At a party, my fiancée Ava’s ex lost a stupid game. His penalty: pick someone of the opposite sex to act out their “wedding night.” Everyone watched as he walked straight to Ava. “Ava,” he said with fake sincerity, “I heard you’re getting engaged. Let me have one last perfect memory with you. Please?” Ava’s eyes softened—that lovesick look I hated—and she began to stand. I tossed the engagement ring onto the table. It clattered, silencing the room. “Choose carefully,” I said, my voice low. “Him, or the entire Chen family fortune.” Ava froze. Her ex, Leo, glared at me. “It’s just a game. What’s your problem?” he sneered. “Not even married and this possessive? You’ll probably cage her later.” She believed him. Turning to me with contempt, she said, “It’s a joke, John. This is the 21st century. Drop the patriarchal act.” I watched quietly as they disappeared into the private lounge. Then I called my contact. “If she treats our marriage like a game,” I said, “then the Chen family’s easy ride ends now.” 1. Ava emerged from the lounge, her clothes disheveled, just as I ended the call. Her lipstick was smudged, a faint trace of blood on her lower lip that spoke of a frantic, passionate struggle. Our eyes met, and she flinched. A moment later, her familiar perfume filled the air as she walked toward me. “John, it was just a game. Leo had to pick someone, and he chose me. Don’t be so sensitive.” My gaze drifted to her neck, and she instinctively turned away. “We… we just went through the motions. It’s a mosquito bite.” “A mosquito bite?” I scoffed. “Must be a whole swarm of them in there. They seem to have left their stamps all over your neck.” Ava’s lip trembled. “Stop being such a sarcastic asshole! Leo doesn’t know the other girls here. I was just helping him out as a friend. What’s the big deal?” Before she could continue, Leo sauntered out of the room, buttoning his shirt. “It was just a game, Mr. Astor,” he said with a smug grin. “If you’re worried, just have Ava take a morning-after pill.” He held a small box out to me, his eyes gleaming with provocation. “It is a shame, though,” he added, his voice dropping. “The pill can be rough on a woman’s body.” Ava snatched the box from his hand, her eyes flashing with disgust as she looked at me. “Why would he care about my health? He only cares about the precious little membrane down there. Fine! I’ll go to a clinic tomorrow and have it surgically replaced, how’s that?” Leo’s laughter filled the suite. He was triumphant. The other guests, seeing my cold silence, started looking at me with disdain, as if I were the one in the wrong. Looking at Ava’s defiant face, I felt like I was seeing a stranger. Five years ago, she had knelt before me, begging me to pay for her college tuition so she could escape her misogynistic family. “Mr. Astor,” she’d cried, “I’ll do anything you ask, just please help me get my education.” At the time, my family was pushing an endless parade of socialites on me for an arranged marriage. She became my convenient excuse, a shield. But over time, I fell for her. I fell hard. I poured millions into her dream of becoming an actress, pulling every string I had to shield her from the filth of the industry and propel her to A-list stardom. She dared to pull a stunt like this with Leo because she was sure I’d clean up her mess, just like I always had. I had given her everything. This was how she repaid me. “We’re not even engaged yet, John,” she snapped, seeing the look on my face. “I’ll take the pill, I’ll get the surgery, whatever. Stop looking at me like you’re at a funeral. You’re killing the mood.” The arrogance rolled off her in waves. I ignored her and answered a call. She ripped the phone from my hand and smashed it on the floor. The screen spiderwebbed into a thousand pieces. My eye twitched. “Our engagement party is in one week,” she hissed. “It’s being live-streamed globally. The whole world sees us as the perfect couple. Are you really going to start drama with me now?” “The perfect couple?” I sneered, my eyes flicking from Leo back to her. “Did you think about that when you were getting off with him in the other room?” Ava winced, hating that I’d said it so bluntly. “It was just a game, you—” “Enough.” I cut her off and took a sip of my wine. “The Astor family doesn’t need a wife who entertains old lovers on the side.” Her face flushed with rage. Before she could retort, the door opened. Her agent stood there, looking panicked. “Mr. Astor, I’m so sorry, Ava has a last-minute magazine shoot—” His eyes landed on the love bites covering her neck, and his pupils shrank. He fumbled in his bag for a compact and rushed forward, his hands shaking as he tried to cover the marks. “Mr. Astor,” he pleaded, his voice cracking, “I know you and Ava are getting engaged, but… but she can’t take this kind of abuse. I don’t know if I can even cover this up…” “What does he have to do with it?” Leo shoved the agent aside, then wrapped a possessive arm around Ava’s waist. “I’m Ava’s first love. Who the hell is John Astor?” The agent’s face went slack with shock. Ava, however, didn’t seem to care. “You can go,” she said to her agent. “I’ll—” Leo cut her off by kissing her, hard. “Baby,” he purred, “why is your agent a man? It makes me jealous.” He looked at me, his voice high with victory. “Mr. Astor, you seem to enjoy pairing your fiancée up with other men. Maybe you secretly wanted her to get seduced, just so you could play the victim? Tsk, tsk.” SMACK! The agent, trembling with rage, slapped Leo across the face. I had hand-picked this man for Ava; he knew better than anyone that her entire career was a gift from me. Ava gasped and cradled Leo’s face, then turned on the agent with murder in her eyes. “You dare touch him? Do you have a death wish?” The sight of them made me sick. I set down my glass. “That’s enough,” I said calmly to the agent. “Don’t dirty your hands.” “Are you doing this on purpose, John?” Ava shrieked. “Apologize to Leo! Now!” Leo. She was already calling him by his first name. “You think you can get away with this?” Leo clutched his cheek, his face a mask of fury as he pointed at me. “Fine! See if I don’t ruin your precious engagement party!” He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. 2. The moment Leo was gone, Ava grabbed a heavy glass ashtray from the table and hurled it at my head. “John Astor, if anything happens to Leo, I will kill you!” I stared into her hate-filled eyes, a cold knot tightening in my stomach. This was the woman I had loved for five years. All my devotion, all my sacrifice, meant nothing next to her first love. Blood trickled down my forehead. Between the blood and the shattered phone on the floor, I felt every last feeling I had for her die. The agent shakily offered me his phone. “Mr… Mr. Astor, the paparazzi got shots of Miss Chen running out after Mr. Carter. What should we do?” I glanced at the screen. “What does it have to do with me?” This time, I wasn’t cleaning up her mess. When I arrived home, I found Ava and her father sitting in my living room. “John, my boy,” her father began, his smile oily. “I heard you and my Ava had a little spat?” I calmly placed the diamond ring on the coffee table. “We didn’t have a spat,” I said. “I’m informing her that the engagement is canceled.” Her father’s smile vanished. He staggered back a step. “But… marriage isn’t a child’s game! Did you see those headlines about Ava? It’s all lies! My daughter would never do such a thing.” I looked at Ava with cold contempt. “Your daughter has already found herself a new sugar daddy.” Her father stared at her. “What is he talking about?” Seeing her silent, I let out another humorless laugh. “Why are you playing mute now? Or should I help you two lovebirds find a way to be together? Your daughter screws her ex-lover in front of her fiancé. Since you’re so madly in love, who am I to stand in your way?” Ava’s face darkened with anger. “Is that all you can do, John? Make sarcastic remarks? Who the hell do you think you are?” Five years ago, she knelt at my feet, desperate to escape her family and make something of herself. I was captivated by the fire in her stubborn eyes. I thought, over time, that my love could soften that fire into warmth. For five years, I lifted her up, building an entire kingdom for her in the entertainment world. I finally understood. Some people’s hearts are made of stone. I had handed her my world on a platter, and in return, she just found new ways to stomp on it. “Mr. Astor, this was all her doing! It has nothing to do with the Chen family!” her father blurted, just as I knew he would. He knew exactly which side his bread was buttered on. “Please, she’s young and foolish. Give her one more chance…” He wasn’t about to give back all the benefits my family had bestowed upon his. “That’s enough, Dad,” Ava interrupted, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the bedroom, locking the door. “John, it was one stupid mistake. Was it really necessary to have me crucified online? Are you trying to get me canceled?” What? She thought I was the one who leaked the story to the press? The audacity was breathtaking. I had to laugh. “You created this disaster. What does it have to do with me?” “Who else would dare post negative stories about me if not for you?” I raised an eyebrow. “So, you do know that you only have a clean record because of me? Then what are you to me now? Why should I be responsible for cleaning up the messes you make?” The color drained from her face. Just then, her phone rang, saving her from having to answer. “Hello? Leo… what?! I’ll be right there!” Her eyes shot to me, filled with a renewed hatred. “Calm down! The only person I’ve ever wanted to marry is you!” She hung up, ripped the engagement ring I had given her off her finger, and threw it at my face with all her might. The sharp edge of the diamond sliced across my cheek, leaving a deep, bloody gash. Her eyes were red with panic. “John, Leo is threatening to jump off a building because of our engagement! If you have any decency left, you’ll let him go!” 3. I watched her sprint out the door, and I found the situation absurdly funny. So, she could feel panic. She could lose control over someone. A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and my throat felt tight. I held the ring up in front of her father’s face. “As you can see, she has agreed to cancel the engagement. Please leave.” He started to protest, but when I told him I would sever all business ties with his company if he didn’t leave immediately, he turned and fled without another word. The next morning, I found a small digital camera on my doorstep. I recognized it as Ava’s. My curiosity got the better of me, and I picked it up. The moment I pressed play, the screen filled with a sickening image of blood and matted fur. I recognized him instantly. It was the puppy my mother had given me before she died. The last living piece of her I had left. The video showed my sweet, gentle Lucky howling in agony, his once-white fur stained crimson. My heart felt like it was being shredded. Blood roared in my ears. With trembling hands, I dialed Ava’s number. “Ava, where is Lucky?! What did you do to him?!” Her voice was dismissive. “What? Don’t you like the gift I sent you?” I forced myself to stay calm. “Where. Is. Lucky?” A cold laugh echoed down the line. “So you do have feelings. What a shame I can’t see your face right now. It must be hilarious.” “Ava, you better pray that dog is alive,” I growled, “or I will make you wish you were never born!” She cackled as if I’d told the funniest joke in the world. “You still think you’re the king of New York? You think I’m scared of you anymore? Let me tell you, John, this is what you get for messing with Leo!” My face was a grim mask as I told my assistant to drive me to the Chen residence. He stood there, hesitating, a worried look on his face. “Spit it out,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Miss Sterling called earlier,” he said quietly. “She hopes you won’t do anything rash. She wants you to reconsider the engagement.” “The Astor and Sterling families are the two biggest players in this city. A merger through marriage is the logical choice. What’s her issue with it?” The assistant paused. “Perhaps… Miss Sterling doesn’t want a marriage based purely on business. You know she’s been in love with you for a long time. She thinks you should look at people other than Miss Chen.” I sighed. “Tell her I’ll think about it.” The next sound I heard was the deafening screech of tires. A massive truck, seemingly out of control, slammed into us from the side. CRUNCH! Our car was thrown several meters, rolling over once before coming to a stop. The taste of blood filled my mouth. My vision swam. The agony racking my body was so intense I nearly passed out. Through the shattered windshield, I saw Leo walking towards me, carrying a bundle of red. A faint, dying whimper told me it was Lucky. “Little bastard’s tough,” Leo sneered. “Still breathing after all that.” Lucky! I tried to move, to get out, but my legs were pinned. Every movement sent waves of excruciating pain through me. “Let him go…” I gasped. “Let him go?” Leo laughed. He stomped on the hand I’d managed to stretch out of the broken window, grinding it into the asphalt. “You clung to Ava for five years. Why didn’t you let us go?” He lifted his arm and brutally slammed Lucky onto the ground. The little dog let out a choked cry and went limp, a broken heap of fur and blood. “LEO!” I roared, my vision turning red, blood spilling from my lips. “That was my mother’s—” “I don’t care if it belonged to God himself!” he spat. He crouched down and wrapped his hands around my neck, squeezing with all his might. “You think Ava ever loved you? You were her ATM! A walking wallet! The only person she will ever marry is me!” His excitement grew with every word. “You’re just a pathetic loser who licked her boots! A piece of trash! Your money, your family, it was all just a stepping stone for our love!” “John, you love her so much, right? Then die for her today!” His eyes shone with a feverish glee. He picked up a brick from the debris on the road and raised it high above my head.

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I grabbed Ivy by the collar and threw her, luggage and all, out of my hotel room. From the hallway came the furious roar of my childhood best friend. “Clara! What the hell is wrong with you now?!” He was cradling a tear-streaked Ivy in his arms, looking at me like I was a lunatic. He seemed to have forgotten that just a few days ago, he had personally canceled my flight to Aspen, all to fulfill the dream of the girl in his arms, who had “never been on a plane before.” He’d also forgotten that this trip was supposed to be our confession tour, a promise we’d made three years ago. He thought I would do what I had always done: endure, compromise, and swallow my feelings for his sake. He was wrong. The moment he chose to leave me behind, our future ceased to exist. 1 This graduation trip to the Rocky Mountains was a promise Liam and I had made three years ago. Back then, his grades were terrible. I had been accepted into the city’s top magnet school, but Liam practically begged me to stay, to go to the same public high school as him. In a moment of weakness, I agreed. In return, he made a solemn vow: when we graduated, we’d go to Aspen, and there, on a snow-capped mountain, he would officially ask me out. We would go to the same college, and we would get married after graduation. I took that promise to heart. For three years, I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into tutoring him, dragging his grades from the bottom of the barrel until he was my academic equal. I thought our future was as clear and certain as that promise. But ever since Ivy transferred to our school, it was as if Liam’s eyes only followed her. He helped Ivy with her homework. He took her to do all the things she’d never experienced before. Our lunches for two became dinners for three. The steak and fish I ordered would always end up on Ivy’s plate. “Clara, you should watch your weight,” Liam would say. “Have some salad.” I weighed 110 pounds. The weekend movie we’d planned for weeks? He’d cancel at the last minute. “Ivy says twenty dollars for a ticket is what she makes in three hours at her part-time job. She doesn’t think it’s worth it. You should just go by yourself, Clara. My parents work hard for their money, too.” He seemed to forget his parents had just bought him a two-thousand-dollar laptop. The list of slights was endless. Then, he missed my birthday. I waited at home, stubbornly refusing to blow out my candles until he arrived. The clock ticked past eleven, past midnight, then into the early hours of the morning. Not a single text from him. I told myself he must have gotten held up by an emergency. Then I saw his Instagram story. A video of him and Ivy, drag racing on some deserted road. She was clinging to his waist, her face pressed against his back. He didn’t show up until the next day, looking sheepish. He’d forgotten it was my birthday, he said. Just like that, the inseparable childhood friends became a trio, with Ivy always there, a constant shadow. And when it came to college applications, despite scoring higher than he ever had on his SATs, he still didn’t have the numbers for a top-tier university. He just assumed that I, like always, would choose to stay local with him to honor our pact. What he didn’t know was that my application was already sent, my sights set on a university in New York, a thousand miles away. To be honest, I regretted giving up the magnet school for him. After two years of being consistently abandoned and sidelined, I was no longer the girl whose world revolved around Liam. I had planned to use this trip to finally tell him. But as I was heading to the airport, I got a notification. My flight had been canceled. Confused and stranded, a few lines of bizarre, glowing text suddenly appeared in my vision. [Here we go! Classic plot point. The Male Lead feels sorry for the Female Lead because she’s never flown before, so he cancels the Second Female Lead’s ticket and gives it to her. Cue the big fight.] [Even if the SFL buys a train ticket and follows them, the ML and FL will have already had a super romantic day together. They’ll be inseparable. The ML won’t even see the SFL when she shows up!] [This is the trip that makes the ML realize how dramatic and needy the SFL is. Every fight they have just makes him appreciate the FL more. They drift apart, he ends up with the FL. I ship it!] I was still holding my phone, debating whether to text Liam, when a message from him popped up. [Clara, Ivy’s never been on a plane. I canceled your ticket and gave it to her.] [Just buy a train ticket and meet us there. We’ll wait for you in Aspen!] When I didn’t reply, a second message followed. [Are you mad? I know you’re not used to roughing it. You’re delicate.] [But Ivy can handle anything. Why is it always such a big deal with you?] I stared at the screen, my blood running cold. The text in my vision… it was all true. I pressed my lips into a thin line, opened a travel app, and bought a train ticket. But I changed the destination. Liam was the one who broke our promise first. Summer flights to Aspen were nearly impossible to get on short notice. After Liam canceled mine, there was no way I could find another. The train was sold out, too. Luckily, using a reseller app, I managed to snag a ticket to Denver in a private roomette, though I had to pay extra. I had just settled in when Liam’s text came through. [You’re taking the train, right? Ivy says even though it’s a 40-hour ride, the scenery is amazing. It’s something you’d never see from a plane. You’re lucky!] I let out a cold laugh and put my phone away without replying. After the initial shock of the canceled ticket, I’d considered just going home. But I decided to go ahead with the trip anyway. Going to the Rockies wasn’t just about Liam; it was part of my own plan for my life, and I wasn’t going to give it up for him. And starting in Denver wasn’t so bad. I’d always wanted to explore it. Still, he knew it was a grueling forty-hour train ride. And he’d canceled my flight without even asking, using my money, my time, and my peace of mind to give Ivy her “first time.” Even though I had decided to let him go, a dull ache settled in my chest, heavy and persistent. The glowing text reappeared. [Wow, this SFL is really obsessed with the ML. Dumped so many times and she’s still chasing after him. No direct train, so she goes to Denver first. Pathetic!] [Good! I was worried the plot would slow down without the SFL there as a catalyst, but she’s still following the script. A slight detour, but she’s on her way. Perfect!] [Seriously, does this girl have any self-respect? Thrown away like trash over and over, and she still sticks to him like glue. Such a desperate pick-me.] I glanced at the words and looked away, focusing on the view outside my window. The privacy of the roomette was a comfort. The price was steep, but watching the landscape shift and change, my knotted feelings slowly began to unwind. The next day, I arrived in Denver. I bought a map, circled a few spots I wanted to see, and looked up some guides online. It was getting late, so I booked a hotel near the downtown area. As I was settling in, I saw Ivy’s new Instagram post. [We gave the last room to a cute couple, so now I have to share with a certain someone! So embarrassing…] The accompanying photo was of their hotel room. She didn’t show the bed directly, but in the reflection of the window, you could clearly see Liam, leaning against the headboard, scrolling on his phone. My hand froze. My phone vibrated. A message from Liam: [Where are you? Ivy says the scenery on the way is beautiful. Send me some pics.] When I didn’t answer, a single [?] followed. I scoffed, set an alarm, and turned my phone off. [Ooh, look at her, playing hard to get. Does she really think the ML will get worried if she doesn’t text back?] [Looks like she’s planning to spend a few days in Denver. What’s her deal? Doesn’t she know the ML and FL are waiting for her in Aspen? So selfish!] [Yeah, didn’t you see? The ML was barely paying attention to the FL because he wasn’t getting texts back. Can this SFL stop being so dramatic? Will she die if she doesn’t ruin their romance?] [Whatever, let her play her games. By the time she gets to Aspen, the ML and FL will have already had their big romantic moment. I can’t wait to see her face when she finds out!] [Exactly. It’s so annoying seeing her all relaxed like this. The more fun she has now, the more heartbroken she’ll be later.] I ignored the commentary and closed my eyes. I spent the next day exploring Denver to my heart’s content. Only then did I turn my phone on to book the next leg of my journey. From here, there were plenty of tickets to Aspen. I didn’t buy one. Instead, I booked a bus ticket to Moab. Liam, having received no reply from me, called. I fumbled with my phone and accidentally answered. “Clara? Where are you?” Liam’s voice came through the speaker. “What’s up?” I asked, my tone flat. He must have sensed my coldness. He paused, then tried to sound cheerful. “Hey, where are you? I’ll come pick you up from the station.” “Don’t bother,” I said. “You two have fun.” As expected, he blew up. “Clara, what is that supposed to mean? What do you mean, ‘we’ have fun?” “Wasn’t coming to Aspen your dream? I ditched a trip to Florida with my friends to come to this godforsaken place with you, and now you’re giving me an attitude?” My continued silence seemed to cool his temper slightly. “Clara, are you actually mad?” he asked, uncertain. “Just because I gave your ticket to Ivy?” Before I could answer, he laughed, a cold, sharp sound. “Clara, that’s enough! How long are you going to drag this out? I already explained, I just wanted Ivy to experience flying for the first time. Are you really going to hold a grudge over that?” “Keep it up! Who else would put up with your terrible attitude but me?!” I heard the dial tone and sighed. My terrible attitude? They were the ones who abandoned me, and I hadn’t said a single harsh word. How was I the one with the bad attitude? Ignoring the floating text, I spent three days in Moab and then took a detour to see the Grand Canyon. The vast, breathtaking landscapes were something I’d never seen back home on the coast. The sheer scale of it all was humbling. It was worth the trip. I stayed for another three days before finally booking a bus to Aspen. Strangely, in those ten days, I had barely thought about Liam. It was as if the moment I decided to let go, he had truly faded from my world. He hadn’t tried to contact me since our angry phone call. But his Instagram was constantly updated. He and Ivy were inseparable, sharing a room, making heart signs in front of the Maroon Bells, visiting the sights, and even taking cheesy couple’s photos on the main street. He posted eight times a day, and nearly every picture was a selfie of the two of them. Looking at them, I felt a surprising sense of calm. They actually looked good together. The moment I arrived in Aspen, I got a text from my mom. [Clara, your acceptance letter came.] She added, [By the way, Liam’s mom just called, asking if you two wanted to have a joint graduation party. Does Liam not know you’re going to New York?] I was wondering how to reply when someone slapped me hard on the shoulder. “Clara! It really is you!” I looked up. It was Liam and Ivy. Liam’s eyes lit up when he saw me, and he started to walk toward me. I just gave them a brief glance and walked straight to the hotel’s front desk to check in. Ivy, seemingly oblivious to my cold shoulder, followed me. “Clara, what took you so long? You have no idea how fun Aspen is! Liam and I have seen almost everything. Where do you want to go next? I can have Liam take you.” I finished checking in, ignored her, and started rolling my suitcase toward the elevators. As I passed Liam, he grabbed my arm. His brow was furrowed, his expression dark. “Clara, are you done with this tantrum?” he demanded. “I’ve been ignoring you for days. Haven’t you figured out what you did wrong? What is this attitude? Didn’t you hear Ivy talking to you? Who do you think you’re too good for?” Ivy looked startled and quickly stepped in. “Liam, don’t be so loud! You’re being so mean to her!” Then she looked at me apologetically. “Clara, don’t get the wrong idea. He’s just like that. He’s only patient with me. I know you two are childhood friends, and I know I’ll never be as important to him as you are. I’m not trying to get in between you, I promise!” As she spoke, she reached for my arm. I instinctively pulled away. She used the momentum to stumble backward, collapsing onto the floor in a heap. “Ivy!” Liam roared, shoving me hard. I lost my balance and went down, my suitcase crashing to the floor with me. “Clara! What the hell? You’re going to bully her right in front of me? After she’s been worried sick about you this whole time? If I had known you were this vicious, we would have left Aspen days ago! Who cares if you ever showed up!” A sharp, stinging pain shot through my knee. I took a deep breath and pushed myself back up. I looked up to see Liam shielding Ivy in his arms, his eyes filled with profound disappointment. “Clara, apologize to Ivy,” he commanded. “Otherwise, you can forget about having our graduation party together!” I froze.

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1 I once saved lives by extracting venom for antivenom. I was rewarded with a life sentence for selling counterfeit medicine that killed a patient. In truth, my adoptive brother, Julian, diluted my serum for profit. When it failed, my parents forced me to sign a confession to protect him. My fiancée, Jessica, threw acid in my face, destroying it forever. I spent twelve years in prison, released early for good behavior. Now I shovel pig manure on a remote farm. Julian, in a publicity stunt, was bitten by a coral snake during a livestream. Now he’s dying. My family hunted me down. My parents knelt in the mud, crying, “You have to give him a transfusion! He’s your brother!” My sister, Ava, held a knife to my throat. “Save him, or I’ll send you back to prison for life.” My fingers traced the scars on my face. I smiled bitterly. They’d forgotten: years ago, to ensure my silence, they injected me with a sedative. A drug that permanently destroyed my ability to produce new blood. … “Jim, are you really planning to rot in this shithole for the rest of your life?” My sister, Ava, stepped out of the car, immaculate in a designer suit. The stench of the pig farm hit her like a physical blow, and her face turned a sickly shade of green. She pinched her nose, her brow furrowed in disgust. There was no warmth of a reunion in her eyes, only contempt. I stopped the rhythmic swing of my shovel and wiped a smear of stinking grime from my forehead. I didn’t say a word. I just watched them. Twelve years. I survived twelve years in that sunless cage. For the six months since my release, I’ve lived like a stray dog. They never once came to see me. No one would hire an ex-con, a “counterfeit drug dealer,” except for this pig farm at the edge of the world. And now, here they were, the whole family, rolling up in their luxury cars, storming this forgotten corner of the country. Had they finally remembered they had another son wasting away out here? “Jim, are you deaf? Can’t you even greet your own parents and sister?” my father, Richard, demanded. His voice was laced with its usual authority, but I could hear the sharp edge of desperation straining beneath it. “Let the past be the past,” he continued, softening his tone. “We’re family. Blood is thicker than water. Just swallow your pride, and the doors to our home will always be open for you.” I stared at his face, a mask of false generosity, and felt bile rise in my throat. Had they ever, for a single moment, considered me family? Slap! Before I could answer, Ava stepped forward, intending to wipe my face clean. But when I pulled down my mask, revealing the melted, grotesque ruin beneath, her hand froze mid-air. The sterile wipe fell from her trembling fingers and landed in the muck. Her eyes darkened for a fraction of a second. “How did it get this bad… If you had just listened back then, if you hadn’t been so greedy and sold that fake medicine, Jessica wouldn’t have… lost her temper like that.” Ava sighed, her voice dripping with pity. “Never mind. What matters now is saving a life. Julian is in trouble.” “He was trying to educate his followers, got bitten by a coral snake during a livestream. The venom is shutting down his organs, and the hospital’s blood bank doesn’t have a matching antivenom.” “You did the research. Your body has the antibodies.” “Come with us. Save Julian, and we’ll let everything you did in the past go. Mom and Dad will forgive you.” In their eyes, I had served twelve years for a crime I didn’t commit, had my face melted off, my body broken, and in the end, I was supposed to be grateful for their forgiveness. I twisted my lips into a sneer. The scarred tissue on my cheek pulled tight, a familiar, searing pain. “He got bit because he’s a greedy, stupid fool.” My voice was a dry rasp, like sandpaper on stone. “You bastard!” Richard’s face darkened. He raised a hand to strike me, but my mother, Eleanor, caught his arm. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her perfectly maintained face etched with exhaustion. She ignored the filth on the ground and rushed to my side, grabbing my hands, her manicured nails digging into my manure-caked skin. “Jim! I know you’ve been wronged! I know you’re angry!” Eleanor’s voice trembled. “But Julian is your brother!” “He’s always been so fragile. Not like you. You grew up tough in the orphanage, you’re strong. Giving a little blood won’t hurt you, right?” “I’m begging you, son. Do it for me. Please, save him! If you save him, I promise you, you’ll get ten percent of the family fortune! How does that sound?” I looked at this weeping woman. This was my mother. To her, Julian’s life was a precious treasure. Mine was just a resource to keep him alive. Because I was “tough,” because my life was cheap, I was the one who had to be sacrificed. I was about to wrench my hands away when a blinding flash went off. I turned my head and saw her. Jessica. The woman who had once sworn she would marry no one but me, and then personally destroyed my face. She was holding her phone, the camera pointed directly at me, live-streaming. Her eyes were filled with tears as she spoke to her audience, her voice breaking. “Everyone, this is Jim.” “Even though he made a terrible mistake, even though his actions cost someone their life and ruined my future…” “At this critical moment, I still hope he can find it in his heart to remember the bond of brotherhood and save Julian.” “Jim, I know you hate me for what I did. But I only did it because I loved you so much! You drove me crazy with what you’d done!” “If you’ll just save him, I’ll get on my knees and apologize to you right now! Please, I’m begging you, don’t be so heartless!” The chat exploded. Comments scrolled past in a blur. [OMG, Jessica is a saint! This killer should just die, and she’s still begging him!] [Is Jim even human? His own mother is crying like that and he’s just standing there?] [Cold-blooded animal. He deserves to shovel shit for a living!] Jessica’s mastery of emotional manipulation was flawless. I stared at her perfect, beautiful face, then pointed to the centipede-like scars that covered my own. “This is what you call ‘loving me too much,’ Jessica? This is how you show your love?” Her gaze flickered away for a second. “Can’t you just let the past go?” she shot back, her voice rising. “Julian is dying in the ICU right now! Why do you always have to be so selfish? Why can you only think about your own damn pain?” I looked at this collection of people I was supposed to call my family. Suddenly, the cesspool I was standing in felt cleaner than their hearts. “I’m not going.” “My blood is filthy. It’s not worthy of your precious Julian.” I dusted the grime from my clothes and turned to leave. “Jim, I didn’t want it to come to this. You’re forcing my hand.” Ava’s face turned to ice. With a flick of her wrist, four massive men emerged from the second car. They grabbed me like I was one of the pigs, slamming me down onto the concrete ground slick with wastewater and dung. My knee hit the ground hard. I felt a crack radiate through the bone. I struggled, but it only made things worse. The foul liquid flooded my nose and mouth, and I choked, unable to breathe. Seeing me subdued, Richard switched tactics, playing the good cop. He pulled a check from his jacket and shoved it into my pocket. “One million dollars. For your blood.” “Jim, I’m not forcing you. I’m teaching you how to be a man.” “Look at yourself. You’ll never make this much money in your entire life. With this, you can leave this place. You could even get plastic surgery.” “This is for your own good!” I struggled to lift my head, my eyes locking on the check. It was just like twelve years ago. Julian had switched out my serum with a diluted counterfeit, selling it to patients and causing three deaths. When the scandal broke, they had stood over me with that same condescending charity. “Jim, Julian is too fragile for prison.” “You’re the older brother. You take the blame for a few years. When you get out, everything the family has will be yours.” I refused. And then came the sedative, injected against my will, followed by twelve years in hell. “I can’t… sell it… My blood… it’s… bad…” I gasped, trying to explain. But Richard wasn’t listening. “So it’s not enough money, is that it? You just want to get back at Julian?” “Jim, don’t be so greedy!” Just then, Eleanor rushed forward and fell to her knees in the mud with a sickening thud. She didn’t care about her expensive clothes. She grabbed my filthy hands, her sobs tearing through the air. “Jim! Please! I’m on my knees, I’m begging you!” “Julian is dying! Only your antibodies can save him! He’s your brother!” “Just take pity on your mother, please, save him!” For a fleeting moment, my heart clenched. This was, after all, the woman who gave birth to me. Seeing her kneeling before me, a sliver of hesitation pierced my resolve. I opened my mouth, about to say something. But her next words plunged me into an abyss of ice. “Your life is already ruined!” “You have a criminal record. You’re an ex-con. Your face is destroyed. This is all you’ll ever be! You’re worthless!” “But Julian is different! He’s a huge influencer, a star! He’s going to inherit the family business! He has a brilliant future ahead of him!” “Jim, just think of it as… a final contribution! Give your useless blood to Julian. It’s the last useful thing you can do for your brother!” “I’m begging you!” That tiny flicker of hope that had ignited within me was instantly extinguished, shattered into dust. I stared at the weeping woman, and the absurdity of it all was suffocating. “Enough of this bullshit!” Ava had lost all her patience. She pulled a small fruit knife from her purse, its sharp point pressing against my carotid artery. “You’re still on parole, aren’t you, Jim?” “What do you think would happen if, during that period, someone reported you for attempting to manufacture illegal drugs again? Or perhaps… for stealing from the pig farm?” “I’m one of the best lawyers in the state. If I want to, I have countless legal ways to make sure you rot in that cell until you die.” “So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to walk in there, give your blood, and take the money? Or are you going to go back to prison right now and die inside?” The sharp sting on my neck brought everything into focus. I wasn’t afraid of going back to prison. I was just disgusted. This was my sister. A celebrated attorney. Using all her knowledge of the law to destroy her own brother. I didn’t feel fear. I was long past that emotion. I just felt tired. So incredibly tired. If you want my blood this badly, then take it. I closed my eyes and stopped fighting.

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For three years, my sister Isabella’s boyfriend Aiden’s only gift was a $52 transfer. Then he invited her to a hotel. Furious, Isabella decided to dump him. I could’ve celebrated, but I took a cab and knocked on his door. “It’s me, baby, your girl!” In my past life, Isabella thought Aiden was poor and mistreated him. When she met a rich classmate, she two-timed him. I tried to warn her. I’d seen Aiden get out of a limited-edition Porsche. She ignored me, swore she wouldn’t break up. That night, she drugged me and left me for frat boys. The next day, my photos were everywhere. My parents threw me out; the university expelled me. Lost, I walked to a lake. Isabella pushed me in. As I fought in the water, she sneered, “You like charity cases? Let me make you one.” “I’m marrying rich. I don’t need a goody-two-shoes sister holding me back!” I died full of rage. When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day Aiden got drunk. 1 In our dorm room, Isabella was pampering herself with some ridiculously expensive two-hundred-dollar face mask Carter had bought her. “I’m telling you, this stuff is magic,” she cooed, admiring her reflection. “My skin is already a shade brighter. No wonder everyone wants to date a rich guy.” Our other roommates chimed in, sucking up to her. “It’s not just the mask, Bella. You’re just naturally gorgeous. You make everything look good.” “After Carter sees you tonight, he’ll be obsessed. Next, you’ll be asking for a Birkin bag, and he won’t even blink!” They all knew Isabella had been with Aiden for three years, but they actively pushed her toward Carter. A happy Isabella meant a shower of luxury gifts for them, too. I listened in cold silence, saying nothing. I just watched the clock. A second later, right on cue, Isabella’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the message and slammed her phone down on the desk with a crack. A roommate clutched her chest in mock horror. “Whoa, what’s wrong? That’s the new iPhone! It’s over a grand!” Isabella scoffed. “It’s just a stupid phone. Carter can buy me a new one.” She shoved the screen in their faces. “Look at this! That broke loser Aiden actually had the nerve to text me, asking me to go to a hotel with him!” “He’s on student loans to pay his tuition! Where does he get the audacity?” “Three years we’ve been together, and the most I’ve ever gotten from him is fifty-two bucks! And I have to waste my time texting him back all day, giving him ‘emotional support.’ Even a hooker gets paid more than this!” The roommate snickered. “Seriously! When you add up the cost of your makeup, your outfits, and all the time you waste on him, you’re basically paying to be his girlfriend.” “Don’t compare yourself to a hooker. At least they don’t lose money on the deal.” “So, Bella, are you going?” In my past life, that question was my cue. I had rushed in, telling her that Aiden wasn’t who he seemed, that I’d seen him with a Porsche. Isabella had lost it. She accused me of wanting her to be miserable, of wanting her to be stuck with a charity case. Everyone at school knew Aiden was a broke pretty-boy with nothing to his name. If he had a Porsche, it was because some rich old cougar was keeping him. Before I could argue, she fired off the breakup text and left to meet Carter. Aiden, after being dumped, found out the truth and unleashed his fury on Carter’s family. In a matter of weeks, their company was in ruins. Isabella, oblivious, had even taken out millions in online loans in her own name to help Carter. And me? I died in a lake, my body never even recovered. This time, I wasn’t getting involved. But then, Isabella’s eyes landed on me. “Lily? Why are you so quiet?” “Usually, you’re the first one to complain about me getting close to Carter.” I quickly put my phone down and forced a smile. “What? No way.” “I was just worried Aiden would find out. Dating a broke guy is dangerous. He has nothing to lose.” “But I can’t believe Aiden, seriously. After all this time, he expects you to sleep with him for free? Even if you wanted to go, as your sister, I wouldn’t let you!” She snorted, turning back to the mirror to apply her makeup. “Glad you finally see it my way.” “Carter booked a room tonight, too. He said it’s a surprise for our hundred-day anniversary.” “Don’t worry. Once I marry into his family, I’ll introduce you to some rich guys.” I laughed silently to myself. Right, introduce me to be some rich man’s mistress, just like you. How thoughtful. A roommate picked up Isabella’s cracked phone and handed it to her. Without even looking, Isabella tapped the screen and sent a voice message. “Aiden, let’s break up. I’ve thought about it, and we’re just not right for each other.” After sending it, she tossed the phone aside, the screen still glowing. I memorized the hotel room number she’d shown us earlier and quietly booked a car on my phone. Isabella, if you’re going to throw away a golden ticket, don’t blame me for picking it up. I had just changed into a simple but clean outfit and was about to head out when a hand grabbed my wrist. Isabella leaned in, her face cold. “Lily, where do you think you’re going? You’re not acting like yourself today.” 2 A jolt of panic shot through me, but I kept my face neutral. “Where else? The cafeteria. I don’t have a boyfriend to buy me dinner, and it’s Friday night. The line is going to be insane…” She scanned me from head to toe, her voice dripping with disdain. “You’d better not be getting any funny ideas. If you dare run to Aiden and tattle, you’ll regret it.” With that, she turned away to pick out her outfit for the date, already cooing into her phone to Carter. “Really? The one that’s eighty-eight hundred a night? Baby, you’re too good to me! We’re not even officially together yet, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you…” “It’s just eight grand, not even what I spend on dinner. Anything for my future girlfriend.” “So, since I’m putting in all this effort, maybe we can… move things forward a little tonight…” Isabella’s face flushed. “Stop it! What are you saying? My roommates are here.” I didn’t wait to hear more. I slipped out the door. The car was already waiting. I gave the driver the hotel address. As I pressed the doorbell, my heart hammered against my ribs. I’d barely spoken to Aiden before. Our only interactions were me passing on Isabella’s excuses. It was always “My sister is busy with class” or “She has to study at the library.” In reality, she was out shopping or at a club with Carter, and I was her cover. What if Aiden got the breakup text and took his anger out on me? I wouldn’t know what to say. Thankfully, the door opened quickly. Aiden didn’t look angry, just drunk. His face was flushed, his eyes hazy. “Lily? Are you here to laugh at me?” I glanced past him into the room. On the way over, I’d looked up the hotel. It was eighty bucks a night, a world away from the eight-thousand-dollar suite Isabella was going to. I’d never understand why rich guys pretended to be poor, but I had to play my part. “No, you’ve got it all wrong.” “I came to apologize on my sister’s behalf.” Sensing I wasn’t a threat, Aiden stepped aside to let me in. The moment I sat down, he grabbed another bottle of beer. An empty takeout container sat on the table, clearly ordered after he got the text. “She already broke up with me. What’s the point of an apology?” “I know why she did it. She thinks I’m poor.” “I might not have money, but I’m not stupid. It’s been three years. You think I didn’t notice?” “I was trying my best to give her a good life. I even spent my entire semester’s living expenses on a diamond ring. I was going to give it to her tonight, but…” He let out a bitter laugh and chugged the rest of the beer. The alcohol was hitting him hard, and his words started to slur. “Isabella…” “You have no idea… what I’ve given up for you…” The dim light cast sharp shadows across his handsome face. Even without his family’s money, a man who looked like him would never be ordinary. It was a shame Isabella couldn’t see that. I put on a sympathetic face and handed him a glass of water. “Aiden, there’s actually another reason I came here tonight…” I closed my eyes, as if summoning all my courage. “I’m in love with you!” “I’ve loved you for a long, long time!” “I know my sister just broke up with you, and… this is my chance. I’ve waited three years for this. I don’t want to miss it.” The room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. After a long moment, I heard his cold, mocking laugh. “Love me for what?” “Don’t tell me you’re into charity cases. Do you really expect me to believe that?” I moved closer, about to explain, but he shoved me away, his expression turning to ice. “Did Isabella put you up to this? Is this another one of her games?” “She breaks up with me after playing me for three years, and now she sends her sister to confess her love? What’s the plan? You play me for three years, then dump me too? Just so she can be sure I’ll never forget her? She’d love that, wouldn’t she?” “Get out. Before I really lose my temper.” 3 He practically roared the last words. I didn’t leave. I just stood up and gently wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m not like Isabella.” “You chased her for three years. I’ll chase you for three years—” Before I could finish, he grabbed my wrist and threw me onto the bed. “Is that so? You love me? Fine. I’m going to sleep with you, right now. And then I’m not going to be with you. Are you okay with that?” I could see the cruel challenge in his eyes. Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulled him down, and kissed him. “I’m okay with it.” “As long as I can be with you, I’ll do anything.” Aiden’s body went rigid for a moment. Then, maybe it was the alcohol, he finally relaxed into me. When I opened my eyes again, it was morning. Aiden was asleep beside me, completely naked. I slipped out of bed, got dressed, and left, playing the part of the silent benefactor to the very end. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t notice his eyes flutter open just as I closed the door. I had just gotten to the lobby when I ran straight into Isabella and Carter, who were leaving the hotel across the street. The moment she saw me, Isabella pointed a finger and shrieked, “Lily! What are you doing with Aiden?” Her eyes darted to the cheap hotel behind me, and her face turned crimson with rage. “No wonder you didn’t try to stop me from breaking up with him! You wanted him for yourself all along! Have you no shame? Aiden was my boyfriend!” “Are you that desperate? You’d even steal from your own sister? What kind of monster are you?” I turned and was surprised to see Aiden standing right behind me. “It seems you really are different from Isabella,” he said quietly. “I misjudged you last night.” I didn’t have time to respond. All I could feel was white-hot anger at Isabella’s hypocrisy. Before I could speak, she beat me to the punch, clinging to Carter’s arm and bursting into tears. “See? I told you he cheated on me! You didn’t believe me, but now you see it with your own eyes!” “Lily Murphy, you’ll get what’s coming to you for wrecking people’s relationships! Just you wait!” With that, she ran off, sobbing. Carter shot us a venomous look. “Aiden, your taste in women is pathetic. But thanks for dumping Isabella. It gave me my chance.” He quickly ran after her. Aiden was looking down at his phone, texting someone. I did my best to look like a fragile, innocent victim. “Don’t worry about it,” I said softly. “She wasn’t mad at you, she was mad at me.” “I don’t regret what happened last night. But if you don’t want to see me again, I’ll just head back to school.” I didn’t give him a chance to stop me. I hailed a cab and left. In the rearview mirror, I saw him watching my car drive away, a thoughtful expression on his face. People always want what they can’t have. That seed of guilt was all I needed to shift his affection from Isabella to me. I had just stepped onto campus when my phone rang. It was my mother. Before I could even say hello, she started screaming. “Lily, where the hell have you been? You get your ass home right now!” “Your sister told me you stole her boyfriend! That you two spent the night in a hotel?” “We raised you for twenty years, and this is how you repay us? Have you no shame? What kind of cheap tramp did I raise? Do you have any idea how much your sister was crying on the phone?” “You just turned eighteen! You’ve never even been in a real relationship, and you’re already jumping into bed with men! If people find out, how are your father and I supposed to show our faces in public?” In the background, I heard my father smash something. The sound of shattering glass was sharp and ugly. “Stop wasting your breath on her! Tell her to get her ass home now! If she doesn’t know how to act like a decent human being, she can drop out of school! All she’s good for is being some man’s mistress anyway!” My father snatched the phone. “Lily, I don’t care where you are. You have ten minutes to get here. You’re grounded for a month. You’re not leaving this house without my permission!” My eyes burned. I dug my nails into my palm so hard I couldn’t feel the pain. Just because Isabella was prettier, because she was better at sweet-talking them. My whole life, they had always favored her. At school, when we had parent-teacher conferences, they could have each gone to one of our classrooms. But all it took was a little pouting from Isabella, and they both ended up at her desk, leaving mine empty. The kids in my class used to taunt me, calling me an orphan, a bastard with no parents. I fought them. When the teacher called my parents, they came, listened to the story, and then slapped me across the face. “Ugly people just love making trouble. You’re in the same class as your sister. How come nobody bothers her? Did you start it?” “What are you standing there for? Apologize to your classmate!” There were so many stories like that, so many that they swarmed my mind whenever I closed my eyes. In my last life, I lived in Isabella’s shadow. After I died, my parents scraped together every penny they had to pay off her million-dollar loans. Not one of them ever thought of me. All it took was one sentence from Isabella: “Lily probably ran away because she found out about my debt and was afraid I’d drag her down.” And my parents’ grief turned to endless resentment. “If we had known she’d turn out like this, we should have just given her away at birth! It would have been better than raising an ungrateful snake!” Tears streamed down my face. For the first time, I found the courage to scream back into the phone. “You think I have no shame? At least I’m not a two-timing cheater!” “You believe every word Isabella says! If you trust her so much, then why do you even need me as a daughter?” My father lost control. “How dare you! How dare you talk back to your parents! Is this how I raised you?” “You can forget about your allowance for the rest of the year! Go beg for money from your men! If you love selling your body so much, go ahead! Just don’t come crying to us when you get some disease!” He hung up. I stood at the school gate. The wind felt like it was cutting straight to my bones, and I shivered. I never knew a parent could say such venomous things to their own child. I never knew that not all parents in the world love their children. I managed to drag myself to my dorm. As I stepped onto the front stairs, a voice snarled from above.

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My ex and I were in a bitter custody battle for our son. In my first life, when the judge asked our son, he stayed silent. But I heard his thoughts: I just want to be with Mom! I fought and won custody. Soon after, I was reported for abuse. My son told the police, crying, “I want to live with Dad, but Mommy hits me!” His body was covered in marks. Mark, my ex, screamed at me: “I heard his thoughts in court! He wanted to be with me! Are you even human?” I couldn’t defend myself. I spent the rest of my life in a psychiatric hospital. In my second life, I gave custody to Mark, even though I heard my son’s thoughts again. Years later, on Mark’s deathbed, he whispered, “It was our son… he poisoned me. He said he just wanted to live with you. He hated me for taking him from you.” Now, a third time, I’m facing my young son again. Mark and I exchange a lost look. This little hot potato—who does he really want? 1 “I wish I could live with Mom! I don’t want to leave her.” The familiar words echoed in my mind. I shuddered. This was the third time I’d heard them. I looked into my son’s hopeful eyes, but the words I wanted to say were caught in my throat. The judge asked my son, Leo, again for his preference. Leo bit his lip, refusing to speak. Then, I heard his thoughts again. Dad will get mad if I say it, right? I wish Mom would just choose me. It was exactly like the first time. Leo wouldn’t say a word, but I could hear his inner voice perfectly. In my first life, even though my financial situation was worse than Mark’s, I had promised I would never remarry or have other children. The judge was moved and granted me custody. To make up for his absent father, I poured every ounce of my time and energy into Leo. I gave him the best of everything. But all my devotion earned me was an accusation of “child abuse” and my son’s heart-wrenching screams. “I hate Mommy! I wanted to live with Dad from the start, but she wouldn’t let me!” The memory of my first life was still seared into my mind. I wasn’t going through that again. I pretended not to see his pleading eyes and turned my head away. The judge sighed. “In that case, the court will decide based on which parent can provide a more stable and…” “No!” Mark’s voice boomed through the courtroom. “I object!” The judge frowned, annoyed. Mark struggled to compose himself. “I request a recess! We need to discuss this privately.” The judge agreed. Ten-minute recess. Mark dragged me into a side room and got straight to the point. “You’ve been reborn too, haven’t you?” When I nodded, Mark cursed under his breath. “Last time, his thoughts told me he wanted to live with me. He said you were mean to him. That’s why I fought so hard to get custody.” I nodded slowly. “What I heard was the exact opposite.” Mark stared at me, his expression a mixture of confusion and dread. 2 “Maybe… you should take him,” Mark said, his voice strained. “In my last life, he wanted to be with you. He even poisoned me with a slow-acting toxin to make it happen.” Remembering my own tragic end, a shiver ran down my spine. “No, thank you. I have no desire to end up back in a psychiatric hospital.” Mark looked completely bewildered. “What happened to our son? Who does he actually want to be with?” I had no answer. He was only ten. How could he harbor such deep-seated malice toward us overnight? Our time was up. We had to return to the courtroom. When the judge asked if we had reached a decision, we both shook our heads. The judge adjusted his glasses, his displeasure obvious. “Let me be clear. Even if you divorce, a minor under the age of eighteen requires a legal guardian. This is a parent’s legal obligation. Anything else is considered abandonment…” “You must make a choice. Who will be the primary caregiver?” In that instant, a child’s voice flooded my mind again. Mommy, I choose you! I want to be with Mommy! I shot a look at Mark. Our eyes met. From his expression, I knew. He had just heard our son’s voice saying he wanted to be with him. We both turned to look at Leo and spoke in unison. “Leo, who do you choose?! Mom or Dad?!” Leo froze, clearly not expecting us to confront him so directly. He looked lost. I softened my tone as much as I could. “Leo, you have to choose one of us. We won’t be angry, no matter who you pick.” Mark chimed in, “That’s right! Just say what’s on your mind!” Under our intense gaze, Leo’s face turned bright red. His lip trembled, and then he burst into tears. “I don’t want to choose! I want our family to stay together forever!” His outburst derailed our interrogation. Murmurs broke out among the onlookers in the courtroom. “What’s wrong with these two? Weren’t they fighting over him just a minute ago? Now it looks like neither of them wants him.” “Exactly. The parents divorce, and the child suffers. Look at him crying his heart out. It’s a tragedy.” Everyone was judging us. Watching my son’s crumpled, tear-stained face, my heart softened, despite knowing what happened in our past lives. A mother’s instinct is hard to ignore. Mark and I quickly agreed to request a postponement. The next hearing was set for five days later. Reluctantly, we went back to living under the same roof. Once Leo had cried himself to sleep, we sat down to talk. “What if he still won’t choose in five days?” Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. “And what about his thoughts? I asked around. It seems we’re the only two who can hear them. And we hear completely opposite things.” I was just as confused. “But what’s the point of all this? Who does he actually want to be with? Both my parents and yours are gone. There’s no one else who can take custody.” I thought back to the sweet, considerate boy Leo had always been. Even his first-place essay in the school competition was titled “My Favorite Mom.” Who would believe that this “perfect child” could frame his own mother and have her committed? Just thinking about it made my heart ache. 3 What was he thinking? Was our divorce really that devastating for him? Suddenly, an idea struck me. “I know who can help us!” The next morning, I called the school to excuse Leo from class and took him to the hospital where my best friend, Linda, worked. Mark frowned, whispering, “Are you sure this will work?” I wasn’t certain either. “It’s worth a shot. Linda said this is the best child psychologist in the city. He uses hypnosis to access the subconscious.” “If this doesn’t work, I don’t know what will.” I squeezed Leo’s hand and spoke softly. “Leo, sweetie, this is just a little check-up. Just listen to what the doctor says, okay?” Leo eyed the medical equipment warily. “Mommy, I’m not sick. I don’t want a check-up. I want to go home!” His fearful expression made my heart ache. But the memory of my past lives hardened my resolve. “Dad and I will be right here with you,” I said sternly. “Be a good boy.” I nodded to the psychologist, signaling him to begin. No matter how much Leo resisted, he was still just a ten-year-old boy. With the doctor’s gentle guidance, he soon fell into a deep sleep. The psychologist spoke in a calm, quiet voice. “Leo, what is the one wish you want most in the world right now?” Leo’s eyes remained closed. “I want my family to be together forever. I don’t want us to separate.” Mark and I were speechless. The doctor continued. “Leo, can you tell me about your happiest memory? Can you describe it for me?” On the recliner, a small smile touched Leo’s lips. “I was with Mom and Dad. We went to the amusement park…” My eyes started to burn. All this time, we had been so guarded, treating him like the monster who had destroyed our lives. We never stopped to think that he was just a ten-year-old kid whose happiest memory was a simple trip to an amusement park with his parents. Beside me, Mark swallowed hard. He was clearly thinking the same thing. “Dad was wearing a suit, and Mom was in a red dress. She had long, curly hair, and she was so beautiful…” Wait. My entire body went rigid. I locked eyes with Mark, and I saw the same shock and terror reflected in his. Mark’s voice was a choked whisper. “How is that possible? I was with Sophia for over a decade. She’s always had short hair!” 4 I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood. My legs felt weak. I’ve always found long hair to be a hassle. For years, I’ve kept it short. The mother in his happiest memory wasn’t me. But if it wasn’t me, then who was it? The room started to spin. Mark reached out and steadied me. My reaction was so extreme that Linda had the doctor end the session early. She looked at me with concern. “Are you okay? Don’t overthink it. It’s normal for kids’ memories to get mixed up sometimes.” “Maybe he saw a cartoon or something when he was little and imagined it. Don’t take it to heart.” I shook my head. What he described was too specific to be a fantasy. Mark’s face was grim. I closed my eyes, made a decision, and turned to my friend. “Linda, I need you to run a DNA test for me. For me, Mark, and Leo.” Linda stared at me, shocked. “Are you insane? Just because of one sentence, you’re questioning if Leo is even your son?” Mark gritted his teeth. “Yes! We need to do it!” Seeing how determined we were, Linda’s expression turned serious. “Okay. I’ll put a rush on it for you. We should have the results this afternoon.” Mark and I took Leo home, our minds heavy with dread. Leo seemed fine. After dinner, he begged Mark to play video games with him. While he was distracted, I decided to test him. “Leo, who was the person at the amusement park in the red dress with long, curly hair?” Absorbed in his game, he answered without thinking. “It was Mom!” The words had barely left his mouth before he realized his mistake and clamped his mouth shut. My voice rose, filled with a frantic edge. “Leo! Think carefully! When has Mommy ever had long hair?!” He looked terrified. A second later, he burst into tears. Mark rushed over and pulled me aside. “Sophia, calm down! You’re scaring him!” I knew I was losing control, but after everything that had happened, how could I not? I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, when a small, timid voice called out. “Mommy…” Leo was holding up a photo album. “This is you with long hair. Don’t you remember?” I looked at the picture, and my eyes instantly filled with tears. Of course! It was a photo from his kindergarten graduation. All the parents were asked to dress up as fairytale characters. I had worn a wig and a princess costume to attend with Mark. That day, we had promised to take him to the amusement park for the whole day. But not long after we got there, both of us got urgent work calls and had to leave. I never imagined he would remember it for so long. A broken promise, a canceled trip, had somehow become the happiest moment of his life. Mark and I both hung our heads in shame, overwhelmed with guilt for being such inadequate parents. Just then, my phone rang. It was Linda with the DNA results. The report on my screen was unequivocal: the probability of our biological relationship with Leo was >99%. After Leo went to bed, Mark’s voice was thick with emotion. “We’ve failed him so badly. Maybe he was just trying to keep us from splitting up.” I didn’t say anything, but I felt the same. No matter what, he was our son. The thought of him turning into the person from our past lives was heartbreaking. If a child goes wrong, it’s always the parents’ fault. Mark and I found a rare moment of peace, looking through old photo albums together. We saw pictures of him as a newborn, learning to crawl, taking his first steps. The joy and pride of being parents washed over us. But when I turned to the next page, something clicked. “Wait!” My eyes widened in horror. I was shaking so hard I dropped the album. A terrifying thought was forming in my mind. I slowly turned to Mark, my voice trembling. “I think… the person he wants to live with isn’t you or me.” “The person who truly wants custody of him… is someone else.” Mark looked at me, completely confused. I didn’t explain further. “I think I know what’s going on. If you don’t want to end up like last time, you need to trust me.”

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Connor Vance hired a struggling single mother as his assistant. I found them locked in a passionate kiss in his office. When I asked about the new hire, Connor put on a righteous face. “Sophia, her life has been so hard. We have to do what we can to help her.” I smiled and nodded. I not only created opportunities for them to be alone, but I also gave the woman a promotion and a raise. If Connor was so desperate to play the hero, then I was going to let him see for himself. Some black holes can never be filled. 1 The day Connor gave his interview to Forbes, he made a special point to mention his family. “I’m incredibly grateful to my wife, Sophia,” he said, his voice smooth for the cameras. “She’s the one who has always supported me from behind the scenes, allowing me to focus on my work without any worries.” The interviewer looked at him with admiration. “Mr. Vance, you truly have it all—a flourishing career and a beautiful family. We hear your company just landed that major city-backed development project. A remarkable achievement for someone so young.” Connor waved his hand with practiced modesty, but he couldn’t hide the glint of pride in his eyes. Only I knew the truth. That “major project” was something I had secured by pulling strings with three generations of my family’s contacts. And Connor’s company? I had funded its creation from my own trust. I had willingly stepped out of the spotlight, choosing to be the power behind the throne. It was something my parents had taught me from a young age: a woman who’s too assertive can bruise a man’s ego, especially a man with a fierce sense of pride like Connor. So, it seemed a fair arrangement. He could stand on the stage, and I would play the part of the supportive wife. After the interview wrapped, Connor walked over to me. “Honey, how did I do?” I handed him a bottle of water I’d already opened. “You were brilliant. A true captain of industry.” He took a long, satisfied drink, his arm draping naturally over my shoulders. “Of course. It’s all thanks to my wife’s excellent training.” “Where should we go for dinner tonight? That new Italian place, or French?” “You decide,” I said, smiling as I linked my arm through his. Just before we got in the car, my phone buzzed. It was a message from my cousin, Chloe. “Soph, what happened to my spot in the corporate housing?! It was supposed to be mine, but your husband’s new admin assistant got it?” I frowned. Chloe was my uncle’s daughter, a firecracker with a sharp mind. Fresh out of grad school, she had insisted on getting a job at the company on her own merit, going through the entire campus recruitment process. She didn’t want anyone to know we were related, worried they’d treat her differently. Not even Connor knew who she was. To escape my aunt’s constant nagging, she had applied for one of the subsidized apartments the company offered to new talent. As Connor got into the driver’s seat, I casually brought it up. “I heard the list for the talent housing was finalized. It seems that new intern from Stanford got bumped off the list.” Connor’s hands faltered for a second on the steering wheel. His eyes darted away. “Oh, that spot,” he said, clearing his throat. “I had HR reassign it to Bella.” Bella? The name clicked. She was Connor’s new assistant. A quiet woman, with a gentle, almost domestic air about her. Connor let out a heavy sigh. “Sophia, you have no idea how hard her life is. She’s a single mom, raising a five-year-old son all by herself. They live way out in the suburbs to save on rent. She has to get up before dawn every single day to make him breakfast before taking two trains to get to the office.” He turned to me, his expression earnest. “The corporate housing is right across the street from the office, and it has a daycare right next to it. I know that intern technically qualifies, but Bella clearly needs it more. As the CEO, showing a little compassion for an employee in need is good for morale. You understand, right?” His reasoning was flawless. Bella’s situation was genuinely sympathetic. If it had been my decision, I probably would have done the same. After a moment’s thought, I agreed. “A single mother and her child have it tough. It’s good of you to have a heart. I’ll smooth things over with the intern.” Connor visibly relaxed. “I knew you’d understand, honey. You’re the most reasonable person I know.” I smiled faintly and typed a reply to Chloe. “Stop fighting with a struggling employee for resources. I’ve got you a place at The Sterling. The rent’s on me.” A bowing emoji popped up instantly. “You’re the best boss ever!” 2 That weekend, Bella came to our house to thank us. She stood hesitantly in the foyer, clutching a fruit basket, looking so out of place she didn’t seem to know where to put her hands. “Mr. Vance, Sophia… thank you. Thank you so much.” Bella was wearing a pair of washed-out jeans and a loose, cream-colored knit sweater that made her look even more frail and thin. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and when she looked at Connor, it was with the reverence one might reserve for a deity. “If it wasn’t for Connor… I mean, Mr. Vance’s help, I don’t know what I would have done.” She bowed deeply, the collar of her sweater gaping slightly to reveal the pale skin of her collarbone. Connor reached out to steady her, his voice soft. “Please, don’t. It was nothing. You didn’t have to come all this way.” “Oh, but I did,” Bella insisted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She turned her gaze to me. “Sophia, please tell the intern I’m so sorry. I feel terrible for taking her spot.” I offered a polite smile. “Don’t worry about it. The company has its policies, and if Connor felt you met the criteria for assistance, then you deserved it.” Her eyes flickered around our living room, a flash of envy quickly suppressed. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Connor is such a good man. So successful and dedicated to his family. You’re a very lucky woman, Sophia.” The praise seemed to make Connor swell with pride. He waved it off. “Not at all. It’s a man’s duty to take care of his family.” The words had barely left his mouth when a shadow of sadness crossed Bella’s face. Connor immediately realized his mistake. Before I could intervene, Bella’s phone rang. Her expression soured as she answered. “What? The pipe burst? The landlord… no, please don’t be angry, I’ll be right back…” When she hung up, tears were streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry, Connor, Sophia, I have to go. My son was playing with the water in our rental, and a pipe burst… the whole floor is flooded.” “Oh god, the landlord is going to kill me… I’ll have to pay for the damages…” “A pipe burst?” Connor was on his feet in an instant. “How can you handle that on your own? The plumbing in those old buildings is a nightmare.” He turned to me. “Sophia, I’m going to go help her. I’ll be back soon.” I frowned, instinctively trying to stop him. “Can’t she just call building maintenance? What are you going to do? Do you even know how to fix a pipe?” Connor’s face hardened. “Sophia, every minute that water is running is another minute of humiliation for her with that landlord. It doesn’t matter if I can fix it. What matters is that I’ll be there to back her up, to keep her from being bullied!” Bella looked at him through her tear-filled eyes, her gaze shining with pure adoration. “Connor… you’re so kind… besides you, no one in the world cares if my son and I live or die.” “Don’t say that. It’s no trouble at all. Let’s go.” Connor grabbed his car keys and, taking Bella by the arm, walked out the door without a backward glance. Leaving me alone in the foyer. I stood there for a long time, stunned. It had been ages since I’d seen Connor that agitated. He was always so calm and collected. The only other time I’d seen that kind of frantic urgency in him was when we were first in love, when he would drop everything over the smallest problem I had. 3 Connor didn’t come home until late that night. I was waiting for him on the sofa, the issue of Forbes with his interview resting in my lap. I hadn’t read a single word. “Is it fixed?” I asked. “Of course,” he said, loosening his tie with a triumphant air. “A little problem like that is nothing for me. You should have seen the landlord’s face when I pulled up in the Benz. He went pale and didn’t dare say another word. Bella was terrified, just clinging to my sleeve and calling me her savior.” He recounted the story with a flourish, prouder than if he’d just closed a multi-million-dollar deal. My voice was flat. “The apartment is flooded. Where are they staying tonight?” “Don’t you worry about that,” Connor chuckled. “I put them up in a hotel for a few days. The corporate apartment will be ready soon, and I’ll help them move in.” He poured himself a glass of water and drank it in one go. Then he looked at me, his expression suddenly complicated. “Sophia, sometimes I think you should learn from Bella.” I froze. “Learn what from her?” “Learn how to be more… like a woman.” “In that situation, your first instinct was to call maintenance, to follow protocol. Don’t you think you’re too strong, too perfect? Sometimes, I wish you could be more like her, needing me for something as simple as changing a lightbulb or unclogging a drain. Instead of how it is now, where you can make one phone call and have a dozen professionals at our door in an hour.” He sighed. “It makes me feel like a decoration in my own home.” I closed the magazine. I took a deep breath. For years, I had handled everything at home so he could pour all his energy into his career. I had never asked him to lift a finger. And now, in his eyes, my self-sufficiency had become a cold, domineering flaw? And the weeping, helpless Bella had become the standard for femininity? If he wanted to fix pipes so badly, he could have become a plumber instead of a CEO. The words rose in my throat, but I swallowed them down. Honestly, I didn’t want to fight over something so trivial. But his attitude toward Bella had already set off alarm bells in my mind. 4 I had HR pull Bella’s file. Then I had a private investigator do a little digging. It turned out, she wasn’t divorced. She was raising her son alone because her husband was in prison for armed robbery. She had likely hidden this fact to protect her child from gossip. Given her genuine hardship, I didn’t want to disrupt her work life. I kept the information to myself for the time being and didn’t mention it to Connor. Our company was always hosting events to promote a positive culture. For Family Day, the main conference room was transformed into a playground. HR ordered high-end pastries and a mountain of toys. The room was filled with the cheerful laughter of employees and their children. Bella brought her son, a five-year-old boy named Leo. He was a sturdy-looking kid who immediately fixated on the tables laden with snacks and toys. Bella, however, scanned the crowd with searching eyes. Her gaze landed on Connor, who was holding court in the center of the room. Then, she gave Leo’s arm a sharp pinch. The next second, a clear, loud voice cut through the din. “Daddy!” The boisterous room fell silent. Leo scrambled toward Connor and threw his arms around his legs. “Daddy! You’re here! I missed you so much!” A dead silence fell over the room. Employees exchanged shocked glances, their eyes darting between me and Bella. Bella rushed over, her face beet red, pretending to be flustered as she tried to pull the boy away. “Leo, don’t say that! This is Mr. Vance, not Daddy! Let go!” But Leo only clung tighter. “No! He’s just like the daddy I always imagined! Uncle Connor is so nice to me! He bought me a Transformer and took me for KFC. He is my daddy!” A Transformer? KFC? When had all this happened? My expression slowly turned to ice. I stared at Connor in silence. A flash of embarrassment crossed his face. He patted Leo’s head. “Alright, Leo, that’s enough.” Trying to diffuse the tension, he picked Leo up and forced a smile in my direction. “He’s just a kid. It’s my job to care for my employees’ children. Kids from single-parent homes are sensitive, they crave affection. Don’t take it personally. It’s just a childish outburst.” Yes, children can be innocent. But “Daddy” is not a name you just throw around. I refused to believe an adult hadn’t coached him. I turned my cold gaze on Bella. “Ms. Thorne, if your child is so desperate for a father figure, perhaps you should spend more time with him yourself. Encouraging him to claim strangers as his father is not healthy for his psychological development.” Bella’s face flushed, then paled. Humiliated by the scornful looks from her colleagues, she raised her hand and slapped Leo hard across the face. “I told you not to say that! Shut up!” she hissed. “Apologize! Apologize to Mrs. Vance right now!” Leo, stunned by the blow, burst into tears. But instead of apologizing, he glared at me with renewed fury and screamed, “I won’t! You’re a mean lady! Mommy said at home that Daddy loves us the most! You’re just an old witch who bosses him around!” His words were like a physical slap across my own face. Whispers erupted among the employees. Connor’s expression shifted from embarrassment to outright anger. “That’s enough! Sophia, what is wrong with you, picking a fight with a child?” he snapped. “Does cornering a little boy like this make you feel powerful?” 5 With that, he turned, still holding the wailing Leo, and strode out of the conference room. Bella scurried after them. The three of them looked like a perfect little family, leaving me standing alone in their wake. The room was silent. Our carefully planned Family Day was ruined. The HR manager quickly stepped in to manage the situation, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Laura, the HR manager, was a company veteran. She brought me a glass of water. “Sophia, please don’t let it get to you,” she said softly. “Anyone can see that Mr. Vance doesn’t have any improper feelings for her. He just feels sorry for them, a single mother and her son. He’s just a little too soft-hearted and has let things go too far.” When I didn’t respond, she leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “Honestly, Sophia, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but I’ve seen Mr. Vance secretly contacting a private jeweler. He’s designing a custom piece for your birthday next month.” “If he really had something else on his mind, he wouldn’t be going to all that trouble to surprise you. Men can just be clueless about boundaries sometimes. You two have been together for eight years. It’s not worth fighting over a woman like that.” I held the warm glass, but the chill in my fingertips wouldn’t go away. She was right. We had eight years of history. I knew Connor better than anyone. But what happened today… how was I supposed to just let it go? For the sake of those eight years, I decided to give him a chance to talk it out. I took out my phone and sent him a message. “Come home early tonight. We need to talk.” An hour later, he replied. “Leo is really upset and won’t stop crying. I’m going to take them to dinner to calm him down.” I waited at home. I waited until eleven. I opened our shared cloud storage, scrolling through photos from our years together. A picture of him as a poor college student who had saved up three months of his living expenses just to buy me a necklace I had glanced at once. A picture of him shivering in the snow, saving me a seat outside the library. In the early days of the company, when my parents disapproved of our relationship, he had held my hand and sworn, “Sophia, I will give you the best life. I will never let you down.” The more I looked, the more my heart ached, and the clearer everything became. When Connor finally came home, he acted as if nothing had happened. “Still up?” he asked, kicking off his shoes. My voice was quiet, almost gentle. “Connor, we need to talk about boundaries.” He looked exhausted. “I know what this is about. It’s about today. But Sophia, could you not have given me some face? Everyone was watching. Did you have to be so passive-aggressive in front of the entire company?” “Passive-aggressive?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “That child called you ‘Daddy’ in public and called me a ‘mean old witch.’ Not only did you not stop him, you stormed out with them in front of everyone. Do you have any idea what our employees are saying now?” “Let them talk! A clear conscience fears no accusation!” Connor’s temper suddenly flared. “Bella is a single mother doing her best. Leo has grown up without a father; it’s natural for him to project that onto someone. What’s wrong with me not wanting to see a child get hurt? Is it a crime to have a heart?” I stood up, my own voice rising. “Is your heart so big that it has to be spread everywhere? So big that you’ll trample on your wife’s dignity just to make someone else feel better? Tell me, Connor, is what you feel for Bella compassion, or are you in love with her?” “Sophia!” Connor’s face was flushed with anger. “How can your mind be so filthy? There is nothing between me and Bella! You really are a businessman’s daughter, aren’t you? You see conspiracies everywhere. You don’t know the first thing about simple kindness!” I was trembling with rage. “A businessman’s daughter?” “Yes, I am a businessman’s daughter. And it was this businessman’s daughter who used her own money to pave the way for you when you were being rejected by investors, when you were wandering around like a stray dog!” “It was this businessman’s daughter who used every single one of her family’s connections to apologize on your behalf when your bad decisions nearly bankrupted the company, just to save your position!” “And it was this businessman’s daughter who didn’t care that you had nothing, who went against her parents’ wishes and insisted on marrying you!” “Without this businessman’s daughter, what right would you have, Connor Vance, to parade your ‘kindness’ and play savior to another woman? Have you no shame?” The barrage of questions left him speechless. Perhaps the memories of everything we had been through together finally sank in. The angry flush drained from his face, replaced by a pale, humiliated shame. He took a deep breath and forced himself to apologize. “Sophia, don’t be angry. I admit, I’ve been paying too much attention to Bella. But I swear, you’re the only one in my heart. Honey, please, calm down, okay?” He reached for my hand. But I was still furious. Seeing him put on that loving act now just made my stomach turn. I yanked my hand away and pointed to the door. “Don’t you dare use our eight years to disgust me, Connor.” “I don’t want to see you right now. Get out!” His hand froze in mid-air, the warmth on his face turning to ice. He clenched his jaw, choosing not to argue further. “Fine, Sophia. I’m offering you an out, and you won’t take it,” he said coldly. “Have fun cooling off by yourself.”

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1 In my last life, at my own birthday party, my wife Seraphina’s ‘best friend,’ Caleb, cornered me with a smirk and a glass of champagne. “Hey, Ash,” he’d said, his voice dripping with condescension. “Sera had a little too much to drink last night. I was the one who gave her a bath. Don’t take it personally.” I exploded. The fight that followed ended with me screaming for a divorce. To escape the nauseating pair, I agreed to walk away with nothing. I died alone in a dingy rental, succumbing to a sudden illness with no one by my side. After my death, Seraphina’s company went public. Her wedding to Caleb was the event of the season, a sensation that captivated the entire city. Everyone called them a match made in heaven. When my name came up, it was only with a dismissive sigh: “That man… he just wasn’t meant for good fortune.” I opened my eyes. I was back at my birthday party. Caleb was walking toward me again, the same taunt ready on his lips. This time, I didn’t get angry. I smiled. I reached for my best friend, Maya, who had come with me, and linked my arm through hers intimately. As Seraphina and Caleb watched in stunned silence, Maya turned to my wife, whose face had gone rigid, and gave her an innocent blink. “Oh, don’t be jealous, Sera. Ash and I go way back.” Her voice was light, playful, but carried a razor’s edge. “After all… I was his first.” The entire hall fell silent. Seraphina’s face was a canvas of fury, shifting from deathly pale to a mottled, ugly purple, finally settling on a shade so dark it seemed to bleed into the shadows. In that single moment, I felt the foundation of a decade of love crumble into dust. Her knuckles were white where she gripped her wine glass, the veins on the back of her hand standing out like cords. Her composure had shattered. Caleb’s smug expression froze, his face a patchwork of red and white. Maya’s casual remark had utterly demolished his pride. The whispers of the surrounding guests buzzed like a swarm of angry hornets. I kept my arm linked with Maya’s, a perfectly measured smile on my face. “Happy birthday, Sera.” I raised my glass to her in a mock toast, then downed it in one go. Seraphina didn’t move. Her eyes were daggers, promising a slow and painful death. I set my glass down and, taking Maya with me, turned to leave. “Asher!” The name was forced through her clenched teeth, each syllable burning with rage. I didn’t stop. A powerful hand seized my arm, yanking me back so hard that pain shot through my wrist. “Have you made enough of a scene?” she hissed, her voice low and laced with a chilling frost. I looked up at the face I had loved for ten years, a face so familiar it felt etched into my very soul. Now, it was twisted with nothing but fury and impatience. “Let go,” I said. “Come home with me. Stop embarrassing us here.” She tried to drag me toward the exit. Maya stepped between us in a fluid motion. Her hand shot out, grabbing Seraphina’s wrist. With a deceptively casual twist, she broke the hold. Seraphina yelped in pain and released me. “He doesn’t want to go with you, Ms. Sterling,” Maya said, her playful smile back in place, but her eyes were chips of ice. Seraphina shook her hand free and smoothed the wrinkled cuff of her blazer. She looked at me, her gaze overflowing with cold disappointment. “Asher, I thought you knew your place.” “Are you really going to let this… outsider… come between us?” I stared at her. An outsider? My gaze drifted past her to where Caleb stood, watching me with the smug look of a victor. “Seraphina,” I said, my voice perfectly calm. “Let’s get a divorce.” The air crackled and went still. She let out a short, sharp laugh, as if I’d just told the world’s most ridiculous joke. “A divorce? Asher, how many times have you used that threat? I’m telling you, don’t push your luck. You want a divorce? Fine. You walk away with nothing. Do you have the guts for that?” She was certain I didn’t. She was sure that the man she supported, the man who lived in her shadow, couldn’t possibly survive without her. In my last life, she was right. I had begged her to stay, and my tears only earned me deeper humiliation. But now… “Fine,” I said, looking her straight in the eye, the two words clear and sharp. The sneer on her face froze. She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief, as if trying to process what she’d just heard. I didn’t give her another chance. “Maya, let’s go.” I turned my back on her. This time, she didn’t stop me. I could feel her searing gaze burning into my back until Maya and I disappeared through the ballroom doors. In the car, Maya broke the silence. “Are you sure about this?” “Yeah.” “She won’t let you go easily.” I watched the city lights streak past the window, blurring into long ribbons of color. “I know.” Back at the penthouse I shared with Seraphina, I didn’t waste a second. I started packing. I didn’t have much. A few sets of clothes, some professional books, and a few heirlooms my father had left me. Just as I was placing a locked rosewood box into my suitcase, the bedroom door opened. Caleb was leaning against the frame, his arms crossed. He was wearing one of Seraphina’s silk robes, the front open to reveal his chest. He looked every bit the man of the house. “Packing so late, Ash?” His eyes fell on my suitcase, his contempt unconcealed. “Sera sent me to check on you. She was worried you might do something stupid.” I ignored him and zipped the suitcase shut. He sauntered into the room and picked up a handcrafted brass spinning top from my desk. It was the first gift I’d ever given Seraphina, something I’d made for her myself in a metalworking class in college. She had loved it, always keeping it on her bedside table. “This little thing is so ugly,” Caleb said, fiddling with it, his fingers tracing its surface with casual disdain. Clatter. The top fell to the marble floor, a deep, ugly dent marring its surface. “Oops. My hand slipped,” he said, spreading his hands. There was no apology in his eyes, only the raw pleasure of provocation. In my last life, that would have sent me into a blind rage. I would have lunged at him. But now, I just glanced at the broken toy on the floor. Then I looked up at him and smiled. “It’s fine. It’s just trash I was going to throw out anyway.” Caleb’s smirk vanished. I walked past him, suitcase in hand, ready to leave. As I passed, I paused and leaned in close to his ear. My voice was a whisper, meant only for him. “Caleb, you know that cheap men’s cologne she wears sometimes? Guess how long it took me to get used to the smell of you on her?” The color drained from his face, leaving it a sickly white. I didn’t look at him again. I walked out of the home I had lived in for five years without a backward glance. The moment the door clicked shut behind me, I heard the sound of something inside being smashed violently against a wall. I settled into the apartment Maya had found for me. The next morning, my phone rang. It was my mother-in-law. The second I answered, her voice, shrill and accusatory, assaulted my ear. “Asher! What the hell were you thinking last night? Do you have any idea how much you humiliated our family?” “You ruined Sera’s birthday! Have you no shame?” I held the phone away from my ear, waiting for her to finish her tirade. “Are you done?” I asked calmly. There was a pause on the other end, as if she was shocked by my reaction. “What kind of attitude is that? You listen to me! You are going to go and apologize to Seraphina right now! And to Caleb! Caleb is a good kid, stop picking on him!” “We’re getting a divorce, Eleanor.” “What nonsense is this? A divorce? I forbid it!” Her voice was as sharp as a razor blade. “This is between Seraphina and me.” “Asher, don’t be an ungrateful fool! Who do you think you are? Without Sera, you’re nothing! Absolutely nothing!” I hung up. The world went quiet. A few moments later, a text message arrived. A notification from my bank. Every single one of my credit cards had been frozen. It was immediately followed by a text from Seraphina. “Let’s see how you like having no money, Asher. When you’ve had time to think, when you realize you were wrong, you can come crawling back to me.” The message ended with a single, imperious period. I deleted the text and opened a luxury consignment app. One by one, I listed the watches I had never dared to wear and the designer suits that had hung untouched in my closet. They were all things I had bought with my own money before the marriage. Now, they would be the seed money for my new life. That afternoon, I received a call from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as an organizer for the Aurora Gala, a high-profile charity auction. “Mr. Evans? Hello. We’ve been informed by Ms. Sterling that your VIP seat for the event has been canceled.” “Additionally, the tea set she submitted for auction, titled ‘The Dawn,’ she specifically requested that the artist credit be changed to Mr. Caleb Thorne.” I held the phone, silent for a few seconds. In my last life, this was the very tea set that launched Caleb’s career as a “design prodigy.” For Seraphina, the successful charity marketing stunt paved the way for her company’s IPO. No one knew that the true creator of the set was a long-dead master craftsman named Elias Vance. And I just so happened to be his last and only student. The Aurora Gala was the society event of the year. Seraphina had poured massive resources into it. She needed a flawless PR moment to elevate her company’s image and build hype for an upcoming product launch. Caleb’s debut as a “design prodigy” was the centerpiece of the whole spectacle. In my last life, I was locked away at home, forced to watch on the news as they took the stage together, bathed in the blinding light of flashbulbs. Seraphina had announced with magnanimous flair that all proceeds from ‘The Dawn’ would be donated to children in need. Caleb stood beside her, looking thoughtful and modest as he described his “creative journey.” They received a standing ovation. And I, like a rat hiding in the shadows, had watched it all, consumed by a helpless, burning jealousy. This life, I wouldn’t give them the chance. I didn’t contact the media. I didn’t try to find evidence. The best way to deal with arrogance is to let it be the cause of its own spectacular fall. I pulled out the design sketches my master, Elias Vance, had left me. Tucked into the last page was a yellowed letter. It was written to me shortly before he passed away. In it, he mentioned the proudest creation of his later years. A piece he loved so much he had never shown it to anyone, nor had he ever signed it. He described the tea set in meticulous detail, including the small, unique “V” mark he had stamped into the center of the teapot’s base using a special glaze. That tea set was “The Dawn.” I made a phone call. “Hello, is this Alistair Finch?” A gruff, elderly voice answered. “Who is this?” “My name is Asher Evans. I was the student of Elias Vance.” Alistair Finch was the country’s foremost art authenticator and one of my master’s closest friends. He was a man of rigid principles who despised nothing more than fraud and plagiarism in the art world. “Ah, Asher. What can I do for you?” “Mr. Finch, I need to ask for your help.” I didn’t go into detail. I only mentioned that a piece bearing a striking resemblance to Elias Vance’s style might be appearing at the Aurora Gala. “I just feel,” I said, my voice carefully measured, “that my master’s work shouldn’t be forgotten. And it certainly shouldn’t be stolen by a charlatan.” There was a long silence on the other end of the line. “I understand.” That was all I needed. On the night of the auction, I didn’t go. I stayed home and watched the live stream. On the screen, Seraphina stood under the spotlights, dressed in a tailored black suit, the picture of a powerful, competent executive. Beside her, Caleb was the image of gentle artistry in a white tuxedo. Behind them, on a massive screen, was “The Dawn.” The porcelain was as luminous as jade, the glaze soft and warm. When the light hit it, it seemed to glow from within, as if holding a piece of the morning sun. It was breathtakingly beautiful. “This set, ‘The Dawn,’ is the result of three years of dedicated work by Caleb,” Seraphina’s magnetic voice filled the hall. “It represents new beginnings and hope.” She looked at Caleb with an expression of pure admiration and affection. He nodded gracefully, playing his part to perfection. The room erupted in applause. The bidding began, and the price climbed rapidly, quickly soaring past seven figures. Just as the auctioneer was about to bring the hammer down, a figure rose from the front row. It was Alistair Finch. He leaned on a cane, his hair white, but his eyes were sharp and clear. “Ms. Sterling, if I may, a question for the artist?” Every eye in the room turned to him. Seraphina, who clearly recognized the titan of the art world, managed a polite smile. “Of course, Mr. Finch. Please.” “This tea set is, without a doubt, a masterpiece. However, the lines of the pot, the delicate curve of the cup’s rim… they are identical to the style of my late friend, the master craftsman Elias Vance.” His voice wasn’t loud, but the microphone carried it to every corner of the hall. “Mr. Thorne, may I ask who your mentor was?” 2 The color drained from Caleb’s face. He shot a panicked, pleading look at Seraphina, his lips trembling, unable to form a single word. Seraphina’s smile was frozen in place, a flicker of sheer panic in her eyes. “Mr. Finch, you must be mistaken. Similarities in design style are quite common.” “Are they?” Alistair’s gaze was sharp behind his glasses. “In his later years, Elias Vance perfected a ‘seamless body’ technique for firing thin-walled porcelain. It was a method he never shared with anyone. I’m curious, Mr. Thorne, where did you learn it?” A wave of murmurs swept through the venue. Every gaze shifted from the beautiful art on the screen to the pale, sweating face of the man on the stage. The camera flashes were relentless, like daggers trying to slash through his fraudulent mask. I closed the live stream, picked up my glass of red wine, and gave it a gentle swirl. The show was just getting started. The auction devolved into a complete farce. Alistair Finch’s reputation was unassailable; his accusation carried the weight of absolute authority. The “design prodigy” was exposed as a “plagiarizing fraud” overnight. The news was everywhere. Tycoon’s Secret: Charity Auction Rocked by Forgery Scandal, CEO’s Best Friend Accused of Design Fraud. Art World Titan Exposes Fake Genius on Stage. Seraphina’s company stock plummeted. Her meticulously planned PR triumph had turned into a PR catastrophe. I could only imagine the chaos she was dealing with. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before my phone rang. It was Seraphina. I let it ring. The ringing stopped, and a text message appeared. “Where are you? Get out here now!” It reeked of impotent fury. I typed out a leisurely reply. “Is there something I can help you with, Ms. Sterling? I believe we’re no longer associated.” Her reply was instantaneous. “This was you, wasn’t it? Asher, why would you do this?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Are you happy now that you’ve ruined me?!” I looked at the words on the screen and smiled. Ruined her? No. I had simply reclaimed what belonged to my master. The person who had truly ruined her was herself, with her own greed and foolishness. I didn’t reply again. The next day, I went to the bank and withdrew all the money I’d made from selling my watches and suits. Then, I used it to register a business. A studio. I called it “Vance Heritage.” In memory of my master, Elias Vance. I was busy setting up the space when Maya arrived. She was carrying bags of food and a bottle of champagne. “A toast,” she said with a grin, “to the future of our great Mr. Evans.”

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Seven years. That’s how long we’d been together when I finally brought my boyfriend, Leo, home to meet my family. During the dinner, my cousin, Claire, suddenly gagged and covered her mouth. My aunt’s expression soured, shifting from shock to pure fury. “Look at you!” she screeched, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. “Your cousin, with her community college degree, lands a man like Leo. And you? You come back from studying abroad with… what? This mess? Getting yourself knocked up! Have you no shame?” Claire just shrank in her seat, tears silently streaming down her face. That only enraged my aunt further. She raised her hand, ready to slap her. But Leo’s hand shot out, grabbing my aunt’s wrist in a grip of steel. “Don’t,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Don’t you dare touch her. It’s my baby.” In the stunned silence of our relatives, he scooped Claire into his arms and strode out of the private dining room. He never once looked back at me. … The room erupted. Gasps of shock mingled with muttered curses. My head was ringing, a high-pitched whine that drowned everything out. Just ten minutes ago, Leo had been on my arm, charming my family, toasting to our future. They’d all praised him—so successful for his age, so gentle and kind. Now, he had just publicly claimed my pregnant cousin and walked out, leaving me to face the wreckage. My aunt, snapping out of her stupor, rounded on me. “So that’s it, Hannah!” she shrieked. “You’d steal your own cousin’s boyfriend? Claire is pregnant, and you still went after him! You little homewrecker, you’ve ruined her life!” With a guttural cry of rage, she snatched a cup of hot tea from the table and hurled it at me. I flinched, shutting my eyes against the expected searing pain. But it never came. I opened them to see my father standing in front of me, his body shielding mine. Scalding liquid and dark tea leaves dripped from his hair and down his face. He looked utterly defeated. “William, are you okay?” My mother’s voice was a panicked whisper, her icy hand trembling as she gripped my arm. My father’s face was ashen, his lips tinged with a terrifying blue. He collapsed with a heavy thud. “Dad! What’s wrong?” The dignity he had maintained his entire life shattered on that restaurant floor. My hands shook, but instinct took over. I dialed Leo. “Leo, it’s my dad! Something’s wrong, you have to come back!” There was a two-second pause on the other end. “Hannah,” he said, his voice cold and distant. “Claire’s carrying a child now. She can’t handle any stress. Your dad’s old ticker acts up sometimes, he’ll be fine.” He hung up. And my heart sank to the floor. From the ambulance ride to the frantic rush into the hospital, my mother’s hand never stopped shaking in mine. I couldn’t afford to cry. I ran, a blur of motion, from one counter to another, filling out forms, paying fees. It wasn’t until they pushed my dad through the doors of the emergency room and that terrifying red light flickered on that I finally felt the strength drain from my legs. The only notifications on my phone were automated payment receipts from the hospital. Leo hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. I took a shaky breath and headed to the admissions desk to pay another deposit. As I rounded a corner, I saw him. Leo was there, talking quietly with a doctor in a white coat. “Well, look at you, old friend,” the doctor said, clapping Leo on the shoulder. “Never took you for the shotgun wedding type.” Leo stared out a nearby window, his expression unreadable. “The baby’s not mine,” he murmured. “I just couldn’t stand to see her family tear her apart.” “And that’s why you’re here in the middle of the night for a fetal heart monitor test? I thought you were about to get engaged to her cousin.” Leo gave a quiet, affirmative hum. “Aren’t you worried your girlfriend is going to lose her mind?” “I just need to know she’s okay. Then I can rest easy,” Leo said, his voice laced with a strange tenderness. “Hannah and I will have the rest of our lives together. What’s one night?” The doctor sighed, patting his shoulder again. “I never knew the ice king of our class was such a romantic. Does Claire even know how much you care?” “She doesn’t need to know. As long as she’s safe, that’s enough. Being able to look after her, as family… that’s all I need.” A memory surfaced, sharp and painful. The day Claire first introduced us. Leo was already a legend at our university, a name professors still used to inspire students long after he’d graduated. Claire had playfully pushed me forward. “This is my cousin, Hannah,” she’d said with a laugh. “Your biggest fan.” My heart had been pounding so hard I didn’t notice how Leo’s gaze kept drifting back to Claire, following her every move. He asked me out not long after that. I thought it was love at first sight. I never imagined I was just a convenient disguise for his undying devotion to my cousin. “Leo.” Claire’s voice, weak and fragile, cut through my thoughts. She was standing nearby, draped in a man’s coat that was far too big for her. He was at her side in an instant, his voice softening with concern. “What are you doing out here? It’s cold.” “The baby wasn’t moving. I got scared.” “Come on, let’s get you back inside,” he murmured, pulling the coat tighter around her. “Don’t overthink it. The doctor said the baby is probably just sleeping. You need to rest.” She leaned against him, and for a moment, they looked like a perfect, loving couple. “Leo!” My voice was a choked, trembling thing. He turned, and the tenderness in his eyes froze over the moment he saw me. He strode forward, physically blocking my path to Claire. “She needs to rest, Hannah. Don’t you dare start something with her. I’ll explain later.” He actually thought I’d come all this way to pick a fight with her. “Explain?” My voice cracked. “What is there left to explain? My father, he’s—” “Don’t you start!” he snapped, his patience gone. “Your cousin is at risk of a miscarriage because of the shock she went through tonight! Did you really have to follow us here to make a scene? Can you just be reasonable for once?” “Leo,” Claire said softly from behind him. “Don’t be so harsh with Hannah. Just… talk to her, okay? We left in such a hurry. She must be hurting.” Her words were like a balm, instantly soothing his anger. “I’ll explain everything later,” he said, turning back to me, his tone now condescendingly calm. “It’s not what you think. I’ll come by and explain it all to your parents tomorrow. Just go home for now.” So that was it. All it took was a single word from Claire to turn his rage into reason. The irony was suffocating. Before I could say another word, he was guiding Claire away, leaving me standing alone in the sterile hallway. My chest tightened, a physical ache spreading through me until it was hard to breathe. I stumbled back to the waiting area outside the emergency room, my eyes fixed on the glowing red light above the door. A message from Leo buzzed on my phone. [Hannah, I promise, the baby isn’t mine. Your cousin got involved with a real scumbag, and I can’t let her be shamed for it.] [I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I’ll make it up to you.] [Once this is all over, we’ll get married. We’ll see the Northern Lights in Iceland, and when we get back to Seacliff City, I’ll sign the deed to my downtown penthouse over to you.] I turned off the screen. It was all so absurd. He thought a penthouse and a wedding could erase this nightmare. The public humiliation he was so desperate to save Claire from, he had simply redirected, turning it into a volley of daggers aimed straight at me and my family. And with my father’s life hanging in the balance, what did apologies and compensation even mean? “Family of William Price?” The emergency room doors swung open. A doctor stepped out, pulling down his surgical mask. I pushed myself to my feet, my legs numb and unresponsive. “We did everything we could.” The words hung in the air, carving a hollow space inside my chest. My father went into that room and never woke up. He didn’t even get to say goodbye. “No,” I begged, my voice breaking. “Please, doctor, try again. Use any drug, any surgery, whatever it costs!” The doctor just shook his head, his expression full of a sorrowful finality. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” My mother stared blankly for a few seconds, her hand covering her mouth. Then, a wail of pure, unadulterated grief echoed through the deserted corridor. I don’t remember the hours that followed. I moved like a puppet on strings, numbly following nurses’ instructions, signing forms, making arrangements. The next morning, as I helped my mother, her body wracked with sobs, out of the hospital morgue, my aunt called. My mom answered, her eyes vacant. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to hold her together. “Oh, Sarah,” my aunt’s cheerful voice chirped through the speaker. “That Leo is such a doll. He showed up this morning with a case of premium whiskey!” “Listen, you know that expensive ginseng extract you bought for William? Do you think I could have some? Claire’s been so drained lately, and it’s not like William enjoyed it anyway, right?” “Oh, that’s right! I forgot. He passed out after your ungrateful daughter threw her little tantrum yesterday. He’s doing better now, I hope?” A raw, guttural sound escaped my mother’s throat. Her eyes were bloodshot with fury. I snatched the phone from her hand. “You tell Claire to get down to the funeral home and kneel,” I hissed. “Otherwise, I will never forgive either of you.” “Well, I never! You insolent little—” I ended the call. “He’s gone,” my mother wept, her voice raw with pain. “Your father is gone, and they’re still talking like this!” She was shaking so hard I was afraid she’d fall apart. “I’ll never forgive them,” I vowed, my voice low and dangerous. As the words left my mouth, I looked up and met a pair of cold, familiar eyes. Leo. He was standing at the entrance to the lobby, his arms laden with shopping bags. “What is he doing here?” my mother rasped. “Make him leave.” Leo glanced from me to my mother, his face a mask of annoyance. “Hannah, why did you bring your mom here? Claire needs peace and quiet. You two shouldn’t be disturbing her.” He was carrying boxes of high-end supplements, bird’s nest soup, and formula for expectant mothers. It hit me like a physical blow. He didn’t know. He hadn’t come to see me. He was here to dote on Claire. “We’re not here for Claire,” I said, my hand tightening on my mom’s trembling shoulder. As I turned to lead her away, Leo’s voice stopped me. “Is your dad feeling better? The elderly have to be careful with their hearts, especially when it gets cold.” I gritted my teeth, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. “He’s gone, Leo,” I said, my voice shaking with rage. “You killed him.” Leo’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. “That’s not funny, Hannah. That’s a horrible thing to say.” “If you were half as considerate as Claire,” he added, his voice dripping with disappointment, “you wouldn’t be causing a scene like this.” He turned without another word and disappeared into an elevator. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, the pain a welcome distraction from the inferno in my chest. My mother was on the verge of collapse. I forced myself to be strong, took her home, and then returned to the hospital to handle the rest of the arrangements. After signing a mountain of paperwork, I found myself opening Claire’s Instagram page, almost against my will. She’d posted a photo of a reservation contract for a luxury post-natal retreat, a bouquet of champagne roses artfully placed beside it. The caption read: Lost, scared… but then you came and made everything right. With you here, what is there to fear? The retreat was the most exclusive one in Seacliff City, the kind of place celebrities went to recover. It cost a fortune. Leo was certainly sparing no expense. I scrolled down. The comments were filled with congratulatory likes from friends and relatives. And at the very bottom, a comment from Leo: I’ll always be here. He had never made me a promise like that. Not once. I remember the time I had acute appendicitis, the pain so bad I was writhing on the floor. I called him, and he told me he was in an important meeting and that I should call an ambulance myself. He showed up at the hospital hours after my surgery, scolding me for bothering him at work over “something so small.” “You’re an adult, Hannah,” he’d said. “You have to learn to be independent. I’m not your caretaker.” I thought he was just ambitious, career-driven. Now I knew the truth. He had never loved me. In that moment, a wave of regret so powerful it almost buckled my knees washed over me. The only man in the world who had ever truly loved me, who had always put me first, was now lying cold and alone in the morgue. And I would never see him again. My phone vibrated. A new message from Leo. [I already promised you we would get married after Claire has the baby. Why are you still acting like this?] [My assistant, Evans, just told me our partnership with your family’s company is on hold. Hannah, can you stop being so childish? Don’t pull these petty stunts to try and force my hand!] [Your lack of maturity is incredibly disappointing.] I switched off the screen, ignoring him. I had already informed Evans about my father’s passing. It happened so suddenly, we decided it was best to keep it quiet for now to avoid panic. All major projects were temporarily halted until the company stabilized. And Leo thought it was all about him. A game I was playing to win him back. Then, my phone rang. It was Claire. “Hannah,” she began, her voice syrupy sweet, “Leo’s lost so much weight recently. He’s so stressed, taking care of me, worrying about work… my heart just breaks for him. You should really try to be more understanding.” A cold, humorless laugh escaped my lips. “What do you want, Claire?” She sighed dramatically. “It’s all my fault. If I’d never introduced you two, the father of my child wouldn’t be in such a difficult position.” Her tone shifted, a note of triumph creeping in. “To be honest, I was always surprised he chose you. You two are from completely different worlds, after all.” In the background, I heard a man’s muffled voice ask who she was talking to. The line went dead. The father of my child. She was calling Leo the father of her child. Suddenly, everything was crystal clear. They had been playing me for a fool. I downed a large cup of black coffee, forcing myself to think. Then I called Evans. “I need you to find something out for me,” I said, my voice steady. “Claire was doing just fine overseas. Why did she suddenly come back home?” Leo could be her loyal dog if he wanted. But they would not use my family as collateral damage. We held my father’s memorial at a private hall in the funeral home. After his closest friends and family had paid their respects, only my mother and I remained. She looked ten years older, but she understood that life had to go on. I knelt on a cushion, mechanically tossing paper money into a burning brazier. Suddenly, the doors burst open.

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Everyone noticed I wasn’t chasing Anthony anymore. Even Anthony himself. After school, he blocked my path, his face a cold mask. “About the other day,” he said, his voice flat. “I’m only saying this once, believe it or not.” “Lily was cornered by some drunk guy. I went to help her.” “My bad for not calling.” That day was his birthday. While he was getting into a fight for Lily, I was left stranded at the amusement park all day. So, he thought I was just sulking about that. I gave a slight shake of my head. “It’s okay.” Then, under his dark, unreadable gaze, I quietly stepped around him and walked away. He didn’t know. The system had registered his ditching me again as the final straw. My mission was a failure. In one month, I would be erased and sent back to my own world. And this body would be reclaimed by its original owner. 1 The amusement park staff had already reminded me for the third time that they were closing. The system sighed in my head. Aphra, let’s go home. Anthony’s not coming. He’s with Lily right now. He’s completely forgotten he was supposed to meet you here today. I stamped my aching feet, clutching the cake box, and turned to leave. “Okay.” The bright bubble of anticipation I’d felt this morning had been worn down to nothing. All that was left was a quiet emptiness. I felt nothing, even when the system announced my failure. In one month, you’ll be in a car accident. This is the penalty for your failure. While you’re in a coma, I’ll send your soul back to your world. As for this body, its original owner will take over again. After delivering the news, the system went silent. I pulled out my phone to call a ride, only to see the battery icon flash red before the screen went black. And I didn’t have any cash for a cab. Finally resigning myself to my fate, I started the long walk home along the edge of the road. Failure had always been a possibility, but a profound exhaustion still seeped into my bones, making every step feel impossibly heavy. 2 The walk home from the park took me past the school. It was a Saturday, so the campus should have been deserted. But there, on a bench just outside the school gates, sat two very familiar figures. Lily was holding a single Twinkie-like cake with a matchstick stuck in it. “I’m so sorry, Anthony…” she said softly. “I only just found out it was your birthday, so I didn’t have time to get a proper cake. This was all I could find. I hope you don’t mind…” The boy across from her had fresh cuts on his cheek and a bandage wrapped around his forehead. The gauze was partially hidden by his dark, messy hair, giving him a lazy, roguish charm despite the injuries. He didn’t seem to find the makeshift cake ridiculous at all. He even took out a lighter and dutifully lit the matchstick. “Not at all,” he said. “I think it’s great.” His voice, usually so cold, had a soft edge to it, like he was trying to soothe her. I couldn’t help but remember last night. In the school’s baking club, I’d held out the birthday cake I’d spent ages perfecting, showing it to Anthony. “Isn’t it pretty?” He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. His eyes flicked to my hand, where a fresh blister was rising from a burn. His voice was laced with impatience. “Just looking at your hand is enough to ruin my appetite.” A flush of embarrassment crept up my neck, and I tried to hide my hand in my sleeve. Anthony’s expression was weary. He walked over and dragged me towards the nurse’s office. “What are you hiding?” he grumbled. “Don’t you have a brain? You treat a burn right away.” He looked annoyed, but his touch was gentle and patient as he treated the wound. I found my courage again and asked, my voice hopeful, “So… do you like the cake?” He stared at the blister on my hand, his brow furrowed. “It’s hideous.” Back then, the system had tried to comfort me. Don’t listen to him! He’s just mad you hurt yourself making it. He’s all bark and no bite—he really cares about you! My thoughts snapped back to the present. I stood quietly across the street, watching Anthony reassure Lily that her simple offering was more than enough. It hit me then. Even someone as guarded and prickly as Anthony could be gentle. When he truly liked someone, he would sheath his thorns, protect their feelings, and couldn’t bear to see them disappointed. I didn’t know what he felt for me, but it definitely wasn’t love. 3 I turned to leave, but Lily spotted me. “Aphra? What are you doing here?” Anthony looked up, and his gaze fell on the cake box in my hands. A flicker of something—realization?—crossed his face. It was as if he was only just remembering our plans. Lily saw the cake too. “Oh, you were looking for Anthony, weren’t you?” she said, a little too brightly. “I heard you were going to celebrate his birthday at the amusement park. Sorry you got stood up because of me.” Her apology was casual, almost bored. She was used to Anthony dropping everything for her, leaving me behind. And I was used to it too. I’d get mad for a day or two, then go right back to chasing after him like a lost puppy. I shook my head, denying her first question. “I was just passing by.” Anthony’s eyes were locked on me, his expression tight. Lily just smiled, clearly assuming I was making an excuse to save face. She gestured towards the cake. “Well, perfect timing! You brought the cake. We can still celebrate.” When she reached for it, I pulled back. “It’s gone bad,” I said, my voice steady. “We can’t eat it.” I pressed my lips together, then managed a small farewell. “It’s getting late. I should get home. Bye.” Lily looked genuinely surprised. I was usually the one looking for any excuse to stick to Anthony’s side. Now, I was willingly leaving them alone. I took a few steps, then remembered something and turned back, feeling a little embarrassed. “Lily,” I asked, “Can I borrow twenty bucks? My phone died, and I can’t call a ride.” “I’ll take you.” Anthony’s voice was tight, the words rushing out almost before I’d finished my sentence. I acted as if I hadn’t heard him. Lily stammered, “Uh, yeah, sure…” She fumbled in her purse and handed me a bill. “Thanks. I’ll pay you back on Monday.” I took the money and left. The entire time, I never once looked at Anthony. 4 Maybe it was because I knew I was going home soon. That night, I dreamed of my life in the real world. I was in the library between classes, sobbing over a novel. My best friend looked at me, confused. “Isn’t that supposed to be a romance?” “Not for Anthony, the second male lead!” I hiccupped, wiping my eyes. “His life is just so tragic! He spends his whole life secretly in love with the heroine, Lily, but he’s too insecure about his poor background to ever confess. Even when he becomes this super-successful CEO at the end, he never tells her. He just protects her from the shadows.” “And to make it worse,” I fumed, “he’s constantly bullied in high school by the villainess, this spoiled rich girl named Aphra Sterling.” My friend handed me a tissue. “Your name is Talia. Her name is Aphra. Kind of close.” I slammed my hand on the table. “I am deeply ashamed of the connection.” That very night, I woke up inside the book, in the body of Aphra Sterling, the character I despised most. The system’s directive was simple: Win over Anthony. This was the year Aphra made his life hell. The difficulty was off the charts. The system studied my ecstatic expression. This is a nightmare-level mission. Why are you so happy? “Because now I can change his miserable youth!” I bounced on my feet, my bangs flying. “I’m going to give him everything, so he never has to suffer again.” The system had no faith in me. It said it was just waiting for the clock to run out before sending me back. I spent two years trying to melt Anthony’s icy heart. I’d gotten his affection level so high that even the system thought victory was within reach. But in the end, I still failed. I couldn’t really blame Anthony, though. He was in love with Lily. It was only natural for him to put her first, to do anything for her. It’s a simple truth I only understood once I finally stopped loving him. 5 I’d spent all of yesterday out in the wind. So it was no surprise when I woke up the next morning with a cold. After taking some medicine, I got a call from one of Anthony’s friends. “Aphra! J-man’s doing a birthday do-over today. At the amusement park, the one you guys were supposed to go to. You coming?” Anthony never cared about birthdays. I knew this was his way of making up for yesterday. My voice was thick with congestion when I spoke. “You guys have fun. I’m going to the library today.” The guy’s voice moved away from the phone. “Yo, Anthony, Aphra says she can’t make it.” A few seconds later, I heard a short, derisive laugh from Anthony’s direction. “Whatever.” His reaction didn’t surprise me. Anthony had never had much patience for me. This was the closest he could get to an apology. A cough escaped me. His friend heard it. “Whoa, Aphra, you sick? Never mind then. Get some rest.” Right before he hung up, I heard him ask, “Hey, where’d Anthony go?” Someone else answered, “Looked like he was heading to the pharmacy.” “A pharmacy? Why? Didn’t he just get his cuts looked at?” “No idea.” 6 I went to the library with Evan. Evan was the original Aphra’s childhood best friend. He was also the only person in this world who knew I wasn’t her. He’d figured it out not long after I arrived. He had cornered me, his eyes sharp and assessing. “Stop lying,” he’d said with a humorless smile. “You can’t fool me. Nobody knows Aphra better than I do.” After I confessed everything about the mission, he was only shocked for a moment before accepting it. Maybe it was because I was wearing Aphra’s face. For the past two years, he’d been a good friend to me, one of the most important people I had in this world. On the way to the library, I told him the mission had failed. “So, in a month, you’re leaving?” “Yep. The real Aphra will be back soon. You’ll get your best friend back.” Evan’s messenger bag swung against his back with each step. He just smiled, not responding, his eyes empty of any real emotion. 7 We didn’t leave the library until closing time. Evan’s house was right next to mine. I stopped at his gate, ready to say goodbye, but he was staring silently ahead, at my front door. I followed his gaze and met the dark, intense eyes of Anthony. He stood there in a black windbreaker, which only made his pale face seem colder. The cuts on his cheekbone and jaw added a hint of defiant aggression to his look. He was holding a small plastic bag from a pharmacy. I snapped out of it and turned back to Evan. “Well, you’re home. I’ll see you later. Bye.” He could tell I didn’t want him involved. He just nodded. “Call me if you need anything.” The click of Evan’s front door closing echoed in the quiet street. Anthony’s gaze followed me as I walked up to him, my fingers tightening on the strap of my backpack. “Did you need something?” I asked. He ignored my question. “Aren’t you sick?” he shot back. “You seemed pretty happy chatting with him. You look fine to me.” As if to prove him wrong, a tickle in my throat made me cough twice. The mockery in his eyes faded slightly. “If that’s all, I’m going inside,” I said, my nose stuffy. He shifted, blocking my way. The cold clinging to his clothes made me shiver. I wondered how long he’d been standing out here. “Why are you running around with him when you’re sick?” He shoved the pharmacy bag into my hands, his face a grim mask. “And about yesterday,” he said, his voice clipped. “I’m only saying this once, believe it or not. Lily was cornered by some drunk guy. I went to help her. But I forgot to call you, and I made you wait. That was my fault.” As far as I knew, Anthony wasn’t the type to explain himself to anyone. The fact that he came here today was a surprise. But beyond that, I felt nothing. I pushed the bag of medicine back at him and looked up. “Thanks, but I can’t take this. I can buy my own medicine. And I accept your apology for yesterday. Was there anything else? I really need to get inside.” Anthony’s lips pressed into a thin line as his eyes bored into me, as if silently demanding, What is wrong with you? When he didn’t answer, I took it as my cue to leave. I murmured a quiet “goodbye” and slipped past him into the house. From my bedroom window, I looked down. He stood frozen in place for a long time. Then, as if a bitter realization had finally dawned on him, he let out a cold, self-deprecating laugh. He tossed the bag of medicine into the nearby trash can and walked away, his face a blank slate. He must have finally understood. This wasn’t me being petty. This was me giving up on him for good. 8 I suppose because I’d been the one chasing him the longest and the loudest, no one really noticed when I suddenly and silently stopped. During gym class, the guys were playing basketball. Both Anthony and Evan got injured at the same time. As soon as I heard, I rushed to the nurse’s office. Anthony was a brutally efficient fighter. He rarely lost. Over the past two years, his reputation had grown enough to scare off the local troublemakers. It also earned him a crowd of admirers. In the nurse’s office, Anthony was surrounded by a group of guys. Evan, on the other hand, was alone, save for the gym rep who offered a few half-hearted words of concern. One of Anthony’s friends saw me and grinned. “Whoa, easy there, Aphra,” he teased. “J-man’s fine. No need to panic. You’d think your crush was on his deathbed.” Anthony’s jaw was tight. He didn’t even look up. I couldn’t believe even his friends hadn’t noticed that I’d stopped trailing him everywhere. I pretended not to hear and walked past them, stopping in front of Evan. “Is it bad? Do you need me to get you out of school to go to the hospital?” After all, Evan had taken care of me when I was sick. A tense silence fell over the room, as if the air itself had solidified. Evan glanced over at Anthony’s back. “It’s nothing serious,” he said, then winced. “Just hurts a bit.” He gave me a helpless smile. “But I don’t think I can get back to class on my own. Help me out, Aphra?” I nodded. Evan draped his arm over my shoulder, and I helped him limp out of the room. 9 After that, it seemed like everyone else finally caught on. No one made jokes about Anthony and me anymore. A few days later, the system reappeared without warning. It had a new mission for me. I pulled some strings for you, it said. If you succeed, the car accident won’t be painful at all. Your senior graduation ceremony is next week, right? To avoid interfering with exam prep, the school always held the graduation ceremony early in the final semester. I heard each class only gets to put on one performance. Aphra, all you have to do is secure that performance slot. Succeed, and the mission is complete. The next day, I saw the sign-up sheet. Besides me, three other people had applied for the slot. Lily was doing a piano piece. The arts rep was singing a solo. And some guy was planning to do a stand-up comedy routine. Like the arts rep, I signed up for a solo. It was the only talent I really had. To be fair, the class president decided we would each record our performances. During the next class meeting, we would play the videos for everyone, and the class would vote for who would represent us. 10 The class meeting ended without a decision. Lily and I were tied for first place. The class president looked miserable. “Did anyone not vote yet?” Someone shouted, “Anthony didn’t vote! He wasn’t here today.” So, the president decided we would hold a re-vote between me and Lily in three days. Evan looked annoyed. “The class is split fifty-fifty between you and Lily,” he said as we sat by the window in a coffee shop. “Anthony is the only one left. And we both know who he’s going to vote for. This is bullshit.” Outside, cars sped through the intersection, their velocity a visceral, visible force. For a second, I was reminded of the accident waiting for me. It was impossible not to be scared. I clutched my warm drink. “I want to try,” I said. “Try what?” “To convince Anthony to vote for me.” 11 When I still liked Anthony, trying to please him was second nature. Now, even just starting a conversation felt awkward and strange. The day before the vote, the moment the final bell rang, I gathered my courage and walked to his desk. “Uh, do you have a minute?” He was leaning back in his chair. He glanced up. “What is it?” I nodded twice. A light, quick set of footsteps approached from behind. “Anthony!” It was Lily. “Will you come with me to feed the stray cats after school tonight?” A familiar wave of disappointment washed over me. I lowered my head, ready to walk away. “Can’t tonight,” Anthony said, his voice even. Lily seemed surprised by the rejection. It was a rare occurrence. She paused, then smiled sweetly. “Oh, okay… I guess I’ll go by myself then.” Soon, the classroom was empty except for us. Anthony didn’t look at me, his eyes half-lidded. “Spit it out. What do you want?” I quickly pulled a tube of ointment from my bag. “I saw the cuts on your face haven’t healed yet, so I bought this for you…” It was a clumsy attempt at bribery. My motives were painfully obvious. I cringed, bracing myself for his mockery. But his expression didn’t change. He took the tube, turning it over in his hand. An idea struck me. “Here, let me put it on for you.” His response was to hand the tube back to me. I pulled up a chair and sat beside him. Dabbing the ointment onto a cotton swab, I carefully applied it to his wounds. The only sounds in the empty classroom were our brief exchanges. “Anthony, turn your head a little.” “Is this a cut here, too?” “Yeah.” “This one hasn’t scabbed over yet. Will this sting?” “No.” After I finished, I tried to figure out how to bring up the vote. But he beat me to it. “Just say it,” he said flatly. “What do you need from me?” Caught, my face burned with embarrassment. I took a deep breath and met his gaze. “Tomorrow… for the performance vote… can you vote for me? This spot is really, really important to me.” It was the first time I’d ever tried to bribe someone, and I was stumbling over my words. “Are… are you hungry? I can, uh, I can buy you dinner?” As I started to offer him a new laptop or a gaming console, he cut me off. “Aphra.” He looked directly at me. After a long pause, his deep voice resonated beside my ear. “You want my vote? Answer one question.” “What?” “Do you like Evan?” I shook my head. “We’ve always just been friends. Does that have anything to do with your vote?” He didn’t answer, but the chill in his eyes seemed to thaw a little. He stood up, looking like he was about to leave. I pressed my lips together. “So, will you vote for me tomorrow?” Anthony stretched his neck and slung his backpack over his shoulder. As he walked out of the classroom, he gave a lazy, single-word reply. “Yeah.” 12 Before the class meeting, my deskmate looked at me, surprised. “Why are you so happy? You’re practically buzzing.” I just smiled, not saying a word. I get to go home without any pain. The bell rang. The class president went to the front to start counting the votes. “Oh, right,” he said. “Before I start, Anthony, you voted this time, right?” I turned to look at him, an uncontrollable smile spreading across my face. Our eyes met for a second before he quickly looked away. “I voted.” A sudden, terrible feeling began to crawl up my spine. The president counted the ballots, one by one. Each second stretched into an eternity of torment. “Okay, that’s all of them,” he finally announced. “Lily wins by one vote.” A bright smile lit up Lily’s face. “Thank you, everyone, for your support.” The president nodded. “I’ll submit your performance piece after class.” My fingers went slack. The pen slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor. The sharp sound drew a few glances. In the quiet room, a sudden snort of laughter broke the silence. “Seriously? Look at her face. What did she honestly expect?” “It’s Anthony. Of course he was going to vote for Lily. That was a given.” “I know, right? It’s been two years. You’d think she’d have figured out she’ll never be more important to him than Lily.” “Hilarious.” The words had barely left her mouth when a textbook slammed down on her desk. Evan leaned over, a cold smile on his face. “Got a problem? Say it louder.” My gaze was unfocused, fixed on my own fingertips. The mocking voices sounded distant, echoing in my ears, striking again and again like a dull drumbeat. The last sound I registered was the system’s weary sigh. Aphra. You’ve failed again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388440”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My best friend, Alistair Rauf, was dogpiled by eight thugs while trying to protect the campus belle, Seraphina Lowe. When the police found him, his pants were soaked in blood. The arrogant heir to the Rauf fortune became a laughingstock. Even Seraphina, the girl who’d promised to repay his kindness, now avoided him like the plague. “Alistair,” she’d say, her voice dripping with pity, “everyone keeps asking me… if you can still… you know… be a man. I… I can’t answer those questions without hurting you, so it’s better if I just stay away.” Only I ignored the rumors. Only I honored the old pact between our families and married him. On our wedding day, in front of everyone, he told me: “Even if I’m forced to marry you, you’ll never be half the woman Seraphina is.” Everyone laughed at me, calling me a doormat, so hopelessly in love with Alistair that I had no self-respect. Hilarious. Who said anything about love? That night, I locked him in the basement and played the home movie of him and those thugs on a loop. 1. At the wedding, I knelt on one knee, a picture of pious devotion. I slid the symbol of our love onto the ring finger of Alistair’s left hand as he sat in his wheelchair. “Alistair, from this day forward, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, I will cherish you and never forsake you.” The chapel erupted in thunderous applause, peppered with a few faint, mocking snickers. Alistair’s parents were weeping with joy, as if they’d finally managed to sell off a piece of damaged goods at a premium. Only Alistair’s face was deathly pale. His eyes, red-rimmed and full of resentment, were fixed on me. He uttered his only line of the entire reception: “Audrey, you’ll never measure up to Seraphina.” Seraphina. The undying love of his life. The day Seraphina was cornered by those thugs in an alley, I’d been hiding at the entrance. I snapped a photo and sent it to Alistair with a simple message: “Your girl’s in trouble. Hurry!” A young man’s love is a reckless, impulsive thing. Alistair charged into that alley alone, his usual arrogance blinding him to the danger. Even as they beat him to his knees, he was still shouting heroics. “Come at me! Leave the girl alone!” And so, they did. The thugs ran their hands over his handsome, clean-cut face, their laughter echoing off the brick walls as they turned all their attention on him. It took only a few seconds for Alistair’s tough-guy act to crumble into desperate pleas, then into shattered, agonized screams. By the time the police arrived, Alistair was broken, physically and psychologically. The doctors said the infection was so severe they had no choice but to perform a colostomy. He would have to live with a bag for the rest of his life. Seraphina, the damsel he’d saved, had just finished promising her parents she would take care of Alistair forever. The moment she heard the news, she gagged and ran for the bathroom. Suddenly, the Raufs, who had always looked down on me, were fawning over me. “Audrey! You’re the only one for our Alistair now! You’ve loved him since you were kids, you won’t mind this, will you?! We’ve always known… you were the only one we ever wanted as our daughter-in-law!” I looked at them, my eyes welling with fake tears, trying so hard not to laugh that my stomach cramped. “Mr. and Mrs. Rauf, please don’t say that. My love for Alistair isn’t so shallow. I love him no matter what. So please, let us get married!” The thought of seeing Alistair’s miserable, broken face every single day filled me with an exquisite joy. So when he told me I was nothing compared to Seraphina, I just smiled magnanimously and reached out to touch his cold, trembling cheek. “That’s okay. Seraphina doesn’t have you. I do. And that’s all that matters.” 2. Near the end of the reception, Seraphina made her grand entrance. She was wearing a white gown that looked more like a wedding dress than my own. She fought back tears, playing the part of a concerned, heartbroken friend. “Audrey, I only gave him up so that he could have a better life. You need to remember that the title of Mrs. Rauf is something you fought tooth and nail for… so you have to be better for him than I ever could have been!” Her words made Alistair tremble. He looked at her with a mixture of adoration and shame, desperate to pour out his heart to her. He had no idea that during his hospital stay, every one of Seraphina’s “devoted” visits had been paid for by his parents. “My family isn’t rich,” she’d told them, “but I’m their only daughter. There is no way they’ll let me marry a disabled man.” “The rumors about Alistair at school are vicious. I’m taking a risk just by coming to see him every day. My parents said I’d be better off getting a part-time job to help with our bills.” She was as cold and calculating as a robot with them. But what could they do? It was for their son. They just forced a smile and handed over the money. “We’re just asking you to keep him company, not change his bags… Think of it as a job. We’ll pay you well. And if you ever need anything in the future, the Rauf family will take care of you.” So of course she had to come to the wedding. She needed to vent her frustration that her ticket to a wealthy life was now broken. And she needed to torment me, to make sure Alistair would never forget her. As long as he remembered her, she would always have a way to profit from the Raufs. Seeing my silence, she thought she had the upper hand. “Audrey, even though you’re married, it’s only on the surface. The doctors said his body isn’t suited for… intimacy. And definitely not for having children.” “He can’t control his own body. You’ll have to catheterize him. If his colostomy bag isn’t clean, you’ll have to stick your hand in there and clean it out yourself. He’s too proud to let a nurse do it, so it will all be on you.” With every word she spoke, a deeper shade of crimson shame crept up Alistair’s neck. He pictured the humiliating scenes, and his eyes, when they met mine, were filled with pure hatred. But I just smiled. “Seraphina, you’re so thoughtful. But I’m clumsy. I don’t think I could ever learn how to use a catheter or clean one of those bags. Why don’t you show me how it’s done?” The triumphant look on Seraphina’s face froze. She never expected me, the doormat who had always lived for Alistair’s approval, to turn on her, his perfect angel. She never expected me to bite back. Panic flickered in her eyes. “That’s enough,” she stammered. “I came here to wish Alistair well, not to be insulted by you.” With that, she salvaged the last of her dignity and swept out of the room without a backward glance. “Darling,” I said to Alistair, my voice light and full of pity, “did you hear that? Seraphina thinks helping you is an insult.” He bristled like a cornered hedgehog. “Audrey! Don’t project your own venom onto other people! It was my decision not to let her help me! She’s the woman I love. I would never let her suffer alongside me.” “But you,” he lifted his chin, as if only with me could he reclaim a shred of his old arrogance, “you chose to jump into this fire. So now you get to serve me like the animal you are.” He seemed to have no regrets about trying to save Seraphina. But when he saw our marital bed, covered in the traditional symbols of fertility—dates and nuts—he finally broke down… “Audrey… you shouldn’t have sent me that picture…” He clenched his fists around the fruit, crushing them until a thick, dark juice, the color of old blood, trickled through his fingers. “Why didn’t you call the police sooner? Why didn’t you warn me there were so many of them, that I couldn’t win?! You should have stopped me! You shouldn’t have let me go… It was you! It was all your fault! You ruined me!!” I stared coldly at his face, twisted with such rage that his features were almost unrecognizable. It was a face I knew well. It blurred and overlapped with the face of the man from my previous life. That’s right. A past life. In my last life, he had screamed the same words as his hands closed around my throat. “You ruined me!!” Only then, he wasn’t blaming me for failing to stop him from saving Seraphina. He was blaming me for saving her myself. “Audrey! You just had to play the hero! Who’s to blame for you getting raped?! Why do I have to be responsible for your mistake?! Why can’t I marry the woman I love because of you?!” “You ruined me!!!” 3. In my last life, I was the one who saved Seraphina. To buy time for the police to arrive, I played a recording of a police siren at the mouth of the alley. As the thugs scattered, I grabbed Seraphina’s arm and we ran. But when they realized it was a trick, she shoved me. Hard. Straight back into their waiting arms… What they did to me was brutal. By the time I was rushed to the ICU, I had lost every shred of my dignity. And Seraphina, the one who caused it all, was kneeling before Alistair, begging. “I was just so scared! I thought I’d never see you again! Alistair, please, save me… Don’t let Audrey press charges! She’s hurt so badly, she’ll want revenge! She’ll ruin my life…” And so Alistair, who had always been so cold to me, came to my hospital bed with flowers and a ring. In front of my parents, he got down on one knee. He told me Seraphina had gotten into a terrible car accident while trying to flee the city. “Audrey, she’s dead. It’s over. We were meant to be together, our families arranged it when we were kids. Marry me. I’ll take care of you for the rest of my life. Let me help you out of this darkness, please?” My will was weak. After so much pain, I was desperate for an anchor. Even though the Raufs, whose business had far surpassed my family’s, now despised me and accused me of ruining their son’s life, I said yes. I said yes to Alistair’s persistence, to the pain and anxiety in my own parents’ eyes. And Alistair was good to me. The coldness was gone, replaced by endless sweet nothings that kept my mind too occupied to question Seraphina’s death. I just wanted to start over. I thought our wedding would be the final, crooked punctuation mark on a youth filled with unrequited love and unbearable pain. But on our wedding day, I saw her. Seraphina, who was supposed to be dead, was in the groom’s waiting room, kissing Alistair passionately. “Audrey is tainted,” she whispered. “You are not to touch her. I’ll be your substitute for the wedding night, right here.” The fragile world I had so painstakingly rebuilt shattered around me… I broke. I screamed at them, demanding to know why. I had done nothing wrong, I owed them nothing! Why were they torturing me like this?! His answer was to wrap his hands around my throat. “You owe us nothing?! How dare you say that, Audrey?! If your parents hadn’t insisted on pressing charges, do you think I would have had to fake her death?!” “Do you think you’re so pathetic because you were raped?! You get to be Mrs. Rauf! Seraphina has to hide for the rest of her life!” “You’re the one who ruined us!!” In my past life, he nearly choked the life out of me, and felt not a single ounce of pity. In this life, I watched coldly as he writhed in the same agony I once endured. “You ruined me!!” I shrugged, letting out a long, slow breath. The initial thrill of vengeance was intoxicating. I decided I was done pretending. “You’re right. I did ruin you. So what? You want to do something about it? Go on. Get up from that wheelchair and hit me.” Alistair’s bloodshot eyes widened in disbelief. He looked at me as if I were a stranger, as if he couldn’t comprehend my words. “What… what did you say?! Say that again!” I smiled and walked toward him. Without any warning, my hand shot out and tangled in his hair. And I ripped him out of his wheelchair. 4. “Aaargh!” I ignored his piercing scream and straddled him on the floor. My hands flew, slapping him across the face, again and again. The movements were precise, the force behind them cruel. “You piece of trash!” I snarled, looking down at him. “What gives a worthless thing like you the right to act so high and mighty with me?! You still think you’re some golden boy, the precious heir? You’re nothing but a pathetic masochist who begged for this. Why should I treat you with any respect?!” “You don’t know your place, do you? I’ll beat it into you.” His body went rigid under the assault, spasming. He couldn’t even whimper. I knew how it worked. After being violated, every shadow becomes a threat. Before the next blow even lands, the fear paralyzes you, stripping you of any will to fight back. So what? He had treated me the same way in our last life. I wasn’t generous enough to give him a taste of his own medicine. I was going to give him double. I didn’t stop until his colostomy bag leaked, the foul stench filling the air. Only then did I slowly stand up, flexing my wrists. “Clean this up. If I come back and this floor is still dirty, I will kill you.” My voice was a shard of ice that made him tremble violently. He clutched his swollen face, staring blankly for a long moment before he finally broke into sobs. He looked so weak, like a delicate white flower shivering in the wind. The subconscious terror of what I had done to him had stolen his courage to even look at me. He just kept muttering in disbelief, “Are you… are you still Audrey? Are you still Audrey?” I smirked and offered a bit of gallows humor. “No. I’m the one who settles the score.” “So accept your fate. And don’t piss me off again.” With that, I walked out of the room, slamming the door behind me with a resounding crash. I lit a cigarette. Sinking into the living room sofa, I took a few long, satisfying drags. Then I answered the call from my father. “Dad, did you find him? Good. I’m on my way.” 5. I spotted Liam Quinn the moment I walked into the restaurant. He was handsome and sharp, with the bright, ambitious energy of youth. When he shook my hand, his eyes were clear and direct, his words sincere. “Ms. Ross, your father told me you’re interested in funding my project. I won’t let you down.” I looked at the proposal he handed me, a document I had already read countless times in my past life, and felt a pang of regret for what had happened to him. In my last life, I was the one who discovered his pitch online. It was a project for a fully intelligent AI caregiver system called Project Elysian. The idea captivated me, and I saw its massive potential. I convinced Alistair and my family to invest before our wedding. The Rauf family later used that project to climb into the city’s elite, becoming one of the wealthiest families in the region. But after my marriage fell apart, Alistair imprisoned and abused me. He threatened to release the videos of my assault to force my parents to sign over their founding shares, cutting us out completely. Liam fared no better. He was ground down by the Raufs’ corporate machine. His initial passion was extinguished when his own team, bribed by the Raufs, stole his work and framed him for plagiarism, destroying his career. At his lowest point, he came to Alistair’s mansion, wanting to ask the man who had once been his benefactor why he had destroyed him. Alistair wasn’t there. There was only me, pacing the garden like a prisoner on yard time. We looked at each other through the iron gates. He was gaunt and disheveled, a madman. I was a withered husk, my eyes empty, a fool. “I’m sorry,” I had whispered, choked with guilt. “I was the one who chose you. I’m the one who ruined you.” Understanding dawned on his face. “So… it wasn’t Alistair… it was you.” “It’s not your fault,” he’d said, his voice cracking. “Don’t blame yourself… It’s my fault. I trusted the wrong people.” In my last life, Liam died before I did. He risked everything to expose the Raufs’ illegal smuggling operations. In his final moments, before they killed him, he managed to upload the evidence. A brilliant mind, destroyed by petty evil. This time, that tragedy would not be his fate. I took out the contract I had prepared. “These are my terms. You will have maximum creative freedom during the contract period. And one more thing, this is very important. When the product launches, the lead developer credit will always be your name.” My family’s company wasn’t a corporate giant, but we were smart with our investments. This project was my key to turning the tables on the Raufs. As for how to make them self-destruct? I had the perfect person to lead the charge. Liam’s face went blank for a second when he heard my terms, then lit up with the kind of joy you see when you meet a kindred spirit. He was a meticulous and proud man. To him, credit was more important than anything. “You trust me a lot,” he said, a smile forming cute brackets at the corners of his mouth. “Can I ask why?” “A gut feeling,” I said. “The first time I saw you, I felt like you would trust me too.” He didn’t ask any more questions. He took out a pen and signed his name with a decisive flourish. Then he extended his hand, his deep eyes sparkling like a field of stars. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”

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