1 My father died in a fire, trying to save the daughter of the woman he never got over. I drove to the hospital through the night. The moment I saw his body, I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. A staff member kindly nudged me. “Could you try to be a little quieter?” But later, when they handed me the urn with my father’s ashes, I laughed even louder. Oh, my dear, dear father. If you were going to die, couldn’t you have at least written a will first? Leaving me with billions in assets… you’re just too generous. … When I got the news that my father, Arthur, had died trying to save Stella, I rushed to the hospital. He was lying on a gurney in the morgue. His face was a mess of charred flesh, and there wasn’t a single patch of intact skin left on his body. Seeing him like that, I just couldn’t hold it in. The attendant standing beside me couldn’t take it anymore. He tapped my arm. “Could you… keep it down?” I mumbled an apology, but I practically skipped to the counter to get his death certificate. With the certificate in hand, I wasted no time arranging for his cremation. While I waited for the ashes, I called his lawyer and confirmed what I already suspected: my father had left no will. He had no wife. He had no other children. I was the only name listed as his next of kin. Naturally, the entire inheritance was mine. I moved quickly, transferring all the assets into my name: the mansion in the Westridge neighborhood, the company he owned, the fleet of luxury cars in the garage. Oh, and the house my father had so graciously lent to Stella. I don’t like filthy things living in my property, so on a bright, sunny afternoon, I paid her a visit and asked her to move out. But when she saw me, Stella refused to even open the door. Instead, she called the police. The moment the officers arrived, the door flew open. Stella leaped out, pointing a finger at me. “That’s her, officer! She’s trespassing!” I quickly explained myself. “Officer, please don’t listen to her. I just knocked on the door. I didn’t try to force my way in.” “You call that knocking? You were trying to break my door down!” Stella grabbed one of the officer’s arms, her finger still aimed at me like a weapon. “Officer, you have to take her away.” The officer shot her a look that was hard to read. He shook her hand off and turned to me. “What’s going on here?” I put on my most innocent face. “I honestly just knocked. Is that considered trespassing?” “No, but it could be considered disturbing the peace, you understand?” Hearing that, a smug look of triumph spread across Stella’s face. “But officer, this is my house,” I said, pulling the deed and my ID from my purse. “Is it a crime to knock on my own door?” One of the officers took the documents, carefully comparing the photo on my ID to my face. He confirmed it. This was my house. He frowned. “This is your house, but you don’t have a key?” I pouted. “Not when someone is squatting in my property and refuses to leave. Officer, wouldn’t that be considered unlawful occupation of property?” Stella jumped in. “What do you mean, your house? This is Mr. Hayes’s house! You just wait, I’m going to call him right now and have him deal with you.” Right there, in front of everyone, Stella called my father’s number. Again and again. When none of the calls went through, a flicker of panic crossed her face. “Don’t bother,” I said with a small laugh. “He’s not going to pick up.” “Don’t you get cocky, Ava! Mr. Hayes is probably just busy!” My smile widened. “Oh, he’s busy, all right. Busy being dead.” Stella’s face changed, her voice turning shrill. “What did you just say? Arthur is your own father! How could you curse him like that? Do you want me to tell him what you said? He’ll break your legs!” “Ooh, I’m so scared,” I said, crossing my arms with a bored expression. “Too bad he’ll never hear you snitch on me again. Did you forget, Stella? There was a fire at your school a couple of days ago. My dad was there dropping something off for you. When he heard your classroom was on fire, he ran right in to save you. Except he never found you. And he burned to death.” I let out a dramatic sigh. “Such a shame. My father cared more about you than his own daughter, and you two didn’t even get to see each other one last time.” “You’re lying! You’re just trying to curse him!” Stella stared at me for a few seconds, her emotions escalating until she actually lunged at me, ready to strike. I quickly ducked behind one of the officers. “Help! She’s trying to kill me! Officer, arrest her!” Having witnessed the entire spectacle, the officers finally understood the situation. One of them restrained Stella, pulling us apart. They told her to calm down and gave me a verbal warning. It was a domestic dispute, and they knew better than to get too involved. In the end, they took us down to the station to give statements. As they were letting us go, I overheard one of the officers telling Stella, “Look, the house belongs to her. You can’t act like this. If you want to keep living there, you need to talk to her nicely. If not, you need to pack your things and leave.” My respect for that officer skyrocketed. I wanted to send him a commendation. Just as I stepped out of the police station, Stella’s mother, Lillian, arrived. When she saw me, she plastered on her usual fake, benevolent smile. “Ava, honey, when did you get back? Why didn’t you tell me? Your father and I would have picked you up.” “Hold it right there, Lillian,” I interrupted. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves with the family reunion. I came back to collect my father’s body. Oh, and by the way,” I covered my mouth and giggled, “your wedding is next week, right? You should probably let the guests know. It would be a little embarrassing to be a bride with no groom.” Lillian’s phony expression finally cracked. She sneered. “Ava, no matter how much you dislike me, you shouldn’t curse your own father. He was good to you.” He really was. He let my mother die for his first love. He threw me, his own daughter, out of the house for a girl who wasn’t even his stepdaughter. Where else in the world could you find such a wonderful father? “You don’t believe me, Lillian?” I shrugged. “I guess that makes sense. After all, you and my father never got a marriage license. The hospital wouldn’t have known to call you. It fell to me, the younger generation, to handle such a major life event for the first time.” I pulled my father’s death certificate from my bag and tossed it at their feet. Lillian’s face instantly turned a sickly gray. She swayed on her feet, barely held up by Stella. “Stella,” I said, turning to her, “I’m selling the house you’re living in. You have one week to move out. Otherwise, I’m calling the police.” “Oh, and Lillian? That mansion you’re staying in? You’ll have to move out of that too. But you’ve been there for years, so I’m sure you have a lot of stuff. Don’t worry, I’ll help you find a moving company. As for all the jewelry and things my father gave you… you can keep them. Consider it compensation for all the years you spent by his side without a ring on your finger.” I put on my sunglasses and walked away without a shred of emotion. Behind me, I heard Stella scream as Lillian collapsed to the ground. The next day, I went to the bank. My father was an overly cautious man. He never kept anything valuable at home; it was all locked away in a safe deposit box. If he had kept it at the mansion, Lillian would have cleaned the place out long ago. There would have been nothing left for me to inherit. Looking at the gold bars and antique artifacts, I could barely keep my jaw from hitting the floor. After a quick inventory and some paperwork, it was all officially mine. To celebrate, I treated myself to an extravagant lunch at a five-star hotel. Full and happy, I headed home for a well-deserved beauty sleep. But as my car entered our gated community, I was stopped by a security guard. The guard, a kind man named Tom, pulled me aside and whispered, “Miss Hayes, that mistress ‘auntie’ of yours is here.” Mistress auntie? It took me a second to realize he meant Lillian. Years ago, my father had thrown me out of the mansion while I was sick, all for her. The scandal had spread through the entire neighborhood, and Lillian had become a local pariah. That was why they had never lived there after my mother passed away. “She brought an older woman with her, said she was your aunt. I didn’t want to let them in, but my supervisor…” Lillian must have bribed him. I smiled sweetly. “Thank you for the heads-up, Tom. I appreciate it.” “They seemed really angry. They already used the keypad to get in. You should be careful.” He was genuinely concerned for my safety. I thanked him again. Then, my eyes fell on the stun gun on his belt, and an idea sparked. “Tom,” I said, “can I buy that stun gun off you?” Before I went inside, I checked the security camera feed on my phone. There they were, my aunt Brenda, Lillian, and Stella, sitting in my living room. Brenda was looking around at my decor, and as I watched, she casually slipped a small antique into her purse. I saved the footage. Then, I took a deep breath, walked to the front door, entered the code, and barged in, stun gun held high. “Thieves! Get out of my house, you filthy thieves! I’ll kill you!” I closed my eyes and started swinging the stun gun wildly. I heard a few screams, and finally, my aunt’s sharp, piercing voice. “Ava, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you! Look at me! It’s me!” I got in two more hits before I stopped. I feigned surprise. “Aunt Brenda? What are you doing here?” Her face was covered in red marks, some already turning blue. She glared at me with pure fury. “You little brat, Ava! How dare you strike your elder? You’ll be damned for this!” I kept up the innocent act. “Brenda, what a terrible thing to say. You came into my house without telling me. I saw people in my living room and naturally assumed you were burglars. I have so many antiques, you know. It’s so easy for one to go missing.” At the mention of that, Brenda subtly shifted her purse behind her back. She cleared her throat. “Ava, your father has only been dead for a few days, and you’ve already had him cremated. Why didn’t you inform your elders?” “Elders? If I remember correctly, my grandmother is dead. What other elders are there?” “Ava, no matter what, Brenda is your father’s sister. She’s your aunt. It’s not appropriate for you to speak to her like that,” Lillian chimed in, trying to act like a respected elder herself. “We don’t share the same parents. How exactly is she my real aunt?” I retorted. My biological grandfather died young. My grandmother remarried, taking my father with her. Brenda was my step-grandfather’s daughter from a previous relationship. We had no blood relation whatsoever. “Ava!” Brenda exploded. Lillian patted her shoulder, reminding her to focus on the real issue. Brenda took a moment to compose herself, adopting a condescending tone. “Your father is gone, so someone needs to be the voice of reason in this family. I hear you’ve taken all the assets for yourself. That’s not right. You need to give Lillian her share.” “And why should I?” I sneered. “Lillian never married my father, did she?” I had already confirmed everything with the lawyer. Lillian and my father had planned to get their marriage license the day before the wedding. What a shame. “But they were about to get married,” Brenda insisted. “But they weren’t married yet. The state doesn’t recognize them as a couple, so why should I?” My words must have hit a nerve, because Brenda’s face turned a shade of purple. Lillian tried to play the victim. “Ava, it’s not that I want to fight you for this inheritance. It’s just that now, I have…” She touched her stomach, her words trailing off. I cut her off. “Well, spit it out.” Stella immediately jumped to her feet. “Are you blind, Ava? Can’t you see? My mom is pregnant with your father’s child! Even if you don’t give my mom a share of the inheritance, this baby has a right to it!” I laughed coldly. “And who can prove that’s my father’s child?” Brenda interjected, “I can prove it! Ava, we’re trying to be nice because you’re still young. We don’t want to make this ugly. Otherwise, we would have sued you already!” I laughed even harder. “Then please, go ahead and sue me.” “You’re insane!” Brenda grabbed Lillian’s arm and started pulling her towards the door. “I told you, there’s no talking to this brat. Let’s go find a lawyer.” As the three of them were about to leave, I said, “Wait a moment.”

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1 I returned from my tour of duty to find that my sister, the only family I had left, had died under mysterious circumstances during a routine appendectomy. After twelve official appeals to the hospital were rejected, I went underground for three years. I clawed my way into the life of the city’s wealthiest family, the Thornes, and became the fiancé of their heiress. At the altar, during my own wedding, I put a bullet through my father-in-law’s chest. Amid the screams of the wedding guests, I dragged his bleeding wife onto the dais and pressed the barrel of my gun to her temple. “Celeste,” I said to my bride, “you have fifteen minutes to give me the name of the person who murdered my sister three years ago. Judging by the bleeding from your mother’s femoral artery, that’s all the time she has left.” My fiancée sobbed, begging me to stop. Her adopted brother screamed that he would see me rot in prison for the rest of my life. I ignored them. I pulled the trigger again, sending a round through my mother-in-law’s left arm. “The clock is ticking. You have ten minutes now.” I knew, with absolute certainty, that my sister’s killer was in this room. … Another shot rang out, and the wedding reception dissolved into pure chaos. People screamed and scrambled for the exits, some collapsed in fear, while others huddled in corners, staring at me in horror. My fiancée, Celeste Thorne, fought to control her trembling and took a shaky step forward. Her voice was a strained whisper, trying for calm. “Jaxon, please, calm down… We are all heartbroken about what happened to Phoebe. But you can’t hurt innocent people like this. You were a soldier. You know better than anyone that violence solves nothing… Your sister wouldn’t want to see you become this.” Before she could finish, her adopted brother, Elias, lunged forward, roaring with fury, only to be held back by the bodyguards. His eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at me, spitting venom. “Jaxon! Are you out of your goddamn mind?! Your sister died because she hid her anesthesia allergy! The hospital’s conclusion was final! Your twelve appeals were all rejected because the evidence was irrefutable! You planned this, didn’t you? You wanted to ruin my family! My parents treated you like a son, and this is how you repay them?!” Hearing this, the guests began to murmur their agreement, their voices a mixture of contempt and fear. “Is he insane? His sister died, so he gets to blame everyone else? Kidnapping and murder? He’s a monster!” “I heard she didn’t tell them she was allergic to the anesthetic. The hospital explained everything, but he refused to believe it. He filed a dozen complaints and got nowhere, and now he’s doing this?” “If twelve appeals failed, it must have been an accident, right? If there was a killer, they would have found them by now!” They had their version of the truth. I had mine. My sister, Phoebe, would never have hidden her allergy. Our parents died when we were young. I was sixteen when I started raising my ten-year-old sister on my own. She was frail, always sick. Every pill, every injection, she was meticulously careful, terrified of something going wrong. The day I left for basic training, I stroked her hair and made her promise. “Listen to me. No matter what, if you ever have surgery, you tell them about your allergy. Don’t you ever forget.” She nodded fiercely. “I know, Jaxon. I promise.” The day of her appendectomy, I was on my final mission. I couldn’t be there. All I could do was call and remind her one last time. “Don’t worry, big brother,” she’d said, her voice bright with laughter. “I’ve already told the doctor everything.” But when I came home, all that was waiting for me was her cold, lifeless body. The hospital’s official cause of death was cardiac arrest due to an allergic reaction to anesthesia. I didn’t believe it. I demanded an autopsy. The medical examiner made a horrifying discovery: Phoebe’s heart was missing. When I confronted the hospital director with the report, he just laughed and tore it to shreds. “Don’t be ridiculous, Jaxon. Your sister’s body was already cremated. What proof do you have that her heart was gone?” I stormed down to the morgue, but it was too late. Her body was already being pushed into the incinerator. The next day, the medical examiner who had found the missing heart changed his story completely, insisting he’d never seen any such thing. I went back again and again, demanding answers. Each time, the director had security throw me out. The last time, he stood on the steps, looking down at me with contempt. “Give it up, Jaxon. You’re a nobody in this city. You can’t move the mountains that stand in your way.” I tried going to the authorities, to the media, but no one would listen. It was only later that I learned the truth. The hospital was owned by the Thorne family, the wealthiest and most powerful family in the city. They were the ones burying the story. Everyone told me to let it go. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw my sister’s pale, lifeless face. She would never forget her allergy. And her heart wouldn’t just vanish into thin air. So today, the Thornes were going to give me an answer. I tuned out the accusations, the curses, the pleas. After three years of planning, I knew everything. But I was just one man against an empire. That’s why it had to be today. At Celeste’s wedding, in front of every news camera in the city, under the watchful eyes of the entire world, I would force them to confess. My gaze swept over the sea of cameras, my voice cutting through the noise, cold and clear. “Your mother has eight minutes left before she bleeds to death.” Panic finally broke through Celeste’s composure. She staggered forward, her voice trembling. “Jaxon… please… don’t hurt my mother… she’s all I have left!” She spun around and screamed, “Get the director! Now!” A moment later, the hospital director, who had been a guest at the wedding, was dragged to the front. He wiped the sweat from his brow, trying to appear calm. “Mr. Jaxon, I’ve explained this countless times… Your sister’s death was a tragic accident caused by her failure to disclose her allergy. That is the undeniable truth.” He shakily pulled a stack of documents from his briefcase and spread them out before me. I’d seen this so-called “proof” a hundred times before: falsified anesthesia records, forged consent forms, testimony from bribed doctors… a web of carefully constructed lies. I let out a cold laugh and pulled the trigger. BANG! The bullet tore through his wife’s wrist, and blood sprayed across the white tablecloth. “Six minutes,” I said calmly. Elias completely lost it, screaming as he tried to break free from the guards. “You’re insane! You’re a monster! We gave you the proof, what more do you want?!” I looked at his contorted face and smiled. “You can’t bear to see your mother suffer, can you, Elias? Did you ever stop to think that when my sister died, she didn’t even have a complete body left to bury?” The room erupted. “He’s seen the evidence! He just won’t accept it!” “This is a paranoid delusion! Does he think he can just ignore the law?!” “Where are the police? They should just shoot this maniac on sight!” The insults washed over me, but I didn’t flinch. My eyes were locked on the director, my voice like a poisoned blade. “I want the real killer. I want the evidence you’ve worked so hard to hide. Stop trying to fool me with these forgeries, or the next bullet will be fatal.” The director’s face was ashen. He kept glancing nervously at Celeste, sweat beading on his forehead. I knew he was close to breaking. Seeing this, Celeste slowly approached, her hands raised in a placating gesture. “Jaxon, I understand your pain. What do you want? We can form a special investigation team, right now, to reopen your sister’s case.” She kept talking, inching closer with every word. “But an investigation takes time. Why don’t you let my mother get medical attention first? Or… you could take me as a hostage instead.” I watched her performance with cold eyes, my gaze flicking to the unnatural bulge at the side of her wedding dress. It was the distinct outline of a handgun. I had spent three years learning everything about Celeste Thorne. She wasn’t just a business powerhouse; she was a black belt in taekwondo and a crack shot who held the record at her private gun range. A smirk touched my lips. “Did you really think I didn’t know your right hand is three inches from your holster, Celeste?” I deliberately moved the barrel of my gun, aiming it at her mother’s chest. “Take one more step, and your mother will bleed out in thirty seconds.” Celeste’s pupils contracted. She froze. Behind her, the bodyguards tensed, their fingers on their own triggers. The air in the ballroom was thick enough to choke on, broken only by the pained moans of the woman on the stage. I noticed the director trying to sneak away into the crowd. “Director, stop right there!” I barked. Every head in the room turned to watch the cowardly man. “It seems our esteemed director knows where the real investigation should begin.” Celeste’s expression flickered. She shot a look at her bodyguards. Two of them immediately seized the director and dragged him back. His white coat was soaked with sweat, his legs shaking uncontrollably. “Five minutes.” I stared at my watch, my voice terrifyingly calm. “Your mother has five minutes left. Director, are you going to watch your boss’s wife die in front of you, or are you going to tell us what really happened in that operating room three years ago?” “I have all the time in the world to play this game, Celeste. Your mother doesn’t.” “What’s it going to be? Are you really willing to sacrifice your own mother to protect a criminal?” My words struck a nerve. Celeste’s hands, hanging at her sides, clenched into fists, her whole body trembling. The director’s face was slick with sweat as his eyes darted between me and Celeste. Just as she was hesitating, biting her lip, the main doors of the ballroom burst open. Elias, who had slipped out at some point, strode back in, dragging a familiar figure with him. He grinned maliciously. “Jaxon! If you won’t believe us, surely you’ll believe her!” My hand, the one holding the gun, went rigid. Standing next to Elias was Clara, my childhood sweetheart. She was wearing a simple white dress, her eyes red and swollen as she looked at me. The girl who had promised to spend her life with me was now standing with my enemies. Her voice was choked with tears. “Jaxon… please, put the gun down. You always dreamed of being a soldier, of protecting people. How can you hurt innocent…” A sharp pain lanced through my chest. This was the girl my sister and I had treated like family. “Clara, do you remember when Phoebe was fifteen? How she worked three secret jobs to save up and buy you that dress you wanted for your birthday?” Clara’s fingers twisted the fabric of her dress. “Do you remember when your father was in the hospital? Who stayed with him every single day for two weeks? It was Phoebe.” My voice grew colder. “And this is how you repay her? By helping them cover up her murder?” The ballroom was dead silent. I couldn’t understand it. How could everyone, even Clara, be protecting the killer? Clara avoided my gaze, but her voice was firm. “Jaxon, Phoebe really did die because of her allergy… I’m not lying to you. The hospital isn’t lying. I was there. I saw her sign the consent form with my own eyes…” “Is that so?” I sneered. “Then where is her heart? Does an allergic reaction make your heart disappear?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but the slight tremor in my hand betrayed me. “Clara, look me in the eye and tell me you’re telling the truth. Do you have proof? Or is someone forcing you to lie? Don’t be afraid. Today is our chance. I will get justice for Phoebe!” Clara kept her head down, her voice barely a whisper as she pulled a folder from her bag. “I do have proof!” She shakily unfolded a single piece of paper. As the page opened, the blood in my veins turned to ice. Clara’s voice was thick with tears. “Jaxon… Phoebe left this… It’s a suicide note.” “It says it right here…” I stared at the familiar handwriting. Brother, I’m so sorry. Because of my carelessness, I can’t be with you anymore. I want to donate my heart to someone who needs it, so they can live on and stay by your side for me… Every word was a needle in my heart. It was Phoebe’s handwriting, down to the little hook she always put at the end of her sentences. For a single, terrifying moment, I faltered. My fingers trembled. Could I have been wrong all this time? But as my eyes scanned the page, I saw the last line. I hope you can forgive me, brother… I won’t be able to share a big seafood feast with you anymore. My pupils constricted. BANG! Another shot echoed through the hall. Celeste’s mother now had a bleeding hole in her other arm. My voice was like a shard of ice. “I don’t accept this note.” “You have two minutes left, Celeste.” The room exploded. Clara was frantic. “Jaxon! She really wrote this! Please, just turn yourself in! With your service record, they’ll go easy on you…” Celeste jumped in immediately. “Jaxon, if you let my mother go, I promise I won’t press charges. You can still be my husband…” The crowd’s curses rained down on me. “He’s still denying it, even with the proof right in his face!” “His sister got herself killed, and now he’s trying to extort them!” “Scum! Profiting off his own sister’s death!” Elias’s face was purple with rage. “Jaxon! We have a witness and a note! What more do you want?!” I ignored the noise, my eyes locked on Celeste. After a few moments, sweat began to bead on her forehead. Her lips trembled. I knew she was at her breaking point. Her mother’s life was in my hands. Just then, the sound of sirens grew louder, closer. The doors burst open again, and a SWAT team swarmed the ballroom, weapons raised. What broke my heart, what truly shattered it, was that Celeste didn’t hesitate for a single second. “Shoot him!” she screamed at the police. “Shoot him! I want him dead!” In that moment, it felt like my soul was being torn in two. For three years, I had pretended to love her, pretending to care. But routine becomes reality, and somewhere along the line, I had started to believe it myself. And she, without a second thought, had just ordered my execution. Outnumbered and outgunned, I was quickly subdued. Celeste instantly regained her composure, her voice dripping with aristocratic disdain. “It’s no use, Jaxon. Your sister died because she was careless. No amount of threats will change that.” I didn’t say anything. I just let out a short, sharp laugh. The room erupted in cheers. “Good! They got him!” “He got what he deserved!” “They should execute monsters like him!” The director, Celeste, and Elias all breathed a collective sigh of relief, waiting to see me break. But all they saw on my face was cold, burning hatred. Seeing that I was still defiant, Elias snarled, “You’re going to rot in prison for this!” “And my sister was supposed to just die for nothing?” I shot back, my voice raw. “She was so careful she read the ingredients on a bottle of cold medicine! How could she forget about an anesthesia allergy?” Died from hiding an allergy? It was a pathetic lie. These butchers weren’t going to get away with it. This was far from over. Just as they thought they had won, the SWAT team leader’s voice boomed through the hall. “It’s a fake! The hostage is a hyper-realistic doll!”

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Three years after we broke up, Roger sued me. He wanted every dollar he’d ever spent on me during our relationship returned. He wasn’t broke; his new wife was just bored, and I was her new plaything. He knew my body was failing me. He knew I hadn’t slept without medication since my parents died in a car crash, that a thick fog of depression had settled over my life. He knew I’d tried to end it all once, waking up in a hospital bed with doctors whispering that I might not make it. And he did it anyway. In the courtroom, I looked at his face, so familiar yet so alien. I had known him for seven years, loved him for five. When he left to study abroad in America, I never once thought of giving up, even when things were at their worst. L.A. was a world away, but I flew back and forth a dozen times to be with him. The court ordered me to pay him back $10,723. That last three dollars was from a day on the streets of L.A. I’d seen a stall selling candied apples, but at three dollars a piece, I couldn’t bring myself to buy one. He had just laughed and bought it for me anyway. Now, even that sweet memory had been sharpened into a blade pointed at my heart. He didn’t know. That ten thousand dollars was every cent I had to my name. It was also the money I’d set aside for my next round of chemotherapy. 1 After the verdict was read, I ran right into Roger in the hallway. I hadn’t seen him in years, and he’d changed. The struggling student who used to hustle between part-time jobs and a cramped, cheap apartment was now a titan in the green tech industry. He stood there in a perfectly tailored suit, his gaze landing on me with a cool, detached frostiness. I froze, my first instinct to pretend I hadn’t seen him and walk away. But then he spoke, his voice slow and deliberate. “Are you regretting it… now?” I blinked, confused. “What?” A bitter, mocking smile twisted his lips. “Dumping me for money back then. You must be kicking yourself, right?” The late autumn wind was sharp, cutting through my thin clothes. I clenched my fists, but a deep, unshakable chill had already taken root in my bones. I took a deep breath and forced a flawless smile. “Mr. Vance, the money has been repaid. We’re broken up. Aren’t you worried your wife might get the wrong idea if she heard you talking like this?” As if on cue, I turned and saw Felicity standing there, her face a mask of fury. The anger vanished in an instant, replaced by a radiant smile that didn’t quite reach the venom in her eyes. She clicked across the floor in her stilettos and wrapped her arm possessively around Roger’s. “Honey, what should I even do with this ten thousand dollars? A new dress? Shoes? Or that designer bag I saw last week?” She shot a pointed look at me, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “It doesn’t seem to be enough for any of those, does it? You really should have been more generous with your ex-girlfriend. This little bit of cash wouldn’t even cover a new hairpin for me.” I had loved Roger for five years. During that time, while he was studying in L.A., I flew across the country every month to see him. The ten thousand dollars he sued me for was mostly the money he had earned working grueling side jobs to help pay for my plane tickets. But now, he and Felicity had presented the bank transfers to their lawyer, who had torn my life apart in court, demanding repayment as if it were their birthright. The hairpin on Felicity’s head was the latest release from Chanel, costing fifteen thousand dollars. The money she’d just squeezed from me truly wasn’t enough. Roger brushed a stray hair from her face with a tender, doting gesture. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Think of it as pocket money. If it’s not enough, I’ll add to it.” Felicity’s face lit up, and she planted a kiss on his cheek. “You’re the best, honey!” Then, she turned to me, her smile a weapon. “Eve, I am so sorry. We obviously don’t need the money, but Roger and I made a little bet. He did this just to make me happy, you know?” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Ever since we got married, Roger worries about me working too hard, so he won’t let me get a job. All I do all day is skincare, beauty treatments, and travel. A girl has to find some way to amuse herself, right?” She reached out and took my hand, her eyes glittering with triumph. “Thank you for making my day. And for proving just how much my husband adores me.” A sharp pain shot through my chest, like a thousand tiny needles piercing my heart. For the rich, this was just a game. I was nothing more than a pawn, a tool used to demonstrate the depths of Roger’s devotion to his wife. 2 I fought to keep my hands from shaking and plastered on another perfect smile. “A debt is a debt. It’s only right that I paid it.” Felicity’s smile widened. “I hope you always feel that way.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “My husband is a simple man. He was deceived by someone vain and materialistic. I just wanted to help him get his own back. I hope you don’t mind.” Suddenly, her grip on my hand tightened, her nails digging viciously into my wrist. I cried out in shock and pain, stumbling backward. My feet tangled, and I tumbled down the marble steps. My knee cracked against a sharp edge, and a hot, searing pain was followed by the sight of blood blooming through my pants. I gritted my teeth against the wave of agony, my body trembling as I looked up at the two figures looming over me. Felicity covered her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand, her eyes wide with fake surprise. “Eve, what happened? It was only ten thousand dollars. Surely that’s not enough to make you lose your balance? You look badly hurt. Should we give you a ride home?” Her triumphant smile returned. “Roger just bought me a new sports car. I’m sure ten thousand dollars would cover the gas to get you home.” Her car was an anniversary gift from Roger, its body encrusted with shimmering pink diamonds—a perfect reflection of her ostentatious taste. She loved parading it around the city, causing a stir with the press and drawing envious stares from everyone who saw it. My gaze shifted to Roger. His eyes were cold and deep, unreadable pools of shadow. He looked down at me from the top of the stairs, a silent, icy judgment in his stare. I felt like a stray dog, beaten and discarded. I pushed myself up from the cold floor, the pain in my knee a dull, throbbing echo. I managed another smile. “No, thank you. I’ll get home on my own.” Felicity burst into a tinkling laugh. “Well, we’ll be on our way then!” She turned to Roger. “Honey, I know what we can buy with the money.” Her voice was bright and cheerful. “Our little Louis’s dog bowl is broken. I want to get him one of those new smart feeders.” Roger’s eyes remained fixed on me, a storm of unreadable emotions swirling within them. After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice a low murmur. “Whatever.” Felicity looped her arm through his, and they walked away, giddy with their victory. I watched as their dazzling sports car sped away, a blur of pink and chrome. It wasn’t until the car disappeared and a taxi pulled up to the curb that I remembered. I didn’t even have the money for cab fare anymore. Roger would never know. The money he was now using for a dog bowl was the money I needed to stay alive. 3 I dragged my battered body home. My place was a tin-roofed shack built on top of a tenement building in the poorest part of the city. Whenever the wind blew or the rain fell, the metal would groan and shriek, keeping me awake all night. In the summer, it was a sweatbox. There was no air conditioning, and I couldn’t afford the electricity for a fan anyway. I’d suffered from heatstroke more than once. I thought Roger would never find me here. I never imagined our reunion would be in a courtroom. My eyes fell on the wall, covered with articles I’d clipped from magazines and newspapers. I began to tear them down, one by one. Each one had a picture of Roger. Roger, the rising star of the green tech world, giving his first major interview. Roger, at the awards ceremony, named one of New York’s Ten Most Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs. And… Roger, down on one knee, proposing to Felicity, their storybook wedding splashed across every media outlet, a spectacle for the whole world to see. I took a shaky breath, ripping the pages into pieces, shoving them into a cardboard box hidden under my bed. My gaze landed on a faded photograph at the bottom of the box. A wave of grief washed over me. In the picture, Roger’s arm was wrapped around me, his smile shy, genuine, and utterly incandescent. I thought of the cold, distant man in the courthouse hallway, and it felt like I was looking at a ghost from another lifetime. He was the CEO of a publicly traded company now, a powerful figure in the city, a celebrated philanthropist, and the perfect husband who doted on Felicity, placing her on a pedestal for all to admire. The only thing he wasn’t anymore… was my boyfriend. I gave a final, bitter smile and sealed the box, burying the photos and the memories along with it. Then, I stood in front of the mirror, applying my makeup like armor and pulling on a tight-fitting dress. “Boss,” I said into the phone. “From now on, I want to work the night shift.” The night shift at the bar meant dealing with sleazy, grabby men, but it also meant more money, and faster. I had no choice. To live, I had to earn the money for my treatment. But I never, ever expected to see Roger there. He was surrounded by a crowd of people, the center of attention. My fingers tightened into fists, and the exposed skin of my arms and shoulders began to prickle with heat. Of course, he saw me too. A flicker of shock and disbelief crossed his face, quickly replaced by a sneer of pure contempt. “So, this is where you work now.” My palms were slick with sweat, but I forced myself to remain calm. “Your drink, sir.” He looked at me with open disgust, as if I were a rat struggling in a sewer. “Makes sense, I suppose. Any man who walks in here could set you up for life if you play your cards right. It really suits you.” I took another deep breath. “Your drink, sir.” He raised an eyebrow. “How long have you been here? Don’t you know how to serve a customer?” He pulled a checkbook from his jacket, scribbled a number, and tossed it onto the floor in front of me. “Take good care of my friends tonight, and this is yours.” The check landed at my feet. I knelt slowly to pick it up, my injured knee screaming in protest. When I saw the number written on it, my breath caught in my throat. My heart seized, a pain so sharp it felt like a physical blow. $10,723. The exact amount the court had ordered me to pay him. He was using it to humiliate me. I stood there, meeting his cold gaze. After a long, silent moment, my own voice came out, thin but steady. “This is a payment for a service, Mr. Vance. I… won’t have to give this back, will I?” 4 My doctor told me I couldn’t drink. Not a single drop. But I had no choice. I needed the money. For the past few years, I’d swallowed my pride and done whatever it took to survive. What were a few drinks compared to that? The men with Roger tonight were his friends. They all knew our story. They knew that three years ago, when Roger was on the verge of bankruptcy, his funding pulled, so close to the edge he almost jumped from a bridge, I had walked out on him. They knew he’d searched for me like a madman, getting into a car accident in the process, and that even as he lay in a hospital bed begging me not to go, I never looked back. They hated me. They wanted to defend his honor, and they weren’t going to show me any mercy. They poured drink after drink down my throat until the world dissolved into a meaningless blur. I collapsed onto the table, a boneless heap. When I reached for another bottle, Roger’s anger finally flared. He grabbed my wrist, his grip like iron. “Is there really no line you won’t cross for money?” I lifted my head, my vision swimming. Like a beggar, I held out my hand to him. “Roger… the money… you promised…” My voice was a slurred mess. “You said… if I drank… if I took care of your friends… you’d give me the money… and you wouldn’t take it back…” His expression shifted, becoming something more complex, more conflicted. His thumb brushed over my wrist, over the jagged, raised scars that marred my skin. After my parents died, the depression had consumed me. I had tried to cut it out of myself more than once. Each time, it was Roger who had pulled me back from the brink. He would hold me, his voice raw with desperation. “Eve, you still have me. Please, just for me, you have to live. Promise me you’ll live.” But now, he snatched his hand away as if he’d touched something filthy. His mocking smile returned, colder and sharper than before. “I made a promise, yes. But… look at my friends. Have you taken care of them?” They stood in a circle around me, their eyes filled with a mixture of cold amusement and pity, watching the clown perform. The guests were still sober, and I was already a wreck. I had failed at my job. I forced back the spasms in my stomach and gave him a woozy, foolish grin. “Then I’ll start over. Until you’re satisfied.” As I reached for another bottle, something in Roger finally snapped. He kicked out, his foot connecting with the leg of the table. The whole thing went flying. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room as bottles crashed to the floor. I fell with them, my hand landing directly on a shard of broken glass. The pain was immediate and searing, blood welling up from the gash. The door burst open, and my best friend, Chloe, rushed in. She dropped to her knees beside me, pulling me into a hug. “Eve! Are you okay?” She looked up, her eyes blazing with fury, and screamed at him. “Roger, are you even human? After everything she did for you, you force her to drink like this?” Her voice cracked, thick with tears. “She has stomach cancer! Don’t you get it? This could kill her!”

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Ten years into my marriage, I had gotten used to being alone. I went to the hospital alone. I went to the movies and ate dinner alone. Even this afternoon, when I was rear-ended, I handled it alone. Staring at the birthday cake on the table, I called him. He declined the call. A text from Tom popped up. Two words: Working late. I lit the single candle, then blew it out. My phone screen lit up with a notification for a viral post. [From the driver’s expression, guess if the person in the passenger seat is his girlfriend or his wife.] The top comment read, “Definitely a girlfriend. If my wife was in the car, my face would be planted on the steering wheel by now.” I stared at the familiar profile in the photo, at the good luck charm hanging from the rearview mirror, and I didn’t move for a very long time. At two in the morning, the front door opened. He walked in and placed a jewelry box on the coffee table. “Happy birthday.” I looked at him, my voice quiet. “Is she pretty?” 1 My phone screen was still lit up, displaying the post. “Lucy is just the new intern,” Tom explained. “Don’t overthink it.” I stood up, my voice stubbornly repeating the question. “Is she pretty?” He frowned. “She’s… cute.” I closed my eyes. A sharp pain pierced my chest, and a tear slid down my cheek. He pulled me into his arms, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Alright, still the jealous type, huh?” A strange perfume, not mine, filled my senses, and a wave of nausea washed over me. I pushed him away. His brow furrowed, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. “I already explained. Believe it or not, that’s up to you.” It was the same as always. He didn’t even have the patience for a real conversation. The bedroom door slammed shut. On the floor, the diamond necklace he’d brought home glittered under the lamp light. I’d seen Lucy’s social media post from earlier tonight. She was showing off an identical one. Even my birthday gift was just a lazy, thoughtless afterthought. That night, I scrolled through every single one of Lucy’s posts. And I found Tom’s private account. October 8th. Lucy posted that she was craving chocolate cake. Tom had commented: Got you one. Be there in a bit. November 3rd. Lucy posted about wanting to go on a trip. Tom’s comment: Tickets are booked. We leave tomorrow. … There were so many. Too many to count. All those little moments of warmth I thought were for me—the cake, the boba tea, the new handbag—they were all just leftovers, scraps he brought home for me after spoiling her. We had so many of the same things. It was a mirror image of a life I didn’t know he was living. Tears blurred my vision. I had always told myself this was just a normal phase of marriage. The lull after the storm. The comfortable silence that replaces endless conversation. But the first sign of fading love is the death of the desire to share. Sunlight streamed through the window, but I felt no warmth at all. Tom emerged from the bedroom, dressed in a sharp suit. He saw me, still on the couch, and sighed. “What do you want from me? Should I have her come over and explain it to you herself?” I stood up. “No, that won’t be necessary.” He started to speak, but his phone rang. As he pulled it out, I caught a glimpse of the caller ID. Moonbeam. His entire demeanor softened as he answered. “Don’t cry. I know about the proposal. It’s okay if you made a mistake, I’ll take care of it.” His voice was gentle, patient. “Give me fifteen minutes. I’ll come get you. I’ll even buy you your favorite dumplings.” He hung up and met my gaze. “I’ll be home early tonight to have dinner with you.” The apartment fell silent again. Just like our marriage. You could drop a stone in it and it wouldn’t even make a ripple. Before we were married, his name for me in his phone was My Wife. Pinned to the top of his contacts. A special alert for all my calls and texts. Then, one day, he unpinned it. Said he was worried about losing his phone and getting scammed. My contact name changed from My Wife to just… Hannah. He would move mountains for his Moonbeam, but he couldn’t be bothered to give me a second glance, a few extra words. The auto shop called. My car was ready. I went to the bathroom and stared at the haggard woman in the mirror. Her eyes were dull, the fine lines around them more pronounced. This marriage was a hand wrapped around my throat, slowly squeezing the life out of me. At the dealership, while I was signing the paperwork, I overheard two young women talking. “This couple came in yesterday, and the guy was incredible. Bought two cars, just like that.” “I’m so jealous. He was like, ‘If you like them both, just get them both.’” I kept signing, but their next words made my hand freeze. “The girl’s name was Lucy. She’s a pretty popular blogger, actually.” “Yeah, her feed is all lovey-dovey posts lately. I think her boyfriend’s last name is Bennett.” 2 Driving home, a bitter taste filled my mouth, spreading through my entire body until even breathing hurt. I was fifteen when I met Tom. We married at twenty-five. I’m thirty-five now. We started with nothing and built a comfortable life. But somewhere along the way, he became a stranger. I pulled into a parking spot, got out, and walked into a nearby park. I sat on a bench, watching a young couple laughing and playing in the distance. Youth is a beautiful thing, I thought. To be able to love so freely, so openly. My phone rang. It was Tom. “The insurance company called me about renewing the policy,” he said. “They also mentioned you were in an accident yesterday?” A cool breeze blew past, and for a moment, my mind felt completely clear. “Yes.” His voice was tinged with concern. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I looked away from the couple. “I could handle it myself.” Silence. Then, the dial tone. There was a time when I thought he was my rock. No matter what happened, he was the first person I would call. Once, during a thunderstorm, the power went out. I was terrified and called him while he was on a business trip. “Hannah, how old are you?” he’d snapped. “Can’t you handle it yourself? It’s so annoying having to deal with your problems all the time.” After that, I stopped calling him. When I was hospitalized with acute gastritis, I was alone. When my mother passed away, I handled the funeral arrangements alone. Even… even that thing at the beginning of the year. I never told him about that either. As dusk fell, I went home, ordered some spicy noodle soup, and lay down on the couch. The door opened. I glanced at the clock. It was only eight. For the last two years, Tom had never come home before nine. Once, we went three entire months without speaking a single word. He walked over and took my hand. “Hannah, you’re my wife. If something’s wrong, you need to tell me. We’re supposed to face things together.” I pulled my hand away. His touch felt foreign, unsettling. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d held hands. Let alone kissed. We had been sleeping in separate rooms for a long time. We weren’t husband and wife. We were roommates. “Tom, I can handle it myself.” He lost his composure, his voice rising. “Then what do you need me for? You do everything yourself. Is that all I am to you? A decoration?” I clenched my fists, trying to keep my face neutral. “Isn’t that what I am?” I shot back. “You’re the one who said I shouldn’t bother you with things I can handle myself. You said that even though we’re married, we’re still individuals.” His voice was hoarse. “Are you really going to hold onto that one thing for so long?” It wasn’t that I wanted to hold onto it. It was that every time I tried to talk to him, I could say a hundred words and he wouldn’t reply with one. My desire to share had slowly withered and died. Then he started ignoring my calls. Whenever I needed him most, he was nowhere to be found. The truth was, I could handle everything by myself. I had to. “Tom, Lucy is the one who needs your protection, isn’t she?” Lucy was younger than me, more vibrant. All it took was one phone call, and he would drop everything and run to her. Including that day at the beginning of the year. The day I was lying on a cold operating table, and the space for my husband’s signature on the consent form was empty. Just before the anesthesia took hold, a nurse had handed me the clipboard. Hearing her name now, his anger flared. “Are you insane? Are you trying to make me feel guilty with these pathetic, passive-aggressive comments?” “Lucy is my intern. As her boss, I’m just looking out for her.” I laughed, a cold, empty sound. “Is that it? So, you buy her cars, take her on trips, and when my own mother died, you were with her, stargazing in London?” I met his eyes. “Tom, why even bother with the charade?” He was about to say something else when a knock came at the door. Lucy’s cheerful voice chirped from the hallway. “Hello! Your food delivery is here!” 3 I opened the door and saw her in person for the first time. Twenty-two. The age of a blooming flower. She was wearing a short, pink skirt, her body flawless, her skin radiant. She looked at me, her clear eyes filled with an undisguised contempt, and placed the takeout bag on the entryway table. “You must be Mr. Bennett’s wife. I’m his intern, Lucy.” She extended a hand, and my eyes immediately fell on the diamond ring sparkling on her ring finger. My wedding ring. It had mysteriously disappeared six months ago. Now, it was on her hand. Lucy’s smile widened, her voice light and airy. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Mr. Bennett gave it to me. Oh, and here’s your food.” She gestured to the bag. “But a little friendly advice? At your age, eating heavy, salty food at night will make you bloated. Your metabolism just can’t handle it anymore.” I picked up the bag of noodle soup and, right in front of them, dropped it into the trash can. “You have a point,” I said, my voice even. “Some things are better off thrown away.” Lucy’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “Are you doing this on purpose? If you don’t like me, I’ll just leave.” Tom stepped in front of her, shielding her. “What’s your problem?” he snapped at me. “Lucy was kind enough to bring you food, and you just throw it away like that?” “Mr. Bennett, please don’t fight,” Lucy sobbed. “It’s just a bag of takeout,” he said, his voice dripping with impatience. “She’s young, she doesn’t know any better. Why are you picking a fight with her? Throwing it away like that… you’re being cruel.” Cruel. I looked at Lucy’s triumphant, tear-streaked face, and I suddenly wanted to laugh. I was twenty-two once. Young and full of life. I gave him the best years of my life. I lived with him in a basement apartment, ate ramen noodles with him, cooked him hangover soup when he came home late from networking events, and swallowed every single one of my own frustrations and disappointments. Now I was thirty-five. I had fine lines around my eyes and calloused hands from years of taking care of him. I was the shadow that followed him. And because I threw away a bag of takeout delivered with an insult, he called me cruel. My voice was calm when I spoke. “Tom, my ring. Does it look good on her hand?” His eyes darted away, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. “She found it. I was just about to ask her to give it back to you.” A mocking laugh escaped my lips. “Really? She just happened to find my wedding ring in my jewelry box and decided to wear it herself?” The color drained from Lucy’s face, and she quickly hid her hand behind her back. Tom’s embarrassment turned to anger. “That’s enough! It’s just a ring. Do you have to be so aggressive?” He turned to Lucy. “Give her the ring back.” Lucy bit her lip and slowly, reluctantly, slipped the ring off her finger. It “accidentally” slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor. I didn’t move to pick it up. Seeing my inaction, Tom bent down, retrieved the ring, and held it out to me, his voice tight with suppressed fury. “Hannah, here’s your ring. Now stop making a scene.” The heart that had once beaten so fiercely for him was sinking, sinking into an abyss so deep I could no longer feel the pain. Favoritism doesn’t need a reason. His heart favored Lucy, so no matter what I did, I would always be in the wrong. Suddenly, I felt tired. So tired that I didn’t have the energy to say another word. “You can keep the ring,” I said. “Or give it to someone you think deserves it.” I paused. “And one more thing. Tomorrow, two o’clock, at the courthouse. Let’s get a divorce.” 4 Tom blinked, his voice uncertain. “Are you serious?” I looked at the trash can. “Yes. This noodle soup is like our marriage. It looks hot and steamy, but it’s already gone bad.” Without another word, I walked into the bedroom and closed the door. The voices outside faded away. I sat with my back against the door for a long time. In our wedding photo on the wall, a twenty-five-year-old Tom was looking down at me, his eyes shining like stars in a summer sky. We were so poor then. He had used three months of overtime pay to buy me my first gold necklace. “Whatever other people have, you’ll have too,” he had said. “You’re my star.” He bought me more expensive jewelry over the years, but I only ever wore that gold chain. Six months ago, it broke. I took it to be repaired, but the jeweler said it was too worn down to be fixed. He had found his moon now. He didn’t need his star anymore. The next afternoon, at the courthouse. Tom’s car pulled up right on time. But he wasn’t alone. Lucy hopped out of the passenger seat and linked her arm through his. “You don’t mind if I come along, do you? Today is an important day. I want to be here to support Tom.” I ignored her. “Let’s go.” He frowned, and we walked up the steps of the courthouse like two strangers, one behind the other. Suddenly, there was a screech of tires and a chorus of screams from behind us. I whirled around. Lucy had fallen down the steps. A car, not seeing her, had driven straight into her. “Lucy!” Tom flew down the steps like a madman, dropping to his knees beside her. A pool of crimson was quickly spreading beneath her. He screamed at me, his voice raw. “An ambulance! Call an ambulance!” I stood frozen at the top of the steps, my hands and feet turning to ice. It had all happened so fast. I didn’t even see how she fell. Tom took off his jacket and covered her with it, calling her name over and over. Lucy’s eyes fluttered open. She pointed a weak, trembling finger at me. “It was you… you did this…” The veins on his forehead bulged. He roared, his voice cracking with rage. “Stop pretending! I knew something was wrong yesterday when you were so calm. You hate her, you hate me, so you chose today to do this. Hannah, how could you be so evil?” His voice dropped to a choked whisper. “She’s pregnant. She’s carrying my child.” A murmur went through the crowd of onlookers. Dozens of eyes turned to me, their gazes like needles piercing my skin. I looked at Lucy. And in that moment, I saw it. A flicker of a cold, triumphant smile. It was a setup. She was using her own child to utterly destroy me. A deep, bone-chilling cold settled in my heart. “In your mind, is that really the kind of person I am?” His eyes were bloodshot, and every word he spoke was a dagger. “What else am I supposed to think? You threw away her food yesterday. Are you going to deny that you hate her? You’re a murderer.” Those four words were the final, crushing blow. In that instant, every emotion I had suppressed broke through the dam of my reason. I reached into my bag and pulled out a manila envelope. The envelope I had brought with me for my follow-up appointment today. Under his furious, hateful gaze, I threw it in his face. Papers scattered, fluttering to the ground like ashes. On the top was a surgical consent form from the city hospital, dated at the beginning of the year. Patient: Hannah Bennett. Procedure: Lumpectomy. Date: January 12th. Family Signature: Self. Tom froze. Tears streamed down my face, but I was laughing, my whole body shaking. “A murderer? Aren’t you the murderer?”

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Five years after we broke up, Christian Vance’s sister went on a reality show and exposed me. “My brother dated this girl a while back. A total gold digger.” “After they broke up, she sent him over a hundred texts begging to get back together.” “But, you know, I deleted all of them before he could see.” The internet detectives immediately pinned the “gold digger” label on me—a washed-up, has-been actress. To snag the headline, a paparazzi dug me out from a pile of “dead bodies” on a film set. I wiped a smudge of fake ash off my face and smiled at the camera. “I don’t really know him. If I did, would I be here playing a corpse for fifty bucks?” The interview clip went viral. Christian flew back from overseas. That night, I saw him standing at the door of my rundown apartment. “You don’t know me? So, who was I sleeping with all those years? A ghost?” 1 After Lyla Vance’s explosive clip aired, it simmered overnight before hitting the number one trending spot on X. In the video, she smiled nonchalantly at the camera, playing the role of the righteous executioner of gold diggers. “Anyone with eyes could see she was just after our family’s money. My brother actually thought she was innocent.” “You know, that type of manipulative girl who plays the victim is the scariest. None of our friends in the circle liked her back then.” “But my brother was like he’d been hexed. He almost cut ties with the family for her.” “My mom wanted to force them apart, but I told her it wasn’t worth ruining her relationship with her son over a gold digger.” “In the end, I had to infiltrate the situation and use some… methods to make that woman show her true colors.” “I honestly saved my brother’s life. For families like ours, marriage needs to be between equals for everyone to be happy.” Lyla entered the entertainment industry under the banner of a wealthy heiress. On the surface, she was the daughter of Vance Estates. The public naturally assumed the “brother” she mentioned was the heir to the Vance empire. But in reality, Vance Estates was just a small asset within the massive portfolio of the Christian family. But I digress. Dead bodies aren’t supposed to check their phones. The guy lying next to me, another extra playing a corpse, filled me in on what Lyla said. I don’t know how they connected the dots, but thousands of clues later, the public’s gaze landed squarely on me. “Is it really not you?” As soon as the director yelled “Cut,” the paparazzi guy and I scrambled up from the dirt. You have to hand it to him; to get a scoop, he actually infiltrated the set to play a dead body alongside me. I dusted off my gray robes and grinned. “It really isn’t. If I had connections to a high-roller like that, would I need to be here playing dead?” He spat out a blade of grass. “Stop acting. I’ve been tracking you since your debut. I could never get a shot of your ex-boyfriend back then, but now with this leak, the timeline fits perfectly.” I ignored him, bending over to fish a crumpled business card out of the jeans I wore under my costume. I shoved it into his hand with a flattering smile. “Boss, remember me if you have work. Dead bodies, zombies, background wall—I can do it all. My professional skills are top-tier.” This paparazzi, Eddy, had bought stock in me since my debut. In my peak years, he bought a condo in Burbank just by selling dirt on me. Now that I was washed up, he was the only one who hadn’t given up, always hoping for my grand comeback. He snatched the card, cursing. “I swear, Summer, if you were a stock, I’d have lost my underwear holding onto you these past few years.” “Look at you. You used to be the ‘It Girl.’ How did you end up like this?” I waved my hand dismissively. “Heroes don’t brag about past glory. Eddy, if you can toss a few gigs my way in the future, I’ll be eternally grateful.” I watched his retreating back and craned my neck to yell, “Eddy! I’ll act in anything! Just get me a role!” The autumn wind was biting. I pulled my robe tighter. If he hadn’t brought it up, I might have truly forgotten. Glory. Yeah, I used to have plenty of that. 2 I was scouted at eighteen, and by nineteen, I was a household name. The tabloids scrutinized my every move, but they were generally kind. Vanity Fair once ran a headline calling me the brightest star in the galaxy. I lived up to the hype, rocketing to the A-list in record time. Lyla always claimed I relied on her brother, that I was after the Vance money. Others might speculate, but Christian knew the truth best. I met him when I was nineteen. I had limitless potential and an ego to match. He didn’t know how to pursue a girl; he only knew how to throw money. “Be with me, and I’ll fund your movies.” I threw the cash back in his face, chin high. “I need you to fund me? Directors are lining up to hand me scripts.” He laughed, not angry in the least, and stopped his bodyguards from stepping in. After that, he changed tactics. He dropped the arrogance. He squeezed onto economy buses to accompany me to remote shooting locations. He huddled in cheap motels with me, cooked for me, made me soup. I took it all for granted, patting his shoulder with a sense of honor. “I’m a superstar. Do you know how many people dream of cooking for me?” “When I win the Oscar and I’m famous worldwide, you’ll have bragging rights. You really struck gold picking me out of the crowd.” Christian would run his fingers through my hair, agreeing to all my nonsensical rambling unconditionally. “That’s why I say I have good taste. I knew from the start you’d make it big.” Back then, I saw Christian as no different from other trust fund kids, except he was exceptionally handsome. He truly loved me then. The patience cultivated from a life of privilege was poured entirely onto me. I became famous too early. I was young, aggressive, and proud. I didn’t know how to bow my head. No one restrained me. No one taught me the rules. I offended a lot of people along the way. At such a young age, I did whatever I wanted in that circle. Not because I was untouchable, but because Christian was always there to clean up my mess. If he dared to hand me the sword, I dared to swing it. An actress marrying a tycoon—it’s a tale as old as time. At that time, I thought I was somebody. Marrying Christian wouldn’t necessarily boost his status, but he certainly wouldn’t be losing out. So, I naively thought the only hurdle between us was whether I said yes. 3 Later, I learned what a true class divide looked like. Christian’s mother didn’t like me. His friends looked down on me. With my pride, I should have broken up with him. But I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t bear to leave him, couldn’t bear not to love him. I lowered my head. I compromised. I refused to retreat. That was when Lyla entered the picture. She was Christian’s adopted sister. Her biological father was the Vance family driver who died saving Christian when she was five. The family took her in. Maybe it was gratitude, maybe it was the bond of growing up together, but Lyla held significant sway in their circle. When she first met me, she showed immense enthusiasm. “Bro, this is the sister-in-law you found for me? She’s gorgeous.” She linked arms with me, pointing at their circle of friends, barking orders. “Listen up, everyone be nice to my sister-in-law. With me here, no one bullies her.” In my most confusing moments, I treated her as an ally. I asked her about his mother’s opinion, asked her how to please her. Lyla comforted me, “Oh, don’t worry. Auntie Lane has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. You and my brother just need to hold the line. One day, if you guys just elope or give her a grandkid, she’ll be too happy to care.” “Worst case, just wait it out. When my brother gets older, she’ll naturally compromise.” I wasn’t stupid enough to use a child to force a marriage. But Lyla’s words gave me a bit of confidence back then. I thought Christian’s mother was like any mother—eventually, she wouldn’t be able to say no to her son. So when Lyla told me Christian’s mother wanted to meet me, I believed her. I did my makeup perfectly, wore my most modest dress, and went with a heart full of nerves. That was the first time I met Christian’s mother face-to-face. I had intruded, uninvited and rude, into a high-society event that was clearly not meant for me. In that moment, I saw profound disgust in her eyes. I looked at Lyla, hoping she would say something. She smiled, speaking ambiguously, “Auntie, don’t blame her. She just wanted to please you so badly, she lost her sense of propriety.” My pupils shrank. I felt like I had been plunged into an ice cellar. The incident caused a huge scene. Christian flew back to the States overnight. When he saw me, his eyes were heavy with fatigue. “Summer, I told you I was making plans. I was figuring it out. Why were you in such a rush? Do you know what kind of event that was? How many VIPs were there? Barging in like that… how do you expect my mom to see you?” I knew he was fighting his family, working hard for us. During many sleepless nights, we held each other tight, and I heard him whisper to just hold on a little longer. So I knew I was wrong. My eyes turned red. “I’m sorry, I was too anxious. It was Lyla… she told me to go…” The long standoff with his family had drained his patience. “Why blame her? Even if she meant well and wanted to bridge the gap, you’re an adult. Can’t you read the room?” He didn’t believe me. He thought I was desperate for quick success, desperate to climb the social ladder. 4 From then on, we began an endless cycle of arguments and cold wars. Lyla would still pretend to consider my feelings in front of others, acting close to me. But behind my back, she was just like the rest of them—contemptuous and dismissive. I planned to separate from Christian because the emotional mess was stalling my career. On the eve of my decision, Lyla sent me a video. In the clip, Christian sat on a sofa in a living room, surrounded by familiar faces. His mother’s tone was severe. “How long is this going to drag on with that girl?” Christian didn’t look up, his tone lazy. “Just playing around. Why are you in such a rush?” Along with the video came a text from Lyla. [“Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand. My brother is just like that, tough talk. He said he was ‘just playing’ with all his exes too, but he never skimped on the money or resources. Dating him for a few days sets them up for life.”] I didn’t take the video to question Christian. I just broke up with him directly. But Christian thought I was throwing a tantrum and patiently tried to placate me. To disgust him, I said the cruelest things I could think of. “No, I found a better backer. What you can give me, others can give me too!” “You think your family is royalty? Let me tell you, I don’t care!” The argument exploded instantly, turning into a messy entanglement. Many times, I think back. If only Christian had let go then. If only I hadn’t had that lingering attachment. Maybe I wouldn’t have walked into the trap Lyla set. I wouldn’t have been branded a mistress who climbed into a director’s bed at the height of my fame, with scandalous photos flying everywhere. I wouldn’t have paid breach-of-contract fees until I was penniless, ending up playing dead bodies just to eat. But there are no “ifs.” Love tripped up the first half of my life, trapping me in a prison.

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A rich boy came to our poor mountain village to “experience life.” When he was hungry, I handed him a bowl. When he was sleepy, I made his bed. When he was bored, I found him entertainment. The villagers all called me a brown-noser and a suck-up, but I didn’t care at all. Who could blame me? He paid well. I saved him from a snake’s jaws, and he took me back to the city with him. His stepmother had ulterior motives, but I always managed to help him turn danger into safety. He said, “Red Bean, you really are my lucky star.” Looking at his clear yet foolish eyes, I sighed: How do I tell him that he’s mistaking a thief for his mother? Chapter 1 The biting cold wind stung my cheeks, and mud splattered freely on my pant legs from the muddy path where the snow hadn’t yet melted. I hadn’t sold much of my vegetables this morning, and my only good pair of shoes had broken. Through the hole, my big toe poked out of my torn sock, giving me a friendly wave. Sigh, what a depressing mood! A few small cars approached, and I stepped aside to let them pass. These cars looked much grander than the ones owned by Er Mao’s rich relatives in the village. Walking to the village entrance, I saw a tall boy whose attire was completely out of place with the environment. He had conspicuous blonde hair and was frowning impatiently, directing two large men carrying luggage. “Be gentle, those are my treasures inside. Don’t put them on the ground, it’s all mud.” There were too many things, and four hands were clearly not enough for the two men. “Little girl, do you know how to get to the village chief’s house?” one of them asked me. I pointed to the tallest and grandest small villa. “Thanks, can you help us carry some stuff?” I put my vegetable basket on my back and picked up the rest of their things. The blonde must be the rich young master the village chief mentioned, the one coming to the countryside to experience life. Experience what? Eating potatoes three times a day for three days? Anyway, the village chief had instructed us at a meeting to be warm and hospitable, saying that if he was happy, he would donate money to our village. Arriving at the place, I put down the things and was about to leave. The blonde took out a few bills and handed them to me. I tilted my head and looked at him in confusion. What did he mean? “Why are you looking at me? Take the money.” Oh? For me? I opened my mouth in surprise. Reaching out to take it, his fair and slender fingers contrasted sharply with my red, swollen, and cracked hands. On the way back, clutching the 500 bucks in my hand, I happily skipped along. My grandma and I only earned a few thousand a year, and this money was enough to pay for my tuition next year. As soon as I got home, Grandma nagged me: “Don’t go selling vegetables when the weather is bad. You’ll freeze and won’t sell anything anyway.” This time I readily agreed. I had a more profitable way now! Chapter 2 The next day, as soon as the sky turned light, I squatted at the village chief’s door. It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that the blonde came out of the house, holding something high in his hand and cursing: “Damn it, what kind of crappy place is this? Why isn’t there even internet?” My eyes lit up upon hearing this. I ran back as fast as I could and found an old fishing net that had been idle for a long time in the cowshed. There was a big hole in it, but he just said he wanted a net (internet), so a broken one should be fine, right? When I returned, he was throwing a tantrum at the two men who came with him. “No AC, no floor heating, and not even internet. I want to go back. I can’t stay here for even a day.” “Young Master, without Mr. Ford’s permission, you cannot go back.” The blonde gritted his teeth in anger, looking like he wanted to hit someone. I ran up and handed him the fishing net: “Here!” He turned his head to look down at me, staring at the thing in my hand with a puzzled face: “What for?” “The net you wanted.” He burst out laughing: “No, little village girl, this isn’t the net I wanted.” ??? Not this one? My shoulders slumped instantly. Mission failed! Chapter 3 In the afternoon, before I even reached the village chief’s house, I saw the blonde and his group from afar. I immediately followed them. After walking for a while, he turned back and asked me: “Why are you following us?” I grinned at him. “Silly,” he muttered. Although his voice was small, I still heard it and cursed inwardly: Stinky Blonde! I followed them to the riverbank. It was cold, and the lake had frozen over. The blonde took out a pair of strange shoes and showed off to me: “Little village girl, let me open your eyes with some figure skating.” I twitched my mouth speechlessly, ran to a distance to find a big rock, and huffed and puffed as I carried it over and threw it onto the lake surface. The rock slid on the ice for several meters before stopping in the center of the lake. A few dozen seconds later, a hole cracked open in the ice, and the rock fell in with a “plop”. I tilted my head and asked him: “Still skating?” His face instantly flushed red, and he pointed at the people beside him: “Damn it, is this the ice skating you suggested? Trying to kill me, aren’t you? “When we get back, I’ll have Old Ford fire you two useless idiots. Go home and eat sh*t.” Still not relieved, he kicked each of them. When his anger had mostly vented, I walked up to him and extended my hand. He naturally high-fived me: “Thanks, or else I would have been in danger.” I froze for a moment, then frowned and said dissatisfiedly: “Pay up!” Embarrassment was written all over his face, but he still had his companions give me money. On the way back, he asked: “Little village girl, is there anything fun here?” “No.” Because I never play. “What about delicious food?” “Roasted potatoes!” “What else?” “Steamed potatoes!” “Nothing else?” “Stir-fried potatoes!” “A village girl is just a village girl, no knowledge!” His tone was full of mockery. Village girl this, village girl that, I got angry! “Blondie!” Giving nicknames, who doesn’t know how to do that? “Damn, you dare call me that. Village girl!” He raised his voice a few notches, as if trying to overpower me with momentum. I’ve never lost a fight in the village. I rolled up my sleeves and roared with earth-shattering force: “Blon~~~~die~~~~” The three of them covered their ears in unison. “You… you… what a barbarian.” Blondie was suppressed by my voice and was furious. He was much taller than me, and I could see his nostrils flaring from angry panting. It felt a bit like he was looking down his nose at people, so not to be outdone, I raised my head high and made faces to fight back. “Hahaha… is your face cramping?” He held his stomach and laughed. ??? “I won,” I said proudly. “Tch, I won’t argue with a girl. Little village girl, my name is Finn.” “Red Bean.” Chapter 4 After that day, I followed Finn around all day, becoming his little sidekick. Whenever he needed help, I was always eager to satisfy him. He was hungry, I prepared a fancy potato feast for him. He shouted: “What’s so good about this stuff?” But ended up devouring several big bowls, stubbornly saying he was just giving me face because I worked hard. He was bored, I took him to play ice sliding. Sitting in a crowded big tub, he was as happy as a 3-year-old, but I was exhausted running up and down the slope, panting like the old ox in the village. However, counting the red bills he gave me every night, I giggled even in my dreams. Many people in the village started making sour remarks when they saw me, saying I was a bootlicker. I grinned and said: “Aren’t you just jealous you can’t do it?” One by one, they rolled their eyes and walked away angrily. Today the village chief told me that Finn followed Old Liu from the village up the mountain to hunt. Someone snatching my rice bowl? How can this be? I hurriedly rushed up the mountain. Luckily, there weren’t many people on the mountain in this season, and the footprints left in the snow made it easy to identify their direction. Suddenly, I heard terrified screams not far away. I quickly ran towards the source and saw Finn fallen on the ground. A meter away from him on the snow, a slender green creature was dazzlingly bright. The people with him only cared about protecting themselves, wishing they could be far away. The snake had already raised its front body, indicating it was ready to attack. Finn was my golden goose; nothing could happen to him. Without thinking too much, I raised the walking stick I prepared for the slippery road, rushed up, and swung it at the snake’s seven inches (vital spot). Hit! At this moment, I had to thank the accuracy accumulated from hitting rats at home. Afraid it would counterattack, I continued to beat it. Swing! Swing! Swing! I didn’t stop until my arms felt sore and weak. Uh! The snake had been beaten into snake paste by me. I poked the snake’s head with the stick. Bamboo viper, highly venomous! Finn was scared pale at this moment, his eyes dull. “What a pity, it’s smashed. Otherwise, we could make snake soup.” Thinking of the taste, I licked my lips greedily. “What eat? Quick… quick, let’s go down the mountain.” Finn dragged me away, as if really afraid I would take it back to stew. I looked back at the snake’s corpse. Strange! Shouldn’t snakes be hibernating in this weather? After going down the mountain, I extended my hand as usual. Finn poked my forehead, saying with hatred for iron not becoming steel: “Why are you so money-grubbing? My life isn’t something a little money can measure. You saved me once, I promise you one request. Go home and think about what you want.” Chapter 5 Grandma had a private chat with Finn. When Finn left, he said to me: “After the New Year, someone will come to pick you up.” In return, Finn’s family would sponsor my education. These years, Grandma and I depended on each other. It was hard for her to make money alone to support my schooling. Although I couldn’t bear to leave her, for a better future, this was the best choice. I left the continuous mountains and came to the metropolis with towering buildings, looking forward to the days ahead. Walking into the Ford family’s villa, I realized the village chief’s house was nothing. There was a beautiful lady in the living room; the servants called her “Mrs. Ford”. She warmly pulled me to sit down: “Are you Red Bean? Finn told us when he came back. Thank you for saving him. Stay here with peace of mind from now on. Treat this as your own home. If you need anything, just say it.” I smiled and thanked her, meeting her gaze. There was none of the disdain and contempt the servants had when looking at me. “Red Bean, what took you so long?” Finn ran over excitedly, pulling me away, “Aunt Fang, I’ll take her to see her room.” I was surprised. She wasn’t Finn’s mother. In the evening, I met the other members of the Ford family. Father Ford had a calm demeanor and was naturally dignified. Finn also had a half-brother, several years younger than us, who was very polite and well-mannered. Using my years of experience from the village gossip intelligence agency, I also found out that Aunt Fang was Finn’s stepmother. Finn’s biological mother had died of illness many years ago. However, she wasn’t the evil stepmother in worldly eyes. She treated Finn like her own son, and their relationship was very good. At the dinner table, there was only the slight sound of cutlery clashing. Everyone ate in silence. Father Ford’s phone rang. He picked it up and looked. “Where did you go the night before yesterday?” Father Ford suddenly asked Finn. “Nowhere, at home.” Finn answered casually. “Smack!” Father Ford slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table. A piece of meat I just picked up fell back onto the plate, startled by the sound, and I was at a loss. “Still lying. You went drag racing again.” Father Ford continued to question. “You knew but still asked.” Finn didn’t have any guilt of being exposed. Seeing his cynical attitude, Father Ford was furious, pointing at him and scolding: “Bastard, good for nothing. It’s bad enough you hang out with scoundrels all day, now you even dare to play with your life. Do you have a brain?” “Honey, don’t be angry. Finn is still young, teach him slowly.” Aunt Fang quickly persuaded. Father Ford was even angrier hearing this: “Still young? He’s almost an adult. Xun is several years younger than him but more sensible. “And where did he get the money to buy a car? Did you give it to him? You don’t even ask what he does with it. How do you manage the house?” “I’m sorry, blame me. Don’t be angry, it’s all my fault.” Aunt Fang apologized incessantly with red eyes. “Enough!” Finn suddenly stood up, the chair making a harsh sound against the floor. “I know you don’t like anything about me. Just come at me. It has nothing to do with Aunt Fang. Stop making things difficult for her.” With that, he flung his hand and left the dining room. Small and helpless me watched the whole process, not daring to breathe loudly. I looked reluctantly at the dining table, smacked my lips, and quietly followed Finn. I followed Finn to the rooftop. He was looking up at the starry sky with a melancholy face. I also looked up. Not as beautiful as the night sky back home. Sighing lightly, I missed Grandma. Finn turned his head to look at me and said: “Why are you following me? I don’t need comfort.” I pursed my lips: “Huh? You’re not full either?” Finn glared at me with disgust and turned his head away, ignoring me.

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I was a hopeless straight girl. I transmigrated into a steamy romance novel. To prevent myself from being tossed around in various unspeakable positions without limits. I resolutely started pretending to be a lesbian. Suddenly, I learned that I was the real heiress with three “chosen one” brothers. The fake heiress, the family favorite, cried her heart out, begging me not to take everything away from her. My heart ached as I wiped away her tears and gave her a peck on the lips. I promised: “Don’t worry, I’m a lesbian. I fell in love with you at first sight a long time ago. I’m not here to break up this family; I’m here to join it. Rest assured, you will only receive more love.” The fake heiress froze. My three brothers, who were preparing to intervene from a distance: ??? 1. I was a hopeless straight girl. I transmigrated into a restricted novel full of explicit scenes. The first male lead was a domineering CEO who could bankrupt companies with a snap of his fingers. He liked forced love and was addicted to sex. The second male lead was a cold and aloof doctor, a flower on a high peak. He was abstinent and restrained but loved playing with various toys. The third male lead was a rebellious movie star who said one thing but whose body did another. I was just hiding under my blanket in the middle of the night, trying to sneak a peek at some “good stuff,” never thinking I would transmigrate. I repented. I regretted. I pounded the floor, crying bitter tears. If I had known this would happen, I would have memorized the entire text. But just for the sake of the smut, I skipped all the plot. As a result, my mind was now full of nothing but explicit content, knowing nothing else. Oh wait, I also knew the heroine’s name. It turned out to be the body I transmigrated into. Silly girl, she must be regretting it so much her intestines turned green. 2. To prevent being endlessly demanded by those men, endlessly doing the deed. I resolutely embarked on the path of being a lesbian. From a young age, I avoided becoming anything like the heroine in that smutty novel. Dancing from a young age, having a soft and delicate body, being weak and timidly beautiful, able to perform various difficult movements to facilitate men doing this and that… Sorry. I practiced martial arts from a young age; I could take on five at once. More than once, I rescued sisters who were surrounded by thugs. With a swift hand, I beat those thugs until they pissed their pants. I wiped away the tears of the sister, brushed her soft hair, and whispered to her: “I’m here, don’t be afraid.” The sister buried her face in my chest, moved, calling me “Big Sister.” That’s right, although I had tried hard to avoid the heroine’s various “virtues.” Excellent grades, kind and soft-hearted, soft and delicate body… But, I still grew up with the devilishly curvy figure of a novel heroine. However, it didn’t matter. With my years of saving damsels in distress. My reputation as a lesbian had spread through every street and alley. Renowned far and wide. Successfully cutting off the vast majority of heterosexual luck. When I once again blocked a basketball attack for a cute girl on the playground, those boys finally couldn’t bear it anymore. “Maya, can you stop ruining our fun? Just because you’re handsome, just because you can block basketballs, just because you can flirt with girls.” How could I not know what those boys were thinking? Nothing more than picking a pretty girl they were interested in to hit, then taking the opportunity to apologize, strike up a conversation, and add her contact. But, sorry. I couldn’t bring myself to hurt girls. I raised my hand, the ball fell, a jump, a perfect shot. Then I gave a middle finger to mock them. “Little brother, can’t even shoot straight, and you want to flirt. Practice more.” The cute girl I just rescued looked at me with adoration. For me, it was just a daily routine. I waved my hand. A gritting voice sounded from behind: “How many sisters do you have exactly?” My childhood friend Sam, pulling his little handkerchief, said resentfully. I looked at the sky, pretending nothing happened. Then I solemnly promised: “Don’t worry, strictly speaking, as an orphan, I won’t have any sisters.” But I didn’t expect my sister to come so quickly. 3. When the powerful Huo family from the capital came knocking on my door, I was still a bit confused. I had three brothers who were like “chosen ones”? And a fake heiress sister who had taken my place and lived for seventeen years? How could life be as full of ups and downs as a novel? Oh, seventeen years, I almost forgot this was a smut novel. Suddenly, my alarm bells rang loud. Did it mean the explicit plot was about to start?! Impossible, absolutely impossible. I wouldn’t become like a broken rag doll, being played with on the bed all day. 4. I looked at the luxurious yet tasteful decoration of the Huo family home. At the stairs, a girl in a white dress was looking at me pitifully. I savored it carefully. Truly teary-eyed, inspiring pity. She took a step forward, held my hand, and spat sad words from her pink lips. “I know I occupied your identity for seventeen years and enjoyed all this, it’s my fault. But, please, please don’t kick me out, don’t take everything away from me.” “I can live in the maid’s room, give you my room. I won’t fight with you, sister, please let me stay.” As she spoke, she bent her knees, wanting to kneel. But how could I bear it? I immediately supported her. Heart aching, I wiped away her tears and gave her a peck on the lips. I promised: “Don’t worry, I’m a lesbian. I fell in love with you at first sight a long time ago. I’m not here to break up this family; I’m here to join it. Rest assured, you will only receive more love.” The fake heiress, Chloe, froze. My three brothers, who were preparing to intervene from a distance: ??? The teacup in Big Brother’s hand shook, spilling hot tea and burning himself. Second Brother’s probing gaze swept over me, wondering what he was thinking. Third Brother, who was about to run over, stumbled and almost fell.

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My boyfriend, Liam, got amnesia. He forgot he was gay. He forgot me. Chasing him was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I didn’t plan on doing it again. Coincidentally, his mother also hoped he could return to his “original” life. I compromised and went back to being a stranger in his life. But when I pretended not to know him as I walked by, he suddenly pulled me into his arms. “Sorry if I offended you… it was muscle memory saying I should hug you.” 1 Before going to sleep, I remembered another one of Liam’s flaws and noted it down: [ Severe procrastination, always waits until midnight to shower. ] Scrolling down the screen, I had already listed more than twenty items after racking my brains these past few days. I thought, when I hit fifty, I could completely let go of Liam. Liam was my boyfriend, a straight guy I had chased for a long time. He got amnesia. He forgot he was gay, and he forgot me. And there was almost no possibility of recovering his memory. This blow to me was no different from painstakingly setting up dominoes, only for them to suddenly collapse halfway through, wasting all previous efforts. We were both people with distinct personalities, and it took a long time to smooth things out between us. Compromising with each other, yielding to each other, changing ourselves to fit the other person. Just as life was getting more and more harmonious, the progress bar suddenly reset to zero. When his accident happened, I was on a business trip. Rushing back, I saw him smiling and joking with a beautiful nurse. I already knew the diagnosis on the way, but I still wondered if he was pranking me. Seeing that familiar yet strange smile, I realized it was real. He noticed me by the door, looked me up and down with an inquisitive gaze, and finally gave me a friendly nod. That distant attitude made my world spin, and I couldn’t breathe. Liam’s mother supported me and led me aside. Two years ago, she was very dissatisfied with me turning her son gay, but finally compromised out of helplessness. This accident, she said to me, might be a good thing. Sure enough, she held my hand and pleaded: “Alex, can you let him go and let him live a normal person’s life?” Erasing chat records, deleting photo albums, informing mutual friends. Exiting someone’s world turned out to be so simple. 2 Liam left quite a few things in our small home. I packed them all up and sent them back to the Zhou family. I confirmed with his mother that Liam wasn’t there before going, but unexpectedly ran into him returning just as I was leaving. As the elevator doors opened, he twirled his car keys, his eyes meeting mine, and let out an “Ah”. “It’s you.” He stepped aside. “Did you come to see me? I’m fine now. Thanks for coming.” I quickly controlled my expression and stepped out of the elevator. “No, I heard from your mom.” Liam hesitated to speak, looking a bit embarrassed. “Um… sorry, I lost a few years of memory, so I don’t really remember who you are… To visit me at home, was our relationship pretty good? Were we colleagues?” Although I was mentally prepared, hearing him say this still caused a dull pain in my heart, and endless bitterness welled up. Forcing down the surging emotions, I tried to keep my voice steady: “Yeah. We were in the same project group. I’m Alex. When you return to work, I can help you catch up.” Liam’s expression relaxed, revealing a grateful smile. “Thanks. Want to come up and sit for a while?” I could tell it was just politeness. Not long after we got together, Liam took me home. I wandered downstairs, hugging a pillar, afraid to go up. He hoisted me onto his shoulder and carried me into the elevator, trapping me in the corner so I had nowhere to run. At that time, he smiled and comforted me: “Don’t worry, my mom doesn’t hit people. If she really does, I’ll carry you and run.” I looked at Liam, who was wearing a distant smile now, and lowered my eyes. “No need. See you at the company.” Back in the car, I opened the memo app, fingers trembling as I noted another one: [ Taste regressed, the cologne he chose smells awful. ] Almost 30 items now. The progress I anticipated was already halfway done. But no matter how many flaws I came up with, none could erase even a bit of his weight in my heart. I leaned back against the seat and sighed, when suddenly there was a knock on the car window. It was Liam. I rolled down the window, and he leaned down to look at me. “Maybe I’m being nosy, but are you really okay? You looked a bit pale just now.” I rubbed my face: “It’s nothing, maybe just a bit tired.” “Should I call a designated driver for you? I got into an accident because I was distracted while driving, better to be cautious.” No one knew what he went out to do that day. A few days before the accident, I vaguely felt he was hiding something from me, but I was never one to get to the bottom of things. Now that the person involved had forgotten everything cleanly, I would never know. “Thank you.” After being thanked by him so many times these past two days, I finally returned one. “But don’t worry, I value my life very much, I’ll be careful driving.” 3 I didn’t tell him that actually, we weren’t just colleagues, we were also college roommates for a year. In my senior year, I took a year off due to illness. When I returned, I was assigned to Liam’s dorm. I originally thought that in the last year, most people would be studying or preparing for exams, so there wouldn’t be much interaction. But Liam swaggered into my life just like that. Considering my poor health during recovery, he fetched food for me, ran to the counselor for materials, accompanied me to follow-up checks, and even guarded outside while I showered, worried I might suddenly faint. He said: “We’re bros, I should do it.” If it were before, I would never provoke a straight guy. But after hovering between life and death—what’s there to restrain? I’m going to date the person I like, dammit. If he’s straight, then I’ll bend him. I want to live in the moment. I chased him for more than half a year, but didn’t succeed even by graduation. On the day of leaving school, I put the offer from the same company as him and the flight ticket back to my hometown in front of him, asking him to choose one for me. He glanced at it and said: “Stop chasing so dryly.” Hearing this, my heart died completely. I pulled my suitcase and was about to leave. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I fell onto his lap, and before I could react, he held the back of my neck and kissed me hard. “Can’t you just kiss me directly?” 4 Liam’s return to work happened half a month later. The leader arranged a colleague for him to guide him back into the workflow. Amidst a circle of greetings and inquiries, he cast a puzzled look at me. I sat outside the crowd, head down, drinking water. He took the casual lie I told that day seriously. Unsurprisingly, he blocked me in the pantry. “Alex, why isn’t it you?” “I’ve been a bit busy lately.” I shoveled creamer into my coffee cup, masking my guilt. “So the team leader arranged someone else. He’s very capable, you’ll be fine with him.” “But… I asked others, and they said our relationship isn’t good at all, we barely talked.” … I thought for a moment and said sincerely: “They’re right. It’s just that I’m a person whose love overflows easily. Even when the cleaning lady sprained her ankle, I went to visit her.” Liam shut his mouth. His gaze moved down to my coffee cup, half filled with white powder. “You can’t drink that, non-dairy creamer is bad for your health.” These words, this tone, made me dazed for a moment, thinking he hadn’t lost his memory. Liam didn’t let me eat junk food, he was very strict. Every time I craved junk food, I could only order takeout behind his back. I’m really not good at disguising, always getting caught. On the days I got caught, he would torment me until dawn, claiming to help me metabolize it quickly. I smiled, brewed it in front of him, and gulped down a big mouthful. “I just like this cheap taste.” His Adam’s apple bobbed, clearly forcing words back down. “If there’s nothing else, hurry back to work.” I wasn’t sure if I stayed alone with him any longer, I might say something I shouldn’t. As I walked past him, an arm suddenly blocked my stomach, gently pulling me in. I blinked slowly. That second seemed to be infinitely prolonged. Body heat separated by two layers of clothes, a firm chest, warm breath on the back of my neck. I froze on the spot, and Liam immediately pulled back. He looked down at his hand in bewilderment, his devastatingly handsome face now flushed red. “Sorry, sorry.” He stammered, apologizing in panic, “I don’t know what happened, suddenly just…” Truly strange. The brain doesn’t remember, but the body has its own memory? Liam and I were an underground office couple. Others only knew we didn’t communicate much and had an average relationship. But they didn’t know about our fingers intertwining in crowded elevators, bold hugs in the empty pantry, kisses masked by the sound of machines in the copy room. Perhaps having done these things too many times, the body already had inertia.

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My younger brother, in the name of love, refused the political marriage I arranged. Relying on me to always clean up his messes, he boldly claimed he would give up everything to be with his lover. I sneered and threw a waiver of inheritance rights at him: “Don’t think the family can’t survive without you just because you’re a man.” “From now on, I am the master of the Gu family!” Chapter 1 My brother, for the sake of love, rejected the blind date I arranged. He hugged a small-time celebrity in front of the camera, ranting about how I was a feudal matriarch, standing in the way of true love. He even declared through the lens that he would give up his inheritance rights to fly away with his beloved. In the living room of the Gu mansion, the TV broadcasted my brother’s interview. My father, sitting on the sofa, was furious. I knelt on the floor, my lowered eyes hiding any emotion. Hearing Lucas say he would give up his inheritance, my father smashed the cup in his hand in rage. Seeing me unmoved, he slapped me across the face: “Useless thing! What kind of sister are you!” “It’s all because you didn’t discipline your brother properly that he got seduced by some starlet!” My hands by my sides slowly clenched into fists, sharp nails digging into my palms, almost drawing blood. The butler beside us looked pained and wanted to step forward to persuade my father, but I stopped him with a glance. My father was in a fit of rage, speaking without thinking: “Go tell that brat! If he doesn’t come back today, he never needs to come back!” “Don’t even think about getting the Gu family inheritance!” After speaking, he glared at me fiercely, then got up and let the maid help him leave. Seeing my father go upstairs, the butler immediately helped me up and brought out the ointment prepared in advance to treat my wound. Enduring the pain, I took out my phone and ordered my assistant to prepare documents and pick me up at the mansion. This beating wasn’t for nothing. I endured this father-son duo for twenty years just for this opportunity. After sending the message, I whispered instructions to the butler: “Continue drugging the old man, but remember not to alert him.” The butler nodded and handed me the car keys. Because he was the only son, Lucas was spoiled by my father since childhood. Whenever he caused trouble, I was the one to clean it up. So when he saw me, he was still sitting with his legs crossed, smoking, and sneering: “I told you, if you make me marry someone I don’t want, I’ll ruin your plans. Are you satisfied now?” The dim lights in the bar hid the flash of mockery in my eyes. I touched my slightly swollen cheek, a smile rising at the corner of my mouth. Then, I picked up the red wine on the table and splashed it on his face, following up with several hard slaps: “Is this how you talk to your sister? Asking for a beating, aren’t you!” Seeing me strike him, he was stunned for a moment, then covered his face and cursed loudly: “Scarlett, are you f*cking crazy? Believe it or not, I’ll tell Dad!” I sneered and took a step back, giving a look to the bodyguards behind me. They understood immediately. They grabbed Lucas by his hair and dragged him out of the booth. The bar owner was a friend of mine and had already opened a private room for us. I took a call at the door of the private room, then walked in with a smile. The bodyguards dragged Lucas in and threw him on the floor like trash. Dressed in a suit, I sat on the sofa with my legs crossed, looking down at Lucas. Lucas grimaced from the fall, but as soon as he got up, he started cursing: “You f*cking…” The bodyguard was quick and slapped him immediately: “Watch how you speak to the Young Miss! Unmannered thing!” Lucas, weak from too much partying, was slapped to the floor and couldn’t recover for a while. Seeing his wretched state, half the grievance of being bullied in the past disappeared. Watching him struggle to get up, I rose gracefully, picked up the document on the table, and threw it in his face: “Father said your refusal to marry caused the Gu family a huge loss.” “Now he’s granting your wish. Get out of the Gu family.” Lucas’s eyes widened: “Scarlett Gu, who are you trying to fool?” Saying that, he immediately took out his phone and dialed our father. Smiling, I listened to the busy tone on his phone, then deigned to speak: “Looks like Father blocked you.” “Bullying classmates in middle school, hitting teachers in high school, failing classes and chasing girls abroad.” “And now refusing a marriage alliance. Father sees no hope in you and has completely given up.” “So, do you think it’s appropriate for you to still shamelessly cling to the Gu family?” Lucas had been spoiled since childhood. No one except our father dared to speak harshly to him. Especially being humiliated by me, whom he always looked down on, he exploded like a firecracker. He snatched the document, signed his name furiously, and stormed out of the private room, shouting threats as he went: “I tell you, Scarlett, wait until I make something of myself, then I’ll come back and slap your face hard!” I smiled but didn’t rush to retort. The bodyguard handed me the document from the floor. I checked it carefully and nodded in satisfaction. It was a statement giving up inheritance rights. Lucas had signed his name on the back. Although it lacked legal effect because it wasn’t notarized, As long as Lucas signed it, I had the means to ensure he wouldn’t get a penny. Chapter 2 Lucas didn’t return all night, which infuriated my father. According to the maid, he had to take quite a few blood pressure pills to barely fall asleep. At the breakfast table the next day, I calmly reported Lucas’s actions to my father. As expected, my father was furious: “You can’t even handle such a small thing, what use are you!” “It must be your incompetence as a sister that made my son so rebellious!” After speaking, he raised his hand, ready to strike me. I said without even lifting my eyes: “I have to go to the Song family this morning for the marriage alliance. If you hit me, I won’t be presentable.” My father glared, his raised hand pausing in mid-air for a while before slowly lowering. The Song family was equal to the Gu family. Since Lucas broke the engagement first, the Gu family definitely had to apologize. But he considered himself a man of standing, unable to lower himself to apologize, and unwilling to let his precious son do it. So only I could represent the family and go to the Song house to apologize. I watched his indignant look, a trace of mockery flashing in my eyes, but continued eating calmly. I had endured this old thing for a long time. Beaten by him since childhood, yet having to pretend to be a harmonious family outside. Truly disgusting. But it’s different now. If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll be dead soon. After eating, I took the Gu family’s luxury car to the Song mansion. The Songs were old friends of my maternal grandfather, so they treated me very well. Even with Lucas fleeing the marriage this time, the Song parents didn’t seem too angry and received me warmly. My best friend Mia Song took me to her room. Seeing the slap mark still on my face, she was distressed: “Why did your dad hit you again? Why don’t you stop staying there and come to our house?” I patted her hand comfortingly: “I’m fine.” “I’ve endured in the Gu family for over twenty years. If I leave now, I’m giving up completely.” Mia sighed deeply: “Why is your life so bitter? Meeting a terrible father wasn’t enough, you had to have a terrible brother too.” Hearing this, the light in my eyes dimmed instantly as I sat on the bed. My mother was a cheerful rich young lady, but she fell in love with my father, a phoenix man with nothing but good looks. In an era where TV dramas praised breaking family shackles for love, my mother ignored my grandfather’s objections and married for love. Who knew that when my father’s business grew bigger relying on his father-in-law, and my grandfather passed away unexpectedly, My father finally tore off his mask of hypocrisy and began frequently abusing my mother. And I, born first, became a target of his domestic violence because of his preference for sons. My cowardly mother was secretly happy that I could “share the fire” for her. She even helped my father when he beat me, punishing me together. My mother died of dystocia after giving birth to Lucas, and I completely became the punching bag for the Gu father and son. I wasn’t my mother, spoiled by my grandfather. So since I could remember, I endured in the Gu family, just to one day hold the Gu family completely in my hands, And let Lucas and that old thing die without a burial place. Fortunately, the plan is about to be completed, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Looking at the concerned Mia in front of me, I still felt a little guilty. After all, this escaped marriage made the Song family a joke among all the wealthy families in Hai City. I took Mia’s hand and said sincerely: “I still want to apologize to you. I caused such a big impact on your and your family’s reputation.” Mia patted my arm and comforted: “It’s okay. I know this is your plan. Helping you is what I should do.” Chapter 3 When I returned to the Gu house, my father was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper early, with his newly recruited life secretary standing beside him. The secretary was young, beautiful, and had a good figure, looking at my white-haired father with spring in her eyes. Seeing this May-December romance, I was used to it and walked to my father’s side to await orders. Seeing me, my father put down the newspaper, drinking tea while saying: “Lucas wants to start a business recently. Although he said he doesn’t need the Gu family’s help, you should keep an eye on him.” “Young people’s enthusiasm shouldn’t be dampened. Invest some money in him secretly, don’t let him fail.” I nodded, unable to hide the contempt in my eyes. When I started my business back then, not only did I not get a penny, but I also received my father’s merciless ridicule. He said women have no talent in business and should stay home to teach children and support their husbands. When my business failed due to lack of experience, he was full of sarcasm. He even called me stupid as a pig in front of half the celebrities in Hai City at a banquet, saying I couldn’t even do such a small thing well. Completely forgetting that without my grandfather’s funding, he would have failed just like me. Now that his precious son wants to start a business, he changed his tune, eagerly sending money out. He lowered his head, naturally not noticing the contempt on my face, and waved his hand to dismiss me. The little secretary beside him saw his attitude towards me and also changed her previous respectful attitude. Her look at me also carried a hint of disdain. My face remained unchanged as I greeted them and went upstairs to rest. I knew what my father meant. He wanted me to open a company directly for Lucas, letting Lucas “move in with his bags”. To the outside world, we would say Lucas was young and promising, doing well in his independent business. But how could I grant his wish? The next morning, I went to the company with a fake smile. The first thing I did was ask my assistant to notify the senior management of a meeting. My father had no business mind. After my mother died, I basically grew up in the company. My father simply handed over the management rights to me, but firmly held the equity in his own hands. As long as the company’s turnover didn’t satisfy him, I would be beaten when I got home. But I wasn’t sitting idly by. Over the years, I had already figured out how the Gu family operated. Important positions were also filled with my trusted aides. Taking this opportunity to help Lucas open a company, I could also eliminate dissidents in the company. The senior executives came to the meeting room confused, but looked at each other because of the news I brought. I had already drawn up the personnel to be assigned, and their positions and salaries were a grade higher than in the Gu Group. On the surface, I was promoting them and giving them better treatment. Moreover, as the heir to the Gu Group tacitly approved by my father, going to Lucas’s company would also allow them to build a good relationship with the “crown prince” in advance. But in reality, only I knew that Lucas’s company wouldn’t last two years. At most two years later, I would completely take over the Gu family. By then, I would give them a severance package and send them away. At this time, the Gu Group’s headquarters would be full of my trusted aides, making it easier for me to manage. Lucas clamored for two days about starting his own business. In the end, after picking and choosing, he didn’t even know how to select a company address. Because he didn’t bring a single card when he ran away from home, he could only live in his girlfriend’s house all day. That small-time celebrity thought she had finally hooked a rich man and would have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life. Who knew the other party was a young master with no ability and a bad temper. She couldn’t hit him or scold him, and had to serve him carefully. Over time, she also became irritable and restless. So when I contacted her, she was extremely enthusiastic and agreed to my request immediately. I asked her to pretend that this company was opened by her, as long as Lucas went to work. Anyway, Lucas, this young master, had never been in contact with family affairs, and hadn’t even met those senior executives. The celebrity knew Lucas and I had fallen out, assuming I was too embarrassed to say it myself. Moreover, by borrowing flowers to offer Buddha, she could make Lucas love her more. On the day she accepted the task, she took Lucas to the new company. I knew I couldn’t hide it for long. After all, those executives wanted to curry favor with Lucas. They would definitely reveal their identities to show their loyalty. The secretary I arranged by Lucas’s side reported to me the day after he went to the company. Saying Lucas knew this was a team split from the headquarters, but still remained silent. I laughed secretly in my heart. Of course he would remain silent. After all, he knew that with his ability, he couldn’t afford to open a company at all. So he could only bow his head and submit, enjoying the basic convenience brought by his father’s generation. Chapter 4 Days passed extremely fast. Lucas’s company looked thriving. Meanwhile, my father continued to be lovey-dovey with his life secretary, their stickiness disgusting to behold. The butler was secretly anxious, signaling me several times to speed up my move. After all, for every day my father lived, the possibility of my brother becoming the heir increased. Then my more than ten years of effort would be wasted. However, I remained unmoved by the butler’s urging, only watching a relationship blogger’s livestream every night. Until that familiar voice appeared in the livestream. Only then did I breathe a long sigh of relief, smiling as I pressed the screen record button. The relationship blogger in the livestream was carefully selected by me. She specialized in guiding good-looking girls from humble backgrounds on how to dig gold from sugar daddies. Because of her excellent professional level, she was somewhat famous in the industry. And the little secretary beside my father, from an ordinary family and a non-prestigious university but who skyrocketed to success, would definitely consult her when she was at a loss. As long as she consulted, half of my plan was achieved. In the livestream, that little secretary indeed explained the Gu family’s situation in detail. “Hello anchor, I am currently the life secretary of a big boss.” “My family background isn’t very good, and my education isn’t high, but I’m very good-looking, so the boss likes me very much.” “It’s been half a year now, and he has spent two million on me.” “But I’m still not quite satisfied, because he is too old. I’m afraid he’ll die before I get enough.” “He has a pair of children. The daughter manages the company but has no equity. The son is the undoubted heir for the future.” “Do you think I should try to trick the old man into marriage to become the stepmother, or go seduce his son?” Watching the increasing comments under the livestream, the corners of my mouth tilted up slightly, listening carefully to the blogger’s analysis. The blogger advised her not to dream of seducing the young master, just serving the old one well would be enough. Who knew the little secretary wouldn’t give up, continuing to ask: “What if I insist on seducing the young master?” “But I’m not as good-looking as his girlfriend. His girlfriend is a celebrity.” Hearing gossip about a celebrity, the barrage instantly surged, everyone immediately guessing whose drama this was. The blogger still earnestly persuaded her, saying if she served the old one well, she could get at least twenty million. But if she went to seduce the young master, not only was the chance of success extremely small, but the outcome of failure would be miserable. The conversation between the two went back and forth. The man they discussed was like pork on a chopping board, weighed by the butcher, occasionally disdained for not exploding enough gold coins, wasting their precious youth. When the little secretary got off the mic, I stopped recording and leisurely sent the video to my best friend Mia. The Song family focused on the internet entertainment industry. Mia was the big boss of a well-known MCN in the country, with countless marketing accounts and funny bloggers under her. So spreading this kind of scandalous news was simply too easy. Mia first laughed loudly at the Gu father and son on WeChat. Then immediately distributed the recording to the marketing accounts and funny bloggers under her banner. She even instructed those few funny bloggers with tens of millions of fans across the net to make sure to film it well, the funnier the better. We were simply too good at doing this kind of wicked thing. I wasn’t sitting idly by either, wearing a vest account to send the recording to the know-it-alls in our circle. Striving to make the matter as big as possible. It would take some time for the bloggers in the MCN to make videos. I took this opportunity to notify the butler to stop the medicine. Don’t wait until the old thing gets angry and goes to the hospital, only to be found poisoned by the doctor.

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The night I stayed at my best friend’s house, someone entered my room. I struggled desperately, but the other person pinned my hands above my head. “Haven’t seen you for a month, did you miss me?” The low, clean voice was exceptionally seductive. Before I could speak, he domineeringly sealed my lips. “Nora, I’m back.” Just then, my best friend Chloe’s voice came from outside the door. The man on top of me froze instantly, lowering his voice. “Who are you?!” I answered, trembling, “I’m Nora.” “Damn it.” The man cursed and quickly got off me. 1 In the darkness, he took out his phone and sent a message. The footsteps outside stopped abruptly. Soon, Chloe turned back and went out the door, the sound of the door closing echoing from outside. I breathed a sigh of relief. Confirming Chloe had left, I turned on the bedside lamp. The room was instantly illuminated. Ethan’s sharp, handsome face appeared clearly before me. He was Chloe’s boyfriend. Chloe told me he was on a business trip out of town and wouldn’t be back anytime soon. But for some reason, he suddenly returned tonight. My clothes were disheveled, my face flushed, and I pulled the quilt defensively, shrinking to the foot of the bed. Seeing the panic on my face, a trace of annoyance crossed Ethan’s brow. “Sorry, you were sleeping in Chloe’s room, wearing her pajamas. I mistook you… for her.” “…” I was still in shock, unable to speak for a long time. After calming down, I whispered, “Yeah, I know. Just a misunderstanding.” Ethan and Chloe had been dating for almost a year. He was somewhat aloof and didn’t talk much. During the few times we ate together, our exchanges didn’t exceed three sentences. If I hadn’t been staying at Chloe’s place temporarily today, this mix-up wouldn’t have happened. “Thanks.” Hearing my words, Ethan’s brow finally relaxed. Thinking of something, he turned and opened the bedroom door. “I’ll go down first. I told her the security guard stopped me at the gate. It would be trouble if she didn’t see me.” 2 Fifteen minutes later, Chloe came up. But she was alone. “Nora, were you sleeping in the room just now?” “Yeah. Was a bit tired, so rested early. Did you call me just now?” “No. But Ethan suddenly came to find me, so I went down.” Hearing Ethan’s name, I couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable. “Then why didn’t he come up?” “I told him you were staying here for a few days. Since it’s late, he was afraid you’d be uncomfortable with a man coming up, so he left.” Seeing Chloe acting normal, I felt much calmer. At night, after Chloe fell asleep, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Ambiguous scenes with Ethan kept flashing in my mind. The burning breath on my neck and chest. The hot palm wandering on my waist. The firm and strong body pressed against me. It seemed the harder I tried to suppress them, the more those images spread like a virus… Invading all my nerves. Chloe said although Ethan treated her well, he was somewhat cold in that aspect. But just now, he was clearly overly enthusiastic… Like a hungry wolf, wanting to devour me alive. 3 The next evening, Chloe called Ethan over, and we ate at a nearby restaurant together. After ordering, Chloe went out to the restroom. Only Ethan and I were left in the private room. Ethan and I didn’t communicate much to begin with; he was quiet, and I was somewhat introverted. After what happened last night, the atmosphere was even more awkward when we were alone. After a moment of silence, I reached for the water pitcher to pour water, trying to find something to do. But Ethan, sitting opposite, reached over at the same time. The moment his cool fingertips touched mine… I jerked my hand back as if electrocuted. Noticing my reaction, Ethan also froze, his ears turning slightly red. But a moment later, he took the initiative to pick up the pitcher and poured me a glass of water. “About last night, do you still mind?” Ethan handed over the glass. Looking at his slender fingers with distinct knuckles, my face instantly turned red. “No… don’t mind anymore. Just a mix-up, we both know.” I lowered my eyes to take the glass, making myself look calm enough. But my mind associated everything with those long hands of his. The hot palm sliding down my waist. Every inch moved brought a burning numbness. I hadn’t dated much. Except for a first love in high school that lasted only three months and stopped at hugging and kissing. I had no intimate contact with men at all. What Ethan did to me was a first. “Don’t worry, I’ll pretend nothing happened. After all, you didn’t mean to. I won’t tell Chloe either, affecting your relationship.” Chloe was my best friend. I never thought about having anything to do with my best friend’s boyfriend. Ethan didn’t cause me any substantial harm either. Just letting it pass. That was the best for everyone. “Thank you.” Soon, Chloe came back. Our conversation stopped abruptly. Near the end of the meal, Chloe received a call saying there was an urgent matter at the company and she had to go back for overtime. She asked Ethan to drive me home. Ethan agreed. 4 The past few days, because Ethan was on a business trip, Chloe asked me to keep her company. Now that Ethan was back, he would naturally go to Chloe’s often. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to continue staying there and disturb them. The apartment I rented was in an old complex; cars couldn’t drive in, and there were no streetlights on the side. Afraid it would be dangerous for me alone, Ethan politely walked me downstairs to the apartment building. When we reached the entrance, the familiar security guard uncle walked over. “Oh, boyfriend sending you back today. Hmm, handsome. Little girl has good taste!” Hearing the security guard’s words, I instantly blushed. I waved my hand hurriedly, “Uncle, you’re mistaken, he’s not my boyfriend. Don’t talk nonsense!” “Still shy. What’s there to hide, such a handsome boyfriend, can’t show people?” The security guard didn’t believe me and teased. I looked awkwardly at the silent Ethan beside me, wishing I could find a hole to crawl into. “This is my best friend’s boyfriend. Just dropping me off on the way.” Seeing my nervous and helpless look, the security guard realized he was mistaken. Apologized and walked away. “Um… thank you for sending me back. I’ll go up first, you go back early too.” “Mm.” After getting home, I slumped onto the sofa, feeling deflated for a moment. The security guard really overestimated me. How could an ordinary, inconspicuous existence like me have a boyfriend as handsome as Ethan? He was six foot two, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. A model-like face even more exquisite than celebrities. Probably due to my personality since childhood, I actually had a natural fear of that kind of striking, aggressive beauty. But Chloe was different. She was a standard bright and flamboyant beauty. Whether in appearance or temperament, she matched Ethan well.

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