My husband, Aaron Carter, and I are both failed rebounds. He proposed to my cousin, Bella, and was rejected. I was friend-zoned by his roommate. What’s sadder? Our crushes ended up together. When they got married, I was the maid of honor, and he was the best man. That day, we hugged each other and cried our eyes out. Six years later, they divorced. Aaron dressed up meticulously, picked out a gift, and asked me: “Do I look handsome? Will Bella like this gift?” He seemed to have forgotten that we were married too. I thought for a moment, complimented him on how handsome he looked, and silently contacted a lawyer to draft the divorce papers. 1 I whipped up two simple dishes, and Aaron pushed the door open just as I was setting the table. He seemed to be in a good mood, humming a tune as he bent down to change his shoes with his long legs. “You’re back? Dinner’s ready.” I placed a bowl of rice on his side of the table. He tasted a mouthful of the dish and put down his chopsticks. “It’s bland.” I instinctively replied, “I’ll add more salt and chili next time.” Actually, I knew. He hated scallions but loved spicy food. It was just that I was in a inexplicably bad mood today and thought he wouldn’t come home tonight. So, in a daze, I only cooked according to my own taste. “No need.” He said lightly, not even looking at me. “Leah, find some time tomorrow to move out.” “If she wants to come over someday and finds out about us… it’ll be hard to explain.” My hand holding the chopsticks paused. “Okay.” He remembered something, his brows relaxing. “By the way, she really liked the silk scarf you picked. She said it matches her new coat perfectly. Next time I give a gift, you have to help me choose again.” The rice in my mouth suddenly became hard, mixed with an indescribable bitterness. I chewed and swallowed hard. “It was just a coincidence.” “I can’t guess what she likes every time. Next time, just ask her directly.” Aaron finally looked up at me. His light eyes narrowed slightly, his fingertips idly playing with the wheel of his lighter. “Leah.” “You’re not jealous, are you?” I wanted to say “No,” but my lips moved without making a sound. He didn’t need my answer anyway. He continued on his own, tossing the lighter aside. “But you shouldn’t be. We’re just partners living together. You know that, and I know that.” “Besides, even if you are jealous, it’s useless. I don’t love you.” That sentence again. I almost instinctively wanted to retort, but my phone rang at that moment. Seeing the caller ID, I got up and walked to the balcony. Bella’s gentle voice came through: “Cousin, Aaron came to see me today. We just had coffee.” “Yeah, I know.” “I just… wanted to let you know.” “After all, you guys have always been close. I was afraid you’d mind.” Actually, what was there to mind? I always knew Aaron never got over her. He liked every one of her Instagram posts. Even the news of her divorce, he was the first one to tell me excitedly. After a few seconds of silence, I spoke: “Mind what?” I heard myself say: “We’re not even friends.” 2 I hung up the phone and turned around to find Aaron leaning against the sliding door, watching me. I don’t know how long he’d been listening. Hands in his pockets, he said, “Leah, not even friends? Saying that makes me a little unhappy.” His tone was strange, carrying an inexplicable sourness. I could never guess what Aaron was thinking. I forced a smile, perfunctory. “Okay, okay. Like you said, we have a pure revolutionary friendship. Is that better?” “Are you done eating? I’ll go take out the trash.” Without waiting for his response, I cleared the table and went out with the trash bag. The community dumpster was behind a building, a bit remote. Just as I turned around after throwing the trash, I saw Julian. Since he divorced Bella, I occasionally bumped into him jogging at night. But I never initiated a greeting, always rushing past with my head down. This time, he stopped me: “Leah.” I had to stop and wait for him. A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead, his breath slightly labored. He walked up to me and stopped. “I see you around here a lot lately, but you seem to be avoiding me.” I laughed dryly. “No, I just didn’t notice.” Actually, we both knew the truth. I had pursued him before, but he maintained a polite distance. For two years in college, he neither rejected nor accepted me. It wasn’t until he saw Bella and me walking side by side that he actively asked me for the first time: “Is that your cousin? Can I have her number?” After that, I was completely rejected by him. Then, they got married the year we graduated. Over the years, we tacitly never mentioned that past to Bella. Even during holidays, when he visited my parents as “Cousin-in-law,” I always found excuses to avoid him. Most of the time, I didn’t want to be alone with him. Seeing him reminded me of the disappointment of an ending before a beginning, and the awkwardness of forcing a smile in front of Bella. Instinctively, I just wanted to escape. If I hadn’t met Aaron, who was in the same boat, at that time… I would have been trapped in this emotion for a long time. Julian nodded and then asked me: “Do you know that Aaron has been very close to Bella recently?” Somewhere in my heart, it sank inexplicably, yet seemed to relax. I lowered my eyes and shook my head. “I don’t know.” “If there’s nothing else, I’m going home.” I turned to leave, but saw Aaron at the entrance of the building, seemingly waiting for me. For some reason, I felt a flicker of happiness. I walked over quickly. “Taking out the trash took this long?” “Ran into Julian. Exchanged a few words.” The hand in his pocket moved. “Oh, what did you talk about?” “He asked me if you were close to Bella recently. I said I didn’t know.” Aaron had an “I knew it” expression on his face, tinged with sarcasm. “Do you think now that he’s divorced and lonely, he remembered you, his old simp, and plans to settle for you?” I immediately retorted, “Impossible! He never looked at me before.” “True.” Aaron took over the conversation, his gaze sweeping up and down my body. “Plain looks, average figure. Personality is passable, but with a gem like Bella before him, even for a second marriage, he should find someone better.” With that, he turned and swiped his card to open the building door. I followed him into the elevator. As the elevator started to ascend, I couldn’t help but glance at him sideways. He seemed to notice, turning his head, the corner of his mouth hooking up. “What? Unhappy because I said that?” I knew he wasn’t caring about my feelings. After all, he was stating what he considered the most objective facts. I looked away, staring at the polished mirror surface of the elevator wall. It reflected my appearance: ordinary features, wearing old loungewear, hair tied up casually, a few loose strands hanging on my forehead. I looked at the utterly ordinary woman in the mirror and shook my head gently. “No, I think what you said is quite true.” 3 I have been ordinary since childhood. Mediocre grades, always unconsciously nervous and cramped in front of strangers. Bella, on the other hand, was the “child from another family”—the perfect one. Beautiful, good grades, gentle personality, and poised. Everyone unconsciously favored her. Standing together, I was the control group. Even if I wasn’t ugly, next to her, I would always be the ugly duckling. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t jealous, especially after Julian appeared. I liked him, but he fell in love with Bella at first sight. At that time, I even darkly felt that Bella stole him. But later I figured it out. I gave him her number willingly. I simped for so long with no result; the problem was indeed me. I can only blame myself for being too ordinary. But Aaron was different from me. He was naturally dazzling, from a good family, with outstanding looks. Yet, he hit a solid wall with Bella. Only later did I learn that before I gave Bella’s number to Julian, Aaron had been chasing her for a long time. I asked Bella indirectly why it was Julian and not Aaron. She thought about it then and said seriously: “Aaron… looks like a cynical playboy. Unreliable.” But now, this unreliable playboy seemed to be making her reconsider with his extraordinary devotion. 4 I went from the living room to the bedroom and started packing my things. Over the years, I seemed to have left many traces in this home. But many were things I couldn’t take away and had to throw out. It was three hours later when I finished packing. After washing up, Aaron was already leaning against the headboard. He had warmed up my side of the duvet and patted the spot next to him. I hesitated. I originally planned to sleep in the guest room. “What are you staring at? Come here.” He didn’t give me a chance to hesitate, reaching out and pulling me over, covering me tightly with the quilt. After lying down, he naturally wrapped his arms around me, his hand sliding down to hold my feet. He clicked his tongue, but his palm was scalding hot. “Why are you still so cold… No one will warm you up in the future. Remember to use a hot water bottle.” His breathing soon became even and long; he fell asleep. But I couldn’t sleep. Did Aaron… ever have a tiny bit of sincerity towards me? One winter, it snowed heavily, and I was trapped at the office. He drove to pick me up, risking the car slipping out of control. The first thing he said when he saw me was scolding: “Leah, are you stupid? Don’t you know to wear more?” My teeth chattered from the cold, but I squeezed out a smile and leaned in: “Care about me so much? Then remind me every day from now on, okay?” He immediately turned his face away. “Dream on. I don’t love you, why should I remind you? Don’t forget, we only have a revolutionary friendship.” Despite saying that, he grabbed my frozen hands and stuffed them directly into his warm sweater to warm them up. On the way back, the snow was thick. He drove slowly and carefully. When we finally reached the apartment complex. Getting out of the car, he suddenly packed a snowball and smashed it on my face. I grabbed snow to fight back too. We chased each other in the empty snow like two idiots. “Aaron Carter, are you childish?!” I shouted, panting. He laughed loudly. “Aren’t you too?” Near the building, I don’t know who lay down first, but we lay side by side in the snow. The world was quiet. Turning my head, I could see the white breath he exhaled and the snowflakes on his hair. He suddenly leaned close, close enough for me to count his eyelashes, close enough that all I could hear was my own deafening heartbeat. Then, he suddenly threw a handful of snow on my face, smiling smugly and wickedly: “Leah, you didn’t think… I was going to kiss you, did you?” I froze in place, snowflakes melting on my cheeks, cold. I grabbed snow and lunged at him. In the chaos, somehow, I pinned him in the snow. In that moment, I really wanted to kiss him. Very light, very fast. I kissed him. He didn’t push me away, just turned his face away quickly. When we both stood up, he raised his hand to wipe his cheek. “Leah, your saliva is disgusting.”

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23:59. I suppressed the anger of being woken up by my phone and pushed open the gold-plated door of the private room. “Sorry to disturb you, everyone. I’m here to pick up my significant other.” The next second, the countdown to the New Year in the room stopped abruptly. Dozens of eyes from the room full of social elites were all fixed on me. And the man sitting in the center, in a sharp suit and with cold features, was slowly rubbing his wine glass. “…Chloe Miller?” Someone broke the dead silence first. “Today is the New Year’s Eve gathering for Ivy League alumni, not a shelter for community college dropouts.” Laughter exploded. “Isn’t this the heroine of the ‘Only-Chloe-ism’ incident back then? Just to make her smile, the top student Ethan changed all ‘materialism’ to ‘Chloe-ism’ on his philosophy paper and almost gave the professor a heart attack.” “I heard you schemed your way into your stepbrother’s bed and forced him to marry you. Otherwise, why would he marry a failure like you? Now his sister-in-law is a Cambridge PhD, that’s what you call a perfect match. How dare you show up?” The gazes from the table pierced me like needles. They would never know. Ethan used to be the last in the school. He fought his way to the top just for me. But the past is no longer important. I met everyone’s gaze, without the wretchedness they expected, and said calmly with a slight smile: “I’m not here to spend New Year’s Eve with you elites. I’m here to pick up my husband.” Ethan finally looked up, his eyes dark: “Chloe, we divorced three years ago.” I curled my lips slightly, putting on a standard business smile. “I know.” “So, I didn’t say I came to pick you up, Mr. Sterling.” 1 “How shameless. Still trying to take advantage of Ethan even after the divorce.” A few suppressed snickers rang out in the private room. Jason lit a cigarette and looked at me lazily. “First time I’ve seen someone rush to be a mistress.” Jason was the best friend of Ethan and me in high school. And the person who treated me second best in this world. But when I was divorcing Ethan, he stood by Ethan without hesitation. Because the girl he liked was the third party in our marriage. And he had been helping Ethan hide their relationship. Only me, kept in the dark like a fool from beginning to end. “Jason, stop it.” Ethan pursed his lips and scolded coldly. Jason was unconvinced, extinguished his cigarette, and looked impatient. “What’s wrong with saying a few words? An idiot like Chloe can’t compare to an intellectual like Sophia at all.” “Only you would fall for a dummy like her and be dragged down for years for nothing.” Ethan looked at me and said deeply, “Chloe isn’t stupid.” Chloe isn’t stupid. Coming from the mouth of a genius like Ethan. It actually sounds a bit comical. But 16-year-old Chloe Miller believed it. The year I graduated from middle school, my mom and Ethan’s dad formed a new family. Ethan and I were the same age and went to the same ordinary high school. We were in the same class. He was last, and my grades were in the middle. Ethan hated me, so he never talked to me. I often saw Ethan fighting and getting punished. Then my mom would come to school to be scolded, bowing and scraping while being insulted. One night I went out for water and saw my mom sitting on the sofa wiping tears in the middle of the night. “Chloe, how can Ethan accept me?” I didn’t know. I only knew that after that day. The originally plain relationship between Ethan and me became tense. I put wasabi in his drink, poured dirty water into his backpack, and put laxatives in his lunch box. Ethan threatened, “What other tricks do you have? Chloe Miller, I’m telling you, if you don’t kill me, I’ll kill your mom!” We confronted each other like this for half a year. I thought I would hate Ethan for the rest of my life. But in the end, he became the only person in this world who still loved me. 2 The conflict between Ethan and me ended after an incident of domestic violence. Ethan’s dad beat my mom until she was hospitalized. When my mom was put on the ambulance, his dad was still shouting insults. “I chased you for a year or two, but besides being pretty, you’re useless, good for nothing.” My mom was nearly forty. She was spoiled by my dad in the first half of her life, so naturally she couldn’t do anything. When he heard this back then, Ethan’s indifferent expression collapsed instantly. He looked at me in shock, muttering. “It wasn’t your mom who seduced my dad…” Ethan hated my mom. He always thought my mom actively intervened in his parents’ marriage, causing his mom to leave. It didn’t matter anymore, because after that day. I didn’t have a mom anymore either. When I went to the hospital to see her holding her favorite white frangipani, I found out she ran away. She didn’t take anything. She didn’t take me either. Chloe Miller had no home. I didn’t know where to go. While wandering on the street in the middle of the night, Ethan found me. His eyes were red, and he looked angry. I was afraid he would hit me, so I shrank into a ball. In my fear, his warm embrace wrapped around me. For the first time, I heard him speak so gently. “Chloe, come home with me.” “From now on, I’ll be your whole world.” I took the hand he extended and held it tight. So, starting from the age of sixteen. In Chloe Miller’s world, there was only Ethan. 3 After my mom left, Ethan’s dad’s temper became even more violent. Afraid I would get hurt, Ethan moved out with me. Our life continued, just different from before. I was no longer mischievous, and Ethan’s brows softened. Ethan spent more and more time reading and studying. I couldn’t help but ask him. “You used to dislike reading and attending class.” He looked at me seriously, finally pinched my cheek helplessly, and said gently, “Chloe, I want to give you a better life.” I looked at the tips of his red ears and nodded heavily. Chloe Miller would never drag Ethan down either. So I studied even harder. But when Ethan went from last in the grade to first. I still hovered in the middle. Ethan tutored me at home until midnight. I shook my head looking at the calculus problems. He said: “Chloe, you’re so dumb.” “But, I just like you being dumb, it’s terribly cute.” Sleepiness hit, and the pen in my hand slipped. I was still muttering. “Ethan, can you walk slower? I can’t catch up with you.” Ethan said. I never have to chase him. He will wait for me forever. He didn’t do it. Later, he hated my dumb look the most. It annoyed him. 4 “Not dumb? You tried so hard to tutor her back then, but in the end she only got into a lousy state college, right?” Jason played with his lighter, continuing the conversation. I looked around and didn’t see my husband, Luke Walker. Luke was indeed alumni with Ethan, but in a different college. They shouldn’t be gathering together either. I thought he might have sent me the wrong address. I didn’t bother to dwell on the past anymore. “Excuse me.” I dropped this sentence and left. I sent a message to Luke, but he didn’t reply, and his phone was unanswered. I planned to go home first. Before I opened the car door, a hand grabbed my wrist first. “Sister, forgive me, okay?” Ethan lowered his eyes, an emotion I couldn’t understand in them. Sister, this title. Used to make me blush, and once became the perfect title to flirt with a straitlaced person like Ethan. But later, this “brother and sister” thing also doomed me. “Ethan, are you addicted to acting?” I shook off his hand and said expressionlessly, “I don’t have a brother.” When the atmosphere was stagnant, a scoff broke the embarrassment. “Chloe Miller, didn’t expect to see you here.” Sophia walked over in high heels, as arrogant and domineering as ever. In the past, I would have been scared by her aura. I would also envy, admire, and involuntarily feel a bit inferior. But now, after that unbearable past had been tormented in my heart repeatedly, what remained had returned to calm. “Chloe, why don’t you come home with me and Ethan? Your mom misses you too.” I myself didn’t expect that three years later, I could say it so calmly. “I don’t have a mom.” My brother, my mom. All chose her, Sophia. I, too, didn’t want them long ago. Sophia grabbed my wrist, inadvertently revealing the jade bracelet on her wrist. This was the heirloom Ethan’s mom left him. I wore this bracelet for ten years. And my relationship with Ethan only lasted ten years.

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Three years after breaking up with my childhood sweetheart, my mother cooked his favorite meal: hairy crab. “Lily is coming over today. Don’t cause a scene with her.” Lily was the poor student my mother adored. Caleb was the boy I had loved for ten years. Seeing me sit silently in my wheelchair, my mother raised her voice, trying to mask her guilt: “Lily changed your college application back then for your own good. But becoming a war correspondent was your own choice. You can’t blame others.” I just smiled and said calmly: “Mm.” “I can’t reverse the past, but I am moving forward, after all.” 1 Seeing that I didn’t throw a tantrum or scream like I used to, my mother still wasn’t reassured. She continued to hammer her point: “Lily and Caleb have a great marriage. Don’t you dare become the third wheel. I can’t afford to lose that face.” My mother had always been like this. Always standing on the outsider’s side. Treating her own daughter like an enemy to be guarded against. Caleb met me first. We were neighbors, childhood sweethearts. We grew up holding hands. He kissed me under the jacaranda tree and confessed his love. We always liked each other. He said he would definitely marry me. But my mother, who was also my homeroom teacher, brought the impoverished student Lily home. From that day on, she permeated every corner of my world with Caleb. My mother took half the credit for this. Whether I went to the library or shopping with Caleb, she insisted I bring Lily along. She was even the witness at their wedding. I opened a bag of cucumber-flavored chips, my gaze indifferent. “Mom, if you’re so worried, why force me to come back here to recover?” “You ungrateful girl, your wings have hardened, dare to talk to me like that?” She habitually raised her hand, wanting to poke my forehead. I turned my head to dodge. Someone was punching in the code at the door. My mother switched to a smiling face and went to welcome them. 2 Lily and Caleb walked in, fingers interlaced. “Ms. Yan, I can smell the food! Sorry we’re late, couldn’t help you out.” “Good children, come in quickly. I made Caleb’s favorite hairy crab, and your favorite scrambled eggs with onions.” Entering the living room, they seemed to finally notice my existence. Lily, just like the first time she came to my house, subconsciously shrank back. As if I were some monster that eats people. My mother glared at me, signaling me not to put on a cold face and to greet the guests. I didn’t move. Caleb instinctively looked at my foot wrapped in thick gauze, his tone concerned. “Zoe, is your injury better?” I nodded politely. At the table, my mother seated them in the best positions to reach the dishes, then ordered me: “Go to the fridge and get the mango juice. It’s Lily’s favorite.” Lily glanced at me and spoke awkwardly: “Ms. Yan, no need.” “Are you worried about her leg? Ignore it. She deserved it, running off to such a chaotic place abroad.” “No, it’s just that I can’t drink cold things today, and I can’t eat crab either.” Lily touched her lower abdomen, looking shyly at Caleb, announcing she was pregnant, just three months along. Caleb lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable. My mother was more excited than if she were pregnant herself, rattling off a list of precautions, wishing she could have Lily move back here to rest. “I still kept your room. Caleb won’t be home for lunch, you can come over to eat and nap.” My home was a small three-bedroom apartment. The day after Lily moved in, my mother used the excuse that Lily had suffered too much as a child to give her my sunny room. During her four years of college, Lily studied in the city and came back often. So, I didn’t move back into the room that originally belonged to me. I still lived in the small room without windows. Seeing I didn’t react, Lily asked cautiously: “Zoe, are you staying for good this time? Ms. Yan says she doesn’t miss you, but she often looks at your photos on social media!” “I so envy you photographing the scars of war in ancient Syrian cities, and chasing armed evacuations in the Libyan desert.” “Unlike me, I can only be a useless person pampered by Caleb. It feels like high school again, with Ms. Yan and Caleb giving me special treatment!” 3 In the past, I was easily provoked by Lily’s “green tea” bitch words. Because the way my mother treated Lily showed me she had a gentle, maternal side. Unlike the extreme strictness she showed me. I am allergic to onions. But my mother loves them. To test my obedience, for an entire summer vacation, the dining table only had white rice and various dishes stir-fried with onions. Even the chicken soup had to have a few onion petals thrown in. Born into a single-parent family, I never met my biological father. My mother never let me mention him. To what extent? The kind where a mention would earn me an immediate slap in the face. When I was wronged, only Caleb comforted me. For a long time, I had a deep attachment to him. The year I was punished by the onion family, I was ten. Caleb’s parents did business out of town, so he asked his grandma to make me egg fried rice. Since then, I became his little glutton. His pockets were filled with milk, strawberry cakes, and spicy strips, feeding me until I was full. We agreed to go to Beijing University together, marry upon graduation, and let Grandma hold a great-grandson early. Until my mother brought Lily home. Her family was very poor. She tested into the city from a remote mountain area with great effort. My mother admired her perseverance, stopped my guzheng lessons, and paid her tuition and tutoring fees. I hated Lily, always using her pitiful look to win my mother’s sympathy. I never initiated conversation with her. Caleb patted my head, promising to always stand by my side. Until that day after school, he saw Lily squatting on the playground eating pickles with cold rice. At that moment, his expression was complex, shocked, and unbearable. But at my house, my mother cooked Lily’s favorite pasta dishes in various ways. There was no way she wasn’t full. Caleb chose his words carefully, as if for my own good: “Zoe, don’t you think you’re being too petty?” “Your mother is good to everyone, except you. Shouldn’t you reflect on that?” I had been gaslighted by my mother for so long that I really started to think it was my problem. At the same time, Caleb used my mother’s name to stand me up and tutor Lily. He could also give up celebrating my birthday because Lily said she had never been to an amusement park. I was kept in the dark about all these maneuvers. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have maintained a long-distance relationship with Caleb for four years. Until the year of graduation, I came home early with my luggage and saw Lily and Caleb in my room, disheveled and hugging each other. I cried all night, as if my faith had collapsed. Over the four years, Caleb flew to see me many times, vowing to marry me right after graduation. How could feelings change overnight? I screamed and shouted, wanting to kick Lily out. My mother slapped me hard, saying she bought the house, and I had no right to decide who stayed or left. In a fit of anger, I broke up with him and applied to be a war correspondent abroad. My mother not only didn’t blame Lily but planned to adopt her as a goddaughter. It was only dropped because Lily’s parents didn’t agree. 4 I ate a few mouthfuls tastelessly and went back to my room. Behind me came my mother’s scolding about my failure to meet expectations, and Lily’s subtle adding fuel to the fire. Caleb came in with a plate of strawberries. I ignored him. “Zoe, are you still blaming Lily? You didn’t say a word to her today. You’re going to overthink things again.” If it were before, I would have screamed: Shouldn’t I blame her? She changed my college application without permission, stole my boyfriend, and my mother wouldn’t even let me call the police, or even get angry at her. When I was hit by stray bullets in Syria and almost died. I figured it out. To people who don’t care about you, whatever you say is just air. I remained silent. Caleb thought I was taking my anger out on him and kept explaining: “I always knew Auntie Yan hated Beijing. You wanted to apply to Beijing University to escape her.” “Lily didn’t want you mother and daughter to fall out, so she memorized your password and changed it for you.” Yes! Her “good intentions” changed my Economics major at Beijing University to a niche Journalism major at a university 2000 kilometers away. Caleb was still rambling: “Zoe, even if I had gotten into Beijing University with you, I would have advised you to change your application.” I was really annoyed listening to him, so I casually said: “Did you deliberately test poorly to stay and accompany Lily?” His voice stopped abruptly, like a wild duck choked by someone. He didn’t know how I knew. Because he never saw clearly that the seemingly strong and innocent Lily was not the little white rabbit he knew at all. After finishing university, when Lily no longer needed my mother’s financial support, she sent many messages to provoke me. Like in high school, how Caleb deceived everyone to take her to the amusement park, the movies, and the ocean park I longed for behind my back. During university, Caleb, who got his driver’s license, used weekends to take her on trips around the area. If I called to check on him, he would use the hotel curtains to lie.

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During my peak “love-brain” year, my boyfriend gave my $5,000 scholarship bonus to his childhood sweetheart. I didn’t even make a scene. That night, his best friend, unable to stand it anymore, posted on his Instagram Story: [Show me a screenshot of your breakup text, and come collect $5,000 from me.] My boyfriend didn’t care, asking him what new meme he was playing with. He didn’t reply. But I squatted on the roadside, staring at that story for a long, long time. After all, I was exactly $5,000 short for my grandmother’s medical bills. I had insomnia until 3 AM. Finally, I carefully sent a message to his best friend: [Hi, is the offer still valid?] 1 This was the first message I ever sent to Lucas Sterling after adding him. As soon as I sent it, I regretted it a little. Because Lucas Sterling hated love-brained people the most. And I was notoriously love-brained in their circle, having been a simp for Ethan Carter for three years. I even tried to build good relationships with all of Ethan’s bros just to understand his preferences better. Only this Lucas was the coldest to me. Back then, Ethan warned me casually: “He doesn’t like people like you. Don’t throw yourself at him; you can’t afford to offend him.” So after Lucas accepted my friend request, I was too scared to even say hello. But tonight, I sent him the first message. It was already 3 AM. Lucas had a disciplined schedule; he was probably asleep. I hesitated. Should I unsend it before he sees it? Just as my finger touched the screen. Unexpectedly, a reply came. Very concise: [Screenshot.] A tone of undeniable authority, like a CEO giving orders. I felt inexplicably intimidated. After all, among all of Ethan’s friends, only Lucas had taken over his family business at such a young age. I dared not offend him. I subconsciously replied: [Okay, please wait a moment.] Then I quickly opened Ethan’s chat box and sent him a message: [Let’s break up.] After sending it, I stunned myself for two seconds. From pursuing Ethan to becoming his girlfriend. Even when I was wronged or angry, I couldn’t bear to say the word “breakup” to him. I never thought that in the end, I would say this sentence because of a dramatic Instagram Story. Ethan was still up, replying almost instantly: [?] [Wendy, trying a new trick this time?] I didn’t dare make Lucas wait long, so I replied quickly: [No joke, I’m serious.] After that, I took a screenshot. Then I sent it to Lucas. There was no reply for a moment. I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Ethan was still messaging me: [Just because of a scholarship bonus of a few thousand dollars, you’re doing this?] [Did you promise me not to use breaking up to threaten me?] I pursed my lips, planning to defend myself. Lucas finally sent another message: [Delete contact.] At the end, he added: [Screen record the blocking process, collect another $5,000.] So, I ignored Ethan’s messages, quickly deleted and blocked him. Then I sent the screen recording proof to Lucas. The next second, a notification of $10,000 deposit into my bank account rang. From beginning to end, he didn’t say an extra word to me. Just to solve a love-brained person who made him unbearable. 2 The next day. I stopped clinging to Ethan and went back to being a loner. That evening after class, he blocked me at the school gate. Ethan looked down at me irritably: “Wendy, you’ve got guts, daring to delete me?” I explained seriously: “We’ve broken up.” He was impatient: “Just because of a scholarship, do you have to be like this?” I took a deep breath and said word by word: “Ethan, but that could have been the surgery fee for my grandma.” Ethan paused abruptly. Immediately, the little childhood sweetheart beside him held his arm, apologizing to me in panic: “I’m sorry, Wendy. I… I didn’t know it was so important.” “I’m really sorry. I’ll return the money to you. Don’t be mad at Ethan, okay?” Ethan recovered and frowned: “You don’t need to apologize. The scholarship is yours.” After speaking, seeing my silence, he softened his tone rarely: “…This matter is my fault, but she needs the scholarship more than you. She needs to use this to prove her ability to her family.” “Wendy, be sensible. I’ll pay for your grandma’s money?” Being with him for so long, Ethan rarely compromised like this. But every time he said this, I would soften and forgive him. This time, he even promised to help pay for Grandma’s surgery. It seemed that no matter what, I shouldn’t throw a tantrum anymore and should obediently make up with him. I pursed my lips, about to say something. But when I looked up, I saw Lucas standing not far behind Ethan. Through the crowd, he looked at me with extreme coldness. As if daring me to nod and agree, he would rush over and beat me up. Ethan followed my gaze, then surprised: “Lucas, why are you here? Weren’t you going to the company today?” Seeing this, Lucas walked forward and explained lightly: “There’s something at school that needs supervision.” Ethan didn’t mind. A few seconds later, remembering something, he asked casually: “By the way, what did you mean by that story you posted last night? Did anyone really send you a screenshot?” Lucas’s gaze swept over me. I hurriedly lowered my head, not speaking. Then I heard him reply indifferently: “Yeah, there was.” Maybe Lucas’s attitude was too natural. Ethan didn’t think much and turned his gaze back to me. Actually, even if Lucas didn’t come specifically to supervise me, I would have kept my promise. Three years of feelings were long; I always dared not give up. But since I took the money and broke up last night, I wouldn’t go back on my word. So, braving Lucas’s gaze, I said seriously to Ethan: “I’ve gathered the money. Breaking up is not a joke.” “Ethan, let’s stop here.” 3 After that, I didn’t see Ethan again. Naturally, meetings with Lucas became even fewer. Grandma’s surgery was very successful, and she was discharged after recuperating in the hospital for a while. Suddenly, broke up with Ethan, Grandma recovered. Life suddenly became empty. Apart from classes and part-time jobs, there was nothing else. But I said it. I am a love-brain and a simp. Giving up a relationship suddenly, as if missing a spiritual pillar, made me unaccustomed. Just like in high school, always needing to find a crush. Not dating, just pure crushing. This can add motivation to my study and life. So when another one of Ethan’s bros, Xavier, found me, blinking and asking “Can you be with me,” I agreed. He treated me well, bought me flowers and gifts, and hired the best therapist in the state to take care of Grandma. When I was young, my parents left me to go abroad. Every time school let out, other kids had parents to pick them up. But Grandma had bad legs, so I usually walked home slowly by myself. Later, Grandma got sick, and her memory became poor. Finally, she didn’t even remember me. And Xavier would wait at my classroom door every day after school, and would boil soup for me according to recipes when I was sick. In a trance, I felt that I was also being loved. After recovering, to repay him. I decided to make a batch of my best cookies for him. Carrying the bag to the basketball court, I was looking for Xavier. The next second, the bag in my hand was empty. Ethan unscrewed the jar cap skillfully, complaining: “Why cookies again? I’m sick of eating them.” “Now you finally willing to talk to me?” I frowned, reaching out to him: “Give it back.” He was displeased: “Still angry?” Immediately, Xavier grabbed the bag from his hand: “Ethan, forgot to tell you, she is my girlfriend now.” Ethan froze, finally reacting. The raised corner of his mouth flattened, sneering at Xavier: “What, you lack a simp that much?” Xavier was noncommittal, opened the cookie box to look, and smiled at me with curved eyes: “Thanks Wendy. What do you want to eat later? I’ll take you.” Ethan looked at me again: “Copying the same set you used to chase me? Wendy, can you be a bit more creative as a simp?” As soon as the words fell, I felt a burning gaze on me. It was Lucas. He changed clothes and came out after playing, just in time to hear Ethan’s words. At this moment, he was frowning at me. As if asking me with hatred why my love brain acted up again. Although I felt Ethan’s words just now were slander, facing Lucas, I still felt inexplicably guilty. Xavier protected me behind him, looking at Ethan disapprovingly: “What simp or not, Wendy obviously likes me too much to make me cookies.” After speaking, he patted my head: “Wait here obediently, I’ll go change clothes and take you to eat.” Ethan snorted coldly and turned to the changing room. Suddenly, only Lucas and I were left here. I was still afraid of him. Mustered up courage to greet him, then fell into silence again. And he didn’t leave. Just as I was scrolling through my phone randomly to hide my embarrassment, he walked slowly in front of me. “Wendy.” I looked up at the sound. He said to me with a flat tone: “Xavier is the same as Ethan, not a good person.” I froze. Heard a trace of disapproval in his indifferent tone. I couldn’t help recalling the time I spent with Xavier. He was really good to me. Just hiring a therapist for Grandma was enough for me to thank him. It was impossible for me to break up with him directly just because of Lucas’s sentence. Even taking a step back, actions speak louder than words. So I still shook my head and smiled politely at him: “It’s different this time. He treats me really well…” Lucas closed his eyes. On that face that usually had no expression, a trace of rare irritability appeared. Seemed to think I was hopeless, extremely love-brained. At this time, Xavier finished packing and came out. I stood up hurriedly. Before leaving, thinking about it, I still whispered to him: “Our relationship is very stable now, but thank you for your kindness.” Lucas didn’t look at me again, his tone returning to normal: “Believe it or not. “Don’t misunderstand, I just purely can’t stand love brains. I won’t meddle anymore in the future.” 4 After that, Lucas indeed never looked for me again. After the final exams, Xavier planned to take me on a trip to Europe. We visited many cities and countries. He went along with me everywhere, following my opinions. Until the third day in London. I found his new canary in his phone. We had our first quarrel. After the fight, he dumped me on the strange streets of London. I squatted blankly on the street corner, dazing for a long time. Wanted to stand up, but my legs were numb. Accidentally, my calf hit a sharp stone nearby. I sniffled, simply sat on the stone, waiting for the pain to pass while looking down to edit a long text to Xavier. Just halfway through editing, a shadow enveloped me. I looked up. Lucas, whom I hadn’t seen for a long time, stood in front of me. Looking down, staring at my chat page with an unclear expression. Stunned for two seconds, I remembered he had warned me, but I didn’t listen. Embarrassed, I wanted to hide the phone behind my back. He reached out to me, tone unquestionable: “Give me the phone.” I felt inexplicably scared, obediently handing over the phone. His gaze swept over the long text I wrote halfway, then deleted it all. Words to me were concise as always: “$10,000. Break up, block, I take you back home.” Saying this, he helped me edit a new message: [Break up.] A second before pressing send, he asked my opinion symbolically: “Okay?” I nodded dumbly: “Okay.” So he sent the message, deleted and blocked, all in one go. After doing these, the atmosphere fell into a brief silence. He called seemingly to arrange something. After hanging up, he explained to me lightly: “I have a meeting tomorrow, it will end the day after tomorrow.” After speaking, he paused and asked me: “Do you have a place to stay?” I shook my head. After being dumped on the street, I hadn’t got my luggage back, let alone booked a new hotel. He said: “Then stay at my place first, take you back the day after tomorrow.” Then, he noticed the wound on my leg. “Wait here, I’ll go buy medicine.” Ten minutes later, he came back. Lucas squatted in front of me, his palm easily controlling my ankle to prevent me from moving. The other hand held a cotton swab and gently pressed on my wound. Almost finished applying, a voice suddenly came from behind. Xavier returned, surprise in his eyes now: “Lucas, why are you here?” As he spoke, his gaze fell on my leg held by Lucas, smiling and asking: “Why are you holding my girlfriend’s leg?”

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I went to the Board of Education to report our Grade Head. She used excessive corporal punishment, and I almost died. School became a living hell. I became a target for everyone, because I made them lose an “experienced” and “good” teacher. When he came back, I thought my dawn had arrived. I didn’t expect him to be even crueler. He pinched my jaw, gritting his teeth. “You disgusted me for so long. Can’t handle a little revenge?” Later, he held my waist tight, pulling me forcefully into his arms. Begging bitterly in my ear. “Stop playing with me, okay?” 1 The hallway between classes was full of laughter, sunlight splashing on every youthful face. I was the only one out of place, head lowered, walking with heavy steps towards the principal’s office. Knock, knock, knock. No answer. I pushed the door open out of habit. The scene before me was as tense as a public shaming. The Dean of Students was surrounded by teachers from every subject in our grade. His square face, usually stern, looked exceptionally irritable today. His glasses slid down his bulbous nose a bit. Seeing me, his eyebrows shot up, eyes glaring, voice piercing the entire office. “You’re Chloe Vance? Impressive. Do you know your Grade Head can’t work here anymore because of you?” The teachers around him knew how to read the room, following suit, wishing they could kill me with their eyes. I kept my head down, picking at my fingers, letting him scream hysterically. “Mrs. Hayes was hired by our school for a huge sum! Experienced, with a college acceptance rate of 70% in her classes! And you, you ruined it all. All our efforts wasted.” The Dean took a deep breath and exhaled, turning his back on me, too lazy to look. Seeing this, other teachers chimed in immediately, leaving no gaps, cursing me as if I were an unforgivable sinner. “Exactly. What teacher doesn’t punish students? Making a mountain out of a molehill.” “So capable, don’t come to school then. Who would dare to manage you in the future?” I don’t know how long it lasted. The Dean ended it with, “You’re hopeless.” He waved his hand at me, spitting out, “Get out.” That tone— Like shooing away a dog. Maybe they saw I was unresponsive, or maybe they were tired of scolding. I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to know. Just like they only cared that Mrs. Hayes was fired under pressure from above, and couldn’t even be bothered to mention that I lay in the ICU for a whole week. 2 The atmosphere inside was oppressive and chaotic. As soon as I stepped out, I greedily inhaled the fresh air drifting freely outside. Suddenly, a deafening boy’s voice rang out from the office next door, echoing into the hallway. “Liam, catch!” Almost instantly, my nerves were pulled. I turned my head subconsciously. A boy caught a book flying towards him. He smirked at the office next door, looking triumphant. With that reckless and arrogant energy, I immediately pieced him together with the person deep in my memory who always grinned at me. 3 Five years ago, his family of three moved into the apartment above mine. Liam found me standing alone at my door late at night without a key. Without a word, he dragged me to his house for dinner. My mom left, my dad was busy working. I became a regular at his family’s dinner table. Although I was a year older, I was sensitive and introverted. He was a social butterfly who could chat up a dog. Thanks to his tireless thick skin, for the first time ever, I had a real friend. He was exceptionally good to me. Sometimes he would give up playing basketball with a group of friends just to walk home with me, the loner. So rumors started spreading in school that he liked me. The short-haired girls who liked to form cliques couldn’t sit still. They cornered me after school, mocking and sarcastic. “Look in the mirror. Do you think you deserve him?” “Who gave you the confidence?” I dared not conflict, because there was no one behind me. To put it bluntly, no backer. I lowered my head and tried to leave. It was Liam who grabbed me, followed by a group of boys who just finished playing ball. His shirt front was slightly damp, holding a basketball, a lazy smile on his lips. “I think you look like a potato, but aren’t you quite confident too?” “You!” The short-haired girl turned red with anger at being insulted by a boy younger than her, unable to utter a sentence for a long time. “You you you, you what?” “Go home and eat your brains, you can’t even speak properly.” In those days, I experienced the security of being carefully guarded, although brief. 4 Finally having the chance to see him again, I wanted to tell him all the unspeakable grievances. I frantically contacted students from the middle school section, but they told me. In the entire ninth grade… There wasn’t even anyone with the last name Sterling.

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Three years after being taken back home, I jumped from a high-rise. My soul floated in the air, wanting to see how my parents and brother, who had always despised me, would weep bitterly and regret their actions. But my father only shook his head indifferently, looked at my body, and said one word: “Childish.” My mother pursed her lips, sighing in relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted. My brother blocked the fake heiress’s view, sparing her the sight of my gruesome death. However, the fake heiress was still scared to tears, prompting the whole family to hug and comfort her immediately. I stared for a long time, then let out a self-deprecating, relieved laugh. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment I was first brought home. 01 Realizing I had been reborn, I sat in silence for a long time. My parents in front of me, eyes red, were talking about how much they missed me over the years and their guilt towards me. They had missed me for ten years! In my previous life, I was moved to tears, threw myself into their arms, and naively thought I had a home. I had people who loved me! However, three years later, I was tearing at my own hair, crying and screaming, jumping off a building in front of them, trying to exchange my death for a shred of their love. But, no one had ever loved me. So, at this moment, I felt nothing, calm as a log. “Sweetie, are you still not used to this? It’s okay, Mom will take you to pick a room first. Choose any one you like!” Seeing my silence, my mom pulled my hand and walked towards the third floor. My dad followed with a smile, while calling my brother, Liam, urging him to come home quickly. Liam only replied with one word: “Busy.” My dad was displeased. My mom looked a bit embarrassed and explained to me: “Your brother is a busy man. Most of the group’s affairs are handed over to him. He can only come back on weekends.” In my previous life, I believed it. In this life, I didn’t care. Believing it was fine. On the third floor, every room was brightly decorated, full of warmth and girlish charm. “Aurora, choose. You can live in any room!” My dad said with a smile. My gaze locked onto the one closest to the stairs. Inside, on the bed, sat a fluffy panda. In my previous life, I was attracted at first glance. Mistakenly thinking my parents loved me very much, I chose that room directly. I liked that panda. However, my parents’ expressions changed slightly. They exchanged a look and quickly smiled: “Aurora, forgot to tell you, this is your sister Bella’s room. “Bella is very sensible. She specifically cleared her room and said you could choose it too. You should live in this most spacious one…” I blinked then, grateful: “Sister gave me her room? She’s so nice.” I still liked that panda, and that room. My parents exchanged looks again, hesitating to speak. But I, overjoyed, had already run in and hugged the panda without hesitation. Just then, Bella came back with her schoolbag. 02 Bella was the same age as me, 15. She was much more mature than me, not as naive and ignorant. Seeing me barge into her room, she pursed her lips and forced a dimpled smile: “Heard sister is back, I took leave to rush back. Sister likes this room? Then you stay here.” After speaking, she bit her lip and looked away. My parents took in all her changes. My mom rushed in to pull me: “Aurora, choose another room. This one is too big, I don’t think it’s good.” “Why isn’t it good?” I was confused. I also subtly sensed the change in atmosphere. But how could I understand what was wrong back then? My parents cried for me, loved me so much. Bella voluntarily cleared the room for me to choose. Clearly, I was their biological daughter. Was it wrong to choose a room I liked? So, I was full of questions. My mom’s expression changed again, hesitating. My dad became much more stern, also silent. Bella came over to help me make the bed: “Sister, you stay here. This home is yours, stay wherever you want.” 03 I stayed. In the village, I only dealt with pots, pans, and fields. Coming to the city, I still only knew how to deal with pots, pans, and fields. But in the city, there were no pots, pans, and fields. So, I didn’t understand what was wrong. I stayed in Bella’s room for only half a day before being dragged out by my brother Liam who rushed back. He was furious, dragging me, who was reading, to the door, scolding with hatred: “Do you have any manners? This is Bella’s room. You occupy the magpie’s nest, have you no shame!” I was stunned, not just because it was the first time meeting my brother. But because I couldn’t understand, how did I occupy the magpie’s nest? I was scared and called for Mom and Dad. My parents rushed up. Liam attacked first: “Mom, Dad, how did you arrange this? This is Bella’s room. Treating them differently like this, aren’t you chilling Bella’s heart?” “This…” My parents looked conflicted, not knowing what to say. I keenly caught the flash of anger in my mom’s eyes. That was the look directed at me. I froze. I was very familiar with this look. My dead adoptive father liked to look at me like this when he was alive. Mom was angry at me! It turned out, I was really the magpie. 04 The magpie stood carefully on the wire, enduring year after year. Finally, jumped off the high building. It was so stupid. In this life, I can’t be stupid anymore. In this life, I want to not fight, not grab, not cry, not make noise, and of course, not love them anymore. I smiled very faintly in my heart and pointed to the smallest room at the far end. “I want that one.” My parents were stunned, then showed relieved expressions, pretending to blame: “That’s the storage room. Why choose that? Pick again.” “I’m used to living in small rooms, feels safer.” My tone carried a hint of self-mockery. My parents sighed and agreed. They just agreed so smoothly to let their biological daughter, who returned after ten years of separation, live in the storage room. The fake heiress Bella came back at the right time. She ran upstairs, clearly surprised to see me entering the storage room. I glanced at her, calm. She thought I didn’t know. She deliberately put a panda in her room to lure me into choosing it. From the first day I came home, I fell into her carefully laid trap. She spent three years fighting with me for the family’s love and won completely. And I, used death to realize a truth. The best way to get love is to love yourself. 05 I moved into the storage room and closed the door. Bella brought the panda doll over: “Sister, giving you a doll, you must like it.” “I don’t like dolls, thanks.” I responded through the door, taking out the textbooks I brought from the countryside. At the moment of rebirth, I had a plan. I want to love myself. There are many ways to love oneself. For the current me, achieving success and being independent is the best way. “Does sister not like me? Also true, I’m the one occupying the magpie’s nest…” Bella said dejectedly outside the door. Seemingly talking to me, but actually for the parents to hear. The parents were still there. Sure enough, my mom quickly comforted her: “Your sister is probably just tired and needs rest. Don’t overthink it.” My dad also spoke: “Bella, don’t overthink. In this home, no one is occupying the magpie’s nest.” Actually, there is. It’s me.

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Upon graduation, Asher Sterling asked me for a final fling. Afterwards, he casually handed me a cigarette, joking: “In the future, when I look for a wife, I definitely won’t find a smoker.” My throat tightened as I asked him why. He said, “Chloe, I like them pure.” I was silent for a long time, then cut off all contact with him. When we met again, he had become my new boss. To avoid awkwardness, I voluntarily submitted my resignation, but he cornered me in his office. “It’s been five years. One more time?” I lowered my eyes. “No thanks. I have to pick up my kid from school.” 1 The air went still. Asher froze. I tried to stand up from his lap. But he pinned me down firmly, unable to move. The burning heat in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a crack in his usual calm demeanor. He gritted his teeth. “How old is the child?” I was silent, then answered softly after a moment. “Three.” Three, not four. We broke up five years ago. This child had nothing to do with him. Obviously, Asher knew this too. I tried to stand up again. This time, the large hand across my waist didn’t stop me. Pushing the door open, he spoke again, his voice tinged with suspicion. “I remember your HR file says ‘unmarried’.” My steps paused slightly. I steadied myself and looked back calmly: “Just got the certificate recently.” “Just got the certificate, and the kid is three?” I nodded, frankly. “Yeah. Premarital pregnancy.” Asher didn’t respond. His sharp gaze swept over the cheap ring on my hand, and he scoffed dismissively. I didn’t feel ashamed. I showed it to him openly. Almost poked his eye out. Sensing his impending anger, I fled quickly. Back home that evening, I let out a heavy sigh of relief. Sometimes, lies are the most useful tools for solving unknown troubles. I bought the ring yesterday at a dollar store. Cheap and effective. I thought it was enough to wipe out whatever lingering feelings Asher had for me. Sure enough, my resignation was approved the next day. HR specifically came down in the afternoon to notify me personally. I could leave within a week after handing over my work. Usually, resignations take a month. Mine took a week. It was self-evident whose idea this was. I nodded and started handing over my work to the intern. The new intern was very obedient and enthusiastic. At least while I was mentoring her, she never paid for her own breakfast or afternoon tea. Near the end of the day, Emily suddenly spoke shyly: “Chloe, can I leave a little early tonight? My boyfriend asked me out to dinner.” I was a bit troubled. Not that I couldn’t let her go, but I also needed to leave early tonight to pick up my daughter. Seeing my silence, she got anxious, clasping her hands together and pleading. I laughed and cried at the same time, having to agree: “Fine, go ahead.” She thanked me excitedly and started packing: “My boyfriend gets off work soon.” I was surprised: “He works here too?” Emily looked mysterious. “No, he’s…” Before she finished, a deep, magnetic voice interrupted. “Packed yet?” 2 My body stiffened for a second. If I had never heard this voice before, I probably would have looked up to gossip. But unfortunately, this voice had filled my nightmares for the past five years. In the dark nights where I needed pills to sleep, Asher’s words echoed repeatedly in my ears. “Chloe, you’re too good. I’ll corrupt you.” “Chloe, try smoking. Girls who smoke are cool. I want to see a different side of you.” Under his coaxing, I fell, and I learned. From sophomore year, I went from being Asher’s pursuer to his bedmate. Then, defeating numerous other girls, I successfully became his girlfriend for three years. The day he accepted my confession, the weather was terrible, the wind howling. At that time, he had just dropped off a senior girl after a date. His car was parked under the girls’ dorm. A pair of distinct, large hands lazily held a cigarette by the window, as if he were resting his eyes. The ash was blown away by the wind in mid-air. I went downstairs with a coat over my shoulders and knocked on his window, relying on the slight special treatment he gave me to confess. In that moment, the wind seemed to slow down deliberately, like a movie paused. I waited quietly for his answer. Asher turned to look at me, took out a cigarette, and handed it to my lips. His dark eyes were bottomless, carrying a fatal attraction. I took it in my mouth like I was possessed. My moist lips touched his fingers; he didn’t pull back. His playful expression turned into silent permission, only saying: “Good girl, not so good anymore.” Back then, I was drowning in his eyes, failing to understand the deep meaning behind those words. Until graduation day. That was the last time he asked me to a hotel, and the last time we met. After the pleasure, he skillfully handed me a cigarette. “In the future, when I look for a wife, I definitely won’t find a smoker.” Back then, suppressing the sob in my throat, I asked him why. Asher laughed, white smoke rising from his fingertips, his tone more serious than ever. “Chloe, I like them pure.” Tears swirled in my eyes, making me forget to breathe for a moment. Heh, pure. He said he liked them pure. But once, he also claimed I was too pure, too good, leaving him nowhere to start. Today, I finally understand what he meant back then. Because I wasn’t good anymore, all my actions fell into his category of “playable.” 3 I pulled myself out of the memories, my expression returning to calm. Emily turned back excitedly, grabbed her bag, and trotted over. Then she suddenly looked back at me. “Chloe, aren’t you rushing to pick up your daughter too? Let us give you a ride.” I was about to refuse when Asher walked straight over and picked up my bag from the desk. He turned and walked toward the parking lot, giving me no chance to say no. The atmosphere in the car was weirdly quiet, with only Emily talking intermittently. Asher tapped the steering wheel absentmindedly, responding to her lightly, but his eyes kept drifting toward me. Maybe afraid I felt awkward, Emily started chatting with me. “Chloe, you usually work late. Does your husband pick up the kid?” Suddenly hearing the word “husband,” I didn’t react for a moment and froze. Then I shook my head, making an excuse. “He’s out of town, doesn’t come home often.” She looked enlightened, then looked at the ring I bought at the dollar store a few days ago. “Is that your wedding ring? It looks a bit faded.” “Like cheap stuff from Temu for ten bucks.” “Oops, I didn’t mean that. Please don’t misunderstand.” Emily realized she misspoke and turned to apologize. But I still caught the disdain and inexplicable superiority hidden in her eyes. Right, compared to her Hermes, my cheap bag was obviously hell. I was about to speak when a laugh interrupted me. Asher reached out and patted her head, smiling dotingly. “Alright, you didn’t say anything wrong. No need to apologize.” Then, looking at me through the rearview mirror, he spoke as if chatting but deliberately meant for me to hear. “Poor people care about face. You speak so directly; aren’t you afraid someone will make trouble for you at work tomorrow?” He spoke to Emily, but the words were for me. A seemingly careless sentence revealed naked defense and a hint of warning to me. I pretended not to hear and looked out the window. In the three years with Asher, I heard similar words countless times. Saying I wasn’t good enough for him. I admit, the difference between Asher and me was too great. My family wasn’t poor, but at most middle class. But the Sterling family wasn’t just wealthy; they stood at the center of power. When we first got together, Asher told me clearly. “Chloe, you can be my girlfriend, but you can’t be my wife.” I knew. I always knew. So I kept my heart safe, never crossing the line. When feelings were strong, I also swayed uncontrollably. Try once, fight for it. What if I succeed? So near graduation, I asked Asher out. That day, he came early to pick me up. The car stopped in a quiet spot on campus. The driver got out and waited nearby. I was forced to turn around. The mottled shadows of plane trees outside the window shot into the car with the sunlight, blinding me. For an hour, Asher leaned lazily against the seat back, his white shirt slightly damp, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. The window was half open, cold wind pouring in, dispersing the white mist he exhaled. I looked at him and slowly asked that question. “Asher, do you love me?” I thought, rather than asking if he would marry me, I cared more about whether he had ever loved me. He looked at me, the playfulness in his eyes missing a bit of seriousness. “Almost graduation.” In that moment, I understood what he meant. Almost graduation, so it’s time to break up. 4 The car stopped at the preschool gate. I pushed the door open. My daughter, standing at the gate holding the teacher’s hand, saw me and waved happily. I walked up quickly, thanked the teacher, and looked down at my daughter. “Sorry, Mommy is late today.” “Did you wait long?” My daughter looked up, pointing a small hand. “Was it because of that uncle that you’re late?” I was surprised and looked back in the direction she pointed. Asher was standing behind me at some point. His previously casual expression now held a seriousness. And a trace of imperceptible joy?! I froze, instinctively tightening my grip on my daughter’s hand. He walked forward, slowly squatting in front of my daughter, looking at her cute, obedient face. Asher’s usually cold tone softened a bit. “How old are you? What’s your name?” I didn’t speak, nor did I stop this scene. Having been together for three years, I knew the man in front of me well enough. Unless he saw it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t believe what I said. I looked at my daughter gently, squeezing her small hand lightly, signaling her. My daughter understood immediately. “I’m Lily, three years old this year.” Phew! I breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the brows seven points similar to his own, the joy of being a father for the first time hadn’t even been expressed yet. It was doused by my daughter’s words. The words stuck in his throat, unable to make a sound for a long time. My daughter was premature, and due to my malnutrition, she was thinner than her peers. Moreover, for such a small child, it’s really hard to tell the exact age at a glance. After breaking up with Asher, I blocked him on all social platforms, and he tacitly didn’t follow me anymore. We were like two intertwined lines. Even if we had a brief entanglement, once pulled tight, we would return to our original positions. Staying in the same city for five years, it wasn’t that I hadn’t fantasized that at some moment, or intersection, that familiar car would pass me by again. But it didn’t. We ran on different tracks, with our own rhythms and destinations. So even under the same sky, we were worlds apart. Back home at night, my daughter tugged at my hem, looking confused. “Mommy, I’m clearly four. Why lie to people?” Yeah. Why teach a child to lie? Maybe because I didn’t want trouble. Not long after the last meeting, I found out I was pregnant. I thought about abortion. But lying on the operating table, I hesitated. The unwillingness lingered in my mind. I admit, I was unwilling. I thought, even if we weren’t together, having a child connected to his bloodline would be good. So I gave birth alone. But when I truly held that small pink ball in my arms. I suddenly rejoiced in my decision. This is my child. Half my blood flows in her. She belongs to no one. She should come and see this world. … After putting my daughter to sleep, I received a call from the HR director, notifying me not to come to work tomorrow. I frowned and asked, “Whose idea is this?” The other end hesitated for a moment, not intending to answer my question. I didn’t ask further. After all, a day early or a day late made no difference to me.

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Rumor in the company had it that the married CEO had a “white moonlight”—a lost first love. He loved her to death and was dismissive of his wife at home. As the CEO’s wife, I silently ate popcorn and watched the drama unfold every day. Until the “white moonlight” returned from abroad. My work bestie in the secretary’s office whispered gossip to me: “I heard Mr. Sterling was photographed shopping with his white moonlight. To protect her, he spent tens of millions to buy out the photos.” At the end, she sighed: “Mr. Sterling is so pitiful. Forced to marry a woman he doesn’t love, he can only protect his beloved in this way.” 1 Lily was still lamenting Lucas Sterling’s loveless marriage. I froze in place. Instantly, I understood why Lucas had been acting strange these past few days. Starting three days ago, he was always distracted. Staring at me in a daze from time to time. At night, he was no longer as talkative as before. Just working hard silently. After finishing last night, he lay in the crook of my neck for a long time. When he got up, I felt tears on my neck. I thought his company had encountered some problems. Now it seems that our marital assets suddenly lost tens of millions. He felt sorry for me. I wanted to laugh. But the corners of my mouth twitched, and I couldn’t smile. Lying on the table, I thought in defeat: It has to be Bella Chen. As soon as she appears, I’m completely defeated. While I was depressed, someone knocked on my desk. Looking up, Lucas stood in front of the desk. He was wearing a black shirt. The buttons at the collar were casually undone. Revealing two red marks on his collarbone. Exuding an inadvertent exquisite nobility everywhere. And a promiscuous, ambiguous atmosphere. I glared at him. He turned a blind eye and nodded at me. “Come out with me.” 2 Sitting in the car, my mood was still not very good. Lucas looked at me a few times, obviously sensing it. But he didn’t speak. I snorted secretly. Staring out the window in a trance. When the car stopped in front of a clubhouse. I looked at him in confusion. Since Lucas took over the company, business talks were rarely arranged in such places. Why come here suddenly today? He explained: “Your sister asked us to come to the welcome party.” I was stunned. Understood. My sister had been friends with Bella since childhood. Bella just returned from abroad; it was only natural for my sister to throw a welcome party for her. Lucas was afraid I would see through his feelings for Bella. Using my sister as an excuse. Really considerate of my feelings. I mocked myself secretly. Slammed the door and got out of the car. 3 I stormed all the way to the private room door. Lucas, who had been absent-minded, suddenly grabbed my hand. He gritted his teeth, his anger coming even more inexplicably than mine. “Elena Du, are you in such a hurry? You’re moving so fast you’re practically running! Do you even care about me?” Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, turning things upside down! He spent tens of millions behind my back to buy shopping photos with his white moonlight, and I didn’t say anything. Now I just walked a little faster without waiting for him, and he started picking a fight. Love and lack thereof are indeed clear at a glance. I shook off his hand, deliberately sarcastic: “If you want me to make room, just say so. No need to look for trouble.” Hearing this, Lucas visibly bristled. But uncharacteristically, he didn’t retort. Closed his eyes and took two deep breaths. When he opened his eyes, he had regained his calm. “Anyway, we are already married. Divorce is impossible. Don’t even think about it.” I pushed the door open while retorting: “Don’t worry, before you earn back those tens of millions, you couldn’t divorce even if you wanted to.” As soon as the words fell, someone came out of the private room. My hand pushing the door missed and almost landed on the person. Lucas grabbed me quickly. “Julian Zhang, why are you here?” Seeing who it was, I was surprised. Then a little worried. “How is Auntie…” Julian smiled gently and didn’t answer my question. “Sorry for not telling you I was coming too.” His words had a beginning but no end. I didn’t understand for a moment. Just about to ask. He blinked at me and joked: “I’m also here for Sister Bella’s welcome party. After all, I came back a few days earlier than her and have successfully escaped the status of an overseas student.” I was amused and walked in joking. “No wonder everyone rushes to go abroad. One trip out and a junior becomes a senior.” When I was about to walk side by side with Julian, the person behind me grabbed my arm. With a little force, I bumped into his arms. Lucas held me, staring at Julian unblinkingly. Like a cheetah guarding its territory. “What are you doing?” I struggled twice but didn’t break free. The atmosphere was inexplicably stagnant. I looked back and forth between the two. Felt something was wrong, but couldn’t put my finger on it. After a long time, Lucas smiled. The coldness around him swept away. He looked down at me and said: “Wife, I suddenly remembered that he didn’t give a gift for our wedding. Should he make it up now?” I was instantly speechless and gave him an elbow. “Don’t slander people. He sent it to me that night.” “We are all friends. Why do you hold such a grudge?” Lucas took advantage of the situation to hold my hand. Smiling particularly brilliantly, “How would I know some people are so shameless, contacting my wife privately.” “But that’s right, he only dares to contact secretly now. After all, his status is different.” I frowned. Didn’t understand why he spoke so harshly. He and Julian are friends. Am I not? What does “secret contact, different status” mean? Could it be that if I contact a friend, I have to hold a press conference to announce it to the world? 4 Julian had a good temper. Ignored his rude remarks. Lowered his head and said softly: “I couldn’t make it back for your wedding. It’s normal for Lucas to have complaints against me.” “But Elena, you know my situation abroad wasn’t very good.” Julian looked down at me. A flash of pain and loneliness passed through his eyes hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses. “Plus my mom’s condition worsened at the time, I really couldn’t get away.” Oh my god. I felt apologetic, wishing I could slap Lucas twice on the spot. Julian’s mother was abused by his father for years. Her health had always been poor. Finally managed to escape abroad with Julian. Her mental state also fluctuated. One year I went abroad to spend New Year’s with my parents. Passing by their location, I even visited Auntie. Auntie was in a trance, insisting I was Julian’s girlfriend. In a blink of an eye, so many years have passed. I’m not good at comforting people. Had to laugh it off. “Lucas didn’t mean anything else by that, don’t take it to heart. By the way, let’s not stand here, let’s go in quickly, my sister and the others must be anxious.” I dragged Lucas inside. Blindly using the blunt topic-changing technique. Didn’t hear Lucas’s sarcastic remark as the two passed each other behind me: “Using your mom to gain her sympathy, truly despicable.”

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After my family went bankrupt, I was used as collateral and became Lucas Sterling’s fiancée. He stared at me, sitting at his door holding a dog leash, his face as dark as ink. “Little thing, are you even weaned yet?” Just as I was about to unleash the dog on him, a stream of comments floated before my eyes. 【Hahahaha! Dying! Who has a three-year-old fiancée?】 【Congrats to the villain on getting a daughter! Instant dad!】 【The villain doesn’t know yet, this little thing is a lucky charm! Whoever raises her gets rich! Pity she sneaks out to find her parents and gets hit by a car.】 Hit by a car? I shivered all over, hugging Lucas’s leg tight: “Hubby, I’m hungry!” 1 I was dozing off leaning on Billion, my Husky, when the door finally opened. A handsome man walked out. Seeing me sitting at his door with a dog, his face turned black. “Where did this kid come from?” he frowned. I quickly fished out a crumpled piece of paper from my pocket. It had my dad’s crooked signature and a red thumbprint. “I’m here to pay the debt.” I puffed out my chest, trying to look like an adult. Lucas Sterling took the paper, glanced at it, and his face got even darker: “John Miller owes twenty million, and he’s using you as collateral?” He looked me up and down: “Little thing, are you weaned?” Just as I was about to angrily order Billion to bite him, lines of semi-transparent text floated in front of my eyes: 【Hahahaha! Dying! Who has a three-year-old fiancée?】 【Congrats to the villain on getting a daughter! Instant dad!】 【The villain doesn’t know yet, this little thing is a lucky charm! Whoever raises her gets rich! Pity she sneaks out to find her parents and gets hit by a car.】 I blinked. The words were still there. Hit by a car? I shuddered, dropping the leash. Billion thought I gave the command. He shook his fluffy fur and charged aggressively at Lucas. Then, he slammed on the brakes right in front of Lucas’s shiny leather shoes, rolled over to expose his soft belly, tail wagging like a propeller. “Traitor!” I stomped my foot. This was the third time Billion betrayed me for a handsome face. Last time was the long-legged clerk at the pet store. Lucas’s mouth twitched as he looked down at me: “What’s your name?” “Peach Miller,” I whispered, eyes still fixed on the floating text. More words appeared: 【With a stepmom comes a stepdad. Little Peach doesn’t know yet, although this man is the villain, he only targets the male lead!】 【Why bother with those heartless parents? The villain stomps his foot and can buy you a whole amusement park!】 My eyes lit up! Without a word, I rushed up and hugged Lucas’s leg: “Hubby, I’m hungry!” Lucas froze completely, as if struck by lightning. The comments exploded: 【Hahaha OMG Hubby!】 【Knowing to hug the golden thigh at three, bright future ahead!】 【CEO Sterling: Single for 28 years and suddenly I have a kid?!】 “Who taught you to call me that?” Lucas’s voice sounded like it was squeezed through his teeth. I looked up, blinking: “That’s how it is on TV. Fiancées call their partners Hubby.” Actually, it was a line from a drama I watched a few days ago. Whenever that sister called “Hubby,” the male lead agreed to everything. Lucas took a deep breath and turned to the butler, Uncle Leo, who was turning red from holding back laughter: “Leo, call John Miller to pick her up!” But the phone was off. It was Lucas’s grandmother who signed the agreement with my dad. Everyone in New York knew Lucas Sterling wasn’t interested in women; some even suspected he liked men. Grandma Sterling only knew my dad had a daughter, not that she was only three. So she proposed making me her grandson’s fiancée to settle the debt. Right now, they were probably on a plane out of the country. “Leo, contact Social Services immediately…” The comments were buzzing again. They said if I was sent to an orphanage, I would run away in three months because of abuse and get hit by a car looking for my parents. Seeing this, I hugged Lucas’s leg tighter, terrified: “Don’t send me away! I’ll be very good! Hubby~” 2 Billion let out a howl, lying down dramatically and crying like a train whistle. One human, one dog, crying a duet. “Woo… Daddy doesn’t want me… now you don’t want me either… Billion and I can only beg on the streets… It’s so cold in winter, we’ll freeze to death…” I cried while peeking at Lucas through my fingers. A vein throbbed on his temple: “Stop crying.” I cried louder. “I said, stop crying!” He raised his voice. I was startled into a hiccup, tears hanging on my face. Billion scrambled up, blocking me, staring warily at Lucas. Stalemate. Uncle Leo interjected timely: “Young Master, how about letting Miss Miller stay for now? The agreement was signed by the Old Madam. She’s in Switzerland recuperating and can’t be reached. We can decide later. Sending such a small child to an orphanage is indeed…” Lucas rubbed his brow: “Where will she sleep?” “The guest room is ready,” Leo said quickly. “Right next to your bedroom.” I stopped crying instantly, raising my hand obediently: “I can wash myself, dress myself, and recite poems! Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall…” Lucas’s mouth twitched, raising a hand to stop my performance: “Who taught you that?” Is he impressed by my vast knowledge? I lifted my head proudly: “Self-taught! Dad says I’m smart!” He: “Heh…” Then turned to Leo: “Just one night. Contact Social Services tomorrow.” With that, he left. Leo prepared a table of food for me. I sat at one end of the long dining table, swinging my short legs that couldn’t reach the floor, waiting for Lucas. “Uncle Leo, when is Hubby coming back?” Leo tried hard not to laugh: “Miss Peach, the Young Master is much older than you, almost old enough to be your dad. You can’t call him Hubby.” Can’t call him Hubby? Then what? I racked my limited little brain but couldn’t think of another title. The comments suddenly appeared again. 【Alert! CEO Sterling picked up the female lead on the road!】 【Sarah was left in the rain by Ryan, and CEO Sterling kindly took her home.】 【Doomed, Ryan is coming to cause trouble tomorrow!】 Who is Sarah? Who is Ryan? Did Lucas pick up a dog too? I picked up Billion from the roadside. My mom left him to keep me company before she died. But after mom passed, my dad’s new wife only wanted to turn him into hotpot. Is the dog Lucas picked up prettier than Billion? I sat at the door excitedly, waiting. Movement at the gate. I shot over like a cannonball. Lucas walked in soaking wet, followed by a pretty sister who was also drenched. Her eyes were red like a rabbit, hugging a wet bag. Not a dog. I was a bit disappointed. The comments went crazy: 【Female Lead Sarah enters!】 【CEO Sterling did a good deed with bad consequences. The Male Lead is gonna hate him.】 【That punch from Ryan tomorrow is gonna hurt.】 “Young Master, this is…” Leo hurried over with dry towels. “Met on the road,” Lucas frowned, clearly not used to explaining. “Miss Evans, guest room on the second floor. Leo will prepare clean clothes.” Sarah nodded timidly: “Thank you, Mr. Sterling. I’ll leave first thing in the morning.” I stared at this sudden sister, then rushed out to hug Lucas’s leg: “Hubby! Who is this auntie?” 3 The living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Sarah’s eyes widened: “Hu… Hubby?” Lucas’s face turned green: “Peach Miller!” The comments exploded: 【Hahahaha god-tier move!】 【Sarah: Am I here to join this family?】 【CEO Sterling’s social death scene!】 I blinked innocently: “TV says when Hubby brings another woman home, you have to ask this.” Lucas picked me up by my collar like a kitten: “First, don’t call me that; second, stop watching weird dramas; third…” He glanced at the dumbfounded Sarah: “Miss Evans is just facing difficulties and staying for a night.” I tilted my head looking at Sarah: “Sister, did your dad use you as collateral too?” Sarah burst out laughing, squatting to my level: “No, I… got lost… Mr. Sterling kindly helped me.” Lucas facepalmed: “Leo, take Peach to sleep.” Early next morning, I was woken up by loud banging on the door downstairs. I rubbed my eyes and got up. Billion perked up his ears alertly. “Lucas Sterling! Get out here!” A furious male voice shook the windows. The comments arrived on cue: 【Ryan is here to catch the cheaters!】 【Classic misunderstanding scene!】 【CEO Sterling, release Peach to save the day!】 I ran downstairs barefoot, just in time to see a tall man grabbing Lucas by the collar. The man was handsome, but his expression was ferocious, like he wanted to eat someone. “Ryan, are you crazy?” Lucas said coldly. Even grabbed by the collar, he didn’t lose his aura. “Why did Sarah stay here last night? What did you do?” Ryan roared. Sarah rushed over to pull him: “Ryan, you misunderstood! I was just…” “Shut up!” Ryan threw her off. “Anyone can see Lucas’s intentions!” Billion, feeling cued, barked innocently. I couldn’t watch anymore. I rushed over, hugged Ryan’s leg, and bit it. “Ah! Where did this brat come from?” Ryan let go in pain. I stood in front of Lucas, hands on hips: “Bad guy! Don’t bully my Daddy!” Dead silence. Lucas: “…” Sarah: “???” Ryan: “…Daddy?” The comments scrolled madly: 【Peach saves the day!】 【From Hubby to Daddy in seconds, CEO Sterling’s reputation ruined.】 【Ryan’s CPU fried!】 I pressed the advantage, tears flowing on command: “Wuuwuu… if my daddy dies, no one will buy me toys…” Sarah’s eyes softened instantly: “Ryan, you misunderstood. Mr. Sterling just kindly took me in. He has such a small daughter…” Ryan loosened his fist awkwardly: “I… didn’t know you had a child…” After he left with Sarah, the villa went quiet instantly. I stood barefoot in the middle of the living room. Billion rubbed against my leg, wet nose nudging my palm. Lucas loosened his crooked tie, looking down at me judgmentally: “Now, explain the ‘Daddy’ issue.” I bit my finger, eyes darting around. “Because…” I dragged out the word, suddenly inspired: “Uncle Leo said you’re too old to be my hubby!” Leo, pouring tea, shook his hand, spilling tea all over the table. The comments exploded: 4 【Goddammit too old!】 【Leo: When did I say that???】 【Little Peach makes sense. He’s 25 years older, that is too old!】 【Leo’s face looks like he’s about to cry hahaha!】 Lucas turned slowly, eyes sharp as knives sweeping over Leo: “Oh? Uncle Leo said that?” Leo frantically wiped the table: “Young Master, I swear! How could I say such a thing! Miss Peach, she, she…” Seeing the situation go south, I quickly added: “Uncle Leo didn’t say the word ‘old’! He said you’re not young anymore!” I counted on my fingers: “You’re 28, I’m only 3. 28 minus 3 equals… equals…” I ran out of fingers and gave up: “Anyway, it’s too… big!” A vein pulsed on Lucas’s temple: “So, in your eyes, 28 is very old?” I nodded seriously: “Super old! Uncle Wang next door’s new wife secretly told people he’s 30 years older than her, old and ugly, snores, luckily rich! Everyone calls him an old cow eating young grass!” The comments went crazy with laughter: 【She heard the trophy wife gossiping and learned to apply it!】 【CEO Sterling: Suddenly classified as elderly!】 【Little Peach, if fingers aren’t enough, use toes!】 Lucas took a deep breath, trying to stay calm: “First, 28 minus 3 is 25. Second, that’s not how you use ‘old cow eating young grass’. Finally…” He narrowed his eyes: “Leo, what do you usually talk about with Peach?” Leo wanted to cry but had no tears: “Young Master, I just casually said you’re almost old enough to be her dad. I didn’t know Miss Peach would interpret it like this…” Lucas glared at him, then bent down to pick me up: “Peach Miller, we need to talk.” He put me on the sofa and squatted to look me in the eye. “Listen.” His tone was unusually gentle: “Thank you for helping me today, but no lying in the future, understand?” I swung my feet: “I didn’t lie! You really can be my daddy!” I counted on my fingers again: “You let me live in a big house, and let Uncle Leo give me yummy food. Isn’t that what daddies do?” Lucas was stunned. Comments floated by: 【Logic genius!】 【Irrefutable parenting theory!】 【CEO Sterling: Got scammed?】 Leo interjected timely: “Young Master, Miss Peach is still young and needs a guardian…” “I don’t need a guardian.” I puffed out my chest proudly: “I need a Daddy!” Then added softly: “Or Mommy is fine too. Can you be my Mommy?” Lucas: “…” Leo wiped a tear, whispering: “Young Master, Miss Peach is so pitiful. Her mom died when she was two. John Miller isn’t human; wife just died and he brought the mistress home, pregnant and all.” Lucas looked complicated, placing a stiff hand on my head and rubbing it: “I can’t be your Mommy, but… you can call me Brother.” Brother? But didn’t Uncle Leo say he’s much older than me? I wrinkled my nose and called, “Brother.” Lucas: “Mm…” A thunderclap woke me from my dream at midnight. Lightning tore the night sky like a monster’s claw. I scrambled up, terrified. Billion woke up too, licking my face groggily. “Boom!” Another loud noise shook the house. I couldn’t take it anymore, jumped out of bed barefoot, hugged my small pillow, and ran out. Billion followed, his furry body pressing against my trembling legs. Lucas’s bedroom was at the end of the hall.

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I scrolled past a street interview by a popular influencer. “What would you say to yourself from five years ago?” In the video, Lucas Sterling held his young girlfriend close. His voice was calm, dripping with affection. “I wish the Lucas Sterling of five years ago could have met Bella earlier.” The girl in his arms blushed, covering her mouth as she agreed. “Me too.” Netizens screamed about how sweet they were, sending blessings in the comments. No one knew that five years ago was the day Lucas and I got married. Even he had forgotten. Until a week later. The same influencer posted another street interview video. In the frame, I looked straight into the camera and said seriously: “If I could, I’d say: Sarah, don’t marry Lucas Sterling. You will regret it.” This time, Lucas saw it. 1 The day I agreed to the divorce was a very ordinary afternoon. I called Lucas, but Bella picked up. “Hello?” “I’m looking for Lucas.” “He’s in the shower. Whatever it is, you can tell me.” Her voice was as perky and fearless as ever. Faintly laced with a sense of ownership and showing off. In the past, I would have screamed and shouted hysterically for Bella to get lost, demanding to see Lucas. But now, I knew very well that only Bella could reach Lucas. I couldn’t let her hang up on me like before. Leaving me alone like a crazy woman. “Didn’t he say he wanted a divorce? I agree.” I calmly conveyed my message. On the other end, Bella fell silent for a second, then repeated in disbelief. “You agree to the divorce?” “Yes.” As soon as the words fell. A rustling sound came through. Lucas must have taken the phone. Soon, his low and indifferent voice sounded in my ear. “It’s me.” I knew. Hearing his voice, I was a little dazed. After all, since he moved out of the villa six months ago to be with Bella, we hadn’t been in contact. The last thing he said to me was: “Sarah, let’s get a divorce. If you don’t agree, I’ll separate from you and then file a lawsuit.” Now, six months later, I compromised. “Bella said you want a divorce?” Seeing I was silent, Lucas asked first. He probably frowned when he said this, his tone carrying a hint of confusion. I didn’t understand where his confusion came from. Didn’t he bring up the divorce? But now I didn’t want to argue with Lucas about “who brought it up.” I hummed a yes. I told him: “If you have time, let’s meet and sign the divorce agreement.” With that, I hung up the phone. 2 This was the first time I hung up first since discovering Lucas’s affair. Before, I was the one bombarding him with calls and texts. I cursed him with the most vicious words and begged him with the saddest voice. But every time, Lucas would say impatiently: “Can you stop acting like a crazy woman? Talk to me when you’re emotionally stable.” Then he would mercilessly end the call. No matter how much I called or texted, he ignored me. I tried to stop, but whenever I thought about our years of relationship ending like this, I couldn’t control myself. I wanted to question Lucas, why betray me? I also wanted to beg Lucas, please come back, I would forgive him. But after all the resentment and waiting, Lucas remained the same. And I gradually became paranoid, truly as he said, like a crazy woman. I lived in a daze for a long time, immersed in this tormenting relationship. Until three days ago. I scrolled onto a street interview video by an influencer named “Time Capsule.” The question was: “What would you say to yourself from five years ago?” Some said study hard. Some said spend more time with family. Some said the self seven years later is great and excellent, living up to expectations. … In this series of answers, I saw Lucas Sterling and his little girlfriend, Bella. This made me believe it wasn’t scripted. After all, with Lucas’s current status, even A-list celebrities need an appointment to see him. And this influencer really seemed to be grabbing random passersby for interviews. And he got Lucas. At the beginning of the clip, Lucas seemed a bit displeased with the interview. It was Bella beside him, looking surprised and interested. “So interesting, Lucas, let’s play.” She shook Lucas’s arm, acting coquettishly. Lucas looked helpless but indulged her, agreeing. The influencer briefly introduced himself and his purpose, then asked that unified question. Bella fell into thought. Lucas, seeing her struggle, answered for her first. “If possible, I hope the Lucas of five years ago could have met Bella earlier.” When he said this, he had his arm around her. Although his voice was cool, it wasn’t hard to hear his protectiveness towards the girl. Bella in his arms looked at him in surprise, then covered her mouth shyly and agreed. “Me too.” 3 When I saw this video, it already had tens of thousands of likes. Many netizens in the comments were screaming. 【Damn! This couple is so good-looking! I ship it!】 【Omg, pure love couple! Great, there’s hope for us!】 【So sweet! You must be happy! Wishing you a long life together!】 I stared at the video in a daze. Did Lucas like Bella that much? Did he forget? Five years ago, we just got married. That was when our relationship was at its best. Even though we were poor, we felt incredibly happy. And now, he said in the video. He wished he had met Bella five years ago. I thought I would be angry and furious as usual. Then rush to call Lucas to bombard and question him. If he didn’t pick up, I would smash everything in the villa and scream to vent. But miraculously. This time, I just sat there motionless. Those comments that should have stung my eyes and provoked my emotions just scrolled past like lines of code. Then, it felt like something was extracted and dispersed from my mind. I was surprised to find. I actually felt nothing about Lucas’s behavior. Obsession happens in an instant, and so does letting go. Thus, the phone call earlier. 4 Lucas messaged me. In front of a sea of red exclamation marks indicating failed messages. That white-boxed message was particularly conspicuous. It seemed Lucas had unblocked me. I thought mockingly. Lucas asked me to go to his company tomorrow, Monday. He would have his lawyer draft the agreement. Once both parties communicated without issues, we could sign and wait for the divorce cooling-off period to pass. 【Okay.】 On Monday, I arrived at Lucas’s company as agreed. Because I didn’t have an appointment, the receptionist called to ask for instructions. “Yes, a lady named Sarah.” After hanging up, the receptionist told me to go up to the CEO’s office floor, where a secretary would receive me. I said thanks and went straight to Lucas’s floor. A strange young girl received me. I didn’t know her. After all, since separating from Lucas, I hadn’t been here for six months. Probably a new employee. “Miss Sarah, please wait here first. Mr. Sterling is in a meeting.” The girl didn’t know me either. She called me Miss Sarah and led me to a reception room on the side. Before, I would go directly to Lucas’s office to wait. His meetings usually lasted an hour or more. I didn’t like waiting for people. Lucas knew this. Afraid I’d be bored, he put many books and DVDs in his office. “You can read books and watch movies. If you’re tired, wait for me in the lounge.” He told me back then. The last time I came. All my things in Lucas’s office had been replaced. The person who could enter his private lounge at will had become someone else. Now, if I wanted to see him, I could only wait in an ordinary reception room. But now I really didn’t have the mood or energy to argue over such small things. So I waited quietly. I had plenty of time anyway. What I didn’t expect was that I waited for two hours this time. Still, no one came to notify me to see Lucas. “Excuse me, is your CEO’s meeting over?” I couldn’t help but ask the girl who brought me to the reception room. The girl was evasive: “Mr. Sterling is still in a meeting…” I frowned, about to speak. Suddenly, the sound of talking and laughing came to my ears. “Then let’s go eat at that restaurant for lunch.” “Okay.”

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