My name is Diana Morris. My husband Nathan Wright sent me to attend the Taming Course, and two years later, I graduated as the top student. The day I came home, he was sitting side by side on the couch with his beautiful secretary, Hailey Ramirez. I obediently knelt and handed the drink to her. Nathan said, “You’ll continue living at home. Hailey is preparing for pregnancy, so take good care of her.” I nodded repeatedly. He killed my entire family, and now, it’s my turn. I sleep at midnight and wake up at four every day, kneeling to scrub the floor, studying Hailey’s tastes and pregnancy recipes, massaging her shoulders and legs, and even serving as a prop for her photos. Day by day passed, and Hailey finally showed signs of pregnancy. She said joyfully, “Am I pregnant? That’s wonderful!” Nathan suddenly turned to me, frowned, and asked, “Diana, why are you so happy too?” Of course, I’m happy. After all, I am the best graduate of the Taming Course, the most obedient and well-behaved. He didn’t just ask; he stared at me intently, doubt evident in his eyes. I said, “Mr. Wright, I’m happy for Mrs. Wright.” After speaking, I continued mopping the floor, wiping twice with a wet cloth and once with a dry one, making the marble tiles shine enough to reflect a person’s image. Nathan’s frown deepened, clearly not believing it. Hailey leaned on the sofa, a slight smile on her lips, looking increasingly relaxed. She pouted at Nathan, “I feel so awful today, it must be the baby bothering me.” Nathan walked over and held her. She nestled into his arms and said proudly, “But I’m a good mom, eating properly so the baby doesn’t lack nutrition.” Nathan glanced at me. I chimed in at the right moment, speaking sincerely. “Yeah, Mrs. Wright has really been trying hard, eating even more than usual.” Nathan’s face suddenly darkened. I ignored him and went on to prepare Hailey’s health supplements after cleaning the floor. I neatly arranged the health supplements, energy drinks, and snacks on a tray and brought it to the sofa. Hailey sat on Nathan’s lap, constantly twisting her waist. He kept kissing her cheek, but when he saw me come in, he suddenly straightened her up and created some distance. I knelt by the sofa, holding the tray up with both hands for her convenience. Hailey looked down at me and said, “Diana, get up.” Nathan pointed to the small sofa nearby and gently said, “Kneeling too long hurts your knees, have a seat for a while.” I remained motionless, my voice extremely humble. “Serving Mrs. Wright is my duty, there’s no hardship in it.” Hailey finished her health supplements with satisfaction, leaned into Nathan’s arms, and sighed, “Diana is truly a born servant. Darling, give her a bonus.” I obediently held up the energy drinks, but my mind wandered to last month when Hailey caught Nathan trying to sleep with me. She claimed it was because I mopped the floor too slippery, causing her to fall, and punished me by making me sleep in the dog cage for three days and nights. Exposed to the elements and the snarling of vicious dogs, I barely crawled out alive. That was her warning me not to compete with her for Nathan. Hailey yawned, then suddenly remembered something and instructed me to bring out all the red wine in the house. I placed over thirty bottles of red wine on the table but couldn’t understand her intention. She glanced at me sideways and teased, “Diana, how can you be so dumb? I’m pregnant and can’t drink alcohol. “These fine wines would go to waste, so you might as well drink them.” “These are top-quality; don’t waste them.” At that moment, Nathan walked out of the study, looking at us with a grim expression. I smoothly opened a bottle, smiled humbly, and drank it straight. “Mrs. Wright, you’re right, I was too foolish. Thank you for your kindness.” Nathan rushed over, grabbed the bottle, and clutched my throat. “You’re allergic to alcohol! Spit it out now!”

The swallowed liquor felt like scalding sulfuric acid, burning my throat and insides. I forced myself to endure the discomfort, took two steps back, and smiled ingratiatingly at Hailey. Nathan shook his head in disbelief. He knew I never touched a drop of alcohol. Even in social settings, I never drink. The only exception was the night I caught him having an affair with Hailey. Weeping, I smashed a bottle of whiskey on the floor. The smell of alcohol caused an allergic reaction, and I fainted. After being resuscitated, I demanded a divorce from my hospital bed. He refused, and within a month, he set a fire that killed my entire family to seize the inheritance. That very night, he brought Hailey home, and she moved in for good. I couldn’t shed a single tear; I just wanted to kill them both. But when I accidentally tore the lace on Hailey’s skirt, Nathan said I was too selfish and sent me to a Taming Course to become a docile and virtuous wife. He took the opportunity to seize my last assets and lived happily with Hailey. I opened the second bottle of red wine and gulped it down without hesitation. Hailey looked at me with satisfaction, then turned to the shocked Nathan with a slight smile, “See how well-behaved Diana is now? She doesn’t even pretend to be allergic anymore.” Nathan opened his mouth but hadn’t spoken yet when the phone rang. He frowned, answered it, and walked away. I opened the third bottle of red wine. At that moment, Hailey, smiling brightly, snatched the wine bottle and poured it over me from head to toe. I couldn’t open my eyes for a moment. Her mocking voice came to my ears, “Diana, you don’t know how to cherish things!” “A few thousand dollars’ worth of red wine, and you still despise it?” I kept my eyes closed and apologized repeatedly, “It’s all my fault. Please punish me, Mrs. Wright.” She grabbed my hair and dragged me, stumbling, into the basement storage room. This place is my bedroom, barely enough room for two people to move around. Hailey sat on the bed, and I knelt by the bedside. The next second, the whip struck me. I didn’t dare run or move, curling up and enduring the pain of each lash. The whip tore through my clothes, cutting into my flesh, and my scarred back quickly became a bloody mess again. After drinking, my skin was already red, swollen, and itchy; now it’s no longer itchy, just painful. Mixed with the stomach cramps and dizzy headache, my breathing became harder, and my heart raced. I don’t know how many lashes I took; I collapsed to the ground in a daze, too weak to lift my head, and the whipping finally stopped. Hailey said coldly, “Enough. Look at how filthy you are. Clean yourself up; you’re going out today.” After speaking, she tossed down two small white pills. Ignoring the dirt, I picked up the pills, shoved them into my mouth, and swallowed. Nathan sprayed perfume on himself, frowned, and seeing my pale face like a ghost, said with concern, “Are you okay? Even if your past allergies were fake, drinking too much is bad for your health. Don’t drink anymore.” “Just serve Hailey well, no need to do anything extra.” Before meeting me, he was a timid and insecure country boy. When he first started working in New York, clients mocked him for his strong body odor. I helped him out and privately told him that clothes shouldn’t just air dry. If he couldn’t move for now, he should buy some cheap perfume to mask the smell. Since then, he began passionately pursuing me. His favorite gift to give was perfume. As his income increased, the perfumes he gave me became more and more expensive. After we got married, he simply bought a full set of equipment and built a perfume room at home. He once said passionately, “Diana, I want to create a unique fragrance just for you.” Hailey knocked on the door impatiently, her tone anxious. “Darling, let’s go quickly!” I tried to avoid Nathan, but he grabbed me with a displeased look. “Diana, why have you changed?” Changed? The old me gave up my career to protect his dignity, returning home to be a full-time housewife. Every day, I took care of his meals and chores, ensuring he was comfortable from head to toe. Even during lovemaking, I did everything to please him, fearing he might feel even a hint of unhappiness. Now, I have changed.

Hailey swayed her hips as she walked over, took Nathan’s other hand, turned his body toward her, and said softly, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long.” Nathan paused, kissed her, and the two walked hand in hand to the car. I silently sat in the back seat, watching the scenery outside the window, gradually growing uneasy. Wait, are they going to the Morris Manor? I looked at everything in front of me in panic. Where is my home? Where are my family’s graves? In front of me was only a field of flowers, the fragrance overwhelming, with people watering and weeding. I stumbled out of the car, rushed forward, grabbed one of them, and hoarsely asked, “Where’s the original house? Where did the cemetery go?” “Isn’t this the Morris Manor? How did it turn into a flower field?” The person was startled, then loudly replied, “The house you mentioned was demolished long ago. Mr. Wright said the soil and water here are perfect for a spice base.” Not far away, Nathan stared at his toes, coughing without saying a word. Hailey smiled warmly at me and said, “Diana, don’t worry. Although your family’s cemetery was removed, their ashes are still there. They’re on that boat.” I mechanically turned my head and looked where she pointed. There sat a small boat I used to love playing with as a child. The bright yellow hull, edged with red, was already worn and dirty. A whimper escaped my throat, and I dashed out suddenly. My foot stepped on gravel, and I fell hard to the ground. My palms scraped and bled, but I felt nothing as I got up and kept running. The small boat was rotten, and as soon as I stepped on it, my foot sank into a hole. Ignoring the pain, I leaned over and searched inside. The ashes? Where are my family’s ashes? Finally, I saw a toppled urn in the corner. The gray-white powder lay quietly inside, as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment. My whole body trembled violently, tears streamed down uncontrollably, and I held it tightly in my arms, shaking. Tears blurred my vision, and pain tore through my body and soul. Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault! It was me who fell in love with someone I shouldn’t have, it was me who harmed you! The small boat rocked. In the distance, Nathan’s voice called out, “Diana? Diana! Answer me!” Hailey walked over first, her face full of pride and jealousy. She grabbed my hair and slapped me hard several times without mercy. “Diana, why don’t you just die?” “If you don’t die, how can I become Mrs. Wright? I’m the only one for Nathan!” I had no time to fight back, just held the urn tightly. Soon, Nathan came over as well. Hailey chuckled softly, dragged me to the stern, and gave a hard push. “Clang!” The urn hit the boat’s edge and shattered. I panicked, trying to gather the ashes. Hailey leaned down, a sinister smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Guess who Nathan will save?” Then she grabbed my shoulders and flipped us forcefully—we both fell into the water! The river water rushed into my nose and mouth. I struggled desperately, but could only watch helplessly as the gathered ashes dissolved into the water, drifting away. Heartbroken, I reached out to grab them, and then pain shot through my neck. Hailey slashed my neck with the sharp shards of the urn. Blood gushed out, quickly diluted by the water, as my body heat faded away. Before I passed out, I saw Nathan jump into the water and hold Hailey without hesitation, just like three years ago during the mall fire, when he ignored me, who was within reach, to save her trapped inside. If the firefighters hadn’t arrived in time, I would have been burned alive. I was completely drained, drifting with the river’s flow. Am I really going to die like this? Nathan helped Hailey ashore, gently comforting her, and finally noticed me. Just as he was about to get up, Hailey suddenly threw herself into his arms, weakly sobbing, “Darling, I feel so awful. Am I dying?” Tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look pitiful. Nathan immediately focused all his attention back on her, cupping her face and kissing her tenderly. “No, Hailey, I promise you’ll be fine!” “Ambulance!” he roared, carrying Hailey away. I was pushed by the river, crashing into a rotten boat, using my last bit of strength to grab its edge. In a daze, my family members reached out to pull me up. “Diana, good girl, you must survive.” Blood-red tears streamed from my eyes. “Just wait, I’ll send the culprit to hell!”

When I woke up, I found myself in the hospital. Nathan, looking haggard, said to me with joy, “Diana, you’re finally awake!” I struggled to get up and knelt on the ground. “I’m sorry, Mr. Wright, I shouldn’t have fallen into the water, I shouldn’t have made you worry. “I’ll go back right away, and I’ll take good care of Mrs. Wright.” Nathan stared at the blood seeping from me, his eyes wide open. Seeing him lean down, I immediately curled up, trembling. “Diana, how could you end up like this?” he said, his voice trembling. I didn’t answer. The room was terrifyingly quiet. Just then, Hailey called. She said coquettishly, “Darling, I feel so unwell. It must have scared the baby when I fell into the water. Ask Diana to come back and take care of me.” Hearing this, I immediately got up and changed clothes. Seeing my back covered with whip marks, Nathan’s eyes widened in disbelief. He hung up the phone, his voice trembling. “Diana, who hit you?” I put on my clothes and said obediently, “Mr. Wright, Mrs. Wright is waiting for me. I have to hurry back.” His eyes were bloodshot as he tore at my clothes and roared, “Who hit you? Was it the Taming Course people? Those bastards!” I said gently, “Mr. Wright, the teachers just want to teach me the virtues of a traditional housewife to make you happy.” Nathan trembled all over, frozen in place. “But I didn’t ask them to…” Hailey called again to urge. I followed behind Nathan and left. As I passed the corner, a man in a suit exchanged glances with me. Back home, Hailey immediately threw herself into Nathan’s arms, grabbed his hand, and placed it on her lower abdomen, saying she felt uncomfortable. I turned and walked into the kitchen to start making a nutritious meal. Nathan’s gaze stayed glued to my back. Hailey immediately noticed and pulled his attention back with a softer voice. At midnight, she ordered me to kneel outside the master bedroom door and scrub the floor again. Inside the room, Hailey panted softly, “Darling, you’re amazing, a little harder. I love you so much. Do you love me the most?” Nathan, however, didn’t respond to her as he usually would. Hailey moaned even more passionately. I knew she was doing it on purpose for me to hear. After finishing the floor, I checked the health supplements bottle; it was already empty. Outside the window, a flashlight blinked three times; he was here to pick me up. I didn’t bring anything, just carried my laptop and walked out the door. Two hours later, I was on a flight heading abroad.

At the press conference, my wife, Valerie, was about to unveil her new partner. But then, Liam, her newly hired male assistant, walked onto the stage holding a little girl. “Lily, Mommy’s calling for you on stage!” Immediately, the crowd erupted, reporters clamoring for details about Valerie’s love life. Valerie didn’t refute it. Instead, she dotingly embraced the little girl, placing a million-dollar piece of the company’s new jewelry on her. “Yes, we have a child.” Seeing me frozen in place, the reporters in the audience, eager for drama, pressed on. “Director Asher, you’ve worked alongside Valerie for so long, shouldn’t you have something to say on such a monumental day?” I managed a calm smile, then tossed the jewelry blueprints I’d painstakingly designed for a year to Liam. “Double the good news! These new product blueprints are a gift from me. Consider it a welcome present for your daughter!” When everyone saw me hand over the blueprints to the newcomer, Liam, they paused for a moment, then burst into a chorus of cheers. “That’s Director Asher for you, always so generous! Giving away such priceless designs just like that – those are a year’s worth of your hard work!” “Director Asher, you dote on Valerie’s daughter so much, why not just be her official guardian?” Liam’s chin lifted proudly as he shot me a triumphant smirk. Valerie, however, pressed her lips into a thin line, her deep-set eyes boring into me. Watching her squirm with embarrassment, I found it utterly laughable. We had been married for ten years, yet she always used the excuse of “impacting company development” to avoid going public with our marriage. To keep us discreet, she never picked me up or dropped me off, leaving me to brave crowded public transport every morning. At the office, she maintained a strict professional distance, forbidding me from calling her “wife,” insisting I use her full name, “Valerie.” I never complained, silently enduring our secret marriage for a decade, helping her build the company from the ground up and grow it into a powerhouse. It wasn’t until yesterday, when my new jewelry line won first place in a major design competition, worth millions and bringing in numerous partnerships, that she finally agreed to announce my identity at tomorrow’s press conference as a reward. I was so overjoyed by her concession that I didn’t sleep a wink. The next day, I woke up early, primped myself, and even spent half a year’s salary on a sharp, expensive suit, just to look the part beside Valerie. In the end, the person standing by her side wasn’t me. I was nothing but the biggest punchline. In the past, I would have thrown a massive fit. But now, I simply watched the “family of three” on stage with a serene expression. “May your family of three live happily ever after.” Valerie’s eyes hardened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but her words were cut short by the little girl’s cries. Liam tugged on Valerie’s sleeve. “Valerie, Lily seems to be scared and crying…” Hearing this, Valerie shot me a scathing look, her voice low and cutting. “Look what you’ve done!” With that, she waved her hand, pushing me aside. Then, she scooped up Lily, took Liam’s hand, and left the venue without looking back. That shove, combined with my ill-fitting dress shoes, caused my ankle to twist. I stumbled and fell to the ground, my head slamming into the champagne tower. Glass flutes rained down on me, a dull ache shot through my back, and champagne drenched my suit. Valerie didn’t even glance back. Watching her cold retreat, I felt a sharp pang of irony. She treated strangers better than her own husband and daughter. Lily was merely startled into tears, and Valerie was a mess. But when our own daughter was delirious with fever, she couldn’t have cared less. Once, Valerie and I also had a daughter, Daisy, who was five years old. One time, Daisy had a fever, and I happened to be away on a business trip, unable to care for her myself. I could only plead with Valerie to take good care of her. She promised she would, but then she just left Daisy home alone for a work dinner, letting her fever rage for three whole hours. By the time I rushed back, Daisy was gone. Valerie and I had a terrible fight that day. Later, she knelt before me, crying and repenting. But I remembered how she’d saved my life years ago, and my heart softened. I forgave her. I was so foolish back then. Not anymore. Thinking this, I pushed myself up. I didn’t stay behind to clean up Valerie’s mess, as I usually would. Instead, I turned and walked out of the venue. After leaving the venue, I hailed a cab home, planning to disinfect and bandage my wounds with iodine and gauze. The moment I walked through the door, I saw Liam and Lily laughing on the couch. Lily was holding my daughter’s favorite teddy bear. Seeing me enter, Liam’s lips curved into a smirk. “Asher, you’re back! Lily said she wanted to see your place, so Valerie just brought us over and told us to make ourselves at home!” He even took out the blueprint, twirling it in his hand, flaunting it in front of me. “I hear these are your precious designs, and the necklace Lily’s wearing? You designed it specifically for your daughter, right?” “I just had to say the word, and Valerie practically handed it all over to us, didn’t she?” “Asher, if I want something of yours, it’ll eventually be mine. So if you’re smart, just get out now! Save yourself the embarrassment of being thrown out later!” In the past, his provocations would have infuriated me. Now, I merely glanced at him indifferently, then turned to go upstairs. I was in a hurry to clean my wounds; I didn’t have time for his mind games. But Liam blocked my path. The next second, he deliberately ripped the necklace from Lily’s neck and slapped her across the face. Lily’s cheek turned crimson from the slap, and she screamed, terrified. Liam pulled Lily into his arms and deliberately shouted, “Asher, I know you’re mad at me about the press conference. Take it out on me, but Lily is just a child!” I almost laughed. This was his usual trick. Sure enough, the next second, Valerie stormed in. Seeing Lily’s swollen, red face, her expression turned dark with anger, and she slapped me across the face. “Asher, you’ve gone too far! How could you harm an innocent child?” “Lily is Liam’s niece. He was just trying to lighten the mood, playing around. Why are you always so petty?” It was a pathetic act, but Valerie fell for it hook, line, and sinker. If this had happened before, seeing her so blatantly favoring Liam, I would have been consumed by anger and jealousy. But now, my heart was still, devoid of any sadness. I calmly picked up the necklace from the floor, handed it to Liam, and smiled serenely. “You were kind enough to try and liven things up. I appreciate it, how could I blame you?” “In fact, to thank you, I’ve reserved a table at a five-star restaurant.” I opened my phone and showed them the reservation. I’d originally booked it to celebrate with Valerie after our announcement. Now, it was clearly unnecessary. Seeing I wasn’t bluffing, Valerie went silent, then mumbled awkwardly, “I’ll transfer you the money for dinner.” I waved my hand, declining her offer. Valerie’s tone softened a fraction. “Asher, you’ve become much more understanding. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely make it up to you once I announce our relationship.” But she didn’t know that a man who suddenly becomes “understanding” isn’t weak. It just means he’s stopped loving you. This time, I decided I would be the one to leave first!

After that, Valerie took Liam and Lily to dinner. I went upstairs to clean my wounds. When I took off my dress shoes, my ankle was red and swollen. My heels were covered in blisters, some of which had popped and were bleeding. As the iodine poured over them, I gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. It really stung. I’d always hated dress shoes, but Valerie loved them, especially seeing me wear them. For years, to accommodate her preferences, I’d forced myself to wear them. Even though my feet would always be rubbed raw and bleed, I endured it. Now, looking back, I realized how incredibly foolish I had been. After cleaning my wounds, I changed into comfortable slippers and tossed the dress shoes into the trash. Compared to shoes that rubbed my feet raw, I preferred comfortable slippers. This time, I didn’t want to accommodate anyone else. I wanted to live for myself. With that thought, I decisively pulled out my phone and messaged a major corporation that had long been interested in me. “I accept your offer.” They replied instantly: “Asher, you finally came around! Just name your start date; we’re ready whenever you are.” This big corporation was the leading enterprise in the state. Their CEO had always been impressed by my skills and design abilities, constantly offering me lucrative deals with amazing salary and benefits. But I’d always turned them down. Valerie needed me; most of the company’s operations were propped up by me, and all new product lines relied on my designs. I sacrificed my future, willingly slaving away for Valerie. But once the company was thriving, she discarded me like trash, kicking me aside without a second thought. It was then that I realized genuine affection couldn’t buy genuine affection. I’d forgiven her for what happened with our daughter because she once saved my life. This time, I owed her nothing. We were completely even. Thinking this, I replied to the major corporation: [I’ll report for duty tomorrow.] With that settled, I bought the earliest flight ticket for the next day and started packing my bags. As I packed, I realized my belongings couldn’t even fill one suitcase. The closet was full of Valerie’s suits and evening gowns, while my clothes consisted of only a few faded, worn-out shirts. The only valuable item was a tie clip she’d bought me. Though it was an old-fashioned design from over a decade ago, I treasured it like a precious relic. It was the first gift Valerie had bought me with her first big earnings. Her twenty-something face radiant with a gentle smile, she pinned the tie clip onto me, promising to love me forever, swearing that once she was rich, she’d buy me a whole room full of accessories. But once she was rich, she never bought me another piece of decent jewelry. On our seventh anniversary, I tentatively asked for a set of cufflinks. She got furious, accusing me of being a spendthrift, of not appreciating how hard she worked for her money. After that, to curb my “big spending” habit, she restricted my expenses. Anything over $200 had to be reported to accounting and approved. The person I loved had suddenly become a stranger. When did it change? Perhaps when Liam appeared. Ever since Liam came into the picture, Valerie’s heart had quietly flown away. She meticulously controlled every single one of my expenses, down to the last dime. But for Liam, she was incredibly generous. One casual “I want it,” and she’d splurge on a million-dollar watch for him without a second thought. She always maintained a strict hierarchy, forbidding me from too much personal interaction in the office, but she allowed Liam to jokingly call her “Valerie, sweetie.” Not only that, but she’d take Liam to lunch and the movies during work hours… Lost in thought, I accidentally dropped the tie clip. I picked it up and saw the surface was scratched, revealing the cheap black metal underneath. The tie clip was fake. I found it pathetic. This relationship had been a mistake from the very beginning, and yet I had foolishly clung to it for so many years! Thankfully, it wasn’t too late to wake up. I threw the tie clip into the trash and shredded all our photos together. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Liam’s latest SnapChat update. The picture showed Valerie holding Lily, letting the child’s greasy little hands smear all over her designer clothes, her eyes filled with doting affection. Liam leaned close, laughing as he fed her a bite of steak, already touched by his saliva. She ate it without a hint of disgust. I found it utterly disgusting. A germaphobe like her! Once, Daisy innocently tried to make her coffee and accidentally spilled some on her expensive leather shoes. Valerie raged at Daisy for an hour, then locked her in the basement for the entire day, without food or water, as ‘punishment.’ Daisy’s health plummeted after that. She became frail and constantly sick. And I just accidentally drank from her water glass once. She smashed the cup right in front of me, her face contorted with disgust. “How disgusting!” So, it was just us, my daughter and me, that she found so “disgusting” and “unclean”! I let out a cold laugh and tapped the ‘like’ button. This only solidified my resolve to leave. I quickened my packing. Once I was done, feeling a bit tired, I took a hot shower and happily went to bed. I had barely fallen asleep when I was awakened by persistent knocking. I didn’t need to guess; it was Valerie. She found entering the password tedious and always expected me to open the door for her. In the past, she wouldn’t even have to knock; she’d just call out, and I’d immediately run to let her in. But now, I simply rolled over and continued sleeping. I was drifting off into dreamland when suddenly, Valerie burst through the door, kicking it open with a bang. She flipped on the light with a sharp click, screaming, “Asher, are you deaf? You’re clearly not asleep, why didn’t you open the door for me!”

The sudden bright light jolted me awake. I’d been sleeping too deeply earlier, so I hadn’t heard any knocking. Seeing Valerie’s sullen face, I was a little surprised. She actually came back this time? Before, every time she went on a date with Liam, she’d use it as an excuse to stay over at his place. Yet, there was a time our five-year-old daughter said she was afraid of the dark and wanted Valerie to come home and stay with her. Valerie called Daisy “dramatic,” insisting she needed to “toughen up.” Once, when I wasn’t looking, she locked Daisy in a storage closet, giving her severe claustrophobia. Every night after that, Daisy would be startled awake by nightmares, crying in terror. In the past, Valerie’s blatant favoritism and double standards would infuriate me, leading to massive arguments. But now, whatever she did, I simply didn’t care anymore. I simply mumbled “hmm” and pulled the covers over my head, determined to go back to sleep. Valerie first froze, then frowned in annoyance. “Stop messing around, I’m exhausted. Aren’t you going to run my bath for me? And wash these clothes while you’re at it.” She took off her jacket and tossed it to me. Her collar was smeared with lipstick marks, and the pungent scent of Liam’s cologne clung to it. Utterly repulsive. If this were before, I would have eagerly waited on her without her even needing to ask. Now, I just found her demanding. I tossed the clothes back. “You’re not handicapped, you can do it yourself.” Valerie was stunned for a moment, then pulled a gift box from her bag and threw it at me. “I know you’re upset about what happened earlier today. Here, this is for you.” Inside were a pair of cufflinks. But she’d forgotten that I was allergic to cheap metal, and besides, the style wasn’t even to my taste. What was even funnier was that these cufflinks were Liam’s discards. I’d seen him flaunting them on SnapChat before. I let out a cold laugh, tossing the cufflinks into the trash. “I don’t want other people’s trash.” Valerie completely lost her patience, her face turning ashen. “Asher, have I spoiled you too much?” A wave of drowsiness hit me, and I yawned. “I’m tired. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to sleep.” Seeing my cold attitude, my repeated refusal to take her olive branch, Valerie gritted her teeth. “Fine! This is your doing, Asher. Don’t come crawling back when you regret it!” Valerie turned to leave, but I called out to her. “Wait.” Valerie’s lips curved into a smug smile, her expression screaming, “I knew you were just playing hard to get.” The next second, I pulled out a pen and some papers from a drawer and handed them to her. “Sign this.” Valerie’s eyes immediately turned cold. “You called me back just to sign some worthless contract?” I scoffed. “Why don’t you take a closer look before you speak?” After seeing the document, Valerie froze, then snapped the pen in her hand.

“Divorce papers? You want to divorce me?” Valerie narrowed her dark eyes, glaring at me. “Asher, there’s a limit to how jealous you can be.” “I’m serious,” I said calmly. Valerie slammed the divorce papers onto the table, her face dark. “I won’t sign them.” My voice remained even. “If you don’t sign, I can still get a divorce. It’s just a matter of time.” Unable to argue with me, Valerie gritted her teeth, let out a frustrated huff, and stormed out, deliberately stomping her feet as she left. I knew she wanted me to go and console her. In the past, whenever she got angry, I would immediately run to soothe her. But now, who cared about her? Sleep was more important. The footsteps outside the door gradually faded, and I fell into a deep sleep… The next day, I woke up naturally. As expected, Valerie hadn’t come home all night; she must have been extremely upset yesterday. After breakfast, I hailed a cab to the office and handed in my resignation to HR. After doing so, I pulled out my phone and messaged my collaborators. When we first signed the partnership, their one condition was that I be their direct contact. Now that I was leaving, it was only right to inform them. After completing everything, I turned to leave. Just as I stepped out, I ran into Valerie and Liam. She had indeed gone to Liam’s last night. The two of them were standing close, laughing and chatting. “Valerie, thank you for looking after Lily yesterday. She’s always been a handful, and since her parents passed away when she was little, I just feel so bad for her. I only asked you to pretend to be her mom to make her happy. Asher won’t mind, right?” Valerie snorted coldly. “What’s there for him to mind? He’s a father himself, he should be more understanding.” I found that laughable. She wanted me to be understanding, but why hadn’t she been understanding towards our daughter when she was doting on someone else’s child? Seeing me, Liam and Valerie fell silent, and the air instantly thickened. Soon, our colleagues started to playfully tease them, breaking the awkward silence. “Liam, you and Valerie really kept that under wraps! A daughter, no less!” “When are you guys going to have another one? Complete the family with a boy and a girl!” Liam chuckled softly, shyly glancing at Valerie. Valerie didn’t object, letting everyone continue to tease them. Yet, before, when my daughter and I came to the company to see her, she violently slapped Daisy’s hands ten times just because Daisy called her “Mommy,” demanding Daisy maintain discretion. Later, when rumors about Valerie and me circulated in the company, she fired the gossiping employee on the spot. But now, she remained silent amidst all the teasing, showing no discretion at all. What a hypocrite! Lost in thought, Liam had already walked up to me. “Asher, why are you just getting to the office? It’s already eleven. You’re one of the oldest employees here, you should set an example!” Valerie’s face immediately hardened. “Asher, what kind of work ethic is that?” “If you don’t want to work, just give the position to Liam. In terms of capability, he’s far above you.” I felt like I was listening to a joke. Valerie knew perfectly well that the company’s entire business relied on me. Liam couldn’t even print a document, yet she claimed he was more capable than me? I knew she was just trying to humiliate me, to force me to compromise. But I had a flight to catch. I didn’t have time for their corporate games. Thinking this, I said coldly, “No need for all that trouble. I’ve already resigned. I can vacate the position right now.” Liam feigned concern. “Asher, this isn’t the time to be stubborn. Your age is a factor now. If you quit, where are you going to find another job this good? You might not even get hired as a janitor! Besides, the company’s new product line is about to launch. Quitting now? You’d be losing out big time!” His taunts only angered Valerie further, and she said coldly, “Liam, don’t try to persuade him! Let him go. The company will manage just fine without him!” “But Asher, let me warn you, when the new product line launches, the company is going to soar. You’ll regret it then.” Who would regret it was still up in the air. They had no idea that I held all the core technical knowledge in this company. Without me, they wouldn’t even be able to produce a single sample. Launch? In their dreams! I scoffed. “I’m afraid you won’t live to see that day!” Valerie frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” Just then, her phone rang. It was from our collaborators. Valerie’s lips instantly curved into a triumphant smile, her eyes sparkling with pride. “Our collaborators must be calling to discuss the new product launch. Now you’ll really regret it.” To provoke me, she even put the call on speaker. But the next second, the collaborator’s words poured cold water all over her. “Why haven’t the latest samples been delivered? If you don’t send them by today, your company will be liable for three hundred million in breach of contract fees!”

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Outside the exam center, she broke down crying, pointing at me and screaming: “It was him! Alex drugged me and took me to a hotel!” “I only rejected his confession—he destroyed my entire future!” Her parents rushed at me on the spot, fists flying: “You animal! We worked ourselves to death to get her into college— and you ruined everything with one sick obsession?!” “People like you deserve to rot in prison forever!” The parents waiting nearby exploded with rage: “Right before the SATs and he does something like this? Disgusting!” “Expose him online! Let his whole family pay for what he did!” But when the police pulled up the surveillance footage and played that video— The entire crowd outside the exam center fell into a dead, terrifying silence. “Alex, what’s your problem?! Can you stop being so sensitive every time a guy shows up around me?!” The familiar voice snapped me back to reality. I looked down at my hands, free of handcuffs, And at Sophia in front of me, angrily gesturing… I really had been reborn! In my previous life, I had tried to stop Sophia from going out with Chad to celebrate her birthday on this day. Sophia had gotten into her dream school as planned, But Chad had ended up in prison for killing someone while drunk. After hearing the news, Sophia had invited me over to her house and set me up, Taking off her clothes and filming a video before calling the police. I was sent to prison. My parents, devastated by the online attacks, committed suicide. When my parents were dying, Sophia was right outside the door, Coldly filming their final moments before leaving with a smile. The next day she visited me in prison, And showed me that video in its entirety, Screaming at me hysterically: “Alex, if you hadn’t stopped me, how could Chad have ended up in prison?! I’ve always had top grades, even if I had gone out with Chad the night before exams I still would have gotten into my dream school! You’re just selfish! Chad died for nothing, so I’m going to make your whole family pay!” I had a congenital heart condition, which Sophia knew about. So when I had a heart attack after seeing the video, I saw the smile lingering on Sophia’s lips… This chilling memory made my expression darken further. “Oh come on, Soph, you have to understand our valedictorian Alex here. He’s too scared to take you out partying, so of course he’s a bit jealous that Chad gets to hang out with you…” Sophia’s friend’s words pulled me back to the present. Sophia looked at me with disdain and laughed. Then she linked arms with her friend and said coyly: “Chad said he has a big surprise planned for my birthday celebration tonight. I’m so excited! Getting to celebrate turning 18 with such a hot guy, I’m sure I’ll do even better on the SATs tomorrow…” I laughed coldly to myself. Earlier that morning, I had overheard Chad talking to his friend in the bathroom: “Tonight I’m going to show that little girl a real good time, don’t any of you dare interrupt us!” “But she has the SATs tomorrow, don’t go too crazy!” “The SATs? My girl doesn’t need to worry about the SATs. Once she’s in college, she won’t have anything to do with me anymore…” It was because I had overheard this conversation that I had desperately tried to stop Sophia in my previous life. This wasn’t a birthday celebration at all, It was a plot to ruin Sophia’s entire future… But Sophia was too naive to see it. Thinking of this, I looked up at Sophia’s flushed face and smiled. “Go ahead, Sophia. I’m sure with that hot Chad by your side tonight, you’ll do great on the SATs tomorrow.”

Sophia was stunned for a moment by my response, But quickly smiled again at the thought of her upcoming date. Realizing I needed to get home to prepare for tomorrow’s exam, I picked up my backpack to leave. But as soon as I stood up, Sophia’s friend pushed me back into my chair. Sophia glared at me coldly and quickly snatched my phone and test admission ticket. “Trying to leave? I bet you just want to go home and tattle to my parents! I’ll keep these safe for you and give them back at the test site tomorrow. If you dare tell my parents, you can forget about taking the SATs!” I looked at Sophia helplessly. “Sophia, you know how important these tests are to me. I promise I won’t tell your parents, but please don’t mess with my future, okay?” Whether Sophia would even make it to the test site tomorrow was questionable. There was no way I could leave my admission ticket with her. Seeing that Sophia had no intention of returning it, I quickly stood up and rushed over to her, Grabbing the ticket that was still in her hand. My tone was icier than ever before: “Sophia, give it back.” “Oh ho, looks like our valedictorian is angry! See Soph, you guessed right, judging by his reaction he was definitely planning to go tattle to your parents! We can’t give this back to him!” Sophia’s hand, which had started to loosen slightly, Tightened its grip on the ticket again after her friend’s goading. Sophia was a girl after all, so her strength couldn’t compare to mine. I squeezed her wrist hard, and her grip started to weaken from the pain. “Soph! Think about your date with Chad, we can’t let it get ruined!” Sophia’s expression suddenly changed. She quickly used all her strength and yanked backwards! “Riiiiip…” My admission ticket tore in half… The friends who had been egging Sophia on suddenly went pale. Tears that had been welling up in my eyes for a long time finally fell. An overwhelming sense of despair and helplessness washed over me. Even in this new life, I had lost my future… Sophia’s face cycled through various shades of green and white. After a long moment, She threw the torn ticket at me. “Alex, this is your own fault for trying to stop me from going out with Chad! You brought this on yourself!” With that, she grabbed her friend and ran out like mad. As soon as the classroom door closed, I heard laughter from outside. “Soph, that Alex really is your lapdog, huh? You ripped up his admission ticket and he didn’t even dare say anything!” “Ugh, he’s always been that weak. How could he compare to Chad’s confidence and charm…” Sophia’s words pierced my heart like a needle. My tolerance for her had been mistaken for weakness… Sophia and I had studied together every day since middle school, Getting into our dream college together was the future we had promised each other. But ever since Sophia met Chad outside of school, everything had changed. Today’s Sophia clearly no longer wanted a shared future with me. Thinking of this, I threw the torn ticket in the trash. I knocked on the door of our guidance counselor’s office. “Mrs. Davis, I’ve made up my mind about that full scholarship to State University. I think it’s a better fit for me than Ivy College…” Mrs. Davis looked at me with delight. “Good, you shouldn’t have given it up in the first place. State U’s physics lab will be perfect for you to shine.” When I got home and told my parents I wouldn’t be taking the SATs, they breathed a sigh of relief. They had been worried when I gave up the sure thing at State U for Sophia’s sake. Now things had worked out the way they wanted after all…

We had just finished dinner when there was urgent knocking at the door. I opened it to find Sophia’s parents, looking extremely anxious. “Alex, do you know where Sophia went? She just sent us a message and now won’t answer her phone. The SATs are tomorrow, where could that child have run off to?” My mom chimed in, looking at me expectantly. “Alex, you’re always with Sophia…” “I don’t know,” I cut my mom off and looked up at Mrs. Rodriguez to answer her. “Alex, do you at least know where she usually likes to go?” I gave an awkward smile. “I really don’t know, Mrs. Rodriguez…” Mrs. Rodriguez shook her head helplessly and left, having gotten no leads. As soon as the door closed, my dad poked his head out from inside. “Did you and Sophia have a fight? How could you not know where she went?” I just smiled at my dad and went back to my room. Of course I wasn’t going to say anything. Let her enjoy her wonderful night with her dear Chad! My mom was on the PTA, So early the next morning she dragged me and my dad to volunteer at the test center. As soon as we got to the entrance, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez looking frantic. When they spotted me, they rushed over. Mrs. Davis hurried over as well. “Alex, Sophia didn’t come home all night. Weren’t you two together at school yesterday? Did she tell you where she was going?!” Mrs. Davis asked me too: “Alex, you know how important these tests are for Sophia. They’re about to start and there’s still no sign of her. Please think hard, where could she have gone?” I looked at Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez’s panicked faces and felt a pang in my heart. But the image of my parents’ tragic deaths in my previous life flashed through my mind. I gritted my teeth and looked up at them. “I really don’t know…” Seeing my expression, Mrs. Davis sighed and patted Mrs. Rodriguez’s shoulder. “Alex’s an honest kid. Maybe he really doesn’t know. Let’s think of other ways to find her…” But I knew they wouldn’t find her… Chad never intended to let Sophia take the test. She was probably passed out in some hotel bed right now… Sure enough, the exams started and Sophia still hadn’t shown up… Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were ordinary working class people. To let Sophia focus on her studies, Mrs. Rodriguez had quit her job to take care of Sophia full-time. Mr. Rodriguez worked three jobs, sleeping only 3 hours a day. They had worked so hard for over a decade to give Sophia this opportunity, But their usually obedient and sensible daughter had disappeared before the most important test… The moment they closed the test center gates, Mrs. Rodriguez completely broke down. She collapsed to the ground, wailing hysterically… “Mom…” Finally, just as the first exam was about to end, Sophia appeared at the entrance, disheveled and stumbling. Mrs. Rodriguez sprang up from the ground and rushed over to Sophia. She slapped Sophia hard across the face. “You ungrateful child! Where on earth did you run off to…?!” I was sitting with my parents in the shade nearby, about to stand up, when Sophia spoke: “Mom, it was Alex! Yesterday at school he confessed his feelings for me but I rejected him. He was angry and drugged me, taking me to a hotel. I only just woke up. Alex has ruined my life…”

I froze in shock. Before I could react, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were charging in my direction. Sophia clearly hadn’t expected me to be there. When she saw me, she quickly lowered her head. Remembering my parents’ tragic fate in my previous life, I quickly stepped in front of my parents to shield them. Then Mr. Rodriguez’s fist slammed into my face. “You beast! Just because Sophia rejected you, you had to ruin her?! Do you know how much our family sacrificed for today?!” I wanted to explain, but Mr. Rodriguez was too enraged. Before I could speak, he kicked me to the ground. That punch seemed to have used all of Mr. Rodriguez’s strength. I felt my nose break, Blood immediately gushing out, Covering my eyes, nose and mouth. My dad saw me get hurt and rushed over like a madman, But just as he reached me, Mr. Rodriguez knocked him down with one kick. Mr. Rodriguez had worked manual labor jobs for years and was incredibly strong. “Like father, like son! I’ll kill you both right here! You’ve ruined Sophia’s future! You don’t deserve to live!” More and more parents gathered around, Many of whom knew about Sophia’s excellent grades. When they heard I had ruined her chances at the exams out of revenge, they were furious too. They all rushed forward, Raining blows down on me and my father. “The father is to blame for not teaching his son well. We’ll teach you both a lesson today! Young punks like you are a plague on society!” “Mr. Rodriguez, beat them hard! If you kill them, we’ll all be witnesses for you!” Fighting through the pain, I looked at Sophia in the crowd. Her tearful face from moments ago now bore a hint of a smug smile. The last shred of feeling I had for Sophia completely died. I finally woke up. The Sophia of today was no longer the girl who used to follow me around asking for help with math problems. Since that was the case, there was no need to preserve her dignity anymore! Summoning my last bit of strength, I pulled out my phone, Found the video Chad had sent me last night, and pressed play, Turning the volume up to maximum…

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Three hours after my husband’s affair went viral, he came to me with divorce papers— and asked me to cooperate. He said it was temporary. Said he needed me to step aside so the woman he loved wouldn’t break under public pressure. The only person he was willing to sacrifice was me. Last life, I screamed, begged, and fought. I lost everything. This time, I didn’t argue. I signed. He thought my silence meant obedience. He didn’t know I simply never went back. “Claire, after this is all over, will you remarry me?” I was sitting on a stone bench in the villa garden, lost in thought when Julian and Emily walked up to me. Just three hours ago, Emily was exposed by the paparazzi as Julian’s lover. The whole internet dug into her past, calling her the mistress who ruined the sweet love between Julian and me, a homewrecker. Julian’s image as the loving husband collapsed, and the Chapman Group’s stock began to tumble. In my past life, when Julian came to me with those divorce papers, I was furious. I tore up the roses he had planted for me in the yard and screamed at him, demanding to know his relationship with Emily. She was just the daughter of his mentor. There were a million ways he could have handled this. But he chose to sacrifice me. He did it only to avoid worsening Emily’s depression. What he didn’t know was that, during the media frenzy, I had been diagnosed with moderate depression. “Claire,” Julian called my name again, pulling me out of my daze. I looked down at the divorce papers on the stone table. He kneeled on one knee before me, his deep eyes fixed on mine. His warm hand gently covered my hand, his tone coaxing and gentle. “Claire, please, for me, will you? “We’ll tell everyone that our marriage was already on the rocks. We planned to divorce a year ago but just didn’t find the right time.” I stayed silent. Behind him, Emily, dressed in a white dress with Julian’s jacket draped over her shoulders, had pale lips and red, swollen eyes. “Claire, please help me,” she pleaded, her voice weak, tears in her eyes. “My mother killed herself because of online bullying and depression. I don’t want to follow in her footsteps. Please, Claire, I’m begging you…” Just as Emily was about to kneel, Julian quickly stood up, caught her, and held her close. His face darkened as he softly scolded, “What are you doing?” Emily swallowed, her voice still trembling with emotion. She looked down with her tearful eyes. “I… I just want Claire to feel better.” Julian’s expression grew impatient, and he looked at me, the tenderness in his gaze fading completely. “Claire, I didn’t come here to negotiate. “I’ve already made up my mind. If you’re unwilling to divorce, don’t blame me…” I slowly looked up to meet his gaze. His words stopped, but I knew what he was about to say. He wanted to say, “Claire, you know my methods. I have countless ways to make you sign those papers. “If we go to court, you won’t win against the Chapman Group’s lawyers.” Those were his exact words in my past life. Eventually, I was set up and sent to the beds of several male models with proof of my affair. Overnight, I became the adulterous woman, publicly humiliated, while he and Emily were seen as innocent victims. “I can sign the papers, but you have to promise me one thing,” after a long pause, I spoke.

Julian glanced at me and then nodded in agreement. He handed me the pen, and without any change in my expression, I signed my name on the divorce agreement. “Aren’t you going to look over the agreement again?” Julian asked, furrowing his brow. I smiled faintly, “No need.” He left with almost nothing, giving up all his assets to me, just for Emily, just to repay a past kindness. “Take some time tomorrow to go to the courthouse,” he said. “Okay,” I replied. Julian paused for a moment with the divorce papers in his hand. He looked at me, his eyes filled with confusion, but in the end, he said nothing. As they were leaving, Emily turned around and shot me a mocking glance, her lips silently moving. “You lost.” I did lose. I lost last time, so now I didn’t want to lose anymore. After a while, my phone lit up with a message from Julian. [I’m sorry for making you go through this today, Claire.] [Once this is all over, I’ll throw you a grand wedding, and we’ll remarry.] [I couldn’t just stand by and watch Emily’s depression worsen. You understand, don’t you?] I read his message and couldn’t help but smile, tears welling in my eyes. It was the same in my past life. To force me into a divorce, Julian had his friends come up with schemes and then got so drunk. But he forgot, his friends were also my friends. Arthur Dodson had tried to persuade Julian, telling him not to sacrifice his marriage just for Emily. Then, he came to me, trying to get me to understand Julian, saying that he was a good man. If it hadn’t been for Emily’s father recognizing Julian’s abilities, investing in him, and helping him start his business, Julian wouldn’t be where he was today. Back then, I had cried and argued back. “Julian could have cleared things up a thousand different ways. Why did it have to be a divorce?” Arthur fell silent. He had asked Julian, and Julian had replied at the time. “There has to be someone I let down, so I’ll make Claire suffer. She loves me, and she’ll understand.” Because I loved him, I sacrificed myself. Where was the fairness in that? Luckily, I still had a chance.

When it came to anything involving Emily, Julian always acted quickly. Just hours after signing the divorce papers with me, he arranged a press conference and sent his assistant to invite me to attend and clarify things. I hadn’t even said a word yet. The assistant thought I might refuse, but fortunately, he relayed Julian’s message to me. He said, “Ms. Buckley, you should attend this press conference. Even if it’s not for Mr. Chapman, at least for your reputation.” I paused for a moment and then gave a cynical laugh. Julian was threatening me. He was trying to use the same tactics he had in my past life to force me into submission, to smear my name, and let me struggle under public opinion. In the end, I would have no choice but to give in. I still couldn’t figure out whether Julian saw me as his wife or as his enemy… Now, he wanted to publicly clarify his relationship with me. I had no choice either. The press conference was held in the grand lobby of Jymara’s most luxurious hotel, with only the most influential reporters invited. When Emily appeared in a dress, arm-in-arm with Julian, the reporters swarmed them. Julian instinctively shielded Emily, stepping in front of her to block the microphones with a smile. “I’ll answer all your questions one by one. Please give us some space.” His voice was gentle, and as he looked up, he happened to meet my eyes. I was surrounded by reporters. At that moment, I actually hoped Julian would step in and help me out of this situation. But the next second… He calmly shifted his gaze away, his smile still present as he held Emily’s hand and walked onto the stage as if he hadn’t seen me at all. I gave a bitter laugh. The reporter closest to me seemed to be an intern, nervously handing me the microphone and asking. “Ms. Buckley, is it true that you’re divorced from Mr. Chapman?” “Yes,” I smiled and nodded in response. The intern adjusted her glasses. “But you met Mr. Chapman in high school, dated for seven years, and were married for five. “Mr. Chapman even bought you an island last month, spending a fortune, and named it after you.” I kept smiling, but it was not a warm one. “That’s what he owes me.” To make up for missing my birthday while caring for the sick Emily, he gave me that gift. In my past life, I had even felt proud of that gesture, only to later learn that the idea was Arthur’s, the island was picked by Julian’s assistant, and Julian didn’t even know where it was. “Do you still love Mr. Chapman?” She looked at me nervously, and the reporters around me fell silent. Even Julian, on stage, looked at me. His brows furrowed slightly. I met his gaze for a moment and then smiled and said, “Not anymore.”

I didn’t stay for the rest of the interview. After Julian clarified that our marriage had been falling apart for over a year, I left. Overnight, I became Julian’s dumped woman. Meanwhile, Emily became the only victim of this public scandal. That interview stayed pinned on social media for days, and the buzz didn’t die down. Especially the part where Julian said: [Claire and I had already planned to divorce a year ago, but it wasn’t the right time.] [We wanted to handle it quietly, but now it has affected others, so we had to clarify things publicly.] [Emily is not the cause of our breakup.] [She is the only person my mentor cares about in this world. I take care of her, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I hope everyone can look at this rationally.] Some fans, led by this, claimed that the reason our relationship fell apart was because I couldn’t stand the idea of Julian’s pure sibling bond with Emily and that I was too petty, unable to understand his deep loyalty. They said I was small-minded, and after five years of marriage, I hadn’t learned Julian’s sense of loyalty and care. The topic kept gaining traction for days. I became the target of public scorn. After getting the divorce certificate from the courthouse, I walked out. Julian stopped me. “Don’t take what’s said online to heart. It won’t be long before everyone forgets about it.” I stopped in my tracks and couldn’t help but laugh lightly. How was it that the difference was so stark, even though we were both being slandered online? “Claire, the Christmas is only two months away. “Why don’t we remarry early next year?” He looked at me, stepping closer, but I took a step back and, with a calm expression, turned my gaze to the reporters not far away, blocked by the bodyguards. Julian seemed to sense that it wasn’t the right moment and stopped in his tracks. “Julian, I’m going back to Gerelden.” “You really haven’t been back in a long time. It might be good for you to visit. When Christmas comes, I’ll come to pick you up…” “I’m not going back to Jymara,” I calmly interrupted Julian. His faint smile froze on his face, and his eyes were filled with confusion. I continued, “When I agreed to sign the divorce agreement, you promised me something. Now, it’s time to fulfill that promise.” Julian stared at me, stunned. When I first came back to life this time, it only took me a few seconds to digest my feelings of love and resentment towards Julian. The moment I saw the divorce papers, I considered going crazy and tearing them up, maybe even causing more trouble with him. But in the end, reason prevailed. After a long silence, I smiled. “Julian, I hope you never show up in front of me again.”

After Claire finished speaking and disappeared into the crowd, Julian was left frozen, unable to react. For a brief moment, he felt a strange panic, as if he were about to lose something incredibly important. It was the same feeling he had when Claire calmly signed the divorce papers, a quiet unease in his heart. She hadn’t yelled or caused a scene. It seemed as though she had already predicted the outcome. But just not long ago, Claire had been furious with him for forgetting her birthday, causing a huge uproar. He even got slapped by her. He had thought when he brought up about faking the divorce, Claire would have gone crazy, causing a scene, and he was even prepared for it. But she didn’t. She picked up the pen. Her expression was calm. At that moment, he had thought about stopping her, but in the end, he did nothing. He convinced himself it was okay, that Claire loved him. They were only faking it, and after things settled down, he would propose to her again, giving her the marriage she deserved. But Emily was different. She couldn’t be hurt because of him. If it hadn’t been for Emily’s father recognizing his talent all those years ago, taking the risk of being kicked out of the shareholders’ meeting to invest in his project, and helping him grow and rise as a new force in Jymara, he wouldn’t have achieved what he had today. He didn’t deserve Emily. Before Emily’s father passed away, he had asked him to protect Emily, to ensure she lived a peaceful life. He didn’t want to be the kind of person who betrayed his word. Arthur had once asked him, “If one day, both Emily and Claire fall off a cliff, who would you save?” At the time, he laughed, thinking the question was beneath him. He would save Emily, but he would die with Claire. Arthur laughed along but then asked, “But what if Claire doesn’t want to die? “Julian, you can’t always take Claire’s love for granted. If she can’t feel your love, she will despair.” At the time, he didn’t take his words seriously. He had never even considered them important. He didn’t expect it, but in the end, his words came true.

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My twin sister was always the “good one.” I was the failure. That’s what everyone believed. They never knew she was the one who dragged me to gaming lounges, then slipped away to study in secret. She told me grades didn’t matter, only connections—while quietly stealing every opportunity I built. In my last life, I died in childbirth. At my funeral, she cried the loudest and said, “She was smart. She just didn’t work hard enough.” This time, I’m back—six months before the SAT. I opened my eyes. I was back at the Nexus Gaming Lounge, locked in an intense gaming session with my team. I shook my drowsy head, grabbed my grimy backpack, and sprinted home. At home, Chloe was furiously scribbling notes under her desk lamp. Seeing me, she quickly stashed her study sheets. “Zoe, why are you back? Now your team is one short. How will they win without you?” It was always Chloe who dragged me to the lounge. Then, she’d yawn, fake being tired, and sneak off to study at home. I grabbed my untouched SAT prep books and taped my target, “Stanford,” on the wall. Chloe’s face darkened with rage. “You? Stanford? Who do you think you are?” Not only would I aim for Stanford, but I’d show her that natural talent could never be surpassed by hard work. The smoky, sweat-filled air of the Nexus Lounge lingered in my memory as my teammates shouted obscenities after a loss. It hit me—I’d been reborn. I was back at seventeen, just one month before the first major SAT practice test. I didn’t care about the commotion I left behind. Grabbing my filthy bag, I bolted. “Zoe, you promised to carry us to diamond rank!” they yelled after me, but I didn’t turn back. My future mattered more than their fleeting victories. When I got home, it was 1 a.m. Chloe’s light was still on, her silhouette reflected in the window. Her pen raced across the paper. I barged into her room. Chloe jumped, hastily shoving her study guide under a textbook. Smirking, I recorded her with my phone. “You said you were too tired to study. So why are you still up?” I yawned. Feigning nonchalance, she replied, “Oh, I woke up to use the bathroom and realized my backpack wasn’t packed. I’m just fixing it before going to bed.” Chloe turned off her lamp. I returned to my room, flicked on a desk light I hadn’t used in ages, and opened my blank prep books. In my past life, I barely scraped into high school by cramming during my final weeks of middle school. Chloe, meanwhile, convinced me that being friends with the “cool kids” mattered more than grades. The school’s “donation-based” Honors Track was filled with rich kids who slacked off but got in through connections. I believed Chloe and started skipping classes to hang out with them at Nexus Lounge. We measured status by gaming prowess, and I became the best of them. But I hadn’t realized they were all wealthy. By senior year, they transferred to elite private schools or left for boarding schools overseas, ready to inherit family businesses. My parents, though, were just regular workers. Without good grades, I had no future except the local factories. At Midwest Automotive, Tyler—a worker with bleached blond hair—took an interest in me. I mentioned it to Chloe, who cheered me on. “True love is priceless,” she said. “If Tyler loves you, that’s all that matters. Love conquers all.” I believed her. Tyler and I moved in together, had a baby without a wedding, and barely signed the marriage certificate. Once married, Tyler started beating me. Drunk, he’d mock me. “You and Chloe came from the same parents. Why is she so brilliant while you’re as dumb as a rock?” I cried bitterly, wondering where I had gone wrong. I used to be the smartest one—the girl who could solve problems at a glance, memorize pages instantly. My middle school teachers couldn’t believe I had failed my SATs.

My tragic fate culminated in a difficult labor. Tyler refused a C-section, resulting in both my baby and me dying. On my deathbed, I called Chloe endlessly, but she claimed she was too busy. The moment I passed, she showed up. At my funeral, people shook their heads, saying, “How did such a bright girl end up like this?” Chloe put on a show of grief. “Zoe was so smart but wasted her potential. Her downfall was her own fault. Unlike me, I worked hard and changed my fate through perseverance.” Once everyone left, Chloe gloated over her victory. Turns out, Chloe had always been jealous of me. As a child, I was the center of our parents’ attention. Her envy consumed her. She manipulated my trust and orchestrated my downfall. This time, I wouldn’t fall for her tricks. I wrote “I will get into Stanford” in bold letters and taped it above my desk. Opening my freshman-year textbooks, I started from the first page. By 3 a.m., I’d finished two books, every concept burned into my memory. I caught two hours of sleep before heading to school at dawn. By the time my classmates arrived, I’d already memorized both volumes of freshman English vocabulary. “Zoe Miller’s actually studying? That’s a first!” “Only six months until the SATs. Even if she tries, the best she can hope for is community college.” “With her grades? A state school’s out of reach. She’ll end up in some overpriced for-profit college at best.” I ignored the chatter. My scores would do the talking. Chloe showed up late as usual, barely beating the bell. “Zoe, why didn’t you wake me up this morning?” she complained. “I’ll be at school by 5 a.m. from now on. Set your own alarm if you want to join me.” Chloe looked puzzled. “Why would you get here so early? You don’t even study.” From behind me, Ethan chimed in. “Your sister’s been up since dawn memorizing vocab. She’s already gone through two books. Something’s seriously up with her.” Chloe froze, then exploded, “Zoe, we’re just here to get a degree. After we graduate, we’ll both head to Midwest Automotive. I’ve heard top workers make good money there—over $4,000 a month!” I pulled out my phone and played the video I’d recorded. “If the factory’s so great, why are you sneaking in late-night study sessions?” Chloe’s face went pale. Ethan grabbed my phone and barked, “Chloe Miller! No wonder you always ditch our games midway. You’ve been secretly studying all this time!” “All that effort, and you still only scored in the 400s? Guess your brain’s not built for this.” Chloe flushed with rage. She opened her notebook and tried memorizing vocab, but after ten repetitions, she still couldn’t get it. After school, I still went with the rich kids to the Nexus Lounge. I wasn’t about to cut ties with them. Someday, they’d be valuable connections. In my past life, Chloe snatched up all the relationships I’d worked so hard to cultivate. This time, that wasn’t happening.

After leading my team to five straight wins, I rushed home. When I walked in, my parents immediately went on the offensive. “Well, look who decided to come home early! Didn’t you say you’d rather die at Nexus Lounge than come back here?” “Why don’t you just stay there forever? Let’s see what kind of SAT scores you’ll pull off.” In my last life, my parents had tried everything to get me to study, but I blindly believed Chloe’s lies and rebelled. Eventually, they gave up on me, only making sure I wasn’t starving but otherwise washing their hands of me. After my death, though, they mourned for a long time. My mom was hospitalized from the grief. I dropped to my knees with a thud. “Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. I was so stupid before. I’ll study hard and get into a good college—I swear!” My mom turned to look at me, stunned. Then she quickly wiped her tears, pretending she wasn’t crying. My dad helped me up immediately. “It’s alright. You finally understand. I always knew you weren’t a bad kid at heart. There’s not much time left, but give it your all. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll figure something out—even if it means taking a gap year.” I nodded firmly. “Don’t worry. I’ll get in on the first try. I’m aiming for Stanford!” Chloe stepped out of her room holding her notebook. “Zoe, why are you back? Weren’t you gaming with Ethan and the others at Nexus?” She walked up to me, fake innocence dripping from her expression, before dramatically pinching her nose. “Eww, Zoe, you reek of cigarettes! The smell is unbearable!” My mom leaned in, sniffed, and instantly slapped me across the face. “I knew it! You can’t change your ways, can you? Lying about studying, coming home stinking of smoke. With grades like yours, scoring in the 200s on the SAT, and skipping class to play games, if you can get into Stanford, then pigs might fly!” Disappointed, my dad sighed and followed my mom back to their room. Alone with me, Chloe dropped her mask. “Zoe, stop wasting your time. Six months isn’t enough for you to surpass me. I’ve been holding back; I’m not just a 400-range scorer.” I laughed coldly and walked to my room. Words wouldn’t convince anyone—I’d let my results speak for themselves. Weekly tests rolled around, and while I showed improvement, my scores were still far from good. Chloe, on the other hand, dropped her façade and performed at her real level—second in the class and tenth in the grade. The homeroom teacher praised me, saying I had a shot at getting into a state college. I glanced at Chloe’s test papers. She hadn’t solved the hardest questions. Her brain just wasn’t built for it. Chloe shoved her paper in front of me, pointing at her scores. “Zoe, look! I got a near-perfect score in English and 1290 on the practice SAT. What about you?” She pretended to examine my scores. “Wow, a 590 in math? So close! If the test was out of 800, you’d be just okay. Too bad it’s out of 1600, and you’re way below average.” “Oh, and you’re so much better in reading and writing—600 in English! Your verbal scores definitely beat your math!” Ethan tried to console me. “Zoe, maybe studying isn’t your thing. You’ve stopped pulling all-nighters with us at Nexus. Without you, we’re losing ranks like crazy!” Chloe jumped in with fake scolding. “Ethan, don’t say that about my sister. She’s aiming for Stanford!” The whole class erupted in laughter. “Seriously? Zoe Miller, the future Stanford scholar?” “With a total score under 1000, she thinks she can get into Stanford? That’s hilarious!” “She must think she owns Stanford and can just waltz in whenever she wants.” Ignoring them, I pulled out a SAT prep workbook and got back to solving problems. Suddenly, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Davis, barged into the classroom, waving a stack of scratch paper. “Zoe, is this yours?” I nodded, confused. To my surprise, Mr. Davis hugged me. “You’re a genius, Zoe! An absolute genius!” “The principal always says I can’t teach beyond General Track students. But here I am, proving him wrong—teaching a future Stanford student!” Chloe froze in shock. “Mr. Davis, my sister’s scores improved, sure, but she’s still under 1000. How could she possibly get into Stanford?” Mr. Davis patted my shoulder proudly. “She’ll make it. Zoe is the smartest student I’ve ever taught.” Ethan muttered, “Is Mr. Davis losing it?” Mock exam results came out, and the school rankings were posted in the hallway. Chloe ranked 20th in the grade. I placed 98th. Chloe immediately seized the chance to mock me. “Wow, Zoe! You’ve improved so much—up to 98th! Stanford is just around the corner!” Laughter echoed through the halls. The grade director, who had been watching, muttered, “Zoe Miller could be ranked first in the grade.” Chloe’s face twisted in anger. “Zoe’s scores are pathetic. Why does everyone believe in her? There’s no way she can go from a 200-range to 1500+ in six months!” Leaning close, I whispered, “Want to know why everyone believes I can make it to Stanford?” I spread out my test papers and answer sheets in front of her. Chloe’s eyes widened as she scanned them. “This can’t be real!” “It’s impossible! You must have cheated! I’m reporting you!” My answer sheet was a masterpiece. I’d ignored all the simple, basic questions but solved every difficult one, using elegant shortcuts. Chloe had only answered half of the questions I had—and she’d gotten some wrong. Grabbing my papers, she stormed into the principal’s office, bursting in without knocking. “Principal Wilson, I’m here to report Zoe Miller from 11-B for cheating on the mock exam!” Inside, the principal sat with several teachers, analyzing my test papers. Seeing us, Dr. Wilson gestured for me to join them. “Perfect timing, Zoe. We were just discussing your results. Can you explain why you left all the easy questions blank but solved the hardest ones so well?” “I didn’t want to discourage my peers. If I went all out from the start, my scores would be too intimidating. I’ll save my best performance for the final mock and the SATs.” I glanced at Chloe, whose face darkened. Mr. Davis laughed. “Exactly as I thought! Zoe’s strategy is brilliant.” Dr. Wilson made an immediate decision. “Both Zoe and Chloe are being transferred to the Honors Track.” I refused the transfer—it didn’t matter where I studied. Chloe, however, declined for one reason: she needed to stay close to sabotage me. After school, Chloe gathered Ethan and some others to corner me. “Zoe, let’s do an all-nighter at Nexus tonight. I’ve got a big promotion match.” I agreed, leading them to five more wins before heading home. Just as I was leaving, a man, at least seven or eight years older than me, leaned over from behind and wrapped his arms around me. “Your moves are sloppy. Let me teach you.” The stink of body odor and cheap cologne made me gag as I slipped away. “Who the hell are you?” Chloe stepped forward. “Zoe, this is Ricky, the most powerful man around here. With him protecting you, no one would dare mess with you.” Ricky lit a cigarette, blowing smoke rings as if he were the star of some cheesy movie. “Zoe Miller, I like you. You’re my girlfriend now. Let’s go.” Chloe shoved my bag at me, grinning. “You’re so lucky, Zoe. I’ll cover for you with Mom and Dad.” Ricky reached for me, but I darted away. “Don’t touch me.” Ricky grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. “Quit playing hard to get. Your sister says you throw yourself at men all the time.” Ethan stepped between us, pulling me behind him. “I don’t care who you think you are, Ricky. Back off. Lay a finger on Zoe, and I’ll end you.” Ricky, furious at being challenged, lunged at Ethan, who held his ground.

The fight landed us all at the Midtown Police Precinct. Ethan sported a few bruises, but Ricky looked worse—his nose broken as he whined to the officers. When my parents arrived, they were livid. “You’re not only ruining yourself, Zoe, but dragging Chloe down with you. How many times do I have to tell you to stop being a bad influence?” My mom tried to slap me again, but an officer stopped her. “Mrs. Miller, please calm down. Things aren’t what they seem.” Before the officer could explain, Chloe burst into tears. “Mom, I’ve been trying so hard to help Zoe. She’s improved her scores recently, so I thought if I kept her away from gaming, she could do even better. I saw her at Nexus again tonight and tried to bring her home, but then she got involved with this guy, and things escalated.” “Maybe you should send her to a digital detox retreat. Once she’s better, she can take the SAT again and aim for Stanford!” My mom sighed heavily. “Maybe that’s the only way. Zoe used to be so bright, but gaming has ruined her. I’ll call the program tomorrow.” Ethan, head bandaged, rushed to defend me. “Mrs. Miller, Chloe’s lying! She’s the one who dragged Zoe to Nexus tonight. She even set Zoe up with Ricky, trying to force her into being his girlfriend. Zoe refused, and that’s why I stepped in!” Chloe’s face turned pale as she stammered, “Ethan, I know you like Zoe, but you don’t have to make up stories for her. Why would I ever associate with someone like Ricky?” “If Zoe’s such a saint, why does Ricky say she’s been hanging around him for ages?” My mom, without waiting to hear more, slapped me. “I’m so disappointed in you, Zoe. If you won’t focus on school, at least stop hanging out with these kinds of people. You’re going to the retreat tomorrow. And you’ll cut ties with Ricky.” Behind my mom, Chloe smirked triumphantly.

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On the packed Amtrak train home for Christmas, a spoiled kid was in my seat. He kicked my seatback and stole my food, while his mother pointed at me and sneered, “You’re an adult. Why are you arguing with a child?” Later, she doctored a clip of me, twisted the story, and sent her followers to cyberbully me— then demanded $300,000 in “emotional damages.” She thought I was just an easy target, an ordinary corporate drone. She didn’t know— the one thing I’m best at is sending people exactly where they belong. “Excuse me, this is my seat. Could you please have your child move?” Looking at the kid bouncing on my Amtrak coach seat, I triple-checked my ticket just to make sure I wasn’t in the wrong car. Work in Silicon Valley had been insane, and I hadn’t made it home for the holidays in three years. This year, I finally snagged a ticket after a last-minute cancellation, and I was all smiles, chatting with Mom and Dad on the phone before boarding. But that smile didn’t last ten minutes before it was wiped clean off my face. I glanced around, but no one seemed to claim the kid. “Hey! Who are you? What do you think you’re doing touching my kid?!” I was just about to guide the kid’s arm, but my hand froze mid-air. I looked at the woman sitting right behind my seat. Just a moment ago, when I’d asked around, she’d been loudly munching on chips without a care. Now, suddenly, she was a fiercely protective mama bear. The kid in the seat showed no sign of fear. Instead, his eyes darted around, fast and calculating. I’m not usually judgmental, but he didn’t look like an innocent child at all. His eyes screamed ‘trouble,’ like he was already plotting something. Being able to go home for Christmas had put me in a great mood. I just pointed at the kid’s mother, not wanting to argue any further. But she wasn’t having it. “What kind of girl are you? You look so young, yet you’re trying to hit my son!” “He’s just a kid, he doesn’t know any better! Besides, it’s not your seat, is it? When you take public transport, you can’t be so picky!” Hearing that, I sized her up. “Oh, so your son gets to act like that because he’s young? Sounds like he’s pretty wild and untamed.” It took her a moment to catch my meaning. She started flailing her arms, ready to grab me, just as the Amtrak conductor came by to check tickets. She huffed and grudgingly sat down, shooting me a dirty look. Someone glaring at me isn’t going to make me lose a piece of myself. Years of corporate life had forged in me an ironclad patience. My home is clear across the country from where I work. By plane, I could be home in two hours, but of course, with the holiday storm cancellations, I couldn’t get a flight. This train ride would take me an entire day to get home. I’d barely been seated for ten minutes when my seatback started vibrating like it had an angry massage chair built into it. Kick after kick, with a relentless rhythm. I gritted my teeth, turned around, and tried to talk to the woman. “Can you please control your child? He’s constantly kicking my seatback, can’t you see that?” The woman looked up, gave me a quick glance, then went back to filming her kid on her phone. “Aww, Jaxie’s such a good boy! So full of energy!” “It’s all thanks to the organic superfood blends Jaxie’s been taking! Otherwise, where would he get all that vitality?!” Cheered on by his mom’s praise, Jax kicked even harder. He was having a blast, but I was the one suffering. “Are you going to control him or not?! If you can’t, then don’t bring him out in public!” With that, I reached out and firmly grabbed the kid’s raised leg. That finally got his mom to stop pretending to be deaf.

“Honestly, I have to say, you young girls have zero tolerance these days, don’t you?” “Energetic kids are healthy kids. You just don’t understand a mother’s heart.” “And besides, he’s so small. What’s the big deal if he kicks a few times?” I looked at Jax, sitting on the seat, his neck stiff as he glared back at me. Calling him a little Michelin Man wouldn’t be an exaggeration. “You’re saying it’s no big deal if your little Michelin Man kicks a few times? Then why don’t you switch seats and let him kick your seatback?!” As soon as that came out, some people sitting nearby couldn’t hold back their laughter. Jax’s mom, hearing her pride and joy insulted, finally snapped. “You have such a vicious mouth for someone so young! This is called a solid, healthy build, don’t you know?!” Whether he had a ‘solid build’ or not, I didn’t care to explore. Right now, this whole family just seemed… off. Especially when I heard her next line: “He’s just a child, you’re an adult, don’t stoop to his level. It’s so undignified.” “If you can’t sit there, just move.” My fists clenched. I decided the most infuriating people in the world weren’t my bosses anymore; it was these two. With this mother-son duo behind me, no one wanted to switch to my seat. I pulled out $200 in cash. The person behind her went from unwilling to swiftly moving themselves and their luggage. Jax’s mom continued to record her precious Jax on her phone, the camera briefly sweeping past my face. This time, her words were clearly aimed at me. I adjusted my posture, then started kicking my own seatback hard, making her seat shake. Before I even got to the third kick, she couldn’t take it anymore. She put her hand on the seatback and stood up, looking at me. “Are you crazy?! Don’t you know there’s someone behind you?! What are you kicking for?!” I looked up at her, but my leg didn’t stop. “Oh, Ma’am, you look older than me. Why are you being so mean to me?” “Compared to you, I’m just a kid. Don’t argue with me.” After saying that, I extended my leg to her son’s seat as well, kicking both seatbacks rhythmically and forcefully. Soon, Jax’s cries filled the air. His mom, whose name I’d later learn was Brenda, had no time to scold me; she turned to comfort her precious Jax. The conductor heard the noise and came over. Seeing it was us two again, he frowned. After learning what happened, the conductor warned Brenda. With the warning, Brenda, however unwilling, quieted down with Jax in her arms.

Since the journey was long, I took out the instant noodles I’d prepared. When I came back from the snack car, I found the contents of my backpack scattered everywhere near my seat. Suppressing my anger, I scanned the area. The guy next to me subtly gestured for me to look ahead. Jax was holding a snack and eating it, while Brenda was still on her phone, documenting their wonderful life. My backpack was full of snacks, so I’d just placed it on the overhead rack. Who would have thought that while I was just getting hot water, someone would go through my bag? “You two went through my bag, didn’t you?” Jax shoved the small, freshly opened bag of gourmet popcorn in his hand into his mouth in two bites. I watched as he almost choked. Brenda blew up first: “What are you talking about?! Who would bother going through your bag?! Don’t you dare falsely accuse good people!” As she spoke, she kicked some trash on the floor further forward. I suddenly laughed out loud and leaned closer to her little Michelin Man. “Let me tell you a story, little boy.” “Once upon a time, there was a kid who always stole other people’s food. And one day, guess what happened?” Jax looked at me curiously. “That kid died! He died a horrible, horrible death. His stomach burst open, and his intestines spilled out everywhere!” WAAAH! Jax started screaming again, crying and clinging to Brenda. He kept yelling that he was going to die, and no matter how Brenda tried to soothe him, he wouldn’t calm down. When the conductor came for the third time, he had no smile on his face. I quickly sat back down. “She scared my child!” Meeting the conductor’s gaze, I picked up my bag. “I haven’t even called the Amtrak police yet. My bag was rummaged through, and all I did was tell her child a story.” Everyone around us was craning their necks to watch. We were both escorted to a quiet compartment to speak with the Amtrak police. Brenda immediately started yelling, accusing me loudly and demanding justice. “You’re just bullying a struggling single mom and her kid! She’s been targeting me since we got on the train! Now she’s slandering my child, saying he stole her things!” I raised an eyebrow. “When did I say your child took anything? Aren’t you confessing without being asked?” Jax still looked dazed, making me wonder if there was something actually wrong with the kid. Lost items on a train weren’t just a simple disagreement, so the officers took it more seriously. I rummaged through my backpack. “Some snacks are missing, and $500 cash is gone too.” “$500 is enough to press charges, isn’t it?” I looked at Brenda’s changing expression and gave a slight smile. “I’m not great with the law, so I’m not sure about the specifics, but I guess you won’t be celebrating Christmas.” The officers conferred for a moment and asked if I wanted to file a report. I pretended to think, looking at Brenda. “Well, it’s not out of the question. No one touched my bag besides me. I think checking for fingerprints would be straightforward.” “Wait a minute!” All of us turned our attention to Brenda. “Jax might have looked in your bag, but we didn’t see any money in there!” “My kid is just little, he saw you taking snacks out of your bag and wanted some! Who knew you’d be so stingy?!” “How much can one child even eat?” I looked at the officers. “Oh, I suddenly remembered, the cash was in my coat pocket. But I can still claim compensation for my snacks, right?” The officer nodded. Brenda, hearing it was just snack money, looked scornful. “It’s just a few snacks, why are you so picky? Give me your Venmo, I’ll send you $50, that should be more than enough!” “It’s $500 in total.” Brenda’s hand froze, then she roared, “Are you crazy?! He only took a few things! How is it $500?!” I pulled a receipt from my pocket. “They’re all imported, boutique snacks. Check for yourself. The retail value is $500, if not more. Otherwise, I’ll file the official report.” When I returned to my seat, Brenda looked like a deflated balloon. I looked at the fresh $500 transfer notification on my phone, secretly pleased. Although dealing with that mother and son was torturous, I considered it a profit. Those snacks were samples from my company’s overseas gourmet line. As an employee, I got them for free. The receipt, however, reflected the full retail price. The rest of the journey was smooth. Jax, perhaps tired from playing, quieted down and didn’t cause any more trouble. It was still eight hours until I got home, and my back and legs ached from sitting in the coach seat. Hearing that two roomettes had opened up, I quickly grabbed my luggage and went to find the conductor to upgrade. It wasn’t until I lay down on the narrow bed that I felt my back and legs come alive again. Even better, I was far away from those two.

The further north the train went, the more people got off. Eventually, I was the only one left in my roomette. I had been working overtime until late last night to get home, and my eyelids were already heavy. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I vaguely heard a commotion outside. I rolled over, not thinking much of it. With so many people on the train, arguments were bound to happen. After all, I had just had one myself. The commotion grew closer, and the voices became increasingly familiar. “Come on, Jaxie, stick with Mommy. Don’t mind them. She just got her skirt accidentally lifted, what a sensitive little thing.” The voices conveniently stopped right outside my roomette door. I slid the door open, and Brenda and I stared each other down. Seriously, why did this woman feel like a bad penny that just wouldn’t go away? My fancy organic cucumber snack was still on the small table nearby, and Jax reached out to grab it. “This cucumber is expensive, you know? From a specialty farmer’s market. Do you really want to eat it?” Jax’s outstretched hand was quickly slapped down by Brenda. “Don’t eat her stuff. It’s probably stale. Mommy will buy you something delicious when we get home.” “Some people just like to hoard their things like treasures, don’t they? Hope you don’t choke on it.” Listening to Brenda’s taunts, I picked up the cucumber and took a bite. “Some people might not have any manners, but they sure have a lot to say.” “I used to hear that you could tell if someone was lacking in the common sense department just by looking at them, and I never believed it. Today, I realize it’s true.” Brenda’s eyebrows shot up, and she opened her mouth, ready to unleash a torrent of curses. I narrowed my eyes. “This roomette has a door. That’s nice. If I lock it, nobody would know if someone had a little… accident, right?” She looked at our respective sizes, snorted, and then climbed onto her upper bunk with Jax. Even with my noise-canceling earbuds in, I could still hear Jax’s racket. I opened my eyes and, good heavens, he was wearing his shoes and stomping all over the bed again. The previously clean sheets and blanket were now covered in black footprints. When the conductor came in and saw the scene, I clearly saw him take a deep breath. I asked if I could switch roomettes. “I’m very sorry, ma’am, but this is the last available sleeper accommodation on the train right now.” Desperate times call for desperate measures. This time, when I left to use the restroom, I made sure to take my backpack with me. Jax was clamoring for instant noodles, and Brenda, with no other choice, had to buy a cup from the café car for her precious boy. After I’d happily taken care of business, I hadn’t even reached my compartment when I saw two people standing by the door, pointing and talking about something inside. An uneasy feeling crept up on me. As I walked in, I saw that little Michelin Man causing trouble again. My bunk was now covered in instant noodle soup. That little Michelin Man was reaching into the noodle cup, pulling out strands, and flinging them onto the wall. And to top it all off, my prized down jacket was on the bed.

Seeing me return, he darted away quickly, immediately throwing the noodle cup on the floor and scrambling up to the top bunk. I gritted my teeth and slammed the compartment door shut. Brenda was on the top bunk, headphones on, seemingly busy with something on her phone. I wasn’t sure if she couldn’t hear her child or just chose to ignore him. Either way, my loud door slam finally got her to move. “What’s your problem? Why are you slamming the door so hard?! What’s gotten into you now?!” I took a deep breath first. “Take a look at what your son did. You’re paying for this.” I held up my down jacket, stained with oily broth. “What does this have to do with me? Why should I pay? Didn’t I just give you $500? Are you out of your mind from being broke?!” I reached out and grabbed Jax’s ankle. With a forceful tug, he slid right off the ladder. This time, Brenda couldn’t stay put. She instantly sat upright and then jumped down from the upper bunk. “What are you doing hitting my child?! I’m telling you, if anything happens to him, I’ll sue you until you’re bankrupt!” I looked at her unreasonable, nagging demeanor and felt disgusted to my core. “Your son poured noodle soup all over my down jacket and my bed. I’m saying it again: pay for the damages.” Brenda snatched her son from my hands. “It’s not like he poured it on your bed at home. The staff will clean it.” “Besides, you can just take that jacket home and wash it, can’t you? Haven’t you ever spilled anything?!” “If you keep being so unreasonable, don’t blame me for getting nasty.” I picked up the noodle cup from the floor. “So, you’re saying that because he’s young, this kind of behavior is forgivable?” Then, before she could react, I flung the tepid instant noodle soup directly at both of them. Brenda’s face and hair were instantly covered, while Jax, being shorter, only got some on his clothes. A shrill shriek was about to erupt, but I swiftly crumpled the empty instant noodle cup and stuffed it into Brenda’s open mouth. She sounded like a duck whose neck was squeezed, her voice getting cut off. I then pushed Jax’s head down and, with one hand, grabbed a clump of noodles from the floor, stuffing them into his mouth. Perhaps out of fear, he opened his mouth wide to cry, which conveniently made it easier for me to stuff the noodles in. Brenda wiped her face and charged at me, trying to rescue Jax, but I smeared another handful of noodles onto her face. “AHHHH! You little b! Do you have a death wish?!” She lunged at me viciously, her hand flying up to slap me. Instinctively, I held Jax up between us. I heard a loud SMACK, and Jax’s cries became utterly uncontrollable. “Mommy hit me! Waaah! Mommy’s a bad person!!” I looked at Jax’s face and couldn’t help but marvel internally: even though Brenda looked small, she had quite a swing. Jax’s right cheek was now completely red and swelling. From crying, noodle bits were even spurting out of his nostrils. While Brenda was busy cradling and comforting Jax, I took both their winter coats from the hook and used them to wipe the worst of the mess on my bed and the floor. The Amtrak police, arriving with the conductor and seeing the chaotic mess in the roomette, gasped. The onlookers gathered at the door also had their eyes wide open. Brenda sat on the floor, holding Jax, and started wailing. I assessed the situation; it really looked like I was bullying them. This kind of “vulnerable” scenario was definitely not in my favor, so before the officers could even speak, I directly lay down on the floor.

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Three days before I died, I gave my company to my adopted brother. I handed my wife over to him. I made my daughter change what she called him— right in front of me, she called him “Dad.” Everyone was satisfied. It wasn’t until after I was dead that they finally realized— I had left them nothing at all. Cancer in its final stage. The only chemotherapy opportunity that could save my life was snatched away by Chloe for Ethan, who was in the early stages of cancer. I gave up on the doctor’s life-saving plan and swallowed a powerful pain-blocking drug. The price was organ failure and death after three days. During these three days, I gave up everything. When I handed over all my hard-earned assets to Ethan, my parents smiled with satisfaction. When Chloe presented the divorce papers and I signed them without hesitation, she sighed and said I was being sensible. When I pushed Sophia to call Ethan “Dad”, she excitedly said Dad was the best. Even when I transferred all my property and assets to Ethan, They didn’t notice anything unusual, They just looked at me with contentment and said, “Our little Adrian has finally learned his lesson.” But I’m also curious, after I die, will they remember me? Under the doctor’s pitying gaze, I swallowed the pain-blocking drug. I had three days left until my death.

After taking the medicine, I went to Ethan’s hospital room. Inside, Dad was peeling an orange for Ethan, while Mom was chatting with him. When they saw me enter, the smiles on my parents’ faces instantly turned cold. “What, done pretending to be sick and here to cause trouble for Ethan again? Adrian, I’m telling you, as long as we’re here, don’t even think about bullying Ethan!” Dad said to me, his tone icy. “Our family has always been strict with discipline. I don’t know where you learned to be so wicked, jealous of Ethan and even trying to steal his chemotherapy opportunity,” Mom scolded, pointing at me. “If I had known, I shouldn’t have given birth to you in the first place!” In a corner out of my parents’ sight, Ethan smiled at me, his eyes full of provocation. I lowered my gaze. I had heard these words from my parents countless times before. In the past, I would have argued with them and exposed Ethan’s fake persona in public, Even though my parents never believed a single word I said. But now I was tired, too exhausted to fight anymore. “Well, it’s good that you’re here. I have something to discuss with you,” Dad spoke up. I smiled faintly, “Dad, I have something to tell you too.” “Ethan wants my store business and company, right? I’ve thought it over. He can have it all!” Dad was stunned for a moment, and Mom looked at me with surprise. “How did you know I was going to talk to you about this today? You agree?” I forced a smile. No wonder they were surprised and kept confirming. Ethan had wanted my stores and company for a long time. My parents had said all kinds of things, good and bad, to try to get me to hand over my hard-earned business to Ethan, But I had never given in. Now, as a dying man, these things meant nothing to me anymore. Seeing my serious expression, Mom finally smiled with relief and stepped forward to pat my head. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” “Ethan has always been more excellent than you since school. Even though he’s sick now, his financial management skills are better than yours,” “We feel at ease letting him manage your stores and company,” I forced a smile and handed the transfer agreement to Ethan. After seeing Ethan sign it, my parents happily held my hands, calling me a good child over and over. A hint of mockery arose in my heart. How ironic. Only when I gave in to Ethan would Mom smile at me. But I was also curious, If Mom discovered Ethan’s true face and found out about my death afterwards, Would she and Dad regret it?

In the evening, I returned home. I saw my wife Chloe and daughter Sophia cooking in the kitchen. Perhaps because of my late-stage cancer, I closed the door quietly. The mother and daughter seemed not to hear me as they laughed while cooking. Chloe turned around with the dish and saw me. Her smile froze for a moment before returning to normal. “Adrian, when did you get back? I didn’t hear anything.” I silently looked at the dish in Chloe’s hand – stir-fried vegetables, Ethan’s favorite. Judging by its appearance, it looked as good as a professional chef’s work. It’s quite ironic. I was about to die, And only now did I learn that Chloe, who had lived with me for 5 years, could cook. In the past, she always complained about my cooking. Under Chloe’s “influence”, Sophia gradually started to look down on me too. I worked hard for this family, but in the end, I didn’t win any respect. If it were before, I might have started ranting hysterically, But now I just calmly walked past them and sat on the sofa, sorting through the things in my bag. Seeing my silence, Chloe hesitated for a moment. After putting the dish on the table, she came over. “Adrian, I have something I want to discuss with you today.” Chloe bit her lip somewhat unnaturally, hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up: “It’s about your brother Ethan.” My heart sank, and a not-so-good thought suddenly came to mind. The next second, Chloe’s words left me stunned: “After Ethan’s cancer chemotherapy surgery, he’s been very depressed. So your parents want me to marry Ethan, to cheer him up,” My ears were ringing. It took a long time before I found my voice again. “So, you agreed?” Chloe sighed, “Adrian, although Ethan isn’t your biological brother, he’s still family after your parents adopted him,” “Besides, it’s just to cheer him up. Once Ethan is discharged from the hospital, I’ll still be your wife, Sophia’s mom.” Before I could speak, Sophia chimed in: “That’s right, Dad. Uncle Ethan has been feeling really down lately. You should try to understand him!” I silently looked at the mother and daughter in front of me. This was the woman I had loved for years. This was the child I had raised with great effort. I asked myself, I had never done anything wrong. To my family, wife, and child, I had always been conscientious. In the end, what I got was their betrayal. But it doesn’t matter now. If Ethan wants everything, I’ll give it all to him. All of it, I don’t want any of it anymore. I looked up at Chloe, “Alright, I agree!” Chloe’s eyes flashed with surprise, “Really?” She quickly took out divorce papers from the drawer and put them on the table. I smiled bitterly. Chloe, oh Chloe, you can’t even hide your eagerness? I picked up the pen and quickly signed the papers. After signing, Chloe’s face was full of relief, her expression solemn and affectionate. “Adrian, after Ethan is discharged, we’ll remarry. Don’t worry, I’ll never let you down!” After saying this, Chloe also signed the divorce papers. After signing, She looked at me and sighed, “Adrian, you’ve become much more reasonable than before. I’ve made mistakes in the past too, I was wrong,” “After Ethan gets better, Sophia and I will come back to take care of you!” “That’s right, Dad!” Sophia also spoke up like a little adult, “Dad is so good to Uncle Ethan, I’m proud of you!” Looking at them, my heart turned to ashes. Before this, I had held onto a last glimmer of hope for Chloe and Sophia. But now… Forget it. Apart from death, I have no expectations left. I stood up, intending to go around them and return to my room to rest. A strong wave of dizziness hit me, and I couldn’t help but faint. In the moment before everything went black, I saw Chloe’s anxious face.

I was awakened by a chill. When I opened my eyes, I found myself still lying on the floor. Looking at Chloe and Sophia again, both mother and daughter were looking at me with disappointed expressions. “Mom, I told you, Dad was faking it again!” Sophia said. “Dad, can you stop being so childish? You’re really holding us up from visiting Uncle Ethan at the hospital!” Faking it? At this moment, Chloe also spoke with disappointment: “Adrian, can you stop making a scene?” “I’ve told you, even though we’re divorced, I still love you. You don’t need to use such childish tricks like pretending to faint to test me!” After hearing Chloe’s words, I finally understood. The pain-blocking drug I took could shield me from all illness and pain for these 3 days. During this time, I would look like a normal person, with complexion no different from others. But the side effects were severe. After 3 days, I would die from organ failure. It seems this drug is really effective. I struggled to stand up, “It might be low blood sugar, it’s nothing. I’ll go to the hospital with you.” “There are some transfer procedures that still need Ethan’s signature.” Chloe nodded. There was no surprise on her face. It seems my parents must have told her in advance. After arriving at the hospital, Ethan was watching TV in the ward. “Adrian, you’re here!” Ethan’s face was still very pale, But his spirits were clearly much better. However, I didn’t miss the smugness and arrogance in his eyes. “Adrian, thank you for trusting me and letting me manage your business. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, Adrian. Letting Ethan manage your stores and company is great. You can stay at home and enjoy the dividends every day!” Mom said with a smile. I took out the remaining paperwork from my bag. “In that case, let him manage all my assets too,” “This way I won’t have to worry about anything in the future.” Everyone in the ward was stunned. “Adrian, are you serious? You want to give all your assets to Ethan?” Chloe grabbed my arm, her eyes full of surprise. This time, it was my turn to be confused. In the past, they always sided with Ethan, giving him whatever he wanted. If I didn’t agree, they would scold me endlessly. How come now that I’m giving everything to Ethan, They don’t understand? Dad was the first to come to his senses, his eyes full of satisfaction, “This child has finally learned his lesson, he’s grown up! Our efforts in raising you weren’t in vain!” “Adrian, you’ve learned to accept your brother now, that’s a good thing!” “From now on, you two live well together, and we can rest easy even when we’re old!” Rest easy? Dad, Mom, you’ve been fooled by Ethan’s fake persona for too many years. Do you really believe Ethan will manage everything well for me? My head started spinning again, and my nose felt itchy. I touched it and realized it was a nosebleed. “Adrian, why are you having a nosebleed? The weather isn’t even dry lately?” Mom asked at this moment. My hand paused as I wiped the blood. I couldn’t help but look at them and speak: “Dad, Mom, if one day I really die from illness, would you regret it?” But Mom’s expression didn’t change at all, she just smiled and glanced at me, “Your complexion looks so good, how could you possibly die from illness? Stop saying such unlucky things!” “Yes, Ethan is different. When he gets better, we need to make sure he eats well to recover!” Dad said while looking at Ethan with concern. “I think so too!” Sophia chimed in, “Dad is very healthy, Uncle Ethan is the one we’re most worried about!” The last glimmer of hope in my heart disappeared completely. I have nothing left to look forward to… I looked down at Sophia and smiled, “Sophia, didn’t you always want your Uncle Ethan to be your real dad?” “I agree now. Ethan is your dad now, why don’t you call him Dad?” Sophia’s eyes lit up with joy, “Really?!” I smiled faintly, “After you call him Dad, you can always eat the food he cooks and have him accompany you from now on!” “This has always been your wish, are you happy?” Sophia jumped up excitedly, “That’s great! Dad is the best in the world! Thank you, Dad!” After saying this, Sophia let go of my hand and hugged Ethan. My parents and Chloe watched this scene with satisfaction. I turned to leave, looking back at them one last time. My parents were playing with Sophia together with Ethan, while Chloe stood by with a smile on her face. No one noticed me. I closed the door of the ward and left the hospital.

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At the engagement party, I called off the engagement. The reason? My boyfriend’s Instagram profile picture now had a Santa hat on it. Everyone thought it was unbelievable. “All because of a Santa hat?” I tapped to enlarge the picture and saw the watermark on the hat. My expression was cold. “Yes. All because of this Santa hat.” His mother screamed insults at me like a madwoman. “My son is a great catch! You’re the one losing out by not wanting him!” My dad forced me to apologize in front of everyone. “Look at the occasion! Is this really the time for your tantrums?” I ignored them and called my best friend. “Did you get the stuff? I’m calling off the engagement.” I handed my phone to my boyfriend, Ryan. “Change the Santa hat on your profile pic. Or photoshop an identical one onto mine, so we match.” Ryan didn’t even think about it. “Sienna, listen to me. That hat just doesn’t suit your picture.” I looked down at our Instagram profiles. Ryan and I had been together for almost ten years. My profile picture had always been a photo of us together. But his was just a professional headshot. He’d never even posted a single picture with me on his feed. He looked completely single. Ryan’s mom jabbed a furious finger at my phone screen, as if trying to break it. “Look! Ryan’s Instagram is all about his career. My son is hardworking and dedicated. And you? Throwing a fit over a Santa hat!” My dad’s face darkened, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Today is your engagement day. Drop the spoiled brat act. You’ll have a good life with Ryan from now on.” Ryan took my hand, looking at me with sincere apology in his eyes. “Sienna, is this because I’ve been working late so much lately? Did I make you feel neglected?” “I’m sorry, okay? Please forgive me. Everyone’s watching. Don’t make a scene.” The warmth from his hand made my mind go blank for a second. How long had it been since he last held my hand? When was the last time we even saw each other? Every time I asked to meet, he’d say he was working late. Then he’d send a photo of his office as ‘proof.’ “Sienna, I need to work hard. I need to be worthy of you.” If it weren’t for this scheduled engagement party, where his presence as the groom was mandatory, I probably wouldn’t have had the ‘privilege’ of seeing him at all. I gave a bitter laugh, pulled my hand away, and repeated myself. “I said it. Change the hat, or give me the same one. Your choice.” The guests around us murmured in confusion. “Living for a long time may see everything. A Santa hat on a profile picture is grounds for calling off an engagement?” “Maybe she got dumped around Christmas once and is triggered by anything festive?” “They’re each other’s first love. Been together almost ten years. Their relationship was always so good.” “Didn’t you hear Ryan say he’s been busy with work? He probably just neglected her feelings a bit. She’s throwing a tantrum.” “If she’s this difficult, they’re better off apart. Save him the misery later.” Each word was like a needle, pricking at our parents’ nerves. My dad pointed at my nose, his disappointment palpable. “Look what you’ve done! You’ve embarrassed us all!” Ignoring him, I quietly used my phone to cancel the orders for the car and the apartment down payment. My parents had paid the down payments for our future married life. But I didn’t need them anymore. Ryan’s mom gasped in horror and snatched my phone. “Sienna, are you trying to ruin us? Do you have no heart?” Ryan tried to calm his agitated mother, then turned red-rimmed eyes to me. “Sienna, it’s just a Santa hat. What’s the big deal?” I snorted. “Right. Just a Santa hat. So why can’t you just change it to make me happy?” “If you can’t even do that, what’s the point of marrying you?” My words seemed to stun him. It took him a moment to bow his head in a show of weakness. “Sienna, I’m sorry I upset you. I promise, after we’re married, you’ll be the boss. Okay?” This stalemate felt pointless. I called Willa again. “Did you get it? I can’t wait any longer.”

Willa sighed. “Stuck in traffic. Won’t be back for a while. What’s happening on your end?” I told her the truth. “I told him to change his profile picture or photoshop the same hat for me. He refuses.” Willa hung up without another word. Less than two minutes later, she sent me a picture. It was a photo of me, with an identical Santa hat photoshopped onto my head. Willa sounded furious over text. That bastard. He couldn’t spare two minutes. He’s definitely hiding something. I forwarded the picture to Ryan. “Willa managed to do this from the back of a cab. And you? You can’t even do this one small thing for me.” His mother glanced at my new profile picture and urged impatiently. “There. Picture’s changed. Can we get on with the engagement now?” Then she muttered under her breath, “Such a fuss over nothing. Spoiling her rotten.” My mom pulled my hand, urging me to apologize. “Look at this mess. Thank goodness Ryan is a good man and isn’t making a big deal.” “A woman doesn’t have many ten years to waste. Just take the win and move on.” I felt a pang of irony. Right. A woman doesn’t have many ten years. So should I spend them with a man who won’t even give me two minutes? Before I could reply, Ryan refused, looking horrified. “You can’t use that Santa hat from my picture!” My gaze sharpened, my tone turning brittle. “Why not?” Ryan’s eyes darted around. He stammered. “That hat… a colleague drew it for me. It’s her original design. If you use it, you might get sued for copyright infringement.” The crowd seemed to understand. “Must be a female colleague. Sienna’s jealous.” “But why be jealous over a hat? It’s almost Christmas, lots of young people put Santa hats on their pics.” “If a female colleague drew it, I get the jealousy. But calling off the engagement is too much. Sienna’s just being a spoiled, dramatic brat.” Ryan huffed and puffed, then sent me a new picture. “Here. I put a Santa hat on your picture too. Are you happy now?” I opened the image and zoomed in. It was clearly a cheap stock image he’d found online, slapped onto my carefully taken portrait. The hat looked tacky, making my lovely photo look garish and awful. My mom tried to smooth things over. “Alright, alright. The picture’s changed, problem solved. Let’s continue the engagement.” I looked up sharply, not backing down. “No. I want to call it off.” Just then, Willa called. “Babe! I got it! And guess what? None of the data was lost!” “Wait for me. I’m gonna slap that cheater’s face with the truth!”

Ryan’s mother finally snapped. She grabbed the collar of my dress. “Sienna! Enough is enough!” “You wanted the picture changed, now it’s changed, and you still want out? You think your family’s money makes you special? My son is an executive, lots of girls like him. He doesn’t need you!” I couldn’t help but let out a derisive laugh. An executive? Only because my parents had pulled strings behind the scenes to push him up the ladder. My attitude angered my dad. He gripped my shoulders hard, forcing me to bend over. “All these relatives and friends came today for your engagement, and you keep throwing a childish tantrum.” “Apologize to everyone. Now.” Ryan was quick to pull my dad’s hands away, speaking up for me anxiously. “Mr. Sterling, please don’t. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have used that picture and upset Sienna. Don’t blame her.” Ryan gently rubbed my sore shoulders, his eyes overflowing with a tenderness so thick it was almost tangible. “Sienna, does it hurt? I’m so sorry I made you jealous. I can explain.” The guests were visibly moved by Ryan’s actions. “Oh, Sienna hit the jackpot with a guy like Ryan. What more could she want?” “Some people just don’t know when they’re well off. Maybe Sienna’s just testing how much he loves her by making a scene. Poor Ryan has to put up with so much.” A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Ryan’s lips. He showed me his phone’s chat screen. “Sienna, my colleague just likes to draw. For Christmas, she drew Santa hats for a few colleagues’ profile pictures. Mine included.” “She works in the same company. I see her every day. I couldn’t really refuse. It’s just a holiday trend.” Ryan’s mother shrilled at me. “Open your eyes and see! Ryan is popular with women. But he’d never do anything to hurt you. Stop trying to smear his name!” It was true. Ryan’s chat log with the person was perfectly normal. He had her saved as [Marketing – Chloe], and the conversations were all about work. Her profile picture was a selfie of a young, lively-looking girl with a similar Santa hat photoshopped on. Nothing unusual. The most recent messages showed Chloe sending Ryan a picture. [Wearing a Santa hat at Christmas brings good luck!] Ryan’s reply was perfectly proper, just two words. [Thanks.] It was so polite, so normal, it made me look like a paranoid, jealous mess. The parents at the main table saw the chat. My dad glared at me. “The misunderstanding about the picture is cleared up. Can we proceed now?” My reply was ironclad. “No. I want to call off the engagement.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, my dad’s palm connected with my cheek. His eyes were bloodshot, as if I were his enemy, not his daughter. “Sienna! Have we spoiled you so much that you have to throw a fit now, of all times?” “What other reason could you possibly have? You’d better explain yourself.” My mom looked like she was about to cry, pulling on my hand, pleading. “Sienna, please stop. Everyone can see how good Ryan is to you. What else could you possibly be unhappy about?” I pressed a hand to my burning cheek. My heart felt like a cold, dead stone. “I don’t love him anymore. That’s my reason. Is that good enough?” That made my dad even angrier. Without another word, he kicked me hard in the shin. If I hadn’t grabbed a chair, the pain would have sent me to my knees. There was something murderous in his eyes. “Listen to yourself! Ryan is a good man. He’s taken care of you meticulously for ten years.” “Even someone as hard-hearted as me was moved. We bought you a car, put a down payment on an apartment, all so you could marry him and have a good life.” “And you want to call it off because you ‘don’t love him’? I’ll beat some sense into you!” My dad raised his foot to kick me again. Ryan instinctively moved to shield me. “Mr. Sterling, please! It’s my fault. Don’t take it out on Sienna.” He lowered his voice, pleading with me. “Sienna, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.” “If you don’t like my picture, I’ll change it. If you’re upset I work late, I’ll take time off to be with you. Anything you want. Just… not calling off the engagement. We need to be together.” The guests murmured sympathetically. “Love? Who cares about love? Maybe Sienna’s found someone else and is using this as an excuse.” “Ryan is so devoted. Even after all this, he’s still protecting her.” All I felt was a wave of disgust at Ryan’s scent. I pushed him away. “Get off me. Don’t touch me.” Ryan finally broke. He looked like a child whose toy had been snatched, his voice choked with tears. “Sienna… do you hate me that much? Is it true, like they say? Is there someone else?” My dad shoved the shielding Ryan aside and roared. “Ryan, move! I don’t care if there’s another man! If she won’t go through with this engagement, I’ll beat her until she agrees!”

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I spent three years undercover by Julian Thorne’s side, the son of a notorious crime boss, only to personally send him to prison. At the arrest scene, his eyes were bloodshot, fixed on my swollen belly. “What a brilliant strategy. Using our child to trap me.” “Since you love justice so much, then this child, tainted by a criminal’s blood, shouldn’t exist either.” He snatched a gun and, in front of every SWAT officer, shot me through the abdomen. That single shot severed every tie between us. After the false news of my death in the line of duty spread, Julian went completely insane in prison. When we met again, he was a condemned man awaiting execution, and I was the agent assigned to interrogate him. He stared at me, whole and unharmed, his laugh a broken, twisted sound, far more agonizing than a cry. “Serena, you made me suffer hell with your lies.” Three months after Julian’s arrest, the police interrogation hit a dead end. As the notorious kingpin of a massive crime syndicate that had wreaked havoc across the continent, he held the decryption key to a dark web trading chain worth billions. As long as he remained silent, that dirty money and the powerful figures protecting him would never be uncovered. The task fell to me. Because I was Julian’s only weakness, and the very person who pushed him into this hell. When I stood outside the interrogation room’s one-way glass, clutching a file, the sight within stole my breath. The once untouchable Julian, the powerful scion of a ruthless empire, who used to command the city with a whisper, always impeccably dressed in custom suits, now wore a rough prison uniform, his hands and feet bound by heavy shackles. He was skeletal, a ghost of his former self. His cheekbones jutted sharply, eyes sunken deep, and his jaw was covered in dark stubble. He slumped lifelessly in the metal chair, his hollow gaze fixed on a stain on the ceiling, like a walking corpse utterly devoid of soul. The guard told me that when Julian first arrived, he’d gone completely wild. He refused to eat, refused to sleep. Every night, he’d ram the walls like a wild animal, roaring a single name. “Serena.” That was my undercover name, Serena Reed. And he, the man who hated me most in this world, also loved me more than anyone. Later, the guard lied, telling him Serena was dead, her body cremated. Only then did Julian quiet down. From that day on, he became a mute, like a dead man. No matter how much they interrogated him, he gave no reaction. “Officer Reed, he’s completely unyielding. Are you sure about this?” Officer Mike asked, his voice laced with worry. I instinctively touched my flat stomach, where a grotesque bullet wound scar snaked across. Though long healed, it still ached faintly on rainy days. A chilling reminder of how utterly ruthless he was when he pulled that trigger. “Open it.” I adjusted the collar of my police uniform and pushed the door open. The heavy clang of the iron door didn’t get Julian’s attention. Not until I pulled out the chair opposite him and slammed a stainless-steel cup onto the table. The sharp clang echoed in the claustrophobic room. Julian finally stirred. Like a rusted machine, he slowly turned his neck, his gaze inching up from the floor. It landed on my police boots, then my trousers, finally settling on my bare, makeup-free face. In that instant. I heard the violent clatter of chains. The man, previously so lifeless, shot up from the chair like a corpse suddenly reanimated, slamming against the interrogation table’s barrier, ignoring the restraints of his handcuffs. “A ghost…” His hoarse, broken voice was laced with extreme terror and trembling. “Serena?” He stared at me, his eyes wide and bloodshot, seeming ready to burst from their sockets, a chaotic mix of emotions swirling within: Shock, wild joy, disbelief, and… an ocean of hatred. I sat down expressionlessly, opened my interrogation notebook, and spoke in a cold, professional tone: “Julian, I am Officer Serena Reed, assigned to your case.” “Now, let’s talk about that decryption key.” Julian froze as if struck by lightning, my voice calm to the point of being chilling. He reached out a trembling hand, wanting to touch my face, but the iron bars between us cruelly blocked him. “Not dead…” He mumbled to himself, then let out a choked, guttural cackle, as if he’d heard the funniest joke. The laughter grew louder, more frantic, eerily piercing in the confined room. Tears streamed from his dry eyes, carving paths down his stubbled cheeks. “Not dead… You’re actually not dead!” “Serena! You’re actually alive!” He violently head-butted the iron bars, a loud bang resounding. Blood immediately welled from his forehead. “You lied to me! All of you lied to me!” “I thought I was suffering in hell, paying for my sins, all for you! And you? You were just watching me, laughing from the sidelines!” I watched him lose control. Three years ago, when I first went undercover, if I merely scalded my finger with hot water, his eyes would well up with genuine pain. Now, here he was, head gushing blood right in front of me, and all I wanted was for him to confess. “Julian, calm down.” I looked at him coldly. “My being alive… does that disappoint you?” Julian’s laughter instantly ceased. He fixed me with a dark, menacing stare, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. “Disappointed? No, Serena, why would I be disappointed?” “I was just thinking, since you’re not dead…” His gaze slowly dropped, falling to my flat stomach, and his eyes instantly filled with a bloodthirsty frenzy. “What about that abomination?” “That child, tainted by my criminal blood… is it dead?”

The air in the interrogation room seemed to freeze. My fingers tightened around the pen, knuckles white. That child. The one he’d personally snuffed out before it even had a chance to breathe, amidst a storm of bullets. I took a deep breath, meeting his challenging gaze, and forced a sarcastic smile. “Mr. Thorne, have you forgotten? You were the one who pulled the trigger.” “At the warehouse, in plain sight.” “Do you truly believe an unborn child could survive a Desert Eagle at point-blank range?” Julian’s pupils constricted violently. His facial muscles began to twitch uncontrollably. The veins on his hands, gripping the bars, bulged ominously, and blood seeped from beneath his fingernails from the sheer force. “Dead… Good, good riddance!” He gritted his teeth, as if chewing on someone’s bones. “Good riddance! That… thing never should have existed!” “Serena, you’re really something.” “To trap me, you even used your pregnancy as leverage.” “Watching me suffer hell over that bastard’s death, watching me grovel like a dog in this cell, repenting for you – did that give you some kind of sick satisfaction?” He spoke the most venomous words, yet he was trembling. I knew him too well. He was lying. He was using this extreme tactic to mask his inner collapse. Back in his empire, he’d genuinely looked forward to that child’s arrival. He would whisper stories to my belly late at night, pore over dictionaries for names, and even decorated the nursery himself. But now, he could only call the life he once cherished above all else an “abomination.” Because only then could he clutch onto his last shred of pitiful dignity in the face of this brutal truth. “Julian, enough with the reminiscing.” I didn’t want to dwell on the past with him. I tapped the table. “Where is the key?” The frenzy on Julian’s face gradually faded, replaced by a chilling stillness. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, adopting a posture of refusal to communicate. “You want the key? Fine.” He spoke nonchalantly. “Beg me.” I frowned. “Do you really think you’re in a position to bargain right now?” “I’m about to die. What position do I have to lose?” Julian sneered, opening his eyes, his gaze lightly scanning my body. “Serena, you know me. I respond to kindness, not force.” “Back when you were chasing intel, you weren’t afraid to go all out, were you?” “Why put on that uniform and suddenly become so high and mighty?” He leaned forward, lowering his voice, his tone intimate and crude. “Just like before, call me ‘Jules,’ sweet-talk me until I’m happy, and maybe I’ll tell you.” I fought the urge to throw the file in his face. I knew he was doing it on purpose. He was trying to provoke me, to humiliate me, to reclaim the control he’d lost. “Julian, you’re disgusting.” I spat the words out coldly. Julian’s smile faltered, then he laughed even harder. “Yeah, I’m a worm in the mud. You’re the one who decided to get involved.” “Officer Reed, if you find me so disgusting, then get out.” “Don’t expect to pry a single word from me.” With that, he clamped his mouth shut. No matter how much I pressed, it was like shouting into the void. The first interrogation ended fruitlessly. By the time I walked out of the interrogation room, my back was soaked with sweat. Though I’d appeared calm and composed in there, I knew facing Julian was never easy. Three years, living side-by-side, caught in that tangled web of genuine and fabricated emotions… it was like a festering wound. Even after I cut it out, the scars remained, deep and undeniable. Back in my office, Captain Miller walked over, handing me a mug of hot water. “Didn’t get anything?” I nodded. “His psychological defenses are impenetrable, and he’s completely given up on life. He’s a dead end.” Captain Miller sighed. “He’s a tough nut to crack. Command gave us a deadline: we need that key within two weeks, or the dark web data will reset, and all our leads will vanish.” “I know. I’ll find a way.” I rubbed my throbbing temples. Over the next few days, I interrogated Julian daily. But he seemed determined to outlast me, offering only sarcastic remarks or silently meditating. Until the fifth day. I changed my strategy. Since force wouldn’t work, I decided to hit him where it hurt: his heart. I specifically wore an off-white dress – the same one I’d worn the first time we met. When I entered the interrogation room, Julian’s gaze flickered noticeably. But he quickly masked it, scoffing, “Are you trying to play dress-up, Officer Reed? Too bad. Wearing that dress now just makes you look even more hypocritical.” I ignored his taunts and took a thermos from my bag, placing it on the table. Opening the lid, the rich aroma of hearty chicken and rice soup filled the air. Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed instinctively. It was his favorite. Back then, whenever he’d overdo it at his lavish business dinners and upset his stomach, I’d make this soup for him. “The cafeteria food not to your liking?” I ladled a bowl and pushed it towards the bars. “Have some.” Julian stared at the bowl for a long time, his eyes unreadable. Just when I thought he’d refuse, he suddenly reached out, grabbed the bowl, and tipped it back, draining it in one go. Finished, he slammed the bowl onto the floor. Fragments scattered. “Serena, you think a bowl of soup will buy me?” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes vicious. “Have you forgotten who put that hole in your stomach?” “Aren’t you afraid I might have poisoned the soup?” I asked calmly. “Poison?” Julian suddenly laughed, tears streaming down his face. “Serena, you underestimate me.” “Dying by your hand… that’s a better end than those cold, brutal interrogations.” With that, he suddenly reached through the bars and grabbed my wrist. His grip was astonishingly strong, and the iron shackles clanged harshly against the bars. “Julian! Let go!” The nearby guard immediately rushed forward to intervene. But Julian clung to me fiercely, his eyes bloodshot, his voice a hoarse whisper, dripping with raw emotion. “Serena, I just have one question.” “These three years… did you feel anything for me, even for a second?” “Even one second, was it real?” His nails dug agonizingly into my flesh, as if a single ‘yes’ from me would give him permission to die right then and there. I looked at his desperate, pleading eyes, and a sharp, icy pang shot through my heart. But I knew I was a police officer, and he was a criminal. Any wavering would be a desecration of the badge. “No.” I met his gaze, speaking each word distinctly. “From the very beginning, I approached you only to catch you.” “Every single minute, every second, was an act.” “Julian, I never loved you. Not once.” The light in his eyes, a flicker that had momentarily returned, was snuffed out completely. He seemed to lose his very spine, slumping back, his grip loosening. “Good… Good, ‘not once’ you say.” He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling violently, letting out a series of choked, mournful sounds. “Serena, you are truly cruel.” “In that case, don’t blame me for what comes next.” He suddenly lifted his head, a twisted smile appearing on his face. “You want the key, do you?” “Unless… you let me see that scar.” “I want to see with my own eyes what that bullet, fired by me, truly did to you.”

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Before the wedding, Julian’s adopted sister, Sera, burst into the venue, her clothes disheveled and torn. She claimed my half-paralyzed father had assaulted her. Julian insisted we finish the wedding, promising to uncover the truth. But six months into our marriage, my father was castrated. My six-month-old baby, during a routine prenatal check-up, was tragically lost due to what they called an intern’s misdiagnosis. I was heartbroken, utterly devastated, and wanted to end my life. But Julian stayed by my side, encouraging me to pick myself up. I thought he genuinely loved me and I started to recover. Until I got pregnant again, and accidentally overheard his conversation with a doctor. “You knew your father-in-law was innocent, yet you still wanted revenge? And you forced your wife to miscarry twice?” His eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse. “But Audrey is already suffering from trauma-induced depression. If I don’t keep her happy, she’ll kill herself!” In that moment, my face went utterly ashen. All my suffering, all my torment, had been nothing but a cruel charade to appease Sera.

In the operating room, after the doctor’s cold declaration of death, I completely lost consciousness. The image of my baby’s blue-purple face haunted my mind. In my dream, a two-year-old boy looked at me with deep hurt. “This is my second time. Why do you and Daddy not want me again? I hate you both, I don’t want you anymore!” I screamed desperately, running towards him, wanting to tell him I did want him. But my feet felt as if they were tightly bound, unable to move. Watching his figure gradually disappear, I cried uncontrollably. “Don’t leave me, don’t leave Mommy!” I jolted awake, a tearing pain erupting from my fresh incision. My cold hand was tightly clasped. Opening my eyes, I saw Julian’s bloodshot gaze. “Don’t cry. We’ll have other children.” He’d said the same thing last time, when our first baby died on the operating table. But then he turned around and tricked me onto the operating table with a fake medical report, claiming the baby had a nuchal cord. The truth, blurted out while they administered anesthesia, felt like a dagger ripping my heart to pieces, again and again. I slapped him across the face. “Why did you do this to me! What did I ever do to deserve this? That was your own child!” His expression froze. Just as he was about to speak, the door burst open. Sera, sobbing uncontrollably, her face streaked with tears, knelt before me. “I’m so sorry, Audrey. Even though you weren’t cooperating, it’s still my fault we couldn’t save this baby!” The cutting pain on the operating table was still vivid in my memory. It was her. After the oxytocin started working, she gave me a muscle relaxant injection. The baby couldn’t be delivered naturally, and its heartbeat slowly weakened. Then she swapped my epidural for a sedative during the emergency C-section. After two hours of agony, they finally took out the baby that was already stillborn. My eyes bloodshot, I grabbed the blanket from the nightstand and threw it at her. “You deliberately delayed! You intentionally wanted to kill him!” She clutched a shard of glass to her wrist, her eyes growing resentful. “Yes, I deserve to die! I’ll go die right now, I’ll go pay for my nephew’s life!” Julian instantly rushed over, snatching the glass shard from her hand. “It’s not your fault! This baby was unlucky, it was his grandfather who did too many bad things. It has nothing to do with you!” Before, hearing that, I would have been consumed by guilt and self-blame. But now, I just found it laughable. How could they so shamelessly twist the truth? Julian glared at me fiercely. “You clearly weren’t cooperating with the delivery! Are you trying to push my sister to her death?” He dragged me into the Hayes family living room, forcing me to kneel on the shattered glass from earlier. “Harming our baby, framing my sister, assaulting me right here, and showing no remorse. You’ll kneel here and reflect properly!”

The sharp shards pierced my flesh, and blood immediately flowed. I remember when he knelt right here, suffering a humiliation to prove his love for me, just to marry me. It was all a lie. Just beyond the wall, he was softly comforting Sera. I endured the pain, slowly picking myself up, and stood at the doorway. “Let’s get a divorce, Julian.” The voices inside the room fell silent. Julian walked out, looking at me, utterly broken. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. He sighed, a mix of helplessness and irritation. “Audrey, you know Sera has depression. Why can’t you try to understand me?” “I know you’ve suffered a lot today, and being punished to kneel was unfair, but it was just for show. Sera is your sister,too For her, can’t you just play along, endure a little hardship?” Looking at this man who only knew how to morally blackmail me, my heart was a tangled mess of hatred and coldness. Since the last miscarriage, I had been battling postpartum depression and anxiety. Whenever he saw me in agony, he would blame himself, slap his own face, and stay up all night with me. He said he would protect me, protect our children, even fearing the slightest bump or bruise. But now, with his adopted sister’s revenge plan successful, he could look at my bruised body without a single flicker of emotion. I let out a cold laugh. “Right, her life matters, but mine doesn’t.” “Julian, Sera is so precious! Anyone would think she was your wife.” His pupils trembled. “I didn’t realize your heart was so filthy!” He slapped me across the face. A burning pain flared on my cheek. I lost my balance and stumbled to the ground. This was the first time he had ever laid a hand on me in all our years of marriage. But what about me? Right after we got married, he leaked my private videos across the internet. Now, anyone who mentions me calls me a notorious slut. At its worst, everywhere I went, men would try to take advantage of me. When I exposed them, they flipped the script and accused me of seducing them. I was publicly shamed and physically assaulted by furious strangers who believed the lies, my clothes ripped off on the street. My compromising photos were plastered everywhere, even on flyers. For an entire year, I was afraid to leave the house. Tears silently streamed down my face. Julian panicked. His eyes red, he shakily crouched in front of me. “I’m sorry, Audrey, I… I didn’t mean it. I was just so afraid you’d misunderstand and leave me.” Just as he tried to help me up, a heavy thud echoed from the room. Followed by Sera’s painful cry. He immediately let go of my hand and rushed inside. Julian came out, carrying her. As he passed me, he only spared me a fleeting glance. “Sera fell and hurt herself. I’m taking her to the hospital. You’ll be home alone tonight, be careful. Don’t bring up sensitive topics again, she’ll blame herself!” With that, he hurried past, bumping into me. Another searing pain. I wiped away my tears, using the wall to slowly pull myself into the bedroom. I immediately called my lawyer to draft divorce papers. The pain kept me awake all night. Close to dawn, a sliver of sleepiness finally set in. Just as I managed to drift off, a bucket of cold water was splashed all over me. I opened my eyes to Julian’s furious glare. He gripped my neck tightly. “Was it you! Was it you who spread the news that Sera deliberately didn’t use anesthesia for your surgery and intentionally caused the baby’s death?” “Do you have any idea that your reckless slander will ruin her? The entire internet is demanding her professional license be revoked! That she be fired!” The suffocating grip made me struggle uncontrollably. “I… I didn’t!” “Still denying it! You only lost a child! But she now only has her career, that one belief keeping her alive, and you want to destroy it! Do you really want her dead?” Blood continuously welled from my wounds with every violent struggle. Hearing him say “only lost a child,” my heart convulsed. When we were intimate, he would whisper over and over about wanting a home with me, wanting a daughter or son as lovely as me. Turns out, nothing compared to his adopted sister.

For a moment, I even wished I would die right then, to join my mother, to join my children. But no. Julian released his grip, his eyes dark and sinister as he stared at me. “Now, get dressed and record a clarification video for me. Tell everyone that you were jealous of her, that you slandered her, that you wanted to destroy her!” “Otherwise, I will make your father in the ICU pay the price for you at any moment!” I trembled all over. I looked at him, disbelieving. Once, when he was in business, a rival tried to provoke him, claiming I was a jinx and had betrayed him. He not only didn’t believe it, he beat the man unconscious and sent him to the hospital. He pointed at his rival, saying anyone in the world might betray him, but I never would. He said then that he would trust me unconditionally for life. And now, I was lying at home, unable to move, yet he was pinning this blame on me. My eyes turned red, glaring at him fiercely. “I told you I didn’t.” He looked at me coldly, pulled out his phone, and showed me the surveillance feed. On the screen, my father’s life support ventilator was unplugged, and he thrashed like a fish on the verge of suffocating. Watching the plummeting numbers on the monitor, tears uncontrollably streamed down my face. I trembled as I looked at him. “Julian, you know my father is innocent…” But before I could finish, his phone rang. In the video, Sera stood by a window, looking utterly despairing. Medical staff surrounded her, trying to calm her. “I’m so sorry, Julian. It was my mistake that the baby was lost, and it’s caused you and Audrey to consider divorce. Audrey isn’t wrong to want revenge on me.” As she spoke, she lifted one leg over the windowsill. “Audrey, I don’t resent anything you’ve done. I just hope my death can bring you and Julian a stable and happy life together!” Julian screamed, almost breaking down. “No, no! I promise I’ll make her apologize and clarify immediately! Please don’t do anything foolish!” He hung up, found a clean dress in the closet, and roughly tore off my blood-stained clothes. The cotton nightgown, soaked with blood, had dried on my wounds. He yanked it hard, and the barely clotted blood surged out again. Seeing my agonizing struggles, he only paused for a moment, then grabbed a roll of tape from a drawer and haphazardly stuck it over all my bleeding wounds, with some tissue paper underneath. Looking at this Julian, who used to fret over my slightest untreated cut getting infected, and frantically learned how to clean, disinfect, and bandage wounds… The last warmth in my heart completely drained away with the loss of blood, leaving only an icy coldness. He picked me up bridal style. “First, go apologize to Sera, then record the clarification video.” “What if I don’t?” He paused. “Then you’ll watch your dad be killed because of you.” I laughed, tears falling. “Yes, if I hadn’t married you, my mom, my two children, and my dad wouldn’t be like this. I hurt them, you’re right.” “The biggest regret of my life is marrying you. If I’d known you loved your sister this much, I never should have!” “Don’t worry. If my dad dies, I won’t live alone. Five lives from my family for your sister’s happiness—is that enough?” Julian’s eyes were filled with shock. But ultimately, nothing could deter him from sacrificing everything for his sister. In the hospital room, he pressed me down, forcing me to my knees. As he demanded, I had to show no hint of coercion, only genuine sincerity, as I bowed my head three times. “I’m sorry, Dr. Thompson, I slandered you. I deliberately smothered the baby and framed you for it, and I was intolerant to the anesthetic but intentionally didn’t tell you.” “It’s all my fault, please forgive me, I’ll never dare to do it again.” She stood on the windowsill, unmoving. Julian pressed my head down, forcing me to keep bowing until the blood from my forehead blurred my vision. Finally, Sera said, “It’s okay.” Julian sighed in relief, violently letting go of my hair. With a thud, I collapsed to the floor. He carried her down from the window and told the doctors who were recording the apology video to stop. After a long moment, he looked down at me. “Learn from your mistakes. Don’t ever do it again.”

I pushed myself with my last ounce of strength, rushing like a madwoman to the ICU. But when I finally reached the door, I saw my father being wheeled out, covered by a white sheet. I stumbled and fell. “No, Dad, wake up, don’t scare me!” The doctor beside me looked at me with scorn. “Neither the daughter nor the father is a good person. If it weren’t for Mr. Hayes being reasonable, Dr. Thompson would have been completely destroyed.” In an instant, I was surrounded by righteous people criticizing me and my father. “Well, well, if it isn’t that tramp again? Lost another baby, huh? Did some guy knock it out of you? Your videos are still hot, I’ve watched them for three years and never get tired. When can I get a taste, huh?” “This shameless bitch, are you really still hooking up with her? Aren’t you afraid of catching something? I wouldn’t touch her even if she paid me.” “Bitch, how dare you slander Dr. Thompson!” “Serves you right, your dad deserved to die! You deserve to die too!” With that, several patients and their families started throwing instant noodles, herbal soup, leftover food, and trash at me. I trembled, covering my father’s ears. “Don’t listen, Dad, they’re all lying.” The voices around me grew louder, more chaotic. So loud that I could no longer hear my father’s breathing. I desperately slapped him, but he would never again open his eyes and say, “Just kidding, I’m perfectly fine.” The curses from the crowd accompanied me as I pushed my father’s body to the hospital entrance. Gusts of cold wind made me unsteady on my feet. My clothes and hair, covered in filth, quickly froze. Suddenly, Julian’s voice came from behind me. He ran over and draped his jacket over me. “What happened? How did you get yourself like this?” People around us whispered. “Mr. Hayes, she’s rotten to the core, she’s not worth your genuine affection. If you ask me, you should divorce her.” “That’s right, a manipulative, shameless, and cruel woman like her doesn’t deserve you!” Julian shot a deadly glare around. Everyone immediately shut up and dispersed. His gaze finally landed on the gurney in front of me. “What’s this? Who are you pushing?” My eyes were hollow as I stared at him. “My dad.” His eyebrows twitched, his eyes filled with horror and panic. But just as he reached out, Sera’s startled cry suddenly came from behind him. She clutched her chest. “I accidentally bumped myself when I was climbing out the window just now. It hurts so much.” Julian picked up Sera bridal style, and his eyes instantly turned sharp as he looked at me. “Know when to quit, stop acting out! You just had surgery yesterday, go home and get some rest!” He walked away from me, carrying her. The funeral home car, mysteriously, never showed up, and no taxi on the road would give me a ride. I pushed my father’s body through the freezing snow for two hours until I reached the funeral home. Two hours later, my father’s once mighty body turned into a handful of ashes, placed in a cold urn. Soon, on my phone, the online channel of the taxi, and on all the big screens in the shopping malls, the video of me kneeling there to apologize to Sera was playing in a loop. Suddenly, a message popped up on my phone. It was from Julian. [Didn’t I tell you to go home? Where are you? I’m warning you, don’t try any more meaningless stunts. Think about your father, think about those videos from three years ago. I can suppress it, and I can also make it resurface.] [As for the apology video playing outside, it’s a small punishment for you. Don’t take it to heart. Just come back and write a guarantee that you won’t bully Sera again, and we can go back to how we were.] The cold wind howled. It scattered the warmth from the urn. And it scattered the last of our feelings. I opened the blacklisted messages from a week ago, from Caleb Stone, Julian’s biggest rival. Without a moment’s hesitation, I dialed the number. “I agree to the partnership you mentioned.” An hour later, Julian, who had been waiting endlessly for Audrey’s reply, saw the latest business headlines. [CEO Julian Hayes’s Two Children Tragically Die, Wife Kneels in Apology, Marriage on the Rocks] [Julian Hayes’s Adopted Sister’s Accusation of Father-in-Law’s Assault Suspected to be a Hoax]

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