Category: English

To take a shortcut, my boyfriend Tommy gunned the engine and steered us into a tunnel not marked on any map. We’d been driving for over thirty minutes now, but there was still no end in sight. My face was pale. I could have sworn the distance between the two mountains was less than half a mile. How could we drive for thirty minutes and still be inside? 1 Tommy was stunned. “I’m pushing seventy-five, Jenna. Even in the city, that would get you across town in no time. I’ve never seen a tunnel this long.” “Maybe there are a lot of turns?” I wondered aloud. “Impossible. I’ve been driving straight the whole time. Haven’t turned the wheel once.” I quickly checked our GPS. The little blue dot on my phone hadn’t moved at all. We had no signal in the tunnel; it was stuck at our position right before we entered. I zoomed in on the map with two fingers. Even though the tunnel itself wasn’t marked, the satellite view showed the distance between the two mountains was clearly just over 700 yards. But we’d been driving for half an hour, and the darkness ahead was still absolute. If Tommy hadn’t said something, I would have thought I was just groggy from a nap. Tommy’s hands were trembling on the steering wheel. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” he said, his voice tight, “but in all this time, we haven’t seen a single other car. It’s just been us.” His words sent a chill down my spine. He was right. “That can’t be right,” I said, trying to rationalize it. “The national park is right up ahead. Even if this tunnel is a bit remote, someone else must have used it.” But one look at Tommy’s panicked expression told me he wasn’t joking. “Should we turn back?” I suggested. Even if there’s no exit ahead, we should at least be able to go back the way we came, right? I tried to reassure myself. Tommy immediately spun the car around. The tunnel was pitch black, our headlights only cutting through about thirty feet of the oppressive darkness. We drove for another hour. Still no sign of the entrance. “This is impossible,” Tommy stammered. “I know we were only driving for about thirty minutes before we turned around. How can this be?” “But we’ve been driving back for almost an hour now!” I cried out. Just then, the car’s AI assistant chimed in. “Battery level critical. Please find a charging station soon.” The battery was about to die. We couldn’t even see a sliver of light, let alone a way out. Beads of sweat rolled down Tommy’s forehead. “Jenna, what do we do? It’s like the entrance… it just vanished!” I was about to try and calm him down when a blinding light appeared in the distance. Headlights. There was someone else in here with us! 2 I told Tommy to pull over immediately. I had him stay in the driver’s seat with the door ajar, ready to floor it if we needed to. I’d get out and see who it was. The car approaching us slowed, its window rolling down just a crack. A pair of wide, anxious eyes appeared in the gap. She looked young. Seeing that I was a woman, she seemed to relax a little and rolled the window down further, though still only a third of the way. “Hey, do you know where the exit is?” she asked, her voice shaky. “I’ve been driving for half an hour and haven’t seen anything. This tunnel is insanely long.” So, another lost soul. My hopes sank. I shook my head. “We’re looking for it, too.” After talking for a bit, I learned her name was Hailey, a recent college grad who had also taken the tunnel as a shortcut. I called Tommy over. When Hailey heard we’d been driving back and forth for nearly an hour and a half, her jaw dropped. “You mean you’ve been driving for almost two hours, in both directions, and you haven’t seen an exit or an entrance?” She looked even more terrified than we were. “Check your phone,” I said, my voice weary. “Do you have a signal?” She fumbled for her phone. The top of her screen showed two crossed-out bars. No signal. “What are we going to do?” she whispered. Just as despair started to set in, I remembered something. “Wait, I read a clickbait article once… it said that in an emergency, you can still call 911 even without a signal.” “Quick, try it!” Hailey urged. I quickly dialed. “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is not reachable at this time. Please try again later.” How was that possible? Maybe the lines were busy? I told them both to try calling 911 as well. But no matter whose phone we used, or how long we waited between calls, the result was the same robotic voice. “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is not reachable at this time…” “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is not reachable at this time…” Hailey threw her phone down in a panic. “That’s impossible! My cousin is a cop. He told me that even if the lines are busy, an emergency call gets rerouted to the nearest available dispatcher. It’s impossible for no one to pick up!” Things were getting stranger and stranger. I instinctively grabbed Tommy’s hand. He pulled me into a hug, whispering softly. “Don’t be scared. I’m here.” Hailey rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Now is not the time for PDA.” I offered her an apologetic smile. “Driving is getting us nowhere,” I suggested. “Why don’t we try walking? See if we can find a side path or something. It’s better than burning through what little power we have left.” I tried to push the weirdness of the phone calls out of my mind. Maybe the signal was just completely dead, and the article was wrong. We turned on our phone flashlights and started walking back the way we’d come. We hadn’t gone more than a few steps when my foot landed on something soft and crinkly. “Hold on, I think I stepped on something.” I pointed my light at the ground. A second later, a wave of pins and needles shot up my leg. Lying on the ground was a crushed soda can. Tommy looked confused. “It’s just a Coke can. What’s wrong?” I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “This can… I threw it out of the car.” “But I remember exactly when I threw it out. It was right at the entrance to the tunnel. The moment we drove in.” 3 A bizarre silence hung in the air. Hailey forced a laugh. “Haha… maybe… maybe the wind blew it in here? I mean, it’s pretty light, right?” Tommy was quiet for a moment. “You’re probably just misremembering, Jenna. Let’s focus on finding a way out. Don’t scare yourself.” My mind went blank for a second. Maybe he was right. I get carsick, and I’d been drifting in and out of sleep the whole way. It was possible I was confused. I followed them numbly, but the feeling of wrongness wouldn’t go away. No, I was sure of it. I distinctly remembered tossing that can at the tunnel entrance. I even took a picture of the view. My eyes widened. The picture! I scrambled to open my phone’s photo gallery. And there it was. A picture of the scenery outside the car window, my hand clearly in the frame, dropping the can. It was taken right at the mouth of the tunnel. I was about to show them when Hailey let out a gasp of excitement. “Hey, look! Is that a phone on the wall?” I looked up. Sure enough, mounted on the tunnel wall was a green emergency telephone, the kind you see in every tunnel. Tommy let out a huge sigh of relief. “Thank god. We should be able to get help now.” He hurried me over to the phone. After two rings, someone picked up. It actually worked? Tommy, stumbling over his words, explained that we were trapped. The voice on the other end was calm. “Okay, sir. Please turn on your flashlights and keep them on. Stay where you are.” “Do not, under any circumstances, wander off. Our personnel are on their way.” Hearing this, Hailey’s tense expression finally relaxed. She grabbed the phone. “Well, hurry up! What kind of messed up tunnel is this? We’re completely lost! I’m going to file a complaint when I get out of here!” “Our apologies, ma’am,” the voice replied smoothly. “This tunnel has been decommissioned. We’re sending someone immediately.” After he hung up, both Tommy and Hailey were smiling with relief. Tommy pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket and offered it to me. “Hungry? Have a bite.” Hailey winked at me. “There they go again with the PDA. You’re lucky to have such a great boyfriend, girl.” I managed a weak smile, but my mind was stuck on what the operator had said. A strange, unsettling feeling was creeping back in. Something wasn’t right. But what… “Do you think that guy on the phone could have been lying to us?” I whispered. Tommy looked surprised. “Why would he lie? Stop overthinking. Let’s think about what we’re going to eat when we get out. BBQ or hot pot, what do you think?” Hailey was bouncing around, waving her flashlight. “Yeah, Jenna, don’t worry about it! What would anyone get from lying to us? We don’t have any money.” But I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread. About fifteen minutes later, a man in an orange work uniform appeared in the distance, waving a flashlight. “Sorry about the trouble! This old tunnel has all sorts of problems. Please, follow me.” Behind him was a tow truck. Everything looked so normal. As his light washed over my face, something clicked in my brain. It was like a flash of lightning. I finally realized what was wrong. If the tunnel was decommissioned, why would it have staff? There would be no one working here. “Run!”

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After the big finale, my villainous husband was crushed by the hero and went bankrupt. My husband, heartbroken, walked to the rooftop to commit suicide. I grabbed him by the back of his collar, yanked him back like a chick, and he landed with a thud. “Don’t die. I’ll earn money to support you.” My strength was too much; I slammed him onto the ground. His head buzzed. “Aside from swiping cards at luxury stores, have you done anything serious all these years? How are you going to earn money?” My husband married me because once at a banquet, he took the wrong medication. We were caught in a compromising situation. For so many years, there was no affection, only cold, hard cash transactions. The coldness warmed my heart, and I decided to pull him out of this. I picked up my fish-killing knife, returning to my old profession. “Once those annoying people are ‘dealt with,’ and they stop making trouble, won’t you be able to earn money?” The big villain: ? Who’s the villain here? 01 At the end of the story, the big villain was about to jump off a building. No, not from when I just stopped him. Now his head was about to crack open, ending his villainous life. My husband, Sterling Vance, stood up, brushing dust from his shoulders. “Stop with these jokes.” “My life is already over.” I looked at Sterling’s despondent face and patted his shoulder heavily. “Husband, you still have me. I can gut fish; at least it’s a living. You won’t go hungry.” “Gut fish?!” Sterling looked at himself, then at me. The wind on the rooftop made both of us a bit disheveled. He reached out to touch my forehead. “Do you have a fever? One fish at most earns ten dollars, and I owe a mountain of debt. Don’t be so naive.” “Oh, and let’s get a divorce first, then I’ll jump. That way, these debts won’t fall on you, and you’ll even get some insurance money.” He pulled me, ready to go file for divorce. I forcefully covered his mouth and dragged him downstairs for dinner. “Why so much talk? The food will get cold if we wait any longer.” Sterling looked at me as if I had just escaped from a mental institution. But he wasn’t as strong as me, so he could only be dragged down to eat. Once I, the fishmonger, clean up the hero and heroine, won’t the big villain be able to earn money? Simple! 02 I forcibly brought him back from the rooftop to our rented apartment. This apartment was rented by me after selling off my old luxury bags. Now Sterling couldn’t earn a penny; he relied entirely on me. Actually, I had quite a bit of money in my bank account, but I couldn’t explain it to Sterling. I could only make do for now. I rummaged through drawers and cupboards, pulling out my fish-killing knife. It had been too long since I’d practiced my old trade. The knife wasn’t sharp anymore, so I found a whetstone and polished it until it gleamed. Sterling was utterly shocked. “I’ve seen your file. Before you married me, you were an orphan with a fish stall. Are you going to support me by selling fish?” Ah, we’d been married for so many years, yet we were strangers to this extent. Sterling was looking at my superficial resume. An orphan from a welfare home became a fish stall owner. This was the best way to hide my identity. No family, no attachments, just cold-blooded fish gutting. The light in Sterling’s eyes dimmed again. “Take a break. The last time you made fish soup, you couldn’t even fillet the fish properly… You can’t sell fish like that. No one will buy it.” I earnestly held up the fish-killing knife and explained to him. “No, I don’t earn money by selling fish. I earn money by gutting fish.” 03 A fish’s third spinal vertebra is the most fragile, and so is a person’s. I’m an orphan, and that’s what I learned since childhood. Master Lin, with ten years of experience, has an excellent reputation. With a swift stroke of the knife, clean and precise, never a botched job. “Alright, tell me, which fish first?” Sterling showed a strange expression. “Do you have to choose a fish?” If he wouldn’t choose, I would. I raised the fish-killing knife and brought it down heavily on the cutting board. “Then let’s start with Andrew Chen.” The hero, Andrew Chen, was like a direct contrast to Sterling. Now Sterling was so down and out, while Andrew was on his way to becoming a billionaire. He was the main driver of Sterling’s bankruptcy, and he hadn’t stopped his suppression and humiliation even after Sterling went broke. That’s why Sterling couldn’t find any decent job, and could only go to construction sites every day to move bricks. Sterling’s eyes widened, full of disbelief. “What did you say?! What are you going to… kill?!” I paused. Sterling’s heart couldn’t take any more shock. I smiled at him. “Just kidding. Tomorrow, I’ll go back to my fish stall and start gutting fish again. We’ll spend the money we earn.” 04 Sterling buried his head, utterly despondent and lost. “Don’t comfort me. How many fish can you gut in a day? I’m still burdened with endless debts… I’ll only drag you down.” “Let’s get a divorce. You can find someone else to buy you bags, alright?” Sterling wasn’t wrong. After marrying him, I spent most of my time at luxury counters. I used to be too busy! After retirement, I started my revenge spending! But the person in front of me was too dejected; I felt a pang of pity. Sterling was clearly a golden boy, a man who commanded the commercial empire. Now he was being suppressed to a dead end. What Sterling didn’t know was that we both lived in a book. After marrying Sterling, I used his card to buy too many bags at once, and accidentally hit my head while moving them. I awakened. It turned out Sterling was the big villain in this book, and I, the fishmonger, was a nobody, a mere extra. No matter how much Sterling struggled, he was destined for failure. He couldn’t win; the more he fought, the more he’d be pushed back. This was the villain’s fate. I hugged Sterling tightly. “Losing isn’t your fault. I’ll help you flip this table.” Sterling’s eyes widened. “Huh?” “By gutting fish?” Is this right? 05 Of course, it’s right. I don’t just gut fish the usual way. I set up my fish stall again. In our line of work, you don’t just kill; someone also needs to clean up the scene. There’s a complete process. When I set up my stall, they knew I was back in business, and organized people would contact me to place orders. I was worried that Sterling would jump off the building again if he stayed home alone, so I forcibly brought him along to the stall with me. As soon as he arrived, he inevitably reverted to his business world analysis. “Your stall is in the most inconspicuous spot in the market, and your prices are so expensive. Who on earth would come here to buy fish?” I sat on my small stool, looking perfectly composed. “You don’t understand. Those who understand will naturally buy.” Sterling was now penniless and desperate. Aside from his good physique and handsome face, he had nothing else, yet standing there, he even attracted a few customers for me. However, these people all left as soon as I told them one fish cost a hundred thousand. “A three-pound carp costs fifty at other places, and you want to sell it for a hundred thousand?” Sterling tugged at my sleeve, again looking at me as if I was a mental patient. “Do you want to earn money or not? Customers want to buy, why don’t you just sell to them?” Sterling’s gaze at me was overly strange. There were fewer than ten fish on the stall, and I wasn’t at all anxious to sell them. I grunted a few words. “They’re buying because of your good looks. If I sold to them, wouldn’t that be like selling you? Don’t worry, I have my own plan.” Sure enough, Sterling stopped talking. I finally waited for the person I was expecting: black hat, black mask, fully armed, wanting just one fish. “One fish.” My hand went up, then down, chopping off the fish’s head and handing it to him. “Here, a hundred thousand dollars.” The person opposite quickly scanned the code, paid the money, and left with the plastic bag. Sterling was stunned. “You didn’t even fillet the fish for him, just chopped off the head and sold it for so much money? Isn’t this robbery?” He didn’t understand the rules of our trade. A hundred thousand dollars for one fish was very cheap. I also had to bear the risk, and the organization had to provide people to clean up the aftermath for me. This was just a “friendship price” for making a comeback. In the past, I wouldn’t sell this fish for anything less than a million. “One willing buyer, one willing seller. Honest trade, excellent reputation.” “Didn’t I tell you selling fish is very profitable?” Sterling: …The world had turned fantastical. 06 After making a hundred thousand dollars, I treated Sterling to an all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet that evening. In the past, Sterling would never have set foot in a smoky joint like this. But now, he was devouring the food ravenously, long gone was the image of the refined gentleman he once was. The grilled meat in front of me was piled into a small mountain, all grilled by Sterling. “Eat slowly, we have money now.” Sterling, full and satisfied, felt a pang of guilt and buried his head. “I wasn’t that good to you either. You should leave now.” I picked up a piece of meat and put it on his plate. “Eat. Why talk about all this? I’ve swiped so much of your money; when disaster strikes, I can’t just fly away alone, can I?” Sterling: “Don’t say that. That money didn’t mean much to me then, but now I don’t have a penny.” Sterling had hit rock bottom; everyone had left his side, leaving only me, the wife he had haphazardly married. A big villain, after all, has no friends. If I weren’t just an extra in the book, I might have been influenced by the plot and left him too. But. Before I met Sterling, I had just completed an extremely dangerous mission. The target was a powerful and influential figure with many bodyguards. I watched the man slowly fall before me, then swiftly ran to the hotel where the banquet was being held. After they realized what happened, they all chased after me. I was anxious to avoid them but was pulled into a hotel room by Sterling, who had been drugged with an aphrodisiac. To evade pursuit, I was also somewhat lust-struck. I almost instantly accepted this setup. Barely halfway through my stumbled retreat. Audrey Shaw and Andrew Chen entered the room with a group of people. Sterling had been set up, and so had I, who happened to need to hide my identity. At the time, his marrying me might have had an element of spite. So many people witnessed us, and Audrey publicly accused him, then consequently broke off their engagement. Sterling: “If you don’t mind, I can marry you, but we won’t be like a normal married couple.” I nodded furiously. My last mission had been extremely dangerous, and I desperately needed a legal identity to hide me. Wasn’t this a pillow arriving just as I felt sleepy? “Thank you, husband!” Sterling: …“Don’t call me husband.” “Thank you, boss!” 07 After the marriage, Sterling continued to battle with the hero and heroine, while I spent my retirement enjoying his card privileges. Even though I was a wife he married without affection, inexplicably, he never insulted or bullied me; instead, he gave me money to spend. He was practically my benefactor. Now that my benefactor was in trouble, I had to step in. When Sterling first went bankrupt, Andrew Chen immediately ordered a complete shutdown of his businesses and even threatened to break his legs. He wanted to make it impossible for Sterling to even do simple labor. I dealt with the people who came to break his legs. Andrew Chen also sent various thugs, gangsters, and kidnappers, big and small, trying to completely eliminate Sterling, but I quietly handled them all. However, I couldn’t prevent his downfall. Andrew Chen always found ways to humiliate Sterling. Every time Sterling went out to earn money, he would be suppressed. I thought the key lay with the hero and heroine. As long as they kept suppressing Sterling, Sterling would never be able to rise again. Don’t worry, soon there will be no annoying people left. I casually offered a few words of comfort to Sterling. “You’re very handsome, be more confident! Look how many people are looking at you!” “Actually, if you became a male model, you could probably earn a lot of money, but I wouldn’t want you to.” “Ah, it looks like I’ll have to return to my old trade.” Sterling’s ears turned red all the way to his neck. “Then maybe I should just die.” Die, die, die. Such inauspicious talk. Sterling used to be very confident; now he had none left. The person in front of me still had that broad shoulders and narrow waist, with an authoritative face, but his eyes were lifeless. I tried to persuade him. “The bad guys aren’t dead yet. If you die, wouldn’t you be losing out? Better to live badly than die well. Maybe one day you’ll bounce back and your luck will turn.” Sterling: “Andrew Chen can’t die. He said he’s the favored child of destiny… All the methods I used before never worked.” I sighed. “What if something unexpected happens to him? Can you still return to the capital market?” Sterling’s expression also changed. “Then I should still be able to find an opportunity.” Sterling paused. “If I can rise again, I’ll definitely give you a better life.” “I know this sounds like an empty promise. Autumn, I apologize for my actions in our marriage before.” I thought for a long time. What did Sterling do that wronged me? It dawned on me that he was probably referring to his coldness in the marriage. He took on the role of husband but didn’t fulfill spousal responsibilities. But this was something we had agreed upon before; I hadn’t taken it seriously at all. “Huh? No, our marriage was fine.” His authoritative face still needed to stand at the top, dressed in a suit, stirring up the capital market. That’s when he’s handsome! Sterling inadvertently blushed. “Thank you.” Walking home from the barbecue restaurant, he held my hand the entire way. Sterling’s fingers were long and slender, clasped with mine as he led me home. His ear tips were slightly red. An old married couple, yet acting surprisingly innocent. 08 The organization made contact; it was still the same organization. I had retired after finishing that last mission, marrying Sterling to hide my identity. It was a perfect retreat from the underworld. Now that I was back, they were all surprised. Not only was I back, but I had sold a fish. A successful sale meant a successful order. “W: Didn’t you say you married a rich man and retired? Why are you back?” “A: Which unlucky soul is about to suffer?” “A: Are you really back for good? Can you please kill that fake heiress for me first? I can’t stand her, oh my god, what a manipulative drama queen, playing dead.” It took me a tremendous effort to retire, and now I was back in the fray, stirring up trouble again. I made up my mind: once I dealt with the hero and heroine, I would agree to divorce Sterling. As long as he wasn’t affected by the plot, he had a great life ahead of him. The group chat was full of exclamations, wondering who was so foolish as to provoke me, the bringer of doom. My fish-gutting technique was unique, and I worked swiftly. Now the knife was sharpened, all that was left was to strike. Tonight, Audrey Shaw and Andrew Chen would be at a banquet. That evening, I heated up a glass of milk for Sterling, adding a sleeping pill. I would leave after he fell asleep. From a professional standpoint, I didn’t want to bring him along for the job. We had a strict procedure for these things; an extra person meant an extra risk. From a personal standpoint, I didn’t want Sterling to see the hero and heroine again. Every time he met them, he had bad luck. He had the villain’s constitution; if I didn’t protect him, he would have lost limbs long ago. “I can’t drink any more. I ate too much tonight.” Tonight was not a peaceful night. “Drink it~ I went to all this trouble to make you milk. I even treated you to dinner; you can’t even agree to such a simple request?” I rarely acted coy, giving Sterling goosebumps. “Okay, I’ll drink it.” Sterling drank the milk under my watchful eye, then lay down in bed and fell asleep. I changed my clothes, grabbed my knife, and went out. Unbeknownst to me, Sterling quietly opened his eyes. He went out too.

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When my wealthy parents finally found me, the backstabbing family drama I’d braced myself for never happened. Instead, both the real and the fake heiress were married off in strategic alliances. But after the wedding, despite being in perfect health, I couldn’t get pregnant. Meanwhile, Ivy, the one diagnosed with a condition that made conception nearly impossible, quickly gave birth to a daughter with her husband, a man known to have his own fertility issues. Outside the delivery room, my private doctor mistook me for Ivy and tried to comfort me. “Everyone has their own fate,” he said gently. “Your sister has a strong constitution, but that doesn’t mean there’s no hope for you.” I forced a smile and corrected him. The doctor’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Then how is it you’re still not…?” His unfinished question was a dagger to my heart. I became convinced I wasn’t trying hard enough. I went home and threw myself into a punishing regimen of diet and exercise. I even took Ivy’s recommendation and started IVF treatments. I had just gotten off the operating table, the pain so intense I could barely stand, when I received a text. Ivy, whose first pregnancy had been called a medical miracle, was pregnant with her second child. 1. I stared at my phone, frozen. Envy and indignation washed over me like a tidal wave. For some reason, my mind flashed back to the day I was brought home. I stood in the lavish villa in my grey, threadbare clothes, a ghost at the feast. Ivy, dressed in an exquisite designer dress, showed no hostility. Instead, she took my hand. “Sister,” she said warmly, “we’re a family now.” My parents, their faces etched with guilt, sat me down. “Noelle, we are so sorry. We promise we will make it up to you.” “We’ve arranged marriages for both you and Ivy. Take a look and see which family you’d prefer.” Compared to a lifetime of working-class struggle, what was a corporate marriage? I agreed without a second thought. A few days later, our medical results came back. The doctor’s expression was grim. “Ms. Noelle Prescott is in excellent physical health, very active. However, Ms. Ivy Prescott, you have a condition that will make getting pregnant extremely difficult.” That night, Ivy came to me alone. “Sister, the Crestmont family is incredibly powerful, but their heir, Donovan, has low sperm motility. You’d be miserable if you married him,” she said, her voice full of concern. “But since I have my own fertility issues, if I marry him and can’t conceive, no one can blame anyone.” I was deeply moved. It seemed so unfair to her. She just smiled softly. “I’ve lived your life in the Prescott family for twenty years. I’ve enjoyed everything that should have been yours. This is the least I can do.” My parents urged me to agree. “Noelle, listen to Ivy. The Crestmonts are a complicated family. You should marry into the Ashworth family. Our families are social equals; we know them well.” At that moment, I felt like my life of hardship was finally over. I had a family and a good marriage waiting for me. I had no idea it was the beginning of a nightmare. Nathaniel Ashworth was truly good to me. He was a steady, kind man who deferred to all my wishes. But after a year of marriage, my womb remained empty. In these circles, producing an heir is everything. The already tense atmosphere in our home exploded the day we heard Ivy was pregnant. My mother-in-law, who had once been so warm, grew colder by the day. “We married a hen that can’t even lay an egg,” she would mutter. “I should have had my son marry Ivy. At least she could have given me a grandchild…” I was furious and hurt. Nate always stood up for me. “Mom, Noelle is doing everything she can. It’s not her fault we haven’t conceived yet. These things take time.” His mother shot me a venomous glare. “How can I not be anxious? Look at the Crestmonts! They used to look down on Ivy, and now that she’s pregnant, they treat her like a queen. Everyone says she’s blessed with good fortune. And then there’s our family…” I gave up every food I loved. I worked out, regulated my sleep, living with a discipline that felt archaic in the 21st century. I was so paranoid I stopped using my favorite skincare products, terrified some chemical would affect my chances. Nate and I went to the doctor countless times. The reports always came back the same: we were both perfectly healthy. No one could explain why I couldn’t get pregnant. My thoughts snapped back to the present. I tucked my medical file into my bag, ready to go home, when a voice stopped me. “Sister! Are you here to see me?” 2. I looked up. Ivy was standing there in a loose maternity dress, one hand cradling her belly, the other held tightly by her husband, Donovan Crestmont. This was the same Donovan who used to be so cold and arrogant toward her. Now, his eyes were full of adoration. “Slow down,” he murmured. “Don’t rush. What if you trip?” Ivy smiled and patted his hand. “It’s fine. I’m not that fragile.” She turned to me, her eyes filled with manufactured concern. “Sister, what are you doing at the hospital? Another check-up?” I hid the IVF report behind my back, my voice flat. “Yes. Just finished.” Just then, my parents emerged from a nearby consultation room. The smiles on their faces froze for a second when they saw me, then they immediately turned their fawning attention to Ivy. “Ivy, you’re carrying your second child now. You have to be careful with everything.” Donovan immediately chimed in, his tone respectful. “Don’t worry, Mom, Dad. I’ll take good care of her. She’s the hero of our family.” Ever since Ivy had given Donovan, the man with fertility problems, a daughter, her status in the Crestmont family had soared. Donovan’s mother was constantly bragging to her friends that Ivy had a “golden womb” and was sure to give them a boy this time. Our own family had secured several major business deals thanks to her marriage. My parents, who once felt a sliver of guilt toward me, now orbited Ivy like she was the sun. My mother held Ivy’s hand, beaming with pride. “Our Ivy is so blessed. She’s the pride of the Prescott family.” Then, she turned to me, her voice cooling several degrees. “Noelle, how were your results? Still nothing?” A knot formed in my stomach. I clutched my file tighter. “No.” My mother’s brow furrowed in disgust. “You’re so healthy, how can you not get pregnant? Are you even trying?” My father sighed. “Noelle, don’t be so stubborn. You need to take this seriously. The Ashworths are waiting for a grandchild.” Ivy quickly stepped in to smooth things over, taking my arm. “By the way, sister, did you try that special herbal remedy I gave you? It’s supposed to be very helpful for conception.” The mention of that remedy made my blood boil. “I tried it,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “It didn’t work.” Not only did it not work, it made my face break out in angry acne. I touched my cheek, where the inflammation seemed to be flaring up again. A flicker of something unreadable crossed Ivy’s face before she feigned surprise. “How could that be? It worked wonders for me. It really stabilized my pregnancy.” I wasn’t in the mood for small talk and made an excuse to leave. I walked aimlessly until I found myself in front of the maternity ward’s nursery. I stopped, staring at the tiny, perfect babies, my heart aching with envy. I had always loved children. I thought they were the most precious things in the world. And now, I couldn’t even have one of my own. “What do you think you’re doing?” A shrill voice cut through my thoughts. A woman in a hospital gown stormed over, shoved me, and glared at me with feral eyes. “Who are you? Are you trying to steal my baby?” 3. Stumbling from the push, I rushed to explain. “You’ve misunderstood. I’m just a patient here for a check-up. The babies are so cute, I was just looking.” The woman clutched her baby tighter, her expression still hostile. “A patient? How do I know you’re not lying? What if you have some contagious disease? What if you infect my child?” “I don’t!” I cried, my voice trembling. “You don’t? Then show me your medical file!” she demanded, lunging for the papers in my hand. I instinctively hid the file behind my back. The words “IVF Report” felt like a brand, a mark of my failure that I didn’t want anyone to see. Especially not now, not when I was already so humiliated. But the more I resisted, the more certain she became. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” she sneered, then lunged again, snatching the report from my grasp. She scanned it quickly, then yelled to the gathering crowd. “Everyone, look! This woman is doing fertility treatments! She can’t have her own kids, so she’s trying to steal mine! She’s a monster!” A sea of eyes turned on me. Curiosity, disdain, a few with pity—each glance was a needle pricking my skin. I clenched my fists, my voice dropping to an icy calm. “That’s a ridiculous accusation. If I wanted a child that badly, I could adopt. Why would I need to steal yours?” Just then, Ivy and my parents arrived. Ivy, cradling her belly, took in the scene. A calculating look flashed in her eyes. She rushed to the woman’s side, placing a gentle hand on her arm. “Ma’am, please don’t be angry. My sister just can’t get pregnant, and she’s very distressed. She saw how lovely your baby is and couldn’t help but look. She didn’t mean any harm.” The woman shot me a contemptuous look. “Look at her face, covered in zits. She’s clearly twisted and full of resentment. A person like that couldn’t raise a child even if she could have one! Who knows what she was really planning?” I was shaking with rage, about to tear into her, when my mother grabbed my arm. “Noelle, you were in the wrong first,” she hissed, her voice laced with impatience. “Stop making a scene and embarrassing us.” I stared at my mother in disbelief. I had been insulted and falsely accused for doing nothing more than looking at a baby, and my own family was telling me I was the problem. Ivy patted my back. “Sister, Mom is just looking out for you. Don’t let it get to you. She’s not worth it.” I looked at my parents’ cold, indifferent faces, at the judging eyes of the strangers around me. All my anger and hurt evaporated, replaced by a crushing sense of powerlessness. I bit my lip, forcing back the tears, and walked away without another word. As I turned a corner down the hall, I heard a familiar voice. It was the new mother. She was standing with her husband. “Honey,” he said, “I don’t think that woman meant any harm. Was it really necessary to go after her like that?” The woman hesitated before confessing. “It… it was another pregnant woman, a Mrs. Prescott. She paid me to do it. Said she’d give me good money if I cooperated.” “I was just thinking about how hard you work,” she mumbled. “I thought it would be easy money for diapers and formula.” Her husband was stunned. “But… aren’t they family? Why would she do that?” The woman shook her head and pulled him away, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Keep your voice down! It’s easy money, who cares?” I felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. I stood frozen, the world tilting on its axis. Ivy… why would you do this?

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Seven years into my marriage, the day I finally discovered I was pregnant, I went to the airport myself to pick up my husband, who had been away for three years. I waited four hours at the airport for Julian Goldsberry, but he didn’t appear. Instead, the girl he kept outside did. “Are you Julian Goldsberry’s secretary? No need to wait, your Mr. Goldsberry was exhausted last night and is still catching up on sleep abroad. Just drop me at the usual place.” I acknowledged her as an assistant, handed her my phone, and watched as she typed in the address of a thirty-million-dollar villa in the suburbs. All the way, she leaned back in the leather seat, playing voice messages from her best friend aloud. “Who says being pretty is useless? Was spending forty thousand on plastic surgery and breast implants worth it? I’ve totally got Mr. Goldsberry wrapped around my finger!” “He not only gave me three fully paid apartments downtown and a Lamborghini, but most importantly, he’s sending me to New York for grad school when I graduate!” “He even promised that if I get pregnant, he’ll give me even more!” Facing her best friend’s skepticism, the girl pouted, looking smug: “The devoted husband persona is all fake, of course. His wife at home is nothing special either.” Suddenly, her phone camera pointed at my face. “See, someone like this, working for Julian Goldsberry, old and faded, probably no one would want her even if she tried to climb into bed, right?” Then the girl nudged my shoulder. “Hey, wouldn’t you say so?” 1. I nodded, agreeing with her words. Then my gaze slowly fell upon her face. The girl’s name was Maya Vance, very young, in her early twenties. She was exquisitely doll-like; the forty thousand dollars had indeed been well spent. She continued talking to her best friend, her voice completely unhidden, “Don’t forget, we’ve known each other for three years!” “Besides, doesn’t Julian Goldsberry like highly educated women? His wife is doing a master’s-doctorate program, right? When he came to our school to give a lecture, he stared at me the whole time, wasn’t it also because I was an outstanding student representative?” Listening to the sweetness in her words, my fingers, gripping the steering wheel, tightened slightly. Just then, Julian Goldsberry called Maya. “You’ve landed? Why didn’t you communicate with me before you left?” To my surprise, Julian Goldsberry’s tone was as if he were talking to a subordinate, his business-like manner showing no hint of being on the phone with his mistress. Less than a minute after the call ended, my phone vibrated again. This time, it was mine. Julian Goldsberry’s voice came through my Bluetooth headset, syrupy, as if he were a different person. “Sweetheart, I have an impromptu meeting today, really can’t make it back.” “Are you home yet? Have you eaten? How’s your appetite lately? I’ll stew you some soup when I get back…” But just ten minutes ago, another girl’s bragging voice still echoed in my ears. “You haven’t seen him in bed! He’s completely different from his usual cold, aloof self!” A wave of nausea suddenly surged in my stomach. It wasn’t morning sickness, but a disgust that churned from the depths of my being. I removed my headset and took a deep breath. Then, Maya held her phone up to me; the screen showed Julian Goldsberry’s chat window. “Miss, your Mr. Goldsberry told you to take my luggage inside. Did you hear?” I said nothing, turned off the engine, and got out of the car. I admit, it was my curiosity at play; I also wanted to see their love nest. The moment I pushed open the door, a youthful vibrancy washed over me. Everywhere I looked was pink. The sofa was piled high with plush toys, and every cabinet displayed action figures. I instinctively looked for Julian Goldsberry’s traces—there were none of his favorite green plants. Nor his beloved wine cabinet or cigar wall. I inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. The painful truth was, I could only rely on finding these seemingly insignificant pieces of evidence he didn’t care about, to barely maintain the illusion that he still loved me. Maya casually tossed her discarded jacket at her feet. “Nice, isn’t it? It’s all decorated in my favorite style.” I clearly saw the necklace above her V-neck, my lips trembling slightly. “That necklace…” Hearing this, Maya leaned closer. “Your boss is quite generous, isn’t he? This is his birthday gift to me. I heard it’s really hard to order.” When Julian Goldsberry gave me mine, he said it was a limited edition, and he only managed to get one. Now, staring at that identical necklace, I suddenly couldn’t tell who between Maya and me was the secondary one. As I turned, my peripheral vision caught the entryway. A huge sticky note was plastered on the wall, stinging my pupils. It was Maya’s class schedule, with several key classes circled in red pen. Beside it were the exam times, precise down to the minute. Julian Goldsberry’s friends always teased him about being a “dad-type” husband. His memo app stored my dietary restrictions, the refrigerator had notes of my monthly check-up times, and he even helped me organize my family members’ medicine boxes. I always thought that was his instinctive love. Turns out, it was just a hobby. Not tired enough being a dad at home, he had to raise another one outside. “Do you want some?” Maya tore open a bag of local jerky. “I just love this beef jerky! The school cafeteria food is so bad, and your Mr. Goldsberry found out, so every Sunday night he has his housekeeper make these snacks and pack them for me.” She took a bite. “I wonder if his wife knows about it.” I stared at the beef jerky in her hand, my nails digging into my palm. Of course not. I even thought Julian Goldsberry liked it, and sometimes I would help the housekeeper cook it. “Miss Vance, do you know that Mr. Goldsberry and his wife have been together for seven years?” “Yes, I know.” Maya blinked, looking innocent. “What does that matter? I don’t want to marry him anyway.” “He gives me money and resources, I make him happy. We both get what we want, you know?” She leaned closer to me. “And think about it, his wife is just a frumpy housewife at home, dealing with daily chores. What passion can a man have when he comes home? I’m different. I’m young and pretty. It’s so much more respectable to bring me out.” She suddenly became excited as she spoke: “A while ago, I accompanied Mr. Goldsberry to a wine tasting, a very high-end one.” “Do you know why he brought me and not his wife?” I looked at her, not taking the bait. “Of course, it’s because I’m presentable.” She tossed her hair. “You probably don’t know what Mr. Goldsberry’s phone wallpaper is, do you? It’s me!” “But his lock screen is his wife, tsk tsk.” “So, men, they’re all good-for-nothing. They want face outside and stability at home.” I lowered my eyes, suddenly feeling a bit ironic. “Alright, you can go upstairs.” Maya waved her hand. “I’ll handle the luggage myself. Thank you, assistant sister.” 2. I turned to leave. But Maya’s words were like a thorn, piercing my mind, causing pain at every turn. In seven years of marriage, I had never checked Julian Goldsberry’s phone. His wallpaper was me; I had always known that. But I never imagined that a woman would live with such a mindset, believing that being young and pretty justified intruding on someone else’s marriage, and saying it so calmly. I felt it wasn’t worth it for her, nor for myself. And even less for the tiny life forming in my belly. As I started the car, my mind was filled with all of Julian Goldsberry’s good qualities. All those good things I thought were unique, belonging only to me. I didn’t sleep well, so he would warm milk for me before bed—a habit he kept for seven years. His phone also had a recipe app. It was full of my favorite dishes, like when to add sugar to sweet and sour pork ribs, and how many minutes to steam crabs. He would also collect movie ticket stubs we’d seen together, like a teenager. How could such a man not love me? But he did the same things for someone else. He delivered meals to Maya, remembered her class schedule to meet her, went shopping with her, and gave her identical gifts to make her happy. I blinked, swallowing the stinging tears back into my eyes. Three days later, Julian Goldsberry returned. Kisses rained down on my face, trailing downwards. “Sweetheart, I missed you so much.” His lips pressed against the hollow of my neck. “Why are you so thin? Were you missing me too much to eat properly?” Who would have thought that the stern man at the company would be like this at home? “I brought you a gift.” He proudly produced a bottle of red wine. “It’s your favorite brand. I went out of my way to pick it up.” “Shall we have some tonight?” I looked at the bottle of wine. Every time he went on a business trip, he would bring back a thoughtful gift for me. I used to ask him how he knew what I liked. Once, he brought back a bracelet, saying he’d overheard me mentioning it casually on the phone with Chloe. He had kept it in mind. But after seeing all those “matching surprises” at Maya’s place, I started to find this bottle of red wine an eyesore. At this very moment, would a bottle also appear simultaneously at that girl’s apartment? Just then, my phone rang. Julian Goldsberry glanced at it, then quickly pressed ignore. It rang again, and he pressed ignore again. When it rang for the third time, I silently brushed his hand away and walked towards the dining table. Julian Goldsberry answered the phone and walked to the balcony. In less than a minute, he returned, offering an explanation. “Company matters, an intern, always causing problems.” I nodded. “Sit down and eat first.” I was ready to confront him. After all, the fate of the baby in my belly needed a decision, right? But just as I was about to speak, his phone vibrated again. This time it was a text message. He looked down at it, his face instantly changed, and he shot up from his chair. “What’s wrong?” Julian Goldsberry’s voice was urgent. “Something urgent came up at the company. I need to go out.” With that, he was already putting on his coat, fumbling for his car keys. I looked at his retreating figure and suddenly spoke, “Let Leo go with you. It’s late, and it’s not convenient to drive alone.” Julian Goldsberry nodded, not refusing. After the door closed, I sat at the dining table and smiled faintly. Leo was my confidant. I also wanted to know what kind of trouble Maya Vance was really brewing, causing such a frantic rush in the middle of the night. “Shay, that girl is pregnant.” Leo called, his tone serious. “Mr. Goldsberry went because of that. They met at the hospital last night and are now eating at a private restaurant.” “Shay, are you okay?” I relaxed my fingers, which had been digging into my palm, and let out a forced sigh of relief. “Where is that private restaurant?” When I arrived, they were still in the private room. The door was ajar, and Maya’s voice drifted out. “Mr. Goldsberry, do you really love your wife that much?” “Her belly hasn’t shown any movement for so long. Have you… have you considered divorce?” A few seconds of silence passed inside. I stood at the doorway, my hand clutching my bag strap. “Mr. Goldsberry, what if you don’t divorce, and she doesn’t accept the baby in my belly? I’m serious. I want to keep this child.” Julian Goldsberry’s voice was filled with exhaustion. “Maya, stop it.” “I’m not making a fuss.” She sounded deeply wronged. “I just don’t understand, what is it about her that you can’t let go of? Didn’t you say she had been with someone else back then? If you despise her so much, why not divorce her?” My whole body stiffened. “Don’t you feel disgusted when you lie beside her?” “Maya.” “Alright, alright, I won’t say it anymore. So, are you going to divorce her or not?” “Not now.” “Then when?” Another stretch of silence. I stood at the doorway, utterly cold. 3. I still remember that night when I received Julian Goldsberry’s call, saying he’d been in a car accident and I needed to come quickly. Later, I was stuck in an alley for nearly an hour. My clothes were torn, but nothing substantial happened. Finally, Julian Goldsberry called the police to rescue me. He even hugged me and said it was okay, it wasn’t my fault. I thought he truly didn’t care. It turned out that incident was a thorn in his heart. Perhaps not getting a clear answer, Maya Vance stormed out angrily, her high heels clacking loudly. I pushed open the door and walked straight in. Julian Goldsberry looked up, a flicker of surprise on his face. When my slap landed, his appeasing hand was still frozen in mid-air. “Were those words just now sincere?” Julian Goldsberry froze, his face instantly changing. “Shay, you’ve misunderstood me. We don’t have that kind of relationship.” “I’ve already caught you. At this point, are you still going to lie to me?” Seeing my serious expression, Julian Goldsberry’s shoulders gradually slumped. “I… those weren’t my true feelings. I was just trying to appease her. I’ll tell you the truth: she’s pregnant and emotionally unstable. I was afraid she’d make a scene, so those were just thoughtless words!” “Shay, don’t you know how good I’ve been to you? It’s been so long since that incident, when have I ever resented you?” “Sweetheart…” His voice trembled as he reached out to pull me closer. “I just wanted a child. I wasn’t serious about her.” I stepped back. “Two choices.” I stared into his eyes, like an detached observer. “Come home with me now, and in front of me, break up with Maya Vance completely.” “Second, we meet at the city hall for divorce.” At my words, Julian Goldsberry grew anxious. “Sweetheart! Listen to me, Maya is emotionally unstable right now, and she’s pregnant!” “You know how much I’ve wanted a child all these years.” “Please, okay? Give me some time. I’ll definitely break up with her…” I took a deep breath. “How long?” “How much time do you need?” “A month? Two months? Or until she gives birth?” Looking at his evasive eyes, I suddenly didn’t want to ask anything anymore. I turned and pushed open the door. An hour later, I was sitting on a hospital bed in the obstetrics and gynecology department.

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During the worst year for our crew’s earnings, Rex, our boss, pointed at a Rolls-Royce with a license plate full of ones. “See that? Hit it.” That crash landed me a stern “father figure.” But the “father figure” in the older, dominant sense. Samuel Kingston was incredibly strict with me, demanding that I never make the same mistake three times, or face punishment. I prided myself on being charming and clever, yet Rex’s betrayal landed me in the police station, forcing me to call Samuel to bail me out. Samuel arrived, looking travel-worn. I was anxious, not daring to meet his gaze. Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded above me: “Lift your head. I’m here to back you up, not to be your judge.” 1 That winter, during the worst year for our crew’s earnings, Rex, our boss, pointed at a Rolls-Royce with a license plate full of ones. “See that? Hit it.” Without a second thought, I hopped on a shared bicycle and sped towards it. Faking an accident? That was my specialty, a piece of cake. I was just about to slip my hand into the driver’s pocket, thinking how to warm it up. The next second. My hands were clamped, and I was thrown in front of the luxury car’s owner. I was about to protest my innocence, but then I saw Samuel Kingston’s face. My knees buckled, and I found myself on the ground before him. He didn’t acknowledge me, simply instructed his men: “Tie them up and throw them in the car.” But ever since I was bound hand and foot and tossed into the car, Samuel hadn’t spared me a single glance. I deliberately wriggled a few times, trying to make some noise, hoping to catch his attention. Yet, he was entirely focused on bandaging a wound. Had he just finished dealing with someone? A chilling thought. I cautiously shuffled towards the corner, muttering a continuous prayer: “Please, if you’ve dealt with them, don’t deal with me, okay?” Just my luck. My mumbling caught Samuel’s attention. He lifted his eyelids, scanning me from head to toe like a prosecutor examining a suspect. His gaze finally settled on my face. “You again?” 2. I awkwardly lowered my head, offering my practiced apology: “My apologies, Mr. Kingston, I swear my eyes must have been blind not to recognize your car. I truly didn’t mean to!” “It’s just… my eighty-year-old grandmother is sick, and I need money for her medical treatment. It’s just her and me at home.” Samuel scoffed. “You said the same thing last time you tried to swipe my watch.” My head sank even lower, and I nervously licked my lips. The wrist bone Samuel had twisted when I was seventeen still throbbed faintly. That was the first time Rex had taken me to a high-end party. He made me change into a waiter’s uniform, pointed at Samuel, who was surrounded by admirers, and said: “See that? Bump into him.” I nodded resolutely, tray in hand, distributing drinks to the group of rich kids. Seizing the moment, as I offered the last drink to Samuel, I deliberately spilled it on him, then feigned remorse, pretending to help him tidy his clothes. In one smooth motion, I pilfered a Patek Philippe watch from his pocket. Mission accomplished, I hid in the restroom to text Rex about it. I tried to curl my lips into a smile, but my wildly thumping heart betrayed my unease. I splashed a handful of cold water on my face, trying to calm myself. Looking up, Samuel’s face was reflected in the water-streaked mirror. My heart skipped a beat. I stared at his indifferent expression, then pretended to be a passerby, turning to brush past him. “Holy cow.” 3. Samuel grabbed my wrist, tightening his grip. I yelped a curse. He twisted my wrists behind my back, his other hand pressing hard against the side of my neck, his knee digging into my lower back, forcing my face to the floor. “The item.” I squeezed out a heavy breath from my throat, protesting, “Sir, I don’t know what you mean.” Samuel chuckled softly, then pulled the belt from my waistband, using it to tie my hands. Once done, he reached into my pockets. “Sir, you can’t accuse me of being a thief without proof and search me like this!” Samuel searched all my pockets but found nothing. He impatiently pinched my chin, asking, “Do you know who I am? Can you handle the consequences of taking my property?” I didn’t know who he was, only that he was Rex’s designated target. I shook my head blankly. Samuel frowned, then pressed hard on my wrist bone, making me clench my teeth in pain. He seemed intent on this standoff, neither letting me go nor calling the police. “I… I know where it is.” I couldn’t endure his torment any longer, so I surrendered, gritting my teeth as I returned the hidden watch to him. “I’m… I’m sorry, sir, I swear I didn’t mean to!” “It’s just that my eighty-year-old grandmother is sick, and I need money for her medical treatment. It’s just her and me at home.” Samuel grunted softly. “Continue.” Continue? I couldn’t quite gauge Samuel’s attitude. Seeing his serious expression, I decided to play the obedient one. “I know what I did was wrong. I promise I’ll change.” Samuel didn’t press the matter further, only offered a few words of advice before leaving. But he didn’t realize that someone like me had no school to attend. 4. Running into Samuel again was the last thing I expected. I looked up, explaining to him: “My grandmother is in the ICU right now and desperately needs money. I truly had no other choice but to resort to this.” Samuel’s sharp gaze softened somewhat. He reached out and gently patted my head. His wound was bandaged with a silk scarf. As he patted my head, the soft fabric of the scarf brushed against my eyelids. I thought he had listened to my words, that he had softened, and would let me go. The next second, he gripped the back of my neck like he was holding a kitten. “Did you think I haven’t investigated you, Ember?” “You’re an orphan, without parents, surrounded only by a bunch of people with bad habits, just like you.” I shook my head, denying, “No, I have family.” He let out a cold laugh, seeing through my pretense. “A habitual liar like you, a stray cat, should be caged and properly disciplined.” My eyes widened at his words. What was this man trying to do?! I had already admitted my mistake, couldn’t he just let me go? I struggled futilely. But Samuel unexpectedly pulled out his phone and took a picture of my struggle. “Why do you have a plum blossom mark on the back of your neck? Could you really be a reborn kitten?” I froze instantly. He raised an eyebrow as if enlightened. “Well, then you’re a stray cat.” 5. It wasn’t until I stepped into the Kingston estate that I realized Samuel was serious this time. The butler, seeing me follow Samuel, immediately came forward. I expected him to say something like, “You’re the first person the young master has brought back.” But his lips parted twice, and as he took in my attire, his composed expression visibly stiffened. However, as he led me upstairs to a room, his expression returned to normal, as if he hadn’t seen me bound. I pursed my lips, rubbing my wrists where the ropes had chafed them red, and my thoughts drifted to the meaningful look Samuel had given me when he said he was keeping the ropes. Meaningful. He’d said the ropes would be useful later. I couldn’t help but shiver. “Young master, the master doesn’t like to be disturbed. Only the two of you live on the second floor.” The butler pointed to a closed door at the end of the corridor, telling me it was Samuel’s room. What did I care? At that moment, I had only one thought: to go home and face Rex’s punishment for failing the mission. My gaze swept past, noticing a slightly ajar door downstairs. The butler said it was his room, and all the Kingston staff lived on the first floor. I nodded thoughtfully, planning when would be the best time to escape. 6. That evening. The usually silent Kingston estate suddenly erupted in a commotion. It seemed that Old Man Miller, the butler, had lost all his gold bracelets, necklaces, and jade bangles—his retirement savings. I subtly frowned, watching them frantically search for the items. As I passed Old Man Miller, he was anxiously wringing his hands and sighing. Seeing me, he forced a smile… “Oh, I’m so sorry, young master, I’ve lost a few things. Did all this searching disturb your sleep?” He gave me an apologetic smile. I reached out and patted his shoulder. My other hand, tucked in my pocket, felt the cold touch of something metallic. “I’ll help you look too. Don’t worry, we’ll definitely find them.” With my hands still in my pockets, I pretended to help Old Man Miller search. The moment my foot crossed the threshold of the main door. Samuel’s voice, devoid of warning, rang out behind me: “Where are you going?” He stood on the staircase, his white shirt sleeves neatly rolled up, revealing his toned forearms—clearly someone who worked out regularly. “I’m helping Old Man Miller look for his things,” I said, turning back, a ingratiating smile playing on my lips. Samuel smiled faintly and tapped his finger lightly on the banister twice. The next second. A group of well-trained men in black suits swarmed in behind me. “Dad, brother!” “You all help Old Man Miller find his things.” Samuel pointed at me. “You, come with me to the study.” My feet wouldn’t move. But the presence of the men in black behind me completely blocked any chance of escape. I could only reluctantly follow Samuel to the study. As soon as he sat down, he demanded I hand over the items. I began to play dumb again, feigning confusion. “Mr. Kingston, I don’t know what items you’re referring to…” 7. I even dramatically patted my pockets, innocently spreading my empty hands towards him. Just as I was feeling smug, a ruler slapped against my palm. I looked up in shock, but was immediately intimidated by Samuel’s imposing presence. “You don’t seriously think I took Old Man Miller’s things, do you? I wouldn’t…” Before I could finish, the ruler ruthlessly struck my palm again. I instantly flared up. I felt like I needed to toughen up, to stand my ground against Samuel. “What, are you going to beat a confession out of me?” I angrily tucked my stinging hand behind my back. I retreated, glancing at the study door out of the corner of my eye, mentally planning to open it, rush downstairs, and bolt out of the Kingston estate. But Samuel gave me no such opportunity. He was a man of brute force, pinning me against the desk and reaching into my pocket to pull out a gold necklace. “You said you didn’t take anything. Then what is this?” I knew then that I couldn’t pull anything off under Samuel’s nose. But I was stubborn; I would never admit it. “I don’t know how that gold necklace flew into my pocket. Maybe it just felt more comfortable with me?” “Hmph,” Samuel sneered, calling his assistant to return the items from my pocket to their rightful owner. “This is the second time. Three strikes and you’re out.” “You don’t control me. So what if I lie, or fake accidents, or take other people’s things? I’m just a bad person.” Ever since I was abducted by traffickers at four, passed from one foster parent to another, and then picked up by Rex and brought to Elm Alley, I had already turned bad. “Next time I catch you, it’s straight to legal consequences.” 8. I genuinely thought my ears were malfunctioning. Samuel released my hand, helped me straighten my disheveled clothes, and then turned to leave. I numbly followed him. “If you really want to punish me, you can call the police.” With a bang, the study door closed, the distinct click of the lock echoing in my ears. “Reflect on your mistakes. When you truly mend your ways, then you can leave.” I instinctively slid to my knees, pleading, “I’ll change, I’ll change, I promise to change everything.” But Samuel wouldn’t listen. He saw me as a habitual offender, a liar, believing that pleading and apologizing were just words. I sat on the chair, fuming, and slammed my hand on the desk. “Fine, you can lock me in the study. I’ll steal all your confidential documents, I’ll make you go bankrupt, I’ll make you beg me to sleep with you.” But Samuel was too smart; his study was filled only with educational books, all about learning and character building, which gave me a headache. After three days, Old Man Miller opened the door and let me out. I sat weakly by the table, watching him busily set out my meal. A strange bitterness welled up in my nose. He smiled as he placed a bowl of hot porridge in front of me. When he bent down, I saw a few new strands of white hair at his temples. I didn’t know what Samuel had told Old Man Miller. I lowered my head, feeling guilty, and silently ate my porridge. Suddenly, my eyes swelled, and a few tears fell, mixing with the porridge. Old Man Miller gave a surprised “Oh?” “Is the porridge not good? I’ll have someone make a fresh bowl right away.” “It’s good, thank you.” Alright, I’ll change. I’ll try my best to be better. “I’m sorry.” The sudden apology caught Old Man Miller off guard. He patted my head and sighed softly, “Good kid.” Behind me, a click sounded. I turned. Samuel was leaning against the wall, holding his phone, taking a picture of me. I quickly lowered my head, thinking Samuel was probably going to extensively document my ugly photos to hold over me later. At that thought, I timidly rolled my eyes at the bowl. 9. Two weeks later, I finally got in touch with Rex. He arranged to meet me at our usual spot. I gave Samuel a vague update on my plans, describing Rex as a childhood friend who shared my struggles. I told him I needed to ‘save’ him. Samuel approved, but insisted I be back by 11 PM, or he’d come looking for me. Knowing his capabilities, I wasn’t about to challenge him, so I playfully texted back: “Mhm (fist emoji) (pity emoji).” Samuel replied with a kitten-petting emoji. For some reason, I felt incredibly identified with it. A short while after putting my phone down, Rex arrived. He was unusually dressed in a black suit today, looking quite respectable, almost making me not recognize him. Rex pulled me into a meal and drinks, pouring out his heart, asking if I wanted to escape Samuel’s control and return to Elm Alley. “That look on your face—you’re not thinking of not coming home, are you? You have to remember, you and I, we’re the same kind of people.” “Rex,” I said, speaking from the heart, “I want to follow Samuel and walk the straight path now. I’ve been reading, taking classes, learning new things lately.” Rex chuckled, patting my shoulder. “Alright, you’re doing so well with Samuel now. Then let’s have you take your old boss home one last time, and after this, we won’t see each other again.” I felt a pang of reluctance as I helped Rex back to Elm Alley. His mood wasn’t as high as it had been during dinner; he swayed even with my support. Suddenly, a blinding light shone from behind us. Cracking footsteps approached, and I vaguely heard shouts of “Thief!” and “Don’t move!” Rex gave me a deep look. I tried to reassure him, “It’s not our business. I’ll just take you home.” The words had barely left my lips when he shoved me to the ground, punching me directly in the face. My eyes widened in confused shock, my eyelids trembling uncontrollably. Rex tightened his fist, then, seeing the approaching people, he stopped mid-action, turning to the police and the victim. “This person was walking suspiciously, and when you called out, they bolted. Look, is this what you lost?” Rex held up a diamond ring. The victim’s face lit up with relief and ran over, clutching the ring. But the look she gave me was filled with resentment and hatred. “I didn’t take it.” I had promised Samuel I would be better. “If you didn’t take it, did this gentleman here? He’s wearing a thousand-dollar suit, and your whole outfit probably costs less than a hundred. Who’s going to believe you?” “It really wasn’t me…” “You don’t look that old. What, not learning anything good at such a young age? Don’t your parents care about you at all? Born with parents, but not raised by them?” 10. I silently lowered my eyes, standing beside the police officer’s desk where I was being interrogated. Rex glanced at me, his expression cold and distant, as if we truly were strangers. While he gave his statement, the victim, grateful to him, cursed at me non-stop. “Officer, you really should lock him up for a few days, give him a good education, so he doesn’t cause trouble again when he gets out.” The officer looked at me, asking me to contact a family member. “Parent’s name, phone number.” I clenched my fists, hesitantly picking at my palms. “Samuel Kingston, the number is…” I kept my head down, completely unaware that as I uttered Samuel’s name, everyone’s expressions changed dramatically. Rex swiftly put down his pen. “Officer, I’m finished. If you don’t need anything else, I’ll be leaving. My wife and children are waiting for me at home.” The victim’s mouth dropped open in astonishment, her face full of disbelief. “How is that possible… I never heard that Samuel Kingston had such a grown-up… illegitimate child?!” The scrutinizing gazes swept over me repeatedly. The victim clutched her chest. “Maybe it’s just a coincidence, same name.” Not long after, I saw Rex return, thinking he’d had a change of heart. Instead, I heard Samuel’s familiar voice. “To condemn someone without even fully investigating the truth, isn’t that against protocol?” Samuel suddenly smiled politely and gently. The surrounding air pressure abruptly dropped and grew cold. I nervously clasped my hands behind my back, not daring to meet Samuel’s eyes, afraid to see the indifference and disappointment in his gaze. And the “I knew it” expression he’d surely wear. Samuel walked to my side, his hand lightly touching the top of my head. “Raise your head. I’m here to back you up, not to be your judge.”

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My boyfriend’s mother was in a car accident. He said he was away on a business trip and couldn’t come back. I gave up a concert of my favorite idol to take care of her. Only to then see a new post from his secretary on social media. In the photo, the two of them were beaming under dazzling lights, and my boyfriend’s gaze at her held an undeniable tenderness. The caption read: “Want to hold your hand, from first blush to old age, and to the very end.” I quietly liked and commented: “Humans have sorrow and joy, separation and reunion. Cattle and horses adorn life.” 1. When I caught Karl Miller taking another woman to a concert, I was still diligently taking care of his mother in the hospital. All because, before he left for his trip, he had said, “When I get back, we’ll go get our marriage license. Our life is our own; if we don’t get blessings, so be it.” Our families were vastly different. His was an intellectual, high-society family, with parents who looked down on humble backgrounds like mine. They always thought I was with Karl for his money, so they disliked everything about me. This time, his mother had an unexpected car accident and was hospitalized, with no one around to care for her. Karl saw this as a good opportunity for me to prove myself, so he specifically told me about it. At the time, I thought that no matter what, she was still Karl’s mother. After marriage, we’d see each other often, so helping to take care of her was no big deal. But I never imagined that the man who had solemnly promised to marry me would now use a business trip as an excuse to accompany another woman to a concert. It was truly ironic. “Autumn, given your excellent performance recently, I’ve decided to grant you and Karl my blessing. You two aren’t getting any younger, don’t keep waiting. Go get your license when he comes back.” Karl’s mother said this with an arrogant air, her words implying it was a great favor. My thoughts snapped back, and I composed myself. I stared at her unblinkingly. “No need, ma’am.” “What?” She gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief, apparently not expecting my immediate refusal. “Didn’t you come to care for me recently just to earn my favor? Now I’ve given my approval…” My initial intention was indeed to gain her acceptance. But now, none of that mattered. I slowly stood up, took a deep breath, “Because I broke up with him. On second thought, we truly weren’t a good match. I’m sorry, we’re broken up now, and I can’t continue to care for you. You should hire a caregiver as soon as possible.” With that, I grabbed my bag and left. Walking out of the hospital room, I pulled out my phone. My messages with Karl stopped at my query from half an hour ago, asking when he would return. He still hadn’t replied. My heart felt like it was blocked by a large stone, neither rising nor falling. After two seconds of daze, I sent another message. Brief and to the point, I said we were breaking up. And this time, he replied instantly. But it was only a question mark. I glanced at it, ignoring it. Since I had broken up with him, there was no reason for me to stay at his place. I quickly packed my bags and moved out. The apartment he lived in alone was bought only after we started dating, and the interior decoration was all according to my preferences. No exaggeration, every corner of that home bore my personal touch. It was just a shame, if it wasn’t mine, it wasn’t mine in the end. I couldn’t find an apartment to rent temporarily, so I decided to move in with my single best friend. Seeing my sudden arrival, her eyes flashed with surprise. “Are you moving?” “Yes, Karl and I broke up.” I stated the fact calmly. Candy Vance sighed, about to ask something. Karl suddenly called. 2. As soon as I answered the phone, his accusing words came through from the other end. “Autumn, what on earth is wrong with you? You just left my mother alone. She’s all alone in the hospital, isolated and helpless. If anything happens, can you take responsibility?” I don’t know if it was because my idealized image of him had shattered, but hearing those words felt incredibly grating. My face turned cold, and I said nonchalantly, “Are you dead? Why should I, an outsider, take care of her?” Karl froze. A moment later, he softened his tone and gently appeased, “I know you’ve been wronged by my mother. You’ve worked hard these past few days. I’ll compensate you well when I get back. Can you please go back to the hospital to take care of your future mother-in-law?” In the past, hearing the term ‘future mother-in-law’ would make me shy. But now, it only disgusted me. “Are you illiterate? If so, let me remind you again: we’re broken up. Do you understand what ‘broken up’ means?” My words were laced with cold sarcasm. Karl heard the finality in my voice and fell silent. Finally, he said stiffly, “You’re unstable right now. Let’s talk after you’ve calmed down.” With that, he directly hung up the call. And I immediately deleted all his contact information. From then on, I completely exited his life. Candy hesitated for a moment, then asked, “You worked so hard for so long, are you really willing to give up?” Karl and I had been together for four years. Couples who’d been together for four years. Either they were already married, or they had long gone their separate ways. But we were still stuck. He always said that if we didn’t have his parents’ approval, I would be easily bullied if I married into his family. So he wanted to try harder, to get the blessings of both parents. It was precisely because of this that he suddenly changed his tune this time. I was overjoyed, even beginning to fantasize about our future together. But after finding out what I did, I started to doubt myself. “What’s there to regret? It’s just like you said before, if he really wanted to marry me, he would have done it already. Why does he always come up with various excuses?” “But didn’t you just say you were going to get your license when he came back from this business trip?” I calmly told her about him taking another woman to the concert. Candy first froze, then became furious. “What does he mean by this? You’re working like a dog for his mother, while he’s out having a blast with someone else? Does he think he’s some kind of emperor, wanting to have his cake and eat it too?” “So, I gave up.” I gave up on this four-year relationship. I gave up on any future involving him. I let out a long, clear sigh. “It’s fine. It’s not like I can’t live without him.” These words sounded more like self-comfort. I stayed at Candy’s place, and that night, we drank to our heart’s content. The next morning, I woke up having thrown all the unpleasantness out of my mind. I fully immersed myself in my work. “Dr. Hayes, I have good news for you. The department’s advanced training spots are out, and you’re one of them! The head of the department should be coming to talk to you soon.” I had just finished my morning rounds when a colleague excitedly brought the news. I wasn’t surprised by this result. But I couldn’t help but feel happy. “That’s indeed good news. Thank you for telling me. Once the official notice comes out, I’ll treat you to dinner.” “Then I’ll be waiting! But if you go for advanced training, won’t you be in a long-distance relationship with your boyfriend? Long-distance relationships are the hardest.” I pursed my lips, shaking my head. “I broke up with him.” 3. “What? You and your boyfriend have been together since college, such an enviable couple, why would you suddenly break up?” “It just suddenly felt like we weren’t a good match…” My words hadn’t even finished when there was a knock on the office door. I looked up to see a tall, elegant figure standing in the doorway. Karl Miller exuded an inherent coolness, with a hint of detachment in his handsome eyes. My colleague gasped, then chuckled awkwardly, “You two chat, I’ll be going now.” She hurried away. Suddenly, only the two of us were left in the office. I composed myself, stating indifferently, “This is my break time. Please make an appointment after 2 PM if you need to see me.” “Autumn, we need to talk.” He walked over with light steps, his deep black eyes fixed on me. “There’s nothing for us to talk about.” I calmly took off my white coat, grabbed my ID badge, and headed for the cafeteria. But as I passed him, he grabbed my arm. Karl’s expression was tense, a flicker of impatience in his eyes. “What exactly are you making a fuss about?” “Let go.” I said coldly, not even bothering to look at him properly. “Autumn, my patience has limits. While I’m not angry yet, speak properly.” Hearing that, I laughed in anger. I cast a cold glance at him. “I’ll just ask one thing: what exactly were you doing the day before yesterday?” Karl’s expression stiffened, a fleeting hint of guilt in his eyes. “I was on a business trip. What else would I be doing besides work?” I clearly caught his guilt, and a coldness seeped into my heart. We used to tell each other everything. But I don’t know when it started. It seemed there was a transparent barrier between us. We began to have our own secrets. “Karl Miller, honestly, you’re quite disappointing.” The four years I invested, because of his words, now felt like a complete joke. I didn’t ask him to be completely transparent about everything. I just asked for a bottom line on such fundamental issues. But he still disappointed me. Karl’s face showed impatience, his brows tightly furrowed. “Just say what you mean, why beat around the bush?” I looked him directly in the eyes, stating each word clearly: “Because of you, I missed my idol’s concert. And you, you took another woman, using tickets I bought, to see it. Karl Miller, if it were you, how would you feel?” Upon hearing this, he seemed to grasp the situation, then looked at me with an unreadable, complex expression. “My business dinner just happened to be near the concert venue. After the dinner, I figured I shouldn’t waste the ticket money, so I just went to watch.” “Such a small matter, and you’re still nitpicking?” I pressed my lips together, not speaking. In his eyes, such a small amount of money was insignificant. But these were front-row tickets I had painfully bought with a month’s salary. Just so I could go to a concert with him. A hint of mockery flashed in my eyes, and I said with disgust, “Karl Miller, sometimes you truly sicken me.” Karl was stung by my words; his breathing grew heavier, and the way he looked at me also changed. He was wondering why I was suddenly being so unreasonable. “Autumn, can you please change this petty, small-minded attitude of yours? It’s just two concert tickets, tell me how much, and I’ll pay you back.” 4. “Four hundred and eighty dollars. PayPal it.” Saying that, I directly pulled out my phone, found my QR code, and handed it over. Karl’s eyes clearly held disbelief, seemingly not expecting me to actually ask him for money. I’m generous with my own people, but that doesn’t mean I’m a pushover. Moreover, we’ve already broken up; there’s no longer any relationship between us. He owed me this money. “Hurry up, I need to go eat.” I gestured with my phone, urging him to be quick. Karl laughed in anger, then, as if in a fit of pique, he transferred a thousand dollars to me. Hearing the PayPal notification. My eyebrows twitched. I did the math and refunded him the excess money. At this, his face flushed with irritation, and he gritted his teeth, looking at me. “Are you really going to draw a line between us?” “We broke up. I won’t take what’s not mine.” “Fine, then you give me back everything I’ve ever given you.” He nearly bit through his teeth, his eyes burning with fury as he glared at me. I said without changing my expression, “Those things are at your place. I didn’t take them. You can go back and count them. As for the money, you can send me the bill, and I’ll repay what’s owed.” Hearing him say that, not a ripple stirred in my heart. I even felt a little relieved that I hadn’t taken those things when I moved out. Otherwise, returning them now would have been incredibly undignified. Karl’s face completely darkened. “Autumn, do you really want to make a scene?” After saying so much, I was also getting impatient. I glanced at the time; if I didn’t go to the cafeteria now, I probably wouldn’t even get soup. I couldn’t be bothered with him, so I pulled my hand free and turned to walk towards the door. Just then, a delicate figure peeked through the doorway. “Mr. Miller, I’ve finished my check-up.” It was his secretary, Maya Vance. Maya’s eyes flashed with surprise when she saw me. Then she straightened up, smiling as she greeted, “Ms. Hayes, long time no see.” Hearing her feigned words, I showed no mercy. “Didn’t I just see you on social media the day before yesterday?” At these words, the smile on her face almost faltered. Her eyes, bright and moving, shifted between Karl and me. She bit her red lip and said, “Ms. Hayes, you seem to be in a bad mood. Am I interrupting you?” “No, I’m interrupting you two. You both take your time.” Saying that, I was about to step away when Karl’s angry voice came through, “Don’t mind her. She’s been acting crazy lately.” As his words fell, he strode quickly to the doorway. After giving me a cold glance, he said in a deep voice, “Autumn, I’ll give you three days. Think it over and then come find me.” With that, he quickly left with Maya. However, I didn’t miss the challenging look she gave me as she departed. He was always like this, never realizing his mistakes. No matter whose fault it was, it was always me who had to swallow my pride, admit I was wrong, and coax him. Because he knew I liked him, that’s why he was so reckless. But now, I was tired. Thinking this, I took a deep breath. I cast aside the unpleasantness and went to the cafeteria for lunch. As soon as I finished getting my food and sat down at an empty table, I pulled out my phone to scroll through social media. I saw Maya’s post from a minute ago. She had posted a photo from Karl’s mother’s hospital room. I don’t know what they talked about, but Karl’s usually stern mother was beaming with a genuine smile. And her caption read: “So happy to be praised by my boss’s mom! She said she wished she had a daughter-in-law like me. Thank you, ma’am, for your recognition.”

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When I was five, Dad brought Arya back from Grandma and Grandpa’s farm and told me, “Mindy, you have to protect Arya. She’s the only real princess in our family!” Looking at her, skinny and with dark, shadowed eyes, I barely understood. Dad took the cloth doll from my hand and put it into hers. “Arya’s had a tough life. This doll is for her. Dad will buy you another one.” I agreed, giving the doll to Arya. But I didn’t know that for the next twenty years, I’d have to keep giving way, again and again. 1 The doll was in Arya’s hands, and Dad forgot to buy me a new one. In the end, Mom bought me one. But as soon as I got it, Arya saw it. She snatched it away, screaming, “That’s mine!” “No, Mom bought this for me!” I just reached out my hand when she pinched my arm hard. I instantly shrieked in pain. Grandma rushed over to separate us. Seeing my arm already bruised purple, she angrily swatted Arya’s bottom a couple of times. Dad saw it and immediately pulled Arya into his arms, his face grim. “Mom, how could you treat Arya like that? She wasn’t favored at her grandma’s, and now she’s getting hit here? If you can’t treat them equally, then don’t come around anymore!” Grandma trembled with rage. “Didn’t you see Mindy’s arm? Arya pinched it purple!” Dad just glanced at it. “So what? Kids fighting is normal. Mom, if you can’t be fair, then go back to your country estate!” Grandma was so furious she left that very day. Arya, still in Dad’s arms, shot me a smug smile. I didn’t understand. I had already given her my toy. Why did she still want to snatch mine? Dad ruffled my hair. “Mindy, Arya grew up in the countryside and had a hard time. We need to make it up to her.” I didn’t get it. Why did she having a hard time mean I had to make it up to her? That evening, Mom came home from work and saw the large bruise on my fair arm. She had a huge fight with Dad. The next morning, Mom specially made me an egg custard, while Arya got a hard-boiled egg. I couldn’t eat egg yolks, so Mom used this method to give me nutrients. But Arya saw it and threw a tantrum. “I want egg custard too! I want it!” Dad’s face darkened. “Diana, what’s wrong with making one more egg custard!” He directly reached out and placed my egg custard in front of Arya. But he didn’t give me the hard-boiled egg. I watched Arya mash the egg custard into a pulpy mess with her spoon, but she didn’t eat it in the end. The cold egg custard had a fishy smell, and I couldn’t swallow it at all. Mom was angry. She hugged me and took me to daycare. Thankfully, Arya was three years older than me. She was starting elementary school and wouldn’t be in my class. But good times didn’t last. I turned six and it was time to register for school. Mom bought me a new backpack with a “Sailor Moon” design. I was thrilled and put it by my bed. But the next morning, I woke up to find my backpack replaced with Arya’s old one, covered in watercolor scribbles. I immediately burst into tears. Mom wasn’t home from her night shift yet, and Dad impatiently snapped, “Mindy! What are you crying about! Your sister never had such a nice backpack when she was little. She’s the little princess of the house, let her use it first!” My face was streaked with tears, but I wouldn’t agree. Dad twisted my ear and made me stand in the corner. I wailed so loud the whole apartment building could hear me. Arya stuck her tongue out at me. “Mindy, I’m the princess, you’re the ugly servant girl. Where I come from, younger siblings get hand-me-downs from older ones!” She went to school with my new backpack, and that day I dragged the old one, crying and sweating, and didn’t even go to registration. Mom found out when she came home from work. She immediately rushed out to buy me another one, then came back and started yelling at Dad. “Mark Smith, you’re hopelessly biased! Mindy is your daughter too, how could you be so heartless as to let her cry until her voice gave out!” “She’s so young and already comparing herself! What’s wrong with an old backpack!” Dad forgot that Arya had a brand new backpack when she started first grade. 2 That day, Mom held me close and slept with me in the small bed, leaving Arya with Dad. She ignored Arya’s tearful pleas. Nestled in Mom’s arms, I felt incredibly warm. Mom coaxed me to sleep. For three days after that, she gave Dad the cold shoulder. Dad simply requested overtime, and they were in a silent war for days. Eventually, Mom softened, cooking a delicious meal, and Dad came home on time. I also breathed a sigh of relief, because Mom had been secretly crying every day, and I didn’t want her to be sad. After this, Arya became even more aggressive. When I was in third grade, Arya graduated from elementary school. On graduation day, Dad bought Arya a princess dress, layers of pink tulle, making her look just like a little princess. She looked at me triumphantly. “Mindy, do you like it?” I nodded repeatedly. “I do!” “Then you can have it when I outgrow it!” I tugged at the hem of my shirt. Actually, I didn’t want her hand-me-downs. Arya’s clothes were always baggy and worn, as if on purpose. Every time she got rid of clothes, they either had holes or stains. Mom chose to work out of town for extra pay and benefits. I also didn’t want to see her hard-earned money go to waste. Because whenever she bought me new clothes, Arya would throw a huge fit, even though Mom always bought two of everything. Mom stroked my head. “When our Mindy graduates, Mom will buy you a dress too.” I smiled through my tears, not seeing the fleeting resentment in Arya’s eyes. But I was happy, because Arya was going to junior high. She told Dad she wanted to go to the best junior high in our city. Dad listened to her and went to inquire at the prestigious Central City Academy. It turned out there was an expensive tuition fee. That money sparked a long argument between Mom and Dad. It was money Mom had been saving to buy a house. “Mark Smith, the children are getting older. They both need their own rooms. Look at Mindy, she’s practically squeezed onto the balcony. How can you be so heartless!” Dad, however, said, “Arya needs to go to junior high. She’s our little princess. You know how good the resources are at Central City Academy.” Mom argued fiercely, “Arya’s academic foundation isn’t good. She won’t be able to keep up at all.” But she still couldn’t convince Dad. He took the money, pushed Mom aside, and left without looking back. Mom knelt on the floor, weeping inconsolably. “Mark Smith! Mark Smith, come back!” His answer was the sound of the door slamming. My mom, her eyes red, held me close. Arya stood by, saying, “Mom, am I your real daughter? Why won’t you let me go to Central City Academy?” My mom looked at her, saying nothing, her face ashen. She applied for an overseas assignment to earn more money. That same day, Dad came home and told Arya she had been accepted. “Dad spent a lot of money to get you in, Arya. You must study hard.” Arya was overjoyed, and her gaze at me held an added hint of triumph. The next day, Dad went out to borrow money to buy Arya a whole new wardrobe. I pinched the tattered cuffs of my pants, which were fraying into threads, and walked up to Dad. “Dad, I want a new pair of pants too. Mine are all torn.” Dad pushed me hard! “All you know is spending money! If they’re torn, just patch them up. Little girl, you’re so picky about what you eat and wear, it’s clear your mind isn’t on your studies.” I cried. Arya, munching on an apple, watched me. “Dad, she’s crying so loud the whole building can hear. People will talk about you again!” At that, Dad raised his hand and slapped me, shouting, “If you make another sound, I’ll kill you!” Half my face went numb, my ears buzzed, and I watched Dad’s mouth open and close, hearing nothing. I was scared, but I didn’t dare cry out loud, tears streaming down my face. 3 During the summer break, Mom came back to see me. She saw me squatting downstairs, watching ants, and called my name from a distance, but I didn’t turn around. Mom thought I was too engrossed, until she stood behind me and called me, her voice growing louder with each call, before I slowly turned. Seeing her, I instantly threw myself into her arms. “Mom!” Mom looked down at me, hardly believing her eyes. “Mindy, why are you dressed like this?” The clothes I was wearing were Arya’s, and she had drawn on them so much that the original color couldn’t be washed out. My exposed arms and legs were covered in mosquito bites, and I had sensitive skin, so every bite left a scar. My hair was a messy, haphazard bun. At first glance, I looked like a little street urchin. If it weren’t for the fact that I was the only child of my age in our apartment building, Mom would barely have recognized me. She took me home, washed me clean, put me in a new dress, styled my hair into pretty braids, and even gave me hair clips and flowers. I was so excited, I immediately ran out to find my friends. From afar, I saw Arya playing jump rope with a group of kids, and I ran over too. “Mindy looks so pretty today!” As I got closer, I heard their words. I nodded and said loudly, “My mom’s back, and she bought this for me!” I looked like Mom, with fair skin and an oval face. Arya resembled Dad, with a rounder face and darker skin; she didn’t look as good in a dress as I did. Hearing this, she rushed over, grabbed my braid, yanked off my hair flower, and then tightly clutched my dress. I was no match for her. I couldn’t help but cry. The neighbors who saw it didn’t dare come over to intervene. Because they had tried before, and Dad had stormed into their homes and smashed things up. Now, no one dared to meddle in our family affairs. In the end, I was no match for Arya. She cut my hair into ragged pieces with scissors and tore my dress. She smiled triumphantly at me, “Mindy, I told you, you’re only fit to wear my old clothes!” Back home, Mom was stunned. Her eyes immediately landed on the scissors in Arya’s hand. After finding out what happened, Mom picked up a broom and went to hit her. Just then, Dad came home and snatched the broom away. “Diana, what are you doing!” “Mark Smith, when I’m not home, this is how you teach our children? Look what she did to Mindy!” Dad, however, protected Arya. “Kids fight, what’s the big deal! Besides, why was Mindy showing off? Isn’t she just vain!” “I wasn’t, Mom, it hurts, and I can’t hear anything in my ear anymore!” I cried inconsolably in Mom’s arms. Mom was terrified and took me to the hospital. Dad, though, said, “She’s just faking it!” Mom didn’t listen to him. She insisted on taking me to the hospital. After an examination, they discovered I was deaf in my right ear. “It’s a shame. You came too late. How can you parents be so irresponsible!” “The child’s ear injury was caused by external force!” The doctor’s words made Mom cry bitterly. I wiped the tears from her face and told her that Dad had hit me. “Mom, I don’t want to live with them anymore. I want to go with you, even if we have no bed to sleep on!” My crying broke Mom’s heart. She took me home and saw Dad and Arya eating. She walked directly into the room, only to find that there was no longer a place for me in the room. I was sleeping on a wooden board set up in the living room. Mom trembled with rage. She walked over, flipped the table over, and slapped Dad hard! “Mark Smith, we’re getting a divorce!”

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I found out Selene Blackwood was seeing another man. I was calmer than I expected. After finding his address, I drove straight to his place, intending to confront him. But when I actually stood in the man’s living room, I froze. “This house cost a million six hundred thirty thousand, Selene paid in full, and it’s in my name.” The man’s expression was calm, as if he’d expected me. He walked out of the bedroom, holding a marriage certificate, and placed it before me. “Last month, Selene and I got married.” “So,” the man looked at me, his eyes filled with disdain, “legally, you’re the illegitimate third party.” The marriage certificate stung my eyes. I remembered, Selene and I had been together for fifteen years. Fifteen years, and no marriage certificate. Instead, I got a “third party.” 1 “Peter Holland.” The man’s fair fingers rested on Selene’s section of the marriage certificate, his tone dismissive. “You have no right to be here, and no standing to put on airs in front of me, understand?” The marriage certificate in his hand was like a trophy. He stood there, like a refined, wealthy young lord. I recognized the watch on his wrist. Selene and I had bid for it together at an auction last month. Selene had said it was my fifteenth anniversary gift. But the day before our anniversary, Selene frantically told me the bracelet was missing. Her eyes were filled with guilt, so much so that they reddened as she told me, “Darling, I’ll get you something even better.” She stroked the calluses on my hand, tears of heartache falling. “These past years, you’ve suffered so much with me. When the company successfully goes public this time, we’ll get married, okay?” “Darling,” Selene hugged me, “I want to marry you, I want to have a home with you.” I believed her. I thought Selene and I were finally reaching that point. I felt that these years with Selene, building everything from nothing, had been worth it. That I had handed in a satisfactory report card for my life and that we would live out our days peacefully. Now. I looked at the sparkling diamonds on the watch, like countless tiny needles piercing my heart, making it ache so much I could barely stand. Yet I tried to maintain my composure. “So what?” I pulled the marriage certificate from his hand, looking at “Peter Holland” written in the groom’s name section. My eyes met his flawless face and his visibly surprised expression, and I smiled. “Are you trying to tell me that after fifteen years with Selene, it’s finally my turn to step aside so you can have a good life?” “Peter,” I traced the photo on Peter’s ID, smiling, “what makes you think I’d just hand over all the hard work I’ve put in all these years?” I watched Peter visibly panic, rushing to snatch back the marriage certificate. I dodged him, and he stumbled, hitting a cabinet, letting out a sharp cry. “Adrian Owen!” “Are you insane?!” Peter finally dropped his facade, shouting at me. “Are you actually going to ruin Selene and my relationship? Are you going to be an illegitimate mistress who can’t stand the light of day?!” “Adrian Owen!” “Have you no shame?!” Before Peter could charge at me to fight, I calmly pulled out my phone, photographed the marriage certificate, and quickly sent it to Selene, telling her: “Selene.” “I heard you got married.” “Why wasn’t I invited to the wedding?” “Adrian Owen!” “Darling!” The call had already connected. In the living room, Selene’s voice echoed. “I can explain!” 2 “It’s all a misunderstanding!” “Darling!” A rustle came from Selene’s end, followed by the sound of a car door closing. “I’m coming over now to find you.” “Don’t panic.” “Let’s talk when I get there.” Selene was still talking. Peter, beyond exasperation, screamed into the phone. “Selene! Whose wife are you?! Whose side are you on?!” Peter’s desperate voice echoed in the living room. I looked around the house again. The decor was very cozy—light blue curtains, creamy white sofa, and an entire wall filled with blind boxes. Even the refrigerator had little fortune gods and couplets stuck on it. The pink cartoon slippers by the shoe rack were clearly a matching pair with the ones on Peter’s feet. Even on the pristine white walls, there were many photos of Peter, often with a few photos of Selene’s back mixed in. It was clear. The person who decorated this house had poured a lot of heart into it. A million six hundred fifty thousand. Paid in full. Peter’s name. Peter’s watch. Three million. It was supposed to be my wedding anniversary gift. And Peter’s silk pajamas, and his fair, clean hands, and the tea set on the coffee table, and the tea brand—none of it was cheap. Every item. Spoke of luxury. Every item. I looked down at my own hands, at the calluses on my palms from years of hard work, and at my clothes and shoes, worth less than a thousand dollars in total. Suddenly, I found it quite laughable, so laughable that I actually started to laugh out loud. “Selene.” I interrupted Selene’s voice. “Since you’re already married,” I glanced one last time at the marriage certificate in Peter’s arms, “then there’s nothing left to say between us.” I didn’t wait for Selene. I didn’t need to hear Selene’s explanations. I only knew. My fifteen years of effort had become a joke. Selene had made me the biggest clown in that joke. I sat in my friend’s law office, placing that marriage certificate on the table. After telling my friend everything I knew, I only asked him. “In this situation,” “How much of a chance do I have?” My tone remained calm, as if discussing everyday matters. “Selene and I started from nothing. Our company shares are equal, assets are split fifty-fifty, all transparent. But then there’s Peter.” I tapped the table, remembering the three-million-dollar bracelet and the one-point-six-million-dollar house. “I don’t want anyone to benefit unfairly.” “Walking over my blood and sweat, enjoying the fruits of my labor—there’s no such easy ride in this world, and it’s simply not right!” I told my friend. “I want them to pay the price!” “But,” my friend, though angry, still adopted a professional tone. “Your company is at a critical point for going public. A scandal right now…” “I don’t care.” “Then that’s enough!” My friend patted his chest, promising. “I will help you all the way.” 3 Emerging from the bank, I sat in the car, looking at dozens of pages of transaction records. The amounts Selene transferred to Peter ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, each followed by a note: “Voluntary gift.” My chest felt tight, a suffocating sensation gripping my throat, making my eyes sting and burn. I remembered, I too envied others who dressed up. I also, like those young men, made appointments for beauty treatments and got my hair done. I’d come home and deliberately show off in front of Selene, hoping she would compliment me for caring about my appearance. The result. Selene merely met my expectant gaze with indifference. “Darling.” “I know our lives are getting a little better,” Selene grabbed my hand, shaking her head disapprovingly. “But the worst thing a person can do is forget their roots.” “We can’t be extravagant just because things are a bit better, right?” “What if things get tough again someday? How will you adapt?” “Darling,” Selene hugged me close, “I still like you simple.” All my expectations turned into smoke. Selene’s words, like a bucket of cold water, drenched me head to toe, leaving me stunned, even forgetting to react. I just watched as Selene unceremoniously smashed my only bottle of perfume, saying, “What’s the use of something so impractical?” Yes. Impractical things. What good are they? But Peter, dressed in impractical finery, looked like he belonged to another world, perfect, like a young lord from a wealthy family. The laughable thing was, every penny spent on Peter’s adornments came from my blood, sweat, and tears over the years. Why? Tears still fell uncontrollably. I wiped them away fiercely. Seeing Selene’s persistent calls, I finally answered. “Darling?” “You finally picked up!” “Thank goodness!” Selene’s anxious voice came through. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Where have you been? Can we talk about everything face-to-face, please?” “Adrian, we’ve been together for fifteen years!” “Not fifteen days! You can’t hide from me like this—” “Selene.” I suppressed the ache in my throat, my voice still calm. “Let’s meet.” I told Selene. “At that house in Northside, let’s meet.” The other end clearly froze. A few seconds of silence. “Alright.” “Darling, I’ll head over now,” Selene’s voice was surprised, yet relieved. “I’ll pick up the soup dumplings from your favorite place and bring them!” Before I could refuse, Selene had already hung up. I turned to meet my friend’s worried gaze. “I’m fine.” I forced a smile. “Don’t worry.” It had been almost five years since Selene and I moved out of that house. I looked at the now weathered, old door and remembered how, when we first moved here from the basement, Selene and I had lovingly decorated this house together. Selene had said then, “Darling, this is our first home. It means something different!” “Later, when we’re old, if you’re willing, we’ll come back here to retire!” “Every year, we’ll come back to stay for a few days, okay?” At the time, my heart was full of joy, feeling my life was truly worthwhile. Now, just a few years later. Everything had changed. 4 I pushed open the door. Selene was already up from the sofa. “Darling!” Selene, like a child seeking praise, picked up the prepared soup dumplings and handed them to me. “They’re still warm.” Before, I always said I loved soup dumplings, loved how Selene would queue up for them before dawn every day. Later, when I mentioned soup dumplings again, Selene only offered dismissive excuses. “Adrian.” “Time is money. How can I have so much leisure time to queue for so long just to buy you dumplings?” Now, the soup dumplings reappeared before me, but somehow, they no longer looked so appetizing. “Selene.” I ignored Selene’s eagerness, walked past her, and sat on the sofa. The old sofa groaned, incomparable to Peter’s. “Do you remember this sofa?” I looked at Selene. “You and I went to the secondhand market and spent two days looking for it.” “Because we couldn’t afford to hire someone to deliver it,” I said, as if recounting a trivial matter, “I borrowed a handcart. You held the armrest, and we brought it home together in forty-degree summer heat, taking two and a half hours.” “Back then, you said this sofa, no matter how much money we had, could never be replaced.” “It was proof of our love.” Selene’s eyes flickered, unwilling to meet mine. I simply picked up the remote control from the coffee table. The remote was wrapped in tape; Selene had accidentally dropped it when she was drunk. I couldn’t bear to replace it, so I bought tape and wrapped it. I traced the tape on the remote. “But the truth is, things have changed, haven’t they?” “No, they haven’t!” Selene rushed to me, explaining. “It’s not like that!” Selene’s eyes reddened, just like every time before; whenever she was anxious, her eyes would well up. “Peter and I were an accident!” “I don’t love him!” “I swear!” Selene half-knelt before me, reaching to take my hand, but I turned away, watching her eyes flash with hurt, then she spoke. “I was drunk at the dinner party. I don’t even know how Peter ended up at the hotel. When I woke up, I was actually scared! I didn’t lie to you!” Selene’s tears fell. “I was afraid you’d find out and break up with me, that you’d be angry. I didn’t know how to face you!” “I just—” “How long?” “What?” “How long,” my voice remained flat, “have you been with Peter?” Selene suddenly fell silent. She met my eyes, watching me for a long time before speaking with difficulty. “Three and a half years.” I remembered Selene saying she wanted to come back and stay for a few days every year. But later, Selene always said she didn’t have time. Turns out, it wasn’t that she didn’t have time. It was just that all her time was spent elsewhere, given to someone else. My heart ached, and then I heard Selene explain further. “I wanted to break up, but Peter clung to me. He kept saying his family wasn’t well off, that his parents loved his brother more. I just felt sorry for him…” Selene’s voice trailed off. In the end, even she lacked the conviction to utter those final words. “Also.” “I’m pregnant.” It was like a dull clap of thunder exploding in my ears. I clenched my fists tightly. Even though I had learned the full truth before coming, hearing it firsthand still made me feel chilled to the bone. While I was eagerly anticipating my wedding with Selene, Selene had already given someone else an identity, making me the outsider. Now, I listened to Selene say, “I thought you were getting older, and IVF would be hard on your body…” Getting older. Hard on my body. How ridiculous. “So,” Selene looked at me, “I want to have this child. It’s for your own good too.” For my own good. My fingernails dug into my flesh, but I felt no pain. I listened as Selene continued. “Just forgive me! I’ll agree to anything!” “Really?” I suppressed my surging anger, meeting Selene’s gaze. “Really!” I suddenly smiled, rising from the sofa and walking to the door. I opened it, meeting the person outside with an even wider smile. “So, do you understand now?” “Who’s the other woman?” I looked at Peter, then pulled out my phone again, facing my friend who was still on video call. “This video, no editing. Have the media release it verbatim!” “No matter how much money it costs, I want maximum impact!” Then. I was suddenly pulled hard by the wrist, yanked backward, and met Selene’s furious gaze, smiling. “Selene.” “When you do wrong.” “You can’t get away unscathed.” “Are you satisfied with this answer?”

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My movie star girlfriend found fame, and the first thing she did was buy back the rights to my book to turn it into a TV series. To make the show a hit, my girlfriend, who never engaged with the public, lowered herself to create a fake romance with a popular young idol. The night filming wrapped, my book finally hit the trending list. But it was followed by the idol’s name. Matthew Sterling posted late at night: “I’ve been touched by this book countless times. I never expected that, in the end, this book would belong to me. Thank you, Cathy, for helping me fulfill a dream!” Attached was the copyright transfer contract for The Runaway Raven. The comments section erupted in teasing: “Matthew is exactly like the stubborn and passionate male lead in the book.” “I bet Selene saw that in him too, which is why she gave him the book rights, right? So much love! Cathy and Matthew, lock them down tight!” Selene Blackwood quietly liked this comment. It instantly went viral again. I stared at the screen, trembling, my entire body collapsing to the floor. Seven years of waiting, in this moment, finally released by my own hand. 1 Midnight struck, and Selene missed my birthday again. Half an hour later, the sound of keys turning in the lock came from outside. Selene was back. My gaze involuntarily drifted to the door. She casually tossed her coat onto the hanger in the entryway. Her eyes scanned the cake on the table, and her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “I was very busy today. Birthdays come every year; it’s fine to miss one.” Selene impatiently pulled out her phone and tapped a few times. “I’ve transferred five thousand. Buy yourself whatever you want.” A pang of bitterness spread, my eyes growing hot. It was always that same line. But yesterday’s entertainment news headline still read—Selene lost a million-dollar endorsement just to make time to have dinner with Matthew Sterling. In the past, I would have thrown a fit. My tone was cold. “Celebrating my birthday really isn’t necessary. The book rights aren’t necessary either. And there’s no need for us to be together anymore.” Selene froze for half a second, as if she hadn’t registered it, and instinctively asked, “Just because of that book?” “You wrote it when you were eighteen, the writing is so amateurish. What do you regret?” “Forget it. If you insist on causing a scene, go ahead. Don’t expect me to come looking for you this time.” A bitter laugh twisted in my heart. When had she ever swallowed her pride first? Every time we argued because of Matthew, I was the one who always gave in. But not this time. I stood up, casually tossing the cake into the trash, and turned to go back to my room. From outside, I heard a loud crash, like a glass smashing on the floor. My steps didn’t falter. Hailing a cab, booking a hotel, checking in, arranging everything, it was already afternoon. My phone vibrated. It was a message from the director. Tonight was the celebration banquet for the show reaching the top of the ratings, and he had invited me to attend as the original author. He was a good friend of my father’s, so I couldn’t refuse. As soon as I reached the private room door, a chorus of cheers came from inside: “Cathy and Matthew were together in college, they were each other’s first loves!” My hand, reaching to push open the door, paused. Selene’s college boyfriend was Matthew Sterling? Selene and I met at the orphanage. When I was seventeen, Dad brought me home. When I re-encountered Selene, all I knew was that she had an unrequited love from college. Matthew Sterling feigned displeasure: “You guys shouldn’t spread rumors. Cathy has a boyfriend, what if he misunderstands?” The words had barely left his lips before the room erupted in laughter: “Cathy doesn’t have a boyfriend! We’ve all seen it clearly these past six months, her heart only beats for you!” “I also heard that Cathy specifically requested Matthew to be the male lead for this show!” I froze, my heart feeling like it was being squeezed tightly by something. When Dad gave the director my novel, he immediately decided to film it. As for Matthew, he clearly didn’t fit the male lead’s character profile at all. I had always assumed it was the director’s decision. It was Selene. I looked at her. She was gazing at Matthew with a doting expression, a silent confirmation. Matthew’s gaze swept around the room, then suddenly landed on me: “Oh, who’s standing at the door? I thought it was some beggar, you scared me.” Seeing me, Selene frowned slightly, hesitating for a few seconds before looking at Matthew next to her. “An old acquaintance. He probably passed by, saw me, and came over to say hello.” Matthew’s lips slowly curled into a meaningful smile. He intentionally raised his voice: “Oh, I remember him. I saw him that day.” “Cathy specifically went across half the city to buy me bubble tea, and he was standing in the shade of a tree diagonally opposite the tea shop, staring at us for a long time.” “His eyes were red like a rabbit’s, almost crying.” “What? You like Cathy?” A female assistant with her hair in a bun suddenly spoke up: “I remember now!” “That was the day Matthew misunderstood and had a little spat with Cathy. Cathy later explained that he was a boy whose father threw him into an orphanage when he was little, and he even tried to seduce his teacher in middle school.” Another production assistant looked at me, shaking his head in disgust: “I never would have thought he looked so innocent, but secretly he’s so promiscuous? Clearly someone without proper upbringing.” “No wonder he dared to show up here, trying to use the same old tricks to cling to Cathy again?” At those words, the surroundings fell silent for a few seconds, their gazes at me filled with unconcealed contempt. 2 I stood frozen, my thoughts drifting uncontrollably back to that year in eighth grade. My homeroom teacher, under the guise of tutoring, tricked me into coming to her house. It was Selene who sensed something was wrong, kicked open the door, and rescued me. But from then on, rumors spread rapidly, saying I had actively seduced the teacher, that I was indecent. I stared at Selene in disbelief. She had clearly seen me crying, trembling uncontrollably, curled up in a corner, unable to move. She abruptly averted her gaze, her eyes darting away, utterly unwilling to meet mine. Matthew Sterling quietly walked beside me, feigning to put a hand on my shoulder, his voice with a false tenderness: “Don’t blame Cathy. I misunderstood your relationship with her back then, and she only mentioned a few things to me. I didn’t expect others to overhear and spread it.” “Cathy is always like that; she can’t bear for me to be upset.” I subtly pulled my hand away, suppressing the emotions deep inside. “My eyes just weren’t feeling well that day; I looked a bit longer.” “Selene and I are just casual acquaintances. You don’t need to worry about it.” Hearing my words, Selene’s mouth moved, as if to protest. But Matthew quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to their seats. The celebration banquet wasn’t over, but I quickly left. Hasty footsteps sounded behind me; it was Selene, chasing after me. Seeing my reddened eyes, a flicker of pain crossed her gaze. “I already told you, this is just for work right now. Otherwise, I would have announced us already.” “That day, if you hadn’t kept staring at me, and everyone misunderstood, why would I have said anything?” I gave a self-deprecating laugh. She must have forgotten long ago. Actually, I had messaged her that day too, saying I wanted that bubble tea shop’s tea, but she never replied. When I arrived, I saw her, smiling, handing a cup of bubble tea to Matthew. I messaged her again, and she quickly looked down and replied, “no time.” I no longer wanted to argue with her, and I continued walking out. Selene instinctively tried to catch up with me, but her phone rang in her pocket. She answered, her voice instantly softening: “Matthew, don’t be scared, I’m coming right away.” With that, she hesitated for a few seconds, looking in my direction, but ultimately turned and hurried away. The next morning, a news headline “Selene Blackwood’s Boyfriend Identity Exposed, It’s Not Matthew Sterling!” shot to the top of trending topics. The accompanying image was a photo from a few years ago, of me and a newly debuted Selene eating street barbecue. Immediately after, a second headline followed: “Matthew Sterling Allegedly Drowns His Sorrows Late at Night, Claims He Doesn’t Want to Disturb Anyone!” I tapped my phone screen, and over a hundred missed calls from Selene popped up. The moment I answered, her furious shouts blasted through the receiver: “Adrian Hollander! Are you insane? Do you really want me to announce us so badly? Do you have to make it public knowledge?!” “Now the company is threatening to cut all ties between me and Matthew. Are you satisfied now?” I gripped the phone, my heart sinking bit by bit, and simply hung up. I really didn’t want to explain to her anymore. When it came to Matthew, she never believed me. But the next second, Selene’s clarifying statement once again rocketed to the top of trending topics. “Mr. Adrian Hollander and I are merely casual acquaintances. In the past, seeing his unfortunate circumstances, I occasionally offered assistance. I never expected him to relentlessly pursue me recently.” “I am currently seriously pursuing Matthew Sterling, so all my actions are voluntary and have nothing to do with Adrian. I hope everyone will not involve him.” The comments section was instantly flooded with blessings for them and insults for me: “Waaah, Cathy’s favoritism is only for Matthew! Please, some people, stop being so delusional and trying to butt in!” “Adrian Hollander? I know him, he was already trouble in middle school, tried to seduce his homeroom teacher, and now he wants to climb the social ladder by clinging to Selene?” The insults that followed grew increasingly vile. Someone had leaked my phone number, and I received countless abusive texts. Just then, I heard a commotion of footsteps and voices outside the door: “Checked the records, Adrian Hollander is right here!” 3 The next second, with a loud BANG, the door was violently smashed open. A group of enraged fan-shippers rushed in like mad. I tried to explain, but they kicked me to the ground. “That’s what you get for interfering with Cathy and Matthew’s relationship! The unloved one is the homewrecker!” “Cathy loves Matthew so much, do you think she’d compromise? Dream on!” Fists and feet rained down on me like hail. I curled up on the ground, muttering, “The video wasn’t from me…” It wasn’t until the police arrived that I was dragged out of the crowd and taken to the hospital. As the doctor examined me, he whispered, “Isn’t this the guy who bought trending topics to force the movie star to marry him? She directly slapped him down with a statement, and now he’s beaten like this by fans, he deserves it!” “What a shame, just a few superficial wounds, no broken bones.” I endured the pain to complete the paperwork, my mask pulled tightly, walking on the street, afraid to look up. A stretched limousine suddenly stopped in front of me. Selene stepped out, her voice as cold as ice: “You need to apologize to Matthew!” I looked up, my voice carrying an undeniable weariness: “I told you, I didn’t do it!” She chuckled, as if certain I was lying, then pulled out her phone. A suggestive gasp instantly exploded into the air. Matthew Sterling’s voice came from behind her, with an exaggerated surprise: “Oh my! Who knew you played so rough? Do you like having several women at once?” My face instantly went ashen. She clearly said she had deleted it! A year ago, just as Selene was gaining some fame, my dad, getting wind of it from somewhere, suddenly broke into my home. He knocked me out, forced me to take an aphrodisiac, and threw me into a buyer’s room. When Selene found me, I was lying on the floor, naked. My dad threatened her with the video, and she spent a million dollars to suppress the incident. And now, Selene’s finger hovered over the “post” button, saying lightly: “Adrian Hollander, do you know your mistake now?” I trembled all over, only able to lower my head: “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have been jealous. I was wrong.” Matthew Sterling looked up at me, a sneer on his lips. “Such an insincere apology?” I looked at them, then slowly knelt. “I’m sorry—” The words had barely left my lips when Matthew suddenly snatched the phone, his finger pressing the “post” button: “Oops, my bad, I accidentally tapped it.” Selene instinctively glanced at me, a flicker of imperceptible pain in her eyes, but she merely said lightly: “Matthew didn’t mean it.” Seeing me silent, she frowned, her face darkening. “Anyway, everyone already knows about you seducing your teacher in middle school. One more thing isn’t a big deal.” Matthew immediately linked his arm through hers, pouting. “I don’t care. You have to make it up to me. Take me to Singapore, please.” Selene dotingly ruffled his hair. “Alright, let’s go now.” She put her arm around Matthew and turned, dropping a parting remark: “Move your things back from the hotel yourself. And be a good boy and stay home for now.” Hearing me being told to move back, Matthew’s face visibly stiffened, but quickly reverted to a smile. He bounced into the car. In a place Selene couldn’t see, he looked back at me, flashing a victor’s smile. The next day, on my way to the airport, I received a call from Mom: “I’ve already dealt with the video for you. Will you be coming home today?” I watched the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, my voice calm: “Already on my way.” A clear sigh of relief came from the other end. I hung up and unhesitatingly threw my phone into the trash. From this moment on, Selene and I were completely, irrevocably done.

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After successfully redeeming the second male lead, I took him away from Kingswood. Far from the accident-prone, destined-to-ruin-his-family, and castrated female lead. Yet, later, he abandoned me, laid up in the hospital after a miscarriage, and returned to Kingswood at her single phone call. He didn’t know that this time, I wouldn’t save him again. After all, the mission was complete, and I’d received the system’s billion-dollar reward. To earn more billions, I immediately rushed off to redeem the tragic third male lead. What can I say? I’m bound to a Redemption System. The system rules: redeem one tragic male supporting character, and I get a billion dollars. A person shouldn’t, at least, shouldn’t ignore a billion dollars, right? 1 On the fourth year of redeeming Luke Thompson, he personally held me down on an operating table. He forced me to abort the child I was carrying, nearly five months along. I watched him in silence. Luke awkwardly averted his gaze, too guilty to meet my eyes, yet his words were unyielding: “Darling, Clara miscarried…” “If she knew you were carrying my child, she’d be heartbroken.” “Don’t worry, we’re still young. We can have children later.” “When I get back from Kingswood, we’ll start fresh, okay?” “I swear, this is the last time! Just let me help Clara teach James Carter a lesson, help her secure her standing in the Carter family, and I’ll be right back…” With that, Luke released my hand and left without a backward glance. The operating room door slammed shut, bringing with it a chill wind that made me shiver. I sighed deeply, closing my reddened eyes. “Go on, clean it all out!” Don’t delay my next redemption mission. After all, redeeming one tragic male supporting character earned me a billion-dollar reward from the system. A person shouldn’t, at least, shouldn’t ignore a billion dollars, right? 2 My name is Iris Mulligan. After binge-reading a hundred melodramatic novels online, I was forcibly bound by a system to this particular redemption drama. In the original story, Luke Thompson, as Clara Albright’s number one devotee, poured all his family’s wealth into a business war against the male lead, James Carter, to protect Clara. But to his shock, at the last moment, Clara and James reconciled. To help James win the business war, Clara secretly stole Luke’s company’s tender documents! After Luke’s bid failed and his company went bankrupt, he still silently stayed by Clara’s side. James, in turn, became jealous and broke up with Clara again. Clara, heartbroken, blamed everything on Luke. Finally, for Clara’s happiness, Luke, the tragic second male lead, resigned himself to being castrated by James so he could forever remain by Clara’s side to protect her. At the end of the story, Clara and James lived happily ever after. And Luke, after his family went bankrupt and he became a eunuch, watched Clara happily marry James, then contentedly jumped into the sea to his death… Reading that, I furiously left a comment: “My first half of life wasn’t too wicked, but reading this has balanced the scales. From now on, may I prosper and accumulate wealth, may even fate owe me three parts of good fortune, witnessed by the heavens, let this covenant be sealed!” The next second, my vision went black, and I dropped dead in my rented apartment. When I reopened my eyes, I was Clara Albright and Luke Thompson’s high school classmate. Eighteen-year-old Luke, wanting to avenge Clara, got into a massive fight with James Carter. The result, of course, was that he couldn’t beat James and ended up beaten black and blue. As the system-designated redeemer, I appeared by Luke’s side as a transfer student. Initially, I was extremely reluctant. Who in their right mind would try to redeem a tragic second male lead these days? Until the system said: “Successfully redeem the second male lead, saving him from his tragic fate of family ruin and castration by the male lead, and you will receive a billion-dollar reward from the system…” My expression changed in a second, a wide smile spreading across my face: “Mr. Thompson, your humble servant has arrived late!” 3 From then on, I became Luke Thompson’s number one devotee. Every student in school knew that I, the transfer student, had fallen in love with Luke at first sight, to the point of losing all dignity. The breakfast Luke sent to Clara? I made it myself. The tent Luke used to gaze at the stars and moon with Clara after her breakup? I set it up. The 5000-word essay Luke was forced to write by the dean for fighting James over Clara? I stayed up all night to write it for him. Luke was hospitalized after getting injured protecting Clara. Clara cried dramatically by his bedside while I bustled around, getting his medicine, changing his bandages, bringing water, and fetching meals. Clara became jealous, and Luke angrily told me to get lost. I shook my head, crying profusely. My desk-mate, Leo Vance, looked at me with an expression of utter exasperation. “Have all the men in the world died? Are you so desperate for him?” I nodded tearfully. “Yes! Only him! No one but Luke.” That’s a billion dollars walking around! I ask you all, who can refuse a billion dollars? And so, I redeemed Luke for three whole years. Finally, Clara decided to get engaged to James. The night before the engagement, Clara looked at Luke, her eyes brimming with tears: “Luke, I’m going to find my own happiness. Promise me, you’ll find yours too, okay?” To reassure the kind Clara, the next day, Luke took my hand and led me to her. “Clara, go chase your happiness. I’ve already found mine.” I was forced to be a part of their little game… My toes curled the entire time. For a billion dollars, I endured it!!! 4 After we married, to save Luke’s manhood, I sweet-talked and coaxed him into moving his company to Lakeshore. Away from Kingswood, away from Clara’s aura, Luke suddenly seemed to become normal. He actually wanted to seriously date me, with marriage in mind! I was scared to death and quickly contacted the system. “Do I have to marry Luke to get the billion dollars?” System: “Marriage is a must! Preferably a child too. Men, when they’re young, will live and die for love. But once they marry and become fathers, they settle down.” I suspected this system was actually my electronic mother-in-law. But I had no proof. To prevent the system from getting stuck at 99.99% like some online cash-out schemes, I seized the opportunity to force the system to agree: as long as Luke and I were married and I was pregnant with his child, the redemption mission would be considered a success. After reaching an agreement with the system, I quickly eloped with Luke. The night before the wedding, I saw Luke holding a box full of candy wrappers, sitting in his study all night. Having read the original novel, I knew those were the wrappers from the fruit candies Clara had given him since childhood. Luke couldn’t bear to throw away a single one, washing them all clean and hiding them in that tin box. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Actually, those free fruit candies were just taken by Clara from the cash register whenever she and James went out to eat. I don’t know what Luke was so touched by. 5 Honestly, I did once wonder if Luke and I could actually make it work. After all, Luke, away from Clara and the original plot, was genuinely a good husband prospect. Young, handsome, wealthy, and he was good to me. But then, the moment the bridesmaids opened the door and Luke walked in, carrying a pair of crystal heels, I felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head, snapping me back to reality. My forefoot is naturally wide; I can’t wear high heels. Before the wedding, I had specifically told Luke about this. Luke had laughed then, saying that if I couldn’t wear heels, then on our wedding day, he wouldn’t wear dress shoes either. He’d wear sneakers with me. But in just a few days, he had forgotten everything he’d promised me. It wasn’t me who loved crystal heels; it was Clara Albright. Luke held those crystal heels, kneeling on one knee before me. His gaze, looking at me, seemed to be seeing another girl he once deeply loved. I suppressed the last flicker of emotion in my heart and coldly pushed away the crystal heels Luke offered. “Luke, my feet can’t wear high heels. Before the wedding, I remember telling you this.” Luke froze, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I forgot… Anyway, the wedding is only for a short while, Darling. Can you just bear with it?” 6 I looked at him, then suddenly let out a laugh. “Luke, if the bride sitting before you today were Clara Albright, would you let her walk through the entire wedding in ill-fitting shoes?” At the mention of “Clara Albright,” Luke’s face changed. He silently picked up the crystal heels and left. When he returned, he was holding a pair of sneakers he’d casually grabbed from the shoe rack. Unfortunately, they were my old, worn ones. The bridesmaids’ faces immediately darkened. Leo stepped in front of me, blocking Luke, who was about to help me put on the shoes. His tone was sarcastic: “No way? The esteemed heir of Thompson Group isn’t going to let his bride walk down the aisle in a pair of secondhand sneakers, is he?” Luke looked impatient. “Then what do you want me to do? She said she can’t wear the crystal heels that were ordered in advance, and the procession is waiting downstairs. Where am I supposed to buy new sneakers on such short notice?” Leo stood his ground. “So, you’re saying it’s our bride’s fault? Luke, we’ve been classmates for years; you didn’t just find out today that Iris can’t wear high heels!” “And if I recall correctly, when we were preparing for the wedding, Iris told you she couldn’t wear high heels. What did you say then?” “You promised you’d wear sneakers with Iris today, but what happened?” “You could at least have bought a cheap pair of white sneakers! Who gets married wearing old shoes?” Wearing old shoes on your wedding day for the bride was practically calling her a discarded woman! The bridesmaids were furious, chastising Luke with a flurry of accusations. Luke’s face slowly paled. He looked at me, pleading, “Darling, it was my mistake to buy the wrong shoes, but the wedding is about to start. Where can I get you sneakers right now?” “Can’t you just bear with it? The sneakers will be hidden under your dress anyway. No one will see if they’re new or not…” Leo firmly blocked my way. “No! On her wedding day, the bride is paramount! If she has to suffer on her first day of marriage, will she have to suffer for the rest of her life?” Then, he glared at me, exasperated. “Iris Mulligan, can you stand up for yourself for once?” “If you dare walk down that aisle in those wretched shoes today, we’re done!” 7 I tugged on Leo’s sleeve, then pushed away the old shoes Luke offered. “Since the groom didn’t get any shoes, then I won’t wear any.” Saying that, I lifted the hem of my wedding dress and stood up barefoot. In the complete silence of the room, a surprised voice stood out prominently: “Well, it’s true, the barefoot aren’t afraid of those with shoes…” That day, I insisted on walking the entire wedding ceremony barefoot. After the ceremony, back in the hotel lounge, my feet were chafed and swollen, a terrible sight. Leo, his eyes red, threw a pair of hotel-branded slippers at me. “Iris Mulligan, just be a love-struck fool for the rest of your life!” I leaned in, affectionately hugging and swaying him. “Alright, my dear Leo, I promise, this is the last time!” I secretly vowed that once I got the system’s billion-dollar reward, Leo, my best friend, I would buy him a room full of his favorite limited-edition sneakers! But unfortunately, I broke my promise. That day’s humiliation was not the last. 8 Clara Albright, far away in Kingswood, miscarried. She cried and called Luke, but after learning I was also pregnant, she slammed the phone down. Luke, frantic, made inquiries and found out that James Carter’s mistress was pregnant and had come to confront Clara, who, in shock and rage, miscarried. Luke rushed back to Kingswood overnight. Watching him leave without a backward glance, I knew my redemption mission was probably nearing its finale. Sure enough, two days later, Luke returned, looking utterly exhausted. I was watering the bougainvillea on the balcony, my back slightly arched, the loose maternity dress stretched taut, faintly revealing the curve of my pregnant belly. Luke’s gaze at me was complex, carrying a hint of guilt, which ultimately transformed into immense courage and determination. “Darling, you should terminate the pregnancy.” “What?!” I looked at him in disbelief. Luke lowered his head, avoiding my gaze, his voice pained yet unusually resolute. “Clara miscarried.” “So?” Clara miscarried, it’s not my fault. What does that have to do with me? Luke suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on my slightly protruding belly, his tone almost manic. “James Carter’s mistress is pregnant, and you’re pregnant too. You both have children. Why is Clara the only one who lost hers?” “Iris Mulligan, you have to abort your child!” “Clara is in a lot of pain right now. I’m planning to bring her here. She just lost her child; if she sees you heavily pregnant, she won’t be able to bear it.” “Darling, terminate the pregnancy. We’re still young. We’ll have many, many more children later…”

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