At the Best Actress Award ceremony. In the group photo, a C-list actress took my center spot. The person in charge said with difficulty: “This is President Sterling’s girlfriend. He specifically asked us to take care of her.” “Would you mind… changing seats?” I agreed. After the ceremony ended. My agent comforted me in a low voice: “You had to yield. The Sterling family is powerful; we can’t afford to offend them.” “Darling, you’ve been wronged.” After a moment of silence, I shook my head. In the years I was with Liam Sterling. He did plenty of unreasonable things like this for me too. Now the tables have turned. It’s only fair. 1 When I broke up with Liam Sterling, I knew this day would come. What he once gave me, he would one day give to someone else. I rode his coattails and had it too easy back then. So much so that after the breakup, all the resources tilted towards me returned to their original positions. I suddenly fell silent, becoming a nobody in the industry. It took me a few years of playing supporting roles one after another to make a name for myself again. It’s the same for Bella Hayes. Young, an internet celebrity, never even acted in a serious drama. Yet she could appear at the star-studded award ceremony and occupy the position I fought for years to get. Coincidentally, at the dinner before the ceremony, Bella was also arranged to sit next to me. While taking a selfie, the tea cup in her hand jerked back violently. Scalding tea flew towards me. If I hadn’t been quick enough to block it with my bag. It wouldn’t have been my arm and neck that got scalded, but the haute couture gown worth eight figures. This was considered a significant accident. The organizers were startled and sent me to the hospital. Bella followed with a face full of guilt. The injury was a bit serious. The blisters needed to be pricked first, then medication applied. I was afraid of pain. In the past, I would grab the arm of the person next to me in fear. That person would look at my trembling appearance with amusement and say I was useless. Ironically, the person accompanying me now was his new love. Bella was on the phone, her voice trembling: “President Sterling… I caused trouble for you.” “I didn’t mean to spill the tea, I will apologize, but the public opinion…” She spoke timidly for a long time, weeping like a pear blossom bathed in rain, humble and pitiful. The man on the other end sounded indifferent: “Such a small matter, and you bother me with it.” Bella whispered: “She’s quite a big star, and the burn is serious. If her fans make a fuss…” Her sobbing was interrupted impatiently by the man: “Who?” “Chloe Vance.” Silence on the other end for a second. Liam’s tone was very light: “I know.” Hanging up the phone, Bella breathed a long sigh of relief. She smiled embarrassedly: “About the center spot… I didn’t know.” Perhaps not wanting to make enemies, she explained apologetically: “I just wanted to attend for some exposure, so I mentioned it to President Sterling… I didn’t expect he would arrange the center spot for me directly, sorry.” She still didn’t understand Liam’s style. With his status, since he arranged it, his subordinates would automatically offer the best. Things have come to this. I smiled politely back: “It’s a small matter.” I was also a beneficiary back then. Now I can only say what goes around comes around. There’s nothing to feel wronged about. 2 After the event, my agent, Sister Yu, came to the hospital to see me. The Best Actress award was an upset this time. It was given to a newcomer whose works and acting skills were inferior to mine. Obvious manipulation ruined my efforts of the past few years. Sister Yu looked at me with heartache: “If you were still with Liam Sterling, who could snatch your award?” I was silent. Some things are not meant to last. I was the one who proposed the breakup. After all, he came home later and later, and his attitude towards me grew colder. News of the CEO of Sterling Group marrying the daughter of an overseas conglomerate was everywhere. I wanted to save some face for myself. Actually, when I was with Liam, I also suffered a lot of grievances. After all, he was the embodiment of resources and wealth. Whoever had him could have stardom within easy reach. At that time, the female lead in the same crew was Liam’s ex-girlfriend. Unluckily, I played the supporting female role. A scene where the heroine slaps the scheming supporting female lead was NGed more than twenty times. When I came out of the studio, my face was swollen like a pig’s head. Too many similar things happened, but I endured them all. Liam didn’t know, or maybe he knew but couldn’t be bothered to ask. After all, in his eyes, I was no different from those women who stayed with him for resources. At most, he just teased me lightly: “You can endure quite a lot.” I told Sister Yu this as a joke. She was stunned: “How can you think like that? You are the one who went through hardships with him.” I smiled. What does that count for? 3 I was like her. Everyone thought Liam lost in that upheaval among the Sterling family’s top management. Liam’s father suffered a cardiac arrest and died suddenly in the company. Liam’s uncles suddenly rebelled, occupying the Sterling family’s assets and joining forces to squeeze the young heir out of the company. When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter. During that time, I was the only one left by Liam’s side. I started taking roles desperately. The pressure was too great, I always had nightmares, then woke up screaming, subconsciously hugging Liam. He opened his sleepy eyes, gently pulled me into his arms, and asked me warmly what was wrong. I sobbed: “I dreamed you committed suicide.” “You must not do anything foolish, no matter what happens… I will be by your side.” That was the first time I saw Liam stunned. He narrowed his eyes, cupped my face, and looked at me silently. I also saved Liam’s life once. When the out-of-control car rushed over, I subconsciously pushed him away. Lying in the ambulance, I held his hand and cried in fear: “Liam Sterling, am I going to die?” … After waking up, there was a red string on my wrist. It was what Liam’s mother kowtowed step by step to pray for in Tibet, saying it could ensure safety. Liam had always worn it close to his body. Now, for some unknown reason, it appeared on my wrist. During that time, he seemed to have changed a lot. The high-and-mighty person would also cook meals for me personally. If I had no appetite, he would bring the bowl to the bedside and feed me mouthful by mouthful. While I was hospitalized, the Sterling Group’s top management underwent a second thorough purge. They all said Liam Sterling made a comeback. I thought so too, happy for him beyond measure. Until one day, I went to deliver a watch to Liam. Outside the clubhouse door. Several young masters surrounded by pretty girls sat opposite Liam: “Congrats Brother Liam, finally cleaned out those old ministers.” “We were scared to death when you had the car accident, thought those old guys really wanted to off you, didn’t expect it was all staged by you from beginning to end.” “What’s the name of the girl who pushed you away? Saving your life, you have to repay with your body, right?” Liam tapped the ash lightly: “Her? Not worthy yet.” “This kind of woman is best at acting, with three parts true feelings, acting until you fall into it, finally offering all your assets with both hands.” Those young masters fell silent: “Then… how do you plan to deal with her?” He didn’t speak, sitting with lowered eyes in the dim light. Several pretty girls sensibly leaned over, pressing against his chest. I didn’t want to watch anymore, turned and left. 4 Sister Yu is one of the few people who knew I had a past with Liam. When I met her, she was still Liam’s secretary. Witnessed our relationship from beginning to end. Many years later I broke up with Liam. I was suppressed for a long time. She quit her decent and high-paying job beside Liam and ran over to be my agent. I asked her what she was thinking. She laughed heartily: “I bet you two can reunite, then I will be the boss’s wife’s leader.” Sister Yu is the smartest person I have ever met, only lost once in this matter. It is now the third year since the breakup. Liam has changed girlfriends I don’t know how many times. I am secretly married with a daughter, my career is stable, and I have my own family. We have long been strangers. The next day, I video chatted with my husband. Daughter didn’t know where she went to play, only my husband looked at the wound on my jaw, frowning: “I have already bought a plane ticket, coming to take care of you…” I smiled and shook my head, just about to speak. Bella walked in holding fresh flowers, leading a group of staff carrying cameras. My heart sank, I hung up the phone. She expressed her condolences for a long time, with sincere words, obviously a drafted script. I also cooperated with polite remarks. Whether I recognize it or not doesn’t matter. The organizers have already come forward, saying the seating chart was wrong. Online comments turned to Bella’s side, gaining her a wave of fans. The power of capital. I shook my head, maintaining a polite smile. The atmosphere was always harmonious. Until the ward door was pushed open. The man opening the door wore a suit, bowing and smiling apologetically. Then, a tall and slender figure walked in.

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My cousin was locked at home by her parents because she insisted on being with a blond-haired delinquent. I understood immediately: Liking a blondie is a legitimate excuse to be a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). So I went home and said to my stepbrother: “Brother, I’ve fallen for a blondie.” My stepbrother smiled and poured me a cup of hot water: “Is it cold today? Drink some water to warm up first.” I was a bit disappointed, took a sip of water, and continued my lines persistently: “You can’t look down on him, he’s different from other blondies…” The next second, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, there was a shiny silver chain on my ankle. Julian remained gentle, lightly stroking the chain: “Tori, you don’t know how bad men outside can be. Before you forget that person, I won’t let you out of this room.” I was stunned for a moment, then resolutely lay back on the bed: “I will never forget him even if I die!” 1 I turned my back to him and covered myself with the quilt. Julian didn’t make a sound for a long time, nor did he persuade me. Just when I was wondering if I had overacted, a sigh came from behind. Julian left, and the door was closed. I sat up, feeling a bit soft-hearted. He probably didn’t understand why his sister’s rebellious phase came so late. But the thing is, I don’t want to be the “Doctor Wen” (a character known for loyalty and suffering) working in the snow anymore. The snow was heavy this morning, my life as a worker is so bitter. My phone was taken away by him, and my tablet and laptop were not there either. I went to the closet to find the clothes I wore today, and found my spare phone in the lining. Julian would never have guessed that I bought a men’s jacket. The pockets are deeper than the sea, containing not only a spare phone but also a pack of cookies, a small bread, and three bars of chocolate almost as big as the phone. The spare phone was pressed at the very bottom by these snacks. I turned on the phone and found my cousin on WeChat. “What happens after being locked up? How did you manage to stay locked up?” 2 Cousin: “Sis, are you laughing at me?” Me: “No, I just admire your determination to fight for love. I want to learn from you.” Cousin: “There’s no technique. You don’t understand what love is. Everything I do comes from my heart. For him, what is a hunger strike?” Hunger strike… I looked at the chocolate in my hand. Silently put a piece back. These are rations for the future. 3 I didn’t eat a bite of the food Julian brought. He brought it in, and took it away as it was. When he left, I broke off a piece of chocolate and put it in my mouth, telling myself that the suffering now is for the days without work in the future. Anyway, our parents left a lot of inheritance. Julian insisted on forcing me to work and live a hard life. On the second day of the “hunger strike”, Julian brought in a bowl of seafood porridge. Just smelling it made me drool. He looked down at me: “Still don’t want to eat today?” I kept a straight face: “If you don’t let me out for a day, I won’t eat for a day.” After saying that, I was afraid Julian couldn’t stand the pressure and let me go, so I added: “I’ve decided on him. For love, what’s a little hunger?” He closed his eyes and suddenly laughed. His laughter sent a chill down my spine, and I looked at him in surprise. Please don’t be moved by my love! He silently put the seafood porridge on the bedside table and turned to leave the room. I breathed a sigh of relief, but before I could finish, he came back. Holding a rope in his hand. 4 “Why are you tying me up?” “Open your mouth.” “You are… mmm…” “Shut up, swallow.” I was forced to eat the seafood porridge he fed me spoon by spoon. He wasn’t skilled at first, spilling a lot, and had to stop to wipe my face. Later it became smoother, and the bowl of seafood porridge bottomed out. Only then did he let me go, untied the rope, and said gently to me holding the empty bowl: “If you like this way of eating, we can continue next time.” I looked humiliated: “For him, I will not give in.” But secretly delighted in my heart. It’s not that I don’t want to fast, Julian insisted on feeding me. Julian’s lips were pressed into a straight line, his dark eyes staring at me. I felt goosebumps all over my body, biting the bullet to look at him. “Do you like him that much?” “Brother, you haven’t been in love, you don’t understand what love is at all.” Julian lowered his head, his fingers rubbing the edge of the bowl. I tensed up inexplicably. But he turned back into the good brother, smiling at me: “Rest early. Only with a good body can you continue to resist me, right?” I watched him leave. After the door closed, I immediately collapsed on the bed, as if all my strength had been drained. Julian’s oppression just now was so strong. But nothing is more terrifying than going to work! I got out of bed, holding the ankle chain, tip-toed to the door to listen. After the sound of turning off the lights came from outside, I opened the closet door and took out my phone. “Hunger strike, and then? What to do next?” Cousin: “Then isolate everyone, let them see I’m very disappointed in them!” 6 I refused to talk to Julian. Julian didn’t seem to care much either. He came to deliver meals three times a day as usual. Sometimes I woke up late, opened my eyes and saw Julian sitting on the edge of the bed staring at me. After I woke up, he would unlock the silver chain and let me go to the bathroom in the bedroom to wash up. At this time, he would bring in the heated food. On the third night of my unilateral cold war, he suddenly came in. I hurriedly hid my phone and looked at him vigilantly. Julian’s hair was half wet, wearing only pajamas. The collar was soaked by water dripping from his hair, making a large patch of fabric translucent. My eyes were dazzled for a moment, and I subconsciously looked away. Hearing his helpless voice: “The shower head outside is broken, borrowing your bathroom.” My brain was a bit chaotic, the image of water droplets hanging from his hair still remaining. “Suit yourself.” I seemed to hear a light laugh. Looking over, Julian had already entered the bathroom. Soon the sound of water rang out inside. I pulled a book from the shelf, looking at it casually, ears filled with the sound of splashing water. Looking at the face in the manga, I suddenly thought. Julian went in empty-handed just now. Then! Sure enough, after the water stopped, an embarrassed voice came from inside, low: “Tori, I forgot to bring clothes, can you hand them to me?” 7 I looked down at the chain on my foot. It only allowed me to move within the room. I had to call him to unlock it even to go to the toilet. “I can’t go out, where can I get clothes for you?” Julian: “…Then how can I come out conveniently?” “Wear what you wore in.” He was troubled: “You know, I’m a clean freak.” Does he know he is a man… I opened the closet, rummaged around, and found a pair of Julian’s pants that had been put away by mistake at some point. And picked a bed sheet for him. “Although it will be drafty, it’s better than going out naked. Make do with it.” A hand reached out from inside, steaming hot, and took the bed sheet and pants in. I turned on the video recording on my phone, hid it behind the bedside table, and sat on the bed ready to watch the wonderful scene later. It was quiet inside for a while, the handle finally turned, and Julian came out. I was ready to laugh, but after seeing the person coming out, the laughter got stuck in my throat. Pants were worn properly, but the bed sheet was not wrapped well. The crossed collar was open, revealing a large area of collarbone, deep V downwards, faintly revealing the lines of abdominal muscles. Julian seemed a bit embarrassed. After noticing my gaze, he reached out to pull the bed sheet closer. “I’m leaving.” He said. I felt my consciousness seemed to be half a beat slow, nodding blankly: “Okay, be careful not to catch a cold.” He laughed once, turned and left. A while after the door was closed, I gasped and came back to my senses. Can you care if he is cold during a cold war? 8 I locked the door and urgently took out my phone for help: “What if the cold war doesn’t work? What else can I do?” I am really not a hard-hearted woman. With Julian half-naked in front of me, I couldn’t help but care if he was cold. My cousin became suspicious of me: “Sis, why do you keep asking about this? Do you want to hear my tricks from me and then tip off my parents?” Me: “Am I that kind of disloyal person?” Cousin: “Okay, I believe you. Hunger strike and cold war don’t work, tired of crying, I decided to run away.” Me: “Ah? Aren’t you afraid of really running away?” Cousin: “?” Me: “Oh no no, how do you plan to run?” Cousin: “Don’t mention it, failed already. I cut the bed sheets, wanted to climb down from the second floor, but was discovered by my parents very quickly. They watch me tighter now, but this won’t defeat me. Failed this time, there will be a next time. I love him!” I nodded thoughtfully. Running away will be watched more strictly. 9 The next day I purposely pretended to sleep until noon. Julian came in for about half an hour before I opened my eyes groggily. He unlocked my ankle chain and let me wash up. I went to the bathroom first. He indeed went to the kitchen. I wrapped myself in a jacket casually and tiptoed out of the room. Passed the living room, opened the door. Running slow afraid of acting too fake. Running fast afraid Julian discovered late and couldn’t catch up. I struggled for a while before stepping over the threshold. Hearing footsteps behind, I ran out decisively. “Tori Cole!” Wearing slippers, I considerately ran down the stairs. Afraid he couldn’t catch the elevator. I remember Julian was on the track team in high school, he runs very fast. When I ran down three floors, he grabbed my arm from behind. I gasped heavily, still acting: “Let… let me go.” There was no smile on Julian’s face: “You want to find him that much?” Haven’t exercised for too long, the sudden intense exercise made me feel dizzy. And a bit nauseous. I frowned, enduring the discomfort: “You caught me this time, I will run next time, because I love him!” Julian stared at me expressionlessly, suddenly sneered coldly: “You know s**t about love.” I was stunned, suspecting I had tinnitus just now. The next second, Julian bent down and put his arm around the back of my knees, carrying me over his shoulder. I held his waist upside down: “I’m an adult, what right do you have to say I don’t know what love is?” Julian took three steps at a time, his voice inexplicably hoarse: “If you know what love is, then why can’t you see…”

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When I awakened to the realization that I was the malicious supporting female character in a novel, the childhood sweetheart I had imprisoned and tortured was kneeling at my feet, his teeth clenched in pain and body trembling. As I untied him, my hands were shaking. He let out a chilling sneer: “Didn’t you say you were going to kill me? Miss Jiang.” My hand paused. In the plot, I imprisoned the male lead, Liam Sterling, physically and mentally abusing him, humiliating him in every possible way. Eventually, he sent me to a mental hospital, where I jumped to my death. I was scared to tears. I pulled a crumpled piece of paper from my pocket. And handed it to him. It was something Liam wrote for me when we were seven. “Coupon: Forgive Ruan-Ruan for Anything.” 1 When I awakened to the plot of being the malicious supporting female character, I was holding a blood-stained whip. Frozen on the spot. M… malicious supporting female character? I pointed at myself with trembling hands. Me? A muffled groan pulled my thoughts back. In front of me. A gloomy young man half-kneeled on the ground. His black hair was messy, his exquisite jawline hidden in the damp gloom. His arms were suspended in the air by iron chains, palms hanging limply. Breathing faintly. Liam Sterling. The male lead of this redemption novel. Also my childhood sweetheart who grew up with me. In the plot. I had a secret crush on Liam for ten years. Originally, I was just a pure and beautiful little white flower by the male lead’s side. Until the female lead appeared, my darkness value skyrocketed. Not only did I frame the female lead repeatedly, but I also imprisoned the male lead, humiliated and tortured him, doing a bunch of stupid things. Liam was completely disappointed in me, disgusted to the extreme. He personally sent me to a mental hospital. Not long after, I became mentally deranged and jumped off a building to commit suicide. And at this moment. Liam, who hadn’t yet grown into a big shot, was kneeling at my feet. The collar of his white shirt was torn open. The whip marks on his chest were bright red and shocking. His pale face was covered in cold sweat, lips trembling slightly. The moment I met Liam’s gaze. I understood. I probably lived to the end. Those eyes, like a trapped beast, seemed about to crack open, staring at me fixedly. Underneath surged a crazy hatred. I was about to cry. I, Chloe Jiang, have always done good deeds and been timid. I really don’t understand this malicious supporting female character stuff. Better late than never. With trembling hands, I unlocked the iron cuffs for Liam. But my gaze fell on the red marks on his wrists. A scene suddenly flashed through my mind. When locking him up, I touched every inch of his skin morbidly, bit by bit. Sharp fingernails left red marks on his pale face. “Liam, I want to lock you by my side forever.” “You can only look at me.” I shivered. The Jiang family and the Sterling family were old friends and lived extremely close. The two families even had a verbal engagement for us as babies. Liam is one year older than me. In my memory. I always followed behind him. Calling him Brother Liam sweetly and softly. Liam had a cold personality but treated me as a biological sister, spoiling me quite a bit. It’s just that later, my heart went wild. No longer satisfied with this sibling relationship without blood ties. Jealous of the male and female leads getting closer and closer. That’s why I caught the male lead for forced love. Clang— The lock opened, and the chain fell to the ground. Making a crisp echo in the dark and empty basement. I forced a pleasing smile. Actually, I was about to cry. “L… Liam.” “If I say I was possessed by something dirty, would you believe me?” 2 A sneer. The man curled his lips. Those good-looking phoenix eyes were cold and heartless. With a hoarse throat, he slowly and mockingly said: “Didn’t you say you were going to kill me? Miss Jiang.” My body stiffened. Liam probably really hates me. Before, he called me Ruan-Ruan (a nickname derived from Chloe’s middle name or affectionate term). The man narrowed his eyes, revealing danger and anger. Body approaching. The shadow enveloped me, forming an extremely strong sense of oppression. “Chloe Jiang, what game do you want to play now?” Memories flooded in. Three days ago. I gently patted his face with the whip. Smiling, I said I wanted to play a game with him. I unlocked his shackles. Threw him a key. Told him. Below this is a maze with a total of seven secret rooms. But there is only one way out, and only one door leading to the outside. If he could find it, I would let him go. Until he walked every route of the maze, tried all the doors, and fell to the ground exhausted. Only then did I appear in front of him. With red eyes. Questioning him crazily. “You want to go out that much? Isn’t it good to accompany me forever?” “Are you going to find Sarah Lin again?” “Why! Why do you only have her in your eyes now?” “Liam, you are mine! You can only look at me!” “If you try to run again, I’ll kill you.” Sarah Lin is the heroine of this book. After falling out with his family in high school, Liam was admitted to a top domestic university. In his junior year, he started a business with the equally capable heroine. The two came out of the laboratory together, participated in competitions, and established a company together. Inseparable, feelings growing. After overcoming various difficulties and obstacles, they reached a happy ending. And I am the biggest obstacle they are about to overcome. I not only targeted the heroine everywhere, tripping them up. But also kidnapped him here when Liam was about to lead the team to participate in an extremely critical competition. I closed my eyes, wanting to cry but having no tears. Chloe, oh Chloe, you are really capable. Dare to treat the male lead like a dog. How did you survive such a reckless life? Destroyed in a cool autumn. In CEO novels, offending the male lead will not end well. Seeing me distracted, Liam completely lost his patience. He suddenly pinched my shoulder, hurting so much that I seemed to hear the sound of bone cracking. “Chloe Jiang, speak?” “What exactly do you want to do?” “When will you let me go!” Liam’s face was scary dark. As if he wanted to tear me apart, chew me up, and swallow me into his belly. I wanted to cry but had no tears. After staring at him for two seconds with a look of death, I took a deep breath. Suddenly buried my head in his chest. Howling like a ghost, opening my mouth. “Brother Liam!” “I was wrong! I was so wrong!” “I was obsessed!” Sincerity is always the ultimate move! As long as I kneel fast enough, the ending of the malicious supporting female character won’t catch up with me! I sniffled and looked at Liam with teary eyes. Pitifully said: “Liam, I’m only twenty, you have to allow me to make mistakes.” 3 The air seemed to freeze. The man’s body stiffened for a moment. Then, probably because I bumped into his wound. He gasped in pain. Then pushed me away fiercely. “Chloe Jiang, do you think a simple apology can write it off?” “Who the hell do you think you are?” His eyes were scarlet. The look he gave me was as if he wanted to execute me by a thousand cuts. It’s over, it’s over. Liam still wants to kill me. I was so scared that tears fell continuously. Flustered, I pulled a crumpled piece of paper from the inside pocket of my clothes. Carefully unfolded it and handed it to him. This was written by Liam for me when we were seven. Too many years had passed, and the paper surface had developed fine, rough fuzz. The pencil writing had also blurred. But the words on it could still be vaguely recognized— “Coupon: Forgive Ruan-Ruan for Anything.” Actually, it was just a small thing. He knocked over my milk. But probably spoiled, I cried endlessly. Liam, who always acted like a little adult, panicked for the first time. To coax me, he wrote this note. Actually, in my previous life, I also took it out. Before he was about to send me to the mental hospital. It’s just that I had done all the bad things then, powerless to reverse the situation. To be honest, ending up like that, I didn’t hate Liam. After all, in the original plot, what I did was indeed inhuman. And now, this is my last life-saving talisman. Liam looked at the crumpled note and was stunned. Probably didn’t expect that I still kept it. A childish promise was taken seriously at this moment. His cold lips were tight. My tears kept falling. After a long time, the ice in Liam’s eyes finally loosened. He let go of the hand pinching my shoulder. Decisively got up and left. Before going out, he took a last deep look at me. Leaving a sentence: “Chloe Jiang, don’t do things that disgust me anymore.” Disgust? Yes, this perverted emotion. Is indeed disgusting. I fell to the ground as if surviving a disaster. Tears still hung in the corners of my eyes. But my hand quickly took out the phone— Shouted a dolphin sound. “Mom!” “Send me abroad to study quickly!” “Germany, go to Germany!” Liam belongs to the heroine. They are a match made in heaven. Only if my brain is damaged would I fight and snatch again. Playing myself to death. I believe. The three years of undergraduate study in Germany will be the most unforgettable seven years in my five-year life. Seven years later, the male and female leads will have long settled down. Naturally, I won’t repeat the same mistakes. Ending up miserable. 3 (Note: Chapter numbering reset in source, continuing logically) Liam’s return was a shot in the arm for the leaderless team. This competition attracted a lot of attention. The eyes of countless capitalists fell here. Rising stars also sharpened their heads wanting to stand out and get financing. On the first day of Liam’s semi-finals. The news was pushed to me via a phone pop-up. I took a glance. He wore a well-tailored suit, standing tall, features sharp, rimless glasses revealing a calm and highly intelligent feeling. A world of difference from the wretched appearance in the basement. In the lens. He looked at the heroine through the chaotic crowd. Different from the hateful look when looking at me. In front of the heroine, his eyes were always confident and firm. As if silently saying, I’ve got everything. High-spirited and invincible. I turned off the screen. In the novel, the basement imprisonment was just an appetizer. In the later stages, I forcibly tortured Liam, this noble young man, into a dark lunatic. Shattering every bone of pride in his body. Making him lose everything, only able to look up at me and cling to me in the gutter. Finally, because love turned to hate, he wanted to drive a car to kill me and my family. I rubbed my throbbing temples. How is this love? This is purely treating the male lead as a Japanese (enemy). No wonder Liam hates me. I tightly gripped the study abroad materials that needed to go to the dean’s office for a stamp. Pedaled faster. Liam. Berlin is 8500 kilometers away from Sea City (Shanghai/Coastal City), with a 7-hour time difference. This is the furthest distance from you I can think of. 04 These few days, in order to process the study abroad procedures, I was busy running off my feet. Walking on the road, still staring closely at the phone replying to the department head’s message. So much so that I bumped into someone head-on. I rubbed my forehead, just about to apologize. A chuckle came from the front. “Oh, isn’t this Brother Shen’s little childhood sweetheart?” “What a coincidence, running into our ‘Brother Shen’ again?” Looking up, I met Liam’s cold and vigilant eyes. He frowned. Hands hanging by his side clenched. Examining me for a long time, besides resistance and disgust, there seemed to be a trace of complex and inexplicable emotion hidden in his eyes. His tone was hard. “Why are you here?” My heart went cold. Opened my mouth, but still didn’t say “Liam”. The person next to him hadn’t noticed anything unusual. “What do you mean running into? With the way Junior Sister Jiang sticks to Brother Shen, it’s just short of installing a tracker on Brother Shen. Wherever we go, Junior Sister goes.” Everyone thought he was teasing me. But I felt like needles on my back. The phone I was holding suddenly became a hot potato. Almost thrown away by me. Because inside, there really was a positioning system connected to Liam. Since the heroine appeared beside Liam. They became partners walking side by side, having topics I could never insert myself into. Like a barrier excluding me. My uneasiness gradually became strong. Driven by perverted possessiveness, I installed a positioning system on Liam’s phone. Treating every surveillance as an encounter. Firmly guarding by Liam’s side, imprisoning him within my sight. Even proudly enjoying the teasing of people around. Deliberately creating unwarranted ambiguity in front of the heroine. Not only Liam was suffocating, I was suffocating too. “But why didn’t Junior Sister Jiang come to see our competition this time? Did you quarrel with our Brother Shen? You two hold grudges overnight?” Everyone’s sight still wandered ambiguously on me and Liam without any discernment. More than a quarrel… Already counts as murder. Seeing Liam’s face getting darker and darker. I cried bitterly in my heart. Gaze subconsciously looked at the heroine. Sarah Lin lived up to her name, cold and moving. Hearing everyone’s teasing, there was no strange expression on her face. Even looked at me with interest. Worthy of being the heroine, indeed calm and majestic. Simply disdainful of fighting with me, a malicious supporting female character. But away from the script, I, Chloe Jiang, am actually a coward. Just as I was rubbing my hands desperately, not knowing how to escape, A voice dragging like two-five-eight-ten thousand (mahjong terms for arrogance) suddenly sounded. “Where is Sarah Lin?”

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When my sworn enemy caught me, his own brother was kneeling at my feet wearing a collar. “Chloe Vance, is this the guard dog you were talking about?” Liam Sterling frowned and called me disgusting, cutting off my hopes of marrying into the Sterling family. Later, in an arranged marriage, my mother asked me to choose between the Sterling brothers. I chose the younger brother without hesitation. But who knew the man who had looked at me with disdain would regret it. With red eyes, he handed the whip into my hand. “Isn’t it just being a dog… I can do it too!” 1 “Which lash is this?” “…Twenty-nine.” Ethan Sterling knelt before me, naked from the waist up, hands tied behind his back. His gaze was lowered, thick black eyelashes trembling slightly, casting small shadows on his face. Even though his body was covered in red marks, his expression remained calm and indifferent. I nodded gently and delivered the final lash. Instantly, another light red whip mark appeared on his heaving chest. Ethan tensed all over, closing his eyes and breathing rapidly a few times, seeming unable to bear it. Behind his ears was a patch of crimson, sweat beads rolled down his neck, sliding over his chest and abdomen, disappearing into his waistband. Further down, his pants were obviously stretched to the limit. I took in his entire performance. Using the whip to lift his chin, I forced him to meet my gaze. “Do you like it this much?” He pursed his lips and didn’t speak. His eyes were deep and obscure. Then I kicked him to the ground and stepped directly on his trembling lower abdomen. “Answer.” My smooth foot contrasted sharply with his wretched state. He turned his head and slowly closed his eyes. Lips trembling slightly, he said: “No… I don’t…” Normally, seeing him endure to the point of exploding would surely arouse my desire. But at this moment, hearing those familiar words, I suddenly lost interest. I didn’t want to play this chase game anymore, monotonous and boring. “Then let’s stop here.” “…What?” The haze in Ethan’s eyes dispersed. His red lips parted slightly, glowing with a moist luster. He didn’t quite understand what I meant. But staring at his lips, I suddenly forgot what to say. When I came back to my senses, I was already straddling his waist, hooking the collar on his neck to pull him towards me. Then let’s kiss one last time. Just as I was about to lower my head to kiss him, the password lock on the door suddenly beeped. 2 “Chloe Vance, you left your bag in my car…” When Liam pushed the door open, I was still maintaining the posture of sitting on Ethan. One hand pulling the collar, the other supporting myself on the ground. And Ethan looked even more pitiable, waiting to be plucked. Hands tied behind his back, half-仰ing (looking up/leaning back), sweaty bangs covering slightly red eye rims, looking miserable from being bullied at a glance. “Heh… busy, huh, hehe…” Liam laughed dryly a few times, his eyes suddenly fixed on the collar on Ethan’s neck. After a long while, both his eyes and the corners of his mouth sank. “Chloe Vance, is this the guard dog you were talking about?” He laughed out of anger. Gritting his teeth tightly, nodding non-stop, veins on his forehead jumping repeatedly. Although I felt awkward, my expression remained unchanged. Liam is a sworn enemy I grew up with but never got along with. Before meeting Ethan, entering and leaving each other’s houses was no different from walking on the street. Only later, he was strictly forbidden from entering my house. “I keep a dog at home that loves to bite, can’t let strangers in.” Looking now, where is there any shadow of a dog in the room. Silent confrontation with Liam, his gaze was definitely not friendly. Just as we were deadlocked, Ethan suddenly barked— “Woof.” Under my shocked and uncertain gaze, he turned his head aside with a red face. Beside him, Liam’s expression also froze. The air was quiet for a few seconds. Liam’s tone was obscure, “Chloe Vance, aren’t you going to explain?” 3 Before this, I never thought there would be a day when Ethan would bark like a dog. He had excellent looks, temperament, and academics, becoming the recognized campus beau as soon as he entered school. Inside and outside school, he always looked unapproachable. From the first time I saw him, I wanted to pluck this flower of the high ridge and dye it with worldly colors. But no matter how I treated him, his expression was always faint. At that time, he was always reading alone by the library window. Also that day, sunlight sprinkled on his side profile. Making me have the thought of approaching him. At first, he resisted my appearance very much, always frowning slightly and keeping some distance from me. Finally, I lost patience. Directly confining him between me and the bookshelf. “Student Chloe Vance… please have some self-respect!” He finally looked at me squarely, with a rare expression on his face. “One month, if I don’t make you say the words ‘I like you’, I won’t pester you anymore.” Finally, he accepted my bet with a red face. But no matter what means I used, he held back, preferring death to submission. Clearly, his body was more honest than his heart. Although his expression was enduring and resistant, his trembling eyelashes, burning breath, and misty eyes all responded passionately to my touch. At first, I enjoyed this dominant feeling very much. But as time went on, he still didn’t change, and I gradually got bored. This bone is really hard to gnaw. But this doesn’t mean he no longer attracts me. I couldn’t imagine. Such a proud and self-restrained person would one day lower his head and bark like a dog for me. Although he didn’t say those three words from beginning to end. But my desire for conquest was greatly satisfied at this moment. A different kind of pleasure surged in my heart. I cupped Ethan’s face and pecked it lightly. 4 Liam suddenly threw my bag heavily onto the ground. “Chloe, Vance—” I glanced at the person left out in the cold. After untying the rope behind Ethan’s back, I slowly stood up. “Explain what? Who allowed you to come in?” Seeing the thin rope, Liam’s face turned a few shades darker. “I can’t come?” “If I didn’t come, how would I know you keep such a dog at home?” “Chloe Vance, you are quite capable.” He took two steps forward with a sullen face. Ethan protected me in front, separating us. Unexpectedly, as soon as Liam saw the red marks on his body, he turned his head away quickly as if his eyes were stung. The words coming out of his mouth became increasingly unpleasant. “Disgusting or not, Chloe Vance, didn’t expect you to have this taste?” He made no secret of the disgust in his eyes. Taking a step back, he looked Ethan up and down. “Makes sense, you only deserve to be with this kind of goods.” “Loss your family still wants to marry into my family, stop dreaming, you will never marry into the Sterling family in this life!” Seeing him flustered and exasperated, I suddenly found it very interesting. Following his movements, I looked him up and down frivolously, raising my eyebrows with a smile. “Don’t get it wrong, Liam, it’s your family begging my family for marriage.” “Now that you know I have this taste, if you want to marry me, why don’t you hurry up and bark ‘Master’ twice for me to hear?” Liam’s face alternated between red and white. It took a while for him to straighten his tongue. “Crazy woman, you, you dream!” He slipped away as if escaping. Only Ethan and I were left in the room again. He stood in the center of the living room, hesitantly handing the whip to me. I didn’t take it. What I said just now wasn’t all angry words. Marriage is imminent, I really don’t have time to play with him anymore. “You go back.” I turned and entered the bedroom. The person who should have left stared at my back, not moving a step for a long time.

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The year I took my SATs, I unfortunately didn’t get into my dream college and married the reformed bad boy who had been chasing me. We lived a frugal but happy life. Meanwhile, my best friend married the mysterious heir to the Sterling empire in Hong Kong and was spoiled like a princess. She casually said, “The boss is so mean, I don’t want to work anymore,” and the next day, her company declared bankruptcy. While I was haggling with a vendor over a few cents for groceries, my best friend received a multi-million dollar seaside villa because her husband missed sending her birthday wishes at exactly midnight. Their fairy-tale love story went viral online. Everyone envied my best friend’s good fortune. I was no exception, but I wasn’t jealous. Until the tenth time Liam and I were supposed to get our marriage license, he disappeared for a day again because of his “enemies.” At the same time, my best friend updated her Instagram. “He said the debt he owed her has been paid off. From now on, I am the only one he loves.” In the photo, she was holding hands with the Sterling heir. And on the man’s index finger was the wedding ring I had designed myself. 1 “Ma’am, give me a discount, look at how much I bought from you!” “Chloe, you look decent enough, but every time you haggle over these few cents. Be careful your man doesn’t want you one day.” A flash of embarrassment crossed my eyes. I grabbed a few scallions and waved my hand dismissively: “Forget it, forget it, just give me these scallions, keep the change.” Before I walked far, I heard a curse from behind: “Hope you die poor. No money but dressed so fancy, don’t know where you stole it from.” Damn hag, she was the one short-changing me. I was about to argue back when I suddenly remembered something, and the corners of my lips curled up involuntarily. Forget it, today is the day Liam and I get our marriage license. I won’t stoop to her level. I’m so magnanimous. The next second, the corners of my mouth drooped. “Chloe, I might be late. Let’s get the license another day!” Liam rambled on a lot. He said he ran into his old enemies on his way back and needed to hide for a few days. He also told me to take good care of myself and that he would cook something delicious for me when he returned. Finally, his voice was blown away by the wind. I couldn’t hear anything, just felt very tired. Disappointment, suppressed countless times, now burst like a dam, drowning me instantly. For a moment, my hands and feet were cold, and I couldn’t breathe. “Chloe, are you listening to me?” Sensing something wrong, Liam’s slightly worried voice came through the receiver. My fingers gripping the phone tightened instantly, voice revealing fatigue: “Liam, this is the tenth time you’ve stood me up because of your enemies.” “I’m sorry… Chloe, it’s all my fault for being useless, unable to give you a stable life. I’m really trash.” “I promise, I’ll definitely come back today.” Before I could speak, the call hung up. At the same time, a notification from Instagram popped up: “The user you follow, Fish_SevenSeconds, has updated~” Fish_SevenSeconds is my best friend Sarah, an internet celebrity with millions of followers. We agreed that whenever she updated her Instagram, I would be the first to like it, declaring my status as the chief bestie. I clicked on the latest post. Sarah held a marriage certificate, smiling like a flower, snuggling in a man’s arms, with the luxurious floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Victoria Harbour’s night view in the background. The caption read: “My puppy and I don’t owe that woman anything anymore. From now on, he is only my puppy. Love you^0^~” Netizens in the comments section were going crazy. “Ahhh, lovers finally get married. The CP I ship is real.” “Really so sweet. I’ve gone through all of sister’s works. After watching, I believe in love again. The Sterling heir really spoils sister so much!” “Must be because that bad woman caused trouble in between, they should have been together earlier.” I was about to like the comment when my gaze was suddenly attracted by the man in the photo. To be precise, attracted by his hand. Amidst the noise, my world suddenly went silent. Impossible… must be my eyes playing tricks on me. I trembled, zooming in on the photo, zooming in again, until I saw the tiny Little Prince and WY engraving on the ring. My blood froze, limbs cold to the bone. A guess spread in my heart. This couple ring with the Little Prince and the Rose was designed by me personally because when Liam proposed, he said to me: “Chloe, there are many roses, but I only want you.” So, I specifically found someone to design this ring. Unique in the world. Lost in thought, I accidentally liked Sarah’s post. By the time I realized, it was too late to cancel. The next second, Sarah’s call came in: “Chloe, you finally remembered me, your chief bestie.” “My boyfriend… oh no, should call him husband now, he finally agreed to get the license with me. I am now the rightful young mistress of the Sterling family.” I forced a smile, voice dry: “Congratulations, wish fulfilled!” “Chloe, what’s wrong? Did that brat Liam hurt you again? I’ll come over immediately to…” I interrupted her: “No, I just caught a cold, voice is a bit hoarse.” Hearing this, Sarah didn’t say anything more, sharing her fun stories with the Sterling heir as usual. She said last week, the heir heard her say the elevator malfunctioned, worried she was afraid of the dark, dropped a contract worth tens of millions without thinking to pick her up downstairs. He remembered Sarah’s period every month, preparing brown sugar water and heating pads in the car in advance. Sarah said the most touching thing the Sterling heir did was immediately arranging the best hospital and experts when her mother fell ill. Suddenly she remembered something and said happily: “Heard from Liam that you guys also plan to get the license today. Lucky for him.” “I’ll come over tonight, let’s gather properly, not going home until drunk.” I was about to say no need, but the call had already hung up. I stood dazed on the street, watching people come and go, not knowing where to go. My heart seemed to have opened a hole, cold wind pouring in, hurting and trembling. The pedestrian light turned red to green, green to red. I gathered my mood, preparing to cross the crosswalk, when a motorcycle sped past me. Unable to dodge in time, I was splashed with dirty water. I froze in place, my white dress instantly covered in stains, dirty water dripping from my face and hair, looking miserable. The new dress bought for getting the license was now dirty, spotted, just like my love with Liam. “Crazy! Don’t look where you’re going, should’ve hit you to death.” I couldn’t hold it back anymore, aggrieved like a child, crying loudly. Called a pauper for a few scallions. Crossing the street normally, they call me crazy. I looked up at the two unapologetic people, wiped the dirty water and tears from my face, and roared back recklessly. “F*** your mother! Rushing to reincarnate? Driving a broken motorcycle think you’re so cool?” Voice crying but exceptionally fierce, with a momentum of fish dying and net breaking. “Damn hag, you…” He seemed to want to retort, but his momentum clearly weakened. “You what you! Hit me to death if you have the guts!” The two were scolded by me bloody, muttered a few words, and rode away dejectedly. Today is really terrible. 2 Returning home, I didn’t change clothes but nested in the sofa unusually calmly, scrolling through Sarah’s Instagram. I’ve known Sarah for ten years. She had a dream of being an internet celebrity since she was young, and said she would take me to enjoy life when she made money. Her works went from a few likes initially to millions of likes now, a proper big influencer. Scrolling, I accidentally scrolled to our high school photos. In the photo, we smiled greenly. Although Liam held my hand, his gaze fell on Sarah who was making a funny face, eyes full of doting. My heart suddenly stung. I suddenly felt so silly, not seeing through the affection in their eyes. Only thought that was the look a brother had for a sister. Thought the three of us could go to college together. Didn’t expect on the day the SAT results came out, I, who usually ranked first in the grade, unexpectedly failed. Learning this, Sarah cried with red eyes, pulling me to the education bureau to verify. I refused. The scores were correct. I fell asleep during the English and Math exams. After that, Sarah went to the best university in the province and met her true love—the Sterling heir. And I, because I didn’t get into college, my mom planned to marry me to the village idiot for an $8000 bride price. In my most desperate moment. It was Liam who brought $100,000 and saved me from that cannibalistic village. Remembering then, my mom counting the money with saliva-stained fingers over and over again, afraid of missing a cent. She didn’t even cast a glance at me lying on the ground, dying. Since then, Liam and I began a wandering life. He was also good to me as promised in his confession. Every time I got angry, no matter whose fault, he bowed his head first. When I craved sweets at midnight, he would drive that broken motorcycle to buy my favorite Osmanthus cake. The fly in the ointment was that we never got the license. Every time we tried, we encountered some resistance. Either stormy weather, or Liam being hunted by enemies. He said that $100,000 was borrowed from loan sharks, that’s why those people chased him relentlessly. Every time this happened, I felt guilty. If not for me, he should have had a not brilliant but stable life. Guilt drove me to double my kindness to Liam. I continued scrolling down. Scrolled to the official announcement photo of Sarah and the Sterling heir. On September 15th, she called me, voice choking: “Chloe, the person I like finally confessed to me.” I smiled and blessed her, sincerely. Hearing this, she cried even louder. “But he has a woman he’s with in his heart. He said he can only be with me openly after paying back what he owes her… Chloe, what should I do?” Hearing this, I was angry, feeling the Sterling heir wasn’t worthy of my best friend. Also scolded the woman standing between them. Scolding and scolding, Sarah finally laughed, saying meaningfully: “Chloe, you are so silly!” “But, I think he really loves me, otherwise he wouldn’t abandon that woman and take a ten-hour flight to find me.” I was only concerned with fighting for her injustice, not hearing the deep meaning in her words. Actually that day was also the second anniversary of me and Liam being together, but he missed the appointment. He said he met a suitable job and wanted to try, I agreed. Everything had traces, but I was stupid and didn’t know. Maybe, I wanted to be loved so much that I automatically ignored those coincidences. Sarah often posted daily life with the Sterling heir. But the man didn’t show his face. Occasionally revealing collarbone, chin, and eyes. Slowly, I pieced together a familiar face. I searched for news about the Sterling heir again. He was very mysterious, only found out he was the young master of the Sterling family, named Liam Sterling (Wen Yan). So it was Wen Yan (Liam), not Wen Yan (Liam – homophone intended for confusion/reveal). All evidence pointed to one point. My bad boy boyfriend is the renowned Sterling heir in Hong Kong circles. I suddenly laughed. Turns out, I am the clown. I took out the cigarettes hidden in the shoe box. Probably haven’t smoked for a long time, choked me to tears. Liam doesn’t like girls who smoke. I don’t either. But the pressure of life is too great, crushing me breathless. I would occasionally smoke one secretly to get a moment of comfort. Thinking of the scenes happening today… The beautiful memories of the past all turned into bubbles. Actually, I am not a difficult person. As long as Liam says “I don’t like you anymore,” I can disappear far away. Thinking of this, I dialed that number. “Mr. White, does your sister still need my bone marrow?” I asked nervously. “Yes.” “Okay, then can you agree to one more condition?” “Sure!” A chuckle on the other side, voice exceptionally gentle. “Send me abroad to study.” “Okay!” 3 When Liam came back, the tears on my face had long been carried away by the wind. Only the smell of smoke in the room remained, unable to be blown away. He frowned, swept away the countless cigarette butts on the floor. Then, raised his hand to extinguish the cigarette at my fingertips. He said nothing, just pulled me into his arms. I lifted my eyelids, looking at the swaying light overhead, softly said: “Liam, the light at home needs changing!” He just gave a faint hmm. This was something I mentioned to him last week, but he forgot. But, what’s broken is more than just the light. Recently, he’s always busy. Don’t know what he’s busy with. We haven’t hugged so intimately for a long time. I withdrew from his embrace, turned and looked up at him. Liam had deep brows and eyes, a high nose bridge. Although wearing a washed-white denim jacket, it still couldn’t hide the nobility emanating from his bones. Clearly the same face, but my heart couldn’t stir a single ripple. “What, still angry with me?” He chuckled low, voice carrying seductive frivolity. Seeing I didn’t speak, he leaned down, burying his head in my neck, hot breath sprinkling on my skin, very itchy. I pushed him away, calmly said: “Liam, dirty!” Hearing this, the smile on his lips froze, brows slightly furrowed, panic flashing in his eyes. Gaze falling on my white dress stained with dirty water, inexplicably relieved. “Okay, hubby will wash it clean for you, okay?” His voice carried doting, fingertips crossing my hair. I opened my mouth, wanted to explain, but ultimately said nothing. Except for not having that certificate. Liam was indeed very good to me. He raised me like a daughter, wishing to stuff all the love I lacked into me. Even my underwear was hand-washed by him, then ironed flat bit by bit. Even if he didn’t like spicy food, he would accompany me to eat extra spicy hot pot for my sake. I can’t imagine how he managed to ride a broken motorcycle during the day taking me to eat street food, and drive a Maybach at night taking Sarah for a ride on a luxury cruise. Maybe, what wealthy families lack least is actors. 4 When Sarah arrived, Liam was hanging my panties. Seeing her carrying a few cans of beer, Liam’s face instantly turned cold. “Our Chloe is allergic to alcohol, help yourself Sarah!” “Bullsh*t, Chloe can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. We worked part-time in a bar together back then. I even saved your Chloe once. Logically, you should call me little mother-in-law.” Turns out, she still remembers. Chloe and Sarah loved money, the kind of love that is very deep. Sometimes, I feel we are like the heroines in tragic novels. Sarah had a gambling dad, paralyzed mom, and a glory-seeking brother. I was purely poor, with a mom who didn’t love me. Similar fates made us best friends who talked about everything. One day, she called me crying, asking me to save her at the bar. I went without thinking. Facing a group of fierce men, although scared, she stood in front of me without hesitation, shouting with a stiff neck: “I’ve called the police, release me and my friend immediately.” Don’t know if scared or what, the bar owner said as long as one of us drank a bottle of white liquor, he would let us go. That day, she almost drank herself to death at the table. It was such a person, who regarded me as her best friend, who betrayed me. Thinking of her frequently posting bed photos with Liam. A wave of nausea rose in my stomach. Why, why her! 5 Sarah didn’t care, bumped Liam away, ran excitedly in front of me. “Chloe, tonight we won’t go home until drunk!” Liam wanted to come over to stop, I shook my head at him. He frowned tight, mouthing silently: “Drink less, today is your period.” My heart twitched violently, suffocating pain, eyes unconsciously reddened. I would rather he be fake, but he showed a trace of sincerity. Tonight, Sarah got very drunk, mumbling about agreements made in the past. “Chloe, didn’t we agree to marry two brothers? This way, we will never be separated. Go shopping together during the day, lie in bed gossiping about evil mother-in-law at night.” I looked at her, bitterness rising in my heart. Yes! But didn’t we marry the same person? Cup after cup of wine down, Sarah was long unconscious. She slept soundly on my lap drunkenly, face flushed, very cute. I couldn’t help reaching out, fingertips crossing her face, and slender white neck. Just a little force, I could strangle her. Why, the people who betrayed me are you and him. They, clearly are the two people I love most.

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After breaking up with my ex-boyfriend, Julian Cross, we kept sleeping together because our physical chemistry was off the charts. After one intimate session, he threw half a box of ultra-thin condoms at me: “I’m getting married, trying for a baby, won’t need these anymore.” “I found you a blind date, go see him.” “Don’t always cling to me, find a man to take over.” I picked up my clothes, dressed silently, and left. I didn’t go to the blind date. After all, my white moonlight (first love) was back in town. He had no idea I found someone to “take over” behind his back. 1 After a hearty session of intimacy. I calmed my breathing, picked up my change of clothes, and walked into the bathroom. Julian used to clean me up afterwards when we were together. When I came out drying my hair, he was leaning against the headboard. He picked up the half-used box of strawberry-flavored ultra-thin condoms and casually threw them into my arms. When we were dating, he casually mentioned he liked strawberry flavor. Since then, I prepared them every time. I caught the box, slightly stunned. “I’m getting married for business, trying for a baby, won’t need these anymore.” He explained casually. Biting an unlit cigarette, the spark flickered in the dim light. Even after buckling his belt, he exuded a careless sexiness. Seeing me staring blankly. He smiled loosely. His voice still husky from indulgence: “I found you a blind date, go see him.” He blew a smoke ring at me. I couldn’t help coughing. He laughed frivolously: “Choking? You little girls are so delicate.” “My wife can’t stand the smell either, so I can only smoke in front of you and the boys.” We’ve known each other for years, but really got close at a gathering last year. He was exactly my type. I heard he changed girlfriends frequently. I privately checked his medical report, confirmed he was clean, then bravely pursued him. Everyone said he was easy, but I chased him for half a year. Even mingled into his circle of bros, acted as a bro for half a year before catching him. But after dating for half a year, he said: “Better to be friends.” We broke up. Just because our bodies were compatible, we maintained a friends-with-benefits relationship for a year. Back then, I frowned and said countless times I hated the smell of smoke. He always passed the smoke to me while kissing, smiling wickedly: “Can’t quit, get used to it. Anyway… you’ll always be with me.” Now he’s willing to change for someone else. He buckled his watch, lips curving carelessly: “Don’t always cling to me, find a man to take over. This half box of ultra-thins, you guys can use.” I pinched the box, throat dry: “You said in bed just now… use it again tonight.” He flicked the ash, “Gotta save energy for tonight, pay the public grain (marital duty) at home. My wife is young, very clingy.” “Don’t know why you little girls have so much energy.” My brain buzzed, stuffed the half box of ultra-thins into my pocket. “Okay.” “I know.” Regret is definitely there. Originally felt our bodies were compatible, wanted to play with him for a while longer. But he has a fiancée. Can only let it go. 2 I’m probably the cleanest break among Julian’s group of female companions. He raised an eyebrow in surprise and handed me a card. “This is compensation, same old rules.” “I asked Sean to send you the blind date’s contact card, don’t forget the appointment.” Sean is his best friend. When I couldn’t reach him usually, I looked for Sean. I quietly accepted the card. He casually put out the cigarette. When he looked up, that usual laziness revealed a warning: “Don’t cause trouble in front of my wife, you know my methods.” Of course I know. The Cross family’s assets are intertwined, and the Cross family members are cold-blooded and ruthless. But I never said I would cause trouble. He likes that girl that much? I lowered my eyes: “Understood.” His expression relaxed, considered satisfied. After packing up, he left first. Half an hour later, I left. This was our tacit agreement. Even during our relationship, it was this process. Back at my place, my phone screen lit up. The contact card pushed by Sean arrived as promised. At the same time, an entertainment news popped up: [The eldest son of the Cross family appears publicly with his fiancée, Cross and Xu families will join forces] I clicked in. In the photo, Julian held the girl’s waist, his gaze following her every smile and frown. His eyes were extraordinarily focused, a gentleness I had never seen. Netizens commented one after another: [What is Young Master Cross staring at his fiancée’s mouth for? This eye contact is full of sexual tension, making the fiancée shy!] [A friend saw them at the banquet, said Young Master Cross didn’t look at his phone the whole time. Fiancée got dessert on her mouth, he wiped it directly with his hand, then licked it off naturally… Who understands, this natural intimacy!] [Did anyone notice the ring on his ring finger? It’s said he designed it himself, with the fiancée’s initials engraved inside. When did he ever wear these before?] [Exactly! Thought he was a scum before, now just think he’s charming. Turns out it’s not a character collapse, it’s just that all previous people couldn’t make the prodigal son turn back!] If netizens hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t even have noticed these details. Once I also asked Julian to wear couple rings with me. He scoffed “Childish, not getting married, what’s the point of wearing these fake things?” I said nothing. After all— These little couple interests were all learned from my ex-ex-boyfriend. I didn’t add the blind date. Even closed the webpage. Silenced the phone, fell asleep. Slept for a whole day. Woke up to see many messages on WeChat. Bestie sent many in shock: [Holy crap! Chloe, your white moonlight is back!] [Check WeChat quickly!!!] [Answer the phone!! He got off the plane!] My heart stopped. I wasn’t afraid maintaining a relationship with Julian for a year. But at this moment. I was really scared. 3 The white moonlight’s name is Ethan Perry, my ex-ex. We were college classmates. He was handsome, and number one in his major. I admire the strong. Not surprisingly. I was moved. And took action. But he was like a precise machine, only data and formulas in his life. I took classes with him when free, sat next to him for a whole month, he still didn’t know me. I could only use a little trick. That day, I threw my pen into his desk hole, gently poked his shoulder: “Classmate, my pen seems to be with you.” He turned his head, stared at me for three seconds, frowned slightly. “Last Tuesday, you also used this reason to ask me to get a pen, and last month on the 26th, 18th, 12th…” Even I didn’t remember. He could count them clearly. I was so happy. Later I added his WeChat, asked him out in various ways every day. Although always rejected, after all, I liked him, always had to beg him. When he agreed to date, it was exactly half a year. Before him, I was straight as an arrow, didn’t know how to chase people at all. Many techniques were figured out when dating him. As for chasing Julian, I had experience. The title “white moonlight” was also given by my bestie to tease me. Because Ethan was always demanding insatiably. Like a machine, knew where my limit was. I couldn’t stand his frequency. Those words of his surfaced in my mind again. “Chloe, don’t hide.” “Chloe, I know your limit is here, hold on for another two minutes and eighteen seconds.” “Broke the record again, Chloe, you are great.” He never stingy with praise, voice calm and approving. Often made me collapse. Later, he was selected by a top research institute abroad. I didn’t want to delay him, nor did I want to wait, so I proposed breaking up. Felt relieved in my heart. Then later, met Julian. He was also handsome. Heard his ex revealed he was the MAC type (make-up brand, implies short duration/for show), ten times with him felt nothing. No feeling? That’s perfect! That kind of thing is tiring. After dating him, I found it was true! I could even fall asleep in the process. He would even ask me “Am I awesome”. Of course awesome! In the two years dating Ethan, I never slept so comfortably! Thoughts retracted, I sped up packing. After all, Ethan didn’t agree to break up back then. Red eyes in front of me for the first time. To stabilize him, let him go abroad quickly. I promised him a fake breakup, promised to wait for him to return. Result as soon as he left. I changed my phone card and moved immediately. And met Julian. 4 I took clothes out of the closet while dialing my bestie. “How did you know he was coming back? I asked around, his project takes at least five years.” I stuffed clothes into the suitcase randomly, “It’s only been three years, why is he back?” Bestie: “I’m wondering too!” “Luckily my boyfriend is in that circle, mentioned it to me.” “But—I heard Ethan is now a tech upstart, momentum is strong…” I zipped up the suitcase, didn’t reply. “What are you doing? Rustling sounds.” “Packing,” I stood the suitcase up, “Hiding out for a few days.” Silence on the other end. “Avoid what? Can he eat you…” She paused. —Seems he really can. “Then you never thought about… getting back together with him?” I shivered in fear: “But I lied to him, and found Julian…” “So what? Who told him to be so fierce and tire you out! Besides, you are single now.” What does she know? Ethan, once he sets his mind on something, calculates all variables. I’ll avoid him first. When he confirms I’ve disappeared, maybe he’ll give up. Carrying the suitcase, I went to open the door— Closed again. A hand crossed over, firmly holding the door panel. Ethan lowered his eyes, looking at my suitcase. Voice smiling: “Chloe, where are you planning to go?” He opened the door, stepping into the room. The entryway suddenly seemed cramped. I stepped back. The door closed behind him. The cashmere coat carried cold air, but not as cold as his face. “Before returning, I calculated your possible reactions.” “Emotion told me, you would wait for me, like before.” “Reason told me, you would run, and would act within 1 hour of confirming my return.” “Looking at it now, reason won.”

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When I went to the Marsden house to return the engagement gifts, I found Nathan Marsden lying in the arms of the young housekeeper, a post-coital cigarette dangling from his lips. He blew a playful smoke ring in my face. “Perfect timing. Wendy’s exhausted. Go wash the sheets for us, will you?” “The girl’s a little inexperienced. After the engagement party tonight, you can teach her a few of my favorite positions. I don’t want my nights ruined.” I didn’t answer. I just placed the bag containing the gifts on the coffee table. “Check everything. If it’s all there, let’s call off the engagement.” “I’ll send out a notice to cancel the party.” Nathan finally sat up, but the careless smirk never left his face. “How many times have you tried to scare me with this little act?” “Honey, a man gets tired of sleeping with the same woman. Sleeping with others is just my way of keeping things fresh with you.” “Can’t you try to understand?” He pulled a single rose from the bouquet of ninety-nine he’d bought for the housekeeper and offered it to me. He still thought a single flower and a cheap promise could win me over, just like all the times before. But this time, I shook my head. I was really, truly done with him. 1 When I didn’t move, he simply retracted his hand. He snapped the stem and tucked the rose into Wendy’s hair. “Honey, I promise you’ll be the one and only Mrs. Marsden. This constant jealousy over every little thing is really beneath you.” “Are you putting on such a show because I let Wendy try on your engagement ring?” He pushed Wendy away and stood up, wrapping his arm around my waist and whispering in a placating tone. “The girl has no status. She’ll never get to wear a real wedding ring in her life.” “You need to have the grace of the lady of the house. Just think of it as taking pity on her, letting her have a little fun.” I clutched the hem of my shirt, my heart turning to ice. Nathan’s first “wedding photo,” his first “honeymoon,” even his “first time” in our bed—it was all with Wendy. Every time I broke down and confronted him, he would just pinch my cheek with a look of helpless indulgence. “We’ll have a lifetime to do all those things. Why are you so obsessed with the ‘first’ time?” “So possessive, my little crybaby.” Wendy looped her arm through his, helping him persuade me. “Sophia, Nathan is so good to you. He never lets me wear lipstick or perfume, just so I don’t leave any trace on him that might upset you.” She picked up the bouquet of roses from the table, a blatant challenge in her eyes. “If one rose isn’t enough for you, you can have the rest. Nathan just bought me a rose garden a few days ago. I’m already sick of them.” Nathan cupped Wendy’s face and kissed her. “You’re being so thoughtful today, baby.” “Go get our gear. I’m taking you to the old cornfield. A reward for unlocking a new scene.” After Wendy went into the bedroom, he picked up a scarf and personally tied it around my neck. “It’s cold out. I’ll have the driver take you home.” “Just focus on getting ready for the engagement party tonight. I promise I’ll be there before it starts.” I grabbed his arm. “Don’t go just yet.” Nathan froze for a second, then relaxed. “See? You can’t bear to let me go.” “Let go, sweetheart. I’ll pick up some of your favorite farm-fresh snacks on the way.” “I don’t need them.” I shook my head and pushed a briefcase into his hands. “Before you go, check the prenup.” “So I can release the statement calling off the engagement as soon as possible.” The smile vanished from Nathan’s face. He stared at me, hard, and when he was sure I wasn’t joking, he spoke, his brow furrowed. “You don’t have a job, and your mother’s in the ICU. Her medical bills are five figures a day. Who’s going to support you two without me?” His voice turned cold. “Sophia, I’ve really spoiled you rotten all these years.” His words should have made me laugh, but my eyes stung with tears. I didn’t have a job because, in the first year of his startup, he had begged me on his knees to be a homemaker, to be the foundation that supported his career. The reason my mother was in a coma was because she had taken a knife for him from a business rival. I swallowed the sharp, stabbing pain in my heart and looked down, my voice flat. “I have my own ways of handling the money. I just… I don’t want to live like this anymore.” Nathan was about to say something else, but Wendy came bouncing out of the room. “Nate, let’s go! I was just practicing a new, difficult position in there. If we wait too long, I’ll lose the mood.” “You little vixen. Whatever you say.” Nathan swept her into his arms, playfully tapping her nose. But when he looked at me, his eyes were filled with displeasure. “Do whatever you want. Let off some steam.” “I’m not going to take your angry words seriously.” “But I will be stopping your mother’s medical payments for a few days. If you don’t get a taste of how hard it is to earn a living, you’ll never understand what I do for you.” With that, he turned and left, Wendy wrapped in his arms. As I watched them go, my breath caught, a bitter taste spreading through my mouth. I took out my phone and sent a cancellation notice to all our friends and family. Then, I made a call. “Mr. Peterson, you once said that if I took the overseas position, you would cover my mother’s medical expenses.” “I’ve made my decision. When do I leave?” “The sooner, the better. We can have you on a plane tomorrow.” I agreed and immediately went to the hospital to arrange for my mother’s transfer. When I walked into her room, I found her awake. “Mom!” Overjoyed and shocked, I rushed to her and hugged her tightly, my voice choking with sobs. My mother cried too, squeezing my hand. “I’m okay, sweetheart. Is Nate treating you well?” “As long as you two are happy, taking a little stab for him was worth it.” Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, I slowly lowered my head. I didn’t know how to tell her that Nathan was cheating on me with our housekeeper and that I had called off the engagement. As I struggled for words, a familiar voice came from the doorway. “Mom, I’m here to see you!” Nathan walked in, followed by his assistant carrying boxes of expensive supplements, practically filling the room. “You woke up just in time. Sophia and I have our engagement party tonight. You have to be there, Mother-in-law.” He draped his arm around my shoulders intimately, as if nothing had happened between us. A wave of nausea washed over me, but I didn’t say anything. My mom was beaming. She pointed to Nathan’s neck and winked at me. “It’s good that you two are so close, but you need to take it easy. Nate has a lot of work to do.” I looked up and saw a clear bite mark on his neck. We had been living apart for six months. It was obvious who had left it there. Nathan’s face stiffened for a moment before he quickly recovered, his eyes full of adoration for me. “What can I say? I’m completely whipped. I love it when Sophia gets clingy. Don’t you worry about a thing, Mom.” My mother looked relieved and content. “As long as you two are happy, I can rest easy. Now go, get ready for your party.” I forced a smile and nodded. The moment we were out of the room, I slapped him, hard. My eyes were full of scorn. “Putting on such a good show for my mother. Aren’t you tired?” A red mark quickly appeared on his face. His eyelashes trembled, but he said nothing. Still furious, I raised my hand again, but he held up his phone. “This is Dr. Evans’s contact information. He’s a top internal medicine specialist. I was going to schedule a comprehensive check-up for Mom.” My hand froze in mid-air. As if drained of all strength, I slowly lowered it. I closed my eyes, an overwhelming exhaustion washing over me. I turned to leave. But Nathan wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. “Let me lean on you for a minute, honey. My stomach suddenly hurts.” I felt a strange sense of deja vu. When we first started dating, a client was giving me a hard time at a business dinner. Nathan chugged a whole bottle of hard liquor to defend me. The client never bothered me again, but Nathan ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer, a problem that still plagued him. “It was wrong of Wendy to leave a mark on my neck. I’ll have a word with her.” “I was wrong, too. Usually, after a date, I’d shower for three hours before seeing you. I was just so happy to hear that Mom was awake that I didn’t even look in the mirror.” I turned to look at him. His eyes were red, pleading, like a guilty puppy. “If you’re still not happy, I’ll make myself clean right now.” With that, he picked up a fruit knife and aimed it at the red mark on his neck. He was actually going to cut that piece of flesh out! It wasn’t until I saw the blood that I snapped out of it. I lunged forward and knocked the knife to the floor. “Are you crazy? That’s your neck! What if you seriously hurt yourself?” The blood was flowing freely now. Terrified, I tried to pull him toward the emergency room. But he just smiled, a happy, triumphant smile. “Sophia, you do still care about me.” “Now, go get ready for the engagement party. Do it for Mom.” I clenched my fists, then abruptly let them go. Finally, I heard my own strained voice. “Okay.” Nathan spared no expense, booking the most luxurious hotel in the city for a million-dollar engagement party. My mother, wanting to witness my happiness, insisted on attending in her wheelchair, despite my protests. I stood on the stage, lightly holding Nathan’s arm. He sensed my distance and forcefully intertwined his fingers with mine. The guests below looked on with envy. “So many men ditch their wives after they make it big. Mr. Marsden is still so devoted to his original partner. Mrs. Marsden really bet on the right horse.” “Just a few hours ago, the future Mrs. Marsden sent us a cancellation notice. I wonder what that was all about.” “Just a little lover’s spat. Only a guy like Mr. Marsden would put up with it. If my wife tried to pull a stunt like that, I’d have to teach her a lesson!” Their words were like needles, piercing my heart. Nathan had slept with Wendy countless times over the years, yet he could still act concerned and loving toward me without batting an eye. His calmness only made me look like the crazy one. Just then, a server rushed onto the stage and snatched the microphone. The moment she took off her mask, I realized it was Wendy. Tears streamed down her face. “I’m the one Nathan truly loves! If it weren’t for Sophia using the fact that her mother saved his life, we would have been married long ago!” My mind went blank. I instinctively looked at my mother. She was staring at Wendy in shock, her body trembling uncontrollably. “Mom!” I gathered my dress and ran to her side, screaming at the staff. “Call 911! Now!” When Nathan finally reacted, his eyes burned with fury. “Wendy, are you tired of living? You’re just a housekeeper in my home! Get the hell off this stage!” But Wendy pulled out a pregnancy test, kneeling before my mother and me. “But I’m carrying Nathan’s child.”

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The office was buzzing after my colleague Mark won a gold bar from a “heir’s mystery box.” Out of curiosity, I bought one too. My hands trembled as I opened it to find a set of lavender lace lingerie, carrying a scent I knew all too well—the exact set I had gifted my wife, Anna, for our anniversary. That evening, I casually asked Anna about the lingerie. She quickly claimed it had been ruined in the wash and thrown away, her eyes welling up with apology. I held her close, comforting her while my heart froze over. The next day, I discovered her cloud backup—texts with an unknown number discussing hiding that very lingerie. The sender was my boss, Arthur Donovan. 1. The air at the breakfast table felt thick, like syrup. Anna sat across from me, her head bent over her oatmeal, her hair pinned up loosely with a few strands falling around her ears. She was beautiful. If it weren’t for that damned mystery box, I would have looked at her, like I always did, and thought she was the purest woman in the world. “Anna,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence. Her hand jolted, spattering a few drops of oatmeal on the table. “Yes, Alex?” She looked up, but her smile was strained, her eyes refusing to meet mine. “That lingerie set,” I began, carefully peeling an egg, my tone so level it even surprised me. “Are you sure it was ruined in the wash?” Anna put her spoon down, her fingers twisting together in her lap. “Ugh, why are you still on about that?” Her voice was a mix of a pout and a complaint. “I told you, the lace was cheap. It just shredded in the machine, it was completely unwearable, so I tossed it.” “Alex, you don’t believe me, do you?” She stood up and walked around the table. Her arms wrapped around my neck from behind, her cheek pressing against mine. The familiar warmth of her skin. It used to feel like home. Now, it just felt… reptilian. “Of course I believe you,” I lied, patting the back of her hand. “It’s just a shame. I spent a long time picking it out.” “I’ll buy you a better one next time,” I added, a hollow promise. Anna let out a breath she’d clearly been holding and planted a loud, wet kiss on my cheek. “You’re the best, honey! I’m running late for work, got to go!” She grabbed her purse and practically fled towards the door, not even bothering to change into the heels she always wore. The moment the door clicked shut, the smile vanished from my face. I pulled out my phone and opened the cloud backup I’d made. The text messages burned on the screen like acid. [Don’t worry, it’s taken care of. What, can’t wait to have me again?] The timestamp on that reply was from a time when I was in the kitchen, cutting up fruit for her. Just a minute before, she had been complaining to me about how exhausting her job was, how her back ached. Now I knew how she got those aches. I walked over to the balcony and looked down. A familiar figure emerged from our building’s entrance. She didn’t head for the subway station. A black Maybach, sleek and silent as a shark, was parked by the curb. The driver’s window was halfway down, an arm resting on the frame, a cigarette dangling from two fingers. It was Donovan’s car. Anna glanced around furtively, like a thief in the night, before yanking the door open and sliding inside. The car peeled away from the curb, disappearing down the street. I lit a cigarette of my own, taking a long, hard drag. The smoke clawed at my lungs, a welcome, searing pain. Arthur Donovan. Heir to the Donovan Corp fortune. And the only son of my mentor, Richard Donovan. Years ago, Richard had paid for my entire university education. To repay that kindness, I turned down countless lucrative offers to stay at Donovan Corp, becoming their nameless, faceless lead engineer. Their workhorse. I rebuilt their entire backend architecture three times, secured them dozens of patents. Richard used to say, “Alex, you’re the cornerstone of this company. When Arthur takes over, he’ll take good care of you.” This was him taking care of me? Sleeping with my wife, then packaging his trophy and sending it to me as a joke? I crushed the cigarette butt into the ashtray. The ember hissed and died. Fine. If that’s how they wanted to play it, I wouldn’t disappoint them either. 2. The atmosphere in the office was strange. The interns, who usually greeted me with a cheerful “Morning, Alex!”, suddenly found the floor fascinating whenever I walked by. Whispers followed me from the break room. “Did you hear? The announcement came down from corporate.” “Something about a restructuring in the tech department…” I pushed open the door to my department without a change in expression. My desk had been moved. It used to be in the prime spot by the window, with the best view. Now it was crammed in a dark corner, wedged between the screaming industrial printer and the paper shredder. And sitting in my old chair, with his feet propped up on my old desk, was some kid with bleached-blond hair, furiously tapping away at a game on his phone. It was Donovan’s cousin, a moron who couldn’t tell the difference between Java and JavaScript. “Alex. Just the man I wanted to see,” Donovan said, stepping out of the director’s office. He had that smug, condescending smirk that only old money can truly perfect. “Mr. Donovan. What is the meaning of this?” I asked, gesturing to the sad little desk in the corner. “Oh, just a little company restructuring,” he said breezily. “The tech department needs some fresh blood. You’re not getting any younger, Alex. All that complex code must be a strain.” “Starting today, you’re being reassigned to the Facilities Support team. Your new duties will include… hmm, let’s see… fixing printers for the tech department, changing the water cooler jugs, that sort of thing.” The entire office fell silent. Everyone knew that the core of Donovan Corp’s technology existed solely inside my head. Asking me to fix printers wasn’t a demotion; it was a public execution. They were skinning me alive and stomping on my pride for everyone to see. “Donovan, this isn’t by the book,” I said, looking him straight in the eye, my voice dangerously calm. “The book?” He chuckled, a low, nasty sound. He walked over and clapped a hand on my shoulder, leaning in close so only I could hear. “At Donovan Corp, I am the book.” “Look, Alex, I know you were my dad’s golden boy. But my dad’s old news. This company might still have my family name on it, but it’s my company now.” He paused, his smirk widening. “And one more thing. Your wife? She’s got some real fire in her. For a woman who’s been married a few years… damn.” A roar of blood filled my ears. I felt the veins on the back of my hand bulge, my knuckles turning white. He was doing this on purpose. The mystery box, the public humiliation—it was all a game to him. “What’s the matter? Want to take a swing?” Donovan stepped back, spreading his hands in mock surrender. “Go on. Right here.” He tapped his cheek. “But that one punch will cost you everything. Your mother’s medical care, the house you bought for your parents, your reputation in this entire industry… all gone.” I took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing the murderous rage back down into the pit of my stomach. I was an adult. And in the adult world, violence was the last resort of the powerless. I was going to make him pay a price a thousand times more painful than a broken jaw. “You have a point, Mr. Donovan,” I said, unclenching my fists and forcing a smile. “I’ll follow the company’s arrangements.” Donovan blinked, clearly surprised by my compliance. A flicker of disappointment crossed his face; the show was over too soon. “Well, alright then. Since you’re being so cooperative, I have the perfect first assignment for you.” He picked up a folder from his desk and tossed it at my chest. “We’re having some issues at the new data center out west. We need someone on-site to oversee things.” “Your flight leaves tonight. I already had my assistant book the ticket.” The western data center. The middle of nowhere. It was a construction project, a job for civil engineers, not for a lead software architect. He was getting me out of the way. And it was painfully obvious what he planned to do with his free time. I bent down, picked up the folder, and brushed the dust from the cover. “Alright. I’ll go.” Donovan grinned, a triumphant, predatory expression. “That’s the spirit, Alex. You’ve got to learn your place.” He leaned in again, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “And don’t worry. I’ll be sure to ‘take good care’ of your dear wife while you’re away.” A few snickers echoed from his cronies nearby. I turned and walked away without looking back. 3. When I got home, the lights were off, but the apartment was flickering with candlelight. The dining table was covered with a lace tablecloth we rarely used, set with steak and a bottle of red wine. Anna was wearing a backless black evening gown, her makeup done to perfection. The moment she saw me, she rushed over and took my briefcase. “Honey, you’re home!” she chirped. “I know you’ve been so stressed at work lately, so I thought I’d make us a special candlelit dinner.” She led me to the table, eagerly pouring me a glass of wine. The flickering candlelight danced across the face I had loved for five years. Before yesterday, this gesture might have moved me to tears. “What’s the special occasion?” I asked, cutting into my steak. It was rare, bleeding onto the plate. “I just… felt like I’ve been neglecting you lately,” she said, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, her movements just a little too jerky. “Alex, I know you’re still upset about the lingerie. I promise you, I will only ever love you. No matter what happens, my heart is always yours.” She reached across the table and placed her hand over mine. Her palm was damp, and I could feel a slight tremor. She was scared. Scared of what? That I’d find out the truth? Or that Donovan was putting too much pressure on her? I stared at her for a long moment. “Anna, what if…” I was about to test the waters when my phone, sitting on the table, buzzed. Anna snatched her hand back as if she’d been burned, grabbing her own phone instantly. The moment she saw the caller ID, the color drained from her face. She declined the call. A second later, it buzzed again. A video call this time. “Who is it? Why aren’t you answering?” I asked, putting down my fork, playing dumb. “Oh… it’s, uh, a telemarketer. So annoying,” she stammered, fumbling to silence the call and flipping the phone face down on the table. “Honey, my stomach suddenly feels a little upset. I’m just going to use the restroom.” She grabbed her phone and bolted for the bathroom. I couldn’t hear what she was saying through the closed door, but I didn’t need to. I knew it was Donovan. I pulled out my own phone and opened an app. It was for the drone I’d bought a few weeks back, a high-end model with night vision and auto-follow capabilities. Five minutes later, Anna emerged from the bathroom. She had already changed out of the evening gown and was now in a tracksuit and a baseball cap. “Alex, my… my friend Sarah just texted. She broke up with her boyfriend and is getting wasted at a bar. She needs me to go pick her up.” Her acting was atrocious. She couldn’t even look me in the eye. “It’s late. I’ll drive you,” I said, standing up. “No, no!” Her reaction was visceral; she actually took a step back. “I can just get an Uber. You have work tomorrow, you should get some rest.” Before I could protest further, she grabbed her keys from the entryway and hurried out the door. I didn’t move. I just sat there at the table, alone with the dying candles, and picked up the drone controller. The drone on the balcony lifted silently into the night sky. On the screen, I watched her familiar figure jog out of the complex. She didn’t call an Uber. The same black Maybach was waiting in the shadows behind our building. Anna pulled open the door and climbed in. The car didn’t leave right away. Through the night-vision lens, I could see two blurry silhouettes tangling together inside. My wife, the woman I had cherished, was straddling another man’s lap, kissing him with a desperate hunger. I switched off the screen. My heart, what was left of it, was officially dead. 4. I stood up and scraped the entire, meticulously prepared candlelit dinner into the trash can. Garbage belongs in the garbage. I went into our bedroom and opened Anna’s closet. I’d always respected her privacy, never snooping through her things. Now I realized what a complete and utter fool I’d been. Tucked away in the back, behind a pile of old clothes, were several bright orange boxes. Hermès. I didn’t know much about handbags, but I knew that brand. A single one of those bags was worth my entire yearly salary. I opened her jewelry box. A Cartier bracelet. A Bulgari necklace. A Van Cleef & Arpels clover pendant. All told, there had to be hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise here. Things we could never afford on our salaries. So, this was her “working overtime.” This was her “performance bonus.” This was her fighting so hard “for our family.” Oh, she was fighting hard, alright. On her back in Donovan’s bed. I took everything out, piece by piece, and laid it all on our bed. It felt like I was curating an exhibition on the art of betrayal. How ironic. I worked myself to the bone for Donovan Corp for a respectable, but ultimately modest, salary. My boss slept with my wife and casually tossed her trinkets worth more than years of my sweat and blood. What was I in all this? A pawn in their sick game? The clueless husband in a twisted joke? Two in the morning. The sound of a key in the lock. Anna was back. She tiptoed into the dark apartment, trying to slip into the bedroom unnoticed. Click. I hit the switch for the living room lights. The sudden brightness made her flinch, throwing a hand up to shield her eyes. I was sitting on the sofa. In front of me, on the coffee table, was the collection of designer bags and jewelry. And next to them, a printed copy of my business trip itinerary. “A-Alex?” she stammered, the flush of passion still visible on her cheeks. She was wearing a different set of clothes. Her hair was damp and smelled of hotel shampoo. “Why are you still awake?” Her eyes darted to the pile of luxury goods, and her pupils constricted in terror. “Th-those are Sarah’s! She’s moving and didn’t have space, so she asked me to store them here!” The lies came so easily to her now. I didn’t call her on it. If she wanted to act, we would act. “I know,” I said, standing up and picking up the itinerary. “Donovan just called me. There’s an emergency at the western site. He wants me on the first flight out.” “I was about to leave, but I wanted to see you one last time.” Anna was stunned into silence. This was clearly not the confrontation she had been expecting. As she looked at my calm face, the panic in her eyes slowly morphed into something else. Guilt? Or was it relief? “It’s that urgent…?” she murmured, stepping forward, reaching out as if to straighten my collar. I subtly sidestepped her touch. “Yes. Very.” “You take care of yourself while I’m gone.” I picked up the suitcase I’d already packed and walked toward the door. “Alex!” she called out from behind me. I paused, my hand on the doorknob, but I didn’t turn around. “What is it?” “Be safe… and come home soon.” Her voice was trembling. A cold, humorless smile touched my lips. Come home soon? To watch more of your little show? “Don’t worry,” I said as I opened the door and stepped into the darkness of the hallway. “By the time I get back, everything will be over.” Behind me, Anna suddenly clutched her chest, a wave of inexplicable dread washing over her. I didn’t go to the airport. I hailed a cab and went straight to a 24-hour gaming cafe downtown. I got a private booth and booted up the computer. The moment my fingers touched the keyboard, I felt alive again. You want to corner me? Fine. I’ll leave you with nowhere to run. I took out a burner phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in years. It was Richard Donovan’s private line. “Hello? Who is this?” Richard’s voice, though aged, was still full of authority. “Mr. Donovan, it’s Alex.” “Alex? What’s going on this late at night?” “Nothing major,” I said, my eyes fixed on the streams of code scrolling rapidly down the monitor, my voice as cold as the hum of the machine. “I’m just calling to inform you of something.” “The money you gave me for my education, plus ten years of interest… I’ve paid it back a hundredfold with my work over the last decade.” “As of this moment, I owe the Donovan family nothing.” “And for what I’m about to do next… I sincerely hope you’re prepared.”

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On my way to visit my mother’s grave, I scrolled through a forum and saw a post titled, “What’s the most pathetic lapdog you’ve ever seen?” The top reply read: “My brother-in-law — but he’s not loyal to my sister. He’s mine. I’m the illegitimate daughter nobody acknowledged. On my 18th birthday, I ran over my dad’s wife to help my mom take her place. My sister wanted justice, so my lapdog married her, signed papers to clear me, and they sent me abroad. Every time she got pregnant, he’d arrange an ‘accident’—until she couldn’t conceive anymore. But I’m kind, so I’ll help her: my 5-year-old son with her husband will soon be ‘adopted’ by her. Soon she’ll raise my child herself.” She even posted a vacation photo, boasting how every year on the anniversary of “that woman’s” death, her brother-in-law, father, and mother celebrate her birthday instead. I stared at the photo. The man’s tattoo was exactly like my husband’s. Walking toward my mother’s headstone, it hit me. That lapdog… was my husband. 1. The forum users, stunned by Kiera’s shamelessness, unleashed a torrent of abuse. She just reveled in it. [Go ahead and curse me out. Nothing you type can change my reality.] [While she’s all alone, mourning her useless mother at some cemetery, her own father and her own husband are right here with me, celebrating my birthday.] [She and her mother are nothing but complete and utter failures!] Beneath that, she posted another picture. The deed to a house. The critical details were blurred out, but I recognized it in a heartbeat. It was the old house my mother had left me. Kiera added another comment, each letter a monument to her arrogance: [See this? All I did was mention I ‘liked’ the place, and her pathetic lapdog of a husband immediately transferred the deed of his wife’s childhood home into my name.] [Back in the day, her mother fought tooth and nail to keep my mom from ever setting foot in that house. And now? My mom and I live there, out in the open, and she’s still completely clueless.] [Save your energy. I was just born lucky. Every single person in her life pretends to be good to her, but deep down, they’re all on my side.] I stared at the screen, an icy dread crawling up my spine, freezing me from the inside out. A memory from five years ago flooded my mind with brutal clarity. Daniel had come home that night looking utterly broken, his voice trembling as he held me. “Sophia, honey, my investments… they all went bust. The credit line’s been cut… If I can’t cover the losses, I could go to jail.” “I’m so useless. I wanted to give you a better life, and instead, I’ve lost everything.” Seeing him so defeated, a sight I had never witnessed before, felt like a physical blow. Money could be earned again, but if his spirit was broken, we would have nothing. Without a second thought, I went and retrieved the deed to my mother’s old house. I pressed it into his hands and told him to use it as collateral to get through the crisis. He looked at me, his eyes red-rimmed, and pulled me into a crushing hug. “Sophia, thank you… Marrying you was the best thing that ever happened to me. Trust me, as soon as I get back on my feet, I will get that house back for you.” It was all a lie. The bankruptcy, the threat of prison… it was all an act. A performance designed to trick me into giving up the last thing my mother left me, just so he could hand it over to Kiera as a gift. Her posts had ignited a firestorm. Users started new threads just to condemn her. [This mother-daughter homewrecker duo makes me sick. The mom steals the husband, the daughter steals the next generation’s husband. They’re like vultures preying on one family!] [BUMP THIS TO THE TOP! The wife has to see this! She needs to see the true faces of the vipers she has coiled around her!] Reading the furious comments, silent tears streamed down my face. I knelt before my mother’s grave, carefully arranging the offerings. Mom, don’t you worry. Everything they owe us… I will take it all back. With interest. As I left the cemetery, the chill still clung to my bones. Just then, my phone vibrated. It was Daniel. The moment I answered, his voice, oozing with gentle apology, filled my ear. “Honey, I’m so sorry. A last-minute business trip came up, and I couldn’t get out of it. I couldn’t be there with you to see Mom.” “You’re always so alone… it breaks my heart. You know, maybe… maybe we should adopt a child?” “That way, when I’m busy, you’ll have someone to keep you company.” 2. So the mask was finally starting to slip. A hot wave of rage surged through me, but I forced it back down, swallowing the bile in my throat. “Sophia? Are you there?” “Hello? Honey?” “…I’m here,” I finally managed to say. Daniel let out a sigh of relief, his voice becoming even more tender. “Sophia, you saw the results from your last check-up. The doctor said you’re prone to miscarriages… it’s going to be difficult for us to have a child of our own.” “And I can’t bear to see you suffer for it, all those shots and pills… it kills me.” “So, honey, please think about it. What if we just adopt?” I almost laughed out loud. No one on this earth knew better than him why I was prone to miscarriages. I thought of Kiera’s post, of the “accidents,” and I fought back the stinging burn in my eyes. I squeezed a single, sharp word from between my teeth. “Fine.” Getting the answer he wanted, he audibly relaxed on the other end. “Great! We can talk about the details when I get back!” “You just wait for me at home, okay? I’ll bring you back a present.” He hung up immediately, not bothering to waste another second on pleasantries now that he had what he wanted. After that call, Daniel vanished. For three whole days, there was nothing. Not a word. Before, I would have made excuses for him. He’s on a business trip, he’s working hard for our future, I can’t bother him. I would have sent him timid little texts—”Remember to eat,” “Try to get some rest”—my heart aching for how “hard” he was working. Thinking back on it now, it was pathetic. He wasn’t busy. He was just desperate to run to his true love and prove his loyalty. Three days later, Daniel finally reappeared. The moment he walked in, he opened his arms for a hug, nuzzling his chin into the crook of my neck, his voice syrupy. “Honey, I missed you so much these past few days~” “Do you know, looking at your pictures was the only thing that got me through it. Now that I’m back… you’re going to have to make it up to me.” His warm breath on my ear was heavy with suggestion. The old me would have melted, completely putty in his hands. Now, all I felt was a wave of physical revulsion. “Let go of me!” The words escaped as a harsh command. I tore myself from his embrace. He froze, stunned for a second. Then, as if a switch flipped in his brain, his expression softened into that familiar, considerate mask. “Sophia, I know you’re angry that I couldn’t go with you on Mom’s anniversary,” he explained, taking my hand and pressing it against his own cheek. “It was my fault. Go ahead, hit me. Get it out of your system. I won’t fight back.” “Anything, as long as it makes you feel better.” His acting was clumsy, riddled with flaws. It was laughable that I had been so blind for so long, that I had ever believed him. I said nothing. I didn’t hit him. He took my silence as forgiveness. He immediately pivoted to his real agenda. “By the way, honey, remember what I said about adoption?” he said, striking while the iron was hot. “I didn’t want you to worry about all the details, so I just brought him home with me. I wanted you to meet him first, see if you connect?” He clapped his hands. Before I could process what was happening, his assistant walked in, leading a little boy of about five or six by the hand. The boy was quiet, but his features sent a jolt of ice through my heart. In his eyes, his brow… there was an unmistakable resemblance to Kiera. Rage, pure and primal, shot through me. This was my mother’s killer’s son. If I’d had any lingering doubts about the forum post, they were now all but gone. “H-Hello, ma’am…” the boy whispered, his voice timid. My entire body went rigid, my fingertips turning to ice. Daniel, however, acted perfectly natural, taking my hand and guiding it toward the boy’s head. “His name is Cody. He’s five. Grew up in an orphanage, very smart and well-behaved. From now on, when I’m not home, he’ll be here to keep you company—” “Enough!” I snatched my hand back as if I’d been burned. The boy, startled by my outburst, burst into tears. Daniel immediately knelt down to comfort him. When he looked back up at me, his eyes were flashing with anger. “Sophia! I’m your husband, so you can take your anger out on me. But the child is innocent! How can you yell at a child like that?” The way he hovered over the boy, so protective and pained, he was the very picture of a loving father. And why wouldn’t he be? He was the boy’s biological father. This was the child he had with the woman who murdered my mother. It took every ounce of my willpower not to scream the truth in his face. I suppressed the violent trembling in my hands, gave him and the boy one last, cold look, and walked upstairs, locking the bedroom door behind me. I opened my palm. Inside were several strands of hair I had discreetly plucked from the boy’s head. I dialed my lawyer’s number. He had been my mother’s closest friend. For years, he had been quietly investigating her death, searching for the real killer. “Mr. Coleman, Kiera is back in the country.” 3. I carefully sealed the strands of hair in a small plastic bag. “She has a child with her, about five years old.” “I have a hair sample from the boy. I need you to arrange a paternity test and a full background check on him. Immediately.” “This time,” I said, my voice low and hard, “I’m going to make sure she pays for what she did.” After hanging up, I stared at the bag in my hand, a heavy weight settling in my chest. My phone buzzed. The forum post had been updated again. [That idiot actually dared to give me attitude. I generously let my lapdog bring our son for her to raise, and she’s not even grateful?] [Whatever. It’s not like she’s ever been smart. The lapdog only married her so he could sign my release papers, and she still hasn’t figured it out after all these years.] [I’ll just have him sweet-talk her a bit more. There’s no way she’ll refuse to adopt him in the end.] [Besides, I even ‘sacrificed’ the failed prototype of that seashell bracelet we made together. He can use it to calm her down.] Attached was a close-up photo of an exquisite seashell bracelet on her wrist. Just as I exited the app, Daniel pushed the door open. “Honey, I’m sorry. I was too hasty with the adoption thing. I didn’t think it through.” I quickly shoved the bag of hair into my pocket. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his voice soft and placating. “I’ve already had my assistant take the boy for now. We can wait until you’re ready.” “Don’t be angry anymore. Look what I brought you.” He produced a velvet box. Inside lay a seashell bracelet. It was identical to the one in Kiera’s photo, but the craftsmanship was crude, the shells and tiny diamonds dull and lifeless. The “failed prototype,” just as she’d said. “It will look beautiful on you,” he murmured, leaning in to fasten it around my wrist. A sickening feeling rose in my throat. I instinctively recoiled, yanking my hand away. “Don’t touch me!” The bracelet flew from his grasp, shattering on the floor. Daniel shot to his feet, the gentle mask cracking and falling away. “Sophia, there’s a limit to your tantrums!” he roared. He wasn’t even trying to pretend anymore. Was he angry because of my attitude? Or because I had just destroyed the precious keepsake he made with his true love? He continued his tirade. “So what if I was busy with work and missed your mother’s anniversary? I was doing it for our future!” “Besides, I tried to make it up to you! I brought home a child so you wouldn’t be lonely, I bought you a gift to cheer you up, and what do I get? You throw it all back in my face! Is this how a wife is supposed to act?” “Let me tell you something,” he snarled, his voice raw with fury, “you’re adopting that child whether you like it or not!” Seeing his rage finally boil over, revealing his true intentions, a cold smile formed on my lips. “Honey, I…” Daniel trailed off, seeing the look on my face. He seemed to realize he’d gone too far and tried to backtrack, but I gave him no chance. I pushed past him and left the room. That same day, I delivered the hair sample to the lab Mr. Coleman had arranged. Then I checked into a hotel to wait for the results. Two days passed. I didn’t hear from my lawyer, but I did get a call from my father. “Sophia, why are you becoming as unreasonable as your dead mother?!” he bellowed the moment I answered. “Daniel is a busy man! He was thoughtful enough to find a child to keep you company, and you throw a fit?” Thoughtful? I laughed silently, bitterly. They had all conspired to trick me into raising my mother’s murderer’s child, and I was supposed to be grateful? Before I could say a word, he delivered his ultimatum. “I don’t have time to argue with you. Daniel’s idea to adopt is a good one, and I’ve already given him my approval.” “The adoption ceremony is tomorrow. As the child’s adoptive mother, you are required to be there.” He hung up. Almost simultaneously, a message came through from Mr. Coleman. I opened the attached file, my eyes scanning the key lines of the paternity test and the background investigation. A slow, cold smile spread across my face. Oh, I’d be there. I wouldn’t miss the adoption ceremony for the world. I wanted to watch, with my own two eyes, as a murderer was finally brought to justice.

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The week before New Year’s Eve, I realized my boyfriend had become a different person. It wasn’t just his habits that had changed; he seemed more mature, more grounded. Even his hobbies were different. He was suddenly into artisanal teas and wellness, no longer obsessed with extreme sports. In bed, he was… reserved. Almost disciplined. Never greedy. I thought he’d finally grown up, that he was ready to settle down with me and build a future, done with the usual parade of party girls. But then I came home early to surprise him for his birthday and overheard him on the phone. “Bro, just keep Aria steady for a little while longer. I’ll be back in a bit. Thanks for covering for me.” My boyfriend’s voice replied, “It’s fine. By the way, what brand of condoms do you usually use? I think Aria is allergic to everything I’ve tried.” Hearing that, my breath hitched. So, the changes weren’t my imagination. Without me knowing, my boyfriend’s twin brother had quietly clocked in for his shift. 1. The voice on the other end—Declan’s voice—stuttered. “Bro, why are you asking that? We don’t usually use them. She’s on the pill.” “Just curious,” Rhys, the man in my apartment, replied. “Is she giving you a hard time? Women are like that, always needy. Just ignore her. Give her the cold shoulder for a few days, and she’ll fall in line.” Even though Declan was confident his brother wouldn’t be interested in me, a hint of unease crept into his voice. “Bro, maybe you should move out. The less you see her, the better. We can just coordinate online. Sloane insisted I take this trip with her, and we’re still on the road.” Rhys’s voice was low. “I know.” I stood in the shadows, holding my breath. So, Declan was on a trip with Sloane. It was almost funny. They swore there was nothing between them, that they were just “best friends.” Yet he would rather have his twin brother live alone with his girlfriend than miss a secret vacation with Sloane. The truth of it left my mind a blank slate. My first instinct was to flee, but in my haste, I bumped into the robotic vacuum cleaner on the floor. The living room light flicked on. Rhys’s eyes found me instantly. My heart leaped into my throat. I forced myself to look at him, to really observe him. He was different from Declan. Rhys’s gaze was deep, unreadable. Declan’s eyes always had a mischievous glint, constantly calculating his next lie. Just as I thought he was about to blow his cover, he simply said, “Is that cake for me?” I lifted the box. Declan’s name was written on it in frosted icing. Before I could speak, he took it from my hands. “Thank you. I love it. I almost forgot it was my birthday.” Of course. They were twins. It was his birthday, too. “Happy birthday,” I heard myself say. Rhys closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around my rigid body, his lips gently brushing against mine. I took a sharp breath. I didn’t know when they’d switched, but in the time since, he and I had done… everything. My heart hammered against my ribs. I fumbled in my pocket and pulled out his gift. “For you.” It was a tie, a ridiculously expensive one. The color was bright, flashy—a color Declan loved, but one I doubted Rhys would ever choose for himself. Yet he opened it without a change in expression, took my hand, and guided me to tie it around his neck. His large hand rested on the small of my back, his touch sending shivers through me as his eyes darkened with a familiar hunger. “…” Wait, wasn’t this the guy who was into “wellness” and self-restraint? The next thing I knew, he was carrying me into the bedroom, his kisses peppering my skin. He used the new tie to gently bind my wrists above my head. I started to struggle, but his next words stopped me cold. “I took one of your birth control pills. So this time, you won’t have a reaction.” 2. The first time I suspected something was wrong with “Declan” was when he suddenly started using condoms. That was completely out of character. It started as a nagging suspicion, but then things got worse. Sex, which had always been great, suddenly became painful. I picked a huge fight with him over it. The next morning, I woke up covered in a painful, swollen rash. I was convinced he’d done something weird and stormed into his office to confront him. It was only later that I found out I was allergic to the latex. After that, “Declan” didn’t touch me for a week. He was incredibly attentive, personally applying cream to the rash. This pampered rich boy, who had never set foot in a kitchen, actually started cooking for me. The day I saw him making me soup, I was genuinely terrified. In all my years with the real Declan, he’d never so much as boiled water. At the time, I thought it was a sign he was finally changing, the playboy settling down. I never imagined the man himself wasn’t the original model. Once the rash cleared up, Rhys tried a different type of condom. I had another allergic reaction, though milder this time. The look on his face when he saw the rash was thunderous. I braced myself for an outburst, but instead, he just said, “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.” I was speechless. In all my time being mistreated by the arrogant real Declan, I had never once heard him apologize. “It’s… it’s okay…” Rhys pulled me into a tender embrace, his lips finding mine. I melted into the kiss, my head spinning. At the same time, a thought drifted through my mind: When did Declan get so good at kissing? It wasn’t that he was better, just… gentler. The real Declan used to bite. Especially my collarbone. It hurt like hell. Day by day, Rhys’s every action drew me in more. On weekends, he no longer disappeared to clubs with his “girlfriends.” Instead, he’d hold me in his lap and teach me calligraphy, his warm breath tickling my ear as he guided my hand. His voice was a low murmur that made my heart pound. No! If this continues, I’m going to actually fall for him. Loving the real Declan was a losing game. It was all about his money and his face, nothing more. But this man seemed determined to make me fall. When I was working, he’d massage my shoulders. When I was relaxing, he’d hold me close. Even in bed, he was never forceful. Afterwards, no matter how late it was, he would gently clean me up. I was so overwhelmed by the change that I had to debrief with my friends. Their verdict was unanimous. “He’s in love with you! He wants to marry you!” Hearing that, I’ll admit, I was thrilled. But was it really possible? Could a serial cheater, a man who flirted with anything that moved, truly change his ways? Now I knew the answer. No. Not only would he not change, he’d literally sell his own girlfriend out. The man who had been so good to me was Rhys. Declan’s twin brother. A bitter taste filled my mouth. But hey, if this was his choice, who was I to complain? 3. The next morning, I woke up in Rhys’s arms, our naked skin pressed together. His perfectly sculpted chest was right under my palm. I swallowed hard. Rhys, his eyes still closed, nuzzled my cheek. “You’re awake,” he murmured, his voice husky with sleep. “Hungry?” As if on cue, my stomach growled. A smile touched Rhys’s lips. He sat up, wrapped me in the duvet, and scooped me into his arms. I looped my arms around his neck. “Baby, will you love me forever?” I cooed, playing the part. He was a natural liar, not even blinking. “Of course I will.” He carried me to the bathroom, brushed my teeth for me, and dressed me. Breakfast, a lavish spread he’d had delivered, was already waiting. I sat at the table, watching him. “Declan, you know, you’ve changed a lot lately.” His fingers froze for a split second. “Oh? How so? Changed in a way you like better?” he asked, mimicking Declan’s playful tone, his eyes dancing. It was the same face, but the feeling was completely different. “You were never this gentle before.” His long eyelashes fluttered. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my wrist. “Baby, I just want to make things better for you.” You can’t provoke a man, especially by comparing him to another. The moment I put my fork down, he swept me up and carried me back to the bedroom. If it weren’t for the fact that his hand was already sliding under my shirt, his serious expression might have convinced me he had business to attend to. “Is this better, or was it better before?” he asked, his voice strained. I closed my eyes, feigning concentration. “Now is better, definitely better.” His hand tightened on my waist, a drop of sweat falling from his forehead onto my cheek. When it was over, I lay in bed, scrolling on my phone. Rhys went to take a shower. His phone, left on the nightstand, buzzed. A message from Declan popped up on the screen. [Bro, how are things with Aria? Has she suspected anything?] [Bro, I’ll try to be back soon. I got you a gift.] Below it was a picture. Two hands, Declan’s and Sloane’s, pressed together, holding a pink crystal rose. [Bro, isn’t this crystal gorgeous? If you like it, I’ll bring one back for you.] Declan’s hands were identical to Rhys’s, right down to the lines on his palm. A wicked smile spread across my face. I tapped out a reply. [Who’s this? My boyfriend’s in the shower.] There was a long pause from the other end. A second later, the bathroom door flew open. Rhys emerged, a towel wrapped around his waist. He saw me with his phone and rushed over. “Someone keeps calling you ‘bro’,” I said innocently. “Who is he?” Rhys masked the complex emotions in his eyes. “He’s the neighbor’s kid.” I suppressed a laugh. I wondered how Declan would feel knowing his own brother had demoted him to the kid next door. “He said he’s bringing you a gift. That crystal is really pretty.” Rhys pulled me into a hug, kissing my cheek. “I’ll buy you one, honey.” And as he held me, I slipped the tiny listening device I’d bought to catch Declan cheating into his pocket. The deal had been fifty grand for every time I caught him. The phone in Rhys’s hand started buzzing incessantly. I guessed Declan was starting to panic. A few seconds later, it rang. A call. Rhys pulled away. “I’ve got to take this. You get some rest.” I watched him go, the smile slowly fading from my eyes. 4. “Bro, what are you and Aria doing? Why did she just message me from your phone?” Out in the hallway, Rhys listened to Declan’s suspicious tone, his own voice perfectly calm. “My clothes were dirty, so I was taking a shower.” Declan audibly relaxed. “Oh, is that it? Good. I was thinking of cutting the trip short anyway. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Rhys didn’t say anything. Declan suddenly sounded anxious. “Bro, I think I’m done playing around. Being out here made me realize how good Aria is. You’d be okay with me marrying her, right?” The question was laced with a desperate, thinly veiled attempt to gauge Rhys’s feelings. “Of course. If that’s what you both want.” Declan let out a huge sigh of relief. What was he thinking? Rhys had seen all kinds of women; why would he ever be interested in a woman his own brother had slept with? He felt foolish for even suspecting him. After a few more pleasantries, Declan made an excuse and hung up. When Rhys came back, I found an opportunity to retrieve the bug. “Declan, what happened?” I asked, my face a mask of innocence. “You look so preoccupied.” Rhys cupped my face, his voice low. “Aria, will you stay with me forever?” “Of course I will.” “And do you like me now, or the way I was before?” he pressed, even though he’d asked the same question just three hours ago. My lips curved into a small smile. “I like them both.” I wasn’t about to give him a straight answer. If Rhys decided this game was over, I could still go back to Declan. But if he wanted to keep playing, the pressure was all on him. Just as I predicted, my answer left him looking lost. He pulled me into a tight hug, as if clutching something he was about to lose. The moment was charged with a desperate longing, and soon we were kissing again, a tangle of limbs and soft murmurs. He unzipped my dress, his body pressing me down onto the bed. But the next second, the doorbell rang. The carefully constructed atmosphere shattered. This apartment was a gift from Declan. No one else would just show up unannounced. There was only one possibility. Declan was back. Ahead of schedule. And the room, littered with the evidence of our afternoon, was not fit for company. I looked up at Rhys. He swallowed hard. “I’ll get it.” Sooner or later, this had to happen. He opened the door. Declan stood there, still in his hiking gear. The smile on his face vanished the moment he saw the rose petals scattered across the floor. I looked straight at him. “Oh, you must be Declan’s brother,” I said sweetly. “Can I help you?” I knew Declan had a twin. A pained, forced smile stretched across Declan’s face, but his eyes burned with rage. Aria hadn’t even recognized him. Did he mean anything to her at all? “I’m here to see him,” Declan ground out, his gaze fixed on Rhys. “We need to talk. Outside.” His fists were clenched at his sides. I smiled, adding more fuel to the fire. I wrapped my arms around Rhys’s arm and kissed his cheek. “Honey, come back soon. I’ll be waiting for you.” In less than a second, Rhys shoved me away. Declan’s fist connected with his face. I let out a theatrical shriek. “What are you doing? Don’t hit my boyfriend!”

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