Because of my cowardly personality, I was bullied every day by my coworkers and gaslighted by my manager: “Shouldn’t young people do a little more?” “With your skill level, do you even deserve a salary? Do you think this company is a charity?” “You have plenty of opportunities in the future. Let the senior employees have the ‘Employee of the Year’ award this time.” “You’re just wasting oxygen. Watch your back on your way home!” When I went to the boss to report the bullying, he just sneered: “There’s no such thing as bullying among adults. If everyone dislikes you, you need to look at yourself and find out why!” Eventually, my depression worsened, and I jumped off a building to end my life. When I woke up, my coworker Linda was just saying to me: “Hey Chloe, I’m heading out early. Can you stay late and finish this spreadsheet for me?” 1 “Are your arms broken?” I didn’t even look up, just fired right back at her. In my past life, this was exactly how it started—the slow, creeping gaslighting over minor tasks. At first, when delegating work within the department, they’d intentionally give me a heavier workload or the toughest, most thankless tasks. Later on, they didn’t even bother hiding it. They just dumped their own work on me, constantly saying: “Chloe, can you organize this spreadsheet for me?” “Chloe, take this report over to the client for me.” “Chloe, I have a family emergency and need to leave early. Can you finish my expense report and attach the receipts?” Chloe isn’t your mother. Will you literally die if you don’t boss me around for one second? How shameless can you get? Unfortunately, in my past life, I was meek and thin-skinned. If I was even slightly slow, my coworkers would say: “Oh, Chloe, you’re still young. Young people should work harder so they can learn and grow quickly. That’s how we all came up.” Like an idiot, I thought they actually had my best interests at heart and eagerly ran around doing their bidding. But what exactly was I supposed to learn from spending two hours taping receipts to a piece of paper? On top of that, Accounting would constantly nitpick—either the receipts were facing the wrong way or in the wrong order. They called me useless, saying I couldn’t even handle a simple task. It tanked my self-esteem. I started doubting myself, wondering if I really was just that incompetent and needed to tape more receipts to improve. But that was nothing. The fatal blow came later. The data in the contract I delivered to the client for Linda was wrong, causing a massive loss for the project. The boss was absolutely furious. Linda put on a devastated, apologetic face and explained to the management: “Young people are just so careless. I hadn’t even finished reviewing it, and Chloe took it upon herself to deliver it to the client. It’s my fault. I’ll teach her more in the future and make sure she learns to be more reliable.” The boss immediately docked my entire annual bonus, and HR sent out a formal, company-wide reprimand email. I hid in the bathroom and cried for hours. I really wanted to travel back in time and slap myself awake for being such a massive pushover! Instead of wasting time crying, why didn’t I just rip her a new one? Thankfully, I’ve been reborn! 2 Linda looked at me in pure disbelief: “Chloe, what kind of attitude is that? We’re your seniors. Did you lose your mind today? You were never like this before.” Clearly, she still thought I was the same meek doormat from my past life. “Linda, this is your work. How do you have the nerve to ask me to work overtime to do it?” “What’s wrong with a young person learning a bit more? I’m giving you an opportunity to gain experience. Besides, you’re a single girl, you don’t have anything going on at home anyway. Why can’t you spend a little more time improving yourself?” “You’re right. I definitely need to learn more, especially since this spreadsheet is so difficult. I don’t know how to do it. Why don’t you teach me? Once you teach me how, then I’ll do it for you.” I’d made up my mind. If she wanted to play the “young people need to learn” card, fine! I’ll learn! I’ll spend 5 hours learning how to do this spreadsheet! I’ll stay until 11 PM learning! Linda seemed to catch on to my strategy and got a little angry: “You can’t even handle a simple task like this? I don’t know how HR ever hired you!” “Yeah, you can’t even handle a simple task like this and have to ask others for help. I don’t know how you’ve survived in this company for so many years!” “I have something to do and need to leave early, it’s not that I don’t know how to do it!” Linda started explaining herself. The moment she started explaining, the battle was already won. Take note here, this is a key lesson: In office warfare, never explain yourself. The moment you start explaining, you fall into the trap of self-justification. Just go on the offensive. I didn’t say anything else, just gave her a cold sneer. Linda seemed a little flustered. She didn’t dare tangle with me any further, went back to her cubicle, and started working on the spreadsheet herself. As she worked, she muttered under her breath: “What’s wrong with her? She was fine yesterday…” Although she backed off, she was clearly still resentful. After all, just a few days ago, no matter who asked me to do something, I’d just roll over and take it. Today, I actually dared to refuse her, completely disrespecting her in front of everyone. So, she was determined to win that respect back today. Not long after, she came looking for me again. Of course, coming to me this time was like walking right into a trap. 3 She tossed the client contract onto my desk: “You can’t do a spreadsheet, but surely you can run an errand? This is the contract for the client. Go drop it off!” Just as I was about to fire back, a scene from my past life flashed through my mind: It was this exact contract delivery. Linda falsely accused me of submitting the contract to the client without permission, which cost me my annual bonus, got me publicly reprimanded, and made me cry my eyes out. Well, I had to deliver it. Otherwise, what if she noticed the data was wrong and corrected it? So, I pretended to be reluctant and said: “Fine, I’ll go drop it off now.” Linda looked pleased. She finally got her respect back today. This young upstart dared to rebel and be insubordinate; she had to nip that abnormal behavior in the bud immediately. However, seeing my sour expression, she assumed I was still resentful and wanted to push me down further: “Chloe, this isn’t just a simple delivery. You’ll get to interact with the client. You can learn how to communicate with clients. You’re still very lacking in that area.” What a joke. When I got to the client’s office, all I had to do was hand it to the receptionist. What was there to learn? Stop using “learning” and “growth” as bait to exploit young employees. Besides, I communicate perfectly fine with my own clients. How am I lacking? Of course, right now, I couldn’t wait to get that contract into the client’s hands. I just played hard to get: “But I’m worried the manager might need me for something. If he can’t find me, he might mark me as AWOL. Could you let the manager know?” My request was perfectly reasonable. The company had a formal “Out of Office” form, but people usually just left if they had urgent business. I diligently filled out the form, made sure both Linda and the manager, Mark, signed it, and then happily rented a Citi Bike to deliver the contract. As for the financial loss it would cause the company, that wasn’t my problem. In my past life, when the bullying got so suffocating I couldn’t breathe, I went to the boss and told him I felt like I was being bullied by my coworkers. The boss just sneered at me: “Chloe, have you been reading too much fiction? There’s no such thing as bullying among adults. If nobody likes you, maybe it’s because your emotional intelligence isn’t high enough?” I tried to explain, but he waved his hand dismissively: “Look for the reasons within yourself. Don’t blow everything out of proportion. You’re an adult, stop being so dramatic!” Was I being dramatic? I was being bullied, and I was supposed to find the reason within myself? When will this victim-blaming mentality finally disappear? I looked at the contract in my hand and wished I could change the price to be even lower and the penalty clause to be even higher. I’d love to bankrupt this company in one fell swoop. But I wasn’t going to commit a crime. I’d just sit back and watch them destroy themselves. 4 The problem surfaced very quickly. As soon as the client wired the payment, Accounting panicked and rushed to the boss. Soon, both Linda and Manager Mark were called into the boss’s office. Roaring and the sound of things being thrown echoed from inside. Everyone in the bullpen was too scared to make a sound. They all sat rigidly at their desks, pretending to be extremely busy, while stealing glances at the boss’s office. I felt absolutely nothing inside. I just silently cheered for the boss, hoping he’d lose his mind and beat Linda up. Unfortunately, the tension inside seemed to ease up a bit. A few minutes later, Linda opened the door and called me in. The boss pointed at the contract on the floor and demanded: “What is wrong with you?! You delivered the contract to the client before Linda even finished revising it?!” Trying this trick again? What a masterful deflection! “Boss, Linda told me to deliver it. I have an Out of Office form, and Manager Mark knew about it too.” Linda had assumed I’d just silently take the fall like I did in my past life, and then go hide in the bathroom and cry for hours. She didn’t expect me to instantly whip out an approved Out of Office form. “I followed company procedure and submitted a request to leave the office. Here is my approved form.” The boss shot a look at Mark. Mark’s signature was on that form. If he covered for Linda, he’d be taking the blame himself. Mark was shrewd. He immediately said: “That’s right. Linda asked Chloe to deliver it. They both told me about it.” The boss grew even angrier and glared daggers at Linda. Linda turned pale from fear. She couldn’t shift the blame, and her attempt to frame someone else had failed. I thought she was out of moves, but then she suddenly picked up the quote sheet, pointed at the numbers, and said to the boss: “This data is wrong. Someone tampered with it. I’ve been at this company for years; there’s no way I’d make such a rookie mistake!” Then, she glared at me viciously: “Chloe, is it because I asked you to do that spreadsheet? Are you mad at me and trying to get revenge? If it was wrong of me to ask you to work overtime, you could have reported it to management. You can’t just use the company’s profits to get revenge on me for your own petty grievances!” She even turned to Mark and said: “Manager Mark, you saw me and Chloe arguing that day, right? I never thought this young kid would be so vindictive and have absolutely zero regard for the big picture!” I was a bit stunned. I didn’t realize this woman was such a good actress. 5 But if she wanted to put on a show, I’d play along to the bitter end! “Linda, after I got the contract from you, I put it straight into a manila envelope. When would I have had the chance to alter it?” “Who knows if you swapped it out on the way? I have the original version on my computer. Let’s take a look and see, won’t we?” Saying that, she actually ran out and brought her laptop in. I looked closely, and sure enough, the amount was a full million dollars higher than the contract sent to the client. Linda instantly regained her confidence: “Boss, look, this is the original data. Chloe must have been upset that I made her work overtime, so she altered the contract to get back at me. Thank God I kept the original draft, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to prove my innocence.” Then she turned around, putting on an expression of deep disappointment: “Chloe, personal grudges should be settled privately. But what you’ve done is illegal! If you don’t confess right now, we’re calling the police!” I didn’t expect Linda to be so fast. She had altered the draft in that short amount of time and then immediately thrown the dirty water on me. The boss and Mark seemed more inclined to believe Linda. I could understand that. Linda was a veteran employee who was always kissing up to management, while I had only been there for a little over a year. Of course, they’d side with her. “Call the police then. I can’t explain it anyway.” Seeing my indifferent attitude, Linda became even more arrogant and actually reached for her phone to call 911. But with her little trick, the company’s IT department could easily check when she modified the file. We didn’t even need the police. She was just bluffing to force me to take the fall. Mark stopped Linda and said to me: “Chloe, the company doesn’t actually want to see you go to jail. If you really altered it, just confess. The company takes a small loss, and it won’t affect you.” This was exactly how it played out in my past life. The two of them played good cop, bad cop, forcing me to take the blame, which became the catalyst for my worsening depression. Seeing Mark still pulling the same old tricks, I couldn’t take it anymore and asked: “Manager Mark, haven’t you always kept the company seal locked in your office? I’m just a regular employee. I don’t have the authorization to alter contracts, and I certainly don’t have access to the company seal. Please tell me, how exactly did I alter it? And how did I stamp it after altering it?” Theoretically, Mark was supposed to review all contracts. But he trusted Linda, so he probably just stamped it without even looking. That meant he had to share the blame, which was why he was so desperate to pin it on me. Of course, the deeper reason was that they both thought I was an easy target, the perfect scapegoat. 6 I had checkmated Mark. He quickly tried to explain to the boss: “I keep the company seal in my office. Usually, people just come in and stamp things themselves. It was an oversight in my management…” This statement not only cleared him of the responsibility of “failing to review” the contract but also implied that I might have snuck in and used the seal when no one was looking. It was incredibly calculating. I was too lazy to keep playing games with them. I took out my phone and pulled up the photos I had taken the moment Linda handed me the contract: “Boss, when I got the contract, I was worried pages might be missing, so I took a picture of every single page. You can take a look.” The boss took my phone, checked the timestamp on the photos, and then looked at the content. His face turned ashen. Linda still wouldn’t give up and stubbornly argued: “Who knows if those photos are Photoshopped? Photoshop is so advanced these days. Doctoring a photo and changing the timestamp is easy.” Even at this point, she was still trying to shift the blame. I wasn’t going to humor her anymore: “Linda, when I got the contract, I walked past the front entrance. There’s a security camera right there. I held up every single page under that camera. Just have IT pull the security footage!” Linda, who had been trying to put up a brave front, completely panicked. I struck while the iron was hot: “Also, your little trick with altering the file won’t fool anyone. The file properties show the ‘Last Modified’ date. Open it and see for yourself.” I really didn’t understand how she could delude herself to this extent. The boss finally lost it: “If you made a mistake, you made a mistake! Why are you still lying?! You’ve caused the company a massive loss. Write your resignation letter. I don’t ever want to see you again!” Linda lowered her head, not daring to speak. Not making her pay for the damages was already a huge act of leniency. However, her year-end bonus was definitely gone, her commissions were gone, and she wasn’t getting any severance pay either. As she left, she glared at me with pure hatred: “I never thought someone as young as you could be so calculating.” I genuinely couldn’t understand it. When a bad person’s malicious plot fails, they blame the victim for not cooperating? Of course, what I understood even less was the boss. After Linda left, he held the contract, stared at me, and said: “Since you looked at every page of this contract and even took pictures, why didn’t you spot the errors?”

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The week Julian and I started dating, I moved into his house to work as a maid. Right before his engagement to the heiress of the Montgomery family, he sneaked into the maid’s quarters, grabbed my hand, and swore to me: “Listen to me, Chloe. Wait for me for three years. In three years, I promise I will divorce her and marry you.” I glanced toward the living room at the back of the woman sitting elegantly on the Montgomery family’s sofa. Just three years. Then we could be a family again. So, I nodded obediently. “Okay!” 1 When Julian came downstairs, I was kneeling on the floor, picking up pieces of broken porcelain. He walked over to the dining counter, picked up his coffee, and looked down at me from above. Just as I was about to stand up, a warm palm pressed against the back of my neck. His thumb rubbed the side of my neck, squeezing with just enough pressure to be felt. It was like comfort, but also like carelessly playing with a favorite toy. “Why are you kneeling?” He bent down, his breath tickling my ear, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction directed at me. “Did my aunt punish you again?” I didn’t say anything, just looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. Julian sighed. Instead of comforting me, he reached out and adjusted my collar. “Chloe, you know that before I came back to the Montgomery family, I was just like you. What is this little bit of grievance compared to the privilege of entering this house?” He looked at me. Like a strict teacher, yet also like a tender lover. “This is a test. If you can’t handle a small thing like this, how will you stand by my side as the young madam of the Montgomery family in the future?” He paused, his thumb gently caressing my cheek, his voice soft and persuasive. “Bear with it.” “Chloe, you know what kind of person she is. Right now, in her eyes, you are nothing.” “Only when you become the young madam, when you have status and position, will she naturally look up to you. She will accept you, even… love you the way you want her to. Isn’t that what you want?” I sniffled, leaned my head against his palm, and nodded obediently. My voice was soft and full of dependence. “Yes, I know, Julian.” Satisfied, Julian patted my cheek and walked away with his coffee, looking content. Only after his figure disappeared did I look down at the broken pieces on the floor. If he hadn’t appeared at the top of the stairs right at that moment, she definitely would have helped me pick them up. I saw it clearly; she had already bent down and reached out her hand. But upon hearing the door open on the second floor, she retracted her hand as if burned and put on a harsh face. A faint scent of perfume lingered in the air. It smelled so good, so warm. I breathed it in greedily, as if doing so could bring me closer to her. 2 In the Montgomery family’s renowned old mansion in Seattle, the food chain was actually quite clear. Old Mr. Montgomery was the absolute authority. And Julian was the “crown prince” who held the power of life and death. As for his aunt, Patricia… Despite putting on airs as the “second madam,” she and her son—the burden she brought into the family—entirely depended on Julian’s moods to survive. To secure a future for her son, she had to bow and scrape to Julian. Her life wasn’t much better than mine as a maid. At least I got paid. To the outside world, I was the college student Julian was charitably sponsoring. Inside the house, I was his secret, underground lover. And in Patricia’s eyes… I probably had ulterior motives. But I didn’t care. As long as I could stay in this house, as long as I could see her every day. I took a Band-Aid out of my pocket and wrapped it around my bleeding finger. I dusted off my knees and got up to head to the kitchen. When my aunt left earlier, her gaze lingered on my hand for a moment. She must have felt sorry for me. That was enough. 3 When Julian first suggested I come work as a maid to keep him company, I immediately nodded and agreed. It wasn’t because I loved him so much that I had lost my self-respect. It was because he “accidentally” showed me a photo of a Montgomery family dinner. In an inconspicuous corner of the photo stood the person I had been looking for for many years. At that time, Julian put away his phone and gently held my hand. He looked at me, his eyes full of loneliness, like a child about to be abandoned. “Chloe, in this cold house, I can’t feel a shred of warmth.” “If you were there, I’d be so happy.” He didn’t mention the person in the photo at all. As if showing me the picture was really just to share his life. But I came without hesitation anyway. 4 When Julian walked over, he was holding a canister of fish food. He must have been standing there for a long time. I had just finished talking with his aunt. Oh, wait, I should call her the second madam of the Montgomery family. “I’ve seen your resume.” She stepped closer, a look of frustrated disdain on her face. “A top student in finance from NYU, and pretty too… Why is your head so muddled that you insist on coming here to serve people like a lowly servant?” She looked at my face as if looking at a stranger. Completely unable to recognize how much this face resembled hers when she was young. I lowered my eyes, my voice submissive. “Investment banking is too stressful, and my health isn’t good. I just want a stable place, and the Montgomery family pays well.” I lied. If I wanted to, getting into a top investment bank and earning a high salary wouldn’t be hard. But some opportunities can’t be bought with money. She was probably afraid I’d seduce her useless husband and steal her position as the second madam. She lifted her chin, pointing toward Julian, and egged me on: “See him? That’s the real golden goose of the Montgomery family.” “Julian is young and vigorous, and he’s about to be forced into an arranged marriage with that block of wood from the Harrison family. Those rich heiresses are so boring. Men… they all like pure, obedient girls like you.” She patted my shoulder, speaking with deep earnestness. “If you can climb into his bed, even without a title, the benefits will be enough to last you a lifetime. We know your background; rather than having him go out and find some dirty woman, it might as well be you.” I lowered my head, my nails digging deep into my palms. A wave of absurd bitterness washed over me. I pretended to be overwhelmingly grateful. “Thank you for the advice, Second Madam! I… I will work hard.” Patricia smiled in satisfaction. “Be smart about it. Don’t say I taught you.” She turned and left, her steps even seeming a bit lighter. Julian must have heard everything. He looked up at his uncle’s room and let out a soft chuckle. He casually tossed all the fish food from the edge into the pond, watching the koi fight madly over it. “My aunt is right.” He stood up, walked over to me, and adjusted the name tag on my chest, his words full of implication: “You see, in her eyes, you are just a plaything to be used, a tool to curry favor with me.” “Think about it. When you become my Mrs. Montgomery in three years, how happy will she be? How much will she dote on you?” “So, Chloe, you have to be obedient.” 5 During dinner, Leo came back. Leo was the “burden” Patricia brought into the Montgomery family, and her biggest hope in this house. To help him fit in, she had him change his last name, even though Julian’s uncle had never once looked the boy in the eye. As soon as he returned, Patricia’s whole demeanor brightened. The cheap red silk scarf Leo gave her was treated like a treasure and wrapped around her neck. “Oh, Leo is so thoughtful.” I stood waiting in the corner of the dining room, wishing that happiness was because of me. That scarf was a package I had signed for; it cost $9.99 on Amazon. Last week for her birthday, I used the money I had saved for a long time to anonymously gift her a pure cashmere shawl. The next day, I saw it in the trash can. She clapped her hands in disgust and told the cleaning lady: “I don’t know who sent this off-brand junk. It scratches my skin just touching it. Throw it far away.” I tried my best to control my facial expression, lowering my eyes so I wouldn’t look at the mother and son. Julian was sitting at the head of the table, watching me. While elegantly eating his dinner, he observed my reaction with great interest. When Patricia, trying to serve food to her son, accidentally splashed some broth on the table and turned to yell at me, “Are you blind?!” Julian finally spoke up. “Aunt Patricia,” his voice was light, but lacked any respect for an elder. “Chloe is a student I’m sponsoring.” My heart jumped, thinking he was going to stand up for me. But the next second, he changed his tune, a smile playing on his lips: “But in this house, she is a servant. Since she draws a salary, taking a little scolding is expected.” He looked at me, like a patriarch reprimanding an ignorant child: “Chloe, what are you standing there for? Can’t you see my aunt is upset? Go pour some wine for her and Leo.” I bit my lower lip hard, meeting his eyes that seemed gentle but were actually ice-cold. He knew everything. He knew who that was, and he knew what I wanted! I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and respectfully poured the wine. As I passed by Julian on my way back, he said in a voice only I could hear: “Do you see clearly now? Without my backing, in her eyes, you are nothing but a punching bag.” “Chloe, you can only stay here if you listen to me.” My hand trembled slightly. Yes, he knew. He knew what I wanted, and he knew how to control me. I lowered my eyes, hiding the coldness within them, and answered softly: “Yes, Young Master.” 6 The atmosphere at the dinner table didn’t ease up despite my submission. Halfway through the meal, Leo rolled his eyes, put down his knife and fork, and pulled a document out of his bag, slamming it on the table. “Ugh, this is so annoying! My professor abroad is making me translate this paper. It’s full of financial jargon, and translation software just spits out gibberish. Mom, I’m not doing it. I want to sleep.” Saying that, he glanced at Julian out of the corner of his eye. Patricia panicked and quickly put down her chopsticks to coax him: “How can you say that? You came back specifically to intern at the company. We can’t let people look down on your qualifications. The Montgomery family isn’t short on people; we’ll just find a translator.” Leo rolled his eyes and looked at Julian, his face full of flattery: “Julian, you studied abroad and majored in finance. Why don’t you help me…” Julian slowly and elegantly wiped his mouth. He refused matter-of-factly: “Company policy states that intern assessments must be completed independently. Leo, cheating is not good.” Leo’s face froze, and Patricia looked embarrassed. Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Julian’s gaze suddenly fell on me. He looked at me with a half-smile, his tone casual: “However… Chloe has good grades at school. This kind of basic modeling should be very simple for her.” He turned to look at Patricia, offering a “thoughtful” suggestion: “Aunt Patricia, since Leo doesn’t understand it, why not let Chloe try? She’s a top student at NYU after all; tutoring Leo shouldn’t be a problem.” I snapped my head up to look at him. Was he helping me? No, that couldn’t be right. How could he be so kind! But this opportunity was too rare; I couldn’t bear to let it go. If I could prove to my mom that I could help my brother, that I was excellent… I took a deep breath, took a step forward, and tried to make my voice sound steady: “Second Madam, this report is about financial derivatives, which happens to be my major. If you trust me, I can…” “Slap!” Patricia grabbed the document and smashed it hard against my face. The sharp edge of the paper scraped across my cheek, leaving a burning, bloody scratch. “Who told you to run your mouth?!” Patricia suddenly raised her voice, her eyes fierce: “A lowly servant showing off? Are you trying to act smarter than the young master? Do you think you’re worthy of tutoring him?!” Leo gloated from the side: “Exactly, take a look in the mirror…” 7 “SMASH——!!!” A red wine glass shattered on the floor, splashing liquid everywhere. Julian slowly picked up a napkin and elegantly wiped the wine stains from his hand. His movements were refined, as if he hadn’t just smashed the glass. “Julian…” Leo was so scared he fell silent. Julian lifted his eyelids, his cold gaze locking onto Patricia: “Aunt Patricia, I recall saying that Chloe is my person.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a terrifyingly oppressive weight: “You were right about one thing. Do you think you are worthy of lecturing someone from the Montgomery family?” Patricia’s face turned deathly pale. “Julian, I didn’t mean… it’s this girl who doesn’t know her place…” “That’s my business.” Julian cut her off, picking up the document with two fingers. “Since this document is making everyone so unhappy…” Without even a glance, he let go, dropping it straight into the boiling soup pot. “Then let’s not keep it.” “Since Leo doesn’t understand it, I don’t think there’s any need for him to go to this internship either.” “No! Julian! Julian, I’m sorry!” Leo started screaming miserably. Julian turned a deaf ear. He strode over to me, grabbed my wrist tight, and dragged me upstairs. We entered his room, and the door slammed shut heavily, cutting off the wailing outside. Julian pushed me onto the sofa and turned to get the first aid kit. His violent aura instantly vanished, replaced by a drowning tenderness. He dipped a cotton swab in iodine, lifted my chin, and carefully treated the bloody scratch on my cheek. His movements were unbelievably gentle. “Does it hurt?” he asked softly, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. The grievance I felt a moment ago, met with this sudden tenderness, almost made me cry. My eyelashes fluttered as I whispered, “A little.” Julian sighed, his eyes full of heartache, but the words he spoke were meant to kill: “You see, trying to curry favor on your own will only earn you a slap.” He cupped my face, his forehead resting against mine, his voice enchanting: “That woman is snobbish. She doesn’t see your sincerity; she only sees benefits.” “As long as I become the true master of the Montgomery family, as long as you become the rightful Mrs. Montgomery…” “When that time comes, you won’t need to beg her. To please me, she will kneel before you and hold you in the palm of her hand.” “That’s what you want, isn’t it?” Though cruel, it was the truth. The light in my eyes dimmed bit by bit, only to reignite with a different kind of hope. I knew this was poison wrapped in a sugar coating, but I still couldn’t resist swallowing it. That scenario was too tempting. If I just endure it, if I just wait for him to take control of the Montgomery family, Mom will recognize me, acknowledge me… “Yes.” I nodded obediently, burying my face in his palm and rubbing against it. Julian smiled in satisfaction and planted a kiss on the top of my head. In a daze, his figure began to overlap with the shadow from that summer many years ago.

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I discovered my husband secretly bought a voice recorder. When I casually asked him about it, he exploded: “Are you going to interrogate me about my work equipment too?” “If you have that much free time, go get a damn job!” I didn’t argue. Instead, I swapped the SD card in the recorder for a micro signal transmitter. The next day, he and his new mistress were seeking a thrill in his car. Every word of their conversation was broadcast via Bluetooth, Streaming live to the massive outdoor speakers of the neighborhood park’s Zumba class. 1. Mrs. Higgins, the lead dancer of the park Zumba group, was just about to change the track when the upbeat salsa music abruptly cut out. It was replaced by a harsh burst of static, followed immediately by incredibly explicit, red-faced noises blaring from the high-wattage outdoor speakers. “Oh… Carter… be gentle…” The sweet, breathy female voice was amplified by the heavy bass, rolling like thunder across the entire community park. Hundreds of seniors, mid-stretch and mid-kick, froze in unison as if someone had hit the pause button. Then came Carter’s familiar voice, dripping with a sleazy arrogance I had never heard before: “What are you scared of? This car has great soundproofing. That ugly old hag is still at home, stupidly waiting for me to finish ‘working late.’” The entire park went dead silent. The only sound was the obscene activity echoing from the speakers, growing louder, so clear it felt like they were right next to us. Mrs. Higgins stood frozen for a few seconds before her fan dropped to the concrete with a clatter. She was closest to the speakers, and the sheer volume of the moaning was making her heart race. “Wh… which couple left their windows open?” someone in the crowd muttered. “What couple?! Listen to what they’re saying, that’s an affair!” I sat on a bench at the edge of the park, pulling the brim of my baseball cap down low, clutching the receiver remote in my hand. I watched the black BMW X5 parked a short distance away, its windows tinted pitch-black. The chassis of the SUV was currently rocking to the rhythm of the sounds coming from the speakers. The conversation from the speakers continued, and the content only got more explosive. “So when are you going to divorce her? I don’t want to keep sneaking around like this.” “Soon, soon,” Carter’s voice sounded vicious. “That idiot is obsessing over getting pregnant right now. She forces me to watch her take her prenatal vitamins every day. She has no idea I replaced her expensive imported folic acid with long-term birth control pills, and even added a little ‘extra ingredient.’ As long as she can’t get pregnant and her health completely crashes, my mom will naturally force her out of the house.” If the crowd was just watching a sideshow before, that sentence completely shifted the atmosphere in the park. The seniors, who had been whispering amongst themselves, turned pale with fury. Everyone here had sons and daughters. Who could stomach hearing such a malicious, pure evil scheme? “Is he even human? Drugging his own wife?!” “That is pure evil! He’s trying to kill her!” Listening to the curses from the crowd, my fingernails dug so deeply into my palms they drew blood, but I couldn’t feel the pain. So that was it. That was why my health had been deteriorating for the past two years, why I had been experiencing unexplained bleeding. It was all his doing. Rage boiled in my veins, but I had to stay calm. 2. “Ugh, let’s not talk about that buzzkill of a woman,” the female voice whined playfully. “Babe, are we… are we going to get caught out here?” “Relax, I scoped this place out,” Carter said smugly. “These old geezers doing their little dances blast their music so loud, it’s the perfect cover. They can make their noise, and we can have our fun. It’s thrilling.” The words “old geezers” acted like a spark dropped into a powder keg. Mrs. Higgins was shaking with rage. She snatched her fan off the ground and waved it furiously: “This is outrageous! Doing their dirty business right under our noses and insulting us?!” “They’re parked right under the oak trees! I knew that black SUV looked suspicious!” Someone yelled, and hundreds of eyes simultaneously locked onto the parking spaces along the street. That black BMW X5 stuck out like a sore thumb under the streetlights. “Let’s go! Let’s see what kind of animal is in there!” The crowd surged toward the car like a dam breaking, a massive, unstoppable wave. I blended into the back of the crowd, watching as Carter’s car was completely surrounded, packed tight with angry seniors. The people inside clearly hadn’t realized what was happening, until the female voice let out a terrified shriek: “Carter! Why… why are there so many people outside?!” “What?!” Carter’s panicked roar came through the speakers, followed by the frantic rustling of clothes being thrown on. People started banging on the car windows: “Get out here! Explain yourself!” “Drugging people and cursing us out?! Get your ass out of the car!” The BMW rocked violently, pushed back and forth by the furious crowd like a tiny boat in a hurricane. Carter was clearly panicking. He tried to start the car, but he was completely blocked in, front and back. He rolled the window down a crack and yelled in exasperation: “What are you doing?! What the hell are you doing?! This is my private property! Move or I’m calling the cops!” That shout, picked up by the pen-shaped recorder clipped to his collar, was broadcast crystal clear across the entire park once again. “Call the cops? Go ahead and call them!” Mrs. Higgins had a fiery temper. She marched right up and pointed the park’s megaphone directly at the crack in his window. “Let the police decide who’s right: the scumbag drugging his wife, or the citizens catching a degenerate!” Carter’s face, flashing in and out of the shadows behind the tinted glass, was as white as a sheet. He probably couldn’t dream in a million years that his every word and action was currently being broadcast live to the entire neighborhood. While both sides were locked in a standoff, I gently tapped the screen of my phone. If I was going to drop the hammer, I was going to make sure he never got back up. I switched the signal source. Instead of broadcasting the live audio, I played an encrypted audio file I had recovered from the deepest, hidden folders of his recorder. 3. The chaotic noise from the speakers suddenly stopped. It was replaced by the dead-silent ambient noise of a closed office, followed by Carter’s lowered voice, sounding dark and incredibly greedy. “Mr. Lee, I’ve already taken care of the QA reports for that batch of steel rebar. So what if it’s all defective? Once it’s buried inside the concrete pillars, God himself won’t be able to see it. As long as that three million dollar wire hits my account, I’ll personally sign off on the final inspection for the Grandview redevelopment project.” The seniors, who had been aggressively slapping the car windows, froze in unison. The air instantly turned to lead. Grandview Estates. That was the massive, long-abandoned construction project nearby that had recently resumed building. Many of the seniors here had children who bought units there, or had sunk their own life savings into that exact project. “Defective… steel rebar?” “What is he saying? Those are our homes!” Terror spread much faster than anger, followed immediately by an explosion of rage a hundred times more violent than before. “Carter Vance?! You’re the Carter Vance from Grandview?!” “You son of a bitch! You’re building a death trap! Do you know how many people you’re going to kill?!” If this was a moral judgment before, it was now a blood feud. I don’t know who picked up the first brick, but it smashed against the BMW’s front windshield with a sickening CRASH. Spiderweb cracks instantly spidered across the glass. “Smash his car! Don’t let him escape!” “This piece of trash belongs in prison!” Inside the car, Carter completely broke down. He laid on the horn, but the sound was entirely drowned out by the roaring fury of hundreds of people. He couldn’t fathom how his top-secret, highly illegal corporate extortion was being broadcast to a public park via a Zumba speaker. Police sirens wailed in the distance, rapidly approaching. I stood in the shadows, watching as the cops struggled to push through the enraged mob, dragging a disheveled, bleeding Carter out of the car. His new mistress was paralyzed with fear, curled up under the dashboard, shaking like a leaf. The moment the handcuffs clicked shut on Carter’s wrists, his eyes were still frantically searching the crowd in a daze, desperately trying to find the mastermind who had just annihilated his entire life. But he was never going to find me. 4. I turned and walked away. When I got home, the apartment was pitch black and terrifyingly quiet. But I knew that tomorrow, this place was going to be incredibly lively. The police would come with search warrants, the loan sharks would be banging on the door, and the furious homeowners from Grandview Estates would come demanding blood. And I, as the completely “ignorant, innocent victim,” would cleanly extract myself from the wreckage. I would file for divorce as the aggrieved party, take back everything that was mine, and then some. I walked into the bathroom and dumped the swapped bottle of “folic acid” pills into the toilet, watching the pills swirl and vanish down the drain. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Carter. He must have used his one phone call or begged a cop for a second before being thrown in the back of the cruiser. It was just three words, dripping with bone-chilling desperation: [Was it you?] I poured myself a glass of red wine, raised it to the pale but bright-eyed woman in the mirror, and took a sip. Then, I slowly and methodically typed my reply: [Honey, what are you talking about? I’ve been waiting at home for you to finish work! I just heard Mrs. Higgins say they caught some pervert in the park, are you okay?] 5. The doorbell rang early the next morning. Looking through the peephole, I saw two stern faces wearing the blue uniforms of the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Unit. I quickly adjusted my makeup—making sure I looked appropriately haggard, while ensuring the concealer didn’t completely hide the redness around my eyes—and opened the door. “Are you Ms. Chloe Davis?” The older detective in front flashed his badge. “We’re with the Financial Crimes Task Force. We need to ask you a few questions regarding Carter Vance.” “Officers, please, come in,” I stepped aside, my voice trembling with carefully controlled emotion. “Carter… did he really…” I didn’t finish the sentence. I just covered my mouth with my hand, looking like a woman shattered by disbelief and grief. My performance was flawless. During the hour-long interrogation, I painted myself as a completely oblivious housewife, blissfully lost in the joy of trying to start a family. I “recalled” Carter’s recent strange behavior, like his frequent encrypted phone calls and the pen-shaped voice recorder he claimed was “for work.” “I… I just thought he was having an affair,” I sobbed, using a tissue to dab at non-existent tears. “I never in a million years thought he would do something so… so evil.” After seeing the detectives out, before I could even catch my breath, the door was pounded on like a war drum. This time, I didn’t check the peephole. I just opened it. My mother-in-law, Susan, charged in like an enraged lioness, raising her hand to slap me across the face. 6. I had anticipated this. I leaned back slightly, letting her hand swipe empty air. “Chloe, you venomous bitch!” she screamed, her eyes bloodshot, pointing her finger right at my nose. “Was it you?! Did you set up my son?! If anything happens to him, I’ll bury you with him!” “Mom, what are you talking about?” I gripped the doorframe, swaying as if I were about to faint. “I just found out what Carter did. I’m the victim here! Our family… it’s completely destroyed.” “Cut the crap!” Susan wasn’t buying it. Her usually well-maintained face was twisted into an ugly snarl, spit flying from her mouth. “Carter told me everything! He just wanted to scare you into signing the divorce papers! The drugging, the defective construction materials—you obviously hired someone to deepfake that audio!” I smoothly took a half-step back to avoid her spit. My eyes grew even more sorrowful, but I raised my voice just enough so the nosy neighbors peeking out into the hallway could hear every word. “Mom, hundreds of people in the park heard it last night. Carter admitted it himself. He said he swapped my prenatal vitamins for birth control and added other things… You watched me take those pills every single day. You praised me for being so responsible about getting pregnant. Did you know the pills were poisoned all along?!” Those words acted like a dagger, plunging directly into Susan’s weak spot. Her expression froze, and her eyes started darting nervously. “B-bullshit!” Her confidence clearly wavered, but she compensated by yelling even louder. “I just wanted a grandchild! Whose fault is it that your womb is useless?! Two years and you couldn’t even drop an egg! Carter was desperate… Even if he swapped the pills, he just didn’t want you giving birth to a retard!” Gasps echoed from the hallway. This was Carter’s mother. In her twisted logic, her son slowly poisoning his wife was justified because my “womb was useless.” I sneered internally, but on the outside, I put on an expression of world-shattering despair. I slid down the doorframe and collapsed onto the floor. “So… you did know? You watched my health deteriorate, you saw my unexplained bleeding, and you still pressured me to take those pills every day…” I clutched my chest, letting out a choked, agonizing wail. “That’s attempted murder! Mom, how could you be so cruel?!” “Shut up! Stop calling me Mom!” Seeing the neighbors pointing and whispering, some even pulling out their phones to record, Susan panicked. 7. She lunged forward to cover my mouth, but was stopped by a sharp shout from Mr. Henderson next door. “What do you think you’re doing?! Are you going to assault her too?!” Mr. Henderson was a retired city official with a strong sense of justice, and he had been at the park last night. “Susan, your son did something completely depraved, and the police dragged him away. Now you’re here bullying the victim? Do you really think the law can’t touch the two of you?!” “Exactly, that is so evil! Teaming up to drug your own daughter-in-law.” “She always looks so polite, who knew she had such a black heart?” The court of public opinion instantly turned against her. Susan, who valued her reputation above all else, turned the color of a bruised plum under the barrage of accusations. She pointed a trembling finger at me. “Fine… Chloe, you win this round! Just you wait! If Carter goes to prison, I will never let you live in peace! My son bought this apartment, get the hell out of here!” I lifted my head. Tears were still wet on my cheeks, but my eyes were terrifyingly clear, carrying a coldness that made her shudder. “Mom, this apartment is a marital asset. Carter is currently facing major federal financial crimes and aggravated assault charges. Until the court seizes the property, I have every legal right to stay here.” I paused, lowering my voice so only the two of us could hear. “Besides, everyone just recorded you admitting you knew about the drugs. Tell me, do you think the police will charge you as an accessory to attempted murder?” Susan’s pupils contracted violently. She stared at me like she was looking at a ghost. She finally realized that the meek, submissive daughter-in-law she used to abuse was completely gone.

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Eight years after losing my daughter, my IVF treatments finally succeeded, and I was pregnant with a new life. But just one week before my due date, I was in a severe car accident, nearly killing both me and my unborn child. The driver who hit me was the exact same man who had run over and killed my daughter eight years ago. The moment I was discharged from the hospital, I went straight to the police precinct to provide a statement and press charges. But that very night, the case was dropped. At the station, I saw my husband—the man who hadn’t visited me a single time while I was fighting for my life in the ICU. Standing right beside him was a young, crying woman. “It was an accident,” the girl sobbed pitifully. “If Evelyn hadn’t gone out in the middle of the night, the crash wouldn’t have happened. My dad is innocent.” “Carter, I was separated from my dad for eight years because of her. I really don’t want to know what it feels like to lose him again. Please, you have to help me.” Carter pulled her into his arms, his eyes brimming with absolute devotion. “Shh, be good. I’m here. Nothing is going to happen to your dad.” … The words of confrontation choked in my throat. Before I could even react, Carter turned to me, his face turning ice-cold. “The charges have been dropped. I’ve already spoken to the District Attorney and signed a waiver of prosecution on your behalf. Drop it, Evelyn. Don’t pursue this anymore.” I stared into Carter’s calm, emotionless eyes. My voice was completely hoarse. “You know exactly how much I sacrificed to get pregnant with this child. You know how desperately I needed this baby. Why?” “Why are you doing this to me?” My voice was barely a whisper. Carter’s pupils trembled for a fraction of a second before hardening back into cold indifference. “We can always have another child. We can try again.” “But Chloe can’t lose her father again.” I let out a broken, hollow laugh. I lost all strength to argue. This was the eighth year since I lost my daughter. It was the ninth month of carrying my new baby. For eight long years, there wasn’t a single second where I didn’t pray to the universe to give me a second chance. I promised I would protect this tiny new life with everything I had. I swore I would never let her get hurt. But I never even got to see her face. Before I could even process what was happening, the suspect—Frank—was released from the holding cell. Walking out into the lobby, the heavy-set man gave Carter a sycophantic, greasy smile. “You’re a reasonable man, Mr. Vance. This whole thing was just a big misunderstanding. Honestly, maybe your wife is just cursed to be barren. No matter how hard she tries, she just can’t keep a kid.” “But hey, no worries! My daughter is currently carrying your seed, right? Twins, too! Now that’s what I call a real blessing.” I couldn’t even stand up straight. This man standing in front of me had destroyed my life twice. And now, he had the absolute audacity to stand here and mock me. I lost all control. I hurled the cell phone in my hand directly at his face. Frank didn’t dodge. The heavy phone smacked squarely into the bridge of his nose, and blood instantly gushed out. Almost simultaneously, Chloe let out a delicate, terrified shriek. “Why are you hitting my dad?! He was legally released! They proved he did nothing wrong! What gives you the right to attack him?!” She aggressively snatched my phone off the floor and hurled it right back at my head. I didn’t hesitate. I tilted my head to dodge it, and my eyes locked directly with Carter’s. His brow was deeply furrowed, his eyes filled with absolute disgust toward me. Seeing that the phone missed me, Chloe was visibly upset. She stomped her foot and rushed up to me, crying hysterically. “I know you’re not going to let this go! You’re still holding a grudge against my dad!” “Aren’t you just mad that my dad accidentally made you miscarry? Fine! I’ll make it up to you! Beat me until I miscarry right now! I have two babies in my belly—if I pay you back with two lives for your one, will that be enough?!” She grabbed my hand and forcefully yanked it toward her own face. I didn’t even move a muscle, but she violently threw herself backward, screaming as she crashed onto the hard floor. Before I could even blink, Carter shoved past me. He scooped Chloe up into his arms, turning back to glare at me with eyes full of pure rage. “Evelyn, do you have any idea that assault is a felony?!” “For years, my heart broke for you over losing Lily. I tolerated your manic episodes and put up with your irrational tantrums because I pitied you.” “But that doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want!” “If anything happens to Chloe or the babies, I swear to God I will not let you get away with this.” He turned and carried her out. Frank jogged obediently behind them. Nestled in Carter’s arms, Chloe shot me a look of pure, triumphant malice over his shoulder. Meeting her gaze, I thought I should be furious. I should be screaming. Just like I had been for the past eight years. But for some reason, in this exact moment, my heart was nothing but a desolate, dead wasteland. Suddenly, I just felt incredibly tired. 2 I stumbled out of the precinct, my steps uneven and heavy. My emotional state was terrifyingly calm. I hadn’t even made it home when Carter called me. “Chloe is an emotional wreck. I need you to come here and apologize to her. Promise her you won’t pull a stunt like that ever again.” “I’ll text you the address. I’m sending a driver to pick you up.” Carter’s voice was dead serious, driving needles directly into my heart. I couldn’t stop my body from trembling. “Apologize? What exactly did I do wrong?” His tone grew impatient. “Now is not the time to argue about who is right and wrong. Chloe is young. She gets scared easily, she’s pregnant with twins, and her hormones are all over the place.” “She just wants you to admit you were wrong and give her some peace of mind. You’ve been pregnant before. You should have some empathy for how she’s feeling right now.” I let out a cold, bitter laugh. “Carter, I would rather die than apologize to the daughter of a murderer.” The line went silent for a few seconds. When he spoke again, his voice was like ice. “Evelyn, are you deliberately forcing my hand?” Immediately after, I heard Chloe’s devastating, hysterical crying in the background. “Even if Evelyn hates me, she shouldn’t insult me like that!” “I was bullied my entire childhood because my dad was in prison! It’s my deepest trauma! How could she use that against me?!” I was so furious my vision blurred. My lower abdomen, still healing from the recent miscarriage, throbbed with a dull, sickening pain. I was about to scream back when the line suddenly went dead. I instinctively looked at my screen. My phone had died. Unable to call an Uber, I had to slowly, painfully drag myself all the way back to our house. At the front door, a mountain of newly delivered packages covered the porch. They were all the baby clothes and toys I had meticulously prepared for the new life I was supposed to bring into this world. Now, they felt like a cruel, mocking joke. Shutterstock Inside, the house was filled with the remnants of my sixteen-year marriage to Carter. There was no denying that once upon a time, Carter had loved me with every fiber of his being. Even when I fell into severe clinical depression after Lily died, he never complained. He patiently drove me to every psychiatrist in the state. About two years ago, I finally started to heal and wanted to look toward the future again. Because my body had suffered from the trauma, getting pregnant naturally was nearly impossible. I went through grueling cycles of IVF hormone injections and embryo transfers to prepare my body. In the beginning, Carter supported me without a single complaint. He found the best fertility clinics and hired the top specialists. But cycle after cycle failed, and I suffered multiple mental breakdowns. It was Carter who held me, comforted me, and promised me: “No matter what happens, I will always be right here with you.” Until I finally, miraculously got pregnant. I would never forget how ecstatic I was. I cried and thanked God over and over for giving my baby back to me. But it was a high-risk pregnancy. To ensure the baby survived, I gave up my career and my entire social life, staying on bed rest, guarding this tiny life with everything I had. I was just one week away from finally seeing her. And then, the “accident” happened. I collapsed onto the living room sofa. The massive, empty house hadn’t felt like a home in a very long time. When exactly did things start going wrong? Six months ago, I slipped in the bathroom, and I started spotting. It was my first major scare. In a blind panic, I called Carter. But the person who rushed through the door to take me to the ER was his executive assistant. After a terrifying night in the hospital, the doctors managed to stabilize the pregnancy. Carter didn’t show up until dawn. He smelled faintly of a women’s perfume. He told me: “There was a massive crisis with the new project. I’m so sorry.” I believed him. Five months ago, an anomaly showed up on an anatomy scan. I had a complete breakdown and called him frantically, but he didn’t pick up. I agonized for an entire sleepless night until noon the next day. When Carter finally answered, his voice was groggy. He had clearly just woken up. “Honey, don’t worry. We hired the best doctors. They won’t let anything happen to you.” There were so many other moments. Too many to count. Tears spilled over my eyelashes, falling drop by drop onto my hands. But why, out of all the women in the world, did it have to be his daughter? Carter knew better than anyone how much agony I went through when Lily died. I tried to end my own life multiple times. It was his love that kept me anchored to this earth. And now? I hugged my knees to my chest, the physical and emotional pain tearing me apart from the inside. Before I could even process my grief, the front door was violently kicked open. Carter stood in the doorway, his face twisted in absolute fury. “Why the hell did you hang up on me?!” “Do you know Chloe almost jumped off a balcony because of what you said?! You almost killed three people today, do you understand that?!” 3 I stared coldly directly into his eyes. “And?” “Tell me exactly which part of what I said was a lie.” Carter’s eyes darkened. He let out an exasperated, furious sigh. “Why can’t you just be a little more forgiving? Have some basic human decency! Is it really that hard to just say ‘I’m sorry’? Why did you have to escalate things to this point?!” Carter was practically shouting, totally losing control of his temper. I took several deep breaths, fighting through the heavy, dragging pain in my lower pelvis. My voice came out weak but sharp. “Carter. So she really is pregnant with your children?” He went dead silent. I let out a mocking laugh. “You cheat on me while I’m pregnant, get your mistress pregnant with twins, and now you have the sheer audacity to stand in my house and demand to know why I won’t apologize to her? Carter, do you not hear how absolutely psychotic you sound?” He didn’t look away. He stared right back at me without a shred of guilt. “Yes. I admit it. Those are my kids.” “I was slipped something at a corporate dinner by a rival firm. It was a setup to ruin me. If I had lost control, my entire career would have been destroyed.” “At first, I fought it. I held onto my sanity and told myself I couldn’t betray you. I called you, I texted you, I just wanted to hear your voice to ground myself! And what did you do?” “You got annoyed. You said you needed your sleep for the baby, and you hung up on me.” “If Chloe hadn’t miraculously been there… if she hadn’t sacrificed her own purity to save me, everything I own today would be gone!” Carter’s eyes were practically glowing with self-righteous justification. “The twins were an accident. But Chloe saved my life, and I owe her. I will not abandon her.” He stopped talking. I stared at him for a second, and then I just started laughing. It was true. At that time, I was on strict bed rest. I was so terrified of losing the baby that I shut out everything else in the world. I guess I ignored his needs. I didn’t see his “pain.” Looking at Carter, I suddenly felt incredibly exhausted. Suppressing his anger, he continued: “Evelyn, it’s not that I don’t love you anymore. It’s just… after all these years, I’m just so… tired.” He crouched down, grabbing his hair in frustration. “I am so fucking tired, Evelyn.” “You lost Lily, and you’ve been depressed for eight years. I stayed by your side. I stayed devoted to you. Every time you broke down, every time you tried to kill yourself and made a massive public scene, my heart broke for you.” “But I forgot what happiness actually felt like. I was just numbly keeping you alive.” “Until I met Chloe…” When he said her name, a genuine, undeniable look of peace and happiness washed over his face. In that fraction of a second, I finally understood. There was no going back. In his mind, I was the anchor of his misery. And Chloe was his fresh, shiny new happiness. He was never going to choose me again. I looked at the face of the man who had pulled me out of the abyss so many times, and I finally let it go. If the future was only going to be darkness, then it was time to end it here. “Carter. Let’s get a divorce.” “I hope you’re happy. I really mean that.” 4 Carter rejected it without a second of hesitation. “Evelyn, we are not getting a divorce.” “All you have to do is go apologize. Once Chloe cools down, I won’t hold this against you, and I will love you just as much as I always have.” “Don’t worry. What belongs to you, I won’t give to anyone else.” He said it with such absolute certainty, and it was the most repulsive thing I had ever heard. “One wife at home, and a family on the side? Carter, how does that not make you want to vomit?” He swallowed his irritation and was about to argue when his phone started ringing frantically. It was Chloe. Through the speaker, the young girl was sobbing heavily, her voice choked with tears as she apologized: “It’s my fault, Carter. I shouldn’t have made things difficult for you, and I shouldn’t have forced Evelyn to apologize.” “Maybe our meeting was a tragedy from the very beginning. I shouldn’t have asked for so much. But I’m a traditional girl. Since my body is ruined and I can’t have a normal family, I don’t have the face to keep living.” “Carter… if there is a next life, I hope I meet you earlier. And I hope I don’t have such a shameful family background. I just want to love you, cleanly, just once.” The call abruptly disconnected. Carter looked like he was going to lose his mind. He grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the door, screaming at me as we moved. “All it took was one apology! Just one! But you had to push her to the brink of death!” “Evelyn, you better pray to God she is okay, otherwise…” I didn’t hear the rest of his threat. He shoved me into his car and sped through the city streets like a maniac. My consciousness was starting to blur. I felt a warm, thick fluid pooling beneath me, gushing out in waves. The internal injuries from the car crash hadn’t healed at all. I had forced myself out of the hospital on sheer adrenaline, desperate to seek justice. But now, my body was giving out. The pain became so blinding that it eventually turned to numbness. Carter was yelling the entire drive, but all I could see were his bloodshot, manic eyes. When we finally arrived at the hospital, he violently yanked me out of the passenger seat. He didn’t even look at me. He just dragged me down the sterile hallways. Walking faster and faster. Feeling my mind slipping away into the dark, I used the very last ounce of strength I had to beg him: “Carter… I can’t hold on… please… slow down.” “I’m really dying.” He didn’t stop. He walked even faster. I was only moving forward because his grip on my arm was dragging my dead weight. I lost count of how many times my knees gave out and hit the floor, only for Carter to violently yank me back up. Finally, we reached Chloe’s hospital room. The fluorescent lights were blinding, but my vision was completely black around the edges. Carter’s voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. “Apologize. Just apologize, and everything will be fine.” Will everything be fine? The question echoed in my decaying mind. If I apologized… would everything I lost come back? My beautiful Lily? The baby that was torn from my womb? The beautiful life I used to have? Would any of it come back? I opened my mouth, and slowly, agonizingly, I spoke. “I’m sorry.” I heard Chloe’s voice instantly lighten up. “Actually, I wasn’t trying to make things hard for you, Evelyn. I just wanted some basic respect.” “I didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t be judged. I’ve suffered so much unfair discrimination because of my dad’s past.” “So I just wanted justice.” “Since you apologized, I forgive you. It’s not a big deal.” As Chloe’s words faded, my consciousness completely collapsed. Everything that disgusted me, everything that made me sick to my stomach, everything that caused me agony… it all faded into perfect peace, turning to dust in the void. Memories flashed before my eyes like a movie reel. And it was all Carter’s face. Further back… further back… it was the three of us. Our family, holding hands, laughing in the sun. I reached out desperately, trying to grab those memories, praying I could stay in that moment forever. But in the end, there was only silence. Forget it. It ends here. All the love, all the hate. Let it all end. I closed my eyes and sank into the heavy dark. 5 “Evelyn, I just asked you to apologize! What kind of stunt are you pulling now?!” Seeing me collapse motionlessly onto the floor, Carter frowned, his eyes filled with absolute impatience. “I told you, if you just apologized, I would drop it! Chloe isn’t even mad anymore, do you really want to make her upset again?!” “Evelyn, what is the point of this? Can you stop disappointing me?!” He kept rambling, every word a bitter complaint. But my body on the floor didn’t react. He sighed heavily. From the hospital bed, Chloe immediately turned on the waterworks. “So she didn’t mean the apology at all! I should have known! She’s looked down on me from the very beginning, why would she suddenly give in? She’s just trying to frame me!” “When people hear about this, they’re going to say I bullied her until she passed out.” “Carter, just go take care of her. Don’t worry about me.” “I’ve always been completely alone anyway.” Chloe’s tears fell so perfectly, and Carter’s eyes practically melted with heartbreak. “She’s faking it! Don’t blame yourself, she is completely fine.” “I’ve dealt with her hypochondria for eight years, you think I don’t know her? Her ‘depression’ is just a pathetic excuse to run away from the fact that she failed to protect her own daughter.” “Chloe, I promise you, as long as I’m here, I will never let anyone hurt you again. Don’t be scared…” Carter pulled Chloe tightly into his chest, not sparing a single glance for my body lying near the doorway. Even though my soul had already left my body, even though my heart was completely empty, hearing those words sent a violent, agonizing tremor through my ghost. He was right. For years and years, I blamed myself. I blamed myself for failing to protect my baby girl. I blamed myself for taking that specific route home that day. I blamed myself for not throwing my body in front of the truck to save her. It was Lily’s sixth birthday. Carter hadn’t gotten off work yet, so I was taking Lily to the restaurant we had booked. Even now, every detail of that day was permanently burned into my soul. Lily was holding my hand, skipping happily down the sidewalk. “Mommy, can we go to Daddy’s office and surprise him?!” “I’ve never seen Daddy’s office! I really miss him, I want to see him right now!” I thought about it, smiled, and agreed. Because of that split-second decision, we took a detour. Less than 500 feet from Carter’s office building… A massive commercial truck, speeding out of control, barreled directly into the crosswalk. Everything happened in excruciatingly slow motion. I really did blame myself. For eight years, every time I closed my eyes, my brain replayed the scene. I constantly tortured myself, thinking: If I had just reacted a second faster… if I had just pushed her a little harder… If I hadn’t made that stupid, spontaneous decision, everything would be different. Lily was lying on the asphalt. She was covered in blood. Her eyes were open, and the very last thing she ever said to me was: “Mommy… do I still get to have my birthday?” Those words became the eternal nightmare of my life. Carter was right. I desperately wanted to escape. I couldn’t accept the brutal reality, which was why I tried to follow her to the grave so many times. But back then, he was the one who stubbornly stayed by my side! How could he use that trauma as a weapon to attack me now?! My phantom heart felt like it was being ripped apart. On the hospital bed, Carter was still gently stroking Chloe’s hair. Until a passing nurse let out a blood-curdling scream. “Oh my god, look at all this blood! We need help! Bring a gurney, NOW!” “The patient is completely unresponsive, HURRY!” The sheer panic in the nurse’s voice finally snapped Carter out of his trance. He looked down at me on the floor, a rare flicker of panic crossing his eyes. “What blood? What’s wrong with her?” He stood up and walked toward me, step by step, until he saw the massive pool of crimson spreading across the white tiles. Carter froze for a few seconds. He stumbled back, before crashing to his knees beside me. “Evelyn! Wake up! What happened to you?!” He grabbed my waist. The blood soaked instantly into his expensive shirt. Behind him, Chloe let out a terrified shriek. “Blood! I can’t look at blood! Carter, please come protect me, I’m so scared! I’m so scared!” Carter’s body violently flinched. The trauma team rushed in with a gurney. “Are you the husband?! Follow us! The patient is in critical condition, she’s crashing!” My body was hoisted onto the gurney. The doctors and nurses sprinted down the hall. Carter scrambled to his feet to follow them. But from the bed, Chloe’s crying grew louder. “It’s fine. I’ve always been the one left behind. When I was a kid, and now. People like me don’t deserve to be chosen.” “When I sacrificed my purity to save you, you did the exact same thing! You had just brutally taken my innocence, I was half-dead in that hotel bed, and the second Evelyn called and said her stomach hurt, you abandoned me in the middle of the night.” “And now… as long as Evelyn needs you, I will always be thrown away like trash.” “I’m so cheap. I never deserved your love. It’s fine, I finally see the truth. Carter… I overestimated your love for me. It ends here. Goodbye.” She struggled out of the hospital bed and ran out of the room, sobbing blindly. Carter froze in his tracks. He hesitated for exactly one second. Then, he turned his back to the trauma team and sprinted after Chloe. He completely ignored the shouting doctors. He caught up to Chloe and wrapped his arms around her tightly. “I won’t leave you.” “No matter what happens, I will never leave you behind again.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391312”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The day before my wedding, my mother caught my fiancé sleeping with my best friend. The shock triggered a massive heart attack, and she desperately needed a heart transplant to survive. Thankfully, I was a match. Without hesitation, I decided to donate my heart to my mother and receive an artificial heart myself. Faced with the astronomical medical bills, I begged my fiancé for help. He coldly told me he was “short on cash” and immediately ran off to the courthouse to marry my best friend, Chloe. Just when I thought I was out of options, Arthur Vance stepped in. He paid off all my medical debts and personally performed the surgeries for both me and my mother. When I woke up, Arthur held my hand and regretfully informed me that my mother’s body had rejected the transplant. The surgery failed. She was gone forever. He pulled my sobbing, devastated form into his arms, confessed his love for me, and begged me to let him take care of me for the rest of my life. Seven years into our marriage, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his best friend: “So it was you who gave Evelyn’s heart to Chloe… and you did it right in front of Evelyn’s mother. Man, that’s brutal.” “I didn’t have a choice. Her heart was a perfect match for Chloe.” “But you had already found another suitable donor! Chloe just had to wait half a day. Why were you in such a rush?” Arthur sighed. “I couldn’t stand seeing Chloe in pain. I wasn’t willing to make her wait a single second.” … Separated by only a heavy oak door, Arthur blew out a ring of cigar smoke in his study, his tone dark and complicated. “Since societal rules prevent me from marrying my niece, the least I can do is ensure she lives a long, healthy life.” His friend, Ryan, looked troubled. “But Evelyn has a rare blood type. It’s incredibly hard to find a matching heart for her. For the past seven years, she’s had to endure coughing up blood, agonizing chest pain, and she can’t even have children.” “Don’t forget, her artificial heart only has a month left before it fails. It needs to be replaced immediately. Are you really going to subject her to the agony of open-heart surgery over and over again for the rest of her life? Evelyn loves you. Just give her heart back. You’ve already prepped several backup donors for Chloe anyway.” Arthur didn’t even pause to think before snapping back: “Absolutely not! Having an extra backup donor is an extra layer of insurance for Chloe’s health. I will never take chances with her safety.” Ryan was getting agitated. “What about Evelyn?! I still remember the look on her mother’s face—crying tears of blood, dying with her eyes wide open in pure hatred. Aren’t you afraid Evelyn will kill you if she ever finds out the truth?” Arthur went silent for a moment before letting out a self-deprecating laugh. “If she really wants my life, she can have it. I always planned on taking care of her for the rest of her life anyway.” “As long as Chloe is happy, I could die with no regrets.” My hand, gripping the doorknob, shook uncontrollably, the veins bulging against my pale skin. After recording everything on my phone, I fled back to our bedroom like a ghost before Arthur could catch me, sliding down the wall and collapsing onto the floor. Because my body had never fully accepted the artificial heart, my immune system was compromised. I was constantly weak, frequently coughing up blood, and tortured by sudden, stabbing chest pains. Arthur had told me back then that a heart transplant required a live donor. Since my mother had “passed away,” he couldn’t put my heart back into my body. I had thought to myself, It’s okay. At least my heart will be with Mom forever. No wonder when I begged to see my mother one last time, Arthur forcefully insisted I was too weak to leave the bed and rushed to handle her cremation and funeral arrangements himself. It turned out his so-called “salvation” and “deep love” were nothing but a sacrificial altar designed by a demon! He never performed the surgery on my mother! My mother and I… we were just sacrificial lambs offered up to the woman he truly loved! To ensure I would never suspect a thing, he actually wheeled my mother into the operating room first. He forced her to watch, completely paralyzed and helpless, as her own daughter’s heart was carved out and placed into another woman’s chest. She died crying tears of blood! Even without a real heart, my chest ached so violently it felt like it was ripping apart. I violently coughed up a mouthful of dark blood onto the carpet. “Evie?!” I didn’t know when Arthur had entered the room. Seeing me coughing up blood, he rushed over, scooped me up onto the bed, and gently wiped the blood from my lips, his face etched with absolute heartbreak. “I’m so sorry, Evie. I haven’t taken good care of you. Don’t worry, I’ve already sourced the best next-generation artificial heart for you. We’ll swap it out in a few days.” His eyes were red with guilt—the exact same reaction he had every single time he saw me in pain over the last seven years. I used to think it was because he loved me, and I would force myself to act strong, comforting him and telling him it was okay. Looking back now, I was impossibly stupid. “Arthur, the pain has been unbearable these past few years. Can I please just stop using the artificial heart?” Haven’t you already prepped several backup donors for Chloe? Then can you give my heart back to me? Arthur hesitated for only a second before smiling, stroking my hair gently. “Evie, don’t be silly. We don’t have a matching donor heart for you yet. If you don’t use the artificial one, do you expect me to just watch you die? I’d rather you kill me first.” We don’t have one? But the heart beating inside Chloe’s chest is MINE! My blood turned to ice. I forced a weak smile. “You’re right. I’m just being silly.” Under the guise of running a bath for him, I emptied an entire bottle of high-concentration sleep essential oils into the tub. When he came to bed, he fell into a deep, unshakable sleep within minutes. Perhaps he was dreaming of the woman he truly desired, because he started mumbling in his sleep: “Chloe… I will always protect you… even if it kills me.” Looking at the husband I had loved with all my soul for seven years, tears finally broke through and slid down my cheeks. I picked up my phone and called my best friend, Sarah, a brilliant surgeon who had just returned to the States after years of volunteering in Africa. “Sarah, I need you to do a surgery for me.” “Yes, I’m absolutely sure. See you in three days.” What is there to fear about death? Living a life worse than death is the true torture. I set my phone down, quietly picked up Arthur’s, and slipped into his study. Unsurprisingly, his passcode was Chloe’s birthday. I had no idea Arthur kept a secret, secondary Instagram account. He probably forgot to switch back to his main profile. His profile picture was a stylized graphic of two words: Loving Chloe. Such a blunt, simple declaration. I opened his feed. It was flooded with photos of Chloe. Every single caption was a testament to his hidden, obsessive love. “The first day she arrived at the Vance estate, I saw Chloe. Suddenly, I understood what it meant for a heart to beat for someone.” “Chloe got married today. I’m going insane with jealousy. I want to carve her open and hide her inside my own body, so she belongs only to me.” “I took Evelyn three times today. I knew her body couldn’t handle it, but I had no choice. I missed Chloe so much, I could only scream Chloe’s name over and over in my head, praying that the woman beneath me would magically turn into her…” Beyond that, there were endless photos of the extravagant jewelry and designer bags he had bought for Chloe. He had even purchased a private, heart-shaped island in the Caribbean under her name. And in all these years, the only thing Arthur had ever given me was this artificial heart that brought me nothing but endless agony and torture. While I was drowning in grief over my mother’s death and suffering through agonizing bouts of coughing up blood, Chloe was lounging beautifully on the soft white sands of her private island, soaking up the sun. My hand shook uncontrollably as I gripped the phone. A wave of intense nausea hit my stomach, and I lunged toward the trash can, dry heaving violently. As I braced myself against the bookshelf, I accidentally knocked something loose. A hollowed-out book hit the floor. Inside the fake book was a stack of documents—several “Voluntary Organ Donation” consent forms, alongside a thick stack of wire transfer receipts. Arthur had been sending massive monthly payouts to the families of these potential donors, essentially keeping them on his payroll. There was only one condition: they were forbidden from donating their hearts to anyone else. Whenever Chloe needed one, they had to surrender it immediately. The very last form in the stack was mine. But the designated recipient had been changed from my mother to Chloe Vance. Back then, Arthur had shoved a massive stack of paperwork in front of me, claiming they were just standard hospital release forms. Panicking and desperate to save my mother, I signed everything without reading the fine print. This form must have been slipped in there. And my mother’s actual donation form? He probably destroyed it years ago. Arthur Vance, you really went to the ends of the earth for Chloe. After printing out the divorce papers, I sat alone on the living room sofa. My heart was a desolate wasteland. I didn’t sleep a wink all night. The next morning, Arthur assumed I was just an early riser and suspected nothing. Perhaps feeling guilty about me coughing up blood last night, he played the devoted husband, personally cooking a perfectly balanced, nutritious breakfast. Seeing that I hadn’t touched a bite, he looked at me with tender concern: “Evie, why aren’t you eating? Are you feeling down?” “It’s nothing. I just miss my mom.” He sighed deeply. “Evie, I know. I constantly think about Mom, too. She was such a kind, gentle woman. It’s all my fault. I’m useless. I couldn’t save her back then. I still remember the way she grabbed my hand right before the end, begging me to make sure we lived a happy life together.” If my mother had possessed an ounce of strength to lift her hand, she would have used it to strangle him to death. Watching his sickeningly hypocritical performance, a wave of pure irony washed over me. I was just about to bring up the divorce when Arthur spoke, seemingly casually: “Evie, you’ve been so depressed lately. Today is Chloe’s birthday, and she just flew back into town. The family is hosting a huge banquet at the main estate. Why don’t we go? The lively atmosphere might cheer you up.” “I know you’ve avoided seeing her because of what happened with your mom, but it’s been years. Chloe didn’t mean for any of that to happen… She’s family, after all. She’s always been incredibly sensitive, and if we don’t show up, I’m afraid she’ll be heartbroken…” So this was his true motive. He wasted all that breath just to manipulate me into going so he could see the woman he loved. I cut him off: “Whatever you want.” Arthur smiled brightly: “I knew my Evie was the most understanding.” The moment we walked into the grand estate, I saw Chloe dressed like absolute royalty, clinging to her grandmother’s arm and acting like a spoiled child. The old matriarch laughed indulgently, feeding Chloe slices of fresh fruit from a silver platter. She was the center of the universe here. Chloe spotted me instantly. Her tone turned sharp and sarcastic: “Grandma~ you’re feeding me too much, I’m going to get fat! Oh, look, Aunt Evelyn is here. Why don’t you give her the leftovers? After all, she doesn’t have a mother to feed her.” My mother-in-law turned to look at me. Her eyes scanned my simple, inexpensive clothes, her face twisting into a sneer of absolute disgust. “Who let this sickly ghost in here? Are you trying to infect us with your poverty and bad luck?” “The Vance family is a prestigious medical dynasty. You dress like a homeless beggar every day; you’re an absolute embarrassment to my son. You’ve been married into this family for seven years, and not only are you a barren hen, but you have no brains either! Didn’t your dead mother teach you any manners before she kicked the bucket?!” Arthur wasn’t the biological brother of Chloe’s father; he was the son brought in by the patriarch’s second wife. Fearing her son wouldn’t be respected, my mother-in-law had always wanted Arthur to marry a woman from a powerful family to boost his status. But after Chloe’s father died in a car crash, Arthur proved his worth. He became the universally praised “Golden Scalpel” of the medical world, won the patriarch’s approval, and was handed control of the entire family empire. Only then did my mother-in-law hold her nose and allow Arthur to marry me. But because my health issues prevented me from getting pregnant, her hatred for me only grew deeper. In the past, Arthur would have at least offered a few words in my defense. But today, his eyes were entirely glued to Chloe, filled with an uncontrollable, burning longing. Chloe skipped over to him, intimately wrapping her arms around his bicep, pouting playfully: “Uncle Arthur! Did you bring a present for Chloe?” Arthur affectionately pinched her cheek: “Of course I did.” A team of attendants rolled in twenty-eight custom-made, haute couture gowns, each meticulously paired with a matching set of obscenely expensive diamond jewelry. Twenty-eight. For Chloe’s twenty-eighth birthday. She shrieked with joy and planted a massive kiss on Arthur’s cheek: “Wow! Uncle Arthur loves me the most! These jewelry sets are all limited editions! You spent way too much… what if some people get jealous?” Only then did Arthur seem to remember I was standing right next to him. My cheap, worn-out clothes looked painfully pathetic standing amidst the sea of glittering diamonds and silk. In all these years, Arthur had never once remembered my birthday, let alone bought me a single piece of jewelry or a nice dress. He looked slightly embarrassed. He reached for my hand, trying to explain: “Evie, don’t overthink it. I’m Chloe’s uncle, I’m just…” Chloe suddenly clutched her chest, furrowing her perfectly manicured brows: “Uncle Arthur… my chest feels a bit tight… I don’t know if my heart condition is acting up again…” Arthur instantly dropped my hand, spun around, and pulled her into a tight embrace, his face etched with sheer panic: “Why is your chest tight?! Does it hurt?! No, this is bad, I need to examine you immediately!” Without another word, in front of the entire extended family, he scooped Chloe up into his arms in a bridal carry and sprinted up the sweeping staircase without looking back. The guests turned their mocking, pitying gazes toward me. “No wonder Arthur would rather buy a mountain of couture for Chloe than buy Evelyn a single dress. A woman with such low-class origins isn’t fit to be a Vance, let alone wear luxury goods.” “If Arthur wasn’t bound by the optics of his uncle-niece relationship with Chloe, why would he ever settle for a gutter rat like her? I bet she used her mother’s death to blackmail Arthur into marrying her. Shameless bitch, stepping on her own mother’s corpse to marry into money.” The whispers grew louder. My mother-in-law, feeling she was losing face, barked at me: “You embarrassing disgrace, what are you still standing here for?! Get your ass upstairs! Haven’t you humiliated our family enough today?!” “My son performing surgery on your dead mother was a blessing she didn’t deserve. If she was too weak to survive it, how is that my son’s fault? The fact that you aren’t on your knees thanking him, and instead tried to extort him… you’ll get what’s coming to you!” My hands balled into tight fists inside my cheap sleeves. I let out a weak, hollow laugh. She’s right. Meeting Arthur Vance was the greatest curse of my life. Remembering the divorce papers securely tucked in my purse, I didn’t say a word. I turned and walked upstairs to find him. But as I stepped onto the second-floor landing, I saw them on the balcony. Arthur and Chloe, locked in a tight embrace. Chloe was leaning back against the marble railing, her arms wrapped around Arthur’s neck. “Arthur… listen closely. Is Chloe’s heart still beating too fast?” “Chloe, we can’t do this…” Arthur tried to make his voice sound disciplined, but the visible tension in his tailored suit pants betrayed him completely. Chloe aggressively pressed her lips against his, whispering seductively: “Are you saying you don’t want Chloe? I know I’m the only one in your heart, and you are the only one in mine. Even if you married someone else because you were scared of what people would say, your body still belongs to me. Let’s just lose control this once…” Arthur finally snapped. He grabbed the back of Chloe’s head, pulling her into a desperate, passionate, bruising kiss. The sound of fabric ripping was immediately followed by breathy, obscene moans. Listening to Arthur whisper sickeningly sweet, filthy promises to her, tears blurred my vision. I clamped my hand over my mouth and ran out of the mansion. I didn’t know how long I sat on the curb outside the estate gates before a bowl of scalding hot instant ramen was violently splashed across my chest. The boiling water shocked me back to reality. Chloe, having changed into fresh clothes, stood over me, holding a bottle of expensive whiskey. “Evelyn, did you like the sounds we were making up there? Your pathetic, retreating back looked exactly like a stray dog.” So she had seen me. “I heard your body is rejecting the artificial heart. Coughing up blood and dealing with chest pain every day must be absolute torture, right? You can’t even enjoy the rough, passionate love of a real man. But I’m different. Arthur can use the most aggressive positions on me, and I can take it perfectly. Even though you’re a piece of trash, I have to admit, your heart works phenomenally well. I felt amazing up there just now.” “You actually thought marrying my uncle would steal my spotlight? Keep dreaming. He only has me in his heart. You were nothing more than a temporary incubator for my spare parts.” “Oh, by the way… that day wasn’t the first time your mom caught me sleeping with your fiancé. That old bitch actually dared to call me a slut. So, I specifically orchestrated it. I had her tied up and forced her to watch me fuck your fiancé right in front of her face. It triggered her heart attack. When you offered to donate your heart to her, I just faked a little chest pain, and Uncle Arthur was so heartbroken he refused to wait a single second. He ripped your heart out and gave it to me.” “Ah, right. You were unconscious under anesthesia, so you missed your mom’s reaction. She stretched her arm out so far, her eyes bulging out of her skull like she was going to pop! She wanted to strangle us so badly! But what a shame… all she could do was watch helplessly as she was literally angered to death~ Serves her right. She insulted me, so I took her life!” My eyes widened in sheer, absolute horror. I never, in my darkest nightmares, could have imagined that this was the true cause of my mother’s death. My entire body shook violently. How could these monsters murder my mother and still act like they were completely justified?! I raised my hand high into the air to strike her, but Chloe was faster. She dumped the rest of the whiskey over her own head and let out a blood-curdling scream. The next second, I was shoved violently to the ground. Arthur wrapped Chloe securely in his arms and whipped his head around, roaring at me: “Evelyn! What the hell are you doing?!” Chloe cried pitifully against his chest: “Uncle Arthur! I just saw that Aunt Evelyn didn’t eat anything at the banquet, so I brought her some food and a drink! But she started screaming that I murdered her mother! She knocked the food out of my hands and poured alcohol all over me! If you had come a second later, she would have killed me!” “I made that ramen myself! I know it’s not fancy, but it was the thought that counted! The boiling water even burned my hands…” Arthur’s face instantly turned murderous. “Evelyn! Your mother dying of a heart attack was her own fault for having a weak constitution and sticking her nose into the affairs of young people! Before a wedding, it is completely normal for someone to have a change of heart! Chloe felt bad that you were hungry, and if you didn’t appreciate it, fine! But how dare you blame her for your own mother’s death?!” I stared at him in utter disbelief, listening to the sociopathic, twisted logic spewing from his mouth. “Arthur Vance. Tell me to my face. How exactly did my mother die? Did you actually give my heart to her?” Arthur frowned deeply. “Of course I did! Didn’t I already tell you? Your mother experienced severe acute rejection post-op! Heart transplants carry massive risks, how do you not even possess basic common sense?! Stop betraying Chloe’s kindness and apologize to her right now!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391311”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I went to the ER, and the hallway was absolutely packed with patients waiting their turn. But I was in a rush to get to my grandfather’s 80th birthday dinner, so I had no choice but to let an intern draw my blood to speed things up. After poking me eight times without finding a vein, the girl suddenly covered her face and started sobbing. “I’m just a baby, my hands are too small to aim properly! Why are you being so mean?!” I was sweating cold bullets from the pain. Just as I was about to snap, a few lines of floating text suddenly scrolled across my field of vision: “Omg the female lead is so cute! She’s so nervous seeing her crush that she forgot how to do an IV!” “This is the charm of a clumsy beauty! She’s using this to get the male lead’s attention, so sweet!” “Look, the male lead has a straight face, but he’s about to feel so bad for her!” I almost laughed out loud. I didn’t even know this woman! And what the hell did it mean by “male lead”? I am a 100% biological, certified woman! … “What are you doing? Move your hand!” Seeing this intern, who just referred to herself as “a baby,” gearing up to stab me again, I violently yanked my arm away. The back of my hand was already covered in dark purple bruises, and blood was beading out of the multiple puncture wounds. I was about to explode. “Even if you’re an intern, this is crossing a line, right? Did you actually graduate from a legitimate nursing school?” I gritted my teeth, enduring the sharp, cramping pain in my stomach that brought me here in the first place. But the woman grabbed my hand again, muttering softly: “Don’t move! When you move, baby loses her feel for the vein!” “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely get it this time. Stop being so grumpy!” My head was buzzing. This is a hospital emergency room, not the set of a goddamn romantic comedy! But the waiting room was packed with people, and the stomach pain was becoming unbearable. My grandfather was still waiting for me. I decided to just let her try one last time. I resigned myself to my fate, closed my eyes, and offered my hand. My stomach was doing flips; I just wanted to get this over with. I completely ignored her delusional muttering. “Don’t be scared, handsome. Baby can definitely do it this time.” “Come on, baby, fighting for love!” I didn’t even bother lifting my eyelids to acknowledge her. About thirty seconds later, accompanied by a joyful gasp: “Done!” I finally let out a sigh of relief and opened my eyes. What I saw nearly made me pass out on the spot. The new puncture wounds, combined with the massive purple bruise from before… She had crookedly poked a pattern into the back of my hand. A heart? What the actual fuck?! The blood instantly rushed to my head. Am I in a hospital ER, or am I participating in some psychotic performance art? And the intern actually pointed at my hand with an expectant look: “Does it look good?” “It’s the newest trend in IV art. I knew you’d love it!” The floating text comments started scrolling rapidly again. “Ahhhhh! The female lead is so smooth! She gave him a heart tattoo with the needle!” “What kind of god-tier confession is this! So romantic! Look at the male lead’s face! He’s definitely stunned by how touched he is!” I slowly raised my hand, branded with the bruised heart. And roared toward the nurse’s station at the end of the hall: “CHARGE NURSE!” The intern panicked and tried to cover my mouth: “Why are you calling the charge nurse? If you don’t like it, I can just change the pattern! Why are you yelling?” As she spoke, tears started streaming down her face. This immediately sparked whispers from the surrounding patients: “What’s wrong with that guy? Bullying a little nurse?” “He looks so well-dressed, why is his temper so awful? It’s just a needle poke, can’t a grown man handle a little pain?” My head was pounding. I looked down at myself. I was wearing a black tactical jacket, I had a sharp wolf-cut hairstyle, and because I hit the gym year-round, my shoulders were definitely broader than the average woman’s. But that doesn’t mean I am a goddamn grown man! The charge nurse jogged over and saw my hand completely covered in needle holes. She immediately reprimanded the intern: “Chloe Miller! Did you cause trouble again?!” “Didn’t I tell you that you are not allowed to draw blood without supervision? What is wrong with you?” But Chloe pointed at me, looking incredibly wronged: “He said he was in a rush and insisted that baby do it!” I let out a cold, incredulous laugh: “And?” “Does that give you the right to turn my hand into a pincushion?!” The charge nurse’s face turned pale. She glared at Chloe. Chloe shrank her neck, tears falling like rain: “Waaah… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to!” “Baby was just too nervous, my hands wouldn’t listen to me…” The floating comments started going crazy again. “Ahhh the female lead is crying! The clumsy beauty looks so cute when she’s wronged! Male lead, you absolute pig, comfort her!” “This is love! She made a mistake because she cares too much! I ship them so hard!” “I don’t even like this male lead, he’s not as good as the Hospital Director male lead. When he has to grovel to get her back later, he’ll regret this!” I’ll regret this? I’m currently regretting bringing my hand to this hospital! The charge nurse was clearly nursing a massive headache, trying to pacify me: “Sir, please don’t be angry.” “Chloe is an intern here, her clinical skills are definitely lacking. I apologize on her behalf.” She paused, pointing at the registration slip in Chloe’s hand: “However, you’ve already checked in under her name, it’s entered into the system.” “If you want a different nurse, you have to go back to the front desk, cancel this ticket, and pull a new number to wait in line again.” “The ER is packed right now. Going back and forth will probably take you another three or four hours.” I squeezed my fists. Three or four hours? By the time it was my turn, my grandfather’s birthday party would be over. The charge nurse saw my hesitation and immediately offered a compromise: “How about this? I will personally stand right next to her and supervise her for one last try?” “I guarantee it will be a success this time. How does that sound?” Before I could even speak, Chloe nodded enthusiastically: “Give me one more chance, please? Baby can definitely do it this time!” The comments cheered. “Charge nurse with the ultimate assist! Say yes! Say yes!” “Being surrounded by a crowd, but she only has eyes for you… this is totally a K-drama vibe!” I kept my face deadpan and replied: “No.” Chloe’s tears immediately welled up again. The people waiting in line started muttering again. “What’s this guy’s problem? The girl apologized, the charge nurse guaranteed it, and he’s still being a jerk.” “A grown man arguing with a little girl, he has absolutely no class.” Every time I heard “grown man,” my temples throbbed painfully. “It’s real easy to judge when you’re just standing there, isn’t it?” “If any of you think she’s so pitiful, and I’m so classless, why don’t you offer your arm for her to stab?” The crowd instantly went dead silent. The comments immediately got angry. “This dog of a male lead actually said no? Female lead, use your ultimate move!” “We have to cancel this trash man today so he loses his male lead status!” I looked up at Chloe in confusion. Suddenly, I felt like she looked familiar. Before I could place her face. I saw a red light flash from the front pocket of Chloe’s white coat. This person was secretly recording me! What the hell was she trying to do? Just as I took a step forward, Chloe violently jerked backward: “What are you doing?!” “I let it slide when you rubbed against my thigh earlier, and now you’re trying to grope my chest?!” With that single scream. The entire hallway devolved into absolute chaos. Several large, aggressive male family members immediately rushed forward, blocking Chloe behind them. “What are you doing?! Sexually assaulting a nurse in broad daylight?!” “You’re here for a doctor, keep your hands to yourself! Do you want to go to jail?!” I turned to look at the charge nurse. The cramping in my stomach made my voice ice-cold: “Does this hospital not do psych evaluations when hiring interns? You let people with persecution complexes work here?” The charge nurse turned pale and quickly tried to de-escalate: “Sir, please calm down. This is a hospital, please do not shout and disturb the other patients.” “Chloe, explain yourself clearly, what exactly happened?” Chloe clutched the hem of her coat, looking at me with tear-filled eyes: “It’s… it’s just that earlier, when he was letting me draw his blood, he purposely… he rubbed against baby’s thigh.” “Baby was scared, my hand shook, and that’s why I missed the vein…” The crowd completely exploded. “He really is a pervert!” “Call the cops right now! This kind of trash needs to be locked up!” “Don’t be scared, sweetie, we’ll all testify for you!” Seeing that someone had already pulled out their phone. Chloe suddenly waved her hands in a tragically heroic manner: “No, please don’t call the police!” She bit her lip, looking like someone who had suffered immense trauma but was too scared to speak up: “Forget it. It’s not his first time doing this.” “Last time, he cornered me in the stairwell and tried to sexually harass baby…” She stopped mid-sentence, choking back a sob, shaking her head vigorously. “I’m just an intern nurse. I’m about to become a full-time employee.” “I can’t afford to offend him. He looks like he has money. If he retaliates against me, I’ll lose my job…” The comments started cheering. “Baby is doing great! Finally using the ultimate move!” “Beautifully done! This dog of a man must die! Ruin his reputation!” I roared in anger: “You’re full of shit!” But to the people around me, my roar just looked like I was lashing out from being exposed. “Look! He’s still threatening her!” “He definitely got exposed and now he’s panicking! We can’t let this scum get away with it!” Several of the large guys rolled up their sleeves and surrounded me. They boxed me in completely. “Hey buddy, are you going to admit it or what?” I was so angry my stomach literally stopped hurting. This mob of people just loved the drama, acting like they were bursting with righteous justice. Fine. You all think I’m an easy target, huh? I pulled out my phone and dialed 911 directly. When I finished giving the dispatcher the details. The crowd erupted into an even louder uproar. “He actually has the nerve to call the cops?!” “He gets caught sexually harassing someone, and he plays the victim?!” Chloe froze for a second, then put on a face of tragic martyrdom: “Baby is just a lowly intern with no voice. If you hadn’t gone too far, I was going to suffer in silence.” “But if I let you go, what if other women fall victim to your predatory behavior?” “I have to stand up! I have to speak for all women!” The comments were boiling over. “Wow! Baby is so brave! Facing off against the trash man head-on!” “This is a true strong female lead script! My blood is pumping!” The guys surrounding me were practically ready to throw punches. “Don’t be scared, miss! We’re your witnesses!” “Hospitals need brave nurses like you! We’re all going to write commendation letters to your director! They have to hire you full-time!” Just then, two police officers arrived on the scene: “What’s going on here? Who called 911?” “I did!” I pointed at the massive purple bruise on the back of my hand, complete with that idiotic heart shape: “Aggravated assault.” “Also, this intern is defaming me, claiming I sexually harassed her.” Before the officer could speak, Chloe threw herself forward: “Officer, that’s not true! He was groping me!” Crying, she pulled her phone out of her white coat pocket and handed it to the police. “I have proof!” “He harassed me last time, so I was terrified.” “When he got close to me this time, I secretly started recording…” The officer took the phone and played the video. The footage was a bit shaky, but it clearly showed me sitting in a chair, with Chloe leaning over to find a vein. Then, my leg and her thigh made brief, momentary contact. I was absolutely dumbfounded. That’s it?! I was wearing thick tactical pants, and she was wearing scrub pants under a lab coat. There were eight hundred layers of fabric between us, I literally didn’t feel a thing. And that counts as sexual harassment?! Not to mention, that contact happened because I flinched when she stabbed me with the needle! But the crowd didn’t see it that way. “See! There’s video! Ironclad proof!” “What else is there to say? Cuff him and take him away!” The officer’s expression turned serious, and he looked at me: “Sir, please come with us to the precinct for questioning.” I suddenly smiled. I looked at Chloe: “I’m going to ask you one last time.” “Did I, actually, sexually harass you?” The crowd immediately started voicing their support for Chloe. Chloe straightened her posture and said affirmatively: “Yes! You sexually harassed me! You are a pervert!” “Okay.” I nodded, and smiled again. Then, in front of everyone, I pulled my ID card out of my pocket and handed it to the officer. “But I am a goddamn woman!” “Please tell me, exactly what equipment did I use to sexually harass you?” The entire hallway fell dead silent. The officer looked at my ID card, checking it back and forth several times. The comments started debating wildly: “Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” “This trash man is using a fake ID to escape justice! He has no shame!” “The backup male lead we carefully selected for our baby could never be a woman! With those broad shoulders and that Adam’s apple, impossible!” Where the fuck did I have an Adam’s apple?! Right at that moment, I finally remembered who this woman was. Last month, I was invited to give a guest lecture at the university’s medical school. Out of hundreds of students in the auditorium, only this Chloe Miller spent the entire lecture staring directly at me! After the lecture, she cornered me multiple times, asking bizarre, irrelevant questions. “Professor, what kind of love do you consider unforgettable?” “Professor, what is your ideal romantic confession?” I had just given her some vague, polite answers and left. I had no idea this was the same person! At this point, Chloe pointed at me, her voice shrill: “Officer, don’t believe her! She’s definitely using a fake ID! How could a woman look like that?!” “She’s a man! Just a pervert trying to escape the law!” I actually laughed: “Look like what? Is there a law stating that all women must have waist-length hair and look like fragile, weeping willows?” “Officer, does this count as another count of defamation?” The officer ran my ID card through his mobile scanner. Beep. My information popped up crystal clear on his screen. Sex: F.

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My fiancé got amnesia. He forgot everything—except, selectively, me. He was faking it. I didn’t expose him. Our marriage certificate turned into a divorce decree. Yet, three days later, the wedding I had meticulously planned for a month went on exactly as scheduled. He was still the groom, but the bride wasn’t me anymore. It was his on-again, off-again ex-girlfriend. When we met again, he grabbed my wrist, completely losing his mind: “Chloe, where did you go?! Why didn’t you come looking for me?!” I put on a perfectly blank expression, looking at him defensively: “Excuse me, sir, who are you? Do I know you?” 1 “Chloe, get over here. We’re getting a divorce.” Liam’s words were blunt and brutal. I stayed silent. He didn’t need my answer anyway. He hung up the phone. Liam was my fiancé. He had amnesia. And the very first thing he did after “losing his memory” was summon me to sign divorce papers. We had just gotten our marriage license at City Hall that morning; by the afternoon, we were annulling it. When I walked into the county clerk’s office, I found that Liam wasn’t alone. The woman clinging intimately to his arm was very familiar to me. It was his ex-girlfriend, Mia. She and Liam had a toxic, on-again, off-again relationship for five years. Until I showed up. Now, Liam had “forgotten” me. And she was right back by his side. Seeing me, the smile on Mia’s face vanished. She stammered, “Chloe, please don’t misunderstand… Liam and I are just…” As she spoke, she didn’t loosen her grip; she actually held onto him tighter. Liam proactively covered her hand with his own, claiming his territory: “I asked Mia to come with me. You don’t have to misunderstand anything. She is my girlfriend.” My heart violently seized. Meeting Mia’s triumphant gaze, I numbly nodded my head. There weren’t many people processing divorces today. When we got to the counter, the clerk shot me a bewildered look. She recognized me. Liam and I had just been here this morning to get our marriage certificate. She had even congratulated us: “Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.” And now, we were back in the afternoon. To get a divorce. But the person holding Liam’s arm wasn’t me. It was Mia. I stood in front of them, a completely isolated figure. The clerk’s lips moved silently as she cast a highly suspicious look at the three of us. After a long pause, she said, “This is highly unusual.” Liam frowned. He was getting impatient. He made a phone call. Very quickly, thanks to his connections, the expedited annulment paperwork was pushed through. I clutched the stamped document in my hand, a bitter smile curling on my lips. Mia pretended to bring it up casually: “Since you’re already divorced, you’re not going to keep squatting at Liam’s house, right?” She covered her mouth, feigning sympathy: “Oh, I’m sorry, I know you don’t have anywhere else to go. You were married, after all… if you want to stay for a few days, Liam wouldn’t mind…” Liam cut her off, his voice devoid of any emotion: “We’re divorced. Move out today.” It was so cold, so matter-of-fact. As if he wasn’t the one faking his amnesia. My throat instantly tightened. The glaringly white annulment papers burned my eyes. He faked amnesia just for this, didn’t he? Why bother? I was never the type to cling desperately to a dead relationship. If he wanted a divorce, why would I ever hold onto a man who didn’t love me? It was just laughable that my five years of devotion couldn’t even earn me an honest breakup. A marriage, ending in such an absurd, farcical tragedy. I took a deep breath. “Fine.” 2 The car Liam was driving was the one we had picked out together to be our wedding car. When we bought it, Liam had told me: “On our wedding day, I’m going to drive this exact car to bring my Chloe home.” I had never even sat in it yet. But right now, sitting in the passenger seat, was Mia. Liam leaned over to help her buckle her seatbelt. They were incredibly close. As Liam pulled back, Mia sweetly planted a kiss on his cheek. Instinctively, Liam looked up and locked eyes with me. Following Liam’s gaze, Mia saw me and pouted, “Sorry, this is the car Liam bought for me. It belongs to me exclusively. I don’t want any other woman sitting in it.” Liam looked at her with pure indulgence. “Whatever you say.” With that, Liam drove off with Mia, leaving me in the dust. The acrid smell of exhaust blew directly into my face. My nose stung, and my eyes gradually grew red. When I finally caught an Uber to the house, the massive front gates of the estate were locked tight. My luggage was thrown haphazardly outside the gates, scattered across the driveway. I knocked on the gate for a long time before the housekeeper, Maria, finally came out. She read the confusion in my eyes and hesitated before speaking: “Miss Mia ordered me to throw all of this out.” Mia’s voice floated over: “Oh? Are these your things? I’m so sorry, I thought it was just someone’s abandoned trash, so I had them throw it all out. I didn’t do it on purpose, you’re not mad, are you?” Mia walked out, arms crossed over her chest, a faint, smug satisfaction in her eyes. I forced a smile. “Miss Mia, your upbringing is truly concerning.” A harsh reprimand came from inside the house: “Chloe, don’t push your luck! Mia already apologized to you, what more do you want?” I looked over. Liam walked up to Mia’s side, his face cold as ice as he stared at me. His gaze swept over my scattered belongings on the ground, and he sneered: “What’s the difference between this junk and actual trash? Only you would value garbage like this.” My throat choked up. My heart suddenly seized so tightly I couldn’t breathe, let alone speak. He impatiently urged me: “Stop wasting time. Pack up your trash and get out. I don’t want to see you here again.” The feeling was mutual. There was absolutely no point in arguing or tangling with him anymore. I swallowed the bitterness lodged in my throat and silently began picking up my things. Even though I hadn’t lived here long, I had a lot of stuff. It packed two massive suitcases to the brim. This mansion was supposed to be our marital home. The meticulous interior design, the elegant, comfortable furniture… Every single detail, I had personally designed and arranged. Back then, I thought this was the home where Liam and I would spend the rest of our lives. But now, the house looked exactly the same, yet the person living in it wasn’t me anymore. The scenery remained, but the people had changed. I dragged my two heavy suitcases and started walking away. Mia took a deep, exaggerated breath. “Now that the trash is gone, the air smells so much fresher.” Hearing this, Liam ordered the housekeeper: “Maria, have a cleaning crew sanitize the house from top to bottom. If you find any more of her things, throw them straight into the dumpster.” I stopped in my tracks. I sniffled hard, forcing back the tears pooling in my eyes. I turned my head and looked directly at Mia. “The trash I didn’t want anymore… is all yours.” 3 I found a random, cheap apartment and moved in. Once the adrenaline wore off, I was physically and mentally exhausted. I lay in bed, sleeping in a pitch-black room for two straight days. On the third day, I got a call from my business partner. I was a high-end wedding planner. My friend and I had started our own boutique agency. I had planned weddings for countless beautiful couples. And I had spent an entire month meticulously planning my own. Now, that wedding hadn’t even happened, yet it was already a ghost of my past. When I heard the familiar names through the phone, my heart dropped. My voice trembled as I asked: “Who are the bride and groom?” The names Liam Vance and Mia Sterling drilled into my ears. My head was buzzing. Instinctively, I refused the job. My partner’s fearful voice came through the receiver: “Chloe, you know how powerful the Vance family is…” With a single word, Liam could ensure I would never find work in this city again. I hung up the phone, collapsing back onto the bed. Liam was coming for me. He specifically requested me to plan his wedding. I couldn’t hide. I hurriedly got ready and rushed to the wedding venue. The venue was a massive, luxury estate in the wine country. The estate featured a breathtaking, endless sea of lavender. When the breeze blew, the lavender swayed like a dream. I had originally booked this venue because lavender was my absolute favorite flower. I had hoped that on the most important day of my life, I could stand in a sea of lavender, holding hands with the man I loved, stepping into our future. But seeing this field of flowers now, a thick, suffocating bitterness wrapped around my heart. I forced the bitterness down and maintained a strictly professional demeanor as I discussed the wedding details with Mia. She was dissatisfied with everything, constantly pointing fingers, making me revise and change every little detail. Liam sat patiently by her side. His arm was wrapped around her waist, his face entirely devoid of impatience. Just days ago, he had held me exactly like this, listening tirelessly as I planned our wedding. After torturing me for four hours, Mia finally said: “Forget it, let’s just stick to the original plan. After all, Miss Chloe is the most familiar with it. I feel safe leaving it in your hands.” I stared at the dense notes on my iPad, my fingers gripping the edges tightly. The “original plan” she was talking about was the exact blueprint I had designed for my own wedding. Of course I was familiar with it. Seeing my tightly pursed lips, Mia curled her mouth into a delighted smirk. She said casually: “The wedding is tomorrow afternoon. I know it’s a bit rushed, but I believe Miss Chloe can pull it off perfectly, right?” I froze for a second. My wedding with Liam was originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon as well. I looked up, meeting Mia’s smug, victorious gaze. The wedding I had spent a month pouring my heart into was now hers. It was sickening. After a long silence, I forced a single word out of my throat: “Yes.” Mia leaned against Liam, a dagger hidden in her smile: “Liam, Miss Chloe has been such a huge help. We definitely have to give her a massive tip on our wedding day.” Liam said coldly: “This is what she’s supposed to do. Otherwise, why would I pay her?” Hearing this, Mia’s smile grew even wider. I pressed my lips together and closed my eyes. My heart was so exhausted. So tired that I didn’t even have the energy to argue. After a moment of silence, I said quietly: “You are the clients. The client is always right.” 4 Once they left, I let out a long sigh of relief. I truly did not want to tangle with them anymore. But once some plays begin, I can’t just call “cut” whenever I want. I rubbed my temples. I couldn’t relax yet. They got to leave easily, dumping a massive mess in my lap. Thankfully, because I had been prepping this wedding for a month, the logistics were 80% complete. I just needed to tie up the loose ends. Despite that, I still ended up pulling an all-nighter. The next morning, I dragged myself out of bed. I had only slept for two hours. But the wedding was today, and I still had a million fires to put out. During the setup, I was so exhausted I could barely stand straight. I closed my eyes, my head spinning, my footsteps stumbling. Suddenly, someone caught my arm to steady me. I opened my eyes. It was Liam. Instinctively, I shoved him away. A flash of shock crossed his face, quickly replaced by a cold glare: “Why are you standing around daydreaming? The wedding is pure chaos right now, shouldn’t you be out there managing it?” I forced a weak smile. The money is hard to earn, and the shit is hard to swallow. I didn’t have the energy to fight him. I turned around to walk away, but someone called my name. Mia, wearing a stunning, extravagant purple bridal gown that cinched her tiny waist, walked gracefully toward us. My eyes unavoidably landed on her dress. This exact dress was the one Liam had originally chosen for me. And now, it was on Mia’s body. My fingernails dug into my palms, the sharp pain tugging at the snapping string of my sanity. Mia smugly twirled in front of me. She wore a fake, sickeningly sweet smile: “Miss Chloe, do you think this dress looks good? Does it fit the vibe of the venue today?” I couldn’t speak. I just nodded randomly. Her smile widened, her eyes locking onto me darkly: “I wonder if we could ask Miss Chloe to be our wedding MC today?” The string in my mind finally snapped. I clenched my jaw, staying silent. Liam said softly: “Mia, stop playing around. It’s not appropriate.” Mia grabbed his arm and whined: “Why isn’t it appropriate? I believe in Miss Chloe’s abilities! If she’s been in this industry for so long and can’t even MC a wedding, why does she even own a wedding planning company?” Liam, completely whipped by her whining, coaxed her gently: “Alright, whatever you want.” His cold gaze shifted to me, his tone rigid: “Miss Chloe, you will be the MC for our wedding today.” A bitter smile crept onto my lips: “And if I refuse?” Liam furrowed his brow, threatening me directly: “Then I can only assume you lack the professional capability. And I think a company like yours has no business surviving in this city.” I bit down hard on the tip of my tongue. The metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth, forcing the lump in my throat back down. How humiliating. Couldn’t we just part ways peacefully? I was never going to stalk him or beg for him back. Even without this humiliation today, I would have avoided them like the plague forever. Why did he have to degrade me like this? I nodded numbly. With heavy, exhausted steps, I walked past them. But as I brushed past Mia, I paused. I asked in a low voice: “Miss Mia, do you really just love wearing other people’s hand-me-downs?” 5 The words slipped out before I could stop them. I didn’t stick around to see the dark, furious look on Mia’s face; I just kept walking quickly. The wedding officially began at 6:00 PM. The sky was ablaze with a breathtaking, fiery sunset. The golden hour light spilled over the sea of lavender, looking like a literal dream. Mia, in her gorgeous purple gown, walked slowly through the lavender fields. Amidst thunderous applause, she placed her hand into Liam’s. My eyes suddenly welled with tears. This wedding was the exact carbon copy of the one I had spent a month planning. I had envisioned this exact moment in my head countless times. But the bride wasn’t me. My love story had mutated into something unrecognizable. I stood there like a marionette, numbly reciting the MC script I had prepared. The entire venue was filled with laughter and joy, while my heart was as dead and still as a stagnant pool of water. The wedding celebrations lasted late into the night. I stumbled back to my crappy apartment. The moment I hit the mattress, I passed out into a heavy, feverish sleep. I woke up to my phone ringing incessantly. My face was flushed, and my forehead was burning up. I had a severe fever. The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. I forced myself up and fumbled for it. My vision was blurry; I couldn’t read the caller ID. But the familiar voice came through the speaker. I knew it was Liam. He was speaking in a deeply annoyed tone: “Mia, what is wrong with you? Can you put a little effort in? Can’t you handle the basic logistics after the wedding? You’ve been missing all morning…” I casually hung up the phone. I didn’t have time for his unhinged rambling. I was the boss of my company; I didn’t need to micromanage every single minor post-event detail. My body felt like it was falling apart. I managed to find some meds and dry-swallowed them. The moment I lay back down, I passed out again. My dreams were an absolute mess. Memories of Liam and me cut through my nightmares like shards of glass. They crashed down on me, shattering into pieces, leaving me bruised and bleeding. I was sick for an entire week. At its worst, I had to go to the hospital and get an IV drip for three days. By the time I recovered, the potted lavender I kept on my windowsill had withered and died. The language of lavender means “waiting for love.” But my love had withered. Even the memories were nothing but humiliation and degradation now. I blocked Liam’s number. Since he wanted to fake amnesia, I wanted him to commit to the bit completely. It would be best if we never crossed paths again for the rest of our lives. I didn’t want to stay in this city. I started traveling for work constantly. When I returned from my final business trip, a month had already passed. As I walked out of my office building, a black Mercedes was parked by the curb. A man was leaning against the door, smoking a cigarette. The smoke obscured his face. His gaze suddenly locked onto me. He crushed the cigarette out and walked quickly toward me. It was Liam. Before I could dodge him, he grabbed my wrist. He looked completely unhinged as he interrogated me: “Chloe, where the hell did you go?! Why didn’t you come looking for me?!” I pressed my lips tightly together. I looked up, my face completely blank. I looked at him defensively and asked: “Excuse me, sir, who are you? Do I know you?” 6 The shock on Liam’s face was impossible to hide. His grip on my wrist tightened anxiously. “Chloe, what nonsense are you spouting? Do you really not know who I am?!” A sharp pain shot through my wrist. I frowned, my eyes turning cold. “Sir, please let go. This is harassment. If you don’t let go, I’m calling the police.” Liam didn’t let go. His eyes searched my face. Seeing the genuine lack of recognition in my eyes, sheer panic and terror washed over his features. His voice shook: “Chloe, it’s me, Liam. I’m your… husband.” I didn’t believe him. In my struggle to break free, I bit his hand hard. He flinched in pain but still wouldn’t let go. I screamed at the top of my lungs: “HELP!” He tried to cover my mouth, but it was too late. Passersby immediately crowded around us. He frantically tried to explain: “I’m her husband! We’re just having a fight!” I pulled his hand away and yelled in panic: “He’s lying! I don’t know him!” Seeing my distress, the crowd aggressively pinned Liam down. A good Samaritan called the cops. The police car took both of us to the precinct. Liam was my husband. Keyword: was. Now, he was just my ex-husband. The date on our marriage certificate and the date on our divorce decree were exactly the same. Our married life didn’t even last 24 hours. After looking into the records and realizing the truth, the officers looked at Liam with pure disgust. After a severe, humiliating lecture from the cops, Liam was finally released. Standing outside the precinct, Liam’s eyes were glued to me. He asked hoarsely: “Chloe, do you really not remember me?” I took a few steps back in disgust, speaking coldly: “I got severely sick a month ago and lost a lot of my memories. Should I remember you? If I forgot you, it just means you weren’t important.” Hearing this, Liam looked incredibly hurt. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something. I cut him off: “I heard you’re my ex-husband. Since you managed to become my ex-husband, I assume there’s absolutely no need for us to stay in contact.” Liam panicked instantly: “Chloe, please, let me explain…” “Liam!” Mia’s voice cut through the air. I looked over. Mia was practically sprinting toward us, glaring at me with absolute hostility. She aggressively linked her arm through Liam’s, staking her claim, and demanded: “Why are you here?!” I let out a scoff: “Are you his wife? You should probably be interrogating your husband instead of harassing an innocent bystander!” Mia looked suspicious, but forced a confident front: “Liam would never do anything wrong.” But, highly out of character, Liam violently shoved Mia’s arm away. From start to finish, he didn’t even look at her. He took a step toward me, but stopped, seemingly stung by my defensive glare. He explained, his voice thick with emotion: “Chloe, she’s not my wife. I never married her. You are my only wife.” Mia’s face instantly turned black. She anxiously grabbed for Liam’s hand, her voice frantic: “Liam, let’s go home, okay?” Liam shoved her away out of pure reflex. Mia fell hard onto the concrete, letting out a cry of pain. She started crying pitifully: “Liam, it hurts.” But this still didn’t grab Liam’s attention. His eyes were dead-set on me. His voice sounded almost pathetic: “Chloe, please, let me explain. I had amnesia before, and I was tricked into divorcing you. But now I remember everything…” I interrupted him impatiently: “I don’t care. Please stop harassing me.”

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Ever since my rebirth, I’ve ignored every single phone call from my mob boss husband and deleted all his texts the second I read them. I spent my days bar-hopping with my girls, surrounded by a pack of eager young men trying to get my attention. When I stumbled home after my eighth hangover, practically running on fumes, Arthur was blocking the front door. “Where did the guy who bought you drinks tonight touch you?” I giggled, my eyes hazy with alcohol. “My hands, duh. How else was I supposed to shake the dice cup?” A storm brewed in his eyes. He ordered his men standing behind him, “Go find that guy and chop his hands off.” I let out a scoff and walked right past him. “Whatever you want!” In my past life, I was married to him for eight years. Known in the underground as the “Queen of Spades,” I won back the massive Canaan Casino for him at the poker table, standing by his side as he climbed from a desperate outlaw to the uncrowned king of the criminal underworld. But after he achieved everything, he became obsessed with the new card-shuffling girl at the casino. Her name was Chloe Vance. She had been sold to the casino like a piece of merchandise, as clean and fragile as a blank sheet of paper. Arthur set her up in the VIP shuffling room, personally teaching her how to deal cards and read the chips. It wasn’t until I checked the casino’s internal database for core members that I discovered my marital status had been changed to “Divorced.” When I confronted Arthur, he dismissed it completely: “Chloe has no one to rely on. Giving her an official title ensures she won’t be bullied anymore.” “You’re universally recognized as the ‘Boss Lady’ in our circles. Why are you making a fuss over something so trivial?” I had a complete breakdown, stormed into the shuffling room, and slapped Chloe across the face in front of everyone. That very night, my younger brother, Leo—who had risked his life working for Arthur—was dragged back to the casino. They broke both his legs right in front of me and threw him into the back alley. “Evelyn, this is the price you pay for touching Chloe!” I fell to my knees, begging him to stop, until the color completely drained from my brother’s face and he died right in front of my eyes. I felt a rush of warm fluid between my legs, a tearing pain in my abdomen, and then… everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the exact day I discovered my marital status had been altered. This time, I didn’t scream or demand answers. I secretly sold off all my private jewelry and bought plane tickets. All I wanted was to take my brother and escape this demon’s lair named Arthur. … After discovering the anomaly in my status, I took my ID to the county clerk’s office to verify it. “Ms. Davis, the system shows your marital status is ‘Divorced.’” Hearing the clerk’s voice, I finally confirmed that everything from my past life was real. The date the divorce was finalized was my birthday. Knowing how busy Arthur was, I had rented out the highest revolving restaurant in Canaan and even arranged for fireworks. I waited from sunset until dawn the next day, and he never showed up. It turned out he was busy signing another piece of paper, completely erasing my existence from his life. I pulled myself out of the memory. When I returned to the casino, I saw Arthur’s black Maybach parked by the curb near the main entrance. In my past life, I would have charged forward in a hysterical rage to confront him. Arthur, terrified that Chloe would see me, didn’t even wait for her to get out of the passenger seat before violently kicking me into a corner. This time, I immediately ducked into the shadows behind a large pillar. The car door opened, and Arthur stepped out first. He walked around to the passenger side and personally opened the door, his movements displaying a level of patience and meticulous care I had never seen before. A girl in a pale blue sundress stepped out timidly. She stood awkwardly next to the gleaming luxury car, looking completely out of place. It was Chloe. Arthur took off his suit jacket, draped it over her fragile shoulders, and wrapped his arm around her waist, guiding her toward the casino entrance. “Arthur…” Chloe hesitated, stopping in her tracks. “I have nothing left. I only have you… I really can’t afford to lose…” Arthur turned sideways, pulling her tightly into his embrace. His voice carried a certainty and tenderness I had never heard: “What are you afraid of? From now on, you are the lady of this house. Besides you, no one else has that right!” “If you end up not liking it here, I’ll find a quiet place later and build a resort just for you to play in…” The casino thugs, who used to follow me around bowing and respectfully calling me “Boss Lady,” now all bowed deeply toward Chloe, their voices loud and sycophantic: “Good evening, Boss!” They surrounded the girl, who looked like a startled deer, and escorted her into the glittering demon’s lair. I pressed my hands hard against my stomach. Only after they had all gone inside did I stumble out of the shadows. I wiped away my tears, leaving nothing but cold, absolute resolve in my eyes. I went to the hospital alone and booked an appointment for an abortion. The doctor looked at the ultrasound screen, frowning deeply. “Ms. Davis, your constitution is unique. You haven’t been able to conceive for the past seven years. If you abort this pregnancy, you may never be able to get pregnant again.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m already divorced. I don’t want to bring a child into the world without a father.” As the cold liquid was pushed into my IV, my consciousness began to slip away. In a haze, I saw the Arthur of the past, pressing his ear against my stomach, laughing and saying this kid would definitely be a master gambler, and that he’d teach him how to read cards from day one. He called a fortune teller to pick out the luckiest possible name. He held me and promised that once he found a successor, he would take me and our child away from the casino to travel the world… In the end, all that warmth shattered into dust the moment he told Chloe, “Only you are worthy of being the lady of this casino.” After regaining consciousness, I dragged my hollowed-out body to my brother Leo’s hospital room. Thankfully, Leo had only suffered minor injuries during a job this time and would recover quickly. In my past life, my brother was beaten to death right in front of me. In this life, I would not be so foolish. I contacted a fixer on the black market and paid a premium for two tickets to a third country, departing in three days. If I went through official channels, Arthur would undoubtedly find out immediately. I also called my only trusted subordinate, slipped him a large sum of cash, and had him secretly discharge Leo from the hospital. Having arranged everything, I finally relaxed a bit. I hailed a cab and gave the driver an address a few blocks away from the villa. It was a long-standing habit of mine; the casino had countless enemies, and I always took precautions to prevent anyone from discovering our exact address. But the moment I stepped out of the cab, a man grabbed me from behind, clapping a hand tightly over my mouth, and dragged me backward! I fought desperately against his grip, but before I could run a few steps, another man swung a sharp weapon hard into my back! A violent burst of pain erupted, and warm blood instantly soaked my shirt. I didn’t even have to guess—these were Arthur’s enemies. The casino had swallowed up so much territory; the line of people who wanted him and those close to him dead could stretch all the way to the docks. I reached for the concealed knife in my bag, but someone twisted my arm behind my back. They snatched my phone and smashed it to pieces. “Bitch, hold still!” The man choking me dragged me toward a beat-up van parked on the street. Just as I was about to succumb to despair, a familiar black Maybach turned onto the main road. It was Arthur’s car! I summoned the very last ounce of my strength, screaming hoarsely, thrashing wildly to get the attention of whoever was inside the car. The car visibly jerked and slowed down. He saw me! But the next second, the Maybach accelerated without hesitation, speeding away from the intersection. Through the tinted window, I saw Arthur pull Chloe, who was in the passenger seat, into his chest, shielding her eyes so she wouldn’t look in my direction. It was as if the woman outside the window wasn’t his wife about to be dragged away and tortured to death, but just a filthy, insignificant incident unworthy of tainting his new love’s pure eyes. Every last shred of struggle and hope instantly drained from my body. Agonizing pain and freezing cold washed over me as the darkness swallowed my final sliver of consciousness. When I woke up, I was lying in a private hospital room. The door wasn’t completely shut, and the low hum of conversation drifted in. “Boss, the Madam is severely injured this time. If she finds out about Ms. Chloe’s existence…” It was Arthur’s private doctor, Ken. Before he could finish, Arthur’s cold, harsh voice cut him off: “Watch your mouth. Your job is to heal her, don’t overstep!” “Evelyn has been in the underworld for years. There’s no dirty trick she hasn’t seen; she’s a master at it herself.” “Chloe is different from her. She’s as clean as a blank sheet of paper. She can’t compete with Evelyn.” He paused, lowering his voice further: “If she wakes up and makes a scene, go grab her brother. He’s her only living relative; there’s no way she’ll abandon him.” I gripped the bedsheets tightly, my teeth biting into my lower lip until the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. The night I helped him secure the largest casino in Canaan, he promised me: “Evelyn, from this day forward, in the Canaan underground, no one will ever lay a finger on you.” The same words, the same promise of protection—only the person he was protecting had changed. The woman he once treated as his most precious treasure had become, in his own words, a malicious, dangerous threat that needed to be guarded against. Footsteps approached. I closed my eyes, pretending I was just waking up. “You’re awake? We found out who did it. It was that Thai crew—the ones whose hands we smashed for cheating at the tables last time.” Arthur tossed a file in front of me. “Sign this settlement agreement, and they’ve promised to hand over management of the East District.” The East District was the last relatively “clean” territory in Canaan. It was coastal, with no casinos or gray-market businesses. I remembered what he had told Chloe: “I’ll find a quiet place later and build a resort just for you to play in…” So all my wounds and spilled blood were just bargaining chips he used to build a gilded cage for his new love. I asked hoarsely, “Arthur, when exactly did you negotiate this deal?” Was it the moment you saw me being dragged away, or long before, when you decided to use my blood to pave the road for your sweetheart? He frowned, clearly displeased by my questioning. I offered a weak, cynical smile and stopped asking. The answer didn’t matter anymore. Perhaps to placate me, he stayed in my room for the next two days to handle his business. But his phone never left his hand. While eating, he would take pictures of his food and send them off, a gentle smile—one I had never seen before—playing on his lips. Looking at his profile, my mind drifted back to eight years ago. The first time I met him wasn’t in a casino; it was in a dark alley. He had been caught cheating, and seven or eight guys with machetes had cornered him. He was about to lose an arm. I had just won a massive payout. I stepped in, bought his way out, and dragged him back to my apartment. Later, my father, who was back in our home country, racked up massive gambling debts and was driven to suicide by a drug cartel. I was snatched up to pay his debt, a toxic needle pressed against my vein. It was Arthur who kicked the door down at the absolute last second and saved me. By then, he had already taken over a small casino, and he made me the invisible “Queen of Spades” working the tables. I helped him swallow up rival casinos one by one, draining his competitors dry. I knew my hands were already stained with filth and blood that could never be washed off. But even if the whole world thought I was dirty, he had no right to! After I was discharged, Arthur claimed he was busy with business and never showed up again. I was leaving tomorrow. Taking advantage of his absence, I returned to the top floor of the casino and retrieved my passport and essential IDs from the safe. But as I stepped out of the elevator, my legs gave out, and I stumbled violently forward. The fall I expected never came. A pair of delicate hands caught me just in time. “Are you okay?” The voice was soft, gentle, carrying a cautious, genuine kindness. I looked up and met Chloe’s clear, innocent eyes. She was wearing a casino dealer’s uniform, but she still looked completely out of place. She didn’t recognize me. She thought I was just a regular gambler who had lost everything and was stumbling around in a daze. “I’m fine. Thank you.” I stood up straight, eager to leave as quickly as possible. But she didn’t let go. Instead, she gently pulled me toward the employee break area. “You look terrible. Come sit in the back and rest for a bit.” For some inexplicable reason, I didn’t refuse. She poured me a cup of warm water and pulled a bag of dried mangoes and a pastry from her locker. “Eat something. Don’t be too sad about losing money. Go home early; your family is definitely waiting for you!” Seeing my silence, she hesitated, then pulled a few bills from her uniform pocket and pressed them into my hand. “Use this for cab fare… but I can’t help you with the plane ticket.” It felt like something was blocking my throat. I wanted so badly to tell her: Stay away from Arthur. That man has no heart. His tenderness is poison wrapped in honey. But the words died on my lips. If she found out who I was, she would definitely break things off with Arthur. And when that happened, I would be the one he blamed. With only one day left, I couldn’t gamble with my life and my brother’s life. I accepted Chloe’s kind gesture, thanked her, and turned to leave quickly through the back exit. The moment I stepped past the threshold, a cold, hard object was pressed violently against my temple. A gun barrel! I instinctively whipped my head around. Chloe was already lying unconscious on the hallway floor. I was just about to strike back when the butt of a rifle slammed into the back of my neck, and everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, Chloe and I were tied up in an abandoned warehouse. Chloe was sobbing quietly. “Who are you? Why did you kidnap us…” A man with a prominent facial scar slapped her hard across the face. “Because of your fiancé, Arthur! He swallowed my West District territory and cut off my money!” So it was the West District crew. Arthur had just acquired that territory using the settlement agreement signed with my blood. Fortunately, they didn’t know who I was. Chloe, who Arthur had been parading around recently, became the primary target. I discreetly flexed my wrists, using the micro-blade hidden beneath my acrylic nail to start sawing at the ropes. Having lived on the edge for years, I always left myself an out. Scarface assumed I was just a random gambler and spat in my direction: “Tough luck for you, getting caught with this bitch. Call your family, tell them to bring five million, and I’ll let you go.” Chloe cried, her face stained with tears. “Ms. Davis, I’m so sorry. I dragged you into this. But don’t be afraid! My fiancé is very powerful; he’ll definitely come save us!” At the mention of Arthur, a look of absolute trust lit up Chloe’s eyes. I didn’t say a word, just sped up the sawing motion on the ropes. Scarface couldn’t seem to get through on his phone. In a fit of rage, he kicked over an oil drum. “Fuck! Arthur isn’t answering? Looks like I need to send him a nice gift to wake him up!” He picked up a combat knife from the floor, his eyes raking over Chloe’s body with a sick, twisted gleam: “I saw you two at the hospital. You’re carrying his bastard, aren’t you? Perfect. I’ll carve the little bastard out and send it to Arthur so he can get a good look!” My heart plummeted. She’s already pregnant with his child. Chloe went rigid with terror, her face the color of chalk. “No! I’m begging you… please don’t touch my baby!” The men around her laughed lewdly and reached out to grab her. At that exact second, the rope snapped. I sprang up like a cheetah, slamming my elbow brutally into Scarface’s jaw. With my other hand, I snatched the combat knife from him, rapidly sliced through Chloe’s ropes, and shoved her firmly behind me, shielding her with my body. “Fuck! Kill that bitch!” Scarface roared, clutching his jaw in a blind rage. Five or six men instantly swarmed us, wielding iron pipes. Even though I was highly trained in close-quarters combat, I was still recovering from severe injuries, and facing this many hardened killers, I quickly lost the upper hand. The iron pipes whistled through the air, slamming into my body. The sheer agony almost brought me to my knees. All I could do was use my own body as a meat shield, absorbing the blows to keep Chloe protected in the corner. Scarface clearly lost his patience. He racked the slide of his handgun with a loud clack, aiming the black barrel directly at me. “Stupid bitch, you wanna die?!” Right as his finger squeezed the trigger— A deafening explosion blew the warehouse doors off their hinges! Arthur and his heavily armed crew stormed in. Gunfire erupted instantly. Looking like an enraged lion, Arthur charged straight toward us, yanking Chloe into his arms. “Chloe, don’t be scared. I’m here.” Chloe let out a pathetic whimper against his chest. The sheer terror followed by the sudden relief caused her to pass out completely in his arms. Arthur gently carried her to his SUV, making sure she was safe and secure. Then, he turned around and walked toward me. “Evelyn!” His voice dripped with absolute, freezing venom. “Why the hell are you here?” I propped up my battered, agonizing body, meeting his interrogating glare, and let out a cold laugh: “Are you suspecting me?” Before I even finished speaking, a brutal, vicious backhand cracked across my face! The force of the blow sent me crashing to the floor. The taste of blood filled my mouth. “I knew you’ve been plotting against Chloe! You wanted to get rid of her, didn’t you?!” I spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, my voice hoarse: “I didn’t.” He grabbed one of the dying thugs off the floor by the collar and pressed his gun to the man’s head. “Tell me. Who hired you?” The thug trembled violently. He looked at me with terror, and as if grasping at his final lifeline, he screamed: “It was… it was her! She paid us to teach that other girl a lesson…” My heart plummeted into an abyss of ice. My blood froze. Arthur let out a sinister laugh. Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled the trigger. He tossed the corpse aside, crouched down, and stepped heavily onto my hand. The pain tore through me. His tone sounded almost like a disappointed sigh: “These hands of yours… they used to be so obedient. Why are you using them to hurt the woman I love most?” He pulled out a cold, gleaming combat dagger. “I told you, Evelyn. Never lay a finger on what’s mine!” As he finished speaking, the blade flashed in the dim light! My breath stopped completely! The dagger drove brutally through my palm, pinning my hand to the freezing concrete floor. “AHHHH—!” My entire body convulsed in agony. Black spots danced across my vision, and I hovered on the edge of passing out. The despair of facing my own demise ripped a scream from my throat: “Arthur! I never should have pulled you out of that alley eight years ago! And I never should have helped you claim the throne of Canaan!” With his own hands, he had completely obliterated the last remaining shred of history between us. He let out a dismissive snort through his nose. He stood up, gathered his men, and walked out of the warehouse without looking back once. I waited until the cold numbness began to slightly dull the piercing agony. Using my still-functional left hand, I dug a micro-GPS tracker out of my bra and pressed it with shaking fingers. My trusted subordinate arrived quickly. Seeing my horrific state, his eyes instantly went red. He carefully pulled the dagger out. My right hand was a mangled mess of blood and torn flesh, completely devoid of feeling. My voice was weak, but laced with an absolute, unprecedented resolve. “Set the warehouse on fire. Burn every single trace of this place to the ground.” “From this day forward, the ‘Queen of Spades’ is dead.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391308”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my past life, I spent eighteen years as an orphan before finally being reunited with my biological parents. I never expected that my mother, Eleanor, who was pathologically obsessed with being the only woman in my father’s life, would hate me with a burning passion. For eighteen years, she had quietly “dealt with” any woman who got too close to my father. And naturally, she hated me too. The moment I arrived home and simply called out “Dad,” she slapped me across the face. “You little bitch! Think you can just walk in here, call him ‘Dad,’ and steal his attention?!” When my dad went to my high school for a senior parent-teacher conference, she waited until he got home and shredded my entire college application portfolio. “You still think you’re going to college?! I won’t let you use school as an excuse to steal my husband!” When college was no longer an option, my dad tried to send me abroad to study. The night before I was supposed to get my visa, she stabbed me to death in my own bed and sold my corpse to the dark web for snuff films. “Dead bitch! Thought you could take my husband away?!” I died with my eyes wide open, my face mutilated. The King of the Underworld took pity on my unjust death and granted me one wish. I made my wish quietly: “I want to be born into the absolute pinnacle of wealth and power. And I want to be born from a different belly—” 1 The King of the Underworld was truly a man of his word. With a loud buzzing in my head, I was stuffed into a warm, fleshy womb. I was just trying to guess what kind of woman the King had picked to be my mother, when I heard someone scream in pure terror: “I’m a man! How the hell am I pregnant?!” The scream pierced the night sky. The doctors in the examination room looked like they wanted to cut their own ears off. How were they supposed to know how Dominic Vance, the richest billionaire in Seattle, managed to get pregnant?! The attending physician finally stood up straight. Bearing immense pressure, he stuttered, “Mr. Vance… you are, indeed… carrying a child.” I, however, instantly realized what was happening and was ecstatic. Holy shit! The heavens have blessed me! I was actually reincarnated into Dominic Vance’s stomach! The King of the Underworld really came through! In my past life, my dad’s business deals were constantly being hijacked by Dominic’s father. I used to hear my dad screaming and cursing in his study all the time. Now that Dominic had taken over his family’s empire, he was even more ruthless and unforgiving, completely crushing my dad’s company without breaking a sweat. But a few years ago, a massive scandal broke out regarding Dominic. Despite having countless lovers, not a single one ever got pregnant. The reason? He suffered from azoospermia—he had a zero sperm count! Due to a severe injury in his youth, having a child was supposed to be literally impossible for him. So, for this pregnancy, Dominic would have to grit his teeth, hold his nose, and give birth to me no matter what. This was absolutely fantastic. Having died once, I was much more open-minded. I knew exactly what being born into a family like this meant. I was going to grow safely and healthily inside his belly, carrying the exact face that Eleanor hated so much. Didn’t you hate me competing for your husband’s attention? Didn’t you want me dead? Didn’t you want me to rot? In this life, I am going to rewrite my destiny with my own two hands… and then I will stand above her, looking down. I will tell Eleanor that her entire life was a joke. She was a nobody. What gave her the right to treat me like that? I came back to this life for one reason: revenge. I curled up quietly, determined to stay secure in the womb for the next ten months. Suddenly, a voice that sounded like a living nightmare echoed from outside: “I will have the hospital director fire you, believe it! You clearly haven’t asked around to see who I am! How dare you tell me ‘it’s against protocol’?!” It was Eleanor! A crisp slap rang out, followed by the sound of someone falling heavily to the floor. “I am going to find out today! Whoever dares to help that little bitch steal my husband, I will chop them to pieces!” My dad, Richard, trembled. His voice was tight: “Eleanor, let’s just go to a different hospital.” I felt my new dad, Dominic, carefully hold onto the bedrail, stand up, and stroll out of the room with a casual, arrogant swagger. “What’s all this noise about?” Richard went dead silent. Eleanor was about to unleash a string of curses, but Richard slapped a hand over her mouth. Dominic looked at them with sheer contempt. “Well, well, if it isn’t Richard. Haven’t seen you try to fight me in the boardroom lately. I guess you’ve been too busy helping your wife throw a tantrum in someone else’s hospital?” That single sentence turned my former parents’ faces the color of bruised plums. Dominic was the majority shareholder of this hospital. I cheered internally from inside his belly. That’s how you use your words! In my past life, this absolute menace Dominic should have been my dad! Dominic’s highly trained bodyguards swarmed forward, dragged Eleanor away, and tossed both her and Richard onto the sidewalk outside the inpatient building. Once Dominic walked back inside to finish his examination, I comfortably flipped over in his belly, stretching my limbs out so the doctor could check my fetal heartbeat. The doctor praised, “The ultrasound is so clear… what a good baby…” But catching Dominic’s dark, brooding, suppressed anger, the doctor immediately shut up. Completely baffled by the situation, Dominic had no choice but to take his magically appearing pregnancy home and become a pregnant man. Thanks to Dominic’s immense wealth and his private nutritionist, I ate incredibly well and grew very strong. 2 After getting pregnant with me, even though Dominic cursed constantly, he still meticulously got all his checkups, quit smoking and drinking, and started going to bed early. He sighed, “Good kid, you better behave before I give birth to you. Don’t cause me any trouble. Once you’re born, Daddy will spoil you.” I wanted to die laughing. Watching Dominic admit defeat was incredibly entertaining. By the second trimester, even though it was winter and he wore loose, thick hoodies to hide it, his belly grew noticeably bigger every single day. He was extremely busy with his empire. When he first took over his father’s business, plenty of people were waiting for him to fail, and countless uncles and board members wanted to usurp his position. He had survived kidnappings and car crashes, neutralizing every threat and retaliating tenfold. Ever since his infertility scandal leaked, the sharks were probably circling again. As his belly became impossible to hide, Dominic moved into a high-end, private recovery clinic. He told the public he was suffering from an illness that required total bed rest. Perhaps it was the lingering blood connection from my past life, or perhaps our karmic debt wasn’t settled, but I sensed that Eleanor was staying on the floor right below us. She was forty years old this year, officially a high-risk geriatric pregnancy. Remembering the torture she put me through, I let out a cold sneer. I intentionally rolled around in Dominic’s belly every day, making him feel restless, so he would secretly wander downstairs to get some air. Because I was a good baby and didn’t cause him morning sickness or pain, his pregnancy was actually pretty easy. Before we even reached Eleanor’s floor, I heard her vicious voice echoing from the stairwell: “I’ll teach you to steal my husband—” For eighteen years, no woman had been allowed to stay near my dad, Richard. Eleanor was the main reason for that. Now that she was finally pregnant again, her last hospital visit was purely to find out the baby’s gender. If they couldn’t produce an heir, the family bloodline would end. I heard the sound of her aggressively jumping rope, her feet slamming heavily against the floor. Thud, thud, thud. I snorted coldly. You reap what you sow. Dominic clearly heard it too and stopped in his tracks. Eleanor’s older sister sounded incredibly worried as she tried to stop her. “Enough, Eleanor, stop it! You’re going too far—” Eleanor looked resentful and deranged. “What if it’s that little bitch’s ghost?! What if she reincarnated into my belly?! That cheap whore!” She picked up an iron pipe and started hitting her own stomach hard, acting as if she couldn’t feel the pain. I literally didn’t know what to say. After a long while, Eleanor dropped the pipe, her face pale as she cursed, “Dead brat! If you dare try to steal my husband, I’ll throw you in an orphanage! And then I’ll hire a bunch of men to gang-rape you! Letting that little bitch live to be eighteen was my biggest mistake!” Inside Dominic’s belly, it felt like I was struck by lightning. W-What?! Her sister kept trying to reason with her. “What if it’s a boy? Why are you torturing him? You’re forty years old. Just live a quiet life with Richard. Isn’t all his money yours anyway?” Eleanor’s face was dark. “My intuition tells me it’s a girl! It’s a worthless bitch! It’s definitely that slut trying to steal my husband again!” Seeing that she couldn’t be reasoned with, her sister sighed and stopped talking. Dominic let out an amused, mocking smirk. I felt his disbelief, but I uncomfortably rolled over in his belly. Even though I never expected anything from that family, hearing such a venomous curse still chilled me to the bone. Sensing my unease, Dominic turned around and took me back upstairs to our suite. Dominic’s room was on the top floor. We rarely ran into Eleanor, except during checkups. 3 During this ultrasound, I stretched my arms and legs out just like always and turned my face directly toward the wand. As fate would have it, Eleanor was right next door. She was begging the doctor to tell her the baby’s gender again, and the doctor was strictly refusing. “Ma’am, you are a high-risk pregnancy. If you abort this baby, it will severely damage your body, and you will likely never conceive again.” Eleanor started screaming, “But I don’t want a girl! What did I do wrong?! Check it right now! If you don’t check the gender, I’m not leaving!” Her sister finally seemed to snap. She marched up and slapped Eleanor across the face. “Shut the fuck up! You’re about to hit menopause, but your husband can still produce kids! If you keep acting crazy and he divorces you, you’ll be the one crying!” That single slap managed to silence Eleanor. She covered her face and started crying. Dominic closed his eyes in irritation, and I quickly moved around to soothe him. His mood gradually stabilized. I was never going to experience the slaps, the neglect, and the destruction of my dreams from my past life ever again. Sometimes, after a long day of reviewing documents, Dominic would awkwardly rub his belly. “Kid, you really make things easy for your dad. No pain, no insomnia, no puking. I’m pretty lucky.” I gently pressed against his hand through his stomach, pretending to be sweet. He sighed, “If you’re a boy, great. If you’re a girl… Dad will find you a husband who takes your last name. And you’re still going to learn how to inherit the company!” Me: …You’re an interesting guy, Dad. After multiple checkups, I figured out Eleanor’s routine. When her husband—my ex-dad—was around, she radiated maternal warmth, constantly murmuring about how giving him a child was her life’s only wish. But the moment Richard left, she went completely psychotic. She refused to eat nutritious food. She took massive doses of hormonal drugs. She drank alcohol like it was water. She even tried to steal neurological medication from the hospital pharmacy. “You little slut, trying to torture me with another pregnancy, huh? I’m going to starve you! Let’s see how much you can grow!” After two months in the clinic, while other pregnant women were glowing, she had tortured herself until she was nothing but skin and bones. Yet her eyes were filled with the manic, vindictive thrill of revenge. She even booked extreme sports tours—bungee jumping, skiing, high diving—she did it all. In contrast, Dominic was perfectly calm. He didn’t cause trouble, and he maintained a strict sleep schedule. I was growing strong and cooperative. Every time the doctors saw us, they were practically beaming with satisfaction, even if they were too scared of Dominic to praise him out loud. Years of high-stress corporate grinding had taken a toll on Dominic’s body, but this forced bed rest actually helped him recover. At the very least, he wouldn’t get knocked out by a simple flu anymore. One day, during a checkup, Dominic went into the private VIP room as usual. Eleanor was in the room next door. I heard her say, “Hey sister, looking at your pointy belly, I can tell it’s a boy! When’s your due date? Oh, I’m just curious.” I was baffled. When did this woman become so insane? After asking a whole string of pregnant women, she seemed to pick a target. While chatting with the woman, she let her true intentions slip and was brutally cursed out by the other mother. After that incident, Eleanor started looking at every pregnant belly and asking for due dates. She even intentionally threw herself down a flight of stairs once. The doctors and nurses were so terrified they didn’t dare hide it; they called Richard immediately. Richard stormed into the clinic and slapped Eleanor across the face. “What the hell are you trying to do?!” But I felt absolutely nothing. In my past life, when I was living in terror under Eleanor’s abuse, he just stood by and watched coldly. Did he care about his child? Not at all. All he cared about was his wife embarrassing him at the hospital. He had stood by and watched my suffering in my past life. He was one of my murderers too. 4 Dominic’s due date was originally supposed to be slightly after Eleanor’s, but because Eleanor had tortured her body so much during the pregnancy, she went into labor early but couldn’t deliver. When I finally left the warm placenta and saw the world for the first time… In the dead of night, a woman bleeding from her lower half dragged her paralyzed legs like a ghost, crawling into the neonatal nursery. First, she checked the ID bracelets on all the babies’ wrists. I felt a chill run down my spine, but then I relaxed. I was a girl. I didn’t have the parts she wanted. Eleanor would never swap me. I had nothing to worry about. Eleanor set her sights on a baby boy sleeping in the bassinet next to mine. She quietly slipped his wristband off, intending to go back to her own bed and swap the tags. Throughout this, I tried my hardest to pretend I was asleep. Don’t mess with crazy. But to my absolute shock, right as she was about to succeed, Eleanor used the faint beam of her flashlight and noticed me. The color drained from her face. In an instant, pure venom and terror crawled across her features. She screamed, “I knew it! I knew a little bitch like you wouldn’t give up! It was you eighteen years ago! How could I ever forget your face?!” Looking at her twisted expression, genuine fear gripped my heart. She snatched a cleaning rag from the nurse’s station and slammed it over my face. She grabbed a cup of scalding hot water and poured it directly onto me, while her other hand violently pounded against my chest. “I’ll teach you to haunt me! I’ll teach you to show your face in front of me! You subhuman piece of trash, you don’t deserve to be reincarnated into my belly!” Hearing my muffled cries, Eleanor grabbed a pair of umbilical cord scissors from a nearby cart and stabbed them viciously toward my mouth twice. Still not satisfied, she clamped her hand tightly over my mouth and started slapping my face. The oxygen in my lungs was slowly being sucked away. I kicked my legs in sheer terror. My head was spinning, and my skin was covered in bleeding scratches from her pinching me. Eleanor looked at me with a hatred that seeped into her very bones. She dug her fingernails into the bleeding cuts on my body, gouging them ruthlessly. I convulsed in agonizing pain. Watching my helpless, agonizing struggle, Eleanor took a deep breath. It was as if she had just absorbed some dark nourishment, and a long-lost smile of peaceful, blissful relief spread across her face. “In this life… just go ahead and die…” Hearing her words, tears of pure terror rolled down my cheeks. No. In my heart, I screamed Dominic’s name with everything I had. Hurry up and get here! Damn it, if I die, your bloodline is actually going to end! 5 A sharp gust of wind blew open the heavy doors. Dominic stood in the doorway, his face darker than a thundercloud, staring at the scene in the room. He gritted out, word by excruciating word: “How… dare… you… touch… her!” I was being choked so hard I was on the verge of passing out, yet I somehow still had the energy to be sarcastic in my head. See? Men are just built better for having kids. His physical recovery is insane. Only then did the bodyguards behind my freshly postpartum dad catch up, panting heavily. They stared at the scene in the room, absolutely horrified. It was only then that Eleanor reacted as if she had touched a live wire, immediately releasing her grip on my neck. She looked at the arrogant, cold-faced man in the doorway, and then looked back at me in pure disbelief. “What… what exactly are you?!” No one answered her. The doctors finally came rushing in from behind. As soon as they entered the nursery, one of them gasped, “Isn’t that the pregnant woman from bed number eight?” “Why is the patient from bed eight in here??!” A nurse stepped forward to tell her to go back and rest, but the bodyguards immediately blocked her path. Dominic, wearing his untouchable, icy expression, finally spoke: “You’re Eleanor, right? You are suspected of aggravated assault and attempted murder of an infant. I’m afraid I’m going to have to invite you to have a chat at the police station.” My biological mother, who had controlled my entire existence in my past life, was now so terrified her face was completely bloodless. She screamed in disbelief, “How could this little bastard have anything to do with you?! I don’t believe it! You’re lying to me!” “Who are you calling a bastard? That is my daughter.” Laying in the warm bassinet, I looked straight at her with eyes filled with pure hatred. Surprise, Mom. I’m back. I brought my memories from my past life, and this time, I am a debt collector. I’m here to collect what you owe me. Eleanor shuddered violently. She suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my neck again. “I don’t care! Even if I die here today, I’m going to kill you!” “You reincarnated just to seduce my husband again, didn’t you?!” “You’re still alive in this life, so you’re still planning to do it, aren’t you?!” “I’ll strangle you, you little slut!” I started feeling oxygen deprivation again. Just as I suspected, Dominic’s bodyguards were hesitant to use force on a postpartum woman for fear of liability. “Mr. Vance, what about the little miss?!” Dominic’s brow furrowed deeply, his eyes locked onto me in Eleanor’s grip. Suddenly, a mocking smirk appeared on his face. “Eleanor, if I call your husband right now and show him what you look like at this exact moment… do you think he’ll be so disgusted he won’t be able to eat for three days?” “Have you not looked in a mirror to see the monstrous, pathetic state you’ve tortured yourself into?” Eleanor’s face drained of all color at his words. Seeing him actually pull out his phone to call her husband, she dropped to her knees in an instant. “Please! I’m begging you, please don’t call my husband! If he sees me like this, he’ll definitely go out and find another woman!” “Please, just let me go this one time…” The police finally arrived. Amidst the flashing red and blue lights of the cruisers, Eleanor was shoved into the back of a squad car. Safe in a man’s broad, warm chest, I fell into a deep sleep. I was just too exhausted and in too much pain. The physical limitations of a newborn body made it impossible for me to stay awake for long; it was an irresistible force dragging me into the abyss of unconsciousness. Dominic forced his eyes open just long enough to see me fall asleep. He handed my soft swaddle to a nearby bodyguard and muttered weakly, “Get my daughter the absolute best private neonatal care team…” My domineering, arrogant father, after delivering that weak command, finally rolled his eyes back and passed out.

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I had been arranged to marry Liam, the heir to New York’s wealthiest real estate dynasty, since we were kids. Because of this status, I controlled almost every aspect of his life growing up. Whenever I got too strict, Liam would always spit out the same vicious threat: “Chloe, just you wait. Sooner or later, I’m going to break off this damn engagement.” Later, I accidentally discovered I was switched at birth and was actually a fake heiress. I decided it was time to lay low. I stopped asking about his life. I stopped forcing him to fulfill his “fiancé duties.” After noticing I hadn’t nagged him for over two weeks, Liam’s frat-bro friends threw him a massive “Freedom Party” to celebrate. I never expected Liam to completely lose his mind on the spot. “Mind your own business! All of you, mind your own fucking business!” “Are you happy now?! She actually found someone else!” 1 “Chloe, Liam is out messing around with Carter and that crowd again.” The bass in the nightclub was deafening. When my best friend, Harper, leaned in to tattle on Liam, I was completely distracted. I took her phone. In the video, Liam was wearing a flashy burgundy silk shirt, leaning lazily against a sports car, a lit cigarette pinched between his fingers. He was surrounded by a group of trust-fund playboys, each with a gorgeous woman hanging off their arm. I watched the clip calmly and handed the phone back to Harper. “It’s fine. Let him do whatever.” “What’s wrong with you?” Harper pressed the back of her hand against my forehead. “You don’t have a fever.” “Are you an imposter? Who are you and what have you done with Chloe?” “Harper.” I shot her a look. “Do I need to bring up the time you peed your pants in first grade to prove my identity?” With that, I grabbed my purse and walked out. Honestly, I couldn’t blame Harper for overreacting. Ever since I was eight years old and got engaged to Liam, I had kept him on an incredibly tight leash. Before, I had the right to control him. Now… I wasn’t so sure. Because very soon, I wouldn’t be Liam’s fiancée anymore. 2 Just three days ago, I accidentally found out I wasn’t my parents’ biological daughter. I was switched at birth. It wouldn’t be long before the real heiress of the Sterling family was brought back. The fate of a fake heiress like me was entirely predictable. Over the years, riding high on my status as the Sterling family heiress and the future Mrs. Vance, I had offended quite a few people. Half of Manhattan’s elite circle was waiting to watch me fall from grace. Especially Liam. Since the day our engagement was set, I used his grandfather’s backing to control him. When he turned eighteen, I laid down three absolute rules: Rule 1: No smoking, no heavy drinking, no fighting, and no hanging out with garbage friends. Rule 2: No staying out all night. You must be home before midnight. Rule 3: You must fulfill your physical duties as my fiancé. We sleep together at least three times a week. Whenever I enforced these rules, Liam would glare at me and spit: “Chloe, just you wait. Sooner or later, I’m going to break off this damn engagement.” I never took his threats seriously. But things were different now. In high-society marriages, equal social standing is everything. No matter how much Liam’s grandfather liked me, he would never let his grandson marry a woman with zero social capital to offer the family business. This engagement was doomed. If I didn’t want Liam to completely destroy me once my fake identity was exposed… I needed to cut my losses immediately and stop interfering in his life. 3 I didn’t go looking for Liam. I just went straight home. But the moment I walked through the door, Liam arrived right behind me. Hearing the noise in the foyer, I instinctively looked up. Our eyes met. Liam looked slightly guilty and tried to look away, but then forcibly locked eyes with me. He raised his chin, intentionally raising his voice: “That’s right, Chloe. Not only did I hang out with Carter and the guys today, but I also drank and smoked.” I didn’t argue with him like I usually would. I just gave a soft “Okay,” stood up, and headed for my bedroom. “Chloe—” Liam closed the distance in three strides and grabbed my wrist. His dark eyes stared intensely into mine, his tone carrying a trace of hidden anxiety: “Listen to me. I said I smoked and drank today.” “I know.” I looked at him calmly. “You don’t need to report to me. As long as you’re happy.” “Alright, Chloe.” The corner of his mouth quirked up, sounding incredibly certain. “I know you’re still mad.” “It was my fault for not going to the gala with you last time.” “You haven’t spoken to me in three days.” “No, I wasn’t…” Before I could finish, Liam cut me off: “You can be on top tonight. I won’t complain.” Saying that, Liam started unbuttoning his shirt. He had an incredible body. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, and solid eight-pack abs. He looked amazing. I had ridden those abs more times than I could count. He grabbed my hand and pressed it flat against his stomach. Then, he arrogantly turned his face away, though the tips of his ears slowly turned pink. “Consider it a favor. You can touch whatever you want tonight.” I glanced at the calendar and realized today was one of our scheduled “duty” days. Usually, I had to remind him. But tonight, Liam was being terrifyingly proactive. “Liam, I’m not in the mood tonight.” I dropped that sentence and practically sprinted back to my room. 4 When I woke up at noon the next day, Liam surprisingly hadn’t left the house. He was sprawling lazily on the living room sofa, casually scrolling through his phone. Seeing me walk out of the bedroom, he put his phone away, let out a low cough, and said casually: “Chloe, didn’t you complain that your closet was getting boring? I have some free time today. I can take you shopping.” “No thanks, I have plans with Harper.” I rejected him without a second thought. “Seriously, Chloe, how long are you going to stay mad?” Liam marched over, grabbed my wrist, and furrowed his brow. He pressed his lips together, sounding impatient: “I’m literally giving you an out right now. Are you planning to tattle on me to my grandfather again?” So that was why he was acting so weird today. I couldn’t really blame him; I used to do that all the time. “Relax, relax.” I quickly waved my free hand to deny it. “I won’t. I admit I used to be way too controlling.” “The three rules I made? They’re all void. From now on, you can do whatever you want. I won’t interfere in your life anymore.” “I swear.” Afraid he wouldn’t believe me, I raised three fingers like a scout. “I promise.” “Chloe, you…” Liam stared at me in disbelief. A watery, red sheen began to pool in his eyes. His eyes grew redder, his chest rising and falling heavily. Finally, he coldly turned his face away, his voice hard as rock: “Fine. Whatever.” Immediately after, the front door slammed shut with a massive BANG. What the hell?! What was he so mad about? I met Harper at a cafe. I told her the truth about my identity. Harper sat there stunned for a long time before she could process it. “So you think you and Liam are going to call off the engagement, which is why you stopped keeping him on a leash?” “But have you ever thought that maybe Liam actually cares about you? He wouldn’t just break off the engagement that easily.” “Liam doesn’t like me.” I pulled a bitter smile, mocking myself: “Just last week, he said it himself.” “I didn’t realize until then just how much he despised being engaged to me.” 5 After being with Liam for so many years, saying I had no feelings for him would be a lie. The night I accidentally found out I was a fake heiress, I desperately wanted to find Liam, sleep with him, and vent my emotions. But standing outside his VIP room at the club, I overheard his conversation with his friends: “Liam, are you seriously going to let Chloe control you for the rest of your life?” “Everyone says you’re totally whipped, completely controlled by a woman.” “You haven’t actually fallen for her, have you?” “Impossible!” Liam declared with absolute certainty. “I could fall for anyone in the world, but not her.” “Chloe is just pale with big eyes, she is absolutely not my type.” “If my grandfather hadn’t forced this engagement down my throat, I never would have bowed down to her.” Standing outside the door, an unspeakable mix of emotions crashed over me. The tiny sliver of fantasy I had harbored about Liam shattered instantly. I quietly left the club and walked alone for a very long time in the dark. “He said it himself.” I looked at Harper, pursing my lips. “He can’t wait to get rid of me.” Harper opened her mouth, looking at me like she wanted to say something, but ultimately stayed silent. I told her my concerns. I have always cared deeply about my pride. Once the news broke that I was a fake heiress and the Vance family dumped me, the entire elite circle would laugh me out of town. So I planned to initiate the breakup myself, before the real heiress was officially brought back. 6 Without me managing him, Liam didn’t come home for the next few days. Normally, if he wasn’t home by midnight, I would either blow up his phone or personally hunt him down. One night, just as I was getting ready for bed, one of Liam’s lackeys sent me a video. [Boss lady, Liam insisted on hiring some ‘conversation companions’ tonight. Do you want to come handle this?] I clicked on the video. Liam was slouching lazily on a club sofa, a very innocent-looking girl standing nervously in front of him. My chest tightened. It seemed he had taken my “do whatever you want” speech to heart very quickly. [Okay, noted.] I closed the app, but another video immediately came through. Liam had his arm around the innocent girl and shoved a black Amex card into her chest: “My fiancée doesn’t care about me anymore. Use whatever tricks you’ve got.” My eyes burned. I immediately blocked the lackey’s number. Before officially breaking off the engagement, I needed to move out of Liam’s penthouse. This place was originally bought by the Vance family as our future marital home. Since we were breaking up, I had no reason to stay. After looking at apartments for a few days, I found one I liked and went to sign the lease today. Stepping out of the elevator, I unexpectedly ran into Ethan, an older guy from my college days. We were chatting and laughing as we walked out of the building. But right at the exit, I ran into a very familiar figure. Liam was staring dead at me and Ethan. His eyes were a chaotic storm of absolute disbelief, rage, and insecurity. His gaze locked onto my face. His eyes were inexplicably red, and he asked through gritted teeth: “Chloe, who is he? Don’t forget, you have a fiancé.” “Not for much longer,” I murmured very quietly. Liam’s pupils contracted violently. He charged forward and grabbed my shoulders, his fingers digging in so hard his knuckles turned white. He was breathing heavily, a watery, furious sheen building in his eyes: “Chloe, are you fucking telling me you’re dumping me for this guy?!” I opened my mouth to say something, but Liam grabbed my arm and violently yanked me into his car. He crashed his lips onto mine, then bit down hard on my earlobe: “Chloe, we are childhood sweethearts! What the hell is he compared to me?!” “Get off!” I shoved hard against his chest, but his kisses just trailed down to my collarbone. “Chloe, you’re telling me to get off?” Liam slid his hand up my thigh, kissed me aggressively, and threatened: “If you dare get out of this car, I will kiss you right in front of him.” … That night, Liam walked around half-naked, showing off his eight-pack. “Chloe, inspect the goods.” He grabbed my hand, pressed it against his abs, and desperately explained: “I didn’t touch anyone that night. When you blocked my guy, I drove straight home.” “Chloe, you obviously still care about me.” Hearing this, my heart softened slightly. Deep down, Liam actually did care about me, didn’t he? I pushed him away slightly, ordering: “You still smell like alcohol. Go take another shower.” Liam looked like he wanted to talk back, but obediently walked into the bathroom. 7 While Liam was in the shower, his iPad on the sofa lit up. I opened it. It was messages from his group chat with the guys: [Liam, we looked into him. That guy is an upperclassman from Chloe’s college.] [If you care this much about that guy, you must actually be in love with Chloe, right?] Liam: [Who the hell likes Chloe? I’m just pissed off that she shifted her attention to someone else.] [I don’t want a woman who jumps from bed to bed.] [Once I train Chloe properly and make her fall completely in love with me, I’m going to dump her!] So his anger today was completely faked. Behind my back, he was planning this. I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. While I was lost in thought, a freshly showered Liam pressed himself against my back. His breath was scorching hot. His kisses trailed down my neck, his voice raspy: “Chloe, we haven’t done it in a long time.” I raised my hand, shoved him away, and said coldly: “Liam, don’t touch me. I don’t want to!” Liam cursed under his breath, frowning deeply: “Chloe, you won’t let me touch you? Are you saving yourself for Ethan now?!” Remembering the messages in his group chat, I suddenly didn’t want to explain anything. This engagement was going to end anyway. At least this way, I looked like the winner. I wouldn’t look so pathetic. I pursed my lips: “Yes. From now on, I won’t interfere in your business.” “And don’t interfere in mine. We can both do whatever we want.” “I refuse!” Liam’s eyes were completely bloodshot. “Chloe, you either cut him off completely, or we call off the engagement.” “Fine.” I followed his lead. “Then I’ll arrange a meeting between our families tomorrow.” Having said that, I fought back my tears and slammed the door as I walked out.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391306”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel