Category: English

I thought I was marrying for love. Instead, I walked straight into a slaughterhouse, all carefully arranged just for me. The fiancé I’d loved for three years slipped an organ donation form between the pages of our marriage paperwork and tricked me into signing it — all to save his adopted sister, a girl he shared no blood with. When the anesthesia wore off, I was missing a kidney, and I’d been thrown out into a thunderstorm like garbage. They thought I was as good as dead. What they didn’t know was that I clawed my way back out of hell on nothing but the will to get even. I was going to cut my way to them, step by step, and make every single person in this conspiracy pay. Pain. A tearing, ripping agony spread from my lower back, like a rusty saw dragging back and forth across my nerves. I forced my eyes open. The blinding surgical lights made my head spin. The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant. This wasn’t the bridal suite Sebastian and I had set up together. This was a cold, sealed underground operating room. “You’re awake?” A familiar, ice-cold voice sounded by my ear. I turned my head with effort. Sebastian stood over me in a perfectly tailored couture suit, looking down at me. He held a glass of red wine, and his eyes had none of their old warmth. All that was left was a sneer that chilled me to the bone. “Sebastian… what happened to me? My stomach hurts so badly…” My voice was hoarse. I struggled to sit up, only to find my hands and feet strapped down to the bed. Panic seized my heart in an instant. “Don’t thrash around. We just took out one of your kidneys. If the wound splits open, you could actually die.” Sebastian took a sip of his wine, his tone as casual as if he were chatting about the weather. Boom! My mind exploded. I stared at him, refusing to believe it. “What did you say? What kidney?!” “Thank you for the kidney, by the way.” A sugary-sweet voice came from behind Sebastian. Grace stood there in designer hospital pajamas, her cheeks rosy. There wasn’t a trace left of the “end-stage uremia” frailty she’d shown before. She wrapped herself around Sebastian’s arm and rested her head on his shoulder. “See, Sebastian, I told you. As long as you asked, she’d hand over her worthless life for you. A kidney’s nothing.” Sebastian tapped her nose affectionately. “Silly girl. If it saves you, I’d take more than a kidney. I’d take her whole life if I had to.” A cold went through my entire body, as if I were falling into a bottomless pit. “Sebastian! Have you lost your mind?! I’m your fiancée! We’re getting married tomorrow!” I thrashed like a madwoman, the straps cutting bloody welts into my wrists. “Married?” Sebastian soffed and looked at me like I was an idiot. “Susan, go look at yourself in a mirror. A broke nobody with no money and no power — you thought you were good enough to walk through the doors of my family’s home?” He pulled a document from his jacket pocket and slammed it down across my face. “Take a good look. This is the Voluntary Organ Donation Consent Form, signed in your own handwriting.” The sharp edge of the paper sliced the corner of my eye. I stared at the document. The signature line — that really was my handwriting. Then I remembered. Three days ago, Sebastian had handed me a thick stack of tedious prenuptial property agreements to sign, saying it was his family requirement. I trusted him completely, so I signed without reading a single word. So that was it. That death warrant had been buried in the pile. “This is assault! This is a crime! I’m calling the police!” I screamed in despair, tears bursting from my eyes. “Go ahead. Call them.” Sebastian leaned down and grabbed my chin, his eyes venomous. “You signed the consent form. A private doctor did the surgery. Who do you think the cops will believe — some hysterical woman, or the legal team of the Cross Group?” “Let me go! Give me my kidney back!” I shook my head wildly, wishing I could bite a chunk out of him. “You’re too loud.” Sebastian flung my chin away in disgust and tossed a check onto me. “That’s a million dollars, for one kidney. You’ve never seen that much money in your life, have you? Take the money and get out of this city. If I ever see you again, it won’t just be a kidney I take.” He turned to the two bodyguards at the door. “Throw her out.” “Yes, Mr. Cross.” Two big men came over, roughly unstrapped me, and dragged me off the bed like a dead dog. The wound split open instantly, blood soaking through the hospital gown. “Sebastian! Even as a ghost, I will never let any of you go!” My curses were sealed behind the heavy iron door. Late night. Howling wind and pouring rain. The bodyguards dumped me on a deserted mountain highway and drove off. Cold rain mixed with blood and ran into the mud. I curled up on the ground, convulsing with pain, my consciousness slipping away bit by bit. Just when I thought I would die in that storm — Two blinding high beams cut through the curtain of rain. A black Rolls-Royce Phantom screeched to a stop right in front of me. The car door opened. A pair of polished, handmade leather shoes stepped into a puddle. A black umbrella opened over my head, blocking out the downpour. I struggled to open my eyes. What I saw was a face so cold and sharp it looked like a god’s. The man wore a black trench coat, and his presence was so powerful that even the rain around him seemed to freeze. “Susan?” His low voice was strangely clear in the rainy night. I didn’t know him. but I knew he was my only hope of survival. I clutched the hem of his coat, my knuckles white. “Save me…” The man looked down at me, something dark and unreadable churning in his deep eyes. “Do you want to die? Or do you want revenge?” he asked. “Revenge…” I bit down hard, my mouth full of the taste of blood. “I want them to pay… blood for blood.” A cold, hard curve lifted at the corner of his mouth. “Get in.” He bent down, scooped me up into his arms, and carried me into the endless dark.

When I woke again, the first thing I saw was a lavish European-style domed ceiling. I was lying on a soft, enormous bed. The wound on my back had been cleaned and re-dressed with fresh gauze. “Now that you’re awake, get up and take your medicine.” By the floor-to-ceiling windows, the man from last night stood with his back to me, a cup of coffee in his hand. “Who are you?” I propped myself up and watched him warily. He turned around. The sunlight traced the sharp line of his jaw. “Kane Blackwood.” I sucked in a sharp breath. Kane Blackwood. The man at the helm of the Blackwood business empire, the true uncrowned king of this city. And the Cross family is nothing but a second-rate clan that only survives under the protection of the Blackwood family. “Mr. Blackwood, why did you save me?” I forced myself to stay calm. Kane walked to the sofa and sat down, crossing his legs, his sharp eyes studying me. “Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Just then the bedroom door opened, and a doctor in a white coat walked in, his face grim. “Mr. Blackwood, the lab results are back.” The doctor handed Kane a report, then turned to look at me with a flicker of pity in his eyes. “Ms. Susan, were you drinking some kind of ‘nourishing soup’ that Sebastian made for you every day?” I blinked, then nodded. “Yes. He said I was run-down and needed to build up my body for when we tried for a baby. Why?” The doctor sighed. “That wasn’t nourishing soup at all. We found high concentrations of a chronic immunosuppressant and heavy-metal toxins in your blood.” “What does that mean?” My head buzzed. “It means they didn’t just steal your kidney. They wanted you dead, too.” Kane spoke coldly, tossing the report onto the nightstand. “Taken over time, that poison would have made your remaining kidney fail fast. Within six months, you’d die of kidney failure.” Boom! It hit me like a hammer. My mind went blank. My whole body trembled, my stomach lurched, and I felt like I was about to throw up. The image of Sebastian gently watching me drink that soup every day turned, in that instant, into the most terrifying nightmare in the world. They didn’t just want my organs. They wanted to erase the evidence — to shut me up forever. “Ugh—” I leaned over the edge of the bed, dry-heaving, tears falling uncontrollably onto the carpet. So cruel! So vicious! “Done crying?” Kane’s voice held no warmth at all. “Tears won’t kill Sebastian.” My head snapped up. I wiped the tears off my face and bit down on my lip until I tasted rust. “Mr. Blackwood, help me.” I stared at him dead-on. “I know Blackwood family and Cross family are fighting over the land on the south side of the city. Help me destroy the Cross family, and I’ll do anything.” Kane narrowed his eyes, as if appraising my worth. “You have nothing left. What do you think you have to bargain with?” “I have the Cross family’s most fatal weakness in my hands!” I gasped out. “If I can prove they tricked me into the donation and harvested my organs illegally, the Cross Group’s stock will crash. They’ll never get that land on the south side!” Kane let out a quiet laugh, but the amusement never reached his eyes. “Susan, you’re too naive. The Cross family did this, which means they prepared for everything. That consent form you signed in your own hand is their shield. If you go out there now and start talking, they’ll turn it around on you and have you charged with extortion.” I froze. He was right. Black ink on white paper. How was I supposed to flip that? Kane stood, walked to the bed, and leaned down over me, his presence overwhelming. “I can give you the best medical care, the most professional PR team, and the best lawyers. But on one condition. You have to become a blade sharp enough to drive straight into the Cross family’s heart. So — do you have the nerve?” Looking into his fathomless eyes, the hatred inside me grew like wildfire. “I have the nerve,” I answered without hesitation. “Good.” Kane straightened up. “Let the games begin.”

Kane’s methods were clean, decisive, and shockingly fast. That very afternoon, an explosive topic suddenly appeared on social media and instantly blew up across the whole internet. The headline was lurid: “Prospective Heiress Demands Massive Prenup Payment, Fails, Then Flees With a Million Overnight!” The attached photo was an engagement shot of me and Sebastian, with a screenshot of a one-million-dollar check transfer underneath it. The poster claimed to be an insider close to the Cross family, bitterly condemning me as a materialistic, vain woman who’d thrown away years of love for money — who’d even fled with the cash the night before the wedding, leaving the Cross family humiliated. The comment section was nothing but slut-shaming and vicious abuse aimed at me. “Holy crap, this woman has no shame. She bailed for a million?” “Feel so bad for Sebastian, treating a gold-digger that well and getting stabbed in the back.” “Someone dig up her info! Make sure she can never show her face in society again!” I watched the endless stream of hateful comments refreshing on the tablet and laughed coldly. So the Cross family were afraid I’d cause trouble. They’d struck first, trying to nail me to the pillory and strip me of any chance to speak. “How does it feel?” Kane leaned against the doorframe with a glass of wine, watching me. “Cheap tactics.” I tossed the tablet aside, picked up my own phone, and logged into my verified, real-name social media account. I didn’t write a long defense. I just posted one photo. In it, I was wearing a baggy hospital gown, my face pale as paper, my lower back wrapped in thick gauze with blood soaking through it. The sight was shocking. The caption was a single line: “I didn’t run from the wedding. I’m just learning how to live the rest of my life with only one kidney.” Tap. Send. In under five minutes, the post shot straight to the trending list. Everyone was stunned. “Wait, what?! Missing a kidney?!” “That wound looks terrifying — she just had surgery, right?” “So the runaway-bride story turned into a kidney-harvesting story? This plot twist is insane!” The Cross family PR team moved fast. Sebastian’s mother — Mrs. Cross, the woman who’d always looked down her nose at everyone — replied directly in my comments from her main account: “Susan, why are you playing the victim? You donated that kidney to Grace of your own free will! That million was the ‘recovery fee’ you demanded yourself! Now you’ve taken the money and come online to stir up the crowd. Do you have any conscience left?” Her words sounded righteous, but they were full of holes. My fingers flew across the screen. I immediately posted a second time. It was a clip of high-definition dashcam footage. In the video, on a wild, stormy night, two big men threw me onto a muddy highway like trash. My wound split open, and blood ran across the ground. Caption: “Madam Cross, is this what you call ‘taking the money of my own free will’?” The moment that video dropped, the entire internet erupted. Public opinion flipped in an instant. “What the hell, that’s literally attempted murder!” “Dumping someone fresh out of surgery into a thunderstorm in the middle of the night — the Cross family are pure evil!” “Boycott the Cross Group! Investigate the Cross family!” The Cross Group’s official account was buried under hundreds of thousands of furious comments, and the stock dipped in the closing minutes of trading. I seized the momentum and typed out a third post, tagging Sebastian directly. “Sebastian, do you dare show the whole internet the original copy of that Organ Donation Consent Form I signed in my own handwriting? Let everyone see exactly who’s listed as the recipient on it.” Checkmate. He’d buried that form in the marriage paperwork to trick me into signing it. Whether he produced it or refused to, his crime of fraudulent donation would be locked in. The whole internet was waiting for Sebastian’s response. Ten minutes later, my phone rang. It was Sebastian. I hit accept and put it on speaker. “Susan, you’ve grown a spine. You dare come after me online.” Sebastian’s voice carried a cold, murderous edge. “Where’s the original? Too scared to produce it?” I shot back, ice in my voice. “Heh.” Sean let out a cruel laugh. “I am scared. But are you brave enough to gamble with your parents’ lives?” My heart clenched. “What did you do?!” From the other end came my mother’s shrill, sobbing cry: “Susan! A whole gang of thugs came out of nowhere and smashed up our little diner! Your dad got beaten until he was coughing up blood, and now they’ve dragged him into a car!” “Sebastian! You animal!” I screamed, losing control. “Delete every post right now. Post a video saying you made it all up, that you’re mentally ill. Otherwise, you’ll never see your father again as long as you live!” The line went dead. My whole body went limp, and the phone slipped from my hand. Despair flooded over me like a tide.

Ding. A video landed on my phone. My father, his face covered in blood, was pinned to the floor of a van by two big men, barely conscious. Madam Cross sent a voice message: “Susan, if I don’t see your apology video in ten minutes, the next thing I send you will be your father’s finger.” I shook so hard I couldn’t control it, huge tears splashing down onto the screen. I couldn’t beat them. They had money and power. Wiping out my whole family would be as easy as crushing an ant. With trembling hands, I opened the camera on my phone and pointed it at my own ashen face. “I’m sorry. My name is Susan, and the posts I made earlier were all—” A large, well-defined hand suddenly reached over and snatched the phone away. “That’s all the backbone you’ve got?” Kane looked down at me, his eyes terrifyingly cold. “He’s holding my dad hostage! What am I supposed to do?! I can’t gamble with my father’s life!” I screamed, breaking down, reaching for the phone. Kane caught my wrist and hauled me up off the floor. “There’s no turning back from revenge. If you back down now, they’ll think you’re weak and easy to crush — and tomorrow they’ll come for your whole family!” He looked straight into my eyes, spacing out each word with unquestionable authority. “I’ve already sent my best security team to rescue your parents. What you need to do right now is go and win your fight.” I froze, staring at him blankly. He pressed a gold-embossed invitation into my hands. “Eight o’clock tonight. The Cross Group’s annual product launch — also Sebastian’s first public appearance as he formally takes over as CEO.” A flash of ruthlessness crossed Kane’s eyes. “Go. Find their weak spot, and deal them a fatal blow. As for your parents — I give you my word on the Blackwood family’s name. Not a single hair on their heads will be touched.” Looking at the certainty in his eyes, my chaotic heart somehow steadied. Eight o’clock that night. The grand ballroom of the International Hotel downtown. The place was packed with the rich and famous. A wall of media cameras hemmed the stage in. Sebastian stood under the spotlight in a white suit, delivering his speech with cocky confidence. “The Cross Group will dedicate itself in the future to—” Bang! I shoved the heavy ballroom doors open. I walked in wearing the bold red dress Kane had prepared for me, stepping forward on four-inch heels, one stride at a time. Lips red as fire, face cold as ice. The whole room fell dead silent in an instant. Every camera swung toward me in unison. “It’s Susan! The fiancée who leaked everything online!” The smile on Sebastian’s face froze. Madam Cross shot up from her front-row seat and pointed at me, screaming. “Security! Who let her in?! Throw this crazy woman out!” I showed no fear. I walked straight to the press table closest to the stage and picked up a reporter’s spare microphone. “No need. I’ll say one thing, then leave.” My voice carried clearly through the speakers into every corner of the room. I looked at Sebastian, his face livid up on the stage, and a cruel smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Sebastian — after Grace got my kidney transplanted, has she been taking her anti-rejection medication on schedule?” Sebastian’s pupils contracted sharply. “What are you getting at?” “I forgot to mention something.” I toyed with a strand of my hair, my tone as light as if I were discussing the weather. “My blood type is extremely rare — a Bombay phenotype, with a recessive genetic mutation. My organs carry an extremely strong tendency toward delayed hyperacute rejection.” “Once it triggers, she’ll have less than three months left.” The whole room broke into an uproar. The reporters fired their shutters like mad. Madam Cross covered her mouth in horror. “You’re lying! You vicious witch, you’re cursing my daughter!” I ignored her hysterics. I locked my eyes on Sebastian, swaying on the stage, and added softly — at a volume only the two of us could hear, but enough to shatter his soul: “Unfortunately, the only cure for this kind of rejection is produced by exactly one elite lab in Switzerland. And its founder happened to be a lifelong friend of my late grandfather — close as brothers.” I lifted my chin slightly, savoring the pure terror that surged into Sebastian’s eyes. “Sebastian. Now is the moment for you to get down on your knees and beg me.”

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Three years into my marriage, my husband’s family stole my dad’s accident settlement money and used it to buy a luxury mansion. At the housewarming party, my mother-in-law decided my parents’ memorial portraits were “bad luck” and threw them in the trash. My husband told me to just let it go. His sister held up her phone and live-streamed herself calling me a jinx to the whole internet. They thought I had no one in my corner. They thought I deserved to be crushed under their heels. I didn’t fight. I didn’t argue. I just quietly wiped the mud off the portraits—and pulled out a yellowed IOU for ten million. The rain came down in sheets. I knelt beside the trash bins in the mansion complex, digging through the reeking kitchen garbage with my bare hands. Rainwater mixed with slop splashed across my face. My fingers got sliced open on broken glass, blood streaming down with the mud and water. But I couldn’t feel the pain. I only felt cold. Cold straight to the bone. Ten minutes ago, I’d just set my parents’ memorial portraits in the spare bedroom of the new house. Today was the housewarming party. It was also the first day Kairo and I moved into the new place after getting married. I just wanted my mom and dad to see my new home. But the moment I turned to go get water in the kitchen, the portraits vanished. My mother-in-law, Beverly, stood in the living room directing the housekeeper to spray air freshener. “Why would anyone bring junk frames like that into a new house? Smells like death.” “Bad luck to keep them around. Better to just throw them out.” I tore downstairs like a madwoman. Finally, in a black garbage bag at the very bottom, my hand found that familiar wooden frame. The glass was already shattered. My parents’ faces were smeared with vegetable scraps and grease. That was the last thing I had left of them in this world. I took off the expensive coat Kairo had bought me before the wedding and carefully wrapped the portraits up. Like I was holding two frightened children. I carried them, step by step, back to that brightly lit mansion. Standing at the door, I didn’t push it open right away. Rainwater ran down my bangs and into my eyes. I blinked, but didn’t move. Something in the bag pressed against my palm—the corner of that waterproof pouch. I glanced down at my hand. Took a deep breath. And pushed the door open.

The hall was full of glittering guests, every one of them dripping in gold and designer clothes. The Sinclair family’s relatives and business partners were holding champagne, celebrating that my father-in-law Richard’s company was about to go public. And celebrating the family moving into this fifty-million-dollar luxury mansion. The moment I pushed the door open, the laughter died. I was soaked through, black sludge dripping off the hem of my dress. In my arms, a filthy bundle. I looked like a ghost who’d wandered into a high-society party. Beberly frowned, disgust flickering in her eyes. “Juliette, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you know what day this is? You show up looking like that just to ruin everything for me?” Kairo strode over quickly. He was wearing a tailored suit today, his hair styled to perfection. He reached out to pull me close, but the second he touched my sludge-covered sleeve, he flinched back without thinking. “Juliette, stop making a scene.” He lowered his voice. “Mom just thinks it’s bad luck to keep memorial photos in a new house. Go upstairs and clean up first, before you embarrass us in front of everyone.” I looked at him. This was the man I’d loved for three years. Before we got married, he’d held my hand and said, “From now on, my family is your family. My parents are your parents.” But now, my parents’ portraits were thrown in the trash. And all he felt was that I’d embarrassed him. “I’m making a scene?” My voice wasn’t loud, but in the silent hall it was crystal clear. “Beverly threw my parents’ memorial portraits in the trash, and you call that bad luck?” A wave of whispers swept through the hall. His sister, Tracy, let out a scornful laugh. She held up her phone, mid-livestream, and shoved the camera right into my face. “So your whole family’s dead, and you just had to drag two photos of corpses into our new house.” “A perfectly nice housewarming party, and you’ve turned it into a funeral.” “Everyone online is watching. Let’s let them judge—who brings this kind of bad luck into their new family?”

My fingertips went stiff. The edge of the frame inside the coat pressed into my palm. Like my dad’s thin, withered hand right before he died. When he handed me an old account book, he’d said, “Juliette, don’t ever use a debt of gratitude to pressure someone unless you’ve truly got no other choice. But if someday someone walks all over you, don’t go playing the bigger person on your dad’s behalf either.” Back then I just nodded. I thought I’d never have to use it. I thought the Sinclair family had truly accepted me. I walked over to the long banquet table. There sat a massive three-tier fondant cake, with “Congratulations on the Sinclair Family’s New Home” written across it. I gently set the bundle from my arms onto the table. Unwrapped the coat. The shattered frame emerged, carrying a sharp, sour, rotting smell. The wealthy women around me covered their noses and stepped back. Beverly’s face went livid. “Juliette! You get that filthy thing out of here right now!” “The ones who should get out of here are all of you.” From the soaked bag, I pulled out an old account book sealed in a waterproof pouch. On the first page, a yellowed IOU was tucked inside. Borrower: Richard Sinclair. “You still recognize this handwriting, don’t you?” I slapped the IOU down on the table. The corner of the paper quickly soaked through with the champagne on the table. Richard’s hand jerked, the wine glass trembling. Wine spilled onto his designer leather shoes. He instinctively reached out to grab the IOU. I let out a cold laugh and pinned his hand down hard with the account book. His hand was nailed there, unable to move. The sound in the hall seemed to be choked off all at once. I stared into his eyes and spoke slowly. “Ten million.”

“Dad.” Kairo’s voice tightened. “Is… is this real?” Richard’s throat bobbed, his face shifting from red to white. Beverly lunged forward. “You’re talking nonsense! What ten million? A broke little orphan girl like you—where would you get ten million?” “Ten million from twelve years ago and ten million today—are those the same thing?” I ignored her and flipped open the inner flap of the account book. An old photograph slipped out. In the photo, my dad stood at the entrance of a run-down factory. Beside him was a much younger Richard, his face full of eager flattery. On the back, in my dad’s handwriting: witnessed by my best buddy. Richard stared at that photo like he’d seen a ghost. “This account book…” His voice went hoarse. “Your dad really left it to you?” I didn’t answer. I just laid the photo and the IOU side by side, so every guest at the table could see clearly. A few of the wealthy wives standing beside Beverly leaned in. When they saw the amount and the signature, their expressions changed. “Ten million? Richard, that’s no small number.” Richard suddenly snatched his hand back, forcing himself to look calm. “That’s ancient history! Your dad did help me out back then, but that was an investment! Business has ups and downs—how can you call it a loan?” Those words were as good as admitting he’d taken the money. Beverly caught on immediately, straightening her back again. “Exactly! If your dad really treated it as a loan, why didn’t he come collect all these years? Now that you’ve married into our Sinclair family, eating our food, living under our roof, you start digging up old debts?” Tracy’s phone camera nearly jabbed me in the face. “You all hear that? This woman’s just a gold digger! Bringing up a debt from over a decade ago to extort our family!” I looked into the camera and suddenly felt how absurd it all was. Every brick in this mansion was soaked in my dad’s blood and sweat. All I’d done was set down two memorial portraits. And they still complained they took up space. I closed the account book, then opened it again. “Richard, if you’ve really forgotten, I can help you remember—page by page.”

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In the iron cage of an underground fighting pit, my heat cycle hit without any warning. Up on the high platform, my so-called fated mate — the uncrowned king of the Night Faction, Maximilian Cross — covered his nose in disgust and pulled his beloved Tiffany into his arms. “A defective little runt who can’t even shift, and she thinks she has the right to smell like that? Let the beasts tear her apart in that cage.” The whole crowd burst out laughing. The half-shifted beasts, eyes blazing red, drooled as they lunged toward me. Just when I’d given up all hope, a pair of blood-soaked combat boots came crashing through the iron bars. Jax — Maximilian Cross’s illegitimate brother, the one they called the Mad Dog — stepped in front of me, putting himself between me and those half-shifted beasts. He wrapped his oversized coat tight around my naked, trembling body. His burning breath spilled against the curve of my neck. “Why are you shaking? If he doesn’t want you — I do.” Inside the underground fighting pit, my hands were bound behind my back. They’d thrown me into the center of an iron cage caked in mud and dried blood. Riiip— The wire mesh tore through the back of my shirt, leaving a wide strip of bare skin exposed to the freezing air. I was shaking from the cold — but deep inside my body, a strange, feverish heat was running wild. So hot. It felt like ten thousand ants were crawling through my bones. This was the scent of a mate bond awakening. In the world of the Night Shifters, every adult female released her own unique pheromones on the night of her awakening — a signal meant to draw in her fated mate. I tilted my head back, my vision blurring as I looked up at the VIP platform ten meters above me. That was where Maximilian Cross sat. The new ruler of the Night Alliance. The black wolf alpha with the purest bloodline. The man my family had promised me to since before I was born. Right now, he was staring down at me from above. He held a glass of deep crimson liquor in his hand, his eyes as cold as if he were looking at a pile of garbage. My pheromones drifted upward through the ventilation system. It was an unbearably sweet scent — intoxicating, almost sinful. I watched Maximilian’s brow snap into a hard frown. Even the guards standing beside him had their breathing go ragged from the smell. “Maximilian…” I forced his name out of my throat, my fingernails digging hard into the mud. “Save me…” Maximilian didn’t move. But the woman beside him — Tiffany — let out a coy little laugh and pressed her hand over her nose, using the moment to melt against Maximilian’s chest. “Max, that smell is disgusting. Has Serena lost her mind? She’s a half-blood who can’t even shift, and she’s seriously trying to force her pheromones out in a place like this? Is she trying to seduce those filthy pit beasts?” Maximilian let out a cold laugh and slowly tipped his glass. The red liquid poured down and splashed into the mud right in front of me. “Serena. You make me sick.” Maximilian’s voice came through the speakers and filled every corner of the underground arena. “Did you really think pulling a cheap stunt like this — throwing your scent around — would force me to claim you as my mate? A defective reject like you isn’t even worth the dirt on my shoes.” A sharp, ugly wave of laughter exploded through the crowd. Maximilian’s younger brother Dante was standing just outside the cage. He smashed an iron rod against the bars with a cocky grin, the clanging ringing straight through my skull. “You hear that, you worthless little freak?! My brother thinks you’re filthy! Stay in that cage and let those wild beasts have their fun with you!” Dante hit the switch. The gate at the far end of the cage began to grind open. Three half-beasts crawled out — eyes burning red, minds long gone from months of rage-serum injections. Ropes of foul-smelling drool hung from their jaws as they locked onto me. To them, my pheromones were the most potent aphrodisiac in existence. I stumbled backward in desperation until my back hit the cold iron mesh. Nowhere left to go. “Maximilian!” I screamed until my throat tore. “You felt it! I am your fated mate!” Rejecting a fated mate bond had consequences — the bloodline would turn on itself, punishing the one who refused. I saw the tendons in Maximilian’s hand go taut against his glass. For just one second, the color drained from his face. But he held it back. He would rather endure the agony of the bond’s backlash than take a single step down from that platform for me. “Open the gate.” Maximilian’s voice was ice. All three half-beasts roared and charged. A rough hand clamped around my ankle and yanked — hard. I screamed as my whole body was dragged through the mud. Another hand clawed at what was left of my shredded clothes. I squeezed my eyes shut. I gave up. And then — BOOM——!! A deafening blast. Every light in the underground fighting pit went dark at once. Only the emergency lights remained, blazing red and strobing wildly through the black. From ten meters up, a dark figure dropped from the stands like a phantom — a crushing, devastating force that slammed straight down onto the top of the iron cage. The cage was built from reinforced steel. He caved it in with a single stomp. The man landed in front of me like a true predator. I hadn’t even gotten a clear look at his face before I heard it — a sickening crack of shattering bone. The half-beast that had been gripping my ankle never got the chance to scream. He stomped its skull into nothing. Blood and brain matter splattered across my body. The other two half-beasts froze, instinct screaming at them to run. He didn’t give them the chance. His black combat knife swept through the air in a single fluid arc. Two heads hit the ground at the same time. Silence. The entire arena went dead quiet. Through the thick stench of blood, a scent hit me — aggressive, sharp, like cold pine and gunpowder smoke. His pheromones wrapped around me like a wave crashing over everything. The burning fever raging inside me stilled for just a moment the instant I caught that scent. Then it shifted into something deeper. Something that made my legs go weak. He turned around. The dark red lights caught the sharp angles of his face. His narrow eyes burned with something raw and unrestrained — madness and possession, all at once. Jax. Maximilian’s unspeakable half-brother—the most dreaded and bloodthirsty mad dog in the entire Alliance. He shrugged off his blood-soaked black coat and wrapped it around my naked, trembling body. His rough fingertips brushed across my cheek. I shivered. “Why are you shaking?” Jax scooped me up out of the mud with one arm and pulled me tight against his chest. He lowered his head, his lips almost grazing my ear, his voice low and rough. “They don’t want you. I do.”

Up in the stands, Maximilian finally snapped back to reality. He shot to his feet, his face pale with fury. “Jax! Put her down! Who the hell said you could touch her!” Jax didn’t even look back. He carried me through the arena floor, his combat boots stepping over bodies and blood without breaking stride. Dante came charging down with a dozen heavily armed guards, guns trained on Jax’s head. “You crazy bastard! You got a death wish?! Put that trash down!” Jax stopped. He slowly raised his eyes. The look in them was pure, crystallized murder. “Dante.” Jax’s voice was quiet, but every person in that room felt it crawl up their spine. “Which hand did you use to flip that switch?” Dante blinked. He took half a step back without thinking, then forced his voice loud to cover it. “The hell does it matter which hand?! Shoot him! Kill him!” The guards never got to pull their triggers. Jax vanished. The world spun. He had me locked against his chest, shielding me completely. A second later, a scream tore through the air. “AAAGH——!!” Dante dropped to his knees. His right wrist was bent at a grotesque angle, the bone punching clean through the skin, blood spraying in pulses. Jax stepped back into place, his black knife dripping. He glanced up at Maximilian with cold, flat eyes, and let a slow, cruel smile cross his lips. “Maximilian. Your dog got loose. I handled it for you.” Maximilian was shaking with rage. He pressed a hand hard against his chest — the searing pain of a rejected mate bond tearing through him. “Jax… You’re going to start a war with the entire Alliance over a defective omega?!” Jax looked down at me. I was curled inside his coat, the drug and his pheromones overwhelming me. I couldn’t stop myself — I pressed closer against him and let out a soft, desperate sound. Jax’s throat moved. The hunger in his eyes was almost violent. He tightened his arms and pulled me fully against him. “So what if I do?” He laughed, cold and sharp. “She’s mine. Even if she were worthless — especially then — none of you pieces of trash get to put your hands on her.” He turned and walked out of the arena, carrying me with him. Behind us: Maximilian’s furious roar, and Dante’s screaming. The black SUV tore through the storm. The privacy partition rose between the front seat and the back, sealing us off completely. In that small, closed space — just me and Jax. The fever inside me surged back with a vengeance. This was what happened when a mate bond awakened with nowhere to go. My skin was burning. Every nerve in my body was screaming for something I couldn’t name out loud. “Hot…” Without thinking, I pulled the coat open, baring stretches of pale skin. Mud and blood still clung to me, but somehow it only made everything feel more raw, more exposed. Jax slammed the brakes. The SUV let out a sharp screech on the empty mountain road and skidded to a stop in the pouring rain. He spun around and grabbed my wrist, pinning me hard against the leather seat. “Serena, look at me. Really look at me!” Jax’s voice was rough and ragged. His eyes were bloodshot, barely holding back something wild that was about to break loose. I stared up at him through a haze, my gaze drifting to the bob of his throat and the hard lines of muscle beneath his collar. I couldn’t make out a word he was saying. All I knew was that the cool, clean scent coming off him was the only thing easing my pain. I was like a dying fish, instinctively clawing toward water. I pulled free from his grip, threw my arms around his neck, and pressed my body against his burning chest. “Please… I need…” I was crying, searching blindly for his lips, kissing and biting at his jaw and the side of his neck without any sense of what I was doing. Crack. The last thread of Jax’s self-control snapped clean. “You asked for this.” He let out a low growl, took control, and slammed his palm against the back of my head, crushing his mouth down onto mine. It was a kiss built on hunger and force. He pried my lips open and pushed in deep, greedily sweeping through every inch of my mouth. His tongue was aggressive, relentless — like he wanted to consume me whole. “Mmph…” I couldn’t breathe, but my body melted completely. His large hand slid down along my waist, rough with calluses, leaving trails of fire everywhere it touched. His touch was possessive — rough, yet carrying a tenderness so faint it was almost invisible. Rip. The last scrap of fabric on my body tore away. He lowered his head, his hot mouth trailing down my neck, pressing deep red marks into my collarbone and chest. The marks of a beast claiming what was his. “It hurts…” I couldn’t take the intensity. Tears spilled down my face one after another. Jax went completely still. He lifted his head and looked at my tear-streaked face. The wildness in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by something raw and aching. He drew in a long breath, forced the fire inside him back down, and pulled his coat tightly around me again. “Hold on a little longer.” His voice was so hoarse it was barely audible. “Not yet. Your body’s too weak — it can’t survive a full bonding mark.” He pulled me into his arms, slipping one hand inside my clothes, his warm palm pressing flat against the back of my neck. A steady flow of pure, soothing energy poured into me. The primal force of a top-tier Alpha. He was using his own power to forcibly suppress the heat burning through my body. It was an incredibly dangerous thing to do. One wrong move and the energy could turn on him. But he didn’t even flinch. I didn’t know how much time passed. Eventually, the fire inside me died down. I leaned against his chest and let my eyes fall shut. In the blur between waking and sleep, I felt his lips press softly against my forehead. “Rest. I’m here. No one’s touching you.”

When I woke up, I was lying in a large, soft bed. The sharp smell of antiseptic hung in the air. “You’re awake. Stop playing dead.” A sarcastic voice cut through the silence beside the bed. I opened my eyes to find a scrawny old man in a white coat, his hair a wild mess, drawing blood from my arm with a syringe. This was the most notorious doctor in the underground black market — known simply as “the Ghost Doctor.” Jax was leaning against the doorframe, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, watching me with a heavy, unreadable gaze. “How is she?” The Ghost Doctor dropped the blood sample into a set of strange-looking vials and watched the liquid change color. A cold smirk crossed his face. “How is she? It’s a miracle she’s still breathing.” He turned and fixed his eyes on me. “Girl — did you drink some kind of bitter black medicine every single day when you were little? Did your family tell you it was good for your health?” I froze. I nodded without thinking. “Yes… my foster mother said I was born weak. She said it would help regulate my blood.” “Bullshit!” The Ghost Doctor slammed the vial down on the table. “That was Soullock Herb — a poison specifically designed to suppress high-grade shifter bloodlines! You’ve been taking it for fifteen years. Fifteen years, and it ground what should have been an extraordinary bloodline down to nothing!” The words hit me like a lightning strike. My whole body went cold. “What did you just say?” Jax stepped forward, his expression dark and dangerous. “Explain. All of it.” The Ghost Doctor pointed to the deep gold color swirling inside the vial, his voice trembling. “She’s not some defective. She never was. She’s a Blood Healer — a gift that comes along maybe once in a century. Her blood, her pheromones — they can purify the feral rage in any shifter.” I sat on the bed, completely hollow. My mind had gone blank. Fifteen years. Fifteen years of cold stares and cruelty from my own family. Fifteen years of being called worthless. I had always thought I was just unlucky — that I’d been born without the ability to shift. So it was true — someone had deliberately destroyed me. “There’s more.” The Ghost Doctor pulled out a specialized scalpel and walked over to me. “Girl, give me your left hand.” I reached out my left hand, trembling. He pressed the tip of the blade gently against the inside of my wrist, drawing a shallow cut, then dripped a blue liquid into it. In an instant, a strange black inscription surfaced beneath my skin — like a venomous snake coiling around my veins. “A Mate Interference Curse.” The Ghost Doctor stared at the inscription and drew a sharp breath. “This is one of the most vile forbidden spells in existence. Someone forcibly twisted your fated mate bond. The reason you caught Maximilian’s scent during your awakening — that was this curse at work.” My head snapped up. I stared at Jax, disbelief written all over my face. “Then my true mate is…” The Ghost Doctor let out a cold laugh. “Still don’t get it? That bastard Maximilian didn’t just steal the throne that rightfully belonged to Jax — he used this filthy trick to try and steal Jax’s fated mate too.” The cigarette in Jax’s hand crumbled to ash. A wave of murderous energy exploded from him, and every pane of glass in the room began to rattle violently. It all made sense now. That was why Maximilian suffered such a violent backlash when he rejected me in the arena. He was never my mate to begin with. He had forced himself into that place, and fate was making him pay for it. And that was why, in my darkest moments, catching Jax’s scent had made me feel safe. Because he was where I truly belonged. “Can it be broken?” Jax’s eyes were locked on the Ghost Doctor, his voice cold as ice. The Ghost Doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It can. But it requires the blood of the true mate, combined with a dual-cultivation ritual to fully shatter the Soullock Herb’s seal. The process will be extremely painful. And…” “And what?” “And the moment the seal breaks, her presence will be exposed instantly. The entire Night Alliance will know she exists. Maximilian’s half-beast soldiers — the ones already on the edge of madness — will come for her like sharks smelling blood.” Jax crossed to the bed and stood over me, looking down. His gaze was deep and dangerous, like an abyss ready to swallow its prey whole. “Serena.” His long fingers tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Are you scared?” I looked at him. The weakness and tears in my eyes faded away, replaced by a hatred carved straight to the bone. Fifteen years of lies. The humiliation in that arena. Maximilian. Tiffany. And the woman who called herself my foster mother. I grabbed Jax’s hand and dug my nails into his skin. “I’m not scared. I want the seal broken. I want every single one of them to pay in blood.” Jax smiled. “Good. I’ll help you.”

Maximilian’s retaliation came faster than I expected. The preparations to break the seal would take three days. In those three days, the entire Night Alliance descended into chaos. Because Maximilian had forcibly rejected his fated mate — even if the bond had been a fake one — his bloodline began showing severe signs of rejection. The elite guard he controlled through the dominance of his bloodline started breaking down en masse, erupting into fits of uncontrollable rage. Every day, half-beasts were losing control and attacking people in the streets. Maximilian was losing his grip. And Tiffany, that fool, decided to deflect the blame by spreading rumors through the Alliance — claiming that I, the so-called “cursed one,” had stolen a sacred relic from the Cross family and brought this disaster down on them all. She even showed up with a squad of fully armed mercenaries and surrounded the Ghost Doctor’s underground clinic. “Serena! Get your ass out here, you little bitch!” Tiffany stood in the pouring rain, a megaphone in her hand, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. “You throw yourself at some other man, betray Max, and now you want to destroy the whole Alliance? Get out here and face what’s coming to you!” I stood in front of the clinic’s security monitors, staring coldly at Tiffany’s twisted face. Jax was on the couch behind me, calmly running a cloth along the blade of his combat knife. “Want me to go out there and twist her head off?” he said, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather. “No.” I stood up. A cold flash crossed my eyes. “My enemies. My revenge.” I shoved open the clinic’s iron door and walked out. The rain was pouring down in sheets. Tiffany spotted me and stumbled back two steps, jabbing her finger in my direction. “You actually came out! Grab her! Dead or alive, I don’t care!” More than a dozen mercenaries raised their weapons and closed in on me. I didn’t move. I stood in the rain and slowly closed my eyes. Over these past three days of treatment, the Soullock Herb’s toxins had been nearly purged from my system. The power of the Blood Spirit Healer was awakening inside my veins. My eyes snapped open. My pupils bled into a deep, unnatural crimson. An invisible wave of psychic force — absolute, crushing, unstoppable — exploded outward from my body. Thud. Thud. Thud. The mercenaries at the front of the charge dropped like they’d been hit by a sledgehammer. Blood poured from their eyes, their ears, their noses. They were dead before they hit the ground. Tiffany screamed and stumbled backward, landing hard in the mud. “You — what did you do?! You’re supposed to be useless!” I walked toward her, slow and steady, and looked down at her from where she sat in the dirt. “You’re pathetic, Tiffany. Maximilian would rather suffer the backlash than touch you, and you still crawl around protecting him like a dog.” “Shut up!” she shrieked, her voice cracking. I crouched down and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back. “Go tell Maximilian to say his prayers. Everything he owes me — everything he owes Jax — I’m coming to collect. Every last bit of it, with interest.” I slapped her across the face. Hard. The force sent her skidding across the ground. Tiffany spat out a bloody tooth, then scrambled on her hands and knees back to the car. I hadn’t noticed Jax move, but he was standing behind me now. He was holding a black umbrella, angled so that I was sheltered beneath it. “Does your hand hurt?” He lifted the hand I’d hit her with and pressed his lips gently against my knuckles. My heart skipped. “No,” I said. “Then let’s go home.” Jax’s eyes darkened. His voice carried a quiet authority that left no room for argument. “Tonight, we break the last seal.”

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I was drugged unconscious by my adopted brother, Mason Clarke, and dumped on a deserted island six thousand miles away. When my childhood friend Lily Hayes found me, the fishermen had already tortured me beyond recognition. She fought with everything she had to take me away, but in the end, the fishermen on the island beat her to death with sticks right in front of me, splattering blood all over my face. I fell into complete despair, accepted my fate, stayed on the island, and had a child with a quiet, taciturn fisherman. But I still could not forget her, and I jumped into the sea three times, wanting to leave with her. The third time I was rescued, the fisherman’s wife who saved me pulled off her hood. I looked at that face and instantly felt like I had fallen into an ice cellar. It was Lily Hayes. She burned the hood and smiled as she said to me, “Throwing you onto the deserted island was something Mason and I planned together, because he wanted the top college entrance exam score, and I wanted you.” “The fisherman who had a child with you was me, and the one who got beaten to death was a double I found.” “I faked my death because I wanted you to let go of that hope, but I didn’t expect you to want to die so badly.” “Now that the truth is out, you choose: live properly with me, or keep trying to die?”

The woman in front of me slowly overlapped with the girl in my memories. The innocence had faded from her, and her presence had grown much steadier. I looked at her face, feeling a little dazed. I had been on this island for a full seven years. “So you destroyed me for the son of that mistress.” She frowned and instinctively defended him. “What son of a mistress? Mason suffered so much when he was young.” “What does what his mom did have to do with him?” “Ethan, do you know how long Mason would be hurt every time you said that?” I did not know. All I knew was that Mason had destroyed my family. On the surface, he was my adopted brother. In truth, he was my dad’s illegitimate son. He was even born in the same month as me. He could always act like the victim. He stole money from the house and framed me for it. He made my dad beat me brutally. He bribed someone in the exam hall to frame me for cheating. Afterward, he spread the news. He made everyone in the entire grade call me “Mr. Zero.” He teamed up with several people to block me in the bathroom and throw dirty water on me. They took pictures of me soaked and humiliated, then spread them around the whole school. Only my childhood friend Serena Hayes protected me. I transferred schools in senior year just to get away from him. But now. He had not only stolen my home. He had also teamed up with Serena. Together, they sent me to a deserted island and ruined my entire life. I lifted my eyes and forced back the wetness in them. “Why?” She froze, then gave a soft laugh. “Back then, when you dragged me along to confront your dad’s mistress, I saw him for the first time and fell for him.” “After you left, he came to me, and that young man held back his tears while calling my name, and my heart melted completely.” Her expression was gentle. “Later, before you transferred schools, he played a few tricks on you, and he came to me for help each time.” “I couldn’t bear to see him disappointed, so I didn’t refuse.” It was like being struck by lightning, and my pupils suddenly shrank. So everything that happened. She had a hand in all of it. Serena and I grew up together. She had always indulged me in everything, giving me the stars if I asked for them and never giving me the moon instead. I had never considered anyone else. She was my only choice. When I was eight, tiny little her saved me from human traffickers and took several blows for me. When I was fourteen, she hid it from me and broke the bones of every boy who bullied me, then came home injured and too scared to face anyone. When I was sixteen, she confessed to me for the first time and promised that after graduation, we would get into the same university. But when she was seventeen, she changed her heart as if it was nothing. She became his accomplice. She pushed me into the abyss. I collapsed to the ground, powerless, enduring the heart-wrenching pain. She squatted down, her fingertips brushing the corner of my eye. “You don’t need to worry about anyone if you stay here, because your mom died of illness last year.” “Your dad married Mason’s mom, he has a very high degree now, his parents dote on him, he has me too, and he is living very happily.” I stood up in disbelief. “What did you say? How could my mom be dead? She was so young, how is that possible?!” Her expression did not change, but her voice was a little hoarse. “Your mom was good to me, Ethan, but I had no choice either.” “She died of cancer.” When she saw me standing there blankly, she came over and gently wrapped her arms around my waist. “Ethan, you’re my childhood sweetheart, and there’s a place for you in my heart.” “We have a child now too, so be good, okay?” Her voice carried a hint of coaxing. “If you behave, I’ll come back to see you often.” “Tomorrow is Mason’s and my wedding anniversary, and he has been pestering me for a long time because he wants a romantic trip at sea, just the two of us.” “Everyone on the island works for the Hayes family, and they’ll help me take care of you.” I stood there like a block of wood and gave her no response. My mother’s gentle smile appeared before my eyes. She had been graceful her whole life, and when she found out her husband had cheated. She still did not take it out on Mason. How could she possibly have died of cancer? Did Aunt Alexandra know? Thinking of that woman, I closed my eyes. A gust of wind swept outside the window, and a few withered leaves fell from the tree by the door. I silently clenched my fists. She would never sit by and watch my mother be bullied.

After Serena confessed the truth, she stopped wearing the fisherman’s outfit. She changed into a black trench coat. Serena had been beautiful since she was a child. She had a high nose bridge and features as delicate as a painting. Many boys had wanted her. In the past, every time she received a love letter, she would give me ten gifts. She said, “I will only ever like Ethan in this life, and every time someone shows interest in me, I’ll treat my Ethan ten times better.” The last time, she planted a gardenia tree for me. I stared at it blankly for a while. She straightened her collar and smiled softly at the lit phone screen. On the lock screen was their wedding photo. The man wore a custom suit and a delicate brooch. I remembered what she had once said. If we got together in the future and got married. She would take me around the world to take wedding photos. She would put my bow tie on with her own hands. She would hold my hand and kiss me by the sea. My ears had turned red from imagining it. Back then, I loved watching Titanic. I cried over the beautiful love between the male and female leads. At that time, Serena glanced at it as she passed by and hurriedly wiped away my tears. “Why do boys all like this kind of thing?” “Fine, when you turn eighteen, I’ll give you one exactly like it.” She really had not forgotten that promise. It was just that the person standing beside her was not me. I looked again at the man’s suit. Then I lowered my head and touched the rough burlap on my body. On the island, I only had two burlap shirts with no style to speak of. My life was terrible. My so-called wife only showed a trace of warmth when she pressed against me deep at night and tangled with me. For seven years, whenever she said she was going fishing, she would leave for two or three months. But I did not care. Because I had never treated her as my wife. In my eyes, she was a human trafficker. Until last month, when I finally saw a familiar figure by the sea. But Serena had not come to take me away. She even wanted me to stay here. She wanted to keep me locked up for the rest of my life. Pretending to be a fisherman for seven years must have been hard on her. My heart throbbed with pain again and again, and I could barely breathe. On the other end of the call, a child shouted excitedly. “Mommy! The house you bought me has been decorated by Daddy!” “It’s so pretty! It looks like a castle!” “Daddy said you prepared a dozen houses like this for me, but why are houses counted by the dozen?” The man laughed and pushed the child away, saying, “Go on, go play, your mom and I have something to talk about.” She looked at the phone, a doting smile on her face. “Baby, I’ll be back soon.” “Mm, I know, you even bought the outfit? You miss me that much?” “Then don’t sleep tonight, and begging won’t help.” When she turned back and saw me, she froze for a moment. Soon, she hung up and glanced at the child sleeping on the bed. She came over, touched my head, and softened her voice. “I’m leaving, so take good care of the baby, because he’s only two and can’t be away from his dad.” She held my hand and put a ring on me. “If you want a wedding, we can have one next month.” I silently gathered up the hood that had burned to ash on the ground. My voice held no warmth. “Fine.” My heart slowly went cold too. Voices came from outside the window. “Miss, sir, he…” The other person paused for a few seconds. Serena immediately strode over and asked nervously, “What happened to him? Is he in trouble?!” Before she finished speaking, Mason’s voice came from outside the door, carrying deliberate intimacy. “Serena, I’m here.”

The man wore a white shirt with red flowers, and his features were sharp. He walked to Serena’s side in just a few steps. The moment he stopped, he saw me standing behind her. My expression did not change, and I did not move. The scent of the man’s cologne already hit me head-on. He let go of Serena’s arm. Then he walked toward me step by step. “This man looks so familiar.” He sneered, reached out, grabbed my collar, and leaned closer to look. “So handsome, no wonder she kept you hidden.” The next instant. He punched me hard in the face. “Did you enjoy sleeping with my woman, Ethan?” Serena instinctively frowned and grabbed him from behind. But he shook her off at once. “She disappears for a while every few months, and Ethan, you’re really something.” “You hooked her so well that she can’t bear to leave you.” He looked down at me from above. “Back then, I thought you were living a good life with savages on this deserted island, but I didn’t expect you had stolen my woman.” “If I hadn’t been monitoring her schedule every month, I still wouldn’t know what good thing you’d done.” I raised my head and looked straight at him. “You’ll get what’s coming to you.” He seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and he laughed darkly. “Ethan, you seduced my wife, and I’ll get what’s coming to me?” “When I was sick and in the hospital, she still had to come here to see you from time to time.” “You know I’ve never been a generous person, and the fact that I haven’t thrown you into the sea already means I’m being nice to you.” I laughed mockingly. The next second, I lunged forward and shoved him. “I’m talking about you stealing my life!” “My SATs!” “Are you still pretending you don’t know?!” He lost his footing and staggered backward with a muffled groan. Then he stumbled into Serena’s arms. She reached out to hold Mason and comforted him in a low voice. “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?” She lifted her foot and kicked me hard in the stomach. The veins on her forehead bulged, and her tone was impatient. “Ethan! Can you have some conscience? You’ve lived so well on this island, you weren’t married off to a fisherman, you weren’t beaten, you had food and drink, and you even had a child.” “Why are you being so unreasonable, and how dare you attack him?!” “It looks like I’ve been too good to you!” I clutched my stomach, curled up in pain. She supported Mason and kicked the door open. I lay on the ground, watching the backs of them as they left. I forced down the nausea rising in my chest. I glanced out the window. A group of men in black stood guard at the door and discussed quietly. “So this is the lover Miss has been keeping, and he’s really bold.” “Exactly, he got caught and still dared to attack sir.” “I’ve never seen Miss treat any other man nicely, so what’s special about this one?” “I heard he used to be a top student.” “Can he be a better student than sir? Besides, on this deserted island, what use is being a top student?” “At most, he’s good in bed, so Miss made an exception and kept him.” I did not dare wait for the pain in my body to fade, and I crawled up and grabbed the phone Serena had left behind. I crouched down and dialed with trembling hands. The call connected. I felt as if I had grabbed a lifeline. “Aunt Alexandra, my mom is dead, I’m in this place, save me!” I did not wait for the person on the other end to respond and hung up immediately. In a few quick moves, I controlled the phone and sent my location. Then I deleted every trace. After putting the phone back in its original spot, I sat down against the wall. Although I called her my aunt. I had always hoped. That if only Mom had married her back then. She was a student my mom had sponsored, and she had climbed up from the bottom. She had loved my mom all her life. But she still had not been able to protect her as she wished. A woman’s footsteps sounded outside the door, and my nerves instantly went taut. She had just stepped inside. But the phone I had put back in place suddenly started ringing wildly.

The ringtone was the love song I liked most. I fell into a daze. When we were sixteen, we sat at the same desk. Her phone was hidden in her pocket, and we each wore one earbud. I felt her secretly holding my hand, and my heart raced. But now, I looked around. Seven years in a straw hut on a deserted island had used up my youth. It had also used up my patience. She walked over. I nervously grabbed the hem of my shirt. She did not even look at the phone and hung up directly. “Secretary Carter, clear my entire schedule.” “Unless it’s a life-or-death emergency, do not disturb me.” Someone outside the door immediately answered. She crouched down, her eyes bloodshot. Her fingers slid into my hair, and she yanked my head back. “Slap!” Serena slapped me hard across the face. I felt a burning pain and fell straight to the ground. My ears buzzed, and a coppery sweetness filled my throat. The pain in my body was nothing compared to the humiliation. Her voice was filled with fury. “Do you know what you did?!” I raised my head and met her eyes. “I don’t know!” She kicked the clay jar beside her to pieces. Then she let out a deep breath. “Go kneel and apologize to him right now, and for the sake of what we used to have, I can let you go.” “Otherwise, you can go die with his child!” I struggled and gritted my teeth. “I didn’t use any strength at all!” “Stop blaming everything on me!” She sneered and stood up, then clapped her hands. A group of people immediately came in and surrounded me. She stepped back twice and looked at me coldly. “In the past, I remembered that I liked you, so I couldn’t bear to be ruthless with you.” “Since you refuse to repent, maybe I really should teach you a lesson.” Two or three bodyguards dragged me up and held me firmly in place. They dragged me out the door, and there was no one on the beach under the vicious sunlight. She ordered people to set up a long pole. The secretary beside her handed her a bundle of rope. I realized something and began struggling violently. The pain in my abdomen had not passed yet. A moment later, I had already lost all strength. I lifted my eyes and saw her walk over and wrap her arms around me. After the motion that looked like a hug. Thick rope bound my hands tightly. I could already feel discomfort setting in. I looked up at her. “Serena, from childhood until now, I have never done anything wrong to you.” “I don’t like you anymore, and whatever happens between you and Mason has nothing to do with me.” “But you can’t do this to me.” She gave a cold laugh. “So that means you can do that to him?” “Ethan, why do you always act so superior toward him?” “Back then, he was just a pitiful young man, and now he’s only a husband throwing a little tantrum.” “Where exactly do you think you’re more noble than him?” “Stop acting like you’re so impressive just because you were born to the wife.” “To him, you’re the third party.” After she finished tying me up, she returned to the hut at a leisurely pace. The August sun on the deserted island was blindingly harsh. The clothes I wore left my arms and legs completely exposed. Before long, everything in front of me went black. My head hurt violently, and I started feeling sick. I had severe hypoglycemia. Serena knew that. In the past, she always carried candies of different colors and flavors with her. From time to time, she would pull one out and stuff it into my mouth. Then she would ask with a light laugh whether it was sweet. But now, ten yards away, she was feeding Mason sugar water spoon by spoon. I did not know how long had passed before my skin burned with pain from the sun. My breathing grew weaker and weaker. Before I fainted. I felt a sudden gale. Then I heard Serena’s bodyguards shouting at the sky in panic. “What is that thing?!” Serena’s expression changed, and she strode over in a few big steps. She crouched down and grabbed my chin. “What is Alexandra Stone to you?”

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My husband confessed to me after his second affair. “Honestly, both of those women were just strippers I hired. Nothing happened between us.” “The only one I’m actually sleeping with is Chloe.” Chloe was my best friend. I froze. It took me a long time to find my voice. “Why? Why would you do this?” He lit a cigarette and smiled. “Chloe did it for your own good. She was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle finding out about us. So, we hired those girls to test you first. It was like exposure therapy to desensitize you.” “Since you were able to forgive me for those two strippers, you should be able to forgive her, too. The three of us can live together from now on. You’ll still be Mrs. Vance.” So, all those years of my suffering, the agony that drove me to slit my wrists… It was all just to pave a smooth path for Chloe. This time, I stopped fighting. After scheduling an abortion, I booked a one-way flight. 0Sebastian spoke of our future as if he was absolutely certain I wouldn’t resist this time. “Once we sign the official papers, she’ll take wedding photos with us. She’ll be at the ceremony, too. You know that wedding dress you liked? She likes it, too. It’s her first time wearing one, so just let her have it.” “As for the house, you’ll move into the guest room. Chloe gets cold easily at night, and the master bedroom gets the best sunlight. It’s warmer.” “And don’t say anything to my friends. As far as they know, you and I broke up a long time ago, and I’m officially dating Chloe now.” He rattled off these demands one by one, without even blinking. As if he were talking about the weather. Rage and logic tore at my mind, burning me alive from the inside out. But he just continued casually, “Oh, by the way, Chloe is pregnant.” “Be gentle with her. She can’t get stressed right now. If you’re angry, take it out on me.” Pregnant? They had been together for so long, and they only told me now because she was pregnant? Fine. He wanted me to take it out on him? I would. I slowly raised my hand. I wanted to slap him across the face, but he caught my wrist effortlessly. He frowned, looking genuinely confused. “Are you actually mad?” “That doesn’t make sense. Those two actresses did so many terrible things to you, and you were as quiet as a sheep. Why are you throwing such a fit now that it’s Chloe?” The “terrible things” he mentioned? One of them pushed me into a freezing lake in the dead of winter, causing me to miscarry. The other sent graphic, explicit photos of Sebastian to my parents, which gave my mother a fatal heart attack. They started rumors at my office that I was a homewrecker, getting me fired. And now, all of that was justified by his single sentence. It was all just “exposure therapy” to desensitize me, just to pave the way for Chloe. A wave of pure absurdity washed over me. I wanted to laugh, but tears spilled from my eyes instead. He sighed, leaning his face closer to me, presenting his cheek. “Forget it. Chloe is your best friend, so it’s natural you’re a bit upset. Go ahead, hit me.” “But after you do, you need to be nice to her. She feels incredibly guilty. She was too terrified to tell you until she was sure you were completely desensitized to the situation.” “She did it for your own good, Summer. Don’t scare her.” I hadn’t even done anything yet. And he was already worried I would scare her. They say when a man truly loves a woman, she will always seem fragile and young in his eyes, someone to be pampered and protected. That was why he called her a “young girl,” completely forgetting that I was actually two months younger than she was. Tears soaked my neck. I let my hand drop uselessly. “Pull over,” I whispered. “We’re done. I’m leaving.” He paused for a second, then let out a helpless chuckle. “Stop acting like a child. If you wanted to leave, you would have left years ago. You just want me to spoil you, don’t you?” “Give me your phone. I’ll buy everything in your Amazon cart right now.” “Tell me what else you want. I’ll get it.” He tried to coax me the way he always did, but I didn’t care anymore. I stared straight ahead. “I want my original wedding dress.” That dress was custom-made for me by Sebastian. Back when he knelt in the dirt, begging me to take him back, he had said, “Wear this, and I’ll give you the wedding of a lifetime. Please?” And I had forgiven him back then only because I remembered the boy he used to be. The teenage Sebastian who would blush furiously whenever our eyes met. The boy who fought off local thugs for me, getting stabbed in the back, only to smile and say it didn’t hurt at all. The boy who worked three part-time jobs just to put me through college. He had once slipped a plastic soda tab onto my ring finger and promised me the world. I remembered it perfectly. But he had long since forgotten. He sneered, leaning back into his seat, his voice turning cold and cruel. “That’s enough, Summer. You’re not some twenty-year-old girl anymore. Isn’t this temper tantrum getting pathetic?” “We both know you’ll forgive me in the end anyway. Why make a scene?” “Since you refuse to be reasonable about Chloe, you can walk home and cool your head.” Like a piece of trash, I was pushed out of his car. Outside, the heavy rain poured down. The freezing water made me shiver, but it was nothing compared to the ice in my heart. I didn’t even bother running for shelter. Right there in the rain, I pulled out my phone, scheduled an abortion, and booked a flight out of the city. 0

When I got back to the house, I walked in to find Chloe curled up on the sofa, eating potato chips. Sebastian, a notorious neat freak, was on his knees, picking up her dropped crumbs without a single word of complaint. I pretended they didn’t exist. Holding back my tears, I walked toward my bedroom. But when I opened the door, all my belongings were gone. In their place were the home decorations I had helped Chloe pick out just a few days ago. Back then, I had naively thought she was redecorating her own apartment. I had eagerly helped her choose items, never realizing they were meant to replace mine. Behind me, Chloe walked up, her expression timid and fragile. “Sebastian told you, right? My hands and feet get so cold at night. I really needed this room.” Before I could answer, she panicked. “Oh, are you mad? If you don’t want to switch, that’s fine! We can swap back.” “I mean, the other room is freezing and damp, but I can survive.” Clutching her slightly rounded stomach, she reached out to grab some of her things. Sebastian immediately caught her hand. “Don’t touch anything.” “But, Sebastian… Summer looks so…” “Summer can sleep anywhere,” Sebastian snapped, cutting her off. “But you’re different, Chloe. The guest room is freezing. You can’t sleep in there.” She couldn’t sleep in there. But I could. Had he completely forgotten? Three years ago, when his mistress pushed me into that freezing lake, I developed severe pneumonia. Ever since then, my joints throbbed with excruciating pain whenever it rained. Chloe kept offering to move back, pretending to be sweet, until Sebastian finally lost his patience. He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the hallway. “Didn’t we already talk about this? Why are you being so difficult? She’s pregnant. Can’t you just yield to her for once?” When I didn’t immediately nod, his grip tightened. His fingers dug so hard into my wrist that they left deep red marks. I gasped in pain. He let go quickly, gritting his teeth. “I didn’t want to hurt you, but you need to start behaving.” It felt as though an invisible hand was strangling me. I stood there, struggling to breathe, before finally whispering, “Fine.” Chloe beamed and ran forward to hug me. I instinctively took a step back, avoiding her. Her face fell, looking deeply hurt. “Summer, do you really hate me that much? I never did anything to hurt you.” “You forgave those other two women who actually harmed you. Why can’t you forgive me?” “Am I really worse than two strangers in your heart?” Staring at her wide, innocent eyes, the rage I had suppressed for years finally erupted. She knew. She knew exactly how much I had suffered over the years. She knew about the sleepless nights, the days I couldn’t eat, the deep self-doubt, and the depression. I had trusted her more than anyone. I had poured my heart out to her. And now, she had the audacity to ask why I couldn’t forgive her. She was even more repulsive than Sebastian. “Can you stop acting for one second?” I spat. The moment the words left my mouth, a brutal kick struck the back of my knee. I collapsed to the floor, my kneecap slamming hard against the hardwood. The skin broke, and blood began to seep through my jeans. Sebastian stood over me like a towering giant, shielding Chloe behind him. “I told you to watch your mouth,” he growled. “Have you forgotten everything I’ve said to you?” “Do this again, and the consequences won’t be this gentle.” The pain in my knee was nothing compared to the agony in my chest. It felt as though a heavy hammer was shattering my heart, leaving a gaping, bleeding wound. It took me a long time to drag myself up by holding onto the wall. I hobbled toward the door. Sebastian suddenly ran out after me. He threw a dry towel over my wet shoulders, looking almost apologetic, as if he had just realized what he’d done. “I reacted too harshly just now,” he muttered. “But your attitude today was unacceptable.” He then pulled out a medical folder. “Chloe has her prenatal checkup tomorrow. You’ve been pregnant before, so you know the drill. Go with her and help her through it.” So, my past experience with pregnancy was only useful to help his mistress. The sheer absurdity made me want to scream. But then I remembered my own abortion appointment tomorrow. It was at the exact same hospital. “Fine,” I agreed quietly. The next morning, the moment we arrived at the hospital, one of Chloe’s friends, Tiffany, cornered us. She looked at me with pure disgust. “So, you’re the pathetic leech. Chloe is pregnant, and you’re still clinging to Sebastian? How shameless can you get?” 0

“I heard Sebastian cheated on you twice, and you still took him back. God, you must have zero self-respect. If I were you, I would have jumped off a building years ago!” Tiffany sneered. “Honestly, Sebastian is a genius. He hired the ugliest actresses just to make sure Chloe wouldn’t get jealous. Talk about true love and sacrifice!” “You need to wake up, Summer. Sebastian only loves Chloe. You’re just a toy he keeps in the corner. He plays with you when he’s bored, and throws you aside when he’s done!” She had purposely chosen the crowded lobby to make her scene. Dozens of bystanders stopped to stare and whisper. Even some of the nurses recognized Chloe. “Oh, I know that girl. Mr. Vance has brought her here for checkups several times. But who is the other one? Is she the mistress?” “Doesn’t sound like it.” “Well, even if she isn’t, she must be pathetic. Imagine staying with a man who publicly cheats on you.” “Right? How embarrassing. Hahaha.” The whispers echoed in my ears, sounding exactly like the cruel thoughts that kept me awake every night. The old scars on my wrists began to throb. I wanted to run, but Chloe held tightly onto my arm, refusing to let me go. It was a never-ending nightmare. By the time she finally let go, I was completely numb. I followed her into the ultrasound room like a ghost. The results came back. Chloe was pregnant with triplets. When Sebastian got the news, he abandoned his board meeting and rushed to the hospital. He swept Chloe into his arms and spun her around. “I’m going to be a father! A father of triplets! Chloe, you’re my angel.” “My parents want to meet you. We’ll go to the Vance estate tomorrow.” I couldn’t stand to hear any more. I walked out into the corridor, only to overhear two of Sebastian’s bodyguards talking nearby. “So the Vance family is finally accepting Miss Miller? I thought she came from a no-name family.” “Well, Sebastian literally knelt in the pouring rain for three days outside the estate and went on a hunger strike. What choice did his parents have? They had to give in.” “But didn’t Sebastian hate his family? He swore he’d never go back.” “Love makes people do crazy things, man. Now he goes back to the estate every week just to secure Miss Miller’s place in the family.” Sebastian had been brought back to the wealthy Vance family when he was twenty-two. No one knew how much he despised his parents more than I did. Yet, for Chloe, he was willing to swallow his pride to get their approval. “If the family accepts Miss Miller, what about Miss Summer?” “Who cares? She has no legal status anyway. It’s embarrassing. Besides, Miss Miller and Sebastian already registered their marriage a long time ago.” Registered their marriage? What did that mean? I wanted to step out and demand answers, but the guards walked away. The words felt like a thousand knives stabbing into my stomach. I rushed back to our house and tore through the drawers to find the two marriage certificates Sebastian and I had signed years ago. I pulled up the official state registry portal on my phone and compared them. They were fake. The registration numbers didn’t exist. Just like his excuse that “his family would never accept me,” our marriage was a total lie. And I had believed him for three whole years. The photo on the fake certificate—of Sebastian and me smiling side by side—was the spark that finally blew up the volcano inside me. I drove back to the house, walked right up to Sebastian, who was carefully feeding Chloe soup, and threw the fake certificates right at his face. “What is the meaning of this?” I demanded, my voice shaking. He picked up the papers, but instead of looking at me, he smirked at Chloe. “I told you she wouldn’t figure it out for three years. You lost the bet, babe. Remember our wager?” Chloe blushed, tapping his shoulder playfully. “Stop it, Sebastian. I’m pregnant.” “Well, pregnant women are supposed to be more sensitive, aren’t they?” Their playful flirting made me feel like the ultimate fool. I snapped. I lunged forward and slapped their hands away. I barely used any force. But Chloe immediately fell backward onto the floor. Within seconds, bright red blood began to pool beneath her dress. 0

Sebastian’s eyes turned bloodshot. “What did you do?!” “Doctor! Get a doctor!” he screamed. Chloe was rushed into the emergency room. Sebastian grabbed my arm so hard I felt my bone cracking. “Did I not tell you to never touch her? I told you to take it out on me!” I wanted to tell him that I barely touched her, that she had thrown herself down. But seeing the absolute hatred in his eyes, I just laughed. “Yeah, I did it. So what?” What was he going to do? Break my legs this time? His gaze swept over me, freezing cold. “Fine. Since you confessed, I don’t need to waste any more words.” “Guard! Lock her in a private ward!” “I want her to experience a thousand times the pain Chloe is feeling right now!” I was dragged into a locked room and strapped to a bed. Several strange tubes and wires were connected to my body. Sebastian leaned over and stroked my hair like a venomous snake. “Don’t worry, Summer. It’ll only last for three days.” “I’ll come collect you in three days.” He didn’t break my legs. He didn’t even leave a single scratch on my body. Instead, they hooked me up to an illegal nerve-pain simulator. The machine sent waves of excruciating contractions through my abdomen, mimicking the worst stages of labor pain. For three days, I drifted in and out of consciousness. Through the heavy door, I could hear voices outside. “Sebastian, aren’t you afraid you’ll push her too far? What if she leaves?” “Leave? Where would she go? She’s been with me since she was eighteen. I had all her firsts. Who else would ever want her?” “As long as she begs for forgiveness and stops bothering Chloe, I’ll still keep her around.” I don’t know how long it took, but the pain finally stopped, and the tubes were ripped from my body. I tried to sit up, but my hand brushed against something wet and sticky on the bedsheets. It was dark, dried blood. My baby was gone. It had been aborted by the sheer trauma of the pain simulator. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Without a single tear, I got up and walked out of the hospital straight to the airport. I threw my phone into a trash can at the terminal. The last message that popped up on the screen was from Sebastian: [The wedding is tomorrow. If you aren’t dead, drag yourself over here.] The next day, at the beautiful outdoor garden wedding. Sebastian kept glancing at the empty seat in the front row. An inexplicable sense of unease began to creep into his chest. Suddenly, his phone rang. “Hello, Mr. Vance? This is the clinic. Miss Summer Vance had scheduled an abortion, but she missed her appointment. We had a slot open up today and wanted to check if she was still coming.”

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On the day of my prenatal checkup, I stumbled upon my husband’s secret on social media. My husband, Ethan, was perfect in every way except for one thing—he wasn’t romantic at all. He said holding hands made his palms sweaty and gross, so he never held mine. He said kissing was unhygienic, turning away every time I leaned in for a kiss. Whenever he saw the disappointment on my face, he would just look at me calmly. “I come home on time every night, and I hand over my paycheck to you. Isn’t that the best proof of love?” So, I stopped asking for romance. Until today. While waiting in line for my ultrasound, I was scrolling through Snapchat and saw a viral thread. What does physical attraction actually feel like? I froze when I saw the top-voted comment. It was from Ethan’s account: “When she talks to me, I stare at her lips. It makes my throat go dry. I don’t even hear what she’s saying—I just want to kiss her.” Right beneath his comment, my best friend, Hailey, had replied: “So… does that mean what you feel for me is pure physical attraction?” “Patient 104, Chloe.” The nurse called my name. I stood frozen for a second. Then, I walked up to the desk and spoke, my voice trembling. “Excuse me, how do I schedule an abortion?” 1 The clinic doctor looked at me over her glasses. “Have you discussed this with your partner?” I looked down at my Snapchat chat history with Ethan. The last message was from three days ago. I had texted him: “My period is late this month. Why do you think that is? I’m going to the doctor.” I had just found out I was pregnant. I wanted him to guess the surprise. His reply was short: “If you’re not feeling well, just get some rest.” Before that, the chat was filled with jokes I shared, my complaints about work, and places I wanted to visit with him. Every single one was met with a dry, automated-like response. The opposite of physical attraction is visceral repulsion, right? I looked at the doctor and forced a smile. “There is no partner. No need to discuss.” The surgery was scheduled for five days later. By the time I got home, it was already late afternoon. Hailey had recently quit her job and had been staying at our place for almost a month. The moment I opened the door, I saw Hailey and Ethan standing close together at the kitchen island. Hailey used her own fork to feed Ethan a bite of medium-rare steak. He ate it, smiling, and muttered, “Delicious.” I stood there, feeling dizzy. I remembered when I was making soup once, I instinctively wanted Ethan to taste a spoonful. His reaction had been violent. “Do couples not need hygiene anymore? That’s disgusting, Chloe.” He had pushed my hand away so hard that the hot soup spilled all over my wrist. It was swollen and red for two weeks. I was so blind. They were acting like this right in front of me, and I had never suspected a thing. After all, one was my partner of five years, and the other was my best friend of twenty. The sound of the door closing caught their attention. Hailey walked out of the kitchen holding a plate of garlic butter shrimp. “Chloe! You’re back just in time. I just made this, try some!” She gave me an innocent, sweet smile. I just wanted to run to my room. I was afraid that if I spoke, my tears would betray me. “I’m not hungry.” Ethan’s brows furrowed slightly. “Hailey made this specifically for you. Don’t waste her effort.” I looked at him, suddenly wanting to laugh. I am severely allergic to seafood. Once, when Ethan and I went out to eat, I accidentally ate something with shrimp paste. I threw up and almost went into anaphylactic shock. Ethan was the one who rushed me to the ER. And Hailey, my best friend of twenty years, knew about my allergy better than anyone. Seeing me stay still, Ethan’s frown deepened. “Is this how you treat a guest?” Hailey quickly intervened, waving her hands. “Maybe she’s just not feeling well. It’s fine, really.” I locked myself in my room, finally letting the tears fall. I couldn’t understand. If Ethan felt a visceral repulsion toward me, why did he stay with me for five years? And Hailey… we had known each other since we were kids. Her father was an abusive alcoholic who never cared for her. I was the one who shared my lunch with her, bought her clothes, walked her to school… Why did she have to steal my man? At eleven in the evening, Ethan came into the bedroom. I had already wiped my tears. But right after he showered, Hailey knocked on our door. “Ethan! I just saw this hilarious TikTok. You have to come out and see this!” Ethan, who had just lain down, immediately got up to leave. I grabbed his arm. “It’s late, Ethan. Doesn’t she have any boundaries?” “Don’t you think listening to random jokes is a waste of time?” He didn’t look at me as he brushed my hand off. “We can’t ignore a guest.” “Besides, we click. It’s never a waste of time.” As the door clicked shut, Hailey’s giggling echoed from the living room. “I’m telling you, this creator is so funny…” I covered my eyes. I had shown Ethan that exact same TikTok creator three times. Every time, his response was: “Wasting my time with mindless trash. Don’t you think you’re being incredibly selfish?” To teach me a lesson, he had even blocked me on Snapchat for a whole month. Their laughter outside lasted until past midnight. I picked up my phone and opened my WhatsApp chat with my boss. “Hi boss, about the relocation to the Seattle office… I’d like to take the offer.” My boss called me immediately. “Chloe? Didn’t you say you were pregnant and couldn’t go?” “I’m not having the baby anymore.” Silence on the other end. “Okay. There’s one spot left. The flight is in six days. Can you make it?” “Yes.” 2 By sunrise, Ethan and Hailey were not home. I walked out to the balcony and looked down. Ethan and Hailey were walking back together, holding a fresh bouquet of gardenias—Hailey’s favorite. They had gone to the local Farmers’ Market again. Last year, I made a “Relationship Bucket List.” The very first item was to visit the Farmers’ Market together on a Saturday morning. I begged Ethan a dozen times. I told him how romantic it would be to wake up early, buy fresh flowers and groceries, and cook breakfast together. He didn’t even look up from his research paper. “I need to run data simulations on Saturday mornings. You can sleep in until nine. Why ruin our schedules and torture each other?” He was a man of strict principles. But since Hailey moved in a month ago, he could wake up early every single day to walk her to the market just to buy her fresh gardenias. I used to think it was because I asked Ethan to help me take care of Hailey while she was job hunting. I thought he was doing it for me. I was so incredibly stupid. Down below, they were talking about something when Hailey suddenly grabbed Ethan’s hand and playfully bit the fleshy part of his thumb. Ethan’s eyes crinkled with laughter, letting her do whatever she wanted. After she let go, she even leaned down and kissed the spot she had just bitten. My stomach turned, and I dry-heaved over the railing. Five years. Ethan had never kissed me like that. Once, before sleeping, I stole a quick peck on his lips. He practically ran to the bathroom, washing his face with antibacterial soap multiple times. When he came back, he demanded we sleep in separate rooms. “Saliva is full of bacteria, Chloe. Your childish ideas of romance are highly disturbing.” “If you are going to indulge in these low-class, primal habits, we should sleep separately.” I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my skin. I pulled out my phone and texted Ethan: “So, have you suddenly developed a taste for those ‘low-class habits’?” My phone buzzed instantly. “It’s fine. Why do you ask?” I looked down. Ethan’s hands were empty. He hadn’t even touched his phone. Then who replied to me? A chilling thought crossed my mind. I walked into his home office. His laptop was unlocked, with WhatsApp Web active. Hailey’s chat was pinned to the top. And my chat? It was muted. I stared at the screen, sensing something was off. I sent him another text: “My stomach hurts really bad today.” Almost instantly, a reply popped up on his laptop screen: “Drink some warm water.” My face went pale. I searched his desktop and found an automated script he had set up. He had categorized all my possible messages and set up auto-replies for them. If I shared something: “I’m busy. No need to spam me with useless things.” If I expressed emotions: “Don’t overthink” or “Go to sleep early.” If I was sick: “Drink some warm water.” I knew he was cold, but I never realized even his coldness was automated. He couldn’t even be bothered to write a few different words for his AI script. The front door opened. They were back. Hailey walked straight into our bathroom. “Ethan, I’m using your towel! Mine is too thin.” Ethan replied casually, “Throw yours away if it’s no good. Just use mine.” All his “boundaries” and “germaphobia” seemed to disappear when it came to her. Last year, I got caught in a downpour and came home soaking wet. I accidentally used his towel to dry my hair. He snatched it out of my hand and threw it straight into the trash can. “Sharing towels can transmit skin infections. Do you have no common sense?” I bit my lip so hard it bled. As I walked out of the office, Hailey ran into me. “Oh, Chloe, were you using the laptop? I need to borrow it to check some listings.” Ethan, hearing this, slammed his coffee mug on the table. “Don’t touch my laptop, Chloe!” “How many times do I have to tell you? Even in a relationship, people need privacy. Is that so hard to understand?” Hailey sighed dramatically. “Oh come on, Ethan. I was the one who asked to use it, and she was just opening it for me. Don’t be so mean to Chloe!” Ethan’s expression instantly softened. “Fine. Only because Hailey asked.” Hailey didn’t even ask for the password. She unlocked the laptop I had just closed with ease. She opened the browser, using Ethan’s saved profile and bookmarks. Ethan had passwords on everything. He kept all his “privacy” locked away from me, but Hailey knew every single password. I felt like I was suffocating. I grabbed my bag and bolted out the door. At the clinic, before the final procedure, the doctor checked with me one last time. “Are you sure about this, Chloe? This is your last chance to change your mind.” “I’m sure,” I said. “I won’t regret it. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.” 3 When I returned home, there were several pairs of shoes at the entrance. The living room was crowded, and the coffee table was covered with beer cans and snacks. Hailey stood up to greet me, acting like the hostess of the house. “Chloe! You’re back. These are Ethan’s colleagues from the lab.” She leaned in and whispered in my ear: “Since I’m still looking for a job, Ethan invited them over to help me network and get a referral. Isn’t he sweet?” How generous of him. Three years ago, my department had a joint project with Ethan’s lab. Once, I bumped into him on campus and tried to say hi, but he walked right past me like I was a stranger. When we got home, he lectured me: “I don’t want people at work knowing about us. I don’t want them thinking I’m using my position to favor my girlfriend!” But apparently, “professional boundaries” only applied to me. I sat at the very edge of the couch. Ethan was actively sharing embarrassing stories from his childhood. Hailey’s eyes went wide. “No way! You actually did that when you were ten?” Ethan laughed. “Seriously. My parents banned me from the kitchen for a month.” Hailey laughed hysterically. I had never heard that story in the five years we were together. Ethan hated me asking about his past. But now, just to make Hailey feel comfortable, he was laying his life bare for everyone to see. A guy wearing glasses chuckled. “Man, Hailey and Ethan get along so well. Chloe, you should learn a thing or two from Hailey.” “You two have been together for five years, but you still act like strangers.” Everyone laughed. I smiled too. They weren’t wrong. My five years with Ethan had been nothing but a one-woman show. After a few rounds of drinks, the beer ran out. Hailey stood up to go get some more. Several colleagues immediately stopped her. “No, no, Hailey, you sit. Let Chloe go.” “Yeah, Chloe, can you run to the store?” Ethan nodded in agreement. “Go ahead, Chloe. Hailey is having a good time. Don’t ruin the mood.” I stood up instantly and walked out. I didn’t want to buy beer. I just needed to breathe. I walked around the block for an hour before returning. By then, the guests had left. The living room was a complete mess—empty cans, spilled chips, half-eaten pizza slices everywhere. Ethan looked up at me lazily. “Clean up the living room, will you? Hailey’s back hurts, she can’t bend over.” I stared at him. “My back hurts too.” Hailey quickly stood up. “It’s fine, really! I’ll clean it. My back is just a little stiff, no big deal.” Ethan pulled her back onto the couch, then turned to me, his voice cold. “Since when does your back hurt?” I looked at him. My back had a chronic injury. Three years ago, when we decided to move in together, Ethan said that even in love, I needed to be independent. So, during the move, I tried to carry a heavy wooden drawer myself. I slipped and rammed my lower back into a metal shelf. I had a lumbar contusion and was bedridden for two weeks. Suddenly, I grabbed a glass bottle from the counter and slammed it onto the floor. It shattered into pieces. Hailey screamed. “I said I would do it, Chloe! Why are you throwing a temper tantrum?” I looked at Hailey’s face, my voice deadly calm. “Hailey, in all these years, have I ever done anything wrong to you?” As a friend, I had done everything for her. When we were kids in the middle of winter, she got acute gastroenteritis at midnight. No cabs were running, so I carried her on my back to the clinic, scraping my knees so badly they bled. When we graduated and her toxic father showed up at school demanding cash, I gave her all my savings—two thousand dollars I had saved from working part-time. Hailey’s face turned pale. “What are you talking about? If you want me to leave, just say it!” She slammed her bedroom door. Ethan stood in the center of the room, his face darkening. I could see it in his eyes—he wanted to lecture me for making Hailey uncomfortable. I didn’t give him the chance. “I’m tired. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Seeing the sheer exhaustion on my face, he swallowed his words. “Fine.” “Keep tomorrow free. We need to have a serious talk.” 4 I thought, since he was technically the father, he had the right to know. But the next morning, Ethan woke up early—not for me, but because Hailey was packing her bags after yesterday’s fight. The moment I woke up, I heard Ethan on the phone with a real estate agent. “Is that apartment close to the subway? … How’s the neighborhood security? … Send me a video tour.” He asked so many detailed questions. The gate security, the elevator brand, the background of the neighbors. He asked if there was any chemical smell in the freshly painted walls, which direction the windows faced, and if the heating worked well. I remembered when we first moved in together. He was busy, so I was the one house-hunting. I was so excited about our first home that I took videos of every detail and sent them to him to discuss. He replied: “Just pick one. It’s not that important.” I watched him quietly until he hung up. “Do you have time to talk now?” He put on his coat and glanced at his watch. “Not right now. The apartment Hailey likes is high-demand. If we’re late, someone else will sign the lease. We’ll talk tonight.” As the door shut, the apartment fell into a heavy silence. I sat on the couch for a long time. Then, I packed my bags. I left the things I wanted to return to him on the entryway table. Right before I was wheeled into the operating room. Maybe out of a final, foolish hope, I sent Ethan a text. “If I told you I was pregnant, what would you do?” The reply came instantly. “I’m busy. No need to spam me with useless things.” The automated script. I burst out laughing. I was laughing at my own stupidity, but at the same time, I felt a strange sense of relief. Then, a message from Hailey popped up. “Chloe, I’m so lucky to have a friend like you.” “Ethan is seriously the best. He even bought coffee and gifts for my new neighbors so they would look out for me.” “He said he’s going to stay over at my new place tonight to make sure the security is fine. But don’t worry, there are two bedrooms.” I stared at the message for a long time. The nurse came to wheel me in. “Is there anyone here to accompany you?” I shook my head. “No.” I signed the consent form myself. When they took the tissue out of my body, it hurt. But the deepest pain had already been carved into my heart long ago. An abortion is a minor procedure. By the next morning, I was discharged. It hurt to walk, but I managed. I went straight to the airport. Five years of self-delusion had finally come to an end. While checking in, I turned on my phone. A notification from our home security camera popped up. Ethan was finally home. He called my name a few times. No reply. Then, he saw the envelope I left on the table. Inside was the debit card containing his salary, and my abortion discharge papers. The moment he opened it, he froze like a statue.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “433915”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Everyone thought Susie Summers was a pushover. She’d been married to Henry Ziegler for three years — working for him at the office by day, serving him in bed by night. Even when she caught Henry fooling around with Lena Hampert right there in the office, the coworkers watching were sure she’d sweep it under the rug like always. Three years of being ground down had finally broken something loose in Susie. She was done. But before she could throw the divorce papers in Henry’s face, William, The CEO of the Luis Group, showed up. He dropped to his knees in front of everyone, eyes red, begging Susie to come back. The moment she kicked the door open, Susie saw the most revolting thing she’d ever witnessed in her life. Henry’s tie was crooked. Lena was draped all over him, one strap of her dress hanging halfway off her shoulder. Documents were scattered across the desk, and the air reeked of perfume. Susie’s head started ringing — but her hands moved faster than her brain. Her phone was already out, the record button pressed. “Susie?” Lena reacted first, shrieking and stumbling backward, making a show of pulling up her strap. But her eyes were gleaming with satisfaction. Henry turned around. His expression shifted — then curled into a cold smirk. “What are you doing here?” “Dropping something off.” Susie raised her phone and walked toward them, one slow step at a time. “Figured I’d get you both on camera. So you won’t forget how pathetic you looked.” Her voice was completely calm. Calm enough to surprise even herself. Three years she’d stood up with this man. Today, she didn’t have to anymore. Henry lunged for the phone. Susie stepped back, and with her other hand pulled a folded letter from her bag and snapped it against his chest. “Sign it. And expect divorce papers from my lawyer.” Henry stared down at the letter. Then he let out a short, sharp laugh. “You? Quit? Divorce me? Susie, have you lost your mind? You got this job through my connections. You think you can survive without me?” Lena sauntered over then, dabbing at her eyes, her voice dripping with fake innocence. “Sis, you’ve got it all wrong. Henry and I were just going over some work stuff—” “Shut up.” Susie cut her off, her tone was ice cold. “Call me that one more time and I’ll make you regret it.” Lena’s face went pale. Then the tears started falling, and she spun toward Henry. “She’s being so mean to me…” Henry exploded. He grabbed the resignation letter and tore it apart, throwing the pieces at Susie’s face. “You’ve got some nerve! You’re useless — all you do is cause scenes and embarrass me. If you walk out that door, you leave with absolutely nothing. And don’t think for a second you’ll get anywhere near the kids!” Susie smiled. It was a cold smile. Cold all the way through. For three years she had put up with everything — the cooking, cleaning, raising the kids, pulling late nights, getting belittled and pushed aside — all because Henry introduced her as “my wife.” She had shrunk herself into nothing more than his accessory. But not today. “I’m taking the kids,” Susie said, word by word. “And you’re not getting your hands on everything we have. And what you two just did in here? Everyone’s going to know about it.” “You’re threatening me?” Henry grabbed a mug off the desk and hurled it to the floor. Glass exploded across the tile. “You think I won’t have security drag you out of here right now?” Susie didn’t flinch. She just held her phone up higher. The footage on the screen was crystal clear. Out in the hallway, a crowd had gathered. Coworkers were craning their necks, their faces a mix of amusement and nosiness. Not one of them stepped forward. Susie wasn’t surprised. They’d been waiting for her to fall on her face ever since her first day here. “Susie, just let it go.” Lena’s voice softened into something sweet and poisonous. “Henry has been so good to you. Aren’t you grateful? The only one looking bad right now is you.” Susie turned to look at her, eyes sharp. “Cut the innocent act, Lena. You weren’t worried about looking bad three years ago when you crawled into Henry’s bed, were you?” “That’s a lie!” Lena screamed. “That never happened!” “Didn’t it?” Susie laughed, lifting the phone. “The angle on this is pretty clear. Want me to send it to the whole company and let everyone decide?” Lena went pale as a sheet of paper and threw herself at Henry, sobbing harder than ever. Henry was shaking with rage, opening his mouth to lay into Susie — when a sudden ripple moved through the crowd. “Mr. Luis is here!” Everyone stepped back at once, parting like a wave. Susie looked up. William was walking down the corridor toward them. His suit was immaculate. His expression was dark — the kind of dark that settles in right before a storm. His gaze swept past everyone in the room and landed directly on her. Susie’s heart slammed against her ribs. William—her college crush, the boy who once said, “Susie, wait for me. I’ll come back and marry you”—was now the CEO of the Luis Group. And her direct boss. She never thought their paths would cross again. “What’s going on here?” William stepped into the doorway, his voice was dangerously low. Henry instantly slapped on a smile. “Mr. Luis, it’s nothing—just family stuff, me and my wife—” Susie didn’t let him finish. She held her phone out to William. “Mr. Luis. This is the evidence.” William looked down at the screen. The footage showed Henry and Lena tangled together—too disgusting to describe. His expression darkened with every passing second. His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles went white. The office fell into an eerie silence. You could hear everyone breathing. Henry scrambled to explain. “Mr. Luis, don’t listen to her—she just wants to get back at me—” “Shut up.” William raised his head, his voice cold as ice. “Henry. Lena. You’re both fired.” “What?” Henry and Lena stared, the color draining completely from their faces. “Mr. Luis, you can’t do this!” Henry blurted out. “She’s my wife! She’s my wife! Don’t let her fool you!” William didn’t even look at him. His gaze shifted back to Susie. Then, in front of everyone, he dropped to one knee.

The moment William went down on one knee, the entire office seemed to freeze. Everyone went still. The panic on Henry’s face hadn’t even faded before it twisted into a sneer. Lena’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. The executives crowded at the doorway turned to stone—some of them forgot to breathe. “Mr. Luis, are you insane?” Henry’s voice cracked. “Kneeling for her? She’s nothing! A washed-up, worn-out wife who lived off my charity!” William didn’t acknowledge him. He looked up, his gaze locked on Susie—eyes full of emotions. Guilt. Tenderness. And something deeper, something that looked like obsession. “Don’t go.” His voice was quiet. But every word hit like a hammer. Susie’s eyes went red. She bit down hard on her lip, her hands balling into fists at her sides, fingernails digging into her palms. The pain kept her grounded. “William, get up.” Her voice was shaking. “I’m not getting up.” He didn’t move. His back stayed perfectly straight. “Three years ago, I wasn’t in a position to do this. Today I am. Susie—if you resign, I’ll stay right here on my knee until you change your mind.” Henry shoved forward and jabbed a finger in Susie’s face. “You skank— seducing my boss! I knew something was off with all that overtime you were pulling! Now it makes sense! You’ve been sleeping with Mr. Luis this whole time!” Susie knocked his hand away and pulled out her phone, letting out a cold laugh. “Sleeping with him? Henry, are you blind? You had photos of me and Mr. Luis saved on your own phone. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Henry went pale. “You kept old photos of me and Mr. Luis for three years,” Susie said, her voice raised higher, “just waiting for a moment like this to use against me? That’s really something, Henry. You get caught cheating, and your first move is to flip it around and say I slept my way to the top?” Lena suddenly threw herself at Susie, grabbing her arm. Tears appeared from nowhere. “Sis, please—don’t do this! Henry just made a mistake, one stupid mistake. Please forgive him! If you won’t, I’ll get down on my knees and beg you!” And then she actually knelt, her knees hitting the floor with a dull thud. Susie looked down at her. Not a single flicker of emotion in her eyes. “Lena, are you done?” Her voice was unnervingly calm. “Being a homewrecker is your hobby now? You’ve been hitting on Henry since sophomore year of college. Did you really think I didn’t know?” Lena’s crying stopped dead. Her pupils shrank. “You…” Her lips trembled. She couldn’t get the words out. “How did I find out?” Susie laughed coldly. “Those explicit messages you sent him—did you think deleting them meant they were gone forever? Those monthly allowance transfers—did you really think switching accounts would make them untraceable?” Lena’s face went white as paper. Henry snapped. He grabbed Susie’s arm and yanked. “Shut your mouth! Say one more word and I’ll make sure you walk out of this marriage with nothing. And don’t even think about seeing our kid.” “Don’t you dare touch my child.” Susie’s voice was slow and deliberate, her eyes cold as a blade. “Henry, I’ve put up with you for three years—all for the sake of our child. Today you threw away the last shred of decency yourself. Don’t blame me for what comes next.” She pulled her hand away and turned to William. “Mr. Luis, get up.” William still didn’t move. “Promise me you won’t quit.” Susie took a deep breath. The tears finally came. She wiped her face, her voice rough and raw. “Fine. I won’t quit. But you have to promise me one thing.” “Name it.” “Give me the worst project in the Luis Group. I want three months to claw back every cent Henry and Lena have swallowed over the years—every last penny.” William paused for a second. Then a slow smile curling on his lips. He stood and extended his hand toward Susie. “Deal.” Susie didn’t shake his hand. She turned and stared at Henry and Lena, forced an unflattering smile. “Henry. Lena. Listen closely.” “From today on, it’s war between us. I won’t stop until it’s over.”

The office was dead silent. Henry’s face had drained to white. Lena’s legs were visibly shaking. Susie’s words had cut into them like a blade driven straight to the bone. “Susie, have you lost your mind?!” Henry forced himself to shout. “I dare you to come after me!” Susie ignored him. She reached into her bag and pulled out the resignation letter. She tore it slowly, one strip at a time. Each tear of paper rang out sharp and clear in the office. When she was done, she tossed the scraps into the air. They fluttered down and landed all over Henry and Lena. “You—” Henry was shaking with rage. “You’re out of your damn mind!” “Out of my mind?” Susie laughed coldly. “I’ve never been clearer, Henry. You embezzled three point four million dollars from the company and laundered it through Lena’s account. Did you really think William didn’t know?” Henry’s pupils shrank. His lips trembled. “That’s a lie…” “And you.” Susie turned to Lena. “You’ve been at the Luis Group for less than two years, and you’ve already been skimming kickbacks behind Henry’s back—colluding with suppliers, falsifying accounts, pocketing the difference. Did you think William didn’t know?” The color drained from Lena’s face. “Susie, don’t you dare make up lies about me!” “Make up lies?” Susie held up her phone and gave it a little wave. “Want me to pull up the bank statements, the wire transfers, and your chat logs with Henry and put them on display for the whole company?” Henry lunged for the phone. William stepped in front of him, his gaze was glacial. “Don’t even think about laying a finger on her.” Henry froze. Lena suddenly burst into tears and dropped to her knees. “Mr. Luis, it’s not like that—Susie set me up! She’s jealous of me—” “Jealous of you?” Susie crouched down and looked Lena straight in the eye. “Jealous of what, exactly? Jealous that you’re better at being a mistress than I ever was? Or jealous that you stabbed your own sister in the back without a trace of shame?” Lena’s skin crawled under that stare. Her sobs died in her throat. “Enough.” William spoke. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a weight that left no room for argument. “Henry. Lena. Get out.” Henry’s head snapped up. “William, you’d really fire me? I’m your brother-in-law—” “Brother-in-law?” William’s eyes went dark. “You think you deserve that title?” Henry’s face turned iron-gray. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists. “Fine. Fine. You’ll both regret this. And let me tell you something, William—Susie was pregnant with my child once. You think she’s so innocent? She’s nothing but a—” SMACK. A hard slap landed across his face. It was Susie. Her eyes were red, her hand still trembling, but she stood perfectly straight. “Say one more word, Henry, and I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison.” Henry clutched his face, stunned and furious. “You hit me?” “So what if I did?” Susie’s voice was ice. “I’ve put up with you for three years. That ends today. Henry, everything you took from me—I’m going to take it back. Every single piece.” Lena scrambled to her feet, shrieking like she’d snapped. “Susie, who do you think you are?! You’re nothing but a washed-up—” “Shut up.” William Luis’s voice cut through the room. Low. Frigid. Everyone went still. He walked toward Henry and Lena, his gaze was as cold as winter ice. “Henry, you owe the company $3.4 million. Pay it back within three days, or I’ll see you in court. Lena, every kickback you pocketed—I want it all back by tomorrow, or things will get a lot worse for you.” Henry panicked. “William, you can’t—” “I can.” William cut him off. “Effective today, the Luis Group is officially terminating both of you. Security, escort them out.” Two security guards stepped in from the doorway and grabbed Henry and Lena, dragging them toward the exit. Lena shrieked, “Let go of me! Susie, you better watch your back—This isn’t over—” Her voice grew fainter and fainter, until it finally faded at the end of the hallway. The office fell silent. There was only Susie and William left. Susie finally gave out. Her legs buckled, and she dropped into the chair. She raised her hand to cover her face, her shoulders trembling slightly. William stood in front of her. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking, his voice cracked. “Susie, I’m sorry.” “Don’t say sorry.” Susie lowered her hands. Her eyes were red, but she wasn’t crying. “Your kneeling in front of me just now—pretend it never happened.” “I can’t pretend it never happened.” William looked at her, his eyes were full of nothing but pain. “These past three years—I’m the one who wronged you. If I had shown up sooner—” “William.” Susie cut him off, her voice eerily calm. “Everything I went through these past three years has nothing to do with you.” “It has everything to do with me.” William crouched down and took her hand. “I know you hate me. I left without a word—that was on me. But can you give me a chance—” “A chance to do what?” Susie pulled her hand away. “To forgive you? To fall in love with you all over again?” William had no answer. Susie let out a laugh—hollow and sad. “William, do you have any idea what my life looked like these past three years? Henry hitting me, scolding at me every single day. Lena making my life hell. They even threatened my child—” She couldn’t finish the sentence. The tears came before she could stop them. William felt as if something was being carved out of his chest. He reached out to wipe her tears, but Susie turned her head away. “Don’t touch me.” Her voice was raw. “I don’t need your pity.” “It’s not pity.” His voice came out rough. “It’s because I care about you.” Susie looked at him, then suddenly laughed. “You care about me? William, where was that when you walked out without saying a word?” William said nothing. “Forget it.” Susie stood up. “It’s all in the past. All I want now is to focus on work, build the Luis Group into something, and then—” “And then what?” “And then take my child and leave this place.” She turned away. “And never come back.” William suddenly grabbed her wrist. “Don’t go.” Susie looked back. His eyes were rimmed red. “Susie, I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness.” William’s voice dropped to almost nothing. “But these past three years, I never stopped looking for you. When I found out you’d married Henry, I thought you did it to get back at me—” “I didn’t.” More tears fell. “I married Henry because I was pregnant with your child.” William went completely still. “I was pregnant. You were gone. I couldn’t find you.” Susie wiped off the tears. “Henry said he’d marry me. Said he’d take care of the baby. I believed him. And look how that turned out.” William’s hand started to shake. “Where is the child?” His voice trembled. “Where?” “At home.” Susie took a slow, deep breath. “With my parents. Henry never met him.” William’s eyes went red. “Susie, I—” “Don’t.” Susie shook off his hand. “William, I don’t need you to make it up to me. I just need your help—help me grow the Luis Group, make sure Henry and Lena pay for what they did.” “And after that?” “After that, we’re even.” William watched her walk away, a weight sitting heavy in his chest. Then he spoke. “What’s the child’s name?” Susie’s steps faltered. “Susie.” William moved closer. “What’s his name?” Susie didn’t turn around. But her voice softened. “Willson.” “Willson?” “Yeah. Willson.” Susie turned around, her eyes blurred with tears. “He’s the only thing that’s kept me going in this life.” William stood frozen, his Adam’s apple bobbing, eyes turning red. “Susie.” His voice was hoarse. “Wait for me. I’ll build the Luis Group into something bigger and make Henry and Lena pay. And then—” “And then what?” “And then I’ll beg you to give me another chance.” Susie looked at him without a word. She turned and walked toward the door, stopping at the threshold. “William, some mistakes can’t be forgiven just because you are sorry.” The door closed. The office fell silent again, with only William left inside.

The moment the door shut, William slammed his fist down on the desk. Three years. It had taken him three years to piece together everything Susie had been through. The day she married Henry, he was overseas closing an acquisition deal. By the time he flew back, it was already the day after her wedding. He went to wait for her outside her office building — and all he saw was her, walking alone in the rain with a baby bump. He hadn’t dared go up to her. He figured she must hate him. Hate him for vanishing without a word, for never giving her any explanation. So he stayed in the shadows, watching as Henry berated her, as Lena humiliated her, as her coworkers isolated her. It broke his heart. Then, three months ago, he finally dug up the evidence that Henry and Lena had conspired to drain Susie’s family company dry. He caught a flight back that same night, moved as fast as he possibly could to acquire the Luis Group, and took the position of CEO. He thought that would be enough to protect her. But she had quit. William leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling, his eyes stinging. The moment Susie walked out of the office, he’d nearly lost it — nearly rushed over and pulled her into his arms. She was still so thin, still so beautiful. But the light in her eyes had dimmed so much compared to three years ago. He remembered how she used to laugh in college — her eyes curving into little crescents. They’d been in love back then. He’d thought she was it for him. Then his father got gravely ill. The family business was seized by his uncle. He had no choice but to go abroad and take over the mess. He’d sent her a breakup text, not wanting to drag her down with him. He spent years grinding, clawing for power, until he finally took back everything that was his. He’d assumed she would wait for him. Instead, he heard she had gotten married. William closed his eyes, his fingers tracing the surface of his phone screen. On it was a photo he’d secretly taken of her — she was feeding a child, the soft curve of the side of her face was so heartbreakingly gentle. He suddenly stood up, grabbed his jacket, and headed out. Susie had just gotten home. She was sitting on the couch with her son Willson in her arms, staring blankly at nothing. He was only two and a half years old but already knew how to say “Mama.” His eyes looked exactly like William’s. She looked down at him, and tears fell. “Willy, Mommy’s so tired.” He raised his tiny hand and wiped her cheek. “Mommy don’t cry. Willy be good.” Susie pulled him closer. Then the doorbell rang. She wiped her eyes and walked over to answer it. The moment she opened the door, she froze. William was standing there, with a large bag of groceries in his hand, and his suit jacket soaked through with rain. “How did you—” “I looked up your address.” His voice was gentle. “You’re living here?” Susie said nothing. She was renting the top-floor unit in an old building — no elevator, dim hallways, paint peeling off the walls in patches. After the divorce, Henry had transferred the ownership of their house, the car, and every last dollar of their savings to somewhere else. This was all she could afford. William looked into her eyes, his throat felt tight. “Susie. I’m sorry.” “Sorry for what?” “Sorry I didn’t protect you.” He stepped inside, and when he spotted the child sitting on the couch, his footsteps faltered. “Is that… Willson?” Susie shifted her body to block his view. “Leave.” “I’m not leaving.” William set the bag down and crouched, staring at the boy’s face. “He looks just like me. Susie, you can’t lie to me.” Susie bit her lip, her eyes burning red. “William, enough. You walked out on me without a single word, without any explanation. And now you just show up at my door — you think that makes it better?” William stood up, his voice was rough. “My dad was seriously ill back then. I didn’t want you suffering alongside me. I thought—” “You thought I’d wait for you?” Susie let out a cold laugh. “And while I was waiting, Henry and Lena gutted my family’s company. While I was waiting, they told me to get rid of the baby and crushed me under their feet.” William grabbed her hand. “Susie, I know everything. For three years, I’ve been keeping tabs on it all. I know what Henry did to you. I know how Lena treated you.” “Then why didn’t you come back sooner?” “I was afraid.” William dropped to his knees in front of her, his voice breaking. “I was afraid you’d hate me. Afraid you wouldn’t forgive me.” Susie looked at him, tears streaming down her face. “William, I do hate you. I hate you for making me carry all of this alone for three years.” “I know.” William clutched the hem of her skirt. “So give me the chance to make it right. Susie, starting today, I won’t let you carry anything alone ever again.” Susie looked at him in silence. Finally, she picked up the child, turned, and walked inside, leaving only one sentence behind. “William, focus on building the Luis Group first.” The door shut. William knelt outside, listening to the baby’s cries drifting through the door, and Susie’s choked, trembling voice trying to soothe them. He clenched his fists, his eyes burning red. “Just wait, William,” he whispered to himself. “Everything I owe her — I will pay it back.”

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The operating table was ice-cold. A bone-deep chill crept up my spine, inch by inch. This was the third time I’d lain here. My husband, Dante Vane, stood on the other side of the sterile room’s glass window. His eyes were flat and indifferent — like he was looking at a pile of garbage. “Clean her up. I don’t want Seraphina getting any bad luck from this.” He dropped those words and turned away, pulling Seraphina Rose gently against his side. She was pregnant with his child. And I — the true heiress of the The Rose family — had been slowly poisoned for three years through the prenatal medication he made me drink every single day. I died on that operating table, torn apart from the inside out. Then I opened my eyes. Salt-laced sea air hit my face. I had gone back. Back to the night of the cruise ship gala. The ocean wind screamed. Beneath it, the low, relentless thrum of the ship’s engines. My eyes snapped open. I gasped, dragging in breath after ragged breath. It felt like my lungs still carried the thick, iron smell of blood from the operating room in my last life. Every bone in my body ached. “Liliana, look at the seagulls over there — aren’t they gorgeous?” A soft, saccharine voice floated into my ear. I turned stiffly. Seraphina Rose’s eyes met mine — eyes that looked innocent but harboring hidden calculations. Her arm was hooked through mine. She was slowly, steadily steering me toward the unguarded maintenance zone at the edge of the deck. No railing. Nothing but open air and the sea below. This spot. Right here, in my last life. She had faked a slip and shoved me with everything she had, sending me plunging into the freezing water. And Dante — heir to the Vane family, who was supposed to be entertaining guests in the top-floor VIP suite — had “just so happened” to appear on the deck. He jumped in without a second thought. But in the pitch-black water that night, fate played a cruel trick. He pulled out the wrong girl. He pulled out me. That night, a storm knocked the cruise ship off course. We spent the night on a deserted island nearby, huddled together just to survive. When we were rescued the next morning, The Vane family pushed Dante into marrying me — damage control for the rumors spreading through their elite social circles. Meanwhile, Seraphina had stood on the deck and sobbed — and Roman Vane, the Vane family’s disgraced illegitimate son, had draped his jacket over her shoulders and walked her away. From that day on, Dante hated me. He was convinced I had staged the whole drowning incident on purpose — all to marry into the Vane family and steal the title of Mrs. Vane right out from under Seraphina. In his eyes, I had taken what belonged to someone else. I was scheming. I was vicious. Three years of marriage. Three years of him punishing me in the most brutal ways he could think of. He tampered with my food. He killed our three children with his own hands. While I screamed on that operating table, he never once turned around. “Liliana, what are you spacing out for? Come a little closer — the view is way better from here.” Seraphina’s impatient voice yanked me back from the dark. A flash of cold, vicious urgency crossed her eyes. The arm hooked through mine suddenly tensed, shoving me toward the edge. The corner of my mouth curved into a slow, icy smile. This life? That perfect match that was supposed to be yours? I’m sending it right back to you. Just as her hands were about to reach my shoulders — My eyes sharpened. I stepped aside — half a step, quick and silent as a ghost. “Ahh — !” Seraphina clearly hadn’t expected me to move. I had always been the one who just took it. She had pushed too hard. Her body lurched, completely off balance. A piercing, broken shriek split the air. She went over the edge of the deck and plummeted straight down, like a kite with its string cut, into the churning sea below. Splash. A massive wall of white water exploded upward. “Help! Help me — glug glug glug —” Seraphina thrashed wildly in the freezing water. Her carefully done makeup washed off in seconds. She flailed her arms above the surface, utterly undone. I stood on the deck and looked down at her desperate struggle. I felt nothing. Actually — no. It felt good. “Seraphina!” A raw, anguished shout erupted from behind me. Dante was in a perfectly tailored couture suit. His eyes were bloodshot red. He charged toward the edge of the deck like a man who’d lost all reason. He didn’t even stop to pull off his jacket. He threw himself over the railing without a second thought. Splash. Another crash of water. I watched the two figures in the sea with cold, dry eyes. Dante fought through the waves to reach Seraphina and locked his arms around her — shielding her completely — as if she were something priceless he had almost lost forever. In his previous life, he had jumped in without hesitation — just like this. What a shame. He saved the wrong person, and blamed the wrong one. This life, I’ll give you both exactly what you want — you tragic, star-crossed lovebirds. “Nice reflexes, Liliana Rose.” A lazy voice — smooth but laced with dangerous amusement — drifted out from the shadows. My whole body went rigid. I spun around, every instinct on high alert. Roman Vane. The Vane’s Family’s darkest secret — the illegitimate son they’d rather pretend didn’t exist, cold-blooded and ruthless to the core. He was leaning against the worn cabin door, a cigarette burning slow between his long fingers. Through the curl of smoke, those dark, unfathomable eyes were watching me with something between a smirk and a threat. He saw everything. He saw me step aside on purpose. He watched Seraphina fall with his own eyes.

The ocean breeze swept away the smoke ring Roman had just exhaled. He pushed himself upright and walked toward me, unhurried, one long stride at a time. His shoes struck the wooden deck with heavy, deliberate thuds — each one landing like a blow against my nerves. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to call for help for your dear little sister?” He stopped just half a step away, looking down at me. He smelled faintly of tobacco, and his presence carried a suffocating, oppressive weight. I forced the panic back down and held his gaze without flinching. “You didn’t call for help either, Roman.” Roman let out a low, quiet laugh, his chest barely shifting with it. “I don’t waste my time worrying about whether other people live or die.” He leaned in, bringing his mouth close to my ear, his voice dropping to barely a whisper. “But that little sidestep of yours just now? I found that very interesting. Liliana Rose, you’re a lot smarter than I thought.” His breath grazed the shell of my ear, and a shiver rolled through me. I stepped back sharply, putting distance between us. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Roman. Seraphina slipped on her own. I was terrified.” I put on my best look of shock — shaken, helpless — then turned and ran toward the cabin. “Help! Someone’s overboard! Help!” I screamed as loud as I could, letting just the right amount of panic and urgency into my voice. Within seconds, the cruise ship’s security team and guests came rushing. Spotlights swept the surface of the water, lighting up Dante and Seraphina clinging to each other in the waves. A rescue boat was lowered and pulled them both aboard. Seraphina was soaked through, shaking violently, pressed against Dante’s chest and sobbing. Dante stripped off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her, his face tight with anguish and rage. He looked up. His gaze cut through the crowd like a blade — and stopped dead on me. “Liliana! Why did you push Seraphina?!” He all but snarled the words through gritted teeth. The guests around us sucked in a collective breath, every pair of eyes swinging toward me. My eyes went red on cue. The tears followed without effort. “Dante, you’ve got it wrong. She slipped on her own. I tried to grab her — I just couldn’t hold on.” “You’re lying!” Dante exploded, pointing straight at my face. “Seraphina wouldn’t even step on a bug — why would she wander somewhere that dangerous on her own? It was you. You’re jealous of her, and you tried to kill her!” Inside, I almost laughed. Jealous? I’m the real daughter of this family. Why would I ever be jealous of a fraud who stole what was mine? “Dante, you need proof before you make accusations.” I stood up straight, keeping my voice cool and level. “There are cameras on the deck. Pull the footage — let’s see for yourself whether I pushed her, or she fell on her own.” Dante faltered. He clearly hadn’t expected me to hold my ground like that. Seraphina’s eyes flickered. She grabbed his sleeve and cried harder, looking more fragile and pitiful than ever. “Dante, please don’t blame Liliana. I really did slip on my own… She only just came back to the Rose family, so it’s natural if there’s been some tension between us.” That carefully played retreat — looking like she was defending me while quietly sealing my guilt — worked perfectly. The look Dante turned on me went cold with contempt. “Liliana, you’d better hope Seraphina is okay. Because if she’s not — you’ll be in trouble.” He swept Seraphina up into his arms and walked off toward the medical bay in long, furious strides. The crowd slowly drifted away. I stood there alone, the cold night wind against my skin — and had never felt so light at heart. This lifetime, I have finally escaped that ridiculous start. Dante saved Seraphina, and they consummated bond. Now, the Vane Family can never force me to marry him. I am finally free. Don’t celebrate too soon. Roman appeared behind me without a sound. He flicked his burnt-out cigarette into the sea and looked at me, the corner of his mouth curling into a slow, knowing smile. “The waters of the Vane family run deeper than this ocean. Do you really think you can walk away from this unscathed?” I frowned, staring at him in confusion. But he said nothing more. He turned and disappeared into the darkened corridor.

The next morning. The cruise ship docked. The elders of both the Rose family and the Vane family were already waiting at the pier. Shaken and chilled to the bone, Seraphina was carefully carried off the ship in Dante’s arms and taken straight to the hospital. I followed behind, like a ghost nobody noticed. When my father Edward Rose saw me, his expression darkened like a storm cloud. “You’re a disgrace! We barely brought you back and you’re already causing trouble — you can’t even get along with your own sister!” He raised his hand, and I could see the slap coming straight at my face. I didn’t flinch. I just stared back at him, cold and steady. “Before you hit me, Father, you might want to check the security footage first. Seraphina was the one who tried to push me. It backfired on her.” Edward’s hand froze in mid-air, his face cycling between pale and ash-gray. He knew exactly what Seraphina was capable of — but he didn’t care. All he cared about was the Rose family’s reputation and interests. “Whatever the truth is, people out there are already saying you’re cold-blooded — that you tried to harm your own sister! How is the Rose family supposed to show its face after this?” I let out a cold laugh. “Is the Rose family’s reputation really worth more than my life — your own daughter’s life?” My words left him with nothing to say. He could only yank his sleeve back in frustration and storm off. Right then, a sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled slowly up to the pier. The door opened, and Dante’s mother Valerie Vane stepped out — dripping in jewels — leaning on her assistant’s arm. Her sharp eyes swept the crowd, and then landed on me. My heart tightened. In my past life, she was the one who had the final say — the one who forced my marriage to Dante. But this time, it was Seraphina that Dante had saved. Surely she would change her mind now? Valerie walked up to Edward and gave a small nod. “Edward, both girls had quite the scare last night.” Edward quickly flashed a smile. “You’re absolutely right, Valerie. Liliana had no sense. I’m sorry if it caused any embarrassment for Dante.” Valerie raised a hand, cutting him off. “Let’s not dwell on the past. I’m here today to announce the marriage arrangements between our two families.” My heart skipped a beat. The assistant behind Valerie produced two gold-embossed marriage contracts. “The eldest daughter of the Rose family, Liliana — graceful and composed — is a perfect match for Dante Vane, the eldest son of the Vane family. We are pleased to join them in marriage.” “The second daughter of the Rose family, Seraphina — spirited and charming — is well-suited for Roman Vane, the second son of the Vane family. A wedding date will be set in due course.” The words hit me like a bolt of lightning. My mind went completely blank. How could this be? Everything had changed — hadn’t it? It was Seraphina who had clung to Dante in the water last night, the two of them fighting to survive together! So why — why were the marriage arrangements exactly the same as in my past life?! I snapped my head up and locked my eyes on Valerie. “Valerie, there has to be a mistake.” My voice trembled. I forced the words out through gritted teeth. “Last night in the sea, it was Dante who saved Seraphina! Everyone saw them holding each other! How can you still have me marry Dante?” Valerie’s expression turned ice-cold in an instant. She looked down at me, her eyes full of contempt and mockery. “A mistake? Since when does anyone get to question a decision made by the Vane family?” She stepped closer, dropping her voice so only I could hear. “Liliana, do you think a marriage like this is something to play games with? Dante is the heir to the Vane Group. His future wife must be the true heiress of the Rose family — the one who holds full inheritance rights.” “As for Seraphina — she has no blood ties to your family. She’s a fraud. The fact that she even gets to marry Roman, illegitimate as he is, is already a privilege she doesn’t deserve.” “No matter who Dante saved last night — no matter who he loves — the position of the eldest son’s wife in The Vane’s Family belongs to you, and only you!”

Valerie’s words hit me like a dull, rusted blade, cutting clean through every naive fantasy I’d been holding onto. I stood frozen, my whole body going cold. So when it came to money and power, feelings and the truth meant absolutely nothing. I thought that by surviving the fall into the water, I could escape this tragedy. But fate had its chains locked around my throat from the very beginning. Edward noticed me standing there in a daze. He walked over and shoved me — hard. “Go on, thank Valerie! Marrying Dante is the luckiest break you’ll ever get!” I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the ground. I looked up at Edward’s fawning face and felt my stomach turn. “I’m not marrying him.” I forced each word out through clenched teeth. Crack! A sharp slap landed hard across my face. Edward pointed at me, shaking with rage. “You ungrateful girl! Who gave you the right to speak? This marriage is happening whether you want it to or not!” Half my face swelled instantly. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth. I didn’t cry. I just coldly wiped the blood from my lips, turned around, and walked away from the dock without looking back. I wandered the streets with no idea where I was going, my mind a mess. Dante’s hatred. Valerie’s schemes. Edward’s cruelty. The despair from my past life came crashing over me like a wave, nearly pulling me under. Without even realizing it, I found myself standing in front of an underground boxing club. Deafening heavy metal music and the raw, animal roars of men spilled out from inside. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. In the dim light, two shirtless men were locked in a brutal fight inside the octagon cage. Blood and sweat blurred together, filling the air with something primal and savage. I spotted Roman Vane right away, sitting below the ring. He had on a black tank top, his muscles lean and coiled with power. He held a bottle of ice water loosely in one hand, watching the fight with a lazy, indifferent look. I walked straight up to him and stepped into his line of sight. Roman looked up. When he saw it was me, one eyebrow lifted. “Liliana Rose. What brings you to a dump like this?” His gaze dropped to my swollen cheek, and something in his eyes darkened. “Got hit, huh? Rough.” I ignored his mockery and dropped into the empty seat beside him. “Roman. I want to make a deal.” I turned and looked him dead in the eyes. Roman let out a quiet laugh and twisted off the bottle cap, taking a long drink. “A deal? You’re about to be Dante’s wife — what kind of deal could you possibly make with me?” “I don’t want to marry Dante. And you don’t want to spend the rest of your life getting stepped on by The Vane’s Family — a bastard son kept hidden in the shadows. Am I wrong?” I lowered my voice. There was an all-or-nothing edge to it. Roman went still. He turned his head and fixed those dark eyes on me like he was trying to see straight through me. “Do you even know what you’re saying?” “I know exactly what I’m saying.” I held his gaze without flinching. “Marry me. Help me destroy the engagement with Dante, and I’ll give you everything — twenty percent of the Rose family shares, unconditionally. All of it behind you.” “I want Dante ruined. I want a complete change of power in the Vane Family.” The noise around us seemed to vanish all at once. Roman stared at me for a full minute. Then without warning, he reached out and grabbed my jaw, yanking me close. “Liliana. Do you know what kind of man I am?” His voice was rough and low — dangerous, laced with warning. “I’m a mad dog that bites. You really think you can use me and still walk away in one piece?” Forced to tilt my face up, I looked into the wild fire burning behind his eyes and let a bitter smile cross my lips. “To deal with someone like Dante, a mad dog is exactly what I need.” “As long as he goes down, I’m not afraid of anything.”

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That afternoon, the company needed us to submit a photo with our emergency contact. I searched through my entire phone before remembering an absurd fact. My boyfriend and I had been together for eight years, yet we did not have a single photo together, because every time I brought up taking one, he said he did not like photos, and I never thought much of it. I called him and asked him to send me a selfie. His voice was flat, like he was brushing me off: “I’m busy right now, I’m in a meeting.” Then he hung up. Before I could figure out how to get a photo of us together, a woman came to me and handed me her phone. “This is my wedding photo from many years ago, but the quality is damaged, so can you see if you can restore it?” When I saw the photo, I froze for a second. The groom’s figure felt so familiar. But the photo was too badly damaged, so I shook my head and said, “It can’t be fixed.” She was so anxious that she started crying and quickly called her husband. My boyfriend’s voice came through the speaker. “It’s okay if it can’t be fixed, baby. Our wedding anniversary is coming up soon anyway, and we’ll take hundreds of photos together then.”

My body trembled slightly from my racing heart, but I forced my face to stay calm and looked at the smiling woman in front of me. “So your wedding anniversary is coming up soon? What perfect timing, our studio has a promotion right now, and we can shoot anytime.” I handed over the promotional brochure. The woman took it curiously and flipped through it, her eyes lighting up: “Oh my God, these are so gorgeous!” She kept talking to the man on the phone, her voice sweet and sticky. “Babe, hurry over, this studio takes such pretty photos, so let’s do the shoot now.” In less than ten minutes, the front door was pushed open. I looked up, and that familiar figure appeared right in front of me. A perfectly tailored suit, noble and sharp features. It was my boyfriend, Julian Hayes. My heart felt like it had been gripped by an invisible hand, and a dull pain spread through my limbs as my breathing froze. Our eyes met, panic flashed through his eyes, and then he became calm, as if I were a stranger. When the woman saw him, she wrapped her arms around his arm affectionately. Julian pulled her into his arms in return and lowered his head to kiss her forehead, the gesture tender and intimate. “Babe, I like several photo sets, so can we shoot all of them today?” The woman acted spoiled, happiness filling her eyes. He rubbed her hair indulgently: “Of course, my little princess can shoot whatever she wants.” Eight years of love shattered in front of me like a ridiculous joke. There was rarely such intimacy between us, and there were mostly arguments. Back then, he lost the pocket watch his mother had left him and panicked so badly that he did not know what to do. I went out to look for it, and it rained heavily that day, so I was soaked from head to toe, my feet rubbed raw with blisters, and I even spent money asking people to help keep an eye out. After I finally found it, all I got was his scolding. “Why were you running around in such heavy rain? If you get sick, we’ll have to spend money again!” Actually, I did not mind, because at least the keepsake had been found. But now, seeing the scene in front of me, some words rose to my lips, only to be swallowed down. The woman turned her head to look at me and sized me up. “Let’s go, do a good job, and don’t waste our time.” I forced the corners of my mouth up and walked into the elevator with them. In the cramped space, the woman was still flipping through the album with great interest. The light above our heads went out with a snap, and the elevator instantly fell into darkness. Before I had time to adjust to the dark, a sudden force shoved me from the side. My body staggered backward, and the back of my head hit the wall hard. Before I could recover from the headache, a piercing pain shot up from the top of my foot. It was the woman’s thin heel grinding into my foot. I bit my lower lip and forced back the cry of pain stuck in my throat. She threw herself into Julian’s arms, her voice trembling: “I’m so scared, it suddenly went dark, and I nearly died of fright.” He soothed her in a low voice: “Don’t be scared, it’ll be fine in a moment.” After only a short while, the lights came back on. The woman frowned, her face full of impatience: “Using such cheap equipment is seriously tacky.” After she said that, Julian took her hand and walked out of the elevator. I had them register first, and I saw the woman’s name clearly, Chloe Bennett. My heart sank, because she was the daughter of the Bennett Group. She was very excited and tried on three or four wedding dresses in a row, standing on tiptoe and spinning in front of her husband. She acted spoiled and said she wanted to buy all the sample photos. Julian’s eyes were full of indulgence and tenderness. “Beautiful, my wife looks beautiful in anything.” “Chloe, if I don’t spend my money on you, who else would I spend it on, so we’ll buy a few more later.” I looked down at the faded hoodie I was wearing. I had once brought up wanting to buy a new dress, and Julian had looked impatient. “If your clothes can still be worn, don’t buy more, and don’t be so vain.”

Soon it was Julian’s turn to try on a suit. Because of my duty as an employee, I could only suppress my emotions and raise my hands to help him put on the jacket. He looked at Chloe not far away and spoke in a voice only the two of us could hear. “Don’t get too close, Chloe will misunderstand.” My hands stopped. Julian took a step back, his tone distant: “I can do it myself.” Chloe stuck close to him and chattered about the poses they would shoot later. The assistant praised them from the side: “You two really are a perfect match, handsome and beautiful, it’s so enviable.” Chloe leaned lazily in the chair, not even bothering to lift her eyes to look at me. “Go pour me a cup of hot water.” I nodded silently and brought the water to her. She took it, her gaze glued to Julian: “Lift the train a little, don’t let it drag on the floor.” I bent down to gather the trailing veil, but found it heavy and impossible to lift. Chloe was stepping on the skirt. I reminded her quietly: “Miss, please lift your foot, I can’t pull it up.” But she completely ignored my words. At that moment, she was busy being lovey-dovey with Julian and did not spare me even the slightest glance. After we were stuck like that for a while, my arm started aching, so I could only tug the dress hard. Chloe, who was completely unprepared, jumped in shock. Julian instinctively pulled her into his arms to protect her. The cup slipped from her hand, and all the hot water spilled over the back of my hand. The burning feeling spread quickly, the pain sharp and scorching, and my hand trembled uncontrollably. I saw Julian’s brows furrow slightly. A trace of hope actually rose in my heart, and I thought he would see what had happened and say even half a word in my defense. But anger covered his features, and he only lifted his eyes to look at me coldly. My nose stung and swelled with bitterness, and I bit my lip to keep my tears from falling. Chloe went to get her makeup done first, leaving only Julian and me in the room. He reached out to pull me over, worry showing on his face. “How’s your hand?” I endured the pain and shook him off. “You lied to me.” He froze when he heard that, and after a pause, he finally spoke. “I’m doing well with Chloe, and when I’m with her, I don’t think about the old days.” I understood what he meant, and tears fell all at once. “What about me?” “You can live a better life.” Julian looked at me. “I’ll give you some money…” I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. He turned his head to the side and pressed his lips together, but he did not dodge. When I saw Chloe, the first thing I noticed was the ring on her hand. Julian had long forgotten what he once said. Five years ago, he and I were still working odd jobs, and when his first paycheck came in, it happened to be his birthday, so we bought a cake. The candlelight made the basement seem a little less dark. He took a velvet box out of his pocket. My heart skipped a beat, and I thought it was a ring. When I opened it, it was a thin silver bracelet with a heart-shaped charm. “I’m sorry, I can’t afford a diamond ring right now.” He looked a little embarrassed. “But wear this for now, and when I find a better job, I’ll trade it for a diamond ring.” I put the bracelet on and said with a smile, “I don’t want a diamond ring, I only want this.” Julian held my hand, his gaze sincere: “Evelyn, wait for me, and I’ll marry you properly one day.” Until today, I finally saw the ring, except it was on someone else’s hand. My chest started twisting in pain again, and I gripped the fabric over my heart as my body swayed. Julian held me up, his voice very low. “Evelyn, I’m sorry.” I pushed him away, took off the bracelet, and threw it on the floor. “Julian Hayes, let’s end this here.” Without waiting for his response, I quickly walked out of the room. I took out a handful of medicine, stuffed it into my mouth, and swallowed dryly. Once everything was ready, I lifted the camera and aimed it at the two people leaning against each other in the lens. Julian’s chin rested lightly on the top of the woman’s head, and Chloe tilted her head up with smiling crescent eyes, kissing the corner of his lips. The assistant beside them could not help teasing them and laughingly praising how blindingly sweet they were. I pressed the shutter mechanically, recording their happiness. It was not that we had never taken a photo together.

That day, I had just finished a night shift, and the boss organized everyone to take a group photo, so the workers all gathered together. When the photo was being taken, my chest suddenly felt tight, and Julian immediately reached out to support me, his body moving with mine just as the shutter was pressed. The developed photo was blurry. My eyes and face were clear, while half of Julian’s body was blurred into a mass, making him look like he had melted into the dim background. I held the photo and my eyes turned red. Julian quickly smoothed out the photo and comforted me in a low voice. “It’s okay, it doesn’t matter if I’m a little blurry, as long as you’re clear.” I stared steadily at the man and woman in the lens. At this moment, Julian was gentle and dazzling, his figure tall and upright, his whole person bright and alive. His wife stood beside him openly and rightfully, warm and confident. I suddenly figured it out, but why should it be like this? Suddenly, a tearing pain surged through my chest, and the familiar suffocating feeling made my vision go dark. The laughter and voices around me became very distant. I forced myself to steady the camera, but my hands kept going weak. “Clang!” The heavy camera slipped straight out of my hands and smashed onto the floor. Through my shaking vision, I saw a flash of panic cross Julian’s face. He stood still and turned to Chloe, saying, “Don’t let her affect your mood, go shoot the next set first.” My coworkers cried out in alarm and crowded around me, and then my vision went black, and I could not feel anything anymore. When I woke up, I was already lying in a hospital bed, my whole body weak. The doctor told me with a grave expression: “Your heart has already gone into severe failure, so we can only arrange surgery as soon as possible, and then there will barely be a chance of survival, but if we delay any longer, the consequences will be unimaginable.” I stared blankly at the ceiling, and before I could respond, the door to the ward was suddenly shoved open. Chloe rushed in, arrogant and domineering, with two bodyguards following behind her. She looked down at me from above: “Do you know he’s a married man, yet you still keep clinging to him?” The bodyguards immediately stepped forward and forced the doctor out of the ward without a word. Chloe held her phone up in front of me, and on the screen were my chat records with Julian, the whole screen filled with messages I had sent while he had not replied even once. She sneered: “You message someone else’s husband every day and harass him, so how can you be so shameless about being the other woman?” My chest felt tight, and a dull twisting pain came from my heart as I defended myself softly. “He and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.” Chloe did not believe me at all and only thought I was pretending to make excuses, her gaze growing even more contemptuous. I had no energy to argue with her about this now and only wanted to live properly. I reached out to get the medicine on the bedside table. But Chloe raised her hand and swept it away, knocking the pill box straight to the floor and scattering pills everywhere. She folded her arms, her tone cold and mean: “Stop lying there pretending to be fragile, get up and exercise more, and then you’ll have the strength to seduce more men.” The pain in my chest surged up, so I could only endure the discomfort, slowly move off the bed, and pick up the scattered pills one by one. Just then, the door to the ward was pushed open, and Julian walked in. Chloe instantly put on an aggrieved expression, her eyes reddening as she spoke softly. “I already told her not to pester you, but she refuses to stop.” Julian glanced over me, and there was not the slightest guilt in his eyes. He only drew his brows together and spoke to Chloe. “I won’t let her have any chance to contact me again, so don’t get angry over someone like this, let’s go.” I leaned against the bed, my body feeling like a piece had been hollowed out. My phone rang, and my boss’s name jumped on the screen. My hands trembled as I answered, and furious scolding came from the other end. “What is wrong with you? You offended a major client, and now they’ve canceled their long-term cooperation with us, causing huge losses, so all the losses will be counted against you!” As I listened to the accusations by my ear, I knew they had done it. After a long time, I answered hoarsely: “I’ll pay.” After hanging up, I transferred to my boss all the savings I had built up over eight years, the money I had planned to use for treatment and a home. Not long after, the doctor walked in, saw me slumped on the floor, and quickly came forward to help me up. “Have you thought clearly about the surgery? The earlier we operate, the higher the chance of success.” I leaned against the headboard and shook my head. “There’s no need to arrange the surgery.” I would get through one day at a time, and that was all.

I had a heart condition, and my parents abandoned me very early, so most of my salary went toward medicine. Later, I met Julian, and he worked desperately to earn money for my treatment. I lay in the hospital bed and looked at his exhausted face, as if all his strength had been drained away. “Julian, let’s break up.” This illness could drag people to death, and if I died, then I died, but he could not go down with me. Anger appeared in his eyes. “Evelyn, how many times have I told you that I’ll find a way to handle the money?” While he was gone, I packed my things and left. I did not expect the hospital to notify Julian as soon as I left. He found me and held me tightly, and my shoulder became wet. I felt numb and could not move. “Julian Hayes, let me go, and let me leave.” He held me even tighter, tears streaming down. “Evelyn, even if it’s for yourself, you have to keep living.” I ignored the doctor’s warnings and left the hospital. As soon as I got into the car, I received several texts. “Evelyn, stop making trouble, Chloe and I are already married, and that’s a fact that can’t be changed.” “As long as you behave and stop appearing in front of Chloe, I can treat you well like before.” “You don’t need to worry about money, because I won’t abandon you.” I sneered and blocked him directly. I planned to go back to the company first and move out all the photos I had taken over the years, because I could find a new job with those works. I walked into the studio and froze on the spot at first glance. Chloe and Julian were standing in front of my workstation. What made me feel even colder was that someone was operating my computer. I rushed forward quickly, my tone panicked: “What are you doing? Don’t touch my things!” Chloe turned her head to look at me and said as if it were only natural. “You’re the photographer, so who knows if you still have our photos saved somewhere? Keeping these things around is trouble for us, and I don’t feel at ease.” “These are my works, and they have nothing to do with you!” I reached out to push away the person in front of me, but the bodyguards stepped forward and blocked me directly. I watched Chloe pull the memory card out of my camera. A smile curved her lips, and her fingers tightened slightly. “Crack.” A crisp breaking sound rang out, and my hope shattered too. That was still not enough, because she raised her hand, picked up the camera that had accompanied me through years of hard work, and smashed it onto the floor without hesitation. The camera body cracked apart, and parts scattered all over the floor. I broke down and turned to look at Julian beside her. From beginning to end, he remained unmoved. “Julian, when I get a little better, I’m going to study photography, because being a photographer is my dream.” He tucked my hand into his pocket and laughed softly. “Okay, we’ll both stay alive, and we’ll have everything in the future.” Back then, I really believed it, believed that my illness could improve and believed that my dream could come true. But now, the thought that kept me wanting to live was gone. My anger completely drowned out my reason, and I picked up a piece from the floor and threw it straight at Chloe. She screamed, staggered backward, and clutched her arm with disbelief all over her face. My wrist was immediately grabbed. Julian stood in front of her, his gaze ice-cold. “Are you insane?” I could not breathe, and my chest felt like something had blocked it completely. “Julian Hayes, you’re not human.” His face went pale. Chloe rubbed her shoulder and gave the bodyguards a look. A bodyguard walked over and slapped me across the face. My head tilted to the side, my ears rang, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth. She kicked over my box. Photos scattered all over the floor with a rustle, and the floor was covered with the hard work I had saved up over the years. Chloe stepped on them, her heel grinding over those photos. I saw it, the blurry photo of us together was under her foot. The feeling in my chest was not pain, but the feeling of being torn apart from the inside. I covered my mouth and bent over. Blood flowed through the gaps between my fingers, dripping one drop at a time onto the photos on the floor. I could not hold on anymore, and my whole body pitched forward. Julian caught me and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth in a panic, his voice trembling. “Evelyn! What’s wrong with you! Say something!” I looked up at him. My vision was clearly blurred, but I still saw his face, the face I had loved for eight years, now filled with terror. “Julian Hayes, are you satisfied now?” He froze. I tugged at the corner of my mouth, not knowing if it was a smile or something else. “My feelings, my photos, they’re all gone, and I have no future anymore…” His hands were shaking as he gripped my shoulders tightly. I coughed, and another mouthful of blood splashed onto his shirt. “I’m going to die.”

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My parents gave me a bank card and transferred twenty thousand dollars into it every month for living expenses. Everyone envied me for having such a good family. But they never told me the PIN. At school, I could not even afford meals, so I applied for financial aid. My mom stormed into the school and slapped me across the face. “We give you twenty thousand dollars every month and you still aren’t satisfied, so who are you pretending to be poor for, you ungrateful brat?” Later, I starved myself into a perforated stomach ulcer and lay in the operating room waiting for money to save my life. I begged them to tell me the PIN. But my mom sneered over the phone. “We told you the PIN ages ago, and you forgot it yourself, so you want to take the money and fool around outside? No way!” I hung up the phone and finally gave up on them at the edge of life and death. Until three years later, my younger brother offended the untouchable heir of the capital’s elite circle and urgently needed that money to save his life. My mom knelt on the ground, crying as she begged me to withdraw the money from the card. I threw that bank card onto the ground and smiled. “Mom, you forgot that you never told me the PIN, so this money can’t be withdrawn.”

“Ms. Parker, Emma Hale’s financial aid application cannot be approved.” Ryan Brooks, the class monitor, stood at the podium and shouted loudly. The eyes of the entire class instantly landed on me. I clutched the completed application form, my fingers tightening little by little. Ryan pointed at me, his tone full of contempt. “Her parents transfer twenty thousand dollars to her every month for living expenses, and she even posted screenshots on Ins, but now she’s here pretending to be poor to scam financial aid. She’s shameless!” My homeroom teacher, Ms. Parker, frowned as she looked at me. “Emma, what is going on?” I took a deep breath, my voice dry. “Ms. Parker, I really don’t have any money on my card, and I don’t even have money for food today.” As soon as I finished speaking, the classroom door was shoved open. My mom rushed in on high heels. She walked up to me in a few steps and raised her hand. A crisp slap rang out. My head was knocked to the side, and half of my face went numb instantly. “How did I give birth to such an ungrateful brat like you?” My mom pulled a bank card from her bag and slammed it hard against my face. “We transfer twenty thousand dollars to you every month for living expenses, and you still came to school to apply for poverty assistance. Are you deliberately trying to embarrass the Hale family?” The bank card fell to the ground with a sharp sound. The whole class erupted. “Oh my God, twenty thousand dollars a month and she’s still pretending to be poor?” “This girl is way too vain, right? She would even throw away her dignity just to steal a financial aid spot.” “That’s disgusting. If I had parents that good, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams.” As I listened to the whispers around me, a smug sneer flashed across my mom’s face. I stared hard at the bank card on the floor, my eyes stinging. Yes, she did transfer twenty thousand dollars to me every month. But she never once told me the PIN. I bent down, picked up the card, held it in front of her, and said in a trembling voice. “You transfer twenty thousand dollars every month, but did you ever tell me the PIN?” My mom’s expression changed, and her eyes dodged for a moment, but she quickly raised her voice again. “I told you the PIN ages ago, and you were the one with the bad memory who forgot it! Now you’re blaming me instead?” “You told me?” I stared at her and pressed closer step by step. “I tried my birthday, your birthday, and the home landline number, but every single one came up wrong! Do you dare say the PIN again in front of the whole class?” My mom was forced back a step by me, then pointed at my nose in furious embarrassment. “You still dare talk back! The PIN is your brother’s birthday, and I told you so many times!” “Emma, you’re just used to spending money like water, and once you spent it all, you came here to act pitiful. How did I raise such a useless thing like you?” After saying that, she turned to the homeroom teacher and put on a heartbroken expression. “Ms. Parker, this child was spoiled rotten by us, so please don’t approve any aid for her. We can’t afford this shame.” Ms. Parker’s gaze toward me turned completely cold. “Emma, you have truly disappointed me, so take your application form back.” I stood there and watched my mom leave with her head held high, my chest feeling as if someone had clenched it hard. She was lying. I had tried my brother Tyler Hale’s birthday. It was not right at all. This card was just a leash around my neck. In outsiders’ eyes, I was a rich girl with twenty thousand dollars in living expenses every month. But only I knew that I could not touch a single cent of that twenty thousand dollars.

At noon, when I went to the cafeteria to get lunch, I had only three dollars left on my meal card. I bought one plain dinner roll, carried a bowl of free broth, and sat in the corner. Before I had even taken two bites, a bottle of ice water suddenly slammed onto my table. Soup splashed all over me. I looked up and met Tyler Hale’s mocking face. Standing beside him was Chloe Hale, the fake heiress my parents had adopted. Chloe wore designer clothes from head to toe and covered her mouth with a delicate laugh. “Emma, why are you eating something like this? Doesn’t Mom give you twenty thousand dollars every month?” Tyler snorted coldly, snatched my dinner roll, threw it on the ground, and even ground it under his foot twice. “Stop acting pitiful! Mom said you caused trouble at school today, so she told me to come teach you a lesson.” I stared at the crushed dinner roll on the floor, and anger flared inside me. I shot to my feet and stared at him hard. “Tyler, tell me the PIN.” “What PIN?” He froze for a second, then laughed with disdain. “How would I know the PIN? Mom said you’re a wasteful loser who never knows when to stop spending, and the money on the card is being saved for you, so they’ll naturally give it to you when you need it.” “I need it right now!” My voice went hoarse, and I was almost shouting. “I can’t even afford food, and my dorm fees have been overdue for a week, so how am I supposed to live?” Chloe sighed and pretended to look sympathetic. “Emma, don’t pressure Tyler. If you really have no money, I can lend you a hundred dollars.” As she spoke, she pulled a red bill from her bag worth more than twenty thousand dollars and tossed it onto the table as if she were giving charity to a beggar. The students around us began pointing and whispering. “Chloe is way too kind, right? She still treats her ungrateful sister so well.” “Emma really doesn’t know what’s good for her. She has such a great sister and still walks around with that sour face every day.” I stared at that hundred-dollar bill, and my fingers tightened little by little. I did not take the money. I turned around, straightened my back, and walked out of the cafeteria. That afternoon, my advisor called me to the office. “Emma, if you don’t pay your dorm fees, you’ll have to move out of the dorm tonight.” I opened my mouth but could not say a single word. SnapChat wallet, one dollar and fifty cents. PayPal, two dollars and thirty cents. Added together, it was not even enough to rent a bed. I stood in the hallway and called my parents more than a dozen times. No one answered. I opened my mom’s Ins. She had updated it just one minute ago. “A new necklace for Chloe. Girls are meant to be spoiled.” The attached picture was of a diamond necklace worth thirty thousand dollars. I stared at that post, and my eyes began to sting little by little. So it was not that they had no money, nor that they could not bear to spend it. They just could not bear to spend it on me. That night, the dorm supervisor kicked me out of the dorm. It was raining heavily outside. I dragged my suitcase down the empty street. A burst of sharp pain twisted through my stomach. I crouched by the roadside, and cold sweat instantly soaked my back.

The pain in my stomach felt like a knife stirring inside me. I clutched my belly, hurting so badly that even my breathing trembled. My stomach illness had come from years of going hungry. Over the past few years, in order not to bow my head to them, I worked part-time jobs desperately and often ate only one meal a day. I leaned against a bus stop sign and dialed my dad’s number with shaking hands. The phone rang for a long time before it was answered, and the sound of the TV came through. “Dad…” My voice was so weak it was almost inaudible. “My stomach hurts so badly, and I might not make it, so tell me the PIN because I need to go to the hospital…” The other end of the line went quiet for two seconds. Then my dad’s impatient scolding came through. “Emma, are you done or not? You pretended to be poor at school during the day, and now you’re pretending to be sick at night! Will you only be satisfied if you drive us to death?” My throat tightened, and my tears fell instantly. “I’m not pretending to be sick… It really hurts…” “If it hurts, then endure it!” My dad cut me off without mercy. “Your mom said you’re just trying to scam money so you can fool around outside. I’m warning you, don’t even think about touching a single cent on that card!” After saying that, he hung up directly. Listening to the beeping from my phone, I felt a chill rush from the soles of my feet to the top of my head, and all the blood in my body went cold. These were my biological parents. I was in so much pain that I rolled on the ground, and my vision grew more and more blurry. I did not know how long passed before a taxi stopped in front of me. The driver saw something was wrong with me, quickly helped me into the car, and took me to a nearby hospital. In the emergency room, the doctor gave me a preliminary exam, and his face looked very grave. “Acute gastric perforation, so you need surgery immediately. Go pay a five-thousand-dollar deposit first.” Five thousand. I lay on the hospital bed, in so much pain that I could not even straighten my back. I held my phone and searched through every loan app I had. Because I was a student without stable income, every credit limit was zero. I gritted my teeth and dialed the home number again. This time, Chloe answered. “Emma, what is it this late? Mom and Dad are already asleep.” Her voice was sweet and delicate, with an indescribable smugness. I bit my lip hard, and soon tasted blood in my mouth. “Put Tyler on the phone.” There was a rustling sound from the other end, then Tyler’s voice rang out. “It’s the middle of the night, so what are you freaking out about now?” I took a deep breath, my voice hoarse. “Tyler, I’m at the hospital, and I need surgery for an acute gastric perforation. Tell me the PIN, and count it as me borrowing it from you.” Tyler scoffed. “Gastric perforation? Who are you trying to fool? Weren’t you still standing and yelling at me in the cafeteria this afternoon?” “I’m not lying to you!” I panicked all at once, trembling from the pain. “The doctor said they can’t operate if I don’t pay, and I’m really about to die!” The other end of the phone went silent for a moment. Then my mom’s voice came through, thick with impatience. “Give it to her, give it to her! Isn’t she just trying to scam money? Tell her the PIN is Chloe’s birthday!” “Take the money and get lost, and don’t call back to bother us again!” The call was hung up violently. I stared at the dark screen, and tears silently streamed down my face.

A nurse came over with the payment slip and urged me. “Have your family members arrived? Hurry and pay the money because the doctor is waiting to arrange the surgery.” I gritted my teeth and climbed out of the hospital bed. There was an ATM in the corner of the hospital lobby. I clutched my stomach and moved over step by step, and every step felt like stepping on the edge of a knife. I inserted the bank card that received twenty thousand dollars every month into the machine. I entered Chloe’s birthday. A line of cold red text appeared on the screen: “Incorrect PIN. You have two attempts remaining.” My mind buzzed, and it felt as if someone had struck me head-on with a club. Wrong? My mom had clearly said the PIN was Chloe’s birthday. My whole body went cold, and even my teeth were chattering. I tried their wedding anniversary next. “Incorrect PIN. You have one attempt remaining.” I stared at the screen, my breathing rushed. The final attempt. With shaking hands, I entered my own birthday. “Incorrect PIN. Your bank card has been locked.” The machine let out a beeping alarm, and the card was swallowed directly. At that moment, I seemed to hear the sound of my own heart shattering. So from beginning to end, they had been lying to me. They had never planned to let me use a single cent inside. I leaned against the ATM and slowly slid down to sit on the floor. The pain in my stomach came in wave after wave, and I did not even have the strength to cry anymore. Just as I thought I was truly going to die in that cold corner, the phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated. I struggled to take out my phone. It was a bank deposit text. “Your account ending in 7319 received a deposit of USD 3,200,000.00 at 02:14.” I stared at that long string of zeros, and my vision went dark. Right after that, my professor called, his voice filled with wild joy. “Emma! The patent transfer paperwork for our project went through! The other company paid the full amount directly! Three million two hundred thousand! Did you receive it?”

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