My mom was the quintessential 90s rebel girl. When she gave birth to me at 19, she didn’t even know who my father was. Always concerned with her image, she took one look at my dark, wrinkled newborn face and decided I embarrassed her. So, she secretly threw me away. And while she was at it, she threw away her new boyfriend’s son, too. Five-year-old Lucas took my hand and led me into a life of wandering. He resented me, yet he spent half his life desperately protecting me. 1 I wasn’t a cool baby. Five pounds, dark, skinny, and wrinkled like a prune. My mom took one look and recoiled like she’d seen a ghost. She was a rebellious teen in the 90s, barely 19 when I was born. She didn’t even know who the father was. The guy who came with her to the hospital was her current boyfriend. He wore bell-bottoms, had a perm, and dragged along a dirty little boy. “Dump it,” my mom said with a giggle, deciding my fate as easily as flicking ash off a cigarette. Pointing to the little boy, she added, “Might as well dump him too.” When I was placed in the wooden basin, five-year-old Lucas was still tickling me, blowing warm breath on my tiny hands, making me gurgle with laughter. Innocent laughter that couldn’t melt the rusted hearts of two adults. 2 Maybe fate decided we weren’t meant to die. Lucas and I were fished out. Back then, abandoned babies were common; people were numb to it. Everyone was poor, and everyone had too many kids. No one wanted two more mouths to feed. I cried until my face turned purple. But five-year-old Lucas didn’t cry. He stood there, picking at his dirty fingernails, staring wide-eyed at the circle of adults pointing and whispering. The little boy looked around until his gaze landed on the Blind Granny. He shouted at her, “You can’t see! Take us home, and I’ll be your eyes!” The Blind Granny was kind-hearted and felt pity, but she was destitute and could barely feed herself. Seeing her hesitation, Lucas walked over and tugged on her clothes. “Granny, I’m a hard worker. Please take me and my sister home, okay?” That sentence made the Blind Granny pick me up. When she held tiny me in her arms, the crowd laughed. “A blind old woman with two kids? They’ll starve in five days!” Lucas got angry. He grabbed a handful of mud and threw it at the man who spoke. “I won’t starve!” 3 The Blind Granny could endure hunger. Even Lucas could tighten his tattered belt and go days without food. But I didn’t understand hunger, and I couldn’t endure it. My wails turned into weak, kitten-like whimpers. The Blind Granny couldn’t bear it. She went out to borrow grain. Before leaving, she told Lucas a thousand times to watch me. Lucas kept putting his little hand under my nose to check if I was still breathing. Once he felt air, he ran off to play. The moment the room went quiet, I started crying again. I cried until my voice was gone. Finally, the Blind Granny returned with a handful of rice. She couldn’t find Lucas and started cursing. “Damn brat! Big ideas for a small kid, dumping the burden on an old woman and running off! If I catch him, I’ll beat him!” She made a thick rice porridge and fed me. It tasted sweet. Just as my belly got round and full, Lucas came back. Hearing his voice, the Blind Granny raised her cane and swung. Being blind, she swung with all her might, assuming he would dodge. But Lucas didn’t move. Thwack. The cane hit him square on the forehead. A huge bump swelled up instantly. He stumbled and fell, but he still didn’t cry. He said, “Granny, I went to catch fish to make soup for my sister. She won’t go hungry anymore.” The Blind Granny froze. She reached out her hands, feeling the air. “You foolish child! Why didn’t you say something? You’re so small, what if you drowned? Did you expect me to raise your sister for you?” Finally touching Lucas, she asked, “Does it hurt?” “No. Look, Granny! Fish!” Lucas held up a fish the size of a palm. The Blind Granny touched it and started to cry. Her empty eyes seemed to fill with hope. “Good. My little grandson can catch fish.” She gripped that fish tightly, as if holding onto our future. 4 The three of us survived on small fish and shrimp. I grew slowly. Lucas grew tough, acting like a little man. No kid in the village could catch fish like him. But talent breeds jealousy. Fatty, the village bully, always picked on Lucas. He’d snatch the fish Lucas caught and throw them back in the river, taunting him. “Go catch more, big shot! I’ll throw them back every time!” They didn’t know those fish were just toys to them, but they were our lives. Lucas fought like a furious lion, beating them until they ran home crying to their moms. When the parents came knocking, Lucas stood his ground. “Come on! I’m not scared!” A few adults slapped him around. He tried to fight back with a stick, but a ten-year-old is no match for grown men. He was knocked down quickly, glaring at them with hatred in his eyes. I was five then, timid by nature. I hid behind the Blind Granny. She couldn’t see, and her limbs were slow. She could only cry and beg them not to beat her grandson. But no one cared about a helpless family with no backing. Mrs. Niu, our neighbor, even threatened, “If you touch my Fatty again, I’ll bury you alive!” Uncle Huang, usually a quiet man, spoke up for us. “Mrs. Niu, don’t be so vicious. Kids fight, they don’t know their own strength. Just scold them and move on.” Mrs. Niu snapped back, “You’re so noble, why don’t you be their daddy and teach them?” She cracked her long cattle whip against a haystack. Crack! Crack! I was terrified and started crying. Uncle Huang shook his head, walked over to me, and pulled a piece of candy from his pocket. “Don’t cry, Cassie. Uncle will give you candy.” At five, I was a glutton. The sight of candy stopped my tears instantly. Just as I reached for it, Lucas dashed over, snatched the candy, and threw it far away. He shouted at Uncle Huang, “Who wants your candy? Stay away from my sister!” Uncle Huang didn’t get mad. He just laughed. “Ungrateful brat.” But I wasn’t happy. My candy was gone. I sat on the ground and wailed. I hated Lucas in that moment.

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The last time Sebastian kicked me out of his car, I knew it was over. I wasn’t as heartbroken as I expected. Honestly? I felt relieved. I agreed to the arranged marriage my family set up and prepared to move to Germany with my new fiancé. On Sebastian’s birthday, our friends teased: “I wonder what Sophie got for Sebastian this year? That plot of land he’s been eyeing? Bet she hands it over on a silver platter.” But the party ended, and I never showed up. He didn’t know I was already on a plane to Germany. And he didn’t know I was finally done with him. 1 Friday morning, I got a text from Sebastian. Come to the family estate tonight. 6 PM. I replied “Okay” and tossed my phone aside. At six, I went downstairs. Sebastian’s Bentley was waiting. His driver, Mr. King, opened the passenger door for me. I nodded thanks and got in. Unsurprisingly, Sebastian and Bella were in the back seat. They were laughing and chatting, completely ignoring my existence. Fine by me. I leaned back and closed my eyes. After a while, Bella seemed to finally notice the extra person in the car. “Sophie,” her voice was soft, almost timid. “Sorry, did we wake you?” Old me would have snapped back. You knew you were loud, so why didn’t you shut up? Or maybe, Who do you think you are talking to me? But this time, I didn’t. I shook my head calmly. “No. Carry on.” Bella froze for a second, then continued, “It’s all Sebastian’s fault for distracting me. I didn’t even see you get in. You aren’t mad at me, are you?” She stuck out her tongue playfully, then clung to Sebastian’s arm. “Seb, tell her not to be mad. It’s my first time meeting your grandfather. I can’t have him upset with me.” “Don’t worry, Bella.” Sebastian’s voice dripped with affection. He kissed her cheek, then looked at me. His eyes were cold, a warning in their depths. “Sophie wouldn’t do that. Right?” It wasn’t the first time he’d questioned me because of her, but my heart still stung. In his mind, I was that petty. I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Of course. I wouldn’t stoop so low.” 2 Something I said triggered him. The air in the car turned freezing. Sebastian narrowed his eyes. “Sophie Shen, what do you mean by that?” I straightened up and met his gaze in the rearview mirror. “I said I wouldn’t stoop so low as to sabotage her. Is that clear enough, Mr. Stone?” It was the first time I’d addressed him so formally. Sebastian fell silent. I looked away. Our families had arranged our engagement when we were kids. Back then, he was the handsome, gentle boy next door. I was infatuated with his dark, expressive eyes. Now, the gentleness was gone, replaced by a sharp, cold stranger. And frankly, I didn’t want to force my way into his world anymore. The silence was broken by Bella’s sobbing. “It’s my fault. I made Sophie angry. I only asked to come because I was nervous about being alone… I’m sorry.” She bit her lip, looking at Sebastian with teary eyes. “Sophie, please don’t be mad. I won’t go.” She fumbled with her seatbelt, her hands shaking too much to unbuckle it. Sebastian grabbed her hands, pulling her into his embrace. He murmured comforts until she cried herself to sleep in his arms. When he looked up again, the tenderness vanished. He glared at me. “We both know the engagement is a joke. It means nothing compared to Bella. I’ll say this one last time: I don’t love you. I only love Bella.” I knew. I knew he loved her. The whole social circle knew. His bias was blatant. 3 “If Grandfather didn’t insist on seeing you,” Sebastian said coldly, “I wouldn’t have brought you along to upset Bella. Get out.” Kicked out of the car again. But this time, as I stood on the curb, I exhaled. I wasn’t devastated. I was… relieved. I remembered my birthday. I had been mad at him for dating Bella. To cheer me up, he rented out the ballroom at The Peninsula. But he arrived halfway through the party. My friends tried to comfort me. “Sebastian definitely saved the best gift for last. Just wait.” I believed them. But when he opened the box, it was a bracelet—a free gift-with-purchase that came with the expensive necklace Bella was wearing. Before I could even react, his phone rang. It was Bella. “Seb… did you leave the door unlocked? I hear noises downstairs… I’m scared…” Her voice trembled like a frightened kitten. My skin crawled. But Sebastian ate it up. He chuckled softly. “Babe, I’m at a friend’s birthday. Don’t be silly.” Then came a scream and a crash from the other end of the line. Sebastian’s smile vanished. He looked at me. “Sophie, stay here and enjoy the party. I have to go check on Bella.” He didn’t wait for me to speak. He turned and ran. I don’t know what possessed me, but I chased after him. I only saw his taillights fading into the distance. I squatted on the curb for hours. It started to rain. Night turned into dawn. My legs went numb, and I collapsed onto the pavement. That was the moment I finally understood. Unrequited love is a lonely war. The boy I loved was gone. And finally, so were my feelings for him. 4 “Sophie Shen.” I looked up to see a pair of long legs approaching. My gaze traveled up to a face that was devastatingly handsome. Even better than his photo. Months ago, my dad asked if I still wanted to marry Sebastian. I said no. His relationship with Bella was serious. I had lost. Or maybe I never even played. To Sebastian, I was just a childhood joke. But Sebastian’s grandfather credited me with saving his life once, so he insisted I be his granddaughter-in-law. My family didn’t know how to break it to the old man. Then, three days ago, Dad showed me a photo. “How about this guy?” He was exactly my type. Dad laughed. “This is the youngest son of the Cheng family. You should get to know him.” I didn’t realize then that “the Cheng family” meant The Cheng Family of New York. “I didn’t think you’d come,” Julian Cheng said. After all, my “childhood sweetheart” had just kicked me to the curb. Julian was just a stranger, an arranged match. “Sophie, don’t sell yourself short. You’re worth showing up for.” His eyes were sincere. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he liked me. I smiled and got into his car. As I reached for the seatbelt, he leaned over. His scent—clean, expensive—filled my senses. My breath hitched. His long arm reached across me, pulling the belt. For a second, it felt like a hug. My heart started pounding. As he started the engine, his voice was warm. “You probably haven’t eaten. May I have the honor of taking you to dinner?” Usually, I don’t dine with strangers. But this time, I said, “Sure.”

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After finding out my childhood best friend was dating someone else, I hid on the terrace to cry. My nemesis, Sebastian Hayes, found me in my pathetic state. He stood over me and casually offered the worst idea ever. “Date me. We’ll piss him off together. What do you say?” I looked up at the tall, handsome man and swallowed hard. “Um, do you mean like… a fake dating thing or a real dating thing?” He smirked, the corner of his mouth curving up. “I recommend the real thing.” He leaned down, his voice husky and lazy against my ear. “After all, I have two more abs than him, I’m better looking, and I’m better in bed.” 1 The day of Liam’s birthday party, I was thrilled. I put on my best dress, did my makeup perfectly, and headed to his house full of hope. The main hall was buzzing. My eyes scanned the crowd, instinctively searching for Liam. When I found him, he was holding hands with a girl. A stunningly beautiful girl. The smile froze on my face. They were the center of attention. Liam held a drink in one hand and never let go of her with the other. He blocked drinks for her, leaned in to whisper things—every move screamed intimacy. It hurt. Just two days ago, he told me I was “still young,” that I should focus on school and not rush into dating. But today, he was holding hands with someone else. I hid in the corner, downing colorful cocktails one after another, feeling like I was going to explode. The cabbage I’d been guarding for years was suddenly harvested by someone else. And the girl who stole it was gorgeous, which just made it worse. Maybe it was the alcohol amplifying everything, but my eyes started to sting. Afraid someone would see me break down, I snuck up to the second-floor terrace. Pathetic, I know. I hugged my knees by the glass railing, sobbing quietly over a relationship that never even started. I didn’t notice the faint smell of cigarette smoke until a lazy voice drifted over. “Sarah, you really can cry, huh?” I sniffled and turned my head. Sebastian Hayes was leaning casually against the railing, a cigarette burning between his fingers. He looked down at me with amusement. I shifted away uncomfortably and tried to glare at him. “None of your business!” Sebastian laughed. “Still got a temper.” I ignored him. He didn’t get mad. He put out his cigarette with one hand, walked over, and crouched beside me. “Sad because Liam’s dating?” Hit where it hurt. I buried my head in my arms. Sebastian sighed dramatically and stood up, looking down at the party in the courtyard. “Your precious Liam is kissing his girlfriend. Want to see?” Hearing that, I didn’t dare turn around. I just wailed louder. “You are so annoying!” “Tsk,” he chuckled. “Hating me again?” He waited for me to finish crying before speaking again, his tone unhurried. “If you feel that bad, how about I give you an idea?” I sniffled. “What idea?” He grinned. “Date me. Let’s make him jealous. What do you think?” “I’m tall, I’m handsome. Dating me isn’t exactly a loss for you.” “Besides, Liam and I have never gotten along. Seeing the girl who grew up following him around get stolen by his worst enemy? He’d be furious.” I thought about it. It kind of made sense. They say the best way to get over someone is to get under someone new… or something like that. I hesitated, then looked up at the tall man in front of me and gulped. “Um… do you mean like… a fake dating thing or a real dating thing?” Sebastian paused, surprised by my question. Then he smirked, reaching out to pull me up. He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear, his voice raspy and lazy. “I recommend the real thing.” “After all… I have two more abs than him, I’m better looking, and I’m better in bed. You won’t find a deal this good again.” 2 My face burned. I pushed him away. “You’re being a pervert!” He pulled me back. “Wow, gaslighting already? It’s not perversion, it’s my resume. Don’t believe me? Feel for yourself.” I bit my lip, avoiding his eyes. I glanced down at the courtyard. Liam was wiping cream off the girl’s face. My heart clenched. Seeing his gaze start to drift upward, I quickly turned back to Sebastian. “Okay.” Sebastian smiled, a wicked “gotcha” look on his face. He straightened up and cupped my face in his hands. Our lips were inches apart. Just as I thought he was going to kiss me, he stopped. “Baby, want to give him a show?” I looked down at the courtyard again. Gathering my courage, I stood on my tiptoes and pecked his lips. He froze for a second, then that helpless smile returned. His thumb stroked my cheek. “Let me teach you something better.” He lowered his head and captured my lips. My eyes widened in shock. I clenched my teeth, nervous. My heart felt like it was going to hammer out of my chest. “Open up,” he murmured, his eyes half-closed, a teasing smile on his lips. I obeyed instinctively. He held the back of my head, pressing gently, forcing me to look up and deepen the kiss. His clean, sharp scent filled my senses. For a moment, it felt like I was drowning in him. Slowly, the kiss stopped being gentle. It became demanding, domineering. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I bit his lip. He pulled back slowly. I stood there, face flushed, mind blank. Seeing the small cut on his lip, I felt guilty. “I didn’t mean to bite you.” He licked the wound. “Feisty.” “You were kissing too hard.” He looked at me and smiled. “Fine. I won’t hold it against you.” I glared at him. “You seem pretty experienced.” He smirked, pinching my cheek. “Yeah. I have even more experience with other things. Want to try next time?” I turned away, puffing out my cheeks. Who knows how many girls he’s kissed! 3 Blushing, I ignored him and looked down. Liam was staring right at me from the courtyard. I froze. Sebastian pulled me into his arms, looking down at Liam with a triumphant, provocative grin. He was showing off so hard. I poked his rock-hard chest. “You’re kind of evil, you know that?” “Tsk.” He pinched my face. “Is that how you talk to your boyfriend?” I pouted. “Who said you’re my boyfriend?” He laughed, squeezing the back of my neck. “Sarah, are you playing with an innocent boy’s heart?” I looked up at him. “Ha. Innocent boy? You kiss way too well for that.” Sebastian looked at me, amused. “Don’t you know men are born with this talent?” I scoffed. Yeah, right. He leaned in close, his hot breath tickling my ear. “Not entirely self-taught. There are plenty of… educational videos out there.” My face went atomic red. I was speechless. “You…” Sebastian ruffled my hair. “What, you want to learn? I’ll share my playlist with you later.” Mortified, I punched his chest. “Who wants to learn that!” He chuckled, burying his face in my neck. “Okay, okay. Don’t get mad. I’m teasing.” 4 The party ended at midnight. Sebastian insisted I drop him off at the gate of his gated community. After he got out, I turned to leave, but he called me back. He hooked an arm around my neck and planted a heavy kiss on my lips. I glared at him, blushing. “Why do you like kissing so much?!” He smirked. “I’m addicted.” “Go home! It’s late.” He rested his hand on the steering wheel, pausing. “Will I get a DUI?” “Did you drink?” He shook his head. “No, but you did. We kissed for so long, what if I’m drunk by association? If I get arrested, it’ll affect our future son’s record.” I smacked him on the head. “Shut up!” I ignored him and walked away. My house was just a few villas down from Liam’s. As I passed his place, he called out to me. “Sarah.” I turned. “What?” “When did you start dating Sebastian?” His questioning tone annoyed me. I stared at him without answering. He sighed. “He’s not a good guy. Dating is fine, but don’t get too invested.” I bristled. “You’re not my brother. You don’t get to decide.” “And don’t badmouth my boyfriend in front of me. I’ll get mad.” I’ve always been protective. Sebastian is my boyfriend now. Liam has a girlfriend. Him trying to manage me felt… gross. Instant turn-off. Actually, I’ve known Sebastian forever. When we were kids, my parents were busy, so I stayed with my grandparents. The houses in that neighborhood were close, just separated by a wall. Sebastian lived next door. Grandpa used to drag him over to play with me. But the guy was a menace from day one. Mean mouth, loved to bully me. I suffered under his tyranny for years. That’s why I liked Liam. He was gentle, reliable, like a real adult. He solved my problems instead of mocking me like Sebastian. “Sarah, God gave you a brain to use, not just for decoration.” “Sarah, crying makes you ugly.” “Sarah, be gentle or no one will marry you.” … But sometimes, Sebastian was okay. When I got bullied, he’d protect me. Even while mocking me, he’d wipe my tears. When I didn’t get a perfect score, he’d show me his failing test paper. “Look at mine! I failed! You got a 99! You’re way better than me.”

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The Wolf Clan’s lineage was dwindling. Prince Valen, the Wolf King’s heir, had lived for a thousand years. He was a fearsome warrior, respected across the Beast Realm, but utterly uninterested in romance. The Wolf Queen was frantic. Beauties from every clan lined up outside the Wolf King’s den, hoping to catch his eye. I’m Ginger, just a regular girl from a poor family who accidentally fell into the Beast Realm. After crossing over, I stumbled into the Wolf King’s chambers by mistake. On the day of his engagement to the Tiger Princess, I ran away—pregnant with a litter of wolf pups. Years later, as I was busy feeding meat to my eight little wolves, he pushed open my garden gate. He looked at me like a kicked puppy, ears drooping. “Ginger, do you really not want me anymore?” 1 The Great War between the beast clans shattered the barrier between the human and beast worlds, and I fell right through the cracks. I was just trying to help my grandma dig up some wild ginseng in the back mountains. One wrong step, and I woke up here. Half-human, half-beast creatures were everywhere. Before I could process anything, a Wolf Clan patrol surrounded me. They wanted to execute me on the spot, but Grandma Leopard intervened and brought me into the Wolf Clan’s territory. I grew up in the mountains with my grandma. I rarely saw anyone besides the villagers, so I knew nothing about the outside world, let alone this one. At first, I thought I should treat these beast-men like the animals back home. I reached out to pet their heads and ears, but their ferocious snarls scared me back. They were fiercer than the neighbor’s Rottweiler! But Grandma Leopard was kind to me, just like my own grandma. She tried to give me chores like cleaning, but I was useless in this world. I tore ancient scrolls while dusting and nearly burned down a room while mixing potions. Exasperated, Grandma Leopard took me to the Wolf Queen. The Queen looked me over, noting my curves with satisfaction, and whispered to her handmaidens. “This little human looks like a good breeder. A bit dim, perhaps, too innocent.” “That’s fine. Let’s test her fertility. If the Prince takes a new consort later, she’ll be easy to dispose of.” Breeder? Consort? I didn’t care. I only cared about what Grandma Leopard told me: “Spend one night in the Wolf Prince’s bed, and you’ll survive here.” So, I happily let them take me to Prince Valen’s courtyard. A crowd of wolf beauties was already there, clearly unhappy about my arrival. One silver-haired beauty even tossed my luggage into the muddiest corner of the yard. I didn’t see the Prince until evening. He had fluffy wolf ears atop his head, but his face… god, he was handsome. “You… you’re so handsome…” I blurted out. Valen paused, seemingly intrigued by this bold human. He leaned in, sniffing me, his eyes thoughtful. This enraged the other beauties. From then on, they bullied me relentlessly. Threatening to tear out my throat, putting bugs in my food—I hadn’t had a decent meal in days. The wolves ate raw meat, which I couldn’t stomach. Starving and desperate, I remembered Grandma Leopard’s words. One night in his bed, and I get to live. And eat good food. So, under the cover of darkness, I snuck into the Prince’s chambers. The room was empty. I climbed into his bed and burrowed under the covers. Soon after, Valen walked in. He stripped as he walked toward the bathing pool. Through the steam, I saw his muscular back and powerful waist. It was the first time I’d ever seen a naked man! My heart pounded. Suddenly, he turned around. I ducked under the blanket. After what felt like forever, he stood by the bed. “Come out,” his voice commanded, heavy with authority. I peeked out timidly and patted the pillow next to me. “Your Highness… wanna sleep together?” Valen raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. “What is your name?” “Ginger,” I answered honestly. He stared at my lips, his breathing growing heavy. He turned back to the pool, then returned moments later. His eyes were redder now, his breath ragged, as if suppressing something wild. “I… I was injured recently. There’s a dark energy in me I can’t control.” “Ginger, I need you now. Is that okay?” Need me? For what? I was confused by his burning gaze. “If I say yes, will you give me food? Will I get to live?” He chuckled and nodded. “Then hurry up! I want to eat when we’re done!” The next second, he was on top of me. His kisses were overwhelming. I felt like I was melting. My clothes were torn away in a daze. Then, a sharp pain snapped me back to reality. I pushed him. “Ouch! No more! I don’t want to eat anymore!” He kissed away my tears, whispering comforts, but his movements only grew fiercer. My protests seemed to fuel him. “Shh, be good. Relax, it’ll be over soon.” I sobbed in pain, but he wouldn’t stop. When it was finally over, I clung to his arm. “You promised. Food.” Valen stroked my hair, looking satisfied. He ordered a feast. And just like that, I, a human who had only been there a few days, became the first person to sleep with the Wolf Prince. 2 I woke up the next morning covered in Valen’s scent. I didn’t know what that meant in the Beast World. The wolf beauties in the courtyard glared at me with fire in their eyes. Overnight, I had become public enemy number one. I was moved to a special room. They said it was designed for humans, with strange runes on the walls. It was close to Valen’s chambers, heavily guarded. But Grandma Leopard was right. After sleeping with the Prince, I never went hungry again. No one dared threaten me. Valen treated me well, sending me cooked food and desserts every day. Some of it was weird, but it was better than raw meat. Rumors said Valen was cold and uninterested in women. I now knew that was total bull. Since that night, he was addicted. The moment he returned to his chambers, he was on me. Bed, bath, desk—nowhere was safe. I’d pass out and wake up to dawn breaking. Even while working, he’d hold me on his lap, kissing and nibbling on me. Sore and exhausted, I complained to Grandma Leopard. She smiled ambiguously. “Silly girl, he’s marking you! That’s a huge honor in our clan!” “If you get pregnant with a wolf pup, your future is set! You’ll be a hero to the Wolf Clan, set for life.” I blinked. “What if I have a human baby?” Grandma Leopard frowned. That stumped her. That night, in Valen’s arms, I asked. “Your Highness… if we have a baby, will it be a wolf or a human?” Valen’s hand paused in my hair. “You’re young. Don’t worry about children.” From the next day on, he fed me a strange fruit after every encounter. He said it was good for my health. I ate it without question. Only later did I learn it was a contraceptive fruit. Clearly, Valen never intended for me to bear his heirs. He kept me by his side constantly. He taught me the beast language. My writing was terrible—like chicken scratch—but he was patient, teaching me stroke by stroke. I loved writing his name in the beast script. It made me happy. Valen knew my tastes. He brought me rare treats from his travels: glowing berries, savory mushrooms, legendary “Beast God Nectar.” My heart started feeling strange. When he wasn’t there, I missed him. When he was, just sitting quietly nearby made me happy. The annual “Full Moon Festival” approached. It required a pilgrimage to a distant holy land. As the Prince, Valen had to go. The night before he left, he was insatiable, as if stocking up for the month apart. I was sad to see him go. That night, I was unusually responsive. Valen was so excited his wolf tail popped out. The big, fluffy tail wagged happily. After he left, I felt listless. Even roasted chicken wings lost their appeal. I remembered a proverb Valen taught me: “The lone wolf watches the moon, sleepless in its shadow.” I understood it now. I, a girl who had been single since birth, realized this was love. It had seeped into my bones without me noticing. The day he returned, he dragged me into his room immediately. I thought he wanted sex, but he pulled a glowing fruit from his robe. “Try this. It’s a fruit from the Beast God Tree. I stole it for you.” I almost cried. The Beast God Fruit was a sacred treasure. Even the King rarely ate it. I took a bite, and energy flooded my body. I felt light, floaty. In that moment, I thought staying here with Valen forever wouldn’t be so bad. I forgot I was just a “breeder.” How could I dream of growing old with the Wolf King? Soon, news spread that the Wolf Clan was forming a marriage alliance with the Tiger Clan. The Tiger Princess was coming to stay, acting like the future Queen. 3 The wolf beauties mocked me mercilessly. “A mere human, dreaming of keeping the Prince’s favor forever?” “The real deal is here. Scram, you hairless pet!” We lined up to welcome Valen and the Tiger Princess, Roxanne. When they walked in together, my heart skipped a beat. Valen radiated power, and Roxanne was elegantly wild. They looked… perfect together. Acid filled my chest. Thinking about watching them be a loving couple for the rest of my life made it hard to breathe. In the following days, Valen showed Roxanne around the territory. They watched the moon, hunted together. Some gossips even used magic to project images of their dates for me to see. I pretended not to care. But at night, I cried. Valen hadn’t summoned me in days. He came back late, and I never saw him. Maybe I really was just a toy, a pastime for when he was bored. One day, the Queen summoned us to the main hall. Valen was busy, so we were ordered to entertain Roxanne. Roxanne smiled and linked arms with me. “I heard you serve Valen. It must be hard work.” Once we were alone, her face changed. She threw my hand off. “A human like you thinks you deserve to be by his side?” “I heard you think you’re his partner. Guess who’s more important to him? You or me?” Alarm bells rang in my head. Before I could run, she ripped a talisman from her neck and threw it into the nearby Miasma Forest. Valen walked into the courtyard just then. Roxanne threw herself into his arms, sobbing. “Valen, this human is so rude. I just wanted to talk, but she insulted me and threw my mother’s talisman into the Miasma Forest!” I hadn’t seen Valen in so long. The man I shared a bed with now looked at me with cold, stranger’s eyes. “I didn’t…” I tried to defend myself, but he cut me off. Valen comforted Roxanne softly. “Don’t worry. I’ll send someone to find it.” Roxanne pouted, pointing at me. “She lost it. She should find it!” Humans have the weakest sense of smell here. I couldn’t navigate the poisonous fog. Valen knew this. He used to tease me about my “useless nose.” But now, he commanded coldly: “Go find it!” I stumbled into the forest. The acrid air made me dizzy. The toxins burned my skin. I crawled around, feeling my life draining away. I don’t know how long it took, but I found the damn talisman. Covered in cuts and burns, I crawled out and handed it to Roxanne. The Queen had arrived. She glared at me. “Disgraceful! A stain on the Wolf Clan!” “Stay in the forest for a day and night as punishment!” Valen didn’t even look at me. He walked away with Roxanne. The night wind blew, and I shivered. I finally understood the gap between a breeder and a Queen. I had no voice here. Roxanne could decide my life or death on a whim. I, who had once loved this place, wanted to leave for the first time. 4 I didn’t last long in the forest before fainting. In a haze, I smelled Valen. He licked my wounds gently. I sobbed, “Do you care about me at all?” He was silent. When I woke up, I was alone. A hallucination, surely. Then, footsteps. Valen walked in, face grim. I felt a flicker of hope. “Your Highness, you came?” He sat by my bed, eyes complex. “Ginger, Roxanne has contracted Soul Wither from losing her talisman. It’s critical.” He paused, his gaze hardening. “The shaman says we need human heart-blood as a cure. You… you’re always sensible. Will you help her?” “I promise I’ll make it up to you!” It felt like being doused in ice water. I shook. “I didn’t lose it! She threw it herself!” “Why don’t you believe me?” “I’m sorry,” his voice went cold. “You owe her this.” He grabbed my arm. Despite my struggles and begging, he drove a knife into my vein. The pain was excruciating. I couldn’t tell if my arm or my heart hurt more. Before I blacked out, I thought I saw pain in his eyes. No. Impossible. Another hallucination. The next day, I heard Roxanne recovered. The Queen summoned me so Roxanne could “thank” me. Before I entered, I heard them laughing. “Good child, take care of yourself.” “When you marry Valen, give us a strong wolf pup.” “As for that mongrel in his yard, I’ll watch her. She won’t birth the first pup before you arrive.” “Once you’re Queen, you can do whatever you want with her!” I realized then: to them, I was livestock. Roxanne thanked me insincerely. The Queen ignored me. “Just a lowly plaything. Giving blood is her honor. Why thank her personally?” “You’re too kind.” Message received. Leaving, I looked at my reflection in a puddle. No ears, no tail. But I was human. I had dignity. Why let them trample me? I was just a hidden breeder in Valen’s backyard. I never had a chance. Let alone growing old together. It was time to go. I stopped dreaming and started planning. The Queen’s Moon Festival was coming up. All clans would visit. Perfect cover. I snuck into a Bear Clan merchant’s wagon. Watching the Wolf territory fade into the distance, tears streamed down my face. “Goodbye, Valen.”

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One week ago, the real daughter of the Sterling family showed up at our doorstep. That was when I found out I was a fraud. A placeholder. But my biological parents were long dead, so the Sterlings decided to keep me on as a charity case. The newly returned heiress, Harper, seemed to have a bone to pick with me. Not only did she reclaim the attention of Mom, Dad, and my older brother, but she also set her sights on the fiancé who was supposed to be mine. I didn’t really care. I just wanted to survive and keep a roof over my head. But when I tried to return my fiancé to her, the usually gentle Liam showed a dark expression I’d never seen before. He gripped my waist tight, looking down at me with a suffocating intensity. “Chloe, I’ve known since we were kids. You can only be mine.” Just then, Harper pushed the door open. She blinked, flashing a smile that showed off her cute canines. “Liam, didn’t you promise Mrs. Vance you’d have dinner with me?” Weirdly, I suddenly heard a roar echoing from her soul. — “Get away from the female lead, you psycho protagonist! She belongs to the second male lead, you absolute trash bag!” 1. I’ve become weird. Normal people can’t read minds, but apparently, I can. Specifically, I can only read Harper’s mind. Harper is my sister in name, but she’s the true Sterling bloodline, and I’m the fake. The day she was brought back, Mom, Dad, and my brother Ethan held her and cried their eyes out. I stood off to the side, clearly an outsider looking in. From that day on, I knew my place. No more acting spoiled. No more willful demands. I just needed to be a quiet piece of furniture in this house. The whole world started revolving around Harper. Harper hated me, the imposter, which I understood. I had lived a life of luxury in her place for nineteen years while she suffered out there. I accepted my fate. I was pretty chill about it. Mom, Dad, and Ethan were hers. My childhood fiancé, Liam Vance, should also be hers. Harper had been visiting the Vance estate a lot lately. She’d come back and flex in front of me about how nice Mrs. Vance was to her, how polite and gentle Liam was, and how lively the house was with her around. My brother, usually close to me, looked like he wanted to say something but held back. Finally, Mom came to me. “Chloe, Harper has really taken a liking to Liam. She’s knitting scarves, baking pastries… If Harper hadn’t gone missing, she would have been the one engaged to him…” Before she could finish, I cut in. “Mom, as long as my sister is happy, I’m happy.” Mom breathed a sigh of relief, then seemed to feel a delayed pang of guilt. “Good child. Mom will keep an eye out for a great guy for you in the future. We won’t mistreat you.” I nodded obediently. But everyone knew how awkward my position in the Sterling family was now. Any ‘great guy’ would probably avoid me like the plague. Whatever. I never planned on relying on a man anyway. 2. Liam must have heard the rumors. He walked into my room casually, just like he did when we were kids. We grew up together; he used to love lounging in my room while I played house, forcing him to eat ‘fried rice’ I made out of Play-Doh. But this was the first time since we grew up that he barged in without knocking. “Liam…” I barely got his name out before he yanked me up from the sofa by my wrist. His grip was rough. I realized standing in front of him that I only reached his chest. Through his thin white dress shirt, I could see the definition of his muscles rising and falling. There was a dangerous, wild edge to him. He was mischievous as a kid, but grew up to be gentle and calm. I’d never seen this side of him. My wrist throbbed. I wanted to curse him out like I used to, but then I remembered—this guy was about to become my brother-in-law. Let it go. But when I stayed silent, he escalated. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me tight against him. Even though we were engaged early on, we had never been this intimate. “Liam, are you crazy?” I couldn’t help but snap, trying to struggle free. “Shh,” his voice was low and raspy, right in my ear. “Be good. Let me hold you for a second.” I struggled harder, but against his absolute strength, it was useless. He held me for a long time, then suddenly looked down at me. His eyes were dark, like they wanted to swallow me whole. “Chloe, I’ve known since we were kids. You can only be mine.” His predatory gaze made my skin crawl. The childhood friend I knew had turned into a wolf that had been lying in wait. 3. When Harper walked in, Liam didn’t let go. I was standing in the middle of a total nightmare scenario, scalp tingling with awkwardness. But Harper, clearly a girl of deep schemes, didn’t even flinch at the scene. She just smiled. “Liam, didn’t you promise Mrs. Vance you’d have dinner with me?” At that exact moment, her lips didn’t move, but I heard a roar full of primal rage. It hit the room like a thunderclap. — “Get away from the female lead, you psycho protagonist! She belongs to the second male lead!” Liam’s expression didn’t change. I thought I was hallucinating. But then came another line. — “Toxic male, get your ass downstairs and eat. Don’t bother the heroine.” — “Or I swear to God I’ll send you to prison myself!” Me: ? I looked at Harper, who was smiling innocently, and felt my worldview shattering. She had no idea I could hear her screaming internally. — “Big sis is here. I won’t let you hurt the heroine.” — “Got it?” 4. From then on, I kept hearing these bizarre rants coming from Harper’s mind. Like the day she came back from dinner with Liam and started bragging to me as usual. “Liam is so sweet. He heard I hate de-boning fish, so he picked all the bones out for me. He said there’s this amazing seafood place he wants to take me to next time. I’m totally going to love seafood~” In reality, her mind was spewing profanity. — “Eat sht!”* — “Liam, that son of a btch. Who was he showing that long face to during dinner? It’s not like I kidnapped him!”* — “He wants the heroine but also wants the Sterling family’s political backing to secure his place in the Vance empire.” — “Trash. Absolute societal garbage.” — “Useless except for his face.” — “I sincerely hope he has a micropenis.” — “Three-second wonder.” Me: … Me: “Pfft.” Harper instantly looked at me, her fake bragging expression cracking. Her inner voice fired up again. — “? What’s she laughing at?” — “Sigh, her mental state. She must be driven crazy by me.” — “Hope she’s okay.” — “But short-term pain is better than long-term suffering. Stay away from this cheating psycho and you’ll be happy for eight hundred lifetimes.” Harper walked past me up the stairs, then suddenly turned back and gave me a provocative smirk. “Sister,” she said. “Liam… I’m going to win him, you know.” She strutted away like a peacock fanning its tail. Accompanied by her excited inner thoughts. — “Yessss!” — “I’m amazing.” — “I should go get an Oscar.” 5. My brother Ethan came back from a business trip in Chile. He brought gifts. Harper and I each got a crystal bracelet. She got an extra pair of pearl earrings. I got an extra jar of artisan chocolates—I’d specifically asked Ethan to bring them. He knew I didn’t care much for jewelry but loved sweets. Harper eyed my chocolate. She wanted the whole jar. Ethan couldn’t handle her whining and soft-soaping. He turned to me. “Chloe, Harper has never had these before. Her old family couldn’t afford them… How about you give the chocolate to her this time? I’ll buy you more later.” I never realized before how good my family was at making empty promises. The moment I handed the chocolate to Harper, a hurricane raged in her mind. — “Wow. Just wow.” — “If he’s so good at selling dreams, why doesn’t he go into marketing? Spineless coward.” — “Useless trash man. His brain fell out somewhere over the Pacific.” — “Heroine, please give up on this loser already.” — “If this guy gets a wife later, he’s just going to let her bully you too.” — “Now he asks you to ‘tolerate’ giving up chocolate. Later, if his wife slaps you, he’ll tell you to ‘tolerate’ that too.” — “Heroine! Wake up!” — “There aren’t that many things in this world worth tolerating!” I looked up at her, stunned. There aren’t that many things in this world worth tolerating. I don’t know why, but that sentence hit a nerve. Snap. Two tears rolled down my face.

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Years after graduation, my high school desk-mate and secret crush had become a massive superstar. When we crossed paths at our class reunion, his expression was icy. “And you are?” Everyone thought Perry Wright had forgotten me. That was until the news of my accidental death traveled back. While my best friend was packing up my belongings, she accidentally discovered a love letter Perry had written to me years ago, hidden inside a picture frame. [June, loving you in secret is too bitter. I don’t want to like you anymore.] But further down, there was a line of small text: [Just kidding. I lied.] That same night, the news of Perry committing suicide made global headlines. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the class reunion. I looked at the indifferent Perry sitting across from me, tentatively pulled out my phone, and sent him a text. The very next second, his phone blasted a unique, dedicated ringtone. Perry: “…” 1 I died on a snowy day. I went out to the mountains looking for inspiration, got lost, got trapped, and died of hypothermia. It was a very undignified way to go. My best friend, Zoe, rushed over the moment she got the news. When she identified my body, she was crying so hard she could barely breathe. “June! How could you have the heart to leave me like this?” “Even if Perry doesn’t remember you, you still have me!” My soul was floating in mid-air, and hearing this made me cringe so hard my phantom toes curled. If I weren’t already stone-cold dead, I would have rushed over to cover her mouth. The police had already ruled it an accident. Why did she have to make it sound like I offed myself over a broken heart? Can’t a girl leave a little dignity behind? But clearly, Zoe didn’t think so. For some reason, she was convinced my death had something to do with Perry. She whipped out her phone and dialed his number. It rang for a long time before he picked up. “Hello?” A raspy male voice came through, sounding like he’d just been woken up. “Zoe? What is it? I just pulled an all-nighter filming…” “Perry,” Zoe interrupted him, her voice thick with grief. “June is dead.” Silence stretched on the other end of the line. Even as a ghost, I felt a tiny spark of hope. How would Perry react knowing I was dead? Would he be sad? Or would he think it was just the passing of someone insignificant? After all, at the reunion a few days ago, he had been so cold. When our classmates teased us, he simply asked in a chilly voice, “And you are?” The moment those words left his lips, the air in the room froze. Meeting his indifferent gaze, the courage I had spent hours building up instantly evaporated. I could only stammer, “No… nothing,” and lower my head, terrified to look up again. Actually… I couldn’t blame him. He was a top-tier celebrity now. It had been six years since graduation. It was a good thing he didn’t remember me. Otherwise, I would always feel like I owed him an apology. “Perry, did you hear me?” Zoe cried into the phone when he didn’t respond. “I said June is dead! She’s gone!” Thud. A heavy sound came from the other side, like something dropping to the floor. Perry seemed to be gritting his teeth, his voice trembling. “…I don’t believe you.” The next second, the call was disconnected. Zoe, furious and sobbing, snapped a photo of my death certificate and texted it to him, only to find she’d been blocked. I wanted to comfort her, but my hand passed right through her shoulder. So, I just hugged her through the air. Don’t cry, you silly girl. 2 Five days after my death, Zoe brought my ashes back to the city. I didn’t have much family in the country. My only brother was on a business trip abroad and was currently on a flight back. When Zoe entered my apartment with the urn, my Ragdoll cat, Nugget, had been hungry for two days. I had left three days’ worth of food, thinking I’d be back. I never thought I wouldn’t make it. Zoe used to visit often, so Nugget recognized her immediately and pounced, meowing for food. Probably realizing I wasn’t there, Zoe almost started crying again. She filled the bowl, and the cat dove in. Zoe went into the study to pack up my things. I was a full-time author, so I spent more time in the study than the bedroom. The desk was exactly how I left it. Next to the computer was a framed photo of our high school friend group. In the photo, Zoe was linking arms with me in the center. Perry stood on the far right. While I smiled at the camera, Perry’s eyes were looking sideways—at me. Zoe was currently furious at Perry. She packed everything else and reached for the frame last. Just then, a very full Nugget jumped up. Seeing Zoe reach for the frame, the cat launched a playful attack. Crash! The frame hit the floor, glass shattering everywhere. Zoe jumped. As she picked up the cat, she noticed something hidden in the backing of the broken frame. “Meow.” Nugget realized he’d messed up and let out an apologetic squeak. Zoe bent down and pulled a letter out of the debris. She opened it. It was a love letter. Both Zoe and I were confused. The paper was yellowed with age, but the handwriting was sharp and clear. Every word was filled with a hidden, grand, unrequited love. [June, loving you in secret is too bitter. I don’t want to like you anymore.] Further down, in smaller print: [Just kidding. I lied.] When our eyes hit the bottom right corner, we both froze. The signature was Perry. The current A-list celebrity. And my high school desk-mate whom I had secretly loved for years. I suddenly remembered. Perry had given me this photo frame in our senior year. I had moved many times over the years, but this frame always came with me, sitting by my computer. I never dreamed it held such a secret. I thought back to that last phone call, Perry’s trembling voice saying “I don’t believe you”… My heart ached violently. Do ghosts feel heartbreak? Zoe immediately pulled out her phone and unblocked Perry. But before she could dial, a notification popped up from Twitter. #PerryWright Suicide My hands shaking, I watched Zoe click the trending topic. A video from a verified gossip account had been posted ten minutes ago. An ambulance was parked outside a luxury villa. Security and staff were everywhere. The camera shook, catching a glimpse of a hand hanging off the stretcher. The fingers were pale, slender. Dark red liquid dripped from the fingertips, blooming like flowers on the pavement. [Perry Wright attempts suicide at home. Suicide note suspected to reference a lost love.] I stared at the words “Lost Love.” My brain short-circuited. No. It shouldn’t be like this. Why would he die? How could he die? In an instant, memories flashed through my mind like a carousel, finally stopping on a snowy winter day. Seventeen-year-old Perry stood at the bottom of the school steps, reaching his hand out to me. “It’s a deal then, June.” He smiled, his eyes curving into crescents, looking impossibly gentle. “If I become a big star, you have to come be my manager.” A gust of wind blew, covering the world in white snow. It felt like a long dream. 3 “June? June!” I snapped back to reality. “Why are you zoning out? Perry is here!” I looked at Zoe’s concerned face and felt my eyes sting. It’s real. I was back. Back to the day of the reunion. I looked up and locked eyes with Perry. In that split second, I knew exactly what he was going to say— And you are? “Why are you crying?” The voice in my memory overlapped with the voice in my ear. I looked at him blankly. “What?” Unlike the last life, Perry didn’t ask who I was. He frowned, his voice cold as he repeated himself. “Why are you crying?” He instinctively started to reach out, but realizing where we were, he froze. He turned his face away, his frown deepening. I touched my cheek. I hadn’t realized tears were falling. “June?” Zoe noticed something was wrong. “Are you okay? Do you feel sick?” “No, nothing…” I took a deep breath, hastily wiping my face and pretending to rub my eyes. “I think an eyelash got in my eye.” So awkward. Crying right in front of him. Perry must think I’m insane. I stole a glance at him. He was talking to Zoe. Zoe was a fashion editor now, the only one in the room who had any professional connection to Perry. That was why she could contact him when I died in my past life. The reunion had been planned for a month. Knowing Perry was coming, tons of people showed up. Even now, as food was served, countless eyes were glued to him. Some people are born protagonists. He just had to sit there to be the center of the universe. Separated by Zoe, I buried my head and ate quietly. Seeing him again was enough. In this life, if I don’t die, he won’t die. Halfway through the meal, the Class President walked over with a glass of wine, insisting on toasting Perry. “Mr. Superstar! We thought you wouldn’t make it. You really honored us today!” Perry smiled politely, took a sip of his wine. The Class President’s gaze drifted to Zoe, then to me. He frowned slightly. “Are you… June Wells?” Suddenly, the other classmates who were toasting looked over. “It really is you!” The President got excited. “You transferred so suddenly senior year and cut off all contact. I didn’t think you’d show up!” “Speaking of which, weren’t you and our Superstar desk-mates back then?” I felt Perry’s gaze land on me. “Really?” I heard Perry’s voice, cool and detached, as if he didn’t care I existed. “I forgot a long time ago.” The food in my bowl had gone cold. I swallowed it. It tasted bitter. 4 In the winter of our senior year, I transferred schools suddenly due to family issues. One day we were planning our future; the next, I vanished. For the next few years, Zoe was my only link to my old life. She knew my situation but never brought it up. The following summer, Perry appeared on a talent show and won the championship. That summer, his name was everywhere. The face I knew so well was on every TV screen. His songs played in every mall. Overnight, I went from the girl sharing his desk to being one in a million fans following him on social media. And I could finally say out loud that the person I liked was named Perry Wright. College years were lonely. Several times, I opened Perry’s chat window, only to fall silent looking at the history. [June, where are you?] [June, you’re late.] [June, what happened?] [June, it’s snowing. Remember your umbrella.] Below that were dozens of missed calls and countless worried messages. The last message was sent nine hours later, at midnight. [June, I’m not waiting anymore.] That was New Year’s Eve. We had a date. I stood him up. I typed and deleted, typed and deleted. Finally, my phone rang. It was him. I jumped, and seeing the caller ID, I instinctively answered. I heard his familiar breathing. My throat was tight. I opened my mouth but didn’t know what to say. “June…” The person on the other end sounded like he was grinding his teeth. “Speak.” “What does ‘typing’ for ten minutes mean?” I took a deep breath and whispered, “Are… are you okay?” The breathing stopped for a second. I had imagined our reunion a million times. But in the end, separated by a screen, his voice was ice cold. “Thanks to you, I’m doing great.” After a long silence, I said dryly, “Then… I wish you the best. I hope you get famous. A smooth path to the stars…” Beep— He hung up. I stared at the screen, crying and laughing at the same time. Later, he did exactly what I wished for. He exploded in popularity. And my secret, grand high school crush came to a quiet end.

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On the day his “depressed” step-sister threatened suicide for the ninety-ninth time, Liam abandoned me at the altar for the ninety-ninth time. “As a psychologist, I have a duty to my patients,” he said, adjusting his tie, not looking me in the eye. And just like that, the System declared my mission a failure. My punishment? Severe Major Depressive Disorder. The System stripped away my will to live, leaving only a hollow void. From that moment on, my only goal was to successfully kill myself so I could return to my original world. When Liam finally realized I was genuinely seeking death, he panicked. He used every trick in his psychiatric playbook. He tried to cure me. He tried to reignite a spark of love. He tried to forcibly tether me to this world. But he didn’t realize one thing. I didn’t want him anymore. 01 Just as Liam was about to slide the wedding ring onto my finger, his step-sister, Bella, called. Her voice was weak, trembling through the speaker. “Liam… my wrist is bleeding so much. My prince is gone, so I’m going to become the Little Mermaid and sleep at the bottom of the ocean forever…” “Will you think of me when you look at the sea, Liam?” Liam’s hand, which had been gripping mine, instantly went slack. His voice shook. “Bella, tell me where you are. I’ll watch the ocean with you, okay?” “Don’t do anything rash. I’m coming.” He hung up, his eyes darting to me with a practiced, apologetic look. “Bella is unstable again. I have to go find her immediately.” “Let’s postpone the wedding, okay?” “No!” I grabbed Liam’s sleeve, ignoring the whispers and gasps from the guests below. I was on the verge of losing control. “Are you the only shrink in New York? Why does she have to threaten suicide every single time we try to get married?” “This is the ninety-ninth time, Liam! Have you ever considered that maybe—just maybe—referring her to a different doctor would actually help?” Liam’s dark eyes turned sharp. His handsome face hardened into a line of displeasure. He looked at me coldl, as if I were the unreasonable one. Bella was his soft spot. Untouchable. Sacred. 02 I couldn’t help but think back to the first time I met Bella. She had stolen a handmade necklace Liam made for me. Before I could even get angry, Liam stepped in front of her like a knight in shining armor, explaining on her behalf. “Bella has developed kleptomania because of her depression. Please don’t blame her.” “I’ll make you an exact copy later. Since Bella likes this one, just let her have it.” I opened my mouth to argue that there are no two identical handmade items in the world. I wanted to ask: If Bella decides she likes you, do I have to hand you over to her, too? But I couldn’t say it. How could I, a mentally healthy person, hold a grudge against a depressed patient? While Liam went upstairs to get her antidepressants, Bella—who looked somewhat like me—smirked, her expression dripping with mockery. “You’re just a cheap knockoff of me. Liam only dates you because he can’t cross that moral line with me. He can’t bring himself to touch me.” “He only studied psychology for my sake. I will always be first in his heart. You’ll never win against me. Heehee.” She curved her eyes into a sweet smile, looking nothing like a severe depressive. Looking at Bella, I finally understood why Liam had fallen for me at first sight. Why he pursued me so relentlessly. I smiled politely, gently reminding her of the reality. “Of course. After all, you two are on the same family registry.” As long as they were legally siblings, and as long as Liam’s strict, old-money father was alive, he would never allow a scandal like theirs. When their father found love letters Bella wrote to Liam, his first move was to force Bella to legally change her last name to his. He wanted to cement their sibling status. Bella went on hunger strikes, took sleeping pills, and threatened to jump into the ocean. But the old man wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t until Liam introduced me to his father that the pressure on Bella eased. In wealthy families like the Peis, reputation is currency. Bella’s face darkened instantly. She suddenly lost control, grabbing a glass from the table and smashing it violently against the coffee table. Crash. Shards flew everywhere, slicing long, bloody gashes into her palm. I was startled and instinctively took a few steps back. Bella, however, seemed immune to the pain. She laughed maniacally. “Guess who Liam is going to blame for not taking care of me?” 03 Panic-stricken footsteps thundered down the stairs. Liam rushed down, knocking me to the ground in his haste. “Why weren’t you watching her?!” He scooped Bella into his arms, rushing her to the sofa to tend to her wounds. His eyes were ice-cold as he glared at me. “Don’t you know she has severe depression? She has suicidal tendencies!” My palms were embedded with glass shards from the floor, stinging sharply, but I didn’t dare make a sound. I was terrified of triggering Bella again. Bella wrapped her arms around Liam’s neck, burying her face in his chest. She sobbed in a baby voice, unable to hide the smugness in her tone. “Liam… it hurts so bad.” Liam sighed, looking down at her with pure heartbreak. He wiped her tears, held her injured hand, and gently blew on the wound. “I’ll blow on it, and the pain will fly away. Bella is a good girl.” In that moment, Liam didn’t even notice that I was bleeding onto the carpet, too. I kept comforting myself: Bella is sick. It’s only right he pays more attention to her. But later, I learned that Liam’s first choice would always be Bella. Bella threatened suicide ninety-nine times. And he abandoned me ninety-nine times. In desolate mountains, in blizzard winds, on busy highways, in the dead of night, at countless ruined wedding venues… Because of Bella’s “depression,” I never had the right to say “no.” This time, I didn’t want to compromise. No matter what Liam said, I gripped his sleeve, refusing to let go. Because last night, the System had given me a final warning. If Liam abandons you for Bella one more time, the mission is a failure. You will be erased. To relieve my psychological burden and make me fight for him, the System even whispered a secret to me: Bella is faking it. She will absolutely not kill herself. Liam looked anxious. “Bella is my sister. I can’t just ignore her.” “Besides, I’m a psychologist. I have to be responsible for my patients. We can have a wedding any day, but if something happens to Bella today, I’ll never forgive myself.” “I promise, next time, I’ll give you a perfect wedding.” I shook my head, my voice raspy. “Liam, if you leave now, there won’t be a next time.” Liam’s patience finally snapped. He pried my fingers off his sleeve, force by force. His brows furrowed, his tone dropping to absolute zero. “I will marry you, and I will save Bella. These two things aren’t mutually exclusive. Why are you being so difficult?” “This is a matter of life and death. Do you have to be so unreasonable right now?” The atmosphere froze. The guests’ mocking stares felt like needles. I opened my mouth to tell him Bella was faking it. That she wouldn’t die. But the words wouldn’t come out. The System said that revealing its intel counts as cheating. I opened my mouth again, wanting to tell him the truth about me. If you leave, I die. But before I could speak, Liam’s phone rang again. He answered it, speaking gently to Bella on the other end. Then, without hesitation, he left me. He didn’t look back. The next second, the System’s cold mechanical voice echoed in my head. [Host, mission failed.] [Punishment Mode Activated: Severe Depression.] [You may choose your method of exit. Once you die, you will be returned to your original world.] Return to my original world? Suddenly, that didn’t sound so bad. In my original world, I was sick, yes, but I had my mom who loved me. Here, aside from a healthy body, I had nothing. I thought for a moment and told the System: “Then let me truly fall into severe depression. Let me die by Liam’s hand.” If I have to die, I want Liam—the expert psychologist—to see what real severe depression looks like. Because it certainly doesn’t look like Bella. 04 After Liam left, the wedding descended into chaos. I didn’t force a smile to see off the mocking guests like I usually did. I just watched coldly as Liam’s stepmother (Bella’s mom) cried and accused Liam’s father. “Are you trying to kill Bella? You know how much she loves Liam!” “If anything happens to her, I won’t live either! Let’s see if your precious family reputation matters more than our lives!” Then, she glared at me and spat, “Shameless bitch!” She stormed off. As if I were the homewrecker in Liam and Bella’s twisted romance. Ironically, she was the mistress who climbed the ladder and drove Liam’s biological mother to suicide. Another secret the System told me that I couldn’t share. If only Liam knew his beloved step-sister was the daughter of the woman who destroyed his mother… I wondered what expression he’d make. Liam’s father sighed and came over to pat my hand. “You’ve been wronged. Bella’s illness will be cured one day. Just bear with it a little longer.” I pulled my hand back numbly. I didn’t nod. I didn’t react. Liam had said the same thing to me countless times. Just bear with it. Don’t argue with a sick person. I used to get angry, sad, desperate. But today, I didn’t care. The System said severe depression robs you of most normal emotions, strips away the will to live, leaving only endless pain and a determination to die. I asked the System, confused: “Bella’s depression is so different from mine. Why can’t Liam, a professional, see she’s faking?” The System was silent for a long time before saying: [How do you know he can’t see it?] My breath hitched. If Liam knew Bella was faking… Then he was just using “depression” as an excuse to spoil her without limits, using it to force me to back down, allowing Bella to cross line after line with him. Lies don’t hurt. The truth is the blade. My heart felt like it was being pricked by thousands of needles. I walked through the noisy crowd like a ghost and went home. I signed the organ donation forms. I swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills. I curled up under the covers, numbly waiting for the end. Death meant going home to Mom. People who really want to die do it quietly, alone. They don’t broadcast it to the world like Bella.

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After graduation, the entire senior class went a little wild. It was the season of confessions, the air thick with hormones and the scent of cheap cologne. But the main event—the one everyone was waiting for—was Shane, the school’s golden boy and quarterback, finally confessing to me, Nora, his childhood sweetheart. I stood by the back door of the classroom, my cheeks burning. Just as my fingertips were about to graze the powder-blue envelope in his hand, a man in a sharp, tailored suit barged in. He snatched the letter and ripped it to shreds. He claimed to be Shane from ten years in the future. Twenty-eight-year-old Shane. “Don’t tell Nora you love her. She isn’t the one,” the man said. He grabbed eighteen-year-old Shane by the arm and pointed toward a girl in the corner, wearing a faded, oversized hoodie. “See Sophie? In ten years, you’re going to love her with a passion that burns the world down. You’ll die for her. Since you’re destined to be with her, why waste the next ten years?” Teenage Shane looked at him like he was insane. He shoved the man away. “You’re crazy! I only love Nora!” But the confession was ruined. The older Shane stuck around, claiming he was there to help his younger self “see his heart clearly.” And gradually, I noticed Shane changing. When Sophie tripped in the hallway, Shane rushed her to the ER, forgetting that I had been waiting for him at the carnival for over an hour. At the team dinner, he instinctively remembered that Sophie hated peanuts, picking them out of the Kung Pao chicken—and putting them on my plate, forgetting that I was allergic. When it rained, his umbrella always hovered over Sophie’s head first, while I stood right next to him, getting soaked. These tiny shifts were like paper cuts on my heart, bleeding me dry one drop at a time. Then came the day we submitted our college applications. “Nora, I’m sorry,” Shane said, his eyes darting away, unable to meet mine. “I can’t go to Stanford with you. The new AI program at South State is a better fit for me.” My blood ran cold. I knew exactly why. South State was the only school Sophie’s mediocre grades could get her into. He grabbed my hand, using that pleading tone I used to find adorable. “Come to South State with me? That way we can still be together. I’ve always listened to you before, just let me have this one thing, okay? I’ll listen to you for the rest of my life after this.” His words felt like needles. I pulled my hand away silently and nodded. But the moment I turned around, I finalized my applications. I sent my acceptance letter to a top university in London. Shane, if your love isn’t exclusive, then I don’t want it at all. Chapter 2 The day my acceptance letter arrived, I felt an eerie calm. I pulled out the giant storage bin from my closet. It was filled with everything Shane had given me over the years. Childish crayon drawings, limited-edition sneakers, a necklace engraved with our initials, a thick stack of movie stubs, the study notes he’d stayed up all night to write for me… Once, these were my treasures. Now, I carried the box downstairs to the dumpster and threw it all in without hesitating. As I turned to leave, I saw two figures arguing nearby. Twenty-eight-year-old Shane, in his expensive suit, was gripping teenage Shane’s wrist. Young Shane, his white dress shirt billowing in the wind, looked furious. “Let go of me!” “Why are you looking for her?” The older Shane’s voice was strained. “You need to go be with Sophie! She’s the one you actually love!” “Bullshit!” The boy yanked his hand free, his face full of teenage defiance. “I only love Nora. Can you just disappear, you psycho?” “Really?” The older man sneered. “Then why did you give up Stanford and your future for Sophie?” The boy froze, his voice dropping. “Who said I did it for her?” I didn’t want to watch this absurd drama anymore. I turned to leave, but Shane saw me. He rushed over, grabbing my wrist, his voice instantly softening. “Nora! You said you wanted to see that new romance movie, right? I bought tickets. Let’s go, okay?” “No,” I said, my voice flat. Shane’s smile faltered, then he pleaded again. “Are you still mad about the college thing? You already agreed to go to South State with me. The program there really is good. Just this once, indulge me, please?” His eyes drooped slightly at the corners—his signature ‘puppy dog’ look. It used to work every time. Now, I just felt numb. Before I could answer, he half-dragged me into his new sports car. The older Shane followed, looking grim, and slid into the backseat. The atmosphere in the car was suffocating. Older Shane glanced around and spoke abruptly. “You just bought this, right? Change the air freshener. Sophie hates ‘Starry Night,’ she likes fruity scents. And the strawberry milk in the console—toss it. Sophie is lactose intolerant. Get soda crackers.” Teenage Shane’s knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “Are you done? I’m going to say this one last time. I only like Nora. I will never, ever like that Sophie girl!” Older Shane acted like he didn’t hear the outburst. “Is that so? Because later, you love her to the bone. You drink until your stomach bleeds for her. You wait outside her apartment all night. You even…” He listed every crazy, romantic thing the “future” Shane did for Sophie. I sat in the passenger seat, every word an ice pick to the chest. I looked out the window, the blurring streets matching the blur in my vision. At the theater, Shane bought a massive bucket of caramel popcorn—my favorite—and shoved it into my arms. During the movie, he leaned in to whisper jokes about the plot. The screen’s light reflected on his handsome profile. I watched him, feeling dazed. Memories flooded back. Three years old, dragging his pillow to my bed. Seven years old, fighting a bully for my hair clip. Twelve years old, skipping class to hold my hand when I had a fever. I couldn’t understand. How could this boy, who had carved me into his very existence, turn into the man in the backseat? How could he love a plain, manipulative girl like Sophie so desperately in ten years? But everything happening lately forced me to believe it. Suddenly, Shane’s phone buzzed violently. The name on the screen: Sophie. He glanced at it and hung up. It rang again. He hung up again. After the fifth time, Older Shane in the seat next to him grabbed his arm. “What’s the date?” “The 10th. Why?” Shane snapped. “Answer it! Answer it now!” The older man’s voice was frantic. “It’s today! Sophie gets cornered by a gang. To escape them, she jumps from the second floor and breaks her leg. She’s in the hospital for a month! Go!” Shane frowned. “What are you talking about? Even if something happened, it’s not my problem. We’re just classmates!” “If you don’t go, you will regret it! You will hate yourself forever!” Older Shane was practically growling. Teenage Shane scoffed. “If I leave Nora here alone right now, that is what I’ll regret!” He silenced his phone and flipped it face down on the armrest. Older Shane stared at him, his expression complex, before standing up. “Fine. You won’t go? I will!” He stormed out of the theater. The movie continued, but I could feel that the boy beside me was gone. He was jittery, tapping his fingers, his eyes constantly darting to the face-down phone that kept lighting up silently. Finally, after another buzz, he shot up. “Nora, I… I forgot to get you a Coke. Wait here, I’ll be right back!” He lied. He couldn’t even look me in the eye. He grabbed his phone and bolted out of the theater. I watched his retreating back, my heart sinking to the bottom of a frozen ocean. He wasn’t coming back. Minutes later, my phone buzzed. It was a video message from “28-Year-Old Shane.” Chapter 3 I clicked play. The video was shaky, filmed in a dim alleyway. In the frame, the boy I knew so well—my Shane—was red-eyed, fighting like a madman. He was beating a group of thugs with a brutality I’d never seen. Sophie was huddled in the corner, crying delicately. When Shane stopped, gasping for air, she threw herself at him, hugging his waist. “Shane, stop! I’m so scared…” Shane froze, panting, and looked back at her. His voice was a mix of fear and anger. “Are you stupid? Why didn’t you call the cops?” Sophie looked up, tears streaming. “I… I don’t trust anyone. I only trust you. I called you so many times, but you didn’t pick up. I was so scared…” Shane paused, looking at her total dependence on him. Finally, his voice softened. “Set me as your emergency contact. From now on… I won’t miss the call.” Set me as your emergency contact. That sentence was a poisoned dagger. Once upon a time, he had demanded that of me. When I accidentally dialed him in my sleep and didn’t answer, he took an eight-hour train ride just to check if I was alive. I thought that spot was mine forever. It wasn’t. The video ended. My heart throbbed with a dull ache. I stared numbly at the screen, unable to process the movie. The lights came up, the credits rolled, and the crowd began to shuffle out. Just as I reached the exit, a terrifying, grinding groan came from the ceiling. Then, screams. “The roof is collapsing! Run!” Boom! A massive crash, a violent tremor, and then darkness swallowed everything. I didn’t even have time to react before heavy concrete and debris buried me. Before I lost consciousness, a wave of bleak irony washed over me. Look, Nora. The Shane from the future remembered Sophie getting harassed by thugs. He forced his younger self to save her. But he conveniently forgot—or didn’t care—that on the same day, at the same time, you would be buried under a collapsing building. In ten years, he really, truly doesn’t love you anymore. I woke up in heavy darkness. “Here! We have a pulse! Hurry!” When I was pulled from the rubble, the sunlight blinded me. I felt myself being moved, heard the ambulance sirens wailing. When I woke again, it was to the smell of antiseptic. The anesthesia was wearing off. I was being wheeled out of surgery. The doctor was speaking. “Surgery was successful. Left leg fracture set, mild concussion, lacerations… just needs rest.” The gurney stopped abruptly. I struggled to open my eyes and met a pair of horrified, familiar eyes. Shane. He was walking out of a nearby room. Sophie was leaning weakly against him, a small bandage on her forehead. The older Shane was on her other side. When Shane saw me—wrapped in gauze, pale as a ghost, leg in a cast—the color drained from his face. He let go of Sophie instantly and rushed to my gurney. “Nora? What happened?” His voice was panicked. He reached out to touch me but pulled back, his hand trembling in the air. Older Shane steadied Sophie and looked at me with a flicker of surprise, which was quickly replaced by indifference. I was too tired. I closed my eyes. My doctor sighed and explained to Shane, “This young lady was pulled from the cinema collapse downtown. She was buried deep. Lost a lot of blood. If we’d found her any later…” Shane’s face went grey. He whipped his head around, glaring at his older self with lethal intensity. He turned back to the doctor. “I’m her boyfriend. I’ll take her to her room.” “She needs absolute quiet,” the doctor blocked him. “Wait before you visit.” As the nurse pushed me into the room and the door clicked shut, I heard the shouting match erupt outside. “You’re me from ten years in the future!” It was teenage Shane, voice shaking with rage. “You remembered Sophie getting harassed by some punks, but you didn’t say a word about Nora being crushed in a building collapse? She almost died!” “Why should I remember?” Older Shane’s voice was cold, impatient. “I only care about Sophie. Why would I remember the life or death of someone irrelevant?” “You bastard!” The sound of a fist hitting flesh, nurses screaming, Sophie crying… Inside the room, I lay still. Tears slid silently from the corners of my eyes, soaking the pillow. Someone irrelevant. Chapter 4 So, in ten years, that’s all I am to him. Two words. Irrelevant. Once, he remembered every trivial thing about me. He used to say, “Nora, I don’t want to forget a single thing about you.” When the commotion outside finally died down, the door opened. Shane walked in, radiating guilt and lingering anger. He sat by the bed, reaching for my hand—the one without the IV. I pulled it away. His hand froze. His eyes dimmed. “Nora, I’m sorry,” he rasped. “I really didn’t know… I just… I was afraid Sophie would actually get hurt. I didn’t want a classmate dying on my conscience. I lied about the Coke because I didn’t want you to worry… I never thought…” He apologized over and over. “It won’t happen again, Nora. I swear. Trust me.” I listened, my heart feeling like a block of ice cracking. I was leaving soon. Going to a place without him. His promises meant nothing now. So I pretended to sleep. For the next few days, Shane barely left my side. He peeled apples, poured water, and tried clumsily to make me laugh. But Older Shane haunted the hallway like a ghost. “Shane, think. Sophie is the one you love. She twisted her ankle, she’s alone. You shouldn’t waste time here. Nora has nurses. Sophie only has you.” Shane told him to get lost every time. “I only love Nora. Sophie needs care? Fine! I’ll hire three nurses. Now shut up!” But as evening approached, Shane would get restless. Eventually, he would look at me with conflicted eyes. “Nora… I’m still a little worried about Sophie’s situation. I’m just going to check on her, make sure she’s okay, and come right back. Wait for me.” He went. And he never came back that night. Late that night, my phone lit up. A message from Older Shane: Nora, face reality. The Shane of ten years from now belongs to Sophie. Let go. Save the eighteen-year-old me for her. I don’t want to miss a single minute with Sophie. Then, another video. In the video, Shane was sitting by Sophie’s bed, carefully peeling an orange, removing every single white string. “Shane,” Sophie’s voice was soft, “will Nora be mad that you’re taking care of me?” Shane paused, then spoke casually. “Nora is generous. She won’t be mad.” I watched the screen, my heart spasming. Yes. I was “generous.” Generous enough to leave. To let him have his destiny. The day I was discharged, Shane finally rushed in, looking exhausted. “Nora, sorry, things got complicated with Sophie. You look so thin. Come on, let’s go get some good food.” As we walked out, Older Shane appeared, supporting a fragile-looking Sophie. “You’re going to eat?” Older Shane raised an eyebrow. “Perfect. We’ll join. Sophie is hungry.” Shane frowned, but seeing Sophie’s timid glance, he didn’t refuse. At the restaurant, Shane rattled off a list of dishes—all my favorites. Older Shane knocked on the table. “Why are you ordering things Sophie hates?” “I don’t know what she likes,” Shane snapped. Older Shane sneered, grabbed the menu, and ordered several bland dishes. Then he shoved his phone in teenage Shane’s face. “Read this. This is what Sophie loves.” Sophie’s eyes widened. “How did you know?” Older Shane looked at her with undisguised adoration. “I told you. I am Shane from ten years in the future. And in the future, I love you more than anything.” “Enough!” Shane slammed his hand down, grabbing mine. “Nora! Don’t listen to him! I only love you!” Older Shane snapped. “What’s the use of being stubborn? You’re just infatuated with her now. Sophie is your soulmate! In the future, you drive across the state at midnight just to buy her a plushie because she can’t sleep! You wish you could take her pain when she’s sick! You will break Nora’s heart a thousand times for Sophie!” He opened the notes app on his phone again. “Look! Memorize it! Sophie’s likes and dislikes!” Shane looked at the list. Then he looked at the pale girl beside him. He went silent.

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Chapter 1 We were right on the cusp of college graduation when my boyfriend, Julian Thorne, suddenly dumped me. He handed me the keys to a Malibu beach house, a brand-new Bentley, and a cashier’s check for three million dollars. He called it a “thank you” for my companionship over the last four years. I was stunned. I just wanted to know why. His expression was cold, detached. “Vivian, in a family like mine, love and marriage are two different business transactions. I’m going back to handle a merger—a marriage merger. Do you understand?” My boyfriend was engaged. And the fiancée wasn’t me. When I rushed to the engagement venue, I saw Julian on the stage. He was wearing a bespoke tuxedo, onyx cufflinks glinting under the lights, looking every bit the handsome aristocrat. Standing opposite him was a woman who barely reached his chest. She was heavy-set, and her skin was slick with oil, covered in angry, ready-to-burst acne. My boyfriend was going to marry her? I thought back to last night. It felt like a different lifetime. Yesterday, I came back to the villa from my internship, and Julian had pressed me onto the bed. He leaned down, his voice raspy and desperate. “Babe, forget who we are tonight. Just let me love you.” It was intense. He loved me like it was the end of the world. But when I woke up, he was gone. His number was disconnected. His Instagram, his LinkedIn—all deleted. He had vanished from my world without a trace. Then, his lawyer showed up. The lawyer arrived exactly at noon. He said Julian had specifically instructed him not to come earlier, so as not to disturb my sleep. He handed me a file. It was a deed of gift. Julian had voluntarily transferred the house, the car, and the money to me as a parting gift for our four years together. So, he dumped me out of the blue, treated me like a kept woman, and tried to pay me off? The irony was, I didn’t need his money. When Julian and I first got together, I told him I was loaded. But he just smiled confidently and said, “No matter how rich you are, you’ll never have as much money as I do.” I didn’t bother arguing. I loved him. But why break up? Last night, he was so passionate, whispering that he loved me all night long. I forced myself to calm down. Using my family’s private channels, I found out everything in ten minutes. Then, I crashed the engagement party. I could tell Julian wasn’t happy. Was he being forced? “Kiss her!” someone from the crowd shouted. I watched the woman lunge for Julian’s hand. He instinctively recoiled, stepping back. The woman looked displeased. Her thick lips flapped as she spat, “Did you already forget what you promised me?” Julian’s face went pale, but he forced himself to take a step forward. He was definitely being threatened. I pushed through the crowd and screamed, “Julian! If you’re in trouble, tell me! Don’t do this to yourself!” Every eye in the ballroom turned to me. When Julian saw me, a flash of joy hit his cold eyes, instantly replaced by terrified frost. “Who is this bitch?” the woman on stage growled. She glared at me. “You call my fiancé ‘Julian’ pretty intimately, don’t you?” I was about to reveal my identity when Julian cut me off. He furrowed his brows, looking disgusted. “She’s just a simp. A gold digger I used to know. Kick her out, don’t bother with her.” A simp? A gold digger? I could feel the contempt in the room shifting toward me. Chapter 2 Yeah, nobody respects a gold digger. But I wasn’t one. Julian and I met at a club fair freshman year. I had just finished Muay Thai practice and was starving, so I stole some snacks from my roommate. My roommate roasted me and jokingly told me to call her “Mommy” as punishment. We were just messing around, so I actually did it. Julian stepped in to defend me. He lectured her, saying she shouldn’t bully people just because they were poor, and then lectured me about stealing food. He was always like that—a gentleman, obsessed with fairness. So, I played the part. I pretended to be poor and pitiful, clinging to him until we started dating. The whole school thought he was my “Sugar Daddy.” People called me a gold digger. I was afraid he’d lose face, so I told him my family was actually wealthy. He didn’t seem to care either way. We didn’t have a dramatic love story, just four years of honey-sweet stability. We barely ever fought. That’s why I couldn’t accept this sudden breakup. I walked toward the stage. Before I could speak, the woman blocked my path. She was so short I had to look down to make eye contact. “You have the nerve to come up here?” She jumped up, trying to slap me. I dodged easily, frowning. I looked at Julian. “You broke up with me to marry this?” “Shut your mouth!” Julian rushed forward and slapped me across the face. I dodged the woman, but I didn’t dodge Julian. He had been sick recently; I was afraid if I moved, he’d lose his balance and fall. He was marrying someone else, and I was still worrying about him. I was pathetic. I touched my stinging cheek, looking at him with pure sorrow. “You’re Julian’s college fling?” The woman walked over, sneering. “A money-grubbing slut daring to act tough in front of me? Do you know who I am? I’m Tiffany Gore. The Gore family owns this city!” I ignored Tiffany and kept my eyes on Julian. “Leaving without a word? That’s not fair to me.” “Fair?” Julian scoffed. “I gave you the villa, the Bentley, the cash. What more do you want?” “Stop making a scene, Vivian. We’re done.” He frowned deep. “You know people from families like mine… marriage is business. Thank you for the four years, but my wife can only be Tiffany Gore. Do you understand?” “I just want to know one thing. Do you love me?” I asked. I knew about arranged marriages. My parents had one, but they were lucky—childhood sweethearts who actually fell in love. As for me… I was supposed to have an arranged marriage, too. But my family’s status in the Capital was so high we didn’t actually need to merge with anyone to maintain power. “Love?” Julian laughed darkly. “Grow up, Vivian. I knew since I was a kid I’d be sold off in a marriage merger. I don’t believe in love.” “I dated you because you were pretty, poor, and easy to control.” He sneered. “Okay, you got your answer. Now get out.” So, everything I thought was love was just a delusion? Chapter 3 In Julian’s eyes, was I just a presentable, obedient canary? It was laughable. I nodded. If that was the case, fine. My heart hurt, but I knew when to fold. I came to salvage this. If it couldn’t be salvaged, I would let go. I looked at Julian and smiled bitterly. “Fine. I wish you happiness.” I turned to leave the stage. Julian clenched his fist and looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. But Tiffany blocked me again, grinning maliciously. “Since you’re here, stay and watch. Otherwise, you’re disrespecting me, disrespecting the Gore family, and disrespecting the whole city!” “That bold, huh?” I laughed. I’d heard talk like this before. The country is big, and not everyone knows my face. Occasionally, someone tries to flex on me. Usually, once I handle a few of them, the rest shut up. Tiffany didn’t catch the disdain in my voice. She clapped her hands. A dozen men in black suits emerged from the shadows, surrounding the stage. “Bitch, if I’m not happy today, you don’t walk out of this room,” Tiffany spat. Julian stepped forward, glaring at me. “Just get out of here! I don’t want to see you!” “Did I say you could speak?” Tiffany snapped at him. “Do you think I’m stupid? I see you trying to protect this slut.” Protecting me? I looked deeply at Julian. Beneath the cold exterior, his eyes were full of panic. Maybe what he said earlier was a lie. Julian shook his head. “I just don’t want ties to my past. Plus, having my ex here at our engagement? It makes us look bad. Think about your reputation, Tiffany.” His voice softened. “I’m thinking of you.” Tiffany’s face relaxed slightly, but she sneered, “I don’t care about reputation. In this town, I am the law.” She pointed at me. “Go sit down and watch!” I nodded, shot Julian a knowing half-smile, and walked off the stage. Immediately, four security guards surrounded me, escorting me to a corner table. They were terrified I’d bolt. From the stage, Tiffany yelled, “You watch closely. If I don’t say you can leave, you stay put.” “If you don’t let me leave now,” I said calmly, “when you want me to leave later, I might not go.” “Shut up!” Julian yelled. I smiled and stayed silent. If they wanted to play, we could play. Tiffany continued, “I heard you’re from the Capital? That’s cute. Later on, some real heavy hitters from the Capital are coming—real elite circle guys. I’ll introduce you. Help you see what the real world looks like.” “I’ll thank you in advance, then,” I chuckled. A group of young people walked over to my table. They looked arrogant, loud, and tacky. Definitely Tiffany’s entourage. “Little gold digger, do you have a death wish?” “You think Julian can protect you?” “Let’s be real, even if you didn’t crash this, Tiffany wouldn’t have let you go. She’d never let a woman who slept with her fiancé for four years live.” “I have a phone, want me to call the cops for you?” Chapter 4 They mocked me recklessly. I just looked down at my phone, ignoring them. But one thing was certain now: Julian was definitely protecting me. The ceremony ended quickly. Next came the reception—networking and drinking. Tiffany dragged Julian from table to table, toasting guests. Everyone fawned over her. I had done a quick background check on the Gore family. They were the richest in the city, sure, but they were “new money”—no class, no history. They gained power by leveraging a connection in the Capital to secure big contracts. But they had never broken into the true “Old Money” circle of the city. That meant everyone here was either a Gore family parasite or one of Julian’s family friends. Julian’s family, the Thornes, were Old Money, but they were in decline. This marriage was a transaction. The Gores wanted a ticket into high society—marrying a Thorne gave them that pedigree. The Thornes wanted cash to resurrect their business empire. I’d seen this dynamic a thousand times growing up. Mergers and acquisitions, using people as currency. Suddenly, a girl who looked about sixteen sat next to me. She was sweet, with a little baby fat on her cheeks, looking adorable. Her eyes looked just like Julian’s. “I’m Chloe Thorne. Your ex-man’s little sister.” “Don’t talk. Follow me. Now.” She looked cute, but her voice was icy. She grabbed my hand. I didn’t move. “Did your brother send you?” “What do you think?” Chloe frowned. “Hurry up, or you’re stuck here!” Several men in black suits stepped closer. Chloe sighed, let go of my hand, and slumped back into the chair. She knew it was too late. “You shouldn’t have come,” she whispered. “If it weren’t for you, my brother wouldn’t have been forced to marry that pig, Tiffany Gore!” Because of me? Before I could ask, a commotion erupted at the entrance. Tiffany and Julian rushed to the door, signaling everyone to stand. Seven or eight people walked in. Young men and women, dressed impeccably, carrying an air of effortless power. Especially the leader—a guy in his early twenties who walked like he owned the building. “Sebastian! You finally made it. The party felt dead without you,” Tiffany gushed, reaching out to shake his hand. Sebastian Vance didn’t shake her hand. He didn’t even look at her. He stared intently at Julian. “You’re Julian Thorne?” Julian paused, then nodded. Sebastian’s attitude softened slightly. He smiled. “She hid you too well. Otherwise, we would have met a long time ago.” Tiffany thought the “she” referred to her. She turned to the room. “Everyone, this is Sebastian Vance, the Prince of the Capital! The Vance family is the Gore family’s biggest backer!”

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My sister, Vanessa, fell for New York’s most notorious heir, Damian Ellison, at first sight. To create an opportunity, she was willing to do anything—even drug him at a gala. Not only did I not stop her, I was the one who delivered the tainted champagne to him. I even booked a luxury suite for them, a thoughtful touch. In my past life, when I saw her preparing the drug, I had tried to talk her out of it. The Ellison family’s influence stretched across both high society and the murky underworld; they weren’t people we could afford to cross. That night, Damian found another woman to quench the fire in his veins. The next day, he announced their engagement. Vanessa said nothing at the time, but on the drive home, she shoved me off a highway overpass. I died instantly, crushed to a pulp by a speeding semi-truck. Before I fell, she screamed at me, accusing me of ruining her one chance to marry into a dynasty. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the gala. This time, I was morbidly curious to see just how deep a grave she could dig for herself. 1 I watched as Damian Ellison drained the glass of champagne. From across the ballroom, a calculating glint flashed in my sister’s eyes. Two minutes later, the drug hit him. An unnatural flush crept up his neck and onto his chiseled face. His personal security team immediately materialized at his side, flanking him as they guided him upstairs. I gave Vanessa a subtle ‘OK’ sign and slipped the keycard into her hand. I was about to melt into the crowd and disappear, but she grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my skin like claws. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting,” she hissed, her voice low and menacing. “You’re not going anywhere until this is done!” “Stay by the door and keep watch. If any of Mr. Ellison’s men show up, you know what to say and what not to say.” She expected me to protest, to try and reason with her like I had before. But this time, I simply pried her fingers off my arm. I glanced at the bodyguards who had already clocked her presence from afar and offered a placid smile. “Of course, Vanessa. You’re my sister. Who else would I help?” I said sweetly. “Just don’t forget your dear little sister when you’re Mrs. Ellison.” In our last life, she was convinced I had sabotaged her shot at wealth and left me for dead. This time, I wouldn’t just stand by; I would give her a helping hand. Let’s see how spectacular the fallout would be. Vanessa didn’t overthink it. She just lifted her chin, smug. “Glad you know your place. Once I’m married into the Ellison family, I’ll find you a position as a driver or a secretary. It’ll be enough to keep you comfortable for life.” Her eyes narrowed. “Now get up there and keep your mouth shut. If anyone asks, you’re a hotel staff member waiting for Mr. Ellison’s orders. Dare to screw this up for me, and you know what will happen.” She shot me a venomous look, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me upstairs with her. The bodyguards stood like statues outside the suite. Vanessa used the excuse of delivering fresh water to get inside. A moment later, I heard the heavy thud of something—or someone—hitting the floor. I hid at the end of the long, opulent hallway, keeping a close watch on the room. It wasn’t long before the door opened again. Vanessa was unconscious, being dragged out. Five bodyguards, lecherous grins spreading across their faces, pulled her into the room next door. Seeing this, a wave of relief washed over me. I dusted off my hands, ready to leave. But in the next second, a blunt force struck the back of my head. My world went black. When I came to, my limbs were bound to the bedposts with silk ribbons. Hovering over me was the sweat-drenched face of Damian Ellison. My eyes widened, and I opened my mouth to scream. His lips crashed down on mine, silencing me. “Don’t think I didn’t know there was something wrong with that drink,” he growled against my mouth, his voice a low rumble. “You delivered it. You can deal with the consequences…” My screams were swallowed by breathless gasps. I fought against him, but the struggle drained every ounce of my strength. I have no idea what kind of drug Vanessa had gotten her hands on, but Damian was a man possessed, relentless until the first light of dawn broke through the windows. My body ached with a deep, throbbing pain. As soon as he fell into a deep sleep, I managed to untie the ribbons and scramble into my clothes. Damian Ellison had a reputation for being ruthless. I wasn’t an idiot like Vanessa; I wasn’t going to wait around for his revenge. After wiping away every trace of my presence in the room, I fled. On my way out, I glanced at the door to the room where they’d taken Vanessa. It was cracked open. The clothes of five different men were strewn across the floor. She was lying on the bed, dead to the world. I didn’t make a sound. I just turned and walked away. The moment I got home, Mom and Dad rushed to the door. When they saw I was alone, their faces fell. “Chloe, where’s your sister? Why are you back by yourself?” I remembered how, in my past life, this family had blamed me for ruining Vanessa’s chance, how they hadn’t even bothered to claim my body from the morgue. My expression hardened. “Maybe the dose was too strong,” I said flatly. “Mr. Ellison must still be busy.” My mother’s furious expression instantly blossomed into a wide, greedy smile. “I knew it! I knew Vanessa had what it takes! Not like some people, completely useless. Twenty years we’ve raised you, and you’re still just a money pit!” My father didn’t even look at me. He was already urging Mom to go brew some herbal tonic, convinced it would guarantee Vanessa would bear a son. I couldn’t be bothered to argue. I sank onto the sofa, exhausted. Just as the tonic began to simmer on the stove, the front door opened. It was Vanessa. She was walking with a pronounced limp, her neck covered in a constellation of angry purple bruises. She clearly had no idea who she’d really spent the night with. The moment she saw me, she launched into a tirade right in front of our parents, listing my supposed crimes. She accused me of abandoning my post as a lookout and of not even thinking to buy her a morning-after pill. That was all Mom needed to hear. Her hand cracked across my face. “I knew you were useless!” she shrieked. “You worthless thing! Why did I ever raise a daughter like you!” “Your sister finally gets a golden opportunity, and you don’t just refuse to help, you sneak back home alone! You wouldn’t know how to catch money if it fell from the sky! You’re destined to be a broke wage slave your whole life!” I cupped my stinging cheek, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “At least when I work, I earn my money honestly. I could never bring myself to sell my body like that.” My father flew into a rage. He grabbed the heavy glass ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it at my head. Blood instantly soaked the collar of my shirt. He didn’t even seem to notice, his voice booming with fury. “Work, work, that’s all you know! If we had to rely on your pathetic salary, your mother and I would be dead and buried before we ever saw a day of comfort!” “You’ve got no ambition, and you dare criticize your sister? Look at yourself! You’re completely useless!” “I should’ve just sold you off years ago! Would’ve saved me the damn headache!” “Marrying some broke guy for a few thousand bucks? What do you take me for, a charity?” I pressed a tissue to the gash on my forehead, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop. The last shred of hope I had for this family shattered. “I am your daughter!” I shot back, my voice trembling with rage. “Not a piece of pork on display at the butcher’s shop! If you’re so desperate to have your daughter sell herself, why don’t you just open a brothel?” “Every cent I earn is my own. What’s wrong with making a living on my own terms?” “If you despise me so much, why did you even have me?” A flicker of panic crossed both of their faces. Before they could erupt again, Vanessa spoke up, her voice dripping with triumph. “Just ignore her. Once I have this baby and marry into the Ellison family, she’ll come crawling back to me on her knees, begging.” With that, my parents forgot all about me. They crowded around Vanessa, eagerly asking for every detail of the previous night. Vanessa put on a shy, demure act. “You have no idea. Damian Ellison is nothing like the rumors say. He’s not cold at all. He kept me up all night… I’m still so sore.” “He was gone when I woke up, though. He just left a credit card on the nightstand.” “After all that? I’m definitely pregnant. The position of Mrs. Ellison is as good as mine!” My parents roared with laughter, already picturing themselves hobnobbing with New York’s elite. They had no concept of what the Ellison family truly represented, what power their name held. Trying to trap Damian Ellison? They’d be lucky to know how they died when the time came. My first priority was to cut ties with them, and fast. They were now treating Vanessa like a queen, praising her for being so ambitious and clever. They plied her with tonics and supplements, as if they could will a baby into existence right then and there. I took the opportunity to sneer at their blatant greed. As expected, they were instantly enraged. My father kicked me off the sofa. He stormed over to the desk, pulled out the family register, ripped my page out of it, and threw it at my face. “Get out! Get out right now! I have no daughter as pathetic as you!” My mother stared at me with pure disgust. Vanessa, rubbing her sore legs, smirked. “I was going to offer you a job as a secretary so you could have a taste of the good life. But since you love working so much, you can move out. Just don’t come crying to me when you get fired.” My mission was accomplished. I smiled as I picked my page up from the floor. “One day, you’ll understand that the Ellisons are not as simple as they seem.” “You dared to scheme against Damian Ellison. When the time comes, we’ll see who’s on their knees, begging.” I spent the night in a cheap hotel, buying antiseptic wipes and bandages from a pharmacy to clean the wound on my head. The next day at work, the office was buzzing with gossip. “Did you hear? Someone drugged Mr. Ellison last night! Slept with him and then vanished. He’s been tearing the city apart looking for her!” “Is this person insane? You don’t mess with Damian Ellison! The last person who tried something like that has been pushing up daisies for years!” “Doesn’t he have a marriage arrangement with the Caldwell family? Their daughter went missing years ago, but the engagement was never officially called off.” As they spoke, my boss, Leo Caldwell, appeared behind us. “Do you all have nothing better to do?” he asked, his voice cold as ice. “Is your work finished? Gossiping about Mr. Ellison… are you trying to get yourselves blacklisted?” My colleagues scattered like mice. Leo’s gaze fell on me, and he studied me for a long moment, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. He and Damian had grown up together; their families were old allies, their bond unbreakable. Leo’s own ruthless efficiency in the business world was a clear reflection of the kind of man Damian was. Vanessa was doomed. Remembering what my coworkers had said, I went back to my desk and immediately typed up my resignation letter. I couldn’t fight him, but I could run. My boss approved my resignation without asking a single question. Terrified of being found by Damian, I rented a small, anonymous apartment and holed up for a week before daring to go outside. Vanessa did the opposite. She spent her days loitering around the Ellison Corporation headquarters, practically begging for Damian to recognize her as the woman from that night. But Damian’s security detail passed her countless times without giving her a second glance. Finally, Vanessa got desperate. She created a public social media account and started posting, each update vaguely alluding to the gala. After ten posts with no response, she took a picture of the black credit card he’d left and posted it online with the caption: “Found this. Does it belong to anyone?” This time, she got a bite. Damian Ellison himself replied to her post: “That’s mine. Could you please provide your contact information? I’d be grateful to retrieve it in person.” His comment detonated online. Screenshots went viral, hitting the top of every trending list. The internet interpreted the famously cold CEO’s rare moment of politeness as a spark of romance. Speculation ran wild that this “good Samaritan” who found his card was about to become the city’s newest Cinderella. Eagle-eyed netizens quickly tracked down Vanessa’s address from her other posts and connected her to the woman who drugged Damian that night. Before Damian could even show up, opportunists were already knocking on our parents’ door. A talent scout offered Vanessa a contract, praising her “pure and innocent” look and promising stardom. Businessmen hoping to curry favor with the Ellisons invited her to lavish dinners, begging her to put in a good word for them with Damian. The rumors swirled, with many placing bets that Damian would finally break his long-standing engagement with the Caldwell family. In a single day, Vanessa gained ten million followers and became an overnight internet celebrity. At the height of the frenzy, she coyly posted a message asking everyone to please stop spreading rumors, cementing her image as a demure and reluctant star. This only fueled the fire, and the gossip spread even more wildly. I couldn’t wait any longer. I rushed to City Hall and officially had my name and records removed from my family’s household. When I went back that evening to pack my things, my parents were practically floating on air. They were glued to their phones, cackling at the online comments, already seeing themselves as part of the Ellison dynasty. I said nothing and started to head to my room to pack. My mother let out a disdainful snort. “Can’t even recognize good fortune when it’s handed to you. Destined to be a poor workhorse for the rest of your life. What a waste.” My father sighed dramatically. “If you had just half of your sister’s drive, we’d be living next door to the Ellisons by now!” Vanessa emerged from her room, a thousand-dollar facial mask plastered to her face. She sauntered over to me, her voice dripping with condescension. “I bet you haven’t heard. Mr. Ellison already messaged me. He wants to meet.” “He must have figured out I was the one who helped him that night. He’s not even mad. He was probably interested in me all along!” “And I just took a test. Two pink lines.” “You can still start sucking up to me now, you know.” “You are my sister, after all. Once I’m married, I suppose I could find a spot for you as one of the maids. It wouldn’t be too difficult.” Hearing “two pink lines,” my heart stopped. I subconsciously placed a hand over my own stomach. “You’re the one who started all these rumors, aren’t you?” I said, my voice low. “Do you have any idea how ruthless the Ellison Corporation’s legal team is? You’re not helping Mom and Dad. You’re dragging the entire family down with you.” As if on cue, my mother saw it on her phone. The Ellison Corporation had issued a formal statement, clarifying that they would pursue legal action against anyone spreading malicious rumors. The comment sections that had been buzzing with excitement moments before were suddenly shut down. All of Vanessa’s posts were taken down by the platform, and her account was suspended. Panic finally flickered in her eyes. Still trying to play it cool, she opened her chat with Damian but hesitated, not knowing what to say. Just as our parents crowded around her, frantic, a new message from him came through. “I’m sending someone to pick you up. Be downstairs in five minutes.” The corner of Vanessa’s mouth, which had been drooping, curled back up into a triumphant smirk. She waved the phone in my face. “See? The Ellisons are a huge corporation, of course they have to be discreet. My husband is just eager to explain everything to me in person.” “With your timid, pathetic attitude, you’re not even worthy of polishing my shoes! Get out of my way!” She shoved me aside and swept into her bedroom to change. My parents immediately turned on me. “You don’t have your sister’s talent, yet you still try to bring her down! What good are you to us?” “If you’re going to leave, then leave now! Don’t stand here being an eyesore!” My mother was so excited she had tears in her eyes. “This gamble was the right move! We might be moving into a mansion tonight!” My father laughed, holding up the positive pregnancy test like a trophy. “I never would have dared to dream this big! The Ellisons! We’re going to be high society!” “Honey, quick, what do you think? Should I wear this suit to the wedding? I don’t want to embarrass our daughter.” “And what should we get the baby when he’s born? We can’t let our in-laws look down on us!” Watching their ecstatic performance, I silently went to my room and packed my suitcase. When I left the apartment, I trailed a short distance behind them. Downstairs, a crowd of neighbors had already gathered, surrounding them. Their voices were a chorus of envy. “Oh, you are so blessed to have a daughter like Vanessa! I saw the news online. If my daughter could marry into the Ellison family, I’d be smiling in my sleep!” “Look at you two, you’re glowing! You look ten years younger!” “If I’d known it was this easy, I would have had my daughter give it a shot. I always thought Mr. Ellison was untouchable, but I guess he’s just a man like any other.” A wave of nausea churned in my stomach, and I had to fight the urge to gag. My parents were beaming, promising everyone they would be invited to the wedding. In the midst of the chatter, the piercing wail of sirens cut through the air. Several police cars screeched to a halt beside the building. The lead officer stepped out, flashed his badge, and spoke in a calm, authoritative voice. “Excuse me, which one of you is Miss Vanessa Reeves? She’s a person of interest in an investigation involving the dissemination of false information and the illegal use of controlled substances. We’re going to need you to come with us.”

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