Just because the guy my college roommate had a crush on gave me a love letter, she spread rumors that I was a high-end escort and had gotten three abortions. The entire school believed it. Some pointed fingers, some isolated me, and others even blocked me at the classroom door, asking how much I charged for a night. I silently endured the humiliation and verbal abuse for four years. Twenty years later, I sat as the lead interviewer for a top-secret government agency. The candidate who had scored highest on the written exam walked in for her interview. I opened her background check file. When I saw the name listed under “Mother,” I smiled. Closing the file, I said flatly: “You are disqualified.” 1 My name is Sarah Miller, and I was the only person from my small farming town to ever go to college. The day the acceptance letter arrived, the whole town threw a celebration for me that lasted all day. At the banquet, my dad, who couldn’t hold his liquor well, drank until his face was beet red. With bleary eyes, he kept slurring, “My family… we finally have a college student.” “My girl really did me proud!” My dad had worked himself to the bone his entire life, head bowed to the earth. That was the first time I ever saw him hold his head high, his eyes shining with pride. On enrollment day, my dad sold the only valuable thing we owned—our pig—to scrape together my tuition. My mom went around to all the neighbors, borrowing a few dollars here and there, until she had five hundred dollars. She pressed it into my hand. With red eyes, she told me: “Study hard at school, get along with your classmates, and become an educated, successful person.” “Don’t end up like me and your dad, suffering your whole life because you don’t have an education.” Looking at my mom’s calloused hands and my dad’s graying hair, I nodded firmly. I silently swore to myself that I would work as hard as I could to give my parents a better life. And so, lugging heavy duffel bags, I took a 24-hour Greyhound train and stepped onto the university campus. The school was grand. The majestic gates and towering buildings made my head spin. Following the school’s assignment, I dragged my bags to my dorm room. My three roommates had arrived early. The three girls, who had been laughing and chatting, froze the moment I walked in. Three pairs of eyes simultaneously looked me up and down. They were wearing cute, trendy skirts, while I was wearing my washed-out, faded high school uniform. My shoes even had patches on them. Their stares made my cheeks burn. After double-checking that I hadn’t walked into the wrong room, I muttered: “Hi, I’m your new roommate, Sarah Miller.” That was the first time I met Chloe Vance. She glanced at me and scoffed: “What a country bumpkin.” 2 That one phrase, “country bumpkin,” made me want to sink into the floor. What felt even more helpless was that I couldn’t argue with her. I later learned that Chloe and the other two were all locals from wealthy families. Especially Chloe. She wore a different outfit every day and always smelled like expensive perfume. She looked down on me. And because she did, the other two roommates joined in to ostracize me. They put a bottle of rubbing alcohol by the door and demanded I sanitize myself from head to toe every time I came in. They explicitly forbade me from using the dorm bathroom. I wasn’t even allowed to hang my washed clothes on the balcony with theirs. In their eyes, I was basically walking garbage. Even looking at me made them feel dirty. To avoid being a nuisance, I complied with all their rules. I also tried to avoid running into them as much as possible. I would go to the library before dawn to claim a seat and wouldn’t return until right before lights out. Just when I thought I could quietly get through college like this… Liam Davis’s love letter dealt me a fatal blow. When Chloe found out that Liam, the guy she had a massive crush on, liked me, she was consumed by hatred. She warned me: “Sarah, I’ll make sure you know what happens when you try to steal my man!” I don’t know how she did it. But overnight, the way everyone looked at me changed. Everywhere I went, people pointed and whispered: “Look, that’s her. The escort. Heard she’s had three abortions.” “She looks so innocent, who knew she was such a slut?” “I noticed she never even buys meat at the dining hall. Her family must be dirt poor for her to stoop that low.” “Even if you’re poor, you can’t just throw away your dignity like that. It’s embarrassing.” In the classroom, someone taped the words “Whore’s Seat” to my desk. In the library, people would spray the chair I just vacated with alcohol multiple times, then put down paper towels before sitting. Even the cafeteria ladies looked at me with disgust, intentionally shaking the ladle to only give me watery broth when serving my food. Guys would block the classroom door and ask me how much I charged for a night. Even Liam Davis specifically sought me out to demand his love letter back, looking at me with pure revulsion as he said: “You’re disgusting.” 3 I tried to explain to everyone, but no one believed me. Because Chloe came from a rich family and was in the student council, she was very popular on campus. Her words carried much more weight than mine. I couldn’t fight her. After agonizing over it, I spent all my remaining living expenses to buy a lipstick she frequently used and sought her out, practically begging: “Chloe, this lipstick is for you.” “Could you please explain to everyone that those rumors aren’t true?” “I never did any of those things.” Chloe glanced dismissively at the lipstick I held out to her and scoffed: “I can’t control what comes out of other people’s mouths, can I?” “A piece of trash thinks she can bribe me?” I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and pleaded with her again: “Chloe, I’m begging you. I really have nothing going on with Liam, and I promise I’ll never interact with him again. Just please, stop spreading those rumors.” “I just want to study in peace.” I knew she was the one spreading the rumors; she definitely had a way to stop them. I threw away my dignity, just hoping she would let me off the hook. But she looked down at me from her high horse and said coldly: “Sarah, a bumpkin like you who doesn’t know her place belongs rotting in the mud for the rest of her life!” Not only did Chloe refuse to help me clear the rumors, but she also fueled the fire. People started saying that I had tried to bribe Chloe to lie and cover up my escort business. The relentless rumors severely impacted my life and studies. Desperate to study in peace, I went to my academic advisor, begging her to give me justice. But after hearing the whole story, she sighed helplessly: “Sarah, I’ve heard quite a bit about these rumors myself.” “But where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” “You need to reflect on yourself. Have you been acting inappropriately, or done something to cause a misunderstanding?” “Otherwise, why would everyone be saying these things about you?” The advisor’s words were like a sharp blade plunging deep into my heart. They completely crushed the last sliver of hope I had. That was the moment I realized. There was no such thing as fairness in this world. Because I was poor, my words had no credibility. Because I was poor, I deserved to be nailed to the pillar of shame. Because I was poor, even the teacher who was supposed to uphold justice defaulted to victim-blaming. 4 The hostility from my classmates, the apathy from my teachers. It made me lose all hope in the university. I didn’t understand. I just wanted to get an education. Why was it so hard? Why was I subjected to these baseless accusations? Why was everyone targeting me? Why did I have to live like a rat crossing the street, pointed at and cursed wherever I went? I was so tired. I didn’t want to live another day in this sunless hell. I thought about it for an entire night. Finally, I decided to drop out. But just as I packed my bags and prepared to leave campus, my mom called: “Sarah, your uncle’s son works at a restaurant near your school. He came back to town and told everyone what’s going on with you.” “It’s all over town now. Everyone is saying you’re doing shameful things out there for money.” Realizing the rumors had reached our small town, I panicked: “Mom, I didn’t do those things. My classmates made it all up.” My mom sighed. “Of course I believe you’re not that kind of girl.” “Sarah, your dad and I are just worried sick about you.” “You must be suffering so much at school, right?” “How about your dad and I come to the school? We don’t care if we lose face. We’ll get on our knees and beg your classmates to stop targeting you.” “You worked so hard to get into college! You can’t just throw away this chance to change your destiny!” Hearing my mom’s words, my nose stung, and tears immediately started streaming down my face. She was right. I had worked so hard to get here. How could I give up so easily? I had sworn to myself that I would study hard and give my parents a better life! In that moment, I almost hated myself. How could I be so fragile? How could I let one rumor from Chloe make me forget where I came from? The rumors were terrifying, yes, but my parents were still back home, waiting for me to make something of myself! I wiped my tears and spoke solemnly to my mom: “Mom, I’m fine. You and Dad just take care of yourselves back home. I’ll handle things at school.” After hanging up, my mindset underwent a seismic shift. My current situation was difficult, but I couldn’t give up. I carried the weight of my parents’ expectations, the culmination of their lifelong sacrifices. I absolutely had to give them a better life. I could not fall. The only reason I was being bullied and suppressed by everyone was because I was poor and weak, right? If that was the case, why couldn’t I find a way to become strong? Education was my only chance to change my destiny. I couldn’t give it up. Armed with this conviction, I ignored everything else and threw myself into my studies, burying myself in textbooks. I knew that only absolute power could prevent me from being trampled underfoot and slaughtered at will. For four whole years. I endured all the accusations, mockery, and verbal abuse. I survived night after night of burning the midnight oil. In the end, I graduated at the absolute top of my class. And that brings us to today. I sat in the lead interviewer’s seat for a top-secret government agency. There were four interviewers in total, but I possessed the ultimate veto power. Today was the final round of interviews. The door opened, and a young woman walked in slowly. “Hello, everyone. My name is Mia Davis.” The candidates’ files had already been distributed to the interviewers. Hearing the name Mia, the other interviewers gasped in admiration: “Are you the prodigy who got early admission to Harvard at fourteen, Mia?” “I heard you also got the highest score on the written exam?” Mia nodded politely and formally began her interview. Throughout the process, no matter how difficult the questions were, she answered them flawlessly. Her demeanor was poised and professional, practically perfect. The other interviewers were incredibly impressed. Before the interview even ended, they were already extending olive branches, fighting to recruit her to their respective teams. But I just stared at the name listed under “Mother” in her background file, completely stunned. I never expected that Chloe Vance—the woman who bullied me for four years and subjected me to endless humiliation—could raise such an exceptional daughter. 5 Mia truly was exceptional. To have such incredible talent and ability at such a young age… even in a top-secret agency filled with brilliant minds, she was a rarity. I was genuinely curious. Given Chloe’s character, how did she manage to raise someone as outstanding as Mia? In disbelief, I flipped to the next page and saw the name listed under “Father”: Liam Davis. The very spark that ignited my nightmare of bullying. Even now, I remembered the boy in the crisp white shirt, the slight flush on his ears, and the hopeful look in his eyes when he handed me that love letter. And I remembered the look of pure disgust when he snatched it back, saying, “You’re disgusting.” After that day, Liam never sought me out again. Whenever we passed each other, he would instinctively frown and give me a wide berth. As if he were terrified of catching something filthy. It seemed Chloe had ultimately gotten her wish and ended up with Liam. And they had produced such an exceptional daughter. Noticing that I had been flipping through Mia’s file in silence for a while, the other interviewers exchanged knowing smiles: “It looks like Director Miller is determined to get Mia. She’s reading the file so carefully.” “Of course. Director Miller has always had a sharp eye. If someone isn’t top-tier talent, she wouldn’t even look twice.” “Mia, you’re in luck. Director Miller definitely wants you on her team.” “With Director Miller as your mentor, your future is absolutely limitless.” Hearing the interviewers’ comments, Mia beamed with a confident, victorious smile: “The reason I wanted to join this agency was because I deeply admire Director Miller.” “I want to work under Director Miller.” The other interviewers chuckled and teased: “Ah, my team really needs a brilliant young mind to lead the charge. I really wanted Mia for my group.” “Me too! Seeing such an outstanding junior, I’m totally jealous.” “Director Miller, it seems the feeling is mutual between you and Mia. We might as well congratulate you now.” “You really found a gem this time.” All eyes turned to me, everyone utterly convinced that I would gladly accept this seemingly perfect young prodigy. Mia also looked at me with eager anticipation, waiting for me to nod and welcome her aboard. But I slowly closed the file, looked up, and met Mia’s gaze with calm eyes. I said flatly: “You are disqualified.” 6 My verdict left everyone stunned. Mia’s confident smile instantly froze, replaced by sheer disbelief. The interviewers exchanged bewildered looks, as if they had just heard something absurd, shock evident on their faces. A second later, they assumed I was joking and laughed: “Director Miller, stop joking around. How could you possibly reject a candidate as excellent as Mia?” “Yeah, did you get too excited and say the wrong thing?” “Don’t scare the poor girl.” I looked at them and said seriously: “I didn’t misspeak.” “She is disqualified.” “After a comprehensive evaluation, I have determined she cannot join the agency.” Mia stared at me, her face pale, and asked in confusion: “Why?” “Is it because I’m not good enough?” I shook my head: “You are very good.” “You are the most outstanding candidate I’ve seen in all my years here.” Mia asked again: “Was there a problem with my performance?” I answered truthfully again: “Your performance was excellent, absolutely flawless.” Hearing this, the interviewers were even more baffled: “Then why?” “Director Miller, you can’t just waste talent like this.” “Yeah, if you don’t want her on your team, we’d be more than happy to take her.” “Exactly! Mia’s abilities are obvious to everyone. How can we reject someone this talented?” “Losing talent like this would be a massive loss for the agency.” Their voices grew noticeably more agitated. Every face displayed a clear hunger for her talent. But unfortunately, I was the lead interviewer today. I held the absolute veto power. If I said Mia couldn’t join, then no matter how brilliant she was, she would have no place in this agency. Seeing my unwavering resolve, a trace of bewildered anger appeared on Mia’s face: “Director Miller, if there were no issues with my performance in any area, then what is your reason for rejecting me?” The other interviewers chimed in, finding it hard to accept: “She’s right, Director Miller. Mia’s personal skills and psychological evaluations were top-notch, and her professional abilities are outstanding. If you’re going to reject someone this good, you have to give a reason.” “Even if you have veto power, you need to explain it to everyone.” “This concerns the agency’s future talent pool. It’s not a game.” Everyone stared at me intently, waiting for the reason. Meeting their gazes, I looked at Mia and said calmly: “For that answer, you should go home and ask your mother.” At that, Mia’s confident posture clearly trembled. A second later, her voice shook: “I don’t understand.” “Director Miller, what does this have to do with my mother?” “This is my interview. You should be evaluating my personal abilities and character.” Her voice rose higher and higher, taking on an almost interrogative tone. The atmosphere in the conference room became incredibly tense. I didn’t answer her immediately. Instead, I stood up, walked to the door, opened it, and spoke clearly, enunciating every word: “Some answers are better delivered by her personally.” “Mia, your interview is over.” “Please leave.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391164”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Winter break was coming up, and my parents booked us a luxury cruise. When my roommate, Chloe, found out, she immediately called my mom, crying hysterically. “Godmother, did you forget you have another daughter?” After my mom politely turned her down, she threw a massive tantrum in our dorm. “How can parents be so biased?! We are both their daughters, why do they treat me so differently?!” I was stunned. She had just crashed at my house for a few weekends, and now she genuinely believed she was my parents’ biological child. 1 “Emma, you’re just going to go on vacation with Mom and Dad and leave me home alone?!” Her question left me completely bewildered. “Aren’t you going back to your own home for winter break? Don’t tell me you were planning to stay at my house?” Chloe’s family lived out of state, so she usually stayed in the dorms on weekends. Worried she’d be lonely, I started inviting her over to my house to hang out. The very first time she walked in, she gasped involuntarily, “Emma, I’ve never been in a house this big and comfortable before! Can I just live here forever?” Just being polite, I casually replied, “Sure.” From that day on, Chloe insisted on coming home with me every single weekend. Knowing she was my roommate, my mom always prepared delicious meals whenever she visited. She seemed well-behaved at first. She would offer to mop the floors and wipe the tables. My dad, being the polite host, would always stop her. “Chloe, you don’t need to do any of this. Go watch TV with Emma.” “It’s fine, Uncle! I do this all the time at home.” “Look at Chloe, such a thoughtful girl. If only you were my daughter too, I’d be so lucky to have two sweet girls.” I never expected that a polite, throwaway joke would be taken as gospel by Chloe. “Why don’t I officially become your goddaughter? Then Emma and I will be real sisters! My birthday is before hers, so I’ll be the older sister.” “Godfather, Godmother, I promise to take good care of you both when you’re older, just like Emma!” My mom looked at her awkwardly. “It’s the thought that counts, sweetie, but our family isn’t really into the whole ‘godparent’ thing.” Chloe acted like she hadn’t heard a word, continuing to call them “Godmother” and “Godfather” with every breath. My mom tried to correct her, but my dad whispered, “Just let her call us whatever she wants. Don’t embarrass the poor girl.” Fast forward to winter break. I thought my parents and I were finally going to enjoy some quality family time. I couldn’t believe she was still planning to come to my house! Chloe looked at me with pitiful, wide eyes. “Emma, I couldn’t get a train ticket home, so I have to go to your house for the break.” “I’m your older sister, you wouldn’t kick me out, would you?” I was already annoyed. “Chloe, I don’t care if you call me your sister. But my family of three is going on a trip this winter break. No one will be home.” “Besides, the holidays are coming up. Are your parents really okay with you not going home?” “In my heart, this is my only real home. It doesn’t matter if I go back to that other place. Since you three are going on a trip, I guess I’ll just have to stay at the house by myself.” I seriously doubted my own ears. “Wait, did I hear that right? You want to stay in my house by yourself for the entire winter break?” 2 “Yeah, is there a problem with that?” “Of course there is!” I rejected her flat out. “Sorry, but we aren’t comfortable leaving our house to you while we’re gone. You need to figure out a way to get a ticket and go back to your own home.” Chloe didn’t say anything else, so I assumed she had accepted it. But on the day the dorms closed, when my parents drove up to pick me up, Chloe dragged her suitcase out and followed me right to the car. My family of three stared at her in shock. She stood there, looking awkwardly at her shoes. “Godfather, Godmother, can I come home with you?” “I know you’re going on a trip, you don’t have to worry about me! I’ll be a good girl and stay home by myself!” “I can watch the house and clean it for you!” “My parents only gave me enough money for a cheap coach ticket, and they’re all sold out. I couldn’t get one, so I can’t go home.” “Everyone is leaving for the break, even the RAs are gone. I’m too scared to stay in the dorms by myself.” She started crying as she spoke. My dad is a softie. He sighed and unlocked the car doors. “Get in.” Chloe’s face instantly lit up. She threw her suitcase in the trunk and hopped in. I was incredibly unhappy. I felt like she was completely overstepping her boundaries. But considering we still had three and a half years of college left as roommates, I bit my tongue and didn’t blow up. When we got home, Chloe dropped her bags and immediately ran into the kitchen to start washing vegetables. “Godfather, Godmother, you guys must be exhausted! I’ll cook dinner tonight.” She always acted so “thoughtful,” actively taking on chores and offering to massage my parents’ shoulders. My dad always used it as an opportunity to compare us. “Look at Chloe! If you were even half as considerate as her, we’d be thrilled!” But the reality was, every time Chloe offered to do chores, my parents never actually let her do them. She was a guest, after all. How could we make a guest do housework? Sure enough, as soon as Chloe put the vegetables in the sink, my mom gently pushed her out of the kitchen. “Go watch TV. Emma can help me wash the vegetables.” I rolled up my sleeves and walked into the kitchen. “Mom, Chloe has offered to cook for us so many times, but I’ve still never tasted her food.” “Let her show off her skills today. You go relax, Mom.” I pushed my mom out of the kitchen and turned to Chloe. “What are you standing around for? Start cooking.” Chloe reluctantly put on an apron. She actually managed to whip up four dishes, and they were all things my parents loved. Now my parents liked her even more. “Chloe, I can’t believe you’re such a good cook at eighteen! Our Emma can barely wash vegetables, let alone make rice.” “If you like it, Godmother, I can cook for you every day from now on.” She shot me a smug look. “Emma, you should really learn from Chloe. When we’re not home, you just order takeout all the time. It’s so unhealthy.” “It’s okay, Godfather! I can cook for Emma from now on.” “Oh, right! Are you guys leaving for your trip tomorrow? I’m so jealous of Emma, getting to go on vacation every break. The furthest I’ve ever traveled is from my house to school.” My dad felt bad for her. He looked at my mom. “Why don’t we bring Chloe with us?” 3 Before my mom could even answer, Chloe’s eyes filled with excited tears. “Thank you, Godfather! Can I really go?” She looked at my mom with eyes full of desperate expectation. My mom opened her mouth, hesitated, and finally said, “Let me call the travel agency and see if they have any spots left.” A few minutes later, my mom came back. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. The agency said the tour is completely booked, they absolutely can’t add another person. Next time, okay? Next time we have the chance, we’ll all go together.” A flash of intense resentment crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she had no choice but to nod and agree. After dinner, Chloe followed me into my bedroom. Her voice suddenly turned dark and accusing. “You should have told me you guys were going on a trip earlier! If you had told me sooner, Mom and Dad could have booked a ticket for me too.” I ignored her completely, grabbed my pajamas, and went into the bathroom to shower. When I stepped out of the bathroom, my foot slipped violently, and I crashed hard onto the floor just outside the door. I clutched my leg, breaking into a cold sweat from the pain. “Who moved the non-slip mat from the door?!” “And why is there body wash all over the floor?! No wonder it’s so slippery!” My mom rushed over to help me up, glaring at Chloe. “Did you move the mat? And spill body wash everywhere?” Chloe looked incredibly guilty. “Oh no! I accidentally spilled some body wash earlier, so I took the mat to wash it.” “I was just about to clean up the floor when Emma came out! I swear I didn’t do it on purpose!” She put on her best ‘about to cry’ face. “Emma, are you okay? I’m so, so sorry.” My dad was supporting my weight. “We need to get her to the ER. Our girl took a really bad fall.” The whole family rushed me to the emergency room. After a series of X-rays, we were relieved to find no broken bones. But my ankle and knee were swollen like balloons. I couldn’t walk without someone supporting me on both sides. Chloe looked deeply concerned. “Emma is hurt so badly, she definitely can’t go on the trip tomorrow. This is all my fault. Is the tour money just going to be wasted?” “Godmother, can you get a refund? What if you can’t? That’s so much money, it would be such a waste if someone didn’t go.” Since I couldn’t go, she wanted to take my spot. Chloe’s hinting couldn’t have been more obvious, but my parents completely ignored it. “Then none of us will go. We’ll stay home and take care of Emma.” Chloe looked annoyed for a second, but quickly masked it. “Godfather, Godmother, please go enjoy your trip! I’ll stay here and take care of Emma.” I chimed in, “Yeah, Mom, Dad, you guys go have fun! Chloe and I will be fine hanging out here.” After much persuasion, my parents finally decided to go on the trip. Leaving just me and Chloe alone in the house. “You purposely made me slip yesterday.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. “Oh please, I really didn’t do it on purpose. Why do you always assume the worst of me? Even Godfather and Godmother didn’t blame me, why are you still holding onto it?” She opened the fridge and, without asking, pulled out the expensive imported durian and cherries and started eating them. “Hurry up and order some takeout, I’m starving. And order a lot, okay? I invited some friends over. There are five of them, and they can eat a lot, so don’t be cheap, it’ll make me look bad.” “You invited your friends to my house?!” “Yeah, this is my house too! Why can’t I invite my friends over to play?” I was about to explode. 4 “Excuse me?! If you’re going to invite your friends over, the least you could do is ask me first! This is my house, you are just my roommate. Do you seriously think you own this place?!” Chloe jumped up from the sofa. “Why wouldn’t this be my house?! I’m their goddaughter, this is my home!” “Godfather and Godmother literally told me to treat this place like my own home! They love me! You’re the only one treating me like an outsider!” “Chloe, do you really not understand the concept of being polite?!” “Whatever, I’m done talking about this. My friends will be here any minute, and I don’t want to fight with you. If you don’t want to be here, you can leave.” “This is my house, why the hell should I leave?!” Just then, there was a knock at the door. Chloe practically skipped over to open it. “Omg, you guys are finally here! I was just about to order takeout, what are you craving?” “I want steak!” “I want sushi!” Five girls walked in. Some were from other departments at our college, and a few looked like older girls she met working off-campus part-time jobs. Chloe walked right over, snatched my phone off the table, opened a food delivery app, and started picking out a restaurant. “Chloe, that’s my phone!” “I know! Oh, come on, my sweet little sister, your big sister’s friends are here! You have to be a good host and treat them to a nice meal.” I held out my hand. “You host your own friends! Give me my phone back!” “It’s not going to cost that much, stop being so stingy.” I could barely walk, there was no way I could physically wrestle the phone away from her. Chloe tapped on my phone for a few minutes, finalized the order, and tossed the phone back onto my lap. “Thanks, sis!” I picked it up and checked the receipt. Good lord, she had just spent nearly $600. “How did you know my payment password?! And spending my money without my permission is literal theft!” “You’re being so dramatic! We’re family, what’s wrong with spending a little of your money? Besides, when I became their goddaughter, Godfather and Godmother didn’t give me a traditional red envelope with money. Just consider this you giving it to me on their behalf.” “Did my parents ever agree to you being their goddaughter?! You just started calling them that on your own! My mom has corrected you so many times!” Chloe acted like she couldn’t hear me, enthusiastically serving her friends drinks and snacks. “If you guys want anything else, just tell me! Don’t be shy, make yourselves at home!” She emptied out my entire stash of imported snacks, premium drinks, and expensive fruit to serve these random people. And they didn’t hold back, lounging on the sofas, eating my food, and playing on my PS5. The noise of their shouting and laughing made my head pound. I had no choice but to retreat to my bedroom, planning to confront Chloe and kick her out the second her friends left. But night fell, and Chloe’s friends showed absolutely no signs of leaving. I couldn’t take it anymore. I limped out to the living room and asked her, “Look at the time. When are your friends leaving?” They had completely trashed my house. Fruit peels, wrappers, and crumpled tissues were scattered everywhere. My blood pressure was skyrocketing. “They aren’t leaving! They’re spending the night here.” “Hurry up and find some extra blankets and pillows. Since you’re hurt, I won’t make you sleep on the floor. My friends can just sleep on the floor in the living room.” So, I should be grateful I wasn’t forced to sleep on the floor in my own house, while being forced to host a bunch of strangers and supply them with free food and drinks? I was just about to lose my mind when Chloe suddenly grabbed my heavy winter coat and threw it over my shoulders. “Do me a favor and go down to the convenience store to buy some soy sauce.” “It’s the middle of the night! Why do you need soy sauce?!” Without another word, Chloe physically shoved me out the front door. With a heavy SLAM, I was locked out. I had an electronic keypad lock. I punched in my passcode, ready to march back in and throw them all out. But the light flashed red. She had engaged the manual deadbolt from the inside! My passcode couldn’t open it! I started pounding on the door. “Chloe! Open the door!” I pounded as hard as I could, but no one came. I called her phone, but she ignored it. Furious, I pulled up the live feed from the security camera in my living room on my phone. I saw Chloe and her friends laughing hysterically. “Chloe, you’re a savage! You really just kicked your ‘sister’ out of her own house! Now this massive penthouse is all ours!” Chloe looked incredibly smug. “What ‘sister’? She’s just a stepping stone. Someday, her parents’ money and this house will all belong to me!” “Are you really that confident? Her parents aren’t stupid, why would they give everything to an outsider? Aren’t you afraid she’s going to tell on you?” “Let her complain! I’ll just say I couldn’t hear her knocking, give a fake apology, and it’ll all blow over.” “You guys don’t even know, I intentionally made Emma slip and fall so she couldn’t go on their vacation, and they didn’t even blame me.” “But didn’t you say her mom is still pretty suspicious of you?” “As long as her dad likes me, that’s all that matters. Worst case scenario, I’ll just get myself a new godmother.” The group erupted in raucous laughter. My lungs felt like they were going to explode. She wanted to steal my inheritance AND replace my mom?! Who the hell did she think she was?! Once I calmed down enough to think straight, I immediately dialed 911. “Hello, police? I’d like to report a home invasion!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391163”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

To break up with me, Caleb faked amnesia. He asked, “Who are you?” I froze for a second, then smiled. “I’m your sister-in-law.” Caleb was stunned. That night, his older brother—the very one who had been constantly urging us to break up—frantically texted me: [What the hell?! When did you and I ever get together?!] [Caleb is waiting outside my house with a knife right now!] 1 When I got to the hospital, Caleb was lying in bed. His head was wrapped in bandages, looking very convincing. He looked at me with confusion and bewilderment, asking: “Who are you?” I froze for a second, then smiled. I reached up and pulled my collar down slightly, revealing a red mark on my neck. “I’m your sister-in-law.” The door to the hospital room was closed. His brother was waiting outside, waiting for me to break up with Caleb. When I received the news that Caleb had been hospitalized after a car accident, I was actually with his brother. Arthur looked at me with a half-smile, waving a five-million-dollar check in his hand. “Ms. Sterling, no one can predict the future between you and Caleb.” “But your own future can take off from this moment on.” Caleb and I had been dating for two years, and he had always kept his family background a secret. Until recently, when I was working a part-time job and bumped into him. He was out having fun with friends, staying in a presidential suite that cost fifty thousand dollars a night. When he was checking out, I just stood quietly at the front desk, looking at him. I wasn’t suffering, nor was I tired. Caleb and I locked eyes. He looked embarrassed. “I was afraid to tell you before because I thought you’d feel too much pressure being with me.” Me: “…” I pointed at myself in disbelief. Me? Do I look like someone with that much pride? If you had told me you were rich from the start, you wouldn’t have had to chase me for over a year. Not many people knew Caleb and I were dating. After his friends saw us that day, word somehow reached the Davis family. And that’s how I met the head of the Davis family, Caleb’s older brother, Arthur Davis. The two brothers looked about 70% alike. When Arthur looked down at me, his oppressive and heavy aura made me shudder. He told me to break up with Caleb. Last night, he sent me a video. In the video, he and Caleb were sitting across from each other. Compared to the still-boyish Caleb, his older brother was clearly more mature and composed. When Arthur spoke, his voice was unhurried, every word striking right at the heart. “I heard you and Emma met in college. You chased her for a long time, and she always had a terrible temper. But the moment she found out who you really are, she suddenly became completely obedient.” His implication was obvious. Gold-digger, hypocrite, compromising herself for money. Caleb quickly retorted, “She’s not like that!” His tone was hasty, lacking confidence. He was just eager to defend me. But deep down, even Caleb didn’t fully believe his own words. Compared to an old fox like Arthur, Caleb was out of his depth. Seeing Caleb take the bait, Arthur couldn’t help but smirk. “Is that so? Then why don’t we put on a little show? You fake amnesia after this car accident and ignore her. Let’s see how she reacts.” The video ended there. What was happening now left no doubt. Caleb had agreed to play along. 2 The expression on Caleb’s face changed rapidly, like his brain was buffering from an overload of information. “Want an apple? Your sister-in-law will peel one for you.” Five million dollars was definitely tempting. But the fact that you two brothers were playing me for a fool really pissed me off. Hearing me call myself “sister-in-law” made Caleb’s face turn green with anger. He opened his mouth, clearly wanting to interrogate me, but stopped himself at the last second. He still had to maintain his amnesia persona. If he broke character now, he’d only be shooting himself in the foot. He feigned composure, but tears welled up uncontrollably in his eyes, and his voice was choked with emotion. “I… I think my brother is single.” I smiled and waved my hand dismissively. “You have amnesia. It’s normal that you don’t remember your brother having a girlfriend.” Caleb pressed his fingers hard against his temples, sounding anxious: “I think I’m starting to remember something.” I pulled out his medical chart and shoved it in his face. “The doctor said there’s no chance of you recovering your memory.” Caleb gripped the medical chart tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. I placed the peeled apple on his bedside table. Before leaving, I patted him on the head. “Since you’ve forgotten, those memories obviously weren’t that important to you anyway. Look forward to the future.” “I’m going to go get a hotel room with your brother… I mean, go grab dinner with your brother. Get some rest. We’ll come see you when we’re done.” I waved at him, smiling as I walked out of the hospital room. The moment I closed the door, a wail that sounded like a boiling kettle erupted from inside. Arthur had no idea what had transpired in the room. He turned to me, his eyes softening, as if pleased that I knew my place. On the way here, Arthur had been trying to guide my thoughts. “Since Caleb is willing to put on this act, it means he already doesn’t trust you. Once there’s a crack in a relationship, it can’t be fixed; it only gets bigger. Trying to win him back is pointless.” “Rather than an ugly, hysterical breakup later, it’s better to take the five million now and disappear gracefully.” Arthur was very good at finding people’s pain points. I handed him my debit card. “I don’t want to go to the bank with a check. Have someone wire the money to this card.” Arthur nodded and handed both the check and the card to his assistant to handle. By the time I walked out of the hospital room, the assistant had already finished the transaction. A few minutes ago, I had received a deposit notification on my phone. When Arthur handed my card back to me, he was completely unaware— Someone was plastered against the window of the door behind him. Caleb was glaring fixedly at the card in Arthur’s hand through the glass. Because of the angle, he couldn’t see exactly what kind of card it was. And because of what I had said in the room, he naturally assumed it was a hotel room key. Caleb’s face was dark, the veins on his forehead throbbing. As I took the card, I provocatively ran my fingers over Arthur’s hand. “Thanks.” I put the card in my purse, turned, and left. Arthur looked down at the spot I had touched, his fingers unconsciously curling inward. The moment I disappeared around the corner, Caleb leaped out of his hospital room. The critically injured, bedridden man was now pinning Arthur to the floor, beating him like a rabid dog. “Arthur, you old bastard! Give me back my girlfriend!” Arthur: “?” 3 The hospital descended into chaos. Arthur was knocked out cold by a punch. Caleb sat nearby, crying so hard he couldn’t catch his breath. I crouched in the corner, enjoying the show for a good while before finally, reluctantly, leaving. I spent the whole afternoon shopping with my new five million dollars, not heading home until it was dark. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I saw Arthur standing outside my door like a ghost. He was radiating resentment. His face was covered in bruises, completely devoid of his previous calm and collected demeanor. Arthur was furious. “Emma! You go to Caleb right now and clear this up!” I unlocked my door and asked innocently, “Clear what up?” Arthur furrowed his brows, looking at me with absolute disgust. “You know exactly what I mean. Stop playing dumb!” “Caleb is accusing me of stealing his girlfriend! He said I made him fake amnesia just so you could cleanly cut ties with him! He’s currently waiting outside my house with a knife like a madman!” I hummed a little tune, ignoring his complaints completely. I laid out all the things I’d bought that afternoon on my bed. In an instant, the bed was covered in incredibly inappropriate lingerie. I held up the most revealing white lace nightgown against myself and showed it to Arthur. “Do you think I’d look good in this?” Arthur’s face turned even uglier. He turned his head away, refusing to even look at me, speaking through gritted teeth. “Only a blind idiot like Caleb could ever like you.” “I’d rather be single for the rest of my life than be with a vicious woman like you.” The moment he finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. “Emma, are you home?” Hearing Caleb’s voice, Arthur froze in panic. He stared at the door as if facing a mortal enemy. Seeing me reach for the handle, he rushed to stop me. “Don’t open it!” Caleb already suspected an affair between us. If he saw Arthur in my apartment in the middle of the night… Arthur wouldn’t be able to explain it even if he had ten mouths. I rolled my eyes. “He called my name, which means he knows I’m home. Wouldn’t it be more suspicious if I didn’t open it?” I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the closet. “Why don’t you hide in here for a bit?” Arthur: “…” He looked devastated. But thinking about it, there really seemed to be no other option. He took a deep breath and reluctantly squeezed into the closet. I turned around and opened the door for Caleb. Caleb’s tall frame filled the doorway. His head was hanging low, the corners of his eyes still red. I reached out and touched his cheek, asking, “Why were you crying?” Caleb couldn’t hold back the tears that had welled up in his eyes any longer. Hot tears fell onto the back of my hand, and his grievances poured out like a broken dam. He had agreed to the amnesia plan himself, and he was the one who had pretended not to know me that morning. Now, no matter how wronged he felt, he had to swallow his pain. “My brother won’t let me go home. He kicked me out, and I have nowhere to go.” Hiding in the closet, having been chased by Caleb all afternoon, Arthur: “…” Caleb held my hand and nuzzled his face into my palm. “Sister-in-law, can you take me in for the night? I can sleep on the couch. I promise I won’t be any trouble.” I nodded understandingly. “Of course you can.” Arthur: “?!” Caleb took off his shoes and walked in. The moment he looked up, he saw the sexy lingerie scattered across the bed. His expression turned vicious for a split second. I followed his gaze and explained shyly: “Your brother bought them. He said he wanted to celebrate tonight…” I stopped abruptly, as if realizing I’d said too much. Looking bashful, I muttered complainingly: “Your brother is always buying these useless things. He never listens to me.” Arthur stayed dead silent in the closet, staring blankly at the ceiling. He looked like he wanted to engage in a fierce battle with the closet rod using his neck. I gathered up the lingerie, opened the closet door, and tossed them inside. The white lace nightgown fluttered down, landing right on Arthur’s face. The moment I opened the closet door, a little piece of Arthur died inside. He put his hands together in a pleading gesture, looking utterly helpless. Caleb stood by the closet, separated from me only by a narrow wooden door. “Is my brother coming back tonight?” I shook my head. “I don’t know. Why don’t you call him and ask?” Arthur looked horrified. Caleb nodded thoughtfully. He pulled out his phone and dialed Arthur’s number. A second later, Arthur’s ringtone echoed from inside the closet… Caleb narrowed his eyes, staring dangerously at the closet. “Sister-in-law, I think my brother’s phone is ringing.” “Can I check the closet?” 4 I moved faster than Caleb and slammed the closet door shut. “Your brother left his phone here. If it’s urgent, why don’t you try calling his assistant?” Arthur let out a breath, feeling like he’d just narrowly escaped death, covered in a cold sweat. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted it. If he hadn’t hidden in the first place, he might have had a chance to explain. But if he suddenly popped out of the closet now, Caleb wouldn’t believe a word he said. Arthur hated me with a burning passion. He started spamming me with texts. [Make Caleb leave!] [Tell him to leave! Hurry up!] [Emma, you malicious woman, I won’t let you get away with this when I get out!] [Trying to drive a wedge between us brothers, huh? Heh, it won’t work.] [Emma, you will pay for what you did today!] I glanced at my phone with a fake smile, then turned back toward the closet. “Caleb, do you want to change into some pajamas?” Arthur turned pale, his heart leaping into his throat. [Sorry, I misspoke just now. Please don’t take it to heart.] [Don’t open the closet door again, I’m begging you.] [Emma, are you trying to destroy our family?] My phone buzzed incessantly. I frowned in annoyance and replied. [Brother, you’re being a bit loud. I’m putting you on ‘Do Not Disturb’ now.] [Emma!!] When Arthur sent that last message, my phone didn’t make a sound. Arthur’s face turned ash-gray. Left with no other choice, he started transferring money to my bank account. The heavenly sound of a deposit notification rang in my ear. I magnanimously stepped away from the closet. I pulled a new set of men’s pajamas from a shopping bag and handed them to Caleb. “I just remembered I bought a new set this afternoon. You should wear these.” Caleb shot a thoughtful look at the closet and quietly thanked me. “Sister-in-law, I’m not trying to cause trouble, but I feel like my brother doesn’t have much of a sense of responsibility. Leaving his girlfriend home alone this late, and he didn’t even take his phone? It’s like he’s afraid you’ll check up on him. Who knows what he’s doing out there in the middle of the night.” “If I had a girlfriend, I would never treat her like that. I’d constantly keep her updated so she wouldn’t worry.” “Sister-in-law, your ex-boyfriend must have done that too, right?” Caleb peeked at me, his little hidden agenda completely failing to stay hidden. Sitting on the edge of the bed, hearing him mention ‘ex-boyfriend’, I looked momentarily dazed. I glanced at him, then quickly looked away. My eyes grew slightly red, but I forced a relaxed smile. “My ex was really attentive. I felt very safe with him.” Caleb instinctively reached out to wipe away my tears. His hand stopped mid-air as he remembered our identities had supposedly changed. It wouldn’t be appropriate. He stiffly lowered his hand, his voice hoarse: “If your ex-boyfriend was so great, why did you break up?” Caleb stared at me with tear-filled eyes, determined to hear my answer. I wiped the tears from my face and said: “He’s great, but I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t make him trust me completely, I couldn’t give him a sense of security.” “He always held back when he was with me, even going out of his way to hide things from me. Being with me only brought him pain. Breaking up was probably the best choice for both of us.” Caleb turned his head away, his voice already choking with sobs. “If… if he came back to you, would you get back together with him?” I hesitated for a moment, then gave a relieved smile. “No. I hope he meets a good girl who can make him drop his guard. I want him to be happy.” Caleb couldn’t hold back his tears any longer. With his back to me, he sobbed so hard his shoulders shook. I asked, pretending not to know: “What’s wrong?” Caleb shook his head. “My allergies are acting up. I’m fine.” He hastily wiped his tears and said, “It’s getting late. You should get some sleep, Sister-in-law.” Caleb grabbed a blanket and walked into the living room. I turned off the lights and got into bed. Arthur waited until he was sure Caleb was far away before finally stepping out of the closet. With Caleb in the living room, Arthur was stuck. He couldn’t stay, but he couldn’t leave either. Arthur’s face was extremely grim. He locked the bedroom door, then came over and shook me awake. Arthur grabbed my wrist and pulled me up from the bed. Too much had happened today. Before today, Arthur had never imagined anyone would dare punch him in the face, and under the accusation of stealing someone’s girlfriend, no less. And the person hitting him was his own brother. Arthur was so furious he laughed. “Emma, are you having fun yet?” Arthur was gripping my wrist so hard it hurt. “You’re hurting me.” Arthur glared at me with a fake smile. “You should consider yourself lucky I haven’t killed you yet.” Arthur’s tone was too harsh. I looked at him pitifully, letting the tears fall. “Arthur, do you think just because I don’t have a mother, I’m easy to bully? Everyone around me says that orphans like me could be bullied to death and no one would stand up for us.” “You won’t let me like Caleb, you won’t let me date him, you won’t let me get angry or lose my temper, and now you’re hurting me, and I’m not even allowed to complain.” Arthur frowned, clearly uncomfortable with my crying. He let go, noticing the red mark he’d left on my wrist. I whispered, “I never asked for anything. I just wanted a small family, someone to like me, someone to protect me.” Arthur remained silent, his face dark. He let out a helpless sigh and sat on the edge of the bed in defeat. Unable to watch me cry anymore, he quickly changed the subject. “Does your wrist hurt a lot? Do we need to go to the hospital?” I shook my head. “Just rub it, it’ll be fine.” Arthur sighed again and reached out to massage my swollen wrist. “It hurts… be gentler.” Arthur frowned, as if annoyed by my fussiness. “Like this? Is that better?” I nodded. “You can go a little deeper.” Arthur: “… The word is harder.” I was about to make another dirty joke when Arthur cut me off impatiently. “Shut up, bear the pain! You deserve it!” After he said that, he saw me staring blankly at him and realized he’d gone too far. He awkwardly tried to cover it up: “This is my first time doing this, it’s normal if I’m not very good at it. Try to be more forgiving.” I nodded. “As long as you’re enjoying yourself, I’ll be forgiving.” Arthur’s frown deepened. He felt there was something very wrong with what I said, but thinking about it, it sort of made sense. Correcting me word by word would just make him seem petty. Arthur decided not to dwell on it and focused on treating my wrist. His back was to the bedroom door. Half of the light slipping under the doorframe was blocked by a shadow. Caleb stood staring at the locked door, remaining silent for a long time. The sounds of Arthur and I drifted faintly through the door and into his ears. The cigarette between Caleb’s fingers had burned down, the glowing ember scorching his skin red, but he didn’t seem to notice. After a long while, Caleb finally snapped out of his daze. He let out a bitter smile and whispered: “What right do I have to be jealous?” “I chose this path myself. Who can I blame but myself…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391162”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was the true heiress, despised by my entire family. My teachers and classmates loathed me, my childhood sweetheart was repulsed by my looks, and only the transfer student, Chloe, treated me like a friend. When I was falsely accused of stealing, she was the only one who believed me. When my childhood sweetheart called me a two-hundred-pound pig, she supported me as I tried to lose weight. When my parents kicked me out, she took me in. I thought she was my lifelong best friend, until the day Chloe pushed me from the eighteenth floor. Before falling, I heard her disgust: “You fat pig, do you think anyone would help you if it wasn’t to drain your last ounce of luck?! Just die already! I’ll gladly take over everything you have!” My eyes widened in shock. No wonder everyone who loved me had turned against me. Filled with burning resentment, I found myself back on the day Chloe transferred to our class. But this time, I could hear her inner voice. [System, is this the Child of Fortune?] A mechanical voice chimed in: [Yes, Host. As long as you can make those around her despise her, you can plunder a portion of her luck. Eventually, her beauty, grades, childhood sweetheart, and family fortune will all be yours!] Hearing this, I looked up, meeting Chloe’s predatory gaze. …… Seeing me look at her, Chloe flashed a sweet smile. I lowered my head, expressionless, hatred churning within me. So she was bound to a Luck Plundering System! The more people hated me, the more luck she gained! No wonder I felt my body growing weaker and weaker in my past life! I steadied my emotions, knowing that after PE class, she would frame me for stealing! Sure enough, upon returning from PE, Chloe shrieked, “My grandmother’s heirloom is gone!” Everyone panicked immediately. “No way, check again! Could it have fallen somewhere?” “Holy crap! Who the hell stole my money?!” Instantly, the classroom descended into anger and panic. Chloe cried out, red-eyed, “Whoever took the bracelet my grandmother left me, please give it back! I can pay you!” She was sobbing hysterically, and classmates comforted her sympathetically. The class president said grimly, “Let’s check the security cameras!” I sneered inwardly; the cameras were already jammed by the system. As expected, the class president returned empty-handed. Chloe suddenly looked at me, tears streaming down her face. “Emma, you came back to the classroom halfway through. Did you see who took our things?” Instantly, all eyes turned to me. The class president hesitated before saying, “Emma, I want to trust you, but… can we check your desk?” Liam shielded me, frowning at her. “Emma wouldn’t do something like that!” Chloe looked at Liam, weeping sorrowfully. Liam wavered. “Emma, I believe you, but maybe you should just…” Rolling my eyes, I zipped open my backpack. Inside were the missing items. The class erupted. Chloe looked at me, heartbroken. “Emma, do you hate me? Why else would you do this? How did I offend you?” She sobbed uncontrollably while the others comforted her, shooting me looks of disgust. “Your family is rich, and you still steal! How disgusting!” “She looks so innocent, but she’s a thief behind our backs!” “Chloe, you’re too kind! Stealing is wrong, no matter what! It’s a character flaw! Total moral bankruptcy!” As the classmates glared at me, Chloe, eyes red, asked understandingly, “Emma, is there a misunderstanding?” The others grew even angrier. “She was caught red-handed! What misunderstanding?! You’re just too soft-hearted!” They started grabbing at me. “We have to tell the teacher! She needs to be punished!” Then I heard the voice of Chloe’s system: [Disgust value +10, +5, +8…] Followed by Chloe’s excited voice: [Soon, I’ll take her beauty and figure! Make her a fat pig! I won’t even have to do anything, people will be disgusted just looking at her!] But before her dream could come true, I pulled out my phone, looking hurt, and played a video. “I didn’t do it.” I looked a little embarrassed. “I went to the bathroom during PE and saw someone sneaking around in the classroom, so I recorded it. I didn’t think they were stealing.” Chloe’s face stiffened. She scrambled to watch the video, and the others gathered around. The video clearly showed someone sneaking around and taking things. The face was blurry, but the figure clearly wasn’t mine. The classmates erupted in anger. “What an idiot! What was she thinking? Why can’t we see her face?” “Did Emma and Chloe offend someone? I’m telling the teacher!” “Wait, doesn’t that figure look familiar?” Someone eyed the class suspiciously. I looked at Chloe. “I never came back to the classroom. Why did you say you saw me?” Chloe panicked, stammering, “I-I must have seen wrong.” [Disgust value reset to zero.] Hearing this, Chloe glared at me with vicious resentment. She refused to give up. [System, she got lucky this time! Tomorrow is the placement exam. Isn’t Emma top of her grade? I’ll frame her for cheating! Once her teachers, classmates, and parents are disappointed in her, I’ll snatch her grades and Liam’s love!] That’s exactly what happened in my past life. It destroyed the trust of my teachers and parents. My classmates despised me, my grades plummeted, and I became the laughingstock of the school. Liam even called me a despicable pig and joined in mocking me. But this time, I wouldn’t let her win! The next day, I breezed through the exam and handed in my paper early. But just as the exam ended, Chloe shot up from her seat. The homeroom teacher looked at her, confused. “Chloe, what is it?” Chloe cast a conflicted look my way before announcing loudly, “Mr. Smith, Emma cheated!” The entire class froze. We were the honors class; a single point could mean a drop of several ranks, and our allowance depended on it. Anyone caught cheating would be metaphorically torn to shreds. Liam was still protective of me at this point. He frowned at Chloe. “Why are you always causing trouble for Emma?!” Chloe looked at him tearfully. “I was a victim last time too! I just think it’s unfair to everyone else!” Mr. Smith frowned. “What proof do you have? Emma is always number one. Why would she cheat?” She pointed at me. “The proof is in her pocket. I saw her put a cheat sheet in there, and…” She seemed to muster her courage. “And… maybe her past top scores were cheated too?” Instantly, all eyes were on me. The teacher gave me a searching look, asking me to prove my innocence. But when I reached into my pocket, my face paled—there was actually something in there! Seeing my hesitation, the others grew suspicious. Chloe, unable to hold back, rushed over and pulled the item from my pocket. It was a cheat sheet! Everyone’s expressions twisted. “Emma actually cheated? Was she cheating all along?” “And we thought she was so smart! My parents always compared me to her! I thought she had real talent! She’s just a cheater? Disgusting!” “We never got first place because of her! She needs to be severely punished!” Chloe looked at me apologetically. “Emma, I’m doing this for your own good…” Inwardly, she was rejoicing as the system announced the rising disgust values! I sneered. Trying to steal my luck wouldn’t be that easy this time! I unfolded the paper and showed it to everyone. It was covered in random doodles. The class fell silent. I glared at her coldly. “This is a cheat sheet?” Chloe’s face changed. “Impossible!” “Impossible?” I scoffed. “Let me ask you, where exactly did I cheat? When did you see me cheating?” Chloe’s face darkened, and the class grew impatient. “What’s with the drama? Do you think we have all day?” “Always crying and playing the victim. Who’s even bullying her?” “Speaking of which, didn’t the person in the video yesterday look a lot like Chloe?” Chloe panicked, biting her lip hard. Her eyes darted around, but she remained stubborn. “It wasn’t me! I really saw it! I don’t know what’s going on!” I laughed coldly and pulled an identical piece of paper from her pocket. This time, it was a real cheat sheet. I had anticipated her move and slipped the real cheat sheet into her pocket. “It seems the real cheater is someone else.” Chloe’s face drained of color. “It’s not me! I didn’t do it!” I looked at her coldly. “The evidence is right here. What else do you have to say? How did I offend you? Why are you doing this?” Chloe was speechless. Finally, she saw the balcony and ran toward it, crying that she was going to jump. The whole incident ended inconclusively. She failed to steal my luck and instead became isolated by the class. Ignoring Chloe’s resentful glares, I continued studying. But I heard her inner voice: [System, does that bitch Emma know something? I definitely put that cheat sheet in her pocket!] The mechanical voice replied: [No anomalies detected.] [Useless!] Chloe closed her eyes. [Looks like I’ll have to bleed a little!] Hearing this, I frowned slightly, but before I could process it, Chloe appeared in front of me. Her eyes were red, her shoulders trembling. “Emma, I’m sorry, I saw wrong!” I watched her warily, unsure of her game. When I ignored her, she grabbed me. “Emma, can you forgive me? I really didn’t mean it!” Her voice grew louder, drawing the attention of the class. Then, she dropped to her knees. My face changed, and I tried to pull her up, but the moment I reached out, she slammed her head hard against the desk. Blood immediately gushed from her forehead. Chloe shrieked, begging desperately, “Emma! I was wrong, please stop hitting me! I didn’t mean it!” Her voice was weak and broken. The other students rushed over. The class president paled, holding Chloe and shouting, “Get her to the nurse!” A few students frantically carried Chloe away. The class president turned on me, furious. “Are you crazy?! Why would you do that? Even if she misunderstood you, you can’t just attack her like that! Are you trying to kill her?!” “She was on her knees begging you, what more do you want? Do you think she’s an easy target because she’s soft-spoken? This is school, not your house!” “Emma, I misjudged you! If something happens to Chloe, how will you live with yourself?!” I could feel their disgust. Panic set in, and I tried to explain, “No! She hit her own head!” But they just stared at me coldly. Suddenly, I felt a strong pull on my arm. Liam yanked me away so forcefully I almost fell. He looked grim. “Emma, you need to apologize to Chloe!” I felt it was absurd, but he continued, “I’m doing this for your own good. You can’t just hit people! When did you become so violent?!” Although I had long stopped liking him, their lack of trust still terrified me. I was completely caught off guard this time! Seeing me frozen, Liam tried to drag me to the nurse’s office. I struggled fiercely and slapped him hard across the face. “Get away from me!” Liam held his cheek, staring at me in disbelief. Through gritted teeth, he said, “Fine! You’ll regret this!” I returned to the classroom, deeply unsettled. The class president had already fetched the homeroom teacher, who wanted an explanation but clearly didn’t believe me either. “You’ve disappointed me so much. You must apologize to Chloe! Or I’ll have to call your parents!” I knew the teacher was already being lenient, but I felt so wronged that I stubbornly refused. Just as the teacher was about to lose her temper, Liam walked in, supporting Chloe. With her forehead bandaged and looking weak, Chloe pleaded, “Mr. Smith, I believe Emma didn’t mean it. I don’t need her apology.” Her innocent smile made the teacher and students despise me even more. Mr. Smith looked at me with disappointment. “Emma, reflect on your actions! I’ll be reporting this to the school administration!” A classmate added indignantly, “Chloe, you’re too kind! If it were me, I’d make sure she was punished!” Liam looked at me with disappointment. “Emma, what happened to you?” Everyone blamed me, while the true culprit, Chloe, looked at me with understanding—but I knew she was mocking me! [System, an idiot like Emma is no match for me. Transfer her grades to me first!] As soon as she finished, my mind grew foggy. The knowledge in my head was vanishing! And Chloe’s smile grew wider! After that, my classmates isolated me. Teachers called on me, but I couldn’t answer even the simplest questions, while Chloe answered them flawlessly using multiple methods. By the end of the day, all my teachers had criticized me and praised Chloe. My classmates gave me weird looks; they started suspecting my past grades were fake! Seeing my panic, Chloe felt triumphant. [System, I didn’t know the top student knew so much! I was going to take it slow, but now I’m going all in. I’ll make the whole world hate her, and I’ll absorb all her luck! Then, everything she has will be mine!] [I need to borrow some points this time. Once I finish her off, I’ll pay you back double!] Hearing this, memories of my past life—being hated and revled by everyone—flooded back. I stumbled home, just wanting to hide. But I still went to school the next day. I wouldn’t let her win! As soon as I entered the classroom, everyone looked at me strangely. Uneasy, I tried to talk to the class president, but she shrieked and jumped away. “What’s wrong?” I asked nervously. Suddenly, inappropriate sounds filled the room. The smartboard played a video of me in bed with several thugs, my eyes glazed over. My face went pale. Before I could speak, Liam grabbed me angrily. “Emma! Wasn’t what you did enough? Do you have to humiliate me in front of the whole class?! How could you be this kind of woman?! You’re disgusting!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about! The video is fake! I can prove it!” I denied frantically. Liam looked at me with even more disgust. “Still pretending? I had it analyzed the moment it went viral online. It’s real! Why did you become like this?!” My face was white as a sheet, my body trembling. How could this be? My classmates looked at me with revulsion, like I was filth. “Disgusting. She acts so proper, but she’ll take anything in private!” “Maybe she wasn’t falsely accused the previous times. What wouldn’t someone like her do?” “She even hit someone! If Mr. Smith wasn’t so soft, she would’ve been suspended!” Students from other classes sneaked photos of me with their phones. I tried to turn off the video, but Chloe stopped me. “Emma, why don’t you respect yourself? Do you know what they’re saying online? They’re calling you a streetwalker, saying you only charge twenty bucks… I can’t even say it!” Other classmates chimed in, “Chloe! Why are you still defending her?! She’s just cheap! She hit you last time!” I pushed her away, shouting, “I didn’t!” “Why won’t you admit it?” Chloe looked at me with disappointment, but inwardly she was ecstatic. Just a little more, and all my luck would be hers. I felt physically ill, swollen and confused. Then, my parents and Mr. Smith arrived, accompanied by a group of reporters. Seeing them, Chloe stepped forward like an angel. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, Emma didn’t mean it, you have to talk to her calmly! And make sure to wear gloves. I heard people who play around like that carry viruses~” Chloe noted my parents’ murderous glares and felt incredibly smug. [Once Emma’s parents completely lose hope in her, her luck will be practically gone! Hahaha!] My parents stormed in, raising their hands—but the slap landed squarely on Chloe’s face. My father’s voice was full of disgust and rage. “You bitch! The one messing around outside is someone else!” Chloe’s smile froze. Panicked, she touched her cheek, looking at my parents tearfully. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, what are you doing? Did you hit the wrong person?” My mother’s glare was deadly. “Hit the wrong person? Don’t you deserve to be hit?!” Chloe frantically called the system. [System! What does she mean?! Why do I deserve to be hit? Do they know something?] The mechanical voice replied: [Host, you must find the problem yourself.] [You’re useless! What good are you?! Forget it! I have a bad feeling about this. Use all my disgust points to buy the love of Emma’s parents!] My heart clenched, and I instinctively gripped my parents’ hands tightly. My understanding of the system was superficial—what if history repeated itself? Sensing my fear, my mother turned to me with a loving gaze. “Don’t worry. We will clear your name and teach those ingrates a lesson!” Chloe grew even more terrified, urging the system. [Hurry! Hurry!] My heart was in my throat, but the system just buzzed. [No disgust points detected from the Child of Fortune’s parents. Cannot complete transaction… bzzzt—] Chloe raged internally, but I sighed in relief. The system wasn’t omnipotent! The other students were completely confused. “The evidence is irrefutable. What else is there to say?” “I bet Emma is using her family’s money to buy fake evidence!” Mr. Smith was also confused. The principal had sent her to expel me, given the massive online uproar. As an honors student, Mr. Smith actually believed me and had secretly gotten the video analyzed. It could have been an AI deepfake, but the results showed the video was completely authentic. No tampering detected! So, hearing my parents say they had evidence, she was skeptical. My parents held up a flash drive. “We do have evidence. It proves that the girl messing around with those thugs wasn’t my daughter! It was—her!” My father pointed at Chloe. The whole room gasped. Chloe cursed inwardly but maintained her innocent facade. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, I know you want to find a scapegoat for Emma, but I’m innocent!” The internet exploded. “The evidence is clear! They’re not keeping a low profile, they’re actually looking for a scapegoat?!” “This family is disgusting! I heard they own a company. If their company survives this, I’ll eat shit doing a handstand!” “That poor classmate. She was just defending her! They’re bullying her because she’s an easy target!” Liam shielded Chloe, glaring at me. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, why are you framing Chloe? She was just defending Emma! Even if you want to help Emma, you can’t just slander someone else!” Chloe cried pitifully, cursing inwardly. I knew she had already stolen some of my luck; I couldn’t think straight anymore. My parents looked at Liam with disappointment. “You’re Emma’s fiancé, and you don’t believe her? Good thing you aren’t together yet! Once this is over, our families’ engagement is off!” Liam looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. Pain and conflict flashed in his eyes. He stepped forward, but Chloe tugged at him, and his expression hardened again. Anxious, I knew we couldn’t delay. “Mom, Dad, play the video!” My parents nodded. Chloe’s face turned pale. She didn’t know what video we had, but she definitely couldn’t let it play. She tried to stop them, but how could she overpower my parents? She shrieked, “Liam! They’re going to frame me!” Liam hesitated, glancing at me before stepping forward, only to be slapped by my father. The fake video was deleted, and the video from the flash drive was played. Everyone was stunned. The class president’s mouth hung open. “What… what’s going on?” The reporters my father brought dutifully started recording. The video showed the same thugs, but the girl with them wasn’t me. It was Chloe. Pale-faced, Chloe screamed and rushed to block the screen. “That’s not me! It’s not me! They’re framing me!” My father scoffed. “Not you? Yesterday, Emma warned me, so I had people follow you and record your every move. I didn’t expect you to do something like this! And somehow, you pinned it on my daughter!” Chloe screamed, “Impossible! Your video is an AI deepfake!” She glared at me venomously, frantically calling the system. [What’s happening?! How did that bitch Emma know?!] I felt the changes in my body slowing down. The others were probably starting to doubt her. Liam watched in shock. “What’s going on? How can there be two identical videos with different people?!” “I had Emma’s video tested; it was real!” My father snorted. “You can test our video too!” Liam looked at me, pale. I coldly averted my gaze. The online discussion was also intense. “What’s going on? Is this a ghost story? Am I dreaming?” “Just another PR stunt. I bet the family is just in denial.” “No, this video is real too.” “Exactly, I asked a tech expert. Both videos are authentic!” A sudden silence fell over the room. Mr. Smith sighed in relief and asked the question on everyone’s mind: “What exactly is going on? Either both videos are fake, or only one is real!” Of course, she hoped both were fake! Trembling, Chloe glared at me. “Her family is rich! They bribed someone to fake it!” The others pondered this. Just then, several men walked in. Seeing them, Chloe looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. My parents let them in. “Tell them what really happened that day!” It was the thugs from the video. They looked a bit dazed themselves. Chloe was terrified. [Damn it! System! Are you working with them to set me up? Didn’t you make them kill themselves after we finished? How could you screw this up?] The system’s cold, mechanical voice replied: [Host, I followed your instructions. You assumed it was foolproof and didn’t witness their deaths. I told you before, the system isn’t omnipotent. Everything must be based on existing reality. To frame Emma and make it undetectable, you had to pay the price. Pushing them to suicide was already a violation of protocol. If you cannot plunder Emma’s luck and repay your borrowed points twofold… you will pay with your soul!] The system’s emotionless voice sounded like a reaper coming for her soul! Terrified, she screamed inwardly, [No, no, no! I still have a chance!] When the thugs saw Chloe, their eyes cleared a bit. “It’s her! She came to us that day, offered us money for some ‘excitement’! Said the more guys, the better! We wanted the cash, so we went to the Bingtian Motel with her and filmed it… but…” His expression turned fearful. “But… after it was over, my buddies and I couldn’t think of anything except killing ourselves. That’s all we could think about. If someone hadn’t grabbed us on the way, we’d be dead!” “She’s a demon! She’s not human!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391161”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In the seventh year of my father’s infidelity, my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Her first reaction was to drop to her knees and beg the doctor not to tell my father. The doctor, a close family friend, cried out of sheer frustration. “Elena, what kind of saint are you pretending to be?” “Do you honestly think this will make that cheating bastard drop to his knees in regret and see the error of his ways?” “Using your own death to punish someone else, how pathetic can you get?” But my mother just smiled, her gaze landing softly on me. “What use do I have for his regret?” “I’m doing this to secure a future for my Chloe.” 1. By the time my mother and I walked out of the hospital, my father had already left. He had only left her one text message: [My time is valuable. You were five minutes late, so I left.] My mother gripped her phone, looking a bit dazed. It made me think of the past. I have hemophilia, so I’ve been in and out of hospitals since I can remember. My father used to always drop everything at work to wait patiently for us. My mother would tease him, “Aren’t you annoyed waiting?” He would take me from her arms and kiss her cheek. “Never. Every second I wait for you two is a moment of happiness.” Squished between them, feeling their warmth, I was happy too. My mother’s trembling fingers swiped the message away. Instead, she texted her friend, Dr. Sarah: [Did you send the forged clean bill of health to Mia?] After receiving a confirmation, she took my hand and we walked home. My mother used to walk so lightly that I often had to run to keep up. But now, she had to lean on me just to keep moving. As soon as we got home, she rushed to the bathroom and coughed up a mouthful of blood. After she finished, she looked up, staring blankly at the two overlapping bloody handprints she’d left on the mirror. The blood was a dark, terrifying red. Panicked, I immediately called my father. I could hear a woman laughing in the background, but I was used to it and pretended not to notice. Crying, I told him that my mother was in the final stages of stomach cancer. My father came back very quickly. Seeing the stark red in the toilet bowl, he scooped my mother up in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. We’ll find the best specialists for a second opinion right now.” “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He had always said that the women outside were just playthings, and that the one he loved the most would always be my mother. He was a man of his word. But right then, the sharp click of high heels sounded, and Mia, wearing a white dress, appeared. She held her head high and slapped a piece of paper against my father’s chest. “Liam, you’re such a fool! You don’t even know you’re being played by this washed-up housewife!” “What late-stage stomach cancer? It’s just a trick to get your attention!” “A friend at the hospital sent me this. She’s perfectly healthy!” I saw it clearly; that piece of paper was the fake clean bill of health my mother had asked Dr. Sarah to forge. I opened my mouth to explain, but my mother grabbed my arm tightly. I could only watch as my father’s face darkened with rage. “Faking an illness to fight for attention, and making Chloe lie for you too.” “Elena, you really have outdone yourself!” Ignoring my attempts to stop him, my father stormed out. My mother watched him leave with his arm around that woman, a faint smile appearing on her pale face. I was sobbing uncontrollably. “Mom, why did you pretend you were healthy?” My mother sighed softly. “Because Mia is too stupid.” “So stupid that she would never think to accuse me of faking an illness on her own.” “So, I had to manufacture the evidence for her.” “I’m accumulating moral capital. The more I accumulate, the more he’ll feel he owes you…” “Besides, once your father finds out her report was fake, he’ll never believe another report she produces again.” I didn’t understand. All I knew was that my mother was dying, so I cried even harder. My mother wiped my tears, and as she did, she started crying too. “Liam, you’re so smart, how could you fall for an idiot like Mia?” My mother used to be the mistress of a coal baron, while my father was a poor entrepreneur constantly bowing and scraping for investments. A single glance at a banquet, and a rose unexpectedly bloomed from the rotting soil. Using her influence with the coal baron, my mother secured a massive investment and a flood of orders for my father. Later, the coal baron went to prison, and my father had become a titan in the business world. Amidst everyone’s mockery, he sought out my mother, a woman who had been passed around. Without a word, they got married immediately. After they married, my father pampered my mother like the most precious jewel. He bought her a chateau in France and gave her dry shares in his company. When she became pregnant with me, he even spent a fortune to buy the naming rights to an asteroid for her. They could have been happy forever. Until I was born. 2. I was diagnosed with hemophilia, and my father hired a secretary who had the same rare blood type as me. Her name was Mia. She was a bit ditzy, which people found endearing. He said she was my mobile blood bank. But gradually, when the “blood bank” came to give me transfusions, my father would frown in distress. There was even a time when I was critically ill, and just because Mia said she was afraid of needles, my father pulled my IV tube out. I almost died that day, saved only because the hospital managed to source blood from out of state. When I woke up, I saw my father holding Mia’s hand, telling my mother: “I’m sorry, Elena. I’ve fallen in love with Mia.” “As long as you accept it, you’ll still be my wife, and Chloe will still be my only daughter.” My mother calmly accepted the reality. She said my medical condition was too expensive; if they divorced, she truly couldn’t afford to raise me. And just like that, my mother became the most “generous” official wife in the entire city. So generous that when photos of my father in bed with young girls from clubs leaked, she handled the PR crises herself. Whenever that happened, my father would apologize to her and transfer a sum of money into my account. My mother accepted it on my behalf and acted as if nothing had happened. Until a few days ago, when Mia showed up with a pregnant belly. She announced she was carrying my father’s child, a boy. “When I saw his ecstatic reaction, I knew this fetus would eventually threaten your position, Chloe. It had to be eliminated.” “And since I’m dying anyway… after a lifetime of being a dependent vine, using my life to pave the way for my daughter is a satisfying end.” As she spoke, my mother pulled out a brand-new journal. A kept woman with only a grade-school education obviously didn’t have the habit of keeping a diary. So, she had to forge one. Her fingers were swollen, making it almost impossible to grip the pen. But she still wrote down, word by word, the story of her and my father over all these years. When she was done, she had the journal artificially aged and locked it in a safe. She made me memorize the safe’s combination. “The day your father misses me the most after I die, lead him to find this diary.” Forging the diary took several days. My mother clutched her stomach, huge drops of sweat rolling down her face from the pain. She gave me a black credit card and asked me to go buy her some painkillers. It was strange; it was only September, but heavy snow had started to fall. I didn’t have time to think about it. I slipped and fell multiple times running to the pharmacy. I tried to buy the medicine and swiped the card. “Beep beep. This card has been frozen.” I froze. This was a supplementary card to my father’s account, and it had always had no limit. It couldn’t be frozen. I immediately called my father. But the person who answered was Mia, her voice lazy and triumphant. “That’s your father’s punishment for your mother.” “He also told me to pass on a message: act like a proper wife and stop playing these manipulative games.” I screamed, “Impossible! You must have provoked him!” Mia chuckled softly, lowering her voice. “Yes, I did. So what?” “After all, I just mentioned that his unborn son wanted to see snow, and your father spent tens of millions on artificial snow!” Looking at the bruises on my body, I started to sob. So, this heavy snow that made me fall over and over again was my father’s gift to his mistress. By the time I broke open my piggy bank and bought the medicine, my mother had passed out from the pain. I fed her the pills, and when she woke, her eyes reddened at the sight of my injuries. I heard her call Dr. Sarah. “He loves her more than I thought.” “I need to accumulate even more moral capital for Chloe. My death needs to be more brutal.” I don’t know how much time passed before I woke up in my mother’s bed. She was panting as she packed things away. Wedding photos were thrown into the fireplace; clothes and jewelry were all sold off. When I saw her about to destroy the scarf she had knitted for my father with her own hands, I lunged to stop her. But she just kissed my cheek. “I know it’s hard to let go, sweetie.” “But I have to make sure that you are the only thing I leave behind for him.” I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. Then, my father’s assistant called my mother. “Ma’am, Mr. Sterling was just photographed by reporters taking Ms. Mia for a prenatal checkup.” “He wants you to film an apology and clarification video as soon as possible, so it doesn’t affect the company’s stock price.” 3. My mother gave a flat hum of acknowledgment and expertly set up the camera. I was furious and started yelling. “It’s his fault! Why should Mom take the blame?!” “I don’t want Mom to be the one who loses face anymore!” I pushed the camera over, but my mother picked it right back up. “Be good, Chloe. The company will be yours eventually.” “Protecting the stock price now is protecting your future interests.” I still didn’t really understand, but my mother’s eyes looked so infinitely sad. On camera, she was poised and dignified. “This is all a misunderstanding. Ms. Mia is an employee of our company and has no one to care for her, so Liam kindly escorted her to the hospital.” When the video was posted, the internet exploded with mockery. Everyone said my mother was acting like a loyal dog playing the role of the official wife. But my father was very pleased. He finally came home. The moment he walked in, he picked me up and spun me around, slipping a jade bangle onto my wrist. Then he kissed my mother and gave her an emerald green safety charm. “This is my generous Elena,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ve already unfrozen the card.” “I wasn’t angry that you faked an illness to play games; I was angry that you cursed yourself.” “We’re going to grow old together. Promise me you’ll never say such unlucky things again, okay?” My father was so gentle. He still loved me and my mother, right? I watched them foolishly, suddenly feeling like my legs didn’t hurt anymore. After my father left, I happily snuggled up to my mother, wanting to touch the safety charm. But she sneered and took it off. She rubbed my head and showed me a news article on her phone. [A Gambling Legend! Mr. Sterling Spends Tens of Millions and Strikes Pure Green Jade, Cutting a Hundred-Million-Dollar Bracelet on the Spot!] I looked at the picture of the pure green jade bracelet on Mia’s wrist. Suddenly, I realized something. My bangle, fitted with my mother’s safety charm, was exactly the size of the core cut out from the center of a bracelet. Oh. So the gifts my mother and I received were just the scrap pieces leftover from making Mia’s bracelet. I was so angry I wanted to confront my father. But my mother calmly contacted Dr. Sarah to confirm the date she would take the euthanasia drugs. She chose the date of her wedding anniversary with my father. “This way, whenever he gets married again, he’ll be forced to remember my death.” “The longer he remembers me, the better it is for my Chloe.” I didn’t dare cry in front of my mother; I could only hide in my room and count down the days. I was about to lose my mother. Even though she held me and said she would become a star in the sky… I was already seven. I knew those were lies. But I couldn’t expose her lie; I didn’t want her to be sadder before she died. My mother was very busy for the next few days. She contacted a man named Mr. Zhao and they whispered together for a long time. Then she carefully picked out a gown, because my father was taking her to a charity gala. Just her. Not the smelly mistress. She even helped my father pacify Mia beforehand. But the moment he turned his back, she taught me how to provoke the newly appeased Mia: “Hehe, so what if he made it snow for you? You’re still just his plaything.” “For official events like a charity gala, the only one who gets to hold my dad’s hand is my mom!” Mia took the bait so easily; she was so enraged that she immediately took action. On the day of the charity gala, our family of three had just taken our seats. Mia, disguised as a staff member, appeared. She didn’t say anything, just looked at my father with red, tearful eyes. I clearly saw my father’s Adam’s apple bob. “Liam,” my mother pleaded, “this is a major event. Please, just give me this one night of dignity…” But under the gaze of the entire room, my father patted my mother’s hand. “There are too many people here, and Mia is pregnant. I’m afraid she’ll get bumped.” He went to sit with his mistress. The whole room gasped and whispered. My mother lowered her head as if in humiliation, but secretly shot a look at Mr. Zhao nearby. 4. I knew this Mr. Zhao; he was one of my father’s biggest investors. After my father cheated, he had asked my mother to leave with him. I remembered him as a gentle and polite man. But today, he was acting very boorishly. He roughly grabbed Mia and demanded she drink with him. Mia, panicked, repeatedly refused. My father stepped in front of her, politely stating that she was pregnant and couldn’t drink. But Mr. Zhao seemed enraged and laid down an ultimatum: “If Mr. Sterling won’t even give me this face, then our partnership ends here!” Seeing Mia’s terrified eyes and my father’s awkward expression, I felt a surge of joy. I even silently cheered for Mr. Zhao, hoping he would exact a little more revenge for my mother. But the next second, I heard my father say with a smile: “How about this, Mr. Zhao? Let my wife drink with you.” “Mia only has a bit of looks, but my wife is known as one of the great beauties of the city.” I was stunned, unable to believe that the man saying this was my mother’s husband. My mother didn’t react, simply allowing my father to drag her and push her toward Mr. Zhao. “It’s just a few drinks… You wouldn’t refuse, would you?” I lunged forward to shield her. “My mom is sick! The doctor said she can’t drink! She said it would hurt her to death!” My father grabbed me by the collar, tossed me aside, and glared at my mother. “Look how you’ve raised Chloe, she lies constantly.” Mr. Zhao, having gotten his way, put his arm around my mother and, along with several other men, forced her to drink. My mother numbly downed glass after glass, while Mr. Zhao’s eyes actually seemed to redden. Finally, after who knows how many glasses, my mother violently threw up blood. “Elena!” My father’s face changed drastically, and he immediately ran over. But Mia let out a scream. “So much blood… Liam, seeing this is making me feel sick…” My father hesitated for a second, then turned and picked up Mia. “The hilltop villa isn’t far from here. I’ll take you there to rest.” The hilltop villa was his wedding gift to my mother. My mother treasured it and never let outsiders inside. She stared dead at my father. “No! Take her anywhere else, but don’t dirty my villa!” My father started by trying to persuade her nicely, but this time my mother refused to budge. The argument dragged on all the way to the villa, and Mia’s exaggerated groans grew louder. Furious, my father actually slapped my mother. “Are you crazy?! It’s just a house!” “Since you think it’s more important than my son, then you can rot inside it!” Saying that, he shoved my mother into the villa and locked the door from the outside, preventing her from following them. Mr. Zhao, Dr. Sarah, and Dr. Sarah’s police officer boyfriend… They patiently waited outside the villa with me. We didn’t enter until my father’s car had sped off into the distance. My mother was still throwing up large mouthfuls of blood. Her clothes and the floor were stained red. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain. But she held on, directing Mr. Zhao to set up a complex mechanism. “You must… make sure that the moment they make love on that bed… my body… will fall.” “Don’t forget to lock the door when you leave… He needs to think I died because he forced me to drink and locked me in where I couldn’t get help…” “Traces… must be erased using professional forensic techniques…” “The infertility drug… Chloe, when you go home, you must find a chance to put it in your father’s water…” “The report proving Mia’s fetus isn’t his… is it forged? Let me see if it looks real enough…” “He must only have Chloe as his heir… it must be her…” Her voice trembled with agony. Finally, using the last of her strength and with everyone’s help, she climbed up to the skylight. She put a white pill into her mouth, a smile of release finally appearing on her face. “There shouldn’t be any flaws left.” “Thank you all for your help.” “Chloe, farewell. Mom loves you, will always love you…” Her voice grew weaker until it could no longer be heard. The adults were all weeping uncontrollably; Mr. Zhao cried so hard he fell to his knees. I was the only one who didn’t cry. I watched my mother meticulously orchestrate her own death, and my tears had long since run dry. I looked at the sunflowers in the villa’s garden. That heavy snow had caused them to wither prematurely. I sat there quietly, waiting for my father to return. It wasn’t until midnight that the doorbell finally rang.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391160”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Everyone said I was a lucky, spoiled princess. I had doting parents and a loving fiancé, Liam Sterling. They spoiled me into becoming the most arrogant heiress in the city. Then, my dad brought home Chloe Vance, the daughter of his late army buddy. She was gentle, sensible, and eager to cook, clean, and do all the chores. In her second month here, my fiancé canceled our engagement and publicly pursued Chloe. My parents were furious. They held me and coaxed me for hours, then pointed at him and yelled, “Don’t you ever regret this! Even if you beg on your knees, we will never let our daughter marry you!” By Chloe’s third month, my dad had cut ties with me and legally adopted her. In the empty house, it was just my mom and me left. I cried and hugged her. “Mom, I promise I won’t be a brat anymore. Please don’t abandon me, okay?” She stroked my head and comforted me. “You will always be Mom’s precious baby.” Until later… when I had a high fever that wouldn’t break, my mom told me she had to work overtime and that I needed to be stronger. I went to the hospital alone and was diagnosed with terminal cancer. On my way back, I saw my mom carefully decorating a birthday cake for Chloe. Heartbroken and utterly lost, I called the doctor. “Can you help me book… euthanasia abroad for the day after tomorrow?” I really had been spoiled by them. I couldn’t even endure the pain of the treatments. 1 It was very late, and Mom still hadn’t come home. I looked around the empty house, shivering and hugging my arms tight. Even if she was celebrating Chloe’s birthday, it was past midnight. It should be over by now… I couldn’t help it; I called her. But several calls went unanswered. I was too worried. With my body burning up, I forced myself out the door. Chloe’s rented apartment wasn’t far; a ten-minute walk. Before I even knocked, I heard laughter from inside. It was Mom’s laugh. I froze for a moment but knocked anyway. Chloe opened the door. Surprise flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by a sweet smile. “Sister, what are you doing here?” I didn’t answer, just looked past her into the apartment. In the living room were Dad, Mom, and Liam. On the coffee table sat a birthday cake, the candles unlit. It was the cake Mom had made for her. Seeing me, Mom looked embarrassed. Dad frowned. “Why are you here?” Liam didn’t even look my way. I looked at Mom and asked tentatively, “Mom, it’s really late. Can you… come home with me?” She was silent for a while before answering, “Elena, I need to take care of Chloe from now on. I can’t go back with you. The house is yours, you… take good care of yourself.” My fingers twitched. Chloe suddenly grabbed my hand, smiling. “Sister, let’s eat cake together. Mom made it herself.” She pulled hard, and I tried to pull my hand back. Right then, Chloe let out a sharp cry and stumbled backward, her knee hitting the corner of the coffee table. She clutched her knee, tears instantly welling up. “Sister, why… why did you push me?” I was stunned. I didn’t push her. Dad immediately stood up, helped Chloe, and glared at me. “Are you here to bully Chloe again?!” Liam sneered. “Elena, can’t you just give it a rest?” Mom looked awkward, wanting to say something, but ultimately went to comfort Chloe first. “Chloe, sweetie, does it hurt? Let Mom see.” I stood in the doorway, completely superfluous. Drawn by the commotion, Chloe’s neighbors peeked out to watch the drama. “Is that the Sterling family’s heiress? I heard she’s incredibly spoiled.” “Tsk, a grown woman still bullying people. No wonder no one wants her.” I didn’t explain. The old me would have cried, screamed, and insisted, “I didn’t push her!” But now, I just stood quietly, watching them defend Chloe. It was like watching a play that had nothing to do with me. I turned and dragged my exhausted body away. Behind me, I could hear Chloe’s sobs and their comforting voices. Walking down the dark, empty street, my phone pinged. It was an email from the hospital—confirmation of the organ donation form. I offered a weak smile and replied, confirming. This was for the best. They had Chloe now. When I was dead, Mom, Dad, and Liam probably wouldn’t even be sad. 2 By the time I got home, the sun hadn’t risen yet. Looking at the mountain of gifts in my room and the family portrait on the wall, it all suddenly felt very foreign. I couldn’t help but think back to the days when I was cherished. Growing up, I was the luckiest, most pampered girl in the city. When I was sick, Mom and Dad would stay up all night with me. If I craved something at 2 AM, Liam would drive across town to get it. If I threw a tantrum, all three of them would carefully coax me back to happiness. Until two months ago, when Chloe arrived. At their first meeting, Dad said, “This girl is so sensible, not fragile like you.” When Chloe did chores, Mom said, “You should learn from Chloe.” When Chloe never complained, Liam said, “Chloe is so strong, you need to grow up.” Gradually, from being the apple of their eye, I became the one who was “lesser than Chloe.” I blinked. Dawn was breaking. Today was my last trip to the hospital. I needed to get checked to see if I met the criteria for organ donation. The blood draw room at the hospital was crowded. I sat on a chair, waiting for my number. “Elena Sterling.” I stood up and walked in. The nurse looked up and froze. “Sister, what are you doing here?” It was Chloe. She was wearing a nurse’s uniform, doing her internship here. I said nothing and extended my arm. She picked up the needle, searching for a vein. My veins are very thin; she tried twice but couldn’t find one. The moment the needle pierced my skin, it hurt. I couldn’t help it; tears spilled over. The patients waiting in line started whispering: “Why can’t this nurse get it right?” “She made the poor girl cry from the pain.” Chloe’s face turned bright red, and she apologized guiltily. “I’m sorry, sister, I’ll try again.” I kept my head down, tears falling drop by drop. Just then, the door swung open. It was Dad, Mom, and Liam. They had come to bring Chloe breakfast. Seeing me cry, Dad frowned. “Elena, can’t you be a little stronger? Stop making trouble for Chloe.” Mom whispered, “Elena… stop crying, everyone is watching. It looks like Chloe is bullying you.” Liam looked impatient. “You deliberately picked a fight on her birthday yesterday, and today you come to her workplace to cause a scene! There’s a limit to your bratty behavior! Bully Chloe again, and I won’t hold back.” Then, they started explaining to the onlookers: “She’s been spoiled since she was little. She always picks on Chloe like this.” The crowd started whispering again. “So she came here to cause trouble. I was wondering why she cried over a little needle.” “Isn’t this basically harassing a healthcare worker? That’s too much!” “I know this girl. She’s unreasonable and loves bullying people. Even her parents couldn’t take it and moved out.” I hung my head silently, letting Chloe jab my arm a few more times before she finally drew blood. My tears kept falling. Drip. Drip. Mom, Dad, and Liam, who used to panic over my slightest discomfort, were now entirely focused on comforting Chloe. I wiped my tears and thought: This is the last time it will hurt. It’s okay. The flight is already booked. This afternoon. Soon, everything will be over. 3 Back home, I started packing. My suitcase was small because I didn’t need to bring much. The house deed and my savings passbook were left on the table. Along with a letter: “I’m leaving the house to Mom; split the money however you want. I’m going somewhere far away, don’t look for me. Chloe is much better suited to be your daughter and fiancée. Thank you for loving me once.” I looked at the empty house, dragged my suitcase, and walked out. Without looking back. Everything went smoothly. Lying on the hospital bed waiting for the euthanasia procedure, I still felt a bit dazed. The doctor was very skilled. He found the vein on the first try. It only hurt a tiny bit. I was very satisfied. I watched the liquid slowly flow into my body. Blinking, I thought: Dad, Mom, and Liam are probably with Chloe right now. I hope with Chloe there, they will always be happy… Meanwhile, at Chloe’s apartment. The three of them sat in the living room, looking anxious. Dad said, “We’ve kept this act up long enough. It’s time to stop.” Mom nodded. “Yes, seeing her cry yesterday broke my heart.” She glared at Dad, complaining, “It’s all your fault! You wouldn’t let me go hug Elena. Imagine how hurt she must have been.” Liam smiled. “Mom, Dad, I have a gift ready. I’m going to surprise her later to cheer her up.” Dad glared back. “Do you think you’re the only one who cares about Elena? You think it didn’t hurt me? We did this for her own good! She was too spoiled. She’d suffer once she got into the real world. But no pain, no gain. After this, she’ll definitely be more obedient, she’ll understand how good we are to her, and she’ll appreciate us more.” Mom smiled too. “If Elena could be even a tenth as well-behaved and sensible as Chloe, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams.” Thinking of an obedient Elena, amusement flashed in Liam’s eyes. “I can’t wait to go back and see her.” Chloe sat nearby, wanting to speak but hesitating. She remembered Elena’s eyes yesterday—empty, despairing. “Uncle, Auntie, Liam… what if Elena… is actually really angry?” The three of them laughed. “She won’t be. She loves us the most.” Dad checked his watch. “Let’s skip lunch and head back now. Don’t want to keep Elena waiting.” They laughed and chatted as they headed back, planning exactly how to “apologize.” Completely unaware that I was already gone. 4 They pushed open the door to the Sterling house and called out, “Elena, we’re home!” They were met with total silence. Mom frowned. “Where did she go?” Dad checked the rooms. “No one here.” Liam pulled out his phone and called her. “It’s turned off.” Mom walked into the living room and saw the items on the table. The house deed. The passbook. And a letter. Her hands shook as she picked it up and read it aloud: “I’m leaving the house to Mom; split the money however you want. I’m going somewhere far away, don’t look for me. Chloe is much better suited to be your daughter and fiancée. Thank you for loving me once.” The three of them froze. Dad: “Did she… did she run away from home?” Mom: “Where could she go? She’s definitely still throwing a tantrum.” Liam: “Don’t panic yet. I’ll ask her friends.” They started making frantic calls. “Have you seen Elena?” “No.” “Has she contacted you?” “No.” Everyone said the same thing. Panic began to set in. Mom suddenly remembered something and rushed into Elena’s room, pulling an envelope from a drawer. It was a medical report. She opened it, and her face turned ghostly pale. The report read: Cancer, terminal stage. Immediate hospitalization recommended. Date: Three days ago. Mom’s hands shook so violently the report fluttered to the floor. Dad and Liam rushed over to look. Their faces drained of all color.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391158”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

During the year I loved him most, my uncle drugged me and threw me into the bed of his greatest rival. That night, I was tormented in every imaginable way by Liam Sterling, a man rumored to have severe sadistic addictions. When I was finally rushed to the hospital, Liam fell to his knees, his eyes red, begging for my forgiveness! Meanwhile, my uncle publicly proposed to the girl who had ruthlessly bullied me in high school, preparing to give her the wedding of the century! On his wedding day, I kidnapped the bride, forced her into mourning clothes, and made her bow to a dog in a mock wedding ceremony. I recorded the entire thing and broadcast it across the internet! When my uncle arrived, he pressed a knife to my throat and warned me. “Elena Vance, pull a stunt like this again, and I’ll make sure you die without a grave.” Seeing the raw heartbreak in his eyes for another woman, I was suddenly just… exhausted. From that moment on, I only wanted to cut him out of my life forever. But when I was four months pregnant, and everyone sighed about how Liam Sterling, the ultimate romantic, pampered me to the heavens, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and my uncle. My uncle asked uncertainly, “Are you really determined to risk Elena and the baby’s lives by forcing a premature birth at seven months, just to harvest the cord blood and save my wife?” Liam didn’t hesitate for a second. He nodded firmly. “Yes. Chloe saved my life. Her illness can’t wait any longer.” While I was wandering the streets in a daze, someone sent me a text. “Elena Vance, choose me!” “I’ll help you put them both behind bars!” Gripping the stair railing, I listened to the two men inside the room. The chill seeped from my fingertips straight into my heart, freezing me inch by inch. My uncle, Arthur Vance, teased with a mocking tone. “Mr. Sterling, you’re willing to sacrifice your own flesh and blood for my wife. Such profound devotion.” He shifted his tone, full of arrogant triumph. “Unfortunately, Chloe has always loved me.” “Even Elena’s little hidden crush from her youth was focused entirely on me, wasn’t it?” Liam’s voice was cold and hard as he shot back. “Don’t get cocky, Arthur.” “If you hadn’t put a hundred-million-dollar bounty on the dark web, orchestrating this whole scheme to get Elena pregnant just to harvest her cord blood, and if Chloe hadn’t personally begged me, I would never have conspired with scum like you.” “Oh?” Arthur scoffed. “And after all this is over, do you really intend to marry her?” Liam was silent for a moment before answering seriously, “Yes. I’ll marry her and spend the rest of my life making up for the harm this will cause her.” “Suit yourself,” Arthur agreed casually. “Saves me the trouble of dealing with her delusional feelings.” “I’ll prepare a generous dowry for her.” I covered my mouth and stumbled backward, fighting the suffocating pain in my chest as I fled like a madwoman. It turned out that all the bone-deep torment, followed by the meticulous, careful pampering… it was all a massive conspiracy to take my baby’s life to save their precious darling. I stood in the pouring rain, crying until my voice was hoarse. I couldn’t believe that my romance and my marriage had been nothing but a scam to harvest medicine for someone else from the very beginning. At that exact moment, the massive jumbotron on the mall across the street was playing an old interview with Liam. The reporter asked sharply, “Mr. Sterling, there have been persistent rumors that Ms. Elena Vance, the woman you hold so dear, is actually secretly in love with her uncle, Arthur Vance.” “Many say… Ms. Vance’s feelings are unnatural, and that she is completely unworthy of your passionate devotion. Do you have any response to this?” On screen, his posture was dominant, his voice resonating with power. “My wife, Elena Vance, is the most pure, noble existence in this world.” “Anyone who dares to slander her again makes themselves an enemy of Liam Sterling!” “For the rest of my life, I am her strongest shield and her sharpest blade!” The vows that once made my heart race and filled me with pride now felt like knives carving into my heart, leaving me bleeding and raw. My phone kept ringing. He had called dozens of times. I used to answer him instantly, but now, I never wanted to hear his voice again. When I stumbled home in a daze, he was waiting at the door, his face pale with panic and anxiety. When he saw me, he looked like he had finally caught his breath, striding over and pulling me into a desperate, crushing hug. “Elena, where were you? I rushed back overnight after finishing the overseas project. Do you know how frantic I was when I couldn’t find you?” “Why didn’t you answer your phone?” I replied casually, “I went for a walk. Didn’t look at my phone.” He immediately started wiping my wet hair and changing my clothes, his eyes full of distress, while ordering someone to call the private doctor to check on me. “You little fool, you need to tell me before you go anywhere from now on.” “The rain is so heavy. What if you slipped? What if something happened to you and the baby?” His tone was filled with nervous worry, but I couldn’t tell anymore if he was worried about me, or the baby whose cord blood he needed to harvest. That night, my sleep was incredibly restless, plagued by nightmares. Sometime after midnight, I heard the private doctor’s disapproving voice coming from the living room. “Mr. Sterling! Performing the surgery in seven days is too risky! The Madam’s life will be in grave danger! Why can’t we wait until she reaches full term…” Liam cut him off coldly: “Seven days. Go prepare for it. The longer we wait, the more Chloe suffers.” My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. So, to him, my life and my child’s life weren’t worth a single moment of Chloe’s discomfort. Just then, his phone lit up. A message from Chloe popped onto the screen. “Liam, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. If there is a next life, I promise I will never fail you again.” Meanwhile, on her social media, she was flaunting the “honor” of having two powerful men abandon multi-million-dollar deals for her. The photos showed Liam’s suit jacket draped over a chair, and her hands tightly clasped with my uncle’s. How ironic. His excuse for missing my prenatal checkup today was suddenly glaringly obvious. He didn’t sneak back into the bedroom until dawn, having finally put out his cigarette. When he saw my face covered in tears, he froze, a flash of panic and guilt in his eyes. “Baby, why are you crying?” I looked into his eyes and said bitterly, “Liam, I had a nightmare… I dreamed about the year my parents died in that car crash. The bleeding just wouldn’t stop…” “And I dreamed about the days when Chloe rallied everyone in school to trap me in the bathroom and force me to drink dirty water.” The arms holding me stiffened slightly. Then, he hugged me even tighter. “Don’t think about it. It’s all in the past.” But then, he instinctively tried to excuse Chloe. “Chloe… she was young back then. It was probably just a thoughtless mistake.” With one phrase—”thoughtless mistake”—he erased all my bloody, agonizing history. I silently pulled away from his embrace, turned my back to him, and curled up in the dark to digest my emotions alone. The very last, microscopic sliver of hope in my heart was thoroughly extinguished. Early the next morning, Liam brought a breakfast he had cooked himself to my bedside. “Elena, try this. It’s a new nutritional meal I learned that’s great for pregnant women. If you like it, I’ll make it for you every day.” After speaking, he slid an iPad over to me. On the screen was the architectural rendering of a massive hospital. “Elena, look. This is the hospital I funded and built exclusively for you.” I suppressed a cold sneer and didn’t expose his lie. To ensure his plan was foolproof, he really spared no expense. He even went through the massive trouble of building an entire hospital. “In six days, the world’s top team of obstetric specialists will convene here.” “I’ll go with you. We’ll be good and get a comprehensive checkup and conditioning. It’s all to ensure that you and the baby… are completely safe when the critical moment comes.” His display of deep, sincere affection made my stomach churn violently! Those specialists were undoubtedly prepared for Chloe! “In six days… it’s my birthday.” I instinctively guarded my lower abdomen, making one last, feeble struggle. “Can we not go? I don’t want any checkups. I just want to stay quietly at home with our baby.” “You said you’d take me to Disneyland for my birthday every year. Why does it have to be a hospital this year?” He frowned, his gentle tone laced with undeniable authority. “Be good. It’s just for this year. We have to go.” He reached out to stroke my hair, but I subtly dodged his hand. “Elena, you need to listen to me. This is all for your own good.” He stood up, as if to cover up the awkwardness of the moment. “Your favorite porridge is still warm in the kitchen. I’ll go get it for you.” In the brief moment he turned and walked into the kitchen, my phone screen lit up. It was a message from Chloe, dripping with the arrogant pity of a victor: “I heard Liam promised to go with you to take maternity photos today?” “What a shame. I suddenly got the urge to reshoot some wedding photos with your uncle today.” “Unfortunately, our photographer’s skills aren’t as good as Liam’s. I want him to come help us.” “Who do you think… he’ll say no to today?” The nausea in my stomach became unbearable. I crawled to the bathroom and vomited until the world spun. When I finally came out, only the cold porridge was left. Liam was gone without a single word. Two hours later, he finally sent a message explaining. “Baby, I’m so sorry! We’ll have to take those photos another day.” “An urgent meeting came up. I have to go handle it.” I swallowed my bitter laughter and dialed the very last number in my contacts list. “Uncle Chen, I’m ready to officially take over the company. Help me revoke Arthur Vance’s proxy control over my shares. Investigate all the illegal transactions he’s conducted using his position over the years, gather the evidence, and prepare to file charges.” “Also, terminate all business ties with the Sterling Group. Cut off all resource allocation to them immediately.” After hanging up, I went to the hospital alone and consulted about an abortion procedure. Liam didn’t come home for an unprecedented two days. I didn’t go back either. But in those two days, he didn’t send me a single message. I knew he was just too “busy” to come home. What was even more laughable was that he would occasionally send me a fake update. A forged flight ticket, or a staged photo of a meeting room. He exhausted himself trying to trick me into believing he was busy working! Meanwhile, I could always spot him in Chloe’s social media posts. Just like now. While I was recovering my health, they were busy celebrating their perfect wedding photoshoot. Chloe specifically sent me a video. It showed her toasting Liam. “Liam, thank you for dropping everything to be my photographer.” “I took up two days of your time. Are you sure it’s okay? Do you want me to go back with you to explain things to Elena?” “She already dislikes me because I exposed her for bullying classmates in high school. If she finds out you lied to her, won’t she throw a fit?” Liam shook his head dismissively. “Chloe, don’t worry about it. She won’t make a scene.” “She’s very dependent on me now. She treats me as the most important person in her life, aside from her late parents.” “She’s smart. Even if she finds out, she’ll know her place.” My uncle, Arthur, chimed in, refusing to be outdone. “Exactly! With Elena’s personality, she sticks to whoever she latches onto like a leech.” “Even if she throws a tantrum, she can’t make any real waves.” “Back then, to keep me around, she willingly signed over all her corporate shares to me.” “I had such a headache trying to shake her off during those days. But thankfully, she’s latched onto Liam now, and my world is finally peaceful.” I didn’t watch any further. Chloe bullying me and then pinning the blame on me was just sickening. As for whether these two men defended me or not… it didn’t matter anymore. That night, I replied to the message I had previously ignored. “Sebastian, I choose you.” “But you have to help me compile all the evidence that Chloe bullied me, and the proof that she stole my identity as Liam’s savior.” After he readily agreed, I forwarded Chloe’s boastful photo to Liam. “Weren’t you overseas on a business trip, so busy you couldn’t even answer the phone?” “Why is this bully saying you’re personally acting as her photographer?” Almost the second the message was sent, he called. His voice sounded slightly rushed, as if he was scrambling to get his story straight. “Elena, listen to me. I was dealing with a project. I just finished the meeting.” “Running into Chloe was a total coincidence. She and your uncle were taking wedding photos nearby, and I just happened to run into them, so I helped snap a few shots.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, he rushed to explain further. “You know… she did save my life, after all. It was a small favor, I really couldn’t refuse. Please don’t take it to heart.” “If you don’t like it, I promise you, I will never have any unnecessary contact with her again. I just want you to feel secure.” Listening to his riddled, yet self-righteous defense, my heart was as still as stagnant water. I just asked one question. “Liam, what if the person who saved you back then was me, not her?” “Would you ever regret what you’ve done to me?” He froze for a second, then answered impatiently. “How is that possible? It was her who saved me. That’s a fact.” “Baby, I know you’re angry and you don’t like her, but you can’t… you can’t just make up crazy lies about a life-saving debt. That’s absurd.” I didn’t say another word and hung up the phone. But what I never expected was that in the middle of the night, he actually brought Chloe back to our house. When he saw me packing my things, he froze and instinctively stepped in front of Chloe to shield her. But Chloe walked right past him, stopping in front of me with a smug, victorious smile. “Ms. Vance, your uncle and I had a fight. I’m just crashing here for the night. You don’t mind, do you?” I looked at her undisguised, provocative smirk—which was perfectly hidden from Liam’s view—and said coldly: “Get out.” Chloe’s smile instantly vanished. Her eyes immediately turned red, and acting as if she had suffered a monumental injustice, she ran out crying. “Elena Vance!” Liam’s brows immediately furrowed, his tone carrying obvious blame. “Why are you throwing a tantrum again? This is my house too! Chloe saved my life. She’s upset and just wanted to stay the night. What’s the problem?” He stepped forward, his eyes full of disappointment and disapproval. “You know she just had a fight with Arthur and is feeling down. Why did you have to use such harsh words to insult her at a time like this? When did you become so mean?” Seeing my silence, he took a deep breath, as if trying desperately to suppress his anger, and finally dropped a cold ultimatum. “Stay home and reflect on your behavior. The day after tomorrow… I’ll come pick you up for the hospital.” With that, he didn’t hesitate to chase after her. He didn’t even notice the abortion appointment confirmation sitting right next to him. Fine. At this point, I couldn’t be bothered to waste my breath on him! Without a shred of hesitation, the moment he turned to comfort his “savior,” I calmly packed up all my important belongings and completely abandoned this meticulously crafted gilded cage. I chose a highly secluded, top-tier postpartum recovery center to rest. The sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows was perfect. Sebastian sat beside me, elegantly feeding me peeled grapes, a hint of theatrical amusement playing on his handsome features. “Take a look,” He presented the tablet like a grand prize, pulling up a live stream video. “The show is starting.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391157”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The day I nearly died in the delivery room, Carter was out cheating on me. Throughout my entire postpartum recovery, he flew that woman all over the globe, buying out every luxury boutique in sight. When he finally returned, he didn’t forget to hand me a set of divorce papers. “Chloe hates being called a homewrecker, so we have to divorce.” “Sign it. I purposely waited until your postpartum recovery was over to give this to you. Consider it my final act of kindness.” “I don’t want the kid anyway. Keep her as a souvenir. Chloe will give me my own children in the future.” I didn’t say a single word. I just picked up the pen and signed. I was terrified that if I hesitated for even a second, I would delay my reunion with the man I truly loved. Three months later, I received an emergency call from the hospital right in the middle of my wedding. They said a female patient had engaged in such vigorous intercourse that she suffered a ruptured corpus luteum. Furthermore, because this patient had been sleeping with multiple men simultaneously, she had developed severe pelvic complications. The situation was so critical they had to pull me in for emergency surgery. I pushed open the doors to the ER, and what a coincidence— The woman lying on the operating table was none other than my ex-husband’s fiancée. 1 I looked down and carefully read the patient’s name on the chart. Chloe Montgomery. Before my divorce from Carter Sterling, I had heard this name come out of his mouth countless times. He called her his “sweet Chloe,” his voice dripping with so much affection it made you sick. I thought he had found some kind of flawless, perfect true love. Turns out, this was it. I remembered the day I gave birth. Complications arose, and I suffered a massive hemorrhage. The doctors were frantic, paging my family over and over. But Carter’s phone was unreachable. Meanwhile, the tabloids were flooded with paparazzi photos of him and Chloe Montgomery walking into a luxury hotel, wrapped in each other’s arms. With the sheer power of the Sterling family’s wealth, no media outlet would dare publish those photos unless Carter explicitly allowed it. The truth was clear: Carter didn’t want to hide her anymore. He was giving her official status. When I miraculously survived and woke up, Carter finally showed up. A look of impatience flashed across his face. “Sarah, why do you always have to make yourself look so pathetic?” “You were a top student, and you’re a doctor yourself. Did you really have to push yourself to have this baby?” “I don’t even want it. Your idea of using a child to secure your position as Mrs. Sterling is honestly laughable.” “I’ve been very busy lately. I don’t have time to sit here and watch you throw a pity party…” Before he could finish, his phone rang. He answered it right in front of me without the slightest hesitation. “Chloe…” The voice on the other end cut him off playfully. “Carter, babe! Is my birthday surprise ready yet?” “You said you were just going to the hospital to check on the old ball-and-chain. It’s been half an hour! Why aren’t you back?” “I heard she was bleeding everywhere? Isn’t it gross and messy?” “Hurry back, Carter. Don’t get your shoes dirty over there.” Carter chuckled softly. “You’re always looking out for me, Chloe. I’m heading back right now.” “Your birthday gift has been ready for days. I promise it’ll be a surprise that keeps you in bed all night…” Carter talked as he walked out the door, never sparing me another glance. Naturally, it didn’t even cross his mind to go look at our newborn daughter. Fortunately, I wasn’t heartbroken. After confirming my baby was healthy and safe, all I felt was relief. Relief that I could finally talk to Grandpa Sterling about our original agreement. I took the initiative to call him. “Grandpa, the baby is safe and healthy. May I leave now?” Years ago, when the Sterling empire was on the verge of bankruptcy, Grandpa Sterling sought me out. A psychic had told him that my astrological chart was perfectly aligned to bring prosperity to the Sterling family. As long as I bore them a child, their wealth would be secured forever. I was already a medical intern at the time. To a woman of science, it sounded like utter nonsense. But the ultra-rich are often the most superstitious. When I refused the marriage, Grandpa Sterling used his influence to get my younger brother expelled from his university. Then, my parents called me, sobbing. They had just been in a hit-and-run accident and were an inch away from being killed. I was forced to compromise and agree to the marriage. In truth, I already had a boyfriend I’d been dating for ten years. He knew the whole truth, and he had been waiting for me the entire time. Grandpa Sterling sighed heavily over the phone. “I saw the news over the past few days. Since you can’t force a horse to drink, I’ll let you go.” “But your body is weak right now. I’ve hired a professional postpartum care team. Wait until your first month of recovery is over before you leave.” 2 Chloe’s shrieks pulled me back to the present. I took a quick look at her condition. Severe vaginal tearing accompanied by a massive infection. Localized tissue was already showing signs of necrosis. The situation was much trickier than I had anticipated. She was convulsing in pain, yet she was still cursing up a storm. “Useless! You’re all useless! You can’t even handle a tiny little cut? Believe me, I’ll have this hospital shut down by tomorrow!” “Those filthy men are all trash! They get their kicks and run, leaving me here to suffer! Once I get out of here, I’ll skin them alive!” Expressionless, I snapped on my sterile surgical gloves. “Ms. Montgomery, based on the examination, you have severe lacerations and multiple pathogen infections. We need to perform surgical debridement immediately.” Hearing the word “surgery,” she ignored the agonizing pain and continued screaming: “Surgery?! Who gave you permission to cut me open! I’m warning you, if you leave a single scar on my body, I’ll make you pay!” “I have to wear a haute couture wedding dress! I’m marrying into a billionaire family! Can you afford to ruin that?!” She glared at me fiercely. “Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to ruin me? Let me tell you, my fiancé is the wealthiest man in the city! One word from him and you’re all fired!” I cut her off. “It’s too early to worry about that. If we don’t operate immediately and the infection spreads, forget about a wedding—your reproductive system will suffer permanent damage, and it might even cost you your life.” I was merely stating objective medical facts. For a patient like this, sympathy was entirely useless. A nurse beside me handed over the pre-op consent form. Chloe snatched it and tore it to shreds. She roared hysterically, “I’m not signing anything! You quacks are trying to hurt me! I’m filing a complaint! I’ll ruin your careers!” Suddenly, as if recognizing something, her eyes turned venomous as she locked onto me. “Who the hell are you? You think you’re qualified to operate on me? Get your Chief of Surgery here right now! Or I’ll have my fiancé tear this garbage hospital to the ground!” If her condition wasn’t so critical, I would have washed my hands of her. But it’s my duty as a doctor. I couldn’t just turn around and walk away. I had no patience for her nonsense either. “Aside from me, there probably isn’t another surgeon in this hospital capable of handling this procedure. Where is your family? We need a signature.” At the mention of family, Chloe clearly panicked. “Family? I don’t need family. I make my own decisions.” “Hurry up and do the surgery! If you delay my plans, can you bear the consequences?!” I reminded her again, “Hospital policy requires a family member’s signature. Alternatively, where is your fiancé?” I pressed the issue, my tone remaining flat, strictly business. Chloe’s face twisted. “You all better keep your mouths shut. If a single word of this leaks out, I’ll make sure you die without a grave!” I raised an eyebrow and didn’t push further. We see things like this in the hospital all the time. I simply placed a new consent form in front of her. “Think clearly and decide quickly. Time waits for no one. Once your surgery is done, I still have to get back to my wedding…” My words were interrupted by a man’s voice booming from behind me. “Wedding? Who are you marrying?” “We’ve only been divorced for three months and you’re already getting married?!” 3 Carter Sterling blocked the entrance to the operating room, flanked by four men in black suits. His bespoke suit accentuated his tall frame, and his aura was suffocatingly oppressive. “Sarah, did you hear me talking to you?” “What? It’s only been three months, have you forgotten your own ex-husband?” His gaze moved past me, and before I could even answer, his face changed drastically the moment he saw Chloe on the operating table. Chloe was hooked up to an oxygen tube, her face ashen. Carter’s eyes instantly filled with heartbreak. The chill in his voice was directed entirely at me. “Sarah, what did you do to her?!” “She was perfectly fine when she left the house this morning! What have you done to her behind my back?!” Chloe weakly raised a hand toward him. “Carter! She’s trying to kill me!” Her voice was hoarse and broken. “She was digging around inside my stomach with a scalpel! She said, ‘After this cut, you’ll never be able to have kids again!’ I kept begging her, but she hurt me so much I thought I was going to die…” Before she could finish, she started coughing violently, her chest heaving. The medical monitors began blaring sharp alarms. Gasping for air, she used all her strength to scream, “It turns out she’s your ex-wife!” “Carter, she’s just jealous! Jealous that I can give you children, jealous that I’m going to be Mrs. Sterling!” I calmly tossed my blood-stained gauze into the biohazard bin, picked up the medical chart, and waved it slowly in front of Carter’s face. “Mr. Sterling, a ruptured pelvic abscess triggered sepsis. If your fiancée had arrived forty minutes later, she’d be lying in the morgue right now.” Before Carter could take the chart, Chloe snatched it away. “Carter, she’s lying! She’s framing me!” “Because she knows you divorced her for me, she’s using her position to get revenge!” Chloe aggressively ripped the IV needle out of her hand. “Look, Carter! She intentionally missed the vein, and she pinched me all over! Look at all these bruises, even on my neck!” “She even threatened me! She said she was going to leak my medical records to the press, so everyone would know that Carter Sterling married a woman inferior to her!” I turned my head to look at Chloe. Her body was indeed covered in dark purple bruises and hickeys. But those were there the moment she was admitted. Obviously, they were the aftermath of a wild sexual encounter. Carter pulled her into his arms, stepping heavily on the medical chart that had fallen to the floor. “Sarah, years ago you used my grandfather’s life-saving medicine to force me to marry you. That failed, and now you want to destroy Chloe?” He let out a scoff. “Mercy General Hospital? You think you’re worthy of working here?” “It seems I was too merciful when we divorced, allowing you to think you could touch my woman.” “Sarah, I guess you’ve never experienced the consequences of crossing Carter Sterling.” As his words fell, two bodyguards stepped forward swiftly, pinning my arms behind my back. I was forced to bow in front of Carter and Chloe. I looked up at him, my voice dripping with mockery. “Carter, aren’t you curious why she refused to consent to the surgery even if it meant her death?” The bodyguards tightened the leather restraints around my wrists, the straps biting into my flesh, sending sharp pains throughout my body. My body hadn’t fully recovered from the traumatic hemorrhage during childbirth, and I was still nursing. Being forced to bend over exacerbated the dull ache in my abdomen. Cold sweat poured down my face. I enunciated every word clearly. “She has the contact info of seventeen different ‘sugar daddies’ in her phone, and she booked hotel rooms with three different men just last week. Call your private doctor right now and ask him just how severe the consequences of an extremely promiscuous lifestyle can be!” 4 “You’re lying! You’re planting evidence!” Chloe burst into tears, burying her face into Carter’s chest, looking utterly victimized. She sobbed, “Carter, she’s gone too far. She’s using her status as a doctor here to forge documents and slander me.” “You know me, Carter. I’ve always been with you. How could I possibly be with other men, let alone catch some virus?!” “Carter, are you just going to let her bully me like this? You have to get revenge for me…” As she cried, Carter’s face grew darker and darker. “Drag her to the sub-zero biological storage room! Without my orders, no one lets her out!” The bodyguards hauled me toward the service stairwell. I struggled, but their grip only tightened. The pain was so intense that the stairs seemed to blur and sway in front of my eyes. “Carter Sterling! You’ll regret not believing me!” Behind me, Chloe’s crying grew louder. “Carter, make her disappear. I don’t want to see her ever again. If she knows we’re getting married soon, she’ll definitely try to ruin our wedding.” Carter comforted her softly, “Be good, baby, trust me. I won’t let a single thing ruin our wedding.” “You’re going to be the most beautiful bride in the world.” “…” The heavy metal doors of the sub-zero storage room slowly clicked shut. The -15°C (5°F) air hit me like thousands of icy needles piercing my bones. I curled up next to a medical freezer, pounding on the door. “Carter, let me out!” “This is false imprisonment! It’s illegal! Let me out!” My thin surgical scrubs offered absolutely no protection against the bone-chilling cold. My consciousness slowly began to blur from the freezing temperatures. I don’t know how much time passed, but suddenly, Carter’s voice echoed through the intercom. “Do you know what you did wrong? Will you ever dare do it again?” “Sarah, don’t think that just because you gave birth to a child for me, you can touch my people.” “Today, I’m going to teach you exactly what happens when you touch someone who belongs to me.” Carter was standing right outside the heavy glass panel of the storage room, holding Chloe in his arms. She was wrapped securely in his tailored suit jacket. Her face was still pale, but a calculating, malicious glint shone in her eyes. Chloe shrank deeper into Carter’s embrace. “Carter, it’s so cold in there. Won’t she freeze to death?” I had seen her bloodwork. Her condition was incredibly severe. Instead of worrying about me, she should be worrying about herself and how long she had left to live. “But she’s so evil, making me suffer so much. She deserves to freeze a little,” Chloe said, looking up at Carter with feigned terror. “I’m just so scared she’ll take revenge on me when she gets out. The way she looked at me in the OR… it was terrifying, like she wanted to eat me alive.” Carter held her tighter, glancing at me through the glass, his voice cold and hard. “With me here, she can’t touch you.” Chloe’s eyes reddened again. “But I’m afraid she holds a grudge and will spread rumors everywhere that I’m promiscuous.” “The things she said earlier were completely made up. She’s just jealous and trying to frame me…” “If this affects your reputation and the Sterling Group, that would be terrible.” “Carter, you absolutely cannot believe her lies. My heart only belongs to you. She’s just trying to drive a wedge between us so she can crawl back to you.” My teeth chattered violently, my whole body ached, and my brain was sluggish from the cold. “Chloe… do you dare unlock your phone and show Carter… do you dare let him check your hotel records from last week…” “Shut up!” Chloe’s voice hit a shrill pitch. “Look, Carter! She’s still spouting nonsense! I didn’t! She’s framing me!” She purposely pressed harder into his chest, “accidentally” aggravating the bruises on her wrists, and let out a pained cry. “Ah… it hurts… Carter, I don’t want to hear her voice anymore!” The darkness in Carter’s eyes deepened. He gave an order to the bodyguards: “Turn the temperature down to the absolute lowest. Let’s see if she dares to speak another word of nonsense.” The bodyguard at the panel immediately complied. The blast of cold air intensified instantly. White frost began forming on the metal walls. I tasted copper in my throat. My fingernails scraped against the inside of the freezer, making a screeching sound. As my vision began to fade to black. I heard Carter’s final warning. “Sarah, whenever you learn to be obedient, I’ll let you out.” “Otherwise, you can stay in there forever.” My consciousness was slipping away. My body was so frozen I couldn’t move an inch. With the absolute last sliver of my strength, I whispered, “Carter… let me out…” But he just turned around, carrying Chloe away. Right as they were about to leave the corridor, the double doors burst open. The Head Nurse sprinted in, clutching a stack of lab results, her voice panicked and shrill: “Chloe Montgomery’s HIV test came back positive! Every instrument in that OR must be incinerated immediately!” She slammed the lab results onto a nearby counter and yelled at the bodyguards: “All of you who came into contact with her blood just now! Get to the clinic for PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) treatment immediately! If you wait, it’ll be too late!” Carter’s hand froze in mid-air. The blood instantly drained from his face, leaving him ghostly white. “What did you say?! How is that possible?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391156”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I’d been transmigrated into a trashy CEO novel as a doctor, and the female lead had just been diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. The CEO domineeringly grabbed her wrist. “I’m keeping this child.” Then he ordered me, “Move the baby from outside the uterus to inside.” Me: “…” 1. I’d been stuck in this brain-dead CEO novel for a month, but a request like that still gave me the absurd feeling of being dive-bombed by a ninety-year-old grandma in a fighter jet. The male lead, Leo Howell, was the king of all scumbags. He was stringing along three different women at once, and in the name of fairness and equality, he’d put all three of them through hell. If I’d heard him say that a month ago, I would’ve personally escorted him to the psychiatric ward for a brain scan. But I was a mature woman now. I understood that the world of a CEO novel didn’t need logic. Was it reasonable for a multi-billionaire business elite to not know what an ectopic pregnancy was? In this world, it existed, and it was reasonable. I pushed up my glasses and said nothing. My colleague, a nameless side character, couldn’t help but try to explain to him why an ectopic pregnancy was a serious medical issue. The CEO, Leo, roared in response, “Useless!” The female lead, Elara Warren, leaned weakly against his chest. “We were never meant to have a child…” Leo’s cold gaze landed on me. His tone left no room for argument. “Dr. Chen, you can do it, can’t you?” I gave him a firm “OK” sign. Elara smiled. My colleague turned to stone. … After all, in three days, Elara would run away heartbroken after learning that Leo was entering into a business alliance marriage, and she would have the surgery for the ectopic pregnancy alone. All I had to do was put on a show for three days. Never mind moving the baby from outside the uterus to inside. I’d tell him I could move it into his brain if he wanted. I’d figured it all out on my first day here. If I wanted to change my fate as a disposable side character, Leo Howell was the best ATM I could ask for. I needed to make money. A crazy amount of money! As expected, Leo was very pleased with my confidence. He immediately hired me as his private physician. Two days later, at one in the morning, I was sound asleep when my phone rang. “Dr. Chen! Elara is in pain! I want to see you at the villa in ten minutes!” 2. Perfect. The classic CEO novel doctor experience. Always on call in the middle of the night to treat the female lead. I slowly got dressed, my voice feigning panic. “Oh my god, how could this be? Oh, poor Miss Warren, may the heavens protect her. I’m on my way, just around the corner, wait for me!” When I arrived at the villa with my medical bag, Elara was wiping her nose, her cheeks rosy, looking perfectly fine. Leo was pacing anxiously, his face dark. “Don’t you worry, I will cure you. Don’t you even think about leaving me again!” I rolled my eyes when he wasn’t looking. Dude, it’s a common cold. A bit dramatic, don’t you think? I took a box of cold medicine from my bag. “It’s nothing serious, just take this twice a day…” Leo immediately cut me off. “My woman does not take such cheap medicine. You haven’t even run any tests. Are you looking down on me?” I was silent for a moment, then my expression changed completely. “This illness… it’s very serious.” Leo: “Just tell me what to do.” I gave him a list. “First, you need to take Miss Warren for a full cardiopulmonary examination, a complete surgical check-up, a routine gynecological exam, a white blood cell count, a liquid-based cytology test, an ENT exam, an EKG, a complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride tests, a fasting blood glucose test, and a quantitative alpha-fetoprotein test.” I took a deep breath after rattling that all off and continued, “And while you’re at it, get her eyes checked too.” After all, for her to have missed what a massive idiot you are, it’s hard not to question her vision. Leo frowned and turned to the butler beside him. “Did you get all that?” The butler nodded. “All noted.” Only then did I realize there was a butler standing in the room, his presence almost nonexistent. He didn’t look very old, and his face was stern. Wait… Was that a twitch at the corner of his mouth? Was he trying not to laugh? When I looked again, he was perfectly composed. Leo looked at me, his eyes filled with admiration. “Dr. Chen, you truly are someone I can trust. You’re very professional.” I smiled and nodded. “Yes, I am.” I’m a professional idiot-spotter. It’s a crime the hospital doesn’t give me a commission. After giving my instructions, I pointed to the air conditioner. “And if you could turn off the AC that’s set to fifteen degrees Celsius, Miss Warren would probably feel better a lot faster.” Pfft. I definitely heard it that time. The butler was laughing. 3. The next morning, Leo took Elara for her tests. According to the plot, she would overhear some gossip at the hospital—that Leo was about to marry the daughter of the Howell Group. Elara would be heartbroken and sneak out of the hospital, running away. Leo, furious and anxious, would vow to turn the entire city upside down to find her. While the main characters were playing their game of cat and mouse, I was busy hauling a truckload of fake antique vases and porcelain into the villa. “Dr. Chen, what are you doing?” The villa’s maid stopped me. I froze, trying to come up with a lie, when a clear voice cut in. It was the butler. “Dr. Chen is very health-conscious,” he explained calmly. “We don’t have any dumbbells here, so she’s using the vases for exercise.” Me: “…” The maid quickly apologized. “My apologies, that was my oversight. I’ll have someone prepare a set for Dr. Chen immediately.” After she left, the butler looked me up and down. “I know you’re a transmigrator too. You’re trying to swap out the antiques and sell them? Don’t be stupid. Leo’s an idiot, but people come to this villa all the time. Anyone with a bit of knowledge will spot the fakes immediately.” I gave him a mysterious smile and continued moving my fake antiques. Then I carefully replaced all the real ones. Two hours later, Leo stormed back into the villa. He was a mess of anger and laughter, pacing the living room in a powerless rage. “That damn woman! She ran away! She ran away again!” I stood by, offering my sincere advice. “Mr. Howell, please calm down. Don’t worry about Miss Warren. Maybe she’s already left the city and found her freedom.” My words only fueled his anger. He kicked the sofa violently. “She’s carrying my child! Where could she possibly go? I will find her!” I gasped. “Mr. Howell, be careful! Don’t hit that vase! Miss Warren loves those vases. It would be such a shame if one broke.” Hearing this, Leo grabbed the nearest vase and smashed it on the floor. It shattered with a crisp, satisfying sound. His eyes were wild as he started to laugh. “How dare she! How dare she leave me!” With every word, he grabbed another vase and smashed it. Within half an hour, the living room was a wreck. As he stomped upstairs, he yelled, “I don’t want to see anything in here that reminds me of that woman! Julian, clean up this mess!” I stood by the door, digging my nails into my palms to keep from laughing. I’m rich! I’m rich! The butler, Julian, glanced at the pile of fake shards on the floor and slowly uttered one word: “Impressive.” 4. Leo had smashed all the fakes himself, leaving no evidence. The genuine articles were all mine. Time to ship them out and sell them. With a racing heart and trembling hands, I grabbed my car keys, ready to leave. But I ran right into Leo on his way downstairs. His clear, yet utterly stupid, eyes looked me over. “Leaving, Dr. Chen?” Duh. The female lead is gone. You expect me to stick around and be your nurse? So I nodded. Leo: “Good. Go home and pack your things. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be living here.” Me: “?” Leo’s eyes burned with a furious fire. “I’ll find her within a week, at most. That damn woman never takes care of herself. I need you on standby at all times.” What could I say? Whatever makes you happy. I put on a somber expression. “I hope Miss Warren is safe and sound.” As I turned to leave, he called out again. “Dr. Chen, why are your hands shaking?” Crap. I couldn’t control my excitement at the thought of my newfound wealth. But Leo had already come up with his own explanation. “You must be exhausted from the last couple of days. Julian, drive Dr. Chen home.” Julian and I exchanged a look, both of us with our own ulterior motives. In the car, Julian’s eyes scanned the row of antiques in the backseat. His icy demeanor melted away, and he grabbed my hand excitedly. “Sis! You’re my one and only sis!” I was flabbergasted. “You change your tune fast.” Julian’s face fell. “I’m an actor! I transmigrate into a book and end up as a butler whose only line is ‘It’s been so long since the young master has been this happy.’ Ugh, I’ve had enough of that moron! When you get rich, don’t forget about me!” I had to admit, Julian’s role as the butler was incredibly convenient for my get-rich-quick scheme. So we put our heads together and planned to mark all the valuable items in the villa over the next few days, looking for opportunities to snag them. But I never expected that instead of an opportunity, we’d get the second female lead. Leo’s fiancée, the heiress of the Thorne Group, Lucy Thorne. Leo was out hunting for his runaway lover, so Julian and I had sent the other staff away and were running around the villa like two weasels in a melon patch, searching for treasure. Lucy strode in, decked out in designer heels, a Chanel suit, and a Hermès bag. She walked through the front door with an air of righteous fury. I was crouched by a table, examining the jewels on its legs to see if they were real. Without a word, Miss Thorne marched over and slapped me across the face. 5. The slap echoed through the room, and I fell to the floor. Lucy scoffed. “I heard Leo Howell was hiding his first love here. That must be you. Did you know he has a fiancée? Have you no shame?” So much drama. So much unnecessary drama. If you want to fight, go find his first love! Why are you hitting me? Julian rushed to stand in front of me. “Miss Thorne, how could you just hit someone without a word?” You bastard. Did I say anything? What do you mean “without a word”? I lay on the floor, playing dead. Seeing me “unconscious,” Julian panicked. “Oh my god, she’s dead!” He started pacing around me like a frantic monkey. Lucy frowned at him. “Butler Julian, the last time I saw you, you were much more composed.” Julian paused for a second, then his icy mask was back in place. “This is the young master’s private physician. You have just knocked her unconscious, and her life is in danger. I, a mere bystander, am concerned. As the perpetrator, do you not feel the slightest bit of guilt, Miss Thorne?” This kid was good. I squinted my eyes and saw a flash of panic on Lucy’s face. The guilt trip was working. I secretly tugged on Julian’s sleeve and whispered, “Call an ambulance. At the hospital, tell them I hit my head. Get me a full body scan. I can save on my annual check-up fee.” Then I went back to playing dead. Julian muttered, “You’re a real cheapskate.” He knew me well. At the hospital, he ordered the most expensive check-up package, and Lucy paid for it all. Nice. After the tests, I took a nap in a VIP room. When I figured enough time had passed, I slowly “woke up.” Lucy looked apologetic. “I’m so sorry. It was a case of mistaken identity.” Then she frowned, as if confused. “But it’s so strange. I’ve had an excellent upbringing, I’m well-educated and worldly. Logically, even if I knew Leo was still involved with his first love, I would have handled it in a more dignified way. Why would I be so impulsive as to hit someone?” I really wanted to shout in her ear, “Because you’re trapped by the plot!” You’re the female antagonist, so you have to be tortured by the male lead and lose all reason for his sake. Ugh, this novel was disgusting. 6. Lucy said that despite her exceptional abilities, her family had never allowed her to get involved in the business. They told her her only value was in a strategic marriage. She knew it was wrong, but she’d always forget by the next day. I slowly realized that Lucy was starting to develop a sense of self-awareness. So I tested the waters. “Miss Thorne, the reason you find it strange is because you’re a character in a CEO novel. Do you want to change your character’s path? I can help you.” Lucy froze, then tossed her curly hair back and laughed. “That’s an interesting thing to say. Even if I were a character in a novel, I’ve had a perfect life, and my fiancé is one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. Why would I want to change such a wonderful fate? Give me one good reason.” I was silent for a moment, then I delivered the cruel blow. “You’re the shrewish, evil second female lead.” … The world went silent. I could almost hear the sound of her reality shattering. Lucy’s face went white with rage. “That piece of trash, Leo Howell! What a joke! I’m rich, I’m beautiful, I have men lining up from here to France, and he makes me the evil second female lead?” She pointed a finger at me, her voice filled with newfound determination. “Fine. You’ve convinced me.” … Getting through to her was much easier than I expected. Lucy and I hit it off immediately. I asked her, “Your family and Leo Howell are both trying to acquire a software company called WindSignal, right?” Lucy nodded. “But my uncles and cousins all say we should let the Howells have it…” I said, “Let them have it, my ass! Listen to me, you have to get that company. A game they’re currently developing is going to blow up in a year.” My words fired Lucy up, but we quickly realized there was a major problem. Lucy had no say in her family’s business, and her personal savings weren’t enough to acquire the company on her own. I calculated the value of the antiques, and even with that, we were still about twenty million short. Lucy and I slowly turned to look at Julian, who was standing in the corner. Julian looked like he was about to cry. “You finally remembered I exist.” I walked over and patted his shoulder. “Get over it. That’s your character. The butler with a nonexistent presence.” Julian looked at my shifty expression and clutched his chest. “You could sell me and you still wouldn’t get twenty million.” Me: “…” I threw an arm around his neck. “Let’s go. The golden goose should be home by now. Back to the villa to pluck some more feathers!” 7. Julian and I snuck back to the villa. The moment we walked through the door, we saw the golden goose, I mean, Leo, smashing things again. He had the classic CEO red-rimmed eyes as he sulked on the sofa. He frowned when he saw us. “Why were you two out together?” I lied without batting an eye. “My colleague called and said she saw someone who looked just like Miss Warren. Butler Julian and I went to check it out, but it was a false alarm. Sigh.” I sighed again. “Miss Warren is so small and helpless. Where could she have gone? She doesn’t have any other friends. Sigh…” The more I sighed, the more remorseful Leo became. He clutched his head and muttered, “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have let her find out about the engagement. Elara must hate me.” Pah! You scumbag! Even now, your first thought is to hide it from her, not to call off the engagement. I’m not leaving until you’re bald! I gritted my teeth and casually mentioned, “If we offered a reward for information about Miss Warren, we could probably find her pretty quickly. It’s just a shame…” I sighed again, shook my head, and started walking toward my room. I counted down in my head. Three, two, one… Leo: “Wait.” Hehe, the sheep has taken the bait. Leo thought for a moment. “Why did you say it’s a shame?” I feigned ignorance. “Because a reward would cost a lot of money, right? Is it worth spending so much just to find someone?” Then I covered my mouth with my hands, my eyes wide with mock disbelief. “OMG, I forgot! Miss Warren is the love of your life! You’d spend any amount of money to find her, right?” Leo’s eyes were firm. “Of course!” He sat on the sofa, thinking for a moment, then gestured to Julian. “Julian, you handle this. Notify the major news outlets, put it on the giant screens in every city, get the word out about this reward. We’ll pay for any information about Elara, based on how useful it is.” Julian asked, “What’s the total budget?” Leo was the epitome of a CEO. “Whatever it takes.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391155”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

“Ms. Harding, this is your seventh ticket.” Building manager Finn, a young man, handed over the pink slip, avoiding my gaze. Forty dollars. With the previous six, I’d been fined $280 this month for “obstructing the hallway.” I glanced at the AED in the corner and smiled wryly. I’d bought it three months ago for $2,500, placing it on the 17th‑floor landing because Mr. Davies across the hall has a heart condition. “Ms. Harding, I can’t help it,” Finn whispered. “Ms. Peterson reported it again. She even went to the city council…” Ms. Peterson—Laura from 1702. Ever since she learned reports earned reward points for groceries, the building’s been in chaos. I sighed. “Fine, I’ll move it.” Finn looked surprised. “Huh?” I’d already opened an app, finger over “Terminate Service.” After three seconds, I pressed it. [Everest Elevators – Vista Towers, Building 1 – Annual Maintenance Contract Terminated] I’m Chloe Harding, 32, lived here fifteen years, always the “good Samaritan.” 1 It all started two months ago. I came home from work that day, stepped out of the elevator, and saw Laura Peterson standing by my door, snapping photos with her phone. “Ms. Peterson, what are you…” “Chloe Harding, you have far too much stuff piled up in the hallway,” she said, not looking up. “Fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, and this big metal box. You know that’s public space, right?” I followed her gaze. That “big metal box” was the AED I’d just installed last month. An automated external defibrillator, something that could save a life in an emergency. Mr. Davies was 68 this year, and his heart wasn’t good. Once, he’d had an episode in the hallway, and if I hadn’t happened to pass by, the consequences would have been unthinkable. After that, I bought this machine and even got certified in CPR and first aid. “Ms. Peterson, this is a defibrillator, for Mr. Davies across the hall…” “I don’t care what kind of instrument it is,” she cut me off. “Rules are rules. You can’t put things in the hallway.” “It’s life-saving equipment.” “Then put it inside your own apartment! What’s the point of putting it in the hallway? To show off how rich you are?” I was stunned. Show off how rich I was? This thing cost $2,500. I specifically found an inconspicuous corner to place it, afraid neighbors would think I was flaunting my wealth. “Ms. Peterson, if it’s in my apartment, there won’t be enough time to get it out if something happens.” “That’s your problem.” She shoved her phone in front of my face. It was the reporting interface, the photo already uploaded. “I’ve already submitted it. If the building management doesn’t handle it within 72 hours, the city council will send someone.” With that, she turned and walked away. I stood there, clutching my keys, motionless for a long time. The door across the hall opened a crack, and Mr. Davies poked his head out. “Chloe, I heard everything,” he sighed. “Maybe you should move the machine. Don’t cause trouble for my sake.” “Don’t worry, Mr. Davies. The machine stays.” He hesitated, then added, “Don’t mind Laura Peterson. That’s just how she is.” “I know.” I actually knew more than just that. I knew more than anyone else in the entire building. 2 The next day, building management showed up. It was Old Man Miller, who had been with the building for almost ten years. “Ms. Harding, about this…” He looked at the AED with a troubled expression. “According to the rules, you really can’t put things in the hallway.” “Old Man Miller, this is a defibrillator. It saves lives in critical moments.” “I know, but someone reported it, and I can’t just ignore it.” “So, what do you suggest?” Old Man Miller scratched his head. “How about you move it inside for now? Just until things calm down…” “Old Man Miller.” I cut him off, my voice calm. “Who pays to replace the fire extinguishers in this building every year?” His expression stiffened. “Who bought the motion-sensor lights for the hallways?” “…” “Who installed the public water dispenser?” Old Man Miller lowered his head, saying nothing. Only the building management knew about these things. For fifteen years, I had never mentioned them to any neighbor. “Ms. Harding, I know you do a lot, but…” “Alright, I won’t make it difficult for you.” I unmounted the AED from the wall and carried it into my apartment. Old Man Miller looked relieved. “Thank you for understanding, Ms. Harding.” I closed the door without answering. I opened my phone and found the building’s group chat. Sure enough, Laura Peterson was posting her “battle report”: [Report successful! The illegal clutter on the 17th floor has been removed. Everyone should report violations promptly to maintain public order. [Rose emoji]] Below, a flurry of likes. And messages: [Ms. Peterson is amazing!] [Who is that on the 17th floor? How can they be so shameless, taking up public space?] [Exactly, some people just have no self-awareness.] I watched silently, scrolling through them one by one. Seventy-two households, and not a single person remembered that AED cost me $2,500. Not a single person remembered— This elevator hadn’t had a single breakdown in fifteen years. 3 Laura Peterson’s reports didn’t stop. The third day, the first-aid kit was reported. My first-aid kit, placed on the 15th-floor landing, contained bandages, antiseptic, band-aids, and the heart medication I’d specifically added. Fine: $40. The fifth day, the public water dispenser was reported. I’d installed that water dispenser eight years ago, replaced the filters twice a year, and paid the electricity bill. When building management came to me, they had a “Notice of Rectification for Illegal Occupation of Public Space.” “Ms. Harding, Ms. Peterson says she doesn’t know who installed this water dispenser, and if it leaks electricity, it’s a safety hazard.” “I installed it.” “Even so, it’s not allowed. It wasn’t reported, didn’t follow procedure…” Fine: $40. The seventh day, the shared umbrellas I’d placed for children in the hallway were reported. It was a plastic bucket with about ten umbrellas, which I replenished annually. Kids who forgot their umbrellas on rainy days could borrow them and return them after use. Laura Peterson called it “random clutter, affecting the building’s appearance.” Fine: $40. The tenth day, the fire extinguishers were reported. Eighteen floors, two fire extinguishers per floor, all replaced at my own expense every year. The building management’s fire extinguishers had expired three years ago. I couldn’t bear to see them, so I paid out of my own pocket to replace them. Laura Peterson said: “The fire extinguishers are too old and faded, affecting the hallway aesthetics.” Fine: $40. I stood in the building management office, five pink tickets spread out before me. “Ms. Harding,” Old Man Miller sighed, “I really… Ms. Peterson, you know how she is…” I knew. I knew all too well. Laura Peterson, 52, retired, her husband a section chief at the city’s consumer protection agency. She moved into this building three years ago, and in her first month, she reported the barbecue stall downstairs, the hardware store on the ground floor, and the pigeon coop on the top floor. She exchanged reports for points, earning over four hundred cartons of groceries in a year. “Old Man Miller, I’ll pay those fines.” I slapped $200 in cash on the table. He opened his mouth. “Ms. Harding…” “But I have a condition.” “Tell me.” “From today on, I’m taking everything I bought for this building.” Old Man Miller froze. “Huh?” “The fire extinguishers, the first-aid kits, the water dispenser, the motion-sensor lights, the shared umbrellas, and that defibrillator.” “Ms. Harding, these… these are public facilities…” “No,” I corrected him. “They are my private property. Your building management has never paid a cent for any of these things.” I slapped a stack of invoice photocopies on the table. “Fifteen years of invoices are all here. Take a look yourself.” Old Man Miller flipped open the first page, his hand starting to tremble. 2009 – 36 fire extinguishers, $576. 2010 – 18 hallway motion-sensor lights, $720. 2012 – 1 public water dispenser, $240, annual filter fee $96. … 2024 – 1 AED defibrillator, $2,500. Page after page, densely packed. Old Man Miller’s face turned pale. “Ms. Harding, this… in these fifteen years, you’ve spent a total of…” “One hundred seventy-four thousand eight hundred sixty-four dollars.” I stated the number, my tone flat. As if talking about the weather. “Don’t thank me, I was willing. But now someone finds these things an eyesore, so I’m taking them back.” Old Man Miller stood up, his lips trembling. “Ms. Harding, please don’t be impulsive. These things… everyone uses them…” “So?” “So… just don’t bother with it. Ms. Peterson is…” “Old Man Miller,” I cut him off. “Am I being difficult? Did I report her clothes drying in the public area? Did I report the shoe rack she put in the hallway? Did I report her taking up a public parking spot?” He fell silent. “I didn’t. I just did what I wanted to do and spent the money I was willing to spend.” I stood up, gathering the invoice photocopies. “But she doesn’t appreciate it and still wants to fine me. Fine, then I won’t do it anymore.” I walked out, stopping at the door. “Oh, one more thing.” “What is it?” “Our company maintains the elevators in this building.” Old Man Miller’s expression was as if he’d seen a ghost.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391153”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel