The day before my final exams, my childhood friend, Liam, gave me a cat pendant necklace. I was happily putting it on when text suddenly floated across my vision like a livestream chat. [Tsk, tsk. See? Women have no brains. That pendant has a micro-camera inside. Tomorrow, every word she writes will be copied by the side chick onto her own exam paper!] [Right, right. This is a trashy melodrama, after all. The exam hall doesn’t even have metal detectors. The heroine is done for—accused of plagiarism, life ruined, married off hastily, and finally beaten to death by her abusive husband!] [The male lead only regrets it then, realizing he loved the heroine all along. He starts his revenge on the side chick and the abusive husband. The crazy male lead finally starts his revenge arc!] [Can we fast forward? I only like the parts where the male lead goes psycho! So exciting!] 1 I stared at the floating text for a long while. That’s when I realized I was the heroine in a brain-dead romance novel. In my past life, I wore this necklace to the exam. Every word I wrote was seen by the “side chick,” Wendy, and copied onto her paper. Because I handed my paper in thirty minutes later than Wendy, I was accused of plagiarism and doxxed by the entire internet. My family’s information was leaked. People even blocked my dad at his office. To escape everything, I went to a community college in a small town. Later, I dropped out, was forced into a marriage, and eventually beaten to death. The “male lead” of my past life, my childhood sweetheart Liam, only realized he loved me after I died. He then started his “psycho revenge arc.” He drove the plagiarizer—his wife, Wendy—insane and locked her in a mental asylum. When she got out, he locked her up with my abusive husband, watching her get beaten to death before selling the abuser into slavery. Because of these psychotic acts, Liam gained a massive following online, hailed as a warrior of justice. I watched the text scroll by, a vein throbbing in my forehead. I wanted to slap Liam into the next century. “Snow? What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” Liam saw me holding the necklace without putting it on, a shadow crossing his eyes. I snapped back to reality. “I love it. Thanks, Liam.” Suppressing the urge to hit him, I put the necklace on. He was the culprit in my past life. He set everything up because he liked Wendy. And in the end, he became the hero? Gag. “Alright, I have to study. I’m heading back.” I turned and walked away without looking at him. I was afraid if I stayed any longer, I’d end him right there. Liam, oh Liam. In this life, you will pay in blood! 2 The next morning. I was intentionally late. When I woke up, I deliberately took off the necklace and put it in my bag. Sure enough, the two of them realized something was wrong and spent the whole morning looking for me. The floating text went crazy. [Hey, why is the plot changing? The tragic heroine took off the necklace! Put it on, you idiot! If you don’t wear it, how will you miss out on Harvard? If you don’t go to community college, how will my psycho male lead chase you? Hurry up, dummy!] [I’m dying here. Did the plot change? I’m not reading if it changed. I’m here for the psycho male lead!] [Exactly! Heroine, follow the script!] [Am I the only one who thinks the heroine is evil? What tragic heroine? Look at her sitting calmly in the car watching those two run around for an hour. She’s definitely going to fail the exam. Not a good person!] [So she deserves to be framed and accused of plagiarism!] I frowned as I read the comments. Such vicious thoughts! Just because they’re watching someone else’s life, they think they can abandon all empathy? I looked away and took another sip of milk. 3 Five minutes before the exam. I was still calmly drinking milk in the car. I watched the two of them, sweating and anxious, searching for me in the crowd for nearly an hour. Their clothes were soaked, faces exhausted. Satisfied, I got out of the car. Satisfying. Just one word. Haha. They panicked again as the other students went inside. When the crowd thinned, they finally saw me. As soon as I approached the exam hall, I saw Liam dragging Wendy toward me, rushing through the few remaining people. “Snow! Where’s your necklace?” “Why are you so late? Do you know you almost made us late?” I looked at them innocently. “Necklace? What necklace?” Oh look, they’re panicking. Liam’s eyes narrowed as they landed on my bare neck. “The necklace I gave you yesterday? You’re not wearing it?” Wendy looked awful too. “Snow, how could you? Liam spent so long finding that gift. You’re disappointing him!” I acted like I just realized. “Oh, the necklace from yesterday?” Liam checked his watch, nodding frantically. “Oops, I forgot, sorry!” I pulled the necklace out of my bag and put it on in front of them. “I took a shower this morning and forgot. Sorry.” Seeing the necklace around my neck, they sighed in relief. With one minute left, I entered the exam hall. They followed quickly. 4 Start. My pen moved like lightning. I barely had to think, writing answers furiously. While others were on question three, I had finished the paper. Even the proctor stared at me, jaw dropped. “Teacher, I’m done!” Just as I capped my pen, Wendy raised her hand. The teacher didn’t expect anyone to finish before me. I watched Wendy hand in her paper with her head held high, shooting me a disdainful look before leaving. Looks like there are some talented students this year! The teacher asked me, “Student, are you handing yours in too?” I smiled. “No, teacher. I want to check it again!” I tucked the necklace into my shirt and started checking. The teacher nodded approvingly. This student was more grounded. Seeing the teacher’s attention drift and my paper turn blank again, I started re-answering. Yes, I used disappearing ink. The writing vanished in two or three minutes. I had enough time to do the test again. I didn’t know the chat was exploding. [WTF, I wanted a tragic romance, is this becoming a revenge story?!] [The plot definitely changed. Why did the heroine suddenly get smart and fight back?] [Not reading. No psycho, no watch!] [Agreed. If she doesn’t wait for the male lead to avenge her, it’s boring!] [If you’re bored, leave! Am I the only one who thinks it’s satisfying for her to fight back? Yeah, the male lead avenged her later, but wasn’t he the one who deserved to die most?] Finally, a comment on my side. But it was quickly drowned out. I glanced at the text once, then focused on writing faster. What I didn’t know was that Wendy, who left first, was interviewed by a reporter and went viral.

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I am the adopted daughter of General Stone, a ruthless warlord whose life was once saved by my father. General Stone offered me a choice: I could marry any one of his four sons. In my previous life, I blushed and chose his eldest, Julian Stone—gentle, refined, and seemingly perfect. But a year into our marriage, right after I gave birth to our son, Julian installed a lover in a hidden house—a slender, effeminate opera singer. I finally realized I was just a beard, a cover for his true desires. Later, General Stone discovered the affair and secretly executed the singer. Julian believed I was the one who orchestrated it. In his rage, he set our mansion on fire, dragging me and our son into the flames to be buried alongside his lover. As the fire consumed us, his last words were: “If there is a next life, never choose me again!” Then I opened my eyes, and I was back. It was the year of the selection. 1 “Luna, you’re of age now. Take a look. Which one of these four rascals do you like?” “Whoever you like, I’ll make him marry you!” “If he dares to refuse, he can get the hell out of the Stone family!” General Stone, dressed in his military uniform, made the declaration with an authority that brooked no argument. I looked up at this rough but fiercely loyal man and realized with a jolt—I had been reborn. And I was back on the very day General Stone asked me to choose a husband from his four sons. Standing in a line in the grand hall were my four candidates. The eldest, Julian Stone: wearing a long coat, gentle and refined. The second, Adrian Stone: in a sharp white suit, modern and westernized. The third, Marcus Stone: in his field uniform, radiating a wild, dangerous aura. The fourth, Elliot Stone: in a simple tunic suit, looking pale and dissolute. “I know, you’re probably going to pick the eldest!” General Stone boomed. “Adrian just got back from studying abroad, Marcus is busy making a name for himself in the army, and Elliot… well, let’s not mention him.” “You’ve spent the most time with Julian over the years!” “You’re always chasing after him, calling him ‘Big Brother this’ and ‘Big Brother that.’ Just pick him and be done with it…” Before he could finish, I grabbed his sleeve in a panic, shouting, “Wait!” General Stone froze, looking down at me in confusion. “Why?” My grip on his sleeve tightened. The image of me holding my child in the sea of fire flashed through my mind. Julian’s words—If there is a next life, never choose me again—made my heart tremble. I steadied myself, trying to look normal. “General, I want to tell you privately…” General Stone assumed I was just being shy in front of the four candidates. He laughed and waved his hand. “You four, get out!” “Yes, sir!” They answered in unison and filed out in order of age. The third son, Marcus, glanced back at me from the doorway. He was tall, muscular, with eyes like a tiger’s—large, deep-set, with amber irises. His gaze was intense, almost oppressive. In my previous life, right before I died, he had rushed back in his uniform, trying desperately to break into the burning house. Servants tried to stop him, but he kicked them aside. I didn’t know if he was trying to save his brother or me, because by the time he broke in, I was already gone. I assumed he was trying to save his brother. We didn’t have much of a relationship; usually, we just nodded at each other. When I called him “Third Brother,” he rarely responded. “They’re gone, Luna. Who do you choose?” General Stone’s rough voice urged me to make a decision. My heart raced. I answered respectfully, “General, I choose the third son!” 2 General Stone’s expression froze. He looked at me in disbelief. “Marcus?” I had no choice. Born into chaotic times as an orphan, I needed a protector. Julian liked men. Adrian was too progressive to accept an arranged marriage. Elliot was a lost cause, a playboy with a drug habit. Only Marcus was suitable. He was focused on his military career. He had no time for affairs, and he was too lazy to date. If I married him, I could just manage the household and stay out of his way. He wouldn’t mistreat me. After all, in my past life, he tried to save the brother who fought him for the inheritance. That showed he was loyal, just like his father. “Marcus doesn’t know the first thing about treating a woman right,” General Stone warned. “If you saw him on the battlefield, you wouldn’t pick him.” “They call him ‘The Reaper’ in the army for a reason!” “Besides, bullets don’t have eyes. I’m worried you’ll end up a young widow!” General Stone truly loved me like a daughter. Of his four sons, only Marcus had joined the army. In a way, he had already given this son to the country. He looked at me cautiously. “Why not pick again?” “It’s not chess. You can take back a move.” “Remember, with me, you always have special privileges!” General Stone wasn’t exactly a good man—he had multiple wives and a violent reputation—but he was genuinely good to me. But I shook my head, looking at him firmly. “No. I choose Marcus. I like him!” “I like him.” Those three words silenced General Stone. He looked at me, sighed helplessly, and his eyes grew misty, perhaps remembering someone from his past. “Love is involuntary. If that’s the case, I’ll grant your wish!” “Go call Marcus in!” I quickly interjected, “General, let’s not tell him yet. There’s fighting in the South; I don’t want to distract him. Let’s just surprise him on the wedding day. It’s just moving from one courtyard to another anyway.” General Stone thought for a moment, then agreed. “Alright!” Walking out of the hall, I was immediately surrounded by the four brothers. “Luna, did you pick Big Brother?” Adrian asked eagerly. Elliot chimed in, “Obviously! She wouldn’t pick me; even I wouldn’t want to ruin her life.” “And you,” he pointed at Adrian, “with your half-baked western ideas, even the dogs find you annoying!” “Marcus is out of the question. All he does is fight. Marrying him is like being a widow.” “Besides, Luna has liked Big Brother since we were kids. Everyone with eyes knows that!” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but glance at Julian. He looked gentle and kind. He treated everyone well, including me. He would peel oranges for me, buy me imported hand cream, take me to the opera, and buy me expensive sodas. In my last life, I fell step by step into his gentle trap. In this life, I would not make the same mistake. Just as I was about to speak, Julian looked at me with pleading eyes. “Luna, can you tell my father not to choose me?” “I don’t like you. Haven’t you pestered me enough all these years?” I stood there, stunned. This wasn’t how it happened before. 3 In my previous life, Julian was desperate for me to choose him. He wanted to hide his sexuality and needed an heir to secure his inheritance. His signals were what made me choose him. He made me believe we were in love. But this time, he rejected me. Was he reborn too? Did the tragic death of his lover in the last life wake him up? Was he choosing love over power this time? “I didn’t…” I started to say I hadn’t chosen him. But his servant, Parker, ran over breathlessly. “Young Master, the show started ages ago! The Sixth Mistress has sent for you multiple times. Mr. Shang is performing today!” Hearing the name “Mr. Shang,” Julian’s eyes lit up, and he turned to follow the servant. I remembered then. The opera singer Julian kept in the golden cage was named Shang Yue. So they knew each other this early? “Let’s go, we’ll tag along!” Elliot threw his arms around Adrian and Marcus, dragging them along. I stood there alone. Elliot looked back. “Luna, aren’t you coming?” Yes, of course I was going! I wanted to see what this singer looked like. In my last life, Julian hid him so well. By the time I found the address, Julian had already moved him. We never met, even in death. I entered the Stone family at six. I bore Julian a son at twenty. Fourteen years of companionship. Where did I lose? I clenched my fists and followed the three brothers. I didn’t even realize how pale my face was. By the time we arrived, the performance was ending. Backstage, a figure in a water-blue costume was removing makeup. The thick paint obscured the gender, but those upturned eyes were soul-snatching. Julian sat on the table next to him, playing with a box of face paint. “This is almost empty. I’ll buy you a new box tomorrow!” Mr. Shang glanced at him through the mirror. “If the Young Master is paying, I’ll pick the biggest box!” Julian, completely entranced, grabbed his arm and leaned in for a kiss. We walked in right at that moment. Everyone except me was shocked. “Ah, you…” Elliot started to shout, but Adrian covered his mouth. “Shut up! Is this something to broadcast?” “If Father hears, he’ll break his legs!” “Do you want to get Big Brother killed?” Only Julian, caught red-handed, remained calm. He even gently wiped the smudged lipstick from the singer’s mouth. He looked at me, provocative. “You see? This is what I like. If you’re smart, tell my father yourself!” “Tell him you don’t like me! You won’t marry me!” “You’re just an adopted orphan anyway. Marrying any of us is climbing the social ladder.” “You won’t lose out no matter who you pick. Pick Elliot; he won’t mind you!” Elliot pointed at himself. “Me?” With how much the General doted on Luna, he wouldn’t dare dream of it. How could his brother say that? 4 Looking at Julian’s provocative gaze and hearing his insults, I realized something painful. He was taking revenge on me. Revenge for the death of his lover in the previous life. But if I could find out about the singer, how could General Stone not know? If the Stone family had such a scandal, the General would clean house. What did that have to do with me? Was he transferring his hatred to me because he couldn’t fight his father? Bullying an orphan because I couldn’t fight back? My eyes reddened. The person who used to treat me so gently… even without love, there should be family affection. But now he was wielding a knife, stabbing my heart repeatedly. “Brother, you’ve gone too far!” The first one to stand up for me was Marcus. He walked forward silently, his boots heavy on the floor. He grabbed the singer’s hand, ripped him out of Julian’s arms, and threw him aside. “Insulting Luna for an actor? Did a dog eat your conscience?” Under Marcus’s force, Shang Yue stumbled into me. I fell back several steps, barely steadied by Adrian and Elliot. Before I could speak, Shang Yue dropped to his knees like a frightened rabbit, kowtowing to me repeatedly. “I’m sorry, Miss Stone! I didn’t mean to!” “My fault, I bumped into you. I’ll kowtow!” Thud, thud. Hard and exaggerated. Soon, his forehead was bleeding. Julian exploded. He jumped off the table and shielded Shang Yue. “Don’t call her Miss Stone! She’s just an orphan my dad picked up!” He glared at me. “He just bumped you. Do you think you’re made of glass?” “Don’t you know an actor’s face is his life? Look at him, he can’t perform for weeks now!” Heartbroken and angry, I trembled, pointing at Shang Yue. “Did I say a single word? He knelt and banged his head on his own!” “I am an orphan, but why did I become one?” My father was a commander in the allied forces. Our families were close. When General Stone’s army was surrounded, my father led the reinforcements. Later, during a joint operation, General Stone made a tactical error. My father covered him, taking a bullet meant for the General. I never mentioned this because General Stone treated me well, and I didn’t want to reopen old wounds. I had seen him stand before my father’s memorial tablet all night, many times. He felt guilty. But now, Julian was debasing me for a lover. I had to bring up the past to protect myself. Julian sneered. “So you’re using that debt to force me to marry you?” I paused. He thought I still chose him in this life. Fine. I swallowed the truth. He plotted against me in the last life and hurt me in this one. Let him suffer a bit. I put my hands behind my back and said coldly: “So what? If you have the guts, tell the General about your boyfriend!” “Beg him to let you be together. If you have the courage to do that, I’ll respect you as a man and give you up immediately!” What was the General’s temper like? He ate bullets for breakfast. If he knew an actor ruined his son… Shang Yue would die tonight, and Julian would be whipped until his skin shredded. Julian didn’t have the guts! He valued his life! Otherwise, he wouldn’t have swapped lots to avoid the draft!

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On my birthday, my stepsister smashed my late mother’s portrait in front of everyone, stomping her high heels on my mother’s face. Trembling with rage, I slapped her for the first time in my life. That night, I was kidnapped, dragged to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city, and tortured for twenty-four hours. They used iron bars to crush my hands and feet. Gasoline was poured over me as I screamed in agony. “Mr. Sterling said you offended Miss Bella, so we need to teach you a lesson.” I was shocked. Bella was the woman Sebastian Sterling, the heir to the Sterling empire, cherished above all else. On the brink of death, my fingers brushed the tiny distress button hidden in my hair. It was given to me by my most trusted personal doctor, Dr. Sebastian Sterling. He had promised, “No matter where you are, I will come to save you.” Just as I was about to press the button, a familiar voice crackled over the kidnapper’s walkie-talkie. “She passed out? Leave her alive. Don’t actually kill her.” It was Sebastian. He was the mysterious heir to the Sterling family all along! My blood ran cold. … The noises from the other room faded. I closed my eyes, weak and defeated, letting the darkness swallow my consciousness. Sebastian had been my doctor for two years. His gentleness, his concern, his every approach—it was all just to stand legitimately by Bella’s side. No wonder every time I argued with Bella, an “accident” would follow. A fall where no one was looking, a dress inexplicably tearing, food poisoning, sudden allergies… Every time, he stood by, calmly documenting my pain, calling it “desensitization therapy.” He was never protecting me. He was protecting Bella. Lying on the cold concrete, amidst the excruciating pain, everything suddenly made sense. I thought of my secret, unspoken love for him… Laughter mixed with blood bubbled up from my throat. When I woke up again, the smell of disinfectant filled the room. Sebastian sat by the bed, brows furrowed. “Why didn’t you call for help?” I turned my face away. The conversation I heard in my delirium churned in my mind. He orchestrated everything, yet he could still feign concern? “Water?” His voice was soft. “The doctor said you need rest.” Before he could finish, the door was kicked open. My father stormed in and slapped me hard across the face. “You ungrateful brat! Because of you, Bella missed her music competition!” I clutched my burning cheek, tasting iron in my mouth. “Kidnapped?” My father sneered. “Making such a scene, only to show up at the front door yourself? I say you staged the whole thing!” I licked the blood from the corner of my lip, my eyes drifting to Sebastian. He paused mid-pour, then continued as if nothing happened. Bella, eyes teary, chimed in, “Sister, even if you’re angry, you shouldn’t hurt yourself like this. Seeing you like this breaks my heart…” My stepmother, Elena, wiped away fake tears. “Chloe, Bella was so worried when she heard you were kidnapped, she didn’t even go to her competition. Thank god you’re okay!” “Where did you learn such dirty tricks?” My father raged. “First hitting people, then staging this drama. You’re a disgrace to the family!” I opened my mouth, then laughed. How ridiculous. No matter what I said, my father wouldn’t believe me. Since the day Bella walked into this house, his and my brother’s hearts had belonged to this outsider. My brother, Liam, stood by with a look of disgust. “Chloe, you’ve gone too far! You hit Bella and made her worry. Apologize to her!” This was my biological brother. “She smashed Mom’s portrait first,” I rasped, my voice firm. “I will never apologize.” Slap! Slap! Two more slaps. My father was trembling with rage. “Won’t apologize? I’ll beat you until you admit your mistake!” Sebastian stepped in to stop him, then turned to me, whispering, “Just apologize. We’re all family. Wait until your father calms down, then explain.” Family? How ironic. They were a family. I was just the extra. Sebastian’s hand rested on my shoulder, seemingly gentle but forcing me off the bed with undeniable strength. “What?” I sneered. “You’re going to force me?” “Kneel and apologize!” My father barked. The next second, a force pushed me to my knees. I looked up, meeting Sebastian’s complicated gaze. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice low. “Just apologize. You were in the wrong first.” In that moment, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart alive. For Bella, he broke my limbs, let me suffer torture, and now hypocritically demanded I apologize. I struggled to stand. Suddenly, a metallic taste filled my throat, and the world spun. 2 When I woke again, the hospital room was dark and silent. I checked my phone. Photos of Sebastian shopping with Bella and the news of my father buying her a manor filled the screen. Strangely, my heart remained calm. My phone buzzed. A message from Sebastian. Rest well. Bella isn’t feeling well, I’m staying with her for a few days. I smirked. Busy? He just found an excuse not to face me, the person he loathed. An auction news alert popped up. My blood froze. My mother’s favorite jade bracelet was listed. The day I was discharged, no one came for me. Dragging my unhealed body to the auction house, I saw Sebastian and Bella sitting intimately together as soon as I entered. “Sister!” Bella waved. “Come sit next to me!” Sebastian started to speak, but I turned and walked to a corner. When the translucent green jade bracelet was presented, the crowd gasped in awe. “One million!” “Two million!” When the bidding reached five million, I raised my paddle without hesitation. “Eight million!” Bella’s face soured. Sebastian walked over quickly, face grim. “Chloe, don’t be stubborn. Your sister likes this bracelet, why…” “Even if I have to sell my car and house,” I looked him in the eye, “I’m taking this bracelet.” He looked at me with a complicated expression, then returned to his seat. I saw him typing on his phone, and my heart sank. “Eight million going once! Eight million going twice!” “Sky Lantern!” A man in a suit burst in. “Mr. Sterling lights the Sky Lantern for Miss Bella!” Bella flushed with delight. I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white. Back home, Bella flaunted the bracelet on her wrist. “You wanted this, didn’t you, sister? Too bad. What I want, someone always hands to me on a silver platter.” She suddenly took it off, dangling it in front of me. “Hehe, I have too much jewelry. I don’t really need this one. Want it?” “What’s the condition?” My voice was tight. “How about… you crawl and bark like a dog?” She giggled. “Dream on,” I stared at her. “What a shame.” She smiled, and her fingers opened. Crash! The bracelet fell from the second floor, shattering into pieces. “You!” I screamed, losing control. Suddenly, she slapped herself hard across the face. “Sister, Mr. Sterling gave me this bracelet! Even if you like it, you can’t just snatch it! If you can’t have it, you destroy it? You’re too much!” Sebastian rushed up the stairs, eyes cold and sharp. “Chloe, are you bullying Bella again?!” Bella teared up. “Sister, why won’t you let me go? Dad and Liam are good to me because we’re family…” While speaking, she moved closer to me unnoticed by Sebastian. Then, she shoved me hard. Caught off guard, I fell backward, tumbling down the stairs. 3 I lay on the floor, warm blood trickling down my forehead. Sebastian’s expression shifted. Just as he was about to move, Bella laughed lightly. “Sister, playing the victim again?” Sebastian stopped, frowning. “Let’s go. She brought this on herself.” I lay on the cold floor until late at night when the housekeeper found me and called an ambulance. Checking social media, I saw Sebastian helping Bella choose a new designer bag. As my nominal doctor, he didn’t care if I lived or died. Pain pricked my heart. I smiled bitterly and closed my eyes. Half-asleep, I heard the door open gently. I heard Sebastian whispering instructions. “Tomorrow’s date with Bella, prepare the best custom suit. And pick out a few pieces of jewelry worth millions.” I kept my eyes closed, motionless. After being discharged, I made a call to a number I hadn’t used in years. Returning home, I opened my door and froze. All of my mother’s belongings were gone. “Sister!” Bella stood at the door, smiling. “Sorry, didn’t think you’d fall that hard.” Liam sneered beside her. “Stop acting.” “Where are my mom’s things?” My voice trembled. “Those old things?” Bella tilted her head. “I saw you were always depressed holding onto them, so I burned them for you.” “Who let you touch them!” I raised my voice. “I did!” My father walked over with a baseball bat. “Your mother’s been dead for ten years, and you’re still clinging to that junk! I think your brain is broken!” “Do you know how she died?” I couldn’t hold back anymore. “If it wasn’t for you and Bella’s mother…” Years ago, my father was fooling around with Elena. My mother went looking for him in the rain and died in a car accident. My father immediately brought Elena and Bella into our home. “Shut up!” The bat struck me hard. I ran out the door into the pouring rain. Unknowingly, I arrived at the old street my mother used to take me to. I curled up by a dumpster for the whole night. At dawn, a Bentley pulled up at the corner. The window rolled down, revealing Sebastian’s profile. He pulled a yellowed photo from his pocket. The girl in the photo wore a white dress and had a bright smile. It was Bella. He remembered that in this dark alley, a girl in a white dress had saved him from thugs. He put the photo away and told the driver, “Watch closely. Bella should be here soon.” Hearing “Bella,” I smirked self-deprecatingly. How could he be looking for me? Sebastian waited from morning till night, but Bella never showed up. Night fell. Sebastian called someone, sounding disappointed. “Bella, I waited all day. Why didn’t you come…” On the other end, Bella sounded like she just woke up. “Oh, sister is missing, the house is a mess…” Sebastian hung up and suddenly noticed me. He strode over, grabbing my wrist. “Why are you here?!” “Let go!” I struggled. “Come back with me!” His face was dark. “The family is in chaos because of you!” “Our contract ends tomorrow,” I shook him off. “My business is none of your concern.” He paused, then hardened his tone. “There are still 24 hours. I am still your doctor. You are unstable. You must come with me.” Before he finished, his phone rang abruptly. He stepped aside, lowering his voice. “Mr. Sterling, the 15-carat engagement ring you ordered has arrived. We need you to come…” Hanging up, the gloom on his face vanished, replaced by unconcealed joy. “I have urgent business. Go back yourself.” Whenever it involved Bella, I was always the one sacrificed and discarded. After Sebastian left, my phone exploded with news notifications. I stared at the screen, my breath catching. 4 The top trending topic read: #Details of Sterling Heiress’s Childhood Assault Revealed#, followed by a glaring “EXPLOSIVE” tag. My fingers trembled violently. Memories I had deliberately buried came flooding back. When I was twelve, with my mother barely cold in her grave, my father slapped me in public for Bella again. I ran into a rainy alley, only to be dragged into the darkness by three drunks… The men’s laughter, the sound of tearing fabric, my father’s disgusted look afterward—these fragments were like knives, still buried deep in my heart. Clatter. My phone hit the ground. I stumbled home. The villa was empty. Only my father and Sebastian knew about this. My father cared too much about his reputation, so that only left… I called Sebastian over and over, but no one answered. In the evening, Sebastian and Bella returned. I rushed over, grabbing his collar. “Why did you rip open my scars for the world to see?! Why did you expose me?!” He shoved my hand away in disgust. “What are you crazy about now?” “Every therapy session, you asked for details. I thought you were helping me…” Tears streamed down my face. “Instead, you broadcast my most painful secret!” Bella cooed, “Dr. Sterling, ignore her. Sister’s mental state has been bad lately. She bites everyone.” “Look at you now, hysterical,” Sebastian said coldly. “No wonder you were…” He stopped abruptly. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but it was too late. I ran back to my room and locked the door. For three days, I didn’t eat or drink, lying in bed with my eyes open. On the morning of the fourth day, I got dressed and went to the concert hall. Pushing open the doors, I saw two rows of black-suited bodyguards. In the center stood the Sterling family butler, holding 999 roses. Beside him, trays of jewelry glittered under the lights. “Mr. Sterling sent these to wish Miss Bella a successful performance.” Bella walked elegantly onto the stage. As soon as she touched the harp strings, her face changed. “Who did this?!” She shrieked, scanning the audience. Her gaze locked on me. “Sister, was it you?!” “Miss Chloe,” the butler stepped forward. “Mr. Sterling ordered that if anyone disrupts Miss Bella’s performance…” “What?” I interrupted softly. “Break my hands and feet again?” Sebastian, standing in the corner, changed expression. My father rushed over, kicking me hard in the waist. I fell to my knees, hearing a bone crack. “You animal!” My father roared. “How dare you harm your sister!” My stepmother wiped fake tears nearby. “She’s twisted because her past was exposed. Taking it out on Bella.” Reporters swarmed, flashbulbs blinding me. Sebastian stood in the crowd, looking at me with undisguised annoyance. I laughed softly. The sound silenced the hall. “Since everyone is here,” I said quietly, making everyone hold their breath, “Today, I, Chloe, officially sever ties with the family.” My father’s face turned purple. “Are you insane?!” “Since Bella arrived, you never celebrated my birthday again. She smashed Mom’s portrait, and you blamed me without checking the cameras.” I turned to my brother. “We have the same mother, yet you watched her burn Mom’s belongings.” Finally, I looked at Sebastian. “My psychiatrist? Who were you with when I had an episode?” “All these years, no one truly believed me or cared about me.” I pulled out a prepared dagger. The crowd erupted. “Stop her!” As Sebastian rushed forward, the blade plunged deep into my chest. Blood sprayed onto his face. Bella screamed. In the last moment of consciousness, I heard Sebastian screaming my name. Finally, I could be free.

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I was a D-list celebrity, struggling to stay relevant in an industry that forgot me yesterday. One day, while gaming online, a teammate decided to get nasty. “A girl at this rank? Must have sold herself to get here. Need Big Brother to help you out?” Normally, a celebrity would ignore it. But I’m a nobody, so I don’t have a reputation to protect. I turned on my mic and let loose. “You sound like an expert. Done this a lot? Need me to introduce you to some clients so you can make some cash? You sound jealous.” “With a mouth like that, you could open a stinky tofu stand without buying supplies.” “If the vice squad picked you up, they wouldn’t even need an interrogation. One look at that mouth and it’s life without parole.” I flamed him for the entire match. When it ended, I discovered that our Jungler, who had been defending me, was a pro player livestreaming the whole thing. The chat went wild: [Sister went off! Please open a masterclass, I’m on my knees listening!] 1 As a D-list actress, my schedule is emptier than a politician’s promises. I had plenty of time. Bored out of my mind, I launched Glory of Kings. Less than six minutes in, our Mid Laner started raging on voice chat. “Just my luck. How do trash players get into this rank? Boosted much?” I checked the scoreboard. He was 0-5. I was 4-1. Probably not talking about me. Curious, I opened the details panel. He had the worst stats and the lowest gold. I stayed silent. There are too many fragile egos online, and I’m not a therapist. A team fight broke out mid. He was out of position and got instantly deleted. Luckily, the rest of us were farmed enough to win the fight with just his casualty. I went back to base to heal, and heard him again. “ADC, do you even know how to play? Idiot. That girly profile pic must be yours, huh?” I was about to mute him when he doubled down. “Heh, no wonder this game feels so hard. Matched with a girl. Bad luck to see a girl at this rank. Can’t you females just go play your own games? Stop ruining it for everyone else. Who carried you here? Did you sleep with someone for it?” My temper flared instantly. Our Jungler spoke up: “Watch your mouth, bro. If you can’t speak properly, donate your tongue to someone who can.” Mid Laner laughed knowingly. “I get it, Jungler bro. Is the ADC fun? Share the joy with the boys, hahaha.” If I tolerated this any longer, I might as well be a doormat. 2 The Jungler started to reply, “Your mouth…” I cut him off. “Brother, stand down. Don’t interrupt my flow.” The Jungler had a nice voice, but I didn’t have time to appreciate it. I took a sip of water to clear my throat. “You sound like an expert. Done this a lot? Need me to introduce you to some clients so you can make some cash? You sound jealous.” “With a mouth like that, you could open a stinky tofu stand without buying supplies.” “If the vice squad picked you up, they wouldn’t even need an interrogation. One look at that mouth and it’s life without parole.” He got excited hearing my voice. “Ooh, hit a nerve, did I? Triggered much? Hahahaha!” My comeback was rapid-fire. “Triggered? I’m not the one who’s 1-7. If I had your stats, I’d have smashed my keyboard by now. Anyone with hands could do better.” “Hey, you know what? Only triggered people accuse others of being triggered. Takes one to know one, right?” I was feeling great. Since entering showbiz, I’ve had to wear a mask—no eye-rolling, no frowning, always smiling. Today, this guy walked right into the line of fire. All my pent-up frustration was unleashed on him. As a former keyboard warrior, I have my own set of rules. Rule #1: Be loud. Volume establishes dominance. But avoid banned words. Swearing is weak. On the internet, I am an orphan. My family tree begins and ends with me. That’s the only way to be invincible. I stood up, fully immersed in the roast, unaware that the Jungler was a pro player named Frost, and he was live to over 100,000 people. [Sister isn’t using curse words but every sentence is lethal. Satisfying.] [If I were that Mid, I’d die of anger.] [Sister went off! Please open a masterclass, I’m on my knees listening!] 3 After a few rounds, I felt like I’d unlocked a hidden superpower. The more I scolded, the more energized I became. The game chat and the livestream were dominated by my voice and the noise coming from that animal in Mid lane. He went AFK in the fountain just to focus on cursing me out. “What the hell are you playing? Trash! An ADC who doesn’t rotate? Are you stupid?” “I don’t even want this win anymore. I’m going to flame you until I’m happy.” I drank some water and continued the battle. “If you’re so amazing, how come I haven’t seen your name in the pro leagues? If you think I’m trash, work harder! Get to 500 stars and you won’t match with me.” “Bad luck for you meeting me today. If you were actually good, you wouldn’t be in my matchmaking bracket.” “Since you matched with me, you’re not all that either. We’re trash together.” “You never shut up. Even a pager would bow down to you. Are you the ancestor of all pagers?” The chat in the livestream slowed down as people listened. [Sister, slow down, I can’t take notes fast enough!] [I envy her mouth. I used to get scolded until I cried at night.] [Am I the only one who thinks this voice sounds familiar?] [Just you. It sounds like heaven to me.] [I think Mid is right. Why do girls play games? They all suck and feed.] The streamer, Frost, who had been enjoying the show, stopped playing. He glanced at the chat. His deep voice cut in: “Mods? Ban that toxic guy in chat.” 4 Thanks to the Jungler and me, we won the game in fifteen minutes. I got MVP. The Mid Laner went 1-7 and AFK’d. I reported him immediately. Score deduction: 10+3. Satisfied, I tried to return to the lobby, but both the Jungler and Mid invited me. [Quick, Frost, invite the sister! Carry her!] [+1] [+10086] One game, one grudge. The game was over, and I didn’t want to fight anymore. The Jungler was really good. Since he invited me, duo-queue seemed like a safe bet for ranking up. I entered the lobby and typed: “Thanks for backing me up earlier, bro.” He turned on his mic. “No problem. I hate people like that. You’re really good. Great skills, great insults.” I felt a bit shy hearing that, especially with his nice voice. Just hearing it, I could imagine a handsome face to match his anime profile pic. But the Mid Laner wouldn’t let it go. He kept inviting me. Seeing I wouldn’t accept, he added me as a friend: [Scared to join the lobby? Coward?] I had calmed down thanks to the soothing voice of the Jungler, but that one sentence reignited my rage. I asked the Jungler: “Mind if I invite someone? That Mid from last game, he’s asking for it.” He paused, then said seriously, “Go ahead. Need me to leave? Or help you?” I waved my hand, realizing he couldn’t see, and quickly said, “I won’t drag you into this. Just watch me work.”

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On the day of the SATs, the text on the test booklet in front of me suddenly vanished, replaced by a single, life-or-death question. [If you had to push one person in this room to their death, who would you choose?] Just as I hesitated, paralyzed by fear, a stream of floating chat logs—like a Twitch livestream—erupted before my eyes. [The female lead is such a bleeding heart. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, so she writes her own name. Too bad she gets sacrificed in the first round.] [She’ll die without ever knowing that the Prom King, who’s been ‘helping’ her, is the one who actually voted for her.] [Wait? Is that the Big Boss in the corner? Adrian Thorne? Why is he participating in the game personally?] I immediately stood up, walked over to the pale, sickly boy in the corner, and extended my hand. “Hi. Want to team up?” 1 The exam room was dead silent. The standard instructions on the packet had dissolved into that terrifying question: [If you had to push one person in this room to their death, who would you choose?] My pen hovered over the paper. I looked around. Other students were gasping, eyes wide, clearly seeing the same thing. Before panic could fully set in, a cheerful, distorted child’s voice boomed over the PA system. “Welcome, students, to the SAT Survival Game! Bet your lives and let the party begin!” “Please answer the question on your paper carefully. Once everyone has voted, the student with the most votes dies! Tee-hee!” The voice cut out, leaving a suffocating silence. After a long minute, a guy with thick glasses stood up. “My name is Simon. I’m the valedictorian, so you guys know I’m logical. Listen to me.” I recognized him. He was a genius, always top of the class. Simon adjusted his glasses, his voice trembling but loud. “There’s an obvious loophole. If everyone writes their own name, nobody gets the ‘most’ votes. It’ll be a massive tie. Nobody dies.” A murmur went through the room. Most people nodded, desperate for a solution. A few looked skeptical—who could guarantee no one would betray the group? I was weighing the odds when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and my heart skipped a beat. It was Jason Miller. Jason was the varsity quarterback, the school heartthrob, and the guy I had been crushing on for three years. I usually only watched him from the bleachers; he had never spoken to me before. “You’re Sarah, right? Sarah Jenkins?” Jason flashed a charming smile, ignoring my blushing face. “Since we’re from the same homeroom, we should look out for each other, right?” “I think Simon’s plan is solid. Just write your own name. We’ll get through this first round easy.” He spoke more words to me in ten seconds than he had in three years. My head was spinning. Under his intense gaze, I picked up my pen. Just as I was about to write “Sarah Jenkins,” the floating text scrolled across my vision again. [Look at this simp. She’s about to get sacrificed. She has no idea the male lead is writing her name down right now.] [Seriously, look at her. Does she really think a guy like Jason would notice a nobody like her? He’s only using her as a shield.] [He’s doing it to protect the heroine. It’s kinda romantic in a twisted way.] My hand froze. I looked past Jason’s shoulder and caught a hostile glare. It was Bella, the head cheerleader and school queen bee. The “Heroine” the comments were talking about. It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me. My blood cooled instantly. “What’s wrong, Sarah? Write it down. We’re running out of time,” Jason urged, a flicker of impatience crossing his eyes. The crush I had harbored for years evaporated, replaced by disgust. He was nothing but a fake. My affection had been a filter, blurring out the cracks. I ignored Jason and focused on the floating comments. [Hey, isn’t that kid in the corner the final boss, Adrian Thorne? Why is he in the newbie zone?] [Dunno. The plot never mentioned this. Let’s keep watching.] I looked at the boy in the corner. He was pale, almost translucent, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. He watched the panic around him with a faint, amused smirk. I stood up abruptly, ignoring Jason’s shocked expression, and walked straight to Adrian. “Hi. Want to team up?” Adrian looked at me for a long moment, a spark of interest lighting up his dark eyes. “You have a plan? Let’s hear it.” “Everyone agreed to vote for themselves,” I whispered. “But people lie. If we coordinate our votes against one person, that’s two votes guaranteed. It gives us leverage.” I took a deep breath. “Also, I know two people are already colluding to vote for me. I need protection.” Adrian raised an eyebrow. “If that’s true, I could just vote for you with them and ensure my own safety. Why help you?” “You won’t,” I said, staring him down. “Because that would be boring. Wouldn’t it?” Adrian tilted his head, studying me. Then, he sat up slowly. He jutted his chin toward Jason. “You want to vote for him?” I nodded and showed him my paper. I had already written Jason Miller. “As you wish.” The moment Adrian wrote the name, the cheerful voice returned. “Voting is closed! Oh my, we have a three-way tie!” “Jason Miller, Sarah Jenkins, and Simon. Two votes each! We are entering sudden death overtime!” My hands clenched into fists. My heart hammered against my ribs. Jason’s two votes came from me and Adrian. My two votes came from Jason and Bella. But Simon? That was unexpected. The voice continued. “Among these three, one is a long-term animal abuser, one has slept with the Principal for grades, and one is a thief.” “Please use this information to re-vote on these three candidates!” The room exploded into chaos. 2 Relief washed over the crowd—they were safe. Now, they just wanted to gossip. “Sarah is the only girl in the bottom three,” someone shouted, pointing at me. “She must be the one sleeping with the Principal.” “Gross. She looks so quiet and innocent, but she’s dirty.” Their eyes scanned me with disgust. “But back to the game,” another guy said. “Stealing is bad, but abusing animals? That person deserves to die. Is it Simon or Jason?” Jason frowned, looking offended. “I have a golden retriever and a cat at home. I love animals.” “That means nothing!” Simon’s hands were shaking violently under the desk. “Psychology says abusers often use pets to hide their true nature! It has to be Jason! Vote for him!” As they argued, Bella pushed through the crowd. She grabbed Simon’s arm and yanked up his sleeve. “Look at his arm! Three deep scratches. Those are defensive wounds from an animal struggling. Isn’t that proof enough?” Under the harsh fluorescent lights, the angry red welts on Simon’s arm were undeniable. Simon’s face went sheet white. His lips trembled, and then he collapsed to his knees, sobbing. “Please… I don’t want to die… it was just a stray cat…” The cheerful voice chimed in. “Ding! Second vote complete. Candidate Simon, unanimously eliminated!” Bang. A single shot fired from a hidden port in the wall. The bullet went straight through Simon’s forehead. He looked surprised for a split second before toppling over into a pool of his own blood. The room went dead silent. The only sound was stifled sobbing. 3 I clutched my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. I had survived. Because I was a girl, everyone assumed I was the one sleeping with the Principal. I wasn’t. I was the thief. In kindergarten, driven by childish jealousy, I stole a crystal bracelet from another girl. My mother found out and beat me until I couldn’t sit down, then dragged me to the girl’s house to apologize. It was the only time she ever hit me, so the memory was branded into my soul. I didn’t defend myself against the rumors earlier because I didn’t want to draw attention. But now, I was curious. I was the thief. Simon was the abuser. That meant the one sleeping with the Principal was… I glanced at Jason. He caught my eye, his expression a mix of contempt and malice. He knew I had voted for him. Suddenly, a voice spoke only in my ear. “Sarah Jenkins, congratulations on surviving the sudden death round! You have received a reward item: The Immunity Totem.” No one else looked around. Only I heard it. I looked at Jason. His eyebrows twitched. He had clearly received a reward too. Was it also an Immunity Totem? Before I could think, the PA system crackled again. “Congratulations on surviving Round 1! Now, please look at the blackboard. Do you wish to leave the game now?” Two options appeared on the digital blackboard: YES and NO. A guy in a loud Hawaiian shirt—let’s call him Chad—rushed up and slammed YES. “Screw this game! I’m out of here!” Could we really leave? I looked at Adrian. He was smiling faintly, as if watching a play he’d already seen. It wasn’t that simple. The text on the blackboard changed. [Current Prize Money: $10,000 per survivor. If you pass Round 2, the prize becomes $100,000. Please confirm: Leave now?] Chad’s hand froze in mid-air. “Dude, press it! I don’t want to die!” someone yelled. “Wait,” another voice hesitated. “Maybe we should play one more round? $100,000… that’s more than I’d make in two years.” “Shut up!” Chad roared, turning around. “We’re flunking out of high school anyway! We’re losers! Might as well gamble!” He slammed his hand onto NO. Instantly, the lights cut out. Pitch blackness. The cheerful voice giggled, the sound echoing ominously. “Welcome to Round 2: Lights Out!” “In ten minutes, the Hunter will enter the room and cull ten students.” “Everyone has an equal chance of being attacked. Only students holding an ‘Immunity Totem’ are safe.” Before she finished, people started crying. “There are only thirty of us left! That’s a one-in-three chance of dying!” “Shut up! Stop crying!” I quietly grabbed Adrian’s sleeve, trying to make myself small. Having the Totem right now wasn’t necessarily good. “Hey!” Chad shouted at the ceiling. “Can I steal someone else’s Totem?” The voice giggled sweeter than ever. “Of course! And just a little hint… there are already Totems in play. If you kill the holder, the Totem is yours!” “Ten minute countdown… start!” A giant red digital clock appeared on the blackboard, ticking down. Panic erupted. “Who has it? How do we know?” “If we find them, do we really have to kill them?” Jason’s voice cut through the dark. “I know who has a Totem.” Footsteps rushed toward me. Jason grabbed my arm and yanked me up. “Survivors of the sudden death round got rewards. My reward was the ability to hear the hidden broadcast.” “I heard it. Sarah has the Immunity Totem!” 4 The room went silent for a heartbeat. Then someone whispered, “So if we kill Sarah, we don’t have to die?” I felt gazes locking onto me in the dark like physical weights. Chad stood up first, grabbing a heavy metal chair. “I want that Totem! Anyone gets in my way, you’re dead!” I struggled against Jason’s grip. The floating text scrolled by. [The female lead looks so desperate. I can’t watch.] [It’s her destiny to be cannon fodder. Early death, late death, same thing.] [Jason is using her again. He actually has a Totem too, he’s just using her as bait to distract the mob.] My eyes widened. I shouted into the darkness, “The broadcast said ‘holders’, plural! Jason has one too! He’s trying to distract you!” The voice on the PA paused, then laughed maniacally. “I like smart students. Reminder: time is running out.” The mob hesitated, then turned toward Jason. Their greed was now mixed with anger at being tricked. While they hesitated, I bit Jason’s hand, broke free, and scrambled behind Adrian. The mob lunged. It was chaos. People tripping, shoving, swinging chairs blindly in the dark. Screams of pain and rage filled the air. I clutched Adrian’s shirt, my only anchor in the storm. The mob was hunting for me and Jason. Adrian spun around, shielding me with his body, his broad back a wall between me and the madness. I couldn’t see anything, only relying on the floating comments to know what was happening. In the dark, Adrian lowered his head. “Sarah, you did well this time.” I was confused. “This time?” We just met. But the comments were going wild. [Wait, did Jason just use Bella as a human shield? My ship is sinking!] [The plot is totally broken! In the original novel, they survive together!] [It’s all Sarah’s fault. If she hadn’t exposed Jason, he wouldn’t have panicked and sacrificed the heroine!] Bella was dead? My jaw dropped. But before I could process it, the cheerful voice returned. “Ten minutes are up! The Hunter is here! Ready or not…”

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In my past life, I fought stray dogs for food and was kicked to death for stealing a bite to eat. When I opened my eyes again, I had become the long-lost daughter of a wealthy family. The “fake heiress” who took my place sneered viciously at me: “You’re just an unwanted stray. Don’t even think about stealing Mom and Dad’s love.” No one had ever spoken to me from so close before. I smiled happily and genuinely complimented her: “Your voice sounds so nice.” When I was framed and about to be slapped by my biological mother, I looked up with adoration: “Mom’s hand smells so good. even the wind from the slap smells nice.” My brother forced me to drink the milk he hated. I was overwhelmed with gratitude: “So this is what it feels like to be cared for by a big brother.” Later, when they saw me being bullied, kneeling on the ground and trembling, the whole family went crazy. 1 My brain felt like it was being pierced by needles. The restaurant owner’s kick had landed squarely on my head, and the pain had knocked me out almost instantly. It was a pity. I still hadn’t managed to get a bite of that warm food. I shouldn’t have stolen. Rubbing my head, I opened my eyes in confusion. I was in a car. A fancy one. Seeing me wake up, the driver scoffed. I heard him mutter, “Hillbilly. All she knows is how to sleep.” Startled, I curled into a ball, shrinking into the corner of the seat. “W-where are you taking me?” I was shaking with fear. There had been so many bad men trying to catch me before. I had been beaten badly and barely escaped with my life. Seeing me speak, the driver suddenly changed his attitude, putting on a bright smile. “Miss, don’t be afraid. I’m your family’s driver. As soon as the Madam heard you were found, the whole family has been waiting for you to come home.” I didn’t understand, but a rush of memories that didn’t belong to me flooded my brain. I was the real daughter of a wealthy family, switched at birth due to malice. The girl currently living my life was the daughter of the couple who raised me. She had enjoyed over a decade of privilege. She had a beautiful name, Stella. She had loving parents and a doting brother. She lived the life of a princess. Unlike the original owner of this body, whose name was casually given as “Joy,” meaning “a source of amusement.” For the past decade, the original owner hadn’t spent a single day in school. Since she could remember, she never had a full meal. She had to cut pigweed on the mountain, wash clothes for the whole family, and do endless farm work in her spare time. She was tanned dark by the sun, thin and small, insecure and silent. When she found out she was the long-lost daughter of a rich family, she got so excited in the car that she had a heart attack and never opened her eyes again. Realizing all this, tears of guilt streamed down my face. I’m sorry. I don’t know how I ended up here. The original owner was so close to having the best life. I shrank humbly into the corner, covering my mouth as I cried. I was just a useless little beggar who got kicked to death trying to find food. I didn’t know how to leave, but if the original owner ever woke up again, could I… could I just eat a few full meals before I go? 2 The car stopped, and I stumbled out in a daze. In front of me was an overly exquisite mansion. Three people stood at the door. A beautiful girl stood in the middle, her eyes red, tears still clinging to the corners. I walked over cautiously and heard the boy next to her say loudly, “Stella, don’t be afraid. No one in this house can touch you.” That’s nice. He looked like a very good brother. The brother, Julian, turned his gaze to me and frowned deeply. “That can’t be my sister. Is she a beggar from somewhere?” My heart trembled, and I instinctively hid behind the woman. I didn’t know why, but she felt kind. She must be the original owner’s mother. I pouted, apologizing to the original owner in my heart again. Please let me call her Mom, just once. “Mom…” But Mrs. Sterling stepped aside slightly, as if embarrassed. Still, she forced a smile and nodded at me. “You must be Joy. Good child, you’re home.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but nod, moved to tears. This is wonderful. I have a home. Stella walked over too. Her soft hand took mine, and she smiled brightly. “I should call you sister. Sister, welcome home.” I gave her a small smile, thinking she was a good person too. As we walked into the house, Stella suddenly turned back. Her round almond eyes glared at me, and she whispered, “I advise you not to be ungrateful. You can’t compete with me.” I looked at her beautiful face and lowered my head in shame. “You’re so pretty. Your voice sounds nice too.” Stella froze, then let out a sarcastic laugh. “Psycho.” Inside the house, I was so nervous I didn’t know where to stand. It was too exquisite. The cleanliness of the floor hurt my eyes, making me even more at a loss. “Sister, you came back so suddenly, the room prepared for you isn’t ready yet.” Stella rubbed her eyes, sounding guilty. “It’s my fault. Don’t blame Mom. If it really doesn’t work, you can sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep in the utility room.” Julian’s face darkened, and he scoffed. “Stella, you’ve been delicate since childhood. How can you stay in a place like that?” He turned his disgusted gaze to me. “You smell terrible. Just make do in the utility room for a few nights.” I nodded quickly, not daring to hesitate. Mrs. Sterling wanted to explain, but seeing I had no objections, she stayed silent. They led me to a small room on the first floor. Inside was a clean bed and a small lamp. The room was dark and had a bit of a smell. But it was the best place I had ever slept in since I was born. I turned around and bowed deeply to them. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” 3 They looked at each other in confusion. Seeing them stunned, I wondered if I hadn’t thanked them enough. My family gave me such good living conditions; I should kneel to thank them. Thinking this, I immediately dropped to my knees, forehead touching the ground, thanking them sincerely again. This time, my cold-tongued big brother jumped. He pulled me up almost instinctively. His brow furrowed so tight it could crush a fly. “What are you doing? No one asked you to kneel.” I rubbed my eyes, secretly storing their kindness in my heart. In the evening, the family prepared to eat. I was rubbing my stomach from hunger. Before Mrs. Sterling could speak, I had already picked up the bowl and was stuffing rice into my mouth with my hands. Julian was displeased again. He slammed the table and scolded, “Have you no manners? Don’t you know how to use chopsticks?” I had to pick up the chopsticks and continue shoveling rice. I had never used chopsticks before and knew I looked ugly doing it. After a few shovels, I reluctantly put the bowl down. “I’m sorry.” I apologized instinctively. “Please don’t kick me out.” Mrs. Sterling’s disgusted look softened again. She sighed heavily and personally put some meat in my bowl. “Don’t just eat rice. Take whatever you want. Marie, get a spoon for Joy.” Stella volunteered, trotting off to get a spoon. But as she walked back, she “accidentally” tripped. The spoon flew into my face, smashing my rice bowl. “I’m sorry, sister! I was in a rush. Are you okay?” Stella looked at me, eyes shining, as if expecting something. But I didn’t care about the pain in my face. I knelt on the floor distressed, picking up the grains of white rice and stuffing them into my mouth. Anxious tears fell. “It’s edible, it’s edible. I can eat all of this.” Even on the ground, it was clean. For years, the cleanest food I had eaten was leftovers the restaurant owner threw away. Most of the time, I scavenged through trash. Sometimes I got lucky and found a bun with just one bite taken out. When I was really starving, I would shameless fight stray cats for food. Kind people often left cat food and water for strays. I had tasted a few pieces. Crunchy, salty, and fishy. My reaction must have scared Stella. Her prepared tears froze in her eyes. She was rarely at a loss. Finally, Mrs. Sterling couldn’t watch anymore. She picked me up and realized with a shock how light I was. I was the same age as Stella, but she was a head taller than me. I looked like a malnourished dwarf, clearly having suffered unspeakable hardships. A flash of sadness crossed Mrs. Sterling’s eyes, but she suppressed it. She wiped my hands clean, her voice gentle. “Don’t eat things off the floor anymore. It’s not clean, you’ll get a stomachache. Rest at home for a few days, then go to school with your brother and sister.” I was staring at Mrs. Sterling’s face, but hearing the word “school,” I instantly became happy. I could go to school too! 4 A few days later, I finally adapted somewhat to their life. That morning, Julian looked at the milk in his hand, his face sour again. “Drinking milk every day, I’m going to puke.” Saying that, he made a gagging motion. I happened to walk by slowly. Julian glanced at me and suddenly said, “Joy, want some milk?” He smiled. “You can have mine.” I paused, asking in disbelief, “Really? Thank you, big brother!” I smiled happily. “You’re so nice.” Julian froze, then scoffed. “Don’t know if you’re truly obedient or just sick in the head.” I gave him a small smile and picked at my fingers nervously. Then, the glass of milk was pushed in front of me. I swallowed a huge gulp of saliva, picked up the glass, and chugged it. Sweet, with the scent of milk candy. So this is what non-expired milk tastes like. I thumped my chest, feeling a burp coming. Stella walked by and bumped into me, helping me let out a satisfying burp. I looked at Stella with gratitude. Big brother is good. Little sister is good too. Julian was in ninth grade. Stella and I were in seventh, but not in the same class. The teacher made me stand on the podium and introduce myself. I didn’t expect this and nervously gulped. The teacher tapped the desk, urging, “Hurry up, don’t waste everyone’s study time.” I shook with fear, unable to speak. The students below started jeering: “Say something! Shaking like that, did she pee herself?” “Is that a girl? Lol, she looks so dried up.” “Dirt poor and can’t even talk.” Listening to the insults, I bit my lower lip hard. A few comfortable days at the Sterling house almost made me forget this was the life I was supposed to have. “Sor…” Before I could finish apologizing, the teacher waved impatiently, shooing me off. “Don’t waste time. There are two empty seats in the back. One next to the class monitor, Lucas. The other next to the little delinquent with the yellow hair. Just sit somewhere and don’t interrupt my class.” I was relieved to get off the stage. The class monitor must be a good person too.

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The day before our final exams, it was Chloe’s birthday. Chloe, the prettiest girl in our class, the one everyone adored. Her boyfriend, Jason, our class president, suggested the entire class go to a bar to celebrate and blow off some steam before the big day. Somehow, the advanced placement class unanimously agreed. In my past life, as the academic representative, I tried to stop this madness. I told them they needed to rest, that drinking and partying would ruin their performance the next day. Jason just glared at me. “You’re just jealous again.” My classmates sneered. “Stop acting so high and mighty. You’re just mad Jason treats Chloe better than you.” Ignoring their mockery, I begged them not to go. I stayed up all night calling each of them, making sure they were home resting. The next morning, I waited at the exam center under the scorching sun, calling everyone again to ensure they arrived on time. They all performed exceptionally well. But on the day the scores were released, tragedy struck. Chloe had gone to the bar alone that night to celebrate her birthday. She got drunk and was taken advantage of. Unable to cope with the trauma, she attempted suicide. Jason lost his mind after receiving her goodbye call. He rallied the entire class against me. They cornered me on the roof and pushed me off. I died instantly. When the police questioned them, they lied in unison: “She threatened us not to save Chloe. She said anyone who helped her would fail the exam.” “She jumped because she was afraid of getting caught.” The calls I made that night and the security footage of me checking attendance became their “evidence.” I was cyberbullied. A crazed netizen doused my house in gasoline and set it on fire, burning my parents alive. Jason lived next door. He listened to my parents’ screams with his arms crossed on his balcony, waiting until they were dead before calling the fire department. Only after death did I learn that Chloe had orchestrated it all. Reborn, I stood there as Jason held Chloe’s hand, announcing loudly, “See you at the bar tonight!” I put on my backpack and turned to leave. This time, they can party all they want. I’m done saving ungrateful people. 1 After I died, Chloe started a livestream, shedding crocodile tears: “Even though she bullied me and stopped our classmates from saving me… out of respect for the dead, I forgive her.” “But I’m too traumatized to retake the exam. I’ve decided to go abroad. I’m sorry I couldn’t fulfill my promise of getting into Harvard.” She had always branded herself as the “Beauty with Brains,” determined to attend an Ivy League school. Hearing this, netizens praised her kindness and resilience. She gained a million followers overnight. But the moment the camera turned off, she was laughing in bed with a stranger. “I cheated my way to high scores. If I actually took the test, I would have been exposed. Thank god I came up with this plan. It covers up my pregnancy and gives me a perfect excuse to skip the exam.” “I was planning to trick Jason into coming that night and pin everything on him, but that bitch Sarah ruined my plan. But this isn’t bad. Jason feels so guilty he promised to take care of me and the baby.” Her maniacal laughter cut through my soul like a knife. I wanted to strangle her. But the next second, a familiar voice rang in my ear: “Sarah, what’s with the long face?” “Chloe’s birthday wish is to celebrate with the whole class. She invited you, and instead of being grateful, you’re giving us attitude. Disgusting.” “Chloe is an influencer and still scores higher than you. You only get third place by studying like a nerd. Are you jealous?” “You simped so hard for Jason, but he doesn’t even look at you. Seeing him celebrate Chloe’s birthday broke you, huh?” I froze, realizing where I was—the day before the final exams. I pinched myself. It hurt. Tears sprang to my eyes. I was really reborn! Seeing me cry, the classmates who had just mocked me fell silent. “Were we too harsh? She was just trying to help…” Chloe immediately started crying. “Sarah, I didn’t know you hated me this much. Cursing everyone to fail… We’re the AP class. How could celebrating my birthday make us fail?” Jason immediately shielded her, sneering at me: “Don’t worry about us. We aren’t like you, getting scared shitless over a test. Running to the bathroom constantly and failing because of it.” “For geniuses like us, this exam is a piece of cake.” The class erupted in laughter. I clenched my fists, my heart aching. During the placement exams sophomore year, stress gave me severe stomach issues. I kept needing the bathroom, couldn’t focus, and missed the cutoff for the AP class. After the test, I hid in the study hall and cried. Jason found me then, wiping my tears. “I had my mom make you some porridge. I knew you’d be crying. It’s okay, there’s always next time. I’ll tutor you. We’ll go to the same college…” I thought our mutual crush would have a happy ending. Until Chloe transferred in, and everything changed. I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists. Ignoring their laughter, I packed my bag. “You’re right. In that case, I hope you have fun.” I didn’t explode in anger or cry like they expected. Their smiles froze. The fun of mocking me was gone. Someone shrugged and started discussing what to drink. “Fruit cider. Only 3% alcohol, won’t affect the exam.” I scoffed internally. The fruit cider at that bar could knock out an adult with one glass. My dad, a doctor, often treated patients rushed to the ER with alcohol poisoning from that place. In my past life, that was why I tried to stop them. But this time, I wouldn’t interfere. I shouldered my bag and turned to leave. But Jason didn’t look happy. He frowned at me. As I walked past, he grabbed my wrist. “No. You have to come with us.” 2 Everyone froze, looking at me in confusion. “Why bring her? She’s a buzzkill.” Chloe chimed in with her sickeningly sweet voice, “If Sarah comes and we don’t do well tomorrow, she might blame me. That would be so unfair.” Her eyes were guarded. She was terrified I would actually go. If I went, how could she get drunk and pin her pregnancy on Jason? Jason sneered, explaining: “Sarah is manipulative. Remember Memorial Day? The English teacher forgot to assign homework, but she called to ask for it and then texted everyone, ruining our holiday.” The class went silent. Many glared at me. I laughed bitterly. That was a practice test from a top private school. The teacher got it specifically to help us boost our scores. I notified everyone because I didn’t want them to miss out. But my responsibility was their burden. Jason raised an eyebrow. “If she goes home, she might call your parents and snitch.” I finally snapped. “I’m not that bored.” I suppressed my anger. “I promise I won’t interfere or call anyone. Okay? I just want to go home and rest for tomorrow.” I tried to pull my hand away, but he snatched my backpack. “What are you doing!” I screamed, my heart sinking. The next second, he pulled out my exam admission ticket and waved it in the air. My face went pale. I lunged for it. “You’re crazy! Give it back!” Jason held it high, teasing me like a cat, looking down with arrogance. “I don’t trust you. I have your ticket now. If you want to take the exam tomorrow, behave yourself. Don’t ruin Chloe’s birthday.” My eyes turned red with urgency, my voice trembling. “Jason, you asshole!” He paused at the hatred in my eyes, his tone softening slightly. “As long as you don’t snitch, I’ll give it back. Didn’t we promise to go to the same college? Of course I’ll give it back.” “Just don’t ruin Chloe’s eighteenth birthday.” I looked at him, making promises he wouldn’t keep, and my heart sank. Eighteen years of friendship. My future wasn’t as important as Chloe’s birthday party. I was shaking, staring at him. He avoided my gaze, turning to the crowd with a light smile. “Alert over. Everyone can celebrate in peace tonight.” Chloe immediately leaned into him, her voice dripping with honey. “Thank you, Jason. This party is the best eighteenth birthday gift.” Jason’s ears turned red, but he didn’t push her away. He just touched her hair. “As long as you’re happy.” The classmates cheered loudly. “I think the best gift isn’t the party, it’s our class president!” “You’re both adults tonight. A kiss isn’t too much to ask, right?” Jason laughed, “Stop it.” But the affection in his eyes was undeniable. I stood there, watching coldly, digging my nails into my palms until they bled. Laugh. Have fun. Let’s see if you can still laugh in the exam hall tomorrow. I didn’t even want my bag anymore. I turned to leave. But they weren’t done with me. Jason said coldly, “Lock her in the gym.” “Let her out after the party.” I glared at him, struggling violently. “Are you insane! Let me go!” Several boys rushed me, tying my hands behind my back and dragging me to the abandoned gym. They threw me to the ground, scraping my arm. Jason hesitated for a second, but excitement quickly took over. He stomped on my phone until the screen went black. “Stop being jealous and just wait here,” he soothed. “I’m the class president. I’m just helping a classmate fulfill a wish. If it were your birthday today, I’d do the same.” “Just stay here. I’ll come back for you.” Then he shut the door. The heavy iron door slammed shut, plunging me into darkness. I lay on the floor, screaming for help until my voice was hoarse. I don’t know how much time passed before footsteps approached. I scrambled to the door. “Help—” The door opened. It was my dad. He rushed in, panic etched on his face, and hugged me tight. “Baby? What happened? I couldn’t reach you, and Jason said you were at the party.” “How could you be partying right before the exam? I knew something was wrong! I came looking for you immediately… I can’t believe you were locked in the school!” “Did Jason do this? I won’t let him get away with it!” Seeing my dad alive and well after two lifetimes, I burst into tears in his arms. Dad was terrified. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. Tell Dad what happened.” “I’m fine.” I wiped my tears, forcing myself to be calm. Stopping Jason’s party now would be letting them off too easy. I wanted them to regret this for the rest of their lives. When my mom arrived and saw my injuries, her face fell. But I just whispered, “I’m fine, Mom. I don’t want to go to college here anymore. I want to study abroad. Let’s move overseas.” In my last life, I gave up an offer from a top foreign university to take the entrance exams for Jason’s “let’s go to college together” promise. And I got a tragic death in return. This time, I didn’t want to bet on him keeping my admission ticket safe. I was giving up on this exam. Back home, I slept fitfully until dawn, nightmares of my past life flashing before my eyes. When I woke up, my pillow was soaked. I dried my eyes, put my SIM card into an old phone, and turned it on. My feed was flooded with updates from my classmates, Jason, and Chloe. In the photos, Chloe leaned into Jason’s chest, looking up with a flushed smile. Jason looked tender. I glanced once and noticed the pile of empty cider cans on the table. Drinking that much… forget affecting their performance, some of them might not even wake up tomorrow. Someone even posted a video of the crowd chanting “Kiss! Kiss!” Jason held Chloe tight, kissing her urgently and deeply. It was disgusting. I closed the video. The newest post was from Chloe, visibly set to “Only Sarah Can See.” 3 I opened it to the sound of grotesque panting. Frowning, I watched two entangled figures. I didn’t need to look closely to know the man was Jason. Chloe’s breathless voice taunted me: “Sarah, Jason said he likes me the most. He’s going to marry me after college. What makes a nerd like you think you can compete?” Then, she sent a photo of my admission ticket, torn to shreds. “I made him choose between us. To prove his loyalty, he tore up your ticket. He said this way he doesn’t have to go to the same college as you, and he has an excuse to dump you.” “Can’t wait to see your breakdown tomorrow haha. Happy gap year~” Even though I was prepared for my ticket to be destroyed, seeing the pieces still made my breath hitch and my chest ache. Three years of tireless effort, destroyed so easily by them. The phone rang in the living room. I opened my door to see my dad looking shocked. “What? Students from First High? The seniors taking the exam tomorrow? Alcohol poisoning? Okay, okay, I’m on my way.” His face was pale and sweaty. Seeing me, he thought I was worried about my classmates and quickly comforted me: “Don’t worry, it might not be your class. I’ll go check. Even if it is, I’ll get them recovered ASAP. Won’t delay the exam.” Looking at his worried face, I remembered my past life. I was so worried about them drinking that I dragged my dad to the bus stop the next morning, just in case someone was hungover and needed emergency help. I never expected those ungrateful wolves to claim my dad was there to help me threaten them. That led to the crazed netizens murdering my family in the name of avenging Chloe. But this time, I would absolutely not let my dad get dragged into this mess. … The next morning, I ate the breakfast my dad made and took a taxi to school. Time ticked by, but the bus stop for the exam shuttle was silent. The teachers’ faces grew darker by the minute. “What’s going on? Is the AP class skipping the exam?” The homeroom teacher arrived, looking haggard, followed by a few pale students. Seeing me, they dodged my gaze, guilt and regret written on their faces. The principal listened to the homeroom teacher’s stammering explanation, his face turning black with rage. “I told you a thousand times! Watch your diet and sleep before the exam! And you go drinking at a bar the night before?!” “Only five people can take the test? The rest are getting their stomachs pumped? Some are in the ICU?!” “Are you crazy? Ruining your lives and burning my career down with you?!” His shouting attracted the attention of parents and media nearby. “Oh my god. We cook carefully for them, and these kids drink themselves into the hospital?” “Partying at a time like this? They aren’t scholars, they’re delinquents.” “My kid has average grades, but at least he’s responsible. Those parents must be furious.” “I’ve been a reporter for years, never seen a whole class drink themselves out of an exam.” Cameras flashed. The principal roared in despair, “I’m ruined! The school is ruined!” The English teacher, who always favored Jason and Chloe, paled. “Where are Jason and Chloe? They were our top prospects for Ivy League!” The homeroom teacher looked down. “Can’t reach them. We called the police.” The principal stumbled, clutching his chest. He looked at me, a spark of hope in his eyes. “Sarah is a good kid. She didn’t mess around with them. We can still save one spot.” I lowered my eyes, feigning regret. “Jason took my admission ticket because he was afraid I’d snitch. He hasn’t shown up, so I probably can’t take the test.” Thud. The principal hit the floor. Chaos ensued. Some took him to the hospital; others took the remaining students to the exam center. I got on the bus. The atmosphere was oppressive. Some were already crying. “My dad is going to kill me… shouldn’t have gone to the bar…” “What do I do? I won’t make the cutoff… it’s all Chloe’s fault…” I stared out the window blankly, listening to their sobs. Didn’t they say they were geniuses? That the exam was just a formality? Now they’re scared of failing? Now they cry? At the exam center, I was denied entry without my ticket. A classmate looked at me with guilt. “Sorry.” Confirming I couldn’t enter, I turned and left. My dad was furious, comforting me while cursing Jason. Before we could leave the area… The news had exploded. Parents of the AP class students started a livestream, issuing a joint statement to call the police and hire lawyers, holding the school, Jason, and Chloe responsible. A scandal like this during exam season broke the internet. Netizens flooded Chloe’s social media with insults, calling her a “disaster.” Chloe, missing all day, suddenly started a livestream. Next to her sat a haggard Jason. Tears streamed down her face. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know this would happen. We just wanted to eat cake. It was my classmate Sarah who insisted on ordering alcohol. She said it was non-alcoholic, so we could drink as much as we wanted.” “We got a bit drunk, but we were sent to the hospital in time. We would have been fine. But Sarah wanted revenge, so she made her dad—the hospital director—deliberately mistreat us, causing the alcohol poisoning.” She nudged Jason. “You’re her childhood friend. You can testify, right?” Jason stiffened. Under her urging, he looked up, eyes struggling, before finally gritting his teeth. “Yes. I can testify. Sarah insisted on ordering the alcohol. She was jealous of Chloe and the talented students in the class. And… her dad really is a doctor at that hospital.” 4 I couldn’t believe my ears. Were they insane? Who would believe such a lie? But the parents, who were just demanding Jason and Chloe be punished, turned their rage toward me and my dad. Smash! A U-lock shattered the car window and hit my dad’s forehead. Blood gushed out. The car stopped abruptly. I slammed into the dashboard, vision blurring. Screams deafened me: “Kill these inhumane monsters! Putting my son in the ICU just to bully a classmate? Pay with your lives!” Others chimed in: “Deserved! A doctor committing malpractice for his daughter? Break his hands so he can never practice again!” I screamed desperately, “We didn’t! Check the cameras! I wasn’t at the bar! My dad wasn’t on duty last night!” Fighting through the pain, Dad crawled over to shield me. “Don’t be scared, Dad’s here.” Tears flowed uncontrollably as I screamed, “You’re being lied to!” My phone lit up. A text from Jason: “Sorry Sarah, Chloe’s family is poor. If she gets sued, she’s done. Your family has money, you can afford to pay. We had to push it on you. Once this blows over, we’ll repeat the year and go to college together, okay?” I laughed bitterly. So that was it. Chloe couldn’t pay, so the parents shifted their target to me. Just because my family had money, they could get a payout from us. “Jason, you bastard! You deserve to die!” The parents dragged me and my bloodied father out of the car, kicking and punching us. Someone started livestreaming. Soon, Chloe and Jason saw it on their screen. Chloe sighed in relief, leaning into him. “Thank you for saving me, Jason.” Jason forced a smile, unable to hide the guilt and panic in his eyes. “As long as you’re okay, I’ll do anything for you.” Amidst the chaos, my mom rushed in, pushing the parents away. She shielded us, roaring, “Don’t touch my husband and daughter!” She held up her phone, voice icy and firm: “The ones who really hurt these students are Chloe and Jason. I’ve posted the evidence online. See for yourselves.”

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Rumor had it that Old Man Silas, the billionaire tycoon, built a golden palace specifically to house a collection of one hundred wives. After forcefully acquiring ninety-nine women, he set his sights on me—pregnant and married. The day I was sent away, our housekeeper knelt on the floor, begging my husband. “Sir, please reconsider! They say Old Man Silas is a monster. If the Madam goes, the baby… the baby won’t survive!” My husband, Julian, looked at her coldly. “Silas asked for her specifically. She has to go. If the baby dies, it dies. I won’t divorce her. When she comes back, she’ll still be Mrs. Sterling. We can always have another child.” In my past life, I fought tooth and nail not to go. In the end, Julian’s assistant, Chloe, volunteered to take my place. When she returned, she slit her wrists. The autopsy revealed she had been pregnant too. Julian held his rage until the day I gave birth. Then, he walked to the hospital rooftop and threw our newborn son off the edge. That was when I realized he had hated me every second of our marriage. Reborn into this moment, I didn’t struggle. I calmly stepped into the luxury car sent by Old Man Silas. 1 “Did you hear? Silas demanded the Madam personally, or he’d bankrupt the company! The Master already agreed.” “Silas is over sixty and a known pervert. Going to his ‘palace’ is a death sentence… How can the Master just watch her jump into the fire?” “Well, that’s the power of a first love, isn’t it? If it were Chloe going, the Master would let the company burn before handing her over!” The whispers of the maids drifted through the half-open door of the living room. Mrs. Potts, who was packing my clothes, couldn’t hold back. “Madam, don’t listen to them! Go beg the Master! You’re husband and wife, he can’t be that heartless!” I smiled helplessly. “It’s useless.” Everyone in our circle knew Silas was untouchable and ruthless. Julian would never offend Silas for me. I knew that much. In my past life, the moment Julian heard Silas’s demand, he agreed without hesitation. To make me go willingly, he feigned deep affection, spinning lies about sacrificing the company for me. Just as my resolve wavered, I saw him kissing his “first love,” Chloe, in the garden. So, I rebelled. I threatened suicide, holding a knife to my pregnant belly, forcing him to back down. Then Chloe stepped up, offering to go in my place. Julian’s eyes turned red. The day he sent Chloe to Silas’s villa, he promised her in front of me: when she returned, he would divorce me and marry her. But Chloe came back and killed herself the next day. The autopsy report stated clearly: Pregnant. Julian handled her funeral quietly. He didn’t mention divorce. I thought that although he loved Chloe deeply, with her gone, he would honor our marriage and live out our days together. I never expected that on the day I gave birth, he would take our child and throw him off the hospital roof! Watching my baby turn into a broken heap on the pavement. I realized he had been acting all along! He never got over Chloe! He hated me! So, when I heard Silas demanding me again, I didn’t fight. In this life, I’ll let them be together. “Madam, the Master is back. He wants to see you.” I nodded calmly. “I know.” Downstairs, Chloe was there too. Seeing Julian holding Chloe’s hand tightly without shame, I paused. Did he… come back too? “Lola, Silas expects you in two days. Go pack.” “By the way, Chloe is moving in starting today.” In the past, I would have screamed and fought. Now, I just nodded. “Okay.” Julian avoided my gaze, guilty but impatient. “What game are you playing? Fighting is useless. Disobeying Silas is a fate worse than death.” Chloe chimed in, “Yes, Mrs. Sterling. This is to save the company. Besides, catching Silas’s eye is a blessing.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Is it? Do you want this blessing?” Julian exploded. “Silas wants you. Why take it out on Chloe? Don’t use that tone. Apologize to her!” I ignored him, but Chloe suddenly dropped to her knees behind him. A picture of self-sacrifice. “Julian, don’t be mad at Mrs. Sterling for me. I’m just an assistant. It doesn’t matter if she looks down on me.” “If it saves the company, I’ll go to Silas in her place!” Before her knees could hit the floor, Julian pulled her up tenderly. “Chloe, you’re pregnant. Don’t kneel to her.” He looked at her with adoration. “I know you’d do anything for me, but Silas wants Lola.” Then he turned his cold glare on me. “I’m warning you, don’t touch Chloe. Or I won’t let you off.” “If you’re worried I’ll dump you when you get back, don’t be. I promise I won’t divorce you over this.” I scoffed internally. I turned around, picked up a document, and handed it to him. Julian frowned. “What is this?” I smiled. “Stepping aside for the worthy. Julian, let’s get a divorce.” 2 Julian didn’t even look at the divorce papers. He threw them across the room. “Lola, have you lost your mind? I said I wouldn’t divorce you.” “I know you don’t want to go, but if you don’t, the company goes under! Do you want everything I’ve built to be destroyed because of you?” I marveled at his audacity. The moral blackmail was impressive. He made it sound like my refusal was a deliberate act of sabotage against his career. Did he think I was as easily manipulated as before? Reborn, I had already formulated a plan to deal with Silas. Seeing my silence, Julian’s face darkened. “Lola, let me be honest. The baby in Chloe’s belly is mine.” “As long as you save the company… I can make you the child’s legal mother in the future.” “No need,” I interrupted, kicking the papers on the floor. “I have no interest in being a stepmother, and I certainly don’t want a bastard calling me Mom.” “Lola!” Ignoring his shouting, I walked upstairs. Seeing me calmly packing, Mrs. Potts teared up again. “Madam, are you really going to Silas? I don’t understand. When his parents died, you stayed by his side through the darkest times. Does years of devotion mean nothing compared to a gold-digger who came running back after failing abroad?” “He swore he’d only love you. How did that woman bewitch him?” I shook my head. “Don’t call me Madam anymore. I have nothing to do with this family.” Mrs. Potts wiped her tears. “But Madam, going to Silas… you’ll be skinned alive…” My hand paused. Even she thought it was a death sentence. Before I could speak, a glass of cold water splashed into my face. “Oops, so sorry, Mrs. Sterling. My hand slipped.” It was Chloe. Holding an empty glass, apologizing with a smirk on her face. “By the way, you shouldn’t pack too much. Silas has everything. After all, you’re not the first woman he’s taken…” Mrs. Potts trembled with rage. “You are too much!” “Mrs. Potts, leave it.” Chloe thought I was too scared to fight back. Her provocation escalated. Her gaze landed mockingly on my stomach. “I heard Silas has… unique tastes. Women who go there come back insane. Who knows how long you’ll last…” “Even if you make it back, that little bastard inside you probably won’t!” I wiped the water from my hair and slapped Chloe hard across the face, shoving her out of my room. “Save your worry. I didn’t plan on keeping it anyway.” As I turned, Chloe grabbed my arm. “Lola, guess what Julian will do if I fall down these stairs?” She whispered venomously in my ear, then threw herself backward. “Ah! Help!” Julian turned pale and rushed to catch her. “Chloe! Are you okay?” Chloe feigned kindness. “I’m fine… Julian, don’t blame Mrs. Sterling. She’s just jealous I’m carrying your child…” Her words fueled Julian’s hatred. He stormed over and slapped me. Hard. “Lola, you disgust me!” “You treat her like this, and she still defends you. You’re not worth a strand of her hair!” “You deserve to be used by that old man! I hope he kills you!” With each vicious word, he ordered the bodyguards to lock me in the basement. “No water until I say so!” Mrs. Potts knelt, begging. “Sir, you can’t! She has severe claustrophobia! She’s terrified of the dark! She’ll die…” Julian ignored her. Chloe, clutching her head, whispered poisonously, “Mrs. Potts, you work for the Sterlings. Why do you always side with Lola?” “What did she give you to make you protect her like a daughter?” Mrs. Potts was furious. She tried to lunge at Chloe but was restrained by guards. She cried outside the basement door all night. Until the next evening, when Silas’s men came for me. 3 Julian opened the basement door. Dim light spilled in, illuminating my curled figure in the corner. Twenty-four hours without water or light. My lips were cracked, my face paper-white, my breathing shallow. Julian stood at the door, pupils contracting when he saw me. “Lola!” He rushed in, hand hovering near my face, afraid to touch me as if I were fragile glass. “How did you get like this? I… I just wanted you to calm down…” Only now did he remember Mrs. Potts’s words. I had severe claustrophobia. Two years ago, his competitors kidnapped me to force him out of a bid. They locked me in a pitch-black container for three days. I developed this fear because of him, yet he sent me back into the abyss with his own hands. “Lola, I…” Just as his voice trembled and he reached to hug me, Chloe walked in. “Strange. I checked the cameras. She seemed fine all day… how did she end up like this?” Julian froze, looking at Chloe, then back at me. His gaze cooled. He stood up, suspicion in his voice. “Acting?” Chloe feigned surprise. “Mrs. Sterling was an actress, after all. A waste of talent…” She paused, glancing at Julian. Seeing his dark expression, she added fuel to the fire. “Don’t blame her, Julian. She probably just wanted you to feel sorry for her. A desperate move.” Julian’s face shifted. The last trace of hesitation vanished. He took a deep breath and shouted to the door, “Someone, get her out. Silas’s car is waiting.” Bodyguards rushed in, dragging me up. I didn’t have the strength to stand. I let them drag me out. Julian didn’t want to see me. He went straight upstairs. Then, Chloe walked over with a bottle of water. “Her lips are cracked. Give her some water!” She unscrewed the cap and ordered the men to force it down my throat. A sharp, chemical taste flooded my mouth. I choked, tears streaming, but Chloe made sure I drank every drop. Silas’s assistant had been waiting. Seeing me pale and limp, panic flashed across his face. He ran over, taking me respectfully from the guards. “Ms. Lola, are you alright?” I shook my head. Just as I was about to get in the car, Chloe grabbed me. She whispered in my ear, voice low enough only I could hear. “Lola, don’t worry. If you die at Silas’s, I’ll collect your body.” She smiled like a flower. “As for our little family of three, we’ll be very, very happy.” She stuffed a signed divorce agreement into my arms. “He didn’t want to sign at first. Felt guilty…” “But I told him I didn’t want to be a mistress forever. I want to be Mrs. Sterling, the mother of his child. So he signed.” Chloe patted my stomach. “Can’t even keep a man’s heart. Lola, you’re such a failure.” Holding the divorce papers, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. In this moment, I truly thanked her. “Thanks.” As the luxury car drove away from the Sterling estate, I rolled down the window, looking back at Chloe’s triumphant face. I smirked. The show was just beginning. 4 Halfway there, a dull ache started in my abdomen. Soon, it turned into agonizing pain. I realized what was in the water Chloe forced me to drink. I thought she just wanted to humiliate me. But she was more vicious than I imagined! She was afraid that if I survived Silas, I’d threaten her stolen position. She wanted me and the baby dead before I even reached the “Golden Palace.” That way, she could blame it on Silas. And with Silas’s power, who would dare investigate? “My stomach hurts… help me…” I rasped to the assistant in the front seat. The assistant turned pale. “Ms. Lola! What’s wrong? Mr. Silas said nothing can happen to you!” Thirty minutes later. The car stopped at Silas’s villa. My consciousness was fading, each breath weaker than the last. I was carried into a room. The assistant stayed by my side, anxious. “Ms. Lola, you have to hang on…” I nodded weakly, face white as a sheet. The pill I swallowed earlier—an antidote I had prepared—meant I wouldn’t die immediately. But it didn’t guarantee survival. “Mr. Wang, please call someone for me. His name is Ethan Silas.” “Tell him Lola is dying.” The assistant rushed out. I don’t know how much time passed. It was dark outside. I heard servants whispering. “Mr. Wang looked terrified. Who is this woman?” “Silas asked for her personally, and she’s almost dead before seeing him. Of course he’s scared. If Silas finds out, heads will roll…” I pinched my arm hard, forcing myself awake. Dragging my useless legs, I slid off the bed onto the floor. Footsteps approached. Silas was here. He pushed open the door. In an instant, he rushed over. Seeing me on the floor, his face went white. He roared at his men, “What happened?! What did the doctor say?” “Sir, please calm down. It was Julian’s mistress, Chloe. She forced Ms. Lola to drink an abortion drug. She’s stable now, just needs rest…” Before he could finish, I passed out. Panic filled Silas’s eyes as he caught me. “Lola!” He screamed like a madman. “Doctor! Get the doctor!” I dreamed a long dream. I dreamed of meeting Julian. I was a rising actress; he was a passionate but penniless entrepreneur. He had just broken up with Chloe. His parents died, his company was bankrupt, and Chloe left him to go abroad. He was hollowed out, locking himself in a tiny office, writing plans with red eyes. I couldn’t watch it. I turned down a role and went to him. “You still have me,” I said, holding his hand. “I believe in you. You won’t lose.” I stayed up with him, met investors, learned accounting. I brought him lunch every day. I peeled apples while he worked. “Building a dream requires a body to hold it up,” I’d say. He’d take the apple, complaining I was nagging, but his eyes would light up. Once, he didn’t sleep for three days. I dragged him from the computer and forced him into bed. “Lola, you’re annoying! I have a proposal to finish!” “Be annoyed then.” I handed him warm milk. “If you don’t sleep, I don’t leave.” He stared at me, then smiled. “Lola, with you, I feel like I can actually make it.” His business improved. I faded from the entertainment industry. Friends said I was crazy to become a housewife for a man. I didn’t care. I loved him. I wanted to be his support. I cooked for him every day. Soup, steamed fish, sweet and sour ribs. He’d eat until he was full, joking, “Lola, if you opened a restaurant, I wouldn’t need to work.” “You’d have to pay me wages. I only serve one boss.” Days passed until the night his company went public. At the celebration, he stood on stage in a black suit, radiant. The applause was thunderous. I watched him with pride. Then he walked down, knelt on one knee, and pulled out a ring. “Lola, I thought I’d never believe in love again. You stayed with me through the bitterest days. You taught me to stand again.” His voice trembled. “I can’t give you the world, but I’ll give you my everything. Lola, will you marry me?” I felt like I had the world. But the dream shifted. Our second anniversary. I waited two hours. He canceled, citing work. Later, an anonymous email revealed Chloe had returned that day. He threw her a massive welcome party. Flowers, music, luxury. From that day, he came home late. He even whispered “Chloe” in his sleep while holding me. I knew the name. But I played the turtle, hiding in my shell. Ignoring the monthly business trips, the receipts for luxury goods, the visits to the suburban villa… The dream shifted again. The past life. Julian, like a demon, holding our newborn on the hospital roof. I begged on my knees. “Please! He’s your son…” He threw the baby without hesitation. The crying stopped abruptly. I suffocated in despair. Julian looked delighted. “Lola, you killed Chloe.” “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this? I wanted you to watch your child die!” I strangled him. “Julian! He was your child too! Why?!” He glared at me, smiling hideously. “He wasn’t mine! He was a bastard!” Nightmare after nightmare. As I was about to wake, I heard a man’s anxious voice. “You said she was fine! Why isn’t she waking up?”

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Ever since I got my own phone at age 5, I’ve been receiving strange messages every day. The sender calls me “Mom.” At 3:00 AM today, she messaged again. “Mom, I dreamed of you again. The attic is leaking, and my stepmom told me to soak it up with a rag. But the rag is too small, and I’ve been wiping all night, but it won’t dry. Mom, I’m cold and hungry, and I miss you so much…” I tilted my head, watching the rain pour outside my window, and replied seriously: “Don’t be scared, baby. Where are you? Mommy will bring you some yummy food!” 1 “Who are you?” A reply popped up instantly. I was confused. I blinked my big eyes and pouted. “Didn’t you call me Mom?” Why is she asking who I am now? To show I was a responsible mother, I added a cute and patient smiley face emoji at the end. But I waited a long time. My “daughter” didn’t reply, and I drifted off to sleep. The next morning, rubbing my sleepy eyes, I instinctively reached for my phone. There was a message from my daughter on the screen: “You’re not my mom. My mom passed away five years ago.” I looked at my round little tummy, putting my hands on my hips angrily: “That’s rude! I’m five years old this year, alive and kicking!” After a while, it hit me. Her mom must have disappeared five years ago. My mom said people get reincarnated after they disappear, and I’m exactly five years old this year. Maybe I really am her mom. When I play house, I’m always the best mommy among all the kids! Just as I was about to tell her this news, my daughter sent a new message: “I don’t know who you are, but thank you.” “This was my mom’s old phone number. Today is my 18th birthday. If it’s not too much trouble, could you wish me a happy birthday?” I slipped into my bunny slippers and sent a voice message in my milky voice, converting it to text before sending. “Baby, happy birthday! Be happy and eat lots of yummy candy!” Then I thought, every year on my birthday, Mom and Dad prepare gifts for me. Does my daughter need a big birthday present too? So I messaged her again: “What gift do you want from Mommy for your birthday?” “Mommy likes cute dolls and chocolate. What do you like?” The girl on the other end hesitated for a long time before replying: “Can you send me some painkillers?” I didn’t know what painkillers were. But I knew people only take medicine when they’re sick. I quickly asked: “Baby, are you sick?” “Actually, my stepmom locked me in the attic last night…” She seemed afraid I would misunderstand and started explaining, “She said I stole money and locked me in the attic and beat me. It hurts a lot right now, I just want a painkiller.” Her stepmom sounded bad. Like the evil queen in Snow White. I angrily messaged my daughter back. “Your stepmom is so mean! She’s a monster! Don’t be scared, baby. My daddy is a dog (zodiac sign), I’ll send him to bite your stepmom and get revenge for you!” Then I asked for her address and ran downstairs to find our housekeeper, Auntie May. “Auntie May, I want to call a delivery guy!” Then I pulled out the medicine box from the cabinet, lying on the floor, my little butt in the air, rummaging through it. Colorful boxes of medicine, none of which I recognized. I looked left and right, but nothing seemed right. Seeing my face scrunched up, Auntie May asked with a smile: “Lily, why are you going through the medicine box?” I looked up at her: “Auntie, which one is the painkiller?” Auntie May got nervous hearing this. She picked me up from the floor, touching my forehead and palms worriedly. “What’s wrong, Lily? Are you not feeling well?” I shook my head obediently: “Lily isn’t sick, but Lily’s daughter is having a birthday today, and I want to send her painkillers!” Auntie May thought I was celebrating a doll’s birthday and corrected me with a smile. “Lily dear, for birthdays we eat cake, not painkillers.” Hearing this, I slapped my forehead, realizing that for birthdays, besides painkillers, I should also send cake and sweet candy. That way, the medicine won’t taste bitter. 2 I quickly asked Auntie May to order a cute cake for me. Although she didn’t understand what I was doing, she helpfully placed the order. I ordered a cute bunny cake, bought two boxes of painkillers, and included the filled candies I had been saving for a long time but couldn’t bear to eat. I put them all in a cute pink bag and had the delivery guy send them to my daughter’s school. “Dear baby, Mommy prepared lots of gifts for you. Remember to eat a candy after taking the medicine so it won’t be bitter. Happy Birthday!” After the order was completed, I specifically asked the delivery guy: “Sir, is my daughter okay?” The delivery guy sighed softly. “That little girl was bruised all over, looked like she’d been abused. Her clothes were full of patches, and she looked so pale. It was pitiful to see.” My heart clenched as I listened. What mother wouldn’t care about her daughter? Later, my daughter sent me a photo of her eating the cake: “Thank you. This is the first birthday cake I’ve eaten since my mom passed away. The cake is delicious, and the candy is sweet.” “It’s okay! Mommy will treat you to cake for every birthday from now on!” “Thank you, Mom.” I happily opened my phone and searched online for how to raise a daughter. The internet said daughters should be raised with abundance, given the best of everything in the world… I nodded in understanding, my gaze slowly falling on my pink piggy bank. When Mom walked into my room with a strawberry milkshake, I was smashing my piggy bank with a small hammer. Crash… Coins spilled all over the carpet like popping candy. I picked them up one by one, butt in the air. “This is for buying candy for my daughter… this is for buying dresses for my daughter… this is for buying the newest toys for my daughter… this is for Daddy, to pay him to teach my daughter’s stepmom a lesson!” Mom leaned against the wall, watching me mumble to myself with a smile. “Lily, why did you smash your favorite piggy bank? Do you want to buy a new toy?” I hugged Mom excitedly and told her: “Baby has a daughter now, so of course I have to raise her!” Mom was startled: “Where did you get a daughter?” I took out my phone and pointed to the text message on the screen: “Baby found her own daughter! She’s a poor thing with no mommy, getting bullied by her stepmom.” “The internet says raising a daughter costs a lot of money, so Baby has to work hard from now on.” Mom looked at me speechlessly and explained patiently: “Baby, there are many bad people in this world. Not everyone loves you like Mommy and Daddy. The person on the other end might be a scammer!” But I didn’t believe it: “No way! If she was a scammer, she would definitely ask Baby for lots and lots of gifts. But my daughter only asked for one painkiller.” “Her mom left her. If I, her new mom, don’t care about her, she’ll be bullied to death by her stepmom!” Mom sighed: “No, the police will help her.” I shook my little head: “The police can’t help everyone. But I’m her mom, I will protect her well.” Dad, who had just walked in, heard what I said and dropped his briefcase. “What? My baby is a mom?” “But baby, you’re still little. You can’t even tie your own shoelaces…” “Being a mom doesn’t mean you have to know how to tie shoelaces!” I tilted my head and retorted, “Being a mom just means wiping your baby’s tears, sharing candy, and…” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Mom and Dad on the cheek, “Saying ‘I love you’ 100 times every day!” “I believe I can definitely be a good mom!” 3 Mom and Dad couldn’t argue with me and sighed softly: “Alright then, we believe you can be a good mom too.” “But we need to ensure your safety, so we’re going to investigate that girl…” I didn’t understand what Mom and Dad were saying. But I knew my daughter was good and obedient, so Mom and Dad would definitely like her too. In the evening, my daughter sent me a photo of a dark attic with a thin cotton quilt on the cold floor. “This is where I sleep every night.” I looked at the dark attic and felt so sorry for her. I turned around and took a picture of the star lights in my room: “Don’t be afraid, baby. I’ll share half of my star lights with you!” She replied with a smile: “Okay!” Then my daughter sent me another photo, a faded family portrait. My daughter was smiling happily, and the woman holding her was beautiful, with a distinct mole on her ear… I climbed out of bed and looked at my ear in the mirror. I turned to show off to Mom: “Mom look, I have the same mark on my ear as my daughter’s mom!” I deliberately took a photo of my ear. “My grandpa told me people who pass away come back to this world with gifts. Look, the mole on my ear is exactly the same as your mom’s!” The phone was quiet for a long time before the girl replied softly. “Will you always be with me? Mom.” “Of course!” I knew deeply that this was different from playing house because, in this moment, I had a real daughter! And I would be with my daughter forever. That night, Grandma and Grandpa sent me a red envelope (money). Being generous, I immediately forwarded the red envelope to my daughter. The girl on the other end was shocked: “Why are you giving me money?” I said: “You’re my daughter! Moms give their daughters pocket money!” She returned the transfer immediately. The chat box showed she was typing, but it took a long time for the message to come through. “Thank you, but I really can’t take your money. My dad is a sailor, and he pays my tuition and living expenses to the school on time. I can eat at school…” “Mom, you just need to keep me company every day and listen to me talk.” My eyes got hot. I suddenly felt my daughter was so sensible. “Okay, you can tell Mom anything from now on!” My phone suddenly buzzed. I looked at the incoming call from my daughter, feeling a bit lost. If she knew I was only 5 years old, would she stop letting me be her mom? After thinking for a while, I answered the call. The sound of rain dripping on the floor came through, along with a girl’s voice: “Hello, thank you for being willing to take my mom’s place and keep me company.” I deliberately lowered my voice, but I couldn’t hide my childish tone: “It’s what a mommy should do!” Her voice trembled a little: “Thank you. Now, besides Marmalade, you’re the only one willing to keep me company.” I tilted my head: “Who is Marmalade?” “It’s the cat my mom used to raise. She’s 9 years old now, an old kitty.” My daughter said as she sent a photo. The orange cat in the photo was chubby, but the tips of its fur were turning white, showing its age. I said happily: “Wow, what a cute kitty! With me and the kitty keeping you company, don’t be sad anymore, daughter!” “Okay, I won’t be sad.” And so, we talked on the phone every night. She would share interesting things from school, telling me that growing up is a happy but challenging journey. And I would pick up the new fairy tale book Mom bought me and tell her the latest stories. Mom and Dad stood at my door, a bit jealous. Shaking their heads, they said helplessly: “Sure enough, once a daughter has a child, she ignores her old folks!” “Baby, are you not sleeping with Mommy again tonight?” I looked up excitedly: “Mommy, my daughter’s name is Autumn. Such a pretty name!” “Sounds like a cute little princess!” Dad nodded helplessly: “Yes, yes, your daughter is better than mine!” I pouted and retorted: “Your daughter isn’t bad either!” 4 But then, everything changed again. For three days in a row, I waited for my precious daughter’s call every night. But there was no news, and even the daily text messages stopped. I suddenly had a bad feeling. Did something happen to my daughter? While I was anxiously thinking of what to do, I suddenly received a message from my daughter: “Save me!!” I quickly woke up my sleeping parents, shouting worriedly. “Mommy, Daddy, my daughter is in danger!” “Let’s go save her!” This was my first time at the entrance of the apartment complex where my daughter lived. It was late at night, but a crowd had gathered downstairs, smiling and watching the show. “Did you hear? Autumn’s stepmom tried to set her up with an old man, but the kid refused, so the stepmom threw her cat off the building!” “That’s a stepmom for you, so vicious! What was her dad thinking, finding an outsider to look after his kid!” “So what? The dad is a sailor, gone all year round. Who’s gonna meddle in their family affairs now?” In the center of the crowd, a thin girl was tightly holding a bleeding cat. She looked helplessly to the people around her for help. “Please, save my cat, please!” The girl’s desperate voice echoed through the stairwell, but no one cared about her feelings. A woman with a mean face walked out, looking coldly at the crying girl: “I told you to listen. It’s just a damn cat, is it worth it?” “If you want to save this cat, fine! Listen to me, stop thinking about college, just find a man and get married!” The girl’s face was pale. She hugged the cat tightly, crying helplessly. “Please let me go…” “I have nothing left, I only have this cat…” “I want to take the exam, I don’t want to get married, I want to study!” The woman sneered: “Want to study? Is it up to you! I’m your legal guardian now, you think you can escape me?” The woman’s high heel stepped on the cat’s tail. Marmalade was badly hurt and too weak to struggle. The girl could only pound on the woman’s leg. The woman said disdainfully: “If you want to save the cat, call your dad and tell him you want to get married and don’t want to study. Otherwise, you won’t study, and the cat won’t survive!” The girl lowered her head, her eyes dead, as if she had accepted her fate. She said hoarsely: “Okay, I’ll call my dad.” Seeing this scene made me furious. My precious darling was being bullied like this! In a fit of anger, I broke free from my mom’s arms, ran through the crowd, and stood in front of that bad woman. Hands on my hips, I pointed at her. “What do you think you’re doing! Don’t think about bullying my daughter while I’m here!” The woman laughed so hard she shook: “Where did this brat come from? Kid, are you crazy? I’m this girl’s mother, her legal mother!” “How is disciplining my own daughter bullying?” The crowd watching the commotion erupted in thunderous laughter at my comical behavior. Looking at me like I was a joke… The bad woman smiled and walked towards me: “Little kid, don’t try to play hero when you’re still drinking milk! Or she’ll pay for it!” My daughter looked at my back, her eyes full of disbelief and complexity. “I didn’t expect you to be a child…” she whispered, tears falling like large beads. “And I didn’t expect you’d really come to save me…” Before she could finish, the woman’s hand landed lightly on the girl’s back. My daughter trembled uncontrollably, begging me, “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. I just want to ask, can you take care of Marmalade for me?” She handed the cat to me with red eyes: “Thank you, thank you for really coming.” Holding the weak orange cat, I burst into loud tears. Because I realized that as a mother, I couldn’t protect my precious daughter. Suddenly, Mom’s voice came from behind me. “This stepmother, everything you just said will be used as evidence in court. As a top lawyer in this country, I have reason to suspect you of marriage fraud and child abuse!”

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The System came back online right as I was slapping the face of the psycho second male lead. His face was pale, his eyes dark and predatory. The System screamed in my head: [WTF? Host, have you lost your mind?] [The Villain’s corruption level is at 99%! Do you want to be locked in a cage?!] I looked at my stepbrother, whose eyes were filled with murderous intent. I explained innocently, “But he ruined the Hero’s family! I’m just standing up for the Hero!” Just as I was patting myself on the back, the System let out a sound of despair. [What ‘Hero’? Are you insane?] [Your capture target IS the psycho stepbrother!] 1 I was grounded by Julian Sterling again. This time, it was because he found a hickey on my neck. In the dim, low light of the basement bedroom, I was confined to the bed, a thin, silver chain around my ankle. The man knelt on one knee before me. His face was breathtakingly cold, tainted with a frantic rage. “Our Sienna has grown up. She dares to hide things from her big brother. She dares to be intimate with other men.” “Tell me. What is that bastard’s name?” His hand glided up my calf. With every inch he moved higher, he repeated the question with paranoid obsession. My breathing grew ragged. But I bit my lip hard, refusing to yield. The livestream comments in my vision scrolled by faster than I could read: [Omg, why is the heroine so dumb? Ignoring the hot, rich villain to simp for the loser hero?] [She’s got ‘love-brain.’ She’d die to protect that scumbag Gavin.] [Whatever, let her suffer. Once the villain snaps completely and drags her off to Siberia, she’ll learn.] Watching the comments, I sighed silently. I had no choice. Julian Sterling was the book’s villainous second lead, my nominal stepbrother. He was beautiful, gloomy, and totally my type. Unfortunately, I thought my mission target was someone else. “Julian…” I feigned obedience, wrapping my arms around his waist. My soft body pressed against his rigid form. “You misunderstood. It’s not a hickey. It’s just a mosquito bite.” “Is that so?” Julian’s expression didn’t change. He lowered his head and bit down hard on the sensitive cartilage of my ear. Ouch! Tears welled up in my eyes. Like a puppy, I kissed his cheek, pleading. “It’s true! Why would I lie to you?” The corner of Julian’s mouth twitched. He stared at my flushed face, his gaze darkening. “Fine. I believe you’re a good girl. Unless—” He paused, a suffocating silence filling the room. “—Unless you want me to kill that mongrel.” I shivered. Julian wasn’t exaggerating. His possessiveness was pathological. In the nineteen years since I transmigrated into this book, every member of the opposite sex who got too close to me ended up dead or insane. Until I completed the mission, I absolutely could not let him know about the “Hero’s” existence. To lower his guard, I drank the milk he offered and fell into a deep sleep in his arms. When I woke up the next day, the sun was high. It was already noon. I walked into the bathroom and nearly screamed. In the mirror, my lips were swollen. Underneath my silk pajamas, my skin was covered in a shocking array of red marks. Strange… 2 Were there really that many mosquitoes last night? Rubbing my aching waist, I pushed open the door to Julian’s study. “Julian?” I called out, my voice raspy. No answer. I looked around in shock. The massive villa was empty. Julian was gone. There was only a note on the desk: Urgent business trip abroad. Be good and wait for me. What? I couldn’t believe my eyes. Usually, whenever Julian left the country, he surrounded me with spies. This time, he took all the bodyguards with him? This was… a miracle! Blinded by joy, I didn’t question it. As soon as Julian’s private jet supposedly took off, I packed a bag and moved into the university dorms. My roommate, Lisa, was sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. She grumbled while helping me haul my suitcase up the stairs. “I don’t get you. You have a palace to live in, but you insist on squeezing into this shoebox dorm.” I smiled and handed her a small gift. “Thanks for the help! By the way, do you know where Gavin is?” Gavin. The supposed Hero of this book. The man I thought I had to romance. Nineteen years ago, I was born into this melodramatic novel. The System dropped one line—”Your target is the male lead”—and then crashed. Based on the chat comments, I identified Gavin. He was brilliant but poor. He only got into this elite university because of the Sterling family’s scholarship fund. Because of this, Gavin had a twisted inferiority complex. He held a strange hostility toward me, the Sterling heiress. “If you want to date me, stop looking down on me from your high horse. Show some sincerity,” he had sneered. “Don’t you agree, Princess Sienna?” To complete the mission, I had to humble myself and become his doormat. When he booked a hotel room with his childhood sweetheart, I paid for the protection. When he wanted a limited-edition sports car, I wrote the check without blinking. I had spent four million dollars on him behind Julian’s back. Only yesterday did Gavin finally relent and agree to “give us a try.” “Gavin?” Lisa thought for a moment. “He has a basketball game today. He should be at the gym.” My eyes lit up. “Perfect. I’ll go cheer him on!” As I turned around, the floating text scrolled frantically: [Oh god, she’s done for.] [Does the heroine not realize her roommate was bought off years ago? Lisa is Julian’s spy!] [Shh, nobody tell her. Let’s just wait until her eyes go vacant and she’s crying for mercy. She’ll regret this.] The game wasn’t a big one. When I arrived, it was already over. Gavin’s teammates saw me first and jeered, “Yo Gavin, your little ATM is here!” The boy on the bleachers looked up lazily. He was handsome in a scrappy way, surrounded by girls handing him water. He ignored them all, staring at me with impatience. “You’re slow. What took you so long?” I gripped the mineral water in my hand, panting slightly. “Didn’t you tell me to go to the track field?” It was ninety degrees out. I had been running around under the blazing sun for half an hour. I was drenched in sweat. If Lisa hadn’t corrected me, I’d still be there. Gavin ran a hand through his hair, feigning realization. “Oh. Maybe I tapped the wrong location pin. My bad.” He said “my bad,” but his eyes danced with hidden malice. I took a deep breath. He did it on purpose. He loved seeing me beg. 3 The comments were furious on my behalf: [I can’t. Be a doormat, get treated like dirt.] [Please, baby girl, look at the psycho villain! He’s rich, hot, and obsessed with you!] [Don’t bother. Her love-brain is terminal.] I ignored the text and forced a smile. “It’s okay. You didn’t mean it.” Seeing I wasn’t angry, the tension in Gavin’s shoulders relaxed. He took my hand naturally. “Let’s go. It’s your birthday, right? You said you booked a hotel.” I nodded, feeling awkward. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. A message from Julian. [Landed. Meeting partners now.] Recently, he’d been expanding into overseas markets. He must be truly busy. He had completely forgotten my birthday. My heart settled. I sent back a cute “puppy throwing flowers” sticker. [Rest well, Julian! I’ll be good and wait at home!] I was so focused on typing, I missed the flashing red text in my vision: [Girl, don’t believe him! The villain never left the country! He’s tricking you!] [RIP. She’s getting caught cheating in the next chapter.] [Please, Julian, punish her hard! Let her know the price of lying!] Night fell abruptly. The hotel ballroom was blindingly bright under the crystal chandeliers. I sat obediently in the corner. Not far away, Gavin was leading a group of his frat bros, acting like he owned the place. “Eat whatever you want, take whatever you want!” he shouted, drunk on expensive wine and power. “Today is my wifey’s birthday. What’s hers is mine!” The room was a mess. The gifts on the table had been torn open and looted by his friends. Some girls nearby whispered, “I can’t believe the Sterling heiress lowered herself to be a dog for a guy like that.” I sipped my wine calmly. But Gavin heard them. His fragile ego shattered. “Sienna! Did you invite these people to humiliate me?” He smashed his wine glass at my feet, his eyes red with anger. “You say you like me, but deep down you look down on me, don’t you?!” Here we go again. His bizarre insecurity. To soothe him, I walked over to the gossiping girls. I forced myself to say something disgusting. “You guys are just jealous sour grapes. Gavin lets me simp for him because he loves me. Why doesn’t he ask you for money?” The girls turned red with anger. “You—” But before they could finish, they suddenly went silent. Their eyes widened in terror, looking behind me. I felt a chill. “What’s wrong?” Before I could turn, Gavin’s face drained of blood. He stepped in front of me, bowing respectfully. “Mr… Mr. Sterling.” Huh? Mr… who? I froze. Trembling, I turned my head. The first thing I saw was a pair of eyes, smiling yet utterly devoid of warmth. 4 The man was tall, his bespoke suit fitting perfectly, radiating an oppressive aura of authority. It was Julian. “Sienna.” Julian smiled gently. He parted the crowd and walked toward me. I stiffened. “Brother…” “Mm.” His voice was lazy, yet it carried a terrifying chill. “I leave for one day, and you let others bewitch you… What am I going to do with you?” The blood drained from my face. Only one word echoed in my mind: Doomed. I felt like I was already dead. But Gavin, the idiot, couldn’t read the room. He was desperate to prove himself. He grabbed my hand and greeted Julian. “Mr. Sterling, hello. I’m your sister’s boyfriend—” Thud. Gavin screamed as he was kicked flying several meters across the room. “Get your filthy hands off her.” A polished leather shoe stomped down hard on Gavin’s fingers. Julian looked down at him. His gaze was cold, like he was looking at a dead dog. “This boy has lost his mind. Throw him into the ocean to clear his head.” Bodyguards swarmed in, tying Gavin up. This was bad. I panicked and blocked Julian’s path. “Brother—” Julian didn’t blink. “And pull out his tongue. Save him the trouble of speaking nonsense.” I couldn’t let this happen! If Gavin died, my mission failed! Desperate, I gritted my teeth and raised my right hand— Slap! A crisp sound echoed through the silent hall. I slapped Julian Sterling. Everyone stared in horror. Everyone knew the head of the Sterling Group was ruthless. No one dared to touch a scale on the dragon. I was the first with a death wish. “Brother! Gavin and I are in love! Let him go!” Julian tilted his head, saying nothing. He stared at me, his face pale, the violence in his eyes churning like a storm. After a long time, he laughed abruptly. “Sienna. For an outsider, you don’t even want your brother anymore?” “Good… very good.” Crap. He’s snapped. My heart pounded against my ribs. Just then, the System, which had been offline for years, finally rebooted. [Ding! Host, I’m back!] [Your mission is compl— AHHHHHH!!!] The chat comments vanished. Replaced by the System’s screeching breakdown. [WTF! Host, have you lost your mind?!] [The psycho villain’s corruption level just hit max! Do you want to be locked in a cage?!] I looked at Julian’s murderous eyes.

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