My childhood friend persuaded me into an intimate encounter, only to later reconcile with his ex-girlfriend, Sophie. A month later, I sent him a pregnancy report. His only response was, “Emily, I always thought of you as a friend. You don’t want to be my wife, do you?” I replied, “No worries, I’ll raise the baby on my own.” Two years later, I went bankrupt. As he was about to marry, he took our child from me, citing my financial inability to support him, and left him in Sophie’s care. Three days later, I received the devastating news of my child’s death. By the time I reached the hospital, Little Round was already cold. His tiny hand lay still in my palm, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t warm him. Michael stood by with his fiancée Sophie, explaining with a disturbingly calm tone, “The child was playing and fell into the villa’s koi pond. By the time Sophie found him, it was too late.” I screamed in agony, “Why did you let her take my child? Why!!” I charged at them in a frenzy. Michael shielded Sophie, angrily replying, “Emily, this happened because of you. If you hadn’t insisted on having him, would we be here now?” I stood frozen, something lodged in my throat, suffocating me. Michael sneered, “You’re just selfish. Did you think having my child would unify the Johnson and Taylor families? Dream on. I, Michael, don’t need a marriage alliance. And now it’s proven—Emily, the sole heir of the Taylor family, you managed to bankrupt the Taylor Corporation in just two years.” I looked at him, the man I had admired for so long, and felt nothing but hatred. “Glaring at me? You still think you’re the high and mighty heiress? What right do you have to glare at me?” Michael pulled out a card and tossed it to me dismissively. “This is for the child’s funeral expenses, and the rest is your payment for the past two years.” He then turned to Sophie, wiping away her feigned tear and gently said, “It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself. Let’s go home.” “No, Brother Michael, I want to stay with Emily,” Sophie said, looking at me with feigned guilt. “She must be very upset.” “Sophie, you’re too kind. I’ll head back to the office and have someone take you home later.” They shared another deep kiss. Yes, Sophie is seen as kind, weak, and needing protection. I heard this countless times five years ago. That year, amidst a heavy snowfall, Sophie stopped our car, cradling a stray cat, begging us to take it in. Michael held an umbrella over her, gently caressing the kitten in her arms, his gaze never leaving her face. In that moment, I tasted the bitterness of impending loss. Michael took her into the car. I recognized her; she worked at the café near our school. Her home should have been nearby, so why didn’t she take the stray cat home instead of stopping our car? When I questioned this, Michael, displeased, pushed me out of the car, telling me to experience the harshness of life to regain my conscience. The snow that covered me that day enveloped me again today, chilling me to the bone.
After Michael left, Sophie’s sad expression vanished. She picked up the card and brushed it against my face twice. “Emily, I’m about to marry into the Johnson family. Don’t expect a penny from Michael! Just because you had his son doesn’t mean you can sit back and enjoy the benefits.” “Marry! Marry! Marry the Grim Reaper!” I lashed out, grabbing Sophie’s neck tightly. Even as Michael’s bodyguards tried to pull me off, I wouldn’t let go until they used a stun baton, leaving me paralyzed on the ground. Sophie grabbed the baton, laughing maniacally as she hit me. “Emily, you should thank me. If I hadn’t broken up with Michael, he wouldn’t have gone to you out of spite. You know, I still have recordings of how he humiliated you. Want to hear it?” I had no choice. Michael’s voice was already coming through the phone. “Sophie, I just had some drinks, and Emily conveniently showed up. It’s all her fault. This woman has clung to me since childhood, shamelessly sticking around, always finding excuses to be near…” But I remember, Michael was the one who invited me that day. He said, “Emily, will you stay with me until we’re old?” I asked if he wasn’t dating Sophie. He shook his head with a light laugh, “We broke up. What? Don’t you like me anymore?” “No…” I hadn’t even finished speaking when he sealed my lips with a kiss. Before, I placed all my hopes on him and the child. It was my way of holding onto the most heart-fluttering memory of my youth. But today, that hope died with the child. The man in my memories also died.
I buried Little Round with my grandfather so they could keep each other company and not be lonely. I lost my parents at a young age and was raised by my grandfather. Though life was wealthy, something was always missing. The Johnson family and ours were family friends, so Michael and I grew up together. When my grandfather learned I was pregnant with Michael’s child, he was thrilled and immediately discussed our marriage with Michael’s father. But Michael rejected it on the spot. He said, “I have someone I like, and the child in Emily’s womb might not even be mine.” My grandfather’s face went red with anger and he severed ties with the Johnson family. That night, I cried my eyes out. My grandfather sat silently by me until dawn. After Little Round was born, the Taylor household became more lively. But the good times didn’t last. My grandfather fell seriously ill. On his deathbed, he stroked Little Round’s face and sighed, “Thank goodness for this little guy accompanying you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t rest in peace.” After losing my grandfather, I was in a slump for a long time and neglected managing the company, leading to bankruptcy. I initially wanted to take Little Round and leave Wind City, to start anew in an unfamiliar place. But I was intercepted by Michael at the airport. He yelled at me, “You went bankrupt, fine, but why take my son!” That was the first time he met Little Round and the first time he acknowledged him as his child. At first, I was unwilling to give Little Round to him. He had someone forcibly take him and threatened that if I caused trouble again, I wouldn’t see the child well-off. I never imagined that this would be my final goodbye to Little Round. “Little Round, Mama won’t let you die in vain.” I lay before the gravestone, wiped my tears, closed my eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
I don’t know how long I slept, but I heard someone repeatedly calling me. It was the cemetery caretaker. He frowned, “Miss, why are you sleeping here?” I smiled slightly and replied, “I have no home. This cemetery plot is the only place I owned, so I made do for the night.” Yes, I was penniless at that moment. The villa was auctioned off, and all my bags and jewelry went to pay off debts. But I’m not worried. Surviving isn’t difficult for me. I braced against hunger and walked into the most famous club in Wind City, where socialites gather to spend. As a fallen heiress, there’s no way I could rise back to the top from the glamorous side. They’d only try to crush me further. So I had no choice but to choose this route. The receptionist at the club recognized me instantly, “Miss Taylor, I remember you don’t have any wine stored here. Why are you here?” “I’m here to see Manager Brown.” The receptionist smirked sarcastically, “Not just anyone can see Manager Brown.” I wasn’t in the mood for her games and stood aside. Soon, a tall figure appeared in the club. I immediately approached, “Manager Brown, I need to talk to you.” Upon seeing me, Kelly Brown was a bit surprised, “Miss Taylor, you know I only work for money, you…” “I want to sell wine here, to work with you,” I said bluntly. “The news of a fallen heiress selling wine here will surely make your business boom.” “Indeed, anyone who can become an heir must be ruthless enough to let their dignity be trampled,” Kelly Brown extended a hand to me, “Welcome.” Soon, the entire socialite circle in Wind City was eager to see my downfall at the club. Most were my well-off classmates.
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