At thirty-three, single, and child-free, I was happily rotting on my couch, cuddling my cats, when my phone rang. “Hey! Someone dumped a baby in the complex next door. You want it?” Hearing the word “dumped,” my reflex kicked in. “Yes!” I cursed all the way out the door. When I got to the next complex, I froze. I must have inhaled too much cat hair. It wasn’t a dumped kitten. It was a dumped human baby. My mom shoved the bundle into my arms and bolted. Running away, she shouted over her shoulder: “That’s my granddaughter now! Your biological daughter!” “I already filed the paperwork! You’re raising her whether you like it or not!” Resigned, I carried this two-legged money pit home. I raised her with blood, sweat, and tears. Who knew she was actually a billionaire heiress? 1 At thirty-three, I was a professional couch potato. Aside from my six fur babies, I was the only living, breathing thing in the house. “Look at you. Thirty-three. No husband, no kids. You think these cats are going to take care of you when you’re old?” My mom was scooping the litter box on the balcony, nagging as usual. I bobbed my head, in one ear and out the other. She finished scooping and suddenly materialized by my bed. “When you die, no one’s even going to visit your grave.” She was worried sick! I rolled over, turning my back to her. “It’s fine. Someone will visit the wrong grave eventually.” “Besides, I still have you and Dad! I’ll just haunt you guys.” “Worst case, I’ll prepay for my own funeral services.” My mom punched my duvet twice in frustration, stomped her foot, and went to the kitchen to cook. “Honey, if you really don’t want to get married or have kids, that’s fine. But can’t you at least adopt one?” “Your dad and I won’t be around forever. Think about how lonely you’ll be all by yourself… sob…” At the dinner table, she started crying crocodile tears again. “Okay, okay. If I find a suitable one, I’ll adopt.” I brushed her off. My mom stopped crying instantly, eyes gleaming. “Deal!” The next day, I was at home huffing my cat when my mom called. “Hey! There’s a dumped baby in the complex next door. You want it?” Hearing the word “dumped,” I immediately shouted, “Yes!” I stormed out of the house, cursing. On the way, I cursed the person who abandoned it eight hundred times. If you’re going to raise something, raise it to the end! If you really can’t, find it a new home. Abandonment is trash behavior. As a long-time cat owner, I can’t stand words like “abuse” or “abandon.” When I got to the next complex, I was stunned. I must have been high on cat fumes. I didn’t hear her clearly. It wasn’t a dumped kitten. It was a dumped infant. I’ve heard kids are money shredders. Formula alone costs hundreds a month. My wallet couldn’t handle that! Looking at the baby in my mom’s arms, I turned to run. My mom saw me, shoved the baby into my arms, and took off. Running away, she yelled back: “That’s my granddaughter now! Your biological daughter!” “I already filed the paperwork! You’re raising her whether you like it or not!” Helpless, I had to carry this two-legged money shredder home. 2 Back home, the fur babies were fascinated by the creature in my arms, sniffing her non-stop. The kid seemed pretty chill. She didn’t cry or fuss on the way, just stared at me with big, round eyes. I opened her swaddle, and my household register fell out. My mom had actually registered her already. The name was casual as hell: Penny Zhou. Looking at the baby on the bed, I felt dazed. I had a daughter! Then came the endless panic. I’m great with cats, but what do I do with a kid? I can’t feed her kibble, right? “Guys, how do you raise a human? Tutorial needed!” I sent a voice message to my group chat, “The Plastic Sisters.” “Holy sh*t! Sarah, you secretly had a baby behind our backs?” “Which wild man is the father? Confess immediately!” “You didn’t steal it, did you? Kidnapping is a felony, girl. If you really want one, take my two monsters, no thanks needed.” The usually dead group chat exploded. I laughed bitterly. “No, adopted. My mom adopted her for me!” “I don’t know how to raise her! What formula is good? What brand of diapers? Does she need shots?” My brain was swarming with questions. This kid came so suddenly I didn’t even have time to Google. An hour later, the girls showed up at my door with bags of stuff. Diapers, formula, hand-me-down clothes. “Use these for now. We’ll send you the Amazon links later.” My friend Jessica was beaming. Rachel was laughing so hard she couldn’t close her mouth. “Hahaha, just thinking about you suffering through parenting like us makes me so happy.” “Let’s see how you enjoy your ‘freedom’ now, hahahaha.” Emily was scribbling furiously at the table. “I’m writing down all the things to watch out for. Stick it on the wall and read it.” “Raising a kid isn’t like raising a cat. You have to be careful.” The girls stayed until eleven, giving me a crash course in parenting. Then, summoned by their mothers-in-law and husbands, they reluctantly left. Luckily, I’m smart and a quick learner. After struggling for half a month, I got the hang of it. The fur babies were helpful too. Every time the kid cried, peed, or pooped, they’d smell it and come get me. But my bank account hit zero. I usually worked for six months and took a year off. That plan was dead. “How is it? Does being a mother feel blissful?” A month later, my mom, who was hiding out at some relative’s house, video called me. In the video, she looked glowing and smug, while I looked like I’d lost ten pounds. “You want this bliss? You can have it!” I hung up angrily. 3 Time flies. The kid was in elementary school. “Get me two corn dogs on your way home. With sweet chili sauce.” I fished out three dollars and fifty cents from the drawer for my daughter. “Mom, I have a test this afternoon. Also, corn dogs are two dollars each now.” She stood by my bed, puffing her cheeks. I pouted. “I’m fifty cents short. Cover it for me. I’ll pay you back when Grandma sends money.” Yes, I was still leeching off my parents. Before it was just me, now it’s two of us. My mom regretted everything. Afraid I’d spend her granddaughter’s share, she sent the money separately. My daughter sighed like a little adult and walked to the door. “Mom, I have a test today,” she repeated. “Oh. If you don’t know the answers, just skip them. Come out early.” “Why?” She was confused. “If you’re late, the corn dog stand might close.” Bang. The door shut. I shuddered and went back to scrolling TikTok. People say raising kids is hard, but once you get the hang of it, it’s not that bad. My friends’ kids were in middle school, so I dumped Penny on them every few days. Plus, with my mom’s financial support, I had zero stress. I even skimmed off the top sometimes. Most importantly, now that she’s bigger, she can do more than just buy soy sauce! She can buy vinegar, salt, scoop litter, pick up packages, grab takeout… she’s so useful. “Mom, why do you think my biological parents didn’t want me?” When Penny got to middle school, she started asking questions. “Did something happen at school?” I was confused. I never hid that she was abandoned. She never mentioned it before. Why today? Penny slammed the table. “It’s that Chloe Wu in my class! Just because her family is rich, she bullies me.” “Today was parent-teacher conferences. Her dad came in a luxury car. She mocked me in front of the whole class for not having a dad~” “That’s pretty mean. You didn’t roast her back?” It was annoying, but it was a fact. I didn’t want to sugarcoat it. I wanted her to face reality. “Of course I did! I told her to tell her mom to dress up better, or else when my mom steals her dad, she won’t have a dad either.” “Mom, you can do it, right? So many hot guys like you, Chloe’s old dad should be easy.” I choked. I didn’t know she knew about the models I snuck home at night. “Also Mom, I told the teacher you were recovering from childbirth this time. What do I say next time? I’m running out of excuses.” I never went to parent-teacher conferences. Her homeroom teacher was my homeroom teacher. I didn’t want to hear him nag. I looked at my cat, Mr. Whiskers, feeding three kittens in the corner. I had an idea. “Next time, tell him your sister is having her one-month celebration. You really can’t get away.” Penny was speechless and rolled her eyes. Penny overperformed on her high school entrance exams. She got second in the city. I was terrified. “Did you buy the answers? That’s illegal, you know!” Penny’s grades were okay, but second in the city? Impossible. “Oh, Mom. Would I do that?” “I just… peeked a little at the answer sheet of the guy sitting diagonally in front of me. Just a little bit. Hehe~” 4 I was overjoyed. All those fish eyes I fed her growing up weren’t wasted. Good eyes, hit the jackpot. “You copied him and got second? How smart is that kid?” I realized belatedly. Penny shrugged. “He’s the provincial top scorer. The school genius and heartthrob. And his family is loaded.” How can someone be that lucky? Rich, handsome, and smart? “God is unfair!” I lamented. That summer, Penny and I were chilling in the AC when someone knocked. “It must be Grandma bringing money!” Penny ran to open the door, holding half a watermelon. Outside stood a couple. The man in a suit, the woman elegant and expensive-looking. Definitely rich. “It’s her. It’s really her. Exactly the same,” the woman wept. After their explanation, Penny and I were stunned. “You mean… she was swapped by your nanny? You’re her biological parents?” Holy crap! My mom has a gift. She picked up a billionaire heiress! I rubbed my hands excitedly, wondering how much they’d pay me. “Yes. I got suspicious when I saw her at the parent-teacher conference. She looks exactly like my wife did when she was young!” “Forgive me, but I secretly did a DNA test on both girls. Penny is indeed our biological daughter.” The man explained. Penny put down the watermelon and wiped her mouth. “So you’re here to take me away?” The woman hugged her. “Yes, child. We are your real parents. Come home with us, okay?” “You’ve suffered all these years. Mom and Dad will make it up to you.” Hearing “make it up,” I knew we were set. “What about Chloe Wu? What happens to her?” Penny’s question surprised the couple. Especially the wife, a flash of annoyance crossed her face. “Chloe… well, she’ll be your sister from now on. We’ll tell everyone you’re twins!” The man smiled. I felt a bit annoyed. They knew the nanny did it, but they were going to keep raising the criminal’s daughter to annoy their own kid? What were they thinking? “You guys go. I’m not going back with you. I won’t acknowledge you.” Penny pointed at the door. Seeing her kick them out, the man panicked. “Child, don’t you want to be with your real parents?” “Yes, daughter, we are your real mom and dad!” The woman chimed in.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385896”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Six years later, I reunited with my ex, Alex. It happened outside a Dairy Queen. I was squatting by the door, trying to beat the heat, when I saw him rushing by. I grabbed his arm. “Buy one get one free Blizzard. Wanna split?” He lowered his phone, his gaze sweeping over the “Couple’s Special” banner. “Oh,” I said, realizing. “So, back together?” Alex narrowed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. “Sure. But let’s keep it low-key.” “I’m keeping a canary in a gilded cage recently. She gets jealous easily.” I froze. He turned around. “By the way, pack the ice cream to go. She loves it.” 1 Before I could react, the cashier had already packed two Blizzards with a beaming smile. “You two look great together! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!” Alex showed no emotion. He took his share and walked away. His Rolls-Royce was parked by the curb. It was scorching hot. I squatted by the entrance of a fruit shop to steal some AC, licking my melting ice cream. Before he left, he looked at me with a half-smile. “Girlfriend, need a ride?” I glanced at his passenger seat. Pink cushions, cute plushies. Marked territory. Every inch of it screaming ownership. “No thanks,” I said slowly. “My place is close…” Before I could finish, he sped off, leaving me in a cloud of dust. “Hey, don’t block the door!” “Ah, sorry.” My legs were numb from squatting. I stood up too fast, and the Blizzard slipped from my hand, splattering onto the pavement. Damn. What a waste. I traded a boyfriend for this? I smacked my lips in disappointment and turned to walk home. My rental apartment was simple and clean. I quietly took down an old photo from the wall. High school sweethearts. The boy in the photo had eyes curved in laughter, a brilliant smile, holding the girl’s hand like it was a treasure. In contrast, the girl was expressionless, cold. I stared at it for a moment, then threw it in the trash. Tsk. I looked so miserable back then. No wonder he dumped me. “Meow.” The stray calico I picked up rubbed against my leg. I opened a can of wet food for it. Buy one get three free at the supermarket yesterday. Being poor makes you stingy. Missing a deal feels like physical pain. I kinda regretted not asking for a breakup fee back then. Just then, a strange number called. I picked up. It was Alex. His voice was still cold. “We’re back together, aren’t we? Add me back on WeChat.” “Don’t you know calling is a hassle?” I mumbled an “Oh.” Before I could say anything else, a girl’s spoiled voice came through the line. “Mr. Shen, I’m hungry…” He hung up immediately. Beep. Beep. Beep. Actually, the “back together” thing was a joke… I wanted to tell him to forget it. But remembering the voice on the other end, I couldn’t bring myself to call back. I searched for his WeChat ID. Account deleted. Phone number, disconnected. I lay on my bed, clutching my phone. Alex forgot. He was the one who deleted me six years ago. 2 I remembered his old number and added him. He accepted quickly but didn’t say a word for a long time. I quietly scrolled through the six years he was gone. His feed was silent, monotonous. Until last year. A girl in a red dress appeared, full of life, reminding me of him from before. From that day on, Alex posted more. His smiles weren’t as radiant as before, but they were filled with a quiet happiness. I was dazed. Halfway through scrolling, the screen went blank. He must have remembered. He blocked me. I slowly finished my instant noodles. Thrown the phone aside, wrapped myself in the quilt. Sleepless all night. For the next few days, we both acted like nothing happened. I prepped lessons, went to school, fed the cat. A two-point line. He was busy with his company, international negotiations. Occasionally, I saw him on TV. Alex Shen, the new tech tycoon, rising alone, swallowing company after company. My friend, Linda, sometimes brought groceries to visit. We’d sit on the sofa, eating watermelon and watching the news. His success made many socialites restless, throwing olive branches his way. “Mr. Shen, you’ve rejected all marriage proposals. May I ask why?” a bold reporter asked. Alex narrowed his eyes, composed and distant. Yet, a flicker of tenderness passed through his eyes. “I have a girlfriend.” Everyone guessed it was the girl in the mansion. Only Linda poked me, asking hesitantly. “You just said you got back together. Is he going to marry you?” “After all, his pursuit of you back then was legendary. The whole school knew.” I stared at the polite, cold man on the screen. I shook my head. I knocked on her head. “Idiot. Who gets a girlfriend over an ice cream?” Alex didn’t care about me at all. “I know, but he’s the Alex who loved you the most in the world!” She counted on her fingers. “Skipping class together, claw machines, first kiss.” “Every time you gave him a look, the icy school god would come wagging his tail.” The memories felt distant. “By the way, tell me the truth. Did you really cheat on him?” I hummed, shaking my head honestly. Linda fell silent, changing the subject. “It’s okay. Don’t be sad. We don’t need men.” I looked up, speaking slowly. “I was fine to begin with.” She choked, put on an apron, and went to cook. “Tsk. Knew you were heartless. Come help.” I thought things would continue as usual. Until one night, he texted me first. [Dinner tomorrow night?] [I’ll wait downstairs.] I saw the message after my shower. Right. Since the breakup six years ago. Maybe I got old and lazy. I stayed in this small apartment where we once lived together. I stared for a while before remembering to refuse. [No, I’m busy tomorrow.] His reply was brief. [I’ll wait three minutes.] Indifferent, distant, impatient. I remembered. He wasn’t the Alex who followed my every whim anymore. But I really didn’t want to eat this meal. I thought for a moment, typing. [Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean that. It’s just rare for ice cream to be on sale, and it was so hot…] [I only knew you on the street. Dragging a stranger to split the bill is weird. At least we used to date…] [Let’s just break up. Good for you, good for me, good for everyone.] The more I typed, the messier it got. I deleted everything. Sent one sentence. [That day I said getting back together was a joke. Sorry.] I waited with my phone for a while. He didn’t reply. I sighed. Those lingering feelings from six years ago… let’s just let them go. 3 I didn’t take it seriously. He probably couldn’t be bothered and blacklisted me again. But when I came back from class in the afternoon. I ran into Alex right at the gate. He leaned lazily against his car, attracting a crowd of girls. “It’s Alex Shen! He’s so handsome!” “Yeah, the top scorer from eight years ago!” Alex stared blankly at the sycamore trees on campus. I quietly tried to walk around him, but he called out. “Xu Mo.” “Long time no see. So you’ve been teaching at River City High all this time.” River City High was our alma mater. Teasing flashed in his eyes. “What? Nostalgic? Can’t let go?” I gave a dumb “Ah.” “Yeah, I can’t let go. They offered double the salary.” Alex’s face darkened. “Heh. You love money as much as ever.” He couldn’t read my expression. He opened the car door and got in. “Get in.” I said slowly. “I really don’t want to go…” Alex rolled down the window coolly. “Seafood boil is 50% off today.” I whispered without confidence. “Can we get takeout?” He looked like he was going to laugh from anger. “Whatever.” I hopped into the back seat. He changed cars today. A Porsche Cayenne. Looked rarely driven. No pink decorations in the passenger seat. Alex drove quietly. I leaned against the window, both of us silent. Honestly, I didn’t understand why he came. I said it was a joke. He didn’t seem like the type to pester. He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. Then he irritably pulled out a cigarette. My eyes flickered. I opened my mouth. He held the cigarette pack and accidentally hit a button. A cutesy, spoiled female voice rang out. “Dear Mr. Shen, are you in a bad mood again?” “Don’t smoke, okay? I’ll sing you a song.” “Two tigers, two tigers, run fast…” I froze. He froze too. He put the cigarette back instinctively. A smile rippled in his eyes, terrifyingly warm. Leaving me truly restless. We arrived quickly. A seafood stall by the sea. Alex went to order. I leaned on the railing, enjoying the breeze. A drunk fat guy walked up and put his hand on my shoulder. “Yo, beauty. Where’s your boyfriend?” I quietly pushed his hand away and moved further. He persisted. In the struggle, I met Alex’s gaze not far away. He watched quietly. Until some college guys stepped in to stop it. Alex slowly walked over. Maybe they knew him. The drunk sobered up instantly. “Mr. Shen, is she your woman? I just…” He smiled and patted the fat guy’s shoulder. “You bullying her has nothing to do with me.” I stared at him. He shrugged, eyes full of coldness. “What? I said we’re back together. I didn’t say I’d be good to you.” With that. Alex took the seafood and beer and walked away. 4 He leaned back in the wicker chair. I stood, refusing to sit. “Eat something first. The takeout bag won’t fit it all.” I finally felt something was weird and asked quietly. “Mr. Shen, did you see the message?” He looked at me calmly, speaking casually. “What message? I don’t have the leisure to stare at your chat box all day.” I still didn’t move. He got impatient. “Are you eating or not?” I looked down. These were my favorites. I was hungry. I reached out and tasted a skewer. The spice made tears flow instantly. “Cough, cough.” “Not good?” He scrutinized me brazenly. “Oh, I forgot. This is my preferred taste.” “I used to always accommodate your preference for mild broth. How about you compromise this time?” I stayed silent, rinsing it in my water cup. Still spicy. But besides that, fresh, tender meat. He squinted at me for a while, then raised his hand for the waiter. “Another round of everything on the table. Non-spicy.” He paused. “And a strawberry mousse.” I took out a wet wipe and said slowly. “No need. I want to go home.” Alex raised an eyebrow. “What? Feeling wronged already?” Actually, it was okay. Just the spice burning my stomach slowly reached my heart. Uncomfortable. Wanted to go home immediately. Too lazy to even pack leftovers. He stood up too, pushing the plates away. Lazily said, “Let’s go then. I’ll drive you.” I opened my mouth. Guessing my refusal, he added. “It’s ten miles to the city.” “You have no sense of direction. Want to walk until dawn?” Alex naturally took my hand. I struggled uncomfortably. As always, he gripped tighter. I couldn’t break free, so I gave up. Before leaving. I took out my phone to take a picture, wanting to share the hidden gem with Linda. Alex, who was spacing out, suddenly reached out. Slapped my phone away. “Don’t take pictures!” His voice was loud, attracting attention. Everyone looked over. He said coldly, “If she sees the photo, I have ways to ruin you.” I froze. It took a moment to react. The phone hit the ground. Screen shattered. I bent down to pick it up, wiping off the dust. Pity. It was a new phone. I said slowly. “I didn’t want to take a photo with you. Or post it online.” “I just thought the food was good and wanted to come back with a friend.” Alex’s eyes flashed with guilt, then turned cold again. He pursed his lips. “I’ll buy you a new one.” “Yours was old anyway. Last year’s model.” I shook my head silently. “No. There’s no reason for you to buy me things.” “I’ll call a friend to pick me up. Mr. Shen, help yourself.” Alex narrowed his eyes, sneering as he grabbed my wrist. “No reason? Didn’t you beg me to get back together?” I realized belatedly and let out an “Ah.” I held up my phone. “Didn’t you read the message I sent? I was really just joking.” “What are you talking about?” He frowned, opening his phone. My messages were set to “Do Not Disturb.” Who did it was obvious. I apologized. “Sorry. I just wanted to split the bill. If I caused a misunderstanding, I’m really sorry…” “Xu Mo!” He interrupted me with a dark face. Almost gritting his teeth. “So, it was just for an ice cream?” I blinked blankly. “Yeah.” “…Fine. Xu Mo. Good job.” He laughed coldly. Kicked the tree next to him hard. Sycamore leaves fell like rain. Covering me. “Do you know? Every time I see that indifferent look on your face, I want to strangle you.” He seemed to finally lose his temper. “Who else would want a patient with emotional detachment disorder like you, except me?” “Don’t regret it.” Alex left coldly. I stood there. Passersby looked at me strangely, whispering. “So she’s emotionally detached. Can’t love.” “Poor boyfriend. Putting up with a selfish, cold partner. No wonder he’s mad.” “Please, can these people not date and ruin others’ lives? Go to a mental hospital…” I lowered my head. Alex was angry again. The breakup six years ago was still vivid. He was angry and pleading then too. “Xu Mo, why do you never say you love me!” “Say it! Why am I always the proactive one? Why do you always seem not to care about me!” “Did you want to break up long ago?” He smashed his fist on the table. Loud and hoarse. People everywhere. Glass cut his hand, staining it red. His eyes were red too. I was truly scared stupid. I didn’t know how to respond. Seeing him like that, I was terrified. Childhood memories flooded back. I covered my ears and screamed. “Then let’s break up.” With that sentence, everything finally returned to calm. But later, even though I took a lot of medicine, it didn’t work. When I went to find him again, he had a new lover. Someone who knew how to love him. It started drizzling. I lied. No one was coming to pick me up. I quietly knocked on the clinic next door. “Doctor, can emotional detachment be cured?” A man in a white coat was leaning against the door. He glanced at me and drawled. “Find me and it’s guaranteed. Just learn three sentences from me.” I widened my eyes. He coughed. “First sentence: I love you.” Me: “???” I looked closely at the man. Pale skin, tall and slender, hands in his coat pockets. Cold features, but eyes bright as stars. Shiny and gentle. I was dazed. Too beautiful. I was afraid I walked into a host club…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385895”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my weakest year, Ryan, a scholarship student with the same rare blood type as me, became my walking blood bank. He was required to stay by my side constantly, and was even forced to marry me. I knew he hated me. Until I heard his inner thoughts. [Why can’t wifey just slap me for no reason? Then I could cuddle with her!] [Some people fall in love, some people watch the ocean, I’ve been awake all night missing my wife!] [Wait? Wifey looked at me! I should have worn that deep V-neck shirt!] [Is it too late to rip my shirt open now?] 1 I watched Ryan’s hands twitching restlessly. I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles, like I had a fishbone stuck in my throat. If he ripped his shirt open… I wouldn’t mind! But I suspected I was hallucinating. “What’s wrong?” Ryan looked up at me, his expression indifferent, like he was looking at a stranger. It was hard to imagine we’d lived together since we were twelve, and had been married for two years now. He was always aloof, a man of few words. But now, his voice was chattering non-stop in my ear. [Wifey looked at me again!] [Yesterday she was fangirling over some celebrity, so today I styled my hair the same way. Gotta win the male competition.] [Wifey’s lips look so soft, want to kiss.] [Wifey’s waist is so thin, want to feed her!] [Want to see wifey’s little tummy puff out, maybe even pinch it…] [Want to eat wifey up.] [Yes! New material for tonight’s dreams!] [When will my dreams come true! Am I not trying hard enough?] Me: “…” One thing was certain: I was hearing Ryan’s inner thoughts! Realizing this fact, the spoon in my hand dropped into the bowl, and my sleepy brain woke up completely. “Ouch~” A hand grabbed tissues faster than I could. The soup splashed on the back of my hand was gently wiped away, and Ryan carefully checked for burns. He frowned, looking like I owed him a million bucks: “Be careful.” [Oh my god! Which direction do I need to bow to for a chance to feed wifey?] [Wifey looks so cute when she’s confused, want to kiss, hug, and do things with wifey.] [So scared I might accidentally squeeze her to death.] 2 I quickly pulled my arm out of Ryan’s grasp. Just wanted to kiss me, now he wants to kill me? Psycho! Not daring to stay longer, I stood up. “I’m full.” Hearing this, Ryan frowned even harder, opened his mouth then closed it, and buried his head back in his food. But I could hear his thoughts. [She only ate two soup dumplings and half a bowl of porridge. A one-year-old eats more than her.] [When can I fatten her up?] [Is my cooking bad? Shouldn’t be, I specifically learned from the chef at the old house.] [Eat fast, later I’ll make wifey her favorite mango cupcakes.] I sat on the living room sofa, glancing at Ryan from the corner of my eye. He really did speed up his eating. He finished the rest of the food in a few bites, even pouring my leftover half bowl of porridge into his stomach. [Ate wifey’s leftovers again, this counts as an indirect kiss, right?] [I’m the happiest man in the world!] [Time to make cupcakes for wifey!] Noticing the fleeting besotted expression on Ryan’s face, I was shocked and hurriedly lowered my eyes. Wait! What was that? My gaze suddenly froze, then retracted like I’d been electrocuted. Ryan was wearing grey sweatpants today, sitting sideways to me. A very impressive shape, clearly visible. This… I touched my own flat stomach. It should fit, right? Though my experience was limited to the hundreds of romance novels I’d secretly read. 3 Ryan was busy in the kitchen making cupcakes. But why was his shirt gone? Long, tight muscles clung to his shoulder blades, apron strings tied around a waist with zero fat, dipping into a narrow lower back. Truly blinding! Better than those comic book male leads you can only read at night! I ungracefully tilted my head back and pinched my nose. [Wifey look at me!] [Books say inadvertent seduction is the deadliest!] [Did wifey look at me? Can she pretend to inadvertently look back to check?] [I’m just wifey’s childhood betrothed, plain face, plain body, plain abilities.] [Such a plain me, wifey won’t cherish once she has me. I have to keep wifey hooked forever, be the man she can’t have!] Hmph, go be a pure love protagonist somewhere else! This channel isn’t for you! I was so mad I wanted to throw an apple at him, when Ryan turned around. “Face so red, feeling sick?” He walked over quickly, placing honey water and cupcakes in front of me, the back of his cool hand touching my forehead. A brief touch. [No fever, scared me to death.] [No way, no way, is wifey blushing because she saw me?] If I couldn’t hear his thoughts, I might have thought, like before, that he didn’t want to touch me. So he puts on this ascetic face all day, but his brain is full of chaotic thoughts about seducing me? Thanks. I was seduced. Coughing lightly, I didn’t dare look directly at Ryan. “Just scrolling on my phone.” I casually unlocked my phone. Only to find it was still on TikTok. On the screen, a muscular guy stood under a shower, white shirt soaked through, lean waist moving. Crap! It was the thirst trap video I scrolled past this morning! I tried to swipe away quickly, but my hand slipped and I liked it… Ryan’s face was calm, eyes gloomy and tinged with red. [Heh, so she’s looking at wild men!] [And liking it right in front of me!] [First celebrities, now thirst traps, am I just a decoration to her?] I tried to explain. “If I said the algorithm pushed it to me, would you believe it?” Ryan looked indifferent, shoving the honey water into my hand: “It’s dry out, drink some water.” But his inner voice told me he cared to death. [Hmph, what’s so good about those shameless men!] [Didn’t she see? I have an eight-pack too, I have a thin waist and long legs too. If wifey wants to see, I can get wet too, I can even get wet naked!] [And I only show wifey.] [But wifey doesn’t like me, she only likes that senior. I really am just a fcking decoration!]* [Want to cry. Wifey, can I sleep between you and the senior?] I, who was fantasizing about him in a wet white shirt, widened my eyes. When did I ever like some senior? Why is he biting back? It was clearly him who barely spoke to me all day, guarding against me like a thief, unwilling to be close. Resulting in us having no marital life, not even sleeping in the same room. Seeing Ryan walk towards the study with red eyes, I felt the need to ask clearly. But just as I stood up, black spots filled my vision and I fell back onto the sofa. Stood up too fast, body too weak. By the time I recovered, the study door was closed. 4 After finishing the cupcake and resting a bit, I went to knock on the door. “Leave the empty plate, I’ll wash it later.” “Let’s talk.” We spoke at the same time. Ryan’s inner voice followed. [Is wifey’s expression a showdown?] [She doesn’t want me anymore!] [Just because I caught her watching wild men videos? I didn’t even say anything, why is she so petty!] [Except for love, I won’t talk about anything!] [As long as I occupy this position, any wild man outside is just a mistress!] Looking at the increasingly cold man, I really worried he was showing signs of split personality. The concern inadvertently showing in my eyes made Ryan misunderstand even more. [She pities me!] [She just doesn’t want me anymore!] Then, I heard him speak. Voice muffled, a bit hoarse. “I’m busy with work today, another time. “I’ll cook on time. If you’re hungry, there’s another cake in the fridge. Let it warm up before eating, or you’ll get a stomachache.” Then he took a call and closed the door. Through the door, I heard him crying internally. [Boohoohoo, suffered such a huge grievance, tonight I’ll reward myself with wifey’s nightgown.] Me: …! After getting married, driven by selfishness, I wanted to be alone with him. So we moved out of the old mansion into a downtown penthouse. Ryan always did the housework. Occasionally he would apologetically bring me new nightgowns, saying he used too much force and accidentally stretched mine out of shape. He looked so guilty, I couldn’t really blame him. I never thought deeply about why he always had new nightgowns ready in advance! Today I learned, all those nightgowns were deformed because he was “rewarding himself”! For the rest of the day, Ryan did everything he could to avoid me. He hid until nightfall. I have a regular schedule, sleep by eleven, and sleep well. But not today. I was thinking about me and Ryan. Calling Ryan my childhood betrothed was a stretch. After all, since childhood, my parents always joked about us, fearing I’d be mistreated if I married someone else, so I might as well marry Ryan. But initially, he was just my “mobile blood bank.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385894”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I am the broken “White Moonlight” of a gloomy male lead. Seven years after I escaped his world, the System demanded I return to save him again. I refused, flat out. “Let him find someone else. I’m busy.” Then, I was diagnosed with cancer. The System came back, offering a deal: advanced medical treatment within the story world in exchange for my return. Before I could even respond, glowing comments floated across my vision like a chaotic Twitch stream: [ LOL, the System will do anything to drag the ex-wife back. ] [ It has no choice! The male lead is so obsessed with her he won’t even look at the new heroine. ] [ Exactly. He needs to see how selfish, ugly, and bitter she’s become… ] [ Only then will he move on and get with the new girl. ] [ After all, the only thing that can kill a White Moonlight is a rotten White Moonlight. ] I tore my eyes away from the floating text. The System was frantic. [Host, why are you hesitating?] [In the years since you left, the male lead has advanced technology in his world. The cure rate for cancer there is over 80%.] [Just say yes, and you get immediate, top-tier treatment.] It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Yet, I hesitated. The comments kept scrolling: [ The System talks a good game. ] [ It’s just dragging her back to break the male lead’s heart so our new, young, beautiful heroine can shine. ] [ When the male lead sees his ‘White Moonlight’ looking like this, he’ll probably be disgusted. ] [ Hey, it’s a win-win. The ex-wife gets cured as long as she plays her role as a tool. ] I paused. “Will Ethan know I’m back?” The System stammered. [Well… running into him is inevitable.] [But don’t worry. He’s moved on. It won’t affect you.] [We already found a replacement. They… they have a great relationship.] To prove it, the System showed me some data. [This was your profile seven years ago: perfect personality, looks, temperament. That’s why we chose you to save him.] [The current you is… different. There’s no way he’ll like you again.] I agreed. I didn’t care about their motives. I just wanted to live. The System sighed with relief and transported me directly to a hospital in the story world. As I arrived, the comments confirmed the System’s claims. [ Great relationship? They are perfect for each other! ] [ If our new heroine hadn’t warmed his heart for the last year after the ex refused to come back, the male lead would be dead! ] [ Hurry up and let him get over the ex so we can see the romance… Wait, is that the new girl? ] The noise stopped abruptly. Chapter 2 In the consultation room, a young woman in a white coat extended her hand warmly. “Hello, Ms. Lin. I’m Dr. Sarah Yu.” “I’ve been assigned as your primary physician.” Sarah Yu? The name sounded familiar. I couldn’t place it, so I just smiled and shook her hand. [ Holy crap, is the System crazy? Making the new heroine treat the ex-wife? ] [ Tsk tsk, standing next to each other makes the difference even more obvious. I can’t see why he ever loved the ex. ] [ Once the male lead sees the ex now, he’ll know who to choose. ] … I studied Sarah quietly. So this was the second “Savior.” Looking closely, she did resemble me a bit. Even our professions were the same. She was kind, beautiful, and vibrant. No wonder Ethan fell for her, just like he fell for me back then. Sarah asked about my condition and gave a preliminary diagnosis: “Stage IV lymphoma. It has metastasized. We can treat it, but the process will be painful.” “But I’ll do my best to make you comfortable.” I nodded, about to thank her. A knock on the door interrupted us. Sarah opened it, expecting a patient. I looked down, fiddling with a pen. The next second, I heard a gasp of delight: “Ethan! What are you doing here?” Chapter 3 The pen cap clattered onto the floor. My mind went blank for a solid ten seconds. I bent down, fumbling for the cap. In my peripheral vision, a man leaned against the doorframe, smiling. “Picking you up. It’s time.” He saw me with my back to the door and asked calmly, “Is this your patient?” Sarah hummed a yes. The air seemed to freeze for a second. Ethan’s voice was faint, devoid of emotion. “I won’t disturb you then.” I closed my eyes. The comments were burned into my brain: [ LOL, does the ex think he recognized her? ] [ Look at her. She’s a skeleton. Even face-to-face, he wouldn’t know her. ] [ Hehe, this is the first time he’s picked Sarah up! So sweet! ] [ Ugh, if the ex wasn’t here, they could be having a romantic moment. ] When I snapped back to reality, Sarah had closed the door. She was smiling, clearly in a good mood, as she arranged my admission. Then she rushed off work. I stood by the window until the understated luxury car left the hospital. The nurse drawing my blood gossiped, “See that Rolls Royce? That’s Dr. Yu’s boyfriend.” I paused. “Boyfriend? Just a friend, maybe?” The nurse shook her head. “Not official yet, but it’s only a matter of time.” She looked at me with pity. “You’re so sick, where is your family?” “Gone,” I said flatly. “Oh. What about a boyfriend?” “Single since birth. Where would I get a boyfriend?” The nurse sighed and gave me some advice. The next morning, Sarah came for rounds. As she checked the machines, I noticed a jasmine flower bracelet on her slender wrist. Catching my stare, she blushed. “A birthday gift from a friend. Not worth much.” I smiled and said nothing. The comments, however, wouldn’t let me be: [ That jasmine bracelet… isn’t that the token of love between the male lead and the ex? ] [ He just gave it to the new girl, haha! I remember the ex stringing those buds one by one to help him sleep. ] [ The ex was so pure back then… she treated him so well. ] [ Yeah, I still remember her running across the field in her uniform to hug him when he fell… ] [ Can I say it? The ex was my White Moonlight too. ] Chapter 4 Long-buried memories shifted. I was transported back to the years I spent saving Ethan. Orphaned, living with abusive relatives. Beaten and starved daily, he became cold, gloomy, and filled with malice toward the world. Back then, my role was just his desk mate. I spent three years trying to warm his heart. And only raised his affection by a pitiful 15%. After graduation, Ethan had the grades for the best university. But his greedy relatives changed his application to save money, blocking his future. Late one night, the System woke me up. Ethan was suicidal. I rushed to the rooftop. He was already on the edge. I was only nineteen in the real world. I didn’t know how to talk someone down. I didn’t know how to make a paranoid soul like Ethan value life. But I knew one thing. People who want to die don’t want death. They want love. So I gathered my courage and tugged his shirt. “I like you. I don’t want you to die.” Ethan looked at my red eyes, paused, then looked away. “I don’t believe you.” I was frantic. “I really like you!” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. “Do you believe me now?” While he was stunned, I hugged him tight, sobbing: “So what if they changed your application? We’ll repeat a year. I’m free, I can support you.” “Listen to me. You are the most important person in the world to me. If you die, I won’t live either.” … I stayed with Ethan for five years. From nothing to a bright future. At our lowest, we lived in a tiny basement apartment. Like two huddled quails, clinging to each other. Ethan, once in love, was incredibly docile. Knowing I was a picky eater, he learned to cook. For seven years, he made every meal I ate. The day I left, I made him a bowl of noodles. He ate it obediently, eyes red by the end. He didn’t dare ask me to stay. He didn’t ask for more time. He just tugged my shirt, humble as dust. “Wait for me. I will come find you in your world.” “Lin Huanye, don’t abandon me, okay?” “Okay.” I wiped his tears, smiling. “Work hard here, and come get me soon.” “Whenever you need me, I’ll come back for you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385893”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Chapter 1 After the senior prom, the entire class started confessing to their crushes. Everyone assumed I’d use the opportunity to harass Leo, try to force him to be with me. But as the crowd thinned out, I was nowhere to be found. He didn’t know that, at that exact moment, I was in an empty classroom, straddling his best friend’s lap. “I’m right here now,” I said, my voice shaking. “You don’t have to look at the photos anymore.” Julian’s eyes traveled down my uniform skirt, which I’d deliberately hemmed ten centimeters shorter. His jaw tightened. “Chloe,” he said, his voice strained. “Get off me. It’s not too late to stop.” Chapter 2 Everyone got drunk at the after-party. Girls who were usually shy found liquid courage and started confessing their love. My friend nudged me. “Chloe, are you gonna go for Leo?” Leo was surrounded. Girls were handing him love letters, small gifts. He was polite, gentle, thanking each one before turning them down. Then, the most popular girl in school, Sienna, walked up to him. The whole room buzzed. My friend looked at me, worried. I just smiled and slipped out of the room. The moment I left, Leo turned Sienna down. “Dude, you even rejected Sienna?” “Who are you holding out for, a goddess?” “Wait, is it because Chloe’s finally driven you off women?” “Speaking of, where is Chloe? She was here.” “I heard she was getting her uniform skirt hemmed. Bet she’s changing into her battle armor.” “Ooh, so she’s planning to conquer Leo tonight?” Leo leaned against the window, sipping his drink. Hearing the chatter, he gave a cold laugh. “Like she has a chance.” “She’s pretty, though, Leo. You’re not even a little tempted?” “Yeah, man. Those legs are insane.” “And her face is so innocent. When she smiles, even I melt a little.” “If you can’t handle her, I’ll take her,” one guy laughed. Leo’s voice dropped, turning icy. “Then go ahead.” He glanced at my empty seat and walked out of the room. Chapter 3 We were eighteen. We were adults. Everyone knew what prom night meant. The hotels nearby had been booked for weeks. Some of the braver girls had already slipped their room keys to their crushes. Everyone had been repressed for too long. They just wanted one night of freedom. If I were the old Chloe, I’d probably be chasing Leo right now. I stood on the curb and hailed a cab. My phone buzzed. A text from Leo. [Sienna just confessed to me. Should I say yes?] I realized our chat history was frozen. The last text I sent him, two months ago, he’d left me on read. I hadn’t texted him since. And, of course, he’d never text me first. This was a first. I didn’t reply. I just closed the app. As I walked through the school gates, my phone exploded. Screenshot after screenshot of Leo and Sienna’s “official” relationship post. In the photo, his arm was wrapped tightly around her. I felt nothing. Three months ago, I suddenly realized I had been transmigrated into a trashy adult novel as the tragic side character. Leo was the male lead. Sienna, the heroine. And my half-sister. When I found out about Sienna’s “true parentage,” I hated her. I spent my time trying to ruin her, which led to my own tragic end. I was eventually thrown into a mental institution by Leo and died, alone and miserable, before I was thirty. Reading the book, I didn’t even like the main characters. I was always drawn to the quiet, overlooked side character, Julian. The author hinted that Julian had a secret crush. But the novel was abandoned before it was revealed. I always wondered who it was. One month after I woke up in this world, I stumbled on his secret. Chapter 4 I’d gone back to the classroom late one night to find my phone. I found Julian sitting at my desk. His phone screen was lit up, and it was a photo of me. The classroom was so quiet I could hear his breathing, heavy and uneven. I heard the sound of the desk rattling against the floor. I stood in the doorway, frozen, mortified and awkward. I also realized this novel was way filthier than I thought. He saw me. He didn’t stop. When he was finished, he stood up, tucked himself away, and tied the drawstring on his sweatpants. Only then did he look at me, his face blank. “Chloe. Seen enough?” I stammered. “S-seen… seen what? I didn’t see anything…” I’m pretty sure I heard him laugh. As he walked past me, I smelled a clean, woody scent. And… something else. Something musky. My face went hot. He paused at the door and looked back. “Leo isn’t right for you.” “Julian?” He’d already turned and walked away. “Forget it. I didn’t say anything.” Chapter 5 Julian was the school’s untouchable ice prince. A rich kid from the city, blessed with a face that made girls lose their minds. In the dorms, his name was a nightly prayer. But he was cold. He never spoke to anyone, especially girls. Until I found out his secret. It made my heart do a stupid little flip. … Downstairs, I called him. It rang for a long time. “Julian.” “Need something?” “I’m downstairs from the classroom building.” “The sensor light in the stairwell is broken. It’s dark. I’m scared.” He was silent for a few seconds, then hung up. I leaned against the wall, my hope fading. Maybe he was transmigrated, too. Maybe his crush wasn’t me anymore. But then I heard footsteps. I looked up. The moonlight silhouetted his tall, lean frame. His profile was sharp, his jawline clean. He was just wearing a t-shirt and sweats, but he looked… unreal. I was nervous. He stopped in front of me. “Chloe.” “Here.” I stood up straight, like a soldier. I think he smiled. He held out his hand. My hand was sweaty. I placed it in his. He didn’t say another word. He just laced his fingers through mine and led me up the stairs.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385892”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My brother, Leo, got into a car accident and woke up insisting he was a time traveler from the future. This would have been fine, if he hadn’t stormed into my office, pointed at my ice-cold, intimidating boss, and yelled, “Brother-in-law!” My blood ran cold. I had just been chewed out by Kian for a work mistake. If Leo pissed him off, I wouldn’t just be embarrassed; I’d be unemployed. I tried to drag Leo out of the building, but he did the unthinkable. He grabbed Kian by the waistband. “Dude, you haven’t asked her out yet? Are you a monk?!” Leo shouted. “You’ve already got my sister’s name tattooed on your lower back! What the hell are you waiting for?” The kid was spouting pure, weapons-grade insanity. I didn’t understand a word. Kian looked like he was about to short-circuit. His face was beet-red. That night, I sat at my laptop, mournfully drafting my resignation letter, when I accidentally saw a chat window open. It was Leo’s account, and Kian had just messaged him. “How many kids do we have in the future?” “Do they look like her or me?” “A divorce crisis?!” “Is someone hitting on her? WHO IS THE BASTARD?!” 1 I had just walked out of my boss’s office, still stinging from the lecture, when my mom called. “Mom, is Leo awake?” Leo’s my little brother, a high school senior. He was riding his bike home late from school two nights ago and got hit by a car. He’d been unconscious for two days. If I hadn’t been so worried about him, I probably wouldn’t have sent a text meant for a client directly to my boss, earning me that 30-minute dressing-down. “He’s awake! He’s awake!” Mom sounded relieved. “The doctors are checking him now.” “How is he?” I pressed. “Can he see? Can he hear? Does he recognize you?” Mom paused for two long seconds. I panicked. “Is he blind? Is he deaf?!” “No, neither,” she said slowly. “He’s just… saying the weirdest things.” I heard a commotion in the background. It was Leo, shouting triumphantly, “I knew it! I’m the chosen one!” “Mom! Is that Chloe?! Put her on the phone! PUT ME ON!” A few seconds of rustling, then: “Chloe! You won’t believe this! I’m from 2035! I time-traveled! Listen to me, I can make us rich…!” I hung up, my face completely blank. Does that little idiot think I have time for this? Our company, Apex Solutions, was having cash-flow problems. Our boss was in a foul mood, and a storm cloud hung over the entire office. When I walked back to my desk, my colleagues gave me looks of pity. “Chloe, you okay?” one of them whispered. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She gave me a thumbs-up. “You’ve got guts. ‘The Ice King’ reamed you out for half an hour and you look totally unfazed.” “The Ice King.” That’s what we called our boss, Kian. As she said it, her eyes darted to something behind me and she immediately shut her mouth. Kian was walking out of his office. He was tall, with broad shoulders and long legs, and features so sharp they looked precision-cut. He was wearing a boring gray suit, but on him, it somehow looked intimidatingly attractive. He was on the phone as he walked into the elevator. The moment the doors closed, the office vibe instantly relaxed. “Looks like the Ice King solved the cash-flow problem.” “He’s intense, man.” “Tell me about it. He doesn’t just work us to the bone; he works himself to the bone.” “Hey, Chloe, didn’t you go to the same college as Kian? Wasn’t he a senior when you were a freshman?” The topic suddenly veered to me. I nodded. “Was he like this back then, too?” I blinked. “Like what?” My coworker searched for the word. “So… inhuman.” 2 Kian was my senior in college. He was the president of the Volunteer Committee I joined. We didn’t interact much, and I definitely wouldn’t call us “friends.” I didn’t feel comfortable gossiping about his past. I just laughed and dodged the question, heading to the breakroom. The chatter continued behind me, but my mind drifted. The answer to her question had actually popped into my head immediately. Was Kian inhuman in college? I didn’t think so. Not then… and not now. I glanced around the breakroom. Our company was a startup, new and scrappy. But this room was always stocked. After an intern almost fainted from low blood sugar, a special basket of chocolates and candies appeared and was never allowed to empty. The women’s restroom was always stocked with emergency tampons and pads. When it came to client dinners, Kian always went himself. If he absolutely couldn’t, he’d only ask the guys on the team to go… They were small things. So small, nobody really noticed. Kian was actually trying his best to carry all the pressure himself. 3 Kian returned just before 5 PM, looking relaxed. My coworker whispered, “He fixed it. We don’t have to work late tonight.” We didn’t just get to avoid overtime. A moment later, a company-wide email landed: “Project secured. Please take tomorrow as a paid day off.” The office was silent for two seconds, then erupted. “I LOVE THIS COMPANY!” “I LOVE APEX SOLUTIONS!” “I LOVE THE ICE KING!” The last shout rang out just as Kian walked out of his office. The guy who yelled it froze, then slowly buried his head in a stack of files. Kian didn’t even get mad. He just gave us a mild look. “Go home early.” His gaze lingered on me for a second. I nodded quickly. “Yes, boss.” If the boss was leaving, what were we wage-slaves sticking around for? I started packing my bag immediately. I was standing behind Kian waiting for the elevator when my mom called again. “Your brother’s been discharged. He said he’s going to your office to pick you up. This kid…” “Pick me up?” I frowned. “Where is he now?” “He must be close. He snuck out while I was handling the paperwork.” My vision went black for a second. “Okay, I got it. I’ll bring him home.” I hung up just as the elevator arrived. I followed Kian inside. The elevator was small. We stood on opposite corners, as far apart as possible, but it still felt cramped. I was staring at the back of his head when he suddenly spoke. “Is… your boyfriend picking you up?” Boyfriend? I blinked, then realized what he’d overheard. “Oh! No. That was my mom. It’s my brother.” Kian’s brow, which had been slightly furrowed, visibly relaxed. “Ah. My mistake.” Silence again. I watched the floor numbers creep down to 1. The doors opened, and I immediately spotted a guy with a bandaged head, looking lost in the lobby. “Leo!” I hurried over. “What are you doing here?!” “Chloe! Chloe!” Leo looked ecstatic. “It’s so weird seeing you this young again!” I stared at him. “…Are you high?” “Sis, I have to tell you a secret.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “I’m from the year 2035.” I studied him seriously. “Did the doctor not recommend a psych evaluation?” They just let him walk out? When he saw I didn’t believe him, he started getting agitated. His eyes scanned the lobby and landed on Kian, who was talking to the receptionist. Leo’s eyes lit up. “Wait… isn’t that…?” He pointed at Kian, stammering. I grabbed his hand. “Don’t point. That’s my boss!” My words were drowned out by the loudest shout I’d ever heard. “BROTHER-IN-LAW!” Leo ripped his arm from my grasp and ran at Kian. He threw his arms around my boss and slapped him on the back several times. “Kian! We got in the crash together! Did you time-travel back to 2025 with me?!” “I was so scared, man! Thank God you’re here!” And then, Leo cupped Kian’s face and planted a loud, wet kiss on his cheek. I turned to stone. My coworkers, who had just gotten off the next elevator, also turned to stone. Kian looked stunned. He looked at Leo, then at me. He finally shoved Leo off. Maintaining the last shred of his dignity, he ground out, “Can you please tell me who you are?” “It’s me! Leo!” Leo pointed back at me. “Your wife’s brother! Your favorite brother-in-law!” Every single person in that lobby turned to stare at me. 4 My face was burning as I grabbed the back of Leo’s hospital gown and tried to drag him away. But he’s seventeen and a lot stronger than me. He broke free, sat down on the floor, and wrapped his arms around Kian’s legs. My coworkers’ jaws were on the floor. A few had their phones out, filming. I’d had enough. “Leo! What the hell is wrong with you?!” “You don’t get it!” he yelled back, his eyes actually turning red. He looked more victimized than I did. “I get sent back in time, three months before finals! Do you think I understand any of that crap anymore?! They want me to take tests! It’s killing me!” “Mom doesn’t believe me! You don’t believe me! Nobody believes me!” “You have no idea how much I’m freaking out!” Leo wailed, then turned back to Kian. “Brother-in-law, you really don’t recognize me? How come we were in the same crash, but I’m the only one who time-traveled?” Kian finally seemed to piece together what was happening. He looked at me, then at Leo, his expression unreadable. Then he asked the one question everyone in the lobby was thinking. “What… did you call me?” “Brother-in-law,” Leo said. “You and Chloe get married in 2031. Your daughter, Kayla, is born in 2032. Oh, man, speaking of Kayla, that little demon is… mmmph!” I slapped my hand over his mouth. “Shut up. If you say one more word, we’re both dying here.” Leo shut up. Apparently, the will to live was stronger than his desire to rant. I felt like I was losing my mind. I mumbled a frantic apology to Kian and turned to leave. Leo scrambled up to follow me. He must have been dizzy from the accident, because he stumbled and grabbed the closest thing to steady himself— Kian’s belt. He also managed to rip Kian’s dress shirt out of his pants.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385891”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Cole is five years older than me, but I never called him “bro.” I’ve watched him cycle through girlfriend after girlfriend. And for every single one, I’ve had to smile, be polite, and treat them like they were already part of the family. On my twenty-second birthday, I waited all day. Cole never showed. So, I made a wish: I was done loving him. Later that night, I was taking the trash out when I saw a familiar figure. It was Cole’s best friend, Julian. “Julian? What are you doing here?” “Cole got held up. He asked me to drop off your gift.” “Oh. Thanks. Where’s yours?” He smiled. “I brought two. Which one I give you depends on your answer to a question.” He looked at me, his smile fading a little. “Mia, it’s exhausting, isn’t it? Loving him. Why don’t you try someone else? Be my girlfriend.” 1 I just stared at him. When did he figure out I was in love with Cole? I thought I’d hidden it perfectly. I never, ever let on that I was jealous. “Julian, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He pressed his lips together, still trying to smile, but his eyes were nervous. “Okay, let me rephrase. Mia, I like you. I want to know if you’ll give me a chance to date you.” But he’s Cole’s best friend. I was five when I first met Cole, and Julian was right there with him. We’ve all known each other for seventeen years. I stared at his face, and my birthday wish from a few hours ago echoed in my head. My staring made him laugh. “What, you’re looking at me like I just created a huge problem for you.” I shook my head. Not a problem. Just a shock. Julian was nothing like Cole. In all the years I’d known him, I’d never seen him with a girlfriend. For a while, I’d even wondered if he and Cole were a thing. But Cole… Cole always had someone. Thinking of him, I felt that familiar, sharp sting. I looked at Julian. “Funny. My birthday wish tonight was to finally start dating. And then you show up. You must be a sign from the universe.” “So, okay. Let’s do it. Let’s date.” Julian froze. He clearly hadn’t expected me to say yes. After a second, he broke into a real smile. He turned, reached into his car, and pulled out a beautifully wrapped box. He handed it to me. “This one is for my girlfriend.” 2 I opened it right there. It was a necklace, delicate and covered in tiny, glittering diamonds. It looked expensive. “Julian, this is too much.” I knew his family had money, but his past birthday gifts were always in the same price range as Cole’s. Something I could afford to reciprocate. He stepped closer and ruffled my hair. “It’s for you. It’s fine.” As he got near, I caught his scent. It was different from Cole’s. Sharper, colder, like iced lemon. I subtly stepped back, trying to figure out how to give it back to him, when his phone rang. “Hey, man. You give her the gift?” The night was quiet. I could hear Cole’s voice perfectly through the speaker. And, underneath it, the sound of a girl laughing. “Yeah, she got it,” Julian said. He was still watching me. I felt awkward and looked away, but I couldn’t help listening. “Good. I called Mia, she didn’t pick up. Thought she was pissed.” Julian chuckled. “No, she was just taking the trash out. Didn’t have her phone.” “Yeah, you’re right. She’s sweet, she never stays mad at me. Wait… how did you know she didn’t have her phone? Is she right there with you? Put her on.” I looked up, my eyes wide in panic. I had just agreed to date him. This was already a mess. But Julian just turned away slightly, his voice dropping. “She can’t talk. What do you want me to tell her?” “Just tell her happy birthday. And that she should really try to get a boyfriend this year. Every time I take her out with me, I have to explain to people that she’s not my girlfriend.” Cole’s voice was teasing, but his words were a casual, public announcement of my humiliation. I dug my nails into my palms. Julian’s voice was quiet but firm. “That won’t be a problem anymore.” Cole was silent for two seconds. His voice was cold when he spoke again. “What does that mean? She’s dating someone?” Julian stepped forward and took my free hand. I tried to pull it away, but he laced his fingers tightly through mine. He looked me right in the eyes. “Yeah,” he said into the phone. “She’s with me. She’s my girlfriend now. So if you’re done, I’m hanging up.” 3 He hung up, but he didn’t let go of my hand. “Are you busy tomorrow?” I stared at the pavement. “No.” “Good. I’ll pick you up. It’s cold out here, you should go inside.” I nodded. The second he released my hand, I turned and practically ran for the lobby. “Mia!” he called out. I stopped, but I couldn’t make myself turn around. “You’re not going to change your mind by morning, are you?” “No,” I said. “Good. Because if you did, I’d just have to keep pestering you until you said yes again.” My face burned. I rushed into the elevator. Back in my apartment, I saw the missed calls from Cole. And a stream of texts. [Happy birthday, Mia.] [Sorry I got tied up. Julian was in town for work, so I asked him to drop off your gift.] [You’re with him?] [When did this happen??] [Why didn’t you tell me?] [I’ve never even seen you two talk. How are you dating?] [Is he pressuring you? You’re too nice to say no. Don’t worry, Mia. I’ll talk to him.] I stared at the screen. My chest felt tight. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. Revenge? Guilt? Or just the same old, bitter disappointment. I thought for a long time, then just typed back: [Yeah.] He immediately tried a video call. I declined. [Mia, have you really thought this through?] Yes. I’m done loving you. [Do you even like him?] I didn’t know. The Julian I knew was always the quiet one at parties, polite but distant. He was gorgeous, with that cool, reserved vibe that always made girls try to talk to him. Tonight, he’d confessed to me. It was shocking. Now that I was calm, I realized I’d probably said yes on impulse. But… maybe Julian wasn’t a bad choice. My phone rang again. Cole. I fumbled it and accidentally answered. “Mia? Are you really with Julian?” He sounded frantic. So he can panic. I just said, “Yeah.” I heard him swear. “Is he forcing you? That asshole. He knows you’re my… my sister. How could he?!” “Mia, don’t worry, I’ll handle this—” I cut him off. “He’s not forcing me. He said he liked me. So I said yes.” And you never did, I thought. So why are you so angry? His ranting stopped cold. I heard a muffled crash, like something breaking. In the background, a girl’s high-pitched voice: “Cole! What’s wrong?” Suddenly, all those complicated feelings vanished. Cole could belong to any of those women. He just couldn’t belong to me. I should have accepted that years ago. I looked down at the glittering necklace from Julian. My voice was quiet. “Cole, I thought you’d be happy for me.” I’d always just called him Cole. He used to tease me for it, saying I was rude, that I should call Julian “Julian” but call him “big brother.” Now I was using the name he wanted, and he was even angrier. There was a rustling sound. Cole’s voice was tight. “Mia, wait for me. I’m coming back. We’ll talk in person.” He hung up. A new text popped up immediately. It was from Julian. [Mia, if Cole comes back to find you… don’t go soft on me, okay?] [Give me a chance. Even if it’s just for one week. Please?] I pictured Julian’s face as he typed that, probably a mix of helplessness and… fondness. I couldn’t help it. I smiled. I texted back: [Okay.] 4 At nine the next morning, Julian called. “Morning. You up?” My brain was still fuzzy. “Huh? What’s up, Julian?” I heard him laugh softly. “Wow. You forget already?” It hit me. The date. I shot up in bed. “Ah! No! I didn’t forget! I’m getting up right now!” His laugh was warmer this time. “It’s okay, relax. Take your time. Just text me when you’re ready.” After I hung up, my heart was pounding. I buried my face in my hands. Every other time I’d seen Julian, Cole was there. Oh, crap. Cole. He said he was coming back. This was getting messy. Why was he freaking out? He didn’t even like me. He was with another girl last night. I took a deep breath, put Cole’s texts on mute, and forced myself to stop thinking about him. I agreed to this. I should at least see it through. When I got downstairs, Julian’s car was already there. He was leaning against the door, tall and impossibly elegant in a wool coat. He looked casual, but the moment he saw me, he smiled and pushed off the car. “Sorry, Julian, I slept in.” “It’s okay,” he said. “So, how are you going to make it up to me?” I wasn’t expecting that. I froze. “Uh… I’ll buy you lunch?” He smiled and took my hand. “Okay. But I was hoping you’d agree to one more thing.” My first date, and I was already late. I felt like I had to say yes. “Sure. As long as I can do it.” “Change what you call me. Don’t call me Julian.” “Oh. Then… what?” “Jules.” He said it, then looked down at me, a hopeful look on his face. Jules. I tried it in my head. It felt way too familiar. “J-Jules,” I whispered. He heard me. His smile widened, and he answered, very seriously, “Yeah. I’m here.” Setting aside the fact that we were dating, Julian’s face, when he smiled, was seriously lethal. Especially when you knew you were the one who caused it. I blushed and changed the subject. “We should get that lunch. I’m starving.” “Right,” he said, and laced his fingers through mine. He seemed to like that. He’d done the same thing last night. I wasn’t used to it. After lunch, he took me to an art exhibit. “Jules, don’t you have work? You said you were on a business trip. We can skip this.” Julian’s family wanted him to take over the family business, but he’d insisted on starting his own company first. Every party I’d ever seen him at, he was on his phone, answering emails, and always left early. He was the definition of a workaholic. But today, he hadn’t looked at his phone once. He just shrugged. “Finished everything last night. Today is all yours.” My face felt hot. “Jules, I’m not a kid. You don’t have to entertain me.” “Oh, I know. I’m the kid. I need you to entertain me.” God, my face was on fire.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385890”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

A new, gloomy transfer student showed up in our class. And, because I talk too much, I had been exiled to the “VIP seat” right next to the teacher’s desk. That’s when these weird pop-up captions appeared in my vision: [This is the m/a/ligned little mute, Leo. After being bullied, he turns into the story’s main villain.] My eyes lit up. I’d caught the keyword. Mute. A mute is good! A mute can’t snitch! 1 Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Honey, looked at the class. “Would anyone be willing to be our new student, Leo’s…” I shot out of my seat, waving both hands. “Ms. Honey! Yes, I do!” Ms. Honey pressed me back down into my chair with one hand, her gaze passing right over me. “…desk-mate?” The room was silent. Everyone was happy with their current seat partners. Everyone, that is, except me. I was the class pariah, exiled to the teacher’s-desk-adjacent VIP seat after a long and storied history of being snitched on for talking too much. Ms. Honey scanned the room and sighed, finally acknowledging my existence. “Mia, you’re moving.” She gave me a long, pleading look. “You need to be nice to our new student. And… especially try to talk a little less.” I saw Leo, who had been staring at the floor, flinch. But I was too busy celebrating. I was getting a conversation partner! I jumped up and gave a sharp salute. “Yes, ma’am! Mission accepted!” I hoisted my desk into the air and hauled it to the perfect spot in the back. Then I grabbed our new, gloomy student by the arm. “C’mon, don’t be shy! From now on, you’re my number-one conversation buddy!” He sat down silently. Sam, our Math Rep, turned around to say hi. I shooed him away. Don’t interrupt my bonding time! “So, I’m a Pisces, which means I’m super sensitive and I really can’t handle the silent treatment. I need, like, constant validation. My favorite hobby is cooking. I’ll bring you some of my homemade breakfast tomorrow. You’ll love it…” Before I could finish, Leo silently pulled a piece of paper out of his bag and stood it on the desk between us, blocking his face. Then he just… started reading. …Huh? I thought about it. What was this? Hide-and-seek? Okay, I can play. I shut up and hid my face behind my own book. I waited. And just when he started to relax… I let out a low, slow, truly evil cackle—hehehe… Hehehe… MWAHAHAHA—and ripped the paper away. “Boo!” He practically jumped out of his skin. “Mia!” Ms. Honey, at the front of the room, was not amused. I shot up. “Sorry, teacher! My fault! Won’t happen again!” I sat back down, only to watch Leo pull a literal brick out of his backpack. He set it on the desk between us and stuck a Post-it Note to it: [KEEP OUT]. Oh. So it was a border. The DMZ. I sighed. It’s fine. It’s fine. He might not understand me now, but I was sure that after a period of friendly (one-sided) conversation, he’d see my kind, warm-hearted nature. And besides, he was a mute. He couldn’t tattle on me, no matter how much I talked. Heh. Heh heh. 2 Before English class, Ms. Honey had us review our vocabulary. I’ve always been a “community learner,” meaning I scrounged answers from everyone around me. My front-deskmate would hold his book up. My back-deskmate would trace letters on my back. My old seatmate would mouth the words. It’s how I survived. My new front-deskmate, Sam, turned around and gave me a “don’t worry” thumbs-up. The person behind me tapped my back. I was ready. Except Ms. Honey, betraying all trust, announced a pop quiz. Written. All books were put away. Suddenly, I was all alone. I hadn’t memorized a single word. I’d spent all morning thinking about what kind of breakfast to make tomorrow. I snuck a peek at Leo. His profile was sharp, his jawline defined. He was writing, focused. I panicked. If he can’t talk, he can’t memorize. If he can’t memorize, he can’t write the answers. I was doomed. But as I squinted, I saw that what he was writing… actually matched the few words I did remember. Wait. I started copying, my pen flying. No wonder I could never memorize anything by yelling it at myself. The secret was silent studying! I made a mental note to try “silent studying” more often. In fact, I observed that Leo was a genius. In math, while the rest of us were frantically signaling for help, he’d just quietly draw one line, and the whole impossible problem would solve itself. I, naturally, praised him while trying to copy his homework. “Leo, you’re a genius!” I whispered, leaning in as he frantically tried to cover his paper. His ears, pale and delicate, were right there. “You’re my favorite person! We have to be seatmates forever! I am literally your number-one fan!” His ears turned bright red. He shot me an annoyed look and… covered his ears. Which, of course, left his homework completely undefended. Heh. Heh heh. 3 To prove my love was real, I woke up at an ungodly hour to cook. I made a huge batch and left half on the table for my parents. I burst into their room. “Good morning, creators of this amazing child! I have prepared a gourmet breakfast for you!” My mom went stiff, then pulled the covers over her head. She kicked my dad out of the bed. “You’re up.” My dad stumbled out, his hair a mess, and walked right past my culinary masterpiece. I was crushed. “You’re disrespecting my labor! That took me forever! You’ll regret this!” “I’ll regret it later,” he mumbled, pushing me out the door. “We’re late.” In the car, he asked, “So, still enjoying the VIP seat?” “Pfft,” I said. “I have a new seatmate. He’s great. He’s a mute, so he can’t snitch on me. And he’s a genius who memorizes everything silently. He’s so lucky to have me. I even woke up early to make him breakfast.” My dad just gave me this… this look. Of pity. I proudly placed the container on top of the border-brick. “My dearest Leo, if this breakfast meets your standards, will you finally agree to tear down this wall? To unify our territory?” He stared at the breakfast for a long time. He hesitated, then picked up the sandwich. He looked at me. I nodded enthusiastically. He took a tiny bite. His chewing… slowed. Then stopped. Five seconds later, a sound. “Bleeghh…” He clamped a hand over his mouth and sprinted out of the classroom. I froze. “Wait. He’s not a mute!” [The heroine’s cooking is so powerful it cured the villain’s mutism!] […Are we sure it’s not a deadly poison?] [He’s literally power-vomiting in the hallway. Poor guy.] What? My cooking is amazing! I didn’t even eat any myself! I saved it all for my parents and Leo! Some people just have no taste. 4 When Leo came back, his eyes were red. He ignored me completely. It’s fine. I’m not sensitive. “So, was it good? You liked it, right? Was it the tuna? I can make strawberry tomorrow, just give me some feedback!” He turned his back to me. “Hey, what’s your secret? How are you so smart? Did you eat special brain food as a kid? Can you send me the link?” He was silent for a second, then turned around, pointed at my head, then shrugged and shook his head, like: Nothing in there. …I was furious. That’s it. No more talking. I focused on my book, trying his “silent studying” method. I silently studied… I silently… I… zzz… My head flopped onto something warm. And soft. I unconsciously snuggled into it. A second later, I was shoved awake. Leo was facing away from me, but his entire neck was bright red. I rubbed my eyes and went back to “silent studying.” Zzzzz…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385889”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My brother was in the living room with our neighbor, Mark, and I walked in on them. My mom had a complete meltdown. She broke Mark’s… well, let’s just say his days as a man were over. My brother, Kevin, hated me for it. He drugged me, dumped me at an abandoned construction site, and let a group of men destroy me. I died. Now, I’m awake. It’s the day it all happened. The day Kevin left the door open. This time, I’m just going to lock it. They can play all they want. 01 “Ugh… does it have to hurt? Go easy… I-I’ve never…” Hearing my brother’s voice through the door, I realize I’m back. It was this same suffocating afternoon. I was taking out the trash when I heard… noises… from the apartment next door. Mark’s apartment. I don’t know why, but I leaned in. The door was cracked. I saw my brother, Kevin, pinned to the sofa by Mark. They were in a position I didn’t even know was possible. A hot rage filled my head. I thought Kevin was being attacked. Mark was, after all, my dad’s best friend of twenty years. So I screamed and threw the door open. My mom heard me and came running. When she saw them, she just… broke. She grabbed a floor lamp and started beating Mark with it. He was screaming, and by the time it was over, his future was… gone. That’s when my nightmare started. My mom blamed me for everything. “If you were a better sister, if you’d watched him, would that pervert have targeted him?!” They pulled me out of school. They made me take Kevin to therapy. Eventually, the therapists “fixed” him. He could supposedly “react” to women again. Everything seemed to go back to normal. But Kevin never, ever forgave me. He put something in my drink. He stuffed me in a canvas bag and left me on a pile of rubble. That day… My fingernails were all torn out. I heard my own bones snap. Fists, cigarette butts, beer bottles… I was a broken doll, and they tore me apart. I died in agony. As my vision faded, I saw Kevin standing a few feet away, filming it on his phone. “You bitch,” he hissed. “You ruined my life. You deserve this.” After I died, my mother shed a few tears. Then she sighed. “That girl was just born bad. I’ve already lost her; I can’t lose your brother, too.” Because I “died dirty,” they said I brought shame to the family. They wouldn’t even bury me. My mom cashed in the small life insurance policy I’d paid for from my part-time job—at a 70% loss—and used the money to buy Kevin’s way into some scam online college. “Aah… Mark… please…” “Relax, baby. You’ll learn to love it…” The sounds from the apartment yank me back to the present. I step forward. I quietly reach for the handle. I gently push the door shut until I hear it click. This time, my dear brother, you can leave that door as wide open as you want. 02 I just get back to our apartment when my mom twists my ear, hard. “Sarah! Where the hell were you? Taking out the trash or trying to get hit by a car? You’re so damn lazy!” Her eyes are full of disgust. “What are you standing there for?” She shoves me. “Go make dinner! Your brother is a growing boy. If he’s hungry, I’ll skin you alive!” On the sofa, my dad, Mike, is smoking, his feet up on the table. He blows a cloud of smoke in my face as I pass. “Told you, girls don’t need college. Wastes time. My buddy Leo’s daughter dropped out, works in a factory, sends him three grand a month! Just got her engaged. Twenty grand, cash. That’s a good daughter.” I don’t listen. I go to the kitchen. On the cutting board is a mountain of bright red habanero peppers. My brother loves spicy food. I’m violently allergic. If the juice touches my skin, I break out in welts. But in this house, there has never, not once, been a meal I could eat without pain. I tried to protest, once. My mom just laughed. “Allergic? You’re just dramatic. Good. Maybe you’ll stop eating. You’re fat as a pig.” I look down at my arms. My wrist bones stick out. I’m five-foot-one and ninety pounds. I think about what I just saw. Mark is a gym teacher. He’s all muscle. My brother… he’s a twig. His first time… he’s probably in a lot of pain. He’s probably torn. A terrible, wonderful idea starts to grow in my mind. I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. You like it spicy, do you, Kevin? Then sister is going to cook you a meal you will never, ever forget. I turn on the tap, pull on a pair of rubber gloves, and grab a handful of peppers three times bigger than usual. The air in the kitchen is already starting to burn. 03 Because no one interrupted him, Kevin doesn’t get home until 7 PM. We’re all waiting at the table. He’s walking… strangely. His legs are stiff, his knees bent. Every step looks like agony. My mom sees him and shoots out of her chair. “My baby! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” “N-nothing… I’m fine.” He waves her off, his voice weak. “I just… I fell.” “You fell?!” Mom’s voice goes up an octave. “Where? Let me see! Is it bad?” She lunges for his pants, trying to check him right there. Kevin flinches back, which clearly pulls at the… injury. He sucks in a breath, and fresh sweat pops out on his forehead. He’s humiliated. “Mom, stop! I’m not a baby! Get off me!” She’s offended. “You’ll always be my baby! I’ve seen every part of you! Now let me see if you’re hurt!” “It’s fine! Really! It doesn’t even hurt!” “Really?” she says, still eyeing his ass. “Really! See?” To prove it, Kevin grits his teeth and does two tiny, agonizing hops. His face twitches, and he quickly changes the subject. “I’m starving, Mom. Let’s just eat!” That works. “Yes, yes! My poor boy! We have to eat!” She pulls him to his chair and shoves him down onto the hard wood. I watch his whole body go rigid. He tries to shift his weight, balancing on the absolute edge of the chair, his legs taking most of his weight. Mom, oblivious, starts piling his plate high. “Here, baby, your favorite spicy stir-fry! I told Sarah to put in extra habaneros! And the spicy sausage! Eat! It’s all extra hot tonight!” Kevin stares at the mountain of food. His hand is shaking. He takes one, slow, agonizing bite. He swallows, his throat working. The slower he eats, the more Mom piles on. “What’s wrong? You don’t like it? Is it where you fell? Does it hurt?” He just shakes his head, forcing the food down. I sit across from him, quietly eating my plain white rice, hiding my smile behind the rim of my bowl. 04 Later, I’m washing dishes when the doorbell rings. It’s a delivery. I open the bag. Inside is an education. A tube of prescription-strength ointment for… tears. A bottle of high-end lube. And a rather uniquely-shaped… toy. The note says: [Use this to practice. It’ll get easier. –M] Mark is just so thoughtful. I’m putting things back when Kevin shuffles out, one hand on his butt. He glares at me. “Sarah! Who said you could touch my stuff? You’re such a bitch!” He snatches the bag and limps back to his room, slamming the door. I have to admit, the ointment must be good. Kevin is “recovered” in no time. Now he’s over at Mark’s every day, “working on his core strength.” My parents are thrilled. My mom just keeps making him stews and muttering about how muscular he’s getting, even as I watch the new, purple-red hickeys appear on his neck. This goes on for a month. And then, my mom finally finds it. In the back of the bathroom cabinet, she finds the half-empty bottle of lube and the… toy. She explodes.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385888”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Declan posted a video of me, fresh from the shower in just a towel, to a group chat. It was a chat filled with all the rich kids who’d ever tried to hit on me. And Declan, of course, was the prettiest of them all. [Damn, Dec. What’s the Ice Queen really like? Give us a taste.] [He’s taking one for the team. Seducing the valedictorian to get revenge for Chloe.] [Cold-blooded, man. Telling her he has cancer right before finals. I saw her in the hall, her eyes were all red.] [Break up with her right after the exams.] I heard Declan send a voice memo. His tone was lazy, bored—nothing like the weak, pitiful act he used with me. I’d been skipping class, running to the hospital, my grades plummeting. He’d be lying there, looking pale and perfect, holding a faked hospital report. “Elara,” he’d whisper, his eyes full of “love,” “I’m so sorry. I’m dragging you down. Stop spending money on me.” He knew I was broke. He was waiting for me to give up. Instead, I pulled out another $30,000 for his “treatment.” A new message popped up in the chat. [That bastard! He’s just a pretty face! Why would Elara fall for him?!] [She sold her condo for him! It was the only thing her mom left her!] [Liam, did you ever tell her the truth?!] [OH MY GOD, YOU IDIOT! DECLAN IS IN THIS CHAT! DELETE THAT! DELETE IT!] The messages vanished, one by one. On the hospital bed, Declan’s face went as white as the sheets. 1. School was never hard. I’ve been top of my class my whole life. I also got my mother’s looks. Aside from being broke, I was the perfect package. When I was in middle school, my mother married a tech mogul. She left me a debit card and a forwarding address. “Don’t contact me,” she said. “I’ll send money once a year.” She was telling her new world she was single, and I was a loose end. I just took the card. I told everyone I was an orphan. I was born with a low emotional frequency. My mother didn’t like me. She wanted a daughter who would call her “Mommy,” even if it was a stepdaughter. Her Instagram was soon full of a girl named Chloe—the mogul’s daughter. In every picture, Mom was hugging her, and Chloe was forcing a pouty, miserable smile. It was the first time someone else’s fake smile had ever bothered me. My life was boring. My only hobby was finding people who could make me feel something. So I cashed in some bonds my grandmother left me, bought a small condo in the district for Greenwood High, and enrolled. 2. Just as I suspected, Chloe hated me on sight. She and her little clique made my life hell. I ignored it. Then, the week before district midterms, I stopped going to school. Greenwood High has been living in the shadow of Northwood High for years. My test scores were their only hope of winning. When my homeroom teacher called, I put a tremor in my voice. “Ms. Allen? I was wondering… could I transfer classes?” “Transfer?” She heard the “problem” immediately. “Elara, is someone bothering you? You can tell me.” “No,” I whispered. “It’s just… I don’t think I fit in.” I hung up, my face smoothing back to its usual calm. I’ve never been a good person. I just believe in payback. Two days later, I was called back to the school. Ms. Allen had spent a whole day reviewing security footage. She found two months’ worth of Chloe pushing, tripping, and harassing me. It went straight to the principal. Chloe had to give a tearful, sobbing apology during the morning announcements. She was humiliated. And she hated me for it. “It’s all her fault!” I heard her screeching to a guy outside a coffee shop. “If she wasn’t some stupid genius, the teachers wouldn’t protect her!” “Liam! Are you going to help me or not?!” The guy, tall and handsome, pulled her into a hug. “Shh, stop crying. Declan and I will take care of it.” “How?” “We’ll get someone to rough her up, take some pictures, and post them. Let’s see how ‘high and mighty’ she is then.” The guy, Liam, laughed. “She’s just some poor-kid overachiever. Don’t worry, Chloe. We’ll teach her a lesson. We’ll have her on her knees, licking your shoes.” 3. Suddenly, my boring life was fascinating. A lot of very rich, very good-looking guys started trying to be my “friend.” “Elara, I know this great Michelin-star spot. Let me take you,” Liam said, leaning against my locker. He was tall, maybe 6’1″, with the easy charm of a professional player. He was Chloe’s cousin. He was very public about his “crush.” Since he was the only guy I ever bothered to reply to, the whole school thought we were dating. My teacher, Ms. Allen, called us both into her office. Liam’s homeroom teacher was there, looking furious. “Liam, you need to focus on your own work,” he snapped. “Your grades are terrible. Stop distracting other students. And your father and I agree, this ‘art’ thing isn’t a career. Your portfolio is a mess.” Liam’s hands clenched. His teacher kept going. “Just leave Elara alone. You’re dragging her down.” “He’s not,” I said. The room went silent. “He’s not a distraction,” I said, my voice flat. “I’ll still be number one.” 4. Liam’s pursuit was… basic. He sent bags I didn’t want and offered money. If he’d been after my mother, it would’ve worked. I’d seen her fall for it a dozen times. I finally told him, “Your grades are too low.” “Ouch,” he said. “Not all of us are geniuses, Elara.” “But your art is good,” I said. He froze. The lazy smile dropped. “You… you think so? My teachers say I’m just messing around.” “I don’t.” He started complaining, telling me his family wanted to send him abroad, that they hated his painting. I cut him off. “I have to go home.” A real player would know: never show your weakness to a girl who isn’t in love with you. “Elara, wait. Do you… want me to teach you?” Liam’s eyes were his best feature—dark, heavy-lidded, a professional heartbreaker’s eyes. I like beautiful things. “Your eyes are beautiful,” I said, smiling. “Teach me to draw your eyes.” He blushed. His hand actually trembled. He was still just a teenager. I looked at his drawing, then at my own pathetic attempt. “I guess I have no talent.” “You’re… really cute, Elara,” he stammered. I put the brush down. “It’s dirty. I don’t like things that are dirty. Men included.” His face paled. He looked at my eyes, then at his new drawing. He had sketched my eyes. Calm, empty, and totally devoid of love. He left in a hurry. I saw Chloe watching from the end of the hall, her eyes full of venom. Liam’s “precious” paintbrush was on the floor. I picked it up and dropped it in the trash. Time for the next one.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385887”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel