1 My wife, Victoria, has a pathological aversion to being touched by men. The slightest contact sends her into a violent episode. Out of respect for her condition, I never touched her after we were married. But accidents happened. Twice. The first time, she had an episode and stabbed me. Thirty-eight stitches. The second time, she locked me in an old industrial freezer. The frostbite nearly cost me my leg. After that, I never dared to touch her again. I was so afraid of triggering her that I kept a constant three-foot distance between us. But on the day I buried my cat, I saw my wife—who was supposed to be on a business trip—having dinner with her male assistant. Her gaze was tender, her eyes filled with an affection I’d never seen directed at me. They kissed on the street, a long, desperate embrace that seemed to go on forever… Just then, my phone rang. It was the hospital, the doctor’s voice buzzing with excitement. “Mr. Otto, regarding Mrs. Otto’s condition, we’ve found a breakthrough treatment—” I watched the assistant’s hand slide under the fabric of Victoria’s dress and let out a bitter, mocking laugh. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We won’t be needing it.” … “What? Why? This new therapy protocol has a near-certain chance of success…” the doctor pleaded, but I wasn’t listening. I lifted my head, a glutton for punishment, and forced myself to watch them. The assistant was now nestled in her arms, his fingers roaming freely. And Victoria, the woman who flew into a rage at the slightest touch, showed no reaction at all. I looked down at the chaotic web of scars on my arm, the phantom pains stealing my breath. Maybe this was the price I had to pay. The price for falling in love with the wrong person. I ended the call and walked away. A cold rain began to fall, and a dull ache throbbed in my leg. All because I’d once reached out to steady Victoria when she stumbled. For that simple act of concern, she locked me away to freeze. Suddenly, the five years I had dedicated to this marriage felt like a pathetic joke. When Victoria came home, she found me sitting on the sofa. She stormed over and slapped me hard across the face. “What have I told you? You are not to sit on my sofa without putting down a protective cover!” She raised her hand to strike me again but stopped, her expression twisting in what looked like agony. I vaguely remembered a time she’d told me she loved me very much. She’d claimed that she was trying so hard to control her phobia that she managed not to stab me that day. A humorless smile touched my lips. “Victoria.” “You say you love me. Prove it.” I extended my hand toward her. Victoria held her ground, her knuckles turning white as she clenched her fists. But just as my fingertips were about to graze her cheek, she flinched away. In the end, she smashed the ceramic mug I’d spent three days crafting for her, used a shard to slice open her own wrist, and fled the room. I watched her go, my expression hardening into a cold mask. I remembered the time I’d been so thirsty after a long day of work that I’d accidentally used her teacup. She stabbed me thirty-eight times for that. At the hospital, she’d feigned remorse. “Sean, you know how severe my condition is. Don’t touch my things again. You’ll trigger an episode.” Seeing my pale face, how close I’d come to death, Victoria forced herself to give me a brief, stiff hug. “Sean, it’s all my fault, this psychological disorder. I am so, so sorry.” “From now on, just be careful. Sanitize everything, and don’t touch me so much, and we can still have a good life.” “Once my condition improves a little more, I’ll even have a baby for you, okay?” I’d always wanted children, but I never brought it up, for her sake. I truly believed she was just sick. I endured everything. Until Alex appeared. Until I realized I’d been played for a fool. Victoria went to take a shower, an obsessive ritual she performed even if I hadn’t touched her. I went to the bedroom and started packing. It was time to leave this place, a home that no longer felt like mine. The noise must have alerted her. Victoria emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her. “Going on a business trip?” When I didn’t answer, her brow furrowed. “Are you throwing a tantrum? Just because I wouldn’t let you touch me?” I shook my head. “There’s an emergency at a branch office I need to handle.” It was a lie. I just couldn’t stand the sight of her. Victoria stared at me, her expression unreadable. After a long moment, as if making a great sacrifice, she began to unbutton her silk robe. Her tone was clipped, impatient. “Wipe that miserable look off your face. Fine. You can have me this once. Will that make you happy?” The next second, she froze, her face a mask of disbelief. “You’re recoiling from me!” I said nothing, simply putting more distance between us. Sensing the shift in me, she grew agitated. “I’m fighting back my revulsion to offer myself to you, and this is how you react? What more do you want?!” Still, I was silent. Victoria clicked her tongue in annoyance and pulled a small gift box from her pocket. “I bought you a ring. Stop this childish nonsense.” Her tone was that of someone tossing scraps to a dog. I thought of the social media post Alex had made just a few minutes earlier. This ring was nothing but a cheap, complimentary gift that came with the luxury watch she’d bought him. I didn’t touch it. My voice was calm, detached. “Let’s get a divorce, Victoria.” Before she could respond, her phone buzzed with a notification. It was clearly a text message. She instinctively angled the screen away from me and began typing a reply. The look on her face was one I’d never seen before, a soft, intimate tenderness. An eternity passed, or maybe it was only a minute. Victoria finished her conversation, a reluctant fondness still lingering in her eyes, and looked up at me. “What were you saying?” I clenched my fists. It felt like punching a pillow, all my anger and pain dissipating into nothing. A suffocating pressure built in my chest. Her phone’s wallpaper, I now noticed, was the silhouette of a man from behind, a man who looked strikingly like Alex. Every time she saw it, her mood seemed to lift. She had never, not once, looked at me that way. So when Alex showed up at my office, smugly sliding a legal document across my desk for me to sign, I didn’t hesitate. I landed a solid punch square on his jaw. He crumpled to the floor, howling. “Sean, you hit me! If Victoria finds out about this, she’ll make you pay!” I was about to hit him again when Victoria burst in, shoving me so hard I stumbled and fell. Her face was dark with fury as she shot me a glacial look. “Sean, don’t you dare go too far.” She knelt, gently helping Alex to his feet. I laughed, the sound sharp with irony. “What’s wrong? Your phobia suddenly cured?” Victoria flushed with anger, but she tried to maintain a facade of righteousness. “Do you have any idea how a public assault charge would affect the company?! I’m protecting you!” I snatched the document Alex had brought and threw it at her. “Then explain this.” The words were there in stark black and white. A contract, asking for my consent for Victoria and Alex to conceive a child. A twisted smile played on my lips. “We’re not even divorced, and he’s already parading this in my face, demanding you carry his child. Tell me, shouldn’t I have hit him?” I got to my feet, ready to slap that smirk off Alex’s face. Victoria stepped between us, shielding him. “Sean, have you made enough of a scene?” Her eyes were filled with disgust. “Alex was just joking.” “Honestly, this just proves you don’t trust me. Sean, I was so wrong about you.” Listen to that. So noble, so self-righteous. As if everything was my fault. Victoria was always conscious of her public image, carefully cultivating the persona of a gentle, devoted wife. This was the first time she’d ever dropped the act, openly demeaning me without a care for who was watching. “So, Victoria, are you really going to have his child?” I expected a denial, but she remained silent. Sometimes, silence is an admission. “Yes,” she finally said, her voice firm. “Sean, Alex is the only man whose touch doesn’t trigger my phobia.” “The Vaughn family needs an heir. I just want to get pregnant and secure the succession.” “Once the baby is born, I’ll fire Alex, and we can go back to how things were.” The absurdity of it all was suffocating. “Victoria, are you even listening to yourself?” My tone seemed to infuriate her. She shot to her feet. “Don’t you dare be so selfish, Sean! Don’t you care about my life at all?” “Alex is the only one who doesn’t cause a reaction! Do you think I want to be with another man? I’m doing all this to give you a child!” In the next instant, I swung my hand and slapped her across the face. A red mark bloomed on her cheek. She didn’t flinch, just stared at me, her voice quiet. “Are you satisfied now?” “Alex has already sacrificed enough for us. I can’t just abandon him.” She positioned herself in front of him, a human shield. Her stance made her allegiance perfectly clear. I suddenly remembered the first time I met Alex. Victoria had explained, “This is Alex, my new assistant. He’s very diligent.” “Sean, weren’t you supposed to be at the branch office?” Her tone softened now, a calculated retreat. “Let’s go home. We’re making a scene.” I let out a cold laugh. “Victoria, I tried to catch you when you fell, and you stabbed me. I accidentally sat on your precious sofa, and you locked me in a freezer. I’ve given you years of my life, and this is what I get in return? And you have the nerve to call me unreasonable?” Victoria looked exhausted. “I apologized, didn’t I? What more do you want?” “Besides, I even forced myself to kiss you afterward, didn’t I?” Forced herself? The word was like a knife in my heart. I couldn’t help but laugh, a raw, painful sound. “If being with me is so disgusting for you, then let’s just get a divorce.” Hiding behind Victoria, a triumphant glint flashed in Alex’s eyes, though his expression was one of feigned distress. “Vicky, this is all my fault.” “If I hadn’t been trying to help, your husband wouldn’t be so upset.” Victoria sighed. “It’s not your fault, Alex. It’s Sean. He can’t see the bigger picture. All he does is throw tantrums.” She took a deep breath, her voice turning placatingly gentle. “Sean, stop this. If you can just agree to this arrangement, I promise I’ll give you a proper wedding.” That’s right. We’d been married for years and never had a wedding. Back then, our business was just starting out. I understood. I thought she was too busy. Now I knew the truth. She wasn’t busy. She just didn’t think I was worthy of one. But I was no longer the man who saw his entire world in her eyes. “Fine,” I said. A smile instantly bloomed on Victoria’s face. “You finally understand—” Her words were cut off by a scream. I had picked up a heavy ceramic serving platter from a nearby table and hurled it directly at her. “Don’t hurt Vicky!” Alex shouted, diving in front of her. The platter shattered against his head with a sickening crack. Blood streamed down his face. Victoria’s face went deathly pale. “Alex!” She cradled him in her arms, her voice a soothing murmur. “Alex, don’t be scared, I’m taking you to the hospital right now!” As she left, she shot me a look of pure, unadulterated hatred. And in that moment, I knew. Victoria would not let me go easily. But before she could make her next move, I glanced up at the security camera on the wall. The cold, impartial lens had recorded everything. If all went according to plan, by tonight, Victoria Vaughn’s reputation would be in ruins. Victoria, my love for you was the only reason I ever tolerated your cruelty. But I’m not in love with you anymore. And it’s time you learned just how ruthless I can be. Sure enough, an hour later, the headline #VaughnHeiressCheatsWithAssistant,ForcesHusbandIntoSurrogacyContract# was trending nationwide. My phone blew up with calls from her. “Sean! Get that story taken down right now! Do you want me to divorce you, is that it?!” I hung up and blocked her number without a second thought. She used a different number to send a barrage of texts. “Sean, do you have any idea how much damage this will do to the company?!” “Sean, I know you’re angry, but don’t abuse your power like this. What about our employees? They’re innocent.” “Fine! I won’t have a baby with Alex, alright? Is that what you want to hear?” I turned off my phone and looked across the table at the top divorce lawyer in the city. “Let’s continue.” I handed him a file. “I need you to look at this. Is this prenuptial divorce agreement still valid?” Nine years ago, Victoria had signed a blank divorce agreement. Our love was new then, and her eyes shone with warmth. “Sean, this is my promise to you,” she had said. “My guarantee. If I ever change, or if you ever want to leave, all you have to do is sign.” Our marriage had been good after that. Despite the lack of physical intimacy, it was warm, happy. She would rush home from her busy schedule just to cook for me. I thought that happiness would last a lifetime. I never imagined that lifetime would be so short. Before I discovered her affair, the thought of divorce had never crossed my mind. Aside from her severe phobia, Victoria had been a considerate and attentive partner in every other way. My love for her could withstand the pain. But it couldn’t withstand being treated like an utter fool. The lawyer reviewed the document carefully. “Mr. Otto, this agreement is ironclad. It remains fully valid today. All it needs is your signature.” I signed it on the spot and handed it back. “Good. I want this divorce finalized as quickly as possible.”

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The year I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression, I became the family’s most fragile treasure. All the sharp objects in the house were confiscated. The windows were welded shut. My parents took turns watching me, a 24-hour vigil against the slightest flicker of self-harm in my eyes. To manage my fragile emotions, they even forced my brother, Sam, who had just gotten into a top university, to defer for a year and come home to help. Until the day of Sam’s wedding. The house was a kaleidoscope of festive lights and joyful noise. I looked at the sea of smiling guests and felt the air grow thin, my lungs tightening. I whispered, without thinking, “Mom, I feel… overwhelmed. I need to go to my room.” My mother’s beaming smile vanished, replaced by a terrifying snarl. She grabbed a fruit knife from a platter on the table and shoved it into my hand. “Overwhelmed? If you’re so overwhelmed, then just die!” “This is your brother’s big day! Do you have to ruin it? Do you have to be the black cloud over everything?” “Here!” She gripped my hand, forcing the blade hard against the skin of my neck. “Cut yourself right here! Stop just talking about how you don’t want to live anymore!” Then, with a final shove of disgust, she turned her back on me to raise a toast with her new daughter-in-law. I looked down at the knife in my hand. And finally, I smiled. 1 The cold of the metal seeped into my palm. It was the first time in three years I had touched anything so sharp. It had been so long. For three years, my world had been a world of dull edges. I could only eat with rounded spoons. When my nails grew long, my mother would personally file them down, bit by bit. Even when I showered, the bathroom door had to remain open so they could check on me at any moment. And now, this knife. My mother had placed it in my hand herself. The room was filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses. No one was looking at me. I stared at the knife. I should put it back. Put it back on the fruit platter and pretend none of this happened. My hand lifted slightly, then froze in mid-air. I could hear my brother Sam’s cheerful laugh from the doorway. He was toasting guests, full of life and promise. He’d taken a year off school, a year from the prime of his life, to watch over the “crazy” sister. Now, finally married and starting his own family, he could be free of this burden. Free of me. Looking at all the joy in this room, I suddenly felt so… filthy. I was the only stain on this perfect picture. My presence here made the very air feel thick and suffocating. My mother was right. I shouldn’t have an episode today. I shouldn’t be the black cloud. I shouldn’t be alive. My fingers tightened around the handle. I turned and walked toward my bedroom. I moved slowly. No one noticed. They were all drowning in the happiness of the wedding. Who would pay attention to the comings and goings of a mental patient? I entered my room and gently closed the door. The noise from outside was instantly silenced. I leaned against the padded wall, my body sliding down until I was sitting on the thick carpet. I raised the knife and held it to my throat. My hand was shaking violently. Not from fear, but from excitement. It was a physiological euphoria, the thrill of a prisoner about to break their chains and find ultimate freedom. Over the past three years, I had imagined my death countless times. I thought about drowning, about hanging, about swallowing pills. But every attempt was discovered, followed by even stricter surveillance, by more hysterical crying. “Annie, what do you want from us? Are you trying to kill your mother?” “Annie, we gave up everything for you! Your life isn’t your own, it belongs to this family! How can you be so selfish?!” “Sis, I’m begging you, just be okay, please? Mom and Dad are getting old, they can’t take this…” Today, I would finally be free. Mom, you told me to die. You handed me the knife yourself. I’ll be a good girl. I’ll listen. The sharp edge kissed my skin. My wrist jerked with force. A wet, tearing sound. Then, a gush of warmth. I opened my eyes. Blood splattered across the wall and floor, like crimson flowers bursting into bloom. So beautiful. My strength drained away with my blood. I collapsed onto the floor, curling into a ball. So cold. So this is what dying felt like. I looked at my blood-soaked hands and managed to pull the corners of my mouth into a smile. My brother’s wedding. I celebrate it with my life. The debt I owe my parents for raising me. I repay it with my death. From now on, you won’t have to take turns watching over me. You won’t have to live in constant fear. You won’t have to feel ashamed in front of our relatives. You won’t be crushed by the weight of my medical bills. You are free. And I… I am free, too. My consciousness began to blur. The laughter from outside sounded distant and muffled. “To the happy couple! May you have a long life together and beautiful children!” “Cheers!” So lively. At the very end, I thought I heard my mother’s laugh. It was a sound I hadn’t heard in a long time—a laugh that came from the heart. 2 I was dead. But it seemed I wasn’t entirely gone. My body felt weightless, hovering in mid-air. I looked down at the crumpled form in the corner. Blood was still seeping out, ever so slowly, soaking the carpet in a wide, dark stain. This was a wool rug. It would be impossible to clean. Mom was obsessed with cleanliness; this would drive her insane. I tried to crouch down and wipe it, but my hand passed straight through the floor. I couldn’t touch anything. I stood awkwardly beside my own corpse. After a while, I heard footsteps outside the door. My father’s voice, brimming with unconcealed joy, drifted in from the living room. “What a perfect day! Just perfect!” “Everyone was saying how graceful and lovely Grace is. The family really looked good today!” My mother’s voice was hoarse, but laced with excitement. “Of course. I picked her, didn’t I?” “Alright, let’s open these gift envelopes and tally up the cash.” I floated out of the room and into the living room. The floor was littered with discarded candy wrappers and nutshells. The table was piled high with red envelopes of cash gifts. My father, mother, brother, and his new wife, Grace, were all sitting around the sofa. Their faces were tired, but glowing with satisfaction. It had been so long since I’d seen a scene of such warmth in this house. Ever since I got sick, the atmosphere had been perpetually heavy. When I was around, they didn’t dare speak loudly. They didn’t dare laugh. Their eyes were always on me, cautious and wary. To see them like this, so carefree and happy… it was good. “Hey, where’s Annie?” Grace, my sister-in-law, suddenly looked around. “I haven’t seen her since the toasts. Is she still in her room?” The air froze for a second. The smile on my mother’s face stiffened, then she scoffed. “Don’t worry about her. She’s in her room, playing dead.” “On a perfect day like today, she just had to throw a fit. She even threatened me with a knife earlier, going on about how she didn’t want to live.” “A knife?” Grace looked startled. “I thought there weren’t any knives in the house.” “I gave it to her!” My mother slammed an envelope down on the table. “I just couldn’t take it anymore! She threatens to kill herself every single day. So I gave her the knife! I wanted to see if she had the guts to do it! And what happened? She scurried back to her room to hide, the little coward.” I floated in front of my mother, looking at her agitated face, wanting to scream at her. Mom! I wasn’t hiding! I did have the guts. I’m already dead. But when I opened my mouth, the sound was like a whisper of wind, vanishing into the air. “Mom, maybe we should check on her,” Grace said, her voice laced with concern. She stood up and glanced toward my room. “Annie hasn’t been well for years. What if…” “What if, what if! There is no what if!” My mother grabbed Grace’s arm, her tone harsh. “Grace, you’re new here, you don’t understand. She’s spoiled! It’s all for show, a performance! The more attention you give her, the worse she gets. Trust me. Just ignore her!” My father lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a cloud of smoke. “That girl, Annie… she’s just so selfish. Only ever thinks about her own suffering. Never considers the family.” “Sam’s wedding, the happiest day, and she has to make trouble. Because of her, we haven’t had a single peaceful day in years. Tonight, let her stay in there and think about what she’s done!” I stared at my father in disbelief. He used to dote on me. When I was little and scraped my knee falling off my bike, he would fuss over me for hours. Now my throat was slit open, and he was calling me selfish. I turned my gaze to my brother, Sam. He held a thick stack of cash in his hands, his expression unreadable. He glanced at my closed door, his lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, he just looked down and continued counting the money. “Grace is right, though… Sis’s temper… she really needs to work on it.” My heart—or the ghost of it—clenched violently. Even though it no longer beat, the phantom pain made me curl into myself. So this is what you all think. That even in death, I’m just throwing a tantrum. 3 The leftovers from the wedding feast were spread across the table: roast beef, glazed ham, shrimp, chicken wings, and a beautiful two-tiered cake. It all smelled so good. For three years, to avoid reactions with my medication, my diet had been strictly controlled. Clear broths, plain vegetables. Low-salt, low-oil. I had almost forgotten what meat tasted like. I floated over to the table, greedily inhaling the aroma of the roast beef. “I’ll get Annie something to eat. She hasn’t had anything all day.” Grace, ever the soft-hearted one, picked up a clean plate. She served a large slice of ham and cut a piece of cake. “Grace!” My mother shot to her feet and snatched the plate from her hands. With a loud clatter, she dumped the plate, and all the food on it, into the nearby trash can. “She gets nothing!” My mother was shouting now, her chest heaving. “I’m putting my foot down right now. Nobody is to bring her any food! Let her starve for three days! Let’s see if she has the energy to cause any more trouble then!” Grace was stunned into silence, standing helplessly. “Mom, what are you doing…?” “I’m doing this for her own good!” My mother pointed a finger at my bedroom door. “If she doesn’t learn her lesson, she’ll never understand how much this family has sacrificed for her!” “She’s spoiled rotten! She thinks the whole world owes her something! So what if she’s sick? So what if she has depression? Is anyone’s life easy?” I knelt by the trash can. I looked at the ruined piece of cake. I reached for it, but my hand grasped only air. I couldn’t even eat garbage anymore. I hugged my transparent knees and buried my face in them. It’s okay. I can’t feel hunger anymore anyway. It’s really… okay. The night deepened. A faint, metallic smell of blood began to permeate the air. My mother sat on the sofa with Grace, still talking. “Grace, honey, I’m not a monster-in-law. I’m just… I’ve been pushed to my limit.” “You have no idea what these last few years have been like. I couldn’t sleep for more than an hour at a time. I had to listen for her even when I was in the bathroom. One minute she’s trying to jump out a window, the next she’s trying to bash her head against a wall. I’ve been stretched so tight for so long, I feel like I could snap at any second.” Grace listened quietly and poured her a glass of water. “I understand, Mom. Taking care of a sick person isn’t easy.” “But… the look in Annie’s eyes today. It was real despair. That kind of look… it didn’t seem like an act.” My mother paused, holding the glass. She gave a bitter smile. “Despair?” “When is she not in despair? Ever since she got this illness, it’s like she became a different person. Annie used to be such a good girl. Good grades, so pretty. If it weren’t for this… she’d be married with kids by now…” “Back then, all the neighbors were jealous of my daughter. Now? They all whisper behind my back. The pain in my heart… you have no idea.” I hid in the corner, watching my mother’s tear-streaked face. I’m sorry, Mom. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten sick. I shouldn’t have turned from that perfect daughter into this useless burden. I knelt on the floor and bowed my head deeply in her direction. Though I made no sound, I bowed with all my might. I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry, Sam. Your suffering is over now. The daughter who disappointed you, the ghost that haunted you, is gone. She’s really gone.

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My husband and I both cheated. He was for real. I was too. The only difference was, he did it willingly. I was forced. The night his affair with his little ingenue was exposed, he got me drunk, stripped me naked, and placed me in a stranger’s bed. He arranged my body in a series of humiliating positions, all to stage the perfect photo of my “infidelity.” Our respective “cheating” photos were leaked back-to-back. His a sordid affair, mine a scandalous betrayal. The public outcry over his mistress was instantly neutralized. A wave of nausea so profound it made me gag. My skin was covered in red marks, a road map of a violation I couldn’t remember. I didn’t know how many hands had been on me, or what they had done… Seeing my desolate expression, watching me scrub my skin until it was raw and bleeding, my husband, James, could only offer a pathetic explanation. “I had no choice. Sophia’s family is very strict. She couldn’t handle being called a homewrecker. She would have done something drastic.” The internet was a tidal wave of vitriol. My only living relative, my grandfather, was so overwhelmed by the scandal that he had a heart attack and was rushed into emergency surgery. To save myself, I had to save her. As James wanted, I stood before the blinding flash of media cameras and cleared her name. “Neither of us cheated. Mr. Davenport and I had been separated for some time.” … Seeing my compliance, James’s heart softened. He stood in the shadows, having already whisked his precious Sophia away to safety. He made me a promise. “This is the only time, Rosalind. I swear it. This whole thing just blew up so suddenly, I…” I looked at him, my voice choked with emotion. “How did I get these marks on my body?” A suffocating feeling rose in my chest. I felt so unbelievably dirty. They looked like fingerprints, like the ghosts of kisses… like the aftermath of a vile sexual encounter. Who had done it? I had no idea. I had been sheltered and cherished my entire life. I had never known this kind of humiliation. James stared, taking a moment to understand what I was asking. He rushed to explain. “Don’t be afraid. I made those marks. No one would dare touch you. It was just for the photos.” I dug my nails into my palms. “If I were your mistress, and you needed to protect me, would you ask your wife, Sophia, to pose for photos like that? Would you allow it?” James avoided my gaze. “I don’t know. She’s different from you.” Of course. Whether I was his mistress or his wife, I would never be his first choice. A single tear traced a path down my cheek. I pushed him out of the room. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. James and I were childhood sweethearts. Our families were social equals. We were once considered the perfect couple, blessed by everyone we knew. And for a while after our wedding, we were happy. Until he started cheating. He was always discreet, never letting it become a public spectacle. He had vented to me once, in private. “We can keep it quiet. It won’t affect your position at all. No one in the outside world will ever look down on you.” In our circle, everyone knew that love and fidelity weren’t the most important things. I had loved him. I had been angry. We had fought. I even considered the dramatic acts of a desperate girl—slitting my wrists, causing a huge scene, burning everything to the ground. But the lessons of my upbringing held me back. I chose to turn a blind eye. I never imagined my retreat would only embolden them to hurt me more deeply. Grandfather must have been in so much pain to have been hospitalized. James was so concerned about his little flower being upset, yet he forgot that the old man who had loved him like a grandson had a heart condition and couldn’t handle the shock. I clenched my fists. I allowed myself a few seconds of grief, then forced myself to be strong. It was just a divorce. Not the end of the world. I went to the office to find James. The atmosphere was celebratory. A crowd of employees was fawning over Sophia. James led me into his private office. His face soured when he saw the divorce papers in my hand. “There’s no need for this. The internet will forget about all this in a week.” He and Sophia were now brazenly flaunting their love in public. They held hands, the very picture of a devoted couple. I’d even heard he took her home to meet his family, that their love had finally triumphed over adversity. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. During the entire time my grandfather was in the hospital, James never once visited. I felt a surge of anger, not for myself, but for my grandfather. He had doted on James for so long. Whenever we argued, he would always take James’s side, assuming I was the one at fault. “Rosalind,” he would say, “I know you’re strong and rational, but sometimes, men don’t like that in a relationship.” The old-fashioned man thought that was the key to a happy home, never understanding that a marriage requires effort from both sides. James had given up on ours long ago. What was the point of me holding on? I pushed the pen toward him. “Do you really think people are that stupid? Signing this will silence the doubters for good. I don’t want Grandfather to have another shock when he wakes up.” Sophia chimed in. “Rosalind has a point.” The tension in James’s face eased. “Alright. Once the dust settles, we’ll remarry. I told you, your position will never change. You will always be the lady of the Davenport house.” I offered a faint smile and no reply. I no longer cared for the title. I hadn’t filed for divorce sooner because our family businesses were deeply intertwined. But over the years, I had slowly, carefully started to untangle them. Our connections were fewer and fewer. And I had James to thank for that. Once, to appease a pouting Sophia, James had destroyed an innovative subsidiary I had just launched. His reason? I had canceled one of my own credit cards. Sophia had tried to use it at a luxury boutique, and the card was declined, causing her public embarrassment. Without a second thought, James leaked my company’s trade secrets. He had lounged in his chair, completely unconcerned. “Rosalind, you used your dirty tricks to embarrass Sophia first. Besides, it’s all our marital property. Those secrets are tied to my company’s interests. I can do whatever I want with them.” My company went bankrupt. A full year of hard work, gone. The devastated faces of my employees, all their hopes dashed. I was so furious I slapped him across the face. “I did nothing of the sort! Are you even human? What am I supposed to tell my team? Do you have any idea how much time and money went into that research?” He didn’t listen. His eyes were only for Sophia and her tear-filled eyes. To force me to apologize to her, he even used his financial leverage to put pressure on my grandfather’s company. Fearing for my grandfather’s health, I swallowed my pride and gave Sophia the apology she wanted. Later, James found out he had made a mistake. He had accidentally given Sophia my card instead of his own. All I had done was cancel my own account. He came to me, apologizing, wanting to celebrate our anniversary. “I didn’t realize I gave her the wrong card. As for the company, I’ll buy you a new one. You should have explained it to me.” I laughed in his face. He hadn’t given me a chance to explain. He had already judged and condemned me. Of course, we never celebrated that anniversary. Sophia had a headache. From that day on, I separated all my assets from his. After we filed the divorce papers, Sophia tugged on James’s arm, whining. “Let’s go get married now! You promised!” James was watching my face. Seeing my indifferent expression, his own darkened. He grabbed Sophia’s hand and left. When I got back to the hospital that day, my grandfather was awake. He was desperate for an answer. “Did you really cheat on him?” I gently wiped his face. “No. We had been separated for a while. It wasn’t cheating.” He couldn’t understand. “How is that possible? You were so perfect together. Just the other day you promised you’d give me a great-grandchild.” He slammed his water glass down on the table. “Tell me the truth. How did two people who were so good together end up like this?” My eyes stung with tears, but I held my ground. Seeing my pained silence, he seemed to understand. He sighed, a long, weary sound. “Alright. I haven’t seen you look like this in a long time. You’re grown now. I can’t tell you what to do.” I finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as my grandfather was okay with it, that was all that mattered. He had invested so much hope in my marriage to James. More than anyone in the world, he had wanted us to be together. James had come to the hospital. He was standing at the door and had heard everything. He stopped, not entering. Worried he would upset Grandfather, I quickly led him to an empty waiting room. He looked down. “You know, you could have told him the truth. You don’t have to protect my reputation. Then he wouldn’t pressure you. Rosalind, we were great partners, but the love… it’s really gone. Your grandfather was right. You’re too rational.” I nodded, agreeing with the last part. As for the first, I smiled. I didn’t tell the truth, but it wasn’t for his sake. It was to spare my grandfather the pain and guilt of knowing he had pushed me into a disastrous marriage. It was better this way, to keep him calm. As for James? He didn’t matter at all. Just then, a shrill cry came from my grandfather’s room. It was Sophia. “Don’t hit me! Grandpa, I just came to see you out of kindness!” Her voice was followed by the sound of my grandfather’s violent coughing. “Who let you in here…” My heart leaped into my throat. I ran back to the room. My grandfather was on the floor, coughing uncontrollably, pointing a trembling finger at Sophia. “Get out! You’re lying!” Sophia was clutching her face, sobbing in James’s arms. My grandfather was coughing up blood. He pointed at James and Sophia, and then his eyes rolled back, and he passed out. Panic seized me. I screamed for the nurses, and he was rushed back into the emergency room. Outside, James confronted me. “How could Grandfather hit her? Look at her face! No matter how angry he was, he shouldn’t have done that. Sophia was just trying to be nice…” His whining grated on my nerves. “Enough! I will get to the bottom of this. Don’t think I’ll let her get away with whatever she’s done.” I glared at Sophia, wanting to tear her apart. James stepped in front of her, shielding her. “Rosalind, this was Grandfather’s fault…” He continued to blame my grandfather, completely uninterested in the truth. He only stopped when a doctor came out of the ER. “Where is the family?” I stepped forward. When I heard the words “critical condition,” the papers in my hand fluttered to the floor. The rationality I had clung to for so long shattered completely. I lunged at Sophia. “What did you say to my grandfather?!” James grabbed me, holding me back, then shoved me hard against the wall. A sharp pain shot through my back. “Rosalind, don’t blame Sophia for this! She just came to visit. She didn’t do anything!” Tears streamed down my face. James froze for a second, seeing me so undone. My heart was well and truly dead. Why was I always so rational? Because the emotional, passionate person I once was had been systematically destroyed by them. I stared at them with pure hatred. “Just you wait.” I would find the truth. I would get justice for my grandfather. There was a security camera in the room, but Sophia had cleverly blocked its view. All it captured was her back as she leaned close to the bed and whispered something. Then, my grandfather’s rage, and the blood. Sophia’s defense was immediate. “I just told him to take care of himself. I don’t know why, but he just slapped me! I’m the victim here!” It was a clumsy, pathetic lie. I didn’t believe it for a second. My grandfather would never do that. She must have said something horrible. I grabbed her. “What did you say to him? Who the hell gave you permission to see my grandfather? Who do you think you are?” She pursed her lips, feigning innocence, but there was a clear glint of provocation in her eyes. My grandfather was all I had. I couldn’t control myself anymore. I pulled her close and slapped her hard across the face. Sophia shrieked, not expecting me to resort to violence. We ended up in a heap on the floor, scratching and clawing at each other. She was no match for me; her face was already covered in red marks. The commotion drew a crowd. James finally pulled me off her. In the heat of the moment, he raised his hand and slapped me. “Look at yourself! You’re acting like a lunatic!” The tears came again, unstoppable. I had maintained the poise of an heiress my entire life. I never wanted to be a shrew, screaming in a hospital hallway. But that was my grandfather in there. I couldn’t be rational. It was the first time James had ever seen me like this. He tried to play the magnanimous peacemaker. “That’s enough. Let’s just drop it. No more fighting.”

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1 My daughter joined a summer swim club, only to have her head held underwater by a classmate, pressed firmly against the powerful drainage vent. When I saw the water turning pink, I dove in, frantic, and pulled her out. But the immense suction had disfigured her face beyond recognition. She coughed up a mouthful of bloody water, and then… she was gone. The girl who led the attack, Tiffany, just sneered, boasting that the law couldn’t touch her. “So what? I couldn’t stand her anyway. Now that she’s dead, no one can compete with me for first place.” Her mother tossed a credit card at my feet with contempt. “There’s fifty thousand dollars on that. That should be enough for your daughter’s worthless life, right?” Consumed by grief and rage, I demanded justice, but my own husband stopped me. “She’s just a child, Lydia. Your daughter is gone, but does that mean another girl has to lose her freedom?” I fought until I was exhausted, but I couldn’t get them punished. In the end, my spirit broken, I stood before my daughter’s grave and swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back on the day I was supposed to drive my daughter to the pool. I turned the car around and took her straight home. But this time, a girl still died at that pool. … In my rush to leave earlier, I had left my daughter’s bag in the locker room. I told her to wait in the car while I ran back in to grab it and warn the pool staff about the dangerous drain. The moment I stepped into the natatorium, I was met with the sound of cruel laughter. “Look at her, she’s like a dead fish! Move! Why aren’t you moving? Hahahaha…” The sound of three girls’ laughter was piercing. The tallest of them, Tiffany, had her foot planted on a splash of blue underwater. The sight of the blue swimsuit—the same color as my daughter’s—and the water faintly tinged with red made my heart seize. If I wasn’t absolutely certain my Sophie was safe in the car, I wouldn’t have been able to bear it. In my past life, Tiffany had targeted my daughter because Sophie had beaten her in academics. She was determined to crush her in extracurriculars, too. But who was this girl? Why was this happening? I pushed the thoughts aside. Saving her was all that mattered. “Stop it! What do you think you’re doing?!” I screamed. Tiffany saw me, raised an eyebrow, and slowly took a step back. “Well, well, look what we have here. The mother hen has come to protect her little chick. Fun’s over, girls.” The other two girls scattered like startled rabbits, avoiding my eyes. Even after they moved, the girl in the water was still held fast by the powerful suction, her face glued to the vent, her limbs drifting limply. This was exactly how it happened to my Sophie. I had jumped in, but the force of the drain was too strong. I couldn’t pull her free. By the time the staff finally shut off the circulation pump, it was too late. My daughter died in my arms. The blue swimsuit, the ponytail, the small frame… I kept telling myself, This isn’t my Sophie. She’s safe in the car. But my hands were shaking uncontrollably. Learning from last time, I yelled at the lifeguard. “What are you standing there for? Can’t you see someone is trapped? Get someone to shut off the pump, now!” The teenager finally snapped out of his stupor and fumbled for his radio. A few minutes later, I lifted the girl’s limp body from the water. Her face was swollen and distorted, her features unrecognizable. She wasn’t breathing. There was no pulse. Tiffany stood off to the side, arms crossed, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “Lady, she said she could hold her breath for three minutes. We were just helping her.” “Helping her?” My eyes were bloodshot. I slapped her hard across the face. “You call holding her head against a drainage vent ‘helping’?” Tiffany clutched her cheek, glaring at me. “We were just playing! How was I supposed to know she couldn’t take a joke?” “You hit me! Do you have any idea who my father is? I’ll make sure your whole family regrets this!” Oh, I knew exactly who he was. And that knowledge made me want to tear that indifferent look right off her face. “Playing? You call this playing? This is murder, do you understand?!” One of the other girls, a chubby one, finally seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation, her voice trembling. “Tiffany, maybe we should…” “Should what?” Tiffany cut her off. “You were pushing down on her just as hard as I was!” The third girl was already sobbing. “I… I want to go home…” I had no time for them. I laid the girl on the deck and started CPR, shouting at the staff to call for an ambulance. “Call 911! We might still be able to save her!” As I tilted her chin back to give her a breath, I noticed a small, plum-blossom-shaped birthmark behind her ear. Something flickered in my memory. Just then, the swim coach and Tiffany’s mother, Victoria, sauntered in from a side door, the coach exhaling a final puff of smoke. They saw the scene by the pool and their faces paled. “What… What happened here?!” Tiffany immediately adopted an innocent expression and ran to her mother. “Mommy, we were just having a breath-holding contest! She said she could do three minutes, but I guess she couldn’t…” “You foolish girl!” the coach stammered, his face ashen. “I’ve told you a hundred times, no one in the water without my supervision!” “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. But that doesn’t give this lady the right to hit me, does it?” Tiffany pouted, but over her mother’s shoulder, she shot me a triumphant smirk. Victoria saw the red handprint on her daughter’s face and pointed a finger at me. “How dare you lay a hand on my child?” She glanced dismissively at me and the girl on the ground. “This girl clearly wasn’t following the rules, and her parents weren’t watching her. A tragedy, yes, but you can’t blame others for it, can you?” In my last life, the security footage showed Tiffany pushing my daughter into the pool from behind, then the three of them dragging her to the drain and holding her down. I imagined this girl’s fate was no different from my Sophie’s. I knew the agony of losing a child. No matter who this girl was, she was an innocent victim. Saving her was the priority. I refused to waste my breath arguing. My hands never stopped their rhythm as I glanced at the coach. “Coach Miller, you bear some responsibility for this. You need to notify her parents immediately.” The coach fumbled for his phone, his hands shaking. “Right, right… I’ll… I’ll call them right now…” After a few seconds, he looked at the girl’s swollen face. “Her… her face is so… I don’t know which student this is.” I looked up, exasperated. “Check your roster! See who was scheduled for today, who called in sick, and who’s still here. The one left over is…” “No need to check,” Tiffany interrupted. “I know who it is.” She crouched down beside me, staring at the girl’s face. Her voice was quiet, but her words were like needles in my ears. “Isn’t that your Sophie? Ma’am, don’t you even recognize your own daughter?” “You were so frantic before, I thought you knew. Or maybe… you just couldn’t accept the truth?” My eyes widened. So, she thought this was my Sophie. That’s why she did it. Tiffany seemed pleased with my shocked expression. Seeing that I hadn’t stopped compressions, she continued. “You can stop trying. Haven’t you noticed she hasn’t responded after twenty minutes of this?” “From the time she went under to the time you pulled her out, more than ten minutes had passed. The golden window for rescue closed long ago.” Her words hit me like a physical blow. All the strength drained from my body, and I collapsed onto the tiles, trembling. Was I too late again? In my past life, I couldn’t save my own daughter. Now, I had failed to save this girl, too. I fixed my gaze on Tiffany. “Why would you do this? Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?!” “Ooh, I’m so scared,” she said, mockingly patting her chest. “What consequences? The law?” “I’m only eleven. And anyone under fourteen can’t be held criminally responsible, you know.” She was so close I could smell the strawberry shampoo in her hair. That sentence, that scent, had haunted my nightmares in my previous life. Looking at her face, a grotesque mixture of childish innocence and pure malice, I could no longer contain the rage that had been building for two lifetimes. I grabbed her by the hair and started dragging her toward the pool. “You vicious little monster, today I’m going to let you taste—” Victoria slammed her purse into the side of my head. The metal charm on it sliced a long, bloody gash across my forehead. As I let go, she pulled Tiffany behind her. “Are you insane?!” “What’s done is done! Why are you taking it out on a child? My daughter is just a little girl, what does she know about consequences? It was an accident!” “An accident?” I felt the blood rush to my head. “Go check the security footage yourself! Three girls holding a child’s head against a drain, and you call that an accident?!” Victoria glanced at her guilty-looking daughter, then calmly pulled a card from her wallet. “What do you want, then? Justice? Let me tell you something. In this world, justice depends on who you are and what you can pay.” She stepped forward, the card almost touching my nose. “Do you know who my daughter is? She’s the heiress to the Wagner Corporation!” “And your daughter? The child of a working-class family. She’s dead. So what? You expect the Wagner heiress to pay with her life?” She flicked the card at my face. “There’s fifty thousand on here. Pin is six eights. Take the money, shut your mouth, and give your daughter a nice funeral.” “But if you say one word of this to anyone, if you dare call the police… I guarantee you and your husband won’t even find work sweeping streets in this city.” Tiffany peeked out from behind her mother and made a face at me. There was no fear in her expression, only smug satisfaction. The coach, not wanting any more trouble, tried to mediate. “Mrs. Miller, look, this was clearly an accident. Since they’re offering to settle, maybe everyone can just compromise?” Compromise? I looked down at the bank card on the floor, then at the cold, lifeless body of the girl. It was laughable. They were treating a human life like a business transaction, and speaking of it so casually. My eyes fell on the girl’s birthmark again, and I suddenly remembered who she was. If the life of my ordinary daughter wasn’t worth Tiffany’s freedom, let’s see how many lives they would need to pay for this girl’s. Tiffany was still chattering. “Come on, lady, lighten up. Money is what’s real. Your daughter is dead, just have another one…” I slowly raised my head, my gaze settling on her ignorant, arrogant face. “I have a feeling your mother’s money won’t be much good this time.” She jutted her chin out. “Say whatever you want. It doesn’t matter. Nothing will happen to me. My mom told me, the juvenile protection laws are my get-out-of-jail-free card!” I gently wiped the blood from the dead girl’s face, my fingers tracing the plum blossom birthmark. I took off my jacket and covered her, a final gesture of dignity. “A get-out-of-jail-free card?” A bitter smile touched my lips. “Then you’d better pray that everyone in this world believes in the law.” Victoria frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ignored her, took out my phone, and sent a single text message. Then I leaned down and whispered in the dead girl’s ear. “Don’t be afraid. Your father will be here soon.” Then, I dialed 911. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Victoria shrieked, sensing something was wrong. “I’m telling you, this ends here, today! If you dare…”

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The set was buzzing, but all I could focus on was the fact that my assistant had messed up my lunch order. Again. I glanced down at the container. Seafood bisque. The moment I lifted the lid, a delicate, briny aroma wafted up. I’d just wrapped a scene in the water, and a deep chill had settled into my bones. My stomach ached with a hollow, gnawing hunger, but my eyes instantly spotted the problem. “There are shrimp in this.” I looked up at her. “I’m allergic to shrimp.” Her face went blank for a second, then drained of all color. “Oh my god, Olivia… I’m so sorry. I was in such a rush, I completely forgot.” This was the seventh time. The first time, she handed me a pair of sunglasses from a rival brand right before a press event. I caught it just in time, narrowly avoiding a PR nightmare. The second, she rushed onto the red carpet to “fix my dress,” only to faint from low blood sugar, sparking a media frenzy with headlines about me overworking my staff. The third, she spilled a latte all over a veteran actress’s designer gown. She sobbed and apologized, all while shooting these teary, pleading glances at me. The actress was furious, and despite my endless apologies, I was branded with the reputation of “disrespecting a senior.” And so on. Just like now. She stood there, hesitating, as her eyes slowly welled up with tears. “Then… then please don’t eat it. I’ll eat it myself… You can just take the money out of my salary.” I didn’t say a word. Her meager salary couldn’t even begin to cover the cost of the messes she created. My silence seemed to panic her. She fumbled for her phone, her thumbs flying across the screen. A few seconds later, a wave of relief washed over her face. She looked up, forcing a bright, eager smile. “It’s okay, Liv! Alex said he’s on his way. He’s bringing you something else.” I had already started to turn away, but those words stopped me dead in my tracks. My phone buzzed softly in my pocket. [Alex: Is my princess angry with me?] [Alex: I’m bringing you that butternut squash soup you love. Don’t be too hard on the new girl. Everyone makes mistakes.] [Alex: Wait for me, baby.] The tone was so casual, so familiar. As if this kind of cleanup operation was something he’d mastered. Lily was the younger sister of his high school sweetheart, the one who had passed away far too young. Her family was struggling, her education was mediocre, but she was undeniably pretty. After graduating, she couldn’t find a job, and her parents were about to marry her off to some old bachelor in exchange for money to pay for her brother’s wedding. So, she went to Alex. And then, he sent her to me. For her to “learn the ropes,” he’d said. But I knew better. The girl had ambition. She had her sights set on Hollywood. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, she hugged the container of soup to her chest and mumbled, just loud enough for me to hear, “It’s a shame to waste food. I guess I’ll just have to eat it myself.” I didn’t bother replying. I just turned and climbed into my trailer. 1 Half an hour later, Alex arrived. I’d already showered and was sipping a cup of hot ginger tea. He saw me, but instead of an apology, the first words out of his mouth were a defense of the girl. “Come on, Olivia. It was just a lunch order. Why are you giving a young assistant such a hard time?” A lump formed in my throat. “I haven’t eaten all day to look good on camera. I just spent hours in freezing cold water for three different scenes. I’m cold and I’m starving.” I stared straight at him. “And besides, the Golden Griffin Awards are in two days. If I had eaten that soup, my face would be swollen and covered in hives. Do you honestly think I could walk the red carpet like that?” “Have you forgotten what that award means to me?” “That was the first role I landed after spending a year in a hospital bed, learning how to walk again. It’s a milestone, Alex. It’s the symbol of me getting my life back.” He was silent for a couple of seconds, his expression finally softening. He reached out and gently pinched my cheek. “Alright, my little princess. Don’t be angry anymore.” He placed the new container of food in front of me, handed me a spoon, and started rubbing my shoulders from behind. It was the same gentle care he’d shown me when I was recovering. After I’d been crushed by a falling piece of scaffolding while pushing him out of the way, he had tended to me for a year. He washed my hair, changed my clothes, even did my laundry. On the surface, it was the same devotion. I took a bite of the soup, then pointed to the designer coat draped over the sofa. “That couture piece. Didn’t you say you were picking it up for me on your trip to London? Why is she wearing it?” His hands froze on my shoulders. He instinctively glanced outside the trailer. “Why did you take her coat?” he asked, his voice suddenly sharp. “It’s freezing out there. What if she gets sick? It was her birthday, and she really wanted a gift. I saw how much she loved it, so I gave it to her.” He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You have so many clothes you never even wear. What’s the big deal about rewarding a hardworking girl?” I looked up at him. “Alex, I am your fiancée. Not your property.” “Shouldn’t you have at least asked me before giving away my things?” Her being poor was her problem. Why was I expected to carry the weight of her life? And what exactly had she done to deserve a reward? He didn’t try to soothe me. Instead, his brow furrowed in disapproval. “Olivia, I bought that coat.” “Even if it was a gift for you, it was my money that paid for it. I can give it to whomever I want.” In that instant, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. I could still hear his voice on the day we got engaged, promising that as long as he was around, I’d never have to spend a cent of my own money. From jewelry to a simple pair of socks, he would provide everything. How quickly things had changed. How clearly the lines were now being drawn. He must have seen the tears welling in my eyes, because his resolve finally broke. He pulled me into a hug. “Liv, I’m sorry. It’s my fault.” “Just… don’t hold it against Lily. Her sister… back in school, she was the only one who was ever kind to me. I’m just trying to repay that kindness.” I was so tired of hearing that excuse. “If you want to repay a debt, then give her a job at your company. Make her your assistant. I can’t have her on my team anymore.” Half an hour ago, I had already called my agent and told her to fire Lily. She would have gotten the news by now. Sure enough, a moment later, the sound of hysterical sobbing erupted from just outside the trailer. Alex stepped out. When he returned, his face was a mask of cold fury. “All she wants is a job so she can have a decent life!” “You fired her for ‘incompetence’? You know that will ruin her chances of getting another job in this town! How hard is it to fetch coffee and run errands? What is so incompetent about that?” This was the second time he had yelled at me for his new assistant. It felt like being plunged back into that icy water, and I started to tremble. “Alex, are you really fighting with me over a complete stranger?” He didn’t answer. He just snatched the coat from the sofa and stormed out without a second glance. 2 Lily was successfully soothed. Not only that, but Alex pulled some strings and landed her a small supporting role, the fifth female lead, in the very movie I was starring in. While he was arranging all of this, I was alone in my hotel room, running a high fever. The cold had seeped into my legs, and every movement sent a sharp, needle-like pain through them. The old terror of my injury, of being crippled again, came rushing back. I swallowed my pride and called him three times. Each call went straight to voicemail. Later, lying in bed in a daze, I tried to pinpoint where everything had gone so wrong between us. At two in the morning, the door creaked open. Alex was back. He carried the faint, sweet scent of flowers, and he was clearly in a good mood. Before he could even reach my side of the bed, a soft knock came from the door. “Alex? I just… I feel like I need to make this clear. I really don’t need any special treatment. I can make it on my own. I’m not afraid of hard work.” It was Lily. “And this coat… I really can’t accept it.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears. “When you said it was a birthday present, I was so happy. I just never imagined it would make your sister so upset. She fired me because she was angry… I don’t mind being treated unfairly, but I can’t stand the thought of you being blamed because of me.” Alex’s voice softened, laced with an unmistakable note of pity. “Once a gift is given, you don’t take it back.” “Didn’t we already talk about this? Since she won’t let you be her assistant, and you love acting, then be an actress. I’ll invest in you, I’ll open doors for you. You just focus on your work and don’t worry about anything else.” Lily looked up, her eyes red-rimmed but her expression defiant. “Thank you, Alex. I’ll work as hard as I can. But since this coat belongs to Olivia, I think I should give it back… We’ll be on the same set now, and I don’t want to be targeted again…” Alex was silent for a few seconds. “Lily, don’t be naive.” “The way to get ahead is to learn how to use the resources you’re given, not to cling to some useless pride. Olivia is experienced, she’s a talented actress. Learn from her, build your network.” “As for the clothes, she has more than she could ever wear. She’s just throwing a tantrum with me. You wear it with confidence.” He paused, then added, “Actors need to look the part. That credit card I gave you, don’t be afraid to use it. Buy yourself some decent clothes.” As he spoke, he gently took the coat from her arms and draped it over her shoulders. “Wear this. You’ll catch a cold.” My eyes were closed, but I heard every single word. That coat was supposed to have been part of my outfit for the red carpet. The door clicked shut. Alex turned and his eyes met mine. He froze. “You’re awake?” I said nothing, just watched him. He seemed to realize his position, and the explanation came smoothly, as if rehearsed. “The girl has potential. It’s not a bad investment. You can mentor her a bit on set, it’ll be a good way to repay that old favor for me.” His tone was so gentle, as if he were discussing the weather. “I’ve explained everything. Don’t be jealous anymore. Nothing is going on between us, I swear.” A bitter, absurd laugh almost escaped my lips. “I’ve never heard of repaying a debt like this. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she’d saved your life.” “That’s enough, Olivia! Have you become so jealous that you can’t even tolerate the memory of someone who’s long dead?” His shout left me stunned. I knew his old flame was a sensitive topic, but he had never exploded at me like this before. He had been incredibly busy lately. We hadn’t seen each other in over two weeks. If it hadn’t been for Lily, I probably wouldn’t have seen him at all this time either. I wanted to say more, but a raw, scratching feeling in my throat made me bite my tongue. Three days later, after finishing my promotional events, I returned to the set. The first person I saw was Lily. She was standing there in a tight, crimson dress, a look of bold confidence on her face. I glanced down at the revised script pages that had just been handed to me. It was absurd. The film was nearly finished shooting, yet they had added dozens of new scenes for a complete novice. “Congratulations on the award, sis.” She smiled at me, a picture of innocence. “I’m looking forward to you showing me the ropes.” I was already in costume, my feet throbbing in a pair of prop heels rigged with dull nails for a torture scene. Standing was agony. “I can’t teach you. Find someone else.” I tried to step past her, but she grabbed my arm. “Olivia, is it that you look down on people like me? People who didn’t come from a fancy acting school?” I looked at her. It was as if she had prepared this speech. She raised her voice, making sure everyone around could hear. “I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.” “I don’t want to be known as some trophy girl who depends on a man.” “There is nothing going on between me and Alex. You don’t have to resort to firing me and badmouthing me to get back at me.” “Since you’re so bothered by my presence, why don’t we have a fair competition? Let’s see who really shines in this film.” I could barely stand. “Your business has nothing to do with me, and I have no interest in your childish games.” Lily let out a soft laugh. “Always so high and mighty, aren’t you, Olivia?” “You’ve never had a hard day in your life. You have no idea what it’s like to be truly desperate.” “You can’t act out that kind of raw, gritty pain.” “But I can.” “And this time, I am going to be brilliant.” 3 Before the official shoot began, the director pulled me aside. “Today’s scene is going to be… a bit intense.” He was vague, his eyes filled with a weary resignation. “The investors specifically requested it. I’m sorry, but I need you to play along.” I scanned the new pages. [The heroine, pushed to her breaking point, has a hysterical argument with the villain. In the chaos, the villain slaps her across the face.] The scene was short, and it was entirely designed to be Lily’s star moment. Before I could say anything, she was already in position opposite me, her smile sweet and docile. “Olivia, this is my first time doing such an emotional scene. We might need a few takes. Please be patient with me.” Her words were apologetic, but her eyes held no remorse. First take. “Action!” She raised her hand, and the slap landed. Smack. The sound was sharp and clear. I froze for a split second. A stage slap is always faked, a trick of angles and sound. It’s never real. The director didn’t call cut. But she let out a small gasp, her eyes immediately turning red as she broke character. “I’m sorry, director. I just couldn’t find the right emotion.” Second take. This time, she hit harder. Smack. I bit the inside of my cheek, and the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. The director frowned but still didn’t stop the scene. “Let’s go again.” Third take. Fourth take. Each time, she would claim her “emotions weren’t right” or simply refuse to continue the scene. And each time, her hand struck my face with more force than the last. My cheek started to go numb, a dull ringing in my ears. The crew began exchanging uneasy glances. The set fell silent, but no one dared to speak up. She was the “newcomer,” the one being “looked after.” And I was the “veteran,” the one who was supposed to endure it. Fifth take. The moment her hand came up, I finally snapped. I shot my arm out, grabbing her wrist. With a sharp twist, I reversed the motion. SMACK. The sound of my palm connecting with her cheek was sickeningly solid. Someone on set gasped. She stumbled backward dramatically, her arm slamming hard against the sharp metal corner of a prop cabinet. “Ah!” Blood immediately welled up, staining her sleeve. Lily crumpled to the floor. After a beat of stunned silence, she burst into loud, theatrical sobs. “Olivia… why are you targeting me like this?” “I’m just a newcomer… This was all in the script! I was just trying to do a good job with my acting…” “Even if you don’t like me, you didn’t have to hit me so hard…” Her wails echoed through the soundstage. I stood frozen, my palm still tingling. The director finally jolted into action, yelling, “Cut!” People rushed to her side. Someone called for a medic. That night, a carefully edited clip of the incident went viral. 「VETERAN ACTRESS OLIVIA REYNOLDS LOSES CONTROL, VIOLENTLY ASSAULTS NEWCOMER ON SET」 The video had no sound. There was only the image of my hand striking her face, and the shot of her collapsing to the floor in tears. The comments section was a landslide. 【Who does Olivia think she is just because she won a few awards? Does that give her the right to bully people?】 【I heard that new girl used to be her assistant and that Olivia bullied her constantly. She probably couldn’t stand sharing a scene with her, so she used it as an excuse to lash out!】 【Wasn’t there a story last year about her mistreating her assistant and making her faint on the red carpet? I guess all those villain roles she plays so well are just her showing her true colors!】 Every old accusation was dragged back into the light. I was about to issue a statement, my agent’s fingers flying across her keyboard, when the door to my hotel room burst open. It was Alex. His face was a thundercloud. “Are you out of your mind, Olivia?” He grabbed my arm, his grip so tight it hurt. “It was just a scene! Did you really have to hit her that hard? She could have permanent scarring on her arm, do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I didn’t speak. I just slowly removed the ice pack from my cheek. The swollen, bruised skin was stark under the bright hotel lights. He stopped short. His tone finally softened, but only slightly. “…She’s new. She doesn’t know any better.” “You’re the veteran here. Couldn’t you have just let it go?” A dry laugh escaped my lips. “How much more should I let it go? Should I have offered her my other cheek so she could get a matching set?” I placed my tablet on the table and opened a file. “This is the complete, unedited security footage from the set.” “I’ve had a backup since day one.” The video was clear, the timeline undeniable. The color drained from Alex’s face. “You can’t release this!” He lunged forward, slamming his hand down on the screen. “She’s just starting her career. If you post this, you’ll destroy her life.” “Bullying a senior actress before you’ve even made a name for yourself? That’s a death sentence for a newcomer.” I looked at him, and it was like staring at a stranger. “And what about me?” He opened his mouth, but no words came out. I continued, “So I’m just supposed to get hit, get dragged through the mud online, and have my name ruined?” I pulled the tablet back. “Not only am I releasing this, I’m also breaking up with you. It’s clear I’m no longer your priority, so there’s no reason for us to be together anymore.” “What are you talking about?” He panicked, reaching for my hand again, but I slapped it away. “There’s no room for me in your heart or your head anymore. I get hurt, I get bullied, and the first thing you do is defend the person who hurt me. I’m not a masochist, Alex.” He was about to argue, but suddenly, the custom ringtone he had set for Lily chirped from his pocket. He answered the phone. He only listened for a moment before his expression changed completely. “What did you say?” His eyes shot to mine, wide with shock. “…Lily’s pregnant?”

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My boyfriend came home late from working overtime. While tidying up his clothes, I accidentally discovered a proposal document. The title on the cover of the proposal was blinding. “How to PUA Your Girlfriend and Make Her Willingly Become the Other Woman”. But my boyfriend forgot that I am a medical student. One of my senior peers once made it onto the news. She stabbed her cheating scumbag of a boyfriend over 20 times, each stab missing vital organs, ultimately causing him only minor injuries. 1 The thin sheets of paper in my hand felt heavy, weighing me down until my fingers cramped and my breath stopped. I flipped through the pages with trembling hands until I reached the end. My gaze finally fixed on the end of the document. There was a pink lipstick mark there. Beside the lipstick mark was a line of elegant script. [Pregnant women are so ugly. Thanks, Sloane Vance, for being my surrogate.] My fingers tightened instantly: “So that’s how it is. That’s how it is. No wonder Julian Sterling begged me to be a surrogate. “I thought this was a research project for the department. I never imagined it was for me to help carry his child with someone else!” I lowered my eyes, shifting my gaze to the right leg of my pants. The shape of the right trouser leg was a bit bulging. Inside was a prosthetic limb. This leg was broken to save Julian back then. My heart throbbed with pain. I clutched my chest and leaned against the wall. 2 Julian and I met in medical school. Calculating, we have been together for more than ten years. He is the youngest attending physician in the hospital. When mentioning him, no one fails to praise him, calling him “young and promising”. But his title of attending physician should have been mine. If not for the car accident to save him that day. How could I have become disabled? To the extent that he replaced me in the recommendation quota for professional title promotion. But now, he demeans me to the dust. Treating me as a reproductive robot! 3 I tore the paper to shreds and turned my head to look at a closed door inside the house. On the first day moving into the new house. Julian forcibly demanded an empty room. And repeatedly requested that I must not enter this room. If it were before. Out of respect for men, I certainly wouldn’t intrude. But now, hehe… Red-eyed, I burst into the room. 4 The air in the room was turbid, with a smell similar to heather flowers. My brows knitted tightly as I turned on the light. The moment the light came on, photos covering the entire wall came into view. I stared blankly at the girl with a brilliant smile on the white wall. That was a woman who looked five or six parts like me. I recognize her… She is Bella Chen, a resident physician who just transferred here the year before last. My gaze continued to move. I suddenly discovered that the photos on the photo wall were patterned. It clearly recorded the whole process of the woman from childishness, to immaturity, and finally to maturity. “I became a substitute?” My whole body trembled uncontrollably. I, Sloane Vance, loved Julian miserably, but not to the extent of being shameless enough to become someone else’s substitute! Holding back my anger, I scanned the surroundings and suddenly noticed a yellowed diary on the table. The style of the diary was a bit old. It looked quite old. As if possessed, I opened that diary. 5 [January 1, 2014 Sunny. I met someone in university today. A woman who made my heart palpitate. I stepped forward in large strides, only to discover with disappointment. This woman was not Bella Chen, but another woman who looked a bit like her. Her name is Sloane Vance.] A ticking sound came to my ears. I knew it was the sound of my heart bleeding. I continued reading with a wooden face. [January 2, 2014 Rainy day. Miss, really miss Bella Chen so much. I really want to possess her, make her Julian Sterling’s exclusive item! It’s a pity Bella is not in our school. Forget it, I plan to capture that woman named Sloane Vance. I will vent all my love for Bella Chen onto her! After all, if I really get Bella, I wouldn’t bear to see her get hurt.] [February 1, 2014 Sunny. After one month of inquiry. I know the general information about Sloane. She has no father, or rather— She is a test-tube baby! Good, very good. I probably know this woman’s weakness. She lacks love…] [February 14, 2014 Sunny. I found some people from society to block Sloane forcefully. Although the process was a bit tortuous, I could clearly feel. The way the woman looked at me became different. Hahaha, sure enough, the plot of a hero saving a beauty has been an excellent routine since ancient times.] My fingertips holding the paper trembled slightly. I will never forget Valentine’s Day in 2014. Because it was on that day. I was dragged into a small woods by someone and almost lost my virginity. Never imagined. This nightmare that makes me dream back at midnight turned out to be Julian’s handiwork! I took a deep breath and continued flip the pages masochistically. [March 1, 2014 Rainy day. I succeeded. I successfully conquered Sloane. The taste of this woman is delicious. It’s a pity she’s like a log in bed, with no expression. Sure enough, she is just a substitute after all. She is far inferior to Bella. Bella is so sunny, so cute, so positive and upward. Completely two extremes with this wooden beauty Sloane! Sigh, if not for Sloane looking extremely like Bella. And I missed Bella too much. Even if this kind of woman delivered herself to the door. I wouldn’t touch her! Moreover, there is one thing about Sloane that disgusts me very much, that is, she was touched by those hooligans. Although I saw blood on the sheets. But I still feel she is very dirty…] [March 4, 2014 Rainy day. I shared Sloane’s photos with the brothers in the same dorm. They all envied me, saying I am a master of love affairs. Even a cold and aloof woman like Sloane can be obtained. With bursting vanity, I smiled disdainfully. I said Sloane just has a good figure. But playing for a long time is actually quite boring. Her expression in bed is even more stiff as hell. I showed her pleasure photos to the roommates for a browse. They all agreed with me, saying it is indeed so.] [March 5, 2014 Sunny I got up very early today. But none of my roommates got up. I naturally know why. A bunch of losers, only dare to face photos. Unlike me, I even got my hands on the real person. What’s good about Sloane? I crook my finger and she will crawl towards me on her own.] I dared not read the subsequent connecting content. With trembling hands, I flipped the diary directly to the last few pages. [March 30, 2024 Sunny. Good news. Bella actually transferred to our hospital! I thought the secret crush in youth would never see the light of day, didn’t expect extreme misfortune turns into good luck! Regarding Bella. I used to be like a rat in the sewer, only daring to lurk in the dark to secretly record and shoot. Now having the opportunity to meet again. I must grasp it firmly! Speaking of which. So dangerous, really so dangerous. So dangerous that I never publicized my relationship with Sloane! Originally I was thinking about whether to make do with her. Now it seems. Sloane only deserves to be a bed partner!] [April 5, 2024 Sunny. Under my tireless efforts. Bella and I “treated each other with sincerity” in the equipment room. She told me. Her mother committed suicide. Her father drowned his sorrows in alcohol all day for this, not returning home all year round. She longs for a new family, but doesn’t want to give birth to children. Because after giving birth, the stomach will have stretch marks, so ugly. Hearing her say this. My head heated up, I replied to her immediately. We can do in vitro fertilization and let Sloane help us be a surrogate! Honestly speaking. After saying this sentence, I regretted it. Because I was afraid Bella would disdain me. After all, I found a substitute. But didn’t expect her eyes to shine, applauding and cheering. Sure enough, my first love is gentle.] Teeth broke the oral cavity, the taste buds senselessly tasted a bit of bloody sweetness. April 5th was the day my leg was broken. Didn’t expect Julian would be so impatient! My eyes trembling, twisted the last page and opened it. [April 5, 2025 Sunny. Bella started urging. After all, a year has passed. She urges me to quickly let Sloane agree to surrogacy. It’s not that I didn’t PUA Sloane. But this woman has a terribly stubborn temperament! Really, what is there to be pretentious about. The current Sloane is just a cripple. Except for me, who else would want her?] I looked at the fresh handwriting, closed the diary dejectedly, just about to put it down. A photo slipped out from within. I squatted down and looked closely. The content above was blinding. That was exactly the photo of Julian and Bella “treating each other with sincerity”… Just then. I accidentally discovered something seemed to be padded under the table leg. I took out all those things and found it was a stack of photos. And these photos were all photos with my “stiff” expressions! A string seemed to break in my brain. “Julian Sterling, what right do you have to humiliate me like this!” My eyes were red as if bleeding, I strode towards the bedroom.

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The “Crown Prince” of New York’s elite circle fell in love with a blind nightclub pianist who “refused to bow to money.” He insisted on dumping me, the financial prodigy groomed by his family. In my past life, to preserve his status as heir, I paid for the blind girl’s eye surgery and kept her as his canary. After regaining her sight and learning the truth, the blind girl fell into depression, miscarried, and became permanently infertile. Years later, the Crown Prince took full control of the Sterling Group and spent two hundred million dollars to marry his “true love.” And I? I was pushed off a rooftop by his own hands. He said, “Your life for our child’s life. We’re even.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the past. The Crown Prince was begging to marry the blind girl at any cost. Of course, this time, I chose to grant his wish. 1 I was the ward of the Sterling family, their designated future daughter-in-law. I was also the financial genius they had poured countless resources into cultivating. Everyone in the Upper East Side knew the rule: Whoever married me would become the heir to the Sterling empire. But fate has a twisted sense of humor. Caleb Sterling didn’t understand this principle. He made a high-profile public declaration of love to a blind girl who played piano in a nightclub—selling her art, not her body. He recklessly threw money around just to make her smile. He told everyone he met: “Daisy is surrounded by mud but remains unstained. Her clean smile is enough to wash away all the worldliness from my soul.” “Audrey Meng is too smart. Her eyes are always full of calculation. She’s too dirty.” So he insisted on dumping me. He didn’t hesitate to kneel before his grandfather, Chairman Sterling, begging for permission to marry Daisy Song. He completely humiliated me. 2 When I opened my eyes, I was sitting in a private VIP booth at a high-end club. Beside me were my close friends from our social circle. Directly in front of us, Daisy Song was playing the piano, her teary, unfocused eyes filled with grievance and indignation. “Playing like that, and she has the nerve to call it art? She’s far worse than Audrey,” one friend whispered. “Caleb must be blind to fall for such a ‘little white flower’.” “By breaking off the engagement with you, he really doesn’t want the identity of the Sterling heir anymore.” I listened to my friends’ gossip in a daze. Daisy finished her piece. She stood up, bowed to us, then groped for her white cane and walked toward the door, step by careful step. With a click, the booth door was pushed open. Caleb strode in. Startled, Daisy lost her footing and fell off the small performance stage. The fall made her cry out instantly. Tears rolled down her pale cheeks one by one, her lips trembling pitifully. Caleb saw this scene unfold. His handsome brows furrowed deeply. He strode over to Daisy, scooping her up into a protective embrace, his eyes full of distress. Then, he glared at the group of us on the sofa. When his gaze landed on me, it was clearly filled with rage. “Audrey, didn’t I warn you not to trouble Daisy?” “What are you doing now? Gang up to bully a blind girl?” I remained silent. A friend beside me defended me: “We just came here to hang out and happened to catch her performance. She fell because she wasn’t steady on her feet. How does that count as us bullying her?” Caleb didn’t care about facts. He only believed what he wanted to believe. His Daisy was crying, so someone had to pay. Everyone sitting here was heir or heiress to a major fortune. We were all entangled in the web of high-society interests. Only I was different. I was the Sterling family’s ward. A dog by Caleb Sterling’s side. He naturally turned his attack on me: “Audrey, come over here and apologize to Daisy!” In my past life, I apologized. I backed down. I endured. For Caleb and Daisy’s sake, I threw away my dignity. And what was the result? I was pushed off a rooftop by Caleb himself, smashed to pieces on the pavement below. I looked at Caleb and smiled gently. “You’re right. It was my fault today. I shouldn’t have joined the fun to watch Miss Song.” Caleb snorted coldly. “At least you’re sensible.” I continued, “But a verbal apology is so boring. How about I give Miss Song an apology gift?” My friends looked dissatisfied and tried to pull me back. I reassured them, took out my phone, and dialed Chairman Sterling’s number on speaker. In front of Caleb, Daisy, and the entire room of wealthy elites, I spoke clearly, word by word: “Chairman Sterling, I have seriously considered your proposal. Since Caleb is unwilling to marry me, let’s fulfill his wish to be with Miss Song. The heir to the Sterling Group doesn’t have to be him. I agree to the marriage arrangement with your youngest son, Roman Sterling. Let Roman be the heir.” Roman Sterling. The ascetic “Buddhist Son” of the New York elite. For years he had stayed away from women; countless wealthy families wanted to align with him but were rejected at the door. 3 Silence descended on the room. My friends were dumbfounded, looking like they wanted to give me a standing ovation. Caleb’s face turned visibly pale. His grip on Daisy loosened, causing her to sway and almost fall again. “Audrey, what did you just say? You want to marry Roman? My uncle?” I nodded slightly. “Yes. To let you and Miss Song be together, I am willing to step aside. Do you like this big gift, Young Master Sterling?” He stiffened, stammering, “But… the inheritance…” I smiled. “Young Master Sterling, surely you know? Chairman Sterling publicly announced years ago that whoever is my husband becomes the heir to the Sterling Group. If you don’t want to marry me, naturally, the position won’t be yours.” He gritted his teeth so hard I could hear it. My friends smirked triumphantly. “After all, our Audrey is the top female financial wizard in the country.” “The Sterling Group’s achievements today are largely thanks to Audrey.” “If Audrey didn’t intend to repay the Chairman’s kindness in raising her, the Sterling Group would have been hers long ago.” “Congratulations, Caleb. You finally got the beauty. Don’t forget to send us wedding invitations.” “I just wonder how much dowry the Sterling family will offer to marry this Miss Song, who comes from a nightclub but remains ‘unstained by the mud.’” With that, my friends surrounded me, and we left the booth together. The moment the door closed, we heard the violent sound of wine glasses and bottles being smashed inside, accompanied by a woman’s frightened scream. “Caleb treated you like a dog before. It’s a good thing to cut ties with him completely.” “He thought we hung out with you because of his status. Today he finally learned who holds the winning cards.” “Even Chairman Sterling is respectful to you. Who does Caleb think he is?” “We only gave him the time of day because of you. In the future, we don’t need to pretend anymore.” “Let him rot.” 4 News of me breaking off the engagement with Caleb spread quickly through the circle. Almost everyone recognized that Caleb was no longer the heir apparent. This caused Caleb to lose the conveniences brought by the heir’s halo. His black card limit was restricted. The seasonal couture he reserved was no longer released to him first. His VIP elevator access at Sterling headquarters was revoked. In food, clothing, housing, and transportation, he began to feel the gap. “I saw Caleb at ‘Le Bernardin’ today. He was actually holding a buzzer waiting for a table. Can you believe this is the arrogant Young Master Sterling?” “Caleb was kicked out of the Polo Club group chat because he couldn’t pay the annual dues.” “Didn’t Caleb order a handmade Steinway for that blind girl? It’s finished, but he can’t pay the remaining million. Hilarious.” Friends sent messages and photos in our group chat. I looked at them with a slight arch of my brow, feeling little emotion. I just felt the former me was blind. To have actually had feelings for Caleb. Without the decoration of abundant wealth, Caleb was just an ordinary rich kid. Idle, useless, nothing but a pretty face. However, Caleb’s mother dragged Caleb to find me. They sat in front of me in my office—one sipping tea demurely, the other glaring with cold hostility. I said nothing, waiting for them to speak. Mother Sterling spoke first: “After the Old Man received your call, he refused to see Caleb. I understand you felt wronged, so we came to discuss a compromise.” “Daisy is pregnant now. It’s not appropriate for her to show her face in public. Could you arrange a house for her and take care of her expenses?” “As the heir, Caleb can only marry you as his wife. Please talk to the Old Man, stop this stalemate with your own future husband.” Mother Sterling spoke coolly, her words polite but sickening. Caleb was much more direct. He slapped a document on the table. “This is a prenuptial agreement. We notarize our property separately. If we divorce, you don’t get a penny of the Sterling assets. Also, ours will be a marriage in name only. You need to tell Daisy that, make her believe my heart only belongs to her.” “After I become the Chairman, you must withdraw from the company immediately and disappear abroad.” “After signing, you will find famous doctors to treat Daisy’s eyes. When she recovers her sight, I will marry you properly.” I looked at the tyrannical contract in my hand and asked, “What benefit do I get from signing this?” Both were stunned. I continued, “What benefit do I get from marrying you, Caleb?” They frowned. I laughed aloud. “Marry you, let you be the heir, give you the money, cars, and houses. I have to take care of Daisy Song, find her doctors, work myself to the bone, and then be kicked abroad by you? It sounds like I’m lower than a servant.” Caleb stood up, looking down at me with supreme confidence. “At least you get to see me often!” “Audrey, I know you love me.” “Being able to see me often must be a gift to you.” My mouth fell open. Suddenly, I understood why, in my past life, despite all my hard work, I never got a word of gratitude. In his heart, allowing me to look at him was a gift. A gift! I gritted my teeth and smiled. After politely sending them away, I posted the surveillance video of their visit, unedited, on my social media. It immediately attracted hundreds of likes. Friends asked if they could share it. I had no reason to stop Caleb from becoming a national joke. I captioned it: Welcome to like, comment, and share! After two days of brewing, major influencers picked it up. The massive traffic pushed the video to the top of the trending list. [Gift? Does he think he is God?] [No, he thinks he is the God of Wealth.] [The money and power were earned by Audrey. He wants her to sacrifice everything just for his face? Thick-skinned!] [Sister, look at me! I’m a college student, young, cheap, obedient, and I speak nicely!] 5 This matter finally alarmed Caleb’s father. Father Sterling came to my office personally, bowing ninety degrees to apologize. He promised to give me an explanation. That same day, I heard Father Sterling beat Caleb so badly he ended up in the ICU. “When the ambulance came, Caleb was covered in blood and unconscious.” “But he kept gritting his teeth, refusing to apologize to you, saying you were the one who should apologize.” “Father Sterling was furious. He declared he wouldn’t care about Caleb anymore.” “Now Caleb can’t even enter the building. His parents froze all his cards. The circle is waiting to see him crash and burn.” Maybe heirs of other groups saw my value and wanted to network with me, so I always received updates on Caleb. Caleb was kicked out of the Sterling estate. He was now living in Daisy’s rental apartment, which cost three thousand a month. Caleb felt sorry for Daisy and wouldn’t let her work. But Caleb was arrogant; he refused menial jobs and wasn’t qualified for executive roles elsewhere. He was eating through Daisy’s savings. Daisy was pregnant and needed prenatal care, plus money for eye doctors. Caleb was tasting hardships he’d never known. Even so, he stayed with Daisy, refusing to compromise with his family. But Daisy didn’t have such endurance. She went to Mother Sterling, who helped them privately. But Father Sterling found out and cut off the supply. They plunged back into poverty. Daisy, although born poor, had been spoiled by Caleb for years. She couldn’t take the hardship anymore. So, she came to beg me. At the Sterling Group’s new product launch conference. Surrounded by media reporters. She knelt on the floor, holding her white cane, crying like a tragic heroine. She mumbled repeatedly, begging for my forgiveness, begging me not to suppress Caleb anymore. Her pitiful face looked so weak under the flashing lights. I sat in the executive chair, looking like the vicious corporate villain. Cameras focused on me, reporters firing questions: “Is it true President Meng ordered a blacklist on Young Master Sterling?” “Is the Sterling Group now run on your whims?” “Are you destroying him because you can’t compete with a blind girl?” Facing these prepared questions, I frowned slightly. But in two seconds, I relaxed. I realized that no matter how good Father Sterling looked on the surface, he wouldn’t easily give up his biological son. This launch was critical; only insiders knew the time and place. Security was maxed out. Yet Daisy, a blind girl, walked in unhindered to cry. Making me take the blame. It must have been orchestrated. Lucas is too proud. Mother Sterling isn’t smart enough. Father Sterling must have been dissatisfied with the Chairman (Grandpa) for a long time. Grandpa preferred me over Caleb. Now that I rejected Caleb, Grandpa gave up on him too. For Grandpa, there was another, more excellent son—Roman. But for Father Sterling, Caleb was his only hope. Using Daisy to create a scandal and push me into the line of fire was likely his first step. But Father Sterling was still too stupid. I smiled at Daisy. “I know no matter how I explain, people will think I caused Caleb’s predicament. But I never harmed the company. Since it has come to this, I will resign as CEO of the Sterling Group to give you an explanation.” I walked over and helped her up. “By the way, I heard you got your marriage license. This is my second gift to you. I believe Caleb will be able to return to the company soon.” She froze, lips pursed. She didn’t expect me to compromise so quickly. “T-thank you, President Meng!” I shook my head, smiling faintly. “No thanks needed. I wish you two a lifetime…” locked together in hell.

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In my past life, my teacher successfully climbed the ladder by currying favor with me, becoming my stepmother. Who would have thought, after marrying my father and becoming pregnant, she conspired with outsiders to poison me and dump my body in the wilderness just to make the child in her belly the family heir. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. This time, I won’t let her step on me to rise again. I will make her life a living hell, where she begs for death but cannot die. 1 My mother died in childbirth, but my father had no intention of remarrying. It wasn’t because he was so loyal to my mother; theirs was a business marriage with no feelings involved, so there was no need for him to stay chaste for her. He simply felt that since he had an heir, a wife was dispensable. At my one-month celebration, my father announced in front of all the powerful and wealthy families in New York that I was the sole heir to the Gould family. My father spoiled me, almost to the point where if I wanted stars, he would throw in the moon; my grandmother treated me as her precious darling, pampering me as I grew up. But as a child, I still longed for maternal love. When I was five, the family hired a piano teacher named Linda Rose for me. She was gentle and considerate, caring for my well-being, making little me feel a motherly warmth. Who would have guessed, she wanted to gain favor with my father by pleasing me, aiming to become my father’s wife—Mrs. Gould. She drugged my father with an aphrodisiac and had a one-night stand with him. She thought my father would marry her because of this, but she miscalculated. My father was a playboy with many lovers outside. He had seen all kinds of women and all kinds of tricks. Linda’s clumsy method of climbing the ladder had long been seen through by my father, but he didn’t fuss about it, planning to give her a sum of money and dismiss her. Linda was naturally unwilling. She cried to me, saying she would leave me soon. Her meticulous companionship during this time made me depend on her more and more; I couldn’t live without her. I refused to let her go. She took the opportunity to beg me to go to my father, asking him to marry her so she could stay with me forever. My brain was not fully developed at the time, and I was bewitched by her, crying and clamoring for her to be my stepmother. My father was unwilling to marry her, but couldn’t stand my hunger strike. His heart softened, and he agreed. Linda became Mrs. Gould as she wished. But she only got the marriage certificate with my father and it wasn’t made public. She pretended well, caring for me for ten years as if it were one day. I truly treated her as my mother. Later, she got pregnant. To make the child in her belly the heir of the Gould family, she deliberately let me eat almonds by mistake. I went into shock due to a severe allergy. She conspired with outsiders to kidnap me, intending to dump my body in the wilderness. When she had people move me to the trunk, I regained consciousness briefly and clearly heard her conspiracy with the kidnappers. At this moment, I finally saw her true colors, but I was dying from severe allergies without treatment. Although I knew my father would avenge me, I was still very unwilling to die like this. Fortunately, heaven had mercy and gave me a chance to be reborn and kill my enemy with my own hands. Before dying, a white light flashed before my eyes and I fainted. A pleasant yet cold male voice came to my ears, very familiar. I tried to open my eyes and saw my father letting me nestle in his arms, playing with my chubby little hand, looking coldly at Linda who was kneeling on the ground, speaking casually: “I don’t know what potion you gave Smoke (Yan Yan), making her insist on you being her mother, but since my daughter asked, I will agree.” Linda looked embarrassed, trying to argue: “Mr. Gould, you must be joking. I sincerely like Miss Smoke, and I sincerely like you too. How can you say I gave Miss Smoke a potion?” My father looked impatient: “I don’t care if you are sincere. Since you want to be Mrs. Gould so much, I will fulfill your wish. But remember, your reliance in the Gould family will always be Smoke. You said you sincerely like Smoke, so in the future, you must do your best to please my daughter.” “Otherwise, I will make you fall from the clouds back into the dust.” Linda’s face turned slightly pale, and she answered in a low voice, “Yes.” I rubbed my eyes at the right time and called out softly: “Daddy.” Seeing me wake up, my father instantly withdrew his fierce expression, responding gently: “Daddy is here. Smoke is awake, are you hungry?” I nodded gently. My father patted my back lightly, stood up holding me, and was about to walk to the dining room. At this time, Linda got up, trying to follow closely and calling my name: “Is Smoke hungry? Do you want Teacher to feed you?” But she was stopped by the butler before taking a few steps. I ignored her, just buried my head and rubbed against my father dependently. My father stopped, looked back at the butler lightly. The butler immediately understood, waved to a few servants standing in the living room. They stepped forward, covered Linda’s mouth, and dragged her out. Linda was startled, struggling in panic to make the servants let her go. But to no avail. My family’s servants were trained, not only stronger than ordinary people but also skilled in restraining people. Soon, crisp slapping sounds and Linda’s screams came faintly. The butler warned her coldly: “Unruly thing, daring to act on your own in front of the master. Relying on shameless climbing into bed to become the Miss’s mother, yet daring to overstep. Today I will teach you the rules properly, make you remember this lesson.” “Continue hitting, harder!” Although my father agreed to let her into the Gould family to take care of me, she only occupied a nominal title, actually a more decent nanny. Moreover, Linda bewitched and plotted against me; my father would not let her off lightly. He inevitably had to teach Linda a lesson to establish authority for me. In my past life, Linda was also slapped by the butler to establish rules. It was precisely because she was deterred by my father’s ruthless means that she pretended well for ten years until she got pregnant. Thinking she had the confidence to rely on, she couldn’t wait to kill me. I sat on the high chair slowly drinking porridge. My father occasionally picked some dishes for me. I looked up and smiled sweetly at him: “Thank you, Daddy!” My father touched my little head happily. Linda, I’d like to see if you can still be a wealthy lady steadily without my mediation this time. The next day, I woke up in a luxurious princess bed. The room was pink everywhere, plush toys and Barbie dolls filled the cabinets. It wasn’t hard to see that I, the only daughter of the Gould family, was very favored. I stood in front of the mirror. The child in the mirror looked exquisite and lovely, only her eyes were deep and cold. Linda wanted to be a wealthy lady with everything going her way. I wanted her to look at the immense wealth in front of her but never be able to touch it, making her a shameful servant for life. Voices came from downstairs. “Where is the Miss?” It was Grandma, Grandma came. “The Miss is still sleeping upstairs, hasn’t got up yet,” the butler replied respectfully. “Then let her sleep a bit longer. Children always sleep a lot.” “Bring that shameless woman who climbed into bed here. I’d like to see what kind of extraordinary goods she is.” In front of Grandma, I was a perfectly obedient baby, a considerate little cotton-padded jacket. I would ask for her opinion in advance whatever I wanted to do. Except for this time, compared to other spoiled second generations in wealthy families, even if I was a bit arrogant, I appeared obedient and refined. Over time, everyone in the circle knew I was a good child. Anyone would praise the good family style and the child’s obedience. Servants from various families passed it on, so that outsiders talked about me with praise, saying why their daughters-in-law didn’t give birth to children as easy to raise as me. Grandma listened with a face full of joy, smiling from ear to ear. After my mother died in childbirth, she did intend for my father to remarry, but my father had a rebellious nature and didn’t listen. He only wanted an heir; gender didn’t matter. Moreover, his marriage with my mother was a business alliance. Before they got married, they had already signed an agreement that my mother would only give birth to one child, and regardless of gender, this child would be the sole heir of the Gould family. No matter how much my grandma wanted my father to remarry, she couldn’t help it if he disagreed. Besides, blatantly urging marriage would cause a rift between the Gould family and my maternal grandfather’s family. So, even though I was a girl, not a boy, my grandma, as a patriarch who favored boys over girls, might have dissatisfactions, but I was her biological granddaughter and won face for her. She found me pleasing to the eye no matter what. Since I was so favored, Linda suffered. She used dirty means to occupy the position of Mrs. Gould and plotted against a mentally immature five-year-old girl like me. My grandma would inevitably not recognize her in the wealthy circle but would torment her severely. In my past life, whenever Grandma wanted to torment Linda, I would always act spoiled to divert her attention, allowing Linda to escape safely many times. But this time, she was in for a treat. I quietly hid at the corner of the stairs observing. She was wearing a white dress, looking haggard, eyes red, cheeks swollen, looking very pitiful. Linda stood tremblingly, afraid to speak. Grandma, dressed nobly and decently, lowered her eyes slightly, blew gently on the tea in her hand, took a sip, then put the tea down gently, lifting her eyelids to look Linda up and down. “You are Linda Rose? A petty look, thinking of flying up the branch to become a phoenix, you should also weigh how much you weigh, whether you have the fate to enjoy it.” She stood up and walked close to Linda, pulled the white dress on Linda, glimpsed the Hermes label on it, showing ridicule and disdain: “Enjoying wearing designer clothes, right? Didn’t have the chance to wear them in the first half of your life, now you put them on easily as soon as you come, you must be uncontrollably proud in your heart.” Linda shook her head in terror denying it, keeping her head down. My grandma continued: “Smoke is a child of my Gould family. For your own rise, you dared to target her. Truly not knowing the height of the sky and the depth of the earth, very bold.” “I tell you, you definitely can’t enjoy this wealth, but you are destined to suffer this torment.” Grandma turned and sat back on the sofa, shouting: “Nanny Chen, come in.” A somewhat plump but very capable middle-aged woman walked in. She was an old servant by Grandma’s side. Grandma should want her to stay here to supervise Linda. In my past life, Grandma also let Nanny Chen stay, but I refused adamantly. However, Grandma said Linda could only stay if Nanny Chen stayed. “Linda, didn’t you say you like Smoke? Want to be my granddaughter’s mother? Then from now on, you are responsible for taking care of Smoke’s daily life. Nanny Chen will teach you well how to do it and supervise you. Don’t think of playing tricks on my granddaughter, being clever. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude.” With a pig-head face, Linda widened her eyes and asked in disbelief: “Isn’t there a nanny? Why do I have to take care of her personally? Moreover, I have already got the marriage certificate with Mr. Gould. I am his wife, how can I do such things?” The corner of Grandma’s mouth curled up in disdain: “Wife? You weren’t married in properly. What are you? A lowly thing thinking of being the master? From today on, the nanny at home will become you. If you are willing to serve my granddaughter well, then you can stay in this house. Otherwise, I will have someone throw you out. At worst, let my granddaughter cry for a few days.” Linda agreed timidly, daring not to express dissatisfaction anymore, holding her breath tight. My grandma picked up a mobile phone on the table. That flashy phone case was obviously Linda’s. Grandma opened a social platform on her phone, which was full of Linda intentionally or unintentionally showing off her wealthy life. Frowning, she questioned: “This is your phone, right? Our Gould family is not for you to show off. If you don’t know your place again, I don’t mind letting the butler teach you rules again, adding a few more scars to your beautiful face.” After speaking, the butler stepped forward raising his hand to slap her. Linda staggered back a few steps in fear, nodding repeatedly saying she dared not anymore. My grandma snorted coldly and turned to go upstairs to see me. I quickly ran back to the room, pretending not to be awake. After the people in the living room left, Linda dared to relax, exhaled a long breath, slumped on the ground, and sobbed softly. “Smoke.” Grandma walked in lightly and sat by my bed, patting the quilt gently and calling me softly. I popped my head out of the quilt, with two tufts of cowlick on my messy head, raising a smiling face obediently: “Grandma.” Then subconsciously reached out to the old woman in front of me. Grandma’s heart melted at my smile, hurriedly hugging me along with the quilt. “Oh my, my good granddaughter, our Gould family’s good granddaughter.” Then, she took off the large pearl necklace around her neck, playing with it in her hand to amuse me. I giggled cooperatively. “Nanny Liu cooked porridge for Smoke, and Smoke’s favorite shrimp dumplings. What does Smoke want to eat? Grandma will have them bring it up or Grandma carry Smoke down to eat?” “Smoke wants to eat here, want to eat a big bowl of shrimp dumplings.” I gestured with a smile. Grandma smiled with wrinkles, touching my head: “Okay, okay, our Smoke can eat as much as she wants.” I lifted the quilt to get out of bed to wash up. Soon a servant came in with a bowl of shrimp dumplings. Grandma fed me one by one. The shrimp dumplings were so delicious my eyes narrowed. In my past life, since Nanny Liu’s son and daughter-in-law took her away from the Gould family to enjoy happiness, I rarely ate shrimp dumplings because others couldn’t make Nanny Liu’s taste, even if Nanny Liu wrote down the recipe for the new nanny at home. Grandma saw me eating with relish and asked tentatively: “Smoke, do you like that Teacher Linda very much? Can you tell Grandma why you like her so much?” My chewing slowed down. After swallowing the shrimp dumpling in my mouth, I blinked my round apricot eyes and said softly: “Yes, I like her very much. Children in kindergarten all laugh at me for having no mother, while Teacher Linda makes me feel like I have a mother. She is beautiful and gentle. I want her to stay with me all the time.” The eyes of the well-maintained noble lady in front of me instantly turned red. Looking at the child’s bright eyes, the longing for a mother in her eyes was fully revealed, and her heart stung slightly. It was her fault. Smoke lost her mother since childhood. Her father managed such a big company and rarely had time to come back to see her. Among children with both parents, she was always like an anomaly. Clearly every time Smoke saw other children surrounded by parents, her eyes would overflow with strong envy, but she didn’t care, which allowed that cheap Linda to exploit the loophole. But to not let me find out, she held back tears and said with a smile: “It’s… Grandma’s fault, letting Smoke suffer so much grievance…” Before Grandma finished speaking, she broke down in tears, big tears falling into the bowl, her body trembling slowly, with some sobbing. I extended my warm little hand to cover her face, followed by the sound of gentle blowing. “Grandma don’t cry, Grandma don’t be sad.” “Smoke blows for Grandma.” “Hoo hoo…”

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On the day I filed for divorce, I awakened the ability to read minds. I heard my usually cold and distant husband crying pitifully in his heart: “What to do! Wifey doesn’t want me anymore! But I don’t want a divorce, boohoo!” I was confused, but when I opened my eyes again, I was back in my sophomore year of college. He was still the campus hunk who coldly rejected my confession, but his heart was cheering with joy: [I love seeing Baby about to cry, she’s so cute I could die.] In a fit of anger, I tore up the love letter I wrote for him and threw it into the trash can. Now, it was Julian Gu’s turn to panic. 1 “Let’s get a divorce.” At the dining table, I said this to Julian Gu with apparent calm. In reality, my heart ached dully with every breath. He didn’t even lift his eyelids: “Eat your food, stop making a scene.” I smiled self-deprecatingly. Perhaps in Julian’s eyes, whatever I do is just making a fuss out of nothing. It wasn’t until I handed him the divorce agreement I had drafted long ago that he froze. “If there are no problems, just sign it directly.” He stared tightly at the four big words on the cover, his clenched fingers trembling. I thought he must be overjoyed. After all, four years of college and five years of marriage, for these nine years, I clung to him like a plaster, chasing after him. If I hadn’t been persistent and pestering, he would never have agreed to marry me. Julian’s annoyance with me had long penetrated his bones. And in these five years, I also tasted the bitterness of a forced melon not being sweet. I also recognized a reality: Julian doesn’t like me, and no matter how hard I try, he won’t like me. So I felt that this self-deceiving dream should also wake up. Julian’s thin cool lips parted slightly. Just when I thought he was going to say “Okay”, a sudden cry came to my ears! [Ahhh, Wifey doesn’t want me anymore, what to do what to do? Waiting online, very urgent urgent urgent urgent! [Did I make her angry? Or is she on her period, in a bad mood? [No! I calculated, it’s not her time yet… [Then why is it, boohoo!] Me: “?” 2 I widened my eyes in astonishment! This voice was actually Julian’s! But he has always been cold to me. Even if I begged bitterly, he wouldn’t call me intimately like this. Not to mention he wouldn’t take anything about me to heart at all, and never initiated intimacy after marriage. How could he remember my period so clearly?! Auditory hallucination! Must be an auditory hallucination! But the next second, that voice exploded again: [Should I pretend to choke on food and die, let Wifey take me to the hospital, to delay time? [But what to do after going to the hospital? Boohoo! [Better go break a leg. It takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons, delaying one day is one day?] Now, I was completely confused! Because I was sure Julian indeed didn’t open his mouth. So, all I heard were his inner thoughts? Simply like a completely different person! I hesitated, just about to tentatively speak, when my vision suddenly went black. 3 “If it’s a love letter, forget it, I won’t accept it.” The boy’s pleasant but temperature-less voice came into my ears. I opened my eyes, looking at this familiar campus, shocked to find myself back in my sophomore year. And at this moment, I was pinching a pink love letter in my hand. Nineteen-year-old Julian Gu stood right in front of me. He lowered his eyes, looking at me with the same condescending arrogance and indifference as before. I finally remembered, this was the second year of my crush on Julian, the day I gathered courage to confess to him. “Why aren’t you speaking, hmm?” He raised his cold eyebrows slightly at me, but his inner voice sounded again: [Ah, Baby isn’t going to drop little pearls (cry), is she?~ [Love seeing her look after being made to cry, really so cute, boohoo! [Strange, why haven’t her eyes turned red yet? [Red ones would look more like an aggrieved little rabbit, looks so kissable.] A bold idea flashed by, and I exploded instantly! Could it be that Julian actually likes me too? Just that his mouth says no but his body says yes, only pretending to ignore me on the surface?! Then all these years, my pestering, my various sacrifices, didn’t they look more like a clown in his eyes? 4 Now, my eyes really turned red. Only not from grievance, but from anger! Seeing this, Julian’s expression didn’t change, but his inner voice started to panic. [Eh, something’s wrong, why does Baby look a bit angry? [Or… should I agree first? [What if she gets angry and never comes to find me again…] He pursed his thin cool lips, one hand in his pocket. As if making some difficult decision, he extended his other hand towards me. “Fine, I can accept your love letter, but it doesn’t mean I will accept your feelings.” I held back the urge to chop off his paw, gritted my teeth and sneered: “Who said this is a love letter for you?!” His gaze paused, puzzled. The next second, I tore the envelope in my hand to shreds. “Blocking me from throwing trash. “Idiot.” I walked past him and threw the paper scraps into the trash can behind him. The air became quiet at this moment. I heard Julian’s breath hitch. [Baby tore the love letter… for me?] “Crack—” Sounded like knuckles cracking. I dared not look back, fleeing in panic. 5 School cafeteria. I held chopsticks, sat there in a trance for a long time, Finally digested the fact that I returned to campus and was eight years younger. And judging by Julian’s reaction, I should be the only one who came back for now. “Jojo (Jiaojiao), look quickly, photos on the confession wall!” An exclamation interrupted my thoughts. Roommate Linlin sitting opposite handed her phone to me. Don’t know who secretly took these photos. Julian Gu’s face was full of panic. As cool as he was when rejecting me, he was as wretched now manually digging through the trash can. The comment section exploded. Everyone was guessing what exactly could make the hunk of A University so desperate. Only I noticed a touch of pink in one of the photos and scoffed coldly. Strong man (playing tough), what was he doing earlier? “Something that can make Julian care so much must be very important, I think.” Linlin rested her chin on one hand, sighing with emotion: “In terms of looks, ability, or family background, Julian is outstanding among the best. It’s not an exaggeration to call him the favored son of heaven. “He has seen too many dazzling things. So something that can catch his eye and make him care so much must be extraordinary.” I thought of these years by Julian’s side. Except for my sincere heart, I seemed to have nothing presentable. Pity that sincerity is the least valuable thing. 6 I smiled self-deprecatingly: “Important or not, once thrown into the trash can, it’s trash.” “That’s not it!” The boy’s cold voice refuted anxiously, and my wrist was caught. I subconsciously looked up, crashing into those obsidian-like eyes. The moment our eyes met, his gaze trembled fiercely, and he let go of his hand in panic. [Can’t, dug through trash can… can’t touch her. [But I washed myself many, many times. [Will she dislike me for being dirty?] I was really speechless: “Do you have business?” Julian stared at me tightly, the corners of his eyes actually slightly red. “Not trash…” “What?” He moved his lips, I couldn’t hear what he was saying clearly. Immediately after, he took out that love letter covered in tape. “Look, I taped it well.” After speaking, he looked at me with expectation in his eyes. I raised my eyebrows slightly. The love letter was torn very finely by me. It was indeed not easy to restore it like this. Except— “Something written for my dog, you like it that much?” I turned my face cold and retorted unceremoniously. Julian’s expression paused, next second: “Woof…?” Me: “6 (Speechless/Awesome).”

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My sister is the vicious supporting female lead. My brother is the crazy villain. I am the silly sweet girl raised by them single-handedly. At a party, my sister was leading her mean girls squad to tear apart the female lead. Carrying my backpack, I barged into the hall. I slapped my failed math test paper into her arms: “Sis, the teacher wants me to call you to school.” The malicious smile on my sister’s face froze. Holding my test paper, she broke down: “This is the ninth time this month you’ve been called to bring a parent!” At a business negotiation, my brother had wolfish ambitions. He was about to sign an overlord contract to swallow the male lead’s industry. I pushed open the door of the lounge, handing a game console to my brother. Ignoring the tense atmosphere in the entire conference room, I said: “I can’t pass this level again. Brother, beat this level for me first.” My brother picked me up with one hand onto his lap, sighing helplessly while holding me: “Baby, this game is not suitable for you.” He said: “Brother will acquire a new game company tomorrow, specifically to make games for you to play.” 1 Since I became conscious. I knew I lived in a world of masochistic love centered around a hero and heroine. But unfortunately. I wasn’t born well. Less than half a year after I was born. My parents both died tragically. I was raised by my brother and sister. When I was ten and learned to read. I realized that the sister who went crazy every day helping me with homework. Was the primary vicious supporting female lead in this world. And the brother who indulged and pampered me without a bottom line. Was the biggest villain boss in this world. 2 The hero and heroine are the center of the world. Anyone who opposes the hero and heroine will definitely not have a good end. My 10th birthday was celebrated with my brother and sister. When making a birthday wish. I looked at the gentle and beautiful sister on the left, and the young and handsome brother on the right. They surrounded me holding a cake. In their eyes, there was only me. No matter how vicious and cruel my brother and sister were outside. But in front of me, they were the people who loved me the most in this world. —I didn’t want them to meet their destined tragic ending. I wanted to do my best. To save them. 3 But I am really stupid. It seemed that Mom and Dad gave all the IQ to my brother and sister. At a young age, my brother created his own business empire. Solved the family’s economic problems. And provided us with a prosperous life. My sister is especially good at winning people over. She has a beautiful and bright face. From childhood to adulthood, suitors have been endless, surrounded by men and women chasing after her. But unfortunately. My brother fell for the heroine who didn’t belong to him. My sister fell for the hero who didn’t belong to her. 4 I sat in the passenger seat of my sister’s supercar, resting my face on my hand and sighing. My sister was driving and even reached over to ruffle my hair messily. “What’s wrong again? Didn’t understand math class again?” I turned helplessly to look at my sister: “Ethan Chen isn’t as handsome as brother, nor as rich as you. What exactly do you see in him?” Ethan Chen is the destined hero of this world. My sister heard me mention his name. Raised an eyebrow slightly, pinched my cheek: “Actually worrying about my business?” She said: “Take care of your own studies first.” “How many times have I gone to parent-teacher meetings for you, lost face so many times, and been criticized by your teachers so many times.” 5 Before she finished speaking, she didn’t even give me a chance to protest. Directly turned the car around: “I have something to do tonight, can’t accompany you to do homework.” She said: “I’ll send you to brother’s company.” I lowered my eyes and hugged my backpack tightly. —I knew what she was going to do tonight. She has many bad friends, and easily knew the heroine’s movements as soon as she returned to the country. The white moonlight heroine returned. My sister is going to give someone a display of authority tonight. I propped my chin and sighed heavily again. The supercar made a smooth U-turn and stopped downstairs at my brother’s company. 6 My sister got out of the car and opened the passenger door. Seeing me sitting motionless in the passenger seat, she bent over and smiled at me. “What are you dazing for?” She scratched my chin. Pulled my hand to get me out of the car, and put the backpack on my back. “Let’s go, I’ll walk you upstairs.” She held my shoulder. I paused, saying I could find the way myself. “You go,” I looked up at the red strap long dress on my sister. She is so beautiful, why did she fall for Ethan Chen. My sister was indeed anxious. Picking me up from school and sending me here, it was already dusk. She straightened my wrinkled collar again. Instructed worriedly: “Then I’m leaving. Go upstairs quickly to find brother, let him order food for you.” I hummed a yes, standing in place watching her look back three times every step until she finally drove away. As soon as her car drove out of the end of this road. I immediately hailed a taxi and told the driver to follow the car in front. 7 When the taxi drove me away from downstairs of the company. Through the window, I actually saw my brother lazily carrying a suit jacket, coming out from the entrance. Behind him followed several assistants in suits running. Assistants bowed and scraped behind him. And my brother’s face was cold and severe, eyebrows sharp. Naturally had an aura that kept strangers away. He was really sensitive, perhaps sensing my scrutinizing gaze. Actually looked up towards me. I immediately lowered my upper body, hiding under the window. At the same time, the phone vibrated lightly in my arms. It was a message from my brother: Baby, where are you guys? Followed by another one: What do you want to eat tonight. Seems my sister told him in advance about sending me over. I turned off the phone, pretended not to see. Now, I have to find my sister first. 8 My sister learned driving from my brother firsthand. At 17 or 18, my brother was a regular on the racing track. When they didn’t carry me, they drove with a reckless madness. So even if I urged the taxi driver to chase closely. Was easily thrown off by my sister’s supercar. When I arrived at the star-rated hotel in the city center, the lights inside were bright, it had already started. The security guard at the door stopped me outside. Said I didn’t have an invitation and wouldn’t let me in. I was afraid my sister was already bullying the heroine inside. Really no way out. I could only bring out my brother. Fortunately, my brother often instilled in me the domineering concept that I could walk sideways in the city. Fortunately, my brother also had shares in this hotel. After bringing out my brother, the manager came out specially. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he welcomed me respectfully. But I really had no leisure to deal with him. Carrying my backpack into the hall, I started to stand on tiptoe looking for my sister. No way, even for height, I didn’t inherit my parents’ genes. My brother’s height approaches 6’3″, my sister was already 5’9″ when she just became an adult. And I, until now am not even 5’5″.

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