My husband came from a family renowned for its groundbreaking work in natural healing and herbal medicine. Before I met him, his adoptive sister, a prodigy in herbal remedies herself, had always been by his side. Their bond was incredibly deep; they’d spent every day together for over a decade. Until my husband rescued me from the brink of death and fell in love with me at first sight. For years, under the care of his adopted sister and my husband, my health had steadily worsened. I knew it all stemmed from Bella. Just as my husband was writing a new prescription for me, Bella called him away. He didn’t even notice that a crucial ingredient was missing from the new blend. A cold electronic voice chimed in my head at that very moment. “Congratulations, Host. You are about to achieve the death ending. Mission nearing completion.” Listening to the electronic voice in my mind, I couldn’t help but let out a relieved smile. This day, I had finally waited for it. Martha, the housekeeper responsible for my care, took the prescription and quietly asked, “Ma’am, would you like to brew the medicine now, or wait for Mr. Mason to return and supervise it himself?” “Preparing the herbal blend is especially crucial. Perhaps we should wait for Mr. Mason.” I looked at Martha, her eyes full of concern, and smiled. “No need to wait.” This blend wasn’t about the brewing; it was poison from the start. Martha started to say something else, but I had already closed my eyes, feigning rest. I don’t know how much time passed before my door was pushed open again. When I opened my eyes, I met Liam Mason’s gaze directly. His expression was one of doting affection, but to me, it was just another mask. He smiled, scooped up a spoonful of the brew, and spoke gently. “Bella and I came up with this blend together. It’s the only one that can do your body any good right now.” “That girl, Bella, she really cares about you, Alice.” My expression remained unchanged. Oh, she cares about me alright. *Deeply* cares about how to send me to an early grave. I didn’t want to waste any more breath on Liam. I took the bowl from his hand and drained it in one gulp. The brew was searing hot; it made my eyes water. Seeing my tears, Liam’s eyes filled with concern. He reached out, trying to pull me into his embrace. Just then, the bedroom door swung open, and Bella’s voice rang out. “Sister Alice, I just accidentally twisted my ankle, that’s why I called Liam away. You’re not mad, are you?” The moment her voice hit, Liam flinched, snatching his hand back as if he’d been burned. I saw his subtle movement and found it utterly pathetic. Bella saw my tears and exaggerated her expression. “No way, Sister Alice, you’re actually crying? You’re just way too sensitive. No wonder your health isn’t great.” Liam turned back, gently scolding her. “Don’t talk nonsense. Alice was just scalded, that’s why she cried.” Bella heard him and naturally leaned against Liam, smiling sweetly. “Oh, I was overthinking it. But before, Sister Alice never wanted you and me to be together. I thought she was getting a little jealous.” “Sister Alice, please don’t worry. Liam and I have a purely platonic sibling bond.” Hearing Bella’s words, Liam’s face fell a little. I pretended not to notice, speaking calmly. “My health has been getting worse lately. I’d like to go to the hospital for a check-up.”

I didn’t actually want to go to a hospital when I said that. I just wanted to test Bella. And sure enough, a flicker of panic crossed Bella’s face, quickly replaced by indignation. “Alice, what exactly are you trying to pull? You know the Masons are revered for our holistic health practices, and Liam has been meticulously tending to your recovery. Going to a regular hospital now? What do you think that says about us? If word gets out, other prominent families will laugh us right out of town! They’ll say Liam is incompetent!” Liam’s expression turned grim, and his gaze held a hint of reproach. “Don’t be ridiculous, Alice. Just rest easy. I’ll make sure you get completely healthy.” Perhaps because I was about to leave this world, I didn’t want to play the innocent, devoted wife anymore. My gaze swept over the two people in front of me, finally settling on Bella’s face. I spoke with a smirk. “Oh, really? But I somehow feel like someone *doesn’t* want me to be healthy.” Following my gaze, Liam and Bella exchanged a look. The next second, he frowned and spoke. “Are you letting your paranoia get to you again? You were like this when we first got married too.” “Bella and I are just siblings. Stop being unreasonable.” Hearing Liam’s words, I remembered how Bella had insisted on living with us after we got married. She claimed it was to better monitor my progress and perfect my regimen. But countless nights, I’d seen Liam and Bella in the study, heads bowed intimately together. I could feel that Bella’s feelings for my husband were far from platonic. I’d brought it up countless times, but Liam always dismissed it as my jealousy getting the better of me, just like now. He picked up the empty bowl I’d drunk from and took Bella’s hand. “Since you’ve finished your medicine, get some rest.” “I know you’re not feeling well because of your sickness, but you can’t just accuse people like that. Calm down.” With that, he pulled Bella from my room. Before they left, I caught Bella’s smug, triumphant glint in her eyes. Her eyes seemed to say, “See? My brother will always choose me.” But my heart was unmoved. I called out to the system in my mind. “When’s my final curtain call?” The electronic voice chimed. “Seven days from now. This incorrect blend, if taken for seven consecutive days, will lead to organ failure.” I lowered my gaze to the wedding ring on my finger and murmured. “Soon. I’ll be free soon.”

For the next three days, Martha the housekeeper would bring me a bitter brew right on schedule. And I, like a puppet on a string, numbly swallowed the liquid. Just as I thought nothing unexpected would happen, Liam, whom I hadn’t seen in three days, appeared in my room. His face was thunderous. He practically *threw* his phone at me. “I can’t believe how cruel you are, Alice! Bella is just a girl!” Confused, I picked up the phone. On the screen was a video. In it, a man was sobbing hysterically. “Mrs. Mason paid me. She said Miss Bella was too close with Mr. Mason, and she didn’t like it. So, she told me to *force myself on Miss Bella*, so she’d be too disgraced to ever bother Mr. Mason again.” After watching the video, I looked up and met Liam’s furious gaze calmly. “Don’t you realize I haven’t left this room for days? How could I have possibly paid someone to hurt Bella?” Liam scoffed. “You’re right. I truly can’t believe how utterly malicious you are.” “I don’t care how you bribed that criminal. All I know is you tried to harm the sister I grew up with.” “If I hadn’t gotten there in time, she would have been ruined.” “Alice, how many times do I have to tell you, from the day we married until now, stop causing trouble.” I thought my heart was already shattered, but hearing Liam say that, an uncontrollable pang of pain shot through me. I sat up straight, meeting his eyes. Perhaps my gaze was too intense, because Liam suddenly looked a bit guilty. I looked at him, questioning him word by word. “Liam Mason, honestly, ask yourself: are your feelings for Bella *really* just sibling affection? And her feelings for you? Are you truly so oblivious, or do you just *enjoy* the attention?” Hearing my questions, Liam, who had burst in, ready to accuse me, was instantly speechless. I watched his visibly guilt-stricken expression and couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. I knew. I had *always* known. Liam was just that indecisive. He wanted too much. He loved me, but not *just* me. He also didn’t want to lose Bella, who had grown up with him. When this mission first began, I *had* thought about loving Liam wholeheartedly. But his repeated favoritism had eroded my trust and love for him. I stared intently at Liam’s evasive eyes, waiting for his answer. Time seemed to stretch on forever until Liam finally spoke, his voice dry. “What kind of question is that? My feelings for Bella are purely platonic; I’ve told you that a thousand times! It’s just you who refuses to believe me. Alice, am I really so untrustworthy in your eyes?”

It seemed that in his long silence, Liam had finally managed to deceive himself. I should have known. I should have known Liam was a man utterly devoid of responsibility. Instantly, I felt all the strength drain from my body. A sharp, stabbing pain tore through my chest. I knew. Perhaps the “poison” Liam himself had concocted was beginning to take its toll. I slid weakly onto the bed, feeling a metallic, sickly sweet taste flood my mouth. The next moment, a trickle of bright red blood slowly flowed from the corner of my lips, and I began to cough uncontrollably. Liam, who had still been feeling a bit guilty, saw the blood at my mouth and instantly forgot the purpose of his visit. He threw himself onto my bedside, his face panicked, grabbing my trembling hand and speaking anxiously. “What’s wrong with you? Haven’t you been drinking the medicine I prepared for you properly?” “You don’t need to hurt yourself just to try and break up Bella and me. Why are you doing this?” Hearing Liam’s words, I just found it utterly laughable. It wasn’t because I *didn’t* drink his concoction. It’s because I *did*! His “medicine” is what put me in this hell! Even now, he still believed everything I did was out of jealousy for his bond with Bella. Liam Mason, should I say you’re simply too arrogant? I felt my chest about to explode, taking several deep breaths to steady myself. Then, I forcefully shook off Liam’s hand and spoke in a cold voice. “Why bother with this pathetic pretense of concern? Weren’t you here to accuse me of my supposed ‘wrongdoings’?” Liam stared blankly at his rejected hand, seemingly shocked that I would refuse his concern. In his mind, my actions against Bella were always just a cry for his attention. Rejected, Liam’s expression turned furious again. He seemed to feel his authority had been challenged. “You still have the nerve to bring that up? I was worried about your health, and you not only don’t appreciate it, but you say such cruel things.” “Alice, don’t make me hate you. I want you to be the compliant wife you used to be.” Unfortunately, I no longer wanted to comply. On what might be the last day in this body, I wanted to live for myself. Before I could speak again, Bella pushed open the door, her face looking haggard. Her hair was disheveled, and her cheeks bore several bruises, big and small. Her expression was one of agony, of disbelief. I watched her stagger towards my bed. As she nearly stumbled and fell, Liam reached out and caught her. Bella leaned weakly into Liam’s embrace, letting his strength support her. Liam’s eyes were filled with pained concern as he looked her over. Their gazes seemed to cling to each other, as if they might kiss any second. I looked at their intimate actions and let out a bitter laugh. If *that’s* what they call innocent, then I must be a saint. “Brother, it’s all my fault. If I had just kept my distance from you, Sister Alice wouldn’t be jealous.” “But I didn’t want to sacrifice our decades-long bond. I’m sorry, I was too selfish.” Bella’s obviously manipulative words struck Liam right in the heart. He immediately turned to me, his eyes sharp. “Look how understanding Bella is! Can’t you learn something from her?” “Apologize to Bella. You owe her that.” “All these years, if she hadn’t been so generous, you’d have been utterly disgraced for your actions.” Bella didn’t give me a chance to speak. Her eyes welling up with tears, she turned to me. “Sister Alice, if you didn’t like something, you could have just told me directly. There was no need to resort to such underhanded tactics.” I looked at the two of them, standing united against me, and my smile grew wider and wider. I laughed louder and louder, almost hysterically. I laughed at my own foolishness for ever thinking I wouldn’t complete the system’s mission and would grow old with Liam. I laughed at myself for ever believing Liam’s grand vows, not realizing his heart could hold two people.

Perhaps my current state was too frenzied, because the expressions on their faces morphed into terror. I felt a continuous rush of metallic, sickly sweet fluid in my throat, but my laughter wouldn’t stop. Soon, the blankets on my bed were stained red. “Bella Mason, you know perfectly well whether I harmed you or not.” “I hope you don’t regret what you’ve done. Don’t worry, even if I really die, I’ll haunt you until the end of your days.” My expression was grotesque. Bella instinctively flinched, but still spoke defiantly. “Sister Alice, making mistakes isn’t scary, but it’s important to face them. I’m not cruel like you. Rest now, we can talk about this later.” My eyes were fixed on Bella, my resentment seemingly solidifying. Bella was so unnerved by my stare that she no longer had any desire to provoke me. She clung closer to Liam, whining. “Brother, Sister Alice’s eyes are terrifying. My heart feels a little pain. Let’s just go.” Liam’s gaze flickered between Bella and me for a moment, then he finally made up his mind and spoke. “We’ll talk about everything once you’re feeling better, Alice. Regardless, you owe Bella atonement.” “Don’t think you can escape responsibility just because you’re unwell. You went too far this time.” With that, his eyes didn’t fall on me again. He lowered his head and spoke softly to Bella. “Let’s go. Brother will examine you properly.” “Your brother here is a prodigy in natural healing. I’ll definitely restore your health.” A shy smile appeared on Bella’s face as Liam embraced her and led her out. After they left, Martha knocked and entered. Seeing the messy state of my bed, her eyes instantly reddened. She silently helped me change the bedding. After a long hesitation, she finally spoke. “Ma’am, your health is getting worse by the day. Should I talk to Mr. Mason?” I lay on the bed, my gaze fixed on the ceiling, murmuring. “No need. It’s too late.” Martha tried to persuade me a few more times, but seeing I remained unresponsive, she could only leave. Unknowingly, I drifted into sleep. In my dream, I saw the first time Liam and I met. He was a shy young man then, his eyes holding an undeniable, careful affection for me. How long had it been since I’d seen that look? I don’t know how long passed before I jolted awake. As soon as I opened my eyes, I met Liam’s bloodshot gaze. He held a tray in his hands, scattered with several herbs. I wanted to ask him what he was doing here, but a wave of exhaustion washed over me. I knew my time was short. Seeing me just quietly staring at him, Liam spoke, his voice trembling. “Alice, did you purposefully tell the brewmaster to omit one ingredient just to get my attention?” “Do you know? Missing just one ingredient turns this blend into a potent poison.” I finally managed a genuine smile, the corner of my mouth bleeding again. “You’re the one who wrote this prescription, every single stroke.” “Liam Mason, remember this: my death is all thanks to you.”

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Entering the Macabre Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Rules Nightmare, I struggle to survive. “Welcome to the Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Rules World. Please remember and abide by the following rules.” A mechanical voice coldly repeated the same few sentences in my ear. “To become the perfect daughter-in-law, you must strictly follow the daughter-in-law’s guidelines.” “Remember, no matter how outrageous your Mother-in-law’s demands, you must obey.” “Do not trust anyone who looks like your family. Do not eat anything they offer you. This will only kill you.” “Do not let anyone know you are a player. Danger! Danger!” I barely survived on instinct. But on the third day, in the early hours, my Mother-in-law appeared at my window, a fruit knife in her hand. “You’ve broken the rules ten times. Now, I announce your punishment: death.” Before I could even speak, the knife in Evelyn’s hand plunged into my body. I don’t know how long it was before I jolted awake again. Evelyn, standing before me, handed me a list of rules. It was all too familiar. I realized I was back. This time, I had to escape this twisted house.

The instant I understood my current situation, I wanted to get up and leave immediately. But my boyfriend, Leo, sitting beside me, gripped my hand like a vise. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free. The three people opposite us noticed my odd behavior. Evelyn’s eyes, full of malice, bore into me. “Jade, darling, what’s wrong? You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here.” Perhaps it was just my imagination, but Evelyn’s face seemed to twist and distort, like a swirling vortex, threatening to drag me into its depths. I shivered, realizing it wasn’t the time to openly defy them. I forced a strained smile. “Nothing’s wrong, I just suddenly need to use the restroom. May I go?” The instant the words left my lips, Evelyn snapped back to normal, her expression stern as she spoke. “No. This is rule-setting time; it cannot be interrupted by such trivialities.” Hearing that, I lowered my gaze to the so-called rule sheet in my hand. In my previous loop, I hadn’t examined it closely, dismissing it as just a warning from Evelyn. I remembered Evelyn saying I’d broken the rules ten times just before she plunged the knife into me. So, to survive, I had to follow this rule sheet first. I began to scrutinize the rules in my hand. Three rules were written there. “First, always answer calls from your Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, and husband, no matter when or where.” “Second, once you marry into the Hayes family, you must sever all ties with your own relatives. You are forbidden from using any *our* resources or wealth to assist them.” “Third, after 8 PM, you are not permitted to leave Leo’s bedroom. Lights out promptly at 8:30 PM.” After reading these three rules, I couldn’t help but curse inwardly. This wasn’t a list of rules; it was a one-sided contract, a complete power play. I felt their intense gazes burning holes into me, and when I dared to look up, all three of them stared like predators eyeing their next meal. I swallowed my rising questions and spoke with a smile. “I will definitely follow these rules.” Turning to Leo Hayes, my boyfriend, I added, “As long as I can be with Leo, I’ll do anything.” My answer seemed to satisfy the three Hayes family members. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to lighten. The sternness on Evelyn’s face was replaced by a doting smile. “Good girl. As long as you wholeheartedly join our Hayes family, you’ll be the most合格的 daughter-in-law.”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Leo took me back to the bedroom. Looking at the familiar bedroom, a wave of unfamiliarity washed over me. Perhaps sensing my unease, Leo embraced me from behind. He leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Darling, I hope you don’t disappoint me. The previous women were all so foolish.” “None of them were good daughter-in-laws, but you’re different, aren’t you?” My body stiffened. Leo hadn’t said these things to me in the last loop. Leo didn’t seem to notice my stiffness and led me to the window, still holding me. Looking out the window, I saw only a sparsely populated road. The residential buildings across the street glowed with lights on every floor, but there was an unsettling, unexplainable creepiness about them. I stared at the buildings for a long time and suddenly noticed that the light colors on each floor seemed different. If I looked at the same color blocks, it seemed to spell out a word. I widened my eyes, not daring to blink even as they grew dry and watering. I was afraid that if I blinked, this clue would vanish. Finally, I saw it: it was the word “KITCHEN.” A surge of excitement bubbled inside me. Leo had, at some point, lain down on the bed behind me. I glanced at my watch: 7:45 PM. There was still time. As long as I found the clue before 8 PM, I wouldn’t break a rule. With that thought, I hurried to the kitchen. Evelyn kept the kitchen meticulously clean; the frying pan on the stove gleamed so brightly it reflected the light. I quickly checked everything displayed on the counters but found no clues. I walked to the tall, freestanding refrigerator. The silver-gray fridge was covered with many cute, cartoon-shaped fridge magnets. Without hesitation, I reached out and pulled open the refrigerator door. The moment it opened, a scream almost tore through my throat. Because on the top shelf of the fridge, there was a human head. Her eyes stared straight at me, her face contorted in agony. I forced down my fear and whispered, “Who are you?” The head heard my voice, and her eyeballs rapidly swiveled a few times. She spoke, her voice raspy. “Who am I? I’ve forgotten who I am.” “I was an unqualified daughter-in-law of the Hayes family. I didn’t finish all the food Evelyn made. I was a failure.” I realized that this head might be one of “them” Leo had mentioned. Now, I knew a new rule. If I didn’t finish Evelyn’s food, I’d end up in the fridge. It seemed the rules on the sheet were cumulative, but the rules I found in the kitchen were absolute, deadly ones.

Just as I was trying to sort through my chaotic thoughts, a blinding beam of light suddenly shot into the kitchen doorway. The next second, Evelyn’s voice rang out. “Jade, why aren’t you back in your bedroom yet?” I instinctively glanced at my watch: 7:58 PM. I quickly walked to the kitchen doorway, a fawning smile plastered on my face. “I suddenly got a little thirsty.” Evelyn’s expression was still severe. She spoke dryly. “A Hayes daughter-in-law doesn’t belong in the kitchen. Considering it’s your first offense, I’ll let it slide.” I breathed a sigh of relief, eager to return to the bedroom. Just as I passed Evelyn, she reached out and grabbed my shoulder. A sharp pain shot through my shoulder. I turned my head to see Evelyn’s hand had transformed into razor-sharp claws. The claws had pierced deeply into my shoulder. A wave of belated terror washed over me. Evelyn’s face grew more and more distorted, eventually transforming into a monstrous, green-faced fiend with fangs. “Didn’t I tell you to be in bed promptly at 8:30 PM?” “It’s already 8:40 PM. Why are you still wandering around?” Immediately after, Evelyn’s sharp claws plunged into my stomach until my entire body was a bloody mess. As I collapsed to the ground, my head was directly facing the living room clock. Its hands pointed to 8:40. Once I regained consciousness, I was back in the familiar living room. But I felt that Evelyn’s smile was even wider this time, her lips almost splitting to her ears. Every inch of my skin still throbbed with phantom pain. The moment Evelyn spoke, I involuntarily trembled. “To become a Hayes daughter-in-law, you must show absolute obedience to me.” “As a test for you, starting today, you will be responsible for taking care of Leo’s father.” “Remember, if I find anything wrong with my husband, I will expel you from the Hayes family.” I understood that her “expulsion” wasn’t simply telling me to leave. It meant death. This so-called Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Rules World – if I didn’t find a way to successfully escape, I would cycle through it endlessly. I didn’t want to experience those terrifying moments of death again. Forcing myself to pull it together, I managed a smile. “Okay, Evelyn, I understand.” Evelyn left contentedly, and Leo also exited the living room, moving like a soulless NPC. Suddenly, only Arthur and I remained in the living room. Arthur appeared kind and benevolent, without the same inhuman aura as Evelyn. Seeing me staring at him, he smiled and waved me over. “Good daughter-in-law, come sit here. I have something to tell you.” My body instinctively screamed to refuse, but I couldn’t. The rules told me I had to obey. I reluctantly walked over and sat beside Arthur. Almost the instant I sat down, he clasped my hand. I tried to pull my hand away, but Arthur held on tightly. His hand was icy cold, gripping me like a giant octopus. “Daughter-in-law, do you know? You remind me so much of Evelyn when she first married me.” “She was just like you back then, knew nothing. It makes me nostalgic.” I shivered. Could Evelyn have been a player once, too? If so, had she succeeded or failed to become an NPC now? I dared not think further, shaking my head to clear the distracting thoughts. Arthur’s words continued. “Don’t worry, I’m not a harsh father-in-law.” “As long as you meekly satisfy all my requests, I’ll let you stay in the Hayes family.” “Now, I want watermelon. Go get it from the fridge.” “Remember, I only eat watermelon cut into small pieces.” Hearing Arthur mention the fridge, I instantly recalled the human head I’d seen in the previous loop. Even though my heart was pounding, I still got up and headed to the kitchen. Evelyn was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. I subserviently looked at her and said, “Arthur said he wanted watermelon and asked me to get it.” Evelyn didn’t react with anger as I’d expected. She simply nodded, indicating I should get it myself. The moment I opened the fridge, I squinted. But the human head I’d imagined didn’t appear. Instead, there was a perfectly round watermelon. I didn’t dare think too much. I took out the watermelon and quickly started cutting it into pieces. But as I cut, I kept feeling like this watermelon was unusually difficult to slice. It felt like I was hacking through bone. I dared not dwell on it and served it to Arthur, who was waiting in the living room. Seeing the glistening watermelon on the plate, Arthur’s face lit up with a happy smile. He took the plate and devoured it, as if he were tasting the most delicious thing in the world. A strange gust of wind inexplicably swept through the room. When I looked at Arthur again, I let out a low gasp. That wasn’t watermelon on the plate at all! It was chunks of a human head, glistening with brain matter and gray pulp!

Arthur’s face was covered in crimson streaks, a truly horrifying sight. I involuntarily gagged a few times. Arthur looked up at me when he heard me. He extended the plate in his hand towards me. As he spoke, bits of brain matter, like tofu, kept falling from his mouth. “Daughter-in-law, you’ve worked hard. Have some watermelon.” I instinctively wanted to refuse, but then I remembered what Chloe, the head, had said to me in the previous loop. I couldn’t refuse any request from the Hayes family, and I couldn’t waste food. But to eat those disgusting human head fragments without any psychological barrier was impossible for me. Seeing my delayed reaction, Arthur’s usually smiling face began to contort. His face started to decay before my eyes, crimson human tissue sloughing off and plopping onto the plate. I could even make out the twitching nerves beneath his dissolving skin. I squeezed my eyes shut, then, as if ready to die, I reached out my hand towards the plate. The instant my fingers touched the contents of the plate, it felt like the cold, firm flesh of watermelon. I opened my eyes, and everything before me had returned to normal. I seized the opportunity, picked up a piece of watermelon, and popped it into my mouth. Thank goodness, it tasted like watermelon. Seeing me eat the watermelon, Arthur’s face also returned to normal. “Delicious, isn’t it? But you can only have one piece. That’s my reward to you.” “In our Hayes family, we always believe in balanced rewards and punishments.” I forced a fawning smile, just nodding in agreement. Arthur quickly finished the watermelon on the plate and extended his hand to me. “I’m full. Help me back to my room to sleep.” Without hesitation, I helped Arthur back to his room. Arthur and Evelyn’s bedroom was surprisingly cozy, with gentle sunlight streaming onto the bed. I helped Arthur lie down. Just as I was about to leave, he suddenly grabbed me. He leaned close to my ear and whispered softly, “Jade, do you also know that this is just a twisted world?” Hearing that, a surge of excitement initially rushed through me. Could it be that Arthur, like me, was trapped in this world? The word “yes” almost escaped my lips, but the next second, I felt like my throat was being choked. Because I remembered the rules: I couldn’t let anyone know I was a player. Cold sweat dripped from my forehead. Was this another test from the rules world? And I had almost let my guard down, potentially rendering all my previous efforts useless. I immediately adopted a confused expression, asking innocently, “Arthur, what are you talking about? What twisted world?” “All I know is that my only job right now is to take good care of you.” Arthur heard my answer, and his eyes held a complex look, but he still smiled and said, “It’s good that you have that mindset. I’m tired and need to rest.” With that, he pulled up the covers, closed his eyes, and seemed to fall asleep. After leaving the bedroom, I breathed a sigh of relief. That hurdle was cleared. The thought drained all strength from my body, and my vision went black as I lost consciousness. During that time, I saw countless young women just like me. They all died in various gruesome ways, revived, and eventually were completely consumed by the twisted world. Suddenly, a familiar face pressed close to my eyes—it was the head from the fridge. Bloody tears streamed from her eyes, and she repeatedly whispered the same phrase. “Come join me, come join me.” “Let me fully merge into your body, completely fuse with you.” I shot upright, realizing I was lying on the living room sofa. The surroundings had completely changed, yet they felt familiar. Because the space I was in was my actual home in the real world. Seeing me awake, my mother, Sarah, smiled and handed me a glass of honey water. “I just made you some honey water. Had a bad dream?” “You were mumbling something about rules in your sleep, honey. I couldn’t understand a word.” My father, Robert, poked his head out of the kitchen, waving a spatula. “You finally decided to wake up, sleepyhead! Just in time, dinner’s almost ready. All your favorites!” I stared blankly at everything, my mother pulling me to sit at the dining table. My father brought out several dishes, all my favorites, indeed. So, the terrifying world I had just experienced was all just a dream? I couldn’t help but let out a self-deprecating laugh. There was no such thing as a rules world; it was just a dream. I smiled, picked up a piece of stir-fried meat, and put it in my mouth. The next second, my eyes fell on the bell peppers on the plate. My hand froze. I hated bell peppers; my dad always made sure to pick them out whenever he cooked. Almost the instant I put the meat into my mouth. My seemingly kind parents transformed into green-faced, fanged monsters, lunging viciously at me. I’d been tricked. I had violated a death rule.

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I used to be a shooting prodigy, just one shot away from a world championship. But my fiancé, Liam, personally snapped my fingers and handed the championship trophy to my stepsister, Chloe. “Chloe, you deserve this, no one shines brighter than you.” Everyone said they were a match made in heaven. No one knew that my pain was 100% connected to him. When he kissed Chloe, a strange tingle bloomed on my lips. When he hugged Chloe, a comfortable warmth spread through my body. And when he was with Chloe, an overwhelming pleasure threatened to rip me apart. I died in agony and extreme ecstasy. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the championship finals. This time, before taking that final shot, I aimed the gun at my own temple. “Liam, do you still want this championship?” “Bang—!” With a single gunshot, “10.9” flashed across the electronic screen. The crowd erupted! My stepsister, Chloe, had won the Shooting World Championship by a slim 0.1 point margin. She was the youngest champion in history, a genius everyone adored. And I, Stella, once the genius, now a broken mess, was relegated to her shadow by that same 0.1 point difference. Chloe excitedly tossed her rifle aside and flung herself into the arms of our coach – my fiancé, Liam. Under the spotlights, Liam lifted her high, running around the arena in celebration, his handsome face alight with unconcealed joy and pride. “Chloe, you did it! You’re the best!” Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck, her smile radiant and triumphant. “Liam, I told you I’d personally bring you this championship trophy.” They looked like a true power couple, soaking in everyone’s blessings. And I, discarded like trash, forgotten by the world, stood alone in the empty 선수区 (player’s area). My fingers throbbed with a searing pain. They were the fingers that had once pulled the trigger, scoring countless perfect 10.9s. A year ago, on a similar stage, my fingers had been broken by Liam himself. His eyes burning crimson, he systematically twisted each one of my hands – my livelihood – into grotesque shapes. “Stella, why do you always have to compete with Chloe? Do you have any idea how much she’s sacrificed for this competition?!” “She’s the truly gifted one, you don’t deserve to be her opponent!” From that day on, I could no longer hold a rifle steady. The agonizing pain made it impossible to concentrate; every time I aimed, my vision blurred. Making it to second place today was a miracle, the only way I got this far was by burning myself out completely. But no one cared about my injury, no one remembered my past glory. In Liam’s eyes, there was only his Chloe. Then, a strange tingle started to bloom through my body. It began on my lips. Like a faint electric current, itchy, then numb. Next, a warm sensation spread across my chest, as if I were being tightly embraced. I knew it was Liam kissing Chloe. They were hiding in a corner, out of reach of the cameras, shamelessly devouring each other, celebrating their dirty victory. I was a monster. Liam and I shared a bizarre link. My pain was his, one hundred percent. And in turn, I could feel every single one of his touches. From the day we started dating, every kiss, every embrace, gave me a double rush. I used to think it was a unique romance, a gift from the heavens. Until Chloe appeared. She followed Liam around, calling him “Liam” over and over, but her eyes held a disturbing glint whenever she looked at me. Liam started avoiding me, yet he’d always find excuses to touch Chloe during training. Every time they touched, I’d feel it, like a creepy voyeur. At first, it disgusted me, but eventually, I went numb. The worst was the night before I died. They’d won the championship and booked a room at the hotel to celebrate. And I was locked in the next room, forced to listen to the sounds through the wall, my own body reacting in sync. My fingers were screaming in pain, yet my body was convulsing with waves of pleasure. I died in that agonizing, ecstatic mess. Now, I was back. Back to where it all began. On the screen was Chloe’s 10.9, and in the corner, she and Liam were passionately kissing. I looked at them and smiled. Liam, Chloe, we’re playing a different game this time.

I was reborn, back in the finals, just one last shot left. The crowd was roaring, and the commentators were shouting. “And now, the competition has reached a fever pitch! Our two brilliant athletes, Stella and Chloe, will vie for the ultimate championship title!” “Currently, Chloe holds a slight lead. Can Stella withstand the pressure and deliver the ultimate kill shot?!” I raised my rifle, aiming at the bullseye. My hand was steady, my heart surprisingly calm. The old wound in my finger still ached, but being reborn was far more shocking. I knew this shot would be a 10.9, tying Chloe’s score. Then, in the tie-breaker, my hand would falter from the pain, and I’d lose to her, cementing her as the so-called shooting prodigy. I remembered every detail of my past life. I didn’t look at the bullseye. Instead, I glanced at the coach’s box. Liam stood there, his eyes fixed on Chloe. That gaze, tense and expectant, as if he were looking at some priceless treasure. As for me, his fiancée? I wasn’t even an afterthought. I could feel his heart pounding faster for Chloe. Bang! Chloe fired her shot. 10.9. The moment the score appeared, Liam practically jumped up, clenching his fists and shouting silently. I felt his sheer elation. That rush of joy was a hundred times stronger than when we got engaged and he slipped a ring on my finger. It was utterly ridiculous. My fiancé was absolutely wild for another woman. Everyone was watching me, waiting for my shot. Chloe even turned to look at me, her smile practically declaring her victory. Liam finally looked my way, his eyes like daggers. The message was clear: Stella, you better be smart about this. I smiled. I lowered my rifle. Everyone froze. I turned the barrel, pressing it against my own temple. The entire arena fell silent. The commentator’s voice caught in his throat: “St-Stella… what… what are you doing? Put the gun down!” Liam’s face instantly went ashen. He stared at me, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. I looked at him through the scope, that face I’d loved for ten years, now etched with pure terror. He was scared. Scared I’d pull the trigger. Because he knew that a gun to my temple was a gun to his. A bullet through my head would also take his life. “Liam,” I mouthed to him. “Do you still want this championship?”

“You’re insane! You’re a complete lunatic!” In the infirmary, Liam roared at me, veins pulsing visibly on his forehead. The bloodshot veins in his eyes were even more terrifying than his crimson gaze. My actions had caused the competition to be immediately halted. I was disqualified for “emotional instability.” The championship, naturally, fell to Chloe. But Liam wasn’t celebrating. He rushed over, gripping my wrist with a force that felt like he wanted to crush my bones. “Stella! Do you want to die that badly?! If you want to die, don’t drag me with you!” “Are you seriously throwing your life away just for a championship?” I calmly watched him rage. “You forced my hand, Liam.” He froze. I wrenched my hand free, looking at the angry red marks blooming on my wrist, and smiled. “A year ago, when you broke my fingers, did it ever occur to you that I was in agonizing pain?” A surge of sharp pain tore through our link. Liam’s face paled further, a fine sheen of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. His hand twitched involuntarily. “I… I did it for Chloe, she couldn’t lose!” he still stubbornly insisted. “Besides… besides, I held back my strength considerably!” “Held back your strength?” I laughed even louder. “Do you know that because of your ‘restraint,’ my finger nerves suffered irreversible damage? The doctor said I’d never reach my peak performance again, not in this lifetime.” I raised my right hand; those fingers still ached on rainy days, keeping me awake at night. “Liam, you personally destroyed your own world champion. Are you satisfied now?” His lips trembled, unable to utter a single word. The infirmary door creaked open, and Chloe walked in, carrying a glass of water. “Liam, don’t be mad at Stella. She definitely didn’t mean it. Here, drink some water.” She offered the water to Liam, but her gaze, like a viper, coiled around me. It was full of venomous resentment and raw envy. Yes, she’d won the championship, but it was far from glorious. Everyone knew I had deliberately forfeited. Her genius aura was now tarnished with an unerasable stain. Liam didn’t take the water. Seeing Chloe now only reminded him of my madness on the arena floor. Chloe looked a little awkward, but she quickly recovered and turned to me. “Stella, I know you’re hurting. But that’s how competitions are, you win some, you lose some. You’re still young, you’ll have other chances.” Her voice was soft and gentle, playing the role of the sympathetic, caring little sister. If I hadn’t been reborn, I might have fallen for her act again. “Chances?” I let out a cold, sharp laugh. “Weren’t my chances already ruined by the two of you conspiring together?” Chloe’s face fell. “Stella, what do you mean? Liam and I are purely platonic, how can you falsely accuse me of something so awful?” “Purely platonic?” I stood up and walked over to Liam. He was a head taller than me; I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. To Chloe’s stunned expression, I reached out, hooked my arms around Liam’s neck, and then, I kissed him. Liam’s body instantly stiffened. He tried to push me away, but my lips and tongue were already invading his mouth. At the same time, I felt it – that complete, double shot of adrenaline, exclusively mine. It was strange. Liam’s eyes widened, filled with shock and confusion. But his body’s primal instinct, however, wouldn’t let him resist. As our lips tangled, I felt a strange, hot current erupt from my core, rapidly spreading through every limb and bone. It wasn’t just me. Liam’s breathing turned ragged. His body was burning hot. Chloe stood frozen, utterly stunned. She watched us kissing with such abandon, her eyes practically spat fire. She wanted to pull us apart, but she didn’t dare. After what felt like an eternity, I finally released Liam. Liam gasped for breath, an unnatural flush on his cheeks, his gaze hazy, as if he saw me, and yet someone else entirely. I turned to face Chloe, whose face was now a furious shade of green, and provocatively licked my lips. “See? That’s ‘purely platonic.’” “As for you two? What the hell do you two think you are?” With that, I didn’t look at them again and walked straight out of the infirmary. I knew my actions today had completely shattered Liam’s plans. The show had only just begun.

Back home, I locked myself in my room and began to calmly strategize my next move. Since fate had given me a second chance, I would not repeat my past mistakes. The championship, Liam – I wanted both. Oh wait, no, Liam could go to hell. That kind of scum wasn’t even worth my spit. What I wanted was to ruin his reputation, to leave him with nothing. My phone rang. It was Liam. I hung up immediately and blocked his number. He probably wanted to interrogate me, or warn me. Pointless. The current me had no desire to waste another word on him. Soon after, there was a knock on my door. It was Chloe. “Stella, are you there? Can I come in and talk to you?” Her voice sounded wronged, on the verge of tears. I opened the door. She stood there, red-eyed, like a bullied little rabbit. “Stella, I know you’ve misunderstood Liam and me. There’s really nothing going on between us.” “Please don’t be mad. If you hate me, I… I just won’t see him anymore.” As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, one by one, hitting my heart and splashing a cold surge of disgust. In my previous life, she used this same pitiful act to deceive everyone, including me. I stepped aside, letting her in. She sat on the edge of my bed, watching me cautiously. “Stella, are you… did you find something out?” I didn’t speak, just stared at her. My gaze made her uneasy; she clutched the hem of her clothes. “Stella, don’t look at me like that, you’re scaring me.” “Scared?” I finally spoke. “Were you scared when you were seducing my fiancé behind my back?” “Were you scared when you instigated him to break my fingers and destroy my career?” “Were you scared when you watched me die, took everything from me, and basked in glory that wasn’t yours?” With each sentence I uttered, Chloe’s face grew paler. By the end, all color drained from her face, and she trembled like a leaf in an autumn wind. “You… how do you know…” “I know much more than you can imagine.” I leaned closer, my voice low and menacing. “Chloe, I’m warning you, stay away from Liam.” “Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to let you experience the torment I suffered in my past life.” Fear bloomed in her eyes. She finally dropped the act, the fragility in her gaze replaced by venomous hatred. “Stella, who do you think you are? You’re just a nobody! A waste who can’t even hold a rifle steady!” “Liam loves me! He got sick of you ages ago! If it weren’t for…” She stopped abruptly mid-sentence. For what? Because of that damn link between Liam and me? The reason he never completely cut ties with me was that my pain would affect him. So, he needed Chloe to do all his dirty work on the outside while he hid behind her, playing the innocent victim. What a brilliant plan. “Get out.” I pointed to the door, my voice cold as ice. Chloe wanted to say more, but my terrifying gaze made her back down. She stumbled out of the room. I knew she would run straight to Liam to complain. That was fine. The bait was set, and the fish were starting to bite.

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I was stuck at the airport for a whole day because of a torrential downpour. My fiancé completely ignored my pleas for help, instead driving halfway across the city just to bring my stepsister breakfast. When I voiced my frustration, his response was pure blame. “Chloe’s always been delicate; can’t you be a little understanding?” “I’m still going to marry you, aren’t I? When did you become so immature?” His words didn’t ignite anger in me, but a cold laugh. Liam Evans genuinely believed marrying him was some grand favor he was bestowing upon me. But I had never loved him. The moment I returned home, I was met with a massive downpour. I called everyone I could think of, begging for a ride, but no one could come. My parents and Liam both said they were busy preparing for a party and couldn’t leave. This particular party was supposed to be a welcome-home celebration for me, and also the formal announcement of the arranged marriage between the Davis and Evans families. Given its supposed importance, I swallowed my frustration. Once the rain finally stopped, I hailed a cab home, only to be stopped at my own front door by a staff member. “Please show your invitation, otherwise, I can’t let you in.” Rainwater dripped from my hair, and I stood there, drenched and disheveled, in front of my own mansion. I patiently explained, “I’m Stella Davis, the eldest daughter of this family. This party is meant for me.” The staff member eyed me up and down. “You’re probably just trying to crash and freeload, aren’t you? Our daughter, Chloe, is inside with Mr. and Mrs. Davis. This party is clearly for her!” “And you dare to impersonate our young mistress? I won’t be so polite then!” The accumulated frustration and anger from the entire journey finally exploded. I took a step forward, my voice as cold as ice. “You, a mere employee, daring to speak to me with such disrespect? And threatening to lay hands on me?” “You’re fired, effective immediately. Pack your things and leave the Davis estate!” Just then, a soft voice drifted from inside the house. “Sister, you’re finally back? Please don’t be angry.” My stepsister, Chloe Davis, walked up to me, already acting like the lady of the house. “He’s new staff; he’s only been here a few days, so it’s understandable he doesn’t recognize you. Please don’t blame him.” I looked at Chloe’s feigned innocent face, my stomach churning. Chloe was adopted by my parents when she was young. Because I had always pursued an elite education and spent years away from my parents, Chloe had become their closest child. But I’d only been gone for a few years. Had everyone forgotten who the real Davis daughter was? I didn’t give Chloe a pleasant look. “Even if he didn’t recognize me, he should at least know who this party is for, shouldn’t he?” Chloe lowered her head, her voice laced with a sniffle. “Sister, it’s all my fault… I recently won an award in a design competition and wanted to celebrate. I didn’t realize it would clash with your party. You can blame me.” It was then that I understood. This wasn’t my welcome-home party at all; it was Chloe’s victory celebration. Chloe’s eyes welled with tears as she pleaded, “Sister, please forgive him this once. His family isn’t well-off, and this job is very important to him. If he loses his job because of me, I’ll feel guilty forever.” With her saying that, I was instantly cast as the heartless villain, deliberately making trouble for the staff. Guests had already noticed the commotion at the door and began gathering, whispering amongst themselves. “Chloe is such a kind girl, always thinking of others, even at her own party.” “I know, unlike some people, who come back and immediately start acting like a demanding heiress, throwing tantrums at the staff.” The whispers weren’t loud, but every word reached my ears clearly. A familiar figure emerged from the crowd—Liam Evans. Seeing him, a flicker of inexplicable hope rose within me. He would stand by me, unconditionally, just like he always used to. But in the next second, Liam walked straight to Chloe, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Chloe, your sister might just be in a bad mood after her long trip. Don’t mind her.” Then, he finally looked at me. “Stella, try not to be so impulsive. Today’s a happy occasion; don’t let a small matter ruin it.” His words sounded like he was trying to smooth things over, but every single one of them favored Chloe. I looked at him, feeling a sudden profound distance.

I walked into the bustling ballroom, but the celebration felt completely irrelevant to me. Liam stayed by Chloe’s side the entire time, his eyes glued to her. They occasionally exchanged smiles, their intimacy natural and easy. Watching them, I couldn’t help but remember my first encounter with Liam. Back then, the Evans family’s financial status was far inferior to the Davis family’s. Liam’s late father had done a great favor for my father, and to repay that debt, my dad had promised my hand in marriage when we were children. Young Liam had been fiercely devoted to me. Whatever I wanted, he’d try his best to get it, and he was always the first to stand up and protect me. Back then, he only had eyes for me. While I wouldn’t say I was deeply in love with him, I didn’t dislike him either. I even once thought I might spend my life with him, settling down, getting married, having children, and living out my days. But now, it was clear that his eyes held no place for me. Only Chloe. Suddenly, the ballroom grew a little quieter. Liam pulled out an exquisite gift box and presented it to Chloe. It was a dazzling sapphire necklace, sparkling brilliantly under the lights. The moment I saw it, I recognized it instantly—a limited-edition piece I had fallen in love with years ago. I had mentioned it to Liam several times, and he’d made a note of it, but it wasn’t something money alone could buy, so the idea eventually faded. I never thought he’d actually found it. But he was giving it to Chloe. “Chloe, this is my gift to you. Do you like it?” Liam took the necklace and carefully fastened it around Chloe’s neck. Chloe blushed, lowering her head. “Liam, it’s too extravagant. I can’t accept it…” “Please take it. I chose it especially for you. Only you deserve it.” Liam’s gaze was filled with a doting tenderness that had once been exclusively mine. Guests around them cast envious glances. I watched the scene quietly, feeling no anger, no sadness, just a hollow numbness settled in my chest. I slipped out of the ballroom, unnoticed. The evening breeze carried a hint of coolness, brushing my face and clearing my head. Footsteps sounded behind me—Liam was following. Did he finally realize he’d crossed a line, here to apologize? I stopped, turned around, and waited for him to speak. “Stella, come back inside with me. Don’t let the guests gossip. If word gets out that the Davis sisters are feuding, it won’t look good for Chloe’s reputation.” So he wasn’t chasing after *me*. He was just worried about how I might affect Chloe. Before I could say anything, Liam pulled a similar-looking necklace from his pocket. “Alright, stop sulking. I know you’re upset about the necklace I gave Chloe. Here, this is for you.” My eyes were sharp; I instantly recognized it as a fake. “I bought a bunch of replicas trying to find the real one. This one isn’t genuine, but it looks close enough. You can wear this one for now; I’ll tell everyone it’s real so you don’t lose face. Later, I’ll find you something better, okay?” So, in his eyes, all I cared about was appearances, and a cheap fake could just shut me up. Before I could react, Chloe’s voice called out from the ballroom. Hearing her, Liam quickly shoved the box into my hand, muttering, “Go back inside, stop making a scene,” then rushed back to Chloe’s side. I looked down at the fake necklace in my hand, a strong wave of disgust washing over me. Without a second glance, I tossed it into a nearby trash can.

Liam had already left. I was about to head back to my room to rest when a tall, imposing figure walked up to me. “Ms. Davis, please accept this gift.” “You’ve got the wrong person, I’m not Chloe. The person you’re looking for is inside.” There were too many people fawning over Chloe; I instinctively assumed he was another one trying to curry favor. The man’s smile deepened at my words. “I haven’t made a mistake. I specifically came to see you today, Ms. Stella Davis.” “My name is Mason Thorne, heir to the Thorne Group.” The Thorne Group was a well-known, influential company in our circles. I understood his intentions. If my engagement with the Evans family fell through, the Thorne Group would undoubtedly want to seize the opportunity. In the end, he was just another person here for family interests, and I had no interest in people like that. Before I could speak, Mason continued, “While you’ve been abroad these past few years, Liam Evans and Chloe have been openly flirting.” My tone was flat. “Those things no longer matter to me.” Mason seemed a little surprised. “You don’t want to get back at Liam? Aren’t you resentful after how he treated you?” I couldn’t help but laugh, a hint of release in my voice. “Get back at him? He’s not even worth my attention.” True, I had once thought about spending a peaceful life with him. But now, he was nothing more than a betrayer. Someone like that didn’t even deserve my sadness. Mason nodded after hearing me speak. “Ms. Davis, frankly, I’ve been observing you for quite some time.” “And now, I admire you even more.” He presented the gift box to me again. “This gift has no ulterior motive; it’s simply something I personally want to give you. I hope you’ll accept it.” Looking into his sincere eyes, I hesitated for a moment, then finally accepted the gift box, softly saying, “Thank you.” After bidding Mason farewell, I didn’t return to the ballroom but went straight to my room on the second floor. Returning home a few days ago, getting around had been difficult. My old car had been given to Chloe by my parents, and I hadn’t bothered to reclaim it. The next morning, I went straight to a luxury car dealership downtown. The moment I walked into the showroom, my gaze was instantly drawn to a sleek, silver-gray sports car. Just as I was about to examine it more closely, a familiar voice came from behind me. “Stella Davis? What are you doing here?” Liam frowned, his tone clearly annoyed. Chloe, standing beside him, timidly hid behind him, looking startled. “Stella, I know we’re engaged, but you can’t just follow me around like this, can you? You’re so pushy; it’s suffocating.” I rolled my eyes. Such drama. Chloe whispered, “Liam, I saw this car yesterday and really liked it. I was planning to come and reserve it today.” Liam’s gaze at me grew colder. “Since Chloe already had her eye on this car, you should let her have it. You can just drive your old car. Anyway, once we’re married, you’ll be a housewife. Chloe and I are enough to run the Davis Corporation; you don’t need such a fancy car.” I was almost laughing at his sheer audacity. “Why should I let her have it?” “Why do you always have to cause trouble for your sister?” “It seems bullying her has become a habit for you. Do you think she’s easy to pick on, so you can just snatch whatever she wants?” It was clear Chloe had been badmouthing me to Liam for years. And that idiot, after knowing me for over a decade, was still so easily swayed by Chloe’s sweet talk.

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I was in a car accident and ended up in the hospital. Suddenly, I had an urge to tease my boyfriend. “Who are you?” I asked, watching Lucas’s face freeze. I was about to laugh when Lucas suddenly pointed to his best friend Quinn and said, “I’m your boyfriend’s friend. He’s your boyfriend, Quinn.” My expression stiffened. But Quinn stepped forward and said, “That’s right, I’m your boyfriend.” I forced a smile and said, “Then take me home.” Quinn took me back to his place. He said I’d always lived there. Looking around at a place devoid of any traces of my life, I nodded along, playing blind just like him. I slept in his bed for a while, then wanted to get some water. As I was about to leave the room, I overheard a conversation from the living room. “Quinn, do me a solid and pretend to be Lily’s boyfriend for a while.” “Aren’t you worried she might suddenly regain her memory?” “If she does and gets angry, I’ll just smooth things over. She loves me so much, she wouldn’t really leave me anyway. It’s just that things have gotten a bit stale between us lately. This is a good chance to take a breather and have some fun on the side.” “Looks like you and Charlotte have really hit it off, huh? You just want to play around with her for a bit?” “You know me too well. But of course I love Lily more. While Lily’s with you, don’t you dare touch her. Though among my bros, I trust you the most. You seem to really dislike Lily anyway.” I stepped back barefoot, then made some noise at the door before walking towards the living room. Quinn quickly hung up and came over when he heard the sound. “The floor’s cold. Why aren’t you wearing slippers?” Quinn hurried over and scooped me up, placing me on the sofa. “I’m thirsty,” I said, unsure where to find water. “I’ll get it for you.” Quinn went to the water dispenser and poured me a glass. He sat beside me and asked, “Anywhere else feeling uncomfortable?” I shook my head after drinking the water. He reached out to smooth my messy hair, leaning in to kiss my forehead. I froze, remembering I’d just heard Lucas tell him not to touch me. I also thought Quinn disliked me. But now… When he kissed my lips, I turned away. He casually stroked my face, “You don’t remember. We’ll take it slow, let you get used to me again.” It seemed this Quinn guy was deceiving his own friend too.

When Quinn brought me to the private room, it was already lively inside. A group of rich heirs fell silent when they saw me arrive, looking towards Lucas in unison. “Oh, Lily’s here! Do you remember me? I’m Charlotte, your college roommate!” the girl sitting next to Lucas greeted me. Quinn led me to sit down. I looked at her and shook my head, “I’m sorry.” “That’s alright, we can all get to know each other again,” Charlotte said, intimately leaning on Lucas’s shoulder. This former college roommate turned friend seemed to be flaunting her closeness to Lucas now that she thought I had amnesia, barely concealing her smugness. Lucas also appeared to relish being intimate with another woman in front of me, as if getting a special thrill from it. “How nice that both you best friends’ boyfriends are in this circle!” “You can all hang out together often, memory loss or not.” The other friends all understood the situation but tacitly agreed not to say anything, seemingly taking perverse pleasure in watching an oblivious person being publicly betrayed. They continued playing games. Lucas and Charlotte were eating the same cookie, their mouths getting closer with each bite. “Kiss! Kiss!” everyone started chanting. In the charged atmosphere, Lucas and Charlotte shared a deep kiss. Afterwards, Charlotte shyly nestled in Lucas’s arms, sneaking a smug glance at me. Lucas held Charlotte contentedly. Then I lost a game and had to take a penalty – kissing someone for 30 seconds. Everyone fell silent, curious who I would choose. Surely I wouldn’t instinctively pick Lucas? Lucas seemed nervous, avoiding eye contact. He apparently didn’t want me to have an instinctive reaction so soon. Quinn beside me also tensed up. I smiled and said, “Of course I’ll pick my boyfriend.”

I said this as I turned to Quinn, “Shall we?” I clearly felt Quinn relax. He looked at me steadily and leaned in. I took the initiative to wrap my arms around his neck and kissed him. “Woah,” came a chorus of surprised sounds. These people may have seen Lucas embrace other women and kiss them, but they certainly never expected to see me do this with another man. So they let out surprised “woahs”, but then suddenly fell silent. Quinn seemed to kiss without restraint, pursuing aggressively. His tongue swept through my mouth, chasing and entangling with mine. His arm around my waist tightened, as if wanting to swallow me whole. After 30 seconds, I pulled away to see Lucas’s face dark with anger. That’s why everyone had suddenly gone quiet. How laughable. Quinn gently wiped away a bit of moisture at the corner of my mouth. “What’s wrong with everyone? Didn’t I just take my penalty?” I asked, feigning confusion at the strange atmosphere. “Lily may have amnesia but she’s certainly not shy with her boyfriend,” Charlotte’s words dripped with sarcasm at my apparent stupidity. Lucas looked even more displeased. I went to the restroom outside, but overheard voices coming from the stairwell. “Quinn, I told you not to touch her. That was out of line just now.” Lucas’s voice was cold. “It was just a game. She has amnesia – did you expect her to choose you, who has a woman by his side? That wouldn’t make sense. I’m the boyfriend you personally chose for her now.” Quinn’s tone was light. Lucas fell silent, then said, “Fine, just be careful. I don’t believe you’d actually be into Lily and sleep with her, but try to avoid intimate contact if you can. It must be hard for you to tolerate too, right? I feel bad putting you in this position.” “Hmph, you know me well,” Quinn replied.

Back at Quinn’s villa. He grabbed my arm as I was about to enter my room. Without a word, he lowered his head and kissed me. “Mmph-” I tried to turn away, but he held me firmly. He pressed me against him forcefully, gripping my chin as he kissed me aggressively, not allowing any rejection. It was so intense I could barely breathe. After a long while, he finally pulled back and stroked my face, saying softly, “We made progress today, didn’t we? We can gradually get more familiar.” I looked up at him, dazed. His actions seemed completely contrary to what his friend had said. I didn’t understand him. Lucas and I came from very different backgrounds. He had worked hard to get me to accept him step by step. Later, I met some of his friends, a group of rich heirs, especially Quinn. It was common knowledge in their circle that Quinn disliked me and looked down on me. He always had a somewhat contemptuous attitude towards my relationship with Lucas. I used to avoid him whenever possible. But after I “lost my memory” and Lucas forcibly paired me up with him as a couple. He kept taking advantage to do things like this. Was it to get revenge on Lucas for pairing us up? … My job as a designer was quite flexible, so I often worked from home. Quinn knocked and came in, “You’ve been working hard. There are fireworks tonight, let’s go watch.” We rushed to the lakeside where the fireworks were being set off. Lucas and Charlotte were standing in the best spot, watching the grand fireworks display. Charlotte leaned against Lucas, suddenly jumping up happily to plant a kiss on his cheek, looking so adorable. Lucas smiled at her, tapping her nose playfully. He turned and saw us. Lucas stiffened for a moment when he saw me, then quickly pretended nothing had happened. Charlotte also noticed us, “Oh, you guys are here!” “Lily, perfect timing! Can you take some photos of me and Lucas?” Charlotte called out, handing me her phone. Lucas’s expression faltered as he glanced at me. “I’m so happy today. Lucas set off these fireworks just for me. I want to capture this moment forever,” Charlotte said, gazing at Lucas lovingly as she went to his side. Lucas’s expression softened as he put his arm around her. My hand holding Charlotte’s phone froze. So Lucas had organized this grand fireworks show for Charlotte.

I looked through the viewfinder at their embracing figures. Lucas held Charlotte tenderly, while she leaned against his chest with a blissful, contented smile. The magnificent fireworks in the background created such a romantic scene. I silently took their photos. Lucas had once set off fireworks across the entire lake for my birthday too. Charlotte had volunteered to take photos for us then. I was probably just as happy and blissful as Charlotte was now. Back then, Charlotte had said wistfully, “I’m so envious of you two. I hope I’ll find someone who treats me that well someday.” I had reassured her that she would. Now, it seemed she really had. Quinn took the phone from my hand, “That’s enough. You’re not here just to be their personal photographer.” He tossed the phone back. Lucas caught it and handed it to Charlotte. … After the fireworks show, Charlotte and I went to the restroom. It was too crowded, so I decided not to go after all. But on the way back, I overheard the two men waiting for us talking again. “You and Charlotte seem to be having a great time. When’s the last time you and Lily were this happy?” Quinn was saying. “It’s true, being with Charlotte lately feels like rediscovering what I once had with Lily. Charlotte is even sweeter and more attentive than Lily. She makes me feel comfortable and happy,” Lucas replied. “Then why not just let things be? Charlotte does seem more your type. Lily can be quite stubborn sometimes, causing you a lot of frustration, right?” Quinn said. “Quinn, Lily and I have years of history. It’s not something I can just end on a whim.” “Charlotte says she’s not expecting anything long-term. She’d be content just enjoying our time together while it lasts. Such a silly girl,” Lucas sighed. “Hmph.”

Back at the villa, Quinn suddenly embraced me and kissed me. Then he pulled back slightly to look at me seriously, “Lily, you know what? You’re the best version of yourself. You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone.” I stared at him in shock. It was as if he was responding to Lucas comparing me to Charlotte. How… how did he understand me so well? He knew all my little habits that Lucas had forgotten, my favorite candies, favorite foods, favorite movies… He was pushing things further than before. I didn’t object. He looked at me in surprise, then swept me up in his arms and carried me into his room. Lucas had been my only man. When he first pursued me, I was full of distrust. But his sincerity and determination, his attitude towards my grandmother and the help he gave her in private, moved me. Later, when his parents disapproved and cut off his finances, I thought that would be when he realized our differences. But he didn’t give in. Instead, he worked part-time jobs with me while we attended classes. In the end, his parents relented out of concern for him. That’s when I truly started a relationship with him. When my only grandmother passed away, he held me close and said I still had him. He said he would always be by my side. A relationship that was once so deep had now completely changed. If that’s how it is, then I’ll learn to love a new man.

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On the first day of university, I, Skylar, enthusiastically helped a lost freshman find his way. He turned, a shy smile gracing his lips. “Thanks, senior… no, wait. It should be, ‘my future wife,’ right?” I stared at him, sure I’d just encountered a lunatic. Without a word, I turned and walked away. But the very next day, during club recruitment, that guy waltzed right into the literature club I was in, clutching a tattered ‘love journal’ and dogging my every step. My clubmates teased, saying his gaze clung to me like glue, demanding I take responsibility for his ‘pure, youthful affections.’ I just figured he was some weirdo taking role-play way too seriously, so I brushed it off. Three months later, at a club mixer, we played Truth or Dare. He lost a round and was dared to call the person he most wanted to marry. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, my phone rang. He then pulled out a stack of photos and slapped them onto the table – all pictures of me from years ago, some I’d never even seen! “Sweetheart,” his eyes gleamed with a terrifying intensity, “just admit it. We’re meant to be together.” My crush’s face went from pale to beet red in an instant. He stormed off, and later, I got a three-word text: “Good luck to you.” Eventually, pressured by his ‘evidence’ and everyone around me, I started dating him. The morning we were supposed to get married, he looked at me and said, calmly, word for word: “No matter what happens, you are my wife. You can’t escape my grasp.” The moment he finished speaking, he suddenly collapsed to the ground and never got back up. The autopsy showed nothing unusual. I was a widow overnight, and instantly branded as cursed, a ‘black widow’ who brought death to her husband! When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. Reborn to the first day of university, the exact moment I first encountered him at the crossroads, asking for directions. 1 There he was, Landon, in his gold-rimmed glasses, looking perfectly innocent, yet somehow sinister, standing awkwardly in front of me, clutching a crumpled campus map. “Senior?” His voice was clear, tinged with just the right amount of embarrassment. “Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the Maple Grove dorms? I think I’m lost.” It was that exact same line, not a single word different! I stared hard at him, trying to find a crack in his perfectly harmless facade. He seemed to get a little flustered under my gaze, his ear tips flushed faintly, and he instinctively pushed up his glasses. “Senior?” My roommate, Chloe, nudged me with her elbow. “Skylar, what are you gawking at? The freshman’s asking for directions. Try to act like an upperclassman, okay?” I snapped back to reality. I looked around – the familiar crossroads, the bustling crowd of freshmen and their parents. No. Something was off. I immediately noticed a detail I’d missed in my previous life. There were clearly multiple signs pointing to the dorms; you’d have to be blind to miss them. And with so many upperclassmen volunteers in their vests around, he’d deliberately bypassed everyone, zeroing in precisely on me as I passed by. I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to just slap him. “Senior, is this a bad time?” He lowered his eyes slightly, his voice filled with pitiful disappointment. “‘Oh, come on, Skylar, look how you’ve scared the poor freshman!’ Chloe blabbered on. ‘It’s just giving directions, it’s not like it’ll kill you!’” “Yeah, it’s just a small favor,” a passerby chimed in. I closed my eyes. It was exactly like this last time. My resolve crumbled, and I ended up leading him there. Not this time. Not in this new life. I’d rather die than let that guy get his hooks into me again! I plastered on a fake smile. “Oh, freshman, what terrible luck! I’m in a huge hurry to pick up a package at the campus gate, super urgent! Look over there, so many volunteer seniors. Any one of them knows their way around better than me!” I pointed towards a group of people in red vests not far away. Landon glanced in the direction I pointed, then slowly turned his head back, his eyes terrifyingly stubborn. “But senior, I only want to ask you.” “I really don’t have time!” My voice turned cold, and I started to walk away. But Chloe grabbed my backpack strap. “Skylar, when are you ever busy? It’s his first day here, what’s wrong with helping him out?” Landon took a small step forward, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “Senior, are you avoiding me?” My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Avoiding you? Why would I? I don’t even know you!” “But I feel like…” he murmured softly, “we’ve known each other for a very long time.” With people around us starting to look curiously, and Chloe still fanning the flames, a sudden surge of desperate fury flooded my mind. I clutched my stomach, my face instantly draining of color, and let out a weak groan. “Ow! My stomach! It’s so painful, must be acute gastroenteritis! I can’t, I can’t, I need to get to the campus clinic NOW!” With that, I sagged against Chloe, my acting skills Oscar-worthy. “Quick! Help me! I’m dying, I’m dying!” Chloe gasped, startled, and quickly propped me up. “Holy crap, Skylar, what’s wrong with you? What did you eat this morning?” I subtly pinched her arm, glaring at her to shut up and get moving. Chloe half-carried me, frantically rushing towards the campus clinic. Leaning weakly on Chloe’s shoulder, I turned back to Landon, who was still frozen in place, and managed a guilt-ridden smile. “Sorry, freshman, I’ll definitely help you next time…” Then I urged Chloe to run faster. After running a long way and turning a corner, confirming that he hadn’t followed, I instantly recovered and stood up straight. “Holy crap, Skylar, you just pulled a fast one on me!” Chloe shrieked, startled. “You tricked me?” “Tricked you my ass! That guy’s bad news!” I patted my chest, still shaken. “Stay away from him from now on!” 2 Relieved to have escaped Landon, I let out a long breath, practically sprinted back to my dorm, locked the door, my heart still pounding. No, just hiding wasn’t enough. My experience from my previous life taught me this guy was insidious. This university wasn’t that big; he’d find plenty of ways to corner me. I had to cut him off permanently! I immediately pulled out my phone and frantically logged into the university club portal. First, I quit the Literature Club! That’s where he latched onto me last time! Then, I Snapchatted my best friend, Brooke, who was practically the campus’s resident gossip queen: “Brooke! Emergency intel! There’s a freshman named Landon this year, guy, glasses, white shirt, looks perfectly respectable but is probably insane! Help me spread the word: he has severe delusions, avoid at all costs!” Brooke replied with a string of question marks: “? Skylar, what’s gotten into you? Did you fall for him, or did he harass you?” “Don’t ask! Just do it! Bubble tea’s on me later!” After handling that, I felt a little more at ease. Now, with that major point of contact cut off and his reputation ruined, he surely wouldn’t have a chance to get near me, right? To be safe, I even adjusted my usual classrooms, dining halls, and the floors I frequented in the library, trying to disrupt all my routines. Everything was set. I collapsed onto my bed, feeling reborn. That evening, I nervously checked my social media feed and the class group chat. All quiet. Brooke did send me a message: “I asked around. No one named Landon among the freshmen who reported today. Are you sure about the name? Or maybe he’s from a different faculty?” My heart sank. No such person? How was that possible? Last time, he was in the same faculty but a different department! A cold dread seeped into my heart. But I forced myself to calm down. No trace of him? Even better! Maybe my rebirth had created a butterfly effect. My mood soared, and I even started humming a tune, about to put on a face mask to celebrate. Just then, my phone rang. It was Asher, my childhood sweetheart and long-time crush. A thrill shot through me. I quickly answered, my voice immediately took on a slightly flirty tone. “Hey, Asher?” But Asher’s voice on the other end was ice-cold. “Skylar, what the hell is going on?” I was confused. “Huh? What do you mean?” “That guy, Landon, what about him?” His voice was tight with suppressed fury. “How long has this been going on between you two?” My head started buzzing. “What do you mean, how long? Asher, please explain! I have absolutely nothing to do with him!” “Nothing?” Asher sneered. “Nothing, yet he’s carrying a phone charm exactly like yours, claiming it’s a love token from you? Nothing, yet he knows your home address, your birthday, or even that mole on your butt?!” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning, my entire body turning ice-cold, the phone nearly slipping from my grasp. “He… he’s where right now?!” My voice was trembling. “Right next to me.” Asher’s voice was hard. “He says he wants to compete fairly.” The phone seemed to be handed to someone else on the other end. Then Landon’s voice, that damned, persistent voice, came through the receiver, laced with a smile that sent shivers down my spine: “Sweetheart, is hide-and-seek fun?” “I found you.” 3 “Whose damn wife?! And what the hell is with your stupid love token?! How the hell do you know about the mole on my butt?! You’re a stalker! A sick, twisted pervert!” I was so furious I screamed obscenities into the phone. There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Landon’s soft chuckle. “Sweetheart, don’t be mad. All these things… you’ll tell me eventually, of course.” “Eventually, my ass! There is no eventually! If you harass me or anyone connected to me again, I’m calling the police and pressing charges for sexual harassment, defamation, and stalking!” I was shaking with rage. “Calling the police?” Landon chuckled softly, his tone surprisingly innocent. “But I’m telling the truth. Sweetheart, you just forgot, that’s all.” Forgot, my butt! I slammed the phone down, my fingers trembling. This was too bizarre! That phone charm arrived yesterday, and I’d just put it on today! How could he have an identical one?! My home address? My birthday? He might be able to dig up that information with some effort… But the mole on my butt? How the hell could he know that?! Even my parents might not remember! Unless he’d actually seen it… or… Could what he said about the future be true? No way! He had to be a pervert! A stalker! A voyeur! I immediately dug out the campus security number I had saved and dialed it, incoherently reporting that a freshman was stalking and harassing me. Campus security was surprisingly polite; they took down the information and said they’d investigate. No sooner had I hung up than my SnapChat blew up. First, Asher sent a message: “Skylar, I need an explanation.” After that, no matter how many messages or calls I sent, he didn’t reply, clearly furious. Then Brooke’s video call popped up: “Holy crap, Skylar! Huge news! Some super hot freshman just blocked Asher downstairs at the guys’ dorms and declared war, saying he was going to pursue you! He even had a phone charm just like yours! What’s going on with you? Has your secret relationship been exposed?” Immediately after, several classmates I barely even talked to started sending messages, their tones full of gossip and disbelief. “Skylar, good for you! Didn’t expect you to snag a toy boy!” “That freshman’s bold, calling you ‘sweetheart’ already? Playing a dangerous game.” “When are you buying us dinner?” My scalp crawled as I read the messages. That bastard was doing this on purpose! He wanted to ruin my reputation, to isolate me until I had no one left! I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Since he knew all this private information, he’d been investigating or stalking me for more than a day or two. Hiding and yelling wouldn’t work. I needed solid evidence. I tapped on Landon’s blank SnapChat profile picture, gritted my teeth, and sent a friend request. It was accepted almost instantly. The next second, a picture was sent over. I clicked on it, and my pupils constricted. It was a photo, the background clearly my old bedroom desk back home! Spread open on it was my high school diary! My name and class were clearly visible! And the angle of the photo… it looked like someone had taken it while standing in my room! But I boarded at school in high school; I only stayed in that room during summer and winter breaks! And our front door was always securely locked! [Sweetheart, remembering anything? ^_^] My fingers were ice cold as I typed my reply: [How the hell did you get into my house?!] [Didn’t you open the door for me? Last summer, around 3 PM on August 17th, you said no one was home and invited me up. You even poured me an iced soda. Sweetheart, did you forget?] Bullshit! Last summer, on August 17th, I was working a summer job in the provincial capital! I wasn’t even back home! My back was instantly drenched in cold sweat. This person… he was terrifying. He wasn’t just spying on my present; he was fabricating my past! Just as I was utterly paralyzed with fear and confusion, a knock suddenly rattled my dorm room door. “Who… who is it?” My voice was trembling. The dorm supervisor’s voice came from outside. “Skylar? Someone’s downstairs looking for you, says he’s your boyfriend, bringing you some late-night snack.” I rushed to the balcony and looked down. Landon was indeed downstairs, holding a plastic bag, looking up at my window. He saw me, smiled, waved, and silently mouthed a few words: “Sweetheart! I’m waiting for you!” 4 I yanked my head back inside, my heart hammering against my ribs, threatening to burst out of my chest. “Auntie! I don’t know him! He’s a perverted stalker! Tell him to leave! Or I’m calling the police!” I shouted through the door to the dorm supervisor, my voice an unrecognizable tremble. The dorm supervisor seemed startled by my outburst, muttering, “What on earth…?” as her footsteps faded. I slumped to the floor, my hands and feet icy cold. No, this couldn’t go on. This maniac would stop at nothing; my life was completely messed up. Call the police? Yes! The police! Campus security might have dismissed it as a student dispute, but now he was harassing me right at the dorm! And it looked like illegal entry into a private residence! My trembling fingers pressed 91

The call connected, and I tried my best to stay calm, clearly stating the situation: I was being stalked and harassed by an unknown male, who knew a disturbing amount of my private information, had allegedly broken into my home, and was currently downstairs at my dorm. The dispatcher took down the information and said they would send officers. The ten-odd minutes waiting for the police felt like an eternity. I didn’t dare look downstairs again. I triple-locked the door and sat behind it, hugging my knees. My phone screen lit up. It was a message from Landon. [Sweetheart, the police will be here soon. Do you need me to help you remember what to tell them?] How could he know that?! [For example, you can tell them we’re just having a lovers’ quarrel, and I’m trying to cheer you up. ^_^] [Or, tell them you have mild delusions and memory impairment, that you often forget our relationship, and even call the police on me.] Do you need me to provide past medical records? I just Photoshopped them; they’re fresh off the press. Attached was an image: a template of an electronic diagnostic report! The patient’s name was mine! Diagnosis: intermittent memory loss and delusional attachment! I felt my vision blacken with fury, my typing hand shaking. [What the hell do you want?!] [It’s simple. Sweetheart, come downstairs, and come home with me.] Home? Which home? What insane nonsense was this lunatic talking about?! Just then, the faint wail of a police siren reached me from downstairs. Like grabbing a lifeline, I scrambled up and rushed to the balcony. A police car had indeed arrived, pulling up to the dorm entrance. Two officers got out and were talking to the dorm supervisor and Landon. Landon had his back to me, so I couldn’t see his expression, but he seemed very cooperative, even offering the late-night snack he was holding to the officers. I held my breath, eagerly anticipating the police arresting this pervert. However, a few minutes later, the officers actually patted Landon’s shoulder, then turned and walked away! They left?! I was dumbfounded. The next second, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. My hand trembled as I answered. “Is this Skylar?” It was the voice of one of the officers. “We’ve looked into the situation. The student downstairs, Landon, he showed us some… um… rather intimate photos of you two, and a gift you allegedly gave him. He says you’re just having a little disagreement…” “That’s fake! It’s all fake! I don’t know him at all! He’s stalking me! Harassing me!” I cried out desperately. The officer’s tone was a little awkward. “Skylar, we can’t really get involved in relationship disputes. And Landon was very cooperative, and he promised he wouldn’t do anything drastic. Look… why don’t you two just talk it out? You’re both college students…” Communicate, my ass! I slammed the phone down, despair instantly engulfing me. Even the police couldn’t do anything about him? Just how thoroughly had he prepared his ‘evidence’?! Downstairs, Landon looked up at my window again. He pulled out his phone. My SnapChat immediately pinged. [Sweetheart, can you come down now?] [Or would you rather I come up to you? I know your dorm room number. ^_^] 5 I stared at the message, frozen solid. He knew my dorm room number? Our university dorms were quite strict; guys weren’t allowed into the girls’ building!

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I worked my butt off at the company for three years. But my boss, to pave the way for his son, told me to pack my things and go home. My girlfriend of five years also got together with the boss’s son at that very time. They all thought I was just an ordinary guy grinding away. When I showed up in front of them again, I pulled out a rental contract: “Mr. Henderson, it’s time to pay next quarter’s rent. Otherwise, I’ll have to send someone to change the locks!” When I was delivering some documents to the boss, I accidentally caught my girlfriend of five years passionately kissing Brandon Henderson, the intern, in the stairwell. After work, I went home, intending to confront Chloe, but she never came back. I clicked on her SnapChat story, updated half an hour ago: In the video, she was wearing a sexy slip dress, dancing intimately with Brandon, her arms wrapped around him. They both wore matching couple rings on their index fingers. I stared at the video for a long time, a heavy feeling in my chest. Truth be told, Chloe’s change of heart had been brewing for a while. Three months ago, when the boss publicly announced that Brandon was his only son, the way she looked at Brandon had completely shifted. From then on, she became increasingly impatient with me. She, who used to love sleeping in, started waking up early every day, meticulously getting ready before heading out. At work, she’d always gravitate towards Brandon, chatting him up. Whatever Brandon said, it always left her cheeks flushed. Not only that, last week, when I had a high fever and was on an IV drip in the hospital, Chloe abandoned me there to go watch a movie with Brandon. It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about breaking up. But the thought of our five years together always made me hesitant to let go. Yet, my repeated tolerance and concessions only made her even more blatant. This time, I felt completely fed up! She finally stumbled in at dawn, completely wasted. The moment she walked in, she, as usual, demanded I draw her a bath. I didn’t move, just stared at her with cold eyes. “I saw you kissing Brandon in the stairwell today.” She shrugged, completely unconcerned. “So what if you did? Not only did Brandon and I kiss, we booked a hotel room too!” “Brandon is our boss’s son! Look at you, three years at the company, and you’re still just a team leader. Your family isn’t well off, and you don’t even try hard. You’re such a loser!” I clenched my fist but quickly loosened it. Actually, I had planned to take her home to meet my parents after this busy period and casually tell her that I was a landlord with a massive portfolio, and even this very office building belonged to my family. But now, the last flicker of hope I had for her was extinguished! “Let’s break up,” I said flatly. Perhaps she hadn’t expected me to be the one to suggest breaking up, as her drunkenness seemed to fade a little. She shrieked, “How dare you break up with me? If anyone’s breaking up, it’s me!” “Hmph, people always strive for better opportunities, you know? If you’re not ambitious, you can’t blame me. Goodbye, loser!” With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. The next day, as soon as I arrived at the company, I received a notice that my team leader position had been revoked. My colleagues around me looked at me with pity. Mark, a former team member, whispered, trying to stand up for me, “Alex, you’re so capable and responsible, why would the company demote you?” I frowned, a little puzzled myself. I had joined this company right after graduation, working diligently for three years, securing several major projects for them. You could say I contributed a significant part to the company’s current success. It wasn’t enough that they didn’t promote me or give me a raise; they were actively trying to suppress me. Others might tolerate it, but not me!

I went to HR. Ms. Jenkins, who handled personnel transfers, and I had a good relationship. She pulled me aside and whispered, “I only got the boss’s notice this morning, Alex. Tell me, did you offend someone…?” I narrowed my eyes. If I had offended anyone, it could only be… “Ms. Jenkins, who’s the new team leader?” She gave me a helpless look. “Brandon Henderson, officially promoted today.” I wasn’t surprised by this news at all. The boss was using me as a stepping stone for his son! The day Brandon started at the company, the boss himself brought him in, making a big fuss. The boss had said then that I was an excellent employee and he wanted me to mentor Brandon. Out of respect for the boss, I had no choice but to reluctantly agree. But I never expected this pampered heir to prop his legs on the desk, not only ordering other colleagues to run errands for him but also telling me to make him coffee. It would be one thing if he were capable. But the truth was, he couldn’t even get into college. His dad spent a fortune sending him overseas to get a fancy degree, turning him into a “returned overseas student.” These past three months, Brandon not only botched his own work but also loved passing the buck and making a mess, making my other team members suffer terribly. To reduce rework costs and overtime, I could only let him sit aside and watch shows or play games. Because of this, I figured this spoiled brat probably held a grudge against me. I refused to accept this “connections over competence” workplace principle. Ignoring Ms. Jenkins’s pleas, I strode towards the boss’s office. What’s the worst that could happen? I could just go back and help my dad collect rent! Robert Henderson, the boss, saw me barge in without knocking and had a knowing look. He smiled and told his secretary to pour me a glass of water, then began his routine of making grand promises and gaslighting. “Alex, you’ve been with the company for three years now, haven’t you? I’ve seen all your contributions to the company during these years.” I nodded and, without hesitation, listed every single contribution I’d made to the company over the past three years. Robert Henderson’s smile faded a bit. He took a sip of tea and said, “Young people should be more modest.” “It’s true these projects were under your responsibility, but for them to be successful, our partners looked at the company’s strength, not just you personally.” “Otherwise, why would they sign with you alone?” “The company decided to remove you from your team leader position because we hope you can take some time to reflect and grow. Once you make another outstanding contribution to the company, we will certainly promote you again.” “By then, you might not just be a mere team leader!” I chuckled sarcastically. “Boss, stop trying to sell me a pipe dream. I’m not an idiot!” “You can revoke my position, I have no problem with that. But why make Brandon the team leader? Is it just because he’s your own son?” Before, I thought even if Brandon’s work ability was poor, he had at least spent three years abroad, so his English should be decent. So I gave him a document and asked him to translate it. The rich kid, however, directly translated the document using Hanyu Pinyin, and even then, most of the pinyin was wrong. Robert Henderson sneered. “This is my company. It’s not a junior employee like you who gets to tell me what to do!” “Brandon is my son. If I don’t look out for him, should I look out for a broke person like you instead?” “Forget a team leader position; in the future, Brandon will be sitting in my chair. You’ll have to respectfully call him ‘Boss’ then!” Seeing him so unable to distinguish right from wrong and practicing such blatant nepotism, I only felt regret for the three wasted years and effort. “Boss, are you sure your son can handle being a team leader? Aren’t you afraid that the company you’ve worked so hard to build will be ruined in his hands?” Robert Henderson chuckled. “I’ve already thought about that. Brandon is the team leader, but until he’s fully competent, the day-to-day work of the team leader will still be your responsibility.” “Oh, and your salary, starting this month, will be paid at a regular employee’s rate.” “It’s good for young people to experience some hardship. There are only benefits, no downsides!” Oh, screw that! I suppressed my anger, barely stopping myself from cursing aloud. “Whoever wants this job can have it. I’m out!” Seeing me being so disrespectful, he slammed his teacup onto the table. “Alex Miller, you’d better think this through. Don’t make a decision you’ll regret in a moment of impulse.” “I’ve been in this business for decades. Though I’m not the best, I do wield some influence.” Facing Robert Henderson’s naked threat, I took off my ID badge and threw it in front of him. Then I slammed the door and left.

Back at my desk, most of my colleagues were sizing me up with a look of eager anticipation, like they were watching a show unfold. Only Mark and a few other team members gathered around me: “No way, Alex, you’re really abandoning us and leaving!” “It’s over, my future is looking bleak!” “Alex, what will I do without you!” I let out a soft laugh, telling them to relax. “Cheer up, guys. Greatness awaits you!” “But if you can’t stand it here, you’re welcome to come find me anytime. I’ve got your backs!” My dad’s little startup, which he started just for fun, should have no problem hiring a few more people. “Alex, could you be some kind of secret billionaire heir?!” Before I could answer, Chloe’s mocking voice came from behind me. “A secret billionaire heir? Is he daydreaming?!” “He better wake up fast. He’s about to be an unemployed bum. He should be thinking about how to feed himself!” I turned around and saw Chloe, arm-in-arm with Brandon, looking at me smugly. Brandon wore a fake smile. “Chloe, don’t say that. Alex must be feeling pretty down about losing his job. Besides, everyone needs dreams, right? What’s the difference between a person without dreams and a total slacker?” “A slacker? I think he’s a total noob, both pathetic and useless!” A burst of laughter erupted in the office. Mark couldn’t stand it and wanted to speak up for me, but I stopped him. My gaze was cold as I looked at Chloe. “Chloe, we were together for five years. I thought even if we broke up, we’d maintain some dignity. How can you be so sure Brandon will help you marry into wealth and become a socialite?” Chloe snorted. “Brandon can’t do it? And you can? I know my leaving makes you feel sour, but it’s your fault you can’t compare to Brandon in anything. You could work your whole life and still not afford one of Brandon’s cars!” Many colleagues eager to suck up to Brandon immediately chimed in. “Exactly! Young Master Brandon is the Crown Prince of our company. He’s not someone just anybody can compare to!” “These days, so many people resent the wealthy!” … Brandon, flattered, started getting a bit full of himself. “Crown Prince? Oh, no, just treat me like a regular colleague!” These people really just started spouting nonsense, not even caring if they made themselves sick. Seeing that I didn’t say anything more, Brandon thought I was speechless and became even more smug. Just then, Robert Henderson walked out. He glanced at me, then said, “Everyone, prepare for the meeting. As for non-essential personnel, please leave the company as soon as possible!” I rolled my eyes internally. He really thought I enjoyed staying here, listening to their meaningless meetings that only served to assert the boss’s dominance! I don’t know if it was intentional for me to hear, but Robert Henderson actually used a microphone. His booming voice carried through the glass doors of the conference room: “I know you young people today are ambitious and hot-headed. You achieve a little success and become arrogant, disrespecting your boss.” “Here, I advise such people to recognize their place. If you’re really so capable, go start your own company and be the boss. But if you don’t have that ability, no matter how big your temper, you’d better suppress it. Otherwise, like some people, pack your things and get out! The company doesn’t need such troublemakers!” “Regarding the removal of Alex Miller from his team leader position, it wasn’t nepotism on my part. I made this decision after extensive investigation. The investigation showed Alex Miller’s work attitude was lax, always leaving right at closing time!” “I run a company to make money, not to do charity. Right now, we’re only doing the infamous 996 (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week). Do you know many companies out there have already started implementing the extreme 001 (midnight to midnight, one day off a week) work system?! You should be grateful how humane our company is!” Listening to Robert Henderson simultaneously attack me and gaslight everyone outside, I was so shocked I nearly dropped the cup of water in my hand. Chloe, of all people, was leading the applause. “The boss is so right!” Amidst the sparse applause, I gathered my things and walked out of the company. Before I left, I received a mocking SnapChat message from Chloe: [Brandon said if you really can’t find a job, you can come work as his driver!]

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It was a busy public holiday, and an emergency call came in: a child at the amusement park had a sudden accident, sustaining an arterial injury that led to massive bleeding. Halfway there, the head of the emergency team, Director Brenda, insisted on stopping the ambulance to take pictures. I urged her to hurry, that a human life was more important than anything else. But she just glared at me, her voice dripping with disdain, “Don’t think a fancy degree can replace me. I’m still the one in charge of this emergency room!” I had no comeback, only frantic worry. Finally, she finished her photoshoot and got back in the ambulance. I thought we were leaving. Instead, she told the driver to open the fuel tank. “Siphon some gas into a canister for me. My personal car is almost out!” 0 “Brenda, the child’s parents are calling non-stop. If we don’t get there soon, the child might…” I was drenched in sweat, but I could only watch helplessly as Brenda, the current emergency room director, casually snapped photos with her camera. “Stop rushing me!” She scowled, glancing at me with contempt. But her camera stayed firmly in her hands. “Chloe Roberts, don’t think just because you graduated from a prestigious university, you have the right to yell at me. Let me tell you, I still call the shots in this emergency room.” “Director Brenda, you misunderstand. I really don’t mean anything by it. It’s just that this child can’t wait. They just called, said the child is unconscious, probably from excessive blood loss…” Before I could finish, she cut me off sharply. “What ‘excessive blood loss’! Don’t you know how people exaggerate these days? They make a tiny scratch sound like a major injury!” “They’re just petty-minded, thinking a little trick will make us arrive faster. They don’t even consider that we’re not gods, we can’t just teleport there!” “I’ve been doing this for years, I’ve seen it all. You just haven’t seen enough!” “But…” I tried to continue, but she immediately flared up. “Chloe Roberts, if you say one more word, you can get an Uber back to the hospital yourself! Who do you think you are, telling me what to do on my own call?!” I didn’t expect her to say that. I bit my lip. Fuming, I slumped back into my seat. Today was my first day on the job, and I never imagined I’d encounter something like this. Brenda and I were old classmates, and in her eyes, “mortal enemies!” Ever since school, she’d loved to antagonize me, always competing. Even my current husband was the guy she’d been chasing for years, the one she considered her ‘Mr. Right,’ but never caught. Later, after college, she pulled strings to get a position at the top regional hospital thanks to her family’s connections. I went straight into my residency after medical school, and right after graduation, I was assigned to this hospital for further training. Just my luck, I ended up in her department. As soon as I sat down, my phone rang again. “Doctor! Are you there yet? My son… my son is fading… Waaah… he’s barely breathing…” Hearing the frantic voice on the phone, my heart clenched again. From previous calls, I knew the child had accidentally fallen from a Ferris wheel, bleeding profusely, and likely had a damaged major artery. His situation was critical. The accident site wasn’t far from our hospital, only about a 10-minute drive. But halfway there, Brenda spotted a newly built Transformers attraction through the window. To humor her own son, she actually ordered Mark, the driver, to stop the ambulance right there and go take pictures! And she’d been taking photos for a solid 20 minutes! During that time, I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles, urging her no less than ten times, only to be met with eye-rolls and dismissals. Helpless, I could only try to reassure the family. “Almost there, almost there! Please find some clothes or strips of cloth to wrap around the bleeding points, reduce the blood loss, and hold on a little longer. We’ll be there any minute!” I gripped my phone, my back soaked with sweat. If this child wasn’t saved soon, it would be too late. Without another thought, I “clunked” open the door and jumped out of the ambulance again, marching straight up to Brenda and snatching the camera from her hand. “Director Brenda, are you going or not?! If you don’t go now, I’ll report you for criminal negligence!” 0

I stood rigidly, my finger trembling as I pointed at the ambulance. My voice was loud, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers. “Oh! Isn’t that an ambulance? Why do the doctors have time to take pictures here? Is this a joke?!” “Right? They blare their sirens every day, making us pull over, running red lights, but then they stop halfway to enjoy the scenery! Talk about abusing authority!” “Looks like ambulances aren’t always in such a rush after all! Next time I see one on the road, I’m not moving!” People chattered amongst themselves, pointing fingers at us. Brenda hadn’t expected me to stand my ground. She’d probably wanted to put me in my place, but seeing the large crowd, she bit back her words to avoid suspicion. Honestly, I didn’t want to make a scene like this, but thinking of the life urgently awaiting treatment, I had no other choice. Regardless of whether Brenda was trying to suppress me, deliberately trying to make me look bad on my first emergency call, or whatever, it couldn’t be at the cost of a human life. Perhaps pressured by the crowd, Brenda finally put away her camera and got back into the ambulance. I checked my watch; almost half an hour had passed! But now, just a few more minutes, and we’d be there. The child could be saved! Thinking that, I was about to let out a sigh of relief. But a still-fuming Brenda gave another command. “Mark, pull over at that intersection up ahead!” At her words, my heart tightened again. I had no idea what new stunt she was pulling. The driver didn’t dare to disobey and dutifully pulled the ambulance to the side of the road at the intersection. I looked closely. Wasn’t this a grocery store? Before I could react, Brenda didn’t even glance at me, simply told Mark, “Wait for me a minute, I need to buy some shrimp. My son wants grilled shrimp for dinner!” I literally couldn’t believe my ears! The situation was dire, and she still had the nerve to come to the grocery store to buy shrimp! I thought I had taught her a lesson earlier, but it seemed she hadn’t taken it to heart at all. I figured Brenda, who’d gotten her job through connections, wasn’t afraid of being reported. Seeing her about to leave, I quickly stepped forward and grabbed her arm. “Director Brenda, the child is already unconscious. His blood pressure must be dangerously low by now. We really don’t have any more time…” I looked at her, practically begging. To try and persuade her further, I tried to make her empathize. “Brenda, you have a child too. Imagine if it were your child who was injured, wouldn’t you be just as worried…” My intention was to make her put herself in their shoes, but at my words, Brenda’s temper flared. “Chloe Roberts! Shut up! You yelled at me just now, and threatened to report me. I haven’t even settled that with you, and now you’re cursing my son, are you?!” “Let me tell you! My son is perfectly fine; my husband is at the amusement park with him right now!” “And another thing! You just want to steal my thunder like you always did, don’t you? Hmph! Not this time, you won’t!” With that, Brenda turned and disappeared into the grocery store without a backward glance. Watching Brenda leave, my heart sank. After two seconds of thought, I didn’t hesitate any longer. I got straight into the driver’s seat. “Mark! Let’s go now! Hurry!” At this point, I could only take a gamble. Although I didn’t have extensive real-world experience, I had always been top of my class. During my residency, I had participated in countless emergency simulations. Since Brenda wouldn’t go, I had planned to go myself and administer first aid to the child, because if we waited any longer, the child would likely be lost. But to my surprise, as soon as I finished speaking, Mark stretched, without even lifting his eyelids. He curtly replied with two words! “No way!” 0

The two short words from the driver’s cabin hit me like two heavy stones! They struck me hard! I stared at him in disbelief. “What did you say?! Why won’t you go?! The child can’t wait any longer, didn’t you hear?!” I craned my neck, questioning the driver with a frantic, hoarse voice. But he pulled out his phone and casually scrolled through TikTok, blandly muttering, “I heard you! But without the director’s word, I’m not moving!” “If something goes wrong, who’s going to be responsible?!” I was about to retort when I suddenly remembered an overheard conversation between two nurses in the restroom earlier. They were saying that Mark, the driver, was Director Brenda’s cousin or something… It seemed the driver and Brenda were indeed related; I certainly couldn’t order him around! I wiped the sweat from my forehead, my chest feeling like it was stuffed with a huge wad of cotton. Cramped and suffocated. Just then, my phone rang again. “Doctor! My son really can’t hold on much longer, my clothes are soaked red, there’s blood everywhere… We can only last 10 more minutes at most…” The man’s desperate cries came through the phone, Like a sharp knife piercing my heart. I paced frantically, wishing I could grow wings and fly there myself. I once again tried to calm the family, giving them simple first-aid instructions. After hanging up, I was about to call the hospital, asking dispatch to send another ambulance. Perhaps there was still hope. Just then, the door “bang!” opened. Brenda was finally back! I felt like I was seeing a savior, urgently beginning to explain the injured child’s condition. But Brenda’s mind was clearly elsewhere. She smiled, handed the shrimp to Mark, and only relaxed once she saw him place it on the passenger seat. After all that, she finally spared me a glance. “Director Brenda, the child’s situation is extremely critical. According to the parents, he likely injured a major artery and is probably going into shock. We have at most 10 minutes left…” I was on the verge of tears. To my surprise, Brenda snorted with laughter after hearing me out. “Chloe Roberts, you haven’t changed a bit, still so eager to show off!” She patted my shoulder. “Didn’t I just tell you, people love to exaggerate! Especially parents!” She gave me a sneer, like a seasoned veteran looking at a rookie. “No! I don’t think this is an exaggeration. I believe the real situation is probably even worse!” I directly stated my assessment. Brenda, however, calmly shook her head. “If it’s true, then it’s just fate.” “As the saying goes, life and death are predestined. If he can’t be saved, it just means that kid was meant to be a goner. Who can you blame for that?!” Listening to her words, my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. I couldn’t believe such words would come from her, the esteemed director of the emergency room. My soaked back felt even colder. But this wasn’t the time to argue. Seeing the ambulance finally start moving, hope surged in me again. It wasn’t far now; we’d be at the accident site in just 5 minutes. I watched my wrist-watch, time ticking by second by second. As the amusement park’s outline came into view, my heart grew even more anxious. I silently prayed in my mind. “Child! You have to hold on! We’re coming!” But at this critical moment, the ambulance slowed down. And then, it stopped moving altogether! 0 “Mark, what’s going on? Why are we stopped?!” “Are you blind? Can’t you see the traffic jam?”

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The moment my skin started tearing and bleeding relentlessly, that’s when my dad discovered Mom carried the Butterfly Disease gene. My dad, who treated my illness like a plague, stormed off with my healthy sister, leaving me behind. At least Mom was incredibly sympathetic towards me. She carefully padded every sharp edge in the house, staying by my side every single second. But a week later, she couldn’t overcome her hemophobia. She vanished, abandoning me just as I was starting to hope again. I knew how troublesome it was to care for someone with Butterfly Disease, so I didn’t resent my parents for leaving. At least they, with their modest income, left me our only house, so I still had a roof over my head. I secretly prayed my sister would stay healthy, hoping our already tough financial situation wouldn’t get any worse. To survive, unable to leave the house, I made money by live-streaming my art. But two years later, during an unexpected joint stream with the billionaire’s daughter, who also had Butterfly Disease, I saw my own sister on the screen. She didn’t recognize me, my face covered in bandages, and simply chatted with me as a stranger, a fellow patient. The live chat was filled with comments, marveling at the stark contrast between my sister’s pristine complexion and my own ravaged face. 【Ugh, regular people can’t afford Butterfly Disease. Just look at the difference between this girl and the billionaire’s daughter.】 【This girl has always lived alone, no wonder her condition is so much worse than the billionaire’s daughter, who’s been meticulously cared for by her parents.】 【Her parents are billionaires, and even with their daughter having Butterfly Disease, they stuck by her, taking care of her like she’s completely normal. I wish I had parents like that – truly perfect, devoted parents!】 That was the moment I realized: I wasn’t abandoned because of the Butterfly Disease. I was abandoned because I was simply unloved.

My sister on the screen showed no visible wounds. If it weren’t for the “Butterfly Disease” in her stream title and her hands wrapped in expensive silk gloves, no one would guess she suffered from this incredibly painful, rare condition. My sister kindly struck up a conversation with me: “Hi there, what a coincidence to connect with another Butterfly Disease patient. How long have you had this? Why do you have so many wounds? Are you going through a hard time? If you really are struggling, you can contact me after the stream. I might be able to help you.” But I was so dazed by the sudden truth that I couldn’t utter a single word. My sister on the other end received no reply and let out an awkward, bitter laugh. The live chat instantly filled with complaints about me: 【The heiress is so sincere and kind, why is she acting so dismissive?】 【I’ve seen plenty of people like her. She probably thinks the whole world owes her just because she’s sick.】 【The heiress is fighting this illness just like you. What right do you have to give her attitude? You deserve to be abandoned by your family for being sick!】 Watching the comments call her “heiress” over and over, then glancing at the luxurious, exquisite furniture behind my sister, A searing pain shot through every inch of my body. So, my family was rich. Billionaire rich! No wonder my parents, who’d supposedly scrimped and saved to raise my sister and me, could so decisively leave me our old, rundown apartment. It was all just a scam, meant only for me. I couldn’t stop trembling. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the hateful comments on the live chat. 【What’s with the pity act? Didn’t you ignore the heiress first?】 【She must be jealous that the heiress is doing better than her, and is also beautiful and kind-hearted.】 My sister’s anxious yet gentle voice reached my ears: “Everyone, please don’t argue on my behalf. I was too blunt and might have offended this young woman. Please don’t say anything bad about her.” After she spoke, she carefully tried to comfort me: “Are you okay? Did I remind you of something painful?” Her familiar tone brought back memories of us comforting each other in our impoverished past. Those days, which I remembered as simple but happy, when we would save up months of money from selling recyclables just to eat at KFC. We’d stay up late sharing secrets, and comfort each other after getting scolded by our parents for bad grades. But my sister, who I was so close with, had joined my parents in hiding our family’s true wealth, abandoning me, sick and alone. She could extend a helping hand to someone she thought was a stranger. Why couldn’t she do the same for her own sister? If it weren’t for this accidental stream, I might have died never knowing that my entire family had been deceiving me. I looked at my sister, her face full of concern, and spoke in a hoarse voice: “Yes, you reminded me of my sister. She and my parents despised me for being sick, so they abandoned me and ran off.” A flicker of discomfort crossed my sister’s eyes. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you had a sister and went through something like that.” The comments criticizing me also paused. 【I told you guys to be more considerate. How can you be so harsh to a sick person?】 【I wanted to say earlier, she didn’t answer the heiress because she was clearly emotional. You guys just started attacking her. Now look, you forced her to reveal something painful.】 【Exactly, the heiress started streaming to spread awareness about Butterfly Disease and help others like her. This is only the first person she connected with, and you’re already tearing her apart!】 Seeing that comment, I suddenly spoke softly: “Are you new to streaming? When were you diagnosed with this disease?” My sister was puzzled by my sudden change of topic but answered truthfully: “About six months ago. I’ve been traveling with my parents, seeking treatment. My condition has improved recently, so I thought about starting a stream.” I clenched my hands tightly. My skin instantly tore and bled, but I didn’t care at all.

The pain in my hands was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. My dad, who once treated me, covered in blood, like a plague, could now spend six months with my sister, who had the same disease, seeking treatment. And Mom, who claimed to have hemophobia and couldn’t stand being with me for more than a week, how could she now look at my sister’s blood and not faint? Not to mention my “kind” sister. She had firsthand experience of how painful Butterfly Disease was, yet in those six months, she never once thought to look for me. While she enjoyed expensive, specialized treatments, I was still foolishly believing our family had abandoned me out of poverty. My sister was startled by my appearance, unsure what I’d said to upset me this time: “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” 【Oh my god, is she having an emotional breakdown because the heiress mentioned family?】 【Didn’t she ask the question herself? Her parents weren’t even mentioned. If she’s so fragile, why even stream?】 【If I were her family, I couldn’t handle it either. Clearly, not everyone can be as strong and optimistic as the heiress, truly deserving of her family’s love.】 Reading those comments, I almost laughed until I cried. If they knew the “heiress” and I shared the same parents, would they still say such things? Hearing his daughter was upset during her stream, my dad rushed over. He looked at me, my face covered in bandages, with eyes full of disgust: “My daughter was kind enough to help you, and this is how you repay her? And you dare to say Jocelyn is like your sister? Nowadays, any random person thinks they can just lay claim to my daughter, Jocelyn Hayes. Don’t you look in the mirror? Do you even deserve to?” My heart felt numb with pain. My sister only said she wanted to help, and he blindly accused me of ingratitude. In his heart, only Jocelyn was worthy of being his daughter. I’d always known about my dad’s unconditional favoritism towards Jocelyn. It was because she looked so much like him. I, on the other hand, didn’t resemble either of my parents much, and he’d even doubted if I was his biological child. Despite DNA test results proving I was his daughter, having inherited my grandfather’s looks, my dad still harbored a strange distance. I guessed that’s why he concealed our billionaire status, using a facade of poverty to “test” me. If it made me more outstanding, great. If not, he could just keep the truth hidden forever, letting me live my life never knowing my family was a billionaire empire. The result of this “test” was that no matter how hard I tried, I could never satisfy my strict dad. Then, my skin suddenly started tearing and bleeding for no reason. At the hospital, I found out I carried the Butterfly Disease gene. It gave my dad a legitimate reason to abandon me. Even though he hadn’t recognized me, it was as if he had an instinctive aversion to me, each word more hurtful than the last. My sister tried to persuade my dad not to be so mean to me, but he sighed: “Jocelyn, not everyone is worth helping. This ghastly, monstrous creature, who streams all day to scare people, would be better off dead. You tried to help her out of kindness, and look at her attitude! Today, I’m going to make her realize the cost of messing with my daughter!” My eyes burned, but no more tears would fall. The wounds beneath my bandages ached from the moisture, blood almost staining half my face, which only fueled my dad’s disgust. “A dishonorable streamer like you, I’ll make sure the platform bans you completely!” Hearing my dad’s final verdict, despair washed over me. I knew my dad meant what he said; he would definitely get me banned. But live-streaming my art was my only means of survival. He was trying to push me to my death. Could it be that after enduring alone for so long, I still wouldn’t make it?

After Mom also left, I once considered giving up. Our impoverished family hadn’t saved any money for my treatment. The old apartment building I lived in wouldn’t sell for much, and if I sold it, I’d lose my last refuge. Instead of living a painful life with Butterfly Disease, maybe it was better to just end it. But my neighbor, Landon, my childhood best friend, forcefully took away all the sharp objects in my house, his stern voice shattering my will to die. “I haven’t given up on you! How can you give up on yourself first?” He, who had been studying abroad, resolutely applied for a leave of absence, then worked tirelessly to save money for my medical expenses. No matter how hard or exhausting it was, he never, not for a single moment, thought about giving up on me, just as he’d said that day. I had only helped him a few times when his parents died, hiding it from my family, and that’s how we first connected. Hurt by my family’s blatant favoritism, and he, having lost his own family, we found solace in each other’s company, licking our wounds, each other’s only friend. But I never imagined he would go to such lengths for me. Encouraged by him, I regained my spirit and, a year ago, found a way to support myself by live-streaming my art. Landon, reassured by my promise, finally felt at ease returning to his studies abroad. Before he left, he told me to wait for him. To keep that promise, I silently endured the pain of my skin tearing again and again, striving to stay alive. But now, my only means of livelihood was about to be cut off by my blood relatives. 【Support the billionaire dad in backing up the heiress! This woman has so much inexplicable malice towards the heiress, she’s clearly an ungrateful snake!】 【Just ban her already, her face covered in blood is really unsettling. If you’re sick, don’t come out to annoy people, okay?】 【Exactly, look how optimistic our heiress is, unlike her, all gloomy and depressing, just looking at her makes you irritated.】 The live chat, which had calmed down, was now reignited with anger towards me by my dad’s words. The screen filled with curses, stinging my eyes, and my rationality wavered. Was I wrong to try and live? I was just quietly painting my art. My sister was the one who insisted on connecting with me. Why, when I had finally managed to endure until now, to barely support myself through the torment of this disease, did they have to come and crush my hope? I really wanted to keep my promise to Landon. But now, it seemed I wouldn’t be able to wait for him to return. The skin on my face, which I hadn’t had time to pay attention to, repeatedly tore and bled. My head was growing heavy. But I, in a self-destructive way, listened to and watched my dad and the live chat’s vicious words, letting my blood drain away. I really couldn’t hold on any longer. What was the point of persisting in such a painful life? Landon, I’m so sorry, I’m going to break my promise. Just then, a familiar, warm voice echoed from the other side of the screen: “Stop talking! Why are you doing this to her!”

I stared at Mom on the screen, unable to process it for a long time. She saw the bloodstains on me and merely frowned in distress. She didn’t, as in my memories, clutch her head and feel dizzy the moment she saw my skin tear and bleed. Sure enough, she was acting too, deceiving me. Were all those years of her boundless affection and care for me, from childhood to adulthood, also fake? I couldn’t help but recall Mom’s kindness. Her strictness and patience when tutoring me, the warm milk that appeared on my desk every night; Her open arms when I looked enviously at my sister in Dad’s embrace; Among the table full of dishes my sister loved, that one constant, my favorite, scrambled eggs with tomatoes. I used to think that even if Dad left with my sister, Mom would never abandon me. But she not only left but also helped them keep me in the dark until now. “She’s also a Butterfly Disease patient, don’t make it so hard on her!” Mom shed tears of sorrow, looking at me with a hint of guilt: “If we didn’t have the billionaire’s wealth, our daughter might end up just like her. Why are you being so cruel?” Then why, knowing this would happen, did you leave me? Tears fell again, mixing with blood and dripping onto my clothes, making them look even more horrifying. Mom quickly tried to comfort me: “I apologize on behalf of my husband. Please don’t be sad, okay? Don’t be afraid, if you want to continue streaming your art, that’s fine. The platform will definitely not ban you. And, we’ll cover the medical expenses for this flare-up as compensation. Would that be acceptable?” The gentler her comforting words were, the more disgusted I felt. The hatred bursting forth from my eyes reignited my dad’s and the live chat’s anger, which had just begun to calm.

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My beachfront vacation condo had been vacant all year. Suddenly, the smart meter linked to it sent me a notification to pay the electricity bill. I ordered takeout and asked the delivery guy, Mike, to check on the place for me. Mike recorded a video. He knocked on my condo door, and a woman opened it, her face full of suspicion: “I didn’t order takeout. You’ve got the wrong address.” I knew, for sure, that someone was illegally squatting in my apartment. Christmas was just around the corner, so I decided to take my family there for the holidays. I wanted to see exactly who was living in my home without permission. I’d invested in a retirement-friendly beachfront condo and usually had the property management company handle everything. This year, tourism was down, so I decided not to rent out the condo. My parents had both retired this year, and I wanted them to be able to use it whenever they pleased. But this month’s electricity records showed that the condo was using about 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity every single day. Looking at the records, either the meter was broken, or someone was living in the condo. I was about to call property management, but I dialed and then hung up. What if it was an inside job by the building management? I ordered takeout through an app and asked the delivery guy, Mike, to pretend he was delivering food and record what was happening. Mike knocked for a while, and a middle-aged woman, Brenda, opened the door. “We didn’t order any takeout. You’ve got the wrong address.” Mike feigned ignorance. “No, I’m pretty sure this is it. I’ve delivered here before. Are you the owner?” Brenda snapped impatiently, “Mind your own damn business!” She slammed the door shut. I immediately booked my flight. Someone was squatting in my home, and I was about to find out who.

I took my parents on an early holiday trip, flying straight to the coast. When we reached the condo, I typed in the code, but it didn’t work! The door code had been changed! However, the lock itself was still the original, with no signs of forced entry. That meant whoever was living in my condo must have known my code. My mom went right up and started banging on the door. “Who’s in there?! Open up!” After a clattering noise from inside, a young man, Liam, opened the door. “Who are you looking for? Making all this noise first thing in the morning.” I peeked inside the room, my vision instantly blurring with black spots and my mind going blank with shock. My white sofa was covered in yellow stains, and the walls were scrawled with graffiti. Only a few crystals remained on the chandelier, the lower shelf of the coffee table was broken, and the TV accent wall was cracked. The sheer curtains had been ripped down and lay in a pile in the corner. The entire room looked like it had been ransacked. If we hadn’t been spared from hurricanes this year, I would’ve suspected my condo had been destroyed by one. The man stood blocking the doorway, asking, clearly annoyed, “Who are you people looking for?” I tried to step inside. “This is my home! Who are you? How did you get in here?!” The man grabbed my arm and shoved me into the hallway. “You say it’s your place, and it is? I live here!” He was incredibly strong. My dad happened to be standing right behind me, and my momentum knocked him over with me. I fell on top of him, and he landed hard on the floor. My dad let out a groan and then went completely still. I scrambled over to check on him, terrified. My dad hadn’t been in the best health to begin with. We’d bought this condo so he could come here to relax and recover. And now, on his first visit, before even getting inside, he was injured. It took a while for my dad to recover enough to speak. “I think I twisted my back,” he said. I was torn between worry and anger.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299224”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn