When I woke up in this body, the story was already wrapping up. The heroine, after enduring a gauntlet of hardships, had become an A-list movie star and was living her happily-ever-after with the CEO male lead. Meanwhile, the vicious villainess—who tried to ruin the heroine but failed miserably—had reaped what she sowed. She lost her reputation, her purity, and wound up pregnant. That villainess? Yeah, that’s me now. 1 By the time I realized I was pregnant, I was already four months along. I stood under the flickering yellow light of a cramped bathroom, my fingers trembling as they traced the slight curve of my belly. The woman in the mirror looked like a ghost—dark circles carved under her eyes, lips cracked and pale. It had been three days since I transmigrated here. In my old life, I was an orphan. I never knew what family felt like. Now? I was Kaia Yates, the resident “Mean Girl” of a romance novel, and I was apparently expecting. According to the memories flooding my brain, the original Kaia had tried to frame her stepsister—the heroine, Faye Yates—one too many times. Her final scheme backfired spectacularly. She ended up in a trap of her own making, slept with a stranger, got exposed by the paparazzi, and was completely canceled. Ding. My phone buzzed. A bank notification. Available Balance: $1,527.68. That was every cent Kaia had left. Since the scandal broke, her father—the Chairman of Yates Corp—had publicly disowned her, shifting all his fatherly affection to his stepdaughter, Faye. I dragged my heavy feet to the window and pulled back the curtains. Outside, the New York skyline glittered. Skyscrapers, neon lights, endless traffic. It was supposed to be the city of dreams, but right now, it felt like a cage. The cost of living here was astronomical. This body was weak and needed rest; I couldn’t exactly grind a 9-to-5 right now. “I can’t stay here,” I decided right then and there. Three days later, I packed a single duffel bag and boarded a train heading south. The concrete jungle faded, replaced by rolling green fields. I picked a place called Greenwood Valley. Cheap rent, fresh air, and most importantly—zero connection to the plot of the novel. “Miss, we’re here. Greenwood Valley,” the driver announced. I hopped out, inhaling air that smelled like wet grass and soil. It was picturesque. Mountains in the distance, farmhouses scattered around, the sound of dogs barking. I found the rental I’d looked up online. The landlord was an old man named Mr. Lee. Weather-beaten face, kind eyes. “This is it. Five hundred a month. First and last upfront.” Mr. Lee pushed open the creaky wooden gate. “It’s old, but the bones are good.” The yard was bigger than I expected. A massive magnolia tree stood in the center, shading a couple of broken wicker chairs. The house was a simple bungalow. Peeling paint, but sturdy. The best part? A neglected vegetable patch on the side. Weeds were throwing a party, but the soil looked rich. “I’ll take it,” I said, counting out a grand and handing it to him. Before leaving, Mr. Lee pointed west. “The Higgins family lives over there. Good folks. If you need anything, holler at them.” It took me all day to clean the place. By sunset, I was squatting in the garden pulling weeds when a warm voice floated over the fence. “Hey there! You the new tenant?” I looked up. A woman in her fifties, hair pulled back in a practical bun, was holding a covered basket. “Yes, hi. I’m Kaia.” I stood up, dusting dirt off my hands. “I’m Mrs. Higgins from next door,” she beamed, walking through the open gate. “Saw you moving in alone. Figured you hadn’t eaten, so I brought some supper.” I froze. I wasn’t used to kindness. She pulled back the cloth. A container of pot roast, some glazed carrots, and fresh homemade biscuits. “This… thank you so much.” My nose stung. I blinked back tears. Since arriving in this world, this was the first time anyone had been nice to me. Mrs. Higgins waved it off. “Neighbors help neighbors. You here by yourself?” My hand instinctively went to my bump. “Yeah… just me.” Her gaze dropped to my stomach. A flicker of understanding passed through her eyes, but there was no judgment. Just warmth. “Well, you’re eating for two now. Gotta keep your strength up. You need anything, you ask.” The dam broke. The stress of the last few days crashed down, and I started crying right there in the garden. Mrs. Higgins didn’t miss a beat. She set the basket down and patted my back like I was her own kid. “It’s okay, honey. It’s gonna be okay.” 2 Life slowed down. The air in Greenwood Valley was healing. My cheeks started to get some color back. In the mornings, I sat under the magnolia tree with an embroidery hoop. The original Kaia had beautiful hands—slender, pale, artistic. I traced my own knuckles. Funny how fate works. We shared a name and a face, but our lives were opposites. In my old world, I grew up in the system. At ten, I was sent to a vocational school for arts. I specialized in embroidery. I used to prick my fingers until they bled just to master a stitch. I eventually made good money, but I developed chronic wrist pain. “I need to take care of these hands this time,” I whispered, threading a needle. On the fabric, a landscape called Spring Mountain began to form. Green hills, peach blossoms, a golden oriole. It was a blend of traditional technique and modern aesthetics. “Kaia, stitching again?” Mrs. Higgins walked in with a basket of fresh eggs. Since finding out I was single and pregnant, she’d practically adopted me. “Yeah, thinking of selling some online.” Mrs. Higgins leaned in. “That bird looks like it’s gonna fly right off the cloth! You could sell this for a fortune in the city.” I shook my head. “Online competition is stiff. I’m just starting out. Maybe fifty bucks a pop.” I rubbed my neck. Seven months pregnant, and my back was killing me. “Alright, break time,” Mrs. Higgins scolded gently. “You’re popping soon. I made chicken soup. Drink up.” Time flew. The due date arrived. The county hospital was basic but clean. The contractions hit like a freight train. I gripped the sheets, soaked in cold sweat. In a haze, I thought I saw the original Kaia standing by the bed. She was wearing a ballgown, looking hollow and sad. I’ll live a good life for you, I thought. She seemed to smile, relieved, before fading into the harsh hospital lights. “Waaah!” A loud cry shattered the night. The nurse placed a red, squirming bundle on my chest. “It’s a healthy boy. Seven pounds, six ounces.” I touched his wrinkled little face. He stopped crying and gripped my finger. “I’ll call you Leo,” I whispered. “My little lion.” Mrs. Higgins came the next day with oatmeal. “He’s gorgeous,” she cooed. “Looks just like you. Gonna be a heartbreaker.” I looked at Leo. Maybe he looked like his dad, whoever that was. I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. The past was dead. Raising a baby was expensive. Diapers, formula, clothes… my savings were evaporating. I went back to embroidery, but a few orders weren’t enough. One night, scrolling TikTok, I saw an embroidery streamer. Just her hands, thousands of viewers. I can do that. I set up a tripod. The first stream was nerve-wracking. Viewers were scarce. But I kept at it. 【Your hands are so pretty!】 【How did you do that stitch?】 【Do you take commissions?】 Slowly, I built a following. I stitched while Leo napped and streamed for two hours a night. It was exhausting, but seeing Leo’s sleeping face made it worth it. 3 Leo was five months old now. He was turning into a little dumpling. Pale skin, big dark eyes, always curious. One evening, I set up the stream as usual. Leo was on his playmat, wrestling with a colorful bead maze. He was focused, brows furrowed, trying to push a bead from one side to the other. “Mommy’s working now, Leo. Play nice,” I said, kissing his soft hair. He grinned, showing off two bottom teeth, then went back to his battle with the beads. I started the stream. About ten minutes in, I realized the camera angle was off. I reached to adjust it, but I accidentally nudged the tripod. Suddenly, Leo—in his little blue onesie—appeared in the corner of the frame. Just his back view. The chat exploded. 【OMG WHO IS THAT TINY HUMAN?】 【So smol!】 【Does the streamer have a baby?】 【Look at his little hair tuft! Ahhh!】 I panicked. “Oh, sorry! That’s my son, Leo. Didn’t mean to show him.” That just made them crazier. 【Let us see his face!】 【How old is he?】 【What is he doing? He looks so serious!】 Views spiked. Leo, sensing eyes on him, turned his head. “Sorry guys, no face reveals. Privacy,” I said gently. “But… you can watch him play from the back.” I adjusted the camera so his chubby back took up the corner. He was trying to shove a circle block into a square hole. When it didn’t fit, he let out a dramatic baby sigh. The chat lost its mind. 【He sighed! He literally sighed!】 【Mood, kid. Mood.】 【This is the serotonin I needed today.】 My viewer count went from 1,000 to 30,000 in twenty minutes. Gifts were flying across the screen. By the time I signed off, I had gained 20,000 new followers. I picked Leo up and peppered his face with kisses. “My lucky charm! How are you so popular?” He giggled, grabbing my hair. That night, I realized this was my ticket. I started incorporating “Mom & Baby” themes into my art. Stitching chubby hands, baby animals, cute silhouettes. A brand reached out for a collab. $2,000 upfront. That was six months of living expenses in Greenwood Valley. I signed the contract and danced around the yard with Leo. “We’re gonna be okay, Leo! We’re gonna be okay!” 4 I carefully curated my content. Short clips of Leo (always from the back or with a sticker over his face). Leo in a bear suit watching ants. Leo “drawing” with crayons. Leo waddling like a penguin. The fans dubbed him “The Back-View Assassin” because he killed them with cuteness. My embroidery business boomed. My savings account hit six figures for the first time. I started being picky. No mass production. Only high-end art. I stitched a fan called 100 Children at Play. It took 48 different stitch techniques. A viewer named SilkRiverMaster started commenting. 【That’s the ‘Golden Thread’ technique. It’s been lost for decades.】 【Where did you learn this?】 【You have at least 20 years of experience.】 I smiled at the camera. In my past life, I was a prodigy. One evening, I was walking Leo in the stroller. We passed a house that was usually empty. The gate was open. I saw an elderly woman lying face down in the yard, a spilled water bucket next to her. “Leo, wait here.” I locked the stroller brake and ran in. She was barely breathing. I called 911 and did basic first aid until the ambulance came. When the sirens wailed, her eyes fluttered open. “Nosy… girl…” she wheezed. I stayed at the hospital until she was stable. I left Leo with Mrs. Higgins and brought soup to the hospital the next day. The woman, Ruby Lane, sat in bed, looking fierce despite the IVs. “You again. Think I’m gonna pay you?” I set down the soup. “If I left you there, I wouldn’t sleep at night. Eat.” She stared at the soup, hands trembling. She took a sip. “It’s… good,” she rasped. “Thanks.”

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On the day of my alma mater’s Centennial Gala, my assistant sent me a screenshot of an Instagram Story. The caption read: [Hope my girl kills her first performance tonight. You’re gonna shine, star. ✨] In the photo, a girl I didn’t know was standing backstage, looking like a delicate white swan. She was wearing my custom-made haute couture gown. The story was posted by my husband, Julian. And he had blocked me specifically from seeing it. I stared at the photo, fingers hovering over the keypad, ready to demand an explanation. But before I could type a word, the girl from the photo walked onto the stage. I was sitting front row center in the VIP section. She was dressed exactly like the photo. And then, she began to sing. It was the song Julian had written for me. I paused, lowered my phone, and snapped a picture of her performance. I sent it directly to Julian. “Honey, isn’t it a small world? I just found my missing couture gown and my diamond necklace right here at the gala.” “And this girl… she’s singing the love song you wrote for our anniversary.” “If I didn’t know better, I’d think I had a stalker obsessed with becoming me.” “Tell me, if I call the cops right now for grand larceny, how many years do you think she’d get?” The moment the message delivered, a spotlight swept across the audience. It landed squarely on a man holding a neon support sign in the VIP box opposite mine. His face was plastered on the giant auditorium screens. It was Julian. The sign was full of cutesy cheering words for the girl on stage. I didn’t hesitate. I stood up, turned around, and waved at my husband across the aisle with a dazzling smile. “Honey! What a coincidence!” 1 Our eyes met. Julian’s face drained of color instantly. I acted completely oblivious, looking at him with mock concern. “Julian? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you feeling okay?” The University President, sitting next to me, stood up and looked between us curiously. “Ms. Vance, you know Mr. Sterling?” He gestured to Julian with admiration. “Mr. Sterling is our newest major donor! The two new science labs and the library wing? All him. We even named the atrium after him!” The President turned to Julian, beaming. “Mr. Sterling, you should have told us you were coming! We would have seated you in the front row with the Guests of Honor.” It was loud. He obviously hadn’t heard me call Julian “Honey.” I smiled, walked over, and linked my arm through Julian’s stiff, freezing arm. “Oh, we know each other, President Miller.” I leaned my head on Julian’s shoulder. “We’re husband and wife. Right, honey?” Julian flinched. He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. “I… I was just passing by. Saw the lights, thought I’d drop in. Didn’t want to bother the administration.” He stammered through an introduction. “This is my wife, Victoria Vance.” He was so guilty he couldn’t even look me in the eye. I didn’t expose his pathetic lie right there. Instead, I turned my attention to the stage. “President Miller, who is that girl singing? She has a lovely voice.” The President’s face lit up. “That’s Lily Harper. A real diamond in the rough. She comes from a very difficult background, but she’s brilliant. One of our top scholarship students.” “Mr. Sterling here is her personal sponsor. Since she enrolled, he’s been very generous to the university.” I nodded, maintaining my perfect socialite mask. After the gala, the President enthusiastically introduced Lily to us. “Lily, come meet our most distinguished alumna, Victoria Vance! The ‘Vance Legacy Scholarship’ you applied for? She established it.” He chuckled. “And what a small world—your sponsor is Ms. Vance’s husband.” Lily immediately bowed her head, gushing about how much she admired me and how grateful she was to Julian. She played the part of the humble student well, but she couldn’t hide the calculation and jealousy in her eyes. I stared at the dress she was wearing. “Miss Harper, for someone from a ‘difficult background,’ you have expensive taste. That gown is a custom piece I lost a few days ago. It’s worth six figures.” “It’s uncanny. It looks exactly like my missing auction item.” Lily’s face went pale. She looked at Julian for help. Julian shot her a warning glare. She immediately dropped her head, voice trembling. “The dress… I sewed it myself. I saw a photo in a magazine and copied it. The pearls are fake, too.” “I know it’s a knock-off, but I just wanted to look perfect for the stage.” I didn’t press further. I just turned to Julian, smiling dangerously. “Honey, you know how much I loved that dress. If I ever find out who the thief is… I’ll make sure they pay back every cent, a hundred times over.” Julian looked like he was about to vomit. He grabbed my wrist, his grip tight. “Tori, the gala is over. Let’s go home.” 2 The moment the car door slammed shut, I turned on him. “Julian. Explain.” He started sweating, his voice frantic. “Tori, it is strictly platonic! She’s just a kid from a poor village. I was moved by her grit and determination. I just wanted to help her succeed!” I laughed, cold and sharp. “She’s in college, Julian. She has hands and feet. She can work.” “From next month, you will pay her tuition only. No living allowance. No luxury gifts.” “I will contact the Dean and get her a job at the campus library. It won’t interfere with her studies.” I stared him down, laying out the law. “You will cut all personal contact. No texts, no dinners. The scholarship money goes through the school’s finance department, not your personal Venmo.” “And,” I leaned in closer, “get my things back. The dress, the necklace, the bags. I don’t care if you ‘gave’ them to her.” “Lily Harper is a scholarship student, not a sugar baby waiting to be pampered.” Julian turned red, then pale. Finally, he nodded, defeated. Our marriage was a business arrangement. The Sterling family needed the Vance family’s connections to enter the top tier of society. He was the perfect, gentle husband, and I was the powerful partner. We had a good run, even love, for a few years. I accepted that passion fades, but I have zero tolerance for betrayal. The next day, Julian brought everything back. My dress and necklace were returned in a velvet box, placed carefully on my vanity. “Tori, I made it clear to her. We’re done. No more contact,” he swore, raising his hand like a boy scout. I accepted his submission and let it go. But the moment he left for work, my phone pinged. A friend request. Lily Harper. I accepted, thinking she wanted to discuss the scholarship. Before I could type “Hello,” a wall of text hit me. [Lily]: Ms. Vance, for a trophy wife who just spends her husband’s money, don’t you think you’re controlling? [Lily]: What gives you the right to take back his gifts? [Lily]: Julian bought them with his money. They belong to him. He can give them to whoever he wants. [Lily]: Bullying a broke student… is that what gives a CEO’s wife a power trip? I read the messages and smirked. Not a white lotus after all. A viper. I typed back slowly. [Me]: Julian and I have a prenup and shared assets. His money is my money. But every cent he spent on you? That’s marital misconduct. [Me]: I can sue you for return of property and fraud. I can have you expelled and in debt before lunch. [Me]: Miss Harper, check your attitude. You’re a charity case, not a rival. [Me]: I’ll let this slide once because you’re young and stupid. Cross me again, and I pull your funding and your campus job. The chat went silent. I didn’t care. I’ve seen a dozen girls like her. They want a shortcut to the penthouse. They usually end up in the basement. Just then, my phone rang. My dad. 3 “Tori, your mom misses you. Can you come home for the weekend?” My parents’ health hadn’t been great lately. Julian and I usually visited together. “Of course,” I said. “Julian and I will be there.” But the night before we were set to leave, Julian came home with a “crisis.” “Tori, I’m so sorry. Emergency merger in Chicago. I have to fly out tonight. I can’t make it to your parents’.” He looked devastated. “I bought gifts for them—they’re in the trunk. Please apologize for me. I’ll make it up to them.” Business comes first. That was our rule. I agreed and went alone. The next day, I was walking with my parents through a luxury resort near their estate. My mom squinted at a figure in the distance. “Tori… isn’t that Julian?” My stomach dropped. I looked. It was him. Even from the back, I recognized the limited-edition trench coat—the one he was wearing in the photo he sent me from the “airport.” And hanging off his arm, taking selfies with him, was Lily Harper. I swallowed the rage and smiled at my mom. “Mom, you need new glasses. He’s in Chicago freezing his butt off. That guy just has the same coat.” “Let’s go to the spa. My treat.” Once my parents were settled in their massage session, I walked out and sent Julian my location. Then I called him. “Julian. You have three minutes to get your ass in front of me.” “Tori?” He sounded confused. “Why are you at the resort?” “I should ask you that. How’s Chicago?” He froze. Then the excuses started pouring out. “Lily… she’s never been on a vacation. Today is her birthday. She begged me… I just…” “I don’t care,” I cut him off. “Get here. Now.” “I can’t!” he snapped, suddenly defensive. “I brought her here. I can’t just abandon her. You’re with your parents, you’re fine. I’ll explain tonight.” “Julian. Three minutes. Or we are done.” He hung up on me. I called back. Straight to voicemail. Then, a notification. Lily Harper posted a Moment. [My BOSS turned off his phone just to focus on my birthday! No more interruptions! ❤️🏰] The photo was Julian’s back. The dignified CEO was wearing Mickey Mouse ears. I was shaking with fury. I messaged Lily. [Me]: Tell Julian to call me in three minutes. Or you both lose everything. Silence. Three minutes passed. I called my assistant. “Cancel the Vance Scholarship funding for Lily Harper. Get her fired from the library. Now.” Then, I screenshot Lily’s post and uploaded it to my own social media—visible to every high-society friend, business partner, and investor we knew. [My husband skipped visiting my sick parents to play Disney Prince with his charity case. He even blocked my number. Thoughts?] The internet exploded. [Comment]: WTF? Julian Sterling? The ‘Family Man’? [Comment]: Cheating on Victoria Vance? Is he suicidal? My phone lit up. Julian was calling. I declined. Blocked. The next morning, Julian’s parents dragged him to my doorstep. The moment the door opened, his father kicked him in the back of the knees. “You ungrateful moron! You’ve shamed the entire family!” His mother was crying, slapping his arm. They beat him and scolded him right in my foyer. It was theater, but it was violent theater. Finally, his mom grabbed my hand. “Tori, please. He’s an idiot, but it’s innocent! He just has a savior complex!” His dad kicked him again. “Kneel! Apologize to your wife!” Julian hit the floor. He looked up, eyes bloodshot. “Tori, I’m sorry.” “I swear, I’ll never speak to her again. Please. Forgive me.” I looked at him. He was pathetic. But… I wasn’t ready to burn it all down yet. I sighed. “Julian. This is the last time. Next time, there is no conversation.” 4 To prove his loyalty, Julian deleted Lily from everything in front of me. For months, he was the perfect husband. Home by 6 PM. Cooking dinner. Bringing flowers. We were almost back to normal. I threw myself into work. I was launching a new luxury fashion line under the Vance Group. I poured my soul into it. Three days before the launch, I told my team to rest up. The next morning, my lead model, Alice, called me sobbing. “Ms. Vance… I’ve been cut.” “What? The show is in two days.” “Mr. Sterling… he moved the launch to today. And he replaced me.” My brain short-circuited. I grabbed my keys and sped to the venue. When I burst in, Julian was on stage, mic in hand, beaming at the press. And standing next to him, the “Face” of my brand… was Lily Harper. She was wearing my designs. My jewelry. My hard work. I saw red. I stormed the stage and snatched the mic. “Stop the music!” I pointed at Lily. “Take that off. Now.” “You don’t deserve to wear my designs.” Lily shrank back, tears instantly springing to her eyes. “Ms. Vance, I didn’t know… please…” Julian stepped in front of her. “Tori! This was a business decision. Don’t take it out on her!” “Business decision?” I laughed hysterically. “Alice ‘got sick,’ right?” Alice walked out from behind me. “I’m not sick! His secretary fired me this morning!” The reporters went wild. Cameras flashed like lightning. “Julian,” I hissed. “You swore on your knees. You crossed the line. This is my project.” Julian glared at me. “It’s a Vance project under the Sterling Group umbrella! I am the CEO. I decide who the model is!” “You’re too controlling, Tori! You cut off a poor girl’s funding over petty jealousy! You bullied her so bad she wanted to hurt herself!” “If I didn’t step in to help her, her blood would be on your hands! I’m cleaning up your mess!” “Helping her?” I screamed. “You call parading your mistress in my designs ‘helping’? You’re disgusting.” “Victoria Vance!” he roared. “If you make another scene, I will fire you from your own board! You can go be a housewife!” Slap. The sound echoed through the hall. My hand stung. Julian touched his cheek, eyes murderous. “Security! Get these crazy women out of here!” Two guards grabbed me and Alice and dragged us out the side door. I stood on the sidewalk, smoothing my dress. I wasn’t crying. I was smiling. “It’s okay, Alice,” I said to the weeping model. “You’re hired by Vance Corp directly. Triple salary.” Julian Sterling. You want war? I pulled out my phone and called my father. “Dad. Mom. It’s time.” “Initiate the hostile takeover. Gut the Sterling Group.”

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Chapter 1 I just clocked out from work and ran into an old college buddy at the subway station. He asked me, after all these years, when I was going to forgive Sarah. Sarah was my childhood sweetheart. Five years ago, we almost tied the knot. But at our engagement party, the night before we were supposed to get our marriage license, she publicly dumped me. She said she refused to be a substitute for my “white moonlight”—my one true love—and sarcastically wished me a lifetime of happiness with her. Then she grabbed her grad school junior, turned around, and walked out. I was confused and wanted to explain. I never had any “white moonlight.” But she hurt me so badly I was practically numb. In the end, I left Boston. “Sarah has always had you in her heart. She said if you hadn’t used her as a rebound for your ex, she would have married you years ago.” “Now, as long as you’re willing to apologize, she’s ready to rekindle the romance.” Rekindle the romance? I laughed. My kid is three years old. What romance is there to rekindle? … Mike’s eyes went wide. He stared at me blankly, like he’d just heard a ghost story. “M-Married?” He stammered. “Your kid is in preschool?” I nodded, not wanting to waste my breath. I turned to leave. He grabbed my arm, his grip surprisingly strong. “Impossible! Liam, you’re messing with me, right?” He was getting emotional, drawing stares from people waiting on the platform. “Everyone in our circle knows how much you loved Sarah.” “You gave up a guaranteed spot at an Ivy League for her. How could you possibly be happy marrying someone else?” I frowned. Hearing these old stories from his mouth just felt ironic. I did love Sarah. I loved her enough to give up everything. But that was in the past. “Why would I lie to you?” I asked. My coldness seemed to trigger him. “So who’s your wife? What does she do? Is she prettier than Sarah? Is her family as rich as Sarah’s?” He fired questions like a machine gun, his tone laced with inexplicable hostility. As if I had married someone embarrassing. I ignored him and tried to shake off his hand. But he held on tighter, refusing to let go. “Liam, are you doing this on purpose?” “I know, you felt wronged back then.” “But it’s been five years. Whatever anger you had should be gone.” “Do you know how Sarah has spent these last five years?” He started talking to himself, his tone boastful. “As the only daughter of the Miller family, Sarah took over the company and proved she’s just as capable as any man.” “She made drastic reforms, and now Miller Corp’s market value has tripled! She’s the hottest new tycoon in the business world!” “So many rich guys want to date her, but she’s kept herself single for you. Besides Luke, her work partner, she hasn’t even had a boyfriend.” “Everyone says she’s a hopeless romantic, wasting five years on a man who doesn’t appreciate her.” The Sarah he described was deep, devoted, and perfect—like the heroine of a tragedy. But listening to it just made me sick. I remembered a phone call I received before leaving Boston. It was from Sarah’s father, Mr. Miller. His voice was as gentle and polite as always, but there was an undeniable distance. “Liam, I know you feel wronged.” On the other end of the line, he sighed softly. “Sarah, that child, we spoiled her too much. She has a bit of a temper.” First, he tried to placate me. Then came the pivot. “But having said that, it’s normal for young couples to have friction.” “Sarah is our only daughter. The pressure of inheriting the family business is immense. Our help is temporary; she needs a partner who can assist and guide her.” I held the phone, silent. I understood what he meant. “Luke, that kid, I’ve met him a few times. He has a good head for business and is very steady.” “He’s accomplished academically and has a lot in common with Sarah. He’s a great asset to her career.” Mr. Miller’s voice was soft, but every word hammered into my heart. “You, Liam, your gentle nature is good. But in Sarah’s position, her future husband needs to be decisive. He needs to have… methods.” Methods. So in his eyes, all my kindness and gentleness amounted to “lacking methods.” I grew up in the Miller household. He watched me grow up, treated me like a son. But when it mattered, twenty years of affection couldn’t compare to “career asset.” In the eyes of the wealthy, matching status and business benefits always outweigh childhood bonds. I didn’t say anything back then. I just quietly hung up. And then I blocked their entire family. “Liam, are you even listening to me?” Mike punched my arm, annoyed at my spacing out. “Sarah treats you so well. Are you really happy marrying some average nobody? Don’t you regret it?” Regret? I looked at him like he was an idiot. “I’m living a great life.” I told him, enunciating every word. “My life doesn’t need anyone else to worry about it.” With that, I didn’t give him another chance to harass me. I yanked my arm free and walked away. Chapter 2 After leaving Boston, I cut ties with that entire circle completely. New number, new address, new city. So they all thought I was still stuck in the past. Waiting for that proud, dazzling woman to turn around and save me. But they didn’t know. My life had long since turned a new page. And Sarah Miller? She was just a typo I’d whited out on the previous page. My stop arrived. I got off the train and walked to the preschool near my house. Through the fence, I saw my daughter playing on the slide with her classmates, grinning ear to ear. A graceful figure walked up to her and picked her up. It was my wife, Claire. She saw me and immediately smiled. I quickened my pace and took our child from her arms. “Honey, you’re early today.” She took my briefcase and naturally held my hand. “Just missed you guys, so I came back early.” I smiled and pinched my daughter’s chubby cheek. My daughter nuzzled into my chest and chirped, “Daddy!” The warmth of this moment was enough to ward off the cold of the entire world. Regret? What did I have to regret? Sarah and I were neighbors. We grew up in diapers together. She was two years older and always protected me. If anyone dared to bully me, she was the first to throw hands. Everyone said Liam was the apple of Sarah’s eye—untouchable. I thought we would be like that forever, from school uniforms to wedding dress. Until Luke showed up. He was Sarah’s grad school senior, a gentle man with an edge. He started frequently appearing around Sarah under the guise of academic exchange. Library sessions, projects, academic forums. At first, I didn’t mind. Sarah was always surrounded by excellent men, but she only had eyes for me. I had enough confidence in her. The first time I felt uneasy was at a friend’s gathering. We were playing Truth or Dare. Luke lost and chose Dare. The dare was to reveal a secret about someone present. His gaze swept around the room and finally landed on me, apologetic. “Liam, sorry, I’m going to spill your secret.” He smiled, his tone hesitant. “Last time, I accidentally saw that Liam’s phone lock screen is a photo with a girl. She’s really pretty. Who is she?” Everyone’s eyes instantly focused on me. And some turned to Sarah. The bright smile on Sarah’s face faded. “It’s my cousin,” I explained immediately. “She passed away two years ago. That’s the only photo I have with her.” “Oh? I’m so sorry,” Luke apologized profusely. “I didn’t know. I really didn’t mean to.” He looked incredibly guilty. Everyone tried to smooth things over, and the incident passed. But that night at home, Sarah brought it up. “Your cousin? How come I never heard you mention her?” “She was always sick, lived abroad for treatment. Of course you never met her.” I handed her my phone. In the photo, a young girl leaned against a hospital bed, pale but smiling gently. I stood next to her, smiling a bit stiffly. “See? We look a bit alike.” Sarah looked at it for a long time before handing the phone back. “Yeah, you do look alike.” On the surface, she believed me. But I could feel a seed of doubt planted in her heart. From then on, Luke would always “accidentally” mention me in front of Sarah. “Sarah, Liam has such a great personality. He has so many friends. Unlike me, my circle is so small.” “Sarah, I saw Liam watching a movie with a girl yesterday. He’s really popular.” “Sarah, isn’t Liam graduating soon? He loves to party so much, can he handle a 9-to-5 job?” He never directly badmouthed me. Every sentence was a compliment, but every sentence hinted at something. Hinting that I had too many female friends, hinting that I was frivolous, hinting that I wasn’t steady. Sarah started becoming suspicious and jealous. We had our first intense argument because of this. The trigger was an academic gala Sarah insisted on bringing me to. At the gala, I ran into a senior who mentored me during my internship, so we chatted for a bit. Sarah’s face went cold on the spot. She left me alone in the banquet hall and walked out. I chased after her and found her in the parking lot. “Sarah, what’s wrong now?” “What’s wrong?” She sneered. “Liam, when you’re chatting happily with another woman right in front of me, do you ever consider my feelings?” “That was my mentor! We were talking about work! She’s married with kids!” “Does talking about work require smiling that happily?” she roared. I looked at her face, twisted with jealousy, feeling strange and exhausted. “Sarah, can you calm down? I have never betrayed you. My love for you is real.” “I’m not calm enough?” She grabbed my wrist. “Do you think I’m too controlling? Like a shrew? Do you think I’m not as gentle and considerate as your dead cousin?” I didn’t understand why she was bringing up my cousin again. My brain was throbbing with anger. “Sarah, that’s my relative within three degrees of kinship! What are you saying!” I was shaking with rage. But she just glared at me with hatred, turned around, and ran off. That time, we gave each other the silent treatment for a long time. I thought our relationship just hit a small bump. I never expected that was the beginning of the end. Chapter 3 During the week of the cold war with Sarah. I reached out to her no less than ten times, but she ignored me every time. Eventually, she just blocked and deleted me. In the past, whenever we fought, she would soften up and communicate within three days max. But this time, she didn’t. I was holding a grudge too. But with the engagement party coming up, I thought she would eventually come to me. The night before the party, I received a message from Luke. It was a photo. In the photo, Sarah was drunk, leaning on his shoulder, sleeping deeply. Luke’s head tilted slightly towards her, a victor’s smile on his lips. Under the photo was a line of text. “Sarah is under a lot of pressure. You should be more understanding.” I looked at that photo, agitated. But I still comforted myself. She was just drunk. Luke was just taking care of her. It was my fault for not being by her side. On the day of the engagement party, I dressed up carefully. I checked the venue in advance and arranged many gifts, wanting to surprise her. I found her in the lounge. She was wearing a gown matching my suit, beautiful enough to captivate anyone. Seeing me, her eyes dodged mine. “Sarah,” I walked up actively, wanting to hold her hand. “Let’s stop fighting, okay?” She reacted like she was electrocuted, violently throwing off my hand. The force was so strong it caught me off guard, and I stumbled. I looked at her in disbelief. Guests started entering, and the MC was ready on stage. As the main characters, we stood at the front. Spotlights hit us. I forced a smile, trying to maintain surface peace. Sarah didn’t even bother pretending. She kept a cold face the entire time, not even glancing at me. When the MC asked us to exchange rings, the fatal blow came. She threw off my hand again. In front of all the guests, she questioned me with ice-cold eyes. “Is it fun treating me as a substitute?” The crowd went into an uproar. My brain buzzed. I was completely stunned. “Sarah, what are you talking about?” “Don’t you know what I’m talking about?” She sneered and pulled a letter out of her purse. The stationery was pink and scented—clearly bought with care. “What is this?” I asked. “This is the love letter you wrote to your ‘white moonlight’!” she shouted. “Luke found it in my study!” She unfolded the letter and read it aloud. The ambiguous and cheesy words, read from her mouth, felt like knives slicing my heart. “I didn’t!” I explained frantically. “I didn’t write this!” “You didn’t write it?” Sarah laughed until tears welled up in her eyes. “Handwriting can be forged, but the perfume on this paper is the exact same one you use!” “Liam, how long are you going to keep acting?” I was stunned by this sudden slander and humiliation. I looked off-stage at my parents’ shocked expressions, the Miller parents’ ashen faces, and the guests’ disdainful and pitying gazes. I felt like a joke. Sarah finished reading the letter, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it in my face. Then, she took out the engagement ring meant for my finger and smashed it on the ground. “I wish you and your white moonlight a lifetime of happiness.” She articulated every word clearly. After that, she grabbed Luke, who was pretending to mediate but couldn’t hide the triumph in his eyes. Under everyone’s sympathetic gaze, she resolutely walked out. In that moment, my world collapsed. The farce of the engagement party made me the laughingstock of the entire Boston elite circle. Everyone said I was a scumbag playing with hearts. Leading on the Miller heiress while still entangled with a “white moonlight.” Rumors drowned me like a tidal wave. The Miller family offered no explanation, letting the rumors ferment. I became the gold digger who would do anything to climb the social ladder and finally got what he deserved. I was utterly chilled to the bone by the Miller family and Sarah. I didn’t explain a word. Because I knew, for someone who no longer trusted me, nothing I said would matter. I deleted all contacts, deactivated my social media accounts. Alone, I bought a one-way ticket and left Boston. This city where I lived for twenty years had nothing left for me to miss. Mike probably told Sarah that I was married with a kid. My phone started getting bombarded by strange numbers. Local ones, Boston ones. Calls, texts, non-stop. I ignored them all, blocking every single one. She seemed to be pushed to the edge. A few days later, just as I walked out of my office building, someone blocked my path. It was Sarah. Five years later, she had shed her youthful look, becoming more mature and alluring, but there was a heavy hostility between her brows. She stared at me dead-on, eyes red and bloodshot. “Why didn’t you answer my calls?” Chapter 4 Her voice was hoarse, like she hadn’t rested in a long time. I didn’t speak, stepping around her to leave. She grabbed my arm, her sharp nails digging into my flesh. “Liam, I’m asking you a question!” she roared. It hurt, and I frowned. “We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please let go.” My detachment and coldness thoroughly triggered her. She questioned me like a madwoman. “Nothing to do with each other? You say it so lightly!” “You disappeared for five years without a word, and now you have a child with someone else. What do you take me for?” Her interrogation sounded ridiculous to me. “You’d rather marry some nobody from nowhere than come back and explain yourself to me?” She looked at me with bloodshot eyes, like an abandoned beast. “Liam, did you ever love me at all?” She asked me if I loved her. After humiliating me in front of everyone with a forged letter. After letting rumors destroy me and not caring one bit. After parading around with Luke for five years. She ran here to ask me why I didn’t love her. I looked at her painful expression and felt nothing but apathy, even finding it a bit ironic. The me who stood on that stage back then, mocked by thousands, isolated and helpless—I was the one who should have asked that question. Sarah, did you ever love me? If you loved me, how could you trust an outsider over our twenty-year bond? I looked at Sarah coldly. “Ms. Miller, please let go.” My polite and distant address made her tremble all over. “Ms. Miller?” She muttered to herself, then seemingly stung, became even more emotional. “What did you call me? Liam, say it again!” Her grip on my wrist tightened. “You owe me an explanation!” “There’s nothing to explain between us.” I tried to shake her off coldly, but failed. She was surprisingly strong. Just as we were struggling, a milky voice drifted over. “Daddy!” I turned and saw my daughter running out of the office lobby. Like a happy little butterfly, she opened her arms and ran toward me. In her hand, she held a drawing, crayons depicting three stick figures holding hands. “Daddy, look! It’s you, Mommy, and me!” I instantly broke free from Sarah’s grip, squatting down to hug my daughter. “Lily, why did you come out?” “Mommy said you got off work, so let me come pick you up!” I looked up and saw Claire standing not far away. She was smiling at us. And Sarah, beside me, looked like she had been struck by lightning the moment she saw my daughter. She froze, her face instantly draining of color. Her eyes were glued to the child in my arms, lips moving, but no words came out. Claire walked over, naturally kissed my cheek, pinched our daughter’s face, and then calmly walked in front of me. She looked at Sarah, her gaze as calm as water. “This lady, can I help you?” Sarah seemed to snap back to reality, her gaze moving from the child to Claire’s face, and finally landing on me. In that look, there was shock, pain, and disbelief. She looked at this scene in agony, murmuring. “A child…” “You even have a child…” Her voice was so light, yet filled with despair. I watched her soulless state, feeling no joy. Just a barren calm.

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My ex-husband, Tom, and his rich buddies recently started a twisted game. “The Bankruptcy Challenge.” The rules? Fake going broke for a month. The goal? To test the loyalty of their girlfriends. To make it look legit, their friends and family were all in on it. They even installed a “new owner” at their companies. Tom, wearing a $5 t-shirt and a construction hat, confidently went to find the woman he loved most. Instead of sympathy, his precious Chloe screamed at him and had security throw him out like trash. Stunned, he sat on the curb for a long time before his trembling fingers dialed another number. “Sarah… I’m broke. I’m homeless.” A soft, childish voice answered from the other end. “Daddy, don’t be scared. You can sleep in my room.” 1 When Tom called, I was in the kitchen frosting a cake. My four-year-old daughter, Lily, was playing Roblox on my phone and picked up immediately. I don’t know what he said, but suddenly Lily’s face lit up. She ran into the kitchen, losing a slipper on the way. “Mommy! Good news! Daddy went bankrupt! He can come to my birthday party this year!” Bankrupt? I looked at the phone. The contact name was still “Ex-Husband.” The last time Tom called was Christmas. He only contacted me on holidays. Usually to drag me to his parents’ mansion to play the “happy couple” and keep the old folks calm. But the second we walked out the door, he’d drop my hand like it was toxic and speed off to comfort Chloe. I’d watch him drive away, the backseat piled high with designer gifts, the passenger seat filled with red roses. I’d stand there in the cold wind, clutching the $2,000 “performance fee” he threw at me. I wasn’t sad. Why would I be? That was six months of rent for me and Lily. Hearing he was broke, my only thought was: Why isn’t he calling his precious Chloe? Why call me? We hated each other. Tom’s voice was cautious. “Sarah, I have nowhere to go. I haven’t eaten all day. Can I crash at your place?” I opened my mouth to say “No.” But Lily tugged on my skirt. Her big, grape-like eyes were wide, filled with hope and pleading. “Mommy, please? Let Daddy spend my birthday with me just this once? All the other kids have their dads…” I looked down, and my heart broke a little. I knew Lily craved a father’s love. Tom actually liked Lily. He used to take her to Disney World, buy her princess dresses, and get her those expensive blind box sets. But one day, Lily came home slumped over, saying she would never “bother” Daddy again. I dropped my spatula and stormed over to his villa. With the arm strength of a woman who washed a thousand dishes a day, I slapped Chloe silly. I shoved her face into the toilet to rinse out that filthy mouth of hers. After that, Tom never asked to see Lily again. 2 But today was Lily’s birthday. She just wanted her parents together. I sighed. “Tom, Lily misses you. You can come over for dinner.” On the other end, he exhaled. It was the sound of a man who just realized he wasn’t completely alone in the world. “You guys still live at The Grandview, right? I’m on my way.” I blinked. “What? Where is that? I’ve never been there.” I rented an apartment in the Garden District. It was close to Lily’s preschool. Downstairs was a street full of food trucks. At night, we could hear drunk karaoke from the bar across the street, and the roach-spray truck drove by on schedule. It was a far cry from the luxury high-rise Tom mentioned. Tom went silent for a moment, then asked for my current address. Even wearing clothes from a discount bin, Tom still looked like money. The moment he walked in, Lily tackled his legs. Tom patted her head affectionately, but as he scanned our small two-bedroom apartment, his eyes went cold. “You let my daughter live in a place like this?” I paused mid-tea pour. The apartment was clean, decorated in a warm, minimalist style. Everything from the appliances to the cartoon rug was hand-picked by Lily and paid for by me. No matter how hard things got, I never let Lily feel poor. But Tom walked in and immediately started judging. Right. He and Chloe lived in a 5,000-square-foot mansion. Of course this felt like a shoebox. I tossed the tea bag in the trash and pulled Lily over. “Lily, go check your room. Mommy hid a birthday present in there.” She squealed and ran off. My smile vanished. I glared at Tom. “A place like this? Who was begging to come here five minutes ago? You’re homeless now. What right do you have to judge?” Tom quickly dropped the attitude. Right. He was supposed to be a broke guy now. Not a CEO. He sat on the sofa, looking awkward. “You misunderstood. I meant… why aren’t you living in the house I gave you?” I frowned. “What house?” When we divorced, I left with one suitcase and a three-month-old Lily. The only money I had came from selling the jewelry his parents gave me. Tom’s brow furrowed. “Sarah, you gave me a child. Even if I don’t love you, I wouldn’t let my own flesh and blood starve.” “I told my assistant, Ben, to buy you a condo and give you a huge settlement check. Did you not take it?” 3 A condo? A settlement? This was news to me. But I quickly figured it out. “I didn’t get a dime. Are you trying to scam me now that you’re broke?” Tom leaned forward, regret swirling in his eyes. “Sarah, I would beg on the streets before I scammed you. In this world, the person I wronged the most is you.” Our history reads like a bad soap opera. My father saved Tom’s father’s life but died doing it. Tom’s family adopted me when I was eight. His dad treated me like a daughter. His mom loved my quiet nature. Tom, two years older, was the big brother who protected me. He fought off bullies. He took me to the zoo. He did everything to help me get over my grief. And I buried my crush on him in my diary. Sarah loves Tom. Does Tom love Sarah? Senior year of college, I got my answer. Tom proposed. I was overjoyed. I thought he loved me back. We got married at the courthouse for $35. I didn’t know Tom’s dad had given me 10% of the company shares as a dowry but forced Tom to start from the bottom in the mailroom. Tom didn’t marry me. He married a shortcut to the good life. After the wedding, I lived in a fantasy. I cooked for him, ironed his shirts, picked him up drunk from parties. But while I was pregnant, he cheated on me with an intern. Chloe. She was six months older than me. He said Chloe understood him. She was his soulmate. They were “true love.” He said his feelings for me were just… sibling affection. Tom’s dad saw right through Chloe. He called her a gold-digger and banned her from the family. So Tom came up with a compromise. He wouldn’t divorce me—he needed me to pacify his parents. But he would give Chloe everything a wife gets, except the marriage certificate. That day, ten days after Lily was born, I snapped. The docile Sarah who let Tom walk all over her grabbed a fruit knife and stabbed herself in the stomach. Marrying Tom was my mistake. I was young, stupid, and love-blind. 4 He cheated. He treated me like a maid. I deserved that for being dumb. But I would die before I let him ruin my daughter. Blood everywhere. Tom froze. He was panicked, terrified, guilty. He pressed his hands on my wound, shaking. “Sarah, don’t die.” I was stubborn. If he didn’t agree to a divorce and give me full custody, I would kill myself. If they saved me, I’d do it again. Until I was dead. If I died, his father would destroy Chloe. To save his mistress, Tom signed the papers. The day I left, he had a condition. We had to hide the divorce. I had to pretend to be his wife in front of his parents on holidays. I said fine. But I charged him. $2,000 a pop. Tom, the man who “wouldn’t touch me if I was the last woman on earth,” had to pay me to show up. He lost his temper. “Do you have no feelings for me at all? Do you love money that much? Fine. I won’t give you a cent of the settlement. I’ll wait until you’re starving and come crawling back to beg me.” He kept his word. The “economic compensation” in the divorce agreement? Never saw a penny. I was broke, yes. But I stood on my own two feet. I never begged him once. Remembering this, Tom rubbed his temples. “That was just angry talk. You were a single mom. How could I really leave you with nothing?” “Your ‘angry talk’ was my reality for four years.” Tom choked. He looked around the apartment again. It wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t rich. Chloe wore socks that cost $500. I was wearing a t-shirt I bought four years ago. Tom pulled out his phone and called his assistant, Ben. “Mr. Tom… uh, sir? Is there something you need?” Ben wasn’t used to the new boss yet. Tom’s voice dropped, carrying his old authority. “Four years ago, the condo at The Grandview and the $10 million settlement check. Did you give them to my ex-wife personally?” $10 million? That would have set me and Lily up for life. Ben hesitated. “Uh… well, Miss Chloe said she would handle it…” Her again. Rage boiled in my chest. Chloe already had everything. If she stole Lily’s future too, I was going to destroy her. At 7 PM, I brought out a Shaun the Sheep cake.

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My best friend and I transmigrated into a book with a mission: save the brooding second male lead and the gentle third male lead. Just when we were both pregnant and waiting for our happily ever after, the sky fell. The moody Billionaire Heir she married had been keeping a sugar baby on the side. The serene Zen Master I married was secretly pining for his “White Moonlight”—his first love. To make matters worse, the sugar baby and the first love teamed up to livestream a smear campaign against us right on our doorstep. Bestie: “Are we throwing hands?” Me: “If you throw hands, I throw hands!” Impulsive violence felt great in the moment, but by midnight, regret was clawing at the walls. Terrified of retaliation, we chose to fake our deaths and escape the book world, taking a massive payout to live a life of debauchery and luxury. But we didn’t even make it two years. She was caught lounging on a male model’s abs by the Billionaire Heir. And I was cornered against a wall by the Zen Master. Me and Bestie: “System, are you kidding me right now?!” 1 Inside the ultra-luxury mansion, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. My best friend, Chloe, and I were huddled in front of the security monitors, watching the mob outside and roasting each other. Chloe: “Liv, you absolute noob!” “Five years of攻略 (conquering) and you still haven’t eliminated the White Moonlight in the Zen Master’s heart? You’re an embarrassment to transmigrators everywhere.” I wasn’t taking that lying down. “And you aren’t?” “Your Billionaire Heir’s sugar baby is practically taking a dump on your head! And you’re laughing?” We were spitting facts, exposing each other’s failures. “So, what now?” Chloe slumped on the floor, messing up her hair in frustration. I facepalmed. What a disaster! We originally transmigrated to save the second and third male leads. Five years of hard labor. She took the unloved, isolated Damien White and turned him back into the revered heir of the White empire. I saved the suicidal, sickly boy, Sebastian Shen, and held down the fort at the Shen family estate so he could be the worry-free Zen Master. We were both pregnant, waiting for the mission complete notification. Who knew Damien would get exposed for keeping a mistress, and Sebastian’s unrequited love would suddenly return from abroad? Knowing they were about to go full “yandere” (obsessive-crazy) for these other women, we panicked. Mission status: FAILED. I tried to demand an explanation from the System, but the damn thing flickered twice and went black! I stomped my foot in rage! Zero stars! Review: Would not recommend! Suddenly, the keypad lock beeped open. Led by the White Moonlight and the Sugar Baby, a crowd swarmed in and surrounded us. Livestream cameras were shoved right into our faces. The Sugar Baby sobbed, “Sister, Damien and I have been through so much. Please, don’t tear us apart.” Meanwhile, the White Moonlight was screaming, “If you’re that desperate for love, go die! Stop rubbing your cheap self all over my man!” Chloe and I exchanged looks. We kept a low profile, sure, but were we invisible? Who gave these clowns the audacity to bark at the main wives? “Here’s my marriage certificate with Sebastian…” I tried to pull out my phone, but the White Moonlight slapped it out of my hand. “You slept your way into my boyfriend’s life with your trashy body, and now you’re photoshopping pics? Shameless!” I stumbled back from her shove and fell to the floor. Chloe tried to help me but was tackled by the Sugar Baby. The livestream chat was vile. 【Eww, what a slut! Disgusting!】 【Homewreckers deserve to die!】 … The White Moonlight looked around and started smashing everything related to Sebastian and me. The Sugar Baby took the opportunity to rip the jewelry off Chloe’s body. The place was a wreck. Chloe looked at me, eyes burning. “Fighting?” I looked back. “You fight, I fight!” 2 Chloe delivered an elbow strike that sent the Sugar Baby stumbling back. Not to be outdone, I marched up to the White Moonlight and slapped her across the face. “Are those eyes just for decoration? I said I’m married to Sebastian! Married! Do you not speak English?” I grabbed my phone and stood by the door. “You think just anyone can walk into the Shen ancestral home?” Chloe shoved her phone into the Sugar Baby’s face. “You know exactly who the mistress is here!” The internet sleuths quickly analyzed our complex relationships and concluded: These two were running a scam. Public opinion flipped instantly. Bruised and battered, the two intruders fled. Chloe and I sat on the floor, gasping for air, when the door was kicked open again. Damien stormed in and slapped Chloe. “Who gave you permission to touch her!” I rushed over, slapped him back, and shielded Chloe. “Damien White, you dare?” “If it wasn’t for her pulling strings for you all these years, you’d still be rotting in the White family’s basement!” Damien’s voice was cold. “I never asked for her help.” He glared at us. “Touch my person again, and I’ll end you.” Before leaving, he glanced at me. “Good luck. You think Sebastian Shen is going to let this slide?” I shivered. Sebastian played with prayer beads and acted harmless, but he was ruthless behind the scenes. Last time someone insulted his White Moonlight, he broke their legs. This time I slapped her. He was going to skin me alive. Chloe looked at her pregnancy test and smiled bitterly. “I was going to surprise him.” I touched my stomach, eyes stinging. We were both orphans. When we read the book, we saw ourselves in these broken characters. So when Chloe threw herself into saving Damien, I wasn’t surprised. I also wanted to protect the fragile boy who had been kidnapped and abused. We healed ourselves by healing them. But fake is fake. Chloe wiped her face. “I’m done playing. Death?” I made up my mind. “You die, I die.” “What about the baby?” I asked. “The father doesn’t want it, why should I care?” She waved her hand dismissively. We agreed immediately: find the System and execute the “Death Escape” protocol. Unexpectedly, while we were at the hospital arranging our “final affairs,” we ran into Damien. He was supporting the Sugar Baby and sneered, “Stalking me?” 3 “Did you find out my baby is sick and decide to get sick too to win me back?” The Sugar Baby hid behind Damien, acting coy. “Yesterday Damien was too rough, I couldn’t handle the pain so I came to the hospital.” “Sister, don’t copy me, okay?” Chloe rolled her eyes and tried to walk around them, but he grabbed her. “Apologize to her!” “For what?” Chloe screeched, like a cat with its tail stepped on. “Get it straight, she hit me first!” She tried to reason with him. Damien was arrogant. “You’ve enjoyed the title of Mrs. White in her place long enough. So what if she slapped you a few times?” As soon as he finished speaking, Chloe turned red. The next second, she slapped the Sugar Baby and kicked Damien! “You’re both animals! Don’t pretend to be human!” Damien stood between them to protect the Sugar Baby and shoved Chloe. Chloe tumbled down the stairs. Blood spread across the floor from under her dress. I screamed as I ran to her, “Doctor! Doctor! Help! She’s miscarrying!” “She’s pregnant?” Damien asked. The Sugar Baby panicked. “Impossible! Sister hit me so hard, she must be faking it.” “Let’s go, my tummy hurts.” She dragged Damien away. I didn’t have time to think, I rushed to the ER. The doctor told me the baby was gone, and multi-organ failure from cancer meant she could only be kept alive by machines. It would be painful. This was the System’s custom death scenario. I relaxed a bit, thinking the System had a pain blocker. But then I saw her curled up, sweating profusely, biting her lip until it bled. “System! What’s happening?” I yelled in panic. The System’s voice crackled, barely alive. “Host… she transferred all her pain blocking points to you.” “So right now, she feels the same pain as a real cancer patient.” My eyes burned. “Chloe, are you plotting against me?” Chloe weakly lifted her hand to pat my head. “I’m dying. What if they bully you when I’m gone?” “Leaving you a bit extra is always good.” I was touched to tears, but then she added, “I’m not losing out. You gave me your reward points.” “I die first, I enjoy first.” Fine! She has a conscience, but not much. I went to find a doctor, hoping to ease her pain. But the top specialist had been summoned by Damien. I called him. “Damien, send the doctor back. Chloe has cancer, she’s in agony.” He scoffed. “Chloe is as healthy as a horse. She took a knife for me and was jumping around the next day. Now she’s dying because I haven’t seen her for a few days? Who are you kidding?” 4 Damien was impatient. “My baby having a stomach ache isn’t a small matter. You can’t have the doctor. If Chloe wants to die, let her die.” My voice was heavy. “Just help me this once, for Sebastian’s sake. Help her ease the pain.” Before I finished, the phone changed hands. A familiar, cool voice spoke. “Liv, from the moment she returned, we were done.” It was Sebastian. He didn’t even bother settling the score with me; he was already with his White Moonlight. Sebastian paused. “A is always A, but B can be anyone.” “Consider this a lesson. Learn your place.” He cut ties with me in three sentences, kicking me aside like trash, disregarding all our history. The laughter from the other end of the line wove a net that suffocated me. Screw them all! Not a single good man among them! The days dragged on. I gossiped with Chloe, watching the headlines about Damien taking his Sugar Baby to events. People joked that the Prince finally revealed his protected rose. Sebastian also showed off occasionally, giving his personal prayer beads—a symbol of his status—to the White Moonlight. The internet swooned, saying the Zen Master fell from grace for his goddess. Chloe was covered in tubes, laughing heartlessly. “Mix some glitter in my ashes. Even dead, I gotta sparkle.” “And burn some paper effigies of hot guys for me…” My nose stung, but I cursed her. “You dog, I gave you the money, find real hot guys!” No response. She stopped breathing in my arms. Chloe donated all her organs for cancer research. I took her ashes home. Damien wanted to annul the marriage but couldn’t find Chloe, so he barged into the villa. “Where the hell is Chloe? Get out here!” Damien shouted. I pointed to the urn on the table. “She’s right there.” He froze, then knocked the urn over. “You guys are really committed to the act, huh? Faking death to hide from me? That’s low.” The ashes scattered in the wind. Actually, the glitter did look nice. I threw the death certificate and the organ donation certificate at him. Everything was clear. No faking. He read them and tore them to shreds, refusing to believe it. He asked around, confirmed the truth, turned pale, and mumbled about how it was impossible. I smirked, mocking him. “When you hid your Sugar Baby and used Chloe as a human shield, did you ask if she would die?” “When you pushed her down the stairs, knowing she was pregnant and had cancer, but hogged the doctor, did you ask if she would die?” “Now you’re happy? You scattered her ashes yourself.” Damien knelt on the ground, trying to gather the powder, but he couldn’t pick it up. Tears fell on the floor. He sobbed uncontrollably. He frantically looked for anything Chloe left behind, trying to grasp something. But he found nothing. Right. He originally had nothing. Damien went mad, hugging the urn and threatening suicide. Sebastian clearly looked relieved when he saw I was alive. “Liv, the position of Mrs. Shen will always be open for you.” Sebastian was unusually gentle. “But… you are not qualified to bear my child.” “She saved my life. I love her.”

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My boyfriend, Nate, casually started complaining about a freshman girl he was “mentoring.” “Lily is so clueless, she can’t even make a PowerPoint.” “Good thing I was there to help, or the poor girl would have cried her eyes out.” “But honestly, she’s kind of cute. Like a little lost kitten.” After he finished, I mimicked his tone, casually bringing up my own day. “Really? We have a new freshman in my department this year too. Total klutz, trips over his own feet.” “I just helped him to the campus clinic today, and he sent me ninety-nine roses.” “So dumb, right? But he is way hotter than you.” “By the way, babe, I have plans tonight. I won’t be spending Valentine’s Day with you.” Chapter 1 Nate was so lost in his own world, he didn’t reply for a long time. Only his buddy, Brad, sitting next to him, couldn’t help but laugh. “Bro, your girl is gonna have a baby… with someone else.” I ignored them, sipping my boba tea and typing away on my phone, occasionally letting out a shy giggle. Nate saw my expression and finally seemed to realize something was up. His face darkened, and he dragged me away from the table. Outside the restaurant, Nate, clearly in a bad mood, pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. I was too busy replying to texts to pay him any attention, unconsciously muttering, “That’s hilarious. You’re so funny, freshman.” Hearing this, Nate angrily threw his cigarette on the ground and snatched my phone. He glanced at my chat screen, shook his head disdainfully, his voice tinged with anger. “It’s just a meme of a dead pig. What’s so funny?” I quickly snatched it back, rolling my eyes. “It’s hilarious, okay? Why are you so boring?” Then I looked him up and down with disgust. “What do you want to say? It’s hot out here.” “Hurry up, I have plans tonight.” Nate was getting anxious but looked at me with confusion. “Plans tonight?” “Aren’t we supposed to go see a movie? What plans?” I brushed him off nonchalantly. “Oh, I already saw that movie. Go find someone else to watch it with.” “I’m going to pull an all-nighter gaming with someone else tonight. Way more fun than your movie.” At that, Nate completely lost it, stomping his feet in impotent rage. “It’s Valentine’s Day! You’re ditching your boyfriend to play games all night with someone else?” I responded flatly, acting innocent. “Yeah? Is that not allowed?” “If you’re bored, go hang out with someone else too. I’m not stopping you.” Just then, another message popped up on my phone. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing again. I sent a voice reply: “That GIF is hilarious too. I love it.” Then I walked back into the restaurant with my phone. Ignoring Nate, who was hopping mad behind me. Chapter 2 We were almost done eating when the “clueless freshman” Nate mentioned appeared at our usual spot—Chicken Kitchen. Nate spotted her immediately and excitedly introduced her to Brad. “Brad, that’s the girl I was telling you about. Lily. Cute, right?” Brad looked up at me, suppressing a laugh. “Yeah, she’s cute.” “But I think you’re pretty clueless too. And cute.” He burst out laughing, accidentally spraying juice on Nate’s face. “Sorry, sorry, bro. Couldn’t help it. My bad, I’m clumsy. I’ll drink to punish myself.” He downed half a glass of juice in one go. Nate wiped the pulp off his face, then eagerly waved at Lily. “Hey! Fancy meeting you here.” Lily blushed and nodded, shyly clutching her backpack as she walked to the counter. On the way, she almost tripped over nothing. Nate chuckled, finding it adorable. He whispered affectionately, “Dummy, your shoelace is untied.” Then he walked over to her with a look of helpless indulgence. Brad told me to look up and stop playing on my phone, warning me my boyfriend was about to get stolen. I shrugged indifferently and looked over. Nate was squatting on the floor, tying Lily’s shoelace into a perfect bow. When he stood up, he couldn’t resist patting her head. “Why are you so silly? Didn’t even know your shoe was untied.” Lily stared at the ground, blushing. “Sorry, Nate. Made you worry.” Nate sighed lovingly. “Alright, be good. Go order your food.” He watched her get in line, reluctant to leave. Finally, unable to stand it, he grabbed her number ticket and stood in front of her. “Go sit down. I’ll wait in line for you. Don’t want you tripping and spilling your food.” Lily made a playful face at him and sat down at a table behind him. I watched their little performance blankly. I felt absolutely nothing. Instead, the boy serving the food caught my attention. I watched him working diligently, feeling strangely satisfied. Brad, seeing I wasn’t going over to tear them apart, was shocked. “Zoe, what’s going on? You’re not gonna cause a scene?” “Where’s the Zoe who once fought the entire Law department?” I gave a vague “Huh?” and replied casually. “Those are past glories. Not worth mentioning.” I continued to admire the busy boy. He filled Nate’s bowl of Braised Chicken Rice entirely with potatoes. I finally burst out laughing. The boy scratched his head awkwardly in my direction and gave a goofy smile. I silently gave him a thumbs up. Good job. Soon, I got a text. “Zoe, does anyone really love potatoes that much? No meat at all? Weird.” I replied calmly. “What’s weird about it? I love meat. Hate veggies.” The boy blushed slightly. Another text came in. “I… I like meat too.” I smiled and typed. “Don’t forget your ID tonight.” He replied instantly. “Okay. I’ll bring extra boxes of that too.” I was just about to say I prefer strawberry flavor when my phone was snatched away. I looked up to meet Nate’s gaze. He was scrolling through my chat history. I wasn’t scared. I let him read. And watched him crumble. His face went pale. “You’ve only added him for two weeks, and you’ve talked this much?” “Wait, why are you telling him everything? Even an ant carrying away your dropped ice cream is flirty conversation?” “I can’t believe this. You told him about that? I was just a little quick that one time! I last a long time usually!” “Ha, I get it. Eighty percent of your chat is about me.” “You’re just using him to make me jealous, right?” He started trying to convince himself. Then, as if he’d figured it all out, he looked at me smugly. “Hmph, and what’s this about IDs and bringing extra boxes? You’re just going to an internet cafe to game, right?” “You girls and your little tricks. Naughty.” “Lily is different. She’s too innocent. She definitely doesn’t scheme like you.” I widened my eyes innocently. “No, you misunderstood. We’re not gaming. We’re getting a room.” Seeing his disbelief, like he wanted to debate me for another few rounds… I didn’t have the patience. I yawned and brushed him off. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guessed it.” “Your Lily is innocent, everyone else is scheming. Happy now?” “Give me my phone. I need to go home and shower first.” Nate laughed angrily and threw my phone on the table. “You’re serious?” I gave him a meaningful look, then stared calmly at him as he teetered on the edge of a breakdown. Nate sensed I wasn’t joking. He couldn’t accept this shift. After all, I once fought the entire Law department to chase him. Tore up hundreds of love letters. Broke my nails multiple times. Someone who loved him that deeply couldn’t just suddenly start flirting with someone else. To him, this was fantasy. But I can only say, it didn’t happen suddenly. If he hadn’t hurt me first… I wouldn’t be treating him this way. Chapter 3 They say a woman’s love makes a man forget to look in the mirror. It’s true. I spoiled him too much. Too many girls were lining up to take my place, boosting his ego. So he grew colder towards me. Started flirting with every new girl he met. Lily wasn’t the first girl he talked about in front of me. Before her, there was Jen from Dance, and Courtney from Sports Medicine. He always did this. Never did anything big enough to make me hate him and leave completely. But he couldn’t stop flirting to prove his charm. I was exhausted. Tired, disgusted, and conflicted about whether to end it. I put so much effort into chasing him. Ending it felt like losing. During that time of hesitation, Xander appeared. He’s the nephew of the Chicken Kitchen owner. I used to see him doing homework in the shop back in high school. When he wasn’t in class, he helped out. He just happened to get into my department this year, so I recognized him immediately. One night, I went down for dinner late and ran into him alone in the shop. He gave me extra chicken leg meat. It tasted better than usual. Turns out, it was his secret recipe. To eat his cooking again, we exchanged WeChats. Sometimes he’d deliver to my door. Sometimes I’d go down when he was free. We got close. Initially, I was in it for the food. But then I realized he was funny. And we were fated. Every time Nate bailed on me, Xander appeared nearby. So for the last two weeks… The movies, escape rooms, claw machines, and music festivals I was supposed to go to with Nate… Xander filled in. As for what Nate was doing? Brad told me. This summer, Nate and Lily got a part-time job. Ten dollars a day. Working from 8 AM to 10 PM. Just making PowerPoints for a project. When I heard the wage, I was speechless. Everyone knows Nate is a trust fund kid. Does he need ten bucks? That doesn’t even cover his socks. He just wanted to flirt with the freshman. Giving me crap about “work-study” and “experiencing life.” But this time, I didn’t make a scene. Because of Xander, I felt less angry. Every time Nate was slaving away with Lily for ten bucks… I was out having fun with Xander, losing track of time. I know I’m not exactly a saint right now. Stringing two guys along. But you reap what you sow. Xander was willing to be flirted with. And I was willing to take the heat. Life is short. Screw it. Today, I’m ditching my boyfriend to go to a hotel with Xander. Who wouldn’t want to share a bed with a guy who’s 6’3″, has an eight-pack, a voice like velvet, and a soft personality? He paints. He cooks. And most importantly… he looks like my celebrity crush. Basically, I’m sleeping with my idol. Chapter 4 Nate read my chat history with Xander over and over, right in front of me. He remained convinced I was just doing it to make him jealous. I was too lazy to explain. Seeing Xander’s shift end, I grabbed my phone and left. But when I was dressed up, perfume on, heading downstairs… Nate was waiting outside my building. “Zoe, I know I’ve been close with some girls, but I never crossed the line.” “If you leave today, that’s cheating. You’ll be blasted on the campus confession wall. In the old days, you’d be shunned.” He grabbed my wrist, trying to preach repentance. But all I could think about was my 6’3″ crush. Is he packing? I didn’t have the energy for Nate. I cut him off fast. “Okay, you’re right, I’m wrong, I’m sorry.” “Post me on the confession wall if you want. Just make sure to use the photo from my trip to LA in April. Not that ugly candid you took by the river.” “If you don’t know which one, text me. I can take a new one for you.” “But I have an urgent matter right now. No time to chat. I’ll apologize properly tomorrow, okay?” I tried to hail a cab. Nate blocked me again, looking furious. “It’s Valentine’s Day! What ‘urgent matter’ do you have with another man?” “Who are you trying to fool?” Then he pulled his ultimate move. Crossed his arms, looked away, pouting like a wronged housewife. “If you dare leave today, we’re breaking up.” I clicked my tongue, expressionless. Then I hopped into a taxi. “Driver, Holiday Inn. Fast, please.”

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My stepbrother, Adrian, hated me for ten years after his “white moonlight”—his first love—fell to her death. Even when I used despicable means to possess him completely, he never truly forgave me. Until I ran away to a war-torn country in a fit of rage and got caught in a riot. Adrian didn’t hesitate. He shielded me with his body and took the bullet meant for me. Dying in my arms, his last words were: “I spoiled you too much.” “I truly regret… being your brother.” Everyone said I was crazy. That I ruined Adrian—a man who was upright, noble, and full of promise. So, I knelt on the long stone steps of the temple for fifty years. Begging for a second chance. This time, I will let him go. I only pray for him to have a life of peace and happiness. 1 “Sophie, look at this filth you wrote. Doesn’t it make you sick?” “How could you… have these kinds of thoughts about your own brother!” A voice I hadn’t heard in a lifetime exploded in my ears. I opened my eyes to see Adrian holding my diary, his face flushed crimson with rage. That diary was filled with my twisted desires for him. Lust. Obsession. Sin. But instead of the crushing shame I felt the first time, I started sobbing with relief. I really was reborn. I was back to the day of our first big fight, the day he discovered my secret. Seeing him alive, vibrant, and breathing in front of me made my body tremble uncontrollably. Thank God. He’s alive. Adrian noticed something was off. His anger flickered, replaced by confusion. He pointed to the floor. “Take all of this… and burn it.” In my past life, hearing those words made me snap. I went hysterical, pinned him against the wall, and kissed him. Adrian was horrified. He fled, and from that day on, he drifted away from me. That forbidden kiss broke something inside me. My obsession grew darker, and my hatred for Lily—the girl who “stole” him—festered until it caused a tragedy. So this time, I wiped the tears from my face. I picked up the box filled with my diaries. “Okay.” “I’ll burn them.” 2 Those diaries held the record of over a decade of our lives together. My mom and Adrian’s mom were best friends. But my mom had terrible taste in men. She married an abuser. When I was five, my mom died from her injuries. My dad, a drunk, drove his car into a ditch on the way to turn himself in. Adrian’s mom adopted me. But tragedy struck again when Adrian and I started middle school. She passed away, leaving us alone in that big, empty villa with only a few servants. Adrian was only a few months older than me, but while I was a troublemaker, he was the responsible one. He spent his childhood cleaning up my messes. When I got gastroenteritis, he stayed up all night watching my IV drip. When I got into fights, he backed me up. When I was scared of thunderstorms, he’d drag his pillow and blanket into my room to keep me safe. Even after Lily died because of me, even when he hated me to the bone… When the riot broke out, he still shielded me without a second thought. My brother was perfect. The only problem was that he loved me as family. And I loved him with a guilty conscience. In my past life, our housekeeper, Mrs. Wu, wept uncontrollably when she heard of Adrian’s death. The driver, Uncle Zhang, pointed at my nose and cursed me. “Sophie, you’re insane! You’re cursed! Are you only happy when everyone around you is dead?” I remembered Adrian’s last words again. “I truly regret… being your brother.” He regretted it. And so did I. They said the temple on the north side of the city was miraculous. I wanted to pray that in the next life, Adrian would never meet me. But maybe my sins were too heavy. The Abbot refused to see me. So I knelt. Year after year. From black hair to white. The bloodstains on the stone steps were from my knees and forehead. Finally, when I was old and withered, the Abbot agreed to see me. He said: “What has happened cannot be changed, but perhaps a new life awaits.” “You are his fated calamity. If it is not resolved, all efforts are in vain.” He pressed a small silk pouch into my wrinkled hand. “It will guide you to the moment of rebirth.” When I woke up clutching that pouch, I knew it wasn’t a dream. This life, I won’t make the same mistakes. I’ll pay any price to keep my brother safe. 3 The next morning on the way to school, the car was suffocatingly silent. Neither of us mentioned the diary. As I got out, Adrian finally spoke. “You hurt Lily a few days ago. Go apologize to her today.” His tone was stiff. He expected me to throw a tantrum. But I just nodded calmly. “Okay.” Adrian looked surprised, but he didn’t say anything else. During lunch break, I went to find Lily as promised. I found her with Adrian. The afternoon sun was warm. The girl was laughing, playfully punching the boy on the chest. Then she saw me. She immediately shrank behind Adrian, clutching her bandaged hand, looking terrified. Adrian instinctively shielded her. “What are you doing here?” His voice was guarded. He’d already forgotten he told me to come apologize. I couldn’t blame him. I was crazy. My possessiveness over Adrian was legendary. He was handsome, gentle, and rich. Plenty of girls liked him. And I chased every single one of them away. I mistook Adrian’s tolerance for love. I deluded myself into thinking he felt the same way. Like in my past life, when I drugged his water. I forced him to cross the line. Even though he resisted, I read pleasure in his broken moans. I ignored the fact that it was just a physiological reaction. Lily was special to him. Even ten years after her death, he never forgave me. I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and bowed deeply to Lily. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hurt you, and I shouldn’t have humiliated you in public.” “Can you… forgive me?” Lily glanced nervously at Adrian. Seeing he stayed silent, she whispered, “It’s okay. I forgive you.” I looked up and met Adrian’s eyes. They were swirling with emotions I couldn’t read. 4 In my past life, I hated Lily for another reason. I saw her hanging out with Tyler, the school bully. Tyler was Adrian’s nemesis. He loved making Adrian’s life miserable. I suspected Lily was a spy sent to toy with my brother’s feelings, so I targeted her. This time, I needed to know the truth. I needed to get these two back on track. So, I started pestering Lily, claiming I felt guilty and wanted to be friends. At first, she was wary. But eventually, she let her guard down. I asked her casually, “What do you think of my brother?” Lily’s ears turned pink. “Adrian… he’s helped me a lot. And he loves animals. He feeds the stray cats and pays for their vet bills.” “I think he’s really kind.” So it was true. They liked each other. Lily was the classic “tough weed” heroine—poor family, scholarship student, hardworking. My brother was the prince—handsome, top of the class, rich. A match made in heaven. Even knowing this, my heart felt like it was soaking in lemon juice. That night, Adrian knocked on my door. He didn’t come in. Last time he barged in, he found the diary. He was scarred. “I’m just looking at colleges,” I called out. “Nothing else.” Since my rebirth, I felt Adrian distancing himself. Even without the kiss, he couldn’t handle knowing his little sister lusted after him. And even without the kiss, I couldn’t stop loving him. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Why haven’t you been coming home with me lately?” I was surprised. Because I need to get used to life without you, I thought. Even looking at colleges, I was picking ones far away from him. He and Lily would go to the same top-tier university. I needed to be as far away as possible. I lied. “I get along with Lily. We walk home together to chat.” Adrian stared at me so intensely my scalp tingled. “Am I interrupting something?” I asked defensively. He frowned and flicked my forehead. “What are you thinking? There’s nothing going on.” He ruffled his hair, looking annoyed. “Whatever. It’s good… that you’re making friends.”

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When Christian broke up with me for the nth time, I was pulling an all-nighter for my annual performance review. “Chloe, I’m giving you twenty minutes. Get to the club and apologize, or we’re done.” I instantly broke down. “This report is critical for my promotion. Can you pick another day to throw a tantrum?” His tone was light, dismissive. “Tantrum? Looks like your job is more important than me. Fine, let’s break up.” “Oh, and by the way, I can be pretty petty.” “Stopping your promotion is just one phone call away.” I slammed the phone down, furious. But suddenly, a stream of floating comments—like a Twitch chat—appeared in front of my eyes. [Does the FL (Female Lead) actually believe his threats? The ML (Male Lead) already secretly approved her promotion. He just wants to surprise her!] [As long as she shows she’d choose him over her career, he’d give her the CEO chair if she asked. He’d never actually ruin her future.] [Avoidant attachment style at its finest. Says ‘go away’ but means ‘hug me tight.’ He needs her to cling to him.] [The ML is literally standing outside her door right now, waiting for her to run out and comfort him. This angst is delicious!] I was skeptical, hand hovering over the doorknob to go find him. Then, a WeChat notification popped up. “Heard your promotion is dead in the water, Miss Zhou. Interested in jumping ship?” 1 I stared at the message from a user named “Wings.” After racking my brain, I ruled out a prank. Was this Christian using a burner account to test me? No. Christian was too arrogant for that. In our ten-year relationship, I was always the one to cave, to apologize. The drama of me rushing over to beg for forgiveness? We’d rehearsed it a thousand times. My unconditional love had made him fearless. So who was this? The floating comments gave me the answer immediately. [The ML’s arch-nemesis is trying to poach her! He overheard the ML on the phone in the club bathroom. He texted the FL the second he walked out. Ruthless.] [The FL isn’t just the ML’s girlfriend; she’s a key player at the company. Julian Gu, the rival CEO, naturally wants to steal talent.] [Let’s be real, Julian has been thirsting after the FL for ages. This is personal.] I narrowed my eyes. Julian Gu. My team beat his company, Gu Corp, in the last bidding war. At the after-party, people joked that we should connect. Back then, he didn’t even look at me. I stood there, smile freezing on my face, until he finally, coldly, let me scan his QR code. I thought he’d delete me the next day. Turns out, he kept me. But I only half-believed the comments. Christian never hid our relationship, but in public, he treated me with the cold detachment of a superior. To outsiders, I was just a corporate slave making $3,000 a month. Julian loved mocking Christian for it. “Finding a corporate slave who doubles as a free bed-warmer? Christian really is a brilliant businessman.” Julian looked down on me. His job offer felt less like an opportunity and more like a way to piss off Christian. I scrolled past his name. Christian’s assistant had sent a voice note. “Chloe, please come quick. Mr. Pei is drunk and refuses to leave.” He also sent a video of Christian making a scene. I hesitated, about to change clothes, then froze. There she was. Bella, giggling in the background at the 30-second mark. [The ML is pulling this stunt again. Calling the Second Female Lead over just to make the FL jealous.] [He knows she falls for it every time. Scare her a little, and she loses her mind.] [Go to him, girl! I bet my membership on it—if you apologize tonight, he’ll be on his knees waiting for you.] [I get the ML. Seeing your partner suffer over a breakup feels so validating. It proves they love you.] I was stunned. The floating text wasn’t a hallucination. They called me the FL, and Christian the ML. Christian was exactly as they described—always threatening breakups, waiting for me to salvage things. If I didn’t go, he’d get everyone around us to pressure me. But even when I went, he wouldn’t soften immediately. Last time, I took a red-eye train just to comfort him. I walked in, exhausted, and he didn’t even look at me. Instead, he leaned into Bella. “Who told her to come? I thought you had a backbone. Didn’t we break up?” But seconds later, his body betrayed him. He clung to me. That night, he wouldn’t let me go. Seven times. The next day, he showered me with bags and trips, overcompensating. I once asked him, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll run away if you treat me like this?” He buried his face in my neck. “Wifey would never leave me over something so small.” “Chloe, as long as you take one step toward me, I’ll walk the remaining ninety-nine steps to you.” But he didn’t know. After being tortured like this repeatedly… I didn’t want to take a single step anymore. I was too tired for this exhausting love. Seeing no reply from me, the assistant kept calling. I hesitated. Should I coax him one more time? Then Bella sent a message. “Christian says don’t bother coming. He wants me to watch the sunrise with him!” She sent a short video. “Christian, Chloe isn’t coming. Is she really breaking up with you?” Christian downed his drink. “We broke up. Don’t mention her.” “Didn’t you want to see the sunrise? Let’s go.” He glanced at the camera. He knew she was recording. I took a deep breath and threw my phone onto the couch. I turned back to my laptop. Optimizing my PPT. Instead of believing the comments about a secret promotion, I chose to believe in my own competence. I wasn’t Christian or Bella, born with a silver spoon. I grew up poor. I had to seize every opportunity myself. 2 Christian didn’t come home all night. I didn’t sleep a wink. The next morning, I walked into the office with a heavy heart. Christian was already there. Impeccably dressed. Stern face. Radiating the oppressive aura of a CEO. A complete 180 from the childish drunk he was last night. I presented my performance review nervously. When I finished, he applauded with everyone else. His gaze was calm, even friendly. I was confused. Did me ignoring him actually fix things? After the meeting, I noticed a small gift box on everyone’s desk. The Finance Director next to me eyes lit up. “Wow, having a CEO boyfriend is nice. You get a promotion, we get gifts?” The admin girl cleared her throat. “This is a welcome gift from the new Executive Assistant.” The Finance Director was shocked. “Everyone gets a limited edition perfume as a hello?” “What is this, a new way for rich kids to flex on us peasants?” The admin glanced at me uneasily. She pulled the Finance Director aside. “The new assistant is the only daughter of the Bai Group, our biggest client.” “Mr. Pei paid for the gifts. Said he wanted to help his childhood friend make a good impression.” Bella. I understood immediately. Bella had always wanted to work at Pei Corp to get close to Christian. The Bai family had proposed a marriage alliance multiple times. Christian had always refused because of me. But after one night, he agreed. And he put her in the CEO’s office as his private assistant. A position I, his official girlfriend, wasn’t allowed to hold. I tried not to think about what happened between them last night. I opened a file, trying to work. A colleague told me Christian was looking for me. I headed straight to his office. When I walked in, I saw Bella sitting on Christian’s desk, her back to me. Her waist, snatched in a pencil skirt, was leaning against Christian’s hand. My palms stung. I never thought I’d see Christian intimate with someone else. I coughed lightly. Bella jumped off the desk. Seeing it was me, her smile vanished. She pouted. “You’ve worked here for years, don’t you know how to knock?” I paused. I never knocked when entering Christian’s office. “Sorry. Next time you guys are doing something inappropriate, lock the door.” Christian, who was expecting me to explode, changed his expression slightly. But he kept his cool. “Did you need something, Mr. Pei?” He replied calmly, “The board decided to put your promotion on hold.” Bella shot me a triumphant look. I stared at my shoes. “Mhm.” He didn’t lie. Just because I didn’t baby him last night, he halted my career. It felt like a boulder crushing my chest. My eyes burned. Thanks to the floating comments, I was prepared enough to keep my composure. “Okay. Understood.” Silence stretched between us. Dead air. “If you want to fight for it…” I cut him off. “I don’t. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.” I turned quickly. He called out. “Also, the Project A account. Bella will handle it from now on. Hand it over to her today.” I whipped around. “What did you say?” I had spent six months prepping Project A. No days off. The stress was so bad I needed pills to sleep. This project was my hope. I wanted to prove I wasn’t just riding Christian’s coattails. He knew how much it meant to me. He even helped me get resources behind the scenes. Now, right before the finish line, he was giving it to Bella? “Bella is new. She needs a win to establish herself.” “Project A is high profile and almost done. Perfect for her to practice on.” I fought back tears. “You know this project is my life.” “Why are you doing this to me?” He smiled vindictively. “I told you. I’m petty.” “Besides, I’m the boss. I don’t need your permission to assign projects.” “If you don’t like it, you can quit.” Bella giggled, covering her mouth. I looked at them coldly. One gloating, one arrogant. Both sure I wouldn’t leave. “Fine. I quit.” Christian’s smile vanished. He stared at me in disbelief. He raised his voice. “Chloe, don’t think being my girlfriend gives you the right to throw tantrums.” “Don’t test me. I will let you go!” I looked him dead in the eye. “Mr. Pei, you seem to forget. We broke up.” He choked. Bella, seeing the tension, smirked. She put on a worried act. “Christian, maybe we should forget it. Don’t fight because of me.” She added provocatively, “I’m so clumsy. What if I ruin Chloe’s hard work?” He patted Bella’s head indulgently. “It doesn’t matter if you ruin it. It’s just a small project. Worthless.” Blood rushed to my head. It took everything I had not to slap them both. My nails dug into my palms until they bled. “A company that uses projects to flirt with women isn’t worth staying at.” “Consider my years of hard work dog food.” Bella put her hands on her hips. “Who are you calling a dog?” I sneered. “If the collar fits.” “Chloe!” Christian’s face was livid. I turned and walked out without looking back. 3 I walked back to my desk like a zombie. Only when no one was looking did the tears fall. The floating comments appeared again. [The FL is so confused! The ML was putting on a show! The second she left, he kicked the Second Female Lead out!] [He just wanted to see her get jealous and submit. He didn’t expect her to be so stubborn and actually quit.] [Dating a superior means swallowing your pride. She wants the money AND the dignity. Greedy.] [She’s not thinking straight. Without this job, who pays for her sick mom’s medical bills? Can dignity pay for chemo?] The comments were right. My mom’s life depended on expensive imported drugs. Christian’s salary kept her alive. If the money stopped, my only family in this world would die. Just as I was agonizing over money, Christian messaged me. A rare initiative. “Come apologize to Bella, and I might consider giving the project back.” “I’ll even give you the new Pei Corp projects for the second half of the year.” “And your ID badge. Come get it yourself.” This was the first time Christian had ever offered a compromise. The comments rallied for him. [He finally lowered his head! You have no idea how hard this is for Mr. Pretend-He-Doesn’t-Care.] [As an avoidant myself, I’m moved. We have to love someone A LOT to swallow our pride! Cherish him, girl!] [Aside from being a tsundere, he’s rich, hot, and devoted. Don’t throw him away.] True. Aside from being a drama queen, Christian was good to me. If I could tolerate this, he was an excellent boyfriend. But I refused without hesitation. “I’m handing my resignation to HR today.” He replied after a long pause: “For real?” “Fine. Don’t come begging later.” “Don’t regret throwing away a perfect relationship and career over your ego.” I buried my head in my arms and cried silently. I mourned ten years of love. I mourned the job. But I couldn’t accept being treated like this anymore. He had a black hole inside him where love should be, and he tried to fill it by torturing me. I couldn’t see a future in that darkness. Instead of endless pain, I chose to end it myself. 4 I sent the resignation email, then pulled up Julian’s contact. “Mr. Gu, is your offer still valid?” He replied instantly: “Valid. But no girlfriends of Christian Pei allowed.” Me: “Broken up. Resigned.” Julian went silent. My heart was in my throat. Did I guess right? Was he just trying to get back at Christian? A long time later, my phone pinged. Julian sent a photo of a huge corner office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. “Office is ready. Want me to pick you up to see it?” I laughed and cried at the same time. How much did Julian hate Christian? I was just a mid-level manager. Did I deserve this? “Let me finish the handover first.” Him: “Skip it. Screw Christian over. Whatever the penalty is, I’ll pay.” Before I could reply, he sent another one. “Actually, never mind. Say goodbye properly. I know how breakups feel.” “Need to get drunk? Call me. Designated driver included.” I facepalmed. No wonder people said Julian Gu was eccentric and flashy. What a character. … Christian didn’t show up all afternoon. His assistant said he was escorting Bella around to every department. The CEO acting as a tour guide. A privilege I never had. When I joined, Christian had just secured his position. He didn’t want people gossiping, so we kept it secret. He asked me to understand. Christian was kidnapped as a child. We scavenged for scraps together in the slums for three years. When the Pei family found him, they had already moved on to their second son, the golden child. Christian was the awkward extra. He studied hard and worked like a maniac to gain their approval. To support him, I pretended we were strangers for two years at the company. Only after I nailed several huge projects did we go public. In contrast, Christian knew people shipped him and his “childhood friend” Bella… Yet he paraded her around without a care. The bias was unbearable. “See? I knew the CEO would marry someone of his own status. Bella entering the company is just prep for becoming Mrs. Pei.” “Some people sleep their way up and think they can become the lady of the house. Delusional.” Knowing I was leaving, colleagues who disliked me stopped whispering. I ignored the gossip. I grew up picking through trash for tuition. I was used to discrimination. HR called. She sounded awkward. “Ms. Zhou, Bella says she likes the view from your office. She wants to move in.” “So… can you pack up immediately?” Before I could answer, IT was at my desk. “Ms. Zhou, I’m here to watch you delete files. To ensure no corporate data is stolen.” He spoke loudly. Everyone stared. I looked at my computer, access already revoked, and smiled bitterly. Christian was humiliating me on purpose. Holding back tears, I numbly packed my box. I threw the gifts Christian gave me and our framed photo into the trash. Walking to the elevator, I ran into Bella holding small gift bags. And Christian, with her arm linked through his. She blocked me. “Don’t go, Chloe! Christian is treating the whole company to a Japanese buffet tonight to welcome me. Stay and eat?” Christian stood silently beside her. The comments were more agitated than I was. [The Second Female Lead is shameless! The dinner was originally booked to celebrate the FL’s promotion! The ML is just using her to provoke the FL!] [Please, girl, just give in! If you don’t turn back now, the ML is going to get drunk tonight, Bella will take him home, and once they sleep together, it’s really over!] I pushed her away. “Move. I’m busy.” She grabbed my arm. “Is it because you’re embarrassed about being dumped?” “Or because you were fired for incompetence and are running away in shame?” Looking at her arrogant face, I snapped. I backhanded her across the face. Slap. “Get lost. You’re not worthy of eating with me.” Bella screamed and threw herself into Christian’s arms. “Christian! She hit me! She’s crazy!” Christian shielded Bella, looking at me with eyes full of fire. I took a step forward. “And you.” I raised my hand to Christian. “You’re trash too.” As my hand came down, Christian caught my wrist in a vice grip, then shoved me hard. “Chloe! Stop acting like a shrew!” I slammed into the wall. Pain shot through my back. I held back the tears and stood straight. I scanned Christian’s icy face. “Mr. Pei, I slapped your little mistress. If you’re unhappy, call the cops.”

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Strange girls always appear around my childhood friend. I know they’re trying to “conquer” him. But none of them ever succeeded. Until Sarah showed up. She was different from all the other girls. She would praise his clean, efficient method of dissecting butterflies. She would agree with his most shocking, terrifying thoughts. She bragged to me triumphantly, believing she was the savior who would redeem this dark, brooding boy. But she never noticed that the look in his eyes when he watched her… Was exactly the same as when he watched those butterflies. 1 My childhood friend, Silas Vane, is a psychopath. When we first met, he was six years old. He looked like an exquisite porcelain doll, harmless and sweet. His smile was sugary, like marshmallow fluff. I let my guard down and took the chocolate bar he offered. The moment I peeled back the wrapper, a swarm of red fire ants crawled out. I looked up. Silas was smiling sweetly at me. I calmly picked the chocolate up from the ground and tossed it into the trash can. After washing my hands, I slowly turned to him and said, “Thanks for the welcome gift. I hated it. Don’t do it again.” Silas stopped smiling. His pitch-black eyes stared straight at me. I saw right through him. “Surprised I’m not scared?” I smiled slightly. “That trick was amateur. Not nearly as interesting as the surprise my mom got me.” For my fifth birthday, Mom gave me two beautiful butterfly knives. I practiced for a year before sharpening them. After I showed Silas my knife skills, he walked away with a tight face. I rested my chin on my hand and thought, He probably won’t be back. 2 A week later, I received a huge bouquet of flowers. Little Silas smiled angelically. “I picked these from my backyard. Hope you like them.” The roses were vibrant, still dewy from the morning. I smiled back. “Thanks.” The second he left, I threw the flowers into the trash. A moment later, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and caterpillars crawled out of the roses. I stood up, dusted myself off, and went home. The next day after school, a snake appeared in my room. I grabbed the snake by its head and tossed it into the Vane family’s backyard. 3 From then on, all sorts of weird things started popping up in my house. I knew it was that little psycho. Every time, I returned the favor. 4 Until one day, Silas invited me to his house. His room had an entire wall filled with butterfly specimens. Silas’s voice came from behind me. “Isn’t it beautiful?” “Beautiful things in this world are fleeting, but there’s always a way to make them eternal.” “Specimens preserve the beauty of butterflies forever, keeping them in their most stunning moment.” I took a sip of my milk and said flatly, “But they lost their freedom.” “What does that matter?” Little Silas laughed, his voice full of childish innocence. “As long as they can stay with me forever.” “Don’t you think so, Jo?” I didn’t answer him. I closed my eyes and collapsed to the floor. After a long silence, a delighted laugh rang through the air. “Now, you’re mine too.” He hummed a happy tune, took a syringe from a drawer, and crouched beside me. The next second, I flipped over, pinned him down, and snatched the syringe. I pressed the needle against Silas’s neck, looking down at him. “You want to turn me into a specimen too?” “Don’t you want to be with me forever, Jo?” He blinked, not feeling a shred of guilt. I hauled him up, slammed him against the wall, and beat him up. Only after dunking his head into the bathtub for the third time did I let go. I said coldly, “Don’t cross my line, little psycho.” Silas pushed his wet hair back, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes that shone with terrifying brightness. He actually started laughing happily. “Jo, I like you so much.” “I don’t want a specimen anymore. I want a living Jo.” “Let’s be friends forever, okay? We’ll even die together.” “Get lost. I’m not dying.” 5 Since then, I’ve been stuck with this little psycho. But over the years, I noticed something amusing. Strange girls would always appear around Silas, stay for a while, and then disappear. Later, I found out they were trying to “conquer” him. Like a game. But no one ever succeeded. Except for Sarah. She stayed by Silas’s side the longest. Maybe because she was the most unique of them all. 6 That day, I walked past the flowerbed and saw Silas chatting with Sarah, a polite smile on his face. I listened for a bit. It was the same script he used on everyone. Feeling bored, I turned to leave, but then I heard Sarah say: “It’s not your fault, Silas. You are a good person. Blame Jo and your parents. It’s all their fault.” Me: “?” What did I do? Sarah’s eyes filled with tears, her expression a mix of sympathy and heartache. “I came too late. If I had appeared sooner, I would have protected you. I wouldn’t have let Jo hurt you.” “If I had a cold childhood friend like Jo and parents who ignored me, I’d be twisted too.” “I understand you, Silas. Let me be with you.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Silas needing protection. That was the best joke I’d heard all year. Sarah noticed me and shrieked, “Why are you hiding there eavesdropping?!” I kindly warned her, “Silas isn’t a good person. You’d better stay away from him.” But Sarah acted like she was facing a great enemy, shielding Silas behind her and glaring at me warily. “You’re trying to steal Silas, aren’t you? Jo, keep dreaming! Silas told me everything. You’ve been giving him the cold shoulder for years, causing his psychological distortion. Now that I’m here to protect him, I will never hand Silas over to you!” “I know what you’re planning. You’re trying to drive a wedge between us, hoping I’ll doubt him and leave. But I’m not weak. I will not only save Silas, I will make him better.” Disappointment and condemnation filled Sarah’s eyes. “Jo, you really don’t deserve to be his childhood friend. Please let Silas go. Since none of you care about him, from now on, I will be his salvation.” I thought she was baffling, so I turned and left. 7 The girls who appeared before Sarah usually forced themselves to stay for a few days before vanishing without a trace. But Sarah was different. She praised Silas’s technique with the butterflies. She validated his horrifying ideas. When she saw the things Silas kept in the basement, her eyes lit up as she said, “Silas, you’re so special.” Even Silas found it strange and asked why she wasn’t scared. Sarah actually claimed he was forced to be twisted by us, so being different was normal. Hilarious. Silas’s parents loved each other deeply. They were open-minded and raised Silas with a hands-off approach. As for me “cold-shouldering” him? Complete nonsense. Silas was just born sick. I don’t know what Kool-Aid Sarah drank to convince herself Silas had a tragic childhood and needed saving. She probably didn’t notice that the way Silas looked at her… was the same way he looked at those butterflies. 8 The results of the joint exams came out. I habitually looked at the first line, but my name wasn’t there. First place: Sarah. My rank had dropped to below 800. Impossible. I went to the office and requested to see the original exam paper. My homeroom teacher helped me log in, comforting me, “Must be a scanning error or a miscalculation. With your grades, we can definitely fix it.” The dean nodded. “Right. If we don’t fix it, our school loses its top student.” But when we saw the original scan, we all fell silent. The answer sheet was largely blank, with only a few lines of scribbles. Yet, the candidate information was definitely mine. The teacher frowned, hesitating. “Jo, what happened?” Staring at the handwriting on the screen—identical to mine—I thought of Sarah’s first-place score. I knew what happened. But I couldn’t explain it. Who would believe that Sarah somehow magically swapped my answer sheet?

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Two years after I died, I suddenly regained consciousness. My mom had found a new man and was living her best life. My dad got everything he ever wanted and was enjoying his golden years surrounded by grandkids. My bestie, the only person who truly got me, finally stopped grinding her life away for her career and decided to retire early to Europe. And the guy I secretly crushed on for ten years was finally walking down the aisle with the love of his life. Everyone was doing great. I thought it was great, too—even if my grave felt a little lonely sometimes. The night before the wedding, I floated into Lucas’s bachelor party. After a few rounds of drinks, I saw my bestie raise her glass to Lucas. “Lucas, honestly? I’ve always hated your guts.” “You shamelessly soaked up all of Jenny’s affection and effort while completely ignoring her feelings.” “But I know if Jenny were standing here today, she’d genuinely wish you happiness. ‘Happy wedding, happily ever after,’ all that jazz.” “So, I’ll say it for her.” “Happy wedding. Happily ever after.” 1 Hearing those words, I froze. Lucas, as always, kept his face devoid of emotion. “Rachel, you’re drunk.” “Fine, assume I’m drunk. Assume I’m talking nonsense,” Rachel said, downing her drink in one gulp. “Anyway, Jenny’s been gone for two years.” “I booked a flight for tomorrow morning. I won’t be at your wedding.” Rachel handed Lucas two red envelopes. “Here. One from me, one for Jenny.” Lucas didn’t take them. “Why are you giving me Jenny’s share?” “Why do you think? She prepared her gift money ages ago. Made me promise to give it to you.” “Hey, come on, it’s a happy day. Don’t bring the mood down,” an old friend chimed in, trying to smooth things over. “We know you and Jenny were tight, but Jenny never said she liked Lucas, right?” “Besides, she’s been gone a year. What’s the point of bringing this up now?” “Saying this the night before Lucas’s wedding… what is the bride supposed to think?” Rachel sneered. “I don’t give a damn what she thinks! I’ve hated her since day one.” “Relax. Even if I hate you guys, this is the last time you’ll see me.” Rachel shoved the envelopes into Lucas’s pocket and stormed off. I floated there, panicked. I looked at Lucas, hesitated for a second, then chased after Rachel. “Rach! Rach, slow down! My little legs can’t keep up!” Rachel always speed-walked when she was mad. She was tall, all legs. I always had to hustle to keep up. But every single time, she would eventually stop, huffing, and wait for me. Then she’d poke my forehead and call me a dummy. Too bad she couldn’t see me now. So she never stopped. 2 I never expected her to drive to my cemetery in the middle of the night. When I first woke up, I was tethered to my grave. There were no other ghosts around, so I just sat on my headstone like a gargoyle, watching the sun rise and set. No one talked to me. No one saw me. I talked to myself a lot. Sometimes I’d pop up in front of mourners and make faces. They’d chat right through my soul, and I’d call them rude. Then one day, I realized I could wander further. So I went to check on my old crew. They were all living good lives. So I figured, as long as they were happy, it didn’t matter if they visited me or not. 3 Rachel brought a handkerchief. She squatted in front of my grave and meticulously wiped away the dust. “Sorry. I know you hate being lonely, but I haven’t come to see you in so long.” Rachel sat down, leaning her back against my headstone. I sat down next to her, shoulder to shoulder. “You always said you were a coward, but you were way braver than me. Look at me. Even today, I can’t accept that you’re gone.” “I didn’t bring flowers today. Didn’t bring those candied apples you love. Are you mad at me?” I hugged my knees and smiled at her. “Since you cleaned my grave, I’ll forgive you.” “Jenny, I’m leaving.” “I’m emigrating. Probably won’t come back much.” “There’s nothing left for me here. Even you left me. No point staying.” I nodded. “It’s okay. Go if you want. Follow your heart.” “I know you’d support whatever I do. But I still have to tell you something that might make you mad.” “Lucas is getting married.” “To Chloe.” “I told him you had a crush on him for ten years. You probably hate that.” “But I just couldn’t get over it.” “Not throwing my drink in their faces was already me taking the moral high ground.” “I’ll never forget the look on Chloe’s face when she stood in front of you, calling you a desperate pick-me who throws herself at men for free.” “Your taste in people was always trash. Whether it was me, your friend, or Lucas, the guy you loved… we were never considerate enough.” “Most of the time, you were the one accommodating us.” “Jenny… is there another world after death? Are you happy there?” I thought for a moment. “I don’t know if there’s another world, but I’m doing okay right now.” Not super happy, not super sad. Just okay. “Rach, you don’t need to feel guilty. And you don’t need to take it out on Lucas. He didn’t do anything wrong.” “He just didn’t like me. That’s all.” 4 I always thought I was lucky. I was the product of a business marriage. My parents had their own careers and lovers; they rarely looked my way. But I lived a cushy life. Designer clothes, best schools. I was introverted. In high school, bullies targeted me constantly. But the worst time, I met Rachel. She bravely called the cops and even got hurt protecting me. I had no ambition, just wanted to coast. My parents didn’t care about my future, so I was lost. But Lucas stood out. The way he spoke on stage captured my heart instantly. To chase him, I studied my butt off and got into the same university. Rachel called me a chicken. She said I followed Lucas around like a puppy for years, and he didn’t even know I existed. So I gathered my courage and approached him as a “fellow alum.” Classmate, acquaintance, friend, good friend. That path took me forever. I thought about confessing. Even bought a gift. But Lucas had a traumatic childhood. He had severe issues with intimacy. So I thought, fine. Don’t force it. Just being friends was enough for me. Then one day, Lucas went on a business trip for a week. When he came back, he had a woman with him. Chloe. The high school prom queen. Now Lucas’s girlfriend. That’s when I realized: “trauma” and “walls” are just excuses. When you meet the right person, the walls come down. The shadows disappear. I couldn’t do it. But Chloe did. Love is so unreasonable. It doesn’t care about first come, first served. When “The One” shows up, everyone else becomes a background character. Too bad. I had main character energy but a side character destiny.

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