Five years of marriage, sharing a bed through so many days and nights, yet in his heart, I’d long become this despicable. “Show the recipe to the doctor. Once the doctor sees it, they’ll know whether there’s a problem.” I suppressed the lump in my throat, looking straight into his eyes. “Or do you simply not care what the truth is? You’ve just decided I’m trying to harm her?” Peyton was thrown off by my question, his anger flaring even more. “You’ve long disliked Summer, wishing she would immediately disappear from our world. How can I not suspect you tampered with it?!” I laughed softly. Then I forcefully shook off his grip, picked up the bowl of soup from the bedside table with my right hand, and drank it all in one go. “Peyton,” After finishing, I called his name. “I’ve drunk the soup you made now too. If I really tampered with the recipe, then I’ll soon be just like her. Is that enough?” I watched his pupils contract sharply, then slowly continued, “Or do you think even this isn’t enough. You have to blame me for Summer’s stomach ache and take out enough of your anger on me to be satisfied?” Peyton felt a blockage in his heart. “What do you mean ‘take out my anger’? We’re husband and wife, not enemies. If you have any grievances, you can tell me. Don’t speak in such cold, sarcastic tones.” “You and I have nothing left to say to each other.” I put down the bowl and lay back down with my back to him. “You should go. I want to rest.” “Nothing left to say?” He roared, “Giana, explain yourself! What do you mean by that?!” I lay motionless, completely ignoring him, as if I’d shut him out of my world entirely. “Giana, I…” He opened his mouth, about to say something. “Mr. Lancaster!” The ward door was hastily pushed open. The assistant stood in the doorway, anxiety on his face. “Miss Summer finished having her stomach pumped. She’s in her room crying really hard now, saying she needs to see you.” The assistant’s appearance interrupted what he was about to say. Peyton felt somewhat irritated. “Got it. Go out first.” Then he turned his head, looking at Giana’s thin back, his voice soft and gentle. “Next weekend is Mom’s birthday. Giana, let’s go back together to celebrate Mom’s birthday then, okay?”

Giana’s POV I didn’t answer him. Peyton stared at me. Finally, without saying anything more, he left the ward with an unclear expression. Over the following days, Peyton came to visit me in the ward almost every day, but each time he stayed less than twenty minutes before being called away by phone. I knew some of those calls were work-related, and some were from Summer. And I didn’t make a fuss or care anymore. The second day after I was discharged, it happened to be Peyton’s mother’s birthday. In the evening, Peyton drove me to the Lancaster family estate. The estate was filled with guests. Almost every notable figure in the area had come. But for some reason, when I stepped into the hall, everyone started looking at me strangely. Not understanding, I walked toward Peyton’s mother. “Happy…” “Shut up!” Peyton’s mother’s angry voice suddenly rang out. “Giana, how dare you step through the Lancaster family’s door?” Before I could react, Peyton’s mother had already rushed in front of me and slapped me across the face. The crisp sound made the entire banquet hall completely silent. “You vicious woman!” Peyton’s mother’s eyes were bloodshot, her voice trembling. “You terminated a five-month pregnancy just like that? That was my bloodline! Peyton’s first child! I’ve been hoping and waiting for so many years after you and Peyton married. I finally got this grandson, and you were cruel enough to abort him?!” My face burned with pain, my ears rang, my mind went blank. I covered my face in confusion. “Mom, what are you saying? I didn’t…” “Still trying to deny it!” Peyton’s mother grabbed my hair, her other hand viciously slapping my other cheek. “All these years, how has the Lancaster family wronged you? You knew how much I wanted to hold this grandchild, yet you were so cruel and vicious. Because you had some conflict with Peyton, you terminated the pregnancy in a fit of anger!” “No, I didn’t…” I tried to defend myself and explain, but Peyton’s mother wouldn’t listen at all. She cried heartbrokenly. “The child was five months along, and you could bear to abort him… How can there be such a venomous woman in this world?!” The surrounding gossip washed over me like a tide. “My God, five months… the baby must have been formed, right? How is this different from a murderer?” “I heard it was a boy too. Peyton’s mother waited so many years…” “So heartless. The Lancaster family treated her well. How could she do something like this?” In the struggle, I stumbled and fell, my back hitting the corner of a table. The pain made my vision go black. I struggled to lift my head, trying to find Peyton’s figure in the chaotic crowd. Our child had clearly died in the womb because of Summer, and I had no choice but to abort it. But now, Peyton’s mother was saying I aborted the child? Instinct told me this matter must be related to Peyton. Sure enough, Peyton looked away, too guilty to meet my eyes. In an instant, I understood everything. Peyton’s mother grew more and more furious, ordering through tears, “Someone! Beat her! I’m going to beat this vicious woman to death to pay for the child’s life!” The Lancaster family servants swarmed forward, taking sticks and beating me in a chaotic frenzy. “Beat her to death! Beat her to death!” People in the crowd were shouting, cursing viciously, “Don’t hold back! Beat this vicious woman to death!” The sticks came down. I was instantly beaten bloody. I fell to the ground, blood flowing into my eyes. My entire world turned blood red.

Giana’s POV Curled up, I hazily remembered the day last month when I lost my child. That day was Peyton’s birthday. I’d reserved his favorite restaurant. It was supposed to be just a dinner for two, but Summer showed up uninvited, saying Peyton had taken such good care of her these past years. For his birthday, she wanted to come and offer congratulations to show her gratitude. So Peyton had the server add a chair and let her dine with us. During the meal, I got up to use the restroom. When I came back, I took a sip of the juice on the table. The taste was a bit unusual, but I didn’t think much of it. Unexpectedly, not long after, terrifying suffocation and burning skin itchiness began to spread. Realizing I was having an allergic reaction, I frantically grabbed Peyton’s hand, telling him to take me to the hospital immediately. But just then, a server carrying hot soup somehow slipped, and the entire pot of hot soup splashed toward Summer. “Watch out!” Peyton almost instinctively lunged over, shielding Summer in his arms. The hot soup splashed onto his arm and Summer’s calf. “It hurts so much…” Summer cried with tears streaming down her face, clutching Peyton’s shirt tightly. “Mr. Lancaster, my leg hurts so much…” “Giana, hang in there. I’ll call an ambulance! Summer got scalded. I need to take her to the hospital first. Her injury can’t wait.” Peyton picked up Summer and rushed out of the restaurant without looking back. Leaving me alone, curled up in my seat, breathing becoming more and more difficult. With trembling hands, I dialed 911. Every second waiting for the ambulance felt like torture. In the ambulance, I’d already fallen into semi-consciousness. When I woke again, I was in a hospital operating room. The doctor told me gravely, “Due to your severe allergic reaction triggering violent contractions and oxygen deprivation, the fetus in your belly… has no vital signs. You must immediately undergo induced labor and dilation and curettage surgery, or you’ll be in danger too.” Lying on the operating table, I felt my body and soul being hollowed out together. Later, Peyton angrily investigated the restaurant, looking into my allergic reaction. The truth quickly surfaced. Summer had taken advantage of when no one was paying attention to switch my orange juice with mango juice. Faced with questioning, Summer’s face turned deathly pale, tears streaming down. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to… She was pregnant, I just wanted to be nice to her, so I switched her juice to fresh-squeezed mango juice, saying it was good for pregnant women. But I forgot she was allergic to mangoes…” Seeing Summer crying with red, swollen eyes, looking full of remorse, Peyton softened. He turned to me helplessly and said, “Summer meant well. She didn’t intentionally switch your drink. No one expected it would turn out like this. Giana, what’s happened has happened. Blaming her won’t help. Can you please stop holding it against her?” Grief and fury surged through me, my heart bleeding. “Do you really believe she didn’t do it on purpose?” He frowned and sighed. “Summer is still just a student. She’s just a bit forgetful. Her mind isn’t as complicated as you think. Giana, can you stop always looking at her with such prejudice?” I never imagined that this child we’d long anticipated, his life in Peyton’s heart couldn’t compare to Summer’s few light tears. That was the last time I told Summer to get lost, the last time I had a huge fight with Peyton. Memories tore at my heart. In reality, sticks rained down on me. I couldn’t tell which hurt more. My heart or my body. “Stop, everyone stop!” Suddenly, Peyton rushed over and shielded me. “Who gave you the nerve to lay hands on her?” “Peyton! Get out of the way!” Peyton’s mother was trembling with rage. “This vicious woman killed the child, I…” “Giana was the one carrying the child. If she wanted to abort it, she could abort it. If she wanted to keep it, she could keep it. No one has the right to tell her what to do.” His threatening gaze swept over the servants. “This ends here today. If I see anyone disrespecting Giana again, I won’t let it slide.” His gaze was like a knife. Wherever it fell, servants lowered their heads and retreated, not daring to act out anymore. Peyton didn’t spare another glance at anyone else. He scooped me up horizontally and strode quickly out the Lancaster family gate, driving me to the hospital. In the ward, the doctor disinfected and dressed my wounds. After treating my injuries, the doctor left. Peyton sat down beside me. “Does it hurt?” He asked in a low voice, wanting to reach out and touch my face with heartache. I turned my head away to avoid him. His movement froze. “Giana, I…” He opened his mouth, about to say something. “Mr. Lancaster!” The ward door was hastily pushed open. The assistant stood in the doorway, anxiety on his face. “Miss Summer finished getting her stomach pumped. She’s in her room sobbing, saying she needs to see you.” The assistant interrupted, stopping Peyton from saying what he was about to say. Peyton felt annoyed. “Got it. Go out first.” Then he turned his head, gazing at Giana’s thin back, his voice soft and gentle. “Next weekend is Mom’s birthday. Giana, let’s go back together to celebrate, okay?” “Peyton,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Why did your mother say I lost our five-month-old baby out of spite just because we were fighting?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397289”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Vivian, Ethan’s first love, sent me 99 sex photos of her and Ethan. After that, I became a different person. When he worked overtime late into the night, I no longer left the lights on for him. When he was hospitalized with stomach pain, I no longer went to take care of him. All our close friends thought I was just throwing a tantrum. Even Ethan thought so too. “Serena is an orphan who desperately needs love. How could she possibly leave me?” Yet another time, when Vivian and I were both kidnapped by Ethan’s enemies, he didn’t hesitate to save Vivian first. He left me to have my face slashed by the criminal’s knife. I finally gave up completely. I booked a flight to leave. Ethan, I don’t lack love. I just finally stopped loving you. Serena POV Ever since I saw that kissing selfie of Ethan and Vivian in his old phone, I locked myself in my room and cried for a day and a night. After that, I became a different person. When he worked late, I no longer brought him desserts. When I developed new dessert recipes, I no longer brought them for him to taste. I also stopped texting him every day to ask what time he’d be home, whether he had any missions, or if he’d gotten hurt. That evening, on my way home from closing the shop, I got hit by an electric scooter while crossing the street. My arm was badly scraped, and my knee hit the pavement, bleeding profusely. The driver ran off, and I took a cab to the hospital by myself. When I got to the hospital, the ER doctor examined my wound and frowned. “Car accident? This is serious. You’ll need stitches. Did you come alone?” I nodded slightly, my face pale. The doctor looked at me with some sympathy. “I recommend staying in the hospital for observation for two days. Since you can’t move around easily and don’t have family to take care of you, we can have a nurse arrange a caregiver for you.” “Okay, thank you,” I said quietly. After getting stitched up, a nurse helped me walk to the inpatient ward. As we passed through the ER lobby, I ran into Ethan. The man looked anxious as he accompanied his colleague Vivian to see a doctor. Vivian had a cut several centimeters long on her arm. Apparently, she’d been injured on a mission. Ethan never liked using his position for special treatment. He usually waited in line like everyone else. But right now, he was using the priority lane. “Doctor, please be extra careful. Try not to leave a scar. She’s still young, and girls care about their appearance.” The doctor smiled and nodded. “Is this your girlfriend? Don’t worry, the wound is shallow. If I stitch it well, there won’t be any mark.” Ethan opened his mouth to explain when he caught sight of me. “Serena?” My steps froze. Ethan rushed over in two strides, his eyes sweeping over my bandaged arm and the blood seeping through my pants, his brow furrowing. “It really is you? What are you doing at the hospital?” Before I could answer, the nurse supporting me spoke up. “The patient was just in a car accident. I’m taking her to her room.” “Minor injury,” I said, not wanting to elaborate. “You go ahead and do what you need to do.” Ethan seemed like he wanted to say something. In the past, when I burned my fingertip on a mixer while making whipped cream at the shop, I’d call him just to get some comfort. When I closed late and had to walk home in the dark, I’d video call him and chatter away the entire walk. When a moth flew into the house, I’d scream and hide behind him. After all, in his mind, I was just a pampered little girl who never grew up. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in a car accident?” he asked with a frown. Before I could answer, Ethan explained, unusually defensive. “Vivian got injured on a mission. She’s my subordinate, so it’s my responsibility to bring her here for treatment.” “Yeah, I know,” I nodded. “It’s your responsibility. Go ahead.” Ethan froze. He seemed surprised by my reaction. In the past, I was never like this about Vivian. I would ask him with red-rimmed eyes if he’d gone to accompany Vivian again, would grumble that Vivian was an adult and didn’t need to bother him with everything. Every time, he’d have to explain. Vivian lost her mother. Vivian’s father sacrificed himself taking a bullet meant for him. He owed Vivian’s father his life. Taking care of Vivian was perfectly normal. When he said these things, he often complained that I was immature and petty. Now I finally stopped making a fuss, stopped asking questions, didn’t even have an extra word to say. “Which room?” he asked quietly. “I’ll go with you.” Just as I was about to refuse, Vivian’s tearful voice came from the distance. “Ethan, where are you? It hurts so much…” Hearing this, Ethan instinctively turned and walked toward Vivian, comforting her as he went. “Vivian, don’t be scared. I’m here, I’m coming right now.” After two steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back to say to me, “Let me help her get her wound treated first, then I’ll come find you.” I watched his retreating figure, feeling somewhat dazed. When I cut my finger while chopping vegetables, he said it was nothing, just put a Band-Aid on it yourself, no need to bother others with such things. When my dessert shop was broken into one night, I squatted at the shop entrance trembling, called Ethan, also wanting to hear him say “don’t be scared, I’m here.” But he said, “What’s the point of crying? You should call the police.” Turns out he wasn’t incapable of comforting people. He just wasn’t capable of comforting me. I tugged at the corner of my mouth and forced back the tears that were about to fall. Enduring the pain in my knee, I pulled out my phone and listed my dessert shop on a secondhand marketplace for transfer. The shop, I didn’t want it anymore. The man, I didn’t want him anymore either.

Serena POV That day, Ethan didn’t come back to stay with me as he’d said. The IV drip went until late at night. I pressed the call button myself to have the nurse remove the needle. I also ordered my own dinner delivery. It wasn’t that I was incapable of being independent. Quite the opposite. I grew up in an orphanage and never knew what it was like to be protected by someone. As a child at school, because I was an orphan, I was often excluded by classmates. I didn’t dare make trouble, afraid of causing problems for the orphanage director, so I endured everything by myself. When I was sixteen, on my way back to the orphanage after school, I was cornered in a narrow alley by several men. Those men asked me for money with leering smiles. But where would I have any money? They got angry and reached out to tear my clothes. I was so scared I couldn’t make a sound, could only shrink into the corner. Just when I was about to despair, a young police officer passed by the alley entrance and quickly knocked those men to the ground. The man crouched down, wiped away the tears and snot on my face, and gently comforted me. “Don’t be scared. I’m a police officer. The police will protect you.” Before he left, he tore off a piece of paper and stuffed it into my hand with a string of phone numbers written on it. “If you run into trouble again, call this number.” That man was Ethan. That was the first time in my life someone had protected me. The man’s image was forever carved into my heart. I memorized that string of numbers and kept the paper safe. I always remembered what he said: the police would protect me. From then on, Ethan became my salvation and my faith. Over the years, I quietly followed Ethan’s whereabouts. After graduating from college, I deliberately moved to the city where Ethan was stationed and became a pastry chef. I opened a dessert shop on a street not far from the police station, waiting for an opportunity to openly give him desserts. That day, I carried desserts I’d made myself, handed him that yellowed piece of paper, and gathered my courage to say, “My name is Serena. Can I pursue you?” I thought he would refuse, or at least hesitate. But Ethan looked at me for a moment and said one word: “Okay.” From then on, I became Ethan’s girlfriend. Ethan was busy with work, and I often couldn’t find him. I never complained. I handled everything at home by myself. When the pipes burst, I called a repairman. I paid the water, electricity, and gas bills. When lightbulbs burned out, I climbed a ladder to change them myself. When Ethan worked late, I brought him food in a thermos. I did this for three years. Ethan wasn’t good at being affectionate. He only focused on work, so I came up with explanations for him. Police officers are like that. They carry a lot of responsibility. I just need to take care of him. Ethan never said sweet words, but I comforted myself that he was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Otherwise, why would he have chased away those men for me back then and crouched down to wipe my tears? When I got sick or injured, he always frowned and said, “Can’t you handle such a small thing yourself?” He didn’t remember anniversaries, birthdays, or Valentine’s Day. So I prepared gifts in advance, made dinner, and dragged him over to eat after work. I thought he would eventually learn how to love someone. I always thought Ethan loved me, he just didn’t know how to love someone. He had responsibility in his heart, and as his family member, I should support him. Until three months ago, when Vivian came to the police force, I discovered that wasn’t the case at all. Vivian was the only daughter of Ethan’s mentor. Ethan’s mentor had sacrificed himself during a mission to save Ethan. After graduating from the police academy, Vivian came here and became Ethan’s subordinate. From that day on, Ethan would drive Vivian home after work. At night, worried she’d get cold, he always brought an extra jacket. The desserts I put on his office desk all ended up in Vivian’s stomach. Turns out Ethan wasn’t incapable of taking care of people. I felt wronged for the first time. Why could he be so good to Vivian, yet couldn’t spare even a little bit of kindness for me? But Ethan was just impatient. “Vivian’s parents are both gone. Are you really going to begrudge her this? She’s young. As my girlfriend, you should help me take care of her.” Both parents gone? Wasn’t I the only one without parents? Vivian was young? I was only two years older than her. These words, every time I opened my mouth to say them, I swallowed them back. Until that day, when I was organizing old belongings and found a photo in Ethan’s old phone. The picture showed young Ethan and Vivian. They had their faces pressed together, smiling happily. I stared at that photo for a long time. I finally understood. All those things he said were just excuses. Love or no love, the difference was so obvious. My years of persistence had been nothing but a joke.

Serena POV My dessert shop had a good location, thoughtful design, and a very low transfer price. Not long after I posted the listing, someone contacted me. The buyer was a young couple. The boy said on the phone that opening a dessert shop had been his girlfriend’s childhood dream, and he wanted to make it come true for her. Listening to someone else’s happiness made my heart even more bitter. “Then I’ll reduce the price a bit more for you. I hope to complete the paperwork as soon as possible.” The boy was very happy and thanked me repeatedly. “Then I’ll take the day off tomorrow to come over. All the paperwork can be completed in seven days at most.” After hanging up, I stared out the window in a daze. Seven days from now, I’ll leave this place. Leave the person I had faith in for so long. On the second day of my hospital stay, it was nearly noon when the door to my room finally opened. Ethan walked in hurriedly. “Are you feeling better?” “Much better.” I nodded slightly and didn’t say anything else. Usually Ethan was a man of few words, and I was the one who talked around him. Ethan always complained that my personality didn’t match my name at all. Neither of us spoke. Ethan seemed uncomfortable with this atmosphere, looking somewhat uneasy. “Are you angry? Because I stayed with Vivian instead of you?” I looked up at him, no anger showing in my eyes. “Why would you say that?” My tone was gentle. “Vivian is your subordinate and your mentor’s daughter. Taking care of her is both your job and your responsibility. Why would I be angry?” Ethan looked at my face quietly. He opened his mouth but said nothing. He suddenly changed the subject. “Have you eaten? I’ll go downstairs and get you something.” Before he finished speaking, his phone vibrated in his pocket. “Ethan, what should I do?” On the other end, Vivian complained while asking for help. “I don’t know how to write part of my case report, and it’s due tomorrow. If I don’t write it well, I’m going to get scolded again…” Ethan coaxed her gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you write it. It’s fine.” After hanging up, he looked at me with difficulty. I spoke first. “You go ahead. I can manage on my own.” In the end, Ethan said nothing more, just nodded and walked out. At the door, he stopped again and turned back. “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow when you’re discharged.” I watched his departing figure without responding. The next day, as expected, Ethan didn’t come. I didn’t wait for him either. I handled the discharge paperwork myself and called a car to go home. When I got home, I dragged out suitcases from the storage room and started packing my things. This apartment belonged to Ethan. After we became a couple, I moved in. I just lived with him and took care of him. When I first moved in, this place was cold and sparse, barely like a home at all. Ethan ate at the police station and only came home to shower and sleep. I started adding things to the house bit by bit. The curtains were changed to a soft beige, the sofa to a warm caramel color. I added many new kitchen utensils to the cabinets and piled several round cushions in the corner of the sofa. I also bought many couple items. Cups, slippers, key hooks by the door. All in matching pairs. As more and more things filled the house, Ethan spent increasingly more time at home. I thought everything was moving in a good direction. I thought I would live here for many, many more years. I never expected that after just three short years, I would have to leave. I was folding clothes from the closet into my suitcase one by one when the door lock suddenly opened. Ethan pushed the door open and saw me bent over packing my luggage.

Serena POV Ethan strode forward and grabbed my wrist. “Serena, why are you packing?” I calmly closed the suitcase lid. “It’s the change of seasons. I remembered I had some clothes pressed at the bottom of the case and wanted to take them out to air them.” Ethan stared at me suspiciously. Seeing that I really didn’t continue stuffing things inside, he relaxed slightly. Ethan coughed and began to explain. “This morning Vivian got an emergency assignment. She has no experience and didn’t know how to handle this kind of situation the first time. So I went with her. I didn’t pick you up from the hospital. I’m sorry.” I waved my hand. “No need to apologize. She’s your subordinate. Helping her is what you should do.” Ethan frowned. “You don’t mind?” I smiled, my tone relaxed. “This is your job. How could I mind your job?” I was saying exactly what Ethan had always thought. Ethan paused and tentatively said, “I have tomorrow off. Didn’t you want to go to the amusement park? I’ll take you.” I was stunned. I’d mentioned the amusement park to him several times. I grew up in an orphanage and had never been to an amusement park. But every time I brought it up, Ethan either said he was busy or that it was a place only kids go to, too childish. What was with him today? I looked at him, confused. Ethan cleared his throat and spoke again. “Vivian also wants to go. Let’s have her come with us, then you two can play together.” So that’s how it is. Vivian wanted to go. The one he really wanted to accompany was Vivian, right? And I wasn’t important. I smiled. “That’s fine.” The next day at the amusement park. Vivian was like a bird let out of its cage, happily clinging to Ethan’s arm. She wanted to try everything. The more thrilling and exciting the ride, the more excited she got. But I only liked gentle rides. The carousel, the Ferris wheel, the slow little train. Ethan looked at me with conflicted eyes. I smiled unconcernedly and followed slowly behind. “You two go ahead. I’ll rest.” When we reached a famous couple photo spot, Vivian pulled Ethan over to take pictures. Ethan frowned. “Vivian, no.” Vivian pouted in dissatisfaction. “What’s wrong with taking a picture? Are you afraid Serena will get angry? Serena, you’re not that petty, are you?” I acted as if I hadn’t heard the provocation in her words at all, smiling carelessly. “Give me your phone. I’ll take the picture for you.” Ethan’s expression didn’t look good. But Vivian kept begging him, and he eventually smiled at her indulgently. “Just this once.” The two stood in front of the landmark. Vivian hugged Ethan’s arm intimately. The moment I pressed the shutter, Vivian suddenly rested her head on Ethan’s shoulder. Ethan’s body stiffened, but he ultimately didn’t push her away. They looked very happy together. Tourists passing by praised them one after another. “This couple has such a good relationship.” Hearing this, Ethan’s expression changed. He walked up to me in a few steps. “Serena, don’t listen to their nonsense. Vivian has been playful since she was little. She didn’t mean it that way.” I shook my head, completely unbothered. “We’re just here to have fun. As long as everyone’s happy.” With that, I shoved the phone back into his hand and walked forward by myself. I didn’t even care about him taking couple photos with Vivian anymore. Because I didn’t care anymore. Ethan caught up with me in a few steps. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he only said, “I remember you wanted that ice cream up ahead. I’ll go buy it for you.” With that, he turned and went to stand in line. Vivian saw all of this from behind. She stamped her foot in anger and quickly caught up with me. “Serena,” Vivian lowered her voice, but her lips curled with provocation. “You should know that he and I used to be a couple, right? If you don’t believe me, he still has an old phone with photos of me and him together.” I just looked at her coldly. No interrogation, no loss of composure, no surprise. For some reason, Vivian became annoyed. “Ethan is mine! My dad sacrificed himself to save him. He promised to take care of me.” “You’d better leave on your own! Otherwise, if he abandons you, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Serena POV Looking at Vivian’s face, I suddenly laughed softly. “Miss Vivian, are you making this scene because Ethan rejected you?” Vivian turned red with shame and anger, her thoughts exposed. I ignored her and walked straight to a nearby bench to sit and rest. Before long, Ethan came back with two ice cream cones. He sat down beside me and spoke with feigned casualness. “What were you two talking about just now?” He was too far away to hear our conversation clearly. But Vivian’s angry expression. He should have seen that clearly. “She said you and she used to be a couple.” I looked at him with a faint smile and said slowly, “She also said your old phone has photos of you and her together.” Ethan immediately panicked. “Don’t listen to her nonsense.” Ethan frowned, his tone somewhat urgent. “Vivian was young then and didn’t understand. She made such a fuss at home that she refused to go to school unless I agreed. I was just humoring her.” I nodded. Ethan was stunned instead. “Serena, you… aren’t you going to ask me anything?” I smiled faintly. “Ask what? Didn’t you already explain? She was young then and didn’t understand. You were just trying to get her to go to school. What else is there to ask?” Ethan suddenly couldn’t speak. “But-” Before he could finish, Vivian came running over and interrupted him. On the way back, Vivian walked straight to Ethan’s car and familiarly opened the passenger door, about to get in. Ethan frowned. “Vivian, sit in the back.” Vivian pouted, and her eyes immediately reddened. Seeing her pitiful appearance, Ethan’s heart softened again. But having already spoken, he couldn’t take it back. I spoke at the right moment. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter where anyone sits.” With that, I opened the back door and got in. After getting in the car, Ethan turned to look at me and explained, “When we go on missions together, Vivian sits in the passenger seat. The view is better, and it’s more convenient for communication.” I kept my head down scrolling through my phone and said “Mm” without looking up. Vivian sat in the passenger seat and immediately became smug. She reached out and turned on the car stereo. What played was the electronic dance music she usually liked. A style Ethan would never listen to. I saw Ethan nervously glance at me through the rearview mirror. Vivian then opened the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat. It was full of her things. Lipstick, a small mirror, a comb, wet wipes, and even some chocolate bars. She picked up a chocolate bar and turned to smile innocently at me. “Serena, he specially bought these for me. I have low blood sugar, so Ethan bought a bunch to keep in the car so I can eat them whenever I’m hungry. You don’t mind, do you?” Ethan cut her off with displeasure. “Vivian!” I smoothly followed up. “Of course I don’t mind. You go on missions together. It’s natural for him to take care of you.” Ethan’s tone became increasingly irritable. “Serena, you-” He opened his mouth, then got stuck again. Vivian’s phone rang. They had an emergency assignment tonight. Her superior specifically requested her for the mission and told her to return to the police station immediately. “Ethan, turn right at the intersection ahead. Just drop me off at the station!” Vivian said. Ethan looked troubled. I was only two intersections away from home. For such a short distance, I didn’t need to call a cab. But if he stopped the car to let me out directly, I would have to walk home alone. The distance of two intersections wasn’t far, but it would still take some time to walk. What’s more, it was already dark. Ethan had just opened his mouth to say something when I cut him off first. “You can stop ahead. It’s not far from home. I’ll walk back.” Ethan’s face darkened. But Vivian cheerfully urged, “Serena already said she’ll walk back herself. Let’s hurry back to the station.” Ethan pulled over to the side of the road with a cold expression, glaring at me through the rearview mirror. I didn’t even glance at him. I pushed open the car door, got out, and walked forward without looking back. Ethan looked very angry as he stepped on the gas and sped away.

Serena POV When I got home, I went into the bathroom first to take a shower. I was too tired today. I needed to rest properly. Suddenly, I heard Ethan’s voice. He was practically shouting my name. “Serena!” The bathroom door happened to open. I walked out in a bathrobe, my long hair still dripping wet. Ethan strode forward and grabbed my shoulders. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why was your phone off?” I looked at him, puzzled. “What would be wrong? What could happen to me? My phone died. It’s charging in the living room.” Ethan pulled me forcefully into his arms. “As long as you’re okay. As long as you’re okay.” His face showed panic as he continued, “Why didn’t you let me take you home earlier? Don’t ever walk alone at night again!” I smiled and gently reminded him, “Before, when I was scared walking home at night and called you, didn’t you say I was being delicate and that I was interfering with your work?” Ethan suddenly fell silent. But he asked again, “Then why did you give up the passenger seat to Vivian? Last time she sat in the passenger seat once, you got angry at me.” I interrupted him. “Last time, didn’t you say that fighting over the passenger seat was something only immature little girls do?” I used his own words to block him completely. Ethan stared intently into my eyes. “No. Serena, something’s wrong with you. I wanted you to be understanding, but not like this.” He softened his tone. “Don’t lie to me. Are you angry with me? If you have any complaints, say them. Let’s communicate properly.” Communicate? In the past, when I wanted to chat with him more, he said there was nothing to talk about. I would say ten sentences before he’d deign to reply with an “Mm.” Sometimes I would deliberately ask him what I’d just said, and he couldn’t answer a single thing. He never listened to me seriously. Now he suddenly remembered he wanted to communicate? Thinking of this, I shook my head gently. “I’m not angry. You’re overthinking it.” Ethan’s face was full of doubt. He looked at me deeply. “Serena, we’ve been together for three years. We get along well. I think you’re very suitable for me. I want to marry you.” He paused and repeated, “So if you think I’m doing something wrong, you can tell me directly. I’ll change.” I looked into his eyes, my heart full of bitterness. He sounded so sincere. He said he wanted to marry me. He said he would change. But he didn’t say he loved me. All his tension and anxiety were only because I was good to him, so he wanted me to be understanding, so he was nervous about me leaving. But his real love was for someone else. I heard myself say calmly, “Okay.” The next day, Ethan actually took the initiative to suggest taking me to his parents’ house for dinner. His parents were both teachers, and they’d always liked me. When they saw me, they were somewhat excited and kept telling me to eat more throughout the meal. After a while, Ethan’s father spoke first. “Ethan, you should get married. Serena doesn’t have parents, but I really like her. Since you two have a good relationship, get married soon. I really want to become family with her.” Ethan’s mother nodded repeatedly. “Yes, I like Serena too. You two should get married soon!” In the past, they’d also wanted us to get married. Every time, Ethan refused with excuses like “I’m still young” or “I’m busy with work.” This time, he would probably use the same excuses again, right? Just as Ethan began to speak, I cut him off. “We’re both still young and busy with work. Let’s not rush into marriage this year.” The spoon in Ethan’s hand dropped onto the table. He turned to look at me, panic showing in his eyes. His father rarely got serious and scolded Ethan, reminding him not to put all his attention on work. He also needed to make time to spend with his girlfriend and family. Ethan kept nodding and saying okay. Not long after the meal, he couldn’t sit still anymore. He made up an excuse and pulled me out the door. His expression was terrible. He finally couldn’t hold back and slammed his palm on the steering wheel. “Serena, what the hell is wrong with you? Can you please stop making trouble for me?”

Serena POV I turned my head to look at him. “What’s wrong with me?” Ethan’s tone was harsh. “I know you haven’t been happy lately. I’m your boyfriend. Why can’t you talk to me about it?” I calmly met his gaze. “You used to complain that I was too delicate and too dependent on you, so this time I went to the hospital by myself.” “You used to complain that I always made issues about Vivian, so now I don’t anymore.” “Every time your parents urged us to get married, you said you were busy with work and to wait. Today I was afraid you’d be put in a difficult position, so I said it for you.” “What else do you want me to do?” My few sentences left Ethan speechless. I was clearly changing in all the directions he’d wanted before. I was clearly getting better. Ethan irritably rubbed his temples and muttered, “Forget it.” Then, as if throwing a tantrum, he ran several red lights in a row. I kept my eyes closed the whole time. I didn’t even lift an eyelid at Ethan’s childish behavior. When we got home, neither of us spoke again. After washing up, we each lay down with our backs to each other. The next day, Ethan left early for the police station.The buyer of my dessert shop also arrived to complete the final handover procedures. When I officially handed the keys to the young couple, I smiled at the girl and said, “This shop is yours now. I hope you’ll be happy.” When I left the shop, it was already evening. I walked slowly along the familiar street toward home. As I turned the corner into a narrow alley, a hand suddenly covered my mouth and nose from behind. Before I could struggle, everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself thrown on the concrete floor of an abandoned warehouse. I was tied up with rope, and my wrists hurt badly from the chafing. I looked around as much as I could. There was another person lying beside me. I knew her well. It was Vivian. Heavy footsteps came from not far away. Several fierce-looking men entered. I immediately closed my eyes, pretending I was still unconscious. I heard one of them speak. “Boss, which of these two women is the one we’re looking for?” A middle-aged man with a hoarse voice answered, “I don’t know! I heard the woman we’re looking for is close to Ethan. Both these women were with him, so we brought them both!” Another man with a sharp voice said anxiously, “But the police cars are almost here. We can only take one with us at most!” The middle-aged man cursed loudly. “It’s all that man’s fault! Years ago he shot my leg and crippled me. I have to get revenge on his daughter!” I understood now. This was a criminal Vivian’s father had arrested years ago, back for revenge. I was terrified and trembling, but I had to keep pretending to be unconscious. I cried silently in my heart. I could leave tomorrow. Why did I have to get caught up in this mess? Police sirens sounded. Someone with a megaphone shouted, ordering the criminals to release the hostages. Vivian was also awakened by the noise, struggling and whimpering. The criminals grabbed us both and dragged us to the warehouse entrance. Outside, police tape had been set up and several police cars were parked there. Ethan stood at the front, wearing a black tactical vest. The middle-aged man recognized him at a glance and grinned. “Ethan, long time no see! You were just a kid back then. Now you can go on missions by yourself.” Ethan’s expression was grave, but anger pressed beneath his eyes. “Let them go, and I’ll let you leave!” “Leave?” The man threw his head back and laughed. “Since I dared to do this, I never planned to leave alive!” His laughter stopped abruptly as he narrowed his eyes. “We won’t make things too difficult for you. We only have a grudge against your mentor. Of these two women, you can only take one today!” “Take your girlfriend back. Leave your mentor’s daughter behind.” He lifted our chins with the tip of his knife. “Which one is your girlfriend?” Ethan didn’t answer immediately. He looked at us, his face showing struggle. I closed my eyes in despair. I knew Ethan wouldn’t choose me. A suitable girlfriend could be replaced if she died. But the person he favored. If she died, she’d be gone forever. But actually, I still held a tiny shred of hope in my heart. Hope that Ethan would rescue me again like he had when I was young. Vivian shouted urgently, “Ethan, save me!” Before she finished speaking, the man slapped her and cursed, “Shut up! Say one more word and I’ll kill you!” Vivian cried out in fear, her eyes full of terror as she looked at Ethan expectantly. Ethan closed his eyes tightly. After a long moment, he raised his hand and slowly pointed at Vivian. “She… is my girlfriend. Let her go.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397290”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

The night before my SAT, I got the call to collect my father’s body from prison. But my mom found me first. She wanted Dad to take the fall for her first love, Ethan Shaw, for a second time. “Where’s your father? Ethan accidentally caused a patient’s death during surgery. Tell him to go to prison for Ethan again. These two times will make up for that slap your father gave Ethan.” “After this, I’ll come back to the family and stay with you two.” I clutched Dad’s urn in my arms, my head down, mumbling in a daze. “Dad’s dead.” But Mom just scoffed and immediately had her people lock me in the sauna room. The temperature in the sauna shot up rapidly from 113 degrees to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Mom sent voice messages to Dad’s chat, threatening him. [Xavier! You’ve got some nerve teaching our son to lie to me!] [Let’s see what kind of game you’re playing! If you don’t want Connor to get hurt, you better show yourself right now!] My whole body turned bright red from the burns. I desperately pounded on the door, trying to explain and call for help. But Mom was too busy comforting her frightened first love to pay me any attention. Severely dehydrated, I suddenly laughed bitterly. Mom, Dad and I are using our two lives to atone for your beloved first love. Is that enough?

Every time my hands struck the iron door, a layer of skin peeled off. Blood beads sizzled out, and my throat felt like it was on fire. But I still clung to what little strength I had left, constantly begging for help. “Dad really died in prison!” “He’s already been tortured to death by you! Are you going to force me to death today too?” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Extreme dehydration made my throat so hoarse it was bleeding. Mom ignored me, just nodding angrily. She gritted her teeth and yelled at Dad’s chat window. “Fine! Real nice, Xavier!” “Look what you’ve taught our child! Making him lie and say you’re dead, and now teaching him to say such unlucky things about himself!” She threw her phone down in frustration. Hearing my constant cries for help only made her angrier. She yelled at me impatiently. “Stop pretending! The heating system in there is broken! The temperature can’t even be adjusted—you learned this act from your father!” “I’m only doing this to force your dad out!” In her rage, Mom’s whole face turned purple. At that moment, Ethan Shaw timidly stepped forward and patted her back to calm her down. “Vanessa, forget it. Don’t make Xavier go to prison for me. He must still resent me from last time. I don’t want to come between you.” Mom’s anger immediately dissipated. She turned and gently patted his back, soothing him. “It’s not your fault. Xavier has a dirty mind and is suspicious of our relationship.” “You’re different from Xavier. He’s already been in once, so going through more hardship won’t matter.” “Besides, I’ve already made arrangements at the prison. He’s living quite comfortably in there.” Nearly every inch of my skin was burned, and breathing became more and more difficult. But after hearing Mom’s words, I laughed coldly, laughing until tears fell. Making arrangements meant having people beat Dad to death? When I went to collect the body, Dad’s entire body was covered in fresh wounds mixed with old scars and blood. Several of his bones had been pulled out. He couldn’t even… close his eyes! He died with his eyes open, and even after death, Mom still insulted him! Thinking of Dad, my sobbing grew louder uncontrollably. Mom clicked her tongue impatiently. “It’s all my fault for spoiling them both.” “Xavier’s sulking and won’t show up, and Connor’s fighting with me too. The sauna room is just a bit dark, that’s all. No need to be so dramatic and cry.” I froze in place again. She said… she spoiled us? Spoiling us meant making Dad go to prison for her first love? Spoiling us meant leaving me alone in the villa without checking on me for three years? During those three years, she seemed to have forgotten she had a son. She didn’t send money and couldn’t be reached. My tuition and living expenses all came from going to class during the day and delivering food at night. I counted down the days on my fingers. I kept telling myself that once Dad got out of prison, once I got into college, everything would be better. But what I waited for was the news of Dad being beaten to death. What I waited for was Mom willing to sacrifice her own son’s life for her first love again!

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and the skin on my lips crackled and burst. I unconsciously licked the blood flowing from my lips. So thirsty, so hot, and my body hurt so much. In my fading consciousness, I suddenly heard Dad calling my name. “Connor! Dad’s begging you to hold on! Dad’s begging you to call for help and not give up on yourself!” “Stay alive!” I jerked my eyes open, gasping for air. Dad was right. I shouldn’t give up on myself. I worked so hard studying for three years, wasn’t it all for tomorrow’s SAT? Getting into NYU was my dream, and Dad’s too! I found strength from somewhere and crawled back up to pound on the door. “Mom, I… I’m begging you to let me out first, okay?” “If, if you let me out, I’ll take you to find Dad.” I tried hard to suppress my trembling voice and soften my tone as much as possible. After hearing this, Mom seemed quite satisfied with my response. Her expression softened considerably. She waved to the bodyguard. “Open the do—” But before she could finish, Ethan Shaw grabbed her arm and interrupted. “Vanessa, it’s so late. Don’t make things hard for the kid.” “He has his test tomorrow. Going back and forth would take several hours. Let him get a good night’s sleep first.” Reminded by him, Mom suddenly realized and immediately stopped the bodyguard. “Connor, your Uncle Ethan is right. The temperature control in there is perfect for sleeping anyway.” “Get a good night’s sleep first. Tomorrow morning I’ll have the bodyguard wake you up, then we’ll find your dad and send you to take the test.” After arranging everything, Mom left with Ethan Shaw. No matter how much I cried and begged for help, no one answered. But I kept pounding on the door. Only one thought filled my mind. Stay alive. I don’t know how long passed before there was finally sound outside. “Quiet!” It was the bodyguard Mom left for me. Annoyed by the noise, he barked at me. Then I heard the sound of someone unlocking the door! My heart leaped with joy. But the hope that just ignited was completely extinguished the next moment! The bodyguard wrapped duct tape tightly around my mouth and restrained my hands. He impatiently closed the door again. “Just sleep when she tells you to sleep. Ms. Turner is your real mother—she’s not going to hurt you! You’re so damn noisy!” I whimpered, unable to make any sound. The dark, scorching space was filled with despair. The blood blisters on my body burst one after another, especially crisp in this deathly silent night. Just then, my phone rang. I fumbled with my bound hands, struggling with all my might to grab my phone and answer the call. It was Dad’s good friend, Lucas Smith. The moment I learned what happened to Dad, I called him for help. “Connor, I’ve already had your dad cremated. I’ll give you the ashes.” “Connor, where are you now? Hello? Connor, are you listening?” He got more and more anxious. I gasped heavily, struggling to speak. “I… Mom locked me… in the sauna room.” “I think… I… I can’t hold on much longer…” Lucas cried out, cursing Mom non-stop. He kept calling my name, telling me to stay conscious. I tried hard to nod, but my ears were ringing and I couldn’t hear anything anymore. In my fading consciousness, I seemed to see Dad coming to take me away.

A pair of hands suddenly pulled me out. I spun around and found that my body didn’t hurt at all, and there were no wounds. At that moment, I was actually in Lucas’s car. He was driving at breakneck speed, staring straight ahead, tears streaming down his face. I knew he was grieving for Dad. “Lucas…” I reached out to wipe his tears, but my hand passed straight through Lucas’s face. Staring at my transparent body, I finally realized. I was already dead. By the time I came to my senses, Lucas’s car had already stopped at the Turner family villa. He kicked the door open and shouted frantically. “Vanessa Turner! Come out!” “Where did you lock Connor? He’s barely hanging on—let him out now!” Thinking of my state during the phone call, Lucas’s voice trembled uncontrollably. He didn’t dare think any further. Mom casually came out of her room, her nightgown buttons fastened wrong. “Lucas? Did Connor send you? Didn’t I tell him he just needs to sleep and I’ll send him to the test at dawn?” “That place is just a bit quiet in the suburbs. He’s as dramatic as his father.” Lucas closed his eyes, forcing himself to stay calm. “The sauna room at 170-180 degrees isn’t a joke.” “You already got Xavier killed in prison. If you have any humanity left, don’t let both father and son die at your hands!” After Lucas finished speaking, the entire villa fell into dead silence. Mom stood frozen in place. After a long while, she laughed coldly. “I knew Connor couldn’t fool me alone, so he brought you in on it too?” “It’s just two or three years in prison. Does he need to be so dramatic? He’ll still be my husband when he gets out anyway.” As she spoke, she glanced at the urn Lucas was holding and scoffed. “Pretending to be dead with words didn’t fool me, so now you’re bringing out ashes?” Lucas stared at my mom, almost laughing from anger. Just as he was about to yell, Ethan Shaw suddenly came out of the room and screamed, cutting him off. “Ah!” “Vanessa!” He held his head, hiding behind Mom, pointing a shaking finger at Dad’s urn. “That box is full of something dirty. I saw it. It’s so scary. Did Xavier send someone to get revenge on me?” He looked so frightened and pitiful that Mom’s heart ached. She immediately pointed to the bodyguard. “Throw that filthy thing out!” I panicked instantly, floating in the air and instinctively wrapping my transparent body tightly around Dad’s ashes. But it was useless… Lucas looked incredulous, shouting his explanation. “These really are Xavier’s ashes!!” He also held Dad’s urn even tighter. The approaching bodyguards were desperately kicked to the ground by him. Ethan Shaw trembled all over behind Mom. Feeling sorry for him, she completely lost her patience. She strode forward, her face dark. “I really underestimated Xavier—getting you all to lie and make me feel sorry for him, and now you dare use this kind of filthy thing to scare Ethan!” “I won’t let him have his way!” With that, she waved to the bodyguard and had them restrain Lucas. She personally seized the urn. I floated in the air, spinning around anxiously. Again and again I reached out trying to grab the urn, but each time my hands passed uselessly through Mom’s body. She walked up to the faucet in just a few steps. Splash! In seconds, Dad’s ashes were flushed down the drain. I stared at the rushing water from the faucet, frozen in place. Gone, all gone! She didn’t even leave Dad his ashes! I had no heart anymore, so why did my chest still hurt so much?

Lucas’s eyes were bloodshot. Under the bodyguards’ restraint, he struggled, punching and kicking at the air. He’d almost gone mad. “Vanessa Turner! You’ll die a terrible death! Xavier suffered enough because of you—why won’t you leave him alone even after he’s dead?” Mom carefully wiped the water from her hands and said coldly. “Don’t try to scare me with talk of death. I didn’t believe it at first, and I believe it even less now.” “Go back and tell Xavier that no matter what, he must go take the fall for Ethan again.” “If he keeps making trouble, after Connor finishes his SAT, I’ll never let him see Connor again.” Lucas’s pupils constricted. Things happened so suddenly just now. He’d actually forgotten to go save Connor! He knew that given Vanessa’s crazed state, she’d never tell him where Connor was. He couldn’t protect Xavier’s ashes. Connor was the last thing Xavier left in this world! So Lucas practically crawled out, immediately driving to search the entire city for me. Finally, after increasing manpower, he located the sauna room where I was just as dawn was breaking. He collapsed on his knees in front of the iron door, picking up a rock and smashing it against the lock over and over. “Connor! Connor! Can you hear Lucas? Please answer me! I’m begging you!” I floated in the air, softly responding to Lucas, but he couldn’t hear me. He cried so hard his whole body shook. In desperation, he saw Mom driving up. Mom’s eyes still held sleepy haze. Seeing Lucas, she was first startled, then scoffed. “So you really found the place.” Lucas couldn’t care about anything else. He screamed at Mom. “Open it! Connor’s barely alive in there!” But his hands kept working on the lock. Mom clicked her tongue in annoyance, looked at her watch, then strode forward, grabbed Lucas by the collar, and threw him to the ground. “Quiet! It’s not time yet! Waking Connor up this early—are you deliberately trying to make him perform badly on his SAT?” “Let him sleep a while longer!” Lucas froze in place, absolutely incredulous. His hand shook as he pointed at the sauna room. “The heat is unbearable even from outside—you locked him in there to sleep?” “Open the door!” Mom laughed angrily. “This sauna room is mine. The heating system is broken. Don’t you think I’d know what temperature it is?” “I’m his real mother. How could I actually hurt him? Not like Xavier with his lies and shameless tactics.” Lucas didn’t have time to argue with her. He just closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and said word by word. “Open! The! Door!” Seeing Lucas’s man-eating glare, Mom licked her lips, smiled knowingly, and nodded. “Fine!” “If Connor does poorly on his SAT, it’s all your fault!” With that, she waved to the bodyguard behind her to signal him to open the door. The next moment, the prison called again. “Is this Xavier’s wife? We finally reached you. He died tragically in custody and we need a family member to come sign an acknowledgment form again.” At the same time, the sauna room door clicked open.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397291”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

To let the imposter son he had raised, Jasper, steal the only matching life-saving heart from me, My father, Raymond Blackwood, locked me in the basement with his own hands, covered my chest with electrode patches, and used electric current to forcibly suppress my heartbeat. I knelt on the ground begging him to spare me. But Raymond showed no mercy. He looked at my trembling body and said coldly, “Jasper has been frail since childhood. He just wants a healthy heart. Are you really going to fight him for even this?” “Ever since you came back, you’ve been targeting and making things difficult for Jasper. Today’s piercing, bone-deep pain is your lesson!” “The specialist said electrode patches combined with a dark environment can strengthen your heart. You can have the surgery after we find a second heart source!” I lay on the ground nearly unconscious, still clinging to a last thread of hope, waiting for Raymond to have a change of heart and come get me. But when news came that Jasper’s surgery was successful, Raymond was overjoyed. That very day, he packed his bags and took Jasper to Europe for a vacation, completely forgetting about me. It wasn’t until two months later, when Raymond saw my empty room, that he suddenly remembered me and impatiently ordered someone to rush me to the hospital. The maid hesitated. “Owen… he’s already dead in the basement.”

The electric current passing through my body, combined with the severe pain of angina, made me question whether I was still alive. Only Raymond’s cold eyes forced me to maintain a thread of consciousness. Before the basement door closed, I desperately grabbed onto Raymond’s pant leg. “Raymond! I really can’t hold on anymore. My heart hurts so much. If this continues, I’ll die…” “Please send me to the hospital, okay? I promise I won’t fight Jasper for the heart. I’ll just take medication to manage it…” I cried and begged Raymond, but he remained unmoved. Instead, he turned to patiently comfort Jasper, who stood to the side watching the scene. “Jasper, be good. Don’t be nervous during the surgery. I will be with you the whole time.” “After you recover, I will take you on a world tour and give you all the assets, okay?” Jasper looked at me provocatively and asked Raymond, “If you give me all the assets, what about Owen?” “Owen? Ha.” Raymond sneered. “He lived in poverty for so many years. He’s long used to life without money. From now on, my love will be enough for him.” As he turned to take Jasper to the operating room, he suddenly received a call from Walter Blackwood, my grandfather. “Owen should be having his surgery soon, right? You must take good care of him these days. Owen suffered so much before. This time, there absolutely cannot be any mistakes.” Raymond gave a perfunctory response and hung up. I closed my eyes and used the last bit of my strength to speak. “Raymond… I’m not lying to you. It hurts so much… If Walter finds out, he’ll definitely blame you…” After being found by the Blackwood family, Raymond had been cold to me to accommodate Jasper’s feelings. At Raymond’s instruction, everyone in the Blackwood family kept their distance from me. Only Walter was happy about my return. Even this heart source was found with Walter’s help, but he didn’t know Raymond had already forced me to give it to Jasper. After hanging up, Raymond looked at me again. By now, I was in so much pain that I’d lost almost all sensation, my face covered in blood and tears. Looking at me, Raymond seemed momentarily dazed, even doubting whether the specialist’s advice was trustworthy. Jasper suddenly crouched down. At an angle Raymond couldn’t see, he smirked, then pressed both hands hard onto my chest. The electrode patches on my chest dug in several inches deeper. The tearing sensation in my chest made me grunt in agony. But Jasper suddenly fell backward, landing on his bottom. Then he accused me in a hoarse voice. “Owen, I was just trying to comfort you. You know my heart isn’t good, yet you still pushed me. Do you need me to die before you’ll be happy?” Raymond immediately showed a heartbroken expression, pulling Jasper into his arms and comforting him softly. Jasper shook his head with reddened eyes. “I know my brother doesn’t like me, that he blames me for occupying the position of the Blackwood heir for so many years. But I genuinely care about him.” “Raymond, why don’t you just send me away? That way I won’t be an eyesore to my brother anymore.” Raymond snorted coldly. “If anyone’s leaving, it’s him.” After soothing Jasper, Raymond turned and roared at me. “How can you be so vicious?” “You always bully Jasper. He was just trying to care about you, yet you deliberately pushed him down.” “If anything happens to Jasper, I will never forgive you.”

If I didn’t look so horrifying right now, Raymond would probably punish me by locking me in my room or cutting off my allowance for weeks, like he used to.. Raymond clearly knew I’d been kidnapped and sold to the mountains, where I was tormented for ten years. After returning, I’d always been careful and cautious, never once blaming him for not watching over me back then. Yet now he called me vicious? In the end, Raymond left with Jasper, not even sparing a glance at me lying on the ground barely alive. The angina and the pain of electrode patches piercing my chest seemed to pale in comparison to the pain in my heart. I was Raymond’s biological son. Before being kidnapped, I too had been his little prince, held in the palm of his hand. Until I returned after ten years of being kidnapped, only to find a strange boy in the house who also called Raymond “Raymond.” The gentle father in my memory seemed to have changed overnight. He was still as attentive as before, wishing he could pluck the moon from the sky for his son — except the person in his heart wasn’t me, but Jasper. Blood had already blurred my vision when a sudden angina attack jolted me awake. I hadn’t gotten my heart transplant yet. How could I just die like this? I drifted in and out of consciousness in the basement, unable to tell day from night. After recovering a bit of strength, I forced myself to crawl to the iron door and kept banging on it. “Save me… is anyone there?” “It hurts so much… let me out…” The rough iron door cut my hands, but I could no longer feel the pain. Finally, after I no longer had the strength to lift my hand, I heard footsteps outside. I grasped at this lifeline and called for help again. “Save me…” But hearing my plea, the maid outside snorted coldly. “Stop shouting. If you disturb Mr. Blackwood and Jasper, you’ll really suffer!” “A poor kid thinking he can fight Jasper for a heart? So what if you’re the real son? In Mr. Blackwood’s heart, Jasper is the Blackwood heir. Don’t even think about replacing him.” Because of Raymond’s differential treatment, even the household maids could humiliate me at will. I was a year older than Jasper,” calling me Owen to my face and “poor boy” behind my back. I swallowed these humiliations and forced myself to speak. “My heart hurts terribly. I already feel like I’m suffocating. If this continues, I’ll die.” “Let me out now… If something happens to me, Walter won’t let you get away with it!” Though the maid was snobbish, she understood I still mattered to Walter. If I died in the basement, Walter would definitely seek justice for me. After thinking it over, the maid decided to call Raymond. “Sir, Owen says he’s having a heart attack and is about to die. Should we let him out?” Raymond sounded puzzled. “He was fine when we left. How could he be dying now?” After a pause, Raymond said hesitantly, “Why don’t you open the door and check the situation inside…” I thought I heard hope, but Jasper interrupted Raymond with certainty in his voice. “I specifically consulted foreign specialists about using electrode patches to strengthen the heart. There definitely won’t be any problems. Raymond, if you don’t trust me, do you not trust the specialists either?” Hearing Jasper’s slightly displeased tone, Raymond panicked and quickly reassured him that he believed him. The call continued. When speaking to me, Raymond’s voice returned to its usual coldness. “Owen, you’d better behave yourself!” “He’s just trying to trick you into letting him out so he can go to the hospital and steal Jasper’s heart source. I already said I’d find him another heart. Can’t he wait even that long?” “Besides, I’m already strengthening his heart using the method the specialist recommended. What more does he want? Don’t pay any attention to him. If he wants to make noise, let him.”

With that, Raymond hung up mercilessly. The maid also left, not forgetting to spit before she went. My world became quiet again. All I could hear was my own irregular heartbeat. Everything before my eyes was pitch black. I felt my consciousness growing hazier. Was I going to die like this? I didn’t dare close my eyes, afraid that once I did, they would never open again. But I didn’t want to die. Sustained by a single thread of willpower, I actually managed to hold on until the basement door made sounds again. “Is anyone there… is someone outside?” “Help… please save me…” The person outside seemed to hear my plea for help and yanked off the rusty lock hanging on the basement door. By the faint light, I recognized him as Mr. Carter, a manager from the Blackwood company. Mr. Carter was frightened by the smell of blood in the basement and staggered back several steps. “Mr. Carter… it’s me…” I forced myself to get up, but collapsed heavily just as I reached the door. Mr. Carter quickly caught me and asked what had happened. I no longer had the strength to speak. I could only clench my teeth to keep from passing out. Mr. Carter quickly pulled out his phone and called Raymond. “Mr. Blackwood, Owen seems to be injured. You should come back right away!” Raymond on the other end of the line immediately panicked. “What? Jasper just said he wanted something to eat and asked me to buy it for him. How could something happen to him the moment I left? Where is he now?” Hearing Raymond’s anxious voice, Mr. Carter explained. “I’m not talking about Jasper. I’m talking about Owen, your biological son you just found.” Raymond on the other end paused. After confirming that Mr. Carter had come to the house to deliver documents and heard my cries for help, he laughed contemptuously. “This kid’s getting bolder and bolder. Lies just roll off his tongue now.” “Mr. Carter, just leave the documents and go. Owen is perfectly safe in the basement. You don’t need to worry about him.” Though Raymond’s dismissive tone confused Mr. Carter, before leaving, he still called 911 for me. I was in so much pain I nearly died. Through the haze, I seemed to see people lifting me into an ambulance. But when I woke up again, I didn’t receive the rescue I’d imagined. Instead, the pain in my chest grew even worse. “Ah…” I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. Only then did I notice a nurse beside me. “Please save me… it hurts so much…” “If this continues, I’ll really die…” Though anxious, the nurse said hesitantly, “I’m really sorry, sir. Right now, all the cardiology doctors in our hospital have been assigned to perform a heart transplant surgery. They really can’t spare anyone. Can you wait a bit longer?” My heart instantly turned cold. I was in too much pain to speak. I could only tightly grip the nurse’s hand, eyes red, begging her for help. The nurse seemed to take pity on me. After hesitating, she comforted me. “How about this — I’ll go ask the patient’s family in the operating room if they’re willing to spare a doctor to treat you, okay?” I nodded desperately, hoping fate would favor me just once. The patient’s family member the nurse mentioned seemed to be right next door. I could clearly hear their conversation. “Mr. Blackwood, another heart disease patient was just brought to our hospital. He looks very serious. Could you spare a doctor to treat him?” “There’s another heart patient? This condition can’t be delayed. Send two doctors over.”

The nurse thanked him, and the man even asked a few questions about my condition. This Mr. Blackwood was truly kind-hearted. Willing to help even a complete stranger. But how could someone so kind bear to let his own biological son suffer? I recognized Mr. Blackwood’s voice — it was Raymond. That meant the person he was mobilizing the entire hospital’s medical staff to save must be Jasper. I clenched my jaw, not letting my tears fall. I should never have hoped for this fatherly love. Still, with Raymond’s authorization, I was quickly wheeled into a room adjacent to Jasper’s. I heard the doctor making final pre-surgery confirmations with Raymond. “Mr. Blackwood, this heart source was originally for Owen. Are you certain you want to transfer it to Jasper?” “Certain.” Raymond’s answer was decisive. I should have expected this outcome. Without a heart source, the doctor could only give me painkillers to temporarily stabilize my condition, but this would only accelerate my heart failure. I endured the pain and grabbed the doctor’s coat. “My body can’t take any more painkillers… Please save me. I can’t hold on…” Facing my plea, the doctor only said helplessly, “These are all Mr. Blackwood’s arrangements.” “Right now, all cardiac medications must be used for Mr. Blackwood’s son first. Just wait a bit longer, or if you offend Mr. Blackwood, you might not even get painkillers.” Though my heart turned to ice, I knew my priority was staying alive. I bit through my tongue. The sharp pain jolted me awake. “Raymond! Save me!” Hearing my heart-wrenching screams, the doctor only sighed. “No matter who you call now, it’s useless. Who told you not to have a father like Mr. Blackwood?” “Your timing coming to the hospital was really bad. Mr. Blackwood’s son just happens to be having surgery today. To avoid any accidents, Mr. Blackwood requisitioned all the doctors and medications.” “But don’t worry. Once Mr. Blackwood’s son’s surgery is done, you’ll be able to get medication.” … I didn’t catch the rest of what the doctor said, only that he was describing what great fatherly love Raymond had. Ironically, I, his biological son, couldn’t receive even a fraction of that love. Meanwhile, surgery had already begun on the other side of the ward. Afraid Jasper would be scared, Raymond kept encouraging him. When rejection occurred during the surgery, Raymond nearly cried. “Don’t be afraid, Jasper. I’m right outside with you.” “After your surgery, I will take you on a world tour and transfer all the company assets to your name.” And just on the other side of the wall, with the painkillers taking effect, I could only lie on the cold hospital bed. I couldn’t speak. I could only stare at the ceiling, feeling my life slowly slipping away. “Heart transplant complete. The surgery was a complete success!” The moment the doctor announced Jasper’s successful surgery, my life also reached its end. I felt my body becoming light, actually floating into Jasper’s operating room. I saw Raymond crying tears of joy, carefully holding Jasper. “Good son, the surgery was successful. I am so happy.” Everyone around praised the deep father-son bond between Raymond and Jasper, but no one knew. In a dark corner, Raymond’s biological son had taken his last breath. Afterward, I watched Raymond take Jasper to Europe. They ate together, took photos, celebrating Jasper’s new life. But I could only silently say in my heart. Raymond, we’ll never see each other again… It wasn’t until two months later, when Raymond came home and saw my empty room, that he remembered me and ordered someone to rush me to the hospital. The maid spoke hesitantly. “Owen… he’s already dead in the basement.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397292”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Before I died, I donated all of my organs. At the annual charity gala’s award ceremony, the host led ten children onto the stage. “Today we have a very special award recipient. She passed away in an accident, but before her death, she donated all of her organs and saved the lives of these children standing beside me.” In the front row below the stage, my brother Liam sneered, “Who knows what idiot would be so stupid—dead and still trying to make a name for themselves.” My mother wore a pitiful expression on her face. “Her parents didn’t even try to stop her. I heard that if your body isn’t intact, you can’t be reincarnated.” The host’s voice rang out again, “Now, let us invite the parents of our award recipient to the stage for a speech. Please welcome Mr. Christopher and Mrs. Martha!” The entire venue fell silent. Everyone froze in place, turning their incredulous gazes toward the front row. The host urged with a smile plastered across his face, “Mr. Christopher, Mrs. Martha, please come to the stage to accept the award. Your selfless love is truly deserving.” As soon as the words left his mouth, whispers rippled through the crowd. “It’s actually someone from the Leandro family? I didn’t know they were so charitable.” “Didn’t Mrs. Martha always believe in reincarnation? I can’t believe she’d be willing to donate her own child’s organs.” These words drilled into Martha’s ears one by one. The warmth on her face crumbled inch by inch, her complexion shifting between pale and green, and she nearly fainted. She clutched Christopher’s arm tightly, her voice trembling, “What… what do they mean?” “My children are all alive and well. Why would they curse my child!” Liam Leandro, the eldest son of the Leandro family, darkened his expression. His gaze swept toward the host like a knife, his voice icy, “What nonsense are you spouting? No one in the Leandro family has died!” Christopher exuded an overwhelming aura of intimidation, “Hmph. Think carefully before you speak.” The host was startled backward by this display. He hurriedly pulled out the documents in his hand, checking them three or four times over, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. After a long moment, he hesitantly spoke, “Mr. Christopher, Mrs. Martha, the documents say that the donor is indeed… your daughter.” “Shut up!” Martha screamed, her eyes already red, “Sophia is clearly on her graduation trip abroad. She even sent me photos a few days ago. How could she possibly…” Liam pressed his hand on his mother’s shoulder, speaking softly to comfort her, “Mom, don’t panic.” He turned toward the host, his eyes dark, “I’ll give you one last chance. Tell me the truth.” Martha interrupted with a tearful voice, “Liam, call Sophia quickly. What if something really happened to her?” Liam quickly dialed a video call. Ring, ring, ring. Once, twice, three times—no one answered. The hearts of the family members sank deeper and deeper. Martha’s face turned deathly pale as she stared at the phone screen, her lips trembling, unable to speak. Christopher couldn’t sit still either. He leaned forward slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing. At that moment, the phone suddenly rang with an incoming call. Liam answered almost instantly. “Sophia!” The screen lit up, revealing a delicate little face. Sophia rubbed her eyes, her hair messy, clearly just woken from sleep. She mumbled groggily, “Liam, why are you calling me in the middle of the night? Did you forget about the time difference?” Martha snatched the phone away, asking anxiously, “Sophia, are you okay?” “Mom?” Sophia paused for a moment, then laughed, “I’m having a great time here. What could possibly happen?” “I told you not to worry. I’m already an adult!” Tears immediately welled up in Martha’s eyes as she cried and laughed at the same time. Christopher let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair. Liam took back the phone and patiently gave a few more instructions before hanging up. He turned his head to look at the host, his eyes ice cold, “Did you see that? Sophia is perfectly fine.” “You cursed Sophia like this—you owe the Leandro family an explanation!” The atmosphere in the venue instantly became tense. Just as the host stood there at a loss, one of the older girls on stage timidly raised her hand, “It’s not that Charlotte.” Everyone looked at her. The girl bit her lip and said quietly, “My dad showed me a photo of the Charlotte who saved me.” “Her name was Charlotte.”

Everyone began whispering. “Charlotte? That name sounds familiar.” “Isn’t that the adopted daughter the Leandro family took in a year ago?” “I heard through the grapevine that Charlotte and Sophia were switched at birth—that Charlotte was actually the real daughter.” “Are you kidding? How could the Leandro family treat their biological daughter as an adopted daughter?” I floated quietly behind the Leandro family members, a bitter smile crossing my lips. They were right. I was indeed the real daughter. Back then, Sophia’s parents deliberately switched the babies so their daughter could enjoy wealth and privilege. Sophia became the precious daughter of the Leandro family, pampered and adored. And I spent eighteen years in a nightmare. My adoptive parents were gamblers. Every time they lost, they came home and took it out on me. Belt whippings, cigarette burns—they used whatever was handy. My back was covered in layers upon layers of scars, new wounds overlapping old ones. They never cared whether I lived or died. I survived by scavenging food from trash cans. As I gradually grew up, my adoptive father’s gaze toward me became more and more lecherous. Until one day, he cornered me in my room. I stabbed him with scissors, but I was accused of deliberately seducing him. The couple beat me half to death. I was barely breathing when neighbors who heard the commotion rescued me. With police intervention, my true identity was finally revealed, and I returned to the Leandro family. I thought my suffering had finally ended. But Sophia cried in front of me, saying that now that I had returned, she should leave. The Leandro family held her tenderly and comforted her for a long time, then looked at me with displeasure, saying Sophia was also a victim. She was so young back then. Her parents’ crimes couldn’t be blamed on her. To keep Sophia from falling into the hands of wolves, they decided to drop the lawsuit. Instead, they gave that couple a large sum of money to buy out custody rights and kept Sophia with them. When they made that decision, no one asked me how I had spent those years. I remembered the cold look in Christopher and Martha’s eyes, “Over the years, we’ve already treated Sophia as our biological daughter. Publicly revealing your identity would hurt her too much.” “So we’ve decided to temporarily claim that you’re our adopted daughter.” Now, hearing my name mentioned, The Leandro family members first showed blank expressions, then complex emotions churned across their faces. “How could it be her?” Liam’s eyes filled with deep hatred, “To save her own life, she could abandon even her own mother. Someone like her would never be willing to die.” I was already dead. Yet my hollow soul still felt a stab of pain in my chest. Martha was silent for a long time, her eyes gradually reddening before she finally spoke, “I don’t have that daughter. My only daughter is Sophia.” The venue erupted into chaos. Countless eyes turned toward the Leandro family. Liam sneered coldly and, facing everyone’s confusion, Told them about what happened that year. “That day was supposed to be Sophia’s birthday, but Charlotte insisted on making a fuss, forcing my mom to go out with her.” “My mom, trying to appease her, canceled all her plans to take her skiing. We didn’t expect to encounter an avalanche.” “My mom’s leg was crushed and she couldn’t move. And Charlotte—” He paused, his eyes poisonous, “She didn’t look back once. She just ran away by herself.” “If Sophia hadn’t arrived in time and brought the rescue team to find my mom, my mom might not be here today.” Liam’s voice grew colder and colder. “She constantly targeted and bullied Sophia at home. We turned a blind eye to that.” “But she harbored resentment. To save her own life, she ignored even her own mother. After the incident, she disappeared without a trace. Someone like her doesn’t deserve to be my sister.” At that moment, the host suddenly spoke, “So you haven’t seen Charlotte since then?”

The Leandro family members froze. Then Liam sneered, “Charlotte must have felt guilty, so she hid away somewhere and didn’t dare show her face.” He paused, then added with disgust, “People like her only know how to run away when they do something wrong.” Christopher and Martha said nothing, but clearly thought the same. However, the host disagreed and spoke up, “But have you considered that perhaps Miss Charlotte didn’t hide away, but actually died in that avalanche accident?” The venue suddenly went quiet. The host continued, “Perhaps Miss Charlotte didn’t escape alone.” “She might have known that Mrs. Martha had lost mobility, and staying there would have meant death for both of them.” “So she left alone to find rescue, but met with an accident along the way.” “Mr. Christopher, after the accident, did you send anyone to investigate…” “What nonsense are you talking about!” Liam slammed the table, furiously interrupting him. Martha’s face turned deathly pale, her chest heaving violently, Looking as if she couldn’t catch her breath and might faint at any moment. Christopher quickly supported her, his brows knitted into a tight knot, The look in his eyes toward the host full of displeasure and warning. I floated in the air, unable to help but smile bitterly. Even strangers had guessed how I died, but only my biological parents and Liam refused to believe it. They preferred to believe I was the ungrateful wretch who abandoned her mother to save herself. They had all even forgotten that the day wasn’t just Sophia’s birthday—it was mine too. I just wanted their company for once, just once. That’s why I gathered the courage to say I wanted to go skiing. After the avalanche, Martha was buried under the snow. I dug desperately, until all my fingers lost sensation, before I finally pulled her out. But by then, Martha had already lost consciousness. I couldn’t save her alone. I wrapped all my warm clothes around her body, While I wore only a thin sweater, And turned to walk into the wind and snow. I walked for an entire day, falling countless times, Finally finding the rescue team just before my strength gave out. I told them Martha’s location. The rescue team told me to wait by the road. But I waited by the roadside for less than ten minutes Before an out-of-control truck came barreling toward me. By the time I was taken to the hospital, it was too late. Just before dying, I asked the doctor to donate my organs So they could see the coming spring in my place. Everyone at the scene looked at the Leandro family members with doubt. After all, if the host’s guess was correct, The Leandro family had completely misunderstood Charlotte. Just as Christopher and Martha’s eyes became uncertain, Liam suddenly laughed coldly. He stood up, his tone condescending, “I don’t know what person behind you is trying to target our Leandro family.” “But listen carefully—I have evidence to prove that Charlotte is definitely not dead.” Christopher and Martha both looked up at him simultaneously, expressions full of surprise. Liam took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at his parents, His voice lowering, “Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. There’s something I’ve been hiding from you.” “After Charlotte disappeared, I actually received a letter from her.”

“In that letter, Charlotte said she didn’t regret running away.” “But knowing she had done such a thing, the Leandro family would never forgive her, so she didn’t plan to come back.” Liam’s voice gradually sank, “She said that since Mom didn’t die and she was still nominally the Leandro family’s daughter, I should give her a buyout fee of twenty million.” “Once she got the money, she’d agree to sever ties with us and never appear in front of Mom again.” Liam lowered his eyes, “The reason I kept this from you was because I didn’t want to make you sad.” After hearing this, Martha’s tears immediately began swirling in her eyes. Christopher also looked like he was suppressing anger, Clenching his fists, squeezing words through his teeth, “Ungrateful girl! We never should have brought her back to the Leandro family!” After hearing Liam’s words, People at the scene expressed sympathy for the Leandro family, Then turned to condemn me. “This Charlotte is truly heartless!” “The Leandro family took her in, and instead of being grateful, she became an ungrateful wretch.” “Twenty million—does she even deserve it!” Vile insults rained down on me like a storm. Just then, the girl on stage who had spoken first spoke up again. “Don’t you dare slander Charlotte!” Her eyes were red, her voice trembling but firm. She pointed at her own eyes, saying each word clearly, “My dad told me that my corneas were donated by Charlotte.” “I can see this world because of her.” The other children also stood up one after another, talking over each other. “Charlotte donated a kidney to me.” “I got a liver…” “Charlotte’s heart is beating in my chest.” One boy placed his hand on his chest, His voice young and earnest, “The doctor said this heart used to live in a very, very kind Charlotte’s body.” “It’s absolutely not what you’re saying!” Seeing so many children who, because of me, had regained the chance to see the world, Had healthy bodies, had hope to live on. I floated in the air, already just a wisp of a ghost, Yet it felt as though a warm beam of light had pierced through my hollow body. Because of the children’s intervention, People once again became uncertain. The situation suddenly became confusing. Martha clutched Christopher’s sleeve, her lips trembling slightly. Liam also felt inexplicably panicked. It was as if something terrible was gradually happening, His chest felt stuffy and constricted, as if something was pressing down on it. He bit his lip, deliberately trying to shake off the thought. Suddenly, inspiration struck. A confident smile returned to Liam’s face, His tone filled with certainty, “Fine. If you insist Charlotte is dead, then where is her body?” He looked around, his voice resolute, “She only donated her organs. Her body should still be somewhere, right?” Hearing this, confusion appeared in the children’s eyes on stage. They clearly didn’t know the answer to this question. The children looked at each other and shook their heads. Liam felt even more confident and sneered coldly, “There probably isn’t any body at all. You’re all working together to lie!” The venue fell silent, the atmosphere tense to the extreme. Just then, the host suddenly received a file on his phone. He looked down and opened it, his eyes widening involuntarily, pupils constricting sharply. He suddenly raised his phone, his voice trembling slightly, “Wait, I know where Charlotte’s body is!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “397284”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster