I was just a stand-in, playing the part of my wealthy best friend on an arranged date. But Rhys Donovan, the heir to a corporate empire, fell for me instead. From that day on, if any other man so much as glanced at me, he’d have their legs broken and their bodies thrown into the river. When I confessed I wasn’t who he thought I was, he carved three lines into the back of his hand, each one deep enough to show bone. “I don’t care who you are,” he’d whispered, his voice shaking. “Just don’t ever leave me. The thought of you marrying someone else, having a child with another man… it makes me want to kill them all.” He showered me with affection for three years. The night I was rushing home, bursting to tell him I was pregnant, I found him tangled in our marital bed with my best friend, both of them naked. A madness I couldn’t control seized me. I tried to throw them out. But Rhys, his eyes red with fury, slapped me across the face. “Ava, why do you have to be so unreasonable?” “I broke off my engagement with the Langford family for you! Isabelle is being tormented at home because of it. All she wants is a child to secure her position. Can’t you find it in your heart to understand?” My best friend knelt on the floor, clutching her stomach, her voice a desperate plea. “Ava, I’m already pregnant. The baby is innocent!” I stared at them, my heart a frozen stone in my chest. “We’re done.” Rhys’s sanity snapped. “Who gave you permission to say that?” In the middle of a hurricane, he locked me on the balcony, forcing me to listen to the storm rage outside and the sounds of their lovemaking inside, all night long. That was the night I lost our baby to a raging fever. Rhys Donovan, this time, I’m really letting you go. … I was on that balcony all night. Just as the cold was about to swallow me whole, Rhys finally opened the glass door, a sliver of mercy in a sea of cruelty. He draped a warm coat over my shivering body and tucked my frozen feet against his stomach to warm them. He sighed, a sound of weary frustration. “Ava, don’t blame me for being harsh. You’re just so stubborn. You fly off the handle over the smallest thing, threatening to leave me. This was the only way to make you listen.” He tilted my chin up. “See? Who else would love you, would cherish you, like this?” Cherish me? The word was a bitter joke. He knew the hurricane last night was no ordinary storm, yet he had locked me out in it deliberately. I had pounded on the glass until my fists were raw, screaming that I was pregnant, that the cold could make me miscarry. But Rhys had only lifted his head from Isabelle’s body for a moment, his gaze sweeping over me with a tired annoyance. “Ava, don’t tell such lies to get my attention. I love you, but I’m not a fool. You had your appendix out a few months ago. I haven’t touched you since because I was afraid of hurting you. Where would a baby come from?” Blood had trickled down my thighs, staining my dress crimson. I had screamed until my throat was raw, telling him I was miscarrying, begging him to take me to a doctor. Rhys had only gotten out of bed, opened the door just enough to frame his face, and pressed a tender kiss to my forehead. “Shh, darling,” he’d soothed. “You must love me so much that you’ve imagined you’re carrying my child. Just wait. As soon as Isabelle gives birth, I promise I’ll give you a baby of your own. The three of us will be a happy family.” Then, he’d turned, retrieved a sanitary pad from the nightstand, and pressed it into my hand. “We’ve been together for three years. I have every one of your periods logged in my calendar. I know this isn’t a miscarriage. It’s just your time of the month, you silly girl.” After that, no matter how much I screamed, he ignored me. My agonized cries only seemed to fuel their passion. The more I suffered, the harder Rhys moved, and the louder Isabelle moaned, as if to make sure I heard every single second. The memory made me squeeze my eyes shut. I pushed Rhys’s hands away and shakily stood up, walking out of the room. The pain in my abdomen was so intense my legs threatened to buckle. The hem of my dress was soaked in blood. I locked myself in the bathroom and stood under the shower for an hour, trying to wash away the humiliation of the night. It was laughable to think that just yesterday, before coming home, I was naively planning my future with Rhys, filled with such hope. The man I thought was devoted to me, who had eyes only for me, had been sleeping with my best friend for months. I plugged in my dead phone. Once it had enough power, I opened my contacts and found the number for my gynecologist. “Hello, Doctor,” I said, my voice flat. “I need to schedule an abortion. As soon as possible.” With an appointment set for the afternoon, I changed into clean clothes and went downstairs. Rhys and Isabelle were already at the dining table, eating. The man who was usually so meticulous, almost obsessive about a clean table, was letting Isabelle make a complete mess of the food. She pouted. “I’m pregnant, I have no appetite. None of this tastes good. I’m craving that mango passionfruit trifle Ava makes. She’s so good at it!” As I reached for a chair, Rhys’s hand stopped me. “Ava, go make a trifle for Isabelle.” I stared at him in disbelief. “I haven’t eaten anything.” “Be good, Ava. Isabelle is pregnant. She comes first right now.” “She’s already made a mess of the food on the table, so you can’t eat that anyway. I’ve already asked the housekeeper to make something new. You can make the trifle while you wait.” I had no memory of ever making a mango passionfruit trifle. But Isabelle, my best friend, knew perfectly well that I was severely allergic to mangoes. I knew arguing was pointless. I turned and went to the kitchen in silence. When I returned with the bowl, my hands were swollen and covered in an angry, red rash. Rhys’s eyes narrowed. He grabbed my hands. “What happened to you? Are you hurt? Why are they so swollen?” He started to pull me towards the first-aid kit. But at that moment, there was a sharp crash from the table. Isabelle was bent over, gagging, tears welling in her eyes. “Ava, what did you put in this? Why do I feel so sick after eating it?” Rhys froze. He immediately dropped my hands and rushed to her side. “Ava, why would you do that?” “I know you hate me and Isabelle, but the baby is innocent! How could you be so cruel as to harm a child?” His eyes were daggers. I opened my mouth to defend myself. But he cut me off with a cold glare, shouldering past me as he rushed Isabelle out of the house. I stood by the table for a long time, my blood sugar so low I nearly fainted. Finally, I pulled out a chair, preparing to eat the leftover scraps. But the housekeeper came out and, right in front of me, scraped all the food into the trash. “Mr. Donovan called,” she said, not meeting my eye. “He said Miss Langford is not doing well. As a punishment, you are no longer allowed to eat in this house.” “The kitchen will be locked from now on. You are not to go near it. If you do, you will be thrown out.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. When he had signed this house over to me, he had declared to everyone that I was the lady of the house. That everything, including him, was mine to command. Now, he threatened to throw me out as if I were nothing more than an ant. I went to my desk and pulled a document from a drawer. We never had a wedding, but Rhys had insisted we get legally married. He’d said that since I’d tricked him by pretending to be Isabelle, he couldn’t trust me not to leave. He had to tie me to him. And for three years of blissful devotion, the thought of leaving had never once crossed my mind. But now, with Isabelle in the picture, everything had changed. I opened the folder, and with a few swift strokes, signed my name on the divorce papers. Then I sealed it in an envelope and took it with me to the hospital. I met with the doctor I’d scheduled. After the examination, he came back with the results, a gentle look on his face. “The baby is still alive. It has a very strong heartbeat. Do you want to try and save it?” I stared at him, stunned into silence for a moment before I finally managed to whisper, “No.” He sighed, not giving up. “But Mr. Donovan has been so looking forward to having a child with you. He knows it’s difficult for you to conceive, and he never wanted to pressure you by talking about it. If he knew, he’d be overjoyed!” While I hesitated, the doctor stepped out of the room. I heard him on the phone with Rhys, telling him I was in the maternity ward. Less than a minute later, Rhys burst in, breathless. He looked me up and down, a wave of relief washing over his face when he saw I was unharmed. “Ava, you’re being a little difficult. You knew I was with Isabelle. Why would you have the doctor call me over here?” I was about to tell him I hadn’t, but Rhys grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall to another room. Two people were standing guard outside. The moment they saw me, they approached. Isabelle’s father, his face contorted with rage, slapped me hard. “You ungrateful little witch!” he snarled, jabbing a finger in my face. “My daughter treated you like a sister, and you tried to poison her!” “You took her place on that date, stole her position as Mrs. Donovan, and she suffered in silence. Now that you’ve lost his favor, you try to blame her? No wonder Rhys presents her to the world as his wife and keeps you hidden away!” I looked at Rhys in shock. So that’s why he never took me to any events. That’s why whenever I called Isabelle to pass the time, she was always coincidentally busy. How many other secrets were they keeping from me? My cheek stung. I couldn’t swallow the insult. I raised my hand to strike back. “It was Isabelle who didn’t want the arranged marriage! She was threatening to jump off a roof! That’s the only reason I went in her place!” But Rhys caught my wrist, his brow furrowed. “Ava, Isabelle just collapsed. The doctors worked for hours to stabilize her. Just let her parents vent.” “They’re right. If you hadn’t pretended to be her on our date, I never would have wronged the Langford family.” I stared at him, my world tilting on its axis. Before I could react, Isabelle’s mother shoved me. My back slammed against a cold, hard bench, the impact knocking the wind out of me. She kicked at me with her sharp heels. “You’re a little tramp! Seducing Rhys, scheming against my daughter! You’ll pay for every tear she’s shed!” I curled into a ball, trying to shield myself, my eyes pleading with Rhys for help. He stood frozen, his fists clenched, his eyes filled with a mixture of pity and pain. But his feet were rooted to the spot. “Ava, just endure it for a little while. I’ll make it up to you after today.”

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The day I gave birth, I watched from my hospital bed as my best friend secretly swapped our daughters. I pretended not to know. I brought her daughter home and raised her with all the love in my heart. Eighteen years later, the daughter I raised was accepted into a top university. My own daughter, however, had been relentlessly abused by my best friend, leaving her disabled. At the university acceptance party, my best friend arrived with my disabled daughter and a paternity test. “There was a mix-up at the hospital all those years ago,” she announced. “It’s time to switch them back.” I smiled, a secret hidden in my eyes. “Of course.” 1 “Aria, my mom brought a bunch of fresh eggs from the countryside. I brought some for you and Chloe.” My best friend, Hannah, knocked on my door, just as she always did. Ever since I’d started raising her daughter, she’d found endless excuses to visit. Sometimes it was to “discuss parenting tips.” Sometimes it was so “the girls can play together and keep each other company.” She’d even shown up in the middle of the night, claiming she’d had a nightmare that something had happened to Chloe and she had to check. It got to the point where my husband, Mark, would complain that she clocked in at our house more often than she did at her own job. To make her visits even more convenient, Hannah had rented an apartment in our complex. “Best friends should live close,” she’d said, “so we can always be there for each other.” But I knew the real reason. She wanted to keep a constant watch on her daughter, Chloe. I never called her out on it. I just opened the door as usual. She stood there in a chic, elegant dress, holding a basket of eggs. Behind her, cowering, was a small, sallow-skinned girl with a bruised face and a haunted look in her eyes. That was my daughter. Hannah had named her Ash. As soon as she stepped inside, Hannah set down the eggs and made a beeline for Chloe. “Chloe, sweetheart, your birthday is tomorrow! What do you want for a present? Auntie Hannah will buy you anything!” Hannah and I had been friends for years, our bond supposedly unbreakable. The moment Chloe was born, she had insisted on being her godmother. Now, she stroked Chloe’s hair, her affection pouring out of her. Chloe smiled sweetly. “Anything from you would be perfect, Auntie Hannah!” Hannah’s smile widened. “See? Chloe is so smart and sweet. Not like that stupid, useless child of mine.” She shot a venomous glare at my daughter, still hovering by the door. Then she marched over, grabbed her by the ear, and dragged her inside. “Get in here! Are you a watchdog, standing there like an idiot?” “I don’t know who you take after, you worthless little thing. Just looking at you makes me sick!” Then, right in front of me, Hannah slapped my daughter so hard she stumbled and fell to the floor. 2 My daughter’s head hit the corner of the coffee table. A gash opened on her forehead, and blood started to stream down her face. Chloe gasped, startled. But my daughter didn’t cry. She didn’t make a sound. She just scrambled to her feet, wiped the blood from her forehead as if it were a daily routine, and, wincing in pain, whispered to Hannah, “I’m sorry, Mommy. I was wrong.” Apologizing after being hit was a ritual she had repeated countless times. It had happened in my house more times than I could count. Mark rushed to get the first-aid kit. As he dabbed at the cut, he shot Hannah an angry look. “Hannah, how can you be so cruel to your own child?” “Because she was born worthless,” Hannah said, shrugging. “She’s a pathetic sight. Not even half as lovely as Chloe. I’m doing her a favor by not killing her.” Without another glance at my daughter, she turned back to Chloe, her face wreathed in smiles. “Chloe, my love, I ordered you your favorite princess cake. I’ll bring it over tomorrow for your birthday!” “Thank you, Auntie Hannah,” Chloe replied politely, accustomed to this blatant favoritism. Then, my daughter gathered her courage and spoke in a small, timid voice. “Mommy, tomorrow is my birthday too. Can… can I have a new pair of shoes?” I looked down and saw that my daughter was wearing a pair of dirty, worn-out sandals, the soles completely worn through. They were the sandals Chloe had thrown away last year. Hannah had picked them out of the trash, declaring that Ash deserved nothing more than Chloe’s cast-offs. She had worn them for a full year. Even now, in the dead of winter, with her feet covered in chilblains, she was still wearing those flimsy sandals. “A little brat like you deserves to wear trash! A birthday? You think you’re worthy of a birthday?” With that, Hannah launched into another vicious assault. The sound of her curses and my daughter’s cries filled the room. I watched, my face a cold, blank mask. Mark tried to intervene. Even Chloe pleaded with her to stop. Perhaps not wanting to frighten Chloe further, Hannah finally stopped, dragging my daughter out of the house. The next day was Chloe’s birthday. Hannah arrived bright and early, laden with gifts and a cake. There was no one behind her. Mark looked confused. “Where’s Ash? It’s her birthday too. Why isn’t she here?” Hannah waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, her? I broke her leg yesterday when we got home.” “She’s still unconscious.” 3 Hannah’s tone was light, casual, a triumphant little smile playing on her lips. As if breaking my daughter’s leg was something to be proud of. Ignoring Mark’s horrified stare, she pushed her way inside and presented the gifts and cake to Chloe. “Chloe, my darling, it’s your special day. Auntie Hannah won’t let anything unpleasant spoil it!” As Chloe took a gift, her sleeve rode up, revealing a small cut on the back of her hand. Hannah’s face instantly hardened. She turned on me, her voice sharp. “Aria, what is this? How did Chloe get hurt?” “Children get bumps and bruises all the time,” I said, my voice flat. “Your daughter is covered in them.” Hannah’s face flushed with anger. “How dare you compare that little wretch to Chloe? Chloe is…” She caught herself, realizing she’d gone too far. Taking a deep breath, she forced a calmer tone. “What I mean is, Chloe has been pampered since birth. She’s far more precious than that… other one. You need to be more careful with her.” Mark snorted. “You’ve got some nerve. If you hadn’t been beating your daughter in our living room yesterday, getting blood everywhere, Chloe wouldn’t have tried to clean it up and hurt herself.” Hannah looked at Chloe for confirmation. “Is that true, Chloe?” Chloe nodded. “I wanted to help Mommy and Daddy.” Hannah’s voice softened with pity. “Sometimes you’re too good, sweetheart. Let your parents do the hard work.” “Your only job in this house is to be happy, you understand?” Then, she busied herself with the birthday preparations, cooking and decorating with a whirlwind of energy. After the meal, she turned to Chloe, her eyes shining. “Tell Auntie Hannah, what is your birthday wish? I’ll make it come true.” Chloe didn’t hesitate. “I want to get into Oxford!” Hannah beamed, stroking Chloe’s head. “Well, I can’t help you with that. But you’re so smart, I know you’ll get in. And when you do, Auntie Hannah will have a surprise for you that you’ll never forget.” Looking into Hannah’s eyes, filled with such love, a faint, secret smile touched my lips. A surprise she’ll never forget? My dear, dear friend. I have one for you, too. 4 Every year, on Chloe’s birthday, Hannah was more enthusiastic than either Mark or I. As for my own daughter, after her leg was broken, I never saw her again. Whenever Mark asked, Hannah would just say with a sneer, “Don’t mention that unlucky brat. It just makes me angry.” Because of Hannah’s deliberate avoidance, it wasn’t until Chloe was accepted into Oxford that I saw my daughter again. At the celebration party I threw for Chloe, Hannah walked in, my daughter limping beside her. She pulled out a paternity test and, in front of all our friends and family, handed it to me. “Aria, Ash has been having some health problems lately. I took her to the doctor and found out… she’s not my daughter.” “There was a mix-up at the hospital. Ash is your daughter. Chloe is mine.” “We’ve been separated for so long. It’s time for me to be reunited with my real daughter. We need to switch them back.” As she spoke, she squeezed out a few tears, her gaze fixed on Chloe with a mixture of love and guilt. She played the part of the long-suffering victim perfectly. A shocked murmur went through the room. “They worked so hard to raise such a successful, intelligent daughter, and now they just have to give her away?” “Everyone knows how much Aria has done for Chloe. The only reason she got into Oxford is because of Aria’s tutoring. You can’t just erase eighteen years of love and effort!” “Who could possibly bear to do that?” On one hand, a smart, well-behaved, successful university student. On the other, a disheveled, emaciated, disabled girl. Anyone would choose the former. But amidst the whispers, I smiled, a strange, knowing smile. “Of course.” “If there was a mistake, then it should be corrected.” My words stunned the room into silence. Hannah’s eyes widened in disbelief, shocked that I had agreed so readily. Even Mark stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Aria, are you crazy?” “You’re just going to take her word for it, based on a piece of paper that could be fake, and give Chloe to her?” My mother-in-law chimed in, her voice frantic. “Aria, this is a huge decision. You can’t just agree without looking into it properly!” I looked at them, my voice calm and clear. “Chloe is her daughter.” “I saw them switch the babies myself.” A collective gasp went through the room. Mark was practically jumping out of his skin. “That’s impossible! You were so weak after giving birth, you almost died! You always said that baby was more precious than your own life. How could you just stand by and watch her be abused?” “You have to be lying!” I met his gaze. “When she was born, I saw a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her waist. If you don’t believe me, go and see for yourself if Ash is our daughter.” My mother-in-law was the first to move, lifting the girl’s shirt. When Mark saw the butterfly birthmark on his daughter’s waist, his face crumpled. He strode over to me and slapped me hard across the face. “Aria, are you even human?” “If you knew the truth all this time, why didn’t you say anything? Why did you let our daughter suffer at the hands of that woman for all these years?” He was shaking with rage, his eyes burning with a murderous fury. The other relatives joined in, their voices a chorus of condemnation. “Is she out of her mind? That’s her own flesh and blood! How could she watch her own daughter be treated like that and do nothing?” “She’s a cold-hearted monster! She knew, and she just watched as the girl’s leg was broken, as she lived a life of misery!” “Mark, divorce her! A woman like that doesn’t deserve you, doesn’t deserve to be a part of this family!” The accusations rained down on me. Everyone looked at me with contempt and disgust. Even my daughter, the timid, broken Ash, looked at me with tears in her eyes and screamed, “I hate you!” Then she turned, ran to the window, and jumped. A sickening thud echoed from below, and the room fell silent in horror. Tears streamed down my face. It was finally over.

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1 My roommate, Delilah, kept a vividly patterned pet snake in our dorm. Out of kindness, I bought a terrarium and explained to her that many girls in the dorm were terrified of snakes. If it got out, it would scare people. Instead, she lashed out, “Ophelia! Can you not be so disgusting? This is a living creature, and you want to lock it in such a tiny box?” “It’s just a pet snake; it won’t bite anyone. Even if it did, it’s just a small scratch, not poisonous. I don’t know what you’re so scared of.” In the middle of the night, her so-called pet snake slithered into the adjacent room and bit the girlfriend of a wealthy young man. By the time we arrived, the girl had already passed out. Luckily, I managed to suck the venom from her arm, saving her life. The incident sparked endless online condemnation. Delilah and two other roommates colluded, claiming I was the snake’s owner. The young man, consumed by rage, simply waved his hand, and my family was ruined. When I woke up again, I was back to the moment Delilah brought the snake into the dorm. I pulled out the glass terrarium I was holding, which I’d repurposed into an aquarium teeming with Water bead figures. “Don’t worry, this is just for my Water beads.” … I pulled a package from under my desk and began to open it. Delilah, sitting nearby, immediately peered over. “Ophelia, what did you buy? It’s so huge!” That familiar tone, those exact words, brought a cynical smirk to my lips. Still as irritating as ever, I thought. Tearing open the box, I replied, “I saw someone online with Hello Kitty-shaped Water beads the other day and just loved them, so I bought a small glass cabinet to keep some.” Hearing this, Delilah visibly relaxed, patting her chest with a sigh of relief. “Oh, that. I thought you bought it specifically to lock up ‘Noodle’.” Noodle, as in her pet snake, which was, in fact, highly venomous. “Don’t worry,” I assured her, “this is just for my Water beads.” She seemed relieved but still looked unconvinced. She walked over, watching my movements closely. “Do Water beads need heating?” Then, picking up the nearby shipping box in a huff, she demanded, “You’re not lying to me, are you? You still want to lock up my Noodle?” Lily, who was close with Delilah, poked her head around, looking suspicious. “Ophelia, you wouldn’t actually try to lock Noodle up, would you?” “Even though it’s a snake, it’s been in the dorm for half a month. You’ve seen it; it doesn’t bite. Why are you still so fixated on this?” Lily’s challenge bolstered Delilah’s confidence. She glared at me, demanding an explanation. “Noodle isn’t a caged animal by nature; it has a right to freedom! Don’t you think what you’re doing is disgusting, Ophelia?” A right to freedom? Then why don’t you release it into the wild? So ridiculous. Though I scoffed inwardly, my face remained impassive. I swiftly picked up another package at my feet and opened it. Right in front of them, I poured water inside, then dumped a whole bag of Water beads in. The already small glass cabinet was instantly packed. “See? It really is just for my Water beads. There’s no room for Noodle, right?” “Besides, it’s such a gentle, adorable creature. I’d sooner lock myself in than lock it up, wouldn’t I?” Only then did the two back down. Delilah watched my every move as she returned to her spot. It was tonight, in my previous life, that the snake had slithered into the adjacent room and bitten someone. I carefully placed the glass cabinet, snapped a photo, and updated my status on various social media platforms, asking when my Hello Kitty Water beads would grow bigger. Content, I climbed into bed. When we started freshman year, Delilah cultivated an image of an animal lover. Initially, she and Lily, who also loved animals, would discuss them in the dorm. I wasn’t very interested and never joined in, which led them to label me as cold-hearted. By sophomore year, our dorm was a constant chaos of stray cats Delilah brought back out of “kindness,” dirty puppies leaping onto beds, leaving muddy paw prints. There were even chirping sparrows, rescued and flying wildly around the dorm, leaving droppings everywhere. She claimed she loved animals more than anything; they were so much easier than dealing with people. Lily echoed her, saying she wished to be a carefree kitten in her next life, mentioning her own incredibly cute Ragdoll cat at home. They hit it off instantly. In the second semester of sophomore year, Delilah mentioned her pet snake, and the two immediately agreed it was quiet, wouldn’t attract the resident advisor, and wouldn’t leave messes, making it easy to keep in the dorm. I initially thought she was just bringing it to show us, figuring such a rare and valuable small snake wouldn’t be easy to keep in a dorm, and she’d take it away in a couple of days. But the next day, Delilah brought frozen mice for the snake and even laid a pad by her bed to sleep with it. Noodle seemed to become a permanent resident, always appearing in unexpected places around the dorm, startling us. Delilah and Lily, however, didn’t care. They constantly played with the little snake, even mocking our other roommate, Scarlett, who was so scared she barely came back to the dorm. I spoke with Delilah once, suggesting she get a terrarium to keep Noodle contained, preventing harm and making Scarlett less afraid. She immediately flipped out, yelling at me, calling me disgusting, heartless, someone who disliked animals, and a cold person. She spent days in the dorm, cradling Noodle, making snide remarks about me being unable to tolerate them. Anyone who dared to say anything negative about Noodle would be met with a barrage, as if she wanted to dig up their ancestors to prove they were cold-blooded. It wasn’t until the snake started appearing everywhere near my bed, even on it, that I really started to worry. I wanted to discuss buying a terrarium with her, at least to keep it somewhat managed. Instead, I was met with Delilah’s verbal abuse and ostracization. And because of that very terrarium, they later accused me of being the snake’s owner. This led to me suffering cyberbullying and being tormented half to death by that rich young man. Not only was my good deed repaid with malice, but I was maliciously slandered, ultimately leading to a tragic end where my family was destroyed. This time, I wasn’t getting involved in their mess. 2 It was that very night, in my past life, that Lily, feeling hot, left the balcony door open. Delilah’s snake slithered out and bit Anastasia, a beautiful girl in the adjacent room, who was on the phone with her wealthy boyfriend. Anastasia’s piercing scream echoed through the hall, and Delilah immediately realized her snake was gone. The neighbors knocked on our door, asking if the snake had come from our room. Anastasia lay unconscious on the floor, her phone still buzzing with her worried boyfriend’s calls. Her roommates were frozen in shock. Delilah was utterly terrified, muttering, “This can’t be… Noodle is just a pet snake…” Lily frowned deeply at the scene, while Scarlett shrieked and ran back into our room. Anastasia’s arm was visibly bleeding black. I rushed forward and used my mouth to suck the venom from Anastasia’s arm. The thick black blood made Delilah’s eyes widen in horror. Students from the neighboring rooms gathered, filming snippets on their phones. These videos were uploaded online, and rumors spread like wildfire. Delilah was too scared to respond. That night, our dorm was as silent as a tomb. The snake was immediately killed by Anastasia’s wealthy boyfriend when he arrived. The next day after classes, the four of us were taken by the young man. To my shock, all three of them stood united, and under their combined accusation, I was mistakenly identified as the snake’s owner. My explanations were weak and useless. The young man, furious, yelled at me: “I’m not stupid! You were the only one who dared to suck the venom from Anastasia; if not you, then who else?” “Still trying to argue! They all say it was you; are they all against you?” “You hurt Anastasia; I’ll make you pay!” The young man locked me up, unleashing various snakes on me daily. When I was finally released, barely clinging to life, I discovered that Delilah and the others had jointly reported me for keeping a snake in the dorm and harming someone. I received a disciplinary warning, and all my chances for academic honors were gone. Online opinion, manipulated by Delilah’s deliberate explanations and smears, turned entirely against me. I became the snake’s owner, subjected to personal attacks and insults. They even specifically posted photos of the terrarium I had bought, leaving me speechless, unable to explain, and with no one believing me. My father lost his job at the young man’s behest, my mother fell gravely ill with no money for medicine, and soon after, both passed away. The pain and hatred from my previous life felt like a gaping, bleeding wound in my heart. This time, I was prepared with recording and audio devices. We’d see how they tried to pin this on me now. That evening, I was interacting with friends online when I suddenly heard a scream. It was Anastasia’s voice. Delilah, who was playing a game, jumped in fright and immediately cursed, “What’s her problem, screaming so late at night? Does she really think she’s a princess just because she snagged some rich guy?” Then she shrieked, “Ah! Where’s my Noodle? Lily, is Noodle with you?” Lily and Scarlett both said no. Delilah immediately called out to me, “Ophelia, did you take my Noodle?” “No,” I replied. Just then, there was a frantic knocking at our dorm door. Delilah opened it to a neighbor, whose face was pale. “Is that snake from your room? Get over here, now!” Delilah hadn’t expected things to turn out this way. Anastasia lay motionless on the ground, her brow furrowed, lips blackened. And biting her arm, refusing to let go, was Delilah’s Noodle. “Call an ambulance, quickly!” I urged. Delilah’s face instantly went white; her feet seemed rooted to the spot. Lily snapped out of it and pulled Delilah. “Delilah, grab the snake! It’s your snake!” Delilah glared at Lily, shaking her head in terror and backing away. “How could it bite someone? I don’t know what to do!” The wound was black, clearly indicating potent venom. I stepped forward, grabbed the snake, and then sucked the venom from Anastasia’s arm. Delilah claimed to be a kind-hearted girl who loved animals, insisting her Noodle was just a pet snake that couldn’t possibly bite, and even if it did, it wouldn’t be venomous. But Anastasia’s condition hardly looked like a non-venomous bite. Soon, a commotion erupted outside the dorm. It was the young man. He stormed into the room, first glancing at me, then swept Anastasia into his arms and left. More and more students gathered, filming videos and posting them on various social media platforms. The dorm snake bite incident went viral overnight. Students at our university were shocked, and the school administration was furious, vowing to severely punish the snake’s owner. Online, netizens were equally outraged: “Keeping a snake in the dorm? Oh my god, how disgusting! Glad I never had roommates like that.” “Keeping a snake secretly is bad enough, but not keeping it contained, and it turns out to be venomous? Now what? Going to have to pay millions?” “Just seeing a snake makes me scared. How could they bring it into the dorm? Aren’t their roommates scared?” A blizzard of insults and attacks flew online. Seeing the endless negative comments searching for the snake’s owner, Delilah finally grew afraid.

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1 The photos from my belated wedding photoshoot with my husband turned out so stunning that the studio featured them as a “client showcase.” Two days later, my showcase photo was Photoshopped into a funeral portrait, and the bridal shop was swamped with online hate. “What kind of reputable shop shoots wedding photos for a mistress?!” “My husband and I have been together for three years! And she’s knowingly a home-wrecker! How dare she even get wedding photos taken!” I rushed to the bridal shop, intending to clear things up, only to collide head-on with a woman. She pointed at me, shouting, “That’s her! She seduced my boyfriend!” “Today, I’m going to show all the netizens what happens to a mistress!” Before I could explain, they started attacking me without a word. They shaved my head, slapped my face until it was paralyzed, broke two of my ribs, and I miscarried… As I lay dying, I called my assistant. “Cancel the wedding reception I was planning with Gabriel Maxwell! Also, find me a lawyer to file for divorce!” A mere trophy husband, spending my money to support a mistress. I’ll make him regret this! … Seeing the funeral portrait forwarded by a friend, my blood boiled. I immediately called the bridal shop. To my surprise, the manager on the other end sounded even more furious than I was. “Get over here right now and explain yourself to Mrs. Maxwell!” Mrs. Maxwell? Could there genuinely be another Mrs. Maxwell besides me? Confused, I rushed to the shop. From a distance, I saw a large crowd gathered around the entrance. The woman at the front spotted me and shrieked, “That’s her! This vixen! She seduced my husband!” The manager hurried to calm her. “Mrs. Maxwell! Mrs. Maxwell! Let’s talk inside, calmly!” “Mrs. Maxwell?” I eyed the woman warily. I didn’t know her at all, so how could I have stolen her husband? I forced down my anger, trying to sound calm. “Excuse me, do we know each other?” A woman who came with her grabbed my hair without a word. “What are you pretending for? Who doesn’t know Isabelle is the young madam of Maxwell Enterprises?!” Isabelle? Could this be the ‘junior colleague’ Gabriel had sometimes mentioned? I subconsciously asked, “You’re Isabelle Hampton?” She snorted, looking down, then raised her hand and slapped me. “Is the wife’s name something a mistress like you can even utter?!” It really was her… All this time, Gabriel had told me Isabelle Hampton was an ambitious junior colleague with an unfortunate family background. Out of sympathy, I even suggested he help her more. But I never imagined that Isabelle Hampton was actually his mistress, and he was spending my money on her! Before I could fully process it, she grabbed my wrist and shrieked, “Oh, you! You even stole the Cartier bracelet my husband gave me!” I looked at the bracelet on my wrist. It was clearly one I had bought myself, which had gone missing recently. Could it be that Gabriel had been taking my own gifts to give to her? I struggled, shaking free, and yanked off the bracelet. “This bracelet is mine! My initials, LSQ, are engraved inside. Look closely!” She promptly smashed the bracelet to the ground, then stomped on it repeatedly. “Who’s to say you didn’t steal it and then secretly engrave it?!” “A mistress like you, what could you possibly want from seducing someone’s husband? Money, obviously!” I was honestly infuriated to the point of laughter. “You say you’re the wife. Are you legally married?!” Hearing this, Isabelle pulled out her phone and showed several intimate photos of herself and Gabriel. She scrolled through numerous photos: intimate selfies with Gabriel, love letters, and promises he’d written to her. Tears streamed down her face as she wailed, “Yes, we haven’t officially registered our marriage, but we’ve been together for three years! We were already planning our wedding!” “But that’s no reason for you to interfere! You’ve ruined my family; you’re nothing but a mistress!” I stared at those photos, feeling a prickling sensation on my scalp, my vision blurring. Gabriel, who always appeared cool and restrained in front of me, had taken such photos and written such declarations of love for her. Married for five years, betrayed for three. It was utterly laughable. Seeing more and more onlookers gather, the manager grew anxious. She grabbed me, pulling me into the shop, lowering her voice. “Miss Lee! Just admit it! Apologize to Mrs. Maxwell!” “If you keep this up, our decades-old brand will be ruined by you!” 2 “What?!” I violently shook off the manager’s grasp, staring at her in disbelief. “I’m your customer, aren’t I?” “Not only did I purchase your most expensive package, but I also referred many friends to you. Is this appropriate?” The manager quickly let go of my hand, shaking her head and waving at Isabelle, a look of disdain on her face. “Mrs. Maxwell! Don’t listen to her! Our shop doesn’t welcome mistresses like her as customers. If you hadn’t found us, we wouldn’t have known she was such a person!” The people around us all raised their phones, whispering, “How shameless! Are mistresses always so arrogant?” “Even if they’re not legally married, you can’t so blatantly destroy someone else’s family! You act like being a mistress gives you some kind of superiority!” A wave of injustice washed over me. I quickly explained, “No! Don’t listen to her one-sided story! Based on just a few photos, how can you assume I’m a mistress?!” “Gabriel Maxwell and I have been married for five years! I’m not a mistress! If you don’t believe me, I’ll call him over right now!” Saying this, I picked up my phone, ready to make Gabriel come and clarify everything. But Isabelle snatched my phone, scoffing, “Lie, keep lying! Married for five years? And only now getting wedding photos? Who are you trying to fool?!” I froze, looking at her, and retorted, “Is it forbidden to take wedding photos after five years of marriage?” When Gabriel and I got married, he was just an ordinary employee, penniless. There were no traditional wedding gifts or dowry, let alone wedding photos or a reception. This year was our fifth anniversary, and it was his idea to make up for all the missing ceremonies. I had been so touched, believing his love for me was as strong as ever. But now, it seemed I had been foolish. My retort made Isabelle stumble. The woman next to her shoved me, sharply admonishing, “What is your attitude?!” Seeing this, the manager quickly stepped in, pulling them back, a forced smile on her face as she spoke to Isabelle. “Mrs. Maxwell, please calm down! I’m a victim here too! I will definitely sue this woman, make her compensate my losses, and restore our shop’s reputation!” She took Isabelle’s hand, trying to coax her into the shop. “Please don’t be angry, let’s go inside and talk calmly…” I felt a bitter laugh rise in my throat. The manager had turned against me so quickly, probably because Maxwell Enterprises also had an investment in this shop. But what they didn’t know was that Maxwell Enterprises owed its existence to me! Without me, Clarissa Lee, there would be no Maxwell Enterprises! Before the manager could finish, Isabelle raised her phone high, started a live stream, and shouted into the camera, “Everyone, look at this bridal shop! They’re actually using a mistress’s wedding photos with my husband for their showcase! This is absolutely outrageous!” She pointed at me, accusing hysterically, “And this woman! She’s ruining my relationship with my husband, she’s unrepentant, and she’s still trying to argue! How shameless!” The woman next to her chimed in, “She even lies, saying she’s been married to someone else’s husband for five years! What a joke!” “A vixen like her should be exposed for everyone to see!” The live stream instantly flooded with viewers. Swayed by Isabelle’s inflammatory remarks, they quickly filled the comments section: [What are you waiting for? Why aren’t you hitting her?!] [This woman clearly had plastic surgery. If it were me, I’d beat her until her own mother wouldn’t recognize her!] My heart sank. Seizing a moment when they weren’t looking, I snatched back my phone and quickly dialed 911. However, Isabelle was quick. She slapped my phone to the ground, yelling, “You dare call the police?!” Seeing them rolling up their sleeves, I had to explain again. “Gabriel Maxwell and I have been married for five years! We have a marriage certificate! If you feel wronged, you should question Gabriel, not me!” Isabelle ignored my explanation, picking up my phone and smashing it against my face. A sharp pain, and then warm liquid streamed down my cheek. The surrounding crowd gasped. I lay on the ground, my vision blurry. She poked my temple hard with her finger, sneering, “My husband was just playing around with you! Did you actually take it seriously?!” “You’re at death’s door, and you still dare to use my husband to scare me! Beat her!” With that, I was brutally kicked and pinned to the ground, unable to move. Isabelle’s hand repeatedly struck my face, each slap echoing loudly. I barely opened my mouth to speak, only to be struck again, forcing out a whimper. Just then, a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen. I instinctively clutched my stomach. “Oh no…” I looked at the manager, pleading for help, but she only stood by, clucking, “You were so sickeningly sweet and seductive that day; no wonder Mr. Maxwell was so affectionate, even willing to do an eighty-thousand-dollar wedding photoshoot with you.” “I thought you were some rich lady, but you’re just a vulgar gold-digger!” “If you knew you’d get what was coming to you from the wife, why did you break up their family in the first place?” Isabelle’s face darkened further hearing this. She stood up, repeatedly stomping on my back with her high heels. I felt like every bone in my body was shattering. Tears welled in my eyes, only making her more excited. She crouched down in front of me, her sharp acrylic nails scratching my face, cursing, “An eighty-thousand-dollar wedding photoshoot?! You really have the nerve to demand that!” “I think someone like you isn’t even worth eighty cents!” The manager glanced at my face, then sidled up to Isabelle, fawning, “Mrs. Maxwell, don’t worry, the security camera at our shop entrance just happened to be broken. I’ll also testify for you that this mistress provoked you first…” “But please, be lenient and clarify for our shop online. We had no idea she was a vixen; we’re victims too!” Isabelle didn’t even glance at her. Instead, she grabbed my hair. “You shameless woman, stealing my bracelet is bad enough, but you even dare to copy my hairstyle!” “Shave her head for me now! Let’s see how she’ll seduce other women’s husbands after this!” This long hair, I had grown it for Gabriel. He once said he liked long, wavy hair, and I immediately changed from my previous short haircut, keeping it for two whole years. Now, looking back, wasn’t Isabelle’s hair long and wavy? It turned out, from beginning to end, I was just a clown. The woman next to her grabbed a pair of scissors from the shop and aimed for my head. I trembled with fear but dared not move, terrified she would injure me. I glared at Isabelle, shouting, “If you do this to me, Gabriel Maxwell will not let you get away with it!” Isabelle, as if hearing a joke, threw her head back and laughed. “Who doesn’t know my husband dotes on me fiercely?! Do you think he’ll do anything to me for a vixen like you?!” The words had barely left her lips when my hair was severed. She didn’t hold back; my vision blurred, and I could only lie weakly on the ground, muttering, “Call the police…” Finally, a kind passerby, unable to watch any longer, called for help. Isabelle also called Gabriel. She deliberately put him on speaker, her voice sickly sweet. “Honey! That vixen who keeps imitating me and trying to seduce you, I caught her today!” “But she actually dared to call the police! Honey, you need to come and teach her a lesson!” I yelled into her phone, “Gabriel Maxwell… we’re over…!” Gabriel, hearing my voice on the other end, sounded panicked. He quickly said, “Where are you? I’m coming right away!” Hanging up, Isabelle looked triumphant. “Just watch, my husband will definitely leave you!” Just then, officers rushed in. Seeing my state, they were shocked and immediately rushed me to the hospital. As soon as I got into the car, I eagerly opened my phone, completely ignoring the dozens of messages and missed calls from Gabriel. Instead, I called my assistant. “Cancel the wedding reception I was planning with Gabriel Maxwell! Also, find me a lawyer to file for divorce!” He’s nothing but a decorative vase. Once he’s tainted, I don’t want him!

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1 I was born with an extremely fragile body, yet I was bound to a “”Resurrection System.”” My foster mother slapped me, and my neck instantly snapped. Terrified, she dumped me in a mass grave that very night. To her surprise, I struggled back to my feet and was taken to an orphanage by a kind passerby. The director lightly kicked me, but my liver ruptured, and I died on the spot. I woke up again in the morgue in the middle of the night. From then on, no one dared to lay a finger on me. When my biological parents brought me home, the fake heiress, Olivia, was watching me with shifty eyes from the staircase. As I passed her, she deliberately leaned into me, then tumbled down the stairs. Tears and snot running down her face, she claimed I had deliberately pushed her. But suddenly, all the bones in my body fractured, and I collapsed to the ground. Olivia was terrified and flustered. “”I just lightly touched you! Don’t you dare try to frame me!”” The next second, I sat straight up from the ground. “”Oh, so you admit you touched me?”” …… Hearing my words and seeing my arm hanging unnaturally, Olivia’s eyes widened. “”Wha—what’s going on?”” My mother, Eleanor, beside me, jumped, rushing over to check my injuries. I wobbled my broken arm, feigning weakness. “”Mom, I’m fine, just a little pain. I’ll endure it.”” Seeing me like this, Mom was too scared to touch me. Olivia instinctively took half a step back. “”It really wasn’t me! Sister pushed me just now! How did this happen?”” My brother, Leo, shielded Olivia, glaring fiercely at me. “”Exactly! I saw it all; Stella deliberately pushed Olivia. She’s faking all of this!”” Hearing Leo’s words, my father, Arthur, frowned, looking at me. “”Even if Olivia touched you, it shouldn’t cause this. Stella, I know you lacked love growing up, but there’s no need to seek attention this way.”” Mom also gently touched my arm. “”It shouldn’t be anything serious. Although you’re now a young lady of the family, you can’t be too delicate.”” Olivia, seeing everyone taking her side, felt emboldened. “”That’s right, Sister. I know you’re jealous of me, but Mom and Dad aren’t stupid. Isn’t this method a bit too childish?”” Leo sneered, walked up to me, and grabbed my arm. “”Dislocated, isn’t it? I happen to know how to set bones. Let me help you.”” The words had barely left his mouth when Leo suddenly pulled my arm upward with force. He expected me to scream. But to his surprise, my body suddenly let out a series of “”cracks,”” and then, like a noodle, I collapsed to the ground again. I looked at the flustered Leo in front of me, gathering all my strength to softly utter a sentence. “”It’s… it’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”” After saying that, my vision went black, and I passed out. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. Seeing me open my eyes, Mom quickly rushed to the bedside. “”Stella, you’re finally awake! You scared me to death!”” Leo snorted from the side. “”Still acting. It was just a light touch, wasn’t it? Why make such a big deal out of it?”” Dad also frowned slightly. “”Comminuted fracture. Doesn’t look fake. Do you have some innate illness?”” With that, Dad called the doctor again for a full body check-up. The results showed that, apart from that arm, all my other body parts were perfectly healthy, with no issues whatsoever. I ducked my head, timidly speaking. “”Mom and Dad, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. My bones are too fragile, I’ve caused you trouble.”” Dad shook his head, telling Olivia and Leo, “”Stella’s body is weak. Be careful with her; don’t hurt her again.”” Olivia nodded obediently, pulling a thermos from behind her. “”Sister, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize your arm was so fragile. I made you some chicken soup; drink it to nourish your body.”” Leo sneered from the side. “”You pushed Olivia and ended up like this, yet Olivia isn’t holding a grudge and even made you chicken soup. How considerate. You should learn from Olivia.”” Mom and Dad smiled, relieved, seeing our harmonious scene. I took the chicken soup, thanking her repeatedly. “”Thank you, little sister. I’ll definitely get better and won’t cause any more trouble for the family.”” Saying that, I took the chicken soup and drank it all. But the moment the chicken soup entered my stomach, I suddenly felt a burning sensation. Olivia watched me from the side, a half-smile on her face. “”I specifically added extra black pepper, so sister can sweat it out and recover quickly.”” But the next second, I suddenly started coughing violently. Leo rolled his eyes. “”Look at you, so ungraceful, choking on chicken soup…”” He hadn’t finished his sentence when I spat a mouthful of blood onto his face. My vision went black, and I collapsed, unconscious. 2 When I next awoke, Olivia was kneeling before Mom and Dad, crying as if her heart would break. “”I—I really only put in a little black pepper! Nothing else!”” Leo was also flushed with urgency. “”You’ve been with Olivia for so many years! Don’t you know her character? How could she poison anyone? It must be Stella faking it!”” No sooner had he spoken than a heavy slap landed on his face. “”A broken arm can be faked, but can death be faked? Stella stopped breathing half an hour ago! The doctors declared her dead! How much more fake can it get?”” Mom cried, pulling Dad. “”Don’t blame the children. It can only be said that Stella had bad luck. The dead cannot be brought back to life; we can’t blame our living children for someone who’s gone.”” Dad covered his head, let out a deep sigh, and slumped to the ground. I lifted the white sheet covering me and slowly sat up. Olivia was the first to notice something was wrong, suddenly jumping up in terror, pointing at me and stammering. “”She, she…”” Dad hadn’t seen my condition yet, saying gloomily, “”Ultimately, I owe Stella. I…”” “”Mom and Dad, what’s wrong?”” As soon as I spoke, Mom and Dad simultaneously turned their heads, erupting in a chorus of screams. Leo’s eyes widened in terror, and he backed away repeatedly. “”It’s a zombie! Doctor, it’s a zombie!”” Hearing the commotion, the doctor rushed in, looking at me in disbelief. An experienced, white-haired old doctor quickly instructed the other doctors to take me to the operating room. After a thorough examination, the doctor joyfully told Mom and Dad that my body had fully recovered and was perfectly fine. The doctor didn’t know how to explain the phenomenon, so he simply said I had entered a state of suspended animation. Hearing this, Leo immediately cursed at me. “”I knew she was faking it! Stella, you’re such an actress, you can even fake death! Why don’t you go to a movie set and play a dead person?”” I, shedding tears, said weakly, “”Brother, I really don’t know what happened. After drinking the chicken soup, I felt a burning pain in my stomach and then passed out.”” The doctor also explained on my behalf that suspended animation wasn’t faked but a state of shock caused by physical injury. Dad sighed, stroking my head. “”You probably suffered too much hardship in your childhood, leaving you with this condition. Don’t think too much about it; go home and rest well.”” After that, Dad glared fiercely at Olivia and Leo again, warning them not to harm me further. Back home, I contacted a renovation crew and had surveillance cameras installed in every corner of the house. Mom stared at the pile of cameras, dumbfounded, asking what I was doing. I bit my lip, speaking softly. “”My body is too weak. If I accidentally die one day, the cameras can prove that my brother and sister didn’t harm me, so you won’t be implicated.”” Hearing my words, Olivia clenched her fists, her face red, unable to speak. That evening at dinner, Mom and Dad specially prepared a lavish meal to help me recover. Olivia and Leo sat several feet away from me, afraid of any physical contact. I proactively served Olivia a bowl of porridge, gently placing it in front of her. She suddenly smiled eerily, took the porridge, and drank it all. The next second, her face turned bright red, and she frantically scratched at her face. “”Did sister put peanuts in the porridge? I’m allergic to peanuts! I feel terrible!”” Olivia’s face broke out in a rash. She fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Mom and Dad were startled. They glared at me fiercely, then rushed to comfort Olivia, full of distress. Olivia, while screaming, stealthily glanced at me with a mischievous look. But unexpectedly, I suddenly covered my ears, breathing heavily. “”My—my heart hurts so much! I can’t breathe…”” No sooner had I spoken than I passed out again. 3 When I regained consciousness again, I was already lying in a funeral home. Surrounded by strangers, Mom and Dad stood in front of me, crying hysterically. Aunts and uncles kept comforting Mom and Dad. “”Stella’s passing was an accident. Don’t blame yourselves too much. You still have Olivia, don’t you?”” Dad beat his chest. “”If we hadn’t lost Stella when she was little, her health wouldn’t be this bad. I can’t imagine how much hardship she suffered as a child.”” Olivia and Leo knelt on either side, their faces pale, biting their lips without a word. A man in a black suit solemnly spoke. “”The hour has come. Rest in peace.”” Everyone around burst into tears. I blinked in confusion, then sat up from the coffin. “”Why are you all crying?”” As soon as I spoke, the scene fell silent for a moment, then erupted in screams. Everyone immediately scattered, even Mom and Dad backed away repeatedly in fright. But hearing the continuous screams, I again felt a sharp pain in my heart. I clutched my chest, groaning in agony. Seeing my condition, Dad immediately reacted, quickly grabbing the people around him. “”Don’t scream loudly! Stella isn’t dead! She’s still alive!”” Hearing Dad’s words, everyone immediately quieted down. My face was pale. I clutched my chest, speaking with difficulty. “”Mom and Dad, please don’t blame sister. It’s just my heart is fragile and can’t handle being scared.”” Saying this, I pulled out my phone and accessed the home surveillance footage. “”Look, sister didn’t touch me; it has nothing to do with her.”” But to my surprise, the surveillance footage clearly showed Olivia quietly adding a handful of crushed peanuts to her porridge. Seeing this scene, a hushed murmur immediately spread through the crowd. Dad’s face was extremely grim. He glared at a visibly embarrassed Olivia. Olivia’s face turned red. She stammered, trying to explain, but Dad cut her off. “”Enough! Aren’t you embarrassed enough? We’ll talk about this at home!”” Dad quickly directed the family bodyguards to rush me to the hospital. After an examination, the doctor said in disbelief, “”My goodness, this girl has nine lives! She was in suspended animation for three days and three nights, and now she’s perfectly recovered!”” Dad, still uneasy, put me through a series of tests. Only after confirming I had no issues did he cautiously take me home. As soon as we entered the house, Dad sternly admonished Olivia. “”I never imagined you would go to such lengths to frame Stella!”” Mom shook her head in disappointment. “”Olivia, Mom and Dad won’t abandon you, but why would you do something like this?”” Olivia quickly knelt on the ground, slapping herself hard. “”It’s all my own foolishness! I’m sorry, Mom and Dad! I’m sorry, Sister! Please forgive me!”” Leo quickly pulled her up, distressed. Dad snorted coldly, immediately laying down the rules. Olivia and Leo were strictly forbidden from touching my body, always maintaining a distance of at least three feet from me. Their voices at home could not exceed 50 decibels, and so on. Leo glared fiercely at me, then led a red-eyed, weeping Olivia back to her room. As Olivia passed me, she suddenly stopped, whispering in my ear, “”I know your secret.”” Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but frown. That night, I got up to use the restroom. Passing Olivia’s room, I suddenly smelled something burnt. Fire! I instinctively pushed open Olivia’s door but found she wasn’t in the room. I immediately realized something was wrong and quickly prepared to leave the room. But to my surprise, the door suddenly slammed shut. I forcefully twisted the doorknob, but the door wouldn’t budge. The door was locked! A cold sweat immediately broke out on my body. Sparks flew from the wardrobe, and thick smoke quickly filled the entire room. I immediately searched everywhere for something to extinguish the fire, but after searching for a long time, there was no water, not even a large piece of clothing! I quickly tried to kick the door open, but it was tightly shut; I couldn’t budge it. I hadn’t brought my phone when I went to the restroom. Helpless, I could only desperately pound on the door, shouting for help. But suddenly, a scornful laugh came from outside the door. “”Don’t waste your energy. Mom and Dad are fast asleep; they can’t hear you.”” It’s Olivia! I took a deep breath. “”Olivia, I advise you to open the door, or you know the consequences.”” Olivia sneered. “”Consequences? Haha, you appeared in my room, and then a fire started. There are no cameras in my room. Who do you think Mom and Dad will believe started it?”” So that’s what she was waiting for. I calmly said, “”Since you know my ability, you should also know that I don’t die easily. What’s the point of what you’re doing now?”” Unexpectedly, Olivia suddenly burst into laughter. “”Hahaha, your body is indeed special, but if it turns to ash, can you still revive?”” Hearing Olivia’s words, I couldn’t help but tremble. “”Stella, see you in the next life.”” With that, Olivia’s voice completely vanished. The smoke grew thicker and thicker. I felt a burning sensation in my lungs, almost unable to breathe. I covered my mouth and nose, bending down to the window, intending to jump. But Olivia had locked the windows too; I couldn’t open them. Soon, flames licked at me, and my arm instantly turned red and blistered. Outside, chaos erupted. I heard Mom and Dad loudly calling my name from outside the door. I immediately pounded on the door, shouting for help. But unexpectedly, Leo’s voice came from outside. “”Mom and Dad, I just checked Stella’s room; no one’s there.”” Olivia’s urgent voice also chimed in. “”The fire came from my room! Good thing I was in the bathroom just now; it scared me to death. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find Sister. She must have run out.”” I heard Mom and Dad’s footsteps receding, stamping my foot in frustration. No choice. I have to rely on myself now. I endured the intense pain, rummaging through boxes and drawers for anything that could save my life. Suddenly, I found a bottle of water in a drawer. Saved! This small amount of water wouldn’t put out the fire, but if I wet my clothes and covered my mouth and nose, it could significantly delay asphyxiation. As long as I could hold on until Mom and Dad rescued me, I would live! Thinking this, I immediately took off my outer garment, poured water on it, and placed it over my nose. But unexpectedly, I suddenly felt a dizzying sensation. Damn it, someone poisoned the water! Before I could react, my vision went black, and I passed out. Soon, a searing burning sensation spread to my face, then rapidly engulfed my entire body. I could distinctly feel the intense pain on my body; I felt as if I was melting, yet I couldn’t open my eyes at all. I had no strength left. I had experienced “”death”” so many times, but this was the first time I felt what it was like to be burned alive. Looks like this time, I was truly finished. Just as I plunged into despair, a crisp notification sound suddenly echoed in my ears. [Congratulations, Host, for successfully dying 99 times. You have now received the Indestructible Body reward. You will not die regardless of the damage sustained.]

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The Campbell family, the wealthiest in the capital, sent people to find Alice Campbell. I was with her, catching chickens on our farm. They said Alice was the Campbell family’s missing heir, presumed gone for five years, inheriting billions. “This money is the Campbell family’s compensation for your five years. We hope you’ll accept it.” I knew this money was hush money, severing any connection between Alice and me. Alice’s eyes were bloodshot. She clutched my sleeve, looking wronged and sad. “I’ll go back, but only if he comes with me!” Watching everyone exchange awkward glances, I wiped chicken manure from my hands and, in front of Alice, accepted the black card. “Alice, you go back alone.” “I’m used to living in the South. The North is dry and cold; I don’t like it.” Alice, it’s not that I haven’t gone back with you before. It’s just that I died too tragically in my last life. This time, I’ve learned my lesson. 1. The December wind was damp and cold. Alice tightly gripped my sleeve, her eyes glistening. “Lucas, are you abandoning me?” The same words, the same look as in my previous life. But this time, I wouldn’t soften. Through her, I looked at the dark mass of people standing on the ridge, then slowly, one by one, pried Alice’s fingers from my hand. “Alice, you don’t belong here.” “Have you forgotten? You’re just a stray cat or dog I picked up on the roadside.” Alice’s glistening eyes immediately turned crimson at my words. These were the words Alice hated most. When I first found Alice, she couldn’t even speak clearly. When asked her name or where she lived, she knew nothing, only shook her head. Helpless, I had no choice but to keep her with me. Some mischievous children in the village nicknamed her “Fido,” saying she was a dog following me everywhere. Alice hated those words, but couldn’t stop others’ mouths. “Alice, it’s okay.” “Their mouths are their own. As long as we know it’s not true, that’s what matters.” My deceased grandfather taught me that. Later, I taught it to Alice. But now, I was saying those very words to Alice myself. “Lucas, are our five years of shared life only worth this amount of money?” Alice’s voice trembled as she spoke. In my previous life, I also felt our five years together shouldn’t be severed by mere money. So even knowing that returning to Capital City with her would mean facing scrutiny and criticism from the Campbell family, I still wanted to stand by her side and face it together. “Alice, without money, people die. But without sentiment, people live more easily.” “You should know how important money is, having been with me for these five years. This money can ensure my grandmother and I live comfortably for the rest of our lives.” I didn’t want to get further entangled with Alice. I called out to the people behind her: “What are you still waiting for?” “Are you expecting your Miss Campbell to climb into the car herself?” My utterly indifferent words landed, and Alice completely lost it. She snatched the card from my hand, forcefully snapped it in half, and threw it into a nearby muddy puddle. Alice desperately clung to me, holding on tightly. “Lucas, I don’t want to go!” “I just want to be with you! I promised Grandma I would take good care of you. You even said we’d have a son and a daughter, that we’d work hard together to buy a house and move to the city!” “Now I can give you the best life, why have you suddenly changed?” Five years had etched Alice’s dependence on me into her bones. She felt she couldn’t leave me, that she absolutely needed me. That was only because, for now, she didn’t remember her fiancée in Capital City. And that fiancée had waited for her painstakingly for five years. If she had known all of this back then, she wouldn’t have chosen to take me with her. “Alice, stop acting like a child.” “Are you really taking a children’s game seriously?” Those arms wrapped around me loosened. “Lucas, you’re so heartless.” The tearful accusation made it sound as if I were a cruel, unfaithful lover deserving of a thousand cuts. But Alice, you don’t know. In my previous life, I also believed we could have a lifetime of happiness. But it wasn’t until you remembered the person you loved that I realized how foolish I had been. The moment my grandmother and I died in that foreign land, I wished for another chance. I would never go back to Capital City with you again. The news that Alice was the daughter of the capital’s wealthiest family quickly spread throughout our impoverished little mountain village. Everyone, wearing ingratiating smiles, gathered in our yard to watch the spectacle. “Lucas, you’ve really hit the jackpot. Don’t forget us folks once you’re rich and famous!” “That’s right, I heard the Campbell family only has one daughter. So you’ll be the heir to a fortune, won’t you?” “I always said this Alice looks different from the children in our poor backwater. See, she’s a rich family princess!” The yard was bustling with their chatter. I glanced over, then walked to the water pump, washed my hands, and splashed water on my face. “Everyone, disperse.” “Alice is gone.” I knew the people gathered at the door simply wanted some benefits from Alice. After all, a little dust falling from the capital’s wealthiest family was enough for an ordinary family’s year-long sustenance. Everyone was surprised I hadn’t gone with her, and murmurs of discussion rose and fell. Too lazy to bother, I closed the door. “Lucas…” Grandma’s weak voice came from the bedroom. I quickly went in. Seeing Grandma, who in my previous life had frozen to death at the Campbell family’s gate because of me, tears welled up in my eyes. “Good child, why are you crying?” “Is it because Alice didn’t want to take you, and you’re sad?” I shook my head. “Then tell Grandma what’s wrong. Grandma will stand up for you.” I shook my head again, helping Grandma sit down. “Grandma, I chose not to go with her.” “I want to stay by your side forever.” Grandma lovingly ruffled my hair, holding me and gently stroking my back. “Silly child…” The lullaby she hummed was like a sleep-inducing melody, drawing me into a dream. But in that dream was my previous life, a past I could never forget. The first day I followed Alice back to Capital City, I stood at the opulent Campbell Manor, carrying the dried fish, dried meat, and free-range chickens Grandma had specially prepared for me. At that moment, I realized what it meant to be out of place. I clutched Alice tightly beside me, as if she were my only lifeline. Alice gently squeezed my hand, smiling. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Those were words I often said to her. When I first found Alice, she was injured everywhere, especially her right knee, which was severely hurt. She always walked with a limp, often mocked and bullied. Back then, I stood in front of her, defending her, telling her, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Grandma and I worked desperately to earn money for her treatment, buying her the best and most expensive rehabilitation equipment. She always said with red eyes that she would repay us someday, promising to earn money and support us once she recovered. Later, she did. But she also broke her promise. “You’re Lucas?” The question came from Alice’s mother, Eleanor. Fifty years old, yet showing no traces of time. Completely different from the fifty-year-old women in our village. I timidly nodded, the expensive carpet beneath my feet feeling like pins pricking my soles. “These are specialties my grandmother asked me to bring. Here, for you…” I crouched down, taking out the items one by one as Grandma had instructed. Alice bent down, handing them over to Eleanor piece by piece. But when I looked up, I saw the almost identical expressions of disgust on their faces. They covered their mouths, frowning, as if what was before them was something filthy. My heart instantly turned cold. Seeing their reaction, Alice roared, “Is no one going to take these?!” No one dared to defy this young princess. At her command, several people scrambled out and carried away everything I had brought. Alice, her face cold, helped me up, then solemnly introduced me to everyone. “This is my boyfriend, Lucas.” “He is my future husband. If you don’t accept him, it means you don’t accept me.” In the enormous living room, you could hear a pin drop. No one dared to speak; the atmosphere was terribly eerie. Until a soft sigh came from the crowd, and a path was automatically cleared. I looked in that direction; a man in a suit silently watched Alice and me. “Alice, you say he is your future husband.” “Then what am I?” 2 The first time I saw Victor, I realized a man could be so refined and handsome. He was like a star stepped out of a movie, dazzling and brilliant. It was then I learned that he and Alice had been childhood sweethearts, growing up together. Their bond was so deep that even when Alice was missing for five years, Victor remained, waiting painstakingly. “Alice, I waited for you for five years. Do you know what those five years were like for me?” “Alice, how could you forget me?” “And how could you fall in love with a man like this?” Alice instinctively let go of my hand. That was the first time I saw such a conflicted expression on Alice’s face. Alice arranged for me to stay in a villa, just across the street from Campbell Manor. That night, Alice held me tightly as she slept, talking about her hopes for the future. “Lucas, this will be our home from now on. Don’t worry, I will give you a proper answer.” “I told you, I only recognize you.” Those words were like a steady anchor, calming my uneasy heart. Alice hadn’t recovered her memory, but she still remembered how to handle company affairs. She traveled between three points every day, and I rarely heard her mention Victor again. Fearing I’d be bored, Alice brought my grandmother to Capital City. Grandma and I spent every day making her favorite dishes, and she always smiled contentedly. Every evening after dinner, we would watch the sunset from the rooftop. We used to love watching the sunset behind the farm in our village; she said she wanted to watch sunsets with me for the rest of her life. Those few months were the happiest time of my life. We no longer worried about money and lived the life we had dreamed of. But later, Alice became increasingly busy with the company, and Grandma and I often went days without seeing her. Occasionally, she’d visit, but only for a short while before leaving. Sunsets, too, became something I watched alone. I often zoned out until nightfall, still unable to wait for Alice to watch the sunset with me. It wasn’t until Alice’s birthday that she said she wanted to take me back to Campbell Manor. I once again stepped into that intimidatingly large house. I wore a suit I wasn’t used to, surrounded by eyes filled with malicious judgment. I tightly gripped Alice, but this time, Alice didn’t say, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” She said, “I’m going upstairs to change. Wait for me here.” I wanted to follow, but she went upstairs before I could speak. The next second, I saw Victor. “Do you know Alice is undergoing memory recovery treatment?” “She’s about to remember me.” A piercing ringing sound erupted in my ears; my nerves snapped at that moment. A violent impact, and I was brutally knocked to the ground. Victor’s sharp heel dug into the back of my hand, almost drilling a hole through it. “Ah…” The elegant music and the chatter of the crowd drowned out my cry of pain. I lay there on the ground, watching Alice, dressed in exquisite attire, pass through the crowd. “Alice!” Victor smiled, waving to her, and walked to her side. They danced song after song amidst thunderous applause, clearly the most perfectly matched couple in the world. Like a prying thief, I numbly turned and left the Campbell residence. Outside, Eleanor was seeing off guests. “Alice and Victor’s wedding is set for the fourth day of the New Year. Make sure you all come.” Amidst the flattery and congratulations, Eleanor said, “Campbell Manor is not a place for just any stray cat or dog.” I knew “stray cat or dog” referred to me. Though it was only across the street, it felt like I walked for an eternity. That day, Alice didn’t return to the villa for the first time. [Lucas, something came up at the company. I won’t be coming over today.] I knew Alice was lying. But some things, I just wanted to hear her say to me. Yet she didn’t come for half a month straight. When she finally did, her face was grim. “Lucas, Victor said he came to Jade Creek Village to find me. He even met you.” “But you kept it hidden. You said you hadn’t seen me. Is that true?” That was the first time I saw Alice angry with me. The way she looked at me was like she was looking at a stranger. I held back the tears welling in my eyes, stubbornly looking up. “I didn’t.” I wouldn’t admit to something I hadn’t done. “I never saw anyone come to Jade Creek Village looking for you!” “You’re still lying!” Alice roared, playing a video on her phone, amplified. The video showed villagers from Jade Creek Village saying they had seen Victor. “Seen him, yes, he came from the city. I even gave him directions.” “That’s right, I told him the person he was looking for was at the Lius’. I was wondering why he didn’t take Miss Campbell home!” “Lucas must have been hiding something malicious!” … One accusation after another, almost everyone was blaming me for hiding Alice. I had no way to defend myself, only continuously clutching Alice’s sleeve, saying I hadn’t. “Lucas isn’t like that, Alice!” “Five years, don’t you trust him?” Grandma, holding me, confronted Alice, pulling at Alice’s hand, telling her not to be fooled by the villagers. But those dark eyes held no trace of tenderness. “My name isn’t Alice; it’s Alice Campbell.” She shook Grandma off, and even when Grandma fell to the ground, her face showed no emotion. I suddenly realized the person in front of me wasn’t my Alice anymore. Her name was Alice Campbell, and she was Victor’s Alice. “If I had known this, I would never have brought you back to Capital City!” Alice’s resolute words were an unspoken death sentence for me. “Alice, you remembered, didn’t you?” I recalled Victor’s words, realizing the woman in front of me had recovered her memory. She hadn’t appeared for half a month straight. Only because she remembered that the person she was meant to love, meant to marry, wasn’t me. “You really didn’t have to put on such a show for me. If you had just said it, I wouldn’t have clung to you.” Alice looked down at me from above, emotionless. “There was no show.” “Lucas, Victor… he waited for me for five years. I can’t let him down.” I lowered my head and couldn’t help but smile, tears streaming down my face. “Her five years are five years. Are my five years not five years?” Alice’s step faltered slightly, but in the end, she walked out of our home without looking back. “This house is your compensation. The Campbell family will also cover your future living expenses.” “From now on, don’t look for me again.” After that, that villa became my cage, and also my tomb. That year was the darkest period of my life. The pain from the dream extended into reality, and I struggled awake. Sitting up, I looked around the room and let out a long sigh of relief. Good, it was just a dream. This time, I didn’t go with Alice. Suddenly, there was an urgent knock at the door. I pushed open the door, my palm sweating slightly, hidden by my side. Standing outside the door was no one else. It was Alice.

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I heard that the company heiress received fifty million and ten percent of the shares as a reward from her parents upon graduation. I sat at my cubicle, munching on leftover bread from the day before, my eyes wide with envy. I calculated in my head: even if she did nothing from now on, just collecting interest and dividends, she could still make over thirty million annually! As a pathetic and humble office drone, getting paid without working was my lifelong dream. However, that day, the chairman’s family found me. They said I was their biological daughter, who had been missing for twenty-three years. My best friend warned me, “Those elite families have a lot of rules; you won’t be able to handle it. Besides, they’ve raised Serena for over twenty years; they won’t have any affection for you.” I offered her a sly smile and told her, “It’s okay. I’m not after affection, just money.” 1. I was brought back to the Sterling family mansion. On the way, the butler explained the general situation of the Sterling family to me. The Sterling family had three children: the eldest son, James, the second son, Matthew, and the youngest daughter, Serena. After I went missing, Mrs. Sterling was heartbroken, so she adopted a girl from an orphanage, who is now Serena. Serena was smart, sensible, and had good grades, so she enjoyed the love of her parents and brothers from a young age. As soon as I got out of the car, I was blocked at the entrance by the Sterling family’s second son, Matthew. He scanned me from head to toe with an unfriendly gaze, then squinted at me and asked, “Are you Sophia Sterling?” I nodded and pointed to the butler beside me. “I suppose so; that’s what they told me. But you can also call me Chelsea, my original name.” He glanced at me, snorted disdainfully. “Country bumpkin. Not even a fraction as good as Serena.” “Give up. Even if you’re back, you’ll never replace Serena. The Sterling family will only ever have one daughter, and that’s Serena! There’s nothing about you that can compare to her!” “I’m warning you, you’d better be cooperative and polite to Serena. Don’t do anything that makes me dislike you, or else, I have plenty of ways to make you disappear!” With that, without waiting for my reply, he turned and entered the villa. I rolled my eyes at his retreating back. Who cares if he likes me or not? I’m here to make money, not to win his favor! Once I get the money, I won’t need him to kick me out; I’ll leave myself! Serena, as an adopted daughter, received fifty million and ten percent of the shares upon graduation. It wouldn’t be too much for me, the biological daughter, to get an extra ten million, right? As I was about to push the door open, it was pulled open from the inside. A girl roughly my age met my gaze, then quickly forced a smile, eagerly taking my hand and asking, “You must be Sophia, right?” “Come in quickly, Mom and Dad are waiting for you!” As expected, this was the legendary Serena Sterling, known for her high emotional and intellectual intelligence. She ushered me into the living room. On the sofa, an elegant middle-aged couple immediately stood up. Upon seeing me, Mrs. Sterling froze for a moment. Then she slowly walked up to me, her fingers trembling slightly as she touched my face. “Sophia… is it really my Sophia?” With that, she embraced me tightly, overcome with emotion. “Mom finally found you.” “How have you been all these years, out there? It’s Mom’s fault…” I had prepared myself for an unwelcoming reception, but suddenly being embraced by Mrs. Sterling like this filled me with a mix of emotions. I grew up in an orphanage, never experiencing any parental affection. As I pondered how to respond appropriately, a sudden crash of breaking glass came from behind me, mixed with Serena’s yelp. Everyone’s attention immediately shifted. She lay on the floor, clutching her elbow, whimpering, “Mom, it hurts so much…” Blood dripped onto the pristine floor. Mrs. Sterling immediately let go of me and rushed over. Her eyes were filled with concern and distress. “Serena!” “Quick! Call a doctor!” Mr. Sterling also rushed over. After seeing what happened, he angrily scolded the surrounding maids. “What are you doing? How could you let Miss Serena serve tea herself?!” Serena quickly pulled him back, explaining, “Dad, it’s not their fault. I wanted to personally pour a cup of tea for Sister, since she’s back.” “It’s my fault, I was too clumsy, I missed a step.” Her weak explanation to the maids, nestled in Mrs. Sterling’s arms, would make anyone pity her. 2 Soon after, the family doctor arrived. After a quick bandaging, Matthew, still worried, insisted on going to the hospital for another check-up. So, the whole family prepared to accompany her to the hospital for more tests. As they were about to leave, Mrs. Sterling suddenly remembered me, standing behind her. She turned, giving me an apologetic look. “Sophia, Mom originally prepared a welcome banquet for you, but this…” Before she could finish, Matthew turned back, grabbed her, and interrupted. “Alright, Mom, what’s with a welcome banquet for a country bumpkin like her? What’s important now is Serena. She’s bleeding so much; aren’t you worried? Let’s go!” Then, two seconds later, I heard a bang as the door was forcefully shut. Suddenly, the enormous villa was left with only me. I sat on the sofa, simply glancing around. Suddenly, my right hand brushed against a book. I looked down and picked it up. It was a photo album. Opening the first page, Serena’s smiling face, holding a coconut, appeared, with a beach island as the background. Next were photos from summer camp, from international competitions, and of everyone celebrating her birthday. Most of the photos were from 2013. In 2013, I was 12 years old, just starting middle school and growing rapidly. The orphanage had many children, so to get more food every day, I would go to the cafeteria after school to help the aunties wash vegetables and assist in the kitchen. While I was still worrying about going hungry, she was vacationing on an island with her parents and brother. Comparing people really kills you. I stayed in the living room until almost midnight, with no sign of anyone returning. After thinking about it, I decided to go back to my old home first. Picking up my bag, I was about to stand up when Mrs. Sterling, with Serena in her arms, opened the door. She looked a little surprised to see me. “Sophia, it’s so late, where are you going?” “It was so late, and you hadn’t returned. I didn’t know where to sleep, so I was going to head home.” Hearing my reply, she paused, her expression apologetic. “Mom completely forgot.” “Hmph, what are you trying to do, playing pitiful!” Matthew scoffed at me. Mrs. Sterling turned back and called out to Aunt Lee, who was behind her. “Aunt Lee, quickly take Sophia to her room to rest.” “Mom, let me take Sister.” Serena stepped forward, volunteering. Mrs. Sterling smiled at her, relieved. “Serena is so thoughtful. Take your sister.” Serena stepped forward, familiarly taking my hand and leading me upstairs. She opened a room on the second floor. “Sister, you can stay in this room.” I looked up. The room was decorated quite warmly and girlishly. Before I could speak, Matthew rushed forward, blocking me. “No! This is Serena’s room! Serena, why would you give your room to this country bumpkin?” “Poor people like her are full of tricks. You’re so kind; don’t let her take advantage of you!” 3 Serena glanced at him, feigning a chiding tone. “Brother, the room Mom prepared earlier isn’t as big as this one. I thought that Sister suffered for so many years outside, and I’ve been happy in her place here for so long, so she should be properly compensated now that she’s back.” “I took Sister’s place. Now it’s time to give it back to her.” Then, she looked at me cautiously. “Sister, you won’t blame me, will you? Don’t worry, I’ll return everything that belongs to you. I’ll give you whatever you want, as long as you don’t make me leave.” “I just love Mom and Dad too much; I can’t bear to leave them…” “…” So, Serena is a ‘green tea’ girl. “Nonsense! What replacement? You are my Walter Sterling’s daughter!” Mr. Sterling had appeared behind us at some point. Hearing Serena’s words, he sharply rebuked her. After speaking, he approached her and stroked her hair. “Silly child, don’t think such things. You were raised by your mother and me. For us, blood relation isn’t that important. You are our most beloved child.” Serena’s eyes welled with tears upon hearing this. She turned and hooked her arm through Mr. Sterling’s, acting coy. “Dad, of course I’m your daughter. I just feel bad for Sister and don’t want to leave you both…” While they were having their father-daughter moment, I walked to the adjacent room and pushed open the door. Good. Although it was a bit smaller than Serena’s room, it was bright and clean, infinitely better than where I used to live. “I’ll take this room.” Serena froze, still wanting to persuade me, but I interrupted. “Don’t worry, I don’t take other people’s things.” With that, before they could react, I took my luggage into the room. Reviewing the day’s events, I realized that aside from Mrs. Sterling being somewhat amiable towards me, everyone else seemed less than welcoming. I heard that Sterling Industries was originally Mrs. Sterling’s family business. Mr. Sterling had married into the family as a live-in son-in-law. After the old man passed away, Mrs. Sterling, having no interest in business, largely handed over management to Mr. Sterling. So, in this family, Mrs. Sterling still held considerable sway. This meant that in this household, mainly currying favor with Mrs. Sterling should be enough. People die for wealth, birds die for food. I’ll just consider this a job. I’ll give myself one year. Get sixty million and shares, then I’m out of here! The next morning, a knock sounded at my door. It was Aunt Lee. She said James was back, and Mrs. Sterling wanted me downstairs. When I got downstairs, the family was happily dividing the gifts James had brought back. James was momentarily surprised to see me. Then he picked up a gift from the table and handed it to me. “You must be Sophia, right? This is a gift I brought back from abroad, the same as Serena’s.” “Thank you.” I politely accepted it. It seemed he was slightly more friendly towards me than Matthew. Opening it, I found a diamond necklace. It looked like it was worth a lot. This big brother is quite generous. Note to self: include him in the ‘curry favor’ strategy! Just as I was lost in thought about when I could sell it for cash, Serena sweetly called out to someone nearby. “Brandon, can I come to your birthday party the day after tomorrow?” Only then did I notice a stranger sitting on the sofa. He was quite handsome and had an extraordinary demeanor, most likely another well-to-do second-generation rich kid. No wonder Serena was so demure. Perhaps sensing my curiosity, James thoughtfully introduced me. “This is my good friend, Brandon Hayes.” Brandon heard this, turned, and met my gaze. In a fleeting moment, a flash of shock appeared in his eyes. However, a moment later, his expression changed. He smiled, waving at me. “Hello, Sophia.” With those words, Serena’s smile froze.

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Henry had a female “buddy.” Their bond was so tight they’d share a bed, even scoop ice cream from the same bowl. I insisted they keep their distance. He grew impatient: “If anything was going to happen between us, it would’ve happened ages ago. Can’t we just trust each other?” Fine. I turned around and found myself a male best friend.

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I married the man my sister didn’t want, and found unexpected happiness. Until my sister suddenly returned from abroad. She looked at my pregnant belly, smiled, and pushed me down the stairs. When Adam arrived, I was covered in blood. He rushed me to the hospital, but the baby was lost. I wanted my sister to pay for her crime, but Adam said: “We can have another child, but Luna is one of a kind.” 1 “Let’s get a divorce.” I stared blankly at the hospital room ceiling, my heart aching as if pierced by needles. Last night’s torment flashed vividly before me. When I was pushed down the stairs, Adam’s first reaction was to check on Luna. I missed the critical window for saving my baby, and now I could never conceive again. Adam, however, seemed unfazed: “Don’t be ridiculous. We can always have another child.” My eyes widened in disbelief, my fingers digging into the white bedsheets beneath me. “Adam, that was our child!” Adam’s face hardened into a cold silence. I had once believed I married the right man. Now, I was utterly disheartened. Months ago, as Adam and I lay entwined, he held me tightly and whispered “Luna.” Luna. That was my sister’s name. Mom and Dad always said I was a bit slow, hoping I’d be smarter. So, my name is Audrey. They’d always said Luna was as pure and flawless as the moon. “Audrey, she’s your sister. Why do you have to pick a fight with her over a child?” “Adam, have you lost your mind?! She pushed me down the stairs! Are you blind?!” “It wasn’t her fault, she was scared!” Adam roared at me. My heart twitched with a sharp pain. “Exactly, exactly, your sister would never do such a thing.” My parents chimed in from beside him. My eyes instantly welled up. I stared at everyone in disbelief, then it dawned on me. I married him in Luna’s place. She’d said she didn’t want to get married, so my parents sent her abroad. But then, Adam had been so good to me, so attentive. I’d even forgotten that Luna was his first love, his ‘moonlight.’ And my parents had never once stood by me. I was an outsider. A nurse came in to check on me, asking if I needed to use the restroom. Before my pregnancy, when I was ill, Adam would always carry me out of bed. “Is this your husband?” the nurse tentatively asked. “Shall I have him help you?” Adam’s gaze held no trace of concern, only repulsion and disdain. I offered a cold, bitter smile and denied it: “No, he cheated on me. He’s not my husband anymore. Oh, and the woman next to him is my sister, which makes her the other woman.” “Audrey, what nonsense are you spouting?! Are you insane?!” Adam’s face was a mask of shock, his voice a low, furious reprimand. I weakly leaned against the wall, limping into the bathroom. After flushing the toilet and turning on the faucet, I couldn’t suppress my sobs. The people in this family were no longer willing to put on an act. Luna clung to Adam, crying pitifully, her face streaked with tears, a sight that would move anyone. Seeing me emerge, she slowly detached herself from him. She hid behind Adam, completely shielded. When I was rushed to the hospital, I was in excruciating pain, crying hysterically. But when Adam received a call saying Luna seemed terrified, he abandoned me and swiftly left. The doctors even thought he was a hit-and-run driver. Haha. “Are you really going to divorce me?” Adam seemed not to believe my words. “That’s my freedom,” I replied coldly. Adam didn’t answer. He just kept his brows and lips tightly pressed together. He always frowned so much; for years, I would smooth his brow while he slept. He probably didn’t believe I would truly let go. I almost forgot, Adam used to be a doctor. I spent all my savings to help him get promoted. Half of his success in becoming a director was due to me. His image as a devoted husband was something I helped create by covering up for him and rallying support. The child was conceived around that time. Come to think of it, was everything really just a coincidence? “I’ll apologize to you on her behalf. Is that enough?” Adam demanded, challenging me. A human life, to be erased with just an apology. A wave of dizziness and heartache washed over me; I nearly stumbled. Luna suddenly let out a small cough. He immediately turned, asking her with concern. My parents returned, carrying bags, and unusually, greeted me with smiles. My mom deliberately boasted loudly: “These are specialties Dad and I specifically bought for you from the high-end district. Quick, look, they’re all really good tonics. What kind of parents are this good to their married daughter?!” I was genuinely touched. “Smash!” I threw the things to the floor. My disheveled state became undeniable. Adam immediately shielded Luna. Staring at me, he warned coldly: “Audrey, don’t throw a tantrum! What else do you want? If these aren’t good enough, I’ll buy you more! Just don’t hurt anyone else.” “Hurt?” I sneered, pointing at each item on the floor. “Milk, mangoes, bird’s nest, bone broth—I’m allergic to half of these four things. Adam, why don’t I test you now? Which two am I allergic to? If you can name them, I’ll eat everything else!” Adam suddenly froze, his face pale. “Go on, say it!” “You had so many problems when you were little! Who could remember all that?!” My mom snapped, full of impatience. She couldn’t keep up the act of a loving mother anymore. “We bought so many tonics, things we couldn’t even afford when we were kids, and you’re still complaining?! You ungrateful wretch! Do you know how much these cost?!” My dad also roared. My sister used to go to the hospital if she even sneezed. I, fearing I’d die from eating something, was now the ungrateful wretch. The commotion I caused attracted quite a few people. Luna, as expected, smiled sweetly and crouched down to pick up the items. “Oh, sis, Adam’s just too busy, and Mom and Dad are getting old and forgetful. You can’t eat mangoes, I won’t let them buy them for you again.” “See how thoughtful Luna is?” my mom exclaimed with satisfaction. “Then why did you give me mango milk during my college entrance exam?” Luna’s fingers suddenly froze. Did she think I’d forgotten? “Luna, don’t pick those up!” Adam pulled Luna away, his voice laced with concern, then glared at me in annoyance, frowning: “She’s not the kind of person you think she is. What happened on the stairs was an accident. We can always have another child…” “It’s fine. There’s surveillance at home,” I interrupted. I had specifically set it up for the baby that was about to be born. Whether it was an accident or not, it would be easy to prove. A crack finally appeared in Luna’s composed expression. Adam stared at me in silence for a long time, his gaze gaining a hint of smugness and malice. Finally, he conceded: “I can divorce you, but you are not to cause trouble for Luna.” I scoffed. “Otherwise, I can make sure you leave with nothing.” I stared at Adam in shock. Leaving with nothing required evidence. “Why…?” Adam seemed to have anticipated my question. He smiled sinisterly, “That child… wasn’t mine at all. You cheated.” Adam claimed— He had caught me cheating. I wondered if I had lost my memory. The one who should have fallen down the stairs was Adam. Otherwise, what kind of crazy talk was this? But Adam pulled out a video. The setting, unbelievably, was our own bedroom. One of the figures was a stranger… and the other woman was me?! Completely naked. How could this be possible?! I trembled all over, frozen in place. My mind went blank. “This video was found on your phone, Audrey. You cheated.” Adam’s tone was deadly serious. Fear washed over me. I distinctly remembered none of this happening. Even if it were true… how could he have kept silent until now? What exactly was he trying to do? “Impossible!” I clutched my head. A splitting headache. Adam coldly took a breath and said, “I was the one who put that person there.” “What… what?” I hoped my ears were malfunctioning. I hoped this was just a nightmare. Wake up, now! “Audrey, we’ve been married for three years and only now have a child. Don’t you find that strange?” I stood there, dazed. For the first time, Adam looked so unfamiliar and terrifying. When he proposed to me, he promised to be good to me for the rest of my life. “I can’t have children,” Adam calmly replied. “How can that be?! That was our child! Adam, are you being scammed?!” I screamed excitedly, my rationality on the brink of collapse. “Sis, Adam really can’t have children,” Luna looked at me provocatively. Adam gently put his arm around Luna and said seriously: “Don’t blame her. If it wasn’t for Luna, I wouldn’t have known about my special condition. But you said you wanted a child, and I happened to need one too.” To help him climb the ranks… “So, you put me in another man’s bed?!” My stomach churned with nausea; I almost threw up. “You should thank me,” Adam suddenly glared at me viciously, a twisted smile on his face: “I searched for so many people to find someone with good genes. I paid him a lot of money, and he agreed. That night, you enjoyed it yourself, didn’t you? More than with me. Aren’t you also one way on the surface, and another in private?!” “Slap!” Adam’s face turned scarlet. My vision went black, and I fell to the floor. No wonder he made me drink so much that day. He knew I didn’t like alcohol. Wait, no! I looked at my parents’ calm expressions. My body trembled. “Audrey, things have come to this, the baby’s gone, just get divorced.” My mom glanced at me, no trace of pity in her eyes. Adam wanted a child, truly, just for his own advancement and wealth. My mind felt like it was crumbling. I lunged at Adam’s arm and bit him. The next second, I was violently thrown to the ground. Adam kicked me: “Audrey, you think too highly of yourself. You were the one who slept with another man! You’re the one who wronged me!” I never realized before. Adam was so deranged. “Why are you doing this to me?” “Audrey, my dad, he died because of you…” Adam’s eyes held a malice that didn’t seem fake. When did I cause his father’s death? Luna looked down at me coldly: “Haven’t you always wondered what we owed the Stevensons? When you had an episode during your college entrance exam, Adam’s father had a car accident rushing to save you.” “If it weren’t for the mango milk, would I have been like that?!” “But you could have insisted on finishing the exam, yet you wasted so much time! If it weren’t for you, my dad wouldn’t have died!” Adam suddenly grabbed my throat, his eyes bloodshot. So, all these years, he’d been acting? I looked at him, confused and with a bitter smile: “Then why did you still marry me?” “Because you had to atone for your sins!” “All these years, you’ve never loved me?” Tears streamed down my face. Adam suddenly froze, his eyes filled with an unreadable complexity. “No.” The evidence was conclusive, verified by the court. I was forced to leave with nothing. Returning to collect my belongings, I found my boxes thrown outside. “Madam, everything’s packed for you. From now on, you can go home. Mr. Stevenson said you’re no longer the mistress of this house.” The housekeeper looked at me with difficulty. Where was my home? My parents, Luna, and Adam lived happily together. I had been thrown out. Overnight, I lost everything. Luckily, I still had some savings, so I temporarily stayed at a hotel. I set up a tombstone for my unborn child, crying hysterically. How could they find happiness? Things couldn’t just end like this. If others wouldn’t give me justice, I’d take it myself. Luna proactively asked to meet me. She asked why I wasn’t curious about when Adam went to see her. Her face held a mix of confusion and smugness. I took my hemostatic medicine and told her to get lost. “You had just gotten pregnant then, and Adam said seeing you made him sick. His trip abroad wasn’t for further studies; he went to find me. Those were the happiest days of my life, Audrey, just give up.” “He can only be mine.” During that time… I was in a maternity center. I thought I was being his strong support. He could understand, be grateful. Turns out, he was having a grand time with Luna abroad. All this time, he’d put on quite an act. He deserved an Oscar for my foolishness. I found a lawyer to sue. The lawyer said I had no chance. All the evidence favored Adam. No one could prove Luna caused the death of my child. The video only proved I cheated, nothing else. The home surveillance footage had also been deleted. Most of my money had been spent on the household, and my parents borrowed all my money during my pregnancy. My remaining balance was only enough for two months’ rent. I found an excuse to go back for my things. I discovered all traces of my existence were gone. Even the wedding photos were replaced with pictures of them together. After being discharged, I was very weak; I almost fell just climbing the stairs. Not to mention my haggard appearance, with half my hair gone. Adam looked surprised for a moment, but his expression remained cold: “If you had promised not to trouble Luna, none of this would have happened. You could have taken half of my assets. Even if you sue, what then? You won’t win.” I sneered. How could he give me half? He must have already transferred the assets. “I came to take Fluffy home.” Adam’s eyes flashed with a hint of guilt. “I’ll send someone to bring him to you.” The next second, a piercing dog bark suddenly came from the master bedroom. I immediately rushed in. In the bedroom, Fluffy lay on the floor, barely breathing, looking at me pitifully. “Fluffy!” I fell to the floor. Fluffy was a corgi I adopted before marriage, usually well-behaved, obedient, and incredibly gentle. “Luna! Are you trying to die?!” I shoved Luna hard, and she almost fell to the ground. Adam rushed to my front, glaring at me viciously. “It’s just a dog, what are you doing?!” True, he didn’t care about his own child. How could he care about a dog? My heart was bleeding. Fluffy was like half a child to me, and he wasn’t a puppy anymore! “Adam, he bit me first, that’s why I reacted.” Luna said, tearing up. Adam tenderly hugged and comforted her. “Fluffy never bites unless provoked! How could he bite you if you didn’t bother him?!” The dog hair on the floor was clearly pulled out deliberately. She had attacked a pet. My blood rushed, and I suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Adam froze, but Luna pulled him back. “Adam, that dog isn’t clean, don’t go near it.” Adam hesitated for a few seconds. He stared at me intently, staying close to Luna. I wiped my mouth, my stomach churning with nausea. Fluffy rubbed against my leg, drooling. Luna, when I wasn’t looking, suddenly kicked him. My hand tried to shield him, and though it scraped, Fluffy still let out a pained yelp. Soon, he stopped breathing entirely. “Fluffy, Fluffy…” Luna was still clinging pitifully to Adam’s arm: “Adam, I thought he was going mad and I was afraid he’d hurt you. I didn’t mean it.” “Luna!” I grabbed the vase from the table and threw it at Luna. It struck Adam’s forehead, drawing blood. He gasped, then looked at Luna, asking, “Are you okay?” Luna anxiously wiped his blood, then glared at me with red eyes, calling 911. I took Fluffy in a taxi to the vet hospital. But it was too late to save him. I took the home surveillance video. And found a strand of Adam’s hair in the bathroom. The shop told me the video repair would take at least half a month. I gave the hair to the hospital to test if the baby was truly mine and Adam’s. But it required the baby’s embryonic tissue. I used connections I’d made previously – a colleague of Adam’s. “Audrey, everyone knows about your situation now. Is there really a need to do all this?” Back then, for Adam’s sake, I had helped his colleague quite a bit. He wasn’t good at socializing, and many of his connections were ones I cultivated. I even helped Linda get her child into school. “I’m not asking for it for free,” I glared at her, gritting my teeth, not understanding what this had to do with her. “Alright, twenty thousand.” “What?! The most expensive is usually five thousand!” “Then don’t do it. Someone who cheated, going through all this, who are you trying to impress? That video was already…” Linda suddenly stopped, looking at me, trying frantically to cover up. She bravely explained: “I just happened to scroll past it occasionally, I didn’t spread it.” I stared at her in shock, my face even paler. A bitter sting in my heart. “Audrey, Adam is such a good man, we all saw it. The video can’t be faked. Don’t say I’m kicking you when you’re down, I’m already giving you a discount on this test.” Linda raised an eyebrow, haughty. Adam actually had no regard for my reputation. He truly wanted to destroy me. I sold my wedding ring. At the time, Adam spent three months picking out this ring with me. Now, for another woman, he frames me, abandons me. It all felt so surreal. I wished I could go back to before I met Adam. I returned to my high school. When people are close to death, they often want to revisit old places. But I never expected to run into Luna and Adam there too. She intimately linked arms with Adam, constantly cooing: “Adam, they say if you walk around each other’s old schools, you’ll be completely bound together for life.” Adam dotingly tweaked her nose, “Where did you hear that?” I was about to hide when a teacher suddenly called out to me. “Audrey!” Isn’t that my homeroom teacher? And the invigilator from back then. After chatting for a while, she sighed, “Back then, I was so worried you wouldn’t finish the exam, luckily you persevered. Too bad about that doctor…” I gave an awkward smile, feeling guilty. I saw Adam and Luna had also spotted me. The teacher didn’t notice, “There was a student in the next class, if she hadn’t said she had a stomach ache and delayed your treatment, you might have performed better. That doctor died in a car accident while rushing to get her medicine.” “He didn’t die because of me?!” I asked strangely. The teacher suddenly gasped, looking behind me. “Oh? I think that’s her.” Luna, being pointed at, her face instantly grew unnatural. “Don’t talk nonsense!” The teacher awkwardly waved her hand, “It’s been a long time, I can’t remember clearly, but I do remember that female student had a birthmark on the back of her hand.” Luna had a birthmark on the back of her hand. My parents used to say she was a reincarnation of a lotus fairy. This was something they had proudly boasted about to everyone. But no one knew we were sisters. They were ashamed. “Where did you find this extra?” Adam scoffed, his eyes full of cold indifference: “Audrey, stop playing games. Luna is so pure, not sly like you.” Luna deliberately cooed, “Adam, let’s go. Sis is already pitiful enough.” “Apologize.” Adam looked at me, utterly serious. He threw a card at me. “Apologize to Luna.” It contained a hundred thousand dollars. Adam’s heart, it turned out, was made of stone. I offered a bitter smile, trying hard to suppress my tears. “Adam, I hope you never regret this.” “Audrey, the biggest regret of my life was marrying you. You’re not even worth a single one of Luna’s fingers.” I needed treatment, money, and time. I bowed deeply, tears splashing onto the ground. “I’m sorry, I was wrong.” Adam forcefully lifted my chin, smugly saying: “That’s right. Didn’t you approach me for money from the start? Why pretend to care about the child?!” “That was our child!” I cried, breaking down in a scream. “He’s not!” Adam smiled, his eyes cold: “He’s a bastard.” Luna smugly pulled Adam away. I was overcome with anger and grief. The next second, I suddenly lost consciousness.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391460”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 I, Lucas Thorne, a hidden heir to a powerful family, was supposed to marry Emily Reed. But the night before the wedding, a sudden car accident plunged me into darkness. When I woke up again, the world was nothing but chaos. In the endless dark, I heard Emily and her assistant talking. “Emily, don’t worry, the accident perpetrator and the doctor are all taken care of. They won’t breathe a word. It’s just… Lucas loves to paint. After donating his corneas, he won’t be able to see again. What if he can’t accept it when he wakes up?” “He’s strong, unlike Adam. Adam wouldn’t be able to live without his sight. Besides, Lucas already has me, and I’ll take care of him for the rest of his life. I love him, but I can’t lose Adam.” The woman paused, her cool voice returning. “Oh, and have the doctor snip Lucas’s vas deferens as well. Adam would go crazy if he saw a child of mine and Lucas’s.” The assistant’s voice held a hint of protest: “But Emily, isn’t that too cruel to Lucas? He’s been with you since he was eighteen…” “Just do as you’re told, and don’t ask any more questions.” I felt a chill run through me, my body trembling uncontrollably. So, the woman I had loved unconditionally had long since fallen for the poor student I sponsored. She was even willing to destroy everything I had for his sake. If that’s the case, those who hurt me will not be spared. … Footsteps echoed in the hospital room. I forced myself to remain calm, feigning unconsciousness. “Ms. Reed, Mr. Grayson just donated his corneas and is still very weak. If we proceed with the vasectomy now, he might not withstand it and it could be life-threatening. I suggest we wait a while…” “I didn’t pay you to give me suggestions. This is an order, not a discussion. But if anything happens to Lucas, you know the consequences.” The doctor spoke nervously, “Yes, Ms. Reed.” A warm, searing touch brushed my cheek. Emily’s voice was soft and melodious. “Lucas, it’ll all be over soon. Don’t worry, I’ll always be by your side. I love you, Lucas.” My body gave a faint, uncontrollable shiver. A coolness grazed my cheek as Emily seemed to stand up. Sensing I was about to awaken, Emily’s voice turned cold and commanding: “Where’s the doctor? Prepare for surgery immediately. It must be done before he wakes!” I opened my eyes in terror, but saw nothing but darkness. Tears fell involuntarily as I reached out, grasping frantically at the air. “Wh-why can’t I see?” “Don’t be scared, Lucas. I’m here. I’ve always been here.” Emily held me tightly, her warm, small hand stroking my head. Her gentle voice seemed to brim with heartache. “You were in an accident… The doctor said your blindness is only temporary. Lucas, I’ll take good care of you…” The woman seemed to nod, then continued, “Be a good boy. Your body hasn’t fully recovered, so you can’t get too emotional. Let the doctor give you a nutritional shot.” If I hadn’t woken up early and overheard her conversation with the doctor, I would have believed every word she said. But now I knew that the so-called “nutritional shot” was just anesthesia to put me to sleep. I clutched the woman’s arm tightly, shaking my head desperately, my voice choked with emotion. “No… Emily, I don’t want the shot… I want to go home, can we just go home…?” Before I could finish, the cold needle pierced my skin. As my consciousness faded, I heard Emily’s familiar gentle voice. “Lucas, be good. Just sleep, and it will all be over. You’ll be fine with me here.” Tears streamed silently down my cheeks. Though my body was numb, my heart throbbed relentlessly. I closed my eyes in despair, and in the darkness, I saw eighteen-year-old Emily, her eyes red from crying, scolding me for being a fool for taking a knife for her. The girl’s tender, resolute voice echoed in my mind, “Lucas, I swear, this lifetime, I will never let anyone hurt you again.” Yet, the one who hurt me most, the one who sought to end my life, was precisely her. When I woke again, I had not only lost my sight and my love, but I would never have children of my own. I opened my eyes to the quiet of the hospital room, broken only by my own weak breathing. Soon, faint voices of an argument drifted in. “Lucas’s brother was in an accident. I have to go take care of him. Lucas’s brother has been so good to me; without him, I’d still be in the slums. I owe him everything, you can’t stop me…” It was Adam Grayson, the poor student I sponsored. Emily, who never tolerated defiance, had no hint of displeasure in her voice. “Adam, listen. Your eyes just recovered, the doctor said you shouldn’t move around much and need more rest. Lucas will be taken care of, you don’t need to worry.” My palms clenched the blanket involuntarily. When had Adam gone blind? Why didn’t I know? “Hiss!” A sharp pain suddenly shot through the back of my hand as a tiny needle quickly pierced my skin. The nurse’s voice was utterly impatient and angry as she snapped, “Don’t move!” She even pressed harder, as if to deliberately warn me. “How unlucky. Why do they get to take care of Ms. Reed’s fiancé, while I’m stuck with a blind invalid like you!” “If Mr. Grayson could put in a good word for me with Ms. Reed, I wouldn’t have to deal with the likes of you sicklings anymore…” “Crash!” The sound of a glass medicine bottle shattering interrupted her resentful muttering. “Ah! Who dares… M-Ms. Reed, why are you here…?” The nurse’s voice went from angry to trembling as Emily’s furious voice resonated through the room, sending a chill down my spine. “Get out. Don’t ever let me see you again.” A familiar warm embrace enveloped me. The woman’s body seemed to tremble slightly, her voice filled with guilt. “I’m sorry, Lucas. I was late, and you suffered. I’m so sorry…” A bitter smile played on my lips. Compared to having my corneas removed and my vas deferens severed, this little bit of hardship was nothing. But she seemed terribly remorseful, holding me so tightly I could barely breathe. “I don’t want to stay in the hospital. I want to go home.” The woman’s warm breath feathered my neck. “Once the doctors clear you, I’ll take you home.” She didn’t know that the “home” I spoke of wasn’t her villa, but the prestigious Thorne family estate far away in London. Years ago, during a period of turmoil within the Thorne family, my father had hidden me in a coastal town for safety, but somehow, ill-intentioned people found out. When I was cornered in an alley, Emily appeared and took a fatal knife blow for me. In that moment, “love at first sight” became a tangible reality for me. Later, we went to the same university, fell passionately in love, and were inseparable. Everyone around us envied our relationship. Adam appeared around that time too. I pitied him, eating plain bread every meal, and admired his talent, so I stepped in to sponsor him. Adam was eternally grateful to me, and we became close friends, sharing everything. I just didn’t know when he and Emily ended up in the same bed, or when Emily fell in love with him. Emily brushed the stray hairs from my forehead, her voice softer than ever. “Lucas, can we still have the wedding tomorrow? I truly want to marry you quickly, to make you my husband.” The wedding I once dreamed of now felt like a nightmare. I gently shook my head. “No.” Emily didn’t expect me to refuse. She released me, explaining with rare patience, “I know you’re scared, but don’t worry, I’ll arrange everything perfectly. I guarantee no one will dare to say a word. Adam will be your best man and help you.” “Our officiant this time will be Evelyn Thorne, the head of the powerful Thorne family from London. I promised you I’d give you the grandest wedding.” Hearing my older sister’s name, my hand suddenly clenched the woman’s sleeve. The Thorne family didn’t know I was in the coastal town, nor did they know that Emily’s fiancé was me. Years ago, after I refused an arranged marriage with a powerful family’s daughter, I stormed out of the house and hadn’t contacted the Thorne family since. A bitter pang went through my heart. I couldn’t imagine what my sister’s expression would be seeing me in such a pathetic state. My arm suddenly felt heavy as a deep, resonant male voice spoke, “Lucas, I’ve been so worried about you. From now on, I’ll be your eyes, taking care of you for the rest of your life…” Emily cut him off, a trace of undetectable guilt in her voice. “Don’t be silly, Lucas’s blindness is only temporary.” Adam understood, resting his head on my shoulder, feigning comfort. “Right, my mistake. Maybe Lucas’s eyes will be fine tomorrow, and he’ll happily marry Emily. Lucas, I’m truly happy for you.” It was this innocent facade that had fooled me. The assistant brought the groom’s tuxedo. Only Adam and I were left in the room. “Lucas, I hear you designed this tuxedo yourself? It’s beautiful, but it’s too big for me.” The sound of fabric tearing in the silent room was exceptionally jarring. I knew he had ruined my wedding attire. “You’re blind; there’s no point in wearing such an expensive tuxedo. Your hospital gown suits you much better.” “Splash!” My eyes stung with a sharp, burning pain, as if they were on fire. I cried out, my hands trembling as I tried to wipe away the liquid. Adam held my wrist in a death grip, his venomous voice whispering in my ear. “Lucas Thorne, your blindness wasn’t from the accident at all. I never thought a casual remark would make Emily take your corneas for me. And I didn’t even need them; they were filthy, not even a dog would touch them.” “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave quietly. Otherwise, what do you think? What if a casual word from me makes her take your life?” The acidic liquid burned my eyes, but it was less than a thousandth of the pain in my heart. Hearing the approaching click of heels, Adam roughly wiped away the liquid from my eyes, then lifted my hand high. “Slap!” A searing pain erupted in my palm. Before I could react, a powerful shove sent me reeling. My head slammed against the wall behind me, and my ears rang uncontrollably. “Lucas Thorne! You’re blind, not insane! Why are you attacking Adam? He’s very weak right now!” Though I couldn’t see Emily’s expression, her furious voice told me she had lost control. In all these years, this was the first time she had been so enraged. She had forgotten that I was the one whose body was weaker. Emily’s menacing voice rang above me, “Apologize to Adam! Otherwise, the wedding tomorrow is off!” She knew how desperately I longed for this wedding; it had been my greatest wish for years to wear a tuxedo and marry her. Just as she expected, I lowered my head, looking remorseful, the residual liquid in my eyes stinging. My voice trembled slightly with pain, “I’m sorry, Adam.” The woman’s cold voice came from the doorway, “I’ll have someone pick you up at eight tomorrow morning.” Emily didn’t know that tomorrow’s wedding, for me, was an escape. It was the day I would finally leave her. 2 The next morning, the assistant came to pick me up for the wedding car. Just as Adam said, I arrived at the wedding venue in my hospital gown. Adam’s tuxedo sleeve grazed my exposed wrist as he tossed a large coat over my head, chuckling. “Happy wedding, Lucas. Do you think wearing a tuxedo makes you the groom? It’s just to hide your blind eyes, to save you from making a spectacle.” Failing to see the despair he hoped for on my face, Adam was about to lash out. Emily’s displeased voice suddenly cut in. “Where’s your tuxedo? Lucas Thorne, are you deliberately trying to spite me? You’re going to marry me looking like that?” The assistant led me to the changing room. As soon as I took off my hospital gown, a woman’s excited voice suddenly sounded from behind me. “He might be blind, but he’s certainly not bad-looking. Be a good boy, don’t make a sound, and I’ll make sure to take good care of you.” “Click!” A cold sensation on my wrist—handcuffs. The woman’s body pressed against mine, and I was too weak to push her away. I could only open my mouth and bite her hard. “You little bastard, you’re asking for it!” The enraged woman’s stiletto heel dug into my abdomen, her panting breath hot on my neck. The woman’s soft lips had just brushed my chest when a sharp, surprised male voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. “Lucas! How can you do this at your wedding with Emily? How can you face Emily…?” The woman in front of me paused, panting, and spoke disdainfully. “He threw himself at me. I wouldn’t even want a blind man.” As soon as the words left her lips, countless accusatory voices erupted around me, their vicious words attacking me like venomous snakes. “I can’t believe Ms. Reed’s fiancé is blind!” “No wonder he’s blind, he has Ms. Reed and he’s still cheating, tsk tsk tsk.” “What a shameless philanderer!” I frantically reached for my torn clothes, burying my head in my knees, my whole body trembling violently. Suddenly, the air fell silent, broken only by the crisp click of high heels. “Lucas Thorne, you dare to betray me!” My throat was viciously squeezed. Emily’s eyes were bloodshot, filled with pure hatred. I used every ounce of strength I had, barely managing to gasp out a few words. “I… didn’t…” The feeling of suffocation slowly enveloped me. Emily abruptly released her grip, then seized my chin, squeezing it tightly. “Lucas Thorne, after all these years together, you should know that I hate betrayal most of all. I think you’ve lost your mind to be with a woman like that. If that’s the case, you won’t be attending today’s wedding.” “Guards, take him to the asylum!” As I was forcibly lifted, my heart plummeted. If I was sent to an asylum like this, I’d never be able to return to the Thorne family. Thinking this, I struggled desperately, broke free from their grasp, and ran forward, holding my breath. “Catch him!” Behind me, Emily’s furious voice echoed, along with countless footsteps. My heart pounded violently. There was only darkness before me, I couldn’t see anything, but I dared not stop running. Only by running desperately forward could I find a glimmer of hope. Suddenly, I collided into a warm embrace. A familiar, anxious female voice echoed above my head, “Lucas!” It was my eldest sister, Evelyn Thorne. My body instantly went limp. I lost my footing and completely collapsed into her arms. Seeing my pale, bloodless face, Evelyn reached out to caress my cheek, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly. “Lucas, what have you done to yourself? Where have you been all these years…? Big sister finally, finally found you.” A crystal tear fell onto my face. I reached out, wanting to wipe away my sister’s tears, but I didn’t know where her face was. Evelyn noticed my abnormality. “Lucas, what happened to your eyes?!” Just as I was about to speak, Emily’s suppressed voice came from above me. “Lucas, come here.” My body instinctively trembled. Sensing my fear, Evelyn patted my back, soothingly. “Don’t be scared, Lucas. Big sister is here. No one will hurt you again.” I nodded, too choked up to speak, my body and mind slowly relaxing. Seeing me slowly close my eyes, leaning peacefully against Evelyn’s shoulder, Emily’s face completely sank. She looked at Evelyn coldly. “Release my fiancé.” Evelyn’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. In an instant, she had roughly pieced things together, and a chill emanated from her. Just as tensions rose, Adam appeared between the two women. He looked at Evelyn’s extraordinary demeanor and spoke with a meek smile. “This distinguished guest, his name is Lucas Thorne. He’s Ms. Reed’s fiancé. He recently went blind and suffered a bit of a shock, becoming completely insane. You should hand him over to us to send him for treatment, lest he accidentally harms you.” Evelyn’s eyes were clouded with gloom. “Get out.” Adam’s handsome face was filled with humiliation, his eyes instantly reddening. Emily wrapped him in her arms, waved her hand, and spoke in a low voice. “No matter who you are, you won’t leave here today.” A group of black-clad bodyguards surrounded them. Evelyn’s lips curved into a meaningful smile. “It’s been a long time since anyone dared to court death like this.” With a light whistle from her, three burly men with dragon tattoos carved into their profiles charged forward. In a moment, the black-clad bodyguards lay scattered on the ground. A guest gasped, “Those are the elite guards of the Thorne family from London!” “I heard Evelyn Thorne, the head of the Thorne family, was invited today. I can’t believe it’s true!” The crowd erupted into an uproar. Seeing Evelyn’s dark expression, many timid guests cautiously retreated from the hotel, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire. Adam’s face showed surprise. He hadn’t expected the person protecting me to be the head of the powerful Thorne family from London. His fists clenched tightly, jealousy almost overflowing from his eyes, filled with resentment. “Ms. Thorne, there must be some misunderstanding here. He’s not worth it, a blind man! He was just with another woman moments ago. You don’t need to…” Before he could finish, “Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap…” Loud slaps echoed, accompanied by Adam’s sharp screams. “Ah!” Evelyn said calmly, “Those who harm Lucas will all face the same fate.” “Death.” Seeing the man she had always held so dearly being used as a punching bag, getting slapped repeatedly, Emily felt both heartache and fury. She forcefully pulled Adam back to her side, scrutinizing the woman before her whose aura was so oppressive. “Ms. Thorne, this is the coastal town. Surely you understand that the mighty dragon cannot suppress the local serpent.” “Moreover, my Reed family has never offended the Thorne family. Ms. Thorne, you were the one who took my fiancé and hurt my people first. Don’t you think you owe me a reasonable explanation?” Evelyn raised an eyebrow, her eyes as dark as ink. “How did I not know that my own brother was going to marry you? And you, do you even deserve to enter our Thorne family home?” Emily’s face betrayed undisguised shock. She remembered how I had never mentioned my family to her, and each time she asked, I would only vaguely say my family couldn’t make an appearance. She found herself whispering, “Lucas… Lucas is actually a member of the London Thorne family…” The Thorne family of London had three daughters, all powerful and influential, and a youngest son who had never appeared in public. Looking at the grim-faced woman before her, Emily couldn’t help but feel a pang of panic. Things might have just gotten very complicated. Her gaze fell on my tightly shut eyes, and her fists involuntarily clenched. “No… no… my eyes…” In a haze, I trembled with fear, my murmurs reaching everyone present. Evelyn tenderly stroked the back of my head, signaling to a bodyguard to pick me up, then walked past the stunned woman towards the door. Hearing the footsteps gradually fading away, Emily’s heart gave a violent lurch. She suddenly realized she might be losing me. Emily turned and rushed to Evelyn, her gaze firm. “Ms. Thorne, Lucas is my fiancé. Even if you are his older sister, you can’t just take him away like this. Today is our wedding, and I promised Lucas a grand ceremony…” A low, chilling voice emanated from Evelyn’s thin lips. “I wouldn’t mind turning it into a funeral.” Evelyn kicked hard into the woman’s kneecap, and Emily’s knees hit the ground with a heavy thud. “Emily Reed, you know the Thorne family’s methods.” The sound of a car engine starting reached my ears. A cup of warm water was offered to my lips. Evelyn carefully helped me up, her movements so gentle as if I would break with a touch. With the warm water, my cold body began to regain some warmth. Evelyn’s fingers swiped across a tablet, her eyes growing darker. After seeing my hospital records and treatment history, the beast she had long suppressed inside her was on the verge of breaking free. She held back with all her might, afraid of scaring me. Evelyn felt like she was going insane. A low sob faintly reached my ears. I tilted my head slightly and spoke softly, “Big sister?” “I can’t even protect my only brother. I don’t deserve to be your big sister. I’m sorry, Lucas, it’s all my fault…” Evelyn’s trembling voice was filled with self-reproach. Feeling my sister’s slight trembling, tears also streamed from my eyes. Cold fingers wiped away my hot tears. Evelyn’s gentle voice held a hidden murderous intent. “Let big sister handle everyone who hurt you, okay?” I gently shook my head. “This revenge, I want to take it myself.” Hours later, the plane landed at the Thorne family estate in London. “Lucas!” My sisters, Lillian and Bella, who had received the news, had been waiting in the villa for a long time. Their heavy breathing reached my ears. I reached out, wanting to comfort them. “Second sister, third sister, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” The three Thorne sisters, known for their cold and detached demeanor, now had red eyes. They tremblingly held my hand. “Welcome home, little brother.” After being taken to my bedroom, the private doctor examined my body and reported with deep regret, “Mr. Thorne, you… will not be able to have children in the future. Furthermore, your body is currently very weak and requires a period of bed rest and careful recuperation, otherwise, you may suffer severe long-term health issues.” The doctor paused. “However, your eyes can recover if a suitable cornea is found, for example, one with a healthy, oval-shaped orbital structure.” Emily’s long, dark eyes flashed in my mind. I wondered if there was any genuine feeling in those beautiful eyes when she sat by my bedside, saying she’d be my eyes forever. Even though I had completely given up on her, a pang of pain still tightened in my chest. Perhaps only when she was gone would my heart stop hurting.

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