I slipped in the bathroom and cried out for my boyfriend to help me. Instead of rushing in, he accused me of trying to seduce him with a “wet t-shirt routine.” “It doesn’t matter what cheap tricks you use, Sarah, it won’t work on me!” he yelled through the door. “I won’t touch you until Chloe graduates!” He was too busy helping his dead ex-girlfriend’s sister write her thesis. He ignored my screams of pain and slammed the front door, leaving me on the cold tiles. The pain was so intense I nearly passed out. I used every ounce of strength to call 911. Later, the doctor told me I had a severe fracture and needed surgery. I called him a dozen times. No answer. I opened Instagram and saw Chloe had posted a new story. [Help! How do you seduce a hot college professor?] The photo showed my boyfriend, Julian, leaning over her, his hand guiding hers as they worked on her laptop. His expression was patient, tender—a look I hadn’t seen in years. After I was discharged, I called my parents. “That arranged marriage with the Vanderbilts? I’ll do it. The sooner, the better.” 1 My mom was shocked but thrilled. She never liked Julian, but she knew how deeply I loved him. She knew I wouldn’t walk away unless I had been shattered completely. My dad, a professor at Columbia, sighed. “If you’re going to cut ties, make it clean. Don’t drag it out.” I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and nodded. Just last week, while I was lying in a hospital bed, Chloe posted a photo on her story. [Spontaneous trip! Fully sponsored by Professor Julian.] The photo showed two suitcases—one black, one pink—pressed together intimately. I recognized the black one immediately. It was the limited-edition Rimowa I bought Julian for his birthday. I called him, demanding an explanation. Julian sounded annoyed. “Chloe’s thesis is on sustainable architecture in the Pacific Northwest. I’m just taking her on a field trip to see the sites. As her advisor, it’s my duty.” Then, I heard Chloe’s voice in the background. “Professor Julian, can you grab me a towel?” Julian responded calmly, “Coming.” Before hanging up, he threw me a bone—or perhaps, an excuse to ease his own conscience. “Sarah, if it weren’t for you, Chloe’s sister would still be alive. I’m doing this to help you atone for your sins.” It felt like a knife twisting in my chest. Three years later, and he still blamed me for his first love’s death. Why did he stay with me then? Just to torture me? I tried to text him back, to scream at him, but the messages failed to send. Message Not Delivered. I stared at the red exclamation mark, my vision blurring. Julian blocked me. He blocked his girlfriend so I wouldn’t disturb his “field trip” with another woman. I called his best friend, begging him to get Julian on the phone. The message relayed back to me was cold: “Tell Sarah to stop being dramatic. Chloe’s thesis is crucial for her grad school application. When we get back, I’ll propose to Sarah like I promised.” He was wrong. No one waits in the same place forever. 2 I thought the man my parents set me up with would be skeptical of my sudden agreement. Instead, he seemed afraid I would change my mind. He suggested next week for the wedding. My parents asked me nervously if that was too soon. I agreed without hesitation. After dinner with my parents, I went back to the apartment I had shared with Julian for three years. I turned the key, and suddenly, a figure jumped out at me. “Master, your bunny is ready for orders!” The girl froze when she saw it was me. Chloe was wearing a playboy bunny outfit—fishnets, ears, and a corset that barely covered anything. She was only eight years younger than me, but her vibrant youth felt like a mockery of my exhaustion. “Oops… Julian insisted I wear this,” she said, backing away with wide, innocent eyes. “If you don’t like it, I’ll leave.” She took a step back and pretended to trip over a box. Instantly, a figure rushed from the hallway and caught her. Julian. After checking if Chloe was hurt, he turned his rage on me. “Sarah! Can’t you be the bigger person? She’s just a kid! How can you be so mean?” I looked at them coldly. “A kid? She’s twenty-three, Julian. What kind of ‘kid’ wears that in someone else’s home?” Slap. Julian struck me across the face. “Stop it! Not everyone grew up with a silver spoon like you, Sarah!” 3 Chloe started crying on cue. “I’m sorry… I know I have no manners… My parents died when I was a baby… the only person who taught me anything was my sister… and she’s gone…” She buried her face in Julian’s chest, shaking with sobs. But over his shoulder, her eyes gleamed with malice. “It’s not your fault, Chloe,” Julian cooed, wiping her tears. His hand paused mid-air as he finally seemed to notice her outfit. “Why are you wearing this?” His Adam’s apple bobbed. The desire in his eyes was unmistakable. Chloe saw it and blushed. “I have a cosplay event tomorrow. This is just a costume. If you don’t like it, Professor, I’ll take it off right now!” She reached for the zipper. Julian stopped her hands, his grip lingering. They stood there, holding hands, forgetting I existed. “If it’s for a performance, then it’s fine,” Julian said, glaring at me. “Only people with dirty minds see dirt everywhere.” I laughed. A dry, bitter sound. Watching Chloe’s clumsy manipulation, I felt like a fool for the last three years. Since his first love, Clara, died, I had been his girlfriend in name only. He never touched me. I thought time would heal him. I thought if I waited, he would eventually love me. But reality slapped me in the face. Clara left, and Chloe arrived. I was just a placeholder. I bought lingerie to please him. He pushed me away with disgust. I learned ballroom dancing because he liked elegance. He called me desperate. But Chloe? She just had to look 50% like her dead sister and wear a cheap costume to make this “stoic” man lose his mind. It wasn’t that I wasn’t good enough. I just wasn’t her. 4 “I should go back to the dorm,” Chloe said, pushing Julian away gently. She started packing her bag. A stack of photos slid out. They were photos of them in Hanfu costumes, taken in an old town in China during their trip. They looked like a couple from a period drama. Julian had a locked drawer in his study. Inside was an album of him and Clara in the exact same costumes, in the exact same location. He was recreating his memories with the dead sister using the living one. Julian snatched the photos up, treasuring them. “It’s late. The dorms are closed. Sleep here tonight.” Chloe looked at me nervously. “Why look at her? This is my house. I decide who stays.” I looked at him calmly. “Yes. It’s your house.” I walked past them to the master bedroom. Julian grabbed my arm. “You take the guest room. Chloe likes the morning sun, so she gets the master.” Just for a little sunlight? “Okay.” Julian seemed surprised by my lack of fight. His expression softened slightly. He noticed the red mark on my face. “Wait. I’ll get some ice for that.” “No need.” Compared to the hole in my heart, a slap was nothing. I went into the guest room and locked the door. I packed my essentials into a suitcase. Everything else—the clothes, the memories—I left behind. Julian tried to open the door later, but found it locked. “Sarah? Are you mad?” He sounded cautious. Usually, I would be screaming or crying by now. My silence unsettled him. 5 “No,” I said through the door. “Why would I be? She’s your student, not your mistress.” Silence. Then a sigh of relief. “Sarah, just bear with it for a bit. I’ll make it up to you later.” Make it up to me? I chuckled. Too late, Julian. “Professor Julian!” Chloe screamed from the bathroom. Julian rushed over. “Chloe? Did you slip? Are you okay?” No answer. Through the frosted glass, I saw Julian hesitate, then open the door. A shadow threw itself onto him. “Professor… can’t you just pretend I’m my sister?” “Chloe, stop…” He tried to push her away, but his resistance was weak. “Why? Am I not as pretty as her? Or Sarah?” “Shh… we’ll talk tomorrow.” I watched their silhouettes merge on the glass. My elbow throbbed. The fracture from my fall in that same bathroom still ached. When I fell, he left me there. When she called, he ran to her. History repeats itself, but the ending depends on who you are. I laughed at myself and put in my noise-canceling headphones. 6 The next morning, the apartment was empty. On the table were cold dumplings and a note. [Taking Chloe to campus. Wait for me.] I threw the food in the trash. I took off the bracelet he gave me two years ago—a regifted PR sample from a brand—and threw that in the trash too. I used to treasure it. Now, it was just junk. I dragged my suitcase out the door. When I got home, my mom was beaming. “We just finalized the venue with the Vanderbilt family.” I looked at my childhood home and felt my nose sting. “Is it done?” “Yes. This afternoon we’re going dress shopping. Oh, my baby girl is finally getting married.” Mom’s eyes teared up. I was an only child, spoiled and loved. Until I met Julian, I had never known hardship. I wiped her tears. “Don’t cry, Mom. I’m not leaving today.” The bridal shop was nearby. Mom went to buy invitations, so I walked in alone. Inside, I saw a familiar scene. Chloe, in a white wedding gown, leaning on Julian’s shoulder. The staff were gushing about what a beautiful couple they made. Julian saw me in the mirror. He panicked. “Sarah! Why are you here? Don’t misunderstand. We’re just taking photos to… fulfill a regret.” I didn’t blink. I walked past them. Chloe smirked. “Yeah, Mrs. Julian. The Professor just wants to experience what he missed with my sister. I’m just a stand-in. You don’t mind, do you?” The staff looked awkward. “Of course not,” I said. “Carry on.” I started browsing the racks. Julian froze. He stared at my back, suddenly anxious. “Sarah, why are you really here?”

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Three years into my husband’s affair, the System finally returned online. It told me I could go home. For the final ten days, I stopped fighting. I stopped screaming. I let him stay out all night with his sugar baby. I let him regift the things I cherished to her. On the day of my departure—my birthday—he stormed in with his mistress. He smashed my cake, pinned me against the window, and demanded to know why I tried to hurt their unborn child. “When did you become so vicious, Elara?” I laughed, too tired to explain. “You’re right. I am vicious.” “So, you two deserve each other.” Then, right before his eyes, I leaned back and fell nineteen stories down. Ending everything I had in this world. 1 When the System finally broke its silence to tell me I could leave, I had just finished another screaming match with Damian. He had just come back from “comforting” his mistress, Bella. The scent of her perfume was still clinging to his jacket. Seeing me lying on the bed, he climbed in and hugged me from behind. His lips were warm, trailing kisses down my neck. I sat up abruptly and slapped him across the face. “Damian, if you don’t feel dirty, I do.” He froze, touching his cheek with a self-deprecating smirk. Then, he grabbed me. He dragged me to the vanity mirror, gripping my jaw, his eyes cold. “You think I’m dirty? Look at yourself, Elara. Do you see even a shadow of the woman you used to be?” I looked at myself in the glass. My hair was a mess, my silk strap slipping off a bony shoulder. I looked like a madwoman. The eyes that used to sparkle were dull. Fine lines had crept onto my face, stealing my youth. In that moment, Bella’s face flashed in my mind—young, collagen-filled, burning with ambition and desire, looking at me with pure provocation. “So, that’s your excuse for cheating?” I whispered, leaning against the wall, tears welling up. He stepped closer, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. “I’ve told you a thousand times, I’m just having fun. When I get bored, I’ll come back. Elara, I’ve always loved you.” Disgusting. I screamed, grabbing a heavy perfume bottle and smashing it into the mirror. “Get out! Get the hell out!” After he left, I stood barefoot on the cold marble floor, looking out the window at the giant LED billboard across the street. It was playing Bella’s modeling commercial—paid for by Damian. I laughed. Scenes like this had played out a hundred times this year. From heartbreak to numbness. I didn’t belong to this world. Eight years ago, I entered this world on a mission: Save the tragic, broken antagonist, Damian Sterling. Back then, his father had embezzled funds and run off with a mistress, leaving Damian with a bankrupt company, a mother who had taken her own life, and millions in debt. His eyes were dead. I was the one who walked toward him on a sunny morning. I lived in a damp basement apartment in Queens with him. We ate instant noodles and worked three jobs until every cent was paid back. He once asked me, “Why are you so good to me?” I smiled and held his hand. “Maybe it’s a sign from God.” He lowered his head. “Then you are the best gift God has ever given me.” The day the mission was completed, he seemed to sense I might leave. He held me all night, eyes red. I softened. “Damian, I’m not going home.” The System vanished. For five years, it was silent. And in those five years, Damian built an empire. And three years into our marriage, he strayed. He found a twenty-something model named Bella. 2 I still remember the day I found out. He came home drunk, leaned his head on my shoulder, and mumbled, “Ella, how did you get shorter?” I thought it was a joke. I’ve always been 5’5″. People don’t shrink in their twenties. Later, I checked his phone. Bella was 5’9″. Tall, leggy, sexy. And when he called out “Ella,” I realized he wasn’t saying my name, Elara. He was saying Bella. I don’t remember much of that day. Just a ringing in my ears and the world spinning. Damian knelt before me, crying, swearing it was just a moment of weakness. Three years of dating, three years of marriage, giving up my real life… all for this. I wasn’t willing to let go. So, we stayed in this rotting marriage. Like a rose infested with aphids—too beautiful to throw away, too disgusting to keep. We fought until we were exhausted. So when the System woke up and spoke to me, I answered immediately. “System, I regret it. I want to go home.” 3 “Host, I warned you back then. The storyline after the mission ends is unpredictable… including Damian’s heart.” “However, given your perfect mission rating, I will grant you a special privilege. I can open the channel home one last time.” “But the window opens in ten days.” Tears streamed down my face. I nodded. “Understood. The countdown begins.” The System went silent. The penthouse was quiet as a tomb. I wiped my face and started packing. Or rather, clearing out. I didn’t want to leave a trace. I threw my clothes into trash bags. I took down the wedding photos. I took off the ring. When we got married, Damian spent his last savings on a 0.7-carat diamond. He knelt, sobbing. “Elara, you are the only light in my dark life. I will be loyal to you until death.” I wore that small diamond proudly. Until I saw the 5-carat pink diamond on Bella’s finger. I took a hammer and smashed the wedding photo frames. Looking at the empty apartment, I felt a strange sense of relief. I had struggled in this toxic marriage for too long. Leaving was a mercy. 4 The next morning, I went downstairs. The lights were dim. Damian was sitting on the sofa, smoking. “Where are the photos?” he asked, not looking up. His phone kept pinging. It was Bella. She sent a photo holding a bouquet of gold-foil roses. [Last night was exhausting, but the gift makes it all better. <3] He didn't even hide the screen. "I put them away," I said calmly, walking past him to get water. He put out his cigarette, smirked, and stood up. He pulled a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace from his pocket and clasped it around my neck. "Still mad? Here. An apology gift. It suits you." He leaned in, whispering in my ear like a snake. "Elara, you will always be Mrs. Sterling. No one can take your place. Not even Bella." "When I'm bored of her, let's try for a baby again, okay?" I pushed him away coldly, brushing off the lipstick stain on his collar. "Get out." 5 We did have a child once. I didn't even know I was pregnant. It was the fourth time I caught him. I had waited outside a hotel all night, crying in my car. In the morning, I saw him walk her out, his hand squeezing her lower back before helping her into his passenger seat. They started kissing before he even started the car. I lost my mind. I slammed on the gas and drove my car into a median. I lost the baby in the crash. Damian looked at me now, surprised by my indifference, but he didn't probe. He nodded and left. He didn't come home for two days. I watched the gossip news about him and Bella while I systematically sold off my assets. The System told me I could convert my wealth here into currency for my original world. In the early years of our marriage, Damian felt guilty for making me live in poverty. He put almost every property in my name. He didn't give me enough love, but he gave me enough money to live like a queen in my next life. With five days left, I drove to the outskirts of the city. There was one property left—a villa he gifted me for our anniversary. It was where we conceived our lost child. I arrived to find the garden replanted with roses. I used my key, but the door opened from the inside. "Back for more so soon, Daddy?" It was Bella. 6 She was wearing a sheer red silk robe, leaning against the doorframe. Her surprise quickly turned to a sneer. I realized immediately: Damian was keeping her here. "This is my house. You have five minutes to get dressed and get out," I said, stepping forward. Bella blocked the way, crossing her arms. "But Mr. Sterling gave this house to me." "Gave? Did he transfer the deed? Because the owner is standing right here." "You're just squatting. Get out." Bella’s face turned red. I called Damian. "Elara, it's just a house. Let the girl stay for a few days. Don't be difficult, if you make her cry, she's annoying to comfort." Bella grabbed my wrist, emboldened by his voice on the speaker. "Mrs. Sterling, you dated for three years. I've been with him for three years. Do you think I'll take your title this year?" She touched her flat stomach. "I'm raising the stakes. I'm pregnant." On the phone, I heard the click of mahjong tiles. Damian's voice was lazy. "I bought a jade necklace at auction. I'll give it to you for your birthday. Bella is just a pet to pass the time. If you're unhappy, I'll move her." I laughed, my voice trembling. "Damian, did you hear that? Your canary is having a chick. Congratulations. You're finally going to be a father." The line went dead silent.

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I just finished a surgery, exhausted and drained, when my fiancé Julian’s assistant, Chloe, sent me several photos of her trying on wedding dresses. “Dr. Xin, which one do you like best?” In the photos, Chloe was beaming, wearing a white wedding gown and clinging to Julian’s arm. They looked lovingly into each other’s eyes, like a couple about to walk down the aisle. If this were the old me, I would have called Julian immediately, demanding to know why another woman was trying on my wedding dress. But now, I was just tired. I replied calmly: “Whichever one you like is fine.” Not long after the message was sent, Julian called: “Vivian, how can you be so rude? Chloe was just trying to help you out by trying on the dresses, and you have to be so sarcastic?” “It’s nothing.” I hung up before he could say anything else. I really felt nothing this time. 1 “Vivian, what is wrong with you today?” “Chloe was crying in the bridal shop after seeing your message. The poor girl was so scared she wanted to quit. It’s just trying on a wedding dress, who cares who wears it?” “I invited her over for dinner tonight. You need to prepare a good meal and apologize to her properly.” I had just gotten home from work and laid down on the bed when Julian came in from outside. The back-to-back surgeries had left me utterly exhausted, my head throbbing. As soon as he walked in, his face was dark as a thundercloud. He loosened his tie and threw it in front of me. The way he spoke to me now was like a boss reprimanding a subordinate who had made a mistake. In the past, I would always listen to Julian to avoid arguments. But now I was really tired, and I didn’t want to say a single word. Not getting the response he expected, Julian frowned: “It’s just trying on your wedding dress, is it worth making such a fuss?” “If it weren’t for your last-minute surgery, I wouldn’t have asked her to help try on the wedding dress. You should be grateful instead of scaring the little girl. You should apologize.” I had made six appointments to try on the wedding dress, but each time he had something come up and canceled, so I had to reschedule. This time, it was me who canceled, and he replaced the bride. I laughed angrily at Julian’s words and turned my back to him: “I don’t think I need to apologize to Chloe, and I won’t.” In our five years of dating, this was the first time I had gone against his decision. A hint of anger flashed across Julian’s face, and he pulled me up from the bed: “I’m talking to you, what kind of attitude is this?” The moment his hand touched my body, a cold sensation spread throughout my body. He suddenly put his hand on my forehead, his tone softening: “Why are you so hot?” “You’re a doctor, and you don’t even know to take medicine when you have a fever.” With that, he turned and brought the medicine box from the living room, handing me a fever reducer. The capsule slid down my throat, painful. Just like after Chloe appeared, the grievances I swallowed time and time again would hurt every now and then, until I could no longer swallow them. After taking the medicine, Julian took the water glass and placed it on the bedside table. Before I could say thank you, he handed me his phone, which showed a physical examination report: “Help Chloe take a look, see if there’s anything wrong with her body?” As I took it, a message popped up at the top from someone nicknamed “Little Trouble Maker.” My hand trembled and I clicked on it. In the chat box was a mirror selfie of Chloe in a maid outfit. “Thanks for the clothes, brother, I love them~” “Please order Daji around, master~” Followed by three little hearts. Seeing me frozen in place, Julian leaned over and saw the chat box on the screen. He suddenly got angry at me and snatched the phone away: “Have you seen enough?” “I asked you to look at the physical examination report, and you took the opportunity to look through my phone. Vivian, you are really terrible.” I watched him blush and smirked. Sure enough, the more guilty people are, the more eager they are to push the blame onto others. And Julian was like a clown now. Meeting my mocking gaze, Julian angrily picked up his jacket and walked out, still trying to justify himself: “I’m going back to the company to work overtime. I’ll come back when you’ve thought it through.” How ridiculous. My husband was impatient to find another woman, but he still wanted to push the blame onto me. “Hmm.” I responded indifferently. Perhaps sensing that I was too obedient, Julian turned around after taking two steps and explained: “I’m really going to the company to work overtime.” My head was getting heavier and heavier. I covered my head with the quilt and didn’t respond until the door slammed shut, and everything returned to tranquility. 2 Maybe it was the effect of the medicine, but I slept very soundly this time. When I woke up again, it was already 4 a.m. I habitually picked up my phone to check if there were any messages from the work group, but I saw a selfie sent by Chloe two hours ago. In the photo, Chloe was sitting on the sofa in a low-cut maid outfit, the red marks on her neck still clearly visible. Behind her sat Julian, frowning slightly at the desk, reading the documents in front of him by the light of a warm yellow desk lamp. “Vivian, isn’t Julian handsome when he’s working?” I suddenly felt my stomach churning. Julian was indeed working overtime, but he also asked Chloe in a maid outfit to accompany him. Now Chloe was provocatively making me a part of their play. I struggled to run to the bathroom and threw up, hugging the toilet until there was nothing left to throw up, just dry heaving. My stomach hurt badly. After a long time, I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. It wasn’t much different from five years ago, but in order to look better on camera when getting married, my originally round face began to have sharp edges. The bathroom door was pushed open, and Julian rubbed his temples wearily: “Why didn’t you prepare anything to eat today?” He looked at my face and softened his tone: “I’m hungry, make me a bowl of egg noodles.” In the past, whenever I wasn’t working the night shift, I would definitely have delicious food ready before he came in. But he had many social engagements, and the food was always heated and cooled, cooled and heated, until it lost its original taste. I wouldn’t wait for him to come home eagerly anymore. I turned to look at Julian. His shirt was loosely hanging on his body, and a few buttons were wrongly fastened. He leaned against the doorframe, looking like he was about to drop dead at any moment. In the past, I would definitely feel distressed that he didn’t cherish his body, distressed to death. Now I turned a deaf ear, turned sideways, and went out to lie back on the bed. Julian looked dissatisfied, strode to the bed and looked down at me: “Vivian, how long are you going to make trouble?” “I work myself to death every day just to give you a happy home, what else are you dissatisfied with?” “When I come home after working overtime at night, I just want a bowl of hot noodles, but you don’t want to make it, what else can I expect from you?” I was puzzled by his self-righteousness and sneered: “President Julian has such a big face, working overtime needs a maid to serve.” “Actually, there’s no need to be so sneaky. Before the wedding, I can make room for her at any time.” Julian looked at me in disbelief, his eyeballs about to pop out. “Vivian, let me say it one last time, Chloe and I are just in a superior-subordinate relationship. It’s just that she is hardworking and motivated, so I take care of her more.” “People still know how to think of ways to make me happy. What about you? You are suspicious all day long, like a resentful woman in a boudoir.” I have to say that Chloe’s monthly salary of 8,000 yuan is still too low. In the company, she not only has to work like a cow and a horse, but also serves as a mistress to provide emotional value to the boss. Even 80,000 yuan is worth it. I didn’t argue with him like before, and sneered: “Say whatever you want.” My indifferent attitude made Julian’s anger seem like it hit a ball of cotton. He took a few deep breaths before barely calming down: “Vivian, I’m very busy and don’t have time to coax you all day long. This time, I’m generous and won’t argue with you. If there is a next time, I won’t be so easy to talk to.” With a “bang”, he slammed the door and left again, but I didn’t care where he went. 3 Since this quarrel, I haven’t seen Julian for three consecutive days. During this period, I only received one message from him: “The customer sent two boxes of mangoes. I asked Chloe to send them home. Remember to eat them.” It seemed that Julian softened and gave me a way out, but I didn’t appreciate it at all. Because I am allergic to mangoes. A little bit of juice will cause red rashes all over my body and itching. I didn’t reply, just pretended not to see it. The next second, a major earthquake occurred in the neighboring city, causing heavy casualties. The hospital temporarily formed a medical team to go to the front line. I also volunteered to step on the bus heading to the disaster area. When I arrived at the scene, I realized that the casualties were far more serious than we imagined. As soon as I got off the bus, I got into the medical tent and was too busy to touch the ground. My phone in my pocket kept vibrating. I took it out and saw it was Julian. He rarely reported to me: “I expect to travel for a week, don’t wait for me to go home for dinner.” At this critical moment of racing against death, I didn’t reply to his message. I put my phone in my backpack and got into the medical tent again. Unexpectedly, the next day, I saw Julian in simple clothes and Chloe dragging two suitcases beside him among the volunteers. “Dr. Xin, these are the volunteers who came today. We’ll pick a few with basic nursing experience to help you later.” Julian was also stunned when he saw me. The rescue leader leaned closer to my ear, “The man in the black shirt in the first row is Julian, who donated materials and wants to advertise. The girl next to him is Chloe, his assistant, who came specifically to take care of him. Avoid the two of them when selecting people.” Even if the leader didn’t say it, I didn’t plan to choose the two of them to work together. But Chloe raised her hands high: “Vivian, I want to work with you!” Hearing this, Julian angrily pressed her hand down: “How can you work in the medical team when you faint at the sight of blood? It’s better to stay in the kitchen and help out.” “Vivian, your medical team works day and night when they are busy, and often can’t even eat. Chloe can’t endure this hardship.” I just listened calmly and didn’t comment. As my fiancé, Julian didn’t remember that I was allergic to mangoes, but remembered that other women fainted at the sight of blood, and felt distressed that she would exhaust her body if she joined the medical team. It’s ironic. Time was tight and the task was heavy. I didn’t have time to chat with them. I picked two capable people and turned away. Just as I was about to arrive at the medical team, a colleague called me. The medical team received a batch of newly sent wounded and urgently needed help, so I had to guide them first. Medical supplies were short, and I was the best candidate because I was close to the village entrance. On the way back, colleagues continued to call and urge me. Among the newly sent wounded was a boy about six or seven years old who was seriously injured and had fallen into a coma, waiting for me to go back for surgery. Just as I was hurrying along, Julian suddenly jumped out from somewhere and pulled me away. “Chloe said her stomach hurts and she can’t get up from the bed. Go take a look.” I threw off his hand fiercely and shouted: “If she’s sick, take her to the medical team. There’s a child lying on the operating table waiting for me to operate. Don’t waste my time.” Julian was unhappy and held me tightly and refused to let go: “Why are you still picking on the patient?” I was furious: “Patients also have priorities! Don’t stop me when human life is at stake.” The disparity in strength between men and women was too great, and I was dragged forward by him: “Chloe is in the tent ahead. It will be quick. Just leave after seeing her.” While pulling, I fell heavily to the ground. When I landed, I unconsciously supported myself with my hand, and severe pain came from my wrist. I raised my hand and found that my wrist was swollen, and I couldn’t do the operation, so I had to change someone else. When I rushed back to the medical team in a hurry, I heard the news that the little boy had died. His whole body was covered with white cloth, lying alone in the corner. Looking at his small body, I slumped on the ground. If Julian hadn’t suddenly jumped out to block the way, he might not have died. And Chloe just wanted to be lazy, so she lay on the bed and pretended to be sick. Of course, Julian didn’t believe it. A part of my heart seemed to be missing. My phone vibrated again. It was a call from the nursing home. I picked it up and listened. “Dr. Xin, your father had a sudden heart attack and died after ineffective rescue efforts…” Great grief welled up in my heart. Dad left forever before he could see me in my wedding dress. I had no scruples anymore and sent a message to Julian with trembling fingers: “Let’s break up.”

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After a car accident, my husband, Ethan, suffered temporary amnesia. He insisted I was the one driving the car that hit him, accusing me of attempted murder for his inheritance. Both our families knew the truth: the real culprit was his adopted sister, Chloe. Yet, they all silently permitted Ethan’s insane revenge. They pulled strings to have me extradited and locked up in a notorious overseas prison. While I was tortured and living in hell, he liquidated my company—the one I built from scratch—just to pay off the legal fees to clear his beloved childhood sweetheart’s name. In the end, Chloe walked free, while I died in a foreign land without a proper burial. When the embassy notified him to identify my body, he sneered: “Is she done yet? Does she think fabricating a silicone corpse will fool me?” “That murderous witch… even if her body washed up in a sewer, I wouldn’t spare it a glance!” Later, when he discovered I was truly dead, he went mad with joy. He held my bleached bones, laughing until he cried. 1 My body was repatriated to the States. My husband, Ethan Vance, was notified to identify the remains. Walking into the morgue, the stench of death hit him. He hesitated. His handsome face twisted in disgust as he cursed, “Does she think dying to ‘atone’ will make me forgive a murderer? Keep dreaming!” In the end, he had to be dragged in by Chloe, his adopted sister. My spirit floated behind them. I watched Ethan playfully bite Chloe’s neck, then lick the spot tenderly as if afraid he’d hurt her, chuckling low in his throat. My heart felt like it was being crushed. Ethan was flirting with his mistress in front of my corpse. The embassy official couldn’t stand it and cleared his throat. Ethan let go of Chloe, spat on the floor in disgust, and finally lifted the white sheet covering me. Just one look. My breath would have stopped if I were alive. There was no other way to put it—my death had been ugly. “Emily, you think you’re so smart, don’t you? Creating a rotting silicone doll to fool everyone?” “You must be hiding somewhere right now, laughing at the Vance family’s shame and at me, the victim you almost killed. You make me sick!” “You might fool everyone else, but you can’t fool me, Ethan Vance!” “I wish you were actually dead! Dead and buried so deep your soul couldn’t even crawl back to American soil!” No! I’m not lying to you! I tried to rush toward Ethan, to scream the truth. But my transparent body passed right through him. He turned and hugged Chloe, kissing her neck. “It’s better if she fakes her death. Now we can finally be together openly.” Chloe was carried in by Ethan and carried out by him. All the way to the administration desk, he touched her face and neck, kissing her repeatedly as if claiming compensation for his ‘suffering.’ At the desk, they collected the forensic report and DNA test results. A thick stack of data. If he had flipped even two pages, he would have known the body wasn’t a fake. But Ethan swept the file into a trash bag without looking. Chloe snuggled into his chest, sighing wistfully. “Three years ago, I was almost dragged to prison because of Emily. If you hadn’t worked so hard for me, my reputation would have been ruined. I owe you so much.” Ethan shook his head. “No, it wasn’t that hard. Just spent a little money… sold a few companies. Emily’s companies. It was no loss to the Vance estate.” The company I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into for three years… gone overnight? Sold by my husband to save another woman. The dead shouldn’t feel pain. But why did it hurt so much? Even breathing felt like swallowing glass. Whatever. I built that company to pay for his medical bills anyway. I guess it served its purpose… Ethan gritted his teeth. “It’s what Emily owed me. Selling her companies was letting her off easy!” Chloe looked back toward the morgue. “One last look? Once you sign the release form, Emily’s body will be cremated. Are you sure you don’t want to see her?” “Even if she made a huge mistake, she was your wife. She was good to you once.” “We’re both women. I can understand her.” Ethan spat again, his face full of loathing. “Chloe, you are too kind. How can you speak for someone who hurt us both?” “She tried to kill me to inherit my money! She staged that car accident!” “You were the one who saved me, risking jail time for reckless driving!” “Her name doesn’t even deserve to be spoken!” The heavy metal doors of the morgue began to close. The official reminded him to sign the papers. Ethan raised the pen, then suddenly stopped. His face darkened, and he turned to leave. “I don’t want any connection to that woman!” “Fake death or real death, the line for ‘Husband’…” “Will not have Ethan Vance’s name on it!” The official, confused, chased after him. “Mr. Vance, you are legally married. Mrs. Vance has passed away; it is the husband’s duty to claim the remains.” Ethan paused. He sneered. “I don’t have such an embarrassing wife! Let her rot there. Let the rats eat her. Suits me fine!” He slammed the door of his Maserati, revved the engine, and sped off. On the way, Chloe’s phone rang frantically. He answered it, then shook his head. “Don’t mention her. That woman just makes me nauseous!” “Every time I think about that dark road, how she ignored my begging and tried to run me over… I want to kill her myself!” My spirit trembled uncontrollably. Seeing the intense hatred in Ethan’s eyes, hearing him rewrite history… It was bitter. Ethan was my husband, but he was convinced I was a murderer. But I wasn’t! Shortly after our wedding, we were in Europe. Carjackers attacked us. Ethan was dragged onto the road. The gang laughed, planning to run over his hands, then his legs. When I found him, he was delirious, his hands mangled. The doctor said his hands were shattered. Even if they healed, he would never do fine motor work again. I was devastated. I wished I could trade my life for his hands! When Ethan woke up, he went berserk, screaming that I should die to atone for my sins. He had replaced the carjackers with me in his memory. I closed my eyes. As he wished, I was sent to a hellhole prison in a third-world country by him and his family. It was filled with the worst criminals. Murderers were at the bottom of the food chain. For three years, I suffered inhumane torture. The night before my release, I was finally set free. By death. I died in excruciating pain. My body didn’t even look human anymore. … Chloe chased him all the way to the villa. When Ethan got out of the car, she threw herself into his arms, kissing him deeply. “It’s okay. It’s all over…” They held each other in the pouring rain. I remembered my last moments. I had used my one phone call to dial him. “Please… please pick up! I’m dying. This is my last chance, the very last time…” If he had just picked up. Even if he cursed me. Even if he called me disgusting trash. I might have found the will to survive. But no one answered. I died in despair. I died the day before I was supposed to be free. I became a wandering ghost. Lost overseas, unable to return home… 2 My ghost followed Ethan home. I watched him live with Chloe as if they were a married couple. Feeding each other breakfast, tangling together at night. Once, Chloe brought a drunk Ethan home. I was jealous and glared at them. Ethan slapped me. “Chloe and I are just friends!” “Only people with dirty minds see dirt everywhere!” But— Do friends sleep in each other’s arms? Do friends kiss like that? Under the warm living room lights, Ethan folded the dress Chloe would wear tomorrow. Just like a devoted wife. That used to be my job. Before every event, I picked his suits, matched his ties. Ethan used to scoff at it. “Only country bumpkins like you know these servant tricks! Some ‘heiress’ you are. Just a glorified maid!” But now he was doing ‘servant work’ for Chloe. That’s the difference between loving and not loving. Chloe held his hand, kissing his fingers. Ethan closed his eyes, humming in satisfaction. “Chloe, tomorrow I’ll go with you to the Vance family estate!” “You are the true daughter of the Vance family!” “No one can hurt you. I support you taking back everything that belongs to you!” Listening to Ethan, Chloe had an expression I couldn’t read. I suddenly remembered. For twenty years, the pampered princess of the Vance family was Chloe. The day I, the biological daughter raised in the countryside, was brought back… My parents looked at my cheap clothes with disappointment. They couldn’t believe I was theirs. That day, Chloe dragged her suitcase out, looking pitiful. “Even though we aren’t blood-related, I’ve always considered myself a Vance.” “I wish Mom and Dad happiness forever!” We were switched at birth. The poor family I grew up in was actually Chloe’s biological family. That was where she belonged. But when my parents looked at me with that hesitant hope… I blurted out, “If you miss her, let her stay! Another daughter to be filial, I’m happy with that!” I meant it then. But I regretted it quickly. Chloe became a ghost haunting my life with Ethan. No matter the event, if Chloe appeared, Ethan’s eyes were glued to her. Standing next to him, I—the real heiress—looked like a joke. Ethan opened his eyes, love overflowing. “The one who grew up with me was always you!” “The one I was supposed to marry was you!” “If she hadn’t come back, we would be married with kids by now!” “She ruined my life!” “It’s not too late. No matter what, I will divorce Emily and be with you!” They gazed at each other deeply. The air grew hot. Soon, panting sounds filled the room. Watching them entangled on the sofa… I closed my eyes in self-mockery. I always knew Ethan didn’t love me. His engagement was to the “Vance daughter.” It just so happened that I was brought back then. I was the real daughter. The engagement fell to me. Ethan was proud, aristocratic. How could a country girl hope for his love? I never dared to hope. I naively thought if I was good enough, loyal enough… maybe he would like me a little. I was wrong. After the “accident,” Ethan’s parents knelt before me. “Please! Ethan is so proud. He can’t handle the truth. If he knows what really happened, he’ll kill himself! His mind is broken, he doesn’t remember who the attackers were!” “Just admit it was you. If he thinks you hurt him, he can handle it… he can survive!” Selfishness is human nature. If I confessed, my life was over. I refused. But when I returned to the Vance home, my father locked himself in his study. My mother swallowed sleeping pills in front of me. In the hospital, my mother told me the truth. The attack on the road… it was linked to Chloe. Chloe had shady dealings with the gang, provoking the attack. My mother wept. “I raised Chloe. She’s closer to me than blood! If she goes to jail, I’d rather die!” Under pressure from both families, I “confessed.” In the end, I died to “atone.” I tried to comfort myself. I died, so the truth is buried forever. Ethan will never know. He will never be in pain. But my heart still felt like it was being carved out. After the accident, Ethan developed a strange psychological condition. The doctor called it self-gaslighting. Subconsciously, he turned me into the villain. My parents allowed it. His parents allowed it. I did nothing wrong. But sacrificing me saved everyone else. In court, Ethan hired a dream team of lawyers to prosecute me for attempted murder. But the judge wasn’t an idiot. Lack of evidence led to dismissal. So, the families used their connections. They had me sent to a hellhole prison abroad. Rats, malaria, violence. My parents sent me off personally. “Just endure it,” Mom said, touching my face. “Three years max. We’ll bring you back. You’ll still be a rich heiress.” “I suffered plenty when I was young,” Dad added. “A little hardship builds character.” The prison gates closed. I saw Chloe walking away with them, boarding a private jet. She looked back. Arrogance. Contempt. Mockery. She had everyone’s love. And I was thrown into the dark to be eaten alive. It was a good ending. Everyone wanted me to be the sacrifice. 3 These days, I followed Ethan. I watched him live in our marital home with another woman. Every decoration, even the candle stand in the corner, was chosen by me. Chloe walked out of the bathroom and kicked the candle stand over. “What happened?” Ethan asked. “Oh, this is Emily’s stuff, right? Kinda tacky. Sorry, I kicked it.” Ethan glanced at the broken ceramic. “Emily was like that. Always wasting time on useless, flashy garbage to make herself feel special.” “She only ever moved herself. She never thought about what I needed.” I clutched my chest. Only moved myself? Ethan forgot his severe allergic rhinitis. Every spring, he could barely breathe. I spent months finding an old herbal remedy and had it made into a balm. Every night, I burned it in that candle stand to fumigate the room. Once, he had a high fever from allergies. I lit the candle. He thrashed around in delirium, cursing me. Afraid he’d knock it over and burn himself, I held the hot ceramic against my own arm all night. My arm blistered and scarred. A wife should care for her husband. I never bragged about it. But hearing him dismiss it… it hurt. Ethan kicked the pieces into the trash. He pulled Chloe close. “Emily is trash. Her stuff is trash.” “That bitch doesn’t even have the courage to face me! She made a fake corpse to hide!” “She knows my parents hate her. Her status depends on our marriage!” “If I dump her, she loses everything!” “But… does she think hiding will save her?” “Naive! I’ll find her even if she’s in a rat hole, and I will divorce her!” I smiled bitterly. In his eyes, I was a leech. A coward. An obstacle. Chloe’s eyes flashed. “Ethan… have your people found anything?” “Is it possible… Emily is actually dead?” “Impossible!” Ethan shouted. “If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have suffered! Death is too easy for her!” “That body in the morgue was a cheap trick. She’s hiding somewhere laughing at me!” “I wish she did die in some foreign ditch! It’s disgusting that they called me to ID her!” He kissed Chloe aggressively. “Chloe, comfort me. I feel sick just thinking about her!” “Hahaha!” Chloe laughed and ‘comforted’ him. They rolled onto the bed. I covered my chest. It felt like being sliced by a thousand knives. I couldn’t cry anymore. But why was the pain still there? 4 Ethan’s men found nothing. My body was still in the morgue. The police and judges called him repeatedly. But Ethan only believed his own delusion. My parents visited. They didn’t know I was dead. They thought I would come crawling back to Ethan after prison. After all, I loved him so much I “took the blame” for him. But Chloe served them tea, reminiscing about her childhood with them. My parents were swayed. They decided having only Chloe as a daughter wasn’t so bad. “Kids grow up, they have their own ideas,” Dad said. “Emily got wild overseas. Let her party for a few more years. She’ll come back when she’s broke.” I was stunned. I was tortured for three years. But in their mouths, I was “partying with foreigners.” Mom nodded. “We’re old. Chloe is enough. She’s filial and traditional.” They left. They never asked about me again. Ethan got more erratic. During the day, his search yielded nothing. At night, he drained Chloe dry in bed. He even posted a bounty on social media for my location. After one session, Chloe lay in his arms. “Ethan… maybe she’s not hiding on purpose. Maybe she’s in trouble?” “Maybe she owes money?” “Impossible!” Ethan pushed her away. “If she needed money, she’d come back! The Vance family has money!” “She loves me too much to hide!” “She’s just scared I’ll divorce her!” “If she doesn’t show up, I’ll destroy everything she cares about!” “Doesn’t she have foster parents in the countryside? I’ll drag them here, lock them up, starve them! See if she regrets it then!” Chloe looked at him. “Ethan, did you fall for her? Do you have feelings for Emily?” Undeniably, a spark of hope—and fear—rose in me. “No way!” Ethan denied it instantly. “I just can’t divorce her if she doesn’t show up! I need to cut ties with that trash!” Chloe cupped his face. “Ethan, you’re acting strange. If you love her, tell me. I’ll leave.” “Who the hell loves her?! Who would love a hillbilly like her?!” 5 Ethan screamed, then composed himself. He kissed Chloe’s forehead. “I’ll prove it to you.” I found out how he planned to prove it that night. My foster parents were kidnapped. They were thrown on the floor, heads covered in black bags. “S… Sir…” My foster mom was a simple woman. She trembled before Ethan. “Who’s your sir?!” Ethan threw a teacup. It smashed against her head. My foster dad threw himself over her to protect her. Ethan looked at my dad’s rough, blackened fingernails with disgust. “Your unfilial daughter Emily is hiding because she doesn’t want a divorce.” “I’m putting it out there. The sins of the child are the sins of the father! Until she shows up, you don’t leave!” My dad raised his head. “Emily is a good girl! She worked in the fields since she was little to help us! Don’t talk about her like that!” Ethan stood up. “Emily is a murderer! She tried to kill me! I spent a fortune to send her to prison to reform!” “Three years later, she should be kneeling for forgiveness! But she’s hiding like a rat!” “No! You’re lying! My daughter isn’t like that!” My dad, honest to a fault his whole life, lunged at Ethan. Ethan was startled. But the bodyguards were faster. They pinned my dad to the floor. Chloe arrived then. “Beat the trash,” Ethan ordered. “Break every bone.” Chloe looked shocked. “They’re old…” “They raised Emily. They’re garbage too! Killing them is a public service!” NO! DON’T HURT THEM!! Rage and regret exploded in me. I rushed to stop them, but passed through. I watched them break my dad’s legs. White bone pierced through skin. My mom screamed until she vomited blood and passed out. Ethan watched without emotion. He ordered his assistant to record it. My anger consumed me. How could I ever have hoped for love from this monster? Suddenly, footsteps rushed in. “Mr. Vance! Trouble!” The villa doors burst open. Police with guns swarmed in. “Ethan Vance! Neighbors reported illegal detention and assault! You’re under arrest!” My parents were rescued. My dad was sent to the ICU. My mom woke up, grabbing a policeman’s hand. “My daughter Emily! Please… please bring my daughter back!” My parents didn’t know I was in prison. The Vance family lied to them, saying I was missing. For three years, they lived in despair. The policeman looked at her with pity. “Ma’am… your daughter, Emily… she’s dead.” Ethan’s face went white. “What bullshit are you spouting?!”

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My fiancé, Carter, photoshopped my head out of our wedding photos and replaced it with his high school sweetheart’s face. He posted it on Instagram with the caption: “Ten years of waiting, finally an echo.” When I confronted him, furious, he shrugged it off. “What’s the big deal? Everyone can tell it’s photoshopped. It’s just a joke between friends. Isn’t that normal?” But on our wedding day, Carter’s friends and family all treated his “white moonlight,” Bella, as the bride. I grabbed Carter’s arm, begging him to acknowledge me, to tell them I was the one marrying him. instead, he pretended not to know me, turning his back to let Bella take his arm. Mistaken for a crazy woman trying to crash the wedding, I was dragged out by security and ended up in the ER with broken ribs. Lying in the hospital bed, I finally let go. I dialed the number of the mother I hadn’t spoken to in three years. “Mom, I agree to the arranged marriage.” 1 During my hospital stay, my fiancé didn’t call once. Instead, I saw a new post from Bella on Instagram. [Broad shoulders, narrow waist. So protective. Not sure if I can handle him tonight.] The photo showed Carter wearing only a towel around his waist, gently blow-drying Bella’s hair. His expression was tender, as if he were handling a priceless treasure. In the past, seeing this photo would have made me call Carter immediately. I would have screamed, asking why they weren’t setting boundaries, if Bella’s hands were broken, if he remembered he had a fiancée, if he loved me at all… But now, looking at the photo, I felt nothing. I even liked the post. A second later, Carter called. “Babe, don’t misunderstand. Bella’s hand got hurt at the wedding. I’m just helping her dry her hair.” Hurt at the wedding? I laughed coldly. Because Carter photoshopped our wedding photos with Bella’s face, the guests thought she was the bride. As the actual bride, I just wanted Carter to clarify. Instead, he said, “The bride is Bella. This girl is just a stalker obsessed with me.” That one sentence got me swarmed by his friends and family. I was beaten black and blue. And Bella? She got pricked by a safety pin while trying to rip the corsage off my chest. Love and indifference are so obvious. I was beaten until I couldn’t move, lying in a hospital bed. Bella got a pinprick and apparently lost the ability to take care of herself. My heart twitched. My feelings for him vanished in that instant. “Okay, I don’t misunderstand.” “If that’s it, I’m hanging up.” Carter, seemingly afraid I didn’t believe him, continued: “About the wedding… I just didn’t want Bella to feel embarrassed about the mix-up, so I didn’t clarify your identity. Please don’t be mad. We can redo the wedding later, okay?” I listened quietly. He was afraid Bella would be embarrassed. What about me? “I don’t care. You don’t need to explain.” Maybe because my tone was flat, not the usual instant forgiveness he expected, his apologetic voice turned angry. “Quinn, I already explained. What is this attitude?” “Why are you giving me attitude?” I was silent. My attitude? For years, no matter what mistakes Carter made or how many boundaries he crossed, the moment he showed weakness, I forgave him. I pretended nothing happened. I thought a man showing vulnerability was the ultimate apology. And now, after this? He still thought I would forgive him. I suddenly felt exhausted. My whole body ached as if I’d been run over by a truck. Hearing him continue to question me on the phone, I couldn’t take it anymore. I was about to hang up. Then Carter added: “By the way, discharge yourself tonight. You’re strong and thick-skinned, stop being dramatic about staying in the hospital.” “On your way back, stop by Peking Duck House and pick up an order. I’m craving it.” Peking Duck House was in Uptown. Our apartment was in Downtown. An hour and a half round trip. Carter really treated me like a dog. 2 I discharged myself. My hand was still throbbing, the cast heavy on my arm. I had to take an Uber home. But because of my injured hand, the fingerprint lock wouldn’t work. And the passcode kept showing as incorrect. Assuming Carter was home, I knocked. The door opened. It was Bella. She welcomed me in warmly, acting like the hostess. “Quinn, you’re back? Carter is in the shower.” “Oh, my bad. I hurt my finger, remember? Carter was worried the fingerprint scanner wouldn’t work for me, so he changed the passcode.” “It’s the anniversary of the day Carter and I started dating. You definitely wouldn’t know it. I’ll text it to you later.” Anniversary? Carter couldn’t remember my birthday, but he remembered the anniversary with his ex. I looked at Bella. She was wearing matching pajamas with Carter—the ones we bought. Her hair was dry, braided messily to the side, clearly Carter’s handiwork. She was holding a razor. Bella noticed my gaze. “Carter asked me to shave him. You don’t know, but back when we were together, he insisted I shave him every time. He wouldn’t let anyone else do it.” “Please don’t mind. We’re just friends now.” “If you’re unhappy, here, you do it.” She forcefully shoved the razor into my injured hand. Just then, the bathroom door opened. Carter walked out wearing the matching male pajama set. He was towel-drying his hair. “Bella, didn’t you say you’d help me shave? Why aren’t you coming in?” He froze when he saw me. His face, flushed from the steam, turned pale instantly. He walked over quickly to explain. “I was just tired, so I asked Bella to help me shave. Don’t misunderstand.” Honestly, their relationship didn’t need any more misunderstanding. Hand hurt, can’t dry hair. Arm sore, can’t shave. Can’t do anything for themselves, but happy to do everything for each other. I handed the razor back to Bella and walked toward the bedroom. Carter grabbed me, seemingly panicked. “Quinn, what is your attitude? You ignore me on the phone, and now I’m explaining to your face and you’re acting like this.” “Don’t push your luck!” He gripped my wrist hard, ignoring the fact that it was injured. “Also, why are you empty-handed? Didn’t I tell you to buy the duck?” “Why don’t you ever listen to me? Go buy it now!” The pain in my wrist finally snapped my patience. “I’m not buying it!” I shook off his hand and continued to the bedroom. Inside, I saw clothes scattered on the floor—jackets, underwear. On the bed were torn stockings and boxers. And hanging off the corner of our framed engagement photo… was a broken black bra strap. 3 Carter blocked my path, trying to close the door. “I just changed in here, it’s a bit messy.” “Go buy the duck. I’ll clean up the room.” I looked at him, then turned and went into the guest room. The walls weren’t soundproof, so I could hear everything in the living room clearly. “Carter, don’t be mad. I don’t need the duck. Don’t be hard on Quinn, she’s in a bad mood.” “Carter, if you’re hungry, I’ll cook for you, okay?” “Bella, you’re just too generous. unlike that woman. I told her a million times, but she always has to go against me.” “Okay, okay, let me shave you first. Or it’ll be scratchy tonight.” The voices in the living room faded. I dialed the number I hadn’t called in three years. “Mom, about that arranged marriage you mentioned… I agree.” My mom was overjoyed. “Daughter, you finally came to your senses! Dad and I are getting old, you’re our only child. You have no idea… you abandoned us for that man. Your dad’s hair turned white from worry these past five years.” “I heard about the wedding. That man isn’t worth your devotion. He’s fickle. He doesn’t deserve you.” “But since you agreed to the arrangement… how about the 8th of next month?” My mom’s voice sounded aged. My eyes welled up. I was so immature back then. I thought love conquered all. When my parents disapproved of Carter, I ran away with him without a second thought. Five years of no contact. But the moment I turned back, they were still there waiting for me. “Okay. I’ll leave as soon as I hand over my work here. Please help me plan the wedding.” “Wedding? What wedding?” The guest room door opened without warning. I hung up the phone subtly. I looked at Carter. He placed a takeout box on the nightstand. “Who were you talking to about a wedding?” “Didn’t I say we need to postpone the wedding for a while? Are you that desperate to marry me?” Looking at his panicked expression, I said calmly, “I was just explaining the situation to a friend.” Carter visibly relaxed. He opened the takeout box, revealing the roast duck inside. “You didn’t buy the duck, so Bella bought it.” “She was afraid you’d be upset, so she bought a whole one just for you. Quinn, let’s move past this. Don’t be unforgiving.” I covered my nose and mouth, turning my head away. Carter’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “What is this reaction? Bella was kind enough to apologize with food, and you’re disgusted?” “Are you going to waste her kindness? Quinn, don’t go too far!” Me? Go too far? “Do you not know I have a physiological revulsion to roast duck?” 4 Years ago, when Carter and I ran away together, we had less than a thousand dollars between us. To avoid burdening him, I took a job at a duck processing plant. I plucked thousands of ducks every day. The stench of raw poultry soaked into my skin. Over time, I developed a physiological nausea towards ducks. I couldn’t stand them, even cooked. Back then, Carter would hug me despite the smell. “Quinn, quit the job. seeing you like this breaks my heart. Your hands are peeling. I’m useless, making you suffer like this. I promise, I’ll make a lot of money and give you a good life.” But now, he forgot. I told him to take the duck away. Carter opened his mouth, but only said: “Sorry, Quinn. I forgot.” Actually, he didn’t forget. He just didn’t care anymore. In the past, he would cook dinner, do my laundry, and refuse to buy any duck products just so I wouldn’t smell it. He would hug me regardless of how I smelled. He once worked construction in 100-degree heat just to buy me a birthday cake. The past is gone. I walked to the window and took a deep breath, but the smell of duck grease still lingered. I dry heaved. Carter immediately tied up the bag. “What do you want to eat? I’ll make it.” I was about to say I didn’t need anything. Knock, knock. “Carter! I knocked over the takeout box and burned my hand! Can you take me to the hospital?” Carter immediately opened the door, looking at Bella with concern. “How could you be so careless? It’s all red. Your skin is so delicate, we can’t let it scar.” Before leaving, he remembered to say to me: “Quinn, I’m taking Bella to the hospital. She has a low pain tolerance.” The door slammed shut. I looked at the silent room and the takeout box on the nightstand. When the nausea passed, I took the box out to the trash. I saw Carter at the elevator, gently blowing on a small red spot on Bella’s hand. The elevator dinged. They entered. The doors closed, separating two worlds. And completely severing our future. 5 Carter didn’t come back. Bella, however, tirelessly sent me photos of her and Carter being intimate. I silently blocked Bella on WeChat. Next to the calendar, I placed an hourglass—a gift from Carter years ago. He said an hourglass could turn back time. So, I decided to give him three chances to fix his mistakes. I agreed. First chance was the marriage license. Second was the wedding. The last one was just now. Chances used up. Time to move on. Seven days left until the 8th. I handed in my resignation. My manager, Linda, valued me. She asked why I was leaving so suddenly; she had planned to promote me. I told her, “I’m going back home to get married.” Linda was at the wedding disaster. She looked at me, hesitant, then patted my shoulder. “If you decided to go through with it, I hope you live a good life.” I knew she misunderstood. I looked down for a moment, then smiled at her. “Not with him.” Linda paused, then seemed relieved. Even outsiders could see Carter wasn’t right for me. “Make sure you’ve thought it through this time.” I nodded. “My parents arranged it. It won’t be wrong.” “Good, good.” “Let me know when the wedding is. I’ll send a big red envelope.” I smiled. “Okay. You’re invited to the banquet.” Back home, I circled another date on the calendar. Two days left. The hourglass was slowly running out of sand. I called my only close friend in the city, Ben. He was Carter’s cousin and our matchmaker. He went to the same college as me. During school, he intentionally set Carter and me up. I didn’t blame him. But since I was leaving, I should say goodbye. Ben looked awkward when he saw me. He apologized profusely. “I’m so sorry, Quinn. I didn’t know Carter would turn into this.” “I haven’t dared to contact you. I felt so guilty.” “Hit me, scold me, I won’t say a word.” His dramatic expression made me laugh. “I know you meant well. It’s not anyone’s fault we ended up here.” Seeing I wasn’t angry, Ben said, “I already yelled at Carter. He said you forgave him and agreed to postpone the wedding.” “Is the date set?” I took a sip of coffee. “Yeah.” “The 8th.” “Isn’t that the day after tomorrow?” “Why didn’t Carter tell me?” I exhaled. “Not with him.” Ben’s eyes went wide. “You’re marrying someone else? Does Carter know?” “The person he always wanted to marry was Bella, not me.” 6 Ben realized I was truly moving on. He downed his drink. “It’s Carter’s loss.” These past few years, I gave up too much for Carter. A top-tier university grad working a dead-end job, living in a strange city alone, cutting off my parents. If Carter left me, I had nothing here. We chatted for a long time until his phone rang. It was Carter. “Bro, I want you to meet Bella. Come to Modi Café.” He put the phone down. Our eyes met. Carter walked in, holding hands with Bella. He panicked when he saw me and let go. But Bella grabbed his arm again, looking surprised. “Quinn! You’re here too? You’re with Carter’s cousin… are you tattling on us?” “My burn was serious, that’s why Carter left you to take me to the hospital. You know Carter is kindhearted. You should understand him best.” Carter chimed in. “Quinn, what’s going on? Didn’t I say we’d redo the wedding? Now you’re complaining to my cousin?” “Don’t forget, he and I are family. You’re just an outsider right now.” Hearing their attitude, Ben seemed to understand why I was marrying someone else. He snapped at Carter. “Carter, shut up!” Carter wouldn’t stop. “I don’t get it. You used to be so understanding. Why are you so petty and jealous now?” … I met Carter for the first time in Ben’s rental apartment. It was Winter Solstice. Ben made us wrap dumplings. I was clumsy, but Carter was good at it. I asked him to teach me. He held my hand, guiding me. Ben came back with vinegar and teased, “You two look like an old married couple.” I let go, blushing. Carter was too shy to look at me. Back then, I never imagined that a moment of flutter would cost me five years, only for us to drift apart. I watched Carter introduce Bella to Ben. Ben asked, “What do you mean by introducing her?” “Bella is my friend.” “Carter, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I know how men think. Bringing another woman to meet me sends a clear message. I hope you’ve thought about the consequences.” Bella twisted her fingers awkwardly. “I don’t have the status to know your brother. I overstepped.” “Carter, I should leave. You, your cousin, and Quinn should talk.” Her eyes were red, tears falling. She looked so wronged. Carter grabbed her hand without hesitation. “Why should you go? I brought you here. If anyone should leave, it’s the petty snitch.” Since he named me, I said goodbye to Ben and walked away. Ben tried to stop me, but Carter blocked him. “Bro, why chase her? She was wrong to tattle. Let her reflect on it. Otherwise, I’ll postpone the wedding again.” Ben stomped his foot, frustrated. “Carter, keep hurting her. When you really lose Quinn, don’t come crying to me.” “When she marries someone else, you’ll have nowhere to cry.” Carter didn’t care. “She loves me to death. She’s desperate for me to marry her. She’d never marry anyone else.” “Bro, stop overreacting.” “Bella is treating us to dinner. You have to come.” Bella suddenly called out to me. “Quinn, you come too.”

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On my wedding day, my childhood sweetheart, Julian, stormed the venue with a rowdy group of his friends, kicking open the chapel doors. He declared he was there to steal the bride and take me away. But we hadn’t even made it to the parking lot before he let go of my hand, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. “Alright, boys, I win again. That’s the hundredth bet. Pay up.” He turned back to look at me, eyes glinting with mockery. “Relax, I was just joking. You didn’t actually think I was serious, did you? Go on back inside and get married.” Everyone laughed. They all mocked how I had been obsessed with Julian for ten years, how I would do anything for him. But what neither they—nor Julian—knew, was that this “interruption” was just a scripted part of my wedding program. 1 When Julian explained it was just a bet, the crowd had already been laughing for a while. The ridicule was sharp, piercing my eardrums. “Man, Eva, you’re such a liability. Can you use that brain of yours for once?” “It’s hilarious. Did you really hallucinate that Julian would marry you?” This feeling of humiliation was all too familiar. I instinctively clenched the fabric of my wedding dress, my nails digging into my palms. Julian lit a cigarette, a look of disgust flashing in his eyes. “Eva, if you’re thinking about how to cling to me right now, I suggest you give up. I don’t do clingy.” The laughter grew louder, rippling through the group. Usually, at a moment like this, I would have broken down crying, asking Julian why he treated me this way. But this time was different. As soon as Julian finished speaking, I turned around. A strong hand clamped down on my arm. “Where are you going?” “Back to get married.” Julian froze for a second, then let out a scoff. “Eva, when it comes to being pathetic, no one beats you.” I closed my eyes. Even now, that sentence made my heart skip a beat in pain. Yeah. No matter what I do, in Julian’s eyes, I’m just pathetic. Three days before the wedding, I mailed him an invitation. I don’t know who pocket-dialed me, but I heard the bet with my own ears. “Interesting. She’s really going through with it.” Someone asked Julian, “Think it’s real?” Another guy chimed in, “No way. Everyone knows she’s obsessed with Julian. She’s probably just jealous of his new girl and wants attention.” Julian’s new girl was Sasha. Julian really liked her. He chased her for a long time. I heard Sasha pick up the invitation, glance at it, and toss it on the floor, giggling. “She looks cheap. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t look twice.” Amidst the laughter, Julian slammed his drink on the table and asked: “Wanna bet?” “Again? If we win, you break up with Sasha.” Julian’s voice went cold instantly. “Who said you could use Sasha as a chip?” On the other end of the line, I heard him casually set the terms: Would I run away from the altar for him? Sasha couldn’t be used as a chip. But me? I was the chip in over a hundred of his games. 2 Almost everyone in the room bought in. “Damn! That’s a huge bet. No way she’d bail on her own wedding. Count me in.” “Yeah, Eva might be a simp, but I don’t believe she has zero dignity!” My hand holding the phone trembled. I pressed the end call button repeatedly, but my fingers were shaking too much. A tear fell, hitting the speakerphone button. I panicked and shut off the phone. I stared blankly ahead, then suddenly laughed. Absurd. Tragic. That was my relationship with Julian. Everyone knew I loved him. But no one knew Julian and I had been together for a long time. Before he went abroad for grad school, Julian asked me to wait three years. He promised that once he made a name for himself, he’d come back and marry me. But when I saw him again, he was surrounded by women. He had made a name for himself. I asked him if he remembered what he said. His look was unfamiliar, cold. “Everyone does stupid things when they’re young. Are you trying to blackmail me with that?” No matter how hard I tried, the distance between us only grew. So I gave up. But why? I was already getting married. I had already admitted defeat. Why couldn’t he just let me go? “Eva, you’re actually an idiot.” “If I were the groom, I’d slap you the second you walked back in. Do you have any idea how cheap you look right now?” Julian was yelling at me, spitting insults. I just felt exhausted. I shook off his hand. “Is that so? Watch me.” I walked away. Julian’s voice trailed behind me, impatient. “Fine. Don’t come crying to me when you get humiliated.” I didn’t look back. When I re-entered the chapel, the confetti cannons popped on cue. Pop! Gold streamers rained down on my head. The guests applauded. “I didn’t believe the program when it said there was a ‘Runaway Bride’ skit, but that was intense!” “Adds a little spice, doesn’t it?” “What was the meaning again? ‘True love survives all obstacles’?” 3 I kept a straight face and walked back onto the stage. The ceremony continued. Someone closed the heavy oak doors, leaving Julian standing outside, frozen in shock. We exchanged rings. We said our vows. During the reception, I checked my phone. Julian had sent a barrage of texts. What was that? Eva, did you just play me?! Yes. I played him. I was tired of being the puppy he summoned and dismissed at will. I hoped he learned some boundaries. I didn’t reply. Just as I was about to block him, he called. I declined. He called again. I finally picked up. Julian’s voice was dripping with rage. “Eva. You have three minutes. Come out here and explain yourself.” I answered casually. “Julian, the bet is over, right? You got the outcome you wanted. You won the money.” He took a deep breath, suppressing a scream. I was about to hang up when his tone shifted. “You really went all out just to make me jealous. A fake wedding? Was it fun?” “Fake wedding?” “Eva, I’m putting it out there. After today, don’t expect to ever see me again.” Julian was always arrogant. Whether he believed me or not, I didn’t care. I rubbed my temples. “That would be best.” I hung up. Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. I turned and bumped into Liam’s handsome face. He was leaning against the wall, taller than Julian, his black tuxedo radiating a silent pressure. “Who was on the phone?” I paused. There was a hint of jealousy in his voice. We hadn’t known each other long. The marriage was… sudden. Before I could speak, he leaned in. His breath was close. I held mine. Before I could ask if this was too fast, he grabbed a glass from a nearby table and smiled at my reddening ears. “To celebrate? Cheers?” 4 Liam chose juice. We leaned against the balcony railing. He suddenly asked, “You never told me why you were at the City Clerk’s office that day.” I’m a lightweight. Even the thought of alcohol made my face flush. I squinted. “Just a coincidence.” But that day was actually my birthday. I hadn’t heard from Julian in months. He suddenly contacted me, saying he had a birthday surprise. Even though I knew better, I went. Near City Hall, I heard a roar overhead. It was a helicopter dropping flower petals. Julian was inside. My heart hammered against my ribs. The petals were custom-made. I picked one up. Be mine— My phone rang. It was Julian. “Told you it was a surprise.” I froze. Because I unfolded the petal and saw the name on the back: Sasha. Julian laughed over the roar of the engine. “Eva! She said yes! Wish me a happy relationship!” I went cold. I couldn’t hear what he said after that. I thought about college, when Julian first confessed to me. He lost a game of Truth or Dare. He picked me out of a group of girls. It was a joke. I should have laughed. But I thought he just needed courage. So I said yes. We were together for four years. Just like a normal couple. I watched the petals fall. I realized Julian and I had never even had a sincere “I like you.” I was so tired. No matter how hard I tried, Julian and I were a dead end. Liam walked out of the marriage license bureau toward me right then. He was breathtakingly handsome, surrounded by people staring. He begged me: “Help me out. Pretend to be my girlfriend for five minutes.” One afternoon later, we had a marriage certificate. It felt unreal. He said his family was pressuring him. I was 28, exhausted from chasing Julian. It clicked. Why not? 5 Liam finished his juice and walked me to the car. My head was spinning a little. Halfway to the hotel, he slammed on the brakes. A black SUV was blocking the road. I recognized it immediately. It was Julian. Through the window, I saw Sasha in the passenger seat. Julian hopped out and knocked on my window. Liam just lowered the glass. He was wearing sunglasses, his gaze clashing with Julian’s. “Can I help you?” Julian looked him up and down. He leaned on the door frame, smirking. “Eva, you hired a decent actor. Must have cost a fortune to stage this all day.” I twitched. If I had the certificate on me, I would have slapped him with it. But I had zero patience left for self-defense. “Move.” Julian’s expression faltered but recovered quickly. “Sasha forgot her jacket. It’s cold. Give her yours.” Sasha glanced at me, then looked away with a sneer. I was speechless. “Julian, are you that broke?” He did this often. He loved seeing me jealous. If I got mad, he’d toss me a crumb of affection. I used to cling to that crumb. Now? I grabbed a jacket from the backseat and threw it at him. “Here. Consider it a donation.” It was a matching couple’s jacket we bought in college. It was time to trash it anyway. He recognized it. He froze. Then the anger hit. “Eva! Enough is enough. Don’t push it.” Liam didn’t wait. He floored the gas, swerving around the SUV. We stopped not at Liam’s house, but at a high-end boutique. Liam opened my door. “Let’s go.” “Now? I have clothes.” He changed the subject smoothly. “I don’t. I have nothing to wear.” “And I need… matching couple stuff.” He strode inside. I stood there for a moment. How did Liam know that was a couple’s jacket? 6 Come to think of it. Julian barely ever wore that jacket. I rushed into the store, grabbed Liam, and stared at his face. He rubbed his chin. “Something on my face?” “No…” I remembered. A photo on Julian’s Instagram. One of the people in it… was Liam! I gasped. “You… you know Julian?” Liam smirked, noncommittal. “Maybe. But he didn’t seem to recognize me earlier.” With sunglasses on, Liam looked different. And Julian had probably never looked at my invitation. Liam’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “There’s a party tomorrow. You’ll understand then.” The next day, we arrived at a private room in a restaurant. Before we entered, I heard the noise inside. Julian was asking Liam: “Long time no see. What have you been up to?” “Getting married.” The room exploded. Julian sounded shocked. “You? Married? I thought you were asexual or something. When did you even date?” Liam crossed his legs and took a sip of wine. “You met her yesterday.” “Yesterday?” Julian dismissed it. “You’re mistaken. I was with Sasha all day. We only went to the hotel… and…” He stopped. He remembered something he didn’t want to discuss. A flash of loneliness crossed his eyes. He pulled out his phone. “Anyway, excuse me.” I was about to push the door open when my phone buzzed. Eva, consider the bet my apology. Come find me. Sasha isn’t here. First time Julian ever apologized. I turned off my phone. Then, a phone rang. Almost simultaneously, my ringtone rang out from the hallway, identical to the sound inside the room. Julian looked toward the door. His eyes lit up when he saw me. Then his face fell. Liam pulled me into the room and kissed me on the corner of my mouth. “Everyone, meet Eva. My wife.”

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To remove the scars on his “real” sister’s arms, my brother forced me to give up my skin. He personally strapped me to the operating table and ordered the surgeon to flay me alive. To ensure the graft’s success, he forbade anesthesia, forcing me to wake up screaming from the pain only to pass out again. When the surgery ended, the floor was soaked in blood. I was left barely breathing, stripped of most of my skin, a raw, bloody mess. Through the haze of agony, I heard my brother’s voice from the hallway: “No one touches her without my order. It’s just a little pain. She needs to feel every second of it.” My blood drained away, drop by drop. Infection set in, ravaging my body. In my final moments, I tried to call him, to say one last word. But his voice came through the phone, cold and cruel: “You lose a patch of skin and act like you’re dying? Did you think about how much it hurt Bella when you hurt her? If you want to see me, wait until you’re dead!” But when he found out I was actually dead, he went insane. 1 When Mrs. Zhou carried my urn back to the orphanage, a group of men were tearing the place apart. The children were screaming in terror. A tall, cold man stood in the distance, frowning in disgust. That was my brother, Ethan. Mrs. Zhou shielded the children behind her, her voice hoarse. “Ethan, you tortured Annie to death. Why can’t you leave her final resting place alone?” Ethan sneered. “She hurt her face and couldn’t sell herself anymore, so now she’s faking her death to scam me for money?” “Tell her it won’t work. Bella’s arm is scarred because of her. If she doesn’t get out here right now and give Bella her skin, I’ll bulldoze this orphanage to the ground!” Mrs. Zhou swayed on her feet. She clutched my urn tightly. “She can’t. Annie is dead. You can’t hurt her anymore.” Ethan glanced at her impatiently, then suddenly reached out and slapped the box out of her hands. Crash. The urn shattered. My ashes spilled across the cold floor. Ethan wasn’t satisfied. He stepped forward and ground his expensive leather shoe into the pile of grey-white dust. Mrs. Zhou screamed, her eyes wide with horror, and lunged at him. “You’re crazy! She was your sister!” “I don’t have such a vicious sister!” Ethan kicked Mrs. Zhou away, then stomped hard on her hand, crushing her fingers against the floor. “If she was so evil, shouldn’t her ashes be black?” “You really committed to the bit. Begging at my feet like a dog for money wasn’t enough? Now you’re faking ashes to scam me?” Mrs. Zhou convulsed in pain, but her eyes never left my scattered remains. Her tears had run dry. She could only ask, over and over again. “She was your sister… she was my Annie… why can’t you let her go, even in death?” Ethan kicked her again, venting his rage. “I wish she had died sooner. But until she pays for her sins, how dare that little monster die?” Every time he moved, his shoes kicked up clouds of my ashes. It wasn’t until his bodyguards reported they couldn’t find me in the building that he stopped. He wiped his dusty shoes on Mrs. Zhou’s clothes in disgust, then stomped on her shoulder, as if trying to shatter the bone. “Still covering for her? Tell her to show herself by tomorrow morning. Or else this orphanage, and every brat in it, will pay the price!” The malice in his eyes was crystal clear. As he turned to leave, he made sure to stomp on my ashes one last time. Dozens of bodyguards followed him, their boots tracking my remains all over the courtyard. My heart shattered. I tried to rush forward, to help Mrs. Zhou as she desperately tried to gather what was left of me. But my spirit passed right through her. Pain, sharp and suffocating, seized me. Right. I’m dead. Even if I were alive, I didn’t have a single patch of good skin left to give Bella. So please, Ethan. Let Mrs. Zhou go. Silence finally returned to the courtyard. Mrs. Zhou dragged her broken body across the floor, scooping up my ashes with trembling hands. The urn was smashed to pieces. Sharp splinters pierced her palms, blood mixing with the grey dust. But she didn’t seem to notice. She carefully pieced the box back together, treating every grain of ash like a precious jewel. When she finished, she acted as if nothing had happened, preparing dinner for the children. Only when she was alone did she allow herself to cough up blood. Shaking, she lifted her shirt. The bandages around her abdomen were soaked red. I cried, trying to hug her. That was the wound from when she sold her own blood, over and over, trying to raise money for my surgery. It wasn’t enough. So she knelt before Ethan, begging him for a loan. But Ethan was busy buying Bella a new car. When he saw Mrs. Zhou blocking his path, he kicked her aside without a second thought. She lay bleeding on the pavement for hours that day. But she still tried to find a way for me to live. She waited all day, only to receive the news of my death. Old wounds reopened, new injuries added. Mrs. Zhou’s face was ashen. I clung to her, sobbing silently. She was only fifty, but she looked eighty. When I was five, disfigured and abandoned, she took me in when no one else would. When I was eighteen, dying of snake venom and kicked out by my biological family, she fought the grim reaper for my life. I didn’t want anything for myself anymore. I just wanted to help her protect the orphanage. But in the end, my existence became the curse that destroyed it. 2 Before dawn, Mrs. Zhou dragged her injured body around, packing bags for the children. But she wasn’t fast enough. The roar of an excavator shattered the morning silence as it rammed the front gate. Mrs. Zhou rushed in front of the machine. “You’ll have to drive over my dead body before you touch this place!” A scoff came from the side. The window of a luxury sedan rolled down. “Just hand over that bitch Annie. Or do you think I actually want to be in this filthy dump?” Mrs. Zhou couldn’t stand anymore. She sat on a chair, her white hair blowing in the wind. “Annie is dust. You stepped on her yesterday.” Ethan laughed loudly. “Still lying? Annie is probably warming some old rich man’s bed right now. How much did she pay you to cover for her?” Mrs. Zhou’s shoulders shook violently. She pointed a trembling finger at him. “Ethan, she was your sister! She’s dead! Why do you have to humiliate her like this?” “I don’t have a sister like her. My only sister is Bella!” Beside him, Bella looked pale and fragile. She tugged gently on his sleeve. “Ethan, don’t be mad. I’ll just kneel and apologize to her like always. She’ll forgive me eventually…” She opened the door to get out. Ethan grabbed her arm, his eyes filled with a tenderness I had never seen directed at me. He hugged her tightly, his eyes red. “My poor sister… you’ve suffered so much. It’s all my fault for not protecting you.” Bella smiled bravely, tears streaming down her face. “No, Ethan. Being with you makes me happy.” She carefully lifted her sleeve, revealing gauze stained with blood. “It doesn’t hurt anymore, Ethan. I just want to be with you. I just want Annie to accept me.” Her tears made Ethan clench his fists. He punched the steering wheel, screaming my name, then turned to comfort her. “Don’t worry. She doesn’t have a say in this family. When I find her, I’ll make her wish she was never born!” But I already wished that. I floated beside Mrs. Zhou, my soul tearing apart with grief. I stopped expecting love a long time ago. But Ethan… Bella only needed a small patch of skin. You ordered them to skin me alive. You took so much that I couldn’t survive. After comforting Bella, Ethan gave the order. His men swarmed the orphanage. Terrified children were thrown out into the cold. Mrs. Zhou’s cherished furniture was smashed to pieces. Amidst the chaos, Mrs. Zhou charged forward, only to be shoved to the ground. She coughed up blood. She ignored it, pulling a crumpled paper from her pocket with shaking hands. “Ethan! You don’t believe me, but surely you believe a death certificate from the hospital!” I saw Ethan’s body stiffen. He finally got out of the car. But before he could take the paper, Mrs. Zhou’s phone lit up on the ground. It was an email I had scheduled to send her. The subject line [FROM ANNIE] glowed bright. Ethan let out a strange, strangled laugh. He grabbed a thermos from a nearby table and smashed it over Mrs. Zhou’s head. “You two should be in Hollywood!” “I almost fell for it again! That bitch is still playing games!” “Since you want to die, fine! I’ll help you! Destroy it all!” The excavators roared to life like hungry beasts. The building, filled with the laughter of children and my only happy memories, collapsed into rubble. Mrs. Zhou tried to stop them with her frail body, getting cut and bruised by flying debris. “No! Stop! That was…” Her voice was drowned out by the noise. I forgot I was dead. I threw myself in front of the machines, trying to stop them. They passed right through me. I fell to my knees, pounding the ground, weeping tears of blood. Ethan, why wouldn’t you just look? You could have seen. Those were scheduled emails. Every single one was a suicide note! Mrs. Zhou and the children were held back by bodyguards, forced to watch their home turn to dust. I cried until I was numb. I saw a glint of excitement in Ethan’s eyes. I always knew. He hated me, but he hated this orphanage even more. Because this was where his greatest humiliation had occurred. 3 “Cough, cough…” Hearing Bella’s weak cough, Ethan rushed back to the car and rolled up the windows. “Ugh, this dust is as dirty as Annie!” “Hold on, Bella. We’re going back to the hospital right now.” Bella coughed the whole way. Ethan was sweating with panic, calling the hospital director to be ready at the door. He didn’t forget to curse me. “Annie is a plague. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be suffering like this!” When the test results came back, Ethan jumped out of his chair. Bella was rejecting the graft. It could be fatal. The most effective treatment was a full blood transfusion from me. Before Ethan could speak, Bella struggled to sit up, eyes teary and fragile. “Ethan, no. We can’t hurt Annie anymore.” “I stole her place. This is my punishment. Don’t hurt her for me. Just let me die… I’m just going to miss you so much!” She hugged him and wailed, acting like she was on death’s door. Ethan was heartbroken. “What are you saying? I won’t let you die. You are my heart. If you die, I won’t survive.” “Don’t worry. Dead or alive, I will find Annie and drain every drop of her blood for you.” I watched their touching scene with a cold sneer. Oh, so Bella knew she stole my life? I was kidnapped at five. I fell down a hill, and a branch slashed my face, leaving a scar that cut to the bone. Mrs. Zhou found me and raised me for five years. When I was finally returned to my biological family, I found out “I” had been there the whole time. It was Bella. Ethan claimed they used her as a stand-in to avoid gossip. But when my father and Ethan saw the centipede-like scar on my face, they never mentioned switching us back. From then on, I was Annie. Named for “Silence.” They gave me clothes and jewelry, but their eyes were filled with disgust. When a group of rich girls screamed and cried at the sight of my face, I was officially banished from the main house to live with the servants. I saw Bella hiding behind a pillar, snickering. My school, my parties, my debutante ball… she took them all. When I went to register for college, Bella told me my acceptance letter was hers now. I didn’t believe her until she showed me the letter. The name on it had been changed to Bella. Before I could get angry, she whispered in my ear, triumph dripping from her voice. “Everything of yours is mine. Including that scar on your face. I was the one who threw the rock.” The memory flashed back. It wasn’t a branch. It was a rock. I slapped her. Ethan shoved me to the ground. My hand brushed against something cold. My parents and Ethan rushed Bella to the hospital, not sparing me a glance. Pain shot up my arm. A venomous snake was sunk into my flesh. I shook it off, but the poison was already in my veins. I used my last bit of strength to call 911. When I woke up, Mrs. Zhou was by my side. After that, Ethan gave me $50,000 and kicked me out of the family. Bella had taken everything. So now, she wanted my skin, my blood, my life? Was this all part of the plan? Search all you want, Ethan. I’m curious to see your face when you realize you’re the one who scattered my ashes to the wind. 4 The bodyguards reported that the IP address for the emails was coming from the Sacred Heart Cosmetic Surgery Clinic. Ethan stormed over. In the hallway, two janitors were gossiping. “Time to find a new job. Did you hear about the malpractice?” “A girl was skinned alive without anesthesia. They forgot about her in the OR.” “By the time they found her, the blood had soaked through the floorboards.” “If it hadn’t leaked into the ceiling below, she would have rotted there.” “Martha fainted when she went to clean it up. She said she scrubbed it twenty times and the water was still red.” Ethan froze. He grabbed one of the janitors. “The girl… did she have a scar across her face?” The janitor shook her head. “I didn’t see her face, but I heard she used to be beautiful.” Ethan exhaled, releasing her. Mrs. Zhou was disfigured and old. “Beautiful” wasn’t a word used for her anymore. I laughed at him. He was the one who ruined Mrs. Zhou, yet he couldn’t even remember what she looked like. Ethan looked at my discharge records and slammed his hand on the desk. “Bitch! She’s spoofing the IP address to mock me! She’s hiding somewhere laughing at me!” “Go tie up that old woman, Mrs. Zhou. Torture her until she talks!” Hearing Mrs. Zhou’s name, my numb soul roared with rage. I tried to slap him. I paid my debt with my life! Why drag her into this? You always believe your own twisted logic. Why couldn’t you trust me just once? Just as his men were leaving, the hospital director ran over, sweating. “Mr. Chu! Bad news!” “Miss Bella is rejecting the graft. She needs to be in the ICU, but she’s demanding to leave. Please go talk to her.” Ethan ran, ignoring his twisted ankle. When he arrived, Bella was slumped against the wall, pale as a ghost. Doctors surrounded her helplessly. “Bella, what are you doing? You’re killing me!” “Ethan…” Bella wept. “Someone sent me photos of Annie. It’s all my fault. I have to go apologize. She shouldn’t degrade herself like this.” She tried to stand, then fainted into his arms. “Bella!” Ethan held her, his eyes murderous. While she was being treated, Ethan took her phone and posted the photos online without hesitation. The photos showed “me”—with my horrific scar—sleeping with various men. Old, fat, ugly men. Surrounded by disgusting paraphernalia. The photos went viral instantly. Thousands of comments called me a whore and a monster. Ethan scrolled through the vile comments with satisfaction. “Let’s see who will hide you now. When you’re thrown onto the street, I’ll be the first to spit on you!” Minutes later, his smile vanished. He saw a new trending topic. [Woman Livestreams Suicide Attempt from Chu Corp Headquarters Roof] It was Mrs. Zhou.

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To win back his childhood sweetheart’s mother’s heirloom, my husband risked his life in an underground fight club. In my past life, because I suffered a sudden heart attack, my husband turned back to save me, missing his chance to fight. His “white moonlight,” Bella, failed to retrieve her late mother’s necklace and, unable to bear the pain, jumped from a building. My husband calmly handled her funeral arrangements. But on the seventh day after her death, he tied me inside a punching bag and beat me to death. “You faked a heart attack to make me miss my chance! You killed Bella! I want you to pay with your life!” I opened my eyes and was back on that day. My heart seized up again. But this time, I wouldn’t call him. If he was in such a hurry to die, let him go. 1 When I collapsed to the floor, my chest was in agonizing pain. I used the last of my strength to grab my phone. The memories of my past life echoed in my mind. My husband, Jax, a professional boxer, punching me over and over again. The pain of being treated like a sandbag until I died hadn’t faded. Reborn at this moment, I chose not to call him. I wouldn’t stop him from risking his life for his beloved Bella. But when I dialed 911, Jax’s best friend, Mike, picked up the phone. “Heart attack? Mona, you really just say whatever comes to your mind. I know you’re worried about Jax and want to stop him from fighting, but do you have to curse yourself like this?” Mike thought I couldn’t reach Jax, so I called him instead, making up a lie about a heart attack. “No… I wasn’t trying to find Jax…” “Mona, you don’t have to say it, I get it. It’s normal for women to be jealous, especially with a goddess like Bella around.” Mike started lecturing me. My breathing grew weaker. I couldn’t die now. If I died now, what was the point of being reborn? I gritted my teeth and told him to stop talking nonsense: “Send an ambulance to my house. If I die, it’s negligence on your part. I’m not talking about Jax right now.” “Mona, for the sake of you being Jax’s wife, I won’t report you for wasting public resources.” “We’re all adults here. Why are you so petty? Jax is his own person. He can risk his life for whoever he wants.” Mike hung up angrily. He said he’d never seen someone with no bottom line like me. Dragging personal drama into emergency services, throwing a tantrum. He said if this blew up, it would be Jax who lost face. I knew they were thick as thieves, but I didn’t expect Mike to be this bold. Hanging up on a distress call without confirming the situation. My consciousness began to blur. I barely had the strength to tap the screen. If this continued, I was definitely going to die! 2 In my past life, on the way to the underground fight where Jax was going to win back Bella’s heirloom, I called him back. He rushed me to the hospital, stayed with me through surgery, and missed his slot in the ring. By the time he got to the venue, the necklace belonging to Bella’s mother had been won by his opponent—a man Jax had beaten before. Jax saw the devastation in Bella’s eyes. He told her he was sorry. But Bella never saw him again. A few days later, news came of her death. To please the winner and get her mother’s necklace back, she had offered herself to him. But the man was a violent sadist. He abused Bella, leaving her covered in bruises. She thought she could endure it to get her property back. But the man broke his promise. Unable to bear the humiliation, Bella jumped from a high-rise. Jax handled her body. After the funeral, he didn’t blame me to my face. But a week later, he drugged me, tied me inside a heavy bag, and treated me like a target. Punch after punch landed on my body. “You faked a heart attack and made me miss my chance. That guy was a loser I’ve beaten before. It was a guaranteed win.” “It’s all your fault! You killed Bella! I should have watched you die of that heart attack!” “Mona, how did I end up marrying such a vicious woman?” He beat me until my ears rang and I hallucinated. My whole body screamed in pain. He blamed me for Bella’s death. He wanted me to pay with my life! “She lived with her mother her whole life. That was the only thing her mom left her. It was her reason to live. Just because you were jealous…” In the end, Jax beat me to death. Even then, he didn’t feel satisfied. He said he never wanted to see me in the next life. He said, “Mona, you toxic witch, dying a hundred times wouldn’t be enough.” … My body wouldn’t stop shaking. I finally managed to dial again. This time, it wasn’t Mike who answered. I gave my address and my condition. “Heart attack?” “It’s her again.” I heard Mike grab the phone from his colleague, shouting, “Mona, how many times are you going to pull this stunt? Give it up already!” “Mike, a life is at stake. Send the ambulance.” “Don’t let her fool you. This woman is a master manipulator. If she hadn’t tricked Jax back then, Bella and Jax would be married by now.” Mike was recounting my past to his coworkers. The night of our college graduation, we drank a lot. I had had a crush on Jax for years. He was a boxer, righteous and strong. On my first day of college, when a creep took photos of me on the subway, Jax beat him up and made him apologize. He said scum like that deserved to be punched out. He told me to be careful. I loved him for four years. That night, we got locked in a room together. We talked about everything. Later, in a drunken haze, he hugged me. He kissed me. His skin was burning hot. The moonlight was beautiful. Jax was fierce that night. I didn’t push him away. I thought he loved me. I didn’t know it was a setup. Jax had been drugged, and he suspected me. Because Bella “accidentally” found my diary, filled with my love for Jax. After that night, Jax said he would take responsibility. He would marry me. But he also loathed me. Even though we were married for years, he never touched me again. He thought I was dirty. No matter how I explained, he believed I tricked him. “Mona, seriously, grow up. Jax has already left. He might even be in the ring. Stop messing around behind his back.” Mike’s colleague didn’t dare take the risk and decided to dispatch an ambulance anyway. Mike laughed in the background. “Just wait and see. You’re definitely getting played by this woman. No wonder Jax’s heart is with Bella. Sometimes, Mona, you need to look in the mirror.” I lost my voice and passed out. But before the darkness took me, I heard the sirens. 3 I was rushed to the hospital. Thanks to the timely arrival, my life was saved. I lay in the hospital bed, the doctor ordering strict rest. As soon as I woke up, Mike was there. I thought he came to apologize. After all, due to his negligence, I had nearly died from a heart attack. But he was dismissive. “Mona, nice acting. You even fooled the Chief. Did you secretly do cardio at home to trigger an episode?” “…” I was speechless. I told Mike to get out. He said Jax specifically asked him to look after me. “Since you’re fine, I’ll call Jax.” “Is being a doctor a game to you?” I raged. “You’re basically a murderer.” Mike called Jax. He hadn’t gone on stage yet. He and Bella were at the venue. It was noisy. “Mona is fine. Alive and kicking. Don’t worry, Jax.” Jax’s voice was cold. “Good thing I didn’t come back. Almost got tricked by her again.” “You really will do anything. Can’t you be more generous? I already married you. What more do you want?” Jax scolded me. He had to go prep and didn’t have time to argue. I was exhausted and wanted to rest. But then, Bella took the phone. She even started a livestream. Bella said in a fake, sweet voice, “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t begged Jax, you guys wouldn’t be fighting. Mona, just this once, lend Jax to me.” Bella said that item meant everything to her. I didn’t react. I said nothing. They were stunned. Usually, I would be screaming, demanding an explanation from Jax. But today, I was truly tired of it. In my past life, I gave Jax my heart and soul. He didn’t even look at it before trampling it into the dirt. He asked why I had to go against Bella. He married me intending to live a good life, but I was always “acting out.” “Mona, you’re worried about Jax too, right? I’ll livestream it for you.” Bella sounded like she was showing off. She said underground rings were chaotic and life-or-death. I had seen her Instagram post earlier. A photo of Jax’s back. Caption: The best childhood friend in the world, willing to risk his life for me! Jax replied: Always. I had even liked the post. The noise was unbearable. I was losing patience. “I don’t want to watch. Get out. The doctor said I need rest.” “Come on, Mona. Bella is doing this specifically for you,” Mike insisted. He was so annoying. “If I were you, I’d be writing my resignation letter right now.” He hung up on my emergency call. That was a massive violation. If I had died, Mike would face serious consequences. I wasn’t going to let him off the hook. Mike’s face changed. “Mona, we’re not enemies. If you keep talking like that, I’m going to get mad.” “What’s wrong, Mikey?” Bella started playing the saint. She told me to take my anger out on her. “I’m sorry, Mona. I asked Mikey to help me.” I recorded all of this. Just in case. These people weren’t human; they were pests. If they tried to bite back, I needed to be careful this time. Every step had to be calculated. A roar came from the phone. Bella screamed, cheering for Jax. “It started, Mona! I’m telling you, Jax looks so hot in the ring. You’ve never seen him box, have you?” “…” Bella bragged. In my past life, I would have been heartbroken. The man I loved for years, my husband, never boxed in front of me. But he would risk his life for Bella. I was jealous, sure. I was willing to let them have their “tragic romance.” But not by stepping over my dead body. The fight was brutal. I closed my eyes, refusing to watch. Suddenly, a gasp came from the phone. Bella sounded confused. “What happened? What’s wrong with Jax?” I saw Jax on the screen, lying motionless in the ring. Then, the screen went black!

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I dated my idol for eight years. But when my parents pressured me to get married, he refused. “You’re just a canary I keep, a lover who can’t see the light of day. You think you deserve to marry me?” “But you are getting old. Go home and see if there’s anyone suitable. Don’t say I wasted your time later.” I was in excruciating pain, holding back tears. I knew from the beginning that he only liked me because I looked 80% like his dead childhood sweetheart. But I still naively hoped he liked me at least a little bit. Now, the dream is over, and it’s time for me to leave. Packing my things, I called my mom: “Mom, I agree to the blind date you arranged.” 1 I was still showering in the bathroom. Liam suddenly pushed the door open, startling me. Before I could recover, he pressed me against the cool tiles and kissed me passionately. His model figure, god-like face that made millions of fans scream, and his unknown seductive techniques made me gradually fall from shock. From the shower area to the bathtub, and then to the bed. Suddenly, the abrupt ringtone of the phone cut through the romance in the bedroom. It rang and was hung up, rang and was hung up… I reached out to grab the phone before Liam, but he smashed it to the ground. The ringtone rang again. “Damn it, is there no end?” Liam completely lost interest. I quickly picked up the phone on the ground, full of apologies. “It’s my mom calling. It might be urgent.” He went into the bathroom unsatisfied. My mom called again to urge me to get married. I listened to her nagging absently and hung up. At this time, Liam came out of the bathroom. The anger just now was gone, replaced by a look of indifference. “Your mom urged you to get married?” “Yeah.” “Do you want to get married?” My heart skipped a beat, and I wanted to test his reaction, “Yes.” Liam sneered: “Indeed, you are getting old. Go home and see if there is anyone suitable. Don’t say I wasted your time later.” Actually, I had expected him to say that. But when I really heard it, I realized what kind of heart-wrenching pain it was. I twitched the corners of my mouth, lowered my head and held back my tears. However, knowing that his words hurt me, Liam didn’t coax me. He went to the living room as if nothing had happened, leaving me alone to digest it. In fact, I have suffered such cold violence hundreds and thousands of times in these eight years. 2 Liam is a top idol with millions of fans, and I am his fan. At a fan meeting, like many fans, I was crazy about him offstage. I was suddenly hit by the goddess of luck and got the chance to interact with my idol on stage. At that time, a close contact, a simple hug. A few warm words of concern were enough to make me feel lightheaded. For the first time, I felt that human satisfaction and happiness were embodied. Later, after graduation, I interned in the art group of the crew. Liam happened to be the male lead of that drama. So I often found opportunities to get close to Liam, and he didn’t seem to dislike me. Later, we added each other on WeChat. Back and forth, we gradually became lovers doing all intimate things. However, “lovers” was just what I thought. In Liam’s eyes, I was more like a canary he kept, an underground lover who couldn’t see the light of day. I fell deeper and deeper into this relationship, unable to extricate myself. Suddenly, I discovered that Liam had a dead childhood sweetheart. And I looked at least 80% like her. This relationship was unequal from the beginning. He was a high-and-mighty idol, and I was a fan who admired and was obsessed with him, humble to the dust. But I always thought he at least liked me. Unexpectedly, his little liking for me was also because of another woman. My friend asked me, why could I continue to maintain such a relationship with him for six years after discovering I was a substitute? Probably because I was greedy for money and lust. Being with Liam, except for a little dignity, I didn’t seem to suffer any loss. He was good in bed, handsome, and gave me money to spend. However, a few days ago, I was still trying to figure out how to put off my parents and avoid their urging for marriage. At this moment, I suddenly felt tired. Maybe my mom was right. I’m old enough to plan for my future. Even if I don’t get married, I can’t continue to entangle endlessly like this. What’s more, Liam will sooner or later meet a girl who looks more like his dead ex-girlfriend than me. Leaving proactively is better than waiting to be abandoned. This night, I wasn’t sad for long. When Liam finished smoking and returned to the bedroom, I was already asleep. I woke up suddenly in the second half of the night, only to find Liam sleeping soundly with his long arms and legs wrapping around me. 3 After making up my mind, I called my mom back. I told her I would go home for the New Year, and she could arrange blind dates for me. However, leaving the city where I have struggled for nearly ten years is not a matter of a suitcase. What’s more, I still have some financial connections with Liam. In fact, I haven’t relied entirely on Liam these years. I have been drawing comics. Every time Liam saw me drawing, he would say: “Why do you work so hard to draw these? It’s a waste of time.” I was an art student and graduated from a top art college in China. I didn’t want to give up what I liked. What’s more, if I were with him, I would have no sense of security at all and would always worry about being abandoned. So I registered my own account and serialized my own comics. Even though my account had no popularity at first, I persisted. Later, my comics became popular, and I sold the copyright and earned more than one million. I told Liam excitedly, sharing my joy. I thought he would at least praise me a few words, but what I got was his light ridicule. “More than one million? Not even as expensive as the bag I gave you last month.” “What are you tossing about? Didn’t I give you an unlimited black card?” I was very disappointed, but I still tried to communicate with him. It wasn’t about money, it was about the satisfaction of realizing self-worth. But he had absolutely no interest in listening to me: “Okay, continue drawing if you want, but don’t take up our meeting time.” In Liam’s eyes, my value lies in being on call, accommodating him 100%, serving him, and serving him alone. When he is happy, he will accompany me and give me a few candies casually; when he is unhappy, I have to be responsible for making him happy. And when I am unhappy, I have to learn to digest it myself and cannot give him any attitude, otherwise I will get his more ruthless cold violence. Once he asked me to meet, but I was accompanying my best friend who had just broken up. He actually blacklisted me. No matter how I sent messages, called, and begged bitterly, he only let his assistant send me away and didn’t say a word to me. It was not until three months later that he forgave me. Besides, when I was sick, I always saw the doctor alone. Once I even had a car accident. Although it wasn’t very serious, I stayed in the hospital alone for a week. During the period, I called him, hoping he could come and see me. He said he was filming and couldn’t come, and then hung up. In these eight years, I have asked myself countless times, does Liam really love me? Facts have proved that in his eyes, I am just a toy for his entertainment, a substitute for a dead lover. 4 During these eight years, I made a table for all the things Liam gave me and the money he spent. Those things are easy to deal with. Sell what can be sold, and then convert it into cash. The trouble is, a house he gave me, the housing price plummeted, and selling it would be a huge loss. But transferring it to him, he definitely wouldn’t be happy. Thinking about it, I decided to sell it. Over the years, various copyright fees and income from basic comics, as well as the gold bars I have hoarded for several years, have increased a lot. Adding it all up is not only enough to pay back Liam’s money, but there are also a few million left. Taking this money back to my hometown and spending it frugally is enough to lie flat. What’s more, I don’t plan to lie flat yet! Now I’m just waiting for the house to be sold so I can leave. The newly published comics exploded again in a few days. A company wanted to buy the film and television copyright. The other party offered a high price, and I soon expressed my willingness to cooperate. Then they made an appointment to meet me at a high-end private restaurant. Unexpectedly, the partner was my comic fan. Everyone chatted happily. After three rounds of drinking, I suddenly received a message from Liam. [Where?] I replied casually: [Outside, eating.] Unexpectedly, Liam replied instantly: [Eating? With a group of old men?] [Sue, I don’t have time to control you usually, do you think I’m dead?] My heart skipped a beat, and I looked out the window. I recognized Liam in disguise at a glance. A windbreaker, a peaked cap, a black mask, 1.8-meter long legs, like a model figure in a pictorial. He stood in the corridor looking down at his phone. The moment he turned back, his eyes met mine through the glass window. Frowning slightly, his peach blossom eyes were full of anger. At this time, his agent came out of the private room and blocked his view. While chatting and laughing, Liam left with his agent. Although I wanted to break up, I don’t know why I still habitually pleased him. Almost without thinking, I replied with an explanation. [They want to buy the film and television copyright of my comics and are discussing cooperation.] Liam: [I’ll wait for you in the car. Come out in five minutes.] Even through the screen, I could feel his expression when he said this sentence, and the suffocating oppression. Am I his dog? Patiently, I replied: [Haven’t finished talking yet, you go first!] Liam: [Sue, flirting with a group of old men, do you know how cheap you look?] Words like poison, like a cold knife stabbing into my heart. Every knife drew blood. I turned off the phone screen and buckled it on the table. The next second, the phone calls bombarded again. The partner probably saw my embarrassment and asked if I had something urgent, or we could meet next time. If it were before, I would really be so love-struck that I would leave everything to find him. But at this moment, an indescribable sense of shame swept over me. I shook my head and hung up the call: [It’s okay, let’s continue.] After saying that, I, who just said I wouldn’t drink, poured a full glass: “Thank you for liking my comics. This is really important to me.” 5 I slept until very late the next day. Just as I was about to go out to eat something, I received a call from the partner, saying sorry that they couldn’t buy my film and television copyright. I asked for the reason in detail, but the other party faltered. Under repeated questioning, he told me that someone put pressure on their company, probably wanting to snatch my work. He also said that someone else might contact me soon to buy my work. Sure enough, in the afternoon, someone contacted me, and the offer was ten times higher than the original one, and they also bought out all copyrights of the work. But when I asked why they wanted to buy it out, the other party’s attitude was very cold. Saying it was their boss’s decision, and how to deal with it later was their business. After selling it, I would have no right to ask. This made me feel very strange. I was very happy that someone wanted to buy the copyright of the work, but that was my painstaking effort. No matter how much money, I wouldn’t sell it like selling a child. So I refused. 6 “Brother Liam, Sister Sue rejected them.” “What? Rejected?” Liam threw the magazine in his hand and frowned at his assistant, Zack. “Why not sell?” “Don’t know, she didn’t say.” Zack said cautiously: “Could it be that Sister Sue discovered that you are the backer behind the scenes?” Liam’s face darkened: “Really ungrateful.” “Hung up on me yesterday, and hasn’t come to apologize until now.” “Do you think I treat her too well? That’s why she’s getting more and more presumptuous now!” Zack didn’t know what to say. Saying Brother Liam treated Sister Sue badly, she was his only woman for so many years, and he was generous with money. Saying good, but he seemed not to understand what Sister Sue really wanted at all. Like last night, Brother Liam asked him to wait for Sister Sue to come out and watch her go home safely. Zack felt that Liam loved Sue, but didn’t know how to express it. “Brother Liam, how about you soften up first this time?” “What?” Liam disdained: “What is she? She smiled apologetically to a group of old men, hung up on me, and asked me to apologize first?” Zack wanted to persuade again, but Liam rubbed his temples and said: “Wait, she will come to apologize on her own initiative tonight.” “Remember to check your phone more often, don’t miss any calls.” Zack was helpless: “Okay.” 7 Half a month passed. As I expected, Liam treated me with cold violence as always. Originally, I thought about breaking up with him and saying goodbye properly. It seems unnecessary at all. He won’t look for me. The eight-year relationship ended so simply. Even though I was ready to leave, my heart couldn’t help but ache. Actually, this was not the first time I wanted to break up. In the past eight years, I wanted to break up countless times. The longest time was a week, and the shortest was a few hours, and then I regretted it. I was like a fish living on Liam. Losing his nourishment, I felt like I was going to die immediately. However, this time, I felt an inexplicable sense of relief. The house was finally sold. I took a rose bath and almost fell asleep comfortably when the phone suddenly rang. It was Zack calling. “Sister Sue, Brother Liam asked you to come to [Night Heart] now.” That was the private club Liam often went to. Unexpectedly, he would still look for me. I thought he had a new love and didn’t want me anymore! I said lazily: “Not going, tell him I’m already asleep.” Zack instantly looked like he had received a huge shock. “Sister Sue… stop joking. Brother Liam has been in a bad mood recently. If you do this again, I’m worried…” I didn’t listen to his long-windedness and hung up directly. Five minutes later, the phone called again. “Sister Sue, I beg you, please come over, okay?” “Brother Liam said if you don’t come, he will fire me.” Zack’s voice was trembling, feeling like he was about to cry. Liam was just like that, always venting his anger on others. Zack came from a poor family and had a sick mother to take care of. It wasn’t easy for him to swallow his pride around Liam for so many years. After thinking about it, I decided to go there and make a clean break with him by the way. 8 As soon as I pushed the door open and entered, the originally lively private room quieted down, and everyone looked at me. Liam sat in the middle, with a young and tender girl in his arms. Except for that girl, I knew everyone else. They also knew about my relationship with Liam. A few rich second generations who didn’t mind watching the fun greeted me. “Sister-in-law, you’re here!” “Why don’t you get away tactfully? Sister-in-law is here.” The body of the girl in Liam’s arms stiffened instantly. After scanning back and forth between me and Liam, she hesitated for a moment and was about to get up, but was pressed back into his arms by Liam. He took a sip of wine漫不经心ly, glanced at me and said: “Here?” “Don’t you have a lot of works to sell?” “Here are all rich sponsors with nowhere to spend money. Pour them wine, smile, and you will definitely sell for a good price.” Hearing this, except for Zack who was sweating profusely beside me, everyone’s eyes were full of contempt and ridicule. It turned out he asked me to come just to humiliate me again. Worthy of being Liam, despicable, selfish. Always self-centered, never considering others’ feelings. However, seeing me standing there in embarrassment for a long time, my eyes slightly red, Liam didn’t seem satisfied enough and urged again. “What are you still standing there for?” “What’s wrong with Sue? So aloof in front of me, but okay in front of outsiders?” I clenched my hands tightly, my nails digging deep into my flesh, but I didn’t seem to feel the pain. After taking a deep breath, I went forward and poured wine for everyone. Liam stared at me sheepishly with a look of disdain. Ignoring his gaze, I held up a glass of wine and looked at everyone. “Actually, I came here today to say goodbye to everyone.” “I’m leaving Haicheng soon, and I probably won’t come back in the future.” “I wish you all a bright future. See you around!” Everyone looked at Liam in shock. His face stiffened for a moment, but soon showed a disdainful smile. “Sue, don’t you think it’s childish and ridiculous to say such things?” “Will I soften my heart like this?” “Do you know you’re almost thirty?” As he said that, he hugged the girl tighter in his arms, “Isn’t this younger and prettier than you? What kind of woman can’t I get?” I nodded with a sincere face. “Indeed, since you have a new love, I, the old one, should make room for her.” “Let’s break up!” “Wish you harmony and beauty.” After drinking the wine in the glass in one gulp, I smiled shallowly: “Leaving first, everyone have fun.” I turned and withdrew from the private room, closing the door thoughtfully. At this time, someone said: “Brother Liam, did you go too far this time?” “She won’t really leave Haicheng and not come back, right?” Liam said nonchalantly: “Tch, she has a big temper recently, needs to be taught a lesson.” “That’s right. Everyone has seen how devoted Sue was to you in the past.” Zack spoke weakly: “Brother Liam, Sister Sue doesn’t seem to be acting out of pique this time. Just now she…” “Shut up! What do you know?” Liam said firmly: “She’ll have to cry and beg me tonight. send a video as proof later.” I smiled self-deprecatingly and strode away from the club. Originally wanted to leave in a few days. Returning to the villa that night, I couldn’t suppress my temper at all and couldn’t wait to change the flight ticket. Most of the luggage had been mailed home long ago. When leaving, it was nothing more than a small boarding case. So after leaving a note and two bank cards, I boarded the plane at three o’clock in the morning.

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One week into the “extreme freeze,” my husband and son—both obsessed with apocalyptic web novels—were convinced the end of the world had arrived. My husband, Aaron, stopped pretending to be the good guy. Not only did he encourage our son to loot jewelry stores and supermarkets, but he also moved his childhood sweetheart—who was three months pregnant—into the mansion I bought. “The world is ending, Clara. Lily is carrying my child. Can’t you be a little more generous?” “In the apocalypse, this isn’t looting, it’s survival! Mom, your old-fashioned mindset isn’t even worth a strand of Aunt Lily’s hair.” As our supplies dwindled and the temperature outside plummeted to -100°F (or so they thought), Lily, the “sweetheart,” kicked me out of my own house. I turned around, climbed into the heavily insulated RV I had prepared in advance, and dialed a number. “Professor Chen? Is the extreme weather emergency drill almost over?” On the surveillance screen, the father and son duo were tearing the house apart looking for me. They were losing their minds. 1 I set the RV’s thermostat to a comfortable 75°F and switched on the electric fireplace I’d installed. The biting cold vanished instantly, replaced by a cozy warmth. “Clara, come to the lab. It’s not safe for you alone in the RV.” The man on the other end of the line sounded panicked when he heard Aaron’s mistress, Lily, had thrown me out. “It’s almost time to reel in the net. Is there anything more satisfying than watching prey struggle in a trap?” I hung up and looked at the monitor. Aaron’s veins were bulging on his forehead. He was gripping Lily’s shoulders, shaking her. “You dared to kick Clara out without telling me? Lily, do you want to die?” Lily, shocked, puffed out her pregnant belly defensively. “Aaron! You said you were sick of Clara! You said you could only be yourself with me!” “Isn’t this better? Without that eyesore Clara, we’re finally a happy family!” My son, Noah, slumped to the floor, his eyes red. “Dad, what do we do? Mom hates the cold…” They all knew that being kicked out in this “weather” meant certain death. Aaron leaned against the doorframe, his face as pale as a sheet. Suddenly, he let out a guttural roar, filled with helplessness and despair. Watching this, I let out a cold laugh. Half a month ago. “Dad, look! The frozen apocalypse is real!” Early in the morning, father and son stood by the window, eyes gleaming with excitement. It should have been a scorching August, but the temperature had dropped by sixty degrees overnight. The city was frozen solid. “Son, can you believe it? Our time has come,” Aaron murmured. I stood on the second floor landing, arms crossed, coldly watching this pair of apocalypse-fantasy addicts excitedly list the supplies they needed to hoard. “Lily, don’t cry. Don’t be scared, I’m coming to get you right now.” “…Afraid of her? Baby, you have to understand, in the apocalypse, the strong rule! The weak—women, children, the elderly—step aside. It’s a man’s world now!” Aaron was on the phone with Lily, his voice booming. He was openly admitting his affair. 2 To the outside world, Aaron was the perfect husband. He would leave business dinners early. “Apologies, gentlemen. My wife made mushroom soup. I have to go home and try it.” He would coldly reject any advances from female secretaries. Even a slight cold would make him frown with worry. “Clara, honey, I called Dr. Liu to come over and check on you.” He remembered every anniversary. He knew all my habits. Until six months ago. My father died of cancer, and I inherited the family company and fortune. That’s when my perfect husband started showing his true colors. He disappeared for a whole night, missing my father’s funeral. When he finally rushed in, he smelled of a perfume that wasn’t mine. At the same time, my secretary, Jessica, told me that Aaron, the company’s vice president, had been embezzling funds. She traced the money to a villa in the suburbs. The deed was in the name of Aaron’s childhood friend, Lily. I thought I had been too focused on work and neglected our marriage. So, I cut my business trip to Germany short. But when I got home, my grandmother, who suffered from dementia, grabbed my hand at the door. Her cloudy eyes were filled with terror. “Clara, run!” Before I could comfort her, Lily walked in. “President Wen, Aaron said he left a file at home and asked me to fetch it.” Seeing Lily, Grandma fainted. Three days later, while I was in a meeting, Grandma’s caretaker called. Grandma had fallen from the third floor of the villa. She was dead. I broke down, screaming at the caretaker. “I told you a thousand times! Even if you leave for a minute, lock her door!” “I’m so sorry, Miss Wen. She wanted hot milk, and the microwave in her room broke. I thought it would only take a second…” Noah helped me up from the floor. “Mom, it wasn’t her fault. I saw it. It happened in the blink of an eye. Great-grandma just ran out and fell.” Aaron held me, looking mournful. “The dead are gone, Clara. Grandma wouldn’t want to see you like this.” At the funeral, Aaron was the picture of a devoted husband-in-law. Everyone envied me. But years in the business world had sharpened my instincts. Something felt wrong about Grandma’s death. I hired a private investigator to look into the caretaker. She disappeared right after quitting. And a large sum of money had been transferred into her account. The sender was Lily. 3 The truth was obvious. I wept uncontrollably at Grandma’s grave. My mother died giving birth to me. My father was always working. Grandma raised me. I was a timid child, afraid of ghosts and the dark. Grandma would sing nursery rhymes to soothe me to sleep. Even with dementia, her favorite thing was sewing little floral dresses for me. “My Clara has a show at kindergarten. Without a pretty dress, Clara will cry.” I clutched the floral dress she made me. Lily, how dare you? But when I confronted Aaron, he didn’t believe me. “Clara, I know you don’t like Lily, but to say she murdered Grandma? That’s impossible.” I looked at him coldly. “So it’s just a coincidence?” “I grew up with Lily. I know her character. She’s like a sister to me. Don’t target her.” Even my son, the boy I carried for ten months, sided with them. “Mom, don’t badmouth Aunt Lily just because you’re jealous she’s young and pretty!” Looking at the two people I lived with, I felt like I was looking at strangers. I handed the evidence to the police. They summoned Lily. Just as I thought she would pay for her crimes, the police told me there wasn’t enough evidence. Lily had a perfect alibi. The day Grandma died was Lily’s birthday. And the people celebrating with her were my husband and son. She provided photos. In them, she sat surrounded by flowers, leaning into Aaron’s embrace. Noah stood by with a huge gift box. They were smiling, happy. That night, while rain poured down, I sat alone on the doorstep, holding Grandma’s cold body, crying until dawn. When I saw Aaron and Noah picking Lily up from the police station, my heart shattered. My two closest relatives were protecting another woman. They testified that Lily couldn’t be the murderer. “Clara, I told you Lily didn’t do it. Why did you call the police?” Aaron looked at the pale Lily with concern. “Mom, I saw Great-grandma fall myself. Why won’t you let Aunt Lily go? You’re so toxic!” On the surveillance screen, Aaron suddenly stood up to open the door. “Clara hates the cold. I have to find her!” 4 I’ve always been afraid of the cold. I have a severe allergy to cold air. In extreme cases, I go into shock. Before my father died, he gripped Aaron’s hand tight. “Aaron, Clara is my only daughter. My biggest worry is her.” “She’s been frail since she was a child. She can’t handle cold air. Please, take care of her…” Aaron knelt by the bed, crying genuine tears. Only after Aaron promised repeatedly did my father close his eyes. Not long after, a cold wave hit while I was on a business trip. The allergy triggered. I was delirious, unable to breathe. My emergency medication was missing from my suitcase. It was a rare drug, impossible to buy locally. I struggled to call Aaron. On the tenth try, someone picked up. “Clara? Looking for Aaron?” Lily laughed softly on the other end. “He’s in the shower. He promised to spend tonight with me. Don’t call again unless it’s urgent.” “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Aaron brought me to Hokkaido to see the snow. Even if you needed him, he couldn’t make it back.” When I woke up, a man was sleeping by my bed. “Clara! You’re awake!” Seeing me open my eyes, Ethan Chen’s exhausted face lit up. “If I hadn’t been here for research and heard you were in town… you would have died!” Ethan had known me for years. He knew about my allergy. He tried to call me for dinner, but I was already unconscious. When I didn’t answer, he panicked. He used his family’s connections to find my hotel. Bang! The door burst open. Aaron rushed in, looking frantic. “Clara!” He hugged me, guilt flashing in his eyes. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got a sudden order from overseas, huge profit margin, so I flew out immediately. I didn’t know you were sick…” Watching him lie so easily, I felt exhausted. “Is the snow in Hokkaido beautiful?” I asked softly. “I once told you I could never see snow because of my allergy. Remember what you said?” When Aaron proposed, he created artificial snow for me. “Clara, you said not seeing snow was your biggest regret. You said maybe the snowflakes hated you.” “I’m willing to be hated by the snowflakes with you. Marry me, and let me be with you forever. Your joy is my joy, your regret is my regret.” Aaron froze for a second. I pushed him away. “Aaron, let’s get a divorce.” 5 “What’s your plan?” Ethan walked with me outside the hospital room. “Clara, if you really want a divorce, I can talk to Aaron.” I shook my head. “He’s stubborn. My father left him 30% of the company shares to ensure he’d take care of me. His influence is almost equal to mine.” “Divorcing him would bleed the Wen Group dry. My father’s life work is in that company. I can’t risk it.” “Plus, everyone sees him as the perfect husband. A sudden divorce would cause rumors that could hurt the stock price.” Ethan nodded. An idea flashed in my mind. “Ethan, I heard your lab is looking for investors for an extreme weather simulation project?” “Your dad really treated me like a son. He told you everything.” I smiled. “Clara, you’re not thinking of investing, are you?” Ethan looked at me in surprise. “Humans are animals. Social order keeps the beast in check. Once that order breaks, true nature reveals itself.” “Even a ‘perfect’ man like Aaron won’t be able to hide. Once the mask is ripped off, he won’t be able to put it back on.” And then there was Lily. The murderer. For Grandma. I had to take revenge. 6 Day 7 of the “Extreme Freeze.” “Aaron, I thought you abandoned us.” Aaron had braved the “blizzard” to bring Lily to the mansion my father left me. “The apocalypse is here. How could I leave you?” I watched them cuddling, arms crossed. Seeing me, Aaron looked slightly guilty. “Clara, this is an emergency…” His excuse was that because I asked for a divorce, he got drunk and Lily comforted him. “Clara, I know you’re mad, but the world is ending! Lily and the baby are innocent. I swore I’d protect you all!” “Innocent? If she were innocent, she wouldn’t wreck a home. Cheating is cheating. Don’t sugarcoat it.” Suddenly, Noah ran downstairs wearing a ski mask. “Dad, I’m going out for supplies! Wish me luck!” “Stop!” I grabbed Noah. “Noah, what are you doing?” He shook me off like I was toxic. “It’s the apocalypse! Staying home means death. I’m going out to find a way to survive!” “You’re not going anywhere! You’re a child! Stop reading those stupid web novels!” “Clara, Noah is brave. You should be happy for him,” Lily said, putting an arm around him. “Young people like Noah will thrive in this new world. This is their era.” “See? Aunt Lily understands! Mom, you’re brainwashed by making money. Open your eyes! It’s the end of the world! Don’t force your old ideas on me. Just watch, I’m going to be a king!” Noah looked me up and down. “No wonder Dad likes Aunt Lily. You think divorce threats will bring him back? Dream on.” I stared at him in disbelief. “Is that really how you see me?” Noah scoffed. “Always controlling me. Now you care what I think? Mom, aren’t you tired of living like this?” I wanted to use this drill to expose Aaron. I didn’t expect my own son to reveal his true colors so soon. To him, I was just a nagging, absent mother who only cared about money. Before he was ten, I was a full-time housewife. I gave him everything. That’s why Aaron got power in the company. Now that Noah was thirteen, I started working. Strangers gave him a little kindness, and he remembered it forever. I disciplined him once, and he hated me for life. I watched him leave. I didn’t stop him. My heart was colder than the weather. Hours later. “Dad! Aunt Lily! The people in the supermarket were terrified! My squad and I got supplies!” Noah pulled out a bag. He unzipped it. It was full of gold bars. “Noah! Are you insane? You robbed a bank?!” I grabbed his arm. “Let’s go. We’re turning ourselves in!” “Get off me!” Noah looked at me coldly. “I told you, it’s the apocalypse! Civilization is gone! Laws are gone! You have to be ruthless to survive!” “Mom, I’ve had enough. Stop judging me with your narrow mind!” “Actually, it makes sense. Someone who would frame an innocent woman for murder is naturally unreasonable.” Hearing this, my heart turned to ice. Slap! I slapped Noah hard. “Clara Wen! What did he say wrong? If you can’t see reality, get out of this house!” Aaron shouted. “Noah, does it hurt? Aunt Lily will get some ice. Your mom is so cruel…” Hatred flashed in Noah’s eyes. “I don’t have a mom like her. She’s not my mom!” I turned and walked back to my room. Ding. A text message. “Clara, the surveillance cameras caught Noah robbing the store. Take him to the police station now. Let’s end the drill early.” I typed back with trembling fingers. “No need. He has to pay for his actions.”

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