I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep from morning sickness. Just as I was about to contact my husband, I stumbled across a post. [What’s a secret you could NEVER let your wife know!] The top-liked comment was pinned: [She’ll never know that the person who had sex with her on our wedding night wasn’t me.] The comments section exploded. [Dude! You have a cuckold fetish?] [Or do you have erectile dysfunction?] The guy replied: [No. I just promised the woman I truly love that I’d never have sex with anyone else. She’s been studying finance in the UK, and she’s coming back tonight.] A wave of nausea hit me. I felt even sicker. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the man’s profile. A hand reaching out of a car window, wearing a distinctive diamond ring. I recognized it instantly. That was the wedding gift I gave my husband. Custom-made, one of a kind in the entire world. My mind went blank. I was about to call my husband to confront him. But then he suddenly sent me a message: [Jason Johnson, you used protection that night with my wife, right?] I frowned. Jason? The cold, ruthless heir of the Johnson family was the one who ravaged me all night? How was that possible? …

The message was quickly deleted. I pretended I hadn’t seen it and hurriedly screenshot the post and profile, saving everything. Sure enough, when the post started trending, Nico Brown deleted his comment. But soon after, he couldn’t help himself and posted his first status update. [Waiting for her.] Two simple words, accompanied by a photo of the airport late at night, revealing Nico’s anticipation. I sneered sarcastically and continued taking screenshots. So his “working overtime” was actually picking up his beloved mistress. I’d planned to tell him about the pregnancy tonight, but now there was no need. Without any hesitation, I immediately called my older brother. “Ian, find someone reliable and have them stake out the airport right now. Watch Nico.” Silence on the other end for a few seconds, then a deep exhale. “He’s cheating?” “Yes.” “How dare he!” Ian’s sleepiness vanished instantly. While arranging for someone to go to the airport, he growled in a low voice. I toyed with the diamond ring on my finger, speaking indifferently: “Since he doesn’t care, let’s just let the Brown Group die completely.” “Whatever you say!” After hanging up, I felt drained of all energy and collapsed onto the bed. Nico’s profile had already updated with a second post. This time it was the back of a young woman, paired with song lyrics. [Your gaze evaporates into clouds, then falls as rain, only then can I draw near.] Beneath it, disgusting men quickly piled on, egging him on: [Come on bro, you still haven’t sealed the deal? Go for it!] Nico replied in real-time: [I couldn’t bear to before. After all, I married a domineering nouveau riche. Didn’t want her to get hurt.] [But now I’m not afraid of anything. No matter what, I can take half her money.] Those men all praised his clever planning. They even asked him for advice. He pontificated in the comments about how easy it was to fool a brainless woman like me. I scoffed inwardly, looking at the illusory, dazzling light on my ring finger. “Ha, Nico…” “I’m afraid you don’t know that I married you precisely because you’re stupid.” I opened the safe. I took out a thick file from inside. Walking to the floor-to-ceiling window, I looked out at the brightly lit skyscrapers outside. A cold laugh rose in my heart. Nico. Since you’re heartless, don’t blame me for being ruthless. “Schedule an abortion for me. The sooner the better.” Early the next morning, I called the top private hospital. Just after hanging up, my secretary rushed in to report. “Ma’am, Mr. Nico suddenly wants to use the wedding memorial hall to host a welcome party for a friend.” “For whom?” “A Miss Penny, he said.” “Penny…” I thought for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. So that’s why Nico insisted on keeping the wedding venue. This was his plan all along. Claiming he wanted to preserve our beautiful memories together. In reality, he wanted to throw a secret lavish wedding for his returning mistress. Too bad he couldn’t afford the rental fee for the eight-star hotel ballroom. The permanent usage rights were in my hands alone. “Tell him I don’t agree.” “What gives you the right to disagree?” The words had barely left my mouth when Nico burst through the door. He threw down the cheap packaging in his hand and began his interrogation. “Fiona, I’m your husband. Do I need to file a report to use a venue?” “And I even waited in line for two hours to buy you porridge!” I glanced sideways at the completely cold fish porridge, a cold sneer forming at the corner of my mouth. The paparazzi had already sent me photos— This was just leftovers from the old restaurant where he and his mistress relived their student days. “Then I’d like to know what kind of bigshot deserves to use my wedding venue.” Nico blinked guiltily, unconsciously raising his voice. “Of course someone a thousand times better than you!” “Oh?” I raised my eyebrows playfully. “In that case, I’d like to see exactly who this person is.” 2. The welcome party was scheduled for noon. As soon as I entered the venue, a young woman in a white dress came over. Anyone could see she and Nico were wearing matching outfits. How audacious. “Nico.” She called out sweetly, and right in front of me, enthusiastically kissed Nico’s cheek. Then she tightly hooked her arm through his and asked me provocatively: “Miss Fiona, I’ve gotten used to being abroad. You don’t mind, do you?” Nico looked impatient, glancing at me with disgust. “She’s just a nouveau riche who didn’t even finish high school. What would she understand?” My face remained expressionless as I quietly flexed my wrist. “And you are?” The people standing around were all friends of Nico and Penny. Hearing me ask this, their voices were full of contempt. “Her name is Penny. She’s the daughter of Nico’s family’s housekeeper.” “They grew up together.” “Nico funded her to study abroad these past few years, which is how you got your chance.” Hearing this, I laughed scornfully and removed the diamond ring from my finger. “The housekeeper’s daughter…” “No wonder even your schemes are so beneath contempt.” My voice was neither loud nor soft, but enough for everyone to hear. Penny bit her lip awkwardly, and Nico’s expression changed dramatically. “Fiona, who are you looking down on!” My gaze instantly turned sharp, and I slapped him without hesitation. The crisp sound echoed through the banquet hall for a long time. “A housekeeper’s daughter thinks she deserves to use my wedding venue for a welcome party?” “Nico, have you lost your mind?” Nico covered his face in disbelief, trembling with rage. “You’re just a nouveau riche who got lucky! What are you so arrogant about!” “Don’t forget, you’re legally married to me! We didn’t sign any prenuptial agreement, so I can take half of everything you have!” He was confident, thinking he’d found my weakness. I laughed as if I’d heard a joke, sneering. “Is that so? Then go ahead and try.” I turned away dismissively. On my way out, I collided with a solid chest. The scent of warm sandalwood heated by body temperature filled my nose, incredibly familiar. I slowly looked up and saw that noble face. It was Jason. “Are you alright?” He steadied me, scorching warmth spreading from his palm. I was about to apologize when I heard Penny’s shrill retort. “So what if I’m a housekeeper’s daughter? It’s still not your place to look down on me!” “Oh? Then tell me, what kind of person am I?” I suddenly became interested. I pulled out a chair and sat down. Penny tapped her wine glass, getting everyone to quiet down. “I didn’t want to broadcast this everywhere, but seeing Nico so humiliated, I have no choice but to speak up—” “I am the renowned stock market genius trader, codename Black Swan!” After speaking, she proudly puffed out her chest. Gasps of surprise filled the room. Black Swan! The legendary trader who could shake the entire stock market! Unpredictable stock trades, ruthless execution, an undefeated career! Having her was like having a money tree! “But Black Swan suddenly disappeared two years ago. How do you prove you’re her?” Someone at the table questioned. Penny smirked confidently and pulled out an exquisite velvet box from her bag. When she opened it, everyone nearly dropped their jaws. Inside was the gold coin gifted by the Stock God himself! The engraved black swan on the back even had the Stock God’s personal fingerprint! Then she pulled out a gold-embossed certificate and placed it on the glass turntable for everyone to examine. It was personally issued by the government, impossible to fake. “This gold coin, I’m sure everyone here has heard of it.” “This should be proof enough of my identity.” 3. When the coin turned to face me, I knew at a glance it was real. But how did it end up in her hands? Seeing me frown, Penny thought she’d gotten to me and became even more arrogant. “Miss Fiona, this is me—climbing to the top of my industry through my own efforts.” “And you? Besides your family’s money, what else do you have?” Hearing this, everyone around looked at me smugly, waiting for me to embarrass myself. After all, my high school expulsion was known throughout the city. Every teacher said they couldn’t teach me. Everyone said I drove the teachers crazy, not knowing it was their own incompetence. Thinking about this, I suddenly found it strange. If Penny really got into that top finance university, how could she not have heard of me? My phone suddenly vibrated a few times. It was investigation materials from Ian. Before I even finished reading, I couldn’t help but laugh. So that’s how it was. I stood up unhurriedly and asked in a voice just loud enough for everyone to hear: “What if I said I’m the Black Swan?” The moment I spoke, the air suddenly went silent, then everyone burst into laughter. Penny laughed until her shoulders shook. Nico nearly rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Fiona, you didn’t even finish high school. Do you even know what Black Swan is? How dare you spout nonsense.” “Hurry up and apologize to Penny, then pay the full venue fee, and we won’t hold this against you.” Just as everyone was laughing hysterically, a hoarse yet incredibly steady voice rang out. “I believe her.” Everyone looked over in unison, their pupils dilating in shock. It was Jason again! Had he… lost his mind?! His eyes were dark, staring at me with deep, burning intensity. As if afraid I hadn’t heard clearly, he seriously repeated: “I believe her. I believe Fiona is the Black Swan.” I looked up and met his gaze. Fragments of that crazy wedding night flashed before my eyes. My face inexplicably began to heat up. I hurriedly turned away. “Fine, you say you’re the Black Swan. Then what can you use to prove it?” “Don’t tell me you’re going to pull out a gold coin too?” Penny’s lackeys started making trouble again, then deliberately laughed together with the people beside them. Nico didn’t even bother pretending anymore, directly embracing Penny. After all, with the Black Swan, who’d worry about cash flow problems? “Fiona, can you stop being so stubborn?” “Hurry up, pay the money and get lost. Stop embarrassing yourself here.” “Go back and prepare a villa for Penny, or I’ll divorce you!” I raised my eyes slightly, still expressionless. “What proof? How boring.” “Tomorrow morning when the stock market opens, we’ll have a real showdown. Then we’ll know who’s the fake.” Some people in the industry who knew me pulled at my sleeve worriedly, whispering advice: “Miss Fiona, you don’t even know what the stock market is. What kind of showdown can you have?” “You absolutely can’t do this recklessly. You could lose money.” “Even if your family is incredibly wealthy, you can’t afford to lose like this!” Probably afraid I’d back out, Penny quickly stepped forward to agree. “Fine! Let’s compete!” “But let me say this upfront—if you lose everything, Nico will have to suffer with you.” “Before that happens, signing a divorce agreement shouldn’t be a problem, right?” As soon as Penny finished speaking, her friends immediately started making noise. “Exactly! You want to kill yourself, but you can’t drag others down with you!” “Stupid and malicious women are the worst! Divorce is the best risk mitigation!” After hearing this, everyone else could barely stay seated. Everyone knew the Brown family begged for this marriage alliance precisely because they needed my financial help. Now that they’d finally latched onto this big tree, how could Nico possibly divorce? But the next second, Nico agreed without thinking. “I agree!” Those who didn’t believe it before were instantly stunned. “Are you sure?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest, sneering as I asked him. He immediately answered. “I’m sure.” “Fine, then I want you to return all the funds I allocated to the Brown family immediately.” Nico’s arrogant expression froze on his face. The Brown family had begged for ages to get that funding. How could they just return it! “Why should I!” His expression turned ugly. Penny beside him couldn’t help but remind him. “Nico, she really is as dumb as a pig.” “She only knows to demand the funds back, but doesn’t know to make you sign a marital property agreement.” “Divorcing now is actually good for you. Whether she dares show up tomorrow or not, you must take half her assets!” “That’s right!” Nico suddenly understood and immediately had the finance department return all the funds. Before the money even arrived, he loudly proclaimed to everyone: “I ask everyone here to witness—from this moment on, Fiona has nothing to do with me!” People below shook their heads and sighed, expressing sympathy for me. Only Jason stared at me with burning eyes. I stood up decisively, my heels clicking against the marble. The crisp sound was like another slap about to land on his face. “Fine, I agree.” “The bet is now in effect. Tomorrow at the exchange, see you there.” Penny looked triumphant. “Don’t be a coward tomorrow.” The door slowly closed behind me. I couldn’t hold back anymore and rushed to the bathroom, vomiting violently. When I looked up, a black silk handkerchief had somehow appeared beside my hand. I immediately turned around, but the doorway was empty with no one in sight. Only a faint, lingering scent of sandalwood remained in the air.

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On my wedding day, I unexpectedly slept through six hours. When I rushed over in a hurry, my fiancé Leo had already completed the entire ceremony with his first love. Looking at my sweaty face, Leo simply smiled and came clean. “I was the one who drugged you. Ares wanted a wedding—it’s no big deal, so I gave her one.” As if afraid I’d cause a scene, he hinted casually: “Just behave yourself. I’ll accompany you to get our marriage license next week, and making a fuss now won’t help anyway.” “Look, even the wedding dress wouldn’t fit you if she took it off.” My gaze calmly fell on the bride. That was the dress I’d spent nearly half a year selecting. Everyone instantly held their breath, expecting me to make a huge scene. But I was completely relieved instead. Well, he should’ve said so earlier—I’ve been regretting this too. My ex gave me a ten-carat diamond ring when he proposed. Now I don’t have to return it. I went straight home. When my neighbor saw me, her face was full of surprise. “Louise, why are you home? Isn’t today your wedding?” I’d been preparing for this wedding for so long that almost everyone knew about it. To the point where, being played for a fool at the last minute, I had no room to save face. Without stopping my motion of unlocking the door, I said with an unchanged expression, “Not getting married anymore. He was busy.” Busy giving his first love a wedding. A flash of pity crossed my neighbor’s face, and she tactfully didn’t press further. After closing the door, I rushed to the bathroom. As soon as I opened my mouth, I vomited violently. I didn’t stop until there was nothing left in my stomach, then collapsed weakly to the side. I have a moderate adverse reaction to sleeping pills. Leo knew this, but he still gave them to me. The fact that I woke up today means I was lucky. As I stood up to rinse my mouth, my phone suddenly buzzed with messages. It was a group chat that both Leo and I were in. “Leo’s the man! Did you see? Louise came and didn’t dare say a word.” “How did Leo train her? Louise is so obedient—she’s one in a million!” “Louise is an orphan, and Leo’s rich and powerful. What would she dare say!” They laughed together. Suddenly, someone asked: “Do you think Leo’s even coming home tonight?” The group replied quickly. “Are you stupid? Anyone with half a brain knows he won’t!” This was followed by a string of crude, suggestive jokes. But suddenly, Leo’s childhood friend said urgently: “You guys are really drunk! You sent this to the wrong group—Louise is in here! Delete it quick!” Everyone panicked, but most of the messages could no longer be recalled. Someone found it funny and leisurely added: “So what if she sees? You think she dares say anything?” I had no reaction. I got up and made myself a meal. As I finished the last bite, the door was suddenly pushed open. Leo came back reeking of alcohol. Seeing that I didn’t come forward to greet him like before, he chuckled softly. He walked over and pulled me into a loose embrace. “It’s just a wedding. Not a big deal.” Just publicly humiliated and ridiculed for everyone to know. “Yeah.” I stood up, picked up my plate, and slipped out of his embrace toward the kitchen. Leo followed me in. Something cold touched my neck. I looked down—it was a sapphire necklace. Still not my preferred style. It was Ares’ favorite type. “Thank you,” I said while washing dishes. Leo seemed relieved and leaned down toward me slowly. I raised my hand to stop him and put the plate in the cupboard. Then I smiled. “You forgot—I’m allergic to alcohol.” Leo’s brow furrowed. He stared at me quietly, wanting to say something. The next second, his phone rang. It was Ares. His expression immediately brightened. He answered and walked toward the study. Click—the door locked.

After wiping the water from my hands, my phone also rang. “Monday morning, I’ll take you to get the marriage license.” “Okay.” After replying concisely, I got up to pack in the bedroom. But in the closet, I found a piece of clothing that wasn’t mine. Sexy and alluring, just crumpled in a ball, as if stuffed in hastily. Looking closely, there were still dried stains on it. The door creaked open. Leo walked in. Meeting my reddened eyes, he instantly understood. He calmly took the clothing from my hand. “Johnson and the others probably left it when they brought their girlfriends over.” I kept my head down, my hands trembling slightly. Not from sadness, but from disgust. Leo clearly misunderstood. He raised his hand and affectionately patted my head. “Louise, do you know what I like most about you?” Without waiting for my answer, he said, “Obedient.” Over the years, I’d heard “obedient” countless times. Obedient, sensible, well-behaved. Like a cat, like a dog—just not like a person. “Ares is in the past. Giving her a wedding is just compensation. Don’t overthink it.” He patted my head like petting a dog. Just like when he chose to sponsor me years ago—a casual gesture. I was packaged up and brought to the city to study. But with one tear from Ares, I was pushed into a corner again. Left for those rich people to toy with me, casual and careless. Like a piece of trash, kicked around at will. “Alright, rest if you’re tired. Ares wants to remove her bridal manicure. I’m going with her.” Perhaps it was the accumulated pain of always losing. Perhaps it was that bit of unwillingness buried in my heart. I suddenly grabbed his wrist. “Can’t you stay?” Stay, even once, to prove I matter. But Leo just froze, looking somewhat helpless. “I promised her.” But he’d promised me countless times too. Promised to accompany me to the hospital for period pain treatment. Promised to accompany me to visit Grandma’s grave. Promised to celebrate my birthday with me, even once. Yet every promise fell through. “Oh, okay.” I let go of his hand, my tone resigned. For some reason, Leo grabbed my hand instead. His tone gentle: “When I get back, I’ll bring you your favorite taro cake.” But I hate desserts most of all. Tears flashed in my eyes. I smiled and said, “Thank you.” Leo didn’t come home all night. Ares updated her Twitter with a photo and caption. Very simple—a peace sign gesture. But I instantly understood. She posted it specifically for me to see. Just like when Leo casually abandoned me for her years ago. When I was locked in the bathroom and beaten on the ground until I couldn’t get up. The same gesture she made over my head. Provocative, insulting—a gesture that belonged uniquely to me. “Like a little rabbit, right?” People in the comments didn’t understand. “A moment of spring is worth a thousand gold—who cares about rabbits?” “Quick, tell us—is Leo wild in bed?” Ares replied quickly. “Wild. Incredibly wild!” I calmly swiped away and made an appointment at the hospital. My body had been breaking out in rashes since yesterday. Probably an allergic reaction to the sleeping pills. My neck was already scratched bloody. The doctor gave me an injection and sternly instructed: “You absolutely cannot take sleeping pills again. Your constitution can’t handle them.” “Got it.” After getting my medication, I turned to leave. In the lobby, I ran into Leo holding Ares’ hand. Seeing me, he froze for a moment, but still didn’t let go. “What happened to you?” “Allergies.” Leo nodded casually. He didn’t ask why or how severe it was, then sighed. “She moved around while removing her manicure and hurt her finger. I brought her to get it treated.” His tone was so concerned, as if Ares had suffered a serious injury. I looked down. The cut was barely visible and had already scabbed over. Ares snorted and pretended to be angry: “It’s all because you kept bothering me. Otherwise, would I have suffered like this?” Leo chuckled softly and good-naturedly apologized. “Fine, it’s all my fault.” Then he turned to me: “You go home first.” I nodded and walked out. I hadn’t gone far when Ares’ voice rang out again. “Look at her—rashes all over her face and neck. Make sure it’s not some contagious disease. You should have her get a full physical examination.” “She’s had one before.” “Before was before! I’m thinking of you—why aren’t you grateful!” Leo said lazily, “Fine, I’ll have her go tomorrow.” His tone casual, like arranging for a dog to see the vet.

After leaving the hospital, I went to store some luggage. When I got home, Leo was already back. Ares came forward and greeted me like the lady of the house. “Louise, we’re out of slippers. You can wear disposable ones.” I looked down. My slippers were on her feet. Leo had bought them for me. Because my feet are small, they’re only size 5. Ares’ heels were sticking out the back. They clearly didn’t fit anywhere, yet she deliberately wore them around in front of me, obviously trying to disgust me. I looked inside. Leo and his friends were playing video games, completely ignoring us. I didn’t say anything and bent down to put on disposable slippers. Walking into the entryway, a cold wind hit me. My rhinitis flared up and I sneezed three times in a row. The air conditioning had been turned from 77°F down to 64°F. This time Leo noticed. He took the remote from my hand. “Ares gets hot easily. If I turn it up, she won’t be comfortable. Just bear with it for a while.” Though his tone was consultative, his actions were forcefully non-negotiable. After speaking, he turned back to gaming with his friends. Ares glanced at me lightly, sneered, and turned to join them. From beginning to end, no one bothered to look at me. I was like an outsider, completely out of place. My body involuntarily shivered. I suddenly spoke: “How long do I have to endure this?” The gaming sounds quieted. Leo turned to look at me, his face somewhat impatient. “Two hours at most. You can put on more clothes.” “But I have rhinitis. I can’t handle it.” “Then that’s your own problem.” Leo rotated the controller, with so much force it seemed like he wanted to break the console. The atmosphere instantly became awkward. The others exchanged glances and tried to smooth things over. “Louise, why don’t you go to the bedroom first? You can adjust the temperature in there. We’ll leave soon.” I hummed in agreement and walked into the bedroom. The next second, mocking laughter came from outside the door. “Why are you trying to please her? Didn’t you see Leo ignoring her?” “She just seems kind of pitiful.” “Pitiful people have hateful qualities. I hate this pretentious type the most. Acting all high and mighty, but can she even leave Leo?” “That’s true. I’ve never seen anyone more tolerant than Louise.” They openly mocked me. Leo never said a word, which meant he actually thought the same. I checked the time. Tomorrow would be Monday. I pulled out the last of my luggage and pushed the door open. The laughter instantly froze on their faces. Leo’s expression darkened. “Do you have to be so difficult? Just because I wouldn’t let you adjust the temperature?” Ares stood up, her eyes slightly red. “It’s all because of me. Louise, you don’t have to leave—I’ll go.” But before she could take a step, Leo shot up. “Don’t move. If she wants to leave, let her leave.” Leo’s friends seemed to have finally had enough of me too, saying irritably: “It’s just putting on a jacket. What’s the big deal?” “Really thinks this is her home. Does anyone actually listen to her?” “No wonder she’s an orphan. Who could stand this kind of personality?” My whole body stiffened. Suppressing the sour sadness in my heart, I slowly turned to look at Leo. His face was dark, completely uncaring. He just looked at me and said word by word: “If you leave now, don’t ever come back.” Even at this moment, his first reaction was still to threaten me. I couldn’t tell if it was relief or release. I laughed lightly and left. Bang—a loud crash came from the door as Leo smashed his beloved console to pieces.

After some time, Leo cursed under his breath and yanked the door open, rushing out. But outside, I was long gone. His childhood friend sensed something was wrong and asked carefully: “Leo, should I go bring Louise back?” Leo looked at the thick night, feeling incredibly blocked inside. He hadn’t expected me to actually have the backbone to run away from home. He sneered coldly, his face full of certainty. “Bring her back for what? In less than three days, she’ll come back on her own.” “The marriage license appointment—the offer expires.” When I checked into the hotel, Ares sent me this voice message. Her tone was mocking, as if forcing me to face reality. “If you really have backbone, never come back.” “But I know you can’t bear to leave Leo. Even if nobody welcomes you, you’ll stick to him like a piece of gum that won’t come off.” I knew she was deliberately trying to provoke me, hoping I’d never return. I suddenly found it funny. I wanted to tell her it wasn’t necessary. But in the end, I just blocked her. The next morning, Alexander came to pick me up to get married. He was dressed handsomely and properly. After gazing at me for a while, he gently kissed my face. “Beautiful.” I lowered my head and smiled with a slight blush. When we arrived, I took a photo of the city hall entrance, then walked in hand-in-hand with Alexander. At the same time, Leo’s friend who had stayed up all night at his place suddenly sat bolt upright. “Holy shit, Leo, look what Louise is doing!” Hearing my name, Leo immediately snatched the phone. It showed a photo of city hall. He smirked with disdain. “Wasn’t she running away from home? Now she’s at city hall trying to force me into marriage?” Instantly, the room filled with their mocking laughter. “You going, Leo?” “Need you ask? Of course not! Going would mean admitting defeat!” Leo’s face, tense all night, relaxed considerably. He raised an eyebrow, his tone somewhat smug. “Depends on my mood. I’ll wait until I cool down.” “Holy shit, wait, that’s not right!” Before he could finish, someone refreshed and found an update. “Louise got a marriage license? Isn’t that Alexander, the heir to the Williams Group?”

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At the wrap party, everyone was cheering and egging on Valerie Stone and Chase Montgomery to “recreate the kiss” from the show. The two looked at each other and shared a knowing smile. A second later, their lips were locked together. Amidst the excited screams, someone suddenly shouted, “Let’s get the second male lead and the female lead to share one too!” Valerie’s eyes instantly darkened. I was the second male lead. And I was Valerie’s actual boyfriend. 1 The room fell completely silent under Valerie’s icy glare. It was a little awkward. Chase quickly grabbed Valerie’s hand. “Alright, guys, knock it off. I’ll kiss Val again for you, but don’t force her to do something she doesn’t like.” Something she doesn’t like? I wonder who it was that got drunk the night before and clung to me, kissing me for ten minutes straight. I set down my glass, stood up, and walked toward Valerie. “It’s just a kiss, isn’t it?” I smiled. “It’s no big deal. Play along, our Best Actress.” Valerie furrowed her brows. “Wyatt.” It was a warning tone. “Wyatt,” Chase also reached out to shield Valerie. “Everyone’s just joking around. Don’t take it seriously.” I lowered my gaze. Valerie’s hand was resting perfectly on his waist. The way they were holding each other, you’d think they were tragically being torn apart. “Screw off,” I said flatly. Chase froze, turning to look at Valerie. Valerie’s face grew even darker. “Wyatt, stop causing a scene,” she said sternly. Chase tugged at her arm gently. “Wyatt must be drunk. It’s the wrap party today, you can’t be mad at him.” She let out a soft, affectionate huff and flipped her hand over, gently holding his. How incredibly intimate. I looked up at this woman leaning into Chase’s embrace. Just like in the show, I was the malicious supporting character, and she was fiercely in love with the leading man. Even though I was her actual boyfriend, she had never once acknowledged me in front of others. “Screw off,” I repeated, swallowing my disgust. “This time, both of you. Screw off together.” 2 The main characters, of course, did not screw off. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, I slammed the door and left. While I was sitting alone on the hotel rooftop having a drink, a text from Valerie came through. “Come back and apologize to Chase.” “Just say you had too much to drink.” Heh. Without a second thought, I blocked her number. A light drizzle began to fall from the sky, and I looked up. I couldn’t help but think about the four years I had spent with Valerie. For four years, I stayed by her side, watching her grow from a trending internet star to an award-winning A-lister. Back then, she starred in a low-budget web series that accidentally blew up. Her agency arranged for her to do a PR showmance with the male lead, Chase, and she had no way to refuse. She was miserable at first. She used to hold me and say, “I really don’t want to fake this relationship with him. I have to pretend he’s you just to force a smile.” She said, “Wyatt, wait for me. Wait until I’m a big star who can stand on my own, wait until I’m no longer controlled by them. I promise I’ll tell the whole world that I love you.” Back then, we would dream about our future together. A dog, two kids, three meals a day, four seasons a year, our hearts beating as one. When did it start to change? She replied to my texts less and less, yet the way she looked at Chase grew softer and softer. They kept up their PR romance for four years. They never officially confirmed it, but the tension was always there. In public, he would tie her shoelaces on set and take her for scenic bike rides into the hills between takes. In private, she would lend him her lawyers for his defamation suits and bring him along to private dinners with renowned directors. The fans called them the “Details Couple,” always finding sweet little romantic clues in their interactions. Maybe some things, after being acted out for so long, eventually become real. I was just trapped in the game, too foolish to realize it. 3 When my manager, Toby, called, I was already a little tipsy. “Wyatt, where are you?” I mumbled a vague response. “Something happened! You’re trending everywhere!” Trending? That sobered me up halfway. I opened my phone. Someone had leaked a video of the wrap party online. The top four trending hashtags were all about Valerie and Chase. #ValerieAndChaseChemistry #ValerieChaseWrapPartyKiss #WhenWillValerieAndChaseGoPublic #HowMuchWouldYouGiveForValerieChaseWedding And starting from the fifth spot, it was all me. #WyattTheClown #WyattBullyingChase #WyattNepoBaby The comments under the tags were tearing me apart. “Who does this guy think he is? Does he have no shame? With that filthy mouth of his, he actually thought he could kiss our Valerie.” “So disgusting. Did they spray air freshener in the room after he left?” “He acts like such a diva, slamming the door and storming out. Who gave him the audacity? Someone needs to investigate who his sugar daddy is. Trash.” “Ugh, I’m so mad! Just because he bought his way in doesn’t mean he gets to bully our Chase!” “I usually separate the character from the actor, but with Wyatt, he was clearly just playing himself.” “Zero acting skills and brought his own funding. I heard he practically bought the second male lead role. No wonder he plays the villain so well!” Bought the role. Heh. I definitely didn’t buy the role. I had originally earned the male lead for this show through my own hard work. But right before filming started, Valerie’s agency pressured the producers to swap me out for Chase. They said Chase and Valerie had more on-screen chemistry, and that’s what would make the show a hit. Valerie even came to me and said that if we played a couple on screen, she’d have a hard time controlling herself and might expose our real relationship. I refused and got into a massive fight with her. “My contract with the agency is expiring soon. Wyatt, can’t you just be understanding for once?” She said I wasn’t thinking about her. But she had no idea how hard I had worked to win that role. The director didn’t agree with the change at first either. She chatted with me, saying she would stick by her casting choice. But the next day, the director was fired. And I was reassigned to the second male lead. The malicious villain. That night, watching Valerie and Chase do joint promotional interviews for the new show, I chewed on a piece of plain bread bite by bite. They say bread tastes sweeter the longer you chew it, but all I tasted was bitterness. Sometimes, people just refuse to give up hope until they see and hear it with their own eyes and ears. Back then, I still harbored a sliver of delusion. I thought that once her contract ended and she was free of her restrictions, we could finally be together openly. I wanted to be close to her. I wanted to spend more time with her, so I still took the role. But it felt like swallowing knives every day, witnessing her and Chase’s “sweet affection” off-camera, every single second. I scrolled further down and saw another trending tag. #ValerieProtectsHerMan The comments were flooded with demands for them to get married. And of course, every few lines, there was a curse or insult hurled at me. They said someone who bullies people like I do should go die. An hour had passed. Valerie hadn’t posted a single clarification. Everyone involved stayed completely silent, letting the trending tags climb to the very top. I took out my phone and unblocked Valerie. I had been impulsive earlier. Things still needed to be made clear. Word by word, I typed out the sentence I never thought I would ever write. “Valerie, let’s break up.” 4 It took Valerie three hours to find me. “Are you drunk? Did you seriously block me?!” she said, walking over and grabbing my arm. “Don’t touch me,” I said, shaking her off. “Wyatt, there’s a limit to throwing a tantrum,” she lowered her voice. “Causing a scene at the wrap party was your fault to begin with.” “Was I wrong to ask you to apologize? You could have solved this with a simple apology, but you had to blow it up so the whole internet knows.” I let out a dry laugh. “And did you suffer any losses?” She went silent. Of course she didn’t. This was incredible free publicity. The show was viral before it even aired. That was why all the trending hate toward me was still up. Nobody was going to deal with it. It was pathetic. I was pathetic. I stood up unsteadily and pushed her away. “Valerie, I really mean it. We’re done. Stay as far away from me as possible from now on.” “You’re drunk.” She frowned. “I mean every word.” Valerie stared at me silently for a moment, sighed, and softened her tone. “Honey, let’s stop fighting, okay? Let’s go home.” “You leave. Toby is coming to pick me up soon!” But instead of leaving, she forcefully squeezed into my arms. “Stop making a fuss. Come home with me. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you this time, but you are never allowed to mention breaking up again. Do you hear me?” With that, she looked up and tried to kiss me. To be honest, her tricks used to work on me. A few times when we fought over Chase, this was exactly how she coaxed me back. But this time, just thinking about how she had been plastered against Chase a few hours ago made my stomach turn. “Valerie! Stone!” I pushed her away with all my strength and turned my head. “Do you not understand English? I am breaking up with you!” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the rooftop door. Toby was standing there, his eyes wide. He must have just arrived. I pushed Valerie away, grabbed Toby’s arm, and walked off. “Wyatt!” Valerie’s voice rang out from behind, carrying the subtle, bruised anger of someone who had just lost face. “Say what you just said one more time.” I took a deep breath, turned around, looked her in the eye, and enunciated every word. “I. Want. To. Break. Up. With. You.” “Fine. Fine. Perfect,” she laughed coldly. “A breakup, right?” “I accept. Don’t come crawling back.”

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Four years after my death, Nana dug out my old cell phone and called Olivia. Olivia: “It’s been exactly four years, and you finally thought to call me?” “What, did your sugar mamas run out of cash? If you’re broke, just go find a few more women to sell yourself to. Don’t play the victim with me.” “Let me tell you something: I don’t ever want to see you again, even if you’re dead!” On the other end of the line, Nana froze, her hunched back looking especially frail and lonely. She clutched the phone and asked cautiously, “Livvy, did you and my Ethan get into a fight? I can’t find him.” After saying that, Nana stared blankly across the empty room. As if suddenly remembering something, she murmured, “Oh, right. Ethan is dead. He’s gone. How could I forget again…” 1 Maybe it was because I couldn’t bear to leave Nana behind, but I stayed by her side as a spirit after I died. Unfortunately, Nana had Alzheimer’s, and she often forgot that I was dead. This time, she had another episode. She wandered off to the park by herself and forgot the way home. The stubborn little old lady sat on a bench, muttering to herself, “It’s okay if I can’t find the way. When Ethan realizes I’m not home, he’ll definitely come out looking for me.” My soul was hovering right beside her. Even though she wasn’t far from home, she couldn’t hear me, so I had no way to point her in the right direction. As the sun began to set, my ghostly form started pacing around frantically. An eighty-year-old woman spending the night alone in the park—she wouldn’t be able to handle the cold. Fortunately, Nana seemed to realize this too. Looking at the thinning crowd, she finally stood up. She walked up to someone, grabbed their arm, and asked, “Have you seen my grandson, Ethan?” I knew that as long as she asked someone, they would chat with her, realize she was lost, and probably take her to the local police precinct. Once she was at the precinct, she would get home safely. Unfortunately, Nana asked the wrong person. Because the person she grabbed was Olivia. Olivia looked down at Nana, a hint of impatience in her voice. “Where did Ethan go? Why are you out here alone?” “It’s so late and he just left you sitting in a park? He’s probably out messing around with…” 2 She didn’t finish the sentence, perhaps out of respect for Nana. But I knew exactly what she meant. She wanted to say I was probably out messing around with some random woman. See? Even though I had been dead for four years, this woman’s disgust for me hadn’t faded one bit. Nana didn’t pick up on the hostility. Seeing Olivia actually made her incredibly happy. “Livvy! It’s been so long since you came over for dinner. Don’t you love Nana’s homemade pot roast? Tomorrow is your birthday, come over and eat.” “You young people need to treat each other well when you’re dating. My Ethan is a good boy, he just likes to keep his feelings bottled up.” “When he left the house today, he said he was going to buy you a birthday present. He wanted to give you a surprise tomorrow.” So Nana’s memory was stuck on that exact day. Back then, we were still deeply in love, attached at the hip like any other passionately dating couple. And her childhood sweetheart hadn’t returned yet. What a shame. Hearing this, a mocking smirk tugged at the corner of Olivia’s mouth. “Nana, this isn’t funny.” “Ethan and I already broke up.” “And if he went out to buy a birthday present, it was probably for another woman.” Nana stared at her, stunned. “You broke up? But Ethan never told me.” “Livvy, don’t be mad. When Ethan gets back, I’ll teach him a lesson!” The little old lady looked adorable when she was angry. I wanted to hug her, to tell her not to be upset, but my arms just phased right through her body. Four years, and I still hadn’t gotten used to being nothing but a ghost. 3 Olivia’s smile grew wider, colder. She obviously didn’t believe a word Nana said. “I told you, we are completely over.” “If this is just some trick Ethan taught you to play, I’ll let it slide this one time.” “But please, never bring up his name in front of me again.” Just then, two neighborhood ladies walked over, looking surprised to see Nana. “Ma’am, it’s so late, why aren’t you home yet? Did you forget where you live again?” Then, one of them whispered to the other, clicking her tongue. “It’s a tragedy, really. She and her grandson were all each other had, but then the boy died four years ago. Now it’s just this poor old lady all by herself.” Yeah, I died four years ago. I remember that birthday four years ago. I went to the mall, full of excitement to buy her a present, only to see her walking arm-in-arm with another man. After stumbling out of the mall in a daze, I got a DM on Instagram from a stranger. I opened it. It was a selfie of a guy in a white button-down shirt, lying on messy white hotel sheets. Right next to him on the nightstand was a distinct, elegant custom lapel pin. Along with the photo was a message: They say a new fling can never beat a childhood sweetheart. Think you stand a chance against me? I recognized that lapel pin. It was the birthday present I had given her. I remembered it so vividly because, even though it wasn’t wildly expensive, I had designed and crafted every piece of it myself. Olivia never minded that it wasn’t a luxury brand. She even wore it to major corporate board meetings. She used to say it was the symbol of our love. But now, that symbol was casually sitting by another man’s hotel bed. That was the moment I realized love could be so incredibly cheap. 4 Hearing the neighborhood lady’s words, Olivia’s entire body went rigid. A chaotic mix of emotions flashed across her face. Finally, she asked in disbelief, “What did you just say? Ethan is dead?” “You’re lying to me, right? Ethan put you up to this.” “That man is a pathological liar.” The two ladies looked shocked. While holding onto Nana, they muttered to each other: “Who is this girl? Is she crazy?” “Seriously, who lies about someone being dead? That’s just cursing them.” Hearing them, Nana seemed to remember again. She opened her mouth, her lips trembling, and finally whispered, “Yes… my Ethan… he’s gone…” Olivia just stood there, completely frozen, looking almost ridiculous. And my drifting soul followed the two ladies as they helped Nana walk all the way home. When Nana finally stepped through the front door, I actually felt relieved that Olivia hadn’t followed us. Perhaps remembering my death made Nana sad. The lonely little old lady sat on the sofa, her thin, frail hands tracing the glass of my photograph as she cried silently. “Tell me, you were so young, how could you leave your Nana behind?” I floated over, trying to wipe her tears, but grabbed nothing but air. I could only cry with her. “Nana, I didn’t leave. I’m right here.” But she couldn’t hear me. Right then, the doorbell rang, followed by Olivia’s voice. “Nana, open the door. It’s me, Olivia.” I panicked. No. Don’t open the door for her. If she comes in and starts going through my old things… 5 I didn’t dare to imagine what would happen. Nana was a bit slow to react. Hearing the doorbell and the shouting, she slowly turned her head. She seemed to be trying to process it. Outside, Olivia’s voice rang out again: “Nana, just let me in.” “Ethan, I took a second to calm down and think about it. There’s no way you’re actually dead. You just wanted to trick me into coming over.” “Well, I’m here now! Stop pretending and open the door!” She was pounding on the door and aggressively ringing the bell. I was furious. All this shouting was going to terrify Nana. She never used to act like this. Back then, whether it was to me or Nana, she spoke softly, always terrified of sounding too harsh. But now, she wasn’t just ringing the bell; she was practically trying to break the door down. Filled with resentment, I rushed to the door to warn her off. But my ghostly form just phased right through the wood. No matter how angry I was, I was just weightless air. Because I couldn’t teach her a lesson, I felt completely helpless. Tears of pure frustration welled up in my eyes. But I was just a ghost; even crying lacked the cathartic release it had when I was alive. I screamed at her, “Yeah! I’m lying to you! So leave! Get out of here and don’t ever come back!” While I was throwing my tantrum outside, a loud crash echoed from inside the apartment. Terrified something happened to Nana, I phased back through the door. Thankfully, Nana was still sitting safely in her chair. It was just a picture frame that had fallen to the floor. Nana, looking as if she had just woken from a dream, stared at the frame on the floor and slowly bent down to pick it up. Holding it in her hands, she gently wiped my photo over and over again. “It got dirty. Ethan loved this picture the most. Thank goodness the glass didn’t break.” She was right. It used to be my favorite photo. Because Olivia had taken it. But I wanted to tell Nana that it wasn’t my favorite anymore. My favorite photo was the one sitting right next to her hand—a picture of me and her together.

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At the age of eight, I was taken in by the Sinclair family as their adopted daughter. They treated me like their own flesh and blood, and my brother granted my every wish. At my eighteenth birthday party, I accidentally got drunk and laid my heart bare. —I confessed my feelings to my brother. I thought I had just made a fool of myself. But I never expected that Carter’s endless pampering would be entirely withdrawn after that night. 1 I could feel Carter deliberately distancing himself from me. He left early, came home late, and practically ignored my texts. Growing up, Carter was the quintessential aloof heartthrob in everyone’s eyes. No matter how much people hyped his cold demeanor, he still had two lockers full of love letters. But to me, Carter was just a normal, doting older brother. If I cried, he coaxed me; if I caused trouble, he cleaned up the mess. Others teasingly called him fiercely overprotective of his little sister. He never denied it. I always thought I was special to him. It wasn’t until I took a hard fall and busted my lip that I realized the truth. Without the label of “sister,” I was absolutely nothing. When I realized Carter had stopped coming home altogether, I couldn’t pretend nothing had happened anymore. Because I remembered, and Carter remembered too. Mom packed a thermos of soup and asked me to drop it off at his company and bring him home. “Your brother dotes on you the most. He’ll definitely listen to you.” I forced a smile, bitterness flooding my mouth. When I reached the top-floor executive suite, Carter was still working overtime. Seeing it was me, his face remained expressionless as he shifted his gaze back to his screen. I placed the thermos on his desk. The moment I opened the lid, the rich aroma of homemade chicken noodle soup filled the room. “Carter, Mom made this. She wants you to come home and stop working so late.” “Mhm.” I gripped my sleeves tightly and offered a bitter smile. “Carter, I’m sorry about that night… I hope I didn’t freak you out. I drank too much and mistook you for someone else. Please don’t take it to heart.” Carter finally shifted his gaze back to me, his dark eyes bottomless and unreadable. “Mistook me for someone else? I don’t think you know another guy named Carter. Emma, you called my name, told me you liked me, and kissed me.” All the color instantly drained from my face. Carter’s casual words had basically handed me a death sentence. I gripped my trembling hands, desperately trying to stay calm. “Carter, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” He had never called me by my full first name before—not even when he was scolding me. So this was what he looked like when he completely stripped away his affection. “Carter, Mom is really worried about you. Just come home. This is your family, after all.” My voice grew hoarse. “If anyone should leave, it’s me. You don’t have to hide from me anymore. I’ll move out… Just stop hiding.” “Suit yourself,” he replied coldly. 2 I moved out, and stayed away for two whole years. I didn’t return home once during that time; I was even more ruthless than Carter. Mom called me more than once, crying and saying how much she missed me. All I felt was a suffocating sense of guilt. I was a complete and utter bitch. They treated me like blood, provided me with food and a luxurious life. Without them, I might have died a long time ago. Yet I was shameless enough to covet their real son. Even if they wanted me home, what right did I have to show my face there? When flu season hit, I unfortunately caught the bug. Just as I swallowed two cold pills, Mom’s call came through. Not wanting her to worry about my pale face, I immediately switched the FaceTime to an audio call. “Sweetie, what are you up to?” “Just got out of the shower.” “Did you wash your hair? Don’t blow-dry it all by yourself, okay? With your brother not around, I worry about you.” I froze, feeling a sudden wave of disorientation. Living alone for two years, I thought I had forgotten. Once, while drying my hair at home, I accidentally got a lock caught in the motor of the hairdryer. Ever since then, no matter how late or tired he was, Carter would always dry my hair for me. Through my hesitation, I inexplicably sensed that Mom was in a fantastic mood today. She said, “Sweetie, are you coming home tomorrow? I’ll have your brother pick you up.” Before I could answer, she dropped the bombshell. “Your brother is bringing his girlfriend home tomorrow.” “We’re all going to have dinner and officially meet her. Sound good? Mom misses you so much.” It felt like a grenade had gone off right next to my ear. My senses failed me. It felt like that shrapnel had hit me dead center, tearing me to shreds. “Emma?” I cleared my throat, forcing a tone of pleasant surprise. “No need to bother Carter! If he’s bringing his girlfriend home, I can just catch an Uber myself.” 3 Unsurprisingly, my fever spiked that night. Not wanting to face Carter and his girlfriend so soon, I took some fever reducers and dragged my feet until dinner time before finally heading to the Sinclair estate. The moment the door opened, Mom hugged me and started crying. “Oh, my sweet girl, how did you lose so much weight?!” Terrified she would notice my fever, I quickly brushed it off with a few comforting words. Mom led me to the dining room, and as my gaze shifted, I finally saw Carter and his girlfriend. According to Mom, the two of them had known each other in college. Reconnecting after starting their careers, they were more mature, and sparks naturally flew. The woman was elegant and beautiful, a perfect match for Carter. She was exactly the type I had always imagined he would like. “Hi Carter. Hi… sister-in-law.” I greeted them warmly, but my choice of words startled her. Mom laughed, patting my shoulder, and shot a look at the blushing Chloe before playfully scolding me. “Oh, this kid! Don’t mind her, Chloe. She’s just a bit clumsy with her words, but hey, it’s bound to happen sooner or later… haha.” Chloe quickly waved her hands in embarrassment, while Carter frowned, staring at me with clear displeasure. How had I managed to piss him off again? It was a title she’d have eventually anyway. The table was filled with my favorite dishes, but I had absolutely zero appetite. After dinner, instead of joining them on the couch for small talk, I ran upstairs to pack some things. My bedroom had a massive walk-in closet where I kept all the birthday gifts I had received over the years. My twelfth birthday present was a tiara. The princess aesthetic had been hugely popular back then. Seeing how much I loved it, Carter had one custom-made for me. He had handed it over so casually, as if he’d bought a cheap trinket from a flea market. It was densely packed with sparkling stones. For the longest time, I thought they were just rhinestones. I later found out they were real diamonds. But none of these belonged to me anymore. They belonged to Carter’s “little sister.” I grabbed a few items of clothing, threw them in a suitcase, and headed downstairs. Seeing me dragging a suitcase, Mom grew frantic. “Sweetie, you can’t stay the night?” “I have some stuff to take care of for grad school.” “Carter! Get Carter to drive you back.” Mom snatched the suitcase from my grip and shoved it into Carter’s hand. He and Chloe were standing shoulder-to-shoulder; they were clearly getting ready to leave together. Why would I third-wheel their romantic drive? Chloe had her arm linked with Carter’s, but Carter was now holding my luggage. No matter how you looked at it, the scene was completely comical. “It’s fine, really! I’ll just call an Uber.” “With your brother right here, why on earth would you take an Uber?” Mom spoke to me gently, then instantly whipped her head around to scold him. “Carter Sinclair! Is it really that agonizing to drive your sister home? Why do you look so miserable?! Chloe, you need to keep a tight leash on him. If you aren’t happy with him, yell at him. If he doesn’t fix his attitude, tell me. If he still doesn’t change, then dump him! A man like this is useless anyway.” Carter just stood there in silence, getting chewed out. At his company, he was the charismatic CEO everyone swooned over. At school, he was the untouchable heartthrob. But at home, Mom tore him down to absolute zero. After taking the scolding, Carter just nodded. He dragged my suitcase and shot a look at me. “Let’s go.” 4 When the car finally parked outside a run-down, aging apartment complex, Carter couldn’t hold back anymore. “What happened to the luxury condo Mom gave you?” Even at a moment like this, my stupid brain was thinking: Is this his way of caring about me? My head was spinning. “My boyfriend lives here, so I don’t really have a choice.” Having said my piece, I tried to bolt out of the car like a fugitive. But Carter was a step faster, instantly locking the doors from the driver’s seat. “Emma, you better explain this to me right now.” His icy tone frightened Chloe, who softly tried to intervene. “Babe, what are you doing? Don’t be so fierce with Emma.” Seeing them acting so affectionate in the front seat made me feel sick to my stomach. Would Carter treat Chloe the way he used to treat me? No, they were a couple. He would treat her a hundred times better than he ever treated me. “Explain what? You can date whoever you want, but I can’t?!” “You didn’t tell me, and you didn’t tell Mom and Dad.” “Did you announce it to Mom and Dad the second you started dating? I don’t need to report every single detail of my life to you.” Something about that sentence must have triggered him. Carter’s face darkened completely. “Say that again.” I was dizzy, my face flushed with fever. I couldn’t stop coughing, and as I did, tears streamed down my cheeks. I didn’t understand what Carter wanted from me. He was the one who cast me aside, and now he was the one getting angry. “I know… I know you look down on him. You think he’s poor and beneath us.” I wiped my tears. “But I don’t have some grand ambition… I just… I just want someone who treats me well, someone who loves me. That’s all I need.”

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I am a flight attendant. My husband is incredibly successful, but he doesn’t love me. Every month, he takes a flight that I am working on. And every time, he brings a different glamorous woman by his side. My heart bleeds, but I can only endure it in silence. The last time, right before the plane was about to land, I walked over, leaned down to his ear, and whispered softly: “Carter, I agree to the divorce. I have tomorrow off. Let’s go get it done.” 1 The plane was cruising smoothly at thirty thousand feet. I was at the rear galley organizing the meal carts when the lead flight attendant, the purser, walked over. I stood up straight. “Purser.” She took the checklist from my hands and looked it over. “You’re qualified to be promoted to First Class service. Why don’t you put in for it?” “I don’t think I’m good enough yet. I still have a lot to learn.” “Humility is a virtue, but being too humble isn’t good for your career. Go heat up the meals.” She handed the checklist back to me and returned to First Class. My gaze followed her, landing on the passenger in seat 1A. No one on this crew knew that the VIP in First Class—our airline’s most elite black card holder—was my husband. But sitting next to him was a stunning, radiant woman. I couldn’t go to First Class. I couldn’t bring myself to smile, crouch down, and provide flawless service to my own husband and whatever woman he had brought along. Even though we had been married for a year, we had never truly been husband and wife. 2 I was forced onto Carter by his grandfather. My grandfather and Carter’s grandfather had served in the military together. On our wedding night, he unbuttoned his shirt halfway, stood up, and went out to the balcony to smoke. Halfway through his cigarette, he turned his head. “I own a lot of properties. I probably won’t be coming home every day. Do whatever you want with your time.” He kept his word. He only came back to our marital home about once a month. Later, rumors of him with other women started splashing across the tabloids. Before I even had the chance to call and ask him about it, he called me first. “If you want a divorce, I will agree to it at any time.” That single sentence choked the words right out of my throat. That day, all I could do was nod. “I understand.” A few weeks later, he came home. “Still haven’t filed?” At that moment, it hit me like a physical blow—he was desperate to end this marriage. I just went to bed early, completely ignoring the topic. In the middle of the night, my pillow was soaked with tears. No one knew that I had fallen in love with him a long time ago. We had actually met seven years prior. But he had long forgotten. 3 “Hello, here is your chicken entrée. Please enjoy.” After handing out the meals, I pulled the cart through the premium cabin. He was busy working on his laptop. The woman beside him, draped in a vibrant silk scarf, was admiring the clouds outside the window. The purser walked over and knelt politely beside them. “Sir, would you like to change into some slippers? I can help you with your shoes.” “I can manage, thank you.” He politely declined. “Ma’am, let me help you with your shoes so you can change into slippers.” The woman pulled her gaze away from the window. “Thank you.” The moment Carter looked up, our eyes met. I immediately averted my gaze, quickly pulling the meal cart down the aisle and out of sight. Two hours later, the plane landed. “Have a great day, goodbye.” As they deplaned, the woman linked her arm through his, the wind catching her long, wavy hair. 4 “Still staring? They’re already in their private car.” I turned around to find my colleagues grabbing their luggage bags, getting ready to disembark. “I’m sorry, Purser.” “Do you like him?” I shook my head instantly. “No.” She patted my shoulder and smiled. “Don’t pass up the next promotion.” 5 That night, Carter came home. I didn’t expect him to. When he walked in, I was sitting on the sofa, watching TV with damp hair. Honestly, my mind was entirely blank; I hadn’t absorbed a single second of the show. He was tall and imposing. The moment he stepped inside, the entire penthouse felt smaller. I wanted to ask him about earlier, but the image of them on the plane flashed through my mind, and I swallowed my words. He walked over, sat on the opposite sofa, and took a phone call. That was when I caught the faint scent of alcohol on him. I grabbed a bag of potato chips, ripped it open, and started eating them one by one. “Tomorrow, 9 AM morning briefing.” He hung up the phone and looked at me. I looked back at him. “Nothing you want to ask?” I shook my head. Putting the chips down, I walked into the bathroom. In the mirror, my face looked terrifyingly pale and quiet. When I came out, he was out on the balcony. A few seconds later, the glow from his phone screen vanished. He turned sideways, a faint smile lingering on his lips before it quickly faded away. I stood frozen, speechless. His happiness, in the end, had absolutely nothing to do with me. 6 He slept in the guest room. I woke up extremely early to head to the airport. He was up, too. The elevator descended, but we stood on opposite sides of the cab. When we reached the lobby, I stepped out, while he took it down to the parking garage. The weather that day was horrendous. During the flight, we encountered severe turbulence, and the plane dropped violently multiple times. After we finally landed safely, everyone wept in relief. That particular flight even went viral on the news. Standing in the bustling terminal, I stopped and checked my phone. Not a single call. My sorrow, in the end, had absolutely nothing to do with him either. 7 The next time I saw him was a month later, on a flight from JFK to LAX. The weather that day was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was shining brightly, and the flight was incredibly smooth. He brought the exact same girl from last time. She had very pale skin. Halfway through the flight, she rested her head on his shoulder and fell into a peaceful sleep. It also happened to be a holiday. International Women’s Day. The airline had prepared roses. “Ladies and gentlemen, today is International Women’s Day. Our airline has prepared a rose for every female passenger on board. May all the women flying with us today live fearlessly and gracefully.” “Happy holidays to you!” “Thank you, the airline is so thoughtful.” “I don’t even get flowers on normal holidays, who knew I’d get one on a plane.” “Happy holidays to you too, miss.” After handing out the flowers, I glanced toward the premium cabin. The purser was handing a rose to the girl sleeping beside him. “Happy holidays. I’ll just leave this flower on your tray table, alright?” “Sure.” 8 I went back to the galley, washed the serving trays, and sat down in my jump seat. I stared out at the sea of clouds. My heart felt quiet, yet it ached deeply. The clouds began to part. My freezing fingers twitched. I tilted my head back. Some people are just not meant to be yours. Let it go. Let him walk away. “Ladies and gentlemen, we will be beginning our initial descent into LAX in thirty minutes… We hope to see you on your next journey.” The plane was about to lower its altitude. I stood up, walked over to him, and whispered softly. “Carter, I agree to the divorce. I have tomorrow off. Let’s go get it done.” 10 After work. I dragged a massive suitcase behind me. I pressed my thumb against the biometric lock and pushed the door open. Rarely, he was home early. Was it because we were getting a divorce? The penthouse wouldn’t feel so suffocating to him anymore, so he finally came home early? I hauled my suitcase inside. I started the rice cooker in the kitchen, then went to the master bedroom and began packing. He came and stood in the doorway for a moment. “Don’t pack. You can keep the house.” My body stiffened. I turned around and shook my head. “You bought this place before we got married. I didn’t contribute a single cent. I can’t take it.” With that, I went back to packing. He stood there for another minute before walking away. It was a good thing he left. Folding my clothes one by one into the suitcase, sweeping all my skincare bottles off the vanity and packing them away to take with me. It felt like I had merely been a temporary guest here. Now, it was time to move out. In that moment, I couldn’t feel even a shred of evidence that I was ever the lady of this house. Pathetic, pitiful, useless. 11 I hadn’t expected him to be home tonight. So I hadn’t bought any groceries. There was no need to act like the past, either. Whenever he came home before, I used to cook a multi-course meal, desperately trying to win his heart through his stomach. Once the rice was done, I went down to the deli on the ground floor and bought some cold salads and sides. “Let’s eat.” He put down his book by the floor-to-ceiling window and walked over. The food on the table clearly surprised him. “I thought you weren’t coming back and we were just meeting at the lawyers’ office tomorrow, so I didn’t buy groceries. We’ll just have to make do tonight.” I took a bite of plain white rice. To my surprise, the usually incredibly picky man actually sat down. We ate in total silence. Halfway through, he spoke. “Where did you buy the deli sides? They’re actually pretty good.” He even finished the entire bowl of rice I had scooped for him.

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I have a strange illness: if I don’t kiss someone, I suffer from severe, paralyzing chest pains that flare up out of nowhere. Worse yet, the only person whose kiss can cure me is my lifelong archenemy, Nate Nelson. One second, I’m glaring at him with pure hatred, and the next, I’m tugging at the hem of his shirt with teary eyes, begging, “Can you just kiss me, please?” He raised a surprised eyebrow, let out a low chuckle, and asked, “Any way I want?” 1. Nate Nelson and I have been mortal enemies since childhood. It all stems from our parents. My dad and his dad grew up together and have constantly compared themselves to one another since day one. Both of them are fiercely competitive and refuse to ever settle for second place. From middle school onward, they competed over grades and trophies. Once they started working, they competed over promotions, salaries, and eventually, their families. When Nate and I were born, they naturally passed the torch of competition down to us. When I was a kid, if I scored even one point lower than Nate, my dad would shake his head in disappointment and sign me up for another summer prep course. That’s how all my happy childhood vacations vanished into thin air. Because of this, I harbored a deep, burning hatred for the sole culprit behind my misery: Nate Nelson. 2. The day the SAT scores came out, my dad went absolutely insane with joy. I scored a 1520, practically guaranteeing my spot at Columbia University, a top-tier Ivy League school. I was thrilled too, mostly because I had discreetly fished for information from Nate right after the exam. He had looked completely exhausted and muttered, “I bombed it.” This meant we finally wouldn’t have to go to the same school! I would never have to look at his highly punchable face ever again! My dad immediately called Nate’s dad, his voice dripping with faux sympathy. “Hey, Mr. Reed! Did Nate get his scores back yet? Oh man, let me tell you, our Chloe really didn’t perform her best this time. She only got a 1520! Looks like she’ll have to settle for Columbia.” I have to admit, my dad’s humblebragging was incredibly obnoxious. A booming voice came through the speakerphone. “Huh? What? Only a 1520? Tsk, yeah, that really is a bit disappointing. “My boy just checked his score too. What did you get again, son? My memory is going bad in my old age. Tell your dad what you got one more time.” A lazy, drawling voice echoed through the line: “1560.” “Oh, right, a 1560! Well, looks like my son didn’t do so hot either. He’ll just have to make do with Columbia too,” Nate’s dad sighed, his tone dripping with fake pity, every single word a fatal stab to the chest. My dad and I practically coughed up blood simultaneously. Furious, I whipped out my phone and texted Nate. Me: “Didn’t you say you bombed it?! You played me!” Me: “[Dog breathing fire meme.jpg]” Nate: “I didn’t get a perfect 1600. Does that not count as bombing?” Nate: “Gotta run. See you at Columbia.” My fingers were practically sparking as I furiously typed against my screen. I could picture exactly what Nate looked like right now. He was definitely sitting somewhere slouched and lazy, wearing a smug smirk while slowly typing out the most arrogant, rage-inducing responses imaginable. Why?! Why couldn’t I even escape him in college?! If God made Chloe, why did He have to make Nate?! 3. The good news was, even though Nate and I ended up at the same university, he was on the Pre-Law track while I was an English Lit major. Our departments were on completely opposite sides of the campus. In the first month of school, I had barely run into him. I sincerely hoped I wouldn’t run into him for the next four years. We could just be the most familiar strangers in the world. But my roommates didn’t share that sentiment. “Ahhhh! Girls, there’s an intramural basketball game today! Comp Sci versus Pre-Law! Guess who’s playing for Pre-Law?!” Mia squealed, clutching her phone and practically vibrating with excitement. Lexi, who always loved the drama, quickly asked, “Who? Who?! Are there hot guys?” Our edgy roommate, Roxy, raised an eyebrow. “Look at Mia drooling. It’s obviously the Pre-Law poster boy, Nate Nelson. You guys know ever since he blew up on the Campus Confessions Instagram page, Mia has been tracking his every move.” Mia giggled, blinking her big eyes. “I care about all hot guys equally. So, are we going or what?” “Let’s go. We don’t have anything better to do,” Lexi and Roxy agreed without hesitation. “Chloe, you coming?” Mia turned to me. I had absolutely zero desire to see my archenemy. Talk about bad vibes. I waved my hand. “I think I’ll pass…” Before I could finish my sentence, a robotic, electronic voice suddenly echoed inside my head. [Debuff: Angina attack. Countdown: 30 minutes.] [Cure: Kiss Nate Nelson for 5 seconds.] W-What the hell?! Was I suddenly the protagonist of some sci-fi simulation game?! 4. The cure was way too twisted. Kiss my sworn enemy?! Ha! I, Chloe Cooper, would rather die of a heart attack or jump out of a fifth-floor window today before I ever set foot on that basketball court! 5. “Wow! Chloe, did you see that?! Nate just sank another three-pointer! He is so hot!” Mia shook my arm violently, screaming until her voice cracked. To be fair, amidst the deafening roar of the crowd, her high-decibel squeal just blended into the background noise. I covered my ears and shuffled a little further away from her. Looking down at the court, staring at that tall, glowing figure standing out among the sweaty players, I felt a little guilty. Ahem. I was purely here because I love watching college boys play basketball. I totally hadn’t chickened out of my own boycott. Besides, I wasn’t here to see Nate. I was here to see— The Comp Sci player in the white number 8 jersey just passed the ball to a teammate. Catching my eye, he smiled and waved at me. Oh? I didn’t know he played too. A bit surprised, I waved back. Yep, that’s right. I was here to see him. It had absolutely nothing to do with Nate. Before I could even lower my hand, Nate, wearing his black jersey, followed Number 8’s line of sight and looked right at me. Seeing me, he seemed to freeze for a second. Then, his face went ice-cold and he swiftly looked away. That familiar, infuriating spark of rage ignited in my chest. What the hell was that expression?! Was he disgusted by me?! I hadn’t even rolled my eyes at his bad vibes yet!! I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. “Chloe, why do you look like you’re about to murder someone?” Lexi asked, sounding slightly terrified. “Nothing, nothing. Just saw a really annoying bug, but I already squashed it.” I quickly fixed my expression and forced a smile. Roxy winked at me. “Hey, that cute guy who waved at you earlier is Caleb Hayes, a pretty well-known guy in Comp Sci. Fess up. How do you know him? What’s the tea?” I waved my hands frantically. “Don’t misunderstand! During move-in day, Caleb was a campus volunteer. He helped carry my luggage, we chatted a bit, and exchanged socials. We don’t even talk that much.” “Oh~ Sure~” Lexi and Roxy exchanged a look, dragging out their words suspiciously. Just then, Mia screamed, “Ahhh! What is going on with Nate and Caleb?! They suddenly started playing so aggressively! Two hot guys battling it out—I’m living for this!” I turned my attention back to the court. Nate cleanly dribbled past a defender, only to be blocked by Caleb. The atmosphere was suddenly suffocatingly tense, invisible sparks flying between their locking gazes. Suddenly, Nate moved. Caleb shifted left to block him, entirely falling for a fake-out. The crowd held its breath. Nate charged the hoop, leaped into the air, grabbed the rim with one hand, and delivered a flawless, thunderous slam dunk! “Hell yeah!” “Ahhhh, that was amazing!” Cheers and screams erupted from the bleachers. Yet the center of attention—Nate—just landed smoothly, his dark eyes entirely unbothered, as if that spectacular dunk was just a walk in the park. Tsk. What a show-off. I curled my lip in disgust. As he jogged back to play defense, Nate seemed to throw a side-glance in my direction. He was provoking me. Not one to back down, I glared fiercely right back at him. Right at that moment, the electronic voice echoed in my ear again. [Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6…] My entire body went rigid. No way. This was actually real?! The moment the countdown hit “0”, my heart felt like it was being violently stabbed by a thousand needles. The pain was so agonizing I couldn’t breathe. My vision went black. Clutching my chest, I collapsed weakly to the floor as the crowd gasped around me. It hurts so much… [Cure: Kiss Nate Nelson for 5 seconds.] The robotic voice coldly repeated the instructions. “Chloe! Chloe Cooper! What’s wrong?! Don’t scare us!” My roommates panicked, screaming my name. The commotion on the sidelines caught the attention of the players. In my hazy state, I saw Nate drop the basketball, his face darkening as he sprinted toward me. “Chloe!” He dropped to one knee beside me, his deep eyes filled with raw panic, all his previous basketball-court arrogance completely gone. I felt Nate pull me into his arms, looking down at me. [Cure…] The pain was unbearable. Mustering the absolute last ounce of my strength, I lifted my head and pressed my lips directly against his. So soft. “!!” A ripple of shock crashed through Nate’s eyes, like a stone dropping into a clear spring. As the agonizing pain receded like a pulling tide, I heard a collective, massive gasp from the crowd around us. Oh my god, I actually kissed my archenemy. I had zero principles. Nate was definitely going to think I was secretly in love with him. He was going to be so obnoxiously smug about this! Amidst my spiraling thoughts, my consciousness faded into darkness. 6. When I woke up, I was already in the campus infirmary. My heart was beating perfectly normally, as if that suffocating agony had been a mere illusion. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a silhouette sitting by the bed. I turned my head and saw Nate slouching lazily in a chair, his long legs bent awkwardly in the cramped space. He was still wearing his black basketball jersey, which made his skin look even paler. He was looking down at his phone, his expression bored and relaxed. As if sensing my gaze, Nate looked up. The second I saw his face, my eyes unconsciously dropped to his lips. That soft, warm sensation seemed to linger in my mind, refusing to fade. “Chloe, why are you blushing?” Nate raised an eyebrow, looking at me with a half-smile. I instantly snapped my gaze away, pulling the blanket up to cover half my face, suddenly too terrified to look at him. “I’m just hot.” Nate stared intently at me, as if seeing right through me, but didn’t interrogate me any further. “Feeling better? The campus nurse said there’s nothing physically wrong with you.” “Much better.” I nodded. “Did you feel sick before you fainted? The nurse didn’t find anything, so you might need to get checked out at a real hospital.” His tone was surprisingly peaceful. I blinked. This was weird. Whenever Nate and I interacted, we usually ended up in a screaming match before exchanging two sentences. If he wasn’t throwing sarcastic jabs at me, I was mocking him. Seeing him act so genuinely concerned was giving me whiplash. “My heart just hurt a bit. I’ll go get it checked when I have time…” “Don’t tell my mom!” I quickly added. Even though our dads were sworn enemies, miraculously, my mom and his mom were absolute besties. Both women worried about us constantly. I had a strong premonition that this “angina” wouldn’t show up on any hospital scan anyway. There was no need to panic our families for nothing. A soft chuckle escaped Nate’s lips. “Fine.” His long, elegant fingers casually spun his phone around, but his dark eyes were locked directly on mine. “Under one condition: you explain why you kissed me first.” “Have a crush on me?”

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The boy next door used to be a piano prodigy. He had won countless awards by the time he was fifteen. But after he met my classmate, he gladly let her sit on his beloved piano and kiss him. He threw away his education for her, smashed his piano to pieces, and spiraled into total ruin. So, I told his parents. Because of that, the boy next door was forced to go abroad to study at a conservatory. Years later, he made a massive name for himself. He became the brightest, most untouchable superstar in the entertainment industry. And I ended up as a trainee at his management agency. Without even looking up, he pointed a finger at me. “I’ll take her.” That very night, my manager got me blackout drunk and sent me into the hotel rooms of powerful corporate investors. He stood by the doorway, biting down on a cigarette, and chuckled softly. “Consider this my way of thanking you for snitching on me back then.” I was abused to death on that freezing winter night. When I opened my eyes again, I was back before any of it had happened. 1 “Don’t you think dragging the untouchable golden boy down from his pedestal would be a total rush?” “His lips are so thin. I wonder if he’s a good kisser.” My desk-mate rested her chin on her hand, teasing playfully. Directly across the courtyard, a tall, striking silhouette sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was eighteen-year-old Caleb Bennett. I snapped out of my daze, clutching my chest and gasping heavily for air. I turned my head. The girl sitting next to me was my classmate, Ashley. In my previous life, she had sat exactly like this, resting her chin on her hand, staring at Caleb with a flirtatious gaze, looking absolutely determined to conquer him. Back then, I just thought she was talking big. But that very night, I saw her sitting on top of Caleb’s grand piano. Looking down and kissing him. I was back. I had been reborn, returning to the time before everything went wrong. I forced myself to stay calm and reached out to shut the window. “I need to study. If you don’t have anything else to do, go back to your own house.” Ashley pouted. “Aren’t you curious? I thought you had a crush on him.” I froze instantly. When I was seventeen, I made two massive mistakes. One, I secretly harbored a crush on the boy next door, but never had the courage to confess my teenage feelings. Two, I snitched on his secret relationship with Ashley. Because of that, he hated me for six years. He didn’t even hesitate to destroy me just to exact revenge for that betrayal. Thinking back to that desperate, freezing winter night in my past life… I squeezed my fingers tight, my teeth biting into my lower lip until it bled. 2 “No, I never had a crush on him.” I replied with deadpan calm. Ashley smiled slyly, the corners of her mouth curling up. “Good, then I don’t have to feel bad. I wasn’t sure how to tell you that Caleb and I are officially together. I didn’t want to trigger you.” In my past life, Ashley had brazenly staked her claim exactly like this. Ashley was a total player. Almost every decent-looking guy in school had dated her at some point. She was loud and unapologetic. While everyone else was stressing over SATs and finals, she was busy dating, smoking, drinking, and hitting the clubs. She was the exact opposite of a “good girl.” But girls like her possess a fatal attraction for guys who have spent their whole lives following the rules. Caleb was clearly one of them. I remembered the moments right before my death in my previous life. My hands, covered in cigarette burns, desperately clutching the cuff of Caleb’s crisp white shirt. I begged him to let me go. “Even if you hate me, you shouldn’t do it like this.” But Caleb just looked down at me, his cold lips curling into a smirk. He scoffed. “And how should I do it, Chloe? If it weren’t for you, Ashley wouldn’t have been forced to marry someone else, and she wouldn’t have died in childbirth. Why does she have to be dead while you get to live a perfectly happy life?” “Chloe, it’s just not fair.” He was right. Because of my snitching in our past life, Caleb was forced to move overseas. Ashley, distracted by the romance, bombed her conservatory auditions and ended up marrying a local street punk. Not long after, she got pregnant out of wedlock. Her parents disowned her. The punk bailed on her, and she ultimately bled out in a sketchy back-alley clinic. Caleb always believed that if I hadn’t told his parents, he never would have left the country. And Ashley never would have died. So, it was all my fault. I lowered my eyes. “That’s great for you guys. I wish you a long, happy life together.” Ashley gave me a weird look but didn’t say anything else. 3 Days passed by. The two of them dated in secret. Like all teenage couples, they skipped class to catch movies, got matching tattoos on their chests, and kissed on romantic Ferris wheel rides. They rode motorcycles through the midnight streets. They completely forgot that their primary identity was supposed to be high school students. I watched all of this with cold indifference. Meanwhile, I nervously prepped for my college entrance exams. In my previous life, heavily influenced by Caleb, I had chosen to attend the same performing arts high school as him, training to be a musician. I spent my life chasing his shadow, desperately hoping to touch his light. Now, I was planning to drop the arts track and switch back to standard academics. I was going to retake the standard exams and forge my own path. It was undeniably going to be a brutal uphill battle, but no matter how hard it was, I wanted to try. Until one day, I overheard Ashley bragging to some girls at school: “Caleb is just a piano nerd. He doesn’t know anything about the real world. Honestly, if he wasn’t famous for winning all those competitions and didn’t make me look good, I wouldn’t even be dating him.” Classmate A: “Yeah, right. Like he’d actually fall for you? He’s probably just messing around with you.” Ashley confidently fired back, “Don’t test me. If I tell him to jump, he asks how high.” Classmate B: “I heard he has a massive piano competition coming up. If you’re so powerful, make him skip it.” Ashley smirked. “That’s easy. Just wait and see.” I was sitting right nearby. And I knew that winning first place in that competition guaranteed a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious European conservatory. I knew exactly how important this competition was to him. Sure enough, even without my interference, the major turning point of my past life was still unfolding. In my previous life, I knew Ashley had ulterior motives. I dropped hints to Caleb several times, but he just thought I was a jealous drama queen trying to ruin their relationship. After hesitating for days, I finally chose to tell his parents. With his parents stepping in, the fallout was massive. The two were forced to break up. Caleb, devastated and completely out of it, ended up losing the first-place trophy anyway. However, he still secured an opportunity to study abroad. But he held a grudge against me for years because of it. To the point where he personally destroyed my life. By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, Ashley had leaned close to my face. She winked at me. “Chloe, you’re not going to snitch, are you?” I looked down, calmly flipping the page of my textbook. “Of course not.” This time around, I chose silence. I would respect other people’s fate. 4 Until I saw Caleb sitting on my front porch. This was the first time I had crossed paths with him since I was reborn. Thinking about what he had done to me in our past life… I swallowed down my nausea. I glanced down. Shattered beer bottles were scattered all over the ground around him. Blood was dripping steadily from his hands. The moment he saw me, he scrambled up from the ground and grabbed me, his eyes completely bloodshot. “Chloe, you and Ashley are close, right? Can you please call her for me? She said she wants to break up. I really can’t lose her.” “She said playing piano is boring. I can stop playing! The piano will never be as important as her. Just help me, please?” “I’m completely out of options. I love her. I’d give up anything for her.” I stared at the pathetic boy standing in front of me. His radiant halo was completely gone. His long, elegant, pale fingers were slashed open by glass, but he didn’t seem to care at all. In my memories, he used to guard those hands with his life. He used to say he was grateful to God for giving him hands that could play such beautiful music. He loved the rhythm of his fingers dancing across the keys. But right now, to him, a pianist’s most precious asset meant absolutely nothing compared to Ashley. He was no longer the boy I used to have a crush on. I suppose a first love is only beautiful when it stays a memory. I thought for a second, pulled out my phone, and dialed Ashley’s number. “Ashley, Caleb is drunk outside my house. Can you come over?” He stood carefully beside me, staring at the phone with desperate, hopeful eyes. Ashley seemed to scoff on the other end of the line. Then she said, “Ask him for me—is it true he’d do absolutely anything for me?” I had it on speakerphone, so Caleb heard it perfectly. He panicked and practically yelled, “Of course I can!” “Then don’t go to the competition.” With that, Ashley hung up the phone. Leaving a stunned Caleb standing rigidly on the porch. I studied Caleb carefully. I wanted to see what choice he would make in this life, without my interference. Dreams versus love. Which one would he choose? Caleb kept his head down. It took a long time before he finally let out a bitter laugh. “Is giving up the competition really the only way to prove how much she means to me?” He clearly wasn’t asking me. But I knew he already had his answer. I didn’t say a word. I just watched him turn around and walk away, looking completely defeated.

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1 My brother was rotten from the start. He tried to kill me more times than I could count. At five, he threw a lit lighter onto my lap. The flames melted half my face, scarring me forever and leaving a constant, burning itch. Through tears, I told the truth, but Mom only held me and whispered, “Your brother’s just a baby. He couldn’t have done that.” At ten, he tricked me into fetching a ball from a thorn thicket hiding a hornet’s nest. I was stung by hundreds, fell down a ravine, and shattered my leg. My kidneys failed, leaving me tied to a catheter for life. Still, no one believed me. “You weren’t careful,” they said. “Stop being a burden.” On my eighteenth birthday, he shoved peanut butter cake into my mouth. I choked instantly, collapsing as he stood over me, grinning at my struggle. Only when he’d had his fill did he run out shouting, “Grace ate cake and had an allergic reaction!” Mom screamed. Dad cursed. “Why won’t that useless girl just die already?” I smiled. [Congratulations, Host. Hidden ending unlocked: 99 Deaths.] [In 24 hours, the portal to the real world opens.] My throat was almost entirely blocked. Every attempt to breathe sounded like a broken bellows, yet not a single drop of oxygen reached my lungs. As I lay on the floor drifting into unconsciousness, I heard heavy, hurried footsteps echoing down the hall. Dad burst through the door and immediately slapped me twice across the face. “Always stuffing your face! Are you really that greedy? What did I do in a past life to deserve you? Can’t you give us one single day of peace?” Mom was frantically tearing through the drawers. “Where is the EpiPen? Where does this stupid girl keep her emergency medication?” When I was first injured years ago, they kept emergency meds in every corner of the house. Back then, even a slight cough from me would make Mom panic and rub my back. “Are you okay, Grace? Do we need to go to the hospital?” But as the incidents piled up, their concern morphed into exhaustion. Eventually, I was left to drag my crippled leg to my follow-up appointments all by myself. Of course she didn’t know where the medication was. She hadn’t cared enough to look in years. Dad’s face darkened, and he dumped the contents of a drawer onto the floor, his voice dripping with irritation. “If we can’t find it, then fine. Maybe we will finally all be free.” Two agonizing minutes later, Mom found the pen on top of a cabinet. Her hands shook as she plunged the needle into my thigh. The crushing weight on my chest slowly lifted, though the fiery red hives covering my body still burned, and the residual muscle aches left me pinned to the floor, unable to move a muscle. Mom looked at Dad, a flicker of guilt in her eyes. “Maybe we should take her to the hospital just to be safe?” Dad hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then his anger flared up again. “To the hospital? With what money? Every penny we make goes toward her endless medical bills! Luke, next time your sister tries to kill herself, don’t bother telling us. Once she’s gone, the rest of us can finally have a real life.” He slammed the door behind him. Mom sighed, shooting me one last disappointed look before following him out. Luke leaned down, whispering in my ear with a cruel chuckle. “Can’t die, can’t leave. Pretty miserable, huh? Guess what kind of game we are going to play next time?” He strolled out of the room, puffed up with pride, totally missing the genuine smile that spread across my face. Thank God. I am finally the one who gets to be free. Years ago, in the real world, I had been terminally ill and refused to be a burden to my grandmother. I jumped from the hospital rooftop, only to hear a mechanical voice in my head as I fell. [Host detected. Survival instinct is below 10%. Initiating the Rebirth Redemption Quest. If you successfully complete your mission, you will be rewarded with a healthy, brand-new life in your original world.] My mission was to redeem my sociopathic younger brother, Luke. From the day he was born, I did everything to care for him, constantly whispering words of love and guidance. But on the very night he learned to speak, he stared at me with a sickeningly sweet smile. [You are the ninety-ninth host I’ve met,] he had whispered inside my mind. [The first ninety-eight died playing my games. I hope you last a bit longer.] That was when I realized he wasn’t just a troubled child. He was a malicious, corrupted transmigrator. With his twisted experience, Luke easily turned my life into a living hell, systematically stripping away my parents’ trust until I was completely isolated. When I was lying in a hospital bed with third-degree burns, clinging to life, the system’s voice had chimed again. [Due to a major world glitch, Host has unlocked the hidden ending. Surviving ninety-nine deaths will also count as mission completion.] In truth, every one of Luke’s pranks should have killed me. The system had kept my broken body barely functioning, forcing me to endure over a decade of horrific torture just to reach this day. [The portal opens in 24 hours. You only need to experience your one-hundredth and final death to leave this world forever.] I forced my battered body up, trying to drag myself back onto the mattress, but my palm accidentally pressed down hard on the emergency call button on my headboard. A piercing alarm blared. Footsteps thundered down the hallway, and the door was thrown open once more. 2 Dad stood at the entrance, chest heaving, his car keys clenched tightly in his fist. Mom scanned me with lingering panic. “What is it now?” I shook my head weakly. “Nothing… I just…” Before I could finish, Dad hurled his car keys directly at my face. They struck the bridge of my nose with a sickening crack, sending a blinding wave of pain through my skull. “If it’s nothing, why the hell did you press the alarm? Are you trying to give your mother and me a heart attack?” Dad roared. “You’re already a useless cripple, and now you’re acting out like a psychopath. Why can’t you be more like your brother? When are you going to grow up?” Watching him rave, I felt absolutely nothing. No anger, no sorrow. The stolen happiness of my childhood was always meant to be paid back. Before Luke was born, my parents had treated me like their whole world. I wore the nicest clothes they could afford. When I mentioned wanting to learn the piano, Dad worked three months of overtime just to buy me a high-end brand and hire a professional tutor. When a boy at school cut my hair as a prank, my normally timid mother marched straight into the principal’s office and fought for me tooth and nail. In the real world, I had been raised by my grandmother and never knew what it felt like to have parents. For a brief, foolish moment, I had actually hoped I could stay with them forever. But then Luke arrived, and the dream shattered. Even as an infant, Luke would spit in my face. When I pinched his cheek in frustration, Mom yanked me away, her eyes cold with disappointment. “Grace! You’re the older sister! How could you lay a hand on a baby? Did we teach you nothing?” After the fire, whenever the scars on my face flared up with excruciating pain, I would sob and clutch Mom’s hand. “It was him! He threw the lighter at me! He was born evil, Mom! He’s going to ruin us all!” I begged. “Please, it’s not too late. We have to watch him. Don’t let him fool you!” At first, they offered half-hearted comfort. But eventually, Dad’s patience snapped. He slammed a heavy glass ashtray onto the floor, his eyes shot with blood. “Grace, we tolerated your tantrums because we felt bad for you! But this is insane! You caused that fire yourself, and now you’re trying to frame your toddler brother?” He raised his hand to strike me, but Mom held him back, looking at me with pitying disdain. “Grace, listen to me. I know what you’re doing. But throwing these fits out of jealousy to get our attention is only going to make us resent you.” From then on, Luke’s physical abuse became a regular routine, and my parents’ tolerance evaporated. Once, he pushed me from the top of a slide. I hit the concrete head-first and blacked out. When I opened my eyes, I was still lying on the cold pavement. Mom stood over me, her arms crossed. “I suppose your brother did this too? How long are you going to keep up this pathetic act?” she snapped. “Do you think the hospital is a hotel? My credit cards are already maxed out from your bills!” That was the day I gave up. I completely let go of any hope of redeeming Luke. Seeing me silent, Mom sighed and reached down to pull me up from the floor. But Luke’s eyes darted around, and he suddenly let out a shrill cry. “Mom! Dad! Talk to me! I can’t hear anything!” He clutched his ears, feigning agony. “I was standing right next to the alarm. It was so loud… I think my ears are bleeding!” Mom gasped, instantly dropping my arm. My crippled leg hit the hardwood floor with a dull thud, sending a jolt of pain through my spine. “Oh my god, let’s get you to the doctor right now!” she cried. Dad grabbed me by the hair and dragged me toward the basement stairs. “You miserable parasite! You’re already a broken piece of trash, and now you’re trying to ruin your brother too?” he spat. “Stay down here and think about what you’ve done. No food for you today!” The heavy wooden door slammed shut, plunging the cellar into pitch darkness. The only sound was the scratching of mice in the corners. I closed my eyes, peacefully waiting for the clock to run down. Some time later, a rough hand shook me awake. 3 Dad tossed a worn jacket over me, his voice eerily calm. “Put this on. Get up.” My body felt like it was going to detonate. A sudden, violent fever had taken hold, leaving my head spinning. When I didn’t move fast enough, Dad’s face twisted with annoyance. Mom stepped forward, grabbing my limp arms and shoving them into the sleeves. “Grace, stop being stubborn. Just listen to us. We’re doing this for your own good.” Suddenly, she paused. “Why are you burning up? Are you…” Before her hand could touch my forehead, Luke chimed in, his voice dripping with exaggerated sweet concern. “Do we really have to send her to a care facility, Mom? I can skip my tutoring classes. I won’t go out with my friends on weekends anymore. I’ll spend all my time and money looking after Grace myself!” He looked at me, a sickening glint in his eyes. “Grace, just apologize to Mom and Dad. Promise you won’t cause any more trouble, and we can get through this as a family.” A few years ago, a family friend had suggested sending me to a long-term care home after seeing my condition. Back then, Dad had slammed his fist on the table in a rage. “Your father-in-law went into one of those places and died a month later! Are you asking me to murder my own daughter? As long as we have a roof over our heads and food on our table, I will never abandon Grace in a dump like that!” Looking back, the memory was a sick joke. I shook my head weakly. “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Mom’s hand froze in midair, her expression hardening into disgust. Dad’s anger boiled over. He grabbed my arm and dragged me across the floor toward the front door. “I should have shipped you off years ago. Why did I waste so much time and money on an ungrateful leech like you?” I was tossed onto the back seat of the car. With every bump in the road, my internal organs felt like they were being pierced by hot knives. I drifted in and out of consciousness from the sheer agony until the car finally screeched to a halt in front of a pair of rusted iron gates. The facility director, wearing a stained white coat, hauled me out of the car and shoved me into a squeaking wheelchair. “You folks got lucky today,” he said with a greasy smile. “We just had a bed open up. Once you pay the administrative fee, we can get her processed.” Before we even crossed the threshold, the sound of blood-curdling screams and shattering glass echoed from the hallway. A few burly male orderlies rushed past us, pinning a thrashing patient to the dirty floor like livestock before plunging a syringe into his neck. Within seconds, the patient’s eyes rolled back, and he went limp. Mom shrank back, suddenly terrified. “What is wrong with him? And our Grace is a young woman, and you can’t put her in a room with a violent man!” The director shrugged off her concern. “He’s just a bit schizophrenic. He’s perfectly pleasant when he’s medicated. Besides, we’re completely full. Once you’re in a place like this, gender is the least of your worries.” Dad stared at the floor, his face grim, while Mom darted uneasy glances at me. After a tense silence, Dad opened his mouth to speak, but Luke cut in. “Dad, Mom, the air in here is making me feel really sick. I think I’m getting a fever.” He forced out a wet, dramatic cough. “Besides, Grace grew up around boys. I’m sure she’ll get along fine with him.” Panicked, Mom and Dad immediately started pushing Luke toward the exit. “Right, right, let’s get out of here. Director, we’ll leave Grace in your capable hands.” The staff tossed me onto a filthy mattress like a sack of meat. Once the director locked the door, they abandoned us. Late into the night, the schizophrenic patient on the floor finally stirred. He rolled over, locked his wild, bloodshot eyes on me, and let out a manic, silent grin. From beneath his pillow, he pulled a small kitchen knife, playfully tracing its edge along my skin before plunging it deep into my thigh. Dark blood sprayed across the sheets. I was too weak to lift a finger, and even if I could, I wouldn’t have fought back. He went into a frenzy, stabbing at my face and chest. The room filled with the wet, sickening sound of tearing flesh. I bit my lip until it bled, choking back every scream. Just a little longer. Just bear it a little longer, and it will all be over. After what felt like an eternity, the pain vanished. I found myself floating, looking down at my own butchered body. The familiar mechanical voice echoed in my mind. [Congratulations, Host. Mission accomplished. The return portal will open at noon. Please stand by.] My spirit drifted out of the room, wandering the grim halls of the facility. Around eight in the morning, to my surprise, I saw Mom and Dad walking down the corridor. Mom’s eyes were red and puffy. “I couldn’t sleep a wink last night,” she murmured. “No matter how angry we were, we shouldn’t have left her in a place like this.” Dad huffed, though his voice had softened slightly. “You women are always so dramatic. Let’s just see how she’s adjusting. If she’s miserable, and if she’s willing to apologize and beg for forgiveness, maybe we’ll take her back home.” Standing nearby, the director rolled his eyes when they weren’t looking. “They got along beautifully. Not a peep out of them all night. But let me make one thing clear: if you change your minds now, you’re only getting half your deposit back.” A card terminal beeped as Dad swiped his card. Then, the heavy door was pushed open.

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1 The heatwave apocalypse arrived without warning, sending global temperatures soaring into uncharted territory. As the power grid collapsed across the country, the government rationed electricity, leaving household air conditioners dead. Millions fell victim to severe heatstroke, their bodies cooking from the inside out. I had spent my life savings on a small, portable cooling tent. Due to power limitations, it could only fit one person at a time. My family and I agreed to take turns, one day at a time. But by the second day, they stole my turn. First, they gave my slot to my younger brother. Second, they gave it to my mother. By the third day, I died of heatstroke. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my bedroom, exactly one week before the world went to hell. This time, I woke up with the Sensory Swapping System. The first thing I did after my rebirth was shut down every assembly line at my food processing plant. I took all the rice, flour, grain, and oil from the factory and locked them away in our storage vaults. With the apocalypse looming, raw survival depended entirely on securing resources. Checking the countdown on my phone, I had exactly six days and seven hours before global temperatures spiked by thirty percent, scorching crops and drying up rivers. At that point, anyone with food and water would become a prime target. Simply having supplies was not enough; I needed an absolute fortress. My top priority was upgrading the factory. I expanded the main warehouse, installed an independent solar power grid, and dug deep to place a heavy-duty underground water filtration system. Every production line was cleared out, and raw ingredients were categorized and secretly moved into cold storage and reinforced vaults. Finally, I hired a high-end security firm to install a defense system. With my safe house ready, I turned to the remaining supplies. I rented a twenty-four-foot refrigerated box truck. It was large enough to haul my entire checklist, yet modest enough to navigate the city streets and enter the factory gates without drawing suspicious eyes. More importantly, it kept temperature-sensitive cargo perfectly chilled during transport. I bypassed local supermarkets and wholesale markets, which were too crowded and lacked the bulk items I needed. Instead, I drove to a massive warehouse club on the city outskirts and bought vacuum-packed rice, flour, grains, frozen meats, and canned goods in bulk. I cross-referenced my checklist to make sure no detail was missed: antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, gastrointestinal medicine, antihistamines, and wound disinfectants. Once the medical supplies were secured, I cleared a small indoor plot inside the factory. As soon as my first truckload arrived, I sowed vegetable seeds into the fertile soil. There was no telling how long the heat would last, and relying solely on stockpiles was a death sentence. I needed a continuous, renewable source of food. By the time I finished my second supply run, my bank accounts were drained. Running a private factory meant most of my liquid capital was tied up in unpaid invoices, so I liquidated my stock portfolio and sold my family’s ancestral home far below market value. With the cash, I covered the factory roof with high-efficiency solar panels, adding several industrial-grade diesel generators capable of running for years. I also purchased an encrypted military-grade radio transmitter, multiple thermal imaging cameras, and a state-of-the-art automated defense system. Six days later, the heatwave struck. My external sensors registered a blistering 119 degrees Fahrenheit. And I knew this was just the beginning. The municipal power grid collapsed within four hours of the initial spike. The city fell into a suffocating silence. Water systems rely on electricity; when the pumping stations ground to a halt and the last drops trickled out of the taps, raw panic tore through the streets. I unlocked my phone, watching the desperate cries for help online and tracking real-time aerial footage from my drone. The once-bustling streets were completely abandoned. The asphalt was melting, bubbling up and releasing a pungent chemical stench. As my drone hovered over my old apartment building, I spotted three familiar faces through the window. “It’s too hot! Why isn’t the AC working?” “I’m going to die!” My brother’s whining voice filtered through the audio receiver. Watching the three of them drenched in sweat, I reached into my mini-fridge, grabbed a cold can of soda, and took a long, refreshing drink. The icy liquid slid down my throat, sending a pleasant shiver through my body. It actually felt a little chilly, so I adjusted my thermostat to a comfortable seventy-eight degrees. By the third day, the temperature outside hovered near 140 degrees. Reports of heatstroke deaths were skyrocketing, and vicious fights over bottled water were breaking out on every corner. Unbothered, I pumped filtered water from my well and gently misted the green sprouts pushing through the indoor soil. But as I stood enjoying the quiet, my security console flashed a bright red warning: [Bio-signature approaching]. 2 Through the high-definition security monitors, I watched two men carrying heavy fire axes kick through my outer factory gate. “The air is cooler in here! There’s definitely food inside!” On screen, their faces were twisted with heat exhaustion and manic desperation. I recognized them instantly. In my past life, these same two men had looted a local convenience store during the initial blackout, hacking the elderly shopkeepers to death for a single case of bottled water. They began hacking at my security doors, cursing and screaming. Their violence only made my decision easier. Since I had spent millions on an automated defense grid, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to test it. I moved my finger across the console and tapped the [Purge] command. A silent laser swept across the hallway. The two intruders collapsed instantly, blood pooling on the concrete. Within seconds, automated cleaning arms emerged from the wall, dragging the bodies toward the incinerator chute. I launched my drone to scan the factory perimeter. The location was remote enough that no one else seemed to be nearby. But as the drone returned toward the main hangar, three figures caught my eye. “Mom, Dad, this is where Sylvia is hiding!” “That selfish bitch is in there enjoying the AC while we’re out here dying!” I had fully expected Gavin to drag our parents to my door eventually. But what I did not expect was the sudden alert on my monitor: [Main Door Unlocked]. The sound of my security system disengaging made my blood run cold. How was that possible? The security architecture was my own design, featuring physical and digital barriers. Without my master biometric override, opening the door from the outside should have been impossible. I pulled up the lock diagnostics. The primary electronic lock icons were flashing red, showing they had been bypassed. Zooming in on the entryway camera, I saw Gavin holding a strange, custom-built electronic device. He was running it over the keypad, forcing the system to cycle through codes. I had forgotten that despite his lazy, useless attitude, my brother was a mechanical prodigy when it came to locks and circuits. I took a deep breath, my fingers flying across the auxiliary control panel. I had engineered this system to handle any threat, including an inside betrayal. I initiated the secondary lockdown protocol. I wiped the digital keypad memory and engaged the heavy steel physical deadbolts. [Authorization required: Iris scan, palm print, thirty-six-digit dynamic physical key.] [Processing security protocol… 3… 2… 1…] [All external digital signals blocked.] The moment the physical bolts slammed into place with a heavy thud, Gavin’s face fell. He kicked the door in frustration, triggering the automated defense warning. Realizing what would happen if he stayed, he grabbed our parents and retreated into the courtyard, screaming curses into the security camera. I assumed they would wander off and perish in the heat, but two hours later, they returned. This time, they were dragging someone with them. It was Martha, my oldest factory employee. She had been with me since I started the business, treating me like her own daughter. In my previous life, I had lost contact with her during the chaos. In this life, with time running short, I had anonymously sent her a massive crate of supplies and a stack of cash, urging her to escape to the countryside. How did they find her? “Sylvia!” Gavin screamed at the camera, holding a kitchen knife to Martha’s throat. “If you don’t open this door, I’m going to carve this old lady up piece by piece! You have three minutes!” The temperature outside was rising. Sweat poured off my family as they counted down the seconds, their eyes wild with desperation. In the final seconds, I relented. I put on my tactical body armor, gripped my rifle, and opened the inner security gate. “Let Martha go, and you can step inside,” I announced through the speaker. But I underestimated their cruelty. The moment the cool air of the vestibule hit their skin, Gavin kicked Martha hard in the stomach, sending her sprawling. Before I could catch her, the three of them rushed past us into the primary safe room and slammed the door, locking it from the inside. I didn’t panic. I simply smiled, helped Martha up, and led her into the secondary shelter next door. Fortunately, I had designed the factory with a dual-zone layout. By locking themselves in the primary room, they had only cut off a tiny fraction of the facility, leaving the storage vaults and greenhouses entirely under my control. But as the minutes ticked by, the air in my secondary room began to warm up. I checked the monitors and saw Gavin frantically pressing buttons on the master panel, cutting the power to my section of the building. The suffocating heat of my past life began to creep back into my chest. On the split-screen monitor, I watched Gavin tearing through my refrigerator, guzzling my cold drinks while my parents submerged their heads in the sink. I pulled up the system interface on my tablet. [Sensory Swapping System activated. Please select target.] Without hesitation, I typed in my brother’s name: Gavin.

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