I am the most hated woman on the internet, a singer who supposedly “trapped” a billionaire into marriage. Invisible drone cameras are currently livestreaming every corner of my home, and I have absolutely no idea. On screen, Liam Sterling walks up to me and asks coldly, “Are you playing games again?” The haters in the chat are gloating. “Chloe finally has to drop the act. She’s been clinging to Mr. Sterling for clout, but now we’ll see the truth!” Even my in-laws and sister-in-law are watching with cold indifference. “If Liam really dislikes her that much, they shouldn’t force it anymore.” But then, the woman known to the public as gentle, submissive, and desperate for love—me—impatiently pushes Liam’s handsome face away. “What is wrong with you? Get away from me.” Liam, the icy, untouchable CEO, suddenly looks… pouted? “Do you find me annoying?” 1 The day I married into the Sterling family, the internet tore me apart. “What happened? My favorite ship just sank!” “Chloe has no shame. She knew Liam had a thing for Bella, but she seduced him anyway. I can’t believe she actually became Mrs. Sterling!” My husband, Liam Sterling, and the famous actress Bella Hart were childhood friends. He invested in her movies, punched producers who tried to creep on her, and showed up to support her on talk shows. The Billionaire and the Sweetheart. They were the Nation’s Couple. Until I, the “scheming villain,” ruined everything. In interviews, Bella would force a smile and say, “Liam and his wife are a good match,” before turning away with teary eyes. The internet wept for her and cursed me. Even my in-laws hated me. That part wasn’t wrong. Liam’s parents were cold at the wedding, and his sister, Harper, never called me “Sister-in-law”—she just spat out my name, “Chloe.” The trending topic #WhenWillChloeDivorce was a permanent fixture on social media. I didn’t really care. Liam and I weren’t madly in love, but we weren’t enemies. I had unlimited money and a handsome husband to sleep with. Life was good. Who cared what strangers thought? But I didn’t realize how much the family wanted to expose me. Sterling Tech had just developed a micro-drone camera with AI tracking and privacy filters. To promote it, the PR department volunteered their CEO. The invisible camera was set to track Liam Sterling’s daily life, broadcasting it to the world. And nobody told me. So there I was, wearing messy pajamas, sprawled on the sofa like a starfish, completely unaware that the show had already begun. 2 “Shouldn’t we tell Chloe? What if she says something crazy?” Harper pouted, watching the stream on her tablet. On screen, Liam was leaning back in his car, eyes closed, looking exhausted. He had hosted a press conference all morning and was now doing this livestream stunt. But his silence didn’t dampen the audience’s enthusiasm. “The most hardcore brand ambassador ever—CEO Sterling!” “This is way better than watching reality TV stars.” “Speaking of stars, will Chloe show up?” “Ugh, don’t mention her. Bad luck.” “Every time I see her fake innocent face, I feel sick for Bella.” “Don’t worry, guys. Livestreams are the ultimate lie detectors. Just wait for her mask to slip.” Mrs. Sterling glanced at the nasty comments and said calmly, “Chloe is a singer, not an actress. She can’t fake natural interactions. If she tries, people will think the stream is scripted, which hurts the product.” “Besides, your brother knows what he’s doing.” Harper huffed. “I still don’t get why he married her.” The room went silent. They viewed this livestream as a test. It would reveal the “real” marriage. If it was as bad as they thought, they would finally intervene and suggest a divorce. Meanwhile, I was wearing yellow bear-print pajamas, my hair clipped up in a chaotic bun, buried in a beanbag chair, doom-scrolling. I didn’t even notice Liam walking in. He took off his tie, got a glass of water, and paced back and forth in front of me three times. I saw him out of the corner of my eye, but I was in the middle of a boss fight. Not now, Liam. Seeing no reaction, he marched up to me. His face was tight, his voice frosty. “Are you playing games again?” The comments exploded. “See? He’s mad! He worked all day and she doesn’t even say hello. Gold digger behavior.” “Cold home, cold husband. Welcome to Chloe’s tragedy.” “She deserves it. She broke up the golden couple.” They waited for me to jump up and apologize, playing the submissive wife role I usually projected. Instead, I frowned, annoyed, and swatted his face away like a fly. “What is wrong with you? Move. You’re blocking my screen.” Liam’s eyes widened slightly. His cold mask cracked, revealing a puppy-dog level of grievance. “Do you find me annoying?” For ten seconds, the chat was completely blank. Harper dropped her phone. “Am I hallucinating? Is my brother… whining?” 3 Hearing the hurt in his voice, I finally looked up from my game. He was leaning over me, his hand bracing against the back of the sofa, staring at me intensely. I poked his arm. Rigid. He was doing that thing again. Sulking. It had always been like this. If I ignored him for too long, he’d trap me in his arms, refuse to speak, and refuse to let me leave. He would stare at me with those intense eyes, stubborn as a mule. But he was easy to fix. A hug, or a kiss. Then he’d secretly smirk and go back to being the cool, collected CEO. I suspect it was his upbringing. As the heir, his parents demanded perfection. He was the quintessential “Strongman”—stoic on the outside, a total mess of emotions on the inside. I sighed, put down my phone, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I kissed him softly near his ear and whispered, “Of course not. Hubby is the best.” Liam’s ears turned bright red. He buried his face in my neck, inhaling deeply, hugging me so tight it almost hurt. After a moment, he straightened up, then suddenly froze. The comments were in chaos. “What is happening? Is he… blushing?” “Is this how they usually are? I don’t believe it. It’s an act!” “Definitely scripted! Remember when he told her to shut up on that variety show?” “But… look at his ears. You can’t fake that shade of red.” 4 The internet was lamenting the fall of a titan. The stoic CEO was acting like a clingy teenager. Harper couldn’t process it. Her brother was dignity personified. He wouldn’t degrade himself like this for a marketing stunt. She stared at the screen, then pointed a trembling finger. “Did… did we hire a lookalike?” Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were equally stunned. In the video, their serious, mature son was nuzzling into Chloe’s neck. Their brains short-circuited. Meanwhile, the haters were trying to cope. “It makes me sick. How can a woman who used dirty tricks to get him live so happily?” “I feel so bad for Bella. She was replaced by this.” “Wait, why are we bringing up Bella? Chloe is the actual wife.” “Heh, Chloe isn’t worth one of Bella’s fingernails.”

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It was during Truth or Dare at the alumni reunion, and the former campus queen was wasted. Someone asked her the most despicable thing she’d ever done. She pointed across the booth at me, giggling hysterically. “I used his phone to delete his poor little girlfriend’s desperate plea for help while he was in the shower—and then I texted back: Drop dead!” “You guys wouldn’t believe it, that pauper waited outside in the rain all night. It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen…” Laughter erupted through the private room. Except for the man seated at the head of the table. The crystal wine glass in his hand shattered with a sickening crunch. Blood mixed with red wine streamed down his fingers. He stared at me, his eyes bloodshot, like he was seconds from murder. I calmly slid a napkin toward him. “Mr. Rhys, you should wipe up. It’s soiled.” Some things, once stained, can never be washed clean. 1 The Carlyle Club, Manhattan’s most exclusive private membership space, was entirely booked for the evening. The word was, a newly minted venture capital titan, worth nine figures, had returned from overseas and wanted to flaunt his success to his old college crowd. When the manager handed me the gold-embossed wine list, his eyes held a fleeting, unreadable pity. “Scout,” Mr. Davies said, his voice low. “It’s the V888 suite tonight… If you don’t want to go, I can assign someone else.” I adjusted my ill-fitting server uniform, offering him a faint smile. “It’s fine, Mr. Davies. That’s our highest-spending suite. The corkage fees alone will net me a decent bonus. I need the cash, you know.” He sighed, patted my shoulder, and walked away. I pushed open the door to the V888 suite, the heat wave hitting me instantly, thick with the scent of expensive perfume, Cuban cigars, and something else—the dizzying, nauseating smell of burning money. In the center of the plush leather sofa sat the man I hadn’t seen in seven years. He had changed completely. Gone was the memory of the fiercely proud, intensely stubborn boy in a faded hoodie and threadbare jeans. In his place sat a polished, cold-eyed business mogul, exuding the effortless authority of a true power player. He was leaning back, listening to someone next to him, a detached, almost bored smirk playing on his lips. And nestled against him was the woman who had stolen him from me all those years ago: Genevieve “Gen” Sinclair. Gen was draped in a custom white Chanel dress, her neck flashing with a diamond necklace that caught the ambient light like a beacon. She swirled the contents of her wine glass, radiating the smug arrogance of a proud swan. “Oh, Holden’s back in the States mainly for me, of course. He’s shifting his company headquarters because… well, we’re finally getting engaged.” A chorus of sycophantic praise immediately erupted. “The campus beauty and the brain—a match made in heaven!” “Holden, you’re on the cover of Forbes now. Gen, you lucked out!” “It’s the ultimate turnaround story. Unlike some people who traded up for cash and bailed—bet they’re regretting that decision now, huh?” The intentional barb hung in the air, and for a silent second, every eye in the room pivoted to me, where I stood in the corner, expertly uncorking a bottle. I felt nothing. Like a numb marionette, I sliced the foil with a corkscrew, twisted the worm, and slowly pulled the stopper. “Bordeaux, Left Bank. Optimal pour after twenty minutes of decanting.” I poured the breathing wine into the massive crystal goblet in front of Holden Rhys, my movements flawless, professional. Holden finally raised his head. His stare was a devastating cocktail: contempt, disgust, raw hatred, and a subtle flicker of something deeper—an arrogant indifference. He didn’t reach for the glass, allowing me to hold it suspended in the air. My wrist, fatigued from balancing the heavy serving tray, gave a tiny, involuntary tremor. “Scout Davis?” He finally spoke, his voice a low, gravelly baritone. “I heard you dropped out of NYU before graduation. What happened? Did your trust-fund boyfriend get bored and toss you out? Now you’re scraping by, serving drinks in places like this?” The room fell silent, the audience waiting for the spectacle. Gen theatrically covered her mouth, feigning shock as she looked at me. “Oh my God, it is Scout! How… how are you dressed like that?” “Honey, if you’re really hard up, just tell me. Even though you threw Holden over for money, we’re still old classmates. I’d be happy to arrange something for you—maybe a janitorial position at my father’s firm.” She deliberately lingered on the phrase: threw Holden over for money. The whispers of judgment started, a fine, biting spray. “Serves her right. Holden was so devoted back then.” “That’s karma. Look at the CEO he is now—billions. And her? Waiting tables.” “The tides turn, you know? Thirty years down the road…” I listened to the stinging comments with a blank expression, as if they were discussing a stranger. Seven years. I had built a fortress around my heart. I’d worked in the darkest corners of this city—washing dishes in scorching kitchens, moving inventory in freezing cold storage, being splashed with drinks by drunk patrons, and being screamed at by landlords calling me a beggar. Dignity. That broken thing had been pulverized into dust on that rainy night, seven years ago. “Mr. Rhys, your wine,” I repeated, my voice steady. Holden fixed his gaze on my eyes, clearly searching for a hint of remorse, shame, or even tears. He was disappointed. My eyes contained nothing but endless fatigue and a chilling, vacant numbness. My indifference seemed to infuriate him. He suddenly raised his hand and slammed it down, violently knocking the wine glass out of my grasp. “This vintage is too common,” Holden said, pulling a crisp linen napkin from his pocket to wipe his hand. His eyes were arctic. “Get me something else. A bottle with some real age. Something like that night, seven years ago.” He was humiliating me. Seven years ago, he was still a penniless college student who’d saved up for three months to buy a single bottle of cheap, corner-store red wine for my birthday. We drank it straight from the bottle on the cold grass of the campus quad, our faces flushed, promising to stay together forever. Now, he was using that same memory to remind me of the price of betrayal. Gen giggled, playing along. “Oh, Holden, don’t be so hard on her. That wine costs a fortune—she couldn’t pay for the broken glass if she sold everything she owns. Just apologize to Mr. Rhys, Scout, wipe up the mess, and we’ll let it go.” I knelt, retrieved a cloth, and began to carefully blot the scarlet stain from the expensive Persian rug. A tiny shard of crystal glass embedded itself in my fingertip, a sharp, familiar stab of pain. I didn’t flinch. I merely calculated in my head: That’s my commission gone. Plus the cost of the glass. Tonight’s work—maybe half a month’s wages—is now a loss. This was my life now. No romance, no poetry, only the brutal arithmetic of bills I couldn’t pay and debts I couldn’t outrun. As for love? That was a luxury only the rich could afford. “My apologies, Mr. Rhys.” I finished cleaning the last trace of wine, stood up, and maintained my humble, subservient posture. “I will inform the manager to send up the finest bottle we have.” Holden looked at the small bead of blood welling up on my finger. His pupil constricted momentarily, but the mask of icy indifference returned instantly. “Get out.” 2. I didn’t get out. Because Mr. Davies told me the client in V888 had specifically requested my service for the duration of the night. If I left, I’d lose the mandatory two-thousand-dollar tip and potentially have my base pay docked. I desperately needed the money. My mother’s dialysis next month hadn’t been covered yet, and the landlord was already texting about next quarter’s rent. So, I went to the restroom to quickly bandage the cut, and then I returned to that suffocating, velvet-lined suite. When I pushed the door open again, the atmosphere had shifted. Three rounds of drinks in, the impeccably tailored elite had started to drop their pretenses, revealing the ugly core of humanity beneath. They were playing Truth or Dare. It was a trite, yet endlessly effective game—especially fueled by alcohol—the perfect tool to rip the veneer off human decency. The marble table was littered with empty bottles: Louis XIII, Rémy Martin, Ace of Spades… The combined cost of those bottles was enough for me to buy a closet-sized studio apartment in the outer boroughs. Gen was clearly drunk. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was practically draped over Holden, her eyes hazy, almost feverish with triumph. She was the star of the night, the biggest winner. The prospect of marrying Holden and becoming the envied Mrs. Rhys had made her reckless, almost giddy with hubris. “Alright, alright! Next round!” The class president, an awkward man named Sam, slurred his words. “Who gets it this time?” The empty magnum bottle spun quickly across the slick marble table, making a grating, unpleasant sound. Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the bottle’s neck. Slowly, it stopped. The bottle pointed directly at Gen. “Ooh—! Jackpot for the campus queen!” “Truth or Dare?” Gen let out a throaty laugh, waving a dismissive hand. “Truth! This princess has nothing to hide!” Sam rubbed his hands together with a malicious grin, his eyes bouncing between me and Gen. He was clearly looking to stir up trouble. “Fine, let’s go with a juicy one. Gen, what is the most despicable, most heartless thing you’ve ever done in your entire life?” The question dropped into the room like a stone. They were all adults; who didn’t have a few dirty secrets? But this was a game, and the point was the shock value. Holden, who had been resting his eyes, merely lifted an eyelid at the question, offering no objection. In his mind, Gen was merely spoiled and occasionally petty, but certainly not capable of true malice. Gen let out a small burp, her gaze suddenly slicing through the crowd to land on me, where I was standing in the corner pouring water for a guest. A vile, triumphant smile curled her lips. The alcohol had dulled her judgment and amplified the jealousy and spite buried deep in her heart. “The most despicable thing, you ask…” Gen stumbled to her feet, her finger aimed directly at me. “It was seven years ago, the night of that huge thunderstorm. I went to Holden’s shabby little rental…” At the mention of “seven years ago,” my hand convulsed, and the hot water in the carafe nearly sloshed over the rim. Holden’s body, too, stiffened almost imperceptibly. Gen burst into hysterical laughter, as if recounting the most hilarious anecdote. “Holden was in the shower. His cheap phone was on the table. And guess what? This pauper, Scout, texts him.” “And guess what she said? Hahahaha… She wrote: ‘Holden, please save my dad. I beg you. I only need fifty thousand. I’ll be your servant forever.’ ” “Tsk, tsk, tsk. So pathetic, so utterly desperate.” “I thought, Holden is so brilliant, he can’t be saddled with this kind of trash! He belongs with me, in the big leagues, not dragged down into the mud by some bottom-feeder!” “So…” She paused for dramatic effect, her eyes gleaming with a manic spark. “I did Holden a favor.” “I deleted her frantic text, and then I texted back from his phone. Just two words: ‘Drop dead.’” “Hahahahaha! You should have seen it! The pauper actually waited outside in the rain all night! I watched her from the window, soaked like a drowned rat, watching her sink to her knees in despair. It was the best laugh I’ve ever had!” “Seriously, didn’t I do a great thing? If I hadn’t done that, how could Holden have shed that anchor? How could he have become the man he is today? Holden, you should be thanking me…” Gen’s voice was cut off by the sharp sound of shattering glass. Holden had crushed his wine glass with his bare hand. The fragments were deeply embedded in his palm. Blood mixed with red wine, dripping onto the pristine white tablecloth, a horrifying tableau. But he seemed completely oblivious to the pain. He was staring intensely at Gen, his normally cold eyes now streaked with crimson veins. “What did you say?” Gen, still basking in her own cruelty, hadn’t registered the danger. “I said I helped you get rid of that poor—” “Shut up!” Holden violently overturned the mahogany coffee table in front of him. The deafening crash made Gen scream, the shock sobering her instantly. She looked up in terror at the man towering over her, who looked like an enraged lion. “Ho—Holden, what is it? I was just kidding…” “Kidding?” Holden stumbled to his feet, closing the distance between them. “Are you saying… that seven years ago, she didn’t run off with Dean Kincaid, the rich guy? She didn’t text me saying she was leaving because I was poor?” “Are you saying… she was in a hospital? She was begging me for help?” His voice grew louder, culminating in a raw, animalistic roar. Gen was so terrified by his presence that she sank back onto the sofa. Holden didn’t even spare her another glance. He spun around, his attention locked on me in the corner. “Scout…” He choked out my name, a sound like a sob tearing from his throat. “Is she telling the truth?” “That night… were you waiting for me?” The entire room was paralyzed, everyone too terrified to even breathe. I set the water carafe down. I looked at the truth that had taken seven years to surface, and my heart felt frighteningly empty. Too late. It was truly, devastatingly too late. I pulled a tissue from my uniform pocket, walked over, and held it out to him. “Mr. Rhys, wipe your hand. It’s bleeding everywhere. It’s dirty.” Holden ignored the tissue. He lunged and grabbed my wrist. “Answer me, Scout! Tell me this isn’t real!” I looked into his bloodshot eyes and smiled, gently. “And what if it is? Holden Rhys.”

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At the company holiday gala, my boss insisted on setting me up on a blind date. Drunk and emotional, I red-eyed confessed that I still wasn’t over my ex. My colleagues, hungry for gossip, pressed for details. The CEO, sitting at the head of the table, watched me with an increasingly strange expression. “This ex of yours… his last name wouldn’t happen to be Sterling, would it?” 1. The other executives instantly sobered up, exchanging nervous glances. I, however, had face-planted onto the table, achieving the deep, peaceful sleep of an infant. I completely missed the boss’s question. My colleagues, desperate for the tea, shook me vigorously. “Don’t fall asleep, Summer! Keep going!” I lifted my head with great effort. “Say what?” “Is your ex’s family rich?” “Filthy. Obscenely rich,” I mumbled, spreading my arms wide. “His kitchen… had a row of fridges just for imported seafood people gifted them.” “How did you meet?” “High school classmates.” I mumbled a few more incoherent things and sat there trying to buffer. My body found the camera lens before my brain did. I immediately tried to fix my facial expression. Only to realize it was the big boss, secretly filming me with his phone. “Mr. Vanderbilt, why are you filming me?” Chase Vanderbilt was handsome, rich, and constantly in the tabloids. Among the group executives, he was the one everyone gossiped about. They called him the “Spare Heir.” He had an older brother, the Crown Prince. But a year ago, the brother was transferred abroad, and Chase took over the company. Rank-wise, I wasn’t important enough to sit at his table. But today was the annual gala. And I was the top-grossing livestreamer across all sectors last year. I went wherever the company pointed me. To show their appreciation, the leadership allowed top-performing employees to sit at the VIP table. Chase pursed his lips, gesturing for me to continue. “Don’t stop on my account. I want to hear this.” “Let’s not talk about dating…” I slurred. “It’s embarrassing.” I absentmindedly dropped a cherry tomato into my wine glass. Realizing I wasn’t out with clients, I fished it out and ate it. Sour. Chase hissed in sympathy. “Embarrassing?” He seemed like he wanted to laugh but held it back. “Is dating your ex that embarrassing?” I shook my head. “He’s not embarrassing. I was just… a failure back then.” “That doesn’t track,” he led the conversation. “If you were a failure, why was he with you?” I didn’t answer. He shot a look at the people around him. Several half-drunk executives immediately stood up, claiming they needed to toast other tables. Seeing this, my colleagues also slipped away one by one. Confused, I decided to follow the herd. Chase looked up quickly, clearing his throat. “Where are you going? Your performance last year was stellar. Let’s talk about a raise.” I jolted awake and shimmied back into my seat. I refilled my glass, muscle memory taking over to offer a toast. “Thank you for the recognition, Mr. Vanderbilt. Bottoms up.” “Sit, sit. Stop drinking.” He held my glass down. “Tell me more. Ethan… I mean, your ex. How did his mother convince you to break up? Did she curse at you? Threaten you?” No. She was very kind. It was my senior year of college. Since confirming our relationship sophomore year, I would stay at Ethan Sterling’s place during winter and summer breaks. His mother appeared suddenly one afternoon. I was napping on the couch and was startled awake by a knock. I thought Ethan had forgotten his keys. I ran to open the door, only to find a strange woman. She looked about thirty percent like Ethan. She wasn’t surprised to see me. And she didn’t seem to be looking for Ethan. I greeted her slowly, “Hello, ma’am.” “Summer, hello.” She smiled. “Can we go inside and chat?” I guessed her purpose immediately. She introduced herself as Mrs. Sterling. Her family controlled shipping lanes on the East Coast. Her marriage to Mr. Sterling was a business alliance. The two families’ industries complemented each other perfectly. They had been married for years in relative harmony, and Ethan was the only son. Maybe Mr. Sterling had illegitimate children. But Ethan’s position was secure. Assuming he didn’t do anything stupid. Like letting an outsider find a weak point to exploit. “I trust Ethan’s abilities; he doesn’t necessarily need a marriage to secure his position,” Mrs. Sterling said, adjusting her designer clutch. Then came the pivot. “However, marriage is a way to gather support.” “If he doesn’t do it, someone else will.” “If others realize his wife’s family is weak, they might use marriage alliances to challenge him. That wouldn’t be good.” With every sentence, my back stiffened. I was sitting on pins and needles. Let’s get this over with. I kept my head down. “Mrs. Sterling, what… what do you want me to do?” She looked at me picking at my fingers, her gaze almost pitying. “Summer, I’ve known about you since high school.” “Back then, Ethan would always ‘accidentally’ mention your name at home.” “I looked into you. I know your parents are traditional and strict, that you relied on financial aid to leave your rural town, and that you got into the prep school on grades alone.” “You’ve had a hard life.” “You’re smart, and you’re pretty.” “But to be our daughter-in-law… you don’t have to be perfect, but you can’t have such glaring deficits.” “I didn’t want to break you two up so quickly.” “But Ethan is graduating. If you stay in the country, he won’t want to go abroad to manage the overseas branches.” “So, Summer, for his sake, and for yours… consider this.” She opened her clutch. She slid a thin check across the coffee table. I wiped my face quickly, afraid to look up. “Okay. Okay, I understand. Is it alright if I don’t walk you out?” Her soft cashmere shawl brushed against my flannel pajamas. The scent was faint, like old money and sandalwood. The scent faded. She closed the door, as if she had never been there. I went to the bedroom to pack. Only then did I realize how much stuff I had. Clothes and socks filled a corner of the walk-in closet. Jewelry, hair ties, and skincare products Ethan had bought me on a whim. The plants I raised, the plushies I bought, the half-used toiletries. It was way more than the single suitcase I arrived with. I packed, then unpacked. I left all the expensive jewelry. I took the skincare products. I wouldn’t bear to buy such expensive brands on my own. I took extra pajamas. And the cashmere shawl—it was a celebrity style, very long. When I bought it, Ethan laughed, saying I was trying to look cool despite being short, that I looked like a manta ray in it. I had to take that. The sound system was a brand I picked out. It was supposed to be amazing. Though, once we got it, I realized the internet hype was exaggerated. But I still loved it. Too bad I couldn’t carry it. What about the flowers on the balcony I’d tended for two years? Would I have to spend another two years growing new ones somewhere else? I sat next to the messy suitcase and suddenly broke down. The front door opened and closed. Footsteps, the rustle of bags being placed on the table. “Summer,” Ethan called from the living room. “I’ll make dinner, okay?” I didn’t answer. He muttered to himself in confusion. He must have seen the check on the coffee table because his footsteps suddenly became frantic. The bedroom door flew open. “Who came here…” Ethan’s face was pale as he held the thin piece of paper. I turned to look at him, quickly wiping my face with my sleeve. “Hey, don’t cry. Don’t cry.” He half-knelt, pulling me into his arms. “Who came to see you? Tell me.” His fingertips were cold; his coat was freezing. I rubbed my face against his coat, burying myself in his warm sweater. But his sweater smelled of sandalwood too. They were family. Could I really drag him down, forcing him to choose sides? Gasping for air, I tried to pull away, but he yanked me back. His fingers tangled in my hair, forcing my head against his chest. “Speak. Was it a man or a woman? How old?” He lowered his head, his nose pressing against my temple, his breath ragged with anger. I shook my head. “We… we need to talk.” “Talk about what? Summer, what are you doing? Breaking up?” His gaze was severe. “When we got together, didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t give up easily?” I wanted to say sorry, but I couldn’t. He had told me he thought everything through before asking me out. So he hoped I would consider the obstacles we’d face before giving him an answer. I promised him I would stay by his side. But I was too young. I underestimated the weight of the world. Facing it now, I realized a single sentence from his mother was enough to negate everything. I was retreating. Would he retreat too, at some point? “Maybe we should… just separate?” I met his eyes, my voice getting smaller. “I’m afraid… afraid you’ll regret it later. That you’ll feel I’m… a burden…” “Enough!” Ethan cut me off, swallowing hard. For three years in high school, I rarely spoke. At first, when classmates asked me questions, I wouldn’t answer. I’d just write down the solution. They thought I was arrogant. They called me the “Silent Ice Queen of Exams.” Later, teachers called on me to answer questions. It happened enough times that they realized I had a speech impediment. A severe stutter. So, I gained immunity from answering questions. No one forced me to speak. They just occasionally advised me to practice more. Classes during the day, dorms at night… time was tight. I couldn’t find space to practice, nor did I want to. Only after getting together with Ethan did I occasionally open my mouth. He would always wait for me to finish. Even if describing a simple event took me ten minutes. He never interrupted me like this. I clamped my mouth shut. “Summer,” he took a deep breath, cupping my face in his hands. “Do you still love me?” I looked at him and nodded. “Then don’t mention breaking up. Do it for me—practice speaking. I’ll practice with you at home.” He applied a little pressure. “Do you hear me?” I nodded again. He pulled me into his arms, tightening his grip. “Good girl.” After that day, neither of us mentioned the two-million-dollar check. He hired a housekeeper, and he spent all day dragging me into conversations. Sometimes I woke up late at night to hear him on the balcony, taking calls. The person on the other end didn’t sound happy. He would listen in silence for a long time, giving low responses. Usually, the next day, he’d apologize, saying he had to attend board meetings and would be gone for a few days. I saw the documents on his desk. Meeting minutes, industry reports, financial statements. Confidentiality level: Unknown. I didn’t dare look closely. I just knew I was probably dragging him down. When he was gone, I practiced speaking to my phone. I started a voice chat livestream. Regardless of whether anyone was listening, I forced myself to talk. Some viewers were scared off. College classmates who bumped into me on campus thought I was having a mental breakdown. For a while, my weird livestream was even discussed on the university forum. I replied to comments one by one, explaining the reason. To my surprise, the internet was kind. People came just to chat with me. But it was so painful. The livestream got more popular. Some encouraged me; others mocked me. Some tricked me into reading inappropriate comments. I still stuttered. After accidentally reading a phonetic pun for a slur, my channel was banned again. I couldn’t take it anymore. Why torture myself like this, and drag Ethan down with me? A lifelong condition isn’t something that can be fixed in a short time. I wanted to give up. But this time, I didn’t have the courage to face Ethan. I left everything behind, taking only the clothes on my back. I broke up with him via text from a hotel room. He flew back from the West Coast that very night. He insisted on seeing me. I opened the door to see a travel-worn Ethan. Eyes bloodshot, standing stiffly. Neither of us spoke. I couldn’t stop the tears. I cried and cried. Finally, I spoke the most fluent sentence of my life. “Ethan, the pressure is too much. I really can’t keep going.” He pursed his lips tight. “You really can’t keep going? Can’t we try again?” I said, “I’m so tired.” He placed a gift bag on the floor, lowering his eyes. “If it’s really that painful… then forget it.” I squatted on the ground, watching him turn his back. “Ethan!” He stopped and looked sideways. Only then did I realize his eyes were red too. I said, “Can we still be friends?” Will we ever see each other again? He laughed lightly. “Yeah. If you need anything, find me.” But I understood. He meant he wouldn’t find me. And indeed, we never contacted each other again. It’s been over three years. If he knew my speech is crystal clear now— I wonder if he’d be happy for me. Alcohol brings up old memories. Illusory emotions rushed to my head, making me forget reality. I was slumped on the table, completely forgetting I was at the group gala. Sitting opposite me was my boss’s boss’s boss. Chase frowned and patted me. “Summer? Summer, wake up… Holy crap, does she have alcohol poisoning? I’m dead. Ethan Sterling is going to chop me up.” I was shaken awake, tilting my face out from my arms. I opened one eye to look at him. “Hmm? Mr. Vanderbilt?” Chase let out a sigh of relief. He handed me a napkin, lifting his chin. “Wipe your face. Crying like that.” “Sorry, drank too much. Got emotional. This wine is strong.” I forced a smile, realizing something. “Hey, Mr. Vanderbilt, weren’t we talking about a raise?” He waved his hand expansively. “Raise. 50%. But tomorrow… no, the day after tomorrow, you have to come with me to… uh, a cross-company exchange meeting.” “Is my rank high enough to attend with you?” “Oh, it’s just a simple dinner.” “Oh. Wait, the day after tomorrow is the start of the holiday break.” “Triple overtime pay. The meeting is full of big-shot connections. I’m taking you because you’re ambitious.” Chase sounded very convincing. I didn’t suspect a thing and made an ‘OK’ sign. He let out a breath, smiling like a triumphant fox. “I’ll have the driver take you home. Rest up. I’ll pick you up the day after tomorrow.” 2. I slept until 2 PM the next day, thanks to the alcohol. I woke up and sat on the edge of the bed thinking for thirty minutes. I couldn’t remember exactly what I said at the gala last night. But I definitely remembered Chase’s mischievous expression at the end. His reputation with women wasn’t great. One day sending a starlet to a magazine cover. The next dining with a debutante. Though I hadn’t heard of him messing with female employees. Still, it gave me goosebumps. Before I could think of an excuse to bail, a corporate message popped up. [Tomorrow’s dinner is a birthday celebration for a buddy of mine. You’d better bring a gift.] [Take this seriously. Maybe if they like you, you can make a few hundred thousand more in commission this year.] [5:30 PM. My secretary, Leo, will pick you up.] Your private party? I shouldn’t go. I drank too much yesterday and ran my mouth, please forgive me, Mr. Vanderbilt. There are people with better sales numbers than me, maybe give the chance to them? I deleted all my refusal drafts. Cowardly, I typed: [Received.] After washing up, I realized I forgot to ask key information. Is this buddy old or young? Does he like western stuff or traditional? What’s his orientation? I knew nothing. I searched “gifts for male leaders” on my phone. The history showed shops I used to buy from. Scarves, belts, briefcases. The prices were low, ranges I wouldn’t choose now. But back then, Ethan was always happy to receive them. I suddenly felt dazed. Ethan’s birthday was coming up soon, too. He was born right around the holidays. Every year, he’d celebrate with me, then rush home to celebrate with his family. He’d return the next day with bags of stuff. Gifts from relatives and the Sterling family’s business partners. Some knew he was dating, so they gifted trendy luxury items suitable for women. He’d pick through them and bring me everything I could use. He’d tease me, refusing to hand them over easily. Making me circle him, anxious and stuttering. Only then would he lift his chin and slowly hand over the suitcase. I’d sit on the floor opening boxes. Ethan would lean against the wall, sipping water, watching me. “Like any of them?” I’d show him my favorite. He’d nod, smiling. “Got it. I’ll discuss more projects with that family next year.” I’d say, “You… you’re abusing your power.” My birthday is in the fall. Exact date? Unclear. With his gifts piled up, it felt like I had a great birthday too. Since breaking up, I hadn’t picked a gift for anyone. Filtering through millions of items to match someone’s temperament, preferences, and status was exhausting. I summoned the courage to message Chase. “Mr. Vanderbilt, what does your friend like? I’ll prepare accordingly.” He said, “Anything is fine.” … Anything it is. I asked a contact to buy a brick of aged tea. I just said I wanted expensive. Gifting tea is never wrong. The shop owner said the tea I wanted was high grade, and the only one in stock was reserved. He had to transfer stock from another store. Luckily, it arrived before the dinner. I picked a semi-formal business casual outfit and left with the gift box.

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I was blocked by my boss’s girlfriend. She screamed over the phone: “You’re a female subordinate, have some boundaries! Seducing your own boss after hours?” But the multi-million dollar contract in my hand was expiring tomorrow morning. When I tried to call back, my number had been blocked. The boss was MIA. No one at the company was responding. The next morning, my boss personally showed up at my front door, clutching the corporate seal. I yawned, leaning against the doorframe. “Boss, you’re a grown man. Have some boundaries.” “Showing up at a female subordinate’s house first thing in the morning? That’s not appropriate, is it?” 1 When I was briefing my boss on the final clauses of the contract, the office door cracked open. My boss’s girlfriend, Tiffany, poked her head in. When she saw me, her expression stiffened. Her eyes were red, her voice trembling as she asked carefully: “Gavin… am I interrupting your work?” My hand, resting on the contract, paused. My boss, Gavin Sterling, froze in awkward silence. He reacted a second later, moving to pull her in. But Tiffany took a step back, looking aggrieved as tears began to fall. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be suspicious… it’s just… I heard people say that bosses and their capable assistants often develop feelings over time. I got scared…” I didn’t speak. I simply closed the laptop in front of me. Gavin’s face flushed red, then pale. His tone was flustered. “Tiff, stop overthinking. We’re just discussing a contract. Don’t let your imagination run wild.” “Discussing a contract…” Tiffany sobbed harder. “I know Elena is capable. Unlike me, I can’t help you with anything. I just cause trouble.” “But… but to discuss work, do you really need to keep the door closed?” The boss frowned, looking from the tearful Tiffany to me. Finally, his gaze settled on me. It was a look of obvious difficulty, pleading for me to smooth things over. “Elena, look at this… how about you step out for a moment? Let me explain things to her.” I stood up and gathered the files on the desk. “Fine,” I said. “But Mr. Wolf is waiting for the final version. If it’s not locked in by 9:00 AM tomorrow, the penalty is 15% of the total project value.” I paused, then added: “Mr. Sterling, my salary does not include overtime pay for handling your relationship drama.” With that, I opened the door and walked out. Behind me, Gavin’s face was frozen, accompanied by the sound of Tiffany’s escalating cries. 2 The office was eerily quiet. Tiffany had joined the company two years ago as a receptionist. Last year, she became Gavin’s girlfriend. Since then, she had acted like the Lady of the Manor. She was hostile toward any female creature that got too close to Gavin. Yet, she had her clique of supporters. Right now, she was leaning against the front desk, “sharing” something with a few colleagues. Her voice was sickly sweet, punctuated by giggles behind her hand. Her eyes, however, were like hooks, casting glances in my direction. “Sigh, Elena works so hard, my heart aches for her. Girls should really cherish themselves more. Otherwise, if Gavin finds out, he’ll blame me for not taking good care of her.” “My Gavin is just too soft-hearted. He always feels indebted to hardworking employees. I’ve told him so many times not to be too nice to subordinates; it causes misunderstandings.” The gazes around me turned sticky, filled with speculation and malicious excitement. I ignored them, pouring all my energy into the contract revisions. An hour later, I finished cross-checking every clause word by word. Clicked send. Recipient: Gavin Sterling. The moment the email went out, a pair of expensive high heels stopped by my desk. Tiffany leaned down, holding Gavin’s phone. “Elena, thanks for your hard work.” She smiled innocently, waving the phone. “Gavin left his phone with me. He was afraid I’d overthink things.” “Originally, he was worried about some… butterflies and bees trying to seduce my husband…” “Oh, Elena, don’t misunderstand! I’m not talking about you! You were definitely just sending a work email.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for the entire open-plan office to hear. Stifled laughter erupted from the nearby desks. Someone whispered snidely: “Tsk tsk, the official girlfriend came to mark her territory. Some people really have no boundaries.” “Right? Making Director at twenty-eight? Just on ability? Who are you kidding? We all know what kind of ‘ability’ stands out.” I smiled, leaning back in my chair. “Miss Tiffany, you used the word ‘husband’.” I looked her in the eye. “Did you two get a marriage license?” 3 Tiffany’s face turned crimson. She stammered, unable to speak for a long time. Finally, she glared at me viciously, turned on her heels, and clattered away. The colleagues around us immediately lowered their heads, pretending to work. I ignored them, my eyes returning to the computer screen. Time ticked by. The sky outside turned completely dark. The office emptied out until I was the only one left. The door to Gavin’s office remained shut tight. The corporate seal I needed never appeared. At 8:00 PM, I called Gavin. “Hello?” I suppressed my anxiety. “Miss Tiffany, please put Mr. Sterling on the phone. There is an urgent contract that needs his attention.” A light laugh came from the other end. “Oh, Director Vance. Looking for a man to talk work this late? My Gavin is already asleep.” I gripped my phone tighter, my voice dropping three degrees. “This contract involves tens of millions in business. The deadline is 9:00 AM tomorrow. The company cannot afford the breach of contract penalty.” “Oh, what to do then? But work is never-ending, and health is most important. I couldn’t possibly wake him up now. Director Vance, you’re so capable, surely you can solve this yourself, right?” She hung up immediately. I redialed instantly. The receiver played a cold automated message. The user you are calling is busy. I dialed again. Same message. I had been blocked. 4 I switched to our internal messaging app to text Gavin. [Mr. Sterling, the contract with Mr. Wolf expires at 9 AM tomorrow. The company cannot bear the penalty. Please call back immediately to authorize the seal.] A red exclamation mark popped up. [The user has enabled friend verification. You are not yet friends with this user.] Excellent. I picked up the landline and called the other executives. The Vice President’s phone rang twice before being hung up. Immediately after, a text arrived: [Elena, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but… you know the situation with Gavin and Tiffany. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to call right now, would it?] The CFO actually answered, though his voice was evasive. “Elena, don’t panic, don’t panic. Uh… Mr. Sterling is… well, Tiffany is in a rage right now. No matter how big the contract is, it’s not bigger than the boss’s family matters, right? Just wait, we’ll talk tomorrow.” “Mr. Lee,” I interrupted him. “After 9 AM tomorrow, we will be discussing how to pay over a million dollars in penalties.” The line went silent, followed by a dry laugh. “I… I’ll think of something.” Then, silence. Cornered, I opened the company-wide Slack channel. I drafted a message and tagged @channel. [URGENT NOTICE TO ALL STAFF:] [The multi-million dollar contract with Wolf Enterprises requires a corporate seal before 9 AM tomorrow. Failure to do so will result in a massive penalty. Mr. Sterling is currently unreachable. Any colleague with access or contact, please assist. The company’s survival is at stake.] The chat was dead silent. A few seconds later, Gavin’s avatar popped up. But the tone was unmistakably Tiffany’s. [@Elena Vance, sister, I know you mean well for the company, but Gavin is really not feeling well today and needs rest. Sending messages like this so late will just worry everyone.] [Besides… I’ve never heard Gavin mention this huge contract. Sister, please don’t be scammed by outsiders. If the contract is fake, Gavin will be so heartbroken for you. If the company suffers a loss, how could you afford to take responsibility alone?] Every word was a dagger. Before I could reply, a gray notification appeared on the screen. [You have been removed from the channel by the administrator.]

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During the Mid-Autumn Festival, I gave my parents each a red envelope with 2,000 yuan. But my mother held the envelope, hesitating. “Mom, just say what’s on your mind.” Seeing me ask, she finally spoke up: “I see you got a promotion recently, right? Your salary must have gone up quite a bit. Your brother started giving us 8,000 yuan each starting from the Dragon Boat Festival last month. Yours should increase too, otherwise people will say I’m not treating my children equally.” 8,000 each meant 16,000 total. That wasn’t a small amount, so I called my husband to discuss it. To my surprise, his answer shocked me. He said: “Mom likes to keep things equal, right?” “Then ask her for me: our family is about to receive the village land subsidy, right? How much are Mom and Dad planning to give us?” 1 I knew about the land subsidy my husband, Travis, mentioned. It was a subsidy from the village, not much. For our family of four, the total subsidy was only 800 yuan. For all these years, I never thought about asking for that money. I didn’t expect Travis, who was usually generous, to suddenly care about such a small amount. I couldn’t help but mock him: “It’s only 800 yuan in total. Divided among individuals, it’s only 200 yuan a year per person. That’s not even enough to fill your gas tank once. You’re a big boss, surely you’re not going to be petty over 200 yuan?” Travis was acting strange today, every sentence dripping with sarcasm. “So what if I’m a boss? Does money fall from the sky for bosses? You say I’m petty, but isn’t your mom petty? If she’s not petty, then let her give you that 200 yuan. It’s almost Lily’s birthday, let’s treat that 200 yuan as a birthday red envelope for Lily.” I laughed out loud: “Travis, what do you mean? You don’t think my mom kept my share of the subsidy because she’s stingy, do you? It’s only 200 yuan in total. Even if Mom offered, I’d be embarrassed to take it.” “Travis, I don’t know what’s gotten into you today, you sound so aggressive. You know very well how my mom treats you, right?” Travis was an orphan. After my mom found out, she felt very sorry for him. Every time the family harvested peanuts or corn, they sent us dozens of pounds. He ate so much good food, doesn’t he know better? I thought reminding him would soften his tone. Unexpectedly, Travis seemed to have swallowed dynamite today: “Yes! Mom is good to us! Sending heaps of peanuts and corn. Since she’s so good, she shouldn’t mind giving 200 yuan for Lily’s birthday, right?” It seemed Travis was fixated on that 200 yuan subsidy today. “So if my parents don’t give that 200 yuan today, you won’t agree to give them the 8,000 yuan red envelope?” I was getting angry too. I thought Travis would readily agree to give my parents money like before, which was why I discussed it with him. After all, we’re married, our money is pooled. We also agreed that any expenditure over 10,000 yuan requires mutual consent. But I never expected Travis to refuse so adamantly this time. “Giving money is fine, but you must first ask Mom for me. The village subsidy is coming soon. Since she claims to treat everyone equally, how much is she planning to give us?” “Sarah, you know very well, calculated by headcount, you should get 200. Your parents wouldn’t be unfair over just 200 yuan, would they? Then how can she have the nerve to say she’s afraid people will say she’s unfair?” Travis said hatefully: “If you ask me, your mom is unfair. It’s not that she’s embarrassed not to give you this 200 yuan subsidy, she simply doesn’t want to give it!” I was already annoyed about having to work on the Mid-Autumn Festival, and now Travis was being so sarcastic, I instantly flared up: “Travis, don’t be shameless. It’s just 200 yuan. Do you think I’m like you, a child without a mother, who can’t even get 200 yuan!” Between husband and wife, sometimes when arguing, we really say hurtful things. We stab where it hurts the most. These words poked Travis’s sore spot directly. He shouted on the other end: “Yes, I don’t have a mother to give me money. Sarah, let me tell you, so what if you have a mother? You still can’t get the money! What’s the difference between having a mother and not having one for you?” Could I tolerate him talking about my mom like that? So I roared: “Fine! Travis! I see it now! You’re just mentally unstable because the festival is coming, jealous that I have parents who love me! 200 yuan, right? I’ll ask my parents for it right now! If my parents give it, this 16,000 red envelope will be deducted entirely from your salary card!” Travis was tough too: “Fine! Go ask your mom! If she really gives you this 200 yuan subsidy, I’ll pay the whole 16,000, and from now on, you manage my salary card!” Married for two years, every time I asked Travis for his bank card, he had various excuses. “I cover all household expenses, and money for parents is split evenly. What more do you want?” I thought about it. Since the money I earn is in my hands, there was no reason to manage his salary card. But now since he offered it himself, why would I refuse? I agreed immediately: “Fine, get your card and password ready. Watch me throw the 200 yuan my mom gives me in your face!” 2 I just sat on the sofa after work when Travis came back. As soon as he entered, he asked teasingly: “So? Did you call? Did you get the money?” I rolled my eyes at him: “Can’t you see I just sat down and haven’t even had a sip of water?” Travis rolled his eyes back at me and lay down on the chaise longue next to me. “That’s perfect. Now that I’m back, I can witness the miracle with you. Start calling.” I clutched my phone. The phone showed the chat history with my mom from today. At that time, I transferred 4,000 yuan to her and said: “Mom, I have to work on Mid-Autumn Festival and can’t come back. Here’s a red envelope for you and Dad each. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance.” I transferred money according to the usual custom. After getting married, except for 10,000 each for New Year, the other festivals like Mid-Autumn, Dragon Boat, Double Ninth, Father’s Day, and Mother’s Day were 2,000 each, never changed. Actually, I gave money before marriage too, but it was just me giving it then. After getting married, Travis said he wanted to show his appreciation too, so we split it half and half. But after giving the red envelope this time, my mom suddenly called me. I was still working then. Seeing her hesitating, I whispered: “Mom, just say what you have to say, I’m working.” Seeing me ask, she said: “Sarah, I see you got a promotion recently? Your salary must have gone up quite a bit, right?” I was stunned, not knowing what promotion my mom was talking about. After a while, my brain caught up. Last month I passed an exam, and my technical qualification rating went from C to A. I posted it on my Moments. My mom might have thought this was a promotion, but actually, it was just a higher qualification rating. My salary did increase, but only by 500 yuan, not the promotion to a high official making big money my mom imagined. So I wanted to explain: “Yes, Mom, but it’s just a technical rating upgrade, salary only increased by…” Before I could say 500, my mom interrupted me. She said hurriedly: “Actually, your brother started giving 8,000 red envelopes since the last Dragon Boat Festival. I was too embarrassed to tell you, but I thought about it, I must treat you siblings equally. One can’t give so much more than the other. If people find out, they’ll laugh at me for being an unfair mother.” When my mom said this, I was too embarrassed to mention the 500 yuan raise. Because according to my mom, my brother started giving my parents 8,000 each earlier this year, and I was still following the old rule, giving only 4,000. At this time, my boss came and urged me: “Technician Sarah, the client is here, hurry to the conference room to report on the project progress.” So I covered the receiver and said to my mom: “Mom, let’s talk about the red envelope later, I have to work now.” After the meeting, when I recovered a bit, I remembered what my mom said about the red envelope, so I called Travis. That led to the conversation above. “What? Afraid to call?” Travis lying on the sofa looked like he was watching a joke. “If you dare not call, then your salary card will be managed by me.” Saying that, Travis turned over to rummage through my bag. I quickly covered my bag: “In your dreams!” “I’ll call right now! Get your salary card ready.” Travis turned back, opened his bag, and took out several cards from his wallet. “A savings card, a salary card, a bonus card, all here. Come and get them if you can!” I grabbed the three cards in my hand: “Hmph, get the passwords ready for these three cards. They will definitely be managed by me in the future!” Saying that, I called my mom confidently. 3 The call connected quickly. “Hello, Mom, have you eaten?” I spoke first. “Just finished, your dad is watching TV. We were just talking about you, and your call came! Look at that old saying, speak of the devil and he appears.” “Yeah!” I played along with my mom. “By the way, did you tell Travis about the Mid-Autumn Festival red envelope? I say he definitely has no objection. Travis is such a good son-in-law, always polite and proper during festivals. You are the head of the house, as long as you have no objection, Travis definitely won’t. Your dad and I have always treated him like a son.” My mom was laughing. She probably knew I called to talk about the red envelope. I laughed awkwardly twice: “Yes! You and Dad are good to Travis, he always remembers it! He often says although his parents passed away early, meeting you and Dad is his blessing.” Travis curled his lips and picked up the newspaper on the table. But his eyes kept glancing at me. I knew he was staring at me. My mom saw I didn’t mention giving money, so she spoke first. “By the way, don’t send that 16,000 red envelope via WeChat later. Transfer it directly to the bank card, otherwise I’ll have to withdraw cash. Your dad and I don’t know how to use that thing well. It’s easier for us to save it if you transfer to the bank card.” Only then did I realize my mom didn’t accept the 4,000 red envelope from the afternoon. My heart sank. Were they so sure I would give 16,000? After all, Lily is not yet one year old. I don’t have in-laws to help, relying entirely on myself. Just the nanny and housekeeper cost 12,000 a month. Although Travis pays for it, we have formed a small family after all. Travis’s salary only rose to 16,000 after Lily was born, and my own salary only broke 10,000 after my technical rating rose to A plus the annual bonus. According to my mom, giving 8,000 starting from now on holidays means paying 16,000 just for October. Wait, I looked at the calendar. In previous years, we also had a tradition of giving red envelopes for the Double Ninth Festival. That means paying 32,000 to my parents just in October. Not to mention New Year’s Day and Spring Festival later. Calculating roughly, the holiday money for a year adds up to nearly 200,000. But Travis and I combined only make a little over 310,000 including salary and bonuses. Did my parents not calculate this? Why suddenly raise the holiday money so high? My heart tightened suddenly. Is there something wrong with my parents’ health? Because Grandpa and Grandma both died of cancer, I suddenly got scared. Could it be that my parents are sick and hiding it from me and my brother? But they need money for treatment, so they ask us siblings to give double red envelopes so they can secretly see a doctor. Thinking of this, my heart was high in my throat. I hurriedly asked my mom: “Mom, is everything okay at home? Is anyone uncomfortable?” “If you and Dad have any problems, you must tell me and brother. We are a family, don’t hide it.” My mom was confused: “What problems could your dad and I have! Sarah, don’t talk nonsense there. If you think we are asking for too much, just say it, don’t beat around the bush asking this and that.” I heard my mom’s impatience and hurriedly explained: “No, I was just thinking, you and Dad are already receiving pensions. Although not as much as the elderly in the city with eight or ten thousand, you have nearly four thousand, which is definitely enough in the countryside. Suddenly asking me and brother for so much money, I thought something happened to you and you dared not tell us!” Seeing my genuine concern, my mom softened her tone: “Oh, you think too much. We have food and drink, what could happen? Rest assured, your dad and I are in good health! It’s just seeing Old Li’s daughter next door bringing back tens of thousands a month, your dad and I are envious. Thinking you got promoted? Your brother’s job is stable too, so we thought you children could be more filial to us, letting me and your dad show off too. Otherwise, that Old Li showing off his daughter’s transfer chat records at the village entrance all day is so annoying!” Hearing about Old Li, I breathed a sigh of relief. Back then, Old Li’s family had three daughters in a row, and people said their family was useless. As a result, all their daughters went to university and did well. Heard that the eldest daughter, Nana, sends hundreds of thousands home a year. My dad and Old Li came from the same production team, and Old Li’s wife was my dad’s first love, so it’s normal for my mom to be jealous and want to save face. Just as I was about to agree to give my parents a 16,000 holiday red envelope in the future, Travis kicked me. I glared at him: “What are you doing!” Travis threw down the newspaper, pointed to the three bank cards on the coffee table, and whispered: “Do you still want them?” I remembered my bet with Travis. Fine! Isn’t it just a 200 yuan land subsidy! Just let my mom give it to me. Then I can not only perfectly solve the family conflict but also officially manage all of Travis’s money. Simply killing two birds with one stone! Thinking of this, I kicked Travis back. Growled: “Got it!” Then I said to my mom: “Mom, speaking of Old Li reminded me of something. Doesn’t our village issue a land subsidy every October! I met Old Li’s eldest daughter Nana a few days ago. I praised her for doing well and earning a lot. Nana joked that it was all because her dad gave them the village land subsidy every year. “My dad often says, land money, land money, have land, have leisure, have money. Although the village land subsidy is not much, it is very auspicious and brings good luck. He puts it in a red envelope every year and solemnly distributes that subsidy to us children. Not to mention, every time I receive this land subsidy prepared by my dad, my business profits soar several times, and receiving it basically means smooth sailing for the business. Don’t you think this land subsidy deserves a lot of credit?” I repeated what Nana told me to my mom. After finishing, I changed the subject: “Travis and I just had Lily! The financial pressure is up, and we are preparing to do some small business ourselves. So, Mom, can you give me my share of this year’s land subsidy? I also want to ask for good luck.” I’ve said this much, and the reason is sufficient. Moreover, that subsidy is only 200 yuan per person. I thought my mom would agree readily. Unexpectedly, my mom hesitated again. “That money, not much, what good luck can it have.” “Sarah, don’t worry. Isn’t Lily about to have her first birthday at the end of the year? Mom will give our Lily baby a big red envelope then, guaranteed to be more auspicious than the land money you mentioned.” “No, Mom, Lily’s birthday is still early. Travis and I are starting our business this month. That subsidy happens to be issued this month, isn’t it perfect!” I acted coquettishly: “Mom, don’t think I’m embarrassed to ask for just 200 yuan. I want this money just for good luck. Nana is a big boss, don’t all business people believe in this! We are just starting business, learning from these big bosses, maybe it really will be smooth sailing.” I thought my mom felt 200 was too little to give, so I emphasized again that I didn’t mind, just for good luck. But my mom still seemed very troubled on the other end of the phone. After a long time, she said: “Sarah, I probably can’t give you this year’s subsidy.” “Ah? Mom! Why?” My heart tightened, thinking my mom really had something big hiding from me? But her next words shocked me. 4 My mom said: “Didn’t your brother also want to do business recently? Last time I met Li family’s daughter Nana when she returned to the village, I chatted with her. She didn’t know if she was modest or joking, saying her business did well thanks to the subsidy red envelope Old Li prepared for her.” “I asked casually what subsidy red envelope, Nana said what else could it be, it’s the village land subsidy.” My mom said awkwardly: “If you mentioned it earlier, Mom would have given you that 200 yuan. But your brother asked before you. He said he wanted that land subsidy this year. I’ve already prepared the red envelope for him, ready to give it to him when he comes back for Mid-Autumn Festival.” I thought, what a coincidence. I didn’t expect my mom and I both chatted with Nana and both mentioned the auspiciousness of the land subsidy. But on second thought, something was wrong. The land subsidy is 800. Nana’s family also distributes 200 red envelopes to each person. Our family also has four people, can’t we also distribute 200 to each person? Thinking of this, I blurted out: “Mom, since brother and I both want to do business and want good luck, isn’t it fine for brother and me to each get 200!” Exactly! Whether divided by headcount or by affection, 200 each is a very natural thing, right? I didn’t know what my mom was troubled about. Unexpectedly, my mom spoke without thinking: “If I give you 200, doesn’t it mean giving away half of your brother’s good luck? That won’t do!” After speaking, my mom probably didn’t feel anything wrong and continued: “If you really want this money, wait a bit longer, wait until your brother’s business gets bigger and stable.” I never expected that asking for a 200 yuan land subsidy would fail like this. I was full of anger and couldn’t help complaining: “Mom, what do you mean giving away half of the good luck? Am I not a member of the family?” My mom quickly replied: “Sarah, Mom didn’t mean that! Of course you are family, but there is only so much luck. If you take some, he takes some, isn’t it gone?” “Your brother is a boy, he will have to buy a house and marry a wife in the future. He needs to make money more than you now. Why do you have to fight with him for this little money?” Honestly, when talking about land money before, it was indeed about money. But now it’s not about money, it’s about sharing good luck. Just because my brother also said he wanted to do business, my mom wanted to give all this so-called good luck to him, unwilling to give me a penny? Is this not obvious favoritism? I was really angry, and my tone hardened: “Mom, if you still treat me as your daughter, your child, give me the land money I asked for. If you treat me as water spilled out, then don’t give it, but don’t say anything about being a fair mother in the future.” My mom got angry too, saying in a low voice: “Sarah, what do you mean? We are mother and daughter, is it worth it for 200 yuan?” I also tried hard to suppress my voice wanting to explode: “Mom, you also know we are mother and daughter. Is it worth hurting my heart so much for 200 yuan? Think about it yourself. Your biological daughter asks you for 200 yuan for good luck, but you only want to leave all this good luck to your son. Do you believe yourself when you say you are not biased?” Now my mom was completely angry: “Fine! Since you say I’m biased, then I am biased! Ask yourself, all these years, have I, as a mother, let you go hungry or cold? What your brother has, when did you not have it?” I sneered: “I did have everything my brother had, but it was all old stuff my brother wore.” The more I recalled, the angrier I got. My brother is a year younger than me, but he has always been taller and bigger than me. So I grew up wearing my brother’s hand-me-downs. Before, the family conditions were not good, and I could understand my parents. Never blamed them. But thinking about it now, my brother wore new clothes growing up. What was wrong with buying me a new one occasionally? I gritted my teeth and realized they just didn’t want to buy new ones for me. I happened to be an obedient child since childhood, never crying or making noise, so of course I didn’t get fed. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but continue complaining: “And food! I did eat what my brother ate! But what the family prepared was always what my brother loved to eat. So you always said you treated us equally, I had what my brother had, but in fact? I didn’t like those things at all. So seeing me not eating, you always said, Sarah, you don’t like eating this yourself, don’t go outside and say mom and dad are biased, only buying for brother and not for you!” “The fact? If you bought what I liked, would I not like to eat it?” Because of this 200 yuan land money, I held a breath and poured out all the grievances that suddenly surged up. My mom was silent for a long time on the other end of the phone, and after a while she said: “I always thought you were a good child. I didn’t expect you to be so calculating. You remember such small things so clearly. Unlike your brother, who has a big heart. I beat him and scolded him so many times when he was young, but he always said mom was good, never said mom was bad!” Before my mom finished speaking, I interrupted her: “Of course! You beat him when he was young because he skipped class, fought, stole things, and insulted teachers. That was what he deserved. I don’t do these dirty things, of course I won’t ask for scolding.” “Result? Dedicated to being a good child, but because I asked you for 200 yuan, I was called disobedient and small-minded. It seems better to be a bad child in the future. As long as I don’t commit crimes, I’m a good child!” My mom was speechless by my retort: “Fine, your wings are hard, I’m old, can’t explain to you.” With that, she hung up the phone directly. I sat on the sofa angrily, unable to say a word. After a while, my mom sent me a message: “If your dad hadn’t just said it, I wouldn’t have reacted. I didn’t expect you to be so scheming after getting married.” Me: “What do you mean!” My mom: “You know best what it means! Isn’t it just that you don’t want to give the 16,000 holiday red envelope? Saying directly you don’t want to give it, you’re afraid of being pointed at as an unfilial daughter! So you deliberately found an excuse to ask for land subsidies to quarrel with me, so you don’t have to give money! Don’t give if you don’t want to! Do your dad and I really lack your little money?” I didn’t show weakness either: “You don’t covet my money, that’s great! Why don’t you return the money I gave you before? That would be more convincing!” After sending, I threw the phone on the sofa, feeling extremely exhausted all over. Travis had already returned to the bedroom to take care of our daughter. I closed my eyes, feeling tired enough to faint. At this time the phone rang. It was my dad

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Ethan cheated on me. A one-night stand. The girl got pregnant and came to me, demanding Ethan take responsibility. Ethan smoked a cigarette and gave me the power to choose. “It was just once.” “If you can forgive me, we can move on.” “If not, we divorce.” My face was pale as I asked with a trembling voice, “It’s your fault, right?” “If we divorce, you’ll admit it’s your fault, right?” 1 My marriage to Ethan was a hand-me-down from my younger sister. Chloe was lively, cheerful, and willful. She refused to be trapped in a so-called family alliance for a lifetime. So she took a card with twenty million dollars and ran away. My mother felt sorry for her youngest daughter but couldn’t bear to lose a good son-in-law like Ethan. So she pushed me out. As if just being a daughter of the Carter family meant Ethan would marry me. Who is Ethan? A scion of a powerful family where dropping a brick would hit a row of ancestors. He was the biggest of them all. Chloe running away from the wedding had already humiliated him. And now ask him to marry me? Daydreaming, right? But I still went to see him once, recommended myself, and he actually agreed. This year is our fourth year of marriage. To outsiders, we are a model couple. But in private, we treat each other with polite distance, maintaining basic etiquette even in bed. My mother kept urging me to have a child, nagging that I was useless, saying if this continued, I wouldn’t be able to tie Ethan down, and what if he ran away. I wanted to say, Ethan isn’t a dog. I want to tie him down, but would he let me? But I didn’t say anything. I just nodded submissively. My mother hated seeing me like this the most, rolled her eyes, and walked away swaying her hips. But what I didn’t expect was that I really got pregnant. 2 My period was late by one, two, three, maybe four weeks. Last night I bought a pregnancy test, and it showed two lines. Today I went to the hospital for a blood test. The doctor held the report. “9 weeks pregnant. Do you want this baby or not?” “I think so!” I hesitated a bit. Ethan didn’t know yet. This child was also outside our plan. I had to ask him. So holding the report, I went directly to his company. When I arrived, Ethan was in a meeting. The assistant led me to the office, poured coffee and served desserts, asking me to wait a while. I picked up the cup, about to drink. Can I drink coffee when pregnant? Don’t know. Checked it. Yes. Then no problem. I took a sip, sighing with satisfaction. Before I could finish my sigh, a noisy argument came from outside, accompanied by a woman’s scream. I opened the door and met the eyes of the woman being held back. She shouted with red eyes: “Let Ethan come out! He got someone pregnant, doesn’t he need to take responsibility?” Such a loud voice. Such a big scene. So many people. So embarrassing!!! I wished I could find a crack in the ground to hide. I just wanted to say, this has nothing to do with me! Fortunately, Ethan appeared in time. He walked through the crowd with a cold face and saw me peeking through the door crack. That large hand with distinct knuckles covered my eyes. I shrank back instinctively. His hand moved and closed the door. I blinked. Wait. My husband cheated, got someone else pregnant, and now the person involved is at the door. Do I not need to participate at all? 3 Ethan indicated that it wasn’t entirely unnecessary. He dismissed everyone, whispered a few words to that woman, opened the door, and brought her to me. Looking at his calm and composed appearance, I really wanted to applaud. Cheating so righteously like him is probably unprecedented. The woman was cool. Wearing simple sportswear, a high ponytail, and a baseball cap. Sitting there with crossed legs, her whole body screamed “I’m not to be messed with.” But she was undeniably beautiful. Exquisite features, cool and glamorous eyes. Just this look made it hard to hate her. Pity she had a mouth. “Is this your wife?” “Divorce her.” “I’m pregnant, you have to be responsible for me.” I curled my lips. I’m pregnant too, who’s responsible for me? Logically, as the legal wife, I should have more advantage than her, the mistress. But when marriage becomes a battlefield, the more immoral one often acts more righteous. “Sigh!” I sighed, grabbed a cookie and ate it. Milky aroma, not too sweet. Not bad. “Do you want some?” The woman looked disgusted, pointing at me. “Is she crazy?” Ethan finally frowned, a rare sight. He took my hand and pulled me into the lounge. He smoked a cigarette in silence. “Just once.” “I accidentally drank spiked alcohol and had relations with her unexpectedly.” “Sophia.” He looked up at me, his gaze exceptionally serious. Said: “The fault is mine, you make the decision.” “If you can forgive, we’ll live well.” “If not, divorce.” The word divorce suddenly appeared, making my heart skip a beat, then accelerate rapidly. I uncontrollably pinched the web of my hand. “It’s your fault, right?” “If we divorce, you’ll admit it’s your fault, right?” 4 Ethan looked at me seriously. He was handsome, better looking than anyone I had ever seen. I liked looking at him very much. Especially in bed, looking up from below, seeing his blurred eyes, listening to his sexy panting. All this could make me forget everything and experience ultimate pleasure. Divorce, quite a pity. But divorce isn’t impossible. “So, your choice is divorce?” I nodded, pointing outside. “It’s come to this, can’t not divorce!” “Just regarding my mom, you’ll admit it’s your fault, right?” I confirmed again. Ethan’s expression faded. Those strange and distant eyes were quite uncomfortable. But I was best at dealing with inner discomfort. Deep breath, exhale, and it’s fine. Ethan stood up, brushed off non-existent dirt from his clothes, and said calmly: “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Phew! Then I’m relieved. “If we divorce, I don’t want anything else, I only want Aurora Pharmaceuticals.” “Okay.” “But if it’s convenient for you, a villa would be fine too.” “Okay.” “Can I ask for another three hundred million?” Ethan looked back, staring at me. “Want everything, still divorce?” “If not divorce, everything is yours.” I avoided his gaze, lowered my head, left foot stepping on right foot. What logic. Then don’t cheat! No cheating, no divorce. No divorce, wife and child are yours. ………… Wait. Cheated, divorced, he still has a wife and child. Damn! As expected of a businessman chasing profit, calculated so clearly.

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My mother-in-law suddenly called me while I was driving on the freeway. It wasn’t safe to answer, but she refused to hang up, interfering with my navigation. I managed to put on my Bluetooth headset. As soon as I connected, she started yelling: “Sarah, what are you doing? Why did it take you so long to answer?” I frowned. “Mom, didn’t I tell you yesterday I was going on a business trip? I’m on the road right now.” My mother-in-law was frantic. “Come back immediately! The TV is broken, and Liam is screaming to watch his cartoons. Nothing I do will calm him down.” She wouldn’t stop shouting. I couldn’t focus on driving. I had to slow down to 60 and move to the slow lane. “Mom, I’m driving. I can’t talk right now.” “If the TV is broken, take Liam downstairs for a walk. He shouldn’t be watching TV all day anyway, it’s bad for his eyes.” My mother-in-law retorted: “But he hasn’t eaten yet! He says he won’t eat until he watches his show.” She deliberately put me on speaker. From the other end came Liam’s piercing screams: “I won’t eat! I want to watch my show!” Then he started screaming incoherently. The sharp noise gave me a headache. My mother-in-law continued: “See? He won’t eat without his cartoons.” “Look at the time! How can he not eat?” “Think of something, quickly!” I felt helpless. The child was right next to her, yet she insisted I solve the problem. I controlled my emotions and said calmly: “Mom, why don’t you find a TV repairman to come take a look?” “It’s only 5:30, they shouldn’t be off work yet.” She paused. “I don’t know any repairmen!” “Then ask Liam’s dad. Ken should be home by now.” “Ken definitely doesn’t know any either.” I kept my patience. “We’re young people. Ken will figure it out.” My mother-in-law got impatient. “What can he do? Why trouble two people for such a small thing? Just pull over and make a call.” I explained: “Mom, you can’t stop on the freeway. It’s dangerous.” “Finding a repairman isn’t hard. There’s a computer and internet at home. Just tell Ken to look one up online.” “I need to focus on driving. I’m hanging up.” I ended the call. Just then, a truck drove parallel to me. The hazardous materials sign on its side was terrifying. The truck driver noticed I was a woman. He glanced at me contemptuously and honked repeatedly, signaling me to move and not block the way. I felt uncomfortable. I accelerated, preparing to overtake. Before I could pass, my mother-in-law called again. “Ken can’t find a repairman either. He said for you to contact one.” I sighed. “There are tons of appliance repair services online. Just call and make an appointment. They can be there in ten minutes.” Without thinking, she said: “Ken just can’t find one!” I started getting angry. “Is it that he can’t find one, or he didn’t even look?” She stammered for a while. “Ken said he’s very busy tonight and told me not to disturb him.” I frowned. “What is he busy with?” She said: “Something about ‘raiding’ or ‘leveling up,’ I don’t understand. Probably work.” I scoffed. So he was busy playing video games. My mother-in-law continued: “Sarah, you bought the TV. You should just handle it.” “Ken is tired from work every day too. You can’t just demand him to do this and that.” I laughed in anger. Yes, yes, her precious son is the most delicate flower. Don’t I work? I pick up the kid after work, cook for the whole family, clean up, and do laundry. Everyone treats me like a beast of burden. Am I not tired? I didn’t want to say anything more. I threw out a final sentence: “Mom, stop talking.” “I need to drive. I don’t have time for this.” “If Liam wants to cry, let him cry in Ken’s room. Let him cry at his dad.” With that, I hung up. Soon, it started to rain. Raindrops covered the windshield, visibility was poor. I turned on the wipers, gripping the steering wheel tightly, not daring to relax for a second. Traffic was congested. A beat-up sedan kept trying to cut in, very annoying. My mother-in-law kept calling. She called over a dozen times; I didn’t answer a single one. After a while, she stopped. Then Ken called. I picked up. “What?” Ken asked angrily: “Why aren’t you answering Mom’s calls?” “Where are you?” I rolled my eyes. “I said at dinner yesterday, I’m on a business trip today.” He said “Oh,” then added: “The TV is broken.” “Your son keeps screaming to watch cartoons. It’s noisy.” “So?” Ken clicked his tongue, sounding very dissatisfied. “Are you playing dumb?” “Find someone to fix it.” “Liam is so noisy, I can’t focus on my stuff.” I asked back: “Why do I have to find someone?” “I’m driving on the freeway. Why can’t you find someone?” Ken didn’t answer directly. It was like he didn’t even hear me. He continued talking to himself: “The neighbors in the group chat are complaining. They say Liam is too loud and disturbing their rest.” I was speechless. “Since you know Liam is disturbing others, why don’t you do something?” “Just let him scream and disturb others?” Ken: “That’s why you need to find someone to fix the TV quickly. Once it’s fixed, he’ll be quiet.” A sense of powerlessness instantly washed over me. Furious, I hung up and threw the headset onto the passenger seat. The rain fell harder. The wipers were on max speed. For safety, I found the nearest rest area to stop and wait out the rain. I checked my phone. The building group chat was full of curses. Everyone was complaining about a child screaming in the building. Obviously, they were talking about Liam. His dad didn’t care, but I couldn’t let our relationship with the neighbors crumble. I quickly found an appliance repair shop near home online. The guy on the other end was rude. He quoted $200. Take it or leave it. Looking at the terrible weather outside, I knew he was price gouging. But I had no choice. If this wasn’t resolved, my mother-in-law would call again. I had to agree and asked him to go asap. Then I called my mother-in-law, telling her I had booked a repairman. I told her to calm Liam down and stop him from screaming. She sounded smug: “Why didn’t you just do this earlier? Look how upset you made my grandson.” Hanging up, I sighed, leaning back and rubbing my throbbing temples. A moment later, my boss called. “Sarah, where are you?” I pulled myself together. “At a rest stop. The rain makes driving difficult, but I’ll arrive by tomorrow morning. I won’t delay the client’s schedule.” My boss sighed. “Sarah, bad news. The client’s schedule changed. You probably need to meet him tonight.” This put me in a tough spot. The destination was about 200 miles away. Driving fast in the rain was dangerous. Seeing my silence, the boss comforted me: “It’s okay. This is a sudden change. Don’t force yourself. I’ll send a sales rep from the branch office.” This deal was my big chance for a promotion. I couldn’t just hand it over. I gritted my teeth. “It’s fine, boss. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be there on time tonight.” … Hanging up, I rallied my spirits and set off again. The road was slippery. I watched the traffic carefully, controlling my speed and lane changes. The GPS kept announcing: “Speed limit 65 ahead…” “Accident-prone area, please maintain distance…” Occasionally, semi-trucks would speed past me. The splashed water instantly blurred my windshield. My heart tightened, but I dared not brake. Just then, my mother-in-law called again. I didn’t hesitate. Hung up. Seconds later, she called again. I hung up again. She kept calling. After five or six times, the GPS froze. I surrendered and put on the headset. “Why don’t you answer the phone?” “What kind of repairman did you find? Why does fixing a broken TV cost $200?” My heart sank. Yes, I had anticipated her reaction. She was from the countryside and would never accept paying $200 to fix a TV. So I had told the repairman in advance to just fix it and not mention money. I would transfer the money to him separately. She must have tricked the price out of him. I tried hard to explain: “Mom, that’s the standard price now. Plus it’s storming, it’s good enough he’s willing to come.” “Don’t worry about the money, I’ll pay for it.” She wasn’t having it. “What do you mean I don’t worry? Isn’t your money the family’s money?” “Ken works so hard, day and night. Does your heart not ache when you spend it?” My chest started to hurt. Her son works a factory job. He works day and night but earns less than my base salary. Without my support every month, he’d starve. I held back my emotions. “Mom, stop talking. Let the man fix the TV, then let Liam eat, okay?” “I’m driving. Hanging up now.” But she started yelling: “Fix what? I told him to get lost long ago.” “Trying to scam my family’s money? No way.” Hearing this, my heart went cold. Because I had already prepaid the service fee. $50 gone, just like that. My brain started to shut down. My mother-in-law kept chattering: “Oh no, Liam is starting to fuss again.” “Find another place quickly. If the TV isn’t fixed tonight, he won’t even sleep.” I wanted to say something, but a Toyota SUV sped past me honking. I panicked and instinctively swerved. The car lost control, skidding towards the guardrail. I tapped the brakes rapidly, gripping the steering wheel, trying to regain control. The car skid for hundreds of meters before stopping. Luckily, there were few cars because of the rain. Otherwise, it would have been a horrific crash. I stopped in the emergency lane, shaken to the core. My mother-in-law was still yelling: “What’s that rumbling noise over there?” “Say something.” “Can the TV be fixed or not?” I didn’t speak. I was trembling all over from fear, unable to utter a word. I tried to reach up to turn off the Bluetooth headset. But my hand wouldn’t obey. After fumbling for a while, I couldn’t even touch the headset. I got even more agitated. She kept yelling: “What do you mean by not talking?” “Do you think an old woman like me is annoying?” “I came all the way from the countryside to help you with the kid. What did I do wrong?” “I ask you to do one thing, and you’re so impatient?” I said tremblingly: “Mom, please stop. I almost got into a car accident.” There was a pause on the other end. “Car accident?” “Then how are you talking to me?” I forced myself to explain: “Not got into an accident, almost got into one…” She asked tentatively: “But you’re okay, right?” I said: “I’m not hurt. Just scared. My heart is racing…” She sighed in relief. “As long as you’re okay.” “Then hurry up and find someone for the TV.” “I finally coaxed Liam to eat, but I still need to listen to some opera later.” “I’ve loved opera all my life. If I don’t listen to a couple of pieces, I really can’t sleep.” My heart, which had just relaxed, tightened again instantly. At this moment, I couldn’t control my emotions anymore. I screamed at her: “Fix the TV! Fix the TV!” “Must the TV be fixed tonight?” “Can’t live without a TV?” “Why do you adults and the kid all have to make it hard for me?” “Won’t eat without cartoons? I never spoiled him with such bad habits!” “Is the kid’s dad disabled? No hands or feet? Is he useless?” “I’m telling you, I have my own things to do. Fix the TV or not, watch it or not, I don’t care anymore.” “Stop calling me!” Since getting married, I’ve always been gentle. My mother-in-law never dreamed I would talk to her like this. But I just brushed past death. Even a gentle rabbit bites when cornered. She yelled into the phone angrily: “Sarah, what do you mean by that?” “Rebelling are you! Is this how your parents taught you to speak?!” Before she could continue, I slammed the phone down. She called back instantly. I blocked her. Ten seconds later, Ken called. “How dare you talk to my mom like that? Do you know you scared her…” Blocked him too. The world was quiet. Only the sound of rain filled the universe. I rested my head on the steering wheel, taking deep breaths. I don’t know how long it took for my body to slowly recover. Then, the phone rang again. It was my boss. “Sarah, are you okay? Are you driving? You didn’t reply to my message, I was worried.” My usually calm boss sounded a bit panicked because of the rain. I rallied my spirits to respond: “I’m fine, boss. I’m still on the road. Should be there by 10 PM.” He sighed. “I’m not calling to rush you.” “The rain is getting heavier. I’m doing my best to communicate with the client, asking him to stay longer, buying time.” “It’s okay if you’re a bit late.” “Safety first.” The sincerity in his voice wasn’t fake, nor was it an attempt to absolve responsibility. My vision blurred. I touched my face; it was tears. How laughable. The first person to care about my safety was an outsider. After hanging up, I calmed down a bit more. Brain rational again, I decided to continue. I wasn’t moved by the boss to sell my life for him. But I had made a promise, and I had to keep it. Not hoping for others to pay for my mistakes is the greatest respect and courtesy. Back on the road. The rain showed no sign of letting up. My mother-in-law and Ken were blocked. No one would disturb me again. I could maintain absolute focus. But facts proved I was too naive. A call from an unknown number shattered my luck. At first, I thought it was spam and ignored it. A few seconds later, it rang again. I hesitated, then put on the headset. As soon as it connected, I heard my mother-in-law screaming: “Bad news! Bad news!” “What do we do! The TV exploded!” My heart skipped a beat. How could a TV explode? A chill ran down my back. I asked: “What happened?” “Speak slowly.” Her wailing was mixed with blame: “It’s all your fault!” “I told you to find someone else, but you wouldn’t answer!” “I had to ask my dance partner, old man Lee. To see if he could fix it.” “Who knew, halfway through, something wasn’t connected right, and the TV blew up!” I asked hurriedly: “Is anyone hurt?” She paused, voice dropping significantly: “Ken and I were far away, we’re fine. Old Lee got his arm burned.” “It’s just Liam…” I panicked: “What happened to Liam?!”

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Five years into our secret marriage, Lucas Sterling’s ambitious first love returned. He allowed me to become a stepping stone for Bella Clark’s rise. He watched as she made me practice lines in the pouring rain, rehearse dances barefoot in the snow, and even forced me to entertain investors in flimsy clothing. Once, Lucas had shielded me with his life, saying, “Ava, I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” But later, at the celebration party, he made me stand aside and watch him passionately kiss Bella. He said, “Once Bella’s career stabilizes in a few years, I’ll announce that you are Mrs. Sterling.” I smiled and didn’t answer. I couldn’t wait that long. I was dying. 1 On our fifth anniversary, Lucas took a phone call and left me without a word, staying out all night. The next day, I found out that his ambitious first love, Bella Clark, had returned. Bella had left Lucas without a word to pursue her career abroad. Since her return, she had moved into the Sterling mansion. Bella held Lucas’s arm, dressed in a red haute couture gown, looking at me like she was inspecting a product. “So you’re the dancer Lucas said I’d be managing?” Looking at Bella’s red dress, I suddenly remembered the first gift Lucas gave me on my birthday. Lucas gave me a red dress. After I put it on, he stared at me intently, his gaze so fervent it made me shy, my fingers nervously twisting the red fabric. It turned out Bella was the one who liked red dresses. “After all these years, Lucas, your taste has declined.” She frowned, her tone mocking. “That innocent act won’t work on me. Until you win honors for me, I won’t go easy on you.” “Understood.” I didn’t want to stay in the same room with her, so I turned to the kitchen to get the porridge I had simmered for six hours for Lucas. I didn’t want her to be my manager. But no one could change Lucas’s decision. Even though I was his wife through an arranged marriage, the Sterling and Jiang families were top-tier elites in the city, second only to the Xie family. Though born into wealth, my mother taught me to be gentle and virtuous, never to argue. Suddenly, I was yanked back. Slap! A stinging pain spread across my face. I covered my cheek and looked at Bella. She looked at me as if it were only natural. “I didn’t say you could leave. Who let you go?” The earring Lucas gave me was knocked to the floor, my earlobe burning with pain. I squatted to pick it up, but Bella stepped on my hand. I couldn’t take it anymore and pushed her away. “Enough!” Bella stumbled, her hand hitting the corner of the dining table. She cried out in pain. Lucas immediately held her hand in distress, glaring at me angrily. “Bella just got off the plane and hasn’t even eaten, yet she’s thinking about guiding you! And you hurt her over a cheap earring!” I froze. He gave me that earring, saying that lovers who wore earrings would never be separated. Seeing my expression, Lucas walked over and hugged me like he used to, but his words chilled me to the bone. “Bella is different from you. She’s so strong it hurts. She suffered a lot abroad. Now that she’s back, I hope to help her achieve the glory she wants.” “She made a lot of plans to help you succeed. Be good and listen to her, okay?” “If you insist on embarrassing Bella, I’ll have to find a new Mrs. Sterling.” Lucas knew Bella was asserting dominance, yet he chose to indulge her. He looked at the porridge on the table, his tone gentle. “Bella loves seafood porridge the most. Give it to her.” Whenever Lucas worked late, I would wake up early to make him seafood porridge because he once said he didn’t like porridge until he fell in love with seafood porridge. It turned out he didn’t love the porridge; he loved Bella, who loved the porridge. Watching them leave, I sat frozen on the floor, a chill rising from the bottom of my heart. 2 Since bringing Bella back, Lucas treated her exceptionally well. Everything in the house was replaced with things Bella liked. The house was filled with fresh flowers just because she said she liked the scent. But Lucas forgot I was allergic to flowers. When I was rushed to the hospital for anaphylactic shock, I saw my parents guarding my bedside. My father asked, “If you’re being mistreated, come home. Dad can support you!” I shook my head. I couldn’t let go of Lucas, couldn’t let go of the boy who once protected me with his life. When I first learned about the arranged marriage with the Sterling family, I was reluctant. I wanted to pursue my dance career rather than be trapped in marriage. So, I often avoided dinners with Lucas. Until one late night, after dance practice, I was stopped by a group of drunk men. They wouldn’t let me leave and demanded I dance for them. Lucas suddenly appeared, kicked the leader to the ground, and pulled me away. I watched him run ahead, my heart pounding. We were soon caught. They pulled out knives. Lucas shielded me, taking a stab to his abdomen. The men fled at the sight of blood, leaving me crying and holding Lucas. “Do you want to die?!” Lucas said, “Ava Jiang, I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” My father gave me a jade pendant, saying he hoped it would keep me safe and happy. I smiled and leaned into my father’s arms, my speech slurred from my swollen face. “Of course, I’m the Jiang family’s precious daughter.” But the smile was bitter, my heart heavy. I didn’t understand why, after five years, I still couldn’t make Lucas love only me. I was tired. 3 When I returned to the Sterling mansion, Lucas looked at my pale face, stunned. “Why do you look so haggard?” He tried to hug me, but I instinctively pulled away. The unfamiliar scent on him made me uncomfortable. Lucas looked at me with a half-smile. “Unhappy?” He brought a glass of hot milk to my lips. Whenever we argued, he would heat milk for me. Drinking it meant I was no longer angry. Seeing the milk used to dissipate most of my unhappiness, but now, I still couldn’t calm the depression in my heart. “It’s just an allergy, you won’t die. So delicate,” Bella sneered. “To get you that contract, I drank with them all night.” Bella snatched the milk and drank it. “Don’t spoil her. If she gets used to it, who will spoil her in the entertainment industry?” I looked at Lucas, but he showed no displeasure. Instead, he looked at Bella approvingly. “Mm, you’re right.” The pain in my chest worsened. I wondered if emotional pain could really hurt this much. I didn’t respond to Bella, which made her feel slighted. Her gaze fell on my jade pendant. She snatched it. “Nice pendant. Did Lucas give it to you? Confiscated.” The pain in my chest intensified, leaving me speechless. But that pendant was from my father. I couldn’t let Bella take it. I lunged forward. Just as I was about to touch the pendant, Bella dropped it. It smashed into pieces on the floor. Enraged, I pinned Bella to the ground. In the struggle, Bella cried out in pain. Lucas pushed me away. I fell onto the shards, cutting my legs and hands. I gathered the pieces, tears falling on them. My father’s gift was broken. Lucas didn’t even look at me. He carried Bella away, coldly instructing the bodyguard, “Make her kneel there. She’s not to get up without my permission.” I was forced to kneel on the shards, sharp pain shooting through my knees. I struggled to get up. I couldn’t kneel like this; my legs were for dancing, I couldn’t let them be ruined! But I was too weak to resist. Kneeling there in despair, the pain in my heart only grew stronger. 4 The hospital put a Band-Aid on Bella and said she was fine. But after kneeling for so long, I struggled to even stand. Lucas looked at me, a trace of emotion in his eyes, but his tone remained cold. “Ava, I hope you’ll be obedient in the future. Don’t disappoint me again.” “You need to know that the position of Mrs. Sterling was meant for Bella. You can’t be willful just because you hold the title.” Hearing this felt like being doused in ice water. My heart went cold. I pushed Lucas away and walked out. I didn’t want to see him or Bella. I wanted to go home, to the Jiang family who truly loved me, to my parents. But the moment I stepped out the door, I collapsed, a sharp pain in my heart making it impossible to breathe. Before losing consciousness, I saw Lucas running over anxiously, just like when he protected me years ago, his eyes full of love. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Lucas was gone. My repaired jade pendant lay on the bedside table. The doctor stood beside me. “Where is your family? I need to discuss your condition with them.” I paused, sensing something. “Just tell me directly.” The doctor hesitated for a moment. “You have severe heart failure… If you rest well, you might live 3-5 years. But if you don’t take care, maybe six months at most.” I clutched the pendant and smiled at the doctor, saying I understood. The moment I lowered my head, tears filled my eyes. So the recent chest pains weren’t because of Lucas; they were because I was dying. I couldn’t describe the feeling, but I felt regret. Regret that I hadn’t been filial to my parents, regret that I hadn’t achieved the highest honors in dance, regret that I hadn’t made Lucas truly love me… When I returned to the Sterling home, Lucas hugged me gently. “Ava, why did you faint suddenly?” I shook my head. “Maybe I’ve been too tired lately.” Bella crossed her arms, looking at me with disdain. “Tired? What a pampered princess. The selection is coming up. Do you want to win or not? Go outside and practice your lines.” Lucas hesitated. “Maybe let Ava rest for a few more days?” Bella immediately turned to leave in a huff. “Fine! You feel sorry for her! Then why hand her over to me? I came back for glory! Not to watch a drama queen act weak!” Lucas quickly coaxed her. “Okay, okay, we’ll listen to you.” I was locked outside to practice lines. Even when it started pouring rain, Bella wouldn’t let me in. She said, “Aren’t there scenes in the rain? Don’t stop!” The autumn rain was fierce. I was soaked, the cold seeping into my bones. My heart hurt more and more, and I fainted on the ground.

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Gabriel Vance was probably the gentlest person I had ever met. I had been rejected twenty times because I talked too much. When we first met at a concert, I chatted his ear off for half an hour. I stopped only when I realized I was rambling, but he looked puzzled and smiled gently at me. “Keep going, I’m listening.” I fell for him quickly, and we got married. Three months into our marriage, he spoke pitifully little. Whether I nearly burned down the house cooking or ended up in the police station for causing trouble, he remained calm and gentle, never speaking more than ten words at a time. But right now, he was losing control of his emotions in front of me because of another girl. 1 “Gwen, how many times have I told you? Safety comes first when you’re out!” “You just came back, and you’re already in the police station. You’ve really outdone yourself!” The girl was about to speak, but Gabriel interrupted immediately. “What? You want to talk back?” “What bad habits did you pick up abroad for all these years!” I sat aside, watching intently. He said four sentences in one breath. That face, usually so gentle and peaceful, was now full of anger. So he did have emotions, just not for me. The next second, Gabriel finally noticed me. He immediately returned to that expression and reached out to me. “You’re here too?” I dodged his hand and walked out of the police station. I soon got Gwen Vance’s file, and felt like I had fallen into an ice cellar. Gwen was the adopted daughter of the Vance family. Five years ago, she was forcibly sent abroad because of her improper relationship with Gabriel. The Vance family took this last resort to protect their reputation. But in the past five years, Gwen had staged over twenty suicide attempts to come back. The last time she was saved, Gabriel endured ninety-nine lashes of family discipline. Father Vance finally compromised and agreed to bring Gwen back. But the condition was that Gabriel must marry another woman to cut off Gwen’s thoughts. So, I became Mrs. Vance, a fig leaf for their illicit relationship. And I was stupid enough to think it was all love. Gabriel’s car was waiting outside the police station. I quickened my pace and went around it. He guessed I was angry, got out of the car, and followed me all the way home. The blisters from my high heels made it impossible for me to continue. I found a flower bed to sit on. Gabriel was one step ahead and spread his expensive jacket on the ground. Gwen immediately jumped out of the car and hugged Gabriel’s arm. “Gabriel, I’ll keep you company. It’s all my fault for making sister-in-law angry. Let’s be punished together!” In a few words, she painted me as a petty and jealous woman. I lowered my head and smiled sarcastically, pretending not to hear, and continued walking. Wearing those little leather shoes with only three-centimeter heels, she complained of foot pain after walking less than five hundred meters. “Gabriel, you guys are fighting, why am I the one suffering?” She pouted, her whole body almost sticking to Gabriel. His gaze fell on Gwen’s slightly red instep, and his face became serious. “Get in the car!” Gwen shook her head and refused. “No! I want to be with you! Or… you get in the car too, stop walking! My heart aches for you!” Gabriel was silent for a moment, picked Gwen up, and stuffed her into the car. The Maybach sped away, leaving me alone with my head down, staring at my blistered and bleeding feet in a daze. An hour later, I finally opened the door to my home. Gabriel was treating the wound on Gwen’s foot, his expression devout and serious. Gwen’s foot rested unscrupulously on his thigh, and she didn’t forget to pout and act coquettishly. “Gabriel, it hurts, blow on it for me.” Gabriel blew on the wound, somewhat helpless, yet somewhat doting. I watched this scene and suddenly laughed out loud. Taking off my blood-stained high heels, I spoke calmly. “Gabriel, let’s get a divorce.” 2 The whole of Lion City knew how much I liked Gabriel Vance. So he just thought I was throwing a tantrum and joking. He paused for a moment, then perfunctorily said, “Go to bed early, there’s an event tomorrow.” He didn’t take this sentence to heart, so naturally, he didn’t know that I turned around and notified my parents of the divorce. Early the next morning, Father Vance’s whip cracked loudly, while Gwen knelt on the ground, tears in her eyes. “I said, I won’t marry!” Father Vance was full of anger. “Gwen, you have no right to negotiate with me! Don’t forget who you are!” Gabriel stood aside, his eyes full of anxiety and distress. When the whip fell, it was Gabriel whose skin split open. He held Gwen tightly in his arms and took the whip for her. Gwen shed tears of heartache, grabbing Gabriel’s hand and saying, “Gabriel, does it hurt?” “Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t marry anyone else, except you…” Father Vance’s face changed suddenly, and he shouted to stop. “Shut up!” He looked at Gabriel with a gloomy face. “Don’t forget that Lydia is your wife now. Are you doing right by her?” Gabriel’s face stiffened for a moment, he looked up and suddenly met my eyes. His expression was momentarily dazed, then he frowned and called me to his side, whispering, “It was you, right?” I was a little confused, then heard him say, “You’ve gone too far!” I finally understood. Gabriel thought Father Vance came to force the marriage early in the morning because I snitched. Anger rose from my heart, and I immediately denied it. “It wasn’t me! Yesterday’s matter…” Before I could finish, Gabriel suddenly interrupted me with a kiss. This was our first kiss from dating to marriage. I froze in place, not understanding his intention. The next second, Gabriel said to Gwen, “Gwen, the husband Father chose for you… is very good.” “Look at me and your sister-in-law now, we are also very happy.” He tried his best to control his tense muscles and sad expression. And I once again became a tool he used to protect Gwen. Gwen screamed in breakdown, while Gabriel forcibly pressed me into his arms and deepened the kiss. This time, I really got a vivid Gabriel, but all his vividness was because of another woman. That night, I accompanied Gabriel to a banquet as usual. As hosts, Gabriel and I wore custom-made masks. As soon as I entered, I spotted Gwen. Her mask was extremely similar to mine, and she had Gabriel’s most cherished bow tie tied around her wrist. Gabriel didn’t notice. He raised his arm as usual, signaling me to hold it. I ignored it and stepped aside. He paused slightly, his tone somewhat helpless. “Still angry?” His attitude was like warm water boiling a frog, burning me again and again. I lowered my eyes, word by word. “Gabriel, I’m not joking with you.” Saying that, I took out the divorce agreement and handed it to him. Just as he was about to take it, a cry erupted from the crowd. “Miss Vance! Are you okay?” Gabriel’s face changed drastically. He turned to leave but was pulled back by me. “Sign it first.” 3 He took a deep breath, seeming to disapprove of my untimeliness. After hastily signing his name, he ran towards the crowd without looking back. I looked at the divorce agreement and tried hard to suppress the dull pain in my heart. Soon, the party began. The gentlemen needed to find their female partners in the shuffled crowd. The fastest one would receive a gift from the Vance Group. Under the flickering lights, Gabriel walked towards me step by step. Those eyes, usually calm as water, were now rolling with heavy love. I was a little dazed. Suddenly the lights went out. When they came back on, Gabriel was passionately kissing Gwen under the gaze of everyone. They hugged each other tightly, breaths intertwined, looking incredibly happy. Envious voices erupted from the crowd. “President Vance and his wife really act like newlyweds, they look so loving!” “Yeah, they say Mrs. Vance is the one in love, but I think President Vance loves her very much!” The discussions pierced my heart like sharp blades. The lights went out again. Gwen turned her head and met my eyes. She raised her hand to wipe off the messy lipstick and mouthed word by word, “Admit! Defeat!” I smiled coldly, took off my mask, and walked over. I patted Gabriel without hesitation. “Did you mistake the person?” His face changed drastically. Just as he was about to speak, the lights came on, and the crowd stirred. I was pushed backward by the crowd and stepped on by countless people in the panic. My face turned pale with pain, but I saw Gwen always being carefully protected in his arms. Soon, the first couple to find each other stepped onto the center stage. The prize prepared by the Vance Group finally appeared. Amid the cheers of the audience, I saw a very familiar painting. That was my sister’s work. To complete this painting, my sister gave her all. Shortly after completion, she passed away from overwork. This painting was clearly stored in my sister’s studio. How could it appear here? “This painting is the final work of Master Ru Ting, with a market price as high as eight figures!” “Five years ago, after Ru Ting finished this painting, she completely disappeared and never showed up again.” “But today, we are fortunate to have invited Master Ru Ting to personally present this painting to the champion!” The spotlight flickered and finally landed on the mask that looked exactly like mine! I was furious. My sister died years ago. How could it be Gwen? I lost control of my emotions, excitedly pushed through the crowd and rushed forward. “She is not…” But before I could finish my sentence, a sharp pain suddenly came from the back of my head! When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on the bed in the villa bedroom. Gabriel sat aside, dealing with official business. I threw off the quilt, didn’t even care to put on shoes, and wanted to rush out. But the next second, Gabriel picked me up. “You have a fever.” Gabriel frowned, whispering, “Calm down.” I was put back on the bed, my face pale. “Gabriel, didn’t you see? Gwen is impersonating Ru Ting! She is impersonating my deceased sister!” “That’s my sister’s work. What right does she have? I’m going to expose her—” I was furious, but suddenly froze when I met Gabriel’s calm eyes. 4 In a flash, I suddenly understood something. After my sister passed away, I only took Gabriel to that studio. But Gabriel took the painting from there and let Gwen steal the honor that belonged to my sister! My heart was torn open, and the biting cold wind poured in, making my limbs cold and my whole body chilled. “It was you…” I finally murmured, “Why?” Gabriel’s slender fingers combed the broken hair on my forehead, his voice helpless. “You have a fever.” “I asked you why!” I suddenly exploded, staring at him with red eyes, almost gritting my teeth. “Gabriel, at the dance tonight—” “I saw everything!” Gabriel’s face remained calm, and he said lightly, “Saw what?” He asked back, “You burned yourself into confusion and recognized the wrong person.” Seeing me dazed, he took the opportunity to change the subject. “The painting, I’m very sorry.” Gabriel took out a blank check from his pocket and handed me a pen. “Consider it bought by me.” At this moment, I suddenly realized. Perhaps in Gabriel’s eyes, I was also a commodity waiting to be sold. I couldn’t help but smile miserably, took the check, and tore it in half. “Gabriel, I don’t lack money.” He frowned and tried to probe, “Then shares of the Vance family?” I remained silent. Gabriel was a little annoyed, but still patient. “Then what do you want?” I stared at him angrily, still not answering. He suddenly realized something and took a step back. “A child? Okay.” His tone was calm and powerful, but with a trace of imperceptible compromise. “Don’t you want a child?” Because of this sentence, the anger I had suppressed finally erupted uncontrollably. I had always wanted a child with Gabriel. But Gabriel was unwilling and always took contraceptive measures very well. Now, for Gwen, he agreed to have a child with me. How ridiculous! I trembled all over with anger and bit my lower lip until it bled. I took out the divorce agreement and smashed it into Gabriel’s face. “Gabriel, are you kidding me?” I said word by word. “We are getting divorced! How could I still have a child for you?” Gabriel’s face stiffened. Just as he was about to bend down to pick it up, The phone rang suddenly. It was a playful theme song from GG Bond. I suddenly remembered the GG Bond pendant on Gwen’s phone and realized this was her exclusive ringtone. Whatever was said on the other end of the phone, Gabriel’s expression changed instantly. Ignoring the papers scattered all over the floor, he turned and left without hesitation. I calmly picked up the divorce agreement and locked it in the drawer. Since he didn’t even bother to look at it, he couldn’t blame me. For the next few days, Gabriel didn’t come home, but sent me gifts in various ways. Sometimes they were valuable limited editions, sometimes sports cars I liked but was reluctant to buy. He even sent three luxury houses in a row. During this time, Gabriel accompanied her every day to choose wedding dresses and rings. Busy as if he were the groom-to-be. That night, Gabriel finally came home. His steps were unusually hurried, and his always gentle face was a little gloomy. He grabbed my hand, his eyes full of anger. “Is it you?” Gabriel questioned, “Since Gwen returned, you have been tit-for-tat with her. You are her sister-in-law, can’t you be a little more magnanimous?” This was the first time Gabriel said such a long sentence to me. So long that I couldn’t even count how many words he said. Gabriel’s eyes were shadowed. “Do you know that Gwen is now locked up in the detention center? She has been delicate since childhood, how can she endure such hardship!” I was unusually calm. “Gabriel, believe it or not, I didn’t do anything.” “Her charge is theft!” Gabriel took a deep breath. “If not you, who else could it be?” I just felt absurd. “Why do you think it’s me? Just because she stole my sister’s painting?” “Don’t forget I am the victim. I thought you had a brain!” Gabriel’s forehead twitched slightly, and he took a deep breath to suppress his anger. He held my body, word by word, “Lydia, you just need to go to the police station and admit that you gave her that painting.” Hearing this, I trembled with anger. “What if I die and don’t go?” My eyes were red, staring at him fiercely. “What if I die right now?” Gabriel’s brow twitched slightly, falling into a long silence. Finally, he took a deep breath. “You can’t bear to die.” He sighed, his tone certain and pitying. “You worked so hard to marry me, how could you bear to die?” He clearly knew… clearly knew how much I loved him and how much effort I put in to marry him! But he only used my deep love as a blade to threaten me! I suddenly calmed down, closed my eyes, and smiled gently. “Yes, I can’t die.” But not for you. But because I have decided to leave you and start life anew. Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief: “Then let’s go now…” But the next second, I kicked Gabriel hard in the leg and broke free from his arms. “But I still won’t save her.” Gabriel’s anger could no longer be suppressed. “Lydia, you’ve really gone too far this time.” He clenched his hands into fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands. “Lock the madam in the confinement room.” He turned and strode towards the door. “Contact me when you are willing to cooperate.”

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My husband, Liam, was a top graduate from an Ivy League university. Upon graduation, he received olive branches from numerous Fortune 500 companies. But for me, he willingly stayed home and became a househusband. Everyone envied me for having such a good husband. In the middle of the night, after a moment of intimacy, he fell asleep. On a whim, I opened his phone. The lock screen wallpaper was me. But his pinned chat on messaging apps was a woman named “Zach’s Mom,” the mother of a classmate from our daughter’s preschool. Zach’s Mom sent a message: “Mia’s Dad, it’s going to be cold tomorrow, remember to wear more layers.” Liam replied with a cute nodding cat sticker and said, “You too.” Scrolling up hundreds of pages, I saw them caring for each other and reminding each other of things on countless nights when I was working overtime. I couldn’t remember the last time he sent me a sticker or asked if I was tired from work. 1 I didn’t sleep all night, reading their chat history from beginning to end. Thousands of pages of records. Liam never said he liked her, never said he loved her. But he would show off the new dishes he learned to cook in the evening, send her pitiful dragon stickers seeking comfort, and care about whether she changed to a thick duvet when the temperature dropped suddenly… “Heavy rain tonight, there might be thunder. Is Zach afraid of thunder?” “No! He’s very brave. It’s me, as a mom, I’m so scared I can’t sleep.” “It’s okay. If you’re scared, I’ll chat with you until you fall asleep.” Followed by a strong muscle cat sticker. “Okay!” Followed by a flower-scattering cat sticker. He hadn’t sent me a sticker for years. That night, the city experienced a once-in-a-century rainstorm. Thunder roared all night. After working overtime, I couldn’t get a taxi at all. I ended up curling up at my desk, terrified, and barely slept. He just sent me a message confirming I wasn’t coming home, and that was it. It turned out his care and comfort were given to another woman. Dawn broke. He moved his head, opened his eyes, and saw me lying at the head of the bed holding his phone. He paused for a moment, then casually reached out to pull me into his arms, taking the phone from my hand. “Up so early today? Isn’t it your day off? Sleep with me a little longer.” He nuzzled my neck, showing no sign of nervousness. I took his phone back, opened the pinned chat with Zach’s Mom, shoved the phone in front of his face, and asked him, pretending to be calm, “Don’t you have anything to explain to me?” “Oh. Mia has a good friend in preschool named Zach. This is that boy’s mom. I occasionally learn parenting tips from her.” “If you’re unhappy, I’ll delete her.” He clicked the red delete button decisively. He looked straight at me, his eyes open and candid. My pain of sleeplessness all night seemed ridiculous and inexplicable at this moment. It seemed like I was overthinking things. I remained silent. He hugged my waist and tickled me. “My dear wife, give your brain a rest on your day off. Why waste your thoughts on irrelevant people? I always love you the most!” I was tickled so much that I didn’t have time to think for a while. The matter passed just like that. After all, we had loved each other for eight years, and we had a daughter. 2 After deleting Zach’s Mom, I changed my habit of never checking his phone at night. I would check his phone from time to time. He never stopped me. But I never saw any chat records with the opposite sex that made me unhappy again. Our life returned to normal. He continued to be responsible for taking our daughter to preschool after I went to work. One day, the company organized a family dinner. I happened to pass by the preschool while sending off a client, so I went to pick up my daughter. “Liam, your wife found out, right? She made you delete me.” A gentle-looking woman with long hair sat with Liam on a bench in the small park next to the preschool. I stopped in my tracks. “Yeah, she wasn’t happy. But I bought a new phone. If you need anything, you can call this number.” He handed a brand-new phone to the woman. “Use this phone to call me from now on. Your old phone is very laggy. Consider this a thank-you gift for making breakfast for Mia.” The other phone he was holding was clearly a couple’s set with this one. I tightly gripped the old phone in my hand, the paint peeling off. The cold metal cut into my hand, causing pain. This was the family phone he bought when I was pregnant with Mia. The three of us each had one. At that time, he held me, his face pressed against my belly, and whispered softly, “Baby, Daddy and Mommy will use the same phone as you. By the time you’re five, it will definitely record a lot of happiness belonging to our family.” “If the phone doesn’t work well then, we’ll change to new ones together, new phones for the family of three.” Now Mia is four, not yet five, and he’s already impatient? A mixture of confusion and pain swept from my calves to my heart with the autumn wind. But I still have my daughter. We have been through so much together. My parents and older brother died in a car accident when I was in college. I lost all my family overnight. He accompanied me day and night. It was he who supported me through that darkest time. Without him, I might have followed my parents and brother in that house filled with their joys and sorrows. After I graduated and gave birth to the child, for my dream, he voluntarily gave up his high-paying job and returned to the family to take care of Mia. The evidence of his love for me in my memories is countless… He loved me so much. I looked at my husband speaking softly to another woman under the sun, feeling a bit dazed. They didn’t do anything actually crossing the line, did they? Maybe I saw the couple’s phone wrong. It’s just a phone, just a thank-you gift for making breakfast for Mia… I tried hard to ignore the pain in my chest. Liam stood up and saw me. I smiled at him, walked over, and took his arm. “Haven’t gone home yet? Who is this?” “When did you get here?” Liam didn’t answer me, his body obviously tense. “Just arrived, and you saw me,” I smiled and kissed him. He clearly breathed a sigh of relief and returned to his gentle and smiling appearance. “This is Zach’s Mom. I wasn’t very good at making breakfast before, so she has been bringing breakfast for Mia.” “Just met today, asked some questions about children being picky eaters.” Zach’s Mom exchanged a glance with Liam, covered her mouth, and laughed, “You couple have such a good relationship. No wonder Mia is so cute.” “I won’t disturb you anymore, I’m leaving first.” She waved the phone Liam gave her in front of my eyes and waved goodbye. The sunlight reflected off the screen directly into my eyes, stinging them. I grabbed Liam’s arm harder and harder until he whispered, “Eve, what’s wrong? You’re hurting me.” I came back to my senses and acted coquettishly to him, “Liam, blow on my eye for me, something seems to have gotten into it.” He bent over slightly, held my shoulders, and blew on my eye carefully. The wind from his lips was very cold, and tears slowly welled up in my eyes. More and more, the tears couldn’t be stopped. I opened my eyes and looked through the tears; his face became more and more blurry. What should I do? I still love you so much. 3 The weather was getting cooler, and Mia’s preschool was about to have winter break. Maybe because I cried too miserably that day, Liam realized something. The screen of his new phone never lit up again. But I just couldn’t rest assured. After dinner, Mia was playing in the living room. “Liam, I’m about to be promoted. After the New Year, I might be transferred to the headquarters in State B as a department director. Let’s go there together.” “My parents happen to be in State B. We won’t come back here in the future. Let’s find an agent to list the house here.” “The educational resources in State B are better, and the environment for Mia growing up will be better…” I chattered on. He was rarely silent for a long time, but finally agreed. That night, the phone that never lit up disappeared into the drawer. He took Mia out for a walk for an hour. Watching him return with the child downstairs, I thought that they had no excuse or opportunity to contact each other anymore. Liam was still the Liam of the past. Because of business needs, I took Mia to City B in advance. I temporarily left Mia at my parents’ house and handled her enrollment by the way. Liam handled the house in the original city and would come two days later. Two days later, Liam told me, “I found a buyer, but he’s not satisfied with some parts. I’ll talk to him again and come the day after tomorrow.” In the background noise, the buyer was picking on various faults of our house. I didn’t suspect anything, just told him to take care of himself there and wear more clothes as the weather was getting cold. The next day was Liam’s birthday. That afternoon, I took Mia to video call him to celebrate his birthday. But after working overtime and coming back at night, seeing the empty home without Liam, the longing suddenly hit me like a huge wave. We hadn’t been apart for so long for many years, and today was his birthday. I booked a flight for that night, took two or three days off, and planned to go find Liam immediately, accompany him to finish dealing with the house, and then come back together. I was burning with anxiety, and the longing for him in my heart couldn’t be suppressed. Got off the plane, got in a car, bought a cake, I ran all the way back to our home. Downstairs, I saw the warm yellow light in our home. At this time, he should usually be sleeping holding me. I pressed the elevator button several times downstairs. One elevator kept stopping at the 16th floor, our floor. Too late to think, I rushed to the stairwell and climbed 16 floors in one breath. The door to our home wasn’t closed tight. Maybe because of the move, the house was a bit messy. I tiptoed towards the bedroom with a smile, wanting to give Liam a surprise. But the next moment, my feet were suddenly nailed to the spot. 4 The bedroom door was wide open. On our big bed. Two bodies were tightly entangled. A woman’s long black hair was spread over a man’s taut, pale skin. The low panting that had sounded in my ears countless times was now blending in the air with another woman’s delicate moans. The details I ignored along the way suddenly flashed in my mind. The warm brown women’s low-heeled shoes blocking the elevator door, the scattered men’s and women’s clothes and pants at the door… They seemed to have opened their bloody mouths, laughing at me unscrupulously, “Hahaha! Hahaha!” The longing that took seven hours of non-stop travel felt like a huge joke at this moment. I threw away the cake, strode forward, grabbed the woman’s hair, and yanked her up. Her flushed face was covered in sweat, and there were even tears in the corners of her eyes from being unable to bear it. Sure enough, it was that Zach’s Mom! I slapped her hard. However, my hand was caught by Liam. “Eve, that’s enough!” His hair was messy, and he rubbed his temples impatiently. “This is all my fault, it has nothing to do with her…” With red eyes, I raised my hand and slapped his face to the side. Grabbing Zach’s Mom’s hair and pushing Liam, I drove them out the door. “Get out! Don’t let me see you again!” After slamming the door, I couldn’t hold back anymore and squatted on the ground, crying loudly. Outside the door, listening to my faint crying inside, Liam waved to Zach’s Mom, Fiona, and said weakly, “You go back first.” He sat down leaning against the door, watching the elevator light go out, thinking of the smashed cake he saw at the bedroom door, the light in his eyes began to dim. After a long time, long enough for me to cry myself to sleep again. The door moved slightly. Liam opened the door, walked in, and picked me up from the floor. I woke up and struggled to get down. Sitting on the sofa, I got straight to the point, “Let’s get a divorce, Liam.” My heart was dead. I could no longer deceive myself. I could no longer pretend that this man, whom I had loved for eight years, raised a child with, but cheated in the end, still loved me. He didn’t speak, sat next to me, took out a cigarette from under the drawer, and lit it. I didn’t know when he started smoking again. Since I was pregnant with Mia, he had never smoked in front of me. After a long time, I distanced myself from him and sat opposite him, expressionless. “We can’t continue. Let’s divorce. The daughter stays with me.” He looked at the smashed cake at the bedroom door, avoiding the topic, and asked me, “Why did you come back suddenly tonight? Was it to celebrate my birth…” I interrupted him, “Does it matter? Unfortunately, I interrupted your good time.” I looked at him mockingly.

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