Category: English

Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. After the fourth notification chime from the phone on the bed, I glanced towards the bathroom. He was still in the shower. I’ve never been one to check his phone, and he rarely touched mine. Mutual respect, and our relationship was, well, harmonious enough. I was debating whether I should check if it was something important when the phone dinged again. He never told me his passcode, but I’d paid attention once after he asked to borrow money from me, saying he and a friend were investing in some project. I unlocked his phone using the code I remembered. He hadn’t saved the sender’s name, but the profile picture was clearly a woman. 5 unread messages. The last one was just an animated emoji. A really bad feeling started creeping up inside me for no reason. In the end, curiosity won out, and I tapped into the chat. I wasn’t prepared. The messages hit me like a ton of bricks. A woman’s intuition really is scarily accurate. She wrote: “Leo, Leo, thinking of you again today” “Thanks for the Chanel, I love it so much” “My man has such good taste” “Can you come over for dinner tomorrow night? I’ll make your favorite spicy shrimp pasta” Followed by a flirty little emoji. Leo is my husband. But it wasn’t hard to figure out from her words that their relationship was… something else entirely. My temples started throbbing. I couldn’t help but question why he really needed that money he borrowed. Leo and I met on a blind date, actually. At first glance, he seemed really honest, almost endearingly awkward. Decent family background, both parents worked in education. I figured a kid raised in that kind of environment couldn’t be too bad. So, we decided to give it a shot. I wouldn’t say I loved him, or even liked him that much. Maybe it was just that we both felt we were at that age where you’re supposed to get married. Both our parents were pushing us, and we didn’t exactly hate looking at each other, so we just kind of… settled down together. Sure, there was sex but no real love, but we’d still shared a bed for a year. To say I didn’t feel anything, wasn’t upset at all – that would be a lie. But after the initial hurt, the thought that he might have slept with another woman just made my stomach churn with disgust. I had no idea when it started. Was he just incredibly slick, or was I just incredibly dense? After I calmed down a bit, I deleted the chat thread. Faced with cheating, I figured I had two options: divorce or swallow my pride and live with it. I am definitely not the kind of woman with the magnanimity to choose the latter. The thought alone made me sick. Just then, Leo walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Still damp, he smiled warmly at me, moving in to hug and kiss me, calling me “Honey.” Looking at his face, I instinctively turned my head away. Right on cue, the phone dinged again. I used the moment to push his arm away. He just chuckled and reached for his phone. Didn’t even have to guess who that message was from. He stood up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him unlock the screen. The phone’s reflection turned white – he was probably in his messaging app. Then, I saw him holding the phone with both hands, thumbs flying. He must be texting her back! Seeing the hint of a smile playing on his lips, I abruptly sat up in bed. He jumped, startled, and quickly locked his phone screen, looking at me with a flicker of panic. When he saw I was just getting out of bed to put on my slippers, he quickly masked it with an exaggerated look of surprise. “You scared me, jumping up like that.” I gave a tight-lipped half-smile, ignored him, and headed straight for the bathroom. I closed and locked the bathroom door. Turning the shower on full blast, I just stood underneath the water. Suddenly, all the hurt, anger, and regret I’d been holding back just poured out of my eyes. All this time together, I never once thought Leo would cheat. Thinking back on everything, all the little moments, I finally realized just how calculating he really was. No wonder he always had to go stay overnight at his parents’ place now and then. He knew I didn’t get along with his mother and wouldn’t ask questions. No wonder the money he earned rarely covered household expenses and was never enough. No wonder he got those weird, blocked numbers calling him sometimes. If I hadn’t looked at his phone today, God knows how much longer I would have stayed completely in the dark. We don’t have kids. Even if we did, this marriage is over. I have to divorce him. Once I calmed down. I sat on the toilet lid for a long time, thinking about how to handle this. Maybe because I was taking too long, Leo suddenly appeared at the bathroom door and jiggled the handle. “Honey, you fall in or something? And you locked the door? You never lock the door.” I swallowed hard, forcing my voice back to normal. “My stomach hurts a little. I’ll be out in a bit. You go ahead and sleep.” “Is your stomach okay?” “Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll feel better after a minute.” 2 The next day. It happened to be Saturday. At lunch, halfway through his meal, he suddenly looked up at me. “Oh, hey, Honey. How about we go visit Mom and Dad later? We haven’t been over in two weeks.” He knew I wouldn’t go. He was just asking to keep up appearances. I matched his casual tone. “You go ahead. I can’t make it, I have a class this afternoon.” He put on a fake look of disappointment. “Oh, really? Okay then, guess I’ll have to go by myself.” Usually, I’d feel a little guilty about not going with him to see his parents. Looking back now, it’s just laughable. He finished speaking and thoughtfully put a chicken leg on my plate, telling me to eat up. Looking at his hypocritical face right then just made me want to vomit. After lunch, he changed into a nice outfit. Before leaving, he even went to my vanity and spritzed himself with my perfume a few times. These were all details I’d never paid attention to before. As I slowly cleared the table, I teased him, “Getting all dressed up like that… Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were going on a date with some young girl, not visiting your parents.” My words hit their mark. His body, turned slightly away from me, visibly tensed for a second before he quickly regained his composure. He replied smoothly, “With a wife as beautiful as you, how could any other woman possibly catch my eye?” I just smiled silently. Classic man-speak. He was juggling two women and still managing it effortlessly. Around 9 PM that evening, I deliberately sent Leo a text asking what he was doing. He replied within seconds. “Watching TV with Mom and Dad.” Then he sent a picture – the screen of his parents’ LCD TV, currently playing something. At that moment. I suddenly found it kind of funny. He actually went to the trouble of saving various photos on his phone just to fool me. I remembered all the times I’d casually asked what he was up to, and he’d immediately send a picture to prove it, just so I wouldn’t suspect anything. And now, I knew exactly what he was doing. He was with another woman. And me? I scrolled through our chat history, looking at all the pictures he’d sent before. My eyes stung, my nose tingled. Turns out, I was so easy to fool. I initiated a video call to his mother. She must have been surprised; in a year of marriage, I’d never video-called her. She probably thought something serious had happened because she picked up instantly. “Sarah? Is everything okay?” “Hi, Mom. Nothing serious. Leo mentioned tomorrow’s Sunday, and we were out shopping today, so we picked up some vitamins and things for you and Dad. We were thinking of bringing them over tomorrow.” “Oh, that’s nice! What time are you coming? Is there anything special you want to eat? I can go grocery shopping in the morning.” Maybe there was still a tiny shred of hope left in my heart because when she said that, a sharp pain shot through me. He definitely wasn’t home. I mumbled a few more pleasantries to his mom and quickly ended the call. I didn’t confront him. 3 The next day at noon. Carrying a few boxes of supplements and clothes I’d bought for his parents, I drove over to their house alone. When I got inside, his mother looked around, not seeing her son. “Mom, Leo had an important project meeting come up last minute. He might not be able to make it today.” “Oh, that’s okay, that’s okay. Work comes first for young people.” The dining table was laden with a huge, elaborate meal. His father came out of his study and warmly invited me to eat. His mother, however, took the bags from me and started muttering, “You shouldn’t have… why buy so much stuff? Such a waste of money. My son works hard for his money.” I just smiled and didn’t respond. After all, this was probably the last time I’d be showing any filial piety towards them. His dad shot his mom a look. “That’s enough.” During the meal, his mother brought up the grandchild topic again. I was immensely grateful that my period had just started yesterday; there was no way I was having a baby with this man. Then came the usual comparisons – so-and-so’s daughter-in-law had a grandson, so-and-so’s daughter had a granddaughter, you two aren’t young anymore, have one soon while we’re still young enough to help, it’ll be easier for you, blah blah blah… This was exactly why I hated coming over here. But this time, I just smiled and nodded along to whatever she said. After eating, I didn’t clear the dishes. I just sat down on the living room sofa and sent Leo a text. “What delicious things did Mom and Dad make for lunch today?” Predictably. Leo sent another picture. It was their dining table, their dishes, but the food was completely different from what I had just eaten. I washed my hands and basically just got up and left. I couldn’t care less what his mother would say about me behind my back anymore. Just then, my phone buzzed twice. Messages from Leo. He wrote, “Look, quite a feast, right?” “Too bad you couldn’t make it. Mom and Dad kept asking about you. We should really come back together next time we have a chance.” Seeing messages like that, my gut reaction was to just turn off the phone screen. Back in my car. I called Leo. “Leo, I just got notified last minute. I have to go to the next city over for a two-day business trip. Leaving right away. You should just have dinner at your parents’ place!” Leo let out an “Ahhh,” his tone full of feigned disappointment. “Since when do dance teachers need to go on business trips?” I sneered inwardly. If I don’t go on a “trip,” how else can I create an opportunity for you two? “Going to headquarters for a meeting. Might check out the night market there too.” “Okay then… Be careful traveling alone.” “Yeah, I know.” Night slowly fell. I parked my car not far from our apartment building. I sat alone in the car for over five hours. Then. Leo appeared at the entrance. But about six feet behind him, another woman followed slowly, petite and slender, glancing around nervously as she walked. Only after they were inside the building did she hurry to catch up, linking her arm through Leo’s. The sight of them leaning against each other from behind was blindingly painful. I’d barely “left,” and he couldn’t wait to bring her home. He definitely didn’t expect that I’d already installed tiny wireless cameras in the house. I never thought Leo and I would reach this point. I opened my laptop. The feed from the living room and master bedroom appeared on the screen. Just then, my phone rang. It was Leo. I stared at the monitor; they hadn’t entered the apartment yet. I answered. Leo’s slightly concerned voice came through. “Honey, did you make it to the city?” He knew I wouldn’t lie about something like that, so this call was just to confirm I wasn’t home. I scoffed silently. “Yeah, I’m here.” He was probably too preoccupied to notice the difference in my tone. Sure enough, the next second, I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock through the phone. He quickly mumbled a few words and hung up. And then. The two of them appeared on my laptop screen. Up close, the woman was even more alluring and seductive than I’d imagined. Not stunningly beautiful, perhaps, but there was something about her that clearly drew Leo in. The moment they were inside, they clung to each other desperately, tumbling from the sofa to the floor, then from the floor to the master bedroom. On our marriage bed, I’d never seen Leo so unrestrained, so wild. He looked like a stranger right now. Like some beast hidden deep inside him had suddenly been unleashed. In the heat of the moment, the woman wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice husky and intimate. “Leo, Leo, what am I to you?” Leo, breathing heavily, answered, “You’re my true love.” “And her?” “She’s just… responsibility.” It was absurd. Just yesterday, for a whole year, I had no idea Leo had this side to him. He held her tightly, continuing, “Being with her… I feel nothing. If my parents hadn’t disapproved of us back then, I never would have married a woman I didn’t love at all.” Leo’s words hit me like a physical blow. So, I was the shameful third party wedged between them. And all this time he had to pretend to love me so much. Turns out, being with me was the real act. Watching them fall into a deep sleep on the screen, I suddenly realized it was already two in the morning.

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I was the most beloved wife of the city’s golden boy, and also the worthless woman who begged him for mercy every night on her knees. He hated me because the woman he loved most had lost her life saving my twin sister. She died with regrets, unable to let go of the man she deeply loved, and their newborn son. In their eyes, I was forever the demon who killed her sister. So, I willingly became her substitute, letting them torture me, just to atone. On the anniversary of her death, they hired people to torment me, leaving me barely recognizable. They screamed and roared, “You’re the one who should be dead! Why didn’t you die instead!” I laughed, feeling utterly exhausted. Maybe they were right. The next day, I took out the divorce papers and turned to leave. But he contemptuously tossed them from the high-rise building, “Divorce? Fine, but you have to jump down there and pick them up. Then I’ll agree.” Without hesitation, I jumped, determined to die. But he and his son cried their eyes out, whispering beside my hospital bed, again and again: “Please, don’t leave us!” …… A numbing pain spread through my limbs, and I woke from the dream, a sense of despair washing over me once more. Groping for the pill bottle beside the bed, I found it empty, as expected. My abused body screamed in agony, and I had no choice but to swallow my wounded pride and get up. This wasn’t the first time this had happened. Little Kevin must have taken my meds again. I forced myself to endure the pain, practically crawling as I knocked on Jake’s door. Instantly, an impatient voice came from inside: “Riley! What kind of trick are you pulling now? Don’t think you can play the damsel in distress and get into my bed!” My head was already spinning, and I begged with a tight throat: “Jake, I’m out of my meds… can you please take me to the hospital!” But the man’s door remained firmly shut, and a barrage of scorn came through: “You’re not going to say that Kevin took your meds again, are you? Don’t use such a lame excuse to try to get into my room! Even if you were stark naked, I wouldn’t give you a second glance!” “You’ve used that excuse thirty times this month, I gotta give you props for dedication! If you want to die, just hurry up and do it! Pay your debt to Sarah!” I leaned weakly against the doorknob, unable to stand any longer, and collapsed to the floor. Just then, the door opened, and my son, Kevin, stood silently in the doorway. He looked at me without a word, as if I were a stranger. He even watched me writhe and curl up with a look of triumphant amusement, as if he were thoroughly enjoying it. I begged him pathetically: “Kevin, can you… call 911 for Mom?” He flashed a smile that chilled me to the bone, despite his innocent appearance. “Dream on! You’re not my mom! Why should I want you to live?” “Riley, stop trying to seduce my dad. You were the one who begged Dad to let you atone for your sins. Why are you bothering us now with your shamelessness?” A wave of heartbreak washed over me, and my head became even more clouded. But I couldn’t help but ask, “Even if I’m not your biological mother, I’m still your aunt!” Kevin’s eyes showed unconcealed disgust, and he stomped hard on my hand: “Liar! Dad said you’re just a criminal! You killed Mom! And now you want to seduce Dad!” I was speechless, but I still wanted to ask him. Was that why he switched out my pills every day, knowing I had severe depression, hoping I would die sooner? I reached out to grab him, but the door slammed shut in my face. Jake was right; I’d been begging him for help every day this month. But whether it was the first time or this time, he hadn’t given me a second look, let alone gone out to save me. In the eight years of our marriage, I had been completely obedient to him, practically his slave, but he had never treated me like a human being, let alone offered me a kind smile. After Kevin learned to talk, he became even more determined not to let me get close to Kevin. He was just afraid I would teach him to call me “Mom.” A few weeks ago, Kevin had sweetly brought me my usual medication when I came home from a late business dinner. I was so moved that I burst into tears because it was the first time in years he had shown me any concern. Without hesitation, I took them, thinking he had finally accepted me in his heart. But I never expected that I would have a full-blown episode that night. That’s when I realized he had deliberately tried to make me sick. Since then, it had happened almost every day. No matter how much I tried to protect myself, I couldn’t seem to escape his schemes. When I came out of the hospital, it was already midnight. The psychiatrist warned me that if I continued to take the wrong medication, I would be in serious danger. My lips were pale, and my mind was blank as I nodded and walked out of the hospital like a zombie. After a night of turmoil, I lay back in bed, feeling my heart racing, overwhelmed by a sense of impending death. The horrific scene of my sister being hit by a car while saving me still lingered in my mind, refusing to fade. I knew that the only thing I couldn’t let go of was her newlywed husband and her newborn child. So I abandoned myself, trying to become her, to be her replacement, to take care of the whole family for her. Jake looked at the wailing Kevin and agreed. In these eight years, I had poured out almost all my energy. But they still treated me like their worst enemy, wanting nothing more than for me to die. As I dragged myself to the hospital, I thought, it’s time for me to leave. So I slowly pulled out the divorce papers I had hidden under my pillow. I made up my mind to leave their world for good. 2 Before the divorce, I still wanted to visit my sister one last time and tell her I was sorry. I no longer had the courage or the ability to continue taking care of Jake and Kevin for her. So I continued to play the good wife and mother, enduring their taunts and abuse. Until two weeks later, when the anniversary of my sister’s death arrived. On the way to the cemetery, Jake selfishly took the driver’s seat, leaving me to carry all the bags. A mocking smile crept onto my face as I stared at the 100-degree heat, nearly passing out. I finally managed to get into the car, only to be unfairly blamed: “Are you deliberately dragging your feet because you don’t want to go? You’re a murderer, you have no conscience! Sarah won’t let you get away with this!” I was exhausted and dehydrated, and I had no energy to argue with him. The father and son laughed and joked all the way, as if I didn’t exist. But this luxury car was bought with the money I worked hard to save by investing in projects. I just wanted to provide Kevin with good conditions so he wouldn’t feel inferior because of his mother’s death. But after that, he never let me drive it, only saying dismissively: “Don’t get the car dirty!” I was stung by their intimate banter and could only comfort myself silently. I had already decided to get a divorce. What happened to them was no longer my concern. But what I didn’t expect was that Jake still wouldn’t let me go before I filed for divorce. In front of my sister’s grave, I placed her favorite foods. Just as I was about to wipe her headstone, Jake’s cold voice came from behind: “Riley! Get on your knees, now!” I turned around blankly, looking at him in confusion. I only saw the look of disgust on his face: “You swore to Sarah that you would only focus on taking care of us and have no other intentions, but you’ve been knocking on my door in your pajamas time and time again. How can you face her?” “Get on your knees and beg her for forgiveness right now! Otherwise, don’t ever think about coming back to that house again!” After the words were spoken, I pondered his threat in my heart. Looking at Sarah’s smiling picture, I felt conflicted. I didn’t want to go back to that house at all, but I was still afraid that Sarah would be saddened by the argument. I was silent for a moment, then knelt down anyway. In front of Sarah, I tried to pretend that we were a harmonious and loving family, even if it meant sacrificing my dignity. I comforted myself in my heart, this was the first time and the last time. The small stones constantly rubbed against my knees, and the pain made me even more awake. I still couldn’t help but look up at Jake: “Haven’t all my efforts in these eight years been able to move you at all?” “Those efforts don’t just disappear because you deny them!” Eight years ago, he had stared at the guilty and remorseful me with an ambiguous expression, promising to let me take care of him and Kevin. But after the marriage, everything changed. As long as I didn’t follow his wishes, he would roar and threaten to take Kevin away from this house. So, even if he drank until midnight because he missed Sarah and vomited all over the house, I would clean it up without complaint, afraid that he would be unhappy and go looking for my sister. I listened to his words one by one, and I tried my best to meet every request. But after that, I don’t know why, he locked his door, afraid that I would go in and do something to him. He even forced me to take birth control pills regularly, even though nothing had happened between us. He glanced at me coldly: “I’m just taking precautions. I’m worried that some people will do anything to get to the top.” In the eight years, I hadn’t let him go out to work hard once, hadn’t let him and Kevin cook once, and had never been stingy with financial assistance. Even the property under my name was written in his name. I had always felt guilty and tried to make up for them, without regret. But I never expected that my sincere efforts would be so worthless in his eyes. Even when I tearfully said these things at this time, he only said lightly: “Isn’t this what you should be doing? Don’t you owe it to Sarah!” A wave of grievance welled up in my mouth, and I didn’t know what to say. He was right, these were all things I had promised Sarah, it was what I owed her, and it was what I should be doing. I lowered my head and didn’t say another word of defense. But at this moment, something sharp came straight for my forehead, forcibly smashing a bloody hole. I clutched the wound and looked up, and I saw Kevin with a smug look on his face. He was still weighing a few stones in his hand. Seeing my angry eyes, he wasn’t afraid, but even more arrogant! He threw all the remaining stones, cursing: “It’s all your fault, you old witch! My mom died to save you! It was you who ruined our family!” “You killed my mom and you still want to be my mom? Do you want to kill my dad too? You’re the person who deserves to die the most in this world!” I smiled bitterly. I had heard these words a thousand times. But every time I heard them, my heart still couldn’t help but feel sore and heartbroken. Then, he said even more angrily: “Why wasn’t it you who died in the first place! It would have been better if you had died! Go with my mom!” My breathing was heavy for two seconds. My head felt tired and weak. He was right, it would have been better if I had died. Then I wouldn’t have had to repent and blame myself in the days and nights of eight years, living in suffocating torment and darkness. I slowly got up from the ground. The stinging pain and stiffness in my knees inevitably made me stagger and fall heavily to the ground again. Kevin laughed, clapping his hands as if he had taken revenge, and was very happy. Listening to their gloating voices, I turned my head to look at Sarah’s headstone. I said softly: “I’m sorry, Sarah.” “I may not be able to fulfill your wish… I’ve done all I can do. I’m going to… divorce him.” 3 On the way home, I was physically and mentally exhausted and fell asleep quickly on the bumpy road. As soon as I fell asleep, a burning pain suddenly came from my face. The sound of a slap was so loud that it woke me up. I opened my eyes and didn’t know how Kevin had gotten to the back seat, and he was glaring at me fiercely. “You old woman! My dad is driving, and you’re sleeping peacefully in the back? You deserve to die!” I opened my mouth to explain, but Jake looked at me disdainfully in the rearview mirror and questioned: “What did you say in front of Sarah just now?” I instantly understood that he had let Kevin wake me up. But before I could say the explanation ‘I didn’t say anything,’ he said coldly: “You actually want to divorce me?” I forced a smile, clearly he had already heard it, why did he still ask me? However, it just gave me a chance to say it, anyway, I had already made up my mind, hadn’t I? I nodded, mustered all my courage, and took out the agreement. I said with my eyes lowered: “I’ve prepared the divorce agreement. The house, the car, and the money are all yours. I don’t want anything, just freedom.” But when Jake heard this, he laughed mockingly as if he had heard some big joke. Then he squeezed out coldly from his mouth: “Riley! You’re so clever now! You know how to use divorce to threaten me, don’t you!” “But do you think it will work? I don’t like you at all, let alone try to keep you!” “Even if you die, I won’t blink an eye, let alone shed a tear!” I didn’t refute, I just watched him silently, because I believed all the things he said. I was afraid that even if I died, he would happily dance on my grave with Kevin. But I still insisted and said: “I’ll sign it when we get there, and then we’ll get divorced.” In these eight years, we only had the name of husband and wife, but not the reality. He was tall and handsome, and he had a lot of skills in doing things, even if he had a child. If he wanted to marry again, it would be a matter of minutes. After I finished saying these words one by one, I thought he would calmly accept this proposal. But I didn’t expect that he would tightly pursed his lips, stepped on the gas pedal like crazy, and the temperature was so low that it was unbearable. Until we got to the door of the house, he didn’t say a word and dragged me back home. I subconsciously wanted to hold on to Kevin, but he pushed me away. I was stunned for a few seconds. Before, I always fantasized that if Jake hadn’t instilled those hateful emotions in him, and hadn’t said bad things about me in front of him, would he like me? Or, when he grows up, will he be able to understand my difficulties and understand my efforts? But now I gave up, because I knew it was meaningless. I didn’t want to wait for him to grow up anymore. 4 In a dizzy spell, I was thrown by Jake onto the marble in the living room. He was holding the divorce agreement in his hand, and his eyes were bloodshot. He stared at me angrily and roared: “What right do you have to talk to me about divorce? How dare you?” “Did you fall in love with another man? Or do you think you’re worthy of your sister?” “Riley! You killed Sarah, and Kevin doesn’t have a mother! I’m telling you, stop dreaming! A bitch like you doesn’t deserve to be happy!” I smiled, forced back my tears, and didn’t want to be too embarrassed. He was always like this, unwilling to accept me, and unwilling to let me go. I tried hard to look up, my voice trembling, pretending to be calm: “In the past eight years, I’ve done my best for you father and son! No matter what you think, I’ve done all I can do! I’m worthy of everyone!” Their judgments and opinions were no longer important to me. As for what Sarah would think, I’ll ask her personally after I die! So I became more and more confident, and looked at Jake’s eyes without flinching. My tone was very firm: “If you don’t want to divorce, then go through legal channels, I will sue!” After the words fell, I didn’t expect that Jake’s mouth would curve into an incomprehensible smile, and he said happily: “Okay!” But when I really heard him agree, I was stunned. Because I knew that he was not someone who would let me go so easily. Sure enough, he clenched the divorce agreement, strode to the window, and stretched his hand straight out of the French window. “As long as you jump down and grab this divorce agreement, I’ll divorce you immediately!” I once doubted whether I was hallucinating, or my ears were not sensitive enough. I repeated blankly: “What did you say?” He raised the corners of his mouth evilly, without any hesitation: “Can’t you understand human language? I’ll throw the divorce agreement down now, and if you jump down and get it, I’ll agree to the divorce!” As if afraid that I wouldn’t agree, he threw the divorce agreement out the window, constantly stimulating me: “Jump! Don’t you want a divorce? As long as you jump down from the 99th floor, I’ll sign it right away!” Even Kevin couldn’t help but get excited and yelled in my ear: “You vicious woman! Are you scared? I knew you were lying again! You pay for my mom’s life!” It seemed that both father and son had expected that I didn’t dare, and I would never jump down. But they really didn’t understand my pain and torture in these eight years. They wouldn’t understand my determination to get a divorce. I looked at the wide sky outside the window, it seemed that Sarah was waving to me! The next second, I opened the window and jumped down without hesitation!

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The wedding music swelled, and my fiancé was about to slip the ring onto my finger when some woman burst in. She was huge with child, face as white as a sheet. Looking straight at my almost-husband, she cried out, “Joey, I think I’m going into labor! My contractions are killing me…” Joey went into full-blown panic mode. He tossed the ring aside and bolted off the stage without a second thought. As he scooped her up in his arms to carry her out, I ran after him and grabbed his arm. He just shook me off like I was nothing, his voice cold, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten caught up in the moment and agreed to marry you. The truth is, I’ve always been in love with Cindy.” And with that, he carried her away, not even looking back. I stood there, mortified, feeling the eyes of all the guests on me, holding that ring that would never be worn. I never imagined that on what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, I’d get stabbed in the back like this. 1 After forcing a smile and saying goodbye to the last of the guests, I collapsed into a chair, staring blankly at the laptop in front of me. The caterer had just handed it to me. It wasn’t a slideshow of Joey and my favorite memories, like we’d planned. Instead, it was filled with photos of him and another woman. Joey always told me he hated having his picture taken, that he didn’t like documenting his life. I had to practically beg him to film that love story video we were supposed to play at the reception. When we were filming it, he looked annoyed the whole time, barely cracked a smile, and even walked off set before we were finished. But this laptop had 9,999 photos, every single one a snapshot of him and this pregnant woman. They were on romantic vacations together, kissing under the Northern Lights. The Joey in these photos was smiling, genuinely happy, not at all hesitant. The photos spanned five years. And I’d only been dating Joey for five years! Suddenly, memories flooded back. Me working my tail off to land him a client, drinking until I ended up in the ER. Me, pounding the pavement day and night, in the scorching sun and freezing rain, working my fingers to the bone for our future. Turns out, while I was busting my butt for “us,” he was happily spending time with someone else. Maybe I was just numb from the shock, but when I saw Joey’s Instagram post, I couldn’t even cry. It was a picture of idyllic bliss: a new mom, looking weak but happy, leaning against Joey’s shoulder, smiling softly, holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. Joey captioned it: “Thank God, mom and baby are safe.” “How nice,” I thought bitterly. He might not be my husband, but he sure succeeded at becoming a dad. Mechanically, I tapped the “like” button, went home, and started packing a suitcase. Our housekeeper, Maria, came in, looking confused. “Honey, aren’t you and Joey getting married today? Where are you going?” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “The wedding’s off, Maria. Don’t call me that anymore.” Maria’s eyes widened in disbelief. She quickly collected herself, though, and squeezed my hand. “Honey, I’ve seen how much you’ve put into this marriage. Five long years! You’ve worked yourself sick, built everything you have. Your law firm is finally taking off. Don’t throw it all away, that’s just crazy!” I just wanted to crawl into a hole, but before I could even answer, I heard laughter and chatter from downstairs. Joey was home. It was only February, still a bit chilly, and Joey’s long coat was draped around a small woman carrying a baby. Joey was lugging bags of baby supplies. The perfect little family. I’d never seen Joey look so gentle. My heart clenched, and I couldn’t help but stare at the woman. I knew who she was, actually. Cindy. Joey’s high school sweetheart. She dumped him when things got tough and moved overseas. Guess they found their way back to each other. Joey saw me and froze, his brow furrowing. Cindy looked at me, eyes welling up, all wide-eyed and innocent. “Sarah, I’m so sorry I ruined your wedding this morning. And that Joey went to the hospital with me. I wanted to come back to apologize as soon as the baby was born. I hope you’re not mad.” I gripped the handle of my suitcase. “How thoughtful of you, just after having a baby, to come back here and apologize to me.” Cindy’s face turned white. She looked helplessly at Joey. Joey looked furious, his voice low and dangerous. “Sarah, don’t be sarcastic. If you’re pissed, take it out on me. I’m the one who skipped out on the wedding. I’m the one who cheated on you. Cindy has nothing to do with this.” “She just had a baby, she’s still recovering. Watch what you say to her.” So he could be caring. My heart felt like it was being ripped out with a dull knife. He left me at the wedding, alone to deal with the whispers and stares, so he could rush Cindy to the hospital. But he didn’t seem to care if I was hurting or how difficult it would be for me to cancel the wedding arrangements. “Didn’t even bother to ask how I handled everything, did you?” Joey just shrugged, “You’re not some newbie fresh out of college. And you’re not as fragile as Cindy. I knew you’d handle it.” “Joey, don’t be so harsh. Be nice to her.” Cindy chimed in, looking pitifully at me, cradling her baby. “I’m sorry. You know Joey’s usually a sweetheart, but he gets worked up when it comes to me, and then he gets a little unreasonable.” Joey was always so aloof around me, rarely showing any tenderness. Except for that one time in college. I almost got snatched off the street by some creeper. He stepped in and saved me. That’s when I fell for him, hard. That’s when my long, drawn-out pursuit began. I naively believed that if I loved him enough, he’d eventually love me back. Recently, Joey’s law firm started to make a name for itself, and he suddenly proposed. He vowed not to take for granted my five years of supporting him and promised to make my dreams come true. I was overjoyed, convinced I’d finally melted the ice around his heart. But reality had other plans. Turns out, he wasn’t an ice cube, he was just someone else’s Prince Charming. I forced a bitter, self-deprecating smile. What had I been clinging to all these years? Cindy spoke, her tone seemingly gentle, but her words sharp, “Honey, Joey and I have a child together. Love doesn’t care about who came first; it’s about being true to each other. At this point, please, step aside. Give him back to me, okay? My baby needs a father.” Joey wrapped his arm around her waist, his voice soft, “You don’t have to apologize. It’s all my fault.” Then, he looked at me, a trace of guilt in his eyes, but mostly cold and resolute. “Sarah, proposing to you was a mistake. I do owe you a lot, and I thought marriage would make up for it. I thought I could settle, but when Cindy walked back into my life, I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I only wanted her.” Cindy’s eyes glistened with tears as she gazed adoringly at him. Watching this, my heart shattered. Maria, who’d been silently observing, finally exploded, “You guys are unbelievable! Joey, Sarah’s been with you for five years! The best years of her life! She ate cheap takeout with you, chased after deals with you, stayed up all night helping you with briefs!” “You can cheat on her, but you can’t erase everything she’s done for you. Where was this ‘settling’ talk when you needed her? Now that you’re doing well, you want to trade up? You’re a jerk! Treating a girl who truly loved you like this…karma’s gonna get you!” Joey and Cindy’s faces flushed crimson. Joey snapped, “Who asked you? This is between Sarah and me. Stay out of it!” Maria scoffed, “Joey, I was wrong about you! Just wait and see, without Sarah, your law firm will be nothing!” Joey’s face turned purple. He threw Maria out, then glared at me, his eyes like knives. “Sarah, is that what you think too? You think my firm will fall apart without you? You were a valuable asset, but we’ll do just fine without you.” Oh really? The only reason his firm was doing so well was because I used my family’s wealth to secretly support him. “I’ll see how well your law firm operates without me!” I unclenched my fists and said, “Fine, have it your way. Let’s end it.” Joey sneered, his handsome face completely devoid of remorse. “Ending it was your idea. Don’t come crawling back. Get out of my house now.” Cindy put on a show of sympathy. “Joey, it’s late. Where’s she gonna go if you kick her out?” Joey hugged her close, comforting her, “Don’t worry about her. She’s just some orphan with no parents, acting all high and mighty. If someone hadn’t taken pity on her, she’d probably still be begging on some street corner.” It was true. Before the family found me, I was an orphan bouncing from foster home to foster home. Joey and I had been classmates since high school, though we weren’t close back then. We grew closer in college after he helped me out that one time. All these years, I thought that even if we couldn’t be lovers, we could at least be friends or family. But to him, I was nothing. Cindy looked at me apologetically, but her words were condescending, “Find a nice hotel, get some rest. No matter how much Joey dislikes you, I still feel like I owe you something.” “Joey and I are getting married in a month. I hope you can come and wish us well. I would really appreciate your blessing.” I couldn’t believe my ears. My fiancé left our wedding to be with another woman, personally destroying my wedding day. Now he was marrying that woman, and she had the nerve to ask me to attend the wedding! It was absurd. This wasn’t just a slap in the face, it was a full-blown humiliation. “Congratulations on finally getting the ring,” I said, forcing a cold smile, laced with sarcasm. “She can come or not, Cindy, you don’t have to beg her.” Joey looked at Cindy with such adoration, like she was the one who had been wronged. He glanced at me, “Sarah, you’re too poor and too ordinary, you don’t even have parents. I could never really marry some nobody from the street. You and I are from different worlds. Stop wasting your time on me.” He acted like he was afraid I’d cling to him forever, like I was some unwanted burden. But the moment he walked out on our wedding, my heart died. After all this belittling, I was finally over it. I just felt foolish for being so stupid, for degrading myself in this relationship. Joey looked down at me, as if he was doing me a favor. “Sarah, you’ve been with me for five years, I don’t want to be completely heartless. Here’s ten grand, call it severance pay for the past five years. Now get lost.” I dragged my suitcase out of there. The cold wind stung my face, but it also cleared my head. I called Grandma. “Grandma, cancel the collaboration with Joey’s firm. Announce it on his wedding day, call it my wedding gift to him.” Just then, a black luxury car pulled up in front of me. A tall, handsome man got out and quickly walked to my side. I looked up at him, my eyes immediately welling up with tears. “Mark…” He gently draped his black coat over my shoulders and tenderly wiped away the tears on my face. His expression was dark and frightening, but his voice was soft, “Don’t be sad. He’s just a loser. I’ll make him beg for your forgiveness.”

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I was representing my company at the birthday bash of Chad Huntington, the CEO’s son. I’d barely parked my ride when some woman started live-streaming it, spinning this whole story about me being a gold digger. “Seriously, a receptionist driving a car like this? It’s gotta be a sugar daddy thing.” “I’m not jealous, okay? I just can’t stand these gold-digging chicks ruining society.” Her words set off a firestorm in the comments. Her biggest fan tossed her five “Explosions” (the platform’s equivalent of virtual gifts), demanding she smash my car. The woman’s eyes lit up like Christmas. She pulled out a hammer and bam, put a nice dent in my hood. I tried to stop her, but the live-stream was chanting, “Kill the homewrecker! Destroy the Jezebel!” Virtual gifts were flying across the screen like crazy. She was hyped up, practically vibrating. She grabbed my hair and started slapping me back and forth. I screamed towards the towering figure standing in the entrance, “Chad! Your girl’s getting beat down! You gonna do something about it?” 1 The second I stepped out of the car, some familiar face was right there, pointing her phone at my ride. “Hey, fam! Guess what I just saw?” “My old classmate, making maybe $2,000 a month, rolls up in a Ferrari!” “You guys think some old dude’s paying for it? I mean, back in college, she was always cozying up to guys. Guess some things never change.” I frowned hard at that. When I got closer, I saw it was Brenda Miller, an old college “friend.” Back then, she’d try to steal my boyfriend, hitting on every guy who showed me attention. I wasn’t losing sleep over it so I let her. Then she’d turn around and badmouth me every chance she got. And now here she was, out of nowhere, slandering me, pinning me to this shameful pillar of being a “kept woman.” Brenda arched an eyebrow at me, plopped her butt on the hood of my car, and started ranting to her phone. “Some women have it easy, you know? Just lie back, spread your legs, and bam! Car, cash, everything.” “Unlike us honest folks who work our butts off our whole lives and can barely afford a house.” She was getting more and more worked up, drawing the attention of the guests at the event. They all knew each other, being company reps and all. Listening to Brenda’s crap, they looked at me like I was some kind of dirty thing. All that judgment in their eyes. “I knew it! Why would Huntington Corp send a receptionist to such a big event? Gotta be something shady going on.” “Shhh, keep it down. Someone might run back and tell.” “Who cares? Just stating the truth. Got the nerve to be a mistress, gotta be able to take the heat.” That was some of Brenda’s cronies. They were turning me into public enemy number one with every word. The live stream blew up. The views shot up from a few hundred to tens of thousands, and it was still climbing. I couldn’t see what they were saying in the comments, but judging by Brenda’s smug face, it wasn’t anything nice. I swallowed my anger and pulled Brenda off my car. “Brenda, don’t push it.” “Just because the company didn’t send you as a rep, you’re bitter? Don’t go making stuff up.” I’m usually pretty easy-going, but that doesn’t mean I’m a pushover. Brenda, being an admin supervisor, could make my life difficult at work, and I let it slide. But dragging my reputation through the mud? No way. Truth is, I wasn’t supposed to be at this event in the first place. The General Manager found out about my “connection” to Chad Huntington and suddenly insisted I represent the company. Brenda didn’t get mad when I pulled her down. Instead, she just shoved the phone in my face. “What am I making up? My fam knows I always keep it real. I never exaggerate when you buy stuff from me. Good is good, bad is bad.” “You gonna tell me you bought this car yourself?” Brenda’s voice went up an octave, like she was enjoying the show. I clamped my mouth shut. I didn’t buy it. It was a birthday gift from Chad. My silence was taken as an admission by everyone watching. The comments turned into personal attacks. “WTF! Thought there might be a twist. This mistress is weak.” “You expect a gold digger to look like a supermodel? She’s so average, with that pancake face.” “Bet her family’s all dead. Otherwise, someone would stop her from prostituting herself.” Every word was a stab to the gut. I felt like I was burning from the inside. About to explode. 2 I shoved her phone away and snapped back. “Brenda, my husband bought me the car, not some sugar daddy you made up.” “What century are you living in? You’ve been jealous of me since college, and now you’re still harping on it. What did I ever do to you?” I’m sure I barely touched her when I pushed her, but Brenda threw herself on the ground, faking the pain. She moaned dramatically while saying into the phone, “Fam! She admitted it! She didn’t buy the car!” “Like she could marry a rich guy with that face? I could say Chad Huntington’s my husband, haha.” “I swear, I’m not jealous. I just can’t stand these gold diggers ruining society.” By now, over a hundred thousand people had tuned in. The chat was filled with insults aimed at me. Some furious lady even dropped five “Explosions” and started ranting in the comments. “Streamer, smash her car! I’ll give you ten more ‘Explosions!’” “I’ve seen these women before. A homewrecker ruined my marriage. And now I’ve got money to burn, so bring it on!” “Lady, you’re awesome! Maybe we can smoke out her sugar daddy tonight.” The live stream had completely lost it, nothing but “smash the car” messages. Brenda pulled a hammer out of nowhere and went right for the hood. I panicked. The car wasn’t cheap. Chad had money, but I didn’t want to see it get wrecked. I stepped in front of the car and said with more force, “Brenda, you better stop making stuff up. You got no proof. I’ll sue you for slander!” Brenda went quiet, staring at me. Then, slowly, she pulled out a stack of photos and threw them in my face. The air went still. I stared blankly at the photos of me and Ryan Davis with the driver. My mind went blank. Before I could react, a slap landed on my face. “Seriously, did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Just a moment before, Brenda had been all aggressive. Now, tears were streaming down her face. Her voice was shaky, like she was the one who’d been wronged. It hit me. That’s why Brenda had been riding me so hard at work lately. Ryan was a guy who went after me hard in college. Brenda, being super insecure, slept her way into his bed and used a pregnancy to force him to marry her. A few days ago, our company’s computers had some issues, and the repair guy was Ryan. I was just telling him what was wrong with the system, but someone snapped a picture from a weird angle, making it look like we were all over each other. And someone also got pictures of Chad’s driver picking me up, twisting the angle to make it look like something was up. “So she really is guilty! Let’s go, ladies! Cheer on our streamer!” “I can’t watch this. This skank is hooking up with so many guys. Doesn’t she care about STDs?” “Smash it! Smash it good! Let’s see which old creep is backing this slut.” Once the camera zoomed in on those photos, the chat exploded. The “Explosion” lady dropped a ton more gifts. “Wait, that was just a computer repair. The pictures are just bad angles…” I tried to clear up the confusion, but before I could finish, Brenda was swinging the hammer at the hood of the car. My heart sank. I lunged at her, trying to grab the hammer. But two women came running up and pinned me, keeping me from moving. Them! Brenda’s cronies. They were staring at the live stream gifts just like Brenda. Then it clicked. These days, people would do anything for views. For clicks and cash, Brenda had faked these photos of Ryan and me and set up this whole “caught in the act” live stream. She was still a snake, just like before. 3 The hammer kept coming down. My car was being destroyed. The windshield was covered in cracks that looked like spiderwebs. “Brenda, do you even know how much this car costs? You couldn’t pay for it if you sold everything you own!” My anger was bubbling over. I couldn’t hold it back any longer. Live-streaming a caught-in-the-act thing was already a draw. But a live-streamed smashing of a Ferrari? I bet every bottom-feeder on the internet was tuning in. The comments were scrolling by so fast I couldn’t even read them. Just then, “Explosion” lady called in to Brenda’s live stream. “Streamer, don’t let her scare you. A Ferrari’s maybe two million max. I can handle that.” Fueled by the lady’s words, Brenda’s initial hesitation vanished. She swung the hammer over and over again, each hit bringing in more virtual gifts. I fought to break free, but then some “helpful” people piled on, pinning my head to the ground. I could hear them laughing all around me. The humiliation was too much. I screamed, full of rage and despair. I wouldn’t let any of them get away with this. “This is the real her,” said Brenda to the viewers. “she’s a scary snake!” “Beat her up and teach her a lesson.” “Don’t be afraid. With those pictures of her trying to steal your husband, her sugar daddy won’t want anything to do with her.” “Ladies, keep those gifts coming!” Brenda got a kick out of showing me the live stream comments. They were all urging her to beat me up. The virtual gifts were flooding the screen. Brenda’s eyes were shining. Driven by greed, she grabbed my hair and slapped me across the face. “Okay, fam. You saw what you wanted. Let’s call it a night. I think she’s kinda pathetic.” Brenda pushed the phone closer so the viewers could get a good look at me. “Brenda, I will never let you live this down.” My face was numb. It took forever to get those words out. My purse was somewhere on the ground. I couldn’t even call for help. I was starting to regret keeping my marriage a secret. Brenda’s face changed. She pinched me on the arm. Then, she looked scared for the viewers. “Guys, I think I’m in over my head. This chick says she won’t let me go.” Her words sent another flood of gifts. The viewers had a new request: for Brenda to slash my face. I had no idea people could be so cruel. They had to push me to the breaking point. Brenda was making a killing tonight. Not knowing what she was doing, she pulled a eyebrow razor out of her purse and started waving it in my face. “Brenda, I’m warning you.” I swallowed hard, staring at the entrance to the event. It was about to start, and I wasn’t there yet. Chad was sure to come looking for me. “What? You think your sugar daddy’s gonna come save you?” Brenda scoffed and shrugged. She pressed the blade close to my cheek. If I moved, that sharp blade would slice my skin. Just then, I saw Chad’s tall figure, looking anxious. The sadness and frustration inside me suddenly welled up. I choked out, “Chad! Your girl’s getting beat down! You gonna do something about it?”

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My boyfriend dumped me. Funny thing, the guy at the table next to us just got dumped by his girlfriend. Talk about fate. I immediately slapped the table, ready to drag this guy down to City Hall? The guy looked up, and—even funnier— 1 “Nora, we need to break up.” Today was the seventh anniversary of when Ethan and I got together. But the second I sat down, those were the words I heard. I looked up, barely believing it, staring at the familiar face across from me. We’d already decided to get married by the end of the year. I thought he asked me here to propose, not to break up? “Why?” My vision blurred. My voice came out hoarse. “I just don’t love you anymore.” Ethan said it so bluntly, so matter-of-factly. I couldn’t even see a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “You jerk! We’re done!” Before I could even process the hit, the woman at the next table grabbed her water glass and threw it right in the face of the man sitting opposite her. Well, I thought, guess today’s a popular day for breaking up all over the world. I stood up, looked Ethan straight in the eye, and said, “Fine.” I don’t know what possessed me, but right there in front of him, I walked over to the guy who just got soaked. “Hey handsome, getting dumped on the same day? Must be fate. How about we just cut our losses and get married?” The drenched guy turned his head, his eyes holding an expression I couldn’t quite read. When I got a clear look at his face, I froze. Damn it! Why is today so unlucky? This was Caleb freaking Moore. The guy I crushed on hard back in high school, captain of the basketball team. The same guy who, when I confessed my feelings in a letter, basically told me I was way out of his league. The untouchable golden boy. Apparently, even golden boys get dumped? I didn’t expect him to agree, but then he actually— “Okay,” Caleb said, a slight smirk playing on his lips. Even soaking wet, he was ridiculously good-looking. The moment he said it, Ethan’s face turned sheet white, then an ugly shade of purple. I walked back over, linked my arm through Caleb’s, and shot Ethan a defiant look over my shoulder. Then, bold as brass, I walked out with my new “boyfriend.” Walking out of that restaurant, I felt like a proud swan myself. But the second we stepped outside, I instantly deflated back into a frog. “Thanks for that. I owe you dinner sometime.” Caleb glanced sideways at me. “So, you weren’t actually serious about that marriage proposal?” “…” “When exactly is ‘sometime’?” I pressed my lips together, gave him a frantic, dismissive wave, turned, and ran. Seriously? Seven years of my life, down the drain just like that. He says “I don’t love you anymore,” and it’s over. And the ‘golden boy’ who once shot me down so brutally? No way was I getting tangled up with him again. 2: Nora, Don’t Cry I bought booze and called my best friend, Chloe, for a session to mourn my dead relationship. Ethan, that absolute dog. He was the one who said he loved me. Now he’s the one saying he doesn’t. But back then, he was also the one who jumped into that river without a second thought to save me. How could just a few years change everything so much that he could toss me aside like this? Tears just kept streaming down my face. “Nora, don’t cry.” Chloe looked at me sympathetically. “I told you from the start, getting together was kind of rushed. That whole ‘damsel in distress falls for her rescuer’ thing is straight out of a bad romance novel, you know?” “Ugh, I’m not even that sad,” I croaked, my voice thick with self-pity. “I just feel like I dated him for years and didn’t even get any good perks out of it. What a rip-off.” Okay, that part was true. Ethan wasn’t bad-looking, just a notch below my old crush, Caleb. “Good thing you didn’t ‘get any perks’,” Chloe quipped. “What if he was bad in bed? Then you’d really feel ripped off, right?” Chloe always knew how to hit the nail on the head. Just then, my phone buzzed violently. I picked it up. It was a picture message from an unknown number. A photo of Ethan with his arm around some woman, heading into a hotel. From the back. The room number was crystal clear, practically burning my eyes. Wasn’t this just a slap in the face? Furious, I downed the rest of my drink, my eyes wide. Chloe was just as outraged. “Well, I’ll be damned! So it wasn’t that he couldn’t perform? Turns out he just couldn’t perform with you!” “Chloe.” “Yeah?” “I can’t let this go.” “Alright, girl. Let’s go get some payback!” We were instantly on the same page, hailing a cab straight to the hotel. 3: I’m Serving Justice! Standing outside the hotel room door, fists clenched, I reared back and kicked the door—hard. Thump! The door didn’t budge, but Ethan heard the noise and opened it. Seeing me, his eyes widened with obvious confusion and panic. Seven years, and this was the first time I’d ever seen him look like that. So, the whole “I don’t love you anymore” was bullshit. Cheating was the real reason! “Nora? What are you doing here?” Ethan physically blocked the doorway. I glanced at Chloe beside me. Best friends: useful in times of crisis! Chloe immediately understood, lunging forward and grabbing Ethan’s arm. “Nora, get in there! Ethan, if you dare push me, I’ll scream bloody murder!” While Ethan was flustered, I quickly ducked under his arm and slipped inside. The room was empty. The large bed was pristine. But I could hear the distinct sound of a shower running in the bathroom. I marched straight to the bathroom and threw the door open— Inside, sure enough, was a woman with fair skin! Seeing the woman showering inside, my brain just exploded. Deception! Betrayal! All these emotions mixed with heartbreak shattered inside me like ice. “Nora Zhao, are you crazy?” Ethan, seeing what happened, shoved Chloe aside forcefully and rushed towards the bathroom, clumsily shielding the woman behind him. I just stood there, staring at the cheating pair, watching their faces shift from pale green to white, then flush red with anger and embarrassment. “Nora Zhao, you… I…” Suddenly, I realized the woman looked familiar. Ha! Of course. It was the same woman who dumped the ‘golden boy’ just yesterday. Ethan getting involved with his partner? Was that a coincidence? Thinking about it, that anonymous text message suddenly made sense. It must have come from him. Caleb. Looking closer, I noticed the woman’s features, especially her eyes, were slightly similar to mine. Curved, just like mine. I laughed bitterly. “Ethan, is it because of her? Seven years, you just throw it away? Was I just her stand-in the whole time in your eyes?” Asking this, I felt like I’d hit the truth. My voice was trembling. Ethan didn’t answer, just couldn’t meet my eyes. His evasiveness felt like an admission. I lunged forward, smack, smack, landing two hard slaps across his handsome face. When I went for a third, he grabbed my wrist. I don’t know what I said that set him off, but he gripped my hand tightly and dragged me forcefully out the door. Chloe tried to argue, but he shoved her out too. The door slammed shut with a deafening bang, unleashing all my fury. Damn it! That cheating bastard used me for seven years, and now he thinks he’s justified?! “Ethan, get your ass out here!” “Ethan, you bastard! Who the hell do you think you are? Playing substitute games with me?” “Ethan, come out, you spineless, cheating scumbag!” I hammered on the door with all my might, but Ethan stayed hidden like a turtle in its shell. Chloe pulled me into a hug. “Nora, that’s enough. Let’s go home first. He’s clearly got no shame left. We’ll figure out how to get even later.” I took deep, ragged breaths. “Chloe, you’re right. We messed up earlier. We should have brought baseball bats before coming into the hotel. I should have used that jerk’s head for batting practice!” Under the curious and gossipy stares of everyone around, Chloe dragged me out of the hotel. Back at my place, she sighed and hugged me again. “If you really need to cry, just let it out. We did just waste seven years of your youth.” I’d already cried all my tears outside the hotel. Right now, I just wanted to be alone, to cool down. I went to my room and threw myself onto the bed, venting my frustration. Just then, a notification popped up on my phone—a message request on a social app. I glanced at the request message: It’s Caleb Moore. Figured it was him. I accepted the request. But I didn’t message him first. Instead, he sent a message: Saw it? Finding out you were cheated on right after the breakup? Must hurt, huh? Pot, meet kettle, I thought. Finding out you were cheated on then getting dumped isn’t much different from my situation, is it? “Yep,” I replied curtly. Caleb, however, didn’t seem fazed by being cheated on. He started a video call. On screen, he was wearing a crisp white shirt, looking as composed and elegant as ever. So, swans and frogs really are different. Even after being humiliated, a swan’s inherent confidence is unshakable. “What do you really want?” I couldn’t help but ask. He smiled. “Want to get even?” I hesitated, then asked tentatively, “Are you suggesting we team up? To get revenge on this lovely pair?” “Yep,” he replied, mimicking my earlier tone. His smile was devastatingly charming. Then, his lips moved as he slowly told me a little story. That’s when I learned that he and Ethan were childhood friends, grew up together. And apparently, whatever Caleb liked, Ethan also liked. Back in high school, Ethan had already stolen a girl Caleb was interested in. This time, he was just using the same old playbook. And according to Caleb, his situation was even worse than mine. He and the woman had only kissed twice in their entire relationship. Then Ethan swooped in, and boom – she was pregnant. The reason Caleb showed up at the restaurant yesterday was because he suspected he was being cheated on and went there to catch them in the act. He hadn’t expected to walk right into my breakup scene with Ethan. The woman had apparently been sitting at a nearby table the whole time, planning to watch my entire breakup unfold. But when Caleb arrived, she got defensive and, in a fit of pique, threw the water in his face. After hearing all this, I actually felt calmer. Lying on my bed, memories of Ethan flooded my mind, but all I felt was indignation, no sense of loss. And so, almost on autopilot, I replied to Caleb with a single word: “Okay.” Even if Ethan had some twisted reason for pursuing me relentlessly back then, the fact remained: he played with my heart for seven years. That was undeniable. Besides, his habit of stealing other people’s partners just to prove a point? That needed to stop. This wasn’t revenge. This was… serving justice!

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The man accused in the high-profile divorce murder case was looking for a defense lawyer at our firm. My boyfriend Mark’s junior colleague, Chloe, wanted to take the case. She saw it as her big break, a chance to make a name for herself right out of law school. Considering she was fresh out of school with zero real trial experience, I shut her down immediately. Chloe took it as an insult to her abilities. Furious, she quit on the spot and vanished off the grid. Meanwhile, I successfully got our client’s death sentence commuted to life with parole, solidifying my reputation in the legal community. The day the client, Frank Miller, was released on parole, Mark drugged me and delivered me right into Frank’s hands. “If she had just let Chloe handle your case back then, maybe you wouldn’t have done any time at all!” Mark spat. He killed someone. How could he possibly walk free? But Frank bought Mark’s story. He brutally cut my eight-month-old baby from my womb. After smashing the infant’s life out, he mercilessly hacked off my arms and legs. As I lay dying, I desperately asked Mark why he would do this to me. He just glared and spat in my face: “If you hadn’t been so stubborn about keeping the case from Chloe, she never would have stormed off overseas and gotten killed in that bombing!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Chloe asked to take the case. 1 “Ava, can I take over that spousal murder case you’re working on?” “If I can win this for the client, get him acquitted, not only will I get confirmed early from my probationary period, but I could really make a name for myself in the industry.” Hearing that familiar voice sent a jolt through me. I glanced at the calendar on the wall and instantly knew—I was back. I’d been reborn. In my past life, I knew this case was far too complex for a fresh graduate, an intern, basically. Plus, we were defending a killer. If handled poorly, it could easily tarnish the entire firm’s reputation. So, I turned her down, citing her lack of experience. I patiently explained that I’d give her the next suitable case, but for this one, she should just observe. But she took it as me questioning her competence. She quit in a huff and went abroad alone. Later, in the courtroom, I masterfully argued the case, successfully getting the client’s original death sentence reduced to ten years. My reputation soared. Three years later, I married my boyfriend, Mark. But on the very day the client, Frank Miller, was released, Mark tied me up—eight months pregnant—and handed me over to him, spewing venomous lies: “Frank! If she had just let my girl Chloe take your case back then, maybe you wouldn’t have spent all those years locked up!” I tried desperately to explain that Frank had killed someone; an acquittal was impossible. But Frank believed Mark. He didn’t just rip my baby out and feed it to dogs; he hacked off my arms and legs. As I bled out, I stared at Mark, demanding to know why. He just glared, eyes filled with hate, and cut out my tongue: “If you’d just given the damn case to Chloe, she wouldn’t have run off overseas and died in that terrorist attack! You owe her this!” Only then did I realize Mark had been in love with Chloe all along. Marrying me was just a twisted plot for revenge. Seeing my silence now, Mark frowned, annoyed, and nudged me. “Ava, did you hear me? It’s not like you’re short on cases. Just give this one to Chloe.” Mark’s impatient tone snapped me back to the present. I looked at Chloe, standing there radiating confidence, and sneered, “And how exactly do you plan on getting a murderer acquitted? Are you planning on committing perjury?” The words barely left my mouth before Chloe’s eyes welled up. “Ava, how could you say that! How could you insult me like that? I might not be as experienced as you, but I have professional ethics!” “If you don’t trust me, fine! I’ll just leave!” She made a move to turn, but Mark grabbed her hand. “Chloe, don’t go. This isn’t your fault! If anyone should leave, it’s Ava!” 2 Our argument quickly drew a crowd of coworkers. Chloe squeezed out a couple of tears, playing the victim perfectly. “Ava, I don’t have to take the case, but how could you accuse me of planning perjury? If word of this gets out, how am I supposed to build a career in law?” “Or… maybe that was your intention all along?” The onlookers immediately turned on me. “Ava, you know how crucial reputation is for a lawyer, right? Even if you don’t like Chloe, you can’t just slander her like that!” “And you call yourself the firm’s star attorney? Committing defamation yourself!” “If you don’t apologize to Chloe, she has grounds to sue you!” Apologize? Not a chance in hell. Just as I was about to retort, Mark stepped between us, adopting a peacemaking tone. “Ava, I know you didn’t mean it. Just let Chloe have this case, and I’ll forgive your little outburst on her behalf. It’s just one small case, really. Letting her have it won’t affect your status as our top lawyer. Why are you being so petty about it?” Me, petty? He had no idea how complicated this case truly was. When Frank Miller first came to us, everyone knew he was a killer. They wouldn’t touch the case with a ten-foot pole, terrified it would stain their precious reputations. I was the one who finally took it, under immense pressure. I poured countless sleepless nights into this case, digging up evidence, scouring legal precedents and case histories. Finally, at the first hearing, I managed to secure a chance for a reduced sentence for the client. Now, with the finish line in sight, Chloe wants to swoop in and claim the glory, and they call it a “simple little case”? I actually laughed out loud, my voice cold. “Every piece of evidence, every document for this case, I gathered and organized myself. Why the hell should I hand it over to Chloe?” “If you all want to help her so badly, give her one of your cases!” Mark waved dismissively. “You said it yourself, the best you can do is get him a reduced sentence. But Chloe has reviewed the files and thinks she can get the verdict overturned, maybe even get him acquitted!” “If Chloe pulls this off, it’ll shake up the entire legal world! Think of the business it’ll bring to our firm!” Hearing this, Chloe seemed emboldened. “I’m confident I can do it!” Other colleagues chimed in, chanting, “Let Chloe handle it! Let Chloe handle it!” Seeing their deluded fervor, I stopped arguing and nodded with a tight smile. “Alright. Since you all have so much faith in Chloe, I agree. I’ll withdraw from the case.” As I started gathering my files from the desk, Chloe rushed over, grabbing my arm with a saccharine smile. “Ava, even though I’m taking over, could you maybe leave the files you’ve already prepared for me?” I feigned confusion. “My materials only support a reduced sentence. They won’t get anyone acquitted. I doubt they’d be much use to you.” Chloe’s smile twitched; she seemed unsure how to respond. Mark stepped in again. “Ava, don’t be so stingy. I know you’re attached to this case. Look, I’ll make a decision for you. You can be Chloe’s assistant, help her gather materials. That way, you still get to be involved!” That was hilariously pathetic. “No thanks,” I said flatly. “I’m not interested.” With that, I dumped all the files into the shredder. Mark exploded. “Ava, are you crazy! Don’t you forget who owns this firm! I can fire you, you know!” 3 He thought his threat would make me back down. I couldn’t care less. “Fine by me! Make it today!” My response seemed to stun Mark. His voice softened slightly. “Ava, stop acting like a child. Your reputation only carries weight here. If you leave this firm, you’ll definitely regret it!” Regret it? Have I lost my mind? “Don’t worry,” I assured him firmly. “I absolutely will not regret this! Whatever happens with this case, win or lose, it has nothing to do with Ava Riley!” With that, I grabbed my belongings and turned to leave, chin held high. Chloe, fuming, yelled after me, “Ava Riley, when I win this case and become a legal superstar, don’t you come crawling back, begging us to take you back!” Winning a case for a murderer to become famous? What kind of fantasy world was she living in? Even the killer himself had confessed. When he begged me to take the case, all he asked was for me to do my best to get him off death row, secure the maximum sentence reduction possible. Where did Chloe get the insane confidence she could overturn the conviction? But honestly, even without Chloe’s little drama, I wouldn’t help this killer again. The agony of having my baby ripped out, my limbs hacked off in my past life, still made my whole body tremble. A man who flouts the law and commits such evil doesn’t deserve a reduced sentence! That evening, I posted an update on social media announcing I was no longer representing the defendant in the “spousal murder case.” The news spread like wildfire. Offers from other law firms started pouring in, including some heavy hitters in the legal world. But a message from an old classmate caught my eye. “Ava, since you’re not defending him anymore, could you maybe help the victim in this case?” Through the information my classmate shared, I learned that the killer, Frank Miller, had hidden a lot from me. The victim, Elena Ramirez, had been trafficked and sold to Frank as a wife. When Elena’s father came looking for her, Frank had thugs cut out the old man’s tongue, preventing him from ever telling the truth. Elena eventually had a child and resigned herself to her fate. But Frank not only sold their child, he subjected Elena to daily brutal beatings, ultimately killing her. If all this was true… Frank Miller wasn’t just guilty of murder. He was involved in human trafficking, child abandonment, and aggravated assault. Combined, these crimes absolutely warranted the death penalty. But Elena’s father had no money for a lawyer. During the initial proceedings, he was constantly threatened by Frank’s family. Hearing about the plight of this father and daughter filled me with righteous anger. I clenched my fists. “I’ll represent Mr. Ramirez! Pro bono!” I had to make sure Frank Miller faced the full force of the law – not just for Elena and her father, but for the me and the child who died so horribly in my past life. Two weeks later, armed with all the evidence I’d gathered, I arrived at the courthouse. Just as I got out of my car, I ran smack into Mark and Chloe. Mark flashed a smug, self-satisfied grin. “See, Ava? I told you you’d regret it! And you denied it! Now you’re here with your materials, ready to kiss and make up, right?” Mark reached for the files in my arms, but I sidestepped him. “You’ve got it wrong, Mark. These materials aren’t for you!” Chloe clung to Mark’s arm, sneering, “Stop pretending. You obviously found out we discovered evidence to get Frank acquitted, so now you’re here trying to grab a piece of the pie.” “If you get on your knees right now, kowtow three times, and loudly admit ‘I was wrong,’ maybe, just maybe, I can forgive your earlier rudeness.” I rolled my eyes. “Chloe, if you’re having mental issues, I know a good vet I can refer you to. If he can’t fix you, maybe he can break your legs!” Ignoring the angry shouts erupting from Chloe and Mark behind me, I strode confidently into the courthouse. As I headed towards the counsel tables, Chloe pointed accusingly at me. “Your Honor, Ava Riley has been fired from our firm! I request that this individual, who has no connection to this case, be removed from the court!” The judge ignored her. It was only when I firmly took my seat at the plaintiff’s counsel table that Chloe’s eyes widened in shock. “Ava Riley, what are you doing sitting at the plaintiff’s table?”

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My father is Duke Harrison, a decorated war hero covered in glory. My mother is the daughter of the former Chief Advisor, a man who once held immense power. But my two older brothers? To curry favor with a street kid they took in, they let him steal my identity. At my own Investiture Gala, Silas blocked my path, sneering, “A sickly weakling like you thinks you deserve this honor?” “The brothers already promised I would receive the title today. You should crawl back to the back shed and stop embarrassing everyone.” In my past life, I was terrified of my brothers hating me, so I became a coward, letting Silas walk all over me. But now, I’ve been reborn. Looking at Silas’s smug face and my brothers acting like they’d already won, I sent him flying with a kick. “A beggar like you dares block my path!” 1 No one expected me, the one who always backed down, to actually get physical. The guests froze. I immediately ordered Thompson, the butler, to drag him out. Thompson shot me a nervous glance, then hesitantly helped Silas up. “Young Master Silas handles most affairs in the household… The investiture is crucial, young master. Perhaps you should go rest…” My eyes turned ice-cold. I smirked. “I wasn’t aware an outsider could call the shots in Duke Harrison’s household.” Hearing this, Thompson trembled even more, his eyes darting towards Silas, who was scrambling up from the floor, furious. I didn’t wait for his answer. I grabbed a teacup from the table beside me and hurled it at the insolent servant. “A household servant conspiring with an outsider to defy his master? Perhaps he should be beaten immediately.” In my past life, this old fool ignored my father’s instructions. Trusting in my brothers’ favor, he helped them torment me endlessly. He didn’t just short me on food and clothes; helping Silas torture me to death wasn’t enough. He even desecrated my body and left it exposed outside the city walls. The butler was shaking like a leaf, terrified. He wouldn’t dare touch me now. He dropped to his knees instantly. “Forgive me, master! Spare this old servant’s life!” “Ethan, how has this house wronged you that you resort to violence and still dream of receiving the title?” Silas cried out, playing the victim, as if I were the villain. The crowd started murmuring at his act. Silas’s buddy, Caleb Miller, son of Governor Miller, was livid. He stormed up to me, pointing right in my face. “You’re just some broke freeloader! How dare you disrupt Silas’s investiture today!” “Didn’t the Duke adopt a kid years ago to be a guinea pig for the young master’s treatments? I heard the young master was too kind-hearted, didn’t use him, and even provided for him.” “That was just some beggar. If the young master hadn’t saved him, he’d have frozen to death. Now look at him, biting the hand that fed him.” Back then, I was frail and often sick. When I saved Silas, my brothers thought I planned to use him for experimental treatments and called me cruel, showering Silas with pity instead. Coming back, I finally get it. My father is the most uniquely honored Duke in the country, incredibly powerful and wealthy. As his legitimate son, why should I be overshadowed by Silas, a mere charity case, and two lackeys from minor branches of the family? Thinking this, my gaze sliced into Caleb Miller like a knife. “And who the hell are you? The son of a mere Governor dares interfere in the Duke’s family matters? Even your father wouldn’t dare speak to me like that!” Caleb clearly didn’t expect me to clap back in public. His face flushed crimson with rage. He lunged, swinging his hand, but I dodged easily and slapped him hard across the face. “You piece of trash! You hit me? I’m the Governor’s son!” he roared in disbelief. Gasps erupted from the crowd. Silas was furious, his face red. He snarled at the servants who were lowering their heads, afraid to intervene: “This lowlife’s gone crazy! Tie him up and throw him in the shed!” I swept my gaze over the few servants hesitantly grabbing ropes, my eyes glinting dangerously. “I am the Duke’s son. You dare touch me?” Silas flinched, a flicker of panic crossing his face before he quickly covered it with rage. “What nonsense are you spouting! Everyone in the capital knows you’re just the kid who cleans the chamber pots in the Duke’s manor!” The others clearly didn’t believe me. “Silas is right. He must have really lost it.” “Duke Harrison leads armies and wins great victories, but his own son is being bullied like this at his investiture ceremony.” I calmly instructed my loyal aide, Miles, beside me: “Go tell my two brothers that this Silas brazenly claims he’ll receive my title. Isn’t he afraid of committing fraud against the state?” Miles looked at me, hesitant. My brothers doted on Silas, indulging his every whim. If they found out I’d hit him, I’d likely face severe family discipline. Seeing his worried expression, I gave him a firm nod. Go. Quickly. Silas sneered triumphantly. “Still haven’t learned your place, huh? Let’s see how you handle this when the brothers get here.” In my past life, the brothers I’d looked up to since childhood let me be bullied, let Silas torture me to death. As I lay dying in agony, I begged them to save me, but they complained my blood was dirtying Silas’s hands. I was tortured to death, my body left exposed in the wilds for dogs to devour. Now, I’ve crawled back from hell. Let’s see who doesn’t let who off the hook. 2 A moment later, Miles ran back in, head bowed, looking guilty and pained. “Master Silas will proceed with the investiture. The young master should just behave himself.” Of course. No matter how I was mistreated, it was nothing in their eyes. Silas snickered. “See? You made him run for nothing…” Before he could finish, someone burst in energetically. It was my fiancée, Sophia Patton, daughter of the General. Miles thought she was here to help me, his worried expression vanishing. I just shook my head with a small, humorless smile. When we were kids, she followed me around constantly, saying she’d marry me when we grew up, pestering her father to arrange the betrothal and exchange family tokens. But ever since she met Silas, she became obsessed, helping him humiliate me. Sophia anxiously looked Silas up and down, as if terrified he’d lost a single hair. Then she turned to me, her face full of disgust. “A beggar. I can’t believe I was fooled by you, actually thinking you were the Duke’s son. Thank goodness the Heir told me the truth. If I had actually married you…” “The General’s family would have been a laughingstock!” My own fiancée confirmed the lie about my identity. That instantly changed the minds of anyone who might have still half-believed me. This whole drama got everyone else whispering, their curious eyes darting between us. Silas’s smugness grew more obvious. To help Silas further, Sophia’s face hardened. She ripped the pendant from her waist. “Take back this engagement token! A lowlife like you will probably only ever marry some cheap street girl!” Watching Sophia’s resolute act, I remembered my past life. After my death, the President was furious. Sophia knelt before my uncle, the President, weeping, insisting she had always loved me, that she was just misled by villains into doing such foolish things. It was so laughable, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Sophia’s face darkened. “What are you laughing at…” “I’m laughing at how blind you are, mistaking trash for treasure. Breaking off our engagement for a beggar. I wonder what the old General will say when he finds out.” My words made the crowd gasp. “Silas is the beggar?” “But why are the Duke’s older sons letting him receive the title?” The murmurs started again, everyone’s eyes shifting between Silas and me. Me: handsome features, sharp eyes, an air of inherent nobility. Him: dressed in fine clothes, but his eyes and posture still screamed cunning, vulgarity, and a cheap imitation. Silas turned pale, swaying slightly. He quickly retorted, “If you’re really the Duke’s son, why won’t your brothers let you receive the title instead of me?” Sophia sneered, “Silas is too kind-hearted to expose you! And now you turn around and accuse him!” Their words flipped the situation again. Caleb Miller, who had just been embarrassed, regained his confidence. “He’s just a beggar! If I beat you dead today, no one would stand up for you. Let me teach you a lesson for Silas!” Several other young men from prominent families chimed in, ordering their guards to grab me. They kicked my legs out from under me, forcing me to my knees. “Teach him how to apologize properly,” one said, then they forced my head down, slamming it against the floor again and again, until the ground was stained with blood. Sophia pulled Silas behind her. “It’s too dirty. Don’t let it offend your eyes.” Silas smirked triumphantly. “I told you not to cross me. You don’t have a say in this family, do you?” I defiantly raised my head, glaring at him. “Mother is coming back soon! Then none of you will get away with this!” After the ceremony, my father returns triumphant from the war. The President, having already honored him greatly, will shower me with rewards. That’s why these people are rushing to suck up now. But in my past life, I didn’t even live to see Father return; Silas framed me. I never saw my father again before I closed my eyes for the last time. Silas crouched down, whispering mockingly in my ear, “You really are naive. The Pattons command significant military power. As long as I marry Sophia, who would dare touch me?” Thinking of how yielding in my past life only led to a miserable death, I wouldn’t let him go this time. 3 I struggled violently, trying to fight back. Before I could land a blow, a furious voice boomed: “Absurd!” My two older brothers strode in. The others instantly let me go, frightened. A flicker of panic crossed Silas’s face, but he quickly composed himself. My second brother, Leo, fussed over Silas, straightening his slightly rumpled clothes. My eldest brother, Marcus, glanced dismissively at my wretched state after giving Silas a concerned look. He scolded me publicly, “You crude, worthless dog, daring to disrespect your betters! Why can’t you learn from Silas’s manners? Maybe then you could find a decent family to marry into someday.” My brothers said things like that all the time in my past life. To please them, I tried desperately to imitate Silas, only for them to mock me as a pathetic imitation. I finally understood. If people don’t care about you, nothing you do will make them see you differently. Thinking this, I gave a cold laugh. “Learn what from Silas? His phony victim act? Or his talent for identity theft?” Afraid of getting caught in the crossfire, the other young men quickly blamed everything on me. “He even dares talk back to the Heir! No wonder he bullies Silas.” “Exactly! He was insulting Silas and trying to steal his title. If we hadn’t protected Silas, who knows what crazy thing he would have done.” Sophia stepped forward indignantly. “A lowlife like him isn’t fit to touch a single hair on Silas’s head! Today, in front of the Heir, I officially break off our engagement!” Leo looked apologetic towards her. “It’s our fault. We failed to discipline this troublemaker. It truly shames both our families.” Seeing the alliance between the Harrison and Patton families shattered because of me… Marcus frowned. “The Harrison family has no place for such a disgraceful degenerate. Silas is my only true brother.” Silas’s eyes widened in surprise, then he lowered his head, sighing dramatically. “It’s my fault for not managing things better, letting a mere beggar dream of replacing the real heir. I was wrong.” His words made the three of them feel incredibly sorry for him. Sophia immediately took out the marriage contract and ripped it to shreds on the spot. She carefully took the engagement locket she’d taken from me and hung it on Silas’s belt. She announced loudly, “All our esteemed guests are here today. It should be perfectly clear who deserves this honor. I, Sophia Patton, declare that the man I intend to marry is Silas of the Harrison household!” Amidst cheers and congratulations, Silas shot me a triumphant, smug look. I ignored his provocation. Whoever wanted a fickle woman like her could have her. Seeing I showed no remorse… Leo turned to Marcus, his voice hardening. “Marcus, today Ethan publicly defied his superiors and embarrassed Silas. But, out of mercy, perhaps we should just cut out his tongue, make him a mute servant, and send him off to the country estate.” Marcus seemed hesitant. “If you admit you were wrong right now, in front of everyone, and then go kneel in the study all night, we can let this go.” The smile on Silas’s face froze for a second. He put on a wounded expression. “It’s alright, brothers. Don’t be angry on my account. I don’t care about these empty titles anyway.” “But brother,” he added, looking at me, “even if you’re being willful, you shouldn’t disgrace the Harrison name.” His words instantly made Marcus’s impatience flare up visibly. “You still refuse to admit you’re wrong?” Ha. These were the brothers I grew up adoring. They weren’t always this wealthy and privileged. It was only because I liked trailing after them as a child that my mother formally adopted them – sons from a side branch of the family – under her name, securing the title of Heir for Marcus early on. I stiffened my neck, wanting to slap my past self. How could I have been so stupid, wasting my loyalty on dogs? Marcus turned, his face grim, and ordered the servants: “Do as Leo said. Take him to the back, cut out his tongue, then dump him at the country estate. If he doesn’t learn his lesson, he’s never coming back.” I lifted my head, meeting Marcus’s gaze coldly. “What right do you have to kick me out? Even the Head of the Clan wouldn’t dare suggest disowning me or cutting out my tongue.” Leo scoffed. “Father and Mother aren’t here. Of course, Marcus, as the Heir, has the authority to handle family matters.” Marcus announced gravely, “This Investiture Gala is for Silas. This Ethan Harrison has nothing to do with our family.” Silas smugly told a servant, “Things happened suddenly, so all the family carriages will be needed for our guests later. Just find a simple cart outside the estate to haul him away.” Just as they were about to grab me and drag me off… A furious voice boomed from the doorway: “You two degenerates! Who are you saying is my son? Have the guts to say it again to my face!”

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In my last life, my sister Ashley, jealous of my brains and good grades, deliberately introduced me to a bad boy, Jake. She pushed me into dating him young, skipping class, sneaking out to meet him. Anytime I hesitated, she’d hype me up, saying high school was the time for a passionate, unforgettable romance. She claimed Jake was secretly loaded, a rich kid in disguise, and sticking with him meant living the high life. Meanwhile, she was secretly burning the midnight oil, studying, forming study groups with the top students. Then, I got pregnant unexpectedly. Terrified, I wanted to tell Mom and Dad, get an abortion. But Ashley found me first. She said the baby was innocent, convinced me to hide the pregnancy and have the baby in secret. She promised that once the baby was born, I could marry into Jake’s supposedly wealthy family. With a baby involved, Mom and Dad wouldn’t be able to stop it anyway. So, I started wearing baggy school clothes to hide my growing belly. During final exams, Ashley aced everything and got into an Ivy League school. Me? I ended up giving birth in a public restroom stall. Ashley went off to college, bright future ahead, landing a great career and relationship after graduation. My reputation was ruined. Jake wasn’t rich at all; he was just some poor kid from the sticks. My parents were devastated and utterly disappointed in me. They just let Jake drag me and the baby back to his remote, impoverished hometown where we suffered until we died. After my death, at my funeral, Ashley told everyone I was rebellious, wouldn’t listen to reason. She claimed she’d tried so hard to warn me off dating Jake, but I brought it all on myself. Then, I opened my eyes. I was back. Reborn. This time, I was flipping the script. 1 The agonizing memory of being beaten, my scalp bleeding, in my past life was still fresh. I blinked, finding myself standing on the school’s track field. Ashley stood nearby, looking crisp and clean in her neat school uniform, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail. The picture of youthful innocence. Me? My hair was bleached a brassy yellow – the principal had just ordered me to dye it back to a normal color. My uniform, originally tailored, was deliberately ripped and altered. Underneath my uniform pants, I was wearing fishnet stockings. A total mess. Ashley looked at me, holding out a pink envelope. She gave me a conspiratorial wink. “Chloe, Jake asked me to give this to you. It’s a love letter. He wants you to meet him at the pool hall this afternoon. Says he wants to introduce you to his crew.” Looking at her face, I silently clenched my fists, nearly grinding my back teeth to dust. Last time, she’d handed me the letter just like this, convincing me to skip class and go find Jake at the pool hall. I remembered him there, decked out in too-tight jeans, flashy fake designer shoes, leaning against his obnoxiously loud motorcycle. His posse of wannabe tough guys stood behind him, all respectfully calling me “Jake’s girl.” It had fed my stupid teenage vanity, making me fall even harder for him, officially becoming his girlfriend. After that, I started dating him seriously, my focus completely shifting away from school. Ashley covered for me late at night, helping me sneak out to meet Jake, sometimes not getting home until morning. Thanks to her covering my tracks, Mom and Dad never suspected I wasn’t sleeping in my own bed. It all came crashing down when I stared at a positive pregnancy test, two pink lines mocking me. Panicked, I told Ashley my period was two months late. I was pregnant. I cried hysterically, clutching the test, wanting to confess everything to our parents. But Ashley grabbed my arm, her voice full of false wisdom. “Chloe, Jake’s family is rich. Being pregnant now just means you can drop out and marry into wealth. If you get rid of the baby, he’ll definitely break up with you. Then your reputation is ruined, and if you bomb your finals, you’ll end up working some dead-end job.” “Oh, my naive sister,” she’d said, “do you really want to be flipping burgers for the rest of your life? Besides, this is a life. Can you really live with yourself if you kill your own child?” So, I listened to her. I hid the pregnancy. And that led to the tragedy. This time, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Seeing me hesitate to take the letter, Ashley shoved it into my hand. “Chloe, I put a pair of heels in your backpack. You should wear them later. You’re so pretty, just dress up a little. Jake will be so proud to show you off.” She even gave me his number again, telling me not to be late. I mumbled, “But… I have class this afternoon. I’ve already skipped so many times this month.” “Chloe, don’t waste your time on studying! Don’t you want that epic romance?” She patted my shoulder, acting like she only had my best interests at heart. Just as the bell rang for class, Ashley literally pushed me towards the school exit. “Go on, hurry! I’ll cover for you.” She waved, then quickly turned and ran back towards the classrooms. Clutching the letter, I turned and followed her back inside. When Ashley saw me walk into the classroom instead of heading out to meet Jake, her eyes widened in disbelief. I ignored her and focused on the lesson. I’d let her convince me to skip so much class last time. We were already halfway through the material, and college entrance exams were only three months away. I had to catch up. Looking at the problems in the textbook, a thought sparked. Having lived twice, and remembering all those nights I spent secretly studying textbooks after being dragged away in my past life… I knew this stuff inside and out. Getting into an Ivy League school? This time, it was practically guaranteed. Seeing me actually studying, Ashley leaned over. “Chloe, what are you looking at?” “Studying. I’m going to get into the Ivy League,” I stated plainly. Ashley covered her mouth in mock surprise, raising her voice deliberately. “Wow, Chloe! You’re aiming for the Ivy League?” Heads turned. Smirks appeared on my classmates’ faces. Even the teacher looked over, a small, disbelieving smile on her face. “Chloe Miller, you skip class constantly, show no interest in learning… We’re halfway through the year. Do you really think cramming at the last minute will even get you into any college?” “Yeah, Chloe, seriously,” Ashley chimed in, a smug look on her face. “Stop dreaming. Mom and Dad would be thrilled if you just barely scraped into a state school.” The other students started murmuring, mocking my ambition, calling me delusional. I ignored their ridicule and buried my head in my book. My scores would speak for themselves eventually. No need to argue now. 2 After school, I started cleaning out my backpack and desk, tossing all the cheap nail polish, drugstore makeup, and other junk into the trash. Ashley noticed and came over, feigning curiosity. “Throwing all this out? Done with it? And… are you breaking up with Jake? He must be waiting for you. Standing him up is really rude, you know.” “I need to study hard. Try to be a good student, like you, Ashley,” I said calmly, not stopping my tidying. Ashley scoffed. “Chloe, you hit the jackpot. A rich guy likes you! Marry him, and you’re set for life. I don’t have that option; I have to study my butt off.” She even managed to look envious. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. “Well then, Ashley, since you feel that way, why don’t you take this ‘life-changing opportunity’ to marry into wealth? You’re not as smart as me anyway, so maybe you shouldn’t waste your time studying.” “He likes you, Chloe, not me! I already set it up for you! What am I supposed to do if you don’t go?” Ashley sputtered, looking genuinely panicked for a second. I walked around her towards the door. “Not my problem. If you like him so much, go yourself.” I went straight home and locked myself in my room to study. After quickly reviewing the standard high school curriculum, I realized it was way too easy. No challenge at all. So, I started tackling advanced Math Olympiad problems, pushing myself to the next level. Ashley came into my room later and saw me studying. She leaned against the doorframe, smirking. “Chloe, college exams are just a few months away. It’s way too late for you to catch up now. You’d be better off spending this time sucking up to Jake.” She then sat down at her own desk nearby and pulled out her textbooks. Watching her chew on her pen, struggling with a problem, I glanced over at her work. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “That one’s not so hard,” I commented, pointing to the last big problem on her page. “Honestly, most of this stuff is kid’s stuff for me. Only that last one requires a little thought.” Ashley’s eyes went wide. “What are you talking about? Stop pretending! This is Olympiad-level math! There’s no way you understand this! Stop scribbling nonsense and distracting me!” She yelled loud enough for our parents in the living room to hear. They came rushing in. “We come from a family of academics! Your mother and I have been professors our whole lives! How did we end up with a delinquent daughter like you?” Dad snapped as soon as he walked in, poking my forehead angrily. “Look at that yellow hair! You look ridiculous!” “Mom, Dad, Chloe was deliberately messing up my notebook, trying to stop me from studying!” Ashley whined, playing the victim. Dad picked up Ashley’s notebook and looked at the problem I’d pointed out. “This… this solution here… Chloe, did you write this?” “Yes, she did! Dad, punish her!” Ashley tilted her head up, looking at me with a flash of triumph in her eyes. Dad stared at the notebook for a moment longer, then passed it to Mom. They both grabbed scratch paper and pens and started scribbling, working through the problem. Ashley got impatient. “Mom! Dad! Aren’t you going to yell at her? She’s ruining my study time! How am I supposed to get into a good school?” “Quiet,” Dad waved her off dismissively. He looked at me, his expression shifting. “Chloe… did you really solve this?” “Yes,” I nodded. A huge grin spread across Dad’s face. He gently patted my head. “Genius! An absolute genius! You got it right! And this method… they haven’t even taught you this yet! How did you figure it out?” “Dad, I’ve actually finished all the high school material already,” I explained with a smile. “I found the regular stuff too easy, so I started exploring Olympiad math on my own for a challenge. I’ve decided. My goal is the Ivy League.” Ashley stood frozen, watching us, her jealousy practically radiating off her. Mom and Dad burst out laughing, their eyes now filled with warmth and pride as they looked at me. “Turning over a new leaf is priceless, Chloe! We believe in you! Absolutely!” Dad exclaimed. “Right, let’s go make your favorite dinner to celebrate!” Mom added, and they headed out of the room together. Ashley clenched her fists, her voice tight with disbelief. “How did you do that? It’s impossible!” “Because I’m a genius, dear sister,” I replied with a sweet smile. “Aren’t you?” 3 Ashley glared at me, pure jealousy burning in her eyes. Then, as if remembering something, she scoffed. “So what if you’re a genius? You’ve skipped so many classes. I bet you still can’t score high enough.” I just raised an eyebrow and went back to my studying. At the dinner table, Mom and Dad couldn’t stop praising me, calling me a natural talent, a true genius. Dad even gave me some challenging problems he’d collected over the years, and I solved them one by one. Watching Dad and me engrossed in academic discussion, Ashley got so upset she barely touched her food. With Dad’s guidance, I felt like my understanding deepened even further. That night, I even dreamed about solving equations. The next morning, I got up early and headed to school. But Jake was waiting for me at the entrance, straddling his loud, flashy motorcycle, his crew flanking him. Their bizarre outfits and the obnoxious techno blasting from the bike’s speakers made other students stare and whisper. Ashley nudged me, grinning maliciously. “Look, Chloe! You and Jake both have bleached hair! Matching couple hair, how cute! Go say hi to your boyfriend.” “Alright guys, say hi to my girl!” Jake yelled. His buddies shuffled forward and awkwardly mumbled, “Hey,” or “Yo, boss’s girl.” The surrounding students burst into laughter. I shot Jake a glare and tried to walk around him, but he grabbed my sleeve. “What do you think you’re doing? Causing trouble right at the school gate?” The sharp voice of the Dean of Students cut through the noise. She marched over, eyes narrowed at me. “Are you bringing your dating drama to school now? Ashley, get to class immediately. Don’t let your sister drag you down.” “Yes, ma’am,” Ashley replied sweetly, shooting me a triumphant smirk over her shoulder. “Ma’am, I’m not dating him,” I protested. “My sister invited him here. I barely know him.” “Don’t try to blame your sister, Chloe,” the Dean snapped, her face hardening. “I know your track record. It’s bad enough you’re throwing your own future away, but don’t corrupt Ashley. Any more of this, and I’m calling your parents.” Jake visibly flinched at the mention of parents and quickly signaled his crew. They scrambled onto their bikes and sped off. When I finally got to my classroom, I found Ashley standing in front of the class, holding the pink love letter Jake had sent, reading it aloud in a dramatic voice. The other students were howling with laughter. When they saw me enter, they started repeating lines from the letter, making kissy noises and teasing me relentlessly. “Seriously, Chloe? Your taste is trash! Dating that wannabe? Hahahaha! And he actually came to the school? So embarrassing for our class!” “Hey, don’t be mean to my sister,” Ashley interjected, pretending to defend me. “She and Jake really like each other.” Just as I was about to speak, the teacher walked in. Ashley immediately rushed up to the teacher, handing her the letter. “Teacher, my sister received this love letter.” The teacher took it and scanned the contents. The explicit, cheesy lines made her face flush with anger. She slammed the letter down on her desk. “Chloe Miller!” she roared. “You are incorrigible! I can’t handle you anymore! Get your phone out and call your parents right now! If you don’t want to be in school, you can just go home!” As the teacher fumed, Ashley leaned close and whispered, just loud enough for me to hear, “So what if you’re a genius? You can’t go to college if you get expelled.” With a sigh, I pulled out my phone and dialed my dad’s number. “Sweetie!” Dad’s excited voice came through the line. “I was just looking over those Olympiad problems you solved yesterday! Your approach is so innovative! Come home early after school today, okay? I have a few more I want to test you with! You’re truly a once-in-a-lifetime talent!” Before he could continue gushing, I cut in quietly. “Dad, the school wants to expel me. Can you come here now?”

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My husband was convinced I was the reason his first love couldn’t have children. He told me, full of hate, “You give Jenny a child, then you can get lost.” But then, he was the one who took that child’s life away. In the end, he cried, begging for my forgiveness. I just shook my head. “I’ll never forgive you. We’ve lost our past.” 1. “Ow!” Right then, Liam clamped down on my wrists, mercilessly. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Liam, I’m your legal wife, you can’t treat me like this…” Hearing me, Liam scoffed as if he’d heard the funniest joke. My chin tightened as Liam sneered, “Wife? You think you deserve that title?” A sharp pain shot through my heart. “You caused Jenny’s car accident, made it so she can never have kids. A vicious woman like you… if Jenny hadn’t begged me, I would have made you pay long ago!” “No, it wasn’t me…” I tried to defend myself, but it was useless. All the evidence in the accident pointed straight at me. Liam had zero patience for me. His narrowed eyes were dark with menace. “Not you? Then who schemed to crawl into my bed and tipped off the paparazzi?” That night, I’d had too much to drink and woke up in Liam’s bed. Next thing I knew, reporters were camped outside the door, waiting for us. The Hayes family, pressured by the media storm, forced Liam to marry me. And because of that, Liam hated my guts. “I don’t know how that happened…” I sobbed, trying to explain. “Ah!” A familiar, unwelcome sensation started below. I squeezed my eyes shut, a hot tear escaping down my cheek. “I already promised I’d have a baby for you, why do you have to go this far… Ouch, it hurts…” A piercing agony twisted inside me. Heart dead, I just endured Liam’s movements. It seemed like this was the only way – acting this way made Liam despise me more, made him finish faster. Liam gripped my waist, his voice dark. “You stole Jenny’s place, ruined her chances of having a family. I won’t let you get away with it!” I stayed silent, but my passive resistance only seemed to fuel his cold fury. Liam’s low voice was clear in my ear— “Chloe, you better get pregnant fast. You think I want to touch you? You make me sick!” After the long ordeal, Liam slammed the door and left. Ignoring the discomfort, I went to the bathroom to clean myself up, carefully applying some ointment. Married for a year, every time Liam came home, he’d torture and humiliate me like this. He wanted me to have his child, then divorce me. Back then, I thought it was just angry talk. I’d foolishly, happily agreed to give him a baby. I thought, if we had our own child, maybe he’d change towards me. But now, a year into the marriage, I knew with painful clarity: no matter what I did, he would never love me. Tears streamed down my face like broken pearls. “Why…” I whispered to myself. “Why treat me like this? It wasn’t my fault. Why won’t you believe me!” I sniffled, turned, and numbly opened the nightstand drawer. I took out the birth control pills I always kept hidden and swallowed one dry. I wasn’t going to make things easy for them anymore! Bang! Just then, the door was kicked open— It was Liam, back for his phone. He saw the pill bottle in my hand, froze for a second, then realization dawned. He snatched the bottle, glanced at it, and threw it violently to the floor. Pills scattered everywhere. “Chloe, you dare take pills?!” I flinched, terrified of this Liam. He looked like a raging lion. Seeing my silence, he dragged me into the bathroom, shoved his fingers down my throat, and snarled, “Spit it out!” Gag— Retch— The pill came up with the sour bile from my stomach. I had no strength left to fight, just a desolate emptiness in my heart. “Cough, cough…” Leaning against the tub, I coughed weakly, my voice barely a whisper. “Liam, you’ll regret treating me like this…” 2 “Regret?” Liam snorted. “Who do you think you are?” I closed my eyes. My voice was barely audible, yet it felt like it took all the strength I had left. “Liam, I’m tired. Let’s get a divorce. Yes, I love you. I’ve loved you for so long, from seventeen to twenty-seven. But that doesn’t mean you can trample all over my dignity.” I glared at the madman before me. Liam’s face was an icy mask. He completely ignored my feelings, warning, “Chloe, don’t play games. Behave, have the baby, and maybe I’ll let you walk away with your life.” “If you want a child, go find someone else! Why does it have to be me!” I screamed, breaking down. Liam looked down at me imperiously. “Because you hurt Jenny. You have to pay the price!” “It wasn’t me! I told you, what happened to Jenna Sullivan has nothing to do with me!” I asked weakly, “Why? Why won’t you just believe me?” Liam frowned. Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. I heard his voice change— “She collapsed? Okay, I’ll be right there.” Liam clearly had no more patience for me. He finished the call and turned to leave. “Liam! Don’t go…” I don’t know where the courage came from. Hearing he was leaving, I pushed myself up against the edge of the tub, trying to stand and follow him. But suddenly, my vision went black, and I crumpled heavily to the floor! A sharp pain flared in my lower abdomen. I felt like something was draining away… I curled into a ball, whimpering softly, “Liam, help me…” Click. The door shut. He was gone. In his heart, I would never compare to Jenna Sullivan. My heart died. My head spun, and then everything went dark. Mercy General Hospital. I was having a nightmare. “No, it wasn’t me…” “Liam, you have to believe me, I really didn’t hurt her!” The man’s eyes were cold, ignoring my pleas. Suddenly, his hands were around my neck. “Chloe, just die!” “Ah—” I woke up with a start, drenched in cold sweat. The faint smell of cigarette smoke hung in the air. Click. The sound of a lighter being set down on a table. Then, a man’s deep, cold sneer. “Awake? I thought you were dead.” A bone-deep chill swept over me. I was fully awake now. “Sorry to disappoint you,” I said, my voice hoarse. Liam tapped ash from his cigarette, stood up, and walked over to me. He looked down, his voice dripping with contempt. “Hiding the fact that you were already pregnant. What kind of game are you playing now?” 3 I froze. “Pregnant?” Instinctively, my hand went to my stomach. I was… pregnant? Right now, a baby was growing inside me. Mine and Liam’s child. A tiny flicker of hope sparked within me. With this baby, maybe Liam would… A sharp pain in my jaw shattered the fragile dream instantly. Liam’s voice was icy cold. “Chloe, let me warn you. Whatever tricks you’re planning, if you hurt Jenny in any way, I will never forgive you!” “And besides, a woman like you can’t raise a child properly. After it’s born, I’ll have Jenny raise him.” I listened in shock, my vision blurring. I couldn’t even see his face clearly anymore. Jenna Sullivan. His heart only had room for Jenna Sullivan. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I ripped the IV needle out of my hand, jumped off the bed, and ran barefoot towards the door. “What do you think you’re doing?” Liam grabbed my wrist, frowning. My eyes filled with tears, but I fought to keep them from falling. “I won’t have this baby! I’m going to find a doctor and get rid of it!” Liam gritted his teeth. “Chloe, you dare!” “You want to give my child to Jenna Sullivan to raise? I won’t let you have your way!” “I could never accept my own child calling someone else ‘Mom’!” Liam gripped my thin wrist tightly, my defiant face reflected in his pupils. Suddenly, Liam’s expression softened, as if remembering something. Then just as quickly, his brow furrowed, the gentleness replaced by cold shadow. He spoke each word slowly, like a dark prince— “Chloe, are you asking to die?” “Yes! I’d rather die than give birth to—” My voice cut off abruptly as Liam threw me back onto the bed. “Ugh…” The impact knocked the wind out of me, forcing out a muffled cough. The man’s voice was low, terrifying. “You want to die? I can grant you that wish. But this child, you will give birth to it for me!” I blinked, cold tears finally spilling over, unable to hold them back any longer. Sobbing, I poured out my pain. “Liam, I hate you.” “I hate that you don’t believe me, hate how you torture and hurt me, and I hate you even more… for trying to steal my child.” Liam’s eyes gleamed with a sharp, cold light. He studied me, his voice filled with disgust. “Once the baby is born, you can get lost.” Bang— The door slammed shut. Muffled sounds came from outside— “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let anything happen.” “Yes, Mr. Hayes!” 4 The Hayes Estate. This was my third day locked up. In the quiet, dim room, I huddled in a corner of the bed, face buried in my arms, lifeless and drained of all spirit. Click. The bedroom light suddenly switched on. Used to the darkness, I felt a surge of fear. “Turn it off… turn off the light.” Mrs. Gable, the housekeeper, came in carrying a bowl of oatmeal, her voice full of sympathy. “Mrs. Hayes, dear, you need to eat something. You have to take care of yourself. Even if not for you, think of the baby. The baby’s innocent.” “You’re such a good young woman. Why does the master only think about that woman outside and not cherish who he has right here? Sigh…” “The baby.” Hearing Mrs. Gable’s murmurs, I felt dazed. I shifted my stiff body. I felt so weak, like I could collapse at any moment. I hadn’t had a drop of water in three days. My voice was raspy. I tried several times before managing a whisper, barely audible. “Is… is Liam back?” Mrs. Gable gently shook her head. I looked up, a self-mocking smile touching my lips. “He’s… with Jenna Sullivan again, isn’t he?” Mrs. Gable pressed her lips together, just looking at me sadly, saying nothing. “I need to see him.” Mrs. Gable seemed like she wanted to dissuade me. “Mrs. Hayes…” “If he doesn’t let me go, he can prepare to collect my body and the baby’s!” Mrs. Gable’s unspoken words were cut off. My face, pale as paper, held a shocking look of determination. She must have been frightened by my expression. She quickly agreed, “Okay, okay… Mrs. Hayes, I’ll call the master right now. Please don’t do anything rash.” Mrs. Gable took out her phone and dialed. “Master Hayes, you need to come back quickly… Mrs. Hayes is…” Bang! The bedroom door was kicked open. The person entering radiated furious anger. I remained huddled in the corner, not even lifting my head, my voice flat. “You’re back.” Liam strode to the bedside, roughly tilted my face up, and ground out, “Chloe, are you trying to threaten me with death, huh?” I was so thin I barely looked human, utterly drained of strength. But I knew I had to fight for myself, or I’d really die here. I looked at Liam with determined eyes. “Let me leave.” Liam sneered coldly. “In your dreams!” I tried to push his hand away. My messy hair covered half my face; I must have looked like a ghost. My voice hoarse, I cried out, “Either let me go, or kill me!” Compared to my breakdown, Liam seemed unnervingly calm. He said coldly, “If you want to die, you’ll wait until after the baby is born.” My heart sank. I looked at him in despair. I couldn’t even cry anymore. Liam suddenly mentioned, “They’ve identified the hit-and-run driver. Once he’s caught, let’s see how you talk your way out of it then.” A flicker of hope sparked in my eyes, but it died just as quickly. “Liam, the car accident had nothing to do with me. How many times do I have to tell you before you believe me?” Even if they found the driver, what difference would it make? Liam still wouldn’t believe me. He’d assume I’d already bribed the driver. In his mind, I was the one responsible for Jenna Sullivan’s accident and infertility. No matter how I explained, he wouldn’t listen. Bottom line: Liam said I did it, so I did it. Heh… I bit my lip, tasting blood. Liam’s voice came from above. “No rush. The truth will come out soon enough.” He paused, then commanded coldly, “Now, eat this!” My voice raspy, I refused, “I won’t eat— Mmph—” Before I could finish, his cold fingers pried my mouth open. Then, he grabbed the oatmeal from the nightstand and poured it straight into my mouth… “Cough… Liam…” I choked, flailing my hands weakly against him, looking utterly wretched and pained. Clack. Liam slammed the bowl back down on the table. He watched me coldly. “You dare starve my child? Then I’ll make sure that old man, Chris Archer, finds no peace even in his grave.” My vacant eyes slowly regained focus, my voice trembling. “What… what are you going to do?” 5 Liam sneered. “His ashes are still buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery, right?” Looking at his emotionless face, I quickly shook my head. “No, don’t!” I grabbed the sleeve of Liam’s suit jacket, my pale face stained with tears and grime, begging in a raspy voice, “Liam, I know I was wrong, please, I’m begging you, don’t hurt my grandpa…” He remained cold. “I’ll eat now, I’ll eat right now…” I immediately grabbed the oatmeal from the nightstand and started wolfing it down. A suffocating feeling gripped my throat, but I didn’t dare stop. I knew Liam too well. If I showed even a hint of defiance now, he really would send someone to desecrate Grandpa’s ashes. Grandpa was the kindest person to me in the whole world. I couldn’t let Liam do that. My desperate effort to eat seemed to satisfy Liam somewhat. A crack appeared in his stony expression. He frowned, snorted dismissively, then turned and strode out. The door closed. I put down the bowl. My stomach churned violently. I jumped off the bed and rushed into the bathroom. Retch— I threw up everything I had forced down. My stomach felt like it was being twisted by a giant hand, the pain making it hard to even stand steady. My vision blurred. Standing in front of the mirror, I suddenly didn’t recognize myself. I used to be the cherished darling of the Archer family. Ever since falling for Liam and becoming his wife, I had completely lost myself. But still, he wouldn’t even look at me. I tried to force a smile, but couldn’t. “Sob…” I covered my face and cried helplessly. Just then, my phone vibrated. I answered. A soft female voice came through. “Chloe, it’s me.” It was Jenna Sullivan. “Can we meet?” I walked into the lobby of The Serene Spoon. Jenna was already waiting at a window table. The gentle piano music matched Jenna’s elegance perfectly—a picture of refined beauty. I wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it. I sat down. She glanced at me, then pulled a document from her designer bag and slapped it on the table. Her tone was almost commanding. “This is the divorce agreement. Sign it, and I can convince Liam to let you go.” “Why should I listen to you?” Jenna lifted her chin slightly, sneering. “Chloe, who do you think you are? In Liam’s eyes, you’re nothing! Don’t you feel ashamed clinging to the title of Mrs. Hayes?” My hands resting on the table clenched unconsciously. I shifted my gaze from the agreement, looked up at Jenna, and retorted, “No matter what, I am his legal wife. Even if we get a divorce, he should be the one talking to me about it.” Jenna’s face hardened. “Chloe, you don’t have any other choice!” She paused, then suddenly smiled cryptically. “Either sign, or I’ll have the hit-and-run driver point the finger at you.” “What did you say?” I felt a wave of dizziness. I studied Jenna’s expression carefully. Her face was full of mockery and triumph. Thinking back on what Jenna had just said, realization slowly dawned. “Could it be…” Jenna chuckled lightly. “That’s right. I planned everything.” I was stunned. “Why would you do that?!” “I orchestrated everything perfectly. I thought Liam would send you to prison.” Jenna’s expression suddenly turned vicious, her teeth clenched. “But I never expected him to marry you! What right do you have to be Mrs. Hayes?!” A chill ran down my spine. A terrible premonition surfaced. “Jenna Sullivan, you’re insane!” I shot up from my chair. “I’m going to tell Liam about this!” Jenna stood up too, stepping closer, a dark glint in her eyes. “You won’t get the chance.” I froze for a second, not understanding. Before I could react, she forcefully shoved a knife into my hand. Then, Jenna grabbed my hand holding the knife and pulled it hard, stabbing herself.

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I was the ghost singer for Ethan Cole, the hottest rising star in the music industry. My voice built a world for my girlfriend, Jenna. But she teamed up with Ethan, got me drunk, tried to wreck my vocal cords. Later, when I finally shone on stage myself, she was left crying in regret. 1 It was just past midnight, New Year’s Eve. I’d just finished the last song backstage at the big televised concert. On stage, soaking up the applause, was Ethan Cole, the music industry’s golden boy. But none of the audience knew that behind all his performances, it was my voice they were hearing. He was my paycheck, and I was just his shadow. I needed the money, needed it to give my girlfriend, Jenna, a better life. The winter night air cut like a knife. As I stepped out of the venue’s side door, snow began to fall. A single, lonely snowflake drifted down. I imagined how cold it would feel landing on my palm. I wondered what Jenna was doing. Was she waiting at home like usual, ready for us to ring in the New Year together? Suddenly, Ethan’s sleek car pulled out from a private exit, stopping not far from me. Just as I was about to wave, a familiar figure slipped out of the side door and slid into the passenger seat in a flash. I rubbed my eyes. That silhouette… it looked so much like Jenna. While I stood there, stunned, the car drove past me. Ethan rolled down his window. He gave me a nod, a playful, almost mocking smirk on his face. For some reason, Ethan never really seemed to like me, even though I poured my heart and soul into singing for him. But this time, through the window, I got a clear view of the woman in the passenger seat’s profile. The pale moonlight hit her face – the high brow bone, the slight curve of her eyes… every detail was agonizingly familiar. It was Jenna. She didn’t see me. She was too busy laughing and chatting intimately with Ethan. In that instant, my heart plunged into an icy abyss. That familiar smile, the bashful affection that used to belong only to me… I pulled out my phone and saw a text Jenna had sent before I went “on stage” tonight. “Hey, something came up tonight, can’t make it for midnight.” This was the first time in seven years Jenna wouldn’t be with me for New Year’s. Every single New Year’s Eve for seven years, no matter how far apart we were, no matter how busy, Jenna would drop everything and fly to be by my side. She used to say, “Lovers should be together day after day, year after year. As the new year starts, our love stays true.” That seven-year tradition had made sharing New Year’s Eve sacred to me. But now, she’d broken it with the most casual, indifferent text. 2 The apartment was cold and empty when I got back. I must have been getting sick. My throat was painfully dry. I tossed and turned in bed. I sat up, staring blankly out the window, overwhelmed by a sudden wave of sadness. My gaze fell on the two pillows on the bed. One was mine, and the other… well, that was mine too tonight. I sat there alone until dawn, unable to reach Jenna. Her phone just kept ringing, unanswered. On the other end was a mystery I couldn’t fathom. She didn’t come home until morning. Seeing me on the couch, she flinched for a second, then quickly put on a warm smile. She leaned in close, nuzzling my cheek with her nose affectionately. The familiar gesture reminded me sharply of her laughing with Ethan in his car. “Where were you?” My voice was rough, hoarse after singing all night. I was exhausted. “Nowhere special. I told you, just hanging out with friends.” She snuggled closer, resting her head on my shoulder as if nothing had happened. I caught a faint whiff of cigarette smoke clinging to her clothes. A smell I hated, something I couldn’t afford to be around as a singer. I turned to look at her, searching her eyes for any flicker of panic or guilt. There was nothing. My eyes drifted lower. Around her delicate neck was a necklace I’d never seen before. I recognized the brand. It was way out of our price range. Sensing my stare, Jenna subtly pulled away. “Where’s the necklace I gave you?” I knew, instantly, that this new one was far more expensive, far flashier than the one I’d given her. “Oh, um, I lost it somehow. So, I just bought a new one.” Her voice was soft and pleading, her usual weapon against me. Had she really lost it? Then why had I just seen a picture on Ethan’s latest social media post… of the necklace I gave her… clasped around his pet dog’s neck. The caption read: “Cheap trash like this is only good enough for the dog to play with.” Yeah, compared to the diamond necklace Ethan probably gave her, mine was cheap trash. But I’d saved up for three months, sung my throat raw, filled with joy anticipating giving it to her. Back then, I dreamed of slowly upgrading her gifts, getting her prettier, more luxurious things, fueled by my love and this voice. But before I could make it big, Jenna’s heart had already started to wander. She started comparing, wanting more, secretly meeting Ethan behind my back. Maybe in Jenna’s eyes, my gift really was, as Ethan put it: cheap, unworthy. But my love for her had never been cheap. It had never faltered. 3 Suddenly, I felt utterly drained. I didn’t want to dig for the truth anymore. The night of singing had left my throat raw, and I coughed, trying hard to suppress it, hunching over slightly. Jenna appeared with a glass of water. “Drink this, it’s good for your throat.” It was sweet, with honey, just like she always made it. But it didn’t taste the same anymore. The sweetness couldn’t wash away the bitterness in my heart. I still frowned. As I put the glass down, Jenna suddenly held out a vinyl record – a rare, limited edition I’d been wanting for ages. “Like it? Special New Year’s gift for you! I waited in line forever to get it.” Her eyes sparkled. She remembered our tradition of exchanging New Year’s gifts. How could she remember that, but forget our promises? Forget that the start of the New Year was meant to be shared with the person you loved most, wishing them happiness? I mumbled my thanks, said I wasn’t feeling well, and retreated to my room. Inside, I placed the record Jenna gave me on the desk. There were now two identical records lying side by side. Yes, the other one was a gift Ethan had given out to his crew after the show as a New Year’s bonus. Everyone got one. I suspected the one Jenna gave me was the one Ethan gave her, just last night. What had she and Ethan really done last night? I couldn’t bear to think about it. A knot of resentment tightened in my chest. I’d willingly become Ethan’s shadow for Jenna, and now she and him… they were betraying me together. Ethan trampled on my dignity, and Jenna trampled on my love. I grabbed my guitar, strumming aimlessly. The strings let out a dull, heavy sound, like my silent protest. Lost in thought, I started playing louder, pouring my frustration into the music. Jenna knocked and opened my door, annoyance clear on her face. “Can you stop, Ethan? I’m exhausted, I want to sleep.” Jenna looked drained. I wondered what Ethan had put her through to leave her looking so worn out. Normally, I would have immediately put the guitar away, coaxed her gently to bed. But now, anger simmered inside me, just needing a spark to explode. “That’s your problem. I need to work right now. I have to sing. How else am I supposed to build a future?” I didn’t say the last part out loud: How else can I keep you? Truthfully, I’d noticed it for a while. Ever since Jenna met Ethan, they’d gotten closer and closer. Jenna was beautiful, with a great figure, easily rivaling some of the minor celebs in the industry. And because of that, I felt her slipping away. I pushed myself harder, taking more singing gigs, singing until my voice gave out multiple times, using the money to cover Jenna’s increasing expenses. But I was fighting a losing battle. Once Jenna got a taste of the glamorous world, she was hooked. I couldn’t satisfy her anymore. Only a star like Ethan, raking in crazy money, could give Jenna the life she now craved. I knew saying this was cruel, but I couldn’t stop myself. I even started deliberately strumming discordant notes, trying to provoke her. I needed a fight, a release for this pent-up emotion. “I have to sing! I’ll sing myself to death if I have to!” Jenna stared, shocked. Then, snapping, she rushed in, snatched the guitar from my hands, and smashed it violently on the floor. “Sing, sing, sing! All these years, and what’s it gotten you? Where’s the fame?!” The guitar splintered. And somewhere inside me, a string snapped too. 4 This guitar… Jenna gave it to me on our first anniversary. I vividly remembered her, young and shy, carefully bringing it out from behind her back. “Ethan,” she’d said, “as long as you keep singing, I’ll keep listening. I always want to be your first audience.” She had carved our names intertwined onto it: Jen & E. It symbolized sailing through rough seas together, reaching for the stars. That guitar had been my constant companion ever since. Whenever my music career stalled, when I wasn’t making money, when I even thought about giving up, she would comfort me. “Ethan, we can take it slow. I don’t want you under so much pressure. I don’t want you turning your dream into a burden just for money. I don’t want your music tainted by greed.” The young Jenna had eyes only for me. She supported my musical dream unconditionally. But the Jenna standing before me now, her eyes were filled with disdain. She despised my lack of fame, despised my inability to quickly turn music into cash. But had I really achieved nothing? Okay, I couldn’t compare to Ethan making bank, but over the past seven years, this voice had bought Jenna a car, a spacious apartment. Her closet was gradually filled with designer labels, luxury goods. She never missed out on the latest bags or jewelry each year. I had worked hard, using my voice to build a world for her, and now she scorned that world for being too small, too low. It wasn’t that the world was too small; it was her ambition that had inflated, ballooned until she took my sacrifices completely for granted. After her outburst, Jenna seemed stunned too. She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but no words came out. I shook my head, pulling away from her touch. The person before me was not the person I knew. We looked at each other, and all that remained was disappointment. After that, I started leaving early and coming home late, deliberately avoiding Jenna. Until a few days later, after I finished a recording session for Ethan, just as I was about to leave. Ethan stopped me. “Come grab dinner with me later.” I instinctively refused. I never liked those industry schmooze-fests. “Are you sure? Your girlfriend, Jenna, will be there too, you know.” Through his sly gaze, I sensed malice.

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