Six years later, Julian and I reunited. I was squatting outside a Dairy Queen, and I caught him rushing past. “Hey! BOGO sundaes. Wanna go halfsies?” He lowered his phone, his gaze coolly sweeping over the banner advertising a couples’ special. “Oh,” I said, “so… are we back together?” Julian’s eyes crinkled into a smile. “Sure, but let’s keep it off social media.” “I have a… ‘canary’ at home. She gets really possessive.” I froze. He turned to leave. “Oh, and pack up the ice cream. She loves it.” I hadn’t even processed it. The store employee was already beaming, packing two sundaes. “You two are so perfect together! May you grow old and happy!” Julian didn’t react, just grabbed his cup and walked out. His Rolls-Royce was parked by the curb. It was scorching hot, so I hung out by the fruit stand, enjoying the AC, slowly licking my sundae. Before he drove off, he gave me a half-smile. “So, ‘girlfriend,’ need a ride?” I glanced at his passenger seat: a plush pink seat cover, cute stuffed animals — screaming ‘occupied’. I slowly mumbled, “No, thanks. My place is close…” Before I could finish, he sped away. “Hey, don’t block the entrance!” “Ah, sorry.” My legs were aching from squatting. When I stood up, I wasn’t careful, and my sundae splattered on the ground. Ugh, what a waste. All for a boyfriend. I clicked my tongue, disappointed, and turned to walk home. My cramped apartment was simple but clean. I quietly took down the old school photo from the wall. The boy in the picture had eyes that crinkled when he smiled, a radiant expression as he tenderly held the girl’s hand. Compared to him, the girl was expressionless, looking cold and distant. I stared at it for a few more seconds, then tossed it into the trash. Ugh, I looked so awful when I smiled. No wonder he broke up with me back then. “Meow.” My rescue tabby rubbed against my leg. I opened a can of tuna for her. I’d gotten it from the supermarket yesterday, a buy-one-get-three-free deal. Being broke means every penny counts. Not snagging a deal feels like a personal loss. I almost regretted not asking for some severance pay when we broke up. Just then, an unfamiliar number called. I answered. It was Julian. His voice was as cold as ever. “We’re back together, and you still haven’t added me back on SnapChat? “Don’t you know calling is a hassle?” I just mumbled, “Oh.” Before I could say anything else, I heard a soft, playful groan in the background. “Mr. Julian, I’m hungry…” He hung up immediately. The familiar beep of a disconnected call filled my ear. Honestly, that “getting back together” line was just a joke… I was actually going to tell him to forget it. But after the noise in the background, I didn’t want to call him back. I typed in his SnapChat ID. Account deleted. His phone number? Also disconnected. I slowly lay on my bed, clutching my phone. Julian himself had forgotten that he was the one who deleted me back then.

Later, I remembered to add him using the number he’d called from. He accepted quickly but didn’t say a word for ages. I quietly scrolled through his social media, trying to peek into his life over the past six years. His feed was quiet, monotonous. Until last year, when a vibrant, red-dress-wearing girl appeared — so much like his old self, full of life. From that day on, Julian’s posts became more frequent. His smile wasn’t as unrestrained as before, but it was filled with a subtle happiness. I stared, a little dazed. Then, halfway through, my screen went black. He must have remembered and blocked me. I slowly finished my last bite of instant ramen. Tossed my phone aside, wrapped myself in my blanket. And didn’t sleep a wink. The next few days, it was as if we’d both forgotten about it. I prepped for class, went to school, fed my cat. My life was a simple routine. He was busy with his company, flying overseas for business negotiations. On TV, his name would occasionally flash across the screen. Julian, the self-made tech titan, acquiring one company after another. Maya would sometimes swing by with groceries. We’d share a watermelon, sitting on the sofa, watching the news. All his success had countless socialites in a frenzy, eager to ‘catch’ him. “Mr. Julian, you’ve turned down all the prestigious match-making proposals. Is there a reason?” A bold reporter asked. Julian narrowed his eyes, composed and distant. Yet, a fleeting tenderness flickered in their depths. “I have a girlfriend.” Everyone assumed it was the girl living in his mansion. Only Maya poked me, hesitantly asking, “Didn’t you just say you two got back together? He’ll marry you, right?” “After all, his pursuit of you back then was epic, the whole campus knew about it.” I stared at his polite, cold face on the screen. And shook my head. I tapped her on the head. “Silly, who gets a girlfriend just for a BOGO ice cream deal?” Julian hadn’t really put me in his heart. “I know, but he was Julian, the guy who loved you more than anyone!” She counted on her fingers, “You skipped class together, played claw machines, had your first kiss.” “Every time you just looked at him, that brilliant, aloof guy would follow your every whim like a loyal puppy.” The memories felt distant, almost blurry. “Seriously, tell me the truth. You didn’t cheat on him and then dump him, did you?” I hummed, honestly shaking my head. Maya was silent for a moment, then changed the subject. “It’s fine, don’t be sad. We don’t need that one guy.” I looked up, slowly saying, “I’m not sad.” She choked, then tied on her apron and headed to the kitchen to cook. “Ugh, I knew you had no heart. Get over here and help!” I thought things would continue as usual. Until one evening, he proactively sent me a SnapChat message. [Let’s have dinner tomorrow night.] [I’m waiting downstairs.] I saw the message after I got out of the shower. Right. Since we broke up six years ago. Maybe I’m just getting older, or lazier. I still lived in this small apartment where we once lived together. After staring blankly for a while, I remembered to refuse. [Can’t, I have plans tomorrow.] His reply was still brief. [I’ll wait three minutes.] Indifferent, distant, impatient. It hit me then. He wasn’t the Julian who used to cater to my every whim anymore. But I really didn’t want to have dinner with him. I thought for a moment, then typed. [Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. It was just a rare deal on ice cream, and it was so hot out…] [You were the only person I knew on the street; asking a stranger to split the order would be awkward. At least we used to date…] [How about we just break up again? Good for you, good for me, good for everyone.] It was getting increasingly messy. I deleted it all. And sent only one message. [I was joking about getting back together that day. My apologies.] I held my phone, waiting a while longer. He didn’t reply. I sighed. Those regrets from six years ago, let’s just let them go.

I didn’t think much of it. He probably couldn’t be bothered with me and had just blocked me. But when I came back from class that afternoon, I happened to run into Julian by the entrance. He leaned casually against his car, attracting a crowd of girls. “It’s Julian! He’s still so handsome!” “Yeah, he was the top student eight years ago!” Julian stared blankly at the sycamore trees on campus. I quietly tried to walk around him, but he called out, “Aubrey.” “Long time no see. So you’re teaching here at Northwood High School?” Northwood was our alma mater. A flicker of teasing crossed his eyes. “What, memories? Can’t let go?” I blinked, “Ah, yes, I can’t let go. They offered me double salary.” Julian’s expression darkened. “Hah, still as money-hungry as ever.” Unable to read my expression, He opened his car door and got in. “Get in.” I slowly said, “I really don’t want to go…” Julian smoothly rolled down the window. “Spicy seafood platter is 50% off today.” I mumbled, with little conviction, “Can I get it to go?” He seemed to be laughing, but it was humorless. “Suit yourself.” I readily got into the backseat. He’d changed cars today, a Cayenne. It looked like he rarely drove it; the passenger seat was free of pink decorations. Julian drove in silence. I leaned against the window, neither of us speaking. I actually didn’t understand why he bothered to come. I’d clearly said it was a joke, and he wasn’t the type to cling. After he inadvertently glanced at me in the rearview mirror, He irritably pulled out a cigarette. My eyes flickered. I started to open my mouth. He was holding the cigarette pack when he accidentally hit a button. A sweet, childlike female voice chimed. “My dearest Mr. Julian, are you sad again?” “Please don’t smoke. I’ll sing you a song.” “Two little tigers, two little tigers, dancing around…” I froze. He also stiffened. He instinctively put the cigarette back in the pack. A terrifyingly warm smile spread across his eyes. Leaving me truly, utterly uncomfortable. The car arrived quickly. It was a bustling beachside grill by the ocean. Julian went in to order, and I leaned against the railing, enjoying the sea breeze. A drunk, portly man came up, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Well, hello, beautiful. Where’s your boyfriend?” I quietly pushed his hand away and stepped back. He persisted, and as he pestered me, my eyes met Julian’s, who was not far away. He watched silently. It wasn’t until a few college guys nearby couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped in to intervene. Only then did Julian slowly approach. Perhaps they recognized him, because the man sobered up considerably. “Mr. Julian, she’s your girl! I had no idea…” Julian smiled, patting the man on the shoulder. “You harassing her? That has nothing to do with me.” I stared at him. He shrugged, his eyes full of chilling indifference. “What, I said we’d get back together, but I didn’t say I’d be nice to you again.” With that, Julian walked away, carrying the seafood and beer.

He leaned back in a rattan chair. I stood, refusing to sit. “Eat something first, or the doggy bag won’t fit it all.” I finally felt something was off and quietly asked, “Mr. Julian, did you see my messages?” He looked at me calmly, nonchalantly. “What messages? I don’t have time to stare at your chat box all day.” I still didn’t move. He became impatient. “Are you going to eat or not?” I looked down. These were all my favorite dishes. My stomach was rumbling. I reached for a skewer and took a bite. It was so spicy that tears immediately welled up. “Cough, cough.” “Not good?” He looked me over, a brazen stare. “Oh, I forgot. This is *my* favorite flavor.” “I used to always eat mild flavors because of you. This time, you can put up with it, right?” I remained silent, dipping the skewer in my water glass. It was still spicy, but the seafood was incredibly fresh, the meat tender. He narrowed his eyes, watching me for a moment, then raised a hand to call the waiter. “Bring everything on this table again, but not spicy.” He paused. “And a strawberry mousse.” I pulled out a wet wipe and slowly said, “No need. I want to go home.” Julian raised an eyebrow. “What, already feeling sorry for yourself?” It wasn’t that bad, but my stomach burned from the spice, and that burning sensation slowly spread to my chest. It was just uncomfortable. I wanted to go home immediately, too lazy to even bother with a doggy bag. He stood up too, pushing away the plates. Casually, he said, “Alright, let’s go. I’ll drive you.” I opened my mouth. As if guessing my next refusal, He added, “This is Seagrove. It’s ten miles away.” “And you have no sense of direction. Want to walk until dawn?” Julian naturally took my hand. I tried to pull away uncomfortably, but he held on tighter, as usual. Unable to break free, I gave up. As we were leaving, I took out my phone, intending to take a picture to share this gem of a restaurant with Maya, when Julian, who had been staring blankly, suddenly reached out. He smacked my phone right out of my hand. “Don’t take pictures!” His voice was loud, instantly drawing the attention of everyone nearby. All eyes were on us. He said coldly, “If *she* sees that photo, I have ways to ruin you.” I froze, then processed it a moment later. My phone lay on the ground, the screen shattered. I bent down to pick it up, wiping off the dust. It was a shame; it was a brand-new phone. I slowly said, “I wasn’t trying to take a picture *with* you, and I certainly wasn’t going to post it online.” “I just thought this place was pretty good, and I wanted to come back with my friends sometime.” 4 Julian’s eyes flashed with a hint of guilt, which then quickly turned to cold indifference. He pursed his lips. “I’ll buy you a new phone.” “Yours was old anyway, from last year.”

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Julian Blackwood demanded three vials of my blood, five thousand strands of my hair, and a jar of my happiest tears. Using these as his raw materials, he created a world-renowned masterpiece, “Beloved.” On our wedding day, I chose that very painting as our backdrop, my heart brimming with joy, waiting for Julian to come and claim me. Until a woman who looked eerily like me slashed the canvas with a small knife. “Julian Blackwood, how much longer until you finally let me go?! I stopped loving you ages ago!” “Don’t you dare find a stand-in to sicken me! You know I despise fakes! Why did you use *her* blood to paint *my* face?!” It turned out the woman in the blood-red wedding dress, shedding tears of happiness in the painting, was her. “I’d marry a dog before I’d marry you!” The woman tore into Julian, verbally eviscerating him. He, usually so proud and quick-tempered, stood with his head bowed, looking as helpless as a child caught misbehaving. Silently, I removed my veil. No tears, no shouts, no mention of the six wasted years of my youth. I simply dug my fingernail into the mole beneath my eye – the one Julian had placed there himself. “Julian Blackwood, we’re done for good.”

I returned to the villa, grabbed a baseball bat, and headed straight for the art studio on the third floor. The studio had been locked for years. I was never allowed inside. Not even on the third floor. “Mrs. Hayes, you can’t go in there!” Marcus desperately tried to stop me. I swung the bat, knocking him down, then smashed it against the lock with all my might. My hand throbbed, numb and agonizing. *Click!* The blood-splattered lock fell to the floor. My palm was a bloody mess, but I felt nothing. Pushing the door open, the sight before me stole my breath, and tears instantly welled up. The room was filled with portraits. Lying down, standing, clothed, nude – even intimate bedroom poses were captured. It was my body, but her face. At the bottom of each canvas, in elegant script, were the words: “To Genevieve.” “Mrs. Hayes!” Marcus rushed in, frantic. He scanned the room, then quietly let out a sigh of relief. “See? They’re all paintings of you. Mr. Blackwood just didn’t want anyone to come in and damage them.” I had believed that lie for six years. All the past events flashed clearly in my mind. Julian had never once said the woman in the paintings was me. He never explained why, with his extraordinary skill, he couldn’t even paint my face accurately. “Everyone has been lying to me.” I wasn’t particularly tall, and my face was only moderately pretty, the kind you’d easily lose in a crowd. A golden boy like Julian, a man as unattainable as the moon itself, how could he have fallen for me at first sight, showered me with endless affection, and spent a fortune just to see me smile? And a man like him, abandoning a brilliant future, to become a renowned art forger. His forgeries were indistinguishable from the originals, yet miles apart in truth, much like the beauty mark he’d placed beneath my eye. I suddenly thought of a pathetic mimicry. Tragic. Laughable. The scars from giving blood still marred my wrist, refusing to heal, and stacks of anemia reports had been gathering dust on my bedside table for half a year. The five thousand missing strands of hair hadn’t grown back either. And tears of pure happiness? I probably wouldn’t shed those ever again. “Get someone to cover this up immediately!” “Delete all photos and videos of the wedding!” Marcus, seeing the trending news, was frantically instructing his subordinates to deal with it. I gave a bitter laugh. “It’s no use.” It was streamed live. Everyone saw it. My dignity and pride were ripped to shreds along with the painting, right there on the spot. If Julian truly cared, how could he bear to let me suffer such public humiliation? He didn’t care. All the love I’d thought I had these past years—it had all been stolen.

As I reached the door, Julian returned. He leaned against the hood of his car, a cigarette butt dangling from his lips, and a swollen handprint marred his cheek. I ignored him, dragging my suitcase forward. “I’m sorry.” Julian grabbed me. “Don’t go.” His hands clamped around my waist like iron vises, tight and painful. He buried his head in the nape of my neck, as if trying to merge his entire body into mine. “I’ll reschedule the wedding. Everything will be exactly as you…” I cut him off. “No.” Julian spun me around, and then I saw his eyes, brimming with tears. They held a desolate, hopeless sadness. “She’s completely abandoned me, Rory. What am I going to do?” “She promised me we’d spend our lives together…” He rambled on about his past with that woman. I was forced to listen, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. “Stop it! I don’t want to know!” Julian cried too. It was the first time I’d ever seen him cry, and the first time I realized that woman was the very meaning of his existence. “Rory, stay with me. It doesn’t matter if you’re the real thing or a fake. I’ll still love you.” I stopped struggling. My heart was pierced by countless tiny thorns, a throbbing agony that made my limbs numb and my vision swim with every move. It was, quite possibly, the most disgusting thing I’d ever heard in my life. “Fine, I won’t leave…” I choked back the nausea. “Just let go of me first.” We went back to how we always were. He cooked for me, massaged me, and emptied my online shopping carts promptly every night. Playing the dutiful girlfriend, I offered him a glass of milk. “Drink this, and then we can go to bed.” Julian took the glass, stared at the milk for a long moment, then emptied it. As soon as he lost consciousness, I fled the villa. Late autumn. A strong wind whipped fallen leaves into a frenzied dance, blinding me. I found a random food truck and sat down. “A case of beer, please.” In the dead of night, the suppressed emotions came back to haunt me. What had these six years even meant? Had Julian ever had a moment of true feeling for me? I couldn’t even begin to guess. I drank until I vomited, then drank again, until I couldn’t force down another drop. All my memories seemed to be purged with every heave, leaving me hollow. Only muscle memory remained. My fingers, beyond my control, habitually pressed that speed-dial button. “Beep—beep—” No answer. I tapped my phone, muttering, “That’s weird, is it broken?” One call after another. “Julian, I feel so awful…” “Julian, why aren’t you coming to get me…?” I don’t know how long I waited. A pair of heels stopped in front of me. A woman crouched down. “You’re… Rory Hayes?” “The sun’s almost up. What are you doing sleeping in a ditch?” Her gaze fell on my bleeding wrist, and a flicker of pity, and a hint of guilt, crossed her face. I only vaguely registered that her face looked a lot like mine. I immediately lost consciousness.

When I woke up, the woman was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, reading. “The fever reducer is by the bed. Take it yourself.” I pushed my scorching body up, fumbled for the pills, and found the water in the glass still warm. Only when I’d taken the medicine did she speak. “I’m Genevieve Dubois.” “Rest up for a bit, then you should go. I have an auction to attend this afternoon.” Genevieve closed her book, smoothed her hair and clothes. Every movement was elegant, a stark contrast to the woman who had caused such a scene at the wedding. Her room was filled with paintings. Their style was unique and consistent. Even I, who had seen countless true masterpieces, was momentarily mesmerized by them. “They’re all Julian’s paintings. If you like any, feel free to take them.” “There’s a whole warehouse full. They’re no use to me.” I froze, my thoughts drifting. The first time Julian gave me a portrait, I was overjoyed for months. Even though it barely resembled me, I cherished it like a treasure and hung it above my bed. Because he said he’d only ever paint true masterpieces for one person. I, in my foolish self-importance, believed he meant me. “Julian, I don’t have a mole here. Don’t just make one up.” I pointed to the corner of the woman’s eye in the painting. “It’s one thing if you can’t get my face right, but a simple mole? How could you mess that up?” He pinched my cheek, then took a ballpoint pen and pricked a tiny hole right where the mole was. The ink seeped in, and when it healed, it became a permanent mark. He said, “There, perfect. My favorite look.” I swallowed my anger, all for his promise to paint me a portrait every six months. In six years, I’d received a total of eight. Not even close to filling this one wall here. Genevieve walked over to me. I noticed the bracelet on her wrist. A one-of-a-kind piece, globally. Yet, at this very moment, I was wearing an identical one – a complete and utter fake – given to me by Julian. She didn’t notice my subtle movement to hide my hand. “Last night, Julian and I finally had it out. He promised to let go and stop bothering me.” The words caught in my throat. A sharp pain pierced me, but I couldn’t swallow them, nor could I spit them out. How could I tell her? That he saw her as his only one, his reason for living. That her importance in his heart was beyond a thousand of me, a million of me. I couldn’t say it. It would be like tearing me open, exposing my raw vulnerability and wounds for all to see. I picked up my phone and realized I’d called Julian over three hundred times and sent over five hundred texts last night. Not a single call answered, not a single message returned. Genevieve frowned. “His talkative habit hasn’t changed. I was so exhausted, but he just kept talking. He even wanted to talk on the phone while sleeping. You absolutely have to make him break that habit later.” I didn’t answer. Because around me, Julian had always been that quiet, reserved man, with a touch of arrogance. My smart watch, synced with his, showed he’d slept soundly last night, better than any night in the past six years. After Genevieve left, I cried silently into the blanket.

I prepared a feast, a table laden with dishes, fresh from the stove, steaming hot. Genevieve, changing her shoes in the entryway, looked surprised. “You’re still here?” I shook my head. “I have nowhere else to go.” “I’m so sorry for the trouble.” She sat beside me, her gaze sweeping over all the dishes. “How did you know my dietary restrictions?” she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. “There are so many things I don’t eat. It can’t be a coincidence that you don’t either, can it?” The spare rib I’d just picked up slipped from my forks and splashed back into the soup. Hot broth splattered onto my wrist, but I didn’t flinch. Julian had cooked these very dishes for me for six years. He never let me cook, nor would he let me eat food made by anyone else. Every dish had to be his creation. “Watch closely. You’ll have to cook exactly like this when you make your own meals in the future.” “That’s how you make the most delicious food.” To go to such elaborate lengths for a stand-in, Julian, you truly put in a lot of effort. Suddenly, a tear fell into my bowl. I frantically shoveled several mouthfuls of plain rice into my mouth, trying to hide my breakdown. It tasted bitter, acrid, utterly disgusting. I choked it down, only for it to rise back up my throat. Genevieve suddenly tugged at my sleeve. “Your bra strap is showing.” “We really do have similar tastes. I used to have a matching one, but I haven’t worn it in ages.” All my lingerie had been personally chosen by Julian. From my underwear to my outerwear, he had controlled every aspect of my appearance. *Knock, knock—* The knocking was urgent. Before we could reach the door, Julian had already let himself in, standing in the entryway. The overhead light cast a shadow across his low-set brow, making him appear even more ominous. “Rory, it’s time to come home. Don’t disturb Ms. Dubois’s rest here.” He walked towards me. His expression suddenly softened, and he gave Genevieve a slight nod before taking my hand, attempting to pull me away. I stood my ground. His grip tightened abruptly, almost crushing my hand. Yet, on his face, he maintained a polished, gentle smile. The pain made me gasp, but I was forced to let him drag me. Just as we reached the door, Genevieve suddenly spoke. “Ms. Hayes, do you need help? You don’t have to go with him.” The pressure around Julian intensified again. He was at his limit. To avoid causing Genevieve any trouble, I shook my head. “I’m fine.” She cast a sidelong glance at Julian. “Trespassing, and acting like a brute — that’s exactly why I can never take you back.” Julian’s body stiffened. He mumbled an apology, then quickly closed the door. He dragged me, stumbling, all the way downstairs. Genevieve wasn’t here now, so he dropped the smile. His features were harder than steel. “Did I ever tell you that a forgery can stay anywhere, except right next to the original?” “Only then does a fake have value, only then can it bask in the attention of others, instead of being treated like trash and scorned when it’s next to the real thing.” He often said this when he was making his forgeries. The blood drained from my face. “Rory, let me tell you one more thing.” “Who in the world cares most about a forgery?” He smiled. “The original, of course.” Whether it was forging art or finding a stand-in, from the very beginning, his sole purpose was to capture Genevieve’s attention. That was all. Suddenly, I felt a sense of release. After all, I’d never truly possessed Julian. Why grieve a loss that was never mine to begin with? The wind outside was still fierce, tangling my hair, carrying away my shattered heart. It was so cold. Like snow falling on me, melting and draining away all my warmth. It was late autumn just moments ago, but in a blink, it felt like the dead of winter. Julian forcefully brought me back home. He acted as if nothing had happened, never mentioning the drug I’d given him, nor my words about breaking up.

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My sister skipped out on her wedding, and my parents threw me into the bed of a powerful man. I huddled under the covers, trembling, as the soft whir of a wheelchair approached. A voice, chillingly devoid of warmth, cut through the silence: “Look up.” With a sigh of resignation, I slowly raised my head, only to be met by two identical faces. One sat in a wheelchair, the other stood behind him. The standing man smirked, his voice dripping with cruel amusement: “Guess who you’re actually marrying?” My mind went blank, a loud buzz echoing in my ears. Two identical faces, strikingly handsome, yet each exuded a distinctly different aura. The one in the wheelchair had sharp, cold eyes, an intimidating aura that warned people to keep their distance. He was the infamous, unpredictable Dante Hayes, the feared head of the Hayes empire. The man standing behind him wore a mocking grin, his eyes sharp and predatory. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” That was Adrian Hayes, Dante’s twin brother. He leaned in, his hot breath ghosting my ear. “Pick. Get it right, and you’ll be rewarded. Get it wrong… and things will get interesting.” My teeth chattered. My parents had only told me that if I married Dante Hayes in my sister’s place, our family business would be saved. But no one mentioned there’d be a life-or-death choice involved. My gaze flickered between the two of them, my palms slick with sweat. Dante in his wheelchair didn’t even glance at me, as if I were invisible. Adrian, standing behind him, watched my terror with an amused glint in his eyes. It was a death sentence, no matter which way I turned. I closed my eyes and pointed wildly. “I… I choose him.” I pointed at Dante in the wheelchair. I figured, if I had to die, at least he seemed less… twisted. A derisive chuckle filled the room. Adrian straightened up, clapping his hands together. “Congratulations, you picked wrong.” He grinned wider, “Looks like you’ll be spending the night with me.” My body stiffened, and my blood ran cold. He reached out, his hand already moving to snatch away my covers. I shrieked, scrambling back against the headboard. Just then, that cold, silent voice spoke again. “Enough.” Dante finally looked up, his gaze like daggers aimed at Adrian. “Get out.” Adrian’s smile froze. He seemed resentful but dared not defy him. He shot me a vicious glare, as if to say, “You’ll regret this.” Then, he turned and left. Only Dante Hayes and I remained in the room. The wheelchair glided slowly to the bedside, those eyes fixed on me. “Remember this: from today forward, I am your husband.” His voice was devoid of warmth. “But, don’t touch what isn’t yours, don’t ask what isn’t your business.” “Be an obedient puppet, and you’ll survive.”

The next morning, I was woken by my phone ringing. It was my mom. Her shrill voice pierced my ears. “Skylar! How did last night go? Are the Hayes satisfied? When can we expect that contract to be signed?” A barrage of questions, not a single one about my well-being. My heart sank to rock bottom. “Mom, I…” “You what, you what! I’m telling you, if you mess this up and ruin our family, I’ll be the first to disown you!” My dad snatched the phone from her, his tone equally cold. “Skylar, just be good. The Hayes family isn’t someone we can afford to offend. Just be obedient, and your father won’t treat you unfairly.” The call ended abruptly. I gripped the phone, my entire body cold. And just like that, the reality of my ‘family’ crashed down on me. The door burst open, and Adrian strolled in, a coffee cup in his hand. Without a word, he casually flung the scalding hot coffee onto the carpet right in front of me. “Deaf? Didn’t you hear my brother call you?” I flinched, startled, and quickly scrambled out of bed. “I’m sorry…” “Don’t apologize to me.” He pinched my chin. “Go. Clean that carpet. With your hands.” I bit my lip, knelt on the floor, and used my sleeve to wipe at the scalding coffee stain. Adrian stood nearby, looking down at me. “Tsk, tsk. What an obedient little dog.” He nudged my shoulder with his foot. “My brother’s waiting downstairs. Don’t keep him.” Swallowing my humiliation, I cleaned the carpet and hurried downstairs. Dante was already seated at the dining table, breakfast laid out before him, untouched. He merely glanced at me when I arrived. “Sit.” I cautiously sat opposite him. Throughout the entire breakfast, he remained silent, the only sounds being the clinking of cutlery against plates. The oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe. I could feel Adrian’s malicious gaze from across the room, making my skin prickle.

That afternoon, Adrian claimed I’d somehow sullied his morning suit and, as punishment, ordered me to tend to the villa’s rose garden. It was the very garden Dante’s late mother had cherished most. The butler handed me a large pair of shears, his face impassive. “Young Master Adrian instructed that all the thorny branches must be trimmed.” I looked at the blooming roses, feeling a pang of reluctance. “No ‘buts.’ It’s an order.” The butler cut me off coldly. I could only take the shears and step into the rose bushes. The thorns were vicious, sharp as needles, and within minutes, my hands were a canvas of bleeding scratches. Adrian sat on the nearby terrace, sipping red wine, enjoying my misery. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my fingertip. A thick thorn had deeply pierced beneath my fingernail. I gasped, tears instantly welling up. Just then, a crisp white handkerchief appeared before my eyes. I blinked, then slowly looked up, realizing Dante was suddenly beside me. He sat in his wheelchair, his expression still cold, but his eyes were fixed on my bleeding finger. “Fool.” He uttered a single word, sharp and clear, then pressed the handkerchief into my hand. Before I could react, he had already turned his wheelchair and left. I clutched the fragrant handkerchief, feeling a sudden sense of disorientation. It was the first time he’d shown me anything other than utter indifference. “Well, well. Already making moves, are we?” Adrian’s sneering voice cut through the air. He walked up, snatched the handkerchief from my hand, threw it on the ground, and ground it under his foot. “Skylar, you’re nothing but a stand-in for your sister, a bought dog for the Hayes family!” “How dare you try to seduce my brother? Do you think you’re worthy?” He grabbed my wrist, dragged me to a nearby fountain, and brutally plunged my head into the icy water. The freezing water instantly filled my nose and mouth, and the suffocating sensation made me thrash wildly. “Time to rinse that foolishness out of your head and remind you of your place!” My vision blurred. Just as I thought I was going to die, he yanked me out. I clung to the edge of the fountain, coughing violently. “Remember, if you ever dare to have such thoughts again, I’ll dump you in the river for the fish.” Adrian’s voice was a chilling whisper, like a demon straight from hell. That night, I huddled in the corner of my room, soaked and shivering. My phone buzzed, vibrating violently in my damp hand. A strange number. I answered, and a familiar voice trickled through the receiver. “Skylar, it’s me.” It was Chloe, my sister. My grip on the phone tightened, nails digging into my palm. “You actually have the nerve to call me?” “Oh, come on, sis, don’t be so dramatic.” Chloe’s voice was annoyingly light. “I’m just checking in, you know. How are things at the Hayes mansion?” Rage surged within me. “Thanks to you, I’m having an ‘absolute blast’!” “That’s good then.” Chloe seemed to miss my sarcasm entirely. “Skylar, you know, I only ran away to find my own happiness. You helping me is helping our entire family.” “Oh, and by the way, my boyfriend’s startup is a little short on funds. Since you’re Mrs. Hayes now, just a little something from your pocket change would be more than enough for us.” I trembled with anger, unable to utter a single word. The sheer audacity of her! Just then, the door burst open with a violent kick. Adrian stood in the doorway, a malicious grin on his face. “Well, well, who are you talking to?” He snatched my phone and saw “Sister” on the call screen. “Ah, so it’s the runaway bride herself on the line.” He put the call on speaker, and Chloe’s voice came through clearly. “…Skylar, why are you so quiet? You absolutely have to help me. My boyfriend and I are truly in love…” Adrian’s face grew darker and darker. He ended the call and smashed the phone against the wall. “Oh, how touching. Such sisterly devotion.” He took a step closer to me. “One ran away, the other’s an inside accomplice. Are you Hayes girls just an ATM for the Hayes family?” “No, I didn’t…” “Looks like you need a painful reminder to stay in line.” He suddenly smiled, a terrifying, chilling smile. “Tomorrow is the Hayes family dinner. I’m excited to see how well you, the stand-in, can play the part in front of everyone.”

The Hayes family dinner was held in the grand, old-world mansion. The long mahogany dining table was filled with Hayes relatives. Every single one of them eyed me with scrutiny and disdain. I stood there in an ill-fitting dress, feeling like nothing more than a grotesque clown. Adrian, seated beside me, slipped a tiny earpiece into my hand. “Put it on,” he commanded. “You’ll do and say exactly as I tell you. One wrong word, and your entire family will vanish from this city, understand?” My heart leaped into my throat. The dinner began. Relatives took turns verbally attacking me. “So you’re the second Miss Hayes? Funny, I’ve never heard of you before.” “Your sister ran away, and you just stepped in? Your family’s etiquette is certainly… unique.” I was about to speak when Adrian’s voice came through the earpiece. “Smile. Tell them I fell in love with you at first sight and insisted on marrying no one else.” I forced a stiff smile and repeated his words. The relatives burst into laughter, their disdain growing even deeper. Next, an elder instructed me to serve Dante some food. As I picked up my forks, the command came through the earpiece: “Shake your hand. Drop the food onto his trousers.” My body went rigid. Dante, with his notorious obsession with cleanliness, would be furious. “Hurry up!” Adrian’s voice was laced with menace. I had no choice. My hand ‘trembled,’ and a greasy, sauce-covered piece of roasted meat tumbled onto Dante’s pristine white trousers. The air instantly froze. Dante’s face turned as dark as a storm cloud. I was terrified, quickly apologizing. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” Through the earpiece, I heard Adrian’s satisfied chuckle. “Now, stand up. Proclaim loudly that you’re madly in love with my brother and would do anything for him.” The humiliation was a crushing wave, threatening to drown me. I stood up, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, like a puppet, I recited those mortifying lines word for word. The mocking laughter and whispers pierced me like needles. I caught a glimpse of his eyes—a flash of cold, undeniable disgust. Just as I felt myself about to crumble under the weight of this endless degradation, Adrian’s most vicious command came through the earpiece. “Excellent. Now, walk up to my brother and tell everyone.” His voice vibrated with a cruel, undeniable glee. “Tell them that the man in the wheelchair is nothing but a useless cripple. Tell them you truly want me, his strong, healthy brother. Beg me to replace him.” My mind went completely blank. This command was beyond outrageous. Make me trample Dante’s last shred of dignity in front of everyone? That would be worse than killing me. I froze, my blood turning to ice. All eyes in the room were on me, filled with eager anticipation for the show. Adrian whispered beside me, his voice only audible to us, “Say it! What, are you scared?” I looked up at Dante, who was still seated at the head of the table. He had kept his head down, his expression unreadable, but his tightly clenched hands, knuckles white against the armrests of his wheelchair, betrayed his turmoil. A surge of courage, unlike anything I’d ever felt, rose from deep within me. To hell with the Hayes, to hell with Adrian! I was done playing their game. I took a deep breath, and made a decision that stunned everyone. (Paywall) I abruptly reached up and ripped the tiny earpiece from my ear. Under everyone’s astonished gazes, I slammed it onto the floor and crushed it to pieces with the heel of my shoe. “So annoying,” I uttered, my voice icy. A deathly silence fell over the entire dining hall. Adrian’s smile completely froze, replaced by shock and fury. “Skylar, you have a death wish!” he roared in a low voice. I ignored him, turned, and walked, step by step, towards Dante at the head of the table. Everyone held their breath. I walked up to Dante, and under his intensely cold gaze, I slowly knelt down. I didn’t say the vicious words from the earpiece.

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I was just leaving the clinic with my test results when my best friend, Leo, SnapChatted me: “Dude, I just saw your wife at the club. Called her name, but she completely ignored me. Just kept making out with some young hotshot.” My hands trembled as I tapped open the video Leo had sent. The bar pulsed with neon lights, and my wife, Chloe, was locked in a passionate kiss with a young guy, completely oblivious to everything else. From the side, he looked strikingly similar to me. But I knew, that wasn’t me. My heart twisted painfully. Just then, Leo’s call came through. “You and Chloe always had such a great relationship. They were kissing like crazy just now, tons of people cheering and screaming…” I forced a dry laugh, practically yelling into the phone, “Hahaha, jealous, man? I just left the club, didn’t get a chance to say hi. Next time, I’ll make it up to you! Gotta go!” I’ve always been proud and hated to lose face, so I lied to my friend. There I was, in a clinic, but I’d just lied and said I was at the club, pretending that man kissing Chloe was me. After hanging up, I clutched the hopeful medical report, slowly collapsing to the floor. I deeply loved Chloe. We’d been together since we were kids, starting our lives together in a small town and making our way to this bustling metropolis, building FusionTech Group from nothing. The company had just gone public last year. Now I had everything: career, love, luxury cars, a lavish villa… Our only regret was not having children. For years, due to my fertility issues, I’d endured immense pressure and undergone various painful treatments. Ten minutes ago, I’d seen a glimmer of hope for a cure; now, I learned Chloe was cheating on me. It felt like being ripped from heaven and plunged straight into hell. “No, there must be a misunderstanding.” I rushed home, intending to confront Chloe face-to-face. But I sat in the dark until deep into the night before Chloe finally arrived. “Why are the lights off?” Her clear, melodious mezzo-soprano voice cut through the silence. When she flicked on the crystal chandelier, the cascading light illuminated her pretty, slightly flushed face. Chloe was thirty-three, in the prime of her life, with a powerful aura. *Financial Times* had named her the “Most Beautiful CEO” in the tech industry. “Where were you?” I asked, my voice cold. Chloe walked over and sat beside me. “I was discussing a project, but Mr. Zhao insisted we go to a club…” “And you just went because he told you to? And at the club, you were…” Before I could finish, Chloe hugged me tightly. “I’ve been thinking about you all day, darling. I missed you so much, and I’m so upset.” Leaning into her familiar embrace, the bitterness in my heart nearly burst through my chest. “Don’t try to fool me with sweet talk!” Chloe choked out, “My sadness is real. We haven’t had children all this time, and my mom begged you on her knees, Julian, pleaded with you not to let our family line die out…” I choked. Because of my long-term infertility, Chloe’s mother, my mother-in-law Deborah, had grown increasingly critical of me. Just the day before yesterday, she’d even knelt before me, begging me not to waste her daughter’s life. I knew that incident had become a thorn in Chloe’s heart. So, was she just acting out of spite by flirting with another man today? I silently made excuses for Chloe in my mind. I didn’t dare confront her fully, not only because I loved her, but also because FusionTech Group was still on the rise, and a divorce would send our stock plummeting. I swallowed my hurt, letting Chloe hold me. “Darling, tomorrow is my mom’s 60th birthday. Please make a good impression and cheer her up,” Chloe said. I traced the medical report in my pocket and nodded. “Alright, I’ll announce some good news at Mom’s birthday dinner.” I thought, the biggest conflict between Chloe, her family, and me right now was the lack of children. If I announced the good news that I could be cured, all our problems would simply vanish, and Chloe’s heart would surely return completely to our family. However, that night, I received a message from Eleanor, the heiress of the Qin Corporation. “Your wife slept with my boyfriend. Come out, we need to talk.” ### Chapter 2 It was four in the morning, and the entire street was dark, but The Black Pearl restaurant had opened a private dining room just for us. Bright lights glowed from the window, soft classical music drifted from within, and elegant ballroom dancers swayed to the melody. I took a deep breath, putting on a composed smile as I walked in. “Ms. Eleanor, it’s an honor. Hearing about you is one thing, seeing you is another.” Eleanor’s captivating, almond-shaped eyes flicked towards me. “‘An honor’? What reputation do I have? A spoiled heiress, messing around, living a chaotic life?” Eleanor did have a terrible reputation. Outsiders said she was all looks and no brains, purely a prodigal socialite. She was currently making headlines with popular male celebrity Ryder. I continued with a hearty laugh, “Ms. Eleanor, your beauty is divine, it outshines every celebrity in Hollywood! Everyone in the city knows it!” “However, I think you might be mistaken about my wife’s relationship with your boyfriend. We merely… kissed after getting drunk at the club, so…” Eleanor sneered. “Julian, you truly won’t believe it until it slaps you in the face.” She dismissed everyone else from the room, then brought out a tablet and played a video. The video’s backdrop was a hotel lobby corner, where Chloe and Ryder were passionately kissing. “I love you, baby. I’ve been thinking about you so much I’m going crazy!” Chloe panted. Ryder, tall and handsome, held her close, his voice seductive. “But you’re already married.” Chloe didn’t hesitate. “My marriage has been a sham for ages. I have no feelings for him. If it weren’t for the company, I’d divorce him right now…” At that moment, that confession hit me like a ton of bricks. My composure, my dignity, my forced calm… all vanished. My face went pale, as if I’d aged ten years in an instant. It took a long time before I found my voice. “Why are you telling me this? What do you want from me?” I’m a businessman first, a man second. I know that in this world, everyone chases their own interests. Eleanor gazed into my eyes, speaking each word slowly and deliberately. “I want you to divorce Chloe.” “You want to bring down FusionTech Group?” “No, to be precise, I want FusionTech Group to split up.” Eleanor’s eyes were sharp and clear. “FusionTech is a comprehensive new energy group covering lithium batteries, energy storage, and hydrogen energy. It’s on the verge of dominating the industry.” “I need you and Chloe to separate the company. She’d take the lithium-ion battery sector, you’d lead the hydrogen energy division, and then we’d integrate it with Qin Corporation’s wind energy resources to build a closed-loop clean energy system.” My first reaction was to refuse. I didn’t trust Eleanor. Rather than partnering with her, a reckless socialite, I’d rather endure a cheating marriage to ensure FusionTech Group ran smoothly. Eleanor saw my hesitation and played her trump card. “One last warning for you, Julian—Chloe started transferring marital assets a long time ago. Check for yourself. She’s already bought eight villas for Ryder overseas.” ### Chapter 3 I didn’t sleep all night. When I arrived at the office in the morning, Chloe personally brought breakfast to my desk. “Darling, where were you last night? You look so pale, you must not have rested well.” Chloe’s eyes were full of concern that seemed genuine. My heart felt like it was breaking. I wanted to demand why she was cheating with Ryder. I wanted to flip the table, to splash coffee in her face, to smash the plate over her head… But I did nothing. I simply smiled faintly. “Thanks, sweetheart. Could you go to the morning meeting for me? I need to rest in my office.” Chloe gently agreed, then, as if by chance, brought up, “Oh, by the way, the PR department is waiting for us to finalize this year’s new energy vehicle spokesperson. I saw a celebrity named Ryder on our submitted list who seems quite good…” I instantly understood: she wanted to promote Ryder. “No, Ryder became famous through reality TV, he has no real acting credits. He doesn’t align with our brand image.” Chloe said, “Ryder is already excellent. When you were his age, you were still sleeping under bridges…” I couldn’t help but ask, “Do you think he’s better than me?” Chloe replied without thinking, “You can’t compare yourself to me. You’re older… No, what I mean is, I live off my looks, and you live off your brains. There’s no comparison.” I stared intently at the desktop, then let out a bitter laugh. “Women always prefer young and handsome men, don’t they?” Chloe quickly tried to amend, “I don’t know about other women, but I know I love you the most, always…” “Enough.” I interrupted. “It’s time for the meeting. You should head downstairs.” Our office was on the 22nd floor, and the meeting was in the large conference room on the 1st floor. Ten minutes after the meeting began, I secretly ordered the electrician to cut the elevator power, then led an IT expert into Chloe’s empty office. The IT expert spent a long time, finally hacking into Chloe’s computer system and pulling up recent financial data. I read for ten minutes, but it felt like walking alone in a blizzard for ten years, the cold seeping deep into my bones. Chloe had been transferring assets for over a year. She’d registered companies in the Cayman Islands, systematically transferring funds to the U.S., buying luxury cars and mansions there. I searched for those mansions online and saw the main photo showed Ryder, in a high-end suit, elegantly descending a grand staircase, looking every bit the man of the house. At that moment, I knew it was over. My fifteen years with Chloe, all of it, was over. When we were at our poorest, we’d share stale bread, live in a rundown shack with no roof, and huddle under a single raincoat, shivering in the pouring rain. To help Chloe start her business, I poured everything I had into it, even mortgaging our family home. To secure investments for Chloe, I’d drunk myself to stomach bleeding at countless business dinners. At countless employee meetings, Chloe had thanked me with tears in her eyes, saying she wouldn’t be where she was without me, and she swore to repay me with her life. In the end, her repayment was an affair. It felt like a thousand daggers were piercing my heart. I bit down on the back of my hand so hard it drew blood, refusing to shed a single tear. “Copy all the information, install monitoring software on her computer, then let’s go,” I calmly ordered. The IT expert glanced at my bleeding hand, then nervously did as he was told. The moment we restored Chloe’s office to its original state and closed the door, Chloe happened to come running up the stairs, her assistants panted behind her. “The elevator suddenly broke down, and they couldn’t fix it. I was worried you’d be scared alone on the 22nd floor, so I walked up.” Chloe strode towards me, her eyes overflowing with deep affection. The employees around us murmured appreciatively, “Ms. Chloe and Mr. Julian have such a good relationship! A model couple!” I just found it absurd, thinking Chloe was truly addicted to playing the role of the perfect wife. She didn’t love me, she probably wished she could divorce me immediately, yet in front of outsiders, she pretended to be utterly devoted. “Let’s go. Mom’s birthday dinner is about to start.” I dodged Chloe’s embrace, sweeping past her like a cool breeze. I decided not to divorce her yet, but to use Chloe’s infidelity as leverage to gain more control of FusionTech Group and become the new chairman. I was confident I could succeed, because I still held a trump card—the hope of being cured. As long as I could have offspring, Chloe would have to make concessions. We took the same Rolls-Royce to the banquet hall. On the way, Chloe poured me water, covered me with a blanket, and adjusted the air conditioning temperature, meticulously playing the good wife. I smiled in response, mentally rehearsing my plan for later. I’d unleash my trump card, present the evidence of Chloe’s affair, and hit her where it hurt, securing 60% of the company at her most vulnerable moment. But I never imagined I’d see Ryder in the back room of the birthday dinner. Ryder stood behind Deborah, his arm around her shoulders, a triumphant, arrogant smile plastered across his face. “Chloe and I will soon have a child of our own. We’ve already found a surrogate for IVF, and it *has* to be a boy!” ### Chapter 4 I was stunned. What shocked me most was that Chloe was having a baby with another man via surrogacy, behind my back? And even specified the child’s gender—it *had* to be a boy! For ten years, because of my infertility, we hadn’t had children. I’d asked her to get a full check-up too, but Chloe always put it off, citing work. Based on my condition, the doctors believed that while my chances of recovery were slim, it wasn’t impossible. To protect our relationship, I took all the blame, enduring arduous treatments. At this moment, Deborah’s face crinkled into a joyous smile. She patted Ryder’s arm warmly. “Such a good boy, handsome, and he’ll carry on our family line! I’m adopting you as my godson!” With that, Deborah slipped a family signet ring onto Ryder’s finger. “Good boy, come visit us often from now on.” Chloe and I had been married for ten years, and I knew how much my mother-in-law cherished that family signet ring. Normally, she’d only let me look at it, not even touch it. Now she was giving it directly to Ryder! Chloe also looked startled and rushed forward. “Mom, what are you doing? Julian is your son-in-law!” Deborah’s venomous old eyes sliced right through me. “A barren failure like you? Why haven’t you divorced her yet!” I gripped the briefcase containing my medical report, my eyes fixed on Chloe’s face. I wanted to know if Chloe was acting, deliberately orchestrating this “show” today, tacitly allowing Ryder to enter our family, letting her mother play the villain. Chloe’s beautiful face, however, showed nothing but utter helplessness. “I’m sorry, darling. I… I just mistook Ryder for you once when I was drunk… He looks so much like you, I swear I never wanted to divorce you…” “It seems you’ve already considered divorcing me.” At that moment, I understood that the advantage of my report was almost completely gone, because Chloe’s heart had already flown to Ryder. “Darling, please don’t be angry, I still love you…” Chloe tried to hug me. I pushed her away fiercely, my deep-set eyes burning with determined light. “Chloe, you’ve shown me no mercy, so don’t expect any from me!” I stormed out of the banquet hall, immediately arranging a meeting with Eleanor. On the way to the restaurant, my heart ached until it went numb. Memories flashed before my eyes like a carousel. I remembered twelve years ago, working the night shift at the factory. Chloe, worried I hadn’t eaten enough, would climb over the factory wall in the dead of winter to bring me hot sandwiches. Afraid the sandwiches would get cold, she’d tuck them into her clothes, burning a scar onto her chest. And another time, when I went south to open up a new market and got a high fever in the city. Chloe rushed back overnight, enduring the risk of infection to stay by my bedside, crying and saying she’d rather not make money than lose me. … As sweet as it once was, that’s how much it hurt now. I clutched my agonizing chest, biting my tongue until my mouth filled with the taste of blood. Still, I didn’t shed a single tear. My expression was stern as I met Eleanor. “Whose baby is it, the one Ryder and Chloe are having via surrogate?” I asked. Eleanor sprawled casually on the plush sofa opposite me. On anyone else, such a posture would seem frivolous, but Eleanor was so stunning that it had the alluring charm of a femme fatale from a painting. “Ryder’s had plenty of wealthy women bankroll him; it’s hard to tell.” Eleanor’s captivating eyes shimmered, and she watched me with a playful smile. “But Chloe is too proud to admit she’s been fooled, even if she knew. She’s convinced Ryder can give her a child. Julian, what are *you* going to do?” I’d expected Eleanor, having had her boyfriend stolen, to show some anger. But Eleanor was completely relaxed, continuing to tempt me. “Listen to me, spin off FusionTech Group’s hydrogen energy business, and merge it with my Qin Corporation’s wind energy business. We’ll conquer the new energy market together.” I calmly analyzed, “The outside world knows FusionTech Group and Qin Capital are rivals. If we suddenly partner, internally, I’ll struggle to reassure employees, and externally, I’ll struggle to convince clients.” Eleanor said, “It’s simple. You just have to marry me.” “What?!” I doubted my own hearing. Eleanor sat upright, leaning across the tea table to look directly into my eyes. She spoke seriously, “Our marriage is the best way to gain public trust.” ### Chapter 5 I lowered my gaze. “My physical condition… I might not be able to have children.” Eleanor’s expression froze for a moment. After a few seconds of hesitation, she said, “I don’t care. Technology is so advanced, there’s always a way. Even if not, it doesn’t matter.” I thought to myself that the whole Ryder and Chloe baby situation was likely a setup by Eleanor. Chloe would be raising Ryder’s child, so Eleanor didn’t mind that I might not have children. Rich people really know how to play games. I felt utterly disdainful and immediately refused Eleanor. “I’m not willing to marry you. Let’s not bring this up again.” Ever since Ryder appeared at the birthday dinner, Chloe no longer hid her affair; she openly used her capital to promote Ryder. She made Ryder the spokesperson for FusionTech Group’s new energy vehicles. At FusionTech Group’s sponsored annual supercar championship, Chloe attended with Ryder. By this time, the news that Chloe and I were divorcing had started to circulate in a small circle. The PR department advised Chloe to flaunt our affection more at the supercar race to quell negative rumors. However, Chloe seemed utterly consumed by her love for Ryder, completely ignoring me throughout and focusing only on pleasing him. In the VIP box, Ryder looked down at the entire race track, triumphantly telling me, “Chloe said that no matter which car I bet on today, she’d make sure it becomes the champion.” On the asphalt track of the racetrack, eight luxurious supercars were poised for action. After Ryder chose to bet on the sapphire blue Car No. 6, the announcement immediately blared: “FusionTech Group CEO, Ms. Chloe Evans, has placed a one hundred million dollar bet on Car No. 6!” The entire crowd erupted in an instant, because this was a blatant display of affection! Whichever car spokesperson Ryder bet on, the CEO would give that car a hundred-million-dollar bonus! Ryder instantly topped the trending topics. He excitedly turned to me, his face red, and challenged, “Which one are you betting on? Hmph, afraid to lose to me, are you?” I clutched my phone, my knuckles white with hatred. It was a SnapChat from Eleanor, just three simple words: “Choose No. 8.” In my anger, I briefly lost my mind, instinctively trusting Eleanor, and announced, “I’m betting on No. 8, and I’m also putting in a hundred million.” Ryder roared with laughter, leaning against Chloe, and sneered at me from above. “You’re definitely going to lose! Car No. 6’s driver was last year’s Asian Championship winner. Your chosen Car No. 8 has an unknown driver, probably some amateur just making up the numbers.” Just then, the track lights flared, engines roared, tearing through the air, and the eight race cars shot out like arrows. I held my breath, my eyes fixed on the bright pink Car No. 8, glancing at Chloe out of the corner of my eye. She wore a bespoke suit, looking sharp and elegant, pouring champagne for Ryder. I insisted on the divorce. During this time, Chloe and I had separated, each hiring legal teams to discuss asset division. Chloe was furious, transferring all her past affection for me to Ryder. I still hadn’t revealed the news that my condition could be cured. My heart was broken, and I was considering whether to abandon treatment and completely sever ties with the past. Mid-race, Car No. 6 and Car No. 8 took a clear lead, far ahead of the other cars. The two cars entered a turn side-by-side, sparks flying on the track. The crowd screamed and cheered. Ryder excitedly stood up, cheering for Car No. 6. I desperately hoped Car No. 6 would win. In a way, Car No. 6 and Car No. 8 represented Ryder and me. I stood unmoving, but my heart pounded, and I clenched my fists. The two cars battled into the final corner. Car No. 6 took a conservative defensive line, but Car No. 8 risked an outside line, drifting through the corner at full throttle like a pink lightning bolt. At the finish line, my heart rate shot to 180. I watched with my own eyes as Car No. 8 soared over the finish line, winning by a thrilling 0.18 seconds. The entire audience rose, cheering, and pointed their cameras at the driver’s seat of Car No. 8. The car door opened, and a slender, shapely leg, encased in a racing suit, stepped out first. A颯爽 figure stood up gracefully. She took off her helmet, a cascade of wine-red curly hair fell down, sweat glistening like shattered diamonds in the sunlight. She looked like a rose forged in fire, exuding an unstoppable, sharp edge. “Eleanor?!” My eyes widened in shock. I couldn’t believe Car No. 8’s driver was Eleanor. She looked up, her captivating eyes narrowing slightly, sweeping over the stands like a fleeting shadow. When she saw me, a smile suddenly bloomed on her face. Like a hunter spotting her prey. ### Chapter 6 The race used a points system, and Eleanor, driving Car No. 8, was currently in first place. If she maintained her lead in the next endurance race, she would win the championship and the 100 million dollar prize I had promised. I quietly went backstage, intending to encourage Eleanor to give her all and beat Car No. 6. But then I overheard Eleanor’s conversation with someone else in the lounge. “Ms. Eleanor, you have such interesting taste. I’m already a 32-year-old man, and you’re personally racing just to make me happy. This sport is life-threatening, you know…” Eleanor’s lazy voice drifted out, “Hmph, it’s just that his wife stole my boyfriend, so I was annoyed and wanted to return the favor with a ‘hat,’ that’s why I went to seduce Julian.” My hand, reaching to knock on the door, froze. It dropped slowly like a puppet with cut strings. So that was it… This world offered no redemption, only calculations. I immediately turned and left. It started to rain on my way back to the stands. I straightened my back, enduring the internal pain, maintaining a proud demeanor. Until I saw a familiar figure standing on the steps ahead. My gaze slowly traveled upwards, meeting Ryder’s triumphant eyes. “You don’t really think the No. 8 driver likes you, do you? You’re completely wrong! She’s my ex-girlfriend. She wanted to beat No. 6 to get *my* attention.” “As a man, you’re a total failure. Your wife likes me, and all the women around you prefer me…” I snorted. “Is being liked by women an honor? I don’t care about that; I only care about my career.” Ryder let out a short, derisive laugh. He leaned against Chloe, sneering at me from above. “You’re just saying sour grapes! Only ugly men get bogged down with dirty work and careers. Handsome men like me do nothing and get pampered by wealthy women.” At that moment, my disgust for Ryder reached its peak. “Enough. I have nothing to say to you.” I continued up the stairs. As I passed Ryder, I was suddenly elbowed in the chest by an unseen force. In the split second before I tumbled down the steps, I saw the malice in Ryder’s eyes. “Ah—!” My cry of pain was drowned out by Ryder’s shrill scream. Ryder sat down heavily on the ground, clutching his waist and groaning in pain. “Julian, why did you push me? It hurts so bad, my back hurts so much! Oh god, I just had surgery, nothing bad happened, did it…?” Chloe quickly arrived with bodyguards, her face etched with anxious concern. “Ryder, don’t be scared, I’m here.” Ryder, tears streaming, shrank into her embrace. “I don’t know what happened, Mr. Julian suddenly pushed me down the stairs. I didn’t provoke him, I just wanted to offer him an umbrella…” Chloe’s eyes blazed with fury, and she glared at me. “You’re despicable, Julian. You deliberately tried to hurt Ryder so I wouldn’t divorce you, didn’t you?” I was in too much pain to speak. I clutched my leg, feeling a piercing agony. It was probably broken. “I… my leg feels broken. Get me to a clinic…” My face was pale, and I hissed as I gasped for air. Chloe completely disbelieved me. “Stop faking it! You’re a grown man, how much could a fall hurt! I’m taking Ryder to the clinic now; I’ll deal with you when I get back!” She carefully helped Ryder up and, surrounded by bodyguards, swept away. The rain fell harder, drenching me completely. I painfully held onto the railing, trying to pull myself up, but the pain was too intense; I couldn’t find the strength. “Julian!” Eleanor’s voice pierced through the rain. “What happened to you? I’ll take you to the clinic…” Just then, the racetrack’s announcement blared: “The endurance race will begin in ten minutes. Drivers, please take your positions.” I shook my head, refusing Eleanor. “The race is about to start. I don’t want to affect your chances of winning. Go.” “Are you kidding? This is a matter of life and death!” Eleanor quickly called someone to help me into her race car, then swerved the wheel, speeding out of the track and onto the street amidst the astonished cries of thousands. ### Chapter 7 My right leg was fractured. I’d mentally prepared myself, but when I heard the diagnosis, my eyes still welled up. It had been a long time since I felt so vulnerable. I seemed to have lost the ability to cry out in pain, only silently licking my wounds in deserted corners. Eleanor stood by my hospital bed, fidgeting, sitting down and then standing up. She wanted to comfort me but didn’t know how to start. I turned my head away. “You can go. No need for this pretense. Go check on Ryder and that baby of yours.” After a few seconds of tense silence, Eleanor sighed. “The child Chloe and Ryder are having isn’t using my eggs. I have no interest in ruining my body for a filthy man like that. Believe it or not… my reputation for living a wild life was just a smokescreen.” I scoffed. “Spin it, keep spinning.” I didn’t trust Eleanor. Even though two hours earlier, Eleanor had abandoned her chance to win, sacrificing a hundred million dollars, to rush me to the clinic in the pouring rain, speeding down the highway, driving one-handed, the other hand tightly gripping mine, repeatedly telling me not to be scared. Now Eleanor’s face was serious. “I swear, if I lie a single word, I’ll die a miserable death.” “Julian, it’s my fault. I sought your cooperation before you truly understood me, so I understand why you don’t trust me now.” “You must have heard the rumors—that I’m the founder’s illegitimate daughter.” I remained silent. Eleanor continued, “My mother was my father, Mr. Qin’s, first wife. Later, Mr. Qin climbed the ladder by marrying Serena, a high-ranking official’s daughter, and abandoned my mom.” “Serena couldn’t tolerate us. She spread rumors that my mom was a mistress and I was illegitimate. When I was a child, my mom and I often suffered food poisoning. Later, my mom died in a car accident, and I barely survived…” Listening to her calm narration, I felt my heart pound. I couldn’t imagine what a perilous life Eleanor had led—her mother killed by a powerful stepmother, herself frequently subjected to “accidents.” “Serena was afraid I’d get involved in the Qin family business, so I had to pretend to be useless and uneducated.” Eleanor’s gaze was deep and clear, fixed on me. “So, can you understand me, Julian? I’m not a bad person. I need your help, very much.” Three months later, I returned to FusionTech Group. I had fully recovered, back in peak condition. A dark brown suit highlighted my tall frame, exuding a dashing and sharp demeanor. The marble corridor leading to FusionTech Group’s main conference room echoed with the steady sound of my dress shoes. I smiled calmly, nodding to everyone. Everyone stood solemnly at attention, watching me walk to the table opposite Chloe. Chloe gazed at my healthy-looking face, still trying to salvage things. “Why must we divorce? Julian, as long as you promise not to hurt Ryder again, I can still make room for you.” I acted as if I hadn’t heard, turning to let my lawyer lead the meeting. The lawyer unrolled the agreement and read, “…After multiple rounds of negotiation, Ms. Chloe Evans, CEO, retains the Group’s core lithium battery and new energy vehicle businesses.” “Mr. Julian Evans, Vice President, receives the hydrogen energy division, the energy storage research institute, and 28 core patents.” “Both parties share the right to use the FusionTech Group brand until the end of the year, with new brands to be established by each party starting January 1st next year…” Before the lawyer finished, I immediately raised an objection. “Starting tomorrow, the hydrogen energy division I lead will no longer operate under the FusionTech Group brand. Chloe can have exclusive use of this billion-dollar brand. In return, I want her to make concessions on our marital assets.” I ruthlessly seized Chloe’s dozens of villas, both domestic and overseas. Chloe didn’t hesitate much before nodding in agreement. She didn’t want the scandal of marital infidelity to get too big, and more importantly, she believed I had suffered a huge loss in the division of FusionTech Group. Over the past six months, FusionTech Group’s hydrogen energy business had been deteriorating, with very poor returns. My decision to spin off the hydrogen energy business seemed like a thankless task. We negotiated from 8 AM to 3 PM, finally settling the asset division of our 10-year marriage. “Perfect timing.” I smiled faintly. “I booked our divorce appointment at the registry office for 4 PM this afternoon. We can go now.” Chloe was surprised. “So urgent? Today… is my birthday.” My smile deepened. “I know. That’s why, besides the divorce certificate, I’ve prepared a few other important birthday gifts for you.” ### Chapter 8 At 5 PM, Chloe and I walked down the steps of the registry office. Chloe suddenly said, “Your right leg trembles when you walk downstairs. Why?” I paused, then gave a self-mocking smile. Why? It was because of that fall three months ago! Ryder had pushed me, sending me tumbling down the stairs, resulting in a fractured right leg. The pain was bone-deep. Physical wounds heal easily, but emotional ones are harder to mend. Since then, walking downstairs had become somewhat difficult for me. I hadn’t expected Chloe to notice such a detail. “The answer is in this folder.” I pulled a brown envelope from my briefcase and handed it to Chloe. “This is your birthday gift. Open it only after you see Ryder.” With those words, I turned and walked away, my figure tall and straight under the pink and golden sunset. My heart still ached from the betrayal, the false accusations, the disappointment… Those pains clung to my bones like moss in the incessant rain. I didn’t know how long it would take to fully emerge from the shadows. But tonight, I would make Chloe experience overwhelming despair. Chloe silently watched my retreating back, feeling a profound loneliness. Once inside the Rolls-Royce, her assistant enthusiastically described the evening’s plans. “Mr. Ryder personally made a cake for you… He booked a yacht, invited over a hundred VIPs, and there will be a fireworks show…” Chloe found it utterly tasteless. “Enough. I want to rest my eyes now. Leave me.” The assistant immediately fell silent, but then, as Chloe closed her eyes, he suddenly exclaimed, “Ms. Chloe, quickly, look at the trending topics!” Chloe angrily opened her eyes, about to reprimand the assistant, but then she saw the top trending topic: #RyderSeenWithDirectorAndProducerAtNight# Tapping on the trending topic revealed a video with a timeline. Seven months ago, Ryder was filming a romance drama. In the middle of the night, he was seen flirting with the female director outside a hotel, entering a room arm-in-arm. At 3 AM, the female producer also covertly entered the same room. Chloe instantly erupted in fury. She immediately contacted her connections to have the trending topic removed, then rushed home to confront Ryder. “How many women have you been involved with?!” Ryder burst into tears, clinging to Chloe’s leg and wailing, “Those videos are fake! Someone’s deliberately slandering me, trying to ruin our relationship, you have to believe me, Ms. Chloe!” Ten minutes earlier, Chloe had already sent professionals to verify the videos, confirming they weren’t doctored. She recoiled in disgust. “I just want you to tell me the truth. Seven months ago, how many women were you… involved with?” Ryder shook his head frantically. “Only you, I swear, only you! Ms. Chloe, you’re so captivating, how could I look at anyone else…” “Enough!” Chloe didn’t want to hear Ryder’s lies anymore. She coldly instructed her assistant, “Immediately investigate that surrogacy agency. I need to know the DNA source of that embryo!” Ryder shrieked, “No! Ms. Chloe, you can’t do this to me! I can’t give you a child, but *we* can!” Mentioning me, Chloe remembered the birthday gift in the brown envelope. I had told her to open it only after seeing Ryder. Chloe hadn’t been interested in the gift at all, but because I had given it to her, she impatiently tore open the envelope. Two sheets of paper fluttered out. She picked them up, and after seeing the contents of the first sheet, her mind felt like it had been struck by a meteor. It was my medical report, which clearly stated that after long-term treatment, my fertility had a significant chance of returning to normal. Chloe clutched the paper, staring at it in disbelief, checking it again and again, confirming it was real—I could have had my own child. ### Chapter 9 Chloe’s hands trembled as she knelt, fumbling for the other piece of paper. After seeing its contents, her heart plummeted into hell. A bone fracture diagnosis. It was dated three months ago, after that supercar championship, when I had fractured my right leg from a fall down the stairs. In a flash of realization, Chloe understood everything. That day, it was raining. Ryder was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, screaming that I had pushed him. At the time, Chloe was only concerned with taking Ryder to the clinic, not noticing that I, too, was on the ground, my face utterly pale. When I said my leg felt broken, Chloe scoffed, instinctively believing I was lying. Because I was a man, she assumed I should be strong, not so fragile. Now she finally realized what she had missed. She had been anxious about not having children at thirty-three. When she heard Ryder could fulfill her wish, she immediately put him on a pedestal. She knew this would undoubtedly hurt me, but she couldn’t care less; she yearned for a child too desperately. So desperately that she was completely blind, only focused on pampering a philandering young man, losing the man who could have spent his life with her and given them a child who was truly ours. Chloe clutched the two papers tighter and tighter, her fingers piercing through the sheets. She knelt on the floor, letting out a low growl. “Julian—!” “Don’t leave… Don’t go…” Past memories flooded her mind like scattered snowflakes. Their childhood sweethearts days, laughing as they rode bicycles by the sea, working overtime in a scorching factory without AC, crying in each other’s arms after their first business failed… Chloe was drowned in an overwhelming wave of regret. She frantically searched for her phone, yelling at her stunned assistant standing at the door, “Where’s my phone? Call Julian immediately! I need to find him! He’ll understand my difficulties…” The assistant stammered, “Um, but… it’s too late.” “What ‘but’? What’s ‘too late’? I need to see Julian now!” Chloe’s eyes were bloodshot. The assistant recoiled in fear. “You… You should really look at the top trending topic now.” Chloe sneered. “Isn’t it just Ryder’s affair? I already had it taken down.” “Ms. Chloe, after you removed that trending topic, another one immediately soared to the top—‘VastReach Energy Tech Vice President Julian Evans is engaged to Qin Capital Heiress Eleanor Qin!’” ### Chapter 10 I had planned for a low-key second wedding. But Eleanor insisted on a grand affair.

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The seventh day after I was driven to my death by Seraphina’s childhood best friend, she was filled with regret. Everyone praised her unwavering devotion to me. Only I knew that, in this new life, she still let her childhood friend, Damian, replace me as the Principal Musician, a spot I’d fought so hard to earn. “Asher, just wait a little longer. Next time we’re reborn, I’ll make it up to you, okay?” I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips. “No need.” Later, the imperious CEO Seraphina came to me, her eyes red-rimmed, begging. “Damian and I are over. Asher, can you just look at me one more time?” I still smiled. “No need.” Did just a sliver of the truth drive her to madness? My revenge was only just beginning. … It was deep winter, a time for warm hearths and falling snow. I quietly snuck into the locked Performing Arts Academy, intent on retrieving a mysterious box. From the dressing room, hurried gasps and low moans drifted out—an unsettling sound. Through the slightly ajar window, I saw a sight that would haunt me for two lifetimes! Seraphina and her childhood friend, Damian, were entwined, impossibly close. The sickening sound of their lips grinding and saliva mixing sent shivers of ice through me. But what truly killed any last hope I held was Seraphina’s next words. “I do like Asher, but what I like more is seeing him lose hope again and again, then painstakingly pull himself back together, only to come crawling back to me.” “Don’t worry. In the last life, even though I knew you were always there for me, even closer than Asher, I still stayed in that miserable ten-year marriage with him.” “This time around, all it takes is a small gesture from me, and he’ll come running, desperate.” In that moment, it felt like a truckload of cement poured into my heart, instantly solidifying. My most beloved and I were reborn together in 1987. But even after rebirth, she still betrayed me. She even accelerated her change of heart, moving it from the second year of our marriage to *before* we were even wed. Clutching the long, dark box, I stumbled down the brutally cold street, like a zombie, one foot dragging after the other. Suddenly, a warm, spring-like voice crackled from a loudspeaker. “This is Seraphina, wishing all my colleagues at the Performing Arts Academy a happy Winter Solstice!” That familiar voice pulled my thoughts back ten years, drifting like the falling snow. My mother adopted the orphaned child of a family friend who passed away suddenly, and from then on, I became the most overlooked person in our home. My mother slapped me across the face so hard my ears rang, all because my flute interrupted my brothers’ piano practice. As I waded into the freezing river, step by step, sinking deeper into despair… Someone walked into my life. On a snowy night, the elegant and aloof Seraphina gently extended her hand to me. “Hey there, what’s wrong? Why are you crying so hard?” A child starved of love at home would give their whole heart for even a scrap of kindness from outside. And Seraphina offered not just a scrap, but ten whole years of care. Back in a time when mental health wasn’t widely understood, and people often dismissed depression as “all in your head,” she believed me implicitly. For ten years, she held me close, nurturing me like a precious light, saving me from the darkness. She chose not to inherit her family’s empire, instead taking an external consulting position, just to stay with me in Riverwood. How could I not love her to my very bones? Later, Seraphina started her own company and her heart changed. My depression relapsed, but I clung to the memories of those ten years when she truly cared. She was still my last lifeline, the only thing a drowning man could grab onto. That’s why, when Damian, her childhood friend, intruded on our marriage and ultimately drove me to my death, I was devastated. Seeing her filled with regret, leaving behind two letters, still pierced my heart. *“Seraphina’s only wish in this life is this:* *To sleep by my beloved husband’s side in life, and rest in the same grave in death.* *Through all lives, never again to betray his longing heart.”* I wanted to kill the manipulative CEO Seraphina, not *my* Seraphina. But as CEO Seraphina died, she transformed back into my Seraphina. My Seraphina died. The world praised her, saying a changed woman was worth more than gold. Even as a soul, I thought Seraphina had truly repented, and I gave her a chance to be reborn. Now, I realized how foolish I had been. The new beginning I fought for with my very life only gave her another chance to hurt me! “Meow~” A cat’s cry pulled me back to reality. The Academy’s cats were spoiled; they knew they had a home, that someone would look for them if they got lost, so they often wandered off. But I had no such luck. The person who would search for me in this world, who would wipe away the rain and tears, was gone. Arriving at the performance hall, I immediately spotted the notice that Damian had been temporarily swapped in as the Principal Musician, all under the pitying, sympathetic gazes of the crowd. Seraphina had transferred me here three days ago. The moment I arrived at the Academy, she tried to claim my private practice room. At that time, I had just been reborn and didn’t yet know that Seraphina would betray me again in this life. Filled with hope, I argued my case, refusing to back down. I firmly believed that with her memories of the past life, she would surely ensure fairness for me. But in the end, it was I who lost the practice room and remained silently crushed. Now, the dream was over. Looking at Damian, dressed in his performance attire, his words gentle but his expression overtly provocative, I no longer felt the same old resentment. “Asher, I really didn’t want this, but Seraphina is the Conductor-in-Chief. I couldn’t refuse her.” He saw Seraphina rushing towards us from behind the curtain. “—If you want to hit someone, hit me!” He actually grabbed my hand and slapped himself across the face! **Chapter 2** “SMACK!” The loud slap and Seraphina’s frantic figure arrived simultaneously. Before I could even react, Seraphina was already dotingly helping the seemingly wronged Damian, her anger immediately directed at me. “Asher, why are you still holding a grudge over that practice room?!” “You knew I was leading the performance, yet you injured my face. Your mindset is truly despicable!” “Or is it because I temporarily replaced you as Principal, and you’re taking it out on Damian?” Staring at Seraphina’s taut face, a chill ran through my entire body. She knew I had a deep-seated trauma from being slapped, that I would tremble uncontrollably if I even saw someone get slapped on the street. Yet, she believed him. “I didn’t hit him!” “If you didn’t hit him, did Damian slap himself?” I nodded honestly, “Exactly.” She scoffed, as if I’d told the funniest joke. “Asher, you really just make up lies on the spot, don’t you?” In that moment, my silence was deafening. Seraphina and my wedding was set for next month. Now, Seraphina was defending Damian in front of everyone, addressing me, her fiancé, by my full name, while treating Damian with such concern. How ridiculous. Damian feigned generosity, trying to mediate. “Seraphina, forget it. Let’s not bother with Asher. The performance is more important.” They protected each other, as if *they* were the ones getting married. It made me feel like an out-of-place outsider. Seraphina simply wouldn’t believe my explanation. She supported Damian, her eyes sharpening, her brows furrowed. “I’m all alone, with no one to rely on. Why won’t you just leave me alone?!” “If this happens again, I absolutely won’t forgive you!” Some grievances felt like slaps, rendering me speechless. When had I ever said I wanted to make things difficult for Damian? From beginning to end, I hadn’t even blamed her. In the past, whenever I saw Seraphina favoring Damian, my heart would ache. I couldn’t understand how the Seraphina who doted on me so much could change her heart so suddenly. But after two lifetimes, I suddenly felt a sense of relief. Instead of forcing things, it was better to cut my losses. “It won’t happen again. There won’t be a next time.” “Seraphina, for our wedding next month, I’ll prepare a huge surprise for you.” A grand surprise that would expose the affair between the bride and her lover, condemning her to a pillar of shame in this conservative era, crucified a thousand times over! Seeing my cold expression, and no argument despite her favoritism, Seraphina felt a strange discomfort. But then she reassured herself that I was still the same, always trying to please her out of fear of losing her. The small incident didn’t delay the performance. However, as soon as the ensemble began, I suddenly felt an intense itch all over. Realizing my hives were flaring up, I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to endure and finish the piece. But the moment I stepped off stage, Damian immediately pulled Seraphina aside to complain, claiming I deliberately sabotaged him. “Asher, I know you don’t like me, but how could you be so distracted during such an important performance, making so many mistakes?” He had the nerve to play the victim! If it weren’t for the hives making my playing unsteady and almost ruining the entire performance, why would I risk looking like an amateur in front of so many professional musicians? I rolled up my sleeve, revealing the shocking red rashes on my arm, and defended myself, word by word. “Someone tampered with my performance attire beforehand.” “This person would have to know in advance that the principal position would change, and also know I’m allergic to pollen.” I stepped closer to Damian. I watched as he grew anxious and flustered under my gaze, about to expose himself. But Seraphina, as if blind, pulled Damian behind her, shielding him tightly. She quickly issued a warning to me. “A dirty mind sees dirt everywhere.” “You obviously didn’t take care of your own performance attire. Why are you trying to pin the blame on Damian?” Disappointment felt like a gulp of cold water, chilling me from my stomach to my core. I thought my heart was numb, yet it still twinged slightly at Seraphina’s baseless favoritism. I swallowed a mouthful of bitterness, lowering my gaze, knowing there was no point in explaining further. Damian, however, chose that moment to put a hand on my shoulder, playing the role of the good guy. “Asher, don’t make a scene here and embarrass Seraphina.” **Chapter 3** Seeing Seraphina say nothing, Damian grew bolder. “You can hit me or scold me, but please don’t joke around with Seraphina’s future.” “If you truly care about Seraphina, you should quickly apologize and write a ten or twenty-thousand-word self-criticism to show your sincerity.” “Damian’s right!” Seraphina crossed her arms, turning away in a huff, waiting for me to apologize to her publicly. But this time, she was destined to be disappointed. I shook off Damian’s hand, giving him a cold, mocking glance. “I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize? You’re the one who should apologize.” The moment the words left my lips, the atmosphere grew tense. Seraphina pursed her lips, her eyes cold. Because I didn’t want to lose the only lifeline that could save me, in the past, whenever she was unhappy, I would immediately apologize and fawn over her, stumbling over myself. To beg her forgiveness, I once waited for her all night outside her door, braving a heavy snowstorm. But each time I sacrificed my dignity, all I received was Seraphina’s increasingly blatant disregard. Until, finally, the love I’d begged for became precarious, leading to my tragic death on the street. So in this life, I wanted none of it. None at all. Damian flinched when I pushed him, frowning as if in pain. “I didn’t realize Asher was so strong for someone so quiet.” As Seraphina looked over with a worried gaze, Damian quickly adopted a wronged, yet magnanimous expression. “It’s fine if Asher hits or scolds me, as long as he calms down, and it doesn’t affect Seraphina.” Those words pierced Seraphina’s heart. Her face darkened several shades. She abruptly grabbed my wrist, pulling me, stumbling, in front of her. “Go to the isolation room and reflect on your actions.” “Don’t come out until you’ve written a twenty-thousand-word self-criticism.” I huddled alone in the freezing isolation room, gazing at the solitary moon. When I was little, if I ever upset my younger brothers, I’d be met with slaps and confined to a dark, endless room. Seraphina once held my hand, telling me with grave sincerity, “Asher, as long as I’m here, no one will ever lock you in a dark room again.” Her promise still echoed in my ears. But the very person who had sworn that oath was now the one pushing me into the darkness. I raised a hand to my face, only to realize, at some point, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I didn’t want to cry. But when my depression flared up, I couldn’t control myself. My body was numb, my mind cold. The only sensation was like slowly, slowly sinking into a cold, buoyant-less pool of stagnant water, my limbs growing heavier, water rising over my mouth and nose, making it hard to breathe, my head feeling like it would explode… But, I was powerless to resist. Just as I, having lost my last lifeline, was about to drown in the boundless abyss of depression, a clear “ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling—” chimed like a saving grace. I looked up. In the interplay of light and shadow, I saw another me, resilient and brave. Reaching out, she pulled me from the darkness, telling me, “Keep moving forward, don’t look back.” The next day, the entire Academy buzzed with talk of Conductor Seraphina’s impartiality, refusing to excuse even her fiancé’s mistakes, making her a true role model. My good friend, Leo, who came to visit me at the infirmary, angrily protested on my behalf. “When I found you this morning, your body was half-frozen!” “She almost killed you, and you’re still so foolish, asking me to spread word of her noble image!” I heard the inspection team was coming soon. Of course, I had to solidify Seraphina’s reputation for integrity before they arrived. Soon after, Seraphina arrived at the infirmary with a bowl of plain porridge. Her tall, slender figure stood by the bed, her eyes dismissive. “You’re quite the actor, faking illness all the way to the infirmary.” I knew Seraphina was waiting. Waiting for me to cry and beg for her forgiveness. Suddenly, my past self seemed so pathetic and laughable, so ignorant as to place my hope for life in one woman. With pale lips, I offered her a faint smile. I didn’t defend myself, only feigned a bit of weakness. “Seraphina, I’m just so scared of losing you.” “Scared you’ll cancel next month’s wedding and marry Damian instead. I felt so desperate, so I—” I lowered my gaze, tears welling up and spilling over. **Chapter 4** In the past, when I felt wronged, I would take advantage of Seraphina’s former affection, causing a huge fuss. Then, I would cautiously try to appease her, begging for her understanding, utterly humble. I would never express my love so directly, so passionately. Seraphina pursed her lips, too embarrassed to reprimand me further, but deep down, she felt a subtle unease at my unpredictable behavior. She instinctively reached for my hand as I got out of bed, but I subtly evaded her touch. I had endured the hardest times on my own; from now on, she was no longer a necessity for me. Seraphina’s face stiffened slightly. She felt as if something incredibly important was slowly, piece by piece, being pulled away. “If you’re truly repentant, the first thing you’ll do after you’re discharged is apologize to a shaken Damian.” I pursed my lips, saying nothing. Perhaps feeling her tone was too harsh, Seraphina softened her voice. “If you behave well from now on, maybe, if I’m in a good mood, I’ll consider taking you to Capitol City.” To go to the Capitol City Conservatory was nothing short of a massive career boost. In the past, I would have been eternally grateful for her charity. But now, looking at that perpetually superior, arrogant face, I just wanted to laugh. Thanks to information from my previous life, Seraphina was scheduled to be officially transferred to be Director of the Capitol City Conservatory next month. But taking family members along was always part of the organization’s arrangement. How did it become *her* charity when it came to me? She must have originally intended to bring Damian. After a day of rest, I went to Director Davies’ office. He was quite surprised to hear I wanted a letter of recommendation to study with Maestro Silas, the master flutist. And that I wanted to sign up for next year’s adult college entrance exams. “If you pass, you’d be living far from Conductor Seraphina, you know.” I nodded bitterly, forcing a self-deprecating smile amidst Director Davies’ sighs of resignation. My public praise of Seraphina might fool others, but not Director Davies, who had watched me grow up. “I just want to be as far away from her as possible. Preferably never see her again.” The words had barely left my mouth when the door was pushed open. Seraphina walked in, her face anxious. “Asher, you’re leaving me?” She clasped my hand, nervously pursing her lips. My heart jolted. I took half a step back, creating a subtle distance between us. “I was just saying that since we’re moving to Capitol City soon, I feel a little sentimental.” Seeing she still looked doubtful, I winked playfully, though I didn’t truly meet her gaze. “You’re the only one who can pull me out of my depression. How could I live without you?” The reason was strong enough; Seraphina had no reason not to believe me. But the faint, unreadable smile on my lips suddenly made her feel utterly unfamiliar. She frowned, letting out an annoyed sigh. “As long as you understand.” Then, she also asked Director Davies for a letter of recommendation for the flute master. “With Damian’s talent, being here at the Academy is truly beneath him.” “I heard Maestro Silas is looking for a talented successor. Damian is the perfect candidate!” Director Davies frowned, reminding her. “But don’t you remember? Asher also plays the flute.” And not just that, he was Maestro Silas’s chosen successor ten years ago. Seraphina froze, as if just remembering this fact. She glanced at me with some difficulty. “It’s fine, Director. Asher can wait. And I’m not that talented; I wouldn’t achieve anything even if I went.” “Damian is different. He’s suffered a lot over the years, and now he finally has an opportunity; he absolutely cannot miss it.” To lend credence to her words, Seraphina pretended to respectfully ask for my opinion. “Asher, you can wait, right?” Under the table, she elbowed me. Director Davies saw everything, shaking his head resignedly. He seemed to understand why my attitude had been so firm just now. My face pale, I simply “hmm-ed” and left the room first. I didn’t see Seraphina reaching out to grab my hand. The person who used to cling to her desperately, who wanted to hold her hand even to the bathroom. Now just walked away without a word. Seraphina awkwardly dropped her hand, suspended in mid-air, feeling a sense of disbelief. Her gaze, complicated, fixated on my straight back. She suddenly realized that I had been unnervingly well-behaved lately. So, at dinner, Seraphina actually pushed a plate of my favorite braised beef in front of me. She said, somewhat awkwardly, that she had specially bought it for me. Everyone around us started teasing. “Spending a week’s salary on beef? Conductor Seraphina sure dotes on her fiancé!” **Chapter 5** I didn’t refuse. Under her expectant gaze, I devoured the dish with gusto. Looking up, I saw a flicker of disappointment cross her face, just as I expected. I pretended not to understand her sadness, that it was because I hadn’t, as usual, shared the meat with her. I picked up my bowl and, in one go, drank every last drop of the soup. As she stared at me with a bewildered expression, I curled my lips into a calm smile and said thank you. Then, I stood up and left. Leaving a dumbfounded Seraphina to stew in the cold. Over the next few days, Seraphina suddenly took Damian on a business trip to Riverbend. Rumors spread that the two had gone on a romantic getaway. I remained unaffected, practicing my flute during the day and reading by lamplight late into the night. A few days later, someone slipped a small note into my locker. It asked me to meet in the back hills tonight at 8:30 PM. The note was signed by Seraphina, and the handwriting looked somewhat like hers. But Seraphina was proud. She could just crook her finger, and I would come. Why would she bother putting in such effort now? Despite my doubts, I still went. Just as I expected, Damian saw me approach and made a shushing gesture. A moment later, hiding in the shadows, I saw Seraphina excitedly jogging over, holding two small books. It was just like in our ten years of mutual torment in the previous life; Seraphina would always call Damian’s name, running to *me* each time. This time was no exception. She threw herself into Damian’s arms, waving the red marriage certificates excitedly. “Damian, we finally got married!” *Got. Married!* Those two words pierced my heart like two hard arrows. Who would have thought that barely half an hour ago, Seraphina had been eagerly discussing our wedding with me! She used her external position to rush into getting married with Damian. It was then I realized: she didn’t *not* want to get married; she just didn’t want to get married *to me*. After I was reborn, I had told Seraphina. If she didn’t want to marry me, she should tell me immediately, and I would respect her choice. But while she strung along my devotion, she was already secretly despising me. A person shouldn’t, at the very least, hurt the same person so shamelessly across two lifetimes! Damian, as if declaring his ownership, kept provoking me. He spoke of how intimate Seraphina and I were in bed, how I left her wanting more. “Seraphina, tell me, who do you like better, Asher or me?” Seraphina’s voice was laced with pure lust as she was teased. “Of course, *you’re* better at teasing, little brother.” “Asher is just a clueless block of wood, so rigid, always insisting we wait until after the wedding.” Words like these were sharp hooks. Each one burrowed into my heart, tearing me open and leaving me bleeding. I never dreamed that Seraphina’s reason for changing her heart was *this*! But it was also *her* who had sworn, kissing my hand, that we would only think of such things on our wedding night. She said we would remain pure together. She said we would save our first time for our wedding night. How could this be? When I discovered their affair, I thought things couldn’t get any worse. But reality kept pushing my boundaries, over and over again. I remember walking back alone. It was dark, and the wind was fierce. But so what? Beyond the flatlands, there are green mountains; chase the wind and moon, do not linger. It was Seraphina who lost me. Not I who lost Seraphina. Shaking off the nightmare, I slept soundly all night. Early the next morning, just as the sky was brightening, I took my tape recorder and went to the terrace for my usual flute practice. Damian emerged from the dim morning light, glaring at me with gritted teeth. “You really have no shame, do you? You know Seraphina and I are married, and you’re still clinging to her. Aren’t you pathetic?” I sneered, tugging at my lip, and immediately shot back. “She’s married to you, yet she’s still dead-set on having a wedding with me, and she’s too scared to even announce you. What do you think you are to her?” “You!” Damian’s face contorted as he lunged to push me, but I, having anticipated it, dodged him. Just then, Seraphina, standing not far away, suddenly yelled. “Asher!” I instinctively turned my head. “What are you doing? Are you trying to hurt Damian again?!” **Chapter 6** Seraphina’s baseless accusations and Damian’s feigned cries of alarm rang out simultaneously. “Asher, don’t push me! I promise I’ll never appear before you two again!” “Ah—” I pretended to be pushed off the terrace by Damian. But just as I was about to fall, I suddenly grabbed his collar and pulled hard! “BANG!” Both of us tumbled down. The terrace was covered in broken glass from the night before, which hadn’t been cleaned up, so I knew how painful the fall would be. Even worse, a piece of glass happened to cut my flute-playing finger. I struggled to crawl towards Seraphina, who was extending a helping hand. But Damian, with a flash of malice in his eyes, quickly got to her first, deftly clinging to her shoulder and groaning in pain. With my finger injured, I could barely hold anything. I could only groan in agony, struggling to beg her to save me. But under Damian’s feigned pitiful cries, Seraphina didn’t even glance at me. She helped Damian up and rushed off without looking back. Amidst the broken mess on the ground, rainwater mixed with the blood dripping from my fingertip. I trembled as I stood up, clutching my injured hand, dragging my exhausted body through the rain to the infirmary. Only to be told by the nurse that the only doctor had been called away by Seraphina to examine Damian. I waited from dawn till dusk. Finally, the nurse managed to rush the doctor back, only to deliver even worse news! Due to the delayed treatment, the nerve in my finger was damaged. Forget being Principal, I might even struggle to play normally ever again. “So, Damian must be even more seriously injured?” The nurse tried to comfort me, but after a long silence, the doctor let out a soft sigh. “Damian? He’s perfectly fine. Just a bit shaken up.” “Conductor Seraphina was worried he’d be upset, so she insisted I stay with him.” The noise faded, leaving only a deathly silence. Seraphina, who had heard the news, came to me with a contrite expression. She told me not to worry, she had been reborn. “If there’s a first rebirth, there will be a second.” “Asher, just wait a little longer. Next time we’re reborn, I’ll make it up to you, okay?” I shook my head, a smile on my face. “No need.” There wouldn’t be a next time. This rebirth was the only chance I had, exchanged for lifetimes of merit. Seraphina, uneasy with her conscience, insisted on staying by my side to care for me. I ignored her, and under the lingering effects of the painkillers, I drifted into a drowsy sleep. Half-awake, I was stirred by a rustling sound. “Damian, you… why are you here?” I feigned sleep, keeping my eyes closed. I heard a faint rustling of clothes, and Seraphina’s voice was laced with a hint of flirtation. “…You’re so bold, just showing up here like this.” Damian chuckled softly, whispering something close to her ear, followed by Seraphina’s urgent protest. “Stop it, not here. It’s not convenient.” “What are you scared of? Asher’s painkillers haven’t worn off. He won’t wake up anytime soon.” “It’s even more exciting here. Don’t you want me?” Seraphina’s breathing quickened: “Then let’s be quick.” Then came the sounds of their suppressed, hurried panting. My chest felt crushed by a huge rock, an intense humiliation choking me. I pretended to unconsciously shift, turning onto my side. My hand, tightly clenched under the covers, brushed against my tape recorder. Gritting my teeth, I pressed record again! After they were done, Damian volunteered to stay and look after me. The moment Seraphina left, he sneered, mocking me. “I really have to admire you, hearing us make out with your own ears and still managing to pretend to be asleep.” “If I were you, I’d just find a quiet place to end it all. What’s the point of living?” “Oh, and that bowl of braised beef? It was my leftovers. Seraphina only gave it to you because I didn’t want it.” Watching his smug face, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. So, even that little bit of care was just Damian’s unwanted scraps. I suppressed the pain in my finger, my gaze cold as I retorted. “Ultimately, you’re just jealous that I get to marry Seraphina openly.” “You’ll always be like a shadow, hidden away, never able to take my place, and she’ll never make your relationship public.” “You!” Stung where it hurt, Damian lunged at me like a madman, grabbing my throat. **Chapter 7** I didn’t get angry; instead, I laughed, my eyes cold like a madman’s. “If you’ve got the guts, kill me right now. Otherwise, the one marrying Seraphina will definitely be me!” The consequence of Damian not daring to kill me was that, at my suggestion, the wedding, originally scheduled for next month, was moved up to the week the inspection team arrived. “Asher, since our wedding is earlier, could you possibly give the recommendation letter to Damian?” Seeing I didn’t speak, Seraphina’s thoughts seemed to drift back in time. “Over ten years ago, Damian and I accidentally performed a flute duet together. His playing amazed me and changed my entire life.” “Unfortunately, I later lost my will amidst hardships and couldn’t play with the same feeling as before.” “I really want—” “Beg me.” My eyes were filled with a wild glint. I thought that someone as arrogant and strong as her always imposed her will on others. But for the sake of recreating that legendary duet from years ago, she actually knelt before me. Her head bowed, her throat moving slightly, she pleaded in a low, subservient voice. “Asher, I beg you.” My eyes held a mocking glint, and I let out a soft chuckle. Then, I whispered, almost imperceptibly, “Okay.” Only after I died in my previous life did I learn Seraphina’s reason for being so fixated on Damian: she mistook him for the young me, with whom she had played a flute duet across the river in her childhood. That day, when I snuck into the hall, my intention was to retrieve that old flute and reconcile with her. I began to anticipate how broken Seraphina would be when she discovered that she had gone through hell and high water for an imposter, while mercilessly pushing away the one person she truly cared for. Using the excuse of going home, I took two days off, but I actually went to Riverbend to retrieve Seraphina’s marriage certificate. “You’re the first person I’ve seen who thought to check if she was married in her hometown *before* the wedding. It’s a pity though…” The clerk pulled up the marriage certificate, his gaze sympathetic and pained. I tried to lighten the mood, joking that the woman had already agreed to divorce and marry me immediately. But the clerk looked terrified. “Comrade, you must be careful! The man she married… he’s not a good one.” Before he could finish, his colleague nudged his arm. I didn’t ask further, discreetly leaving the civil affairs office. —And found a hidden spot by the back door to wait! The next day, I returned to Riverwood with a complex mix of emotions. My good friend, Leo, grabbed me, angrily accusing Damian of going to great lengths to get close to Seraphina during my two-day absence. “He’s shameless! He even tried to interfere with Seraphina getting your wedding suit!” “His calculations were practically hitting me in the face! How can you stand for that? Are you serious? Tonight, we’re going to his dorm and rip him apart!” In the past, I would have certainly made a huge scene. After all, thanks to Damian, my fingers were injured, and I might not even keep my stable job at the Academy. But now, I just looked at the traditional suit, calmly said, “That’s good,” and turned to leave. Forget the suit, anyone who wants to be the groom can be; I don’t care! Leo was practically fuming. “Asher, have you lost your mind? The guy is literally walking all over you, and you’re so weak you can’t even fart back!” I smiled, pulling my friend’s hand. “I’m about to be free. Why would I care about any of this?” I was about to fake my death. Once I did, Damian’s good times would be over. “Free?” Seraphina’s voice reached us even faster than Leo’s shocked exclamation. She was carrying Damian’s jacket, chatting happily as they walked into the Academy. Hearing my words, she rushed over, her gaze slightly nervous as she stared at me. “What do you mean, free?” I remained silent, then suddenly offered a detached smile. “They say marriage is the tomb of love, so isn’t it freedom?” “This…” She frowned deeply. “Asher, you’re not hiding something from me, are you?” *Ha!* I scoffed inwardly. The second day after rebirth, she eagerly used a business trip as an excuse to go rendezvous with Damian! She secretly married someone else behind my back, and she has the nerve to ask *me* if I’m hiding something from *her*! **Chapter 8** My gaze turned cold, and a mocking curve twisted my lips. “That’s what I should be asking *you*. Seraphina, are you hiding something from *me*?” Seraphina’s back went cold. She instinctively looked away. Damian, with no sense of boundaries, tugged on Seraphina’s sleeve, whining. “Seraphina, let’s go. Don’t worry, Asher’s practically locked in. He won’t fly away.” He was probably right. I had long since cut ties with my family and was an introverted man who supposedly couldn’t live without her. Where else could I go but stay obediently by her side? In the following days, I deliberately provoked Damian, preparing for my fake death at the wedding. I spoke endlessly about Seraphina and me as children, how she loved me fiercely. The night before the wedding, I dropped another bombshell. I called Damian on his pager, gloating about how grand the next day’s wedding would be, and how thoughtful Seraphina was to me. —Of course, I didn’t forget to mock him for being a hidden secret. “Believe it or not, if I don’t let go, no matter how much you try to please her in the future, you’ll always live in a despised gutter.” Damian slammed his pager down in a fit of rage, remembering Seraphina saying she made me wait ten whole years in the previous life, only getting recognition after I died. Worried he would never stand proudly by Seraphina’s side, a malicious idea formed in his mind. Without any family attending my wedding, I spent the night talking late with Director Davies. In the lively and festive courtyard early that morning, Someone dressed in a groom’s suit, surrounded by well-wishers, joyfully left the house. Someone else, however, was drugged and left to a woman who had entered his room. An hour later, I, my gaze vacant, walked towards Seraphina’s house. But as I reached the doorstep, I overheard words that chilled me to the bone. Damian, clutching his forehead where it had been smashed, cried and accused. “Seraphina, Asher wouldn’t get out of bed! I just urged him a few times, and he threw a fit, hit me with something, and told me not to meddle!” “It’s my fault for not convincing Asher. Now we’ve missed the auspicious time to pick up the bride, and we’ll have to wait longer.” Seraphina let out a cold, extremely displeased snort. “He’s truly arrogant, isn’t he? Throwing a tantrum, and then having the nerve to say *you’re* useless.” “He’d better just die in bed, die far away where I can’t see him, so he doesn’t dirty my eyes.” Hearing those words, the last glimmer of hope I still held in my heart was extinguished. I turned decisively, tears streaming down my face as I ran wildly into the wind. In utter despair, amidst the biting cold wind, I leaped into the turbulent river without hesitation. Like mountain birds and fish, our paths diverged, Seraphina. May we never meet again. The sky fully brightened. A military vehicle, loaded with goods, passed the wedding procession. **Chapter 9** In the back of the truck, a pair of chilling dark eyes paused, a flicker of disgust passing through them. Using the cover of the military vehicle, I changed out of my wet clothes and left the city undetected. After that woman entered my room, I used the sleeping powder Damian gave me to knock us both out. Then, under Director Davies’ watchful eyes, I tearfully left Seraphina’s house. Even my jump into the river had witnesses. I wanted to fake my death, to make Seraphina feel guilt and self-reproach, to live forever under the shadow of having watched me die without helping! Looking back at the city gates, there was no agonizing defeat in my eyes, nor the calm detachment of one who had seen through love. —Only the determination to strike a decisive blow! Gongs clashed and drums boomed, firecrackers popped and fizzed. Seraphina stood in the courtyard, her posture upright, smiling as she greeted guests. Everyone found it odd that the groom wore a veil, hadn’t said a word since leaving, and that the groom’s best friend, Leo, was nowhere to be seen. No one knew that at this moment, Leo, after drinking a bowl of sweet soup sent by the Academy, had fallen into a deep sleep, unable to be roused. The marriage certificate in the box had also disappeared. The moment Seraphina took the groom’s hand, she realized something was wrong. His fingers lacked calluses; they were definitely not my distinct, practiced hands. She craned her neck, looking around, but couldn’t find the person she longed for. Only as she was led onto the stage with the groom did Seraphina warn him in an ill-tempered tone. “You’re not Asher. Whoever you are, keep your face covered so no one notices.” “Later, quietly swap yourself out with Asher, or I’ll make you regret it!” The groom, in a fit of pique, shook off Seraphina’s hand, letting out a few cold laughs, and spoke in my original voice. “Oh really? If you knew who I was, you’d probably be begging me to come back.” Under the gaze of all, Damian suddenly adjusted his collar, arrogantly announcing to the crowd. “Everyone, Asher ran off with some wild woman to elope, so I, being charitable, am finishing the wedding for him.” “It’s just a change of groom. If I don’t mind, why are you all so surprised?” “Nonsense!” Seraphina showed no joy, trembling with rage. She pulled the smug Damian aside, lowering her voice to warn him. “Don’t slander Asher in front of so many people. He’s mentally fragile and can’t handle stress.” “Now, hurry up and get Asher back here, and I can pretend nothing happened.” “Too late.” Damian slapped the marriage certificate onto her face, his expression twisted. “You’re so determined to marry me, but look what I’ve done! I was already planning how to publicly ruin you!” “Someone saw me run off with that wild woman after we hooked up. How can a man who’d cheat on you like that be worthy of you, Seraphina?” Retrieving the marriage certificate hadn’t impacted Seraphina much, but learning I had eloped with another woman hurt her more than anything. She was so worried about me, yet I turned around and got involved with someone else? What did that make me in her eyes? A joke?! She stood like a puppet on strings, pushed onto the stage by Damian to continue the ceremony. With the witnesses Damian brought, I became the heartless man everyone condemned. At that moment, the doors to the hall were suddenly thrown open. Leo, dragging a woman not yet fully awake from the sleeping drug, burst in, radiating murderous intent. “Shameless Damian! You ruined Asher’s reputation, drove him to ruin, and now you have the nerve to put on an innocent act! You’re disgusting!” I had prepared for this; Leo and I intentionally faked being knocked out to lower Damian’s guard. Seeing the woman, Damian cursed under his breath, his eyes flashing with venom. “Seraphina, don’t believe them! He’s just like Asher, making up crazy stories. They’ll say anything!” He yelled for someone to throw Leo out. “Who dares?!” At the critical moment, Seraphina roared, her face grim. She seemed to sense something was wrong, her eyes bloodshot as she asked Leo what was truly going on. The woman confessed everything: Damian had paid her, telling her a man would be waiting in the room that morning, and to “entertain” him well. So, I hadn’t broken my promise! The affair was forced! Seraphina’s eyes widened in fury, her mind feeling like it would explode. “What happened after that? Where did Asher go?!” “He… he jumped into the river.” **Chapter 10** Seraphina didn’t remember how she frantically ran to the riverbank. Staring at the vast river, her heart sank to its depths. In the biting cold wind, she ripped off her clothes, preparing to jump in.

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My husband drowned saving me. After seven years of widowhood, consumed by despair, I took my own life. On the operating table, I struggled to speak: “I’m donating all my assets and organs to anyone named Gu.” The two surgeons in white coats suddenly pulled down their masks. In that instant, my eyes widened, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out. It was my cousin, Tiffany, and my husband, Leo, who was supposed to be dead! “Thank you, big sis. You’ve made the rest of Leo and my lives perfect.” It dawned on me then. Leo had always loved someone else, which was why he’d faked his death and run away. But it was too late. I watched as they ripped out my heart and lungs, dying in excruciating agony. I never expected to open my eyes again— “Have you decided? Which of the four will you choose to be your husband?” That familiar voice made me snap my head up. My father’s face, etched in my memory, reappeared. “Dad!” Dad pulled me into a hug. “My good girl, what’s wrong?” It took me a while, sniffling, to finally reply, “Nothing. I just… missed you.” I had truly been reborn. Reborn at a time when my father was still alive, before I’d made the decision that would haunt me for a lifetime. Dad gently patted my back, sighing. “Your old man isn’t well. My only wish is to see you settled, with someone to take care of you. Only then can I rest easy.” He thought his daughter was lonely because he’d been hospitalized for days. After all, besides the four young men he’d taken in, raised alongside me, with the unspoken understanding one would become my husband, I had no one else I truly confided in. “Dad, do I have to get married?” “What’s wrong? Weren’t you always clamoring to marry Leo before?” Before I could explain, I glanced down at my father’s aged, yellowed hands, covered in countless needle marks. Dad had liver cancer. He didn’t have much time left. Thinking back, it was only about two weeks until my father’s death in my previous life. If this was his only wish, then I would definitely fulfill it. I shook my head. “I just… don’t want to choose him anymore.” Dad sighed. “What made you change your mind? You don’t have to take my words too seriously…” “No!” I cut him off, quickly making my choice. “I choose him.” I quickly pointed to another photo at random. Dad’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Good, good, good. He’s the one. Honestly, he’s my favorite too.” Taking a closer look, I almost bit my tongue. The man in the photo had a devilishly charming smile, his eyes impossibly deep—it was Kai Sterling! How could I have randomly chosen my arch-rival? In my previous life, we were constantly at each other’s throats; we couldn’t exchange two words without an argument. Taking a deep breath, and seeing my father’s joyous smile, I finally nodded. After all, in my previous life, Dad never liked Leo. Even on his deathbed, he’d muttered: “My child, I won’t oppose who you love, but I’ve always been uneasy about him.” I knew it too. Anyone with eyes could see Leo wasn’t enthusiastic about me. But in my previous life, I was foolishly trapped. Even after we were married, we were polite strangers. Now, with a second chance at life, I was determined to make sure Dad had no regrets and that I wouldn’t carry any more guilt. Dad’s voice rang out again. “So, when do you plan to get engaged?” I took a deep breath. “Three days from now.”

Leaving my father’s hospital room, my mind was still a jumble. In my hand was the will my father had written in advance, and my heart bled. Around the corner, I pressed the elevator button. The doors opened, revealing my four childhood friends. “Chloe, we heard! Who did you choose?” The liveliest of them, Finn, practically bounced up to me, hooking his arm through mine, practically bursting with curiosity. Owen, beside him, pulled him back. “It’s not like she’d pick you, why even bother?” His confident tone made me momentarily disoriented. Owen was usually the peacemaker, never speaking like that before. Today, he seemed like he’d swallowed a hot coal. Finn pouted, mumbled, “You’re right,” and looked at the other two behind him. Leo, usually so gentle and refined, now looked utterly impatient. Kai leaned lazily against the wall, his gaze on me holding an inexplicable emotion. Finn shrugged off Owen, then put his arm around my shoulder again. “So, Chloe, who did you pick? If you didn’t pick me, I’m totally going to start dating!” I couldn’t help but laugh, ruffling his hair. “You just turned eighteen, what dating? Go focus on your studies first.” Owen scoffed. “Chloe, just tell us. Stop playing games. Don’t let this kid waste his time daydreaming.” I nodded, about to speak, when Leo suddenly stepped forward, bending slightly. “Please forgive me, but I can’t marry you.” In an instant, my heart gave a violent jolt. In my previous life, I had taken my father’s will to Leo, telling him I wanted to marry him, and he had simply smiled and agreed. Now, he was refusing me first. Meeting Leo’s resolute gaze, I understood in a flash: he had also been reborn. So this time, he wasn’t even willing to fake his death; he was rejecting me from the very start. Even though I’d already decided to give up on him, a small, uncontrollable pain still spread through my heart. I forced myself to speak calmly. “How do you know I would have chosen you?” Leo averted his gaze, scoffing. Finn, sensing the tension, laughed nervously. “Who doesn’t know you two were practically joined at the hip back in high school? Leo, stop pretending, you’re going to overdo it and Chloe might actually not marry you.” His intention was to lighten the mood and break the awkward silence, but it backfired spectacularly. Leo stood his ground, instead stating firmly: “I’d rather leave the Sterling family than be forced into a marriage.” Everyone froze at his words. Owen frowned deeply. “All four of us were raised by Mr. Sterling. His kindness is heavier than a mountain. What do you mean by this?” Kai, who had been leaning against the wall, finally spoke, his voice dripping with disdain. “What does he mean? Obviously, he already has someone else in mind, and that person isn’t Miss Sterling.” Looking at Leo’s pained expression, I laughed, furious. Was being with me really so unbearable? I was on the verge of blurting out: I didn’t pick you.

The words caught in my throat. In my previous life, I was depressed for seven years because of him. This time, I at least deserved to make him suffer for a few days. I curved my lips before speaking. “There’s no definite answer yet as to who I’ll marry. I’ll announce it at my birthday party three days from now.” The four men exchanged glances. Finn pouted. “Chloe, you’re being so boring. Everyone knows who you want to marry, right?” Kai leaned against the wall, a cold smirk on his face. “Honestly, he’s already made it clear, and you’re still clinging to him?” Leo’s back was ramrod straight, his gaze towards me filled only with displeasure. Owen, seeing the situation escalating, sighed. “We’ll all be there. We won’t miss your birthday.” “Of course not. Who dares to miss it? I’ll make sure they can’t set foot in this city again!” I said the last sentence with a smile, and everyone’s faces changed. Leo looked at me in disbelief, shouting, “You!” I pushed past them and entered the elevator. Before the elevator doors closed, I caught a glimpse of a dark, brooding gaze. It was Kai. I curved my lips. Actually, this was good. Killing two birds with one stone. I didn’t mind making everyone I disliked squirm this lifetime. Stepping out of the hospital, the sun was bright, cicadas chirped in the summer heat. Everything felt right. But as I reached my parking spot, I saw the person I hated most leaning against my pink Maserati—Tiffany. The woman stood with her neck stiff, clad in a white dress, the epitome of affected innocence. I walked past her, coldly saying, “Move.” Her eyes immediately reddened. “Chloe, I just wanted to ask how Uncle is doing.” I curved my lips. “You want to see my dad? You’re not worthy.” Tiffany was just a distant relative of my father’s, the illegitimate daughter of some obscure cousin. He’d taken her in, but she always clung to me. Back then, I was so naive, I thought I’d found a true friend. It wasn’t until much later that I realized what a fool I’d been. She only ever got close to me because of Leo. Hearing my sarcasm, tears streamed down her face. “Chloe, are you still mad because Leo took me to the hospital the other day? He was just so worried about me, please don’t be angry with him.” At her words, I frowned, racking my brain to remember. Indeed, something like that had happened in my previous life. My father had been hospitalized for days. I hadn’t visited, not because I didn’t miss him, but because I had a severe cold. That night, I suddenly developed a high fever. Struggling, I called Leo, and he promised to pick me up. But by morning, there was no sign of him. Fortunately, Mr. Jenkins found me and rushed me to the emergency room. The doctor said another hour and I might have suffered permanent brain damage from the fever. While I was on an IV drip, I heard a nurse say: “The patient in the next room is so lucky. Her boyfriend was so frantic, rushing her to the hospital in the middle of the night, all because she scraped her leg a little.” “I know, right? And I heard he’s from the Sterling Group. What a catch!” Just then, Leo appeared at the doorway. The two young nurses exchanged glances, whispering: “That’s him.” What was my reaction then? I couldn’t remember. Probably jealousy. But at that time, I hadn’t realized Leo had already been secretly involved with her. Now, facing Tiffany’s provocation, I simply curved my lips. “Whether I’m mad at him or not is none of your business.” My words implied she wasn’t important enough to intercede. Tiffany’s face changed. She suddenly grabbed my sleeve, her expression twisted. “Leo’s heart only belongs to me!” I impatiently shook off her hand. But then, as if struck by a powerful force, I suddenly fell to the ground with a loud “thud.” “What are you doing?!” A furious shout rang out behind me.

A few steps away, Leo rushed over to help Tiffany up. “Why did you push me? This has nothing to do with me!” Tiffany leaned into his arms, on the verge of tears. “I just wanted to explain things to Chloe, but I got so angry.” As she spoke, she held up her hand, and the red scratch instantly filled Leo with concern. His voice was agitated as he yelled at me: “You’re always like this, always bullying others by relying on your family background! How could I ever like you?” His words made me stumble back two steps, stunned. Bullying others? The last time I “bullied someone” was when Leo was being harassed and mocked for being an orphan. I had stepped in to help, pelting the bullies with small stones, even breaking one’s head, and was later punished by my father for it. Now, I was being accused of bullying. If that was the case, I said with a cold laugh, “The other day, you abandoned me to go save *her*. Did you receive your punishment?” Both their faces changed. Leo hadn’t expected that I, who loved him desperately and never let a single finger on him be harmed, would punish him out of jealousy. A strange emotion flickered in Leo’s heart. But Tiffany cried out, “It’s all my fault, it has nothing to do with Leo. If someone needs to be punished, punish me.” After she said that, I fainted. Leo’s face drastically changed. He picked me up and walked off, coldly saying: “I’ll go home and accept my punishment.” I watched their retreating backs and only found it amusing. I unlocked my car, stomping on the gas, and sped towards the racetrack. I desperately needed to vent the anger and frustration bubbling inside me. After a few laps, I pulled over, still feeling restless. As I reached the service area and took off my helmet, a voice came from behind me. “I can’t make it to your birthday party; I have to go out of town for work.” Kai’s voice was cold. He walked up to me, frowned at my sweaty appearance. “Didn’t you just get over a cold? How many laps did you do?” I forced a smile. “Weren’t you watching? Coming to warn me now is a bit fake, isn’t it?” When I first got on the track, I’d seen Kai in the distance, looking displeased. As if my presence at the racetrack, which he managed, was some kind of “defilement.” Kai’s body stiffened at my words. He scoffed. “Who was watching you? I was just worried something might happen on my track. And did you hear what I just said?” I nodded. “I heard you.” Kai turned to leave, but I called out again, “But I don’t agree.” He clenched his fists. “What do you mean? If you’re going to publicly announce you’re marrying Leo, why do you need the rest of us there as mere decorations?” I brushed aside a strand of hair and lit a cigarette. “Who said I’m marrying him? What if I’m marrying you?” Annoying my arch-rival was a pleasure I indulged in. As expected, Kai’s face instantly flushed. He gritted his teeth and said: “You should stop making jokes like that.” I smiled brightly. “I’ll joke all I want. Deal with it. I’m the heiress here.” Kai averted his gaze. “Heiress, want to race? If I win, please allow me to be absent that day.” I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?” I hadn’t quite gotten my thrill from racing earlier, and a competition was the best way to distract myself and vent my frustration. Still, I hadn’t realized Kai hated me so much. To avoid attending my birthday party, he dared to challenge me to a race.

A red and a black race car idled on the track. A gunshot rang out, followed by a roar. Every time I was about to pull ahead, Kai would overtake me. I had to focus intently, concentrating on the race. On the last lap, I had a comfortable lead. Just as I was about to cross the finish line, Kai suddenly floored the accelerator, but after passing me, he sharply swerved around. My eyes widened. I slammed on the brakes. The two cars’ fronts gently touched. In that instant, a slight vibration passed through, but it felt like an electric current sweeping through my entire body. It was the “death kiss” of racing, supremely romantic. Then Kai rapidly reversed, crossing the finish line. I stayed frozen for a long time before slowly driving my car over. Stepping out, I strode up to Kai. He’d just taken off his helmet and was about to speak. I slapped him across the face, calling him, “Crazy!” A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of Kai’s mouth, but he smiled devilishly, his eyes curving, his gaze seeming to devour me whole. “I won. I won’t be at your birthday party.” I froze. He’d done something so dangerous just to avoid a birthday party. My heart was still trembling. I couldn’t quite explain what I was feeling. Kai wiped the blood from his mouth and continued, “But Miss Sterling’s gift, I’ll still send it. What do you want?” I sneered. “Anything I want, you can give?” Kai also curved his lips. “Of course. Heaven and earth, the stars and the moon, anything I can do, I’ll give.” I took a step closer, pushing him back. Kai frowned, but I grabbed him. I stood on my tiptoes, leaning in, and Kai’s eyes immediately widened. The next second, I whispered in his ear, “Then I want you. Can you give me that?” The man trembled with rage. Just as he was about to push me away, a loud “bang” suddenly echoed from a distance. Both of us looked over—it was Leo. He walked over, his face dark with displeasure. Kai merely frowned, then asked me again, “What did you mean by what you just said?” I curved my lips. “The birthday gift I want is for you to attend my birthday party.” I smiled slyly, though in my heart, I was thinking: *What a joke. If he doesn’t come, how am I going to marry him?* Kai realized, and was about to speak, but I cut him off. “You said you could do anything.” Kai said in a low voice, “You’re so eager for us to come and watch you be humiliated? Don’t you know about Leo and that Tiffany…” His words were cut short as Leo reached us, his face clouded. “What goes on between Tiffany and me is none of your business. But you, playing such a dangerous game with Chloe, isn’t that against the rules?” I impatiently frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to be watching your Tiffany? Why are you meddling in my affairs?” Leo had just settled Tiffany. When he got home and found I wasn’t there, he guessed I’d come to the racetrack. But seeing me and Kai so intimately close, a sudden surge of anger erupted within him. In my previous life, I only had him, and even after a year of marriage, there were no improper actions. Now, suddenly seeing that scene, he couldn’t help but be angry. Perhaps it was a man’s innate possessiveness, Leo convinced himself, and then spoke. “I was going to take you home so I could accept my punishment, but it seems now there’s one more person who needs to be punished.”

In the vast garden, two men knelt, their backs ramrod straight. Mr. Jenkins stood beside me, speaking, “Miss, your father isn’t here. Perhaps I should administer the punishment instead, to save your hands.” I sat on the chaise lounge, taking a sip of coffee, and said lightly, “Alright.” Leo was the first to take off his shirt. Beneath the white fabric was skin as smooth as jade, his abdominal muscles neatly defined. Though lean, he possessed the graceful air of a young gentleman. In my previous life, I loved how he looked when he took off his clothes. In bed, when he got intense, his abs would flush a deep red. Suddenly, a soft cough. Kai was glaring at me, gritting his teeth. I frowned, then realized. It was my fault for agreeing to the race that landed him in this predicament. Though he was my arch-rival, I wouldn’t stoop to such petty tactics. I’d find a way to get him off the hook later. I shot Kai a rare, reassuring glance. Kai averted his gaze, completely misunderstanding, thinking I was hurrying him. He reached out and pulled off his black t-shirt, revealing incredibly toned muscles, subtly gleaming in the sunlight. “Pfft!” I nearly choked on my coffee, my eyes unable to move away. Leo noticed my gaze and subconsciously pressed his lips together. Just then, Tiffany’s voice suddenly rang out: “Chloe, don’t punish Leo!” I looked over, sighing helplessly. “How did she get in?” Mr. Jenkins bowed. “She said she came to retrieve some old clothes.” I scoffed. I remembered now. Tiffany, relying on some distant family connection, had shamelessly lived in our house for a while. Dad, who valued family above all else, never objected. It wasn’t until Dad was hospitalized that I found an opportunity to kick Tiffany out. I didn’t expect her to have a backup plan. Tiffany sobbed, blocking Leo, looking as if she would die for him. Anyone unaware of the situation would think three lashes would kill Leo. At this moment, Leo’s face was filled with tenderness. “Tiffany, this has nothing to do with you.” Then, he turned his anger on me, glaring darkly. Before I could speak, Kai, still kneeling, scoffed mockingly. “By rights, I suppose I should be punished too.” I froze, surprised Kai would speak up for me. Leo sharply turned his head. “What concern is this of yours? Why meddle?” Kai didn’t back down. “We were all raised by the Sterling family, so it naturally concerns me. Are you suggesting you’ll take my punishment too?” I suddenly understood. He wanted Leo to suffer more punishment to get back at him for the racetrack incident. I’d overthought it. But honestly, I was more than happy to watch them butt heads. Sure enough, Leo gritted his teeth and shouted: “Tiffany is innocent. If anyone is to be punished, I’ll take it for her!” Mr. Jenkins spoke softly. “That’s against the rules.” I waved my hand. “Father isn’t here, so my rules are the rules. Since he’s willing, give him a few more lashes.” Leo’s frown deepened at my words. He had expected me to feel sorry for him. In my previous life, I had never punished him, even taking his punishments for him. Why had I changed now? Was it just because he refused to marry me this lifetime? Women truly were the most petty and jealous creatures. Tiffany was pulled aside, and Mr. Jenkins’s whip descended. Leo’s eyes widened. He hadn’t realized how painful this whipping could be. After three lashes, he was already on one hand, staring fixedly at me, waiting for me to call it off. He just couldn’t believe that I wouldn’t feel pity at the sight of him like this. But I merely closed my eyes, resting, listening to the crack of the whip. Until the fourth lash fell, and Tiffany lunged forward. A scream. The tail of the whip snapped across Tiffany’s face, instantly tearing her skin. “No—!” Leo screamed, utterly distraught.

Mr. Jenkins frowned deeply and immediately called for a doctor. A solemn family punishment was interrupted by Tiffany’s accident. I didn’t pay attention to them. I merely looked at Kai, signaling with my eyes that it was over, he didn’t need to be punished. But Kai was stubbornly oblivious. He insisted, “Since the doctor is here, the punishment should continue.” Leo’s furious gaze immediately pierced him. “Have you no heart?! Can’t you see Tiffany’s face is slashed?!” Tiffany, by now, had fainted, her eyes tightly shut. Kai merely raised an eyebrow. “If she threw herself in the way, who’s to blame?” No sooner had he spoken than Leo lunged at him with a punch. Kai dodged but didn’t retaliate. Several bodyguards immediately stepped forward to pull Leo away. He was panting, then looked at me. “Say something! Fine, I’ll marry you, okay?! You did all this, harming Tiffany, just to force me into submission, didn’t you?!” Everyone froze, bowing their heads. I curved my lips, a cold smirk on my face. “Continue the family punishment.” Tiffany had thrown herself in the way; what did that have to do with me? However, this was indeed part of my goal: to make Leo and Tiffany squirm. But seeing them support and comfort each other, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. Mr. Jenkins complied. This time, he put his full strength into it. He had watched Chloe grow up and had never seen her suffer such humiliation. These young men, all adopted by Mr. Sterling from different orphanages, were given the right to choose their own names, wealth, and a top-tier education, raised to be half-heirs of the Sterling family. But if they disrespected Miss Chloe, then he wouldn’t be lenient. Three more lashes fell. This time, Leo was sprawled on the ground, unable to speak. He stared fixedly at me, but then suddenly remembered the scene many years ago when I had shielded him from a whipping. Entering the Sterling family involved many trials, and in the final test, Leo struggled and couldn’t resist cheating. Mr. Sterling picked up the note, frowned, and shouted, “Who wrote this? You can leave now! The Sterling family doesn’t want people like that!” Leo trembled, knowing this was his only chance to change his destiny. He hung his head, not daring to admit it. Just then, I stepped forward. “I wrote it.” It was just an exam, but I insisted on taking it with them. We were only thirteen then. Though I was the family heiress, Mr. Sterling still disciplined me strictly. Hearing his daughter admit it, he merely frowned and sent me to receive the family punishment. One lash per word, seven lashes in total. I was in pain for a week after being hit and could only sleep on my stomach. Leo’s mind churned with these memories, thinking: *Perhaps I should just marry her this time, give her a year of ‘happiness.’* *It would repay her kindness and keep Tiffany safe.* Leo passed out from the pain. Mr. Jenkins had him and Tiffany carried to a room. Next was Kai. Kai had just knelt down. But I suddenly spoke, “I’ll administer his punishment.” Everyone’s eyes widened. Mr. Jenkins muttered, “Miss, please don’t kill him.” Everyone knew Kai and I had the worst relationship. The next second, Kai scoffed, “Whatever.”

I frowned. My original intention was to go easy on him, so Kai wouldn’t get hurt and use it against me later. But it seemed everyone had misunderstood. Looking at Kai’s stubborn gaze, I found it somewhat amusing. I took the whip. Standing behind him, I froze. The man’s back had many whip marks. I couldn’t remember when or who had punished him. His back muscles, glistening with sweat under the sun, didn’t look dirty; instead, they added a touch of raw sex appeal. I averted my gaze, thinking, *Had I been without a man for too long?* I shook my head, and the whip descended. The sound was loud, but I knew the lash wouldn’t hurt. Yet, Kai let out a muffled groan, his body instantly stiffening. I scoffed. *He looks strong, but he’s so delicate.* *He’s probably been hit too many times, and now he’s scared.* For the next two lashes, I perfectly controlled the force. It was less a punishment and more like teasing a cat. Yet Kai reacted as if he were suffering immense torture, hands braced on the ground, sweat pouring down him, his whole body flushed. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, unwilling to get up. I threw down the whip and couldn’t resist nudging him with my foot, whispering, “Are you still faking it?” “Heiress, the punishment is over. You can leave now, can’t you? Or do you want to stay and watch me get dressed?” He truly was my arch-rival; he never missed an opportunity to mock me. I turned and walked away. Everyone present exchanged glances, thinking Miss Chloe was truly ruthless. Only Mr. Jenkins frowned, staring at Kai. After a long moment, he finally spoke, “Young Master Kai, Miss Chloe has left.” Only then did Kai get up, grab his shirt, and leave, his strides so quick he didn’t look injured at all. Everyone was stunned again. But no one expected that shortly after he left, the mansion suddenly caught fire. I, having just had some milk, was napping in my room. It wasn’t until Mr. Jenkins pried open the door that I woke up with a start. “Miss, hurry and get out!” No sooner had he spoken than the door frame suddenly fell, crashing heavily onto Mr. Jenkins. I screamed, not having time to wonder why the fire started, only able to carry the unconscious Mr. Jenkins downstairs. Mr. Jenkins rushed into the fire to save me; I couldn’t let anything happen to him! As I reached the ground floor, I saw Tiffany slumped in front of the sofa. I froze for a second, but still went over to push her. “Wake up! There’s a fire!” Tiffany was limp on the floor, seemingly overcome by the smoke. Just then, someone rushed in. It was Leo. His face was pale, and he still looked very weak. Their eyes met, and Leo froze for a second. Until he saw Tiffany on the ground, his eyes instantly widening. Just then, an explosion erupted from the kitchen not far away. “Boom!” A blast of air rushed towards them, and Leo instinctively shielded Tiffany. Everyone was knocked over. I struggled to get up, but my ankle was twisted, and I fell back to the ground. At that moment, Leo suddenly picked up Tiffany and rushed out, only saying: “I’m sorry. I’ll marry you then, as an apology.” I looked at his resolute back, feeling only sarcasm. If I survived this, I would definitely let Leo know that I would never choose him. The fire spread everywhere. Before I lost consciousness, I vaguely saw someone running towards me. Who was it? I opened my eyes groggily, my whole body aching, but the scene before I lost consciousness kept replaying in my mind. Kai, looking frantic, held me tightly, shouting, “Wake up, don’t sleep!” His eyes were bloodshot, his hands trembling, as if I were his dearest kin.

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To save Liam Sterling’s life, I had to be the one to utterly crush him. Liam hated me for my betrayal. Later, when he made his stunning comeback, the first thing he did was seek revenge. He kept me captive, then brought different women home every day, forcing me to clean up after them and buy their morning-after pills. Even my own sister! He shattered my dignity into a million pieces. But Liam had no idea I had terminal liver cancer, and my days were horribly numbered. I’d already bought my burial plot, arranged my affairs, and prepared myself for death… “Anya, are you sure you want to be reassigned as a war correspondent in Congo-Kinshasa?” “This mission is different. The situation there is highly volatile. Seven war correspondents were sent previously – six died, one was critically injured. The chances of survival are almost zero…” Mr. Peterson laid out all the risks clearly, but I still nodded firmly. Returning to war reporting, I was prepared to die on that land. At least, it wouldn’t be from illness. I could still make some final contributions. The moment I stepped out of the station, I received a SnapChat message from Liam. “The Velvet Club. Pick up two packs.” I immediately hailed a cab and rushed to the club, suppressing a sharp pain in my abdomen. From inside, I could hear a woman’s moans and a man’s teasing voice. “Mmm… ah… you’re so bad~” “You look so damn hot tonight. I’m gonna make sure you’re well-satisfied.” I was used to it. Liam played out this scene almost every day in front of me. A different woman every single day, never the same face twice, and I always had to watch. Liam had an arm wrapped around a woman’s slender body, his hand casually roaming over her, but there was a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. That is, until he saw me push open the door. I’d braced myself mentally. As I walked in, I saw Liam on the sofa with a woman straddling him. A pink camisole, a white lace bra, fishnet stockings, and a bunny tail peeking out from under her mini-skirt. The woman had her back to me, so I couldn’t see her face. But she was probably another young college student. In the year since we’d reconnected, I’d learned his preferences. He liked college girls, innocent yet seductive, just like I was back then. Seeing me, he looked displeased. “What took you so long?” “It’s far. Traffic was bad.” “Then it’s time for a penalty. Three bottles.” He casually pointed to three bottles of Ace of Spades champagne on the table. The pink lighting in the club’s private room couldn’t hide my pale face. I pulled out the two packs, and as I walked over to hand them to him, I finally saw the face of the woman straddling Liam. My eyes widened involuntarily. “You’re not short on women. Why did you choose *her*?” “Why couldn’t I?” Liam sneered. He knew perfectly well that the person I hated most in this life was my half-sister, Chloe Hayes. On the surface, she was pure and sweet, but ever since we were kids, she loved to steal my things, once even stuffing rocks in my backpack, secretly messing with my college applications. She’d tormented me my whole life. The closer someone is, the more they know exactly where to hit to cause the most pain. Liam swirled his glass, lifting his eyes slightly, his cold gaze sweeping over me. His voice was low, hoarse, and laced with boundless hatred. “When I went bankrupt, you got involved with my dear brother, and when I begged you not to leave, you even personally broke my leg!” “You said it yourself, you couldn’t stand useless people. So why couldn’t I be with your sister?” I froze. Those memories flooded back, and my body trembled uncontrollably.

Liam and I were desk partners in middle school. I was the unwelcome extra in my father’s remarried family, and he was the illegitimate son cast out by his family. Two people with dark, troubled lives, we agreed to go to the same high school, the same college, escaping our broken homes to become the only light in each other’s darkness. We thought we’d never be separated, but then Liam was diagnosed with leukemia, and I decisively walked away. Even when he knelt on the ground, begging helplessly for me not to leave, to stay with him through his final days. I didn’t look back. Instead, I linked arms with the man beside me and said coldly: “Liam Sterling, I don’t waste my time with losers. I belong to him now.” Then, as if it were a joke, I had someone break his leg. “Consider that leg a blessing for our relationship.” Every word was a dagger to his soul, driving Liam to the brink of spitting blood. That night, Liam didn’t utter a sound when his leg was broken. The night rain was cool, and I could see the bone-deep hatred in his eyes. When Liam found a successful bone marrow match and was cured of leukemia, he returned to the place he least wanted to be – the powerful, old money Sterling family. He bided his time for three years, consolidating absolute power within the Sterling empire. Even his half-brother, Noah Sterling, was driven out of the country with ruthless efficiency. In three years, the Sterling family saw a complete change of guard. Once in power, Liam immediately found me, now a journalist, and made me pay for what I’d done. Thinking of this, I let out a bitter laugh. It wasn’t that I couldn’t endure hardship, or that I wanted to curry favor with the powerful. It was that when Liam had leukemia, the only match for his bone marrow transplant was his half-brother, Noah Sterling. But Noah hated Liam, the illegitimate son, for shattering his family and claiming a piece of his inheritance. Why would he ever agree to donate bone marrow to save him? To beg Noah to donate bone marrow, I once knelt through a brutal autumn storm all night. The cold seeped into my bones, leaving me with chronic ailments even now. But all that earned me was a single meeting with him. “Liam and his damn mother ruined my family. He’s the original sin! He deserves to die!” However, Noah, looking at me, a stubborn young woman fresh out of college, seemed to find a cruel game in mind. “I can save him, but on one condition.” “He’s starting a company, right? Steal his bid proposals and project plans for me. I want to see him go bankrupt! Leave him with nothing, like a stray dog!” I was strongly against that condition at the time. But Noah’s next words forced me to compromise. “Listen, sweetheart, or should I say, ‘sister-in-law’? Company bankrupt or death for him—you choose!” In utter desperation, I made the deal. Liam, despite his poor health, had an excellent career. His company was thriving in the city. Unfortunately, at the peak of his ambition, he was personally brought to his knees by the person he loved most. Liam’s hand roamed over Chloe Hayes’s chest, but his gaze remained fixed on me. Seeing the tears in my eyes, he scoffed, “Don’t act like you’re some big victim. Getting involved with Noah and helping him get rid of me must have brought you plenty of benefits, didn’t it?” The loud music in the private room drowned out an almost imperceptible tremor in his voice, betraying the intense, suppressed emotion beneath his cold exterior. I opened my mouth, but in the end, said nothing. What good would telling him do? I stole the bid proposals and project plans. I was indeed the culprit who caused his bankruptcy. “No victim here. I did it willingly. Your judgment was just terrible, you picked the wrong guy.” “My judgment was terrible? Yours wasn’t much better, falling for Noah Sterling!” He stared at me, unblinking, then pushed Chloe Hayes aside and lunged, grabbing my neck. “Now the Sterling family is firmly in the hands of the man you personally destroyed, and you, Anya, will pay for your choices!” “This is what you owe me!”

He choked me, and my face flushed crimson. Intense suffocation washed over me, but I didn’t resist. Instead, I closed my eyes, waiting for my fate to be sealed. Seeing me like this, Liam violently shoved me onto the table. Gasping for air, I leaned against the table, coughing. Then, Liam opened the three bottles of champagne and set them before me. “Drink.” Just as I picked up a bottle, preparing to chug it, a dull ache in my abdomen made my hand freeze in mid-air. The smell of alcohol brought a fine sweat to my forehead. In my current condition, I couldn’t drink alcohol at all. “Anya, what are you playing at? Drink it, now!” Chloe Hayes also got up, wrapping her arms around Liam’s waist, constantly whining. “Liam, darling, don’t get angry over someone not worth it.” She rubbed her soft chest against Liam, then stood on tiptoes and kissed him passionately in front of me. After a long moment, Liam held Chloe Hayes and tossed his car keys to me. “Forget it, don’t drink. Drive us home.” I could only obey. In the car, they made no effort to be discreet. Even with the partition raised, I could still clearly hear the sounds from the back. “Baby, you’re so beautiful tonight.” “I love you so much.” “Will you marry me?” I felt a little distant. Liam used to whisper those exact same sweet nothings to me. When I was nineteen, Liam and I took our first taste of forbidden fruit. He promised me then that he would marry me, love me forever. Now, Liam repeated those words to countless pure, lovely women. He wouldn’t even let me keep those once-beautiful memories. In the rearview mirror, their entangled bodies reflected back. “I forgot to grab the condoms earlier. Go find a drugstore and buy me some morning-after pills.” Hearing this, Chloe Hayes pouted, “Liam, darling, don’t you want to have a baby with me?” “Baby, I want to take things step-by-step with you – dating, engagement, marriage, then kids.” As he spoke, Liam tried to catch my expression in the rearview mirror, but I had already opened the car door and was heading towards the drugstore. Inside the drugstore, my body trembled, and I frantically searched for painkillers. Everything in front of me blurred, large beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and the excruciating abdominal pain made me collapse to the floor. The pharmacist, seeing my distress, quickly came over to help me up. “Pain… painkillers, fast-acting, anything…” The pharmacist quickly found some fast-acting painkillers. I snatched them, swallowed them dry, and gasped for breath. A few minutes later, I, clutching the morning-after pills, paid and thanked the pharmacist, then hurried back. My steps halted as I reached the car. The car was rocking. Clearly, the two inside were at it again, seemingly tireless. When I had gotten out earlier, I’d heard their words clearly. Every single word was like a sharp knife, piercing my chest, slicing through my heart, an icy, bone-chilling pain spreading through my entire body. Even the abdominal pain felt insignificant now. In the past, he’d found women, but he’d never offered a marriage promise. Now, he did. And it was to my own sister. The evening breeze was cool. I stood outside the car, not getting in until the rocking stopped. Only then did I open the door and hand the pills to Liam. As I got out, I accidentally dropped the painkillers I’d just bought. I quickly picked them up, clutching them tightly, terrified Liam would notice. “What medicine are you taking?” Liam noticed the bottle was completely different from the morning-after pills and frowned, asking. “Cold medicine.” I tucked the bottle into my pocket. Liam’s gaze lingered on my pocket. Just then, Chloe Hayes let out an ill-timed sneeze, drawing Liam’s attention. “Right, bad weeds never die. What kind of illness could *you* possibly have…” Outside the mansion, Liam took off his jacket, draped it over Chloe Hayes, and said softly, “Be careful, don’t catch a cold.” Chloe Hayes linked her arm through Liam’s, her voice sweet and soft. “Let’s go inside, quickly.” Liam turned to me. “Remember, you still owe me. It’s not over yet.”

The next morning, I went to the hospital for my follow-up appointment and medication. Before I left, Dr. Miller stopped me. “Your current condition isn’t good. The cancer cells are spreading very rapidly. If you don’t undergo chemotherapy promptly, it might…” I understood the doctor’s unspoken words, simply smiling faintly. “Dr. Miller, how much longer do I have?” “Three months. But with timely surgery and treatment, there’s a chance to live a few more years.” I shook my head. It was pointless. No one in this world cared about me, and I cared about no one. After that, I went to the outskirts of the city. “Hello, I need to select a burial plot.” The attendant efficiently took out a pen and notepad. “Miss, are you choosing for an elderly family member? Any specific requirements?” “It’s for myself. A sunny spot, if possible. As for when it’ll be used…” I paused. “Three months from now.” Hearing the date, the attendant stopped writing, looking up, somewhat incredulous. Such a young and beautiful woman, choosing her own burial plot. “Understood, Miss. We’ll do our best to meet your requests.” Truth be told, if I died in Congo-Kinshasa, no one would retrieve my body or bring it back home. So, setting up a headstone for myself in advance, even if my ashes never make it back, at least I’d have a place. That evening, I returned home. Under the dim light, a person stood at my front door. It was Liam. He seemed drunk, his sharp, alluring eyes wet and fixed on me, unblinking. I tried not to look at him. The moment I opened the door, he pulled me inside. My head spun, and then he bit hard into my shoulder. “Anya, I hate you so much!” He tore at me. I tried to pull away, but Liam was crying. I’d seen Liam smile, triumphant and arrogant. I’d seen his bitter, bone-deep laugh. But I’d never seen him cry so heartbrokenly, as if he’d lost something incredibly important. “Anya, this is what you owe me!” It hurt, but I didn’t struggle. I didn’t sleep a wink that night. When I woke up the next day, I only saw Liam’s cold, distant profile. He nonchalantly buttoned his shirt, then tossed the morning-after pills Chloe Hayes had left on the bed. “Remember to take your pills. I was drunk yesterday. You don’t deserve to have my child.” I closed my eyes, letting the tears stream down. Liam seemed to feel that wasn’t enough, smiling as he said, “There’s an auction tonight. I’m officially announcing Chloe Hayes. You should come too.” I instinctively refused. “No, I need to go…” Before I could finish, Liam grabbed my wrist fiercely. His eyes were filled with resentment and furious anger. “Are you really that busy? You still owe me, it’s not repaid!” A faint ache spread through my entire body, and my hand trembled a few times uncontrollably. I swallowed the words, *I don’t have much time left*, and only asked Liam one question: “Do you really like Chloe Hayes that much?” Liam sneered, “After all, *I* was the one by my side when I hit rock bottom.” In a haze, I heard my own voice, bitter and difficult to articulate. “Fine.”

That auction was specifically arranged by Liam for Chloe Hayes. He kept me by his side, introducing Chloe to every acquaintance as his fiancée. I noticed that Liam actually seemed to be treating Chloe Hayes differently. Before, it was always just a game, never serious. This time, he seemed to be truly considering marriage. And Liam liked to let me witness his endless glory, attempting to make me regret the decision I had made to abandon him. So, he gave Chloe Hayes all the spotlight, bidding on countless precious jewelry pieces for her, making her the envy of every woman present. Meanwhile, Liam required me to wear a janitor’s uniform and clean the banquet hall. At the entrance of the banquet hall, Chloe Hayes found me, flaunting her victory. “You’re so jealous of me, aren’t you?” “After all, you were with him for so many years, you spent the darkest days of his life with him, but now he still wants to marry me, right?” “Anya, don’t you want to know why?” I continued sweeping the peanut shells off the floor, remaining silent. “You’ve always been like this, from childhood. At home, no matter what mean things I did to you, you’d act like you didn’t care, but deep down you must have hated me, right?” I fell silent, memories resurfacing. “You’ve always been this way, from childhood. Anything I liked, you had to steal.” Chloe Hayes scoffed. “You’re just an extra. Everything should rightfully be mine. Why should it be shared with you?” “Actually, he only planned to treat me like those other women, give me some money and send me away. But I told Liam that from the first time I saw him in middle school, I had a secret crush on him. I told him the money for his bone marrow transplant surgery was earned by me working multiple jobs, and the matching bone marrow was begged from Noah Sterling!” “I did so much for him silently, while you betrayed him at his peak and abandoned him in his toughest time, leaving him homeless. He hates you even more now!” My eyes widened. Not just because Chloe Hayes had taken credit for my efforts, but more importantly, she knew all the details of what I had done back then! “How do you know…” After I turned adult, my father kicked me out of the house, and I cut off all ties with my family. I certainly wouldn’t have told Chloe Hayes those things. Chloe Hayes leaned close to me, whispering in my ear. “Because, I secretly snuck into your house and took your diary and all the payment receipts from Liam’s hospitalization back then.” “Now all the evidence is with me. Even if you run off and tell him the truth, he won’t believe you. He’ll just think you’re making it up to get his attention.” I quickly regained my composure. The past didn’t matter. Anyway, I wasn’t planning to tell him. It didn’t matter who Liam thought did it. I didn’t want to get involved with her anymore and tried to leave, but Chloe Hayes wasn’t done yet. My eyes darted. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and placed it on her waist. Then, her body fell backward, crashing into a champagne tower nearby.

The shattering glass of the champagne tower attracted everyone’s attention in the hall. The wine stains on Chloe Hayes’s white dress were strikingly obvious. Not far away, Liam noticed the commotion and rushed over. He knelt down to check if Chloe Hayes was hurt, his face filled with tenderness and concern. He practically checked every inch of her, and only when he found only a slight bruise on her from hitting the table did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. The next moment, Liam stood up and angrily reprimanded me. “Anya, are you sick? How could you lay your hands on her? Apologize to Chloe, right now!” Hearing this, I actually laughed out of anger. I *was* sick. So sick I was almost dead! “Liam Sterling, are you blind?” My words instantly enraged Liam. He raised his hand and slapped my face. The sharp slap echoed through the banquet hall. Chloe Hayes, with red eyes, tugged on Liam’s arm, looking utterly pitiful. “It’s alright, Liam darling, I’m fine. Don’t blame my sister. I didn’t mean it.” But her eyes met mine, full of blatant provocation. The more she acted this way, the angrier Liam became. He embraced Chloe Hayes and said gently, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll take care of this. I’ll make sure the person who bullied you pays!” I frowned, then spoke up in my own defense. “I really didn’t do it.” Liam saw that I refused to apologize and ordered his bodyguards to sweep all the glass shards into one spot. “Kneel on it. Kneel until Chloe is satisfied.” My eyes reddened. My hands instinctively clenched the hem of my dress, desperately trying to hide the tremor in my voice. “You… you truly want me to do this?” I tried to find a flicker of trust in Liam’s eyes. Liam spoke coldly. “You will pay for your mistakes. It was true then, and it’s true now.” My eyes were bloodshot. Liam’s distrust chilled me to the bone. Finally, as if resigned to my fate, I took off my shoes and, barefoot, in front of everyone, knelt on the shattered glass. The tiny shards instantly pierced my skin, blood flowing onto the floor, the red glistening eerily in the reflection of the glass. I don’t know how long I knelt, until my legs were numb and I couldn’t feel the pain, until my blood congealed on the cold floor. This banquet was attended by prominent figures, and their expressions varied as they watched the scene unfold. “Please excuse the scene tonight. Next week will be my engagement party. I hope you all will join us.” Liam scanned the room, then spoke slowly. The banquet hall buzzed with activity again, filled with congratulations from all sides. My numb gaze suddenly flickered. Liam had once promised he would only marry me. But now, he was going to marry someone else. Stubborn Anya finally spoke. “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” A flicker of emotion crossed Liam’s eyes, but it was only for a moment. Chloe Hayes, nestled in Liam’s arms, looked at me with triumph, though her words were, “It’s alright, Liam darling, my sister has already apologized. Don’t blame her. Please get a doctor to clean her wounds. They might get infected.” My seemingly understanding demeanor touched Liam. “No need. I can take care of myself. We don’t need to worry about her.” “Since Chloe has forgiven you, let’s put tonight’s incident behind us.” With Liam’s permission, I finally stood up. But because I had knelt for so long, my legs were numb. The moment I stood, my body swayed uncontrollably, and I fell heavily onto the pile of shattered glass again. The congealed wounds started to bleed afresh, adding many new cuts. Even the bodyguards nearby couldn’t bear to watch and wanted to help me, but Liam stopped them with a stern look. I staggered, forced to grab a table leg to get up, then limped out of the banquet hall, leaning against the wall. All along the way, I left a trail of my blood. Stepping out of the hotel, my phone rang. It was Mr. Peterson. A heavy sigh filled the line. “Anya, your war correspondent application has been approved. It’s scheduled for next week. Use this week to pack up your things and spend some time with your family…” “Everyone acknowledges your capabilities. I hope… you return safely.” “Anya, take care of yourself.”

For me, this was undoubtedly good news. “Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Thank you for your guidance all these years.” I might not come back, but I’d still accept Mr. Peterson’s blessing. The news came so timely that I was so happy, most of the pain in my body disappeared. After a few days of rest, though not fully recovered, I could walk normally. Liam’s phone call soon summoned me back to the mansion. “What? Did you forget what you did? Did you think an apology would fix everything?” Knowing I was about to leave, my mood had improved considerably. Facing Liam’s deliberate provocation, I greeted him with a smile. “Mr. Sterling, what can I do for you?” “Take care of Chloe until we get married.” Hearing the words “get married,” I opened my mouth, but finally only managed one word: “Okay.” After Liam left, I clutched my chest, gasping for breath. I thought I was leaving soon, and whatever Liam and Chloe Hayes did, I could accept it calmly. But hearing “marriage” still made my heart ache terribly. I kept reassuring myself that I didn’t have much time left. Even if the truth came out, and Liam forgave me, it would only cause him more trouble. It was better this way. If I died, Liam wouldn’t be heartbroken. In his earlier life, Liam had suffered enough. Now, he could at least marry, have children, and live a peaceful, stable life. And I could use my remaining time to live life more fully, making some final contributions to the world. “Anya, I want some rich, homemade chicken noodle soup. Go make it.” Chloe Hayes stood on the second floor, ordering me around imperiously. Liam didn’t intervene, which only made Chloe Hayes worse. At dinner, Chloe Hayes deliberately complained the food was too salty, making me cook it again. Every morning, I was responsible for cleaning up the used tissues and wrappers scattered after their passion. Before, I would argue a few times. Now, I accepted everything without a word. Liam watched my submissive behavior, frustrated by my passiveness.

I spent three hazy days at the mansion, dragged by Liam to help Chloe Hayes choose a wedding dress. I didn’t know if Liam was doing it on purpose, but he specifically chose the boutique where we used to custom-order dresses three years ago. The manager, Ms. Evelyn, greeted them warmly. “Mr. Sterling, Ms. Hayes, you two haven’t been here in ages! Come right in.” I politely replied, “This young lady is getting engaged in a few days. We’re here to look at dresses.” Ms. Evelyn winked, and a staff member, Mark, immediately pulled Chloe Hayes inside to look at dresses. Ms. Evelyn invited Liam and me to wait in the tea room outside the changing rooms. While walking, she spoke to me, “Ms. Hayes, the dress Mr. Sterling ordered for you three years ago was never picked up. I thought you’d never come back.” “But we’ve kept it safe for you. I’ll get it out for you to see now.” Before I could say anything, another staff member wheeled out the dress, displaying it before us. The most outstanding feature of the entire dress was its design. A three-year-old design that still looked timeless today. I seemed to recall the days when we attended various formal events together. Back then, Liam would often have custom dresses made for me. My first formal dress was designed by Liam. On the day of the school’s formal dance, the Hayes family had a special dress custom-made for Chloe Hayes. I was completely forgotten, left to watch enviously from the side. Liam, somehow, found out. He drew the sketches himself, searched all over the city for a tailor, who worked overtime for three nights to rush the dress into completion. From then on, every formal dress I wore had Liam’s input. Liam’s eyes were full of love when he looked at me then. “My dear Ms. Anya, it’s truly an honor to invite you as my date.” I would tease him back, smiling, “I think it’s *your* honor.” I looked at the dress, my eyes welling up. “Yes, it’s beautiful.” Ms. Evelyn smiled. “Of course. Mr. Sterling personally drew the design, and we rushed to make it.” I looked at Liam, my heart filled with mixed emotions. Just then, Chloe Hayes, wearing a dress, broke the silence. “Liam darling, let’s try another store. I think the dresses here are just so-so.” Suddenly, Chloe Hayes spotted the dress in Ms. Evelyn’s hand, her eyes lighting up. “Wow! Liam darling, this dress is so gorgeous!” Liam asked, “You like it?” Chloe Hayes nodded. “Yes! I love it! Liam darling, let’s wear this one for our engagement party, okay?” My face was complicated as I looked at Liam. Liam merely glanced at the dress, then dotingly nodded. “Mhm, if you like it.” I couldn’t help but mock myself in my heart. “He’s about to get engaged. Why would he cling to old affections? Anya, don’t be delusional anymore.” Ms. Evelyn’s gaze flitted between Liam and Chloe Hayes, a little confused. I explained, “This young lady will be Mr. Sterling’s fiancée in a few days.” After speaking, I glanced at the calendar on my phone. Four more days. Liam had a major business deal at his company these past two days, so the engagement preparations were left to Chloe Hayes. Aside from the occasional affectionate photos Chloe Hayes sent me, generally, no one bothered me. On the fifth day, Chloe Hayes found me again. “For the engagement, I need a ring. I want that one you’ve kept treasured.”

I was silent for a moment, then shook my head. “I don’t know what ring I have that would be to your liking.” Chloe Hayes knew I was playing dumb and scoffed, “Don’t act foolish, my dear sister. I could guess your ancient password with my eyes closed. I saw it last time I went to your place. It’s the ring Liam darling gave you, right?” “I want that one!” I knew she was talking about that gold ring. Liam had bought that ring for me in college, saving every penny. It was only a little over two grams. It wasn’t worth much, but it had been my only keepsake all these years. “Your engagement ceremony, using my ring for him to propose with—doesn’t that make you sick?” Chloe Hayes curled her lips into a triumphant smile. “It doesn’t make *me* sick. Someone else will be sickened. Anyway, Liam darling said whatever I want, you have to provide. Besides, he’s marrying me now, why would you keep that ring? To pine over your sister’s husband?” I could only compromise. She was right. Since I had decided to leave, I should sever ties completely with the past. “Fine. You can use that ring for the fiancée.” As the engagement date drew closer, I accelerated the process of arranging my final affairs. I placed some of my favorite books and a camera inside my cremation urn. I had already arranged with the cemetery staff to bury these items. Finally, I made one last trip to the hospital to pick up my medication, mostly painkillers, to ensure they wouldn’t interfere with my work. For me, the late-stage cancer cells would spread increasingly fast, so other medications were largely irrelevant. Dr. Miller handed me the medicine. He was my primary physician and knew my condition best. “If you continued treatment, there might still be hope. Going abroad is effectively giving up on life.” I knew his kind intentions. “Thank you.” Watching me leave, seeing my thin figure, Dr. Miller admired my courage. Even with life ticking down, I didn’t immerse myself in sorrow and despair, choosing instead to live life more fully within my limited time. On the day of the engagement ceremony, I was busy for half the day. When the ceremony officially began, I was already at the airport. The grand ceremony was being live-streamed online. At the airport, I watched Liam, holding the jewelry box containing the wedding ring, his loving eyes gazing at Chloe Hayes. “Will you marry me?” Before Chloe Hayes’s answer came, I looked at Liam on the screen and whispered softly: “I do…” After a moment of surrender, I immediately regained my composure and quickly turned off my phone. The airport announcement boomed that my flight was about to depart. I dragged my luggage towards the boarding gate. This time, I would bid farewell to all past happiness and sorrow, heading towards an inevitable end. At the engagement site, Liam casually produced the ring. For him, this engagement was merely a means of revenge against me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298795”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Everyone in the West Coast’s most exclusive circles knew I was utterly obsessed with Julian Thorne, the orphan my family had sponsored. I defied my family for him and faced their bitter fury, risking everything I had. I spent a fortune to buy him an island and orchestrated a spectacular city-wide fireworks display to propose to him. But five years into our marriage, at Julian’s birthday party, I strapped our four-year-old son to the deck of the yacht. “Julian, tell me, where have you hidden Caleb?” My voice was low, my gaze fixed on Julian, chilling to the bone. “I don’t know where he is!” Julian was forced to his knees, sweat already soaking his suit. “Ellie, please, can you just unstrap Leo first?” Julian tugged at my dress, his eyes welling up. “Mom… Mommy… Leo… Leo feels sick…” At that moment, our son’s weak voice echoed from the deck. Seeing Leo’s face grow pale, Julian’s voice verged on breaking. “Ellie, that’s our son, the boy you cherished since he was born!” But I, sitting calmly on the sofa, merely put down my drink, then reached out and pinched Julian’s chin, my voice icy. “Where is Caleb?” “I don’t know, I really don’t know…” Julian desperately shook his head, tears streaming down, his voice softening with desperation. “Ellie, I beg you, please give Leo his medicine. He has asthma, you know that.” With that, Julian pulled a bottle of medicine from his pocket, holding it out to me with trembling hands. But I only frowned at the sight of it, waving my hand to knock the bottle to the floor. “Julian, I told you, Caleb and I are just playing around. When I get bored, I’ll come back to you. Why are you so disobedient? Why do you insist on hiding him?” As I spoke, the grip on his chin tightened, my nails digging deep into his skin. “If you keep acting like this, our son will suffer because of your disobedience, you know!” Before Julian could react, I raised my hand, signaling my men to lower the ropes binding Leo further towards the ocean. “No!” Watching our son about to plunge into the sea, Julian screamed in a raw, desperate cry. He couldn’t understand why I, who once cherished him above all else, would do this to him for another man. “Ms. Montgomery, Caleb has been located.” Just then, one of my men approached, handing me a phone. Caleb Blackwood’s voice immediately came through. “Ms. Montgomery, please stop looking for me. I don’t want to be an obstacle between you and Mr. Thorne.” “Caleb, don’t say that. Tell me where you are! You’re not an obstacle, you’re the man I love most in this life!” “Really?” “Of course. I told you, you’re truly the only one I’ve ever loved.” “Then come to the place we first met.” Caleb hung up. Listening to the dial tone, I let out a long breath of relief. My gaze turned to Julian, still kneeling on the floor, and a hint of tenderness entered my eyes. I placed my hand on his head, gently caressing his hair. “Julian, I was wrong to doubt you.” “Don’t worry, Leo is my son too. How could I ever harm him?” “You stay here and enjoy your birthday. I’m going to see Caleb.” With that, I released Julian and walked away without a backward glance, not even sparing a look at our son still dangling precariously above the waves. Watching my retreating back, Julian finally scrambled to the bow of the yacht. He pulled Leo back onto the deck and poured out the remaining medicine from the overturned bottle. “Be a good boy, Leo, open your mouth and take your medicine. You won’t feel sick anymore after this!” He tried to feed the medicine to his son. But no matter how hard he tried, the medicine wouldn’t go in. “Leo, Leo…” Julian repeatedly called out to his son in his arms, but no matter how he cried out, there was no reply. “Help! Please, someone help my son!” Julian cried out to the guests at his birthday party, but without my permission, no one dared to help him. Clutching his son’s rapidly chilling body, Julian could no longer cry. This was the son I carried for ten months, the son I painstakingly gave birth to. Our little prince, born with our hopes and dreams. But now, he was killed by his own mother’s hands. Carrying his son, Julian walked step by painful step towards the funeral home. With each step, his heart grew colder, until all love for me vanished entirely. The moment he held Leo’s urn in his arms, Julian’s trembling hand reached for his phone. “Director, do I still have a chance with the lab?” “Yes, you do, but will I let you go?” “I’ll fake my own death.” “Alright, I’ll arrange a new identity for you and submit your资料 (documents) to the lab. I’ll have someone pick you up in a week.” “Thank you, Director!” Julian was about to hang up when he heard the Director’s regretful sigh on the other end. “Ah, I told you back then not to trust the affections of the wealthy, but you wouldn’t believe me…” Julian hung up before the Director finished. Yes, the Director had pleaded with him for so long, but at that time, he loved me, he believed in me. He just never imagined that it would lead to such a devastating end. If that was the case, then he didn’t want me anymore either! Thinking this, Julian tightened his grip on the urn and walked away. But the next second, his vision went black, and he collapsed heavily to the ground. 2 I woke up in a hospital, the pungent smell of disinfectant making me frown. “Oh, you’re finally awake!” A nurse on rounds walked over. She checked me carefully, and only after confirming I was truly alright did the nurse visibly relax. “You’ve been unconscious for a day and a night. The funeral home brought you in, and we couldn’t reach your family. You should call them to let them know you’re safe!” The nurse turned to leave, but I suddenly remembered something and urgently called out to her. “My… my things?” “What things?” The nurse looked at me, puzzled. “It’s… it’s…” I opened my mouth, but the word caught in my throat, I couldn’t say it. My son, my beloved son. “Oh, you must mean this!” The nurse picked up the urn from the bedside table and handed it to me. “You were clutching it so tightly when you arrived, it took us a lot of effort to pry it from your grasp.” The nurse paused, her eyes filled with sympathy. “I don’t know who’s inside, but I hope you find peace!” With that, the nurse left the room. Holding the urn, my eyes welled up again. I pulled out my phone, instinctively about to call Eleanor, but the moment I opened it, a flood of messages poured in. They were all provocative messages from Caleb Blackwood. There were photos of his hands intertwined with mine, photos of me shyly nestled in his arms, photos of us deeply kissing, and even photos of used condoms after our intimate moments. Looking at these photos, I suddenly let out a bitter laugh. What was I still hoping for? Eleanor always said Caleb and she were just playing around, that she’d come back to me when she got bored. But her repeated hurts, her constant favoritism, had pierced my heart again and again, leaving it riddled with holes. This time, I wouldn’t wait for her anymore. Clutching Leo’s urn tightly, I checked myself out of the hospital. Looking at the dazzling sunlight outside, I didn’t know where to go. I was an orphan, only able to attend college because of the Montgomery family’s sponsorship. I had no father, no mother, no home. I once believed that anywhere Eleanor was, that was my home. But now, it seemed it was only my wishful thinking. In the end, I was still left with nothing. Watching the bustling street, I eventually turned my steps toward the mansion. Back at the mansion, the moment I opened the door, I heard Eleanor’s gasps. “Caleb, you’re so good!” “Caleb, you’re amazing!” “Caleb, I love you so much!” … Eleanor’s loving words echoed in my ears, but my heart was utterly devoid of any ripple. I glanced indifferently at the two in the living room and walked upstairs. I gently placed Leo’s urn on the table, changed my clothes, and was about to lie down for some much-needed rest when Eleanor walked in from the bedroom. “Where were you yesterday? Why didn’t you come home? And where’s Leo?” Hearing her barrage of questions, I had no desire to answer. I got into bed and pulled the covers over my head. I didn’t even want to look at her anymore. But Eleanor, standing at the doorway, frowned deeply. She yanked the covers off, pulling me up from the bed. “Are you deaf when I speak?” Seeing my somewhat pale face, she paused, then raised her hand, her fingertips tracing my cheek. The cold touch made me involuntarily flinch. 3 Seeing my reaction, Eleanor merely offered a faint smile. “Look at you, I’m not some man-eating monster, why are you so nervous?” “Did Leo go to daycare?” She hooked her finger under my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze. “You know, if you were just a good boy, nothing like this would happen.” She paused, then continued. “By the way, I want Caleb to move into the mansion with me for a while, so you and Leo will have to make do with the staff quarters for now. He’ll leave once I get bored.” Her eyes were gentle, but every word she spoke pierced my heart. I froze. I never imagined she would relegate me and our son to the staff quarters for another man. “Julian, I’ll only ever love you.” “Out of a thousand loves, you’re the only one for me!” The vows of yesteryear still echoed in my ears, yet in the end, her love was not solely for me. My gaze drifted to the urn on the table. After a long silence, I finally uttered the word. “Okay.” “Good, that’s my sweet boy!” Eleanor said, gently ruffling my hair, a satisfied smile on her face. “Julian, trust me, you’re still the one I love most. The Montgomery family’s esteemed son-in-law position will always be yours!” She smiled faintly, turning to leave, then, as if remembering something, turned back to me. “Caleb is new to the mansion, so you’ll have to take care of a lot of things.” “He loves spicy food but hates cilantro, and he’s allergic to milk. You need to remember all of this!” A flicker of a familiar tenderness passed through Eleanor’s eyes, a tenderness that no longer belonged to me. “Okay.” I replied. Satisfied with my answer, Eleanor nodded and went downstairs. Watching her leave, I finally collapsed onto the bed. No gut-wrenching sobs, no gushing tears; only a heart as cold as death. She once treated me the same way. She remembered all my favorites, remembered what I was allergic to, and what I disliked. But now, she remembered nothing about me. She said she would love me for a lifetime, but it turned out her lifetime was just a few short years. I got up and moved my belongings, along with Leo’s urn, to the staff quarters. “Julian, you really have it rough!” I had just finished organizing my things when Caleb Blackwood stood at the doorway. He waved a hand dismissively under his nose, looking around the room with distaste. “This room is really small!” Then, he sauntered over to me, looking directly into my eyes. “Actually, I didn’t really want to bother you guys, but Ellie said she can’t live without me, so what can I do?” “Julian, you should know, Ellie can be quite willful.” Caleb’s eyes, as he spoke, were full of blatant provocation. “Whether you’re willful or not, it has nothing to do with me.” I glared at Caleb, then turned towards the bed. All I wanted now was a good night’s sleep. But then, Caleb seemed to notice something, walking straight to the urn on the table. “Oh? What’s this?” “Give it back!” Watching Caleb pick up the urn, I was a step too late. “What is this? Julian, don’t be so stingy, let me see.” Caleb raised his hand, intending to open the box. “Don’t touch it!” At the same time, I lunged forward in a panic. “Ah…” “No…” I tackled Caleb to the ground, both of us crying out simultaneously. 4 “What happened?” Eleanor’s voice called out from the doorway as she walked in. Seeing the messy room and the two of us on the floor, she frowned. She quickly walked over and helped Caleb up. “Caleb, are you okay?” Eleanor looked at Caleb with concern, her eyes filled with worry. “Ellie, my stomach… I think I hit my stomach earlier…” Caleb clutched his stomach, leaning painfully against Eleanor’s shoulder. “Julian Thorne, I told you to take good care of Caleb, and this is how you do it?” Eleanor’s face darkened as she looked at me, still on the floor. But I seemed not to hear her, just kneeling, desperately scooping the white ash from the floor into my arms. “Don’t be afraid, Leo, Daddy’s here. Daddy will protect you.” I murmured, kneeling on the floor, my voice too soft for Eleanor to hear clearly. “Julian Thorne, I’m talking to you.” Eleanor’s voice grew colder. Her eyes narrowed, giving off a dangerous, oppressive aura. But I still ignored her, as if possessed, continuing to scoop the white ash into my arms. “Julian Thorne…” “Ellie…” My chilling words were interrupted by Caleb. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Ellie, I… I’m in so much pain!” His weak voice echoed again, and Eleanor’s frown deepened. “Okay, I’ll take you to the hospital now.” She lowered her head, softly comforting Caleb, but the moment she looked up, her eyes were filled with disgust for me. “Julian Thorne, you are too disobedient.” With that, she took a step forward, deliberately stepping on the white ash. “You pushed Caleb down, just for this thing?” “It seems I’ve spoiled you too much!” She pressed down with her foot, grinding it over the white ash several times. “No!” Seeing her foot, I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around it. “Please, please don’t! This is…” “Nothing is more important than Caleb!” Eleanor coldly cut me off. “Julian Thorne, I want you to remember, if you’re obedient, you’ll always be the Montgomery family’s son-in-law. If you’re not, I have many ways to torment you.” With that, she kicked hard, sending me sprawling to the floor again. Watching Eleanor support Caleb and walk away, I trembled, curling myself into a ball. Blood flowed steadily from my hands, injured by the broken urn, but the pain in my palms was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. After crying for an unknown length of time, I finally got up and placed Leo’s ashes into another box. Clutching the box tightly, I fell into a deep sleep on the bed. It was deep into the night when the staff quarters door was suddenly burst open. I startled awake. Before I could react, I was already being pressed into a car by several bodyguards. The car sped to the hospital. When I came to my senses, I was already being held down in front of Eleanor. “Caleb suffered a major hemorrhage because of your push. He’s still in surgery now.” Eleanor paused, her voice growing even colder. “This is because of your disobedience. You need to atone.” Her gaze on me was dark and ominous, the prelude to a furious outburst from someone in power. “No! I… I didn’t push him, he fell on his own!” I struggled desperately, but the men holding me were too strong; my struggles were useless. “I… I really didn’t! You can’t do this to me…” My resistance continued, but Eleanor had already waved her hand, summoning someone. They pressed me onto a table, instructing a nurse to draw my blood. Watching the blood flow out through the long tube, I finally stopped struggling. Once, if I merely pricked a finger, she would lovingly summon the best doctors in the city. But now, she was drawing my blood for another man. As the bright red blood was drawn drop by drop, my consciousness gradually blurred. The last thing I remembered before fading was Eleanor anxiously rushing towards the doctor who had just emerged from the operating room. 5 Again, I woke up in a hospital, again to the pungent smell of disinfectant. Listening to the steady beeps of the heart monitor, my heart was silent, like death. Just then, the door to the ward suddenly opened, and Caleb Blackwood, his face pale, walked in, leaning against the wall with each slow step. “What are you doing here?” I merely glanced at him indifferently and turned my face away. “Mr. Thorne, I’ve come to thank you.” Caleb walked over and sat down in front of my bed. “Mr. Thorne, thank you for donating blood to me. Without you, I might have died on the operating table!” As he spoke, Caleb was already by my bedside. “I don’t need your thanks.” I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see Caleb anymore. “Don’t be like that, Mr. Thorne, I sincerely want to thank you!” Caleb turned, picked up the glass from the table, poured some water, and offered it to me. “Mr. Thorne, I heard… Leo passed away, didn’t he?” Caleb’s words were barely out before my eyes snapped open. “That black box, that was Leo, right?” Caleb held the glass, a mocking smile playing on his lips, a glimmer of cunning flashing in his eyes. “It truly was…” Caleb paused, and the glass in his hand began to tilt. “It truly was, what he deserved!” With that, the scalding water from the glass poured out entirely. “Ah!” The hot water spilled all over my hand. I quickly pulled my hand back, pushing Caleb away. “Caleb Blackwood, what are you doing?” Seeing my reddened, scalded hand, Caleb sat on the floor and burst into laughter. “Hahahaha, Julian Thorne, someone like you actually thinks you’re worthy of Eleanor? You’re delusional!” Caleb then raised his hand and waved something in front of my eyes. “You should be very familiar with this, shouldn’t you?” “Ellie gave this to me. I told her I want to have many more children with her in the future.” Looking at the locket in Caleb’s hand, my eyes widened in shock. That was the locket Eleanor personally placed on Leo’s neck the day he was born, saying it would protect him for a long and healthy life. Later, because it was so precious, I put it away. I never imagined she would give it to Caleb. Remembering the day Leo died, and how Eleanor didn’t even spare him a glance, my heart instantly sank to rock bottom. I used all my strength to push myself up from the hospital bed. I had to get back what belonged to Leo. “What are you two doing?” Just as I struggled to get out of bed, Eleanor’s icy voice cut through the air from the doorway. “Ellie… Eleanor…” Seeing her appear at the door, Caleb instantly changed his expression. His eyes reddened, and his voice choked. “Eleanor, I… I just wanted to come thank Mr. Thorne for donating blood, but he wouldn’t accept my thanks and even tried to take the locket you gave me.” As he spoke, tears sparkled in Caleb’s eyes. “Eleanor, this is the locket you gave for our future children. I don’t want Mr. Thorne to have it.” “Eleanor, could you please ask Mr. Thorne not to take my locket…” Frowning, Eleanor quickly walked over to Caleb, who was still sitting on the floor, and helped him up. After making sure Caleb was steady, she turned to me. “Julian, is what he said true?” 6 Her voice was icy, but not as cold as my heart. I looked up, meeting her dark, furious gaze, my voice horribly hoarse. “Eleanor, that was *your* gift to Leo! How could you give it to this man?” “Sigh, still haven’t learned your lesson.” Hearing my accusation, Eleanor didn’t get angry; she just shook her head helplessly, then turned to Caleb, whom she was still holding. “And you, why are you so naughty too? I told you to stay in your room, why are you running around?” She gently tapped Caleb’s nose, her eyes filled with tenderness. “I just…” “Alright, don’t say anything else.” She gently cut Caleb off, reaching out to affectionately ruffle his hair. “There’s no turning back once I’ve given something away, is there?” “Since I gave it to you, it’s yours. No one, not even the Montgomery family’s son-in-law, can take it from you.” She glanced indifferently at me, still sitting on the hospital bed, then turned back to Caleb, her voice laced with intimacy. “If you don’t listen to me again, I might have to punish you, you know!” As she spoke, her eyes involuntarily drifted lower. “Eleanor, Mr. Thorne is still here!” Caleb’s gaze swept over me, his eyes full of provocation. “What does he matter? Come on, I’ll take you back to your room.” With that, Eleanor gently helped Caleb and left the ward. Watching their intimate backs, my heart was utterly still. Sitting weakly on the hospital bed, looking at my scalded, bright red hands, and remembering Eleanor personally placing the locket around Leo’s neck, I found I couldn’t even shed a single tear. It turned out that when a person reached the pinnacle of sorrow, there truly were no tears left. Staring blankly at my hands, after an unknown amount of time, the ward door opened again, and Eleanor walked in, her face grim. “Julian, why still can’t you learn to be obedient?” She came up to me, reached out, hooked my chin, and looked at me with chilling eyes. “If you like lockets, I’ll have someone buy you another one. Why do you have to fight with Caleb?” “I already told you, once I get bored, I’ll naturally come back to you. And the locket is no different.” As she spoke, her grip on my chin tightened. She forced me to meet her gaze, a helpless curve to her lips. “Julian, you’re making things very difficult for me!” “I don’t want anything to happen to Leo, but if you keep being so willful, I can’t guarantee that something won’t happen to him!” Seeing the sudden fear in my eyes, she released me, satisfied. “Julian, I’m giving you one last chance. If you bully Caleb again, don’t blame me for disregarding our marriage!” With that, she cast one more glance at me, then turned and left the ward. Eleanor didn’t notice the blood seeping from my tightly clenched hands at my sides. *Eleanor, don’t you know? Leo is gone. Our Leo died by your hands.* For several days after that, Eleanor didn’t visit me again. Even my discharge was something I handled alone. Looking at the mottled tree shadows outside the hospital, my grip on my phone tightened. Today was the day I was supposed to leave. Director Davies had sent me the address of my rendezvous. I just needed to go home, pick up Leo, and disappear from Eleanor’s life forever. 7 Back at the mansion, the moment I opened the door, I saw Caleb Blackwood lounging on the sofa, and Eleanor was feeding him medicine. “Ellie, this medicine is so bitter!” Caleb frowned at the medicine in front of him, then looked up at Eleanor. “Be a good boy, sweetie, good medicine tastes bitter!” Eleanor gently pushed the medicine closer to Caleb, coaxing him softly. “I won’t, unless…” Caleb paused, then suddenly leaned closer to Eleanor. “Unless you feed it to me with your mouth!” Looking at the man before her, Eleanor chuckled softly. “Okay, I’ll feed you!” She took a sip from the bowl, then leaned in, covering Caleb’s lips with hers. Caleb, being kissed, let his eyes wander to me, standing at the doorway, his eyes full of unconcealed pride and triumph. Watching the scene unfold, I suddenly remembered four years ago, when I was sick, the doctor also prescribed medicine for me. That medicine was too bitter, I really couldn’t drink it. Eleanor also coaxed me to finish it in the same way. At that time, she looked at me with such tenderness, saying she would never let me suffer again in this life. I never imagined that later, all the suffering would be brought to me by her. Not wanting to see the intimate pair on the sofa any longer, I turned to go back to the staff quarters, but then Eleanor’s low voice reached me. “You’re back?” She got up from Caleb’s side and walked over to me. “Have some water!” “Your health isn’t great to begin with, and you donated blood to Caleb, so you must still be very weak.” She picked up a glass of water from the table and offered it to me. I looked at the glass in her hand, then looked up at her, my eyes utterly cold. “No need.” Her concern, I didn’t need it anymore. With that, I turned to go back to my room, but the next second, I was restrained by her men. “Julian, how many times do I have to tell you? You need to be good, to be obedient. That’s how I’ll love you, that’s how Leo won’t suffer.” Before I could resist, she pinched my cheeks and forced the cup of water down my throat. Only when the water entered my throat did I realize it wasn’t her concern for me at all, but her mockery. “Cough, cough, cough…” The burning chili water made me cough uncontrollably. But seeing me in such a pathetic state, Eleanor, standing before me, and Caleb, sitting on the sofa, both burst into uncontrollable laughter. “Are you feeling better now?” Eleanor turned to Caleb, her eyes full of pampering. “Much better!” Caleb walked over and wrapped his arms around Eleanor. “But Ellie, you promised me, from now on, you’ll only love me!” “Yes, I’ll only love you from now on.” Eleanor looked up and kissed Caleb’s lips again. Then, she looked at me with cold indifference. “Don’t blame me, Caleb was injured because of you. This is just a punishment for your disobedience!” With that, she waved a hand, and I was released. Looking at Eleanor, who seemed like a demon before me, I glared at her fiercely, then turned and went back to my room. Watching my retreating back, Eleanor frowned. She didn’t know why, but that look in my eyes made her incredibly uneasy. “Ellie, what’s wrong?” Seeing her staring blankly at my retreating back, Caleb’s lips proactively sought hers again. Wrapping my arms around the man in front of me, I closed my eyes in satisfaction. Back in my room, I began to pack, but I couldn’t find Leo’s urn anywhere. Caleb’s words in the hospital suddenly flashed through my mind. In an instant, a terrible premonition surged in my heart. Without thinking further, I quickly got up and rushed to the living room. 8 The two in the living room were still entwined, but my unease only grew. I pulled them apart, and before either could react, I punched Caleb in the face. “Caleb Blackwood, where are my things?” “Wh-what things?” The desire in Caleb’s eyes hadn’t faded yet. Taken by surprise by the punch, he froze. “Where’s my box?” I looked at Caleb, tears almost spilling from my eyes in desperation. “Oh, you mean that white ash!” Caleb seemed to remember something, his eyes filled with disgust. “Mr. Thorne, where did you find that stuff? It’s… it’s not clean…” “I asked you, where are my things?” Before Caleb could finish, I grabbed the lapels of his half-open shirt. “I… I threw it away.” “Threw it away?” “Yeah, that stuff was what hurt me, and what made you have to donate blood to me. It wasn’t clean, so I threw…” Caleb tried to say more, but he was silenced by my furious gaze. “Where did you throw it?” “Just… just in the trash can…” Before Caleb could finish, I quickly got up and ran out. I frantically searched through trash can after trash can, but I couldn’t find Leo’s ashes anywhere. Watching me, frantically rummaging through trash cans like a madman, Eleanor frowned. She quickly walked over to me, grabbing me forcefully. “Julian Thorne, that’s enough!” She roared. “Look at yourself! What kind of state are you in? Where’s the dignity of the Montgomery family’s son-in-law?” “Dignity? Montgomery family’s son-in-law?” Hearing her words, I suddenly laughed. “Hahahaha, Eleanor, don’t you know? He, Caleb Blackwood, threw Leo away!” “You… what?” Hearing my words, Eleanor’s frown deepened. “Eleanor, that box, it was our Leo! It was Leo!” I grabbed her arm, screaming in near-collapse, but the next second, a stinging pain erupted on my face. Looking at me, finally silenced by her slap, Eleanor’s expression was terrifyingly dark. “Julian Thorne, how dare you curse Leo? That’s your son!” “Caleb already told me he sent Leo to my mother’s place. You’re busy taking care of him, so you couldn’t manage, and my mom’s taking care of him for now.” “Julian Thorne, I’m warning you, if you dare to curse Leo again, I think Leo should get a new daddy!” “Your mother?” Hearing her words, I laughed even harder. “Hahahaha, Eleanor, your mother never liked Leo. Do you really think she’d agree to take care of him?” “Eleanor, the one who killed Leo wasn’t me, it was *you*!” With that, I pushed Eleanor away and ran towards the sea. “Julian Thorne, where are you going?” Watching my figure disappear into the distance, Eleanor suddenly panicked. She quickly chased after me, but in the end, she was still too late. “Julian, come back, I’ll take you to pick up Leo!” She looked at me, standing at the edge of the cliff, a ominous premonition suddenly filling her heart. She slowly approached me, but the next second, I stopped her. “Eleanor, Leo is gone. He can’t be brought back!” “I watched his body being cremated with my own eyes. I collected his ashes myself. Eleanor, our Leo is dead.” Hearing the word “dead,” Eleanor’s heart suddenly clenched. She reached out to me, her voice anxious. “Julian, don’t say foolish things. We’ll go get Leo back right now!” “It’s too late. Eleanor, everything is too late!” I looked at her, despair filling my eyes. “Eleanor, the biggest regret of my life was falling in love with you.” “If there’s a next life, I never want to love you again!” With that, I turned and jumped into the sea without hesitation. “No!” Eleanor rushed forward, but she only managed to touch a corner of my clothes. The waves roared, and in this world, Julian Thorne was no more. 9 “Have they found him?” Inside the mansion, I lay semi-recumbent on the bed, my pale face devoid of any color. It had been three days since Julian jumped into the sea.

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“What did you say? A sperm donation?” My mind went blank as I stared at Summer Davies’ tear-streaked face. “Yes, the baby I’m carrying… it’s Julian Vance’s.” Summer dabbed at her eyes, timidly turning to Julian Vance, who stood beside her. “Julian, surely you haven’t forgotten? Five years ago, when we were studying abroad together, you volunteered for a local sperm donation program…” “I just never imagined that the seed you left behind would… germinate inside me.” Summer’s tears streamed down, her voice choked with sobs. I sat opposite her, numb, Summer’s words a lightning bolt striking my ears. I never imagined that after so many years of heartfelt prayers, my husband, Julian Vance, would finally be blessed with a child. Except, I wasn’t the one carrying it. I don’t remember how I got home. All I could see was Summer’s tear-stained, crumpled face. The steam in the bathroom was thick, almost suffocating. Unconsciously, I had been in there for two hours. Julian’s pacing silhouette was visible through the frosted glass door. Clutching my chest, I spoke first, “Is everything handled?” “Mmm.” Outside the bathroom, Julian’s head was bowed as he softly hummed a reply. His mind was a tangled mess, unsure how to explain the situation to his wife. “Are you sure it’s—” I finally mustered the courage to ask, “—your child?” “I’m so sorry, Willow. I didn’t know it was an unscrupulous little clinic back then. Now, they’ve sold all the donor information just to make a quick buck…” My heart clenched sharply, and I squeezed my eyes shut. “So, what are you going to do?” Julian, who had been quick to explain moments before, suddenly fell silent. He sighed heavily, words catching in his throat, unable to be spoken. The longer the silence stretched, the faster my heart pounded. “Willow! I want to keep this child.” I already knew the answer in my heart, yet the moment Julian’s voice reached me, tears gushed out. My fingers traced the long scar on my lower abdomen, pressing hard enough for the tips to sink deep into my skin. Three years ago, it was this scar that had brought me into Julian’s heart. Back then, I was just a junior stunt performer in his crew. Driven by a love that had blossomed since childhood, I’d silently dedicated myself to him for a decade. For ten years, I’d abandoned a comfortable, respectable job to work as a stunt double in Julian’s film crew. Soaking in icy lake water night after night for retakes in winter, a wire rig malfunctioned, and I nearly fell from a rooftop… I’d lost count of how many injuries I’d sustained. But witnessing Julian’s journey from an industry newcomer to a well-known director brought me genuine happiness. I had never thought Julian and I would have a deeper connection. Until that time, when a large-scale explosion scene was being filmed for a movie Julian was directing. Due to an oversight by the props team, there was a miscalculation with the explosion point. When the flames erupted near Julian, I instinctively dove forward without a second thought. When I woke again, staring at the sterile white hospital ceiling, the tearing pain in my abdomen made it almost impossible to breathe. “The patient’s uterus was severely damaged. Whether she can conceive in the future depends on her recovery.” The doctor’s conversation with Julian outside the door echoed clearly in my ears, word for word. He had only suffered minor scratches, but I had thrown myself over him to protect him, landing on sharp construction materials used for the set. A piece of jagged metal had pierced my abdomen. Lying alone in the hospital bed, silently crying at night, it was Julian who held my icy hands, his eyes full of pain. He said it was his turn to protect me. He promised to protect me for a lifetime. Now, I braced myself against the bathroom wall, barely standing, recalling Julian’s vows from the day we got married. Because of the scar on my stomach, I had once refused Julian’s proposal. But Julian had promised again and again: “Willow, I don’t care if we have children or not. I’ve seen all your sacrifices over the years. I love you, and this scar will only be a testament to our love!” But now, precisely because of that scar, I couldn’t refuse Julian’s request to keep the child. The doctor had said that if I couldn’t get pregnant within three years, I would never have children. Now, the three-year mark was almost here, and my womb remained silent. Julian loved children so much. How could I bear to watch him give up this hard-won baby? I choked back a sob, forcing the words out of my throat as if it took all my strength. “Okay.” ### 2 Julian’s head shot up at my answer, his voice laced with unconcealed joy. “Thank you, Willow.” I watched the man’s retreating figure leave the bathroom, and I could no longer stand. My legs gave out, and I slid to the floor, tears silently falling. Julian was going to have a baby. This was what I had dreamed of for three years. I should have been happy. But right now, my heart ached, so deeply, so terribly. After Julian and I got married, to aid my recovery, I took a job as an instructor at a nearby children’s equestrian club. Sometimes, when his crew filmed period dramas, they would borrow horses from the club. I was happy to act as a liaison between the crew and the club. “Willow! Willow!” A few pats on my back startled me, and I realized my colleague, Brenda, had called me many times. Brenda took the comb from my hand, grooming the horse while sizing me up. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been so distracted lately.” I lowered my head, sighing quietly. Julian hadn’t been home for days, busy taking care of Summer. All of it agitated me, but who could I tell? I forced a smile, swallowing my grievances. “Nothing, maybe just a little low blood sugar.” “Low blood sugar? You need to be more careful then!” Brenda playfully patted my back, joking, “If anything happened to you, your husband would blame me for not looking after you properly.” To outsiders, we were a loving couple. Julian treated me like his most precious possession, instructing everyone to take care of me, and I was often teased about it. But now, those words felt like sharp thorns, pricking at my uneasy heart. “Oh, by the way, the crew just called. The saddle is broken; can you take a new one over?” Brenda handed me the items and arranged for a driver to take me. Watching the scenery flash past the car window, I was flooded with emotions. In these three years of marriage, I couldn’t point to a single flaw in Julian. Even when he worked until midnight, he’d send a goodnight message in advance. This was the first time in three years he’d gone days without a word. “Maybe Julian really is too busy,” I told myself, rubbing my temples, trying to find comfort. I had just finished unloading the items when I saw my best friend, Natalie, walking out of the actors’ entrance, looking utterly dejected. “Nat? Are you getting off early today?” I checked my phone; it was only three o’clock. Natalie should still be filming. She was the second female lead in this show, with a lot of screen time. “Off early? What job do I even have anymore? My role was recast.” Natalie’s voice suddenly choked, her red-rimmed eyes welling with tears. I froze. “Recast? No way!” Natalie had auditioned herself back then, and the entire production team thought she was the perfect fit for the second female lead. It was I who had brought her the good news from Julian and witnessed her sign the acting contract. Ignoring the items in my hands, I rushed into the crew’s makeup room. At that moment, Summer was sitting in front of the mirror, trying on a costume, laughing and talking with Julian. I recognized it instantly; it was Natalie’s character’s makeup and outfit. “So, you’re the one who replaced Natalie?” “Willow!” Julian nervously stepped in front of Summer. The moment our eyes met, his smile faded. “It has nothing to do with Summer. It was entirely my decision.” I looked at my now-stern husband, my eyes filled with shock. As a director, Julian couldn’t possibly be unaware of how desperately Natalie wanted this hard-won opportunity. She had auditioned day and night, finally securing this role. And just like that, Julian dismissed it with a casual remark. “What about Natalie?” I clutched the hem of my shirt. “You know how much she was looking forward to this show.” “I’m willing to offer Natalie double compensation.” Julian’s face was grim, his answer indifferent. The atmosphere grew tense. Summer, who had been shrinking behind Julian, suddenly cautiously tugged my arm. Her eyes were red, looking utterly pathetic, her voice tinged with a sob. “Sister Willow, please don’t be angry with Julian. It’s all my fault. I didn’t know Natalie was your friend. Julian just wanted to find something for me to do. I won’t act, just please don’t argue because of me…” Tears silently slid down her cheeks, her aggrieved look making it seem as if I were the unreasonable one. But these tears clearly struck a chord with Julian. His tone became irritable. “Summer just returned from abroad and hasn’t adapted to the work environment here yet. She also likes acting, and crew work is the most suitable.” “Natalie always said you were understanding, so why are you arguing with Summer over such a small matter?” “She’s pregnant; where else do you want her to suffer?” With that, he let out a long sigh, took Summer by the hand, and left the makeup room. I stood there stunned, Julian’s words like a rope twisting tightly around my heart. I was certain now; it seemed that the day Summer appeared, something had fractured. ### 3 “So, who is the second female lead after all?” “Definitely not Sister Summer. I heard the previous actress brought her friend to cause a scene, so Sister Summer gave way.” “Sister Summer is so nice, I still hope she acts.” “Yes, yes, she even brought me coffee this morning…” “I think Director Vance really likes her too!” I stood in the corner, quietly listening to the chattering extras. Following their gaze, Summer was bent over, helping the crew move props. Her sleeves were half-rolled, revealing a slender, pale forearm. Behind her, Julian stood, his eyes full of concern, following her every move. The moment Summer lifted a box, he suddenly turned his back, hastily lowering his head, and a few tears silently fell. I took it all in, a wave of bitterness rising in my heart. Because of Natalie’s role, it felt like a thick wall had risen between Julian and me. We hadn’t spoken for days. “Maybe Julian is just worried about the baby,” I thought, feeling a little better, and turned to slip into the stable in the corner. Mike was munching on the hay from the ranch. Seeing me enter, he obediently lowered his head and nudged me. This horse had been with me since I first joined the club. Strong and well-built, he was a good prospect, but unfortunately, he had injured his front leg and could no longer compete in equestrian events. Luckily, Mike had good looks and was noticed by the crew, so it was a good place for him. “Sister Willow!” A sweet gasp suddenly came from behind me; it was Summer. “I heard this is your horse?” She slapped Mike’s back twice with force. Mike was visibly startled, nervously stepping backward into the stable. Seeing her heavy-handedness, I kindly warned, “Summer, you’re pregnant; it’s better not to get too close to Mike. You might get hurt…” “Sister, you’re so petty. It’s just a horse; you won’t even let me touch it? Your husband, Julian, even…” Summer’s words trailed off. She seemed to have suddenly remembered something and smiled shyly at me. Her innocent, pure face clearly held a hint of defiance. My fingers trembled slightly, instinctively clenching. Of course, I understood what Summer meant. It was fine. Once Summer had the baby, she would have no further ties to the Vance family. Julian had said that once the child was born, he would entrust its upbringing to me. I took a deep breath, suppressing my emotions, and ignored her. “Little white horse, Julian said you love carrots the most. You like me too, right?” Summer picked up a few carrots, hopefully offering them to Mike’s mouth. But Mike didn’t even turn his head, simply munching indifferently on the hay I had just given him. Summer looked a little flustered and moved closer. This time, Mike impatiently shook his head, snorting at her. “Where did you get such a temper, you ungrateful horse?” Summer raised the carrots in her hand and swung them, intending to hit Mike. “No!” I frantically shielded Mike. But Summer, in her anger, swung her hand wildly, striking Mike’s injured front leg hard. A sharp, pained whinny filled the air, and Mike’s front hooves buckled in pain. He nervously spun in place, hooves flailing, and the stable instantly became chaotic. I tried to grab Mike but was thrown to the ground by the panicked horse. “Ah—” A piercing shriek echoed across the entire film set. Summer was violently kicked in the chest by Mike and fell to the ground with a thud. “Quick, someone! This horse has gone mad!” The crew also noticed the situation in the stable and rushed over in a panic. A tall, upright figure suddenly pushed through the crowd. I recognized him immediately: it was Julian. I suppressed the dizziness in front of my eyes, wanting to stand up, not wanting him to worry. But Julian, without even a glance in my direction, knelt beside Summer! He was so nervous his face was pale, his hands trembling. “Summer, we’re going to the hospital right now!” Julian scooped Summer into his arms and turned to leave. “Julian, I—” My voice trembled, and I reached out, grabbing the hem of his jacket. “I—!” Julian cut me off, his gaze icy cold. “How could you let her come to such a dangerous place? Why didn’t you protect her?” My body stiffened, and I numbly released my grip, watching their figures grow smaller and smaller. A dull ache swept through my heart. My lips trembled as I softly uttered the rest of my sentence: “—My stomach hurts so much too, I think I’m bleeding…” ### 4 “Boss, can’t you make an exception? Mike has always been very gentle…” I tried to explain, my back drenched in cold sweat. But the club owner just shook his head impatiently. “I’ve already told you, if word gets out that this horse injured someone, who would send their kids here to learn riding?” “Is there really no other way? Mike has been with me since he was little.” My eyes teared up, my voice hoarse. Seeing my distress, the owner sighed. “Willow, this is a last resort. The stable needs to make a profit. Selling him to the scenic area is the best arrangement.” He handed me the car keys. “How about this? Since he’s your horse, you can take him there.” I gripped the keys, standing in the scorching sun for a long time before starting the car and driving Mike to the exchange location. The buyer was a well-known horse dealer from the scenic area. He circled Mike a few times, looking very satisfied. “This horse is indeed good. Good-looking horses are more popular in scenic spots; they can earn a lot. Come with me!” Listening to these words, my heart was a mix of emotions. I looked back at Mike; he was still obediently following me, full of trust. As we reached the foot of the mountain, a team of horses carrying cargo descended from above. Their thin backs were laden with mountain-like bundles, their legs trembling. I could tell these horses were exhausted. The man seemed to read my thoughts and quickly chimed in, “Don’t worry, the ones that pull cargo are the ugly ones. Your horse has good looks; he’ll be taking guests for photos up ahead. That’s much easier.” I nodded. This was as far as I could take Mike. Mike lowered his head and gently nudged my chest. It was our secret signal, Mike asking for his owner’s touch. I instinctively raised my hand but stopped in mid-air, my throat completely choked with bitterness. “Mike needs to get used to it. There won’t be an owner’s touch anymore.” I lowered my hands, but my gaze lingered on Mike with tender affection, my heart pulled by an invisible chain, unable to let go. Not getting a response from his owner, Mike suddenly became agitated and nudged me again. This time, I simply turned away. I heard Mike’s hurried hoofbeats behind me. He whinnied softly a couple of times, as if he had realized something. I didn’t dare look back, quietly listening as the sound faded further and further away. Ahead, a few people were leading a white horse, dressed in the same uniforms as the man who had taken Mike. They were clearly from the same group. They cursed at the white horse, “This damn horse! Threw a customer off, made me pay so much money!” *Smack!* The whip in hand fiercely struck the horse’s back. A shocking red welt immediately appeared on the horse’s white back, beads of blood seeping into its fur, staining it red. The horse cowered in the corner, silent, its eyes filled with terror. As the whip was about to fall again, another person intervened. “How can it take customers if it has scars? Two days without food, and it’ll behave.” A wave of panic washed over me, my heart feeling torn. I pulled out my phone, looking at the dozen uncalled numbers on the screen, then tremblingly dialed Summer’s number. The call connected, and Summer’s sweet voice came through, “Sister Willow, what’s up?” “Summer, can you let Julian answer the phone?” I choked, “I can’t reach him.” A moment of silence. “What’s wrong?” The moment I heard Julian’s voice, my tears broke free completely. For three years of marriage, Julian had been like my salvation. In every crisis, his presence brought comfort. “Julian, can Mike stay with the crew? I don’t want him to suffer at the scenic spot.” A cold laugh suddenly came from the other end. “I thought you were calling to apologize to Summer.” Listening to Julian’s reply, a chill instantly spread through my body. “Don’t you like Mike too?” “Willow, what’s more important, a person or a horse? I can’t risk Summer’s safety.” “Julian, I want some fruit,” Summer’s voice drifted through from the other end. “Okay, I’ll wash some for you.” “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now. Summer’s still shaken and needs rest.” The moment the call was disconnected, my heart felt like ashes. I used the nearby rock to stand up, my mind hazy, the workers’ curses buzzing incessantly in my ears. A voice in my heart told me I couldn’t lose Mike again. I turned around and ran frantically, screaming with all my might, my voice tearing. “Mike! Mike!” Down the mountain path, a white horse whinnied, its steady, powerful hoofbeats thundering. Mike galloped forward, head held high, like a whirlwind rushing toward me. I hugged Mike tightly, sobbing uncontrollably. Mike whinnied softly, constantly nudging and licking me with his head, his dark, shiny eyes filled with glistening liquid, as if scolding his owner for being so heartless. I gently wiped away his tears. “In this world, you’re the only one who cares about me. My little horse, we’ll never be separated again…” ### 5 “Sister Willow, these are Summer’s things. Can you take them back for her?” I took the bag of items handed to me by the crew member and immediately spotted the familiar pair of knitted gloves. I asked, puzzled, “Are you sure these are all Summer’s?” The crew member nodded. “Can’t be mistaken. They were all found in her belongings box. Director Vance said Summer won’t be coming to work on set anymore, and asked me to sort her things.” I didn’t ask further and took the bag home. The empty room was silent. Julian still hadn’t returned today. I lay on the bed, staring at the moonlight filtering through the window, tossing and turning. Finally, I couldn’t resist getting up. I pulled the gloves from the bag and examined them closely under the lamp. On the faded wash tag inside the glove’s cuff, there was a worn red heart. I was certain. These were the very gloves I had given Julian when we were in school. Memories flooded back, and I saw again the cold, slender silhouette of the boy cycling. In my freshman year of high school, my mother passed away unexpectedly, and my father remarried, quickly starting a new family. I was like the extra piece, tacitly ignored by everyone. I rented an old apartment, going to school, eating, and living alone. But walking through the dark alleyways by myself, I couldn’t help but cry from fear. After school, I always lingered, waiting for classmates going my way. Eventually, I realized that Julian Vance, from my class, had a similar route. Julian rode a bike, and to keep up with him, I always ran, arriving home drenched in sweat every time. Somewhere along the way, Julian seemed to deliberately slow down, and I no longer had to run to keep pace. One of the class brown-nosers heard that Julian’s family was well-off and asked him why he didn’t ride in their luxury car. I listened quietly from the side, feeling a gaze on me that quickly shifted away. “I just like cycling, it’s refreshing,” Julian replied nonchalantly. “Pfft!” I heard a sneering laugh from behind a classmate. “What a show-off. Cycling is ‘refreshing’ in winter?” I blushed in the corner. I saved three months’ worth of pocket money and bought the most expensive pair of gloves at the convenience store, secretly slipping them into Julian’s desk drawer. During my loneliest three years, Julian’s cycling silhouette was like a beacon in a long, dark alley. But why did his figure seem to get further and further away, no matter how hard I tried to catch up? “Julian, wait for me! Julian!” I jolted awake from a nightmare, my forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. “Just a dream, thankfully.” I clutched my chest, surprised I had fallen asleep like that. Perhaps I had been truly exhausted lately. I had bought Mike myself but struggled to find a place for him. Running around these past few days had left me feeling worn out. I touched my slightly aching stomach, deciding to find something to eat. Opening the fridge, I found only a few wilted mini cabbages. Julian and I were both busy with work, often needing to work late, so Mrs. Vance usually bought groceries and stocked the fridge. I stared blankly at the empty fridge, realizing I hadn’t seen Mrs. Vance in a long time. *Buzz—* My phone vibrated, snapping me back to reality. It was Julian. I quickly answered. “Willow, Sam said you took Summer’s things?” “Yes.” “Then make sure to keep them safe. Summer’s documents are in there.” Summer, Summer, Summer. Always about Summer. I swallowed my disappointment and softly agreed. “Julian, come here and help Summer with this form!” Mrs. Vance’s voice suddenly came through the phone. I was a bit startled. “Is Mom there too? Does Mom know about the baby?” “Yes, it’s more reassuring with her looking after Summer.” Julian sounded a bit impatient, wanting to hang up. “Julian,” I called out, clutching the gloves in my hand. “Do you remember where the gloves I gave you are? I can’t find them.” There was a long silence on the other end. Julian’s voice was cold: “I don’t remember. It’s nothing valuable; just buy another pair…” My eyelids drooped, and a few silent tears traced lines down my cheeks. It turned out some things meant nothing to Julian, whether it was Mike or me. ### 6 “Willow, your husband isn’t here to watch the competition this time?” Brenda handed me my riding boots, muttering, “Didn’t he always come before?” “Maybe the crew is too busy,” I forced a bitter smile. I opened my phone and scrolled to Julian’s chat, the screen still showing the message I had sent him. [Julian, I have an equestrian competition this weekend. Are you coming to watch?] The competition was only 15 minutes away, and Julian still hadn’t replied. “Just focus on the competition. You’ve got a good foundation; you’ll be fine!” Brenda patted my shoulder. I turned off my phone, my face pale. In truth, I hadn’t been feeling well lately and hadn’t wanted to participate in this competition. But the owner said if I signed up, he would agree to let Mike stay at the stable for a while. I gazed blankly at the audience area, a sliver of hope still lingering in my heart. A familiar figure suddenly flashed through the crowd, and my eyes lit up instantly. It was Julian! He really came! I waved my hands frantically to greet him, but in the next second, following Julian’s gaze, I saw another familiar face. Summer was here too. The crowd surged, and Summer, like a docile rabbit, was cradled in Julian’s arms. I slowly lowered my hand, my eyes dimming, tinged with self-mockery. “Quick, it’s your turn to enter.” Brenda hurriedly urged the team participants. I had no time to react, mounted my horse, and entered the arena. This horse was competing for the first time and was particularly excited. We hadn’t had time to acclimate, and I already felt a struggle as the competition began. The atmosphere grew tense. Some spectators yelled excitedly. My palms were sweaty. Despite the surrounding noise, my heart seemed to remain fixed on Julian and Summer. The view from horseback was especially open. I saw Summer lean into Julian’s embrace. “Watch out!” A gasp from a teammate behind me snapped me back to reality. My mind went blank. I realized I had given the wrong command. The horse beneath me crashed wildly through the obstacle ahead, galloping frantically across the arena. Screams erupted around me. I felt the world spin, and boundless fear, like a suffocating net, enveloped me. *Thud!* I fell heavily from the horse’s back. Confused hooves trampled over me, and pain, like sharp steel needles, mercilessly pierced my nerves. Medical personnel rushed over in a panic, forming a circle. With a last shred of consciousness, I opened my eyes and looked towards the audience section. Julian’s face was pale, shouting hoarsely through the crowd, “Medics! Where are the medics?!” He seemed terrified, but his gaze never once turned towards the arena. In his arms was Summer, who had fainted from heatstroke. My eyes, filled with desolate pain, watched Julian’s retreating back, an agonizing ache piercing my very core. “Julian!” I screamed silently in my heart, “Just one glance! Even if just one glance…” ### 7 I awoke to the strong smell of disinfectant in the hospital room. I couldn’t help but cough, but every breath seemed to pull at every painful sensation, making my body involuntarily curl up. But I was so thirsty. I struggled to raise my hand to reach for the glass on the table, my face contorted in pain. “Oh my gosh, Willow! You have to be careful!” Caleb Vance rushed into the room from outside, handing me the glass of water. “See? It’s great having a cousin who works at the hospital.” I glanced at the empty room and gave a self-deprecating laugh. Caleb busied himself, his mouth chattering nonstop. “Willow, I’ve warned you countless times; you shouldn’t do such dangerous work. Do you know your spine was almost fractured by that horse?” “And you shouldn’t have told Sister Summer about the competition, or she wouldn’t have insisted on going. Then Julian, that busy man, wouldn’t have had to take time to accompany her.” “Look at you two now, both in the hospital. One’s his wife, the other’s his childhood sweetheart. One on the first floor, the other on the sixth. Julian has to run back and forth between you two…” Caleb’s words came too fast, and I couldn’t process them all at once. My room was on the first floor; that meant Summer was on the sixth. “You mean Julian is at the hospital?” I interrupted him. Caleb was a bit puzzled by the sudden question. “Yes, Julian and the others are all in Sister Summer’s room right now. Didn’t he come to see you first before going up?” I froze, a bitter taste rising in my throat. My husband wouldn’t even visit me when he was on his way, preferring to climb directly to the sixth floor. If Summer hadn’t demanded it, he wouldn’t even have come to the competition. After Caleb left, I, knowing everything, could no longer hold back. I hid under the covers and sobbed uncontrollably, desperately muffling my mouth, not wanting anyone to hear. A knock sounded at the door. A nurse came in, carrying a report. “Ms. Hayes, I regret to inform you that the tests show fetal demise. For your health, we recommend a D&C as soon as possible.” “What did you say?” I threw back the covers and sat up abruptly. “Fetal demise?” “Yes, didn’t you know you were pregnant? Your injury this time was too severe; the baby couldn’t be saved.” My head buzzed, my thoughts completely stalled. The door opened, and Julian, seeing the nurse, his face grim, said, “Please excuse us for a moment. I need to speak with her.” The nurse said nothing more and left. I still hadn’t recovered from the shock. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Julian, however, suddenly pulled out a few sheets of paper from behind his back and handed them to me. The words “DIVORCE AGREEMENT” stared back at me. “Willow, I’m sorry. To better protect the child, I need to marry Summer and get the baby a proper birth certificate. You don’t want my child to be branded as illegitimate, do you?” Listening to his words, I felt as if my entire being had been frozen. I couldn’t feel any emotion anymore. Should I be happy that I could get pregnant? Sad that the baby was lost? Or angry about the divorce? I didn’t know. The heart in my chest felt as if it had stopped beating, utterly cold. “Willow,” Julian hugged me, “don’t worry. I’ll divorce Summer as soon as the baby is born. The child will live with us, and we’ll be a happy family of three!” I held the pen, my fingertips trembling. My voice was hoarse, my expression blank as I asked, “Julian, what if we had a child?” Julian shook his head. “Willow, we can’t have children.” “Right,” my heart felt like ashes, and I forced a bitter smile. “We don’t have a baby anymore.” I lowered my head, my eyelashes fluttering, my handwriting messy. “Thank you, Willow! I’ll go arrange the paperwork immediately!” Julian took the signed agreement and quickly left. I sat there numbly, unable to cry, unable to speak, as if all strength had been drained from my body. My knuckles, gripping my phone, turned white. Finally, I sent that message. [Leo, I’ve decided. I’m leaving the country with you.] ### 10 “Don’t hurt my baby! No!” I awoke from a nightmare, sitting up abruptly, drenched in sweat. Before I could recover from the fear, the unfamiliar decor around me made me disoriented for a moment.

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I was trying to book a male escort online, but somehow I accidentally texted a hitman. Me: “How much per session?” Hitman: “How many people.” Whoa, group rates? Awesome! I hesitated, a blush creeping up, and typed my name. “O-only one person. Any chance of a discount?” It was the tenth day since the breakup, and my hormones were acting up again, just like every month, making me restless. I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. So, in the middle of the night, I turned to the internet, looking for something to help me unwind. Clicking around, a powerfully striking photo suddenly scrolled across my screen. In my view, the man wore a dark helmet and mask, with only a pair of broad, strong hands, gripping a weapon, visible. His knuckles were sharply defined, veins bulging. The oversized weapon looked small and effortless in those palms. I couldn’t help but imagine his long fingers pulling the trigger. What if his fingertips weren’t on a trigger, but on… I instinctively covered my tingling nose. I instantly clicked into his profile, desperate for more eye candy. But most of the account’s content was hidden, requiring a paid subscription to unlock direct messages. Underneath, a flood of anonymous five-star reviews. “Totally worth it.” “Excellent and professional service!” “Clean, on point, no regrets.” I thought for a second and understood — It had to be OnlyFans! I did a quick mental calculation of the price and hissed through my teeth. It wasn’t cheap. This male model was truly expensive. Normally, I’d just drool for a bit and move on. But I was still furious about my cheating ex and desperately needed some good stuff to soothe my soul. We independent women deserve to treat ourselves. Money comes and goes, but I’d never again, in the prime of my twenties, alone, miss out on a masked, buff ‘daddy’ fantasy. I immediately splurged on the most expensive tier. Sure enough, a private message arrived quickly. “What service do you require.” His tone was as steady and cold as he was. I could almost picture him, stoic, giving me a sharp, knife-like glance. I touched my rapidly beating heart and bravely asked him. “How much for you to come out once?” He replied quickly: “How many people.” Whoa, group activities too? I was momentarily stunned by his wide range of services. Ugh, with the economy in the dumps, even us sugar mamas are feeling the pinch. My spirit animal must be a rusty old sponge – its flower language is pure, unadulterated suffering. I sighed for a moment: “Just one person.” I thought for a moment and then asked: “Any discounts?” The other side was silent for a moment, seemingly not expecting my question. After a brief pause, four bolded words popped up. “NO BARGAINING.” So cool and aloof. Business must be booming. He probably realized his tone was a bit stiff. A moment later, another message came. “Any special requests.” Me: ! Was the service *that* good? Paying definitely made a difference, making my mind race with naughty thoughts. My face flushed crimson, my brain like a wild horse, replaying every comic, video, and story I’d ever seen. It took me a long time to timidly type out my reply. “Anything goes?” The other side fell into a deep silence again, longer than before. Finally, after a long pause, two concise words appeared. “Extra charge.” …My inner fangirl suddenly keeled over. I instantly became pure and desireless: “Oh, then never mind.” After sending him my name, birthday, and a photo as requested, I casually asked. “What’s your name?” The cool guy’s reply was just as cool. “No need to know. Once the transaction is complete, we won’t be in touch again.” Wow, this is that legendary cold, hard cash transaction, isn’t it? Adulting is really something else. Me: “I need something to call you. A stage name?” He seemed to ponder, typing for a moment, then slowly replied. “Codename, Phoenix.”

On the appointed day. Excited, I grabbed my bag and rushed to the agreed-upon meeting spot. In the coffee shop, I couldn’t help my anxiety, checking the clock again and again. But after a long wait, he still didn’t show up. As the agreed time passed and no one appeared, my heart felt like a receding tide, slowly becoming dry and empty. Could I have been stood up? Before leaving in disappointment, I made one last desperate attempt, craning my neck to glance at the entrance. Both inside the coffee shop and right outside the door, there was no one. The road outside was also sparsely populated. Unwilling to give up, I repeatedly scanned my surroundings. Until my gaze landed on a tall figure in the shade of a distant tree across the street. Suddenly, my eyes lit up. The man had a slender build. Even the top button of his shirt was perfectly fastened, and he wore dark sunglasses and a mask, his entire body meticulously covered. Only a pair of distinctly jointed hands were the sole bright spot in the picture. Normally, without seeing a face, one couldn’t identify a person. But was I a normal person? I’m a seasoned connoisseur, capable of navigating countless websites and creating multiple accounts just to find the *really good stuff*! My instincts are never wrong! Damn it, those hands *had* to belong to my muscular god. I quickly ran over. Up close, I noticed he was even more robust, easily standing at six-foot-three. His pants pocket was bulging, making me wonder what treasures he might be hiding. That chest. Those legs. That absolute unit of a physique. My mouth watered, and my long wait’s annoyance significantly diminished. Maybe he got the location wrong? I tapped his shoulder: “What are you doing standing here? Why didn’t you come over?” The cool guy stiffened when I touched him. He looked bewildered for a second, then cautiously stepped back, eyeing me coldly. “You’ve got the wrong person.” I couldn’t help but rub my ear. His voice was amazing too, like the low thrum of a cello, every note scraped a delicious itch in my soul. Too bad it was so cold. I tried to explain again: “No, I haven’t. I’ve been waiting for you for ages. Since you didn’t come, I had to find you.” He was silent for a few seconds, his voice still distant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I instantly felt a little annoyed, putting my hands on my hips, huffing. “What’s wrong with you?! You got paid, didn’t you? Don’t tell me you’re backing out now, it’s too late!” The man was silent for a moment, his chest rising and falling as if he let out a long breath. He gave up and took off his sunglasses and mask, revealing a handsome face. One hand slid into his slightly bulging pants pocket, and he took a step closer to me. His narrow eyes flickered toward me, as if assessing my intentions. “Since you already know, what do you want?” Such a captivating beauty was now so close. I instantly forgot my anger. Shyly, I lowered my gaze, my eyes darting around. “I, um… booked a hotel room. We can talk inside.” I cleared my throat, gesturing around us. “There are too many people coming and going on the street, it’s not suitable for… business.” He didn’t move for a while. Afraid he might misunderstand, I quickly waved my hands in explanation. “Don’t worry, I don’t actually intend to *do* anything to you. It’s just, well, I just wanted to meet and talk.” My voice got softer and softer as I spoke. “As for other things, unless you’re willing…” He suddenly stepped forward and leaned over me. Suddenly, I was enveloped in his shadow. Compared to his strong, tall physique, I felt like a fragile doll that could break with a touch. I unconsciously held my breath. Seeing my reaction, a short smile flitted across his lips. For a moment, the ice melted. Revealing deep waters, dangerous and alluring. His low, magnetic male voice penetrated my eardrums. “I’m not worried. On the contrary, *you* should be worried about what *I* might do to you.” With that, he turned and walked towards the hotel. Leaving me standing there stunned. It took a long while for me to let out a little “Awooo” and cover my burning cheeks. Did I just get reverse-flirted? Is this the power of a professional male model? Terrifying!

On the big bed in the hotel room. Kaelen and I sat side by side, the atmosphere very silent. To liven things up, I had to find a random topic. “Why did you get into this line of work?” “Couldn’t do anything else.” I instantly imagined the classic tragic trope: a poor young man dropping out, losing his job, and finally ending up in the escort business. I tried to offer polite comfort. “Hey, this isn’t so bad either. It’s a long-standing profession with a rich history, you shouldn’t feel ashamed.” Kaelen seemed disinclined to talk about his job, frowning. “Let’s get to the point. What do you want to do?” Straight to business, huh? Wasn’t that a bit fast? I shyly rubbed my hands: “O-Okay. What can we do? Can we… get intimate?” His frown deepened: “*I* ‘intimate’ *you*?” Huh? What else? I asked confused: “Or, should *I* ‘intimate’ *you*?” “No.” “Then can I, uh, touch your… gun?” “No.” “How about just looking?” “No.” “Touching your pecs must be okay, right?” “Absolutely not!!” Kaelen’s suddenly raised voice startled me. I stared blankly at the man who had suddenly moved a step away, his ears flushed. Why so agitated? My previous requests weren’t any less scandalous, so perhaps his chest was a sensitive spot? I thought for a moment, then just asked directly: “You’re all about show, no… other services?” He thought for a moment: “Yes.” *What a chaste man*. Looks like tonight would be pure conversation under the covers. I yawned bored: “Alright, I’m going to take a shower. Make yourself at home.” He didn’t move, seemingly indifferent. When I came out wrapped in a towel. I saw Kaelen sitting on the bed, looking through my phone. “Hey! Don’t you have any professional ethics?!” I angrily pounced, trying to snatch it back. The man was tall with long legs, and with one arm raised, he easily evaded me, leaving his phone out of my reach even on tiptoes. Instead, it looked like I was throwing myself into his arms, rubbing and touching him. Several times, my face almost buried itself in his bulging chest. Kaelen pressed his lips tightly together, grabbing my wrists and pinning them to the headboard, immobilizing me. His voice was a little strained and hoarse. “You’re my client?” I froze for a moment, then suddenly understood. He had been looking through our chat history. Did he think someone else had booked the male model for me? What’s wrong with a woman booking a male model for herself? The Dark Ages are over, you old-fashioned conservative. I glared at him in dissatisfaction. “Yes, so what?!” The grip on my wrists loosened slightly. Kaelen frowned, looking at me sharply for a moment. His expression seemed to hold a hint of disappointment. He chastised me in a low voice: “So young, why are you so reckless?” I was startled by his scolding. When I came to my senses, I grew even more indignant— I was right! This guy was a total old-fashioned conservative!

“I’m not taking this job.” The man coldly tossed out the words, releasing me. I stared blankly as he turned and strode out. What did he mean? Was he looking down on me? A male model, daring to choose his clients. This was outrageous! How dare he choose his clients! I was going to leave him a five-hundred-word scathing review! Furious, I sprang from the bed. I threw on my clothes and chased him out, yelling. “If you won’t do it, plenty of others will! I’ll buy even better ones in a bit! Ten of them!” The figure ahead in the hallway suddenly paused. The man turned his head, his expression complex. “If I refuse, you’ll just buy someone else?” He crossed the distance between us in a few steps. His tone was almost heartbroken. “Can’t you think of something better? Give up that idea, do you *have* to… do *that*?” Why couldn’t I have some worldly desires? Men aren’t the only ones with needs, you know. Just as I was about to argue with him. A familiar, irritating voice suddenly sounded behind me. Someone called out with a smile: “Zara Campbell, what are you doing here?” I turned back, annoyed. Sure enough, I saw a handsome but utterly repulsive face – my ex-boyfriend, Bryce Coleman. Bryce’s silk robe was loosely tied. A trail of vivid red hickeys snaked from his neck down to his collarbone. Several ambiguous scratch marks were half-hidden beneath the fabric on his chest. Who knew whose bed he’d just gotten out of. Not long ago, I discovered he was frequently hooking up with other people. When I caught him in the act, he casually zipped up his trousers, leaned against the hotel headboard, and lit a cigar. He exhaled a perfectly formed smoke ring, smiling faintly at my furious questions. “It’s just for fun, don’t worry.” He reached out to take my hand, his voice almost gentle. “You’re my only real girlfriend.” It was like ice-cold water poured directly onto the magma of my surging anger. In that moment, I suddenly calmed down. Bryce might have looked human, just like me, but the chasm in our beliefs was wider than the gap between species. You can’t reason with a dog, and there was no point in arguing further. I pulled my hand away from his touch and slapped him hard across the face. “Not anymore.” As I left, I saw him standing there stunned. The cigar, which he’d been holding leisurely, fell to the carpet, burning small, irreparable black marks. I closed my eyes, trying to suppress the unpleasant memories that rose in my mind. But the dog across from me wouldn’t stop barking. Bryce eyed me, idly stroking his chin with interest. “Are you here to check up on me? You just said you wanted to break up, but you’re already regretting it?” He chuckled: “You little hypocrite.” …Oh my god! If I had committed a crime, the law should punish me, not put me through this torture by disgust. I felt so sick I wanted to throw up. Then I thought, I shouldn’t be the only one suffering. I looked around, grabbed Kaelen by the arm, and intimately linked mine with his. “Don’t say such silly things. My boyfriend will get mad.” Bryce was incredibly self-absorbed. He believed his little ex-girlfriend would be pining for him, so me quickly finding someone new was another slap in the face. Hearing my words, Bryce’s expression indeed stiffened. A moment later, a malicious smile suddenly appeared on his face. “Oh really? Well, then he should call me ‘senior.’ “After all, he’s just playing with my sloppy seconds.” “…!” I felt a chill run through my body. The next instant, my hand was suddenly enveloped in a warm grip. Kaelen took half a step forward, blocking Bryce’s slimy gaze from me. He coldly swept his eyes over the suggestive marks on Bryce’s body. “Are you calling yourself even sloppier?” Society taught women to be ashamed of their sexual experiences, but men boasted about how many women they’d slept with. Bryce probably never expected Kaelen, another man, to break that unspoken rule and judge him by the very standards society imposed on women. Bryce gaped for a long moment. Finally, unable to maintain his civilized facade, anger filled his eyes: “You…” “Want to fight?” Kaelen cut him off, stepping forward until he was right in front of Bryce. His six-foot-three frame and imposing, muscular build instantly made Bryce look like a scrawny stick. Bryce stared at him darkly. After a long pause, his gaze went past Kaelen’s shoulder and landed on me. The intensity in his eyes seemed to want to flay me alive. “Fine. I’ll remember this.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298792”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic