Everyone in the company got a $300,000 year-end bonus. Everyone but me. I got three grand. Victor Thorne, my manager, clapped me on the shoulder, a condescending smirk on his face. “Ava, young people shouldn’t focus so much on money. You should value the opportunities for growth this company offers.” I just smiled, nodding, and took the pathetic three thousand dollars. Right then, my contract was expiring, and the company wasn’t renewing it. But I didn’t care. Not one bit. After all, I held the contact list for 108 of the company’s most important clients. 0 Three thousand dollars. I sneered internally as I walked back to my cubicle. It was a corner drowned in files and sticky notes, an ignored island. The air practically hummed with celebration. “Holy crap, $300K! My Hermès bag, here I come!” “Where are we hitting up tonight? Michelin three-star, baby!” “My husband’s telling me to hurry home and pay off the mortgage!” Excited, distorted faces blurred before my eyes. I sat down, my face a mask, feeling like an alien among them. “Hey, Ava, did you get your bonus?” Kyle Miller piped up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, I did,” I said calmly. “Companies are laying people off everywhere this year, but ours is so generous!” Kyle continued, oblivious, or perhaps intentionally cruel. “If you’ve got talent, you get a huge bonus! Even the useless ones, the company still gave them three thousand bucks.” A wave of snickers rippled through the office. My knuckles went white as I clenched my fists, but I bit back any response. They continued their revelry, while I just buried my head in my work. Suddenly, the phone on my desk blared, a jarring sound. “Ava, the client’s system crashed again. Get on it, pronto! The boss is fuming.” It was Kyle’s voice, an impatient, demanding tone. This client was notoriously difficult. Anyone who touched them ended up with a headache. “Got it,” I said, a single word, then hung up. Just then, Brenda Lee from HR walked over. “Ava, don’t take it to heart. You’re actually really great.” Brenda was the only one in the company who ever showed me any real concern. “It’s fine, Brenda. Thanks,” I replied. I closed my SnapChat window and clicked open a heavily encrypted folder on my computer’s D drive. Inside was just one document. This document held all my client information. Every single order I’d secured, every single client I’d personally nurtured over the past three years, it was all here. These were the “brilliant achievements” in Victor’s reports, the capital he used to curry favor with Mr. Peterson, the founder. These were also my final trump card. I transferred all these files to my personal USB drive. Then, I wiped them from my computer. In the office, Victor’s voice boomed again, “Drinks are on me tonight, everyone!” Another wave of roaring applause and flattery followed. I sent him a text message: “Can’t make it tonight. Got plans.” 0

The week before my contract expired, Victor was still squeezing every last drop out of me. He called me into his office, leaning back in his executive chair, a sly grin playing on his lips. “Ava, this project is yours.” He pushed a thick folder across the desk towards me. The cover read “Aegis Group Strategic Partnership Proposal.” Aegis Group. Our company’s biggest, most crucial, and most demanding client. I flipped open the proposal. After just two pages, my heart sank. It was an entirely new, incredibly complex customized request. And the client wanted to see the complete first draft within three days. Three days. This wasn’t just impossible; it was a deliberate setup. “Victor, a high-quality proposal can’t be finished in three days.” “Ava.” His smile deepened, laced with meaning. “Challenges are what test you.” He stood up, clapped me on the shoulder, a thinly veiled threat in his voice. “Your contract’s almost up. Your renewal depends on your performance this time.” I took the folder. “I’ll do my best.” When I came out, Kyle immediately sidled up to me, his face alight with schadenfreude. “Ava, congrats! Victor’s really giving you a chance. Work hard, and maybe you’ll actually keep your job.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it was loud enough for the entire office to hear. Everyone watched me like it was a show. Pity, mockery, indifference. I knew, deep down, Victor had no intention of renewing my contract. He just wanted to drain every last bit of value from me, then toss me aside like trash. If this project succeeded, the credit would be his. If it failed, the blame would be mine. I opened my laptop, staring at the nearly impossible task, my mind strangely calm. The next three days were a blur of intense activity. By day, I organized files at my desk, deflecting the random tasks Kyle and others constantly threw my way. By night, when the office was finally empty, I truly began my work. Brenda couldn’t bear to watch. At eleven at night, she handed me a steaming mug of coffee, her eyes filled with concern. “Don’t push yourself like this, it’s not worth it.” I gave her a small smile. “It’s okay, Brenda. This is the last time.” She sighed, quietly patting my shoulder. After Brenda left, I picked up my phone and dialed a number directly. The contact was saved as “Mr. Donovan – Aegis Group.” “Mr. Donovan, hi, this is Ava Sterling.” “Oh, Ava,” his tone immediately warmed, “It’s pretty late. Is everything alright?” “Mr. Donovan, regarding this partnership proposal, there are a few details I’d like to confirm directly with you.” I bypassed all the so-called company procedures because I knew that, for Mr. Donovan of Aegis, I, Ava Sterling, was the most efficient process. For three years, every time their internal system experienced an emergency outage, whether it was midnight or not, I was the first to respond, resolving it remotely. Every time they proposed a wild, out-of-the-box idea, I was the one pulling all-nighters to create prototypes that came closest to their needs. His trust was never in our company; it was always in me. “Alright, go ahead.” Next, I worked directly with Mr. Donovan, finalizing all the details. Three days later, I printed out a perfect proposal and placed it on Victor’s desk. Then, I deleted every single file from my computer. When Victor arrived at work, he was absolutely thrilled with my proposal. He announced to the office, beaming: “Great news! Our team has secured the Aegis Group project!” The office erupted in thunderous applause. He basked in everyone’s flattery and compliments, never once mentioning the person who actually did the work. Then, he took my proposal and went to claim credit from Mr. Peterson. My heart remained calm. The last connection between me and this company had been severed by my own hands. 0

The day my contract expired, the HR email landed in my inbox promptly at the start of my workday. “Dear Ms. Sterling, Due to company business adjustments, your employment contract will not be renewed upon its expiry today. Please complete your offboarding procedures by 5 PM.” I glanced at the email, then hit delete. Everyone in the office pretended to be busy. No one offered me comfort. Only Brenda walked over, quietly patting my shoulder. Victor didn’t even show his face today. He probably thought it wasn’t necessary. A tool, once used, is simply discarded. The offboarding process was surprisingly smooth. Everyone was distant, almost cold. As if I were just a casual visitor. I walked out, carrying my cardboard box. Passing by the office, I noticed a celebration party in full swing. Victor stood in the center of the crowd, looking smug and triumphant. “Good news!” he announced. “Because our team brilliantly landed the Aegis Group project, I’ve just been appointed Vice President!” Everyone crowded around Victor, showering him with praise. He stood on the pedestal I’d unknowingly built for him. I smiled. There was no bitterness, no resentment in my smile, just the mockery of watching a clown perform. I turned away, not looking back. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to “Mr. Donovan – Aegis Group.” “Mr. Donovan, I have officially left my previous company today. Thank you for all your support over the years, and I wish you all the best.” Almost immediately, my phone rang. “Ava, why don’t you come work for my company?” I looked at the message, the smile on my lips deepening. Then, I opened my contacts and forwarded the “Core Clients” group to a few key people. These were all the core resources Victor had once valued. I knew a storm was brewing, aimed squarely at Victor. 0

Victor’s celebration party was in full swing, reaching its climax. He raised his glass, about to make a toast. A shrill, urgent phone ring cut through the air. Victor frowned, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face as he glanced at the caller ID. “Aegis Group – Mr. Donovan.” The annoyance was instantly replaced by a fawning smile. “Excuse me, everyone, the most important client is calling to congratulate me.” Under the envious gazes of his colleagues, he walked to a corner and answered. “Hello, Mr. Donovan! You’re so quick with the news, thank you for—” The voice on the other end cut him off. “Aegis Group is terminating all cooperation with your company, effective immediately.” The smile on Victor’s face instantly froze. “What do you mean? We just signed a partnership—” “You lost the most important person.” Then, the call was abruptly disconnected. Victor stood there, phone in hand, stunned. What did he mean by… the most important person? Before he could even process it, all the phones in the office began to ring, one after another. “Hello, this is…” “Hi, this is Eos Tech. We’re informing you that all our orders are canceled.” “What? Why?” They were all termination calls. “There’s nothing to explain. We only deal with Ava.” … These were the “loyal clients” Victor had boasted about countless times. And now, these “loyal clients” were all terminating their partnerships. The scent of champagne still lingered in the office, but the joyous laughter had been replaced by a dead silence. Only the persistent ringing of phones, like death knells, echoed in everyone’s hearts. Victor slumped into his leather executive chair, his eyes vacant. His subordinates, who had been fawning over him moments before, now kept their distance as if he were carrying a plague. “Ava…” He suddenly remembered something, frantically scrolling through his phone for Ava Sterling’s contact information. Just then, the office door was kicked open. The company founder’s face was thunderous. He stormed up to Victor and slammed another report onto his face. Mr. Peterson’s voice trembled with extreme rage. “Is this what you call a massive success?!” “Is this the regional VP position you brought me?!” “Half the company’s orders, in one damn afternoon, GONE!!!”

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I poured ten years into Gaylen’s life. I personally guided him from a broke student to the CEO of a top corporation. Nearing New Year’s Eve, I discovered I was pregnant. I carefully wrapped a bouquet of red roses, tucking the positive pregnancy test inside. Tonight, I planned to propose to him. I never imagined I’d witness his betrayal with my own eyes. The girl huddled in Gaylen’s arms, sobbing plaintively. “I don’t want to sneak around with you anymore. I want to be your wife. That old woman doesn’t deserve you.” Gaylen playfully tapped Chloe’s nose, his gaze full of doting affection. “Yes, my future Mrs. Gaylen.” The roses slipped from my hand, falling to the ground. Gaylen turned, seeing me through a blur of tears. I covered my face and spun away, tears streaming between my fingers. Back at the apartment, my stomach churned, and I wretched miserably over the trash can. A cold dread spread through my limbs as a pair of black leather shoes entered my vision. Gaylen gently patted my back, instinctively reaching for the antacids. “Stomach bothering you again?” The meticulously prepared candlelight dinner I’d set on the table now sat cold. I pulled away from Gaylen’s touch and headed for the bathroom. The tiled walls were covered with silly big-headed photos, snapshots of Gaylen’s and my ten years together. He, boyish and naive, slowly matured. I, already mature, slowly grew weary. I turned on the faucet, letting the rushing water mask my fragile sobs. After a long while, I composed myself. Gaylen was busy in the kitchen, and a comforting aroma of home-cooked food filled the apartment. When adults cheat, there’s often an unspoken understanding. No need for screaming and shouting. A steaming bowl of mushroom soup was placed in front of me. There was no guilt in Gaylen’s eyes, only the calm composure of a powerful man. The air hung heavy with unspoken words. I instinctively recoiled, moving to retreat to my room. Gaylen was quicker, catching my hand and sighing with feigned resignation. “She’s so innocent and sweet, just like how you used to feel about me.” “I promise I’m just playing around with her.” “I’ll never forget the help and kindness you’ve given me.” Ultimately, the Gaylen who’d tearfully promised to love me forever in the dead of night was long gone. The unspoken cold war between us dragged on for days. During this time, the doctor called to tell me that my body was weak, and I might not be able to handle the rigors of pregnancy. But when he was younger, Gaylen had always wanted me to have his child. This baby, I thought, could have been the turning point for our relationship. Restless and upset, I decided to visit the office to inspect some work. And, if possible, find a chance to talk to Gaylen. The moment I stepped into the office, the bustling, chattering employees instantly fell silent. Chloe, the junior assistant, was handing out coffees. She smirked at me. “Rhiannon, would you like a cup?” The coffee sleeve, emblazoned with a photo of Gaylen and me standing side-by-side, was a jarring sight. My nails dug into my palms, but I smiled sweetly. “Sure.” She held up the last cup, frowning in feigned difficulty. “But Rhiannon, at your age, you probably don’t need to stay up late, do you? Why don’t we leave the coffee for the younger staff who actually need it.” Suppressed snickers rippled through the office. Before I could react, Gaylen appeared, his voice sharp and cold. “Chloe, stop messing around.” It was a reprimand, sure, but I didn’t miss the soft, doting look in Gaylen’s eyes. Pouting, Chloe defiantly stuck out her tongue and ducked behind Gaylen. Gaylen strode towards me, taking the bag from my hand. “What brings you to the office today?” I casually picked up a coffee from the table, swirling it, feigning indifference. “Just came to let you know that Chloe is fired.”

A furious shriek echoed from behind me. The glass shattered inches from my feet, a shard slicing my ankle. The sharp sting spread, and I bit the inside of my cheek, then dialed my private lawyer. “Someone just threatened my safety. Come deal with it.” I leaned against my car, annoyed, and reached for a cigarette. But the thought of the baby in my belly made me stop. Gaylen rushed over, his grip tightening painfully on my wrist. “Chloe needs this job to support her sick grandmother. She can’t lose it.” “She’s suffered enough.” Suffered enough? I flung Gaylen’s hand away, my composure snapping, and days of pent-up resentment exploded. “Just because she’s ‘suffered enough’ means she gets to steal my boyfriend? Just because she’s ‘suffered enough’ means she can strut around, flaunting it in my face?” I hiked up my skirt, revealing my bleeding ankle, and let out a choked laugh. “Or is it just *her* ‘suffering’ that tugs at your heart?” My hoarse shouts echoed in the empty parking garage. Gaylen massaged his throbbing temples. “If you won’t let her go, I’ll have to protect her my own way.” He turned and walked away without a backward glance. His broad back disappeared from sight. All my defenses crumbled, and I hugged my arms, sinking to the ground. Gaylen had been “suffering” back then, too. I’d taken him in. He had an easy job, and after work, he’d do the laundry, cook, and take care of my daily needs. He’d worry when my eyes were red from overtime, and when my stomach bled from drinking with clients. He’d worry that I had no one else to rely on, and that I wouldn’t dare take a sick day, terrified of missing a promotion. Maybe Gaylen had forgotten. His original ambition to climb the corporate ladder was just to be my rock, to build a safe haven for me. I pulled open the car door and sped off towards the hospital. While waiting in the corridor, the couple across from me, after learning they were pregnant, wept with joy. The man squeezed the woman’s hand, tearfully promising to be a good father. It was a touching, heartwarming scene. I gently touched my abdomen, my heart wavering slightly. Was I too headstrong, causing all these arguments with Gaylen? If he knew we had a baby, would he finally settle down and become a responsible father? My phone buzzed, shattering all my sweet illusions. Chloe hadn’t been fired. Gaylen had hired her as his personal assistant, reporting directly to him. The usually dormant company group chat suddenly burst to life. “OMG, Chloe is amazing! With Gaylen covering for her, she can basically run wild in this company.” “Gaylen is known for being strictly fair, but he broke all the rules to keep Chloe. What a man!” “Who knows, maybe Chloe will be our boss one day. Our respected CEO’s wife!” My heart sank deeper into the abyss. Gaylen, who never participated in company gossip, even showed up, sending out a huge cash prize to celebrate. My phone vibrated frantically, displaying a familiar number. I answered. “Gaylen pulled strings with the CEO, cashing in the favor from his last big project, just to keep Chloe.” “Your… dismissal approval has been returned to your inbox.” I responded flatly. Gaylen had taken on a difficult but high-stakes project last time. I’d pulled all-nighters for half a month, practically gave myself a heart attack. I’d gone through hell and back to help him nail that tough challenge. We’d agreed then that we’d use that success to get a week’s vacation and fly to Bali to relax. All my hard work, my very blood and sweat, just a stepping stone for him. Tears streamed down my face. I didn’t hesitate anymore; I walked into the operating room. I also applied for a transfer to the headquarters in the States.

When I pushed open the door to our apartment, an unfamiliar perfume filled the air. Chloe lay on the leather couch, wearing the expensive face mask Gaylen had given *me*. Seeing me, she arrogantly lifted her head, flashing the pigeon-egg diamond ring on her ring finger. “Gaylen gave me this. Pretty, right?” “He also said that once he’s firmly seated as CEO, he’ll kick you to the curb and marry me, you know.” A dull ache throbbed in my lower abdomen, and a warm liquid trickled down my legs. The bathroom door opened, steam swirling out. Gaylen emerged shirtless, several crimson scratch marks across his chest. In the trash can, there were used condoms. Everything screamed that Gaylen had been loving another woman in *our* home. The blood under me plopped onto the floor. Chloe clutched her nose in disgust, scrambling to Gaylen’s side. “Gaylen, do older women just get dirty now?” “The air is full of blood; it’s making me sick.” She faked a gag. Gaylen, however, merely frowned deeply and made a quick phone call. The cleaner arrived promptly. She cleaned every nook and cranny of the apartment. But the blood between my legs just kept flowing. Gaylen used to be so incredibly attentive; he knew my cycle dates without fail. When I was younger, I didn’t take care of myself, which led to irregular periods. Gaylen had insisted on me taking supplements for two years, and he’d practically memorized my monthly cycle. He would have just needed to glance at the period tracking chart on the fridge. He would have known something was wrong. The cleaner, looking at the blood beneath me, worriedly advised, “Miss, are you feeling unwell?” Gaylen glanced at me, his lips parting. But before he could speak, Chloe sagged weakly into his arms. “Gaylen, you were so rough just now.” “My back hurts, and I can’t stand straight. Carry me to the bedroom, please.” Gaylen pulled his gaze away, and as he brushed past me, he muttered an annoyed reminder. “Older people should definitely pay more attention to personal hygiene.” “You should probably stay somewhere else tonight.” He handed me a hotel keycard. I suddenly remembered the first time I met Gaylen; he was huddled under a freeway overpass. His shirt was drenched, caked in mud. I handed him a keycard, just like this, for a suite at the hotel I frequented, telling him to go take a hot shower. The fragile, helpless boy I had nurtured and guided had slowly grown into someone capable of standing on his own. Even, someone who was now my equal. My hands and feet were icy cold. I took the keycard Gaylen handed me. He looked surprised. “You’re actually agreeing to move out?” I gave Gaylen a heartbreaking look, but said nothing. I just numbly packed my bags and slammed the door shut. My chest ached with a dense, suffocating pain. I sat in my car, finally unable to control my emotions, and burst into uncontrollable sobs. The next day at the office, everyone’s eyes held a mocking glint. In the breakroom, Chloe was the center of attention, surrounded by younger girls like she was royalty. “Chloe, did Gaylen pursue you?” “When you become the CEO’s wife, please don’t forget to promote us!” Chloe shot a triumphant glance at me, standing outside the door, preening like a peacock. “Of course Gaylen pursued me! After all, I’m young and pretty, unlike some people who are old and unwanted.” “And shamelessly chase after someone else’s boyfriend.”

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After Clara, the sister our entire family had always been so proud of, died unexpectedly, my parents were utterly devastated, their cries tearing through the silence. But I, Stella, stumbled upon Clara’s anonymous online post, revealing she had deliberately faked her death. Just as I was about to tell Mom and Dad the truth, I overheard Mom talking to Dad: “The wrong one died. The most accomplished one just… left us.” “We finally put a master’s student through school, hoping she’d help with her sister’s never-ending medical bills.” “Why did I give birth to such a parasitic daughter with a chronic illness!” I froze outside the door. The “wrong daughter” she spoke of, the one who was a burden, was me. I was born with congenital cerebral palsy, and the doctors advised them to give up on me. But Mom and Dad refused. They sacrificed everything, enduring unimaginable hardships, to raise me. Because of my cerebral palsy and uncoordinated limbs, classmates mocked me, and I developed depression and anxiety. Our whole family, struggling to pay for my treatments and medication, never knew a single day of peace. I was the burden holding our family back. Watching my parents’ retreating figures, I whispered to myself: “Mom, you’re right. It should have been me.” “I’ll do as you wish and disappear.”

Before I died, I revisited Clara’s anonymous post. She had updated it with a new status: *Faking my death feels like being reborn. I don’t have to scrounge for every penny anymore, saving money for my sister’s treatments.* It turned out she faked her death because of *me*! *Plip*. A tear hit the screen. Blurring the words. A wave of guilt washed over me, yet I felt an undeniable sense of relief. Because of me, her life truly had been miserable. She never wore new clothes, always wearing things that were too small or too short. Her outfits were always mismatched, ill-fitting for her age – men’s clothes, women’s clothes, children’s clothes, even elderly attire. Yet she would smile and ask Mom: “It’s almost Christmas, could we please get Stella a new dress?” She never asked for anything for herself, as thoughtful and selfless as an angel sent from above. Whenever our family rarely had meat, She’d mimic Mom and Dad, making sure all the lean meat landed on my plate. Skinny as she was, she would carry me on her back for the long walk to school. Not just for a day or two. But for twelve years, through countless springs, summers, autumns, and winters! When others called me a cripple, Clara, usually so quiet, would fight like a lion to defend me. The scales of my parents’ love had always tipped in my favor ever since I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. But Clara never competed for their affection. She loved me just as much as Mom and Dad did, and beyond that, she studied with fierce determination. She would say: “Stella, I’ll definitely get into a great university. Someday, I’ll make sure our whole family lives a good life.” In everyone’s eyes, Clara was Mom and Dad’s pride. The sole beacon of hope in our broken home. I typed a private message to Clara, my hands trembling. “Clara, thank you for loving me all these years.” “I’m so sorry that you had a sister like me.” “I’m tired. I’m going to another world to rest.” “Clara, please come home.” The screen was covered in tears, making the touch unresponsive. I wiped it for a long time with my sleeve before I could exit. I opened the drawer, where I’d collected sleeping pills for six months, finally gathering a lethal dose. At the very moment I decided to swallow them, I still chose to leave a final note for Mom and Dad. “Mom and Dad, I’m so sorry. Because of me, our whole family’s life has been trapped in a never-ending struggle.” “I can’t hold on anymore. I have to free myself. Please don’t cry.” I held back my tears, not letting them fall onto the paper. A thousand words churned in my heart, but I didn’t know where to begin. This would have to do. I placed my suicide note in the most conspicuous spot on my bedside table. Without hesitation, I swallowed half the bottle of sleeping pills. I lay down, pulled the covers over me, found a comfortable position, and closed my eyes. Mom, Dad, Clara, goodbye forever. That evening, my spirit drifted through our home. The quiet house finally heard the sound of the front door opening. “Stella, are you hungry?” “I bought some chicken wings. I’ll make your favorite soy sauce chicken wings.” Mom looked utterly drained, her eyes swollen and red-rimmed. Her spirit was low, but she forced her voice to sound normal. 2 As usual, she called out to both my room and Clara’s. Then she headed straight for the kitchen, bustling about. Dad had the flu and was coughing incessantly. He was curled up miserably on the sofa. My heart ached for him. I stared at his head full of white hair, his face etched with wrinkles, his body thin and frail, his clothes worn and tattered. I vaguely remembered that my dad used to be a handsome young man. Mom poked her head out of the kitchen, her eyes filled with worry, and urged Dad: “Get some medicine. This family relies on you.” “You can’t afford to collapse.” Dad didn’t open his eyes. He shivered, wrapping his arms around his chest and hunching his shoulders. “I’m fine.” Suddenly, he found a burst of strength, got up unsteadily, and shuffled into the room. “I’ll just go sweat it out under the covers. I’ll be fine after a good sweat.” He lay on the old, thin quilt, and since it wasn’t warm enough, he piled all the thick clothes in the house on top of himself. He mumbled softly: “That money… it would be enough for Stella’s medicine.” “Sigh…” He let out a heavy sigh. I stood by his bed, tears streaming down my face with sorrow. He cried in his sleep, his sobs muffled and low, as if afraid Mom and I would hear. “Clara, such a good, accomplished child, how could she…?” “Heaven, if you absolutely had to take one of my daughters.” “Why did you take Clara…?” I patted Dad’s back, but he felt nothing. “Dad, I’m gone.” “You and Mom won’t suffer anymore.” “Clara might even come back.” He heard nothing, hiding under the covers, choking back his grief. Not until Mom finished cooking and came in to call him for dinner. He controlled his emotions remarkably well, not letting Mom hear that he had been crying. “I don’t feel like eating. You call Stella to eat.” Mom sighed and turned to my room and Clara’s. She pushed open the door and saw me lying under the covers. “Stella, dinner’s ready.” “I made your favorite soy sauce chicken wings today.” Seeing no response, no sound from me, she patiently called out twice more. Still no reaction from me. Mom’s temper flared instantly: “I’m talking to you!” “Are you dead? Why aren’t you answering me!” “I’m constantly waiting on you like a maid, and I never get any thanks!” “Can you just give me a break? Stop lying in bed all day like a useless lump!” “I’m talking to you! Do you hear me?!” “With everything that’s happened to our family, all you do is sleep!” “Maybe you should just die! Then I could die with you! We could all be free!” She spiraled into a breakdown as she yelled, tears streaming down her face like pearls from a broken string, constantly wiping them away. I instinctively reached out to hug her, but my arms passed right through. I could only watch helplessly, crying again and again: “Mom, I’m so sorry.” “I’m so sorry.” I knew it wasn’t that she and Dad didn’t love me; it was just that my illness had driven them to the brink of madness for so many years. Mom stormed out, turning her back, and sat at the rickety old dining table with a broken leg, wiping away tears. On the table were three bowls of plain rice, two soy sauce chicken wings, and a plate of homemade pickles. The chicken wings were for me. Mom only ever bought two. At first, the produce vendor used to sneer at Mom, saying she’d never seen anyone buy just two chicken wings. Mom would just give an embarrassed smile every time. Later, the vendor learned about our family’s situation and never gave Mom another cold stare. She started giving Mom free seasoning every time. 3 When Clara was still here, her eyes would practically pop out with longing, but she’d force herself to say: “Stella, you eat them. I don’t like them.” I once asked her: “Clara, Mom and Dad are so unfair to me, doesn’t it make you sad?” She smiled and said: “No, why would that make me sad?” “Mom and Dad treat you better in terms of food and daily life, but they sent me to school, didn’t they?” “Their sacrifices for me are no less than for you; studying is very expensive.” “So, I don’t feel it’s unfair.” Thinking of Clara’s sweet smile, my heart ached faintly. If I hadn’t had this expensive illness of mine. Our family could have lived a good life. Mom and Dad both worked two jobs: construction sites during the day and washing dishes at a restaurant at night. Their combined income was roughly fifteen hundred dollars a month. But my cerebral palsy physical therapy cost eight hundred dollars a month. Actually, there were programs that offered free physical therapy for people with coordination difficulties and walking impairments like me. I went there for a while, but Mom felt the rehabilitation results weren’t good enough. So she spent money to send me to a private facility every day. She’d drop me off at noon, then pick me up two hours later. She drove me for twenty-six years, rain or shine. Plus, I had depression and anxiety, and an hour of therapy cost eight hundred dollars. Mom didn’t bat an eye, sending me three or four times a week. I also had to take all sorts of medication. This meant Clara had no money for living expenses when she went to university and had to work tirelessly to support herself. Because of me, everyone in our family struggled as if in hell. Actually, to prevent them from being dragged down by me, I had attempted suicide several times. Each time, I was rescued. Thankfully, fate had finally answered my prayers, and this time, I had gotten my wish. I remember when I was little, my grandmother would take a bus for several hours from her rural home just to bring me fresh farm eggs. Seeing Mom tormented by me, utterly miserable. She pitied her own daughter, couldn’t bear to watch, and told Mom: “Either abandon Stella, or find a new husband!” “You’re still young; your life shouldn’t be forever stuck in this quagmire!” “If you don’t care about yourself, I do! You’re my flesh and blood!” Mom didn’t listen and had a huge fight with Grandma. After that, Grandma never visited again, and Mom had no home to go back to. My thoughts snapped back. Mom covered the chicken wings. She had no appetite to eat either. Before going to bed, she stood at my bedroom door and said: “I left your dinner on the table. Get up and eat if you get hungry.” No response. She didn’t get angry this time, just turned and went back to her room to sleep. The next day, Dad’s flu hadn’t improved, but he still had to go to the construction site at six in the morning. Even though he was weak, he forced himself. I stomped my feet in a panic, bouncing frantically in front of him and Mom: “Dad, Mom, please, lift my blanket and check!” “I’m gone! You don’t have to work yourselves to death anymore!” “Please, just look!” Mom glanced at the untouched rice and chicken wings on the table and called from my room: “Stella, what are you upset about now?!” “Why didn’t you eat dinner last night?!” “Your dad and I have to go to work. Get up and eat quickly.” “I’ll be back at noon to take you to therapy, do you hear me?!”

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I brought in fifty million in profit for the company in one year, yet during the third week of my boss’s business trip, I was fired on the spot by his mistress. The reason was laughably simple—I showed up at ten. She was sitting in my boss’s chair, jabbing a finger at the attendance record. “This isn’t your company. Do you think good numbers put you above the rules?” “You’re just a commission-based salesman. What makes you so special?” I reminded her that my ten a.m. start was a privilege personally approved by the boss. She just laughed and called him right in front of me. When he said, “Handle it however you see fit,” I simply nodded. Fine. Fire me. A company run like this won’t last long anyway. The boss went away for a month and left his girlfriend in charge. Who knew her first move as acting boss would be to come after me? At 10 a.m., I walked into the office right on time. A colleague looked nervous, gesturing toward the boss’s door and whispering, “Skyler’s in there. She wants to see you!” Skyler Prescott was the boss’s latest girlfriend—notorious for her attitude and bullying. She’d curse out anyone she didn’t like. Once, when a female colleague stayed a few minutes late in the boss’s office to finish a report, Skyler spread rumors she was sleeping her way up. She made that girl’s life so miserable she had to quit. But because Skyler could turn on the sweet talk and flattery, the boss usually let her have her way. I hadn’t expected her to train her sights on me. I set down my coffee and pushed the door open. The moment I stepped in, a folder came flying at my face. “Do you have any idea what time it is? Company hours start at eight. Why are you strolling in at ten?” The sharp corner of the folder left a stinging cut on my forehead. I pressed a hand to it, staring at Skyler throwing her weight around behind the desk. My ten a.m. start was a perk for being the top sales performer. Everyone knew that—it was an unwritten rule. Years back, when the boss’s company was about to go under, they’d taken a chance and hired me. In my first month, I landed five million in sales and pulled the company back from the brink. Ever since, the boss had treated me like his golden goose, listening to my input on every major decision. She slammed a hand on the desk, her face twisted. “Look at your punch card! You’ve been rolling in at ten for a full month. Do the rules not apply to you?” “Company policy says three consecutive late arrivals are grounds for termination!” “You can get out. Now.” I looked at her, disbelief in my eyes. “You’re firing me? Did you clear this with the boss?” I brought in eighty percent of this company’s profit, and she dared to fire me? Skyler snorted, giving me a look of pure contempt. “You’re just a salesman. A glorified peddler. What’s so special about you?” “This is my boyfriend’s company. I’m his girlfriend—I can fire anyone I want!” The boss had always been decent to me, so I wasn’t about to storm out. I took a seat on the sofa. “You should get the boss’s opinion first.” Skyler rolled her eyes. “Who do you think you are?” With that, she called the boss directly. He sounded tired on the other end. “What is it?” The shrill, yelling version of Skyler vanished instantly, her voice turning syrupy. “Sweetie, I miss you.” The boss sighed. “Just tell me what you want.” Skyler shot me a triumphant glance. “There’s a salesman who doesn’t follow rules—always comes in late. I want to let him go.” “Whatever. I need to rest.” The boss agreed casually and hung up. Skyler looked at me, arrogance oozing from every pore. “Hear that? I can fire whoever I want. Now get out!”

I let out a cold laugh, keeping my eyes on her. “Are you sure about this?” “When the boss gets back and finds out you fired me, he might not be happy.” I was giving her a genuine warning. Headhunters had been offering me bigger packages for years. I’d stayed out of loyalty. My leaving wouldn’t hurt me one bit, but Skyler might not be so lucky. She glared, her face contorted with spite. “Who do you think you are? You’re just a salesman. I’m his future wife—the lady of this company. You really think he’d pick you over me?” Hearing that, I just shook my head. Have it your way, then. I turned and walked out. Outside, colleagues had overheard the argument and were shooting me uneasy looks. “Jaden, what’s going on?” I started packing my desk, calm. “What’s going on is I’ve been fired.” My colleague’s eyes went wide. “Fired? Has Skyler lost it? Everyone knows you’re the cash cow. Isn’t she afraid the boss will dump her?” I shook my head with a dry chuckle. “Not my problem anymore. She made the call; she’ll face the consequences.” “Besides, I’ve been grinding for years. Maybe a real break will be good.” I’d saved enough to be financially free long ago, but I never took time off—always felt too guilty to ask. This was the perfect excuse. My colleague was furious. “But why? Did you somehow cross her?” I thought for a moment. “Probably because I stood up for Lena when Skyler was spreading those rumors about her, remember?” “Ever since, she’s had it out for me, picking at everything.” Yesterday, Skyler had posted a selfie in the company WhatsApp group. Everyone flooded the comments with compliments. I was the only one who read it and didn’t reply. Guess that was the last straw. “Should I call the boss? You’re the backbone here. You can’t just leave.” I shook my head, a faint smile on my lips. “Let it go. If I ever come back, it’ll be after Skyler and the boss are done. I can’t stand her antics anymore. We’ll see.” I finished packing and headed to accounting to collect my pay for the month. I’d only worked ten days, but with commission, it came to a hundred grand. I informed the accountant about the termination and asked her to wire the money later. Out of nowhere, Skyler appeared at the office entrance, glaring daggers. “Jaden Carter, I told you to get out. What are you still doing here?” I met her gaze calmly. She was practically gloating, thinking she’d landed the ultimate boyfriend. It was nauseating. When I didn’t respond, she got agitated. She marched over and grabbed my shirt. “Are you deaf? What are you doing in accounting? These are sensitive company records. Get out now, or I’m calling security!” I frowned and shook off her hand forcefully. “Let go.” “Now that I’m fired, is there a problem with collecting what I’m owed for this month? I’m being generous not asking for severance.” Skyler turned her glare to the young accountant. “How much is he owed?” The accountant answered plainly, “One hundred thousand, five hundred.” Skyler’s face shifted. “How much?” After hearing it again, she pointed at me. “You violated policy by being late. Your pay for this month is forfeited.” I laughed coldly. “Two hundred bucks per late arrival—is that your math? Did you even finish grade school?” To my surprise, Skyler looked at me as if she were righteous. “It’s a new rule I implemented. Three lates and you lose the whole month’s pay. Now get out!”

“What gives you the right to make rules?” Skyler crossed her arms, her mouth hanging open like a shark’s, and said shamelessly, “I’ll own part of this company someday. What’s wrong with me making rules?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Then expect a lawsuit from me.” With that, I walked out. I drove home, had just put my things away when I saw a message from Skyler in the company Snapchat group I hadn’t left yet. “From now on, everyone must reply to any message I post on Snapchat or WhatsApp. Anyone who doesn’t will be fired, like that person today.” So she really fired me because I didn’t join the praise parade. The boss really hit the jackpot with this one. Everyone started replying in the group. Annoyed, I left all the groups. My phone suddenly got much quieter. But since Skyler was withholding my final paycheck, I decided to teach her a lesson. All the key clients were in my contacts. I sent a bulk message explaining I’d resigned and would no longer be handling their business. Most of these were clients I’d brought in. They worked with the company because of me. If I left, they’d likely follow. Sure enough, within two minutes, former clients began messaging, asking which firm I’d moved to and saying they’d transfer their contracts. I explained I hadn’t landed anywhere yet but would reach out as soon as I did. The list was so long I kept replying until dark, finally collapsing into exhausted sleep. The next morning, a colleague texted: “Jaden, multiple partners are saying they want to terminate and won’t renew. Was that you?” Seems the plan worked. I chuckled. “I didn’t do anything. Just stated the fact that I’m gone.” “You’re still the best. When Skyler came in this morning and heard, she blew up at several salespeople, demanding to know why they couldn’t keep the clients. Now a few are planning to quit—they won’t take this crap.” Looked like plenty in the company were fed up with Skyler. I wondered how she’d handle the fallout. On my end, I was about to contact a lawyer to file a major lawsuit for my back pay. I didn’t need the money, but I wasn’t about to let her off easy. Unexpectedly, a few days later, Skyler called me. Surprised, I answered cautiously. “What is it?” The moment I picked up, a stream of abuse poured out. “Jaden Carter, are you even human? Where are all the company’s client contacts? They said you have them. Hand over those numbers right now. That’s company property. Don’t think I won’t sue you!” I paused, then realized Skyler must be getting desperate. “How can you be so disgusting? Give me the contacts now! Or I swear I’ll ruin you, you hear me?”

I laughed coldly. “Those clients came from my hustle. They only work with me. Why should I hand them over?” Skyler grew more unhinged. “Did the company not pay you? This was your job. You think we fed you for free?” “You ungrateful snake! My boyfriend paid you all these years, and now you steal all the clients? You’re a heartless animal!” I sneered. “You want the contacts? Fine, I’ll give them to you. I’d love to see you try to win them back.” They were just phone numbers. I had absolute confidence. I wanted to see Skyler squirm. After hanging up, I sent the client list to a colleague, asking her to pass it to Skyler. I didn’t believe she could salvage many. The next day, my colleague sent me a video. It was a covert recording of Skyler. She was on the phone with a client. We couldn’t hear the other side, but Skyler suddenly started shrieking. “Did that bastard Jaden tell you something? You’re in cahoots, aren’t you? How much did he pay you to say this?” “If you’re not buying, then get lost! See where else you can go!” Skyler hung up angrily and hurled the phone down. “I don’t believe this company can’t survive without these clients. Everyone, go find new clients now!” “Each of you bring me five new clients today!” “If you can’t, you can all get out!” The office immediately erupted in complaints. The company sold heavy machinery. Landing one client in half a month was tough—five in a day was impossible. Sure enough, Skyler glared, her face twisted with rage. “What? Are you all rebelling?” One of the older salesmen, Bryce, stood up. “Why don’t we wait for the boss to return? You don’t understand the business. What if things go wrong?” To everyone’s shock, Skyler crossed her arms and looked at him with disdain. “If you’re not capable, you’re not capable. The company doesn’t keep dead weight. If you can’t do it, get out!” The man she’d insulted was usually gentle. Humiliated like this, his face flushed red. He threw his badge down. “I can’t do it. Let whoever can, do it.” As one walked out, others followed, removing their badges. “We can’t either!” Skyler looked ready to explode. “Fine. Fine. You want to rebel? I don’t believe this company can’t run without you people. Now get out! Get out!” At her shrill shout, the sales team gradually filed out. Skyler glared after them, cursing. “I don’t believe we can’t operate without you useless lot. You think you’re so special!” The video ended there. My colleague texted gleefully, “The boss will return to a disaster. The company’s going under.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Skyler was really on a path of self-destruction. She’d actually driven away an entire experienced sales team. What would the boss do when he returned? Too bad I couldn’t see it in person. Must be quite a show. That afternoon, I got a message from our former boss. He asked, “What souvenirs does everyone want? I’ll bring something back.” Skyler had kept my resignation a secret, so he didn’t know. I sighed lightly and replied, “We’ve all resigned. You should ask your girlfriend for details.” The boss immediately video-called, but I didn’t answer. There was no point. I’d started this studio with the team. We’d all tasted success. No one would want to go back to being salespeople under that roof. And I wouldn’t abandon them. At this point, there was no room for negotiation. The next morning, the boss flew back and stormed into the company. Someone in our group reported the scene, telling us all to come down and watch the drama. After some thought, I decided to go. There were things that needed to be said. I saw Skyler, who clearly hadn’t expected his early return, panicking and explaining. “Sweetie, those people were completely out of line. I thought it’d be better to get you a more obedient team. Anyone can do that job, after all.” I sneered. Even now, Skyler was trying to shift blame. She was truly beyond help. The boss finally lost his patience. He stepped forward and slapped Skyler across the face, roaring, “Who gave you permission to act on your own?” Skyler held her cheek, stunned. “I just…” “Who are you to me? Who gave you that authority? You were still lying to me yesterday, saying everything at the company was fine!” “The company’s sales this month are zero. You call that fine?” “Now get out! Get out!” The relatives Skyler had brought in had already scattered when things went south. Seeing the boss’s state, I figured today wasn’t the day for discussion. I’d come back another time. That evening, as I got home, someone knocked on my door. I opened it to find Skyler standing there, eyes red. Seeing me, she seemed about to kneel. I startled, stepping aside. “What are you doing? Kneeling to me will shorten my lifespan!” But Skyler pleaded, “Please… please bring everyone back. My boyfriend said unless you return, he’ll break up with me and throw me out!” Tears streaked her face. “I was wrong. I was too young before—I didn’t realize how important you all were. Please forgive my ignorance. I was wrong.” I frowned at her. “Now you realize? Where was this awareness before?” “All these people have families to support. You fired them without a second thought. Did you ever consider what would happen to them?” Skyler was speechless. Of course she hadn’t considered it. In her world, only she existed. “You’re not sorry. You’re just scared. Scared that without him, you’ll never find another rich guy.” With her true motives exposed, a flash of venom crossed Skyler’s face. She stood up, staring at me intently. “So what? I’ll tell you the truth—I’m pregnant with his child. No matter what, he’ll have to marry me.” I glanced at her flat stomach and shrugged. “What’s that to me? Get out of my home, or I’m calling the police.”

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The day Jake Miller confessed to the pretty transfer student, everyone thought I would lose it and run over to cause a scene. But I never showed, not even after it was all over. Jake had no clue that right then, I was sitting on his roommate’s bed, wearing his roommate’s hoodie, asking in frustration: “I got your bed all wet. How are you gonna sleep tonight?” Liam Carter looked away, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he handed me a towel. “Go dry your hair. I’ll change the sheets before you crash.” Jake was going to confess to that pretty transfer student. He’d told everyone to keep it from me. He didn’t know some blabbermouth couldn’t wait to spill. Everyone knew I’d had a thing for Jake forever, even dreamed about marrying him one day. This time, Jake seemed totally head over heels. People were betting I’d throw a fit, cry, make a huge deal. Everyone loves that kinda drama. They were all waiting for me to snap and rush in to ruin it. But nope. Even after Jake’s successful confession, I was a no-show. The crowd, three layers deep, started getting bored. Jake himself didn’t even look that happy. He had his arm around his new girlfriend and pulled out his phone. No calls. No texts. Jake frowned a little. Then he turned to the crowd. “Drinks are on me tonight. Everyone’s invited.” The classmates who’d been watching all cheered. I’d been standing behind some trees the whole time and finally stepped out. Someone with sharp eyes spotted me and yelled, “Mia! Mia’s here!” “Knew it. No way Mia would stay away.” Jake’s head snapped up. The second he saw me, the corner of his mouth twitched, almost like a smile. I ignored all the people hungry for drama. I walked straight up to Jake. “Mia.” Jake tightened his arm around his new girlfriend. He looked at me, his voice flat. “You can’t force this stuff.” “We’ve known each other over ten years. I don’t wanna say anything harsh, ruin what we had.” “From now on, you’re still like a sister to me.” “If you need anything, you can still come to me.” Then he lowered his voice. “With everyone watching, don’t cause a scene here. Just go home.” “Jake,” I cut him off, taking a slow step forward. He frowned again. “Mia, be reasonable.” I smiled and held out the bracelet I’d just slipped off my wrist. “I came to give this back.” Seeing the bracelet, Jake’s face darkened. “Mia, what game are you playing now?” “Take it. I won’t bother you after this.” Jake stared at me, his voice dropping. “I don’t care about the money.” “If you don’t want it, toss it.” As soon as the words were out, I turned and threw the bracelet into a nearby trash can. “You can throw out everything else I ever gave you, too.” With that, I walked away without looking back. By the time I reached the river, it was pouring. Standing there in the rain with an umbrella, I thought about the dreams I’d been having. In the dream, because Jake confessed to Chloe, I cried and made a scene. To force him to break up, I jumped into the river that night. And how did that end? I almost died. Jake stayed at the hospital for five minutes tops before leaving. The Foster family, who took me in, thought I was an embarrassment for trying to kill myself. And with Jake’s attitude, they decided I was useless. They made me drop out and sent me back to my birth parents, who were into every bad thing you can imagine. In the end, my life went downhill fast, and I died miserable, in a foreign country. After I died, the person who gathered what was left of me was the one I’d always been scared of, the one I kept my distance from. And Jake, happy newlywed, never showed. Lately, everything in the dreams had been coming true. If not for those dreams, I’d be blowing up Jake’s phone right now. Then I’d be threatening to jump. I’m grateful for that dream. It feels like a second chance. I can change the crappy fate that was waiting for me.

The third time I dialed the number, he finally picked up. I clutched the phone, holding it to my ear. The name sat on my tongue before I finally said it. “Liam.” The heavy rain drowned out the whole world. Only Liam’s voice, a little lazy, came through deep and low. “Mia?” “Liam, it’s pouring.” “I’m by the river. I can’t get back. Can you come get me?” Silence on the other end for a few seconds. I nervously gripped the umbrella handle, my palm sweaty. In the dream, when Liam was gathering my remains, I think he cried. Tears fell one by one on what was left. Even in the dream, I could feel that burn. Later, he carried a little bottle of my ashes with him his whole life. And he was alone his whole life. My eyes stung. I choked back a sob. “Why are you crying?” Liam’s voice came through suddenly. Still that indifferent tone, even a hint of annoyance. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t come.” “So… when?” “Wait. Twenty minutes.” “Okay. I’ll wait, Liam.” He didn’t say anything else, and the call died.

Fifteen minutes later, I gave my umbrella to a mom and kid hiding from the rain. So when Liam showed up, I was already soaked. Getting out of the car, his lips were a thin line, his face cold as ice. I pushed my wet bangs back and looked up at him with a bright smile. “Liam, you’re right on time.” “Mia, you’re gonna catch your death being this dumb.” He coldly grabbed my arm and shoved me into the passenger seat. Then he tossed a soft blanket at me. “Dry off. Don’t get my car wet.” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror, then smoothly turned the car around. “Oh.” I wrapped myself in the blanket. Then I couldn’t help sneaking glances at him while he drove. When his face was blank, he looked cold, unapproachable. Lots of girls at school liked him, but no one dared to make a move. He was Jake’s roommate. I used to go to Jake’s dorm a lot, and every time, Liam seemed to really not like me. Even now, though he came to get me, he was still ice. When he shoved me into the car just now, he used extra force. My wrist still hurt, a red mark circling it. Hard to tell he’d secretly liked me all along. I slowly lowered my gaze. Everything in the dream came true. But now, because I changed things, a lot changed too. Would Liam still like me? If he didn’t like me at all, wasn’t I just causing him trouble? “Back to the dorm?” Liam glanced at me suddenly. My heart jumped. “Yeah. Your dorm.” Liam’s grip on the wheel tightened. He let out a short laugh. “Jake won’t be back tonight.” “I know.” I twisted the edge of the blanket. “I’m not looking for him.” The car braked hard, pulling over. Liam turned to look at me, the ice in his eyes making me shiver. “Mia, don’t use me in whatever game you’re playing with Jake.” “I’m not—” He stared at me for a second, then pulled out his phone. “I’ll call you a cab. Go back yourself.” “Liam…” I bit my lip hard and snatched his phone. “Mia.” He looked at me. No anger, no disgust in his eyes. Just… deep. Like a whole storm was in there. I suddenly felt sad. “Liam, I don’t wanna go back to the dorm. They’re all laughing at me.” “I’m scared to go home, too.” “Can I… just stay at your dorm tonight?” I hid his phone behind my back, my voice getting smaller. “Of course, if you really hate me that much… forget it.” Right on cue, tears rolled down my cheeks. Quiet. Soundless. Liam didn’t say another word to me. But he started the car again. It headed toward campus, finally stopping at his dorm building. I followed Liam inside. He went to the closet, pulled out a clean hoodie, and handed it to me. “Bathroom’s there.” He’s tall, so the hoodie was huge on me. It went almost to my knees, like a dress. After my shower, I just had the hoodie on, bare legs. Liam glanced at me, then looked away fast. I walked past Jake’s bed and sat on Liam’s. My wet hair dripped, quickly soaking the sheets. The shampoo, the soap on me—it was all Liam’s smell. In the small room, the same scent was everywhere, a weird, quiet intimacy growing. Liam pulled out a pack of cigarettes, cleared his throat. “Gonna smoke.” He went to the balcony. I looked around Liam’s bed. Light gray sheets, neat. A computer and books on the desk, also tidy. I was about to check out his desk stuff when my phone rang. Jake flashed on the screen. I didn’t answer. He called again. And again. Like he wouldn’t stop. I just put it on silent and tossed it back in my bag. “Liam.” I called toward the balcony. He turned fast, put out his cigarette, and came over. “What?” Sitting on the bed, I had to look up at him. Liam’s eyes met mine for two seconds, then darted away. But I saw the backs of his ears were red. “I got your bed all wet. How are you gonna sleep tonight?” He glanced at me, then at the wet spot on the sheets. His Adam’s apple bobbed hard before he turned to the closet. “Dry your hair. I’ll change the sheets.” Then he went to get fresh sheets. Holding the towel, thinking of his red ears, I couldn’t help smiling. When I came out, hair dried, Liam had already changed the sheets. “Go to sleep.” “What about you?” He pulled out a chair, not even looking. “I’ll game.” “Oh.” I sat on his bed, kinda dejected. Liam put on his headset, was about to put it on, when his phone rang. He looked at the screen, then at me, before answering. “Jake. What’s up?” My heart squeezed. I held my breath. “Yeah, I’m in the dorm.” “Someone saw Mia at our building?” Liam looked at me again. “I—” In a panic, I didn’t let him finish. I got up, walked over, and climbed into his lap, my arms around his neck. When Liam moved to push me away, I pressed my mouth to his ear. “Liam, tell him I’m not here.” Under my arms, Liam’s skin got hot, fast. I saw a vein in his neck pulse. His Adam’s apple moved, his heart beating wild. I looked up at him. He looked down at me. In his eyes, something dark and wanting spread. “No. Been here the whole time.” “She didn’t come. Yeah, ask someone else.” Liam hung up as soon as the words were out. He tossed the phone aside, his long fingers gripping my waist through the hoodie. Holding me tight, pressing me into him. I felt it. The heat. The want. My ears buzzed. My first thought was to run. But Liam held me tighter. “Mia.” His voice was rough. His hot breath was on my ear, my neck. I shivered, tried to move, but his kiss landed right on my lips. “Don’t tempt me… I don’t wanna touch you here.” “Liam…” I squirmed, trying to adjust how I was sitting. The heat between us felt dangerous. When I could breathe, I finally got the words out. “If you don’t wanna touch me, why are you kissing me?” Liam lowered his head, his forehead against mine. In the mess of our breathing, he closed his eyes, like he was trying to calm down. “Also, do you even know how to kiss? My lips are swollen.” “Mia.” Liam didn’t open his eyes. But his hands on my waist loosened a little. His fingers were long, strong. Holding me through the hoodie, it hurt and felt good. “Liam…” I frowned, tried to push his hands away. But Liam caught my fingers. “Mia, don’t move.” “I’ll be gentler.” As he finished, his hands slid to my lower back. He pulled me closer, tight against him. This kiss was long. And soft. By the end, he lost control, kissing me deep. “Liam…” I pushed lightly at his chest, bit his lip between breaths. “Mia.” Liam’s voice was wrecked. His whole body went tight. The heat from his hands was almost burning me. Liam buried his face in my neck with a low groan. The tension broke, then faded. But soon, it was building again. Still, Liam gently pushed me away, stood me up. I just thought his expression was strange. And there was a new smell in the air. I couldn’t help asking, “Liam, what just happened?” His ears were blood-red. The guy who was always so cold now had eyes full of raw want. “I need a shower.” He stood, his eyes down as he fixed the hem of my messy hoodie. “Sleep.” Before I could say anything, Liam was in the bathroom. When the water started, I lay on Liam’s bed and curled up. Then I pressed the back of my hand to my burning face. I think I kinda guessed what happened. But Liam’s tall, works out, all lean muscle. Sharp jaw, strong hands. However you look at him, he doesn’t seem like the type who’d… finish that fast. Maybe he’d never had a girlfriend before? Never been that close to a girl? Thinking that, my heart felt fizzy. I lay on Liam’s pillow and felt something under it. A pearl earring. It looked familiar. It was one of a pair I wore all the time. Once, at Jake’s dorm, I lost one and never found it. So Liam had it. I remembered. In those dreams, Liam always kept this earring. After a minute, I put it back under his pillow. The hair dryer stopped. When Liam came out, he wore navy blue pajamas. Steam made his skin look pale. With his hair neat, that sharp coldness was softer. Somehow, Liam looked… cute. I was about to call to him when I heard voices outside the door. My face fell. I froze. One of the voices was definitely Jake’s. Liam’s face darkened, but he was faster than me. By the time Jake pushed the door open, Liam had stuffed my clothes in the closet. My shoes were under the bed, way back. And Liam was just pulling back the blanket to get in. Only a night light was on, dim. I was hidden under Liam’s blanket. Just a small bump. Even if Jake came close, he wouldn’t notice unless he looked hard. “Why’s it so dark in here?” Jake asked. “Got caught in the rain. Head hurts.” As Liam spoke, he gently held my restless wrist under the blanket. The bed was only a twin. Liam was tall, took up space. I was pressed against him. My breath brushed his stomach. I felt his muscles, tense. “Okay.” Jake didn’t turn on the light. He sat in a chair, pulled out his phone, made calls. After a few calls with no answer, Jake was annoyed. “Liam, you think Mia’s doing this on purpose?” “What?” “I just got with Chloe today, and she’s already pulling this.” “The news just said some girl jumped in the river over boy trouble.” “Thought she did something stupid, ran over, left Chloe behind.” “But it wasn’t her they pulled out.” “Been calling her all night. Nothing. Now she’s vanished.” Jake slammed his phone on the desk. “She’s doing it on purpose. Ruining my night.” He let out a cold laugh. “Bet she’s gonna cling to me forever.” “Maybe not.” Liam’s voice cut in. Jake sounded surprised. “Maybe not?” “Liam, you’ve seen it. How she’s been glued to me two years.” “You were annoyed by her too. Never gave her the time of day.” Hearing that, I bit Liam’s side. He flinched, his hand moving to block me, but his fingers just brushed my lips. I bit his finger, lightly. Liam’s whole body tensed. A low hiss escaped. “You okay?” “Leg cramp.” Liam’s voice was rough. He coughed. “Alright, rest up. I won’t bother you.” Jake stood. “Just need the bathroom, then I’m out.” When he pushed the bathroom door open, I remembered. Earlier, I’d washed my socks. Hung them in there. Sure enough, less than two minutes later, Jake came out with a grin. “Liam, you got a girl in here?” “Keeping secrets. Which girl finally got our ice prince?” “Shut up.” Jake took a step toward the bed. “In bed already? Hiding someone?” “Jake.” Liam’s voice went cold. “Okay, okay, I won’t look.” Jake stopped. But he looked at the bed, interested. “You got protection? I got extra.” Liam’s hand on the back of my neck under the blanket held me still against him. He looked at Jake, his voice flat. “Don’t talk about girls like that.” “You serious?” Jake sounded surprised. Liam’s lips pressed tight, his throat working. “Yeah.” If the light were brighter, Jake would’ve seen the pain on Liam’s face. He was holding my neck so I wouldn’t move. But the rest of me could move. No one could see under the blanket. So I got to know Liam’s abs. Every time I touched, his muscles got tighter. I moved my hand lower, to the V of his hips. Liam’s reaction was… big. It scared me. “Alright, I won’t crash your night. I’m out.” Jake turned and left. The door closed. I threw off the blanket. “Liam, I was suffocating…” Liam leaned against the headboard, looking at me. The dim light fell on his sharp features. Making shadows. I just stared. They say you look best in lamp light. Guys too. A handsome guy in shifting light and shadow… it does things. “Mia.” Liam sat up slowly. He reached out, brushed the hair from my face. Then, cupping my face, he said, serious, “I wasn’t annoyed by you.” “And I didn’t give you the cold shoulder.” “Don’t listen to him.” After, he let go. He got up, got his cigarettes. “Sleep.” “What about you?” He pointed to the balcony. “Gonna smoke. Sleep.” Right then, I sneezed. Liam stopped. I grabbed his pajama sleeve, making a face. “I think I’m getting sick. My head hurts.” Liam looked at me. “Let go. I’ll get you meds.” After the meds, I still held on. “Liam, I’m cold. The blanket’s thin.” But this time, Liam pushed my hand away. “Mia, Jake’s been gone. You can stop now.” “What’s he got to do with this?” Liam laughed, kinda bitter. “Why were you at the river tonight?” I got it. The news about a girl jumping. He thought that was me. He thought I went to the river because I was hurting, wanted to end it. Calling him, coming here—all to get back at Jake. Honestly, I get why he’d think that. For two years, the Fosters pushed me hard. After they found their real daughter, they wanted to send me back. Then they figured I still had some arranged-marriage value, so they kept me. So Jake was my lifeline. I thought, since we grew up together, there’d be something there. He’d save me. I put all my hope in Jake. But to everyone else, it just looked like I was obsessed. Especially to Liam. He was Jake’s roommate. How much of my “chasing” did he see? “Liam…” I wanted to explain. But he was already up. “Set an alarm. Leave early. Don’t let anyone see you.” “This kinda thing… not good for you.” “Liam.” He didn’t stop, didn’t look back. I bit my lip hard. “You kissed me tonight. A lot.” “And you… did that.” “You’re not gonna take responsibility?” Liam stopped dead. He turned to look at me. I sat on the bed, eyes red, holding back tears. “I know you hate me.” “Every time I came before, you ignored me.” “But thanks. For tonight. For picking me up. Letting me stay.” “If you really want nothing to do with me, I’ll go now.” I got off the bed. Didn’t bother with shoes. Walked to the door barefoot. Passing Liam, head down, I was already crying, silent. “Mia.” Liam grabbed me. “I said, I don’t hate you—” “Then will you take responsibility?” I shook off his hand, looked up at him, defiant. “You kissed me. Held me.” “And you did that.” Liam suddenly gripped my chin and kissed me, hard. “Mia.” He sucked my lip, his breathing heavy. “If you’re gonna start this, see it through.” I hugged his lean waist, stood on my toes to kiss him back. “Okay…”

During the fall break, I went to the city where my birth parents lived. I stayed three days. When I left, those two—into every vice— were already taken by the police, facing the law. Trafficking. Gambling. Illegal stuff. Thanks to the dreams, I had proof for all of it. I didn’t need a next life. This time, I got rid of them for good. On the plane, I let out a long breath. The biggest weight was gone. I felt light. Free. When the plane landed, I texted Liam I was safe. He didn’t know why I really went. He thought it was a girls’ trip. “I’ll come over tonight. Everything ready at your place?” Liam had moved off-campus. He was a senior now, barely on campus. Plus, living with Jake was… complicated. “Ready. Want me to pick you up?” “Sure.” “Mia.” “Yeah?” “It’s Jake’s birthday. He’s having a party. Asked me to come… with my girlfriend.” I’d forgotten Jake’s birthday was during the break. “Mia. You wanna go with me?” I didn’t answer. My stomach twisted. It wasn’t that I didn’t want us out in the open. But the Fosters would cut me off soon. Then everyone would know about my… background. I knew Liam wouldn’t care. But I couldn’t stand him being talked about. Like in the dream. They said he was disloyal. For a girl like me. Breaking his family’s heart. But, like Liam said that day. I started it. I should finish it. Can’t have it both ways, right? “Liam.” I took a deep breath. “Do you want me to go?” “Yes.” No hesitation. “Then pick me up. I’ll go with you.” I held my phone, saw my reflection in the glass. When I said it, I was smiling. A real smile. “Mia, look outside.” My heart skipped. I turned. It was like a movie scene in slow-mo. My smile still on my face, the airport noise fading. In the crowd, I saw Liam. Just Liam. I dropped my bag and ran. Liam stood still, but he opened his arms. I crashed into him, and he caught me, solid. Didn’t even step back. I hooked my arms around his neck, looked up smiling. “Babe… you’re solid.” He looked down at me, a low laugh. “My core’s not bad either. Wanna try?” I poked his rock-hard abs, whispered in his ear, “Just… a little quick, you know.” “Mia…” He sounded helpless, but his eyes were fierce, competitive. “Just you wait.” “Don’t beg. Crying won’t help.” For the party, Jake invited everyone, as usual. Chloe had dressed up.

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Three years after I disappeared with every cent my first love had, he stood at a banquet, holding another woman’s hand. “This is my fiancée, Vivian.” He looked radiant, powerful— as if he had never lain on an operating table, half-dead. Someone asked about me. Vivian answered for him, gentle and certain: “She left when he needed her most.” I was pushed into the spotlight. He finally saw me, gaze paused for a second, then turned mocking. “Three years, and you’re serving drinks?” “Perfect. We’re short on staff tonight.” I nodded, pulling my sleeve down to hide the bruises from IV needles. “Alright.” He didn’t know— the kidney that saved his life three years ago was mine. Sebastian’s gentle voice gradually reached my ears. It had been three years since we last met. Back then, in the early stages of kidney failure, his cheeks were sunken, and he was burdened by illness. Now, he was a completely different person—full of life and prestige. The engagement was lavish, with journalists gathered around the venue. Every corner was adorned with hibiscus flowers, just as I had imagined for our engagement. But it wasn’t me Sebastian was engaging with. A nosy journalist, noticing Sebastian’s good mood, tried to dig for some scoop: “Mr. Sebastian, why did you and Mrs. Sebastian miss three years together? Do you have someone you consider ‘The One That Got Away’?” The last question was meant to be a joke, but it wiped the smile off Sebastian’s face. Vivian, clutching Sebastian’s hand, explained with a mix of sympathy and indignation, “Sebastian did have an ex-girlfriend, but she heartlessly abandoned him when he was in trouble.” “This has always been a scar in Sebastian’s heart, so please don’t bring it up again!” Sebastian patted Vivian’s hand to comfort her, but his voice grew colder: “That’s all old news now. I’ve made a name for myself and have a wonderful fiancée like Vivian. That woman is left with nothing but regret!” “If it weren’t for her ruthless abandonment, I wouldn’t have bounced back so strongly.” I knew Sebastian too well; even though he tried to hide his emotions, I could sense the bitterness in his tone. Just as I was lost in thought, my colleague nudged me: “Evelyn, quickly bring the cake-cutting knife! Evelyn!” Pushed by my colleague, I accidentally stumbled out of the crowd. Upon seeing me, Sebastian’s eyes widened. Vivian exclaimed in disbelief, “Evelyn, what are you doing here?!” Clinging to Sebastian’s arm, she eyed me suspiciously, “Why are you here? You abandoned Sebastian three years ago, and now you want to cling to him because he’s successful? Evelyn, how can you be so selfish!” With every word Vivian spoke, Sebastian’s gaze grew colder. I awkwardly got up from the floor: “I’m not, I’m just working here…” Hearing my words, Sebastian chuckled dismissively, looking me over from head to toe with disdain: “Three years and you’re reduced to being a waitress, how laughable.” “Evelyn, do you regret leaving me back then?” Speaking of the past, Sebastian’s voice tightened, his eyes piercing through me. After all, it must have been the most humiliating time of his life. Not only diagnosed with kidney failure but also abandoned by me, his girlfriend of many years. To his surprise, I mustered a standard smile: “No regrets.” “Mr. Sebastian, I earn my living with my own hands; there’s no shame in that.” “You should go cut the cake with Mrs. Sebastian.” Sebastian was momentarily stunned when I calmly referred to Vivian as “Mrs. Sebastian.” Back in the day, after every setback in his startup, Sebastian would hold me and promise: “Evelyn, I’ll succeed someday. I want everyone to respectfully call you Mrs. Sebastian!” And I would boldly wrap my arms around his neck: “Whether or not you succeed, Mrs. Sebastian can only be me!” Now, after all the twists and turns, I respectfully handed over the title of “Mrs. Sebastian.” “Evelyn,” Sebastian said with a bitter laugh, “you really haven’t changed!” With those words, Sebastian pushed over the three-tiered cake. Cream and chocolate splattered all over me, and I stood there like a clown, enduring the mocking gazes of the crowd.

The sudden incident caught everyone off guard. No one expected the engagement party to turn out like this. The manager rushed over to apologize, but Sebastian ignored him, focusing solely on me. I used to be so delicate, but even after being publicly humiliated, I didn’t say a word. Instead, I instinctively blurted out: “I’m sorry, Mr. Sebastian.” Contrary to feeling triumphant, Sebastian felt a blockage in his heart. “You let someone like her in on my engagement day. If you want me to let it go, you must fire her!” Hearing Sebastian wanted me fired, I quickly raised my head: “No! I… I need this job…” “Sebastian, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been here. Please don’t make the manager fire me…” Seeing my teary eyes, Sebastian smirked maliciously: “A heartless woman like you doesn’t deserve anything!” “If you’re so desperate for money, I can introduce you to some patrons. Guaranteed income!” I stared in disbelief at Sebastian, who was now slut-shaming me. The shame and anger made me cry instantly: “Sebastian, you’re too much…” Seeing my tears, Sebastian’s previous arrogance was replaced with panic. He almost instinctively wanted to wipe my tears as he did three years ago. However, the next moment, Vivian clutched her right eye and whimpered: “Sebastian, my eye hurts…” Hearing Vivian’s voice snapped Sebastian back to reality. Concerned, he picked her up: “Vivian, is your eye acting up again? I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” As they passed by me, Sebastian gritted his teeth and spat: “Evelyn, I’ll get back everything you owe me!” After Sebastian left, the engagement party ended abruptly. The manager, not wanting to offend Sebastian, immediately fired me. No matter how much I begged, the manager shook his head repeatedly: “Evelyn, do you realize who you’ve offended? That’s Sebastian! We can’t afford to offend him, you’d better find another job!” Clutching the crumpled three hundred dollars, I wandered aimlessly through the streets. The cold wind made me shiver, as if placing me back on the cold operating table from three years ago. As my vision blurred, my legs gave way, and I collapsed on the street. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. My brother, Nathaniel, helped me sit up, his eyes filled with fear: “Sis, how did you end up like this? Didn’t I tell you not to worry about money? I can work more jobs, you just need to focus on getting better.” “Sis, I heard everything. Sebastian is such a jerk, aren’t you going to tell him the truth?” I weakly shook my head. Since I made my decision three years ago, I never intended to turn back. Three years ago, Sebastian was diagnosed with kidney failure, and only a kidney transplant could save him. But the hospital had a shortage of kidneys, and Sebastian couldn’t get one. To save him, I secretly donated a kidney. I knew him well enough to know that if he found out I nearly exchanged my life for his, he wouldn’t accept the donation. So, I pretended I didn’t want to be burdened by him and disappeared after he was hospitalized. In reality, I was preparing for his kidney transplant. But due to my weak constitution, I developed chronic renal failure after the surgery. I didn’t want Sebastian to live with guilt, so after being discharged, I left for three years. Because of the need for dialysis, Nathaniel and I lived frugally, even working multiple jobs. That’s why I was working as a waitress at Sebastian’s engagement party. After waking up, despite Nathaniel’s protests, I insisted on being discharged. We simply couldn’t afford to stay in a top-tier hospital. However, just as Nathaniel was helping me out, we ran into Sebastian and Vivian in the corridor. Seeing me, Sebastian immediately frowned: “Evelyn, are you following me here? You’re shameless!” Hearing Sebastian insult me, Nathaniel immediately stepped in front of me: “Sebastian, what nonsense are you talking about!” Seeing a strange man in front of me, Sebastian’s eyes darkened, and the temperature around him dropped. “What’s that in your hand?” Sebastian reached for the medical report I was holding. Afraid he’d see the results, I quickly stepped back. Seeing my reaction, Sebastian’s hand froze mid-air. Just then, Vivian spoke up: “Since Evelyn is coming from the obstetrics department, could that be a prenatal check-up report?” When Sebastian began to hurl insults at me, Nathaniel quickly stepped in front to shield me. “Sebastian, what on earth are you talking about?” Sebastian’s expression turned cold upon seeing a stranger standing in front of me, and the atmosphere seemed to chill. “What are you holding there?” Sebastian spotted the medical report in my hand and reached to snatch it. Afraid he would see the results, I quickly stepped back. Seeing my reaction, Sebastian hesitated, his hand stopping mid-air. At that moment, Vivian chimed in: “Since Evelyn came from the obstetrics department, could that be a prenatal check-up report?” It was then that I realized the obstetrics department was indeed just behind me. “I never thought, Evelyn, that you were already pregnant.” “Although you wronged Sebastian in the past, he isn’t someone who holds a grudge. If you had just mentioned it earlier, he wouldn’t have treated you that way yesterday, right, Sebastian?” As Vivian’s words sunk in, Sebastian’s face darkened with anger, his eyes blazing as if they could cut through Nathaniel, who stood protectively before me. I knew Sebastian was relentless once he pursued something. To avoid further questions about the report, I chose to stay silent. Seeing my tacit admission, Sebastian gritted his teeth, nodding sharply: “Evelyn, you’re unbelievable!” “A heartless woman like you—how have you not met your comeuppance yet?” “I must have been blind to have been with you for so many years!” Watching Sebastian storm away, his anger still palpable, my heart grew heavy. Vivian approached me with a triumphant smirk: “Evelyn, don’t expect Sebastian to love you like he did three years ago. His heart belongs to me now!” “You, his past love, should be long forgotten!”

I thought Sebastian and I, separated by worlds, would never cross paths again. But fate was unkind. Half a month later, at a diamond exhibition, I unexpectedly encountered him once more. Beside him, Vivian deliberately chose me to serve her. Not long after, she screamed: “Evelyn, have you lost your mind? How dare you steal the engagement ring Sebastian gave me!” Hearing the commotion, Sebastian hurried over. Faced with the crowd’s scrutiny and Vivian’s accusations, I defended myself with a clear conscience: “Vivian, haven’t you had enough? I just want a job to make a living. Why do you have to keep targeting me?” Vivian clung to Sebastian’s sleeve, sobbing: “Sebastian, I didn’t… It was clearly Evelyn. I asked her to keep my jewelry box safe, but when I checked, the engagement ring was missing!” “Evelyn was the only one who touched my jewelry box. Who else could have taken it?” Sebastian’s disgusted gaze swept over me, then he reached directly for me: “Return Vivian’s ring.” Seeing him unquestioningly side with Vivian, my heart sank once more: “I told you, it wasn’t me!” Sebastian wouldn’t listen to my explanation. Seeing my refusal to admit, he sneered: “Fine, if you won’t confess, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” “Take off your clothes!” Sebastian’s words left me stunned in place. Seeing no movement from me, Sebastian stepped forward, trying to unbutton my clothes: “If you stole the ring, you’d hide it on yourself. If you want to prove your innocence, I’ll give you the chance!” In terror, I pushed him away, clutching my sleeves tightly: “Are you insane… Sebastian, I didn’t steal anything. You know I’m not that kind of person…” “I don’t know!” Sebastian raised his voice abruptly: “Evelyn, I don’t understand you at all.” “If you won’t cooperate, don’t blame me for being merciless. You guys, strip her clothes off!” The bodyguards moved at his command, surrounding me. I fell to the ground in terror, desperately avoiding their hands reaching for me. But no matter how I struggled, I was ultimately outnumbered. With a loud “rip,” my shirt was torn open from the back. Just as I was about to be exposed, Nathaniel broke through the bodyguards, shielding me: “What are you doing! Let her go! Stop it!” At the same time, a bodyguard suddenly handed something to Sebastian: “Mr. Sebastian, we found the ring!” Seeing the recovered ring, Sebastian looked down at me with disdain: “Evelyn, you’d go to any lengths for money. This ring is worth five million. If I want, I could make you rot in prison for life!” As I trembled uncontrollably, Nathaniel couldn’t hold back, roaring at Sebastian: “How can you treat my sister like this! She once donated her kidney for you!” As Nathaniel’s words fell, the once bustling exhibition fell silent. After a long pause, Sebastian spoke hoarsely: “What did you say?”

Before my brother could continue, Vivian interjected: “You’re lying! Evelyn abandoned Sebastian back then and left without a second thought. If it weren’t for me taking care of Sebastian and donating my kidney, he might not have survived…” “Sebastian and I recently saw you two hugging and leaving the obstetrics department. You dare deceive Sebastian that you’re siblings? You really are two of a kind! One full of lies, the other obsessed with money!” Staggering to my feet, I looked at Sebastian with disappointment. For love, I once bore the blame, just so he could live well. But now he humiliates and tramples on me repeatedly. No one could endure this. I cast a sarcastic glance at Vivian: “You say you donated your kidney to Sebastian. Do you have any proof?” I expected Vivian to back down, but she teared up immediately: “Sebastian, don’t you believe me? You’ve seen the scar on my abdomen. What, do I have to strip in public to prove it?” Seeing Vivian cry, Sebastian comforted her, patting her back: “Of course I believe you. You’re not just anybody. You don’t need to undress in public.” Just not long ago, I was nearly stripped by his order. Now, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. I realized clearly once more that the Sebastian I wanted to save had “died” three years ago. The current Sebastian was a stranger to me. With a cold, stern face, Sebastian looked at me, his eyes icy: “Evelyn, you think I’d believe you?” “Today, you stole Vivian’s ring and dared to come between us. I have to teach you a lesson!” “You there, strip her and throw her out!” The bodyguards knocked Nathaniel down. My already tattered shirt was completely torn apart. I screamed, covering myself, pleading for help. But no one dared to defy Sebastian. Vivian nestled in his arms, leisurely enjoying my plight. “Don’t touch my sister; come at me instead! Sebastian, if you have something against me, do it!” As the bodyguards reached for my pants, Vivian suddenly stopped them. Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, she coquettishly told Sebastian: “Sebastian, since they are so devoted, why not give them a chance?” “The doctor said if I had a suitable cornea, my right eye could recover. Why not take his?” She pointed at Nathaniel, as if discussing a trivial matter. I screamed frantically, hair disheveled: “No! You can’t touch him!” Seeing me, now defenseless, still desperately protecting Nathaniel, Sebastian stepped on his face: “Being useful to Vivian is his good fortune.” Ignoring my brother’s curses and shouts, Sebastian forcefully took Nathaniel away from me. When I tried to follow, Sebastian grabbed my throat: “Evelyn, what you owe me, your lover should repay!” The suffocation was so intense I couldn’t utter a complete sentence: “He’s… brother…” The continuous suffocation soon triggered kidney failure, and I fainted. When I awoke, everyone was gone. Remembering Vivian’s words, I rushed to the hospital where I last saw her. But upon opening the ward, I saw Nathaniel, eyes covered with bandages, lips pale. “Nathaniel…” Hearing my voice, Nathaniel turned stiffly to me: “Sis… they blinded me…” “I can never see again…” Seeing the tears soaking my brother’s bandages, regret washed over me… I regretted saving Sebastian… Regretted giving him a “second chance”… I held Nathaniel, a painful wail escaping my throat: “Brother… I was wrong, sister was wrong…” “Sister was wrong from the start…” I learned about Vivian’s hospital room from the nurse. Inside, Vivian’s right eye was wrapped in bandages, yet she showed no sign of post-surgery frailty.

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At the dinner table, I bent down to pick up my fork—and saw my brother’s hand shamelessly lodged between my girlfriend’s thighs. He smiled. “Your current girlfriend has nice, slim legs. She’s mine.” In front of me, he led her into a room and closed the door. The next morning, he looked at me with open provocation. “What can I do, Ethan? It seems every woman around you can’t resist me.” I smiled back—and turned to press my lips against the woman he’d loved, obsessively, for five years. My brother Lucas broke up with my ex-girlfriend. “We only dated for a month. Isn’t it normal to break up?” Lucas said casually, as if he was discussing what to have for lunch. “But when you sent me those bedroom photos, you said it was true love and hoped I’d give you my blessing,” I said, taking a sip of coffee. I glanced at Sophia, who was still waiting outside in the scorching heat, and clicked my tongue. Sophia was the beauty queen of our department. Not only was she gorgeous, but she also excelled in her studies. Her family seemed quite wealthy too. Add to that her cool and aloof demeanor, and she was the quintessential campus goddess. Many guys at our college had fallen for her, including me. Sophia was technically my ex-girlfriend, but not really. After all, I was just her fake boyfriend to ward off unwanted suitors. The day after we publicly announced our relationship, Lucas stole her away. That night, Lucas sent me several explicit bedroom photos. “I’m interested in her because you’re interested in her,” Lucas had said. “But your taste is truly garbage. For your first girlfriend, you chose such mediocre goods.” I knew Lucas wasn’t actually into Sophia. He just wanted to steal everything I liked, even if he’d discard it later. He didn’t want me to have anything. Since childhood, he’d been jealous that my arrival stole all our parents’ love. So anything I liked, he’d find a way to take it for himself. It was like that with toys when we were little, with nice clothes, and now with the girls I dated. “My taste wasn’t great before, but this time, I’m dating someone high quality,” I said, my eyes filled with infatuation. Lucas looked intrigued by my expression. “Oh really? I find it hard to believe your definition of ‘high quality.’ When can you introduce us?” “She’s coming to meet me soon.” Just as I finished speaking, I saw Isabella appear at the café entrance. I smiled and said, “There, that’s my girlfriend.” She wore a white blouse and had a slender figure. A silver necklace adorned her neck, and she exuded a lazy, carefree aura. Compared to Sophia, this kind of woman gave off an uncontrollable vibe. I was obsessed with women like her, and so was Lucas. He loved making all sorts of women fall for him, and he especially loved stealing my girlfriends. I saw Lucas’s eyes noticeably brighten. He looked Isabella up and down several times before finally curling his lips meaningfully. I was all too familiar with that expression of his. It meant he had his sights set on his prey. The more carefree and unrestrained a woman was, the more she aroused a man’s desire to conquer her. When Lucas saw that from the moment Isabella entered, her eyes were only on me, he got even more excited. I frowned in displeasure. The reason I dared to bring Isabella to meet Lucas was because I trusted her character. I’d known her for two years, and she was never the type to be seduced by good looks. Emotionally, she was a very loyal woman. But looking at Lucas’s flirtatious eyes and demeanor, I felt a bit uncertain. Lucas knew exactly how to manipulate women. Take Sophia for example – she was so cool and aloof at school, but she became wild and flushed with desire when she was with Lucas. I held Isabella’s hand, and she smiled at me tenderly. I firmly believed I hadn’t misjudged her.

Before leaving, Lucas kept his eyes fixed intently on Isabella. I observed Isabella’s expression. She seemed completely oblivious to Lucas, her attention fully focused on me. After we left the café, I accompanied Isabella to the sports field. She had plans to play badminton with some friends, while I sat on the sidelines holding her jacket and watching. Isabella exuded a uniquely feminine charm. Her aura was completely different from Sophia’s – she was bold and uninhibited, like the June sun, bringing joy to those around her. Being with Isabella was actually the result of my careful planning. On the first day of college, I had noticed Isabella. At the time, she saw a guy taking advantage of the crowded hallway to grope a girl. Isabella immediately pinned the guy to the ground and beat him up. I still remember she was wearing a black t-shirt that day, with a silver necklace around her neck. She had her jacket slung casually over one shoulder as she walked past me with an indifferent expression. My first impression was that she was carefree and rebellious, with an innate bad girl vibe that deeply attracted me. Lucas had taught me that women like her were usually harder to pursue. Pestering them didn’t work – the key was using the right approach. Throughout freshman year, I didn’t make any aggressive moves. I just tried to become a familiar face to her. Sophomore year, I started messaging her frequently and occasionally asking her to hang out. To understand her likes and interests, I did a lot of research. Gradually, we started chatting more and more, eventually progressing to daily good morning and goodnight texts. The flirting intensified to the extreme, and we were just one step away from a relationship. My agreement to be Sophia’s fake boyfriend to ward off other guys was what finally broke through that last barrier. That night when Isabella called me out with red-rimmed eyes, demanding to know why I was with another girl, I knew my strategy of playing hard to get had worked. When Sophia was stolen by Lucas, it was the perfect opportunity for Isabella and me to get together. She was an excellent girlfriend. In the month we’d been dating, she fulfilled the role to the utmost. Even my roommates said they never imagined a girl like Isabella could be so devoted when she fell in love. Of course, I believed in Isabella’s feelings for me. But I didn’t know if she could resist the temptation of a mature man like Lucas. A cheer erupted from the crowd – Isabella had scored another winning shot. After spiking the final point, she walked towards me. The sunlight shone on her, giving her smile a golden glow. Isabella grinned and said, “Bored of waiting? I’ll treat you to something delicious later.” I smiled brightly back. “Sounds good.” We held hands as we walked along the edge of the sports field. The warm light shone on us, and I could feel the gentle pressure of her hand in mine. I wished this moment could last forever.

As I had expected, Lucas finally made his move. Recently, Lucas had been coming to campus to see me much more frequently than before. Isabella would come to my dorm every day to walk me to breakfast, attend classes together, and go on dates. But lately, several times when I went downstairs, I saw Lucas waiting with Isabella. From a distance, Lucas was smiling brightly. Though Isabella’s expression remained neutral, she occasionally responded to him. Lucas seemed oblivious to his third wheel status, forcibly inserting himself into Isabella and my world. One day, Lucas suddenly invited me to dinner and specifically asked me to bring Isabella. I knew what he was up to, but I still asked Isabella to come with me. When Isabella and I arrived, Lucas was already waiting in the private room. He looked like he had dressed up carefully. Was his intention really that obvious? I brought Isabella because I had my own agenda. I wanted to see if she could resist the temptation of a man like Lucas. “Isabella, I heard you’re amazing at badminton. Could you teach me sometime?” Lucas asked in his magnetic voice. Isabella replied flatly, “If you really want to learn, you should find a coach.” Lucas was clearly dissatisfied with Isabella’s attitude, but it seemed to excite him even more. “Finding a coach is such a hassle. You’re my brother’s girlfriend, so why can’t I just ask you?” I stirred my soup with a spoon, listening to Isabella’s cold voice beside me. “You know very well I’m your brother’s girlfriend. It’s inappropriate.” Seeing Lucas’s visibly paled expression, I could barely hold back my laughter. Lucas rarely struck out with women. Aside from that one time five years ago, this was probably only the second time. I must have been smiling too obviously, because Lucas shot me an annoyed glare. My hand slipped and I said, “Oops, I dropped my fork.” With that, I immediately bent down to pick it up. They clearly didn’t have time to react. In the split second I lowered my head, I still saw Lucas’s foot that he hadn’t managed to pull back in time. Yes, just moments ago when I wasn’t paying attention, Lucas had stretched his foot towards Isabella, even between her legs… Isabella hadn’t refused. Was it because she didn’t have time to, or because she didn’t want to refuse?

My mind was in turmoil. We finished the meal lost in our own thoughts. Isabella went out to take a phone call while I waited by the door. Lucas came out after paying the bill and looked at me. “Your current girlfriend has pretty slim legs. I approve.” I froze, not yet grasping the meaning of his words, when I saw him start to smile. My heart suddenly felt empty, as if all the blood in my body had congealed. A hand reached out from behind and took mine. She immediately noticed my dazed state. “What’s wrong? You seem unhappy. You were distracted all through dinner.” I opened my mouth, wanting to ask her why she didn’t refuse Lucas. But the words that came out were, “Do you find a man like my brother more attractive, or me…” “Ethan.” She gripped my hand tightly, her starry eyes fixed on me as she said each word clearly, “To me, you are unique. You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone.” Her sincere and passionate words struck me right in the heart. I was moved. Yes, just moved. I didn’t love her. Isabella walked me to the entrance of my dorm building and hugged me for a long time. Only after watching me go upstairs did she leave. But I didn’t return to my room. After she left, I followed her. She walked along the main road for a while before suddenly stopping. At the end of the road stood a man. It was Lucas. I had to admit, he was truly handsome – the kind of handsome that was hard for any man to forget after just one glance. Under the dim streetlights, their silhouettes gradually intertwined. They stood together, talking about something I couldn’t hear. My girlfriend was meeting my brother behind my back. I didn’t know what would happen between them later, nor did I want to care. Because my goal had already been achieved. Every step had gone according to my plan. Isabella falling for me, Lucas making his move, and now Isabella was likely taking the bait. Thinking of that person’s delicate features, I couldn’t help but get excited. Soon, I would be able to see you. Lucas’s tactics were even more skillful than I had imagined. I could clearly sense Isabella’s recent distraction. She used to want to spend every meal with me, but now she barely even initiated conversations.

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In my last life, my best friend faked his death, forced his child on me, and stole eighteen years of my future. This time, when he lay bleeding on the ground and begged me to save him, I didn’t expose his lie or call the police. I simply accepted the money he prepared for his daughter— and sent the child to an orphanage where she would grow up exactly as he deserved to see her. “Cough, cough… Ethan, you’re finally here…” Liam lay on the ground, filthy and covered in an ugly mosaic of purplish-blue bruises. Deep gashes bled on his arms and legs. I froze, then suddenly realized I had actually been reborn! “Ethan, what are you standing there for… cough, cough, take me to the hospital…” Liam lay weakly on the ground, speaking to me without an ounce of strength. In my last life, I received his desperate call and rushed to find him. The sight of him covered in blood sent me into a panic, and I immediately thought of calling 911 for an ambulance. But Liam insisted the location was too remote, and he’d be dead by the time 911 arrived. So, I personally carried him on my back, stumbling for over two hours, back to the city, and straight to the hospital. But now, the thought of it all being his elaborate scheme made a wave of profound disgust wash over me. “No need to call 911, it’s too remote here… just carry me…” Liam coughed a few times, looking at me pleadingly. I frowned, feigning discomfort, and bent down to rub my ankle. “I’m sorry, I wish I could carry you, but I just twisted my ankle. I really can’t carry you.” Afraid he wouldn’t believe me, I even pulled up my pant leg to show him my visibly swollen and red ankle. In my last life, I had endured the pain to carry him, and by the time we reached the hospital, my ankle was practically useless. It cost a fortune to heal. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. Liam’s face instantly paled, looking as if he was truly on his last breath. Just then, an SUV pulled up beside us. The driver, a kind stranger, warmly asked if we needed help. To avoid raising suspicion, I quickly smiled and accepted. At the hospital, Liam was immediately rushed into the emergency room. Soon, a female doctor, Dr. Sullivan, hurried out, saying Liam had lost too much blood and needed a transfusion. “The hospital’s blood bank is severely low. A transfer would take too long and could delay treatment.” “Mr. Ford said you have the same blood type as him. Please come with me to prepare for a blood transfusion.” I scoffed internally at her words. This was the exact same spiel as in my last life. This doctor had used the same excuse, drawing 600cc of my blood without a single word of explanation. Normally, blood donations don’t exceed 400cc, but I was too distraught to notice then. After the blood draw, I felt weak all over and dizzy. And Liam had used that moment to plead with me to take care of his daughter in the hospital room, and I, in my dazed state, had nodded and agreed. So I told Dr. Sullivan, “I apologize, but I have low blood sugar and anemia. I can’t donate blood. You’ll have to find another solution.” Dr. Sullivan didn’t expect my refusal. She stomped her foot angrily and hurried back into the emergency room. Another twenty minutes passed. Dr. Sullivan emerged, her face filled with sorrow. “I’m sorry, we did our best, but Mr. Ford’s condition is too severe. There’s nothing more we can do.” “He’s still conscious now. You can go in and spend his final moments with him.” I nodded, my face calm, and walked in. Sure enough, Liam was lying on the hospital bed, pale and weak, just like in my previous life. He faintly called my name. I walked to his side. “What is it? Do you have anything you want to tell me?” Tears welled up in Liam’s eyes. “Ethan, you’re my best friend. Why didn’t you donate blood for me? If you had, maybe I…” Dr. Sullivan, standing nearby, interjected indignantly. “Yes, Mr. Ford truly considered you his best friend, yet you refused. It’s a tragedy Mr. Ford is so young and can’t hold on. You’re truly heartless.” I said calmly, “You should blame your hospital for not even having the blood a patient needs. I have low blood sugar and anemia. If something happened to me because of a blood donation, would your hospital pay with its life?”

My words left Dr. Sullivan momentarily speechless. Liam’s face was grim, but he quickly composed himself, his eyes red. “Forget it, Ethan isn’t to blame for this. It’s just my bad luck…” “I’m dying now. My wife betrayed me, my family sold me out, I don’t even want to live anymore.” “But I still have a daughter who just turned one. She’s so pitiful, abandoned by her mother, and her father can’t live on. I just can’t bear to leave her.” “Ethan, you’re the only good brother I have. Please, I beg you, raise her for me.” Dr. Sullivan, ever the empath, let two streams of tears fall. “Look, Mr. Ford is begging you like this. Just say yes. You’re his best friend, could you really be so cruel as to refuse? If so, you don’t deserve to be a man!” Watching them play good cop, bad cop, perfectly coordinated, I felt nothing but disgust. In my last life, I had too much blood drawn and was disoriented. Liam even colluded with Dr. Sullivan to set a trap for me. I was genuinely soft-hearted, which was why I agreed to take care of his daughter. But no good deed goes unpunished. My girlfriend was hostile toward this adopted daughter, believing her to be my love child with another woman. She refused to listen to my explanations, packed her things, and left me, also falling out with her family. At that time, I hadn’t even graduated from my Master’s program and couldn’t juggle both studies and the child, so I had to drop out. Because my major was a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s program, and due to the circumstances, I didn’t even have a Bachelor’s degree; I was just a college dropout. Without a good degree, I could only do arduous manual labor. To better support the child, I worked three jobs a day, often sleeping only three or four hours. And the child had poor health from a young age, constantly ending up in the hospital, even undergoing several major surgeries, with money flowing like water. I gritted my teeth and took out high-interest loans, but with the interest compounding, I couldn’t pay them back at all. The debt collectors were brutal, causing constant harassment for everyone, and my landlord refused to renew the lease, kicking me and the child out. To avoid the debt collectors, I moved many times, living in dirty, dilapidated places. After finally enduring the hardest ten years, I met a kind female boss. She was divorced with a child herself and sympathized with my hardship, so she hired me to work at her barbecue restaurant. After my job stabilized, I also thought about finding a partner. However, I had no house, no car, nothing to my name, and I was raising a child in her early teens. It was truly difficult to date. Finally, I met a simple woman from the countryside who seemed to genuinely not care about my financial situation. I thought I could settle down, but after less than two months, she ran off. She only left me a note, apologizing and saying she could never let go of her ex-husband and child, so she had to quietly leave. From then on, I completely gave up on looking for a partner. Eighteen years passed. I painstakingly raised the child into an adult. But at her celebration party, Liam, who was supposed to be dead, appeared. And he claimed it was all just a test for me. Did I have to be his friend? I wasted the most precious eighteen years of my life! Without that child, I could have smoothly graduated with my Master’s, joined a good company, had a respectable job, and a loving, happy family. My life should have been thriving, but it was ruined because of him! Even the child I poured my heart and soul into, chose her biological parents at the moment of conflict, and turned against me. Thinking of this, the hatred surging within me threatened to drown me. I clenched my fists, saying each word clearly, “No, I refuse.” “I can send her to an orphanage, but I will absolutely not raise your child.”

Hearing my refusal, Liam stopped playing the dying man, sat up abruptly, and pointed at me, yelling full of vigor. “Ethan, are you even human?! You call me your brother, but in reality, you’re ungrateful, cold-blooded, and heartless!” “You wouldn’t donate blood to save me, fine. But you won’t even raise my only daughter? What kind of a brother are you, you piece of garbage!” I watched him coolly. “Oh, Liam, you seem pretty energetic now, don’t you? You don’t look like you’re about to die at all. Did this quack doctor misdiagnose you?” As I spoke, I glanced at Dr. Sullivan, who stood by, and she instinctively averted her gaze. Realizing his performance was off, Liam suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed, gasping for air and trembling all over. I had to admit, his acting was good. Dr. Sullivan immediately reacted, pushing me out, saying she needed to perform emergency aid on Mr. Ford. I wanted to see what other tricks Liam had up his sleeve, so I stood outside the emergency room and waited. About ten minutes later, Dr. Sullivan came out holding a cooing baby. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Ford is gone. That was just a final surge of life.” “This child is his daughter. His dying wish was for you to care for her until she grows up.” “As for the adoption procedures, don’t worry, Mr. Ford made all the arrangements before he passed. The paperwork will be completed within two days.” “You just need to raise the child well. If you abandon her, that’s illegal, and if I find out, I will absolutely make sure you go to jail!” After saying this, she tried to thrust the baby into my arms. I immediately stepped back. Are you kidding me? Forcing a child on someone like this is actually illegal! In my last life, blinded by so-called brotherhood, I never questioned the truth of this series of events. Thinking about it now, it’s ridiculous. Even with proper adoption procedures, it couldn’t happen this fast. “You said Liam died, right? Fine, then I want to see his body.” Saying this, I bypassed her and rushed into the emergency room. It was completely empty inside. Dr. Sullivan’s urgent voice rang out. “What are you doing! You can’t just go in there!” I pointed at the empty emergency room. “Didn’t you say he died? Where’s the body? Where did you send it?” Dr. Sullivan said matter-of-factly, “The body was, of course, sent to the crematorium immediately for cremation.” I asked again, “Sent to the crematorium that quickly? Alright, I’ll go to the crematorium now to see him off.” Saying this, I ignored her protests and strode out of the hospital. Want me to be a fool and raise his kid? In your dreams! Upon arriving at the city crematorium, I immediately inquired with the staff about Liam’s remains. To my surprise, they actually had registered information. Soon, a staff member brought me Liam’s urn. In my previous life, I was too distraught. I just took his daughter home and only attended Liam’s funeral a week later after receiving notification. “Is this Liam’s ashes?” “Yes.” The staff member gave a brief reply and quickly left. But I still felt something was off. Normal cremation of a body doesn’t happen that fast. Even at the quickest, it takes at least a day. And now, less than three hours had passed between Dr. Sullivan announcing Liam’s death and me receiving his urn. It was practically a mockery of my intelligence. So the next moment, I opened the urn and unhesitatingly poured its contents onto the floor.

Grayish-white powder spilled across the floor. A staff member nearby immediately shrieked. “Hey! What are you doing?!” People who were at the crematorium to handle arrangements for their deceased family members quickly backed away. “Is that person crazy? Why are they scattering ashes on the ground?” “They must be sick. Don’t they know that’s bad luck? How unlucky!” “Did something trigger them? Never mind, I’ll just stay away.” Everyone murmured, pointing at me, their gazes unfriendly. I expressionlessly kicked the “ashes” on the ground. “Look closely, everyone. Are these really human ashes?” At my words, everyone’s gaze fell to the ground. “It does look a bit strange. Why aren’t there any small pieces or fragments of bone?” “Now that you mention it, you’re right. Cremation can’t turn all bones into dust.” I curved my lips into a slight smile and said loudly to the staff member, “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” “The crematorium staff gave me fake ashes? Do you have any professional ethics left?” “There are so many bereaved families here. Does this mean the ashes they received are also fake?” At my series of questions, many family members’ faces turned ugly. The staff member anxiously said, “Don’t talk nonsense! We follow all procedures!” I pressed on. “Is that really true? Liam was declared dead at the hospital just two hours ago. How could his body have been successfully cremated two hours later? When did your efficiency become so high?” The crowd instantly erupted. “What? Two hours?!” “Are you insane?! I thought handling everything for my loved one was fast, and it still took a full day. How could it be cremated in two hours?” “No wonder the powder on the ground didn’t look like ashes. There really is something fishy going on!” Under the barrage of questions from the crowd, the staff member stammered nervously, completely flustered. He never imagined I would scatter the ashes in public and then question the cremation time. He managed to appease the crowd with a few hurried words, then rushed inside. A moment later, he walked up to me, his face plastered with a forced smile. “My apologies, we had a mistake in our work. The ashes we just gave you belonged to someone else. Your friend’s body is still undergoing cremation. Please wait a bit longer.” Several hours later, the staff member brought me another urn. And the female doctor from the hospital suddenly appeared at the crematorium. “Mr. Hayes, before Mr. Ford passed, he instructed me to ensure his child was given to you to raise. This was his dying wish, and you must fulfill it.” “You were the best of brothers in life, so now that he’s gone, his child is your child.” “Also, here are his life savings, a total of fifty thousand dollars. He hopes you will raise his child well.” Her words were grand and righteous. She then thrust the baby and the bank card into my arms. The onlookers, unaware of the full story, were deeply moved and applauded me. I looked down at the child and let out a soft laugh. Liam, you really want me to raise your child, don’t you? Then I’ll grant your wish. Eighteen years passed in a blur. Over these past decades, after earning my first significant capital, I started running my own Twitter account.

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My free tutoring initiative, run in my spare time, helped half the kids in our neighborhood get into excellent middle schools. But then, their parents put me on blast online, trashing me with “free stuff is garbage, she ruined our children’s future.” They ganged up, reported me for unauthorized tutoring, and forced me to apologize publicly. My school called me in, my superiors issued a warning, and my reputation was in tatters. I immediately shut down the tutoring program, then turned around and accepted a jaw-dropping offer from an international school. The next day, staring at quotes of thousands of dollars for a single course from private tutoring agencies, And posters of award-winning teachers at the entrance of the international school, all the parents were stunned. My zero-cost community tutoring program quietly opened its doors in the neighborhood activity room. No advertising, no enrollment drives—just a few students whose grades had plummeted and whose families were genuinely struggling. I used my evenings and weekends to help them with homework and review key concepts. At first, not many kids came, and their parents were overwhelmingly grateful. “Ms. Jenkins, you’re an angel. You’ve helped us so much.” “Seriously, private tutors charge like $80 an hour these days. We just can’t afford it.” “We’re leaving our kids in your capable hands, thank you for all your hard work!” They’d drop their kids off every afternoon, sometimes bringing a fruit basket or some milk. I never accepted anything, but my heart felt warm. One Friday evening, Brenda Peterson dropped off her son, Dylan. “Ms. Jenkins, our Dylan is here to join the fun, get a feel for the learning environment.” I hesitated. “Brenda, my main goal was to help families who are genuinely struggling financially…” Her son, Dylan, was in my regular class too, and his grades were just average. But her family was well-off. They lived in the biggest penthouse in the building and drove a Porsche. She cut me off, shoving a beautifully wrapped fruit basket into my arms. “Oh, come on, we’re all neighbors here, why be so formal? Dylan joining will actually be a great motivator for the other kids, right?” With her putting it that way, I found it hard to refuse again. Brenda dropped Dylan off punctually every day but never helped him study. She’d just sit in the back, scrolling on her phone, watching videos with the volume blaring. One time, I couldn’t take it anymore and politely asked her to keep it down. She immediately scowled. “Ms. Jenkins, what’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying I’m disturbing your class?” “I’m just here to observe exactly *how* you teach. Don’t think you can use my son as some kind of experiment.” I smiled, trying to explain. “That’s not what I meant at all. I just want to maintain a quiet learning environment.” She scoffed, saying nothing more. But that very evening, our neighborhood SnapChat group blew up. Brenda had sent a long series of voice messages in the group. “Seriously, everyone, you’re all so trusting, just leaving your kids with some *free* tutor?” “Does anyone really believe in a free lunch? How good can something free actually be? What’s her angle, really?” “I figured it out today. That Ms. Jenkins? She just babbles, completely unprofessional.” “She’s probably just using the ‘free’ gimmick to lure us in, get all our kids’ info, and then, bam, she’ll start charging next, right?” A few sarcastic comments were all it took to ignite the doubts in other parents. “Brenda’s got a point. How could something this good be true? It’s gotta be a scam.” “Exactly! I’ve felt uneasy for a while. What professional teacher offers free tutoring after hours? She definitely has an agenda.” “My kid said Ms. Jenkins even checks her phone for notes sometimes during class. Is that ‘professional’?” I watched the messages flood the group, my hands and feet turning icy cold. The parent who claimed I checked my phone for notes—that was when his son asked a competitive math problem, and I needed to quickly confirm the latest solution methods. I started typing out an explanation in the group. “Dear parents, I started this tutoring program asking for nothing in return, only wanting to do something beneficial for the children. As for checking my phone, it was to provide the most accurate answers.” Brenda immediately replied. “Well, well, Sarah’s finally showing her face! Trying to explain things away, are we? Don’t insult our intelligence.” “If you’re such a saint, why aren’t you volunteering at a shelter or something? Why are you trying to play Mother Teresa with *our* kids?” Another parent chimed in. “Exactly! Our kids’ time is so precious. What if you screw them up? Can you take responsibility for that?” I looked at that parent’s profile picture, a sharp pain in my chest. It was his child whose school fees were short last semester, and I’d helped cover them. Now, he was turning around and accusing me of harming his child. I couldn’t argue with them. I could only watch helplessly as Brenda fueled the flames in the group. She even secretly created a “Parents Against Sarah” group and pulled in every parent who had sent their child to my tutoring program. They schemed in that group about how to confront me, how to expose my “true colors.” It all felt so absurd, so ridiculous.

That weekend, tutoring class was still on. Not a single child was missing, but the parents’ eyes had changed. They scrutinized me with suspicious, judgmental stares. Brenda, emboldened, sat right in the front row, recording me on her phone. “Go on, Ms. Jenkins, keep teaching! I’m recording this so we can all ‘learn’ too. Let’s see how much ‘value’ this free class actually has.” Her antics made the children so nervous they couldn’t concentrate. I took a deep breath and walked up to her. “Brenda, please don’t do this. It’s distracting the children.” “Distracting?” She raised her voice. “I’m collecting evidence! What if you teach them wrong and lead my son astray? Who would I turn to then?” “If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid of me recording?” As soon as her voice faded, a timid voice spoke from the doorway. “Ms. Brenda, Ms. Jenkins teaches really well. I got a 95 on my math test this time, and I used to fail.” It was Chloe, a particularly shy girl, and one of the first students I ever helped. Brenda glanced at her, then sneered. “What do you know, little girl? Maybe the teacher just leaked the answers to you beforehand.” Chloe’s face flushed crimson, tears welling in her eyes. My anger finally burst. “Brenda, get out!” “What? Did I hit a nerve? Are you angry because I spoke the truth?” Brenda shoved her phone’s camera right into my face. “Everyone, look! This so-called ‘caring teacher’ is about to get violent!” “You won’t let me record, huh? Fine.” She put away her phone, grabbed Dylan, and started heading out. “We’re leaving. Who knows what your real intentions are.” The other parents exchanged uneasy glances, then one by one, they also stood up and left with their children. In less than five minutes, the bustling activity room was empty, except for Chloe and me. Chloe walked over, tugging at my sleeve, and whispered. “Teacher, don’t be sad. I believe in you.” I patted her head. Worst case scenario, I just wouldn’t run this tutoring program anymore. That very night, however, an article titled “Exposing a Scumbag Teacher: The Filthy Dealings Hidden Behind Free Tutoring!” went viral on local forums and social media. The post featured photos of me teaching, taken from incredibly manipulative angles. One showed me looking at my phone, captioned: “Completely unprepared for class, just Googling answers on the fly. Seriously unprofessional.” Another showed me pointing at the whiteboard, my expression serious, captioned: “Flies off the handle, verbally abusing students.” And yet another, me holding Chloe’s hand to comfort her, was spun into: “Physically aggressive with a parent, completely out of line.” The poster was, of course, Brenda. In her post, she claimed I used the guise of “free” tutoring to pave the way for my own expensive private classes. She also accused me of being irresponsible, ruining children’s futures, and even hinted that I had mental issues and a violent streak. The unsuspecting people in the comments section were easily swayed by her. “Teachers these days have no morals, they’ll do anything for money.” “How can someone like this be a teacher? The School Board needs to investigate this immediately!” “Free? Ha, you know what they say: there’s no such thing as a free lunch—it’s always the most expensive in the long run. She’s clearly playing a long game.” “Poster, hurry up and dox her! We need her address and phone number to teach her a lesson.” Then, my phone number, home address, and workplace were all dug up. From that dawn onward, my phone didn’t stop ringing. Harassing calls came one after another, all filled with insults and curses. “You fake, manipulative witch, why don’t you just die?” “Stay away from our kids, you menace!” People also started gathering outside my door, banging and yelling the most vile obscenities. What chilled me even more was seeing familiar profile pictures among the overwhelming online abuse. “I knew something was off about her, glad we pulled our kids out early.” “Right? Who knows what her intentions were. Gives me chills just thinking about it now.” These were the same parents who had once been so grateful to me, the ones I had genuinely tried to help.

The next day, I got a call from my principal. “Ms. Jenkins, maybe you should take some time off. Don’t come to school for a while.” “The public outcry online is just too much, and it’s not good for your reputation.” Then, a call came from the District Superintendent. A stern male voice on the other end warned me: “Ms. Jenkins, your unauthorized tutoring program is a clear violation of district policy. Considering this is your first offense, we’re issuing a warning. A repeat offense will result in immediate termination of your teaching license.” I hung up, slumping to the floor, utterly drained. Just then, my phone chimed again. It was a text from Brenda. “Ms. Jenkins, tomorrow afternoon at 3 PM, at the community center. The parents are holding an ‘action meeting,’ and you *must* be there to give us a public explanation.” “Don’t even think about hiding. Otherwise, we can’t guarantee what actions we might take.” I stared at the threatening text, my vision blurring. The next afternoon, not wanting things to escalate further, I went. The community activity room was packed. Those once familiar faces, now twisted with a sickening sense of triumph. Brenda sat right in the middle. Seeing me enter, a victorious smile spread across her face. She stood up, cleared her throat, and addressed everyone. “See, everyone? Sarah Jenkins showed up. That proves she’s guilty, she knows she messed up.” As soon as she finished, a parent stood up and pointed at me. “Ms. Jenkins, you have to apologize for your behavior. You wasted our children’s precious study time!” “Yeah, apologize!” “And compensate us! For our emotional distress, for the time our kids missed. How do you plan to pay for that?” “Exactly! You *must* pay us back!” Brenda walked up to me, looking down. “Ms. Jenkins, did you hear that? The public isn’t blind.” “Today, in front of everyone, you need to admit your mistakes and give us a satisfactory answer.” She thrust a microphone towards me, her eyes gleaming with triumph. “Go on, we’re all listening.” She had started a live stream, and on the phone screen, comments scrolled rapidly. “Support the parents! Kick this crooked teacher out!” “Finally willing to admit defeat? Why didn’t she do it sooner?” Brenda impatiently urged. “Come on, hurry up. Stop playing dumb.” I raised my eyes, my gaze sweeping across every person in the room. “You’re right. I was wrong.” Brenda and the parents’ faces lit up with smug satisfaction, thinking I was finally going to give in. “My mistake was…” I paused, scanning the room. “My mistake was treating you with respect.” Brenda’s face turned a furious shade of crimson. “What did you say?” “You wanted an explanation, didn’t you?” “Fine, I’ll give you one.” I picked up a marker and walked to the whiteboard near the activity room entrance. “By popular demand, the zero-cost community tutoring program is officially and permanently closed, effective today.” I finished writing the last four words, capped the marker with a definitive click, and turned to face the stunned crowd. Brenda was the first to react, rushing towards me, absolutely furious. “Sarah Jenkins, are you screwing with us?!” “Closed? You just decide to close it? You think you can just walk away?” “You *have* to tutor all our kids every day! That’s how this works!” “You never taught them properly before, wasting so much of their precious study time. You need to make up for that time, and *double* it!” “Exactly! You messed up our kids’ grades, and now you just want to cut and run? No way!” “You *must* keep it open, and you need to extend the hours, tutor our kids for free until they get into college!” The other parents chimed in, their voices growing increasingly agitated. I looked coldly at this group of people, their true colors fully exposed, and was about to speak. Just then, the roar of a car engine suddenly came from outside the activity room. The car door opened, and a middle-aged man in a suit, accompanied by a driver, quickly entered. He walked straight through the crowd, came up to me, and handed me a beautifully printed offer letter. “Ms. Jenkins, I’ve heard so much about you.” “I’m Harrison Vance, the Headmaster of Bo Ya International Academy.” “Our school is honored to offer you the position of Lead Educator and Curriculum Director, with an annual salary of three million dollars, to oversee curriculum development and teacher training for the entire academy.”

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My brother tried to kill me. The moment my mom stepped forward to help him, I gave up fighting. Later, he had plastic surgery to look exactly like me, and sat in my bedroom, waiting for my wife to return. My parents hoped he and my wife would live happily ever after, enjoying all the wealth and glory. I just laughed, because they had no idea how terrifying the woman before them truly was. Today was Seraphina’s day to return home. She’d been overseas for over two months, and I’d been dead for a week. My brother, Julian Smith, stood up nervously as Seraphina walked through the door. “Seraphina, have you had dinner yet? I asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite creamy pumpkin soup.” This was supposed to be their first meeting. But Seraphina didn’t notice that her husband had been swapped. Julian had really outdone himself, getting surgery to look exactly like me, from head to toe. Seraphina handed her suitcase to the butler, Carlsen, and rubbed her temples. “Alright, a little bit would be nice.” Julian forced a natural smile, meticulously mimicking my every expression and gesture from the stolen videos. He followed Seraphina into the dining room. “Martha, serve the soup to Seraphina.” Seraphina paused at his words, glancing back at Julian. We had a butler and maids, but I usually preferred to do many things myself. After all, I was just lounging around at home. Even after living in this city for nearly two years, I still wasn’t used to casually bossing people around. Before marrying Seraphina, I’d always lived in our small hometown. The one who was originally supposed to marry Seraphina was Julian. Our two families used to be old acquaintances, and Seraphina’s family was once a prominent name in the local business circles. Both grandfathers, seeing a grandson and granddaughter of suitable age, had arranged a marriage. Twenty years ago, after both elders passed away, Seraphina’s family fell victim to corporate machinations. Seraphina’s father brought up the engagement again, hoping the Smith family would offer a helping hand. But my father, Richard, had already been swayed by several other business groups. He decided to seize the opportunity to acquire Seraphina’s family’s assets, completely disregarding their past friendship. Seraphina’s family went bankrupt, Seraphina’s father died from depression, and Seraphina’s mother, with her daughter and the old butler, moved far overseas. Two years ago, Seraphina returned with the Ascendant Group, an unstoppable force from abroad, striking a heavy blow to several major local business empires. Not a single person who had kicked Seraphina’s family while they were down or participated in their downfall managed to escape. They were either buried under crippling debt with no hope of recovery, or facing irrefutable evidence that sent them straight to prison. Financial ruin was the norm. People in the business world whispered privately that it was a good thing she’d returned to a society governed by law; they had long heard whispers of Seraphina’s methods in regions with looser regulations overseas. When the Smith Corporation was on the verge of bankruptcy, my father, Richard, remembered the old engagement. Julian, terrified of Seraphina’s revenge, threw a huge tantrum at home, forcing me to return from our hometown to take his place in the marriage. Businesspeople often have a touch of superstition, and my dad was especially prone to it. On the day Julian was born, my dad smoothly sealed a major contract that elevated the Smith Corporation to new heights. On the day I was born, a newly acquired project of his was exposed for severe issues, shrinking the Smith Corporation’s assets by nearly half. He firmly believed Julian brought him good fortune, while I cursed him. If my grandfather hadn’t fought with his last breath to protect me, I probably wouldn’t have survived back then. So, he publicly announced that I was frail and sent me abroad for treatment. But in reality, I was dumped in the countryside, where they found a lonely old man, Grandpa Charles, to raise me. Grandpa Charles, who raised me, felt sorry for me and took good care of me, but I still died in the prime of my youth.

Julian snapped out of it, softening his voice. “I’ve been a bit dizzy these past couple of days; I was afraid I’d spill the soup.” Seraphina watched him intently for a few moments. Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. I saw a flicker of panic in his eyes. Ha, how ironic. That night, when he plunged the knife into me, he struck swiftly and viciously, as if terrified I wouldn’t die. Julian, guilt-ridden, quickly changed his tone. “I’ll go to the kitchen and get it for you.” Seraphina turned away and walked into the dining room. “No need. If you’re not feeling well, get some extra rest.” I froze. In the two years we’d lived together, I’d never heard her say such a thing to me. Now that I was dead, I finally heard these rare words. It was strange, though. My constitution wasn’t particularly strong, but aside from when I first moved into Seraphina’s home, I rarely fell ill for a whole year. Having shared a bed for two years, I gathered my courage and floated close to her ear, calling her name. I wanted her to go to the Smith family and bring my body out. After Grandpa Charles passed away, there was no one left in the world for me to care about. Even though I died with resentment, I also felt exhausted by life. The freezer was too cold. My body always ran cold anyway, and I just wanted to find a sunny spot to rest. Besides, when I died, I heard them discussing how to dispose of my body, to get rid of it later. Just hearing it made me scared. If I didn’t have a whole body, I might as well have completely vanished in the first place. Even cremation would be better; at least it would preserve my last shred of dignity. Unfortunately, she showed no reaction. She even picked up her spoon and began to drink the soup. “I hear you’ve been out quite a lot recently?” My eyes lit up at the question. Besides the Smith family, I didn’t know anyone else in this city. On my wedding day, my parents had told me that if I didn’t want Grandpa Charles to be left uncared for, I had to do my best to please Seraphina. As long as the Smith Corporation was stable, Grandpa Charles’s life would never be disrupted. They also said that a son who left home was like spilled water; I shouldn’t bother coming back often. So, after I entered Seraphina’s house, apart from occasional walks or trips to the grocery store, I hardly interacted with the outside world. No wonder Seraphina found it odd. Julian obediently replied, “The temperature has been fluctuating a lot lately, morning and evening. My parents haven’t been feeling too well, so I went back to check on them.” Mentioning my parents, I was reminded of the scene when he tried to kill me. I struggled fiercely to defend myself. My mom, Eleanor, worried I might hurt Julian, rushed forward with my dad, Richard, and restrained me. In that moment, all strength suddenly left my body, and I let the sharp blade fall. Seraphina saw this but said nothing, only remarking blandly, “Staying at home can be stifling. It’s good to get out.” I felt a little disheartened. How could Seraphina, such a cautious and suspicious person, not notice anything amiss? And she even said things she had never said to me. On our wedding day, my parents had smiled ingratiatingly at Seraphina. They told Seraphina that my presence in her family was meant to atone for the Smith family’s sins. She could vent her anger however she pleased; I would endure any beating or scolding without complaint, and the Smith family would never interfere. Seraphina didn’t actually treat me as a punching bag, but she didn’t seem very keen on socializing. So, apart from our private moments, we didn’t interact much. After finishing the soup, they both returned to the bedroom. Julian watched Seraphina, who had finished washing up, and sat on the bed, looking expectant. Seraphina moved closer to him. Her phone rang. She hung up and began changing her clothes. I wasn’t surprised; she was probably heading to the office to deal with an urgent matter. A flicker of annoyance crossed Julian’s face, but he instantly replaced it with a gentle expression as Seraphina turned her head. “Your cologne is too strong. You were fine the way you were before.” Julian watched Seraphina turn and leave, then paused, quickly lifting his wrist and neck to sniff. He found he couldn’t smell anything at all.

Julian quickly called Martha, the butler, into the bedroom. “Martha, can you smell any cologne or other scents on me?” Martha leaned close to Julian’s neck and wrist, sniffing. “I don’t smell anything particular, sir. Just a fresh scent of shampoo on your hair.” Julian frowned, pacing the room a few steps, then asked, “When you used to take care of him, what did he smell like?” Martha thought for a moment. “He didn’t have any particular smell, I think. He wasn’t very particular about personal care products; he rarely used the things in the bathroom cabinet. He always seemed very clean, with hardly any scent.” Martha was someone my mother, Eleanor, had arranged to join Seraphina’s household six months ago. Eleanor claimed I didn’t know how to ‘manage a marriage,’ and Martha, supposedly skilled in handling domestic affairs, was there to ‘assist’ me. The shift in the Smith family’s attitude toward me had given me a fleeting, unrealistic hope. Even though Martha never truly helped me after she arrived. It still allowed me to hold onto a glimmer of fantasy about family affection. But later I learned that the moment Martha appeared before me, it was the first step in the Smith family’s plan to have Julian replace me. Martha’s arrival at Seraphina’s house was purely to observe my daily habits and secretly film videos for Julian to mimic me. Hearing Martha’s subtle jab at me, Julian’s lips curved into a smile. “Not only was he born poor, but he was also destined for a short life.” A hint of confusion crossed Martha’s face. “Short-lived?” Julian’s smile faltered, and he quickly rattled off the rehearsed story. “His health was always poor. That old man who raised him kept saying he needed to take him to see a doctor, always finding ways to get more money from my parents.” “Always asking for money! And that boy, so timid and always doing everything himself, made it inconvenient for me to even order the servants around.” I angrily rushed forward, but it was useless; I just passed right through his body. The Smith family only provided a meager allowance for the first few years; after that, there was nothing. Grandpa Charles raised me through his own frugality. They only remembered me when they needed someone to take the fall. Martha began to offer Julian advice. “Perhaps you could try using the shampoo from the master bathroom more often? It might be that the brand you used to prefer had a longer-lasting scent, and the smell hasn’t completely dissipated.” “Leo isn’t particular about such things; he just used whatever the house purchased. Naturally, he wouldn’t pay attention to these details like you do.” Julian pressed his lips together, grumbling impatiently, “I use it every day! How can there still be a residue? Fine, I’ll wash my hair again later.” Julian dismissed Martha, then made a phone call. “Madame Celeste, you’ve got Leo’s spirit confined, right?” I floated close to the phone, hearing the reply. “Rest assured, I’ve suppressed him with a binding ritual; he won’t even have a chance to cross over to the other side!” A binding ritual, huh? I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, floating around the room. I still didn’t know why I was tethered to Julian, but would a real medium be so obsequious? Her tone sounded more like she was terrified of losing a client.

Seraphina didn’t return for a few days. Julian waited until eight in the evening. Looking at the table full of dishes that I loved, I felt a pang of nostalgia. To say Seraphina and I had nothing in common wouldn’t be accurate. When it came to food, our preferences were surprisingly similar. Julian only ate some salad and a bit of roasted chicken before putting down his knife and fork. He was always very strict about his physique, and his appetite was probably only half of mine. He was not only particular about ingredients but also strictly controlled his dinner to be before six o’clock. Grandpa Charles said health was most important, but also to eat enough, so I never deliberately dieted. The chef’s vanilla-roasted lamb chops were divine! Just looking at them made my mouth water. Julian had no idea what he was missing. Seraphina also stopped eating, looking at Julian. “Not to your taste?” Julian offered a gentle smile. “I haven’t had much appetite lately.” Seraphina looked at him, and after a long moment, said, “Carlsen told me that while I was away, your appetite was much better than before. So, I come back, and suddenly you can’t eat?” Julian looked at Seraphina’s expressionless face, shaking his head repeatedly. “My appetite hasn’t been good for days. Maybe it’s the hot weather, I just don’t feel like eating.” Seraphina lowered her gaze, then said after a moment, “Dizzy and no appetite? I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow.” Julian instinctively wanted to refuse but finally agreed with a smile. I knew he thought that as long as it wasn’t a check for plastic surgery traces, he had nothing to fear. After all, only the three of them knew I was gone.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “321154”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring #校园School