In my past life, the historic Saint Jude’s Chapel caught fire during a charity gala. I physically stopped my husband, Julian, from rushing into the inferno. Julian walked away without a scratch. His “distant cousin,” Mia, who was trapped inside, perished in the flames. After that, Julian treated me exactly as he always had—painting my portrait, discussing literature, playing the loving husband. Until the night I went into labor. He locked me in the master bedroom and lit a match. Through the door, he whispered, “You should taste what it’s like to be swallowed by the flames.” I was burned alive. Only after I died did I learn the truth. Mia wasn’t some poor distant cousin of the family. She was Julian’s mistress, the love of his life that he’d been hiding in plain sight. I opened my eyes and found myself back at that moment. Staring at the roaring fire in front of the chapel, I looked at Julian, tears streaming down my face. And I let go of his hand. “Julian… Mia… Mia is still inside!” 1 “Help! Fire! Somebody call 911!” I woke up to the frantic screaming of my assistant, Harper. I sat up, cold sweat drenching my evening gown. The phantom heat of the fire still clung to my skin. I could feel the searing pain in my abdomen, the sensation of my water breaking, the smell of smoke and burning flesh. I remembered pounding on the door, my voice raspy and broken. “Julian, please… let me out… the baby is coming…” The fire had roared, getting hotter, hungrier. Julian had stood on the other side of the glass French doors, looking like a Greek statue, cold and unmoving. I watched him pour a canister of gasoline onto the threshold, ensuring the fire would consume me completely. I gasped, my eyes snapping open. “Miss Evelyn? Miss Evelyn, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “Don’t be scared, Miss Evelyn. Harper is right here.” Those words. In my last life, those were the last words I heard. When Julian locked me in, Harper had tried to break the door down. Julian’s bodyguards beat her with batons. Through the crackling flames, I heard her sobbing, “Don’t be scared, Miss! I’m coming to get you!” Then her voice faded. As the fire licked my knees and the smoke filled my lungs, I heard her whisper one last time, “Don’t be scared… I’m going with you.” I grabbed Harper’s hand. It was warm. It was real. She was alive. “Harper,” I stammered, “What day is it? What’s happening outside?” 2 It was the night of the Saint Jude’s Charity Gala fire. By the time Harper and I made it to the courtyard, the historic chapel was already an inferno. In the orange glow of the flames, I saw Julian. He was running frantically. He was wearing the bespoke cashmere coat I had custom-ordered for him from Italy, but the belt was missing, and he’d lost a loafer. He rushed over, his brow furrowed, his voice trembling. “Mia… Is Mia still inside?” I lowered my eyes to hide the coldness in them. In my last life, I died never understanding why Julian hated me so much. We were childhood sweethearts. He was the heir to the Pierce dynasty; I was the daughter of Senator Sterling. A match made in old-money heaven. I never wronged him. When the Pierce family stock tanked and his father had a stroke, I was the one who begged my father to pull strings and bail them out. I saved his family’s legacy. But after I died, my spirit hovered over the ashes, and I heard his venomous words: “Evelyn Sterling, if it wasn’t for you… if it wasn’t for you, Mia wouldn’t be dead! You say you’re innocent? What about Mia?! She was pregnant with my child!” “You deserve to burn. It’s called karma.” That’s when I knew. He hated me for “forcing” him to marry me, for taking the spot that belonged to his true love. And he hated me for stopping him from saving her that night. I didn’t know he had a lover. The so-called “cousin,” Mia, was just a stray he picked up and kept under his nose. “I’m asking you, where is Mia?!” Julian screamed, shaking me. My eyes filled with tears on command. I looked at him, grabbed his arm one last time, and then released him. “Julian… Mia… she’s still in there!” This time, without me in the way, Julian could finally chase the tragic romance he wanted so badly. And so could I. 3 Julian charged in. He literally shoved me aside. The look in his eyes screamed, Don’t you dare stop me. He was going to save his damsel in distress. I “tripped” and fell to the ground, feigning a leg injury. I tried to stand up, then collapsed again, sobbing theatrically. “Julian, don’t go! It’s too dangerous!” The crowd buzzed with gossip. Because of a massive blizzard grounding flights, half the city’s elite were stuck at this estate for the weekend. Julian wasn’t just performing for me; he was performing for the entire social registry. People stared. Some mocked, some pitied. A hand reached down to help me up. It was Scarlett, a frenemy from a rival family. “You okay, Evie?” she asked. Before I could answer, Harper burst into tears. “How can she be okay? Look at her! Mr. Pierce is heartless…” I gave Harper a mental high-five. Outwardly, I wept into my handkerchief. “It’s not a big deal… I’m just worried about my husband. He… he just cares too much.” “The girl inside is his grandmother’s niece, his cousin. Julian is such a family man; he couldn’t bear to see his grandma heartbroken.” The crowd went silent. The looks of pity intensified. Someone whispered, “But that fire is massive…” I ignored them, playing the role of the devoted, terrified wife. Minutes felt like hours. Finally, Julian emerged. He looked like hell. His back was scorched, and his right leg was dragging uselessly behind him. Apparently, a beam had fallen on him. Rescue workers had found him pinned in a corner, shielding Mia with his body. Mia was wrapped in the wet cashmere coat I bought him. Aside from being a bit woozy from the smoke, she was completely unharmed. The paramedics tried to put them both on stretchers. But Julian, obsessed with being the hero, refused to let anyone touch her. He gritted his teeth and carried her out himself, despite his shattered leg. Such grit. Such passion. I watched this display of psychotic devotion and wailed, throwing myself toward them. Julian didn’t even look at me. He only had eyes for Mia. Even as he was on the verge of passing out, he held her hand and screamed at me to get the best doctors for her. If the context weren’t so tragic, I would have applauded. Instead, I cried until I was hyperventilating, acting completely useless. When Julian was finally patched up and brought back to the Pierce estate, his mother, the matriarch Mrs. Pierce, greeted me with a flying teacup. Crash. The porcelain shattered at my feet. “Evelyn! What kind of wife are you?!” Mrs. Pierce screamed. “Julian went out perfectly fine, and look at him now!” “He wanted to run into a fire! Why didn’t you stop him?!” 4 Déjà vu. Last time, I stopped him, and she blamed me for the death of her “niece.” This time I let him go, and she blamed me for his injury. I didn’t say a word. I just fell to my knees. Scarlett, who had followed us, scoffed. “Mrs. Pierce, how is this Evelyn’s fault?” Mrs. Pierce realized there were outsiders present and shut her mouth. But Harper wasn’t done. She kept her head down but spoke loud enough for the cheap seats. “The Mrs. is being unreasonable. Mr. Pierce insisted on rushing in. He even shoved Miss Evelyn to the ground to get away from her.” “Miss Evelyn hurt her leg because of him! What else was she supposed to do?” “And let’s be real, Mr. Pierce came out holding that ‘cousin’ like she was his wife. It was… embarrassing.” Mrs. Pierce turned purple. She wanted to argue, but seeing Scarlett’s judgmental smirk, she turned her rage on Harper. “You’re just a servant! Who gave you permission to speak?” I covered my face with my sleeve and bit down on the blood capsule I’d hidden in my cheek. “Harper is my staff… I will discipline her… Mother, please don’t be upset…” I coughed violently, spraying a mouthful of fake blood onto the pristine carpet. Gasps filled the room. I rolled my eyes back and fainted dramatically into Harper’s arms. Chaos ensued. I kept my eyes shut, smiling internally. Let it burn. Just wait until they find out about Mia’s pregnancy. If I hadn’t died in my last life, I never would have known Mia wasn’t a cousin. She was an orphan Julian met on a business trip. He didn’t want to bring a mistress home less than a year after our wedding—it would anger my powerful father and ruin his reputation. So he invented the “cousin” story to keep her under his roof. A “cousin” living in the house. The master of the house. And a pregnancy during a mourning period for the late grandfather. If this got out, the scandal would be delicious.

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My husband fell in love with someone else while trying to bring me back from the dead. When I finally woke up, Jaren asked me what I wanted. I was about to tell him I wanted to finish the wedding we started a million years ago. But in an instant, lines of neon text floated across my vision like a holographic livestream chat. [The Male Lead is so devoted. He became the God of this universe and still didn’t forget to rez the mortal side-character.] [That side-chick is shameless. She’s finally alive and immediately wants a title? Our girl Sera is the one who spent a million years fighting beside him!] [Whatever. Let her come back. She’ll just be a toxic pick-me and get ignored. That’s when Jaren will realize his true love is Sera! Slow burn FTW!] I paused, processed the words, and looked him in the eye. “I want a divorce.” 1 Jaren froze. He looked almost exactly as he did the day I died, only more ethereal, more terrifyingly beautiful. “Aria… are you joking?” His voice cracked. He couldn’t believe it. [This jealous female antagonist wants a divorce? That makes no sense!] [She’s definitely using divorce as leverage to manipulate him. Gross. Why did the author write such a cheap character?] [Just wait, our baby girl is bringing the kid. Prepare for the face-slapping!] The floating text was filled with vile insults. According to them, my life was just a popular webnovel called Defying Heaven: The God-King’s Pet. Jaren was the protagonist. A brooding genius. To save his “White Moonlight”—his first love, me, who died blocking a divine tribulation for him—he embarked on a journey of cultivation with a half-demon girl named Seraphina. They were enemies-to-lovers. Over a million years, they supported each other. Sera confessed to Jaren multiple times, but he rejected her because of his “loyalty” to my memory. But then, during a trial he couldn’t pass… He slept with her. To “break through his limits.” Twice. The first time, she gave birth to a daughter. Now, she was pregnant with a son. And me? After being resurrected, I was destined to become the bitter ex. I would frame Sera, cause her to miscarry, and eventually, Jaren would hate me enough to kill me with a single strike. My soul would be obliterated. Ha. Hilarious. 2 “Jay-Jay! Sister Aria must be confused from sleeping for a million years. She’s still human, her mortal brain is probably foggy. She should stay in the Sky Palace and rest.” A woman in red silk descended from the clouds. Her belly was slightly rounded, and a miniature version of her stood by her side. “Daddy! Uppies!” The little girl bit into a candied hawthorn stick and launched herself at Jaren. “Jinx, didn’t we agree? No sweets while your teeth are growing in.” A moment ago, Jaren was holding my hand. Now, his arms were full of his daughter. [There it is! The nicknames! Jay-Jay and Jinx! Even their kid uses them. It’s canon, guys! Family goals!] [Someone looks like a third wheel. I won’t say who.] [Sera is too kind. She’s actually letting the ex stay? My heart hurts for her, she doesn’t know the plot twists coming up.] I bit my lip and tried to call him. “Jaren.” No reaction. He was too busy flirting with Seraphina. I raised my voice. “Jaren!” He finally snapped out of it. He put the child down, knelt on one knee before me, and pulled out a glowing box of pills. A look of boyish shyness—the kind I remembered from our youth—crossed his face. “Aria, I’m sorry. It’s been so long since anyone called me by my real name. Let me introduce you. Seraphina is my partner on the path to divinity. She didn’t mean you were stupid; she just meant mortal bodies are fragile.” “So… tonight, I will transfer my essence to you. You’ll become an Immortal like me. We never have to be apart again.” I pointed at the mother and daughter. “She gave birth to your daughter. She is carrying your son. And you’re telling me we will never be apart?” Predictably, Sera’s eyes welled up with tears. The little girl started hammering her tiny fists against my legs. “You bad woman! You made Mommy cry! Apologize to Mommy!” [Why is the side-chick acting like a pure lotus? Someone comfort Sera-bear!] [If she wants a divorce, she should just jump off the Abyss Platform. That sends you back to the mortal realm.] [She’s bluffing. How could she give up the wealth of Heaven and eternal life?] I turned to leave. Jaren grabbed my arm with a grip like iron. His other hand caught Sera, who was pretending to run away. “Aria, where are you going?” “The Abyss Platform. I told you. My wish is to divorce you.” He frowned, genuinely confused. “Just because I have a child with Sera? You’re that petty?” Petty? My husband fell in love with another woman while claiming to save me. Am I not allowed to be angry? “Let go.” I didn’t want to be the villain those floating words described. Leaving was the only dignified choice. Jaren actually let go—of Sera. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, burying his face in my neck. “My only wish for this entire journey was to bring you back. If you aren’t here, none of this means anything.” My eyes stung. Maybe I should believe my Jaren. Not these strange, glowing subtitles. 3 “Daddy! Mommy is bleeding!” Sera clutched her stomach, her face draining of color. Jaren released me instantly, pushing divine energy into her to stop the bleeding. Sera wrapped her arms around his neck. He didn’t push her away; he scooped her up into a bridal carry. “Sera is showing signs of preterm labor. Aria, wait for me. I’ll be right back.” Premature labor. He was the father. He had to go. I couldn’t wish death on an innocent child. Even if it was their child. But a selfish thought clawed at me. If I hadn’t died… We would have had children. We would have been a normal, happy couple. “Aria, listen. Sera is just a comrade who happens to carry my heir. Don’t overthink it. There is no love between us.” My fingernails dug into my palms. I swallowed my resentment. “Okay.” 4 Jaren was worried I’d jump into the Abyss. He stationed hundreds of elite guards around a gilded palace and locked me inside. No servants were allowed to speak to me. I couldn’t find the Abyss. I lost track of time. [That scared me. Good thing the villainess didn’t strike. Sera gave birth to a healthy baby boy! The text says he looks just like the ML did as a baby!] [Does anyone else think the side-chick looks… old?] [One day in Heaven is a year on Earth. The ML has been with Sera for her postpartum recovery for fifteen days. The ex is basically a 30-year-old hag now.] Thirty is old? Jaren and Sera were over a million years old. But they still looked nineteen. I looked in the mirror. Fine lines crept around my eyes. My skin was sallow. I was aging. One day, two days… ten days. I missed my parents. I missed my clan. I never saw my mother get gray hair. I never saw my father grow old. Back then, I was obsessed with Jaren. He needed a divine artifact to start his cultivation. My clan was the only one in the region who knew how to forge them. Nobody believed Jaren—the cursed orphan—could ascend. I knelt in the ancestral hall. I kowtowed until my forehead bled, begging my parents, begging the elders. The only condition was that Jaren married into our family. On our wedding night, the Heavens struck. I used my life to block the Lightning Tribulation for him. He ascended to the Foundation Stage. He stood at the peak of the mortal world. But my parents… they had to watch me die. Dying for a man. How worthless. I didn’t understand it then. I thought teenage love could conquer the universe. I couldn’t die of old age here. I had to go home. I owed my family an explanation.

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I woke up inside a novel as the male lead’s high-maintenance, “evil” stepsister. According to the plot, I’m supposed to torment him, humiliate him, and eventually get shipped off to a desolate island to rot. Hard pass. Faced with the brooding, cold-eyed teenager in front of me, I told the butler to give him the room furthest away from mine. My strategy: minimal contact, zero bullying. Fast forward a few years. That boy grew up to be a ruthless, cutthroat CEO. One night, he walked out in the middle of a high-profile gala. Reporters chased him down. “Mr. Sterling,” they asked, “where are you going in such a hurry?” He didn’t break his stride. “It’s raining. My sister is wearing twenty-thousand-dollar soles. They can’t touch water. I have to carry her home.” “But hasn’t your sister just gotten engaged?” a reporter pressed. He scoffed, cold as ice. “Not everyone is qualified to be my sister’s slave.” 01 When my dad brought Caleb Sterling home, I had just finished my morning latte. The seventeen-year-old boy stood there in jeans that had been washed almost white and a faded Hanes t-shirt, clutching a backpack strap. He looked awkward as hell. “Hi, Sis.” Looking at this handsome, aloof kid, I realized the plot had officially begun. I’ve been in this book for two years. The main character is Caleb. I’m Mia, his bratty older sister, currently a senior in college. In the original story, I’m supposed to go full “Mean Girls” on him—insult him, prank him, make his life a living hell. Then, once he takes over the family empire, he settles the score. I end up exiled to some rock in the middle of the ocean with no Wi-Fi. “Mia, Caleb is your long-lost brother. You need to get along,” my dad said, checking his Rolex. “I have to fly to London for business. I’ll be gone a month. Caleb is your responsibility.” I looked the kid over. Sharp features, cold expression, way too skinny. But his eyes were deep—like he was already plotting five steps ahead. Worthy of a protagonist. Even at this age, he knew how to hide his cards. I nodded at him. “Welcome.” 02 When I sent someone to take him to breakfast, I pulled our butler, Arthur, aside. “Put him in the room furthest from mine. The one in the West Wing.” I’m not the type to suck up to people, even the main character. If I can’t mess with him, I’ll just stay out of his blast radius. Arthur, who had been with the family since my mom married in, looked worried. “Miss Mia, the young master’s background is… murky. The boss looked for him for years with no luck, and suddenly he just appears? You should be careful. Don’t be too trusting.” Arthur was loyal to a fault. In the original book, he helped me torment Caleb and got purged right alongside me. “I know, Arthur. Just do what Dad said. I know what I’m doing.” Arthur nodded, but as he led Caleb upstairs, I heard him spinning the narrative. “This is the only room in the house with a dedicated gaming setup,” Arthur lied smoothly. “Miss Mia specifically requested you have it.” Caleb’s eyes flickered with something unreadable before he nodded obediently. “Please thank my sister for me.” Watching them disappear around the corner, I put down my magazine and rubbed my temples. Can I really dodge this plot armor? 03 Just like in the book, Caleb was quiet. Invisible, almost. I was busy launching my jewelry design startup with my friends, spending my days at the studio and nights at my downtown apartment. We barely saw each other. Two weeks later, I was driving back to the office after lunch when I saw a familiar figure. It was Caleb. Same faded t-shirt, same jeans. He was standing on a street corner under the brutal midday sun, handing out flyers. He looked like a strong breeze would knock him over. I called Arthur. Turns out, my dad is trash. He’s busy with work and his new mistress. He brought Caleb home and immediately forgot about him. Arthur had been away visiting family, and the other staff, seeing the boss didn’t care, treated Caleb like air. If this kept up, Caleb’s “villain origin story” would proceed as scheduled, and I’d still end up on that island. I told my driver to turn around. I pulled up to the curb and told Caleb to get in. He was pale, sweating buckets, sitting on the edge of the leather seat like he was afraid of dirtying it. His back was ramrod straight. “Why are you working a gig like this? You need cash?” He bit his lip and shook his head. “Just bored.” Bored? You’re trying to set a record for heatstroke? I sighed internally. Avoiding the protagonist wasn’t going to work. I had to intervene. “Driver,” I said. “To the mall.” 04 I fed him lunch, then dragged him into a high-end boutique. The staff swarmed me instantly. “Miss Sterling! You look gorgeous today!” “We have new arrivals sent over from Paris!” I pointed a manicured finger at Caleb, who was being ignored in the corner. “That’s my brother. Get him fitted.” The vibe shifted instantly. “Brother?” Their brains short-circuited for a second, but money is money. They rushed over to him. Caleb looked at me, overwhelmed. I lifted my chin. “Go on. Pick whatever you like.” While he was in the fitting room, I lounged in the VIP suite, sipping sparkling water and picking out a few pieces for myself. Thirty minutes later, Caleb came out holding a single shopping bag. “Just one?” I asked. He nodded, gripping the handle. “I just need a change of clothes.” He lowered his voice, mumbling, “It’s too expensive.” I looked at the sales associate behind him. “Wrap up everything that fit him.” The associate beamed. “Right away, Miss Sterling!” Caleb looked at me, totally confused. I raised an eyebrow. “A Sterling doesn’t walk around without decent clothes.” Caleb looked down. “Thank you, Sis.” I stared at him. Right now, he was just a kid. A really polite, easy-to-bully kid. “Don’t mention it.”

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I’m what you’d call a “Chatterbox Yandere.” A Stage-5 Clinger with a motor mouth. After school let out for the summer, I screamed “Mom!” about three hundred times a day. She finally snapped. She personally drove me six hundred miles across state lines, tricked me into getting out of the car, and dumped me. “Actually, sweetie, you have a childhood fiancé we arranged for you. Go harass him instead.” I turned around, and a face of absolute, icy perfection appeared before me. My possessiveness spiked instantly. I started haunting him like a poltergeist, clinging to him 24/7. “Location drop! Send it now!!! (Rage)” “Who were you texting? Why did you leave me on read for thirty minutes? (Interrogation)” “Who was that bitch kissing you in my dream last night? (Dark aura)” “Explain yourself! Is it that hard to say a single word? Huh? (Suffocating)” The butler looked at the boy, who looked like he wanted to un-alive himself, and whispered weakly: “Miss… our Young Master is mute.” 1 My dad is a possessive psycho. My mom is a ray of sunshine. They combined their DNA and created me: a obsessive compulsive yapper. Growing up, everyone around me lived in my shadow. My dad ran multiple psych evals on me. Only after confirming I was “all bark, no bite” did he cancel the reservation at the asylum. Junior year summer break. My bestie said goodbye with tears in her eyes, then sprinted away like Usain Bolt. I had no one to talk to, so I stuck to my mom like glue. Why? Because my dad has hearing loss. He takes out his hearing aids and literally ghosts me while sitting in the same room. One night, I had a nightmare. I knocked on their bedroom door, looking like the girl from The Ring. They took forever to open it. My dad didn’t even hide his annoyance, his voice rasping. “Jade, what do you want now?” I pushed past him, staring at my mom with the eyes of a Victorian widow. “Mom, why didn’t you say goodnight?” “What were you guys doing? Why did it take five minutes to open the door?” “Why was the door locked? We are a family! Explain!” “Mom, I dreamed you had a second baby and threw me in the trash. You wouldn’t do that, right? Hmm?” “Why aren’t you answering? Speak to me!” My mom closed her eyes, grinding her teeth. “Do you think I’d have another kid just to punish myself? One of you is already a life sentence!” I immediately beamed, climbing into bed to cuddle her. “Mommy, I knew you loved me most. Can you tell me the story about the dream you had when you were pregnant with me again?” My dad’s face went cold. He reached out to drag me off the bed, but Mom stopped him. They exchanged a look. My dad actually stopped, closed the door, and left. He didn’t even look mad; he looked… pleased? I was too immersed in the joy of being Mommy’s Favorite to overthink it. So when she suggested a “girls’ road trip,” I agreed without hesitation. The next day, I passed out as soon as I got in the car. Motion sickness is my only weakness; it shuts me up. They looked suspiciously happy. My dad even gave me a rare smile. I slept, woke up, slept again. I don’t know how much time passed before I was physically hauled out of the car. “We’re here.” The car was parked in front of a low-key, old-money estate that screamed generational wealth. Suitcase shoved into my hand. Dad back in driver’s seat. Doors locked. Engine revved. I snapped awake just as the car peeled out of the driveway. Only my mom’s voice drifted back on the wind: “Baby, you actually have an arranged marriage pact with this family! Go bother your future husband! We’ll pick you up when school starts!” My face darkened instantly. They dared to trick me? “Miss Sterling.” A respectful, middle-aged voice called out. I turned my head. My gloomy, murderous eyes instantly turned into heart emojis. I take it back. Mom is a real one. Standing there was a boy who looked like he walked out of a K-drama. Red lips, pale skin, tall and slender like bamboo. He lowered his eyes coldly, showing zero curiosity about his sudden fiancée. The butler in the sharp suit next to him was enthusiastic, though. “Miss Sterling, this is our Young Master. You—” I rushed forward like a hurricane, vibrating with excitement. “Oh my god, I knew it. One look and I know you’re my future husband!” “What’s your name?” “Hmm? Why aren’t you talking? Are you shy?” “Fine, I’ll just call you Hubby-Wubby.” Meeting his stiff, dead-inside gaze, I had an epiphany. “Right, I shouldn’t be so forward. I need parental approval. Where are your parents? Take me to pay my respects.” The butler’s face dropped. The boy stopped looking at me, pursed his lips, and turned to walk away. 2 I met Grandpa Silas—the owner of the estate—and learned the boy’s name was Silas. His parents died in an accident when he was six. The PTSD made him go mute. He hasn’t spoken a word since. “Your grandfather and I were war buddies,” Grandpa Silas explained. “We made a pact as a joke back then. Obviously, no one is forcing you. We just wanted you two to be friends.” He looked at my relieved expression and sighed heavily. “Silas has had a hard life. No dad, no mom, mocked for being mute… I don’t know how many years I have left. Jade, if you aren’t willing…” I waved my hand, already considering Silas my property. “Who said I’m not willing? Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’m loyal to a fault. This Hubby is mine!” Thank god he’s not deaf. If he was like my dad, how would I survive? Grandpa Silas grinned so hard his dentures almost slipped. We chatted for two hours. It was like soulmates meeting across time. Eventually, the butler mentioned it was getting dark. I reluctantly went to my guest room. Right next to Silas’s room. I knocked. He didn’t open. “Hubby? Open up. Don’t hide in there being silent. I know you’re awake.” “Aren’t you curious about your fiancée? Don’t you want to know if I like Mom or Dad more? My GPA? If I’ve ever received a love letter? My favorite anime? If I like sunny days or rain? The color of my pajamas? My thread count?” He didn’t respond for a full hour. But I talked myself into a great mood and went to sleep satisfied. Finally! Someone who listens to me for an hour without interrupting! The next morning, Silas was eating breakfast. I scooted over. “Yo, you like wontons? Crazy coincidence. There’s a shop near my school that sells the best wontons. The line is insane. I’ll take you there. Speaking of lines, there’s a supermarket sale… oh, by the way, what color are your boxers?” Cough, cough! The butler, who was smiling like a proud auntie, choked on air. Silas finally put down his spoon. His exquisite brows furrowed. His entire body screamed: GET AWAY FROM ME. But after living with my dad’s resting bitch face for 17 years, my skin is thicker than a bank vault. I turned to the butler. The butler cleared his throat and whispered: “Black.” Silas shot up from his chair, his eyes filled with disbelief and humiliation. “Young Master, the Master said to inform Miss Jade of anything she is interested in. Detailed information.” Silas turned cold and stormed off. I chased him. “We should add each other on Snapchat. Or WeChat. Speaking of WeChat, isn’t the ‘Press to Hold’ voice note feature so aggressive? Hahahaha…” SLAM. His bedroom door nearly took my nose off. I rubbed my face and yelled downstairs. “Uncle Butler! Speaking of boxers, I forgot to ask about the size. Does he—” The door opened again. With a face red as a tomato, Silas shoved a phone into my face. QR code. Add friend. I grinned. Gotcha. 3 From then on, wherever he went, I was the yapping tail behind him. Silas went from ignoring me to being annoyed, and finally, to resigning himself to his fate. I mapped out his incredibly boring routine. Breakfast -> Room. Lunch -> Room. Water plants -> Room. Currently, I was staring at him watering the hydrangeas. His movements were fluid and graceful. Silas glanced at me, confused. He seemed to be asking why I was so quiet today. I was suddenly moved. Tears welled up. Sob. Life really is different depending on who you’re with. Grandpa Silas and the butler walked by at that moment. Grandpa slammed his cane down and glared at Silas. “Are you bullying Jade again?” Silas: “…” He pursed his lips, accepting the blame silently. I stopped Grandpa. “It’s not him. It’s just… I’m too emotional. My parents think I’m annoying. Only Silas listens quietly. He never interrupts. Meeting him is my blessing. I’ll treat him well forever!” Silence fell over the garden. I wiped my eyes, unaware of the awkward atmosphere, and seamlessly pivoted. “By the way, Grandpa, where have you been? Busy? Why didn’t you reply to my text? Are you free to chat tonight? I heard you like fishing. I know a spot. Speaking of fish…” Grandpa Silas and the butler exchanged a panicked look, laughed nervously, pretended a fake alarm went off on their watch, and bolted. Sigh. True listeners are hard to find. At least I found the one who understands me. I turned back to look at Silas. He had his back to me, watering the plants. But his spine was stiff, and the tips of his ears were burning red. That night, after sending Silas my 1,000th message of the day, I got sleepy. Just as I was passing out, my best friend Ginger FaceTimed me. She’s the only person who can tolerate me (barely). “Something’s wrong, Jade. You used to send me 500 texts a day. Why has it been radio silence lately?” She squinted at my guilty face on the screen. “Oh my god. You’re seeing someone behind my back?” “Is he better than me? Can he handle ten years of your non-stop harassment?” “Better not let me catch him, or I’ll chop him into confetti.” Her accusations were getting wild, so I explained the situation. We talked until midnight. She came to a sour conclusion: Silas is just tolerating you. He’s suffering in silence. Literally. “Impossible,” I said. “We are soulmates!” That night, I had a nightmare. In the dream, Silas was hooking up with some random woman. I tried to stop him, and he looked at me coldly and said one word: Leave. I woke up sweating. My possessiveness hit me like a truck. I didn’t even put on slippers. I marched downstairs with a dark cloud over my head, grabbed Silas by the collar while he was eating oatmeal. In his shocked eyes, I exploded: “Report to me! Send your location!!! (Rage)” “Who were you texting? Why didn’t you reply for 30 minutes? (Interrogation)” “Who was that bitch kissing you in my dream? (Darkness)” “Explain! Is it hard to speak? Huh? (Suffocation)” The butler whispered in my ear, “Miss… he’s mute.” I froze. I loosened my grip and patted his collar. “Oh. Don’t be scared, baby. I was possessed by a demon just now. I didn’t mean to yell. I just like you too much. You understand, right? (Puppy eyes)” Silas slapped my hand away coldly and typed on his phone. My phone pinged. 【I have no obligation to report to you.】 My fingernails dug into my palm. I looked up, smiling creepily. “Great. I hope you don’t regret that.” 4 Silas checked his phone for the tenth time. Usually, by now, he’d have hundreds of unread notifications. But today? Nothing. Not a single ping from morning til night. Silas thought coldly: This is how it should be. But a strange irritation kept bubbling up in his chest. Footsteps echoed in the hallway. He quickly grabbed a book, checking the mirror to make sure his frown was relaxing. He didn’t realize he was relieved. But it wasn’t the familiar, aggressive knocking. It was the butler talking to a maid. “Miss Jade hasn’t come out all day?” “No. And she looked scary when she went in. She had a fruit knife…” Silas’s heart stopped. He recalled her last words: I hope you don’t regret that. He bolted upright, threw the door open, and marched to Jade’s room in front of the shocked staff. Knock. No answer. He took a deep breath and kicked the door open. A thick, spicy aroma hit him in the face. The smell of hotpot. Jade paused mid-slice, knife hovering over a slab of beef. They stared at each other. … Silas looked at the table full of food. His expression was… complicated. He pulled out his phone. 【When you said ‘regret,’ did you mean regretting not watching you eat yourself to death?】 Me: “…” I ignored him and kept slicing meat. He stood in the doorway, not leaving. The air had never been this quiet. Ding. Another message. 【I’m sorry.】 I looked up. He was looking down, almost nervous. My anger vanished instantly. I know I inherited my dad’s “yandere” genes. When someone I like treats others well, I get destructive urges. But my mom’s vanity neutralizes it. Whenever I want to hurt myself, I look in the mirror, see my glowing skin, and think: I can’t damage this masterpiece. As for hurting others? My mom made me watch “True Crime Daily” growing up. I know the law. People who don’t understand me aren’t worth jail time. So, I found the best outlet: Slicing meat. The feeling of a sharp blade through beef calms me down. But I hate sharing food when I’m mad. Wait. Silas kicked the door down. Was he… worried? I hesitated. “You want some?” He actually nodded. He walked over and sat opposite me naturally. The butler watched with a goofy grin and quietly closed the door. I tried to stay quiet, but Silas typed: 【Tell me about yourself. I want to listen.】 My eyes lit up. “Really?” He nodded. That hotpot lasted four hours. My mouth ran like a wild horse. Silas listened intently, nodding at the right times. Even Ginger tells me to shut up after a few hundred sentences. Oh God. I really found my soulmate. Overcome with emotion, I lunged across the table and hugged him. “Hubby! Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me!” Silas stopped breathing. He stiffened into a statue, but his pale face turned a deep shade of crimson.

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My bestie and I transmigrated into a showbiz romance novel. In the esports reality show, she was the muscle, and I was the mouth. When she beat the “pick-me” girl into a 0-12 score, I rushed over to land the final blow: “Babe, why is your screen black? Did you forget to turn on your phone?” When the Movie Emperor fed the enemy team and dragged us down, I threw some shade: “Bro, you’re amazing! You carried the entire enemy team to victory!” The live chat flamed me: [Lu Manman is such a bitch.] I smiled sweetly: “Thanks, but I’m not taking disciples.” That night, the top idol’s interview trended: “Today, I’m kinda into girls who can roast people.” I posted immediately: [Not interested. Stop clout chasing.] 1 My best friend and I are esports streamers. She has the skills; I have the trash talk. When we duo-queue in Honor of Kings, our viewer count hits the millions. Just as our careers were skyrocketing, we both transmigrated into a book. It was a sweet showbiz romance novel. She became the innocent white lotus who couldn’t speak up for herself, and I became her weak, pushover best friend. The original owner quit and left us everything she had, with only one request—help them vent their anger. Looking at the bank account balance, I laughed. We’re Honor of Kings players who passed the trash-talking proficiency test with flying colors. This request? Easy money. Just as I met up with Wendy, we both got calls. Our agent informed us we had to participate in an esports reality show tomorrow. We looked at each other and read the same thought in each other’s eyes—nailed it. 2 Early the next morning. I walked in wearing tight hot pants, a black T-shirt, and a sleek high ponytail. Wendy followed behind me, dressed exactly the same. Next up were the Movie Emperor, Shawn Zephyr; the top idol, Jace Chi; and the popular starlet, Ye Yuyan. Shawn had long legs, a white shirt, black dress pants, and gold-rimmed glasses. Standard CEO attire. He looked less like he was here to game and more like he was here to hold a board meeting. Ye Yuyan had long, straight black hair, sweet bangs, and a fluffy cupcake dress. Cute and obedient. In contrast, Jace dressed simply. All black, no flashy accessories. It perfectly focused all attention on his face, making him look exceptionally striking. These three were incredibly popular, and the live chat was scrolling like crazy. [Hubby is so handsome!] [Yuyan wifey kiss kiss!] Occasionally, a few comments about us flashed by. [Yo, the loser duo is here for a team building?] [Only play mid and support, and they suck at it. Whoever gets stuck with them is doomed.] [Please don’t let these two ruin my Shawn. (Praying hands) (Praying hands)] Maybe that netizen’s mouth was blessed. In the subsequent team selection, Shawn and Jace, as captains, drew lots to determine their teammates. Shawn casually pulled out two slips of paper. They bore two neatly written names—Lu Manman, Wendy. So the final teams were—Jace, Ye Yuyan, and three pro players on one team. Me, Wendy, Shawn, and two other pro players on the other. Now the chat really exploded. Everyone was feeling sorry for Shawn. [Missing a pro player is bad enough, but getting two deadweights? Unfair!] [The skill gap is huge. What’s the point of playing?] [It’s a friendly match, no need to be so serious.] [This is like Peppa Pig vs. Wolverine.] The chat was filled with negativity, so I had to step up and comfort them: “Don’t worry, Wendy and I have a combo move.” Then I pinched Wendy, hinting she should say something to stabilize morale. She glanced at the camera and said coolly: “Relax.” “…” I sighed. Wendy is really cold, but even though she usually spits out words one by one, she can still make me cough up blood from anger. This is why our duo streams blew up. I, who roast everyone under the sun, only eat humble pie in front of her. “It really is a bit unfair.” Ye Yuyan pouted and looked at the host: “Is there no chance to swap teammates?” The host looked at the director: “Each captain has the right to swap a teammate once.” “Yay!” She jumped up happily, her pretty skirt swaying: “Then I want to swap Shawn gege over.” The host quickly added: “This right can only be exercised by the captain, and you can only choose teammates, not captains.” “Oh…” Ye Yuyan pouted again: “My heart aches for you, Shawn gege.” “So fake,” I muttered in Wendy’s ear. She gave me a bland look: “You’re faker than her.” “Of course.” I smirked: “If I jumped into West Lake, all of Hangzhou would be drinking Longjing tea.” The host considerately asked: “So, Mr. Shen, as captain, do you need to swap teammates?” My heart tightened. I knew he wouldn’t swap Wendy, but he might swap me. After all, Shawn is the male lead, Wendy’s official boyfriend. They liked each other, but because Ye Yuyan kept interfering, creating fake ambiguous situations with Shawn, they broke up and got back together multiple times before finally reaching their Happy Ending. Just as I thought this, I met Shawn’s gaze directly. Uh oh, doomed. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly a soft voice floated from the side: “No.” He froze, looking at Wendy with some surprise. She rarely expressed her opinion so firmly. “Whatever.” “I’ll listen to you.” “I like what you like.” “Okay.” These were her usual sentences. Right now, Wendy was looking lazily ahead, her expression so indifferent it was as if she hadn’t spoken at all. But somehow, it was unquestionable. Shawn looked away: “It’s fine, no need to swap.” And Jace, having the advantage, naturally wouldn’t pick us two noobs. The team rosters were set. 3 Teams decided, the game was about to start. We all sat in our gaming chairs, opened the game, and connected our phones to the big screen. Wendy was about to plug in the cable when she froze. I plugged in my screen casting cable, opened the game, and turned to see Wendy’s hesitation. “What’s wrong?” She paused: “Not enough Arcana.” “Huh?” I quickly checked my account. Good god. Full skins. Only played about a hundred games, highest rank Gold, level 50 Arcana. Wendy was slightly better. Platinum, level 80 Arcana. I quickly yanked out the screen casting cable. We were already getting flamed hard enough; if they saw this, the internet would explode. Shawn saw our guilty expressions and leaned over to look at Wendy’s screen. He was quiet for a few seconds, then somewhat annoyed: “Didn’t you know there was a match today? Why didn’t you borrow an account beforehand?” Wendy ignored him. She never bothered with such superfluous nonsense. “I have a smurf account. Only one or two province badges, but it’ll do.” Wow… the flexing. Doesn’t his main account only have province badges too? It’s just a difference of quantity. Wendy didn’t reply, just glanced up at me. Shawn thought for a moment: “Yuyan’s smurf is the same rank as me. I’ll ask her to lend it to you.” “Oh?” I smelled an affair: “Her smurf is the same rank as you, and you know it so clearly? Did you two duo-queue behind my Wendy’s back?” Shawn froze, his expression unnatural for a split second. “Sigh.” I looked at Wendy with heartache: “Poor Wendy, your official girlfriend, yet her profile only has a Platinum badge. Hasn’t even reached King.” Shawn realized something was wrong: “She said she wanted a province badge, so I helped her get one.” … I want three hundred billion too, why didn’t you conveniently get that for me? “As a brother, I just satisfied her small request. Normal interaction between siblings, Wendy wouldn’t be jealous.” Siblings? I laughed. They aren’t related at all, no blood ties whatsoever. These two play word games, using the “siblings” banner to play all sorts of ambiguous games right under the female lead’s nose. Even if the female lead feels uncomfortable, she gets shut down by a self-righteous “You’re even jealous of my sister?” “Shawn gege~” I pinched my voice: “Did you go to middle school?” He frowned at my disgusting “gege” and answered patiently: “Of course, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree.” “Oh, I thought you never went to school. Otherwise, why are you still playing the ‘god-sibling’ game that people stop playing in middle school, even after graduating college?” “Also.” I rested my chin on my hand, blinking my big, sparkly eyes at him: “Brother, if you lack family love so much, have you considered live-streaming sales?” Shawn took two seconds to react: “Lu Manman!” With millions of fans, people usually call him “Mr. Shen” or “Hubby.” Wherever he goes, he’s the center of attention. He’s never been treated like this. Shawn was anxious. “I advise you not to sow discord here. Wendy isn’t dirty-minded like you. I know she trusts me unconditionally. This is the basic trust between a couple.” He sneered: “Of course, it’s normal for someone like you not to know that.” He spoke excitedly, and I acted scared. For every sentence he said, I shrank back a little. By the time he finished, big tears were rolling down my cheeks: “Shawn gege, you misunderstood. I just thought you lacked family care and sincerely gave you a suggestion.” I hid behind Wendy, showing only a pair of teary eyes: “Don’t be like this, I… I’m scared.” At some point, the thousand-person venue had gone silent. We weren’t wearing headsets, so apart from those nearby, no one knew what was happening. The director quietly cut to a close-up of us. The chat had already gone crazy. [What’s wrong with Shawn? Suddenly red in the face and neck.] [Oh my god, Manman crying breaks my heart. Who bullied my Manman!] [Shawn seems to be arguing with Lu Manman.] [Probably because Lu Manman’s account only has level 50 Arcana. She seemed to just realize it too, I saw her panic and switch screens.] [Huh? He scolded her to tears just because her Arcana level isn’t high enough?] [This isn’t a professional esports match, just a friendly game. Is Shen necessary? Being a Movie Emperor makes you amazing?] [He’s so fierce. If he’s this excessive on live stream, does he hit people in private? Holy super-male syndrome Movie Emperor.] [This kind of person has female fans?] [As long as he’s handsome, even guys in jail for assaulting women have female fans, let alone him.] [Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know the truth!] Seeing the chat getting louder, the host quickly came over to ask: “Manman, why are you crying?” I gently touched my cheek, wiping away tears, and lowered my eyes: “Nothing, I just didn’t prepare well, afraid of dragging my teammates down.” Then I looked at Shawn fearfully and added: “It has nothing to do with Mr. Shen.” Offstage, Shawn’s agent was going crazy, winking at him desperately. Shawn only glanced at the chat and took a slight deep breath. In the blink of an eye, his face was full of tenderness: “It’s okay, Manman’s game account has low Arcana levels, she was afraid of dragging us down so she kept crying.” “I told her it’s just a friendly match, it’s fine.” He turned and handed his phone over, his tone gentle: “Here, don’t cry, use mine.” I looked up, and just behind Shawn on the big screen, a bold red comment floated by. [I’ve watched all of Shawn Zephyr’s TV shows, and I can say that just now was his best acting performance.] I quickly lowered my head, afraid I would laugh out loud. Seeing I had performed enough, Wendy stood up and said coolly: “Thank you, Mr. Shen, but no need.” Such a distant address made Shawn pause. He wanted to say something, but with the host present, he shut up. “Use mine.” I turned around and met Jace’s playful gaze. “Full Arcana, full skins.” He looked up at Shawn: “And a Grandmaster badge.” He wasn’t sitting far away, so he had watched the whole drama from beginning to end. But I didn’t mind being seen by him. Because he’s the villain in this book, dedicated to causing trouble for the protagonists and inadvertently helping their romance. In other words, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. “No need.” Wendy refused flatly: “I’ve solved it.” She casually charged a few thousand bucks into the game and successfully got full Arcana. “Spending a certain amount of coupons weekly grants an Arcana trial weekly card,” she explained. “…” Everyone was quiet for a few seconds, a bit helpless. “It seems our Wendy did her homework best,” the host smiled, smoothing things over. I silently lowered my head and charged money: “Money talks.” After charging, I gifted all the intimacy items I bought to Wendy, and changed my name by the way. Lu the Roaster, officially online! 4 It was time for the match to start. But Ye Yuyan claimed she needed to go to the restroom to touch up her makeup. Not only did she miss a big scene, she still hadn’t come back. Shawn’s phone kept vibrating, but his mind was on Wendy right now. He just frowned at his phone and ignored it. I thought for a moment, then grabbed Wendy’s arm and stood up: “I want to go touch up too, come with me.” Sure enough, not long after we walked out arm in arm, Shawn followed. He blocked Wendy: “Are you angry?” Wendy remained indifferent: “No.” “Because of Ye Yuyan? I told you, she’s my sister, why don’t you understand?” “No.” “You used to be very reasonable, what’s wrong with you today?” Shawn paused, looking at me with disgust: “Is it because of her?” “You usually pretend to be honest, but you sow discord behind my back a lot, don’t you?” “I haven’t.” I looked innocent, holding up four fingers: “I swear.” I usually sow discord right to his face. “I’m going to the restroom, you guys talk.” I winked at Wendy: “Don’t wait for me.” With a turn, I hid in the restroom. The corridor went quiet, only Wendy’s cold voice reached my ears. “I don’t allow you to speak to Manman with that attitude.” Shawn couldn’t believe it: “You’re actually siding with her?” “She’s my friend.” “Think clearly, who is the person who will be with you for a lifetime?” Wendy’s voice held no hesitation: “Of course it’s her.” “Shawn gege.” Crisp high heel sounds approached, Ye Yuyan’s voice sweet: “Sister-in-law, so you guys even go to the restroom together usually, so loving.” She sighed lightly: “If only I had a boyfriend like that.” Wendy smiled: “Take him, he’s yours.” Then came the sound of Wendy walking away. I hid in the restroom, silently turning on my phone camera. “Gege, is sister-in-law mad at me?” Ye Yuyan looked innocent. “Yes.” Shawn leaned against the wall, pinching his brow wearily: “She probably thinks I’m too close to you and got jealous.” “What is she blindly jealous for?” Ye Yuyan shook Shawn’s arm: “We’re siblings.” Shawn was silent for a few seconds: “Not by blood, after all.” “So what? Our relationship is clearly better than real siblings.” “She wouldn’t understand.” “Jealous, huh?” Ye Yuyan suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed him hard on the cheek. Shawn froze: “What are you doing?” “Can’t I kiss my brother to make him happy?” She simply wrapped her arms around Shawn’s neck and kissed his face endlessly. “Hmph, I’ll let her be jealous enough!” Shawn chuckled helplessly, grabbing her waist with both hands: “Stop it.” “I want to!” Ye Yuyan said as she moved in to kiss him. But very “coincidentally,” she kissed Shawn on the lips. Both froze, the atmosphere becoming ambiguous. Ye Yuyan closed her eyes, tentatively biting Shawn’s lip. The kiss lasted a few seconds. Shawn, as if his conscience finally awoke, pinned Ye Yuyan against the wall, pinching her waist fiercely, his eyes filled with undisguised lust. “Ye Yuyan, don’t force me to do things I shouldn’t.” After a while, Shawn straightened his clothes: “Don’t do this again.” Then he walked back as if nothing happened. This is the male lead, the gun goes off, but he always stops the fire in time. Ye Yuyan smirked, walking towards the restroom satisfied. I put away my phone, feeling a wave of nausea. The poor original owner, who knows how long she was bullied by them like this. “Oh, Manman jie.” Ye Yuyan walked over leisurely: “Look at my new lipstick, does it look good?” Her lips were still moist, the signs of intimacy obvious. She looked at me, smiling triumphantly: “I bet sister-in-law will definitely like it.” I frowned: “Forget it, this shade looks smelly.” “Heh.” She sneered. I stepped forward and put my arm around her shoulder: “Babe, are we good friends?” Ye Yuyan frowned, but couldn’t dodge my hand. “I… guess…” “Then do you have any gossip to share with me?” “No.” She looked impatient: “I’m not a gossip.” “Really?” I blinked at her reflection in the mirror: “I wanted to share some gossip I just learned with you.” I lowered my voice: “About Movie Emperor Shawn Zephyr.” She finally got interested: “Oh? What?” I raised an eyebrow: “So are you a gossip?” She choked. I didn’t mind, continuing: “It’s said that Shawn, he has a foot fetish!” “Foot fetish?” Ye Yuyan thought for a moment, looking down at her open-toed heels with satisfaction. “Yeah, my Wendy told me.” I acted serious: “Don’t look at how serious he seems on the surface, in private he holds my Wendy’s feet and licks them endlessly.” Her face went pale instantly. “Just before the recording today, Shawn specifically came to my house to find Wendy, and made me go out alone to wait for them. “I peeked at the surveillance camera, guess what.” Ye Yuyan’s expression was complicated: “What did you see?” “I saw him kneeling on the ground like a dog licking my Wendy’s feet! “Tsk tsk tsk.” I shook my head repeatedly: “My Wendy has athlete’s foot, how could he put his mouth on that? “Hey, by the way, do you think athlete’s foot is contagious to the mouth?” “Ugh.” Ye Yuyan covered her mouth, face pale: “I don’t feel well, excuse me.” Probably went to find mouthwash. I clapped my hands, leisurely watching her rush out. Mm, if she’s uncomfortable, I’m comfortable.

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It was day three of the silent treatment from Luke. I had typed out a long, pathetic apology text, ready to hit send. Then I walked into the breakroom and saw him sharing a single lollipop with the new intern. The intern, Summer, was giggling, daring me to go confess my love to the icy, untouchable CEO of our company. I thought Luke would stop her. He was my boyfriend, after all. Instead, he looked at me in front of the entire staff and smirked. “Go ahead. Who knows? Maybe the big boss will actually like you. Consider it climbing the social ladder.” He leaned back, his eyes cold. “Don’t worry, I won’t cling to you. After all, if it works, we’ll all have to call you Mrs. Sterling!” Suddenly, a row of neon text floated across my vision like a live stream chat: [The male lead is sick in the head. Who says that in front of everyone?] [Ugh, why is our male lead such a toxic tsundere? The heroine just needs to coddle him, and he’ll take her back!] [I’m so over this two-faced man. Girl, look at the CEO! He’s been in love with you for years. He only transferred to this branch for you!] [The CEO is 6’3″, has an eight-pack, and is totally devoted. You dump this loser, and the CEO will be kissing away your tears in five minutes!] I stared at the floating text, then at Luke’s mocking face. I adjusted the strap of my black dress. “Fine. I’ll try it.” I looked around the room. “If I succeed, everyone gets a raise!” 1 This was the ninety-ninth time Luke had given me the silent treatment. I had my apology script ready. I was always the one to fold. Then I saw Summer, the new intern, using a “status report” as an excuse to stare at the candy in Luke’s mouth. “Luke,” she asked, blinking her doe eyes. “What flavor is that?” Luke put down his pen, took the lollipop out, and glanced at it. “Strawberry.” “Can I taste it?” she asked innocently. Luke paused. Before he could answer, she snatched it from his hand and popped it into her mouth. Luke, seemingly slow on the uptake, asked, “Is it sweet?” She pulled it out, blushing. “Super sweet.” I turned around, walked downstairs to the convenience store, bought a bag of one hundred lollipops, came back, and shoved them into Summer’s hands. “Next time you’re hungry, tell me. I’ll buy you your own. You don’t need to snatch food from someone else’s boyfriend’s mouth.” The entire office went dead silent. Everyone looked over. Summer turned bright red. But Luke slammed his hand on the desk, standing up to defend her. “It’s just a piece of candy, Sarah. Why do you have to be so aggressive?” “You haven’t even finished the proposal I gave you yesterday, but you have time to be jealous?” “You’ve been here three years with no promotion. You’re incompetent. Honestly, I’m embarrassed to tell people you’re my girlfriend!” Seeing Luke take her side, Summer dropped the embarrassment and smirked. “Sarah isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, but you shouldn’t be so mean, Luke.” “You can just do her work for her. You did mine when I couldn’t finish it, remember?” Luke sat back down, crossing his legs, looking at me with pure disdain. “She’s different from you. You’re new; she’s a veteran employee.” “If a veteran employee can’t create value for the company, she should just be fired.” I stood there, frozen, feeling like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head. 2 My work performance wasn’t bad. I used to be a star in the Sales Department at HQ. I only transferred to Planning at this branch because Luke begged me to. He said he didn’t want to work at the same company but feel like we were in a long-distance relationship. I had only joined the Planning Department a month before Summer. Summer leaned against Luke’s desk, grinning at me. “Office romances are so cute. In those CEO novels I read, when the innocent heroine can’t finish her work, her boss boyfriend does it for her.” “And for every task he finishes, she has to give him a kiss as a reward!” Luke scoffed, but there was a smile playing on his lips. “Uninstall those trashy apps, Summer. What kind of nonsense are you reading?” Summer stuck out her tongue. “Is it nonsense? Then why did you ask me for a reward last time you helped me?” I stood there, feeling like I’d been slapped in public. Angry, humiliated, and numb. Actually, the reason for this current cold war was also Summer. A few days ago, Luke and Summer went on a business trip together. It was Luke’s birthday, so I FaceTimed him. At midnight. Summer answered the phone. “Sarah? Luke is in the shower. What do you want?” My blood ran cold. “It’s midnight. Why are you in his room?” Summer frowned, feigning innocence. “It’s not like that, it’s just…” She turned away from the camera. “Luke! Sarah is on the phone. She sounds mad. She wants to know why we’re together. You better explain it!” A second later, Luke appeared on screen, wearing a bathrobe, towel-drying his hair. “Sarah, relax. The showerhead in Summer’s room broke. I went to fix it, got soaked, and just took a shower here.” “You have no idea how great Summer was today. She handled some insane demands from the client. I really owe her dinner.” Summer tugged at his sleeve. “I told you, no need. Just take me on the next trip!” Luke looked down at her, his eyes softening in a way they never did for me anymore. “Deal. You’re smart and capable. You save me so much trouble.” Summer giggled. “See? Now you know how important I am.” “I know, I know. You’re my best student.” They flirted right in front of me, completely forgetting I was on the line. Finally, Luke remembered me. “Right, why did you call?” I hesitated, clutching the gift I had bought. “Luke, Happy Birth—” “Happy Birthday, Boss! Surprise!” Summer cut me off. On the screen, she wheeled out a cart. A massive three-tier cake covered in rose petals, a gift box, and a bottle of expensive wine. “Open it! Look!” She shoved the box into his hands. Luke opened it. It was a Louis Vuitton wallet. The exact one he’d been eyeing for months. I looked down at the identical wallet in my hand. I stayed silent and hung up the phone. 3 When Luke got back from the trip, he saw the wallet I left on his desk. That’s when he realized why I had called. Unfortunately, he was already using the one Summer gave him. “If it was a birthday gift, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” “If you had said something, I wouldn’t have accepted Summer’s.” “Now Summer knows you got the same thing, and she feels terrible. She’s been apologizing non-stop, saying she didn’t mean to upstage you.” “There are rumors flying around that she’s trying to seduce me. Did you start those?” “If you keep targeting her like this, Sarah, don’t blame me if I break up with you!” For the first time, I didn’t want to explain myself. So, the silent treatment began. To punish me for not groveling, Luke had decided to humiliate me in the breakroom. It was lunch hour. Colleagues were filtering back in. Someone heard the tail end of the argument and joked, “Luke, aren’t you afraid Sarah will dump you if you keep defending the intern?” Luke snorted, looking supremely confident. “Let her dump me. I’m not scared.” “She chased me, remember? I didn’t chase her.” The guys laughed. “True that. In love, whoever cares more loses.” My eyes stung. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. I looked down, blinking back tears. Not here, I told myself. Not at work. But Summer wasn’t done. She poked Luke’s arm with a manicured finger. “I heard Sarah used to be the Prom Queen at State University!” “She’s so charming. Why doesn’t she try confessing to the Big Boss? Hunter Sterling?” “Unless… Luke would get jealous?” My head snapped up. Hunter Sterling. Our CEO. Cold, distant, terrifying. He was on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list. Rumor had it he was allergic to women. Or maybe he was gay. A girl once tried to ask him out; she was fired the next day and left the building in tears. Summer was trying to get me fired. Some of Luke’s cronies chimed in. “That’s a great idea! Mr. Sterling is a State alum too!” “I wanna see if the Prom Queen can melt the Ice King!” “Oh god, if she fails, she’s definitely getting pink-slipped.” Summer beamed. “Don’t worry! Sarah has such a great body. If she offers herself up, Mr. Sterling might not date her, but he’ll probably keep her around for… other things. He won’t fire her!” A female colleague frowned. “That’s too much. Even if office dating isn’t banned, Sarah is Luke’s girlfriend.” Summer covered her mouth, acting shocked. “Oops! You’re right! Forget I said anything!” I used the last shred of my sanity to look at Luke. He was smart. He had to hear the malice in her voice. Instead, he shrugged. “What does it matter?” “If the boss actually wants her, she’s hitting the jackpot.” “Don’t worry. I won’t stand in your way. Heck, we’ll all have to call you Mrs. Sterling!” 4 Laughter erupted around the room. They were certain I’d be rejected. I was furious, humiliated, and ready to scream. But then, the glowing text appeared again. [Male lead is engaging in self-sabotage again. He loves her to death but acts like a jerk!] [Sarah, listen to me! He’s been stalking your Instagram for days. Just apologize like usual, and he’ll fold immediately!] [Apologize for what?! Our girl did nothing wrong! This insecurity king needs to go!] [Seriously, look at Hunter Sterling. He’s been secretly in love with you since college. Remember the Hiking Club?] [He still keeps the group photo from that mountain trip in his wallet. You break up with Luke, and Hunter will be worshiping the ground you walk on.] I widened my eyes at the red text. The CEO… has a crush on me? Before I could process this, Summer tugged at Luke’s sleeve again. “Sarah isn’t saying anything. Is she chicken?” “I guess the rumors are true. She’s obsessed with you, Luke.” “Those kinds of women are so annoying. Like gum stuck to your shoe. You’ll never get rid of her.” Luke raised an eyebrow, soaking up the ego boost. “What can I do? She’s been obsessed since college.” “Honestly, there were plenty of girls better than her chasing me. I only agreed to date her because she wore me down.” “But she’s getting annoying lately. Always starting cold wars.” “Let her confess to the boss. She needs a reality check. Maybe then she’ll stop making a scene over nothing.” Summer grinned, bumping his shoulder. “If Sarah succeeds, maybe you should date me instead. I’m not clingy!” Luke laughed. “Sure!” He glanced at me. “But I doubt she can bring herself to leave me.” I knew his game. He was pushing me to the edge, waiting for me to break and beg for forgiveness. I was an orphan. I lived with my aunt, who was kind, but my uncle hated me. I learned to be useful, to be quiet, to be diligent. I desperately wanted a home of my own. Luke had introduced me to his mom and sister. They were wonderful. They sent me homemade pickles and knitted scarves. I wanted to marry him to keep them. To keep that feeling of family. Luke used that against me. But I heard his mother divorced his father because of infidelity. I didn’t want to be her. I clenched my fists. “Fine. I’ll do it.” “If I succeed, everyone gets a raise.” 5 The smile froze on Luke’s face. His eyes turned dark. The chat went wild. [Hahaha! Karma! That’s what you get for being arrogant!] [Good job, Sarah! My blood pressure just went down seeing the look on his face!] [Hunter is infinitely better. Rich, handsome, and actually respects boundaries. He knew she had a boyfriend, so he just watched from afar.] [Though… he’s not that pure. He definitely does things to her photos at night…] The comments were making me blush. I marched to the CEO’s office before I could lose my nerve. Knock knock. “Come in.” Hunter’s voice was deep and magnetic. I pushed the heavy oak door open, leaving it slightly ajar so the nosy crowd behind me could see. Hunter was in a black suit, signing documents. He looked up, glanced at me, looked down, then his head snapped back up. His eyes widened slightly. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He sat up straight, put down his pen, and looked at me with an intensity that made my knees weak. “Yes?” I stared at the collar of his crisp white shirt, too nervous to meet his eyes. “Um, Mr. Sterling…” “I… I like you. Will you… go out with me?” Hunter froze. He glanced at the crowd peeking through the crack in the door. The spectators scattered. Hunter interlaced his fingers behind his head and leaned back. His sharp, almond-shaped eyes locked onto mine. “It’s lunch hour.” “Did you lose a bet with your colleagues?” “Tell me what the game is. I’ll go win it back for you.” I swallowed hard and finally looked at his face. He was gorgeous. At least 6’2″, chiseled jaw, an aura of old money. If I had really met him in college, how could I have forgotten him? The chat said we were in a Hiking Club together. Why did I have zero memory of that? Outside, people were whispering. “See? He’s giving her an out.” “If she keeps going, she’s getting fired.” My palms were sweating. Could I trust the floating text? But I was already here. No turning back. “It’s not a game. I really like you. Please date me!”

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After binding with the “Word Editor System,” I immediately changed [Secret Crush] to [Secret Assassination]. The schoolgirls who were supposedly crushing on the Male Lead all raised knives from the shadows, ready to deliver a fatal blow. Then, I changed [Viral Hit] to [Viral Explosion]. The Male Lead’s school forum post didn’t just blow up the internet; his laptop literally exploded, sending him straight to the ICU. The Male Lead was confused. The System crashed. I smiled. “Today, this main character? He absolutely has to die.” 1 “Oh my god, Prince Julian! Please accept my love letter!” “Wow, Julian is so hot!” I rested my chin on my hand, sitting by the window, watching the Male Lead, Julian Ashford, walk into school bathed in admiring gazes. [Julian Ashford comes from a wealthy family. Handsome and rich, every girl in the academy has a secret crush on him.] The System popped up the plot text at the right moment, adding a slightly creepy reminder: [Unleash your imagination! Add some romantic scenes for yourself!] I scoffed. With a mental stroke, I changed [Secret Crush] to [Secret Assassination]. The girl who had just looked lovestruck suddenly pulled a dagger from her pink envelope and lunged at Julian. “Die, scum!” Julian’s eyes went wide with disbelief. He tried to dodge, but it was too late. The dagger plunged into his chest. He slowly collapsed. The System screamed in my head: [Are you crazy?! The Male Lead is dead!] 2 Because I had terminal cancer, the System dragged me into this cliché high school romance novel to be the heroine. The heroine, simply because she was poor, was targeted by the school’s “Prince,” the Male Lead. After a series of physical and emotional abuse, she eventually died from it. At the end of the story, the Male Lead stood in the rain holding her ashes, crying snot and tears: “I was wrong! Lori!” The System was moved: [What great love.] [As long as you obediently go through the plot of being bullied, kidnapped, imprisoned, and finally thrown into the ocean to feed the fish, you will get a healthy body in return.] Me: ??? Do you hear yourself right now? The System chuckled dryly: [To help you complete the mission, here is a cheat: ‘For every plot point, you can change one word.’ You can use this to start a beautiful romance with the Male Lead!] Screams erupted around us. Julian lay on the ground, unconscious. I thought darkly: Why is it always the heroine who dies in these angst fests? The Male Lead? Hmph! He can die! But Julian didn’t die. The school nurse said, “It’s a miracle! His heart is located near his belly button, so it was just a flesh wound.” The System sounded smug: [Good thing I was quick and patched the bug. You must have made a typo just now. Don’t do it again!] There were so many things wrong with that sentence, but before I could grind my teeth in response, the bell rang. 3 The teacher stood at the door, smiling encouragingly at me. “Come on, introduce yourself! You’re the only ‘commoner’ in the whole school!” As soon as she finished, whispers filled the classroom. “How did a charity case get into our elite academy?” “Probably did something shady~ This is going to be good.” Seeing I remained silent, the teacher’s eyes darted around, hatching an idea. “How about this, transfer student? You sit next to Julian Ashford. He’s the only one with an empty seat.” I looked around. The whole class was watching me like I was a circus act. In the original book, the heroine listened to the teacher, only to be dragged off the chair by her hair by Julian, who cursed, “What kind of trash dares to sit next to me?” Thinking of this, I smiled. “No thanks, Teach.” I didn’t stop walking. I dragged the desk and chair next to Julian all the way to the back of the classroom, starting a new row. “I’ll sit here.” Julian sneered, propping his legs up on his desk. “What? Does sitting next to me make you sick?” I cursed internally. This guy is a psycho. Before I could respond, the System released the next plot point. [Julian looked at this stubborn charity case and felt intrigued. He decided to show her who’s boss. He unilaterally issued a Red Card against her, making Lori’s life even harder.] The System hinted: [The more he bullies you, the more he loves you.] [You can change ‘Red’ to ‘Love.’ A Love Card, hehe~] Julian looked at me, holding a red Joker card between his fingers. “Charity case, I declare that against…” Holy crap! My hand moved so fast it left afterimages. I changed [Her] to [Him]. [He decided to show HIM who’s boss.] Julian’s words involuntarily twisted: “I declare a Red Card against… MYSELF! All students and staff can bully me at any time, in any place!” Gasps filled the room. The System was shocked: [What? That works too?] I couldn’t help but clap. “I didn’t know the Prince was a masochist! You can’t judge a book by its cover…” He glared at me. “I said bully ME!” Everyone looked at each other, unsure if they should approach. In the original book, as soon as Julian issued the Red Card, a mob descended on the heroine with punches and kicks. I sneered and charged forward, slapping him twice across the face. Rules are rules. Once the Red Card is issued, the target gets bullied. No exceptions. The class inhaled sharply. Julian shouted in humiliation, “Hit me! Hit me!” After a moment of hesitation, everyone swarmed him. One slap per person. The scene ended with the Male Lead bleeding. 4 Nobody helped the swollen-faced Julian. He limped back to his seat and gave me a vicious look. The System begged in my brain: [Stop your magic! Please, just fall in love!] I ignored it and stared Julian down. He twitched his lip. “Just you wait, charity case.” I replied to the System: [See? He’s not convinced yet!] Before Julian could make a move, his minions couldn’t wait. As soon as class ended, a group of girls dragged me out of my seat. “Newbie, we need to teach you some manners.” Julian saw this and gave me a provocative smile. The leader was a girl with dark skin and bright red lipstick. I remembered her name was Bella. She grabbed my hair and dragged me out the door. Once we were in the bathroom, she didn’t waste time. “Someone cut up her face.” A girl with glasses and black hair stepped forward, trembling. “Who… who told you to disrespect the Prince?” Just as the knife was about to touch my face, the plot text appeared. [Seeing the knife about to slice Lori’s face, Adrian wind caught some noise. He thought it was Julian’s business and didn’t want to interfere, but he still decided to SAVE her.] The System yelled excitedly: [It’s the Second Male Lead! The gentle one! He and the Male Lead are called the Twin Stars. Go develop feelings with him!] I frowned. I remembered this Adrian Wind was a hypocrite. After saving the heroine, he told her to endure it. Later, he even gave the heroine’s National Award to the Male Lead’s sister without asking. “Lori, you already have so many awards, but his sister has none. I think you should do something nice.” Thinking of this, I changed [Save] to [Substitute]. [He still decided to SUBSTITUTE for her.] The next second, Adrian kicked the door open, roaring, “Let her go! Slash MY face!”

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Our house finally got central air. Coming home for summer break, I thought I was going to be living the high life, chilling in the cool air. Instead, my pregnant sister-in-law, Jessica, decided the A/C compressor—the massive outdoor unit that blasts hot air—should be installed inside my bedroom. When I refused to sleep in there, she burst into tears, threatening to abort the baby if I didn’t suck it up. To calm her down, my brother beat the hell out of me and locked me in that room. Trapped in a sauna of exhaust heat, I died of heatstroke. Then, I opened my eyes. I was standing at the front door, luggage in hand. Summer break had just started. I had died, and now I was back. In my past life, my brother locked me in that oven of a room just to placate his drama-queen wife. God gave me a second chance, and there was no way I was making the same mistake twice. Honestly, if I had rebooted just an hour earlier, I would’ve ghosted this toxic family immediately. But here I was, crossing the threshold. Jessica waddled over, rubbing her belly, a fake-sweet smile plastered on her face. “Nora! Look, we finally got A/C! But we didn’t have space for the external unit outside, so we had to mount it in your room. You don’t mind, right?” In my last life, I exploded immediately. “It’s ninety degrees out! You guys are going to blast the A/C all night. How am I supposed to sleep with a machine pumping hot exhaust into my room?” That was all it took. Jessica’s eyes went red instantly. “Why can’t you sleep? Everyone else sacrifices, why are you so special? I was trying to be considerate, but you’re so ungrateful. You’re breaking my heart!” When I threatened to tear the unit down or leave, she went nuclear. She started punching her own stomach. “If you leave, I’ll kill this baby! I swear to God! Why can’t you just listen to me? I’m carrying the Chen family heir! Everyone has to listen to me!” My parents and brother swarmed her like bees. “It’s okay, honey, don’t cry! The baby!” “Nora, are you crazy? Just sleep in the room! Why are you upsetting her? The baby is innocent!” “Yeah, Nora, don’t be a bitch. Make your sister-in-law happy.” Looking at the four of them, I realized I was the outsider. “I’m not doing it. Why don’t you sleep in there?” I’d screamed. Jessica wailed. My brother threw a punch. Then another. When I woke up, the door was locked. The compressor roared like a jet engine, the temperature climbing past 110 degrees. I pounded on the door until I passed out and died. But this time? I knew better. Getting angry solves nothing. Honey catches more flies than vinegar. “Oh my god, Jess, you are so thoughtful!” I clasped my hands together, looking at her with pure adoration. “You remembered that I have poor circulation and get cold easily? Installing the heat-exhaust in my room so I stay toasty? Wow. We are so lucky to have you.” Jessica froze, her script completely broken. Her five-year-old nephew, Tyler, who was visiting, looked confused. “Auntie Nora, do you really like being hot? Summer sucks without A/C.” I patted his head. “Oh, Auntie freezes easily, Tyler.” I turned back to Jessica, laying it on thick. “I’ll sleep there tonight. It’s going to be so cozy. I’ll really cherish this gift.” “You’re amazing, Jess. I get migraines from cold air. You’re practically psychic.” Jessica scratched her head, flustered. “Oh… well, yeah. I just… sensed it.” Nobody is immune to flattery. I ran to the kitchen and gushed to my mom about how considerate Jessica was. Mom was thrilled. “You’re finally growing up. You get a drumstick tonight!” Usually, chicken drumsticks were reserved for my brother, the Golden Child. Jessica got them once she got pregnant. I got scraps. Praising the dictator works wonders. After all, she was carrying the “Royal Heir.” Jessica was glued to a TikTok livestream sale. Tyler was watching TV. Mom was cooking. Dad and my brother, Kyle, weren’t home yet. Perfect timing. I dragged my broken suitcase loudly to my room—clack, clack, clack. I left it at the door, snuck into my parents’ room, and swiped the A/C remote. Then I went into Kyle and Jessica’s room and stole theirs too. I crouched by my suitcase, pretending to unpack, and buried the remotes deep inside the lining. When Dad and Kyle got home, I turned the charm up to eleven. “Kyle! The installation looks pro! You’re gonna be a dad soon, you’re basically winning at life.” “Dad, you look ten years younger. No wrinkles at all. Very distinguished.” “Mom, this food smells insane. I love you so much.” “And Jess… how are you pregnant and still looking like a model? I’m jealous. And the baby is so quiet, such a good kid already.” The atmosphere at dinner was euphoric. They were eating up the compliments. I kept checking my phone, typing furiously. “Nora!” Dad slammed his hand on the table. “No phones at the dinner table. Where are your manners?” Kyle didn’t even look up from his own phone. I feigned panic. “Sorry, Dad! It’s just… the University called. They have an emergency placement program for seniors. If I accept this internship now, I’m guaranteed a full-time position next year.” I lowered my voice conspiratorially. “The benefits are insane. Paid internship now, but once I sign the full contract? The company provides a subsidized apartment. And after five years? A company car. A Tesla, apparently.” “There are only five spots. They need me back immediately, but… ugh, I just got home. I want to spend time with you guys.” At the mention of a free apartment and a Tesla, Kyle dropped his phone. Dad, Mom, and Jessica’s eyes practically glowed in the dark. “You idiot!” Mom cried. “We can hang out later! You can’t let someone else steal that spot!” Dad nodded sagely. “Nora, listen to me. This is a solid career move. Go. Send your internship salary to me; I’ll save it for your… uh, dowry.” “Sis, you have to go,” Kyle said, drooling metaphorically. “When you get that apartment, we can come visit. Make us look good.” The abacus beads were clicking loudly in their heads. They were already dividing up my imaginary assets. Kyle narrowed his eyes. “You aren’t lying, are you?” Silence fell over the table. I made a hurt face. “Kyle, how could you think that? Look at the group chat.” I shoved my phone in his face. I’d set this up hours ago—paid a few friends in a group chat to stage a fake conversation about the “Tesla Internship.” “See? I don’t even have a driver’s license. I was going to say, if I get the car, I’d just give it to you.” Kyle scanned the chat. He stopped reading after “give the car to you.” “Go,” he said. “You better keep your word.” I scarfed down two drumsticks, grabbed my suitcase, and bolted. On the way out, pretending to look for the front door key, I pocketed the key to my bedroom. The same key Kyle had used to lock me in to die. I bought the first high-speed train ticket out of there. I was just stepping off the train when Mom called. “You little ungrateful brat! Did you take the A/C remotes?! Just because Jessica wanted you to sleep in the warm room, you sabotage us? She was doing it for your own good! Bring them back right now before I beat you black and blue!” Took them long enough to notice. Too bad I was already 300 miles away. “Mom? What are you talking about? Why would I take the remotes? I told you, I’m anemic! I wanted to sleep in that hot room. If it wasn’t for this job, I’d be basking in the heat right now.” “Check under the sofa. Or the bed.” “Mom, you’re accusing me? I’m heartbroken. I’ll turn around right now. You can search me. I’ll just forfeit the internship. Who cares about the Tesla, right?” Mom panicked. “No! No, don’t come back! We’ll look again. Do not lose that job, Nora. The whole family is counting on you.” She paused. “Is the Tesla thing real?” “Of course! The car and the apartment… I don’t need them. They’re for you guys. You raised me, it’s payback time.” “Good, good. Go work. We’ll find the remotes.” “Hey Mom… Tyler was playing in the bedrooms earlier. You don’t think he hid them as a prank? I mean, kids, right?” I added casually. “Oh, never mind, don’t ask him. Jess would get upset.” Jess treated Tyler like a little prince. If anyone accused him, she’d threaten to abort the baby again. I just wanted to plant a seed of chaos. Besides, that kid was a monster. In my last life, while Kyle was beating me, Tyler kicked me and laughed, yelling at me to die. I hung up and tossed the remotes into a recycling bin at the station. Good luck finding them. Kyle had spent his life savings on those two units. He was broke. My parents were cheap. They wouldn’t buy universal remotes until they were 100% sure the originals were gone. And the heatwave was starting tomorrow. I contacted my old boss from a previous summer job. She ran a logistics company in the city. “Need a hand this summer?” “Always,” she said. The temperature back home hit 104°F. Mom called. “Nora, come home.” “Why?” “Your sister-in-law is hysterical. She says if you don’t come back, she’s flushing the baby. You have to come home.” “I can’t. No time off.” “Tell your boss it’s a family emergency.” “I’m in the probation period, Mom. If I leave, I lose the Tesla.” “But Jess…” Jess screeched in the background. “I don’t care! What kind of crappy company is this?! Make her come back! I need to see her! If she doesn’t sleep in that room tonight, I’m killing myself and the baby! You’re all murderers!” Her voice was so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear. “See?” Mom said weakly. “Just come back for a day.” They must have bought new remotes. Jess’s obsession with me sleeping in that room was psychotic. It wasn’t about the room; it was about control. She needed to assert dominance. If I went back, I’d end up dead again. “Hey! You!” A sharp voice cut in. It was my boss, Ms. Vance. I had briefed her on my family situation beforehand. She was a legend. “Who said you could take personal calls? Get back to work! You think we pay you to chat? You want that bonus? You want the housing? Earn it!” “If I catch you slacking again, you’re fired!” I hung up immediately. “Thanks, Ms. Vance.” She flipped her hair. “Anytime, kid.” I texted Mom: Mom, I’m hiding in the bathroom. The boss is a tyrant. One mistake and I’m out. Tell Jess to chill. I’ll visit when I get the full-time offer. Gotta go. Silence for days. I thought I was safe. Then the police showed up at my rental. “Are you Nora Chen? Your mother reported you missing. She was worried sick.” My blood ran cold. I looked past the officer. Mom was standing there, looking like a martyr. “Mom? I texted you. Why the police?” “We haven’t talked in days! I took the train all the way here alone! My phone ran out of credit! I was scared!” The cop lectured me on taking care of my elderly mother and left. Mom grabbed my arm. “Well? Are you going to invite me in?” I had no choice. I took her to my apartment. It was a simple two-bedroom place Ms. Vance let me rent cheaply because it was usually empty. “The company lets me stay here,” I lied. “If I break anything, I’m fired.” “Relax, I’m your mother.” She looked around, calculating. “Two bedrooms. Nice.” “I have to work, Mom. Why didn’t you just stay with Jess?” “I missed you.”

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After a massive landslide, our college trekking club was trapped in a cave for seven days. I finally cracked the code on a survival cache we found that contained a satellite phone. Everyone cheered. Chase, our trip leader and my boyfriend, immediately snatched the case and handed it to Tiffany, the group’s resident “It Girl” and self-proclaimed heiress. “This is a great photo op. Let’s let Tiff do the honors. She needs the clout for her influencer profile.” Tiffany, looking flustered, punched in the wrong code. Twice. The system locked out after three tries. In my past life, seeing that there was only one attempt left, I snatched the box back and punched in the correct sequence to save us. After we were rescued, instead of thanking me, the whole group accused me of stealing Tiffany’s thunder. They claimed she had solved it and I just jumped in at the last second. Later, Tiffany stole my credit card information to buy everyone expensive gifts and threw a party at my family’s villa, claiming it was hers. When I confronted her with the bank statements, she cried, “Harper is just jealous because my family has money and hers doesn’t.” Chase sneered at me, “You think anyone cares about your pennies? Stop trying to make yourself look important.” During the argument, they shoved me into the river. The whole group watched coldly as I drowned. When I opened my eyes, I was back in the cave. Back to the moment Tiffany was punching in the code. This time, I stood back and watched her fail. Chapter 1 “Tiff, babe, the code is cracked. Go ahead and input it!” Chase stood beaming as I finished scratching the mathematical sequence into the dirt floor with a twig. I had solved the riddle locking the survival case we found in the debris. The moment the solution clicked, I looked up at Chase, a smile forming. But before I could speak, he grabbed the case, completely ignoring my two days of mental gymnastics, and shoved it into Tiffany’s hands. Tiffany smirked at me, raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow. “Chase, Harper found this case. She solved the math. If I take the credit, won’t she be mad?” Her tone dripped with fake apology, but her eyes were mocking me. Chase scoffed. “Her? She wouldn’t dare get mad. She’d be happy to hand over her entire food stash if I asked her to.” Hearing that, Tiffany smiled, satisfied. My heart turned cold. I didn’t argue. I just watched silently as Tiffany’s manicured fingers clumsily punched in the wrong numbers. Twice. The group started getting restless. “Come on, Tiff!” She was shaking. In my last life, panic set in. I knew if the case locked, we were doomed. So I grabbed it, saved everyone, and got branded a glory-hog. Not this time. Beep. Beep. The red light flashed. Tiffany, living up to expectations, entered the wrong code for the third time. Click. The mechanism seized. The case was permanently locked. The satellite phone was bricked. The cave erupted. “Tiffany! Are you blind? Two and nine aren’t even close to each other!” “Are you kidding me? We’ve been stuck here for a week! That was our ticket out!” “Nobody asked you to solve it! You just had to type four digits! Did you do that on purpose?” Tiffany dropped the case like it was hot coal and looked at Chase with tear-filled eyes. “Chase… I didn’t mean to. It’s just… Harper took so long to solve it, and I’m so hungry and dizzy… and it’s dark…” Then, she turned her watery gaze on me. “Maybe Harper’s math was wrong! Maybe she gave me the wrong code!” Chapter 2 Hilarious. I spent forty-eight hours verifying that sequence. Now that she screwed up, she wants to pin it on me? In her dreams. Without me, they wouldn’t have even found the box. “I solved the puzzle. I didn’t tell you to type it in,” I said, my voice flat. “And considering you typed three different combinations, none of which matched my solution, how exactly is my math the problem?” I let out a cold laugh. I wasn’t playing the doormat anymore. Tiffany’s face went pale. Being called out wasn’t part of her script. Chase frowned, but the rest of the classmates were fuming. “Well, if Harper wasn’t so slow, Tiff wouldn’t have been so stressed!” “Yeah, blame Harper. She’s so desperate for attention.” “Exactly. Tiffany is top of the class. Harper is just a try-hard.” It was absurd. Tiffany’s “top of the class” status was entirely because Chase, using his position as a T.A., doctored her grades. When the real work started, Tiffany conveniently “fainted.” “I’m sorry, everyone,” Tiffany sobbed, bowing to the group. “It’s my fault. Don’t blame Harper. She didn’t mean to be difficult.” Chase immediately pulled her up, glaring at me. “Babe, this isn’t on you. It’s Harper’s fault.” Seeing him defend her, the group directed their rage at me. Chase comforted Tiffany, whispering sweet nothings while casting me as the villain. I walked to a corner and sat down, clutching my necklace. Inside the pendant was a GPS tracker my brother had custom-made for me. I was kidnapped once as a kid, so my family was paranoid. Before this trip, I told my brother: If I’m not back in seven days, come find me. Suddenly, a hand yanked me up. It was Chase. He looked furious. “Harper, give your food to Tiffany. She’s looking pale.” He said it like it was an order. Before the trip, I told everyone to pack emergency rations and water. Tiffany mocked me. “We’re going glamping, Harper. I’m not carrying a heavy bag. We can catch rabbits or something.” Her bag was full of makeup and ring lights. Chase had packed snacks, but he’d given them all to her days ago. I slapped his hand away. “She needs to eat? What about me? Do I photosynthesize?” “I’m your girlfriend, Chase. Yet you prioritize her every single time. Do you think that’s normal?” Chase froze. I had never talked back to him before. I used to be the “cool girl,” the one who accommodated everything. He gritted his teeth, poking my forehead. “Why are you so selfish? People are starving, and you’re hoarding? If anything happens to Tiff, are you taking responsibility?” Me? Responsible? “Chase,” I said calmly. “Let’s break up.” Chapter 3 Chase looked at me with pure disdain. “Break up? You’re using that to threaten me?” “Fine. Hand over the food in your bag, and I’ll agree to the breakup.” I almost laughed. I was worthless to him. “I carried this food up the mountain. Why should I give it to you?” Chase felt entitled to my labor. Just like in school, when I did the group projects and he put Tiffany’s name on the credits. “You wanted to break up, right? Consider the food your breakup fee. You’re getting off easy.” Even though I hated him now, hearing him say that still stung. “No,” I said. “Get away from me.” “Chase!” Tiffany wailed from the ground. “I think I’m gonna faint…” Chase lunged, ripped my backpack off my shoulders, and dumped the contents. He grabbed the last few energy bars and threw them to Tiffany. She caught them with surprising agility for someone about to faint. She shot me a smug look. I grabbed my empty bag off the dirt. Tiffany tore open a wrapper and bit down. Immediately, she spat it out. “Ew! This tastes like cardboard! Even a dog wouldn’t eat this.” These were high-calorie survival rations. Not gourmet cookies. Chase patted her back, glaring at me. “Harper, did you do this on purpose? Bringing trash food to poison her?” I snapped. I walked over, grabbed the half-chewed bar from the dirt, and shoved it toward Tiffany’s face. “Did I force you to eat it? You stole it!” Tiffany gagged, rinsing her mouth with the last of Chase’s water. “Harper, you’re a psycho!” Chase yelled, raising his hand to slap me. I dodged effortlessly. They cursed at me for ten minutes. I tuned them out. Suddenly, a beam of sunlight pierced the darkness. The storm outside had cleared. Chase grabbed Tiffany’s hand. “Tiff, look! Light! Let’s go find a way out. I have the map!” He dug into his bag and pulled out… confetti. Tiffany bit her lip, looking up at him with puppy eyes. “Chase… I’m sorry. I tore it up to make confetti for the summit photo… I thought it would be romantic.” Chase sighed, his anger melting instantly. “It’s okay. We’re smart. We can find the way.” As they headed for the opening, I spoke up. “The soil is unstable. There could be a secondary landslide or flash flood. It’s safer to stay put.” Chapter 4 Chase stopped and turned around. “Harper, you love hiking, right? You go scout the path.” I wasn’t going to be their cannon fodder. “No. If you want to go, go yourself.” Chase sneered. “I knew you were a coward. You don’t have half the courage Tiffany has.” They rolled their eyes at me and left. I shouted after them, “Seriously, watch out for the mud!” They ignored me. Twenty minutes later, a drone buzzed into the cave. I saw the logo on the side. I smiled. It was my brother’s tech company. The group waved frantically at the drone. It ignored them, hovered in front of me, nodded its camera, and zipped away. “We’re saved!” “I knew Chase and Tiffany would find help!” “Yeah, Harper almost ruined it by telling them to stay.” Suddenly, the sky darkened. Rain poured down in sheets. A while later, two mud-covered figures stumbled back into the cave. They were limping, bleeding from gashes on their legs. “Does anyone have antibiotics?” Chase screamed. “We fell! It’s deep!” I touched the pocket of my jacket. I had a first-aid kit with a single dose of broad-spectrum antibiotics and a tetanus shot. When I told them to pack first-aid kits, they laughed at me for being paranoid. The classmates shook their heads. Chase limped over to me. “Harper. You hoard everything. You must have medicine. Give it to me, and I might consider taking you back.” I laughed. “I only have one dose. Who gets it?” Tiffany lunged, snatching the kit from my hand. She injected herself immediately. “Chase, you know I have a weak constitution! You’re strong, you can handle it!” Chase stared at her, betrayed. He tried to grab the empty syringe. I watched them turn on each other. So much for true love. An hour later, the rain stopped. The sound of rotors filled the air. A sleek, private helicopter landed on the flat rock outside the cave. Chapter 5 A tall man in a tactical jacket stepped out. “Oh my god! That’s Asher Xu! The pop star!” “It’s Tiffany’s brother! I knew she was legit!” “Tiffany, you saved us! Your brother came personally!” The classmates were practically kneeling before Tiffany. Tiffany stood there, frozen. Chase, seeing a luxury chopper, forgot his pain. He rushed forward to shake Asher’s hand with his muddy paws. Asher recoiled, his face showing visible disgust. “Asher, bro! I’m Tiffany’s best friend. I’m the leader here. Take us back first, yeah?” Asher looked confused. I hadn’t told anyone at school that Asher was my brother. I wanted a normal life. The classmates pushed Tiffany forward. “Go on, Tiff! It’s your brother!” Tiffany lowered her head, voice trembling. “Brother… you came for me? I know you’re busy…” Asher’s expression went from confused to icy. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Asher spotted me in the back. He pushed through the crowd and pulled me into a hug. The group gasped. A few months ago, Asher posted a photo of us hiking with the caption: Hiking with Sis. Tiffany posted a photo of the same mountain with the caption: Hiking with Brother <3. Everyone assumed she was the sister. She never corrected them. "Asher... don't you recognize your own sister?" someone asked. "Is Harper paying you to act like this?" "I'm unfollowing you. Abandoning your sister for a peasant?" Chase stepped up. "Harper is my girlfriend. If she gets on, I get on. I need to supervise her." Asher looked at the crowd like they were bugs. "You people are delusional. I don't know who 'Tiffany' is." "Harper is my biological sister. I'm here for her." "As for the rest of you... Search and Rescue is an hour out. Wait here." He pulled me onto the chopper. We lifted off, leaving them in the mud.

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Everyone knew Mark was the ultimate “Wife Guy.” We were the couple that made other people sick—high school sweethearts, married for seven years, practically glued at the hip. Or so I thought. Then came the texts. My phone buzzed. It was Chloe, one of the wives in our inner circle. No caption, just a photo dump. I opened the first one. My hand started to shake. There was Mark, shirtless, holding a beer in one hand and his ex-girlfriend, Jessica, in the other. She was smiling that sweet, innocent smile I remembered from college. Chloe followed up with a single text: “Surprise.” My brain short-circuited. Jessica? That ghost from his past? When did this start? How long had I been playing the role of the oblivious idiot? “Dave has been acting shady,” Chloe texted again. “I hired a PI to tail him. Catching Mark was just a bonus.” Dave was Chloe’s husband. “Check the metadata,” she added. “Taken three hours ago.” I zoomed in. They were on a yacht. Mark in his trunks, Jessica in a floral sundress, looking like a J.Crew catalog couple. In the background, Dave was draped over some bikini model, and Paul—Emily’s husband—was chatting them up, looking distinguished and complicit. The Three Musketeers. They covered for each other. “Don’t worry, Sarah,” Dave would always say on FaceTime during their ‘boys’ golf trips.’ “I’m keeping an eye on him.” They must have laughed so hard after hanging up. 1. Chloe, Emily, and I weren’t natural friends. We were “transactional friends,” brought together by our husbands’ business deals. Mark was the charming entrepreneur; I was the former CPA turned stay-at-home mom. Looking at the photos, the red flags I’d ignored suddenly turned neon. Last year, Mark came back from business trips smelling like lavender. We use unscented sensitive-skin detergent because our daughter, Lily, has allergies. His excuse? “Must be the hotel laundry service.” Four different hotel chains using the exact same boutique lavender detergent? And I bought it. Then there were the “smoke breaks.” Mark didn’t really smoke. But every time he came home, he’d vanish to the patio for twenty minutes. He wasn’t smoking; he was calling her. I remembered meeting Jessica twice. Once in Napa, right after Mark and I got engaged. We bumped into her at a vineyard. Mark introduced her smoothly: “Old college friend.” She was petite, pale, with that fragile “I need saving” vibe. The second time was last year. I was at the hospital because Lily had a fever. I saw Jessica in the OB-GYN waiting room, looking devastatingly sad, comforted by a heavy-set older man. I mentioned it to Mark later. He brushed it off, changing the subject with practiced ease. He was deflecting. We met up—Chloe, Emily, and I—at a quiet lounge downtown. “Emily, aren’t you worried about Paul?” Chloe asked, pacing back and forth. Emily took a sip of her martini. She was the calmest person I knew. “I’m not worried,” she said softly. “I already knew.” Chloe froze. “You knew? And you watched us look like fools?” “Sarah,” Emily turned to me, ignoring Chloe’s outburst. “Now that you know… are you happy?” She pulled two thick envelopes from her Hermès bag and slid them across the table. “We’re smart women. I don’t need to tell you what to do. But you need to decide if you have the stomach for it.” Chloe ripped hers open immediately. “I’m divorcing Dave. Immediately.” “And then what?” Emily asked. “The company is in Dave’s name. Prenup is ironclad. You walk away with a settlement, and he keeps the empire you helped build. Is that enough?” Chloe hesitated. She had funded Dave’s first startup with her family’s money. He used her, made it big, and now he was cheating. If she just left, he won. “Sarah,” Emily looked at me. “If you file for divorce now, Mark fights dirty. You’re unemployed. He gets high-powered lawyers. You might lose custody of Lily.” That hit me like a physical blow. We stayed until closing time. By the end of the night, we had a plan. Mark, you want to play games? Let’s play. 2. I video-called Mark that night. He didn’t answer. Thirty minutes later, he called back, looking wet. “Sorry, babe, was in the shower.” “Signal’s bad,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “Go stand by the window.” He hesitated. He couldn’t. Jessica was probably right there. Two days later, Mark came home with a suitcase full of guilt gifts—expensive skincare, perfume. I started Phase One. According to Emily’s dossier, Jessica had moved back to the city two years ago—right when I was pregnant with Lily. Mark had set her up in a luxury condo at “The Lakes,” a building technically owned by Dave’s holding company. I put on a new Chanel dress Mark had just bought me—guilt looks great in tweed—and drove to the Whole Foods near The Lakes. I spotted her in the produce aisle. “Jessica?” I called out, putting on my best smile. She froze. “Sarah?” “Oh my god! It is you!” I walked over, looking effortless. “I haven’t seen you since Napa! Do you live around here?” “I… just moved back,” she stammered. “We have to catch up! You gave us such great tips for that trip.” I glanced at her cart. Prenatal vitamins. “Wait, are you expecting? Congratulations!” She looked pale. “Here, let me drive you home,” I insisted. “You shouldn’t be carrying heavy bags.” She tried to refuse, but I steamrolled her with kindness. On the ride over, Mark called me. I put him on speaker. He sounded panicked. Jessica sat next to me, silent as a statue. Her apartment was nice. Too nice. And there it was—the lavender detergent on the counter. “This place is impossible to get into,” I commented, looking around. “Mark said the waiting list was three years long.” “My boyfriend pulled some strings,” she said, a hint of arrogance creeping into her voice. “He treats me very well.” “I bet. Men act differently when they’re in love,” I said, smiling dangerously. “Mark used to be so showy. Now he just posts photos of our daughter. But hey, good luck with everything. You know what they say—if he’ll cheat with you, he’ll cheat on you.” I left before she could respond. But not before I “borrowed” her bathroom and connected to her Wi-Fi. The password was her birthday. Mark really was lazy. Now I had access to their nanny cam. 3. I watched them on the camera. Mark was “working late” constantly. Phase Two involved a fake dinner. I pressured Mark to invite Jessica out, “to thank her for being an old friend.” He tried to wiggle out of it, but I booked the table. We showed up. Jessica was there, looking anxious. I spent the entire dinner reminiscing about how Mark supported me through my difficult pregnancy. “He was my rock,” I said, grabbing Mark’s hand. He flinched. “That’s how I knew he was my forever. As long as he doesn’t betray me, I’d die for him.” I looked Mark dead in the eye. “So, Mark. Who do you love? Right now?” He choked on his water. Before he could answer, he saw someone at the door. Panic flashed in his eyes. He grabbed me and dragged me out the back exit, claiming he saw a “paparazzi” (he’s delusional about his fame). The truth? He saw his biggest investor walking in. He couldn’t be seen with his wife and his mistress. Meanwhile, Chloe was busy. Chloe went to her parents. They were old money. They were furious. Her brother, a corporate shark, set a trap for Dave. They offered Dave a “too good to be true” investment opportunity. Dave bit. He leveraged his company to buy in. Then, Chloe’s family stalled the deal. Dave was bleeding cash. Desperate, he transferred equity to Chloe to secure a bridge loan from her parents. As soon as Chloe had controlling interest, she brought in the forensic accountants. She found everything. The embezzlement, the kickbacks. And the paper trail linking Mark and Paul to the schemes. The Raid. Wednesday morning. Mark left for his “Big Signing Day”—the IPO launch that would make him rich. Chloe, Emily, and I drove to The Lakes. I called Mark. “Mark! Emergency! Chloe found out Dave is keeping a mistress at The Lakes. She’s going there with a baseball bat! She thinks the girl is yours! You have to warn Dave!” Mark screamed, “Stop her! I’m coming!” We went up to the apartment. Chloe didn’t need a bat. She just needed to be loud. She pounded on the door. When Jessica opened it, chaos ensued. It wasn’t violent—we’re not going to jail for assault—but it was loud, humiliating, and public. Neighbors were filming. Mark burst in, followed by a disheveled Dave. “Sarah!” Mark ran to me. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” I said coldly. “But why is Jessica in Dave’s apartment?” Mark looked at Dave. Dave looked at Mark. “She rents it!” Mark blurted out. “From Dave! I helped her find it.” “With what money?” Chloe snapped. “We checked the accounts. No rent payments. But lots of ‘consulting fees’ paid to a shell company in Jessica’s name.” Mark turned on Dave. “Dave, just tell her the truth! You rented it to her!” He signaled to Dave with his eyes: Take the fall, and I’ll cut you in on the IPO money. Dave, desperate and broke, nodded. “Yeah. It’s a rental.” Chloe scoffed. “You guys are pathetic.” We walked out. 4. Friday. The IPO Gala. Mark was beaming. The press was there. Investors. And Jessica, wearing a dress that cost more than my car, trying to look like she belonged. I walked up to her with Lily in my arms. “Enjoy the champagne, Jessica,” I whispered. “But remember: if I leave something behind, it’s because it’s trash. You’re welcome to it.”

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