**Chapter 1** Liam had Serena’s chat pinned, but not mine. I broke up with him. My friend Maya was shocked. “Over something so trivial?” Everyone thought I’d regret it. After all, Liam was genuinely great. He’d meticulously planned my entire academic journey, from undergrad straight into a Ph.D. program. He’d even thoroughly researched and decided which city we’d settle in. His notebook was crammed with plans for “our” next ten years. It detailed everything, right down to which year we’d save enough for a down payment, and when we’d have kids. But he wouldn’t pin our chat. He thought taking five seconds to text me goodnight was a waste of time. Yet, he spent two weeks coaching Serena on topics she didn’t understand. He’d explained it. “It’s all for work. Work is for our future.” I knew. I knew everything. But I didn’t want to live in the future anymore; I just wanted to live in the present. The day before our fifth anniversary, I playfully asked Liam to pin my chat. “This is the only anniversary gift I want. Please, just say yes!” This was probably the seventh time I’d asked him to pin our chat. The previous six times, he’d refused. Even now, he had 99 pinned chats. There was Serena, his junior colleague, his advisor, various work and study groups. But never me. My initial confusion had turned to hurt and anger, and now, a calm indifference. The message I’d sent him still hadn’t received a reply, even after 12 hours. No surprise there. Liam was always busy, and not replying was the norm. Once, he went on a business trip with his advisor and didn’t reply for half a month. If I hadn’t seen Serena, who was with him, still updating her Ins feed regularly, I would have thought something terrible had happened to him. It sounds ridiculous, but I had to learn about my boyfriend’s whereabouts through other people. This time was no different. I checked Serena’s Ins and found out the academic summit had ended, and a banquet was being held. Logically, the busiest part should have been over. But Liam still wasn’t replying. I just called him directly. He picked up on the third ring. “Is something wrong?” His voice, thick with exhaustion and static, sent a chill through me. I gripped my phone tightly. “It’s our anniversary. I’m at the hotel entrance where the banquet is…” “It’s just an anniversary. You didn’t need to come all the way to City A.” Liam calmly interrupted me. My full anticipation for our fifth anniversary. In his eyes, it was a dismissive “just.” How many five-year periods do you get in a short lifetime? Liam continued. “You should be writing your thesis instead. Your current level won’t get you into the university we’re aiming for.” I softly cut him off. “I’ll wait for you. After the banquet, just half an hour, have dinner with me.” Then, I hung up. I waited for a while. My phone remained silent. No calls, no messages. The hotel’s warm, yellow lights were diffused and hazy by the snowy mist. Faint laughter and chatter drifted from behind the glass doors. It made the silence outside even more profound. Liam was probably chatting and laughing with those academic bigshots. Maybe Serena was right beside him, smiling as she raised her glass. But none of it mattered anymore. I had already made up my mind to break up. **Chapter 2** When my best friend, Maya, heard I wanted to break up, she called me crazy. “Liam was so good to you, didn’t you forget that notebook?” “Do you know how many people envy you for having a boyfriend who plans everything out?” Liam had a notebook. It was filled with plans for our next ten years. The first phase was college. In high school, his grades were better than mine, and he’d tutor me every week without fail. In the end, we went to the same university. The second phase was the Ph.D. For this, he helped me plan my path from undergrad straight into a Ph.D. program. It was detailed, down to how to change majors, which courses to take, which advisor’s research group to join… Then came work, buying a house, marriage, and having children. He’d researched the climate and housing market trends in different cities, specifying which year we’d pay the down payment and which year we’d have kids. I was in every stage of his plan. Maya sighed. “Chloe, tell me, what other guy would go to such lengths?” I watched the snow outside gradually stop falling. My throat felt tight. Yeah. The words “us” were written densely throughout his notebook. He often told me: “We’re not just two paths crossing; we’re two people walking together to the finish line.” Those things were true. But he’d write in his notebook to prepare gifts for our anniversary, yet he’d mix up the dates. He thought replying to my messages was a waste of time, that researching topics was more productive than chatting with me. He’d plan our home ten years from now, but leave me heartbroken countless times in the present. Maya was still trying to persuade me. “Look, he even included you in his life ten years from now. Isn’t that enough?” “Now you want to break up over something as small as pinning a chat? Aren’t you being a bit dramatic?” “Listen to me, don’t be impulsive, don’t break up. You’ll regret it.” I gently cut her off. “If he can’t even care about me now, will the ‘future’ he’s planning truly include me?”

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Julian’s brother, Brett, suddenly started speaking in French at the party. “So, Julian,” he slurred, “when’s the big day with Seraphina?” Julian, cool as a cucumber, replied in French, “Family’s set the date. Two weeks from now.” The whole private room erupted in laughter, their eyes twinkling with amusement as they glanced at me. “What about your little Cinderella girlfriend here?” someone else piped up in French. Julian wrapped an arm around me, his voice a lazy drawl, “Seraphina gets the title, Elara gets my love.” My fingertips clutching the glass turned stark white. They had no idea. They saw me as some impoverished girl, but I was actually the only daughter of the world’s richest man. I took a deep breath, then turned to call my billionaire parents. “I’m ready to come home and inherit the family fortune.” After the party, I followed everyone out of the private room. I hadn’t walked more than a few steps when a voice I didn’t recognize called out, “Miss Sterling!” I turned. It was Mr. Davis, a business partner who’d been trying to collaborate with my father for ages. I didn’t want to expose my identity, trying to figure out how to brush him off, when one of Julian’s friends, trailing behind him, scanned me from head to toe. He snorted, ” ‘Miss’ who? Is her entire outfit even worth five hundred dollars? A ‘Miss’? That’s a joke! A total laugh riot.” That comment unleashed a fresh wave of mockery. They weren’t speaking French now, so I heard every word of their taunts, though my face remained expressionless. Julian, on the other hand, bristled. He shot the guy a cold, warning look. The friend, clearly annoyed, toned it down, no longer openly mocking me. The others, receiving the same glare, gradually quieted. With the noise subdued and Mr. Davis not following, I walked behind Julian. We didn’t exchange a single word all the way home. Once inside, he took off his jacket, hanging it on a nearby rack, before finally speaking. “Baby, I won’t take you to these kinds of parties anymore.” My expression was calm, but I asked, “Do you think I embarrass you?” He let out a short, incredulous laugh and reached out to ruffle my hair, but I dodged him. He sighed, “What are you thinking? I just don’t want you to be upset.” “But there’s a difference in our social standing, and we’ll always face situations like this. Haven’t your family pushed you into an arranged marriage?” I watched him, trying to find a hint of guilt in his expression. But even hearing the words “arranged marriage,” Julian’s face only stiffened for a second before quickly returning to his usual composure. “Elara, all you need to know is that you’re the one I love. As for everything else, I’ll figure it out.” If I hadn’t been watching closely, I wouldn’t have noticed anything amiss. After speaking, Julian headed to the bathroom to wash up. Watching him walk away, I said nothing, but a thought gnawed at me: His “solution” was to follow his family’s wishes, marry one woman, and keep another on the side? A notification chime sounded from Julian’s phone on the bedside table. He’d never hidden his password from me, so I easily unlocked it and clicked on the message. It was from Seraphina Beaumont. [Julian, we’re meeting our parents tomorrow. If you don’t stay here tonight, won’t they realize our marriage is just for show? I know you love your girlfriend, but please, just for these few days, can you stay with me?] Though her words were humble, I saw her true intention. First, she’d use their parents as an excuse to make him stay. Then, she’d keep using that excuse, pushing further, little by little. But none of it mattered to me anymore. I was already planning my exit. I marked the message unread and put the phone back. Soon after, Julian emerged from the bathroom, grabbed his phone, glanced at it, and then looked at me apologetically. “Elara, something urgent came up at the office. I won’t be back tonight. You get some good rest.” He left in a hurry, too rushed to notice my reaction, or that I, who usually walked him to the door, whining and asking him to spend more time with me, didn’t try to stop him this time. I just watched his silhouette disappear into the distance. *Ding-dong*. Julian had barely left when my phone chimed. [All it took was one word from me, and Julian came right back. We’re meeting our families tomorrow. Once we’re really married, what will you be? Just… a permanent secret mistress?] Seraphina’s words were vicious, but what hurt more was that the knife used to wound me had been handed to her by the boyfriend I thought I could entrust my life to. Julian probably didn’t know that even if he didn’t discuss his engagement in French, his upcoming marriage to someone else wouldn’t remain a secret from me for long. Seraphina had already added me on SnapChat, and these past few days, she’d been sending me all sorts of provocative pictures. Photos of Julian helping Seraphina try on wedding dresses, pictures of them picking out engagement rings, photos of them scouting wedding venues… Each picture, one after another, completely shattered any remaining love I had for Julian. That night, Julian didn’t come home. I didn’t care at all. The next morning, after a quick wash, I went straight to the company and resigned. My termination paperwork was processed that same day. Julian was home when I returned. I told him I’d quit, then continued carrying my boxes toward my room. His brows furrowed deeply. “You liked that job so much, why did you suddenly resign?” I paused, looking at him with a smile. “Because I have a job I want to do even more now.”

Julian didn’t press further, only saying, “If work gets too tiring, just come back. Seeing you exhaust yourself like this pains me, Elara. You know I can provide for you.” I shook my head, enunciating each word. “I am no one’s accessory.” Julian looked stunned. “How could you be an accessory…?” I didn’t want to hear it anymore, cutting him off. “Why are you home so early today? Not at the office?” “I’ve been so busy with work lately, no time to spend with you. So today, I thought I’d make some time.” His brow smoothed, and he was back to being my compliant boyfriend. “What do you want to do? Italian or a movie? Whatever you want today, I’ll go with you.” The old me would have been incredibly touched by those words. After all, he was the heir to the Vance Group, with countless responsibilities. The fact that he was willing to carve out time for me showed I held a significant place in his heart. But now, looking at him, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was he truly busy with work, or was he busy planning a wedding? How could he possibly be planning a wedding with another woman while simultaneously sweet-talking me, claiming I was the only one he loved? In the end, I didn’t expose his lies. There were only a few days left anyway. Soon, I would disappear from his life completely. I shook my head, rejecting his suggestions. After a moment, I said, “How about you help me with a big clean-out? A lot of things in the villa are old and useless.” Julian agreed, helping me sort through things. But as we cleaned, everything I pulled out was a matching couple’s item that we’d bought together. From water bottles to accessories, from clothes to slippers—I tossed them all into the trash without a second thought. His smile stiffened with each couple’s item I discarded. By the time the last one hit the bin, his panic was undeniable. “Elara, did you… find out something?” “Find out what? Are you hiding something from me?” I raised an eyebrow, looking at Julian, deflecting his question with one of my own. He averted his gaze, as if afraid to meet my eyes, and remained silent for a moment. In the end, he didn’t answer directly, just clasped my hand. “Elara, no matter what happens, just remember, you are the one I love.” I curled my lip, saying nothing more. After the big clean-out, Julian still insisted on taking me out on a date. Fearing he might sense something was wrong, I didn’t refuse again. We had dinner, watched a movie, and finally, the car pulled up to an auction house. Just as we were about to enter, I saw a woman in a Chanel suit, with immaculate makeup, slowly approaching us. Julian’s expression flickered with a hint of discomfort. “What’s wrong? Someone you know?” As I spoke, the woman stopped in front of us, a warm smile on her face as she greeted us. Julian introduced her, “She’s the daughter of my parents’ friends, Seraphina Beaumont.” He paused, then introduced me, “This is my girlfriend, Elara.” Anyone not deaf could hear the difference in his introductions. Seraphina’s smile immediately faltered, but after a moment, she forced it back and extended her hand to me. “I’ve heard Julian’s girlfriend is beautiful. It’s certainly true.” Just then, the group of friends who had openly mocked me in French the day before approached, winking at Julian, thinking they were being subtle. I immediately understood: this encounter wasn’t accidental. They had deliberately brought Seraphina here. At the auction, Seraphina sat right beside Julian. Unlike her provocative SnapChat messages, in person she was gentle, refined, and knowledgeable. Upon learning of Julian’s interest in antiques, she conversed eloquently about the subject, and Julian, initially distant, gradually leaned closer to her. It wasn’t until I cleared my throat that Julian seemed to snap back to reality, realizing he’d been ignoring his actual girlfriend for too long. He quickly took off his jacket and draped it over me, his voice gentle. “Are you cold? Is that better? Elara, I know you’re not interested in these things, but if anything catches your eye, just bid on it.” I hadn’t even spoken when whispers from his friends behind us drifted over. Though they deliberately lowered their voices, we were only one row apart, and I heard every word. “Julian really knows how to play the hero for her. Even if she *were* interested, what would she know? She probably doesn’t even know how to raise a paddle, ha ha ha ha.” “Exactly. A high-society auction? She’s definitely a newbie.” I knew they were saying it for me to hear. I didn’t bother reacting. Soon enough, when we met again, they’d have to stand before me, respectful and calling me Miss Sterling. At that moment, the previous item was sold, and the next one was brought up. It was an ‘Imperial Swan’ Fabergé egg, crafted from the finest gold and encrusted with diamonds. What truly made it exceptional was the auctioneer’s announcement: it was a lost masterpiece by the legendary artisan, Master Dubois. As soon as I heard Master Dubois’s name, I instinctively looked at the piece on the stage. After just a glance, I retracted my gaze, my voice flat. “That one’s fake.” Seraphina’s smile almost fell off her face. “How can Miss Sterling tell?” “Because the real one was given by the world’s richest man’s daughter, Miss Sterling, to her grandmother.” There was only one in the world. The real one was at my house. The one on stage had to be fake. I was trying to be helpful, but my words made Seraphina burst into laughter. Even Julian’s friends behind us began to openly mock me. “Elara, if you don’t know, just don’t pretend to. It’s embarrassing.” “Yeah, and ‘given by the richest man’s daughter’? Did you see it with your own eyes from under her bed? Just because your last name is Sterling, you think you’re related to Miss Sterling?” The laughter grew louder until Julian, his face cold, finally silenced their taunts. He looked at me, taking my hand. “Elara, I know you’ve been reading some art appreciation books lately, but you can’t improve your appreciation skills just from books. Seraphina has been attending auctions since she was a child and is quite knowledgeable about such art. She naturally understands more than you.” He didn’t say anything overly harsh, but his meaning was clear: he thought I was talking nonsense. I let out a soft laugh, saying nothing. In the end, Seraphina paid a staggering twenty million dollars for that Fabergé egg. Watching her swipe her card, I smiled. I wondered what Mrs. Vance would think when she learned Seraphina had bought her a fake for $20 million. I didn’t stop her, nor did I care. I stood up and went to the restroom. Just as I finished washing my hands, a familiar voice came from behind me. “I thought I’d made myself clear enough. How can you still shamelessly hang around? Do you really want to be a homewrecker?” Her voice was sharp and grating, completely unlike the gentle, refined socialite she’d been moments ago. I calmly raised my eyes, turning to face her. “Miss Beaumont, I hope you understand that I’ve been with him for five years. The term ‘homewrecker’ certainly doesn’t apply to me, does it?” With that, I prepared to walk past her, but she wouldn’t let me go, sneering, “Yes, five years together, and he still won’t marry you. Haven’t you ever wondered why? I’m Miss Beaumont, and he’s the heir to the Vance Group. Our families are perfectly matched. But you?” “With a gambling father and a sick mother, such a pathetic background, nothing to your name. How could you possibly deserve him?” My steps faltered. This background was a complete fabrication, but I never imagined Julian would tell Seraphina even that. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. If I truly came from such a background, would my so-called boyfriend, the one who said I was the only one he loved, have handed another woman a second knife to hurt me with? “You’re right, I don’t deserve him.” A pang of pain shot through my heart. I glanced back at Seraphina, and the pent-up frustration I’d held inside suddenly dissipated. “You two are a perfect match. I wish you both a successful marriage.” With that, I turned and walked away. I hadn’t gone far when my phone rang. It was my mother. “Elara, hurry home. Everyone’s waiting for you, and we’ve prepared tons of gifts.” “Your father and I bought you a castle overseas, your aunt bought you a diamond crown—they say it was once worn by the Queen of England—and your uncle, he’s got a garage full of luxury cars waiting for you…” Listening to my mother’s endless stream of gifts my family had prepared for my return, I couldn’t help but sigh. “Mom, I’m coming home to inherit the family fortune, not to squander it.” The moment my words fell, a familiar voice came from behind me. “Inherit the family fortune? What are you talking about?”

I froze, instinctively hanging up the phone, but couldn’t help but marvel at how much these people loved to suddenly speak from behind others. I turned around, seeing Julian’s distinctly unhappy expression. After a moment of hesitation, I explained, “Oh, nothing. Just some old colleagues asking what I plan to do after resigning. I was just joking with them, saying I’m going home to inherit the family business.” Julian frowned, about to speak, but I had already walked several steps away. I looked back and called out, “Coming? There are still a few jewelry pieces to be presented.” Hearing that, Julian stopped himself, nodded, and followed me. Back in the auction hall, Julian bought several more jewelry pieces at high prices, had them wrapped, and presented them to me. I looked at the boxes in my hands. “I don’t wear this kind of jewelry,” I said softly. Julian smiled, ruffling my hair. “You’ll get used to it. Don’t worry about wasting money. I’ll buy you diamonds for life.” My lips moved, but I ultimately held back the rest of my words. I don’t wear these million-dollar jewels. My jewels, each piece, are worth hundreds of millions. The auction was over, and people were gradually leaving. Julian and I, along with our group, didn’t linger. Everyone had driven their own cars, and we should have just gone our separate ways. But as soon as we got into the car, before it even started, Seraphina knocked on the passenger window. The window slowly rolled down, revealing her bashful face, her voice equally sweet and delicate, completely devoid of the sharp-tongued venom she’d shown me in the restroom earlier. “Julian, my car broke down. Could you give me a ride home?” Julian frowned, about to refuse, when she added, “Your parents asked you to look after me. You haven’t forgotten, have you?” Julian’s expression darkened, clearly remembering something. He finally agreed. Seeing him nod, her smile visibly brightened. She then pushed her luck, looking at me. “But I get motion sickness. What if I can’t sit in the back?” Julian looked at me, but before he could speak, I had already pushed open the car door, stepped out, and swiftly moved to the back seat. My movements were so quick that Julian hadn’t even reacted before I was settled in the back. His words were stuck in his throat, making him look uncomfortable. He seemed hesitant, wanting to say it was just a seat, nothing to fuss over. When his eyes flicked to the rearview mirror and saw me with my eyes closed, pretending to rest, he stayed silent. Just then, Seraphina got into the car. The door closed, and seeing me resting in the back, a triumphant smirk touched her lips. Her voice was soft and sweet, her eyes coyly on Julian. “Is Miss Sterling tired? Let her rest for a bit then.” Perhaps sensing my unusual quietness, Julian didn’t engage much with Seraphina. He just nodded and silently started the car. I must have actually fallen asleep at some point, because when I woke up, the car was already parked in the Vance family villa’s garage, and Seraphina was long gone. Julian stroked my face. “Awake? You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you.” Still a little groggy, I nodded, opened the car door, got out, and walked straight towards the front door without waiting for Julian. Julian caught up to me at the entrance, blocking my way. “Are you mad? Seraphina really is just the daughter of my parents’ friends. Don’t worry about it.” I hummed in response. Julian thought I was still angry. He took my hand, coaxing softly, “She’s truly just the daughter of my parents’ friends, baby. You know I only love you.” After speaking, he caught a whiff of my rose perfume, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and he leaned in to kiss me, but I pushed him away. Watching his astonished expression, I walked directly inside. “I’m on my period and not feeling well, so I’m heading to my room to rest.” With that, I locked the door, completely cutting off Julian’s chance to come in. The next morning, in the downstairs dining room, as Julian and I ate breakfast, my phone, which was lying nearby, suddenly rang. It was a timed alarm I’d set a while ago. The reminder: “Meet the Parents.” Julian also saw the message. Before, I had planned to reveal my identity to him and suggested he come home to meet my parents, which he had agreed to. We exchanged glances. I was wondering how to cancel the meeting when, the next second, his phone also rang. It was Seraphina. I couldn’t hear what she said, but his expression changed slightly. When he turned back to me, he apologized and called off our meeting. “Elara, something’s suddenly come up that I need to deal with. How about we meet your parents another time?” I nodded calmly. “Perfect, I have something to take care of today too.” Julian left soon after, and I followed suit. I went shopping, buying a gift for each of my girlfriends whom I was meeting later. When we met, everyone opened their packages, gasping as they saw a brand new luxury item in each box. “Elara, where did you find so many high-end fakes? They look so real!” “They’re all real.” Seeing their surprised faces, I couldn’t help but chuckle. After explaining, and seeing they still looked unconvinced, I revealed my true identity. “Actually, what I told you before about my father gambling and my mother being sick—that was all fake. My real identity is the sole heir to the world’s wealthiest family. I’m saying goodbye to you all because I’m going home to inherit the family fortune.” Hearing me say this, everyone was first shocked, then overjoyed, exclaiming that a real-life heiress had been right among them. Their screams nearly blew the roof off the restaurant. After their excitement, someone remembered Julian and quickly asked, “But if you go back, what about Julian? Does he know your real identity?” At the mention of Julian, the smile on my face faded slightly. “He’s planning to marry someone else.” “No way!” My friends were incredulous. “He always seemed like such a devoted rich guy to us!” “Exactly! Three years ago, you said you liked night-blooming orchids, and he spent a fortune buying every rare one in existence just to see you smile. Two years ago, when you got the flu, he cancelled a multi-million-dollar deal and flew back from overseas to personally care for you, staying awake all night. And a year ago, your car got into an accident. The truck was headed straight for you, but he swerved to protect you. You didn’t even lose a hair, but he broke three ribs and was in the hospital for three months, almost not waking up. Now he’s getting married? How could the bride not be you?” Hearing my friends recount those past events, I still felt a surge of emotion. Back then, Julian truly loved me enough to risk his life. But now… I shook my head, smiling faintly. “He did love me, but his family thinks I’m not good enough for him and forced him into an arranged marriage. Before I even had a chance to tell him the truth, he’d already printed the invitations. From what he said, he probably intended to keep me as his mistress after the wedding.” My friends exploded instantly. “What? A mistress?!” “Asking the world’s richest heiress to be a mistress? The Vance family must be insane!” “Oh, really? He’ll regret this, just you wait!” “Exactly! If he knew you were secretly leaving, and his family found out your real identity, they’d go crazy!” Just then, Julian and Seraphina walked in from outside, frowning as they overheard our conversation. “What real identity?” Seeing them enter together, one of my friends, absolutely furious, was about to speak but I stopped her. I looked at the two newcomers, my expression cold. “What are you two doing here?” At my question, Julian couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, his eyes flickering. “The Vance and Beaumont families have a collaboration, so we arranged to meet and discuss it.” Hearing his reply, I just smiled. Of course, I knew about their “collaboration” – a marriage alliance. Because they were discussing “business,” Julian and Seraphina didn’t sit with us, but at a separate table nearby—close enough for me to witness their intimate interactions. Like him cutting her steak, her sharing her favorite food with him, him handing her a napkin, her wiping a smudge from his lips… The two exchanged affectionate gestures, infuriating my friends, but my face remained calm.

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After I spearheaded the company’s IPO, I personally generated billions in profits for my CEO wife. Veronica excitedly promised me a car. But then, she rolled out a kid’s scooter from the garage, beaming, “Practice with this first, honey. When the company makes *real* money, we’ll get you a proper one.” Just moments later, I saw her on her ex-boyfriend Blake’s live stream, casually dropping millions to snag a global limited-edition vintage supercar. On screen, she was draped around his neck, practically purring: “This is the only thing fit for my baby’s status!” I looked down at the scooter she’d given me, and suddenly, I burst out laughing. With a flick of my thumb, I forwarded it straight to the company’s main WhatsApp group, tagging everyone. Thirty seconds later, my phone practically vibrated off the table. Her voice, when it finally broke through, was a frantic, tear-laced shriek: “Jake, honey, let me explain! That was just to get his dad’s investment! Pull it back now! I’ll buy you a real car tomorrow!” But her promises? They were like a maxed-out credit card, draining every last drop of hope I had left. I slipped off my wedding ring and gently placed it on the coffee table. “Nine AM tomorrow. Don’t forget to show up for the divorce.” On the other end of the line, Veronica’s voice rose, sharp and shrill: “Are you out of your mind?! I told you it was to reel in an investment! What are you trying to prove here? The company’s making big money, aren’t you living comfortably too?” “Divorce? Who are you trying to scare? Who do you think you are? Without me, Veronica, would you be where you are today?” “Pull that message from the group *now*! The whole company’s laughing at me; how am I, the CEO, supposed to show my face? Are you deliberately trying to humiliate me?” “I’m telling you, don’t push your luck! Retract it now, immediately! Otherwise, I’m *really* going to divorce you!” With that, she hung up before I could respond. I looked at the ring on the table and silently closed my eyes. In this marriage, I was truly exhausted. Messages in the company WhatsApp group were still piling up, all supporting me. “Veronica is totally out of line here. Is *this* how you treat the guy who made it all happen?” “Blake’s got zero talent, but he gets a supercar? That money could cover our team’s bonuses for three freaking years!” “Her ex is flaunting his wealth on TikTok, while we busted our butts getting this company public, and *this* is our reward?” I scrolled through them, one by one, and chuckled. Turns out, Veronica wasn’t upset because I embarrassed her; it was because her beloved Blake was getting ripped apart. But they were right. Her ex, Blake, was like a peacock constantly showing off, always circling around heiresses and wealthy older women, flamboyantly parading his supposed ‘family connections’ and ‘deep pockets.’ The truth? He couldn’t even read a basic financial statement, yet he’d brag at every cocktail party about ‘closing multi-million dollar deals.’ The most ridiculous part was when he visited the company last time. Just because the Head of Sales didn’t *grovel* enough for him, he immediately convinced Veronica to fire her. Everyone in the company came to me, begging me to intervene. Veronica immediately ripped into me: “‘The most important thing in this company is respect! If someone can’t even grasp that, they deserve to be fired!’” Thinking about it, I couldn’t help but sneer. The so-called “respect” was only for her useless ex. Me, her husband, I worked my butt off to make her billions, and the “respect” I earned was a kid’s scooter. My phone vibrated suddenly. It was a message from my team leader, Frank: “Jake, the guys just went to bat for you.” Seeing the flood of memes in the group, my mood lightened slightly. I was about to remind them to be careful. Suddenly, a disciplinary notice from Veronica’s ex, Blake, popped up in the company WhatsApp: “Anyone caught chatting in the group during work hours will have their monthly performance bonus docked completely!” Every single name on that list was from the team I had personally built and mentored. The group immediately erupted: “Director Jake, Blake is clearly coming after you!” “What’s the point of staying in this dump of a company?” “If you leave, we’re all leaving with you!” I clenched my phone. Seven years. From the very first fight we had about Blake, Veronica had unilaterally added him—an absolute outsider to our company—to the main group chat, even granting him administrative privileges. She knew how much I valued loyalty and my team. But she deliberately let Blake harass them, just to spite me. I dialed a number I hadn’t called in a long time. “Hey, old friend, is that offer we talked about still on the table?” A voice on the other end erupted with joy: “Of course! You finally came to your senses?” “But I have one condition.” “Name it!” “I’m bringing my entire team with me.” “Excellent! Double salary, same position, you can sign the contract tomorrow!” I hung up and looked at the divorce papers I’d just pulled from the drawer. Veronica had probably forgotten, but in the early days of our startup, we made a pact: if this company ever felt like a cage, either of us could walk away at any time. I stared at Veronica’s signature from seven years ago. Back then, she’d cling to my arm, her voice soft and sweet: “Honey, we’ll never need this agreement. I just want you to know that in my heart, you’re more important than the company.” But now? Everything was different. We were different. The pen spun once between my fingers. Without hesitation, I signed my name. Then, I opened the company WhatsApp and sent a new message: 【Everyone, effective tomorrow, I am officially resigning.】 Then, I turned off my phone. 2 Early the next morning, I arrived at the company to find the CEO’s assistant stammering nervously at me. I pushed open the office door, and Veronica was there, her face a storm cloud of fury, staring daggers at me: “You actually show up for work? Didn’t you say you were resigning yesterday? Regretting it already?” “Hmph, I called you *eighty-eight* times last night, and you didn’t pick up! Don’t think for a second I’m going to forgive you!” “I’m going on a business trip for a few days, so I won’t be home! You can use this time to *reflect* on your actions!” Just outside my office door, Blake, looking smug and dressed in some ridiculously flashy outfit, swooped in and grabbed Veronica by the waist: “Darling, what should we have for dinner once we land in the Maldives tonight?” I watched them walk away, and a cold laugh escaped me. So, it wasn’t a business trip. It was a vacation with Blake. Veronica almost drowned as a child; she’s always been terrified of the ocean. When we first married, I suggested the Maldives for our honeymoon, but her fear was so profound we kept postponing it. Now, for Blake? She was breaking every single one of her long-held rules. Tears blurred my vision from laughing. So true love really *can* conquer all fears. It just turned out that after seven or eight years of marriage, I was never her true love. Casting away the last shred of fantasy in my heart, I finalized the terms with my team and the new company. At the restaurant, Frank clapped a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “Jake, a boss as biased as Veronica? She’s just not worth your loyalty.” I threw back a shot of whiskey, the fiery liquid burning a path down my throat. I remembered meeting Veronica for the first time. She was a fresh-faced intern, wearing a simple white shirt, so nervous in the conference room that she’d even put her PowerPoint slides in backward. Now, she was a woman full of lies, a master of manipulation. And hadn’t I, in a way, created this monster by constantly tolerating her behavior? In the early days of our startup, no matter how big a screw-up she made, one sweet word, one innocent look, and I’d melt, always forgiving her. Eventually, she didn’t even bother pretending. She just used her CEO title to shut me down. Now, for that ex, she could sacrifice me without a second thought. “Tonight, we drink until we drop!” I raised my glass, and my team members cheered in response. At 3 AM, I stumbled through the front door. To my surprise, Veronica was sitting upright on the couch in the living room, perfectly poised. She frowned and took two steps back: “Jake! I hate drunks! Have you forgotten that?” I chuckled. Right. Because she hated the smell of alcohol, I hadn’t touched a drop in eight years. But last week, in a SnapChat video Blake posted, Veronica was plastered, draped all over his shoulder. His caption? “My baby’s even cuter when she’s had too much.” She could even drink the alcohol she hated for her beloved ex, but now she was telling me she hated drunks. Thinking about it, I looked at her, my gaze cold. “Weren’t you supposed to be in the Maldives?” Veronica tossed a blanket at me: “How did you know? Never mind. It’s not important. I wouldn’t have changed my flight if I wasn’t worried sick about *you*!” “But you? You’re out here partying like crazy with those annoying people from the company?! Didn’t I tell you to reflect?!” She then pointed to the dining table. “And I even bothered to bring you coffee from that shop you love.” I used to constantly worry about her safety. No matter how fierce our arguments, if I didn’t hear from her for over an hour, I’d immediately call to check. But this time, I hadn’t sent her a single message for twenty-four hours straight. She finally couldn’t sit still, could she? On the dining table, there was indeed my favorite coffee. The smell used to make my whole day, but now it just made my stomach churn. This ‘stab you in the back then offer you a sweet’ routine? She’d perfected it years ago. Too bad it wasn’t working this time. Seeing my lack of reaction, Veronica’s tone softened slightly, but there was a suppressed, grinding anger beneath it. “Honey, can we please just stop this? No more fighting. I’ll get you a real car right away—Porsche or Ferrari, you pick!” I stared at the ceiling, then slowly spoke: “Veronica, do you honestly still think I’m negotiating with you over a car?” She frowned after a few seconds of silence: “Then what do you want? Just *say* it! I’ll agree to anything!” I smiled softly: “No need.” Then Veronica’s tone shifted abruptly: “Then how about that new energy project you’re leading? Let Blake take over. After all, you *did* egg your team on to badmouth him, so consider it an apology!” I scoffed. So that was it. She waited up all night just to get a project for that deadbeat. “Alright.” I said. Veronica flashed a triumphant smile, as if she’d expected me to cave: “See? That was easy. Just come back to the office tomorrow. I’ll call Blake, you apologize to him, and this whole thing will blow over.” “I won’t hold it against your team members for what they said about Blake. We can go back to being a happy couple.” I didn’t let her finish. I slapped my company ID badge onto the dining table. “One project? That’s not enough. Tomorrow, I’ll hand over *all* my current work to him.” 3 Veronica’s face instantly changed: “Jake! What are you talking about?” “Blake’s family is *so* influential, Jake. It’s just a project. You’re giving it to him as a gesture.” “Once his father’s investment comes through, our company will explode! And I’m just discussing this with you, what’s with the sarcasm?” “Nothing.” I turned and walked towards the bedroom. Veronica lunged forward, grabbing my collar. “Jake! You’re just jealous I bought Blake that car, aren’t you?!” She shrieked hysterically. “Don’t act like some martyr! A petty, calculating man like you isn’t even worth one of Blake’s pinky fingers!” “Fine! I’ll just buy you one myself!” Even now, she thought it was all about the car. I calmly pushed her hand away: “Keep that money, Veronica. Buy Blake a yacht.” With a *CRASH*—Veronica hurled the entire coffee cup at the wall. Coffee splattered, a jarring brown against the pristine white. “Blake and I are *nothing*! Your disgusting mind is so twisted, you don’t even deserve to be a VP!” I looked at her face, contorted with rage, and suddenly found it pathetic. Everyone else in the company called him ‘Mr. Blake,’ some even mockingly ‘Prince Blake.’ But *she* always used his first name, ‘Blake.’ And now she wanted to talk about innocence? “Veronica,” I used her formal title, letting the coldness sink in. “Do I need to pull up the security footage? Last Wednesday night, how exactly did your ‘Blake’ end up in your office?” Veronica’s face instantly went white, her carefully applied red lips trembling. She suddenly raised her hand, but stopped it inches from my face. Her freshly manicured red nails seemed to glint with a sinister, bloody light under the lamp. “Hmph!” She stumbled back, her voice catching. “Give me back the scooter I gave you! I picked that out myself! You don’t deserve it!” “Threw it away.” I cut off her theatrics. “This morning, when the cleaner came, I personally tossed it out.” Veronica’s tears instantly froze in her eyes. She stared at me, wide-eyed and disbelieving, as if seeing her husband of eight years for the very first time. I turned and closed the bedroom door, hearing Veronica’s furious roar from inside. “I’m leaving! I’m never coming back!” But strangely, this time, my heart felt completely calm. Turns out, when disappointment finally fills you up, even anger becomes redundant. When I woke up, my phone was scorching hot from all the messages. The company WhatsApp’s latest announcement displayed a new personnel change: 【After deliberation by the board of directors, Jake, Director of Operations, has been removed from his position and reassigned to Assistant Manager of Logistics, effective immediately.】 The reason for disciplinary action was explicitly stated as: 【Due to personal emotional issues affecting company unity.】 Even more ridiculous, the announcement bore Veronica’s digital signature, and the posting time was 3 AM—precisely the time her flight with Blake took off for the Maldives after they adjusted their schedule. When I went to HR with my team to process our resignations, the new HR representative, Mr. Davis, fumbled with his phone, trying to call for instructions: “Veronica, Director Jake and his team are…” From the other end of the line, Blake’s artificially sweet voice purred: “Veronica’s in the shower, darling. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Then came Veronica’s impatient, irritated voice: “Didn’t I say *not* to bother me today, no matter what?!” “But Director Jake—!” 4 “Let him handle whatever he needs to himself! He thinks he’s so capable, why is he calling me?!” Veronica’s voice suddenly sharpened. “The company seal is in the safe! The password is his birthday! Do I really need to be bothered with such trivial matters?” Mr. Davis hung up, his face flushed scarlet. He nervously opened the safe, but froze when he saw the keypad. The date displayed? It wasn’t my birthday. It was the exact date Veronica and Blake first met. The resignation process was unusually smooth. On my way to the courthouse for the divorce, I idly scrolled through Instagram and saw Blake’s latest post. A nine-photo dump, with Veronica in a sexy bikini, intimately feeding him fruit. The caption read: 【Some people take eight years to do nothing, others achieve more in eight days.】 Veronica’s old friends commented below: “She introduced him to us three years ago, saying they were about to go public. Guess she finally decided to post about it on SnapChat today.” All these years, Veronica had always made excuses about being too busy to introduce me to her friends. But in truth, three years ago, she was already introducing Blake as her husband. I silently liked her post on my phone. Veronica’s international call came through immediately. “Jake, what are you doing liking my post in the middle of a workday? Don’t you have a job?!” “And why are your team members liking it too?” “I’m half tempted to dock all your salaries!” I laughed into the international call. “Forgot to tell you. My team and I have already resigned.” Veronica paused, then asked incredulously: “What kind of game are you playing now to get me back?” “I’m busy with *real* work, Jake. I don’t have time for your childish games!” She certainly was busy. Busy dating Blake, busy making their relationship Instagram official to her college friends. And busy punishing me and my team. Blake, still on the line, stoked the flames: “Veronica, he’s doing this to disrespect you. Quitting himself is one thing, but taking all your top talent? He’s trying to destroy you!” Before he finished speaking, her friends, seeing my ‘like,’ chimed in with their own comments: “We all heard from Blake. Even if Jake *is* your husband, he’s just a pathetic loser at home. Blake does all his work at the company! Someone like that, if he doesn’t quit, you should’ve fired him yourself!” “Honestly, Veronica, that loser needs to go. Blake is clearly your soulmate!” Seeing their incitement and slander, Veronica, who knew the truth, didn’t bother to clarify for me. Instead, she sighed into the phone: “Jake, for the sake of our years together, I’m giving you one last chance.” “As long as you apologize, when we get back, I can offer you a position as Blake’s assistant. Otherwise!” Otherwise, she would divorce me. But this time, I wasn’t giving her any chances. Before, whenever she was about to utter those two words, I’d panic, begging her not to divorce me. But now, I calmly sent a photo of our divorce certificate to her comments section: “Allow me to announce, we are officially divorced.”

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My mother-in-law, Eleanor, and I were enjoying a getaway. After checking into our hotel, we headed straight for the pool. But a perfectly put-together woman, looking utterly disgusted, scrunched up her nose at us. “This is a high-end hotel. What kind of people do they let in? Are you just sneaking in to use the pool?” “Sharing a pool with you makes me worry about catching some infectious disease!” Eleanor and I immediately felt our vibe killed. I retorted coldly: “The hotel pool is public, open to all guests. If you can’t handle that, build your own at home.” Her eyebrows shot up in anger. She snapped: “How dare you talk to me like that? Do you even know my husband owns this hotel? The most exclusive suite here is mine year-round.” “I command you to get out! You reek of cheapness, you’re making the water filthy. It’s disgusting!” Eleanor and I exchanged a glance, a chill of recognition passing between us. This hotel was owned by Julian Hayes. When did he become *her* husband?! A chilling dread washed over me. Had Julian Hayes, the man who’d vowed eternal loyalty to me, truly cheated?

The next moment, my gaze fell on the rose tattoo on her collarbone. I’d seen an identical one on Julian’s abs. He’d told me he got it because I loved roses. How foolish I felt then, so touched by his gesture. It turned out to be a matching tattoo with another woman. If I hadn’t stumbled upon this today, I would never have known he’d found someone else so long ago. The more furious I became, the calmer I felt. I decided to expose her facade. “But as far as I know, Julian Hayes’s wife’s surname is Shaw, and she doesn’t look like you at all. You’re the third party, yet you dare to be so arrogant. You have no shame.” “Go ahead, call Julian Hayes right now. I’d love to see how he’s going to make us pay dearly!” My words, “third party,” stung her. She hissed: “There’s no ‘first-come, first-served’ in love. The one who isn’t loved, *that’s* the third party.” “My husband is coming over today anyway. I’ll have him here in a flash. You just wait!” She dialed a number, her voice shifting to a sickly sweet tone: “Julian, honey, when will you be here? I’m being bullied by two old women at the hotel pool, and I’m so scared all by myself. Please hurry and help me out.” “After this, you should make the pool exclusive for me. I’ve been practicing some new moves in the pool, just for you.” After she hung up, her eyes practically gleamed with vanity and triumph. “He’ll be here in half an hour. You two are dead. He has plenty of ways to deal with you!” The thought of Julian putting on a show of deep affection with me while cheating with another woman made me want to throw up. Eleanor caught my reaction and understood. She gnashed her teeth. “Julian Hayes, that monster! Just like his worthless father!” “What I gave him, I can just as easily take back!” Eleanor hated infidelity. Years ago, she divorced Julian’s father because he cheated with a younger model. She’d raised her son alone, balancing a demanding career. She never expected the son she raised to be just as rotten, stabbing her in the back. Eleanor Hayes owned over a hundred hotels nationwide. Although she’d handed over some operations to Julian these past few years, she was still the true power behind them. And I, Elara Shaw, wouldn’t have married Julian Hayes if I didn’t come from an equally prominent family. Julian Hayes, I’m waiting to see how you’re going to explain this to us! At that moment, I noticed Eleanor’s face had turned pale. Worried, I quickly helped her, trying to get her out of the pool to change. But Tiffany waved her hand. Mikey immediately used his arms to vault onto the deck, and as Eleanor was climbing the ladder, he kicked her. Eleanor tumbled back into the water. I quickly reached for her again. Tiffany watched from the side, laughing maniacally. “You two look like a couple of old ducks flapping around in the water! Don’t you love being in the water? Then stay there!” “Mikey, don’t let them out until my husband arrives.” Mikey, like a loyal lackey, responded: “Tiffany, don’t worry, mission accomplished. Just put in a good word for me with Mr. Hayes when he gets here.” No matter how many times Eleanor and I tried to climb out, he’d kick us back down. Our strength was quickly draining. Eleanor, clutching her chest, was gasping for air, unable to speak. I made her lean on me, shouting desperately to the shore: “Are you trying to kill someone?! My mother is having a heart attack; let us out now! “Otherwise, when Julian Hayes gets here, you’ll regret it!” Mikey’s face paled, and he nervously looked at Tiffany. She just chuckled, dismissing my threat. “You old ladies always pull these kinds of stunts. Faking a heart attack? You were swimming perfectly fine just a minute ago!” “Mikey, go turn off the pool heater. Let’s see how long she can keep up the act then!”

My temples throbbed with rage. “I’m telling you, if someone dies, the police will be involved, and none of you will get away with it!” She casually took a sip from a glass of red wine, her tone arrogant. “Stop faking it. If you want out, just beg me.” “Weren’t you so tough a minute ago? What, now that you know my husband is coming, you’re scared?” Eleanor already had a heart condition. Not only had she been infuriated today, but she’d also choked on water several times and was exhausted. She was in severe distress. I bit my lip. I couldn’t let her be in danger. I had to endure it for now, ensure her safety. Just as I was about to open my mouth and beg her, Eleanor grabbed my arm. She spoke with a trembling voice: “I’ve never bowed my head to anyone in my life, much less begged a despicable thing like her.” “Elara, I can still hold on. When Julian Hayes gets here, he definitely won’t forgive her.” “Don’t worry, I’ve been hurt by men my whole life. I’ll stand by you.” Seeing that we still wouldn’t beg, Tiffany’s eyes glinted slyly. She turned and instructed Mikey: “Go grab two buckets of ice from the kitchen. Let’s cool them down even more.” Ice cubes were dumped into the water, and the temperature quickly plummeted. I was shivering uncontrollably. Eleanor’s lips were already turning blue, and her consciousness was fading. I slapped her face, but she barely reacted. Holding my breath, I quickly swam with her towards the edge, but Mikey pushed us away again and again with a pole. I was frantic, my eyes red, screaming hoarsely: “My mother is dying! Let her out now! If someone dies, your hotel won’t be able to escape responsibility!” “Julian Hayes will never let you off the hook!” Mikey, being a swimming instructor, noticed Eleanor’s pale face and realized the situation was genuinely bad. He quickly turned to Tiffany. “Tiffany, the older woman looks really bad. Maybe we should let her out? It’ll be such a hassle if she dies in the pool, and it’ll gross you out every time you use it.” “Besides, Mr. Hayes probably doesn’t want you to actually kill someone. If he gets angry, I might lose my job.” Tiffany thought for a moment, then scoffed. “Oh, so you’re worried about your job? I didn’t actually intend to kill anyone, but some people are just too stubborn for their own good.” “I said if they begged me, I’d consider letting them out. They’re still not at death’s door. I want to see how long they can last!” Mikey, emboldened by Tiffany’s presence, glared at me. “Let me tell you, Tiffany Blackwood is Mr. Hayes’s woman. This hotel exists to serve her; everything has to make way for her.” “You shouldn’t have been let in today. If you want to live, apologize to her right now, and beg her properly.” “If you’re not smart about this, no one can help you!” I bit my lip hard, seeing Eleanor in such a critical state. I couldn’t care less about my pride or dignity anymore. I struggled to speak: “I beg you, please let my mother out first. She has a heart condition; she’ll really die.” Tiffany’s lips curved into a smug smile. She deliberately sneered, her voice dripping with mock sweetness: “Didn’t you just call me a shameless third party? I want you to say it again. Say that Elara Shaw is the bitchy third party, and *I* am Julian Hayes’s wife.” Tiffany hated being called a third party, and she was fiercely jealous of the Elara Shaw she’d never met. She didn’t know *I* was Elara Shaw, and yet, she unwittingly delivered the greatest insult. My fists clenched, nails digging deep into my palms. I swallowed the humiliation, repeating each word slowly: “Elara Shaw is the bitchy third party, you are Julian Hayes’s wife!” “Is that enough? Now let my mother out!” She smiled, satisfied, a cunning glint in her eyes. “I said I’d *consider* it. Now that I’ve considered it, I’ve decided I don’t want you to come out.”

I was utterly furious, wanting to tear her apart with my eyes. I had no choice but to reveal Eleanor’s identity. “You’ve gone too far! She is Julian Hayes’s mother! If anything happens to her, Julian Hayes will never let you off the hook when he gets here!” Tiffany burst into laughter, scoffing: “You disgusting women will make up any lie! I just heard you call her ‘Mom.’ How did she suddenly become Julian Hayes’s mother?” “You’ve ruined my swimming fun today. I’m going to teach you a lesson. Next time you go out, remember to open your eyes!” Eleanor was trembling slightly in my arms, her breathing growing weaker. Her heart condition had fully flared up. If she didn’t get her emergency heart medicine soon, she would truly die. My eyes red, I screamed hoarsely: “Help! Someone, please help us! Someone’s going to die…” But the entire pool area was empty; there was no one else around. Mikey also started to panic. He said anxiously: “Tiffany, what if…” But she cut Mikey off, completely disregarding human life. She said nonchalantly: “It’s fine. Old ladies like her are stronger than young people. She’s just faking it.” “My husband will be here any minute. We can let them out after he arrives. A few more minutes won’t hurt. If something was going to happen, it would have already.” A few minutes could cost Eleanor her life if we missed the critical time for rescue. Despair flooded my heart. Just then, Mr. Davis, the hotel manager, rushed over. I yelled at him, my voice hoarse: “Help! My mom is having a heart attack! Get her out of the water immediately and call an ambulance!” The manager had seen Eleanor years ago, but he didn’t recognize her now. He saw Eleanor’s condition and his heart sank. He had heard there was trouble and had come to ingratiate himself with Tiffany. But now, with someone possibly dying, he quickly weighed upsetting Tiffany against losing his job over a death. He then smiled at Tiffany and said: “Ms. Blackwood, maybe we should let them out of the water first. If something really bad happens, you won’t be able to use this pool ever again.” Tiffany shot him a haughty look. “Fine. For your sake, I’ll let them out.” The manager quickly had Mikey pull Eleanor and me out of the water. Eleanor lay motionless on the ground. Ignoring my own gasping for breath, I sprinted to the changing room, grabbing my bag as fast as I could. I fumbled, spilling out the emergency heart medicine, and was about to put it in her mouth. But Tiffany kicked the bottle, sending both it and the pills flying into the pool. She looked at my furious face and sneered mockingly: “Alright, stop faking it. I let you out. Now get lost. Next time you see me, remember to walk the other way. I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll let you two off.” Rage propelled me forward. I slapped Tiffany hard across the face, my eyes red as I hissed: “If anything happens to my mother, I swear I’ll make you and Julian Hayes both pay the price!” She hadn’t expected me to dare hit her. She shrieked: “You lunatic! I shouldn’t have been soft-hearted. I should have let you two bitches drown!” I lunged to hit her again, but Mikey and Mr. Davis grabbed my shoulders. Tiffany, meanwhile, slapped me over and over again. The burning pain on my face cleared my head. I realized that any more delay would cost Eleanor her life. Struggling free from their grip, I quickly found my phone and called Julian Hayes: “Julian Hayes, Mom’s having a heart attack! We’re at the hotel pool in River City. Get the nearest medical team here now!” “Any later, and Mom will be gone!” But Julian replied impatiently: “If your mom has a heart condition, shouldn’t *she* be more careful? I’m in a meeting. Call an ambulance yourself.” He then abruptly hung up. I was trembling with anger. Does he even know whose mother has a heart condition? The next moment, Tiffany let out a delighted squeal, looking towards the entrance: “Julian, honey, you’re finally here!”

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The apocalypse of extreme heat had arrived. My best friend and my boyfriend tied me to a chair, together. They drained my blood, using it as their new water supply, and gleefully pulled out my bones, giving them to the dog to chew on. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my best friend, in tiny pink shorts, swaying provocatively in front of my boyfriend. This time, I was going to make them taste despair. “AC, Wi-Fi… If only we had some watermelon.” A familiar whine woke me up. The moment my eyes fluttered open, I saw Brittany, clad only in her underwear, dramatically complaining to my boyfriend, Damian. She was biting her finger, her bra strap conveniently slipping off her shoulder. Damian turned his head, glancing at the scorching sun outside, looking a little troubled. Then, his gaze landed on me. “Perfect, you’re awake.” “Brittany wants watermelon. She’s a guest, and your best friend, so why don’t you go out and buy some?” The scene before me was all too familiar. I had been reborn, two days before the high-temperature apocalypse officially hit. At this point, no one realized it was a disaster; people just thought it was a normal heatwave. Two days later, the water and electricity would cut out, and food and fresh water would become scarce. That would signal the official arrival of the high-temperature apocalypse. 2 In my previous life, after waking up and seeing Brittany’s attire, I had pulled her into the bedroom, reminding her to be mindful. “What do you expect me to wear in this heat?!” Brittany’s face had twisted in annoyance, and she’d reached up to adjust her fallen strap. “You don’t actually think I’m trying to hook up with your boyfriend, do you? Don’t be ridiculous! We knew each other long before you came along. If we wanted to be together, we would’ve been already! What would it even have to do with you?!” “Cassie, you’re misunderstanding Brittany. She’s your best friend. Don’t you know what kind of person she is?” Damian had leaned against the bedroom doorway, his tone dripping with accusation. “Go buy the watermelon. It’ll do you good to cool down.” Like hell I would! It was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and he wanted me to “cool down.” But now. I actually did want to go out. 3 “I’ll go buy the watermelon! It’s so hot, how can we let darling Brittany go without her watermelon?” I forced a smile, sweetly complying. The moment the door closed, the cold air from inside was cut off. The suffocating heatwave hit me almost immediately, threatening to choke me. My parents had already bought me a small villa in the suburbs. To spare Damian’s ego, I had never told him about it. After all, the carefully constructed image he maintained was always about *him* working hard to provide a happy life for the woman he loved. Yet, I was the one paying the rent for his apartment. After leaving, I headed straight for my villa. Buying this villa had been a stroke of luck. For a while, I had been obsessed with apocalypse movies, and this real estate company’s slogan was perfect: “Your Apocalypse Home.” The entire exterior of the villa was made of explosion-proof and fire-resistant materials, and it also had cooling and temperature-regulating functions. The roof was covered with numerous solar panels. The spacious basement was a natural giant refrigerator, perfect for storing massive amounts of food. Even better, the villa had its own ecological vegetable garden. With a complete hydroponic system, all I needed to do was plant seeds and add water, and the vegetables would be enough to meet my needs throughout the apocalypse. It did have its downsides, though. The villa looked ugly and was incredibly expensive. They hadn’t sold many units to date. 4 The villa came fully furnished with appliances. Though, they were all off-brand names I’d never heard of. When my mom came to add household items, she’d complained about the quality of these generic appliances and wanted to replace them. I looked at the ten massive refrigerators lined up in a row and couldn’t bring myself to let them go. After running back and forth three or four times, I finally managed to fill all the fridges. In addition to that, I bought a dozen more cases of crackers, instant noodles, self-heating hot pots, and various canned goods. Plus emergency medicines, feminine hygiene products, and other daily necessities. Only after the basement was filled to the brim with bottled water did I finally feel secure enough to splurge on snacks. My phone buzzed with a text message: [ATTENTION RESIDENTS: ABNORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. PLEASE STOCK UP ON SUPPLIES AND AVOID UNNECESSARY OUTINGS. ALSO, BE AWARE OF DISEASE AND BACTERIAL SPREAD IN HIGH HEAT.] Immediately after, Damian called. “Does it really take this long to buy a watermelon?” I explained that it was too hot, many fruit stores were closed, and I had to go far to find one. There was a moment of silence on the other end. “Cassie, you got the notification too, right?” Damian’s voice was heavy, like he’d just woken up. “Don’t worry about it. Experts say things, but who really listens? Those people hoarding supplies probably haven’t even finished the salt they bought last year.” I feigned a relaxed chuckle, making a joke. “It’s like fire outside. I’ll swing by and get some supplies on my way back. You two just stay in, I’d hate for you to overheat.” To dissuade Damian from going out shopping, I had to keep up the act. Just like in my previous life. That evening, I returned to the rental apartment with the supplies. *** [PAYWALL] *** In my previous life, I hadn’t realized the extreme heat apocalypse would be endless. I certainly hadn’t imagined that, when the apocalypse truly arrived, those two scumbags would hog all the supplies. They’d even tied me to a chair, drained my blood to use as their new water supply, and then gleefully picked my bones clean to give to Brittany’s dog as a chew toy. “How did you only get this much?!” Damian pointed at the meager instant noodles and crackers in the bag, clearly displeased. “Because the bottled water and watermelon were too heavy.” I deliberately twisted my wrist, looking a bit wronged as I gestured to the few bottles of water and the large watermelon. Brittany was happily gnawing on the watermelon, feeding the rinds to her beloved pet dog. But the dog clearly didn’t want the rinds, lunging to snatch a few bites of the red flesh instead. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s just a few days of heat, the experts are just being dramatic! We don’t even have to go to work, how bad can it get?” Damian shot Brittany a disgusted look. Though Damian wanted to hoard more supplies, I had timed my return perfectly. The supermarkets and stores were already closed. In my previous life, I had always lived in the company’s employee dorms. When the apocalypse hit, I was forced to stay in this rental apartment. When I suggested staying overnight tonight, Damian was ecstatic. Brittany, however, pouted and linked arms with me. “Cassie definitely wants to stay and keep me company! We haven’t had a good heart-to-heart in ages.” Facing my best friend’s overwhelming enthusiasm, I naturally had to “repay” her. While they slept soundly, I installed long-lasting, omnidirectional surveillance cameras in every corner of the apartment. Who needs a movie when you’ve got a live feed like this? 5 The next day, the temperature rose another ten degrees. Roads started to melt, and major video platforms were flooded with clips of people fighting over supplies. Unlike in my previous life. Damian was visibly panicking now. He ordered Brittany and me to split up and rush to grab supplies. Brittany, however, complained it was too hot and refused to leave. The moment Damian and I split up, I practically sprinted back to the villa. My parents video-called me; they had already moved to the countryside. It was a retirement home they’d bought earlier, located in the north, not yet affected by the extreme heat. I reminded them to stock up on supplies beforehand and take precautions. They, however, looked worried, urging me not to skimp on money, to buy whatever I could, no matter the cost. It turned out they’d seen the news: because of that high-temperature alert, supermarket shelves had been cleared out, and some people were price gouging. Bottled water that usually sold for two dollars was now being scalped for a thousand dollars a bottle. I secretly congratulated myself on being a step ahead yesterday. Just as I was comforting my parents, Damian’s call came in. “Cassie, I managed to get supplies! Ten whole cases of bottled water!” His voice was brimming with barely contained excitement. Then, he lowered his voice. “The owner gave us a discount, it’s fifty thousand dollars in total, Cassie… don’t think it’s expensive, these are extreme times…” Expensive? For a thousand dollars a bottle, I thought the owner was being surprisingly fair. After all, in the apocalypse, money would soon be worthless. Yet right now, not having money was the absolute worst. “Tell me, are you buying this or not?! Don’t waste my time if you’re not!” “Owner, I’ll offer eighty thousand, give it to me!” A quarrel erupted on the other end of the line. “Not expensive, not expensive at all. Forget fifty thousand, even a hundred thousand wouldn’t be expensive.” I was practically giddy, watching the drama escalate. Damian’s voice changed with delight. “I’ll offer a hundred thousand, owner, give it to me. Cassie, you can transfer the money to my bank account later.” I readily agreed. Then I turned off my phone and settled in for a nap. 6 After a good, long sleep, I slowly got up and pushed my shopping cart into the pantry. I had transformed this area into a small supermarket. Only after I’d prepared a hot pot did I turn my phone back on. An avalanche of missed calls and hundreds of unread messages flooded my screen. I found myself added to a group chat called [Apocalypse Survivors’ Haven]. The group admin was the same person who had developed this villa community. Its members were all like the admin, friends interested in exploring apocalyptic survival. For me, an “unexpected resident,” the group showed a lot of concern. [B-02 resident, what’s the situation? Male or female? Alive or dead? Boss, can’t you check their info? — Admin] [How can I just casually check a resident’s info? They’re closest to me, I’ll get to know them eventually. — (Another Member)] My phone suddenly popped up with a friend request; it was the admin. [You live alone, and you’re a girl. Do you need any help?] Clearly, they had checked my information. I thought for a moment, deciding to wait and see. I set out the hot pot ingredients and turned on the TV. As soon as the surveillance feed connected to the screen, Damian’s furious face appeared. He was grabbing Brittany by the hair, his fists raining down on her face. Brittany’s wails filled the surveillance audio. Her dog, trying to protect its owner, was kicked into a corner by Damian, whimpering and cowering, daring not to approach. It turned out Brittany had heard Damian got water and opened one of the few remaining bottles of bottled water to feed to the dog. Damian, tired of hitting her, locked Brittany and the dog together, then picked up his phone and dialed my number. [Blocked one incoming call.] [Blocked one incoming call.] … [Blocked one incoming text message.] I stuffed a piece of hot beef into my mouth, leisurely opening the text message. [Apocalypse Haven Villa B-02, Cassie, so you’re here.] [You’re reborn too, aren’t you?] Damian licked his chapped lips, looking at my location on his phone, a cunning, greedy smile spreading across his face. Damian’s mood brightened considerably after locating me. He grabbed a towel and dabbed at the blood on Brittany’s face. “I have you to thank for suggesting we install that tracker on Cassie’s phone, back when we were sneaking around.” Brittany’s eyes were swollen into narrow slits, and she gritted her teeth viciously. “Cassie, that bitch! She wouldn’t even buy us water! When we find her, I’ll rip her bones out and feed them to the dog!” On the monitor, Damian’s face slowly twisted. He gripped his phone, the muscles in his cheekbones so taut they looked ready to split, his smile filled with suppressed rage and madness. [Blocked one message.] I tapped it open, another one from Damian. [Cassie, let’s make a deal.] 7 I looked out the window; the sun was still bright white, like midday. But it was already 9 PM. Damian knew that under such extreme weather, it was no longer suitable to go out. So, he chose to get down on his knees and weep, sincerely repenting. He said that in his previous life, he had been seduced by Brittany and only resorted to harming me out of desperation. He also claimed that after I died, Brittany tricked him onto the balcony, where he was baked alive. All because Brittany had heard in a group chat that human bodies could evaporate water. I told him I needed to see his sincerity. As soon as I unblocked Damian on SnapChat, he eagerly sent a FaceTime call. On screen, Damian held a gleaming boning knife, gesturing back and forth over Brittany’s pale, tender thigh. “How about a hundred dollars per cut?” “You know, Brittany is my best friend.” I frowned at the phone camera. “So I’ll need to charge more. Make it a thousand dollars per cut.” At first, Brittany thought Damian was just putting on a show to extort money from me. When I raised the price, a hint of triumph even flashed across her face. But when the sharp blade sliced through her skin, and the first piece of flesh was cut off, She let out a piercing scream. The dog, long without food, drooled, its tongue hanging out. “First the flesh, then the money. Is that sincere enough?” Damian’s facial muscles twitched with excitement. Brittany’s curses filled the entire room. “Damian, you bastard! You said we’d get the money first! You actually cut me?!” “I’m pregnant!” Brittany shrieked the last sentence, and Damian’s movements froze. I even slowed my potato chip crunching, tensely anticipating the unfolding drama. In my previous life, when Brittany suggested tying me up to drain my blood, Damian had hesitated. “I’m pregnant with your child! You choose, the child or Cassie, you decide!” “The child is innocent, after all. Cassie, just consider it an act of charity, sacrificing yourself for a new life.” Ultimately, Damian had tied me to the chair, and with one swift cut, ended my life. “Who knows if that child is even mine?” Damian suddenly scoffed, his words completely shattering Brittany’s composure. “You’re an animal! If you hadn’t said Cassie wouldn’t sleep with you and pushed me to come over every day, my boyfriend wouldn’t have found out about us and broken up with me!” Brittany’s curses grew fouler, and even the dog began to bark wildly. Damian picked up a piece of meat from the floor and tossed it far away; the dog was instantly distracted. Brittany stopped yelling. She stared blankly as her beloved pet dog ravenously devoured the fresh meat. “Ugh!” Before she could vomit, Damian was a step ahead, stuffing a sock into her mouth. Ugh, that taste. I couldn’t even eat my potato chips anymore. Brittany’s thigh was a bloody mess. Damian’s technique was unique; there were many wounds, but none were fatal. He understood that only a living Brittany could bring him more money. As soon as I transferred the money, Damian immediately started posting in the community’s swap chat, desperately seeking supplies at exorbitant prices. As a reborn individual. Damian knew very well that in the early stages, there were still people in the community group willing to sell things for money, desperate as they were. But later on. No amount of money would buy a single drop of water. And that was when the true hunt would begin for the real predators. I watched my caged prey on the surveillance screen. Comfortably, I snuggled into my comforter. 8 Three more days passed. Damian, relying on the supplies he’d bought at high prices early on, was still living quite comfortably. Brittany, however, didn’t have a single patch of intact skin left on her body. [Our whole family is dying of thirst, please, be merciful, sell me one bottle of water, I’ll pay a hundred thousand!] The rental apartment’s community chat was filled with many such pleas. But no one responded to them. [Please save my child, he’s only a few months old, I beg you.] [Video] The baby’s normally pink lips were now dry and pale. I scrolled through the videos, feeling a heavy weight in my heart. These people were the ones who hadn’t believed the pre-apocalypse warnings to stock up. That’s because, over the years, expert warnings had become tiresome. No one had actually believed that disaster would truly strike. [The child is innocent, let’s share some water with them. – Unit 2, Apt 301] Damian’s name in the group chat was his unit and apartment number. The moment my message with Damian’s unit number went out, the group chat exploded. Unit 2, Apt 702: [Exactly, your family bought so much water in the group chat a few days ago, share some with everyone!] Unit 6, Apt 502: [Hand over the water and show some charity! – Unit 2, Apt 301] Unit 3, Apt 401: [Brother, please be kind, just one bottle for my kid, I won’t tell anyone.] Damian panicked. He sent several messages to the group, explaining that all his water was gone. But how could people easily give up their only chance at survival? I opened a cold soda, enjoying the scene on the monitor. The crowd worked together to pry open the rental apartment door. Damian was beaten black and blue, cowering in a corner with the dog, which was now skin and bones, looking almost lifeless. These people, like pirates discovering treasure, ransacked all the supplies in the apartment. An old man arrived a little late. After surveying the apartment, he took Brittany, who was still tied to the chair and close to death, with him.

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In 2056, the apocalypse arrived. The world plunged into an extreme cold era. Those without warmth or shelter stood no chance. They met a swift, icy demise. My family, despite having everything we needed, died a horrific death at the hands of my cousin and my boyfriend. I was reborn one year before the apocalypse. That extra time was my secret weapon. I blew all my savings, frantically stocking up on cold-weather gear, learning combat, and fortifying our family’s underground fallout shelter… Everyone thought I’d hit my head and lost my mind. I just smiled at them, saying nothing. This time, I wouldn’t be the one dying. My name is Rowan, and I died a horrific death in the extreme cold, tormented by my own cousin and boyfriend. No one could have predicted my rebirth. When I opened my eyes, my cousin, Tiffany, and my boyfriend, Ryan, were barely dressed. I glanced at the digital clock. I was back one year. I couldn’t believe they were already betraying me at this point. In my previous life, I must have discovered their affair then too. During our scuffle, I fell and hit my head, suffering severe injuries and losing my memory. And those two disgusting traitors actually tricked me into believing I’d fallen on my own. It wasn’t until the apocalypse hit and they teamed up to persecute my family that I saw their true colors. My head throbbed, still dizzy, so I feigned unconsciousness and closed my eyes. “Ryan, babe, is she… dead?” Tiffany cooed, her voice sickly sweet. “Let’s take her to the hospital first. If she wakes up, we’ll say her memory’s messed up. If she doesn’t… even better…” Ryan replied. I sneered mentally. So, they wanted to kill me this early on, huh? They quickly rushed me to the hospital and called my parents. “Where am I? Mom, who are these people?” I pretended not to recognize the scummy pair. “Doctor! What’s wrong with my daughter?” My parents asked, frantic with worry. The doctor explained that I’d suffered a head injury, and memory loss was a normal side effect. Hearing this, Tiffany and Ryan both visibly relaxed. “Don’t worry, Rowan, we’ll get you good treatment and rest, you’ll be fine in a few days!” Mom gently patted my back. “That’s right, little sis!” Tiffany practically gloated that I couldn’t remember. I pretended not to know her. Mom noticed my confusion and said, “Rowan, this is your cousin, Tiffany.” A plan began to form in my mind. “Is that her boyfriend?” I asked, pointing at Ryan. Ryan looked awkward. “Rowan, it’s Ryan! I’m your boyfriend…” I feigned shock: “Really? How could I possibly like you?” “Besides, I remember you two weren’t wearing clothes just now… and those marks on your necks…”

Tiffany and Ryan thought I was an idiot, too careless to even hide the evidence of their hookup. My parents looked at them, their faces darkening. They immediately understood the situation. “Uncle, it’s not like that, please let me explain!” “Yes, Aunt’s husband! Rowan’s not thinking clearly right now!” The guilty pair immediately denied everything, even trying to shift the blame onto me. But Dad, a former police officer, had always said I was a poor judge of character and never liked Ryan. Now, with undeniable evidence, and conveniently without breaking my heart, he glared at them and said, “Hmph! My daughter may have hit her head, but she’s not blind! Now, if you’ll excuse yourselves!” Mom, too, changed her usual gentle tone, her voice cold: “Tiffany, I’ll be having a word with your mother about this later. For now, get out.” The two dared not argue further and fled in dismay. “Mom, Dad, don’t worry, I didn’t actually lose my memory. I was just pretending to fool them!” Once they left, I quickly confessed to my parents. My parents, thinking I’d been wronged, hugged me tightly. Remembering how they died tragically because of me in my last life, I finally broke down and cried. It was peak summer now. In three months, continuous heavy rain would bring a sharp drop in temperature. In six months, heavy snow would begin, and the temperature would plummet. In less than a year, the world would enter an extreme cold era, and two-thirds of the global population would freeze to death. In my last life, our family of three hid in our underground fallout shelter. It was left from wartime, warm in winter and cool in summer, capable of resisting the cold even during the extreme era. Aunt Patricia came with Tiffany seeking refuge. We kindly took them in, unaware we were helping villains. They teamed up with Ryan to harm us. My parents pleaded with them to spare me, but they were driven out of the shelter themselves. In the extreme cold, human blood was considered a prime supplement. They died a gruesome death right before my eyes. Looking at my parents, still alive before me, I suppressed the hatred burning in my heart. “Let’s go home. I miss home.” “Okay, home it is!”

I rested for a week before submitting my resignation. Ryan worked at the same company, but his position was lower than mine. Everyone said it was *his* good fortune to be with *me*. Even after I quit, he had the nerve to text me, trying to make me stay. My colleagues were confused why I’d ‘abandoned’ him and quit. That shameless man even pretended to outsiders that we were still together. He was just after my considerable salary, nothing more. I explained the situation in the company WhatsApp group, screenshotted it, sent it to Tiffany, and then blocked them both. Anyway, when the apocalypse came, with their level of shamelessness, they were bound to come looking for me. When Mom got home, she told Aunt Patricia that Tiffany was a homewrecker. Aunt Patricia and Tiffany were truly mother and daughter; not only did she not think her daughter had a problem, she even mocked me for not being able to keep my boyfriend in line. Mom was so furious she severed all ties with them. My parents initially didn’t understand my decision to quit, but fortunately, I had ample savings, so they let me do as I pleased. I got the keys to the fallout shelter from them and started hoarding supplies. I hired people to replace the doors and windows with bulletproof ones, and I fenced off the surrounding area with an iron fence. The weather gradually turned cold. I spent my days in the fallout shelter, and the neighbors gossiped about me in private. “Hey, that Rowan girl, she used to be so nice. Why’s she suddenly locked herself in that old fallout shelter?” “Forget about it, you wouldn’t know. I heard her boyfriend and her cousin got together! She hit her head and forgot everything!” “She probably went crazy from the shock, didn’t she?” “Don’t bother worrying about me. Just buy more warm clothes! It’s getting colder.” I walked past them, carrying a massive down comforter. In my last life, when Tiffany and Ryan chained me up, these same ladies had secretly brought me food. I hoped they would listen to my words; consider it my repayment. The neighbors exchanged glances. “You know, she’s right. The weather really is getting weirder and weirder!”

“Daughter, your old man can’t beat you anymore!” Dad gasped for breath, leaning against the wall. “Then my money wasn’t wasted!” I’d paid a fortune for combat lessons, and the results were clear! “I’m heading into the bunker. I need to run some electrical wires today.” “What’s a girl like you always doing down in that hole?” Dad grumbled, confused. I checked the time. “You’ll know soon enough!” Today brought an unexpected bonus: I discovered several secret passages in the bunker, each with an entrance just big enough for one person. If opened up, the shelter’s area would expand significantly, revealing a hidden world within. I’d secretly picked up some skills from the workers I hired. Afraid of drawing too much attention, I decided to handle these passages myself. “Rowan, dinner! Look at you, all filthy!” Mom said, handing me a lunchbox with a doting smile. “What are you doing with these useless rocks?” She looked at the stones in my basket, puzzled. “These are treasures! You’ll understand later!” These were special stones; if not actively extinguished, they would burn indefinitely. In the apocalypse, they were called Ever-burning stones, and after the world ended, thousands would frantically snatch them up. In the extreme cold, they’d even be exchanged for food or human lives. And our fallout shelter had plenty of them. In my previous life, those two idiots, Tiffany and Ryan, ran into some escaped murderers. To save their own skins, they revealed the existence of these stones. The men broke into the fallout shelter and found me chained by the door, their laughter evil and arrogant. I fought them for the Ever-burning stones. The leader, a man named Dexter, came up with a cruel idea: he ordered my hand to be shoved outside the door to freeze. You have to understand, it was over eighty degrees below zero outside then. My hand would freeze solid and die within minutes. Tiffany, wanting to impress them, eagerly carried out this ‘punishment.’ That wasn’t enough. To please them, she took a hammer and systematically knocked off my already frozen fingers, one by one. Ryan pried open my eyes, and I watched, helpless, as my fingers separated from my body. After my parents died, I was dead inside. I didn’t cry, didn’t fight. Seeing my lack of reaction, which failed to satisfy their twisted pleasure, they simply threw me out. I glared, my eyes wide, memorizing every single one of them. The natural death of the extreme cold wasn’t painful, but my hatred burned a thousand times hotter.

As the weather turned colder, heavy rains began, and my preparations were nearing completion. I convinced my parents to move into the fallout shelter. Seeing the completely transformed world inside, they were greatly surprised. “Rowan, why is this section so steamy?” Mom asked, pointing to a partitioned room. I explained to Mom that this was a hot spring vent I’d discovered while collecting the Ever-burning stones. It wasn’t finished construction yet. I just hoped the spring water would still be this hot when the extreme cold arrived. The opened secret passages were also partitioned into small rooms, with concealed doors that were usually undetectable. I installed hidden cameras and some small traps at the entrances. I also planned to fence off a plot of land for some small poultry and vegetables, trying to eat fresh ingredients whenever possible. “Down jackets are all sold out now! The weather is so strange, and it’s only [late summer/early fall]!” Dad sighed, sipping his tea. “Right! Good thing Rowan bought them.” When my parents had questioned my actions before, I told them I’d had nightmares for a month straight. I revealed the extreme cold conditions of my previous life to them. They still didn’t fully understand, but they stopped questioning me. *Knock, knock, knock!* Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. I checked the hidden camera feed: it was Aunt Patricia, Tiffany, and Ryan. The rain was so heavy that even with umbrellas, the three were drenched like drowned rats. We went back up to the house through the newly opened staircase and opened the door. “Rowan, dear! Do you have any extra down jackets?” Aunt Patricia’s lips were stiff with cold. Before I could even speak, Mom snapped, “No!” “Liar! We heard that little sis went crazy and bought tons of down jackets!” Tiffany’s tone was as entitled as ever. “Rowan! I really misjudged you! We’re family, what’s wrong with giving us some clothes?” Ryan’s face was contorted with fury. I scoffed, “Sir, even if I *am* family with these two, what exactly are *you* to me?” Tiffany stepped in front of Ryan. “He’s your future brother-in-law!” “I won’t say anything nasty, but I distinctly remember Mom cutting ties with you two.” “And as for this one, hmph, he’s just a used-up piece of trash! He has absolutely nothing to do with us!” Dad sneered, not even bothering to look at them directly. The three’s faces turned crimson. They flew into a rage out of shame and lunged at me. Aunt Patricia took the opportunity to rush inside and rummage through the closet.

“There’s no law anymore!” Dad roared, his eyes blazing. I grabbed Tiffany by the arm. “You really are shameless, always picking up other people’s scraps!”

“Mom, they must be hiding inside! And they set this damned mousetrap!” Tiffany hissed, sucking in air from the pain. I saw they were still wearing the clothes they’d snatched last time—torn and stained with blood. They’d probably been attacked on their way here. Ryan glanced around furtively and actually spotted my camera. He leaned in, his face purplish, eyes bloodshot. “Rowan, I know you’re in there! Let us in! Tiffany’s hurt!” “Why should I let you in?” I asked, a smile playing on my lips. Hearing the playful tone in my voice, the three went wild, frantically banging on the door. But this door could stop bullets. “If you don’t let us in, you’re murderers!” Tiffany shrieked, stomping her feet back and forth. “Rowan, don’t let them in!” My parents hated them deeply. I raised a hand, calming my parents. “You can come in, but on certain conditions!” “Okay, okay, we agree! Anything!” The three nodded frantically, almost kneeling. Before the door was fully open, they burst in. “I’m freezing to death!” My parents secretly gripped their weapons, and I watched them coldly. “Once you’re in, you follow my rules, or I throw you right back out!” “First, food is limited and rationed. Second, you go out every day to find supplies. Third, two people stand guard every night.” “Agreed, we accept!” Tiffany quickly agreed. I scoffed. Tiffany was always the type to bend when necessary. “Break the rules, and I’ll break your hands!” I snatched a stick and shattered a vase. The three, half-frozen to death, didn’t seem to heed my warning, which was exactly what I wanted.

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  My younger sister got pregnant out of wedlock and vanished after giving birth to a boy in a back-alley clinic. The doctor used the address she left behind to find my family, leaving the baby with me. My parents got on their knees and begged me to adopt him. Just like that, I, a single woman, began the arduous task of raising a child alone. Years later, just as I’d finally raised him, my sister returned. On her arm was a rich businessman, a thick gold chain gleaming around his neck. She clutched my son and sobbed, telling him I was a jealous monster who had stolen him at birth, tearing their family apart. My son, my pride and joy, renounced me on the spot and ran into her arms. My parents threw me out of the house. The neighbors’ gossip and condemnation became my personal hell. In utter despair, I threw myself from the roof of my apartment building. When I open my eyes again, I’m back on the day my sister gave birth. ***** The pounding on my door started with the dawn, jolting me awake in a cold sweat. This was it. In my last life, this was the exact moment the clinic doctor had hammered on our door, waking the entire neighborhood. He’d handed me the baby in front of everyone, scolding me for being an irresponsible mother. Only later did I learn the baby was my sister’s. My parents had pleaded with me to keep him. Since I had no plans to marry anyway, I agreed. A choice I came to regret with every fiber of my being. Hearing that sound again, a jolt of electricity shot through me. I scrambled out of bed and yanked the door open to see that same, familiar face. “Cathy,” the doctor began, his voice dripping with condescension. “You can’t just have a baby and abandon it. You know that’s illegal.” The neighbors were already awake, their heads craning out of their doorways to watch the drama unfold. I stared at him for a single, silent second. Then I ripped off my slipper and brought it down on his face with all my strength. “You goddamn vulture!” I screamed, hitting him again and again. “How dare you show up at my door with this scam! I don’t even have a boyfriend, let alone a baby! Have you ever seen a woman who just gave birth hit this hard?!” I gestured wildly at my own body. “Do I look like I just had a baby?!” My furious assault left the doctor stunned and speechless. Mrs. Richards from across the hall was the first to find her voice. “She’s right, you know. Cathy goes to work every single day. I’ve never once seen her with a baby bump.” “Yeah, you must have the wrong person.” “Wait, I recognize him. Isn’t that the doctor from that sketchy clinic down the street?” I planted my hands on my hips, my slipper still raised. “You sleazy old quack! You run a back-alley clinic and now you’re trying to pin a baby on me? That’s it, I’m calling the cops!” The word “cops” made him panic. “I—I won’t press charges for the assault!” I grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking his head back. “Oh, you won’t press charges? Too bad, because I’m not letting you run away!” I pulled out my phone and dialed. “Hello, 911? I’d like to report a case of infant trafficking!” “Don’t you dare say that!” he shrieked. “You’d better have a good story for the police,” I snarled, “or I swear to God, I will burn your little clinic to the ground.” Fate had given me a second chance, and I was unleashing every ounce of frustration and injustice from my past life. When the police arrived, they found a bizarre scene: a doctor with a swaddled newborn, his face bruised and swollen, and me in my pajamas, wielding a slipper like a weapon. The neighbors had all gathered, buzzing with speculation. The officers looked from the baby—so fresh its umbilical cord was still clamped—to the doctor. “Alright, what’s going on here? Start talking.” “She’s the one! The patient left this address and name!” he sputtered, pulling a medical file from his pocket. An officer took it. The address was indeed mine, and the name on the file was Cathy Scott. I crossed my arms. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Someone obviously used my name to have a baby and is now trying to make me pay for it.” Just as I finished speaking, my parents, who had been hiding inside, finally emerged. “Cathy,” my mother began, her voice wheedling, “since you’re not planning on getting married anyway, why don’t you just adopt him?” “Are you serious, Mom? I’m not just going to randomly adopt a child who appeared out of nowhere! We have no idea who his parents are. What if they’re drug addicts? That stuff is genetic, you know. I’m not raising some ungrateful little monster!” My parents were stunned into silence. The doctor’s face was a mask of fury. He shoved the baby into my arms. “This is your family’s problem! I’m done! You can tell Judy she can raise her own damn kid! If I’d known you people were this unreasonable, I never would have come!” A collective gasp went through the crowd. The secret was out. The baby belonged to my sister, Judy.

  “You’re a liar!” I shouted, shoving the baby right back at him. “First you say he’s mine, now you say he belongs to Judy? Where’s your proof? You have none! You just want to dump this baby on us. Officer, I’m telling you, this man is trafficking infants!” I crossed my arms again, making it clear I was washing my hands of the situation. “Cathy!” my mother gasped, horrified. “Mom, Dad, don’t be so naive! The world is full of scammers!” Mrs. Richards chimed in from her doorway. “She’s right, you two. This doctor shows up claiming the baby is Cathy’s, then changes his story to Judy. He’s obviously lying through his teeth.” “Yeah, who knows where he got that baby!” another neighbor added. The doctor practically jumped up and down. “My name is Zero Theresa, and I don’t lie! I’ve been running my clinic for years. Do I look like a con artist?” He pointed a shaking finger at me. “It was last night! Your sister, Judy, came begging me to deliver her baby!” He rummaged in his medical bag. “I even have her phone as collateral!” He produced a smartphone. One glance and I knew it was Judy’s. My parents froze. The proof was undeniable. The baby was Judy’s. The neighborhood gossip erupted. “Judy? She’s just a kid! Who’s the father?” “Who knows! You never see her around much, and she always wears such baggy clothes. I can’t believe she was pregnant!” “God knows what kind of trouble she got into out there.” “You shut your mouths! My daughter is a good girl!” my mother shrieked, finally finding her voice. “Say one more word and I’ll tear your tongue out!” Dr. Theresa sneered. “Please. Judy told me to bring the baby here as soon as it was born. She said her older sister would raise it. Officers, I even have a letter she wrote herself!” He pulled a sealed envelope from his bag. There was no letter in my last life. In fact, when Judy had returned to destroy me, Dr. Theresa had stood by her side, helping her spin her lies and pushing me closer to the edge. The man was a snake. “I never should have gotten involved,” Dr. Theresa muttered. “What a damn headache.” The police officer sighed, seeing the situation for what it was. “This is a domestic dispute. You all need to handle it yourselves.” I grabbed the officer’s arm. “This isn’t just a domestic dispute! He’s expecting us to believe my sister had a baby and ran off based on nothing but a phone and a letter? For all we know, she could be dead in his clinic!” The officer’s expression sharpened. He saw the logic in my words. He immediately grabbed Dr. Theresa. “Let’s go. You’re taking us to your clinic. Now.” My parents trailed after them. I didn’t waste a second. While they were gone, I threw my life into a suitcase. I was not staying in this house. As I was leaving, a neighbor saw me. “Cathy, where are you going?” “I’m moving out,” I said loudly enough for everyone to hear. “If I stay, that baby will end up in my parents’ hands, and we all know who they’ll expect to raise it. Judy’s the one who had a kid she couldn’t handle, not me. Why should I be responsible? I’m not even married! What would my future husband’s family think if they saw me with a baby?” They nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Cathy. You have to think about yourself. Go on, get out of here.” “That poor girl. Judy has some nerve, just having a baby and running away.” “Who knows, maybe that doctor did something to her…” “No way!” I didn’t care what they whispered about. I just needed to run. By the time my parents got home, I was already settled into my company’s dormitory. It wasn’t long before my mother’s call came. The moment I answered, her frantic voice filled my ear. “Cathy, where did you go?!” I could hear a baby crying in the background. “I moved out,” I said calmly. “How could you move out? What are we supposed to do with this baby?!”

  So, they had been to the clinic. They had confirmed the baby was Judy’s, and that Dr. Theresa had, in fact, delivered him. What I couldn’t understand was why they were still so fixated on me. “Mom, what does that baby have to do with me? I didn’t give birth to him.” “Right now, the most important thing is to find the baby’s father. Anyway, I have to work. Bye.” I hung up and went about my day. At the office, my colleague Sara slid up to my desk. “Cathy, you seeing anyone? I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.” My first instinct was to refuse, but I stopped myself. “Oh yeah? Who is it, Sara?” “My nephew! He’s three years older than you, a veteran. Owns his own little restaurant now.” She grinned. “How about lunch today?” I agreed immediately. Sara was thrilled and rushed off to call him. In my last life, Sara had seen how exhausted I was raising the baby and had thrown a lot of freelance work my way. She’d also tried to set me up, but I was always too afraid that a new man in my life would mistreat my “son.” Looking back, I was unbelievably foolish. I met her nephew, Ryan, for lunch. The connection was instant. We exchanged numbers, agreeing to see where things went. When I got back, Sara was waiting. “Well?” I nodded. “He’s great. I’d like to see him again.” She was ecstatic. “I’m telling you, if this works out, he’ll treat you right. I’ve watched that boy grow up. He’s a hard worker, a good man.” I felt a blush creep up my neck, which only made Sara more excited. And so, Ryan and I started dating. For two solid weeks, my parents didn’t contact me, and I didn’t go home. But I should have known it wouldn’t last. My mother found me at work. I was in the middle of a sales call when the security guard at the front desk rang my extension. “Cathy, you need to get down here, now. Your mom just dumped your son with us! You need to come get him, he’s screaming his head off.” My mind went blank for a second. “What son?” I said, deliberately raising my voice so the entire office could hear. “I’m not married, where would I get a son from? Don’t spread rumors!” The guard sighed. “I don’t know, man. Just get down here.” When I hung up, every eye in the office was on me. “What’s going on, Cathy?” “I have no idea. The guard said a woman claiming to be my mom just dropped off my son.” Sara gasped. “You’ve got to be kidding me! That’s a new one. Come on, let’s all go see what this is about.” “Yeah, is this some kind of scam?” “Cathy has a son? I never saw her pregnant.” “Maybe it was a few years ago. You know how young people are these days, their lives are a mess.” Hearing that, even Sara shot me a suspicious look. I put on my most bewildered expression, and she couldn’t read me. When we got to the front desk, everyone stared at the tiny, wailing infant. Sara let out a breath of relief. “There’s no way that’s Cathy’s baby. He can’t be more than a month old!” “Exactly! Who would be so cruel? If it was a toddler, Cathy would never be able to clear her name!” “This is character assassination!” I was laughing on the inside. The guard just shrugged helplessly. “The woman said she was Cathy’s mother. What was I supposed to do?” An idea sparked. “Pull the security footage,” I demanded. “Let’s see this woman.” When the footage played, I didn’t recognize the woman who had dropped off the baby. I knew exactly what to do. “Call the police. That’s not my mother, and I have no idea who she is.” The others hesitated. I threw my hands up. “This is child abandonment. I’m in sales; I hand out hundreds of business cards. Who knows who got their hands on one and decided to pretend to be my mother. I am not raising someone else’s kid!” Everyone agreed that made sense. The police were called, and they took the baby away. I made a point of asking, “Where will he go?” “Where do you think? If we can’t find his parents, he’ll go to a group home. He’s in the system now.” Hearing those words, a wave of relief washed over me. This time, I would not be raising that ungrateful viper.

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  Six years ago, my husband and I were traveling abroad when we were kidnapped. Our family only had enough money to pay the ransom for one of us. For Leo’s sake, I chose to stay behind and let him return home. Later, a powerful man paid my ransom. In return, I worked under him for six years and eventually became his most trusted aide. In the sixth year, after helping him resolve all his troubles, I was finally allowed to leave. With nothing holding me back, I began my journey home. However, I never expected that upon my return, I would find Leo Evelina already a successful man but still with no intention of ever rescuing me. He was living happily with his first love and they even had two children together. Furious, I confronted him. I asked why he had not waited for me. Why hadn’t he come for me once he had the means? He looked at me coldly and said, “Myra, why would I save you?” “You’ve been passed around countless times over the past six years. Who knows if you’re even pure and clean still?” His words were so cruel and heartless and it made me laugh in disbelief. So this was the man I once loved so deeply, the one for whom I sacrificed everything. At that moment, all I felt for Leo Evelina was hatred. If that was how it was, then he would pay every last bit of what he owed me. —— “Myra Grey, we’re still legally married. My company is about to go public. If you show up now, I will never divorce you.” He stared at me coldly as he spoke. After all, if he divorced me, he would be forced to give up a substantial amount of money, something he simply could not bear. On top of that, there was the price I paid to save his life six years ago. If word got out that Leo and I were divorcing now, it would jeopardize his company’s upcoming IPO for sure. But I looked him in the eye and shook my head. “Leo Evelina, let’s get a divorce.” He said nothing. Instead, he raised his hand and gestured behind him. The next second, a group of men rushed forward, forcefully dragged me away and locked me inside a room. “Just cool off in here.” Then, with a detached expression, Leo added, “As long as you do what I say, you’ll remain Mrs. Evelina.” “I’ll make sure you live comfortably and my children will take care of you when you’re old. But if you refuse to cooperate, I’ll send you abroad.” With that cold gaze and attitude, he turned and left. I was now a prisoner in the Evelina Family’s house. Two bodyguards were stationed outside my door, cutting off any chance of escape. However, what Leo did not realize was that he had not taken my phone. In his eyes, I was just someone who had managed to flee back from overseas alone and helpless. He probably assumed that someone like me would not even have a phone and so he did not bother checking. What he did not know was that I had not come back alone. I picked up my phone and made a call. “Sir, I need your help.” My voice trembled as I spoke and tears slipped down my cheeks. “I told you long ago. Any man who could abandon you and run off alone would never stay with you for life.” “Hold on for three more days. Stay in the Evelina Family’s house and I’ll be there soon.” His voice rang through my phone. It steadied me, grounding me. What Leo never knew was that on the very day he was rescued, my boss had already appeared before me. Not only was I untouched during those years, I was treated well. Exceptionally well. In fact, my boss rewarded me handsomely. I now had more wealth than Leo could ever imagine. The only unfortunate thing… was that he no longer had anything to do with me.

  Since my boss would not arrive for another three days, I had no choice but to stay at the Evelina Family’s residence. What I did not expect was for Leo to show up in my room that very night. He sat across from me, stared into my eyes and said, “Myra, as long as you behave and wait until my company goes public, I’ll divorce you.” “But when that time comes, you’ll need to sign an agreement. I’ll give you one hundred and fifty thousand and you’ll take the money and leave quietly.” “Theresa and I are together now. We have a child. All of my assets will belong to them in the future.” I could not help but laugh at his words bitterly. Six years ago, I gave up everything for Leo Evelina. I even sold all my assets back home just to secure his release. I still remember how, before he left, he held me tightly and promised to raise the money to save me once he was back. He swore he would wait for me, no matter what. And yet, what did he do once he returned to our country? He reunited with Theresa Quinn almost immediately. Their eldest child was already five. That meant he never intended to rescue me after he returned home. The truth was, he had already decided I was ‘tainted’ and unworthy of him. But if it were not for him, would I have ended up in that situation? He was the one who insisted we go on that trip. I did not even want to go. And the ransom money that saved him? That came from selling my own home. Now, facing him again, I scoffed. “Leo, I understand perfectly.” Just three more days. That was all I needed. I knew my boss had powerful contacts in this country. Once he arrived, everything would fall into place. As for Leo Evelina? He meant nothing to me anymore. “Fine. Sign this.” He handed me a document. I glanced over it. The agreement allowed for our divorce and he would pay me one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in compensation. Without hesitation, I signed it. “I’ve signed the divorce papers, Leo. Can I leave now?” I looked up and asked in a cold voice. “Of course not. You’ll stay here for the next few days. You can leave after my company goes public.” He looked back at me indifferently as he spoke. After saying that, Leo stood up and walked out of the room. The two bodyguards stationed at the door stepped forward and blocked my path, making any attempt to leave impossible. I looked at Leo’s retreating figure and shook my head in silent resignation. I knew he would not let me go at a time like this. Left alone in the room, I sat in silence, thinking about everything I had sacrificed for Leo. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I had given this man my youth, only to end up abandoned and imprisoned like this. After crying until I was exhausted, I realized I was starving and I had not eaten anything all day. I opened the door, planning to ask for some food. But the moment I stepped out, the two bodyguards stopped me again. “I need something to eat,” I said flatly. They looked at me coldly and shook their heads, saying nothing. They ignored my request completely, refusing to let me pass. At that moment, the chill in my heart deepened. He had forced me to sign divorce papers and put me under house arrest and now he would not even offer me a single bite of food. Just as I was about to argue with the guards, a woman entered the room carrying a basin. She looked at me with a bright, almost mocking smile. Behind her stood two children. The two kids stared at me with open curiosity. Then the older one, Leo’s son, pointed at me and asked loudly, “Mommy, is this the bitch you told us about?”   Hearing his words, I stared coldly at the little boy in front of me and said sharply, “I’m not a bitch. Your mother is.” “You’re the bad one! You tried to steal my dad and now you’re calling my mom a bitch!” “I’ll beat you up!” As he spoke, he lunged at me, his small fists swinging toward my body. I looked at the boy without a trace of emotion and pushed him away. He fell to the ground and immediately burst into loud, pitiful cries. Theresa’s expression darkened. Without hesitation, she turned to the bodyguards and snapped, “Hold her down!” At her command, the bodyguards forced me to the floor. Theresa stormed up to me and slapped me twice across the face. Pain stung my cheek, but I glared at her, unyielding. “Myra Grey, let me tell you the truth. Leo and I are the ones truly in love.” “Do you really think he ever loved you?” “You don’t even know the truth that the kidnapping was all a setup. Leo planned it with the kidnappers.” “He knew you would give up everything for him, so he used that to his advantage. Do you know what he did after you paid the ransom? He took back half of it!” “That money became the foundation of his business empire today.” Theresa looked at me with an icy smile and said coldly, “Because, at that time, I was already pregnant with Leo’s child.” At those words, my expression darkened even further. I had not expected that everything had been orchestrated by Leo himself. So back then, every sweet word he said to me was a complete lie. “Myra, you must’ve been sold countless times in a place like that, right? I bet you’re excellent at serving men.” “Women like you are only fit to live like dogs.” As she looked at me and spat out those cruel words, a basin was placed on the ground before me. I watched as she took out a bowl filled with dog food and poured it into the basin. Her voice was cold as ice as she spoke, “People like you don’t deserve real food. You only deserve this.” Then, without warning, she slapped me across the face. Before I could react, she grabbed a handful of dog food and stuffed it into my mouth. I struggled to spit it out, but she clamped her hand over my mouth tightly, forcing me to swallow. At this moment, Theresa leaned close to me and hissed, “Myra, let me tell you something. Leo won’t be back for the next two days. You’d better behave and stay right here.” “And as for food? This is all you’re worthy of.” With that, she flung the rest of the dog food at me. The little boy watched as his mother pressed me to the floor and shoved handfuls of dog food into my mouth. He burst out laughing, clapping gleefully. “Serves you right, bitch! You should eat dog food!” “You’re just a stray and no one loves you! And you still want to steal my dad from my mom?” Still unsatisfied, he ran up to me and stomped on my face with his tiny feet before turning and walking off proudly. Theresa looked down at me one last time and said mockingly, “What? Can’t handle this?” “You should be used to it by now, no? In a place like that, serving men day in and day out. This is just your normal life, isn’t it?” “Hmph, maybe they let you go because you were too sick and even they didn’t want you anymore.” I glared at her furiously, but she only smirked with satisfaction before turning on her heels and leaving the room. I knew then Theresa would not be paying attention to me any time soon.

I watched as the two bodyguards shut the door behind them. Once I was sure they were gone, I quietly took out my phone and called my boss. “Sir… they won’t even give me food.” I swallowed my pride and added softly, “Theresa… she made me eat dog food.” Over the years, I had followed this man with unwavering loyalty and in return, he gave me unimaginable wealth. Not only had I lived a life of dignity, I even had the tastiest food, the finest clothes and the most comfortable house and transportation. I had not felt this humiliated in years. From the other end of the line, his voice came through coldly, “After tonight, I’ll be there. You’ll see me with your own eyes.” I could hear the anger boiling beneath his words. After hanging up, I quickly hid my phone. That device was the last thread keeping me connected to hope. I did not call the police. I knew it would be useless. Even if I did, Leo would find a way to trap me here. He could easily claim I was mentally unstable after the trauma abroad. And once the police were gone, the consequences for me would be far worse. So I endured the hunger in silence… and eventually drifted into a deep sleep. By early morning, I saw Leo again. The moment he stepped into the room, he slapped me across the face. “Myra, you vicious woman!” he roared. “How dare you lay a hand on my son?” “So what if I didn’t rescue you? That doesn’t give you the right to hurt a child!” His expression grew darker as he spoke and a harder slap landed again. After that slap, my cheek swelled instantly. When I tried to open my mouth, it was filled with the metallic taste of blood. I knew that my lips were bleeding from the force of his hit. But even after seeing me like this, Leo did not stop. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and kicked me hard. The blow landed on my stomach and pain twisted my face as I let out a cry. Leo’s kick landed hard and I crumpled to the floor with a sharp scream. Even seeing me curled up in pain, he showed no mercy. Instead, he continued to punch and kick me without restraint. His son stood at the doorway, clapping and cheering excitedly. “Yes! That’s right! This bitch needs to know how strong I am!” “Dad, you are amazing! You made her cry!” The boy kept applauding, his face lit up with twisted delight. Then Leo grabbed a fistful of my hair and growled viciously, “Myra, listen carefully. If you ever touch my son again, I’ll kill you!” I looked up at him, fear clouding my eyes. He was completely insane. “Dad, let me hit her next! Beat her to death, now!” the boy shouted, pointing at me with cruel enthusiasm. Hearing his son’s words, Leo turned to him with a smile and nodded. “Of course, my good boy. Don’t worry, Daddy will make sure this woman learns her place today.” Then he glared back at me, raising his hand to strike again. At that moment, all I could feel was raw terror. Even when I had been kidnapped, the abductors had not been this brutal. I truly believed I might die here, beaten to death by the man I once trusted. Just then, Theresa’s scream pierced the air from outside the room. “Who are you? How dare you break into my house?” And in that instant, I knew that my boss had arrived.

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  Eight months pregnant, I went to Rex’s office to deliver some documents. The temperature inside was scorching 46°C. Just as I reached to turn on the air conditioner, his secretary stopped me. “Ma’am,” she said sweetly, “I’m on my period. I get cold easily—please don’t turn it on.” I glanced sideways at her. My baby was growing inside me, and the heat could cause a heatstroke. Without saying a word, I turned the AC on anyway. That evening, Rex came back from a business dinner and burst through the door, already furious. “Janice, Julie is on her period! Do you even realize those 38 minutes and 19 seconds of cold air sent her to the ICU with severe cramps?” I stared at him in disbelief. “Rex, are you mocking me just because I don’t have a period? I’m eight months pregnant! And if I get heatstroke, that’s not just discomfort—it could be fatal! Are you drunk?” He curled his lips into a mocking smile and nodded. “You’re right. That was foolish of me.” That night, he comforted me as usual, whispering sweet nothings until I drifted off to sleep. But when I woke up, I was no longer in my bed. I was in a walk-in freezer—surrounded by walls of glass on all sides. Outside the glass, a group of second-generation elites laughed and pointed at me. Rex stood among them, his arm was wrapped around Julie’s slender waist. They looked at me and chuckled. “Afraid of heatstroke?” he sneered. “Then let’s cool you down properly tonight.” My heart sank. Calmly, I pulled out my phone and snapped photos of everyone outside. Then, I dialed a number. “Dad,” I said coldly, “I don’t want any of these people to see the sunrise tomorrow.” —— There was silence. Then I hung up. The laughter around me exploded. “Janice, your dad was thrown into the open sea and was fed to sharks six months ago. Have you frozen your brain? Or were you always this stupid?” “Still pretending to be the Newton family’s heiress? Even in your wildest dreams, you wouldn’t dare imagine that anymore.” Rex watched proudly as his cronies mocked me. He took off his fur coat and draped it gently over Julie’s shoulders, then walked slowly toward the freezer. He tapped on the glass with his index finger and smiled coldly. “Janice, are you cold now? Do you realize your mistake?” The red thermometer outside reads -50°C. I was shivering from the cold, still dressed in the thin pajamas I’d worn to bed the night before. My skin, where it touched the icy ground, had turned blue and numb. The cold pierced like knives. Shivering violently, I stumbled to the glass wall and slammed a fist against it. “Rex, what did I do wrong?! It was 46°C inside—I just turned on the air conditioner! Pregnant women are more vulnerable to heat. If I had collapsed, it would’ve been two lives lost!” Suddenly, a sharp pain twisted through my abdomen. I clutched my belly and crouched down, eyes bloodshot as I glared at him. “Rex, let me out! You know exactly how much I’ve suffered to carry this child. I cannot lose him!” A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes. He, of all people, knew the pain I’d gone through. An accident years ago left Rex infertile. For eight years, I endured thousands of hormone injections the length of my forearm just to extract viable eggs. Only after all those years had we finally conceived. Eight months of careful bed rest. I had done everything to protect this baby. I still remember how furious he was once when a servant brought me brown sugar water that wasn’t warm enough, he broke her arm. But now, for Julie’s period, he didn’t hesitate to lock me in a freezer. My chest tightened with bitter despair. Just as I opened my mouth to speak again, Julie pulled off the fur coat Rex had just given her and clung to his arm with tears brimming in her eyes. “Rex, let your wife out,” she said softly. “She’s delicate and frail. She won’t survive this… Unlike me—I’m just a poor girl who’s used to hardship. I’ve fainted in freezing rooms before, and I didn’t even dare complain…”

Fainted from the cold? All I did was turn on the air conditioner for thirty minutes. When I left Rex’s office, Julie was still smiling, making plans with her girlfriends to hit the bar that evening. I opened my mouth to explain—but Rex’s expression became indifferent in an instant. His voice dropped several degrees colder. “Someone get in there and strip off her coat! Isn’t she supposed to be delicate and pampered? Then let her experience how kids from poor families suffer!” He bent down to pick up the fur coat. With a gentle touch, he draped it over Julie’s shoulders and glanced at me with icy contempt. “You can come out when you finally realize your mistake. The doctor said our son is perfectly healthy. Don’t think you can use that baby as an excuse to escape punishment.” With that, he swept Julie into his arms. His voice softened, dripping with tenderness. “Julie, you’re on your period—your feet must stay warm. Just stay in my arms. Let’s see who dares complain now.” As soon as he sat down with her in his lap, a group of men walked toward me with cruel smiles. I shrank into the corner, clutching my thin nightgown tightly. But no amount of resistance could match the strength of several men. Seconds later, the thin fabric was torn into two. In an instant, a rush of cold air pierced through my skin, seeping into every pore. Laughing excitedly, they stripped the rest of my gown. When they walked out, they laughed with Rex as if they’d just come from a game. “Damn, Rex, you really know how to enjoy life. Your wife’s figure is incredible—she’s not shy at all!” “Thanks for letting us take such good care of her!” I was left wearing only my undergarments, curled up on the freezing ground. The warmth of my skin clashed with the ice beneath me, tearing at my flesh with every move. Blistering pain pierced through me—raw skin ripped open, blood slowly seeping out. Bright red against the glowing white of the freezer floor. Rex noticed it. He gently set Julie down and stepped forward, eyes locked on the growing bloodstain trailing toward his feet. Before he could speak, Julie rushed over and pressed her hand against the glass, trembling as she saw the blood. “Please, Janice… just admit you were wrong,” she pleaded, her voice shaking. “There are so many of Rex’s friends watching… if you don’t, he won’t be able to let you off easily.” I stared daggers at her. “Why should I apologize? I saw how comfortable you were under the AC that day. You even made plans with your girlfriends to go out—” Rex’s gaze flicked toward Julie—there was a flash of doubt in his eyes. But before I could finish, Julie slapped herself across the face with a loud smack, then dropped to her knees with a dramatic thud. Grabbing Rex’s hand, she sobbed, “Rex, I just can’t bear to watch her suffer like this… If she still won’t admit her mistake, then I’ll kneel here outside with her!” The moment Julie knelt down, all traces of suspicion vanished from Rex’s eyes. He bent quickly to lift her up, his face twisted in disgust as he turned back to me. “Janice, you’ve really been spoiled rotten. Julie has always endured your arrogance in silence. Now you’re clearly in the wrong, yet she’s still worried about saving face for me—and she’s willing to suffer for you!” “You don’t deserve her compassion.” “Tonight, I’m going to crush that pampered temper of yours. If you don’t admit you were wrong, don’t even think about coming out!” He turned and gestured to the men behind him. “Bring in more ice blocks. Surround her with them. Pour water over her too—I want her frozen to the very walls!” He hadn’t even finished speaking when…

  Just then, a girl tugged nervously at Rex’s sleeve. “Rex, pouring water over ice will make it stick to skin like glue,” she said timidly. “If she moves even a little, her flesh will tear. She’s due any day now—something terrible could happen…” His hand, mid-gesture, paused in the air. He hesitated. But before the moment could shift, a soft, pitiful voice came from behind him. “Rex… let it go. My time in the ICU wasn’t as unbearable as you imagine…” Julie’s words instantly turned his hesitation to stone. His gaze darkened. The hand he had paused slowly lowered as his voice turned cold again. “Do exactly as I said.” The young girl opened her mouth to protest again, but Rex waved her off. “What she’s going through is nothing compared to what Julie suffered. I already have an ambulance waiting outside—what could possibly go wrong?” With that, she fell silent. Now emboldened by Rex’s command, the men returned to the freezer—this time, carrying even more blocks of ice. One of them grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking me upright. They surrounded me with slabs of ice, building a wall around my body. Then, a basin of icy water was dumped over my head. The next second, my skin adhered to the ice like glue—bonded by freezing water. Each breath burned my throat. Each pore pulled tight with searing pain as the cold seeped into my bones. I glanced at the clock. I’d been trapped in the freezer for over five hours. My limbs had turned dark purple from the cold. To shield my unborn child, I tried to shift my body slightly—to find a posture where my stomach might retain some warmth. But every tiny movement ripped more of my flesh from the ice. The baby’s movements inside me had grown faint. Alarmingly faint. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the raw pain as chunks of skin tore away. Slowly, I maneuvered my body to shield my belly as best I could. Bright red blood began to smear across the crystal-clear ice. By the time I managed to reposition myself, the once-clear ice around me was stained a ghastly crimson. The laughter outside died. Even the jeering men, who had earlier mocked me, fell silent at the sight. Through the blur of blood and frost, I glared at Rex and screamed hoarsely, “Rex! If anything—anything—happens to this baby, then you, his biological father, are his murderers! I swear I’ll pray day and night to his spirit—so that you never know peace!” His expression wavered. The steel in his eyes faltered as he stepped closer, peering through the blood-fogged glass. Then a shout rang out behind him. “Rex! My dad just said—there’s a plane on the Newton family’s private air route!” Rex’s face drained of color. His expression twisted with panic and fury. He pounded his fist against the glass, roaring at me. “Janice! What the hell is this?! You think you can scare me with your Newton family name forever?!” Before I could answer, Julie rushed to his side, gently rubbing his back and shooting me a look that combined hurt with quiet blame. “Janice, if you won’t admit your mistake, that’s fine. But why must you torture Rex like this?” she said, tears glimmering in her eyes. “You know how much suffering he endured back when Mr. Newton was alive. Now he’s gone, and the Newton family’s wealth has long been sold off. What’s the point of staging this farce?” Then she gently tugged Rex’s hand, her voice like a breeze as she added, “Let it go, Rex. Let her out. If something really happens to the baby, we’ll be the ones blamed. It’s not like she ever cared about us lowly nobodies anyway.” Her words didn’t soothe him—they only fanned the flames. His eyes lit with renewed rage. He spat out a curse, then snapped toward his men with a roar. “Turn the freezer down to negative 100 degrees! Do it—now! ”   Seeing Rex explode with rage, the people behind him didn’t dare utter another word. They silently turned the freezer’s temperature down to negative 100 degrees. In an instant, a wave of bone-chilling wind blasted through the air vents, hitting me like knives made of frost. The cold robbed me of speech—my teeth chattered uncontrollably, and I couldn’t form a complete sentence. Then, through the haze of numbness, a sharp, tearing pain erupted from my lower abdomen. I forced my heavy head downward—and froze. A stream of bright red blood was flowing from between my legs, winding like a small creek across the icy ground. In the deathly cold, it steamed against the frost, creating a crimson mist. The blood melted the ice around me, seeping through the cracks in the floor. That’s when it hit me. I knew what was happening. Clutching my belly, I screamed hoarsely toward the glass. “Rex! Let me out! The baby…. Save our baby!” He was still fuming with fury, but the moment he saw the blood—the same blood now melting ice and flowing to his feet—his face drained of all colors. Panic replaced the cruelty in his eyes. He grabbed the man beside him, shouting frantically, “Hurry! Get the freezer key! Didn’t we check with the doctor before locking her in? How the hell did this happen?!” The man handed him the key. But Rex’s hands were trembling so hard that he couldn’t even hold on to it. The key fell—right at Julie’s feet. He immediately turned and gripped her arm tightly. “Julie! Quick, unlock the door! Let Janice out now—hurry!” Startled by his outburst, Julie fumbled to her feet, not even bothering to put her shoes on. She rushed toward the freezer door, casting a glance back at Rex. Then, with her back to him, she slid the key into the lock. In that instant, I caught a flash of something sinister in her eyes—a look of triumph, malice, and cruelty. And then—crack! A sharp sound echoed through the air. Julie turned back around and suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Rex, crying out, “Rex—the key.. it snapped!” His face turned ghostly pale. He stumbled forward, grabbed the broken key and demanded, “What do you mean it snapped?! How could it break? Call someone—get a locksmith now!” By now, the blood had spread across nearly the entire freezer floor, glistening warmly against the icy white. I was groaning in agony, unable to contain the pain. But Julie knelt there with crocodile tears in her eyes, voice trembling with false concern. “Rex, she hasn’t admitted her mistake yet… You said it yourself, this was a chance to humble her—everyone here is watching…” “And what about what I went through in the ICU? Are you really just going to let that go? You promised me you’d give me justice.” Rex hesitated. He waved off the man who had gone to fetch another key. Then he turned back toward the glass, slapping the freezer door repeatedly as he called to me—this time, his voice filled with desperation and pleading. “Janice, please. Just admit you were wrong. For the baby, alright?” “Just say it. Say you’re sorry, and I’ll open the door. You don’t want anything to happen to our child either, do you? I’m begging you, Janice—just be a little softer, okay?” The blood loss was making my vision blur. My body collapsed into the pool of blood, and with a trembling voice I whispered toward the figure outside, “Rex… let me out… If you don’t, my father will kill you…” Julie’s eyes glinted with a savage smile—but her voice remained drenched in that same fake innocence. “Janice… are you really that confused? Mr. Newton died half a year ago. The Newton family collapsed months ago! Just admit you were wrong already—no one can save you now!” Laughter and jeers erupted outside the freezer. “Still dreaming, huh? Gonna have your dad kill Rex? Miss Newton, your old man’s probably rotting in hell—if anything, he’s the one getting killed all over again!” They laughed mockingly while tugging at Rex’s sleeve. “Rex, this woman clearly hasn’t learned her lesson! She’s just faking it. The kid is probably fine—let her rot in there a while longer!” “Exactly, Rex! She bullied Julie so badly—you can’t let her off easily!” The cold storage was already slick with blood. They couldn’t see it, but I could feel it—the faint fluttering inside my belly was growing weaker and weaker. I started to wail uncontrollably, screaming in agony. Rex paced restlessly outside the door. When he glanced back at me again, there was a trace of helplessness in his eyes. “Janice, stop hoping your father is going to come rescue you again. He’s really dead. Just admit you were wrong, okay? Just say the words—I was wrong—and I’ll let you out!” “My dear wife, give it up. Your father won’t be coming to save you this time!” The moment his words fell, the door to the room was kicked open with a loud bang. A squad of fully armed mercenaries stormed in. A deep, commanding voice rang out from beyond the door— “Who said her father wouldn’t come save her?”

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The prince was searching the entire city for the girl who lost a glass slipper. My stepsister stole my shoe, claiming she was the one who danced with the prince last night. She didn’t know that the prince had killed someone that night. And I was the only witness. ***** “Sister, please, give me back my shoe.” I clung to Emma’s leg, begging desperately. Emma grabbed my hair and spat in my face viciously. “Pfft, you filthy wretch! How dare you covet His Royal Highness? Go back to the attic where you belong, that’s your rightful place.” Madame Franklin and Julia each grabbed one of my arms, pushing me towards the attic. I struggled fiercely, trying to lunge for the glass slipper. “You can’t take it out! You really can’t!” A few days ago, I suddenly found myself in a twisted version of the fairy tale, becoming Cinderella. At first, I thought, how bad could a fairy tale world be? Until I saw the prince slice open the Chancellor’s belly with his sword. After the murder, he stood calmly, using his long blade to lift up a section of the Chancellor’s intestines, admiring it in the moonlight. “Ah, how beautiful.” The bright red intestines dripped blood, and the prince’s eyes gleamed with an eerie, bloodthirsty light. I hid in the bushes, tightly covering my mouth, my whole body shaking uncontrollably with fear. I must have been shaking too hard because the prince suddenly turned his head in my direction, his gaze sharp and piercing like a hawk’s. “Who’s there? Come out!” I gasped, picked up my skirts, and ran. The prince chased after me, sword in hand. The palace was magnificent, with expensive crystal chandeliers hanging from the pillars on both sides, illuminating everything clearly. The prince laughed softly behind me. “Oh, it’s the beautiful girl who danced with me tonight—” His tone was sinister. I turned my head to look; the prince’s face was twisted with malice, his long sword still dripping blood, leaving a trail behind him. I was terrified, running faster than I ever had before. But the white jade steps at the palace gate were too long, and no matter how careful I was, I still lost one glass slipper. I knew he wouldn’t let me go. Sure enough, the next day, news of the Chancellor’s death spread throughout the country. The king was furious and ordered the guards to catch the real culprit. Along with the obituary, another piece of news spread across the country: the prince was looking for love. The prince had fallen in love at first sight with a beautiful girl at the ball. He announced that whoever could wear the glass slipper left behind by the girl would be the next princess. All the women in the city went crazy. Emma and Julia started dressing up early in the morning, soaking their feet in milk, praying for this lucky glory to fall upon them. It wasn’t until Emma came to my room to look for jewelry that she accidentally found the other glass slipper.   “You filthy wretch, how dare you sneak off to the ball behind our backs! If you’re so desperate for a man, we’ll marry you off to a stable boy tomorrow!” Madame Franklin grabbed my hair and slapped me hard across the face several times. Emma clutched the glass slipper to her chest and kicked me hard in the stomach. The attic door opened, and I fell down. Emma giggled. “Thinking you could be a princess? You should look in a mirror first. “Stay here like a good girl. If you make a sound, you’re dead.” With a loud bang, the attic door was locked. I pounded on the door above my head, my face filled with despair. This is bad. If they take out this shoe, the prince will surely know I’m here. He’ll kill me! Soon, I heard Madame Franklin’s fawning voice from above. “Oh my, Lord Roderick, why have you come personally— “No need to try it on, this shoe belongs to our Emma. Emma, show the other shoe to Lord Roderick.” Lord Roderick’s face was stern as he held a fine velvet cushion with a sparkling glass slipper on top. “Everyone must try it on. Oh—indeed, they make a pair. Noble lady, please come with me to the palace so the prince can see for himself.” The other maids and guards all offered their congratulations. Emma excitedly hugged Julia and spun around. Soon, a flurry of footsteps gradually faded away, and silence fell once again overhead. I slumped to the ground, my face filled with despair. My sister’s foot was bigger than mine. Once they entered the palace and the prince discovered she couldn’t wear the shoe, he would soon come to my house. I had to escape before that happened. But the attic door was locked, and there wasn’t even a window. I had no way to escape. There were many tools in the attic. I found a hammer and started chipping away at the wall. After an hour, I had only managed to scrape off a thin layer of plaster. Covered in sweat, I angrily smashed the hammer against the wall a couple of times before throwing it to the ground. A mouse in the corner was startled and scurried to the other side, squeaking. Looking at that mouse, my eyes lit up as an idea suddenly came to me.

  In my impression, Cinderella was always mistreated by her stepmother and forced to do chores. Whenever the housework became too overwhelming, she would start singing, and then many birds and small animals would come out to help her. This was a special ability of Disney princesses. Now that I had become Cinderella, shouldn’t I have this ability too? I cleared my throat. “Ooooh ooooh ooooh~ Aaaah aaaah~” No response. Maybe I was doing it wrong. I continued singing. “Eeee eeee eeee~ Oooo oooo~” I sang repeatedly for half an hour, until my throat was dry, but I didn’t give up. Finally, that mouse crept out from the corner again. I was delighted and crouched down to look at it. “Are you here to help me?” The mouse squeaked, its limbs twitching, and fell to the ground. Me: “…” I sat on the ground hugging my knees. Just as I was at a loss, I heard chaotic footsteps from above and Madame Franklin’s shrill voice. “Oh my, Prince Henry, you’ve come personally! Heavens!” I looked up through the cracks in the wooden floor. The prince still carried that long sword from last night. He smiled and gestured for his attendant to press Emma onto a chair. “Beautiful Lady Emma, is this pair of glass slippers yours?” Emma’s face turned red, and she nodded shyly. The attendant tried to put the shoe on Emma’s foot, but her foot was too wide and wouldn’t fit no matter how they tried. Emma became anxious. “I… I’m a bit swollen today.” “Is that so? But you must wear the shoe to become my princess.” The prince’s expression was cold. Hearing this, Emma desperately tried to squeeze her foot into the shoe, her instep turning red from the effort. The prince laughed coldly and raised his sword. “Let me help you—” The prince’s blade fell, cutting off half of Emma’s foot. She screamed and rolled on the ground, clutching her leg.   Everyone was terrified, but the prince acted as if nothing had happened and calmly turned to look at Julia. “Beautiful lady, is this pair of shoes yours?” Julia’s face was pale, but unable to suppress her desire to become a princess, she still nodded. This time, the prince cut off her heel. Blood sprayed everywhere, dripping through the cracks in the wooden floor. I was terrified, looking around frantically but finding nowhere to hide. Madame Franklin screamed and went to embrace her two daughters. The prince put his sword to her throat. “Are there any other daughters in your house?” Madame Franklin’s lips trembled. “No, no more…” Despite their severe injuries, both sisters gritted their teeth and insisted there was no one else in the house. The resolve of the mother and daughters to prevent me from becoming princess was unexpectedly strong. Thank you all. “What about young maids? None of those either?” Madame Franklin continued shaking her head. The prince laughed and sat down in a chair, using a clean white cloth to wipe his long sword. “Well, isn’t that interesting!” The prince waved his hand, and his attendants scattered to search the house. Soon, Lord Roderick ran to the prince’s side. “Your Highness, the attic door is locked.” The prince looked at Madame Franklin. “This is your last chance to live. Open the door.” The prince’s eyes were sharp, his tense jawline showing that his patience had reached its limit. Seeing Madame Franklin standing still, Lord Roderick drew his sword. “Kill her. You all, go break down the door.” Only then did Madame Franklin react, screaming and crawling towards the attic door. “I’ll open it, I’ll open it, don’t kill me—” The sound of keys and chains clashing rang out, and the attic door was forcefully pulled open. A beam of light shone diagonally into the attic. In the dusty beam of light, the prince stood before me with a wicked smile. “Ha, found you.”

  The next moment, the smile froze on the prince’s face. My face was covered in ash, my eyes were crossed, and I asked him with a toothy grin: “Who ya lookin’ for, mister?” Prince: “…” The prince took a big step back in disgust. “Who are you?” “I’m the maid, Cinderella. Ain’t you a handsome fella, hee hee hee—” I reached out to touch the prince’s face. He frowned and swatted my hand away. “Someone, bring her up.” Two guards jumped down into the attic and hauled me up. Thanks to my stepmother’s mistreatment, I was wearing old clothes patched all over, my hair was full of straw, and my face had several red handprints, which indeed matched the image of a maid. Lord Roderick looked disappointed. “Your Highness, this girl doesn’t seem to be the one.” I had just breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the prince coldly order: “Put the shoe on her.” Damn it, he still suspects me. Where’s the basic trust and respect between people? I was pressed into a chair by several guards. Lord Roderick knelt on one knee, holding up the glass slipper. As soon as he lifted my long skirt, Roderick turned his head away in disgust. My feet were pitch black, covered in ash, with my five toes spread wide like sea anemones. The prince laughed coldly. “What happened to your feet?” I smiled ingratiatingly: “My toes are deformed, they’ve been like this since I was little.” “Is that so?” The prince paused for a moment, then suddenly reached out and pinched my calf hard. “Ah—” I screamed in pain, and my toes instinctively curled up. The prince sneered. “Look, all better now.” “Thank you, you’re so kind.” I wanted to cry but had no tears left as I watched Roderick stuff my foot into the glass slipper.   Of course, it fit perfectly—not too big, not too small, not too long, not too short. The glass slipper on my pitch-black foot looked as if it had been custom-made for me. Roderick looked awkwardly at the prince. “Your Highness, are you sure this girl is the one you’re looking for?” The two sisters, who had been rolling on the ground clutching their legs, hurriedly crawled over and said in unison: “There must be a mistake, she didn’t go out last night!” Madame Franklin nodded along. “Yes, this is my maid. I locked her in the attic last night; she couldn’t possibly have attended the ball. Your Highness, she absolutely cannot be the girl you’re looking for.” The prince stared at Madame Franklin for a while, then curled his lips into a smile. “Liars must swallow a thousand needles. “Roderick, bring out that box of needles.” What kind of psychopath carries around boxes of needles? Watching Roderick stuff silver needles as long as a pinky finger into Madame Franklin’s mouth, I was so scared my legs went weak. Amidst the wailing of the mother and daughters, I was escorted onto a carriage by the guards. As the wheels rolled, two guards watched me vigilantly from the side. I couldn’t find any chance to escape. Soon, the majestic palace appeared before my eyes. “My dear Henry, have you found your beloved girl?” Queen Eleanor came out to greet us enthusiastically. Seeing my ash-covered face, the queen paused, a flash of horror crossing her eyes. “This is—” “Someone, take her away to clean up.” The prince acted as if he hadn’t seen the queen and ordered the people beside him. The queen circled around the prince, asking if his journey had been tiring and chattering endlessly. The prince coldly waved her away, turned to Roderick, and instructed: “Clean her up and bring her to see me.”

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