I wanted to surprise my wife, so I secretly went to her concert. When I ran into her, a famous male star, Jeff Dolly, smiled evilly in the lounge backstage. “Who do you like better, me or that useless man in your family?” Elsa Alerander kissed him flatteringly, “How can he compare with you?” Through the half-open door, I tore the new album contract she had dreamed of into pieces. —— It was two o’clock in the morning when Elsa returned home. She walked into the bedroom with a smell of alcohol and I had already laid down to rest. Elsa said coquettishly, “Lewis, I drank too much at the celebration party and my head hurts so much…” In the past, no matter how late she came back, I would wait for her and cook her a bowl of sobering soup. But this time, I didn’t even open my eyes. Elsa thought I was asleep and she snorted in dissatisfaction beside the bed. When I took her pyjamas to the bathroom, her mobile phone on the pillow vibrated. A message from Jeff popped up on the screen. [Baby, I miss you. Even after just a few minutes of separation.] Elsa finished her bath and quietly laid down beside me. She had her back to me and the screen of her mobile phone was always on. Her uncontrollable low laughter could be heard from time to time. I stayed up all night. The next morning, I saw unspeakable marks on her black lace panties among the pile of clothes in the bathroom. When I was lost in thought, Elsa came behind me and hurriedly snatched the panties away. “This is a little dirty, I can wash it myself.” She didn’t know that when she was flustered, her eyes would blink very quickly. I didn’t react to much and lightly said, “Oh”. Not long after, Elsa asked her assistant to bring a large bag of fresh ingredients. She said that she was on vacation and would make lunch for me personally. She was busy in the kitchen all morning and the table was gradually filled with my favourite dishes. This warm scene formed a sharp contrast with the haze in my heart. If I hadn’t witnessed her having an affair with Jeff yesterday, I would never have believed that Elsa, who had vowed to love me forever, would cheat on me six months after marriage. Just after eating two bites of food, Elsa hesitated and said, “Lewis, tomorrow is my birthday…” I put down my knife and fork, “Then what?” She then continued, “I invited the company’s artists to come to our house to celebrate it.” I understood what she meant. “Don’t worry. I’ll be invisible.” Because of her profession, we chose to get married in secret. Except for a few executives of the entertainment company, almost no one knew that she was married. After getting a satisfactory answer, Elsa was obviously relieved. When she was about to say something, her cell phone rang. Seeing the incoming call, she glanced at me guiltily and took the phone to the balcony. After a while, she came back and said apologetically, “Lewis, I forgot that I had an important announcement today.” I nodded, “Go ahead.” After Elsa left, I threw all the dishes on the table that were almost untouched into the trash can. When I first met Elsa, she was still a social media celebrity who live-streamed singing on the street. I was attracted by her appearance and voice. I took the initiative to ask for her contact information and we soon confirmed our relationship. Elsa was hardworking, ambitious and capable. After knowing her dream, I recommended her to participate in a popular talent show. I used my connections and carefully planned to make her stand out overnight and become a rising star that everyone was paying attention to. During a date, I joked, “You are famous now and there must be a lot of boys pursuing you.” Yet, she affectionately looked at me, “yes, but the one I like is you.” Elsa’s New Year’s wish last year was to marry me. I was so moved that I took her to the City Hall to get the certificate that day despite my family’s opposition. In order to take better care of Elsa, I quit my job and willingly became a house Lewis. However, I didn’t expect that my trust and dedication would be exchanged for her lies and betrayal.

On Elsa’s birthday, I left early. I sat in the library all day and didn’t go home until it closed. The dim light shone through the apartment window and I guessed that Elsa’s birthday party was over. Since I forgot to bring my keys, I rang the doorbell. Elsa opened the door and found me. Her face suddenly changed. She lowered her voice and said unhappily, “Didn’t I send you a message to come back later?” My phone ran out of power in the afternoon and turned off automatically. At this time, a man’s voice came from the bathroom, “Elsa, who is it?” “Jeff…” Elsa responded in a panic, “It’s okay, it’s just a rag collector.” After that, she winked at me and slammed the door. It instantly closed my last bit of attachment to Elsa. I sat on the stone bench in the park for a long time. It was so long that my legs were numb. I then saw Jeff wrapped tightly and came out of the apartment building. He got into a BMW. I sneered and thought, “Wow, what birthday party! They really had fun tonight, hadn’t they?” When Elsa found me, I was dozing on the stone table. She then guilty said, “Lewis, I’m sorry. I have to lie to you before. You know I have to do it, right? Please, understand me.” I ignored her and went upstairs. Elsa was still chattering behind me, “Fortunately, I was quick-witted just now. You also know that I am in the rising period of my career now. If it is revealed that I am married, it will be over.” I suddenly remembered that we were almost photographed by paparazzi on the way home together not long after we got married. At that time, I was still in shock. “Yeah, so fortunate that we were not discovered. Otherwise, your star journey would be ruined.” Elsa looked indifferent, “It will be exposed one day, Lewis. I wish the whole world knew that you are my husband.” She was so good to play someone’s heart that she could think she could change my mood so quickly. The room was a mess. Garbage was everywhere, cake cream was smeared everywhere and there were even two leftover steaks on the table. It was obvious that the two of them had a great time. In the bathroom, the shower gel mixed with adults’ liquid lingered in the humid air. I subconsciously looked at the trash can. Sure enough, there was a used condom lying in the paper ball. However, Elsa never noticed my sight. She even asked in a coquettish tone. “Lewis, where is my birthday present?” Birthday present? Well, I did prepare a good birthday present for her some time ago. It was the contract for the new album she had dreamed of. The entertainment company only planned to focus on training one artist in the second half of the year and this contract was the key to success. However, I have torn up that birthday present when I was at the backstage at her concert that night. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Elsa looked disappointed. “Lewis, did you forget to buy me? You haven’t paid enough attention to me these past two days.” Looking at her sad expression, my mind flashed back to our past happiness and joy. My heart was shaken a little. “Whom did you invite to come to our house today?” “If she took the initiative to admit it…” “I invited all my best friends…” She read out a long list of artists’ names without blushing or beating her heart, but Jeff was not one of them. At this moment, my last fantasy about her was shattered. I took out a document from the bedside table and handed it to her. Elsa’s eyes lit up, “Woah, you said you didn’t prepare a gift, but now you wanted to surprise me?” I chuckled. If she thought that it was a birthday gift, then it was okay. Sure enough, when Elsa saw the words on the document clearly, her smile froze on her face. “Nick, what do you mean?”

The divorce agreement was drafted yesterday afternoon. I could accompany my lover through hardships and made sacrifices for her. Yet, I couldn’t tolerate her disloyalty. “The day before yesterday, I went to the concert and went backstage. Guess what I saw at the door of your lounge?” Hearing this, Elsa’s face turned pale. Her hand that was holding the divorce agreement trembled slightly. I suddenly felt that she should not be a singer. An actress might be more suitable for her. “Nick, listen to my explanation,” she said anxiously. “Jeff is just my guest, we are just acting.” “Acting?” I smiled and kicked the trash can in the bathroom in front of her, “Is this also acting?” If it wasn’t dirty, I would even want to throw the condom in her face. Elsa saw the contents of the trash can clearly. The remaining blood colour on her face completely faded away. “You’d better sign it quickly after reading the content. Let’s make an appointment to go to the City Hall to complete the procedures.” I couldn’t stay in this dirty place for a moment. I walked to the door and stopped. I turned around and met Elsa’s eyes full of expectations and a hint of begging. I pulled the corner of my mouth and shortly said, “I forgot to say. Happy birthday.” I checked into the hotel. After charging my phone, I saw that Elsa had sent me a string of messages. The content was mostly quibbling and confession. She said that she and Jeff were just hyping and she just wanted to get the company’s autumn artist quota through Jeff. She said that she only loved me, never thought of divorcing me and would never agree to a divorce. In the next second, she called me, but I hung it up. I decided to block all her contact number. On the weekend, I was invited to attend an awards ceremony. By any chance, I ran into Jeff in the banquet hall. When I walked past him, he stopped me. “It was too dark that night that I couldn’t see you clearly. Elsa said you looked average, but I think you are tall and handsome. In fact, you’re pretty good.” It turned out that he saw me on Elsa’s birthday. He had always known about my existence. Jeff looked at me with contempt and said, “However, even if you look so pretty, you’re just an ordinary person, not as content as me. You’d better know your place, don’t rely on Elsa and ruin her future.” At this time, Elsa also came. When she saw me, the expression on her face changed unpredictably. Jeff intimately leaned over to Elsa’s ear and reminded her, “Elsa, he intentionally came here. He might want to retaliate against you and expose your relationship?” Elsa’s face turned hard when she heard it. She lowered her voice and urged, “Nick, you can go first. We will talk about it later in the house if you want to.” Seeing that I didn’t move, Elsa got anxious, “Nick, I agree to whatever you want. Don’t get me a trouble in this occasion, okay?!” A few days ago, she was still swearing to me on Whatsapp. Then she regarded me as a virus and wanted to kick me away. I smiled. Elsa’s character was really disgusting. I took advantage of the situation and said, “Okay, if you agree to divorce, I won’t make a fuss.” When Elsa was hesitating, she saw a group of media reporters and entertainment company executives coming over here. She instantly got panicked. She hurriedly urged, “Okay, fine. Go now!” I smiled and took a step back. I turned to walk towards the crowd in ease. Elsa was so scared that her face turned blue. She rushed over to force me away. Our dispute attracted everyone’s attention. Elsa took the initiative and said to those people, “He’s one of my fans who sneaked into the banquet to make trouble. I was about to ask the security to drive him away.” As she said that, she really waved and called the security. Suddenly, a female star in gorgeous clothes and diamond high heels walked up to me. She looked at Elsa with contempt. “Elsa, you’re being delusional, aren’t you? Don’t you know who he is?”

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My name is Malia Petrov, and my sister Fiona Petrov is obsessed with voyeurs. She deliberately changes clothes in front of surveillance cameras. In my previous life, I discovered dozens of tiny cameras hidden in her bedroom. I immediately called the police and helped remove all the devices. But the exposed voyeur, seeking revenge, broke into my home and stabbed me over a dozen times with a knife. As I lay dying, I called Fiona for help, but she said coldly over the phone: “I’m the one who leaked your address. It’s all your fault for meddling and ruining my true love, destroying my dream of becoming a rich woman! You deserve to die!” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I discovered those cameras! This time, I won’t tell Fiona that behind those cameras lurks a disfigured, twisted man. My body still aches with the phantom pain of being stabbed repeatedly. I stood frozen in place, unable to believe it, finally realizing—I’ve been reborn! Right now, I’m standing in Fiona’s rental apartment. My heart races and my hands tremble slightly as everything from my past life remains vivid in my memory. Ever since Fiona watched that movie, she became obsessed with the handsome, wealthy voyeur protagonist. She fantasized daily that the movie’s male lead would actually walk into her real life. To make this happen, she posted her address online along with carefully made-up, provocatively dressed selfies, specifically noting: “Living alone and lonely, currently single, welcome to chat with me.” Whenever I advised her to be careful about privacy and safety, she’d always roll her eyes and respond: “What do you know? Only completely open love can attract quality men. You’re just jealous that someone likes me—you can’t stand seeing me happy. Once I find my handsome, wealthy boyfriend, I’ll show you what you’re missing.” I could only shake my head helplessly. Later, Fiona claimed she’d read a horror novel and was too scared to sleep alone at night, insisting I stay with her for a couple of days. In her rental apartment, there was a toy bear with a red light flashing in its left eye. My heart tightened. Following methods I’d learned online, I drew the curtains and used my phone’s flashlight to scan around in the darkness. Immediately, I broke out in goosebumps. The ceiling, bedside, bathroom… everywhere was covered with countless tiny glowing dots. Fiona’s rental apartment was packed with cameras! My blood ran cold as I immediately called the police. After collecting evidence, they removed all the cameras. I even contacted building management to strengthen security and thoroughly eliminate all hidden dangers. I thought I’d helped Fiona dodge a bullet. But two weeks later, a man wearing a black mask and baseball cap suddenly broke into my home, gripping a sharp fruit knife. Just then, Fiona called, and I desperately reached for her like a lifeline, trembling as I begged for help. But from the other end came her mocking voice: “Malia, so you have days like this too? Let me tell you the truth—I’m the one who gave him your address. It’s all because you meddled and got my prince wanted by the police. Otherwise, we might already be together by now! You ruined my true love and destroyed my dream of being a wealthy woman, so go ahead and die! For old times’ sake as sisters, I’ll give you a proper burial!” The moment she finished speaking, before I could even react, I was brutally murdered on the spot. Even now, thinking back on it, I still shudder. This time, I absolutely won’t stop her. And I won’t tell Fiona that before I died, I saw the voyeur remove his mask. His cheek bore a massive scar, crawling with what looked like maggots, grotesque and terrifying—nothing like the perfect man of her fantasies. I’m curious to see her expression when she discovers the truth and her fantasy completely shatters. I let out a cold laugh, set down the eerie toy bear, and pretended I hadn’t noticed anything.

When Fiona came back from outside, I was getting ready to leave. She froze for a moment, then her eyes darted around before she spoke: “You found the cameras in here?” Her cold, heartless words from my past life still echoed in my mind, filling me with hatred and leaving me momentarily speechless. But Fiona grabbed my hand, putting on a worried expression: “Actually, I asked you to come because I wanted you to help me. These past few days, he’s been sneaking into my place every night after I fall asleep. He not only sleeps in the same bed as me and drinks from my water, but he also uses my toothbrush and towel in the morning, then leaves before I wake up.” I felt sick to my stomach and nearly gagged. But with revenge consuming my thoughts, I suppressed my churning emotions and put on a delighted expression: “Really? Congratulations, Fiona! Haven’t you always fantasized about having a handsome stalker boyfriend? Your dream has finally come true.” Fiona looked at me suspiciously: “Didn’t you always say stalkers are immoral, unprincipled psychos?” I quickly cut her off: “I was wrong before. Now I understand—he’s doing all this because he loves you! The more cameras he installs, the more it shows he can’t bear to be apart from you and wants to capture every moment of your life. He sleeps with you every night and uses your toiletries because he wants to be with you always! Fiona, you’ve found yourself an absolutely amazing man!” Fiona’s doubts gradually faded, and she finally broke into a shy smile: “You’re right. Heaven really is looking out for me. I can’t let this opportunity slip away.” She opened a group chat filled with obsessive fans of that movie. As soon as she posted about her experience, the chat exploded with activity. [OMG, I’m so jealous! You found your prince so quickly!] [He loves you so much, installing all those cameras in your room to protect you.] [I think he must be such a gentle person, coming to quietly keep you company every night. Maybe he can only fall asleep breathing in the scent of your hair.] [I wonder what such a devoted man looks like—he must be incredibly handsome!] Fiona sent a bashful emoji and replied: [Actually, I saw him downstairs earlier. He was wearing a black windbreaker, looked really tall, like a male model.] The chat went even wilder, showering Fiona with praise that made her absolutely glow with happiness. I paused, looking through the window at the tall, model-like man in the windbreaker downstairs. Wasn’t that my boyfriend, Lawson Griffin? Lawson and I had been together for four years, but hardly anyone around me had ever met him. Everyone assumed he must be hideously ugly and too embarrassed to show his face. He had come to pick me up today, but somehow got mistaken for the stalker by Fiona. I almost burst out laughing. But I didn’t explain anything. After all, the deeper Fiona’s delusion, the more spectacular it would be when her fantasy came crashing down. Following the fans’ suggestions, she deliberately walked over to the teddy bear and winked seductively at the hidden camera, even changing clothes right there in the living room to show off her figure. She was completely lost in her fantasy, smiling with pure bliss. Fiona thought she had found herself an enviable romance. The next day during a company meeting, Fiona lost her design proposal and actually called the stalker for help. The person on the other end played dumb, claiming not to know anything. But Fiona started acting coy: “Stop kidding around with me. You’ve got cameras in every corner of my place, watching me 24/7. You definitely know where the proposal is. Help me out, pretty please?” There was a pause before the voice said: “You tossed the files into the laundry basket last night before your shower.” Fiona smiled with satisfaction, her lips curling smugly. Her colleagues around her looked disturbed, wanting to say something but holding back. When a well-meaning person tried to warn her about safety, she raised an eyebrow: “I know you’re all just jealous. But a good man like this is once in a lifetime—he only loves me. So stop trying to sabotage our relationship.” From that day on, Fiona began frequently posting about what she considered romantic moments. [Woke up this morning to find my clothes unbuttoned. I won’t say who did it.] [He always drinks my leftover water. Does this count as an indirect kiss?] [Got two more stuffed animals with cameras inside. Such a sense of security.] [There’s always rustling sounds from the closet. Are you secretly hiding in there protecting me?] What seemed bizarre and even disgusting to others appeared romantic and full of love to Fiona. I felt a chill run through me, genuinely hoping Fiona and that stalker would stay together forever.

After some time, Fiona suddenly asked me out for dinner. She said she wanted to officially meet her prince face-to-face and hoped I’d be there to witness it. She specifically emphasized that I should bring my boyfriend along. She simply wanted her prince to outshine my boyfriend so she could show off in front of me. Too bad things wouldn’t go as she planned. On the appointed day, Lawson had to work overtime at the last minute, so I went to the restaurant alone. As soon as I walked into the private dining room, I froze. There wasn’t just Fiona inside—the room was packed with people. She smiled brightly. “Malia, you’re here! I forgot to mention that I also invited some fan friends today. You don’t mind, do you?” I sneered inwardly. She just wanted to humiliate me in front of more people. Little did she know, she had orchestrated a farce that would backfire on her. She looked behind me with feigned surprise. “Where’s your boyfriend? Why are you here alone?” Just as she finished speaking, a man wearing a black mask and baseball cap walked in. He wasn’t tall, had a slightly hunched back, and his eyes under the cap brim were as disgusting as a sewer rat’s. The moment I saw that face, my whole body trembled and cold sweat broke out. He was exactly the man who had tortured and killed me in my previous life. I immediately dug my nails into my palm, forcing down the surging emotions. Fiona beside me wrinkled her nose and shouted loudly, “Where did this filthy thing come from? Get out right now—you’re making me lose my appetite.” While waving her hand dismissively, she deliberately moved closer to the man and suddenly yanked off his mask. A huge scar on his face was exposed—uneven flesh twisted together like writhing maggots. Everyone gasped and stepped back. Fiona paused for a moment, malice flashing in her eyes. “Oh my, look at my memory! I just realized—you must be Malia’s boyfriend, right? Even though you’re a bit ugly, I won’t look down on you. After all, you’re the man my sister likes.” Her fan friends also chimed in with sarcastic comments. “I heard Fiona’s sister has been dating this man for four years. Now that’s true love.” “They’re perfect for each other—I feel like throwing up just looking at them.” Hearing these taunts, Fiona smiled calmly. I sneered inwardly: “Enjoy your smugness now. When you discover that this man you despise so much is actually the prince you’ve been pining for, let’s see if you can still smile. I hope you remember your words then and don’t look down on him.” I raised an eyebrow, hiding the deeper meaning in my eyes. Just then, the private room door was pushed open again, and Lawson, having finished his work, walked in with his long, powerful strides. The moment Fiona saw him, her eyes lit up. She rushed toward him with delight, her face showing just the right amount of shyness, her voice sweet as honey: “Darling, I’ve been waiting for you so long. Even though this is our first official meeting, I feel like we’re a couple who’s been in love for ages. This must be fate.” The fans in their seats immediately started cheering. “The handsome guy finally appears! Our leading lady has found her prince!” “They’re absolutely the perfect couple!” At that moment, Lawson and the stalker stood together, making the contrast between them even more obvious. Everyone unconsciously began comparing them. Why could Fiona find a tall, long-legged handsome guy while her own sister could only be with a disfigured, sleazy man? Indeed, everyone has different taste. The crowd burst into mocking laughter, full of malice. Fiona smiled even more smugly, waiting to see me make a fool of myself.   But what none of them expected was Lawson frowning and pushing Fiona away with clear resistance. “You’ve got it wrong. I’m Malia’s boyfriend.” Jack Holmes, the stalker standing nearby, also spoke up: “Fiona, I’m the one who’s been by your side every day. I’m the one who sleeps with you. We share the same cup of water, eat the same ice cream. How could you not recognize me?” In that moment, everyone realized something had gone terribly wrong. They had gotten everything backwards. The model-handsome guy was Malia’s boyfriend, while Jack—who had been mocked as a disfigured freak—was actually Fiona’s so-called prince! Those who had been sneering moments before now felt their faces burning with shame, as if they’d been publicly slapped multiple times, drowning in embarrassment. Fiona was even more unable to accept this reality, her face turning deathly pale. “How is this possible? How could my prince be you?” The thought that this person had been by her side all these days made her nauseous, her body trembling uncontrollably. Jack nervously stepped forward to comfort her, but she screamed and pushed him away. Having lost face so spectacularly in front of everyone, Fiona simply couldn’t accept this reality. With her face ashen, she said nothing and rushed out without looking back. Jack immediately chased after her. Looking at the group of bewildered fans at the scene, I spoke coldly: “Now do you see clearly? The characters in movies are all fictional. This is what a real stalker looks like. Wake up and stop doing such foolish things.” Their faces turned pale, unable to sit still. After the drama ended, Lawson’s expression seemed somewhat strange. I felt nervous. Lawson was a cop, and whenever he showed that expression, it usually meant something ominous was about to happen. Sure enough, he spoke up: “This guy looks a bit like a fugitive from a murder case several years ago. I’d like to do a DNA comparison.” Hearing this, I suddenly remembered the scene from my past life when Jack tortured and killed me. He had remained calm, striking without hesitation, not even blinking when blood splattered on his face. An ordinary person couldn’t possibly be so calm and cold-blooded. He definitely had issues! To help Lawson investigate, I quietly infiltrated the fan group Fiona belonged to and started gathering information. It turned out that after that day, Fiona had angrily cursed Jack as disgusting and perverted, telling him to get lost. In her emotional outburst, she had even smashed a roadside Porsche. The massive compensation bill made her face turn instantly pale. But Jack not only easily paid the damages, he also drove up in a Maserati and took her to a villa in the city center to rest, all just to soothe her emotions! He was actually wealthy! Fiona was completely stunned by this series of surprises. She immediately changed her previous attitude of disgust and mockery, saying she had just been emotional and that she didn’t actually judge people by their appearance. In the end, the two successfully went on a date and officially established their romantic relationship. Over the past couple of days, Fiona had been showing off like crazy in the group chat. “I just casually mentioned it was hot, and my prince bought me a private yacht for a vacation at sea.” “A whole walk-in closet full of Hermès bags—I don’t even know which one to carry. Such a sweet problem to have.” “Looks really don’t matter. What matters is that he loves me enough and can fulfill all my needs.” “My prince is head over heels for me. He says he wants to get engaged to me right away, with the ceremony at the most luxurious villa in the city. You can all come and see what real luxury looks like.” I was absolutely stunned, completely amazed. One second Fiona had been having a breakdown and cursing, the next she was all smiles sending out engagement invitations. Even our parents from out of town were flown in to attend the engagement ceremony. Indeed, all Fiona wanted was money.

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My sister Elena Parker and I are twin daughters of the Merfolk Clan royal family. We were born with the ability to bear Divine Beasts. On our coming-of-age day, our father Jordan Parker summoned all the unmarried princes of the Beast Tribe for us to choose our mates. Elena chose the powerful Leviathan Clan prince Axel Bailey. She wanted to bear a Divine Dragon with Axel and ascend to the Beast Queen’s throne. But she gave birth to five children in one pregnancy, all of them low-level Half-Beasts. Despite my frail health and frequent illnesses, I successfully bore a Divine Dragon cub with the ill-reputed Serpent Clan prince Oliver Taylor. On the day of the Beast Queen’s coronation ceremony, Elena, consumed by resentment, strangled my Divine Dragon cub, gouged out my Beast Core, and finally threw both my body and the cub’s corpse into the Beast Refining Furnace, hoping to completely obliterate our souls. After my rebirth, I saw Elena pointing at Oliver and declaring, “I only want him.” I immediately understood—she had been reborn too. I let out a cold laugh. I wanted to see if she could bear a Divine Dragon in this lifetime. ***** Elena said, “Father, I like Oliver. I only want him.” As she spoke, her eyes blazed with determination to possess him. Elena looked at me provocatively, as if certain that choosing Oliver would guarantee her ability to bear a Divine Beast and claim the Beast Queen’s throne. I knew she had been reborn too. Elena and I are twin daughters of the Merfolk Clan royal family, born with the natural ability to bear Divine Beasts. Ten thousand years ago, the Beast Tribe suffered a great war. The only Divine Beast at that time heroically sacrificed itself to protect countless Beast Tribe lives. Since then, the Divine Beast lineage gradually declined, and no Divine Beast had appeared for ten thousand years. Now, Elena and I are the only beings in the entire Beast Tribe with hope of bearing Divine Beasts. All members of the Beast Tribe have publicly declared that whoever bears a Divine Beast will become the Beast Queen. In my previous life, on our coming-of-age day, Elena was first to choose Axel. She wanted to bear a Divine Dragon with him and become the Beast Queen. After seeing Elena choose Axel, the remaining Beast Tribe princes all left. They looked down on me—a frail, sickly mermaid. Left with no choice, I selected the equally ill-reputed Oliver, earning Elena’s mockery. That year, Elena and I became pregnant simultaneously. Elena carried five children, while I carried only one. A year later, Elena gave birth to five children, but they were all low-level Half-Beasts. The child I bore, however, was a Divine Dragon cub—something unseen for ten thousand years. All members of the Beast Tribe cheered, recognizing me as the future Beast Queen. But on the day of the Beast Queen’s coronation ceremony, Elena, consumed by resentment, strangled my Divine Dragon cub and ambushed me while I was weak. She gouged out my Beast Core, tore off all my scales, and finally threw both me and the dead Divine Dragon cub into the Beast Refining Furnace to completely obliterate our souls. Thinking of this, I stared intently at Elena, suppressing the hatred in my eyes. My Divine Dragon cub, not even a month old and covered in wounds, never had the chance to call me “Mother” before vanishing from this world forever. Jordan’s voice interrupted my memories. He asked, “Elena, are you certain you want to choose Oliver? Don’t you want to consider the other princes?” Jordan deliberately glanced at Axel, hinting that choosing the ill-reputed, low-status Serpent Clan prince was incomparable to selecting the Leviathan Clan prince. Elena ignored Jordan’s hint, grasped Oliver’s hand, and declared, “I only want Oliver. I swear by the Divine Beast that I will only be with him in this lifetime. Oliver will be my only husband.” All the Beast Tribe members present showed envious expressions. After swearing by the Divine Beast, failing to keep the oath would result in divine retribution. Moreover, the Beast Tribe royal family had always practiced polyandry. Being their sole husband was an extraordinary honor. Oliver gazed at Elena with infatuation, his eyes filled with shock. He never expected Elena to choose him despite his poor reputation, much less swear to have only him as her husband for life. He thought, “As long as I bear a Divine Beast with the healthy Elena, I’ll become second only to the Divine Beast—more noble than everyone else.” Jordan sighed and turned to me, saying, “Caroline, who do you choose?” Caroline Parker is my name. As soon as he finished speaking, the unchosen princes scattered and fled, terrified of being selected by me—the frail, sickly mermaid—and becoming the unlucky one among the Beast Tribe.

Forget about having me bear a Divine Beast—I might die any day now, and then they’d be stuck as widowers for life. Besides, after marrying a royal family member, they can never marry anyone else. I coughed, my trembling finger pointing at Axel as I said, “I choose Axel from the Leviathan Clan.” Axel nodded coldly. As the sole prince of the Leviathan Clan, he bore the heavy responsibility of ensuring his people’s reproduction. The Leviathan Clan struggled with fertility—even when someone did get pregnant, it was rare for them to successfully give birth. Otherwise, their clan wouldn’t have declined to the point where he was their only remaining prince. The Merfolk Clan possessed the strongest reproductive abilities. To help the Leviathan Clan produce more offspring, Axel had no choice but to stay and take this gamble. Jordan looked at Elena with heartbreak, but she had already sworn an oath to the Divine Beast. With no other option, he told the four of us to pick a date for the wedding. Afterward, Jordan left, and the unchosen beasts from the Beast Tribe glared daggers at Oliver before departing. Elena linked arms with Oliver and stood smugly in front of me. She said, “Caroline, you need to take good care of your health. Don’t go dying before you even get pregnant. When I return to the palace, I’ll send you some fruits to help nourish your body.” Then Elena looked at Axel with feigned pity and said, “The Leviathan Clan’s descendants are dwindling—they’re on the verge of extinction. Too bad you chose the wrong person and placed your hopes on Caroline. But don’t worry. When Caroline dies, I won’t stop you from marrying someone else.” Axel’s expression remained calm, as if he hadn’t caught Elena’s sarcasm. I smiled. Did Elena really think she’d been able to successfully bear a Half-Beast child in my previous life because of her strong reproductive abilities? Did she really believe that choosing the notorious Oliver this time would let her give birth to a Divine Beast? Just as I was about to speak, I suddenly broke into violent coughing and spat up blood. Axel pulled out a handkerchief and personally wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. Ignoring Elena, he bent down to lift me in his arms, preparing to leave. Elena shouted angrily behind us, “Damn you, Axel! You’ll never have even a Half-Beast child in this lifetime.” Nestled in Axel’s arms, I saw Oliver approach Elena with hurt, reddened eyes, kissing her while using the Serpent Clan’s Seduction Sorcery to make her extraordinarily excited and unable to control herself. She immediately tore Oliver’s clothes apart and had relations with him right there on the spot. Hearing the sound of fabric being ripped, my vision went black. Axel quickly covered my eyes, his magnetic voice saying, “Don’t let those filthy things pollute your sight.” Axel carried me away, and I could still faintly hear Elena and Oliver’s moans. Axel carried me all the way back to the palace, carefully placing me on the bed and specifically having someone call Dr. Asher Watson to examine me. After the examination, Asher shook his head: “She needs to rest and recuperate now. She must have complete quiet and absolutely cannot be subjected to any stimulation. Intimate relations between spouses are strictly forbidden.” Axel’s ears instantly turned red. He silently saw Asher out. It was rare to see Axel looking so innocent. Remembering how considerate Axel had been toward Elena in my previous life, I tentatively asked, “Axel, my body is so weak that even Dr. Watson says we must abstain from intimacy. Do you really not regret marrying me?” I lowered my head and continued, “I might not be able to bear children. If you regret this, I can have my father cancel the engagement.” Axel reached out with his long, strong fingers and covered my mouth. He said, “If your health is poor, then you’ll recover slowly. I’m a prince of the Leviathan Clan—I know strengthening techniques. I won’t let you die.”

I smiled slightly but didn’t tell Axel that there was actually nothing wrong with my body. In my previous life, after I chose Oliver, he appeared extremely obedient to me out of gratitude for my choice. At the time, I told him that my physical weakness was due to being born with the bloodline capable of bearing Divine Beasts. Once I became pregnant and gave birth, surviving that period of weakness would allow my body to fully recover. But I never expected that he was only pretending to treat me well. After I got pregnant, he began frequenting brothels and even housed the beast-men he’d been intimate with in my palace. He even conspired with Elena to kill my Divine Dragon cub, then willingly delivered me to Elena, allowing her to humiliate me. When my cub’s corpse and I were thrown into the Beast Refining Furnace, Oliver supported Elena’s belly and said with a smile, “This is my true Divine Beast child.” Elena thought she’d found herself a treasure, but Oliver was nothing more than a low-quality, conscienceless beast-man. Thinking of my Divine Beast cub made me lose focus for a moment. In this life, I hadn’t chosen Oliver. Did that mean I’d never have that child again? Yet I couldn’t help harboring a glimmer of hope. Since both Elena and I had been reborn, could my child possibly return too? Axel gently stroked my head and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you. You don’t need to rush about having children—your health is what matters most.” To help me recover my strength, Axel personally took me to the Leviathan Clan’s Holy Land. The Leviathan Clan’s Holy Land was as beautiful as a dream, with mountains of precious jewels piled everywhere. Masculine energy bathed the gems, casting rainbow-colored light in all directions. To make me happy, Axel transformed into his beast form and let me ride on his head as he toured me around the Holy Land. As the breeze blew past, I looked down at Axel beneath me and leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on his head. Axel’s flying form paused for a moment, and his ear tips instantly turned red. He said in a low voice, “Hold on tight to me, don’t fall off.” I smiled softly and hugged him tightly. Axel’s ear tips grew even redder. He was still so innocent. I felt a pang of regret in my heart. How wonderful it would be if my Divine Dragon cub could have a father like this. Axel and I had such a wonderful time in the Leviathan Clan’s Holy Land that we didn’t want to leave. But Jordan sent someone to ask us to return, saying the wedding would be held in three days. As soon as Axel and I returned to the palace, Elena came before me with her protruding belly. She deliberately placed her hand on her stomach, displaying a victorious smile. She said, “Caroline, I really envy you now. You have no idea how hard pregnancy is—I can’t eat many things, and I throw up when I smell unpleasant odors.” Glancing at me, Elena said proudly, “Dr. Watson says I’m carrying seven children in this pregnancy. Caroline, if you can’t get pregnant, I could give you one of my children. I’m just so beautiful and kind-hearted that I can’t bear to see the Leviathan Clan without heirs.” Axel stepped in front of me and said, “Thank you for your kind offer. But the Leviathan Clan has rules—only beast-men with Leviathan Clan bloodline can inherit the clan’s wealth. Oliver’s family probably doesn’t have much property, and seven children will indeed require a lot of money. I’ll give you this—just don’t think about selling children for money.” With that, Axel pulled out a very fine ruby pendant and handed it to Elena. Elena was furious. She snorted coldly and turned to leave. Before departing, Elena said viciously, “You deserve to have the Leviathan Clan die out!” I watched Elena leave calmly without saying a word. Thinking I was upset, Axel embraced me from behind and whispered in my ear, “Caroline, having you by my side is enough. If you like children, we can adopt other beast-men’s children. I think mermaid children would be lovely—they’d be as beautiful as you. I’ll spoil that child just like I spoil you.” I patted Axel’s hand and said, “Alright.” How could I let someone as wonderful as Axel remain childless? Three days later, Elena and I held our weddings together. Oliver supported Elena’s pregnant belly while Elena looked at me proudly. The scene looked as if she had already given birth to a Divine Beast and become the Beast Queen. Axel ignored the two of them and walked step by step with me into the palace. After passing through the palace gates, he swept me up in his arms and carried me into the room. Then Axel moved to leave. I quickly grabbed Axel’s hand and leaned up to kiss him. Taking advantage of how the kiss made Axel lose control, I wrapped my arms around his neck and said tenderly, “Axel, don’t you want to experience the intimacy between husband and wife with me?”

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I resigned from my position as head animal trainer at the circus, planning to work as a caretaker at a wildlife sanctuary instead. Everyone agreed with this decision and even hoped I’d leave immediately. However, Jessica Grant, a classmate of my husband Alfred Gibson who called herself an “animal whisperer,” was blocking the entrance to my training arena. She stared at me with her big, watery eyes, stubbornly refusing to move. Jessica said to me, “Emily, even though everyone says you abuse animals and use violent methods to tame them, I believe you’re not that kind of person. For my sake, please don’t leave, okay?” Emily Kennedy is my name. I let out a cold laugh, pretended not to see her, and walked straight past. In my previous life, Jessica also claimed to be an “animal whisperer,” saying she could communicate telepathically with animals. Back then, she was my assistant, yet she could always tame wild beasts one step ahead of me. Moreover, the commands she gave the animals were identical to what I had taught them. It would take me months to get a wild animal to learn a single command, but Jessica only needed to whisper softly to the animals to make lions and tigers obediently cooperate in performances. The audience cursed me as cold-hearted, saying I abused animals, while they praised Jessica as gentle and kind, claiming that’s why she could earn the animals’ trust. Some even slandered me, saying my long-term animal training was actually for the pleasure of tormenting animals. When I tried to pull up the surveillance footage from the training grounds to prove my innocence, I discovered that Alfred had already deleted all the recordings. Without evidence, even a hundred mouths couldn’t clear my name. Later, I was doused with sulfuric acid by extreme animal rights activists on the street. My skin festered all over my body, and I died in agony. When I opened my eyes again, I found I had been reborn, back to the day Jessica first claimed to be an “animal whisperer.” “If you can’t tame this lion, you’re all getting fired!” A familiar voice rang in my ears. I took a deep breath and looked up to see circus director Charlie Brown frowning deeply. Charlie pointed at the lion in the cage—growling low and in a frenzied state—and asked me, “Emily, the show is only days away. How much longer do you need to get this lion ready?” Everyone stared at me expectantly. Only then did I confirm that I had truly been reborn. I pressed my lips together. I had spent two months day and night with this lion. Now, it only trusted me and could perform some simple actions according to my instructions. However, its performance wasn’t stable enough—nowhere near ready for a stage performance. Before I could answer Charlie, Jessica walked over briskly from behind me. She jumped in with her response: “If Emily can’t do it, why don’t you let me try?” Standing before me, Jessica looked completely confident. My heart suddenly tightened with a bad premonition. Charlie frowned impatiently and waved his hand dismissively. He said, “We don’t have time for this. Outsiders shouldn’t be causing trouble here. Nobody has time to play games with you.” But Jessica said nothing and walked straight forward to open the cage containing the lion. Amid everyone’s screams, she gently stroked the lion’s head while softly soothing it with whispered words. The lion, which had been red-eyed with its mouth wide open looking fierce, seemed to know Jessica well and miraculously lay down obediently with its belly up. Charlie asked Jessica in amazement, “How did you do that?” Jessica turned back to Charlie with a smile and said, “Actually, I’m an ‘animal whisperer.’ I was born with the ability to communicate with animals, even wild beasts. So unlike Emily, I don’t need to rely on violence and animal abuse to make them obey out of fear.” After saying this, Jessica playfully winked at me and added, “Emily, don’t blame Alfred for keeping this secret from you. I’m the one who asked him to keep it quiet. If you’re going to blame anyone, blame me.” Watching this scene unfold before me, my entire body went rigid, and I could barely breathe. Everything was exactly the same as in my previous life. In my past life, from that day forward, Jessica successfully took that lion on stage for performances. Everyone learned about her identity as an “animal trainer,” and she instantly became the most sought-after star. The fierce beasts I had originally tamed overnight acted as if they had never known me, showing me hostile glares and growling threateningly. Yet with Jessica, they were completely docile and obedient. Everyone said it was because Jessica was gentle, kind, and pure of soul that she could connect with animals, and they worshipped her like a goddess. Animal protection organizations even invited her to film public service announcements, making her image the symbol of animal welfare. I had been the head animal trainer, but Jessica’s words instantly plunged me into a storm of public controversy. Some people said, “Emily takes at least a month to train each animal. If she really had the ability, why would it take her so long? Jessica solved it with just a gesture.” Others said, “Animals are spiritual beings who can judge good from evil. I always thought Emily seemed vicious. Turns out she made animals obey through abuse.” Some even said, “Abusing animals will send you to hell. This cold-hearted, evil woman will eventually be mauled to death by wild beasts.” The negative publicity spread rapidly. People spontaneously boycotted all animal shows I participated in. Animal protection organizations stepped forward, revoked my animal training license, and banned me from ever working in animal training again. I desperately tried to prove my innocence, planning to retrieve the surveillance footage from the training facility to show I had never used violent methods. But before I could hold my press conference, Alfred deleted all the surveillance videos I had compiled right in front of me. Alfred looked at me with cold indifference and told reporters that I did indeed frequently use violence to harm the circus animals. He even produced many tools I had never seen before, claiming they were “weapons” I had hidden at home. Finally, extreme animal rights activists were completely enraged. They ambushed me and doused me with sulfuric acid, leaving me to die in agony. They also threw my parents, who had spoken up for me, into cages with wild beasts, letting them be torn apart and devoured. I never imagined I would get a second chance. This time, I’m determined to uncover the truth and make those who wronged me pay ten times over.

A woman exclaimed, “That’s incredible! Jessica is just like an angel from a fairy tale!” A man said, “What did she just say? Emily often abuses animals?” Another man added, “No wonder Emily takes so long with every animal training session. Turns out she makes animals obey through abuse.” Murmurs of discussion rippled through the crowd. Someone else said, “Emily delayed things for so long and nearly ruined the entire show. Then Jessica stepped in and solved the problem instantly.” The accusations kept coming, each word piercing me like a needle. I stood there rigidly, saying nothing. I noticed that Jessica’s technique for stroking the lion and the commands she gave were identical to my training methods. These were my habits, completely unique to me. Moreover, the lion I’d spent day and night with couldn’t possibly forget me overnight and become so affectionate with Jessica, whom it had never encountered before. Unless Jessica had used some underhanded means. Charlie smiled and said, “Alright, Emily, take a break. Jessica will handle the lion’s performance.” He looked at Jessica with admiration and nodded approvingly. Later, Jessica led the lion through a series of high-difficulty moves. The audience erupted in thunderous, enthusiastic applause. After the performance, reporters crowded around Jessica, competing to interview her. A reporter asked Jessica, “Miss Grant, what gives you such an amazing gift?” Jessica deliberately hesitated, glancing at me. Then she said softly, “I believe animal training should use love and patience, not violence. Some people hurt animals to pursue efficiency. I don’t really agree with that approach. Maybe that’s why animals are more willing to trust me.” The reporter immediately caught her implication and pressed further, “Are you saying Emily has abused animals?” I let out a cold laugh and interrupted their conversation directly, “Jessica, you need evidence when making accusations.” I had never used violence. My animal training took so much time precisely because I wanted them to truly trust me, not obey out of fear. But Jessica acted as if she’d been frightened, frantically waving her hands, “I’m sorry, Emily. I didn’t mean to let that slip. I just thought maybe you did that because you were anxious. After all, the circus puts a lot of pressure on everyone.” The more she spoke, the more pitiful she seemed, her eyes reddening as if I were some villain bullying an innocent girl. Alfred, standing beside me, frowned and scolded me in a low voice, “Emily, Jessica is young and wouldn’t lie. Why are you being so harsh with her?” Alfred’s words caused an uproar, and everyone looked at me with disgust. Someone said, “If even Alfred is saying this, it must be true. Emily is a maniac who abuses animals.” Seeing this scene, Charlie quickly stepped forward to ease the tension, “Everyone, the circus is about to introduce a wild, untamable wolf. How about we have Emily handle training this wolf, and you can all witness her training process firsthand?” I knew Charlie was trying to give me a chance to prove my innocence. I took a deep breath and nodded in agreement, “Fine. But I have one condition. Jessica cannot come near me or this wolf. Only I can have contact with it throughout the entire process.” I wanted to see if Jessica could still sabotage my training results under these circumstances. Jessica put on a hurt expression and asked me, “Emily, are you suspecting me?” I didn’t answer her, just stared at her coldly. A month later, I successfully tamed the wolf. But the day after my success, Charlie burst into my dressing room like a madman, grabbing my wrist, “Emily, the wolf has gone berserk! It bit four or five people. You need to stop it!” I was extremely nervous and immediately rushed out with Charlie. When I reached the scene, what I saw made my blood run cold. The wolf was lying docilely at Jessica’s feet like a pet dog, tongue hanging out, while everyone around was pale with fear, keeping their distance. The moment I stepped forward, the wolf immediately perked up its ears, its eyes turning blood red as it bared its teeth at me. It even let out low growls from its throat, as if I were its most hated enemy. A man said, “My God! Why does it hate Emily so much?” A woman said, “Emily must have abused it, otherwise why would it suddenly go berserk?” Another man said, “If Jessica hadn’t been here, we’d all be done for today.” Curses against me flooded in like a tide. Someone even shouted loudly, “Charlie, fire Emily immediately. Someone like her doesn’t belong in the circus.” I stood there in a daze, trembling all over. This was impossible. This wolf had been completely docile with me just yesterday. Just then, Alfred stepped forward. He pulled out his phone, and on the screen were photos of several whips and electric prods. Alfred wore a pained expression as he addressed everyone, “I can’t keep covering for Emily anymore. She hid these tools in her bedroom. She also often practices animal training at home using stray cats. I just couldn’t stand watching it anymore.” I shouted angrily, “You’re lying! I’ve never seen those things before.” But no one listened to my explanation. Everyone believed I had nearly gotten them killed. I couldn’t understand it at all. Jessica had never even been in contact with this wolf, and the wolf had genuinely trusted me completely. How on earth had she managed to make the wolf suddenly hate me?

After that day, Charlie kept a stern face and told me to go home and rest, forbidding me from returning to the circus. I clenched my fists tightly, but I didn’t even have the strength to argue back. Jessica stood in the center of the crowd, surrounded by everyone accepting their praise. She even flashed me an “apologetic” smile, though her eyes held nothing but mockery. After returning home, I collapsed onto the sofa, my ears still echoing with those harsh accusations. Everyone saw me as a demon who abused animals. Former colleagues who used to be close to me were even placing bets on how long it would take before I got fired. During this time, Jessica’s reputation grew bigger and bigger. She became a nationally renowned animal trainer, and the circus’s income doubled as a result. Even the Animal Protection Association asked Jessica to be their spokesperson, filming public service announcements and taking her and the circus on a nationwide tour. I could only stay locked up at home. Whenever I went out and was recognized, I’d be beaten and verbally abused. Once, someone even doused me with paint. Those extreme animal rights activists said they wanted to drive me out of the city. Alfred never came home again. He stayed by Jessica’s side as her assistant. Whenever someone mentioned me in front of him, he’d show a disgusted expression. He said, “I was blind back then, misjudged people. Only someone as pure and kind as Jessica, a true angel, deserves to be loved.” I curled up in agony under my blankets, repeatedly wondering what methods Jessica had used. Those wild beasts had lived with me day and night. They knew my scent, my commands, and could even recognize the sound of my footsteps. But the moment Jessica appeared, they acted like they’d been reset, completely forgetting about me. What was even more bizarre was that Jessica could perform my original training gestures with perfect precision. “Unless…” A theory suddenly flashed through my mind. I shot up from my seat, my heart pounding wildly. I immediately called Charlie. I said, “I want to resign and give the head trainer position to Jessica. Even if it means working as a zookeeper, I’ll never train animals again.” Charlie agreed without hesitation. I softened my tone and said to Charlie, “Charlie, you know Jessica used to be my assistant. She’s very soft-hearted. If she finds out I resigned, she’ll definitely feel bad about it. How about you help me keep it from her for now? If she asks about me, just tell her I was scared off by all those rumors and don’t dare to go out for the time being.” I deliberately made my words sound hesitant and pleading. Charlie impatiently agreed, “She’s busy preparing for the stadium performance right now and has no time to worry about you. State leaders will be attending this time – it’s a big deal. Just stay home and don’t come cause any trouble.” My face went pale as I urgently tried to stop him, “No! Jessica can’t take the wild animals to perform at the stadium. Something terrible will happen!” But Charlie thought I was just jealous of Jessica. He let out a cold laugh and hung up directly. I quickly used my phone to buy front-row tickets for the performance day. On the day of the show, I rushed to the stadium wearing sunglasses, my palms drenched in cold sweat. The stadium was packed. Jessica wore a gorgeous performance outfit, truly looking like a holy angel. Behind Jessica, all the wild beasts I had once trained – including lions, tigers, and wolves – were locked in cages. I stared intently at Jessica in the center of the stage. She was gracefully bowing to the audience. But the wild beasts in the cages behind her were already beginning to stir restlessly. “Stop! The animals are about to go wild. Don’t open the cage!” I suddenly stood up and shouted. My voice nearly cracked. But my voice was instantly drowned out by the audience’s frenzied cheers. The man sitting in front of me slapped me in disgust, “Who are you? Jessica is the ‘Beast Whisperer.’ How could she possibly lose control of the animals?” Just then, Jessica flashed her confident, sweet smile and turned to unlock the cage. She said, “Next, I’d like my animal friends to say hello to everyone.” The moment she opened the cage lock, screams suddenly erupted throughout the venue.

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My mother, Naomi Phillips, told me I was born with a body that could captivate any man. She warned me never to get involved with men before turning twenty. In my previous life, I took her words to heart. So when Sebastian Howard, heir to Washington’s most prominent family, was drugged and pulled me into his arms, I pushed him away forcefully. But after my twentieth birthday, all the skincare treatments I did somehow transferred their effects to Naomi instead. When I applied face masks, wrinkles and dark spots appeared on my face while Naomi’s skin became increasingly smooth and delicate. When I exercised, my body grew fatter and more bloated while Naomi’s figure gradually became as proportioned as a young girl’s. When my father Samuel Phillips saw me looking like a forty-year-old woman, he cursed at me and threatened to sell me to some twice-divorced old man. I cried and begged Naomi to save me. But she just looked at me with that face that had returned to twenty years old and said, “Everything we do is for your own good.” Left with no choice, I ran away from home and wandered the streets. But I discovered that the farther I got from home, the faster I aged. Finally, three days after leaving, I died of heart failure in a garbage dump. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I first encountered Sebastian. This time, I didn’t push his hands away. Instead, I pinned him down on the bed. ***** It turned out Naomi was absolutely right. Sebastian was completely captivated by my body, making love to me again and again. He even gave me his unique signature cufflink. He said, “Baby, you’re a rare beauty in this world. From now on, bring this cufflink when you come to me, and I’ll give you the best of everything.” I wasn’t particularly thrilled. At that moment, only one thing occupied my mind. I had broken the rule about “not getting involved with men before twenty.” So could the curse from my previous life finally be broken? I rushed home and immediately started applying skincare products to my face. But to my devastation, the dark spots that should have appeared around Naomi’s eyes once again appeared on my face. Remembering my previous life, the more I used these products, the duller my complexion became, the more spots appeared, and the deeper the wrinkles grew. At this thought, despair washed over me. Even after being reborn and disobeying Naomi’s words, nothing had changed. When Naomi saw me return, she leaned against the doorframe and asked coldly, “Where did you go last night?” Seeing her face, which had become even more youthful, I gritted my teeth and rubbed the skincare product in my hands onto her face. I wanted to see if the spots that had just appeared on me would disappear. I refused to believe that absolutely nothing would change. But the result was still disappointing. Her face became even more delicate, while the spots on my face became clearer. Naomi screamed and pushed me away, scolding, “What did you put on my face? My face isn’t something you can just rub anything on.” She rushed to look in the mirror. Through the reflection, I saw her smug expression. Earlier, I had left Sebastian’s place in such a hurry that I didn’t get to say goodbye. So he posted on his account with over ten million followers, publicly searching for someone. The post read: [Looking for someone. These are things you left at my place last night. Please contact me when you see this.] The images showed my knitted bracelet that I’d dropped there, my name tag, and a blurry surveillance photo of my profile from when I was working at the bar. Samuel ran over excitedly with his phone, asking, “Emilia, is this person in the picture you? I’ve seen you wear this bracelet.” Emilia Phillips is my name. With an expression more excited than winning the lottery, he asked, “Did you sleep with Mr. Howard?” “What? Naomi’s face instantly changed. She grabbed my hair and shoved me to the ground, then slapped me twice across the face. She screamed at me furiously: “Didn’t I tell you that you can’t sleep with men before you turn 20? You slut, couldn’t you wait even one night? How shameless can you be? I’m going to beat you to death!” This time, for the first time ever, Samuel didn’t take Naomi’s side. He quickly stopped her, saying: “Don’t hit her face. Don’t you know who Sebastian is? She might fetch a good price!” Watching the two of them with their hidden agendas, I couldn’t help but think back to my previous life. Back then, Naomi constantly warned me not to sleep with men before I turned 20. I followed her advice. But right after my 20th birthday, I noticed something strange. Whenever I used skincare products, mysterious dark spots would appear on my face. My once smooth and delicate skin became rough and wrinkled. Meanwhile, Naomi’s face grew more and more refined, her skin smooth as silk. I loved following dance videos to learn choreography. But the more I danced, the fatter I became, until I was so bloated that I’d get winded from the slightest movement. Yet Naomi’s figure became increasingly youthful – she walked with lightness and vitality, as if she’d become a completely different person. Samuel always said my face was my most valuable asset. When he saw me become ugly and fat, he flew into a rage and threatened to sell me to a twice-divorced old man back in our hometown. I cried and begged Naomi to save me, but she wouldn’t even look at me. She just gazed happily into the mirror and said: “His family promised wedding gifts worth $50,000. Marrying him would be your good fortune. Your father is doing this for your own good.” I was completely devastated and bought a train ticket that very night to escape home. But I never expected that the farther I got from home, the faster I aged. By the time I reached another city, my hair had turned completely white, my back was hunched, and every step caused joint pain. I couldn’t find work or anyone to rely on, and eventually died of heart failure in a garbage dump. Now that I’ve been given a second chance at life, I must seize this opportunity and never experience the tragedy of my previous life again.

Sebastian’s Twitter post sparked massive online discussion. [Mr. Howard is searching the entire internet for someone with just a bracelet. This is straight out of a Cinderella fairy tale.] [Emilia? If she’s working at a bar, her family situation probably isn’t great. Mr. Howard could help her out.] [Everyone should help Mr. Howard find her. With her name, it shouldn’t be hard to track her down.] Netizens even launched a “Find Cinderella” hashtag campaign. Soon, someone found an old school photo of me. [Wow, she’s gorgeous. No wonder Mr. Howard can’t stop thinking about her.] [I know her. She was my high school classmate. Her family lives on Firmiana Road.] [We found her! Quick, tell Mr. Howard.] Looking at that vibrant, youthful girl in the photo, then at my increasingly aged face in the mirror, a wave of terror washed over me. Finally, I approached Naomi cautiously and asked, “Mom, why do you look younger and younger while I keep getting older? How do you take care of yourself? Could you teach me?” Naomi was smugly applying skincare products to her face. Hearing my question, she shot me an impatient glance. She said, “Didn’t I tell you not to get involved with men? Sleeping with men makes you age. You didn’t listen to me. Who can you blame now? You deserve it!” She was lying to me. That wasn’t the real reason at all. In my previous life, I had clearly followed her advice, yet I still aged. I watched as the areas where she applied the cream became increasingly smooth and supple. Then I looked at my reflection again. That age spot had grown even larger. I couldn’t take it anymore and smashed the mirror with my fist. Naomi screamed and cursed, “You bitch, have you lost your mind?” I ignored her and returned to my bedroom, throwing all the skincare products from my dresser into the trash. Since all this maintenance was really for her benefit, what reason did I have to use them? Not only would I stop taking care of myself, but I’d deliberately make myself ugly and fat. I wanted to see what else she could take from me. I deliberately found cheap, harsh makeup and slathered it on my face. My skin immediately broke out in an allergic reaction, becoming red and swollen. I also stopped dancing and gorged myself daily, letting my body become fatter and more bloated. I carefully observed Naomi’s changes. To my dismay, I discovered this tactic had no effect on her whatsoever. She continued growing younger and more beautiful. Now, if she claimed to be an 18-year-old girl, people would probably believe her. When Samuel came home and saw my appearance, he exploded, “How did you turn yourself into such a hideous mess?” He even pulled out his belt and lashed me several times. He said, “You jinx! Mr. Howard is about to find you. You better lose weight fast! Looking like this ghost, would Mr. Howard even want you? If he rejects you, you’ll ruin your brother Nolan’s chance at becoming wealthy! If you dare block Nolan’s path, I’ll beat you to death!” Naomi had no objection to my beating. Instead, she leisurely applied a face mask. She said coldly, “With your promiscuous lifestyle, you probably caught some disease. That’s why you look like a ghost. You should go to the hospital and get checked.” I gritted my teeth, enduring Samuel’s punches and kicks. Afterward, I limped back to my room. I found the cufflink Sebastian had given me, took a photo, posted it online, and replied to Sebastian.

I locked myself in my room, too afraid to go out, only to discover in horror that I had stopped menstruating. Left with no choice, I went to the nearest hospital for an examination. The doctor told me I had premature ovarian failure. She said regretfully, “Your case is quite unusual. You’re still so young—we may need to run further tests to determine the cause.” But I knew in my heart that this wasn’t something medicine could solve. Someone had taken a photo of Naomi and me selling barbecue and posted it online. The caption read: [Do you know the Emilia that Mr. Howard is looking for? This is what she looks like now.] Someone immediately commented: [Why does she look so old? Are you sure you got the right person? The woman next to her must be Emilia, right?] The image spread everywhere online. I stared at the photo in despair, seeing the stark contrast between Naomi and me. I looked at my hair that was starting to turn gray and the age spots appearing on the backs of my hands. I couldn’t take it anymore. Like a madwoman, I burst into Naomi’s room and ripped the face mask off her face. I demanded frantically, “What method did you use? Why are you getting younger while I’m getting older? Why are all the beauty treatments I do transferring their effects to you?” Naomi’s face contorted as she slapped me hard across the face, cursing, “You bitch, have you lost your mind?” The commotion in the room drew Samuel over. Seeing my appearance, he immediately slapped me twice. He cursed, “Didn’t I warn you to lose weight? Look at yourself now! Emilia, if Mr. Howard doesn’t take a liking to you, you’re going back home to marry that divorced old man.” Covering my face, I glared at him fiercely and said, “You think I haven’t been trying? Look at me, then look at her. Don’t you find it strange? Ever since I turned 20, no matter what beauty treatments I do, the effects transfer to her. Instead of wasting your energy hitting me, why don’t you ask her what method she’s been using?” Samuel glanced at Naomi. He used to constantly berate her, saying even looking at her made him sick. But now Naomi had delicate skin and a supple waist, looking like a young girl. A flash of amazement crossed Samuel’s eyes. Then Naomi began crying, “Did you go to the hospital for a checkup? You must have caught some disease from your promiscuous lifestyle—that’s why you look like this. And now you’re blaming me?” Samuel nodded, staring at Naomi’s face with infatuation, unable to look away. He suddenly reached out and pulled Naomi tightly into his arms. It was as if she wasn’t the wife he had despised to the extreme, but a goddess he had just won over. Then he turned to look at me with disgust and kicked me. He cursed, “You’re such a disgrace! How dare you blame your mother? You just can’t stand that your mom is more beautiful than you—you’re jealous of her! Look at yourself now. Where do you look like a 20-year-old woman? You’re nowhere near as good as your mother.” Watching their intimate display, I let out a cold laugh and said, “You hit me and curse at me—aren’t you afraid that when I marry a rich man, I’ll cut all ties with you?” Samuel looked like he couldn’t believe I would say something so unfilial. His expression changed instantly as he stared at me in disbelief. Naomi covered her face, sobbing, “We raised you all these years, and you’re worse than a dog. Samuel, I don’t think this house can accommodate her anymore. Let’s kick her out right now!” After hearing Naomi’s words, I felt an inexplicable fear rising in my heart. In my previous life, it was after I escaped from home that my aging accelerated, and I eventually died outside. Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t understand it at all. If we had “exchanged” ages, and Naomi was only around 40 now, why did I look like someone in her fifties? I quickly ran back to my bedroom and locked the door. It wasn’t time for me to leave home yet. What surprised me was that Sebastian actually posted online, announcing he had found his destined one and would soon hold a grand wedding. Netizens marveled at how fast Sebastian worked, calling it an enviable perfect love story. But I had never even met Sebastian. Just then, I heard Naomi’s voice outside the door, coaxing Samuel. She laughed and said, “I’m just going out to fool him temporarily. Otherwise, look at Emilia’s current state—would Mr. Howard even consider her? I’ll control him first. Once Emilia recovers from her illness and gets better, we’ll switch back.” But on the wedding day, I watched with my own eyes as Naomi got into that stretch Bentley and drove away gracefully, without a trace of reluctance. The entire wedding was livestreamed. Before it even started, hundreds of thousands of people were already waiting to watch in the stream. When Samuel returned home, I handed him my phone. I asked, “Dad, Mr. Howard got married today, but the bride wasn’t me. Who exactly did he marry?” Samuel’s face instantly changed. He searched the house but couldn’t find Naomi, and her phone went straight to voicemail. Then he grabbed me and rushed toward the wedding venue. The wedding was both grand and luxurious. When we arrived, they were in the middle of exchanging rings. Seeing the charming Naomi on stage, Samuel shouted, “Wait! You’ve got it wrong!” He pushed me in front of the cameras and said to Sebastian, “Mr. Howard, the person you’re supposed to marry is my daughter. She’s right here. That woman on stage is my wife.” When the camera panned to my face, netizens immediately started mocking me online. 【Who is this old, fat woman?】 【My God! How could he just drag some random person here? This woman must be desperate to marry a rich man!】 Seeing Sebastian look at me with disgust, I quickly pulled out the cufflink from my hand. I said, “This is what you gave me that night. You said I could use it to find you.” When I produced the cufflink, the livestream comments went crazy. 【She looks a bit like Emilia. Could they be mother and daughter?】 【What kind of mother would steal her daughter’s things? Does she think Mr. Howard will recognize her just because she has the cufflink? She should take a look at herself!】 【She’s so fat! Could she be Emilia’s stepmother? Get lost and stop ruining our view of this beautiful wedding between gorgeous people.】 Naomi hid behind Sebastian, looking at me smugly. The guests below all changed their expressions. Someone whispered, “Sebastian’s taste can’t be that low, right? The woman on stage is more like it. If it’s this woman, I’m leaving right now.” Hearing the guests’ comments, Sebastian’s face instantly darkened. He looked at Samuel with eyes as cold as ice picks. He said, “I’ve confirmed it again. She is the person I’m looking for.” Samuel’s eyes immediately turned red. He grabbed a dinner knife from the table and lunged at Sebastian. He roared, “Damn it! You dare sleep with my wife! I’ll kill you!” Security guards rushed forward to stop him. The stage erupted into chaos. Having been away from home too long, I felt short of breath, unable to breathe properly, with sharp pains in my chest. This was a sign of heart failure! I glared at Naomi unwillingly, my gaze inadvertently sweeping over the diamond bracelet on her wrist. Suddenly, it was like a flash of white light went through my mind, and I instantly understood what was happening. Just then, the livestream comments suddenly changed direction. 【Look! What’s wrong with Emilia’s face?】 Seeing her face on the big screen, Naomi suddenly screamed and rushed to turn off the livestream. I collapsed to the ground, finally breathing a sigh of relief. I could see it clearly. Age spots had appeared on her face again. At the same time, Samuel turned toward me with the dinner knife, furious. He cursed, “What the hell did you do to your mother, you damn b*tch?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “398242”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #FamilyDrama #Paranormal #Rebirth #Bully #Betrayal

I’m Sienna Wilson, and after being brought back home as the Wilson family’s biological daughter, my parents made me sleep in the storage room and eat leftovers. Yet they always felt they owed something to Hannah Wilson, who had been impersonating my identity. So when the government launched the “Sibling Fairness System,” they couldn’t wait to bind the entire family to it. Father Camden Wilson breathed a long sigh of relief: “With this absolutely fair system, Hannah won’t have to suffer anymore.” Mother Emily Wilson gently took my hand, her tone gentle yet unyielding: “Since you came back, you’ve taken everything that belonged to Hannah. That’s so unfair to her.” Brother Easton Wilson never gave me a kind look: “I only recognize Hannah as my sister. You’ve already gotten so many benefits—don’t expect more in the future!” I looked down at the clothes I’d worn for five Christmases, then at Hannah’s luxurious princess room and countless luxury items, feeling utterly ridiculous. However, when the system actually took effect, they were devastated. ***** After school, I walked home under the scorching sun while Hannah rode away in her exclusive Maybach not far away. Pushing open the villa’s front door, I had barely felt a moment of coolness when Camden slammed a stack of documents heavily in front of my spaghetti. “This is the government’s latest ‘Sibling Fairness System.’ Sign your name right now!” I froze, standing there bewildered. Easton rushed forward first, pushing me into the house: “Stop acting pitiful! We’ve been biased enough toward you lately. Hannah has put up with you for so long—don’t push it!” Emily came over and pulled me aside, speaking earnestly: “Sienna, although you were switched at birth and suffered in the countryside for over ten years, Hannah is innocent. Now that you’re back, as parents we naturally need to treat you both fairly. To prevent us from favoring you and making Hannah suffer, binding to the system is the safest approach.” Treat us fairly? I gripped my clothes tightly. The cheap fabric on my back was already soaked with sweat, clinging to my skin, stuffy and itchy. Meanwhile, Hannah wore breathable luxury clothing, eating fruit cut by servants, looking completely refreshed and comfortable. I couldn’t help but ask: “Mom, do you really favor me?” Camden slammed the table hard, pointing at me angrily: “Sienna, what do you mean by that? Since you came back, we’ve given you everything that originally belonged to Hannah! You can now attend a good school, live in a villa, and have servants waiting on you. If this isn’t favoritism, then what is! Hannah has been our precious daughter since childhood, yet she’s had to endure and suffer everywhere since you returned. Only by binding to this system can we give her true fairness!” The cup on the table fell to the floor. I lowered my head, feeling utterly ironic. The day I returned to the Wilson house, I had eagerly taken out a handmade doll I’d sewn myself, wanting to give it to Easton and Hannah. But with Hannah’s cry, Easton angrily pushed me away. “It’s all your fault! Why did you come to destroy our family?” The family immediately surrounded Hannah with concern and care, while I stood awkwardly and helplessly to the side like an outsider who could never fit in. They arranged for me to stay in the storage room under the excuse of a “transition period.” They wouldn’t let me eat at the table because “Hannah wasn’t used to it.” Classmates mocked my shabby, outdated clothes and clumsy accent. They stood up for Hannah, tearing up my homework and pouring dirty water into my meals. When I cried to my parents, they said I was making excuses for my poor grades. They couldn’t even be bothered to attend my parent-teacher conferences, unwilling to learn about my situation from teachers, yet they eagerly rushed to attend Hannah’s meetings. I knew I couldn’t compare to the deep bond between Hannah and my parents, so I kept thinking I’d wait a little longer for my family’s love. But now they’re saying this is unfair to Hannah? I picked up the documents from the floor, my eyes drawn to the promotional slogan. It read: [Sibling Fairness System: Helping parents truly achieve impartiality and equal love, giving children genuinely fair treatment.] “Fine, I’ll sign.” I no longer hoped to receive any family affection from them. The reason I insisted on staying was because the learning environment here was good and would make it easier for me to get into a good university. Once I graduated high school, I would leave this family forever.

A government official soon arrived to install the system. He explained, “To ensure the system functions properly, family members’ assets will be deeply integrated with the system. We’ll assess whether parents show favoritism toward their children and make reasonable adjustments.” As a business owner, Camden wanted to carefully review the contract terms. But Easton couldn’t wait to sign his name. He said, “A government-developed system has to be reliable. Dad, can you really bear to see Hannah suffer? What are you still hesitating about?” Hearing this, my parents signed without hesitation as well. I, however, read through every clause word by word, confirming everything was correct before carefully signing my name. Easton couldn’t help but mock me: “You usually act like you’re so wronged, making us think we’ve been abusing you somehow. Taking advantage and still playing the victim. Now you’ll see what real fairness looks like!” Emily walked over to me, her tone gentle: “We’re doing this for your own good. Constantly indulging and favoring you has only harmed you.” I laughed bitterly: “Yeah, I understand.” After the contracts were signed, Camden was in high spirits: “Let’s eat! I specifically had Maeve prepare several extra dishes that Hannah loves today, to help her recover properly.” One after another, delicious-looking dishes were brought to the table. Seafood, steak, stews—all Hannah’s favorites. The aroma made my stomach growl, and I wanted to sit at the dining table too. Usually, I could only eat with the servants, never getting such fresh, complete meals. But now that the system was bound, children should receive equal treatment. Shouldn’t I be able to eat at the table like Hannah? Easton frowned and blocked my way, his tone displeased: “Our family is having a rare celebratory dinner. Why are you trying to butt in? Go back to your room!” I stood my ground: “We’ve already bound the system. Why can Hannah eat here but I can’t? This isn’t fair.” Hannah’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. Emily came over with a pained expression to persuade me: “Hannah isn’t used to eating with you yet. She gets upset just seeing you. Can’t you just go eat in your room? Just like before.” I said, “No, I want to eat now.” Camden slammed his fork down: “Are you insane? Are you trying to rebel?” Before his hand could reach my face, he suddenly convulsed and collapsed to the floor. The system’s cold voice immediately announced: “Favoritism and domestic violence tendencies detected. Electric shock program activated.” Then Emily also fell to the ground, crackling sounds coming from her body. “Dad! Mom!” Hannah and Easton panicked, spinning around helplessly. When they reached out to help, they also got shocked a few times. After several minutes, the two finally stopped convulsing and were helped up from the floor. Camden’s face was filled with terror: “When did this damn system get electric current? Why are you shocking us!” The system explained: “Hannah is allowed to eat at the table while Sienna is required to return to her room to eat leftovers. This behavior constitutes severe favoritism. Please be assured, the system’s electric current will not cause bodily harm, only pain. When necessary, punishment intensity can reach level ten, equivalent to childbirth pain.” Camden clutched his chest, still shaken, cursing under his breath: “Hannah has already given up her position as the Wilson family daughter, making such a huge sacrifice. What’s wrong with having Sienna eat in her room? What kind of broken system is this? I want to cancel the binding!” The system stated: “All interpretation rights belong to the system. The contract renewal period is lifetime. You currently have no authority to cancel.” Emily tentatively asked: “What pain level was that just now?” The system replied: “Level five.” Watching my parents’ angry, frightened, yet helpless expressions, I felt an unprecedented satisfaction rise in my heart. So this sibling fairness system was actually this effective! Emily waved her hand and pulled me to the dining table: “It’s just one meal. Fine, you can eat.” After gaining the rights I deserved, I suddenly wanted to test just where this system’s limits lay.

I tentatively asked, “Mom, the food is too greasy. I’d like something lighter.” Though the table was laden with dishes, they were all Hannah’s favorites, not to my taste. Especially the seafood—childhood memories of accidentally eating dead fish during a famine had left too deep a scar. Even now, the sight of fish made me nauseous. Emily shot me an impatient glance. “The chef’s already gone home. Who’s going to cook for you? You should be grateful for what you have instead of complaining.” Hannah chimed in from the side, deliberately placing seafood on my plate. “Sienna, this is light. You should eat more.” I lowered my head in silence, mentally counting down: “Three, two, one.” The system’s prompt sounded right on cue: “Electric shock program activated.” Emily instantly tumbled from her chair to the floor, several of her prized white teeth chipping as she fell. She raged, “Why am I being punished?” The system responded: “Emily spent all afternoon preparing a lavish dinner for Hannah but had no time to cook for her biological daughter. You remember every dish Hannah loves while ignoring your daughter’s aversion to seafood. The system has administered a level-three electric shock based on the degree of favoritism.” Emily’s hands trembled from the pain as she shakily got to her feet. “I’ll go cook for you right now, okay?” In her anger, she swept all the seafood into the trash. “My seafood!” Hannah’s expression was particularly comical. I struggled to suppress my laughter, feeling incredibly satisfied inside. It turned out that as long as I compared myself to Hannah, any request I made would be granted. For the first time, I was finally tasting a bit of fairness. Hannah finished her meal in silence and headed straight for her room. But with the system in place, why should I return to that damp, stuffy storage room? To perform better on my exams and eventually leave this house, I needed a better study environment. I said, “Dad, Mom, I want a room just like Hannah’s.” At these words, Hannah’s footsteps on the stairs froze, and she immediately turned to berate me: “Sienna, when will you stop? My room was designed by a famous foreign designer. Many of the furnishings are one-of-a-kind pieces. Where are they supposed to find identical ones for you? Besides, can a tasteless country girl like you even appreciate such things? Don’t push it too far!” I smiled. “But you have it, so why can’t I? That’s not fair.” Easton, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke up, stepping protectively in front of Hannah. “Sienna, enough is enough!” But this time, Camden and Emily didn’t immediately echo his sentiment. A flash of panic crossed Hannah’s face. “Dad, Mom, say something! My skin is allergic to other materials. This isn’t fair to me!” After a long pause, Emily finally spoke: “Hannah, let Sienna have your room for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll have someone renovate a new room for her.” Camden sighed and nodded. “Yes, otherwise who knows how this system will torment us next. I’ll look into ways to unbind it tomorrow. If this continues, it’ll be the death of our whole family!” So they did know how to treat us fairly—they simply had never been willing to make changes for my sake. Hannah’s eyes filled with tears as she reluctantly came down from upstairs. Passing by me, she hissed a vicious warning: “Don’t get too cocky, Sienna! So what if you have the system? Just wait and see how I deal with you!” I was already used to Hannah’s arrogant behavior at school, so I naturally knew she wasn’t just making empty threats. Sure enough, the next day when we were heading to school, the back seat of the Rolls-Royce was splattered with paint. Hannah sat in the passenger seat, smiling as she said to me, “I was planning to let you ride to school with me, but we accidentally spilled paint on the back seat. I’m afraid no one can sit there now. So sorry about that.” Easton handed me an umbrella: “Mom, Dad, and I all have to go to the office, so there are no extra cars available. You’ll have to walk to school.” As if afraid of the system’s punishment, he quickly added, “You can take the car home after school tonight. That should be fair, right?” I snorted coldly, thinking to myself: “Fair?” I glanced at the temperature on my phone – it was the hottest time of the day. By the time school ended in the evening, not only would the temperature drop, but the family cars would also be free. Hannah still wouldn’t have to walk. What kind of fairness was that? Looking at Hannah’s smug expression, I knew these two were trying to exploit loopholes in the system. If they succeeded, my life would become miserable. However, the Sibling Equity System was being heavily promoted by the government precisely because of its strong adaptability and analytical capabilities. The system’s voice suddenly announced: “Detection shows Hannah’s physical health index is 85, Sienna’s physical health index is 71. The system determines Sienna should take the car.” Hannah’s face instantly turned ashen. Easton panicked too: “How can physical health be measured with numbers? Besides, shouldn’t an older sister look out for her younger sister?” The system responded without mercy: “Our system has a comprehensive set of detection indicators. Please do not question them. According to the law, an older sister has no obligation to support her younger sister, therefore there is no moral responsibility to always give way to her. Please refrain from moral blackmail.” Seeing Hannah’s desperate expression, I almost couldn’t hold back my laughter. I said, “Well, since the system has spoken, you’d better get out of the car quickly.” I pulled her aside and quickly got into the Rolls-Royce, urging the driver to leave. I couldn’t let this delay my study time. That evening, the usually harmonious family of four erupted into an unprecedented argument. Hannah screamed: “Easton, if it weren’t for your brilliant idea, would I have had to walk to school today? Do you know how my classmates mocked me?” Through the crack in the door, I saw Hannah. Her elaborate makeup was ruined by sweat, her eyeliner had smudged into black streaks, and her once-neat dress had become dirty and sticky. She looked utterly disheveled. “Why didn’t you let me use your car?” Hannah shrieked hysterically in the living room. Easton impatiently pushed her away: “If you take my car, how am I supposed to get to work? We don’t even go in the same direction! You’re the one who begged me to come up with a plan, and now you’re blaming me? You brought this on yourself!” Camden sat on the sofa, rubbing his temples with a headache: “I specifically asked around today. They said there’s no way to remove this system.” Hearing this, Hannah became even more hysterical, crying and throwing a tantrum, turning the living room into complete chaos. I quietly closed the door and returned to my room. In the past, at this time, they would always be laughing and watching TV together in the living room, while I could only hide in my room eating leftovers. Just by receiving fair treatment, my quality of life had improved dramatically. It was easy to imagine how comfortable Hannah’s life had been before. Now that she’d lost her privileges, let’s see how she could continue being so arrogant! Perhaps sensing my satisfaction over the past few days, Hannah finally reached her breaking point and burst into my room one night. She said, “Sienna, your good days are over!” Her face was filled with vengeful satisfaction, and she wasn’t even afraid of letting me know in advance. She said smugly, “Tomorrow Dad will distribute assets based on individual ability – absolutely fair! Easton and I are both among the top students in our classes. As for you, you’d better pray for yourself! Did you think having the system meant we couldn’t do anything to you? Without money or shares, no matter how capable you are, you can’t threaten us!” I tilted my head: “How are you so sure my grades aren’t better than yours?” Hannah burst into laughter: “Have you ever passed a single exam since you started school? What are you pretending for?” But she didn’t know that the reason I kept failing was because her gang of friends constantly harassed me, making it impossible for me to study in peace. I looked at the report card in my hand – first place in every subject. Originally, I had planned to escape this family by getting into college. Now it seemed there might be an unexpected surprise. I uploaded my recent grades to the Sibling Equity System. The show was about to begin.

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The day my mother Lucy Morris was branded as a homewrecker, I, Aurora Morris, hurled the family’s authority seal right into my father Peter Morris’s face. On the flight back home, I stumbled across a video with the headline: “Billionaire’s Son Defends Mother, Beats Up Mistress.” In the video, Lucy was dressed in tattered clothes, surrounded and beaten by my several brothers. They tore her clothes apart, calling her a shameless mistress. With tears in her eyes, she desperately tried to explain herself, only to be met with mockery from the crowd. A strange woman in haute couture stood behind them, protected, saying coldly: “Alright, I know you’re doing this for me, but we don’t need to waste time on someone so ungrateful.” The guests around her wished her happy birthday and praised her magnanimity. “This is the grace a Morris wife should have! Look at that woman’s shabby appearance—how could she possibly be Mrs. Morris?” “A mistress dares to call herself Mrs. Morris? Doesn’t she know the power of the Morris family? Where’s even a hint of aristocratic elegance about her?” Hearing the title “Mrs. Morris,” I gripped my phone tighter. The screen reflected my icy expression. I’d only been away from home for three years—when did we suddenly gain this pathetic excuse for a “mother”? This video made my blood boil with rage. Right after landing, I immediately called my eldest brother Joseph Morris, but no one answered. Then I tried my second brother Oliver Morris and third brother Jeffrey Morris—no response from either. Finally, my fourth brother Jason Morris picked up, asking impatiently: “Aurora, what do you want? It’s Mom’s birthday today, we’re busy, so don’t bother us!” I sneered: “Which mom?” “Aurora, are you insane? Do we have any other mom?” Jason angrily told me to stop making trouble and hung up directly. Given his attitude, I even wondered if this video was AI-generated, specifically designed to drive a wedge between our family. Indeed, the Lucy in the video was completely different from the one in my memory. After all, everyone knew that the Morris family’s assets all belonged to my mother. Although Peter was Lucy’s husband, the Morris family fortune didn’t belong to him. All his prestige came from Lucy, so he’d always been obedient to her. How could he possibly allow Lucy to be humiliated into the trembling mess shown in the video? I took a deep breath, suppressed my anger, and decided to personally check out the banquet hall from the video. When I took a cab to the entrance, a girl got out with me. She glanced at me and immediately stood in front of me, her face full of disdain: “You’re here for my mom’s birthday party too? Isn’t this place reserved by the Morris family? How can just anyone get in?” She wore the latest designer dress with a diamond necklace the size of a pigeon egg around her neck. Seeing my simple t-shirt and pants, she looked disgusted. Thinking I’d come to the wrong place, I politely asked: “You mean the Morris family, New York’s wealthiest?” She lifted her chin and scoffed: “Since you know that, why are you still here? Be careful or my dad will make your family disappear from New York completely!” I pulled out my phone and showed her Peter’s photo for confirmation: “Who is this?” She looked at me like I was an idiot: “My dad! Oh, I get it now! You’re another mistress trying to seduce my dad! My dad absolutely adores my mom, so give up now! The last person who tried this—now my mom can make her kneel and beg for mercy with just a look!” I had my suspicions. I opened that video to show her. The girl Sarah Morris laughed until tears came out: “Since you already know and you’re still throwing yourself at him, isn’t that a bit pathetic? Since we’re about the same age, let me give you some advice—that woman claimed to be my dad’s legitimate wife, but my brothers dumped her in the wilderness. Even with a broken leg, she crawled back, insisting that my dad return her daughter. So ridiculous! Looking like that, my dad would be disgusted just seeing her! How could he possibly have a child with her!” After hearing her words, I clenched my fists tightly. So during these three years I was away, Lucy had endured plenty of humiliation from these people! But my brothers were Lucy’s biological sons—why would they help outsiders bully her? Although Lucy had a gentle nature, they knew she never let herself be taken advantage of. Moreover, Grandpa Martin Morris had long said that when I returned, I would officially take over the Morris family! How dare these people! I pushed past Sarah in front of me, ignoring her screams, and charged straight into the banquet hall. The moment I entered, I witnessed a scene I would never forget—Lucy was kneeling in the center of the hall, held down by my several brothers, being forced to lick that strange woman’s shoes.

“Stop!” I rushed forward and kicked Joseph away. He instinctively roared in anger, but the moment he saw me, he swallowed his curses. Sarah, however, slapped me across the face. “You pushed me and hit my brother—do you really think the Morris family is easy to bully?” “Sarah, she pushed you?” Hearing Sarah’s words, Joseph’s eyes instantly turned vicious. He cursed at me furiously, “You bitch, you’re just as vicious as your mother!” I was about to step forward to argue when Lucy on the ground grabbed my arm. “Aurora, let’s go.” Her face showed humility, caution, and even fear. “You pushed me and think you can just leave? As expected, a mistress’s daughter is also trash with no manners!” After saying this, Sarah grabbed a wine bottle nearby and hurled it at us. Lucy stood up to shield me, but that’s when I noticed the bruised and festering wounds all over her body. “Mom!” She was cut on the arm by the wine bottle shards, blood streaming down, yet she kept urging me to leave quickly. I stared hard at my four brothers. They quickly surrounded Sarah, looking at me provocatively. “What’s wrong? You barged in here uninvited—we’re being generous by not holding you accountable!” “Take your useless mother and get out! Even letting her lick shoes would be a gift from our mother!” Hearing their words, I was so angry my whole body went numb. “She’s your mother too!” The entire room burst into mocking laughter. “This woman must be crazy! Isn’t Mrs. Morris standing right here?” “Hilarious! First her mom pretended to be Mrs. Morris, now she’s pretending to be Miss Morris. Don’t these two have any shame?” Sarah looked at me arrogantly. “You’re so pitiful. You’ve probably never seen your father since childhood! “Well, of course—a woman like your mother has probably slept with so many men that even she doesn’t know who your father is. That’s why she’s barking at my dad like a mad dog!” The cold expressions on my brothers’ faces made it clear they thought the same thing. They spoke in unison, “You two get out of here! Don’t ruin our mother’s birthday party! “Not just anyone can be Mrs. Morris!” I laughed bitterly in my rage. “You don’t even recognize your own mother? Do you still remember who really runs the Morris family?” “Of course it’s my dad! You psycho!” Sarah sneered proudly. I couldn’t help but laugh mockingly, thinking, “Peter, that waste? An outsider who can’t even enter the family’s inner circle—has he ever seen the family’s seal of authority?” “Peter?” I snorted coldly. “Everyone in the industry knows his background. When is it Peter’s turn to speak for the Morris family?” My words made Sarah furious. Clearly, some people at the party were in the know. “That’s right, it’s only because Mrs. Morris doesn’t like managing business that Mr. Morris helps out. Even if he has some say now, he can’t control the entire Morris family, right?” Just then, the woman who had gone to change her shoes appeared again at the banquet hall entrance. She said, “I’ve already handed over all Morris family affairs to my husband. This is our family business—naturally, an outsider like you wouldn’t understand.”

“What proof do you have that you’re Mrs. Morris?” I stared directly at the woman before me. She laughed softly. “Do I really need proof? I’ve been by Peter’s side throughout all his business dealings these past few years, and my sons have been there too.” As soon as she finished speaking, guests around us immediately chimed in. “That’s right, Mrs. Morris has always been present during Peter’s negotiations. Unlike your mother, who’s so timid and withdrawn—nothing like a wealthy family’s matriarch.” “Don’t the Morris sons even know who their own mother is? How ridiculous!” Everyone nodded in agreement, their expressions certain, making my heart tighten. I immediately pulled out my phone, ready to call Peter. However, Joseph suddenly slapped the phone out of my hand, and the screen shattered instantly. “You want to call the police? You and your mother are the ones causing trouble!” he said. The group was clearly nervous, sweat beading on their foreheads. Could they have secretly found Peter a fake wife behind his back? Lucy trembled all over, instinctively wanting to kneel down and apologize to that woman. “I’m sorry, now that I’ve found my daughter, we’ll leave right away,” she said hurriedly. Leave? There was no way I was walking away! If they dared humiliate Lucy like this in front of so many people, they’d definitely be worse in private! I picked up the broken phone and looked at that woman again. “Are you certain you’re Peter’s wife?” She sneered back, “Of course!” Too bad the phone could barely make voice calls now, or I would’ve definitely made a video call to confirm. The call went through. A familiar voice came through: “Aurora? Are you studying hard? Why are you calling me?” Hearing this voice, Sarah’s eyes widened, and those at the scene who knew Peter recognized it too. I laughed coldly. “Dad, exactly how many daughters do you have? How many wives?” The voice on the other end grew stern: “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re obviously my only daughter. Who’s been filling your head with nonsense?” Just as I was about to explain the situation at the banquet hall, Sarah’s mother, Hazel Morris, snatched my phone away. She stomped on it hard with her high heel, a disdainful smile playing at her lips. “You even got someone to impersonate my husband? It’s just a similar voice—you really think you can fool everyone?” The guests, who had been wavering moments before, heard her words and looked at Lucy and me in our disheveled state again, sneering smiles appearing on their faces. But my four brothers’ faces grew even paler. They roared: “Aurora! Your mother is just a maid at Morris Manor! It’s bad enough you have delusions, but don’t come disrupting the birthday party! Get out!” The more agitated they became, the more suspicious I grew. Had they long wanted to pamper Sarah as their sister, even deceiving Peter? Just then, butler Jay Wells walked in pushing a cake. Seeing him, my eyes lit up. But Lucy frantically grabbed my sleeve, tears nearly falling: “Aurora, let’s just go…” When Jay saw me, his eyes flickered, clearly avoiding something. Sarah immediately ran over and clung to Jay’s arm, acting coquettish: “Jay, you’ve worked at Morris Manor for so long. Tell us, who’s the real impostor here!” I stared intently at Jay, waiting for his response. However, Jay pointed decisively at Lucy: “She’s a maid at Morris Manor. Three Christmases ago, she had a mental breakdown and has been believing she’s Mrs. Morris ever since. Mr. Morris took pity on her and let her stay in the house.” Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood: “No wonder Mrs. Morris never showed her face before—she was afraid this crazy woman would impersonate her!” Listening to their cold mockery of Lucy and me, Sarah lifted her head proudly: “Still pretending? The Morris family isn’t something just anyone can latch onto!” Hazel nodded, signaling for people to restrain Lucy and me again. Sarah walked up smugly and slapped us both hard. Her ring cut my cheek. She sneered: “Do you still dare claim your mother is Mrs. Morris and you’re Ms. Morris? Letting your mother stay in the house was my mother’s mercy. Now, we’re just asking her to lick my mother’s shoes, and she hasn’t even complained. What gives you the right to hit my brother?” With that, she suddenly burst into laughter: “If my father knew you two were being so disrespectful to my mother, he’d probably throw you to the sharks! But I’m kind-hearted—if you kneel down and kowtow right now, a hundred times, I’ll forgive you!” Hazel smashed the cake violently on the ground: “Sarah, didn’t she just push you? The Morris family has always repaid evil with kindness. Let them eat the cake before they kowtow!” They were so arrogant and domineering, and even Jay was on their side. Without a doubt, that bastard Peter must have betrayed us! I suddenly broke free from my restraints and delivered a hard slap to Sarah, who was closest to me. She was knocked straight to the ground. Having been trained in combat by Martin since childhood, these people were no match for me. I fought hard to pull Lucy, who was being pressed to the ground, back up. But she looked at the woman impersonating her with red eyes, pleading: “Mrs. Morris, I apologize to you. I’ll eat the cake. Could you please spare my daughter?” Laughter erupted throughout the banquet hall. But my heart felt like it was being torn apart. How had Lucy, once so gentle and strong, become like this? Sarah crawled up from the ground, gritting her teeth: “Not a chance! This bitch dared to hit me—I’m going to kill you both today!” “Just you?” I raised my hand, and she scrambled to hide behind her four brothers. The four stood in front of me, roaring: “How dare you bully our sister? You shrew, we won’t let you get away with this!” I punched each of them once, and they immediately shut up and hit the ground. Seeing me walking toward Hazel, Sarah quickly pulled out her phone. The four brothers tried to stop me but were knocked down and left unable to move. Sarah screamed frantically: “Dad! Some bitch is causing trouble at Mom’s birthday party—come quickly!” Taking advantage of this moment, I knocked Hazel to the ground as well. The scene immediately fell silent. I helped Lucy up and found a chair to sit down. The sound of an engine roaring came from outside, and Sarah shouted excitedly: “Aurora, you’re finished! My dad’s here—you and your mother can prepare to die!” A man in a black suit walked in. Our eyes met, and shock flashed in both our gazes. I then smiled slightly and walked forward without hesitation. Under everyone’s astonished stares, I delivered a resounding slap across his face.

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When Alayna Williams married me, Colton Walsh, she was carrying millions of dollars in debt. For her sake, I worked three jobs simultaneously for five years, paid off her “debts,” and supported both her and our son Mark Walsh. I never complained once, always believing that better days lay ahead. Last week, our company finally secured a massive investment. We celebrated in each other’s arms, and I thought our good days had finally arrived. Today, I saw her again on the financial news. She was dressed in an elegant gown, introduced as “the sole heir to a billion-dollar business empire,” laughing and chatting with her “investor” Finn Walsh. The headline read: [Alayna Williams completes five-year “poverty trial,” proving her exceptional self-made capabilities to the board of directors.] I returned home in a daze. Five-year-old Mark was playing with the latest limited-edition robot. He looked up at me with eyes identical to his mother’s—cold and unfamiliar. He said, “Mom told me everything. Dad, you failed the test. You love money too much.” Those words hit me like an icy bullet, piercing through my eardrums and exploding in my mind. I looked at Mark, who was playing with that limited-edition robot I’d earned by pulling three all-nighters doing freelance design work. That face, so much like Alayna’s, showed a coldness no five-year-old should possess. “Mark, what are you talking about?” My throat tightened, each word struggling to escape. He said, “Mom told me everything. Mom said real men don’t talk about money all the time. You calculate living expenses every day, run two blocks for supermarket discounts, and get angry when I break a toy.” I quickly said, “I wasn’t angry, I was…” “Mom says you’re small-minded,” he interrupted, his tone cold and mechanical. “She said you only see small gains in front of you. Your love is too cheap and too heavy.” My heart was seized by an invisible hand, the pain making it nearly impossible to breathe. Every penny I’d saved for this family, all the comforts I’d given up to pay off her millions in “debt,” my arm burned at the late-night convenience store job, nearly collapsing on the roadside after dozens of consecutive overtime hours at the design firm… All these sacrifices had become “small-minded” and “money-obsessed” in their eyes. I crouched down, trying to hold his hand, but he recoiled in disgust. “Don’t touch my robot. You can’t afford it.” I can’t afford it? The receipt was still lying quietly in my wallet. I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a sound. I stood up in a daze, staggering backward until my back hit the cold wall. My gaze swept across the living room and finally stopped at the table. There lay a document and a check. Divorce papers! Alayna’s name was already signed, the handwriting elegant and composed, just like her appearance on the financial news. Next to it was a check—my “severance pay” earned through five years of youth, multiple jobs, and countless sleepless nights. Ironically, just last week, we had embraced right here as she said, “Colton, our hard times are over. We’re going to be the happiest family!” Looking back now, that was just the final line before the test ended. My phone rang sharply, the screen showing “Darling” as the contact name. I numbly answered the call. “Did you see it?” Alayna’s voice came through the receiver, devoid of any warmth. “Colton, our ‘poverty trial’ is over. Congratulations on making it through the entire process. But unfortunately, you’ve been eliminated.” “A test?” I managed to croak out, my voice extremely hoarse. “Yes, a test.” She laughed lightly, her laughter full of mockery. “I needed to prove to the board that even in the most desperate circumstances, I could attract a loyal partner and succeed in business. Finn Walsh is my investor and my real fiancé. And you were my randomly chosen ‘husband’ role to complete this social experiment—it just happened that you’re also named Walsh.” I quickly said, “So that millions in debt…” She said, “Oh, that was another way of saying startup capital. If I hadn’t said that, how could I have tested your character under extreme pressure?” “Alayna!” I said through gritted teeth, my nails digging deep into my palms. “You’re such a bitch!” “Am I? But this ‘bitch’ is now the heir to billions in assets.” Her tone remained calm. “Colton, take the check and leave gracefully. Don’t make me despise your final moments.” She paused, then added something even more cruel: “Oh, and Mark isn’t your son. He’s Finn’s and my child. I was never pregnant with your baby. You were just a performer in the ‘socialized parenting’ phase of his upbringing. Now the real man of the house is coming back, so please move out of this house that belongs to the Williams family immediately.” In that moment, I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cave. Alayna continued, “Finn and the Williams Group legal team will be there in half an hour to handle the transition. Remember, be graceful about it.” The call ended. I held the phone as if gripping a red-hot branding iron. Socialized parenting? So even my qualification to be a father was something they had granted me, only to take it away.

I didn’t move. I wouldn’t just leave like this. What belonged to me, I would take back piece by piece with my own hands. When the doorbell rang, it was ten minutes earlier than Alayna had announced—urgent, as if Christian couldn’t wait any longer. I opened the door to find Finn standing there, the same polished business elite with his perfect smile from the financial news. Behind him stood a man and woman in crisp suits, likely members of Williams Group’s legal team. “Mr. Colton Walsh, hello.” Finn spoke, his voice calm yet like a stone dropped into still water, creating ripples across the surface. He didn’t look down on me from above, but rather surveyed me up and down with a somewhat pitying gaze. “These five years have really been hard on you. Honestly, you did better than I expected—very convincing performance.” After speaking, he walked straight past me into the living room, as if he were the true master of this house. “Mark, Daddy’s here.” Mark, who had been playing with his robot, immediately dropped his toy and pounced into his arms like a happy kitten. “Daddy! You’re here!” Finn nodded to his secretary, who promptly handed over a box of the latest limited-edition luxury toys. “Of course, I promised you that once Mommy’s ‘game’ was over, I’d take you home. We’ll go abroad this weekend, okay?” Mark exclaimed excitedly, “Yes! I love Daddy and Mommy the most!” They interacted intimately, as if they were the real family, while I was just a temporary actor whose role had ended and who should exit the stage. My heart had long since gone numb beyond feeling pain. Finn held Mark while his gaze swept across the living room, finally settling on the fabric sofa set I’d found at the secondhand market. He frowned slightly, as if seeing something unsightly. “Really, how could Alayna live in a place like this, using such cheap furniture? These things aren’t worthy of her.” He turned to the lawyer Jeffrey Lakin behind him. “Make a note—have a cleaning company come later and dispose of all the furniture here. Alayna’s home shouldn’t have any cheap items.” Jeffrey replied, “Yes, Mr. Finn Walsh.” Every word Finn spoke precisely negated all my efforts over the past five years. I had scrimped and saved for our shared “future.” In his eyes, it was merely “cheap junk” that tainted his fiancée’s noble status. Jeffrey walked up to me and handed over a pen with an expressionless face. “Mr. Colton Walsh, please sign the divorce papers. Five million dollars in compensation is already the industry’s highest standard for a five-year ‘role-playing’ project. Miss Williams and Mr. Finn Walsh are being very generous.” “Industry’s highest standard?” I repeated those words, finding them utterly absurd. They actually treated my life as a transaction with a clear price tag. “Yes.” Jeffrey adjusted his glasses. “Additionally, Mr. Finn Walsh is kindhearted and specifically asked me to remind you not to engage in any harassment. Any harassment from you will be viewed by our legal department as malicious provocation against Williams Group. I assume you wouldn’t want to see those consequences.” His words carried undisguised threats. Finn walked over holding Mark, wearing his signature perfect smile. “Colton, don’t misunderstand—we’re not threatening you. You’re a smart man; you should know how to make the right choice, right?” He looked down and said gently to Mark in his arms, “Good boy, say goodbye to him. He’s leaving our home.” Mark peeked out from his embrace to look at me. Those eyes that had once been full of dependence now held only strangeness and impatience. “Daddy, let’s go quickly. I don’t want to look at him. Mommy said his poor smell would affect me.” The words “poor smell” completely shattered the last trace of warmth in my heart. I looked at them and suddenly laughed.

My laughter left both Finn and Jeffrey stunned. They probably expected me to explode in anger, curse hysterically, or fall to my knees begging. The one thing they never anticipated was laughter. “What are you laughing at?” Finn frowned. “Nothing,” I stopped laughing, my expression completely calm. “I just think you both put on quite a performance.” I turned and walked into the bedroom, dragging several storage boxes out from under the bed. I’d bought these a few days ago, originally planning to use them for organizing seasonal clothes as we welcomed our beautiful new life together. “Well, well, have you finally come to your senses and decided to pack up and get lost?” Finn crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe, his voice dripping with mockery. I ignored him. I began systematically organizing all my expense records from the past five years. Over five years, I’d printed out every single bank statement from three different jobs. Among them were my own credit card bills and every transaction detail from Alayna’s “debt-ridden” supplementary credit card. Finn’s expression shifted from mockery to confusion, then to a hint of wariness. “Colton, what the hell are you doing? You’re not thinking you can use these scraps of paper to demand money, are you? Let me tell you, it won’t work. We have the best legal team money can buy.” I still said nothing. From a dedicated file folder, I pulled out a thick stack of receipts. Then I retrieved the final item—the purchase record and invoice for Mark’s limited edition robot. The invoice was made out in my name. The payment account was my salary card. I gently placed this invoice on top of all the evidence, like stamping a final seal on my absurd five years. After finishing all this, I closed the box lid. Three large boxes in total. Not a single personal item among them. Just my five years of blood, sweat, time, and my trampled, worthless life. I looked up at Finn and Jeffrey. “I’m taking these with me.” Jeffrey clearly found my behavior incomprehensible too. “Mr. Walsh, these are household consumption receipts from your shared family life. You have no right to take them unilaterally. Moreover, this cannot serve as grounds for demanding additional compensation.” “Who said I want additional compensation?” I asked back. I looked at Finn, who was staring at me like I was insane, his lips curled in undisguised mockery. “A leopard never changes its spots—you really are all about money. Colton, you’re beyond saving.” “Yes,” I nodded, accepting it openly, “I never change, and I am all about money.” Because in this world, only money won’t betray me. I dragged those boxes of heavy “waste paper” to the entryway and changed my shoes. Throughout it all, I never looked at Mark again. I only took my driver’s license, passport, bank cards, and these boxes of things more important to me than life itself. As I opened the door, preparing to leave this “home” I’d poured five years of my heart into, Finn spoke behind me in a voice just loud enough for me to hear clearly, saying to Mark: “See? I told you so, didn’t I? A man like that doesn’t deserve to be your father. Money is all that matters in his world.” The moment the door closed, I heard their laughter. I dragged three heavy suitcases behind me like a homeless vagrant, wandering through the city streets. As darkness fell, every warm light glowing from windows seemed to mock my homelessness. I found a budget hotel, planning to use the few thousand dollars left on my card to settle in temporarily. The front desk clerk said, “I’m sorry, sir, but your card has been frozen.” I tried another card. The clerk said again, “I’m sorry, it still won’t work.” I tried every card in my wallet, including all my credit cards, but they were all frozen. A chill ran from my feet straight to my head. I thought, “Alayna is really ruthless. She didn’t just kick me out of the house—she cut off all my escape routes.” Just as I was about to drag my suitcases away, a black Mercedes pulled up at the hotel entrance. “Mr. Walsh, we meet again.” Jeffrey’s expression was emotionless, like a precision machine. “What do you want from me?” My voice was hoarse. “There are some matters that need to be explained to you.” He handed me a document. “Given that you maliciously stole financial materials related to the Williams Group’s ‘heir trial’ project this afternoon—specifically those boxes of invoices and receipts you took—your actions have created potential risks for the project. Therefore, Ms. Williams has decided to revoke your five hundred thousand dollar ‘severance package.’” My mind went blank. I thought, “Malicious theft? She’s calling the evidence I personally organized ‘theft.’” “Furthermore.” Jeffrey seemed to enjoy my expression at that moment as he pulled out another document—one I knew all too well, because I had signed my name on it five years ago. At the time, Alayna told me it was our prenuptial agreement, designed to ensure I would still have some protection after we went “bankrupt.” My breathing nearly stopped. Jeffrey flipped to a specific page, pointing to a supplementary clause in small print, reading it to me word by word: “Supplementary Clause 3.1: Colton’s role as ‘father’ and his performance of ‘paternal’ duties are both part of this project. The child he is raising, Mark, is actually the child of Alayna and project investor Finn. Colton serves only as the caregiver and has no legal parental rights.” My world completely collapsed in that moment, crumbling to dust. I had always believed that Mark was the son I had raised with all my strength. It turned out that even this most basic blood connection was a lie. My body shook violently, and I could barely stand. Jeffrey didn’t pause. He flipped to the most devastating final page: “Supplementary Clause 7.4: All of Colton’s contributions over five years, including but not limited to household labor, emotional support, and childcare activities, are essentially defined as Colton’s ‘labor.’ His compensation was to be a five million dollar trust fund established by Alayna upon project completion.” He paused, then delivered the final verdict with the tone of a death sentence: “However, since Colton’s final evaluation was deemed ‘unsatisfactory,’ according to clause 7.5, the beneficiary of said trust fund was legally and properly transferred to Finn at three o’clock this afternoon.” He closed the document and held it in front of me. “So all of this was just for a test you failed to pass. “You now have nothing. The son you thought you had, the love, and the money you thought you deserved—none of it exists. “You are nothing.” I stared at him, at that agreement, at my own signature on it. It turned out that my life, the love I had been so proud of, the family I had given everything to maintain, was nothing more than an elaborate, carefully planned commercial experiment that I knew nothing about—one that was ultimately judged a “failure.” And they used the “legal” agreement I had signed with my own hand to cast me into irreversible hell. I could no longer hold myself up. My legs gave out, and I fell straight to my knees. All the sounds around me disappeared, leaving only the sound of my heart shattering. Despair swallowed me completely like a tidal wave. I don’t know how I left that hotel. I only remember Jeffrey and his colleague looking at me kneeling on the ground like I was trash, then getting in their car and driving away. Like a walking corpse, I dragged those three heavy boxes of “jokes” through the late-night streets with no destination. My bank cards were frozen due to a failed business project, I had less than a hundred dollars in cash, couldn’t afford a hotel, and couldn’t go home. The world was so vast, yet there was no place for me. As my sanity teetered on the edge of collapse, just when I thought I might go insane or collapse on the street, an image suddenly flashed through my mind. I thought, “Alayna, you like playing poor, don’t you? Then let’s see how you like being truly poor!”

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Just because a photo I shared on social media unintentionally showed my stepsister Veronica’s dog in heat, AI-generated explicit images of me were fabricated and spread across the entire internet, branding me as public property, a target for everyone’s mockery. I reported the malicious defamation to the cops, but I was repeatedly told they were “handling it.” Desperately, I called my husband, Julian Thorne, who I’d been married to for three years. His voice was utterly devoid of warmth. “It’s AI, not you,” he said dismissively. “Why are you so worked up?” Yet, in the blink of an eye, he specifically held a press conference to clear up the scandal surrounding Veronica’s dog. At the same time, I received a message from my step-brother, Alex Thorne: “Our agreement is up in a month. You can decide then whether you want to stay or go.” “I’m leaving.” This time, there wasn’t a trace of hesitation in my voice. “Three years of marriage, and you truly have no feelings for him?” Alex looked stunned, but a flicker of something akin to satisfaction crossed his face. After all, everyone believed I loved Julian to the point of desperation, with no shred of self-respect left. “Yes, I don’t love him.” And I don’t love you, either. That last part, I kept to myself. Above, flocks of geese were flying south, a migration mirroring my own. I tipped my head back and smiled, a feeling of pure release washing over me. I could finally leave. Not just Julian, but Alex too. Three years ago, the Thorne family’s finances had imploded, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The only way out was a strategic marriage alliance with the Sterling family, one of the most powerful and affluent dynasties in the city. Alex found me, kneeling on one knee. “Serena, please, big brother is begging you, help our family just this once. Do it for me.” My heart shattered as I looked at the man before me. “Alex, but you know I love *you*, yet you’re asking me to marry another man!” His eyes darted away. “Serena, we’re siblings. It’s impossible for us. Julian Thorne, he has money, power… marry him, and you’ll be happy, I promise.” I let out a cold laugh, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. Yes, Julian Thorne, the Sterling family’s eldest son, was wealthy and powerful, and he had a face so stunningly handsome, it could have been sculpted by a Greek god. But everyone in this city knew he harbored a deep, undying love for Veronica—his childhood sweetheart, the girl who was forever his ‘white moonlight,’ his unattainable first love. They had grown up together, everyone assumed they would naturally marry. But the Thorne family went bankrupt overnight, and Veronica, unwilling to become his ‘kept woman,’ disappeared completely after leaving a farewell letter. After Veronica left, Julian drank himself into oblivion every day. The Sterling family was heartbroken, so they arranged this marriage, hoping it would help their son move past his grief. But after marrying me, Julian frantically searched for replacements for Veronica, never even glancing my way. On our wedding night, he brought one of those substitutes into our marital bed. Julian ignored me completely, so the Thorne family naturally lost any chance of a comeback. Alex came begging to me again and again. I had no choice but to swallow my pride, acting like a desperate, pathetic fool, mimicking Veronica’s style and hobbies, all to win Julian’s attention. Veronica loved extreme sports, so I overcame my fear of heights, sweating profusely as I bungee jumped from thousands of feet in the air. Veronica loved to drink, so I, allergic to alcohol, injected myself with countless anti-allergy shots just to drink with Julian. Veronica loved to cook, so I traveled all the way to France to learn culinary arts. My relentless efforts finally paid off. Julian eventually dismissed all his other replacements, focusing his attention solely on me. In moments of intimacy, he’d even kissed me deeply, whispering, “Just be yourself, Serena.” Everyone thought Julian had finally moved past his old love, and that our marriage would finally turn a corner. But then, Veronica suddenly returned. Julian started bringing me to various events frequently. People laughed, calling us a deeply loving couple, but only I knew he was just using me to make Veronica jealous. He would abandon me at a club, only to be found passionately kissing Veronica in the restroom. He’d buy out an entire store of clothes for me, then brutally take Veronica in the fitting room. Even my own birthday party was nothing more than an excuse for him to meet Veronica. I quickly became a laughingstock, but I didn’t care. Because I had never loved Julian. Ten years ago, my mother remarried into the Thorne family, bringing me with her, and soon after, she passed away from an illness. The Thorne family treated me like an annoying mouse, but only my step-brother Alex was kind to me, day after day, for a decade. He was more than just a step-brother; he was like a father to me. Alex even, blushing furiously, taught me how to handle my very first period, then gently made sure I had clean clothes. Forbidden desires tore at me, but I couldn’t help but fall irrevocably in love with my step-brother. To ensure his happiness, I was willing to give everything. Through those excruciating 970 days and nights, I clung to the slivers of kindness Alex threw my way. Until that day, I stood outside the Thorne family’s window, holding a freshly packed box of Alex’s favorite wontons. “Everyone thinks I’m madly in love with Julian, but who would have guessed my true love is you?” Alex’s voice was flippant, a stark contrast to his usual gentle tone. “Just a few crumbs of attention from me, and who knew she’d be so devoted?” “Our 1000-day agreement is almost up. If I insist on a divorce, will you take me in? After all, my life has been utterly miserable, and it’s all thanks to you.” “No way,” he scoffed. “She’s already used up, damaged goods. You’re welcome to her if you want her.” The warm wontons in my hand suddenly slipped and crashed to the ground. My blood ran cold. It turned out, everything had been a scam. “Then why, after all these years, have you never had a woman by your side?” The room instantly fell silent. I held my breath, tense. After a long pause, Alex finally spoke: “Just haven’t found the right one.” I felt like a condemned prisoner, gasping for air. My phone suddenly rang, pulling me from my memories. “Is this Miss Sterling? Your biological father is gravely ill. As he has no other children, there’s a fortune of twenty billion dollars for you to inherit.” “However, the condition is that you must change your legal name and revert your family ties.” 2 Once I agreed, a private jet itinerary for a flight to Paris a month later was quickly sent to my phone. The flood of AI-generated images of me online was also taken down by my father’s people. But I knew the damage they had inflicted on me would never truly disappear. Composing myself, I went out for a walk. But strangers on the street were already pointing and whispering. “Isn’t that the girl from those nude photos online recently?” “She’s actually quite pretty in person. Go ask her how much she charges.” “No way! She’s disgusting. That kind of trash probably does it for free.” My chest tightened with pain. I lowered my head and hurried away. Reaching my company building, I thought about going inside to rest my feet and wait until dark before heading out again. But strangely, I found the massive company building completely empty. The elevator went straight to the CEO’s office on the top floor. Before I even opened the door, I heard a cacophony of voices. *POP!* Confetti cannons exploded above my head. Julian pushed a cake, and the employees behind him held all sorts of gifts. The entire top floor was decorated like a fairytale castle. The moment they saw me, the whole room fell silent. Julian’s face was terrifyingly grim. “Why are *you* here?” Before I could speak, another elevator chimed open. Veronica stepped out, her eyes wide with surprise. “Wow, is all this for me?” Julian’s sullen face instantly softened with tenderness. “Yes, darling. Happy birthday to our sweetest little girl!” Everyone around laughed and stepped forward to offer their blessings. Watching the joyous scene unfold, I suddenly remembered Julian was always too busy to come home during our first year of marriage. To take care of him, I would bring him lunchboxes and fruit every day, staying at the company with him until midnight, even on my own birthday. When my friends found out, they ordered a cake to be delivered at midnight, but Julian casually tossed it into the trash. “This is a company, not your home. If you want to celebrate, go home.” Suddenly, all the lights in the room went out. Veronica, blushing, closed her eyes and made a wish amidst the chorus of “Happy Birthday.” The man beside her gazed down, his eyes filled with an unbearable tenderness—a stark contrast to the distant, arrogant look he usually gave me. Without a word to anyone, I let out a bitter laugh and quietly left. I hailed a cab to the Thorne family estate. When I arrived, the lights were bright, but not a single one was left on for me. The lively conversation inside instantly died the moment I pushed open the door. Everyone stared at me in silence. Alex cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. “Serena, what are you doing here?” I ignored their scrutinizing gazes. “You once said that if I helped you, you’d grant me one wish. Does that still stand?” “Of course,” Alex frowned. “But nothing too outrageous.” I didn’t need him to say it. I knew what he was worried about—that I’d use it to force him to marry me. How pathetic did he think I was? “I want to legally separate myself from the Thorne family, and change my last name back to Sterling.” Changing my name was easy enough, but only the head of the household could process the legal separation. I had no choice but to rely on Alex. Alex paused for a moment, then nodded. As I walked out the door, whispers immediately erupted from the room. “I just wanted to leave the Thorne family so we could be together legitimately, and you agreed?” “Go ahead, I won’t marry her.” I curled my lips into a self-mocking smile. It didn’t matter. I didn’t care anymore. Back home, Julian sat on the black leather couch, long legs crossed. Hearing the door, he lazily looked up. “Where were you so late?” I knew he didn’t really care where I’d been, so I casually brushed him off. “Just went to the Thorne estate for a bit.” He narrowed his eyes but didn’t ask further. “Veronica wants to attend tomorrow’s recital too.” I was a cellist, and I’d already made a name for myself in college. Tomorrow’s recital was a carefully prepared concert, both a debut and a farewell. After this one, I would change my name and identity and start anew. *Just consider it a last-minute additional accompanist*, I told myself, nodding my agreement. I was leaving soon; I didn’t want any more complications. Julian seemed surprised I agreed so easily. He thought back to what his friend had told him that afternoon: “Julian, I truly envy you. You have a wife at home who’s devoted to you, works tirelessly without complaint, and a childhood sweetheart outside.” “Just forget about it. It’s easy to find a first love, but I guarantee you won’t find another woman as foolish as her anywhere in the world.” His friend envied him, and he should have been happy, but hearing someone talk about me like that left him with an uncomfortable feeling he couldn’t quite place. He watched me, the woman who had just walked in and, without even resting, headed to the kitchen to prepare his dinner. He raised an eyebrow. He had wondered more than once, if Veronica hadn’t been his savior, he would have fallen hopelessly in love with me. But there were no ‘ifs.’ He lifted his gaze and handed me a gift he had originally intended for Veronica. “Here, for you. Don’t embarrass me at tomorrow’s recital.” Julian walked towards me, embraced me, and fastened the necklace around my neck. An intimate tension instantly enveloped us. I looked at the man before me in surprise, about to speak, when I was interrupted by a frantic, distinctive ringtone. “Julian, darling, I’ve had too much to drink and I miss you so much.” The woman’s voice on the other end of the line was soft and sweet. Julian’s throat bobbed. Without another thought, he turned and left. I heard the door click shut, my face expressionless. I put down the knife in my hand and walked into the study to practice for tomorrow’s performance. In the study, my gaze was suddenly drawn to a confidential document tucked away in the bookshelf. Normally, I had no interest in anything related to Julian, but this time, an inexplicable curiosity compelled me to open the file. The moment I saw its contents, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It turned out Julian’s unwavering devotion to Veronica all these years was due to him mistakenly believing she was his savior. Yet, on the very same day, at the very same location, the commendation for *my* rescue was still safely tucked away in my drawer. My mood suddenly lifted. I yearned to see the day Julian discovered the truth. Smiling, I took out the contract I’d signed three years ago and the commendation, sending them both to a secure storage facility. “Deliver these to Julian Thorne in one month.” That contract clearly stated that I, as the乙方 (Party B), willingly married Julian Thorne as repayment for Alex’s kindness, for a period of 1000 days. 3 The next evening, I arrived at the concert hall on time. Veronica’s piano was already placed prominently on the stage. I didn’t say much, assuming Veronica was just rehearsing. After all, this was *my* recital; Veronica wouldn’t try to steal the show, would she? But that piano remained on stage until the performance began. When I tried to confront Veronica, I was locked inside the dressing room. By the time I was let out, the recital was already nearing its end. I directed the staff to bring my cello onto the stage, but the moment I stepped out, I was met with a barrage of curses. “Refund! Refund!” “Refund! Refund!” The boos and shouts from the audience pierced my heart like arrows. I saw that the seat reserved for Julian was already empty. My meticulously prepared recital, ruined so easily, left me only with a profound sense of shame towards my fans. Guards escorted me through the furious crowd and safely back home. Pushing open the door, the house was dark, and the temperature was chillingly low. Julian sat on the sofa, his eyes unfathomably dark. Anyone familiar with him knew that the young master was furious. A smart person would steer clear. “Did you touch my documents?” But instead of躲避 (avoiding), I nodded, frankly admitting it. Julian froze for a moment, then laughed, enraged. “It doesn’t matter if you know. It just helps you understand your place. You’re nothing more than a tool for a marriage alliance, and you’ll never be able to compare to Veronica.” I watched him calmly, saying nothing. Julian’s brow furrowed, a strange sensation flashing through him. Before he could question it, the master bedroom door clicked open. Veronica emerged, rubbing her eyes, wearing my pajamas. I always thought Julian, being born into such privilege, had no empathy. Even when I was gravely ill and confined to bed, Julian would still throw parties at home. When I stumbled out, dizzy and clutching my head, to question him, I only received a casual reply from the man: “What’s it to me?” But now, merely to avoid disturbing Veronica’s sleep, the entire household was silent, and no lights were allowed. Julian waved his hand, lazily instructing me, hoping to see a twisted expression on my face. “Veronica’s staying for dinner tonight. Go prepare it.” But I didn’t react with the expected rage. Instead, I simply stood up obediently and walked towards the kitchen. Watching me walk away, Julian unconsciously rubbed his fingers. That unidentifiable feeling from before resurfaced. He had brought Veronica home, yet I was still cooking without complaint. I must love him to this extent, with no bottom line. He admitted that even his love for Veronica wasn’t this selfless. In the kitchen, I skillfully took out ingredients, washing and chopping them. No one would have guessed that just a few years ago, I was a pampered young lady who never lifted a finger. “Sister, let me help you.” The knife in my hand was suddenly snatched away. Veronica smiled innocently at me, but in the next second, she turned the blade towards herself. Tiny beads of blood instantly welled up on Veronica’s delicate arm. Before I could react, a huge force suddenly slammed into me, knocking the knife from Veronica’s hand. The knife flew with the impact, barely grazing my cheek before embedding itself in the wall. My heart instantly skipped a beat. A sharp pain bloomed on my face belatedly, followed by the warm sensation of blood trickling down. Julian finally noticed me. Guilt flickered in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Serena, I didn’t mean to.” I was about to speak, but Veronica interrupted. “Julian, I just wanted to help my sister cook, but she…” She didn’t finish the sentence, but her hesitant expression spoke volumes. The guilt in Julian’s eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a dark frown. “So, you deliberately hurt Veronica?” Before I could explain, Julian pulled the knife from the wall. He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at me, his tongue pressing against his molars. “You just used my recital to play a few songs, and you’re so vindictive you’d hurt someone in revenge?” I shook my head, backing away. “It wasn’t me, it was her.” Julian scoffed. “Veronica is a pianist; she treasures her hands more than anything. You’re telling me she hurt herself?” I defiantly raised my head, meeting his gaze, and repeated, “Yes, it was her.” I took a deep breath. “I’m a cellist. If I were capable of hurting my own hands, would you believe me then?” I didn’t care if Julian misunderstood me, but that didn’t mean I would let myself be wrongly accused. Julian was stunned, not expecting me to say that. “You…” Before he could react, I picked up the knife and, gritting my teeth, slashed across the palm of my hand. Blood instantly pooled on the floor. A flicker of emotion crossed Julian’s eyes. He was about to reach out to stop me, but he was interrupted. Veronica suddenly spoke, “Sister, why go to such lengths? Harming yourself just to hurt me?” As soon as she spoke, Julian’s face indeed hardened. My knife hand trembled, and I closed my eyes in despair. The intense pain made me gradually lose consciousness. Just before I completely blacked out, I heard Julian’s cold voice: “If you weren’t so much like Veronica, do you think I would ever have looked your way?” 4 To punish my disobedience, Julian instantly withdrew all cooperation with the Thorne family. I was jolted awake from my unconsciousness by the frantic ringing of my phone. I endured the pain and answered Alex’s call. “Serena, I’ve submitted your legal separation paperwork, but if anything like this happens again, I’ll retract it.” My blood instantly froze. “You can’t do that! You promised me!” I was just one step away from finally being free, and I wouldn’t let all my efforts go to waste. Alex’s voice on the other end of the line was weary. “Then for this last month, just be obedient and take good care of Julian.” After hanging up, my door was suddenly pushed open. Julian walked in, his voice cold and hard as he looked down at me. “Veronica, to mend your relationship, has invited you bungee jumping. You have five minutes to pack and come with me.” With that, he slammed the door shut and left as quickly as he’d appeared. But I hated bungee jumping, and I had no interest in mending any relationship with Veronica. Thinking of the consequences of my disobedience, I numbly closed my eyes. Giving me no room to refuse, five minutes later, a bodyguard kicked open the door and dragged me all the way to the car. In the extended limousine, I sat alone, hugging my arms, curled up by the window, closing my eyes to rest. My arm wound hadn’t even been re-dressed today, but I gritted my teeth, enduring the pain, convincing myself that if I just fell asleep, it wouldn’t hurt. Soon, I drifted off in the gently rocking car. Across from me, Julian and Veronica were kissing and cuddling as if no one else was there. The driver and his assistant in the front seat whispered to each other. “I almost feel sorry for Mrs. Thorne. If my husband did that in front of me, I’d be furious.” “Oh, Mrs. Thorne just loves the Young Master too much. I once heard her say she’d endure anything as long as they didn’t divorce.” Julian lazily lifted his gaze, thoughtfully observing me, as compliant as a kitten, across from him. He wasn’t a stone. After all these years, how could he not see how good I was to him? As long as I remained this obedient, he wouldn’t mind indulging me, giving me the title of Mrs. Sterling for life. And where he couldn’t see, a flash of murderous intent crossed Veronica’s eyes. After an unknown amount of time, the car finally stopped. Looking at the bottomless cliff, my teeth chattered with fear. Veronica fluttered her big eyes. “Julian, darling, it’s been so long since I’ve bungee jumped, I’m suddenly a little scared. Will you hold me and jump with me?” Julian stroked her head indulgently, drawing out his reply. “Of course.” Julian gripped Veronica’s waist, and without a blink, he leaped. Her delighted scream and his deep laugh echoed from the valley below. The two of them, like a deeply loving couple, exchanged passionate confessions amidst the thrilling adrenaline rush. “Julian! I love you!” “I love you too, Veronica.” The driver looked at me with pity, but I was expressionless, even wishing them eternal happiness. Just a little longer, and their endless affection would have absolutely nothing to do with me. After the staff fitted me with the equipment, I frowned, recoiling. I turned to say, “Maybe not,” but before I could speak, a force shoved me forward. “My apologies, but Miss Thorne simply can’t tolerate you.” I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the freefall, cold sweat instantly drenching my entire body. As I reached the lowest point. *SNAP!* One of the ropes suddenly gave way. My heart leaped into my throat. I screamed for help, “Julian, save me!” But he had his back to me, pressing his lips against the back of Veronica’s head, kissing her. My heart sank as I saw Veronica smiling, shaking a knife in her hand. *She* had cut the rope. With only one rope, it was impossible to maintain balance. Despite my desperate prayers, I inevitably crashed into sharp rocks. The inertia combined with my body weight instantly left my head gushing blood. The sticky warmth seeped into my eyes. My trembling hand reached for the wound, but instead, I felt the hard bone beneath. Through my blurring vision, I saw Julian finally turn, running towards me like a madman. I closed my eyes, exhausted. *It’s okay, Julian. You just don’t love me. You haven’t done anything wrong.* *And I don’t care if you love me.* *I only hate Alex, who, under the guise of love, pushed me into this abyss.* 5 I woke up in the hospital. Julian Thorne was huddled miserably beside my legs. A searing pain flared across my forehead, and I couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp.

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Celeste, a renowned surgeon recently returned from abroad, made a reckless bet with her colleagues, claiming she could perform open-heart bypass surgery with just one hand. The surgery failed. Celeste, humiliated, threw down her scalpel and fled the operating room. My mom, however, fell into a coma and became a vegetable because of that mistake. My brother, a lawyer, sued Celeste. But in just two days, his law license was revoked. He was even sent to prison for three years, charged with perjury, bribery, and defamation! I filed an official complaint, using my real name, but my identity was exposed, turning me into a target for online harassment. And the man behind it all was my husband of seven years, Daniel—a powerful figure who held immense sway over the entire city. At the hospital. My mom’s vital signs were steadily dropping, and the monitors blared constant alarms. I pressed the call button countless times, searched for doctors everywhere, but no one appeared. My heart pounded with anxiety. Just then, Daniel appeared at the door of the room, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit. He held his phone out to me. “I’ve already dropped the police case. Record a video, apologize publicly, and Mom can have her surgery.” “Vegetative state or death, you choose.” His voice was deep and steady, but his eyes held a sharp intensity that brooked no refusal. I opened my bloodshot eyes, trembling all over. Finally, I managed to squeeze out a few words. “Why?” I didn’t understand… Why was he helping Celeste when we were supposed to be a family? Tears, clear and unbidden, streamed down my face. This was only the second time I had cried in front of Daniel. The first time was on our wedding day. A flicker of something akin to pain crossed Daniel’s eyes. His hand, so used to wiping away my tears, started to reach out, then froze in mid-air, retracting awkwardly. “Aubrey, Celeste and I grew up together. The surgery was an accident. Even if I hadn’t done it with one hand, Mom might not have made it.” “Now, the internet is flooded with news trashing me. Just be a good girl, record a video clarifying things, and this will all blow over. The doctors are already waiting in the operating room. Afterward, I’ll get your brother out too, okay?” Daniel’s tone was solicitous, but his eyes held an unyielding stubbornness that wouldn’t take no for an answer. Could I refuse? Did I have the right to refuse? If I didn’t agree, would I be the next one to end up in prison or a vegetative state? A profound sadness settled in my heart. For seven years of marriage, Daniel had always doted on me. He never once raised his voice. Anything I glanced at or mentioned, no matter how expensive or hard to find, would appear in my hands the next day. I thought he would be my rock. But ever since my mother’s accident, I had pleaded with Daniel countless times, begged him for help. Yet, he always looked conflicted, as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t. I initially thought he couldn’t interfere, but later I realized it was because it involved Celeste, and he couldn’t bear to hurt her. After a long silence with no response, Daniel’s patience wore thin. “If you don’t agree, your mother won’t live past today, and your brother will stay in prison forever.” “Aubrey, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Celeste grew up with me; she’s the one who pulled me out of my autism. I promised I’d always protect her. So, not even you can stand in my way.” No sooner had he spoken than my mom on the hospital bed began to convulse. The monitors screamed alarms. Several doctors rushed in through the door and immediately wheeled my mother’s bed out. “Mom!” I leaped off my bed, trying to follow, but Daniel’s arm blocked me. “Record the video, and your mom can have surgery.” I stared at him in disbelief. “Daniel, have you lost your mind?!” Daniel pushed my hand away, his brows furrowed, an oppressive aura radiating from him. “Thirty seconds, Aubrey. Last chance.” A chill spread through my heart. For the first time, he seemed utterly alien, terrifying. It was as if all our past affection had been an illusion, had never existed at all. I used to be Daniel’s personal assistant. He pursued me fiercely, writing 99 love letters and sending 999 bouquets of flowers before I finally agreed to give him a chance. Two years into our relationship, he went to great lengths to keep me. When I first entered high society, the elite crowd looked down on me, making snide remarks about my humble background. But Daniel, he bought every single item at an auction and gave them to me, publicly acknowledging our relationship. He would drop multi-million dollar deals to stand up for me whenever I was challenged. When I wasn’t feeling well, he’d fly thousands of miles to be by my side and personally care for me. My family was very ordinary, and Daniel’s family disapproved. They demanded he break up with me and get engaged to Celeste, his childhood friend. He fought back desperately, was confined, sent abroad, but he refused to give up. He even voluntarily gave up his right as the family heir just to get his family’s approval. Eventually, his family compromised, and we got married. I thought after all our struggles, we’d finally be together forever. That was until Celeste returned from studying abroad a year ago. Celeste was spoiled and arrogant, and he indulged her every whim. He helped manage everything in Celeste’s work and personal life. When Celeste failed several surgeries, Daniel, worried I might face harassment from angry patient families, picked me up and dropped me off for my night shifts every day. Still not at ease, he moved me back home without consulting me. Three months ago, my mom was rushed to the hospital with a heart condition. Celeste, eager to prove herself, insisted on performing the surgery personally. She even bet with another doctor who had returned from overseas, claiming she could do it with one hand. That night, my mom was taken into the operating room. By the time I rushed to the hospital after hearing the news, I saw Celeste crying and running out, leaving several doctors scrambling to fix things. But it was too late. My mother became a vegetable. I begged Daniel to help me. But he avoided the topic, watching me suffer, watching me break down. After three months of struggle, Celeste faced no consequences, while I lost my family; my brother was sent to prison. “Have you thought it through, Aubrey?” He impatiently furrowed his brow and glanced at his wristwatch. “Mom can’t wait any longer.” I felt utterly hopeless. The tears I had been holding back finally streamed down my face. My hand trembled as I reached for his phone, biting down hard on my lip. “I’ll record the video. I won’t press charges. I’ll agree to everything you want. Just save my mom. I really can’t lose her.” My hand was shaking as I took the phone from him. Daniel gently wiped away my tears, personally opened the SnapChat app, and started recording for me. A thirty-second video. In it, I dropped all charges, admitting everything was an accident. After handing him the phone, I asked weakly, “Can my mom have her surgery now?” Daniel finally seemed to ease up. “Start…” Before he could finish, Celeste from the operating room suddenly cried out, “Ah, I feel so dizzy!” With that, she collapsed. Hearing the commotion, Daniel rushed over in a panic, scooping Celeste into his arms and heading out. The attending doctors swarmed around Celeste, leaving my mom, still on her bed, unattended. The alarm on Mom’s monitor continued to blare. Tears instantly gushed from my eyes. I screamed frantically, “Don’t go! Save my mom…!” “Daniel, you promised you’d save my mom! You can’t leave!” I lunged forward, blocking Daniel’s path, but his eyes were solely on Celeste. He didn’t even glance at me, rushing with the doctors into the adjacent room. Urgent footsteps trampled over me one after another, the pain so intense I couldn’t even utter a coherent word. It was too late. I sobbed hysterically, throwing myself at Daniel’s feet without a shred of dignity, but the frantic man kicked me aside. “Don’t be scared, Celeste, I’m coming.” Daniel, in his haste to get rid of me, kicked me with immense force, sending me flying. My head slammed hard against the wall. My gaze fell upon my mom, now barely clinging to life on her bed. I felt my heart tear into a million pieces. “Mom! Mom!” The sound of my head hitting the wall made Daniel spare me another glance. He pointed at my mom’s room, sending two intern doctors in. “Your mom won’t die. I promised you, and I’ll keep that promise.” “But right now, no one can stop me from saving Celeste.” Suddenly, my vision blurred. Before I passed out, only one thought remained in my mind: I had to leave. I had to vanish completely from Daniel’s world, never to see him again! 2 When I opened my eyes again, a card lay on my nightstand. Beneath it was a note: “Mom’s surgery will have to wait. Celeste has been emotionally fragile lately and can’t be away from me for too long. Such a long surgery would be too much for her.” One sentence, but I understood only one thing: For Celeste, Daniel could wait for anything. My heart throbbed with pain. Suddenly, I laughed. A mournful, sarcastic laugh. Clutching my chest, I pulled out my phone and made a call. “Mr. Davidson, I agree to the divorce.” “But I have one condition: help me fake my death… I want to take my brother and my mom and disappear from here forever.” The day I left the hospital, I brought the divorce papers my lawyer had prepared. Back at the villa, Daniel was getting ready to pick Celeste up from the hospital after her shift. “You’re back?” Seeing my pale face, Daniel paused, a flicker of concern in his eyes. “Why do you look so ghastly?” My mother was a vegetable. My brother was in prison. How was my face supposed to look? I didn’t answer. Holding the papers, I expressionlessly handed them to him. “Sign them.” Daniel was momentarily taken aback. “What is this?” Just as he was about to open it, his phone vibrated in his hand. He glanced at the message, a hint of urgency in his eyes. He didn’t even read the contents of the agreement, just casually scrawled his signature on it. “Celeste is waiting for me. Just leave any work contracts in my study from now on.” The words were barely out before he was already walking away. Staring at the divorce papers, signed so easily, a mocking smile twisted my lips. I said nothing, turning instead towards the courthouse. After filing for divorce, I returned to find Daniel massaging Celeste’s hands. She had just gotten home from her shift. “Celeste has been harassed by angry patient families lately, and I’m worried. She’ll be staying with us until things calm down, then I’ll take her home.” His voice was calm, as if he was simply informing me. The divorce was happening anyway, and this wouldn’t be my home much longer. I didn’t have the energy to argue or protest. “Whatever.” Daniel hadn’t expected me to give in so easily. Seeing the calmness on my face, he frowned, about to say something more, when Celeste suddenly spoke. “I… I just finished my night shift and haven’t even had dinner. Could you make me something?” Celeste smiled, but her eyes held a hint of challenge. “Daniel says you’re an amazing cook. I’ve never tried your food.” “Call the staff.” I turned, intending to leave. But Celeste let out a whimpering, aggrieved sound, and Daniel reached out to stop me. “Aubrey.” He didn’t need to say more. The meaning was clear. I had no right to refuse. Even as Daniel’s wife, a simple “I’m hungry” from his childhood friend meant I had to play the role of a maid. Not wanting to argue at such a crucial moment, I forced a smile and shuffled towards the kitchen. The scalding hot soup simmered in the pot. Mechanically, I ladled it into a bowl and placed it on the table. “That’s all? It looks disgusting.” Celeste stood by the table, frowning and pinching her nose. My patience snapped. “You don’t have to eat it.” The words had barely left my lips when I saw a calculating glint in Celeste’s eyes. The next second, Celeste suddenly grabbed my wrist and plunged my hand into the scorching soup. “Ah—!” A searing burn spread from my palm throughout my entire body. I instinctively tried to pull away. But Celeste held my hand down firmly. In my struggle, the ceramic bowl wobbled and crashed to the floor, splashing hot soup everywhere. I quickly yanked my hand free, but it was already red and blistering. “What happened?” Daniel rushed in at the sound. Celeste, her eyes red, held up her hand, revealing the soup splattered on its back. “Daniel, Aubrey didn’t want to cook for me. She got angry and deliberately poured the soup on me. My hand hurts so much…” Daniel’s face instantly changed. He grabbed my wrist, his grip like a vice. “Aubrey! What is wrong with you? Apologize to Celeste immediately!” My face was deathly pale from the pain. Biting my lip, I wrenched free from his grasp, holding up my swollen, blistered hand. “You want me to apologize? Daniel, look closely! Who purposely poured the soup? Who actually did this?!” Daniel froze. He turned his head, looking at Celeste with suspicion. Celeste’s face went white. Suddenly, she clutched her stomach and wailed, “Ah, my stomach hurts so bad! Daniel, there’s beef in the dish! I’m allergic to beef!” “I just asked her one question, and she got angry and poured the soup on me. Daniel, if you don’t believe me, check the security cameras. I never lie.” “Ah, my stomach, my stomach hurts so much…” The suspicion in Daniel’s eyes was replaced by fury. His icy gaze fell on me. Celeste was allergic to beef; he had told me that! I frowned. “I didn’t! We can check the cameras to see who’s lying!” Daniel’s rage completely ignited. He abruptly scooped Celeste into his arms, cutting me off with a harsh voice. “Aubrey, that’s enough!” He called for the butler. “Lock my wife in the basement. No one is to let her out without my permission!” The basement. It was where Daniel kept Celeste’s exotic pets—a dark, damp, windowless room filled with hundreds of snakes… I shuddered, resisting instinctively. “No, I don’t want to go…” “Let go of me!” I struggled with all my might, but Daniel didn’t look back. I was thrown into that basement. 3 The basement door slammed shut, and a suffocating heat immediately enveloped me. A faint hiss occasionally broke the silence, sending goosebumps crawling up my skin. The moment my feet touched the floor, I felt a strange sensation, accompanied by a faint breathing sound, slowly crawling up my leg. “Ah—!” I shrieked, jumping violently, trying to shake off the unknown creature. “Open the door! Let me out, now!” “Open the door!” I pounded on the door, desperate. But no matter how much I screamed, no one answered. Red rashes broke out on my skin from the stifling heat, itching and stinging. My head swam with dizziness. After struggling all night, my voice eventually gave out. I panted, curled up in a corner, my eyes filled with despair. I don’t know how long passed, but just before I lost consciousness, the door opened. Daniel stood silhouetted in the doorway, saying nothing for a long time. I thought I could finally leave. I pushed myself up against the wall, stumbling a step forward. “Hold her down.” A cold, male voice came out. Before I could react, two bodyguards grabbed my arms, pinning me. Then, my jaw was forced open, and a cup of an unknown liquid was poured down my throat. “Cough, cough, cough!” I choked, my head throbbing. “What did you give me?!” Before Daniel could answer, my body did. Rashes quickly erupted on my skin, and a powerful suffocating sensation gave me a feeling of impending death. I was having an allergic reaction. “Because you deliberately put an allergen in Celeste’s food, I’m still at the hospital getting my stomach pumped! I warned you not to mess with Celeste, but you never learn. Today, I’ll make you feel her pain, to teach you a lesson.” Daniel’s eyes were ice cold. He watched me writhe in agony, not a trace of compassion in his gaze. I clutched my stomach, the intense discomfort making every breath a struggle. “I told you I didn’t…” No one would listen to my explanation. Daniel stood there, watching me writhe, watching me cry out, and finally, watching me lose consciousness… “Aubrey? Wake up.” “Aubrey?” A familiar male voice pulled me back to consciousness. When I woke again, I saw Daniel standing by my bedside. Seeing me awake, he let out a sigh. He reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face, but I instinctively turned my head away. His hand froze in mid-air, then slowly retracted a few seconds later. “Aubrey, I know you’re upset, but you were wrong this time. I won’t indulge you anymore.” Daniel’s voice carried such clear condemnation that even in my groggy state, I understood it perfectly. “Indulge?” “Daniel, did you even investigate the truth? Do you believe—?” Daniel hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from me. His face instantly darkened. “You know what you did. I’m not here to argue.” “Because of Mom’s surgery and your recent stunt, Celeste’s reputation in the industry is terrible. When you’re discharged, host a banquet to apologize to her, mend fences, dismiss the outside rumors as a normal surgical risk, and clear her name.” I almost thought I’d misheard him. But seeing his expression, I knew he was serious. “What did you say?” My mom was in a vegetative state because of Celeste, and now he was here, demanding I clear Celeste’s name? Was he insane?! “No way!” Daniel completely lost his patience. “I’m not discussing this with you. Think carefully before you say such things out of anger.” “Don’t forget, your mom’s life hangs by a thread, and your brother is still in prison.” In that instant, my heart turned utterly cold. It was always like this… I had no power to resist, no right to refuse. I was still under Daniel’s control, at least until my brother was free and I could finally leave. I closed my eyes numbly, no longer bothering with futile struggles. “Fine, I’ll host the banquet, but I have one condition: release my brother first.” Daniel hesitated for a moment, then quickly agreed. But he set a deadline: one month from now. 4 The day of the banquet arrived, and Daniel sent a car to pick me up. Daniel stayed by Celeste’s side throughout the event. The moment I entered, his eyes constantly gestured, signaling me. I gripped my palms tightly, my face calm, and walked onto the stage. “Today, I’m hosting this banquet because I want to apologize to Dr. Celeste. The recent public outcry online was all due to my misunderstanding. Here, I apologize to her.” Instantly, the hall erupted, everyone blaming me for wrongfully subjecting Celeste to online abuse. I offered no explanation. After apologizing, I prepared to leave. Just as I turned, Celeste suddenly called out to me. “Oh, Aubrey, I left something really important in the car. Could you go get it for me?” I refused without hesitation. “You can ask a waiter.” “I wouldn’t trust anyone else. I trust you to do it.” Celeste tugged on Daniel’s arm, pouting dramatically. Daniel patted my hand reassuringly, then turned to me, his eyes giving a commanding look. I knew I couldn’t refuse. I turned and walked out of the banquet hall. As I reached the car, a shrill engine roar suddenly pierced the air. Aubrey sensed something was wrong and turned, but it was too late. The next second, a car screeched to a halt in front of me, and a man leaped out, charging towards me with incredible speed! Meeting the dark-clad man’s sinister gaze, a chill ran down my spine. I instinctively tried to run, but he roughly grabbed my hair, yanked me back, and slapped me across the face. “Who are you people?!” A metallic taste welled up in my throat. I bit down hard. “There are security cameras everywhere here! How dare you lay a hand on me?!” The man narrowed his eyes, a menacing darkness in his gaze. “We’re the grim reapers sent to teach you a lesson! You messed with Ms. Celeste, so not only can we touch you, but killing you would be what you deserve!” “Bang—” The man yanked my hair, slamming my head against the car window. “Ah—!” With a crash, the car window shattered, leaving a bloody hole. That was just the beginning. Then came the second, the third… Until the window glass, mixed with blood, lay scattered everywhere. I struggled desperately, but the man held me down with an iron grip. I couldn’t break free. “Help… help me…” The only sound in the quiet air was my own desperate whimpers. Blood streamed down my forehead, blurring my vision. Just as I thought I was dying, the man finally stopped, tossing me carelessly to the ground. But then, the headlights flared, and the car slowly started to move. All I could hear was my own faint breathing, as the car prepared to drive over me. “Stop!” Through my blurry vision, I suddenly saw a figure rushing towards me. Before I could make out who it was, I completely passed out. I regained consciousness amidst agonizing pain, smelling the familiar scent of antiseptic. I knew I had been sent back to the hospital. My forehead was heavily bandaged, and my eyes felt raw. I tried to move my body, but even the slightest movement sent throbbing pain through my head. “Aubrey, you’re finally awake…” A familiar male voice reached my ears. I opened my eyes to see Daniel, his eyes bloodshot and weary, with dark circles under them. Seeing me awake, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, thank goodness you’re okay.” “I’ve already investigated. It was disgruntled patient families. They mistook you for Celeste. I’ve already sent them to prison, don’t be scared.” “Does your head still hurt? Try to move, see if there’s anything else bothering you.” As he spoke, Daniel’s phone chimed a few times. It was Celeste’s custom ringtone. But surprisingly, this time Daniel didn’t answer it. His deep-set eyes stared at my wounds with concern, gripping my hand tightly, as if only that could calm his inner unease. I wanted to pull my hand away, but Daniel held it firmly, and I couldn’t break free. “Daniel, if I told you this wasn’t disgruntled patient families, that I heard the man explicitly say Ms. Celeste ordered it, would you believe me?” Daniel’s brow furrowed, and he released my hand. “Aubrey, that’s going too far.” “Celeste is a victim too. If it weren’t for you, she’d be the one lying in this hospital bed. How could she have orchestrated this? You’re overthinking.” My eyelashes fluttered, and I let out a sarcastic little smile. Perhaps I hadn’t held out much hope for him in the first place, so hearing those words from his mouth didn’t surprise me much. Too tired to waste any more breath, I closed my eyes, seeking rest. “Aubrey, I know you’re angry with Celeste. I promise you, once everything is back on track, I’ll limit my contact with her, okay?” Daniel gently stroked my hair. Perhaps out of guilt, he stayed by my bedside all night, comforting me just as he used to. But looking at him, my heart no longer stirred with any emotion. Because I knew, he couldn’t do it. Celeste called Daniel several times. When she couldn’t get through, she felt strange and walked to his hospital room. Seeing him carefully tending to me, her face twisted in a sneer, a calculative glint flashing in her eyes. 5 The next day. I was still in a deep sleep when the hospital room door was violently kicked open from the outside. Immediately after, I was yanked from my bed. “Celeste? Where did you take her?!” I was utterly bewildered. Daniel’s face was grim. He violently flung a blood-stained necklace at my face. “Aubrey!” His voice was squeezed out through gritted teeth. “I want to see how you’ll try to deny this now!” The necklace hit my face. I picked it up. It was mine. The necklace I lost at the scene when the man in black attacked me. I didn’t understand what he meant. “Isn’t this yours? Celeste suddenly sent me a SnapChat message last night with just two words: ‘Help me!’ By the time I rushed to the hospital, she was gone! Only this necklace was left on her bed!” I numbly handed him the necklace. “It has nothing to do with me.” “You still say it has nothing to do with you?!” Daniel grabbed my throat, his expression ferocious. “Last night, you claimed Celeste was behind your attack, and today she’s gone! You’re trying to get revenge, aren’t you?!” I gasped for air, but my eyes refused to show any weakness. “I told you, I don’t know. I didn’t do it…” But Daniel didn’t believe me. He was convinced I was responsible. To force me to reveal Celeste’s whereabouts, he actually dragged my brother out of prison and tied him spread-eagled in the middle of the road! A car was parked in front of him, its headlights flashing repeatedly. Before I could figure out what he intended to do. Suddenly, the car started, accelerating and driving straight over my brother’s legs! “Ugh—!” Blood rushed to my head, and my eyes instantly turned crimson. “Leo!” “What are you doing to my brother?!” “I told you I don’t know! I really don’t know! Why can’t you believe me? Why can’t you just believe me once?!” I never imagined Daniel would be so insane. To protect Celeste, he was actually threatening my brother’s life! He was truly mad! “Aubrey, I’m starting a countdown. In one minute, the car will move again, starting with his limbs. If you haven’t told me Celeste’s location in three minutes, the last pass will be over your brother’s head.” “Tell me where Celeste is, and your brother lives.” I trembled uncontrollably, looking at my brother, barely clinging to life on the ground. I was on the verge of a breakdown. “I don’t know… I really don’t know anything, Daniel, please, just let my brother go. You’ve already sent him to prison, why won’t you leave him alone?!” My pleas only earned Daniel’s cold laugh. One minute passed, and the car started again. This time, it drove over my brother’s hand. “No, no!” *Thump!* I fell to my knees, crying and swearing to Daniel. “Daniel, please, I beg you, don’t hurt my brother. I swear, I can swear, this really has nothing to do with me. If I did it, then let me die. Would that satisfy you?” “Believe me, please believe me…” My desperate pleas did not earn Daniel’s trust. He merely frowned impatiently and waved his hand. The headlights of the distant car lit up again. My pupils trembled, and even my voice shook. “No, no—” Seeing the car about to crash into him, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I broke free from my restraints and rushed forward, throwing myself in front of my brother, who was forced to his knees. “Aubrey!” A flash of panic crossed Daniel’s eyes. But it was too late to stop the car. The next second. A searing impact hit my waist, sending me flying. I felt my internal organs shift, the pain making it hard to even breathe. Suddenly, my stomach cramped, and bright red blood gushed from my mouth. “Aubrey!” Daniel rushed over and scooped me up, his fingers frantically wiping the blood from my lips. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I…” Just then, his secretary rushed over and whispered. “Mr. King, she’s been found.” “She’s out in the suburbs, traumatized and injured. No one can get near her; she’s just calling your name.” Daniel’s body stiffened. He looked at the blood-soaked figure in his arms, still barely conscious, and then heard Celeste’s frantic screams on his phone. The moment the ambulance arrived, he made his choice. “Take my wife to the hospital. Get the best doctors. Make sure she’s absolutely fine.” “I… I’ll be there soon.” 6 The ambulance sped through the streets, taking me and my brother to the hospital. Just as I was about to be wheeled into the operating room, a commotion erupted at the entrance. “Doctor! Call a doctor, quickly!” “Celeste, just hold on. I’ll get a doctor to treat your wound immediately. Don’t be scared.” “Mr. King…” The secretary hesitated, walking up to Daniel and stammering, “The emergency room only has two attending doctors. One is still performing surgery on your wife’s brother. The other… should we save your wife first, or Ms. Celeste…?” “We’ve already called other doctors, but the fastest one will still take half an hour…” The choice, once again, fell to Daniel. I could no longer speak. Only my blurry vision, stained red with blood, allowed me to see the hesitation on Daniel’s face. One with a scratched right hand. One bleeding from a car crash, spitting up blood. He was still hesitating. I wanted to laugh sardonically. I tried to pull at the corner of my mouth, only to find I lacked the strength to even twitch my lips. Blood drained from my body, and I distinctly felt my consciousness fading. Daniel clearly sensed it too. Celeste suddenly raised her hand, crying out in terror. “Daniel, I’m a surgeon. My hands cannot be injured.” “Please save me! If my hand is ruined, I’d rather just die. I was supposed to die today anyway; escaping was just a fluke…” Celeste’s words seemed to wake Daniel up. Right. Everything was my fault. I deserved to pay for my actions, and Celeste was innocent. She had been kidnapped and almost died; if she lost her hand too… “Celeste is a surgeon. Her hands cannot be damaged. Save Celeste first.” Daniel’s gaze lingered on me, on my clothes stained crimson with blood, before he reluctantly looked away. “Aubrey, you’ll have to wait.” “This is what you owe Celeste.” I had no strength left to argue. Time ticked by, second by agonizing second. For several moments, I truly believed I was dying. But my body’s will to survive was too strong. I held on until the doctors pushed me into the operating room. After six grueling hours of surgery, I survived. As I awoke in the familiar hospital room, I suddenly received a call from Mr. Davidson. “Aubrey, all the paperwork is ready. We’re at the final step now.” “You won’t regret this, will you?” “Of course not,” I said hoarsely. “I’d leave right this second if I could. Book two tickets for me. Once this is done, I want to leave immediately.” Just as I was about to confirm the fake death plan, the room door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. “Aubrey, where are you going?” Daniel was standing in the doorway; I hadn’t realized he was there. My words caught in my throat. I hung up the phone, my face instantly turning cold. “Your body still needs time to recover. Don’t run around before your injuries heal; I worry about you.” Daniel walked over to me, reaching out to touch my head. “Thankfully, Celeste’s hand wasn’t fractured, just needed a bandage. Otherwise, you’d be unforgivable.” Not fractured? So he had let the hospital’s only emergency doctor spend the night tending to a minor scratch on her hand, completely disregarding whether I lived or died? This was what he called worry? It was ridiculous. I recoiled, avoiding his touch, my expression icy. “Get out.” Daniel froze for a moment. “What?” I repeated coldly, “I told you to get out. I don’t want to see you.” 7 Daniel hadn’t expected me to lose my temper so fiercely. His face instantly darkened. “Aubrey, I haven’t even settled things with you, and you’re already throwing a fit?!”

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