At the party, my asthma flared up. I scrambled to grab my emergency inhaler. Only to find the canister empty. My boyfriend, Ethan, explained: “Chloe said her throat was dry, so I gave her the inhaler. Just have a cough drop, it helps too.” But my breathing was getting harder and harder. “Her throat was dry? Why didn’t she just drink water? You guys are going to kill me!” He frowned, dissatisfied. “Can you stop being so dramatic? You always act so fragile, like you’re some delicate princess.” “Chloe is right, you’re just needy.” I didn’t argue further. I texted my mother: “My asthma is acting up, but Ethan gave my inhaler to Chloe.” 1 Ethan saw the message and scoffed. “Pulling this again? Always tattling like an elementary schooler?” He snatched my phone, holding it high, looking down at me. I tried to grab it back. But as soon as I stood up, my vision went black, and I fell back down. “I’m having an asthma attack, help me,” I gasped urgently. Just then, Chloe walked over, waving the inhaler in her hand. “Oh my, Princess Sophia, are you really feeling bad? Or just trying to get attention?” “Ugh, I knew we shouldn’t have brought a girl to a guys’ night out. Always causing drama and competing for attention.” I gasped for air, staring daggers at Chloe. She was Ethan’s childhood friend. She always hung out with the guys, acting like “one of the bros.” Ethan had mentioned her to me more than once, praising her for being a “cool girl.” At first, I had a good impression of this carefree “bro-girl” Ethan described. After we got serious, Ethan introduced me to his circle. Chloe always acted very supportive of girls. “Wow Ethan, you have good taste! Where’d you find this princess?” “Yas queen, let’s stick together and ignore these smelly boys.” But I could always feel a hint of malice in the way she looked at me. Her methods were subtle. She claimed to support girls, but her actions deliberately ignored me. For example, at parties, she would always bring up inside jokes from their childhood. I couldn’t join in, forced to sit silently on the side. Then, she would loudly joke with me. “What’s wrong, Princess? You’re not upset because I’m talking to Ethan, are you?” I told Ethan how uncomfortable this made me. But Ethan just called me petty. He said Chloe was just trying to liven up the atmosphere, and I was too sensitive. But now, Chloe’s malice was undisguised. “A princess is always a princess. Is it because we aren’t revolving around you that you’re unhappy, so you’re faking being sick?” Hearing her words, the guys around us snickered. “I’m really not feeling well, give me the inhaler!” I raised my voice. Seeing me like this, the room went quiet for a second. Then erupted into even louder laughter. Chloe put her hand on Ethan’s shoulder. Watching me gasp for air, she laughed so hard she leaned back. “Wow, the acting is on point. Ethan, you’re not feeling sorry for her, are you?” The others goaded Ethan too. “Yeah, Ethan, you’re not gonna be whipped after you get married, right?” “Don’t embarrass us, bro! The man is the head of the house. If a woman misbehaves, you gotta teach her a lesson.” Ethan couldn’t stand the provocation. He stiffened his neck, avoiding my eyes. “Who feels sorry for her? She needs to be taught a lesson, always making trouble out of nothing.” I couldn’t breathe. I desperately pulled at Ethan’s sleeve, making wheezing sounds from my throat. “Save… me…” Seeing me like this, Ethan hesitated. But Chloe spoke up again. “Alright, alright Sophia, we’re all straight dudes here, no one buys your damsel in distress act.” Knowing I couldn’t get through to him, I tried to leave the room. But just as I propped myself up, Chloe pushed me back down. “The party isn’t over, how can you leave? That’s so disrespectful to me.” She pushed hard. I wasn’t paying attention, and the back of my head hit the wall. Thud. My head spun even more. Before I could react, Chloe screamed first. 2 She covered her mouth, exaggerating her shock. “Omg? You are so manipulative.” “I barely touched you, and you hit your own head against the wall to frame me?” Hearing this, Ethan looked at me with even more impatience. “Sophia, you’re crossing the line.” I bit my lip, trying to stay conscious. “I have severe asthma. If you don’t want someone to die, stop it.” My throat hurt; every breath felt like inhaling glass shards. Chloe waved the inhaler in front of my face tauntingly, taking a dramatic puff. “Can’t give it to you, my throat is dry.” “Gotta say, expensive stuff is good. This feels great to use.” I struggled to raise my hand to grab it. She laughed and held it high, dodging me. “Nope, not giving it.” I was so angry my vision went black again. Ethan stood by with his arms crossed, watching. “Look at you, begging like a beggar. Chloe just wants to use it for a bit, don’t be so stingy.” “Chloe saw your medical report. You don’t have asthma, you’re just short of breath sometimes.” I tried to calm myself down. “Ethan, haven’t you seen me have an attack before? What reason do I have to lie to you?” Before Ethan could answer, Chloe cut in. “For attention, obviously. In this day and age, there’s always some attention seeker faking illness.” “Hehe, Sophia, are you like those internet snowflakes who claim to have depression too?” Hearing this, Ethan’s bros laughed even louder. Someone whistled. “Ethan, your girlfriend is too petty. Not even half as cool as Chloe.” “Yeah, you’re gonna suffer when you marry her.” I gasped for air, using my last bit of strength to reach for the inhaler in Chloe’s hand. But just as my fingers were about to touch it, she dodged nimbly. I lost my balance and fell forward onto the carpet. “Oops, the acting is so realistic!” Chloe exclaimed dramatically. Then she squatted down, whispering so only I could hear. “Hehe, hurry up and die. If you die, Ethan and I can finally be together.” She stood up, raising her voice deliberately. “Sophia, stop it, get up. Everyone is waiting to toast you and Ethan.” Ethan felt something was wrong. He stepped forward to help me up. “What’s going on with you, are you really sick?” “Help me…” I struggled to spit out the words. My hand gripped Ethan’s wrist tight, only able to emit broken gasps. “In… inhaler…” Ethan’s brows knit tight, panic and struggle finally appearing in his eyes. He looked at Chloe. “Chloe, maybe give it to her.” Chloe’s face fell instantly. She stubbornly hid the inhaler behind her back, stomping her foot in frustration. “Ethan, are you blind? She’s obviously faking it! Did you forget what a diva she used to be?” Saying that, she suddenly shouted to the others. “Look guys, this kind of competitive girl just knows how to act. And of course, Ethan falls for it.” The guys immediately backed her up. “Ethan, we grew up with Chloe. Would she harm you?” “These princesses just love making trouble out of nothing. Don’t spoil her.” Ethan’s face changed. His grip on me loosened. I could feel his hesitation. Between my painful attack and Chloe’s manipulation. “But, her face looks really pale…” 3 Ethan was worried, his eyes on my bloodless lips. Chloe suddenly slapped her forehead. “Oh!” “I saw her take a tampon to the bathroom earlier. She must have period cramps.” She acted like she was being considerate. “Sophia, if it’s cramps, just say it’s cramps. Why lie about an asthma attack? Making Ethan worry for nothing.” Hearing this, Ethan sighed in relief. He looked at me with blame. “Don’t joke like that again. You almost scared me to death.” I had no strength left. Luckily, I took preventive medication before leaving the house. Otherwise, with their stalling, I would be dead already. Chloe hid behind Ethan, smiling provocatively at me. Then she pulled a small bottle from her bag. “Here, I have throat lozenges. Sophia, didn’t you say your throat hurts? Have one!” She shoved the lozenge into my mouth. The minty flavor rushed into my nose, making the burning in my throat worse. I wanted to spit it out. But she gripped my jaw tight. “Swallow it! What is wrong with you? You really are faking it for sympathy.” She only let go when I started dry heaving, then turned to Ethan. “See? She won’t eat it. If she’s not faking, what is it?” Ethan looked at me, then at the spat-out lozenge on the floor. The panic in his eyes vanished, replaced by annoyance. He felt I was making a big deal out of nothing. He sighed heavily and dropped me onto the sofa. My back hit the armrest, pain making me gasp. “Fine, let’s drop it. Don’t do this again.” “No, I…” I wanted to explain, but my throat could only make wheezing sounds. Chloe patted Ethan’s shoulder. “Come on, ignore her. Let’s go drink. If no one pays attention to her, she’ll be fine in a bit.” Ethan nodded. He glanced at me one last time before leaving. That look held impatience and annoyance, but no worry. Dragged by Chloe towards the crowd, he dropped one last sentence. “Behave yourself. Don’t embarrass me again.” The crowd dispersed with them, running off to drink. I curled up in the corner, watching Ethan and Chloe being urged to drink a “cross-cupped wine” (a wedding tradition/intimate gesture). “Come on, cross cups!” “Don’t be a killjoy, drink up!” “It’s just a game, your girlfriend isn’t that petty, right?” In my blurred vision, I saw Ethan glance at me from afar, then put his arm around Chloe and kiss her… I felt the air in my lungs being drawn out bit by bit. I really couldn’t breathe. My phone was thrown on the floor by Ethan. But I didn’t even have the strength to crawl to it. In despair, I suddenly remembered I had put an asthma pill in my bag last month. Summoning my last bit of strength, I fumbled around. My heart jumped when my fingertips touched the chain of my bag. I clawed at the strap, dragging it over. Leather rubbed against the sofa. The bag was open. I tipped it. A pill rolled out onto the carpet. This is it! Although just an emergency release tablet. Slower than the inhaler, but it could buy me time. I almost cried. But just as I reached out, fingertips about to touch the pill—a high heel stepped on it. 4 Right in front of my eyes, the heel ground the pill into dust. It was Chloe. She smiled down at me, toe still twisting. “Oops, almost let you eat the medicine.” Blood rushed to my head. “Get out! I’ll kill you! My mom won’t let you get away with this.” Suffocation surged. After saying this, I collapsed back onto the sofa, like a dying beast. “Heehee, seeing you rage helplessly makes me so happy.” Chloe squatted down, poking my face with her long nails. “You deserve it. Trying to take my things. Ethan is mine. Even if I don’t want him, it’s not your turn.” saying that, she yanked my hair hard. “Alright, you can die now.” My scalp stung. I wanted to struggle. But I couldn’t even lift my arm. “I am… Xu Group…” In my blurry vision, Chloe’s face twisted. She cut me off. “Ethan is drinking over there.” She leaned close to my ear, voice sickeningly sweet. “He can’t be bothered with you. Say, if you died right now, would he be sad?” I tried to bite her hand, but she dodged easily. She stood up, patted my face, then shouted to Ethan in the distance. “Ethan! Come look! Sophia seems really mad!” Ethan came over. Seeing me limp on the sofa, his frown deepened. “What are you doing now? It’s just cramps, don’t act like you’re dying. Every woman gets cramps.” “I, I really have…” I gasped weakly, “Asthma…” Ethan’s gaze swept over my pale face, then looked at Chloe. Chloe shrugged helplessly, indicating she couldn’t do anything. Ethan fixed his eyes on me, full of disappointment. “Sophia, I’ve had enough of you. If you keep this up, we’re breaking up.” With that, he turned and left. Chloe trotted after him, turning back to flash me a “V” sign. I felt my lungs were like leaking bellows, every breath tearing with pain. Static filled my vision. Chloe’s face in the distance zoomed in and out in the halo, like a demon from hell. My eyelids were heavy. Over there, the crowd cheered around Chloe. In my peripheral vision, Ethan toasted with his bros. Chloe pretended to be drunk and leaned into Ethan’s arms. He didn’t push her away; instead, he held her waist tighter. “Ethan…” I used all my strength to call him. Voice weak as a mosquito. He turned back inexplicably. Chloe immediately whispered something in his ear. He frowned, shaking his head impatiently. In that moment, the last warmth in my heart turned cold. I slowly closed my eyes. I regretted it so much. Why was I with Ethan? Ethan was just a poor student from an ordinary family. And my mother was a billionaire entrepreneur. Afraid Ethan would feel inferior, I never told him this. He always thought my family was just slightly better off than his. Chloe walked back. She squatted in front of me. “I heard you’re from a single-parent family. If you die, your mom will cry to death, right?” “But it’s okay. Ethan will handle your funeral as your fiancé. Maybe your mom will be touched and give all the inheritance to Ethan…” Chloe sure could dream. But before she finished, the private room door was suddenly pushed open. “Sophia!” It was Mom’s voice.

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The year my foster mother beat me half to death was the same year I found out I was the “real” daughter, switched at birth on purpose. After a whirlwind transition back to the wealthy Sterling family, I instinctively chose the smallest, shabbiest room in the mansion. My biological mom immediately stopped me. “Why are you going into the maid’s quarters? Your room is upstairs.” My brother walked towards me with his hand extended. Conditioned by habit, I lowered my head and meekly handed over my monthly allowance. His eyes widened in shock. “I’m your brother! I was reaching out to bandage your wounds, not take your money!” Then came Chloe, the girl who took my place. She walked towards me with a tear-streaked face. I braced myself, turning my left cheek like they do in the dramas, ready for the slap. I expected a stinging pain. Instead, I got a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry, big sis. Can you please not hate me?” 1 The scenery outside the car window blurred past. The woman sitting next to me held my hand, her grip slightly nervous. Maybe my expression was too numb, because she kept throwing out topic after topic. “Do you like Barbies, Ava? Mom will buy you a bunch, you can pick whatever you want.” “How are your grades? Is there anything you’re particularly interested in? Mom can sign you up for some classes.” “Oh, I’m talking too much. How about you decide what we eat for lunch, Ava? We can have the chef make it, or Mom can cook. My specialty is steamed egg custard, I just don’t know if you like it.” She gave me an awkward smile. Her hands were well-maintained, soft and fair, not looking at all like the hands of a forty-year-old woman. I lowered my head and whispered, “Whatever is fine.” My foster mother used to say my voice sounded like a rooster crowing—annoying as hell. Every time she saw me, she got irritated. Since then, I tried not to speak unless absolutely necessary. I was afraid if I opened my mouth, I’d scare this new mom, and she’d send me back. After all, she didn’t raise me. She might find me repulsive. 2 The day my mom found me, my foster mother had gotten into a huge fight with my drunk foster father. She took all her anger out on me. A wooden stick as thick as a thumb—she said she’d break it on me, and she did. I didn’t have a single patch of unbruised skin left. beaten to within an inch of my life, I was suddenly pulled into a warm embrace. Hot tears fell on my face. In my daze, I thought I had gone to heaven. I didn’t want to die, but heaven seemed okay. There was a woman with a gentle voice guiding me. Life there probably wouldn’t be too hard. At least, it couldn’t be harder than this. “My daughter… I finally found you. My poor baby.” I was sent to the hospital and recovered for a month before my mom took me home. My dad is the CEO of a publicly traded company, my mom owns an art gallery. I have a brother in his junior year of high school, and a sister in the same grade as me—freshman year. A sister with zero blood relation to me. We live in a villa, with countless luxury cars, a housekeeper, and bodyguards. After entering the house, Mom went to the kitchen to check on lunch. She told me to pick a room first. “You can have whichever one you want.” I pursed my lips and carefully walked around the first floor. Even the bathroom was bigger, brighter, and cleaner than the entire house I used to live in. I picked the only room that seemed “small and shabby” compared to the others, though it was actually spacious, bright, and had AC, a washer, and an ensuite bathroom. In my old life, I wouldn’t have dared to dream of this. Just having a bed was a luxury. I figured this one would do. I shouldn’t be greedy as the newcomer. Not sleeping in the security booth was already a win. I started walking towards that room. Mom poked her head out of the kitchen and saw me. She immediately called out, “Ava, why are you going into the maid’s room? That’s for the housekeeper! Your room is upstairs!” 3 I sighed softly. I knew I didn’t have that kind of luck. The upstairs room must be cramped, dark, damp, and stuffy. Walking up the carved wooden staircase, I was dazzled by the exquisite paintings on the walls. I didn’t dare touch anything, not even a corner. I was terrified Mom would make me pay for it. Even if I sold my worthless life, I couldn’t afford it. When I got to the second floor, I was dumbfounded. Every room was twice the size of the ones downstairs. The luxury was jaw-dropping. Just as I was debating whether to sleep on the stairs or in the small storage closet at the end of the hall, a boy with striking eyebrows and bright eyes put his hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at him. He looked about 50% like me. He had a sunny smile on his face and a backpack over one shoulder, looking like a high schooler who just got home. “You must be Ava. I’m your brother, Liam.” He looked apologetic. “Sorry I didn’t visit you in the hospital earlier. I was at a training camp, and the coach wouldn’t let me leave. I just got back.” “You’ve suffered all these years. As your brother, it’s my fault for not protecting you back then. If I had been a bit older, you wouldn’t have been taken.” His eyes were filled with pain. I couldn’t help but comfort him, “It’s okay. I’m fine now.” It wasn’t their fault. Liam looked up. “You were picking a room, right? Why don’t you take the one next to mine? Easier for me to look out for you.” I wanted to refuse, but he didn’t give me a chance. So, half-pushed, half-led, I chose the room next to his. Liam left for a second and came back holding a small box. He sat down in my room and extended his hand towards me. “Come here.” Right. Every time my foster brother, Tyler, needed money, he would sweet-talk me before extending his hand. This meant he wanted money. I dug out an envelope from my pocket. It was the allowance Mom had just stuffed in there. It wasn’t even warm yet. I was self-aware. I meekly handed over my living expenses. It wasn’t my money anyway. I had no attachment to it. Just like the twenty bucks I earned collecting bottles—I handed that over too. Liam’s eyebrows knitted together in displeasure. He looked at me, then at the envelope. Was he dissatisfied with the amount? Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock. “I’m your brother! I was reaching out to bandage your wound, not take your money!” He pulled my sleeve, looking anxious and angry. He took out a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, lifted my hair, and gently applied it to the wound, even blowing on it softly. “This cut hasn’t healed properly. Wait a sec, I’ll put a band-aid on it. Your hair must have been covering it; Mom didn’t even notice.” “If anyone hits you in the future, you hit them back. I’ll take the consequences. If I can’t handle it, Mom and Dad will. You’re my biological sister; you can’t just let people bully you for nothing, understand?” I nodded blankly. He stuffed the envelope back into my hand. He seemed satisfied. “Although no one would dare bully you with me around, there might be times when I’m not there. How about this? I’ll sign you up for a kickboxing class.” He looked at me with burning intensity. I actually laughed. “Sure, why not.” Liam muttered helplessly, “Finally heard you speak. I almost thought you were mute.” Just then, Mom called from downstairs, “Dinner’s ready!” 4 I walked down the stairs stiffly, my feet feeling like I was walking on cotton. I was afraid if I stepped too hard, I’d wake up and realize this was all a dream. I was starting to get attached to this dream. The dining table was filled with over a dozen dishes. It was a grand affair. Mom and Liam kept piling food into my bowl until it was overflowing. “I peeled the shrimp for you, eat it while it’s hot.” “This abalone is really fresh, try a bite.” “This carp soup is the housekeeper’s specialty. Mom will get you a small bowl. Careful, it’s hot. Drink it when it cools down.” I took a cautious sip. Just then, Dad walked in holding my sister’s hand. Even though he was the CEO of a listed company, he was carrying her small backpack himself. My sister was cute, looking like a delicate doll. She had pigtails and a bunch of clips in her hair, looking like a princess living in a fairytale castle. Seeing me, she timidly called out, “Sister?” I bit my lip. Was my dream going to shatter this quickly? Mom had apologized to me before: “I’m sorry, Ava. We discussed it for a long time, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to send Chloe back. After all, we raised her for 15 years.” “If she went back, the drop in lifestyle would be too huge. She wouldn’t be able to handle it, and it would break our hearts.” “Even though there’s no blood relation, in our eyes, she’s been our daughter for a long time.” “I know you suffered and went through hell, but it wasn’t her fault. Chloe cried so many times, saying she didn’t mean for this to happen, that she’ll make it up to you and earn your forgiveness. Please let her stay, okay?” “I promise, even if I’m biased, I’ll be biased towards you.” Facing Mom’s pleading eyes, I couldn’t refuse. I had no right to refuse. After all, to this family of four, I was the real “outsider.” Whenever I dreamed of things I didn’t deserve, my foster mother would curse me out and slap me. “You stupid little wretch! Look in the mirror at your ugly face! Do you deserve anything? Pfft!” “Let me tell you, rotten melons don’t produce good seeds. You’re delusional! A toad wanting to eat swan meat! You just don’t have the destiny for it!” Back then, I was hung up and beaten for a whole day. And the reason? I saw other classmates eating lollipops and begged my foster mom to buy me one. That lollipop was on special at a new store. It cost ten cents. I lowered my head and stopped drinking the soup. I was waiting. Waiting for Chloe to throw herself into Mom and Dad’s arms and cry, asking why they brought me back. Waiting for Mom and Dad to make me apologize, scolding me for making their daughter unhappy. Waiting for my brother to heartache for Chloe and cut ties with me. “Get out! You’re not my sister! I hate you!” It was so strange. I had only been with them for a short time. Why did imagining these scenes feel like a knife twisting in my heart? Clearly, this was normal. I had always been the child who wasn’t favored. Why did it hurt so much? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chloe walking towards me with a mournful face. Sigh. Isn’t that how it goes in TV dramas? I accepted my fate. I closed my eyes and offered my left cheek. My right cheek was still swollen from my foster mom’s beating. If she hit the left one, at least I’d be symmetrical. I waited for a long time. I expected a burning pain. Instead, a pair of soft, warm lips pressed against my left cheek. Not only did I not get hit, I got a kiss. I opened my eyes in surprise. Chloe threw herself into my arms. She was wailing, her small arms wrapped around my waist, melting like a little snowman. “I’m sorry, big sis! Can you please not hate me?” “I really don’t want to leave this home. Please don’t kick me out, okay? I didn’t mean to take your place.” “I won’t acknowledge my biological parents, never in this life. I only acknowledge you as my sister. Good sister, can you please like me in the future? I promise I’ll be good!” She… she wasn’t following the script? Was it my imagination? They seemed… actually welcoming? Even Dad, who had been stoic the whole time, had tears in the corners of his eyes. No, no, no. This must be their disguise. My foster mom said I was the worst child in the world and no one would like me. Yes, that must be it.

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When I was seven, my father stuck a piece of straw in my hair and sold me to a human trafficker. Later, like a piece of cargo, I was resold by the trafficker to a nanny working for the Sterling family. The nanny twisted my ear and dragged me in front of the young miss. “This stray bone from the outside needs to be taught a lesson.” I shrank back, daring not to speak. The young miss frowned, but said nothing to her. Instead, she started talking to me about independent personalities, women’s liberation, and “Mr. Democracy and Mr. Science.” I didn’t understand a word. But for the first time, I felt like a real person, standing tall and upright. 1 I was born strong, ate a lot, and wasn’t much to look at. My parents never liked me. When I was seven, a drought hit. The harvest failed, and the village was starving. My father stuck a piece of straw in my hair—a sign that I was for sale—and led me to the trafficker. He traded me for two measly pieces of silver. Clutching the money, he smiled so wide his eyes disappeared. He turned and left without a single glance back. I stood next to the trafficker. I didn’t chase him, didn’t cry. I didn’t even ask why he didn’t want me anymore. The trafficker wasn’t a bad person. She didn’t mistreat me or let me starve. She kept me for a few days, taught me some basic manners, and then sold me to the Sterling family, a high-ranking political household. The woman who came to buy me was a thin, stern-faced woman the trafficker called Nanny Wen. She looked a bit fierce. “From now on, you’re a maid in the Sterling household. Behave yourself.” 2 I got lucky. The Madam heard I was strong and looked honest, so she assigned me to be the young miss’s maid. I was taken to the miss’s courtyard. Nanny Wen lectured me on rules the whole way. This time, she wasn’t so fierce. “The Third Miss has been weak since birth. You need to be extra attentive.” “Everyone knows the Third Miss has a kind heart. Don’t you dare take advantage of her kindness and act out.” “The Sterling family never lacks for food or clothing. Follow the miss properly, and you’ll live a more decent life than even the daughters of wealthy merchants outside.” Back then, I was ignorant. I only remembered “work hard” and “no shortage of food or clothes.” “What is your name?” The young miss held my hand warmly. I nervously clutched the corner of my shirt. “I… this servant is called Weed.” The miss frowned slightly. “That’s not a good name.” She thought for a moment. “Do you have a wish?” “This… this servant just wants to work hard for Miss and not worry about food or clothes,” I stammered, accidentally repeating what Nanny Wen told me. The miss chuckled softly. “Let’s call you Hope then.” “In this chaotic world, hoping for peace and safety is a good life.” From then on, Weed, whose life was as cheap as grass in the village, was gone. There was only Hope, the maid by the side of the Sterling family’s Third Miss, Evelyn. Evelyn treated me well. She didn’t make me kneel or bow constantly, didn’t let me call myself “servant,” and even taught me to read and write. I waved my hands in panic. “The teacher said ignorance is a virtue for women. Reading is for men. Isn’t it an insult for me to learn?” Evelyn spat in disgust. “Listen to their ghosts talk. Men and women are no different in this world. High status or low, it doesn’t stop us from improving ourselves. Maid or miss, we are all just people. Never belittle yourself.” Under Evelyn’s insistence, I became the only maid in the Sterling household who could read and write. Everyone envied me. Occasionally, they’d ask me to write letters home for them. But I never wrote home. My parents didn’t want me, so I didn’t want them either. Evelyn always shared her delicious food with me. Soon, I grew as tall as her. Evelyn never disliked my strength or big appetite. She told me, “Being able to eat is a blessing. Strength is your talent.” Nanny Wen was right. Being with Evelyn was my blessing. I grinned foolishly at her. Evelyn suddenly asked me, “What do you want to do in the future?” Future? It seemed like a distant word. I had never thought about it. “I want to serve Miss forever.” Thinking of my past and my current good life, this seemed like a good plan. Evelyn lightly knocked my head. “I’m asking what your dream is?” I insisted, “I just want to serve Miss.” Evelyn still looked disapproving. I didn’t want to make her unhappy, so I started thinking about “dreams” and “future.” It seemed so far away from me. At home, I hoped my parents would treat me just a little better. Not much, just half as well as they treated my sister and brother. But when the famine came, they abandoned me without hesitation. From then on, their future would not include me. And my future would no longer have their shadows. Evelyn treated me well. She fed me, clothed me, didn’t mock me, and always encouraged and supported me. I wanted to protect Evelyn forever. Couldn’t that count as a dream? I suddenly remembered reading in a book that generals could protect their families and defend the country. Defending the country should include protecting Evelyn. I told her, “I want to be a general.” But could a woman really be a general? Evelyn didn’t think I was delusional. Hearing my words, she hired a master to teach me martial arts. She said, “Since you have such ambition, you cannot bury your talent.” Wearing the training clothes Evelyn had the tailor make specially for me, I felt a bit awkward. But Evelyn held my hands, looking me over with satisfaction. “Not bad, you look the part. I really look forward to seeing our Hope in full armor.” To live up to her expectations, I trained even harder. Even the master praised me as a natural martial artist. In her spare time, Evelyn would personally teach me military strategy. 3 When I was nine, I accidentally bumped into the Second Miss in the Sterling mansion. Upon learning I was from Evelyn’s courtyard, the Second Miss wanted to punish me with ten lashes. Her mother, Concubine Chu, was the childhood sweetheart and favorite concubine of the Master. She always disliked the Madam. Influenced by this, the Second Miss, Victoria, had been at odds with Evelyn since childhood. I knelt at Victoria’s feet, head buried in the ground, apologizing repeatedly. Victoria rolled her eyes and told me, “As long as you say Evelyn always scolds and beats you, I won’t punish you.” I was young, but not stupid. I knew ladies of noble families cared most about their reputation. A ruined reputation would affect future marriage prospects. Even if Evelyn didn’t care about these things, I couldn’t let her get a reputation for being arrogant and domineering over something so small. I pressed my lips tight and said nothing. I was dragged away and beaten with ten heavy boards. When Nanny Wen found me, I had already fainted from the pain. When I woke up, Evelyn was sitting by my bed with a dark face. Nanny Wen shouted happily, “She’s awake! She’s awake!” Later I learned that the beating almost killed me. Evelyn and Nanny Wen guarded me for three days. Evelyn looked at me solemnly. “I will get justice for you.” I shook my head and refused. I was just a servant. How could I let two young misses fight and cause family discord over me? If they really fought because of this, the Madam would beat me to death. Evelyn was truly a noble lady. Her heart was good, but she was a bit naive. I lay in bed for three months before I could walk. Not long after I recovered, Evelyn asked me to go for a walk in the garden with her. Victoria happened to be chasing butterflies in the garden. She seemed to be having fun and had left her maids behind. There was no one around. Evelyn smirked at me, put a finger to her lips, and said “Shh.” The next second, she charged straight at Victoria’s back. Both of them fell into the water. I never thought Evelyn would take revenge for me this way. But seeing Evelyn struggling in the water, I couldn’t think too much. I screamed in horror, “Miss has fallen into the water!” While shouting, I jumped in to save her. Evelyn choked on a lot of water. The maids and I knelt in the courtyard, waiting for the Madam’s questioning. After the doctor said Evelyn was fine, the Madam began investigating the cause. Her face was dark. “What happened?” I cried out before anyone else, crawling to the Madam’s feet. “It was the Second Miss who pushed Miss Evelyn.” Just then, the Master and Concubine Chu walked in. Hearing this, Concubine Chu immediately retorted, “My Victoria is quiet and polite. She would never do such a thing as harming her sibling.” Victoria’s maid also crawled out to clarify for her mistress. “It wasn’t the Second Miss, it was… it was the Third Miss who bumped into the Second Miss.” “You weren’t even there, how can you slander our Miss?” I bit my lip, pointing at Victoria’s maid, face full of disbelief. “Our Miss has always been weak. Why would she frame the Second Miss and make herself suffer so much? The Second Miss has always hated our Miss. A while ago, this servant offended the Second Miss, and she was going to punish me. But then, she told me that as long as…” I covered my face and sobbed. The Madam, hearing this, got anxious. “As long as what?” “As long as this servant said that Miss Evelyn frequently beat, scolded, and abused me, she wouldn’t punish me.” I took the opportunity to tell the whole story from three months ago. Concubine Chu wanted to argue, but was silenced by the Madam’s glare. “Is what you said true?” I kowtowed heavily. “This servant swears on her life, every word is true.” The Madam sneered and looked at the Master. “You heard it. It was Victoria who harmed my Evelyn.” Concubine Chu tugged at the Master’s sleeve. The Master frowned. “Madam, it’s just children fighting…” The Madam interrupted him. “Fighting? Victoria wanted to ruin my daughter’s reputation, and now she wants to take her life. Is this fighting?” “You can’t fully trust a servant’s words.” The Madam slammed the table, making me tremble. “She’s only nine. Can she lie? It’s true that Victoria privately punished my daughter’s maid, and it’s true my daughter fell into the water. Such a vicious heart at such a young age. I think she’s been raised crooked by Concubine Chu. If we don’t discipline her, she’ll shame the Sterling family in the future.” The Madam was the daughter of a Marquis. She married down to the Master. He respected her, but didn’t love her. The Master coughed lightly. “Then what do you suggest, Madam?” The Madam snorted coldly. “Kneel in the ancestral hall for three days. I will hire someone to teach her rules properly!” Victoria knelt in the ancestral hall for three days as soon as she recovered. Her legs were swollen. She then studied under the Madam’s supervision for three months before being taken back by a wailing Concubine Chu. Evelyn had a fever for a whole day. Her first sentence upon waking up was: “Hope, I got revenge for you.” My eyes filled with tears. I just felt that since Evelyn treated me so well, I must protect her well in the future and never let her get hurt again. 4 Evelyn was in poor health, but she was lively and bold. When she first took me out dressed as men to jump the wall, I was terrified. But by the tenth time, I could jump over and catch Evelyn as she came down. “Hope is awesome. Sending you to learn martial arts wasn’t in vain.” I was helpless. I learned martial arts to protect her, not to help her jump walls. But Evelyn liked it, so it seemed okay. The capital was prosperous. It felt novel no matter how many times we visited. When we wandered to the entrance of a brothel, Evelyn excitedly wanted to go in. I desperately pulled her sleeve, looking like I was about to cry. “Miss, we really can’t go in there.” Evelyn was high-spirited. “This is a must-have element for time travel. If I don’t go once, I’ve come for nothing.” I was used to new vocabulary popping out of her mouth. Looking at her shining, expectant eyes, I couldn’t refuse. Fine. My kung fu was decent after these years. If something really happened, protecting Evelyn as we escaped shouldn’t be too hard. “Are you two waiting for someone?” A man walked towards us, blocking the probing gazes of others. “How did you know I’m a girl?” Evelyn was shocked. The man chuckled low. Evelyn looked suspiciously at her outfit. Turns out Evelyn could be silly too. Her male disguise wasn’t convincing at all. Even I could tell. But I didn’t say it. I didn’t want to dampen her enthusiasm. The man walked closer and whispered, “Miss Sterling should leave early. There are many people here, mixed company. If word gets out, it will be bad for your reputation.” After we left, Evelyn muttered, “I dressed as a man, how could he still tell I’m a woman? That’s not how it happens on TV.” Fortunately, Evelyn didn’t propose going to the brothel again.

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On my first day at my new high school, I got cornered by a gang of punks. I clutched my wallet tight, shouting, “Take my life, but you’re not getting my money!” They grabbed me by the arms, laughing, “Take her back to the boss!” Later, I was dragged into a shady pool hall. There, I saw my own biological brother sitting on a single sofa like a king. And standing next to him was the hot guy I had drunkenly force-kissed just last week… 1 Walking into the pool hall, the smell of stale cigarettes hit me in the face. I waved my hand to clear the air and glanced at the boy sitting on the single sofa, freezing instantly. Isn’t that my straight-A, model-student brother? “Boss, we brought you a hottie!” The blond punk presented me like I was a trophy. The boy had a lit cigarette dangling from his lips, head down, playing a mobile game. Hearing this, he looked up, and the cigarette fell straight out of his mouth. “Sienna?” Ethan jumped up. “What are you doing here?” I rubbed my wrists and said sarcastically, “I was kidnapped by your minions, Big Brother.” He froze, then realized what happened. He cursed, “You idiots are robbing high school students again?” The blond punk started sweating. “We haven’t done that since we started following you! We just thought she was pretty and wanted to bring her back to be your girlfriend.” Ethan laughed in disbelief. “This is my sister! My biological twin sister! Can’t you see we look alike? If your eyes are useless, donate them!” Dead silence filled the room before the gang bowed in unison. “So it’s Big Sis! Our bad!” Wow, somehow I became the mob boss’s sister. I sighed, sat on the sofa, and crossed my legs elegantly. “Bro, if Mom and Dad find out you’re smoking and running a gang, do you think they’ll turn you into a human beyblade?” Ethan’s face went pale. “Sienna, don’t do me like that.” “Then next month’s allowance?” “Half.” “Hmm?” “All of it! All of it!” Ethan cried. “And do my math homework!” “Sienna Su! Don’t push it!” Suddenly, a light chuckle came from the distance. I looked up and fell into a pair of beautiful brown eyes. The boy was tall and lean, features exquisite, skin glowing white. Even the tacky blue and white school uniform looked like designer wear on him. He looked familiar. I scratched my head, trying to recall. Then it hit me. Holy crap, isn’t this the hot guy I force-kissed when I was drunk last week? 2 It was my best friend Zoey’s birthday. She invited a bunch of people to karaoke. I got wasted and walked into the wrong room after using the bathroom. A room full of hot guys looked at me in unison. I picked the hottest one and pounced. “My brother always says he’s the most handsome guy in the world, hic… let me take a pic, I need to humble him, hic…” The boy looked down at me, eyes dark under the flashing lights. “Which room are you in? I’ll take you back.” I waved my hand and grabbed his collar. “Ooh, North High uniform. A smart guy…” I patted his cheek playfully. “Great, I like smart guys…” He frowned and grabbed my wrist. “Stop moving.” I couldn’t break free and got annoyed. “L-let go, or I won’t be polite. I-I’ll mess you up.” He couldn’t help but laugh. “How?” I stared at him. Suddenly, I stood on my tiptoes and, amidst the gasps of the room, I bit his lip. Back in the pool hall, the orange sunset slanted through the windows. The boy walked over, backlit by the sun, looking like a scene from a movie. My heart skipped a beat. I looked away unnaturally and dramatically tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Caleb, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting forever,” Ethan said, walking up to the boy and casually slinging an arm around his neck. “Did you get stopped by girls asking for your number again? Which school this time?” “Don’t talk nonsense.” He pushed Ethan away, his gaze landing on me. “Have we met somewhere?” My breath hitched. I forced a smile. “I don’t think so.” “Really? You look familiar.” Ethan snorted. “Of course she looks familiar. Don’t you think she looks like me?” Caleb nodded slightly. “Yeah, especially the eyes and nose.” I thought I got away with it and secretly sighed in relief. But then Caleb added, “Ethan, I heard you tell people you’re the most handsome guy in the world?” My heart dropped. My brain went blank. Ethan touched his hair narcissistically. “Am I not?” Caleb gave me a meaningful look, and I lowered my head with a dry laugh. 3 Because of our parents’ jobs, we moved from Seattle to New York. Ethan, being the genius, got into the best school, North High. As for me, the academic failure, my parents paid extra to get me into Brightwood High. Brightwood started late, so I reported a week after Ethan. Calculating the dates, the day I met Caleb at karaoke was the day before Ethan started school. Ethan probably never dreamed that the genius deskmate he’d been raving about all week had already been assaulted by his own sister. While my thoughts wandered, someone rubbed my head. “It’s late, go home and do your homework.” Ethan threw his wallet at me. “And don’t blab when you get home.” I squeezed the wallet. “What about you?” “We’re going out to eat.” “I want to go too.” “Go home.” While we stared each other down with hands on our hips, Caleb suddenly spoke up. “I just remembered I have something to do, so I won’t join you guys. By the way, Ethan, isn’t your house on the way to mine?” Caleb took me away just like that, openly. We walked in silence until we passed a convenience store. Caleb went in and bought me a strawberry ice cream cone. I took it, blushing. “Thanks, Caleb… brother.” The sun dipped low, hanging in the sky like a giant orange. Pale golden light enveloped the boy, outlining a warm and soft silhouette. I stole glances at him, quickly looking away when our eyes met. An indescribable feeling spread in my chest, sweeter than the ice cream. “Sienna.” He suddenly called my name. I got nervous and got ice cream on my nose. He chuckled. “Are you scared of me?” I shook my head awkwardly. He knew what I was worried about and said calmly, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your brother about that. It does me no good.” I pursed my lips and mumbled, “Caleb, sorry. I shouldn’t have done that to you… anyway, I’m really sorry. And thanks for taking me back to my friends, or I would have been lost.” He nodded, accepting my apology. “Sienna, don’t drink until you graduate.” “Huh? But I’m eighteen…” “Can’t promise?” I mumbled, “Fine, I won’t drink.” He smiled and wiped the ice cream off my nose. “So reluctant?” His fingertips were cool, smelling faintly of mint. In that moment, I felt like I lost my soul. I forgot how I even got home. Later, I called Zoey and told her everything. She said, “You’re done for, Sienna Su. You like him.” That simple sentence sobered me up instantly. 4 After that, I visited Ethan often. Conveniently, I ran into Caleb every time. Seeing him more often, we got familiar. Unlike the oblivious Ethan, Caleb was gentle and detailed. He played with me, helped me with homework, and took care of me in small ways. I felt like he was treating me like a child, even though he was only a few months older. One sunny afternoon, I was reading manga at a bookstore near school. The boy pushed open the glass door, walked towards me, and handed me a hot milk tea. “Thought you were studying, wanted to reward you.” He looked at the manga in my hand and teased, “Bought it for nothing?” I quickly poked the straw in and took a big sip. “Reading manga is a form of learning too.” He smiled slightly. “Is that so? Let me learn too then.” Sunlight fell into his brown pupils, looking like melted chocolate. In that moment, I could clearly feel my heart accelerating. Crap, I think I like him even more. What about him? Does he like me? He should, right? Why else treat me so well? I was overjoyed, gradually developing unrealistic thoughts. One night I even dreamed of Caleb confessing to me. I woke up grinning. Later, I heard from Ethan that Caleb’s goal was Columbia University. I started studying hard, planning to get into a school near Columbia. During that time, I fell in love with memorizing poetry and English essays. Even the hateful math symbols became cute in my eyes. 5 I heard Caleb’s birthday was coming up. I planned to ask the blond punk about what he liked. This was the first time I was giving him a gift; I had to make an impression. However, when I happily went to the pool hall that day, I overheard something unexpected. “The ‘Big Sis’ comes every day lately, think she likes me?” one guy asked. “Dream on, don’t you have a mirror?” “Don’t deliver lies, she keeps peeking at me.” “She’s looking at Cheng’s abs. That’s why Cheng’s been shirtless lately.” “No, I think she’s looking at Caleb.” “Oh sh*t, possible, very possible!” I held my breath, pressing my ear to the door. “Then she’s screwed. Caleb has a girlfriend.” “What? Since when?” “Just the day before yesterday. I saw him pick up a girl at the gate of High School No. 3.” “Eh, could just be a friend.” “I heard the girl tell people Caleb is her boyfriend, and he didn’t deny it.” “Damn, so Big Sis is heartbroken?” “Don’t talk nonsense, I still think she’s looking at Cheng’s abs.” My head buzzed. I held onto the wall in a daze. Caleb has a girlfriend? How did he suddenly get a girlfriend? At that moment, my heart felt like it was being crushed by a hand, hurting so much I couldn’t breathe. Just then, there was movement inside, someone coming out. I held my breath, turned, and fled.

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When I rushed back from abroad, all that was left of my daughter, Anna, was a cold urn. Her husband, Lucas, clutched the urn, his face pale, head bowed in silence. Her son, Mason, had a glint of barely concealed delight in his eyes as he whispered, “Finally, Auntie Chloe can be my mom.” Chloe stood beside them, weeping delicately, looking so fragile that a gust of wind might knock her over. She looked like the world’s most innocent victim. I didn’t understand. Since Anna had the courage to commit suicide, why didn’t she just go crazy and take everyone down with her? Now she was gone, leaving them to enjoy their “happily ever after.” I walked up and snatched the urn from Lucas’s hands. Someone had to be the villain and finish this story properly. 1 Smack! I slapped Chloe hard across the face. She stumbled back, nearly falling to the ground. Mason’s eyes widened. He rushed in front of Chloe, shielding her with his small body. “Grandma, why did you hit Auntie Chloe!” His voice was shrill, protesting for the “perfect future” he envisioned. I sneered, my gaze landing on Chloe’s pristine white dress. That was a custom-made birthday gift Lucas had ordered for Anna just months ago. Back then, Anna had video-called me to show it off. Now it seemed the gift was just a guilt offering for his affair. I tilted my head, signaling the bodyguards behind me. The sound of tearing fabric and Chloe’s screams pierced the air of the cemetery. Mason tried to stop the bodyguards, but his small frame was useless against the hulking men. “Grandma, you’re too much! Mom agreed to give this dress to Auntie Chloe!” Mason’s face turned red as he shouted at me, “You’re just as unreasonable as Mom was!” I glared at him coldly, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him close. I ripped the protective amulet from his neck. Mason had been sickly as a child. Anna had walked miles, kowtowing every few steps to a temple, to get this amulet for him. “You don’t deserve this!” My voice was cold as ice. Mason, rubbing the red mark on his neck, tried to act tough. “Who cares! I wouldn’t wear that ugly thing if she hadn’t forced me!” Chloe curled up on the ground, looking at Lucas with pathetic, pleading eyes, begging for protection. Lucas seemed not to see her. He walked forward like a lost soul and knelt before me. “Mom, please. Give Anna back to me.” “You don’t deserve to speak her name.” I glanced at him coldly and turned to leave. “Enough,” Arthur, my husband—Anna’s father—finally spoke. “Fiona, what’s done is done. Let Anna rest in peace.” I let out a cold laugh, anger surging like a tide. “Rest in peace? While you all live happily? How can she rest?” 2 The next day, I brought a renovation crew and movers to Anna and Lucas’s house. Lucas came from a humble background. I had opposed their relationship, not wanting my daughter to suffer. To marry Anna, Lucas worked day and night for five years to afford the down payment on this house. Moved by his dedication, Anna married him despite my objections. When Anna tried to convince me, her eyes sparkled as she described their future. She told me how hard Lucas worked, how great the location was, how it was near the best schools… After the down payment, Lucas had no money for renovations. So, Anna used all her savings—money she’d kept since childhood—to renovate and furnish the place herself. Anna said this was the starting point of their happiness. Every table, chair, and plant in this house was carefully chosen by Anna. Chloe… how dare she live here? I had the bodyguards throw Chloe out. Then I ordered the movers to take everything that belonged to Anna. As for the things that couldn’t be moved, along with anything belonging to Lucas, Chloe, or Mason, I had them destroyed and thrown out. I then ordered the renovation crew to tear down everything—walls, floors, fixtures—and clear out the debris. When Lucas rushed back, all he saw was an empty concrete shell. It was as if Anna had never poured her heart into this place. “I’m giving you and Chloe a fresh start,” I told Lucas with a mocking smile. This man never understood Anna’s sacrifices. Now, I would make him lose her completely, leaving him nothing to hold onto. Lucas stood silent, his eyes wandering the empty room, searching for any trace of Anna. Chloe hid behind him, her voice weak and innocent. “Auntie Fiona, I’m sorry. I didn’t take good care of Anna. You have every right to be angry.” 3 I stared coldly at Chloe’s pitiful act, the fire in my chest burning hotter. “Didn’t take good care of Anna?” I repeated, my voice sharp as a blade. “Do you have the right to say that? If not for you, you ungrateful leech, would she have ended up like this?” Tears welled up in Chloe’s eyes. She looked as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t. Her helpless act made her look like the victim, painting me as the bully. Anna had lived a smooth life; she was too pure. She never stood a chance against Chloe. I stepped forward, grabbed Chloe by her hair, and dragged her out from behind Lucas. She screamed and struggled, tears streaming down her face. But my bodyguards held her fast. “Auntie Fiona, please! I know I was wrong, please let me go…” I took the scissors a bodyguard handed me. “Wrong?” I scoffed, hacking away at her hair. The snip, snip sound of scissors cutting through hair filled the room. “Your mistake is that you’re still alive,” I said coldly, continuing to cut. I was a grieving mother who had lost her daughter. Did I need to be rational? Chloe’s hair fell to the floor in messy clumps, much like the lies she had woven over the years were finally unraveling. “When Anna first met you, you had just had your hair cut off by bullies like this. She saved you. She pulled you out of despair and protected you until today.” Chloe trembled, tears falling to the floor, her voice choked. “I… I know she saved me…” “And yet?” I interrupted, stopping the scissors and staring at her ruined hair. “What did you do with her kindness? You betrayed her, stole everything from her, and caused the death of her unborn child!” “Lucas…” Chloe cried, gasping for breath, reaching out to him. Lucas kept his head down, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. He seemed deaf and blind to everything. His shoulders shook slightly as if stung. He looked up, eyes full of exhaustion and despair, voice raspy. “Mom… she… she’s pregnant. I had no choice.” Pregnant? I sneered, a sarcastic smile forming on my lips. Great. Now Chloe could experience another hardship Anna went through. 4 The next day, news that Chloe had moved into Anna and Lucas’s marital home spread online. Someone soon dug up the fact that Chloe was pregnant. This confirmed the rumors that Lucas had cheated and, along with his mistress, drove his wife to suicide. Overnight, Lucas went from “young entrepreneur” and “handsome CEO” to the target of endless ridicule and curses. I was the one who leaked the news, but not just to ruin their reputation. I wanted them locked together. Chloe was pregnant. If Lucas abandoned her now, he would be branded as irresponsible on top of everything else. Regardless of his feelings for her now, he couldn’t dump her. He had to swallow this bitter pill. Netizens started photoshopping “ghost marriage” pictures of them. The public waited for a wedding announcement but instead saw a missing person notice for Chloe. Unlike usual missing person cases that get shared with concern, the comments under Chloe’s notice were full of sarcasm, accusing her of pulling a stunt for attention. Surprisingly, the first person to lose his cool and barge into my house was Arthur. Two police officers were with him. “Chloe is missing,” he said, his voice low. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the police, then coldly asked Arthur, “Are you notifying me or suspecting me?” “Fiona…” Arthur frowned, using his controlling tone. “I know you’ve always disliked her, but we watched her grow up…” “Child?” I laughed, cutting him off. “She destroyed my daughter. What is she to me? Or do you think I did something to her?” The officers shifted uncomfortably under my gaze. One of them spoke up. “Ms. Fiona, you had a conflict with Chloe before she disappeared. We need your cooperation.” “Conflict?” I stood up, stepping closer. “I just lost my daughter. I have things to do. Do you think I care about a clown like her?” The officer glanced at the urn on the table. “There were witnesses at the cemetery.” “The cemetery?” I looked him in the eye. “My daughter is dead. They tried to usurp everything she had. I was just getting justice for her.” “Do you think warning a shameless homewrecker and an ungrateful wolf counts as a murder plot?” The officer hesitated, looking at the urn again. “You are a person of interest. This is routine. Please cooperate.” “Suspect? What suspect? Was she kidnapped? Or arrested?” My tone was unfriendly. I didn’t need to be normal or reasonable right now. “Maybe she’s just hiding somewhere. She always used these stunts to grab attention and affection.” “Fiona,” Arthur interrupted again. My words clearly hit a nerve. He looked annoyed. When Anna went missing, Chloe had told him the exact same thing. So, he gave up looking for Anna. “We aren’t accusing you,” he said tiredly. “We just hope to find Chloe soon to avoid bigger problems.” “You care about her so much,” I looked at him coldly. “Did you ever care about your own daughter like this?” Arthur looked at Anna’s urn, opened his mouth, then sighed wearily. “Anna’s situation was my negligence. But you can’t blame Chloe for that.” I snorted, having nothing left to say to him. With no evidence, the police asked a few routine questions and left quickly.

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Believe it or not. I, a somewhat obscure internet “Pick-Me Girl,” was offered five hundred million dollars by the richest couple in New York City to be their daughter-in-law. Why? Because their son, Liam Stone, the city’s golden boy, refused to be a prince and instead chose to be a simp for a broke “campus beauty.” “We wouldn’t mind if that girl truly loved our son,” Mrs. Stone scoffed. “The worst part is, she keeps rejecting him while exploiting his status to funnel benefits to her own family!” Mr. Stone added, clearly frustrated. “Our son seems to have a thing for manipulative girls. So, we decided to find the ultimate ‘Pick-Me Girl’ to beat her at her own game—fight fire with fire!” Honestly, I felt a little offended at first. But staring at that black card loaded with five hundred million dollars, I decided to accept the arduous task of “saving the billionaire’s simp son.” When I saw the file on the target, I laughed. This “little witch” was none other than my manipulative stepsister, the one I defeated years ago. Chapter 1 The love story between New York’s prince, Liam Stone, and the poor campus beauty, Chloe Shen, was legendary. He had money and power but chose to be a doormat; she was broke but acted high and mighty, rejecting him 999 times! Their romance, straight out of a Wattpad novel, garnered a massive fanbase. There were even fan clubs dedicated to them. Everyone shipped them hard, just waiting for Chloe to finally say yes! Consequently, any girl with “ulterior motives” who tried to get close to Liam was ripped apart by their rabid fans. But on my first day transferring to their elite university, I leaked the news that I was Liam’s fiancée. So, the moment I walked into the classroom, a bucket of ice water drenched me from head to toe. My long hair plastered to my face, my mask soaked. The class erupted in laughter. Chloe Shen walked in from the hallway, eyes wide with feigned innocence. “Are you okay? It’s just that everyone loves me so much, they couldn’t accept you right away. Please don’t blame them.” A girl behind her sneered, “Chloe, you’re too kind. This woman is obviously here to steal Liam, and you’re still worried about her?” Several boys stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “We poured the water. It has nothing to do with Chloe. If you’re going to be a homewrecker, don’t blame us for being rude!” Any normal person would have run away crying after such humiliation. I just sighed inwardly. Years later, and Chloe’s tactics haven’t evolved a bit. Today, big sister is going to teach you what a true “Pick-Me Girl” looks like. My pale fingers trembled as I removed my soaked mask, gently brushing the wet strands of black hair from my cheek, revealing a face that was fair and delicate. The moment they saw my face, I heard gasps around the room. Chloe looked like she’d seen a ghost, her face draining of color. My eyes reddened slightly, and I bit my lip, my voice choking up. “I didn’t mean to ruin your relationship. The engagement was arranged by our parents. I’m nobody; I don’t have the power to refuse.” “Chloe, you can rest assured. I won’t fight you for him, and I couldn’t win even if I tried.” I looked up at the boys staring at me, my voice filled with loneliness. “I just wanted to come to the big city, study, and make friends. But now, everyone hates me. What should I do…” The classroom fell dead silent. The boy who was hostile just moments ago turned as red as a boiled lobster, stammering. “I… I’m sorry. My name is Mark. I’d love to be your friend.” Even the girl behind Chloe softened her expression. “Don’t cry. We didn’t mean it like that.” Chloe hadn’t expected me to diffuse the situation with just a few sentences, turning the tide in my favor. She stared at me, as if possessed, her face twisting as she screamed. “Sarah Shen! It’s you, you bitch! Why are you showing your face here?!” I shrank behind Mark like a frightened rabbit. “What’s wrong with Chloe? Does she not like me?” Mark frowned, shielding me from the hysterical Chloe. “Chloe Shen, this isn’t her fault. You don’t need to take your anger out on her.” This action triggered Chloe further. She rushed at me like a madwoman and slapped me hard across the face. As I fell backward, I saw a figure sprinting toward us. The fish had taken the bait. Chapter 2 As predicted, I fell into a warm, broad embrace. The man looked detached as he steadied me and then let go. “Are you okay?” I lifted my fragile neck, clearly in pain but pretending to be strong. “I’m fine. I just lost my balance.” Sure enough, the moment our eyes met, he paused for a second. But to Chloe, this looked very different. “Liam! Why did you hug her? Is this bitch seducing you again?!” She screamed and charged at me once more. But before she could touch me, Liam grabbed her arm. “Chloe, what is wrong with you today?!” “Sarah is just a fiancée my parents decided on verbally. The only person I love is you.” “But if she gets hurt because of you, my parents will hate you even more. How can I marry you then?!” A flicker of impatience crossed Liam’s eyes, but he still patiently explained everything to Chloe. Mark spoke up for me. “Yeah, Sarah has been nothing but polite. Why did you hit her, Chloe?” Chloe was panting heavily. Realizing the situation was turning against her, she forced a smile uglier than crying. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I mistook you for someone else.” I stole a glance at Liam and lowered my head dejectedly. “It’s okay. I was the one who intruded.” Liam glanced at me subtly, seeming a bit uncomfortable. He took a box out of his pocket and handed it to me, speaking briefly. “A welcome gift. My mom asked me to give it to you.” Then, he opened a fancy shopping bag he was holding and took out a palm-sized velvet box, handing it to Chloe. “I bought this with my allowance. Whatever others have, you have too.” Chloe’s tense expression finally relaxed. Seeing the ruby jewelry set inside, she beamed with joy. “Thank you, Liam! I love you so much!” I opened my box. Inside was just a simple, semi-luxury hair clip. The difference in importance was clear. Chloe glanced at me, barely hiding her smugness. “Wow, your hair clip is pretty too. Put it on.” Under everyone’s gaze, a few crystal-clear tears rolled down my cheeks. Mark looked at me nervously, and even Liam’s smile faded significantly. “Thank you, but I can’t accept it.” Liam was confused. “Why?” I looked up, my eyes filled with inferiority and loneliness that pierced him. “Chloe is the future mistress of the Stone family. Of course she deserves the best—clothes, jewelry, bags. She deserves it all. I’m just a kid from the countryside. Being able to go to the same university as you guys is already a blessing. How could I dare ask for more?” I wiped the tears from my cheeks vigorously and handed the box to the girl behind Chloe, smiling bravely and sincerely. “Pretty sister, I think this suits you better than me. As a good friend, Chloe has so much jewelry but didn’t give you any. So, I’ll give you my hair clip.” Knowing Chloe, she was never generous. Sure enough, surprise flashed across the girl’s face. “Thank you! No one has ever given me such a precious gift!” “I’m Jenny. Sarah, we’re best friends from now on. Come to me if you need anything!” Because of my self-deprecation, no one doubted the sincerity of my gift. A hint of appreciation flashed in Liam’s eyes. Chloe looked awkward, holding her jewelry box in mid-air, unsure whether to offer something or not. With this one move, I earned sympathy and provided emotional value to others. Chloe, on the other hand, left an impression of being stingy and petty. As we were leaving, Liam stopped me and stuffed a card into my hand. “The Stone family owes you. Don’t sell yourself short. Use this money to buy something you like.” My ears turned slightly red, and I nodded shyly. Chloe glared at me with venom in her eyes but said nothing. It wasn’t until I walked out of the school gate that I realized why Chloe had held back. Walking briskly toward me were my biological parents. Chapter 3 “You ungrateful wretch! Why aren’t you in the mental hospital? Did you escape to ruin your sister’s life again?!” I was slapped hard across the face. The woman with the mean face raised her hand to hit me again, but Liam frowned and blocked her. “What’s going on? Do you know each other?” I covered my face, looking fragile and helpless. “Uncle, Auntie, do we know each other?” Chloe was grinding her teeth in hatred. “Liam, you don’t know. Sarah is my mentally ill sister! Five years ago, she turned our home upside down, so Mom and Dad kicked her out. She holds a grudge. Now she’s changed her identity to get close to us, definitely trying to destroy my life and steal you!” “But I knew you wouldn’t believe me if I just pointed it out, so I called Mom and Dad to catch her in the act.” A look of confident triumph flashed in Chloe’s eyes as she looked at me with mock pity. “Sister, has your condition worsened? Looks like we need to send you to a mandatory care facility this time.” My father, Mr. Shen, also looked at Liam fawningly. “Yes, son-in-law, this wretched daughter of mine is crazy. She might hurt Chloe. Please don’t let her off easily.” Saying that, the two of them tried to drag me into a car parked on the roadside. I didn’t show the terrified expression they expected. Instead, I widened my eyes, revealing a hint of envy. “If only I really had parents…” Then I shook my head, tears swirling in my eyes but stubbornly refusing to fall. “Chloe, I know you hate me. But you are a princess in the sky, loved by parents, protected by Liam. You deserve the best.” “And me? I’m just a countryside girl whose parents died. Coming here to study is already a gift. How could I dream of fighting you for the position of Mrs. Stone?” “Why do you have to make up such lies to slander me?” Liam actively spoke up for me. “Sarah is the orphan of my father’s comrade. She grew up in the countryside. You’ve mistaken her for someone else.” He probably didn’t even realize his attitude toward me had shifted from indifference to protection. Mrs. Shen stomped her foot in anger. “You slut! Still denying it! You lived in the Shen house for over ten years; I can find proof!” But the more she searched her phone, the paler her face became. “Impossible… how is this possible…” Chloe also leaned in anxiously, but no matter how they searched, they couldn’t find a single photo of me. Joke’s on them. I dared to show my face because I was fully prepared. The Shen family hated me, so they naturally wouldn’t keep photos of me. And with the Stone family’s help, any remaining evidence was wiped clean. “Enough! How long are you going to make a scene?!” Liam looked impatient. He already disliked Mr. and Mrs. Shen, and now even Chloe looked unpleasant to him. “Liam, don’t you believe me? Sarah really is my crazy sister.” Chloe panicked. Liam rubbed his temples in frustration. “I thought you were different from your parents. But what are you doing? Dragging your whole family to frame an innocent girl, rubbing salt in her wounds. I’m so disappointed in you.” Chloe was about to speak, but I gently took her hand, full of understanding. “Chloe, I grew up without parents, so I know how painful it is. You mistook me for your sister because you haven’t visited her in a long time and miss her. Go visit her more often when you have time; she must miss you too.” With one sentence, I solidified my kind persona. And pointed out how the Shen family mistreated their other daughter. I could feel Liam’s gaze shift from pity to heartache. And heartache is often the beginning of falling in love. Chapter 4 Someone filmed me being slapped and posted it on the campus forum. Many people started defending me. “Sarah is the fiancée engaged by the Stone family. Technically, Chloe is the homewrecker, right?” “I’ve disliked Chloe’s arrogant attitude for a long time. Her dad is just new money who got lucky because Liam liked her. What’s she so proud of?” Of course, there were people calling me a “white lotus” and a “Pick-Me Girl.” But by the next day, all negative comments about me would vanish. I knew this was Liam’s doing. These days, his attitude toward Chloe had cooled significantly. He stopped driving her to and from school and stopped sending gifts every other day. Living in the Stone mansion, I saw Liam constantly. He would occasionally buy me small gifts, and I would post them on social media with grateful captions. Life was calm, but the seeds of affection were slowly sprouting. However, someone couldn’t sit still. Her former sycophants were now my friends, and even Liam was ignoring her, sometimes laughing and chatting with me instead. Chloe was going crazy. A week later, she stopped me on my way home from school. “Sarah, I’m really sorry about the other day. Are you free today? I want to treat you to dinner to apologize.” I didn’t miss the dark glint in Chloe’s eyes, but I nodded and agreed. You couldn’t beat me five years ago. Now? You’re dreaming. Chloe chose a very private restaurant. It was just the two of us in the VIP room. As soon as we sat down, a strange smile curled her lips. She picked up her phone and dialed, her voice filled with tears and panic. “Liam, come save me! Help!” I sensed something was wrong. As I stood up, a group of thugs burst through the door, blocking me in. Chloe messed up her collar and looked at me triumphantly. “When Liam gets here and sees me being bullied while you stand there unharmed, who do you think he’ll blame?” The thugs laughed lecherously at Chloe’s signal. “Sarah hired us. She wanted to ruin Miss Shen’s purity.” I was pinned to the chair, unable to move. Chloe waited leisurely for the show to begin. Soon, chaotic footsteps echoed in the hallway. I knew that if Liam saw this scene, a wedge would be driven between us forever. Even if I proved my innocence, the doubt would remain. And Chloe could use Liam’s guilt to regain her position. “Chloe, I’m here to save you!” The moment the door burst open, the thugs released me and rushed toward Chloe to play their part. At that exact moment, I bit down hard on a thug’s hand, my voice stubborn and desperate. “Don’t touch my friend, you scum!” The thug yelled in pain and flung me away. “Bitch, get lost!” I used the momentum to fall backward. My forehead slammed into the sharp corner of the table with a sickening thud. Shattered glass exploded at my feet, cutting my skin and drawing blood. Compared to Chloe, who was just screaming, my injuries made everyone gasp. Meeting Liam’s gaze, I smiled with satisfaction and humility, not hiding the love in my eyes. “Don’t be afraid. I protected the girl you love.” Before my consciousness faded, I saw Liam’s expression—shocked and bewildered. When he rushed toward me without even glancing at Chloe, I closed my eyes in relief. Chloe Shen, you lost again. And this time, you lost everything.

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On my eighteenth birthday, I climbed to the roof of a skyscraper. But when I got there, I found another girl already preparing to jump. Floating above her head was a stream of glowing text, like a live chat feed. [Another jumper? Is she backup sent by the villainess?] [The villainess is so dramatic. The heroine’s family raised her in luxury for ten years, and now all they ask is for her to donate her heart to save the heroine. Why is she acting like it’s the end of the world?] [Wait, why is the jumper girl walking towards her? What is she doing?] I grabbed the girl around the waist and tackled her onto the safe side of the roof. “Let me go first,” I said. “I’m in a hurry.” 1 “Let me go! Just let me die!” The wind at the edge of the roof whipped her hair across her face. Tears the size of beans rolled down her cheeks. “I found out today… in my family’s eyes, I’m just an organ bank for my sister.” The girl, Chloe, cried until her face was a mess. “The only reason I exist is to be sacrificed for her.” “Don’t try to talk me out of it. even if I destroy this body, I won’t let them have what they want!” “I wasn’t planning on talking you out of it,” I said, watching her stunned expression. “I just saw you were hogging the spot, hesitating. That’s why I pulled you down.” “Why don’t you take a minute to mentally prepare yourself? Let me jump first. I’m on a tight schedule.” Chloe opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word. Instead, the text above her head went wild. [Are people cutting in line for suicide now?] [This jumper girl seems mentally unstable. Don’t let her corrupt the villainess! We need that heart healthy for our heroine!] [The villainess is just being dramatic. I knew she wouldn’t jump. Who is she trying to scare with those tears?] Chloe stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief. “Why do you want to die so badly?” I sat on the ledge, swinging my legs carelessly over the abyss. “Because my parents want me dead sooner rather than later.” 2 I was born a monster. I can’t feel emotions. I only know how to mimic others—happiness, anger, sadness. Because of this, everyone around me hates me to the bone. Even my parents have said more than once: “I regret giving birth to you. Why don’t you just die?” They’re right. I am a monster who deserves to die. But I wanted to struggle a little first. I practiced smiling and crying in the mirror, trying to blend into the crowd like a normal person. But I kept failing. Like watching a comedy movie—I was the only one laughing out loud while everyone else was wiping tears, looking at me in shock. I didn’t get it. Shouldn’t you laugh at a comedy? Why were they crying? Or at a wedding, when the father hands the bride to the groom. Everyone was cheering and smiling, but I stood there with a mourning face. My mom saw me, dragged me out, and cursed me for being bad luck. I didn’t understand that either. A daughter leaving her childhood home should be sad, right? Why was everyone smiling? After that, I became more careful. When a relative dies: head down, eyes lowered, corners of the mouth down thirty degrees. When receiving a gift: eyes wide, corners of the mouth up forty-five degrees. When seeing someone cry: knit eyebrows into a frown, let out a couple of dry sobs. “Today is my eighteenth birthday. Starting today, my parents don’t have to support me anymore.” “They gave me some money and told me never to come back. They’re planning to adopt a new kid.” I swung my legs, the wind blowing hair into my face. “See? I tried. But it seems I’m really not suited for living in this world.” The text above Chloe’s head went quiet for a few seconds, then popped up again: [Wait, her symptoms sound like Alexithymia or emotional detachment disorder?] [Who cares what disorder she has? If she’s gonna jump, jump! Don’t delay our heroine’s life-saving surgery!] [Damn, this jumper girl really isn’t normal. A monster, right?] Suddenly, Chloe grabbed my swinging hand and dragged me back from the edge with surprising strength. “No… you’re not a monster.” Her voice was still trembling, but incredibly firm. “My foster mom always called me an ungrateful wolf, said I didn’t know how good I had it. But I know I’m not.” “You’re the same. I can tell you’re just sick.” I froze. This was the first time anyone had ever said something like that to me. Before, people either cursed me, feared me, or looked at me like a sideshow freak. Inside my chest, the heart they said was “empty” suddenly gave a light thump. Like a pebble thrown into a frozen lake, cracking the surface. I twitched the corner of my mouth, trying to mimic a sarcastic expression. “What’s the use of saying that? It won’t comfort me, and it won’t save you.” “At least we don’t have to wait in line to jump.” Chloe sniffled. Tears were still falling, but she wore a clumsy smile. “I thought about it just now. I’m not jumping either. They want to steal my heart? I won’t give it to them. I’m going to live. I’ll live until they’re too old to move, watching me be healthy and happy, just to spite them!” The text above her head exploded. [The villainess is crazy?! She refuses to donate her heart?] [When is the heroine’s family getting here? Hurry up and catch her!] [Where did this jumper girl come from? She’s made the villainess lose her mind too!] Chloe didn’t see the words. She just stared at me. “Don’t jump either, okay? Even though I don’t know how to cure your illness, living one more day is always good, right? What if something good happens tomorrow?” I looked into her shining eyes. I suddenly remembered seeing a mother teaching her child about fruits in the supermarket yesterday. The kid pointed at a durian and said, “It smells bad.” The mother smiled and said, “Wait until you taste it. It just looks ugly on the outside.” Maybe I was like that too? Just a hard shell, a strange smell, waiting for someone willing to open me up and taste. 3 The door to the roof burst open. A woman dressed in expensive clothes stormed in with several men in suits. She stared unkindly at Chloe’s bleeding knee, her voice devoid of emotion. “Chloe, didn’t Mom tell you your body doesn’t belong to you? You’re not allowed to get hurt.” Beside her, a man with sharp features strode towards us. “Chloe, be a good girl and come back with your brother. Lily is still waiting for your heart.” The floating text got excited. [Ooh, the male lead is here! The villainess can’t escape now!] [Even though the male lead is the villainess’s biological brother, the family only adopted him because of her. But in his heart, only the heroine, his adopted sister, matters. The biological sister has to step aside.] [Although after the villainess dies giving her heart, the male lead will suddenly remember her goodness and go dark, tormenting the heroine… don’t worry everyone, it’s just their little lovers’ game. They get married and live happily ever after in the end.] “Come with me.” The man, Ethan, reached out to grab Chloe’s arm, his movement domineering and unquestionable. Chloe instinctively hid behind me. “Why should I give my heart to Lily?” “Why?” Ethan stared at her, his tone turning cold. “Because she is the only bloodline of the Stone family. If the Stones hadn’t adopted us siblings back then, who knows where we’d be?” “Your very life belongs to the Stone family. What’s donating a heart?” I grabbed Ethan’s wrist. The wind snapped his sleeves. For the first time, I didn’t mimic any expression. I just looked at him. “Don’t force her.” Ethan frowned. “Who are you? Get lost!” “Who I am doesn’t matter.” I released his wrist and pointed to my own chest. “A live heart donation means a life for a life. You want her life. Did you ask if she’s willing?” “I’m not willing!” Chloe screamed, her voice hoarse. She clutched the hem of my shirt, her knuckles white. Ethan’s face darkened like a storm cloud. “Chloe, stop making a scene. Lily is waiting in the operating room. Do you want her to die?” “What about me?” Chloe suddenly looked up, tearfully questioning him. “Brother, do you want me to die?” 4 [Isn’t the villainess just a plot device? How dare she talk back!] [Why is the male lead hesitating? Just knock her out and carry her away! The heroine is waiting in the hospital!] [This jumper girl is so nosy. Just jump off your building! Stop playing hero!] “She said she’s not willing. Didn’t you hear?” I stepped forward, blocking Chloe. “Medically speaking, live heart donation is prohibited except in extreme cases. What you’re doing is murder.” Hearing this, even the wealthy-looking woman froze. Ethan was clearly enraged. He shoved me. “Who do you think you are, meddling in the Stone family’s business?” I didn’t dodge. I let his hand slam into my shoulder. “I’m nobody.” I stared into his eyes and slowly raised my phone. A voice recording app was running, the sound wave moving across the screen. “But I know no one has the right to take another’s life, even in the name of repaying a debt.” “I’ve been recording since you burst in. If you dare touch her today, I’ll call the police immediately.” “Then let me go to jail,” he gritted his teeth. “Lily is the Stone family’s treasure. I will save her even if it costs me everything.” “But I am my own treasure too.” Chloe stood up straight. The pain in her knee made her tremble, but she didn’t take a step back. “Ethan, you’re my biological brother, but you never treated me like a sister. From today on, we’re done.” Complex emotions swirled in Ethan’s eyes. Shock, anger, and a trace of panic he tried to hide. He took a deep breath and made his biggest concession. “One day. I can only give you one last day.” “If you still refuse the surgery, don’t blame your brother for being ruthless.” Chloe grabbed my hand and walked towards the stairwell, step by step. I looked back. The Stone family didn’t follow. I asked, “Where are we going now? On the run? or finding a different building to jump off?” The floating text said that in this novel world, the male and female leads are absolute gods. Police wouldn’t help. So I was just bluffing earlier. I didn’t plan to actually go to the police station. I thought Chloe would have a plan. But I never expected what she said next. “Let’s find a place to buy a birthday cake first.” I froze. The heart in my chest suddenly started beating like a drum. The feeling was so foreign. I looked down at my chest. So this heart could have such vivid moments. It wasn’t beating to mimic someone else’s emotion. It was beating because this girl, just pulled back from the edge of death, said she wanted to buy me a birthday cake. “Why are you standing there? Let’s go…” Chloe stopped. She stared at the corner of my mouth. “You… you seem to be smiling.”

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I’ve been married to my aloof, high-achieving college senior for five years, but we still haven’t been able to have a baby. After another night of intense effort, I suddenly saw comments floating in the air like a live stream: [Lol, the male lead is set to be infertile. Even if he grinds an iron rod into a needle, he can’t get the supporting female lead pregnant.] [Male lead, just give up. Wait until you meet your destined heroine. Guaranteed triplets in one go.] Infertile male lead? So, basically sterile? Looking at the man trying to coax me into “one more time,” I kicked him away. I turned around and threw divorce papers in his face. “My family has an empire to inherit. I don’t want a sterile man.” He thought I was just throwing a tantrum until he found out I got myself a young “boy toy.” He lost it on the spot, kneeling before me with red eyes: “Babe, I’ve been drinking herbal remedies and seeing specialists. Try me again.” 1 At the courthouse entrance, the appointment time for our divorce was about to pass, but Julian Sterling still hadn’t shown up. He didn’t reply to my texts, nor did he answer my dozen calls. Only after the appointment time passed did he finally pick up. “Babe, I was in meetings all afternoon. Miss me?” I frowned and said coldly, “Julian, is this fun for you?” “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t want you anymore. I want a divorce.” There was a long silence on the other end before he spoke coldly: “Unless I die, I will never divorce you in this lifetime.” I scoffed, speechless. “Won’t divorce? Fine. Don’t blame me for putting a green hat on you.” (Chinese idiom for cheating/cuckolding, adapted to context: “Don’t blame me if I start looking elsewhere.”) “Chloe Jiang, you dare!” The sound of something smashing came from the phone. Not wanting to listen to his tantrum, I hung up. An hour later, at the hottest club in NYC. My bestie and I ordered ten male models to dance for us. The guys were pulling out all the stops to flirt with me. One bold model held my hand with his wine glass and poured the drink down his unbuttoned shirt, staging a wet t-shirt show. He pitched his voice low: “Sister, my chest is so cold, touch it…” Just as I reached out, Viola pressed my hand down. “Chloe, are you serious?” “Aren’t you afraid your jealous husband will find out and be impossible to soothe?” I played with the model’s tie nonchalantly and said: “Better if he knows. Maybe he’ll divorce me faster.” “Divorce?” Viola’s eyes widened in shock. “Do you have someone new?” I paused and looked at her grumpily. “Why don’t you think he has someone new?” Viola shook her head without thinking. “Impossible. He’s a top-tier simp for you. How could he like anyone else but you?” “He will.” And the person he liked from the beginning wasn’t me. We were destined for a bad ending. 2 Julian Sterling was my college senior, the campus heartthrob, and top student. From school uniforms to wedding dresses, we were the model couple in everyone’s eyes. Classmates called it a fairytale come true—the princess and the prince. After graduation and marriage, our life was still sweet and happy. Julian spoiled me rotten. The only downside was that after five years of marriage, we had no children. For this, Julian and I went to the hospital for checkups. The results showed that both Julian and I were physically fine. We thought maybe fate just hadn’t brought us a child yet, so we let nature take its course. But half a month ago, I accidentally heard my little nephew say: “Auntie can’t have babies, so Auntie’s fortune will be mine.” Learning that his parents taught him this, I felt a chill down my spine along with the absurdity. Just because my dad is an only child and I’m his only child… And I haven’t been pregnant… They assumed I couldn’t conceive. They started eyeing my family’s assets. Who knows how many malicious thoughts they harbored in private? The more I thought about it, the more disgusted I felt. I decided to put having a baby on the agenda. That night, I started trying hard. 3 In the study, Julian was working. Seeing me appear in a skimpy slip dress, he raised an eyebrow. “Babe, if you’re sleepy, go to bed first. Don’t wait for me.” I cursed him internally for pretending. I sat on his desk and stepped on the part of him that was already misbehaving. He grabbed my ankle to move it away, looking serious. “Don’t mess around, Hubby is working.” I was so mad I unhooked my bra and threw it in his face. Julian took a deep breath and finally put down the documents. Playing with his pen, he leaned back in his chair, his gaze moving down from my chest. “Continue.” One simple word, but the implication was clear. Meeting his burning gaze, I slowly untied the ribbon and threw the palm-sized fabric at him. Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He couldn’t hold back for three seconds before propping up his exploding body to hug me. But I pressed my foot against his chest, keeping him away. “Julian, you haven’t finished your work.” His breathing was ragged, voice husky: “Babe, don’t tease me…” I looked down at him, lifting his chin with my toe. “Beg me.” He lowered his head and bit my instep lightly, voice affectionate: “Please.” Only then did I let go, satisfied. The well-dressed man instantly turned into a hungry wolf, burying his head to feast insatiably. I even agreed to many of his excessive demands, cooperating so well it surprised him. In the bedroom, after we reached the clouds again, Julian bit my earlobe and teased: “So good today. You aren’t keeping a wild man outside, are you?” I glared at him weakly. “I am. What are you going to do?” He thrusted hard a few times. “I’ll kill the wild man, then lock you up forever!” “Easy…” I bit my lip and slapped him lightly. “I can barely handle you, let alone someone else?” Julian chuckled, tangling his tongue with mine in a deep kiss. “I knew it. With such an excellent husband, how could you look at anyone else?” “So what happened? Which blind fool upset you?” 4 Seeing him ready to destroy the world for me, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Nothing big. Just that we haven’t had kids, and someone is eyeing my family’s assets.” After I finished telling him about the day’s events, Julian stroked my back. “Since they like eyeing other people’s stuff, let them taste what it’s like to be eyed.” “What scheme are you cooking up?” Julian deliberately kept me in suspense. “Want to know? Say something nice.” “Hubby, you’re the best. Tell me.” Julian smirked. “Unlike me who keeps myself clean, there isn’t a good man in that family. From the father to the son, they all have illegitimate children hidden outside.” “Push these people into the light, and I guarantee they’ll fight until the sky turns dark.” I tsk-tsked. “You’re really bad… but I like it.” “Like it?” Julian wrapped his arm around my waist and flipped me over. “Then let’s go again. I’ll make sure to plant the seed properly.” With that, he continued to sweat like a beast. Suddenly, comments appeared before my eyes: [Lol, the male lead is set to be infertile. Even if he grinds an iron rod into a needle, he can’t get the supporting female lead pregnant.] [Male lead, give up the struggle. Wait until you meet your destined heroine. Guaranteed triplets in one go.] [Advise the supporting female to divorce early. Good for everyone. After all, both your families really have empires to inherit.] [The supporting female doesn’t know yet, the male lead chased her because he mistook her for his savior.] [After the car accident, it was the heroine who pulled the male lead out, but by mistake, the supporting female sent him to the hospital.] …

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My childhood best friend, Lucas, likes the school beauty, Bella. Bella likes the class valedictorian, Daniel. Daniel likes me. But I only like Lucas. We were in a very stable love square, each happily simping for the person who wouldn’t give us the time of day. We all suffered the bitterness of unrequited love, chasing crushes who never looked back. Until I moved on and started flirting with the new kid with the bleached hair. Lucas and Daniel both lost their minds. even Bella was furious. Red-eyed, she choked me and sobbed: “Why?! How could you like that bleached-hair punk?” I explained: “Because love squares are just like quadrilaterals—unstable.” 1 Lucas rejected sitting with me again. His eyes were glued to Bella, and he happily took the seat behind her, refusing to be my desk partner. Daniel, the valedictorian, likes me, so I knew he wanted to sit with me. But Bella, being quick, snatched the opportunity first. When it was my turn to pick a seat, Lucas, wanting to avoid any misunderstanding and not hurt Bella’s feelings, deliberately avoided me. He chose to sit behind Bella. Bella was thrilled because she got to sit with Daniel, and her simp (me) hadn’t hooked up with hers (Daniel) yet. The teacher called my name. Finally, it was my turn. I walked in and saw that Lucas already had someone next to him. Daniel, who liked me, was snatched by Bella. I felt isolated. Three pairs of eyes stared at me. Regret in Daniel’s eyes. Coldness in Lucas’s eyes. Triumph in Bella’s eyes—she winked at me, declaring war. I always thought our love square was rock solid, impossible to shake. But tonight, I was hurt. It felt like I had simped my way out of the game. Am I not worthy of being a simp? Rude. Why won’t they play with me? I was a little sad. Bad grades, kicked out of the simp circle. Clearly, the four of us licking each other’s boots was a stable dynamic. How did I get voted off the island? Looking at Bella’s smug face, I was pissed. The teacher was getting impatient too: “Jane, what are you standing there for? Pick a seat! You’re wasting everyone’s study time!” I looked around. Because my grades were terrible—basically bottom of the class—by the time I got to pick, everyone else was settled. There were hardly any empty seats left. Only in the last row, next to the new transfer student with the bleached hair, was there an empty desk. The boy dressed like an alt kid, sporting arrogant bleached hair and earrings, radiating pure resentment. Since arriving a few days ago, he hadn’t said a word to anyone, doing whatever he pleased. But he was handsome. Not the gentle kind, but the aggressive, sharp kind of handsome. Girls blushed and passed him love notes or gifts, but he coldly rejected them all. If they persisted, he’d throw the stuff in the trash. A total “strangers keep away” vibe. Injured by the love square, I didn’t care anymore. I walked straight to the bleached-hair boy and fearlessly sat down. Ideally, Bella should be the winner of this love square. The guy who likes me and the guy I like are both circling her. She should be happy. But I saw Bella’s wide grin suddenly retract. Her smile vanished completely when I sat next to the bleached-hair boy. She even looked a little unhappy. This made me even angrier. She’s still unhappy! Don’t be so greedy, okay?! 2 The bleached-hair boy was sleeping on his desk. I swung my backpack over. The screech of the chair against the floor was ear-piercing, waking him up. He lifted his head impatiently, eyes full of undisguised rage, staring at me in surprise for a few seconds. He probably didn’t expect anyone to dare provoke him. He lowered his eyelids disdainfully: “Get lost.” Me: … He must think I’m another admirer trying to sit next to him. Men… so narcissistic… disgusting… Tsk tsk. I ignored his gaze and calmly moved all my books over. The bell rang for the end of class. He slammed his hand on the desk. My hand froze while organizing books. I looked up at him, confused. ? After a few seconds of standoff, he spoke again: “Get lost. I don’t like you. Are you deaf?” Me: ? I took a deep breath, pouted in confusion, and refused to indulge him. I poked his chest with my pen, forcing him back inch by inch: “Can you stop being so narcissistic?” “Not every girl who gets close to you likes you! Open your eyes and look. I’m last place! Last place in the class, get it?!” “By the time I got in, there were no seats left! Only this one! If I don’t sit here, where do I sit?” “Also, go ask around. I am Lucas’s number one simp. Who likes you?” “I’m busy simping for him. Zero people care about you!” This little bleached-hair kid is all thorns! But I, the class porcupine, am not just a name either. He stared at me silently for a while, then got angry: “You’re proud of that?” He probably despised me for being a simp. I flipped my hair heroically, put my book in the drawer, looked up into his dark eyes, and said: “Yes, I am proud. As long as I’m not simping for you.” He looked like he wanted to say something, but my childhood friend Lucas happened to walk over. He had his hands in his pockets, swaying over to me. His gaze shifted from my head to the bleached hair, then back to me: “Jane, what’s the meaning of this?” “Not simping for me anymore? Planning to simp for him?” “Moving on?” I don’t have a good temper. I was just annoyed by the bleached-hair kid, and now the guy I like is questioning me like this. Acting like he’s my boyfriend controlling me. Even with a good temper, I’m still human! I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed my notebook, ignored his gaze, and walked straight to Daniel. Then I said in a soft, sweet voice: “Daniel… I don’t understand this question…” Daniel likes me. He said I could ask him anything. But I liked Lucas, so whenever I had a question, I used it as an excuse to pester Lucas to explain it to me. I treated his patience as special treatment for me. Actually, thinking about it, he’s like that with everyone. Daniel clearly didn’t expect me to come to him. He looked pleasantly surprised, his ears turning red. I sat opposite him, very close, and asked softly: “This question, I still don’t get it…” Yes, this was the question I pestered Lucas about for ages before he explained it to me. Halfway through, Bella couldn’t stand me being close to Lucas, so she brought a question to him too. Lucas was ecstatic that Bella approached him. He finished explaining to me hurriedly and sloppy. Then he immediately and patiently explained to Bella. I don’t know when Lucas walked up to us. He pretended not to care, looked closer, and realized he had already explained this question to me. He broke down a little and questioned me angrily again: “Jane, I explained this to you. What are you trying to do?” 3 Angry already? Back then, he could ditch me instantly to please Bella. What I’m doing now isn’t even one percent of what he did, and he can’t handle it? Thinking about it is hilarious. I’ve liked Lucas since we were kids. He was the boy next door. Tall, handsome, gentle, polite, and attentive. My type. My bestie warned me many times that I had bad taste, that he was nice to everyone—a “central air conditioner.” But I was completely immersed in my self-woven dream of love and wouldn’t listen to anyone. Lucas’s face was iron black. He rolled his eyes at Daniel and said sourly: “Disgusting. Greasy.” “Jane! You go to him for questions but not me. Are you trying to make me jealous?” I got mad: “We’re discussing a problem here. What are you doing?” “Get lost!” This was the first time I lost my temper at my childhood friend. Before, I couldn’t lick his boots fast enough. The love square was wobbling. Bella sat in her seat, arms crossed, glaring as Daniel explained the question to me. Jealousy was drowning her. Daniel was smiling. Only Lucas was furious. After the explanation, I rolled back to my seat unhappily, eyes slightly red. The bleached-hair boy, Jaxon, looked at me with dark eyes and sneered: “Thought you said you didn’t like him?” “Aren’t you his simp? Why fight with your crush?” Thinking about how the person I liked was a jerk, and my simp career ended abruptly, I felt sad. Tears fell uncooperatively. “I don’t like him anymore, okay?” “I’m sitting next to you because I like you. Happy now?” “Whether I like you is my business. Can you control it?” I smashed the jar. Tears pattered down. Jaxon probably hadn’t been yelled at like this before. He didn’t expect one sentence to make me cry. The boy scratched his yellow hair, stammering and bristling: “Why are you crying?” “I didn’t say you couldn’t like me.” “Stop f*cking crying. So annoying!” 4 Jaxon found me annoying, so he put on his hat and ignored me. My childhood friend Lucas, having a screw loose, blocked me after school, refusing to give up. “Jane, aren’t you my simp? Why don’t you come find me?” He really is a jerk. I felt sick. I tried to walk out with my backpack, but Lucas cornered me against the wall, blocking me tightly. “If you don’t explain clearly today, I won’t let you leave!” Unbearable. I raised my leg to kick him in the crotch, but found my whole body strength was no match for one of his hands. I thought I was really stuck. But Jaxon, slinging his backpack over one shoulder, walked to the door and swung his bag hard at Lucas, pushing him off me. “Make way. You’re blocking the path, don’t you know!” I was successfully freed. Realized the bleached-hair kid wasn’t too bad. Lucas felt we were ganging up on him and rolled his eyes. “F*ck, shameless. Half a day and you’re hooking up with another guy. Jane, do you have any shame?” I wanted to kick him to relieve my hatred. I didn’t expect Jaxon to meddle. He walked back from the hallway, grabbed me like a little chick with his long fingers, pulled me in front of him, and put his arm around me. “Name’s Lucas, right? Don’t understand English? How many times did she tell you to get lost? Are you deaf?” Lucas got mad too, face red with anger. “This is between me and her. What are you meddling for? Do you have the right?” Lucas’s retort actually left Jaxon speechless. I sneered and grabbed Jaxon’s hand back, venting for him and myself. “I like him, and he likes me. Someone who likes me is helping me. I consented. Why doesn’t he have the right?” Ignoring Lucas’s shocked look, I dragged Jaxon away. Actually, he’s so big, I couldn’t have moved him. But that day, it was easy. He obediently let me lead him. Walking out of the school gate, I realized Jaxon’s bleached hair wasn’t arrogant anymore. His face was even a bit shy. He remembered I was holding his hand and shook it off tsundere-style. “This young master doesn’t like simps!” Who said he was hard to approach? He helped me, and he bristles like a cat. Not a wolf, just a big puppy! How can such a big wolf-dog be so cute when shy? I burst out laughing and teased him: “Math says quadrilaterals aren’t as stable as triangles. Just like a love square is unstable.” “In that case, I like you, you like me. Isn’t that stable?” Jaxon blushed and called me shameless, thick-skinned. He fled in defeat. “This young master has never seen a girl as thick-skinned and shameless as you! Don’t follow me!” Lol. I’m famous for being a thick-skinned simp. This rumored gloomy, unapproachable bleached-hair kid is just a tsundere little kitten! The next day in class, Jaxon finally woke up, and I started harassing him. Poking him with my pen. “Jaxon, you haven’t answered me from last night!” I righteously told him last night that I stopped simping for Lucas and was switching targets. He ignored me and ran away blushing. People might think I’m a monster. Woken up by me, he was extremely impatient. “Get lost!” 5 Having discovered yesterday that he’s a paper tiger, I automatically ignored his “get lost.” I stopped my creepy smile and fearlessly asked: “Jaxon? Say, have you ever chased anyone?” He sounded incredibly impatient: “Wise men don’t fall in love. I don’t simp.” “No one has been worth chasing yet.” It was the last period, study hall. We were in the “bad class,” teachers didn’t care. The teacher said we relied on self-discipline. So the class was chaotic. Everyone doing what they wanted. Talking, discussing problems. My eyes were glued on Daniel gently explaining problems to others, Bella smiling widely, mingling with the crowd. And my childhood friend, especially Lucas. He rested his chin on his hand, staring happily and blissfully at Bella. She was making noise; he was watching. So lively. My eyes stung. Determined, I slammed my book on the desk. “I don’t want to be a simp anymore.” Hearing this, Jaxon sneered: “Oh, little fool, finally got smart for once?” “Why be a simp? Let others chase you like their life depends on it. That’s exciting.” I turned to meet his eyes, full of playfulness and teasing. But his eyes were bright, staring straight at me, making me dazed. I couldn’t think. Before my brain could react, my mouth spoke: “Then chase me?” Jaxon froze, like he was struck by lightning. Didn’t make a sound for a long time. After a while, his face full of disgust, he turned away ignoring me: “You? Worthy?” I noticed his ears were red. After school, I hadn’t finished packing. Lucas, bag slung over his shoulder, eyes cold, slapped my desk. “Jane, play time is over. Playing hard to get has a limit.” “If you apologize, I still won’t mind that you tangled with Jaxon and that hypocrite Daniel.” I really wanted to peel off his face to see how thick it was. How does he have the face to say that?! Jaxon looked at Lucas coldly, like looking at an idiot. I didn’t want to talk to Lucas. My mom said not to talk to idiots. So I packed up and prepared to turn and leave. But Lucas blocked my way, still babbling. The commotion was big. Bella came over, extremely jealous. “Lucas, why do you care about this damn simp?” Daniel was also there, don’t know if watching the drama or what. Lucas saw me giving him the cold shoulder and broke down, eyes red. “Jane, your methods are brilliant. To get my attention, you hooked up with other guys.” His skill at making up rumors is perfection. In that case, I was too lazy to explain. Jaxon was watching the show. I grabbed his tie, pulled him hard towards me, and fearlessly wolf-whistled at him. Then I glared at Lucas: “Yes, you’re right. I’m hooking up, so what! I moved on! I don’t like you anymore! You can get lost!” The man I teased instantly turned from bristling to docile puppy, ear tips dripping blood red. Lucas still thought I was trying to make him jealous. He pinched my hand: “How could you like a bleached-head?! Hard to get, that’s all! Even if you do this, I won’t like you!” Bella added fuel to the fire: “Lucas, let’s not get angry over a slut. I’m going shopping with Daniel. Come with us.” To spite me, Lucas agreed without thinking. When Daniel left, he looked reluctant, eyes red, confirming with me: “Jane, do you really like Jaxon?” I left in frustration. It was Jaxon who chased after me with a dark face, grabbing me: “Hey, used me as a shield, then throw me away?” It was dusk. Sunset hit him. I walked dutifully with my backpack. He walked backwards in front of me, bag slung over one shoulder. His yellow hair was even more brilliant in the sunset. For a moment, I was dazed. Brain malfunctioned again: “What, don’t believe I like you?” “I moved on.” Jaxon just scoffed.

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For five years, everyone said I was dead. Even the boy I grew up with burned paper money for me every year on my “death anniversary.” But he was also the one who said he wanted to cut ties with me, the one who said we should never contact each other again. Later, I returned to the States and ran into him at a bar. Before I could even say hello, his bodyguards pinned me to the floor. He looked at me with chilling indifference. “Who allowed you to get plastic surgery to look like her?” Then he ordered his men: “Ruined her face.” Wait, how did the guy I haven’t seen in years suddenly turn into a criminal? 1 As soon as I walked out of JFK, a figure in black tackled me. “Zoey, I missed you so much!” It was my best friend, Chloe. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and the feeling was mutual. She hugged me for so long I started to lose my breath. “Chloe, that’s enough. Oxygen.” “Right, right.” Chloe let go, her eyes sparkling. “You’re not leaving again this time, right?” I nodded. “Yeah, I’m staying.” Chloe suddenly thought of something and burst out laughing. “If Liam saw you, would he think he’s seeing a ghost?” Liam was my childhood sweetheart, the only guy I ever loved. Before I came back, Chloe filled me in on what happened back home. Liam wasn’t the same Liam from five years ago. He climbed the ladder faster than I did and was now the head of the Sterling family empire. And me? I spent five years hiding in Europe just to stay alive. Surviving this long used up almost all my luck. I hadn’t contacted Liam in a long time. I looked at Chloe. “You didn’t tell him I was coming back?” Chloe smirked mischievously. “Nope. Serves him right for being so heartless back then.” Back then… My thoughts drifted. Liam and I were solid. We planned to marry after graduation. But my dad’s sudden illness revealed a secret: I had two half-brothers and a half-sister I never knew about. Dad was on his deathbed, and to fight for the inheritance, they planned to get rid of me. A staged car accident left me hanging by a thread. Mom didn’t trust anyone in the States anymore. She sent her most trusted aide to take me abroad for treatment. Before leaving, I called Liam to say goodbye. Afraid he’d worry, I didn’t mention the accident. Liam misunderstood. He thought I didn’t trust him and kept questioning me over the phone. “Why are you leaving? I told you I’d do everything to help you.” “Do you think I’m not capable enough?” I never doubted Liam’s heart. But back then, we were young and powerless. I didn’t want to drag him down. And I didn’t even know if I would survive. So I hardened my heart. “My mind is made up.” Liam’s voice choked up. “Zoey, please. Don’t go.” I gripped the phone tightly, forcing out the last words. “Liam, I’m sorry.” At that, Liam laughed bitterly. “Zoey, this is the first time I’ve begged anyone. And the last.” “If we meet again, let’s pretend we’re strangers. Don’t contact me.” The moment the call ended, I couldn’t hold on anymore. Everything went black, and I fell into a long coma. 2 When I regained consciousness, it was twenty days later. I was in Switzerland, my injuries healing. The first news I heard was of my death back in the US. Aunt Helen, who accompanied me, explained: “The moment our private jet landed, your dad’s illegitimate kids spread the news that you died in the crash. They wanted to use public opinion to seize the assets quickly.” “Your mom decided to play along and confirm your death so they’d stop hunting you. It frees her up to deal with them.” “Illegitimate kids have inheritance rights, sure, but they need to be alive to collect.” “Just recover here. Your mom will handle everything back home.” I understood. But thinking of Mom fighting those wolves alone… I had no mind for anything else. I threw myself into rehab, desperate to get back and help her. But my injuries were severe, especially my face. It was practically destroyed. Even with the best medical team Mom hired, I looked different than before. Chloe recognized me immediately because we video chatted often. I linked arms with her. “Then let’s keep it a secret.” No one stays in the same place for five years. Let the past stay in the past. 3 Chloe didn’t take me home immediately. Instead, she drove me to a cemetery in Upstate New York. She pointed to a tombstone with my name on it, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. “Look at this guy. Said he didn’t love you, but burned paper money for you for five years straight.” “Said he loved you, but dates the heiress of the Vance family. Heard they’re close to tying the knot. I’ll take you to crash their wedding feast.” I didn’t speak, staring at the hyacinths in front of the grave. My favorite flower. This deception seemed to have fooled only Liam. What was he thinking when he heard I died? I shook my head, chuckling at myself. He has a new life now. Why dwell on it? The Vance heiress must be a great girl. Leaving the cemetery, Chloe chattered non-stop. “You’ve been gone five years. The city’s changed so much, right?” “Our old school area is all high-rises now.” “I have a list on my phone of all the best spots I’ve vetted personally.” “I don’t care, you have to come out for a drink with me tonight.” So, without even dropping off my luggage, I was dragged to a bar. As soon as we sat down, she whispered conspiratorially: “You’ve been a nun for years. Want me to order two male models for you to play with tonight?” My first instinct was to refuse, shaking my head vigorously. Chloe ignored me. “Relax, the quality has gone way up in the last two years. Satisfaction guaranteed.” I was shocked. Looks like she does this often. Meeting my gaze, Chloe shrugged. “Don’t look at me like that. You think I’m silly enough to believe in true love like you?” Knowing Chloe wanted it, I didn’t stop her. 4 People really do change. Five years ago, Chloe hadn’t even been in a serious relationship. Now she was handling two male models with ease. Afraid she’d get drunk and taken advantage of, I didn’t drink much. Even my bathroom break was a speed run. But in my rush, I ran smack into a wall of muscle coming out of the restroom. I rubbed my head, muttering, “Who has a chest hard as a wall?” I looked up and froze. It was Liam. How… how is this coincidental? The man opposite me saw my face and froze too. Recovering, he grabbed my wrist, voice uncertain. “Zoey?” I didn’t really want to acknowledge him, but since I was recognized, I braced myself to say hi. But before I could smile, Liam threw me to the ground. His expression was terrifyingly cold, as if he didn’t know me at all. “Who allowed you to get plastic surgery to look like her? Did Layla Vance send you? To test me?” “Do you think I’m that easy?” A bloodthirsty glint flashed in his eyes. He turned to his bodyguards. “Ruined her face.” Pinned down by Liam’s bodyguards, I couldn’t believe it. How did the guy I haven’t seen in years turn into a criminal? Whether I’m the real Zoey or not, this is illegal! Why did Liam become like this? My limbs were immobilized, my jaw held tight. Someone approached me with a knife. The whole time, I stared into Liam’s eyes. Just as the blade was about to touch my face, Liam closed his eyes and spoke. “Forget it. Next time you appear in front of me, you won’t be so lucky.” They left quickly. Still shaken, I looked at the corner. There was a security camera. I pulled out my phone without hesitation. “911? I want to report a threat and assault.”

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