Category: English

My wife’s “eco-prince charming,” as he called himself, was a real piece of work. He convinced my wife to limit every single expense for me and my kid to under fifty bucks. He wanted us using leaves and rocks instead of toilet paper. Eating with our bare hands instead of silverware. My son, bless his heart, felt bad for me. He snuck out to do odd jobs, and ended up getting hit by a car. By the time he reached the ER, my boy was barely clinging to life. I begged my wife for money to save him, but her eco-freak boyfriend piped up, “We can’t be rewarding handouts! We’re Earth’s guardians, remember!” “Hey, why doesn’t your old man plant a hundred trees? I’ll give him ten bucks a tree!” To save my son, I swallowed my pride and planted a hundred saplings in the freezing wind. But when I got back to the hospital, the promised grand was nowhere to be found. My son passed away, in agony. I frantically called my wife, and the eco-jerk’s smug voice answered: “My sweetie got me a new yacht! We’re heading out, so don’t bother us.” I blew a fuse, yelling, “Just give me the thousand dollars! I need to bury my son!” He flatly refused. “Burial is so wasteful!” “Just dump the used-up trash in the woods; it’s free!” I was livid, but my wife cut me off, ice in her voice: “You’d pretend to be dead to get money from me!” “Fine, go to the woods and reflect on your life! “If he really dies, I’ll pick up the body later.” Before I could answer, she hung up. Clutching my phone, hatred burned in my gut. 1. “Prepare for the worst…” Those words hit me like a bomb. My legs gave out, and I knelt, banging my head on the floor, pleading with the doctor: “Please, Doc, he’s only ten! You gotta save him! I’ll pay whatever you want, just save him!” The doctor helped me up, sighing, “We waited too long…I’m sorry. We did everything we could.” I couldn’t believe it. I stared at my son’s colorless face in the hospital bed. I remembered him feebly trying to wipe my tears a little while ago, smiling and saying: “Dad, I made twenty bucks handing out flyers outside the amusement park. I can buy you a burger now.” “But Dad, I’m kinda tired. Let me take a nap.” “Don’t cry, Dad…” I beat my head, refusing to accept it. A nurse came over, looking at me with sympathy: “Mr. Johnson, you should arrange for burial, get him some rest.” She calmed me down, and I found my phone to call my wife, Brittany. Each second of waiting felt like an eternity. When I thought it would automatically disconnect, it went through, and her boyfriend, Chad, answered, sounding annoyed: “What’s up, old timer? Brittany and I are about to set sail. Don’t bother us.” I was already on the edge, so I couldn’t contain my rage: “Get me the thousand dollars from planting those damn trees, now!” Then, Brittany’s cold voice came through, full of reprimand: “All you ever think about is money! I guess you haven’t learned your lesson. You and Junior’s allowance is now cut in half!” I wanted to curse her, but to give my son a proper burial, I held back, “Whatever you want, just give me the thousand I earned.” Brittany scoffed at my tone, “Without me, you two losers couldn’t even find trash, and you dare talk back to me?” “Since you’re so ambitious, stop trying to con me out of my money.” For my son, I dug my nails into my thigh, enduring the humiliation as I begged, “Brittany, please, Junior died, I need that thousand to bury him…” “No burial!” Chad’s voice screeched through the speaker, “It’s not eco-friendly! You gotta dump the trash in the woods. It saves money, a total win-win.” Before I could speak, Brittany said, “Let’s listen to Chad. Dump him in the woods and reflect.” I said in a shaky voice, “Brittany, your son really did die…” Brittany’s words pierced me like a thousand arrows: “Enough! Stop using excuses to beg for cash!” “If he dies, I’ll pick him up when I’m free.” Click— The phone hung up without hesitation. I called back, but no one answered. Looking at my son’s body, I felt utterly helpless. Waiting for my thousand dollars, he endured excruciating pain, clawing at his arms, only to close his eyes forever. Leaning down to kiss his forehead, I choked, “I’m sorry, son. Dad’s useless…I’ll bury you properly, just you wait.” I returned to our home’s garden, finding the hidden Moonlight Orchid among a bunch of wildflowers. I didn’t know Chad played the eco-friendly act; planting wildflowers gave me my only hope. I carefully removed the full orchid and planned to sell it for cash. Suddenly, a bunch of people appeared, surrounding me. They held up cameras and filmed, pushing me back. “Look everyone! He went to someone’s house and started digging around!” “Look at what he did to those flowers!” “Brittany’s the eco-ambassador. Now, he’s ruining her flowers, and he’ll toss garbage next! We gotta teach him a lesson!” 2 Clicks, shouts, pushes, I started seeing stars. To protect the flower, I quickly explained: “I’m not destroying anything. This is my house, the flowers I planted…” A brawny guy at the front shoved me hard. I lost my balance and fell. He stood above me, spit flying in my face: “Don’t try to take credit for yourself. Everyone knows Brittany has a boyfriend, she’s getting married soon.” “There’s no way this is your house! Look at yourself!” Brittany and I didn’t have money for a wedding, we only had a marriage license. Her eco-boyfriend Chad said a wedding would pollute the environment, wasting money. So, our marriage was a secret. Right now, I need to bury my son, I can’t waste time. So, I opened my phone to show them the marriage license. “Here’s a picture of Brittany, my son, and me. I’m her husband, this is my house. I didn’t destroy anything!” The brawny man smacked the phone away, kicking me in the gut. “AI can swap faces. It only takes a few minutes to fake pictures and licenses.” He pulled out his phone, and photoshopped a picture of him and Brittany’s wedding. “See, that’s me, Brittany, and our daughter.” I knew AI could swap faces, but mine was real. The man didn’t give me a chance to speak, kicking me. I tried to cover the orchid. My son was waiting at the hospital… “You’re Brittany’s stalker, trying to destroy the flowers to get her attention!” “You’re destroying the environment, and we’re going to stop you!” I opened my eyes, seeing the phone in my face, live streaming. The comments were all insults. Catching my breath, I said in pain, “I’m not lying…” The man slapped me: “Still lying? Looks like we gotta beat you until you learn your lesson.” “Come on, let’s teach the stalker a lesson!” They started to punch and kick me. The man stepped on my chest. I screamed, spitting blood. Someone got scared, afraid of killing me. “Is he dead…?” The man grabbed my hair, exposing my face, then grabbed the flower. I tried to grab it, but he stomped me. “See, still fighting back, pretending to be dead, wanting to run.” They spat on me. I focused on the flower, saying weakly: “This flower is important to me. Please, give it back…” “It’s Brittany’s flower.” He pulled me up. “Since you dug it out, you’ll plant it back.” “It’s everyone’s responsibility to be eco-friendly. People are watching, you must remember, don’t destroy the environment!” The man didn’t know how to dig and plant a flower. Plus, I couldn’t just plant it back. “This is a Moonlight Orchid. You can’t just plant it back.” Someone kicked me: “Did you know how much it costs? You’re destroying it. You’ll get shamed, fined, and arrested!” They didn’t give me a chance to speak, and dragged me to the garden. The man dug a hole and planted the flower. He grabbed my hand and pushed the soil back in. The root broke. My hope broke. I coughed up blood and fainted. 3 I woke up at the hospital. Remembering my son, I tried to sit up, but a hand gently pushed me back. “Don’t move. I just treated your wounds, you have a concussion, you need to rest.” Seeing her, I felt sad. “Aunt Carol…” After my parents died, my aunt raised me, sacrificing finding a husband. I married Brittany, breaking contact with her. Aunt Carol wiped my tears, “You never listen…If I wasn’t visiting for work, you’d be…” “Fine, you should rest.” I swallowed, clearing my throat, “Aunt Carol…can you bring my son? He should be at the hospital…the morgue.” Before my aunt could answer, Brittany and Chad rushed in. Brittany yelled, “Danny Johnson, you couldn’t scam me for money, so you destroyed my home and got it on the internet! I’m embarrassed!” Chad, eyes red, said, “Danny, how could you destroy the environment? Brittany helped me make an eco-garden!” “The flower stem is broken,” He cried. “Brittany, the flower’s dying.” Brittany consoled him. “Don’t cry. I’ll take care of it.” She looked at me, her gentleness gone: “Danny, you and Junior won’t get any more money!” “Not until you learn your lesson!” Aunt Carol slapped Brittany. Brittany fell, Chad gasped, “Why did you hit her!” Brittany stood, protecting Chad, glaring at me: “Danny, aren’t you done yet?” “You said our son died, then you destroyed my garden, and now you’re teaming up with your aunt to con me!” Hearing my son, I looked at her, “Your son is at the hospital’s morgue. You said he died, he’ll pick up his body?” Brittany shouted: “Danny! Don’t you curse my son. I’ll hurt you!” Aunt Carol raised her hand, but an assistant cut her off. “Ms. Sterling, we have the boy.” Aunt Carol raised her hand, and the assistant brought a stretcher. He hesitated, saying: “But we went late. There were stray dogs on the mountain…” I grabbed Aunt Carol, asking. Aunt Carol said someone took my son and dumped him on the mountain. “I’m sorry, Brittany. I was late.” I fell to my son, removed the sheet, and held my breath. His body was torn open, empty. His face was unrecognizable. “Ah—” I cried, falling to my aunt. Brittany asked: “Danny, what are you doing, what’s that disgusting thing?” “Brittany.” Chad pulled her. “The flower is waiting for me. Let’s go.” A nurse came. Seeing me, she was surprised: “Danny, didn’t you have people pick up the body to bury him? What are you doing here?” Brittany shook, “What? Body?”

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A friend request popped up on my WeChat. “Are you Mike Davis’s ex-girlfriend?” I replied, “Who is this?” She immediately sent a taunting emoji: “I’m his current girlfriend. Gotta thank the one who dug the well, so I’m here to thank you.” Then, she started showing off, sending a barrage of messages: photos of designer bags, sparkling diamond jewelry, and the five-figure gifts he gave her for their engagement, all laid out for me. “I heard you were together for seven years,” she wrote with smugness. “Too bad you left him for money. Now he’s given me everything. We’re getting engaged next month.” I snorted, quickly changing the subject: “Nice profile pic.” She seemed even prouder: “Mike picked it out for me.” I smiled and typed back, word by word: “That’s my picture.” She went silent. [1] She didn’t reply for a long time, clearly pissed. I rubbed my aching side, smiled wryly to myself, and deleted her. A few minutes later, another friend request popped up. Still the same “Autumn” girl. “Something else?” “Were you lying to me? Is that really your picture?” “But Mike said that’s impossible! You guys broke up three years ago. He’s forgotten you, and he hates you.” “You’re messing with me, right? It’s just a random picture from the internet!” Through these messages, I could feel Autumn’s obsession. To prove how much her fiancé loved her to an ex-girlfriend she didn’t even know, she was going to these lengths. I couldn’t help but laugh. Did she really think I didn’t know if that was a picture of myself? I zoomed in on her profile picture, and there I was, wearing a pink hoodie and holding a fluffy bunny. You could only see half my face, but I looked happy. Mike had taken that picture five years ago. We were dirt poor back then, and he’d worked two months to save up enough money for his first camera. It was the first photo he’d ever taken of me. He’d even said he was going to use that picture as his phone wallpaper forever. Just as I was about to reply, a phone call came in. I gripped my phone tightly. Even if it had been thirty years, not three, I could still recite this number by heart. It was Mike. Fighting the pain in my side, I answered with a shaky hand. “Sarah, do you regret it now?” His voice was low and strained. A smile touched my lips. “Is this Mr. Davis trying to get back together? Don’t forget, I dumped you.” He laughed coldly, like he wanted to crush his phone. “Since you don’t want to come back, why are you bothering my girlfriend? She’s sensitive and fragile, not as sharp as you. I don’t want her to be upset.” “Besides, we’re getting married soon. She’s going to be my wife.” I didn’t say anything. She was the one who started it. But that wasn’t anything new. Since Mike had returned to the Davis family, he’d become a well-known rich guy in DC, with a new girlfriend every few months. But none of them lasted longer than three months. They all looked a lot like me. It was clear that he was desperately searching for a replacement, but he could never find his “white moonlight.” “Tell your girlfriend to change her picture. And forget about me.” I said, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. “Sarah, what makes you think you have the right to tell me what to do?” “I can use whoever’s picture I want as my profile pic. And you’re a woman who sold out a seven-year relationship for money. What gives you the right to tell me what to do?!” Mike shouted into the phone, nearly deafening me. My stomach hurt even worse. I realized the call had ended. I sat there for a long time. Then, the nurse called, “Sarah, you’re up.” It had been three months since my last checkup. The doctor said there was a problem with my artificial kidney, and I needed a new one. But I didn’t have that kind of money. “Doctor, can you give me a few more days?” “I’ll figure out how to get the money.” The doctor looked at me sympathetically and sighed. “I’ll give you a week. That’s the limit your kidney can handle.” “It hasn’t been easy for you. If a normal person’s kidney fails, they can still use the other one.” “But you don’t have any.” Leaving the hospital, I walked aimlessly down the street, wondering where I could borrow $800,000. I stopped in front of a window and saw my reflection: pale, gaunt, getting thinner every day. [2] Three years ago, I had two perfectly good kidneys. But Mike’s mother had been diagnosed with kidney cancer and needed a transplant. After searching everywhere, I was the only one who was a match, so I chose to donate one of my kidneys. I had no idea the disease was hereditary. Soon after, Mike was diagnosed with kidney failure and needed a new kidney to survive. That day in the hospital, we cried together. He told me, “Sarah, don’t worry. There’s technology for artificial kidneys now. I heard they’re pretty stable. If I have to, I’ll get a fake one and make it work.” “I’ll never leave you.” Back then, he was just an illegitimate son who hadn’t been acknowledged by his family. Although there were artificial kidneys on the market, the technology wasn’t perfect. They could fail at any time. I understood his stubbornness and his vulnerability. Even if his life was in danger, he didn’t want to ask his family for help. If he knew I’d donated my other kidney, he would rather give up than accept that gift. After thinking it over, I used the last of my savings to buy a decent artificial organ. Then, I broke up with him. “You’re not in a position for a regular girl like me. Let’s end it here.” Mike had almost collapsed in despair. He held my legs, begging: “Sarah, we can’t break up.” “I’ll make money. I’ll beg my family if I have to. Just wait for me. I’ll give you the life you want…” I just replied coldly: “Forget it. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” Remembering those days made my nose sting. I was wondering if I should sell my old house when I heard cheering and screaming. I turned around and saw someone planning a public proposal. The park was filled with countless red roses in the shape of a giant heart. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a familiar face standing there. Mike was on one knee, looking lovingly at the woman in front of him. “Autumn, these 9,999 roses represent my heart. Will you marry me?” The bride’s name had changed from me to Autumn, the woman in the photos from the proposal. Autumn smiled shyly and threw herself into his arms. It was too perfect. I stared for a moment, but Mike saw me. “Wait!” He left the scene and walked toward me. “Sarah, what are you doing here?” He looked around, checking out the area, especially the clinic behind me. Then, he looked at me. “Are you sick? You look terrible.” I stood there, trying not to cry. In the past few years, he’d clearly become more successful and confident. He was going to be the head of the company, after all. How could I, a nobody, compare? I heard more yelling. Mike ignored it and kept staring at me. “It’s been so long. Don’t you have anything to tell me?” I smiled wryly. “Mike, can you lend me some money? I need it.” “Not a lot. $800,000 will do.” [3] Mike paused, smiled, and took a step back, with anger. “Sarah, you really love money.” “Was the five million my mom gave you not enough?” I said nothing. That was three years ago. I had donated a kidney to Mike’s mother. She was so grateful to me in the hospital, but after she got out, she changed. She met me at a cafe. She threw five million at me. “Take this money, and stay away from my son.” I refused. “Mrs. Davis, no amount of money can buy me and Mike’s seven years of love.” She smiled coldly. “Don’t overestimate yourself. You know how long you have to live. Why are you bothering my son?” “Selling a kidney for five million. What a great deal. Count your blessings.” But I used that money to pay for the artificial kidney. With the remaining money, I bought back our old house, the house where we’d made so many memories. But if I couldn’t get the money now, I’d have to sell it again. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Mike, you’re so rich now. Hundreds of thousands, millions, it’s nothing to you.” “Why don’t you solve the problem with money, like your mother did? I promise I’ll never bother you again.” He looked hurt and disappointed. He was about to say something when Autumn hugged him and grabbed his hand. “Honey, who is this?” Autumn looked at me and then looked at the phone. Her face changed. “You… you’re Mike’s ex-girlfriend?” “You’re the one in the picture?” I smiled. “Now you believe me.” Autumn looked angry, but then she looked scornful. “So what if you’re the one in the picture?” “Mike told me he didn’t recognize you. He thought it was a random picture from the internet, and he just liked it.” I raised my eyebrows. “Is that what he said?” Mike stepped forward, put his arm around Autumn, and glared at me. “Sarah, you’re a cold, heartless woman. Never come near me again.” He took out a credit card and threw it in my face. “Here. Buy a nice grave.” The card cut my cheek. I touched it and saw blood. I bent down and picked up the credit card. “Thanks…” “Don’t thank me yet,” Mike said. “It’s a loan. Remember to pay me back.” Then, Mike hugged Autumn and looked at me with a cruel smile. “Or you can pay me back in three days.” “Otherwise, you’ll have to work for me as a maid until you pay me back.” I looked at him. He was still the same old Mike. He gave me two choices, but it didn’t matter. “Thanks for the job offer, but I need a leave of absence. I need to…” “No. You start today.” Mike’s voice was cold. “If you don’t work, you’ll be fined $50,000 a day.”

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“Thud—” I hit the ground hard after falling from the rooftop. Falling right alongside me was the husband who tricked me, ruined me, and wanted me dead. I thought dying together was the end for us. I never expected that when I opened my eyes again, I’d been reborn. And so had he! 01 I was standing on the edge of the rooftop. The wind whipped around me. Below me, a dizzying drop. Behind me, Mark’s hand rested on my shoulder. He said, “Piper, didn’t you say you loved me? If you love me, you should just jump. Save me the trouble, right?” Every word out of his mouth made me sicker. God, I was so stupid. Fooled by the sweet nothings whispered by the devil behind me. He stole my family’s company, got my parents killed, and still, it wasn’t enough. He wanted my life too! I wouldn’t stand for it— Absolutely not!!! I turned my head, my smile dripping with sarcasm. “Mark, can’t even bring yourself to do the killing? I finally see it. You’re just a coward, pathetic as dirt!” Instantly, his eyes blazed with hatred. The second he lost his cool, unable to think straight, I grabbed the hand he used to push me. And dragged him down to hell with me! As Mark screamed, a triumphant smile spread across my face. I felt my body plummet, the wind slicing past my cheeks like knives. “CRUNCH—” In the last moment of my life, I even heard the sound of my own bones shattering. Damn, that hurt! But thinking about the bastard lying dead next to me? That felt good. If only… 02 “Piper!” Someone tapped sharply on the desk. I jolted awake. My deskmate, Jessica, whispered, “The professor’s asking you a question!” A question? I was practically pavement pizza, how could anyone ask me a question? I looked up, confused, right into the professor’s scowling face. “Ms. Sterling, I was talking about advertising design. How do you say ‘poster’ and ‘advertisement’ in, well, English?” This felt familiar… Wasn’t this a required course from my senior year? I was reborn!! I remembered my answer back then: “I love my country, I refuse to learn some foreign devil’s language!” It had made the old professor absolutely livid. As I drifted in memory, a note slid across the desk. The first thing I noticed were the long, slender fingers holding it, then the messy scrawl on the paper – a couple of English words. The handwriting was atrocious. I couldn’t even make it out. But that didn’t stop me from answering fluently. After all, I’d been working at Sterling Corp, the family business, practically running the place as CEO eventually. A few basic words weren’t going to trip me up. The professor seemed stunned. Did he honestly think I wouldn’t know? “Sit down!” Though clearly annoyed, he waved me down, sticking to his word. “You actually knew that?” Jessica stared at me, bewildered. I smirked. “Why shouldn’t I?” “What’s the point of learning this stuff?” Jessica scoffed. “You’re just going to inherit the family business anyway…” I ignored her. I hadn’t forgotten how badly Mark wanted me dead in my past life, and this friend here was egging him on the whole time. Besides, in my past life, she was the one constantly feeding me that whole “rich kids don’t need to try” garbage. That’s why I ended up so useless, letting Mark dictate everything. Thinking about how stupid I’d been made my blood boil. Jessica asked if I wanted to grab dinner. I shut her down flat. I’d paid for enough of her meals last time around. This life, I wasn’t playing the sucker. 03 After class, a tall figure blocked my path. His handsome face made me do a double-take before I realized – it was him, the one who passed me the note in class: Ethan Graystone! That hadn’t happened in my past life. And wasn’t he a Finance major? What was he doing in an Art major’s required English course? Still, seeing him again made me ridiculously happy. “Dinner tonight?” he asked. “Sure!” He seemed surprised I agreed so quickly. “Really? You’ll come?” “Yeah, really!” Why wouldn’t I? The Graystone Group was just as big as Sterling Corp. Ethan and I had known each other since we were kids. If something were to happen to my dad’s company in the future, Graystone could at least help out. “Okay, I’ll call The Willow Creek Inn, get us a table.” Ethan’s eyes lit up. The Willow Creek Inn? In my past life, the car crash that killed Ethan happened right near there. “Wait!” I grabbed his arm suddenly, blurting out, “What’s today’s date?” “May 18th. Thesis defense is next week. You asked me to look over your paper, remember?” Ethan answered automatically. My head spun. Memories flooded back. Ethan died in that car crash today in my past life! My hand gripping his started to shake. “Don’t go there.” “What?” Ethan looked completely lost. “But you just said yes.” “Don’t go!” I insisted through gritted teeth. You’ll die! “So… reschedule?” Ethan asked, still confused. “No rescheduling either.” “Piper Sterling, what do you want?” Ethan actually had incredible patience. How had I never noticed before? I was being totally flaky, and he didn’t even seem mad. “How about… my place? I can cook for you,” I suggested after a moment. Going to my apartment felt like the safest bet. 04 My parents bought me a huge penthouse apartment in the city, with its own private elevator entrance, right after I got into N.U. What can I say? My family’s loaded. And yeah, they spoiled me rotten growing up. That’s probably why I was so clueless about how nasty people could be. As I was thinking, Ethan suddenly asked, “Piper, you’re not planning to poison me, are you?” I looked up. He was squinting at me suspiciously. “We’ve known each other for twenty years. I’ve never heard about you knowing how to cook.” I gave an awkward laugh. “Learned from our housekeeper. You coming or not? Your loss if you don’t.” Ethan quickly nodded. “I’m coming!” Just then, Jessica ran over. “Piper, aren’t you coming clubbing tonight?” Ha. So she couldn’t freeload dinner off me, now she’s trying something else. Annoyed, I put on a sweet smile. “Jess, I’d love to, but you’re such a good student, you don’t need to study. I’m different. If I don’t hit the books, I might not even graduate.” I laid it on thick, playing the innocent card perfectly. Jessica seemed thrown off. She stammered, “It’s okay, Piper, I can help you study.” Before I could reply, Ethan cut in coldly, “Help her study? Please. You’re top of the class, and Piper, who hangs out with you all the time, is barely passing? Sounds more like someone’s using ‘studying’ as an excuse to make Piper look bad by comparison.” I always knew Ethan had a sharp tongue. We went to the same elementary and middle schools; he made me cry more times than I could count. And just like that, Jessica’s eyes welled up. She looked genuinely hurt. “Hey, don’t cry, makes it look like I’m bullying you,” Ethan continued, relentless. “Everything I said was true. Aren’t you number one? Isn’t Piper near the bottom?!” Me: “…” I kind of felt like I was being manipulated here! Because of Ethan’s words, the people gathering around started giving Jessica weird looks. Ethan grabbed my hand. “If you need tutoring, ask me,” he said with a grin. “You don’t need Miss Innocent here. Let’s go, time for that home-cooked meal.” Seeing Ethan grab my hand, Jessica, red-eyed, forgot her damsel-in-distress act. She leaned close to my ear, whispering just loud enough for Ethan to hear, “Are you really going to get with Graystone? Didn’t you say you’d never marry for connections?” I scoffed internally. Last time, I listened to way too much of her crap like that. That’s why I always turned Ethan down. And while I was out partying, he died in that crash. Since I got a do-over, I wasn’t letting that happen again. Besides, Ethan’s face was visibly darkening. I squeezed his hand tighter and smiled up at him. “Actually, I think Ethan and I are equals, both well-off. Better to join forces, a power couple, than marry some charity case, right?” Jessica froze, speechless, unable to reply. I was already pulling Ethan away. Once we were in the car, I heard the man beside me say cheerfully, “About time you ditched her. Glad you’re finally wising up!” Huh? I glanced at him, but his eyes were closed, like he hadn’t said anything. A thought suddenly popped into my head: If he hadn’t died so young last time, would my future have been different?

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I was always freakishly good at singing, a natural from day one. But the moment I actually got famous, my own family turned on me, accused me of lip-syncing. The whole internet ripped me to shreds. I fell apart, tried to end it all. And my sister? She just stepped right into my spotlight. Now, somehow, I’m back. Reborn. And I find myself signed up for the same reality singing show, The Voice Factor, right alongside my sister. The international contestants are killing it. My sister, the one everyone was pinning their hopes on, gets busted for lip-syncing again. And my family? They pressure me to cover for her. So I posted online. “Yeah, it’s true. My sister lip-syncs.” The internet exploded. All those people who dragged my name through the mud? Now they’re blowing up my feed, begging me to come back. 1 I was a prodigy, basically. Hit it big at 16, fame practically overnight. Awards, recognition, the whole deal showering down on me. But Mom and Dad? They weren’t exactly thrilled. See, they’d poured everything into my sister, Chloe. She was supposed to be the star, not me. My success crushed Chloe. I was naive, thought if I just gave them all my earnings, they’d stop seeing me as the inconvenient one. My eighteenth birthday. I was so hopeful, made a wish for my family’s happiness and health. But Mom, Dad, and Chloe never showed up. Turns out, they were at a press conference. Mom, crying her eyes out: “I’m so sorry to take up public attention like this, but my daughter, Maya… she’s been lip-syncing this whole time. The real voice behind the songs… it’s actually her sister, Chloe.” Dad backed her up: “We tried so many times to get Maya to stop, to not steal the credit that belonged to her sister, but she wouldn’t listen. To stop her from digging a deeper hole, we had no choice but to expose the truth, as painful as it is.” Chloe, dabbing her eyes, her voice all sweet and shaky: “Everything you saw on stage… Maya was just mouthing the words. I was the one actually singing. I’m so sorry we deceived everyone. Please don’t blame my sister. Blame me.” I had no defense. The online hate crashed down like a tidal wave. It hit me then – I didn’t have a single person to talk to. Suddenly, I remembered Matt, my childhood friend. I texted him: “Things are really bad right now. Can I call you?” His reply: “Don’t bother me again. Your sister told me everything about you. You make me sick.” I slit my wrists. After I died, Mom and Dad didn’t even bother coming to my funeral. Instead, they held this big, public memorial service, crying fake tears for the cameras. Chloe, putting on her best heartbroken act: “My sister was just so confused. Nobody was really blaming her. She was just too fragile. Honestly, this is all my fault. I shouldn’t have burst her bubble.” Her performance was convincing. People flooded her with sympathy. My body? Left to rot in my rented apartment. Nobody cared. 2 I open my eyes again. I’m back. It’s my eighteenth birthday again. I check my phone. Mom, Dad, and Chloe are right there on the screen, accusing me of lip-syncing. In less than two hours, the internet will be a firestorm of hate. But this time? I won’t go down so easily. I immediately call my agent. “That live singing competition show you mentioned before, The Voice Factor? Sign me up. Don’t try to talk me out of it.” My agent sounds frantic. “Maya, your family just told the world you lip-sync! Are you crazy? Going on a live show?” Even my agent doubted me now. I gave a small, humorless laugh. “Just sign me up.” Then, I opened up Twitter and typed out a message: “Excited to announce I’m competing on The Voice Factor – live! Can’t wait to share the stage with my sister, Chloe. 😊” They wanted to see me cry? I’d give them a smile instead. The internet went nuts instantly: “Didn’t she JUST get exposed for lip-syncing? Now she’s doing a LIVE show?” “What kind of stunt is this? Trying way too hard to prove something.” “Okay, but this is kinda juicy. Her sister claims to be the real talent, but Maya got all the fame. Now they’re competing head-to-head. Let’s see who’s actually better.” “Maya’s such a snake. Chloe is too pure for this.” Chloe immediately texted me: “Maya, why don’t you just disappear? What does your competing have to do with me? I never said I was doing the show.” I replied calmly: “Well, it involves you now. If you don’t show up, everyone will think you’re scared. Weren’t you always complaining about being overlooked? Here’s your chance to shine.” Chloe was furious, practically grinding her teeth, but the tweet was already out there, a public challenge. If she backed down now, she’d look like a coward. It would completely undermine her whole “real talent” story. “You think I’m afraid of you? I haven’t wasted all these years practicing. I’m just as good as you, maybe better. Just wait.” I didn’t reply. A surge of adrenaline, of inspiration, hit me. I scrambled, almost manic, looking for paper and a pen, scribbling down the ideas flooding my mind. At the studio taping, the 500-strong audience was chanting Chloe’s name. Chloe beamed, took a bow, then sighed dramatically. “Honestly, I’m so busy, I didn’t think I’d have time for this show. But my sister insisted I come. What could I do? Ugh.” She played the reluctant, humble artist perfectly. Online, the attacks on me started immediately: “Our Chloe’s schedule is packed, and she still has to make time for this because Maya forced her! Maya is so pushy and annoying!” “Maya’s a proven lip-syncer! How dare she show her face on this stage! So embarrassing!” “Why is a fake singer even allowed on the show? Isn’t that humiliating? What will the two international contestants think of us?” The director wasn’t stupid. My tweet tagging Chloe had created massive buzz. He immediately saw the ratings potential: two feuding sisters on the same stage? Endless drama and viewership. I sat in my dressing room, scrolling through the hateful comments: “Looks like a cockroach. Just die already. Gross.” Someone else attacked me about Matt: “Matt clearly likes Chloe, but you keep harassing him, won’t leave him alone.” Wow, they dug up dirt about my childhood friend too. I typed back. “Are you my kid? How do you know so much about my business?” I fired back at everyone. Better to hit back at 100 trolls than let one get away with it. Ten minutes into the live broadcast, a trending hashtag appeared: #TrashyMaya. Someone even made a compilation video of my angry replies. People were trashing me for being vulgar, but also low-key impressed: “Damn, she claps back hard! Wish I could roast people like that!” “She’s literally my spirit animal when dealing with haters!” Chloe’s fans swarmed my comments. I shot back: “Is your idol dead? Why are you crying on my page?” Twenty minutes later, a second negative hashtag trended. I hadn’t even sung a note, and I was already trending for all the wrong reasons twice. My agent was blowing up my phone. “Are you insane?! Stop fighting online! They’re tearing you apart!” I was surprisingly calm. “It’s fine. Build the tension before the release.” I quickly hung up. In stark contrast, Chloe was online interacting sweetly with her fans, all charm and politeness. It made me look even worse, like the evil stepsister, fueling the haters even more. The two international singers performed. Backstage, I just shook my head. “Damn, they’re incredible.” I came here focused on dealing with Chloe, forgetting about the actual competition. Now I was genuinely nervous. 3 My turn. I walked onto the stage, stood center, and tried to calm my nerves. “Maya, you’re facing the wrong way!” Someone shouted from the wings. Panicked, I spun around. The song was one I’d written in that burst of inspiration a few days ago. It was completely different from my usual mellow, sweet style – fast, furious, raw, venting all my frustration. I lost myself in the music. By the time I finished, the entire audience was on their feet, totally hyped. Walking offstage, I nodded, smiling. “I’m really happy with that performance.” My agent had a dark look on her face. “Honey, you sang the entire song with your back to the audience.” My eyes widened. No way. That meant I was facing the right way initially. Then someone yelled at me to turn around… Thinking back, that voice… it sounded like Chloe’s manager. Okay, so they wanted to play dirty? Fine by me. I wasn’t scared. I stormed straight to Chloe’s dressing room. The second she saw me, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes before she quickly masked it, rushing over to hug me. “Sis, you were amazing out there! I was totally rocking out watching you!” My smile didn’t reach my eyes. “Funny thing, your manager told me I was facing the wrong way, made me turn around. So I ended up performing with my back to everyone.” She feigned innocence. “What are you talking about, sis? My manager’s been with me the whole time, hasn’t gone anywhere.” I scoffed. They’d clearly planned this, had their alibi ready. Arguing now wouldn’t get me anywhere. “You’re up next. Don’t be nervous. This stage doesn’t tolerate any lip-syncing, you know.” With that parting shot, I turned and left. I felt a little defeated. “Singing with my back to the crowd… that performance is probably ruined.” But my agent was grinning like crazy. “No way! Look at the online reaction!” The live chat was exploding: “Her stage presence is insane, even facing the wrong way! And people accused her of lip-syncing?” “Never seen this dark, edgy side of Maya before. It’s awesome!” “Okay, okay! Singing was great, but did anyone else notice she sang the WHOLE song facing backward? Hilarious!” “My girl survives in this industry purely on talent, zero sense of direction. Bless her heart.” Of course, plenty of haters chimed in too. “Big deal. Wait till Chloe performs. She’ll blow Maya out of the water.” “Chloe! Show her how it’s done!” I settled in to watch Chloe’s performance. Honestly, her actual talent was mediocre at best. She had no clue about her own limitations. Showing up on this live show, thinking she could wing it? She was setting herself up for failure. The forced confidence she’d shown earlier was clearly gone. They practically had to help her onto the stage. Anyone could see she was terrified, her legs practically buckling under her.

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My wife Chloe and I had been married for two years. On our anniversary, her ex-boyfriend posted an ultrasound picture on social media. “Big news, everyone! Huge thanks to my girl Chloe for carrying this for me! I’m finally going to be a dad!” My fists clenched. I quietly commented: “Congrats to the three of you.” The next second, Chloe called me, furious. Her voice blasted through the phone, full of accusations. She practically yelled, “I’m just helping Noah out with surrogacy! God, can’t you be less petty about this? You’re supposed to be the man here!” After hanging up, I decided I had to deal with this massive betrayal myself. 1 I bent down and picked up the two crumpled sheets of paper I’d stepped on. I’d stayed up all night making them. One was a checklist for expectant mothers, the other for the baby’s needs. Chloe had never been enthusiastic about sex with me, nor did she like kids. She always said children were inherently difficult, noisy, and mischievous, draining too much energy to raise. But two days ago, I’d accidentally found an ultrasound report in a drawer in the study. It was tucked inside a small, fancy gift box, like a present. At first, I thought Chloe was pregnant and planning to surprise me. I was ecstatic, like an idiot, spending all my time researching what expectant fathers needed to do. But now, it seemed the surprise wasn’t for me! And the child… wasn’t mine either. Nausea surged in my throat. I went to the bathroom, soaked the two checklists I’d prepared in the sink, and threw them in the trash. Chloe came home unusually early that day. I checked the time – only 10 PM. Usually, she wouldn’t be back until the early hours of the morning. She called my name, “Ethan?” I was lying in the bedroom and didn’t answer. She didn’t call again. A little later, I heard the shower running in the bathroom. After her shower, she came into the dark bedroom and quietly lay down beside me without turning on the light. I felt a soft, tingling touch on my back. It was the first time she had ever initiated holding me like this. Then, she buried her head in my back, her tone pleading in a way I’d never heard before, “Honey, nothing happened between him and me, really.” “I only agreed to be the surrogate to help him fulfill his dream of having a family. Noah really wants kids. I promise, as soon as the baby’s born, I’m done with him! I’ll cut all ties!” As she spoke, her hand started to wander downwards. I didn’t say anything. I just removed her hand from my body and shifted slightly away. Sensing my rejection, she instantly became annoyed. “I’ve already stooped this low trying to appease you, what more do you want? Don’t forget you said my past didn’t matter, you swore you’d treat me right.” “Can’t you be a little more generous? God! I could have just lied and said it was yours, but I told you the truth out of respect! And this is how you react? So small-minded.” She poured out all her dissatisfaction, then finished with: “I’m sleeping in the guest room tonight. And you should think about how I’ve been treating you lately. When was the last time you wanted it and I didn’t give it to you?” The door slammed shut. I couldn’t help but laugh – at my pathetic marriage, and at my own blindness. In her eyes, saying a few soft words was doing me a huge favor. As if telling me the truth meant I had to accept it, otherwise I was the petty one. She hated the idea of having children so much, yet she was willing to carry a baby for ten months for that man. In the darkness, staring at the ceiling outline, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disillusionment. This relationship… I didn’t want it anymore. 2 When I woke up the next day, Chloe was already gone. I knew exactly where she’d gone. She’d been leaving early and coming back late these past few days. Who else would she be spending time with? Chloe didn’t like working hard, so I’d given her a cushy Vice President title at the company I owned, a job that mostly involved signing papers and drinking coffee. Consequently, my assistant had called me several times looking for her. The assistant said Chloe hadn’t been to the office lately. I didn’t say much, but a different idea started forming in my mind. After preparing some documents, I drove to the city administration building, planning to terminate the portion of shares I had transferred to her. Coincidentally, while submitting the paperwork, I ran into Chloe. Noah had his arm around her waist. She frowned at me and asked, “Ethan, are you following me?” I didn’t answer her. Instead, I looked at Noah. Noah awkwardly avoided my gaze but didn’t remove his hand from Chloe’s waist. “Chloe, don’t be ridiculous! Why would Ethan follow us? We’re being open about this. As a man, Ethan understands how important having kids is, right?” Noah’s slick words immediately shifted the focus onto me. I replied with a cold smile, “Totally. So you two better make sure you do a good job carrying on that family line.” My bluntness angered Chloe. She pushed me. “What is wrong with you? I told you, I just see Noah like a brother.” My lower back hit the hard corner of the wall, making me hiss in pain. Seeing this, Noah immediately stepped closer, feigning concern. He verbally scolded Chloe, but his eyes held a flash of obvious provocation and smugness. Disgusted, I pushed him away, not wanting to exchange another word with them. Unexpectedly, Noah suddenly dropped to one knee, crying out that he’d twisted his ankle. Chloe rushed to help him up, then yelled at me, “If anything happens to Noah, I’ll never forgive you!” My back throbbed, breaking out in a cold sweat, yet I watched helplessly as my own wife ignored me, abandoning me to help another man leave. I stood there, watching them walk away, and suddenly felt a strange sense of relief. Relief that Chloe wasn’t carrying my child. How could someone who didn’t even love her husband possibly love a child they had together? Back at the office, I met with the lawyer I’d contacted earlier and drafted a divorce agreement. Just as I was about to message Chloe, I saw she had updated her social media feed. “Hope our baby grows up tall and strong like his daddy!” The photo showed the back of a man. I recognized him. It was Noah. Below were comments from Chloe’s best friends. “That back doesn’t look like your husband’s… uh oh, hehe.” “Wow, making big moves quietly! The old flame is back.” “OMG, I ship it so hard! After all this time, you finally fulfilled that pact about having kids!” Soon, I saw Chloe’s reply. “Don’t talk nonsense! I’m just helping out with surrogacy. Are you guys trying to get my husband to divorce me with all this gossip?” After that, her friends replied with variations of, “Got it, understood.” But Ashley (her childhood best friend) added: “Seriously? Why keep a petty guy like that? Just divorce him and be with Noah. Everyone knows you haven’t gotten over him for years. Just follow your heart!” Ashley had been Chloe’s best friend since they were kids. But she never really liked me, always thinking I wasn’t good enough for her friend, and certainly not as good as Noah. She said I wasn’t as handsome as Noah, not as smooth-talking, not as romantic. In her eyes, I couldn’t compare to Noah in any way. For Chloe’s sake, I had never said anything, often even buying gifts to appease these demanding friends. But now that my marriage with Chloe was over, I didn’t need to worry about anyone’s feelings. So, I slowly typed out a reply: “Don’t worry, the divorce is happening soon. It must have been hard worrying about Chloe for all these years.” Then, I went to my own profile and posted a picture – the divorce agreement I had just drafted. “This nightmare is finally ending.” 3 As soon as I posted it, my phone immediately blew up with questions from curious friends. Chloe’s loyal friends, however, conveniently chose to ignore it, though I imagined they were probably calling Chloe to celebrate. Soon, my phone started ringing non-stop. Not just my parents, but Chloe’s parents called too. Chloe was calling repeatedly as well. I declined her calls. But the phone kept buzzing relentlessly, like a persistent kitten. Finally, I texted my parents back and then switched my phone to airplane mode. “Mom, Dad, I’ll explain everything in person when I get home tonight.” As evening approached, I left the office. Downstairs, I happened to run into Chloe, who had just parked her car. She got out and stormed towards me. “Ethan, what is the meaning of this? You’re divorcing me just because I’m helping him with surrogacy?” “What’s wrong with me being a surrogate? It’s not like I broke the law! Are you ever going to drop this?” Her barrage of questions made me feel sick, but at this point, there was no need to argue. I ignored her anger, walked past her down the steps, and headed towards the parking lot. But she grabbed my arm forcefully. “How long are you going to keep this up? I already told you, I’ll cut ties with him after the baby is born! I’ve compromised this much for you, how much more do you want to push me?” Her shameless words echoed in my ears. I fought back my anger, turned around, and stared hard at her. “Don’t ruin your pure relationship for my sake. Ashley’s right, you should follow your heart.” “Why would you want a petty man like me anyway? You should find a generous husband, one who can accept you having another man’s baby.” “Remember to sign the divorce papers.” With that, I yanked my arm free from her grip and walked to my car. Behind me, I heard her impotent roar, “Fine, Ethan! Don’t you regret this!” How could I possibly regret it? I should actually thank her for this stunt. It finally made me realize I’d be much better off without her. When I got home, my parents immediately pulled me aside, asking why I was getting divorced. My mom’s eyes were red; she had clearly been crying. I told them about Chloe carrying Noah’s baby through surrogacy. My mom, heartbroken and angry, hugged me and cried, “I told you that woman was trouble! How could she do something like this!” My dad was silent for a moment, then said firmly, “You have to divorce her.” I pressed my lips together, finally letting my guard down in front of the people closest to me. My parents had never approved of my marriage. They always said they couldn’t see any love for me in Chloe’s eyes. But I had pursued Chloe for five years, finally getting her to agree to date me. Back then, I wouldn’t listen to anyone’s advice, convinced I could make Chloe fall in love with me eventually. Clearly, I failed. We had reached the point of divorce. All those years of effort taught me that you really can’t force love, like trying to sweeten a sour fruit. It doesn’t even quench your thirst. I waited for a long time, but Chloe still hadn’t signed the papers. Finally, after I told her I was going to file for divorce legally, she reluctantly sent me a few messages. “Can we meet tomorrow? I’ll have Ashley and the others apologize to you too.” “Please stop making a scene. Being pregnant is really tiring. I’m caught between Noah and you, and choosing either side isn’t the best solution.” “I apologize to you. Can you please try to understand that I’m pregnant right now? After the baby is born, I promise I’ll see him less!” 4 See him less? She kept saying she didn’t know who to choose between me and Noah, but her actions had proven countless times that she always chose Noah. On our wedding night, she abandoned me to pick up Noah, who was returning from abroad. On my mom’s birthday, she skipped the celebration to attend Noah’s promotion party. And on our anniversary this year? She was already pregnant with Noah’s child. In the past, whenever she bought gifts for holidays, she’d always buy two. One for me, one for Noah, maintaining this ridiculous facade of fairness. I’d complained plenty of times when I was drunk, but she always promised it wouldn’t happen again. Yet that “next time” never ended. If I pushed it too much, she’d call me petty and small-minded for a man. Thinking back, the happiest moment with her was the day I proposed. I had planned many surprises. The proposal took place in Norway, under the Northern Lights, where the stars seemed close enough to touch. Finally, witnessed by the aurora, I placed the sparkling ring on her finger. The look in her eyes when she said yes was sincere and passionate; even her vows sounded heartfelt and warm. But that proposal day was so long ago, so long that I could no longer piece together the complete memory. So long ago that I had never seen that earnest Chloe again. When Chloe saw I hadn’t replied to her messages, she called me directly: “Ethan, I’ve already booked a restaurant. Let’s all get together so they can apologize properly. See you tomorrow, okay?” I asked flatly, “Is Noah coming?” “Yes.” “Alright then. See you tomorrow.” If apologies were in order, why should they only apologize to me? Early the next morning, Chloe and Noah were waiting for me in the parking lot. She hadn’t driven, so I had no choice but to let them in my car. Noah opened the back door and helped Chloe get in. He gave me an apologetic smile. “Sorry about this, Ethan. Chloe’s pregnant, I don’t feel comfortable with her sitting up front by herself.” I smiled back faintly. “No problem.” In the past, being treated like their chauffeur like this would have definitely bothered me. But now, nothing they did, no matter how outrageous, could make me angry anymore. Interestingly, though, whenever I drove, the passenger seat next to me was always empty. Chloe always chose to sit in the back with him. When we arrived at the private room in the restaurant, Chloe’s group of friends were already seated. Ashley was the first to approach me, greeting me loudly and pulling me to sit next to her. “Come on, Ethan, do me a favor and sit here. I’ll give you a proper apology in a bit.” Her tone held no hint of apology, only a subtle challenge. During the meal, Ashley first poured me a glass of wine. Then she announced she would penalize herself with a drink, raised her own glass, downed it in one gulp, and began her apology. “Ethan, I’ve always been blunt, so don’t take it personally. I honestly don’t like you, and I don’t think you’re good enough for my best friend.” “But what can I do? My friend’s head over heels. So, for her sake, I sincerely apologize.” She then picked up another glass, raised it towards me, and said, “I’ll drink another one as punishment. Was I wrong the other day? Okay? I’m sorry.” I leaned closer and sniffed her glass. Not a trace of alcohol. I didn’t say anything, just chuckled softly. Seeing the atmosphere seemingly relax, Chloe quickly urged everyone to continue eating. But then Noah stood up, holding a glass of hard liquor, acting as if he were already drunk. “Ethan, buddy, let me apologize too. Chloe’s feelings for me… they run deep. Sorry you got caught in the middle, man.” Chloe quickly pulled him back down. “What are you doing, Noah? It’s not your fault. I chose to be the surrogate.” After saying that, Chloe looked directly into my eyes and slowly said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t handle this relationship well.” “Not so fast,” I interrupted. “There’s someone else who deserves to hear that apology too.” As I finished speaking, the door to the private room opened again. A sophisticated woman with flawless makeup walked in, wearing high heels.

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Christmas Day. My daughter lay in the hospital, burned by fireworks, desperately needing money for surgery, while my CEO wife was busy celebrating with her childhood friend and his daughter. She tossed a hundred-dollar bill at me dismissively. “It’s just a little burn, not a big deal. Slap some ointment on it. I’m busy!” Later, because we missed the optimal treatment window, my daughter died. My wife, however, lost her mind. She sold her company, ready to spend her entire fortune to buy the lives of her childhood friend and his family. 1 I manage a trendy restaurant, and on Christmas Day, business was absolutely insane. Just as I was completely swamped, my mom called me frantically. “Son, get to the hospital, now! Lily got burned by fireworks down by the riverbank! She needs help! Mom doesn’t know how to wire money online, you have to come save Lily!” My mind went blank. I bolted out of the restaurant, flagged down a cab, and raced towards the hospital. I anxiously watched the map on my phone while frantically calling my wife, Vivian Sterling. Over a dozen calls, every single one went straight to voicemail or said unavailable. It wasn’t until I reached the door of the emergency room that Vivian finally picked up, immediately launching into a tirade. “I’m busy! What’s with the dozen calls? Are you trying to kill me? Trying to jinx someone?” “Vivian…” I was shaking uncontrollably, struggling to speak. “Wire me some money… Li-Lily got burned… she needs emergency surgery…” “Every time you call, it’s about money! Leo, are you obsessed? I’m a person, not your personal ATM! Aren’t you ashamed of freeloading all the time, you loser!” My daughter, lying on the hospital bed, had already lost consciousness. Her feet were bare, her small body covered in black and red burns. The fireworks had burned through her pajamas, the fibers melted into every wound. Each time the doctor cleaned away a piece of charred cloth, the raw flesh beneath would ooze blood and yellow fluid. I collapsed to my knees, curling into a ball, pleading desperately. “I’m a loser, I’m worthless… Say whatever you want about me, Vivian, I’m begging you. All my money is with you. Please, just wire the money. Lily really can’t hold on much longer…” Vivian always said men turn bad if they have money. Even though she, as a corporate CEO, was loaded, she demanded I hand over my entire paycheck every month, leaving me just two hundred bucks for gas and cigarettes. But my words only seemed to infuriate her more. She shrieked, “I knew you had a problem with giving me your paycheck! Fine! So you’re using our daughter to try and scam money out of me, is that it? How bad can a burn be? Just put some cream on it. I’m in a good mood today, I’ll send you a hundred bucks. Be grateful for that!” Vivian regularly donated thousands to animal shelters. I was about to beg her for more, but she quickly hung up. Then, my number was blocked. I couldn’t reach her anymore. A doctor rushed out. “Family member! The child’s condition isn’t good. Her heart rate and blood pressure are dropping steadily. We need to operate immediately. Aren’t you going to pay the deposit?” Looking at the $100 notification from Vivian and the ten thousand dollars – my mom’s entire savings – in her account, I completely broke down. “Yes! Doctor, just give me three minutes! I’ll borrow the money! Save my daughter!” 2 After getting a three-month advance on my salary from the restaurant owner, Lily was finally wheeled into the operating room. I helped my mom to the waiting area for a sip of water. Just then, Vivian’s assistant, Jason, strolled over casually. “Mr. Evans, you seem quite relaxed,” he drawled. “Isn’t Lily burned? How come I don’t see her responsible father taking care of her? Good thing Ms. Sterling is smart and saw through your little trick. Otherwise, you would have ruined a perfectly lovely Christmas for her, Mark, and little Chloe!” Hearing this, I froze. Chloe. That was the name of the daughter of Vivian’s childhood friend, Mark Chandler. So, while our daughter was fighting for her life, desperately needing money she controlled, Vivian was busy celebrating Christmas with another man and his daughter. My fists clenched as I fought down the rage boiling inside me. “Where is Vivian? Why isn’t she here?” “Hah.” Jason scoffed, tossing a plastic bag at my chest. “It’s just a minor burn. Why bother Ms. Sterling herself? She was kind enough to buy you guys some food and had me deliver it. She also told me to tell you: your daughter isn’t an excuse to ask for money. If something like this happens again, she’ll divorce you!” I sank weakly onto the chair. This wasn’t the first time. In Vivian’s heart, anything involving Mark Chandler always came first. Lily and I were always second priority. The year before last, when Lily started elementary school, I had pulled every string imaginable to get her into a good school. But then Chloe mentioned wanting to go to a prestigious private school, and Vivian gave Lily’s spot away without a second thought. Last year on Lily’s birthday, we had planned a family trip to the amusement park. But a call from Mark saying, “Chloe has a fever, need to go to the hospital,” was enough for Vivian to abandon us at the subway entrance. And today… our daughter’s life, in her eyes, wasn’t even as important as a holiday celebration! My mom sensed my turmoil and patted my shoulder. “Son, don’t let things fester between husband and wife. Lily’s in surgery now. Let’s just pretend today didn’t happen. She did think of you, sending food for you and Lily. Have a bite. Mom knows you’ve been running around and haven’t eaten.” I nodded, trying to suppress all the emotions churning inside me. But the moment I opened the plastic bag, my hands started shaking violently. My blood felt like it was boiling, crashing wildly through my veins, desperate for an outlet. Inside the container: extra spicy Cajun crab claws and a portion of blistered shishito peppers. Lily and I prefer mild food. We never eat anything spicy. More importantly, I recognized those blistered peppers instantly. They were a signature dish at the trendy restaurant I managed. Our restaurant wasn’t offering takeout or delivery today due to the Christmas rush. This food… it was their leftovers. Quickly, I pulled up the restaurant’s security camera feed on my phone. There, from earlier in the evening, while I was frantically coordinating orders in the kitchen, sat Vivian, Mark, and Chloe at the most secluded table. At home, Vivian always pushed Lily towards independence, making her sleep in her own room since she was four. But in the footage, she was patiently feeding Chloe spoonful by spoonful. When Chloe got restless, Vivian held her, making silly faces, playing games, her patience seemingly endless. Grinding my teeth, I was about to call and confront Vivian when the surgeon walked out of the OR, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. The child missed the critical window for treatment. We did everything we could…” 3 My mom couldn’t bear it and fainted on the spot. I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled, forcing myself to stay upright. I got my mom settled on an IV drip, completed Lily’s death certificate, kissed her cold little face one last time, and watched her being taken away by the funeral home van. Countless thoughts screamed in my head. I need to get back the money that’s rightfully mine from all these years, to give my daughter a proper funeral! I need to divorce the bitch who let my daughter die! I need to find out how my daughter, safe at home, ended up burned by fireworks. I need to make whoever is responsible pay! The cab back to the restaurant got stuck halfway. The driver sighed, lighting a cigarette. “Hey driver,” I asked, staring at the endless sea of red taillights ahead. “Why’s traffic so bad?” The driver sighed again. “You haven’t heard? Ms. Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Corp? For her daughter’s Christmas, she set up a row of thirty-foot-tall Christmas trees along both sides of this road! Word is, this is the route her daughter takes home. The lights just came on, tons of people are stopping to take pictures. We’ll probably be stuck here a while.” Too bad Lily was already dead. She would never see the surprise her mother prepared. My eyes stung fiercely. I quickly looked down to hide it. Suddenly, the sound of a microphone pierced through the traffic noise. “All 88 cash envelopes have been given out! Each one contains $888!” “To everyone who got an envelope, please join me in shouting loud and clear – Merry Christmas to little Chloe!” A deafening roar erupted from the crowd. The driver rolled down his window, watching with interest. I recognized the voice. It was Vivian. Quickly paying the driver through an app, I threw open the car door and started running frantically through the gridlocked traffic towards the crowd. The cold wind whipped tears and snot across my face. The image of my daughter, covered in wounds on the hospital bed, flashed in my mind. Her sweet, baby voice asking for hugs echoed in my ears… Just a few days ago, she had told me she wanted to prepare a Christmas surprise for Mommy. To save money for a small Christmas tree, she had smashed her little piggy bank, carefully picking up every quarter and dime, looking up at me with a bright smile. But she was dead! My sweet, well-behaved daughter was dead! My living, breathing daughter was gone! Amidst the bustling, festive Christmas crowd, she lay alone in a cold funeral home, while her own mother was showering someone else’s daughter with extravagant gifts! I don’t know how long I ran, but I finally saw Vivian. She, Mark, and Chloe stood on a makeshift stage, looking like a picture-perfect happy family. Chloe, in a princess dress, accepted a gift from Vivian. Mark, touched, took off his glasses and gave Vivian a big hug. The crowd below cheered and applauded wildly. Panting heavily, I walked towards them and yelled, “Vivian Sterling, get down here!” 4 Seeing me didn’t faze Vivian. She arrogantly flicked her hair back, crossed her arms, and approached me, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is Lily’s little burn all better? Done pretending, you liar?” I took a deep breath, fighting back the urge to sob. “I never lied. Lily’s injuries were too severe… She didn’t make it…” “Hahahahaha!” Vivian burst out laughing as if she’d heard the funniest joke ever. She pointed at me, doubled over with laughter. “Look everyone! Can you believe this guy? Making up stories about his own daughter dying from a simple burn, just for money? Leo, have you gone completely broke and desperate? This is pathetic!” Whispers started rippling through the crowd. “That does sound kind of crazy… How can a burn be fatal? Never heard of that.” “So his daughter died, but what’s that got to do with Ms. Sterling? I’m a bit confused…” Scanning the onlookers, I forced a cold smile. “The ‘Ms. Sterling’ you’re talking about is my wife of ten years. It’s because she was too busy celebrating Christmas with someone else’s daughter that our daughter missed the critical treatment window and just died at the hospital!” “I want a divorce from Vivian Sterling, and it’s not about the money! After ten years of marriage, all I want is the salary I earned back. When my daughter died, she didn’t even have shoes on her feet. I want to use everything I have to give her a decent funeral, so she can rest in peace!” A sudden commotion erupted in the crowd. “Whoa! So the little girl in the dress isn’t even her daughter? I thought they were a happy family! Turns out this guy’s the other man!” “Man, taking this cash feels dirty now. I can’t believe Ms. Sterling is that kind of person!” Vivian, being a CEO and used to constant praise, couldn’t stand being criticized. She lunged forward. “If you think the free cash I gave you is dirty, you can give it right back! Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know the whole story!” “Chloe’s father is my childhood friend! He’s divorced! As a friend of over twenty years, what’s wrong with me showing concern for a child from a single-parent home?” “Yes, legally, Leo and I are married. But I earn millions a year, while he’s just a manager at some small restaurant! He’s a total freeloader! The house, the cars – didn’t I buy everything? All I did was ask him to hand over his paycheck, and now he’s trying every trick in the book to get money out of me!” “Ladies here, don’t your husbands give you their paychecks? Don’t your husbands make up excuses to get cash from you to go out drinking with their buddies? But my husband uses the absurd lie that our daughter died from a burn to trick me! Who would believe such a ridiculous excuse?” “If anyone else has a problem, feel free to return the envelope you received! My conscience is clear, say whatever you want!” Perhaps because they had accepted her money, or perhaps because the wives in the crowd lumped me in with their own deadbeat husbands, their gazes turned scornful. A middle-aged woman in the front row pointed at me. “Pah! Ms. Sterling is right! Shame on you, a father using his daughter’s life like that! Tell us, how exactly did your daughter die from a burn?” I closed my eyes in pain. “It was fireworks… This evening, there was a firework display down by the riverbank. Lily was standing too close… she was burned by the burning fuel…” Loud jeers rose from the crowd. “Bullshit! No way fireworks can burn someone that badly!” Vivian rolled her eyes at me and started to turn away with the crowd. A young voice cut through the noise, sounding out of place. “He’s right, though. There were fireworks at the riverbank today! Didn’t you guys see them? And they were those super rare rainbow fireworks, really powerful. If you were standing right next to them, getting hit could definitely be fatal!” Hearing this, the crowd stopped and turned back to look at me. Vivian froze mid-step. She turned back slowly, disbelief etched on her face, her whole body starting to tremble with fear. Her lips moved silently, then she looked towards her assistant, Jason, behind her. “Rainbow fireworks? I’m the only one in the city who bought those… Tested them this afternoon at the riverbank… Could it be…?”

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Liam Vance and I were friends with benefits. The very first night we reconnected, I hit him with my terms for a trial sleep contract. “Go get a check-up at the clinic. Prove you’re clean and healthy. How else am I supposed to know if you can even satisfy me?” Hearing my words, the desire that had been building in Liam’s eyes instantly fizzled out. “Fine. Let’s get my body thoroughly checked out! We’ll see exactly how well I can satisfy you!” He gritted his teeth, looking at me, his eyes burning with the desire to conquer me. 1. Running into Liam Vance again was pure chance. That night, I’d been betrayed by my own fiancé. SMACK! “Ethan Cole! How could you do this to me! It’s my birthday, and you sneak off to get a room with my goddamn best friend? Are you two trying to deliberately screw with my head, get some sick thrill?!” Seeing the half-naked pair of dogs before me, I couldn’t hold back my fury any longer. I slapped my fiancé across the face. My eyes were red with rage, and I put all my strength into it. The slap nearly knocked Ethan’s head off, and half his face immediately started to swell. “Ah!?!” My ‘best friend,’ Jessica Bell, shrieked. Clutching the bedsheet, she ran over, carefully cupping Ethan’s face, her own expression filled with exaggerated pain. Tears welled in her eyes, making her look pitiful yet defiant. “Ava, you’ve gone too far this time. Even if Ethan and I did something inappropriate, you can’t just hit people! Look how swollen it is, that must hurt so much…” Her fake innocent act made my stomach turn. “Since you care about him so much, why don’t I just give him to you.” “Ethan Cole, we’re done. Hope you two live happily ever after.” After landing the blow, I didn’t waste another word. I turned sharply and walked away. Jessica gaped, seemingly shocked that I’d let go so easily. But Ethan panicked. He grabbed my hand, ignoring his own throbbing face. “Ava, I’m sorry, I messed up! It was a moment of weakness! We’ve been together for years, how can you just throw me away like this?!” Me throw him away?! Seeing his wounded expression, I just wanted to laugh. Seriously, how blind was I before? It was like I went dumpster diving and pulled him out. But hey, the world’s full of all sorts. Plenty of people seem to enjoy trash. Jessica wrapped her arm around Ethan’s and tried to ‘explain.’ “Yeah, Ava, there’s nothing going on between Ethan and me. He was just here helping me with a massage…” The challenge in her eyes was impossible to miss. Their closeness made even Ethan visibly uncomfortable. “Really?!” A cold smile touched my lips. “Of course… Jessica and I, we…” SMACK! Before Ethan could finish, I slapped him again, this time on the other cheek. He clutched his face, utterly stunned. SMACK! SMACK! Before he could react, I landed two more quick slaps on his right cheek. “There. Now it’s symmetrical.” I nodded, satisfied, looking at Ethan’s swollen face as if admiring a piece of art in a gallery. Jessica was too shocked to even scream. Ethan, now sporting four handprints, glared at me, face dark, veins popping. He looked like he wanted to punch me right back. Too bad for him, he didn’t have the guts. “Ava Sterling, you’re going way too far! I’m still your fiancé, you know! Even if I made a mistake, you should show me some respect in public! I’m your man, after all!” Hearing that, I rolled my eyes so hard I could practically see my brain. Never heard of a kept man, caught cheating by the woman footing the bills, trying to pull the ‘macho man’ card. Did being my lapdog give him a superiority complex? 2. Turns out, I actually did laugh out loud. “Heh…” I advanced on him, step by step. Ethan, who had been puffing out his chest, shrank back as I approached. “What… what do you want…” He swallowed hard, his voice tight with nerves. But I just extended one long, delicate finger and pressed it against his chest, delivering my judgment in an almost cruel tone. “Nothing much. Just wanted to inform my former man that you’re cut off. I’m revoking all my favors.” My voice was cold, detached. The commanding presence, ingrained in me from birth, seemed to suffocate him. He froze, terrified, and started to tremble uncontrollably. Tch, coward! Ballsy enough to cheat, but not to own up to it. I despised him from the bottom of my heart. Calmly, I stood up, smoothed my clothes, and walked straight out. As I passed Jessica, who was now frozen in fear, I paused and said four words to her. “Same goes for you.” After dealing with the trashy couple, I felt restless and didn’t want to go home. Instead, I went to my usual bar to drown my sorrows. After two drinks, it felt pointless. I thought about calling a friend, only to remember that the person rolling around with my fiancé was my supposed best friend, Jessica. “Hah. Pointless. So damn pointless.” I shook my head with a bitter smile and downed my drink. “How pointless are we talking?!” A shadow fell over me, and a familiar scent filled the air. “Liam Vance?!” I stared at the man sitting beside me, whispering his name. I rubbed my temples, blinked hard. Damn, I’d had too much to drink today. I was hallucinating. “What?! Little Ava, so shocked to see me you’re speechless? Or just dizzy with delight?” Liam held his glass, a playful smirk on his face as he watched me. That cocky grin and irreverent tone were all too familiar. “It really is you, Liam Vance…” I murmured. Liam was my ex-boyfriend. My first love. And also, my most disastrous relationship ever… When I was younger, I was the untouchable Ava Sterling, heiress supreme. My little hobby? Saving ‘troubled’ guys. And back then, Liam Vance was exactly my type. Worn-out, faded t-shirt, slightly messy mid-length hair, looking clean and cool all at once. And most importantly, drop-dead gorgeous. And I happened to be totally shallow. I remember spotting him across the basketball court one day – a single glance, and I was hooked. Don’t get me wrong, the guy couldn’t play basketball to save his life. When I saw him, he was in the middle of a 1-on-3 fight. He was getting beaten up, covered in bruises, lip split, his handsome face bruised purple. Even like that, he was still stunning, adding this layer of tragic beauty. Who could resist that? A broken boy fighting his way out of a desperate situation! My heart skipped a beat. My eyes were glued to him, couldn’t look away. All I could think was: “Grandma’s got her eye on you. You have to be mine!” However… How I wished he could have been mute. Not that his voice wasn’t nice. Quite the opposite, it was clean, matched his looks perfectly. It was just… “Son of a bitch! Had enough yet? You little punk, you think you can mess with me?!” And just like that, the tragic beauty vanished. My dream guy… the broken boy… turned out to be a total punk… 3. But later, I heard Liam was poor. Dirt poor. Working three jobs a month sometimes. I secretly followed him once. Saw him in greasy overalls, lying under a car, fixing it, sweat dripping down his face. And damn it, I was hooked all over again. Fine, a punk was a punk. It’s all the same in bed. I would never admit I had zero resistance to his looks. So, after Liam finished work that day, I ran up and blocked his path. “Hey, Liam Vance! I’ve decided I want you. Name your price, I can give you anything!” I’d imagined his reaction many times. Would he curse me out and tell me to get lost? Or would he gladly accept? But I never, ever expected… He broke into a brilliant smile, threw an arm around me, and pulled me close. “Alright. You can be my sugar mama~” Huh?! I admit, my brain totally short-circuited in that moment. Later, lying with Liam on that big hotel bed, my head was still spinning. Partly because I hadn’t processed it, partly because he’d kissed me senseless. “Wait!” As Liam’s hand slid under my clothes, I stopped him, my face flushed. He just kept smiling at me, leaning down to kiss my neck. His warm breath tickled my skin. “Little Ava, don’t you want me?” Under his spell, my resistance melted away. My body went limp, like water. Taking my silence as consent, the man grew bolder. That night, I screamed myself hoarse. The next morning, looking at the bruises all over my body, I belatedly realized I’d been played. Liam Vance was a fox. Cunning, but damn, so beautiful… During the two years Liam and I dated, we spent most of our time in bed. After all, I was seriously addicted to his body. Just like right now. Huh?! My wandering mind snapped back to the present. I looked down at the man currently nibbling on my chest, his shirt already off, revealing a set of lean, eight-pack abs. My face was already flushed. I managed to regain my senses just in time and grabbed a handful of Liam’s hair, pulling his head up. “Hey, hold on a sec!” I stared at Liam’s handsome face, my alcohol-and-lust-addled brain slowly rebooting. “Liam Vance, how did we end up here again?!” My voice was already husky. The soft tone sounded almost like I was pouting… “Little Ava, don’t you like it?” His large hand cupped my cheek. It was warm, and the places he touched grew hot too. My gaze was hazy as I looked at him, and his actions became even more daring. Just as he was about to take things further, I unexpectedly kicked him right off the bed and onto the floor. Liam had absolutely no warning. He lay there on the floor, looking utterly bewildered and dishevelled. “Pfft-” “Hahahahahahaha!!!!” It had been so long since I’d seen Liam look flustered, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Seeing me laugh hysterically, Liam’s usually smooth, seductive face finally cracked a little. “So you kicked me onto the floor just to laugh at me?” He didn’t seem too angry, though. Adaptable as ever, he just sat up cross-legged on the floor, arms folded, tilting his head to look at me. 4. “Of course not.” I mirrored his posture, folding my arms and facing him. “Then why?” Seeing Liam’s genuinely confused expression was deeply satisfying. Hilarious. I loved it when he couldn’t figure me out. “You wanna get in my bed? Think you can handle it?” I lifted my chin, casting a doubtful glance his way, my tone laced with provocation. Sure enough, the one thing a man can’t stand hearing is that he “can’t.” Hearing my words, the previously grinning Liam instantly stopped grinning. His face darkened as he stood up from the floor and slowly approached me. “Ava Sterling. Whether I can handle it or not… shouldn’t you know better than anyone?” Oh ho, he used my full name. That was his sign of being pissed off. He’d asked me the same way when I broke up with him. “Ava Sterling, do you really want to break up with me?” I mentally replayed the scene of our breakup. By the time I snapped back to the present, Liam had already pinned me underneath him. Provoked into a fury, Liam didn’t even have the patience to unbutton my shirt. He ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. My face remained impassive. “Chanel. Thirty-eight hundred. You owe me.” “I’ll pay! Ten of them, a hundred! After we’re done, I’ll buy out the whole goddamn store for you, take your pick!” Liam whispered huskily, skillfully teasing me. He knew my body better than anyone, knew exactly how to make me feel good. In just moments, my body softened under his touch. Just as he was about to move further, I stopped him again, pushing him away forcefully. I avoided his gaze, grabbing the duvet to cover myself, taking deep breaths to regain control. “Ava Sterling, you…” “Want to sleep with me? You don’t qualify right now!” “What are you trying to pull?” Liam gritted his teeth, staring at me. “Go get a check-up. Prove you’re clean and… capable. Even guys hooking up need proof they’re healthy these days.” I continued to provoke him. I honestly thought he’d storm out in anger. But… “Fine! Let’s get it checked! Get it thoroughly checked! So you can see exactly whether I’m capable or not!!!” This time, it sounded like his teeth might actually crack. Liam stormed into the bathroom to take a cold shower, and I burst out laughing again. “Hahahahaha.” I had to admit, after all these years, I still got a kick out of seeing Liam Vance flustered. But then, remembering the reason we broke up wiped the smile right off my face. I stared towards the bathroom, lost in thought… Liam Vance, why did you even come back? Gradually, despite myself, I drifted off to sleep. Liam always had this faint, lingering scent of sandalwood about him. Subtle, but it always made me feel incredibly safe. I’d asked him once what cologne he used. His response was typically cocky. “Smells good, right? That’s my natural musk, baby. One of a kind. If you like it, I’ll graciously let you hug me more.” And then he’d pulled me into a bear hug, ignoring any protest. So dumb, so bossy, but I absolutely loved it. It’s a shame… I hadn’t felt that scent, that embrace, in ten years. Lost in that thought, I felt myself being pulled into those familiar arms again. The familiar scent, the familiar embrace, now mixed with the clean smell of soap. I instinctively shifted, but he murmured in my ear. “Don’t move. I promised, and I won’t break my word. Just holding you.” “Shh, little Ava. Let me get one good night’s sleep.” And strangely enough, I didn’t move again. That night, we both slept incredibly well. 5. The next morning, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Liam’s bare chest. Honestly, it was a great view. But… “Damn it, Ava Sterling!!!” With another swift kick, Liam was back on the floor. And I felt wonderfully refreshed. I called my assistant to bring me a change of clothes. Just as I was about to head to work, Liam slung an arm around my neck. I tilted my head back reflexively to look up at him. “What do you want?” “Not so fast, little Ava. We agreed on a check-up at the clinic. How convincing would it be if you weren’t there to watch closely?!” Liam forcefully bundled me into his ridiculously flashy Maserati and drove straight to the hospital. And so, there we were, sitting obediently outside the Sexual Health Clinic. Him in an Armani suit, me in Chanel haute couture. We stuck out like sore thumbs. Everyone around us was throwing curious glances our way, and we could hear their hushed whispers. “See that? Some people look so glamorous, but who knows how wild they are behind closed doors. Probably riddled with diseases!” “I know, right? Such handsome and beautiful young people having those kinds of problems…” “Maybe they’re… you know… in that line of work? They wouldn’t get clients if they weren’t good-looking!” ………… I glanced sideways at Liam and saw his handsome face had turned thunderously black. An idea sparked. “Honey, what are we going to do? We both caught something… what about the baby?” I summoned my best acting skills, looking at Liam with wide, pitiful eyes. Liam turned to me, catching on immediately. He grasped my hand tightly. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We both love our baby. Falling on hard times wasn’t our choice, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of you both.” He spoke with such sincerity, his face earnest, even placing a hand gently on my flat stomach for effect. Great. Now I was the one feeling awkward. Feeling guilty, I quickly scanned our surroundings. The mother and daughter who had been whispering about us earlier now looked like they wanted the ground to swallow them whole. Damn it, he managed to look good even doing this. 【Calling number twenty-seven, Liam Vance, to Consultation Room 1.】 It wasn’t long before Liam’s number was called. Under my watchful gaze, he walked into Room 1 with a grim expression. I stayed outside, legs crossed, playing on my phone. I couldn’t help but smirk, imagining Liam’s awkwardness inside that room. “Ava? Is that really you?!” I looked up to see Ethan Cole and Jessica Bell. My gaze drifted down to where their hands were intimately linked. Noticing my stare, Ethan awkwardly pulled his hand away from Jessica’s arm. “Don’t misunderstand, Jessica and I, we were just…” Ethan scrambled to explain. But Jessica hooked her arm back through his, chin high, staking her claim. “Yes, I’m pregnant. Ava, we’ve been friends for so many years. I hope you can accept us, wish us well!” “Pregnant?!” I eyed Jessica’s slightly rounded belly. It actually did look like she could be pregnant. Seeing Ethan’s guilty expression confirmed they’d been sneaking around together for a while. 6. “Ethan, when did this happen?!” I folded my arms, questioning him. “Ava, let me explain! It was an accident! You were away on business, we both had too much to drink, one thing led to another… I never meant to betray you! But Jessica’s pregnant, I had to…” Ethan rushed to explain, blaming everything on alcohol and Jessica, painting himself as completely innocent. “Hmph!” I snorted, feeling increasingly disgusted by him. I wanted to smack my past self from two years ago. How could I have been so blind to pick him?! How could I have ever thought this greedy, lying sack of crap was anything like the clean-cut boy Liam used to seem like? I must have been seriously messed up. “Ethan, did someone force you to drink? Did someone force you to sleep with Jessica?” “But I was drunk! I wasn’t thinking straight! I just made a mistake any man would make! What did I do wrong?!” Provoked, Ethan lost his temper and yelled at me. “Tch, pathetic loser. Can’t control your own dick, so you blame it on every man on the planet? You really think we’re all animals like you?!” Before I could even respond, Liam emerged from the clinic room, slinging an arm around my shoulder and looking at Ethan with pure provocation.

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I’m Ethan Vance’s wife. We had a wedding, but we never made it legal, never filed the papers. That marriage license he gave up for his career eventually became the knife twisting in my chest. Later, he knelt in the rain like a madman, begging me to forgive him. But Ethan, dear… without that license, I didn’t even need to tell you I was leaving. 1. When Wendy Bellweather sat down across from me, I recognized her instantly. She was the hottest A-list actress right now, just one step away from winning her Oscar. “Mrs. Vance, fancy meeting you here.” “You’re… simpler than I imagined.” She smiled as she spoke. Movie stars really are on another level, looks-wise. Every little expression was captivating. If I were Ethan, I probably would have indulged a little too. “Ethan talks about you all the time, but he never wanted to bring me to meet you. Said he was embarrassed to show off his plain little wife.” She pouted, her eyes sparkling, but her words cut like a knife. What a perfect little actress, playing the innocent flower! I rarely kept up with entertainment news, but my secret husband was just too famous. Rumors about him were everywhere. After quitting my job, the housekeeper handled everything, so besides coming to this coffee shop, I hardly ever went out. Who knew the rare occasion I did step out, I’d walk into something like this. “It’s my birthday in a couple of days. Ethan said he’s throwing a party for me. Will you come too, Mrs. Vance?” She kept talking, relentless. But as I stayed silent, expressionless, a flicker of impatience and calculation started showing in her clear eyes. Honestly, I was silent because I wasn’t sure how to deal with a mistress who sought me out directly. Ethan had a new rumored girlfriend every year after winning his big award, but it was always just gossip. This one in front of me was the first to actually confront me. I’d lived by the book for thirty years, never imagining I’d end up in such a trashy, humiliating situation because of the man I loved deeply. “Huh, are you mute or something?” She was finally losing her patience, or maybe she just decided I was easy prey. A nasty look crept onto her face. She stood up and poked my forehead hard. “I really don’t know what Ethan sees in you, marrying a country bumpkin like you. Now you’re like gum on his shoe he can’t scrape off.” “Ethan has a scar on his upper thigh, he said you gave it to him when you were kids. Claire, don’t you think you’re just like that scar? The only blemish on his otherwise perfect life?” She even knew about the scar on his thigh. I couldn’t help but sigh softly. The flimsy veil of denial I’d desperately held onto for five years was finally ripped apart. The next second, the coffee in my hand was splashing across her face. 2. Two screams echoed simultaneously. One was Wendy Bellweather’s. The other came from a girl nearby. She must have been a fan of Wendy’s, watching secretly from a distance for who knows how long. “Wendy! Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” Luckily for her, the coffee had cooled down. Wendy quickly wiped the viciousness off her face, reverting to her usual pure and innocent look. A single tear slid perfectly from the corner of her eye right on cue – a truly pitiful sight designed to evoke sympathy. “Why did you throw coffee on our Wendy, you evil woman?” “Yeah, who even are you?” A barrage of insults hit me instantly. The quiet coffee shop turned chaotic. The light drizzle outside had unknowingly turned into a downpour. Wind and rain hammered against the windows, fraying everyone’s nerves. I grabbed my bag, wanting to leave, but someone shoved me back into the chair. A sharp pain shot through my ankle where it hit the seat frame. “Well, isn’t this lively today? How about I treat everyone to a little show?” The coffee shop’s background music stopped abruptly, replaced by a vaguely familiar voice over the speakers. At the same time, a security camera recording appeared on the large screen in the shop. In the footage, Wendy Bellweather was clearly visible, poking my forehead with a malicious expression. “Well, well, isn’t this the future Oscar winner Wendy, always marketed as the pure, angelic goddess? What brings you to my humble coffee shop to bully one of my customers?” The voice from the speakers dripped with sarcasm. The shop instantly fell silent. The atmosphere turned strange. Wendy’s public image was built on never getting angry, always being gentle like an angel. She’d never shown such a nasty expression in public. I shot a grateful look towards the second floor, at the somewhat nonchalant man standing there – Marc Riley, the owner of this trendy coffee shop. He was a former colleague. We weren’t exactly close. Years ago, back in Ridgedale, Marc had been known as one of the city’s top young lawyers. It was a mystery why he suddenly quit at the peak of his career to open a coffee shop here. But he was famous and good-looking, so the place quickly became a hotspot. I’d run into him here by chance. I didn’t know many people in Westbridge, so after a few visits, I became a regular. “I didn’t want to! But she’s a stalker fan! She’s been harassing me constantly, I couldn’t take it anymore! I’m about to have a breakdown! Please, Miss… Claire, just leave me and Ethan alone!” Wendy recovered quickly, expertly painting me as the villain with just a few sentences. “Oh, so she’s a stalker.” “Wendy is too nice! If I were harassed like that, I would have called the cops ages ago! And she’s begging her? Why?!” “Crazy bitch!” … Suddenly, a cup of hot coffee splashed directly onto my face. I stared in disbelief at the person who threw it. 3. As the coffee dripped down my face, I heard gasps and excited murmurs erupt all around. “Omg, omg, is that Ethan Vance?!” “No way, no way, no way! Ethan Vance is here!” The late autumn rain already carried a chill. Ethan was wearing a black trench coat today. I saw the disgust in his eyes directed at me. Before I could even speak… “Ethan, I… I just wanted to—” Wendy stammered, looking flustered, unable to form a complete sentence. But the next second, her expression shifted to shy adoration. Amidst the crowd’s hushed whispers, Ethan took her hand. “More people are showing up. My car’s right outside, let’s go.” “Okay, whatever you say, Ethan.” Wendy nodded, her voice soft enough to melt butter. But before leaving, she subtly tugged on Ethan’s hand, her gaze sweeping intentionally towards me. I was completely frozen, my mind blank. What was happening? My husband just threw hot coffee on me in public and walked away holding another woman’s hand right in front of me? Sticky coffee dripped from my hair onto my eyelashes. Through the blurry haze, I saw Ethan’s cold gaze flick over me. It was so unfamiliar. “Ethan, I—” I stood up numbly, my lips parted, but the word “hurts” never came out. The surrounding fans grabbed me roughly, cursing. “You stalker bitch, you’ve got some nerve! Still trying to bother them?” “She needs a good slap to learn her lesson.” In the jostling crowd, I saw Ethan frown and glance at me one last time. Then, holding Wendy’s hand, he walked out into the rain. Just before getting into the car, Wendy turned back and shot me a triumphant smirk. Tears finally streamed down my face. I gave a self-mocking curve of my lips. This really felt like a scene from a movie. “Smack—!” The next second, a stinging slap landed hard across my face. The fans, still not satisfied, swarmed around me. More blows and insults rained down. I threw my hands up to shield my face, feeling dazed, as if I were back in the orphanage of my childhood. Only this time, my little hero had walked off with another girl. He wouldn’t rush in front of me to protect me anymore. Claire, how did you let your life become such a mess? 4. In the end, it was Marc and his staff who rescued me. “Sorry, I made you close up early.” “Don’t mention it, Claire.” He placed a glass of hot water in front of me, then hesitated before speaking. “Have you seen what’s trending online?” “Trending?” I paused, then shook my head. “I deleted all those apps.” “Well… want to look at mine?” He held out his phone. The top three trending topics were all explosive. Number one: #EthanVanceWendyBellweatherOfficial. Ethan had many rumored girlfriends, but it was always just blurry paparazzi photos, and he never confirmed anything. This public display was indeed the first official confirmation. Number two was: #EthanVanceRumoredGirlfriends. But it was number three— I saw the hashtag #StalkerFan and my hand trembled as I tapped on it. The top post featured my face, with a big red X marked over it. “Don’t read the comments.” Marc quickly covered the screen with his hand, but I’d already glimpsed the vile personal attacks. I don’t know how I got home. By the time I snapped back to reality, it was completely dark. Marc’s words echoed in my head. Asking how I planned to clear my name. Asking what I was going to do. Asking me— I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything. The door opened, and a familiar figure hurried in, bringing the cold air from outside. “Honey.” As usual, Ethan immediately wrapped me in a hug the moment he walked in, nuzzling my neck like a puppy. All the cold indifference from earlier in the day was gone. “Honey, happy seventh anniversary.” He gently kissed my lips, placing a large bouquet of roses and a cake in front of me. His eyes were full of intense, sincere emotion. I stared at him, stunned. After a moment, my numb, stiff lips moved silently. “So you did remember… today is our wedding anniversary.” 5. “How could I forget?” His expression was still flawless, his long, fair fingers stroking my cheek with infinite tenderness. “That was the best day of my life,” he said. I looked at the man I knew so well he felt etched into my bones, but all I could see was Wendy Bellweather’s face from earlier that day. A perfect performance, impeccable acting. Suddenly, I felt like I didn’t recognize the man in front of me. “Before, I just thought you treated me like I was deaf and blind. Turns out, you think I’m an idiot too.” Ethan’s hand paused. His eyes finally showed a hint of panic when they met my tear-filled gaze. “No, Claire, that’s not it. You know it was all for publicity, it was all an act.” “An act? Do you really think I’m that stupid?” I sprang up from the sofa, dodging his touch. “Ethan Vance, you make me sick. Absolutely disgusting. Don’t touch me. You’re filthy.” His face instantly crumpled, filled with hurt and brokenness. The more he acted like this, the more disgusted I felt. “Claire, I thought you’d always understand, just like you always have,” he said. So that’s how he saw all my efforts over the years. Just… understanding. No wonder he never bothered to explain anything for so many years. No wonder he took it for granted that after abandoning me, humiliating me in public, I’d just continue to play dumb and treat him the same way. “Ethan, why?” I finally couldn’t stop myself from asking. “Is it because you don’t love me anymore? Is it desire? We could have gotten divorced, Ethan. Why did you have to humiliate me like this?” “Of course not, Claire!” He shot up, stepping closer urgently. “How could I not love you? I told you, I love you. Till death do us part.” “You know… my dream.” His dream. Always his dream. I slumped back onto the sofa with a bitter smile, feeling like I was stranded in an endless desert, unable to take another step. Because there was no hope in sight. 6. Ethan and I grew up in the same orphanage. We gradually developed feelings for each other in middle school. He confessed to me on high school graduation day, and I shyly nodded yes. I got into a top university, with some financial support from the orphanage. He went straight into acting, starting with bit parts, and would send me money for living expenses whenever he could. Then, two years after I graduated, we got married. Back then, he hadn’t won his major awards yet but was already a massive star, right in the middle of his career ascent. A recent romantic movie had gained him a huge following of female fans who saw him as their ideal boyfriend. For the sake of his career, we didn’t get a marriage license. But he insisted on giving me a wedding. So, in a rented villa outside the city, we invited a few close friends we grew up with from the orphanage and had a simple ceremony. He promised me that once he achieved his dream, he would give me the grandest wedding imaginable. I really used to look forward to that. But as time went on, the importance of the ceremony faded, and the dream wedding became a blur. Lately, all I hoped for was that he wouldn’t change, that his feelings wouldn’t waver. That would be enough. But even that small wish— “Ethan, I get disappointed too. When disappointment piles up, eventually, you give up,” I said calmly. Those words had been stuck in my heart for years, swirling around ever since the rumors started, and kept coming. But saying them out loud now surprised even me. My heart didn’t ache as much as I thought it would. It was like cutting out a piece of rotten flesh that had been festering in my chest for years. When I finally decided to remove it, the pain wasn’t as unbearable as I’d imagined. Ethan’s expression finally showed true panic. He always knew how to read me. “Claire, I messed up. I’ll cut ties with Wendy Bellweather right now. Not just her, I’ll clear up all the rumors with everyone.” “When I’m with them, I pretend I’m acting. Otherwise, I can’t stand it for a second. Claire, trust me, I never crossed the line with any of them.” See? He always knew what bothered me. Tears fell from his beautiful eyes. Ethan knelt pitifully on the floor, hugging my legs like a lost puppy. “Give me one more chance, Claire. Just one last time. I have a feeling this movie I’m negotiating for now… it’s the one I’ve been waiting for.” “After it’s done, we’ll go get the license.” “I’ll tell the whole world that you’re the only love of my life.” In the end, my heart softened. I never expected the consequences of that weakness to come so swiftly. 7. Two days later, same afternoon, same place, Wendy Bellweather sat across from me again. Probably still shaken from the last encounter, Marc proactively offered us a private room. “I’m pregnant. It’s Ethan’s.” She placed a medical report in front of me. A pregnancy test report. I’d seen them countless times on TV, imagined holding one myself countless times. To avoid the complications of having a child without being legally married and the child facing documentation issues, we had always held back from having kids. But no one understood the longing for a happy, complete family more than two people who grew up in an orphanage. “I know you two aren’t legally married. Ethan told me everything. So, as long as you don’t try to guilt-trip him with your past relationship, as long as you just leave cleanly, he can finally have a happy, perfect family.” I let out a cold snort, a sarcastic smile playing on my lips. “My husband gets a new woman every year. If you count, Miss Bellweather, isn’t your year almost up?” “Maybe you should worry about whether you’ll be sticking around first.” * That day was my birthday. It was also the anniversary of the day I was sent to the orphanage. I was already six then, old enough to remember things clearly. My parents, celebrating my birthday, had drunk too much and somehow started arguing. In the chaos, my dad shoved my mom towards a cabinet. A vase on top fell and hit her head. Blood trickled down from the corner of her eye. Mom slowly closed her eyes. Later, Dad frantically dropped me off at the orphanage gate. But as he turned to run away, a car speeding around the corner hit him, sending him flying. I lost both my parents on the same day. * Today, I went home early and cooked a big meal, waiting for Ethan. My childhood trauma made it impossible for me to spend this day alone. Ethan knew that. In the past, no matter how busy he was or how far away, he always came back to be with me. But this time, he broke his promise. Maybe it was some kind of intuition, but that day, I didn’t immediately call him to check if he was okay. Instead, I re-downloaded all the social media apps I had deleted. Trending #1: #EthanVanceProposal.

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The day before our wedding, my fiancée, Chloe, decided to test my love by inviting our families onto a yacht. When the wind picked up and the waves got rough, she pushed my mom overboard, then jumped into the sea herself. Caught in the middle, I panicked, torn about what to do. My mom was already choking on water, but she weakly pushed me away, gasping, “Save Chloe first! She’s your fiancée!” But after I struggled to drag Chloe back onto the deck, I looked for my mother again. She was silent, lifeless. Chloe watched me sob in agony, her eyes cold. “Stop pretending. Your mom was a competitive swimmer when she was young. How could she possibly die?” “You didn’t even try to save me first. Jake was right, you just don’t love me enough.” “Our wedding is postponed. When you’ve reflected on this, and you bring your mom to apologize, then we’ll talk about getting married.” With that, she walked off, arm-in-arm with her childhood friend, Jake. But she didn’t know. After a serious illness a few years ago, my mom couldn’t swim anymore. That push had cost her her life. … When they pulled my mom’s body from the water, she was cold, gone. I held her, trembling, trying desperately to wake her, but she didn’t move. Chloe walked over impatiently and kicked my mom’s hand, which had slipped to the deck. “Alright, enough with the act! Everyone knows your mom’s a pro swimmer. A few small waves aren’t going to kill her.” “Even if you play the victim in front of me, I’m not just going to let this go.” “I can’t stand being second best. Whoever marries me has to love me completely, put me first. You really disappointed me this time.” Even being kicked like that, my mom showed no reaction. A flicker of uncertainty crossed Chloe’s face. She started to bend down to check. Her friend Jake stepped in front of her, glanced at my mom’s pale face, and scoffed. “She looks fine to me, definitely doesn’t look like she’s dying.” He patted Chloe’s shoulder, acting like an expert. “I heard swimmers like her are great at holding their breath, two or three minutes is nothing.” “I bet they planned this together, mother and son, trying to intimidate you. So after you’re married, you’ll have to obey their every whim.” Chloe froze, clenching her fists. Her gaze slowly shifted to me. “Ethan, is that true?” Before I could answer, she cut me off: “Don’t bother explaining. It’s hard for me to trust anything you say right now.” “As punishment, our wedding is delayed by six months. When you learn how to love me properly, I’ll consider marrying you again.” Then, she turned and left with Jake, never looking back. Just then, I felt my mother’s fingers twitch in my arms. It was like grabbing a lifeline; I felt a surge of hope. I scrambled over and grabbed Chloe. “My mom’s alive! She can still be saved!” “We’re on an island, there’s no hospital! Please, can you just let your private doctor take a look?” Seeing her unmoved, I pleaded again, my voice low. “Have you forgotten how good she was to you? She treated you like her own daughter! Remember during that crazy lockdown, she risked everything to bring you food? She would never harm you! She’d never try to lay down rules before you even married in!” Chloe seemed slightly moved. She paused. She studied me with searching eyes for a long moment before finally agreeing. “Fine, I’ll call the doctor.” Jake tried to stop her. “Chloe, you don’t have to—” But Chloe cut him off. “But this is the last time I trust you on this. If the doctor comes and finds out your mom is fine, you both will pay the price.” I nodded frantically. Just getting a doctor was all that mattered. I couldn’t think about anything else. But just as the doctor in a white coat hurried over with his medical bag, my mom suddenly coughed up a mouthful of seawater, hacking violently. 2 Everyone jumped when my mom opened her eyes. I froze too, but there was no joy in my eyes. I knew this was likely the final surge of energy before death, the ‘last rally’. I rushed to the doctor. “She’s fading fast, please, give her CPR, do something…” Before I could finish, Chloe raised her hand, cutting me off. Her face hardened. “That’s enough! Your mom is perfectly fine.” “Jake, let’s go.” She turned and walked away without a second glance. I started to go after her, but my mom weakly tugged at my sleeve. A tear rolled down her cheek as she spoke, her voice broken. “Ethan… don’t blame Chloe… It’s my fault, I’m useless… couldn’t even swim a few hundred yards.” “Explain things nicely to her… don’t hurt her feelings… Mom will pull through… Mom still wants to be at your wedding…” But as soon as she finished speaking, her pupils dilated, and her hand slipped lifelessly from mine. No matter how desperately I called her name, she didn’t wake up again. My heart finally died. Numbly, I closed my mother’s eyes. Three years with Chloe. I couldn’t understand how we’d ended up here. Just a year ago, Chloe and I were inseparable, madly in love. But everything changed when her childhood friend, Jake, came back from abroad. She started acting distant for no reason, constantly setting up these ‘tests’ to gauge my love. She said I had to pass ninety-nine tests of my sincerity before she’d marry me. Last time, she called me in the middle of the night to go to Jake’s welcome-home party. The moment I walked in, a bowl of flour was dumped over my head. Jake held the empty bowl, looking pitiful. “It was me. Ethan won’t blame me, right? Just wanted to liven things up a bit.” Seeing Chloe watching me with questioning eyes, I swallowed my anger and just shook my head, saying it was fine. The next second, Jake winked at Chloe, congratulating me on passing: “Not bad, your boyfriend actually passed the test. Looks like he’s got a good temper. You won’t have to worry about domestic violence later.” Chloe’s expression softened slightly, but looking at my flour-covered mess, she offered no comfort. She just told me flatly to go wash up in the kitchen and then use the leftover ingredients to cook dinner for everyone. Even though I didn’t understand Chloe’s obsession with these tests, my love for her kept me from complaining. I told myself things would go back to normal once Jake went abroad again. I never imagined it would end like this. I sat slumped on the ground for a long time before slowly getting up. After finding a place to temporarily lay my mother’s body, I went to find Chloe, who was now at a party. All I wanted was to leave this island, give my mother a proper burial, and let her rest in peace. But on my way to find Chloe, people kept pointing their phones at me. They were taking pictures, whispering among themselves. I didn’t pay much attention at first, until someone jumped out and blocked my path, shoving their phone right in my face. “Hey buddy, how much did you sell your mom’s life for? Maybe next time I’ll try faking an accident in front of the rich girl too.” I froze, snatching the phone from his hand. I saw that Jake’s friends had posted videos online. The comments were brutal: 【Isn’t the old hag supposed to be a swimming champ? How could she not even make it a few yards to shore?】 【Yeah, who knows what shady tricks she pulled back in the day.】 【If I were Chloe, I’d be crying my eyes out. Stuck with such a poor, nasty mother-in-law and a gold-digging fiancé. Probably staged the whole thing so they could control the rich daughter-in-law after the wedding, planning to bleed her dry.】 3 I pushed past the gawker and ran, frantically searching for Jake. “Jake, why did you let your friends spread these lies online!” “I can take it, but what did my mom ever do wrong? Why does she have to suffer this kind of slander even after death?” Jake lounged with his feet up on a table, looking completely unfazed. “Isn’t this just the dirty stuff you guys pulled? What, you can do it, but you can’t handle people talking about it?” “Chloe falling for you is the luckiest thing that ever happened to you. We, as her friends, have to help screen you. After all, you’re just some poor kid. Who knows what your real intentions are.” The glass in my hand shattered. Blood dripped between my fingers, but I felt nothing. Before I could say more, Chloe interrupted. “Alright, Ethan, stop making a scene. Jake was just trying to look out for me.” “We’re going to get married eventually anyway. The wedding’s only postponed by six months. If you just admit you were wrong, everything can go back to normal.” Chloe had someone bring a first-aid kit. She took out some gauze, her expression softening with a hint of concern. “Your hand is bleeding. Come here, let me bandage it.” I just looked up at her. “You also think I was putting on an act?” Chloe didn’t answer. Her silence said everything. I nodded, a bitter smile twisting my lips. “If that’s the kind of person you think I am, then let’s just go our separate ways starting today.” “Chloe, the wedding is off.” I turned to leave, but Jake called out. “Wait. Since you’re leaving, you should give back the ring Chloe gave you.” He pointed to the ring on my finger. Chloe had it custom-made for me. Her ‘sincerity tests’ started six months ago and continued until now. I endured countless humiliations during that time. There were moments I wanted to give up. But right after I suggested breaking up, she threw a massive tantrum, smashing everything in her house, then stormed out in a rage. The next morning, she rushed back home, her eyes red, hugged me, and apologized. Then, she took a ring box out, pulled out a ring, and coaxed me softly, “This is your wedding ring, I’m giving it to you early. We can get married very soon, just as long as you pass all the tests. After that, I’ll belong only to you, okay?” My heart softened, and I didn’t push the breakup anymore. I never imagined it would lead my mother and me into this abyss. Thinking of this, I didn’t hesitate. I pulled the ring off my finger and threw it coldly onto the sand. “Take it back. We don’t owe each other anything anymore.” Chloe’s face turned ugly. But I didn’t care. I walked away without looking back. She called me many times on the way, but I didn’t answer. I just held my mother’s cold body tightly, unable even to cry. Back in our hometown, I wanted to arrange the cremation and burial immediately. But no funeral home would take her. No one would issue a death certificate. Even when I knelt and begged, they answered emotionlessly. “Miss Sterling gave instructions. We can’t accept.” “The Sterling family is planning a wedding. They can’t have a funeral associated with them; it’s bad luck.” Desperate, I had no choice but to call Chloe. But Jake answered, mocking me cruelly. “You’ve got some nerve. You break up with her, and now you’re calling to harass her again.” “Give it up already. The person Chloe will end up with is me.” “Those so-called sincerity tests? Just stuff I made up to mess with her. I was trying to get rid of you, but who knew you’d stick it out this long, even getting your mom killed in the process?” Jake hung up, his laughter loud and arrogant. When I tried calling back, the line was dead. I clenched my fists and slammed the phone against the wall. I went back to our old house and set up a simple wake, placing my mom in a coffin. After the traditional seven days of mourning, I was preparing for the burial when unexpected visitors arrived. Chloe burst in, looking furious. “Ethan, buying a coffin, holding a wake, when are you going to stop this charade?” “What happened last time already embarrassed the Sterling family enough! Now you’re doing this, giving people more gossip? Don’t think my tolerance means you can do whatever you want!” Her face was full of pain and disappointment, as if I had betrayed her deep love. But right then, I just said coldly, “Don’t disturb my mother’s peace. Whatever you have to say can wait until after she’s buried. You’re not welcome here.” I had never spoken to Chloe like this before. She froze. After a moment, she bit her lip. “Enough! How long are you going to keep up this act! Do you think I’m a child?” I just calmly repeated, “Please leave.” Chloe laughed, a bitter, tearful sound. She nodded, a desolate look in her eyes. “Fine. You say your mother is in this coffin, right?” “Men, take this coffin away!” The bodyguards she brought swarmed forward, lifting the coffin. They balanced it precariously on the edge of the window ledge. One hard push and it would fall. “What are you doing!” I struggled violently, but they held me fast. I couldn’t move. And Chloe actually said, “Since you insist on lying to me, let’s play one final sincerity test.” “Do you choose this coffin, or do you choose to marry me? You can only pick one.” I stared at Chloe in disbelief. I couldn’t fathom she’d do something so insane. “Put it back! That’s my mother in there! If you really throw it down, I will never forgive you!” Tears streamed down Chloe’s face instantly. “Even faced with a fake coffin, you won’t choose me?” “Ethan, you’re truly heartless. I declare that you have failed the final sincerity test.” “Then you can just watch me marry Jake. As for this…” Chloe looked at the coffin and sneered. “Throw it down! I’m sick of looking at it!” The men released their grip. The coffin plummeted from the high floor, crashing onto the ground below, shattering instantly.

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Hailey was the adopted daughter my dad brought home. She was sweet and sensible, deeply loved by my parents, and even received company shares from them. Outsiders knew the Miller family had one biological daughter and one adopted daughter, but they insisted Hailey was the real heiress. After I left, my parents showed up at my company’s entrance, begging me to come home. 1. I shot a cold look at my supposedly flustered adopted sister, my good birthday mood vanishing instantly. Just moments before, she’d tripped me hard as I came down the stairs, sending me sprawling. My carefully chosen party dress now had a huge tear in it. Seeing my parents approach, she quickly helped me up. “Chloe, honey, why were you so careless? Let big sis see if you got hurt anywhere?” Her overly affectionate act disgusted me, and I couldn’t help but push her away. Unexpectedly, my mother spoke, her face stern, “Look at you, what a mess. You’re old enough to know better than to get yourself like this.” Then Mom turned to this sister of questionable origin, “She doesn’t know any better. Are you hurt?” Hailey shook her head, a flicker of feigned tears in her eyes quickly replaced by a sweet smile. “Chloe’s the birthday girl today! Quick, put on the princess’s crown.” I turned my head slightly, avoiding her gesture, but then paused, slightly surprised. Why did her profile look so much like my dad’s? Could it be that she was my dad’s… “Chloe, why are you being so difficult?” Seeing me dodge, Mom tapped my head disapprovingly. “Since you don’t like the little crown, let your sister wear it. It doesn’t matter who wears it.” Before I could even protest, Mom took the crown and placed it on Hailey’s head. She looked moved, almost to tears. “This… this is the first time I’ve ever worn a crown.” Dad stroked her hair. “From now on, we’ll celebrate your birthday every year too.” “Dad will take you to cut the cake right now.” Watching the three of them walk away, forgetting who the real star of the day was, they looked more like a happy, harmonious family. Feeling wronged, I lowered my head and went back to my room. The feeling was strong, an intuition telling me she was Dad’s biological daughter. Even though Dad always insisted Hailey was just the daughter of the person who had saved his life. 2. “Mom, I need to tell you, that Hailey…” Just as I was about to mention Hailey’s resemblance to Dad, she appeared, carrying a plate of fruit. Putting on a show of filial piety for my mom, she said, “Mom, Hailey cut up some fruit for you. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I cut a little bit of everything.” This moved Mom deeply. She hugged Hailey and kissed her repeatedly. Then she shot me a reproachful glance, praising Hailey for being thoughtful. I just stood there, stunned. I’d done small things like this countless times before, but my parents never even batted an eye. But when it came to Hailey, how… Resentfully, I squeezed in beside them, trying to get Mom’s attention, but her focus was entirely on Hailey. She didn’t even spare me a glance. “Oh, Chloe,” Dad said later, “I’ve arranged for Hailey to transfer to your school. Look after her there.” “Did you hear me?” I remained silent. Hailey clung to Mom’s arm, her eyes full of mockery and triumph, as if showing off that Mom only had eyes for her. But her smugness didn’t last long. The first midterm exam at school delivered a harsh reality check. The ranking list posted in the classroom showed me at the top of the grade, while she was in the bottom three of our class. Even the teacher asked me, bewildered, if Hailey and I had the same parents. How could the same genes produce such drastically different results? I happily took my report card home to share the good news with my parents. But as soon as I walked in, I heard Hailey’s crying and my parents’ comforting words. “Hailey, honey, don’t be sad. Whether you do well in school or not, you’ll always be the apple of our eye.” The apple of their eye? They had never used those words for me. Even now. It suddenly hit me: no matter how hard I tried, how excellent I was, in my parents’ eyes, I felt more like the child they’d picked up off the street. Unloved, uncared for. 3. Perhaps my stellar grades provoked Hailey. To prove she was just as outstanding as me, Hailey started studying frantically, eventually fainting in the classroom one day. At the hospital, my parents fussed over her, showering her with concern. But when they saw me arrive, their expressions instantly soured. Mom came straight up and slapped me hard across the face. “Chloe, why are you so malicious? You know Hailey isn’t strong, yet you keep getting high scores just to provoke her!” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, a chill spreading through my heart. They kept saying I was provoking her, but it wasn’t like she’d actually died from it, right? “If you love Hailey so much, why did you even have me?” I couldn’t help retorting. But Hailey, on the hospital bed, spoke up again, sobbing. “Mom, Dad, I’m so useless. Chloe doesn’t like me, I’m bad at school… I really don’t want to live anymore.” Hailey cried so hard she could barely breathe, making onlookers think I had been bullying her at school. “Hailey, honey, don’t you dare think like that. It’s Chloe’s fault for getting first place.” “We’ve told you, whether you do well in school or not, you’re still Mom and Dad’s good daughter. It’s all Chloe’s fault for being so stubborn and difficult. It’s not your fault. Don’t ever talk about dying again.” Such kind parents, such touching family affection. When did I become the stubborn, willful side character in their narrative? The scene made me sick to my stomach. I gave a weak, helpless smile, though my eyes were already red-rimmed. Doing well in school was wrong. Not liking her was wrong. Why was everything always my fault? When they first brought Hailey home, my parents promised they would treat us both exactly the same, be fair to both of us. Was this their idea of balance? A bitter ache filled my heart. I bit my lower lip hard to keep the tears from falling. Leaving the hospital, I squatted by the roadside. A tall, handsome figure entered my vision. Ethan handed me a tissue and brushed the snowflakes off my shoulder. “You little scaredy-cat, did that idiot sister of yours make you cry again?” 4. Ethan was my classmate. In his words, Hailey’s brain didn’t seem like it had ever been used for schooling. But her academic shortcomings didn’t stop her from flaunting her status as the Miller family’s eldest daughter to outsiders. Over time, many people came to believe Hailey was the biological daughter, and I was the adopted one just living with the family. My family and Ethan’s family had some business dealings, so Ethan and I had known each other since we were kids. He had attended my birthday party last year, so naturally, he knew the real situation between us. “Knowing your temper, I thought you would have ripped that adopted sister’s mouth off by now.” I shook my head. My parents’ behavior had already chilled my heart. I didn’t want much to do with them anymore. “Next semester, I’m going to apply for boarding. Out of sight, out of mind.” This kind of affection, disguised under the banner of fairness, had never once landed on me. I didn’t care for it. Time flew, and soon it was Thanksgiving. At the big family dinner, everyone gathered together. The older relatives heard about my excellent grades and praised me, saying I had a bright future. My younger cousin playfully asked me to share my study tips. Grandpa was especially complimentary, saying I had his spirit from when he was young. I smiled and chatted quite a bit with my cousin. Unexpectedly, these few words made Hailey’s face fall. On such a festive day, she burst into tears, a real downpour. Mom and Dad immediately rushed over to comfort her, showering her with jewelry and designer bags to appease her. The other relatives’ faces instantly turned cold, muttering about how she was bringing bad luck on a holiday. But, as always, she knew exactly how to soften certain hearts. When she mentioned she was missing her biological parents, Grandpa’s expression, though still serious, softened considerably. He gave her a check just as generous as mine. Mom and Dad seized the moment, putting their arms around Hailey and looking pleadingly at Grandpa. “Dad, Hailey’s not well, and she’s had such a hard life. Why don’t we just transfer the shares meant for Chloe directly to Hailey? It would also repay the debt we owe her parents for saving your life.” “Chloe is so capable, she’ll be fine with or without those shares.” Why? My face instantly turned pale. Just because I was capable, they wanted to snatch away what was rightfully mine and give it to their adopted daughter to make her happy? Tears welled up in my eyes, but I clenched my jaw, refusing to let them fall. Only I knew what losing those shares meant in a family like ours. My own parents were stripping me of my inheritance rights— To give them to their adopted daughter. “Chloe is the Miller’s biological daughter. If you insist on giving Hailey shares, you can give her some from your own portions.” Grandpa’s words settled the matter, and the weight in my chest lifted. But that night, my parents came to me with a stock transfer agreement, trying to force me to sign it. They even promised that if I signed, they would ensure I married into a top-tier wealthy family, where I could live a life of leisure as a rich wife. Why don’t you offer such a wonderful life to Hailey, the one you cherish like the apple of your eye? 5. “Your grandfather is old, he doesn’t understand the situation. Since you’re more capable than Hailey, just give the shares to her.” I watched all this with cold eyes, searching my parents’ faces for any shred of affection for me. Sadly, I found none. “Mom, Dad, Chloe… I don’t want the shares. I just want everyone to get along peacefully.” Hailey popped out from behind Dad, saying she didn’t want them, but her hands were more honest than her words. She helped Mom hold down my hand, urging me to sign my name immediately. I suspected she knew all along that whether she asked for the shares or not, Mom and Dad would snatch them from me for her. Just like she had snatched away all of my parents’ love. “If I sign this agreement, can I sever all ties with you?” I stared steadily at Mom, a sliver of hope in my eyes. Mom seemed to think I was overreacting, frowning as she lectured me, “It’s just a few shares. Why can’t you be as understanding and considerate as Hailey?” “But if you insist on being so difficult, there’s nothing we can do.” My heart sank to the bottom. The contract was in duplicate. I signed my name, adding the clause I demanded about severing family ties, and had it notarized. On Thanksgiving night, I became truly and utterly alone. Just then, the sound of neighbors setting off leftover fireworks faintly reached me. Ethan’s holiday message arrived right on cue. “Hey Scaredy-cat, Happy Thanksgiving.” Tears immediately streamed down my face. Why did Mom and Dad have to give all their love for me to Hailey? Was I really the one who was picked up off the street? 6. Disheartened, after the break, I applied for boarding school without consulting my parents. Mom and Dad called a few times demanding to know why. Because my attitude was cold, eventually they stopped contacting me altogether. Hailey sought me out every now and then, claiming she wanted to mend our sisterly relationship, but in reality, she had her eyes on Ethan. His family was prominent, he excelled academically – definitely prime boyfriend material in our circle. But Ethan wasn’t blind like my parents. He wasn’t interested in idiots. I grew tired of being in the same class as Hailey, so I took internal exams and skipped from eighth grade to ninth. Ethan followed suit, ending up in the same class with me again. If I couldn’t fight her, couldn’t I at least avoid her? But even skipping a grade somehow provoked Hailey. As soon as she got home, she supposedly fell ill and couldn’t get out of bed – who knew if it was real or fake. Unable to reach me by phone, my parents came to the school personally. In front of my roommates, Mom slapped me across the face. She also unleashed a torrent of abuse on my roommates who tried to defend me. Mom forced me to kneel beside Hailey’s hospital bed, declaring that if anything happened to Hailey, I would kneel at her biological parents’ graves until I died to atone. I knelt for an entire night. Finally, I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. When I woke up, I learned Hailey was perfectly fine, being pampered by Mom and Dad in a VIP room. Meanwhile, I was lying alone in a standard room, an IV drip in my hand, with no one beside me. Years of accumulated resentment solidified into real hatred at that moment. From then on, I wanted absolutely nothing to do with this family. I blocked my parents’ numbers from my phone. After the IV drip finished, I limped back to school by myself. Ethan somehow found out I’d been forced to kneel all night and came to my dorm with other classmates to check on me. My parents, likely feeling guilty about the kneeling incident, brought Hailey to my dorm for a brief, awkward visit. This, however, sparked numerous rumors. Some said Hailey wasn’t the adopted daughter after all, but I was the illegitimate one. Others claimed Hailey was the illegitimate one, and I was being bullied mercilessly. I was sure the only ones defending me were Ethan and his friends. But honestly, I didn’t care about any of it. I was busy preparing for the entrance exam for a prestigious early admission program at an Ivy League university and had no time for their drama. The acceptance letter was mailed to my home address. Only then did my parents find out I’d gotten into a top school. They even wanted to use my achievement to boast, attempting to mend our broken relationship by eagerly offering to throw me a make-up birthday party. For a moment, I hesitated. I hadn’t celebrated my birthday in two years.

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