Coming home from the farmer’s market, I didn’t stop for a second, washing vegetables and cooking dinner. Just as I finished, Daniel pushed open the door. “Stella’s pipe burst, you should go help her. It’s tough for a single mom.” I didn’t even wipe the sweat from my brow before heading to her place to unclog the drain, clean up the standing water, and comfort her frightened child… By the time I dragged my exhausted body back home, I saw Daniel handing my daughter’s sweater to Stella. “Stella, don’t feel bad about it. Lily can’t wear it anymore anyway, so it’s perfect for Lucy.” I stared at that sweater and a sudden, bitter laugh escaped me. “Daniel Miller, let’s get a divorce.” He looked at me, utterly incredulous. “For an old sweater?” “Yes, for an old sweater.” My words hung in the air, and a long silence fell over the living room. Daniel’s face darkened. “Amelia, why are you being so dramatic again?” He walked over, reaching out to brush away the damp strands of hair stuck to my forehead, but I turned my head, dodging his touch. His hand froze mid-air, a flicker of impatience crossing his face. “Alright, I know you’re still thinking about Lily, but she’s been gone for so long now. We have to move forward.” He lowered his voice, gesturing towards Stella, who stood awkwardly to the side. “You know Stella’s situation. It’s just a piece of clothing. If we can help, we should. Don’t give people something to talk about.” Stella immediately handed the sweater back to me, her eyes red-rimmed and filled with apology. “Amelia, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know this sweater was so important to you. Daniel meant well, please don’t blame him. We don’t need this sweater.” But Daniel pushed the sweater back into her arms, his tone sharp. “Take it! Amelia just gets this way, she bottles things up, she’ll be fine in a bit.” He then turned to me, a slight frown creasing his brows. “Go clean up. You’re covered in dirt, don’t you mind stinking up the place for others?” “Dinner’s cold. Hurry up and bring it out. Stella and Lucy haven’t eaten yet.” I didn’t move, my gaze locked on that sweater. In his world, this was indeed a trivial matter. A piece of clothing, a neighbor, a perfectly logical act of kindness. He couldn’t understand, and he didn’t want to understand, what that sweater meant to me. My strength drained away, but I spoke again. “I want a divorce.” Daniel’s patience finally snapped. “Amelia Stone, have you lost your mind?! You want to destroy our family over an old, unworn sweater? Do you really think Lily in heaven would find peace with you acting like this?!” “It’s not just an old sweater.” I fought back the ache in my throat, looking into his eyes, trying to make him understand. “It was Lily’s. I knitted it for her with my own hands.” “I know it was Lily’s! A relic!” He raised his voice. “But the dead can’t come back to life! What’s the point of holding onto things? You spend all your time clutching those old things, locking yourself in the past. What’s the meaning in that?” “I gave the sweater to Lucy hoping it would be useful, and hoping it would help you move on! I’m doing this for your own good!” My throat constricted, a bitter ache spreading down my gullet. “Daniel Miller, you never once asked me.” He whirled around, glaring at me. “Ask you? Would you have agreed? You’d turn her room into a shrine, a museum, and yourself into a living ghost! I can’t just stand by and watch you like this!” His words sliced through me like sharp knives, one after another. Yes, I had carefully kept all of Lily’s things. Her drawings, her tiny hair clips, the shoes she wore, even the tissues she used – all sealed in storage bins in the attic. But that sweater, I couldn’t bear to put it away. On countless sleepless nights, I held that sweater, feeling the faint remnants of her scent, and that was how I barely made it through. It wasn’t just a piece of clothing; it was my solace. He didn’t understand, and he never tried to. He just thought I was sick, and he needed to fix me.

Seeing the situation, Stella quickly pulled her daughter Lucy’s hand. “Daniel, maybe we should just go home for now. Let’s not make you two argue because of us.” “Stella, stay out of it.” Daniel grabbed her arm. “This isn’t your fault; she’s just overthinking things. She just needs to calm down.” With that, he walked straight into the kitchen, brought out the dishes I had just cooked, and pulled Stella and Lucy to sit down and eat. No one paid any attention to me, standing alone in the living room. Laughter echoed from the dining table. A single tear fell silently at my feet. In that moment, I understood completely. He thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill. I thought he was cold and heartless. We lived under the same roof, but we were already people from two different worlds. I closed my eyes, forcing the tears back. When I opened them again, my gaze was clear. Stella eventually left, taking the sweater with her. Daniel walked over to me, attempting to embrace me. “My tone was a bit harsh just now, I apologize. I’m sorry.” I didn’t resist, letting him hold me. His body was warm, but that warmth never reached my heart. I remembered many years ago, during Lily’s illness. Lily’s hair fell out, and she started to refuse looking in the mirror. That yellow sweater was knitted during that time. I wanted her to be warm, and I wanted her to look less frail. The day the sweater was finished, Lily was overjoyed, flashing a long-lost smile at her reflection in the mirror. “Mommy, look, don’t I look like a little bunny?” I smiled and nodded, tears streaming down my face. When Daniel arrived, he also saw the sweater. He merely said flatly, “Looks nice. Don’t let her catch a cold.” Then, he answered his phone again. He was always busy; there was always something more important than his daughter and me. It wasn’t that he didn’t contribute; he covered all the medical expenses. But he left all the companionship, the agony, and the despair for me alone to bear. Now, he even wanted to take away the last shred of my memories. Pulling myself from my memories, I gently pushed him away. “Daniel Miller, the word you’ve said most to me these past few years is ‘I’m sorry.’” He was busy when I gave birth; I went to the hospital alone. He was busy when Lily was sick; I cared for her alone. He was busy during Lily’s funeral; I handled everything alone. Afterward, he would always quickly say he was sorry. With each of his apologies, my heart shattered over and over again. The light was dim, Daniel’s face largely hidden in shadow. I couldn’t make out his expression, but when he looked up, I met his eyes—utterly devoid of emotion. My heart lurched with pain. My voice came out fractured as I spoke again. “But I don’t need an apology.” He frowned. “I don’t understand. What do you need then? Love? We’ve been married for years, Amelia. That kind of ‘love’ is just empty sentiment now.” I stared blankly at the husband I’d been married to for ten years. His appearance hadn’t changed much. But his heart, it seemed, had never truly beaten for me from the very beginning. He saw my lack of reaction and was about to say something more when he received a call from his company. “Amelia, don’t overthink this. There’s an urgent matter at the company; I have to go.” He patted my head reassuringly. Just as he reached the door, Stella rushed in. Her face was tear-streaked, her words choked with sobs. “Daniel, Lucy has a fever, I don’t know what to do…” I heard Daniel say softly to her, “Don’t worry, I’ll drive you to the hospital right away!” The door slammed shut, and a deathly silence filled the living room. I tugged at the corner of my mouth, a bitter smile forming. When Lily was in the ICU and critical, Daniel never seemed so anxious. My heart felt utterly cold. He didn’t love me. All these years, I had always known. But I’d clung to a last sliver of hope, wondering if, with long years of being together, he might eventually fall in love with me. Now, with his actions, he told me. That day would never come. Never.

Daniel didn’t come home all night. My pillow was soaked, my eyes dry and stinging. I slowly sat up, gazing out at the gray dawn sky. My whole being felt desolate. I sat on the bed in a daze for a long time, then walked to the wardrobe and pulled open the bottom drawer. Inside were some of his old things. A photo album, a few letters, and a property deed. I used to never look through these. I believed there should be a basic level of trust and respect between husband and wife. But now, I just wanted to find an answer for myself. I opened the yellowed letters. They were love letters Daniel had written to Stella, every word filled with genuine affection. I closed the letters, feeling an indescribable mix of emotions. No jealousy, no anger, just a deep weariness that came from the bottom of my heart. Suddenly, I remembered many details I had ignored. The extraordinary enthusiasm Daniel showed when Stella first moved in. He proactively went to help her, introduced her to the neighborhood, acting with an eagerness completely unlike his usual self. Stella’s daughter naturally called him “Uncle Daniel,” and then, unconsciously, it became “Daddy Daniel.” Daniel never corrected her; in fact, he seemed to enjoy it. Yet, when Lily was alive, he rarely had the patience to play with her for more than half an hour. He *could* be gentle and patient, just never with my daughter and me. Daniel and I were childhood sweethearts. Growing up, Daniel was the object of adoration for all the kids around us, someone who radiated charisma in any crowd. To marry him was something I never dared to dream of. He sat across from me, smiling distantly, and finally said, “My parents really like you, and I think you’re pretty good too. So, let’s give it a try.” I thought my long, secret crush had finally found its perfect ending. Ten years of marriage, and I’d been like a furiously spinning top, toiling tirelessly for the family. No one appreciated my hard work, no one cared if I was tired. They only said, “Amelia is so capable.” Stella had said it too: “Amelia, you’re just too capable. You can do anything. Not like me, I panic at the slightest thing.” I smiled, saying nothing. All that ‘capability’ was merely forced out of me by his indifference. No one is born knowing everything. Stella didn’t know because she was pampered; even after her husband died, she still had Daniel. Just then, the door opened. Daniel was back. He walked in, calling out, “Amelia, Lucy had a high fever last night…” Not seeing me in the living room, he paused mid-sentence and found his way to the bedroom. Seeing my swollen, red eyes, he embraced me with a look of concern. “Amelia, are you not feeling well?” I didn’t answer, stating calmly, “Daniel Miller, yesterday’s divorce—I was serious.” His concern vanished instantly, replaced by impatience. “Reason?” I looked at him. “Because of these ten years. Daniel Miller, I married you, and I never once truly experienced love. Instead, I earned a pair of calloused hands.” I held out my palms. The rough, thick calluses, left by years of constant labor, were starkly visible in the bright light. “For these ten years, I’ve toiled thanklessly, serving your whole family. But now, I’m tired. I don’t want this anymore.” These words completely enraged Daniel. “Amelia Stone, have I ever mistreated you since we got married? Everything you eat, wear, and use – didn’t I provide it all?” “You don’t have to deal with the stress of a job like I do; you just get to be a ‘lady of leisure’ at home every day! You’re still not satisfied with this good life?!” “I’m telling you, don’t even *think* about divorce!” A sharp pain shot through my wrist. I struggled to break free, and with too much force, I stumbled backward. “Daniel Miller, do you think I’m asking for your permission?” I looked at him coldly. “Let me tell you! Whether you agree or not, I’m divorcing you!” With that, I dragged a dusty suitcase from the wardrobe and started packing my things. In less than ten minutes, I had packed everything I owned. I didn’t want these old items to stir any painful emotions. The heartless Daniel had truly never given me a single gift. I carried my suitcase to the door. Daniel followed me. He frowned deeply. “Amelia Stone, you don’t even have money for a lawyer, and you’re dreaming of divorce?” I gave a self-deprecating laugh. He was right. Ten years of marriage, and my personal bank balance had never exceeded three digits. What had this seemingly ‘perfect’ marriage, in the eyes of outsiders, truly given me? I met his gaze, my eyes filled with cold indifference. “Daniel Miller, don’t trouble yourself worrying about my lawyer. “Whether I have money or not, you’ll find out after the divorce.”

The next day, I contacted a lawyer to discuss divorce matters. Ms. Davies was an efficient, middle-aged woman. After listening to my account, she calmly analyzed. “Mr. Miller’s situation falls under typical emotional neglect and psychological abuse. While it’s hard to legally define him as the ‘at-fault’ party in that regard, we can fight for your maximum share of marital assets.” I nodded. “Ms. Davies, I want one more thing.” “What is it?” “My daughter’s sweater.” Ms. Davies paused, then seemed to understand, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. “Ms. Stone, rest assured, I will handle this for you.” As I walked out of the law firm, my phone rang. It was Daniel. I hesitated, then answered. “Where are you?” His voice on the other end was laced with suppressed fury. “Get back here right now, I…” I cut him off directly. “Daniel Miller, I’ve already retained a lawyer. She’ll send you the divorce papers as soon as possible.” “If you don’t agree, we’ll see each other in court.” With that, I immediately hung up, not giving him a chance to babble further. Just then, I saw an Ins update notification. It was from Stella Reed. The latest post, half an hour ago, was a photo of her and Daniel at a carousel in an amusement park, leaning intimately together, with Lucy in his arms. “Thank you for giving us such a wonderful afternoon.” I knew she wanted to provoke me, but instead of getting angry, I simply tapped the ‘like’ button. Seconds later, the post vanished without a trace. It seemed I wasn’t the one who was truly provoked. A week later was Lily’s death anniversary. In previous years, I had always spent this day alone. I would buy a bouquet of her favorite white daisies and go to the cemetery to talk to her. Daniel always had various excuses for his absence. Either an important meeting or an urgent business trip. This year, just like always, I went to the suburban cemetery with a bouquet of daisies. The photo on the tombstone was taken when Lily was five. In it, she was wearing the yellow sweater I had knitted, smiling with innocent joy. I gently wiped the dust from the photo, speaking softly to her. “Lily, Mommy came to see you.” “Mommy moved recently, to a very quiet place.” “Mommy’s knitting you a new sweater. When it’s finished, I’ll burn it for you, so you won’t be cold over there…” As I spoke, my voice choked with emotion. Faint footsteps sounded behind me. I assumed it was a cemetery worker and didn’t turn around. Until a familiar voice spoke above my head. “Amelia?” I spun around abruptly and saw Daniel. He looked thinner, with faint dark circles under his eyes, his expression haggard. What shocked me even more was that he wasn’t alone. Beside him stood Stella Reed and her daughter Lucy. And on Lucy, starkly visible, was *that* yellow sweater. In that instant, all the blood in my body froze. “What are you doing here?” My voice trembled slightly with anger. Daniel seemed oblivious to my distress. He placed the chrysanthemums Stella was holding in front of the tombstone and sighed. “I brought Stella and Lucy to see Lily.” Stella also stepped forward, bowing to the tombstone, and said softly, “Lily, Aunt Stella came to see you. Don’t blame your daddy, he always had you in his heart.” I let out a cold laugh. “Daniel Miller, what right does she have to visit my daughter? Your friend? Your neighbor?” I paused, my gaze like a knife. “Or your first love?” At that, Daniel and Stella’s faces both changed. Daniel instinctively stepped forward, shielding Stella, and snapped fiercely, “Amelia Stone! What nonsense are you spouting?! Don’t you dare tarnish Stella’s reputation here!” The more he defended her, the more he confirmed the truth. “Nonsense, you say?” I advanced on him, step by step. “Your girlfriend from college, the one you dated for three years, wasn’t her name Stella Reed? Later, her family ran into trouble, and she left without a word, and you were depressed for an entire year because of it. Did you think I didn’t know?” “You married me simply because I was honest, easy to control, a ‘suitable wife’ for settling down.” “And you think I don’t know? The apartment Stella lives in now? You bought it for her!”

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### 全文翻译 ### My Toxic System Wants Me Dead I’ve been stuck in this toxic romance novel for three years now. My system told me that as soon as the male lead’s affection meter hits 100%, I can finally go home. To get back, I’d willingly spent three years acting like his ultimate doormat. Then, one day, the system suddenly told me to go catch him cheating. It said it was a little game for couples to deepen their feelings. 【Host, he’s deliberately letting you find him and his ‘white moonlight’ at the hotel! He’s trying to provoke you, force you to get jealous! Men love seeing women fight over them!】 【Quick! Go in and join them! Become part of their game, and his affection meter will absolutely skyrocket!】 【Trust me, he’s waiting for you to burst in! He’s desperate for you to care!】 Listening to the system’s fervent instructions, I pushed open the hotel room door with a surge of adrenaline. But what greeted me wasn’t an increase in my boyfriend’s affection. It was his icy, disgusted glare, and a wad of cash he threw at me: “Trying to get my attention with these pathetic stunts again? Take the money and get lost. Don’t bother me.” I was dragged out of the hotel by security guards, humiliated, and left to shiver in the rain. I wiped away my tears. “I’m so stupid, falling for this idiotic system’s tricks again.”

Rain lashed down on me, quickly soaking through my thin dress. I hugged my knees, crouching by the hotel entrance, like a stray dog abandoned by its owner. I wanted to leave, to escape this humiliating place immediately. But the system started screaming in my head. 【You can’t leave! Host, now is the crucial moment for the male lead to test your sincerity!】 【He was just angry before. When he’s done and comes out to see you still waiting in the rain, all his anger will turn into heartache!】 【Haven’t you read those classic romance novels? It’s called ‘love in the rain,’ meant to seal your destiny forever! This storm today is meant to elevate your love!】 I looked up at the sky. The rain was coming down so hard, it felt like the heavens had broken. My lips started turning purple, and my teeth chattered uncontrollably. “I… I’m so cold.” 【Being cold is perfect! The more pathetic you look, the more heartbroken he’ll be! Trust me, he’s definitely restless in that room right now, with his mind full of you!】 I chose to believe it again. To go home, I had no other choice. I just stayed there, huddled under the hotel’s eaves, watching luxury cars drive in and couples intimately leave under their umbrellas. No one spared me a second glance. Time ticked by, minute by agonizing minute. My consciousness began to blur, and my body turned from icy cold to burning hot. 【Host, hold on! Every minute you wait now is another minute of heartache you cause him!】 【When he comes out and sees you, sick and collapsed because of him, that guilt will send his affection meter through the roof!】 The system’s voice still echoed in my mind. I leaned against the cold wall, my body starting to slide down uncontrollably. In a haze, I almost thought I saw Blake’s anxious face rushing towards me. I foolishly imagined he would hold me, wrap me in his warm coat, and take me home. But none of it happened. The sky had turned from pitch black to the soft, grey light of dawn. The rain finally lessened. The hotel’s revolving doors moved. I used every ounce of strength to lift my head. It was Blake. He looked refreshed, his hair perfectly combed, clearly having enjoyed a very pleasant night. Beside him, still in a thin dress, was his ‘white moonlight’—his idealized first love, Serena. My heart, in that moment, sank to the very bottom. Blake’s gaze swept over me without the slightest pause. He even frowned. Serena shivered, complaining, “Blake, it’s a bit cold.” Blake immediately took off his own jacket and draped it over Serena’s shoulders. Then, he embraced her and got into the car already waiting at the entrance, speeding away without a backward glance. Not once did he look at me properly. The car wheels splashed through a puddle, splattering me with mud. I couldn’t hold on any longer and completely lost consciousness. I woke up again in a hospital. A kind stranger had brought me here. The doctor said I had a high fever and exposure to the rain; any later, and I might have developed pneumonia. I lay in the hospital bed, the light illuminating my pale face. The system was finally quiet. I opened the system panel. The affection meter in the top right corner still read 5%. For three years, that number had never changed. Late at night, in my feverish state, I kept dreaming of going home. In my dreams, there was my mom’s homemade apple pie and warm mashed potatoes, and my cozy little bed. I woke up crying, finding my pillow soaked. The system popped up just then. 【Host, I’m so sorry. I underestimated the male lead’s ability to conceal his true feelings.】 【He didn’t show it then because he needed to maintain his cold demeanor in front of his ‘white moonlight.’ I detected that he tossed and turned all night, unable to rest.】 I listened numbly. It continued: 【But it’s okay. Even though it didn’t succeed this time, it showed him your determination. We’ll try a different strategy.】 What other strategy could I have? Except to be an even more obedient dog.

After being discharged, I returned to the villa. Blake was in the living room, on a FaceTime call with Serena, smiling dotingly. Seeing me return, he didn’t even end the call. He just lifted his chin, giving me an order: “Since you’re so free, find something to do.” “Starting tomorrow, you’ll make lunch for Serena every day and personally deliver it to her office.” Serena, on the other end of the FaceTime, let out a sweet giggle: “Blake, don’t be like that, it’s too much trouble for Cassidy.” Blake’s face held a smirk, his tone dismissive. “She’s just lounging around anyway. It’s her honor to serve you.” My hands clenched silently at my sides. But the system was having a party in my head. 【Host! Amazing news! He’s telling you to deliver food to the ‘white moonlight’! This is creating an opportunity for you!】 【Think about it, appearing in front of Serena every day is practically you staking your claim, isn’t it?】 【You’re telling everyone that the only one who gets to lovingly prepare meals for Blake’s woman is you, Cassidy!】 What else could I say? I could only accept. The next day, I received a menu from Serena. Only one item: Mango Mousse. My heart plummeted. The system asked, puzzled: 【What’s wrong, Host? That’s so simple.】 My voice was hoarse. “I… I’m allergic to mangoes.” It wasn’t just that I couldn’t eat them. Even smelling the scent or handling the fruit would trigger a severe allergic reaction. 【Allergic?】 The system fell silent for a few seconds, then shrieked. 【Fantastic! Host, this is a heaven-sent opportunity!】 【Think about it, you’re risking an allergic reaction to make cake for his woman! What kind of spirit is that?】 【This is true, heroic devotion! How much heartache will he feel when he finds out? This is more effective than delivering a hundred meals!】 So, I put on double gloves and a mask and went into the kitchen. But the scent of mangoes still crept in. My skin started itching, my throat felt blocked, and I coughed uncontrollably, my chest aching. But I endured, carefully slicing the fruit, whipping the cream, and layering the crust. Then, I delivered the finished cake to Serena’s company. It was a high-end fashion company with luxurious decor. My simple clothes made me feel completely out of place. All the way there, I endured the receptionist’s disdainful looks and the employees’ whispered mockery. When I reached Serena’s office, Blake was there too. He seemed to always be there. I placed the cake on the table. Serena didn’t even glance at me. She just opened the box and exclaimed exaggeratedly, “Wow, it’s beautiful! Cassidy, your hands are so skilled.” But she dug out a large piece of cake with her fork, then didn’t eat it. Seeing this, Blake assumed she didn’t like it, and his face instantly darkened. He sharply turned and glared at me, his eyes filled with disgust and impatience. “Cassidy, what kind of garbage did you make? You can’t even make a simple cake!” “And you look disgusting with that coughing fit and your face all blotchy. Don’t stand there grossing out Serena!” My heart felt like it had been violently stabbed by him. Only then did Serena smile, satisfied. “Blake, don’t be so harsh on Cassidy. I just suddenly lost my appetite.” “But this cake is Cassidy’s effort, don’t waste it.” She bent down and offered the spoon to a Pomeranian dog at her feet. “Pippin, sweetie, try this. That auntie made it especially for you.” My heart instantly turned to ice. The little dog happily stuck out its tongue, licking the cake I’d poured my literal blood, sweat, and tears into, nearly coughing myself to death. “Aww, Pippin is so good! You’re eating so well.” Serena stroked the dog’s head, not even looking at me. I stiffly turned my head to Blake, my eyes pleading slightly. I thought he would at least say something for me. But he didn’t. He just leaned lazily on the couch, watching dotingly. He said, “As long as you’re happy.” Suppressed snickers erupted around the room. The system was frantically scrolling across my mind. 【Host, did you see that?! He yelled at you! He yelled at you in front of his ‘white moonlight’! This is called ‘reverse favoritism’!】 【He’s deliberately belittling you to lower Serena’s guard! In reality, his heart is bleeding for you!】 【He called you disgusting, but he was actually heartbroken by your allergic reaction! Men are just so contradictory!】 My voice was trembling. “He… they fed the cake I made to a dog…” 【The point isn’t that it was fed to a dog, the point is Serena is happy! Did you hear what the male lead said? ‘As long as you’re happy!’】 【This means that as long as you can make Serena happy, the male lead will be happy!】 【Once the male lead is happy, won’t that affection meter just come flooding in?】 【Host, this is a shortcut to his heart! You’re not trying to please Serena now, you’re directly conquering the male lead by pleasing Serena!】 I was speechless. Seeing me stare blankly, Blake’s eyes started to show impatience. “Why are you still here? Waiting to be laughed to death?” I numbly stood up and left the office. I don’t know how I walked out of that building. I only remember on the way back, I clawed at my arms, leaving bloody scratches, but the itching was still excruciating. Passing a mirror, I saw large red rashes all over my face and neck, looking utterly miserable. I remembered Blake’s words, “looking disgusting,” and his doting kiss, Serena’s triumphant smile, and the dog eating my hard work. It started raining again on the road. The heavy sound of the rain finally drowned out my uncontrollable sobs. And on the system panel, that 5% affection meter remained stubbornly fixed, completely unchanged.

Days slipped by in numbness and humiliation. Soon, a very special day for me arrived. It was the anniversary of my grandmother’s passing, the day I was inexplicably pulled into this book world. My grandma was my only family. After she passed away, I was chosen by the system and thrown into this hellhole. The only thing I brought with me was a simple wooden hair pin my grandmother left me. For three years, it had been my most important emotional anchor. Every year on this day, I would take it out, talk to it, and pretend my grandma was still here. But this year, I couldn’t even keep that last bit of solace. Blake, wanting to throw a grand birthday party for Serena, had a sudden idea: a “treasure hunt game” at the villa. He had the butler round up all the interesting little trinkets in the villa as prizes. Then, he saw the small wooden box I kept by my bedside. He opened the box, took out the hairpin, and twirled it in his fingers, a look of undisguised contempt on his face. “What’s this? A piece of junk wood?” I rushed forward, trying to snatch it back. “Give it back! It’s my grandmother’s keepsake!” Blake was clearly startled, then his face darkened. It was the first time in three years I had ever raised my voice at him. Feeling his authority challenged, he shoved me to the ground, pinching the hairpin between two fingers and holding it up. “A keepsake? Perfect. Since it’s so precious, let’s make it a prize.” “I announce that whoever finds it fastest at the party will get one wish granted by me.” “No! Please! You can’t do this!” I knelt on the floor, tears streaming down my face for the first time, begging him bitterly. But he completely ignored me, preparing to hand the hairpin to his assistant. I watched as my grandmother’s only relic was about to be degraded into a mere prop for strangers’ amusement, a bargaining chip for their personal gain. Three years of humiliation, and all the suppressed grievances and unwillingness, came crashing down in that moment. My mind went blank. The system was still screaming in my head. 【Host! This is a fantastic opportunity to integrate into his social circle!】 【It’s just a hairpin! Trading it for a chance to get noticed by his friends? That’s a steal! Hurry and say you agree!】 I didn’t listen. I scrambled up from the floor, glaring at Blake. The instant he turned to hand the hairpin to his assistant, I slapped him hard across the face! “Slap!” A crisp, loud sound echoed through the empty living room. Everyone fell silent. Blake’s head snapped to the side, a clear five-finger mark quickly appearing on his face. He had grown up pampered, everything going his way, surrounded by admirers. This was the first time anyone had ever hit him. He turned slowly to look at me, disbelief in his eyes. “Cassidy, you dare hit me?” The next second, he grabbed my neck, slamming me against the wall. His eyes were bloodshot. “I guess I’ve been too lenient with you!” My head spun with stars from the impact. The choking sensation made it impossible to breathe, and tears involuntarily streamed down my face. The system in my mind instantly crashed, letting out an unprecedented, piercing alarm: 【Alert! Alert! S-class violation! Host has attacked core capture target! You’re done for! Termination sequence initiated…】 I closed my eyes, waiting for death. Three years of torment, it was enough. Not being able to go home, or being terminated, anything was better than staying here! However, the expected searing pain didn’t come. Instead, a prompt I had never heard before sounded. 【Ding! Detecting unprecedented emotional fluctuation in capture target!】 【Congratulations, Host! Successfully triggered hidden core plotline – Chasing Wife to Cremation Grounds!】 【Blake’s Affection +20%! Current Affection: 25%!】

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“Liam Thorne demands one of our daughters in marriage, or he won’t stop crushing our company!” “If we refuse, the bank will foreclose on us tomorrow!” Dad looked at my sister and me with a tormented expression until I stepped forward. “I’ll do it.” “I only have one condition: the funds Liam’s family injects must be used to stabilize the company Mom left behind.” Mr. Sterling nodded eagerly: “Of course, that’s a given.” “Sister!” My younger sister, Amber Sterling, cried out and rushed to me: “Liam Thorne is crazy! He hates our family. He’ll torture you to death if you marry him!” I gently stroked her hair. Amber was only twenty, pure and beautiful. How could she be pushed into a lion’s den? “Liam and I, we practically grew up together. Maybe… he won’t be too hard on me.” Anyway, I was in the late stages of cancer and didn’t have much time left. I didn’t tell anyone about my illness, silently accepting all the wedding arrangements. On the wedding day, the luxurious ballroom was packed with guests. Standing on stage, I remembered that year, Liam Thorne clinging to a tree, calling out to me. “Lara, when we grow up, will you marry me?” The boy who used to gently call me “Lara” had grown into a handsome, cold man. Our childhood jest had come true, but at this moment, Liam Thorne walked in, arm in arm with another woman, also dressed in a wedding gown. Two brides? The entire hall erupted in chaos. Reporters’ flashlights flickered madly, capturing this absurd scene. Liam Thorne led Celeste Hayes to me and announced: “Today, the woman I’m marrying is Celeste Hayes.” “As for her, she’s just a ‘gift’ the Sterlings shamelessly shoved at me.” Countless gazes, like sharp blades, slowly carved away my dignity and pride. “Liam Thorne, don’t go too far!” I forced myself to straighten my back, maintaining the last shred of grace befitting a Sterling heiress. Liam Thorne leaned close to my ear, whispering: “I advise you to watch closely. If you dare to leave even a step, the Sterlings will be bankrupt tomorrow.” That’s when I vaguely heard a voice: 【Isn’t this too much for Lara? She looks… like she’s about to shatter.】 【No, I can’t go soft. Don’t forget how my parents died!】 Lara? That was my special nickname, a secret only Liam knew. Why would he call me by my nickname? I shook my head. The wedding was so loud, it must have been my imagination. The wedding continued. I stood dazedly in a corner, watching Liam Thorne and Celeste Hayes exchange vows and rings. “Look at that Sterling girl, how pathetic and humiliating!” “Serves her right! Her mother ruined the Thornes back then.” “The Sterlings are shameless, shamelessly offering their daughter, but Mr. Thorne doesn’t even want her!” “She really brought this on herself, showing up in a wedding dress. Who gave her the nerve?” I forced a smile, enduring the mocking and gloating stares of the guests. My family sat in a corner, faces ashen, but daring not to speak. After the wedding, Dad rushed to me, scolding me relentlessly. “Why didn’t you tell me Liam Thorne would do this? You made us lose face in front of everyone!” “Father, I only just found out myself,” I whispered. “Useless!” Dad threw off my hand and walked away. A sharp pain shot through my chest, and I coughed, a patch of bright red blood blooming on my handkerchief. “Liam Thorne, does this kind of revenge make you happy?” That year, the Thorne family suffered a tragedy. All evidence pointed to my recently deceased mother stealing business secrets, leading to their bankruptcy. Liam’s father, unable to bear the blow, jumped to his death. His mother, fleeing creditors, was hit by a car and died. From then on, our two families became bitter enemies, and Liam Thorne vanished completely from my world. When I heard Liam Thorne’s name again, he was an influential business magnate, returning with a heart full of hatred. I forced a smile, uglier than a cry: “Liam Thorne, as for the truth of what happened that year, I no longer have the strength to pursue it. Let me use this last bit of time to repay what my mother owed you.” 2. I watched Liam Thorne’s retreating back, swallowing the blood that had risen to my throat: “But I’ll be gone soon, and then you’ll get what you want.” Perhaps, this was the only way I could atone. Even though I wasn’t the bride at that wedding, the agreement was signed; I had to move into the Thorne mansion. The butler led me to a small room. “Mr. Thorne said Miss Hayes will reside in the master bedroom. You will stay in the servant’s quarters.” Mr. Hemmings said coldly: “You are just a servant. Do not imagine you’ll receive any special privileges.” I looked at the cramped room, containing only a single bed and an old desk. I knew Liam Thorne was doing this on purpose. He wanted me to remember at all times. In the Thorne mansion, I was nothing more than a lowly servant, perhaps even less. That night, I coughed up blood incessantly, curled up on the small bed, writhing in pain and drenched in cold sweat. The medication’s effects were fading. I knew I wouldn’t last much longer. Life at the Thorne mansion was harder than I’d imagined. On the first day, Mr. Hemmings woke me at 5 AM to clean. When Liam Thorne woke up, he saw me: “Go prepare breakfast.” “Ah, why would Miss Sterling cook?” Celeste Hayes affectionately hooked her arm through Liam Thorne’s: “We have servants.” Liam Thorne snorted: “If she doesn’t, who will? The Sterlings sent her here precisely to serve.” “I understand.” I clenched my fists and nodded. When the breakfast was served, Celeste Hayes took a bite and immediately frowned: “It’s so salty! Liam, I can’t eat this.” Liam Thorne glared at me: “On purpose?” “No, I—” Before I could finish, Liam Thorne grabbed the plate and smashed it on the floor. The sound of shattering porcelain was particularly grating. Egg yolk splattered on my clothes and feet, but I merely bent down silently to clean it up. “You can’t even make breakfast. What good are you?” Liam Thorne sneered: “Don’t eat today. Kneel here and reflect.” I stubbornly retorted: “Why should I?” “Why should you?” Liam Thorne moved closer to me, his icy gaze piercing my heart. “Because I can destroy the Sterlings at any moment.” 【I shouldn’t have agreed to let Lara marry me…】 The strange voice echoed again. I suppressed my confusion, gritted my teeth, and knelt. Liam Thorne and Celeste Hayes deliberately walked past me before leaving. He held Celeste’s hand, not sparing me a single glance. I knelt from seven in the morning until noon, five agonizing hours. My knees were long numb, but not as much as the ache in my heart. Liam Thorne and Celeste Hayes returned, seeing me still kneeling there. Liam Thorne walked past me: “You really stayed kneeling all this time? Such a stubborn fool.” 【How can she be so stupid… she doesn’t even know how to slack off?】 【Is this really the time to be so stubborn?】 “Get up. Go prepare lunch.” I struggled to my feet, my knees aching intensely, almost causing me to fall. Leaning on the wall, I shuffled step by step toward the kitchen. I noticed that whenever Liam Thorne was close to me, strange voices would appear in my ears. Could they be his thoughts? As soon as I sat down for the meal, Liam Thorne suddenly spoke: “You’re a servant. Go to the servant’s table over there.” I bit my lip, stood up, and walked to the servant’s table. A moment later, Liam Thorne called me over, pointing to Celeste Hayes’s leftover food: “It’s a waste to throw it out. You eat it.” Celeste Hayes covered her mouth and chuckled: “Liam, wouldn’t that be inappropriate? How can Sister eat my leftovers?” Liam Thorne pulled me closer, a flicker of agitation in his eyes: “Your mother’s debt, you must pay. Understand what happens if you defy me.” 【Her mother’s actions… they have nothing to do with her…】 【No, Liam Thorne, don’t forget your parents… they were innocent too—】 I heard Liam Thorne’s internal struggle. Under everyone’s mocking gaze, I silently picked up the forks and swallowed the food. 3. The next day, Liam Thorne announced a family dinner, inviting business partners. “You’ll be responsible for cooking and serving,” he commanded coldly. I spent the entire day in a frantic rush, preparing dishes. When the guests arrived, I was forced to wear a maid’s uniform and serve. I moved among the guests, carrying wine glasses, my smile a frozen mask. “Isn’t that the Sterling heiress? Why is she serving?” Someone whispered. “I heard Mr. Thorne only loves Miss Hayes. She’s shamelessly clinging to the Thorne mansion, so this is his way of punishing her.” While Liam Thorne was away, Celeste Hayes deliberately spilled hot soup on me: “Oops, I’m so sorry, my hand slipped.” The scalding soup reddened my arm. I endured the pain and smiled: “It’s okay, I’ll go change.” Back in my room, I took off my soaked uniform. Blisters were already forming on my arm. In the mirror, my face was pale, my lips bitten until they bled from suppressing coughs. “Watching them being affectionate? Heh, I’ll just consider it a show. After all, I don’t have much time left.” I said to my reflection, mocking myself. At this moment, I didn’t know someone had left a burn ointment outside my door. But a moment later, someone took the ointment away. On the third day, Liam Thorne ordered me to clean the swimming pool. The early autumn weather was already cool, and the pool water was bone-chilling. I squatted by the pool, scrubbing, when someone suddenly pushed me into the water from behind. “I’m sorry, I accidentally bumped into you.” Celeste Hayes stood by the pool, feigning apology. I was soaked through, the icy water filling my lungs, triggering a violent cough. A few mouthfuls of blood mixed into the pool water. Fortunately, the surface was disturbed, so no one noticed. When I crawled out of the pool, shivering, Liam Thorne arrived. “It’s not clean here.” Celeste Hayes pointed to a barely visible spot. Liam Thorne pursed his lips and ordered: “Do it again.” On the fourth day, I woke up dizzy. I knew falling into the water yesterday had given me a cold. “Compared to cancer, what’s a cold?” I forced myself to get up, folded the blood-stained handkerchief, and hid it in a secret compartment. In the mirror, I was paler than yesterday, the dark circles under my eyes particularly prominent. I took out foundation, meticulously covering up my illness. “I can’t let him know I’m dying, otherwise this revenge game won’t be fun.” I thought to myself, mocking. For some reason, I didn’t want Liam Thorne to know about my condition. Perhaps I didn’t want to give him an ounce of pity. “Just get through today, and then tomorrow…” I whispered, cheering myself on. Today, I was ordered to prune the roses in the garden. No tools were provided, so I had to remove the thorns with my bare hands. My hands were soon covered in scratches. That evening, at the dinner table, Liam Thorne pointed to my hands and said to Celeste Hayes: “Look, these bloodstains are just like a rose.” Celeste Hayes giggled: “Liam, you’re so funny.” On the fifth day, Liam Thorne ordered me to tidy the study. A pink teddy bear fell out of a box. I picked it up and saw “To Lara, from Liam” written on the tag. Only the “Lara” part was smeared with black ink, but I could still make it out if I looked closely. I subconsciously asked: “Liam, was this something you made for me when we were kids?” Liam Thorne frowned: “No, I didn’t.” I walked closer and handed him the toy. Liam Thorne’s expression was complex when he saw the inscription, but he quickly regained his cold demeanor. “No.” 【I made this myself back then. I wanted to give it to you as a birthday present, but when I came home, all I saw was my dad’s corpse!】 【Why, Lara, why did your mother do that? What did my parents do wrong?】 Hearing these words, my heart suddenly throbbed, and tears streamed down my face. Liam Thorne frowned, snatched the toy, threw it into the trash can, and quickly left. I knelt by the trash can, clutching my chest, my heart in agony. I’m sorry, Liam… I got up and continued tidying, then saw a stack of photos. 4. Among them was a photo of Liam Thorne and me when we were children. They were smiling so happily, carefree back then— I secretly tucked one photo into my chest. “Out.” Liam Thorne’s icy voice echoed from the doorway. “Get out now!” I hurriedly left the study. Liam Thorne’s face was grim: “Why did you steal Celeste’s jewelry?” I looked up in shock: “I didn’t!” “Search her room.” Liam Thorne instructed Mr. Hemmings. Mr. Hemmings quickly retrieved a diamond necklace from my room. I recognized it as one Celeste Hayes had worn. “I really didn’t take it!” I urgently waved my hands in defense. Liam Thorne sneered: “The stolen goods are in your room, and you’re still denying it?” 【Lara wouldn’t steal. Celeste’s trick is too childish. Forget it, I’ll punish her 10 times, then let her go!】 Hearing that, my defiant movements ceased. I let Liam Thorne drag me to the center of the living room and force me to my knees. Liam Thorne ordered all the servants to come and watch me kneel. He wanted everyone to see my identity as a “thief.” Celeste Hayes stood by, her eyes gleaming with triumph. This time, once everyone dispersed, I got up. I returned to my room, my bruised knees still aching. “Ten times, Liam Thorne. I don’t know if I can make it.” I whispered to the moonlight: “I hope that after I die, you can let go of the hatred in your heart.” Just then, Liam Thorne walked to my door. He vaguely heard “let go… of hatred.” He stood motionless outside my door for half an hour, but in the end, he didn’t have the courage to enter. He could only place the healing ointment by the door and leave. No one noticed… After he left, Celeste Hayes, who had been hiding in the corner, emerged. She slowly picked up the medicine from the floor, her eyes filled with resentment as she stared at the door. She unwillingly raised a hand to touch her face. Liam Thorne, I went through so many procedures, and only then did you truly look at me. You won’t leave me! Celeste Hayes enjoyed cultivating a precious, delicate flower that required meticulous daily care. Liam Thorne ordered me to be responsible for its upkeep. The flower was so fragile; it would wither with the slightest neglect. I went several nights without proper sleep, tending to the flower, my mind dazed. I even accidentally knocked off a petal. Celeste Hayes immediately burst into tears, complaining to Liam Thorne: “Is Miss Sterling upset that I took her place, and she’s taking it out on my flower?” Liam Thorne, without a word, grabbed my throat. He pressed me firmly against the wall, his eyes ferocious: “You can’t even do this small task right? Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to upset Celeste?” 【Only 4 times left.】 Four times? Didn’t he say ten? Was he counting all the previous punishments? Soon, the sensation of choking set in, and I instinctively struggled. Celeste Hayes continued to fan the flames: “Liam, Sister’s gaze is so scary!” “Speaking of which, Sister looks so much like Aunt Sterling. Aunt Sterling must have been a great beauty back then, too. What a pity…” She trailed off, guiding Liam Thorne’s thoughts back to those painful memories. “Liam, I heard that Aunt Sterling used some rather unscrupulous methods to get the Thorne family’s secrets back then… Is that true?” Liam Thorne already harbored a deep hatred for my mother. Celeste Hayes’s seemingly innocent, yet malicious provocations, were undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. Not until my face turned purple and I was on the verge of fainting did Liam Thorne suddenly release me: “That face of yours, it’s just like your venomous mother’s. It makes me sick!” 【No! Can’t go soft! Four more times, four more times…】 5. I collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, my throat tasting of rust. Liam Thorne looked at me coldly: “Remember your place. You’re just a tool the Sterlings sent to atone. You’re not even worth a single strand of Celeste’s hair!” I was punished again, forced to kneel in the courtyard to reflect on my so-called “misdeeds.” The cold wind cut through my thin nightgown, making me shiver uncontrollably and cough incessantly. Celeste Hayes, wrapped in a warm blanket and holding a hot cocoa, stood on the second-floor balcony, looking down at my pathetic state. “Liam, Sister isn’t well. Don’t let her catch a cold,” she feigned concern. “She won’t die,” Liam Thorne’s voice was colder than the winter wind. Every word he spoke was like a knife, slowly carving at my already fragile heart. I coughed harder and harder, droplets of crimson falling onto the cold flagstones, which I hurriedly wiped away with my sleeve. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on. For me, waking up each day was an ordeal. That day, Celeste Hayes, feigning virtue, suggested to Liam Thorne: “Liam, it’s your parents’ anniversary in a few days. Why don’t we go to church to pray for them? I hear it’s very effective there.” Liam Thorne’s longing for his parents was his soft spot. He nodded upon hearing this: “Okay, you make the arrangements.” The church was in the city center, and many people came to pray every day. Celeste Hayes suddenly said: “I heard that kneeling while praying shows more piety and moves God more.” Liam Thorne’s gaze also fell on me. My heart sank sharply. It was summer, and the sun was scorching. Even standing for a few minutes was enough to make one dizzy, let alone kneeling on the hard stone. Especially in my current sickly state. Seeing that Liam Thorne remained silent, Celeste Hayes remembered the times he had sent me medicine. “Sister,” Celeste Hayes said, disregarding everything: “To pray for the Thorne family, the one who truly needs to atone is you. Go kneel and pray, to atone for the evil deeds your mother committed back then.” I looked at Liam Thorne, meeting his complex, unreadable gaze. His not stopping Celeste Hayes meant he tacitly agreed. I calmly replied, “Okay, I’ll go.” I looked up at the scorching sun, bent my knees, kowtowed heavily, then rose, took a step, knelt again, kowtowed… The stone steps were rough and cold. Soon, my knees were abraded, and blood seeped out, staining my pants. I mechanically repeated the actions, my mind flashing with my mother’s gentle smile, with little Liam Thorne calling me “Lara,” and with Liam Thorne’s cold eyes and merciless humiliation. The pain made me numb, but also clearer. Mom, if there really was a mistake back then, let your daughter repay it for you… Liam Thorne, is this punishment enough to extinguish the hatred in your heart? I gritted my teeth, supporting my shaky body with sheer willpower. Bloodstains snaked across the flagstones, a shocking sight. I don’t know how long it had been, but when the prayers ended, I had collapsed at the church entrance. At that moment, I was disoriented, with only a faint breath. Liam Thorne looked at me, lying in a pool of blood. His heart suddenly constricted, and an unprecedented panic gripped him. He instinctively wanted to step forward but was held back by Celeste Hayes. “Liam, Sister is just tired. Let’s get someone to take her back to rest quickly,” Celeste Hayes’s voice sounded at just the right moment, covering Liam Thorne’s momentary loss of composure. Liam Thorne stiffly nodded, averting his gaze, but the bloodstains were etched into his eyes like a brand, refusing to fade. 6. I lay unconscious in the maid’s room for two days, my knee wounds inflamed and festering, and a high fever persisted. In my delirium, I vaguely heard Liam Thorne’s voice. 【Lara, you’ll hate me too, won’t you?】 A high fever left me even weaker. Just as I felt myself giving up, a call from an overseas doctor gave me hope. “Miss Sterling, this is Dr. Schmidt.” “We’ve had a breakthrough in our previous attempts. Although the risk is high, there’s a thirty percent chance we can control the disease, and even extend your life.” Thirty percent… This number, for someone already condemned to death, was nothing short of a miracle. But then, the treatment cost the doctor quoted was like a bucket of cold water, instantly sobering me up— The initial treatment alone would require at least two million. Two million… I was penniless. How could I possibly come up with that much money? But I wanted to live. I hung up the phone, a glimmer of hope ignited within me, and I secretly returned to the Sterling mansion. Pushing open the familiar door, I saw Dad pacing anxiously in the living room. My stepmother, Margot Sterling, and my sister, Amber Sterling, sat nearby, the atmosphere heavy. “Dad, why haven’t the subsequent funds from the Thornes arrived yet? If this continues, the company really won’t last!” Amber Sterling complained, her eyes catching sight of me. Her face instantly changed: “Dad, Sister’s back!” Dad saw me, and the annoyance in his eyes instantly turned into undisguised disgust: “Did you upset Liam Thorne?” Margot Sterling also feigned concern: “Elara, I’m not criticizing you, but since you’re married into their family, you should be sensible. Mr. Thorne is our family’s only hope now.” Hope? My heart sank little by little. I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but the bitterness in my throat choked me. I suppressed the metallic taste in my throat and spoke with difficulty: “Dad, I came back to ask the family for some money… for medical treatment.” “Medical treatment? What treatment?” Amber Sterling’s voice was sharp: “Sister, our family is almost bankrupt now. Where would we get money for your treatment?” “Besides, you’re married into the Thorne family. You’re their person. If you need money, you should ask Liam Thorne!” “Exactly!” Mr. Sterling impatiently waved his hand. “You can’t even get that little bit of money? Useless! Go quickly and butter him up. Make him give us the funds, otherwise, if the Sterlings are finished, you won’t have it easy either!” Margot Sterling chimed in: “Elara, it’s not that we don’t want to help you, but the family is truly struggling. You should go back to the Thorne mansion quickly and think about how to make Mr. Thorne happy.” Butter him up? I looked at these so-called relatives, feeling only absurdity and sorrow. “I…” I still wanted to say something, but Amber Sterling impatiently pushed me. “No money! Not a cent!” The servant, having received a signal, immediately stepped forward to “escort” me out. I never imagined that one day I wouldn’t even be allowed into my own home, becoming an outsider. How could this be? Dad and my sister weren’t like this to me before. Yes, it must be because the family is in such dire straits! Unwilling to give up, I lingered outside the door for a long time. When the servant walked away, I quietly turned back, hoping to try again. But outside the door, I overheard a conversation that utterly crushed me. “Hmph, if she wasn’t still somewhat useful, I would have thrown her out ages ago! A money pit!” Mr. Sterling snorted coldly. “The only reason I was ever good to her was because she held the 10% of Sterling Group shares her mother left her.” “Now it’s fine. To meet Liam Thorne’s conditions, the shares have already been transferred to the Thorne family!” I shuddered. Without the shares, I was a worthless “money pit”? “What about the subsequent funds, then? Liam Thorne’s side…” “What’s the rush?” Mr. Sterling’s voice turned sinister. “I’ve already figured out a way. Find an opportunity to give her some drugs and get her pregnant with Liam Thorne’s child.” “As long as she has a Thorne heir, why would Liam Thorne not care about our family?” 7. Amber Sterling exclaimed, overjoyed: “Dad! You’re so smart!” “Ultimately, Liam Thorne hates our family so much because of her mother. This way, we can use her child to control him!” Then the three of them discussed many other things, the content of which sent chills down my spine, plunging me into an icy abyss. Amber Sterling’s age… had been altered. Dad had already been having an affair with Margot, his mistress, even before Mom passed away! It turned out that the meager fatherly love I had felt since childhood was merely built upon those shares. Without the shares, I became a pawn to be sacrificed at will. I was even to be used to conceive an unwanted child, purely for profit. It was truly difficult for these three to keep up the act for so long. What a Sterling family! I leaned against the cold wall, smiling silently, but tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes. “I was blind to even think of saving you before I died.” I wiped away my tears. I had to save myself. Back at the Thorne mansion, I opened the jewelry box my mother had left me. Inside were my last mementos, and my only hope. A pair of lustrous pearl earrings, a jade necklace of excellent quality, and several delicate gold ornaments. Each piece carried my mother’s love and my warm childhood memories. “Mom… I’m sorry.” I carefully put away the jewelry. The next day, I went to the largest jewelry store in the city. After appraisal, these valuable jewels only fetched one million three thousand. I was still nearly half a million short of two million. But at least, there was half a chance. However, as I left the jewelry store, Celeste Hayes spotted me. Celeste Hayes immediately exaggeratedly told Liam Thorne. “Liam, I just saw Sister coming out of the biggest jewelry store. It seems… she sold a lot of jewelry.” Celeste Hayes feigned worry: “She’s at the Thorne mansion every day, why would she be short on money? Unless…” “Unless what?” Liam Thorne’s gaze turned cold. Celeste Hayes guessed: “Unless… she’s planning to take the money and run?” “Run?” The pressure around Liam Thorne instantly dropped. “She wouldn’t dare!” Liam Thorne picked up the phone and gave cold instructions. “Check my recent bank account activity and freeze all accounts under her name!” Just as I was about to get the doctor’s account number and transfer money at the bank counter, “Miss, I’m sorry, your account has been temporarily frozen due to suspected abnormal transactions.” Abnormal transactions? All I did was sell my mother’s keepsakes for life-saving money! Who froze my account? Could it be Liam Thorne?! Only he had the power and the motive. I walked out of the bank, utterly dejected. The sunlight was dazzling, yet the world felt utterly gray. Despair, like a tide, engulfed me. Heaven didn’t want me to live. Everyone wanted me dead. Liam Thorne’s bodyguards quickly found me and took me back to the mansion. Liam Thorne was already impatient: “You won’t get away!” I said weakly: “I… I just needed some money…” Celeste Hayes interrupted me: “Miss Sterling stole antiques from the Thorne mansion, sold them, and tried to run off with the money, didn’t she?” I saw Celeste Hayes’s resentful expression and instantly knew she was stirring up trouble: “I didn’t steal! I really…” “Slap—!” A resounding slap landed hard on my face, cutting me off. The man’s force was so great that I stumbled back into a nearby bookshelf, blood seeping from my forehead. Liam Thorne rushed over, grabbing my chin, his eyes sinister: “I found out you bought an overseas plane ticket. You Sterlings, every single one of you is a liar!” 【Only 1 time left. Why are you running away?!】 Liam Thorne stared at the blood on my forehead, stunned: 【How could I hit her? Lara, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!】 【I’ll let you go—】 8. My head rang, ears buzzing with a sharp ringing. I couldn’t hear anything. I only saw Liam Thorne’s lips moving, his face etched with undisguised disgust and fury. “Liam Thorne, are you going to extinguish my last hope, too?” I stared desperately at this utterly unfamiliar man. The last bit of strength to explain and the last glimmer of hope for survival extinguished with that slap. I said nothing more, merely looked at Liam Thorne with an almost dead gaze, then stumbled to my feet. As I turned, I didn’t see a silent tear falling down Liam Thorne’s face. That night, my body felt feverish, my consciousness hazy. I ran out to find water, bumping into Liam Thorne, who had also been drugged. I was like a leaf floating on a tumultuous sea. Powerless, I could only endure collision after collision. Physical pain and the drug’s hallucinatory effects intertwined, making it impossible to distinguish reality from illusion. Vaguely, I seemed to hear a muffled… “Lara”? Was it a hallucination? How could he still call me “Lara”? A chaotic and painful night. As dawn approached, the drug’s effects gradually receded, and consciousness slowly returned. I looked at Liam Thorne, sleeping beside me. His exquisitely handsome face, at this moment, was devoid of its usual coldness and disgust. My heart trembled, filled with humiliation, pain. And a flicker of emotion hidden deep within, one I dared not admit even to myself… intertwined. He hated me so much; I couldn’t let him know! I quietly crept out of bed, enduring the tearing pain in my body. I picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and fled the room in a state of disarray. As I ran out, I bumped right into Celeste Hayes. “Why are you coming out of Liam’s room?” She had only gone back to her family’s house for one night, and I had already climbed into his bed? Celeste Hayes entered the room and indeed smelled an ambiguous scent. Liam Thorne would never willingly touch me! Thinking of this possibility, Celeste Hayes quickly took off her clothes and climbed into Liam Thorne’s bed, pretending she had spent the night with him. The next day, Liam Thorne had intended to let me leave. But— In his memory, he vaguely recalled that the woman last night was very slender, while Celeste Hayes had a slightly fuller figure. Was it Lara last night? Liam Thorne hesitated and began to pay attention to me. He accidentally discovered a small medicine bottle I had hidden, labeled “Powerful Pain Reliever.” “Pain reliever?” A hint of doubt began to sprout in his heart. Celeste Hayes happened to come looking for Liam Thorne: “The Sterlings have been trying to steal our South City project recently! They’re also shamelessly flaunting you as their son-in-law and me as Mrs. Thorne to swindle and deceive! It’s absolutely shameless!” The Sterlings’ greed and shamelessness once again ignited Liam Thorne’s fury. That fleeting hint of doubt and worry that had just surfaced was instantly replaced by anger and disgust. In the following days, Liam Thorne was busy with business, coming home early and leaving late, shaking off the bothersome Sterlings. Late one night, he saw me sitting alone by the window, taking out my sketchbook and pencil, quietly drawing something. Moonlight fell on my slender profile, outlining a fragile beauty. This unintentional glimpse made Liam Thorne uncontrollably recall his childhood. The little girl who used to follow behind him, softly calling out “Liam.” The little girl who would be happy all day because of a wooden pear carving he gave her. The little girl with bright, sparkling eyes and a smile as warm as sunshine. The “Lara” in his memories and this silent, pale, hollow-eyed woman in front of him completely diverged. What had he done? Ten years of childhood friendship, they had spent most of their lives together… Their youthful feelings were pure, always believing they could overcome all difficulties. Now, they had become enemies. 9. Liam Thorne stood in the cold night, gazing up at his little moonlight, watching for an entire night. Liam Thorne no longer tormented me, and Celeste Hayes’s alarm bells began to ring. She notified the Hayes family to secretly cause trouble. A flurry of “problems” in the company tied Liam Thorne up, preventing him from coming home for several days. Celeste Hayes had me kidnapped and taken to a private hospital. She planned to use drugs to fake my serious illness, making me “pass away.” But to her surprise, the doctor, during a preliminary examination, discovered I was pregnant. Celeste Hayes immediately ordered the doctor to abort my pregnancy. “Liam Thorne, I chased you for two years, and you wouldn’t even look at me!” “Only after I made myself look like her, would you cooperate.” “You treated me like that back then! Now don’t blame me for harming the woman you love! Haha!” Cold surgical instruments, while I was unconscious. Mercilessly stripped away the tiny life unborn in my womb. My already weak body suffered a massive hemorrhage due to the surgery. The doctor frantically told Celeste Hayes: “The patient has lost too much blood. We just found out she has late-stage cancer, organ failure…” “If I had known she wouldn’t live to give birth, I wouldn’t have bothered.” Celeste Hayes’s face twisted into a grotesque, gleeful smile. Perhaps it was a sense of destiny, or a strong will to survive. I briefly awoke from a deep coma, weakly opening my eyes. Seeing Celeste Hayes, a flicker of alarm crossed my eyes. Celeste Hayes smiled cruelly: “I originally wanted you to live a few more days, but I didn’t expect you to be so useless.” I looked at her, my lips moving, but no sound came out. “Oh, Miss Sterling, why didn’t you mention you had a terminal illness earlier? So strong, truly.” Celeste Hayes’s smile grew even wider: “Too bad that bastard in your belly has already been taken care of. He’ll never know you once carried his child!” Child? I was pregnant? No, my baby… was gone? A massive wave of grief and fury instantly gripped me! I stared wide-eyed, fixed on Celeste Hayes. I wanted to scream, to question, but could only produce gasping, wheezing sounds. “So angry? So desperate?” Celeste Hayes savored my pain, continuing: “Don’t rush, there’s something even more exciting.” “Did you know? The Thorne family’s downfall back then wasn’t caused by your mother at all! It was the Hayes family, along with your dear father, who orchestrated it!” “Amber Sterling’s mother had already been having an affair with your father, and when your mother discovered their illicit relationship, they struck first!” “All of this was our plan! To swallow up the Thorne family…” “Liam Thorne dares to treat me as your stand-in? Soon, all the wealth will be mine! I’ll make him kneel and beg me!” Celeste Hayes laughed gleefully: “Miss Sterling, I’m letting you die with peace of mind, aren’t I?” The truth… This was the truth?! My mother’s wrongful accusation, the Thorne family’s tragedy… it was all a complete conspiracy! *Thud—* A mouthful of blood suddenly gushed from my mouth, splattering the pristine white sheets. Celeste Hayes watched me spit blood, her smile growing even more triumphant: “Oh, Sister, why are you so agitated? It seems this truth satisfies you, doesn’t it?” “Take this secret with you, and rest in peace! I’ll take your place and ‘take good care’ of your Liam!” I glared at Celeste Hayes. I wanted to grab this malicious woman, expose her true colors, tell Liam Thorne the truth… But I no longer had the strength. Immense anger, unwillingness, sorrow, and a hint of… release?

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“Mrs. Blackwood, your cerebral aneurysm is in a critical position and has already started to bleed. We need to operate as soon as possible. If it ruptures, your life will be in grave danger.” “If I go through with the surgery, how much will it cost?” “A conservative estimate would be two hundred thousand.” Two hundred thousand? The Davies family was bankrupt, my father had a stroke that left him paralyzed, and we were saddled with colossal debt. Everything I owned that was worth anything had been sold to pay off my family’s creditors. Where on earth would I find two hundred thousand now? And here, in the Blackwood family, I, the eldest daughter-in-law, was treated worse than dirt. When I left the hospital, the sky outside had already turned dark. I hadn’t walked far when my phone rang. A cold male voice cut through the silence. “Get to the Nightshade Club. Now.” It was an order, leaving no room for refusal. I stared at the medical report in my hand, then thought of my current relationship with him. I bit my lip. “Fine.” The Nightshade Club was Newport City’s most notorious upscale club. When I arrived at the private room, it was packed with men and women, exuding an air of opulent debauchery. Julian, the man seated in the center of the room, swirled his drink. He snapped his fingers when he saw me enter, and the room instantly fell silent. He lifted his gaze to me. “Come here.” I hesitated, then walked over. The moment I got close, he seized my wrist, pulling me roughly into his embrace. “Julian, let me go!” He held me in a vice-like grip with just one arm. “Mrs. Blackwood, are you *sure* you want me to let you go? Think about how much your family still owes me. And think about your father’s medical bills.” I gritted my teeth, giving up the struggle. “Can you… can you lend me another two hundred thousand?” He laughed as if I’d told a joke, looking me up and down. His gaze finally settled on my gaunt face. “What part of you is worth two hundred thousand, exactly?” He clamped his fingers on my chin, twisting my head to face the crowd. “How about you pick a man, spend a night with him, and if you please him well enough, maybe you’ll get your two hundred thousand.” “Do you really have to humiliate me like this?” “Humiliate?” Julian sneered, his cold lips brushing my ear. His voice was like a whisper from hell itself. “Compared to what your family did to mine back then, what is this humiliation?” Agony ripped through me, and I squeezed my eyes shut. The Davies and Thompson families had been close for generations. Julian and I were childhood sweethearts, and in college, we were the campus’s most envied couple. But the year we were preparing to study abroad together, the Thompson family’s empire suddenly collapsed. Julian’s father couldn’t bear the shame and took his own life. I desperately pleaded with my father to help the Thompson family, only to accidentally discover that my own father was the one behind his family’s downfall. At that time, I didn’t know how to face Julian, so I broke up with him. He didn’t know the truth back then. He simply couldn’t believe I would leave him at his most vulnerable, his most desperate time. He knelt outside my family’s mansion all night, soaked to the bone in the rain, begging me not to leave. But my father, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to eradicate him completely. By the time I rushed to him, Julian had already been beaten into unconsciousness. I fought with all my might to protect him, but I took a brutal blow to the head, leaving me with lasting aftereffects. To stop my father from destroying Julian entirely, I had no choice but to agree to an arranged marriage, joining the powerful and rising Blackwood family. Six years later, Julian staged a fierce comeback. The first thing he did upon returning to Newport City was to systematically dismantle and bankrupt my family’s corporation… Just then, someone from the side chimed in, “Mrs. Blackwood, Mr. Thompson is actually doing you a favor, isn’t he? Everyone knows the eldest Mr. Blackwood is disabled, and your child was conceived through IVF. Has he ever truly *satisfied* you, all these years?” As the man finished, the whole room erupted in laughter. Amidst the mocking sound, I clenched my fists tightly, speaking in a deceptively calm voice. “Fine. Then I’ll pick one.” Julian’s face instantly darkened. I scanned every person in the room, their leering faces swimming into view. I looked like I was genuinely making a choice, then settled on the man who had just spoken. “You’ll do.”

The man was instantly ecstatic. *Right*, I thought bitterly. In their eyes, I was Newport City’s most renowned beauty. To spend a night with me? Forget two hundred thousand, some men would probably pay two million. “Well, I wouldn’t dare refuse such an offer.” The man stood up, walking towards Julian, ready to take me away. The next second, he was sent sprawling with a vicious kick, drinks splashing everywhere. The man barely registered his messy state, looking up at Julian with terrified confusion. “Mr. Thompson, what…?” “Get out!” Julian’s face was thunderous. He surged to his feet, grabbing my neck, his eyes burning with fury. “I can’t believe how cheap you’ve become!” “Isn’t this exactly how cheap you *want* me to be?” My eyes were red-rimmed as I shot back. His grip tightened, but my mind flashed to that innocent, smiling face. *Julian, we promised forever, didn’t we?* But now, everything had changed. Just as I thought I might truly die there, the door to the private room burst open, and a tall figure stepped inside. “Julian, let Chloe go, now!” Julian seemed to snap out of it. He released me, then casually picked up a napkin, wiping his palm with an expression of disgust before tossing the crumpled tissue to the floor. I stumbled to my feet, heading for the door. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll work at the Nightshade Club until your family’s debt is fully repaid.” His words hit me like a sledgehammer, instantly plunging me into hell. I gripped the doorknob. “If you don’t show up, you’ll face the consequences.” I pulled open the door and walked out. “Chloe, are you okay? You know how Julian gets when he’s angry, don’t take it to heart.” Sophia followed me out, blocking my path. “Oh, by the way, I’m pregnant with Julian’s baby. We’re getting married soon.” I stared at the joyful smile on Sophia’s face, a sense of unreality washing over me. “Chloe, you’ll bless us, won’t you? After all, we’ve been friends for over twenty years.” *Old friends?* The three of us grew up together, yet I’d never once realized she was always in love with Julian. Sophia looked into my eyes, her voice nonchalant. “You know you and Julian can’t be together. After all, it was your father who destroyed his family. You wouldn’t want him to know the truth, would you? Knowing Julian, your dad’s condition probably wouldn’t be limited to just a stroke.” I managed a weak smile. “I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” She smirked, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “It’s best if you’re sensible. I’ve been by Julian’s side all these years, helping him rebuild. No one is more important to him than me. I’ll make sure he doesn’t treat you too harshly, for old times’ sake.” It was past ten in the evening when I returned to the Blackwood mansion. The moment I walked in, a small figure rushed into my arms. “Mommy, I’m hungry.” I looked down at his red, tear-filled eyes, my heart aching as I wiped his tears. I hadn’t eaten all day either. “Mommy will cook some noodles for Leo, okay?” Leo Blackwood nodded happily. I took him to the kitchen, rummaged for ingredients, and cooked two bowls of plain soup noodles. He was practically drooling with hunger. Just as I was about to carry them out, a figure appeared in the kitchen doorway. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Blackwood, glared at me with icy contempt. “Didn’t I say no cooking after ten o’clock?” “Mom, I know… but Leo is hungry…” “Dump the noodles!” Her expression was frigid. Leo clung to me. “Leo hungry! Leo wants noodles!” “Eat what? As if!” Mrs. Blackwood sneered. “Don’t think I don’t know you sold off your wedding trousseau to bail out your family’s disaster. Let me tell you, you won’t get a single penny from the Blackwood family!” Leo cried even harder. Mrs. Blackwood walked straight over and dumped both bowls of noodles into the trash. The noodles were gone, and my child sobbed uncontrollably. “Cry, cry, cry, that’s all you ever do!” Mrs. Blackwood yelled, annoyed. “Your family went bankrupt because of your crying, and now you want to drag down our Blackwood family? You and your son are nothing but bad luck! A curse!” Leo flinched, shrinking further into my embrace. After Mrs. Blackwood left, I searched frantically through cabinets until I found a bag of crackers. I coaxed the little one to eat them, then took him back to his room. He fell asleep, still whimpering. I stroked his small face. No matter what, I had to keep going. Once he was deeply asleep, I returned to my bedroom. As I flipped on the light, I saw Adrian Blackwood sitting in the center of the room. I gasped, clutching my chest. “Why didn’t you turn on the light?” “Where were you?” “The hospital.” “Were you with Julian?”

I didn’t respond. Adrian wheeled his chair over to me, his eyes cold. “Were you with him?” “If I didn’t go to him, he would have come for me,” I said mockingly. “He hates me. He’ll never let me off easily.” “That’s just an excuse, isn’t it? You want to rekindle things with him, don’t you?” Adrian glowered at me. “I’ve always known you look down on me from the bottom of your heart!” “I don’t.” Adrian’s face was grim. “Get in bed.” Under his piercing gaze, I closed my eyes and lay down. He propped himself up on the edge of the bed and roughly tore at my clothes, biting and gnawing at my skin. I winced in pain. “Can you lend me two hundred thousand?” His movements paused. He shot me a dark look. “Did you demand payment from Julian when you were with him?” “I…” “You’re utterly disgusting!” Adrian instantly lost interest, wheeled himself back to his chair, and left the bedroom. I got dressed, never imagining that one day, two hundred thousand dollars would be enough to break me. The next morning, I dropped Leo off at kindergarten, then called my mother, Mrs. Davies. I didn’t know what methods Julian had used, but any money that entered my account was immediately transferred out. The money from selling my wedding trousseau was all with my mom. The moment I asked for money, Mrs. Davies exploded. “With the Davies family in this state, how can *I* come up with two hundred thousand? The Blackwoods might not care if we live or die, but they can’t possibly ignore *you*, can they?” Before I could explain, she was already yelling obscenities about the Blackwood family over the phone. I bitterly hung up, glancing at the car parked by the roadside—it was the only valuable thing I had left to sell. I contacted a broker, and because I needed cash, the car, originally worth a million, was pressured down to two hundred thousand. I went with the broker to the bank to withdraw the cash. I didn’t dare delay and immediately rushed to the hospital. Just as I reached the hospital entrance, Julian’s call came through. “Mrs. Blackwood, your son is truly adorable.” My hand tightened around the phone. The next second, I heard Leo’s innocent voice on the other end. “Mommy, where are you? I’m scared.” “Leo!” My face went instantly pale. “Julian, you can get your revenge on me however you want, but please, I beg you, don’t touch my son!” “That depends on your performance,” Julian’s voice was icy. “Get your ass to the Nightshade Club within half an hour.” I didn’t dare waste a second. I hailed a cab and sped to the Nightshade Club. A bodyguard led me into the office. Julian was seated on a sofa chair. Sophia was draped across his lap, her arms wrapped possessively around his neck, their posture overtly intimate. His face wore a rare, gentle smile. My heart tightened, and I clenched my hands. “Where’s my son?” I asked. “What’s the rush?” Julian’s smile vanished instantly. Sophia slid off his lap. “Mrs. Blackwood, you have money but you’re not paying your debt. What do you intend to do?” Julian’s gaze fell on me, cold and sinister. I instinctively hid my handbag behind my back. Sophia noticed, a smirk playing on her lips. “Chloe, you’re not thinking of just running away, are you?” Julian’s face instantly changed. “No, I’m not.” I shook my head. “Then what’s in your bag? Take it out.” I instinctively took half a step back. Julian strode forward, grabbed my neck, and pinned me against the doorframe. “Trying to run away? Do you think I’d let you off that easily?!” “I… I’m not… Julian, please, I’m begging you, I really need this money…” I struggled to speak, tears streaming down my face, landing on the back of his hand. Julian’s gaze flickered, watching me cry in pain, yet feeling no satisfaction. Sophia’s voice was detached. “Chloe, when Julian’s mother needed money for treatment, *I* went to work at the club, earning it glass by glass. And what were you doing then? You were proudly marrying into the Blackwood family.” Julian’s face darkened completely. He reached for my bag. I clung to it desperately—it was my only hope. “Julian and I suffered, and now it’s your turn to taste it,” Sophia said, looking at me triumphantly. Seeing I wouldn’t let go, Julian said coldly, “If I can’t touch you, I’ll have to go after your son.” In despair, I let go. Julian tossed the handbag to the bodyguard. After he released me, I crumpled to the floor like a rag doll. “Give my son back.” “Whether you get your son back safely depends on your performance tonight.” Julian cast a disdainful look at me, then told the bodyguard, “Take her to work.”

I wiped away my tears and followed the bodyguard out of the office. “Julian, you’re not having second thoughts, are you?” Sophia watched him. Julian stared out at the boundless night beyond the window, his fingers clenched tightly. “How could I?” A small figure walked into the office. Leo ran up to Julian. “Uncle, where’s my mommy?” “Your mommy is working. She’ll come to pick you up soon.” “This child is…” Sophia stared at Leo’s small face, her eyes wide with shock. “Chloe’s son,” Julian said, grabbing his jacket. “Keep an eye on him.” Sophia scrutinized the child again. His eyes and brows were strikingly similar to Julian’s, five or six parts. Her hands clenched fiercely—Chloe actually hadn’t aborted that child, she’d given birth to him! In the changing room, I put on a sexy bunny costume. When I turned around, I saw Julian standing behind me. I instinctively recoiled, but then he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of me. I rushed forward to snatch it, but he deliberately held it higher, sneering, “What do you think Adrian Blackwood’s reaction will be when he sees this picture?” I struggled to reach it, but unused to the high heels, I lost my balance and stumbled into his arms. He instinctively wrapped his arm around my waist. His familiar scent, that intoxicating softness, made him momentarily lose himself. But then he saw the kiss mark on my collarbone. The desire in his dark eyes instantly drained away, replaced by an icy chill that cut to the bone. “Mrs. Blackwood, I’m truly flattered by your little embrace.” I yanked myself free from his grasp. “Julian, I’m the one who wronged you. Please, don’t hurt anyone else.” He stared at the mark on my collarbone, grinding out, “How else will you feel pain, if I don’t hurt the people you care about?” I followed a group of women into a private room. Already beautiful, with the exquisite makeup and outfit, I looked like a packaged commodity. The men, one by one, tried to get touchy. I sat next to a fat man, pulling at my short skirt, which barely reached my knees. He reached out to touch my thigh, and I instinctively flinched away. His face darkened. He slapped a stack of cash onto the table. “One touch, one stack.” That stack was ten thousand dollars. I thought of Leo’s innocent smile, clenching my fists. *I have to survive.* He placed his hand on my leg, and I no longer flinched. He pulled out the money, patted my face. “That’s more like it.” Then, he stuffed the cash into my cleavage. I suppressed my revulsion, not resisting—if this was what he wanted to see, then I would give it to him. His hands became even more indecent. With a **CRASH!** the private room door was kicked open. The room instantly fell silent. Julian strode over in a few steps, pulling me away from the man. I forcefully shook off his hand, shouting angrily, “Mr. Thompson, what are you doing? Weren’t you the one who wanted me to entertain and pay off my debt? Now I’m earning money, and you’re dragging me out? How am I supposed to pay you back?” As I spoke, I pulled the stack of money from my chest. The next second, he snatched the money away. Then, he began pelting my face with the banknotes, one by one, each one stinging, scattering them all over the floor. Ignoring the pain, I bent down to pick them up. His leather shoe came down heavily on my hand, and I gasped in pain. He leaned down, lifting my chin, his dark eyes filled with the hatred of a venomous snake. “Where’s your pride? Your high-mindedness? Are you really so cheap that you’ll do anything for money?” I met his gaze. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” “I should have realized long ago that you’re nothing but a gold-digging slut,” he spat, pushing my face away. “Every single penny you earn at the Nightshade Club, you can forget about keeping.” He finished speaking, then stood up and left. Someone came in and collected the money from the floor. I laughed ironically, changed back into my own clothes, and left the Nightshade Club with Leo.

For the next few days, I went to the Nightshade Club on time every day. Unlike the first day, although the men still plied me with drinks, no one dared to touch me inappropriately anymore. Occasionally, I’d get a small tip, but what I could actually keep was a tiny fraction. With so little money, there was no way I could cover my father’s surgery costs. Just then, the Blackwood family hosted a grand charity gala. As Adrian’s wife, I naturally had to attend. Adrian personally took me for styling, full gown and makeup. I was transformed, radiant, becoming the center of attention that evening. Until Julian walked into the ballroom, holding Sophia’s hand. Leo instinctively hid behind me the moment he saw them. But they walked steadily towards Adrian and me. Adrian’s face darkened. “What are you doing here?” Julian smiled, looking at me. “Of course, I’ve come to deliver a grand gift to Mr. Blackwood.” My face instantly went pale. He snapped his fingers, and countless photos rained down from the air. In them, I was wearing revealing outfits, entertaining men at the Nightshade Club, sitting with different strangers. My first instinct was to bend down and shield Leo tightly in my arms. The ballroom instantly erupted in an uproar. Mrs. Blackwood rushed forward, her hands trembling, and slapped me hard across the face. My ears rang. “You shameless woman! How dare you do such a thing behind Adrian’s back!” Still not satisfied, she started pulling my hair and clothes. “You eat our food, use our money, and still dare to betray my son. I’ll rip you apart today!” I was instantly in a disheveled mess. Adrian’s chest heaved violently. He didn’t look at me again, turning his wheelchair and leaving the venue directly. The Blackwood relatives also crowded around. Some pulled Mrs. Blackwood, urging her to calm down, while others sneered and took the opportunity to humiliate me. My gown was torn, my makeup long since ruined. I just desperately shielded Leo, watching Julian outside the crowd, my vision blurring. The boy who once loved and protected me was long gone. Julian watched my pathetic state, his eyes growing even darker. He didn’t feel the satisfaction he’d expected. Sophia, seeing this, quickly came over, supporting Leo and me. She leaned close to me, chuckling softly. “How glamorous you were when you married into the Blackwood family! Now you’re so utterly broken, it’s all your own doing.” I squeezed her arm tightly. The next second, I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Julian was talking to the doctor outside the room. “What did the doctor say?” he asked. The doctor told Sophia that I had a cerebral aneurysm and needed surgery as soon as possible, or my life would be in danger at any moment. But Sophia didn’t tell him the truth. She clutched Julian’s arm, looking fragile. “It’s nothing serious.” “Julian, you’re not feeling soft for her, are you?” Julian’s face hardened. “No. I just don’t want her to die so easily. That would be too good for her.” I had just reached the door and heard his words. My heart, which I thought had become numb, still ached. He noticed me and turned around. Seeing my body covered in bruises, his eyes darkened slightly. “If you’re not dead, then get your ass to the Nightshade Club for work tomorrow.” Sophia walked away triumphantly, her arm linked with his. Leo rushed into my arms, crying, “Mommy, what happened to you? I’m so scared.” “Shh, it’s okay, Mommy’s fine.” My eyes were red, and I hugged him tight. I didn’t have extra money and couldn’t stay long at the hospital. The next morning, I took Leo back to the Blackwood house, only to see our luggage already dumped at the doorstep. Mrs. Blackwood stood in front of the door, arms crossed, staring at us coldly. “You actually have the nerve to come back? Go file for divorce from Adrian right now. You’ve done such things, you’ve utterly disgraced our Blackwood family. Get out immediately!” A black sedan pulled up beside us, and the driver quickly loaded our luggage into the trunk. I looked at the scene before me, a tired smile on my face, and turned to get into the car with Leo. On the divorce papers, I left with nothing, only asking for custody of my child. So, everything went smoothly at the courthouse. From start to finish, Adrian didn’t say a single word to me. My son and I stood by the street with our luggage. Leo held my hand. “Mommy, is Daddy leaving us?” I looked at his innocent face, gently stroking his cheek. “Daddy, he…” Leo hugged me tight. “Don’t cry, Mommy. Daddy doesn’t like me anyway. I only need you.” We found a small motel to stay in. I opened a hidden compartment in my suitcase and took out a diamond necklace. It was Julian’s coming-of-age gift to me, and our token of love. I still remembered that day, he looked at me, his eyes incredibly sincere. “Chloe, my heart for you is like this diamond, it will never change.” But now, that promise was utterly worthless. Though I was all alone, for Leo’s sake, I had to survive.

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In the master bedroom of the Harrington mansion, I was feeding the raven in its cage with ancient magic and drops of my own lifeblood. The raven, nourished by my sacrifice, pulsed with a faint golden glow. Years of blood loss had left my face pale. “Five years,” I whispered, my voice a mere breath. “The life-binding spell is finally almost complete. It’s just a shame… that I have to leave.” My gaze lifted to a framed photo of Julian and me on the bedside table. My eyes filled with a deep, bitter sadness. I was a descendant of an ancient magical lineage, revered by all in our ancestral village, entrusted with the sacred duty of protecting my people. Five years ago, Julian, gravely ill and clinging to life, unexpectedly stumbled into our hidden village. I didn’t just share a symbiotic, life-binding magic with him, intertwining our fates and lives; I also renounced my sacred calling, giving up everything in the village for him… After leaving our community, Julian and I pledged our lives to each other. I still remember our wedding night five years ago, in a cramped, rundown apartment. I wore a black wedding gown, dressed to the nines, sitting on the edge of the bed. Julian sat beside me in a simple suit, his gaze fixed on me, overflowing with deep affection. “Elara, you are the most radiant woman I’ve ever known, my beautiful savior. Meeting you was the greatest blessing of my life.” “I, Julian Harrington, swear to the heavens, I will never betray you. I vow to love only you for all my days, never to part, even when we’re old and gray.” My eyes, too, were filled with love as I gently replied: “As long as you love me as much as I love you, I will never disappoint you. Julian, as long as you don’t betray our bond, I will love you for eternity!” Julian held me tight, his young voice murmuring: “Elara, my greatest wish in life is to marry a wonderful woman and have a child of our own. Since I’ve already married the best woman, now… let’s have a baby.” Even then, I sensed Julian’s desperate longing for a child. But I knew his destiny was fragile. The severe illness five years prior had almost drained all his vitality, leaving him unable to father children. So, I secretly returned to my ancient magic, nourishing a special raven with my own lifeblood every day. Once the raven fully matured, it would shield Julian from misfortune and allow him to fulfill his dream of fatherhood. I firmly believed that with five years of dedicated care, Julian’s body would heal, and his wish to be a father would come true. Now, my ritual was almost complete. But human hearts are fickle, and vows are easily shattered. Just yesterday, when Julian returned home. I excitedly rushed out of the room, eager to share the good news. As I descended the stairs, I saw Julian walking through the front door, his arm around a heavily pregnant Skylar. I froze on the spot. Julian carefully supported Skylar, their movements intimate. The sight pierced my eyes like a sharp knife. Skylar glanced at me, then her face contorted in a fearful expression, and she leaned closer to Julian. Julian turned to look at her, his own expression visibly uncomfortable. “Elara, this is Skylar. She’s… six months pregnant.” My gaze slowly, involuntarily, drifted down to Skylar’s swollen belly. Guilt instantly flushed Julian’s face. I felt a surge of disorientation, then forced a weak smile, tentatively asking: “Is she… an employee from your company?” I then gracefully stepped forward, desperately trying to ignore the unsettling feeling in my heart, my voice tinged with a feigned annoyance: “Julian, really, how could you bring a pregnant woman to our home? Her baby’s father will be worried sick.” Julian hesitated for a moment before saying: “Elara, the child is… mine.” In that moment, I stood rooted to the spot, asking in disbelief: “You… what did you say?” Julian, looking utterly ashamed, explained: “I know what I’ve done is wrong, and I’ve failed you, but… I had no other choice…” He pulled out an ultrasound report, walked up, and opened it for me to see. “Elara, you know I’m an orphan. My greatest wish is to have my own bloodline, my own family.” Julian lowered his eyes: “But for five years, you… you haven’t been able to conceive…” His gaze then fell upon my stomach. I glanced at the ultrasound report, a sharp pain twisting in my chest: “So, you cheated?” Julian quickly defended himself: “This isn’t cheating!” He looked at Skylar’s belly, then back at me, choosing his words carefully: “Elara, after Skylar gives birth, I’ll immediately send her abroad and entrust the child to you to raise. Don’t worry, this child will absolutely not affect our relationship…” I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound, cutting him off: “Your solution is for me to raise a child for a mistress?” Julian’s brows furrowed, a hint of displeasure in his tone: “Elara, Skylar isn’t a mistress!” Perhaps sensing his tone was too harsh, he softened his voice and continued: “Don’t worry. As soon as the baby is born, I’ll announce to everyone that the child is biologically yours…” Announce the child was biologically mine! I felt a wave of raw humiliation wash over me. I shook my head without hesitation, my stance firm: “No way! I will never raise someone else’s child, nor do I need to!”

As the tension mounted, Skylar, feigning awkwardness, stepped forward and said: “Sister, please don’t blame Julian. I willingly offered to bear a child for you both.” I stared at Skylar, my voice cold: “Do I need that?” Skylar’s expression was one of pitiful innocence: “Sister is a witch. The elders say witches often struggle to conceive… Sister, I genuinely want to help you and Julian…” I angrily cut her off, my voice sharp: “Nonsense!” The words had barely left my lips when Skylar suddenly dropped to her knees with a soft thud: “Sister, I know you and Julian have a deep bond, and no one should interfere. I never intended to come between you two; I just wanted to bear a child for Julian!” I couldn’t believe such an absurd scene was unfolding in my own home. Skylar knelt without warning, her voice trembling with a hint of a sob, urgently continuing: “Sister, Julian is a prominent man in the city, with a brilliant future ahead. How can he be without an heir?” Seeing this, Julian immediately rushed to help her up, his face filled with concern: “Skylar, what are you doing? The floor is cold, get up!” But Skylar stubbornly shook her head, her voice resolute: “I won’t get up! Julian, if Sister can’t accept this child, I’ll stay kneeling until she does.” Watching their intimate exchange, my heart felt like it was being pricked by countless needles, a spreading, stinging pain. I looked at Skylar, my tone unyielding, leaving no room for negotiation: “Even if you kneel until you die, I will never accept this!” Julian looked at me in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock, as if the person before him was a stranger he’d never known. Then, anger surged through him, and he loudly demanded: “When did you become so heartless?!” His words stunned me into silence. I never imagined that in Julian’s eyes, I had become such a cruel person. I let out a bitter laugh: “I’m heartless?” Julian took a deep breath, trying to suppress his rage. His gaze fell to my stomach, his voice tinged with helplessness and disappointment: “Elara, you know… I’ve always wanted a child, but after all these years, you…” “Julian, are you so sure this child is even yours?” I cut him off, a cold sneer on my face. At that, Julian froze, and a flicker of guilt crossed Skylar’s eyes. Julian quickly recovered, anger sweeping over him again: “Elara, what do you mean by that?” My expression was cold, my voice terrifyingly calm: “Do you really think that after five years, we have no children because of *me*?” “Isn’t it?” Julian retorted without hesitation. My heart felt like it had been slammed by a heavy hammer. I couldn’t believe Julian actually thought that. I didn’t want a misunderstanding to create more distance between us. So, forcing down my heartache, I spoke in a voice that was cold, but resolute: “Of course not! Your destiny is fragile, you are simply not meant to have children. You are incapable of being a father!” Julian looked as if he’d been frozen in place, standing dumbfounded, muttering: “What did you say?” I pointed at Skylar again, repeating each word slowly and clearly: “I said, the child in her belly… it cannot be yours!” Julian was too stunned to speak, while Skylar, after a moment of panic, quickly composed herself, feigning distress, and whimpered: “Sister! Just because you can’t get pregnant, you can’t accuse me of such a thing! Julian is my only man, and the father of my baby!” I couldn’t help but sneer, looking at Skylar with utter contempt: “Is that so?” Julian took a step forward, admonishing me sharply: “Enough! Elara, Skylar is not like you; she’s pure and innocent, completely guileless. She would never deceive me! I know this is hard for you to accept right now, but you can’t use that as an excuse to defame Skylar!”

I stood there, stunned, unable to believe what I was hearing, murmuring: “*I’m* defaming her?” I thought that by revealing the truth, Julian would see the error of his ways. I never imagined he would turn around and accuse me of lying. Skylar feigned sorrow, rising from the floor with a tearful sniffle: “Julian, I… I truly only have you, my one man…” Julian gently comforted her: “I know, I know!” Skylar continued to sob. “Sister isn’t willing to accept this child. If born, it won’t be wanted, and its future will surely be bleak. If that’s the case, I might as well just die with the baby!” With that, Skylar suddenly spun around, rushing towards the wall, intent on colliding with it. This sudden move startled both Julian and me, leaving us aghast. Fortunately, Julian managed to stop Skylar in time, but then he furiously turned, glaring at me. “Elara! Skylar just wanted to help us have a child, what has she done wrong? Why must you complicate things? What will it take for you to accept Skylar, to accept this child?!” Julian’s voice trembled with rage. Hearing his words, I let out another scoff: “Accept *them*? Hah! Julian, have you forgotten your vows? Have you forgotten when you promised one life, one love, never to part even in old age?” After saying that, I glanced at Skylar, then tears I could no longer control streamed down my face as I glared at Julian. “Yet now, you’re forcing me to accept another woman? Julian, what was our five years together? A joke?!” A flicker of guilt crossed Julian’s eyes, and he was speechless for a moment: “Elara, I…” Skylar, nestled in Julian’s arms, opportunely feigned timidity: “Sister, I never intended to contend with you for Julian. To me, he is like the distant moon, untouchable. I… I’m simply blessed to be able to fulfill Julian’s dream.” Julian echoed her sentiment: “Elara! My promises still stand. My bond with Skylar is pure; she will never shake the foundation of *our* relationship!” “Pure? Pure enough to share a bed?” “Julian, I don’t blame you for falling for someone else, but if it’s for this child, I can only tell you, the child isn’t yours…” Julian furiously cut me off: “Enough! Elara, just because you can’t have children, you’re trying to push the blame on me, aren’t you?” “This child, whether you accept it or not, *will* be born.” He turned and took Skylar’s hand, “Skylar, let’s go!” Julian finished speaking, then pulled Skylar past me and headed towards the second floor of the mansion. I watched Julian’s retreating back with profound disappointment, a subtle ache in my heart: “Julian, are you truly determined to keep this child?” Julian’s ascent up the stairs faltered for a moment, but he didn’t look back, only stating firmly: “Yes!” In that moment, my hope utterly shattered. I nodded, saying: “Fine, then I’ll grant you your wish!” Julian immediately turned around, a relieved expression on his face: “Elara, I knew you’d understand me. Honestly, Skylar will be separated from her child after birth, so she’ll be far more upset than you. It’s wonderful that you’ve come to your senses!” Then, he turned to Skylar with a delighted smile: “Come on, I’ll show you to the room!” As they went upstairs, Skylar feigned a stumble. Julian quickly scooped her up in a princess carry, dotingly saying: “Be careful!” Then, he carried Skylar upstairs. I pulled myself from my memories, gazing at the raven in the cage. After a long moment, I finally let out a self-deprecating laugh. Then I pulled out my phone. After a brief hesitation, I dialed a number. “Grandma, I’m coming back to the village tomorrow…”

After speaking with Grandma Willow, I left the mansion and bought a few essentials for the journey. When I returned, I heard Skylar’s smug voice. “Careful, careful! These are precious things; if you break them, can you afford to replace them?” My brows furrowed, and I walked towards the second floor, filled with unease. Upstairs, in the master bedroom, Skylar stood in the center of the room, directing four of the Harrington servants like she owned the place. Her hand waved wildly in the air as she loudly instructed: “That one, that one, and that one… move all of them out; be careful, don’t break Sister’s things!” The four servants quickly nodded and began moving items out of the master bedroom. Skylar took advantage of the commotion to survey the room. Her gaze finally landed on the wardrobe. She turned to peek at the busy servants, then, when no one was looking, quietly opened the closet. She pulled a small yarn doll from her pocket and swiftly tucked it among the clothes inside the wardrobe. Just as she was about to close the closet, she looked up and saw the raven, covered by a black cloth, on the top shelf. Skylar couldn’t help but voice her confusion: “What is this?” Curiosity compelled her to reach out and pull the cage down. Just as she was about to lift the black cloth, I arrived. “Don’t touch it!” I yelled sharply. Instantly, everyone froze, turning to look at me in confusion. I rushed into the master bedroom, quickly snatching the cage from Skylar’s hands. Skylar was startled and stumbled back a few steps. Holding the cage, I let out a sigh of relief. Then, I turned to scan the bewildered faces, demanding: “What are you all doing?” The servants’ gazes unanimously shifted to Skylar. Skylar’s eyes fell upon the cage in my hands, a meaningful glint in them. She then lifted her head, flashed a sweet smile, and, touching her belly, said: “Sister, the Tarot Master said the child I’m carrying will bring good fortune. If I can live in a room facing east to carry the baby, my luck will surely grow, and I’ll give birth to a truly distinguished child.” I had no patience for her ridiculous claims, so I coldly asked: “And so?” “So I want Skylar to stay in the master bedroom for now.” Julian’s voice came from the doorway. He entered the room, carrying a fruit platter. As soon as Skylar saw Julian, she rushed to him, sweetly calling out: “Julian.” I looked at Julian in disbelief, asking: “Julian, what did you say?” Julian handed the fruit platter to Skylar, gently saying: “Skylar, these are the grapes you wanted; I’ve washed them for you!” Only then did he look up at me, offering a perfunctory consolation: “Elara, I’m doing this for the sake of the child. I’m sure you understand. For now, it will be a slight inconvenience for you to stay in the guest room!” I couldn’t believe these words came from the husband with whom my life was intertwined. Skylar, seeing this, seemed emboldened and immediately ordered the servants: “Julian has spoken, what are you waiting for? Hurry and move Sister’s things out!” The servants, hearing this, prepared to move my belongings again. I snarled: “Anyone who dares to touch anything in my room will be thrown out of the Harrington mansion immediately!” The servants instantly froze, hesitant and torn. Skylar, feigning fear, retreated a few steps. Julian frowned, about to admonish me: “Elara…” My gaze swept sharply between Julian and Skylar, cutting off Julian’s words as I slowly advanced on them: “I don’t care where you choose to stay, and I’m too tired to care. But my room is not for outsiders to trespass in. Get out!” Skylar flinched, a wave of fear washing over her as she saw my cold expression and unwavering approach.

She retreated in terror, hiding behind Julian. Feigning a pitiful expression, she whined: “Julian…” “Elara!” Julian’s brow furrowed, his voice containing an implicit warning. Skylar bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes: “Sister, I… I know I don’t have the right to stay in your bedroom, but… this was Master Crowley’s suggestion…” I cast a cold glance at her belly. Just then, aided by my magic, I saw a swirl of dark mist surrounding Skylar’s womb. I let out a sneer, my voice dripping with sarcasm: “Did that ‘Master’ not tell you that your fetus is a child of the damned, destined to die upon birth?” Skylar’s eyes widened, and her voice trembled as she asked: “You… what did you say?” Seeing Skylar’s expression, it was clear she hadn’t known. I spoke each word distinctly: “I said, this child… you are destined not to carry it to term!” Julian angrily stepped forward, shouting: “Elara!” Skylar immediately feigned terror, shrinking into Julian’s arms, crying pitifully: “Julian, I’m so scared… Sister said… said my baby won’t make it! Boo hoo hoo, I heard Sister is a witch; she must be able to see things; even if she can’t, what if she does something to our baby…” Julian hastily shielded Skylar in his arms, reassuring her gently: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, I’m here. She wouldn’t dare!” He turned to me, reproaching me with displeasure: “Enough! Elara, the child is innocent. If you have any grievances, take them out on me, why bully Skylar?!” I looked at Julian and Skylar, my eyes filled with bitter disappointment and pain: “Julian, after all these years, is this truly how you see me?” Julian flinched, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. He slowly began: “Elara, I…” He nervously glanced at the hushed servants, but continued anyway: “Elara, for the sake of the child, please move to the guest room for a while. I promise, after Skylar gives birth, the master bedroom will be yours again!” A sharp pain shot through my heart. I asked, utterly disappointed: “Julian, you… are you really making me give up my room for Skylar?” Julian’s eyes were filled with helplessness, a hint of pleading in his tone: “Elara, it’s all for the child… can you please be understanding?” My disappointment was complete. I stared blankly at Julian, who looked back at me expectantly. I forced a bitter smile and nodded. “Fine, I agree!” A joyful expression spread across Julian’s face. “Elara, I knew you’d think of the bigger picture.” He reached out to take my hand, continuing: “I’ve booked a French restaurant; I’ll take you out for a nice dinner later…” I subtly dodged Julian’s hand, refusing: “No need! I still have things to pack.” Julian glanced at the master bedroom. “Okay, then you go pack first…” He then turned and put his arm around Skylar: “Skylar, I’ll take you to dinner…” “Thank you, Julian…” Skylar said sweetly. As Skylar followed Julian out of the master bedroom, she suddenly looked back into the room. Seeing me about to pack my things, a faint, smug smile played on her lips. Finally, her gaze lingered meaningfully on the cage. Skylar then withdrew her gaze, a sinister smirk on her face, and followed Julian out.

I sighed softly, looking at the messy, displaced items. I lowered my head and opened the cage I held. The raven, radiating golden light, immediately caught my eye. Watching the raven, my heart was heavy with mixed emotions. Just one more day, and it would be complete. But alas, that man was unworthy. The next day, Skylar led Master Crowley into the mansion. Master Crowley was dressed in a Tarot Master’s costume, complete with a fake white beard. From his appearance, he looked like a man in his fifties or sixties. In reality, he was merely a young man in his thirties, playing a part. Julian, seeing Master Crowley in the mansion, wore a puzzled expression. “Julian, this is the Tarot Master I told you about!” Skylar introduced him, her face beaming with joy. Julian asked in surprise: “The one who said you’re carrying a distinguished child?” Skylar nodded, then, placing a hand on her belly, a distressed look appeared on her face: “But yesterday, Sister said… said my baby was a child of the damned, destined to die upon birth… that this child… wouldn’t make it… Julian, I’m so unsettled, so I invited the Tarot Master to take another look!” “Who speaks such nonsense?” Master Crowley’s gaze swept over Skylar’s belly. “This child of yours is a blessing from the Blessed Mother; it is truly distinguished. Once born, it will surely bring you wealth and prosperity, even elevate you to a prominent position. Just await your good fortune!” Julian’s face lit up with joy: “You mean it?” Master Crowley stroked his fake beard, feigning solemnity: “I’ve been practicing divination since childhood, and I’ve never been wrong.” “Thank you for your auspicious words, Master. On the day my son is born, I will surely invite you to celebrate!” Julian said happily. “Then I shall…” Master Crowley’s words trailed off as his gaze unintentionally swept across the mansion. He suddenly paused. In an instant, Master Crowley’s brows furrowed, his expression turning grave, and he mumbled to himself: “No, no… this isn’t right!” Julian and Skylar looked at Master Crowley in confusion. “Master, what’s wrong?” Skylar asked, feigning urgency. Master Crowley stared intently at the mansion, his brows still tightly furrowed, and said with a puzzled expression: “By all accounts, such a distinguished child should possess abundant good fortune. Yet, why is this mansion permeated with a dark aura, like a place of ill omen?” His voice was like a devil’s whisper, luring greedy hearts deeper into his trap. At his words, Julian was shocked. Skylar’s legs went weak, and she leaned against Julian. “Dark aura? Ill omen?! Master, what on earth is going on?” Julian supported Skylar, his voice tinged with panic. “Do not fret, let me divine it!” Master Crowley said, pulling out a deck of Tarot cards from his robes. He chanted under his breath to the cards: “Please grant me a clear sign!” After finishing his incantation, he drew three Tarot cards. All were ill omens. Master Crowley immediately cast a sharp gaze towards the second floor and loudly declared: “Found it! It appears someone is nurturing a dark entity, a creature from the underworld, to devour the child’s fortune and endanger lives!” Julian and Skylar looked at the master bedroom on the second floor in shock, exclaiming in unison: “What?!” At that moment, I, dressed in my witch’s robes, had neatly packed my belongings in the room and closed my suitcase. I then rose, picked up the cage from the table, and was about to leave. Just then, the door was violently kicked open from the outside with a loud bang.

Master Crowley burst in first, followed closely by Skylar and Julian. I looked up in surprise, a flicker of confusion in my eyes, and asked: “What do you want?” Master Crowley ignored my question, his gaze fixed on his Tarot cards. Finally, he looked directly at the cage in my hands. “Mr. Harrington, the demon is right here!” Master Crowley looked up, pointed a finger directly at me, and said to Julian. I froze for a moment, then my face darkened: “Demon? What demon?” Skylar feigned an expression of utter shock, covering her mouth, and insinuatingly said: “Master means… the demon is… is Sister?” Julian’s face was etched with shock, as if he couldn’t believe his wife of many years would try to harm his child. Master Crowley said nothing. He lowered his hand, then lifted his leg, intent on approaching me to snatch the cage from my hands. I instantly reacted, taking a step back. After dodging Master Crowley’s move, I asked coldly: “Old man, what do you think you’re doing?” Master Crowley, having missed, said with a somber face: “Raising a demon, devouring a child’s noble destiny, endangering lives… I never thought a young woman like you could be so vicious at such a tender age!” I frowned, refuting him sharply: “What nonsense are you spouting?” Skylar, seeing this, instantly panicked. Feigning fear, she collapsed against Julian. “Julian, I’m so scared…” Julian instinctively embraced Skylar, then looked at me. He then asked Master Crowley: “Master, what exactly is going on?” Master Crowley turned to look at Julian, explaining: “Someone is deliberately cultivating a demon, practicing dark arts, specifically to secretly harm pregnant women and their unborn children.” “Dark arts?” Julian was utterly shocked, looking at the cage in my hands in disbelief: “How could this be…” Master Crowley continued: “I have divined your son’s fate; the signs show he has an extraordinary destiny, a reincarnation of a great figure, noble beyond measure.” He cast a sharp glance at me: “Someone must have foreseen the child’s destiny and deliberately nurtured a demon to siphon away its fortune and steal its nobility.” Skylar gripped Julian’s clothes, feigning extreme surprise: “Siphoning… fortune…” Master Crowley nodded, looking at the cage in my arms, and continued: “Once the fortune is consumed by these dark arts, both the pregnant woman and the fetus will perish immediately. At that point, the practitioner of these dark arts will not only gain extraordinary fortune but also extend their lifespan and preserve their youth!” “Sister, you… how could you…” Skylar looked at me, feigning terror, while simultaneously stroking her belly: “The child is innocent…” I was first dumbfounded, then rage surged through me: “Utter lies! Everyone knows I am a witch; what’s so strange about me practicing ancient magic?” Master Crowley scoffed: “A witch practicing ancient magic is one thing, but you’re raising a demon to harm others! That’s unforgivable!” I retorted furiously: “You say I’m raising a demon, so I am? You charlatan, who are you to pretend to be anything but a fraud in front of me!” Skylar immediately feigned timidity, interjecting: “But… Sister, why did you say before that the child in my belly was destined not to make it?” Julian looked at me, shaking his head repeatedly: “No, it can’t be. I don’t believe… I don’t believe Elara would really do such a thing…” “If Mr. Harrington doesn’t believe me, this old man has proof!”

Master Crowley’s gaze swept across the master bedroom. “Generally, when raising a demon to harm someone, there must also be an item or hair from the victim near where the demon resides…” He looked at me: “Young lady, if you won’t admit it, do you dare let us search?” Julian glanced at the master bedroom, then looked at me, a troubled expression on his face: “Elara…” I scoffed, full of disdain: “While I’ve done nothing wrong and fear no investigation! You, however, are nothing but a charlatan. My room is not for you to search as you please!” Master Crowley sneered. “If you’ve done nothing wrong, what do you have to fear from a search?” He then made a sweeping motion in the air, then dramatically pointed a finger at the wardrobe: “Mr. Harrington, the demon… it’s in that closet!” Julian was startled by his words. He immediately strode towards the closet, intent on searching it. I stepped forward, asking through gritted teeth: “Julian, after five years of our bond, are you really going to search my room just because an outsider tells two lies?” Julian paused, seemingly realizing his actions were a bit extreme. He quickly recovered, trying to persuade me: “Elara, if you have nothing to hide, what’s the harm in a quick search?” His voice was gentle, yet it couldn’t hide the suspicion in his heart. As Julian spoke, without waiting for my reply, he suddenly pushed me aside. He violently yanked open the wardrobe. A yarn doll, clearly meant to represent a pregnant woman, tumbled out onto the floor. A sticky note was affixed to the doll, bearing Skylar’s birthday. Julian stared at the scene before him in utter disbelief. His hand trembled as he picked up the doll, then he turned, furiously demanding: “What is this?!” I looked up, seeing the yarn doll in Julian’s hand, utterly shocked. “That… that’s not mine…” Skylar quickly rushed forward, eyes wide, and shrieked, cutting me off: “My birthday! H-how could it be on there?!” Master Crowley took two steps forward, meticulously examining the doll, his face instantly turning to one of horror. “A voodoo doll!” “What’s a voodoo doll?” Julian asked, bewildered. “A voodoo doll is a malevolent curse, a dark art. By attaching the intended victim’s birthday to it and performing the appropriate ritual, one can inflict harm upon them.” Master Crowley said, his eyes wide with fury, pointing a finger at me: “You sorceress, not only do you use dark arts to harm others, but you’ve also created a voodoo doll! You… you intend to murder them!” I was shaking with rage: “What nonsense are you spouting? That’s not mine at all…” Before I could finish, I suddenly froze. A flash of realization struck me. I nodded in understanding, then let out a cold laugh: “So, it wasn’t about the baby needing the master bedroom at all, was it? You always intended to frame me? You… you set me up?” As I spoke, I slowly advanced towards Skylar. Skylar shrieked in terror, immediately hiding in Julian’s arms: “Ah! Julian!” Julian pulled Skylar into his embrace, roaring: “What do you think you’re doing?!” Skylar, trembling in Julian’s arms, tears welling in her eyes: “Sister, you… how could you frame me? You were the one who said my baby wouldn’t make it…” She glanced at the birthday written on the voodoo doll. Then, tears streamed down her face as she pitifully said: “Isn’t it *you* who wants me and my baby dead?” I scoffed: “A truly brilliant setup! Skylar, if I’m not mistaken, this is our first time meeting, isn’t it? I don’t even know your age, so how would I know your birthday?!”

Skylar’s face instantly turned ashen, and she nervously glanced at Master Crowley. Master Crowley immediately sneered: “For others, perhaps it would be difficult, but for a witch like you, knowing someone’s birthday is child’s play, isn’t it?” Skylar quickly nodded in agreement: “Exactly, exactly! That must be it!” Julian’s eyes widened with rage, and he roared at me: “What else do you have to say? After five years of marriage, I’m only now seeing your true colors!” I met Julian’s gaze without fear. “Julian, you don’t believe me, but you’d rather believe the lies of two conniving snakes?” Julian clutched the yarn doll, his eyes bloodshot, and roared: “The evidence is right here! What more do you have to deny?!” I remained utterly undaunted, stating clearly and logically: “If you wish to defame me, nothing I say will matter! Julian, I risked my life to save you, binding our fates together. To be with you, I even gave up my witch status, disappointed my Grandma Willow who raised me, and left the village I grew up in…” “Five years, a full five years of marriage, and now, it means less than the word of two schemers?” Julian was momentarily speechless by my words, his heart filled with conflict and struggle: “Elara, I…” Master Crowley, seeing Julian waver, suddenly pointed at me and bellowed: “Pah! Caught red-handed, and still you refuse to confess, you won’t give up until you see your own coffin! Fine, today I’ll make sure you understand your defeat! If you won’t admit it, do you dare reveal what you’re holding, and let everyone see?” I tightly hugged the cage, speaking with disdain: “Who do you think you are, to demand to see my familiar?” “If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid to show it to everyone? Do you dare deny that what you hold is a dark creature like a raven? If my guess is correct, that thing must be emanating a dark, sinister aura!” I coldly confronted Master Crowley: “Witches often keep ravens as familiars! What ‘dark aura’ or ‘evil presence’? It’s utterly baseless!” Julian slowly advanced on me, his eyes bloodshot as he reached for the cage in my hands, saying through gritted teeth: “Give me the cage!” “Julian, this cage is linked to both our lives. How can I give it to an outsider to see?” “I won’t say it a second time. Give it to me!” “If you don’t want to die, I advise you not to try anything with it!” “Give it to me!” My voice was firm, each word pronounced distinctly: “Im-pos-si-ble!” Julian gritted his teeth, saying: “In that case, don’t blame me for using force!” Julian clapped his hands, and four servants immediately rushed up. I looked at the servants, my brows tightly furrowed. Julian directed the servants: “Seize the object from my wife’s hands!” The servants immediately advanced, attempting to wrest the cage from my grasp. I struggled desperately, clutching the life-bound creature, my eyes wide with disbelief, backing away and shouting: “Julian, you…” Julian’s face was grim, and he loudly declared: “Elara, if you truly have a clear conscience, what is there to hide from us?” Julian waved his hand, and the servants scrambled to snatch the creature from my hands. I fought with all my might, but I was outnumbered. Two servants held my arms tightly, and another seized the cage from me. “Give it back to me…” The servant ignored me, directly handing the cage to Julian. Julian took the cage, looked down at the raven inside, and his eyes instantly widened in shock. Inside the cage, the entirely black raven was glowing with golden light.

Julian turned, looking at Master Crowley, and cried out in alarm: “Master…” He wanted Master Crowley to explain. Master Crowley and Skylar both quickly stepped forward to examine it. Skylar, upon seeing the raven, exclaimed in surprise: “This raven… why is it golden…” Master Crowley glanced at Skylar, instantly understanding, and his face turned very grim. He stumbled back a step: “A raven that has fully absorbed fortune usually turns golden. This means… this means… the dark ritual is about to succeed…” Julian was aghast, and hurriedly asked: “Succeed… Master, do you mean…” He didn’t finish his sentence, instead turning to look at Skylar. Skylar immediately clutched her belly, her face filled with terror: “Julian, save… save our baby…” Julian looked helplessly at Master Crowley, wanting him to provide a solution: “Master…” Master Crowley sighed and shook his head, his face grave: “The dark ritual is almost complete, the fortune already stolen. Mr. Harrington, Ms. Skylar’s unborn child… its life is in grave danger…” “No, the child cannot die! Master, you must save my baby!” Julian cried out in panic. Seeing the opportune moment, Master Crowley looked at the cage, his voice laced with temptation, and slowly began: “If you wish to save Ms. Skylar, the only way is to destroy that raven!” Upon hearing this, I fully understood their intentions. I cried out in anger, trying to protect the cage. “You charlatan, shut your mouth!!” “Julian, our lives are bound together! If you destroy that raven, we both will die! Give me back the raven!” Master Crowley, seeing this, roared at me: “Nonsense! What ‘bound lives’? Do you think this is some fantasy story?!” Skylar spoke up at the right moment, her voice trembling with fear: “Julian, quick… quick, kill this raven, save the baby…” “Mr. Harrington, only by destroying the raven can the child’s fortune return to its body, and only then can everything be restored, and mother and child be safe!” I desperately tried to stop him: “Julian, they’re in this together, can’t you see? The raven in your hand is our only chance to live! If the raven lives, we live. If the raven dies…” “Enough!” Julian roared, cutting me off. He then turned to me, his voice low: “No wonder you couldn’t get pregnant these past five years.” Then, raising his voice, he angrily declared: “So you were making voodoo dolls, feeding ravens, doing such heinous things, provoking divine wrath and human resentment! And now, you still want to harm an innocent life!” “Since you are so utterly deluded, then I shall dispense justice and eradicate this evil!” Julian raised the cage high, then hurled it to the ground with all his might. I struggled, letting out a terrified scream: “No…” My voice, filled with fury and despair, echoed in the air. The cage hit the ground with a sharp crack, and the golden-glowing raven fell to Julian’s feet. Julian looked at the still, golden-glowing raven on the ground. Without hesitation, he lifted his foot and stomped down on the creature. Blue blood immediately splattered from the raven’s body. I, horrified, staggered backward. My finger trembled as I pointed at Julian, saying: “Julian, you…” Before I could finish, I suddenly vomited a large mouthful of blue blood, looking at Julian and saying: “You… will… regret… this…” Then I collapsed backward, unconscious. Julian cried out: “Elara!”

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After I helped the company go public, I brought in billions in profit for my CEO wife. She was thrilled and said she’d buy me a car. Then she rolled out a kid’s scooter from the garage, beaming, and said: “Here, honey, practice with this. Once the company really takes off, we’ll get you a *real* car.” But then I saw her on her male best friend Blake’s live stream, splurging hundreds of millions to buy him a global limited edition antique supercar. On camera, she intimately hugged his neck, cooing, “*This* is what my darling deserves!” I looked down at the child’s scooter she’d given me, sitting by my feet, and suddenly burst out laughing. With a flick of my finger, I shared the live stream directly to the company’s main WhatsApp group, tagging everyone. Thirty seconds later, my phone started vibrating like crazy. Her furious voice, tinged with a cry, came through: “Leo, honey, let me explain! That was just to secure his dad’s investment! Quick, unsend it! I’ll buy you a real car tomorrow!” But her promises were like a maxed-out credit card, draining every last bit of my hope. I took off my wedding ring and gently placed it on the coffee table. “Tomorrow, nine A.M. Let’s sign the divorce papers.” On the other end of the line, my wife Serena’s voice rose, sharp and piercing: “Are you out of your mind?! I told you it was for investment! What are you doing, messing around with me like this? The company’s making big money, and you’re living a good life, aren’t you?” “Divorce? Who do you think you’re scaring? Who do you think you are, anyway? Without me, Serena, you’d be nothing!” “Go unsend that message in the group right now! The whole company is making fun of us. How am I supposed to show my face as CEO after this? You’re deliberately trying to embarrass me, aren’t you?” “I’m telling you, don’t be shameless! Withdraw it now, immediately! Or else I really will divorce you!” With that, she hung up before I could reply. I looked at the ring on the table and silently closed my eyes. In this marriage, I was truly exhausted. Messages in the company’s WhatsApp group kept piling up, all voicing unfairness on my behalf. “Ms. Serena, that’s not right. Is this how you treat a hero?” “That Blake guy has no talent, but he gets a supercar? That money could pay our department’s year-end bonuses for three years!” “Her male best friend is live-streaming his wealth, while we’re working ourselves to death to go public, and this is what happens?” I scrolled through them one by one, then suddenly smiled. Turns out Serena wasn’t throwing a fit because I made her look bad; it was because her beloved best friend was getting torn apart. But they were right. Her male best friend, Blake, was like a strutting peacock, constantly circling wealthy socialites, proudly flaunting his so-called family fortune. In reality? He barely understood the most basic financial statements, yet he loved to brag at parties about how many billions of dollars in projects he’d “participated in.” The funniest part was last time he came to the office, just because the Head of Sales didn’t grovel before him, Blake immediately demanded Serena fire him. Everyone in the company came to ask me to intervene, but Serena ripped into me, yelling: “The most important thing in a company is respect! If someone doesn’t even understand that basic rule, they deserve to be fired!” Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. The so-called “respect” was only for her useless male best friend. My reward, as her husband, for working so hard to make her a billionaire, was a child’s scooter. My phone suddenly vibrated. It was a message from my team leader, Arthur: “Director Leo, the guys are getting you some payback.” Looking at the flood of memes in the group, my mood lightened slightly. I was about to remind them to be careful. Then, a disciplinary announcement from my wife’s male best friend, Blake, popped up in the company group: “Anyone chatting in the group during work hours will have their full month’s performance bonus deducted!” The list was exclusively my team. The group instantly exploded: “Director Leo, Blake is clearly coming after you!” “What’s the point of staying in this crappy company?” “If you leave, we’ll all go with you!” I gripped my phone. Seven years. Ever since our first argument about Blake, Serena had added this outsider to the main company group, even giving him administrative privileges. She knew I valued loyalty and my team above all else. Yet she deliberately allowed Blake to make things difficult for my team. I dialed a number I hadn’t called in a long time. “Mark, old friend, is that opportunity you mentioned still open?” Mark sounded genuinely surprised and delighted on the other end: “Of course! You finally came to your senses?” “But I have one condition.” “Name it!” “I want to bring my entire team with me.” “That’s fantastic! Double the salary, same positions, we can sign the contract tomorrow!” I hung up and looked at the divorce papers I’d just taken from the drawer. Serena probably forgot that in the early days of our startup, we made a pact: If this company ever felt like a cage, anyone could leave at any time. I stared at Serena’s signature from seven years ago on the agreement. Back then, she’d clung to my arm, pouting, “Honey, this agreement will never be used. I just want you to know that in my heart, you’re more important than the company.” But now, everything had changed. My pen spun once between my fingers. I signed my name without hesitation. Then I opened the company group and sent a new message: [Everyone, starting tomorrow, I’m officially resigning.] Then, I turned off my phone. 2 The next morning, I arrived at the company, only to find Chloe, the new HR assistant, stammering at me. I pushed open my office door. Serena looked at me, her face contorted with anger: “You actually showed up for work? Didn’t you say you were resigning yesterday? Regretting it now?” “Hmph, I called you 88 times last night, and you didn’t answer. Don’t think I’ll forgive you!” “I’ll be away on a business trip for the next few days, so I won’t be home! You can use this time to reflect properly!” Outside the office door, Blake, dressed provocatively, greeted her. He wrapped an arm around Serena’s waist. “Baby, what are we having for dinner tonight once we get to the Maldives?” I watched their retreating backs and let out a cold chuckle. So, it wasn’t for work. It was for a vacation with Blake. But Serena had almost drowned as a child; she was terrified of the ocean. When we first got married, I suggested a honeymoon in the Maldives, and she looked utterly horrified. Our honeymoon was postponed indefinitely because of it. But now, she was overcoming her fear for Blake. Tears welled in my eyes as I laughed. Turns out true love really can conquer all fears. It just wasn’t *my* love, not after seven or eight years of marriage. Shedding the last shred of illusion in my heart, I finalized the terms with my team and the new company. At the dinner table, Arthur, my team leader, clapped me on the shoulder: “Director Leo, a biased boss like Serena isn’t worth it.” I threw my head back and downed a shot of strong liquor, the fiery liquid burning my throat. I remembered when we first met, Serena was just a fresh graduate intern, wearing a simple white shirt, so nervous in the conference room that she even put her PowerPoint slides on backward. Now, she had become a woman full of lies and cunning calculations. Wasn’t I partly to blame for her becoming this way, for spoiling her rotten? In the early days of our startup, no matter how big a mistake she made, I’d forgive her with just a little pout. Gradually, she started getting more and more out of line. Later, she didn’t even bother to pretend, directly using her CEO status to suppress me. And now, for that male best friend, she could sacrifice me without hesitation. “Tonight, we drink until we drop!” I raised my glass, and my team members cheered in response. At three in the morning, I staggered through the front door, only to see Serena sitting rigidly in the living room. She frowned and stepped back two paces. “Leo! I hate drunks, have you forgotten?” I laughed. Right. Because she hated the smell of alcohol, I’d been sober for eight years. But in a video Blake posted on Ins last week, Serena was drunk, leaning on his shoulder, and he captioned it: “Baby is even cuter when she’s had too much to drink.” She could even drink the alcohol she detested for her beloved male best friend, but now she was telling *me* she hated people who drank. Thinking of this, I looked at her coldly. “Weren’t you going to the Maldives?” Serena threw a blanket at me: “How did you know? But it doesn’t matter. If I wasn’t worried about you, I wouldn’t have changed my flight!” “But what about you? You’re out here partying like crazy with those annoying people from the company?! Didn’t I tell you to reflect properly?!” She pointed at the dining table. “And I even brought you your favorite soup dumplings from that place on the west side.” I used to always worry about her safety. No matter how fierce our arguments, if I hadn’t heard from her for more than an hour, I’d instinctively call to check on her. But this time, I hadn’t sent her a single message for twenty-four hours straight. She finally couldn’t sit still, could she? On the dining table sat indeed my favorite soup dumplings. I, who used to be happy all day at the smell of them, now felt only disgust. Her usual tactic of hurting me then trying to smooth things over with a treat? She was a pro at it. Too bad this time, it wouldn’t work. Seeing no reaction from me, Serena’s tone softened considerably, though laced with a suppressed fury: “Honey, can we just stop all this? No more fighting. I’ll buy you a real car right away, Porsche or Ferrari, pick whatever you like!” I stared at the ceiling and slowly spoke: “Serena, do you still think I’m haggling over a car with you?” She frowned after a few seconds of silence. “Then what do you want? Tell me! I’ll agree to anything!” I smiled softly. “No need.” Then Serena changed the subject: “How about you hand over that new energy project of yours to Blake? After all, you essentially encouraged your team to ‘bully’ him, so consider it an apology!” I let out a cold laugh. So that was it. She waited up all night just to get that useless Blake a project. “Fine,” I said. Serena flashed a victorious smile, as if she’d expected me to cave: “See? So much better this way. Come back to the office tomorrow, I’ll call Blake over, and you apologize to him. Then this whole thing blows over.” “And I won’t hold a grudge against your team members who talked about Blake. After this, we’ll go back to living a good life together.” I didn’t wait for her to finish. I slammed my employee badge onto the dining table: “One project isn’t enough? Tomorrow, I’ll hand over *all* the work on my plate to him.” 3 Serena’s face changed dramatically: “Leo! What do you mean?” “Blake’s family is so influential, all he’s asking is for you to give him a project.” “Then, when his father’s investment comes through, our company can reach new heights! Besides, I’m discussing this with you, why are you being so sarcastic?” “Nothing.” I turned and walked towards the bedroom. Serena lunged forward, grabbing my collar: “Leo! You’re just jealous I bought Blake a car, aren’t you?!” She shrieked hysterically, “Don’t pretend to be so noble! A petty, ignorant man like you can’t even compare to one of Blake’s fingers!” “Fine, I’ll buy it for you then!” Even now, she still thought I was doing this for a car. I calmly pushed her hand away: “Keep the money. Buy Blake a yacht instead.” “Bang—” Serena hurled the entire box of soup dumplings against the wall, the broth splattering vivid grease stains across the pristine white surface: “Blake and I have a purely professional relationship! How can someone with your filthy thoughts even be Vice President of this company?” I looked at her face, twisted with rage, and suddenly found it ridiculous. The entire company respectfully called him “Mr. Blake,” yet she always affectionately called him “Blake.” And now she was trying to claim purity with me? “Ms. Serena,” I deliberately used that formal, distant address, “do I need to pull up the security footage for you? Last Wednesday night, how exactly did your ‘Blake’ get into your office?” Serena’s face instantly went deathly pale, her perfectly painted red lips trembling. She suddenly raised her hand, but stopped it just before the slap landed. Her crimson-painted nails gleamed blood-red in the light. “Hmph!” She stumbled back two steps, her voice suddenly choked with tears, “Give me back that child’s scooter I bought you! I picked it out myself at the mall, you don’t deserve to use it!” “Threw it away.” I cut off her performance, “The cleaner collected the trash this morning. I threw it away myself.” Serena’s tears instantly froze in her eyes. She stared, wide-eyed and incredulous, as if seeing the husband she’d been married to for eight years for the very first time. I turned and closed the bedroom door, hearing Serena’s enraged roar. “I’m leaving! I’m not coming back!” But strangely, this time, I felt no sadness at all. Turns out, when disappointment has accumulated enough, even anger is superfluous. When I woke up, my phone was scorching hot from an onslaught of messages. The company WhatsApp group’s announcement prominently displayed the latest personnel change: [After deliberation by the Board of Directors, Leo has been relieved of his duties as Operations Director and transferred to Deputy Manager of the Logistics Department, effective immediately.] And the reason for the penalty, strikingly, read: **[Due to personal emotions affecting company unity]** Even more absurdly, the announcement bore Serena’s electronic signature, and the posting time was three A.M., precisely the departure time of her flight to the Maldives after she and Blake adjusted their itinerary. When I went with my team to Human Resources to process our resignations, Chloe, the new HR assistant, fumbled with her phone, calling for instructions: “Ms. Serena, Director Leo and his team…” From the other end of the line came Blake’s affected voice: “Serena’s showering, darling. Can’t anything urgent wait until tomorrow?” Then Serena’s impatient shout: “Didn’t I say not to disturb me with anything today?” “But Director Leo!” 4 “Tell him to handle it himself! Doesn’t he think he’s so capable? Why is he bothering me?” Serena’s voice suddenly rose, “The company seal is in the safe, and the password is his birthday! Why do you need to ask me about such a small thing?” Chloe hung up, her face flushed crimson. She tremblingly opened the safe, but froze when she saw the combination lock. The date displayed there was clearly the day Serena and Blake first met. The resignation process went unusually smoothly. On the way to the Registry Office, I casually scrolled through Blake’s newly updated Ins post. In the nine-picture grid, Serena was wearing a sexy bikini, intimately feeding him fruit. The caption read: [Some people, hogging a spot for eight years, can’t compare to others’ eight days.] Serena’s old classmates had commented below: “She introduced him to us three years ago, said they were going public, but it took until today to post it.” All this time, Serena had never introduced me to her friends and classmates, always claiming she was too busy. But in reality, she had taken Blake out as her “husband” three years ago. I silently liked her post on my phone. Serena’s international call immediately came through. “Leo, it’s daytime! Why aren’t you working seriously? Why are you liking my post?!” “And why are your team members liking it too?!” “I’m about to deduct all your salaries!” I laughed into the international call. “I forgot to tell you, my team and I have already resigned.” Serena froze, then asked doubtfully into the phone: “What new trick are you playing now?” “I’m really busy with work, I don’t have time for your games!” She certainly was busy. Busy dating Blake, busy making their relationship official to her college friends, and also busy penalizing me and my team. Blake egged her on in the background: “Serena, he’s doing this to show he doesn’t respect you.” “Resigning himself is one thing, but he took the company’s key employees with him. He’s trying to destroy you.” Before she could finish, her friends, seeing my ‘like’, chimed in with comments: “We all heard from Blake, even though Leo is your husband, he’s always lazy at home, Blake does all his work at the company. Someone like that, even if he didn’t resign himself, you should have fired him.” “Such a loser. Beautiful, you should divorce him soon. Blake is the perfect match for you.” Seeing these people instigating and slandering me. Serena, knowing the truth, didn’t bother to clarify for me. Instead, she sighed into the phone: “Leo, for the sake of our years of marriage, I’ll give you one last chance.” “As long as you apologize, when we get back, I can offer you a position as Blake’s assistant. Otherwise!” Otherwise, she would divorce me. But this time, I didn’t give her the chance. Before, whenever she was about to utter those two words, I’d panic, desperately begging her not to leave. But now, I cheerfully posted our divorce certificate in her comment section: **[Just to let everyone know, we’re officially divorced.]**

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After transmigrating into a horror game, I was bound to a courage-boosting system. When I met specters, *my mind screamed:* *Please spare my life!* But my mouth blurted: “Is that all you’ve got? Is that truly the extent of your power?” Along the way, the double-headed werewolf quickly tucked away its fangs when it saw me. The long-haired vampire hid its hair when it met my gaze. Even the big boss was so intimidated by me that it lost all self-confidence. Seeing how friendly this terrifying world had become, I genuinely wanted to stay. But they all united and pleaded: “Sister Alice, please just go!” “Welcome, player, to the instance: Infinite Company. Current players: 15. Instance objective: Secure an executive position within the company. Time limit: 3 days. New player detected. Issuing your newbie gift package now. Please make good use of your benefits~” An eerie AI female voice echoed through the grand hall. A group of players gathered at the front desk, whispering amongst themselves. A man in a black uniform stepped forward, his face serious: “Who’s new? Report to me!” “Me,” a guy in his early twenties replied. “What benefit did you get?” “A meal voucher.” The uniformed man nodded. “Food item, useful. Hand it over, I’ll keep it safe.” The guy hesitated, then, seeing three other members in similar uniforms behind the man, handed over the voucher. “I’d like to join your team. I hope to get your protection.” The man sneered at him, then looked at the others: “I’m Blake, the captain of the Red Wolf Guild. We’re pros at clearing instances. If you want to join, you’ll need to offer something in exchange, and we’ll provide protection of equivalent value.” Outside the game, bullet comments scrolled rapidly. “The Red Wolf Guild? They’re a scam team, who’d dare join them?” “Only newbies would be so unlucky. His meal voucher is as good as gone.” “Not necessarily. Look at the players tackling this instance – mostly low-tier. Being with a professional team is still better than going solo.” “Surely there’s more than one newbie? Without enough benefits or cheats, it’ll be tough to pass.” The man spoke again: “Only one newbie?” “If you don’t step forward, I’ll search each of you.” I stood by a plant, meeting the man’s gaze. I offered a timid, awkward smile: “I… I’m a newbie too.” “What benefits do you have? Hand them over.” I quickly waved my hands: “No items.” The man narrowed his eyes, walking towards me. I cowered behind the plant, and with a nervous *thump*, I knocked over a flower vase. The AI female voice resonated in the hall: “Player detected to be extremely timid. Binding the Courage-Boosting System. You will now become extremely bold. Effect duration: 3 days within this instance.” The man paused, listening to the system broadcast. “A courage-boosting system? Seriously? That’s the most useless item I’ve ever heard of!” Players in the hall burst into laughter. I’ve always been a meek, timid person, and I watched them mock me. *Inside, I was thinking: I’m so sorry, I’ll leave right away.* But my mouth shot back: “This company is my home, and I’m in my home. Who are you to tell me what to do? Talk trash again, and I’ll slap you so hard your teeth will rattle!” The man raised his hand, intending to hit me, but was instantly swept aside by a tentacle. The six-eyed specter at the front desk looked our way. It flipped through documents at lightning speed, its expression grim. “New hires, line up to complete your onboarding process. Choose your position carefully; it affects your promotion ranking.” The man snorted, using his team’s advantage to be the first to choose a position. I was pushed to the very end, receiving an intern’s badge. The badge read: “Your identity is a low-tier employee, the lowest-ranking staff member in the company. Status level: one star.” As the man walked past me, he deliberately bumped my shoulder. “I’m the manager’s nephew, starting at three stars. Becoming an executive will be a breeze for me. You, on the other hand, will probably be eliminated on day one.” Fearing close contact, I instinctively reacted with an over-the-shoulder throw, sending the uniformed man crashing to the ground. Hearing the sound of bones crunching, I looked at him, terrified. *Inside, I was thinking: I’m so sorry, I truly deserve to die for touching you.* But my mouth snarled: “You’ve got a death wish, pal! Don’t you dare put your hands on me again. Did you just sign your own death warrant?” The man’s expression was utterly shocked. His teammates helped him up, and he grumbled as he entered the elevator. I couldn’t squeeze in, so I walked up the stairs alone. Sweat pouring, I finally climbed to the seventeenth floor. Just as I was about to press the doorbell, a piercing scream echoed from above. The AI female voice sounded. “Current players: 10.” “Players, you must progressively advance to Employee, Manager, and General Manager positions. Manager and above are considered company executives. Becoming an executive will earn you rewards from the capitalists.” “Assessment begins at 8 PM tonight. Failure to promote will result in elimination from the game.” “From now on, our slogan is: ‘No food, no sleep, just grind to make that dough!’” As soon as the AI voice finished, my mind instinctively recited: *No food, no sleep, just grind to make that dough!* But my mouth immediately blurted: “Hard work? Who needs it? Sleeping in is where the real profit is!” The surrounding temperature dropped several degrees, and I felt countless eyes fixed on me. The moment I stepped into the hall, those eyes all vanished. “Hey, newbie!” A familiar face appeared in the hall – it was Sam, the guy whose meal voucher had been confiscated earlier that morning. I walked over and sat next to him. Afraid to make eye contact with the strange entities, I immediately lowered my head, pretending to look through the resumes on the desk. Sam pulled his chair closer to me. “You’re timid, but you just did one thing right.” “The Red Wolf Guild said the most crucial thing in this instance is to completely immerse yourself in the environment. Here, every action must align with our assigned roles.” I nodded, secretly glancing around. In the brightly lit hall, there were at least a hundred specters. They were covered in tentacles and eyes. I could feel my heart rate skyrocketing. To distract myself, I flipped open a resume on the desk. *Inside, I was thinking: Wow, all these Master’s and PhDs are impressive!* But my mouth snapped: “Amateurs. They’re still miles behind me.” All hundred specters instantly looked up, their tentacles pointing at me. I quickly stood up. *Inside, I was thinking: Oh no, I really shouldn’t have been so arrogant. Forgive me!* But my mouth blurted: “Even a hundred of you combined couldn’t touch half my pinky finger!” My timid nature, which had honed my instincts, kicked in. Before they could attack, I grabbed Sam and sprinted out of the office hall. The moment we crossed the threshold, a sickening sound of flesh and bone being cleaved filled the air behind us. All hundred specters were decapitated in an instant, black ichor splattering across the grand hall. A grotesque green-skinned specter squelched out of a trash can, its body writhing. It began to pick up the severed heads from the floor, one by one, and shove them into its own squirming mass. “Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, ninety-nine…” “Ninety-nine… where’s the hundred?!” It slithered through the hall repeatedly, searching for the last two heads. Sam, eyes wide with terror, tugged at my sleeve: “Are the remaining heads… us two?” I was already terrified, my scalp tingling. *Inside, I was thinking: Please, don’t say such terrifying things.* But my mouth shot back: “That thing? I tell it what to do, not the other way around!” The green specter suddenly twisted its head and looked at me. “Arrogant human! I will harvest you!” Green slime oozed from its body, corroding everything around it. I’m naturally timid; even a casual stare from someone makes my heart pound. Now, a monstrous entity was rushing towards me, and I felt like I was about to burst. A system notification sounded: “Player detected to have triggered ‘The Reaper’s Harvest.’ Please prepare for your final purification.” *Inside, I was thinking: It’s chasing too fast, I can’t shake it off, I’m going to die for sure!* But my mouth smirked: “My charm is truly irresistible; even specters can’t help but fall for me.”

Sam, beside me, was already drenched in sweat. “You’re so confident. Can you really guarantee our escape?” *Inside, I was thinking: I have no special moves, my life is about to be over.* But my mouth boasted: “There’s nothing I can’t do. Just wait and scream for me!” Sam’s eyes lit up, instantly filled with confidence. He picked up a nearby mop and hurled it at the green-skinned specter. “You clueless freak! My sister’s about to show you what’s what!” The green specter was utterly enraged, swelling to twice its size, its body squeezing through the hallway and up the stairs. Slimy liquid flowed down the staircase. To avoid being corroded, I exerted myself, running higher. We reached the crucial meeting room on the eighteenth floor. I grabbed a fire extinguisher from the corner and smashed the glass. The green specter pursued us to the doorway but dared not enter rashly. Just as I’d suspected, company rules were strict. Every employee had their designated work area. Lower-tier specters were forbidden from entering higher-tier domains. The crucial meeting room was beyond its activity range. I dodged a bullet but faced an even greater threat. A rustling sound began behind me, and my hairs immediately stood on end. “Listen, I hear something.” Sam’s face brightened: “Sister Alice, I get it! You want me to cheer for you!” I raised my index finger to my lips. “Shhh— There’s something in here.” Sam’s face instantly went pale. He hid behind me, glancing nervously around. A long sigh echoed. “Is this the caliber of interns we’re getting this year?” “You don’t look like you have any real talent.” “I’ll test you. See if you’re qualified to stay here.” A dull heartbeat sounded. I felt my heart clench. I turned, and Sam next to me was also clutching his chest. “Put these on, there’s something wrong with the sound.” I quickly pulled out a handful of earplugs and shoved them into his hand. He put them on, and the pain on his face lessened slightly. He gripped my sleeve tightly, whispering cautiously. “Sister Alice, why do you carry so many earplugs around?” I smiled awkwardly. I’m hyper-sensitive. I have a heightened perception for emotions and sounds. I can easily sense malice in others and hear their two-faced whispers once they turn their backs. Only with earplugs, away from crowds, can my world be quiet. In this meeting room, I felt an intense wave of malice. I wanted to leave, but I found that the shattered glass had already repaired itself. No matter how violently I tried, I couldn’t break it from the inside. The sigh sounded again: “Only those who pass the interview can leave.” “You’re so undisciplined. It seems you need a lesson to learn some manners.” Suddenly, two figures appeared in the seats. Their eyeballs bulged, connected by only two fragile nerves. Just one glance, and I felt like I would faint. I pinched my arm hard to stay conscious. Accompanied by the dull heartbeat, the HR specters simultaneously looked up. “You have two superiors in front of you, but only one glass of water. What do you do?” *Inside, I was thinking: Split it in half for the superiors to share? No, if it’s not enough, it’s my fault.* But my mouth roared: “You old geezers actually expect to share? This is all mine!” A system notification sounded: “Player detected to have triggered ‘The Diplomacy Test’ storyline. Diplomacy failed. Prepare for your demise.” The room began to shake. The two HR specters simultaneously stood up. They moved closer, squeezing together, merging into a single, double-headed werewolf. “You truly are mediocre, with not a single clever thought in your heads.” “Water is blood, blood is water. To drink water is to drink blood.” “One of you must kill the other, offer their blood to us, and you’ll pass the interview.” “The last uniformed man who interviewed here was far cleverer than you.” My timid nature flared. *Inside, I was thinking: Oh no, I’m going to die today for sure.* But my mouth shot back: “You ancient fossil, you talk to me like that? How many lives do you have left?”

Outside, the chat had exploded. Bullet comments scrolled rapidly across the screen: “This newbie has a death wish! The double-headed werewolf won’t show any mercy!” “Playing with death like this, I bet she’ll be splattered in two seconds!” “So arrogant, maybe she has a life-saving artifact?” I had no life-saving artifact, only my timid nature. I wanted to immediately drop to my knees and beg for my life. But a hand shoved me towards the specter. “Sister Alice, I believe in you! I’m supporting you from behind!” My steps faltered, and I slipped, sliding directly towards the werewolf. Instinctively, I reached out to steady myself, grabbing onto an unknown object. It was slick, and I felt a faint *thump-thump* against my palm. A horrifying thought flashed through my mind – a heart. Without thinking, I wound up my arm and hurled the ‘heart’ at the glass. The glass shattered, mixing with the heart, forming a black and red glass heart. The green liquid from the hallway seeped through the cracks into the meeting room, sizzling as it corroded the heart. The double-headed werewolf suddenly split apart, becoming two terrified heads, huddled together. The left head cried: “It’s all your fault for exposing our secret!” The right head retorted: “It’s this woman! She doesn’t play by the rules!” My brain was on the verge of crashing. *Inside, I was thinking: I don’t know your secret. Winning might just be fate.* But my mouth snapped: “Now, go get me a glass of water! Your new manager is giving orders!” The bullet comments instantly erupted. “The newbie has a cheat! A killer move right off the bat!” “Her methods are wild! I’m betting she’s the winner!” “The newbie’s bold and fearless now, acting arrogant, but the ending will surely be tragic!” I realized that the glass heart was what controlled the double-headed werewolf. My hands trembling, I carefully tried to pick it up. A system notification sounded: “Player detected to have triggered side quest: ‘The Untouchable Intern.’ Reward: ‘The Manager’s Fragile Heart.’”

The two heads bounced around, moving closer to the Fragile Heart. One sprouted fangs, while the other taunted me. “An intern, trying to manage up?” “In this company, hierarchy is everything.” “We’re leaders! We’ll manage you, if you even have the qualifications!” I was terrified, wanting to jump out the window and escape. *Inside, I was thinking: Please, spare my life. I’m just an ordinary slacker.* But my mouth sneered: “You two clueless idiots, all you do is stare! I’ve got you by the short hairs now, and my rules are the *only* rules!” Sam, seeing my imposing demeanor, looked at me with adoration. “Sister Alice, I knew you had it in you!” “You tiny heads, you’d better obey my sister!” The two heads were furious, launching themselves at the Fragile Heart in my hand. I squeezed my fist so hard, terrified, that the Fragile Heart warped in my grasp. The double-headed specter changed with it, caving inward and shrinking to half its original size. They bumped into me like two soft cotton balls, limp and powerless. They looked at each other, then finally fixed their gaze on me, yelling angrily: “You despicable woman, how dare you hold our weaknesses against us!” I was about to speak when a voice interrupted me. The AI notification sounded: “It’s 5 PM. Current players: 6.” “Three hours until the assessment begins. “Failure to complete the mission will result in inability to promote to company executive. Failed players will face elimination.” Sam’s face was anxious: “Sister Alice, we need to think of something quickly! We have to get out of here! If we don’t complete the mission, we’re dead!” I glanced at the glass door outside, feeling helpless. The ground was covered in green liquid; touching it meant rapid corrosion. I wouldn’t be able to walk two meters before my shoes, even with a three-centimeter lift, would be completely worn down. I took a few deep breaths, steeling myself. I looked at the heads. *Inside, I was thinking: Please, take us out of here.* But my mouth commanded: “Consider yourselves lucky I’m using you! Come here, I’m going to step on you to get out!” Sam’s eyes gleamed, and the two heads looked nervous. I manipulated the Fragile Heart, forcing the two heads to obey. I made them bite onto the soles of my shoes and carry me up to the nineteenth floor. The nineteenth floor was dimly lit. In the huge hall, there was only a round table and a projector. A beam of light from the projector cast a long-haired vampire onto the center of the round table. It lay on the table, beckoning to me. “Come closer, we’re just missing one dish.” I have night blindness, so all I could see was a blurry silhouette. Smelling the aroma of food, I shamelessly walked forward. I had barely taken two steps when the heads under my feet began to tremble violently. The left head whimpered: “It used to call me a lazy pig and made me into pork vermicelli!” The right head cried: “It used to call me a stupid donkey and made me into donkey meat sandwiches!” “Leader Alice, we don’t want to go!” Both heads desperately tried to escape. As I got closer, I finally saw what was in front of me. A long-haired vampire, with no facial features, only an electronic menu screen for a face. I froze in terror. *Inside, I was thinking: No, thank you, I don’t feel like eating right now.* But my mouth snapped: “You call *this* hospitality? Do you want to die tonight?”

The lights in the room suddenly went out. I felt a constriction around my waist, and I was pulled onto the table by the vampire. “A new employee? So ignorant of the rules.” “Drink this glass of red wine, and I might spare you.” I instinctively looked at the red wine, my heart sinking. That wasn’t wine; it was clearly fresh blood! You vampires are sick! My mind cleared completely, and I swiftly spun the round table, moving the red wine away. Because I spun it too fast, the glass fell to the floor. The long-haired vampire instantly became furious, its electronic screen face glitching like a bad slideshow. “So unappreciative? Are you tired of living?” My face twitched, scared out of my wits. *Inside, I was thinking: I’m sorry, please be magnanimous and forgive me this one time.* But my mouth retorted: “Are you out of your mind? From today on, my goal is to manage you!” The long-haired vampire’s menu face flipped through pages, stopping on “Human Face Salad.” It growled: “Sharp-tongued and thick-skinned. This human face salad is perfect for you.” A butcher knife flew horizontally towards me. I tensed up and sprang back. *Inside, I was thinking: Please, I promise I’ll never offend you again.* But my mouth shot back: “How much fake wine did you drink? You still have time to kowtow and apologize to me!” The light in the room dimmed another notch, and I completely lost sight of everything. This made me incredibly nervous. I quickly pressed the Fragile Heart, calling for the double-headed werewolf’s assistance. Two bouncy objects launched themselves in front of me. Obeying my command, they bit onto the long-haired vampire. “My hair! You two are not getting out of here today!” The long-haired vampire’s voice was like a drill at 5 AM, piercing my ears. Before my eardrums burst, I grabbed the forks and lunged, clamping them onto its mouth. The room suddenly fell silent. Half a minute later, a string of cunning laughter erupted. “Ga ga ga da ga ga da ga ga da!” It was the sound of the two heads laughing. *Inside, I was thinking: This is an emergency, now is not the time for you to goof around.* But my mouth demanded: “What fresh gossip did you uncover? If you don’t tell me, do you want to be folded like a phone screen?” The two heads immediately rolled to my feet. “We’re laughing at how pathetic it looks! It used to be our superior!” “Always barking orders, acting like a total jerk!” “Today it ran into you, and it finally bit off more than it could chew! Let’s see it act all high and mighty now!” I was confused. I had only used forks to clamp the long-haired vampire; that shouldn’t be much of a skill. But the long-haired vampire was absolutely furious. “Are you two insane, mocking me right to my face!” Seeing it about to attack again, I tightened my grip on it with the forks. Every time I clamped down, it lost its ability to move. After clamping it ninety-nine times, the long-haired vampire finally deflated. It hung itself upside down from the ceiling with its hair. “How embarrassing! I’m going to strangle myself.” I felt a pang of guilt. *Inside, I was thinking: Come down, I shouldn’t have treated you like that. I’m a bit sorry.* But my mouth snapped: “You little brat, no one gets to take your life except me!” The long-haired specter’s electronic screen face instantly went blank. After a moment, it floated back down to the ground. A system notification sounded: “Player detected to have completed side quest: ‘Don’t Get Too Big for Your Britches.’ Reward: ‘Golden Forks of All-Clipping.’ Please use this item wisely.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298854”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

My husband proposed an open marriage, and I agreed. A plan began to brew in my mind. Just as I’d anticipated, his mistress got pregnant and pressured him to divorce me. I didn’t cry, didn’t make a scene. I simply smiled and signed the divorce papers. But who would have thought that soon after, his business would take a sudden hit, his company would go bankrupt, and he’d fall gravely ill. As for me? I was just starting to reach the peak of my life. “Clara, listen, I have a friend—” David had just returned from a business trip, and he was unusually eager to talk to me. He grabbed my hand, his eyes sparkling with an almost predatory glint as he excitedly began: “Didn’t he have a big fight with his wife a while ago? They were about to divorce.” “But then they decided not to. Do you know why?” “They tried an open marriage.” My internal alarm bells screamed. His next words confirmed everything. “The benefits of an open marriage are just incredible, like for example…” “It can spice up a dull, boring relationship. You get to experience different lives with different people.” His eyes were full of a hungry light as he spoke, a stark contrast to the weary gaze I’d grown so used to. He used to just lie on the couch, glued to his phone, the moment he got home from work. The passion had faded, and the monotony of our life together had clearly bored him. I knew exactly what was going on. He’d made a lot of money now, and he wanted *more*. One woman was never going to be enough for him, was she? A bitter taste filled my mouth, but I pushed it down, interrupting him: “If an open marriage is so great, why don’t we give it a try?” “Seriously?” David’s face registered pure shock. I nodded. “No kidding, when have I ever fooled you? But I do have one condition.” “I get to pick your playmate.” “Uh…” David frowned, a conflicted expression on his face. I patted his shoulder. “Relax. I’ll pick someone perfect for you, I won’t just throw any random person your way.” “Alright then!” David and I had known each other for thirty years. We practically shared the same nursery clothes, growing up side-by-side. We started dating at sixteen, got married at twenty-three right after college, and had Lily at twenty-four. All these years, he’d always been decent to me. When I complained about work, he said he’d take care of me. When I said housework was exhausting, he’d help out after work. I honestly thought we’d grow old together, a perfect couple. I never imagined that the first thing he’d think about after making money was finding a mistress, all under the fancy guise of an “open marriage.” They say money changes men, and he was living proof. It was my fault too, I suppose. I believed him when he said he’d take care of me. Now, if I left him, I wouldn’t even be able to survive. I wouldn’t even have enough cash for a cheap motel room. 2. It took me a lot of effort to find the right “playmate” for David. Her name was Brooke. She was a fresh college graduate, from a poor family, and absolutely obsessed with money. She was stunning, no doubt. Flawless skin, delicate features, and a body that screamed ‘trouble.’ Her voice was a syrupy sweet whisper, the kind that made men melt. The perfect type for David, really. “So, what do you think? Happy?” I asked, looking at David, whose eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Happy. More than happy.” David nodded vigorously, his hand already reaching for Brooke’s waist, barely able to contain himself. Brooke didn’t shy away; she leaned into his embrace. They looked less like strangers meeting for the first time and more like a couple who’d been secretly having an affair for years. Less than two weeks after David and Brooke got together, he had her move in with us. Three was definitely a crowd, and I was clearly the odd one out, slowly being pushed to the margins of my own home. I wasn’t the lady of the house anymore; I was just the live-in chef. Brooke, especially, started off polite, but quickly became bolder and bolder. I figured she was trying to drive me out so she could marry David herself. One morning, as I was making breakfast in the kitchen, David and Brooke were practically glued together on the couch, making out as if no one else existed. Lily, my daughter, rolled her eyes as she helped me with the chores. “Mom, when are you going to divorce him?” “I can’t stand Dad and Aunt Brooke acting like animals in the house every single day.” I gave her head a comforting pat, smiling. “Don’t worry, sweetie. All according to plan.” At breakfast, Brooke deliberately flaunted the hickeys on her neck and collarbone. “David, you wore me out last night. I’m sore all over.” She glanced at me, a smug smile playing on her lips. “It must be nice, Clara. Sleeping alone every night, no need to worry about what clothes to wear to cover up any… marks the next day.” David pulled Brooke into a tender hug. “Baby, I’m sorry. I’ll be gentler tonight.” Then he looked up at me. “Clara, while I’m at work, please take good care of Brooke. Make her some nourishing soup.” I didn’t actually feel anything, but I made sure my face showed obvious displeasure. “David, get this straight. I’m your lawfully wedded wife, not your personal assistant or maid. I’m already being incredibly generous letting you two carry on under my roof.” Brooke purred, wrapping her arms tightly around David’s neck. “It’s okay, David. I can take care of myself.” “Ugh…” David sighed, looking at me with a hint of resentment. I just lowered my head and sipped my porridge, pretending not to notice. 3. After David left for work, Lily and I stayed in the kitchen, cleaning up the dishes. Brooke followed us in. “Clara, don’t you see? David doesn’t love you anymore.” “You might be legally married, but they say the one who isn’t loved is the real third wheel.” “Honestly, instead of watching David and me be all lovey-dovey every day, why don’t you just divorce him? Then you could start a new relationship too.” I scoffed. “David and I have an open marriage. I can start a new relationship whenever I want, no divorce needed.” “Unlike you. Even if you and David broke up, you wouldn’t get a dime of his money.” “You…” Brooke stomped her foot, huffing with anger. “You just wait, Clara. David will ask for a divorce himself.” With that, she slammed the bedroom door shut and disappeared inside. Lily and I exchanged a triumphant look, a silent high-five for a plan well executed. That evening, the moment David walked through the door, Brooke clung to him like a limpet. “David, Clara was so mean to me when you were gone.” “What did she do?” David frowned, his eyes narrowed in displeasure as he looked at me, putting dinner on the table. Brooke pouted, looking pitiful. “She called me your… your bedmate.” “And she said you’d throw me away like trash once you were bored, that I was just your dirty little secret.” “Clara.” David’s gaze was icy. “Brooke is the one you personally picked for me. What are you trying to do, talking to her like that?” “If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t have agreed in the first place.” I shrugged indifferently. “No big deal. Just making sure she knows her place.” Brooke’s eyes flickered with surprise. She hadn’t expected me to not only avoid explaining myself but to actually admit to what she’d said. That night, David, in an effort to protect Brooke, verbally tore me apart. “Clara, while you’re telling others to know their place, maybe you should know yours first.” “You need to understand, you’re just a useless old woman who never brought a dime into this house.” “Without me, you’d end up begging on the streets.” “So, if you want to keep having a roof over your head, stop bullying Brooke when I’m not home.” I peeled a tangerine, nodding in agreement with David’s words. He was right. In seven years of marriage, all I’d done was give birth, raise Lily, cook, and do housework. I truly hadn’t brought in a single cent. That’s why, rich or not, a woman needs a job. Because only money can truly prove your worth. Everything else? No one sees it. To prevent Brooke from being “bullied” by me again, David rented a large apartment for her. After Brooke moved out, David never came home. Lily started to worry. “Mom, what if Dad never comes home? Is our plan going to fall apart?” I gave her cheek a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Mommy has a backup plan.” 4. On Monday, while David was at work, I paid Brooke a visit. Following the usual etiquette of bringing a small gift, I even made sure to bring her favorite fruit: mangoes. Just kidding, she hated mangoes. Brooke’s face fell, turning sullen the moment she opened the door and saw me. “What do *you* want, old woman?” I placed the mangoes on the coffee table, then crossed my legs confidently on the sofa, immediately establishing my dominance. “I’m here to help you face reality.” “David might be doting on you now, but it doesn’t change the fact that in an open marriage, he can dote on anyone he wants.” “Today it’s you, tomorrow there could be a thousand more like you. So, I advise you to break things off with David sooner rather than later, before you get thrown out.” “What the hell do you know?” Brooke spat through gritted teeth. “David promised me last night in bed that he’d be good to me forever, that I’d get a share of all his assets!” “Ha…” I mocked her with a wry chuckle. “Whatever he gives you, I have the right to take back. After all, it’s marital property.” Brooke stared at me, her eyes ablaze with a fierce anger. She was silent for a long moment before finally saying, “He *will* divorce you.” “Oh really? I don’t believe it.” Then I pointed to the mangoes on the table. “I brought you some fruit. Don’t forget to eat it.” Brooke, fuming, threw all the mangoes into the trash. As I left, I didn’t forget to have the moving crew help me take away all the gifts David had given Brooke. Brooke tried to stop them several times, but the bodyguards I’d hired pinned her to the sofa, completely immobilized. Watching the truck fill up with clothes, bags, cosmetics, gold, and silver jewelry, memories slowly surfaced. From dating to marriage with David, fourteen whole years. He’d always given me gifts on holidays, but most of them were cheap trinkets. Especially after we got married, he’d mostly give me small household tools to help with chores, like aprons, electric griddles, or robot vacuums. Huh… Men. For them, love was just another transaction. 5. That evening, David, for once, came home. The moment he walked in, he started yelling at me, pointing at me as I ate at the dining table. “Clara, what the hell is wrong with you? We have an open marriage, what’s with you constantly trying to stir up trouble between Brooke and me?” “Have you forgotten the vows you made to me on our wedding day? You said your greatest joy was seeing me happy. What do you mean by making me unhappy now?” “And everything you have right now, I worked my ass off for it. If you still want to live a comfortable life, then do your job as a wife properly.” Facing David’s wild accusations and his complete dismissal of my years of dedication, I didn’t get angry. Instead, I calmly took out a divorce agreement, smiling. “Let’s get a divorce. Marry Brooke. She’s a much better fit for you than I am.” Just as I expected, David refused to divorce me. Truth be told, he loved neither me nor Brooke. He simply wanted someone to run his household while he swapped women on the side. An open marriage was the perfect excuse. He wouldn’t have to bear the shame of cheating, and he could openly date other women. After David left, I sent the recording of his refusal to divorce me to Brooke. [Oh no, Brooke! I want to divorce David, but he won’t let me!] [He might spend a lot of money on you, but that doesn’t change the fact that in his eyes, you’re just a playmate.] [You’re so pathetic.] Her status showed “typing,” but no message ever came through. I knew Brooke was so furious she didn’t know how to retort. So, I kindly offered her some advice. [How about you have a son for David?] [Only having a daughter has always been his biggest regret. He’s built such a huge business; he’s bound to want a son to inherit it.] Sure enough, her status no longer showed “typing,” and no message was returned. I figured Brooke had taken my advice to heart. Well, I wished her success. 6. Two months later, David returned home again, bringing Brooke with him. David slapped the divorce agreement onto the table, pointing to the signature line on the last page. “Clara, you know, the one who isn’t loved is the real third wheel.” “I’m sure, given your moral standing, you wouldn’t want to be a mistress.” I meticulously read the asset distribution page from beginning to end, and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “David, you’re truly cheap. Why do I only get an electric scooter and ten thousand dollars?” David snorted. “You mostly use it for dropping off Lily and going to the grocery store. An electric scooter is perfect for you.” “The ten thousand dollars is my ‘salary’ for you. You haven’t created any value in all these years of marriage, but you’ve certainly put in the effort.” Brooke, nestled sweetly in David’s arms, chimed in, “Clara, ten thousand dollars is a lot!” “If you worked a normal job, it would take you ages to save up ten thousand!” “Besides, David and I have a baby to raise; our future financial pressure will be huge.” I didn’t argue with David about the asset distribution. Instead, I simply signed the document. My swift and decisive action actually surprised David. “Clara, you’re really okay with just an electric scooter and ten thousand dollars?” I smiled calmly. “Lily’s with me, isn’t she? Having her is enough. The rest doesn’t matter.” Before David could respond, I had already taken Lily into her room to pack our bags, ready to move out first thing in the morning. Lily sat on the bed, excitedly helping me organize my clothes. “Mom, I saw a house online that I really like.” “It’s super close to Dad’s place. If we live there, we’re definitely going to get lucky! And get rich!” I glanced at David, who was flirting with Brooke in the living room, and a subtle smile tugged at the corner of my lips. “That’s right! We’re going to get rich, and your dad is going to go bankrupt.”

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“Ms. Hayes, we have the results of your investigation.” “And the results are?” My grip tightened on my phone, knuckles turning white from the pressure. “Your fiancé, Liam Blackwood, and Cole Blackwood of the Blackwood Corporation are not acquainted and share no blood relation. They are two different individuals.” Outside, the rain poured, streams of water sliding down the windowpane like countless eerie hands squeezing my heart. After hanging up, my finger instinctively tapped back to the video. On screen, Cole Blackwood, heir to the Blackwood Corporation, stood impeccably dressed in a custom suit, gently placing an engagement ring on Seraphina Thorne’s finger. They stood under the spotlight, a picture-perfect couple. But my eyes were drawn, against my will, to the ring on Cole’s ring finger. It was identical to the one I’d personally slipped onto my fiancé Liam’s finger just this morning. What chilled me even more was that the man in the video looked *exactly* like my fiancé, Liam Blackwood. Yet, the investigator’s voice still echoed in my ears, plunging me into a spiral of self-doubt. In that moment, an invisible hand seemed to drag my thoughts into a vortex, and past memories flashed before my eyes. Five years ago, on a rainy night, in front of my foster mother’s gravestone, I was startled by a faint whisper of, “Help me.” I carried the blood-soaked Liam back to my cramped apartment. Liam told me he was an orphan, and an instant kinship bloomed between us. Liam was incredibly optimistic, full of youthful energy. Despite his injuries, he flashed a brilliant smile, his charming eyes crinkling into happy crescents. “My name is Liam, as in L-I-A-M. And you, sis?” A blush crept up my cheeks as I softly replied, “Lily Hayes…” For the next few days, we clung to each other in that tiny rental. Liam would make me breakfast every morning, and at night, he’d hold me tight. Those sweet moments made me fall deeper and deeper in love. We quickly tumbled into a passionate romance, promising to be together forever and always. But for the past six months, I’d been feeling that something was off with Liam. Until one day, I saw Cole Blackwood, the heir to the Blackwood Corporation, make a public appearance online. I was stunned. Because it was undeniably Liam. Their body types were identical, and their faces were almost exactly the same. On a whim, I started investigating, even hiring a private detective. Just moments ago, I’d received a definitive answer. But could two people in the world really look so astonishingly alike? Especially that ring… “Lily, are you watching a live stream?” Suddenly, a man’s voice sounded behind me. I turned to see him standing in the dim light, his silhouette identical to Cole’s. As he walked towards me, he revealed a face that was the spitting image of Cole Blackwood, the heir from the live stream. He glanced at my phone screen and chuckled helplessly. “Suspecting me again? I wish I were the great Mr. Blackwood, but no such luck!” I didn’t say anything, just lowered my eyes. It was true, their personalities and temperaments were completely different. If Liam was the cheerful boy next door, Cole was a decisive leader in the business world. One an orphan, the other an heir to a billion-dollar conglomerate—how could they be the same person? Liam walked closer, his arm naturally wrapping around my waist. “No… This engagement ceremony is just so grand, it’s really something to envy,” I said with a forced smile. “Lily, you need to stop overthinking things. Dinner’s ready. Let’s eat and then get some rest,” Liam sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice. “Okay, thanks for all your hard work, Liam.” I nodded with a smile, my gaze subtly falling on the ring on Liam’s right hand.

Beneath the gilded eaves of the Blackwood family estate. Cole Blackwood exuded an intimidating aura, his phone clasped tightly in his hand, thin lips pressed into a grim, unyielding line. “Still no answer.” After hanging up, Cole pressed his temples, trying to gather his thoughts before returning to the main hall. “Cole, who were you just talking to?” Seraphina Thorne, daughter of the prominent Thorne family, glided gracefully towards Cole, intimately linking her arm through his. Cole’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he replied flatly, “A business partner. We have a slight issue with a project.” He picked up two glasses of red wine from a passing waiter’s tray, handing one to Seraphina. “It’s time to toast the elders. We can’t neglect proper etiquette.” As Seraphina accepted the glass, she lowered her gaze to the swirling wine within. A moment later, she brightened, turning to rejoin the guests’ convivial chatter. In our apartment, warm yellow light spilled over the small dining table, set with two or three simple dishes. I absentmindedly poked at the food on my plate with my fork. My eyes kept darting to the ring on Liam’s hand, inspecting it intently. Liam, across from me, was chattering excitedly about funny stories from the construction site. But I wasn’t listening to a word, my mind consumed by the intertwining images of Liam and the Blackwood heir’s similar faces, and that identical ring… Liam suddenly paused, then grinned, reaching out to touch his ring and raising his voice. “Lily, you know what? A lot of my co-workers today said our rings look just like the ones for the Blackwood and Thorne wedding.” “I got curious and checked online. The pictures have filters, but apparently, the Blackwood-Thorne engagement rings have both family crests engraved on the inside.” With that, Liam smoothly slipped off his ring and held the inside toward me. “See? Our ring is perfectly plain, no crests or anything. It’s probably just a coincidence in style, after all, a ring this good-looking is bound to be popular.” I stared at the ring’s clean inner surface, my tense nerves relaxing considerably, a small smile involuntarily appearing on my face. Seeing this, Liam leaned in closer, his eyes sparkling. “Lily, you didn’t actually think I was some Blackwood heir, did you? If I had that kind of status, I’d be taking you out living the high life, not stuck in this cramped apartment!” “Who knows? Maybe the Blackwoods copied *our* ring style, after all, Lily’s taste is top-notch!” I couldn’t help but laugh, rolling my eyes at him, feigning annoyance. “Hmph, always with the jokes, aren’t you? I was just thinking out loud.” Liam immediately straightened up, raising his hand in a swearing gesture. “Cross my heart, Lily, if I’m hiding anything from you, may I be stuck doing the toughest construction work for the rest of my life!” Then he picked up his fork again, put a piece of food on my plate, and grinned. “Eat up, don’t just think about all that nonsense. You’ve got a real-life hunk right here, isn’t that enough to look at?” He made me chuckle, and I lightly patted his shoulder. “You and your big mouth!” Liam chewed a mouthful of food, mumbling, “Lily, no more overthinking, okay? If you keep doubting me, I’m going to get mad!” “Alright, alright, just eat!” After dinner, Liam quickly cleared the dishes. I turned and walked into the bathroom, and soon, the sound of running water filled the air. When I emerged, wrapped in a cloud of steam, I saw that Liam had already tidied up the apartment. Then, Liam went into the bathroom to shower. With a soft creak, Liam pushed open the bathroom door. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a hairdryer. Seeing him emerge, I smiled and patted the empty spot beside me. “Liam, come here, let me dry your hair.” Liam’s eyes immediately lit up, and he obediently sat on the bed. My fingers ran through his damp hair as the warm air from the hairdryer gently ruffled it. Liam closed his eyes, a look of pure contentment on his face. After a moment, he murmured, “If only we could be this happy forever.” I hadn’t heard him clearly, so I stopped my hands and tilted my head, asking, “Liam, what did you say?” Liam snapped back to attention, his cheeks slightly flushed. “Nothing. Lily, let’s go to bed early.” “Okay.” I softly agreed, my gaze lingering on his face for a moment before I slowly nodded.

Meanwhile, in a bedroom in the Thorne family mansion. Seraphina Thorne, dressed in a luxurious nightgown, lounged elegantly on the sofa, her fingertips drumming impatiently on the armrest. Before her stood a burly bodyguard, head bowed, awaiting orders. “Who did Cole call today? And why? Find out, the sooner the better.” The bodyguard acknowledged the command and swiftly retreated. A dark, unreadable glint flickered in Seraphina’s eyes. Morning light filtered through the gaps in the old curtains, falling on me. I slowly woke up and walked out of the room to find breakfast on the table, with a sticky note beside it: “Lily, I’m off to work. Remember to eat breakfast. Love you!” I smiled softly, taking a bite of bread, the wheaty aroma filling my mouth. Casually, I opened my phone to scroll through videos. After just a few scrolls, there it was again—clips from yesterday’s live stream of the Blackwood heir and Seraphina Thorne’s engagement. Tapping into the comment section, sure enough, it was flooded with envious remarks. Suddenly, one comment caught my eye: “That Mr. Blackwood has serious plot armor; I heard he was kidnapped five years ago and went missing. He came back and immediately got engaged to Seraphina Thorne.” Five years? I froze. Liam, too, was rescued by me on a rainy night, five years ago… I quietly put away my phone, quickly tidied up the apartment, and then headed to the watch shop. The shop assistant greeted me with a beaming smile the moment she saw me. “Ms. Hayes, your custom watch is here! I’ll get it for you right away.” A moment later, the assistant emerged, holding a delicate black gift box with both hands. I opened the box, and the watch instantly caught my eye, its dial glowing softly under the light, the strap exquisite. “Ms. Hayes, you have excellent taste. I’m sure your boyfriend will absolutely love it.” “Thank you!” I gently caressed the watch, a smile unconsciously curving my lips, and left the shop with the gift box. Back home, I meticulously inspected the gift box. For this watch, I’d been working extra shifts after my regular job. No matter how tiring it was, the thought of Liam’s surprised face when he received the gift made it all worthwhile. Today, I’d even taken a day off, planning to surprise Liam tonight. Thinking it had been a while since I’d brought him lunch, I went to a nearby market and bought ingredients. Back at the apartment, I was busy once more. “Liam will be so surprised and happy to see me.” I thought to myself as I grabbed my insulated lunch container and walked out the door. The moment I stepped onto the construction site, the cacophony of machines and workers’ shouts washed over me. I was just about to pull out my phone to call Liam. “Mr. Blackwood! Over here!” Suddenly, a booming voice snatched my attention. I instinctively looked up and froze, the insulated lunch container slipping from my grasp and clattering to the ground. Liam was surrounded by a group of workers. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his posture rigid, his eyes keen, exuding an unapproachable aura with every move—a completely different person from the playful, goofy boy in our apartment. I froze on the spot, my mind blank. My heart hammered in my chest, my mind reeling with questions: What on earth was going on? Why was Liam surrounded and being called “Mr. Blackwood”? I instinctively took two steps forward, wanting to confront him, but then abruptly stopped. What if it was just a misunderstanding? Would questioning him in front of all these people embarrass him and affect his work? But if he had been deceiving me all this time, what did these five years of our relationship even mean? As I hesitated, Liam casually looked up, and our eyes met. However, he merely gave me a dismissive glance before leading the group towards me. As they drew closer, my heart pounded violently, threatening to burst from my chest. Yet, as he passed right by me, the man didn’t even spare me a second look. My heart instantly tightened, and I cautiously called out, “Liam?” “What did you call me?” Cole stopped, his brow furrowed, his voice icy. At that moment, the foreman rushed forward, scrutinizing me with an unfriendly tone. “Who are you? What are you doing here? Liam? What Liam? This is Mr. Cole Blackwood, CEO of Blackwood Corporation!” I was stunned. This was Cole? I was about to explain when Cole immediately cut in. “That’s enough. First, come with me to check on that batch of building materials.” He finished, then cast a cold glance at me. “This is a construction site. Don’t let unauthorized personnel just walk in.” With that, he and his entourage walked away. I stood rooted to the spot, watching their retreating backs, only snapping back to reality after a long moment. “So that’s Cole Blackwood.” I let out a soft breath, quickly picked up the insulated lunch container, then pulled out my phone and dialed Liam’s number. Once, twice… I dialed several times, but only the monotonous buzzing tone came through the receiver. No one picked up. “Why isn’t he answering?” My brows furrowed. Just then, a co-worker passed by, and I quickly stopped him, anxiously asking, “Excuse me, sir, do you know Liam Blackwood?” “Liam? There’s no one named Li—,” The co-worker scratched his head, looking troubled. “Lily!” Before he could finish, Liam, dressed in a work uniform, suddenly ran around the corner, asking with surprise, “What are you doing here? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t bring me lunch?” My eyes instantly welled up. The continuous suspicion had tormented me, and a wave of hurt washed over me. “Liam, where were you? Why weren’t you answering your phone?” “Lily, I… I’ve been having a upset stomach all day, and my phone was on silent…” As he spoke, Liam glanced at the insulated lunch container in my hand and quickly changed the subject. “Lily, is this lunch for me? You’re so thoughtful! Let me take you somewhere, this isn’t a good place to talk.” With that, Liam led me out of the construction site to a temporary休息处. Seeing my expression, Liam gave a helpless smile. “You look so troubled. Did you just see Cole Blackwood?” “There’s a big project bidding recently, and the Blackwood Corporation is absolutely determined to win it. But Mr. Blackwood received information that someone might be taking kickbacks, which not only affects the company’s profits but could also lead to losing the bid. So, Mr. Blackwood decided to come to the construction site personally to investigate.” As he spoke, Liam quickly pulled out his phone, opened WhatsApp, found the main construction site group chat, and showed me the notice. “See, Lily, this is the message the foreman posted in the work group chat yesterday, informing everyone that Mr. Blackwood would be coming to investigate. The foreman even promised that if this investigation goes smoothly and the project bid is successful, everyone will get a bonus.” Then, he scrolled up, finding another announcement. I took the phone and examined it carefully, but my brows remained tightly furrowed. “Okay, but you two look *so* alike.” Even with the concrete evidence, and everything making logical sense, I still felt like something was off.

Meanwhile, in the penthouse office of Thorne Corporation. Seraphina Thorne sat in a leather chair, her fingertips drumming erratically on the desk. *Knock knock*, the office door opened, and the bodyguard quickly entered, holding a brown paper envelope. “Ms. Thorne, we have the results of your investigation.” The bodyguard respectfully reported, handing over the file. Seraphina abruptly sat upright, snatching the file and eagerly flipping it open. The moment she opened it, a photo slipped out and drifted to the floor. As Seraphina’s gaze landed on the photo, her pupils constricted. She shot to her feet, her heart pounding, an intense sense of familiarity washing over her. It was uncanny. So, so similar. Lily Hayes’s eyes and brows bore a seventy percent resemblance to Seraphina’s mother. Seraphina’s thoughts involuntarily drifted back five years. That day, she had gone to pick up her family’s medical reports. On the way home in the car, with nothing else to do, she casually flipped through them. When she saw the blood type section, both her father and mother were B type, yet she was A type. A bold and absurd idea popped into her head: She might not be the Thornes’ biological daughter. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and her hands unconsciously clenched. Later, she secretly underwent a DNA test, unbeknownst to anyone in the Thorne family. The results confirmed the truth she most dreaded—she was indeed not their biological daughter. From then on, fear and insecurity became her constant companions. She lived in perpetual worry that the truth would be exposed, and she would lose everything she had. She began to frantically study corporate management, and now held a significant position within Thorne Corporation. Seraphina pulled her thoughts from the past, a sinister glint in her eyes. “Send someone immediately to get a hair sample from Lily Hayes. By any means necessary, I want that DNA test report within three days!” … Meanwhile, outside the construction site, I had just finished lunch with Liam. He was still his usual cheerful self, full of jokes and laughter, but my mind was restless. Everything was just too coincidental, so coincidental that a patch of wild doubts had grown in my heart, impossible to uproot. After leaving the construction site, I walked home alone. The streets were bustling with traffic and noisy crowds, but my mind was filled with questions and unease. Just then, a frantic stranger suddenly bumped into me. I stumbled, and I felt a sharp tug at my hair, like a tiny needle had pricked my scalp. “Sorry!” He mumbled an apology and disappeared into the crowd without looking back. I stared blankly at his retreating back, a vague sense of unease rising in my heart. Full of questions, I returned to my apartment and, after a moment’s hesitation, dialed the detective agency again. “Hello, could you please help me investigate Cole Blackwood’s itinerary for the past week, as detailed as possible?” The moment I hung up, my hand tightened slightly on the phone, and my brows furrowed. But I took a deep breath, pushing down the pile of questions, and softly reassured myself: “Maybe I’m just overthinking. How could Liam lie to me? I should prepare for the surprise tonight.” My phone vibrated a few times. I tapped the screen, and a document detailing Cole Blackwood’s schedule appeared. My eyes quickly landed on tomorrow night’s plans: 7 PM, Imperial Hotel downtown, an important banquet. Seeing the words “Imperial Hotel,” my first thought was of my best friend, Chloe, who worked at a bridal shop nearby. I quickly opened our chat and messaged Chloe: “Chloe, there’s a banquet at the Imperial Hotel tomorrow night. Do you know if they’re hiring temporary servers?” Next, I ordered a birthday cake. Then, I dove into the kitchen, tied on my apron, and began preparing dinner. In the evening, Liam came home from work. He pushed open the door, and the apartment was dark. He instinctively reached for the light switch. At that very moment, I lit the candles on the cake, their soft glow illuminating my smiling face. “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you…” I sang the birthday song, watching Liam stand frozen, his eyes slightly red-rimmed. After finishing the song, I softly said, “Liam, happy birthday.” “Lily, is this…” Liam paused, his eyes filled with surprise and emotion. I beamed. “It’s your birthday! You didn’t seriously forget your own birthday, did you?” I took his hand and led him to the dining table. “It’s okay, I remembered! Come on, try the dinner I made.” We sat across from each other at the dining table, enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal. The space was small, but the air was filled with warmth and tenderness. He opened his mouth several times as if to say something, but then swallowed his words, his hands unconsciously clenching and unclenching. Finally, Liam seemed to gather his courage.

He gave me an apologetic smile. “I need to take this call.” I nodded, watching him walk out to the balcony. Just then, my phone lit up with a message from Chloe. “Lily, the Imperial Hotel banquet *is* hiring temporary servers, and the pay is super high! Want to come?” My eyes lit up, and I immediately replied, “Of course! Liam and I will both come.” “OK, I’ll sign you both up before I go to work tomorrow morning.” Just as I finished reading the message, Liam came back inside. “Liam, what did the foreman want?” “There was a small issue with the progress at the construction site, but it’s resolved now, nothing major.” I didn’t press further, instead excitedly saying, “Liam, Chloe just said the Imperial Hotel is hiring temporary servers for tomorrow night. Let’s go together! We can experience a high-end banquet like that, and we’ll get to eat five-star cuisine—I’ve never had it before!” He hesitated. “But the construction site…” “Just this once!” I playfully tugged his arm. “It’s a rare opportunity, let’s go check it out!” After my incessant pestering, he finally nodded. “Alright, then. We’ll meet directly at the hotel after work tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded, but complex thoughts churned in my mind: Perhaps tomorrow night’s banquet would help me unravel some mysteries. The next evening, the Imperial Hotel glowed with dazzling lights, like a magnificent palace. Luxury cars lined up at the entrance, doors opening and closing as guests in elegant attire entered, chatting and laughing. Dressed in a black server uniform, I weaved through the grand hall. I opened my chat with Liam again, staring at the message: “Liam, have you arrived? The head server keeps rushing me.” The message had been sent a while ago, but there was still no reply. I was anxiously waiting when the revolving door suddenly swung open. Cole Blackwood, dressed in an impeccably tailored designer suit, strode in with a steady gait. His posture was tall and straight, his eyes sharp, exuding an innate commanding presence with every gesture. The moment he entered, he instantly became the focal point of everyone’s attention. I stared at him, my heart inexplicably tightening. An indescribable sense of pressure washed over me, making my breathing quicken. I instinctively picked up my phone, dialing Liam’s number again, but still, no one answered. My fingers began to tremble, a chill crawling up my spine. Liam, why was he so late? He was never like this. Had something happened, or was he deliberately avoiding me? Why did Liam never appear wherever Cole Blackwood was? And the man standing before me now—was he Liam or Cole? My mind was a chaotic mess, and I hadn’t even noticed his approach. He frowned, looking quite impatient. His assistant immediately stepped forward, reprimanding me with a sharp tone: “What are you standing there for, server? Move aside!” Only then did I snap to attention, quickly stepping aside to clear the path. Cole walked straight past me, entering the crowd, raising a glass and chatting effortlessly with the guests around him. I gazed blankly at Cole. The same height, similar eyes and brows, even the way he raised his hand to toast was identical to Liam’s—yet their temperaments were clearly different. I somewhat pushed down my doubts and messaged Liam again: “Liam, are you still not here?”

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My best friend’s sister started helping out at the coffee shop, And I found myself drawn to her stunning, curvy figure. So I followed her suggestion and went abroad, My eyes glimmering as I watched the waitresses in the coffee shop. I thought this would be a feast for our secret affair, never imagining it would be the start of me losing everything. That evening, I perfected a new dessert recipe, diligently noting down the precise ratios, when Jade walked in. “Declan, all the customers are gone. We should head out… Whoa, that smells amazing.” Watching her eyes light up, a huge sense of satisfaction swelled in me. Someone still appreciates my work. Maybe I’m not as worthless as Clara makes me out to be. “Try some.” “Really?” Jade looked at me with pure delight and quickly planted a kiss on my cheek. My eyes widened in surprise. We’d been working together for so long, and I had no idea this girl was so bold. Seeing my expression, she immediately stuck out her tongue. “Oops, sorry. I always act like that with my brother at home, it’s just a habit.” My eyes narrowed slightly. That kind of playful gesture from her was incredibly hard to resist. She broke open the dessert, and the cream instantly oozed out. She gasped in surprise. I quickly turned to grab some napkins. When I came back, I saw her licking the cream off her index finger. The raw intensity sent a jolt of heat through my body. A primal heat stirred deep within me. I looked down, away from her, and cursed myself mentally. Declan, you’re a married man with a kid. Get those dirty thoughts out of your head. To avoid crossing any lines, I said goodbye to Jade and left the shop. Jade was the younger sister of my good friend, Ryan. After graduating college, she struggled to find a suitable job, so she went off to learn the art of being a barista. Now that she’d mastered her skills and returned, Ryan didn’t want Jade working anywhere else; he was worried something bad might happen to his sister. When I first met Jade, I looked her up and down. She was exactly as Ryan had described. She was gorgeous: slender waist, long legs, and a stunning hourglass figure. Long wavy hair fell down her back, and her small, oval face simply exuded charm. Thinking that such beauty would attract a lot of customers, I agreed to let her stay. Every day, we’d work together, experimenting with new desserts. Her knowledge and baking techniques consistently impressed me. Gradually, I found myself drawn to her, pushing Clara’s daily coldness to the back of my mind, no longer letting it bother me. Slowly, I realized Jade was subtly, perhaps unintentionally, seducing me.

Back home, seeing Clara holding our baby, a wave of guilt washed over me. I quickly took the baby from her, my face plastered with a pleading smile. “Honey, let me take him. You go rest.” I was surprised. Clara, who hadn’t given me a decent look in days, actually smiled back. Lying in bed later, my mind was full of images of making love to Clara. I turned to look at my wife’s soft, fair skin, and I couldn’t help but swallow hard. Slowly, I placed my hand on her. She didn’t push my hand away. She didn’t get angry. Looks like tonight I might finally get some action. I pressed on, my movements bolder. I’d just started to lift her nightgown. The next second, I was sitting on the floor. I looked up, confused, at Clara, who was now furious. “Declan, what the hell is wrong with you? We’ve had a baby for months now, can’t you just grow up?” “Honey, intimacy is a normal part of marriage. How is that immature?” “You’re disgusting. I don’t want to talk to you. Get out!” Once again, Clara kicked me out of the bedroom. Staring at the closed door, I felt utterly pathetic. Two years of marriage, and we’d only been intimate a few times before she got pregnant. My hands clenched into fists. I wanted to pound on the door and demand to know what she was thinking. But then I remembered how all our previous attempts at communication had ended in arguments, and I gave up. I turned and went back to the shop. Jade hadn’t left; she was alone, engrossed in her phone. Watching her focused expression, I thought about scaring her. But when I got closer, I never expected the sight before me to make my blood start to pound. An adult film was playing, the couple on screen caught in a wild, uninhibited intimacy. Having gone so long without any intimacy with my wife, I couldn’t help but swallow hard. The desire that hadn’t subsided at home became completely overwhelming in that moment. The faint scent of Jade, combined with the movements on screen, made me feel like I was about to lose control. Just as I was trying to make a clumsy escape, Jade grabbed my arm. Her face was flushed, her eyes filled with shyness. “Declan, weren’t you going home? Why are you back?” “I… I came to check the electricity and water. You… you should go home and rest early.” “Okay, sure.” As her hand moved away, it brushed against my abs. That brief touch made an involuntary sound escape my lips, and a flush of heat spread across my face. Hearing her laughter behind me, I immediately bolted up to the second-floor room. Lying in bed, all I could think about was Jade’s shy expression. From my angle, I’d even caught a glimpse of what was visible under her white top. Just imagining that feeling was intoxicating. I wondered what it would be like to *taste* her, to really know that feeling. I shook my head vigorously, closed my eyes, and tried to sleep. But as I tossed and turned in bed, all I saw were the moves from the porn movie, only with Jade underneath me. Helpless, I slowly put my hand under the covers. I even had a dream, a hazy, half-conscious one, where I involuntarily cried out Jade’s name. Afterward, I angrily slapped my own face. Why couldn’t I control my thoughts? I had mentally cheated on my wife. For the next few days, I felt a constant wave of guilt whenever I saw Jade. I couldn’t look her in the eye or talk to her. We were as awkward as if we’d just met. I had planned to find an opportunity to talk to Ryan, suggesting Jade look for work elsewhere.

I stared at the heavy rain outside, caught in a dilemma. Part of me wanted to take Jade home, but another part dreaded this being our last moment alone, and I felt a strange reluctance to let it end. “Declan, what are you thinking about?” “I was wondering if I should take you home.” Her question startled me, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I awkwardly scratched my head at her laughter. Jade walked towards me, a playful smile on her face. “Do you… like me?” My guard immediately went up, and I looked at her with a startled, panicked gaze, like a cornered cat. “No! How could I? I’m married. And you’re Ryan’s sister, there’s no way I could like you.” “Really? Because your behavior these past few days tells me you definitely do.” “Don’t talk nonsense. You should just sleep here tonight. I’ll go home…” My eyes widened as she suddenly kissed me. Her soft lips carried a faint strawberry scent. I tried to push her away, but she guided my hand to the soft curve between us. Feeling the full softness of her against me, my reason suddenly snapped back into place. “No, we can’t do this. I can’t betray Clara, and I can’t betray your brother.” “No one is betraying anyone. I’ve seen how Clara treats you lately, how small she makes you feel. It breaks my heart.” Tears streamed down Jade’s face. Seeing her cry because of me, my last vestiges of resolve crumbled in that moment. I reached out to wipe her tears away. “Foolish girl, why are you crying?” She threw herself into my arms, whispering how much she worried about me. Her words filled me with a warmth I hadn’t felt in ages. Her tear-filled eyes, so clear and yet so passionate, drew me in. I couldn’t resist kissing her eyelids. That one kiss was all it took. The spark between us ignited, spreading like a wildfire. I picked her up and carried her upstairs. My breath grew heavy as I saw her bare shoulders. She tugged at my collar, leaning close to my ear, and gently licked it. “I’m willing to fall with you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298851”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic