I was in a psychiatric hospital, focused on the livestream of my brother’s wedding. Suddenly, a man, naked and covered in blood, burst into the ceremony and threw himself at my brother’s feet, slamming his head against the floor. “Abel, my brother! You’ve already ruined my face, you’ve shredded my clothes! I’m not a threat to you anymore. Please, I’m begging you, don’t have me locked up in an asylum. I’ll stay away from Isabella, I swear…” My brother’s bride, Isabella, erupted in fury. She ordered her guards to slap my brother across the face, again and again. “Callahan grew up as an outsider, always having to walk on eggshells. He’s the kindest soul I know. And you… you can’t even stand the sight of him?!” “It seems I’ve been far too lenient with you. Today, you will learn that the Vance family has no place for a vicious snake like you!” The wedding was brought to an abrupt halt. My brother was violently shoved into a car and sent to a remote monastery to “reflect and repent.” The next time I saw him, his face was a canvas of wounds, his chest was caved in, and all ten of his fingers were mangled. The vibrant young man who used to visit me, his eyes full of life, was gone forever. My face twisted into a mask of pure fury. I pressed a restraint strap against the hospital director’s throat and forced him to sign my discharge papers. Whoever touched my brother would die. 1. When I pushed open the door to our home, my mother was lying motionless on her bed. My brother was dead. My mother had gone to see Isabella. When Isabella heard the news of Abel’s death, she looked at my mother with utter disbelief. But Callahan, who was lounging beside her, suddenly smiled. He slowly pulled out his phone. “Abel is dead? How could that be?” His fingertip tapped the screen. “That’s strange. In the video they just sent me, he looks like he’s sleeping so peacefully.” In the video, my brother lay still, his long lashes casting dark shadows on his pale cheeks. It looked as if he could wake up at any moment. My mother, shaking with rage, lunged at Callahan. “My son is lying in a morgue, his body broken and bruised! He’s dead, and you’re the ones who killed him!” Isabella shot to her feet, her face a mask of contempt. “That’s enough! Is Abel so desperate for forgiveness that he’d drag his own mother into this pathetic act?” “You’re a family of actors, I’ll give you that. So convincing. But everything that comes out of your mouths is a lie!” Callahan leaned back into the leather sofa, a smirk playing on his lips. “Ma’am, you’re really embarrassing Abel with this little performance.” Isabella flicked a piece of lint from her sleeve and gestured to the guards at the door. “Throw her out.” My mother was thrown out. Both of her legs were broken. As I listened to her story, I reached out with a stone-cold expression and pulled back the white sheet covering my brother’s face. His features were marred by a crisscross of scars. His chest was concave, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles, like a butterfly with crushed wings. My mother sobbed behind me. “When Abel left… it must have hurt so much, didn’t it?” My name is Cain. Abel was my twin. He was bright and full of life from the moment he was born. I was the opposite: quiet, grim, with a chilling light in my eyes that made people uneasy. No one ever wanted to talk to me. They called me a monster, a freak. Only Abel would press his only piece of candy into my mouth, his eyes sparkling. “Is it sweet, brother?” I gently touched his cheek now. His eyes were sealed shut. He would never see me again. Years ago, the headmaster’s son took an interest in him. One day, a group of shadowy figures cornered my brother and dragged him into an alley. He ran, terrified, while I followed them silently. When Abel finally stumbled out of the alley, relieved that his pursuers had given up, he didn’t see me behind him, drenched in their blood. The moon was full that night. I didn’t go home. The headmaster’s entire family was found slaughtered. When the police arrived, they were stunned by the carnage. I was sitting in a pool of blood, smiling as I counted the candy wrappers my brother had given me. They said I was sick. They locked me away in the Blackwood Asylum. The windows in my room were always barred. Every time Abel visited, he would press his face against the cold iron, his eyes curving into crescents. “Cain! The cherry blossoms by the road are all in bloom today!” Even though I never spoke, he would chatter on, sharing every little joy with me. The last time I saw him, he was beaming. “Brother, I’m getting married.” “On the wedding day, I’ll have Mom livestream it for you. You can see how handsome I look as a groom!” I never imagined the wedding wouldn’t even finish before he was gone. I used a restraint strap to choke the director until he signed my release. The people who touched my brother… I will make them all die. After arranging Abel’s affairs, I had just walked through the door, holding his ashes, when the door was violently kicked open. Callahan teetered in on high heels, arm in arm with Isabella, a mocking sneer on his face. “Well, well, if it isn’t the late and great Mr. Abel.” Isabella’s gaze fell on the urn in my arms, and her expression flickered. But when she saw my face, her eyes instantly turned to ice. “Abel, have you no shame? Using such a disgusting trick to beg for sympathy?” Callahan wrapped his arm around Isabella’s waist and simpered, “Isabella only sent you to the monastery to reflect for a few days. But you… you not only injured the master, but now you’re back with some prop urn, trying to play the victim.” “Don’t tell me you’re planning to use this cheap box to trick Isabella into attending some fake funeral?” His hand shot out toward the urn. “Let me see what piece of trash you picked up from the dump.” I sidestepped, and he stumbled, nearly falling flat on his face. “Abel!” Isabella’s voice was sharp. “How long are you going to keep this up? Faking your death wasn’t enough, now you dare to push Callahan?” Callahan rubbed his ankle pathetically, but his eyes glinted with malice. “I know Abel is still mad at me for ruining his wedding… Isabella, don’t blame him. It’s all my fault…” Isabella’s face darkened. “Abel, apologize to Callahan. Now!” I stood there, expressionless, clutching my brother’s urn. My mother, from her wheelchair, rolled in front of me and screamed at them, “Get out! You are not welcome here!” Isabella, enraged, grabbed my wrist. “Is this the upbringing your family gave you?” “Since you refuse to repent, men! Seize him and take him back! He can return when he learns to behave!” I shook her hand off and let out a low, sinister laugh. “Fine.” I was just wondering how I would find my brother’s killers. And here they were, delivering themselves to me. Isabella was taken aback, clearly not expecting me to agree so easily. I gently placed my brother’s urn on the small memorial altar I had set up. I caressed his photo on the box. In the picture, his smile was so sweet. Just as sweet as when he used to press candy into my mouth. As I turned to leave, my mother grabbed my hand. “Cain!” she whispered, her eyes filled with a universe of reluctance. I patted her hand reassuringly. She let out a heavy sigh and finally let go. “Go.” I nodded and followed Isabella to the car without a backward glance. Callahan sat in the front passenger seat. The moment I closed the door, he whined, “Isabella, I think I got something in my eye~” Isabella immediately leaned over to blow on his eye, their noses almost touching, their breath mingling in the small space. They had completely forgotten I was in the back. Afterward, Callahan shot me a triumphant look over the seat. I sat perfectly still, my eyes downcast, as if I hadn’t noticed a thing. The car sped along the winding mountain road, getting closer and closer to the monastery. The bloodlust in my veins began to sing. These were the ones. The ones who killed my brother. The radio suddenly crackled to life. “Emergency broadcast: A patient classified as extremely dangerous has escaped from Blackwood Asylum. All citizens are advised to remain vigilant…” I looked at the two in the front, completely oblivious. A silent smile stretched my lips. After dropping me at the monastery, Isabella drove off without a second thought, completely missing the look of sheer terror in the master’s eyes. The heavy gate slammed shut with a deafening CLANG. A group of men, cigarettes dangling from their lips, surrounded me, their faces twisted into nauseating grins. “Well, look what we have here. Missed us, pretty boy?” “You didn’t have enough fun last time, did you? Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you’re satisfied this time!” “What are you waiting for? Get to it, boys. The usual way!” I kept my head down, listening as their heavy breathing grew closer, every muscle in my body coiling tight. Seeing that I wasn’t moving, the leader sneered and pulled out a long whip. “Worthless piece of trash! You only listen when we beat you to a pulp, is that it?” The whip cut through the air, but I caught the end of it in my hand. He froze for a second, then his face contorted with rage. “You dare to fight back? I’m going to have some real fun with you today!” Before he could finish his vile curses, I yanked the whip. He stumbled forward, and I met him with a dozen slaps, my hand a blur. CRACK. CRACK. CRACK. CRACK… The sharp sounds echoed in the courtyard. The others were still laughing. “What’s wrong, Tommy? Can’t handle one pretty boy?” Their laughter died when Tommy turned his head, now swollen like a pig’s, and spat out a mouthful of blood and broken teeth. The courtyard fell dead silent. The master suddenly screamed, “Abel is dead! He’s supposed to be dead!” The men froze, their eyes darting down to my feet. In the sunlight, my shadow was stark and clear. “Shit, he’s alive!” the leader spat, his eyes turning vicious again. “Who cares who he is? What’s one scrawny little punk going to do?” They closed in, their knuckles cracking, their sneers returning. I kept my head bowed, but my lips curled upward uncontrollably. Of course, they didn’t know. I was born with unnatural strength. How else could I have slaughtered the headmaster’s entire family? My blood runs thick with violence. If it weren’t for my brother, why would I have ever restrained myself? Now, finally, I don’t have to hold back anymore. The screams lasted for three days. The beauty of this remote monastery was that any sound, no matter how loud, was like a stone dropped into a deep well—gone in an instant. When Isabella came to pick me up, the entire monastery had been reduced to scorched earth. I was huddled by a ruined wall, my clothes in tatters, my face smeared with ash, my fingernails caked with dried blood. “Disgusting,” she muttered, tossing a coat at me. As Callahan passed by, he whispered viciously in my ear, “Too bad you didn’t burn to death.” I kept my head down, trembling in the back seat of the car. The cuffs of my sleeves were stained with the dried blood of those men. It was so amusing, the way they begged for mercy on their knees. Especially when I took the wooden mallet and, inch by inch, smashed the rotting flesh between their legs. They were men of reflection, after all. They needed to be purified. How wonderful. Now every one of their bones was as beautifully broken as my brother’s. Remembering their agonized wails as the fire consumed them, I smiled to myself. When we finally got home, I was about to step inside when Callahan blocked the doorway with his foot. “Abel, you’re filthy. You should probably clean up in the yard before you come in.” “The hose in the backyard still works. I’ll have someone help you.” He feigned a gentle, caring tone, but a flicker of cruelty crossed his eyes. It was the dead of winter. The water in the yard would be ice cold. A shower like that would make me sick for days. I turned to look at Isabella, but she was already walking away. “Get yourself clean before you step inside this house.” The door slammed shut, locking me outside. I squatted in front of the rusty spigot as three bodyguards surrounded me. They were the same men who had slapped my brother at the wedding. They pulled out a fire hose. “No hard feelings, Mr. Abel.” The leader licked his lips as he deliberately aimed the powerful jet of water down my collar. “Miss Vance’s orders. We have to make sure every last crevice is spotless.” Through a gap in the second-floor curtains, I could see Callahan’s silhouette. When Isabella’s figure approached, he quickly closed the curtain and disappeared. I wiped the freezing water from my eyes and gave them a slow, chilling smile. A moment later, the high-pressure hose was shoved into their mouths. When I walked into the house, spotless, there were three new “fountain sculptures” in the yard, swollen and bloated like waterlogged pigs. Isabella frowned, wrapping a towel around my dripping hair with a surprisingly gentle touch. “What took you so long?” “I only told you to rinse your feet.” She pushed a bowl of steaming chicken soup toward me. “I had the kitchen make this especially for you. Go change, then come down and have it while it’s hot.” “Mm,” I grunted, a rare response, and went to change. When I returned, Callahan’s eyes were filled with jealousy. He eagerly brought the soup to me. But before I could take it, the entire bowl of scalding soup was poured onto my body. “Ah!” Callahan cried out in pain. “Abel! I was just trying to be nice, and you deliberately knocked it over to burn me!” “I know you can’t stand me! Isabella, I’ll leave right now! I won’t get in your way ever again!” Isabella rushed over, cradling his uninjured hand, her face filled with anguish. She didn’t even notice the massive red welt on my own hand. She spun around and snapped at me. “Abel, apologize to Callahan!” A sharp pain lanced through my chest. Is this how they treated my brother? His pure heart, wasted on these dogs. I lunged for the front hall. With a click, I deadbolted the villa’s main door. Isabella roared, “Abel, what do you think you’re doing? Have you forgotten every lesson you were taught?” “Apologize to Callahan now!” My face was dark, my eyes bloodshot as I slowly advanced on them. Suddenly, Callahan, still nestled in her arms, stared past me in horror. He pointed a trembling finger at the wall-mounted television, too shocked to speak. “You… you’re…” I raised a finger to my lips and whispered, “Shhh. The show is just beginning.”

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My girlfriend landed an offer from a Fortune 500 company. I jokingly told her that my mountains of debt made me unworthy of her brilliant future. She nodded and immediately broke up with me. Before I could explain, she had deleted and blocked me. But… I said I had mansions of debt! As in, a mountain of sprawling, luxurious estates! 1. Scrolling through my social media feed, I saw a photo my girlfriend, Clara, had posted. It was an internship offer from a publicly traded company. It was just a branch office, but the prospects were incredible. Her caption read: “Internship ready.” The comments were a chorus of praise and congratulations: “Wow, Clara, you’re a rockstar!” “Are you even sleeping at night? Your future is so bright!” “OMG, Clara, you’re too good for your boyfriend now!!!” My thumb froze on the screen. A knot formed in my stomach. I was her boyfriend, yet I was finding out this huge news from a social media post, just like everyone else. She had been so busy with her job search lately. Whenever I asked, she’d brush me off with an irritated, “Don’t bother me, I have my own pace.” “It’s a secret right now.” “I’m not telling you.” I tried to be understanding, to respect her process, and swallowed all my questions. But the more I thought about it, the worse I felt. Maybe… maybe she wanted me to ask her directly? With that thought, I immediately texted her. “Babe, you got the offer? My girl is amazing!” “You can finally relax. How about I treat you to a celebratory dinner tomorrow? Your choice of place.” 2. I sent the text, but my phone remained silent. I refreshed her feed and saw she had replied to several other comments. “Thanks, girl!” “Love you~” The replies were warm and enthusiastic. Half an hour later, Clara finally texted back. Two cold, dismissive words: “No thanks.” I stared at the screen, confused, and sent a question mark. “?” “Bad mood? Want me to come pick you up?” The message went unanswered, sinking into a digital void. My thesis advisor was hounding me for revisions, so I put my phone away and tried not to overthink it. By the time I picked it up again, it was eight o’clock. The chat window was unchanged—no reply. The unease in my stomach grew, a tiny flame of anxiety licking at my insides. I waited another thirty minutes, clutching my phone, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. How could someone be so persistent in the face of such coldness? I couldn’t take it anymore. I typed furiously, my frustration seeping into the words: “Oh, you got the offer? Congrats.” “Funny how I had to find out about something this big along with the rest of your followers.” The next second, my phone rang. It was Clara. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm. “You finally—” My words were cut off by a deafening roar of noise from her end. The clinking of glasses, the raucous laughter of men and women, someone shouting what might have been a song. “Clara,” I said, my voice dropping. “Where are you? Why is it so loud?” I could hear her faint breathing, and then, the piercing sound of someone egging her on. “Clara, what are you waiting for? Just say it!” “Yeah, is he really going to stop you from moving on to bigger and better things?” “If you don’t say it, we’ll say it for you!” It was the voices of her so-called best friends. My heart sank. So, her coldness all day… it wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was intentional. She finally spoke, her tone icy. “Liam, if I remember correctly—you told me your family has ‘mountains of debt,’ right?” 3. I remembered. One tipsy evening a month ago, I had my arm around her and said, half-joking, “My family… we have mansions of debt.” My words had been slurred. She must have misheard “mansions” as “mountains.” But three years… three years of love and commitment… was all of that erased by a single drunken misunderstanding? A strange impulse took hold of me. I wanted to test her. I decided to play along. “That’s right. My family has mountains of debt. I’m not good enough for your brilliant future. But…” A sharp, undisguised scoff came from the other end. “Yeah,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I think so too. Let’s break up.” “My friends are right. We were never a good match.” “You’re not on my level. Look at you. It’s almost May, and you haven’t even finished your thesis. I already have an offer. We’re on different wavelengths, and the gap is only going to get wider.” “Don’t make this pathetic by clinging.” Before I could say another word, she hung up. I tried calling back—the line was busy. She had blocked me. So, that was it? I’d been dumped, just like that, off the edge of a cliff? But what I had said was… mansions of debt. As in, a mountain of sprawling, luxurious estates. In three years, I had never let her spend a single penny. How could she possibly think I was poor? And the thesis… I hadn’t finished it because I had chosen the most difficult topic, a challenge I relished. I preferred to take my time and do it right. How could she have misunderstood me so completely? Three years, and she had never truly known me at all. 4. After the breakup, I felt like I was suffocating. I called my best friend, Ben, and we went out for a drink. I told him the whole story. He covered his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. “Seriously, Liam. You are the most low-key rich kid I have ever met.” I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. “As long as I’m comfortable, what’s the point of brand names?” Ben clapped me on the shoulder. “Getting dumped sucks, man. But dodging a gold digger? That’s a win. Just wait. When she finds out who you really are, she’s going to regret this so hard.” I gave him a wry smile. “She blocked me. How is she ever going to find out?” “Did you even look at her offer letter?” Ben raised an eyebrow. “The company she’s interning at? It’s a subsidiary of your family’s corporation.” I blinked, the realization dawning on me. “No wonder the name sounded familiar.” Ben roared with laughter. “I get it. So many companies under the family umbrella, you can’t even keep track, right?” I didn’t answer, just tilted my head back and downed my drink. Three years of my life, traded for a brutal, sudden breakup. The irony was laughable. Through a drunken haze, my phone buzzed. I squinted at the notification and froze. It was from Clara’s best friend, Jessica. “Liam, are you okay?” I frowned and sent a question mark. She immediately sent a screenshot of Clara’s latest post: a perfectly curated selfie with the caption, “Hello, freedom. Hello, future.” When I didn’t reply, Jessica sent a voice message. I pressed play. Her voice was saccharine sweet. “Clara is just so impulsive… Did you two really break up? Did she block you? If you want to say anything to her, I can pass along the message for you~” She even followed it up with a cute cat emoji. I stared at the screen and sneered. Jessica was the biggest pot-stirrer of the group. Her voice was the loudest on the phone call, cheering Clara on. Did she really think I wouldn’t recognize it just because she was putting on a sweet act? I replied with three words: “Don’t need it.” Then, I blocked her. Now that I saw Clara for who she really was, there was no reason to have any contact with the fake people she surrounded herself with. I didn’t give it another thought. 5. Occasionally, thoughts of Clara would still surface. But my thesis defense was looming. My days were a blur of research, experiments, and my advisor’s feedback. When you’re running on fumes, there’s not much energy left for heartbreak. Before I knew it, it was June. The campus was filled with graduating seniors in caps and gowns, most of whom had their futures figured out. My dorm mates were heading off to tech giants or studying abroad. Compared to them, I was a step behind. But I wasn’t worried. I gave my older brother a call. He laughed on the other end. “So? Are you going to start your own business, or are you coming back to take over the company?” “The family business is fine with you at the helm,” I said, testing the waters. “I want to try starting something on my own.” “That’s great,” he said warmly. “But you can’t just build a business on paper. How about this: there’s a subsidiary that’s been underperforming for a few years. Go there, work as an intern in the tech department. Start from the bottom, and see if you can figure out what the problem is.” I had been looking for direction, and this was the perfect opportunity to gain experience and help my brother out. I agreed immediately. I just never expected fate to have such a twisted sense of humor. The subsidiary was, of course, the same one where Clara was interning. She was in marketing. I was in tech. 6. On my first day, I got a taste of the intern life. The department manager dumped all the tedious, grunt work on me. From organizing spreadsheets to proofreading data, I was so busy I barely had time to breathe. Fortunately, the work wasn’t difficult for me. What was strange, though, was that the other new intern, Evan, had it easy. He had a light workload, and the manager was constantly checking in on him, asking if he needed anything. Was Evan the manager’s nephew or something? It wasn’t until I overheard a conversation in the breakroom that I understood. “Did you hear? The CEO’s son is interning here!” “Really? Which department? He’s so low-key…” “Wow, if I could catch his eye, I’d be set for life.” I took a sip of my coffee and unconsciously touched my nose. The CEO’s son might be rich, but he wasn’t stupid. What were these people thinking? Then, I thought of the ex-girlfriend who had dumped me for being “poor,” and I couldn’t help but shake my head. Just as I was about to leave, I heard them continue. “But a rich kid would be wearing designer clothes, right? None of the new interns are dressed like that. The most expensive thing I’ve seen is on Liam, that thousand-dollar shirt of his—but he wears the same one every day.” I glanced down at my shirt and had to laugh. I just happened to love the cut and feel of this particular brand, so I had bought the entire collection. Another voice immediately shot back, “It’s definitely not him! It has to be Evan—he has the same last name as the CEO! None of the other new interns are named Vance.” The coffee cup in my hand stilled. Suddenly, it all made sense. No wonder the manager was fawning over Evan. I narrowed my eyes. Being mistaken for someone else wasn’t so bad. It was the perfect opportunity to see just how many opportunistic, shallow people were hiding in this company. 7. That night, exhausted, I collapsed onto my king-sized bed. My phone vibrated with a friend request. Without looking closely, I assumed it was a coworker and accepted. The moment I did, a string of messages flooded in: “Liam! Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only adding you because I have something important to discuss.” The familiar tone made me grimace. “Clara?” She replied instantly: “It’s been a month, and you’re still not over me? I know I’m irresistible.” “But let me be clear. Don’t think you can win me back just by following me to this company. You look pathetic when you’re this desperate. We are never, ever getting back together.” I stared at the screen, speechless. I had never realized how narcissistic she was. If she hadn’t changed her profile picture and username, I would have never accepted the request. I couldn’t resist sending a sarcastic emoji. “Relax, I have zero interest in getting back together. As for being at the same company—pure coincidence.” Clara: “It better be.” “If there’s nothing else, let’s just delete each other.” I had no desire to drag this out. In my opinion, a good ex is a dead ex. But Clara quickly typed back: “Wait!” “I need to ask you about someone—the new guy at the desk next to you, Evan. Do you know him well?” I finally understood. The only reason she had contacted me was to get information about Evan. “So, you only added me to ask about him?” She seemed flustered, sending an angry emoji. “What’s wrong with that? We have a work project together. Can’t I ask a simple question?” I almost laughed out loud. What kind of important work project could two interns possibly have together? Not wanting to waste another word, I blocked her. 8. The following days were a blur of work. The manager started assigning me Evan’s tasks as well, under the guise of “giving the new guy more experience.” Meanwhile, the supposed “prince” of the company spent his days scrolling through his phone and accepting gifts. Many of the young female employees tried to get his attention. “Evan, I bought too much coffee. You can have this one!” “Evan, you don’t drive? You take the subway? Me too! I love the subway! We should ride together after work!” “Evan, there’s a new Japanese restaurant that just opened. Want to go after work?” Among the crowd of admirers, I spotted Clara. She was clearly dressed to impress. The click-clack of her heels grew closer, pausing for a moment beside my desk. The familiar scent of her rose-scented shampoo—her favorite—wafted over. She didn’t even glance at me. The moment she saw Evan, her face broke into a dazzling smile, her eyes curving into gentle crescents. “Evan, there’s a new movie out this weekend. I have an extra ticket. Want to go?” Clara was beautiful. Especially among the other young women, she seemed to glow. Evan’s eyes lit up, and he agreed without a second thought. Clara tossed her hair and walked away, her heels clicking on the floor. She never looked at me once. Watching her leave, I was suddenly reminded of the first time I saw her. It was at the university’s welcome gala. She was on stage, dancing in a faded cotton dress. The spotlight hit her, and she shone like a swan. No fancy makeup, no beautiful dress.

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1 After returning from my studies abroad, I went to my father’s company without telling him, wanting to give him a surprise. But on my first day, I found the entire office fawning over an intern, calling her “the Princess.” I froze, asking my new colleagues to confirm what I was seeing. They all said the girl, Pearl Shen, was my father’s acknowledged daughter. But I’m an only child. I’ve never had a sister! I sent a text to my father, a cold smile on my face. 【Dad, I was thinking, after I graduate, I’ll come intern at our company.】 As always, he replied in seconds. 【My precious daughter doesn’t need to work. Once you graduate, just stay abroad and enjoy yourself. The money I make is enough for you to live lavishly for the rest of your life!】 I locked my phone and immediately contacted my lawyer. 【Please get the divorce proceedings started for my mother.】 … The employees crowded around Pearl, their compliments flowing endlessly. I pushed my way through the throng. The moment she saw my face, the middle-aged woman standing protectively beside Pearl went pale. “Ahem, everyone get back to your desks! What does it look like, chatting during work hours!” The smiles vanished from the employees’ faces as they scattered like mice, muttering under their breath. “I thought we’d get a break with the Princess here, but why’s the boss’s wife on a warpath again?” Hearing them call another woman “the boss’s wife” sent a fresh wave of fury through me. My mother had no interest in the business, and I lived abroad. It seemed that in our absence, a new mistress had taken over the Shen household. Pearl looked annoyed. “Mom, I thought you were going to help me build my image so I could take over the company sooner. I wasn’t done showing off.” I laughed. “You want to take over my company?” Pearl shot me a venomous glare. “Obviously, this is my dad’s—” Before she could finish, the “boss’s wife” shoved her aside. “Shut your mouth and get back to work!” Then, the woman lowered her head, looking at me as if I were a ticking bomb, and forced a few words through her teeth. “We can talk about this outside.” Seeing the sweat beading on her forehead, I casually pulled out a chair and crossed my legs. “Why should we go outside? Is it because you know you’ve done something that can’t see the light of day?” The woman gasped, looking like she was about to faint. Her voice was pleading. “This… this is the office!” She reached out, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the office, away from the prying eyes. As she did, I got a clear look at the name tag on her chest. 【Rose Qin, Secretary to the General Manager】 Rose dragged me into an empty hallway and finally let out a long breath. “You must be Mr. Shen’s daughter, Cecilia. I’ve heard so much about you.” “I know I overstepped,” she began, her eyes welling up. “I was just worried my daughter would be bullied during her internship, so I let her pretend to be Mr. Shen’s daughter. Please, I’m begging you, don’t say anything. Let an old employee like me keep some dignity.” She looked so pitiful, like a desperate mother doing anything for her child. Too bad I didn’t believe a single word. Because hanging around her neck was the exact necklace I had sent to my mother not long ago. I hooked a finger under the deep, lustrous imperial jade, my eyes glinting with mockery. “It seems you’ve overstepped in more ways than one, Ms. Qin.” My mother was a princess who had been coddled with love her whole life. She cared nothing for business, only for her jewelry collection. This piece was something I had won at a high-stakes auction, and I had specifically asked my father to fly it back to her personally. My father had promised to deliver it to her, safe and sound. It seemed my leech of a father had long forgotten who my real mother was. I tightened my grip, the cord of the necklace digging a red line into Rose’s neck. Tears instantly streamed down her cheeks, making her look even more fragile. “Miss Shen, you must have misunderstood. I’m just a poor mother trying to do what’s best for my daughter.” I sneered and suddenly yanked harder. The cord snapped. Rose cried out in pain and stumbled to the floor. I didn’t spare her another glance. I contacted my lawyer. 【Get the divorce proceedings started for my mother.】 【You heard me. I’m making the decision.】 … I went home with the lawyer, who had rushed to meet me, and slapped the divorce papers down in front of my mother. She was completely bewildered. “Cecilia, are you insane? Your father and I have a wonderful relationship. Why would we get a divorce?” “Did your father cut your allowance? My sweet girl, don’t throw a tantrum. Here, take my card.” As my mother pushed her black card toward me, my lips trembled, and tears welled up in my eyes. My mother’s family had once been the wealthiest in New York. She grew up in a bubble, shielded from the ugliness of the world. How could I be the one to tell her about the disgusting things my father had done? Seeing me cry, she rushed to comfort me. As she bent over, a fake jade pendant slipped out from under her blouse. She saw me staring and gave me a reassuring smile, quickly tucking it away. “Your father said you picked this out especially for me. I love it so much, I wear it all the time.” In that moment, everything became clear. My mother has seen every treasure under the sun; how could she not recognize a fake? She must have known my father had swapped the gift, but thought I had been scammed, so she wore it happily to protect my feelings. The image of Rose flaunting the real necklace flashed in my mind. I didn’t hesitate any longer. “Mom, Dad’s having an affair.” “And not only that, his daughter is a year older than me.” The color drained from my mother’s face. Her eyes filled with tears. “Cecilia, do you have any idea what you’re saying?” I steeled myself and laid out a stack of photos. My mother picked up the first one. When she saw the brilliant necklace around Rose’s neck, her body went rigid. She looked at me, her face pale, before continuing. As she picked up the second photo, I sighed. “The girl in the picture, that’s their daughter, Pearl.” “If I hadn’t gone to the company today without telling you, I would have never known that there was already a new ‘Mrs. Shen’ and a ‘Princess’ in charge.” Tears streamed down her face as she reached for another photo. I gritted my teeth. “That’s a company share transfer agreement. The shares you trusted Dad with, the ones you gave him to manage, he handed them all over to his mistress and his illegitimate child.” My mother froze, her eyes scanning the document. The next page was a university acceptance letter. Seeing the name of the medical school, a flicker of realization crossed her face. The crying stopped, replaced by a grave expression. I gave a bitter laugh. “That’s right. I failed my college entrance exams and had to study abroad.” “But I did some digging today. It turns out I didn’t fail. It was James—that ungrateful leech—who swapped my scores with Pearl’s.” At my words, the sadness on my mother’s face hardened into a cold fury. She slammed her hand on the table. “That bastard! How dare he hurt my daughter!” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I had gambled correctly. At her age, my mother could forgive many things, but I would not tolerate having a backstabbing parasite for a father. If it was just about the affair, she might have hesitated. But learning he had stolen my future? That was unforgivable. I gently wiped away her tears. “What’s past is past. What matters is now.” “Mom, you inherited a multi-billion-dollar fortune from Grandpa, including several public companies. I suspect that while you’ve been hands-off, Dad has seized control of everything. That’s why he’s so brazenly bringing his mistress into the company.” I expected her to be anxious, but she just smiled knowingly. “Don’t worry, darling. The prenup is iron-clad. Everything I own, James was only managing. The moment we divorce, he has to give it all back.” “In that case,” I said, my voice turning to ice, “let’s make sure that unfaithful bastard loses everything and is ruined for life.” Just then, my phone buzzed incessantly. I realized the employee notification group I had muted was blowing up with 999+ messages. 【To celebrate the Princess’s successful onboarding and the company’s upcoming IPO, a grand banquet will be held at The Zenith Club! All employees and their families are cordially invited!】 【The boss is so generous! I heard the minimum spend there is two grand a person!】 【It’s all thanks to the Princess! Long live the Princess!】 Pearl herself made an appearance, dropping a dozen large cash-filled “red packets” into the chat. The compliments and fawning intensified. I watched the celebration with a cold smile. Just when I was wondering what to do next, James had the audacity to throw his illegitimate daughter an IPO welcoming party. Perfect. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I found James’s contact and sent him a message. 【Dad, I’m flying home today. Could you and Mom pick me up from the airport?】 He replied instantly. 【What are you doing back now?】 【I mean, is my baby girl homesick?】 【I’ll tell your mother right away and book her a flight to come see you. I’ll come visit after I finish up some things here. Be good, do some traveling, and take lots of pretty pictures for Daddy to show Mom, okay?】 I raised an eyebrow and showed the phone to my mother. She needed to see his true colors. She had already recovered from her initial shock and was now sitting at her vanity, picking up a custom-made makeup brush. She beckoned to me. “Come. Let’s get you ready.” “We’re going to pay a visit to your father… and his other family.” … The Zenith Club was buzzing with energy. At the entrance, a staff member stopped my mother and me. “Ladies, please step this way for a security check.” A security check for dinner? My mother and I exchanged a look of disbelief. Seeing our expressions, the staffer smiled. “Apologies, but this event is not only for the company’s IPO, but it’s also a welcoming party for the boss’s own daughter.” “Mr. Shen adores his daughter, Pearl. For her safety, everyone entering the restaurant must go through security.” My mother and I rolled our eyes in unison. The staffer saw our disdain and sniffed. “What’s with that look? Everyone at Shen Corp knows Mr. Shen has doted on his precious daughter since she was a baby. He even braided her hair and picked out her clothes himself!” My smile froze. When I was a baby and my mother was away, James had left me unattended in the bathtub. A maid found me unconscious, having nearly drowned. He promised to take me to the park but left me locked in a hot car in the middle of summer. A passerby had to call the police to get me out. He took me hiking, I fell down a ravine, and he went home without even noticing I was gone until my mother asked where I was. I used to tell myself he was just focused on work. But I was wrong. He wasn’t incapable of love. He just never loved me. My mother, sensing my distress, pulled me away, only for us to run into a group of people fawning over Rose. She was showing off a jade bracelet James had personally flown abroad to bid on for her. “My James knows I love these things. He spent eight million on it for me. He’s so thoughtful.” My mother raised a hand to her own bare neck, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. “Don’t be sad, Cecilia. He loves taking care of people and buying them jewelry, doesn’t he?” “Today, I’m taking back everything I ever gave him. And I’m going to watch that ungrateful wolf meet his end.” I took my mother’s hand, and we found a quiet corner to wait. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a video call from James, who never, ever initiated contact. My heart leaped into my throat. I almost dropped my phone. Then I realized—I had just seen Rose. After I left, James must have been busy with the party preparations and hadn’t spoken to her yet. Now that everything was ready, she must have told him about our encounter. He suspected something was wrong. This was an interrogation. I looked at my mother for help, but she was perfectly calm. She simply smiled. “Follow me.” She led me through a winding corridor and, to my surprise, into a wine cellar. Pointing to the walls of wine and the foreign staff milling about, she said, “I thought this might happen, so I had some of my international staff wait nearby. Answer it. With James’s limited worldview, he won’t know the difference.” I let out a breath and answered the call. James’s greasy face filled the screen. “Sweetheart, where are you?” I held up the phone and did a 360-degree spin. “Wine tasting with some classmates. The signal isn’t great. What’s up?” I held the pose, pretending the video was frozen. On the other end, James frowned, scrutinizing every detail, before finally sighing in relief. I heard him mutter to someone off-screen. “I told you she was still abroad. Cecilia is such a mama’s girl; she would have told her mother immediately. There’s no way she came back without saying anything.” “Stop worrying and go get changed!” I was about to explode. The sheer audacity of this man, calling his real daughter to verify a lie for his mistress. My mother, having heard enough, ended the call and hurried me back to the banquet hall. By the time we returned, the party had already started. After a stunning fireworks display, a dapper James walked onto the stage, holding a beautifully dressed Pearl by the hand. To thunderous applause, they shared a heartfelt hug. James looked at Pearl as if she were a precious jewel. “My daughter, Pearl. Her name says it all. She is the pearl of my eye.” “Today, here, in front of all our dear partners and loyal employees, I am officially introducing the pearl of my eye to you all!” “As you know, the pharmaceutical company under my name is about to go public. And my daughter is a brilliant graduate from a top medical university. I hereby announce that I am gifting this company to my daughter, Pearl, as a symbol of my love and devotion. I hope that under my protection, her future will always be a path of ease and success!” The entire audience was moved by his passionate display of fatherly love, erupting in wild applause. After the applause died down, I slipped through the crowd, leaped onto the stage, snatched the microphone, and smiled at James. “Dad, before you give my mother’s company to your illegitimate daughter, shouldn’t you ask for my opinion?”

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The call came out of nowhere, a voice from ten years ago. On the line, a boy’s voice, cocky and untamed, but buzzing with excitement. “Viv, ten years from now, do we have a boy or a girl?” My own voice was calm. “You’ll have a son.” He clicked his tongue, then his tone dropped into a playful whine. “My dearest Viv, you can’t love him more than you love me.” Across from me, a man in a tailored suit took a drag from his cigarette. His voice was flat. “Honey, Clara’s going into labor.” He slid a stack of papers across the polished mahogany table. “Sign them. It’s time you did some soul-searching.” I signed the divorce papers while replying to the boy on the phone. “Don’t worry. I’ll never love another woman’s son. Or her husband.” 1. The boy on the phone went silent. For a few seconds, there was nothing. Then, a raw shout exploded through the speaker. “Shit, what the hell?!” But I wasn’t listening anymore. I hung up. Then, stroke by stroke, I carefully wrote out my name: Vivian Hale. Tim Vance turned around. The years had chiseled away the wildness in his handsome features, replacing it with a cool, mature reserve. He glanced at the signature on the divorce agreement, the hand holding his cigarette freezing for a fraction of a second. After a moment, his voice, laced with sarcasm, cut through the silence. “So decisive, honey?” I put down the pen, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. “Let’s just end it. There’s no point in dragging this out anymore.” Tim’s expression flickered as he tried to gauge if I was serious. Just then, my phone began to buzz violently on the table, a relentless incoming call. He let out a short, sharp laugh, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “Are you that pathetic, honey?” he sneered. “Still desperate to hear my voice from back then? This scammer, pretending to be me in high school… he must be getting a nice payday out of you, huh?” I flinched. I knew that look—that infuriating, triumphant smirk he used to provoke me. And it always worked. In the past, I’d lose it, make a scene, turn into the hysterical madwoman he seemed to expect. But why? Wasn’t this divorce what he wanted? “Yeah, you’re right,” I said, too tired to fight, too tired to even think. I pushed his hand away and calmly switched my phone off. Tim’s smile faltered, just for a moment. He stubbed out his cigarette, his voice dropping to an icy warning. “It better be. Don’t let me find out you’re pulling something, Viv. You know what I’m capable of.” I dug my nails into my palm, welcoming the sharp sting of pain before I let go. Oh, I knew exactly what he was capable of. Last week, I publicly humiliated Clara at the office, announcing to everyone that the baby in her belly was Tim’s. The very next day, I was “asked” to resign and take a leave of absence. Years of hard work, of building my career, all vanished because of one tearful tantrum from his mistress. That was Tim’s punishment. I took a deep breath and watched his retreating back as he strode out of the room. He was walking so fast. He didn’t even give me a chance to tell him. Don’t call me “honey” anymore. 2. Ten years ago, I would have never believed it. That the person who would tear my life with Tim to shreds would be Clara Ross. In high school, I was the radiant swan everyone admired. And Clara? She was the school’s resident ugly duckling. Poor, plain, and hopelessly chasing after Tim Vance with a foolish, desperate passion. Just as relentlessly as Tim was chasing after me. The difference was, I eventually said yes to Tim. Clara never even got a second glance from him. That changed a year ago. Tim took me to a corporate gala. I saw her there—Clara, draped in a stunning red dress, radiating a confidence that was completely new. I also saw Tim’s throat bob, saw the flash of raw admiration in his eyes. It was so fleeting I almost missed it. But I remembered it vividly when, months later, Clara triumphantly slapped a positive pregnancy test onto my desk. Only then did I realize who the “other woman” was, the one who had turned my marriage into a battlefield. Clara stood before me like a victorious general, gloating over her conquest. “Vivian, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for years,” she’d said, a smug smile on her face. “You never really thought you were all that special, did you?” Back in high school, Tim would wrap his arms around me and joke that my fiery temper was a product of him spoiling me rotten. But that day, after Clara’s taunts sent me into a blind rage and I shoved her to the ground, his face went cold. His voice was laced with a contempt I’d never heard before. “You should take a good look at yourself in the mirror right now, honey,” he’d snarled. “Bullying a pregnant woman. Does that make you feel powerful?” 3. That fight with Tim was apocalyptic. I fell apart, consumed by a desire to destroy him, but I could never bring myself to do it. He tried to smooth things over, of course. He’d hold me, whisper promises that once the baby was born, everything would go back to the way it was. But I hated him. I hated him for betraying me, for turning our perfect, storybook romance into a cheap joke. And I hated myself even more for not being able to let him go. So we tortured each other, becoming the bitter, warring couple everyone whispered about. Things hit a new low when Clara sent me a video of her and Tim in bed. Shaking with rage, I confronted him, and it escalated into the worst fight we’d ever had. I smashed everything in the house I could get my hands on, screamed the most vile things I could think of, and even threatened to leak the video online, to ruin him completely. But Tim just sat there on the sofa, calmly smoking, a lazy, confident smile on his face. He extinguished my fury with a single question. “So what if I’m openly keeping a mistress? So what if I knocked her up, and there’s a sex tape floating around?” he asked, blowing a smoke ring. “Are you really going to leave me, honey?” I froze, an icy dread creeping through my veins, as if someone had dumped a bucket of freezing water over me in the dead of winter. All I could do was stand there and tremble. Tim laughed, his eyes full of pity and scorn. “Pathetic.” After that, he knew he had me. He bought Clara a penthouse, flew with her to Switzerland for prenatal checkups. When they found out it was a boy, he threw a lavish party to celebrate, months before the due date. He made sure the entire world knew he didn’t love me anymore. He turned me into a punchline, a cautionary tale whispered at cocktail parties. Sometimes, watching them together, so open and blissfully in love, a sliver of doubt would creep in. Maybe I was the one who should just walk away. But I couldn’t. I was too proud, too stubborn. So I stayed, rattling around in our empty mansion, slowly turning into a paranoid, obsessive mess. I just couldn’t let go. Not until the day I stumbled upon a video of an interview at our old high school. 4. Tim had taken a very pregnant Clara back to our alma mater for a donation ceremony. In the video, he was wearing a simple black windbreaker, his hair unstyled for once. He stood under the shade of a poplar tree, a faint, easy smile on his lips. For a dizzying moment, I saw the boy he used to be—the one with the cocky slouch who waited for me after class every day. Then I blinked, and the illusion shattered. I saw him gently stroking Clara’s swollen belly. A reporter asked them about their relationship. They exchanged a look, a perfect picture of domestic bliss. My eyes started to burn. I wanted to turn it off, but then I heard the reporter’s next question. “What is your biggest regret from your high school days?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Tim looked directly at Clara, his voice soft and full of meaning. “Probably that I was blind back then,” he said. “That I didn’t fall for her sooner.” He squeezed her hand. “I just hope the universe gives me a second chance. This time, let it be my turn to chase you.” Clara playfully swatted his shoulder, a shy, happy blush on her cheeks. The reporter gasped with delight. The students around them cheered. And I just stood there, frozen. The world went silent, so quiet I could hear my own heart hammering in my chest. Thump. Thump. Thump. And then, with one final, shuddering beat, it stopped. In that instant, every tower I had built inside me came crashing down. Something inside me shattered completely. It was the last, lingering piece of my obsession with the boy he used to be. I finally understood. Sometimes, letting go isn’t a process. It’s a single, blinding moment. 5. I blinked away the sting in my eyes, pushing the memories aside. Then I got up and started to systematically gather everything that belonged to Tim in the house. One by one, I carried it all out to the curb with the trash. When I was finally done, I let out a long, slow breath. I turned my phone back on. A flood of missed calls and frantic texts poured in. I knew, with absolute certainty, that the calls were from the real, 18-year-old Tim. But I felt nothing. I calmly ignored the number and called a friend back. She was inviting me to a class reunion next week. I didn’t hesitate. “Sure, I’ll be there.” As I was about to put the phone down, my eyes caught the string of desperate texts from the unknown number. [Shit, Viv, don’t scare me like this!] [What’s going on? Pick up the phone!] [Your man just ran eight laps around the track and now his heart feels like it’s gonna explode.] [If you don’t answer, I swear I’ll drop dead right here and now!!!] The familiar words hit me. He was talking about that day it poured, the day I got caught in the rain. My white shirt was soaked through, and a few guys were making lewd comments. Tim had appeared out of nowhere, his face a mask of cold fury. He’d grabbed a chair and brought it down on one of them, hard. Afterward, the coach made him run eight laps as punishment. He collapsed with a fever afterward, got seriously ill, and missed the championship soccer game he’d been training for for two years. I remembered how, besides me, Clara had been devastated. She had glared at me with pure resentment. “Can’t you just stop being such a drama queen?” she’d spat. “You love seeing him torture himself for you, don’t you, princess?” Before I could even respond, Tim cut her off, his voice sharp despite his exhaustion. “What’s it to you?” he’d snapped, looking right at her. “It’s my choice, isn’t it?” That day, Clara’s face had been even paler than Tim’s. But times change. The boy Tim from back then could never have imagined. That the thing he’d regret most in his thirties, at the height of his success, was making Clara Ross sad. 6. The reunion was already in full swing by the time I arrived. The divorce hadn’t left me with a car. So when a sudden downpour started, all I could do was hold my purse over my head and make a run for it. I burst through the doors, breathless and slightly disheveled, and my eyes immediately landed on Clara, looking immaculate and radiant. She looked me up and down, a smug, superior smile spreading across her face. “Vivian, darling. I never thought I’d see you looking so… desperate.” Laughter rippled through our old classmates. They were enjoying the show. Life is fickle. So what if Tim cheated? So what if Clara was a homewrecker? Siding with the powerful and kicking the weak—that’s just human nature. My gaze drifted past them to Tim, who was watching with a lazy, amused smirk. I dug my nails into my palm, crushing the tiny pinprick of pain in my chest. Suddenly, someone gasped. “Is that… Clara Ross?!” All eyes snapped to a phone someone was holding up. Someone had leaked the video. The video of her and Tim. A guy snickered. “Damn, and while she’s pregnant, too.” The next second, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the room as Tim smashed a bottle over the guy’s head. “All of you, shut the hell up!” he roared. But it was too late. The color drained from Clara’s face. She looked like she was about to snap. Her eyes found mine, and with a guttural scream, she hurled her glass directly at me. “You did this! You leaked it!” Tim’s face hardened as he turned to me, his voice a low, menacing growl. “Honey, did you forget what I told you?” 7. I didn’t have time to dodge. The glass shattered against my forehead, the sharp pain making me wince. The water inside splashed all over my dress, leaving me looking even more of a wreck than when I’d arrived. I pulled out a tissue, pressing it to the cut. “First,” I said, my voice steady despite the throbbing in my head, “I didn’t leak the video. Second, I’m not your honey.” Tim’s jaw tightened. He just stood there, seething, though I couldn’t tell what he was angrier about. But before he could respond, Clara let out a choked cry. The shock had sent her into labor. The room descended into chaos. For the first time, I saw panic in Tim’s eyes. He had fought too hard for this child. He swept Clara into his arms and started pushing through the crowd. As he passed me, he paused, his voice dripping with scorn. “I underestimated you. Are you satisfied now that you’ve made this mess?” He leaned in closer. “Don’t think for a second that I’ll let you off the hook if anything happens to Clara, Vivian.” I glanced at the crimson stain spreading across the tissue in my hand. Then I looked up, and I swung. My hand connected with his cheek with a loud, satisfying crack. “That,” I said, my voice ringing with clarity, “was for Clara.” Tim’s head snapped to the side. His face was a canvas of shock and disbelief. Before he could react, I shook out my stinging hand and, without a backward glance, turned and walked away. 8. The rain was still pouring outside. I stood under the awning, watching the frantic scramble of people, and answered my phone. “The money’s been transferred to your account, Ms. Quinn. A pleasure doing business with you.” “Likewise,” I said, and hung up. It was true, I hadn’t leaked the video. Not directly. A CEO’s affair and a mistress’s pregnancy—that kind of scandal could do serious damage to a company. So I simply sold it to Tim’s biggest corporate rival. After all, Tim hadn’t exactly been generous in the divorce settlement. A girl has to look out for herself. A sudden clap of thunder split the sky. “Viv! I finally found you!”

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1 It was our anniversary. I’d been waiting at the restaurant for three hours when Rosalind finally appeared. But she was with her ex, Evan. And her roommate, Karen, was with them. I raised my hand to call her name, but she walked straight past my section, heading for a table on the other side. They hadn’t seen me. They were separated from my table by a decorative partition screen, completely oblivious that the person in the next booth was me. With Evan there, I couldn’t just go over. I sent Rosalind a text. “Where are you?” “The food’s all here. If you don’t come soon, it’ll get cold.” Her reply was clipped. “In the lab.” My hand tightened around my phone. I fought the urge to call her out and instead typed back, “You’re in the lab?” The questioning tone seemed to set her off. Her next message was a furious tirade: “Lucas, what is your problem? Don’t you have anything better to do? Do you just spend all day watching me? You might have all the time in the world, but I’m busy. I don’t have time for your childish drama!” I stared at the screen full of accusations, silence falling over me. I thought back to all our other fights. If I hadn’t seen her with my own two eyes, sitting with her ex, wouldn’t I have already apologized, convinced I was in the wrong? Just then, I heard Evan’s voice from the next table. “What’s wrong, Rosie? Your new boyfriend checking in?” Karen chimed in with a teasing laugh. “Yeah, after she broke up with you, she found a new one. Lucas Hayes, from our department. He’s a rich kid, you know? Sweet and naive, with a fat wallet…” “He’s completely wrapped around her little finger.” Then came Rosalind’s voice, cold and dismissive. “Don’t talk about him.” “I don’t want him ruining my mood.” The words hit me like a physical blow. Her voice, so full of disdain, was a knife in my heart. All this time, I’d been walking on air, thinking I had finally won her over, that the goddess I’d worshipped from afar was finally mine. But to her, I was just an annoyance. Like a zombie, I slowly got up and walked to the edge of the partition. Through the gauzy fabric, I could almost see the cold indifference in her eyes. Karen giggled again. “He’s probably calling to remind you about your anniversary, right? He was asking us about your favorite foods a while back, said he was planning a surprise.” Rosalind’s voice was sharp. “I said I don’t want to talk about him.” “Some surprise. He’s just delusional.” The irony was crushing. I’d just gotten out of the hospital after a small car accident. I’d had my stitches removed early just so I could be with her on our anniversary. She’d once mentioned missing the food from her hometown, so I had spent days scouring the city for the perfect restaurant. And to her, it was all just me being “delusional.” Karen shrugged. “Well, you were never really into it from the start, were you?” That sentence was a blunt instrument, slamming into my chest. She was right. Rosalind had never willingly agreed to be with me. From the very beginning, she and Evan were the ones who were meant to be. Rosalind came from nothing. Her father was severely disabled, confined to a wheelchair, and her mother suffered from mental illness. She’d been a local celebrity when she got into our university with the highest scores, hailed by the media as a model of triumph over adversity. I met her on the first day of orientation. She was wearing simple, worn-out clothes, her expression cool and distant. Standing next to the wealthy students and their beaming parents, she showed no trace of insecurity or envy. She captivated me instantly. She was like a wildflower, fierce and resilient, and she took root in my heart. But I soon learned she wasn’t available. She had a boyfriend. His name was Evan. They were from the same small town. He was a few years older and had just started his own small company in the city. In our sophomore year, tragedy struck Rosalind’s family. Her mother, terrified by a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, ran out of the house. By the time the neighbors found her, she had drowned in the local reservoir. Her father, searching for his wife in the storm, slipped down a hillside and was critically injured. He was rushed to the local ICU. When Rosalind got the news, she nearly collapsed. And Evan, her boyfriend, vanished. He wouldn’t answer her calls. I was the one who went back to her hometown with her. I helped her arrange her mother’s funeral. I paid her father’s medical bills. But his injuries were too severe. On his deathbed, he mistook me for her boyfriend. He took both our hands, and with tears in his eyes, he entrusted his daughter to me. Throughout it all, Rosalind called Evan countless times. He never picked up. Only after we had settled everything and returned to the city did he finally show up. He fell to his knees in front of her, his face a mask of guilt and regret. He claimed his parents had forbidden their relationship, threatening to disown him if he didn’t break up with her. He said they had already arranged a marriage for him with a girl from a wealthy family. So, they broke up. I was by her side through all of it. Eventually, she seemed to be moved by my devotion and agreed to be my girlfriend. I thought she had forgotten that scumbag Evan. I thought she had finally fallen for me. I never realized that, in her heart, this was just her way of repaying a debt. And now, Evan was back. So, of course, her heart was starting to stray. At the next table, Evan was still putting on a show. “A man needs to have some backbone. You can’t just be clinging to a woman all the time,” he said with false authority. “Typical rich kid, born with a silver spoon. No real ambition.” Rosalind said nothing. She just kept eating, not refuting a single word. My heart felt like it was bleeding, but I sent one last, hopeful text. “I know the lab is important, but you have to take care of yourself. Please, come get something to eat.” Perhaps she saw it as an interruption of her reunion with Evan. She snapped. “Are you sick? When would I have time to eat?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “You don’t have time for our anniversary dinner, but you have time to go out with Evan?” That’s when it dawned on her. She shot up from her seat and rushed over, finally seeing me standing behind the screen. Even caught red-handed, she showed no guilt. Instead, she frowned, her voice filled with annoyance. “Lucas, are you following me?” The pain in my chest intensified. I held up my phone, showing her the location I’d sent her hours ago. “I booked this restaurant first. If you had paid any attention to my messages, you wouldn’t have brought them here.” By now, Karen was so embarrassed she couldn’t speak. But Evan, ever the actor, stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Rosalind. “Lucas, don’t be like this. I was the one who asked to see her.” “If you’re angry, be angry with me. Don’t take it out on a girl.” I looked at him with pure contempt. “Cut the act, Evan. If you had an ounce of this so-called courage when Rosalind’s family needed you, none of this would be happening.” His face twisted in an ugly grimace. But Rosalind pulled him back, shielding her ex behind her. She turned on me. “That’s all in the past. Why do you have to bring it up?” “Yes, Evan and I broke up. But that doesn’t mean we have to be enemies forever! What’s wrong with having a meal together?” Something inside me snapped. I pointed a shaking finger at Evan. “Have you forgotten how he treated you? The moment things got hard, he disappeared. Are you really going to let him back into your life? Are you ready to get hurt all over again?” “Fine! Just say the word, and I’ll step aside. Is that what you want?” The next thing I knew, a sharp, stinging slap landed across my face. Rosalind glared at me, her face flushed with shame and anger. “You’re the one with the filthy mind, Lucas! Don’t you dare accuse us!” “If anyone’s leaving, it’s you!” My cheek burned. But the pain in my heart was a thousand times worse. Humiliated in front of her and her ex, I choked back the grief and nodded slowly. “Okay. I get it. I’ll go. I won’t bother you anymore.” I left the restaurant and went home. I locked myself in my room and stared at the red thread tied around my wrist. Rosalind and I had gotten them from a soothsayer at a street festival a while back. They were a matching pair, meant to bless our relationship. When I had tied it on her wrist, she had been dismissive. She was a scientist, a pragmatist who scoffed at superstition. But I had smiled, tying the knot securely. “The woman said these threads will keep us together, forever.” She had pouted, muttering, “It’s so ugly.” I had to coax her for ages before she agreed not to take it off. Our relationship had always been like that. Her slightest frown could cause a tidal wave in my heart. I picked up my phone, opening and closing her chat window over and over, fighting the desperate urge to contact her. Have some pride, I told myself. I rubbed my throbbing temples and collapsed onto the bed, falling into a heavy sleep. In the middle of the night, a text woke me up. It was from her. “Still mad?” I stared at the words for a long time, unable to believe my eyes. Rosalind never initiated contact. She was too proud, too cold. Our daily conversations were always me, desperately racking my brain for something to say. She had strict rules for me. No texting during her classes. No calling when she was in the lab. And she went to bed early, so no bothering her at night. But the rules never applied to her. When I didn’t reply, another message came through. “You asleep?” I waited a few moments, then typed back: “What do you want?” She sent a voice message. Her tone was soft, coaxing. “I was wrong today. I booked a table. Can we have dinner tomorrow?” Whenever we fought, even when it was clearly her fault, she would give me the silent treatment until I caved and begged for her forgiveness. But now, she was admitting she was wrong. It was the first time she had ever offered an olive branch. I admit it, my resolve crumbled. I was weak. But I never, ever expected her to bring Evan with her. They sat side-by-side at the table, her hand resting nervously on his. “Lucas,” she began, her voice tentative. “Evan and I have something we need to ask you…” “You know Evan started his company from scratch. His latest project just lost its funding. I was wondering… could you help him?” Rage, pure and hot, erupted inside me. All the self-pep talks, the decision to forgive her and give us another chance—it all became a colossal joke. So that’s why she was suddenly being so nice. I shot Evan a cold look. “Sorry, I can’t. My parents run the company. I don’t have that kind of authority.” Rosalind’s face hardened. “Lucas, how can you be like that? I’m asking you nicely. He only needs five hundred thousand. That’s nothing to you. Why won’t you help him?” “Evan might be my ex, but he’s also my friend. You’re not going to let him fail just because you’re jealous, are you?” I shot to my feet. “Do you have any memory of what he did to you? He’s a user who abandoned you at your lowest point, and now you’re bending over backward to help him? Have you no self-respect?” Her eyes turned to ice. “It wasn’t his fault,” she hissed, defending him. “His parents forced him. Besides, he never went on that blind date they set up. That proves he was serious about me.” “It wasn’t his fault we broke up. It was mine. It’s my fault I wasn’t born into a better family.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How badly had Evan brainwashed her? This was the same girl who could stand tall in her worn-out clothes among a crowd of luxury cars, the same girl who told reporters she had never once felt ashamed of where she came from. And now she was saying this? She paused, then delivered the final blow. “Besides, this is between me and Evan. I’ve moved on. Why are you, an outsider, making such a big deal out of it?” An outsider. The word sent me plunging into an abyss. I let out a harsh laugh, my eyes burning. “I’m an outsider?” She looked away, unable to meet my gaze. “You’re being petty and unprofessional,” she said coldly. “I’m just telling the truth.” Finally, she lifted her chin, issuing an ultimatum. “Do you want to be in this relationship or not? If you won’t help Evan, then we’re done.” “I don’t want a selfish boyfriend like you!” Just then, Evan stood up again, playing the noble martyr. “Lucas, I only came to you and Rosalind because I had nowhere else to turn. I never realized my presence would bother you so much…” “This is all my fault. Please don’t make things difficult for her. She agreed to be your girlfriend, and as a man, you should protect and understand her.” His sanctimonious speech made me sick. “Save it, Evan,” I sneered. “Anyone can pretend to be a saint. Let’s see if you stick around the next time there’s a real problem, or if you’ll just go crying to mommy and daddy again.” That did it. Rosalind pulled Evan behind her protectively. Her face was dark with fury. “Don’t you go too far!” “This is between us. Don’t drag innocent people into it.” I raised an eyebrow. “You think he’s innocent?” I had chased after Rosalind for three years. In that single moment, I was just… tired. I didn’t want to fight anymore. I didn’t want to humiliate myself anymore. All the anger drained out of me, replaced by a profound, chilling calm. I looked at her. “The red thread we got from the soothsayer broke. She said it was a sign we weren’t meant to be.” “Rosalind, let’s break up.”

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The young couple next door had a massive fight. In a fit of rage, the woman dumped their cat on my doorstep. Seeing the poor thing, looking like it hadn’t eaten all day, I took it in. It wasn’t friendly with me, but it wouldn’t leave my husband alone, constantly rubbing against him and meowing. That’s when I started to get suspicious. One night, when my husband claimed to be working late, I knocked on my neighbor’s door. She answered, one hand resting on her slightly rounded belly. “Mrs. Hammond? What can I do for you this late?” The challenge and triumph in her eyes told me everything I needed to know. When my husband, Liam, tiptoed home in the dead of night, he found both our parents sitting in the living room. And a set of divorce papers on the coffee table. 1. “Divorce?” Liam didn’t even look at the papers. He snatched them up and threw them at the Ragdoll cat that was currently purring at his feet. “Catherine, are you seriously throwing away seven years of marriage over a stupid cat?” “If you don’t sign, we’ll see each other in court.” I said it calmly, then turned to go back to our room. Our parents stared, stunned. They couldn’t understand how a couple that had seemed so deeply in love just last month could suddenly be on the brink of divorce. Liam looked down, hiding the panic in his eyes, his fists clenched and trembling. His parents rushed to block my path. “Catherine, you can’t just accuse Liam of cheating because of a cat! Some cats are just naturally friendlier with men. What does that prove?” “We’ve all seen how good he is to you. When you had that terrible flu, he stayed by your hospital bed for 48 hours straight. When you fell from that cliff, he sold his company shares, spent a fortune to get you the best medical team in the country.” “Does all of that mean less to you than a cat?” My own parents chimed in, their voices pleading. “Where are you going to find another husband as good as Liam?” “After your accident, you can’t have children. Liam doesn’t hold that against you. You should be grateful. Don’t you see how lucky you are?” Suddenly, Liam grabbed my hand, his eyes red-rimmed and full of a desperate, all-consuming love. “Honey, we dated for two years, we’ve been married for five. We faced death together and never let go. How can you let a cat come between us?” “Is it because I’ve been so busy with the company lately? Do you feel neglected?” “I swear, I’ll come home on time every night to be with you, no matter how busy I am…” Everyone in the room, it seemed, loved me. My in-laws were kind and educated, and had always treated me well. My own parents were more practical; they just wanted me to have a comfortable life with Liam. But the cold resolve in my eyes didn’t waver. I pulled my hand from his grasp. “I’ll say it again. If you don’t sign tonight, we’re going to court.” “This is the last shred of dignity I’m offering you.” Liam’s eyes were bloodshot. “Catherine, how can you be so cruel?” “It’s simple. Because I don’t care about you anymore.” With that, I pushed past them and walked out the door, not wanting to get dragged into any more drama. I heard sighs of disappointment from our parents, but I didn’t slow down. The Ragdoll cat seized the opportunity and slipped out with me. I was sitting on a park bench, staring into space, when I saw the cat chasing after its former owner, who was taking out the trash. The woman, Maya, kicked at its head in disgust, but the cat wouldn’t leave. I couldn’t just watch. I went over to intervene, but the cat arched its back and hissed at me. Maya started to laugh. “You know, Mrs. Hammond, people are a lot like cats.” “If they don’t like you, they don’t like you. You can’t force it.” I looked at the smug challenge in her eyes, then at her swollen belly, and I understood. “You’re right.” “You can’t keep a stray, whether it’s a cat or a person.” Just then, Liam came running over, his face a mask of anxiety. But it wasn’t for me. “Catherine, can you just be reasonable for once? I told you, it’s a misunderstanding! The cat likes me, so what? It has nothing to do with our neighbor! It’s one thing to make a scene at home, but how can you come out here and harass her? Can’t you see she’s pregnant?” He didn’t know what had happened. He just saw me with Maya and instinctively jumped to her defense, casting me as the jealous, irrational wife. A bitter smile touched my lips. Even if Liam did still love me, it was clear that his love for me couldn’t compete with his feelings for Maya. 2. Fearing I would cause more trouble for Maya, Liam dragged me back to our apartment. His parents looked furious. They had read the terms of the divorce agreement and had thrown it in the trash. “Catherine, what is the meaning of this? We’ve treated you like a daughter. It’s bad enough you’re divorcing Liam over a cat, but you want to take everything from him?” “Have we been too good to you? Do you think you can just walk all over us?” My own parents were flushed with shame. “You’ve gone too far. We can’t support you in this.” I didn’t bother explaining. “If you don’t agree, then we’ll see you in court.” A cheater deserves to lose everything. Liam’s voice trembled with desperation. “Catherine, are you doing this for the money? You have the passwords to all my accounts. You can spend whatever you want. Isn’t that enough?” Not all his accounts. He used to give me access to everything, but recently he’d opened a few new cards. I had no idea how much he’d spent on Maya. I was about to point that out when there was a knock on the door. Maya stood there, looking innocent and sweet. “I’m so sorry to bother you all this late.” “I saw Mr. Hammond and Mrs. Hammond arguing downstairs, and I felt terrible, thinking it was my fault.” “Mrs. Hammond wasn’t really harassing me. She was just upset with the cat, and I tried to intervene. It was my fault for getting involved. She has every right to be angry with me.” My in-laws’ faces turned thunderous. “Catherine, you were abusing a cat and bullying our neighbor?” My parents just shook their heads in disappointment. “Catherine, what has gotten into you?” They all missed one crucial detail. “Mr. Hammond?” “Maya, I didn’t realize you knew my husband. All those times we saw each other and you never said hello… it must have been so hard for you to pretend.” Maya immediately looked down, like a startled fawn, peeking up at Liam with a look of innocent panic, silently begging for help. Her right hand, adorned with a sparkling diamond ring, moved to rest on her belly. A flash of panic and affection crossed Liam’s face before he masked it. “I do know Maya. She’s a junior employee at my company. I’ve seen her around.” “I didn’t think it was important, and I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea, so I just treated her like a stranger. Catherine, honey, please don’t overthink things.” I almost laughed. If he had nothing to hide, why was he so worried about me “overthinking things”? And how could a junior employee afford a luxury apartment in the city center? Seeing my silence, Liam’s father stood up, his voice booming. “Catherine, if you have proof, I won’t say a word about the divorce. But if you’re trying to ruin my son based on suspicion alone, I’m warning you, you’re dreaming!” Before I could reply, Maya spoke up, her eyes wide. “Take everything? Mrs. Hammond, isn’t that a bit extreme?” “You may not have been to the office, but everyone there knows how much Mr. Hammond dotes on you, how much he loves you. Mrs. Hammond, could it be that you have another man, and you’re using me as an excuse to take Mr. Hammond’s money?” At that, I raised my hand and slapped her, hard, across the face. “Watch your mouth.” “Liam may put up with your nonsense, but I won’t.” 3. In that instant, I saw Liam’s hands clench into fists, his eyes burning with a rage I had never seen directed at me. But he quickly composed himself and turned to Maya with concern. “Are you okay?” Her eyes were already red with tears. “I’m fine. I misspoke. Mrs. Hammond was right to hit me. Please, don’t be angry because of me.” After seven years together, it was the first time Liam had ever gritted his teeth at me. “Apologize to her. Now.” I sneered. “Why should I?” “She deserved it.” Suddenly, Liam raised his hand and slapped himself across the face with all his might. Half his face immediately swelled up, red and angry. “I’ll take that for you.” “Catherine, I’m begging you. Please, stop this.” “After your accident, I took care of you, you’ve been at home all this time… maybe it’s gotten to you? Maybe you’re not well? I promise, no matter what, I will never abandon you.” “I’ll give you anything you want. Just please, don’t talk about divorce anymore.” “No,” I said, without a moment’s hesitation. “Liam, every second I spend with you makes my skin crawl.” His pleading, my stubbornness. It was the last straw for our parents. Liam’s parents stood up, their faces grim. “If you insist on a divorce, fine! But you won’t get a single penny from our family. We’ll fight you with everything we have to make sure you walk away with nothing!” My parents just sighed. “Catherine, you’re the one in the wrong here. When you have nothing left, you’ll regret this.” But was I really the one in the wrong? No. The person I had paid off at Liam’s company quickly sent me a surveillance video. I was watching it in the guest room when Liam knocked. Fearing he would see it and destroy the evidence, I quickly put in my wireless earbuds and tucked my phone away. “Catherine, what’s the point of this divorce?” “You can’t have children. No family with my kind of status would ever accept you.” I laughed coldly. “And why can’t I have children, Liam?” Because of the accident, in the second year of our marriage. Liam loved thrills, extreme sports. He always wanted me to join him. One time, we were rock climbing. He slipped. I took a risk to save him, grabbing his hand. He managed to find a foothold, but I was exhausted and fell. Everyone said Liam was a hero, that he’d risked his life for me. Now, he just looked down, guilty and silent. Through my earbuds, I could hear his voice, intertwined with Maya’s flirtatious laughter. “Liam, that was so amazing! Skydiving is the best. But you know, just taking me out for fun once in a while is enough. Making me move in next door to you… isn’t that a little risky?” After the sound of a long kiss, Liam’s voice, husky. “That’s what makes it exciting.” “Catherine has gotten so boring these last few years. You’re the only one who makes me feel alive…” 4. After gathering enough evidence, I went to Liam’s office to check on the company’s financials, to make sure he wasn’t hiding or transferring assets. The senior partners knew who I was and cooperated fully. Only Maya, emboldened by Liam’s favor, tried to cause trouble, luring me to an outdoor smoking area. We were alone. She dropped the act. “Catherine, why can’t you just be a good little housecat?” “A useless woman like you who can’t even have children… Liam keeping you around is a kindness. Why do you have to make things so ugly for yourself?” I laughed. “Fine. I won’t divorce him.” Maya looked stunned. “What?” I laughed harder. “You’re not just a homewrecker, you’re an idiot. You’re trying to provoke me, to push me into divorcing him so you can take my place, right?” “But after you marry him, you’ll get nothing but a mountain of debt.” “Remember that Ragdoll cat? Your fate will be worse than hers.” Maya must have seen the cat. It had come back to our apartment, starving, and I had shut the door in its face. It had to fight with strays for scraps of food and was now covered in infected bites, a truly pathetic sight. The comparison must have struck a nerve. With a snarl, she lunged at me. “You’re the one who’s about to be thrown out! How dare you curse me?” I sidestepped her, disgusted. She lost her balance and fell, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain. The commotion attracted others. Liam rushed back as soon as he heard, grabbing my arm and trying to force me to apologize to her. I refused. “She fell on her own. The security camera will prove it.” Liam gritted his teeth. “What are you talking about? There’s no camera in the smoking area.” I was about to tell him there was, but Maya started sobbing. “Mr. Hammond, it’s not her fault. It’s my fault for living next door, for causing a misunderstanding.” “Please, ask her to forgive me. She can do whatever she wants to me, but she can’t hurt my baby!” Liam’s eyes widened. “Catherine, you would attack an unborn child? The baby is innocent!” “Innocent?” I sneered. “We don’t even know whose bastard it is—” Before I could finish, his hand cracked across my face. “You’re incorrigible!” “Catherine, you brought this on yourself! You want to sue? Fine. I’ll have my lawyer arrange a court date for tomorrow.” “My family doesn’t need a twisted, inhuman monster like you!” In that moment, we weren’t just a couple on the verge of divorce. We were enemies. And everyone, including my own parents, was on his side. Before the hearing, they were still trying to reason with me. “Catherine, are you sure you’re not the one who’s been cheating?” “The internet is full of stories about you, saying you’re a gold-digging adulteress. Your reputation is ruined.” “Please, come to your senses before it’s too late.” Liam’s parents wouldn’t even look at me. “A snake is a snake. You can’t change its nature.” “Liam, when she’s left with nothing and comes crawling back, don’t you dare take her back!” Liam himself looked down on me with an air of finality. “Apologize now, and we can pretend this never happened.” “Otherwise, you’ll end up homeless and alone.” I said nothing, just looked at the judge, waiting for the proceedings to begin. And with a single sentence, the judge wiped the confident smirk off Liam’s face and sent a shockwave of disbelief through the courtroom. “What… how is that possible?” “Liam, what have you been hiding from us?”

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The whole family was on vacation, but my husband, Adrian, was out with his old flame, Lily, zipping across the restricted waters on a jet ski. Fueled by half a bottle of rosé, Lily was demanding to ride to the opposite island, promising to carve a heart in the sand for him. Next thing I knew, she was gunning the engine, twisting the throttle all the way, and slamming straight into my brother’s yacht. Adrian didn’t even glance at the yacht as it started to go under. Instead, he clutched Lily’s hand, his voice a soothing balm. “As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters. They were in restricted waters anyway. If something happened, it was their own damn fault.” It wasn’t until the yacht had vanished completely beneath the waves, its passengers missing, that Adrian finally called me. “Cara,” he said, his voice flat. “Your brother and your mom… they went down with the boat.” In that instant, a tidal wave of terror swallowed me whole. But then, the world dissolved into a blur of memory. My mother, just like when I was a kid, was popping a piece of freshly cooked steak into my mouth. My brother, Leo, laughing as he tried to steal it. “Mom, you always play favorites.” They were right here, beside me. So who was on that sinking yacht? … The beach was a circus. Police officers were yelling, trying to keep a swarm of onlookers from filming the chaos. In the distance, I could see the splintered remains of the yacht I’d bought for Leo. I shoved my way through the crowd, my ears catching the hushed, angry whispers of a few people who had been on a nearby boat. “Those two are disgusting. Not even human.” “They were the closest! They could’ve saved them, two lives!” “Get this—the woman was pissed her ‘heart’ didn’t get drawn. Like this is her private art studio or something!” A cold sweat drenched my back. How could Adrian have become this person? Were two human lives worth nothing in his eyes? He was murmuring comforts to Lily when he turned and saw me. The gentle expression on his face vanished. He dragged me away from the crowd. “What are you doing here, making a scene?” I tried to explain, my voice trembling. “My mom and Leo, how could they have…” Adrian’s eyes narrowed, and he cut me off. “Those rubberneckers are just spouting nonsense. You think I’d just stand by and watch people die?” “I’m your husband, Cara. Don’t you trust me? Besides—” His tone softened into a pained whisper. “Lily was terrified, practically in shock. Of course, I had to take care of the living.” I’d never heard anything so absurd. “Was her shock more important than two human lives?” Adrian’s face hardened. “Your brother ignored the warning signs and tore through a restricted zone going twice the speed limit. He had it coming!” The words hit me like a physical blow. I shook with rage. “That’s a lie! That wasn’t my brother! He was trained by the best captain on the coast; he would never be that reckless!” I pointed a trembling finger at Lily. “She was driving drunk! That alone is a felony!” Lily shrank back, clutching Adrian’s arm like a frightened child. “Adrian, it’s all my fault,” she whimpered. “I was just so excited that my design made it to the finals. Cara, please don’t let this ruin your marriage. I… I couldn’t bear it if I came between you two.” Adrian’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous warning. “They’re already dead, Cara. There’s no point in dragging this out. Let it go.” “This is about Lily now. This isn’t the time for your little tantrums.” My body swayed. This man, who had once sworn he loved me more than life itself, was now twisting the truth, discarding my family’s lives, all for his old flame. An inferno of rage consumed me. SMACK! I slapped him, hard. Adrian’s face contorted in shock. “Cara, have you lost your mind—” SMACK! I hit him again with the back of my hand. In all our years of marriage, I had never even raised my voice at him. This was the first, and last, time I would show him this side of me. Disbelief washed over his features. He just stared at me, speechless. Lily threw her arms around him, her eyes brimming with tears. “Cara, if you’re angry, hit me. Don’t hit Adrian. He didn’t do anything wrong.” “You can hit me as much as you want, as long as you forgive him.” She even grabbed my hand and tried to make me slap her own face. I snatched my hand back, refusing to participate in her pathetic theater. “Those two slaps, Adrian, were for the dead!” I turned to the nearest police officer. “That yacht was a birthday gift for my brother. I’m the owner. I want to see the black box footage from before the…” Before I could finish, a hand yanked me backward, and I crashed onto the sand. Adrian stood over me, his voice laced with cold fury. “I’ve already signed the waiver of legal action.” “Are you trying to make us the laughingstock of this entire beach by carrying on like this?” I stared up at him, a sense of profound absurdity and despair washing over me. “Adrian, you have no right to sign that for me!” His face was a mask of ugly resentment. “I’m your husband. Why the hell wouldn’t I have the right?” I couldn’t stand the sight of his repulsive face for another second. I scrambled to my feet and turned back to the officer. “I am the victim’s sister. I do not consent to any waiver. I want this investigated.” “Please, retrieve the black box as soon as possible. We need to know who was on that yacht!” The officer, having witnessed the whole drama, nodded agreeably. “As soon as the yacht is salvaged, we’ll analyze the data from the recorder. I’ll make sure you’re present for the viewing.” “Thank you!” A thought struck me. I moved away from Adrian and quickly texted my brother. [Lily crashed your yacht and sank it. The people on board are gone. I need you to pull the cloud surveillance footage from the yacht now. Tell me everything you find, immediately.] Just as I put my phone away, the recovery team brought the bodies ashore. They laid two figures side-by-side on the sand, their flesh ravaged by shark bites. To call them bodies was a stretch. They were little more than mangled torsos. Their limbs were gone, devoured. Most of the flesh had been stripped from their bones. My stomach churned, but I forced myself to walk closer. “I promise you,” I whispered to them, “I will make the people who did this pay.” Just then, a text from Leo came through. [HOLY SH*T! My yacht was stolen? And it SANK?! Are people dead? I bet it was that bastard again!] [Does Adrian know? How’s he taking it? Hope he doesn’t strangle Lily in a fit of rage!] I was confused, but before I could reply, Lily’s delicate voice drifted from behind me. “Adrian, I’m scared. I can’t look.” Adrian wrapped an arm around her, his voice tender. “I know, they’re… it’s gruesome. Listen to me, go wait in the car, okay?” But Lily refused. She stepped out of his embrace and walked to within a few feet of the bodies, offering a careless little bow. “I’m so sorry…” As she straightened up, a smirk twisted her lips, and she whispered just loud enough for me to hear, “But then, what can you expect when you raise such a pathetic daughter? Couldn’t even keep her man’s heart. Your husband just watched you die, and now you’re shark food.” Her words lit a fuse, and my rage exploded. I lunged at her, my hand clamping down on the back of her neck, forcing her down. “If you have a shred of humanity left, you will get on your knees and apologize!” “Murderers don’t get to stand over their victims.” Lily’s face crumpled, and she sobbed, trying to pull away. “Cara, I was just paying my respects! Why are you attacking me?” “Adrian, help me! She’s trying to kill me!” SMACK! My head snapped to the side. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. I turned slowly, my eyes locking on Adrian, his hand still raised. His chest heaved with fury. “How dare you lay a hand on Lily?” “They’re dead, Cara! We’re the ones who have to keep living! Don’t push your luck!” “Lily came here to apologize. That’s more respect than they deserve. Your mom and brother are dead and gone, so stop asking for so much!” “THEY’RE NOT MY MOTHER AND BROTHER!” I screamed. I glared at Lily. “You killed those people, and you dare stand there and say these things? Are you even human?!” Terrified I might actually hurt his precious Lily, Adrian started spouting nonsense. “Lily did nothing wrong! Your mother and brother died in an accident, and I’m signing a waiver to close the case!” I wiped the blood from my lip. In that moment, the last shred of affection I had for Adrian evaporated. Just looking at him made me sick. “Adrian, let’s get a divorce.” He blinked, a flicker of guilt and regret crossing his face before being replaced by defiance. “No! I won’t sign.” “You’re vindictive, Cara. If we divorce, God knows what you’ll do to Lily.” “I’m not giving you that chance!” With that, he scooped Lily into his arms and walked away, leaving me alone on the beach. My knees gave out, and I sank to the sand, the tears finally coming in a hot, silent flood. I waited for hours outside the coroner’s office. I never got the autopsy results. Instead, a weary examiner informed me that the remains had already been claimed by the family. They were to be taken, along with the salvaged yacht, to a scrap yard to be crushed and disposed of. No further investigation into the cause of death would be pursued. I saw the signature on the release form: Adrian Pierce. A bitter cold seeped into my bones. Wasting no time, I floored it all the way to the industrial steel plant. The two body bags had been placed inside the wrecked yacht, which was now suspended from a massive crane, ready to be dropped into the maw of a hydraulic press. Adrian stood watching, his face a blank mask. Lily was nestled against him, a triumphant, excited glint in her eyes. I sprinted forward, planting myself in front of the machine. “STOP!” “Adrian, the cause of death hasn’t even been determined! You’re destroying their bodies! Do you want them to never rest in peace?” My repeated interference had worn his patience thin. He motioned for his bodyguards to grab me. “Stop making a scene!” “This is what your mother and brother wanted. It was in their will.” “You’re lying! Since when do my mother and brother have a will I don’t know about?” A cold smile touched his lips. “Because you’re so overbearing, Cara. They were always too scared to tell you things like this. But they told me. Leo said that once you’re dead, you’re just bones, nothing worth keeping. He wanted to be compressed and incinerated. To leave this world cleanly.” At his command, the giant press whirred to life. I tried to rush forward, but he held me in an iron grip. My eyes darted around frantically. “You’re obstructing a police investigation by destroying evidence! That’s a crime, Adrian!” Lily stepped forward, acting as if she’d been mortally offended. “Cara, I didn’t want to say this, but you’re forcing my hand.” “Your brother was running with a bad crowd, junkies, Cara. He was a mess.” “This time, he was high as a kite and insisted on going into the restricted zone. What does that have to do with us?” Before I could even deny it, Adrian cut me off. He produced a lab report. “This is from the coroner. They found illegal substances in both bodies. You can’t deny the facts.” “I know you’re grieving, but you can’t take it out on innocent people. Lily had nothing to do with this.” In a few short sentences, they had shifted the blame for Lily’s reckless driving entirely onto the dead. The workers standing around erupted. “Drugs? Hell, getting crushed is too good for him!” “Serves him right!” “Junkies deserve whatever they get! No sympathy here!” The ugly words drilled into my ears. My heart clenched for the victims, who couldn’t even find peace in death. The operator took the opportunity to restart the press. The massive hammer began its slow descent. I lunged forward, screaming, “Adrian, the people who died aren’t my family! Stop it, now!” He just sneered. “Have you completely lost it? Making up ridiculous stories just to get your way.” I remembered Leo’s text, my heart pounding with desperation. “Just stop the machine! You don’t know who’s in there! What if it’s someone you care about?” His contempt was a physical blow. “Your mother and your brother? There’s nothing for me to care about.” Lily clung to his arm, whispering poison. “She’s just trying to threaten you with two corpses, Adrian. She can’t stand to see us happy.” That was all it took. Adrian’s face hardened, and he shoved me aside. “I don’t care what you say today. Nothing is stopping this!” He gave a sharp nod to the operator. The machine whirred, the hammer beginning its slow, final descent.

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1 I was doing a stunt for a fight scene when the film’s “It Girl” stabbed me for real, landing me in the hospital. My A-list actor boyfriend, Zane, rushed to my side, fussing over me with worried questions. Before I could even feel a flicker of warmth, a line of text materialized above his head: [When is Sienna going to realize the A-lister bound her to that wannabe Roxy with a Beauty System?] [Whatever part of her body Sienna obsesses over, that same part on Roxy becomes even more perfect!] A second later, my agent of five years, Cole, hurried in. Another line of text appeared: [The agent’s just as bad. He’s bound her with an Achievement System. The harder Sienna works, the more successful Roxy becomes!] I looked at the two men in front of me and fell into a deep, unsettling thought. So… all I have to do is stop giving a damn. … As the text continued to scroll, a chill crept into my heart. How could this be possible? The two most important men in my life were using me, sacrificing me for someone else? Just then, a celebrity news alert popped up on my phone: [Rising Star Roxy Spotted by Fans, Warmly Posing for Photos and Hugs.] In the video, her legs were impossibly long and slender, so pale they practically glowed. But just yesterday, when we were filming our fight scene, I’d seen her thighs, and they hadn’t looked like that. The comments section was flooded. [Roxy is the queen of self-discipline! Just a few days ago people were talking about her ‘thick thighs’ and now look at this comeback. Incredible!] [I heard she runs ten kilometers every morning to maintain her figure! How can a star like this not be famous?] [This is some serious shade on a certain senior actress, isn’t it? She’s been in the business for years and still hasn’t learned to manage her own body!] [Exactly. She’s so dark and chubby. If she’s not a flop, who is?] I didn’t need three guesses to know who the “certain senior actress” was. I glanced instinctively at my boyfriend, Zane, and my agent, Cole. They were both staring at their phones, grinning like idiots, their eyes filled with undisguised admiration and pride. I used to think they were just happy to see an artist from our agency succeed. Now I knew the truth. They were laughing at how stupid I was. The text floated by again: [See? The more Sienna worries about her thigh scarring, the more beautiful Roxy’s legs become.] I took a deep breath. I was starting to believe it. There was no other explanation for how Roxy’s legs could transform into flawlessness in a single day, right after mine had been sliced open. Rage boiled in my chest as I looked at them. One was my boyfriend. When he was a nobody, I was the one who spent a fortune—tens of millions, at least—on ads and investments to make him the star he was today. The other was my agent. When he was a newbie getting bullied in a corner, I was the one, a popular actress at the time, who took him under my wing. Because of me, he became a top-tier agent. And now, these two were working together to destroy me for Roxy. I was about to explode when a nurse came in to change my dressing. Zane immediately took the antiseptic and bandages from her. “I’ll do it,” he said gently. “You go on.” The nurse gave me a knowing, envious smile. “Your boyfriend is so handsome and thoughtful!” I forced a smile, my eyes secretly tracking Zane’s movements. With his back to me, he discreetly tossed the healing powder into the trash. The text floated up: [So cruel. This way, Sienna’s wound will scar, making her even more insecure about it.] I shot up and pushed him away. “Forget it. Just leave it.” Zane stared at me, bewildered. “Sienna, don’t you know that keeping your body scar-free is the ultimate respect you can show your audience?” “Besides,” he added, his voice hardening, “you’re my girlfriend. How can you be worthy of me if you have a scar?” He talked about not wanting me to scar, but all he wanted was for me to be insecure and obsessed. Years ago, when he, a famous actor, chose me, a washed-up star, over a bevy of beautiful actresses, his fans had ripped me to shreds for years. He never once defended me. Instead, he’d gaslight me. “Sienna, maybe they just think you’re not pretty enough.” “It’s okay. With modern medicine, if you want to get some cosmetic work done, I’ll support you.” Blinded by love, I’d foolishly agreed. To be “worthy” of him, I went through hell and back with cosmetic procedures, but my face only got worse. Now people called me a plastic surgery monster, full of toxins. I remember curling up under the covers, my body wracked with sobs, completely depressed over it. And on that very day, Roxy won the “Most Beautiful Lead Actress” award for her stunning looks. Snapping back to the present, I pushed him away with a humorless smile. “If you really cared about me, why haven’t you gone to settle the score with Roxy? Why haven’t you asked her why she used a real knife instead of a prop?” At the mention of Roxy, his expression soured. Cole stepped in, his tone deliberately calm. “Sienna, I know you don’t want to be just a pretty face. You care more about your skills, right?” “So I completely understand you focusing on your acting.” He paused, holding out a call sheet. “Here. I just booked you another stunt gig. Shoots at 1 a.m. The pay is good.” I glanced down at the throbbing wound on my thigh. I’d just been injured yesterday, and he wanted me to pull an all-nighter for a fight scene? I threw the call sheet on the floor. “I don’t feel well. I’m not doing it.” This time, even he couldn’t stay calm. His brows furrowed, his voice laced with impatience. “Sienna, accidents happen in acting. You used to be so tough. What’s wrong with you today?” “Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked for you these past five years, never giving up, constantly hustling for roles?” I stared at him, a bitter taste in my mouth. “Oh, thank you so much,” I sneered. He’d been with me for five years. I took him on when I was at my peak. He seemed so grateful, always at my beck and call. When my career tanked, he stayed, working tirelessly to find me gigs. I always thought he was loyal. It was why I refused to go home and inherit the family business, despite my parents’ pleas. I pushed myself so hard, often staying on set until three or four in the morning, because I didn’t want to let him down. And what was the result? No matter how hard I worked, I was just a stepping stone for Roxy. The thought made me shake my head. “Since I’m already a flop, what’s the point of trying? I’ll still be a flop.” I looked up and smiled at him again. “You never said you were working so hard. Since it’s such a burden, why don’t you just stop?” Zane and Cole stared at me, their expressions a mixture of confusion and alarm. My words were strange, but my meaning was clear. I didn’t give them a chance to reply. I stood up and walked out. “I’m checking out of the hospital.” Zane snapped out of it and chased me down the hall. “What are you talking about? Your leg looks terrible! Get back in there!” Cole followed, frowning as he tried to grab my arm. “You need to heal up. You have a lot more fight scenes coming up.” “You’re throwing a tantrum over a little thing like this? You’ll never make a comeback at this rate!” “A comeback?” I stopped dead and spun around to face him. “The truth is, you’re terrified I will make a comeback!” My outburst drew curious glances from a few passersby. Zane panicked, fumbling to put on his mask and hissing, “Calm down! We’ll talk about this when we get back!” I shoved his hand away and shouted, “I am perfectly calm!” More people were stopping to watch now. Zane lost it. “Sienna, are you insane? If you don’t care about your own image, at least think about the agency’s reputation!” “You look like a crazy shrew right now! Are you trying to embarrass me?” His face was red beneath his mask. I reached out and ripped it off. “So, the great A-list actor only likes beautiful women?” The mask was off. The hallway erupted. “Isn’t that the movie star, Zane? And that woman… that’s his girlfriend, Sienna, right?” “Why are they fighting in a hospital? Is she pregnant?” “No way. Isn’t he famous for doting on that ugly girlfriend of his? I thought they were true love!” Zane treasured his hard-won fame above all else. He hastily pulled his mask back on, muttering, “You’ve got the wrong person,” and fled. The onlookers froze, their phones still half-raised. I smiled sweetly at them. “Yes, that was Zane.” Cole grabbed my arm, dragging me aside. “If you keep this up, no one will ever hire you again!” “Once this scandal hits the news, your career in this industry is over!” I tilted my head, a laugh bubbling up. “Wouldn’t that be perfect? I was just thinking of retiring.” I had a family empire waiting for me to inherit. I didn’t need to grovel in this toxic industry. While he was still stunned, I turned and walked away. I sent a quick text to my mom, then systematically left every group chat for stunt work. Next stop: the agency, to terminate my contract. I had no endorsement deals, no TV appearances, and no active film roles. Plus, my parents were the biggest investors in the agency. Leaving wouldn’t be hard. That was the real reason the agency never fired me, even after my career had been in a slump for so long. I had asked them to keep my family background a secret, afraid people would use it against me, and even told them not to give me special treatment or resources. The moment I stepped into the office, I ran into Roxy. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes instantly welling up. “Sienna… I didn’t know the knife would… I really didn’t know…” I watched her performance, my face a blank mask. She cried beautifully, inching closer. “Sienna, please don’t be mad at me. It’s all my fault, all my fault…” Her eyes darted to my thigh. “That wound… it’s going to scar! I’ll find you a doctor, I know a really good one…” I sidestepped her. “You stab me, then you find me a doctor. You’re a real saint.” My words ignited the office. A colleague snapped, “Roxy, how is this your fault? It’s her own damn fault for not dodging a real knife. She’s probably just desperate for attention.” “Yeah! Roxy, you’re always getting her roles. She shouldn’t complain about one little stab, or even ten!” “If you ask me, she’s just ugly and high-maintenance! And now she has the nerve to be sarcastic with you!” I scanned the room, a cold smirk on my face. “So, stabbing me was justified, is that it?” Roxy’s tears fell faster. “Sienna, I didn’t mean it like that…” she whimpered. The more helpless she acted, the louder the murmurs grew. “Sienna, that’s going too far. Roxy apologized, what more do you want?” “You think you’re so great because your boyfriend’s a movie star? Get over yourself!” “Look at you. How can you even compare yourself to Roxy? One of her fingers is worth more than your entire career!” “The only reason someone who looks like you is still in this business is because Roxy helps you out. Otherwise, you would’ve been kicked to the curb ages ago!” I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the inferno inside me. They were right. Roxy was better than me now. But everything she had—Zane and Cole had stolen it from me and given it to her. She’d started as a nobody, an extra everyone looked down on. I felt sorry for her and asked Cole to give her a hand. And with that one hand, she shot to stardom. After she got famous, she even got her hooks into my boyfriend. I don’t know when the three of them started plotting against me. I was done wasting my breath on her. I reached out to push past her. The instant my hand touched her, she stumbled backward dramatically, collapsing to the floor. She clutched her knee, her face a mask of agony. “Roxy!” Zane and Cole burst out of the elevator and slammed into me, sending me sprawling. My wound tore open again. Blood gushed out, the pain so intense it brought a cold sweat to my brow. Before I could process what happened, Zane was pointing at me, roaring, “Sienna! How can you be so petty?!” Roxy clutched her back, whimpering as she leaned against him. “I have a promotional event tonight… but after Sienna pushed me, I’m so dizzy… I don’t think I can go… What if this affects the company?” A colleague immediately rounded on me. “That event has several major directors attending! If Roxy can’t go, what will they think of us? You bitch, you’re trying to sabotage everyone!” I suddenly noticed that Roxy was wearing shorts, and her thighs looked thicker than they had in the video this morning, the fabric cutting into her flesh. A text floated by: [Sienna stopped caring about her scar, so Roxy’s legs are back to their original state!] I looked down at my own leg. It was a bloody mess, but the skin around the wound was smooth and pale. Seeing me stare silently at my leg, someone stepped forward and stomped right on my injury. The pain was so blinding I nearly blacked out. The others backed away in disgust. “Now there’s blood all over the floor. So unlucky.” Zane looked down at me, his eyes filled with loathing. “Sienna, if you keep this up, don’t blame me for forgetting our history and telling the boss to blacklist you!” Cole’s voice was like ice. “Without me, a top-tier agent, you’ll never work in this town again!” Suddenly, a furious voice boomed from the entrance. “Insolence! Who dares cause trouble in my company!” Behind the CEO stood my mother, her face a mask of cold fury. The CEO pushed through the crowd of gossiping employees and strode towards me, his brow furrowed. He glanced at my bleeding leg, then at Roxy, and his voice was heavy. “What happened here?” Roxy immediately clutched her back, her voice frail. “Sir, I was just trying to advise Sienna to take better care of her image, but she suddenly lost her temper and pushed me…” The colleagues chimed in. “That’s right, sir! Sienna started it! Roxy was just trying to help!” “Yeah, Roxy is so kind, she didn’t deserve that!” My mother gasped and rushed over. The sight of my leg, drenched in blood, made her scream. “Someone, call an ambulance! Now!” But Zane just scoffed, stopping someone who was reaching for their phone. He crossed his arms, sneering at me. “Stop the act. If you had an ounce of this acting talent on screen, you wouldn’t be a flop.” “Look at Roxy. She debuted after you and already has several leading roles. And you? You’re still just a stunt double. Isn’t that pathetic?” The pain was making my head spin, but I gritted my teeth and glared at him. “This is acting? Are you blind, or am I?” “Zane, have you forgotten how you became an A-list actor in the first place? How dare you lecture me!” “You!” Zane pointed a trembling finger at me. “Sienna! If you hadn’t blackmailed me with the past, do you think I would have ever looked twice at a dark, ugly woman like you?” “I know what you did! You slept with Director Evans to get me that role, to make me an actor! I only stayed with you out of pity, because I didn’t want to expose you!” “But you’re the one who did it! I never forced you!” A wave of gasps and whispers filled the room. “I knew it! That’s how she got famous so fast back in the day! She slept her way to the top!” …It wasn’t enough to destroy me. He had to slander me, too?

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1 On the anniversary of my mother’s death, I ran into Uriah Vance. We hadn’t spoken in six years. I acted like he wasn’t there, my eyes fixed on my mother’s headstone as I walked past him. He clutched a bouquet of white lilies, following a few steps behind me like a nervous shadow. After a long, heavy silence, he finally found his voice, the words carefully chosen. “Can I… can I go pay my respects to my father?” he asked, his voice strained. “He wanted to see you, before the end. But your address, your number… you’d changed everything.” I nodded once. Surprise flickered in his eyes. He’d expected a fight—a storm of furious accusations, the biting, sarcastic remarks I used to be so good at. The rest of his plea, whatever it was, died on his lips. His eyes, red-rimmed and glistening, lit up with a fragile hope. “Rina,” he whispered, “you don’t hate me anymore.” A small, empty smile touched my lips, but I said nothing. Six years, and he still didn’t get it. Hate is just the ghost of love. With no love left, there was nothing to haunt me. … Uriah’s father had been kind to me. Whatever happened between his son and me, the man was gone now. Debts die with the dead. It was only right to pay my respects. After placing the lilies on the grave, I turned to leave. A weight settled on my shoulder. I looked up into Uriah’s gentle gaze as he draped his coat over me. “It’s almost winter,” he said softly. “You’re not dressed warmly enough.” Without a word, I shrugged the coat off. I’d learned long ago how to keep myself warm; I didn’t need charity from anyone else. He stiffened, the rejection hanging in the air between us. He quickly changed the subject. “Where are you living now? It’s hard to get a cab from out here. Let me give you a ride.” “No need. I work here.” He let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “I actually thought you were over it,” he scoffed. “We talk for two minutes and you’re already back to your old games. You, of all people. You’ve always been terrified of places like this.” He was right. I used to be terrified of ghosts. But ever since they buried Mom here, that fear was gone. Now, some nights, I’d give anything to hear her ghost yell at me just one more time. To hear her scream at the fool I was, throwing my life away for a man, rotting in a cell while she died alone, without me there to hold her hand. Uriah took a few quick steps to catch up, his hand reaching for mine. Just then, his phone rang. His hand dropped, diving into his coat pocket. “Lily…” he answered, his voice softening. “Honey, I told you to wait for me! We were supposed to come here together.” The voice on the other end was crisp and professional, laced with a playful frustration. “I had to move mountains to get out of that international conference, and I booked the earliest flight back just for you.” If Uriah hadn’t used her name, I wouldn’t have recognized her. It was Lily. The same Lily who used to speak in a thick country accent, so self-conscious she’d barely say a word. The girl who clung to my arm on her first-ever flight, too afraid to ask for a bottle of water because she thought people would laugh at how she talked. Now, she sounded like a powerhouse, a woman who commanded boardrooms. It seemed Uriah had taken very good care of her. He shot a panicked glance at me, clearly terrified she’d find out I was here. He mumbled a few excuses and quickly hung up. “I’ll come find you again,” he said before he left, his words a promise or a threat. My coworker, who had been watching from a distance, came over, her eyes wide with envy. “Rina, you’re a quiet one! How do you know a famous lawyer like Uriah Vance?” “He’s the one who bought that quarter-million-dollar plot for his dad,” she gossiped. “If you know him, you won’t have to worry about sales quotas. Just wait for one of his rich relatives to kick the bucket and…” I couldn’t help a tired, hollow laugh. Only people who sell graves for a living wish for death. The late autumn wind cut through my thin sweater, chilling me to the bone. The smile froze on my face. There was a time, I remembered, when I had wished for his entire family to die. I met him when my mother’s illness was at its worst. The medical bills piled up, one after another, an insurmountable mountain of debt. I spent my nights by her bedside, holding her hand through the pain, and my days enduring her screaming fits as the agony frayed her nerves and she lashed out at the only person left. Still, she got worse. I’d hide in the dark, silent stairwells of the hospital, shoving bread into my mouth to choke back the sobs. One night, I finally broke. I screamed at the heavens, cursed my luck, my life, everything, for a solid half hour. Wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand, I walked out, forgetting I’d left my phone behind. On my way back, I nearly collided with a man walking down the stairs, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He paused, clearing his throat. “Uh… I didn’t hear a thing.” After that, we kept running into each other. It turned out his father was in the same hospital, on the same floor. He’d watch over my mom so I could get a moment of sunshine, then spend three hours waiting for my turn in a crowded, noisy CT scan queue. When my mom, in a fit of rage, would tangle her hands in my hair and scream that the food was inedible, he’d quietly appear with a container of takeout from a high-end restaurant. They were small gestures to him. Insignificant. But to me, in those moments of suffocating despair, they were a lifeline. A gasp of air when I was drowning. When he found out my mom’s condition was from a workplace accident, he took it upon himself to fight for her compensation. The police dragged their feet, so he went to the construction site alone. By the time I got the call and rushed over, I barely recognized him. He was a silhouette of blood and bruises, surrounded by a dozen workers wielding steel pipes. “Get the hell out of here, you son of a bitch, or I swear to God I’ll run you over!” the foreman screamed. Uriah was trembling with fear, but he gritted his teeth and stood his ground. “Fifty thousand dollars,” he said, his voice shaking but firm. “You’re not moving a single pile of dirt until you pay.” “Fuck you!” The roar of an engine split the air. The workers scattered as a massive excavator lurched forward. A terrible, piercing scream tore from my throat as I ran, throwing myself in front of the machine. The foreman’s lips trembled. “Crazy. You’re all fucking crazy.” But it was too late. The machine’s tracks had crushed Uriah’s legs. Blood seeped into the dirt, blooming around the horrifying white of shattered bone. The veins in his neck bulged as he fought against the agony, but when he saw me, he managed a weak, broken smile. “Besides my law degree,” he gasped, “I guess I need to learn how to throw a punch. Can’t exactly get justice for my clients otherwise.” That money got my mom the imported medication she needed. Her condition started to stabilize. Uriah won a few major cases, and his career took off. We made a plan: on my birthday, we’d get our marriage license, and then we’d go to the hospital and bring my mom home. A surprise for her. Everything was finally getting better. The night before our appointment at the courthouse, Uriah was out of town, meeting with a client. Determined not to break his promise, he drove through the night to get back to me. He was drunk. He hit someone. I found him huddled in a corner of the hospital waiting room, his eyes locked on the glowing light above the operating room door. A strangled sob escaped his clenched jaw. In that moment, he looked just as hopeless as I had felt when we first met. “Uriah, it’s okay,” I whispered, my own heart hammering against my ribs. “I’m here. Just tell them… tell them I was driving.” His head snapped up, his eyes wide with disbelief. My mind was terrifyingly clear. I weighed the options. He was a rising star in the legal world, his future blindingly bright. My own salary didn’t even cover the taxes he paid each month. And both our parents would need expensive, long-term care. It was selfish, in a way. But it was also love. “We’ll beg the family for forgiveness,” I reasoned. “Worst-case scenario, I do six months.” He stared at me, his eyes bloodshot, his throat working for a long time before he could speak. “Rina,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion, “if I ever betray you, may God strike me down where I stand.” Neither of us could have known. The victim died. The family refused to forgive. And six months turned into seven years. My coworker, Chloe, slammed her fist on the table, letting out a string of curses. “You did seven years for him? And in the end, he just left you?” I stood up and poured a glass of water, my voice muffled. “You said it yourself. I did the time for him. Not the other way around.” “So who was she?” Chloe pressed, her voice dripping with venom. “Some rich client? A politician’s daughter? Who did that bastard run off with?” I shook my head. It was none of those. It was a girl from a forgotten town upstate who never even finished high school. After I was incarcerated, Uriah looked more haggard with every visit. He’d say the same thing over and over again. “Just hold on, Rina. I’m doing everything I can to get your sentence reduced.” My heart ached for him. He was running himself ragged, fighting for me while also caring for my mother and his own father. So, I asked my cousin, Lily, the girl I grew up with, to come help. The three of us sat together, separated by the thick visitation glass. Lily clutched a bag of my favorite homemade cookies, her eyes swollen from crying. “Don’t you worry, Rina,” she promised. “I’ll take good care of Auntie.” Uriah was polite, but I could see the flicker of annoyance in his eyes. Later, he complained, “I can’t understand a word she says with that accent, and she doesn’t know how to use any of the appliances. Wouldn’t it be better to just hire a professional nurse?” “Just be patient with her,” I urged him. “No stranger will ever care for family the way family does.” And just like that, two people whose paths never would have crossed were bound together. By me. Lily couldn’t speak without a thick drawl. So I recorded myself, saying a phrase in our hometown accent, then repeating it in clear, unaccented English. Uriah suggested hiring a tutor, worried I was tiring myself out. He didn’t understand. I used to read stories to Lily to help her sleep. My voice was the one she’d learn from the fastest. After my mother recovered enough to care for herself, Uriah wanted to send Lily back home. But I knew what that meant. Her parents had always favored her brothers; they’d marry her off to the first man who could offer a decent bride price. I insisted we enroll her in night school and begged Uriah to find her a stable job, something that would give her a foothold in the city. Slowly, Uriah’s resistance to her softened. He started bringing me good news about her. She’d passed her GED. She’d gotten an internship at his law firm. She’d won her first small case. At first, I was thrilled for this shy, insecure girl I considered a sister. But then, a subtle wrongness began to creep in. During our one-hour visits, Uriah would spend fifty minutes talking about Lily. Then his visits became less frequent. Did something happen? No, he’s just busy. He has to be busy. I tried to soothe the anxiety clawing at my throat, but the fluorescent lights of the cell hummed twenty-four hours a day, forbidding sleep, forbidding peace. The mocking whispers of the other inmates echoed in the darkness, giving voice to the fears I didn’t dare confront. “That fool still thinks her hotshot lawyer is waiting for her.” “Seven years ain’t seven days. He’s found someone else by now. Probably has kids.” Impossible. I would pull out the pile of gifts and photos he’d brought me over the years, my voice cracking as I defended him to their sneering faces. “This is our house! See? We designed it together. Two kids’ rooms. The one with the pirate ship is for a boy, and the one with the swing is for a girl. He even picked out a retirement community for us, for when the kids are grown. He promised he’d make up for these seven years.” Any man in the world could cheat. Not my Uriah. Never him. But on the day I was released, he wasn’t there to meet me. Only my grandmother was, her hair white as snow, her back bent as she sat on the edge of a concrete planter. The grief was so heavy in her frail body that when she opened her mouth to speak, only tears came out. “Oh, Rina,” she finally sobbed. “If only you’d gotten out two days sooner. Just two days. You could have seen your mother.” “She kept calling your name,” my grandmother wept, “just wouldn’t let go. She kept saying you were leaving for college on the train tomorrow, that she needed to pack you an extra bag of roasted pecans for the trip.” My throat closed up. A strange, sharp laugh escaped my lips. Grandma was getting old. Saying crazy things in the middle of the day. Mom was at home. Uriah and Lily were taking perfect care of her. The last time we’d video-chatted, the three of them were laughing, gathered around a steaming pot of soup, talking about wedding plans. They had brochures for venues and photographers spread all over the table. They were just waiting for me to come home so we could pick a date. I ran home, my heart pounding. I smoothed my hair in the elevator’s reflection, trying to straighten the wrinkles in my cheap, prison-issue clothes. The door was slightly ajar. Through the crack, I saw them. Two naked bodies, tangled together on the sofa. “What’s the rush?” the woman purred. “You didn’t even lock the door.” The man hastily pulled on his clothes. He turned, and his eyes met mine. He gasped. In that instant, every drop of blood in my body turned to ice. I burst through the door, a feral scream ripping from my lungs, and launched myself at him. I spun and slapped Lily across the face, the sound echoing in the silent room. Uriah shoved me back, shielding her with his body. He stared at me, his expression cold. “Seven years in prison taught you nothing?” he snarled. “You get out and the first thing you do is start acting like a lunatic?” Seven years. I had survived on a single promise. When you get out, Rina, we’ll get married. To get my sentence reduced, I let the other inmates beat me without fighting back. I worked until my hands were raw, the rope of the heavy loads I carried tearing through calluses, mixing blood with the grime as I forced down moldy food. I walked out of that place and into a world that looked at me with disgust and suspicion. And this was my reward. He was defending another woman. Accusing me. Seven years taught you nothing. But then, just as I thought the pain couldn’t get any worse, as despair threatened to swallow me whole, Lily leaned in, a triumphant, cruel smile on her face, and whispered in my ear.

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I was sent to live at the rich kid’s mansion. Turns out, my mom’s hard of hearing. She heard “School Bully” as “Star Student.” So, I spent all my time tutoring the jerk. I accidentally forced the failing King of Campus straight into a Top-Tier State University. At his college acceptance gala, the golden boy looked at me, eyes glistening: “I have to thank my girlfriend. She made me truly believe: Believe in the Power of Belief!” Me: ??? 01 My sophomore year, I moved into the mansion of the campus bully. The gorgeous, arrogant trust-fund kid, Ethan Knight, looked down his nose at me: “Don’t think just because you have a decent face, you’re the heroine in some cheesy K-drama.” Me: ?? He elegantly strode down the grand staircase: “Don’t catch feelings for me, okay? I know I’m naturally stunning and totally down-to-earth, but a sparrow can’t date an eagle, right?” He then tripped, hands jammed deep in his pockets, nearly face-planting like a dumb puppy. Good thing I was quick. I caught him in a steady princess carry. The stunned young master, cradled in my arms, blinked his huge, double-lidded eyes. A weird pink flush rose on his pale face. “The Suspension Bridge Effect? That’s some smooth game.” He suddenly scoffed: “Still, pretty cheap tricks.” Me: ??? 02 My mom is mute. She’s the live-in housekeeper for the Knights. The school had recruited me on a full scholarship, which is how I ended up in the city and in Ethan’s class. Mr. and Mrs. Knight were generous enough to let me stay in the staff quarters. They sent the chauffeur to drive us to school together. Ethan protested: “If the students see us in the same car, my seventeen years of pure, untouchable status will be ruined!” He told me not to tell anyone I lived here. He then wheeled out a pricey racing bike from the garage. I thought it was for me. “Thanks.” He hopped on: “I’m not trying to be a gentleman. My six-pack has just been slacking lately. Gotta get some cardio in.” And he sped off. I was three pages into my vocabulary review by the time he showed up. His slicked-back hair was damp with sweat. A dark strand clung to his forehead, like a damp little dog curl. It was honestly gross. I instinctively reached up and smoothed it back. Ethan bit his lip, pretending to be angry: “Ugh! I told you, watch the PDA in school!” But his mouth was twitching like he was struggling to hold back a smile. 03 The students were way friendlier than I expected. I got eighteen love notes by lunch. After class, I was heading back from the restroom when a guy blocked the hallway, demanding I scan his Snapchat code. I told him I couldn’t—my cheap flip-phone didn’t do that. He called me stuck-up and snarled: “Do you know who my dad is?” I asked: “Doesn’t your mom know?” His face went white. The next second, Ethan Knight appeared, holding a Starbucks, and bowed like a butler: “Princess, your coffee.” The whole hallway exploded: “Clear the halls! The Queen has arrived!” I asked him why he made such a scene. He just said he loved watching pathetic losers look terrified. He also added the coffee was from one of his stalkers and he didn’t want it, so I shouldn’t “read too much into it.” I found out later: Ethan Knight was the School Bully. He was so icy and menacing that not a single girl dared to actually pursue him. 04 The manor was massive, with a staff dining area, but the parents insisted Ethan and I eat together to prepare for our college exams. That evening, studying in the staff room, Ethan knocked and handed me a phone. It was the latest Pura80Pro+1TB. He said it was standard for Knight staff and came with mandatory monitoring software to prevent privacy leaks. Since I lived there, I had to use it. I was ecstatic! My first smartphone! I could finally look up study guides! The next day, I saw the chauffeur using an old iPhone. I asked Ethan about it. He said slyly: “You think those guys know how to use all this tech? I had to secretly hack their old phones to install the listening apps. Gotta keep them off the scent, wouldn’t want to tip them off.” I remember thinking, living in a rich family is deep water. I later found out the whole monitoring thing was a lie. He just wanted to buy me a phone. 05 Mr. and Mrs. Knight warned me: “Ethan has a terrible temper. If he’s rude, you tell us.” I smiled: “He won’t be. He’s actually very sweet and kind-hearted.” Ethan said nothing, only constantly peeled shrimp for my plate. Me: “Thanks, you really are thoughtful.” The Knights looked genuinely shocked: “Is this our son?” After that, Ethan became incredibly gentle and considerate. When it got cold and I forgot a jacket, he took off his and gave it to me. I casually mentioned wanting coconut water, and he produced one at the next break. When my mom threw out her back, he snatched the mop from me and scrubbed the entire mansion floor until it was clean enough to ice skate on. I thanked him: “Seriously, you’re the best.” Ethan: “It’s nothing, honestly!” Mr. and Mrs. Knight stared at him, bewildered: “What is wrong with you, kid? Look in my eyes!” 06 My mom, with her hearing issues, signed to me that Ethan was an Academic Whiz. I argued: “No, Mom, he failed his last math test!” She signed back that he was probably just hiding his true power as a form of rebellion against his parents. My view of Ethan changed instantly. I thought I was being too shallow, judging based on scores. A true High-Level Player wouldn’t care about meaningless vanity. 07 When I hit a wall with math, I finally gathered the courage to knock on the “Master’s” door. “Could I ask you about a few problems?” Ethan’s handsome face cracked: “Ask me?” “Yes! My mom says you’re a genius,” I said earnestly, “I want to look up to you and study hard!” Ethan slammed the door. He opened it moments later, took my worksheets, and sat at his desk, snapping multiple photos of the questions. I asked: “Why the pictures?” Ethan didn’t miss a beat: “My apprentice, you don’t know the secrets of the Master. I am recording your path to mastery.” I was touched. “Thank you, Master!” He had wireless headphones in. I asked: “Master, who are you talking to?” He looked offended: “Silence! I’m listening to music! Have you not read the martial arts novels? This is the Art of Simultaneous Learning, the Left and Right Hand Technique! You’ve never seen it?” I was impressed beyond measure: “You are truly amazing!” When he explained the problems, he paused after every single sentence. I got impatient: “I get this part, can you skip ahead?” He tapped my head with his pen: “Such a rough personality! Temper your impatience, or you’ll never achieve greatness.” I humbly accepted: “The Master is right.” 08 After the term finals, everyone was checking answers. I only had Ethan. He scolded me: “Checking answers is the stupidest habit after a test. It ruins your focus.” I mumbled: “…Oh.” To avoid stressing out, I skipped checking answers. When the results were posted, I was dreading it. Ethan tried to reassure me: “There’s a gap between our schools. It takes time to adjust. Don’t worry, your Master won’t fault you.” The scores came out: I was Number One in the class. Top Ten in the whole school. Wait?? Is this a joke? Wasn’t the Master a genius? Why… why did he score dead last in the class?! Ethan was calmly reading a superhero manga: “I’m suppressing my power, lest I shine too brightly. Don’t want the Ivies fighting over me and stressing out the students.” He took a sip of his coffee: “I’m handsome and rich. I have to have one flaw to keep everyone else feeling balanced.” I was full of respect: “Such nobility, sir!” 09 One summer day, the parents and my mom were out. The chef had the flu. Ethan, full of bravado, insisted on showing off his cooking skills. He only managed to chop some chilies before running to the bathroom. He came back, red-faced, doubled over in pain, claiming a stomach ache, and collapsed on the sofa. I insisted on taking him to the ER, but he refused. He kept running to the bathroom, but never seemed to get better. When the Knights returned, they asked why their son looked half-dead. I told them about the chili and the bathroom trip. I rushed to hand Ethan the hottest water bottle I could find: “You have a stomach ache! Maybe your stomach is cold. Hold this!” Ethan: “!!” The Knights stared at him with tragic concern. As Ethan stoically hugged the boiling hot water bottle to his groin, the three of them—Ethan, Mr. Knight, and Mrs. Knight—all screamed in unison: “S-S-S-S-S!” 10 Mrs. Knight later mocked him: “With your cooking skills, you could barely boil water in a microwave, let alone ‘show off’!” I shook my head. He was just being humble, Mrs. Knight! I enlightened her: “Smart people excel at everything; it’s all connected.” Mr. Knight looked confused: “Smart? Who?” I guaranteed them: “Ethan is a fantastic cook. I fully expect him to show off his talent again.” Ethan, sitting next to me, puffed out his chest, completely confident. His nonexistent tail was practically wagging: “You bet I will!” From then on, he spent all his time in the kitchen (I figured he was supervising). Once, I caught him secretly chopping potatoes late at night. He claimed it was “art therapy” for his “highly sensitive” nature. Before school started, I finally tasted his cooking. It was incredible: spicy pork, sweet and sour pineapple… The steamed custard was like freshly unpacked pudding, smooth and jiggly, without a single air bubble. I told them: “See? Ethan is brilliant. Everything he tries, he succeeds at.” Mr. and Mrs. Knight just kept eating his amazing food, their eyes silently filling with tears. Me: ?? Are you from the South? Can’t handle this little spice?

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