I spent four years on IVF, my body riddled with countless needle marks, enduring endless nights of pain. Leo and I were finally going to have a child. When I rushed to tell him the good news, I saw him holding a little boy. That child called him “Daddy.” By the time Leo got back, I had smashed everything in the house I could get my hands on. The maid was huddled in a corner, too terrified to clean, secretly calling Leo: “Sir, Mrs. Hayes is throwing a fit again.” The house was so big, I collapsed onto the carpet, exhausted. Leo walked in, impeccably dressed in his suit, and loomed over me with a cold, superior gaze. Seeing I wouldn’t speak, he unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it onto a pile of shattered glass. “What’s wrong *now*?” His voice was laced with fatigue, and unmistakable impatience. The moment he loosened his tie. A prominent hickey on his neck hit me like a punch to the gut. I grabbed a half-broken vase nearby and hurled it at him. He dodged it effortlessly, as if he’d been expecting it. But my outburst clearly enraged him. He yanked me up, dragging me into the bathroom. “Look at yourself, don’t you look like a lunatic?” I followed his gaze. In the mirror, a disheveled, wild-eyed woman stared back—her nightgown ripped in several places that I hadn’t even noticed, lipstick smeared across her face, dark circles under her eyes, hair disheveled like a ghost. It was me. I didn’t want to see myself like this, but Leo wouldn’t allow it. He gripped my chin tightly, forcing me to confront my pathetic reflection. “So, you *can* feel ashamed? Did you ever think about *my* feelings? Coming home every day to a crazy person, constantly on guard, worried she’ll pick up an ashtray and smash it over my head.” The scar on his forehead had faded significantly, but it was still visible. I’d thrown that. Why had I thrown it? I thought for a long moment. Then it hit me. He’d had a child with that secretary. I turned to him: “Did Serena’s baby get aborted?” His eyelashes fluttered slightly. He nodded: “Yes, it was aborted.” Four years ago, he’d given me the same answer. So who was that little boy he was holding at the hospital entrance today? That child called him Daddy! 2 Leo took me to a hotel. His phone lay on the bedside table. Naturally, I picked it up to check it. Going through his phone had become second nature, a muscle memory. There was never anything in there, and there wouldn’t be. But I still had to look. Only then could I feel a sliver of peace. Leo came out of the shower, glanced at the phone in my hand, and a mocking smile played on his lips. “Find anything?” He handed me my medication and a glass of water. I held the phone up to him. “Why did you give Serena money? Half a million. Why?” This was a transfer record from six months ago. I’d questioned him about it before, and he’d given me some reason. But I’d long forgotten what it was. I’d been on antidepressants for two years, and they’d truly messed with my mind. Even though I’d stopped taking them years ago, my memory only seemed to get worse. So now, whenever I got a little hysterical, he’d push the pills on me. His gaze flickered over my body, then settled on my face, and a sudden, undeniable look of disgust flashed in his eyes. My hand went slack, and the phone clattered to the floor. “I get it.” I quickly burrowed under the covers, turning my back to him, forcing myself to sleep, forcing myself to forget that look. In the middle of the night, Leo left. Before he went, he took a call, whispering sweet nothings to the person on the other end. It seemed he couldn’t soothe them, so he hastily dressed and rushed out. My stomach lurched with nausea. I scrambled to the bathroom and threw up. I stared blankly at my haggard reflection in the mirror: *When should I tell him I’m pregnant?* 3 In the fourth year of our marriage, I decided I wanted a child. The reason was simple: Leo seemed to really like kids. The last time, when I’d forced Serena to abort her baby, he’d thrown a huge tantrum. I’d had to threaten suicide for him to finally agree. He said he couldn’t bear to lose me, never in a million years. I believed him. So, I wanted to give him a child. Four years of IVF, my body was covered in countless needle marks. Just yesterday, the doctor told me we’d succeeded. Leo and I were going to have a baby. This was our dream from when we were in our twenties! “Let’s have a child, preferably a girl. Beautiful and gentle, just like you. She’ll be my second little princess!” Such romantic words, they still warm my heart when I recall them. If I hadn’t seen him at the hospital entrance, if I hadn’t seen Serena, if I hadn’t seen that little boy, my twenty-year-old dream would have been perfectly fulfilled. It turned out that even the most romantic words and past memories couldn’t overcome the deeply ingrained desire to have an heir. Serena was carrying a boy. Maybe that’s why she was so brazen—perhaps she knew all along she held a winning card. A sharp pain shot through my head. I had to crouch down to ease it, pounding my temples with my fists. When the pain subsided, I felt a little lighter. The next morning, Leo returned. “I’m pregnant.” The hotel key card slipped from his hand and hit the floor. “What?” I repeated myself, then fixed my gaze on his eyes, not wanting to miss a single one of his expressions. There was no joy, no annoyance, just a quiet stare, tinged with a hint of shock. “That’s… good news.” “Do you really think so?” He nodded: “Of course.” Then he naturally picked up the key card, took off his jacket in the entryway, and walked into the bathroom. He didn’t want this child. We’d been together for seven years, married for six. I could understand the meaning behind a single glance from him. Why? Was it because he already had a child? It must be. Before, when I couldn’t get pregnant, he always consoled me, saying, “what’s meant to be, will be.” Were my four years of effort just a joke in his eyes? He treated me like a spectator, an act on a stage, a clown flailing around, making a complete fool of myself. When he was in a good mood, he’d smile at me; when he wasn’t, he’d simply close his eyes and pretend to nap. I stormed into the bathroom. He quickly turned off the water. “What on earth do you want?” Before I could speak, tears streamed down my face, betraying me. Leo yanked a bathrobe from the rack and threw it on, then shoved me out of the bathroom. “Leo, you have no heart! Do you know how much I suffered, how much pain I endured to get pregnant with this child, and *this* is your attitude?” He grabbed a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag. “What kind of attitude should I have?” It was always like this. Whenever I broke down and went crazy, he was always so calm and composed. “You bastard! You’re heartless, you—” “Shut up.” Leo threw the cigarette heavily to the floor, grabbing my shoulders with such force that my entire arm went numb. “Scarlett, did I ever say I wanted a child? This is all *your* one-sided fantasy. You want to trap me with a baby, you want to solidify your position, don’t you dare drag *me* into it!” He finished, then shoved me onto the bed. I was stunned by his吼声. It was true, after we got married, he hadn’t mentioned having children. “I…” Leo sighed. “I was too impulsive just now. Did I hurt you?” I threw a pillow at his face. “You were willing to have a child with Serena, didn’t bat an eye giving her half a million, but when *I’m* pregnant, you act like this and yell at me?” For years, I’d meticulously followed Serena’s every move. She was younger than me, had a better figure than me, and sweeter words than me. I couldn’t compare to her. Nowhere, not at all. So Leo’s affections shifted, he fell for her, and had a child with her. “Why did you give her money? Why did you buy her things?” A bracelet worth over three hundred thousand dollars—he’d specially chosen it for Serena’s birthday last year. For my birthday, his assistant just casually picked out a cheap scarf. Leo stared at me, then let out a sudden laugh. “You should have said something sooner.” He turned and walked out of the bedroom, returning a moment later with his wallet. “What do you me—” Before I could finish, he threw a card and a wad of cash directly at my face, hitting my eyes with stinging force. “Is that enough?” “Enough for what?” He pulled out another card and threw it at me. I instinctively caught it, then another, and finally, he hurled the entire wallet at me. “IS THAT ENOUGH?!” I stared at him blankly. “What are you talking about?” His expression was cold, then a forced smile appeared on his face, his narrow eyes devoid of any warmth. “To buy the baby in your belly. If it’s enough, then don’t you dare bring it up again.” So he wanted to buy the baby in my belly! I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that I wasn’t arguing with him for money. On the contrary, he had given me more than enough. But as the words reached my lips, it felt like I’d been doused with ice water from head to toe. My heart went completely cold. “No need. You’ve given me enough.” I bent down and picked up the cards one by one, putting them into my wallet. To buy the baby in my belly, the money he’d already given me was enough. No need for more. “Go to sleep. I’m tired.” With that, I turned over and got into bed. Leo stood there for a very long time, then placed a kiss on my hair: “I’m sorry.” 4 Leo and I met in college.

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The day before my wedding, I was dropping off a friend at a hotel when I stumbled upon my fiancée and her ex checking into a room together. Just ten minutes earlier, she’d sent me a message: “Honey, waiting for you to pick me up tomorrow and take me home, your wife.” My blood ran cold, but I forced myself to capture the horrifying sight of them kissing on video. The next day, at the wedding, I played the video for everyone to see. The moment the cheating video began to play, the entire venue erupted. Celeste’s brother, Liam, was the first to react, yelling at the event staff. “What the hell is this?! Why would you put this on a wedding screen?!” “You want to disgrace the Zhou family? Your wedding planning company must have a death wish!” “Where’s the manager?! Get me—” But his voice died in his throat, and like the rest of the guests, he froze, staring at the screen. A grim satisfaction settled over me as I watched. “Everyone, consider this the farewell reception for Celeste and me. From this moment on, we have nothing to do with each other. Enjoy the food and drinks.” Celeste, realizing she was the subject of the video, desperately tried to grab me and explain. But I had already tossed the microphone aside and walked out. The moment I stepped out of the hotel, my dad’s call came in. I let my call assistant handle him. When I first told him I was marrying Celeste, he’d been so thrilled he drank heavily for three straight days. He’d gloated to everyone about how I was marrying into a prominent family, how I’d truly ‘made it’. Now that the wedding was off, my dad was the first to object. Back home, my dad kept calling me. The sight of his name infuriated me, so I pulled out my phone’s SIM card. After tossing my wedding suit into the trash, I found a bar to drown my sorrows. My SnapChat, and any other apps connected to Celeste, were already flooded with 99+ notifications. But I’d switched to a new phone. Whatever chaos they were in, I couldn’t see it. The bar owner, Mike, spotted me and came over with a grin, ready to tease. “Why are you alone tonight? Where’s your fiancée?” I glanced over my shoulder, a faint smile on my lips. “She’s coming soon.” The next second, a familiar figure appeared.

Celeste was anxiously pushing through the crowd. She kept checking her phone, slowly making her way towards me. The man who had been secretly observing me from behind moments before rushed to embrace her, but Celeste fought him off fiercely. I couldn’t hear what the man said, but it clearly angered her. She pushed him away with a look of resentment, continuing her search through the crowd. The man watched Celeste from a distance, his expression filled with sorrow and pain. The bar lights flickered, so I couldn’t make out his face, but he seemed oddly familiar. I initially thought he was a friend of Celeste’s, who’d stumbled upon me and was trying to tip her off. But no matter how hard I tried to recall, I couldn’t place him. Until Mike, the bar owner, called out to me. “Leo, your fiancée is calling my phone now.” “But your phone still has battery, I see. What’s wrong? Did you two have a fight?” I looked up, and Mike, assuming I wanted to answer, picked up the call. He even thoughtfully turned up the volume and put it on speaker. As soon as he connected, I heard Celeste shout from the other end. “Hello, honey, I know you’re at the bar. Can you tell me where you are? Please, just give me a chance to explain.” I snatched the phone and hung up. Mike stared, bewildered. “Aren’t you going to find your fiancée? Aren’t you worried about her, being a woman out alone?” I glanced at the man who had approached Celeste; he was already disappearing into the crowd. I whispered, utterly devastated, “She’s not my fiancée. She doesn’t need me.”

It was two or three in the morning when I got back from the bar. Looking up, I saw Celeste crouching by my front door. She always did this when she messed up. “Honey, I couldn’t find you at the bar, and your phone was off.” “How much did you drink? You look like you can barely stand.” “Come on, let’s get you inside and cleaned up.” Celeste greeted me with a look of relief, then acted as if nothing had happened, showering me with concern. I pushed her away. “Get lost! Don’t touch me!” Celeste froze, her eyes welling up with hurt. “Sweetheart, it’s just the wedding company messing with us,” Celeste insisted. “The video, it’s a deepfake. I’ve already hired a lawyer to sue them. I’m sure I can find proof…” “I took the video.” I stared at her coldly. “You were so desperate to kiss before you even got inside, so engrossed, it’s no surprise you didn’t notice me nearby.” Celeste’s face went white, and she stood there, rigid and helpless. My stomach was churning with alcohol, and the slightest irritation sent waves of nausea through me. I pushed Celeste aside, who was blocking my way, and stumbled into the bathroom, clinging to the toilet, retching until tears streamed involuntarily from my eyes. Celeste followed me, standing silently. She handed me tissues, searched for a hangover cure, and cooked some noodles. She took care of me without a word. But every single second, my mind replayed the scene of her and her ex, impatiently kissing before entering the hotel room. Now, seeing her meticulous care, it felt jarring and utterly ridiculous. “Celeste, I don’t want to see you anymore. Get out of my house, now.” Suddenly, the sound of a bowl shattering echoed from the kitchen. She didn’t speak for a long moment. A few moments later, she placed the cooked noodles and hangover medicine in front of me, then quietly cleaned up the broken shards herself. “Leo, you need to calm down. I’ll come back in a few days so we can talk properly.” I leaned back on the couch, my hand weakly covering my eyes. “Get out.”

I slept on the couch all night, arms crossed, the food on the table untouched. Early in the morning, the front door rattled violently. The moment I opened it, my dad burst in, not caring if he bumped into me. “Leo! What the hell were you thinking?! Are you out of your mind?!” “Celeste is from an incredibly wealthy family! Having an ex-boyfriend is normal! Once you’re married, you’ll have everything you could ever want. Are you really going to ruin the wedding over something so trivial?!” “All our relatives and friends were there! Where am I supposed to put my face?!” My dad’s incessant nagging made my head pound. I said weakly, “Dad, didn’t you see the video at the wedding?” “She was checking into a hotel with her ex-boyfriend right before our wedding…” My dad waved his hand dismissively, refusing to listen. “Don’t tell me all that!! Celeste is a fourth-generation heiress; plenty of men would jump at the chance to marry her. This only happened because you couldn’t keep her. If you were capable enough to keep her devoted to you, none of this would have happened. You’re on the verge of rising to the next social tier! You’re just going to call it off? You’re 30, where are you going to find another woman who can help you as much as Celeste?” These words coming from my dad didn’t surprise me at all. He had no bottom line when it came to money, especially when it involved wealthy women. But I couldn’t do it. “Dad, if you love Celeste so much, why don’t you marry her yourself?” My dad’s face turned beet red with fury, and he raised his hand, ready to strike me. I’d drunk too much last night and hadn’t eaten a thing. This provocation made my stomach clench with pain, and I felt something rising. I pushed my dad away and rushed to the toilet, throwing up wildly. My dad’s mouth wouldn’t stop, lecturing me about being inflexible, having irregular eating habits, and drinking too much. But every sentence ended with Celeste. “Celeste is beautiful and well-behaved, from a top-tier family. If you can’t hold onto her, she’ll easily find someone more handsome, more capable, and more understanding than you. Then you’ll have nothing but regrets.” His words echoed through the hallway, piercing my ears. I remembered the sorrowful man from the bar last night. The belated realization hit me like a sledgehammer, pounding against my heart. “You’re a grown man, can’t even clean up after yourself. And why are there drops of blood on the floor?!” “Only Celeste would put up with you. Any other woman would have torn the house down by now.” I slammed the door shut and buried myself under my duvet. I curled up, wrapped tightly in the blanket, and wept silently.

The beginning of my relationship with Celeste wasn’t what my dad described. It wasn’t about me climbing the social ladder, and she just happened to be an unassertive rich girl. We’d been together for ten years. We fell in love during the most frantic period of my life, when my dad was trying to control me the most. In our tenth year, through my own hard work, I managed to buy a house and a car in her city. I teased her, “The house and car are paid off, the dowry’s ready, and I’ve even bought the diamond ring you love most. How long do we have to date before you’ll marry me?” She cupped my face and kissed me, her affection overflowing. After we pulled apart, her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. “This year, let’s get married.” “Leo, do you still want to marry me?” I don’t. I should have said no earlier. Celeste, you said that now, and in the future, only I would have your love. That I was the one who smoothed over your past. That I was the one who brought peace to your life. That I was the one you would walk down the aisle with. So why, when I was closest to happiness, did you cling to your ex-boyfriend? My dad badgered me, alternating between threats and pleas. All of them were about getting me to reconcile with Celeste.

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A notice suddenly appeared on my car’s windshield: 【Hey, neighbor from the same floor! My SUV is just too big, and my assigned parking spot is a nightmare to get into. I scouted around and your spot is perfect – spacious, super close to the elevator, and we’re neighbors, so it’s convenient! Please, as soon as you see this, add me on SnapChat so we can discuss switching spots and solve my parking problem.】 A phone number was left at the bottom. Of course, I ignored it. But then, almost immediately, I got a new friend request on SnapChat. 【Parking spot switch!】 I replied: 【Wow, the audacity! You’ve got some serious nerve.】 Less than three minutes later, my door was pounded on. I checked my doorbell camera. A man and a woman, with a chunky kid, were standing right outside my apartment. The man was banging his fist on the door, shouting, “Open up! What did you mean by that reply?! Come out and explain yourself!” I activated the intercom, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Can’t understand English, huh? Maybe ask your kid to teach you, or just look it up in a dictionary.” The man kicked my door. “Come out, you coward! Say it to my face!” I ignored the delusional couple. The woman put her hands on her hips and started guilt-tripping. “Our parking spot is tiny! It takes forever to park our car every day, making my husband late for work and our kid late for school! Can you afford to pay for that?!” The man chimed in, “You seriously don’t know how hard it is to park in our spot? We’ve scraped our car how many times already? Are you blind? Your car is tiny, taking up such a huge spot is a waste of resources! Come out and switch with us, now!” Their brazen, self-righteous attitude, despite being completely in the wrong, actually made me laugh. I immediately called the police, then spoke through the intercom. “Just wait. The cavalry, your personal judge and jury, will be here soon to sort you out.” And those people actually believed me. The man directed his wife, “Go back and grab two chairs. We’ll sit right here by her door and wait. We’re not leaving until this parking spot issue is resolved today.” The woman quickly returned with three chairs. The three of them genuinely sat down right in front of my door. The couple buried their heads in their phones. Their son wanted to play too, but they both lectured him. “Do you know why we can’t be home right now? And you’re still thinking about playing on your phone? If we don’t switch spots, you’ll be late for school every morning and everyone will laugh at you! Got it?” Leo immediately threw a fit, rolling on the ground and wailing. “I don’t want to be laughed at for being late! I want to go home and watch Paw Patrol!” His mom smiled and said, “Just tell the lady inside to come out quickly. If she switches spots with us, you can go home and watch Paw Patrol, and you’ll never be late again.” Leo rolled over to my door and started banging and kicking. “Open up! Open up quickly and switch parking spots!” Just then, the police arrived. The woman and the kid rushed over. “Officer, you’re here!” The officer asked, “Who called 911?” I opened my front door. “That would be me.”

I explained the whole situation, how the family of three had blocked my door. The key point was that they wanted to trade their tight $10,000 parking spot for my spacious $30,000 flat-level spot right by the elevator. The officer looked utterly bewildered. The family of three then tried to get him to side with them. “Officer, tell us, we’re neighbors, we should help each other out. Her car is small, but her spot is huge. Our car is big, but our spot is tiny. Wouldn’t switching be a win-win? Not only did she refuse, but she also called my husband names, said he had a big ego! Is that the behavior of a civilized person?!” The officer frowned. “Parking spots in this complex are bought with real money. Harper’s large spot is definitely worth more than your compact spot. If you want to switch, you need to negotiate amicably. You can’t just block someone’s door and force them! That’s against the law, do you understand?” The woman pinched her son, and he opened his mouth and let out an ear-splitting wail. The woman put on a distressed face. “Officer, we tried to negotiate, but she ignored us and even insulted us! If we don’t solve this parking problem, our normal lives will be affected! We had no other choice!” The officer’s face turned cold, his tone stern. “This is illegal! If you continue, we’ll have to take you to the station and detain you.” The couple looked incredibly reluctant, but they were clearly scared of being taken away. “We’ll go home now.” The officer gave them a few more strict warnings, then left. I was about to close my door too. Suddenly, Brad picked up a chair and shouted, “You just wait! You’re choosing the hard way! You think I can’t deal with you, huh?! Just you watch!” I glanced at him. Tiffany immediately jumped forward, pointing a finger at my nose and shrieking, “That’s my husband! Where are you looking?! If you keep staring, I’ll pluck your eyeballs out!” I took one look at her husband, who was five-foot-five and weighed 180 pounds, and quipped, “Talk about an inflated price for a pig.” Then I shut my door.

The next morning, I ran into Sarah, my neighbor from 1002, in the elevator. There are three units on each floor in our building. Sarah is also a single woman. We know each other, but we’re usually busy with work, so we don’t interact much. She hesitated, then asked, “Are the people from 1003 giving you trouble?” I nodded. She immediately looked distressed and warned me, “You need to be very careful. That family is incredibly difficult to deal with.” I asked, “Have they bothered you too?” Sarah’s face was a picture of exasperation. “I’m a preschool teacher, and their son, Leo, is in my class.” She showed me her SnapChat chat history. My jaw literally dropped, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The couple who’d been pounding on my door, Brad and Tiffany, were not only leeching off Sarah’s WiFi but were also treating her like their personal, unpaid babysitter. 【Sarah, our Leo isn’t very good at wiping his butt. You need to check him every time he poops and clean him up.】 【Leo said you criticized him today? We’re neighbors, and you’re not only not showing him favoritism, but you’re criticizing him? He hit someone because he’s got strong motor skills! Sarah, you *must* apologize to Leo formally, or we’ll go to the school and the Board of Education to complain.】 【Sarah, our Leo says he doesn’t like the food the school cook makes. Please change it to something Leo likes as soon as possible.】 … I was utterly stunned. Were they treating her like a genie, making wishes, or their family slave? How could they ask for anything and everything? I looked at Sarah. “You didn’t actually do all that, did you?” She said, frustrated, “If I didn’t listen, they’d come to the school, block the classroom door, make a scene, and complain about me to the principal.” I couldn’t believe it. “So you actually did what they asked?” Sarah looked like she was about to spit blood. “I’m up for a big promotion this year, and there’s only one spot, so the competition is fierce. If they cause a scene at the school a few times, I’ll lose my eligibility.” I immediately understood her frustration. I said sympathetically, “Sister, you’re in such a terrible situation!” She shook her head. “I just wanted to warn you that family is completely unreasonable and incredibly difficult. Be careful.” I was about to speak when the elevator doors opened, and Tiffany’s voice rang out from outside. “1001! Did you call my husband a pig yesterday?!” I rolled my eyes. What kind of brain did she have? It took her all night to figure that out? Her expression twisted, then she looked at me with a sneer. Before I could say anything, she turned to Sarah. “Sarah, didn’t I tell you Leo hasn’t been eating carrots lately? What’s going on? Why were there still carrots in the school lunch yesterday? And his most hated onions?!” Sarah replied weakly and perfunctorily, “I’ll pay attention today.” The crazy woman wasn’t done. “Is this your attitude as a teacher and a neighbor? Sarah, I’m just telling you, you’re not particularly pretty, and if you don’t make yourself more likable, how will you ever get married? You’ll end up an old maid, and when you’re old, who will take care of you? You could die in your apartment and rot away, and no one would even know.” Sarah clenched her fists, but she didn’t dare to speak. I scoffed. “Does her mouth have a direct line to her colon, just spewing out crap?” 3 Sarah’s face flushed crimson. Tiffany didn’t quite understand, but her son, Leo, rushed over, ready to hit me. “How dare you talk about my mom like that, you bitch! I’ll beat you to death!” I swiftly stepped back, and he swung at air, tumbling hard onto the floor. He opened his mouth and wailed. Tiffany immediately started cursing. “You bitch, you little whore, you hussy! How dare you hit our only son, the heir to the Liu family! I’m not done with you!” I pointed to the camera above. “I’ll call the police. Let’s see who’s doing the hitting.” She reached out to grab me, but I slapped her hand away. I realized I was going to be late for work, so I didn’t bother to argue with the crazy mother and son. I walked past them, got in my car, and drove off. I thought my attitude had made it clear to the delusional couple that I wasn’t a pushover like Sarah. I thought this whole thing was over. But when I got home from work, I saw that the Brad’s SUV was parked in my spot. Brad was standing by the elevator, and when he saw me, he smirked provocatively. “I parked my car here. What are you gonna do about it?” He turned and stepped into the elevator right in front of me. Just as the elevator doors closed, he was still grinning at me, showing off his stained yellow teeth. Oh, really? Fine. It seemed I was still too easygoing! I first contacted the building management. As expected, they sounded really helpless. “Ms. Harper, all the residents in your building have reported various issues with that family. But we don’t have law enforcement authority, and that family is completely brazen. Last time, they almost physically attacked our staff. I’ll arrange for staff and security to go talk to them now, but it’s unlikely to solve the problem. Please be prepared.” I hung up the phone and suddenly felt excited. Brad’s family, weren’t they just those infamous crazy neighbors you read about online? All those little tricks I had saved in my notes might actually come in handy! My work had been pretty dull lately, not much fun. I first called my studio, telling them my work hours would be flexible for a while. Then I exported and saved the dashcam footage of Brad occupying my parking spot and intentionally provoking me. After that, I made a U-turn and drove out. When I returned, my trunk was filled with bags of cement. Brad’s car was indeed still sitting comfortably in my parking spot, not moving an inch. I asked the building management, and they said they had talked to Tiffany, who claimed our two families had agreed to switch spots and told them to mind their own business. I told the management not to worry about their apology. I hung up and went to find the security guards, asking them to help me surround my parking spot with bags of cement, front and back. The two security guards initially looked a bit reluctant, but as soon as they saw the license plate number of the car in my spot, their faces lit up with excitement. Like they’d been given an energy drink, they quickly blocked off the spot. They did an even better job than I asked, ensuring the car parked in the spot definitely couldn’t get out. I offered them cigarettes, but they refused, only accepting bottled water. They chugged it down, shaking their heads, and practically skipped away. Wow, it was clear just how much Brad’s family was hated. I was basically doing God’s work. After I got home, I happily watched some reality TV and went to sleep. I dreamt of the crazy couple next door kneeling and begging me for mercy.

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My husband transferred the deed of a multi-million dollar mansion to his intern, Amber Thorne. Amber flaunted the property deed on SnapChat: “So grateful for my amazing CEO’s care! This little pup finally has a place to call home in NYC. ❤️” The sophisticated oil paintings in the room were replaced with cheap, cutesy landscape prints. I immediately called Leo Sterling. “Explain this. How did my mansion become someone else’s?” Leo’s nonchalant voice came through the phone: “Amber doesn’t have a place in NYC. We have so many houses; we won’t miss this one.” “You have ten minutes to transfer the property back and restore everything to how it was!” Leo hung up and didn’t reply. Three minutes later, Sterling Enterprises’ partners all withdrew their investments. If he wasn’t willing to fix the problem, I wouldn’t mind destroying Sterling Enterprises! Leo still hadn’t contacted me, but Grandpa Sterling called first. “Aurora, did that brat Leo upset you? Don’t you worry, my family has six other eligible grandsons. If he’s being an idiot, just pick another! But please, don’t take it out on Sterling Enterprises!” I sneered, “Grandpa Sterling, your grandson gave my mansion to a manipulative intern. Would you tolerate that?” A few seconds of silence, then a gritted voice: “That ignorant idiot! Aurora, don’t worry, I’ll make him return the house right away.” Soon, Leo burst into the office. “Aurora Blackwood, have you lost your mind? For a damn mansion, you actually contacted Grandpa and tried to replace me as the heir to this company!” “When did you become so vicious?!” So that’s how he saw me. I gazed out at the rainy window, a chill spreading from my fingertips to my heart. “That mansion was bought with our joint marital assets. Without my permission, you had no right to give it to anyone else.” “Leo Sterling, transfer the property back immediately, and that includes all my paintings. Not one can be missing.” “Otherwise, Sterling Enterprises will lose much, much more!” Leo fell silent. He knew I always kept my word. If he didn’t do as I said today, I would truly cut off all of Sterling Enterprises’ partnerships. Finally, he sighed helplessly, “Fine, I promise.” Then he pressed his lips together, his eyes burning as he looked at me. This was his usual trick. Every time he made a mistake, he’d put on this expression. In the past, whenever he looked like that, I would always rush into his arms and hug him tight. But now, I simply instructed my assistant to show him out. As a married man, if he couldn’t even maintain the most basic boundaries, I had no reason to indulge him. Soon, the property deed was changed back and returned. I smashed his favorite antique vase and sent him a picture of the broken pieces on the floor. “Leo Sterling, you know my temper. Don’t let it happen again!” He didn’t reply. I knew he was angry. But he was the one who crossed the line; he couldn’t blame me.

The next day, right after the board meeting, I received a call from the project director. “Ms. Blackwood, something’s come up with the Northbrook project!” When I arrived on site, I found out that Amber Thorne had offended Commissioner Davies with her rude remarks. This project, a city council initiative, was a joint venture between Blackwood Corp and Sterling Enterprises. How could Leo entrust such a crucial meeting to an inexperienced intern? I immediately apologized to Commissioner Davies. He let it go, out of respect for me. But just as I was about to fire Amber, Leo burst into the conference room. “Aurora Blackwood, Amber Thorne is my intern. You have no right to fire her!” “You’re so irrational and blindly retaliating; it honestly disgusts me!” He didn’t ask for reasons, just pointed at me and yelled. The gentle, charming man he once was, now glaring at me for another woman. I put down the documents and looked at him calmly. “Mr. Sterling, please clarify your identity.” “First, you are my husband. Where do you put my reputation when you stand up for another woman?” “Second, you are the head of Sterling Enterprises. Do you really think Amber Thorne is qualified to handle such an important partnership?” “Ask everyone here, am I being irrational?!” Leo’s face went pale, his fists clenched tight, knuckles turning white. The air in the conference room seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath. I looked at Amber Thorne. “Come on, tell us yourself. What did you do to Commissioner Davies during the meeting?” Amber hung her head, unable to utter a word for a long time. I pulled out the surveillance footage from that day and handed it to Leo. The screen showed Amber Thorne yelling at Commissioner Davies, calling him a condescending jerk, and then pouring a cup of coffee over his head. Amber quickly tried to defend herself, “Leo, he insulted me, that’s why I…” I crossed my legs and looked up at her. “You got several of the project data points wrong. He was kindly correcting you. You call that an insult?” But Leo was still defending her. “Amber is also new to such a major meeting. She might have been nervous and misspoke.” “No harm was done. Just for my sake, give her another chance.” I looked at Leo’s pleading eyes and suddenly found it incredibly laughable. “You have two choices: either fire her, or Blackwood Corp withdraws from this project.” Leo panicked. He knew this partnership was primarily based on my influence. If Blackwood Corp pulled out, the project would definitely be lost. Grandpa Sterling was already extremely displeased with him, and his six brothers were all waiting in the wings. His position as CEO of Sterling Enterprises was likely at risk. But just as he was about to make a tough decision, Amber started to sob. “Leo, it’s my fault… I shouldn’t have acted on impulse and betrayed your trust.” “But Commissioner Davies, he… he said you only got where you are by clinging to the Blackwood family, he said you were just a parasite…” “I just couldn’t stand it, that’s why…” “I know I caused you trouble. I’ll go to HR and resign now. Don’t make it difficult…” She started to walk out, but Leo grabbed her arm. “Stop! I won’t let you leave!” Watching this scene, my heart suddenly twisted with a sharp pain. The man who once promised me a lifetime together was now confronting me for another woman. I was in no mood to argue with them anymore. I called security and had them escorted out.

My persistence angered Grandpa Sterling, who immediately ordered Amber Thorne’s termination. To compensate her, Leo took her shopping for bags. After circling the luxury brand section, Amber finally stopped in front of a globally limited edition Hermès Birkin bag. Her eyes full of greed, she said, “Leo, this bag is so exquisite!” “But a bag of this caliber is probably only for socialites and wealthy ladies. How could someone as ordinary as me deserve it?” Her mouth said she didn’t deserve it, but her fingers clutched the bag strap tightly, refusing to let go. “Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re excellent. One day you’ll stand at the top and look down on everything!” “I’ll buy you this bag. Let it be your motivation.” Just then, the store manager hurried over. “I’m so sorry, this bag was reserved by Ms. Blackwood. You two can look at our other…” “Aurora Blackwood?” Amber spun around, seeing me emerge from the VIP room. A flicker of hatred crossed her face, quickly replaced by a humble expression. “Ms. Blackwood, you have excellent taste. This bag truly suits you. Someone like me is perfectly fine with a regular style.” “That’s just how the world is. I could work my entire life, give it my all, and still not even touch Ms. Blackwood’s shoelaces.” “But Ms. Blackwood is different. She was born to look down on everything.” “How could I possibly deserve this bag? Leo, let’s go.” Leo frowned at her words. “You’re both human. What makes her so superior? Don’t belittle yourself.” He turned to me, anger blazing in his eyes. “Aurora Blackwood, do you have to stomp on everyone to be satisfied?” “Amber has fought her way to where she is now through her own efforts. Someone like you, born with a silver spoon in your mouth, can’t even compare to one of her fingers!” “You’re nothing but a petty, spiteful person!” Me, a petty person? I almost laughed at the absurdity. “What does her effort have to do with me? I didn’t give birth to her, so don’t question me.” “And I reserved this bag half a year ago. Is there a problem with me coming to pick it up today?” Leo sneered, “You have a dozen bags in your closet. Will you die without this one?” He suddenly pulled out his black card and slammed it on the counter. “Today, I insist on this bag!” I looked at his hand trembling with rage, and suddenly felt a profound sense of mockery. “Leo Sterling, have you forgotten? Every single cent on your card belongs to the Blackwood family, doesn’t it?” His face instantly turned ashen. Many families wanted to marry into the Blackwood family, but it was his relentless pursuit that swayed me. “Just marry me, and I’ll love you well, I’ll never betray you.” I thought I had finally found true love, so I chose to marry him. After our marriage, I even used Blackwood Corp’s assets to support Sterling Enterprises. I had always thought that in marriage, we were one. As long as we loved each other, money didn’t matter. But I never imagined he would trample our marriage into the dirt for an intern.

Because of the bag incident, he was angry and didn’t come home for several days. It wasn’t until Grandpa Sterling arrived with his six other grandsons that Leo finally panicked. He moved back that very night. That night, Amber Thorne suddenly called, crying uncontrollably. “Leo, please, beg Ms. Blackwood for me. Tell her not to make things difficult for me.” “I really can’t keep going…” Leo quickly comforted her. “What happened? What did she do to you?!” “Leo, now all the companies are refusing to hire me. Ms. Blackwood must have put in a word.” “Please, beg Ms. Blackwood to let me go. I’m just an ant; I have no right to contend with her.” Leo’s brow furrowed. He turned and glared at me. “Don’t be scared, no one will bully you when I’m here!” After hanging up, he grabbed my collar, his eyes bloodshot. “Aren’t you going too far? Do you have to push Amber to the brink?!” “She’s just a young girl trying to make her way in the world, hardworking and ambitious.” “Don’t think that just because you have a few stinking dollars, you can treat others as nothing!” I pushed his hand away and looked at him calmly. “Leo Sterling, this is the second time. Three strikes, and you’re out. Do you know the consequences if there’s a third?” “I didn’t do those things, nor would I stoop so low. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.” He glowered at me, then slammed the door shut and left. He only left one sentence: “I must have been blind to marry you.” My heart felt as if it was being squeezed by a pair of large hands, tearing me apart. The person I once cherished as my most precious possession now looked at me with such disgust. I, Aurora Blackwood, always so proud, had actually come to this. Leo ignored Grandpa Sterling’s pressure and openly brought Amber Thorne to various events. In the blink of an eye, Amber became a rising star in our social circle. Everyone tacitly accepted their relationship. Leo not only didn’t clarify, but he also took Amber to play golf every week and spent hours alone with her in the private lounge. It was even rumored that he replaced our wedding photo on his office desk with a picture of him and Amber. Good. Very good. The man who swore to be devoted to me had completely died. Since he was the first to violate our contract, he couldn’t blame me for being merciless. Leo Sterling, betraying me deserves a price! I had my lawyer draft the divorce papers and personally delivered them to Sterling Enterprises. Pushing open the CEO’s office door, I found Leo leaning over, guiding Amber Thorne through document revisions, their faces almost touching.

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My mother was killed by my husband’s childhood sweetheart. My husband, Alex Miller, a top-tier attorney, didn’t hesitate. He immediately took the woman he’d grown up with to court. But the final verdict was that Mom had staged the accident. Eight lawsuits, eight crushing defeats. Yet, Alex never gave up. Ashley Evans cried, questioning him: “We grew up together! Do you really have to keep hounding me?” Finally, after the tenth brutal defeat, he found me, his face gaunt, his beard scruffy. “There’s really no evidence to convict Ashley, Chloe. Let’s just lay Mom to rest.” I cried into his arms all night. The next day, I kidnapped Ashley Evans and started a live stream to the entire internet. I smiled at the camera: “Alex, you have ten chances to submit the real evidence. Otherwise…” With one swift cut, I severed Ashley’s pinky finger: “You’ll personally be piecing your childhood sweetheart back together!” The live stream shot up to over a hundred thousand viewers almost instantly. Ashley Evans was gagged and tied to a chair. I stood behind her, a knife in my hand, a smile on my face. Everyone watched, tense. The most anxious of them all was my husband, Alex Miller. “Chloe! There’s truly nothing suspicious about Mom’s accident! I checked thoroughly!” He yelled at me through the camera. I watched his panicked face on the big screen in the room, shaking my head with a smile: “No, you haven’t submitted all the confirmed evidence to the police yet.” The live chat exploded: [Is this woman out of her mind? Doesn’t ten lost lawsuits prove anything?] [She’s paranoid, isn’t she? Won’t be satisfied unless the driver is charged with premeditated murder?] [Her husband is a top-tier attorney! He charges seven-figure retainers for cases, and he’s impossible to book! He dropped all his other cases to fight ten lawsuits for her! That’s more than enough!] Watching the overwhelming support for him, Alex’s expression softened. His voice grew more confident: “Chloe! The facts are clear, the evidence is plain. I don’t know what else I’m supposed to submit. “Your current actions constitute a serious criminal offense! Release Ashley immediately, and I’ll defend you!” I said nothing. I grabbed Ashley’s ear and swiftly sliced it off. Alex’s expression froze. I held the ear up, dangling it for the camera: “Do you think I’m kidding?” Alex’s face turned deathly pale as he stared at the camera: “You… you’ve completely lost it!” I casually tossed the ear to the floor. The golden retriever immediately pounced on it, wagging its tail. “One.” I held up a single finger. “Alex Miller, ten lost lawsuits, ten concealments. You also have ten chances to submit the evidence you’ve hidden all ten times to all these viewers. Each time, I’ll give you ten minutes.” [??? Is she crazy? Submit what if there’s no evidence?] [Don’t drag us innocent viewers into this! We’re not just going to side with whoever’s mom died, okay?] [Besides, maybe your mom really did try to stage an accident and it went wrong? Ashley is the victim here, okay?] I watched the comments scroll wildly. Most people were accusing me of being deluded, refusing to accept the verdict of ten trials. [She’s just trying to extort money! Like mother, like daughter, a big scammer raising a little scammer! Mom failed, now the daughter continues the scam!] [Where are the police? Track her down quickly! Otherwise, this poor girl is going to be killed by this fraud!] The police also sent a private message: [We have located you. Immediately put down your weapon and surrender!] I just sneered. I had already asked my best friend to handle the technical side. My location was unstable, impossible to pinpoint, not even a general area. A cheap trick. Sure enough, minute after minute passed, and there was no movement from the police. The online viewers grew frantic, flooding the police’s social media with messages. The police station’s phone lines were even jammed by the anxious callers. Left with no choice, the police issued a statement, acknowledging the unknown location. They stated they were mobilizing top technical personnel to pinpoint me. I glanced at my watch. I pressed the knife against Ashley’s trembling face: “Ready, my dear?” “Wait!” Alex stopped my movement, cold sweat beading on his forehead: “I’ll submit…”

The evidence was submitted quickly. I glanced at it. It was new evidence, as expected. But just one look, and I spun around, plunging a pencil into Ashley’s right eye socket. “Mmph! Mmph!!” Ashley was gagged, but she still managed to make sounds. She tilted her head back in agony, blood gushing from her eye socket, her left eye streaming tears. “Chloe!!” Alex lunged closer to the camera: “I’ve already submitted it! How dare you do that!” I held the printed new evidence up to the camera, shaking it: “Do you take me for a fool? It looks convincing, but this alone isn’t enough to convict Ashley of premeditated murder!” I threw the evidence to the floor, stepping on it, staring coldly into the camera: “Alex, playing games won’t work.” Alex’s face paled even further. The online crowd was enraged: [Your mom just messed up her own scam! Submitting evidence of premeditated murder would be perjury!] [Everyone in the legal world knows Alex Miller’s stellar reputation! YOU’RE the one committing murder!] [Release the hostage!] I just smiled, glancing at my watch: “My dear, you have six minutes left.” Alex leaned on the table, glaring intensely at the camera: “The case is closed, there are no objections! What do you want me to submit?!” “You know what.” I stared back at the camera, my voice cold: “If you truly love your childhood sweetheart enough, then submit the real evidence quickly!” Alex gritted his teeth savagely: “If I had intended to deceive you, I would’ve just pointed you to some amateur lawyer! Why would I waste years fighting ten appeals for you?!” I raised my chin: “Only you know that.” The online insults against me grew fiercer. Countless people accused me of being a heartless monster, betraying my husband. The police’s negotiation team kept sending me private messages. I just sat beside Ashley, surrounded by a pool of blood, watching my watch. “Time’s up.” I stood. Ashley stared at me in terror with her one remaining eye. “Chloe!” A familiar voice echoed. I spun around. A familiar face stood before the camera. “Uncle Robert!” I froze. “Chloe, I’ve thoroughly analyzed your mother’s case. Things really aren’t as you think.”

The knife hovered over Ashley’s brow. I frowned: “Uncle Robert, what are you talking about?” Uncle Robert stood before the camera, righteous indignation in his voice: “As a forensic analyst, I’ve analyzed your mother’s case no less than ten times. This matter, indeed, was your mother’s fault.” I stared at the camera in disbelief: “Uncle Robert, are you saying my mom staged an accident?” Uncle Robert sighed: “Chloe, you must respect the facts. The crime scene analysis unequivocally indicates that.” “I think you’re the one not respecting facts!” I pointed at the camera: “She was your sister! Your own sister! “Back when we were so poor we couldn’t even afford food, Mom would return a hundred-dollar bill a stranger dropped. “From the day I was born, she taught me kindness. You’ve known her for nearly fifty years, and you actually think that of her!” Uncle Robert frowned: “Chloe, people change.” I laughed. I ripped off the cloth gagging Ashley: “I think you’re the one who’s changed.” “Help…” Ashley couldn’t even finish her word before I clamped her jaw, forcing her mouth open. Pliers reached into her mouth, one, two, three. The floor was littered with the teeth I’d wrenched from her mouth. “Ah!!” Ashley’s screams were bone-chilling. Uncle Robert leaned closer to the camera: “Enough! Stop it! Chloe! Stop it now!!” After pulling out the last tooth, Ashley collapsed, her mouth a bloody mess, her body trembling uncontrollably. “Ashley…” Uncle Robert’s pupils trembled. I glared directly into the camera: “What, Uncle Robert? You knew her all along?” Uncle Robert paused, then immediately regained his righteous expression: “Chloe! You’re a disgrace to your mother’s memory!” I chuckled, glancing at my watch: “You’ve already wasted three chances. “Fourth chance, ten minutes. Timer, start.” I sat back down on the chair beside Ashley, calmly twirling the pliers. Alex paced frantically in front of the camera. With thirty seconds left, I began to count down: “29, 28, 27…” “There’s no such thing as evidence of premeditated murder! What do you want me to submit?!” Alex was losing his mind. The online crowd was also indignant: [If there was, anyone would have submitted it by now! Isn’t she forcing Alex Miller to commit perjury?] [Exactly! Forcing Alex to ruin his career!] [This woman is utterly malicious!] “5, 4…” “Chloe!!” “3, 2…” “Chloe, come to your senses!” “1…” “Mommy!” A small, childish voice piped up. I froze, quickly standing up: “Leo…”

“Mommy!” Leo’s tiny, tear-streaked face appeared on camera, sobbing. “Leo, did Daddy bring you here?” I had specifically told my best friend not to involve the child in this. Could my friend have… “Mommy! Grandma really did run into Ms. Ashley’s car on purpose!” My pupils constricted. The online viewers grew even more displeased: [Chloe, look at what you’ve done! Such a young child forced to face all this!] [Even her child is speaking out, Chloe! Are you still going to be delusional? This is your own son!] I tightened my grip on the knife: “Leo, that’s your Grandma! The Grandma who sang you lullabies, the Grandma who broke her own leg chasing off a kidnapper to save you!” Leo cried: “Grandma really said she was going to stage an accident with Ms. Ashley! Leo isn’t lying! Leo really isn’t lying! Mommy, please let Ms. Ashley go, okay?” Alex pulled Leo into his arms: “Chloe! Are you going to doubt even your own child’s words?!” I gritted my teeth: “What did you teach him to say?” [??? Seriously, does she have a mental illness?] [Finally, I know where those idiotic male leads who never believe the female protagonist in novels come from. Art truly imitates life.] “Chloe! If you won’t listen to Leo, who *will* convince you?!” Alex was righteously indignant. I just grabbed Ashley’s hair, forcing her ravaged face towards the camera. The knife tip gently grazed her skin. I chuckled: “Alex, did you think that all this time during the appeals, I hadn’t noticed you secretly messaging her at night?” Alex’s eyes widened suddenly. “Fourth chance, gone!” I raised the knife high above Ashley’s left eye. “Mommy!!” Leo held up a letter: “Grandma told me to give you this before she left!” The knife tip stopped less than a millimeter from Ashley’s eyeball. “Mom?” I stared in disbelief at the letter Leo offered. It clearly stated that Mom, unable to bear the torment of cancer, planned to leave this world in such a manner.

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On the day of our civil wedding, my boyfriend, Julian Blackwood, had me kicked out of the courthouse, then walked in with his childhood sweetheart. He looked at me with an indifferent shrug: “Seraphina’s child needs his birth registered. Once we’re divorced, I’ll marry you.” Everyone expected me, so deeply in love, to willingly wait another month for him. After all, I had waited seven years. But that very night, I accepted an arranged marriage abroad. And vanished from his world. Three years later, I returned to the country with my husband for a family remembrance trip. Asher had a sudden business emergency, so he arranged for someone from his domestic branch to pick me up. I never imagined I’d run into Julian Blackwood, whom I hadn’t seen in three years. “You’ve played this game long enough. It’s time to come back… Seraphina’s child is starting kindergarten soon, you can handle the pick-ups and drop-offs.” In the arrival hall, I spotted someone holding a sign with my English name. Walking closer, I realized it was my ex-boyfriend, Julian, whom I hadn’t seen in three years. He was with Seraphina Hayes and a few of his buddies, all craning their necks, eagerly peering into the crowd. “Julian, isn’t that your simping ex, Elara?” Julian looked surprised to see me, but quickly masked it, feigning nonchalance. “See? I told you she’d come crawling back.” They all snickered, turning their attention to me: “Elara just vanished without a word back then. Now that Julian’s made it big, she’s probably crying herself to sleep every night, filled with regret!” “But Elara, if you’re trying to stage a ‘chance encounter,’ why are you wearing casual clothes? Didn’t you bother to spruce yourself up?” “Don’t tell me without Julian, you can’t even afford decent clothes? Look how low you’ve fallen!” I used to meticulously apply my most exquisite makeup and choose the most flattering clothes, always presenting my best self whenever I met Julian. But now, there was no need. My husband didn’t allow me to wear makeup while pregnant and insisted I wear whatever was comfortable. This casual outfit was custom-made for me by someone he specifically hired. Still, listening to them, I realized they only knew my English name but had no idea *I* was the person they were supposed to be picking up. Seeing me remain silent, someone I used to be close with quickly tried to smooth things over. “Elara, it’s good you’re back. Julian has actually been looking for you all these years… asking around for any news!” Julian’s smile froze, but he quickly composed himself, speaking as if nothing had happened. “Seraphina’s child is starting kindergarten soon. You can be in charge of picking him up and dropping him off.” Julian was still as self-important and arrogant as ever. But I was no longer the girl who used to endlessly tolerate him. Seeing him again, all that was left in my heart was annoyance. Unwilling to waste time with them, I was about to reveal my identity when Seraphina spoke first: “Elara, please don’t blame Julian. He’s just trying to take care of you. After all, who knows what you’ve been doing out there for three years?” “Now that you’re looking so run-down and poor, even if he wanted to give you my personal assistant job, you couldn’t handle it.” “Don’t worry, just help me take care of my son. Nobody will look down on you for that.” Three years, and Seraphina was still so haughty, still capable of making me frown in disgust. Julian, however, misinterpreted my reaction, thinking I was still jealous and angry over him. A flicker of triumph crossed his eyes. “Alright, you’re obviously not making it out there, so what airs are you putting on?” “Just take care of the child and stop causing trouble. You need to recognize your place.” “Don’t worry, there’s still a room for the nanny at my house.” At his words, the people around us immediately broke into mocking laughter. “Elara, see how good Julian is to you? He’s worried you’d suffer out there, so he’s arranged your food and lodging.” “He’s just asking you to help Seraphina with the child—isn’t that way better than your current impoverished life? Why aren’t you thanking Julian?” Seraphina touched her earring, feigning concern. “Elara, don’t worry. If my son is naughty and disobedient, I’ll help you discipline him. I won’t let you be wronged.” Julian chuckled, giving me a dismissive glance.

“Wronged? What’s there to be wronged about? She disappeared over such a small matter back then. Now she’s back because she couldn’t make it on her own. A little hardship is what she deserves.” My heart practically stopped at those words. Even now, did he still think getting married to Seraphina was a “small matter”? The Julian who once loved me was long gone. He was no longer the boy who, despite his own injuries, carried me across half the city. Nor the young man who, with nothing, loudly proclaimed his love and promised me everything. And certainly not the successful man who once willingly cooked for me with his own hands. But it was fine. It was all in the past, no need to dwell on it. After all, I was about to have my second child. Pushing down my thoughts, I really didn’t want to waste time bickering with them here. It was pointless. I looked at Julian, my voice calm. “Aren’t you here to pick me up? Let’s go.” The scene went silent for a moment. They exchanged glances, then suddenly burst into laughter. Seraphina scoffed, her voice cold. “Wait for *you*? You think you’re worthy?!” She pointed at the sign. “Look closely, we’re waiting for Helina. Do you even know who that is?” That was my English name. Of course, I knew. “Helina is Mrs. Montgomery, the lady of the Montgomery family, Mr. Montgomery’s rightful wife.” “Mr. Montgomery is a fierce decision-maker in the business world, but personally, he’s a true romantic. Rumor has it he didn’t marry for years because he was waiting for Helina.” “Everyone in our circle knows it’s better to curry favor with Mrs. Montgomery than with Mr. Montgomery. Mrs. Montgomery is the apple of his eye.” Hearing their chattering, a happy smile touched my lips. Three years into our marriage, Asher’s business had grown exponentially, and his reputation as a doting husband had only gotten louder. Seraphina, always wanting to one-up me, seized the opportunity to show off: “To win Mrs. Montgomery’s heart, Mr. Montgomery once bought a ‘True Love Forever’ bracelet at Christie’s, valued at 20 million… dollars.” “Mrs. Montgomery is the envy of women everywhere.” She paused, then pointed at my wrist, her voice shrill. “It’s this one!” The crowd suddenly fell silent, everyone staring at my bracelet. Julian roughly grabbed my hand, scrutinizing it for a moment, then sneered. “Pretty good fake! Which broke delivery guy got this for you? Gifting knock-offs, seriously.” “Trash.” I yanked my hand away from him, a faint smile playing on my lips as I gently caressed the bracelet. Seeing my happy smile, Julian’s pupils constricted. He grabbed my wrist again, violently ripping the bracelet off. I hadn’t expected such a sudden move and he succeeded in one swift motion.

Seraphina stepped forward, examining the bracelet. She took it from Julian’s hand and toyed with it. “It’s definitely more exquisite than the fake I bought, but I’d never wear it out. People would laugh.” “Foreign knock-offs really are different; the texture is quite nice.” “Or, are you saying, Elara, that *you* are Helina, the legendary Mrs. Montgomery?!” At her words, the surrounding group burst into laughter. After all, to them, it was utterly ridiculous. Asher Montgomery was a globally renowned financial genius, ruthless and decisive in the business world. And I, three years ago, was still hanging out with them, a nobody Julian had rejected at the courthouse. It was impossible to imagine. Seraphina swung the bracelet around on her finger. “Elara, let me have this bracelet. I’ll pay double.” Fearing she might drop it, I quickly said, “Give me back my bracelet! Asher gave me that…” Before I could finish, Julian slapped me so hard my head snapped to the side, and blood welled at the corner of my mouth. “Shut up!” Julian looked at me, infuriated. “Elara, Mr. Montgomery’s name isn’t something you get to casually utter. How dare you spread rumors about being involved with him? Are you trying to get me killed?” Julian’s buddies also looked indignant, glaring at me. “Elara, do you have any idea how hard we fought to get the chance to pick up Mrs. Montgomery today?” “Julian’s company was acquired by Mr. Montgomery last year. We’re all dependent on Mr. Montgomery for our very livelihood. Only by currying favor with Mrs. Montgomery can Julian’s position be secure.” “Now you’re here spreading rumors about being involved with Mr. Montgomery? Are you trying to ruin Julian?” I wiped the blood from my lip, slowly turning my head to meet Julian’s gaze.

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Everyone knew Julian Thorne and I were his absolute darlings. I wanted to see stars, so he splashed hundreds of millions to orchestrate a private meteor shower display. My son loved carousels, so Julian built the biggest amusement park *ever*, named after him. He was never stingy with his love for my son and me. The day my son and I were in a car accident, Julian Thorne brought in a renowned medical team to save me. I clung to life, begging him to save my son first. But he choked back tears and told me our son had bled out on the way to the hospital. Finally, I couldn’t hold on anymore and passed out. When I woke up, I heard him talking to the doctor outside the door. “Mr. Thorne, the young boy could have been saved. Why did you just stand by and watch your own son die?” Julian Thorne’s nonchalant voice replied. “Noah was always meant to be the donor for Seraphina’s child and mine.” “If he didn’t die, how else could I legitimately take his heart for Leo?” “I’ve been good enough to Scarlett and her son all these years. Now, it’s their turn to repay me.” So, Julian Thorne’s kindness to my son and me was just a twisted exchange for my son’s heart. All the suffering my son and I endured was orchestrated by him. If that’s the case, then I’ll play along. 0

Just outside the rescue room, separated by a single door, I heard Julian Thorne chuckle. “Mrs. Thorne’s uterus suffered severe trauma while protecting the boy. To save her life, we had no choice but to remove it.” The doctor’s voice was terrified. “Mr. Thorne, are you saying… Mrs. Thorne has already lost one child. By doing this, you’re ensuring she can never be a mother again in this lifetime.” “Don’t you think that’s too cruel?” Julian Thorne’s tone remained calm. “In this lifetime, I will only ever have one child: Leo.” “And as compensation, Scarlett Hayes will always be Mrs. Thorne.” “Proceed with the surgery quickly. I need to see Leo. He and Seraphina must need me desperately right now.” “Oh, and be careful during the procedure. My wife is sensitive to pain.” In a daze, Julian Thorne’s footsteps faded further down the hallway. My hands, clenched by my sides, were lacerated and bloody from my nails digging in. I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face. It turned out that the good husband and father my son and I had been so proud of was a lie. The love he gave us was also a lie. The only truth was the six-year deception he orchestrated. Using a meticulously orchestrated car accident, he stole my son’s heart. As the anesthesia seeped into my veins, my consciousness blurred further. I only felt the cold instruments ruthlessly invading my body, and the chill plunged me into one nightmare after another. The dreams were pitch black. My son stood in the darkness, his usually beating chest hollow. He reached out to me, crying: “Mommy, Noah hurts so bad, Mommy…” “Noah!” I jolted awake from the nightmare, meeting Julian Thorne’s concerned eyes. “Honey, you’re finally awake.” “Do you know how worried I was about losing you during these two days you were unconscious?” He trembled as he embraced me. “I’ve already lost our son. I can’t lose you too.” My ear was pressed against Julian Thorne’s chest, his frantic heartbeat seeming to confirm the truth of his words. Julian Thorne continued: “Honey, the doctor said the car accident damaged your uterus. We might not be able to have any more children.” “But it’s okay. Having you is enough for me.” He spoke with such conviction. If this were before, I would have felt lucky to have married such a good man. But now, with my body scarred and ‘incomplete,’ his flawless acting sickened me. I subtly pushed him away. “Where’s Noah? I need to see him.” Julian Thorne’s expression faltered. He stroked my head, his voice low. “I’m sorry, honey. I was afraid you’d be too heartbroken to see his body, so I already arranged for the cremation yesterday.” He wasn’t afraid of me seeing Noah and getting upset; he was terrified I’d see the gaping hole where his heart used to be. I suppressed the hatred in my eyes and looked at the crooked red string bracelet on Julian Thorne’s wrist. It was a gift from our son. Before the accident, Julian Thorne often had trouble sleeping at night. Noah had asked his school teacher to teach him how to make bracelets, then wove red string and some dried herbs, which he’d heard could help with sleep, and gave it to him. Julian Thorne had looked at the clumsily made bracelet in shock, opening his mouth but unable to speak for a long time. It wasn’t until Noah called him “Daddy” again that he took the bracelet and carefully put it on his wrist. He hugged our son and said, “Noah, thank you. Daddy loves it.” Now, it seemed that while Noah worried about Julian Thorne’s insomnia, Julian’s ‘insomnia’ was him meticulously planning the ‘accident’ that would take our son’s life. Julian Thorne followed my gaze and saw the bracelet too. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes, and he quickly covered the bracelet with his sleeve. “Honey, I promise you, I will spend the rest of my life, just like you, remembering our Noah.” I lowered my eyes and said nothing more. My only solace in this moment, my one grim comfort, was that Noah had believed, until his very last breath, that Julian Thorne loved him. But I couldn’t let that make me forget that Julian was the one who killed my son. Noah, Mommy will get revenge for you. And I will leave this two-faced monster, this killer who destroyed us. 0

Because I disliked the antiseptic smell of hospitals, Julian Thorne took me home the next day. If I hadn’t seen through his demonic nature, Julian Thorne would have been a perfect husband. He would personally cook for me, thoughtfully remembering every single one of my dietary preferences and aversions. He even worried that I still harbored trauma from the accident, soaking my feet and massaging them every night. It wasn’t until the third day after we returned home that Julian Thorne finally left early, claiming he had company business. I saw a message from Seraphina Duval on his phone screen, which he hadn’t bothered to turn off yet. 【Julian, Leo keeps asking for his dad. I can’t calm him down anymore.】 Seraphina’s child wanted his dad, and Julian Thorne rushed to his side without a second thought. My son, however, died on his way to see his dad. I silently watched Julian Thorne leave, then went to the third floor and stood outside his study. For five years of marriage, Julian Thorne had kept the study locked, citing the need for personal space in a marriage. I typed in Seraphina’s and Leo’s birthdays. The lock clicked open. Inside the vast study, all four walls were covered with photos of their family of three. From Seraphina’s pregnancy and childbirth, to Leo’s milestones – his first month, his first tooth, his first steps – Julian Thorne had documented everything. Yet, my son’s entire four years, from birth to death, couldn’t even fill a small photo album. I then opened the diary on Julian Thorne’s desk. 【May 20th: Seraphina told me she had a surprise for me. Even though I suspected it was news of her pregnancy, when she placed the pregnancy test in front of me, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.】 【January 23rd: I became a father. I named him Leo.】 【He was so tiny. When I held him in my arms, for a moment, I almost wanted to give them everything I owned.】 【But then the doctor told me Leo was born with a congenital heart condition.】 【September 30th: For Leo, I got married. The bride wasn’t Seraphina.】 【Seraphina, I will be a good husband, a good father.】 The last sentence he wrote, the words almost piercing the page, spoke of a monumental decision. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. So, marrying me was such an agonizing sacrifice. No wonder, five years ago, when I joyfully presented my pregnancy test results to Julian Thorne, he remained silent for a long time. Then, as if checking off an item on his to-do list, he said, “Thank you.” When Noah was born, Julian Thorne didn’t even hold him. His first glance at Noah wasn’t one of warmth, but a cold command to the doctor to run a full physical, especially on his heart. On our wedding night, the room remained dark. It was only by the moonlight filtering through the window that I could clearly see Julian Thorne’s face. Before, I thought he was just shy. Now, it was clear: the person he wanted to marry wasn’t me, and the face he wanted to see wasn’t mine. The diary entries were chaotic, all about Seraphina and Leo. The latest entry was seven days ago. 【Maybe the dried herbs really do help with sleep.】 【I had a good night’s sleep. I even dreamed of…】 Julian Thorne didn’t finish the sentence, and I had no desire to read further. I took photos of the diary content, sent them to the private investigator I’d hired, then put the diary back. As I walked out of the study, Julian Thorne returned. He saw me coming down from the third floor, and a flicker of panic crossed his otherwise composed face. “Why did you suddenly go upstairs? Your injuries aren’t healed yet, you need more bed rest.” I brushed off his automatic attempt to steady me. “I got tired of lying in bed.” Julian Thorne stared at me, then, seeing my expression was normal, he subtly let out a sigh of relief. He pulled something from behind his back. “Honey, your favorite pastries from Henderson’s Bakery. I made a special trip to get them for you.” It was true, I loved Henderson’s pastries. But five minutes ago, Seraphina Duval had posted a picture of the exact same pastries on Ins. The caption read: “Just one wish from Leo, and *someone* drove two hours to get it.” She used to post these vague Ins updates often. It was just that back then, I never would have imagined that ‘someone’ was my own husband. Out of Julian Thorne’s sight, I ‘liked’ Seraphina’s Ins post. I thought, I’ll wait a little longer. Once I had enough evidence, my relationship with Julian Thorne would be over. 0

When I paid off the private investigator, Seraphina Duval contacted me. She asked to meet me at a house in the secluded outskirts. The house, decorated in warm tones, felt so inviting and homey, unlike Julian Thorne’s and my place. He always said he preferred simplicity, so our home was furnished entirely in black, white, and gray. Seraphina sat on the sofa, leisurely admiring her freshly done manicure. “So, you finally found out about Julian and me.” With Noah’s heart safely in her son, she didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. “Julian promised me he’d bring Leo and me home, making Leo officially a Thorne, rightfully inheriting his name and legacy.” I looked at Seraphina calmly. “Is that why you called me here? To tell me this?” My indifferent tone made Seraphina’s smug smile freeze. She abruptly stood up from the sofa. “Scarlett Hayes, what right do you have to speak to me like that? As Mrs. Thorne?” “Don’t be delusional! Do you really think Julian loves you?” “Back then, he married you for me and Leo, he would…” Her words abruptly stopped, but she couldn’t swallow her anger. “In a relationship, the unloved one is the outsider! And so is their child!” “My Leo will be Julian’s only son! Everything he owns will belong to Leo!” “As for your dead son, you can just mourn him in your own lonely way!” The mention of Noah ignited an uncontrollable fury in my chest. I yearned to slap her across the face, but my weakened state allowed Seraphina to grip my arm tightly. She leaned closer, enunciating each word. “You deserve this. You couldn’t even protect your own child.” Humiliation and resentment surged through me, my eyes turning red. I used all my strength to push Seraphina away. Instead, she suddenly grabbed my hand and slapped herself across the face with it. She fell to the ground, looking up at me tearfully. “Scarlett, I’m heartbroken about Noah’s death too, but what did I ever do to you that you would treat me this way?” Before I could react, a powerful force from behind shoved me. My forehead slammed against the coffee table, and blood instantly welled up. Julian Thorne, however, acted as if he hadn’t seen it. He anxiously helped Seraphina up. “Seraphina, are you okay? Are you hurt?” Seraphina shook her head, but tears streamed down her face. “Julian, my head hurts so much.” Julian Thorne’s brows furrowed, and he glared at me viciously. “Scarlett Hayes, your child is dead, so what gives you the right to come here and act crazy!” “Apologize to Seraphina right now!” I was filled with both hatred and anger, unable to control my tears any longer. “Julian Thorne, get this straight. My child was your biological son too!” “He called you Dad for four whole years!” Julian Thorne’s expression froze, and his gaze fixed on the bracelet on his wrist. In that instant, the bracelet felt like a thousand pounds on his wrist. His arm began to tremble, and he dared not meet my eyes. He awkwardly turned away, his heart feeling like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. Only when Seraphina sobbed did Julian Thorne grasp onto her like a lifeline. He abruptly swept her into his arms. “Seraphina, I’m taking you to the hospital.” Julian Thorne carried Seraphina away. His steps were quick, yet as he passed me, they seemed unusually heavy. In the empty living room, I was left alone. On my phone, there was the audio recording I’d just made, and all the evidence the private investigator had compiled. One video showed Noah, lying in a pool of his own blood, reaching out his tiny hand to Julian Thorne. “Daddy, save me! Noah hurts so bad, Daddy…” But the man just stood there, his face cold, watching the child’s hand slowly, slowly fall to the ground. I stared at Noah’s face on the screen, watching the longing in his eyes for his father transition from hope, to confusion, then finally, to despair. So, my child, before he died, knew the truth: his daddy didn’t love him. What must he have been thinking then? *Did I do something wrong? Why is Daddy treating me this way?* Or maybe, *Mommy, run…* Pain, hatred, a whirlwind of emotions made my entire body tremble. Footsteps sounded behind me again. A five or six-year-old boy, pale-faced and clutching a toy airplane, stood at the bedroom door. He asked me, “Auntie, who are you? Why are you in my house?” His face was so familiar, and the rhythm of his heartbeat… it was agonizingly familiar. I stared at his chest, at the faint rise and fall beneath his shirt, at the heart beating there – my son’s heart. If it weren’t for Leo Duval, my Noah wouldn’t have died. So why was Noah dead, and he alive? My gaze grew icy, then, under Leo’s questioning eyes, I slowly crouched down. “Come here, Leo.” “Come home with Auntie. Auntie has candy waiting for you.” … On the drive to the hospital, Julian Thorne’s brows were tightly furrowed. My tearful questions kept flashing before his eyes, and each memory felt like a stone dropping into his gut, heavy and unsettling, making him increasingly uneasy. Suddenly, his phone rang, its chime cutting through the quiet, eerie space. Through the receiver, my voice was calm, like that of a soulless robot. “Julian Thorne, Leo Duval is with me.” The car screeched to a halt on the roadside. Julian Thorne gripped the steering wheel. A terrible thought suddenly bloomed in his mind. Could it be… she… knew the truth? 0 When Julian Thorne and Seraphina Duval arrived, I was kneeling in the living room, meticulously wiping my son’s memorial photo. My movements were so gentle, as if I was afraid of hurting him.

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My six-year-old biological daughter, Rainie, was finally back with us, but she always seemed distant, reluctant to get close. Julian, my husband, said she needed time to adjust, suggesting that if I brought back more gifts after my business trip, perhaps she’d warm up to me. I was just about to leave when I unexpectedly heard my daughter’s thoughts. 【Should I tell Mom that Daisy always hits me?】 【Dad says Mom doesn’t like kids who tattle, and she definitely doesn’t like me.】 【But if I don’t say anything, I might not even live to see Mom come back.】 My heart clenched. I spun around to look at my daughter, who was huddled in the corner. Her tear-filled eyes met mine. Rainie didn’t speak, but I heard her voice again. 【Maybe the reason I got to live again is because I wanted to see Mom one more time.】 Julian, seeing me frozen in place, urged me that my plane was about to take off. I turned and slapped him across the face. Business trip? No way! I was staying right by my precious daughter’s side. Let’s see who dares try to hurt my child!

Julian covered his face, staring at me in utter shock. I have a strong personality, but I’ve never laid a hand on anyone before. Seeing that I was genuinely furious today, he quickly made an excuse about urgent company business and hurried out of the house. No sooner had he left than Rainie, who had been standing next to me, scurried behind a pillar. 【Mom is really as scary as Dad said.】 Hearing her thoughts again, I was surprised. That slap was purely out of anger and fear, fueled by hearing her say she’d been killed. Yes, I can be a bit impulsive, but truly, aside from today, I’d never physically lashed out at anyone. Why would Julian tell Rainie I was scary? After being swapped at birth, Rainie had spent six whole years growing up in an orphanage. When she came home, Julian had been painstakingly careful, even creating a detailed document of guidelines on how to interact with her. Plus, after years of marriage, he’d always been tolerant of my temper, taking on the responsibility of childcare himself. He shouldn’t have badmouthed me to Rainie. Maybe she misunderstood what he said. Seeing my daughter huddled behind the pillar, I felt an urgent need to connect with her. I knelt down, smiling. “Mom’s not working today. How about we go see your new school?” Rainie’s eyes lit up, and she nodded excitedly. I reached out and pulled her into a hug, and again, I heard her thoughts. 【Mom smells so nice, and her hug is so warm.】 【It’s a shame that in my last life, when Mom first hugged me, I was already dead and couldn’t feel the warmth.】 My heart tightened. According to Rainie’s words, in her previous life, by this time, I would have already gone abroad. This time, I was going to find out which brain-dead jerk dared to lay a hand on my daughter! I had just finished dressing Rainie in new clothes. I only went upstairs to grab my purse. That’s when I saw Daisy, the daughter who was mistakenly brought home all those years ago, pointing her finger at Rainie and yelling. “You nobody! Who said you could wear that outfit?” “That has to be mine exclusively! I’m the only princess in this house.” “You little piece of trash! You came to our house, but you’re not even our child!” Daisy shrieked, then lunged forward to yank at Rainie’s clothes.

I panicked instantly. I rushed downstairs, but by the time I reached them, Daisy had already stumbled and fallen to the floor. She still clutched a piece of fabric she’d torn from Rainie’s outfit, yet she cried and held up her arm towards me, “Mom, I don’t know why my sister hit me.” Seeing Daisy playing the victim, Rainie quickly protested, “Mom, I didn’t!” “Yes, you did!” “You said I took your place for three years, and you told me to die!” “Waaah, Mom, I can leave and give my sister her place, but please don’t let me die. I’m scared I won’t see you if I die.” Rainie stammered, wanting to explain more, but ultimately said nothing. 【If I explain any further, Mom will think I’m a bad child who does wrong and doesn’t admit it.】 【In my last life, every time Daisy bullied me, Dad and my brothers only believed her, thinking I not only bullied her but also liked to lie and play the victim.】 My heart ached with a twisting pain. I looked at my timid, cautious daughter, her head already bowed, ready to apologize. I quickly pulled her behind me. “Daisy, I saw it with my own eyes. You were the one who pulled Rainie’s clothes first. Why are you still saying your sister bullied you?” Daisy stared at me in disbelief, then suddenly wailed, “Mom, you don’t believe me, but you believe this outsider kid?!” “You’re biological mother and daughter, and I’m just an outsider, so you both bully me!” “You clearly said you’d love me just the same when she came back, but that was all a lie!” Daisy cried and ran upstairs, locking herself in her bedroom. Though angry, I reminded myself that Daisy had been spoiled by the entire family for three years. It was understandable she’d have trouble accepting she wasn’t my biological child. She was just a kid, speaking without thinking, and it was normal for her to be hostile towards Rainie. I suppressed my anger and went upstairs, intending to patiently explain things to Daisy. But then I heard Daisy’s voice from inside the room, “That old woman is already playing favorites.” “I’ve cried so much, and she still cares about the truth.” “The truth is that little monster should die!” “Just wait until she’s not home. I’ll teach that beast a lesson!” My hand, poised to knock, froze in mid-air. I never imagined that Daisy, whom I had nurtured and raised, could harbor such thoughts. Rainie caught up to me then, timidly tugging at my clothes, tears in her eyes. “Mom, I don’t want to go to school anymore.” 【Daisy is so angry today, she’ll definitely beat me to death.】 【I don’t want to be locked up with Daisy and a dog again, like in my last life.】 【The dog bites so painfully. It bit off my nose and ears.】 Hearing Rainie’s thoughts, I could no longer suppress the fury surging through my heart. After finding my biological daughter, I had initially pitied Daisy and, having lived with her for years, wanted to treat both children equally. But she dared to act like a princess and then abuse my daughter like this! I immediately called for Martha, the nanny, and loudly ordered her to send Daisy to a welfare home. Daisy’s curses abruptly ceased, but Martha looked at me in astonishment. “Madam, how can you be so biased?” “Miss Daisy is crying so much right now. If you’re so heartless, people will gossip.” “Besides, Miss Daisy is so smart and will surely achieve great things someday, unlike Rainie, who is so timid and weak. Who knows what she’ll become.” I slapped Martha across the face. “Who do you think you are, to comment on my daughter?!” “Either you send her to the welfare home right now, or you pack your things and get out!” Martha panicked. “Madam, maybe we should wait for Mr. Julian to come back. The man of the house should be in charge; it’s not proper for you, a woman, to act this way.”

I laughed, a cold, bitter sound. Not to mention, Julian is just a man who married into my wealth; everything in this house is mine. How dare a nanny, clinging to such old-fashioned ideas, try to lecture me? I sneered, “Even if Julian were here, he’d have to listen to me. And as for you, you’re fired.” I immediately called my butler and had Martha dismissed. Martha was furious, yelling that she’d get Julian to come back and teach me a lesson. But the bodyguards had already thrown her luggage out. Only when I saw her locked outside the gate was I satisfied. I took Rainie’s hand and we left. In the car, I told Rainie, “If anyone ever bullies you, you tell Mom immediately. Mom will always protect you.” Tears welled in Rainie’s eyes, then she suddenly smiled, nodding vigorously. And right then, I heard her thoughts again. 【How is Mom so different from the Mom Dad described?】 【Did Dad lie to me? Does Mom actually love me a lot?】 【But why did he say Mom didn’t want to see me, when I begged him to call her before I died in my last life?】 My heart lurched. Was Julian really involved in this? The next second, my suspicions intensified. Because the principal claimed Rainie’s name wasn’t on the enrollment list. I had clearly instructed Julian to give both my daughters 10% of Sterling Corp. shares as an enrollment gift on their first day of school. “Principal, please check again. Daisy and Rainie registered together.” The principal’s scornful gaze landed on Rainie. “Mr. Julian said when he registered that he would give 20% of Sterling Corp. shares to Daisy as an enrollment gift.” “Who is this wild girl? An illegitimate child? Then she’s certainly not worthy of any shares, is she?” I was instantly furious. “How dare you slander my daughter as an illegitimate child? Who do you think you are? I’ll give my family’s shares to whomever I please!” She scoffed at me, about to retort, but the next second, her contemptuous expression morphed into a fawning smile. “Mr. Julian, what a surprise to see you here!” I followed her hurried gaze and sure enough, saw Julian approaching. Julian ignored the principal’s overly eager greeting, walking towards me with an anxious look. “Honey, what happened at home? Why is Daisy crying so much?” I slapped Julian across the face. “Why didn’t you register our daughter for school?” Julian finally reacted, stammering, “Rainie just came home from the orphanage. She might not adapt to an elite private school environment. I was afraid she’d be bullied.” “Rainie is the sole heir to Tian’s Group. How could she be bullied? Even if she is, she should learn to fight back. Otherwise, how will she manage the company?” Julian froze. “What do you mean? Are you not giving the company to Daisy anymore? How can you be so biased?” “Even if you don’t give it to Daisy, we have three sons. How could Rainie be the only heir?” I scoffed. “It’s a family tradition for women to run our company. You didn’t have any objections when I said I’d give the company to Daisy. Why is it a problem now that it’s Rainie?” “And you have no right to accuse me of being biased. The principal just said you were going to give 20% of the shares to Daisy.” Julian looked at the principal in surprise. The principal, still pointing her finger at me, screeched, “A mistress should know her place. Don’t act all high and mighty. Do you really think Mr. Julian can’t live without you?!” “What nonsense are you spouting?! I can’t live without my wife!” Before I could speak, Julian roared at her. The principal finally realized her mistake and lowered her head awkwardly. Julian humbly explained, “Honey, I just felt sorry for Daisy. In this house full of strangers, she felt unloved, so I thought of giving her more shares.” 【Daisy isn’t unloved at all. She has a pretty auntie-mom.】 【Every time I was bitten by the dog, that pretty auntie-mom would smile and say that when I died, it would definitely make Mom so furious she’d die too, and then she could live with Dad and Daisy.】 【She also said that Dad deliberately swapped me and Daisy back then.】 【It’s a shame if I told Mom all this, she’d probably think I was lying.】

My daughter’s thoughts left me utterly stunned. My face went pale as I looked at Julian. I never imagined he had cheated on me. He used my money to support a mistress, and even deliberately swapped his illegitimate daughter with my own. I was trembling with rage. Julian, seeing me silent, thought I’d bought his story and continued, “Daisy is a sensible child. Go back and apologize to her, give her more gifts, and she’ll get over it.” I scoffed. “What’s she going to hold against me?” “She’s an illegitimate child, living off my money, eating my food. How dare she be mad at me?” Julian froze. “Wh… what illegitimate child? What do you mean?” “Julian, I’ve given you too much leeway. How dare you pull stunts right under my nose?” “Don’t you know what you’ve done?” A flicker of guilt crossed Julian’s eyes, but he still stubbornly denied it. “Rainie, you just don’t want to keep raising Daisy, so you’re framing her as my illegitimate daughter? Do you have any conscience?” “Daisy is just a child, and you want her to bear a lifetime of infamy!” He accused hysterically. I simply pulled out my phone in front of him, dialed a private investigator, and even put it on speakerphone. “I need you to investigate whether my husband, Julian Yang, has a mistress. Also, six years ago, the incident where my child was swapped – was it an accident, or was it deliberate?” Julian reached out to snatch my phone, but the private investigator had already hung up. His finger trembling, he pointed it at my nose. “How long are you going to keep making a scene? Do you have to turn this family into chaos and make all our children hate you?” “Rainie, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Our three sons cherish Daisy. If you keep this up, our sons will disown you!” “Go back now and apologize to Daisy, then let Rainie go to a different school to adjust. Everything will be fine if you just follow my plan.” Seeing I was unmoved, he took a deep breath and softened his voice. “Honey, you don’t understand how to raise children. They need to progress gradually. And this illegitimate child talk is all fabricated. Stop wasting money on detectives; there’s nothing to investigate.” “Otherwise, when our sons arrive and see you acting like this, how will you explain it to them?” “Explain?” I sneered. “I don’t need to explain anything to anyone!” “You abused my daughter and tried to give my company to your illegitimate child. I haven’t even held you accountable, and you want me to explain myself?” “You’re the one who needs to explain to Dad!” Before Julian could retort, a voice came from behind us. My three sons had arrived. Leo, my eldest, quickly shielded Julian. “Mom, you’re misunderstanding Dad like this, and making Daisy cry. Of course, you need to explain yourselves to them!” Max, my second son, pointed at Rainie and yelled, “It must be you, you little monster, lying again and trying to stir up trouble between Daisy and Mom. You’re so scheming at such a young age, why don’t you just drop dead?” Caleb, my youngest, looked annoyed. “Because of your favoritism, Daisy almost committed suicide at home. What are you standing around for? Go back immediately and tell her that she’s the only princess in this family.” “If anything happens to Daisy, I will never forgive you!” Watching my three sons’ righteous indignation, my chest ached with anger. I gritted my teeth and spoke, “Do you even know what kind of people your father and Daisy, whom you’re protecting, really are?” Their brows furrowed deeply, their faces full of suspicion. I turned and slapped the evidence the private investigator sent me onto their faces. It clearly documented that Daisy was Julian’s illegitimate daughter. And six years ago, the ironclad evidence that Rainie and Daisy were swapped was indeed Julian’s deliberate act. My three sons froze, and Julian completely panicked. He snatched my phone, roaring at me, “This is slander!”

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Before my business trip, I left my daughter an unlimited black card. The only rule: she had to spend at least several millions every month to cultivate good spending habits. At first, I thought that if she spent well, it would motivate me to earn more. But after a while, something felt off. She bought hundreds of luxury items in three days, ten villas in five, and yesterday, she even acquired 100 intimate toys. I secretly flew back, determined to uncover the truth. But the moment I landed, I received a call. Lily, my daughter, had been hit by a car while scavenging for scraps and was in the hospital. They couldn’t even afford the medical bills. Nurse Reynolds’s voice on the phone was scathing, filled with accusation: “Ms. Thorne, I’ve never seen parents as neglectful as you. If you don’t come soon, you might not see your child again!” My heart pounding, I rushed to the hospital. There, I saw her—frail and skeletal. Amidst my anguish, my phone buzzed with a message: another black card purchase for a high-end spa. I immediately stopped Ms. Davies from canceling the card. A cold smile touched my lips. Oh, so you like swiping? Then swipe your fill!

I stepped off the private jet, clutching a meticulously wrapped birthday gift. In my mind, I pictured Lily’s adorable face, lighting up with surprise. But the moment I exited the airport, my phone buzzed with over a dozen missed calls. It rang again. I answered casually. “This is Grace Medical Center. Are you Lily Thorne’s mother?” “She was hit by a car yesterday while scavenging by the roadside. We’ve just finished saving her, but the medical bills need to be paid.” I froze, the words hitting me like a lightning bolt. “How is that possible?” I blurted out, my voice barely a whisper. The nurse’s voice sharpened, rising in volume. “Are you trying to skip out on the bill? Come to the hospital and pay immediately, or we’ll have no choice but to discharge your daughter!” Then, click, she hung up. Bewildered and alarmed, I urged Ben, my driver, to speed to the hospital. Lily? Scavenging for scraps? Even if she ran out of money, we have staff at home, she would never go hungry. Besides, with an unlimited black card, how could she not afford medical bills? The car screeched to a halt. I sprinted into the ward, my eyes falling on my daughter, lying in bed, fragile and skeletal. Both her arms and her right leg were broken, encased in thick plaster casts that made her slender limbs look even more delicate. Her dull eyes met mine and instantly welled with tears. I rushed to her, pulling her into my embrace, gently patting her back. “Shh, my sweet, don’t be scared. Mommy’s here now.” Her face was bruised and swollen in several places, and her exposed arms were covered in scratches and cuts. In just a year, my once vibrant, mischievous little princess had been reduced to this state. Lily’s tears flowed like a dam breaking. She clung to my shoulder, sobbing. “Mommy, Nurse Reynolds said today’s the deadline. If we don’t pay, they’ll kick me out.” Her hot tears seared my chest. I stroked her hair, my voice soft with concern. “Mommy left you a black card, didn’t she? How could you be out of money?” Her small body trembled. Under my encouraging gaze, she finally spoke. “Julian… Julian took my black card and gave it to Cassandra. He said I don’t deserve to be a Thorne, and I’m not good enough for him.” Julian was Mrs. Jenkins’s son, our head housekeeper. Cassandra was the child who was mistakenly swapped with Lily at birth. Julian and Cassandra had grown close. Many people whispered that Julian was destined to marry into the Thorne family and eventually take over the Thorne empire. When Lily was found and brought home, I worried she’d be unhappy, so I immediately sent Cassandra out of the mansion. I gave her enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life. I thought I had been more than fair. I never imagined these ungrateful vipers would dare to bully my daughter. I would make them regret the day they were born. Seeing Lily’s timid, haggard appearance, my heart twisted in agony. “Mommy won’t let them get away with this. No one will ever dare to bully you again, my love.”

The words had barely left my lips when the menacing Nurse Reynolds stormed in, tossing a bill onto the bed. Her eyes narrowed with blatant disdain. “Pay up! Don’t think you can get away with this.” I took in the stench of disinfectant, the dim, crowded ward, and the filthy bed Lily lay on. My patience snapped. With one phone call, Dr. Hayes, the hospital director, rushed in with a dozen medical staff. Nurse Reynolds’s face went white with shock. “Your attitude toward patients makes you unfit to work here. You’re fired.” After his pronouncement, Dr. Hayes immediately bowed deferentially to me, profusely apologizing. “Ms. Thorne, it was our oversight. We deeply regret the distress caused to your daughter.” It was only then that Nurse Reynolds realized the gravity of her mistake. She tried to plead her case, but security guards swiftly escorted her out. I declined Dr. Hayes’s offer to move Lily to a private ward. Instead, I made another call. Within ten minutes, a professional medical team arrived, carefully transferring Lily to a private ambulance. Clad in stilettos, my sharp and efficient assistant, Ms. Davies, followed behind me, respectfully reporting. “During your absence, Julian started his own venture, publicly claiming to be your future son-in-law to gain business advantages.” “He asserted you would eventually let him inherit the company and took many projects from the corporation.” “He also declared he would only recognize Cassandra as his fiancée. Cassandra has appropriated all the assets you prepared for Lily and… even kicked Lily out of the Thorne family mansion.” The more she spoke, the colder my expression became. I had seen a certain shrewdness in Julian, paying for his elite private academy since childhood. But I gave him a little kindness, and he thought he was hot stuff. Cassandra lived as my daughter for over a decade. Not only did she show no guilt, but she was trying to completely usurp Lily’s rightful place. I clenched my fists. They seemed to have forgotten my methods. No one bullies Seraphina Thorne’s daughter and gets away with it! At that moment, my phone buzzed again with a black card spending alert—an entry fee for an auction. “Ms. Thorne, should I cancel this black card immediately?” Ms. Davies inquired. A faint smile played on my lips. “Not so fast. Cancel it just before 7 PM.” “Also, Lily and I will be attending the underground auction tonight.” “Understood, Ms. Thorne. I’ll make the arrangements.” Ms. Davies respectfully agreed. So, they like money, do they? I’ll give them a grand gift tonight. “Also, investigate how Lily got her injuries.” Thinking of the myriad of cuts and bruises on my sweet daughter’s body, I felt a fresh wave of anger and heartache. The icy aura radiating from me startled Lily. She cautiously tugged at my sleeve. “Mommy, are you mad at me?” “I’m sorry, Mommy. I won’t say bad things about my sister anymore. I can give her anything.” “Please, don’t abandon Lily.” Watching her trying so hard to please me, my throat tightened. What in the world have they been filling her head with? How could I ever abandon her? “Mommy isn’t mad at you, my sweet. Mommy’s mad at herself for not protecting her precious daughter better.” “What belongs to Lily, no one can take away. And Mommy would never abandon you, my love.” Hearing my words, her eyes suddenly lit up, shining brighter than stars. Then, she lowered her head again, murmuring softly. “But Julian said Mommy would definitely prefer the more outstanding Cassandra, and if I wasn’t obedient, I’d be sent away.” “He said he was the son-in-law chosen by Mom and Dad, and whoever he chose would be the Thorne family’s daughter.” I let out a short, humorless laugh. Where did Julian get such confidence? He was Lily’s senior at school, seemingly accomplished and popular, the type young girls usually adored. At the time, I was concerned Lily wouldn’t know anyone after returning, so I allowed Julian to continue staying at the Thorne mansion to look after her. I hadn’t realized I was inviting a wolf into the fold. I gently lifted Lily’s chin, gazing into her tear-filled eyes. I spoke each word clearly and deliberately. “Lily Thorne, you are the only child of my family and the Thorne Corporation. You will inherit everything.” “There’s no such thing as a ‘sister’ you need to impress or appease, and you don’t need a husband to ‘help’ you. You will be a future CEO, a powerhouse in your own right.” “Do you understand?” My little girl’s expression slowly cleared, and she nodded vigorously. That’s more like it.

At 7 PM, I led Lily into the opulent auction house, nine floors beneath the city center. Here, anything could be bought. “Esteemed guest, please proceed to the private lounge on the third floor.” A woman in a stunning evening gown, seeing my exclusive badge, immediately greeted us with a respectful bow and ushered us upward. This badge wasn’t simply a matter of wealth; it required both immense fortune and power. Fewer than five guests could access the third floor. The people on the first floor, any one of whom could easily be a millionaire, were relegated to simple seats. “Eat up.” The private lounge was adorned with expensive, delicate pastries and high-end drinks worth thousands. I placed a plate of butterfly cookies in front of Lily. Through the one-way glass, I spotted Cassandra and Julian in the crowd below. Cassandra sat in the center, surrounded by her classmates like a princess. I saw her fair, delicate skin and her wearing the latest designer couture. Then I looked at my own frail daughter. It felt as though someone was twisting a knife in my chest. The auction soon began. Cassandra announced it was her birthday, and she wanted to make a grand gesture for the entire class, bidding on whatever caught their eye. Every time she placed a bid, I wildly outbid her. “Who’s that on the third floor? Always going against me. Aren’t they afraid of offending the Thorne family?” Cassandra fumed, seeing a piece of jewelry originally priced at a million skyrocket to five million because of the competition. “Don’t worry, darling. Money’s just a number. Once this is over, I’ll find out who it is and make them apologize.” Julian softly reassured her, pulling out a black card to soothe her anger. Lily watched me, unsure, as I only raised bids but bought nothing. I thought she might want something specific. With a flourish, I produced a black velvet box. “Those items out there are just ordinary. This is Mommy’s birthday gift for you, my sweet.” “See if you like it?” She took it, stunned. Inside, nestled on the velvet, was an exquisite emerald necklace, once worn by a British princess. It was priceless, a one-of-a-kind treasure. All the items in today’s auction combined couldn’t buy it. “It’s too precious. I don’t deserve it…” The girl didn’t even dare to touch it. I took it directly from the box, my tone brooking no argument. “Only you deserve it, my little princess.” I fastened it around her neck myself, my expression serious. She hugged me tightly, as if she had received the most precious treasure, the first time she had initiated such an embrace. “Thank you, Mommy.” Thank you, Mommy, for not disliking me, for accepting me despite how broken I am. A warmth spread through my heart. I vowed then and there to give her only the best, and anyone who had bullied her would face dire consequences. After a few whispered moments between mother and daughter, I stepped away to take a work call. When I returned, I saw Lily surrounded by a group of students on the first floor. “Lily Thorne, Cassandra didn’t even invite you. How thick-skinned are you to tag along?” “Today, Miss Thorne is treating the whole class to this exclusive auction. She’s bought something amazing for each of us, but not for a little beggar like you!” “What cheap junk is that around her neck? It looks so fake and green.” Brittany, a short-haired girl, roughly yanked the necklace from Lily’s neck, leaving a red, bruised mark. “I bet she’s still dreaming of being a rich heiress. The nerve of her, still claiming to be a Thorne! Hahaha.” After Jake, a jock-type guy, finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter, throwing insults like “slut” and “imposter.” In the chaos, someone snatched her crutch. Several hands shoved her, sending her tumbling to the ground. Seeing this scene, I understood almost instantly how Lily had gotten her injuries. Suppressing the explosive rage that threatened to consume me, I began descending the stairs, simultaneously pulling out my phone to snap pictures. Photography was strictly forbidden in such a venue, but I was an exception.

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Seven days after my daughter disappeared, I took the entire preschool hostage. All 27 students and two teachers were locked inside a classroom. I announced to the police that if my daughter wasn’t found, I would kill one child every thirty minutes. Ms. Albright, the preschool principal, wailed hysterically, pleading on her knees before me. “Your daughter went missing, it wasn’t my doing! Why drag other children into this?” I just glanced at my watch. “Twenty-nine minutes left. Find my daughter, fast.” I knew she was somewhere in this very preschool. 0 Five minutes ago, Ms. Albright’s attitude had been entirely different—arrogant, even. I leaned against the door. Inside, the children were still playing, oblivious, only the two female teachers staring at me with terrified eyes. Outside, Ms. Albright was still pounding on the door, asking irritably, “What the hell do you want?! How is your daughter going missing my problem?! Open the door! It’s almost time for dismissal!” I frowned, pulled a makeshift gun from my pocket, and without a word, fired a shot behind me. Ms. Albright instantly fell silent, trembling as she stumbled back a couple of steps. “You, you’re serious? I’m telling you, this is a crime! I’ll call the police, and holding this many kids hostage will get you shot!” I scoffed, caressing the gun in my hand. “Go ahead and call them. You’re not qualified to talk to me.” Five minutes later, siren wails filled the air outside. A gentle male voice spoke from beyond the door. I knew him: Officer Miller from the local precinct. He spoke calmly, trying to persuade me logically and emotionally. “Sarah, don’t get agitated. We’re doing everything we can to investigate your daughter’s disappearance. Just release the children, and we can talk, okay?” I gripped the gun, fighting the urge to laugh. My daughter, Lily, had been missing for seven whole days, without a trace. What was there to talk about now? Talk about how many years I’d spend in prison? I shouted, “I just want to see my daughter! If I don’t see her in thirty minutes, you’ll start seeing other children’s bodies!” The yard was already cordoned off with police tape. Parents who’d heard the news were crying their eyes out beyond the line. Worried my gun might harm the hostages, the police not only had to be wary of me but also had to hold back the surging crowd. Sweat poured down Officer Miller’s face. This was already beyond his pay grade. Detectives and the SWAT team would arrive soon. Until then, he needed to keep me calm. “Ms. Lee,” he pleaded, “we understand how you feel, but these children are innocent. You’re their teacher. How can you bear to hurt them?” The biggest regret of my life was becoming a teacher at this preschool. If I hadn’t come here, my daughter wouldn’t have disappeared. I checked the time, speaking coldly. “Twenty-eight minutes left. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, do you?” Officer Miller said nervously, “We’re doing our best to find her, but it’s not something we can do in a flash.” I roared, “I told you, she never left this preschool! Search HERE!” 0

Rainbow Haven was a private preschool, not very large. It consisted of three two-story buildings, with two small playgrounds in the front and back for the children to play freely. The day Lily disappeared, I searched every inch of that preschool, inside and out. But there was no sign of her. I asked Ms. Albright to check the surveillance footage, but she claimed the cameras were broken. What a coincidence. I suspected the principal was involved in my daughter’s disappearance. Later, I secretly snuck into the monitoring room myself. I watched the footage several times, meticulously, and finally confirmed it: Lily had never left the preschool. But where could she be within the preschool? I racked my brain, completely baffled. Officer Miller tried to pacify me from outside. “We’ve already sent people to search. You have to trust the police.” But I knew he didn’t believe a word I said. The police had searched the preschool several times initially, but they hadn’t found even a shadow of my daughter. Outside, the parents’ uncontrollable shouts and pleas merged into a chaotic din, making me uncontrollably agitated. “What does your kid going missing have to do with us? If you’re so tough, kidnap the principal! What good is kidnapping kids?” “W-w-w, please release my daughter. She’s so timid and not well. I’m begging you on my knees…” A mother knelt outside the police tape, covering her face, looking utterly pitiful. The crowd’s anger surged, demanding the police shoot me. I picked up the megaphone, ensuring everyone could hear my voice. “I don’t want to kill anyone. I just want to know where my daughter is.” I checked the time. Twenty-five minutes left. Detectives and SWAT had arrived. Snipers might already be in position. I took a deep breath. “Ms. Albright, you know, don’t you? Where’s my daughter?” All eyes turned to Ms. Albright, huddled in a corner. She gritted her teeth, retorting, “How could I possibly know?! Ms. Lee, stop snapping at everyone like a mad dog!” “Your daughter might have just run away from home. Maybe she went to find her dad…” Then, as if a thought struck her, she blurted, “Her ex-con dad must be out of prison by now, right? I bet he’s the one who took your girl!” 0

“Absolutely impossible!” The words burst out of me almost instinctively. Officer Miller quickly interjected, “We’ve already tried to contact Lily’s father, David, but we haven’t reached him yet.” “Sarah, we *will* find your daughter. Please, let the children in the room go. I promise you, we will spare no effort to find her.” “Look at you now. Even if we find your daughter, how could you face her? Do you want her to know both her parents are criminals?” My resolve wavered for a moment, a flicker of doubt. A small red ball rolled slowly towards me. A little girl called out, “Ms. Lee, can you kick it back for me?” I steadied myself, gently tossing the ball back. These children had no idea what was happening, still so innocent and lively. But would my child ever be able to play happily like this again? I couldn’t bear to think. I glanced at the time, calmly shouting outside, “Eighteen minutes left! Have you found any clues?” 0

The negotiation failed. Officer Miller sighed. His colleagues were in position, and a specialized negotiator from the state police was ready. The case had exploded across the city. Reporters and social media influencers swarmed like flies to blood. Command had issued orders: no child was to be harmed. If necessary, I could be taken out. But Officer Miller still clung to a sliver of hope. He didn’t think things had escalated to that point yet. Based on his years of experience, the woman didn’t seem like a hardened criminal, but rather a desperate mother driven to extremes by her missing daughter. “Have they pulled up the surveillance footage? Did that child really not leave the preschool?” A tech team colleague replied, “We’ve recovered the deleted footage. It shows no sign of Lily leaving the preschool.” Officer Miller fell into deep thought. Could Lily really still be in the preschool? But where could she be hidden? There were no hiding spots in the classrooms. Offices, the principal’s room, the kitchen—they’d all been searched. What place could they have forgotten? His colleagues searched inside and out again, but found nothing. Officer Stevens said exasperatedly, “Did the kid sprout wings and fly away? Otherwise, it makes no sense! Every inch here is covered by cameras, there are no blind spots!” A light bulb went off in Officer Miller’s head. “Are there cameras in the bathrooms? Search the bathrooms!” The preschool bathrooms were indoors, and Lily was last seen in the pre-kindergarten class. But that was exactly where Sarah was holding hostages. At that moment, my voice rang out again. “Fifteen minutes left! Are you all incompetent idiots?! You can’t even find one child!” 0

I leaned against the wall, my voice laced with sarcasm. “If some VIP loses a watch, you’d tear apart the whole city to find it. But a living, breathing child, for seven whole days, and not a single clue?” Officer Miller fell silent at my accusation. “Ms. Lee, maybe your daughter is closer than you think?” I froze for a moment, unable to immediately grasp his meaning. My daughter’s last known location was here, but I’d scoured every closet, every bathroom, every corner. There was no trace of her. “The entire area is covered by surveillance, except for the bathrooms. We suspect your daughter might have been taken through a bathroom.” “Ms. Lee, surrender! The police will uncover the truth.” Bathroom, bathroom. I carefully thought about the bathroom’s layout. The preschool bathrooms were unisex, with only two small stalls and a tiny exhaust fan. I looked in the direction of the bathrooms, feeling a strange sense of unease. But I just couldn’t pinpoint what felt odd. I licked my dry lips. “Ten minutes left. I just want results. If you don’t find my daughter, they’ll all die with her.” Officer Miller’s eyes were squeezed shut. A detective gave a subtle signal to the sniper behind them, indicating that if an opportunity arose, they should take the shot. “If my daughter disappeared in the bathroom, then there must be a secret passage connecting the bathroom to the outside, right, officers? I hope you find it soon. Even if you arrest me, it’ll be worth it.” I had also suspected that my daughter was taken from the bathroom. But that would require a secret passage, and it would leave clues. But I was just an ordinary woman. What I couldn’t find, I naturally had to leave to the professionals. I lowered my gaze. Now, everything was going according to plan. The second hand on my watch spun relentlessly. I beckoned a small girl over. I smiled. “Chloe, want to play a game with Ms. Lee?” 0 Five minutes remained. The police were still making futile pleas. Officer Miller’s throat was raw. “Ms. Lee, please don’t rush! Police forces from across the city are deployed, all helping to find your child!”

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