Category: English

Because of the pandemic, our apartment building suddenly went into lockdown. I glanced at the small fortune I’d spent stockpiling food. I wasn’t worried. What I didn’t expect was that my soon-to-be ex-husband, Ethan, who’d come back to pack his things, and his soon-to-be fiancée, would also get locked down… in my apartment. Oh god, what kind of fresh hell was this? 1 “Urgent notice: Due to the ongoing health crisis, the building is temporarily locked down. All residents must cooperate…” Locked down. Again. I was used to it by now. Looking down at the two huge grocery bags in my hands – easily four figures worth of panic-buying – I wasn’t panicking. When I got to my apartment door, I was fumbling in my purse for my keys when I realized the door was already slightly ajar. Ethan’s voice drifted out, “I told you, I can pack up my stuff myself.” I pushed the door open and came face-to-face with Ethan and a stunning woman standing beside him. The beautiful woman looked a little flustered. She glanced at Ethan, then lowered her gaze, a charming hint of softness in her eyes. Okay, I got it. This must be Ethan’s long-lost ex-girlfriend, the one he was crazy about, who just got back from overseas. “Hi, I’m Lily – Ethan’s soon-to-be ex-wife,” I chirped, maybe a little too brightly. “Oh… hi, Lily. I’m Sarah…” Ethan’s ex was clearly taken aback by my enthusiasm. After a surprised pause, she offered a gentle smile back. We even made a move like we were going to shake hands, friendly as could be. Except my hands were full. Ethan frowned at me, then walked over and took the heavy bags. “What’d you buy all this for? Celebrating our divorce?” His tone was clipped, annoyed. Remembering why I’d bought it all, I blurted out, “The building’s on lockdown!” “Lockdown?” Ethan’s frown deepened. He glanced over at the suitcase standing near the door, a serious look clouding his dark eyes. Sarah looked worried now too. She turned to Ethan, her voice soft, “Ethan, what do we do? We still have…” “We’ll have to stay put for now. Wait until the lockdown lifts,” he cut her off. It finally hit me. With the sudden lockdown, Ethan and his old flame were going to be stuck here… with me. Great. Making the beautiful Sarah stay in what was technically still Ethan’s and my “marital home.” I almost felt bad for her. 02 Ethan and I didn’t get married for love. It was purely a marriage of convenience. Back then, my family was relentlessly pressuring me to get married, and he happened to need a wife for appearances. We “met” on some upscale matchmaking site and got married practically overnight. About a month ago, I found out his ex, Sarah, was back in the picture. So, I did the decent thing and offered him an out – asked for a divorce. We were just waiting for him to get back from a business trip to file the papers. Never thought we’d get hit with a lockdown before we could make it official. Since this apartment was Ethan’s before we got married, and he was being pretty decent about it – agreeing to sign it over to me in the divorce settlement – I did the polite thing. I cleared out the master bedroom, which I’d kept spotless, and generously offered it to him and his future wife. I moved my stuff into the smaller spare room next door. And just like that, the three of us began our extended quarantine life together. After a few days, I could see why Ethan was hung up on Sarah for so long. Sarah was efficient with housework and an amazing cook – a total domestic goddess. “Sarah, you’re incredible! Ethan would be the luckiest guy in the world if he married you!” I laid it on thick, smiling sincerely. Hey, when someone’s cooking gourmet meals for you, you gotta lay down some compliments, right? Sarah blushed, clearly flattered. Her eyes, full of affection, drifted towards Ethan. But he just kept eating slowly, methodically, barely acknowledging her. What was Ethan’s deal?! Not exactly Mr. Warmth. Or… was I, the soon-to-be ex-wife, making things awkward? Thinking maybe I should stop being the third wheel, I decided to head downstairs for the mandatory COVID testing. As I got up, Sarah headed towards the kitchen, probably feeling hurt by Ethan’s coolness. I nudged Ethan’s arm discreetly. “Sarah’s amazing,” I whispered. “You gotta treat her better, you know? Don’t be so cold, like you always were with me!” Ethan paused mid-bite, shooting me an icy glance. “Doesn’t all that food you inhale ever shut you up?” “…” Ouch. Sharp tongue. I was used to it, though. I rolled my eyes at him. As Sarah came back from the kitchen, I said, “Sarah, your future husband here has been looking gloomy these past few days. Am I cramping your style? Interrupting your quality time?” Sarah blushed crimson. Ethan’s face darkened. See? Called it! “Lily.” Ethan’s voice was suddenly low and sharp, calling my name… 03 I jumped, startled. He hadn’t used that tone with me since we got married. What was his problem? I quickly grabbed my mask and face shield by the door. “Just going down for my COVID test!” And with that, I bolted. Seriously, if they wanted alone time, they didn’t have to treat me like the enemy! As I pulled out my phone to find my ID, a notification popped up – a message from Ethan. I tapped it, but it vanished. “Message retracted.” Ugh, I hated when people did that! Given our super awkward situation, and with his old flame right there, I couldn’t exactly text back asking what he’d said. So, I took my curiosity down to the testing line. The person administering the tests – clad head-to-toe in PPE, but I recognized her voice as my neighbor, Deb – expertly swabbed my throat, twisting it just long enough to make me gag. Seeing no one else waiting, she leaned in conspiratorially. “Someone’s been eating well during lockdown, huh? Looking a little… healthier.” I chuckled nervously, about to mention the unexpected “domestic goddess” in our apartment, aka Ethan’s girlfriend. But Deb beat me to it. “Speaking of, where’s your husband and his… cousin? Haven’t seen them down here.” Cousin? It clicked. Deb must have thought Sarah was Ethan’s cousin. When Ethan and I first got married – partly because my parents were breathing down my neck, partly because I saw flashes of kindness beneath his reserved exterior – we somehow managed to make our convenient arrangement look real to outsiders. So, I figured Ethan must have told people Sarah was his cousin to avoid gossip, to protect her reputation. Smart. I just laughed vaguely and mumbled something noncommittal to Deb before heading back upstairs. Since we were still under lockdown, the building staff told everyone to head straight back to their apartments after testing. Walking back, I couldn’t help but hope I’d walk in on some classic rom-com scene – maybe a steamy make-out session against the wall, or some intense flirting. Anything to justify how hard I was trying not to get in their way…

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On our third anniversary, Ethan forced me to give blood for his old flame’s dog. The long needle pierced my skin, the suffocating feeling of my blood being drawn making me scream in despair. My life hung by a thread. Meanwhile, Ethan and Olivia were busy planning the dog’s funeral arrangements. He didn’t forget to warn me: “You stay in that room and reflect on what you did, otherwise, forget about marrying me!” After I got out of the hospital, I didn’t hesitate. I called my Aunt Carol and agreed to the match she’d arranged overseas. But Ethan, why are you now frantically searching the world for me, spending nights outside my building, repenting? 1 When I was finally let out of the room I’d been locked in, Ethan was helping Olivia move her things in. Silently, I moved my suitcase into the guest room, leaving the master bedroom for her. Only then did Ethan nod, satisfied. “Locked up for a few days, you finally learned your lesson.” My breath caught, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. Three days ago was our third anniversary. I had excitedly planned a proposal, only to have Olivia show up unexpectedly and ruin everything. The moment Olivia saw me, she smiled. “Wow, you really do look like me. No wonder Ethan’s with you.” It hit me like lightning – the crushing realization that I was just her replacement. I was so stunned I didn’t even notice when Olivia approached Ethan’s golden retriever, Goldie. She gently stroked Goldie’s fur. “Goldie, Mommy’s home.” But the next second, she plunged a sharp pair of scissors deep into Goldie’s body. The dog died right there in a pool of blood. A few tears from Olivia, and Ethan instantly, furiously decided I was the murderer. That same night, he dragged me to the hospital, practically wanting to drain me dry. “Goldie bled to death. You should feel what Goldie felt!” Ethan’s cold, final words echoed in my ears. The feeling of my blood leaving my body, the suffocation, made me shriek in desperation. I explained, begged, apologized over and over… But it wasn’t enough for him. He locked me, weak from blood loss, in that room, alone with Goldie’s lifeless body, forcing me to repent until I broke down. Whenever exhaustion threatened to pull me under, Ethan would play recordings of Goldie barking, constantly grating on my nerves. For three whole days, every time I closed my eyes, I plunged into agonizing nightmares. Fear and despair washed over me like a flood. While Ethan and Olivia were planning Goldie’s funeral, I dragged my weak body to the hospital. I was so close to death, even the doctors weren’t sure they could save me. After being discharged, I immediately called my Aunt Carol. “Aunt Carol, I’ll do it. I’ll go abroad for the marriage arrangement.” 2 I had two weeks before Aunt Carol would come pick me up to go overseas. I had no choice but to return to that house. As soon as I walked in, Ethan forced me to kneel before Goldie’s urn and repent. Olivia stood nearby, eyes red from crying, mourning Goldie’s tragic end. Then she turned, helped me up, and spoke softly, “Sarah, I was so lost in grief over Goldie the past few days, I couldn’t check on you. You don’t mind, right?” “And Ethan… honestly, locking you in that room with Goldie’s body… that must have been so hard for you.” Ethan sneered, “She brought it on herself!” The whole situation felt utterly absurd, and a wave of fear washed over me. The man I had loved for three years wanted me dead… over a dog! After the memorial, Ethan tossed a necklace at me. “Your third-anniversary gift. Making up for it now.” I looked at the necklace – clearly an accessory matching one of Olivia’s expensive designer bags. I sighed inwardly and didn’t reach for it. Ethan’s face instantly darkened. “Don’t like it? Sarah, don’t be so greedy.” I forced a bitter smile and took the necklace. “I like it. Thank you,” I said calmly. Only then did Ethan look satisfied. He left, taking Olivia out for French food, her favorite. I leaned against the doorframe and slowly sank to the floor, bitter tears escaping the corners of my eyes. Ethan wasn’t always like this. For three years, he had cherished me. If I randomly craved those specific tacos from downtown at 3 AM, Ethan would drive across town without hesitation to get them for me. He never forgot my birthday or any of our anniversaries, always planning surprises weeks in advance. Every payday, he’d transfer his check straight to my account, saying he wanted me to feel completely secure. … Until six months ago. Ethan started coming home late, sometimes not at all. Whenever I called, it went straight to voicemail or was busy. Once, I couldn’t stand it anymore and brought lunch to his office. He casually handed the meal I’d spent hours preparing to his assistant – Olivia. Then he urged her to eat. “You have a sensitive stomach, you need to eat on time.” In that moment, a sense of unease and defensiveness gripped me, especially when Olivia smiled and called me “Sarah, dear.” Her eyes held a clear hint of provocation. I asked around and found out the truth: Olivia was the old flame Ethan could never get over. As soon as she returned to the country, she became his assistant. Feeling insecure and desperate, I planned the proposal on our third anniversary, hoping marriage would tie him down. But Olivia’s words – “You look like her” – shattered everything. Three years as Ethan’s substitute. It was time to face reality. 3 Ethan and Olivia came back very late. The sounds drifting from the living room woke me up. “Ethan, this is so thrilling… Aren’t you afraid your fiancée will find out?” Her breathy moans were unbearable. I clutched the blanket tightly, my lips pressed into a thin line. Then I heard Ethan’s careless reply: “Afraid of what? This is my house, not hers.” “Oh, stop~ Aren’t you worried she’ll break up with you?” Olivia tested. Ethan scoffed, absolutely certain. “She won’t. She loves me way too much. Why would she ever leave me?” “Besides,” he added, his voice laced with contempt, “she has no job, no savings… and let’s be honest, who else would want her now? She’s not exactly untouched. Marrying me is her only option.” “Shh, baby, let’s not talk about unpleasant things. Just enjoy the moment.” … Tears fell like broken pearls until they dried up. The noises from the living room finally stopped. When I woke up the next morning, Ethan and Olivia were gone. I started packing my things and realized how little I actually owned. Everything fit into one suitcase. For Ethan, I had given up the chance to emigrate with my aunt, moving alone to this unfamiliar city. Three years had passed. My aunt, focused on her career, was thriving. Me, focused on finding true love, had failed miserably. I gathered all the gifts Ethan had ever given me. Anything useful, I donated. Anything useless, I threw into the dumpster downstairs. It took several trips up and down before everything was gone. Downstairs, I ran into Ethan again. My first instinct was to run, terrified he’d realize I’d thrown out all his gifts. But he casually took my hand. “What are you doing?” I suppressed my panic. “Just taking out the trash,” I said coolly. Ethan gave a distracted “Mm-hmm,” his eyes glued to his phone. Looked like he and Olivia were arguing again. After a moment, he asked, “What did you say?” “Nothing,” I replied quietly. He still hadn’t heard me. Needing both hands to type, he let go of mine and walked towards the elevator by himself. But then his phone rang. His expression changed drastically when he saw it was Olivia. He hesitated for a few seconds before answering. Olivia’s crying voice came through the receiver: “Ethan, you have to come save me! These business partners are trying to get me drunk…” Before she could even finish, Ethan bolted out the door. 4 After Ethan left, I hailed a cab and went to the bank. I transferred the entire inheritance my parents left me into Ethan’s salary account. It wasn’t a huge amount, but it was enough to cover everything he’d spent on me over the past three years. If I was leaving, I was leaving completely, owing nothing. As for what Ethan owed me… I decided to let it go. After leaving the bank, I got a text from Ethan. He told me to meet him at a hotel restaurant. I hesitated for a few seconds, then changed my route and told the driver to take me there. As I approached the private dining room, I heard people singing “Happy Birthday.” The first thing I saw was Ethan and Olivia locked in a passionate kiss. Olivia was wearing an expensive haute couture dress, a diamond sparkling on her hand. I recognized it. It was the gift Ethan had placed in the crystal cabinet in his study a month ago. At the time, I’d foolishly thought it was a birthday present for me and had been happy for days. Now, it was clear it was always meant for Olivia. Another round of false hope, but this time, it didn’t hurt as much as before. Those three days locked in that room had extinguished any love I had left for Ethan. People in the room looked confused when they saw me enter. A few well-meaning guests even asked if I had the wrong room. A sharp pain twisted in my chest. I looked at Ethan, my gaze complicated. So, after three years together, he had never even mentioned my existence to his friends. To the world, he maintained the image of being single. Ethan frowned, accusatory. “What are you doing here?” I lowered my eyes, speechless. I should have known. In three years, Ethan never initiated plans with me. It was always me taking the first step. Olivia smoothly intervened, “Ethan, I invited Sarah to celebrate my birthday with us. You don’t mind, do you?” Ethan’s expression softened slightly. His cold eyes scanned me before he finally let me sit down. I chose a seat in the furthest corner, watching everyone congratulate Ethan and Olivia, reminiscing about their high school romance. “I remember back in high school, Ethan swore he wouldn’t marry anyone but Olivia. I was so bummed when you two broke up. But look, after all this time, you found your way back to each other! Meant to be! Cheers!” “Yeah, Olivia, you better treasure Ethan! When you went abroad, he was miserable for ages. He dated a few girls afterwards, but they all kinda looked like you!” … My fingertips trembled uncontrollably. Hot tears fell onto my hand. No wonder I chased Ethan for two years and he never agreed. The moment Olivia left, he got together with me. So, it was all just to get back at Olivia. My nails dug deep into my palms, drawing blood. A voice message notification popped up from my aunt. I meant to tap ‘voice-to-text’ but accidentally hit the speaker mode. “Sweetie, it’s your birthday today! Did you have cake? Auntie ordered one for you, celebrate with your friends!” The message played out loud. The room fell silent for a moment, the atmosphere turning awkward. Ethan looked surprised, but mostly angry. “Sarah, what is your problem? You know damn well today is Olivia’s birthday, and you pull this stunt? Who are you trying to disgust?” Ethan lashed out without thinking. Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. My own boyfriend, celebrating his old flame’s birthday on my birthday, and wouldn’t even let someone wish me well. What a prize. “What are you laughing at?” Ethan demanded, annoyed. I looked him straight in the eye, calm, and said, syllable by syllable, “Coward.” Anyone could see the tension between Ethan and me. Combined with the fact that I resembled Olivia, it wasn’t hard to guess I was another one of her stand-ins. Only Ethan refused to acknowledge it. “Sarah, oh, it’s your birthday too? Why didn’t you say so earlier…” Olivia tried her usual tactic, feigning retreat to gain ground. I tilted my head, staring into her eyes. “My birthday. What’s it got to do with you?” Crash! The glass in Ethan’s hand shattered at my feet, sending shards flying, embedding themselves deep into my calf. Blood started flowing freely. “Apologize to Olivia!” Ethan roared. The same rage as the day he locked me in that room. But this time, I wasn’t afraid. I couldn’t wait to get out of this place, out of this city. My feet moved faster than my brain. I bolted for the door. But Olivia suddenly ran to stop me. A piercing scream cut through the room as she crumpled to the floor, her face contorted in pain. My eyelid twitched violently. A wave of unease washed over me. SLAP— Ethan struck me hard across the face. I fell to the ground, watching helplessly as the heel of his leather shoe ground viciously into the back of my hand. Cold sweat broke out all over me from the pain. Ethan didn’t stop until my hand was a bloody mess. “If anything happens to Olivia, I swear I won’t let you off the hook!”

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Three years we dated, three years married. Then, my husband Ethan ditched me on the side of the road to rush off to his depressed old flame, Sophia. Before I could even process it, a speeding car hit me, sending me flying. Skull fractured, clinging to life, he refused to operate on me himself. “She’s not going to make it. Don’t worry about protocols, I’m her husband, I can sign the DNR.” When I miraculously survived the emergency surgery performed by someone else, he stood there, arm draped impatiently around a pregnant Sophia, sneering at me. “Funny, you couldn’t get pregnant in three years with me. Maybe a hen that can’t lay eggs should see a doctor.” But I just leaned back into the arms of a real man, the one who actually saved me, and slapped proof of his infertility right across Ethan’s arrogant face. My mom was undergoing emergency heart surgery. It was critical. I kept urging my husband, Ethan, to drive faster. “Please, Ethan, hurry!” We were still thirty minutes from the hospital when Ethan slammed on the brakes, pulling over sharply. My heart hammered against my ribs. “Nina,” he said, his voice tight with urgency, “Sophia’s threatening to cut her wrists again. Her depression… I have to go, right now.” Before I could even form a word, he grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the car. “Are you seriously going to make a scene now?” he snapped. “This is life or death! Stop being so damn jealous!” He didn’t stop there. “Besides, your mom is always in and out of the hospital. She’ll be fine this time, she’s not going to die!” I stumbled, falling hard onto the asphalt. My ankle twisted, landing squarely on a sharp piece of gravel. Blood instantly soaked through my jeans. Tears sprang to my eyes from the searing pain. I turned to look for Ethan. But he was already gone. The car peeled away, leaving me behind without a second glance. Helpless, I pushed myself up from the cold, hard ground, sticky blood painting my pant leg red. The wind cut through me, making me shiver violently, my teeth chattering. The chill seeped deep into my bones. As I tried to steady myself, I saw headlights bearing down on me. On this deserted stretch of road? How could there be a car driving so recklessly fast? My heart pounded like a drum. There was no time to react. I was hit. Hard. 2: He Wouldn’t Save Me The sharp, stinging smell of antiseptic filled my nose. When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. Some kind stranger must have found me and called an ambulance. Relief washed over me when I realized Ethan worked here. He was the star surgeon, the best. Surely, I was safe now. “Dr. Hayes,” a nurse said urgently, “this patient has severe head trauma. We need to operate immediately to prevent fatal intracranial bleeding.” Ethan waved a dismissive hand, his face a mask of annoyance. He did a cursory check with his instruments, then delivered his verdict. “She’s not going to make it. The damage is too extensive. There’s nothing we can do.” Perhaps sensing the shock in the room, he added coldly, “I’m her legal husband. I can sign the waiver to cease treatment. It won’t reflect badly on the hospital’s reputation.” A pained groan escaped my lips. I reached out, trying to plead with him, appealing to the years we’d spent together. Don’t give up on me. Save me. As his wife, I knew his skills. If anyone could save me, it was him. But Ethan’s face darkened. “Are you deaf?” he hissed. “Sophia is in critical condition, don’t you understand? You probably staged this whole thing just to get me back here! If something happens to Sophia because I wasted time on you, can you live with that responsibility?” “You’re always pulling stunts like this,” he spat. “Serves you right if you die!” “Then… then could you just… check on my mom?” I forced the words out, my voice raspy and weak. At this point, I didn’t even care that he’d abandoned me on the road. I wasn’t begging him to save my life anymore. Just check on my mom at the hospital next door. It would only take half an hour, back and forth. Not long at all. “I told you, your mom’s fine! It’s the same old thing. If she dies, great, you two can have a little reunion in hell!” He turned impatiently to the other staff. “Who has the DNR forms? Give me one, I need to sign this now and get out of here. I have someone else to save!” Because he was the hospital’s top surgeon, his word carried weight. When he declared me a lost cause, no one else dared to argue. 3: He Said He’d Make Me Live After Ethan stormed out, I heard hushed, angry voices nearby. “Dr. Hayes crossed a line this time. He could clearly save her, but he dragged his feet, and now he’s just leaving? So unethical.” “Shh, that’s his wife! Be careful, you don’t want him making your life miserable.” A few junior doctors whispered amongst themselves, occasionally glancing my way. I didn’t know if they pitied me for dying or mocked me because my own husband wouldn’t save me. I was left on an old gurney, practically abandoned. No one dared approach me. People were constantly being wheeled into the operating rooms for emergency procedures. And I was just left there. Waiting to die. “Help… help me…” I rasped. “Nina! What happened to you?!” A familiar male voice roared my name, frantic. I couldn’t place who it was, but I knew, finally, someone was here to help. “Why isn’t anyone helping Nina?” the voice demanded. “She’s… she’s Dr. Hayes’ wife,” a young nurse stammered evasively. “He said she couldn’t be saved… so, it’s probably true. Besides, he signed the waiver himself, so the hospital isn’t liable…” “She’s still conscious! How can you say she can’t be saved? What kind of doctor is Ethan Hayes?!” I felt myself being moved, pushed from darkness towards a bright light. “Ethan!” The male voice called out sharply, stopping Ethan in his tracks. Ethan turned back, defensive. “Look, Daniel, I know you’re good, maybe even better than me, but I’m a top surgeon too. You think I can’t tell when someone’s beyond saving?” Smack! I heard the distinct sound of someone being hit, but my vision was too blurry to see who. The man who had come to my rescue—Daniel—spoke again, his voice laced with fury. “Ethan! Are you even human? Your own wife is dying, and you won’t save her? You’re just going to walk away? What was all that ‘devoted husband’ act about?” Ethan, enraged now, pried open my eyelid, checked my pupil, then lifted his chin defiantly. “Her pupils are blown! Not even a miracle worker could save her now. I said she’s a lost cause, you got a problem with that?” With that, he stormed off again. After he left, I somehow found a surge of strength. My voice was hoarse, broken. “Save me! Please, save me… I don’t want to die!” The words were fragmented, but clear enough. Through the haze, I saw someone push past the other doctors and rush towards me. His voice was firm, resolute. “I’ll save her! I’ll save Nina. As long as Nina wants to live, I’ll make sure she lives, and lives well!” 4: Surgery Successful Who was he? The thought drifted through my fading consciousness. Twenty minutes later, wearing familiar surgical goggles, fully scrubbed and sanitized, he stood at the head of the operating table. “Anesthesiologist, full intubation, general anesthesia. Get the 3D CT model ready!” he commanded crisply. Everyone scrambled to prepare. He glanced down at me, his voice still cool. “What were you thinking, choosing a scumbag like that instead of me?” I struggled to open my eyes, trying to focus on my surgeon. When I finally saw his face clearly, the pain I felt intensified, and I genuinely wanted to cry. Daniel. It was Daniel. As soon as he took charge, a sense of calm settled over the operating room. After rapidly completing the critical procedures, the team began the slow process of closing the incision. Everyone held their breath, waiting for my blood pressure to stabilize. 3! 2! 1! The countdown ended. A few nurses let out excited whoops. Closure successful. Heartbeat steady. Oxygen levels normal. The surgery was a success! I was moved to a recovery room for observation. By evening, I was awake. Daniel Chen stood by my bedside. “We’ll monitor you for rejection for a week. If there are no complications, you can move to a regular room.” I stared at him intently. “Daniel, thank you. But… I need to ask you another favor. Before the accident, my mom was having heart surgery… at the hospital next door. Could you please go check on how she is?” Daniel looked at me deeply for a moment, then turned and left without a word. A pang of bitterness hit me. Daniel Chen… the most sought-after, wealthy guy in college. He’d pursued me relentlessly, showering me with flowers and cakes at my dorm, making me laugh when I was down. But back then, my heart belonged to Ethan, the poor scholarship student. I turned Daniel down again and again, marrying Ethan right after graduation. Daniel had finally let go then, wishing me happiness. And now, here I was, a complete wreck, saved by the man I rejected, exposed in my most vulnerable state. The irony was enough to make me want to weep. 5: Using My Things to Appease His Mistress Beep beep beep. The moment my phone turned on, it exploded with messages from Ethan. I steeled myself. What could my husband possibly have to say after leaving me for dead? Nina, are you dead yet? If not, just stay at the hospital for a while. Sophia needs to stay at our place for a few days. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’d just been dragged back from death’s door, and now my husband wanted to move his old flame into our home? More texts flooded in. Nina, don’t be unreasonable. Sophia’s situation is really critical this time. Show some compassion. Besides, Sophia and I have known each other for years. If something was going to happen between us, don’t you think it would have already? Anyway, I’ve made up my mind. Just stay put at the hospital. Nina, where are those silk pajamas you bought? The ones you haven’t worn? I gave them to Sophia. Her skin is too delicate, not like your tough hide. … Before I could even finish reading, I noticed Ethan had changed his profile picture. It used to be his professional headshot. I’d begged him countless times to use a couple’s photo with me, but he always patiently explained that as the hospital’s top surgeon, an unprofessional picture wouldn’t look good. I’d understood his position. But now? His profile picture was two cute, pink teddy bears holding hands – exactly the kind of cutesy thing a girl would love. Then came another barrage of explanatory texts. Don’t freak out. I had no choice. Sophia insisted we change it. She calmed down a lot after I changed the picture, finally stopped talking about suicide. I’m a doctor, Nina. My job is to save lives. I couldn’t just stand by and watch someone die. If you weren’t such a cruel person, you’d understand, right Nina? The messages painted a sickening picture: while I was fighting for my life, my husband was busy placating his old flame, Sophia. Now he was telling me he couldn’t be there for me and was even using my belongings to appease his mistress?

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Three years into our marriage, my husband Ethan’s college sweetheart, Claire, came back to the States. And she brought a child with her—a child who, everyone whispered, was Ethan’s. Suddenly, I, his wife, was the pathetic one. The doormat who supposedly clawed her way into being Mrs. Cole. Everyone said Ethan only married me because Claire left the country, and he made a rash decision out of spite. It finally hit me. I was never the main character in this story. But this time, I refused to be just a supporting character in theirs. “Ms. Hayes, congratulations, you’re pregnant.” I held the test results, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. But all I felt was bitterness. This baby couldn’t have come at a worse time. Two days ago, I got an anonymous text: “Claire Vance is back. The kid she brought with her is Ethan Cole’s.” That day was my birthday. It was also our third wedding anniversary. Ethan took a call that morning and then vanished for two days straight. My calls went unanswered. Claire was back, so naturally, I was forgotten. Snapping back to the present, I clutched the test results and headed to Ethan’s company. Three years of marriage, and now a baby on the way. Whatever the truth was, I needed to hear it from Ethan, face-to-face. Walking into the lobby, the receptionists gave me a fleeting look of panic. I nodded curtly and stepped into the elevator. Just before the doors closed, I heard their hushed whispers: “Is Mrs. Cole here for a showdown?” “Who do you think Mr. Cole will side with? I heard the woman upstairs is his college sweetheart.” Ethan’s assistant, Mr. Davis, saw me and, unusually, tried to block my path. “Mrs. Cole, you’re here. Let me inform Mr. Cole.” Seeing his uncomfortable expression, I took a deep breath and pushed past him. “No need. I’ll go find him myself.” I pushed open the heavy door to the CEO’s office. The cozy scene inside stabbed at my eyes. Ethan and Claire were huddled close, discussing something intently. On the nearby sofa, a little boy was playing with building blocks. They looked like a perfect, happy family of three. Hearing the door, Ethan looked up. Seeing me, he frowned. “What are you doing here?” I stepped inside. “What? Am I interrupting something?” His face darkened, and he was about to speak when Claire placed a calming hand on his arm. “Ava,” she said, “long time no see.” I watched their easy intimacy, a bitter smile twisting my lips. Four years had passed, but seeing them together felt just like college. Like they belonged to a world I was forever excluded from. My eyes drifted to the boy on the sofa. I asked the question that had kept me up for two nights. “Long time no see, Claire.” “Is this your son? Where’s his father? Didn’t he come back with you?” Claire’s eyes flickered, her face clouding over. The boy seemed to sense the tension and suddenly scrunched up his face and started crying. Ethan shot up from his seat, his face tight with anger. “That’s enough! If there’s nothing important, you should go home.” I looked at his displeased face, a familiar ache tightening my chest. Seeing my silence, Ethan softened his tone slightly. “Why are you asking about this? I’m extremely busy right now. Be good, go home first.” My hand tightened around the crumpled test results. “What about Claire? Why is she here?” He hesitated, a hint of guilt in his eyes. “Claire is my Special Assistant now.” I laughed, the sound sharp with irony. “Ethan Cole, you really have no shame, do you?” His face hardened completely. “Ava Hayes, don’t be unreasonable! Davis, escort Mrs. Cole out. And don’t let her in again for the time being.” With that, he turned back to Claire, gently coaxing the crying child with her. Mr. Davis looked miserable. “Mrs. Cole, please.” I fought back tears. “I can walk myself out. I don’t need an escort.” As I walked out of the office, looking defeated, I heard the low buzz of employee gossip: “Did Mrs. Cole just get kicked out?” “I heard if Ms. Vance hadn’t gone abroad, Mr. Cole never would have married this one.” “Is that kid really Mr. Cole’s? He does look a bit like him.” I forced myself to walk tall, head held high, out of Cole Corp. Once outside the main doors, I threw the wrinkled test results into a nearby trash can. The tears finally broke free, streaming down my face. 2 After leaving the company, I went back to my parents’ house, the Hayes house. Only my mother was home. My father was off somewhere with his latest mistress. We ate lunch in silence. Suddenly, she spoke. “Your father is seeing some starlet again, isn’t he?” My hand paused mid-air. “Who told you that?” Though I knew it was because this particular affair was very public. My mother put down her chopsticks, her expression bleak. “If only I could have given your father a son. Maybe he wouldn’t be like this now.” A wave of sadness washed over me. My mother had married down, supporting my father when he was starting from scratch. She loved him desperately. But once he made his money, the affairs started and never stopped. At first, my mother screamed herself hoarse, cursing him and his mistresses. Later, her emotions grew unstable. She started blaming herself for not giving him a son, fantasizing that a boy might have made him settle down. But my father hadn’t come home in a long time. We finished the meal in silence. I drove back to the house Ethan and I shared after getting married. I threw myself onto the bed, an unprecedented wave of exhaustion washing over me. That evening, Ethan actually came home, which was rare. He didn’t see me when he came in. Tossing his coat aside, he asked the housekeeper, “Where’s Ava? Why isn’t she down for dinner?” The housekeeper replied worriedly, “Ma’am came back this afternoon and went straight to bed. Maybe she’s not feeling well.” Ethan came upstairs and pushed open my bedroom door. “What are you still sulking about? Claire and I are just colleagues. Can’t you stop being so petty!” I lay in bed, not wanting to speak. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling me out from under the covers. Seeing my swollen eyes, he sighed. “You’ve always wanted to go to Switzerland, right? Once things calm down here, I’ll take you.” I stared into his eyes. “That little boy at your office today…” Before I could finish, Ethan cut me off, his face darkening. “Ava, don’t ask about that child.” I clutched the duvet tighter. “Why?” Just then, Ethan’s phone rang. Claire’s anxious voice came through the line. “Ethan, Leo seems to have a fever. Can you come over quickly?” Ethan immediately stood up and headed for the door. Before leaving, he seemed to remember something. “Tomorrow is the AU Centennial Gala. I have things to take care of tonight, so I won’t be back. Have the driver take you there tomorrow.” I watched his retreating back. That night, I slept fitfully, haunted by dreams of the past. 3 My mother and Ethan’s mother were best friends. They’d practically arranged our marriage when we were kids. As I got older, it was only natural that I fell for the brilliant and handsome Ethan Cole. I wasn’t as smart as him. I killed myself studying just to get into the same university, AU. But my grades were still far below AU’s standards. Crushed by reality, I hid away to cry in secret. Ethan found me. Seeing my tear-streaked face, he chuckled, half exasperated. “What are you doing hiding here and crying?” I sobbed, “My grades are too low. I can’t go to AU with you.” He reached out, pulled me up, and wiped the tears from my face. The sunlight caught him, making his features look even more defined and handsome. “Alright, seeing how sincere you are, I guess I can help you out.” For the next year and a half, Ethan spent time every day tutoring me. In the end, I barely scraped into a less popular major at AU. Walking onto the AU campus with Ethan, my heart soared with joy. Maybe Ethan liked me too. It wasn’t until Claire Vance appeared that I realized it was all just my fantasy. Claire and Ethan were both Computer Science majors. She was as brilliant as he was. She didn’t need Ethan to explain problems to her; she could confidently debate complex topics with him that went completely over my head. They teamed up for competitions, spending more and more time together. The admiration in Ethan’s eyes when he looked at her grew deeper. It was a look he never gave me. I felt like an outsider, excluded from their world. Everyone saw them as the golden couple, destined to be together. I finally mustered the courage to ask Ethan if he had feelings for Claire. If he said yes, no matter how heartbroken I’d be, I would let him go and wish them well. Ethan shoved his hands in his pockets, looking impatient. “Claire is a respected rival and a trusted partner to me.” Before I could say more, Claire’s cool voice called out from nearby, “Ethan, let’s go. Professor Thompson’s class is next.” Ethan tossed a parting shot— “Stop letting your imagination run wild all day”—and left. Watching them walk away side-by-side, I felt the distance between Ethan and me growing wider and wider. Just when everyone assumed they would end up together, during our junior year, Claire abruptly applied to study abroad. After graduation, pushed by both our families, Ethan and I got married. Ethan had already left Cole Corp during his senior year to start his own business. After the wedding, he was consumed by work. I barely saw him during the day, but at night, he was surprisingly passionate. Just as I started to secretly hope that maybe Ethan did have feelings for me after all… Claire came back. And she brought a little boy with her, who looked remarkably like Ethan. 4 I hadn’t planned on going to the Gala. I didn’t want to see Ethan and Claire. But the next morning, I received a text from my favorite professor from college. So, I had the driver take me to AU. After greeting my professor, a volunteer led me to the university’s main hall. As one of the top universities in the country, AU’s Centennial Gala was a grand affair. Former classmates spotted me and greeted me warmly. Someone asked, “Ava, didn’t Ethan come with you?” A woman who used to pursue Ethan chimed in meaningfully, “I heard Claire Vance is back. And she brought a child with her.” Suddenly, a stir went through the crowd. Claire walked into the hall, arm-in-arm with Ethan. Old classmates from the Computer Science department immediately swarmed them, teasing, “Well, well, look who it is! Our golden couple!” “Years have passed, but you two are still the perfect match, so good-looking together!” The classmates around me cast pitying glances my way. My hands trembled slightly. It felt like college all over again. Whenever those two appeared together, I was always the forgotten supporting character. Ethan saw me and walked over. The teasing crowd fell silent, as if just noticing my presence. He stood before me, his handsome brow furrowed again. “Why are you only wearing a dress? Aren’t you cold?” He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. A few classmates who were friendly with me quickly chimed in, “See? Mr. Cole really knows how to dote on his wife.” Across the room, Claire watched us, her expression unreadable. Suddenly, she called out, “Ethan, Professor Thompson is here. Let’s go say hello.” Ethan murmured to me, “Wait for me, we’ll leave together,” then turned and walked with Claire towards an elderly man. Professor Thompson was old, his memory fading, but he still remembered his two most brilliant students. He took Ethan’s and Claire’s hands, placing them together, beaming. “So you two finally got together! Wonderful, wonderful.” Someone in the crowd, clearly enjoying the drama, called out, “Professor Thompson, you didn’t know? Ethan and Claire even have a child now!” A hush fell over the hall. Many people there knew Claire had returned with a boy who resembled Ethan. A child whose age suggested he was born before Ethan and I were married. Professor Thompson beamed, patting their joined hands. “Really? That’s wonderful news!” Ethan kept his eyes lowered, never uttering a word of denial. My heart sank completely. Whispers reached my ears: “So the child really is Ethan’s? What about his wife?” “In front of everyone… Ethan isn’t giving his wife any face at all.” “Men always hold a candle for their first love, don’t they? Though Ava Hayes was never really good enough for Ethan. Claire coming back just sets things right.” The buzzing voices made it hard to breathe. My stomach churned violently. Ignoring the strange looks from the crowd, I rushed out of the suffocating hall. Stumbling outside, I leaned against a tree, vomiting miserably. My phone suddenly rang. The housekeeper’s panicked voice on the other end sent my mind reeling: “Miss Hayes, come home quick! Your mother… she tried to kill herself!” 5 By the time I frantically arrived back at the Hayes house, paramedics were loading my mother onto a stretcher. A deep, bloody gash marred her wrist. Blood flowed relentlessly, impossible to stanch. My hands trembling, I rode in the ambulance with her to the hospital. Mother was rushed into the emergency room. The harsh hospital lights made my head throb. Pale and hoarse, I called my father. “Where are you? Mom tried to kill herself!” His irritated voice snapped back, “Damn nuisance!” before he hung up. Numbly, I dialed Ethan’s number. Listening to the ringing, my heart clenched painfully. Ethan, please, I really need you right now. The phone rang for a long time before finally being answered. Before I could speak, Ethan’s heavy voice came through. “Claire’s been admitted. I’m staying with her at the hospital. Don’t call me for a while.” The dial tone buzzed in my ear, plunging me into an icy abyss. The emergency room doors opened. A doctor walked out and looked at me, shaking his head helplessly. I couldn’t stand anymore. I crumpled to the floor, tears streaming down my face. 6 My mother’s family had all passed away long ago. Like a zombie, I handled her funeral arrangements alone. Back at the house, sorting through her belongings, I found a letter she’d left for me: “Ava, my sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Mama was in too much pain. This was selfish, but it was the only way out.” “If Ethan ever does something to hurt you, don’t be like Mama, trapped in a dead marriage, suffocating yourself. Mama believes you are much braver than her.” Tears soaked the letter, blurring the ink. Once I composed myself, I contacted a divorce lawyer. Then I took a taxi to the hospital. There, I ran into Ethan and Claire. Ethan was holding Leo. Seeing me, he blurted out, “What are you doing here!” I exhaled slowly. “I came for a check-up.” He seemed to realize his tone was harsh. Hearing I was there for an appointment, he asked with concern, “Are you not feeling well?” Leo, in his arms, tugged at his sleeve. “Daddy, we need to go get Mommy’s medicine.” A mocking smile touched my lips as I looked at Ethan. He shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll just go get the prescription filled. I’ll be right back. Wait here for me.” He walked off holding the child, but Claire didn’t follow him.

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My cancer came back. I begged my husband, Ethan, to take me to the hospital. Instead, he went to be with Sophia, his old flame. His parting words were cruel. “Your acting is getting way too convincing.” Ten years of devotion, and all I got was scars. Later, Sophia needed an emergency heart transplant. To give them their happily ever after, I gave Sophia my heart. But then… Ethan lost his mind. 1 Late at night, clutching my stomach where a dull ache pulsed, I struggled out of bed. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead from the pain. I needed to get to the hospital, but waves of sharp pain made me unsteady on my feet. Familiar footsteps approached the door—Ethan. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I gripped the doorknob tightly and opened the door. “Ethan.” Just saying his name felt like a knife twisting in my chest. Ethan stopped, turned, and looked at me with cold indifference. “You’re back. Have you eaten?” My voice was hesitant, trying to sound gentle, pleading without begging. But Ethan’s expression remained distant, cold, as if he hadn’t heard me. He turned to walk away. His dismissal pierced my heart. I stumbled after him, grabbing his sleeve. I bit my lip so hard I nearly drew blood. The sharp pains in my abdomen made it hard to breathe. “Let go!” Ethan’s eyes flashed with anger. I loosened my grip, daring only to hold onto the very edge of his cuff. My voice trembled. “Ethan, my stomach… it hurts really bad. It’s so late, can you please take me to the hospital?” If it had been daytime, I wouldn’t have bothered him. Ethan turned back, looking down at me intently. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh. “Lauren, you’ve really perfected this act, haven’t you? How long did you rehearse this little scene?” He slowly pulled his sleeve from my grasp. He reached out, tilting my chin up. “From the day you betrayed me, I swore I’d never forgive you. Unless…” A cruel smile touched Ethan’s lips. “Unless you die.” It felt like all the blood in my body froze. I couldn’t stop shaking. Ethan didn’t look at me again. He went straight to his room and slammed the door shut with a resounding bang. It felt like a knife was twisting inside me. The pain forced me to my knees. Trembling, I fumbled for my phone and dialed 911. … Downtown General Hospital. The entrance bustled with cars and people hurrying by. I sat on a bench in the hallway, staring blankly ahead, clutching my test results. The results were in. Late-stage colon cancer. I couldn’t believe it. I went to find my friend, Mark Evans. He’d been a senior when I was in college, now a specialist in gastroenterology. My eyes were red-rimmed, but I managed a weak smile. “Mark.” I gripped the report tightly. “The doctor said… it’s late-stage colon cancer…” I looked at him pleadingly. “Can you check again? Maybe… maybe they made a mistake?” Mark quickly took the results, scanning them carefully while gently reassuring me. “Okay, Lauren, calm down first. Let me run some more tests, we’ll double-check everything. Don’t panic. Even if… even if the results aren’t good, I’m here for you. Just breathe.” Soon, I was wheeled back into an examination room. The new results came back the same. Late-stage colon cancer. I sat there stunned, my lips moving slightly. “How long… how long do I have?” Mark crouched down, meeting my gaze. His steady hand rested on my shoulder. “Lauren, I’ll do everything I can to save you.” His eyes were full of determination, but tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “Cancer… it’s cancer, Mark.” I buried my face in my hands, sobbing quietly. Mark gently stroked my hair, offering silent comfort. This disease… it was like my marriage to Ethan. Rotted to the core, with no chance of getting better. 2 The room was dim. I sat alone on the sofa, not wanting to turn on the lights. Around midnight, I heard a car pull into the driveway. Soon, the front door opened, and Ethan walked in. He fumbled for the light switch. The sudden brightness revealed me sitting silently on the sofa, like a statue. He glanced away indifferently, loosening his tie as he headed upstairs. “Ethan.” I called out to him. He didn’t stop. My fingers clenched, nails digging into my palms. Watching his familiar back, I forced a smile. “Ethan, let’s get a divorce.” Finally, he stopped, just as I’d hoped. He stood silhouetted against the light, appearing even more remote. I couldn’t quite make out his face. My eyes traced the lines of his features. This was the man I had loved for ten years. Ten years of love that only earned his disgust and left me covered in wounds. I thought, maybe I shouldn’t drag him down anymore. “Can’t you go one day without causing drama? Is this some new game? Playing hard to get?” I stood up and took the divorce papers out of my bag. My hand brushed against the bottle of painkillers inside, and I paused for a second. Then, silently, I closed the bag. I walked over to Ethan and handed him the papers. “I’ve already signed it.” I tried hard to hide my emotions. “You want to marry Sophia, don’t you?” I forced another smile. “I’m setting you free.” If I had known earlier that he loved Sophia, I would never have married him, no matter what. Our marriage, born from my deepest hopes, had twisted into something unavoidable, something sustained only by my one-sided devotion. Ethan took the papers, glancing at my signature. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, then tapped the papers against my shoulder. “Lauren Hayes, you should have gone into finance, not medicine.” He leaned closer, his eyes cold. “Divorcing me… how much of the Cole fortune are you planning to take?” I froze for a moment, my lips pressed tight. “I never wanted your money,” I whispered. Ethan stared at me, his eyes sharp like a hawk’s. A cruel smirk played on his lips. “Lauren, oh Lauren,” he said casually, “you’ve always been the type to do whatever it takes to get what you want.” “All your little underhanded tricks… they’re just an act to stay in the Cole family, to keep living comfortably under our roof, especially now that the Hayes family is going bankrupt.” “Right? Besides, a woman like you, who dropped me the second things got tough and latched onto someone else… how could you possibly stand living a hard life?” Hearing his harsh words, my body trembled uncontrollably. Ethan’s eyes were filled with ice. He turned to leave, but I spread my arms to block his path. “You love Sophia, don’t you? I’m letting you go! I’ll sign anything, I swear I won’t take a dime!” “Yeah, I love Sophia,” Ethan’s eyes narrowed, a tight smile on his lips. “And I’ll make sure she walks into this house as my wife, with all the respect she deserves.” He turned and left, the slam of the door echoing behind him. I turned and picked up the divorce papers from the floor, only bitterness remaining in my heart. A long while later, my phone rang. My mother, Linda, was crying on the other end. My father had collapsed from a severe illness and was rushed to the hospital. I hurried over. Only then did my mother tell me that Hayes Industries was on the verge of bankruptcy. The stress had triggered my father’s collapse. Suddenly, Ethan’s words echoed in my mind. Divorcing him, how much of the Cole fortune… No wonder. He must have known about my family’s troubles all along. My mother grabbed my thin arm as if clutching a lifeline. “Lauren, you have to ask Ethan for money! With his help, your father’s company can survive! You’re his wife, he won’t refuse you!” “He hates me,” I forced a bitter smile, my expression dim. “Why would he give me money?” My mother slapped me across the face. “Are you going to just stand by and watch your father die? Why are you so useless?!” My lips trembled. Looking at my mother, a chill went through me. Some mothers truly don’t love their children. She never cared about my feelings, only saw me as a meal ticket. Back when the Cole family business was in trouble, Rick Marshall somehow found where I was living. He showed me compromising photos of my mother with another man, Vince. He told me to go away with him for three days, out on his yacht, just to ‘relax’. He said if I went, he’d keep the photos secret. He also promised that if I dumped Ethan, he’d give Ethan a huge sum of money to pay off his debts and get through the crisis. Seeing Ethan so overwhelmed, stressed out, I felt helpless. Back then, I thought, if I could just help Ethan, what did it matter if he misunderstood me? So, I took the money from Rick and used it to secretly plug the holes in the Cole family finances. I said cruel things, broke Ethan’s heart. I never thought our paths would cross again. Until Ethan’s frail, bedridden father, Robert, asked to speak with me. He wanted me to marry Ethan. He said he knew what I’d been through, knew I had helped the family. At the time, I didn’t agree. But the very next day, my mother accepted a huge sum of money from the Cole family – essentially, sealing the deal. Robert Cole threatened Ethan with his own failing health until Ethan agreed to marry me. From that moment on, Ethan hated my guts. 3 Leaving the hospital room, I swallowed another painkiller. Turning, I saw a woman in a patient gown nearby. Her skin was pale, her eyes large and round, features delicate, figure slender. Sophia Bell. The woman Ethan loved now. My former best friend. I looked away, turning to leave. “Lauren Hayes.” Sophia called my name. Smiling, she walked up to me, looking down her nose at me. “I heard the Hayes family is finished. Look at you now. You were just taking medicine, are you sick? Wow, when it rains, it pours, huh?” I stared at her coldly. “Get lost.” Sophia didn’t get angry. She casually said, “You’re pathetic, you know that? Ethan doesn’t even want you, but you still cling to him.” Her eyes gleamed with triumph. “Did you know? Ethan’s been with me constantly these past few days, taking care of my every need.” “You want to be Mrs. Cole, is that it?” My lips tightened. “Tell him to come talk to me about the divorce.” Sophia’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t actually think he still loves you, that that’s why he won’t divorce you, do you?” She burst out laughing. “So naive.” “He’s just getting revenge on you.” “When he gets tired of playing with you, you’ll be nothing more than trash.” Sophia leaned closer to my ear, whispering disdainfully, “Oh, by the way, he’s never even touched you, has he?” My fingers trembled. I lifted my eyes, staring coldly at Sophia. “Know why?” Sophia’s fingernail slowly traced a line down my cheek. “Because he thinks you’re dirty. That money you used to bail out his family… Rick Marshall gave it to you, didn’t he?” “Are you finished?” I pushed her hand away. “If you’re done, then get lost.” Unexpectedly, Sophia suddenly crumpled, falling heavily to the floor. Footsteps hurried from behind her, and then Ethan was there, scooping Sophia into his arms. He lifted her up, then glanced back at me, still stunned. That one look sent ice through my veins. Sophia had been injured because of Ethan before; her bones were brittle. This fall caused another fracture or dislocation. Ethan didn’t say much, just picked her up and carried her towards the emergency room. 4 Late night, at the Cole estate. Ethan kicked open the bedroom door, ripped the covers off, and dragged me out of bed. “How could you be so vicious?” “How am I vicious?” I stared steadily at the man before me, tears welling in my eyes. “Ethan Cole, if you have the guts, then just kill me!” Tears blurred my vision, but my gaze remained defiant. “I never betrayed you! I never slept with Rick Marshall!” A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and my body started shaking. Ethan stared at me with dark eyes. After a long moment, he laughed. “You think I’m as easy to fool as I was back then?” His eyes looked predatory. “Rick Marshall? Who is he? He tells everyone he likes you. You think he’d give you money if you didn’t sleep with him? None of the Marshalls are any good.” The pain made it hard to speak. I took a deep, ragged breath. I knew Ethan wouldn’t believe me. Finally, I forced a smile. “Fine. Think whatever you want.” I tried to push Ethan away, to get up, to leave this suffocating room. But Ethan pressed down on me. I struggled. “Ethan, let me go.” He leaned close to my ear, his hot breath fanning my skin. “You think I want to touch you? You make me sick.” He started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his toned chest. “But didn’t you say you didn’t do anything?” His smile seemed to come from hell itself. “Let me check.” A violent shiver ran through me. I beat wildly against Ethan’s shoulders. But I was no match for his strength. A wave of sickening dread washed over me, and the pain in my abdomen intensified, feeling like a knife twisting. It was so intense I involuntarily curled up, cold sweat pouring down my forehead. “Stop pretending!” Ethan sneered. “I haven’t even touched you yet.” “Pain,” I gasped, shaking violently. “My stomach hurts.” Painkillers, painkillers. My mind screamed for them. I struggled, shoving Ethan away. Caught off guard, Ethan stumbled back, his leg hitting the nightstand. My bag, which had been sitting on it, fell to the floor. Pill bottles rolled out. My face tightened with panic as I scrambled to grab them, but Ethan snatched up a folded piece of paper first. His eyes scanned it, landing on the final words: LATE-STAGE COLON CANCER. His expression grew complicated as he looked at me. I was curled up on the bed like a fish out of water. Ethan bent down, picked up one of the pill bottles, and examined it. After a long pause, he scoffed, throwing the report and the bottle onto the floor. “Always coming up with new tricks.” He curled his lip coldly. “You think faking this stuff will make me feel sorry for you?” Ethan leaned down, gently wiping the sweat from my forehead. “You’re not Sophia. Don’t try to imitate her! Even if you died right now, I wouldn’t feel a damn thing.” Ethan left. I lay on the bed, picked up the bottle he’d thrown down, and swallowed a pill dry. An hour later, the pain gradually subsided. I stared at the plain white ceiling, and suddenly I started laughing. Laughing until tears streamed down my face. My phone rang. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I pressed the phone to my ear and answered. “Lauren, did you ask Ethan for the money?” It was my mother, Linda, again. I whispered weakly, “I’m not asking him for money.” “Then go ask Rick Marshall! Hasn’t he always liked you?” Linda grew frantic, her voice suddenly sharp. My fingers clenched the fabric of my clothes. My tone turned icy. “Anyone listening would think you were deeply devoted to Dad.” Linda paused. “What do you mean?” Remembering the photos Rick had, I rubbed my red eyes. “Vince.” That was the name of my mother’s lover. Silence on the other end. A few seconds later, she hung up. … 5 Mark Evans urged me to check into the hospital, but I refused. I got a large supply of medication, enough to last me a while. As I arrived home, I saw Ethan rushing out of the house. I rarely saw him look so anxious. The housekeeper told me something had happened to Sophia. Apparently, tests showed she had severe heart failure. An idea sparked in my mind. I followed him. In the hospital corridor, I saw Ethan pacing back and forth. He wore a black shirt and black pants, his hair slightly messy, eyes red-rimmed, lips pressed tightly together. He must be so worried, so heartbroken. After all, he loved Sophia so much. I thought, since I’m dying anyway, maybe I can do one last thing for Ethan. Hopefully, after I’m gone, he won’t hate me so much anymore. And hopefully, if there’s a next life, I won’t ever meet him again. Ethan’s team was frantically searching for a heart donor; the doctors said Sophia couldn’t wait long. And me? I signed the organ donation papers and secretly got tested for compatibility. Leaving the hospital, I took the pills out of my bag and dropped them into a trash can. I didn’t need them anymore. “Lauren.” Hearing the familiar voice, my body stiffened. Then, a large hand with well-defined knuckles rested on my shoulder. The man stepped in front of me. He had sharp features, a tall frame, and often smiled, but his smile always sent chills down my spine. I noticed a jagged scar on his neck. “Rick Marshall.” I closed my eyes, whispering his name wearily. Rick smiled at me, pointing to the scar on his neck. “Ethan did this. Tell me, how should I get back at him?” I suddenly remembered Rick saying something similar three years ago. “If you don’t come with me, tell me, how should I destroy Ethan Cole?” If Ethan’s family hadn’t been in trouble back then, I wouldn’t have been afraid. But at that time, the Marshall family was powerful, while the Cole corporation had suddenly collapsed. A single word from the Marshalls could have crushed Ethan, ensuring he never recovered. I laughed softly. “Rick, you deserved it.” Rick stared at me thoughtfully. “So you’re relying on Ethan now? I heard he’s gotten very close to your good friend, Sophia.” I didn’t want to talk to him anymore. But as I turned, dizziness washed over me. My body went limp, and I lost consciousness. … The Cole Estate, front gate. When I regained consciousness, the dull ache in my abdomen was still there. I felt exhausted, not wanting to open my eyes, but I could hear Ethan and Rick talking. Ethan’s voice was devoid of emotion. “Mr. Marshall, you’ve got some nerve coming here directly. What do you want?” “I’m bringing Lauren back. She fell asleep,” Rick replied cockily. “Oh? If she’s asleep, you could have taken her home. Why bring her here? What is she to me? I have somewhere to be, excuse me.” Ethan’s indifferent voice reached me, followed by the sound of a car engine starting. I slowly opened my eyes, staring blankly in the direction the car disappeared, my eyes stinging. I unbuckled my seatbelt to get out, but Rick pressed my hand down, turning to look at me. “You’re sick. Come with me.” His voice surprisingly held a hint of pleading. I didn’t want to speak. I pushed his hand away and got out of the car. Rick lowered the Bentley’s window. “Lauren, he doesn’t care about you at all. He’s definitely going to the hospital to see Sophia right now. If you don’t believe me, get in, I’ll take you there.” “It has nothing to do with me.” My back straight, I walked step by step into the Cole estate. Behind me, I heard Rick’s frustrated curses and the thud of him hitting the steering wheel. Night fell. In the hazy state between sleep and wakefulness, I heard the bedroom door open. Groggy, I started to sit up, but the smell of alcohol hit me. The scent was strong on the man, but not unpleasant. Moonlight filtered into the room, illuminating his face. “Ethan.” My eyes cleared. Ethan buried his face in my neck, his hand resting on my trembling shoulder. Tentatively, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Ethan didn’t pull away. My lips pressed together as I endured it. “Lauren.” The man’s hoarse voice calling my name made me waver. “Mm.” I smiled and responded. I cupped his face. This was my love, my Ethan. Ethan lowered his head, leaning closer. I could see his deep pupils, long lashes, and the faint crease of his eyelids. Ethan’s lips parted slightly, his eyes distant. “Lauren Hayes, why isn’t it you who’s sick?” “Why isn’t it you who’s dying?” “Stop it.” I froze, the clarity in my eyes dimming. My voice trembled as I begged him. Ethan’s eyes were hollow. He nestled beside me, whispering softly, “That rainy night three years ago, when you broke up with me over the phone… I went looking for you. I almost got hit by a car. Sophia pushed me out of the way, but she… she was hit instead. Her whole body was crushed, she barely survived after three days of emergency surgery… Lauren Hayes, how could you do this to me? How could you…” His words, though spoken softly, felt like a thousand arrows piercing my heart, leaving me utterly devastated. 6 There wasn’t deep hatred in his eyes, but that made me feel even colder. Not even hatred… how little did he care? I closed my eyes, a single tear tracing a path down my cheek. Ethan, did you know? I don’t have long to live either. I can give you what you want, disappear from your world forever. Then your world will brighten up, won’t it? Ethan was extremely drunk. He rolled over and fell into a deep sleep. I sat hugging my knees, awake all night. Only when a ray of sunlight peeked through the white curtains did I drag my stiff body up and quietly leave the room before Ethan woke up. I crouched in the laundry room, watching the washing machine spin, lost in thought. Hearing footsteps behind me, I immediately stood up. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, hot breath tickled my ear. His large hand tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his somewhat hazy, flushed eyes. His cheeks were slightly pink. “Last night…” I gave him an awkward smile, pulling my arm from his embrace. “You drank too much. You threw up all over the bed.” Ethan’s lips tightened, and he dropped his hand. “Do you want some breakfast? I…” I lowered my head, hiding my thoughts. Ethan waved his hand dismissively. “I’m going to the hospital to see Sophia.” The smile froze on my face. “Go ahead. Goodbye.” My phone pinged. I looked down, avoiding his gaze, and saw the message. It was the compatibility test results. I could donate my heart to Sophia. I looked up, rubbing my stinging nose, and called out to Ethan as he was leaving. “Wait.” Ethan turned back. I gave him a faint smile. “Wait for me a second!” With that, I ran upstairs, grabbed a small, elegant gift box, and rushed back down. “This is for you. It’s a tie.” My stomach churned violently, but I kept my expression neutral. Ethan glanced at it. “The suit I’m wearing today doesn’t match this tie.” I shook my head. “It’s okay. You can wear it later. Later… maybe… I won’t have many chances to give you things anymore.” Ethan froze for a moment. Before, he would have tossed it aside without hesitation. But today, he slowly took the gift box. His deep eyes looked into mine until I lowered my gaze, breaking eye contact. Only then did he turn and leave. Third Street Hospital. I lay in the hospital bed. In just two short weeks, I had become frighteningly thin. My phone rang. A nurse handed it to me. Seeing the name on the screen, a smile touched my eyes. This was the first time in over three years that Ethan had called me voluntarily. My hands trembled as I reached to remove my oxygen mask, wanting to answer, just to hear his voice. … The call ended. The phone slipped from my hand. Nurses scrambled to replace my oxygen mask. My vision blurred. Looking at Dr. Mark Evans beside my bed, gripping my hand tightly, tears welling in his eyes, I managed a bitter smile. “Mark, I wish I could see tomorrow’s sunrise. I wish I could get another call from him. I…” But I knew it was impossible. Then, I felt my body become light. My soul seemed to detach, floating up towards the ceiling. I watched as Mark lifted my skeletal frame, crying out, “Lauren, don’t go! Lauren, please don’t go… I never told you, I…” Then, other doctors rushed in, pulling Mark away. They urgently wheeled me towards the operating room. Sophia was wheeled towards another OR. The bright surgical lights flickered on. Sigh. It’s time for me to go. This life was such a failure. I wasn’t a good daughter or a good wife. I didn’t even love myself properly. I had hoped Ethan and I could build a small family together, have two adorable children, explore the Rockies together, watch our kids grow up as they watched us grow old… I hope with my departure, Ethan gets his wish, grows old with the one he loves. I hope… in the next life, I never meet Ethan Cole again… 7 I am Ethan Cole, CEO of Summit Corp. The first time I saw Lauren Hayes, amidst blooming flowers at the equestrian center, my heart was lost. Her every smile, every glance, everything about her was perfect. I swore I would love her until death. Until Summit Corp nearly collapsed. The woman who swore she loved me turned around and left with Rick Marshall – the man who helped ruin my family – sailing off into the sunset. Although later, for various reasons, I still married her. But I buried my love for Lauren deep down, hurting each other constantly. Yet I knew, I couldn’t forget the depth of feeling from our youth. Love takes root, grows into a towering tree… Just when Sophia’s health seemed about to give out completely, I suddenly received a call from the hospital. A terminally ill patient was a perfect match for Sophia and willing to donate their heart. I was overjoyed. Sophia could be saved! I wanted to thank this person profusely, but the hospital said the donor wished to remain anonymous. I didn’t push it, just waited patiently. As long as there was a heart to save Sophia, that was enough. It would lessen the guilt I carried. I knew I didn’t love Sophia, but she ended up like this because of me. I had to take responsibility. As for Lauren… her betrayal, I couldn’t forgive it. … A problem with the European operations required me to fly out for a month to handle it personally. I left Sophia’s matters in the hands of my assistant, Alex. … “Mr. Cole, Mrs. Hayes’s father’s condition isn’t good.” I had just stepped out of a meeting when Alex approached me with the update. “How much do they need?” I asked impatiently. Alex stated plainly, “The hospital estimates around fifty thousand dollars.” “Wire the money to the hospital.” Back at the hotel, I lay on the sofa, resting. I felt like something was missing. I opened my messaging app and scrolled to my chat with Lauren. This entire trip to France, Lauren hadn’t sent me a single message. I scrolled up, reading through old messages. Mostly Lauren’s daily chatter, which I rarely replied to. Even with her father critically ill, she hadn’t told me. I frowned, closed the chat, and called home. “Where’s Lauren?” The housekeeper answered respectfully, “Madam went back to her mother’s a few days ago. She said she’d move back when you returned.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Lauren was easily scared – thunderstorms, the dark, pain. She wouldn’t want to be alone in that big house. On my fifteenth day in France, the hospital finalized the surgical plan. Sophia underwent several more tests and was cleared for the operation. I also heard that the person donating the heart to Sophia wasn’t doing well, likely wouldn’t live more than two weeks. I inquired casually. The doctor mentioned the donor had very advanced colon cancer. Hearing that, my heart skipped a beat. Colon cancer… Lauren’s report had also said colon cancer. The coincidence worried me. I immediately dialed Lauren’s number. The phone rang several times before she picked up. After a brief silence, I said quietly, “I’ll be back on the 7th of next month. Make sure you’re home on the 7th… uh, we need to go to the courthouse and finalize the papers.” “Okay.” Lauren agreed so quickly, it felt wrong. “Ethan, I’m so tired. Can I sleep a little longer?” Her voice sounded weak, drained. I glanced at the clock. It should be around 7 AM back home. I just assumed she wasn’t fully awake yet. Acting on impulse, for once I didn’t snap at her or make a sarcastic remark. Maybe because our marriage was finally ending. I said, “Okay. I’ll call you back later.” Unease lingered. Work that should have taken another two weeks, I finished in one. I booked the earliest flight back home. Before heading to the airport, something made me retrieve the tie Lauren had given me from my suitcase. The sapphire blue tie matched my suit perfectly today. I boarded the plane. Just before turning off my phone, I received a message from the hospital. “Mr. Cole, the donor is in critical condition. Ms. Bell’s heart transplant surgery is about to begin.”

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A few days before Christmas, my boyfriend, Ethan Cole, suddenly vanished. I searched everywhere, finally finding only a blank check and an envelope. “I’m off to marry some heiress. Take this check and disappear. Know your place and don’t make a scene.” My place? What place is that? I wonder if my actual place, as NYC’s unofficial princess, measures up to the “place” he’s talking about! … I glanced at the handwriting on the envelope. It was definitely my boyfriend’s. I was puzzled. Ethan and I had barely argued since we started dating. We hadn’t even exchanged harsh words. Why would he suddenly dump me like this? And so cruelly? Tucking the envelope away, I raced to the exclusive club Ethan frequented for leisure. I had the black card he’d given me. Unexpectedly, I was stopped at the door! “Excuse me, this is a private club. Members only.” I looked at the tall man in black standing before me, my knuckles cracking audibly. “Are you sure you want to stop me?” He seemed prepared for this reaction, showing no surprise. “Please leave, Miss Yang. Mr. Cole doesn’t wish to see you.” Before I could respond, Ethan’s familiar voice came from behind him. “As a parting gift, you’ll receive a blank check.” “On the condition that you keep your mouth shut. Understand?” I looked at this man, both strange and familiar, feeling lost. Though Ethan and I hadn’t known each other long, my feelings for him were real. Just last night, he’d arranged a spectacular fireworks display specifically for me. In that moment, I admit, my heart soared. We watched the sky explode with color from the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows, hugging, kissing. But when I woke up the next morning, my boyfriend was gone. I had even planned to bring him home for Christmas. But everything happening now felt like it was telling me it was all just a dream I’d imagined. “Ethan, have you run into some trouble lately?” I reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “If you’re really in some kind of difficulty, just tell me. I can help you solve it. Please don’t joke about breaking up!” It was the first time I’d ever spoken to anyone in such a pleading tone. The moment I finished, Ethan glanced at me disdainfully. “You?” He looked at my faded, almost white work clothes and laughed out loud. “I even got you your job. What could you possibly do to help me?” “Just take the check and get out of my sight.” Ethan had interviewed me for my job, but that was because I didn’t want to work at my own family’s public company. “Ethan, listen to me. I really can help you. You just need to tell me what’s going on.” I lowered my pride, truly not wanting to lose him. But this time, Ethan didn’t even look at me. Instead, someone beside him spoke up. I recognized him – Kevin Harding, the HR manager. One of Ethan’s lapdogs. “Miss Yang, it seems you haven’t quite grasped the difference between you and Mr. Cole.” He approached me slowly as he spoke. “Mr. Cole is offering you a blank check out of consideration for the time you spent together.” “Don’t push your luck. Don’t think you’re something special.” Normally, Harding’s words would have set me off. But now, I bit back my anger and spoke again to Ethan, whose back was still turned to me. “Ethan, do you remember what you told me before?” “You said nothing could ever tear us apart, no matter what happened. Have you forgotten all that?!” I practically yelled the last sentence. Ethan flinched slightly but still didn’t turn around. “Ava, just go. Take the money and start a new life somewhere else.” “And… everything I told you before… it was all lies. Forget about it.” His words hit me like a deflating balloon. All my strength drained away. Soon after, Harding started pushing me towards the exit. “Miss Yang, if you please.” I couldn’t resist, shouting towards Ethan’s back. “Ethan! I’m begging you, believe me! I really can help you!” “Believe you?” Harding sneered. “Count your blessings, Miss Yang. You dated Mr. Cole for a short while and gained wealth most people never see in a lifetime.” “If I were you, I’d be pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.” Amidst Harding’s mockery, I was forcibly ejected from the club. In the final second before the door slammed shut, Ethan never told me why he broke up with me. 2 After leaving the club, my initial plan was to reveal my true identity to Ethan. But as soon as I picked up my phone, another message arrived. It informed me I’d been fired from the company! It seemed he was determined to cut all ties with me completely. Not long after, Kevin Harding from HR tagged me in the company-wide chat, demanding I come in today to process my termination paperwork. I silently replied “Okay” in the chat. Ten minutes later, I was back at the entrance of Ethan’s company. I looked up at the place where I used to work, sighing at how quickly things had changed. Though I was just a junior employee, everyone treated me politely because Ethan had my back. Now that news of me being dumped had spread throughout the company, probably everyone was waiting to laugh at my misfortune. Sure enough, the moment I stepped out of the elevator, the whispers began. “See? I told you girls like her, who sleep their way up, always get replaced eventually.” “Exactly. Look at her background. Did she really think some trash could turn into treasure?” “I heard Mr. Cole gave her a million dollars and a condo as a break-up settlement. She’s set for life.” … With every step I took, I heard my colleagues’ taunts. I offered no explanation, just silently signed my name on the termination papers. “Ava Yang, is it?” Just as I put down the pen, ready to leave, Harding suddenly grabbed my wrist. “What do you think of me?” Harding stared at me with a lecherous grin, his eyes roaming my body. I instinctively stepped back, looking at him with disgust. “Get away from me. I don’t know what you mean by that.” He smirked, pulled the blinds closed around us, and lunged, grabbing me in a hug. “Ava, dear, Mr. Cole doesn’t want you anymore, but I do.” “As long as you take good care of me, then…” A flash of coldness crossed my eyes. A sudden “Aargh!” echoed. Harding instantly clutched his groin, sinking to his knees in pain. “I suggest you get to a hospital now. If you wait too long, the Harding family line might end here.” Tossing that remark over my shoulder, I kindly opened the blinds for him. The employees outside gasped, their mouths agape at the scene. I’d heard rumors while working here that the HR manager often harassed female employees. My kick, in a way, was doing Ethan’s company a public service. Pest control. Just as I gathered my things and prepared to leave, I finally overheard the real reason for Ethan’s breakup in the elevator. “Hey, did you hear? Mr. Cole’s fiancée is the Kingsley heiress from Boston. They say she has a notoriously bad temper, and worst of all, some disturbing hobbies… rumor has it she enjoys tormenting men.” “Totally. If the Kingsleys hadn’t helped crack open the Boston market these past few years, why would the Cole family be so desperate to marry their son off to her?” “Tomorrow, at our company’s annual gala, Mr. Cole is going to officially announce the engagement to Miss Kingsley.” I only managed to step out of the elevator, leaning against the doorframe, after everyone else had dispersed. The Kingsleys of Boston? Ethan, this was the reason you wouldn’t tell me? What a fool. The Kingsleys, who seem so untouchable in your eyes, are just a minor pawn in my view. If I wanted, anyone could take their place. A few minutes later, I dialed a number back home in DC. “Dad, the Kingsleys are bullying your daughter and stealing your son-in-law-to-be. You gonna do something about this?” 3 Cole Industries, Ethan’s company, was considered a major player in NYC. Their annual gala was naturally a lavish affair. Especially today, being the day the Cole and Kingsley engagement was to be announced, nearly every big shot in NYC would be attending. “Excuse me, Miss, do you have an invitation?” When I arrived at the gala venue, a security guard stopped me at the entrance. “Sorry, I forgot my invitation.” Truthfully, I had no idea you even needed an invitation to get into this place. Growing up, I’d always gotten into any venue just by showing my face. “I’m really sorry, but without an invitation, I can’t let you in.” Just as I was about to make a call, a sickeningly familiar voice sounded behind me. “Well, well, isn’t it Miss Yang? It’s cold out here, why aren’t you inside?” “Oh, dear, silly me. I forgot, you just got dumped by Mr. Cole, didn’t you?” I didn’t even need to look to know it was Ethan’s lapdog, Kevin Harding. He had a woman in a revealing dress draped on his arm. His walking posture, however, was a bit strange. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It seems yesterday’s kick didn’t leave a lasting impression on Mr. Harding.” Harding didn’t get angry at my words, just leered at me. “Want to get inside, Miss Yang? Beg me. If you beg me, I’ll take you in.” “Of course, as payment… tonight, you’ll have to…” Before he could finish his sentence, another “AARGH!” ripped through the air. Just like last time, Harding clutched his groin, collapsing to his knees in agony. This time, I’d used full force. Even rushing to the hospital now probably wouldn’t be enough. I strode forward, looking down at him imperiously. “Know why a dog is always a dog? Because it can’t stop eating shit.” With that, I crouched down and rummaged through his jacket pocket until I found the invitation. Without a word, I handed it directly to the security guard who had stopped me earlier. “Here’s the invitation. Can I go in now?” Before the guard could fully react, I quickened my pace and slipped smoothly into the venue. I had to admit, as one of NYC’s top families, the Coles did have some resources. The main ballroom alone could hold several thousand people. It was clear the Coles placed great importance on this union with the Kingsleys. But compared to my family’s events, this was… cute. I remembered my eighteenth birthday when my father rented out Madison Square Garden to celebrate. During the time Ethan and I dated, he mentioned more than once how rich his family was. Each time, I’d pout “Not as rich as my family.” And each time, Ethan would playfully tap my nose. “Okay, okay, my Ava is the richest princess in the whole world.” He said it jokingly, but it was the absolute truth. I was indeed a princess, the richest princess in DC, in fact. But he just wouldn’t believe it. “Ava! What are you doing here?” As I wandered around, I spotted that incredibly familiar figure in the crowd. Ethan saw me and quickly hurried over. “Didn’t I leave you enough money? What are you doing here?” He carefully pulled me into a deserted corner, seemingly afraid of being seen. I stared blankly at the man who had promised to love me forever, the words catching in my throat. Seeing my silence, Ethan grew more anxious. “Leave! Now! Get as far away as possible. This isn’t the place for you.” He grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the exit. Feeling the warmth from his palm, I drifted off for a moment, as if back in those happy times. “Ethan Cole, you have some nerve.”

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I had plans to meet my girlfriend for a movie, but when I got to the theater, I found her laughing and flirting with two foreign guys. “Hey beautiful, we’re influencers doing street interviews. Would you be up for participating in our kissing challenge?” Hearing that made my blood boil. I was about to rush over and put a stop to this bizarre game. But then I saw my girlfriend, Tina, blush and nod, leaning in toward them. “Sure, I’m game!” 1. “Get your filthy hands off her!” Seeing Tina willingly offer a kiss to this stranger, my mind was reeling, but I still charged forward. I landed a solid punch right on the guy’s head, knocking the smirking blonde dude to the ground. The other guy, a redhead standing nearby holding a phone, didn’t look panicked when his buddy went down. Instead, he pointed the phone camera right at me, his voice dripping with amusement: “Hey man, chill out. We’re just doing a simple street challenge.” “Besides, this lovely lady already agreed to do it.” “You should respect her choice.” Respect my ass! Seeing the smug looks on their faces, I fought down my rage and pulled Tina behind me. “She’s my girlfriend. You need to leave, now!” Hearing me, the blonde guy I’d knocked down slowly got back up. He wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, putting on an innocent act. “Dude, what’s the problem? Don’t trust yourself? I was just going to kiss your girlfriend, not like I was doing anything extreme.” “You can’t even handle that? Doesn’t sound like a very secure guy. Have you even considered how she feels about you acting like this?” His redheaded friend burst out laughing, still filming. He kept shoving the phone closer to my furious face, like he wanted to capture every bit of my anger. “You got a real mouth on you, huh?” I was shaking with fury. I raised my fist to hit him again, but Tina grabbed my arm, stopping me. “Ethan, have you made enough of a scene?” “These handsome guys just wanted to film a quick video with me. It’s a really popular street challenge right now, don’t you get it?” “You’re so unbelievably old-fashioned…” Tina looked at me with disgust, then quickly turned back to apologize to the two guys. Like I was the one causing the problem. Seeing that, my heart sank into my stomach. She’s my fiancée! We were supposed to get married in a month, and she was saying kissing a total stranger was no big deal? “Tina, do you even realize what you’re doing?” I took a deep breath, looking at her with a complicated mix of emotions. “Let’s just go. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” At my words, the two foreigners laughed even louder. The blonde guy stepped forward, draping his hairy arm over Tina’s shoulder. “Miss, seems like your boyfriend here has some anger issues, huh?” 2. “Let’s go.” I decided to ignore these two jerks and took Tina’s hand, trying to head towards the theater auditorium. But she pulled away, looking annoyed. “Ethan, you’re hurting me!” My eyelid twitched. I tried to take her hand again, but she instinctively dodged away. My head was already spinning, and to make things worse, those two guys started following us like a bad smell we couldn’t shake. The blonde one called out, “Miss, if you need any help, I’d be happy to oblige.” I spun around abruptly, grabbing the blonde guy’s shirt collar, my eyes blazing. “Why don’t you crawl back to wherever you came from? Don’t bring your foreign pickup artist crap here. We don’t appreciate that kind of approach!” “If you two keep following us, I swear I’ll call some friends to beat the hell out of you, you hear me?” This time, I was furious, and I yelled it loud. Heads turned all over the movie theater lobby. Everyone was staring. Feeling the weight of all those eyes, Tina stopped whispering. Her face flushed red, then pale, and finally, she just stepped away from me, creating distance. “Ethan, I can’t believe you’re not just possessive.” “You’re also completely unreasonable! These two gentlemen were just politely asking to collaborate on a video. Not only did you attack them, but now you’re threatening them…” “Making a huge scene in front of everyone. Are you happy now?” Hearing Tina’s words, I think I actually laughed out of sheer disbelief. I stared into her eyes. “So, you’re not coming with me?” “I didn’t say that. I just don’t like you ‘protecting’ me like this. Yes, I’m your girlfriend, but I need my freedom too.” I tilted my head back and chuckled humorlessly. “And the freedom you need includes making out with strangers, no problem?” The moment I said it, I knew. Tina and I were done. I could face assault charges for defending her, and this was the response I got. Looking at the two smug foreigners standing behind her, I felt like my pride, my manhood, had been completely stomped into the dirt. The worst part? The humiliation came directly from my own fiancée. “Tina, are you coming with me or not? Think about your parents. They wouldn’t want to see you like this.” I clutched the movie tickets tightly in my hand, waiting for her answer. “Ethan, how dare you threaten me? We’re over! Let’s break up!” As soon as the words left her mouth, the two foreigners moved in, flanking Tina, putting on concerned faces. “Miss, congratulations on seeing this guy’s true colors.” Perfect. Absolute snakes in decent clothing. “Tina, if you can ditch me today for two foreign guys, they can ditch you just as easily tomorrow.” “You made your bed, now lie in it.” Watching Tina start chatting with the two guys again, I turned and walked straight out of the movie theater without looking back. But once I was out of their sightline, I quietly doubled back and went to the theater’s employee office. I pulled five crisp hundred-dollar bills from my wallet and slapped them on the counter. “Hey man, do me a favor. Pull up the security footage for me.” 3. Back home, I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes and still couldn’t figure out where I’d gone wrong. Finally, I came to one conclusion: I’d been way too much of a doormat. In the year or so Tina and I had been dating, whatever she asked for, I gave her, no questions asked. If she was hungry, I’d order food for her immediately. If it rained, I’d drive across town to pick her up from work. If she felt sick, even late at night, I’d bring medicine right to her door. And what did all that get me? After over a year, we’d barely progressed past holding hands. All my effort, apparently worth less than two guys she just met! It was laughable. And I’d actually shelled out $30,000 in engagement money, dreaming of marrying this woman… I drank a lot that night, staring at the security footage I’d paid for on my phone before finally passing out. When I woke up again, it was midnight. I checked my phone. No messages from Tina, of course. Instead, there was a text from her mother: “Ethan dear, your uncle and I are planning to visit Tina tomorrow. Could you take the day off work and pick us up from the airport?” Seeing the message, a cold smirk touched my lips. Right, your daughter is so precious. Every time they visited, I had to take time off to be their chauffeur. Why not ask their darling daughter? Afraid of interrupting her work, but mine doesn’t matter? “No problem, Auntie. I’ll be at the airport on time tomorrow to get you.” After hanging up, I made another call. The next day, after picking up Tina’s parents, I didn’t head towards her apartment. Instead, I drove the car to a hotel downtown. “Ethan dear, why are you bringing us here? We can just stay at Tina’s place.” I shrugged with a small smile. “No need to bother, Auntie. Tina’s staying right here.” 4. Tina’s mother’s expression changed slightly, a hint of disapproval in her voice. “Ethan, honey, I have to say something. Our Tina is a good girl.” “You two aren’t even married yet, and you’re already… involved like this. It’s not good for her reputation, you know. You really should give us a bit more for the engagement money!” I nodded seriously, leading Tina’s parents into the elevator up to the tenth floor. I smiled at them. “Uncle, Auntie, you’re right. We definitely need to sit down and talk properly about the engagement money.” When the elevator doors opened, two well-built men met us, along with another guy holding a video camera. “Ethan, boss, Tina’s in room 1004.” I nodded, letting the three guys lead the way straight to the room. Seeing the two men in suits leading the charge, Tina’s mother beamed with satisfaction. She glanced at the cameraman, then grabbed her husband’s arm. “Honey, look! Ethan is so thoughtful. I didn’t expect him to propose in a place like this.” Her smile was radiant, as if I were the best potential son-in-law she’d ever met. But Tina’s father remained silent, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. Thirty seconds later, we stopped. I let out a cold snort and kicked the door to 1004 wide open. As soon as the door flew open, sounds—unpleasant, intimate sounds—drifted out from inside. Tina’s mother finally realized something was very wrong. “Chad, please, slow down…” “Kyle, my mouth is getting tired.” The moment I kicked the door in, the camera guy darted into the room like a pro, capturing everything with his high-end gear. “Holy crap! Damn, Ethan! Talk about a compromising position.” I lit a cigarette, leaning against the doorframe, not going in immediately. Stepping aside, I watched Tina’s parents with morbid curiosity. “Uncle, Auntie, your precious little Tina is right in there.” “Sounds like she’s getting her morning workout in. Why don’t you go take a look for yourselves?”

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The day I turned eighteen, my sister Sarah was found dead outside, barely clothed and covered in bruises. My mom looked over her little ledger book, spat on the ground, and said, “Useless girl. Still cost me ten grand, that one.” Then, without even looking at Sarah, she wrapped her in an old sheet and had someone dump her body out in the woods. But this time, I’m going back. This time, I’m going to save my sister. 1. Early on my birthday morning, my sister Sarah, who I hadn’t seen in a year, called me from the payphone down at the corner store in our old town. “Ashley, happy birthday! Can you come home today? I got you a present!” Her voice sounded grown-up, but there was still that childlike innocence in it, the kind that didn’t match her age. At that moment, I was already walking the streets downtown, handing out flyers to scrape together tuition for the next semester. After I finished middle school, Mom and Dad wanted me to quit school and work in the factory. I refused. They beat me so bad I was stuck in bed for a month, then they kicked me out. Luckily, I met my mentor, Mrs. Evans. She organized a fundraiser through the whole school, and that’s the only reason I got to go to high school. When I applied for college, I picked the one furthest away from home I could find. I paid for everything myself – tuition, living expenses, everything. I left home for good. The only person who ever remembered my birthday was my sister, Sarah, whose mind was still like an eight-year-old’s. Hearing the hope in her voice, I had to choke back tears and say no. But Sarah understood. She even tried to cheer me up. “Okay, Ashley. Then when you come back for Christmas, I’ll have money! I can help pay for your school then!” Sarah got a really high fever when she was eight. Mom and Dad didn’t want to spend money on a doctor. They only took her when she was barely breathing. She pulled through, but her mind never grew past that year. Her idea of “making money” was doing little chores for neighbors, who’d give her pocket change out of pity, enough for candy. Tears streamed down my face listening to her. Right then, I promised I’d come home the next day. I could hear the smile in her voice over the phone. But by nightfall, I got the terrible news. My sister, who was just so excited for me to come home that morning, was dead. She was found barely dressed in a field near town. And because I didn’t want to lose half a day’s pay, I hadn’t gone back. I missed my chance to save her. That day, Sarah had tucked the money she made selling vegetables from her little garden stand into a hidden pocket in her clothes. Grandma Ruth demanded the money, but Sarah refused. Grandma beat her savagely for it, made her kneel on the floor, and wouldn’t give her anything to eat. Sarah got so weak from hunger she couldn’t even stand. She begged Grandma Ruth for food. But Grandma refused. Instead, she dragged Sarah over to Old Man Hemlock’s place. That’s right. My grandmother took my sweet, mentally disabled sister and handed her over to that disgusting old bachelor, Hemlock. She charged him by the visit. Sarah fought back. Hemlock beat her up. She managed to run away in terror, but she had nowhere to go. She ended up hiding in that field at the edge of town. By the time I rushed back the next day, I found her. Her clothes were torn, her body covered in dark bruises. The blood beneath her had dried. She wasn’t breathing. My head roared. I quickly took off my jacket and covered her, sobbing uncontrollably. And the one responsible, Grandma Ruth, was already spreading lies among the townsfolk. “That poor girl, her mind ain’t right. Had one of her fits, tore off her clothes, ran outside. Froze to death out there. Such a shame, such an embarrassment.” Grandma rubbed her eyes like she was crying, but her face was dry. “I had a bad headache last night. Made her dinner and went straight to bed. How was I supposed to know the poor thing would go crazy and do something like this? It’s a curse on this family!” My father put on a show of sadness. “We never mistreated her here at the Miller house. It was just her time, I guess. Nobody’s fault.” Then he pretended to cradle Sarah gently, talking about giving her a proper burial. The moment he got her back to the house, though, he dropped her body on the floor in disgust. “Bad luck,” he muttered. 2. My mom immediately pulled out the little notebook she always carried, tallying things up. Her face was long and sour. “Just like I said, a drain on resources. Raised her all these years, and I’m still out ten thousand dollars!” My name is Ashley Miller. My sister’s name was Sarah Miller. I was an unplanned baby. My parents actually gave me away at first. But after Sarah got sick at eight and stayed… simple, and Mom couldn’t get pregnant again, they took me back. Then my brother, Kevin, was born. Suddenly, Mom and Dad’s attitude towards me did a complete 180. They treated Sarah even worse, like they couldn’t wait for her to just disappear. Grandma Ruth never had a kind word for her. It was always yelling or hitting. Mom and Dad just looked the other way. Even with Sarah’s death, all the suspicious circumstances, they didn’t care. They decided she’d had a “fit,” fallen, and frozen to death. They were just glad the burden was finally gone. That evening, Grandma Ruth took out a wad of cash and handed it to Mom. “Here’s thirteen hundred. Hemlock gave two hundred the first month. After that, he complained she wasn’t a virgin anymore, so it was ten bucks a time. Ten times a month. Kevin wants those new Jordans, right? Use this to buy them for him.” My head exploded with a buzzing sound. Everything clicked into place. Blinded by grief and fury, I snatched the money and ripped it to shreds, screaming through my tears: “Are you even human?!” My father slapped me hard across the face. Grandma and Mom started screaming abuse at me. They didn’t feel guilty at all. They were just furious I’d destroyed the money. Later, when I was digging a small grave for Sarah myself, I found something sewn into the lining of her worn-out jacket. A hundred dollars in carefully folded bills, and a note written in shaky, childish letters: “Ashley, Birthday present.” The sky was painfully clear, but I felt like I was standing in a downpour, my face completely soaked. For the rest of my life, even after I made something of myself and cut off all ties with my parents, what happened to Sarah was like a thorn stuck deep in my heart, making it hard to breathe. Then, I opened my eyes. I saw the bus ticket stub in my hand. Tears flooded my eyes. I was back. Back on the day that haunted me for the rest of my life. This time, I didn’t wait until the next day. I caught the overnight bus straight back to my hometown. Sarah, please wait for me this time! 3. After a whole day on the bus, a few more hours on a connecting local line, and then catching a ride with a guy on a beat-up motorcycle, I finally made it back home just as evening fell. Nights in the countryside aren’t filled with colorful lights or busy streets. Just endless darkness and the sound of crickets chirping all around. Using the faint starlight, I found Sarah in the field near the edge of town. Her forehead was bleeding heavily, and her body was covered in countless cuts and bruises. The night wind blew, and she curled up tighter, moaning softly, “Hurts… Grandma… it hurts so bad.” Seeing her trying to cry but unable to, just lying there barely conscious, I scrambled towards her like a madwoman, holding her thin body close, trying to wipe away the blood. In this remote, backwards part of the country, old, toxic ideas were still strong. Having a son meant carrying on the family name; daughters were just expenses, looked down on from the day they were born. In this kind of environment, where boys were prized above all else, Sarah, being intellectually disabled from her illness, was even more of an outcast, a constant target. Grandma Ruth used her to get money, and even if my parents knew, they turned a blind eye. Remembering what happened last time, I quickly pulled out the first-aid supplies I’d brought and started trying to stop the bleeding. Sarah felt the cool antiseptic and slowly opened her eyes. “Ashley?” She struggled to lift her heavy eyelids, trying to figure out if I was real or just a dream. I squeezed her hand. “Sarah, it’s me, Ashley.” A weak smile touched her lips. She tried to reach into her pocket, but her hand fell back several times, lacking strength. Finally, she managed to pull out the hidden bundle of cash. “Ashley… this is my garden money… your birthday present… Take it for school… don’t let Grandma… find it…” She couldn’t catch her breath and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Tears were streaming down my face by now. I quickly tucked the hundred dollars into my bag. “Okay, Sarah. I’ll keep it safe.” She tried to say something else, but she passed out. I had to get her to a hospital immediately, or she wouldn’t make it. “Open the door!” I carried Sarah back to the house on my back and started pounding on the door. After what felt like forever, Grandma Ruth opened it, muttering curses. “Crazy girl, what’re you screaming about in the middle of the night!” She pushed the door open, saw Sarah unconscious on my back, and froze for a second. Then she put on a fake concerned voice, “What happened to Sarah?” I didn’t have time to argue. I needed to get Sarah help fast, and that meant getting Grandma to find someone in town with a truck. In this town, most of the young people had left for work elsewhere, and the kids had no say. Without Grandma Ruth asking, nobody would help me. But when I asked her, she yelled, “It’s the middle of the night! That stupid girl ran off dressed like that! It’ll cause a scandal! Who am I supposed to ask for help now!” I shot back furiously, “You know exactly why she was out here in the middle of the night, don’t you?” Grandma yelled even louder, “She’s got legs, hasn’t she? How should I know where she goes!” Everything I’d been through growing up taught me one thing: with unreasonable old people like Grandma, you had to get tough to make them listen. I spat out a harsh threat: “If you don’t find someone to help right now, and Sarah dies, I swear I’ll take Kevin down with me. I’ll make sure the Miller family name ends right here!” Kevin was her Achilles’ heel. She started screaming insults at me, but she reluctantly went off to find help. While she was gone, I quickly changed Sarah into a clean set of clothes. I wouldn’t give the villagers any chance to mock her. Sarah was finally taken to the hospital. My parents also flew back overnight. Not because they were worried about Sarah, though. They came back to make sure no more money was “wasted.” Faced with the medical bills, Grandma Ruth was the first to collapse onto the hospital floor, wailing, “I’m just an old woman! I raised that simple girl, where would I get money? I ate scraps so she could have food! I never mistreated her!” “It’s just a few cuts, what does she need a hospital for? Slap some bandages on her, stop the bleeding. If she lives, she lives. It’s fate. Treating her is just throwing money away.” My mom pulled out her ledger. “It cost so much to raise her! She still owes me ten thousand dollars! Where would we get money to treat her? No money!” I was furious. “You had us, but you never took responsibility! You don’t deserve to be called parents!” Mom’s eyes bulged. “Like anyone wants you either!” My dad impatiently asked if I wanted them to just bring Sarah home. He’d pay for the gas, tops. If I didn’t listen, they were washing their hands of it. Her life or death had nothing to do with them anymore. I stood firm. “I’ll take care of Sarah from now on. Even if I have to sell my blood or work myself to the bone, I’ll get her the treatment she needs.” “Fine, you take care of her then. Don’t come crawling back to us.” “Even if we die, Sarah and I won’t die in your house!” My dad decisively took my mom and grandma and left. As they turned away, I heard Grandma Ruth talking about buying Kevin new clothes and shoes. They had money for plane tickets, but not for Sarah’s hospital bills. The absolute heartlessness of my own parents chilled me to the bone. Thankfully, luck was on our side. Sarah’s injuries were mostly external, severe blood loss, but no internal damage. The money I’d saved from working, plus the hundred dollars Sarah had saved from her garden, was enough to cover the initial medical bills. After paying, there was even a little left over for basic needs. With proper treatment, Sarah slowly started getting better. The knot of tension inside me finally began to loosen. The day she was discharged, Sarah hid behind me, clutching my hand and crying. “Grandma hit me and yelled at me… she didn’t give me enough food… she took me to that man’s house and he hit me… I don’t want to go back and see Grandma.” “Ashley, I’ll be good. I’ll work hard and earn my own money… Can we not go back to Grandma’s house? Please?” Even with the mind of an eight-year-old, Sarah understood everything. Tears streamed down my face as I hugged her tight, trying to give her a sense of safety. “We’ll work hard, support ourselves, and never go back there again.” That memory would haunt her for the rest of her life. For the rest of mine, I would do everything in my power to protect Sarah and make sure she knew only joy. 4. The first challenge after leaving the hospital was finding a place to live and figuring out how we’d eat. With Sarah, I couldn’t stay in the college dorm anymore. I found a tiny basement room near campus, just big enough for one bed. The landlady, Mrs. Peterson, was a kind woman. When Mrs. Peterson heard our story, she agreed to let us pay the rent later. We didn’t get lucky with some rich benefactor swooping in to save us. I knew deep down that for poor people like us, the only real chance was to cling tightly to education, to use it as a vine to climb up. No matter how hard life got, I couldn’t let go of my chance to learn. When I didn’t have classes, I took Sarah with me to hand out flyers. At night, I worked as a server at a fried chicken joint while Sarah rested at home. One night, coming home late from my shift, I found Sarah waiting up, guarding a steaming bowl of beef noodles. When she saw me, she immediately put down her chopsticks and brought it over. “Ashley, breakfast!” she said, mixing up night and day. After paying the rent yesterday, Sarah and I had less than five dollars between us. An eight-dollar bowl of noodles was a luxury for us, used to surviving on plain bread. “Sarah, where did you get this?” Her eyes sparkled brightly. “Mrs. Peterson! She helped me find a job! Washing dishes at the diner down the street. I get free breakfast every day, and five hundred dollars a month!” Sarah carefully blew on the noodles to cool them for me. Her clear, bright eyes watched me intently. “Ashley, Mrs. Peterson said I have to help you as much as I can, so I’m not a burden. I’ll work hard to earn money so you can stay in school.” Looking into her innocent eyes, tears started streaming down my face again. How could anyone call her a burden, an idiot? She was my wonderful sister, who loved me and cared for me. By my sophomore year, thanks to our hard work and careful saving, things weren’t quite so tight. At least I could pay my tuition. Sarah and I didn’t have to eat plain bread every meal; we could afford meat sometimes. Mrs. Peterson felt sorry for us and cleared out a storage room on the first floor for us to live in, without raising the rent. We finally moved out of the damp, dark basement. The shop owners and neighbors nearby knew our situation, and many were happy to lend a hand. Mr. Henderson, the security guard at a nearby building, would keep an eye out when I wasn’t home to make sure Sarah didn’t wander off. Ms. Davies at the corner store would give Sarah snacks and toiletries, pretending they were about to expire. Mrs. Peterson often claimed she’d cooked too much food. There was Mr. Johnson, old Mrs. Gable… Our biological family was a wreck, but strangers we’d never met showed us endless warmth. By my junior year, life got even better. Sarah and I each bought a cheap smartphone. Our family thought Sarah was too stupid to bother teaching, she’d never spent a day in school. So, I started from the very beginning, teaching her how to hold a pen, how to write her name, letter by letter. Then I taught her phonics. It was slow and difficult, but day after day, Sarah finally learned to slowly type out words. Now, we could communicate even when I wasn’t home. Senior year, I got an internship at a company. During a work trip, we got caught in a flash flood out in the countryside. Relying on the survival skills I’d learned growing up in a rural area, I managed to grab onto a big tree. I also pulled a colleague who’d been swept away to safety with me. Later, I found out he was the boss’s son, working his way up from the bottom to learn the business. After that incident, the boss learned about me. He reviewed my performance records since I joined the company and moved me to the Marketing Department, where hard work directly translated into better rewards. A few years later, I finally established myself in this bustling, glittering city through my own efforts. I became the Marketing Manager. I moved with Sarah into a nice apartment complex the company rented for me. Sarah adapted well to city life. She even took some classes at a special needs center, learning new things. She happily became my supportive home-helper. Just as I was starting to look forward to a brighter future… My mother showed up at my door with my ailing father and my brother Kevin, who had dropped out of high school.

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It wasn’t until after we got married that I found out my husband couldn’t have kids. And then he had the nerve to suggest I sleep with his dad to carry on the family line! It was so messed up, I cut him off completely and demanded a divorce. But that creep wouldn’t give up. He even started trashing me online, trying to bully me into giving in. I just scoffed. Fine, if that’s how you want to play it, let the internet judge your messed-up family drama! 1 I was at my desk, trying to catch up on work, when I realized I was being cyberbullied. I’d taken time off for the wedding and honeymoon, and now I was drowning in deadlines. “Hey, uh, Ashley? I think your husband posted something about you online.” I looked up. My coworker, Sarah, looked hesitant. She sent me a link. I clicked it, and there it was – a selectively edited audio clip. Just a few lines, but totally explosive. “Ashley, didn’t we talk about this before the wedding? We agreed we’d start trying for a baby right away. You were okay with it then, why change your mind now?” That was supposed to be him, sounding confused and innocent. Then me: “Are you kidding me, Mark? If you want a baby so bad, why don’t you make one? … Yeah, I changed my mind, so what? … Do you even deserve one?” My voice sounded harsh, dismissive. Mark, my husband, had cleverly edited it to make him look like the victim and me like the cold-hearted bitch. To top it off, he’d added a video. I pressed play. It showed our bedroom – his family’s house bedroom, technically. Mark looked awful – unshaven, teary-eyed. “Ashley, I’m so sorry. If you don’t want kids, we don’t have to have them, okay? Just come back. I’ll do anything. Even if I never have kids, it doesn’t matter. I can’t live without you. Please forgive me, I’ll never bring up kids again…” This curated audio, plus his Oscar-worthy performance, totally fooled anyone who didn’t know the real story. The comment section was blowing up. Thousands of replies already. “Wow, what is this woman’s problem?” “They agreed beforehand! Changing her mind now is basically saying she wants his family line to end. So selfish.” “Poor guy. She treats him like dirt, and he’s still head over heels. Guess I’m not cut out for that kind of ‘love’.” It was going exactly as Mark planned. The edited clip and video swayed everyone. The comments were almost entirely against me, attacking me. Some trolls even started insulting my parents, getting really personal. I read the comments, my blood running cold. See? They didn’t care about the truth. They just wanted to vent. The few comments defending me or suggesting there might be more to the story were quickly buried. Anyone who spoke up for me became a target too. “What’s there to question? Easy for you to judge when it’s not your family dying out. If you think something’s fishy, fine, hope you never have kids either, lol.” “She treats her new husband like crap? Probably slept around before. Can’t believe anyone’s defending her. Seriously messed up values. Blocked.” Things spiraled fast. My phone started exploding with calls from unknown numbers. Texts filled with disgusting insults flooded my inbox. Mark had posted my contact info in the comments. “I’m too scared to contact my wife anymore. Please, internet, help me talk some sense into her. Here’s her number. If she comes back, you’ll all be my saviors.” It went viral so quickly. Within an hour, it was the top story on the local news feed. Family and friends started messaging me, asking what was going on. Even though most of them didn’t believe I was that kind of person and figured there was something I wasn’t saying, the audio and video were right there, making them doubt. Sarah must have seen how upset I was. She pulled me into a hug. “Ashley, I know there’s more to it,” she whispered. “Whatever it is, if you need to talk, I’m here. We’ll figure it out together.” Seeing her genuine concern, all the stress and hurt I’d bottled up for a week just poured out. I hugged her back tightly. “Thanks, Sarah,” I mumbled through tears. The online attacks hadn’t made me cry, but my friend’s kindness broke the dam. 2 Sarah patiently helped me calm down, and I managed to give her a vague outline of what happened. Mark and I met in college. We got married right after graduation. He was Student Government President back in sophomore year when he supposedly fell for me “at first sight” and started pursuing me relentlessly. Flowers, dinners, constant attention – he was everywhere. Being this popular guy on campus, yeah, I fell for it. We started dating. But the thing that really convinced me he was “the one” was how respectful he seemed. In this age of hookup culture, Mark was always proper, never pushed things physically. Even when we traveled and stayed in the same hotel room, I saw him struggling, saw the desire in his eyes. But he always stopped before things went too far, even when I hinted it was okay. “Ashley’s my treasure,” he’d say. “I have to respect her. I can only truly have all of her on our wedding day…” I felt his urgent kisses, the sweat from his excitement, but even then, he wouldn’t cross that line. At that moment, I thought, this is the guy. He’s the one. Who could have guessed the real reason he didn’t go further was because he couldn’t? He was impotent and infertile. I still remember how excited and nervous I was on our wedding night. The dream was coming true; I could finally be with the man I loved. But when I walked into the bedroom – the one we’d decorated together – I found his paralyzed father lying on our marriage bed! Mark was just sitting casually beside the bed. When he saw me, his face lit up. “Ashley! I’m so happy! We finally made it to today! Quick, get in bed with Dad! After tonight, we can have our baby!” His words hit me like a bucket of ice water, freezing me on the spot. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stared at him, my chest tight, gasping for air, unable to speak. “Ugh—” I bent over slightly, gagging. Pulling myself together, wiping away tears, my voice trembling, I asked, “What… what do you mean? Your dad is in our bed? You mean… you want me to have a baby with your dad?” Mark acted like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Yeah, isn’t it obvious? Why are you getting so worked up? What’s the difference between having my baby and having my dad’s baby? As long as the kid has our family blood, that’s all that matters, right?” Mark was a late-in-life child. His mom died young, and his dad raised him alone through hard times. His dad was seventy now, paralyzed from an accident years ago, and had dementia. He couldn’t even move. I’d promised myself I’d treat his dad like my own father after we got married. But now, there he was, lying on the bed, drooling with a vacant smile, seemingly unaware of what was supposed to happen. Mark’s words made me gasp. I was shaking with rage. Pointing at his father on the bed, I yelled, “Even if your dad is paralyzed, it doesn’t matter?! Mark, what the hell were you thinking? Was everything between us, all the sweetness, was it all fake???” Seeing me lose it, Mark looked guilty for a split second, but it was quickly replaced by irritation and defensiveness. “What’s the big deal? My dad’s paralyzed. He can’t tell anyone.” Maybe realizing how awful that sounded, his tone suddenly softened. He looked at me deeply. “Ashley, you’re always so understanding, right? You love me so much, just do this one thing for me, okay? Our family needs an heir!” “I’m hurting too, you know? Do you have any idea what it feels like to push the person you love onto someone else? Especially when it’s my own father? But I don’t have a choice! If I could, I’d want to be with you myself! But God gave me this broken body, I don’t even feel like a real man…” He broke down, sobbing, kneeling on the floor. He crawled towards me, his eyes red, pleading. “Ashley… later, after the baby’s born, we can have a good life, okay? If… if you really don’t want to… we could just be like… sisters…” 3 After that, I completely lost it. We had a massive fight. I can barely remember exactly what was said, only the overwhelming anger and absurdity of it all. Ignoring Mark’s attempts to stop me, I ran out of the house in a daze. Only one thought echoed in my mind: Get away from Mark. Get a divorce. Before the wedding, I’d truly believed Mark was the one I could spend my life with. I never imagined all his patience and tenderness were just an act, a carefully planned conspiracy. Blinded by love, I’d transferred the ownership of two properties my parents gave me as wedding gifts, plus all my dowry assets, into both our names. If we divorced now, there was a good chance all our assets would be split equally. I couldn’t let that happen. I wanted to ruin his reputation, leave him with nothing, make him pay for what he did. But before I could even figure out a plan, Mark struck first. He tried to use public pressure to force me back. He knew I cared about my reputation and didn’t want to worry my parents. He figured I’d cave under the pressure. After all, I’d always been gentle, understanding, and agreeable around him. Even when we argued, I was usually the first to back down. He assumed I wouldn’t have the guts to fight back. I let out a cold laugh. Since Mark was so eager for me to come back and be his family’s broodmare, fine. I’d go back. I took leave from work as quickly as I could, ignoring the weird looks from my colleagues, and headed straight to Mark’s house. That day, getting into his house was suspiciously easy. The front door, usually locked tight, was wide open. I took a deep breath and pushed it open, only to find— In the small living room, Mark was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his phone with a smug look. The sunlight glinting off his glasses made him look particularly sinister. And his father… was lying next to him on the sofa, completely naked, except for some carefully wrapped ribbons tied around his body, accentuating the folds of loose skin. Like a “present” waiting to be unwrapped. Hearing me enter, Mark glanced up. Seeing it was me, his eyes lit up. He jumped up, grabbed my sleeve, and pulled me inside. “Ashley, come here! I knew you couldn’t stay away from me! I knew you’d come around!” 4 The moment Mark came towards me, a wave of nausea washed over me. I bit down hard on my lip to stop myself from wanting to literally kill him. But outwardly, I let him pull me forward, looking dazed. I didn’t struggle, didn’t speak. I just kept my eyes lowered meekly, looking like I’d resigned myself to my fate, all my previous defiance gone. Mark chattered non-stop beside me, reminiscing about our “good times,” painting rosy pictures of our future. But everything he said revolved around one thing – a baby. “Don’t worry, Ashley. Dad’s in his seventies now, basically got one foot in the grave. After you have the baby, I’ll definitely put him in a nursing home so he won’t be in your way. Then it’ll just be the three of us…” “I know you’ve sacrificed so much for me. Just this once! This one last time. After this, I promise I’ll treat you and the baby right for the rest of our lives. You know me, I love you so much…” He kept sneaking glances at me, cautiously testing my limits. I listened quietly. After a moment, I interrupted him. “So, Mark… after the baby’s born, will it call you Daddy, or… big brother?” Mark froze. His face twisted for a moment, his eyes flashing with sudden cruelty. My question hit a raw nerve, making it impossible for him to keep up the act. Just before he exploded, I suddenly burst into tears, slapping myself frantically. “I love you so much! How could I bear to see your family line end? How could I refuse anything you ask? We’ve been together for years, Mark, don’t you know me by now? How could I ever want to make you sad?” “What hurt me was that you never told me about this! What hurt was the pain of knowing the man I love is pushing me towards someone else! I just couldn’t accept it right away, so I said some harsh things. Couldn’t you give me even a little time to process?” Hearing this, Mark’s anger instantly vanished. His eyes lit up with ecstatic relief. “Ashley, Ashley, you mean…” I clutched my head, mumbling, “I was so desperate back then… because I love you. I love you enough to die for you. I don’t want anyone else! But if you need this… I’ll do whatever you ask.” “These past few days, I’ve been trying to mentally prepare myself. But Mark… I can’t believe you didn’t trust me at all. I can’t believe you resorted to cyberbullying me just to force me back. Now everyone is…” By the end, I was sobbing hysterically, fighting back disgust as I leaned on Mark’s shoulder, pouring out my supposed grievances. All the while, I subtly made it clear I’d agreed to his plan, that I would have the baby for his family, I just needed a little time. To gain his trust and sympathy, I played the part of a slightly unhinged, devoted lover, saying ridiculous things I didn’t mean. All to placate him, buy time, and gather evidence for the final blow. Thankfully, my act worked. Mark believed me. He was moved to tears by my performance. He held me tight, comforting me gently. “Ashley, I’m sorry. I misunderstood you. I thought you were still angry with me, so I just… I panicked…” Feeling guilty, he quickly pulled out his phone to appease me. Right in front of me, he deleted his previous post and edited it. “To all the concerned netizens, thank you for your support. My wife and I have worked things out. She’s a wonderful person, and I misunderstood her. We’re going to build a happy life together and have a beautiful baby soon. We’ll send out baby shower invites to everyone then!” After posting, he ignored the online storm brewing and looked at me eagerly, trying to be nice but still with an undercurrent of demand. “Ashley, I’ll give you time, but please don’t make me wait too long, okay?” I lowered my head to hide the sneer in my eyes, watching his pathetic display without a flicker of emotion. When I looked up again, my face was a mask of tearful gratitude. My voice choked, “Mark, don’t worry. I’ll start researching everything about getting pregnant right away. I’ll do my best to give the Johnson family a healthy baby boy…”

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Nighttime, scrolling TikTok like usual. Some dude in a mesh top was dancing. Pretty good moves. Couldn’t see his face, and he looked kinda lean, but damn, the muscle definition was just right. Those abs peeking through the netting… chef’s kiss. I shot my shot right there in the comments: Damn boy, gotta run, but wow The second I hit send, the guy who was just pixels on my screen suddenly materialized right in front of me. 1. Dragging myself home after a long day, I flopped onto my bed, dead to the world, and started my ritual: scrolling through thirst traps. Look, do I know it’s basically softcore? Yeah. But hear me out. These guys are strangers. No one in real life is volunteering this view, but they are. They’re not asking for my money, not trying to scam me, just putting it all out there for a measly little heart icon. What’s wrong with that? It’s not just thirst traps; it’s public service. A modern form of salvation. And my personal savior? TikTok creator EQ. He blew up outta nowhere last month. Super aloof type, never likes comments, rarely engages. Sometimes doesn’t even bother with a caption, just drops pics. Today, he dropped a new video. First time doing video, actually. Him in that mesh top, moving like that… those muscles, the hint of abs under the fabric. Was this… targeted content? Aimed directly at me? I sighed. Modern loneliness, man. A tiny screen separating me from my internet husband. Couldn’t help myself. Zero filter mode activated. Usually, I’m the quiet, sweet girl at work. Online? Total degenerate. I typed: Damn boy, gotta run, but wow Comment sent. And BAM. The guy from my phone screen was standing in my bedroom. Still wearing the exact same mesh top from the video. My eyes traveled up… to a face that was cool, sharp, and annoyingly good-looking. Looked kinda familiar. Weird. Let me look again. Ethan Sterling? My boss? The guy who always wears perfect suits, looks like he’s contemplating tax law 24/7, and never cracks a smile? Yeah, okay, we were both thoroughly freaked out. Ethan went from confused, to more confused when he saw me, then shocked, bewildered, scared, and… blushing? In like five seconds, I saw more expressions on his face than I had in the entire year I’d worked for him. “Anna Miller?” The thirst trap— I mean, Ethan— finally spoke. “Mr. Sterling? What… what’s going on?” I instinctively grabbed a throw blanket off my chair and handed it to him. Couldn’t help it; if I kept looking, I was gonna get a nosebleed. He eyed the fuzzy pink blanket like it personally offended him, but then draped it over his shoulders anyway. Body betrays the face, huh? “What did you do? How did I suddenly end up in your apartment?” Credit where it’s due, the big boss composure kicked back in fast. Already analyzing the situation. “I didn’t do anything! Just scrolling TikTok, and… I saw your…” “And then?” He cut me off before the words “thirst trap video” could fully form. And then? Could I really say it? Is that something you say to your boss who is currently standing in your bedroom wearing a mesh top and a pink blanket? “Nothing.” Online Anna: Fearless warrior. Real-life Anna: Total coward. He clearly didn’t buy it. “Phone. Now.” He even gave me the look. The one that usually means my quarterly bonus is about to evaporate. Forget the bonus, I just stumbled onto my boss’s secret life. I could end up “disappeared.” Trembling, I unlocked my phone and handed it over. It was still open to his video. Damn, he really was popular. The video already had over a hundred thousand likes. And my comment? Boosted right up into the top three. Mortifying. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one mortified. Ethan’s expression didn’t change much, but his ears were turning bright red. The pink blanket really made them pop. Almost… cute? “So,” he said, his voice tight. “You commented one sentence, and I instantly appeared here?” 2 I nodded hesitantly. It sounded insane, I know. But it was the truth. He handed the phone back. “Comment again.” He then backed away into my tiny kitchen alcove and slid the glass door mostly shut. Okay… I sent a simple smiley face emoji. Nothing happened. Total silence. He walked back into the living room, looking deadly serious despite the pink blanket situation. Like he was chairing a board meeting about interdimensional travel. “What’s the variable here?” A lightbulb went off in my head. I spoke tentatively, already cringing, “The… content of the comment?” He nodded, gestured for me to try again, and retreated back to the kitchen. I thought carefully, typed something out, and hit send. Poof. He was right back in front of me. Neither of us saw how it happened. Ethan frowned. “What did you write this time?” “Uh…” My voice got smaller and smaller. “‘Pretty sure looking this good should be illegal… ” I practically mumbled the last part into the carpet. His mouth twitched. He looked like he wanted to say something, then stopped, sighed, and just said my name. “Anna.” “Yeah?” “Try again. Comment on someone else’s video,” he paused, then added, “Same type of content.” Leave it to the boss to think methodically. Control the variables. He was treating this like a science experiment. So, he sat down next to me on my couch, watching intently as I scrolled to find another thirst trap creator and typed: Pretty sure we’re soulmates based on… well, everything Before hitting send, I had a brief panic attack. What if I summoned another one? How would I explain that? Demonstrate the magic words again and summon a third? End up with a living room full of half-naked influencers? Honestly, sounds like a dream come true. Turns out, I worried for nothing. Sent the comment. Nothing happened. After a few more rounds of testing, Ethan and I reached a conclusion. If I post a thirsty, flirty, or generally inappropriate comment on Ethan Sterling’s secret thirst trap videos, he teleports directly to my location. We just sat there for a minute, silently processing this absolutely ridiculous information. Eventually, I called him an Uber and lent him one of my brother’s old sweatshirts (thank god he left some stuff here). Before leaving, Ethan fixed me with a glare. A serious, ‘I-run-a-company’ glare. “Anna Miller. If a third person ever finds out about this, you’re finished.” Message received. I like my job, thanks. Besides, who would even believe this story? The internet, man. What a weird, magical place. Nobody knows how degenerate I am online, just like nobody knows the cool, aloof CEO is secretly a TikTok thirst trap star. 3 I got to work super early the next day. Couldn’t sleep. Last night’s events were… a lot. Ethan didn’t look like he’d slept much either. Dark circles under his eyes. Kinda matched the color of that mesh top… And then, during the damn company-wide morning meeting, I snorted out loud with laughter. My coworkers tried to hide their smirks, glancing between me and the head of the table, clearly enjoying the drama. I risked a peek at Ethan. He was looking down, fingers tapping rhythmically on the polished wood. He looked like he hadn’t heard, but I recognized that tapping. It was a warning. Sure enough, after the meeting, “Anna, stay behind.” I immediately went into damage control. “Mr. Sterling, my lips are sealed! Seriously, Fort Knox has nothing on me. I won’t say a word.” He just gave me a look, then handed me a garment bag. “Your brother’s sweatshirt. Dry cleaned. Thank you.” I took the bag, trying to smile normally. Leave it to him to return a borrowed hoodie like he was closing a million-dollar deal. Just as I was marveling at his sheer Ethan-ness, he dropped the bomb. “Business trip next week. You’re coming with me.” “Why?” I blurted out. “Because I can’t risk you randomly commenting while I’m out of state and teleporting me into a client meeting.” Seriously? Like I have nothing better to do than randomly summon my boss? I thought it, but no way was I saying that out loud. Ten points from Gryffindor and probably my job. So, yeah. I ended up on the business trip with him and his EA, Mark. Destination: neighboring state. I figured it would be boring as hell, but then I ran into someone I knew. Leo Vance. Long-term company partner, also happens to be Ethan’s best friend. Leo’s actually a pretty fun guy. Last time I saw him was months ago. Didn’t think he’d remember me, just a random girl from the marketing department. But the moment he saw me, he grinned. “Anna! Good to see you!” I was surprised. “Mr. Vance, you remember me?” His grin widened. “Of course! How could I forget? Besides, I owe you big time. If it wasn’t for you, I never would’ve won that last bet against Ethan.” I froze. Dude. You can’t just say stuff like that! What bet? Mark, the EA, suddenly looked like he’d walked in on a top-secret merger negotiation, eyeing me with a new mix of awe and pity. I immediately turned to Ethan, practically pledging allegiance. “Mr. Sterling, don’t listen to him! My loyalty is 100% to this company! I would never do anything to jeopardize our interests!” Seriously, I need this job. Ethan’s face was thunderous. Eyebrows knitted together. Looked like he was about to start yelling. I was terrified. Leo, however, was completely unfazed. He even added fuel to the fire. “What are you scared of him for? He’s not as intimidating as he looks. Hey, Anna, I like you. You should ditch this place and come work for me. I’ll definitely pay you more than he does.” Okay, I don’t know why Leo was trying to get me fired, but he was doing a bang-up job. Nope. Not dealing with this. Fight or flight? Flight. Definitely flight. “Excuse me, nature calls!” I practically sprinted towards the restrooms, escaping the corporate minefield. When I got back, they were both acting like nothing happened, back to business as usual. Weirdos. 4 This whole trip had absolutely nothing to do with my actual job. I couldn’t help with any of it. Thankfully, Ethan didn’t seem to expect me to. Like he said, I was basically just teleportation insurance. So, I tried to make myself invisible, huddled in a corner, scrolling through TikTok. This guy’s cute, but kinda scrawny… This one has abs, but way too much, not as good as Ethan’s… Speaking of, Ethan hadn’t posted anything new this week. Kinda wanted to nudge him for an update, but my survival instinct screamed NO. Man, after seeing the boss’s… uh… content, all these other guys seemed kinda bland. “What are you doing?” That cool, distinctive voice right above me made me jump. My phone clattered to the floor. The video playing was one of my pre-Ethan favorites. The creator had a thing for uniforms and wasn’t shy about it. Ethan glanced at the screen as he bent down to pick up my phone. Before I could even thank him, I watched in horror as his long fingers did a long-press on the screen and mercilessly tapped ‘Not Interested.’ Dude! He handed the phone back to me, my silent rage apparently invisible to him. “Work hours, Anna. Less time on… low-brow content.” Right, right. Their thirst traps are low-brow. Yours are high art. Got it. Seriously, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t party. My only vice is appreciating the male form online. What’s the big deal? And what was up with Leo? Every time he saw me for the rest of the trip, he’d start grinning, trying to hold back laughter, and eventually just failing completely. By the end of the trip, Ethan basically banned us from being in the same room. Said we were “disrupting productivity.” To give me something to do, Mark asked me to book the return flights. I sidled up to Ethan’s temporary desk while he was typing away. Lowering my voice conspiratorially, I said, “Boss, I have a brilliant idea. Could save the company money.” He didn’t even look up. “Go on.” “Okay, so I fly back first. Get to the office. Then, I comment on your video, and poof! You’re instantly back at HQ. Saves time, saves a plane ticket. Win-win!” He shot down my genius plan immediately. Told me to stop thinking up “shady shortcuts.” Damn. I really wanted to see if the long-distance teleportation worked.

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