Near finals week, my boyfriend received a love letter that read: [Mr. Thorne, I’ve had a crush on you for a long time. Will you be my boyfriend?] Soon after, amidst the cheers of her classmates, the girl confessed loudly. She asked: “Mr. Thorne, will you be my boyfriend?” Just then, I saw the bullet comments. [Here it comes! The female lead finally confesses to the male lead. The classic teacher-student romance plot is officially starting!] [The female lead is confessing, so why is the vicious female side character just standing at the door? Does she think she’s not enough of an eyesore?] 1 I stood frozen at the classroom door. The person being confessed to in the center of the classroom right now was indeed the male lead mentioned in the comments, my boyfriend whom I was discussing marriage with—Ethan Thorne. The comments in front of my eyes continued: [So sweet I’m crying. The male and female leads have the cutest age gap. Old woman, get lost!] [Don’t worry, don’t worry. The Dean will get rid of her with a text message. After all, this is the scene where the leads confirm their feelings. How could the old woman be allowed to be a stumbling block here?] [Male lead, say yes quickly! Then you can unlock the classroom play tonight! Gotta say, these young couples know how to have fun!] [I remember that part. The male lead bows down before the female lead. She takes off his glasses and steps on his shoulder, and he pants like a dog. The female side character should reflect on herself. Can her old face still excite the male lead?!] ? Thinking of Ethan’s unsatisfied, craving look this morning, I couldn’t help but be suspicious. Are these comments real? But the next second. My phone vibrated violently. The Dean sent a message. [Sarah, come to my office.] As soon as I entered the Dean’s office, he locked the door and asked with concern: “Sarah, I heard a student wrote a love letter to Ethan? This could be big or small, you guys have to handle it well.” I knew what he meant. More than a decade ago, the Dean had a favorite student who became a teacher. Because she was young and got along well with the students, a boy in her class soon developed feelings for her and confessed loudly. As a teacher, she sternly refused. But unexpectedly, after being rejected, the boy acted extremely radically. He left a suicide note that was practically a confession of love, then turned around and jumped off the school building’s roof. In the end, although he didn’t die, his lower body was completely paralyzed. A promising student destined for the Ivy League was ruined. The parents came to the school and made a huge scene, pointing at the female teacher’s nose and calling her a seductive bitch and a slut. They even went to her boyfriend’s house to mourn. The teacher was first dumped, then fired, and finally suffered from severe mental illness. Therefore, facing us young teachers, the Dean would bring this up from time to time to warn us. “Don’t be fooled by some students being introverted. The more introverted the student, the more likely they are to do crazy things.” I thought of the girl who confessed to Ethan. The female lead mentioned in the comments. She was the girl with the lowest presence in the class, Lily Evans. “Also, Ethan has been sponsoring Lily Evans for a year. Did you know about this?” 2 The comments were now updating me on the progress of the leads’ relationship in real-time. [Look at the female lead’s little face, all flushed. Reminds me of my puppy love days. Oh youth!] [The male lead called the female lead out! They’re gonna go out and smooch!] [Makes sense. Rather than kissing the old woman homeroom teacher a hundred times, it’s better to kiss the female lead’s soft, pink lips once.] [The male lead only has responsibility towards the female side character. Passion and love are long gone. True love is…???] The comments froze. My heart sank. Ethan and I were middle school classmates, childhood sweethearts. In middle school, his parents were busy with business, so they sent Ethan to live with his grandmother in our town. We were desk mates then. At first, we just secretly liked each other, but no one broke that layer of window paper. It wasn’t until the year of the SATs, when Ethan’s parents retired and settled in the capital, wanting to take Ethan back for his senior year and the exams. Ethan finally confessed to me, grabbing my hand and asking me to trust him, saying he would definitely go to the same university as me, and that I had long been in his future plans. Those hands were sweaty, but his eyes were full of stars that made my heart flutter. It was the sweetness and shared goals of these years that made me unable to believe the love-crazed man in the comments was Ethan. I suddenly thought of the day Ethan received the love letter a week ago. That day was the grade-wide cleaning day. The homeroom teacher of the class next door went into labor days early. The whole floor was in chaos. Ethan and several other male teachers went to help take her to the hospital. When getting off work, I picked up Ethan’s textbooks and backpack for him. Just as I picked them up, a thin pink letter paper fluttered to the ground. The handwriting was like the person. Delicate and quiet. It read: [Mr. Thorne, I’ve had a crush on you for a long time. Will you be my boyfriend?] Signed: Lily Evans. That night I showed the confession letter to Ethan. His face looked terrible. “Did Lily really write this?” “Could it be a punishment for losing a game of Truth or Dare?” “I’ll go to school tomorrow and have a good talk with her!” The more he spoke, the more Ethan seemed ready to fight. I was the one who stopped him, telling him to ask the experienced Dean for advice first. I also persuaded him. As a woman, being both Lily’s homeroom teacher and his fiancée, if we really needed to talk to Lily, I might be more suitable than him. But with heavy teaching tasks and many homeroom duties, this dragged on until today. Lily’s confession. Ethan’s attitude. And the Dean’s sentence just now, the fact that Ethan had sponsored Lily for a year. I pinched my brow, feeling a headache coming on. The comments that had frozen just now started scrolling again. More densely than before. [What nonsense is the male lead talking about?! What do you mean ‘demonstrate how you concluded you like the teacher’?!] [This is smut, bro. Just do it already. How can you use your 98.6°F mouth to say words that cause premature ejaculation?!] [I’m out. I’ll come back tonight when the female lead gets framed by the male side character for the paid content.] [Hohoho, I’ll come back tonight too.] 3 I decided to call Lily’s parents. Unexpectedly, as soon as I spoke, I was caught off guard by their attitude. “Don’t look for me if there’s trouble. Isn’t there a sucker willing to sponsor her? Go find whoever’s sponsoring her! We didn’t ask her to study. Unless she gets knocked up or dies! Otherwise, don’t bother us!” In the background, besides the grumpy middle-aged male voice, there were a woman’s screams and a baby’s loud crying. “Damn woman, can you feed the kid! Make Jack stop crying! My head is about to explode!” I couldn’t believe it: “Lily’s parent…” But the next second, the phone hung up with a snap. The busy tone beeped in the receiver. The substitute teacher for the class next door asked: “Was that Lily’s family?” Seeing me nod, she sighed. “That child is pitiful.” “Her parents worked out of town before and left her with the elderly at home. Last year her parents got pregnant and had a second child. Seeing it was a boy, they immediately didn’t want their daughter to continue studying to save money for the family.” “I heard that they even beat her up at the school gate before.” I quickly asked when this happened. The substitute teacher said it was last year, right when she started tenth grade. Seeing my face turn pale, she comforted me, saying there were so many students in the class, even a homeroom teacher couldn’t cover everything and notice everyone. “Especially since this is your first time being a homeroom teacher.” She comforted me like this. But my heart was still heavy. The second period was my class. Lily sat in her seat with her bangs drooping. I carefully observed this girl for the first time. Thin, frail, face pale, sitting there silently with very little presence, as if any random shadow could crush her. Could such a girl confess to a teacher in front of all her classmates? After class, I called the Chinese class representative. I had seen her holding hands with Lily going to the restroom a few times before, thinking they were good friends. “But Ms. Sarah, Lily and I haven’t been friends for a long time.” The girl twisted her fingers, looking uneasy. “She always lies, saying how good her parents are to her, saying her parents made big money in the city and would buy a house when they return, giving her the best room as a bedroom. But actually, her parents ignore her.” “Last New Year’s Eve party ended too late. My parents happened to be on a business trip and I was afraid to stay alone, so I asked if I could go back to her house with her. As a result, her parents wouldn’t even open the door for her. We waited for fully half an hour before her grandma opened a crack for us to sneak in. Only then did I know her family wasn’t like what she said at all.” “Teacher, I don’t want to be friends with a liar. Is that wrong?” the class representative asked me. Is it wrong? My subconscious answer was no. But as a teacher, I couldn’t jump to conclusions so easily. “Is there any student bullying her in class?” The little girl shook her head, avoiding my eyes, and said: “I don’t know.” I smiled at her, signaling her to leave first, then called the next student in. Asked the same question. “Are you friends with Lily? Is anyone bullying her in class?” A class is like a small society. No matter how much of an ivory tower it is, students will be divided into ranks. Those with good grades, rich families, and good looks will naturally be sorted into the most popular tier. I asked more than ten girls in a row. The answers I got were that they weren’t friends with Lily, weren’t familiar, and didn’t know if anyone in class bullied her. Although Lily was reticent, she was careful and serious. Teachers usually asked her to help collect homework, so her interaction with classmates couldn’t be too little. But the answers I got now made me suspicious. Ding. The phone vibrated. Ethan sent a message saying he took the afternoon off. I didn’t reply to him. The next period was self-study. I decided to sneak into the class to take a look first. 4 Just approaching the class, I suddenly heard a gasp. Looking in through the small round window at the back of the classroom, I saw Lily bending over to pick up a homework notebook, while the class monitor, Brad Miller, stood in front of her with a bad smirk, stepping on the notebook with his limited edition sneakers, preventing the girl from pulling it out no matter how hard she tried. Brad was not only the class monitor but also handsome, had excellent grades, and his family was very wealthy. Several teachers told me they saw a driver picking him up in a luxury car after school. The boys sitting below had lights in their eyes. The girls all kept their heads down, as if reading seriously. “Yes, bend over just like that. The view from this angle is the most beautiful.” “Didn’t expect the lying girl to brag so much, but her chest is flat as a runway.” After speaking, Brad ordered Lily not to move and took out his phone to record. I watched dumbfounded, simply unable to believe it. The thin girl bent over in humiliation. Even from this distance, I could see her tears falling drop by drop. Other classmates in the class acted as if sacrificing Lily would keep them safe, all lowering their eyes and staying silent. Not friends?! No one bullying her?! This was clearly isolating Lily for fear of getting burned! In an instant, my anger shot to the top of my head, feeling like every hair was about to explode. I lifted my foot and walked towards the classroom. Sharp-eared students obviously discovered my arrival. There was a flurry of panic in the classroom. By the time I walked in, Brad had already picked up the notebook on the ground and handed it to Lily seriously. “Student Lily, this is my homework.” At this moment, he put on that good student mask again. Sunny, gentle, polite. I pretended not to see what just happened and looked at Brad. “Brad Miller, come to my office.” In my peripheral vision, Lily’s expression was pale and terribly ugly.

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My childhood sweetheart, Jack, accidentally killed someone while trying to save a life and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Before he went in, he begged me to take care of his parents. I thought he entrusted me with this heavy responsibility because he saw me as his future wife, so I tearfully agreed. For ten years, I worked tirelessly, taking care of his parents without complaint. I even sold my blood and a kidney to pay for his mother’s medical bills… all to fulfill my promise to him. It turned out he didn’t accidentally kill anyone; he took the fall for someone else. When he got out, he brought back not only a hundred thousand dollars but also a woman and a ten-year-old child. “Sunny, thank you for taking care of my family these past ten years. Here is a thousand dollars as my gratitude and compensation. In the future, you’ll still be like a sister to me!” Only then did I realize I had misunderstood him. He only asked me to take care of his parents, not to marry him. But all these years, I poured my heart and soul into his family, ruining my health. How could a mere thousand dollars compensate for that? Already exhausted and sickly, I died from spitting blood in a fit of rage. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Jack begged me to take care of his parents. 1 Late Autumn, 1987: I curled up in the leaky woodshed of the Walker family, watching the bloody foam on my palm turn an eerie pink in the halo of the oil lamp. Laughter came from the main house. “That fool Sunny Song really thought she was the Walker family’s daughter-in-law… Little did she know, she spent ten years taking care of my parents for me!” “I told her to help me take care of my parents, and she came running. I never said I liked her or wanted to marry her. She cheapened herself!” “My son is truly capable. With just one sentence, that desperate Sunny Song became our free maid for ten years!” “Fred Song always suppresses me at the factory, but his daughter served my family like a slave. In this life, I, Arthur Walker, am indeed more blessed than him!” “Daddy, Mommy, is Sunny like what people call a slut?” … For ten years, I worked hard without complaint in the Walker family. I never expected to end up like this. “Hehehe…” I laughed low, feeling my life was a joke. In a trance, the kind and doting gazes of my parents and brother and sister-in-law appeared before my eyes. I reached out: “Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister-in-law…” The next second, I felt a sweetness in my throat, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out. The moment I closed my eyes, I secretly swore that if there was a next life, I would never have anything to do with the Walker family again. 1976: “Sunny, my case is going to trial. Although it was accidental manslaughter, it’s still killing someone. The lawyer said I might get ten years.” “We grew up together. You are the person I trust most. Please take care of my parents in the future, okay?” A man’s voice pulled me back from my memories. I looked up and saw Jack Walker sitting opposite me in prison uniform, my eyes wide with shock. Didn’t I die? How come…? The calendar on the wall showed it was July 8, 1976. I… I was reborn!!! Reborn back to the day Jack entrusted his parents to me! In my previous life, because I liked this neighbor brother since childhood, I sympathized with his situation. I thought his entrusting his parents to me at this time was trust, treating me as family. Not only did I agree to his request, but I also waited wholeheartedly for him to come out, marry me, and live a good life together without asking for anything in return. Unexpectedly, he already had a girlfriend. It was none other than my high school classmate, Jessica King. At this moment, Jessica was already pregnant with his child. The compensation he received for taking the fall also went entirely into Jessica’s pocket. She used that money to start a business, riding the wave of reform, and soon became the richest person in their village. In my previous life, when Jack’s mother was sick and times were hardest, I went to her house to borrow money. But she didn’t mention a word about her and Jack, watching me kowtow to every household until my head bled to borrow medical fees for Jack’s mother, Grace Miller. Afterwards, I questioned her. Since she took Jack’s compensation, why didn’t she take out the money when Jack’s mother was sick? Clearly, she was the daughter-in-law of the Walker family. Why did she leave the two elders for me to support? Unexpectedly, she said Jack taking the fall was under a confidentiality agreement and couldn’t be exposed. She didn’t take out the money for Jack’s sake. As for the Walker parents, they knew about Jack’s relationship with her and knew she had given birth to a son for Jack. The reason they didn’t tell me was that they knew my feelings for Jack and were afraid I would be agitated if I knew. All this was for my own good. Looking at the happy family of five in front of me and their hypocritical faces, I couldn’t help but laugh low. “Hehehehe… for my own good?” “Jack Walker, Jessica King, Grace Miller, Arthur Walker! Do you four take me for a fool?” Only then did I realize that the Walker family had long colluded to take advantage of me. Afraid I would be agitated? All fake!!! They just wanted to trick me into serving their family like a slave. Fortunately, God has eyes and let me live again. Opposite me, seeing me dazed, Jack grabbed my hand tightly, his eyes full of hope. Looking at the face of Jack that once fascinated me, I withdrew my hand indifferently. “Jack, this isn’t appropriate, is it?” “Although we are childhood friends and our families are close.” “But I’m still an unmarried girl. I’ll get married sooner or later. I’m afraid I can’t take care of your parents.” “I’m afraid my future in-laws will gossip.” My words made Jack slightly stunned, frowning, a strange expression on his face. “You… you want to get married? But aren’t you…” I played with my braids, asking innocently: “Aren’t I what?” Jack found it hard to speak: “Don’t you have feelings for me…” I realized what he meant and blushed instantly: “Jack, why bring this up?” “Who doesn’t know you’re already with Jessica King from the King family in your village?” “I saw her with a big belly going for a checkup a few days ago. It must be your child, right?” “Her belly is pointed; it must be a boy. Just wait to be a dad!” My words left Jack shocked and uncertain: “You… what did you say? Jessica is pregnant?!” “Why didn’t she tell me?” After saying that, he realized he let it slip, hurriedly covering his mouth, looking at me with apprehension. Seeing him like this, how could I not understand? He deliberately hid the fact that he had a girlfriend to trick me into being a sucker! I immediately said: “It’s okay! Jack.” “I admit I had some thoughts about you before, but I, Sunny Song, am not an unreasonable girl. Since you have a partner, I shouldn’t pester you.” “Don’t worry, I’ll tell Jessica King what you entrusted. From now on, your parents are her responsibility!” “It’s getting late. I’ll go back first. I’ll visit you next time!” Then, ignoring Jack’s anxious face, I got up and left. 2 Leaving the detention center, the bright sun overhead felt warm on my body. Thinking that in my previous life, I worked like a beast for that scumbag Jack for ten years. Although less than thirty, I looked like I was forty or fifty. Because I sold a kidney to treat Jack’s mother, I became disabled, couldn’t do heavy work, and was despised by his mother for eating for free at home, forced to live in the woodshed. Thinking of this made me feel suffocated and angry. The thought that I disappointed my parents and family for such a thing made me ashamed. I immediately bought a ticket home. My parents were dual-income workers, and the family lived in the family compound assigned by the unit. Along the way, ignoring the neighbors’ pointing fingers, I excitedly called out to my parents. “Mom, Dad! I’m back!” As soon as I entered the door, my dad’s shoe flew out, brushing past my ear. “Damn girl, you still have the face to come back?” “Didn’t you die in the Walker family and abandon me and your mom?!” My dad, Fred Song, was a skilled worker at the steel factory. Accustomed to physical work, he was impatient and loud. But since childhood, he loved me, his daughter, the most and never mistreated me. His anger this time was entirely because I ignored the family’s opposition, gave up the job at the cotton mill my family found for me through connections, and insisted on going to the rural Walker family to take care of Jack’s parents. Knowing my dad meant well and was angry, I hurriedly picked up the shoe on the ground and leaned in pitifully. “Dad, don’t be angry.” “It’s because Jack just went in. I was afraid his parents would be sad and something would happen, so I went to help for a few days.” “As soon as this was done, I came back immediately!” My dad, Fred, took a hard puff on his pipe and said coldly: “Don’t think I don’t know, you came back to ask for money and tickets again, right?” “Didn’t I just give you so many food stamps and twenty dollars a few days ago? Spent so quickly?” My dad’s monthly salary at the steel factory was only forty dollars. Twenty dollars was half his monthly salary. But although he was angry at me for subsidizing the Walker family, when I asked for money and tickets, he still took out the family’s rations and gave them to me. My mom, Lily Song, came in with a basket of eggs at this time. Seeing me, her face was full of worry. “Yes, daughter, I know you like that kid Jack.” “But he is a murderer now! Who knows when he will get out after going in.” “You are only eighteen this year. Are you going to delay your youth like this?” In my previous life, whenever my parents mentioned Jack was a murderer, I would get anxious. Saying he accidentally killed someone while acting bravely for a just cause, he was a hero. But now I knew my parents were the ones with foresight. They were really doing it for my own good! I immediately said: “Mom, I just came back from seeing Jack. He said he might be sentenced to ten years!” “Although we are neighbors with the Walker family and grew up together.” “But as the saying goes, help the emergency, not the poor. I can’t take care of his parents for ten years just because he won’t be back for ten years, right?” “So I came back!” As soon as I finished speaking, my sister-in-law Luna Qin’s voice rang out. “Sunny Song, you money-losing goods, you want to help Jack raise the Walker parents for ten years?” “Do you have any shame as a girl?” “What are you to the Walker family? Did Jack save your life in a previous life?” Sister-in-law Luna Qin was an obstetrician at the county hospital, beautiful, fashionable, and a college graduate. In this era, she was a proud daughter of heaven, a perfect match for my brother, a company commander. Originally, my brother had found a job for her in the military hospital, but she wanted to take care of my parents and me nearby, so she didn’t move with the army. The two were separated often, only meeting during holidays, so they hadn’t had children after being married for almost two years. In my previous life, because of inferiority, I felt this sister-in-law looked down on me, suppressing and crowding me out because of her good job and education. Unexpectedly, when I fainted in the field due to wound infection from illegally selling a kidney, it was my sister-in-law who saved me regardless of past grudges and took out the money she and my brother had saved for years to buy a house to pay for my medical bills. Later, due to railway realignment and demolition compensation, the price of the house they originally fancied rose dozens of times. They missed the chance to get rich because of this. Thinking of this, ignoring the disgust on my sister-in-law’s face, I threw myself into her arms. “Sister-in-law, you are right to scold. I was too self-deprecating and shamed our Song family!” “I swear, I will never go to the Walker family to take care of the Walker parents again, nor will I take things or money to their house.” “If I lie, let me… die without a burial place!” 3 Hearing my words, my sister-in-law’s face became a bit unnatural. But soon she darkened her face. “Sunny Song, cut it out!” “You like that Jack so much; I don’t believe you would suddenly change your nature.” “Tell me, is this your delaying tactic? Wanting to appease me and your parents first, then find a chance to make us help the Walker family?” My parents also seemed to think she made sense, looking at me with hesitant eyes. I knew this was because I ignored their persuasion and opposition before, fleeced the family, and insisted on subsidizing the Walker family. They were thoroughly disappointed in me. To not disappoint my family again, I immediately said: “Sister-in-law, Mom, Dad, what I said is true!” “Jack said he only treated me as a sister and didn’t mean to date me!” “He has a girlfriend, Jessica King from the King family in their village! We were classmates in high school!” “Since he has a girlfriend, why should I rush to get involved?” My parents were stunned hearing my words. “What? Jack has a girlfriend? How did you know? You can’t accuse people without reason!” In my previous life, I focused on taking care of the Walker parents, working day and night to support them, with no mind to pay attention to other things. Later Jack came back, bringing Jessica King into the house. I learned that their dating was no secret; many people in the village knew. It was the Walker parents and the King family who greeted everyone, hiding it from me alone. So I pretended to stammer: “I saw them going shopping together.” “Many people in the village know; I’m not lying!” My dad heard this and exploded, knocking his pipe: “If he has a girlfriend, why doesn’t he let her take care of his parents instead of entrusting you?” I shrank my neck aggrievedly, tears swirling in my eyes: “Probably because his girlfriend is pregnant, and he feels sorry that she can’t work…” My mom heard this, face red with anger: “That little bastard Jack, is he human? Feeling sorry his girlfriend is pregnant and can’t work, so he uses my daughter?” “Is my daughter, Lily Song’s daughter, a maid raised for their family?” Then she grabbed my hand: “Let’s go! Let’s go to Ocean Village and reason with the Walker family!” “You took a lot of things from home to take care of those two old people these months. These things were saved from our teeth. Make them return everything!” I naturally intended this too, but I was blinded by lard before, coaxed by the Walker parents, obedient to them. I couldn’t be too obvious now. Just said: “Dad, can we get the money and things back?” “Although I gave them because I didn’t know about Jack and Jessica, it counts as voluntary…” My dad cursed: “What voluntary? You were kept in the dark!” “Back then, when Jack’s dad made a mistake and was fired from the factory, driven back to the countryside, he borrowed a hundred dollars from your mom and me for settling down!” “I thought, since you liked Jack, we would be family in the future, so I didn’t ask them for it!” “Now, that kid wronged you first; why should I care about that?” Sister-in-law said: “Right! Make the Walker family pay back!” “Mom, Dad, Sunny, wait a moment. I’ll call Sunny’s brother and ask him to take a few days off from the army!” “Daring to take advantage of our Song family! Dream on!” My brother’s army base wasn’t far from our county town. Sister-in-law called the army. A few hours later, a military vehicle stopped at the gate of our family compound. I hurriedly went out to welcome: “Brother, you’re back!” Unexpectedly, a stranger got out of the car. The man looked about twenty, tall and straight, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. Wearing a military uniform, he looked very tough and handsome. Seeing me, he looked me up and down, grinned, showing white teeth: “Hello, comrade, you must be Sunny Song?” “I’m your brother Victor Song’s comrade, my name is Logan Brooks.” “Your brother was assigned by superiors to participate in a secret mission.” “Hearing your family encountered difficulties, and I happened to be on official business in the county, he entrusted me to see if you need any help.” Logan Brooks? I was stunned. If I remember correctly, this person is the grandson of the old chief of my brother’s army, a big shot with a boundless future! 4 Originally, I was a bit worried about our family going to someone else’s village to make a scene. Now with Logan Brooks backing us, the chances of winning instantly increased. Not to mention anything else, just parking his military jeep at the village entrance would make the ground of that remote Ocean Village tremble three times? I immediately shook his hand fawningly: “Comrade Logan Brooks, hello!” “I’m Victor Song’s sister, Sunny Song. Since you are my brother’s comrade, I’ll call you Brother Logan?” Logan’s face blushed slightly, then he nodded. “Mn.” With Logan’s help, our whole family went to Ocean Village. As soon as the car arrived at the village entrance, it attracted the onlookers of the villagers. “Look! It’s a car! Seems… like a military car!” “Did county leaders come to inspect? Didn’t hear about it!” “No, look who’s in the car?” “Isn’t that Arthur Walker’s Sunny Song?” … The car stopped at the village entrance. As soon as I got out, a sister-in-law grabbed me. “Sunny Song, why is it you? Is this your brother, the company commander, back?” “Back to your parents’ home to get good things for your future in-laws again?” “Jack is really blessed to have a fiancée like you in his previous life!” Then she looked at Logan beside me. “The whole family is here. Are you here to discuss the wedding?” Hearing this, my face sank immediately! “Don’t talk nonsense. I have nothing to do with Jack!” The sister-in-law was surprised: “Jack just went in, and you moved into the Walker house. Not his future wife? Then what are you after?” “You’ve taken care of Arthur and Grace meticulously in the Walker house for these months. Who believes you have nothing to do with Jack?” She wasn’t wrong. In my previous life, that’s what I thought. But it wasn’t until I vomited blood and died that I knew it was all my wishful thinking! At this time, someone in the crowd muttered: “Yeah, but pity Jack likes Jessica King.” “Sunny Song is just a money-losing goods posting herself upside down!” “I saw Jessica King and Jack drilling into the cornfield several times. Jack even took her to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things!” Someone next to him quickly pulled him: “Keep your voice down. Uncle Walker and his wife explained that this matter cannot be known by Sunny Song…” Hearing this, my anger rose instantly. In this Ocean Village, not only was the Walker family rotten, but others weren’t good people either! I immediately raised my voice and sneered: “Why am I so good to their family? Of course because I’m beautiful and kind, a good person!” “Back then, when Uncle Walker was working in the steel factory and was neighbors with our family, what’s wrong with me helping when their family was in trouble?” Logan also said on the side: “Comrade Sunny Song is right. How did her helpfulness become posting herself upside down in your mouths?” I looked at Logan in surprise. On the way, he learned the ins and outs of the matter. He actually spoke for me along my lines? I thought soldiers were all rigid like my brother! Seeing me look at him, Logan blinked at me. I didn’t know why my heart skipped a beat, hurriedly lowered my head, feeling my cheeks hot. Logan looked really upright. Although Jack was also good-looking, he had a completely different temperament. How to say… it was the nobility from the bones. My parents heard the villagers discussing me, already fuming with anger. Said to me: “Daughter, don’t waste breath with them! Go to Arthur Walker’s house!” I nodded, mustered up courage, and led the family to the Walker house.

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The night after my best friend Chloe’s thirtieth birthday party, which I threw for her. Less than ten minutes after we parted ways, she suddenly sent me a WeChat message: [Babe, shouldn’t you return the wedding gift money I gave you as a birthday blessing? You know I don’t plan on getting married.] [I thought you would consciously give it to me tonight, which is why I treated you to a big meal and asked you out. I didn’t expect you not to mention a word about it.] [Hmph, bad woman, I spent so much money tonight in vain, my heart hurts.] She even playfully stuck out her tongue in an emoji. But I couldn’t relax. If I recall correctly, she gave a thousand dollars as a gift for my wedding. But the birthday gift I gave her tonight was a gold necklace worth nearly ten thousand dollars. Not to mention when she got into college and found her first job after graduation, I gave her red envelopes (cash gifts) to celebrate. As for tonight’s meal, I admit the standard of a hundred dollars per person isn’t low, but… 1 I’ve never been one to hold back, so I asked her directly. “Are you facing any difficulties?” “No, I just feel like I won’t get married in the future, so I want to get the gift money back in advance, heehee.” But… She wasn’t the only one who gave me wedding gift money. When she went to college and started working, the red envelopes I gave her kept increasing in value. When she got into a state-owned enterprise, I happened to land a big project, so I not only gave her five thousand dollars but also took her on a trip to Europe. At that time, she happily held my cheeks and kissed me, saying she would be my best friend forever. She said when I got married, she would definitely give a huge red envelope that would blind my eyes. I clenched my small fist with great ambition and said, “Then I must perform well on this trip.” In the end, I paid for all the gifts she brought back for her relatives and friends. Although later when I got married, she only gave a thousand dollars. But I didn’t care at all. I knew that although her job at the state-owned enterprise looked glamorous, the income wasn’t high. Besides, her family has always favored boys over girls, always finding ways to squeeze money out of her to subsidize her younger brother. I really felt sorry for her. Actually, considering our past relationship and decades of friendship, when she made such a request, I should have transferred it to her without thinking, raising both hands and feet in approval, and maybe even praising her for “new thinking and brave behavior.” I shouldn’t be so twisted and sad. And the reason why it’s like this now is simply because of the knot in my heart from a while ago that hasn’t been untied until today. While I was lost in thought, she guessed my thoughts based on years of tacit understanding. [I know you gave me red envelopes when I got into college and found a job, but those were your blessings for me, right?] [If you had also gotten into a double first-class university instead of a second-tier one, I would have given you one too.] [If you had gotten into a state-owned enterprise, civil service, or public institution, I would also have returned a large red envelope to you. I wouldn’t let you suffer a loss.] [But you didn’t get in, you can’t blame me for that, right? In this case, if I gave you a red envelope, wouldn’t you feel like I was mocking you?] If we look at it from this angle, then her wedding red envelope should also be returned to her by me when she gets married, right? It’s just that I suddenly couldn’t say these words. If a friendship is calculated to this extent, what’s the point of continuing the relationship? I suddenly hesitated whether to transfer a thousand dollars to her directly and then slowly cut off this relationship. The decency of adults, cutting off contact is always leaving silently, without declaration, and without special emphasis. I didn’t reply for a long time. Chloe misunderstood my motive. She sent a few screenshots somewhat angrily. [I’m not just asking you. Other friends consciously transferred immediately and wished me happiness. Look at you, friends for so many years.] [Why are you so calculating?] [A thousand dollars is just a fraction of your salary. Is it worth it?] [Just like the Haidilao compensation last time. If I don’t ask you actively, you never know to give it. Even when I ask, you are reluctant. This stingy and shabby style really hurts our friendship, you know?] The Haidilao compensation was because a customer urinated in the hot pot base at Haidilao, causing a public opinion crisis. To restore its reputation, Haidilao gave ten times compensation to customers who dined at Haidilao after that day. During that time, she said she was in a bad mood and kept pestering me to treat her. Although I was busy with projects and didn’t have time at all, I was afraid she would be more depressed staying alone, so I abandoned a big client and satisfied her. She ate very happily. 2 She kept saying that having me as a friend was the luckiest thing in her life. She gave full emotional value. So I was very happy too. Although later because I lost that client, I lost nearly fifty thousand in commission and was severely criticized by the company boss, thus missing the promotion to vice president. But I still felt everything was worth it. Maybe because my family’s economic conditions are okay and I am an only child, I don’t value money very much. I always feel it’s enough if there’s enough money to spend, and the definition of enough is very flexible—spend more if there’s more, spend less or none if there’s less. Until the urine pot incident broke out, and Haidilao’s compensation of five thousand dollars was hit into my account. She suddenly became extremely depressed. Nine out of ten times I asked her out, she was unwilling. The only time she came out, she was full of heaviness and couldn’t lift her spirits no matter what. I panicked, thinking something happened to her recently that made her unhappy, so I couldn’t help asking repeatedly. Only then did she tell me it was because I didn’t share the compensation money with her. “Haidilao compensated everyone who ate the urine pot. It’s a mental compensation. It was just hit into your account, doesn’t mean it’s all for you.” “You should consciously share it with me instead of waiting for me to ask. This makes me look so greedy. Actually, I don’t care about this money at all. I only care if you think of me and treat me as your best friend.” “I don’t know why you think like this. In my opinion, we didn’t necessarily eat the urine pot. If it were an ordinary catering company, they wouldn’t even compensate. Haidilao is a big enterprise; they focus on public opinion and mass perception, so they spend money to control public opinion, turning bad things into good things, and disguisingly improving customers’ favorability towards them.” I tried to explain to her. But she wouldn’t listen to anything. She stubbornly believed she ate the urine pot, was hurt, but didn’t get the compensation she deserved. And the reason for all this was that I kept it. I took advantage of her. This statement was unbelievable and unacceptable to me. That day we broke up unhappily. She posted the question on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), asking who was right and who was wrong, and then sent the link to me. Those siding with me and those with her were probably fifty-fifty. But she deleted all comments unfavorable to her and only sent the comments siding with her to me. Then she unilaterally inputted until 2 AM, the core idea was very clear, that is to ask for the two thousand five hundred dollars that should belong to her from me. [I don’t care about this money at all, but I really don’t like that the friend I’ve known for so many years is such a despicable and stingy person.] She said finally. That night I also had insomnia. But I was sad for a long time and still didn’t transfer the money to her. I thought somewhat in a dead end, if she treated, and got this compensation, I would be happy for her, might jokingly ask her to treat again, but would never ask for this money. Even if she actively sent it to me, I wouldn’t accept it. It’s ridiculous to say, she kept emphasizing she wasn’t for money, and I also felt I wasn’t for money, but we fell out quite coldly just because of this compensation. Before today, we hadn’t contacted each other for two weeks. The sparks on various chat apps were extinguished. In the afternoon at work, she actively sent a message saying she wanted me to celebrate her birthday in the evening, she said she would treat. I thought she regretted falling out with me so stiffly and intended to reconcile. 3 I was so happy at the time, I even left work an hour early and ran to the gold shop to buy her a birthday gift. Just because she once cried and told me that the bracelet she bought for her mother with several months’ salary was taken by her mother to the gold shop and exchanged for a watch, which was given to her younger brother. “I also like gold jewelry, but I never bear to buy it for myself.” “I couldn’t bear to buy a gold bracelet for myself, but I bought it for my mom. My mom didn’t appreciate it at all and gave it away immediately.” “I’m so stupid, why didn’t I keep it for myself to wear?” Sometimes when we were tired from shopping and drinking bubble tea, she would excitedly drag me into the gold shop and try them on over and over again. Sitting there for more than an hour, but never willing to really buy. [Several friends I messaged have returned the gift money, only you are left. are you going to give it or not?] She might have waited too anxiously and couldn’t help sending another message. I couldn’t control my emotions and pressed the voice button to send: “Do you really think I’m reluctant to part with that one thousand dollars?” [I know you are not short of money. It’s precisely because I know that I can’t understand why you can’t be straightforward?] [The birthday gift I gave you today cost me nearly ten thousand, do you know?] I am willing to spend ten thousand on you, would I be reluctant to return one thousand to you? What I care about is… I typed cracklingly in the dialog box. Before I could send it out. She had already sent a message: [I didn’t ask you to give such an expensive gift. You were willing to do this yourself, right? Whatever birthday gift you give is a gesture. I won’t appreciate it if it’s expensive, nor will I be angry if it’s cheap, because this is your intention as a good friend, and I accept it all the same.] [But wedding gift money is different. It’s a custom, a social atmosphere, a feudal tumor. We women of the new era should resist.] I suddenly felt there was no need to argue anymore. I silently transferred one thousand dollars to her, not wanting to say another word. She received it instantly. And didn’t reply a single word. Just not long after, she posted a Moment on WeChat. The picture was a few chat records. Other friends wished her a happy single life after transferring money. But only me, she stopped at the place where I sent a confused black face and question marks. The caption was: [Best friends for more than ten years, didn’t expect to fall out over a mere one thousand dollars.] She didn’t even blur my avatar and WeChat nickname. My heart suffocated for a while, not knowing what to do. Suddenly I saw my mother-in-law comment under her WeChat: [What’s wrong? Is there any misunderstanding between you and Vivien?] She replied very quickly, sounding helpless. [Auntie, I can’t say much, I can only say, it’s not a misunderstanding.] I suddenly remembered, before she sold loquats for her family, I introduced many customers to her. My mother-in-law bought some for my sake. They added each other on WeChat then. Mutual friends sent messages asking what was going on. In the chat screenshots sent by friends, I saw how she exaggeratedly smeared me. I was reading breathlessly when another friend also sent a screenshot. Good lord, even the wording and sentences were exactly the same, complete copy and paste, she didn’t change a single word. I originally wanted to end this friendship here and forget about each other in the world, but I suddenly changed my mind. She said she collected nearly fifty thousand in gift money for her birthday this time. She hands over her salary every month and has to ask for living expenses temporarily. Her family would never tolerate her having so much money in hand. If I tell her mother who favors sons over daughters… But acting like this is too despicable, completely contrary to my principles of conduct all along. I fell into pain. Looking at the phone, really wavering. The phone vibrated suddenly. I looked at the WeChat message sent by the other party, feeling like cold water was poured on my head, standing dumbfounded on the spot. 4 The message was from my husband, Mark Dalton. [Why did your good friend suddenly ask to meet me? Saying your relationships with men were chaotic in high school, saying she has more things to tell me about you?] My finger paused on the phone screen. I didn’t know what to say for a long time. After all, I once introduced Chloe very proudly to Mark, saying this is my best friend growing up, the relative I trust most. The words are still in my ears, but like a fierce slap on my face. Overthrowing Chloe is also overturning me who constantly stood up for her in the past. I have to admit, Chloe’s move is really impressive. [We had some awkwardness.] I could only explain to Mark like this. [Can you tell me?] He replied quickly, slightly impatient. [Sorry, no intention to probe into your friends and privacy. It’s just that she ran to my mom to talk nonsense. My mom just called me. I need to know the reason to explain for you.] I told him everything without concealment. I thought he would reprimand me for being stingy and overly calculating about money, but unexpectedly he saw through the essence at a glance. [Is this a friend? Clearly she treats you as a blood bag to suck. Such a relationship should have been cut off long ago.] Blood bag? I chewed these two words carefully. Not because it’s too unfamiliar. But too familiar. I always say this word. Only the object I talk about is Chloe. I always say her parents treat her as a blood bag to feed her younger brother, earnestly advising her to stay away. She always cried uncontrollably telling me she couldn’t help it, those were the parents who gave birth to her and raised her. While being hurt, she willingly let her parents suck blood. Thinking about it now, what is the difference between her selling misery and crying poor to me, and her parents showing weakness and suppressing her. When she needs me to pay for her, she asks for help in every weak way. When I refuse, she spares no effort to smear and attack me, disregarding past friendship at all. Thinking of this, my heart was cold, no more softheartedness. I picked up the phone and called her parents. As I expected, her parents indeed didn’t know about her asking for the gift money back. Less than ten minutes after I hung up, Chloe called crazily. I hung up, and she sent messages. [For just a thousand dollars, is it worth it? Knowing clearly what kind of people my parents are, you actually ran to tell on me. Do you really want to drive me to death?] [I even regretted a bit just now, thinking I went too far in anger and wanted to apologize to you. Unexpectedly, you are not worth my self-reflection at all!] [Don’t you think this is too despicable? Pick up the phone!] Her tone was as domineering as always. And I didn’t even want to confront her. Clearly she posted on Moments first, she talked nonsense in front of my mother-in-law and husband first. Although what I did wasn’t open and aboveboard, it was just tit for tat. I blocked her and threw her out of my mind. Started busy preparing for wedding-related matters. Fortunately, although my mother-in-law had doubts about me, under Mark’s hard explanation, she didn’t have a bad impression of me. It’s just that my reputation among friends was affected more or less. A few friends thought that although she calculated excessively and wasn’t frank enough with me, the fact that her original family was pitiful was also true. Since I saw through her, just stay away, no need to harm her once more. After I informed on her, all the money on Chloe was plundered by her family, and she was beaten severely, unable to get out of bed for a few days. Friend Lisa Woods, who went to see her, came back and shed tears in front of me, complaining to me: “After all friends for many years, your heart is too cruel.”

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Lucas Thorne forgot that I was just his mistress. Afterward, he clung to me, trying to kiss me. When I pushed him away, he looked incredibly wronged. “Wifey, do you not love me anymore?” I sighed: “Mr. Thorne.” “I’m getting married.” 1 I didn’t know about Lucas’s memory loss. Lucas rarely came to my place, let alone initiated contact, unless he had needs to satisfy. So when he pressed against me without a word, I didn’t find anything strange and instinctively complied with him. I just felt that Lucas was unusually gentle tonight. Even though he was clearly uncomfortable, he stopped to wipe away my tears and nuzzled my face soothingly. Lucas looked at me without speaking. Yet, I inexplicably understood what he meant. He was afraid I would be uncomfortable. Coming out of the bathroom, Lucas stood at the door like he was being punished, staring straight at me. The next second, he clung to me again. “Why didn’t you let me help you wash?” He wrapped his arms around my waist. I was startled. I asked: “Did something happen to you recently?” Lucas buried his head in the crook of my neck and nuzzled a couple of times. But he refused to speak. My intuition told me something was wrong. I said gently: “Mr. Thorne…” Unexpectedly, as soon as this address came out, Lucas got anxious. “I was wrong, I was wrong. I’ll tell, I’ll tell everything—actually, at the end of last month, I got into a car accident… I didn’t mean not to see you during this time, I lied about going on a business trip because I was afraid you would worry…” No wonder he sent me those baffling messages before. I asked politely: “Were you hurt anywhere?” “No.” Lucas spun around openly, “See, all intact.” I frowned, not fully believing his words. Indeed, there were no external injuries, and his strength and endurance were about the same as usual. But looking at his crazy behavior today, it seemed like his brain was damaged. 2 “It’s just… after waking up, the doctor said I might have amnesia. I didn’t feel anything wrong, but Ethan and the others said so too.” “I rushed back as soon as I recovered, and I was relieved to see you still sleeping at home.” I went from shocked to confused. What’s there to be relieved about seeing me? Where could I run? “Ethan wouldn’t say what I forgot. But I can guess, I probably forgot about our marriage…” Lucas stared at me unblinkingly. He hugged me again, tighter this time, as if afraid I would run away, “Wifey, I’m sorry, please don’t be mad at me.” The word “shocked” was no longer enough to describe my feelings. “Thunderstruck” was more appropriate. I swallowed. “What, what did you call me?” Lucas’s gaze was clear, “Wifey.” I couldn’t accept it for a moment. I broke free from Lucas and sat back on the bed. Lucas chased after me like a puppy, explaining everything. But I wasn’t in the mood to listen. Sensing I wasn’t listening, Lucas stopped talking and clung to me, wanting to kiss me. I pushed him. Lucas felt wronged, his eyes filled with loneliness. “You never used to refuse my kisses.” “Wifey, do you not love me anymore?” Not love? Only love can lead to not loving. For Lucas, does it make a difference whether I love him or not? I sighed and said seriously: “Mr. Thorne.” “I’m getting married.” 3 Lucas was stunned, “Did I guess wrong?” “Yes, we actu…” “So we haven’t had time to get married yet.” My eyelid twitched violently. “When did I propose? Is the wedding date set? Is the hotel booked? Do Ethan and the others know? And the wedding dress—Wifey, didn’t you say you liked that new design by Tarasa? We’ll buy that one.” Tarasa… She was a designer Lucas and I met while traveling abroad. As soon as Tarasa saw me, she excitedly pulled me aside, saying I gave her design inspiration and she wanted to design a wedding dress for me. Named “Flower of Eternity.” The wedding dress production cycle was long, and Tarasa was a perfectionist, so the Flower of Eternity took two years. It was only recently completed. I didn’t expect Lucas to remember. That trip was just incidental to his work; the leisure time was short, and Lucas spent most of the time on the phone. Including when I was talking to Tarasa. It seemed Lucas wasn’t amnesiac, but his memories were jumbled. I deliberated and said: “It has already been bought by someone else.” “Didn’t she say it was designed specifically for you?” Lucas was unhappy. While I hesitated whether to tell him the truth, the phone on the bedside table rang twice. It was spam messages. And unread messages sent by Ethan Black two hours ago. [Lucas suffered brain damage from the car accident, causing temporary memory confusion. He thinks you are his wife.] [He cannot be stimulated, so I had to lie to him that he has amnesia. Please cooperate with Lucas’s acting for the sake of past affection.] [When the contract ends, I naturally won’t keep you.] [Transfer: $1,000,000] I counted silently for a moment. Turned off the screen and put down the phone. I leaned over and intimately pulled Lucas’s arm. Resting my head on his chest, I said softly: “The wedding date hasn’t been set yet… It’s okay to buy a wedding dress from someone else, as long as I can marry you.” Lucas was stunned. He was moved: “Wifey, it’s so good to have you.” 4 There was half a month left until the contract ended. Lucas revolved around me all day, either kissing and hugging or discussing the non-existent wedding banquet. I refused any deeper intimacy. Before the memory loss, Lucas knew I was preparing to get married. His reaction was flat, only saying he would no longer have intimate contact with me. When he suddenly appeared that night, I thought he had changed his mind. But the current Lucas didn’t remember any of this. Although he had broad shoulders and a narrow waist and was great in bed, I didn’t have much interest. I muddled through what I could. Besides, Ethan often came to visit. Partly because he was worried about Lucas, partly to warn me. When Lucas was present, he was polite to me, calling me sister-in-law. When Lucas wasn’t around, he used sharp words to poke at my heart. He didn’t succeed. On the contrary, Ethan would transfer a sum of money to me before leaving each time to ensure I wouldn’t break my promise. So I welcomed Ethan’s arrival very much. My joy was palpable, and Lucas actually started to mind. He found an excuse to shut Ethan out when he came to visit again. “Wifey, why are you so happy every time you see Ethan Black? You’ve never smiled so happily with me.” …That wasn’t Ethan Black. That was clearly a walking ATM. I rubbed Lucas’s big fluffy head. “It’s not a bad thing for Ethan to come see you.” Lucas squatted, glaring at me aggrievedly, “Is it a bad thing for me to kiss you? You seem to dislike my kisses.” “I don’t.” “You do!” Although he was shouting back, the way Lucas arched his head against me was surprisingly well-behaved, looking up at me. I rubbed him twice more. Coaxing: “I definitely love you the most. Besides, Ethan will be the best man at the wedding, won’t he?” Lucas reluctantly accepted this reason. “You are not allowed to call him Ethan.” “Okay, I won’t.” Lucas was satisfied and happily went to the kitchen to cook. I watched his back quietly. In Lucas’s confused memory, he and I fell in love because of a heavy rain. Winding mountain road, sudden torrential rain. The lost girl was bewildered and knocked on his car window. The girl timidly and carefully asked him. Could he give her a ride? Lucas agreed and was moved. This memory was not wrong. But why I appeared alone on the mountain road and why I knocked on his car window, Lucas hadn’t considered. The former Lucas did. He wasn’t a fool, wouldn’t fall for casual schemes, nor would he be fascinated just because a woman was beautiful. He knew my appearance was premeditated. So in the car, Lucas asked me very calmly: “Mistress, are you willing to be one?” Instead of what he thinks now— “Can we be friends?” The beginning of the story between Lucas and me was not romantic or dignified. It was just an exchange of interests, a transaction of money and sex.

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I transmigrated into a book, becoming a gorgeous but insignificant background character. My husband is the CEO’s Special Assistant, a character unworthy of even a name in this melodramatic CEO romance novel. At this very moment, I’m making a scene about divorcing him. The reason? He knows the male lead’s likes and dislikes like the back of his hand but doesn’t even know I’m allergic to cooling oil! 1 I carefully sorted through the plot in my mind. This is an old-school CEO romance novel. The male and female leads will go through a series of melodramatic plots involving physical and emotional abuse, organ harvesting, running away while pregnant, and finally achieve a Happy Ending. And the original owner’s husband’s job includes but is not limited to— Investigating the female lead’s background for the male lead; Selecting gifts for the female lead on behalf of the male lead; Recounting the male lead’s tragic childhood to the female lead; And conducting DNA paternity tests for the male lead and his son. Such tool characters share a common name—CEO’s Special Assistant. And I am the special assistant’s arranged fiancée, with whom he shares no emotional foundation. 2 “Mr. Zhang… Assistant.” I called out to stop the man who was currently signing the divorce agreement. He is rich and handsome, busy with work and rarely home, with simple family relations and no mother-in-law issues. Moreover, he is on the front line of all the gossip! The decision to divorce was really made too hastily. “Mr. Zhang… Assistant, do you really want to divorce me?” I covered my face with both hands, lowered my head, and asked in a choked voice. Dead silence. I spread my fingers and peeked at him through the gaps, meeting his staring gaze directly. He sighed lightly: “You proposed the divorce. I’m just respecting your wishes.” I was choked speechless for a moment. He said softly again: “You’ve been sarcastically calling me ‘Assistant’ all day. I thought you had some opinion about my job.” Uh… I awkwardly flipped through the divorce agreement, glimpsed his name, and quickly looked up. “Ethan… Zhang.” Honestly, I thought his name was just Assistant Zhang. He didn’t react, so I had to continue maintaining my spoiled persona. “I just wish you would pay a little more attention to me. You know what ties your boss loves to wear, what brand of necklaces his wife likes, but you don’t know I’m allergic to cooling oil!” “As a husband, you should at least know what I like and dislike. When is my birthday? When is our wedding anniversary?” “You know your boss’s wife better than you know me!” Still silence. Did I overact? “I don’t really want a divorce.” I muttered softly with my head down. Feeling the person in front of me stand up, I looked up at him. “Like I said, I respect your wishes.” After speaking, he tore up the divorce agreement in his hand, picked up his briefcase, and walked towards the entrance. “Then what are you doing? Separating from me?” I didn’t expect him to be so easy to talk to; stupid words popped out without thinking. He paused, and I felt I could see obvious helplessness and some unspeakable embarrassment in his figure. “… The boss’s wife is missing. The boss asked me to investigate her whereabouts.” Ah… running away while pregnant… the plot progresses unexpectedly fast. 3 After Ethan Zhang left, I had nothing to do, so I walked around the house. A large flat in the city center; obviously, his boss is quite generous. The kitchen is fully equipped, and the fruits, vegetables, and ingredients in the refrigerator are categorized. The balcony is full of green plants, and there are different kinds of flower arrangements on the dining table and bar counter, obviously carefully tended by the owner. It seems the original owner was someone who knew how to live. But I don’t know anything! In terms of cooking, I only know how to boil frozen food. In terms of plants, I can’t even keep succulents alive! Not wanting to be caught as an alien, I quickly searched online for “dishes suitable for beginners.” Tomato scrambled eggs and hot and sour shredded potatoes are not bad. The first two dishes I made could only be described as cooked. Fortunately, with experience, I quickly got the hang of it. Not wanting to wash dishes after eating, I lay on the sofa watching a drama, thinking I would clean up the mess after finishing this episode. The plot was too dull, not as exciting as the grudges and entanglements between the CEO and his little wife, so I fell asleep quickly. When I woke up, it was completely dark, and I was covered with a blanket. I looked around; the study door was closed, with only a sliver of light coming through the crack. I went over and knocked on the door. “Come in.” Opening the door, Ethan Zhang was lowering his head to take off his glasses and put them on the table. “Hungry?” He asked as he walked towards me. I shook my head. He walked up to me, held my shoulders with both hands, turned me around, and pushed me out of the study. “I saw you sleeping and was afraid cooking would wake you up.” He said while rolling up his sleeves. “Is Coke chicken wings and garlic lettuce okay for today?” I followed him to the kitchen, only to find that my “crime scene” had been cleaned up by him. He noticed my gaze and smiled: “Why did you suddenly think of cooking? I tasted it; it was pretty good.” Watching his skilled movements of tying the apron and lighting the stove, even a fool would realize that the original owner wasn’t the one who usually cooked. I smiled embarrassedly: “Just… on a whim.” He stopped talking. Watching his busy figure, I spoke again: “Do you need my help?” Actually, I was just being polite, but he looked back at me in surprise, then stepped aside to make room on the counter. “Wash the lettuce.” I stepped forward obediently, my movements slightly clumsy. His hands didn’t stop, but there was an obvious smile in his voice: “You seem like a different person today. You never did these things before.” Alarm bells rang in my head. “I reflected on myself. Marriage is a matter for two people. I can’t just ask you to change for me; I should also do something.” After speaking, I looked up to observe his reaction and met his gaze again. That gaze was heavy, containing things I couldn’t understand, only making me feel uneasy. “Isn’t that right?” I didn’t even dare to speak loudly, asking softly. He lowered his head and continued to handle the chicken wings, his hands moving noticeably faster. “Yes. You’re right.” 4 Still not wanting to wash dishes, I fled into the bedroom early after dinner. I observed in the afternoon that the original owner and Ethan Zhang slept in separate bedrooms. So when I came out of the bathroom and saw him cleaning the closet, I was almost speechless. “What are you doing?” “You said you wanted to manage our marriage well. I thought we didn’t need to sleep in separate rooms anymore.” He closed the closet door and looked back at me. His dark eyes held a look I was familiar with. I didn’t understand before, but at this moment, I suddenly understood. I swallowed nervously. He walked over and patted my head: “Or did I misunderstand?” Honestly speaking, with my years of drama-watching experience, Ethan Zhang’s configuration is completely fit to play the CEO himself. I nodded: “Yes, everything you said is correct.” In a trance, I seemed to understand why Ethan Zhang could tolerate the original owner for so long. Because I have a setting that is very much not a background character—a stunning beauty. So Ethan Zhang is actually a big pervert?! 5 In the middle of the night, Ethan Zhang was called out by a phone call and didn’t return until dawn. I was sleeping groggily but still smelled the alcohol on him. “You went drinking?” I was subconsciously irritable. He moved away from me: “The boss’s wife left, and the boss is drowning his sorrows in alcohol.” I frowned: “Does he have no friends?” He smiled awkwardly and didn’t answer my question: “I’m going to take a shower.” Breakfast was pork potstickers, pumpkin milk paste, and a boiled egg. At the table, he asked me how my job search was going. With the original owner’s education, naturally, I hit walls everywhere. I proposed preparing for graduate school exams, and after his surprise, he expressed support. “You must have had good grades when you were in school, right? Do you have any exam preparation experience to pass on to me?” With the major mismatch and the fact that he had been working for years, I just said it casually and didn’t expect him to really say anything useful. Unexpectedly, he pushed up his glasses: “I was recommended for admission (without exams).” …Okay then.

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At the wedding, Lucas Thorne’s childhood sweetheart showed up with their child. She knelt on the ground and begged me, “I have a terminal illness, and this child is my only hope.” Lucas asked me to make a choice. Fearing I would refuse, the childhood sweetheart threatened to take her own life to keep the child with him. She cried to Lucas: “I don’t have long to live anyway. If I die now, it will prove that we are innocent.” “The child will forget I was his biological mother, as long as you are happy.” The next second. She waved a knife at herself but was stopped by the security guards I had prepared in advance. I smiled and said: “Don’t die. The wedding is off. It’s best for the child to be raised by his biological parents.” In my previous life, I was forced to become the child’s stepmother. And the death of the childhood sweetheart became an insurmountable chasm between Lucas and me. He even imprisoned me as revenge. Causing me to die of depression. So this time, my life will not be dictated by anyone. 1 “Mia Stone, do you take Lucas Thorne to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part?” These wedding vows are so old-fashioned. I curled my lips and counted down silently in my heart: five, four, three… Lucas whispered to remind me, “Mia, it’s your turn.” Two, one. As the last number fell, two figures, one large and one small, appeared at the church entrance. I turned slowly. We meet again. Chloe Brooks dragged her son, Chase, to me and knelt down without a word. Then she started crying: “Miss Stone, please help me! “This is Lucas’s child, Chase.” The crowd was in an uproar. Chloe hurriedly explained: “Miss Stone, don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to ruin your wedding with Lucas. “I have a terminal illness and won’t live long. This child is my only hope. I hope you can keep him and treat him as your own.” She pushed Chase towards me, “Chase, call her Mom!” Chase glared at me hatefully, “No! She’s not my mom, she’s a bad woman! She stole my dad. Bitch, go die!” Chloe waited until Chase finished cursing before scolding him: “Chase, don’t talk nonsense!” She looked at Lucas with tears in her eyes, “Lucas, hurry up and promise Miss Stone that you don’t love me anymore. “As long as your family of three can be happy, I’m willing to die right now! “I don’t have long to live anyway. dying now can prove that we are innocent.” “The child will forget I was his biological mother, as long as you are happy.” Lucas turned to look at me, “Mia, I’ll listen to you.” “…” The child is so big, dying can’t prove innocence, right? Before I could speak, Chloe suddenly pulled out a fruit knife from behind and raised her hand to stab her stomach. “Miss Stone, if I die now, it will definitely not affect your wedding with Lucas!” This scene was too familiar to me. In my last life, it was like this. Chloe died at my wedding with Lucas. By the time I reacted, I was forced to be Chase’s stepmother. Chase cursed me as a bad woman every day. Lucas hated me deeply, blamed Chloe’s death entirely on me, and even imprisoned me, torturing me daily. I died in that small, dark basement. So in this life, I hired bodyguards in advance. At the same time, let everyone see with their own eyes that this drama was created by Lucas and Chloe, and I am not to blame. The bodyguards on the side were ready to go. The next second they rushed up, one kicked the knife out of Chloe’s hand, and the other pinned her to the ground. I took a step back, pretending to be frightened, “Oh my God! If you want to die, die somewhere else. How could your death here not affect the wedding?” “Forget it.” I shook my head and smiled: “Don’t die. The wedding is off. It’s best for the child to be raised by his biological parents.” 2 After my words fell, the first to react were Lucas’s parents, Arthur Thorne and Sarah Thorne. “Mia, don’t say angry words. The wedding is about to end.” “Don’t worry, even if this child is really Lucas’s, our Thorne family won’t acknowledge him. No one can threaten your status.” I looked at Lucas again. His dark eyes were deep, making it impossible to see what he was thinking. I raised my eyebrows slightly, “Lucas, is this your attitude too?” Lucas opened his thin lips slightly, “I…” “Look how pitiful she is.” I looked at Chloe who was still pinned to the ground, “How much courage does a woman need to make a scene at a wedding for you? She loves you so much, are you really unwilling to give her a wedding?” Lucas looked surprised, “Mia, you…” “This child is also quite pitiful, growing up in a single-parent family. Lucas, you should give him a complete family. After all, he is your own flesh and blood.” Lucas’s tense face finally cracked, “Mia…” I walked up to Chase, bent down and looked into his eyes, “Kid, I returned your dad to you. Don’t say I’m a bad woman anymore.” Chase blinked, “You’re willing to return my dad to me?” I sighed and looked at Chloe on the ground with condemnation, “You too, how can you teach a child these messy things? If you want your child to acknowledge his ancestors, you can just tell me directly. I’ll withdraw. Is it necessary to teach the child to swear and call me a bitch?” Chloe struggled to deny, “I didn’t, I didn’t teach him!” “You didn’t teach him?” I frowned slightly, somewhat disgusted, “Then your child learned these words on his own, which is indeed quite uneducated. You better teach him well.” I looked at Lucas again, “See, a child can’t do without a father. He is still young and should be salvageable. You take him back and educate him well, don’t let people scold your child behind his back for having a mother but no father to teach him.” Lucas’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Without looking, he could also feel the strange looks from the relatives and guests present. I walked down to my parents and removed myself from this embarrassing drama. “Mom, Dad, let’s go. This is the Thorne family’s business, and it’s not our place to manage it.” “Let’s go.” My dad maintained his dignity on the surface, but his aura vividly conveyed his anger and displeasure to everyone. Arthur and Sarah walked over quickly, looking anxious and pleading. “Old Stone, the wedding is about to end, we are all family…” My dad snorted coldly: “We haven’t got the marriage certificate yet, so we aren’t family. You have a daughter-in-law and a grandson now, and you still want my daughter to live with their family of three?” “Not a family of three!” Sarah was anxious, losing her usual elegance, and hurriedly called Lucas, “Lucas, what are you doing? Hurry over and clarify!” Her tone carried a hint of reminder, “Say it, say you only like Mia, hurry up!” Lucas swept a cold glance at Chloe, took long strides, and walked towards me confidently. He looked at me solemnly and affectionately, “Mia, rest assured, my wife will only be you, and the mistress of the Thorne family will only be you.” Chloe screamed: “Lucas, you can abandon me, but you can’t abandon our son…” Lucas turned his head slightly, his voice low, “Shut up.” He turned back, “Mia, I’m sorry, it’s my fault for not handling my history cleanly. Rest assured, I will give you an explanation.” The chill and hatred in my heart intertwined and surged continuously. So he also knew he couldn’t break up with me directly now. Because he needed the marriage alliance with me to consolidate his position, and the entire Thorne family needed the pull of our Stone family. So in the last life, he chose to marry me, and only after getting everything he wanted did he start torturing me. Disgusting. I sneered, “A man who doesn’t even want the person he loved deeply and his own flesh and blood? Do you think I would want such a man?” 3 After I left with my parents, those who came to the wedding for our family’s sake naturally left too. It is said that after I left, the wedding scene was desolate. Before Arthur and Sarah could speak, relatives from both the Thorne and Stone families began to complain. “The wedding didn’t happen, and the Stone family is thoroughly offended. What do you say we do?” “Those big shots didn’t give our family any face. Once the Stone family left, they all followed!” “Give our family face? Our family is nothing!” “We finally climbed up to such a big backer as the Stone family, and now it’s all ruined…” … These complaints were like sharp knives, stabbing Lucas all over. He fell out with Chloe on the spot, “Who gave you the courage to make a scene at my wedding? Did I tell you I would solve Chase’s problem? Did you take my words as a breeze past your ears?” Chloe sobbed aggrievedly, “How do I know if you were coaxing me? I got sick, and my biggest worry is Chase. I did this for Chase’s good! “I also told Miss Stone that Chase would treat her as his own mother. I gave her a big son for free, what is she unwilling about?” Relatives of the Thorne and Stone families began to talk all at once. “Lucas, hurry up and coax Mia back.” “What kind of taste do you have to have a child with such a woman.” “Mia is right, this child is just uneducated!” “What does a child know? Those words sounded like they were taught by an adult.” “Miss Chloe, you don’t need to deny it, don’t treat us as fools.” … Chloe became the target of public criticism. In fact, she originally thought Lucas would stand by her side. She grabbed Lucas’s arm, tears streaming down her face, miserable and pitiful, “Lucas, I really just want to fight for a good future for our son…” Lucas flung Chloe’s hand away and roared: “Then why did you teach Chase those words? Now that the Stone family people are driven away, who do I marry? Marry you? Not to mention you have a terminal illness and are dying, even if you weren’t sick, what can you help me with?” Chloe also knew she couldn’t help Lucas even a little bit, lowered her head and cried. “Cry, cry, cry, you only know how to cry!” Lucas was impatient to the extreme, “Stupid and disobedient, Chloe, fortunately you won’t live long, otherwise I would be dragged to death by you!” He pointed at Chloe, “Behave yourself. If you dare to act rashly again, I won’t care about the son.” Glaring at Chloe fiercely, Lucas promised the relatives on both sides: “Don’t worry, I will coax Mia back. She loves me very much and won’t reject me so easily.” 4 I heard all this afterward. At that time, I was crying in my parents’ arms. My parents were furious, comforting me while scolding Lucas. “Mia, don’t cry, this isn’t over!” “My daughter has grown up without suffering any grievances. Who do the Thorne family think they are? Daring to make my daughter suffer in front of so many people, I think they don’t want to live!” But my parents didn’t know, I wasn’t crying because of today’s grievance. In my last life, after Lucas and I got married, Lucas acted in front of me at first. Until I completely let down my guard, the Stone family and the Thorne family united for better development… Lucas got everything he wanted, revealed his true colors, and locked me up. Before I died, I didn’t even see my parents for the last time. I dared not think about how sorrowful they would be seeing my corpse in the last life. I hate Lucas, and I hate myself. It was me who let my parents taste the most extreme pain in this world. I wiped away my tears and drilled out of my mom’s arms, “Mom, Dad, I’m not aggrieved, nor sad. I just feel sorry for making you lose face.” My dad paused, “You cried like this just for that?” My mom also breathed a sigh of relief, “What’s a little loss of face for me and your dad? Don’t cry. “But tell mom the truth, do you… still like Lucas?” I shook my head, “No.” My mom and dad looked at each other and nodded with satisfaction, “Good, our daughter isn’t lovestruck.” “This isn’t being lovestruck. A man with such loose morals simply can’t be wanted.” My dad’s tone was full of disdain. Seemed like there was also a pride in his own super morals. I was still crying, but burst out laughing upon hearing this, then stood up, “I’ll go back to my room to change clothes.” Dragging the huge wedding dress back to the room, I took a shower and removed my makeup first. Just after changing clothes and going downstairs, I saw Lucas. He strode over, stopped at the stairs, and looked up at me. “Mia, I came to apologize to you.” I looked down at him, “What are you apologizing for?” Lucas’s affectionate eyes were full of apology, “I made you suffer. Losing such face at our wedding today, I deserve to die. “But Mia, this was also an accident to me. “The child thing was indeed my fault, but that was a long time ago. Chloe and I broke up long ago.” Hope overflowed from the bottom of his eyes as he tentatively said: “Mia, everyone has history. You won’t break up with me because of a relationship I had a few years ago, right?”

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Discovering my husband’s infidelity was a very small matter. At a dinner with friends, he, who was always aloof, suddenly and actively served food to everyone present. Later. I heard him reciting a line from Roman Holiday in his study. “I have to leave you now. I’m going to that corner there and turn. You must stay in the car and drive away.” Wait, that’s not right. He was reciting, “I have shaken hands with everyone in the receiving line, just to shake yours.” Tsk! 1 Ethan and I both come from small towns in the middle of nowhere. Small-town test-takers. Relying on hellish studying to win in the college entrance exams (SATs/ACTs equivalent), we completed our degrees at top-tier universities. After graduation, we both passed the civil service exams and entered the system. Starting from the grassroots, one step at a time, slowly taking root and extending in the provincial capital where we had no foundation. Now. We have each been promoted to department leaders, have decent social status, bought a car and a house, and our housing provident fund is enough to cover the loan. In short, we achieved success in the secular sense and completed the class jump in mainstream values in the most traditional, fair, and shortcut-free way for Chinese people (or Americans who value hard work). This year, Ethan and I had two more happy events. The first was at the beginning of the year when he was transferred to a leadership position in a state-owned enterprise, and his salary and benefits increased several times. The other thing is that I’m pregnant. Yes, it took 6 years after marriage for me to get pregnant. Ethan is the only son for three generations and has hereditary weak sperm. Basically, after 30, there is no possibility of fertility. Our journey to conceive in the past few years was no easier than settling down and establishing a career. Fortunately, 2 months ago, in the first spring after Ethan turned 30, I finally got pregnant. When we got the report, Ethan, who rarely showed emotion, hugged me. Weeping with joy like a child. 2 Having struggled in this city for many years, we have a few friends who gather regularly. Today was one such occasion. When the dinner started, everyone surrounded Ethan, praising him for being young and promising, saying a vice-director position was just around the corner. Ethan smiled indifferently. In the government office, he was famous for his “pen,” always highly regarded, and had an aloof air about him. “Tiger and his wife are coming today too.” Someone said. Everyone’s faces suddenly looked a bit strange. Tiger is Ethan’s fellow townsman. Two years ago, he made some money as a contractor, but ended up getting addicted to gambling. He not only lost his family property but also became a discredited person (blacklisted for debt). Every time we gather, he drinks himself into a stupor, cursing heaven and earth and social injustice. Last time, he even fought with an old friend and beat him so badly he was hospitalized for half a month. “I asked him to come.” Ethan put down his teacup and said lightly. “After all, we’ve been friends for many years. We can’t stop being friends just because he’s down on his luck.” Seeing his stance, everyone couldn’t say anything more and nodded with embarrassed smiles. I frowned slightly. Not for anything else, but because I’m pregnant. Tiger smokes heavily, one after another without stopping. If I mention it to him, he puts on a sarcastic expression as if I’m “looking down on people.” I wanted to talk to Ethan, but saw his gaze towards the door, seemingly expecting something. Bang! The door was pushed open forcefully. I shuddered. I saw Tiger walking in, cursing. “Charging me twenty bucks for parking, why the hell don’t they just rob me!” He pointed behind him and cursed again, “Ungrateful thing! Every woman helps her own man, only you, bitch, help outsiders!” Behind him, a woman walked in with her head down, faint finger marks on her face. This is Tiger’s wife, Sarah. She looks gentle and virtuous, but unfortunately, she has a bad fate and got stuck with a violent husband like Tiger. “What are you shouting about! Watch it!” Ethan suddenly spoke in a deep voice, sounding very displeased. Upon seeing him, Tiger immediately changed his face, smiling broadly. “Bro, sorry sorry, my bad temper acting up again, not paying attention to the occasion. I’ll punish myself with three drinks later!” Saying this, he sat down carelessly, picking up chopsticks to eat peanuts, ignoring the person behind him. Sarah stood awkwardly by the door. Her hand quietly brushed a lock of hair down, obviously trying to hide her face. Everyone showed sympathy and deliberately looked away to avoid embarrassing her. I sighed and said loudly. “Sarah, come sit down, food will be served soon.” She smiled gratefully at me and walked in to sit next to Tiger. “Thank you, sister-in-law.” After speaking, she looked past me at Ethan next to me and whispered: “Thank you, brother.” Ethan’s face was slightly tense, and he didn’t say anything. During the meal, Tiger started cursing again, smoking and drinking, quickly turning red like a cooked shrimp. Sarah peeled shrimp for him one moment and poured wine for him the next, barely eating anything herself. Just as I was about to tell her to eat more. Ethan suddenly extended his chopsticks and put a piece of fish for Tom, who was hosting the dinner next to him. Tom laughed, “I’m the host today, I should be the one serving you.” “It’s all the same.” Ethan said lightly, then stood up and put a shrimp for the person sitting next. Just like that, following the seating order, he put a chopstick of food or served a bowl of soup for everyone. Everyone present was flattered. “What’s wrong with Brother Ethan today? The sun rose from the west.” “Yeah, we’re really not used to this.” “It must be because sister-in-law is pregnant, Brother Ethan is happy!” “Right right right! That explains it!” I was also a bit surprised, but hearing everyone say this, I felt it was indeed so. Ethan is introverted and not good at expressing himself. My pregnancy is great news for him and his entire family. His parents back in his hometown were even more excited than when they learned he passed the civil service exam. At this moment, I smiled and wanted to tease him a bit. But I saw him raise his eyes slightly, his gaze seemingly inadvertently landing on the front right. I followed his gaze. Sarah lowered her head, drinking soup sip by sip with a spoon. Between the hanging hair, a pair of almond eyes were slightly red. … Ethan just served her a bowl of chicken soup. 3 I work in HR at my unit. When it comes to observing people and interpersonal relationships, I am relatively more experienced and thorough than others. For example, I saw at a glance. Ethan’s abnormal behavior today stemmed from wanting to serve Sarah that bowl of soup. Why would Ethan suddenly care so much about Sarah? I couldn’t help but think back to two months ago. Tiger’s father passed away. As a fellow townsman, Ethan went back to offer condolences and visit his parents by the way. He was gone for 5 days, going and returning with Tiger and his wife. Could something have happened during this period? Professional sensitivity has taught me not to jump to conclusions easily. After all, objectively speaking, Ethan treats me quite well. We met by the artificial lake in college. He was the earliest person to go for morning reading every day. I was second. We are extremely similar. From small places, poor family backgrounds. Three generations of support produced a model of family glory. For all these years, pressure and honor have focused on us, running all the way without daring to slack off even a bit. I felt like I finally found a companion. Like walking alone on the dark ocean floor and discovering I wasn’t alone. I think my significance to him is the same… Regarding the incident at the dinner table during the day. I didn’t say a word. At night, he held me, desire hard to suppress. “Grace, not yet?” “Yeah, not three months yet, wait a bit longer.” He panted heavily, got out of bed, and said helplessly: “I’ll go take a cold shower.” When I was sleeping groggily, he woke me up. He frowned. “Tiger is drunk and smashing things again, I’ll go check.” “Who called you?” I asked. “…His wife. She and the kid were crying on the phone, seems serious.” I checked my phone, past eleven. “Too late, don’t go. If there’s really a problem, she can call the police. Besides, this is their family affair, you aren’t related to them—” “Grace!” Ethan suddenly shouted at me harshly. I was stunned by his shout. His face was full of impatience, a trace of strange irony in his eyes. “When did you become so selfish? Now that your life is good, you just watch your own kind suffer? You know Sarah’s character, would she ask me for help if she had a choice? Grace, aren’t you ashamed of saying such cold words to a friend?” I looked at him in astonishment. As if I didn’t know him. I haven’t quarreled with anyone for a long time. Whether colleagues, family, or Ethan. Long ago, I realized that quarreling doesn’t solve problems; it only turns dialogue into a collision of emotions while gradually losing reason. Even if we quarrel, it is a means, not an end. Anger hurts the body. Hurts one’s own body. At this moment, I closed my eyes and asked him calmly: “My current life is what I struggled for step by step. Why should I feel ashamed because of others’ misfortunes?” Ethan stood by the bed, looking at me coldly. “I’m definitely going today.” I don’t know when Ethan came back at night. When I went to work, his shoes were by the door. The door to the small bedroom was closed tight. I had an organizational review meeting that day. Very important. Couldn’t be dragged down by his emotions. 4 This small dispute was resolved by the evening. When I came home from work, hot food and cut fruit were on the table. And a birthday cake. He came out with a bowl of soup, smiling as if nothing had happened, “Just in time, wash your hands and eat, I made your favorite braised fish in soy sauce.” I lowered my eyes, slowly put my bag on the cabinet by the door, looked up, and smiled too. “Happy birthday.” He laughed. “31, an old man now.” During the meal, he said casually: “Last night I went to scold Tiger and came back. Afraid of waking you up, I slept in the next room.” I nodded and didn’t speak. Getting up after eating, I remembered something, turned and said to him: “I haven’t been sleeping well lately. How about you sleep in the small bedroom for now?” He froze for a moment. “Okay.” For the next period, Ethan and I’s life returned to calm. I was busy with interviews and onboarding processes for new staff at the unit, and he was busy launching a new project at the company. As if nothing had happened. We are both people who prioritize reason over emotion. We weigh the pros and cons in everything we do. I think this is probably the benefit of marrying a rational person. But soon, I found out I was wrong.

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Chapter 1 When I committed the home invasion and robbery, I had just stabbed the man when police cars arrived downstairs. Running away would be the best option now. I had checked the laws; armed robbery and home invasion could carry a life sentence. It didn’t matter. I knew the price I had to pay from the beginning, and I accepted it. I texted my wife, saying the police were here and I was probably going to prison. My wife quickly replied with a voice message. She cried and said, “I’m proud of you.” I glanced at the animal on the floor. He clutched his stomach where I had stabbed him, looking at me in terror. Hearing the sirens downstairs, he said anxiously, “The police are here.” I said, “I see them.” I lifted my foot and kicked him hard in the face! I asked, “Where is the money?” Just then, the police banged on the door outside: “Open up! Police!” A flicker of joy flashed across his face. He hurriedly tried to shout for help, but I covered his mouth and said coldly, “Don’t shout. I’m asking you, where is the money hidden?” He gritted his teeth and said, “I don’t have money. The police are right outside. Kill me in front of them if you have the guts!” I said seriously, “Okay, then I’ll kill you.” I gripped the knife and stabbed down hard! One stab, two stabs, three stabs. He spat blood in pain, seemingly surprised that I actually dared to stab him. He pointed weakly at the sofa. Only then did I let go. He lay on the floor, breathing out more than in; he probably wouldn’t make it. I glanced at him, not caring about him. I once knelt before him, begging him to pay me back. My wife will never know that I knelt right here that day. I said, Mr. CEO, please settle the final payment. My capital chain is broken; my family is about to be ruined. Clearly, he owed me money. I just wanted to collect my debt, but in the end, I was the one kneeling and begging. And him? He looked at me roguishly and said, “I have no money to pay you back. If you want money, I have none; if you want a life, I have one. At worst, you can kill me to settle the debt.” Now, I have fulfilled his wish. Chapter 2 I stabbed the knife into the sofa. As the sofa was cut open, it was full of cash. Estimated to be at least three million dollars. I turned my head and looked at him in the pool of blood. He clutched his wound, painfully spitting blood. Regret was written all over his face now, but it was too late. I don’t understand. Paying debts is a matter of course. When he urgently needed help, I did my best. But when my family was about to be ruined, he sent his children to private schools, indulged in luxury, and cried poverty to me. I can’t figure out why there are so many heartless people in this world. The police banged impatiently on the door outside. I took a bag, counted the money, and took 1.2 million for myself. Yes, there were about three million in front of me, but I took less than half. I knew I might be executed, but I was unwilling to take a penny more of someone else’s money. I just wanted to take back the money that belonged to me. I have been honest and dutiful all my life. I don’t know why I ended up like this. In the beginning, I went to court to file a lawsuit. When I sued, I found out his accounts had long been frozen and emptied because besides me, he had other major creditors. The major creditors sued much earlier than I did and had reached the enforcement stage, enjoying priority rights. But at this stage, he was completely bankrupt. I once asked a lawyer if I could sue together and divide his property proportionately. The lawyer told me no because the other party was already in the execution stage. I really broke down. The debtor pretended to be rich as usual to do business with me while being sued by major creditors. How could I keep up? I also went to the major creditor. I begged them to pity me. My family’s capital chain was broken and really about to collapse. Various penalties would ruin my family. I just wanted to get my money back, but I humbly said to the major creditor: “Boss, I’ve asked around, I know you are very rich. He owes me 1.2 million. I beg you to give me this money first. When my factory survives this difficulty, I will pay you back two million in installments, letting you earn 800,000 for nothing. We can sign a contract. As long as you are willing, my family will work like oxen and horses for you.” Unfortunately, the major creditor rejected me. He said he was not related to me and didn’t trust me. The lawyer told me it was inevitable for them to reject me. In such cases where a deadbeat owes many parties, whoever gets the money depends on their ability. Because everyone is innocent, only ruthless people can get the money back. Yes, I know the major creditor is innocent, but I am innocent too. Everything I did was just to let my family survive. Those who have been in manufacturing know very well that for small factories like ours, once the capital chain breaks, the debts will pile up crazily with no end. The cost of machine downtime, penalties from Party A, final payments and penalties to Party B. He owes me one million, but it will make me bear at least five million in debt for no reason. This is forcing my whole family to death! I know what not paying back the money means for the disaster it will bring to my family. Last night, I humbly begged him to pay back the money because I got news that although he was debt-ridden, his son’s tuition for the private aristocratic school was paid. I knew as soon as I heard it that he definitely still had money. Sadly, when I called, he still told me with that arrogant attitude: no money, only a life. I hung up the phone. My wife was already crying beside me with red eyes. My young daughter didn’t know disaster was imminent for her parents and was still happily playing Elsa with a magic wand outside. At that second, I said blankly, “I really want to kill him.” My wife paused for a moment, then said, “Okay, you go kill him, you go rob the money. I won’t remarry. I will take care of your parents and raise our daughter well.” I said, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll be shot?” My wife cried and said, “I’m not afraid of your death, nor am I afraid of death, but I’m afraid our daughter will die. Are you going to kill him? If you don’t go, I will.” We are honest and dutiful people who haven’t done anything illegal all our lives until we were forced to a dead end. Last night my wife and I didn’t sleep all night. I hugged her, constantly kissing her cheek, constantly saying I love her. She didn’t respond to me, just cried and kissed me. I smoked two packs of cigarettes. For the first time, she didn’t dislike the smell of my smoke but lit cigarettes for me again and again. As if we both sensed it, that was the final parting. Listening to the police knocking on the door, I walked to the window and sighed deeply. This is the sixth floor. I originally broke in through the front door while he was taking out the trash. Now the police are at the door; what should I do? I’m not afraid of prison, I’m not afraid of the death penalty, I’m not even afraid of jumping off the building. I’m just afraid this money won’t reach my wife’s hands. She is at the coffee shop at the entrance of the community, waiting for me to give her the money. I will turn myself in, and she will pay the debts. Just then, the police outside suddenly shouted angrily: “If you don’t open the door, we will force it open and take coercive measures against you! This is my first warning!” The animal on the ground was still spitting blood, not dead yet. He crawled towards the door with difficulty, as if begging the police to open the door quickly and save him. Unfortunately, he didn’t even have the strength to crawl. He just moved slightly and stopped in place, unable to move. The police outside shouted angrily: “Second warning!” I hurriedly messaged my wife, asking her to come under the window quickly. I would throw the money down from the sixth floor. It wouldn’t matter if I got caught by the police then; there would still be time. My wife quickly replied, saying she was coming immediately. I breathed a sigh of relief. But immediately after, I was dumbfounded. When the police finished the third warning, the door suddenly opened! I thought opening the lock would take time, at least a few minutes. But what I never expected was that the locksmith brought by the police opened the door in one second! The moment the door opened, I saw a group of police officers standing at the door. And I was holding a bloody knife in my left hand and a bag of cash in my right. The bailiffs were extremely fast. Seeing the situation, they quickly blocked in front of the judge, drew their guns, and aimed at me! A bailiff shouted at me: “Drop the weapon, squat down! Hands on your head! Or I’ll shoot!” Looking at the dark muzzles, my heart jumped violently. Too fast. Chapter 3 The speed of opening the door far exceeded my expectations. I thought I would be scared, but I wasn’t. My mind was full of: if I die here, what will happen to my wife and child? They are still waiting for this money to save their lives. The judge saw me clearly, and his face instantly turned very pale. He knew me, and I knew him. A few days ago, I went to his office and said, Your Honor, my family is being driven to death, can you allocate some to me first? He said no, everything follows procedures. I told him in breakdown that if my family’s debts were not collected, people would die. At that time, the judge was looking at documents. He pushed up his glasses and told me very seriously that the world doesn’t work by whoever makes the most noise is right. He understood my suffering but had to follow procedures. I forced a smile and said to that judge: “It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.” I subconsciously backed away. The bailiffs were nervous at first, but seeing me backing away, they didn’t shoot, instead shouting at me: “Don’t move!” At this moment, every room was too far from me. The closest room to me was a storage room. I had nowhere to go, so I could only rush into the storage room carrying the knife and money, and quickly closed the door. Thank goodness, the door of this storage room could be locked from the inside. Anxious voices sounded outside immediately: “Call an ambulance quickly! And call the police!” I stood panting in the storage room, moved a big box to block the door. After all, their locksmith was really good. I was nervous. Hearing them say call the police, I knew they were probably calling SWAT, CID, or some police department I didn’t know. Ideally, bailiffs don’t have rich handling experience like these police departments; maybe I have a chance to throw the money down. But pessimistically, lack of experience means they are more nervous and more likely to shoot me than other police departments. While I was wondering what to do, the judge’s voice sounded outside: “Put down the knife and come out. You broke the law. Now you can’t escape. The only way out is to surrender.” I smiled bitterly, ignoring the judge’s words. Because I never intended to escape. If you do something wrong, you have to pay the price. I know this principle. So pathetic. I have been upright all my life. I haven’t done anything against conscience. Now I have become a sinner. Seeing I didn’t speak, the judge continued: “Think about your wife and child.” His words reminded me. Yes. It was for my wife and child that I came to this step. I opened a small factory and originally had a happy life. Small factories like ours have large turnovers and low profits. Those who have done manufacturing know that one million can crush you to death. My family’s is the smallest of the small. In my home, two machines, one couple. The house always smells of machine oil. My wife operates the machine. She likes to endure hardship with me, but she also has her girlish demeanor. Her pink bunny sleeve covers were stained with machine oil as she helped me assemble small parts. I operated the lathe, occasionally telling a joke to make her laugh. After laughing, she always kept a straight face and seriously told me not to be distracted again, careful of the machine hurting my hands. We had a very happy life. When we first took this order, she made me a big bowl of noodles. I slurped the noodles while she sat beside me, saying happily how great it was. When the final payment for this order was settled, we could get a loan from the bank to buy you a new lathe with safety guards, so I wouldn’t have to worry about you anymore. I sat on the floor. The first luxurious thing in my life was wiping my tears with banknotes. It hurts so much, this heart. We were dutiful, with only a few simple little dreams. I never thought life would bid farewell to her like this. I said: “Let the police go out. I only talk to you alone.” Thinking he had a chance, the judge hurriedly said: “Okay, I’ll let them all go out. Calm down.” I heard footsteps outside, fading away at first, but later, although the sound became smaller, it remained in place. I knew that was the police pretending to leave but actually marching in place. There were probably people hiding behind the door. Once I unlocked it, the door would be pulled open, and I wouldn’t be able to fly away. The judge tried to make his voice gentle. He said: “I know your family has difficulties too. Doing this is not worth it.” I said: “I’ll just ask you one legal question. Tell me honestly.” He paused and said: “Ask.” I asked: “If I succeed today and return this money to my creditors. I didn’t take a penny more, only took back the money he owed me. Will the court require my creditors to return the payment?” He hurriedly said: “Of course they will. So don’t do stupid things. What you are doing now is meaningless and will only harm yourself!” Chapter 4 I said: “You’re lying to me. It’s all meaningful. When there’s a dispute over this money, although you can demand its return, given that I’ve already committed a crime, and my wife is desperate, she might do the same thing as me. The premise of the rule of law is to maintain stability. You will choose to treat my debt as settled and let the richer major creditors wait until you find the deadbeat’s new assets.” The judge was silent. After a while, he said: “Did some unethical lawyer give you bad advice? What you said is possible, but is it worth risking your own life for?” I said nothing because at this moment, my phone screen lit up. I saw a message from my wife. She said she was downstairs. I looked at the screen, then opened the photo album, looking at my ordinary life. Our wedding, I knelt on one knee and put the ring on her. I also sang a love song. She tried hard to hold back laughter, causing me to hold back laughter too. Our daughter’s first steps, walking unsteadily on the road, calling me daddy, and finally throwing herself into my arms. And when we accompanied our daughter to kindergarten for the first time, to leave a good impression on the teachers, we scrubbed our hands hard with laundry brushes, enduring the pain, trying to wash away the perennial machine oil on our hands. The photos recorded my simple life. I cried and laughed, finally taking a deep breath. Is it worth risking my life for this? I think it’s worth it, very worth it. Have I ever risked my life for anyone in this lifetime? Today is the time for me to risk my life. There were clothes in the storage room. I put them on one by one, hoping the thick layers would stop bullets. Of course, I knew the situation outside. But the people I love are still waiting for me. Though thousands oppose me, I will go. Even if I die nine times, I will not regret it. Besides clothes, I found something good in the storage room: a book, a thick dictionary. I looked at this book; it could only protect one part of my body. Finally, I made a bold decision. Didn’t protect my chest, didn’t protect my stomach, but instead unzipped my pants and placed it on my thigh. I once heard that although police abroad empty their clips to ensure the suspect has no ability to fight back. But domestically, when police have to shoot, they choose to shoot the legs first, also to ensure the suspect cannot fight back. I didn’t know the bailiffs’ experience, only hoping I bet right. Bullets hitting my chest or stomach, I didn’t care. Compared to death, I feared more not being able to escape to the window to throw the money down. I messaged my wife to come under the kitchen window. I checked just now; I was closest to the kitchen. Seeing me silent for a long time, the judge hurriedly said: “I don’t know what other lawyers told you, but trust me, I’m a judge, I’m considering everything for you.” I said: “I can put down the knife and surrender. Do you guarantee they are not there?” The judge replied: “I guarantee you, you can come out boldly. No one will shoot you. Put down the knife, come out with hands on your head.” While talking to the judge, I checked my body protection. Yes, all ready. I said: “I’m coming out.” After getting the judge’s permission, I moved the big box away. I had it all planned. Once I opened the door, I would risk getting shot and rush to the kitchen with the money. As long as this money is thrown downstairs, my mission is over. But when I tried to unlock it, I froze. The door wouldn’t open.

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I found the gilded cage where my husband kept his mistress. I wanted to see what kind of woman could outdo me, what kind of woman could train a man of such discipline and restraint to heel like a lapdog. It wasn’t jealousy. It was pure curiosity. After all, Brian Croft and I had built our empire from nothing. From a cramped studio apartment to a mansion, we’d worked so hard the stress had turned my hair grey overnight. Even after having our son, I didn’t become one of those pampered wives who spent their days at spas and salons. I was still at the factory, juggling my career and my marriage, a master of both. I believed I was in complete control of my life. I rang the doorbell. The door opened. The young woman who answered had a smile that could bloom flowers, her eyes curving into sweet crescents. “You must be Brian’s mother,” she chirped. “It’s so nice to meet you, ma’am.” 1 Even when negotiating contracts worth hundreds of millions, I never let my face betray a single emotion. But hearing her call me ma’am, I couldn’t help but frown. The divorce wasn’t even final, and she was already this eager to meet her future mother-in-law? Some strange impulse made me play along. “Hello.” “Please, come in. My name is Maya.” The first thing I saw upon entering was a massive world map. A thin red string connected photos of them kissing, marking all the places they had traveled together. The pins were dense, covering nearly the entire globe. She noticed my gaze and explained with a smile, “It’s our travel map. He takes me somewhere new every month.” So, Brian’s affair had started much earlier than I thought. She reached out, gently helping me off with my coat and hanging it in a nearby closet. The tea she handed me was the perfect temperature. I surveyed the apartment. A 200-square-meter place in the city center, with renovations of this quality, had to be worth at least five million. “Did he buy this for you?” A blush crept up Maya’s cheeks. “Yes.” “Brian said it was my gift for getting into my PhD program.” In ten years of marriage, he had never celebrated a single holiday with me. Even after we’d made our fortune, he never bought me any expensive gifts. My birthday was marked by a simple cake and a perfunctory “Happy Birthday.” I had always thought it was love evolving into family, that quiet companionship was the truest form of affection. It turns out love doesn’t evolve. It just relocates. Seeing my silence, she fidgeted, then finally worked up the courage to ask, “Ma’am, Brian and I are truly in love. Will you give me your blessing to marry him?” I thought I would feel nothing. But a sharp pang shot through my heart. I heard myself ask, “How did you two get together?” Maya’s face lit up as she told their story. And I finally understood. That year I had a raging fever, and even though we were already millionaires, he had rushed off to meet a client for a paltry ten-thousand-dollar order. It was all because she had said, “I miss you.” “You have no idea, ma’am,” she gushed, “the moment Brian saw me, he said his whole world lit up.” “And he’s so brilliant! He solved a huge technical problem for my father’s company. He said it was an issue that had plagued their industry for years, but he fixed it with just one look.” “So, ma’am? Do you approve?” she asked, her eyes wide with hope. A wry curiosity colored my tone. “And do you know he has a wife?” Maya’s face faltered for a second. She bit her lip. “Brian told me. He said he doesn’t love her at all. She’s just a business partner. There are no feelings involved.” “He said that woman is older than his own aunt, with zero charm. She lives like a man, and her skin is rough and disgusting.” I rubbed the calluses on my palm, formed from hauling sacks of soybeans in the early days of our business. Every night, he used to rub thick hand cream into them, massaging them gently. He used to call me the heroine of our family. “But I guess no man would like a woman like that,” Maya continued. “They’re going to get divorced anyway. I don’t mind, as long as he truly loves me.” The teacup in my hand froze mid-air, trembling slightly. We had met through friends, a case of love at first sight. Brian had told everyone I was the girl of his dreams. He swore he wouldn’t marry me until he’d made enough money for us. We started a tofu business together, never getting a full night’s sleep. The exhaustion turned my hair prematurely grey and etched lines on my face, making me look like I was in my late forties. Once, drunk, he had knelt before me, crying and holding me, apologizing over and over. To keep him from feeling guilty, even when I had no time for beauty treatments, I always made sure to dye my hair. The turmoil in my heart rose and fell, then settled into a calm sea. I had seen her. I had compared. It was never about how much better she was. It was that he had changed. And since he said there were no feelings, then it was time to make that a reality. 2 I was about to answer her. Maya’s phone rang, and she put it on speaker. Brian’s voice, low and tender in a way I’d never heard, came through. “Baby, are you hungry? I got you your favorite chicken noodle soup. I’ll be there in fifteen.” I knew that noodle shop. It had a three-hour line and was clear across the city. I’d mentioned it once when I was home with a sprained ankle, craving something light. He had been sitting by my bed peeling an apple, and hadn’t even looked up. Maya poured on the affection, blowing kisses into the phone. “I love you most, honey!” While they were cooing at each other, I went to the bathroom. The countertop was crowded with more of his toiletries than we had at home. I sent a message to my assistant, telling her to run a complete check on Brian’s financials. He would pay the price for squandering my blood, sweat, and tears on another woman. As I was about to leave the bathroom, I heard Brian’s eager voice at the door. “Look what else I brought you.” Maya gasped. “The sapphire necklace from yesterday!” “I saw you look at it for just a second, so I went back and bought it.” “Well, I have a surprise for you, too!” Maya, playing mysterious, ran to the bathroom door and knocked. “Ma’am, are you done?” I turned off the faucet and opened the door. Maya bounced between us, throwing her arms wide in celebration. “Perfect timing, ma’am is here too! We can all share the wonderful news together.” “My husband got me a sapphire! And I’m giving my husband a baby!” A jolt went through me. I snapped my head up to look at her. After our son, Leo, was born, I had always dreamed of having a daughter. Brian always found an excuse. It turned out he just didn’t want one with me. Brian’s smile was wide, but his eyes traveled over Maya’s head and met mine. His pupils constricted. The smile vanished, as if I were the intruder, the one who had trespassed on their private world. “What are you doing here?” I walked back to my seat, my gaze drifting between them. My silence seemed to provoke him. He pulled Maya behind him protectively. “If you have a problem, take it up with me. Don’t you dare touch her.” Maya looked confused, tugging on his sleeve. “Isn’t she your mother?” Brian froze, then let out a sneer. “My sweet, gullible girl. You’ve got good eyes. She certainly looks old enough.” “Unfortunately, she’s my wife.” Maya’s expression shifted as realization dawned. Her face flushed red and white, her hands flying to her mouth. “Ma’am… no, I mean… Victoria, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” “It’s just… I…” She couldn’t find an excuse, her face turning crimson with panic. Brian wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into an embrace, and barked at me, “Don’t apologize to her.” “Victoria Quinn, get out.” Huddled in his arms, Maya shot me a sly, triumphant look. I finished the last of my tea, grabbed my coat, and walked over to her. “Your request from earlier,” I said calmly. “I approve.” The elevator doors were just about to close when Brian appeared, his hand shooting out to block them. Seeing that I wasn’t screaming or questioning him like I usually would, his expression was complicated, tinged with a panic I couldn’t quite decipher. “Victoria, this is an accident.” “You know this. A pregnant woman can’t be stressed.” “A divorce would be a financial disaster for us. She won’t affect your position.” He knew I treated the factory like my own child. A divorce would split our assets in half. He was threatening me. I knew he wouldn’t let go without a response. I gave a slight nod and waved him away. Brian relaxed. Suddenly, a bag of trash appeared at my feet. “Take this down with you,” he ordered. In the instant before the elevator doors closed, I kicked it out. Did he really think I came here today unprepared? 3 I returned to the office and took out the divorce agreement I’d had prepared long ago. The truth was, the first time I’d caught him in a gray area with another woman, I’d already had a lawyer draft it. Back then, Brian had resorted to self-harm to convince me it would never happen again. Looking at the blood on the floor, my own swelling belly, and our fledgling business, I had made the rational choice to let it go. “Ms. Quinn, they’re here,” my assistant said, knocking on the door. After a round of negotiations, I sold all of my shares in the company. The factory was my baby, but I have no use for something rotten and spoiled. Besides my son, I wanted nothing. My phone alarm went off. It was time to pick up Leo from kindergarten. But when I got there, I saw Brian. Maya was squatting next to my son, holding up a cool superhero lollipop. I had never seen such a joyful expression on Leo’s face. “Leo, who do you like more, Auntie Maya or Mommy?” Maya’s voice was impossibly sweet. Leo giggled and poked her dimple. “Then how about I become your new mommy, and I’ll even give you a little brother to play with, okay?” My son nodded vigorously and stood on his tiptoes to kiss her cheek. Brian scooped Leo up with one arm and took Maya’s hand with the other, leading them across the street. He saw my car and his eyes flicked to the driver’s seat. His gaze rested on my face for only a moment. Then he got them into his car and drove away. I sat there, my mind a complete blank, the air conditioning blasting my face until it was flushed. It took a long time for me to come back to myself. Brian had wanted me to see that. Ever since Leo started kindergarten, he had resisted my affection. I thought it was because I was too strict. Now I knew the real reason. It was clear now that the happy family I thought I controlled was just a phantom I’d created in my own mind. Unfortunately for Brian, he had miscalculated. He thought I would continue to tolerate his behavior for our son’s sake. But nothing, and no one, would stop me from leaving now. When I got home, Leo was playing with a remote-control car Maya had given him. Brian acted as if nothing had happened, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. “Didn’t you want another daughter?” “I’ll give you one tonight.” His guilty attempt at compensation only disgusted me more. I broke free from his grasp. “You should save it for Maya.” He thought I was still angry and grew more insistent, his hands roaming over me, trying to get a reaction. Usually, after a fight, sex was his way of declaring a truce. This time, there would be no truce. Brian grabbed the back of my neck and pushed me forward. Perhaps it was the proximity, but the familiar, earthy scent of soybeans that always clung to me made him instinctively turn his head away. The more I struggled, the harder he pushed. Thump. My head hit the wall. The world swam. He reflexively cupped the back of my head. His phone rang. A few seconds later, he released me, his face grim. “I’ll respect your wishes,” he sneered. “Saves me from having to take a pill just to get interested in you.” I didn’t have to guess who was calling. Brian changed his clothes, doused himself in cologne, and threw a final command at me as he rushed out the door. “Get over it. And make sure everything is ready for the annual gala next week.” Every year, he loved to make a grand show of handing out employee bonuses in cash. More than once, he’d miscounted, causing disputes. One year, I was robbed on my way back from the bank and ended up in the hospital. Now, he’d drained the company accounts to fund Maya’s lavish lifestyle. There was no money left to prop up his ego. 4 Leo stood by the door, watching me pack my suitcase. I could be ruthless with a man. But facing the son I had carried for nine months, I hesitated. I didn’t have much to pack, but I kept taking things out and putting them back in. It took me over an hour. I knelt in front of him and gently touched his soft cheek. For the first time, he didn’t swat my hand away. “Do you want to come with Mommy?” I asked softly. Leo’s eyes lit up, but then he asked, “Are you leaving? Are you never coming back?” A lump formed in my throat. “Yes, sweetie. Mommy’s not coming back.” “Come with me, okay?” I pulled him into a hug. Leo’s small voice whispered in my ear, “Great! If you leave, I’ll get a pretty mommy!” A tremor ran through me. I slowly released him and stood up. I had planned, even after leaving, to take care of Maya’s illegitimate child, to protect Leo’s inheritance from any future claims. But if this was his choice, why should I bother planning for his future? I stepped past him and walked out without looking back. The moment I landed in the Maldives, my phone started buzzing incessantly. “Ma’am, even if I gave Brian back to you now, he wouldn’t want to go.” “I’ll take good care of him and Leo.” “By the way, I’m having a boy. Brian promised him everything.” The next message was a video. It was Brian at her prenatal check-up. “Honey, put your ear to my belly and listen. The baby can hear us now~” I turned off my phone, my face a blank mask. Brian, this won’t end with a simple divorce. I have a special gift waiting for you at the annual gala. For an entire week, we had no contact. His social media, however, was flooded with at least twenty new photos of him and Maya. At the gala, Brian formally introduced Maya to everyone. His hand rested on the small of her back, his intentions clear. A few senior executives started sucking up. “Well, well, Mr. Croft, you’ve finally come to your senses.” “We never understood what you were doing with that bossy old hag.” “That’s right, Mr. Croft. When’s the wedding?” These were all people I had personally promoted. Brian smiled, his gaze dropping to Maya’s belly. “You’ll all be invited for the baby’s celebration.” They stood there like newlyweds, basking in the congratulations. When someone mentioned me, Brian’s lip curled. “She’ll be here shortly.” It was time for the cash bonus presentation. Brian finally noticed I was gone. He called my phone over and over. “Where is Victoria Quinn?!” The general manager stammered, “Ms. Quinn… we haven’t been able to reach her for a week. And this afternoon, we discovered the company accounts are completely empty.” “We tried calling you so many times, but you didn’t answer.” His voice grew smaller and smaller. Brian’s face darkened with every passing second. Suddenly, the large screen behind the stage flickered to life. A collective gasp went through the crowd. The entire hall fell silent. Brian turned to look, his face a terrifying mask of fury. His phone slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor. 5 On the screen was a video I had pre-recorded. “To all my colleagues, I apologize for addressing you in this manner. Due to Mr. Brian Croft’s unauthorized mortgaging of company shares and his embezzlement of large sums of public funds to purchase real estate, cars, and other luxury items for Ms. Maya, the company’s finances have been depleted. We are unable to pay out your annual bonuses.” The room erupted. Many people were counting on those bonuses to have a good holiday season. The same executives who had been fawning over him just moments before now swarmed him. “Mr. Croft, is what Ms. Quinn said true?” “You spent our bonuses on your mistress?!” Brian’s lips were pressed into a thin, hard line. He said nothing. Beside him, Maya clutched his arm, her smile frozen on her face. The video continued. “As one of the heads of this company, I am deeply ashamed and regretful of this situation.” “Therefore, I have decided to sell all of my shares at a reduced price to ensure you all receive the compensation you have earned.” As I finished speaking, a collective sigh of relief swept through the hall. People were clapping each other on the back. “Thank God for Ms. Quinn!” Brian’s chest heaved, the air around him growing colder, so much so that even Maya shivered beside him. Just as the video ended, a loud, confident voice boomed from the main entrance. “Brian. Long time no see.” “Although tonight, I suppose I should be calling you kid.” Brian looked up and saw our company’s main competitor, Ethan Vance. He was striking in a dark red suit. He strode onto the stage in a few quick steps and playfully took the microphone. “Victoria gave me a great price, all so you fine people could get your bonuses.” “As the new director of this company, I will be restructuring all positions, and that includes yours, Mr. Croft.” Brian’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked. He could feel the blood pounding in his temples. But hearing Ethan call her Victoria… A strange, suffocating feeling tightened in his chest. Ethan was in his element on stage, his words met with thunderous applause from the audience. He was completely upstaging Brian. The man’s body was rigid, coiled like a spring, ready to leap on stage and punch him. Just then, my assistant ran up and handed him a document. He glanced at it, and his face changed dramatically. He spun on his heel and strode out of the hall, not even sparing a thought for Maya, who was left standing there. “Brian, honey, wait for me!” Maya hurried after him. I put down my wine glass, having watched the entire gala live-streamed. I was very pleased with Ethan’s performance. This was only the first step. I would make sure Brian and Maya ended up with nothing. That night, I slept more soundly than I had in years. I was just blinking myself awake when a face, stubbled and haggard, appeared above me. “Ah!” I clutched the covers to my chest. “How did you get in here?” The man’s eyes were bloodshot, his suit rumpled as if he’d slept in it. He sneered. “How do you think I got in?” He tossed our faded marriage certificate onto the bed. I had expected him to confront me, just not this quickly. He threw a folder in front of me and slammed his fist on the nightstand. “Victoria Quinn, are you serious about this?”

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1 My husband was cheating, and he wanted me to walk away from our marriage with nothing. Heartbroken, I decided to jump off a bridge. I had just climbed over the railing when a voice suddenly spoke from inside my belly: 【Mom! Don’t do it!】 【I’ve been reborn! In my last life, that deadbeat dad kicked us out for his mistress, and then he won eighty million dollars from a lottery ticket he found!】 The news just made me sadder. I was about to let go when the voice piped up again: 【I know the winning numbers for that ticket. We can snatch it from him. You can’t die!】 【But first things first: Deadbeat Dad has a stash of cash hidden in the bedroom ceiling. Let’s grab the money, then we can divorce him!】 My legs stopped shaking. My heart stopped pounding. The first thing I did when I got home was borrow a ladder and start taking apart the ceiling. … I’d run home in tears, so the housekeeper didn’t dare stop me. I locked the bedroom door. I set up the ladder, kicked off my shoes, and glanced down at my slightly rounded belly. “Son, you sure about the location? Your father will be back soon. If we get this wrong, we won’t get a second chance.” A voice, young but full of swagger, echoed in my mind: 【Trust me, Mom! In the last life, this was his favorite spot to hide gold bars.】 【Third panel from the left. Push hard!】 I took a deep breath and climbed the ladder. My hands were trembling. Not from fear, but from excitement. To force me into a divorce, Liam had frozen all my cards. He called it giving me time to “cool off,” but really, he was cutting off my resources to make me submit. And he wanted me to leave with nothing? In his dreams. I pushed hard against the decorative drop-ceiling tile. A cloud of dust rained down, stinging my eyes. But I didn’t have time to rub them. Because my fingers had touched a heavy canvas bag. Damn, it was heavy. I struggled to drag the bag out, nearly losing my balance and falling off the ladder. 【Careful, Mom! A fall like that, and it’s game over for both of us!】 “Don’t jinx it.” With trembling hands, I opened the bag. A golden glint nearly blinded me. It was full of gold bars. I’d never seen this much physical gold in my life. I dug deeper and found a stack of hundred-dollar bills underneath. “How much is in here?” 【About five million. It’s money Deadbeat Dad siphoned from the company behind his partner’s back. It was supposed to be his startup fund to go live it up overseas with that homewrecker.】 【In the last life, you foolishly jumped off that bridge and let those two get away with everything!】 【They used this money to reinvent themselves abroad, then came back as famous entrepreneurs and forgot you ever existed!】 Hearing that, a fire ignited in my chest. Liam, you bastard. I was with you when we were building this from nothing, when we were scraping by on instant noodles. You get rich, and not only do you find a mistress, but you hide a fortune and hope I’ll just die? I took the gold bars out one by one and packed them into a suitcase I’d prepared. “What happens when Liam comes back and finds the money gone?” I worried, staring at the dark hole in the ceiling. If he found out, forget divorce. I might not make it out of this house alive today. 2 【Are you kidding, Mom?】 【Stuff a few of those old books from that box in there to give it some weight, then put the panel back!】 【He won’t open that thing for years. By the time he notices, we’ll be long gone!】 It hit me. Of course. I grabbed a few of the dense, academic books Liam kept on a high shelf to look smart, shoved them into the canvas bag, and placed it back in the ceiling. I carefully clicked the panel back into place. I even wiped away my fingerprints from the edges. When I was done, I sat on the floor, my heart hammering against my ribs like a drum. This was more thrilling than standing on the edge of that bridge. Just then, I heard the front door open downstairs. It was Liam’s impatient voice. “Maria, is that crazy woman back yet?” I froze. 【Mom! Don’t lose your nerve!】 【You’re the victim here. You have to act completely broken, make him think you’ve given up the fight!】 I kicked the suitcase full of gold deep under the bed. Then, I mussed my hair, sat on the edge of the bed, and summoned the despair. The tears came on command. When Liam pushed the door open, he was greeted by the sight of my “utterly defeated” self. A flash of disgust crossed his face. “Not dead yet? I thought you had more backbone.” He loosened his tie, his expression dripping with annoyance. “Since you’re still here, you can sign this.” A set of divorce papers slapped against my face. “If you agree to walk away with nothing, I’ll even pay for you to get rid of the thing in your belly. After all, it’ll be hard for you to remarry with a kid in tow.” Get rid of it? Even the most vicious animals don’t eat their young. How could he say something so monstrous? Hatred grew in my heart like a weed. But I knew this wasn’t the time to let it show. I slowly lifted my head, my eyes vacant. Just as my son taught me, I had to play the part of a woman whose heart was shattered beyond repair. “Liam, after seven years of marriage, are you really going to be this cruel?” My voice was hoarse and trembling. Liam scoffed and lit a cigarette, completely ignoring the fact that I was pregnant. “Hannah, we’re adults. Let’s not make this ugly.” “Jenna’s pregnant. It’s a boy. I need to give them a proper family.” “We don’t even know if yours is a boy or a girl. If it’s a girl, I’d be losing out.” 【Please! I’m your daddy!】 my little ancestor cursed from inside. 【Ignore him, Mom. The idiot doesn’t even know the kid his mistress is carrying isn’t his!】 【It’s her personal trainer’s!】 I almost burst out laughing. I quickly bowed my head, covering my face with my hands as my shoulders shook. To Liam, I was sobbing my heart out. “Fine… I’ll sign.” I looked up, my face streaked with tears, my eyes full of grim resolve. “But I have one condition.” Liam frowned, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “You want money? Let me tell you, the company has no cash on the books right now. I’m drowning in debt…” “I don’t want money.” I cut him off, my voice tragic. “I just want to take my clothes and some of my personal things.” “I don’t want anything else in this house.” “I want to make a clean break from you.” Liam was stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected me to be so agreeable. A flicker of delight crossed his face before he quickly suppressed it. “Fine. Glad you’ve got some sense.” “Pack your things and get out tonight. We’ll go to the courthouse first thing in the morning.” With that, he turned and left, as if looking at me for a second longer would bring him bad luck. The moment the door closed, I wiped away my tears. I dragged the suitcase out from under the bed. I covered the gold with a layer of old clothes and threw in some cheap toiletries. Then I wheeled the suitcase out, ready for a quick exit. Liam was on the sofa, video-chatting with Jenna, his voice dripping with a tenderness I hadn’t heard in years. When he saw me, he stood up and walked over. “Hold on. Open it. I want to make sure you didn’t take anything you shouldn’t have.” 3 My heart leaped into my throat. For a second, I debated whether I should just knock him out and run. But when Liam saw my clothes, he just curled his lip in disdain. “Is that all you’re taking? This junk? You sure you don’t want to look again? Don’t say I never gave you a chance.” I gave him a pitiful smile. “No, thank you. Everything in this house… is tainted.” Liam’s face darkened. “Get out! Just get out!” I pushed the heavy suitcase out of the door that I once thought was the entrance to my forever home. The moment I was out of the complex, I hailed a cab and went straight to a five-star hotel downtown. 【Nice one, Mom!】 【That scumbag is probably still dreaming about all his money. His face when he finds that empty ceiling is going to be priceless.】 【But we have to hurry, Mom.】 【After you get the divorce finalized tomorrow, we have to buy that lottery ticket!】 【Eighty million dollars is waiting!】 I sat in the back of the cab, watching the city lights blur past. The knot of resentment that had been strangling me for so long finally started to loosen. Liam, you think you got rid of a washed-up housewife. You have no idea you just kicked your personal cash cow out the door. That night, in a luxury suite, I ordered a seafood feast I never would have dreamed of affording before. As I devoured a king crab leg, my son filled me in on the gossip from his past life. Apparently, after I’d died by suicide, Liam hadn’t shed a single tear. Instead, he released a statement saying I’d had mental health issues. He used my death to craft a public persona of a devoted, grieving husband, and his company’s stock soared. The mistress, Jenna, used my life insurance payout to buy limited-edition handbags. They even had my ashes scattered over some random, godforsaken mountain. Hearing this, I crushed the crab leg in my hand. “Son, I will get revenge for you. I swear it.” 【You bet! And Mom, there’s going to be a big show at the courthouse tomorrow.】 【Jenna will definitely be there to gloat.】 【You have to hold back. Whatever you do, don’t hit her.】 【Because… all her designer stuff is fake. The color will rub off if you touch it, and then she’ll try to sue us for damages.】 I snorted with laughter. This kid was even more savage than I was. The next morning, at the courthouse. Liam was practically glowing, his hair slicked back with gel. Clinging to his arm was Jenna. Her pregnant belly was on full display in a tight dress, as if to make sure everyone knew. Seeing me standing there alone, Jenna covered her mouth and giggled. “Oh, dear. You look terrible. Did you have nowhere to stay last night? Sleep under a bridge?” Liam patted her on the butt, feigning concern. “Don’t say that. You’ll upset Hannah and she’ll go jump off another one.” Then he turned to me with a condescending look. “You have your papers? Let’s get this over with. I have to get back to the office.” 4 I ignored them and walked straight inside. Sign, stamp, collect the certificate. I was completely silent and cooperative through the entire process. The moment the divorce decree was in his hand, Liam let out a huge sigh of relief, as if he’d just shed a massive burden. As we walked out, Jenna deliberately kissed him right in front of me. “We’re finally free, honey! Let’s go celebrate!” Liam wrapped an arm around her, pinching her cheek affectionately. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.” Then he turned to me, pulled a few crisp hundred-dollar bills from his wallet, and threw them on the ground. “Here. For the cab. Don’t say I have no heart.” The bills fluttered to the pavement, mocking my powerlessness. People around us started to stare and whisper. I bent down. A triumphant smirk spread across Liam and Jenna’s faces. They thought I was going to pick up the money. Instead, I just retied my shoelace. When I stood up, I planted my foot on the bills and ground them into the dirty concrete. “Keep it, Liam. You might need it for your medical bills.” “You have a dark cloud hanging over you. I sense a great disaster in your future.” Liam’s face turned green with rage. “Hannah! Don’t push your luck!” Jenna shrieked, “Who are you cursing?” I just smiled coldly, hailed a cab, and left them standing there. In the car, my palms were sweating. “Son, what if he finds out the stuff in the ceiling is gone?” 【So what if he does?】 【The divorce is final, and the asset division agreement is signed.】 【It says in black and white that personal belongings are not to be shared.】 【Those gold bars are your ‘personal belongings.’ Does he have any proof they were his?】 【That was his secret stash, money he couldn’t legally account for! You think he’s going to call the cops and admit to embezzling company assets?】 I slapped my thigh. He was right! Liam was completely screwed. He had to eat this loss. Now, for the most important part: the lottery ticket. Following my son’s instructions, I went to a nondescript convenience store on the outskirts of the city. “Five quick picks, please.” 【No! Mom! Not quick picks!】 【I’ll give you the numbers, write them down!】 【05, 12, 19, 26, 31, and the power numbers, 08, 14.】 I quickly corrected myself. “Sorry, I’d like to choose my own numbers.” Holding that thin slip of paper, I felt it burn hotter than the bag of gold. Eighty million dollars. If this hit, I’d be set for life. “Son, are you sure about this?” 【Positive! In the last life, the winner was a homeless man. He bought a bottle of booze, got drunk, and lost the ticket. Deadbeat Dad found it and claimed the prize.】 【This time, we’re cutting him off at the pass!】 Just as excitement surged through me, the ticket was snatched from my hand. I looked up. It was Liam.

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