Category: English

At the beginning of the year, Mr. Sterling patted my shoulder and said, “We’re projecting a $4 million profit! Core employees will split a 10% profit-sharing bonus pool!” I went home and told my husband I could get $80,000. He was absolutely thrilled, saying we could finally pay off a chunk of our mortgage early. On December 22nd, my phone buzzed: “Payroll deposit: $2,800.” I stared at that number for a long time, thinking I had misread it. My husband asked how much I got. When I said $2,800, the spatula in his hand dropped straight to the kitchen floor. I went to the finance department to ask for the financial statements. Brenda didn’t even look up: “You can’t just look at the statements whenever you want. You’re not a shareholder.” Since that’s how it is, let’s settle this score in three months. 1 December 22nd, 3:10 PM. My year-end bonus was distributed. “Your payroll account has received a deposit of $2,800.” The office was dead silent. Everyone was looking down at their phones. No one spoke. I gripped my phone, my knuckles turning white. That afternoon at the beginning of the year was still vivid in my mind. Mr. Sterling had slammed his hand on the conference table, his voice booming. “Our profit target this year is $4 million! Core employees will split a 10% bonus pool. Let’s work hard, everyone!” Everyone had clapped. Tyler, sitting next to me, had excitedly whispered that we’d be making tens of thousands. Now, the company’s profit was $4.2 million. We had over-delivered. And my bonus was $2,800. Tyler leaned over, lowering his voice: “Chloe, how much did you get?” “$2,800.” I looked at him. “You?” His expression looked a bit unnatural. His lips moved: “I got… about the same.” With that, he retreated to his cubicle, not even daring to meet my eyes. I stood up and headed straight for the finance department. Brenda was sitting at her computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard. “Brenda.” She didn’t look up. “What’s up?” “The bonus statements. I want to see them.” Brenda’s hands stopped. She looked up at me, her eyes shifting. “Go ask HR.” I turned and walked out, my heart pounding. The HR office was at the end of the hall. Nancy was in the middle of applying her lipstick. Seeing me walk in, she smiled and set her mirror down. “Chloe, what can I do for you?” “It’s about the bonuses. At the beginning of the year, we were promised 10%…” Nancy cut me off, her tone turning cold. “That 10% is based on net profit.” “Net profit?” I stared at her. “The operating profit was $4.2 million.” Nancy put down her lipstick. “Chloe, are you an accounting major?” I didn’t speak. “Net profit is calculated after audits. Executive bonuses are counted as operating expenses. There’s nothing wrong with the math.” Nancy took a sip from her coffee mug, acting completely unbothered. “It’s written crystal clear in the company bylaws.” I took a deep breath. “Then I want to see the financial statements.” Nancy laughed. It was a grating, blinding kind of laugh. “You can’t just look at the statements whenever you want. You’re not in finance, and you’re not a shareholder.” I stared at her for ten seconds, unable to utter a single word. Finally, I turned and left. The office door closed behind me with a heavy thud. When I got off work, I drove home. The ride was silent. As the traffic lights shifted before my eyes, all I could think about was that number. $2,800. This time last year, I told my husband we’d be getting an $80,000 bonus. He had smiled so brightly, saying we could finally pay down a chunk of our mortgage. Now, it was $2,800. I pushed open the front door. My husband, Mark, was in the kitchen stirring a pot of pasta. Hearing me come in, he looked over his shoulder. “Did the money hit your account?” I nodded. “It did.” “How much?” I took off my coat, my voice a little dry: “$2,800.” The spatula in Mark’s hand hit the cutting board with a loud smack. “What did you say?” “$2,800.” I sat down on the sofa. “The company said it was calculated based on net profit.” Mark’s face instantly changed. He quickly put down the spatula, turned off the stove, and walked over. “Didn’t you say it would be $80,000? How are we going to pay the extra toward the mortgage?” “I’ll figure something out.” “Figure what out?” Mark’s voice pitched up. “Did you talk to the company?” “I did. They said they were following the bylaws.” Mark stared at me, his eyes full of disappointment and anger. “Chloe, why are you such a doormat? For three years, besides burying your head in your work, what else do you do?” “When other people steal credit for your work, you say nothing. When the company robs you blind, you say nothing.” His voice cracked slightly. “Even a workhorse shouldn’t be exploited like this!” I opened my mouth to say something, but in the end, nothing came out. Mark turned and walked into the bedroom, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. I sat alone in the living room, staring at the fresh pasta on the counter that I hadn’t even had the chance to put in the fridge. 2 My phone buzzed a few times. I picked it up to look. It was a few messages from my coworkers, all generic pleasantries. “Keep up the hard work next year, Chloe.” “Even though the bonus was a bit light this year, the company will definitely get better.” I didn’t reply to a single one. I placed the phone face-down on the coffee table. From the bedroom came the muffled sound of Mark crying. It was faint, but in the quiet night, it was piercingly clear. I stood up, walked out to the balcony, and lit a cigarette. The smoke quickly dissipated in the freezing wind, just like my sacrifices over the last three years. That all-nighter in June, when I wrote 3,000 lines of code entirely by myself to secure the $1.2 million contract with the Horizon Group. That system crash in September, when I crawled out of bed at 3 AM and fixed it single-handedly for four hours. Every single time, Tyler took the credit in the meetings while I sat in the corner drinking coffee. Every single time, it was, “Chloe helped out a bit too.” I crushed the cigarette and went back into the living room. The bedroom door was still closed. I didn’t knock. I just lay down on the sofa. I barely slept all night. My head was full of those numbers and Mark’s words. The next day was Christmas Eve. As per tradition, we were supposed to drive back to our hometown to see our parents. Mark got up early to pack. He didn’t say a single word to me the entire time. During the drive, the silence in the car was suffocating. Several times I wanted to open my mouth and say something, but seeing his icy profile, I swallowed the words back down. We arrived in the afternoon. Mom had cooked a massive feast and was beaming when she saw us. “You’re back! Must be tired. Come sit, sit.” Dad came out of the living room and patted my shoulder. “Got your year-end bonus, huh?” I froze for a second and glanced at Mark. “Yeah.” “How much?” Mom leaned in, her eyes full of expectation. My throat tightened. “$2,800.” Dad’s hand froze in mid-air. Mom’s smile stiffened. “What did you say?” Dad frowned. “$2,800.” The living room suddenly went quiet. The only sound was the stew bubbling in the kitchen. Mark put down his bags and scoffed. “She got played by her company.” Mom’s face looked a bit strained, but she forced a smile. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Next year will be better.” Dad sighed, didn’t say anything, and turned to walk into the kitchen. Christmas Eve dinner was incredibly depressing. The TV was playing holiday specials, and the forced laughter and applause from the screen felt exceptionally grating. Mark barely ate anything, just kept his head down staring at his phone. I took a few bites, but nothing had any flavor. I finally put down my fork and said I was full. Mom looked at me, hesitating, but ultimately just said, “Eat a bit more. Don’t starve yourself.” That night, as we sat by the fireplace waiting for midnight, Dad sat next to me and lit a cigar. “Chloe, you’re not a kid anymore. You need to start learning a few things.” “Like what?” “Office politics.” Dad blew out a puff of smoke. “Just keeping your head down and working hard gets you nowhere.” “Look at that Tyler kid you mentioned. Isn’t it just because he knows how to play the game? You need to learn from him.” I didn’t speak. I just stared at the TV screen where a musical number was playing. “I know you’re upset, but this is reality.” Dad patted my leg. “Accept your lot in life. This is just how people are.” I turned to look at him. I wanted to tell him I wouldn’t accept it. But in the end, I said nothing. I just nodded. 3 When we got to my in-laws’ house the next day, Mark’s expression was even colder. He scrolled through his phone in the car, sighing at whatever he was reading. He sighed at least a dozen times on the way over. Parked in front of my in-laws’ house was a brand-new silver Audi, gleaming in the sunlight. My brother-in-law, Eric, was standing by the door. When he saw us get out, he smiled brightly. “Hey, Chloe! I heard you got a massive year-end bonus?” I forced a smile. “It was alright.” “I got $15,000 this year.” Eric patted the car. “Just enough for the down payment on this.” He walked over, a hint of boasting in his voice. “What about you, Chloe? Should be more than mine, right?” Mark said coldly, “$2,800.” Eric’s smile froze. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, which quickly morphed into pity. “Oh… that’s not bad either.” His tone became overly polite. The sudden, palpable distance made me want to laugh. We went inside. My mother-in-law was busy in the kitchen. Seeing us, she greeted us warmly. “Chloe’s here? Come sit, sit. Food will be ready in a minute.” My sister-in-law, Emily, was sitting on the sofa holding her newborn. Seeing us, she smiled. “Mark, Chloe, Happy Holidays.” At the dinner table, my father-in-law poured me a glass of wine and smiled. “Chloe worked hard this year.” “It’s my job.” I picked up the glass. “I heard your company’s revenue was great this year?” my father-in-law probed. “It was okay. $4.2 million in profit.” My mother-in-law’s eyes lit up. “Then your bonus must be huge!” Everyone at the table was looking at me. Eric put down his fork, and Emily held her baby a little tighter. Even a few distant relatives stopped eating, waiting for me to speak. I set down my wine glass. “$2,800.” The air solidified. My mother-in-law’s smile slowly vanished. My father-in-law’s hand paused in mid-air, holding his wine glass, unsure whether to put it down or drink. Eric couldn’t hold back a snicker but quickly covered it up with a couple of fake coughs. Emily muttered under her breath, “I knew it. Tech people are stuck on fixed salaries.” “You really have to be in sales or management,” Eric said smugly. “What’s the point of just burying your head and working?” My mother-in-law looked grim. She forced a smile. “Chloe, don’t you think it’s time you considered finding a new job?” “The company’s profits are that high, and they only give you that much. Aren’t they just making a fool out of you?” “Yeah,” my father-in-law agreed. “A person has to have ambition. You can’t just let people bully you all the time.” Mark put down his fork, his voice freezing cold. “I’m full.” He stood up, turned, and walked into the guest bedroom. I kept eating. Bite by bite. Very slowly. Every bite tasted like cardboard, but I mechanically chewed and swallowed. Eric watched me, his eyes full of pity and a sense of superiority. “Chloe, want me to introduce you to a job? Our company actually needs tech people.” “But the pay might not be as high as what you’re making now. You know how the market is right now.” I looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks, but no thanks.” “Then what are you going to do?” Emily asked. “You can’t just keep going on like this.” I put down my fork and wiped my mouth. “I already have a plan.” My mother-in-law sighed in relief. “That’s good. It’s about time you started looking out for yourself.” 4 After dinner, I went to the guest bedroom to find Mark. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. When he saw me walk in, he turned his head away. “I’m sorry,” I said. “Who are you sorry to?” He looked out the window. “You should be sorry to yourself.” “It’s been three years, Chloe. Besides working, what else can you do?” His voice was trembling slightly. “When people steal your credit, you say nothing.” “When the company docks your pay, you say nothing.” “Now even my parents and my brother look down on you.” “Do you have any idea how humiliated I feel?” I stood behind him, opening my mouth to explain. But in the end, nothing came out. Mark stood up. “I need to be alone. Get out.” I turned and left. The hallway was freezing. I leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. The sound of fireworks echoed from outside. Every household was laughing; I was the only one standing here like a joke. The smoke blurred my vision. I thought back to the day I signed my performance-based incentive agreement earlier this year. Mr. Sterling had patted my shoulder and said, “Chloe, work hard. The company won’t mistreat you.” Looking at it now, his definition of “not mistreating” was very different from mine. I crushed the cigarette and went back to the living room. Eric was still bragging to his dad about his new car, talking about loan interest rates and maintenance costs. My mother-in-law was washing dishes in the kitchen. When she saw me, she looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. I sat in the corner of the sofa, pulled out my phone, and scrolled aimlessly. My thumb swiped across the screen, my eyes staring at the holiday greetings, but I wasn’t absorbing a single word. My head was full of those voices. “Are you really this much of a doormat?” “What’s the point of just burying your head and working?” “A person has to have ambition.” I locked my phone, leaned back against the sofa, and closed my eyes. Something was slowly fermenting in my chest. Like a fire, burning hotter and hotter. 5 It was already night by the time we got back from my in-laws’ house. Mark hadn’t said a word the entire drive. Once we got home, he went straight into the bedroom, leaving me alone in the living room. I didn’t turn on the lights. The streetlights outside cast mottled shadows on the hardwood floor through the curtains. My phone buzzed a few times. It was messages from the company group chat. Tyler had posted a photo in the group: a beach in Hawaii, sunshine, women in bikinis. The caption read: “This is how you spend the holidays.” Below it was a row of likes and envious emojis. I stared at that photo for a long time. Then I left the group chat. I stood up, walked into my home office, and turned on my computer. My sysadmin privileges were still active. I had backend access to the financial reporting system. I clicked open the interface. The numbers popped up line by line, so glaring I wanted to close my eyes. Operating Profit: $4,200,000. Administrative Expenses: $2,800,000. Net Profit: $1,400,000. My mouse hovered over “Administrative Expenses” for a long time. Then I clicked to open the itemized breakdown. Executive Year-End Bonuses: $1,200,000. Consulting Fees: $800,000. Team Building Expenses: $600,000. Other: $200,000. I kept reading. The payee for the consulting fees was a company called “Summit Management Consulting.” Legal Representative: Mary Sterling. The name of our boss’s wife. I took a screenshot, saved it, and kept scrolling. Under the team building expenses, there was a $380,000 charge for an “Overseas Inspection Tour.” The location was the Maldives. Participants: Mr. Sterling, the Vice President, and the CFO. The date was last November. I remembered that month. I had worked overtime in the office for three straight weeks to patch a system vulnerability for the Horizon Group contract. While they were in the Maldives “inspecting.” I leaned back in my chair, staring at the numbers on the screen. Scrolling down from that $1.2 million executive bonus pool, I saw Tyler’s name. $80,000. He had taken $80,000. I kept scrolling, page by page. The further I went, the colder my hands got. The executive bonus pool: $1.2 million—split among 12 people. The remaining $200,000 in net profit was the actual “profit-sharing pool” for the core employees. And there were 73 core employees. I did the math: $200,000 ÷ 73 people ≈ $2,740. That was exactly where my $2,800 came from. They had artificially deflated the profit to $1.4 million, paid themselves $1.2 million, and the remaining $200,000 was the “charity” they tossed to the rest of us. Those legal embezzlements, those high-sounding expenses, that money that belonged to me. Eaten clean by them using the two words: “Net Profit.” I closed the browser tab and opened another folder. Three years of work logs. Every single line of code submitted, every optimization timestamp. That “Dynamic Self-Balancing Algorithm.” I was the only one who understood its core logic. I stared at the code for a long time. Then I opened a new document and started organizing. I stripped the core technology out of the main system, turning it into an independent module, restructuring the logic. The sound of typing was exceptionally clear in the quiet night. The wind outside was howling.

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Just because I mistakenly wore the necklace my daughter had given to my husband’s unrequited first love. My daughter flew into a rage on the spot, grabbing me by the neck: “You old hag, keep your hands to yourself, won’t you? Are you even worthy of touching this necklace?” “Looks like you won’t learn your lesson without a little punishment!” I opened my mouth, but before the words of explanation could come out, she pushed me into the lake. The foul-smelling lake water rushed into my nasal cavity as I struggled to surface. But the next second, she stepped hard on my head. “So you like touching other people’s things? Then stay down there until your fingers rot off before coming up!” On the shore, my husband stood with his arms crossed. He watched me struggling in the water with cold, indifferent eyes, until my limbs gave out and I sank to the bottom of the pond. When I was at death’s door, they had someone fish me out and hung me up with iron chains to bake under the scorching sun. I begged them to give me a quick death. My husband merely sneered: “Serves you right! Who told you to touch Sierra’s things?” “You make a mistake, you take the punishment. Want to die? Nothing comes that easy.” After seven full days of torture, I was finally freed. As my consciousness faded, I swore through gritted teeth: “If there is a next life, I absolutely don’t want this husband or daughter.” When I opened my eyes again, I calmly pushed the divorce agreement in front of my husband. 1 Arthur didn’t even glance at it, coldly commanding me, “My head hurts. Come here and massage it.” I stood rooted to the spot, not moving. He pressed his temples hard, his tone revealing obvious impatience: “I’m very busy. I have a multinational conference later and no time to play games with you two.” “Mia, just apologize this time.” Our daughter exploded immediately, screaming hysterically: “Why should I apologize? I saved up my allowance for so long to buy that specifically as a gift for Aunt Sierra, and it got dirtied by this old thing!” “Smashing her is letting her off easy. I wish I could kill her!” “Reckless old trash!” Still unsatisfied after saying this, she picked up a makeup mirror and hurled it at me. Unable to dodge in time, my forehead was smashed, and blood trickled down my cheek. Her eyes were full of hatred for me. Arthur finally glanced at me, his brow furrowing deeper, his tone now carrying a warning: “Chloe, can’t you be a little sensible?” “Why touch Mia’s things if you have no business doing so?” “You’re a mother, for crying out loud. Don’t you even have that sense of boundaries?” It was a result I had anticipated. Yet, even though I had given up on expecting anything from this father and daughter long ago, a sharp pain still pierced my heart. I forced down the sourness in my throat and flipped the necklace over. “Look closely. My name is engraved here.” “Mia, you’re only making a fuss because my necklace looks similar to the one you prepared for Sierra. Are you afraid he might misunderstand?” Exposed on the spot, Mia just let out a contemptuous scoff. “So what if I am?” “What the hell are you? Are you worthy of wearing the same style as Aunt Sierra?” That face of hers really resembled the Sterling family—the exact same mean-spirited coldness. I had poured all my heart and soul into raising her all these years, but just a few months after being taken to the Sterling household, she changed completely. In my previous life, I stubbornly tried to repair our relationship, only realizing how stupid I was right before I died. In this life, she can call whoever she wants “Mom.” I don’t care anymore. “Remember to sign the divorce agreement.” “I’ll have my secretary book a time with yours, and we’ll go handle the paperwork then.” After saying this, I got up and left. There wasn’t much belonging to me in this house anyway. I only took my essential documents. Chapter 2 At this moment, my heart was at peace, even feeling a sense of liberation. But Arthur stopped me. His face was pale, clearly still waiting for me to serve him. In the past, whenever he felt slightly unwell, I would immediately bring him tea and water. But now, I didn’t want to do this thankless task anymore. “Chloe,” Arthur rubbed his temples, his tone exhausted. “Do you really have to be so petty with your own daughter over this?” “She’s a child. She doesn’t know any better. Are you going to be just as immature?” “I know you felt wronged today. I’ll make it up to you later.” It seemed like he was mediating, but in reality, he was blaming me. He casually grabbed a tissue and impatiently wiped the blood from my face. “Is that enough?” I knew this was his way of giving me an out. But this time, I didn’t want to take it. Stepping back to avoid his hand, I said indifferently, “Don’t you have a new person serving you? What do you need me for?” Hearing this, Arthur’s face turned frighteningly dark. He grabbed my neck. “Who are you being sarcastic for? My relationship with Sierra is not for you to speculate on!” “As a mother, haggling over every little thing with your own daughter, aren’t you afraid of being a laughingstock?” “I tried to reason with you nicely, and you not only ungrateful, but you dare to talk back to me!” The moment my breath was taken away, I gave up struggling. Perhaps the despair in my eyes triggered him, and Arthur finally let go of my neck. Then he slapped me more than a dozen times in a row. “This is my warning to you. If there is a next time, it won’t just be slaps.” 2 “Oh my, what happened here?” Sierra ran over, her face full of concern, but the smugness in the depth of her eyes was unconcealable. She looked at Arthur, pretending to reprimand him: “Arthur, this is your fault.” “A fight between a married couple is one thing, but how can you get physical? Look at Sister Chloe’s face, it’s swollen like a pig’s head.” She immediately grabbed an ice pack from the fridge and pressed it hard against my face. A piercing pain shot through me, and I reflexively waved my hand to block her. Stumbling back two steps, I knocked over the vase behind me. Before I could react, I was kicked hard, falling entirely onto the broken porcelain pieces. The sharp shards pierced my flesh, and blood instantly gushed out. I looked up to meet Arthur’s furious eyes. He stepped on my lower abdomen, grinding his foot down hard, his voice as cold as ice: “Who gave you the audacity to hurt Sierra?” Following his gaze, I noticed that Sierra was aggrievedly staring at a shallow scratch on her arm, her eyes red. “Arthur, it hurts so much. I wonder if it will leave a scar? If it does, it’ll be too ugly. I might as well die…” Saying this, she made as if to bang her head against the wall, but Arthur grabbed her. “What nonsense are you talking about!” There was an unprecedented panic in his voice. “The doctor will be here right away. Don’t be afraid.” Only then did Sierra stop crying. The look she gave me was full of provocation. Turning her head, she buried it in Arthur’s chest, her voice choked with sobs. “Arthur, I don’t blame Sister Chloe. It’s only right for her to hate me. From now on, I’ll just leave you.” Arthur’s eyes turned red with heartache. The usually aloof and unapproachable CEO of Sterling Group was now softly coaxing Sierra. “I’m sorry, I didn’t protect you well.” When his gaze swept towards me, he looked like he wanted to tear me apart on the spot. In less than ten minutes, specialists from various departments filed in. Chapter 3 Their gazes shifted back and forth between me and Sierra, their expressions subtle. I was covered in blood, while the shallow scratch on Sierra’s arm was almost invisible. Sierra sniffled, her voice low: “Arthur, don’t worry about me anymore. I won’t be able to face anyone in the future. Just let me die.” “Nonsense.” Arthur tapped the tip of Sierra’s nose. Turning his head, he coldly commanded the doctors: “What are you staring for? Hurry up and treat Sierra.” He glanced at me, his tone filled with disgust: “As for her? A piece of trash, she won’t die from losing a little blood.” Enduring the soreness, I slowly climbed up from the floor and stumbled outward. “Stop right there!” A sharp reprimand rang out as Mia rushed over furiously and grabbed my neck. A fifteen-year-old girl, yet her strength was surprisingly immense. Covered in injuries, I was completely powerless to resist. “You knew Aunt Sierra’s hands are for playing the piano, yet you still hurt her!” “You piece of trash, if you don’t kneel down and kowtow to apologize to Aunt Sierra today, I’ll strangle you!” She gritted her teeth, her fingers tightening their grip. As my breath was slowly stripped away, my vision started to go black. Even though I was already disappointed in her, my heart still twisted like it was being cut by a knife when my own biological daughter wanted my life for someone else. I couldn’t help but burst into loud laughter. I thought returning through rebirth would grant me a new life. Yet, I still couldn’t escape dying at the hands of this father and daughter. Mia was frightened by my manic behavior and abruptly let go. I collapsed to the floor like a dead dog, laughing and crying at the same time. Through my blurred vision, I saw the hatred in my daughter’s eyes and Arthur’s face full of indifference. And Sierra, leaning on Arthur’s shoulder, giving me a smug smirk. Standing together, they looked exactly like a family of three. While I was the eyesore, the “outsider.” “Is that really necessary? Your daughter is still so young, did she really almost strangle you to death?” 3 Arthur took a few steps closer, his leather shoe kicking hard against my injured calf. His tone was full of impatience: “Stop pretending. Go apologize to Sierra, and we’ll consider this matter closed…” I slowly raised my head. His gaze happened to fall on the bruised finger marks on my neck, and he suddenly froze. He thought our daughter was just putting on a show, but didn’t expect she had actually intended to kill me. Arthur’s fingers tensed, trembling as he tried to touch my injury. But, considering Sierra behind him, he hastily lowered his hand. “After all, she is your biological daughter. She acted a bit heavy-handedly on impulse. As a mother, you need to be more magnanimous.” He lowered his voice and whispered in my ear: “When I’m done with work, I’ll reward you well tonight. Be good and wait for me.” I used all my remaining strength to push him away. 5 He stumbled on his leather shoes and seemed to have twisted his ankle. But this time, he surprisingly didn’t get angry, only saying coldly: “Don’t cook today. Get a good rest, and I’ll bring you some good food later.” With that, he took Sierra’s arm and patted our daughter’s shoulder. “Let’s go.” The physical pain was nothing compared to a fraction of the pain in my heart. I closed my eyes to recover for a moment. The doctor beside me looked at me, hesitating to speak. I forced a smile, my mouth tasting bitter: “I’m fine. I won’t die. I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you all.” Seeing my insistence, they left iodine and cotton swabs before turning and leaving. I wandered to the riverside, my gaze vacant as I looked into the distance. Just then, the large screen nearby suddenly switched feeds. Chapter 4 Arthur was attending the press conference for Sierra’s music tour, and they were accepting interviews arm-in-arm. During the photo op, my daughter affectionately draped her arm around Sierra’s shoulder, smiling brightly. The sound of camera shutters clicking echoed in my ears, along with the chatter of passersby: “The romance between the tender CEO and the pianist is really too sweet.” “And they have such a beautiful daughter. The deep affection of their family of three is enviable.” “I heard Mr. Sterling fell in love with Miss Sierra at first sight in a piano room back then. It’s as romantic as an idol drama!” “Miss Sierra is incredibly good at composing. She’s a rare musical genius. All the soundtracks for Sterling Pictures’ movies are her creations. She’s truly talented!” I couldn’t help but sneer continuously. The past between Arthur and me was just assigned to Sierra like that. It felt like I had dreamt of a beautiful romance and marriage with Arthur. Now, I seemed more like a creep coveting their beautiful love from the shadows. Those sweet memories had all dissipated with the wind. 4 Suppressing my emotions, I made a phone call and then took a taxi to the airport. Just as I was about to go through security, a group of bodyguards suddenly appeared and surrounded me. Before I could react, fists rained down on me like a downpour. When the crowd dispersed, a pair of high heels appeared in my line of sight. “Slut!” “I said long ago that a cheap piece of trash like you was completely unreliable.” “You fucking ate my family’s food and used my family’s money all these years, and you dare to cheat?” “I must have been blind to let you marry my son. You animal!” It was Arthur’s mother. Rustling whispers rose from the surroundings: “She looks decent enough; turns out she’s a serial cheater. How disgusting.” “Is she the woman in that short video trending online? Played real kinky. I heard her daughter is already a teenager, yet she’s still so indecent. She needs to be taught a lesson!” I hadn’t even figured out what was happening yet. With a dull thud, my mother-in-law’s cane smashed hard against my body. The agonizing pain made me violently cough up a mouthful of blood. Right at that moment, Arthur suddenly rushed over. He pulled me into his arms, his eyes revealing heartache. “Mom, don’t blame her. I’ve been too busy and couldn’t give her the tenderness she wanted.” He gently wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, a long-absent tenderness appearing in his eyes. “You just made a mistake that any woman in the world would make. As long as you’re willing to return to me and our daughter, I don’t mind. Mom will forgive you too.” The crowd immediately erupted, some feeling indignant on his behalf: “Mr. Sterling, you’re so handsome and come from such a good family. What kind of woman can’t you find? Why do you need such cheap trash!” “Don’t be blinded by love! A scumbag like her probably has who knows how many bad intentions!” I tried to break free from Arthur’s embrace, but he held me down firmly. In the eyes of the onlookers, it looked like I didn’t know what was good for me. “Sierra’s private video was leaked when her phone was being repaired. Her tour is coming up, and she can’t have any negative press, so I had someone deepfake your face onto hers.” “You hurt her before; consider this your apology to her.” “As long as you take the blame for this, our family of three will definitely live a good life.” I suddenly felt utterly exhausted. Seeing I was no longer resisting, he finally let me go. I struggled to climb up and stand steady. Suppressing the dizziness, I suddenly curled the corner of my mouth: “Since it’s so lively today, why don’t I drop a bombshell for everyone.” I looked at the ring of phone cameras surrounding us and spoke unhurriedly.

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Chapter 1 It was the fifth year of my secret relationship with A-list actor Arthur Sterling, and he still refused to acknowledge my existence publicly. Even when my family pressured me to marry someone else, he didn’t care in the slightest. Even when I got into a car accident trying to dodge paparazzi and was clinging to life, all I got from him was a flippant remark. “Be careful, we were almost discovered.” Until we were secretly photographed, and the pictures shot straight to the top of the trending topics. I thought he was finally going to explain something. Instead, what I waited for was the public announcement of his relationship with someone else. “My little girl is crying her eyes out, so I have to clarify this. I am not familiar with the person in the photo. Please leave us alone.” His reply caused a massive uproar, and I was instantly cursed to the forefront of the storm. “Forcing the real girlfriend to come out and respond, how shameless!” “Where did this bitch come from, deliberately leeching off our brother’s popularity? Go die.” On this day, I was firmly nailed to the pillar of shame. And I also completely understood: it was never hard for him to go public; it was just that I wasn’t worthy. … Even though the sun was shining brightly outside, my body trembled with cold. Vicious comments continued to refresh endlessly. “You can tell at a glance she stuck onto him for money, looking like a seductive cheap slut. Must be a hostess from some club.” “Exactly, it’s not like our brother is blind. How could he fall for trash like this?” “Brother is vacationing in Europe with Sierra right now. This woman must be so jealous!” Looking at the photo of the two of them walking hand-in-hand down the street, I let out a sarcastic laugh. Just a minute ago, Arthur was still lying to me. “I’m filming right now. We’ll talk about everything when I get back.” Yet in that instant, a surge of hope had sprung up in me, thinking he truly had his difficulties. But now, this photo felt like a slap across my face, completely waking me up. I was the one being pathetic. When Arthur returned, it was already the evening of the third day. Without a word of explanation, he threw the luggage I handed him onto the floor and leaned in, coming straight for me. My lungs instantly felt like they were burning. He was always like this, coming and going as he pleased. And I was like his resting place when he felt tired and bored. But how many such places did he have? I didn’t know. Slap. I swung my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The room instantly fell into a shocking silence. Arthur froze, and a trace of impatience finally surfaced on his handsome face with its sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He couldn’t help but mock: “I always thought you understood.” His tone was so nonchalant it was heartbreaking. My mind buzzed, and I asked back with a trembling voice: “Understand what?” Arthur glanced up at me, a hint of pity on his face. “It’s impossible for me to only have you, and it’s impossible for me to openly and honestly go public with you. Chloe Miller, you’re so smart, how could you not understand?” Seeing my deathly pale face, he paused for a moment but continued speaking. “Besides, isn’t this fine? We’re still young, why do we have to be tied down? I really haven’t played enough yet.” In an instant, a constant buzzing filled my head. My vision blurred with tears. Even though I had already decided to leave, hearing his shameless confession still made me feel so awful I thought I would go crazy. Arthur looked at me quietly for two seconds. Feeling a bit irritable, he reached out to touch me. I suddenly calmed down, my voice cool and detached. “You are young, but I’m not anymore.” Arthur’s hand froze in mid-air, a crack appearing on his handsome face. “What… do you mean?” I handed him his luggage again. My voice was incredibly clear as I said: “I think you understand.” Raising my eyes to meet Arthur’s wavering pupils, I enunciated every word: “I want to end our relationship.” This disgusting, desperate, ugly relationship. Arthur left in a rage, but still didn’t take his luggage. Chapter 2 I didn’t understand what he meant by leaving it, but my attitude was already clear. No one could change my mind. Just like when I brought him home without hesitation all those years ago. I am three years older than Arthur. When I was twelve, I followed my grandfather to the countryside for poverty alleviation work, and Arthur crashed in front of our car. He had been beaten by his adoptive father until he was rolling on the ground, his back covered in bloody welts, skin and flesh torn open. Yet he didn’t shed a single tear. When he looked up at me, his eyes only wavered for a moment. Then, with strength coming from nowhere, Arthur broke free from the man, scrambled into the car, and hugged me like a small beast begging for help. “Sister, please take me away. I’ll do anything. Please save me.” Perhaps it was the boy’s desperate yet stubborn eyes, or perhaps it was his trembling hands hugging me. I, who had always been obedient, resisted the pressure from all the elders and took him away. From then on, he clung to me like a drowning vine. Just as I was lost in the past, a ringtone interrupted me. I knew it was my family calling to pressure me into marriage again. Only this time, I didn’t hang up. Instead, after answering, I said directly: “Mom, I agree to the arranged marriage. You can start preparing.” The world finally went quiet. Early the next morning, I went to Arthur’s company to resign. But when I pushed the door open, a woman was sitting in Arthur’s lap. It was his public girlfriend, Sierra. The room fell silent for a moment, and everyone instantly looked at me. Arthur’s close staff all knew about our relationship. I felt a bit embarrassed, not out of jealousy, but because I had become the so-called “other woman.” I took a breath, still placed my resignation letter on his desk, and then turned to leave. A sound of shattering porcelain came from behind me, like someone had crushed a cup with their bare hands. I didn’t stop my steps, but just as I was about to reach the door, a figure darted out and grabbed me. Sierra crossed her arms and scrutinized me for a few seconds. Suddenly, she smiled: “Why provoke him? What good does it do you?” Seeing I didn’t speak, she suddenly leaned in close to me, giggling: “Actually, I can accept a threesome… Anyway, it’s not like he hasn’t done it before…” Saying that, ignoring my increasingly pale face, she directly played a video. In an instant, the sight of pale, naked bodies pierced my eyes like a needle. They were tangled together on my bed, their wanton cries piercing through the entire room. Bang! Arthur slammed the door and rushed out. His usually calm face was full of anger. He snatched the phone away and smashed it hard onto the ground. “Why the fuck did you show her this!” Sierra froze for a moment, and when she reacted, her eyes were a bit red. “Wasn’t I doing this for you! Besides, she doesn’t even look at what kind of person she is, yet she wants you all to herself! She doesn’t even see if she’s worthy!” “Shut up!” Arthur roughly pushed her away and dragged me into the office. He stared at me, a hint of apprehension in his gloomy eyes. “It was just that one time. I was drunk.” “What does that have to do with me?” Arthur suddenly looked up, his tone carrying a hint of detestability. “Do you have to act like this towards me? I’ve already explained it to you, what more do you want?” What more do I want? My eyes suddenly turned bloodshot. The images from just now were still in my head, churning back and forth like a knife. But this wasn’t the first time this had happened. The first time a woman sent photos of them in bed, Arthur was terrified. “Sister, I was asleep, and that woman crawled into my bed herself. I thought she was you, I swear!” He was so afraid I wouldn’t want him that he clung to me all day with red eyes. I felt sick to my stomach and couldn’t eat for three days. To prove his loyalty, he directly tattooed my name on his private parts. “Sister, I will always be your dog.” Looking at his attached gaze, I eventually chose to forgive him. Arthur’s suppressed emotions finally broke the dam. He hugged me, kissing me wildly and making promises. I was too naive back then, thinking he would truly repent. But the facts slapped my face time and time again. Enduring it once meant there would be a next time, and boundaries would be broken through again and again, until even I felt disgusted with myself, even finding myself repulsive. Perhaps my undisguised disgust stung him. Apprehension, panic, and finally anger flashed in Arthur’s eyes. He walked towards me, his pace quick. “Chloe Miller, you really make me angry.” He wanted to force a kiss on me, just like the shameless tactic he used after countless arguments before. Only this time, I didn’t let him have his way. With a loud clatter, he fell to the floor, covering his bleeding forehead. He looked at me in disbelief. “You actually hit me!” My hand holding the ornament trembled slightly. I ignored his words, turned, pushed the door open, and left. A whimper came from behind me, sounding like both anger and weeping. Chapter 3 I thought the matter was finally over, but that paparazzi released even more photos of us. Holding hands, hugging, kissing, close-ups from various angles. In an instant, the hashtag about Arthur lying shot to the top of the trending list. His anti-fans and onlookers flocked to his account, throwing overwhelming abuse at his head. When I found out about this, I was just being dropped off at home by my blind date, Julian Vance. The house was pitch black. The moment I turned on the light, I was grabbed by the neck and pinned against the wall. The bright light and dull pain made me take a few seconds to recover. When I opened my eyes, Arthur was staring at me with bloodshot eyes. “Chloe, you bought those photos and released them just to force me to acknowledge you?” My mind went blank for a second. When I reacted, I let out a sneer. “What nonsense are you talking about? I couldn’t possibly do such a thing.” “You’re still pretending! Sierra saw you meeting with the paparazzi!” Arthur’s face was livid, the force of his hands growing stronger. Seeing my pained expression, he showed no hint of mercy. “What good does ruining me do for you! Sierra was right, you are selfish and heartless, you don’t care about me at all. Everything you do is just to satisfy yourself—” Halfway through his sentence, Arthur’s face suddenly froze. His eyes stared straight at the coat I was wearing, resentment almost spewing flames. “Whose coat is this! Who did you go out with? Found a new sugar daddy so quickly? Chloe, aren’t you cheap!” His voice trembled as he violently ripped off the coat, threw it on the ground, and started kicking it wildly. As if he had a blood feud with a piece of clothing. I watched coldly, scoffing at his behavior. “Arthur, who I’m with has nothing to do with you, and who you date has nothing to do with me either. Now get out immediately!” Arthur’s pupils wavered, his cheeks twitching slightly, looking absolutely furious. “Chloe, you’re getting revenge on me, aren’t you! Just because I didn’t go public with you?” I felt sick to my stomach, not wanting to listen to his nonsense, nor did I want any further entanglement with him. So I directly called the community security. Arthur smiled, but there was hatred in his eyes. “You’re really something.” That night, Arthur logged into his account and responded. “That was a ‘sister’ who sponsored me in the past. I’m very sorry I lied to everyone. We did have a history, but it’s in the past. Some things happened that I really don’t want to bring up again. I apologize to everyone once more and have no intention of taking up public resources.” His words were clever, inviting speculation, instantly directing the backlash at me. Fans poured out their sympathy. “What does he mean? This bitch used this to blackmail brother into dating her? So shameless!” “Holy crap, I have a bold hypothesis. This woman is a sugar mommy who specializes in investing in young fresh meat to satisfy her animalistic desires?” “Ahhhhh, Arthur is so pitiful. My god, that woman deserves to die a horrible death. Has anyone doxxed her?” In an instant, I was once again pushed to the forefront of the storm. A few hours later, my personal information was being spread wildly across major platforms. My mother was so angry she almost had a heart attack. My father used his connections to suppress it while telling me to come home immediately. My head buzzed. I couldn’t believe Arthur could be so ruthless. I was so dizzy and lightheaded that when I went out, I completely failed to notice the club swinging towards me from behind. With a loud thud, a severe pain erupted from the back of my head, and I fell heavily to the ground. The woman’s eyes were full of crazed hatred. “You bitch, you’re the one who caused my brother to suffer so much. Go die!” Saying that, she raised the baseball bat high and swung it towards my head. My heart pounded like a drum, my whole body unable to move. Just as despair filled my heart. With a bang, Julian grabbed the baseball bat and flipped the woman to the ground with his arm behind her back. The person let out a miserable scream, scrambled up, glared at me fiercely, turned around, and ran away quickly. Julian, with a serious expression, checked my wound and immediately called 911. Chapter 4 I had a mild concussion, but fortunately, it was nothing serious. The attacker was quickly caught, but she continued to yell arrogantly. “Brother’s variety shows were cancelled because of her, and sister-in-law cried on her livestream. It’s all that bitch’s fault!” This brainless fan had just come of age and gotten into a top university, but I didn’t soften my heart and directly refused to settle. Arthur’s manager, Old Zhang, called me. His tone was somewhat pleading. “Chloe, you’ve always been the best to Arthur. What’s the big deal if you just lower your head and apologize to him? He’s pushed away so much work because of you, just staying in his room drinking all day, and he’s lost endorsements.” I didn’t react and just hung up the phone. Julian sat next to me peeling an apple, his long eyelashes hiding his expression. From beginning to end, he hadn’t asked me a single question. We were old acquaintances, classmates from elementary to high school. I knew he had always liked me, so I just came right out and asked. “Wanna get married?” With a clatter, the apple fell to the floor. A flash of astonishment crossed Julian’s eyes, his face suddenly turned red, and he looked a bit dazed. He didn’t speak, just stood up and walked out quickly. I felt a bit regretful, thinking he had refused. But over half an hour later, he hurried back with a ring. “Chloe, let’s go get our marriage license tomorrow.” I let him put the ring on my finger and nodded gently. “Okay.” Sierra livestreamed for several days in a row, intentionally smearing me. I became the vicious female supporting character in the eyes of their fans, who hurled all sorts of filthy language at me, taking pleasure in insulting me. It even affected my family and our business. But Arthur didn’t come out to say a single word. He was even still waiting for me to apologize to him, waiting for me to hug him, protect him like I did when we were kids. Spoil him. How ridiculous. The next day, Julian and I got our marriage certificate and then posted on social media. The photo was of our hands, fingers intertwined, wearing our wedding rings. Posted along with it was my entire history with Arthur. I spilled everything completely, including the tattoo of my name on his lower abdomen. At the very end of the post, I concluded decisively in one breath: “From now on, the past is the past. We have nothing to do with each other.” The popularity of this post shot to the number one spot on the trending list within ten minutes, breaking out of just entertainment circles. It caused a massive uproar, including for the Arthur who had been playing dead.

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On my birthday, I spent a fraction of my allowance—fifteen hundred dollars—on a set of custom nails. But when Nancy, a coworker who constantly acted like a know-it-all elder, found out, her face instantly darkened. “Fifteen hundred! Just for some cheap nails? Aren’t you afraid of bad karma for wasting money like this?!” She pointed at me, heartbroken and indignant, her spit almost hitting my face. “Can you eat these flashy things? You can’t even do laundry or cook with them!” “My son’s money doesn’t grow on trees! If you keep spending like this, you’ll bankrupt our Miller family!” I forcefully yanked my hand back from her painful grip. “Are you out of your mind? This is my parents’ money. What does it have to do with your son or your Miller family?!” Nancy was furious. I couldn’t be bothered with her, so I requested PTO and went on a trip. When I returned, I found that my limited-edition anime figures, worth thousands, were missing from my desk. And Nancy, still utterly absorbed in her self-assigned role as the “wicked mother-in-law,” was standing nearby. “Don’t bother looking. You’re a grown adult, stop playing with these inappropriate toys. Not only do they waste money, but they also take up space. I already threw them away for you.” “Your salary will also be direct-deposited to my card from now on. If you’re going to marry my son, you can’t be spending money recklessly like this anymore.” I laughed out of sheer anger and dialed 911. Since she loves being the boss of the house so much, I’ll send her to be the boss of a jail cell. 1 Having just attended the birthday party my parents threw for me yesterday, I brought some pastries made by our family chef to share with my coworkers. Under the office fluorescent lights, the rhinestones and gold flakes on my nails shimmered and sparkled. Nancy from accounting waddled over with her thermos. Her eyes habitually swept across my desk before firmly locking onto my hands. “Chloe, are those new nails?” Thinking it was just idle office chatter, I replied casually. “Yeah, do you like them?” Who knew her voice would suddenly rise. “Looking pretty doesn’t put food on the table. Those couldn’t have been cheap. Tell me, how much did you spend?” “Chloe, honey, I’m not trying to scold you, but it’s not easy for a young person like you to make money. How can you be so extravagant?” “I know a salon that can do this exact style for ten bucks. If you really want them done, I’ll take you there next time. Think of what you could do with the money you save.” I kept my patience and explained with a smile. “Nancy, thanks for the offer, but I have a private nail technician. Both the materials and the technique are excellent. I’m just spending money to make myself happy, so I don’t plan on switching for now.” “Happy? You spent fifteen hundred dollars just to be happy with ten fingernails for a month? Is your brain full of water?!” I don’t know where she found out the price, but her voice was so loud the entire office instantly fell silent. My face darkened as well. “This is my personal business and my money. I have the right to decide how I spend it. Is it any of your concern?” Seeing that I was angry, Nancy gave an awkward smile. “Oh, you child. I’m just offering some advice as someone with more life experience. Why are you getting so defensive?” “Fifteen hundred is not a small amount. It’s enough to pay for a chunk of a house down payment, enough to buy a trunk full of baby formula, enough to cover our living expenses for a year.” “Squandering money like this now is draining your future blessings. Aren’t you afraid of bad karma?” I took a few deep breaths but still couldn’t suppress the anger welling up inside me. “This is my money, and I will spend it however I please!” “Forget about getting my nails done; even if I bought a solid gold brick to prop up my desk, that’s my freedom! It’s not your place to dictate what I do!” 2 Seeing that I was genuinely angry, and feeling the stares of everyone around us, she sheepishly shut her mouth and returned to her cubicle. After distributing the pastries, I went to the break room to wash the empty container. Unexpectedly, Nancy followed me in. She closed the door and spoke again, sounding deeply pained. “Chloe, honey, there were too many people out there earlier, so I couldn’t be too blunt. But I’m just so worried about you!” She grabbed my hand, which was under the running water, and frowned deeply. “Look at this. Can you eat these flashy things? You can’t even do laundry or cook. You’re washing a container so carefully… is this how someone who manages a household acts?” I pulled my hand, which she was gripping painfully, away, turned off the faucet, and looked at her coldly. She thought I was listening and got even more fired up. “I’m not being a busybody. Think about it. A woman eventually has to get married and have kids. You’re so used to spending freely now; what will you do later?” “My son’s money doesn’t grow on trees. The hard-earned money he makes is meant to honor his parents and raise his children.” “If you keep spending like this, won’t you bankrupt our Miller family once you marry in? My husband and I are counting on you two for our retirement. We can’t afford your extravagance!” I was absolutely stunned by her words. The good mood I had from booking a vacation with my best friend vanished, and the anger I had suppressed flared up again. I completely dropped any pretense of professional courtesy and yelled at her, using her full name. “Nancy Miller! Are you out of your mind?” “Who is your son? Do I even know him? And marrying into your Miller family—is your family trimmed with gold or encrusted with diamonds?” “Let alone the fact that I don’t know your son at all, even if I were blind, heartless, and brain-damaged, and every man in the world were dead, I, Chloe Hayes, would become a nun before I’d marry your son! Stop having delusions!” Hearing my words, Nancy froze for a moment. “Marriage is ultimately decided by the parents. You don’t know him now, but you will when you get married.” “You’re only saying this because you don’t know my son. Don’t you young girls love a man in uniform? My son looks so handsome in his.” “Don’t worry, I’ll arrange for you two to get your marriage license as soon as possible. Feelings can be cultivated later. You’ll see when you meet him; you two really look like a married couple.” I was truly disgusted by Nancy’s deranged behavior. Realizing she couldn’t understand human speech at all, I didn’t want to waste another breath. Shoving her out of my way, I went straight to my desk, grabbed my pre-written PTO request, and headed to HR. I was originally supposed to work at my family’s company, but Ethan Pierce insisted I come to his, using the excuse that a united couple could overcome anything. As a result, I’ve been here for a year, and he’s been overseas for a year. We’ve been engaged since we were kids, and we grew up together as frenemies. Now I’m seriously starting to suspect that Ethan put me in this crazy woman’s department just to mess with me. I need to transfer departments. Absolutely must transfer. When I handed in my PTO request and brought up the transfer, the HR manager approved it immediately. He knew about my relationship with Ethan and wore a fawning smile. “Ms. Hayes, are things not going well in this department?” I was going to complain, but then I thought better of it. It’s best to just stay away from people like her; there’s no need to get too involved. That night, just as I finished packing my luggage, I checked my phone and saw a bunch of messages. The latest one was from Nancy. “Tomorrow morning at 9 AM, do not be late.” I was baffled by this out-of-context message, but then I remembered there was a department meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning. I assumed she was reminding me not to be late for the meeting. Since I had already taken PTO, I ignored her. After a ten-plus hour flight, my phone started ringing off the hook the moment we landed. “Chloe, what is going on? Where are you?” “I specifically reminded you yesterday. Why didn’t you show up?!” “What are you doing? Why is your phone off?” Even through the screen, I could feel Nancy’s exasperation. My head was full of question marks. Thinking it was something work-related, my fingers flew across the keyboard. “I’m on vacation right now. If there’s something you need, just say it.” She replied almost instantly. “Didn’t we agree yesterday? Today was the day to go to City Hall and get the marriage license. My son and I waited for you for hours, and you actually went on vacation?” “Do you know today is an auspicious day for getting married that I stayed up all night calculating? If we miss today, we have to wait three years.” “And to meet you, my son specifically wore his work uniform and combed his hair until it shone. Because he’s so handsome, you have no idea how many people were looking at him today.” Then I received a photo from her. The moment I opened it, I regretted it. 3 The man in the photo looked to be under 5’7″ and easily over 200 pounds. The tight security guard uniform looked ready to burst at the seams. His neck was thick and short, looking like he could be strangled by the tie under his collar at any moment. A few strands of hair were desperately plastered across his head, only highlighting his shiny scalp. And he was showing off two rows of uneven, yellow teeth to the camera. Because he was smiling so widely, a string of sticky saliva stretched between his lips. My best friend took one look and declared it a visual assault. “Is this the heaven-sent husband you mentioned? Your tastes are… unique!” “I take back what I said last night about a 6’2″ flight attendant with long legs. This mother’s filter is way too strong.” “I can’t, I can’t. If I look any longer… gag…” I ignored my friend’s teasing, just feeling like I had been bitten by a rabid dog that refused to let go. Taking a deep breath, I blocked all of Nancy’s contact info. A week of a wonderful vacation with my best friend temporarily washed away the bad luck Nancy had brought me. On my first day back, I was still jet-lagged and almost late. As I hurriedly parked and was waiting for the elevator, a panting male voice sounded behind me. “Are… you Chloe?” The moment I turned around, I was stunned. I actually saw a real-life version of Pigsy from Journey to the West—no, he was much darker than Pigsy. So the photo Nancy sent was actually heavily filtered? He tried his best to squeeze out a smile. “I waited for you for so many days, and I finally caught you. My mom said you’re my wife from now on, and I’m responsible for picking you up and dropping you off.” As he spoke, he shuffled forward, trying to shove a crumpled paper flower into my hand. The strong body odor and the visual shock made me step back twice. “Stop right there! I don’t know you. If you come any closer, I’m calling the cops!” He, just like his mother, completely failed to understand human speech. “Hehe, I know you’re shy. My mom said you’re just acting tough because you’re afraid you’re not good enough for me, but deep down you really like me.” “From now on, you’re my wife, and you have to listen to me.” As he said that, his hand, stained with some unknown grease, reached out to grab me. Fortunately, the elevator doors opened at that exact moment. Seeing the people inside, I rushed in like I had found my saviors. “He’s crazy! Call security! Get rid of him!” The man closest to the door saw how terrified I was, then looked at the appearance of Nancy’s son. Seeing so many people in the elevator car, Nancy’s son was also a bit stunned. His small eyes were filled with confusion and panic, but he didn’t make any further moves. I frantically pressed the “Close Door” button. Amidst his unwilling gaze and the shouts of the other passengers, the elevator finally started going up. I rushed into the office, still shaken. Just as I was about to find Nancy to settle the score, I was surrounded by several coworkers. “Chloe, congratulations! How come you didn’t drop any hints before? You kept it really well hidden.” “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely come early on the big day.” “I thought young people nowadays just wanted to play around. I never expected our Chloe to have the courage to settle down right after graduation. That’s great.” I was a bit dazed, completely unable to keep up with the rhythm. “Congratulations? Congratulations for what?” Mary shot me a teasing look and laughed. “Stop pretending. I get it, young people are shy.” “But you can’t hide this. Nancy told all of us.” Nancy? Nancy Miller? Mentioning her made my temples throb. I had a really bad feeling about this. Before I could ask, congratulations and well-wishes poured in from all sides. Only then did I notice the wedding candy on everyone’s desks, and the handwritten invitations next to them. The crooked handwriting on them read: “Cordially inviting all colleagues to attend the wedding banquet of my son and Ms. Chloe Hayes on the 25th of this month.” The sender at the bottom was Nancy Miller. 4 My brain exploded with a boom, and I was trembling with rage. “Chloe, what’s wrong? Why is your face so red? Are you too excited?” Excited? Yes, I was excited. Excited enough to want to kill someone! Right at that moment, Nancy walked in, holding a half-empty bag of wedding candy. She ignored the fury in my eyes and loudly explained to the surrounding coworkers. “Oh, stop crowding around Chloe. Look, you’re making the girl shy.” “Alright, everyone stop staring. My Chloe is thin-skinned. It’s my fault. I was just so happy I wanted to share it with everyone early.” As she spoke, she reached out to pat my shoulder, which I overtly and forcefully swatted away. My coworkers were stunned by my intense reaction, and the atmosphere instantly became a bit awkward. Nancy’s expression also stiffened for a moment, but then she put on a tolerant look. “Sigh, this child is stubborn. She’s mad at me. Look, she won’t even pass out the wedding candy herself. I have to do it as her mother-in-law.” “Please bear with her, everyone. At the wedding, I’ll make her toast you all a few extra times to apologize.” The surrounding coworkers showed looks of understanding. Seeing Nancy’s smug face, I knew any words would be pale and powerless right now. I completely ignored everyone, picked up an invitation nearby, and prepared to call the police. But when my eyes swept across my desk, I froze. The spot where my limited-edition anime figures used to be was completely empty. I frantically opened drawers and searched my cabinets. They were all gone. “Don’t bother looking.” Nancy stood a few feet away, arms crossed. “I already threw away those messy plastic little people for you. You’re a grown adult. Stop playing with these inappropriate things. They waste money and take up space.” “What did you say? Threw them away!” My chest heaved violently, and my voice almost cracked with anger. Those were limited-edition figures; you couldn’t even buy them with money, and she actually threw them away. I don’t know if my previous silence had given Nancy courage. She spoke self-righteously, even acting like she deserved praise. “Yeah. No need to thank me.” “Once you’re married, you need to settle down. Your mind should be on the right path: serving your husband, honoring your in-laws, and bearing children for the family. That’s what you should be doing.” I thought she had already reached peak delusion by automatically inserting herself into the “wicked mother-in-law” role. I didn’t expect there was only more delusion, no limit to it. She took a step forward, her face showing an even stronger desire for control as the head of the household. “Oh, right, there’s one more thing I haven’t told you.” “I’ve already adjusted the payroll system. From now on, your salary will be deposited directly to my card.” I thought I was hearing things. As an accountant, she should know this is illegal. Seeing everyone looking at her in disbelief, Nancy just kept talking. “You guys don’t understand. This child is used to spending freely.” “She spends fifteen hundred just to get her nails done, travels abroad at the drop of a hat, and buys those useless plastic little people. Tell me, how is her little salary enough for her to squander like this?” “Nowadays, a lot of young people don’t know how to plan. They spend beyond their means, end up with online debt, and jump off buildings. I’m just looking out for her.” Although everyone disapproved of her actions, hearing about my large expenses and considering that we would soon be “family,” they found it hard to say anything. Seeing that I remained silent, Nancy’s arrogance grew. “From now on, you are the daughter-in-law of our family. It’s perfectly appropriate for me to plan this money for you. This is called managing the household finances. The money saved will eventually belong to you two anyway.” “Don’t worry. I won’t shortchange you on your allowance. As long as you listen and live a good life, I won’t mistreat you.” It turns out that the angrier a person gets, the calmer they become. I pulled out my phone and, without unlocking it, dialed three numbers. The call connected almost instantly, and I put it on speaker. “Hello, 911 emergency. How can I help you?” I looked at Nancy’s face go from smug to dead pale and slowly said, “I want to report a crime. Someone stole thousands of dollars worth of my property and diverted my salary…”

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After my sugar daddy was exposed as a fake heir, he was driven to slit his wrists in a basement by the true heir, the richest man in the city. I stole the sugar baby contract I had signed with him years ago, planning to tear it up and run. Suddenly, countless glowing comments began scrolling across my vision. [The female supporting character is a gold-digger just as expected. Her running away now perfectly clears the way for the female lead’s baby.] [After leaving the male lead, she’ll find a psychopathic sugar daddy and be tortured to death. If she knew the male lead only needed six months to make a comeback, surpass the Sterling family to become the youngest billionaire, and become a legendary couple with the female lead and their baby, she’d probably come back to life just out of sheer anger.] My hand trembled, and I ripped the contract completely in two. Without time to think, I rushed into the bathroom and saw Elias already bleeding from a cut on his wrist. I threw myself at him, grabbed his arm, and cried with zero regard for my image. “Baby, don’t die! If you’re gone, who else is willing to keep me? I still want to renew our contract!” His gloomy gaze fell on the torn contract pieces, and he spoke softly. “Is that so?” 1 “You were only with me for the money to begin with, and now you see how it is.” His eyes moved mechanically across the dark, damp basement. His usually rosy lips had turned pale. I covered his bleeding wrist, but blood still dripped onto the floor. “I’ve been kicked out of the Sterling family, forced to hole up in this cheap basement. I can’t even support myself, let alone you. So just go, I don’t blame you.” The fine hairs on my back stood on end, and I couldn’t suppress a shudder. I had been with Elias Sterling for eight years. To outsiders, he was the gentle, refined heir, but only I knew he was a venomous snake wearing human skin, someone who held grudges and exacted revenge for every slight. He said lightly that he didn’t blame me, but the hand hidden behind his back was already clenched white. I was half-skeptical about the bizarre comments floating in my vision, but my instinct for danger made me decide quickly. I absolutely could not leave. Otherwise, before I could be tortured to death by some psycho, Elias would play me to death first. I decisively leaned forward and blocked his pale lips with mine. Elias took control, kissing me until I was nearly breathless. Finally managing to push him away, I panted, picked up the torn contract from the floor, and ripped it into tiny shreds under his astonished gaze. I cupped his face and said earnestly, “Baby, I don’t want to be your mistress anymore.” A flash of desperate, murderous intent crossed Elias’s eyes. The comments were also full of derogatory remarks about me. [I thought the female supporting character had a change of heart, but she’s actually here to stab the male lead in the back. Just wait. Abandoning the male lead now means when she begs him for help while being tortured later, he won’t even spare her a glance.] [Once the female supporting character leaves, the female lead will rush in and save the male lead, kicking off his epic comeback story of face-slapping revenge.] I ignored the filthy words, my voice light and soft, carrying an imperceptible nervousness. “I know saying this now might make you angry, but I can finally reach you now. So, can I be your girlfriend?” Elias’s eyes widened slightly. Before I could wait for his response, my vision suddenly went black. Just before losing consciousness completely, I saw one last sentence. [So what if she regrets it? Not following the plot will only result in her own suffering.] A surge of anger swelled in my heart. Following the plot meant I was supposed to go die, didn’t it? On what grounds? There seemed to be a fire in the darkness, constantly burning me. I ran and ran desperately, finally opening my eyes. Sitting up abruptly, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, drenched in cold sweat, my internal organs aching. I couldn’t help but groan. A cold hand pressed against my forehead, and Elias’s tone was full of lingering fear. “Chloe, are you feeling better?” Pain tormented me every second. Having been with Elias for eight years, he had truly given me everything I asked for, never letting me suffer the slightest injury. He had long since spoiled me, and I couldn’t help but cry and fuss, “It hurts, it hurts so much.” He stood up helplessly and ran out to find a doctor. The doctor gave me an impatient look. “If you don’t have money for tests, hurry up and discharge her. Don’t take up a bed here. What can we do if she’s uncomfortable? No money, no treatment.” Elias growled angrily, “Give her the best tests, I have…” His voice cut off abruptly. His usually straight back slumped, and he kept his head down, not daring to look at me. The doctor scoffed, “Just leave. If you stay any longer, you won’t have anything left on you to use as collateral.” Only then did I notice that the pinky ring on his finger was gone. Ignoring the pain, I bolted upright, grabbed Elias, and pulled him outside, comforting him incessantly. “Actually, it doesn’t hurt that much as long as I’m with you. You’re my painkiller now, babe. You really can’t abandon me.” A scalding teardrop fell onto our joined hands. Elias said hoarsely, “Okay.” I curled my lips into a slight smile. I wasn’t lying. 2 [The male lead chose to take the female supporting character to the hospital and missed the female lead. The plot can’t develop at all.] [The plot’s punishment intensity has also decreased. No wonder she can still get out of bed and walk. With the original punishment intensity, going against the plot now would make her wish she were dead.] [Actually, I kind of ship them. A fallen sugar daddy and a loyal canary, it’s pretty rare, okay.] I hid the dark glint in my eyes, searching for a way to survive from the fragmented words. Although I would be punished for going against the plot, as long as Elias chose me without hesitation in the end, the plot couldn’t proceed, and the punishment would weaken, perhaps even disappear? The key was Elias’s love. I turned my head to look at the once arrogant prince following behind me, carefully holding my hand. My eyes curved into a smile as I spoke, “Babe, now that you’re my boyfriend, you’ll work hard to make money and give me the life I had before, right?” “I definitely will.” He spoke with certainty, full of promise. [Why does it feel like the male lead went from sugar daddy to the female supporting character’s lapdog?] [Wait until the male lead goes out to work, gets humiliated and degraded, and then the female lead saves him from his misery. Their relationship will heat up rapidly. That’s the most important plotline.] [It’s just missing the first encounter; it won’t stop them from falling in love. The female supporting character shouldn’t get too smug. She should go find her next sugar daddy early.] I didn’t stop Elias from going out to work. Pain tormented me constantly; I could only rely on sleep for relief. He came back exhausted every day, the knees of his formerly pristine clothes covered in dust. I learned from the comments that he went to find a friend from his old circle, Carter Vance. That guy looked down on his fake identity but also coveted his business talent. So, Carter resorted to torturing him with trivial matters. The once-proud man knelt on one knee to shine someone else’s shoes. Carried heavy five-gallon water jugs up twenty-six flights of stairs to replace them in every room. Stood in the break room for three hours, making coffee for everyone in the company. Carter even made Elias clean the bathrooms. I smelled the pungent scent of bleach on him. But even so, the first look I saw when he came back was still a smile. He put down the groceries he bought and hugged me immediately. “Are you feeling any better today?” I opened my eyes groggily and planted a loud kiss on his cheek. “I feel much better after a hug from you.” “So hungry, I want to eat.” Elias skillfully took the groceries to cook. I propped my head up, enjoying the comments’ meltdown. [He used to take three showers if he got even a hint of cooking grease on him, and now he spends every meal in the kitchen just to cook for the female supporting character.] [The male lead gets so happy he loses his mind over a single compliment from her. She really knows how to act cute. Saying ‘you’re my painkiller’ gave me goosebumps.] I rolled over. And that’s not all. After dinner, Elias will do my laundry, clean the room, and finally give me a full-body massage. He won’t start on the work he brought back until I fall asleep. As long as he’s home, any slight movement from me is treated like a major event. Like right now. Elias, wearing an apron, crouched beside me. “Is it uncomfortable turning over? Do you need me?” I affected a dramatic tone. “I need you to kiss me.” He laughed and pressed a kiss to my lips. The hands that used to sign billion-dollar contracts gently massaged my temples. The restless pain in my body eased somewhat. I narrowed my eyes contentedly and directed him to massage my shoulders. A harsh ringtone interrupted, and Elias paused before answering the phone. He frowned and spoke apologetically, “There’s a problem at work, Chloe, I have to go out. Leave the dishes on the table after you finish eating, I’ll wash them when I get back.” I watched him leave. The comments exploded. [Carter has had his eye on the male lead for a long time. Calling him out tonight isn’t about work at all, it’s a trap to break his pride and rape him. Thank god the female lead is there to save him. The scene I’ve been waiting for is finally here! The couple I ship is about to appear!] [After tonight, the female supporting character will be kicked to the curb. I’ve been sick of her pretentious act for a long time.] 3 My spirit surged. I forced myself up through the pain, chasing after Elias to intercept his destined night with the female lead. Following the hints from the comments, I stood at the entrance of the club and sneaked in while the bouncers weren’t looking. The deafening music made my pain worse. The very center of the club’s main floor was the most crowded. Looking through rings of people, I spotted Elias being pinned to the floor. Carter was using the toe of his shoe to forcefully grind Elias’s face into the ground. There was broken glass everywhere, piercing deeply into Elias’s body. Blood mixed with alcohol spread out, creating a complex smell that made my stomach churn. “You still think you’re the prince? You’re just a fake. Being kicked out means you’re nothing. If I didn’t throw you a bone, you’d still be begging on the streets right now.” “I just asked you to do a striptease for us. You can kneel to shine shoes, why act so high and mighty now?” Carter wore a sleazy smile, pinching Elias’s face until it was red. He was notorious in their circle for swinging both ways. I never expected him to target Elias. “You must be tired lately. As long as you soften up a bit and play nice with me, I can give you money and power.” Elias’s chest heaved violently, glaring dead at him. “Spit.” He spat a mouthful of blood onto Carter’s face, which earned him an even more vicious beating. Carter wiped his face furiously, jumping up and down in rage. “Break all four of his limbs! Strip him naked and hang him from the ceiling. Let’s see how long he lasts without food or water.” The bodyguards raised their stools and smashed them down hard. Elias let out a muffled groan, swallowing back a scream. My eyes turned red. Forgetting the plot entirely, I grabbed a fruit knife from a nearby table and charged in, swinging wildly. “Let us go! Or none of you are leaving here alive.” I had never been this close to danger; my voice couldn’t stop trembling. Carter was startled back a few steps by my crazed appearance. He narrowed his eyes, then a look of realization dawned on him, and he started laughing. “So it’s Elias’s little bird, Chloe. She’s still willing to stick with him even when he’s broke. Quite the loyal whore.” His lecherous gaze darted around. “I’ve played with men and women, but never a pair of lovebirds together. Found something new today.” “Be my mistress, you won’t get less than what you got with him.” The moment he finished speaking, the veins on Elias’s forehead throbbed. He suddenly lunged up from the floor, grabbed the knife from my hand, and plunged it straight toward Carter’s eye socket. “Don’t you dare touch her!” But Carter had strength in numbers. The bodyguards swarmed forward, pinning Elias down and kicking and punching him. Carter rolled on the floor in agony, screaming, “Doctor! Get a fucking doctor! Flay Elias alive, I want him to wish he was dead!” I tried in vain to shield Elias, but someone kicked me away. I crashed into a table behind me, coughing up a mouthful of blood. The punches landed solidly on Elias, but he seemed completely numb to them. He only began to struggle violently when he saw me cough up blood. His bloodshot eyes locked onto me, mouthing silently, “Run.” [Even though I knew this part was coming, it’s still hard to watch the male lead like this. This incident leaves an almost indelible trauma on him. He completely relies on the female lead’s love to get through it.] [As expected of Carter, the guy who tortures the female supporting character to death. I want to go in there and kill him myself.] In my daze, I saw that comment. Resentment and anger flooded my brain. Why should I die at the hands of a scumbag like this? What gives him the right to bully Elias like this? I picked up a piece of broken glass from the floor and charged at the unprotected Carter. Amidst his frantic roars, I plunged the glass deep into his neck. The spurting blood covered my head and face. A delicate shout halted the chaos, “Stop! Whoever dares to hurt Elias Sterling again, I will make them pay the price.” It felt like fireworks exploded before my eyes. The comments cheered. [The male and female leads finally meet! The plot is finally on track.] Overwhelming pain swept through my entire body, draining all my strength to resist, and I slowly crumpled to the ground. I used all my strength to turn my head and look at Elias. Only to see a flash of awe in his eyes. 4 That delicate shout felt like needles pricking my skin. I lay paralyzed on the sticky floor. Through my blurry vision, I saw a woman in a white dress walking quickly toward us. The hem of her dress brushed over the broken glass but didn’t pick up a single speck of dirt. Behind her followed over a dozen bodyguards in black suits, who instantly pinned down the men beating Elias. “Elias, are you okay?” The woman crouched down, her voice so gentle it could wring out water. She reached out to help Elias up. I recognized her. She was Mia Harper, the female lead the comments kept talking about, Elias’s future “legendary love.” But Elias jerked his head away, avoiding her hand, and struggled to crawl toward me. He had barely propped up half his body when Mia’s bodyguards pressed down on his shoulders. “This lady is severely injured. Save her first.” Mia’s tone was undeniable, but her gaze was locked straight onto Elias. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.” [The female lead is finally doing her thing! This is a true goddess—beautiful, strong, and kind-hearted.] [The male lead is definitely moved. Look, he’s stunned! The female supporting character can get lost now.] The joyous celebration in the comments stabbed my eyes like needles. I saw Elias swallow hard, and the look he gave Mia indeed contained the awe the comments mentioned. It was an instinctive yearning for a “savior,” a thirst for light in his darkest hour. My heart sank to the bottom. My hand, gripping the bloodstained shard of glass, trembled slightly. “Don’t touch her,” Elias said suddenly. His voice was hoarse but firm. “Save Chloe first.” The smile on Mia’s face stiffened for a second, but she quickly reverted to her gentle demeanor. “She’s lost a lot of blood; I’ve already called an ambulance. But you’re hurt worse; you need to be treated first.” She reached out to support him again but was violently pushed away. “I said, save her.” He struggled over to me, ignoring his own wounds, and carefully pulled me into his arms. The broken glass dug deep gouges into his palms, but he acted like he couldn’t feel the pain, just wiping the blood from my face over and over again. “Don’t be scared, Chloe. I’m here.” Just then, a group of people burst through the back door of the club, led by Carter’s cousin, Derek. He saw Carter’s body on the floor, and his eyes turned bloodshot. “Elias! Chloe! You killed my cousin! None of you are leaving here today!” Mia’s bodyguards immediately surrounded us, but Derek’s men were all armed with steel pipes, clearly prepared. “Ms. Harper, this has nothing to do with you. Be smart and get out of the way!” Derek spat, his gaze darting between me and Elias. “My cousin said he wants this pair of dogs to wish they were dead!” Mia frowned and stood her ground. Her bodyguards shielded us, but they didn’t initiate an attack. I instantly understood. The “saving the male lead from his misery” the comments talked about was never unconditional. She was waiting. Waiting for Elias to ask her for help. Elias tightened his grip around my shoulders. He pressed his forehead against mine, his breath weak but resolute. “Chloe, hide behind me.” He was about to get up when I grabbed his shirt tightly. “No…” I used my last bit of strength to speak. “Don’t leave me.” [The female supporting character is so annoying! The male lead could easily team up with the female lead to solve this, but she has to drag him down.] [Derek is famously ruthless. The female supporting character is going to get the male lead killed too!] 5 Derek and his men charged forward. The dull thuds of steel pipes hitting the bodyguards rang out. In the chaos, a pipe swung toward Elias’s back. Without thinking, I flipped over to shield him. Bang. A searing pain shot through my back. My vision went black, and I nearly passed out. Elias’s pupils contracted. He scrambled backward, holding me, a fierce, unprecedented violence churning in his eyes. He grabbed a steel pipe from the ground and swung it viciously at our attacker. The man screamed as his arm instantly deformed. “If anyone dares to touch her, I’ll kill them!” He fought like a feral beast, his eyes red, losing all his former gentleness. Mia stood to the side, watching Elias fight desperately for me. Her expression slowly darkened. She suddenly raised her hand, signaling her bodyguards to stop. “Derek, your cousin’s death was his own fault, but you hurt my people. This debt needs to be settled.” Derek hesitated for a moment, then sneered. “So Ms. Harper is getting involved? Elias is just a fake heir. Is he worth offending the Vance family for?” Mia didn’t answer. She simply walked slowly over to Elias and handed him a handkerchief. “Elias, wipe the blood. Leave the rest to me.” Her tone was commanding, leaving no room for refusal, but her eyes held a trace of subtle scrutiny. Elias didn’t take the handkerchief. He just watched her warily. At that moment, I felt a bizarre, searing heat from the wound on my back, as if something were trying to burst out. The comments suddenly started scrolling frantically again: [The plot’s corrective force is activating! The female supporting character is too badly hurt; she won’t last long!] [The male lead MUST accept the female lead’s help, or they’ll both die here!] [Look at his hand! He’s reaching for the handkerchief! The plot is back on track!] I stared intently at Elias’s hand, watching him hesitate as he raised it, almost touching the pristine white cloth. And Derek, taking advantage of his distraction, suddenly pulled a dagger from his waist and thrust it toward my heart. “Kill this bitch first!” Elias’s eyes widened in horror. It was too late to block it. I closed my eyes in despair, but then heard a sharp clink. When I opened my eyes, Mia was standing in front of me. The dagger had pierced her arm, and blood instantly stained her white dress red. “Ms. Harper!” Elias cried out. Mia held her wound, but a victorious smile played on her lips. “Elias, do you believe me now?” Looking at the wound on her arm, I suddenly remembered a comment. Every “sacrifice” the female lead made was designed to trap the male lead’s heart. The pain in my back grew agonizing. I saw how Elias looked at Mia and suddenly realized that in this battle against the plot, I might have lost from the very beginning. Just then, the sound of police sirens echoed in the distance. Derek’s face changed, and he turned to run. Mia’s bodyguards immediately gave chase. Elias was about to help me up when Mia grabbed him. “Elias, my wound hurts. Could you take me to the hospital first?” Elias looked at her bleeding arm, then down at me, hanging on by a thread. His eyes were full of conflict. I looked at him and suddenly smiled. The blood spilling from my lips stained his shirt red. “Baby, go.” He whipped his head around, a panic I had never seen before in his eyes. And right at that moment, a glaring sentence popped up in the comments: [The female supporting character is dying; forced plot correction! The male lead will leave with the female lead. The female supporting character will be arrested as a murderer by the police, facing life in prison!]

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My boyfriend took his childhood sweetheart on a trip around the world. Three months later, he stared at my slightly bulging belly and angrily questioned, “Who the hell did you sleep with?!” I didn’t answer, secretly glancing at his best friend. Liam froze for a second, then punched him in the face. Arthur, who was originally enjoying the show, was stunned by the punch. After recovering, he also punched Liam in the face. “Are you fucking crazy! I didn’t sleep with her!” … They traded punches back and forth. I calmly left the private room. I slapped my belly, and it instantly became flat. Who said I was pregnant? I just ate too much for dinner! 1 To avoid being harassed by calls, I blocked both Liam’s and Arthur’s numbers on my way home. I was lying in the bathtub taking a beauty bath. Just as I was getting drowsy, a message from an unknown number startled me awake. The content was concise: 【Open the door in one minute! Otherwise I’ll tear down your crappy door!】 Liam is the type to act, not talk, so this was clearly Arthur’s style. Arthur is petty and vengeful. I knew he would come looking to settle the score, but I didn’t expect him to come this fast. Knowing him, his threat to tear down the door was definitely not an empty one. So I chickened out. 【Taking a bath, need five minutes.】 Arthur replied instantly: 【Fine! I’ll give you five minutes!】 I didn’t dare delay, hurriedly standing up from the bathtub to rinse off the bubbles. After drying off, I slipped on a slip dress and went to open the door. The moment the door opened, Arthur, who was about to explode with rage, froze for a second as his gaze landed on my exposed skin, then he roared exasperatedly. “Can’t you wear proper clothes?!” I looked innocent: “I just finished showering and am getting ready for bed. Isn’t this what I should wear?” Arthur choked, decisively changing the subject. “Why did you tell Liam that I knocked you up?” I innocently asked back: “Wasn’t it you who knocked me up?!” Among all of Liam’s friends, Arthur is the one I get along with the least. The reason is simple: I hate his pettiness and sharp tongue, and he hates my fake, “green tea” persona. During the three months Liam accompanied his childhood sweetheart on a trip around the world, Arthur hovered around me constantly like a ghost, claiming he was afraid I’d put horns on his best friend. If he hadn’t made me unhappy, I wouldn’t have turned my anger into appetite, eating 120% full every single meal. Arthur hopped mad with anger. “I haven’t even touched a single finger of yours, how could I have knocked you up?” “Immaculate conception?!” I smiled without saying a word, suddenly reaching out to wrap my arms around his neck, exhaling softly. “Haven’t I touched you now?” Arthur froze for a moment, then jumped back as if he had been burned, shaking off my hands. “What are you doing?!” Watching his ears turn completely red in a second, my smile grew even brighter. “Doing… you!” Arthur’s expression could be described as dumbfounded. He stammered, “You, you, you, have you no shame!” I smiled nonchalantly: “You’ve said that phrase many times already. Can you come up with something fresh?” Arthur gritted his teeth in anger, dropped the line “A good man doesn’t fight with a woman,” and left furiously. But he hadn’t taken a few steps before he turned back. I raised an eyebrow at him: “Mr. Sterling, is there anything else?” Arthur asked in an unreadable tone: “Are you really pregnant?” “Can’t you see for yourself?” I stuck out my belly, even deliberately puffing it up. Arthur glanced down, his face instantly turning even darker. “Chloe, you are so dead!” “Liam might not take you seriously, but if you dare to cheat on him, just wait for your family to go bankrupt!” I didn’t panic at all, touching his collar and asking with a beaming smile: “Couldn’t you help me out?” In terms of economic strength, the Sterling family is on par with Liam’s family. In terms of background and connections, the Sterling family is even better. Arthur laughed out of anger. He pinched my chin, examining me from side to side: “Why should I help you? I haven’t even settled the score with you for falsely accusing me!” I said shamelessly: “Of course, it’s because I’m special in your heart.” Arthur laughed even louder. “Which eye of yours saw that you are special in my heart?” I stated it as a matter of fact: “You stare at me every day. Isn’t it because I’m special in your heart?” Arthur retorted angrily: “I stare at you because I can’t stand you and want to find fault with you, understand?!” I was unabashed: “Do you find fault with others as much as you do with me?” Arthur was speechless. I smiled smugly: “And you still say I’m not special.” Arthur’s face turned green and pale; he was probably furious. I decided to add fuel to the fire, gently rubbing my thumb over his nicely shaped lips, teasing ambiguously. “Mr. Sterling, you couldn’t possibly be in love with me without knowing it, could you?” Arthur’s face instantly flushed to an unbelievable degree. Angry out of embarrassment, he forcefully swatted my hand away. “Liam won’t let you off!” He dropped a harsh threat on behalf of Liam and left in a somewhat flustered manner. It felt very much like running away. I crossed my arms, curling my lips in a cold smile. Stupid boy! 2 Although Arthur is arrogant and domineering, he’s still an innocent boy, so he can’t handle being teased. However, he was right about one thing—Liam is indeed someone I cannot afford to offend. And he is absolutely not the type to swallow his pride after being cheated on. Liam is the heir to a hundred-billion-dollar empire; my family’s assets couldn’t even match a fraction of his. If he was dead set on taking revenge, my family would indeed be completely powerless to fight back. But what does that matter? My family’s assets belong to my dad, my stepmom, and their son and daughter; it has absolutely nothing to do with me. The only thing I need to worry about is that after Liam dumps me, my dad will force me to marry a perverted old man older than he is. As for that, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Less than half a minute after I closed the door, the doorbell rang again. I thought Arthur had returned and opened the door without a second thought. I didn’t expect to be met with Liam’s gloomy face; the teasing words died in my throat. Without a word, Liam grabbed my arm, dragged me inside, and forcefully pinned me against the wall in the entryway. He pinched my face hard, questioning me through gritted teeth: “Who the hell did you sleep with?!” Liam is a calm and restrained person; it’s rare to see him express his emotions openly. I’m amazing; I successfully made him lose his cool twice today. I couldn’t break free, so I stomped hard on his foot. “No comment!” Liam felt the pain, and his grip loosened slightly. I took the opportunity to break free and ran towards the living room. But he quickly caught up, picked me up by the waist from behind, and walked straight towards the bedroom. He threw me onto the bed, then climbed on top of me. I gave up my futile struggle, lying on the bed as if accepting my fate. “If you don’t think it’s dirty, then come on.” Liam froze. His angry gaze fell on my lower abdomen, and his fury instantly overcame his lust. He lost control and grabbed me by the neck. “I’ll give you three days to get rid of the bastard in your belly! Otherwise, don’t blame me for not giving you a chance!” He let go of me and stood up, as if he had touched something dirty. I sat up, looking at him expressionlessly. “I say we break up.” Liam’s hand, which was adjusting his collar, paused slightly. A flash of surprise crossed his face, but it was replaced by mockery and contempt the next second. “What right do you have to say it’s over?” I glared at him defiantly: “Miss Vance is single again.” Liam loved Emily Vance for many years. But Emily liked his older brother. Half a year ago, his older brother died unexpectedly, and Emily has been depressed ever since. Three months ago, to make Emily happy, Liam ignored the gossip and took her on a trip around the world. Although marrying your deceased brother’s fiancée doesn’t sound great, for someone as egocentric as Liam, it’s not an issue at all. Liam fixed a warning gaze on my face. “Chloe, remember this: no one can dictate what I do.” “Even if this relationship is going to end, it will have to wait until I no longer want to continue.” “You are a smart person; you should know what to do.” My heart sank little by little to the very bottom. He was right; I had zero control over this relationship. 3 Three years ago, for the sake of profit, my dad wanted to marry me off to a perverted old man in his sixties. My eyes and brows looked similar to Emily’s. When I had nowhere else to turn, I imitated Emily and seduced Liam. Liam was very excited at the time, but after pinning me on the bed, he restrained himself. After that, he let me stay by his side. To please Liam, I imitated Emily in my dress, style, words, and actions. We were boyfriend and girlfriend in name, but in reality, it was a relationship between a sugar daddy and a sugar baby. Everyone in our circle knew this unspoken truth, and they all looked down on me because of it, especially Arthur. But I didn’t care. Being a substitute for Emily was always better than marrying a perverted old man in his sixties. Moreover, Liam never touched me. I don’t know what psychological reason it was, but gradually, I actually fell for Liam. Once, when he was drunk, he promised me that he would marry me after his brother and Emily got married. Even though I knew I was his second choice, I was still a little happy and expectant. Because I naively believed that feelings could grow over time. Who knew that life is unpredictable; Liam’s brother actually died unexpectedly. From the moment I heard this news, I knew that Liam would never marry me in this lifetime. So, I have been waiting for him to dump me. Three months ago, Liam suddenly told me he was taking Emily to travel the world. I thought he would take the opportunity to propose a breakup, but I didn’t expect he wouldn’t do so. Instead, he told Arthur, who I get along with the least, to “take care” of me. And Arthur was also crazy. He clearly could have just paid lip service to the order, but he strictly executed it, watching me every day like a prisoner. It made me so afraid to go find male models that I could only turn my grief and anger into an appetite, gaining six pounds in three months, and even being misunderstood as being pregnant. I highly suspect he deliberately used this method to disgust me. This bastard is truly vicious! 4 Liam told me to solve the “thing” in my belly within three days. I don’t have it, so of course, I don’t need to solve it. So I stayed home with peace of mind, just chilling. At night, just as I was about to go to sleep, I received a message from Arthur. 【Dead yet?】 Sometimes, when you hate someone to the extreme, a different kind of feeling can arise. So not only did I not block him, I actually started chatting with him. 【Your grandma is still alive and kicking.】 Arthur replied quickly: 【It’s a miracle Liam didn’t beat you to death!】 I also thought it was a miracle. I called myself “grandma” and he didn’t even notice. Me: 【Don’t worry, grandma will definitely live to a hundred.】 Arthur: 【True, a scourge lives a thousand years. You look like someone who is very hard to kill.】 Me: 【Grandma accepts your good wishes.】 The chat box kept showing “typing…” for about half a minute before the message came through. Arthur: 【What about the child?】 I was stunned for a moment before I realized he was talking about the non-existent child in my belly. I didn’t expect him to actually care about this. My wicked sense of humor flared up immediately: 【The child is innocent, of course I’m going to have it.】 Arthur: 【Are you crazy? Aren’t you afraid Liam will really kill you!】 Me: 【If I die, I die, what’s there to be afraid of? I have nothing tying me down anyway.】 My grandmother, who I cared about the most, is already gone; there is no reason for me to stay alive in this world. Arthur didn’t reply for a long time. Just when I thought he wouldn’t reply anymore, he sent another message. Arthur: 【Who is the man?】 Me: 【Too many people.】 Arthur: 【Fuck!】 I really couldn’t hold it back and laughed until I fell over on the sofa. Although Arthur kept a close eye on me, he didn’t follow me every single moment. One day when he was busy, I took the opportunity to go to a bar and called a few male models to drink all night. The next day, it was still him who dragged me out of the bar. He must think it was that time. 5 I couldn’t stand lying at home for a day, so the next day I went to a bar to drink my life away. At night, Liam’s people burst into the private room, dragged me out of the bar, shoved me into a car, and headed towards a private women’s hospital. After arriving at the hospital, I realized Liam had also come. I have no weaknesses right now, plus I was drunk and lacking reason. Seeing Liam just made me furious, and I started cursing at him. “Liam, it’s one thing to covet your sister-in-law, but fucking playing the substitute game, isn’t that disgusting!” Liam didn’t fly into a rage; instead, he stepped forward, grabbed my chin, and forced me to look up. “I’ll ask you one last time, whose bastard is it?” I glared at him defiantly: “Your dad’s!” Liam laughed out of extreme anger: “Chloe, you’ve got guts!” He looked at the masked doctor, “Make it clean, no need for anesthesia!” The doctor was startled, stammering a nod: “O-okay, Mr. Davis.” I looked at him in disbelief: “Liam, you’re fucking crazy!” Liam smiled sinisterly: “Baby, you can’t blame me. Who asked you not to control your own body.” “Doctor, let’s begin.” The medical staff nervously gathered around. I struggled desperately: “Liam! You can’t do this! I didn’t…” “Liam!” A playful voice came unhurriedly from the other end of the corridor. The all-too-familiar cynical tone. Liam looked at Arthur in confusion: “What are you doing here?” Arthur glanced at me and said casually: “I’m the father of the child. Shouldn’t I be here?” Me: …??!! Liam froze for a moment, looking at Arthur in disbelief: “What do you mean?!” Arthur shrugged apologetically: “Liam, I lied to you that day. I really am the one who knocked her up.” Me: … He must have been kicked in the head by a donkey! Liam couldn’t bear it anymore. He raised his fist and charged at Arthur. Arthur didn’t wait for him to hit him; he immediately took a defensive stance. The two traded punches back and forth. The medical staff obviously knew who Arthur was and didn’t dare drag me into the operating room by force. They all stood there at a loss. My legs had gone soft from fear earlier, so I simply found a chair to sit down and slowly watched the show. Arthur seemed to be trained, and his body was stronger than Liam’s. After a dozen rounds, Arthur gained the upper hand, pinning Liam firmly against the wall. Liam was furious, his eyes bloodshot: “Arthur! I fucking treated you like a brother!” I shook my head secretly. Liam has been losing his cool too frequently lately; he’s becoming less and less steady. Arthur reasoned calmly: “Liam, you’ve gotten Miss Vance as you wished anyway. There’s really no need to keep obsessing over a substitute.” “Besides, with Miss Vance’s temper, she probably wouldn’t allow you to keep a sugar baby on the side, would she?” At the mention of Emily, Liam gradually calmed down. Arthur struck while the iron was hot: “Shall we talk?” Liam didn’t agree, but he didn’t refuse either. Arthur breathed a sigh of relief and quickly winked at me: “Go back and wait for me.” I was pretty sober now, long having lost the courage to rather die than submit. I gave Arthur a grateful look and nodded immediately: “Okay.” I quickly left the hospital and took a taxi home. On the way, I kept thinking, why did Arthur help me? I thought and thought, but couldn’t figure it out. Probably… love born from hate.

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Chapter 1 On my wedding day, I knew full well that my half-sister had spiked the sweet soup she brought me with a sedative. Yet, I smiled and drank it all in one gulp. I watched as she eagerly put on my wedding dress and got into the wedding car belonging to Arthur Sterling, the crown prince of high society. In my previous life, when I woke up, I hysterically tore off her disguise, ruining her reputation and getting her banished from the city. I then married Arthur, using my father’s position as a military commander to help him legitimize his business and climb to the pinnacle of power. It wasn’t until I was clinging to life after a surgery in the hospital that Arthur sent the doctors away. With his arm around my sister and their one-month-old son, he looked down at me coldly: “Chloe, if it weren’t for the power of the Miller family, and for the grievances you put Mia through back then, I would have sent you on your way long ago. Now that your father can’t even protect himself, it’s time for you to step down.” My sister ground her heel into my fingers, a sinister smile on her face: “Sister, the things you’ve been protecting, my baby and I will enjoy them thoroughly. From now on, the position and honor of Mrs. Sterling should also return to their rightful owner.” In the midst of agonizing betrayal and excruciating pain, I took my last breath. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn on the day of my wedding. … Outside the window, the melodious wedding sonata drifted in faintly. I sat up, waited quietly for about fifteen minutes, then rubbed my temples and pushed the door open. My mother was just about to turn and go back into her room, the tears not yet fully wiped from the corners of her eyes. Looking up, she bumped into me standing by the door. She let out a gasp of shock. My father, hearing the sound, turned and saw me too: “Chloe? Didn’t you just get in the car?” He pointed toward the main gate in shock: “Then who was the person wearing the wedding dress that was just sent off?” I placed a hand gently over my heart, feigning panic: “It couldn’t be… Last night, Mia said she couldn’t bear for me to leave and made me a bowl of sweet soup. After I drank it, I felt drowsy and slept right up until now…” The previously festive atmosphere instantly froze. The guests exchanged subtle glances. My mother’s chest heaved violently, almost losing her footing. She immediately commanded sharply, “Bring Sarah Jenkins here!” Sarah, Mia’s mother, was dragged out from the crowd by the guards. She was dragging a suitcase, clearly intending to flee. “No wonder you were crying even harder than I was just now. I thought you really couldn’t bear to part with the eldest daughter. It turns out you personally sent your own daughter into the Sterling family’s wedding car!” Sarah’s eyes darted around, but she forced a calm facade: “Madam, what do you mean? The eldest miss woke up late and missed the time herself. How can you blame Mia?” Before she finished speaking, the butler hurried over to report softly: “Sir, Madam, the wedding car from the Vance family to pick up the second miss has arrived at the gate.” My mother’s face was covered in frost: “Which car did Mia get into? Get her back here!” A sneer flitted across the corner of my lips. It had been almost half an hour; she was probably already inside Arthur’s penthouse penthouse. By this time, Arthur was likely already impatient. My gaze swept over Sarah’s poorly concealed smirk, and I understood completely. These two, mother and daughter, had really played a good hand. Years ago, Sarah, arranged by my father’s rivals, drugged him and gave birth to Mia. To protect his reputation, my father had no choice but to let them into the house. Now, Mia used the same trick, drugging me to take my place. Even if I realized it, they had already made it a done deal. I was faced with only two choices: swallow this immense humiliation, or take her place and marry into the Vance family. Although the Vance family wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful, Julian Vance, at a young age, was already my father’s most capable general, with outstanding military merits and limitless potential. My father appreciated his calm and resolute character, which was why he favored this match. But Mia had switched places, exchanging the engagement she disdained for mine. If I accepted it, within half a day, the news that the eldest daughter of the Miller family was discarded by the Sterling family and passed on to the Vance family would spread throughout the city. I would become the laughingstock of the entire elite circle. Chapter 2 In my previous life, Mia relied on Arthur’s backing to steal my marriage. With my parents’ support, I led people to storm the Sterling family’s wedding venue on the peak. Fearing my father’s authority in the military, Arthur actually flat-out denied knowing about the switch on the spot, allowing Mia to be taken away by my father’s guards. I logically completed the wedding with him. After the marriage, Arthur took meticulous care of me. I had naively thought that he was truly kept in the dark on the wedding day, unaware that he and Mia had long been having a secret affair. They were just waiting for the right moment, using the Miller family’s power to strengthen themselves, before turning around and pushing us into the abyss. The butler reported urgently: “The second miss is indeed not in her room. The wedding dress sent by the Vance family was left on the bed, but all her personal belongings and documents are gone!” He handed over a sealed document bag: “This was found in a hidden compartment in the second miss’s room.” With a dark face, my father tore it open. Inside were several passionate letters handwritten by Arthur, along with several pieces of valuable jewelry. The veins on his forehead bulged as he slammed the document bag hard into Sarah’s face. “This is your good daughter, actually seducing her own brother-in-law! The Miller family has lost all its face because of you two!” Mia had naturally treasured those tokens carefully, but the first thing I did when I woke up was find them and make them public. I wanted everyone to see clearly that they had been secretly involved for a long time. Sure enough, gossip immediately erupted around us, full of disdain: “A daughter brought in by a mistress. The Miller family taking her in is already a massive favor, yet she dares to use drugs to knock out the legitimate sister and steal her marriage, hoping to climb the social ladder into the Sterling family! Truly reckless!” “That Sterling boy is also a scumbag. Being engaged to the eldest Miss Miller, yet daring to mess around with someone so unpresentable. His character is obvious!” Calculating the time and feeling the situation was set in stone, Sarah actually straightened her back and said to my father: “Sir, Mia is, after all, the second miss of the Miller family! Why not just grant her wish! It will also be easier to explain to the Sterling family…” My mother, trembling with anger, raised her hand and delivered a crisp slap to her face. “Grant her wish? You mother and daughter use filthy tricks to steal my daughter’s marriage, and you still delusionally ask for us to grant your wish?” “Someone, detain this woman. Send her to the police station later!” Sarah slumped to the ground, howling shrilly: “You dare touch me? I am now Arthur Sterling’s mother-in-law. If my son-in-law finds out, he will never let you off!” “I only have one daughter, Chloe.” My father’s eyes were icy. “Taking you in all these years was already the utmost benevolence. Since you dare to scheme against my daughter, don’t blame me.” He waved his hand, and Sarah was immediately dragged away mercilessly by two guards. Chapter 3 The butler looked troubled: “Sir, the Vance family’s people are still waiting at the gate, asking what time they can come in to receive the bride.” My father’s face was livid, and he said decisively: “Gather our men and come with me to the Sterling family! Tie that wretched spawn up and bring her back, have her marry into the Vance family immediately!” “Father, there’s no need.” I stepped forward and calmly held his arm. “Since Arthur’s heart belongs to Mia, I, Chloe Miller, disdain to fight for such a fickle and morally corrupt man.” My eyes were firm: “Julian Vance is someone you personally promoted. He has outstanding abilities and is loyal and reliable. If we refuse the marriage today because of this, where will he and the Vance family put their faces? I am willing to marry him.” My mother grabbed my hand in astonishment, “Chloe, don’t speak out of anger, how can this…” “Mom, I’m not acting on impulse.” I squeezed her hand back. “Julian is young and promising. Relying on his own military merits, he has made it to where he is today step by step. His future is limitless. I trust father’s judgment, and I believe in his future.” Hearing this, the surrounding guests looked at me with admiration and respect. “The eldest Miss Miller’s magnanimity and vision are truly rare!” “In comparison, that illegitimate daughter who used all kinds of filthy tricks is simply mud compared to clouds.” My mother hugged me tightly, her voice choked with emotion: “It’s just that this is too unfair to you…” My father took a deep breath: “That Sterling boy humiliated my daughter like this. From now on, don’t even think about getting any care from me! Don’t expect his businesses in the gray areas to go smoothly anymore!” His tone was resolute: “But right now, I must go to the Sterling family for an explanation. Otherwise, that bastard will really think my Miller family has no one and can be manipulated by him!” When we arrived at the Sterling family’s luxurious mansion, the wedding banquet was in full swing. Seeing our group barge in, the guests were all stunned and began whispering among themselves. “Isn’t this the eldest Miss Miller? Isn’t she the bride today? Why is she here?” “Then who was the one who just exchanged rings with Mr. Sterling and was sent upstairs?” An accompanying uncle snorted coldly: “That was just an illegitimate daughter brought in by a mistress. She used underhanded methods to steal her sister’s marriage!” The whispering instantly swelled like a tide. The noise grew louder, and Arthur finally came downstairs. Seeing me, he preemptively started blaming: “Chloe, haven’t you caused enough trouble? You can’t blame all of this on Mia!” “If you must blame something, blame the fact that your sisters’ wedding dates fell on the same day. She was just confused for a moment and got into the wrong wedding car. And I,” he paused, his gaze completely devoid of apology, “had a few too many drinks just now, was momentarily overcome by emotion, and mistook her for you. Now that things have come to this, I have to take responsibility for her.” He looked at me again: “Don’t worry, with my status in the city, I won’t abandon you. I will leave a place for you by my side.” Chapter 4 I almost wanted to applaud his shameless remarks. Leave a place for me? What era is this? He actually still wants to have a wife and a concubine. If it weren’t for the backing of my Miller family, those businesses of his that skirt the gray areas would have been uprooted long ago. How could he be allowed to spout such nonsense here today? He actually thought that I, the eldest daughter of a chief commander, would be his backup? My father laughed out of extreme anger: “Arthur Sterling, say that again? Have my daughter be your mistress? Who gave you the audacity! Have you forgotten who covers for you normally?” At this time, Old Mr. Sterling hurried out upon hearing the commotion: “In-laws, what’s going on…” His expression turned to shock when he saw me, “Chloe? Why are you here?” My mother slammed that stack of letters down in front of him: “Mr. Sterling, see for yourself! Your precious son has long been having an affair with that illegitimate daughter. They conspired to use drugs to steal my daughter’s marriage. Today, you must give my Miller family an explanation!” Old Mr. Sterling’s face instantly turned livid. He raised his cane and struck Arthur hard on the back: “You rebellious son! Tell me, what exactly is going on here?” Before Arthur could defend himself, Mia, clutching a bathrobe that wasn’t even buttoned properly, stumbled out and shielded Arthur, tearfully saying: “Uncle Sterling, this has nothing to do with Arthur. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t control my feelings. If you want to hit someone, hit me!” She turned to look at my father, her voice choked with sobs, but every word hiding a sharp edge: “Father, things have already come to this. If we make a bigger scene, the Miller family is a military family and values reputation the most. Your face won’t look good either…” My mother was so angry her fingertips trembled: “When you used drugs to secretly switch the marriage, why didn’t you think about the Miller family’s reputation? Now that we’re seeking justice, we become the ones who don’t care about reputation? How shameless!” I took a step forward: “Mia, if you had been honest earlier, I might not have refused to grant your wish. Why did you have to choose my wedding to use such underhanded methods? Do you want to embarrass me, or do you want to make the Miller family the laughingstock of the whole city?” Having her true intentions exposed, she turned pale: “Arthur and I truly love each other…” She looked at Arthur as if pleading for help. How could the guests present not see the trickery involved? They criticized one after another: “Like mother, like daughter! Back then, her mother used this method to climb into a bed. Now the daughter has surpassed the master.” “If this were my daughter, I’d break her legs!” Someone even directly mocked Old Mr. Sterling: “Mr. Sterling, your son doing such a thing… If the Sterling family doesn’t give an explanation today, I’m afraid it will be very difficult to smooth things over, right?” Chapter 5 Old Mr. Sterling had nowhere to hide his shame. He forcefully threw down his cane and delivered two resounding slaps to Arthur’s face. “You bastard! Kneel down and apologize to your father-in-law, mother-in-law, and Chloe immediately. Then we will redo the ceremony and welcome Chloe into the family.” Arthur took the two slaps head-on. The look in his eyes towards me was laced with undisguised venom, exactly the same as what I saw right before my death in my previous life. In his mind, I was the perpetrator, not the victim. He sneered: “Dad, I only have Mia in my heart. I’m disgusted just looking at Chloe’s high-and-mighty attitude. It’s absolutely impossible for me to marry her!” “If she’s willing to bow down and act submissive, I might occasionally take her out to see the world. Otherwise, I’m putting it out there today: I won’t give her a status! I’d like to see, a woman discarded by me, Arthur Sterling, who else in the city would dare to take her?” Even the guests couldn’t stand these words anymore. No one could understand where a man who only gained a foothold in the gray areas because of the Miller family’s protection got the audacity to speak so wildly. After Old Mr. Sterling retired, Arthur acted increasingly boldly, even stealing business from rivals and offending many people in the underworld. It was because I remembered our old feelings and begged my father to intervene that he was able to weather the storm. Back then, Arthur even knelt before my father and swore that he would never fail me in this lifetime. But now, with his wings slightly grown and a bit of a false reputation in both the legitimate and underworld circles, he dared to trample on the past kindness! Seeing me silent, Arthur thought I was intimidated by him and pushed his luck: “Since you’re so deeply attached to me, I’ll give you a chance. According to the old customs of the city, you can enter the family as a concubine.” “Serve a cup of tea to Mia, the lawful wife. If you behave yourself in the future, I might consider letting you have a child.” These shameless remarks caused an uproar in the hall. Even the elders of his Sterling family looked on with pity. My father, angry to the extreme, surprisingly calmed down. He spoke slowly: “Mr. Sterling, what a great display of power. My Miller family cannot reach so high. My daughter cannot enjoy the grace of being your concubine.” He stared at Mia, “As for this wicked spawn, I, Miller, will act as if she never existed from today onwards! From this moment on, Mia has nothing to do with the Miller family! Her actions, be it honor or disgrace, will be solely borne by your Sterling family in the future!” Chapter 6 Mia feigned a few tears: “Father, you’ve always favored my sister. Now you’ve finally gotten your wish.” “But Arthur and I truly love each other. Sister is the third party.” She turned to me: “I’m also going to publish it in the newspaper to tell the whole city that Arthur doesn’t want you! Don’t come back begging later because you can’t bear to let go.” I raised my hand to stop my father, who was about to explode: “Don’t worry, only you would treat garbage as a treasure. By the way, the three truckloads of dowry following the wedding car, I’m taking them all back untouched.” Mia instantly bristled: “Those are my dowry! What right do you have to take them away?” I sneered: “Your portion is at home. As a favor, I can have someone send it over. But you won’t get a single piece of my things.” She screamed and rushed up to tear at my clothes, “Don’t even think about it! These are all mine!” My mother was quick-witted and shoved her away. My father immediately signaled the guards to go drive the cars. Arthur gave a signal, and his bodyguards instantly stepped forward and surrounded our family. “Let’s see who dares to move a muscle. I’ve given you enough face, but you don’t appreciate it. Since the dowry came following Mia’s car, it belongs to her. If you dare take it away today, you’re crossing me!” My father was completely unafraid of this gangster behavior: “Arthur Sterling, you dare touch me?” Arthur sneered arrogantly: “Old man, don’t think you’re so great just because of your military title! If I wasn’t managing the underground circles, those desperadoes would have overturned your command center long ago! If you know what’s good for you, leave your eldest daughter to be my concubine. Otherwise, none of you will walk out of this door today!” My father was so angry at her words that his chest heaved violently and his face turned pale. My mother hurriedly supported him and helped him catch his breath. Mia nestled in Arthur’s arms, mocking smugly: “See? Your family is just so ignorant of the times!” “Leave these dowries to me. If you guys get into trouble in the future, maybe I can put in a few good words for you in front of Arthur.” My mother was so angry she wanted to step forward and hit her, but Mia actually raised her foot and kicked my mother: “Old bitch, I’ve had enough of your attitude long ago!” I immediately stood in front of my parents. Arthur, however, reached out and forcefully tilted my chin up, forcing me to look at him. “Chloe, it’s not too late to regret it now. For the sake of our past relationship, I can let you stay here.” “As for these two old fogeys, since they disrespected me just now, kneel down and kowtow to apologize, and I’ll let them go.” His subordinates twisted my parents’ arms on the left and right, and two other burly men stepped forward wanting to forcefully drag me upstairs. The guards my father brought were firmly blocked by Arthur’s men and couldn’t get close for the moment. Just at this critical moment, an authoritative and stern shout suddenly came from outside the main gate: “Police! Nobody move!”

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The key slid into the lock, but the door opened from the inside. I froze. This apartment was supposed to be empty. Arthur told me the tenant moved out last month and he hadn’t found a new one yet. The door swung open. Standing there was a woman in a silk slip dress, her hair wet, looking like she had just stepped out of the shower. When she saw me, she froze too. Then, she called out a name. Not “Who are you looking for?” It was— “Arthur?” She thought the person at the door was my husband. This apartment was left to me by my mom. The year my mom passed away, the eminent domain buyout was just approved. She never got to live here for a single day. 1. The woman stood in the doorway, her hand still resting on the doorknob. Behind her was the living room. The lights were on. The TV was on. A plate of sliced fruit sat on the coffee table. A pair of men’s slippers rested next to the shoe cabinet. They were Arthur’s. I recognized those slippers. I bought them at Target last year—a two-pack. One pair for the house, and he said he’d keep the other pair at the warehouse to change into. Turns out they weren’t at the warehouse. They were here. “Who are you?” She finally reacted, her voice a bit shrill. “Why do you have a key?” I didn’t answer. I looked down at the slippers on her feet—pink, fluffy, the soles clean. Those weren’t the slippers of someone who just moved in. Those were the slippers of someone who had lived here for a long time. On the living room wall, there was a framed photo. A picture of two people. Arthur and her. He had his arm around her shoulders, smiling broadly. I stared at that photo for three seconds. Arthur rarely smiled. When he was with me, he always had a deadpan face. No matter what I said, his responses were always “mm,” “oh,” or “got it.” In the photo, he was smiling like a twenty-year-old kid. “Who exactly are you?” Her voice grew louder. “I am the landlord of this apartment.” After saying that, I turned and walked away. The stairwell was very quiet. I held onto the railing as I walked down. First floor. Second floor. Third floor. When I reached the lobby on the ground floor, I stopped. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. 7:43 PM. I came today because the HOA called, saying there was a leak in this unit and asking the owner to come take a look. Arthur said he couldn’t make it, told me not to worry about it, and said he’d hire someone to fix it. I told him I happened to be in the area. He was silent on the other end of the line for two seconds. Those two seconds—thinking back on them now—were entirely fueled by guilt. I stood in the ground-floor lobby. It was already dark outside. My phone lit up. It was Arthur. “Are you home yet? The warehouse is slammed today; I’ll be back late tonight.” I shoved my phone back into my pocket. In these fifteen years, how many times had he said “the warehouse is slammed”? I didn’t go home. I sat in my car parked downstairs for two hours. I didn’t cry. I just sat there. On the sixth floor of the building outside my window, the lights were still on. That was my mom’s apartment. My mom lived her whole life in an old alleyway, in a tiny four-hundred-square-foot place that leaked rain in the summer and drafted cold air in the winter. The year the demolition notice came down, she was so happy she couldn’t sleep. She told me, “Chloe, Mom is finally going to live in a nice house.” She never got the chance. Three months before the relocation apartments were ready, she passed away. The name on the deed was mine. She signed it and pressed her fingerprint on it while she was on her deathbed. That day, she held my hand and said, “This house is for you. It’s Mom giving you a safety net.” Now, inside this “safety net,” lived a young woman in a slip dress. 2. I’ve been married to Arthur for fifteen years. How should I put it? It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad either. In the first few years of our marriage, he didn’t talk much, but he was reliable. Every day he went to the building materials market to restock, deliver goods, and collect payments. I worked as a quality inspector at an electronics factory. We pooled our salaries to pay the mortgage, raise our child, and get by. It wasn’t romantic, but it felt stable. He wasn’t romantic. In fifteen years of marriage, he never bought me a single birthday present. One year, for my birthday, I bought a cake myself, sliced it, and brought it to the table. He took one look and asked, “What’s the occasion today?” I said, “It’s my birthday.” He just said, “Oh.” “Let’s eat.” I ate that cake for three days. He didn’t touch a single bite. During the two years my mom was sick, I worked during the day and went to the hospital at night. The hospital was on the east side of the city; we lived on the west side. I had to take two different buses, an hour and a half each way. Arthur never once went with me. I asked him once, “Can you drive me to the hospital tomorrow? Mom is getting chemo, and I can’t carry everything by myself.” He said, “I can’t get away from the warehouse. Just take an Uber.” I took an Uber. It cost fifty-eight dollars. I remember it very clearly: fifty-eight dollars. Because that day, I only had exactly sixty dollars in cash in my pocket. I took the two dollars in change and stuffed it into the pocket of my mom’s hospital gown. Later, Mom passed away. I handled the funeral arrangements entirely by myself. Arthur showed up for half a day and took three phone calls, all from the warehouse. The next day, he said he had to go back because a shipment of building materials needed to be inspected. I said okay. I handled all the paperwork for the eminent domain buyout. I ran around for over four months. The city planning office, the relocation department, the housing authority, the notary public. Arthur never went with me once. Once, I asked him to drop off a document at the housing authority for me. He said over the phone, “Just go yourself, I don’t understand any of that stuff.” The day the deed was finally issued, I sat alone on the steps outside the housing authority, clutching that document. I wanted to call my mom. I scrolled through my phone to her number. The number was still there. But she was gone. I put my phone away, stood up, and dusted off my pants. I went to the grocery store and bought food. I made four dishes for dinner. Arthur came home, took a look, and asked, “Why did you make so much today?” “The deed came through.” “Oh, that’s good.” He didn’t ask another question. He didn’t ask how big the apartment was, when it would be ready to move in, or how long I had spent dealing with the paperwork. Later, he said we shouldn’t move in right away, but rent it out to collect some income. I thought that made sense; we already had a place to live, and renting it out would help with our finances. He said he would find the tenant. I said okay. Every month, he would transfer a thousand dollars to me, saying it was the rent. A thousand dollars. I didn’t think much of it at the time. Thinking about it now, an apartment in that complex should rent for at least two thousand five hundred. Where did he spend the missing fifteen hundred? No, that’s not right. There was never a tenant. From the very beginning, there wasn’t one. I sat in the car until 10 PM. It was very cold outside the car window. The February wind seeped through the cracks. I shoved my hands into my pockets and felt that set of keys. The ones my mom gave me. She said, “Chloe, this house is for you. It’s Mom giving you a safety net.” My safety net had been hollowed out by him. 3. The next day, I took half a day off work. I didn’t go looking for Arthur. Nor did I go looking for that woman. I went to the apartment complex’s HOA office. “Hello, I’m the owner of Unit 602 in Building 6.” I showed the HOA staff a photo of the deed. The young man at the desk checked his computer. “Ms. Chloe Hayes, correct? Are you here to report a maintenance issue? About that leak yesterday—” “I’d like to check who has been paying the HOA fees for 602 over the past two years.” The young man scrolled through the records. “It was paid by a Mr… Arthur Vance. Paid annually.” “Starting from when?” “March 2023.” March 2023. It’s now February 2025. Almost two years. “One more thing,” I tried to keep my voice as steady as possible. “Do you have a registry for the residents of 602?” “Yes, tenants are required to register with the HOA.” He clicked his mouse a few times. “The registered resident is… Ms. Mia Smith. Move-in date: March 15, 2023.” March 15, 2023. The day after the first anniversary of my mother’s passing. My grip on my phone tightened slightly. Coming out of the HOA office, I stood by the complex’s flowerbed. An older gentleman was walking his dog. He glanced at me. “You from 602?” “Yes.” “That girl from your place—is she a relative? She’s nice, always polite when we run into each other. But when that guy comes over, they can be a bit loud.” “That guy… does he come over often?” “Usually two or three times a week. Sometimes he brings groceries, sometimes fruit. Last month he even hauled a treadmill up there.” Bringing groceries. Bringing fruit. Hauling a treadmill. I did the math in my head. In fifteen years of marriage, the things Arthur bought for me: a washing machine (we pooled money for appliances when we got married) and a rice cooker (the old one broke). Anything else? Nothing. Even when I was hospitalized to give birth, I packed my own hospital bag. I thanked him and left the complex. Sitting on the bus, I opened my phone and scrolled to a specific contact on WhatsApp. Sarah. My best friend of over a decade. She had worked at a real estate agency for eight years and now led her own team. I didn’t send a message. I put my phone away. It wasn’t time yet. I needed to know more first. That evening, Arthur came home. At 8:30 PM, same as usual. He changed his shoes, washed his hands, and sat down to eat. I had cooked three dishes and a soup. Same as usual. “Arthur, how long ago did the tenant in the relocation apartment move out?” His hand holding his chopsticks paused. “Sometime last month.” “Have you found a new tenant yet?” “Not yet, no rush.” “The HOA called me about a leak. I went to check it out yesterday.” He put down his chopsticks. “You went?” “Yeah.” “Didn’t I tell you I’d hire someone to fix it? Why did you go all the way out there?” “I was in the area.” He glanced at me, didn’t say anything, and went back to eating. “Is the leak fixed?” I asked. “I’ll get someone to look at it tomorrow.” He kept his head down, shoveling food into his mouth, refusing to look at me. I also kept my head down and ate. The faucet in the kitchen was dripping. Drip, drop. For fifteen years, I had been asking him to fix that faucet. He always said tomorrow. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. When it came to my things, it was always tomorrow. 4. I started digging through his bank statements. It wasn’t snooping. When we got married, we opened a joint account to pay the mortgage. I had access to the transaction history. I opened the banking app and selected the statements for the past two years. I scrolled through, page by page. March 2023 — Transfer, $5,000, Payee “Mia Smith”. April 2023 — Transfer, $5,000, Payee “Mia Smith”. May. June. All the way to January 2025. Twenty-three months. $5,000 every month. Total: $115,000. One hundred and fifteen thousand dollars. He transferred me $1,000 for “rent” every month, and transferred her $5,000. I then checked his Venmo and Cash App history. May 2023 — Transfer, $8,000. Memo: Renovations. August 2023 — Purchase, $12,600. At a furniture store. December 2023 — Transfer, $15,000. Memo: None. February 2024 — Purchase, $6,800. At a jewelry store. Jewelry store. When we got married, my ring was a two-hundred-dollar silver band. He said once we made money, we’d upgrade to gold. Fifteen years later, no upgrade. He bought her six thousand eight hundred dollars worth of jewelry. I recorded every single number in my phone’s notes app. With every entry, my finger tapped the screen. I wasn’t making a spreadsheet. I was counting how much I had been conned out of. Bank transfers: $115,000. Additional app transfers/purchases: approx. $68,000. Plus two years of HOA fees: approx. $6,000. Plus utilities, daily expenses, and that treadmill. A conservative estimate— Over two hundred thousand dollars. Two hundred thousand. Working as a quality inspector at the factory, my monthly salary was $4,300. Two hundred thousand was nearly four years of my salary, assuming I didn’t spend a single cent on food or water. He claimed the warehouse wasn’t making much money, said the building materials market was in a slump. Last winter, my winter coat tore. I couldn’t bear to buy a new one, so I stitched it up myself. While I was sewing, the thread broke three times. Finally, I tied a knot. When I wore it outside, the wind blew right through the needle holes. Two hundred thousand. I locked my phone and placed it on the table. On the table was a bowl of instant ramen. I hadn’t wanted to spend money at the cafeteria for lunch today, so I made myself a cup of noodles. Three dollars and fifty cents.

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My son slid the bank card and the divorce papers across the table to me, like he was paying off a used-up maid. “Mom, three million. It’s enough for the rest of your life.” His tone was perfectly flat, like he was negotiating a business deal. I just looked at him. Twenty-six years old, six foot tall, wearing a designer suit I had scrimped and saved to buy him for his graduation. “I’ve looked into the divorce process. All you need to do is sign.” In the living room, Richard sat on the sofa, not saying a word. I suddenly wanted to laugh. The son I raised for twenty-six years had come today to handle his father’s “breakup” for him. 1. The bank card was a black card, sitting on the coffee table, glaringly obvious. The divorce process was printed on three pages, neatly paperclipped together. I looked at Kevin. He had intentionally worn a suit today, his hair styled with gel, looking like he was attending a formal business negotiation. The negotiation target was his mother. “Mom, let me finish.” He sat across from me, hands clasped on his knees. “It hasn’t been easy for Dad these past few years either. The feelings between you two faded a long time ago. Dragging this out isn’t doing anyone any good.” I didn’t say anything. “The three million is a sign of Dad’s sincerity. You can take this money and retire anywhere you want.” Sincerity. I repeated the word in my head. “You can keep the house. You stay here, Dad won’t kick you out.” He paused. “But if you’re willing to sell the house, Dad can add another million, making it an even four million.” I looked toward Richard on the sofa. My husband. The man who shared my bed for thirty years. He was holding a teacup, eyes downcast. From beginning to end, he hadn’t looked at me once. “Richard.” I called his name. He finally looked up. “Hm?” Just one word. “Is this what you want?” He put down his teacup. “Kevin said it well enough. I have nothing to add.” Good. What a great “nothing to add.” “Mom, don’t look at Dad like that,” Kevin frowned. “Think about it calmly. You and Dad haven’t had any feelings for each other for a long time, right?” I looked at him. “Your dad and I have no feelings for each other?” “…Yeah.” He looked a bit uncomfortable. “Look at you and Dad. How many words have you spoken to each other these past few years? How many meals have you eaten together? You just stay at home all day, while Dad works himself to the bone out there—” “Works himself to the bone?” I interrupted him. “Your dad works himself to the bone out there?” Kevin froze for a second. I stood up. “Fine, then let me ask you a question.” I looked my son dead in the eye. “Do you know where the money came from for your four years of college?” 2. Kevin opened his mouth. “The tuition… didn’t Dad pay for it?” I laughed. “Your dad paid for it?” I walked over to the cabinet, pulled open a drawer, and took out a manila folder. Inside was a stack of bills and transfer records. I had started saving them before he even went to college. Every single transaction, clear as day. “Your freshman year, tuition plus room and board, ninety-three thousand dollars.” I slapped the first piece of paper onto the coffee table. “Your dad’s business took a hit that year. He couldn’t pull a single cent from his accounts.” Kevin looked down. “Where did this money come from?” I pointed at the numbers on the page. “I sold the condo my parents gave me when I got married. The one in that old neighborhood where you lived when you were little. A two-bedroom.” Richard’s teacup paused. “Mom…” Kevin looked up. “Your sophomore year, eighty-seven thousand dollars.” The second piece of paper. “I borrowed thirty thousand from my mom, and twenty thousand from my sister. The rest… I sold all my jewelry.” I looked at him. “The gold bracelets your grandmother left me, the jade pendant my mom gave me. I sold it all.” Kevin stopped talking. “Your junior year, one hundred and ten thousand dollars. You said you wanted to change your major, retake some credits, and take extra language classes.” The third piece of paper. “Your dad said he had no money. I cashed out my life insurance, sold my stocks at a loss, and emptied the retirement fund I had been building for ten years.” “Your senior year, one hundred and thirty-two thousand dollars. You said you wanted to apply for a master’s program, hire a consultant, and build up your resume.” The fourth piece of paper. “I asked your dad to borrow the money. Do you know what your dad said?” I looked at Richard. His eyes were downcast, refusing to look at me. “He said, ‘Figure it out yourself. I don’t have any money.’” Kevin’s face changed. “So I spent the compensation money from the demolition of that condo my parents gave me, and I spent the last bit of inheritance my mother left me.” I stacked the four pieces of paper together. “Four years. Four hundred and twenty thousand dollars.” I looked at Kevin. “Every single penny, it was all my money.” The living room fell silent. Kevin looked at his dad. Richard held his teacup, motionless. “What were you saying just now?” I asked my son. “You said your dad giving me three million was ‘sincerity’?” Kevin opened his mouth but made no sound. “I spent four hundred and twenty thousand dollars putting you through school.” I enunciated every word. “Your dad is ‘paying me off’ with three million.” “This is what you call sincerity?” 3. Kevin’s face flushed red. “Mom, I… I didn’t know about this…” “You didn’t know?” I looked at him. “You didn’t know I sold a house? You didn’t know I sold my jewelry? You didn’t know I borrowed money from relatives that I still haven’t finished paying back?” He didn’t speak. “Of course you didn’t know.” I nodded. “You were living the high life abroad. Your social media was full of trips, parties, and designer bags.” “Of course you didn’t know your mother was at home eating plain bread, wearing ten-year-old clothes, and couldn’t even bear to buy a tube of lipstick.” Kevin lowered his head. “Mom, I…” “You just said I ‘stay at home all day’?” I cut him off. “Do you know what I do at home?” I pointed toward the kitchen. “I cooked your dad’s three meals a day for thirty years.” I pointed toward the laundry room. “I ironed your dad’s shirts for thirty years.” I pointed toward the bedroom. “I packed away your dad’s seasonal clothes for thirty years.” I looked at him. “I didn’t go out to work because your dad said ‘the house needs someone to take care of it’.” “I don’t have my own income because your dad said ‘the money I make is your money’.” “And now you’re telling me, three million is enough to pay me off?” Kevin looked up. “Mom, that’s not what I meant…” “Then what did you mean?” I asked him. “You took your dad’s bank card, printed out the divorce process, sat in front of me, and told me ‘all you need to do is sign’.” “What did you mean?” He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. I turned to Richard. “What about you?” I asked my husband. “What do you mean?” Richard finally put down his teacup. He sighed. “Sharon, let’s just part amicably, okay?” Part amicably. I stared at him. “Richard, let me ask you a question.” He looked at me. “Why the sudden rush for a divorce?” 4. Richard didn’t answer. He looked at Kevin. Kevin cleared his throat. “Mom, what Dad means is… there’s no point in keeping things going like this, so it’s better to…” “I didn’t ask you.” I cut him off. “I’m asking your dad.” Richard was silent for a moment. “Sharon, we’re both in our fifties. At this age, what’s there left to fight over?” “You didn’t answer my question.” “…” “Why the sudden rush for a divorce?” He didn’t speak. I stared at him. “Is there someone else?” His eyes flickered for a second. He quickly recovered. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “I’m talking nonsense?” I laughed. “Then tell me, where did you go on that business trip last month?” He froze. “…Florida.” “Florida?” I nodded. “Then what does ‘Miami Bay Family Resort’ on your receipt mean?” His face changed. “Family.” I repeated the word. “You went to Florida on a business trip and stayed at a family resort?” Kevin frowned. “Mom, aren’t you overthinking this…” “Overthinking?” I looked at him. “Then let me ask your dad one more question.” I stared at Richard. “Who is the woman in your contacts saved as ‘Little Fish’?” Richard’s face went completely pale. 5. That night, I couldn’t sleep. Laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, I played back the last thirty years in my head like a movie. Richard and I were college sweethearts. His family was poor, but I didn’t care. After graduation, when he started his own business, I gave him my entire dowry as startup capital. When his company went under, I stood by him as he built it back up. When he had endless networking dinners, I stayed home and raised our child. When his career took off, I quit my job to be a full-time housewife. Twenty-six years. I gave the best years of my life entirely to this family. And what I got in return was a bank card and a printed divorce process. The next day, Richard left for work. Kevin went back to his company. I was alone in the house. I sat in the living room, looking at that black bank card on the coffee table, suddenly feeling how ridiculous this all was. Three million. He thought three million could buy out my thirty years. I picked up his tablet. I opened Richard’s messaging app—he never used a passcode on this device because he thought I “would never check.” I found “Little Fish.” I clicked into the chat history. “Hubby, the baby called you Daddy today~” Attached was a photo of a boy, about five years old, sitting in a car seat, smiling at the camera. My hands started to shake. I scrolled up. “Richard, the condo is finished renovating, when are you coming to see it?” Attached was a photo of a fully furnished, high-end luxury apartment. I scrolled further up. “Did you transfer the household expenses for this month? Leo’s preschool tuition went up again.” Leo. Five years old. I silently did the math in my head. Five years ago. Five years ago, when Kevin had just gone abroad. Five years ago, when I was scrimping and saving at home, selling houses and jewelry, borrowing money to put our son through school. Five years ago, when Richard said, “I don’t have any money.” Five years ago. He already had another woman. He had another child. 6. I took screenshots of the chat logs and saved them into a hidden album on my phone. Then I scrolled further up. Older messages. “Richard, does Kevin know about us?” Richard replied, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” “Will he tell his mom?” “No, Kevin’s a sensible kid, he won’t say anything.” I stared at the screen. My hands were shaking. Kevin. My son. He knew. He knew all along. I kept scrolling. Messages from three years ago. “Richard, when are you going to divorce her?” “Just wait a bit longer. Kevin hasn’t graduated yet. Once his career is stable, I’ll lay my cards on the table.” “How long do I have to wait? Leo is already three…” “Soon, I promise.” Two years ago. “Richard, you promised me…” “I know, just a little longer. Kevin just got back, I need to help him get set up with a job first. Once he’s got a solid footing, I’ll tell her.” A year ago. “Richard, Leo asked me why Daddy doesn’t live at home.” “I’m coming over right now, don’t worry.” “How many times have you said ‘soon’?” “This time it’s for real. I’ve already talked to Kevin, he’s going to help me persuade his mom.” I put the tablet down. The living room was very quiet. Sunlight streamed in through the window, landing on the bank card on the coffee table. Three million. Now I knew exactly what this three million meant. It was “payoff money.” Paying off the “original wife” to make room for “Little Fish.” My good son had known about it for years. He wasn’t here to “mediate.” He was here to help his dad “clear the field.”

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I was the unloved eldest daughter in my family. Ever since I was little, every sip of water, every bite of food I had at home was specifically recorded in a notebook by a servant. That notebook tallied how much I owed my billionaire parents. Over eighteen years, it totaled exactly $36,221.06. At our eighteenth birthday party, our parents smiled affectionately at me and my twin sister. “Here are two birthday gifts, one for each of you. It’s completely fair.” My sister opened her envelope to find countless company shares, luxury cars, a mansion… I calmly took the envelope in front of me. Opening it, I found exactly what I expected: a DNA test proving we had no blood relation, and a legal document severing all ties. My mom smiled coldly. “Chloe, don’t blame us for being heartless. Since you aren’t our biological daughter, you have to pay us back the cost of raising you for these seventeen years.” My dad gave a cold snort. “Starting today, you are a maid in this house. We’ll count your wages as $500 a month to pay off your debt. Room and board are not included.” I didn’t question them about how my sister and I were twins, sharing even the exact same birthmark on our hips, making it impossible for us not to be biologically related. Instead, I calmly nodded. Because last night, I overheard them at the door: My sister, holding our parents’ hands, acted spoiled. “Mommy, Daddy, my birthday wish is to be the only daughter of the Sterling family, to enjoy your exclusive love. Let my sister be a maid for a year, please?” My dad looked at her with absolute doting. “Alright, whatever you want.” My mom chimed in with a smile, “For this year, Mommy and Daddy belong only to our precious Mia.” … My sister, Mia, covered her mouth and gasped in feigned shock. “Sister, no wonder you’re so ugly. You look neither like Daddy nor Mommy. It turns out you really are a fake.” She yelled loudly and melodramatically. As if she completely forgot we were twins, bearing an eighty percent resemblance. “Oh no, you’re not my sister at all. You’re just some wild stray from who knows where.” The expression on my mom’s face was distant and cold. “Chloe, now that the truth is out and you’re not a Sterling, this birthday banquet is prepared solely for our precious daughter Mia. You have no right to be here.” I raised my eyes and looked at the triumphant Mia. Dressed in a custom princess gown, wearing a tiara worth the price of a mansion. Then I looked at myself, in a washed-out, faded shirt and jeans, the cuffs frayed. I smiled bitterly. The right. I never possessed it since I was a child. So how could I lose it? My dad raised his voice. “Starting today, move into the maid’s quarters. For the sake of our past relationship, until you find your biological parents, you’ll work here as a maid. I’ll count it as $500 a month, no room or board included, to pay us back for the cost of raising you these seventeen years.” The crowd whispered among themselves. Like a pathetic clown, amidst a sea of mocking and derisive stares, I bent down and picked up my backpack. Mia rushed over with incredible speed and yanked my backpack hard. The broken zipper, held together only by a safety pin, burst open immediately, its contents spilling all over the floor. Mia yelled, “Aha! I knew it. You actually stole things from our house.” Among the scattered books lay a single pink sanitary pad. My mom looked a bit uncomfortable. “Mia, forget it, it’s just a sanitary pad.” Mia immediately refused. “Mom, I’m the only daughter of the Sterling family now. What is she? She’s freeloaded off our family for so many years and even stole from us. If I say she doesn’t deserve it, she doesn’t deserve it.” Seeing her angry, my mom immediately coaxed her softly. “Alright, alright, don’t be angry, my precious. Whatever you say is right. You are Mommy’s only sweetheart now; you can do whatever you want.” Mia smugly stomped on it, grinding and twisting her foot. “Fine, I don’t want it now. It’s yours.” I stared at the sanitary pad covered in footprints, my throat feeling as if it were stuffed with wet cotton—heavy and suffocating. Chapter 2 In the end, I bent down and only picked up my books. After the banquet, I was led into the storage room by the nanny, Mrs. Zhang. It was a space of about fifty square feet, containing only a wooden plank bed piled with junk and a rusted iron window. Mrs. Zhang stood at the door, hesitating to speak. “Miss… Chloe, the Master and Madam remember your goodness. Once they think things through, you’ll still be the eldest miss of the Sterling family…” Before she finished, two cockroaches scuttled out from a corner and scurried away quickly. I pretended not to see the awkwardness on her face. “Thank you, I understand.” Mrs. Zhang shook her head and left. Muttering softly under her breath, “Looking so much alike, how could it not be… sigh…” I sat on the wooden plank bed, staring blankly into the pitch-black night outside the window. It’s okay. Just wait one more year, and I can leave forever. That night, my lower abdomen cramped terribly. Without a sanitary pad, I had to use wadded-up toilet paper. Coming out of the bathroom, I heard my parents talking in hushed tones. “Honey, do you think if we treat Chloe like this, she’ll hate us? She is our biological daughter after all.” My dad snorted coldly. “Who told her to always bully Mia? As the older sister, she doesn’t know how to yield to her younger sister at all. Making her suffer is for her own good.” “After a year, when Mia has had her fun, we’ll just make an excuse and say the DNA test was a mistake. When she regains her status as the eldest miss of the Sterling family, she’ll be too happy to complain.” My fingertips went cold. It felt absurd and ridiculous. What makes them think that after trampling me to pieces, I’ll still be obediently standing right where they left me, waiting for them? The next day, I went out to buy sanitary pads. At the checkout, I was told my balance was insufficient. But I clearly had two hundred dollars saved on my card. Returning to the villa and pushing open the door, the three people at the dining table were laughing and talking. There was a gift bag on the table. My mom was fondly stroking a silk scarf in her hands. “Our Mia is truly Mommy’s sweet little angel. She even knows how to give Mommy gifts now. Mommy is so happy.” My dad turned a plastic water bottle in his hands, unable to stop smiling. “Daddy loves his too. Truly my precious daughter.” Mia pouted, leaning against my mom’s shoulder. “But these two gifts only cost two hundred dollars. Mommy and Daddy won’t blame me for buying something so cheap, will you?” My mom shook her head immediately. “Of course not. As long as it’s from my precious, even a two-dollar gift is Mommy’s treasure.” My dad didn’t forget to demean me to comfort her. “Exactly. Unlike your sister, who only knows how to spend the family’s money and has never bought us a gift. She’s just an ungrateful wretch; how could she compare to my Mia…” Noticing my return, they immediately stopped talking. Mia tilted her head to look at me, smiling maliciously. That two hundred dollars. It was the living expenses I had saved up for two months. It was all the money I had. I felt a chill all over. Something in my brain suddenly exploded. By the time I reacted, I had already grabbed Mia and raised my hand. But before the slap could land, I was kicked away by my dad. My spine crashed into the sharp corner of the coffee table. The pain made my vision go black. Mia held up her arm, which had a small red mark. Crying as if the sky had fallen, “Mommy, Daddy, it hurts so much! Is my arm broken?” My mom yelled frantically, “Quick, call an ambulance!” My dad said hurriedly, “No time for an ambulance, I’ll drive Mia to the hospital myself.” Mia pointed at me lying on the floor. “I don’t want to take the car. This wild stray hurt me, so I want her to carry me to the hospital on her back.” Chapter 3 The nearest hospital to the villa was over twelve miles away. My mom looked at me with cold eyes. “You fatherless, motherless thing. We fed you and clothed you well for over ten years, and you dare to lay a hand on my biological daughter. We’ll do exactly as Mia says.” Seeing that I couldn’t get up for a long time, my dad grabbed me and hauled me up. “Stop faking it. It was just a light bump. Hurry up and carry Mia to the hospital. If you delay my daughter’s treatment, believe it or not, I’ll throw you out of the Sterling family right now.” I believed it. But I couldn’t leave just yet. I had no choice but to carry Mia on my back, stumbling on foot towards the hospital. My dad drove slowly, keeping pace right behind me. He kept yelling, “Chloe, you better carry her properly. If you dare drop my precious daughter, I’ll skin you alive.” My mom frowned and complained, “Walk faster, didn’t you eat? Don’t delay my baby’s treatment.” Mia, resting on my back, smiled triumphantly. “See that? In this family, no one loves you at all! You’re just an unwanted, mangy dog.” Such words, in the past, would have easily stung me. But now, perhaps having accumulated too much pain, I had become numb to it. Seeing I had no reaction, Mia stopped talking too. But just as we were nearing the hospital, the safety pin she had hidden in her pocket stabbed deeply into my back. I stumbled in pain, falling flat onto the ground. My parents immediately pulled the car over, ran over quickly, picked up Mia who was pressing down on me, and rushed towards the hospital. Following behind, my mom glanced back at my deathly pale face. She impatiently tossed out, “You’re already at the hospital, go find a doctor yourself. We don’t have time to deal with you.” In the end, I didn’t enter the hospital either. Because I had no money. Without the strength to walk back, I sat on the hospital steps until night fell before returning to the villa. They were already back. Standing in the villa was also a cowering, filthy middle-aged couple. “You’re back just in time.” My dad pointed at the man and woman. “These are your biological parents. Go with them right now.” The air was dead silent. My mom walked over and took my hand, but her eyes avoided mine. “Chloe, we were mother and daughter after all, and I’m very sad too. Since your biological parents have been found, there’s no reason for you to leech off the Sterling family anymore.” I originally thought I wouldn’t cry anymore. But tears still uncontrollably soaked my face. These were the parents I had kept in my heart for over a decade, viewing them as heavily as life itself. Yet they wouldn’t even allow me to stay in this house, even if it were just in a tiny corner. My mom felt guilty seeing my tears. She reached out to wipe them away, but Mia linked arms with her. “Sister, congratulations! You’re finally not a fatherless, motherless stray anymore.” Seeing this, the middle-aged woman standing to the side hurriedly grabbed my hand. Her dirt-encrusted fingernails dug into my flesh as she wailed melodramatically. “My daughter! Mom has finally found you! Come home with Mom quickly.” The man claiming to be my biological father dragged me towards the door. “Yes, yes, yes. Let’s go home quickly. We’ve troubled Mr. and Mrs. Sterling for so many years already, we absolutely cannot overstay our welcome.” “Wait.” Mia rolled her eyes, smiling brightly. “Sister, finding your biological parents is such a big deal. It wouldn’t make sense not to kneel down, kowtow, and acknowledge them, right? Or is it that you despise your parents for being poor and look down on them from the bottom of your heart?” I froze, turning to look at my mom and dad. “Do you also think I should kowtow and acknowledge them?” Chapter 4 They instinctively avoided my gaze. Mia kept urging, “Hurry up and kneel, we’re all watching.” I smiled. Something inside me shattered completely at this moment. I knelt down, but I kowtowed heavily towards my mom and dad. “The bond of parent and child ends here. From now on, I have absolutely no relationship with the Sterling family.” My parents exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of unease in each other’s eyes. But I had already stood up and left with my “biological parents.” My mom chased after us, shouting with false bravado, “We’re not even unless… unless you return all the money spent on you over these past dozen years.” I stopped walking but didn’t look back. I replied softly, “Okay.” They thought they had spent a lot of money on me over the years. But they forgot. The daughter who was favored, the one who was raised in luxury with lots and lots of money, was Mia. And I only had an allowance of three hundred dollars a month. And I even had to be exploited by Mia, who got thirty thousand a month. If I didn’t give it to her, she would go home and cry. Saying that I banded together with classmates at school to isolate and bully her. I was locked in solitary confinement and starved countless times. Even on a night of torrential rain, because Mia said I was driving her to the point where she couldn’t live anymore. I stood in the rain all night. With a high fever of 104 degrees, no one cared. From childhood to adulthood, it was always like this. One sentence from Mia could decide my right or wrong, my happiness, my life, and even my dignity. My defense, my tears, my grievances. In this family, they were worthless. Just like me as a person. Very cheap. That night, I moved into my “biological parents’” rental apartment in the slums. Because there was no spare room or blankets, I could only curl up in the single bathroom for the night. The windows, patched with newspaper, were dilapidated and constantly let in the cold wind. The next day, I was groggy with a high fever. In my hazy consciousness, I heard the woman’s anxious voice on the phone. “Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling, the l-little… the young miss has a high fever, it’s already 104 degrees.” “Then what are you waiting for? Hurry and take her to the hospital!” The phone on the other end was on speaker, and Mia’s voice came through clearly. “Mommy, Daddy. Sister only left last night, and today she has a high fever. There’s no such coincidence. It must be a trick to test you guys. You’ll only fall for it if you believe her.” After a long silence, my dad’s cold voice sounded, “Leave her be. She said it herself, she has nothing to do with us anymore. Let this ungrateful wretch learn her lesson well.” My mom was full of impatience, “She’s your daughter now. Don’t call us if it’s nothing important. We still have to take our precious daughter on a trip around the world. Hanging up.” No one cared about me anymore. I was abandoned in that neglected rental apartment. Desperately prying open the front door and crawling out into the hallway, I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. When I opened my eyes again, there was only a nurse by the bed. “Little girl, you’re finally awake. 107 degrees. If a kind passerby hadn’t brought you to the hospital, you would have been in danger if you were ten minutes later.” “Alright, hurry up and contact your family to come over, and pay the bill while you’re at it.” I was silent for a long time, my voice very soft. “I don’t have any money, and I don’t have any family.” The nurse was stunned. I stared at the IV tube on the back of my hand and pursed my dry lips, “But, I have blood.” After school started, I became a high school senior. I started running errands for classmates: getting food, delivering packages. One dollar per run. I could save over twenty dollars a day.

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