I’m the only daughter among six wealthy families’ wives, all of whom were pregnant at the same time. On the day of my birth, the other five ladies were filled with envy. They even got into heated arguments over who would become my future mother-in-law. My mother, feeling helpless, agreed that when I turned twenty-two, I would choose a fiancé from among the younger generation of the five families. In my past life, I chose Lucas without hesitation. After all, everyone knew I’d been infatuated with Lucas for years and had pursued him relentlessly. But one day after our marriage, he died in a plane crash, leaving no remains behind. I was devastated with grief. Until I saw “dead” Lucas on the street with my own eyes, pinning Melody—a student I’d sponsored—against a wall and kissing her. In that moment, I finally understood. Lucas had fallen for Melody long ago. He’d even gone so far as to fake his own death to elope with her. After discovering the truth, I fled in panic, only to be hit by a car. The two of them stood across the street, watching coldly as I died. In the end, it was Sullivan—who’d been at odds with me since childhood—who arranged my funeral and shed tears at my gravestone. After my rebirth, when my mother asked me to choose a fiancé, this time I chose Sullivan.

The younger generation from the other families were already waiting outside the lounge. They tacitly pushed Lucas forward to stand before me. “Claire, you’ve followed Lucas around since childhood. You must be getting your wish now, right?” “Tsk tsk, even for a rich heiress, isn’t this a bit too forward?” Lucas crossed his arms, his mocking gaze landing on me. “You’re determined to cling to me, aren’t you?” “Even though our elders made a verbal agreement, I’d advise you not to take it too seriously. If your family doesn’t offer terms that satisfy me, I won’t necessarily marry you.” His tone was cold and full of disgust. This profit-first attitude was exactly the same as in my past life. He’d never valued my love. I looked at him, my tone indifferent. “Lucas, you’re not the only son in the Montgomery family, are you? And you’re not the only option among the other families either.” The moment those words left my mouth, his expression changed instantly. The heirs standing behind him also began exchanging uncertain glances. Our six families had been close for generations, with early intentions of business marriages. All five families had subtly spread the word that whoever married me would gain significant leverage in future resource allocation within their family. After a moment of silence, Lucas laughed lightly. “Claire, you think I’ll believe you’re trying to provoke me with words like that?” The other heirs snapped out of it and laughed as well. “Lucas, when our families collaborate in the future with you at the helm, things will only get better. Just don’t forget about us when that happens.” Lucas basked smugly in everyone’s flattery. After a while, he finally glanced at me lazily. “You’ve chased me for ten years. Besides me, no one else would dare marry you.” “But I need to make something clear upfront.” He waved the others away before speaking up. “To avoid trouble, I can marry you. But Melody is the only one in my heart. As long as you don’t interfere with us, I can give you the dignity of being my wife.” Hearing this, I stared at him with wide, shocked eyes. In my past life, he’d hidden it so well—he’d never said anything like this. Could it be… had he been reborn too? I was still hesitating whether to probe further when a figure slowly appeared before us. “Claire, why are you standing here with Lucas like idiots?” Melody called out to me, but her eyes were fixed straight on Lucas. Lucas’s eyes instantly reddened as he turned and pulled Melody into a tight embrace. He spoke in a tender tone I’d never heard before. “Melody, what are you doing here?” Melody froze for a moment, then raised her hands to hold him even tighter. Her provocative gaze landed on me, though her voice feigned panic. “Lucas, you’re Claire’s fiancé. This isn’t right.” Lucas sneered. “There’s nothing wrong with it. If she dares blame you, then she can forget about marrying me.” With that, he unhesitatingly took Melody’s hand and turned to leave. I rubbed my thumb over Sullivan’s photo in my hand and laughed softly. Lucas, I never intended to marry you in the first place.

The birthday party was winding down. Most of the guests had left when Lucas and Melody finally reappeared before everyone. Lucas had changed into a high-collared formal suit, while Melody’s neck bore several suggestive marks. The atmosphere between them was so intimate it was almost tangible. If this were the old me, I would have rushed forward in fury to demand an explanation. But this scene had played out countless times in my past life. My heart had long since gone numb. I tilted my head back, drained the wine in my glass, and turned to leave. Lucas caught sight of the indifferent expression on my face and slowly frowned. For the first time, he took the initiative to stop me. “Claire, what are you sulking about now?” “I’m your fiancé. How can you leave without saying anything? Where are your manners?” “Apologize to Melody and me right now, or forget about getting your birthday present this year!” Lucas was clutching a ring box in his hand. Melody took the box from him and waved it triumphantly in front of me. “Claire, Lucas specially custom-made this for you! He put so much thought into it!” My eyes followed the movement of the box, and I naturally noticed the custom ring on Melody’s ring finger. It was from the same brand as the box in her hand. I pulled at the corner of my mouth sarcastically. “Put thought into it? I’d say he put more thought into that custom ring on your finger.” Melody suppressed her rising smile, feigning innocence. “How could that be? Mine is just a free gift that came with the present Lucas bought for you.” Melody opened the ring box and tossed it at me carelessly. I didn’t reach out to catch it. The box and a silver necklace inside fell to the floor together. Lucas frowned deeply, his voice sharp. “Claire, why didn’t you move? Didn’t you see the gift I gave you fell?” “Pick it up right now!” Hearing this, I laughed self-deprecatingly. “A free necklace that came with buying a ring, and you have the nerve to call it a gift?” Melody picked up the necklace with a pained expression, looking at me reproachfully. “This is Lucas’s thoughtfulness!” Thoughtfulness? Like I hadn’t received enough of his “thoughtfulness” before? Since I could remember, every birthday I’d received piles of careless gifts. Tree leaves Lucas randomly picked, model toys he didn’t want, paper balls he’d crumpled when irritated. Whatever was at hand, that’s what he’d give me. Yet back then, I treasured each one, carefully preserving every single item. In my past life, after we got married, I’d shown them to him like presenting treasures. What I got in return was only his merciless mockery. “Claire, are you a garbage collector?” “You pick up everything I throw away. How pathetic!” Hearing those words, I felt my heart shatter into pieces. But Lucas didn’t think he’d crossed any line. He even spread this story far and wide. From then on, everyone in our circle looked at me with mockery. Recalling how people pointed and whispered about me in my past life, my mood instantly darkened. I casually tossed the necklace onto the table, preparing to leave. But Lucas spread his arms wide, blocking my path, glaring at me furiously. “Claire, how dare you throw away the gift I gave you.” “Pick up that necklace right now and wipe it clean, or our engagement is off!” “When that happens, even if you beg on your knees at my door for three days and nights, I might not agree to marry you!” I looked down at Lucas and pulled my lips into a slight smile. “Lucas, I never planned to marry you in the first place.” The air instantly froze. Everyone present looked back and forth between Lucas and me. Lucas paused for a moment, then laughed mockingly. “Claire, everyone knows you’ve chased me for ten years. How could you possibly marry someone else?” “All those friends of mine witnessed how you pursued me. They wouldn’t want to marry you either. Oh, and Sullivan has been at odds with you since childhood—you two fight every time you meet. Would the Foster family even let you marry him?”

I was about to retort that Sullivan was exactly who I intended to marry. But the words caught in my throat as I suddenly remembered what Sullivan’s mother had said not long ago. “I don’t know why you suddenly changed your mind and chose Sullivan, but he’s about to have surgery. Let’s not announce this yet—keep it confidential for now? We can announce it at the engagement party, so no one disturbs him while he’s recovering.” I instinctively looked toward Sullivan sitting in his wheelchair in the distance. His face was pale and his frame thin, but his spine remained straight, his refined features softened by a sickly fragility. He really couldn’t be disturbed. Sullivan and I hadn’t interacted much—we’d been rivals since childhood. But in my past life, after I died, he too died alone in his apartment not long after. If I was going to marry him in this life, I needed to make sure he lived well. Sullivan gazed at me, a complexity I couldn’t read flowing through his eyes. I smiled reassuringly at him, then spoke. “You’ll all find out in due time.” With that, I turned and left. After the party ended, Melody followed close on my heels. She held out her hand toward me, the silver ring refracting colorful light. “All you have left is your sharp tongue.” “Lucas said that even though he’ll marry you, I’m the one he truly loves in his heart. He’ll only ever buy rings for me in this lifetime!” In everyone’s eyes, Melody was a well-behaved, sweet-talking child who knew gratitude. I only learned at the moment of my death that she’d been interfering in my marriage all along, and that Lucas had even faked his death to be with her. So after my rebirth, I decided to help them be together. I wanted to see if their love really ran that deep. With this in mind, I suddenly patted Melody’s shoulder. “No need to go through all this trouble, Melody. If you want to be with him, I can make it happen.” “If you two get married, I’ll definitely wish you a lifetime of happiness together!” Melody froze, then sneered. “Don’t say one thing and do another. I know you—you’ll never stop pestering Lucas. But give up now. He only loves me!” I nodded indifferently and headed home first. Since I’d decided to marry Sullivan, I should prepare some gifts for him before the engagement. For three consecutive days, I focused on preparing gifts. And for those three days, Melody didn’t return to the apartment I’d rented for her. During those three days, she posted on Instagram an average of once every two hours. The latest post showed Lucas wearing an apron in the kitchen, pan-frying steak. Just as I was about to close my phone, Melody’s chat window popped up. “You’ve never tasted Lucas’s cooking, have you?” “These three days, Lucas has taken such good care of me, whether at the dinner table or in bed…” Reading that sentence, images from my past life instantly flooded my mind—after my death, I’d seen them celebrating my fatal car accident by having sex in bed. A wave of nausea churned in my stomach. I suppressed the urge to vomit and replied with a single word: “Fuck off,” then blocked Melody. Immediately after, Lucas called. “Claire, are you sick? Melody just said something wrong—why the hell are you blocking her?” “Do you know how hurt she is right now? Get your ass to the party and apologize to her!” Lucas’s furious, shrill voice exploded in my ear. I laughed coldly. “Fine, I’ll come right now.” But not to apologize—to announce my engagement to Sullivan!

My parents had already left for the party. After organizing the gifts I’d prepared for Sullivan, I finally arrived at the banquet hall. Lucas and Melody stood side by side at the entrance. Seeing me, their faces showed contempt. “Claire, I thought you could hold out longer. Melody just sent you one message, and not only did you block her, but you got your parents involved to pressure me into marriage.” With that, he suddenly stuck out his foot and kicked hard at my knee. Caught off guard, my knees buckled and I fell heavily to the ground. “Kowtow and apologize to Melody! Otherwise, don’t blame me for ruining today’s event!” Melody bent down to stare at me, feigning reluctance. “Don’t blame Lucas. He’s just standing up for me.” I clenched my teeth, glaring fiercely at Melody. She timely displayed a pitiful expression. Seeing this, Lucas’s heart ached even more. He stepped forward two paces and backhanded me across the face. Five clear finger marks instantly appeared on my face. My eyes filled with blood as I shot to my feet and shouted, “Lucas, Melody, have you both lost your minds?” “I told you—I’m not marrying you!” Lucas’s contemptuous gaze swept over me as he sneered. “Claire, stop pretending. Today both sets of parents will announce our engagement. Be smart and apologize.” “Otherwise, forget about entering the Montgomery family!” My chest heaved with anger. Not wanting to argue with them anymore, I was about to step forward. But the elders from all the families appeared at the corner. Lucas’s father, Richard Montgomery, looked at his son with furrowed brows. “Lucas, what are you causing a scene about at the entrance now?” Sullivan followed slowly behind them. He wasn’t in his wheelchair. His complexion was rosier than a few days ago, wearing a well-tailored suit. Though thin, he stood straight. Seeing my disheveled state, his eyes filled with concern. “What happened?” Meeting his concerned gaze, warmth filled my heart. “Nothing. What are you doing out here?” A smile appeared on his face. “I noticed you hadn’t come in yet.” Lucas laughed coldly. “What does it have to do with you whether she came in or not? Sullivan, why are you trying to find a sense of existence at this moment? You’re acting so concerned about your future ‘brother-in-law’?” Everyone was somewhat taken aback by those words. But Lucas remained oblivious. He quickly moved closer, squeezing between Sullivan and me. He put on a fake smile for Sullivan. Then turned and threatened me in a low voice. “Let it go for today. But if after we’re engaged I find out you’re bullying Melody again, I’ll make you pay!” At this moment, Lucas inexplicably displayed unprecedented possessiveness. But I knew he was only protecting the massive resources about to fall into his hands. Richard sighed and spoke solemnly. “The person who gets engaged to Claire will gain priority leadership over our families’ joint project. Today is the day to formalize the engagement.” Lucas lowered his head to straighten his clothes, then raised the corners of his mouth, preparing to take my arm. But the next instant, his confident expression froze on his face. My father took my hand and Sullivan’s, placing them together. Sullivan’s smile was radiant, his spirits high, showing no trace of his former frailty. “Claire, are you ready to spend a lifetime with me?”

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I accidentally discovered that my boyfriend of seven years was getting married—and the bride wasn’t me. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I just broke up with him. All because I overheard a conversation between my boyfriend and his best friend: “You’re marrying your mistress. Aren’t you afraid Lynn will do something drastic?” His tone was lazy and unconcerned: “I’ll give Lynn my love and give Charlotte my name. It’s perfectly fair. Lynn loves me so much—she won’t be able to leave me.” I immediately called Mr. Adrian Foster, the man my mother had introduced me to, whose family business had always been in competition with ours: “I’ve thought it over. I accept your proposal.” To this day, I still don’t know who Victor’s mistress was. Ridiculous, isn’t it? It wasn’t until the girl deliberately appeared in front of me that I belatedly realized Victor had been cheating on me for three months. “I’m Charlotte. I’m here to pick something up. Victor bought me some lingerie, but he accidentally put in the wrong address and it got sent to your office.” She picked up a package on my desk, opened it, and pulled out a set of black lace lingerie. “He has such good taste. He said I’d look absolutely stunning in this.” “Especially… when we use it at night.” Was she bragging to me about how active their sex life was? My emotions churned like a storm inside, but I kept my face calm as I looked at this young girl before me. She looked quite young—maybe eighteen or nineteen at most. “You’ve got what you came for. You can leave now.” I pushed the box toward her. I had died once before. I thought that after being reborn and knowing who the mistress was, I’d rush over and tear her face apart. But when I saw Charlotte wearing cheap lipstick and rough makeup, her face still so young and fresh, I suddenly didn’t want to bother with this little girl. I had more important things to do. Charlotte froze for a moment, clearly surprised that I could be so calm. Her expression soured. Her gaze swept around the room and suddenly landed on another open velvet jewelry box on my desk. Inside was a pearl necklace my mother had given me. She snatched up the necklace and put it around her neck, taunting me: “Victor gave me this too. Does it look good on me?” Blood rushed to my head. “That’s a necklace my mother gave me. Take it off!” “What do you mean ‘yours’? It’s mine now!” She stepped back, her hand protecting the necklace. I moved forward to grab it: “Give it back!” In our struggle, with a sharp “snap,” the necklace chain broke and pearls scattered across the floor. “My necklace!” I stared at the pearls scattered on the ground and slapped her across the face. “Get out!” She covered her stinging cheek, looked at the pearls on the floor, and glared at me with shock and fury: “You’ll pay for this!”

She really did go tell on me. When Victor stormed back, I was quickly packing up my most important belongings. “Lynn! Why did you hit her!” He grabbed my wrist. “She’s just a young girl—was that really necessary!” I shook off his hand and slapped him hard across the face. Victor was completely stunned, as if seeing me for the first time. “Are you crazy? You hit someone over a necklace?” “That was my necklace.” I looked at him coldly, continuing to stuff documents into a box. “And I hit a thief who took other people’s things.” “You!” He choked with anger, his face turning bright red. “Fine, even if the necklace was yours, you still can’t hit people! Charlotte’s face is swollen! I’m telling you, this isn’t over! That slap cost you a million dollars! Consider it compensation for her pain and suffering and medical expenses!” “Victor, we’re breaking up.” I zipped up my suitcase. “As for the money, just try taking it and see what happens.” “Breaking up? Did I agree to that?” He blocked the door, his tone irritated. “Lynn, stop being unreasonable, okay? Come back. Let’s talk this through properly!” “Talk about how you used my money to make your little mistress happy?” I looked up, my gaze sharp. His eyes flickered for a moment, a flash of embarrassment at being exposed, but it was quickly replaced by anger. I didn’t look at him again. I squeezed through the gap between him and the doorframe and left with my suitcase. The moment the elevator doors closed, I heard him furiously kicking the door and roaring: “If you leave, don’t come back!” I moved to a downtown apartment I’d prepared long ago. Just as I set down my suitcase, my phone rang. It was Adrian Foster. “I just finished a meeting.” His voice sounded steady and clear. “I saw your message. Are you sure you’ve thought this through? About the proposal our families discussed?” “Yes.” My answer came without hesitation. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief on the other end, then spoke in a warm but firm voice: “Good. I’ll finish up the business here as quickly as possible and return home to help you with the family business transition and… our matter.” “Thank you.” I paused. “I appreciate it.” “Don’t say that.” His tone was serious. “Wait for me to come back.” Shortly after the call ended, my mobile banking notification chimed. I opened it—a transfer debit alert. [Your account ending in XXXX has debited $1,000,000.00.] I knew who it was. I immediately called Victor. “I transferred the money.” He answered quickly, his tone forceful. “You hit someone, you have to pay the price. This million dollars is compensation to buy Charlotte a new necklace. Lynn, we’re even now.” “Victor,” I said coldly, “that’s not your money. Transfer it back immediately.” “Your money?” He sneered. “We’ve been together this long and you’re being this petty with me? Stop making a fuss. Come back home and I’ll smooth things over with her about the necklace.” I heard Charlotte’s coquettish voice in the background: “Victor, honey, I’ve drawn the bath for you—” He immediately hung up. I sent him a message: “You have twenty-four hours. If you don’t return the money, I’ll file a lawsuit and make sure your misuse of my trust fund appears in legal notices on every single one of your investors’ desks.”

That night, I received a new friend request with the note “Charlotte.” I accepted it. She immediately sent a message: “Got the million. Thanks for being so generous, sis~ Try not to be so bitchy next time, okay?” Then another: “Still awake this late? Waiting for someone? Don’t bother. Victor’s with me. He says you’re boring.” I didn’t reply. I just took screenshots and saved them. The next day, I went directly to the upscale club Victor frequented. I needed to retrieve a spare access card I’d left at his place. When I reached the door of his usual private room, just as my hand touched the door handle, I heard laughter from inside. “Victor, you’re something else. Lynn’s been with you for seven years, and you just swipe a million of her money without blinking to spoil your new girl?” A slick male voice laughed. Victor’s lazy voice came through: “Her money is my money. Women, you know—when they throw tantrums, you just let them cool off. When she realizes she can’t live without me, she’ll naturally come back.” “So what’s your situation now? Keeping the main wife at home while playing around outside? Who are you actually marrying in two months?” another person asked. “Whoever’s more obedient, I’ll marry.” Victor’s tone carried a condescending amusement. “If Lynn knows what’s good for her and comes back behaving herself, the position is still hers. Charlotte’s young and fun—I’ll keep her around for entertainment for now.” Someone egged him on: “Impressive! But Lynn’s trust fund is a fat piece of meat. Don’t screw it up.” “I won’t.” Victor sounded supremely confident. “With that brain of hers, all the money she earns will eventually be mine anyway. She’s just being stubborn right now.” My blood nearly froze. Nausea rose in my throat. I didn’t push open the door. I turned and walked to the quiet end of the corridor and called him. “Victor,” my voice was cold as ice, “I’m telling you one last time. Return my million dollars by the end of today. Otherwise, I’ll not only file a lawsuit, but I’ll also leak to the financial media and all your clients that you’ve been misappropriating trust funds to support your mistress. I mean what I say.” The other end went silent instantly, then his voice came through, lowered and furious: “Lynn! You wouldn’t dare!” “Watch me.” I hung up. That evening, my mother called, her voice full of concern: “Victor came to the house this afternoon and said some things… What’s really going on with you two? Seven years together isn’t easy. You’re about to get married—don’t let small things ruin it…” “Mom,” I calmly interrupted her, “there’s no misunderstanding. He took a million dollars of my money to buy jewelry for his mistress. He and I are completely finished. I’ve already agreed to Adrian’s proposal. He’ll be back soon.” Just after I’d calmed my mother down, Adrian called. His voice carried a hint of barely perceptible urgency: “Lynn, I’ve expedited the transition here. I can be back as early as next week. Are you… are you all right?” “I’m fine.” Hearing his voice steadied me a bit. “I’ll wait for you to come back.”

I didn’t expect his “next week” to be so immediate. Two days later, he’d already handled the most critical matters and rushed back. The first thing he said when we met was: “Come on, let’s go to city hall.” I teased him: “I’m not someone who goes back on my word. I’m not going to run away.” He gripped my hand tightly, slowly interlacing our fingers. This usually mature man was happy as a child: “I’m afraid something might change if we wait.” He didn’t want to wait even a second longer. He took me to complete the marriage registration. When we received that legally binding marriage certificate, he finally relaxed completely. That night—our wedding night—Victor sent me a text: “Okay, I’m not angry anymore. Come back home. The house feels empty without you. I’m not used to it.” I didn’t respond. The day after our wedding, Adrian had to return overseas due to urgent business matters. Before he left, he gave me an unlimited black card and the keys to an estate in the western district. After moving, I went back to work as usual. What I didn’t expect was that Charlotte would be assigned to my project team as an intern. “Victor said this project is my responsibility now.” “Since we’re so ‘close,’ hand everything over.” She actually walked past me and went straight to my computer, reaching out to operate it. I blocked her: “That’s not your workstation.” “Victor said I can use whichever computer I want here.” She even pulled open my unlocked drawer and took out a core proposal draft I’d spent half a month on and just finalized, flipping through it carelessly. “What is this garbage?” She pursed her lips and actually picked up my pen from the desk and scribbled several black lines across key data on several pages. “I don’t think this works. It needs to be redone. Oh, but it’s my responsibility now anyway.” Especially when she saw I was calm and not losing it like she’d imagined, she kept trying to provoke me with words: “Victor and I are getting married soon. This company will be mine eventually. Are you going to hand things over or not?” “Is this the level of a VP?!” “No wonder Victor doesn’t want you—you work like a zombie, no potential at all!” I stared at her coldly: “Unlike you, who’s like a rat—only knows how to steal.” “If you’re not satisfied, you can request a transfer.” She angrily raised her hand to hit me, but I grabbed it mid-air. “If you don’t want the whole industry to know you got ahead by stealing trade secrets, go ahead and act out!” She angrily jerked her hand back and glared at me viciously. In the end, she seized control of the project and arrogantly ordered me: “Organize all the raw data and give it to me!” I reminded her: “This proposal involves the company’s core secrets. You need to sign confirming you’re taking over, and you’ll be fully responsible for any leaks going forward.” She looked at me disdainfully: “How pathetic! My husband has plenty of money and connections—I can do whatever I want! The only reason he doesn’t give you resources is because you don’t deserve them.” I said nothing, secretly gleeful about the day they’d both fall. While silently organizing the handover documents in the stairwell, she suddenly deliberately fell backward and cried out, accusing me: “Why did you push me! It’s not my fault Victor didn’t choose you!” “Why do women have to make things hard for each other!” Such terrible acting. Not only that, she pitifully called Victor to complain. Victor soon arrived to find Charlotte sitting on the floor crying. Without asking what happened, he accused me: “Lynn, when did you become so vicious!” “I’m so disappointed in you!” I found it laughable and let out a small laugh: “I’m very disappointed in you too.” Charlotte sobbed: “It hurts, it hurts so much…” Victor held her in his arms and cooed at her. Then he slapped me across the face, lecturing me: “Now you know what it feels like to be hit! Otherwise you’ll never learn your lesson!” This was the first time he’d hit me in public. I was stunned by the pain for a moment. Watching him carry Charlotte away, I took a deep breath. Back in my office, I calmly submitted my electronic resignation. Then I copied the resignation notice to all senior management.

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“What’s one plus one?” On the highway, my brother Sam suddenly asked. I hesitated. “It’s…” Before I could finish, my mother flew into a rage and slapped me hard across the face. “I have a master’s degree. Your father has a PhD.” “Your brother is a math prodigy who gets perfect scores every time, and you have to hesitate over one plus one? You’re nothing but a useless waste!” My cheek burned. Terror flooded my chest. I shook my head, crying: “Mom, please don’t hate me. I’m not useless. Sam said-” But she wouldn’t listen. She pushed me out of the car “A piece of trash that inherited nothing but inferior genes doesn’t deserve to sit in the same car as us. Walk home yourself!” I ran after them desperately, but my parents drove off with Sam anyway. A massive truck came speeding from behind. Suddenly, my body felt light. I caught up to their car. “Mom, Dad, I’m not useless! My teacher called me a young artist and said everyone has their own strengths!” “A child’s stride is is roughly between 0.3 and 0.5 meters.” “I did the math for you. From here to the highway rest stop, you only need to walk 3,000 steps.” “This is your punishment, but it’s also meant to activate your potential. Since you’re not naturally clever, it’ll help you fit into our family.” Once Mom finished, she turned and got into the car without a second glance. I ran after her. “Mom, don’t leave me behind.” The car window slowly rolled down. Mom just tossed a small camera out from inside the car. “This is the latest cloud camera. It’ll record you, so don’t try to slack off and skip counting.” “Be careful on the road. You can only walk in the emergency lane.” Mom left those final instructions, and the window immediately rolled back up. I watched helplessly as the car drove away. The taillights grew dimmer and dimmer until they completely disappeared into the darkness. “Mom, it’s so cold.” The weather lady on the forecast said today’s temperature was 10 degrees below zero. But Mom forgot to give me my coat. I held up the little camera dejectedly and spoke to the lens. “Mom, I’m not useless.” “I’m the best at drawing in my whole class. My teacher said that’s called having different strengths.” But the camera lens couldn’t talk back. I sniffled and held back my tears, then started counting seriously. “1, 2, 3…” But it was so cold. Even the warm breath I exhaled seemed to turn to ice. I counted slower and slower, and my steps got smaller and smaller. When I reached 1,000, my legs felt as heavy as two big stones. I tripped over something and fell to my knees. The pain shot through me instantly. My whole body hurt. I apologized to the camera lens through my tears. “Mom, I’m sorry. It really hurts too much. I’ll just rest for ten counts.” Our family often played counting games. Success brought rewards, failure brought punishment. Sam always got the rewards. I always failed, and Mom would punish me for ten counts. Ten slaps on the hands, ten spanks on the bottom. I used to think ten counts was so slow, but now it felt so fast. When the ten counts ended, I struggled to get up from the ground. I moved my legs bit by bit. The blood from my knees soaked through my pants, and every step hurt so much. I gritted my teeth. Just 1,970 more steps and I could get back to our hometown. My grandparents were waiting for us at the reunion dinner. But my body grew colder and colder. White spots seemed to drift before my eyes. I cried toward the camera. “Mom, I don’t think I can keep going.” She didn’t answer. Then a blinding light flooded in from behind me. I had wandered into the middle of the road without even realizing it. When I woke up, I suddenly realized my body had turned weightless.

My lighter body quickly caught up to my parents. They were resting at a service area with lots of delicious food on the table. Mom was urging Sam to drink some hot water. “It’s too cold today. You must drink some hot water.” Sam reluctantly took a sip. I quietly swallowed, wanting so badly to drink some hot water too. “Mom, I want some too.” I timidly begged, but Mom remained completely indifferent. She fed Sam water and gave Sam fruit. She seemed unable to see me at all. I held back my sadness. Just then, Dad suddenly raised his hand to look at his watch and frowned. “We’ve been waiting at the service area for an hour. Why hasn’t Chloe arrived yet? I hope nothing happened to her.” My heart lifted with joy. Dad-he finally remembered me. “Dad, I met a really big truck. I was too tired to run, and that truck-” I wanted to tell Dad loudly. But Mom said impatiently, “Dylan, it’s only two kilometers. It’s not that far.” “If it were Sam, he would’ve run here already.” “She’s always been lazy since childhood. This is a good chance to let her exercise!” Sam nodded. He wasn’t just good at math-he was athletic too. “She’s already slow. If she doesn’t get some exercise, what are we going to do when she’s always sick?” He snorted coldly. Sam often mocked me. This time in the car, he suddenly asked me a math question. He just wanted to laugh at how stupid I was. Before, I would always grin at Sam foolishly, never holding grudges. After all, he was my brother. But this time I was a little angry. I yelled at him. “I am not! Sam is so mean!” If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been kicked out of the car. Dad hesitated. He looked at the thick fog outside, then his brow gradually relaxed. “A two-kilometer walk takes adults 20 to 35 minutes. Considering external factors, it’s normal for a child to be a bit later.” Hearing Dad’s words made my heart feel heavy. I’d been sickly since childhood, getting winded after walking just a few steps, let alone walking 3,000 steps in such cold weather. But they seemed to have forgotten. They decided to wait a little longer. They waited another hour, until Sam got impatient. He pestered Dad to drive. Just then, a couple walked in. Their conversation interrupted Sam. “We left at dawn on purpose, but there’s still a traffic jam.” “That accident just now was really terrible. I heard the kid’s brains were splattered everywhere. It was just a child…” At those words, Dad trembled violently. Mom panicked too. She quickly opened her phone. She saw the little dot still moving on her phone and breathed a sigh of relief. The next second, she became angry again. “The camera I bought not only records video but also has GPS tracking.” “Look, she’s moving fast right now. She definitely got a ride and is playing victim. She doesn’t listen at all!” “We’re not waiting for her anymore. Let’s leave now. If she’s so capable, she can have whoever’s driving her take her home!” Hearing this, I became anxious. “Mom, that’s not true.” “I didn’t. That’s an ambulance, not a ride I found.” But Mom couldn’t hear me. She bundled Sam up tightly and pulled Dad to the car to go home. I cried as I followed my parents’ car. The ambulance siren seemed to get closer and closer, but Dad hit the gas and exited the highway. The car soon arrived at my grandparents’house. I rushed toward them feeling wronged, but passed right through them.

New Year was my favorite time every year. The New Year gathering meant I could see my grandparents. But now I felt so sad. My tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Grandma rushed to the back seat and lifted Sam out first. Then she looked into the car again. “Where’s Chloe? Why isn’t Chloe in the car?” “Grandma, I’m here.” I sobbed and tugged at Grandma’s sleeve. Mom said impatiently, “She’s riding with someone else.” “Come on, it’s freezing out here. Sam sat in the car for so long-he’s cold and hungry. Show some concern for your grandson.” Mom’s words immediately silenced Grandma. She looked at Dad. When Dad nodded, she sighed and stopped asking. “Alright, alright. I made apple pie. Try some.” Mom, Dad, and Sam all ate with relish. I clutched my stomach, about to cry. After walking for an hour, I was exhausted and starving. What I wanted most was Grandma’s apple pie. “Chloe loves apple pie. I even saved some especially for her.” Grandma said with a smile, standing up to look out the window again and again. I sniffled. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. After everyone finished eating and Grandma cleared the table, she still hadn’t seen me arrive and finally couldn’t help asking my parents about me again. “Why isn’t Chloe here yet? Whose car is she riding in? Why didn’t you all come together?” The living room suddenly fell silent. Dad hesitated. “Soon, I think. She should be here soon.” His uncertain answer puzzled my grandparents. “Whose car is Chloe riding in? Just call and ask. She’s been gone so long-aren’t you parents worried at all?” Dad pushed up his glasses but looked at Mom. Mom angrily opened her phone. my grandparents stretched their necks expectantly. I looked too. She frowned and opened her phone. Seeing that the camera’s GPS showed it wasn’t far from my grandparents’ house, she said, “Fine. She’ll be back in five minutes.” my grandparents wanted to look closer, but Mom immediately closed her phone. “While we’re back, I need to tell you something important.” “Chloe’s about to start first grade. You can’t keep spoiling her anymore. It’s very bad for her future development.” Mom’s tone was extremely stern. I hid behind Grandma in fear. Mom loved smart children. She was always gentle with Sam. But I was too stupid. Mom was always angry. Once I scored 59 on a math test, and she was so furious she slapped me. “Are you even my biological child? How can you be this stupid?” “You got such simple addition and subtraction wrong? What’s in your brain?” To make me learn math well, she frantically created study plans for me. Study a year’s worth of math, do math problems. If I couldn’t learn, she’d hit my palms. Grandma couldn’t stand it and would speak up for me. This time was the same. She said quietly, “Jennifer, I think teaching children shouldn’t be too forceful. Chloe is still young…” Before she could finish, Mom cut her off sharply. “Mom, do you know that Chloe now has to hesitate even when asked what 1+1 equals?” “When Sam was her age, he could already solve third-grade math problems!” Grandma’s face turned pale. In the corner, Sam was secretly laughing. I rushed forward anxiously. “Mom, I didn’t hesitate! It was Sam!” “Sam said 1+1 doesn’t equal 2!” I didn’t understand, but when Sam asked again, I hesitated. But Mom couldn’t hear my explanation. “Everyone, look! Isn’t this Chloe’s coat?”

Dad and Grandpa went to get the luggage. They found my coat. Grandpa held up the coat, looking confused. “If Chloe rode with someone else, why is her coat in your car?” Dad frowned, also seeming incredulous. “Jennifer, when you made Chloe get out of the car, you didn’t give her a coat?” Mom panicked, her eyes shifting. “I… I forgot.” “And Chloe too. She’s old enough-she should know to put on her own coat.” Hearing Mom’s complaint, I felt wronged and hugged myself. Mom kicked me out of the car. She didn’t give me any chance to resist. The bone-chilling cold seemed to return. In this warm, heated room, my body kept shivering. “What?” “On the highway, you kicked Chloe out of the car?” Grandpa’s voice immediately rose in accusation. Grandma clutched her chest. “Are you insane? In weather ten degrees below zero, leaving a six-year-old child alone on the highway-how could you do such a thing!” “What if… what if something happened…” Mom immediately cut off Grandma. “There won’t be a ‘what if.’ I told her to walk in the emergency lane. There’s no danger!” Mom seemed to be trying to comfort Grandma. She even opened her phone. “Look, Chloe’s GPS is still moving. Nothing will happen.” But my grandparents didn’t believe her. They insisted on going to the highway to find me. I shook my head crying, my heart aching. “Chloe’s already back. Please don’t fight…” Sam suddenly ran out. He looked like he’d discovered something new. “Mom, look what I found!” I looked at what he was holding and wanted to snatch it away in fear. But Mom grabbed it first. She seemed to have found powerful evidence to turn things around. She pointed at the thing in her hand and questioned my grandparents. “What is this? You’re such good grandparents to Chloe! Spoiling her so she won’t amount to anything!” “Thank goodness I raised Sam myself. Look how excellent he is-first in his grade, perfect math scores. When it was time to move up, every school fought to have him!” “What about Chloe? She’s useless! A waste that you spoiled!” Her words stabbed into my heart one by one. In the picture of our family that I’d drawn, Sam and I held hands while my parents held ours. We all had big smiles on our faces. I’d titled it “A Happy Family.” “What future is there in drawing? I want them to get into NYU! To have a good future!” She was about to tear up the family portrait. I rushed over begging. “Don’t! Mom, don’t!” “I’ll be good. I’ll study hard. I’ll never draw again.” The next second, Mom ruthlessly tore the picture to shreds anyway. Her face twisted as she yelled at my grandparents. “Do you know how much pressure there is in society now? Degrees are so devalued, and you still spoil her. What will she do when she enters society?” My grandparents’ faces went pale. They looked at my father. He adjusted his glasses. “I also believe Chloe should focus on her studies, not waste her limited energy on meaningless things.” His words broke me completely. Through my tears, I felt myself slowly floating upward. Mom, Dad, I wasn’t the child you wanted. Please don’t be angry. Sam will become your pride… The doorbell rang suddenly. Mom went to answer it, muttering, “That must be Chloe. I told her to walk three thousand steps, but I bet she barely took one!” But outside stood two officers in uniform. They held a bloodstained camera and a photo from the accident. “Excuse me,” one of them asked. “What is your relationship to the child holding this camera?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “354171”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

To awaken my true love from his coma, I married Logan, a serial cheater, and endured endless humiliation from his first love. Every time he betrayed me, he’d transfer a massive sum as compensation, mocking me for being as obedient as a dog. What he didn’t know was that this was the “contract” I’d signed with the System to wake Wyatt from his vegetative state. On the 99th occasion, his first love moved into our home, pregnant belly and all. I personally handed them wine laced with aphrodisiac, smiling as I watched Logan kiss his beloved. Logan’s 100th betrayal complete, my mission was done. After taking the money and disappearing, I returned with my awakened first love in a high-profile comeback. Logan went insane, kneeling in the rain, begging me to come back. He didn’t know that every moment I endured through those three years, I was calling out someone else’s name in my heart. I have never loved Logan. Evelyn POV My phone chimed with a bank transfer alert. The long string of zeroes meant another huge payment had just landed.  stood outside the noisy VIP lounge, holding his suit jacket, and took a deep breath. The door was slightly ajar. Through the gap, I could see my husband of three years, Logan, letting a seductive woman grind in his lap. Over these three years, Logan had transferred a large compensation payment to me after every single affair. The ironic part? It had been the same woman every time: Hannah. The System’s progress bar showed this was the ninety-ninth time. Just one more, and I’d be free. “Logan, why isn’t Evelyn here yet?She’s not upset about being called out this late, is she?” “How could she be? These past three years, she’s been like a spineless maid orbiting Logan. Delivering umbrellas in downpours, bringing hot meals in winter. Last time she was in a car accident, bleeding, and still insisted on delivering documents to the office. She wouldn’t dare get angry.” Logan casually swirled the whiskey in his glass, his eyes full of arrogance and confidence. The next moment, I pushed open the door. I’d just gotten out of the shower when his message came. I threw on a coat and rushed over. “Sorry I’m late.” I handed Logan his jacket, slightly breathless, playing up my hurried arrival. Several billionaire heirs in the lounge turned to look at me. My damp hair clung to my chest, my clothes soaked and sticking tightly to my skin. I could clearly feel several pairs of eyes fixed on me. “Evelyn, is this…your new tactic?” The man sitting closest to me laughed with a suggestive tone. Logan’s expression darkened instantly. He casually flung the drink from his glass into the man’s face, his voice icy. “Look again, and I’ll have your eyes.” “Logan, no need to be so upset. We’re all just admiring Evelyn’s…assets.” Hannah, perched in Logan’s lap, chimed in with a saccharine voice. Even when our eyes met, she made no move to get up. “Evelyn, I twisted my ankle. Logan’s just helping me sit for a bit. You don’t mind, right?” Hannah was Logan’s first love from before he went abroad-the legendary girlfriend he supposedly couldn’t forget. The first day after our wedding, Logan got a call that she was back in the country. He left me alone in that empty mansion for two whole months. Back then, I became the laughingstock of the entire social circle. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out.” I looked at Logan and turned to leave. But Hannah stepped in front of me first, smiling as she handed me a drink. “Today’s my birthday. Since you’re here, why not have a drink with me? Consider it a birthday wish.” “I’m allergic to alcohol.” I refused calmly, but the glass was already forced into my hand. “Just one drink, it’ll be fine. Evelyn, with so many friends here, you wouldn’t embarrass me, would you?” Hannah said, shaking Logan’s arm coquettishly. “Drink it.” Logan commanded in a deep voice, his tone brooking no refusal. “Alright.” I tilted my head back and downed the entire glass of hard liquor in one gulp. Cheers erupted around us as everyone egged me on, but no one noticed the strange flash in Logan’s eyes. I set the empty glass on the table, curved my lips into a light smile, and said gently to Logan, “Have fun. I’ll head home first.” As I left the lounge, mocking laughter pierced through behind me. “God, Logan, you’re incredible! I heard Evelyn obeys your every command, but I didn’t expect her to actually be like an obedient dog!” Hannah’s face bloomed into a radiant smile as she nestled back into Logan’s embrace, raising her glass. “Of course. Our Logan is just that charming.” My departing steps paused slightly. Then, with a cold expression, I walked straight out of the bar. The cold wind outside hit my face, and I couldn’t help but shiver. My stomach churned violently, and every step felt like walking on knife blades. Eventually, I couldn’t hold on anymore and collapsed by the roadside. As consciousness faded, I murmured through my tears, “Wyatt, I miss you so much…” Six years ago, that car accident turned my beloved Wyatt into a vegetable. The System found me and told me that if I completed the task of “enduring my husband’s infidelity 100 times,” I could wake my love. So I carefully orchestrated my meeting with Logan, who’d lost his first love. From dating to marriage, everything was part of my plan. As long as Logan cheated for the 100th time, I could bring Wyatt back. When Hannah returned three years ago, I knew my dream was close to coming true. Just one more time. Wait for me, Wyatt.

Evelyn POV When I woke up again, I found myself lying in a private hospital room. I’d barely started to sit up when the door burst open. “Evelyn, I heard you got sick? I’m so sorry. I was too happy yesterday. I thought one drink wouldn’t hurt, but I didn’t expect…” Hannah rushed to my bedside first. Before she finished speaking, tears were already streaming down her face, as if she were the wronged party. Logan gently patted her shoulder to comfort her, but when he looked at me, his gaze was bone-chillingly cold, tinged with disgust. “Stop pretending. You’re not that fragile.” I lowered my eyes and sat up from the hospital bed, my voice hoarse. “Hannah, I’m fine. You don’t need to blame yourself.” “That’s good to hear. Actually, I came to ask you for a favor.” At this, a shy blush spread across Hannah’s face. “Hannah’s pregnant. You don’t have much to do at home anyway, so I’m having her move in. You’ll take care of her until she gives birth.” Logan’s voice was low and commanding, making it clear this wasn’t up for discussion. Hannah’s face radiated undisguised happiness. She touched her belly and leaned shamelessly into Logan’s embrace. “This is my child, the crystallization of our love. Evelyn, you’ll take good care of us, won’t you?” Looking at this absurd scene, I slowly curved my lips into a cold smile. “Logan, you want your legal wife to take care of your mistress? If word gets out, what about your family’s stock price and reputation?” While I didn’t care about Logan’s feelings, this humiliation was hard to swallow. “You haven’t gotten pregnant in three years of marriage. The family trust needs an explanation. This child is the family heir. You must take care of him.” Logan frowned coldly, not allowing me to refuse. Thinking of all the memories with Wyatt, I took a deep breath and ultimately chose to endure. “Fine, I agree.” The System had warned me that before reaching the 100th affair, I couldn’t refuse any of Logan’s demands. That evening, before my body had fully recovered, I was forced to leave the hospital and return to that cold mansion. Hannah nestled on the couch, snuggling in Logan’s arms, watching me bustle around in the open kitchen. “Thanks for your hard work, Evelyn. Logan says you’re an excellent cook. You’ve even cured his stomach problems over the years. Looks like I’m in for a treat today.” Before I could respond, Logan casually brushed aside the hair by her ear. “Why be polite to her? She’s just a free maid. I have no feelings for her whatsoever.” In the kitchen, I heard every word of their conversation. I gripped the porcelain bowl in my hand tightly, gritting my teeth and enduring once more. Feelings? Someone like Logan didn’t deserve to talk about feelings. At the dining table, I brought the last dish to the table. “You two eat first. I’m not feeling well, so I’ll go rest.” “Evelyn, could you get me a bowl of soup? It’s fine if you don’t eat, but I can’t move easily. Surely you should take care of a pregnant woman?” Hannah held the bowl out to me, raising her eyebrows provocatively. Logan said nothing, clearly giving his tacit approval. In the end, I took the bowl to ladle hot soup. But when I handed it back, Hannah raised her hand and “accidentally” knocked the bowl over. The porcelain bowl shattered on the floor, and scalding soup splashed all over the back of my hand. “Are you okay?” Hannah pretended to care and tried to stand, but Logan pulled her back down. “Why bother with her? You’re what matters most.” I rushed to the kitchen, running cold water over my burned hand, biting my lip hard to keep the tears from falling. Once upon a time, Wyatt never let me do these rough chores. One time when I got curious and tried cooking, I accidentally burned myself. That was the first time Wyatt ever got angry with me-because it broke his heart. “What’s taking so long? Evelyn, you were the one who chased after me, who schemed to marry me. You should’ve known this would be the result. Get over here and serve Hannah!” Logan’s impatient shout came from the dining room.

Evelyn POV I closed my eyes, readjusted my emotions, and returned to the dining room. “Evelyn, I’m a bit clumsy sometimes. You’re not angry, are you?” Hannah smiled at me, her eyes full of malice. “No.” I was forced to sit across from them, watching them feed each other intimately. My face showed no emotional fluctuation, not even a hint of jealousy. Not until Logan fed Hannah the last bite did he suddenly slam his utensils on the table in anger. “That’s enough. Go back to your room. I’m sick of looking at your dead face.” I calmly stood and went upstairs to my room. Back in my room, I gently caressed the old bracelet on my wrist, silently calming my emotions. This suffocating place-I couldn’t stand another moment here. Just then, the door was violently pushed open. Logan, reeking of alcohol, rushed to the bed and pinned me beneath him. His cold eyes stared at me intently. “What exactly are you doing? You were the one who pursued me madly, made my mother like you so much that I had no choice but to marry you.” He continued, “But on our wedding night, you found every excuse to sleep in separate rooms. After marriage, you’ve always been this cold. Three years of marriage, and you’ve never let me touch you!” “Evelyn, I really want to crack open your head and see what you’re thinking!” Looking at the angry man before me, I just glanced casually toward the doorway. “Hannah, is something wrong?” Only then did Logan notice the figure at the door. Hannah stood in the hallway shadows, secretly clenching her fists, but forcing a smile onto her face. “Nothing. I was just about to take a shower when I heard some noise over here. I was worried you two might be fighting because of me…” “Fighting? She’s not worth it.” Logan stood up and straightened his disheveled shirt, his voice low. “A heartless person doesn’t deserve to affect my emotions.” As he spoke, he casually pressed down on my burned hand. I frowned in pain, but he forcibly lifted my chin, his threatening voice in my ear. “Marrying me was your choice. You need to take responsibility.” Logan turned and walked to Hannah’s side, instantly returning to his gentle demeanor. “Let’s go. Don’t waste time here.” Hannah smiled and nodded, gave me a long look, then left arm-in-arm with Logan. The door closed again. I stood there alone, lost in thought. Without the System, I would have followed Wyatt six years ago. Though I’d schemed to get married, spending three years as Logan’s free maid should make up for it. Almost there. Perhaps because my body hadn’t recovered, I developed a high fever in the middle of the night and couldn’t get up in time to make breakfast the next day. When the servants finally forced me awake and dragged me out of my room, I was surprised to find Hannah leaning against the staircase railing, as if waiting for someone. “Logan left to handle a company acquisition. We don’t need to keep wearing masks and acting anymore, do we, Evelyn?” She spoke up first, intentionally or not glancing toward the security camera. I didn’t respond. I planned to go downstairs to prepare the late breakfast. I had to remain compliant before Logan’s final affair. Fortunately, the drug I’d had someone buy for me would arrive soon. Even if they wanted to restrain themselves for the sake of family reputation, with that drug, they’d be unable to resist once. Once was all I needed. As I reached the stairs, Hannah suddenly blocked my path. “Evelyn, Logan doesn’t love you at all. I’m already carrying his child. Can’t you just let go and wish us happiness?” She gripped my hand tightly, digging her nails into my burn where the cameras couldn’t see. “Let go!” I yanked my hand back in pain. “Ah-!” Hannah’s body swayed, and she cried out as she fell backward.

Evelyn POV Everything happened too fast. By the time I reached out to grab her, it was already too late. Hannah tumbled down the stairs right before my eyes. The servants screamed in panic, frantically calling for an ambulance. The scene descended into chaos. I stood in place, staring at the unconscious figure downstairs, my brow furrowed. I hadn’t expected Hannah to be so ruthless to herself just to frame me. As expected, two hours after Hannah was taken away by ambulance, I saw Logan at home, his face ashen. I was sitting on the living room couch, quietly waiting for the storm to arrive. Logan roughly pulled me up and dragged me outside. “I checked the surveillance. You pushed her! Evelyn, I didn’t think you were this vicious-to not even spare an unborn child! Thank God the doctor said the baby’s safe for now. If anything happens to Hannah, I’ll make you pay!” “Now, come with me to the hospital and apologize!” In the hospital room, I was roughly thrown to the floor, dizzy and disoriented. “Logan, what are you doing? Evelyn probably didn’t mean it. Don’t be angry.” Hannah, lying pale in the hospital bed, gripped his hand and softly consoled him. But when our eyes met, she raised her eyebrows subtly, the smile at the corner of her mouth carrying a victor’s smugness. “Evelyn, as compensation, give Hannah that bracelet on your wrist. She’s liked it for a long time.” Logan looked down at me commandingly, leaving no room for discussion. “No!” Before I could even stand, hearing these words made me abnormally agitated. I hid the bracelet behind my back, shouting hoarsely for the first time. I stared at Logan intently, my expression grave. In three years of marriage, this was the first time I’d refused his demand. Logan paused, looking somewhat surprised. “I mean…” At the critical moment, remembering the System’s warning, I had to grit my teeth and explain. “If Hannah’s angry, I can do anything she asks, but not this bracelet.” But Hannah tilted her head, her smile bright and innocent. “But I really do like this bracelet. Just let me borrow it for one day, okay? I’ll give it back tomorrow.” She extended her hand. I still didn’t answer, my expression full of stubbornness. That was the first gift Wyatt ever gave me, and the only thing that survived the car accident. It was my keepsake, my motivation to keep going. Absolutely cannot give it away. “Evelyn! It’s just a broken bracelet. I’ll buy you a better one. Besides, Hannah said she’ll return it tomorrow. You made a mistake-shouldn’t you pay some kind of price?” Logan stepped forward, trying to forcibly remove my bracelet. I stumbled backward, using my actions to refuse, but suddenly the System’s mechanical voice rang in my mind. “Warning! If the host refuses, the 99 affairs will be invalidated. Everything will start over!” Almost instantly, my breath caught. The pain in my heart made it impossible to breathe. I gasped for air, looked up at Logan through tears, my voice choking. “Logan, can’t you help me just this once?” Tears rolled down my cheeks and landed on Logan’s hand. He froze for a moment, his eyes flickering, and the stern expression on his face shifted subtly. In three years, this was the first time he’d seen me this aggrieved and submissive. “You…” “Logan!” Hannah suddenly spoke up, interrupting whatever Logan was about to say. “I’m just borrowing it. Don’t you trust me?” I shook my head slightly, silently resisting. But in the end, Logan still heartlessly removed my bracelet and slowly straightened up. “I’ll write you a check later. Pick whatever jewelry you like. Hannah will return this tomorrow.” As he spoke, he turned back to the hospital bed and, right in front of me, personally put that old bracelet on Hannah’s wrist. “It’s beautiful. No wonder Evelyn treasures it so much.” Hannah smiled sweetly, but stared at me as she spoke each word deliberately. “I love it too!”

Evelyn POV I clenched my fists, staring hard at the bracelet on her wrist. It was tainted now. Hannah tugged at Logan’s sleeve coquettishly. “Logan, don’t you have a meeting at the company? With Evelyn here to take care of me, I’m sure nothing will go wrong.” By then I’d managed to stand up from the floor, returning to my usual calm. “I’ll take good care of her.” Only then did Logan feel comfortable leaving, though before going, he couldn’t help glancing at my burned hand. After leaving the room, he dialed his assistant. “Go to the auction and buy that new limited edition diamond bracelet.” Meanwhile, in the hospital room, only Hannah and I remained. “Evelyn, I heard that before you married Logan, you lived in a shabby apartment. After the wedding, you spent money to buy that apartment?” My hand paused while pouring water, a bad premonition creeping over me. “This child of mine nearly miscarried because of you. I have to make you pay some kind of price.” Hannah casually took out her phone and made a video call. “When I went abroad, we’d agreed I’d come back in three years and we’d get married. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have become this kind of shameful secret mistress. So you ruined me.” The video call connected. She turned the phone screen toward me. The moment I saw the image, I froze completely, my breathing becoming rapid and impossible to control. That familiar apartment-the little home Wyatt and I once shared-was now engulfed in roaring flames. Many onlookers had gathered, but no one could stop the fire from spreading. All my memories of Wyatt were there-how we met, how we got to know each other, how we fell in love-everything! Now being mercilessly consumed by fire! Large tears rolled continuously down my cheeks. I trembled with pain all over. But Hannah only laughed. “Consider this my gift to you. Do you like it?” I ignored her mockery, turned and ran out frantically, calling the fire department at the same time. Faster, go faster! At least save something… By the time I arrived, the apartment had become a pile of ruins. Though there were no casualties, everything before my eyes was bleak and dark. I stood there dazed as rain washed away all the memories, drenching me cold and merciless. I ignored the firefighters’ attempts to stop me and rushed into the ruins like a madwoman, frantically searching, murmuring that name over and over. Hoping heaven could be merciful, even if just one thing remained. I don’t know how long I searched. Eventually, I collapsed unconscious in the ruins from exhaustion. Everything was gone. “Evelyn, what happened to you? Logan, I feel so bad for her.” False crying sounds filled my ears, irritatingly noisy. I frowned and opened my eyes to see Logan holding the tearful Hannah in his arms, comforting her. “This has nothing to do with you. She went crazy on her own. Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Those painful images appeared in my mind again. I suddenly sat up, grabbed Hannah by the collar, and slapped her hard across the face. The crisp sound of the slap made the hospital room instantly silent. “You deserve to die, Hannah. You deserve to die!” I tried to hit her again like a madwoman, but Logan pushed me away. I fell onto the hospital bed but lunged forward again. “You lunatic! Someone come!” Logan protected Hannah tightly while calling security guards to pin me down on the bed. “Logan, I… Evelyn really doesn’t like me. I’ve already booked a plane ticket. I’ll leave tomorrow. At least that way our child can be safe…” Hannah covered her red, swollen cheek, crying pitifully. “Evelyn, apologize now!” Logan shouted sternly.

Evelyn POV “I’m going to kill her! Logan, you bastard!” I kept struggling, but I had no strength left. My bloodshot eyes stared at Hannah, wishing I could tear her to pieces. “I think you really have gone insane.” Logan angrily tore the old bracelet off Hannah’s wrist. “I know this thing is important to you, but you shouldn’t have hit Hannah. Evelyn, you need to pay the price.” As he spoke, Logan broke the fragile bracelet right in front of me. “No!!” I screamed, the pain making my entire body tremble uncontrollably. But the bracelet still broke into several pieces before my eyes. Logan turned, walked into the bathroom, threw the remnants into the toilet, and pressed the flush. “Logan, no, please! I’m begging you!” I cried and pleaded, but it was too late. The sound of rushing water carried away the last proof of Wyatt’s existence. All of it gone. Logan’s face was cold and stern. He turned back to me, roughly grabbed my chin, and forced me to meet his eyes. “You need to recognize your place. You’re nothing but a dog following behind me. What right do you have to lash out and bite?” After a moment of shock, I suddenly shook off the security guards restraining me and bit down hard on Logan’s wrist. The man’s cry of pain mingled with Hannah’s scream. But I refused to let go no matter what. All I could see was Wyatt’s face and all our beautiful memories together. The metallic taste filled my mouth. Doctors and nurses rushed in to help, but I didn’t release my grip until I’d torn a chunk of flesh from Logan’s wrist. The nurse frantically bandaged him while Logan stared at me in disbelief. But I laughed-hair disheveled, I looked like a demon crawled back from hell, my laughter eerie and terrible. “Evelyn…” Logan spoke softly despite the searing pain in his hand. But I began coughing violently, coughing so hard I couldn’t hear the voices around me. Not until I coughed up blood did I finally collapse. In the second before I closed my eyes, I still stared at Logan with hatred. When I woke again, I found myself lying in bed at home. The room was quiet. I instinctively reached for my bracelet, but my wrist was empty. The door opened. Logan stood by the bed in his suit, his wrist wrapped in thick bandages. He casually tossed a new, expensive diamond bracelet onto the blanket. “Consider us even. You bit me, so we’re square.” I gave a cold smile, my eyes full of mockery, offering no response. “I’m taking Hannah to the charity gala tomorrow. You stay home. Last time…you did hit her first. You were in the wrong, so the punishment was deserved.” “Can I go to the gala?” My voice sounded unexpectedly hoarse as I spoke. Logan paused, frowning slightly in confusion. “I won’t get in your way. I just need some air. I know I was wrong.” I lowered my gaze, playing the obedient role as I clutched the diamond bracelet tightly in my palm. “Fine. As long as you behave, the family and I…won’t treat you badly. You’re still my wife.” He reached out stiffly and patted my head before turning to leave. At the door, Logan stopped. “Remember to take your medicine.” I didn’t answer. The door closed again. I tossed the expensive diamond bracelet into the trash, wiped my tears, and dialed a familiar number. “What I need. It will be here tomorrow, right?”

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My girlfriend, Sienna, once asked me: “If you become successful one day, will you abandon me?” I said no. After that, I stayed by her side for six years, watching her grow from a bit-part actress into an award-winning star. At a film festival awards ceremony, she tearfully announced her longtime partner. The spotlight swept past me and landed on Zachary, the struggling college student I’d been supporting financially. He stood beside Sienna with reddened eyes: “Lucas, thank you for taking care of her all these years. But the one she truly loves is me. You should set her free.” Sienna also looked at me with a warning gaze: “I’ve transferred a hundred thousand dollars to your account. After all these years, we’re even.” Her fans also insulted me online: “This loser doesn’t deserve Sienna at all!” I didn’t explain. I just made one phone call to my assistant: “Pull all of Sienna’s films from distribution.” Sienna, I’ve actually been a billionaire for a long time. I just never told you.

After the awards ceremony ended, Sienna spoke to me very politely: “I’m grateful for these six years we’ve weathered together, but love can’t be forced. The first day I met Zachary, I knew he was my true love. But from now on, we can still be friends.” The next day, however, a massive online harassment campaign against me suddenly erupted. Sienna stood before the cameras with reddened eyes: “When Lucas confessed to me back then, I never intended to accept. But he threatened me with Zachary, so for these six years, I had no choice but to do what he said. Taking terrible scripts, appearing on terrible variety shows, giving my fans a bad experience—I’m so sorry!” Six years had honed her acting skills well. Tears streamed down her face. Zachary, who’d taken a large scholarship from me, also stood beside her with reddened eyes: “Sienna and I were afraid Lucas would retaliate, so all these years, I’ve had to endure in silence. I never dreamed we’d have a day standing together in the spotlight. Thank you all for your support!” Perhaps knowing it was unfair to me. After the media interview ended, Sienna transferred another hundred thousand to my bank account. I found it laughable. Over six years, the resources I’d scrambled to secure for her were worth at least twenty million. And she thought two hundred thousand could settle everything. But I said nothing. These matters could be handled by my PR department. Over the years, I’d built up this PR team specifically to handle malicious smears against Sienna. Now I’d have to use it to salvage my own reputation. However, the PR department manager called me: “Lucas, I’m sorry. Our department has decided to resign collectively. The resignation letters are already on your desk.” Before I could speak, they hung up. I immediately called the others. Without exception, they’d all blocked me. The PR department I’d personally assembled to serve Sienna had kicked me out?! I investigated and discovered that the PR department employees had indeed gone to a new company jointly established by Sienna and Zachary. I called other PR agencies. But it was strange. The agency heads who’d always been courteous to me now refused my calls outright. One person I was usually close with answered, but their words were evasive: “I’ll be straight with you—your ex-girlfriend has been chosen by a major sponsor. She’s got backing now. She wants to promote her new boyfriend. As an old friend, I’m advising you: break up with her peacefully. Don’t go up against the power behind her.” The power behind her? I sneered. Who could have more influence than me? All these years I’d been pulling strings from the shadows. Sienna never knew the extent of my capabilities. It was only because she’d once asked if I’d abandon her if I became successful. I was afraid that if she knew my true identity, she’d feel insecure. So all these years I’d lowered myself to support her from the shadows, hoping she could one day stand shoulder to shoulder with me. Just as I was about to call my subordinates, the hospital suddenly called: “Your father is being surrounded by extreme fans in his hospital room! Come quickly!”

“This is that bastard’s family! His family can’t be anything good either! Don’t let him go!” By the time I reached the hospital, Sienna’s fans had already blocked the entire corridor. Even hospital security couldn’t break through. I brought bodyguards and forcibly tore open a path, finally seeing my blood-covered father hiding in the hospital room. “Lucas is here! Everyone attack!” “We’re Sienna’s loyal fans—who do you think you are, clinging to our idol!” Just as their phones were about to strike me, my father disregarded his own condition and desperately shielded me. Until the police arrived. “Put everything down!” Only then did they stop. My father was immediately taken for bandaging. Furious, I called Sienna: “You told those fans my father’s hospital address, didn’t you? Only you and I knew where he was being treated!” Sienna was silent for a moment. Then she spoke: “Maybe the fans dug up his personal information themselves. I know you’re angry right now, but you can’t just accuse me baselessly.” She hung up. But she didn’t know. I’d been managing her social media accounts all this time. I knew her passwords. When I logged into her account. In the fan group, I saw the address and information about my father that she’d posted. My hands trembled. After her parents died, my father had treated her like his own daughter. Not only was she ungrateful, she’d actually framed my father. Before I could screenshot the evidence, the account was forcibly logged out. I knew—Sienna had discovered it. I didn’t have time to argue with Sienna, because the doctor sent a warning. My father was elderly. After being beaten by the fans, he was bleeding profusely and needed to be transferred to a better hospital immediately. “Then transfer him!” I was desperate. “But there’s no money left in your account to transfer.” I froze. My father’s medical account was linked to my private bank card. It had at least nine zeros on it—how could there be no money! I made countless phone calls. Finally, I learned everything from a friend at the tax bureau: “Someone reported you for suspected money laundering. All your accounts have been frozen for emergency investigation. “Don’t worry—if the investigation finds nothing, they’ll unfreeze them.” I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit.

Although my friend didn’t tell me specifically who reported me. But to forge evidence of money laundering against me. The only person with that capability was the person who’d lived with me for six years. I hadn’t done such things. The authorities would eventually clear my name. But during the investigation, all my funds were frozen. What was being delayed was my father’s life! Even worse— News of my money laundering had already broken online. Sienna stood before the cameras with reddened eyes: “Although he was very controlling and did many bad things to Zachary and me. “He did once help both Zachary and me. “I never imagined Lucas was this kind of person.” Zachary also had reddened eyes: “Is it because Sienna and I fell in love that he lost his rationality and did such things? “If I hadn’t fallen in love with Sienna back then, would he not have ended up like this?” Sienna gripped his hand tightly: “No, it’s not your fault.” Zachary’s photos with reddened eyes went viral. The photo of Sienna gripping Zachary’s hand became the top trending topic. And I became the vicious third party who’d tried to break them up. Either I cooperated with the investigation and delayed my father’s transfer. Or… I clenched my fists—actually commit money laundering.

I still abandoned that idea. Emergency financing. However, the financing platforms that had always approved me instantly now all rejected my loan applications. I didn’t give up. Thinking it was temporary blacklisting due to the money laundering suspicion. So I borrowed a friend’s identity. But the result was the same. Just as I was completely puzzled, a staff member I usually had good relations with in this field quietly tipped me off: “Lucas, stop struggling. “Sienna has issued a blacklist order against you in the industry. No one is allowed to provide you financial support. “There’s a big shot behind her—we don’t dare provoke them.” They hung up and blocked me. I never imagined Sienna could be so ruthless. She’d already stepped on me to promote Zachary. Yet she still relentlessly blocked all my paths. With no choice, I turned my attention to the bank card Sienna had given me. I’d once disdainfully said I’d never use her pittance. But now I could only lower my head… Before the truth came to light, I needed to use that two hundred thousand to save my father’s life. However, when I checked the card, the balance was zero. “After Sienna learned about your suspected money laundering, she immediately contacted the bank and intercepted that two hundred thousand.” I nearly lost my footing. My subordinate quickly steadied me. My fists trembled slightly. First reporting me for money laundering, then quickly intercepting that two hundred thousand. While I was occupied with the investigation, the two of them harvested a wave of goodwill before the cameras. Watching Zachary’s popularity soar. I finally understood what Sienna was really doing. Was she so impatient to step on my corpse to elevate Zachary? When I called her. She was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Just like you couldn’t help but support him back then. “I also can’t bear to see him remain a minor player in the entertainment industry. “Lucas, the first day you brought him home, I knew we had no future.” The phone was nearly crushed in my grip. Her tone remained calm: “I admit this matter took advantage of you. “I’ll pay for your father’s transfer fees.” The call ended. The money also arrived in the account. At this critical moment, I could only grit my teeth and accept this money. When everything was over. Sienna, I won’t let you off! My father’s condition stabilized. But it was only temporary. Follow-up treatment still required a lot of money. The extreme fan who’d beaten him was very arrogant. Would rather go to jail than compensate. My accounts… still hadn’t been unfrozen. Friends pooled money to help cover part of the medical expenses. But it was ultimately only a small portion. The hospital said if we couldn’t raise more money, my father would have to be moved to a regular ward. I sat against the wall in the corridor, listening to the “beep beep” of the machines connected to my father, suddenly seeing no hope at all. “I hear you need money right now.” Several strangers stood before me: “We can provide loan services, but… “It depends on whether you really want the money.”

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In the seventh year of our long-distance relationship, I secretly quit my job to surprise my girlfriend and propose to her. When I arrived at her company, the receptionist heard me ask for Summer and said: “Our CEO is still in a meeting. Please wait a moment.” I was quietly surprised—Summer had never mentioned getting promoted. Then I heard the receptionist whispering with her colleague. “He must be Miss Summer’s lover!” “If Mr. Gilbert finds out Miss Summer’s cheating on him, all hell will break loose!” I was about to ask if they’d misunderstood. Before I could speak, a dignified man walked out. The employees immediately fell silent, respectfully addressing him as Mr. Gilbert. Mr. Gilbert was on the phone: “Honey, I’m downstairs. You’re coming with me to the prenatal checkup today, no excuses!” A clear female voice came through the phone: “Got it. The meeting’s almost over. Wait for me in the reception room.” I’d heard that voice for seven years—I knew it all too well. It was my girlfriend, Summer.

With a thud, my backpack hit the floor. As I crouched down to pick it up, a prenatal examination report fluttered down near my feet. Twelve weeks pregnant. In the mother’s name column: Summer’s name. During that period, Summer kept saying she was too busy, only answering my calls once a week. One time when Summer finally agreed to a video call, I clearly noticed a hickey on her neck. “Mosquito bite,” Summer immediately explained. “Mason, in all these years of long distance, have you ever seen anyone else around me?” I believed her and even apologized to Summer for being too suspicious. Now, she’d become someone else’s wife. She was even carrying his child. The man took the prenatal report from my hand, smiling as he thanked me. Seeing me standing there motionless, he asked, “Are you here to see Summer too?” I nodded. “Let’s go up together then. Summer’s meetings always run long.” In the reception room, the man introduced himself. His name was Gilbert, the head of the Gilbert family in Harbor City. “Summer acts tough but has a soft heart. She always says she’s too busy, but she obediently comes with me to every prenatal checkup.” He looked at the prenatal report in his hand, his eyes full of affection. “She’s been working overtime constantly lately, says she needs to earn enough for the baby’s formula. As if the whole company doesn’t belong to her family—making up excuses to humor me.” I gripped my bag tightly, suppressing my rage. Summer had lied to me, saying she was just an ordinary employee, bullied at the company, struggling to get promoted. Seven years of long distance—she complained our distance was too far, kept dragging her feet about marrying me. So after finishing my last project at year-end, I immediately quit my job and specially rushed to Harbor City to propose to her. Footsteps sounded from the doorway. Several men in suits passed by the reception room, greeting Gilbert one after another: “Mr. Gilbert here waiting for his wife again?” When Summer entered the reception room, her colleagues immediately teased her. “Miss Summer, your husband’s here checking up on you again!” Gilbert stepped forward and naturally wrapped his arm around her waist, his tone complaining. “Honey, what kind of meeting takes this long?” “Today ran a bit late, won’t happen next time.” Summer kissed the man’s chin, softly soothing him. She looked up and saw me, the smile on her face instantly freezing. Just for a second—then she regained her composure, speaking coldly: “Why are you here?” Gilbert turned to look at me. “Honey, who’s this?” The colleagues exchanged glances, laughing as they explained for Summer. “What else could the relationship be? Must be Miss Summer’s friend.” “Don’t worry, Mr. Gilbert. Everyone knows how much Miss Summer adores you.” Summer stepped forward, positioning herself between me and Gilbert, explaining with polite distance: “He’s my college classmate.” She turned to her assistant: “Please see this gentleman out. Don’t let him interfere with everyone’s work.” I looked at her in disbelief. But her gaze was entirely on Gilbert. When the assistant came to escort me out, Summer only focused on holding Gilbert’s hand. “Let’s go, honey. Time for the prenatal checkup.” Gilbert lowered his head to kiss her, laughing: “Such an obedient wife.” As he passed by me, Gilbert glanced back. “Honey, leaving your classmate like that isn’t very nice.” Summer didn’t look back at me. “Just a classmate I barely know. How could he be more important than you?” Tears fell uncontrollably. Passing employees watched my humiliation with mocking eyes. Ten years together, seven years long distance, traveling over a thousand kilometers—only to receive “just a classmate I barely know” in return. On my phone still lay a message Summer had sent three days ago. She’d said: “Mason, give me a little more time. Once my work stabilizes, I’ll marry you.” For those words, I’d quit my job and traveled a thousand miles to her. Never imagining it was all a lie.

My phone vibrated. A message from Summer popped up. [Go back with my assistant first. I’ll explain later.] I stared at those brief words, my heart clenching. Finally I couldn’t help questioning her: [Why did you lie to me?] Summer’s cold reply: [Go back first. Behave. Don’t embarrass yourself at the company entrance.] I remembered how every time I wanted to visit Harbor City before, she’d make excuses to put me off. Turned out she was afraid my appearance would embarrass her. Just as I looked up, I heard them whispering, taking photos of me with their phones. “A kept man daring to show up here—absolutely shameless!” “A young guy could do anything for a living, but he chooses to be someone’s mistress. Pathetic.” I immediately raised my hand to cover my face, choking out an explanation: “I’m not a kept man. Summer lied to me…” The only response was a burst of laughter. The assistant grabbed my suitcase, roughly shoving me into the car. Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a villa. Summer clearly lived in a mansion, yet she’d told me she was squeezed into a cramped rental. I’d worried about Summer struggling in Harbor City, sending her half my salary every month. The assistant pushed me inside the house. With a click, she locked the door. “Wait here for Miss Summer to return.” The air held a faint scent of men’s cologne—the same scent I’d noticed on Summer a few months ago when she visited Maple City. I turned around, instantly freezing in place. On the living room wall hung an enormous wedding photo. Gilbert in a black suit, holding Summer in a pristine white wedding gown. The date in the bottom right corner pierced my eyes. The day they took their wedding photos was also my birthday. That was the first time Summer hadn’t spent my birthday with me. She said work was too busy, she couldn’t get away. I rushed into the bedroom like a madman. On the walls hung various photos of Summer and Gilbert together. In the closet, Summer’s sexy nightgowns hung next to men’s shirts. On the vanity sat an array of luxury brand cosmetics. My last shred of hope shattered completely when I saw the nearly empty box of condoms on the nightstand. So when Summer said she was “busy,” she meant busy building a family with another man. I slid down onto the cold floor, holding my head as I sobbed. I came from nothing. My parents were both from the countryside. I studied desperately to get into a big city university. Whenever I didn’t have class, I’d work part-time jobs off campus. That’s how I met Summer. I was a poor student who’d tested out of the mountains. She was a fallen heiress who’d run away to escape her family’s arrangements. Without family support, we could only rely on ourselves. A few months later, we got together. Our classmates jokingly called us the “poverty couple.” We really were poor back then. But every birthday, Summer would scrape together money to buy me gifts I liked. She could eat only two meals a day just to save money to buy me limited edition sneakers. She said other guys had nice things, and I shouldn’t go without. No matter how hard things got, she never shortchanged her boyfriend. After college graduation, I stayed in Maple City while Summer went to Harbor City. I rented a bargain apartment in Maple City for eight hundred a month. Summer came back to Maple City every weekend. We’d tangle together in the darkness, the shabby bed creaking beneath us. Summer would kiss my reddened eyes, hoarsely swearing to me: “Mason, once my work stabilizes, I’ll marry you.” To save enough money for marriage, I worked hard, often staying at the office until 2 AM. Eventually my body gave out and I collapsed at the company. When Summer learned I was sick, she immediately took leave and rushed to the Maple City hospital. She called me an idiot, her eyes red as she gripped my hand tightly. Summer requested leave to stay in Maple City and care for me. Her supervisor chewed her out. It was the first time I’d seen her speak so submissively to someone, a bitter smile on her lips. I urged Summer to go back to work, not to worry about me. But she said very seriously: “Mason, in my eyes, nothing is more important than you.” In that moment, I completely believed Summer loved me. That belief in her love sustained me through seven whole years.

When Summer returned home, she saw my eyes red and swollen from crying. She hugged me tightly, her eyes full of guilt and heartache. “Mason, I’m sorry.” “When my dad died from illness, I had to return to Harbor City to inherit the family business. Your background was too humble—the family elders would never let me marry you.” I couldn’t listen anymore. I pushed her away forcefully. “So you married someone else? Summer, what were these seven years of long distance for?” Summer looked down at me condescendingly, her eyes regaining their calm. “Mason, I’m the heir to the Summer family. I have my responsibilities. Gilbert and I are well-matched. Our marriage benefits both families.” “Gilbert said as long as you behave yourself, he can turn a blind eye and let you stay by my side.” I looked up at her, tears rolling down my face. Summer reached up to wipe the tears from my eyes. “Mason, we’ve been together so many years. I won’t treat you badly. If you want to stay in Harbor City, I’ll arrange for you to join the company as my assistant.” Instead, I slapped her. Under her shocked gaze, I grabbed my suitcase and rushed out the villa door. As I left in a taxi, Summer sent me a voice message. “Mason, don’t be childish. Not just anyone can work at Summer Corporation. I’m giving you three days to think it over.” Then she transferred me a hundred thousand dollars. Before, to maintain her persona, her red envelopes never exceeded a thousand. Now she casually sent a hundred thousand. I didn’t reply, returning all the money. After renting a place and settling in, I opened my phone again. The trending topics had exploded. Someone had posted video of me at the company entrance online. In the video, my evasive gaze looked especially pathetic. The trending topics all accused Summer of cheating, the kept man boldly showing up. I was clearly Summer’s legitimate boyfriend, yet I’d become the despised homewrecker, the kept man. I posted our entire relationship history and chat records online. The timeline clearly showed I’d been with Summer long before she married Gilbert. Public opinion reversed again. The entire internet condemned the cheating woman. Summer called several times. I hung up directly. A few minutes later, Gilbert posted their marriage certificate on social media, saying the couple’s relationship was harmonious, accusing me of staging everything for attention. Summer Corporation’s PR team personally stepped in, pointing out the chat records were “faked,” threatening to send me a legal letter for defamation. Marketing accounts spread wild rumors, calling me a kept man challenging the legitimate husband. The post’s comment section completely collapsed. “Male homewrecker’s counterattack fails, even gets a legal warning—hilarious!” “Still gotta hand it to the real deal—a few words and he crushes this arrogant kept man!” “Being a homewrecker, destroying someone’s family, then trying to gain attention from it—absolutely disgusting!” … My private messages filled with abuse. Some even cursed me to die. Half an hour later, the post disappeared and my account was banned. For the first time I understood how laughable I was in the face of absolute power. My phone rang again and again. When I didn’t answer, they kept calling. Reluctantly, I pressed accept. The caller wasn’t Summer—it was Gilbert. “Mr. Cross,” his laugh held contempt, “let’s talk.”

Early the next morning, Gilbert asked me to meet at a café. When he saw me again, his eyes showed no surprise. “Mason, I recognized you at first glance yesterday at the company.” I froze. The next moment, he calmly explained: “Before marrying Summer, I knew about you. In our circle, women keeping male lovers on the side isn’t unusual. Summer’s been quite restrained—you’re her only one.” I immediately objected: “I’m not a lover!” “Your status doesn’t really matter.” Gilbert gave a cold laugh, handing me the latest prenatal report. “Summer’s already pregnant. Our two families will have descendants. I wasn’t planning to deal with you, but you made it to trending topics. I had no choice.” He pushed over a confidentiality agreement and a blank check. “Sign this agreement, record an apology video, leave Harbor City in two days. Fill in whatever amount you want.” I pushed the items back, standing to leave, but Gilbert stopped me. “Mason, you can’t survive in Harbor City. If you change your mind, come find me anytime.” Gilbert was right. That morning alone, I brought my resume to several companies. The HR reps shook their heads after seeing my information. The reason for rejection: poor character, damages company image. Some mocked me directly: “Why look for work when you’re a homewrecker? Just find another sugar mama.” Photos of me going to companies for interviews got posted online. Someone directly tagged Summer’s social media account. The next second, Summer called. “Mason, how long will you keep embarrassing yourself? I offered you a job and you refused. Now you’re out there making yourself a laughingstock. Stop this, okay?” “Summer, do you also see me as a homewrecker?” Harbor City’s cold wind cut like knives across my skin. Summer fell silent for a long time. “Mason, I…” I didn’t want to hear her explanations. I hung up. A few minutes later, my phone vibrated again. On the other end, Mom’s heartbroken sobs came through. “Mason! How could I give birth to a son like you? Being someone’s kept man for seven years!” “Your father had a heart attack from the stress. The surgery costs five hundred thousand. Where does our family have that kind of money…” Thud—a snowball hit hard against my head. Two kids pointed at me shouting: “Kept man! Hit the kept man!” Snowballs pelted me one after another. They ran away laughing, turning back to make faces at me. I knelt in the snow, tears falling onto my phone screen. With trembling hands, I dialed that number. The man’s mocking laugh came through the receiver: “Made up your mind so quickly?” My voice hoarse, I said: “I agree.”

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On the day of my difficult labor, I used the last of my strength to deliver the child that Dawson Holt and I had made. He wept with joy. “The baby is perfect and looks just like you. The doctor gave you something to help you sleep. Get some rest now.” I squeezed his hand and forced a smile. But through my fading consciousness, I caught a conversation between Dawson and my brother, Nathan Reed. Nathan asked, “Dawson, are you sure about cutting off the baby’s finger?” Dawson answered, “Do it. Maya’s child has that dark birthmark. If she finds out Serena had a healthy baby, it will destroy her.” My heart seized. My blood ran cold. Maya was the sister I shared no blood with. So Dawson had loved her all along. As I watched Nathan’s scissors move toward my child, I fought to throw myself forward. But I didn’t succeed. Under the drug’s influence, I couldn’t even lift my eyelids. A baby’s scream tore through the air. Nathan’s voice cut in again, edged with amusement. “Done. Go tell Maya that Serena’s baby is ‘imperfect.’ That should make her feel better.” Dawson’s voice carried a note of urgency. “Fine, Nathan. I’ll leave the rest to you.” My body locked up as if plunged into an icy void, my mind screaming with a sound that wouldn’t fade. “Ah-!” I jolted awake, staring at the unfamiliar hospital room, my heart slamming against my ribs. I tried to get up, but Dawson stopped me. “What’s wrong, Serena?” “You’ve just given birth and you’re still weak. The doctor said you shouldn’t leave bed yet.” “Where’s the baby?” I stared straight at Dawson. His eyes reddened, and he hesitated. “Serena, I’ll be honest with you, but please, don’t be upset.” “Our baby…he was born with a congenital defect. The middle finger on his left hand is missing from the joint. Nathan’s taken him to consult specialists, to see if anything can be done.” “Don’t worry.” He held me tightly. “No matter what it takes, I’ll find a way to fix this for our child.” Listening to his shameless lies, my heart contracted painfully, as if pierced repeatedly by thousands of silver needles. The pain was suffocating. I pushed him away and said numbly. “I want to see the baby. I want to see the baby right now!” I stumbled toward the hospital room door and ran straight into Nathan. He was holding a baby, sleeping peacefully. I breathed a sigh of relief, snatched the child, and hurriedly checked his fingers. All intact. Not a single one missing. No, something was wrong. My hand slipped and I nearly lost my balance. Nathan quickly caught the baby and looked at me reproachfully. “You’re a mother now. How can you still be so careless? This is Maya’s baby-the Reed family treasure. What if you had dropped him?” I ignored his scolding and asked urgently. “Nathan, where’s my baby? Dawson said you took him away. So where is my child?” He froze for a moment, then seemed to remember, looking somewhat guilty. “I just ran into Maya on her way to the bathroom, so I left the baby on the chair by the elevator.” I stood there stunned, then rushed outside. Dawson followed behind me. But then I vaguely heard a soft “Dawson” from behind, and those urgent footsteps behind me disappeared. Fortunately, the baby was still there, being watched over by two kind strangers. I thanked them profusely, then looked at my child’s wrapped fingers, sharp pains piercing my heart once more. Outside the hospital room door, cheerful laughter drifted out. Dawson and Nathan were both busy fussing over the baby in Maya’s arms. They should be the real family. I should be the adopted daughter. I wiped the tears that had fallen on my baby’s cheek, then borrowed a phone and made a call. “I’ve decided to join the research project.” The voice on the other end brightened. “Serena, you’ve finally made the right choice. The country needs you. But you know the terms-this project requires a ten-year commitment. Are you sure you can leave your family behind…and the baby you’re about to have?” “Yes.” I swallowed my tears and nodded. “I’ve decided to bring the baby with me. And I have one request.” “Before we go, find me the best pediatric surgeon in the world.” “Serena, what’s wrong?” “Don’t ask yet. Please, just help me.” There was a pause, then a more serious tone. “Alright, don’t worry. I’ll have it arranged within a week.”

“Serena.” Maya saw me first. Her call made the two men, who had been all smiles, look somewhat embarrassed. Dawson ran toward me. “Serena, is the baby okay?” I didn’t respond, just walked silently toward the bed. “Serena, don’t be too sad.” Maya handed the baby to Nathan, then took off a gold bracelet from the child. “This is what Dawson and Nathan gave to my baby. They said it would bless the child with peace and health.” “Now I’m giving this blessing to your baby. Your child will be fine too, don’t worry.” I raised my eyes slightly, glancing at those two delicate little objects. Before Maya’s child was even born, Dawson had spent a long time carefully selecting that gift. Back then, I thought it was meant for our child. Apparently not. “No, thank you.” My voice turned cold. “If it carries that much of their affection for your child, then mine cannot accept it.” Hearing my refusal, Maya clutched the item helplessly. “Serena, do you still think I’m stealing from you?” She trembled as she bit her lip, her face turning pale. But I only found it laughable. Hadn’t she been doing exactly that? From the moment she was adopted by our family at age ten. The first thing that happened was she said she was afraid to sleep alone, so she took half my bedroom. Later, when she caught a cold and got sick. She said she was afraid of infecting me, so I was completely moved out of what had been my room. When I was thirteen, I ranked first in the entire school on an exam. Nathan bought me a limited edition complete Lego set. She just cried in her blanket, and my Lego became her Lego. My new dress also became her new dress. Even the university I got into through my own merit-she could walk onto the same campus through family connections. And there was Dawson, who I’d grown up with. The moment he firmly proposed to me. I finally felt I had something that was completely mine. But it turned out it was only because we had an arranged marriage. How stupid I was. It took a disabled child today to verify this truth. Seeing I didn’t speak, she shoved the gold bracelet into Dawson’s hands. “Forget it, Dawson. Since Serena is unhappy, you should take your gift back.” Dawson immediately frowned. “Serena, it’s just a gold bracelet. If you like it, I’ll buy another one. There’s no need to be this upset.” I laughed coldly, not wanting to argue with them. My weak body couldn’t hold up much longer anyway. I placed the baby in the crib and was about to lie down on the bed. Maya suddenly lunged at me. Just as her hand was about to press down on the baby, I used all my remaining strength to push her away. But the next second, a loud slap landed on my face, making my ears ring. I looked back in disbelief at Dawson, whose hand was still raised. His face was cold and severe, his arms steadying Maya. “Serena, you’re too vicious.” “Just because of a gold bracelet, you’d treat your sister-someone you’ve lived with for so many years-this violently?” “Don’t you know Maya has a back injury? If I hadn’t caught her just now, she would have hit the corner of the table and caused secondary damage.” Nathan also spoke coldly. “I saw it clearly. Maya accidentally lost her balance just now. You could have just steadied her, but you insisted on pushing her instead.” “Serena, you’ve eaten the same food as Maya since childhood. How did they raise you to be so malicious and petty?” “Apologize now.”

I was malicious and petty? Maya had deliberately reached for my child’s injured hand. And I had no idea how someone standing perfectly fine could suddenly lose her balance on flat ground. Watching them protect Maya as if I were some kind of predator, I couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically. “I’m sorry, my dear sister.” Maya weakly stepped out of Dawson’s embrace. “It’s okay, I’m sure Serena didn’t mean it.” Dawson’s expression softened slightly. “I’ll have my assistant buy another gold bracelet later. You don’t need to be jealous of Maya.” I didn’t even bother to laugh anymore. My child would never want anything from him ever again. On discharge day, Dawson had promised to pick me up. But by the time I got back to the Reed house, there was still no sign of him. It just so happened that Maya updated her social media that day. “Taking baby for vaccinations, but I’m afraid of needles. Glad someone was there with me. Feeling so safe.” The accompanying photo showed a baby lying on a man’s shoulder, taken from behind. I didn’t need to look carefully to recognize that it was Dawson. The sudden ringtone pulled me from my immersion in thought. “Serena, I’ve contacted a very authoritative surgeon, but he can’t come to the country right now. You’ll need to go to him.” “Okay.” For the first time in days, the gloom lifted slightly. “I’ll get ready and leave with you tomorrow.” “Go where?” Nathan frowned, somehow having appeared behind me. I suppressed my joy and said flatly. “A friend found what she says is a really good postpartum care center. She insists I go check it out.” He didn’t ask further, just said in a deep voice. “Maya said she’s coming back to stay for a few days. If you don’t have anything else, you should leave soon.” I clenched my fingers, my heart still trembling. Ten years of closed research. Before leaving, the last place I wanted to stay a little longer was the home where my parents once lived. Five years ago, because I didn’t give up my current job opportunity to Maya. Maya left home in distress. My parents went after her and were killed in a car accident. Since then, Nathan had probably hated me. “I’ll leave tomorrow.” “Good.” Before dinner, Dawson finally returned home with Maya. “Dawson, when that needle went into the baby’s arm today, I couldn’t bear to watch. Thank goodness you were there.” Maya was still excitedly sharing with him, but he quickly walked toward me. “Serena, I met with more doctors today about our son’s finger, that’s why I was delayed picking you up. Nathan said you came back here, but I didn’t know. Why didn’t you tell me?” Jealousy flashed in Maya’s eyes, but she quickly recovered her smile. I tested the formula’s temperature, put it in the baby’s mouth, then replied coldly. “I forgot.” He paused, somewhat ingratiatingly trying to hold the baby. “Let me hold him.” I naturally wouldn’t let him touch even a hair on my child’s head. I turned slightly to avoid his touch. His expression darkened and he said nothing more. That evening, my son’s whimpering woke me. Before my sleepy eyes could open, voices from outside the door reached my ears. “Dawson, can my baby call you daddy?”

“Silly girl, your husband wouldn’t be happy to hear that.” Maya pouted in dissatisfaction. “But I only want you to be my baby’s father. When I see you caring about Serena’s baby, it feels like there’s a rock in my heart, blocking everything.” “Dawson, now that you have your own child, will you stop being good to mine?” I pulled the door open a crack and watched Dawson pull Maya into his embrace. His voice was somewhat hoarse as he comforted her. “Silly, you’re the most important thing in my life, and your child will always be closer to me than my own biological child. Don’t overthink it.” I covered my trembling lips, my hand stiffly pressing the doorknob, completely shutting out the two faces drawing closer beyond the door. The next day, I was startled awake from sleep by a scream. I instinctively reached for the baby sleeping beside me but felt only emptiness. My scalp went numb instantly. I didn’t bother with shoes and ran toward the source of the sound. In the bathroom, Maya stood frozen by the door as if frightened out of her wits. And further inside… Dawson was pulling my baby out of the bathtub. My mind went blank. I shoved Maya aside and rushed in to snatch the baby. “Baby, don’t scare mommy.” Dawson also seemed to have broken out in a cold sweat. He quickly pulled at me. “Let’s go to the hospital first, Serena.” The emergency room light came on. I collapsed on the floor as Dawson carried me out. In the hallway outside, Maya and Nathan had also followed. I lunged madly at Maya, my raised hand blocked by Nathan. Maya kept apologizing to me. “I’m sorry, Serena. I just saw how exhausted you were and kindly wanted to give the baby a bath. I didn’t know the swim ring would break. I really didn’t know.” She cried pitifully. Dawson’s heart ached for her. He also stood in front of her. “Serena, don’t blame Maya. This morning I saw you sleeping soundly and took the baby to give him a bath.” Another slap rang out, landing on Dawson’s face. But it couldn’t begin to offset the pain in my heart. Even now, he was still blindly defending her. I stared fixedly at the emergency room, no longer looking at them. I don’t know how much time passed before the doctor came out, looking regretful. “I’m very sorry. The child was submerged too long. We couldn’t revive him.” I listened in a haze. After a deafening roar in my head, the world before me drained of all color. I lay there for three days. For three days, I stared blankly ahead as Dawson spooned thin porridge into my mouth. He held me often and wept, his tears soaking into the neckline of my gown. “Serena, please don’t scare me like this!” Nathan stood by my bed frequently too, lips pressed into a tight line, never saying a word. On the fourth day, Maya threatened to take her own life to apologize to me. As they rushed to console her, I reached for my ID and stepped steadily into the waiting car.

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I married Lucas Ashford during his poorest year, giving up everything without hesitation—even cutting ties with my parents. For six years of marriage, I stood by him as he rose from nothing to become a billionaire. When I discovered he’d spent $880,000 buying a dog for his assistant Miranda Lane, I demanded furiously: “Lucas, how could you do this to me!” Lucas looked at me with contempt: “You were the one who crawled into my bed when you were eighteen.” Miranda nestled in his arms, laughing triumphantly: “I’m spending Lucas’s money. What’s it to you? You’re just a useless housewife.” I swallowed my tears and turned to leave. Then I called my mother: “Mom, this time I’ll listen to you. I’m coming home for the arranged marriage.” The woman standing before me, Miranda Lane, was dressed head to toe in haute couture, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Around her neck hung this month’s new Chanel piece—something I’d mentioned to Lucas I really liked at the beginning of the month. Back then, Lucas’s eyes had been full of impatience: “The company needs money everywhere right now. Can’t you be more understanding?” I’d felt so guilty then, thinking about how hard he worked building his business, that I shouldn’t add to his burden. But now that necklace sat securely around Miranda’s neck. So there was no budget crisis after all. He just didn’t think I was worth it. When I was young, I asked for nothing, marrying him with nothing but sincere devotion. Back then, my parents were furious that I’d left home for a man, cutting off all my financial support. At first, Lucas and I could only afford the cheapest basement apartment—dark and damp. In those terrible conditions, I stayed up late with him revising proposals until my eyes were bloodshot, never daring to complain about being tired. After surviving on bread for a week straight, he cried while writing me a guarantee, swearing he’d make something of himself in this life and never let me suffer again. But promises change so easily. The hardships I endured have now become evidence that I threw myself at him. Noticing my gaze, Lucas instinctively stepped in front of Miranda, as if I were some kind of threat. He cleared his throat lightly: “It’s the end of the year. She’s worked hard too—consider it her year-end bonus.” I laughed bitterly, suddenly feeling utterly exhausted. Seeing my pale face, Lucas softened his expression and came over to steady me: “Alright, honey, if you like it, next year…” I shook my head, cutting him off: “Forget it, Lucas. Let’s get divorced.” At those words, Lucas’s expression instantly changed: “Over a dog?” “Natalie, can you be more mature? I built this from nothing. It wasn’t easy getting where I am today. Miranda’s been by my side helping me tremendously. What’s wrong with buying her something?” The same old excuses. Last Valentine’s Day, I waited for him at home until midnight, only to see a post on Miranda’s social media. The caption read: [Spending Valentine’s Day with the one I love most. Perfect.] In the photo, she smiled with eyes like crescent moons, and on the hand of the man beside her was the diamond ring I’d personally chosen. I cried and asked Lucas why. He placated me: “We’ve been working overtime for a month straight. Just relaxing with the staff for one day.” And there was that other time—I accidentally found a trendy bubble tea bag in the car. It was from a shop I’d been wanting to try forever but never had time to visit because of company matters. I confronted him about it, but he dismissed it lightly: “Miranda said she wanted some. I was passing by anyway and picked it up. Just looking after my employee.” Only later did I learn that he’d waited in line for three hours that day. On my birthday, he said there was an emergency meeting at the company, but a friend spotted him spending the entire day with Miranda at an amusement park. On our wedding anniversary, he claimed he had to travel for a business deal, yet I saw matching hotel scenery photos on Miranda’s Twitter. Time after time, my heart completely froze over. I pushed Lucas’s hand away and headed for the door: “I’ll send you the divorce papers later.” “Natalie!” Lucas roared behind me, but I didn’t look back. I hadn’t gone two steps when Miranda’s dog charged straight at me. I lost my balance and my abdomen slammed into the corner of a table. “Honey!” Lucas finally panicked, rushing over to pull me into his arms, his voice full of concern. “Are you okay? Where did you hit? Does it hurt?” I instinctively grabbed his arm, about to ask for help, but the next second, Miranda’s delicate cry came from the distance: “Lucas, I think I twisted my ankle. It hurts so much. Come check on me.” Lucas’s arms around me froze. His eyes struggled for a moment before he gently pushed me away. “Honey, just hang on a bit longer,” his voice carried a trace of apology but no intention of staying. “I’ll take Miranda to the hospital first. I’ll come right back for you.” I was already losing consciousness from the pain, and couldn’t help clutching at his sleeve: “Don’t go.” But he didn’t hesitate to pry my hand away and turned to stride quickly toward Miranda. Everything went black, and I lost consciousness completely.

When I woke again, I was lying in a hospital. The young nurse beside me saw me wake and showed a hint of sympathy on her face: “I’m sorry, Miss White. You missed the optimal window for treatment. By the time you reached the hospital, you’d already miscarried.” My breath caught, and tears streamed down my face the next second. This wasn’t my first child with Lucas. The year we got married, Lucas was in his career’s ascent phase with endless business dinners every day. People at those drinking parties would find all sorts of ways to force drinks on him. To secure more investment, he could only drink glass after glass. I felt bad for him because of his weak stomach, so I’d always step in front of him and drink in his place. Until one day I suddenly passed out. When Lucas rushed me to the hospital, the baby was already gone. The doctor said I’d damaged my body from drinking too much alcohol, and getting pregnant again would be very difficult. When Lucas found out, he held me and broke down crying, kneeling by my hospital bed and slapping himself repeatedly, saying he’d never let me suffer such grievances again. But now, I still couldn’t protect this child that came with such difficulty. Perhaps it was for the best. Now that I’d decided to leave, the baby must have been disappointed in his father too, and left in a hurry. Maybe he couldn’t bear to put his mother in a difficult position either. In my daze, the hospital room door opened. Lucas walked in, with Miranda following behind him. Miranda wore just the right expression of concern, her eyes rimmed red as she rushed to speak first: “I’m so sorry, Natalie. I didn’t know Snow would suddenly run over there.” I scoffed and couldn’t help glaring at her: “Did you really not know, or was it deliberate?” Pet store puppies are trained before being sold, and besides, the puppy was gentle-natured and wouldn’t go wild for no reason. Before I passed out, I clearly saw puppy treats by my feet. But Lucas spoke impatiently: “Enough. Don’t be so petty. Miranda didn’t mean it.” Looking at the man before me—who looked no different from years ago—I only felt like he was a stranger. Tears blurred my vision as I spoke almost trembling: “Lucas, what we lost was our child!” Lucas avoided my gaze: “We can have more later.” Miranda pretended to be concerned, stepping forward to help me, but accidentally revealed the jade bracelet on her wrist. I knew that bracelet all too well. Lucas had bought it for me after successfully landing his first project. A small character “L” was carved on the bracelet’s body. Back then, he’d placed it on my wrist, his eyes determined: “Honey, I’ve decided on you for this lifetime. Jade nurtures people—when I’m not by your side, let it protect you for me.” Later, when I had my first miscarriage, I accidentally broke the jade bracelet in my emotional breakdown. Lucas, with red eyes, said he’d find the best craftsman to repair it, to let it accompany us for a lifetime, and when we grew old, we’d pass the bracelet on to our child. But now, this bracelet he’d promised to me and our child was on Miranda’s wrist. Miranda seemed to notice my gaze and instinctively pulled down her sleeve, yet smiled as if unintentionally: “Natalie, do you think this jade bracelet looks nice? Lucas brought it back for me when he traveled last month. He said it brings peace and safety.” At those words, panic flashed through Lucas’s eyes, afraid I’d make a scene like before. But I only said coldly: “Get out.” All these years, the care and favoritism that should have been mine—Lucas had given it all to Miranda. Now the child was gone, and even the token of our love was gone too. If that’s the case, I don’t want him either. But Lucas thought I was still throwing a tantrum. He frowned: “Alright, honey. Year-end is approaching and the company’s busy. I’ll head back first and come check on you later.” Miranda tugged at his sleeve, saying with concern: “Natalie doesn’t look well. She won’t actually leave, will she? Maybe you should stay and keep her company?” But Lucas scoffed: “She’s always throwing little tantrums like this. She’ll be fine on her own in a bit.” “As for leaving—who would want her without me?” With that, he turned and left without looking back.

After being discharged, I went to the company with the resignation letter and divorce papers I’d prepared long ago. But as soon as I entered, I noticed everyone’s strange looks. I’d just reached the entrance to the office area when I heard deliberately lowered but clearly audible teasing voices. Following the sound, my blood instantly ran cold. Lucas was leaning against his desk with Miranda nestled in his arms, her hands hooked around his neck as she tilted her head up and kissed his lips, drawing laughter from those around them. “Is it really true, Mr. Ashford? Did Natalie White actually give up her parents for you?” “God, if I gave birth to something so heartless, I’d rather have strangled her at birth.” Lucas didn’t push Miranda away. Instead, he pulled her waist closer, his face showing satisfaction: “It’s not that big a deal.” His tone was frivolous, deliberately loud enough to ensure everyone present could hear: “Back then she cried and begged to come with me. When her family disagreed, she threatened to die. To be honest, being with her has been pretty stifling. If it weren’t for her ‘deep devotion’ back then, I wouldn’t have wasted all these years on her.” Miranda laughed coquettishly and snuggled deeper into his embrace: “So that’s how it was. She threw herself at you desperately but acts like she did you some huge favor.” People around them chimed in: “Exactly. I always thought she didn’t match Mr. Ashford. She’s always got that cold face—nothing like Miranda’s warmth.” The cruel words drilled into my ears one by one. Standing there, I felt cold all over. So the entire company knew they’d been entangled for ages, even making me the subject of their gossip. Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I walked in as expressionlessly as possible. Since I was here, I had to finish what I came to do. Seeing me, everyone’s faces stiffened. One by one they dispersed awkwardly, heads down pretending to be busy, yet unable to resist stealing glances at us from the corners of their eyes. Miranda quickly withdrew from Lucas’s embrace, looking innocent and pitiful: “Natalie, why are you here? Your body just recovered—why didn’t you rest a few more days?” Her tone was full of concern, but her eyes held provocation: “Don’t misunderstand. Lucas and I were just discussing next quarter’s project proposal. Don’t take it to heart.” Lucas pulled her closer: “Enough. What’s there to explain?” I didn’t want to argue with them anymore. I just looked at Lucas calmly and handed him the documents directly: “Project agreement. Just sign it.” Hearing this, Lucas indeed didn’t look carefully and signed his name in a few strokes. I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he signed, the rest would be easy. Six years of marriage finally came to a complete end. I turned, preparing to leave and draw a clear line with this man forever. Lucas frowned and grabbed my wrist: “Where are you going? What are you upset about now?” I said flatly: “Home.” Before leaving, I naturally had to go home and take what belonged to me. Lucas relaxed at those words, understanding in his eyes. In his mind, I’d long since severed ties with my family. No matter how excessive he was, I could only obediently go home and wait for him. Understanding this, he smiled: “Good. I’ll come home to keep you company after I finish up here.”

Winter taxis were hard to get. By the time I returned to the apartment, it was already late. Light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Someone was already home. After the miscarriage, I hadn’t returned to the apartment Lucas and I shared. Opening the door, in the warm yellow light, two overlapping figures caught my eyes without warning. Seeing me, Lucas showed not a trace of panic. He lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke: “Why are you back so late?” Miranda’s voice was sweet: “Natalie, you just had a miscarriage these past few days. I’m helping you keep Lucas company. You don’t mind, do you?” I didn’t respond, just surveyed the apartment before me. After the miscarriage, I hadn’t come back. Only a few days had passed, yet the apartment had completely changed. Everything in sight was Miranda’s favorite pink. The coat rack by the door was full of her clothes. This apartment was Lucas’s and my first property. Every tile, every lamp was chosen by my own hands. The painting in the living room was drawn by Lucas—a cartoon version of the two of us. Now it had been replaced with Miranda’s portrait. The swing on the balcony was assembled by Lucas himself so I could get more sun during my leisure time. Now it too had been replaced with Miranda’s easel. The current apartment showed no trace of my life here. I felt sick to my stomach, but Cookie was still at home. I had to take her away. Cookie was a puppy Lucas and I raised together. Lucas found her the winter right after my first miscarriage. Cookie had been crouched alone by a dumpster, shivering from the cold. Lucas brought her home as comfort for me. To me, Cookie was my child. I couldn’t possibly leave her with Lucas. “I’m here to get Cookie.” I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms, suppressing the choking in my throat and the nausea churning in my stomach. “Where’s Cookie?” Usually when I came home, Cookie would wag her tail to greet me, but today there was no movement. I couldn’t help feeling panicked. “Cookie?” Miranda laughed lightly and stood up, walking over to me. “You mean that stray dog? Why would you keep such a crazy dog? Yesterday she tried to steal my Snow’s dog food and almost bit me.” I suddenly looked up at her: “What did you do to her?” “Nothing much.” Miranda shrugged, a glint of triumph in her eyes. “Lucas said she doesn’t know the rules and made her go out to reflect properly. After all, she’s not some precious breed—a little cold won’t matter.” At those words, I trembled with rage and used all my strength to slap her. But the next second, Lucas rushed over and shoved me hard. My body hadn’t recovered. This push made me fall directly to the ground, my knee hitting the tile so hard I gasped in pain. Looking down, I saw my knee was scraped, blood slowly seeping out. My lower abdomen began throbbing dully too. Lucas glanced at me and said coldly: “There are cotton swabs in the drawer. Take care of it yourself.” Then, without another look at me, he carried Miranda upstairs. I didn’t dare delay any longer. Struggling up from the floor, I headed outside. It was so cold out. Cookie didn’t know where she’d gone. I had to find her. Fortunately, Cookie was hiding near the apartment and hadn’t gone far. When I found her, she was curled up in the grass, whimpering continuously. I wrapped her in my coat: “Don’t be afraid. Mommy’s taking you away.” This time, I didn’t look back. Holding Cookie, I went to the train station. …… When Lucas woke the next day, somehow he thought of the look Natalie had given him yesterday. He felt instinctively uncomfortable, sensing something was wrong. So as usual, he skillfully dialed her number to smooth things over, but this time all he heard was a busy signal: “Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable…”

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For the sake of her childhood friend, Kelly threw me overseas for three years. I had just broken my leg, was penniless, couldn’t speak the language—I could only survive by scavenging through trash. I called her more than once, begging: “Kelly, I really can’t go on like this.” All she left me with was cold indifference: “If it weren’t for you, would Hudson have gotten hurt? Once you fix that spoiled rich boy attitude of yours, I’ll bring you home.” Winter was brutal. Just as I was about to die on a street covered in snow, a wealthy heiress named Summer bought me. It wasn’t until three years later, when Kelly and I ran into each other by chance, that she stopped me: “Yan, three years and you still haven’t fixed that entitled attitude!” I frowned, ignoring her words, and called Summer. “Honey, another woman’s trying to seduce me. When you come pick me up, bring bodyguards to teach her a lesson.” The moment I finished speaking, Kelly snatched my phone and hung up the call. “Yan, when will you ever drop this spoiled act? Now you’ve learned to lie too.” As her words fell, snow began drifting through the air. Meeting Kelly’s disappointed gaze, this scene instantly pulled me back three years. Kelly and I were young sweethearts who went from college straight into marriage. Everything went smoothly. The world envied and praised us—perfectly matched families, a golden couple. Kelly’s lifelong promise to me was: “Yan, you’re an heir to a fortune, I’m a socialite. We’re made for each other—no one can tear us apart.” Her devotion made me willingly give her everything—company shares, household authority, all of it. Three years into our marriage, she went to countless hospitals, determined to give me twin children through IVF, to give me a sense of family. But my perfect wife changed completely after Hudson appeared. Hudson was her childhood friend. I heard his family moved away after going bankrupt. When Kelly encountered him again, Hudson was being beaten by loan sharks—his wife had run off with another man. That familiar face from childhood, bruised and alone, sitting on the side of the road—he looked pitiful. Oh, the night they met, Kelly had gone out to buy me a cake. I’ve hated myself countless times for craving that damn cake. On that street, Hudson recognized Kelly first. Two simple words stirred Kelly’s childhood feelings. “Kelly.” So Kelly brought him home. I was waiting excitedly for that cake when I saw a dejected man standing behind Kelly. Kelly said: “Hudson, my childhood friend. He’ll be staying with us for a while.” This was the first time Kelly brought a man home, and the first time I completely lost it in front of her. I smashed everything in the villa that could be broken. A shard even cut Hudson’s face during my rampage. Kelly rushed Hudson to the hospital in a panic, ignoring me as I collapsed on the floor, my old injury flaring up, begging her. “Kelly, my leg hurts.” As Kelly helped Hudson out the door, she only threw back: “Yan, stop faking.” So I went to the hospital alone. When I arrived, after the examination, the doctor said if I’d come two minutes later, they might not have been able to save my leg. Then the doctor pulled out paperwork from Kelly’s recent IVF procedure. “Your wife is three months pregnant. Please take good care of her.” This joy washed away my anger. For the sake of the baby, I could overlook tonight. As I left the examination room, I happened to run into Kelly. “Temp, you’re pregnant.” Kelly was cold: “What’s there to be happy about? I owe Hudson my life. I need to repay him first.” I stood frozen. “Kelly, if you keep treating him like this, we’re getting divorced.” I thought my threat would work. Instead, Kelly slapped me and forced me to apologize to Hudson. “Yan, you’re so childish. Hudson is the one who’s hurt right now.” So this was how it felt when the woman you love compared you to another man. The pain was unbearable. I was forced to apologize. I went back to my family home. I thought Kelly would come to make up with me. But in the end, I couldn’t stand it and softened first, going back. I opened the door to find Hudson lying in the bed Kelly and I shared, wearing the lingerie shorts Kelly had given me. The sight burned my eyes. I lost it, completely lost it. I grabbed Hudson’s arm, dragging him out of the villa. But Hudson fell down the stairs. That fall landed him in the hospital. The doctor said he’d injured his head and might suffer brain death. It sounded like a death sentence for Hudson, but in reality, it was a life sentence for me from Kelly. Once again, she looked at me with utter disappointment. “Yan, you’re trying to kill someone. Do you understand that?” Kill someone? I wasn’t. I tried to explain—the villa’s staircase was only two stories, and Hudson had fallen on his own. Kelly wouldn’t listen. She just kept accusing me. “Someone as privileged as you could never understand Hudson’s suffering, never empathize with his struggles. In your entitled eyes, is Hudson’s life that worthless?” I had nothing to say. Faced with this version of Kelly who so blatantly favored and protected Hudson, I truly couldn’t speak a word. Silence and self-mockery were my final defenses. But Kelly pushed me. “Yan, when something happens, all you do is stay silent. And you dare to smirk?” “Let me tell you—yesterday, I accidentally fell down the stairs. Our baby is gone. This is your punishment for hurting Hudson.” The baby was gone. It felt like countless fine threads were woven through my entire skin, threatening to flay me alive. The pain was unbearable. I steadied my emotions and only said: “I understand.” But Kelly’s punishment wasn’t over. She sent me overseas. “When Hudson wakes up, that’s when you can come back. Fix that spoiled attitude of yours and reflect on what you’ve done.” The final result of this cold war was Kelly abandoning me in a foreign country where I knew no one, stripping me of all my money, even cutting off all my connections. Leaving me without hope, without anyone to help. She said it was for my own good. “Yan, only by personally experiencing how hard Hudson’s life was can you truly empathize.”

The snow abroad was heavy. On the first day, I could only spend the night at the airport, staring at the gates, hoping Kelly would come back to take me home. On the second day, security kicked me out. She couldn’t understand what I was saying, I couldn’t understand her—I didn’t even have any identification on me. On the third day, I grabbed a passerby’s leg, having completely lost my dignity. I begged them for money. They kicked me, but finding me too pitiful, threw down some cash before walking away. I clutched that money like it was my last hope. I ran to a payphone to call that number burned into my heart. The call was quickly answered. I thought I even heard Hudson’s voice. But all my attention was on getting home. “Kelly, bring me home.” Kelly’s voice sounded strange, her breathing rapid, her words broken and choppy. “Kelly, Kelly.” But Kelly only responded absently: “Mm, mm.” Thinking she’d heard me, I walked back to the airport. My feet blistered and bled, the flesh nearly fused to my shoe soles, my body long since numb from the cold. Waiting for Kelly to pick me up, my leg hurt more and more frequently. I remembered the doctor’s warning, so I used my last bit of bread money to call Kelly. The moment she answered, I heard her accusation. “Yan, can’t you endure any hardship at all?” I rushed to speak. “Kelly, if I delay any longer, they’ll have to amputate my leg.” But the call disconnected. I didn’t know if she’d heard me. I just felt pain, pain everywhere, pain so intense I couldn’t breathe, pain that made me cry out Kelly’s name over and over. If this had been before, she would have descended like an angel, rushed to my side, saved me from hell. This time, I fell into an endless abyss, struck down by darkness with no hope of rising again. After that call, I passed out. A kind stranger sent me to the hospital. The nurse brought a diagnosis showing my leg needed amputation and required a family member’s signature. Looking at that leg, tears fell. The nurse tried to comfort me. “If your family is willing to pay, the hospital does have a second treatment option.” “There’s no one. My wife is dead.” In that moment, I was surrounded by pitying, sympathetic gazes. The moment Kelly betrayed me was the moment she died in my heart. She died on the road when she went to buy me that cake. She died the night she personally sent me overseas. The only person I’d wronged was myself. Kelly was right—I was so used to living like a spoiled heir that I had no ability to protect myself. From that day on, I never called Kelly again. Occasionally, I’d receive calls from people around me saying Kelly was trying to reach me, but I refused them all. At this moment, Kelly spoke up again to accuse me. “Yan, can you please show some respect? I’m talking to you—can’t you hear me?” I pushed away Kelly’s slender wrist. “Three years ago, did you properly listen when I spoke to you?” If she had, I wouldn’t have been amputated. My nose stung. I stepped back twice and held up the diamond ring on my finger. “Kelly, I’m remarried.”

Kelly laughed dismissively: “Ha.” “Still the same old tricks. Aren’t you tired of this?” True, when Kelly and I were dating, I did often use the tactic of saying other girls were pursuing me or that I had backup options to stir up conflict and emotion in her. So it was normal she didn’t believe me. But I didn’t want to get tangled up with her anymore. I tried to leave, but Kelly blocked my path. “Fine, you say you’re remarried—I believe you. Yan, have you considered that we’re still not divorced?” I stared at Kelly, confused. Didn’t the divorce papers reach her a year ago? During these three years abroad, Summer had helped me file for divorce on the grounds of spouses being separated in different locations for two years. When the court notice came, it even had Kelly’s signature. Now, what did she mean by this? Hudson, who’d been silent nearby, showed a flash of panic in his eyes. “Kelly, Yan is just joking with you.” Hudson’s voice made me want to vomit: “Shut up.” Then I looked at his head: “Weren’t you supposed to be brain dead? Yet here you are, perfectly fine and disgusting people. Did Kelly resurrect you with some miracle cure?” My words made Hudson’s face turn white, then green. He could only turn to Kelly for help. “Kelly… didn’t you tell him I recovered?” Recovered. When did that happen? So even knowing Hudson had recovered, Kelly still sent me away. A wave of nausea suddenly hit me. Kelly grabbed my hand again: “Since we’ve run into each other, I’ll take you back home this time.” I tried to pull away but was dragged along anyway. “Let go. My wife will be here to pick me up soon.” Kelly’s eyes held teasing amusement: “Oh really? I’d like to see which blind woman dares to steal my man.” Before, I loved this side of her—the possessive sweet talk. Now, compared to Summer, Kelly was just a narcissist. Being forcibly brought to the car, Kelly said she’d come overseas to find the best rehabilitation hospital for Hudson. Domestic facilities couldn’t compare to foreign ones. Today happened to be the day she was supposed to sign a contract with the rehabilitation hospital. In the car, Hudson sat across from us, his eyes practically glued to Kelly. The chemistry between them made me sick. I was just afraid Summer wouldn’t be able to find me—she might lose control. Getting out of the car, I realized the rehabilitation hospital Kelly mentioned belonged to Summer. And today happened to be when Summer said she was coming here for some project signing. Kelly forcefully draped her arm over my shoulder as we walked in. People who knew me widened their eyes and began whispering to each other. “How is her husband, he involved with this woman?” “Quick, go report this to she.” Hudson lowered his voice and gloated beside me. “Yan, these three years you were gone, Kelly has been carrying my child. Even if you come back, you can’t take away her love for me.” I knew Kelly had betrayed me. My heart no longer rippled with emotion, because I saw Summer walking toward me in the distance.

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My husband, who never helps our daughter with homework, suddenly volunteered to do her craft project today. Sitting on the couch, I suddenly noticed that my secretary Lily had updated her Ins post: 【Thank you Mr. S for this year of tutoring. My second-grader son got first place in his class on the exam.】 I scrolled to another one of her Ins posts: 【Mr. S is always traveling for work, such a headache. My son only listens to his father.】 When I saw that the stationery in Lily’s photo was identical to my daughter’s, my heart went cold. That set of stationery wasn’t available in stores—my husband had it custom-made for our daughter. It turns out my husband has been playing dad to someone else’s kid all along! My husband had two sets of that stationery custom-made. I took one set out and gave it to my daughter. The other set was in the cabinet, still unopened. When I opened the cabinet door and saw the empty shelf, my suspicions were confirmed. “Honey, did you see that set of stationery I had in my cabinet?” “I wanted to give it to Emma’s son.” Emma was my best friend, who had a first-grader. Sebastian’s expression froze for a moment. “Haven’t seen it. Maybe you put it somewhere else and forgot.” My heart sank as I slowly closed the cabinet door. I turned around and liked Lily’s Ins post. 【Lily, I see your son’s stationery is pretty nice. Can you send me a link? I want to buy a set for my daughter too】 In the kitchen, Sebastian and our daughter were sneaking bites of cake. Seeing me approach, he asked our daughter, “Maya, your mom can’t find a set of stationery. Did you see it?” I smiled. “The one just like yours.” Our daughter blinked her big round eyes. “My classmate liked it, so I gave it to her.” Sebastian visibly relaxed, rubbing our daughter’s head. “Maya, you’re so good at sharing. For your birthday this year, I’ll get you something special.” Just then, my phone rang. Lily replied to me. 【Lynn, I’m really sorry, but that’s not for sale. The child’s father brought it home】 My eyes fixed on the words “child’s father” and I couldn’t snap out of it for a long time. For the past six months, Sebastian had been constantly traveling for work. Lily had also been taking frequent leave. Considering she had a child and was a single mother, I never asked for specifics. Now, items from my home were brazenly appearing in her photos. And the affectionate ‘S’ she referred to was the initial of Sebastian’s name. My best friend’s words suddenly echoed in my mind. “Sebastian is handsome and loaded. You better keep an eye on him—there are plenty of women out there who want to sleep with him.” “Last time he came to our company for a meeting, those young girls were practically drooling, asking for his contact info.” I smiled and sipped my coffee at the time. Asking without concern, “Did he give it to them?” Emma was a bit annoyed. “He didn’t, but men all chase novelty and excitement.” I knew him best. “He won’t.” We met in high school. We both had excellent grades. To me, we were friends and rivals. After the SAT, we entered the same university and fell in love. After graduation, I supported him through starting his business, building our own stationery brand. Everyone envied our love story. But now, I was alarmed to realize he might have cheated. After dinner, when I scrolled through Ins again, I found that Lily’s post had been deleted. But she had posted a new one: 【It’s snowing. The kid insists his dad take him out to play in the snow. But the water pipe at home burst, so I guess skiing will have to be postponed.】 I liked it and replied: 【Do you want my husband to come fix your pipes?】

Lily replied: 【Huh? Lynn, what are you talking about】 【Sebastian and I don’t have that kind of relationship. You must be misunderstanding.】 【My ex-husband’s name is similar to your husband’s. We just got remarried not long ago】 Looking at her flurry of explanations, I smiled. Just then, our daughter pestered Sebastian to go downstairs and play in the snow, but Sebastian said: “Maya, Daddy just got back from a business trip. I’m really tired.” I took our daughter in my arms: “Come on, let’s go play in the snow.” Sebastian paused while putting on his shoes. “But you hate the cold. Let me go instead. You stay home and watch your shows. Maya and I will be back soon.” Our daughter chimed in, “Yeah, Mommy, we’ll be back soon.” “Okay.” I forced a smile and took out a jacket to help Sebastian put it on. My gaze lingered a few extra seconds on the pocket of his inner layer. After they left, I sat on the couch, staring at the constantly moving location marker on my phone screen. I called a car and followed. Luxe Haven Apartments. Very expensive per square foot, marketed as smart-connected living. I had mentioned it to Sebastian, who said he didn’t have enough liquid capital and to wait a bit longer. Based on what I knew about Lily, she absolutely couldn’t afford a place here. Through the fence, I watched Lily and Sebastian meet. Our daughter ran toward Lily. The earpiece glowed blue in the dim taxi. Their conversation came through. “Mommy, you look so beautiful today.” Our daughter’s sweet, soft voice was like a blade stabbing into my heart. She called Lily “Mommy.” So she knew. Through the car window, I stared in disbelief at our daughter’s back. This was the daughter I had carefully raised for nine years. She said again, “When Dad said we’d play in the snow, I knew it would be with Mommy.” Lily put a bracelet on our daughter. “Maya, Happy New Year.” Sebastian quickly intervened. “You don’t make much money. I’ve prepared Maya’s gift.” Lily took the opportunity to link her arm with his. “Maya is my daughter. This is what I should do.” “When will you spend a complete New Year’s Eve with me?” Sebastian’s face showed pain. “Next year I’ll spend it with you and our son…” “Let me fix your water pipe first.” Lily naturally leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just want to be with you like this for a while.” My heart turned ice cold. Every word from Sebastian was like a blade twisting in my heart. I called Sebastian. He answered. “When are you coming back?” Sebastian checked the time. “On my way back now.” He hung up. Our daughter’s voice rang out at just the right moment. “I wish she really was my mom.” Sebastian’s eyes darkened. He sent the child away and kissed Lily, unable to tear themselves apart. My stomach churned and I nearly threw up. With trembling hands, I sent the video I’d recorded to my lawyer. “I don’t want custody either.” A knot of pressure in my chest, I heard Sebastian say, “I’ll take our daughter back first, then come keep you company tonight.” Perhaps out of guilt, Sebastian was particularly enthusiastic that night. He held me, but I pushed him away. After a while, he took a phone call and whispered in my ear, “Honey, there are some specially stored packages at the company that weren’t entered into inventory. I need to go check on them.” “With this heavy snow, I’m worried the roads will be blocked tomorrow.” I kept my eyes tightly shut. Forcing down the tremor in my throat, “Go ahead.” A sleepless night. Through the earpiece, I constantly heard the sounds of their intense entanglement.

I sat dazed on the window seat, watching the snow outside fade and then weave itself into a thin blanket. Sebastian sent me a message. 【Honey, the roads are blocked. I’ll probably need to stay at the office for the next couple days】 Lily’s Ins had updated again. 【Heavy snow is heaven’s gift of love to us】 The photo showed her bare shoulder. Though covered with foundation, the red marks were clearly visible. Around her neck was a shiny ruby necklace. I remembered that necklace. This morning my best friend had messaged me. She said she’d unexpectedly attended a unique item auction with Sebastian. At the auction, Sebastian had won a ruby necklace. It should have been a New Year’s gift for me. She also said she really liked that necklace and had planned to bid on it herself. But when she saw Sebastian bidding too, she figured it was for me. I expressionlessly forwarded Lily’s Ins photo to her. A phone call came immediately. I had no choice but to answer. “Holy shit, Sebastian’s that bold!” “It’s not for me.” I calmly gazed at the white landscape. “He’s having an affair.” Emma hung up. Then she sent me a lawyer’s contact card. 【This was my divorce lawyer】 The lawyer I found turned out to be the same one Emma used for her divorce. At the time, he handed me his business card, but I didn’t take it. He said he didn’t just handle divorces, but also workplace disputes. 【If it wasn’t for him, that scumbag would have gotten custody of my son】 Staring at Emma’s message, my heart, which had been calm all night, began racing violently again. I replied, 【I don’t want custody】 I sent her a recording. She angrily asked, 【That bitch is there? I’m going to tear her apart!】 【Luxe Haven Apartments】 【Wait for me!】 I got Lily’s address from Emma. This was a place Sebastian and I had looked at six months ago. I really liked it. But when I inquired again later, the unit had already been sold. I never imagined that Sebastian had lied about not having enough money when he’d actually bought it for his mistress. Emma and I knocked on the door. The moment it opened, we both froze. “Attorney Morgan, this is your place?” Attorney Morgan nodded, his gaze landing on me. We staked out the stairwell waiting for Sebastian and Lily’s mother and son to leave. I called the property management. “What’s going on upstairs? The water killed the flowers on my balcony.” Property management came to check the situation and took us to the door. He knocked, asking tentatively, “Are you home?” He called out so naturally that Attorney Morgan asked, “You know this family?” The property manager smiled sheepishly. “I do. They bought the place six months ago. It’s a family of three.” “Mr. Sebastian is the best husband I’ve ever seen—when he travels for work, he often asks me to look after his wife and son.” Emma’s tone was contemptuous. “Really?” The property manager didn’t catch her meaning and continued on his own. “Don’t worry, I’ll call Mr. Sebastian. They probably just went out.” In the gap while he made the call, someone from the next unit came out. “Looking for Mr. Sebastian?” The friendly lady, seeing us gathered at the door, helpfully explained. “He took his wife and kid out.” “Mr. Sebastian travels a lot for work. It’s rare for them to go out together, so they probably won’t be back until evening.” Just then, Sebastian’s call connected. The property manager briefly explained the situation. He needed to enter the unit to investigate the water leak. Seeking Sebastian’s permission. On the other end, a child’s voice sounded disappointed. “Daddy, you promised we’d go to the amusement park today…” Then came Lily’s soothing voice. Sebastian indulgently coaxed the child, then said into the phone, “I can’t make it back. I’ll have to trouble you then.”

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